things that do concern 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 communicates himself in his choice 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 Business of great consequence we make preparation for indeed if a business be a slight business we can fall upon it on a sudden you make not preparation to go in a Poaâ— 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 evil 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 heartâ— wâ—â—m at your work â—hy 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 business they come together and they are a long time before they can buckle to the business 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 Spiritual and holy things but by nature our hearts grovel in the dirâ— 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 sensible of the unfitness of our hearts to come into Gods presence Perhaps because thou knowest not God thou canst rush into his presence without any more ado 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 Lordshould 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 of God This business and the other business would hinder the intanglements they would hinder the temptations of the Devil they would hinder sometimes the indisposition of our bodies doth mightily hinder and the stirrings of the passions of our minds they hinder if there be any business fals out amiss in the family and any thing go but crosse how are we put off the hinges and made unfit for holy duties There had need be preparation therefore because there are so many hinderances in the way many of you will complain that you are much hindered but do you do what you can to make preparation before hand Do the hinderances that you complain of put you on to be so much the more carefull to make due preparation for holy duties Fiftly We find that the heathens themselves by the light of nature when they did but worship their Idol gods they would make some preparation such as was suitable to those gods that they worshipped therefore they would wash their flesh and purge themselves but though their preparation was but very poor yet they taught us thus much That they were convinst in their consciences that when God was to be worshipped people should be prepared The Sixt last reason hath a great deal in it which I beseech you consider of we find that the Scripture doth make the uprightnes of the heart much to consist in preparation for worship and doth make the falsenesse of the heart to consist in this that men do not prepare Perhaps you have not so much thought of this but yet it is of excellent use unto you We shall find the Scripture doth make the very uprightness of the heart to confist in the preparation for duty and the falsness of a mans heart to consist in this that he makes not conscience to prepare his heart for God and His Worship And this I will shew unto you very plainly and cleerly take these Two examples The first of Rehoboam and the second of Jehoshaphat one a wicked man whose heart was false and the other a godly man whose heart was right with God The falseness of the heart of the one is in 2 Chron. 12.14 there you have what Gods thoughts of Rehoboam were in the verses before but now he brings the reason of his sentence upon him and saith the text he did evil because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord there were many good things that Rehoboam did I might shew you some things as how he did obey the Prophet of God when he was seeking to avenge himselfe upon those that did rend themselves from his obedience the Lord did but send His Prophet and though he had an Army ready to revenge himself upon those that in a way of Rebellion did rend themselves from under his government and he obeyed the word of the Lord but for all that he did evil in the fight of the Lord God looked upon him as a man that had no uprightness in him Why For he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord Saith God I look upon all Rehoboam did as nothing I look upon his waies as evil and himself as a wicked man why Because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord if his heart had bin upright with me he would have prepared his heart to seek me I beseech you now lay this text to your hearts Do you prepare your hearts to seek God when ye go to prayr Can you say that you take pains in preparing your hearts for it And in hearing the Word and so likewise for receiving the Sacrament Now for Jehoshaphat a godly man in 2 Chron. 19.3 there you may
is said And it was so when Elijah heard it that is the soft voice after the fire and earthquake and the mighty wind that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entring in of the Cave and behold there came a voice unto him and said What dâ—est thou here Elijah Then his heart was more struck with fear where was most of Gods presence though it was in a soft voice than when the fire and earthquake did appear It is a good sign of a gracious fear when the soul can be struck with more fear from the Word and from the sight of God in enjoying of communion with him in his Worship then when God appears in the most terrible way of his works or when there is terrour in a mans conscience through fear of hell when God appears as though he would send him down presently to hell though God expects to be feared then but when the Soul in enjoying communion with God in holy duties and the more communion he hath with God the more is he struck with reverence and the fear of God this is a sign of Sanctifying fear and then Doth the heart Sanctifie the Name of God indeed when it is so possessed with fear in the duties of Worship Now this fear of God should be indeed in the Soul and expressed outwardly when you are in the assembly by such reverent carriage in prayer as if a heathen should come in he may see Gods Name Sanctified and may say How great is this God that this people do worship And in your Families a reverent carriage not lying all along in prayer upon the elbows sleeping but carrying your seves so that if a heathen should come into your families they may say O how great is this God that this people do worship And likewise this fear it must be an abiding fear not only at that instant when you are worshipping of God or speaking of any of Gods Titles and Names but a fear that must abide upon your hearts after duty is over that is after you are come out from your Closets one may perceive the fear of God upon you and so walking all the day long in the fear of God as it becomes those that have been solemnly setting themselves to worship him Now this fear and reverence is contrary to the slightness vanity the boldness and presumptuousness that there is in the hearts of men and women when they are Worshipping of God Fifthly The duties of Gods Worship must be ful of strength for they are not suitable to God else because God is a God infinite in power and glory himself therefore God cannot indure vain Worshipping In Isa 1.13 I hate vain oblations Vanity of Spirit in Worshipping of God is very hatefull to God it doâ—h defile the Name of God God is dishonored by the vanity of mens Spirits Now this strength is Three fold 1 First The strength of Intention 2 Secondly The strength of Affection 3 Thirdly The strength of all the Faculties of the Soul and the strength of body too as much as we are able should be put forth in the Worshipping of God 1 First The strengih of intention We must intend our work as if it were for our lives If ever we were seriously Intentive or Attentive about any thing it must be when we are worshipping of the Name of God When you are coming to Pray be Intent about it You shall see some when they are going in the street when they have much intention about their businesse their friends meet them and they never mind them one may perceive as they are going that they are mightily intent about their business My Brethren look upon every duty oâ— Worship as a great thing which you must be intent in your thoughts about and not give way to the wandring of your thoughts I have read of one Martyr that when he was to die and the fire a kindling saith an Officer What! will not you speak when you see the fire kindling Saith he I am speaking to God that is he was praying and he minded not at all what they were doing O what little things do take our thoughts away from holy duties When every toy every feather every light matter cals them off Is this to Sanctifie Gods Name Would not we account it a dishonorable thing if we were talking to one about serious business and when we are talking every one that comes by he should be looking after them and turning aside to talk with them If a Superiour be talking with you he doth expect that you should mind what he saith But when God is speaking to you and you are speaking to God every vain thought that comes by you are turning aside too as if it were a greater thing to talk to vain thoughts and temptations than to the great and glorious God Therefore now that is the very time that the Devil chuses for to bring temptations when we are in holy duties for the Devil knows then he doth two works at once he doth disturb us in our duties and call off our hearts to that that is wicked and doth aggravate our s n exceedingly It may be thou wilt not dare to coÌ„mit that sin that the temptation doth turn thy thoughts upon yea but the Devill hath spoiled the duty by it The Lord doth expect that there should be strength of Intention when thou art upon the duty and there is no time to parlie with temptations now what ever thoughts come in The truâ—h is though they be good thoughts that should come into thy mind and that time that thou art Praying yet if they be not pertinent to the duty thou must cast them away as the temptation of the Devil You will say Can any thing that is good come from the Devil Certainly that that is materially good and comming unseasonably may be from the Devil the Devil may take advantage by what is in it self materially good and bring in that in an unseasonable time and so he may turn it to evil As now when thou art hearing the Word it may be the Devil thinks he cannot prevaile to cause thee to have thy heart running about uncleanness yea but saith the Devil If I can inject good thoughts I will put into their minds some place of Scripture that is no way pertinent to this only to divert them The Devil gets much by this therefore look to it and know that God expects the strength of thy spirit in duty that is strong intention thou art a worshipping of God and therefore thou hadest need be intent about what thou art a doing Indeed sometimes before you are aware evil thoughts will come into your minds As when a man is keeping of a door and there is a croud of people without that would come in perhaps the man doth open the door for some Gentlemen that be hears is at the door but when he opens it for one that is to come in forty others wil
In worshipping God we draw nigh to him Page 26 In what respects draw nigh to God in worship Page 27 The word of the Gospel nigh Page 211 See Grace Delight Adoption Neglect Severall sorts that neglect to santifie Gods Name in hearing the word Page 197 Nourishment The Lords Supper an Ordinance for Spirituall nourishment Page 233 Beleevers are nourished to eternall life Page 269 O Omniscient What we should learn that God is Omniscient Page 98 Opening Ground of opening the heart to God Page 98 The heart must be opened to hear the word Page 175 Opportunity The happiest opportunity to sanctifie Gods Name is in hearing his Word Page 200 Ordinance An Ordinance of God whâ—â— Page 1â—â— The word an Ordinance of Gâ—d to convey good to us Page 66 Men are not to be forced to congregations where any of Christs Ordinances are waâ—ting Page 237 The Lords Supper the grâ—â—t Ordinance appointed to â—et forth Christs sufferings Page 348 Own We must bring to God in his service that which is his own Page 86 P Parts How to know when men are acted by natural parts in Gods worship Page 87 Passion Passion hinders the right hearing of the word Page 179 Wicked men in passion rise against God Page 180 Peace-Offering Difference between Peace-Offerings and Burnt-Offerings Page 75 Person God accepts the person before he accepts the offering Page 69 Place The Lord is very terrible out of his holy places Page 18 God in his essentiall presence in every place Page 26 See Holy Plowing Powing of the fallow ground of he heart what Page 168 Ma may do somewhat toward the powing of their hearts Page 169 See Word Potent Familarity with God makes us potent with him Page 38 Prayer Prayer a great duty that needs preparation Page 45 Prayer required in preparation to duties Page 50 Vnregenerate men cannot sanctifie GODS Name in prayer Page 68 We should pray before we hear the word Page 171 Of sanctifying the Name of God in prayer Page 272 Prayer put for the whole worship of God Page 273 See Preparation Wandring Praise Gods worship must not be subjected to the praise of men Page 73 Preparation Preparation of the soul in the duties of Gods worship Page 42 Preparation and sanctification all one Page 43 Preparation to Gods worship why ibid Preparation 5 things wherein it consists Page 48 Preparation the excellency of it in severall things Page 52 Those that walk closely with God are in continuall preparation Page 56 Preparation a speciall duty of young beginners ibid Good men greived for want of preparation Page 58 Where there is sincerity duties should be done though there want preparation Page 59 Preparation required in hearing the word Page 165 Preparation to be made to prayer Page 273 See Prayer Great c. Prerogatiue Gods Prerogative appears most in his worship Page 11 No Prerogative can secure from Gods stroke Page 12 Presence Presence of God even in the godly terrible to wicked men Page 32 Presence of godly men comfortable Page 35 To set Gods presence before us in prayer Page 288 See Guilty Present When we worship God we tender a present to him Page 63 Sin committed long since to be looked on as present Page 94 Principle God looks more at the principle of the duty than at the duty Page 69 Good men look at the principle of the things they enjoy from God Page 70 Prize To prize those mercies we beg in prayer Page 275 Prayer to bee highly priz'd Page 286 Promise Every Ordinance of Christ hath a special promise Page 248 Publick Those that are in publick place have especially need of the fear of God Page 13 Pure We must lift up pure hands in prayer page 292 Q Questions Two qustions God will ask his worshippers Page 87 Quick God is quick in way of judgement with some Page 17 The word of God is quick in working Page 196 Quiet The best way to quiet the heart in affliction Page 25 R Ready What will make the heart ready for duty Page 54 Readinesse to hear the word wherein it consists Page 166 Reading Reading not to be preferr'd before hearing Page 167 Reprobation Not to sanctifie Gods Name in hearing the word a sign of Reprobation Page 202 Two fearfull signs of Reprobation Page 203 Resign In Gods worship we must resign all to God Page 90 Resolution We must hear the word with resolution to yeild to it Page 170 resolution against wandring thoughts in prayer Page 287 S Sabbath Sabbath see Strength Sacrament Sacrament the meaning of the word Page 225 Sacrament a part of Gods worship Page 226 We must sanctifie Gods Name in receiving the Sacrament Page 228 Vnworthy receiving the Sacrament severely threatned Page 229 How we sanctifie Gods Name in receiving the Sacrament Page 291 Whether Judas received the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Page 238 Safety Safety wherein it consists Page 38 Salt Salt of the Sacrifice what is signifieth Page 67 Sanctifie Sanctifie what it signifieth Page 5 Gods Name Sanctified two waies ibid Gods Name to be Sanctified when we draw nigh to him Page 42 How Gods Name is Sanctified in drawing nigh to him ibid How duties must be performed that Gods Name may be Sanctified Page 62 The heart must be Sanctified in regard of Gods greatness Page 67 Sanctification the parts of it ibid Sanctification of the heart double Page 68 Sanctifying of Gods Name the only way to fit us for mercies Page 105 Exhortation to Sanctifie Gods Name Page 113 Nothing Sanctified to them that do not Sanctifie God in his word Page 203 See Sacrament Satisfied Naturall Consciences is satisfied with a little duty Page 90 See Sin Schisme No Schisme to depart from a Church that hath not al Christs Ordinances Page 243 Schisme what ibid Difference between Schisme and Apostasie ibid Secret Men acted by naturall parts are not enlarged in secret Page 88 See The Sacrament so to be delivered as all may see what is done Page 262 Self Self not to be our end in our duties Page 74 Where self is the highest end God regards not the duties Page 75 Service Hearing the word is Divine Service Page 164 Shadow Shadow of Gods wing what Page 39 Shift Of those that shift off the word closely applyed Page 199 Silence Silence what Page 7 Sin The committing of one sin prepares for another Page 60 No salvation without satisfying for sin Page 108 The heart must be purged from sin to receive the Sacrament Page 249 Motives in the Sacrament to abhor sin Page 250 Sin the great evil of it Page 269 Singing Singing Psalmes in the time of the Sacrament unfit Page 265 Singing after the Sacrament requisite Page 266 Sitting Sitting at the Sacrament the fittest gesâ—ure Page 263 Soul The price of the salvation of a Soul Page 269 Spirit Spiritual We must be acted by the Spirit in our worship Page 87 God must be worshipped in Spirit Page 93 Spirituall things may be absolutely prayed for Page
Look to thy feet when thou comest into the House of God Eccle. 5.1 Now for the Sanctifying of Gods Name in drawing nigh to Him we shall endeavour to open it 1 First in shewing you wherein the Sanctification of Gods Name consists or what we should do that we might Sanctifie the Name of God in drawing nigh to Him 2 The Reason why God will have His Name to be Sanctified in those that do draw nigh to Him How we should Sanctifie the Name of God in drawing nigh to Him it is under these two heads First There must be a due preparation unto the Worship of God that we exercise our selves in at any time Secondly A right behaviour of our souls in it in these two things consists the Sanctifying of Gods Name in His Worship Now under these Two Heads all that I shall speak about the opening of the Sanctifying of Gods Name will be contain'd At this time I shall only speak to the First The due preparation of the Soul unto the Duties of Gods Worship Therein consists a speciall part of the Sanctifying of Gods Name in drawing nigh to Him And that it is so we find it in Scripture That preparation for worship it is called the Sanctifying of our selves and by finding this in Scripture it hinted me upon this head to speak of the preparation unto Worship in our Sanctifying Gods Name because I find in Scripture that the Sanctifying our selves for Worship and the preparation of our selves for Worship are all one I le give you these two texts In 1 Sam. 16.5 you shall find there that Samuel when he was sent by God to Anoint David in Bethlem the text saith I am come to Sacrifice unto the Lord Sanctifie your selves and come with me tâ— the Sacrifice Do you come peaceably say they Yes what then Sanctifie your selves and come with me to the Sacrifice That 's all one as if he should have said Prepare your selves and come with me to the Sacrifice and so in Job 1.5 there you shall find that the holy man Job when his sons had been feasting he was somewhat afraid least there should be some miscarriage and that they had sinned against God in their feasting as it is very hard to give liberty to please the flesh and not to sin not to transgress bounds therefore Job though he did not hear of any notorious abuse of their feasting yet he was afraid least they should sin he knew how dangerous it was to have so much satisfaction to the flesh and not to transgress bounds therefore it is said he sent to his sons and sanctified them It was so saith the text when the daies of the feasting were gone about that Job sent and Sanctified them that Job sent unto them to prepare them to offer Sacrifice to prepare them for the Worship of God So that the Scripture holds forth this then that to prepare for Worship it is to Sanctifie for Worship and so it is one special thing that is required in our sanctifying of God in our drawing nigh to God to make a due preparation for his holy worship Now for the orderly handling of things 1 First I shal shew you That we must prepare for the worship of God 2 Secondly I shall shew you Wherein this preparation for the Worship of God doth consist 3 Thirdly The excellency that there is in this or what great good there is in preparation for Gods Worship 4 Fourthly I shall Answer a case of Conscience or two 5 Fifthly 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 dreadful 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 to morrow 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 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 daies together to make such preparation the argument is because of the presence of God The Lord said to Moses Go and Sanctifie the people tâ— day and to morrow and let them wash their cloaths and be ready against the third dayâ— Why for the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon mâ—unt Sinai The Lord will come down the third day and therefore let them be Sanctified So when thou goest to Worship Gods 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 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 shews 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 carnal heart to slight the duties of Gods Worship to make account of them as little matters Carnal 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 business or I may not neglect to visit or gratifie such a friend but now for the worship of God it is good indeed but whether it be done or not it is no great maâ—ter therefore they can put off prayer if they have any business 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
see what the Lord saith of Jehoshaphat that was godly Nevertheless there are good things found in thee in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land and hast prepared thine heart to seek God Jehoshaphat was found guilty in joyning himself to wicked men too much the Prophet comes and saith to him Wouldest thou help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. Jehoshaphat here we see was very faulty in joyning with those that were wicked and is rebuked by the Prophet from the Lord What wilt thou joyne with the wicked the wrath of God is upon thee Well but for all that I beseech you observe it That at that time when the Lord is most displeased against Jehoshaphat and sends His Prophet in His Name to pronounce this that the wrath of God is out against him yet for all this God cannot but take notice of this that he had an upright heart though he failed in that particular yet there is some good found in thee in that thou hast prepared thy heart to seek God Indeed through some sudden temptations thou art drawn aside in this particular act Yea but it hath been thy care to prepare thy heart to seek me and in that regard I do look upon thee as having an upright heart And thus you see how much the Scripture puts upon the preparation of the heart to seek God And so in 1 Sam. 7.3 you shall find that the Scripture makes the uprightness of the heart to consist in this And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel saying If ye do returne unto the Lord with all your hearts what then Then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you and prepare your hearts unto the Lord and serve Him only As if Samuel should say If you will returne indeed to the Lord if indeed your hearts be upright according to what you seeme to professe in turning to God Then prepare your hearts to seek the Lord. You do not in truth turne to God except you make conscience to prepare your hearts Therefore you that yet never knew what it was to make conscience to prepare your hearts for holy duties know that you have not turned with all your heart unto the Lord there hath not been the true turning of your hearts unto the Lord. Thus you see there is much lies upon preparation to the duties of Gods Worship Wel you wil say seeing thâ—re lâ—es sâ— much in it I pray open it wherein it doth â—â—nâ—iâ— To that I Answer it consists in these five things which 〈◊〉 bâ—t sly â—ame First In the possessing the heart with the right apprehension of that God before whom we come to tender our duties Then do we make conscience to prepare our hearts when we labour upon our going to Worship God to get our hearts before hand possessed with right apprehensions of the Majesty of that God that we are going to Worship and of the greatness and weight of the duty that we are setting about the nature of it the manner how it is to be performed the rule by which we are to be guided the end that we are to aime at Meditation is a good preparation to holy duties And these are the general heads of our me ditation for our preparation to duty Viz. What God He is we have to deal with meditate of God n his Attributes and then meditate of the weight of our duties and the nature of them and the rule of them and the end of them get your hearts possessed with meditations of this nature and in this as a special thing doth consist your preparation to holy duties and that 's the first thing 2 The Second thing wherein the preparation to a duty consists it is in this In the taking off of the heart from every sinfull way the endeavour at least If there be iniquity in thine hand or heart labour to put it out When thou art come into Gods presence Do not bring into the presence of God the love of any sin in thine heart but labour to put it from thy heart In 2 Chron. 29.5 We find there what is required to preparation the Text saith Hezekiah said unto them Hear me ye Levites Sanctifie now your selves and sanctifie the house of the Lord God of your fathers and carry forth the filthiness out of the Holy place that is sanctifying a thing to carry forth the filthynesse out of that thing that we would sanctifie So the sanctifying of our hearts it is by carrying forth the filthiness out of our hearts so as to be fit for a duty And in Job 11.13.14 If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hand towards him what then If iniquity be in thy hand put it far away and let not wickedness dwel in thy tabernacles These two must be together 3. A Third thing is this The Preparation of the heart it is the dis-intangling of the heart from the world and from all occasions and businesses in the world I am to Worship God but how is my heart insnared and intangled in this and the other businesse Now when I come to worship God I must lay aside all for there 's the preparation of the heart the separating of it for such a work for that 's the nature of Sanctification the separating of a thing from a common use I am to worship God now I must labour to seperate my heart from a common use At other times God gives me liberty to let out my heart to common uses but now when I come to worship Him I must separate my heart from all common uses that my heart may be wholly for God I remember it is said in the story of Cicil which was Lord-Treasurer that when he went to reade he would lay his gown off and say Lie there Lord Cicil So when we go to duty we should say Lie by world and by laying aside the world I mean laying aside of al houshold affairs or affairs in trading c. I must be as one that hath nothing to do in the world for that time It is true the time cannot be said to be holy for this as the time of the Sabbath day is holy You will say Why may not any time be said to be holy that I spend in holy duties No that is not enough to make time holy for the time that God makes holy it is not holy because of the duties that I performe in it but the duties that I perform then are more acceptable because they are done in such a time and so that makes a place holy not because it is appointed for holy duties and uses but because it is so appointed by God and the performing a duty in that place is more acceptable to God than in another place But now though we cannot make our time holy in that second sense yet in the first it is time set apart for a holy use and in that
regard it is holy and so we should look upon it as not to have our outward businesse to devour that time that is holy in that regard as Nehemiah When Tobiah and Sanbaâ—â— sent to him to come and confer with them No saith he I cannot go for the work iâ—â—reat that I have to do So we must not intangle our selves to meddle with other things when we are to come to worship God for our work is great The Fourth thing for preparation is To Watch and to Pray We should watch over our hearts lest they be made unfit for dâ—â—ieâ— So we should prepare for Prayer all day long in this seâ—se that is we should watch over our hearts that they bee nâ—â— bâ— out so far as to hinder us in prayer when we come to do it I remember that Tertullian saith That the Christians did so sup as if that they were to pray so when thou art in company thou shouldest watch unto Prayer Oh that you did so you cannot but be conscious to your selves that oftentimes when you have bin in company your hearts have been put out of tune and frame that you have been no way fit for prayer when you come home your house and family finds it so you that take such delight in company and sitting up late I appeal to your consciences whether you can come home and find your selves fit either in your family or closet to go and open your hearts to God This is one Note by the way wherby you may come to know whether you have been immoderate in company at any time God gives not men liberty to be busie in any outward occasions in the world so as to unfit them for his service Preparation consists in that in watching over your hearts that you may not be unfitted for any holy duty when God cals you to it but that you may be ready even to every good work The Fift is this Preparation consists in the readiness of the faculties of the soul and the graces of the Spirit of God presently to act upon the setting upon a holy duty When a man or woman shall find the faculties of their soul and the graces that are in them to be ready to act as soon as ever they fall upon duty just as you see a company of Ringerâ— when they have made all preparation for the raising of the bels then in an instant when they begin to pull all the bels go in that tune that according to their skil they set them in And so it should be with our hearts the faculties of our souls and graces though now we are not upon duty yet we should be so ready that as it were upon a pull all the faculties of our souls and graces of Gods Spirit should work in a melodious way There are those that keep their hearts so prepared as at the very first moment that they set about the duty of Worship all faculties and graces begin to act and to stir and are working towards God as a fire when all the matter is ready laid presently it comes to be kindled and flame out and thus it should be with our hearts So that now you see wherein preparation of our hearts to duty consists The next thing is the Excellency of this preparation and that may be in way of Application to you to make you to be in love with Preparation for holy duties There is abundance of good in it First By this means we come to make every duty of worship easie to us things are difficult when we come upon them unprepared If you have a friend come to dinner or supper to you and should come suddenly and you have nothing prepared there would be a great deal of stir in the house but if you have every thing prepared it would be carried on in an easie way and the reason why people complain so much of difficulty in duty it is because their hearts are not prepared Indeed we have naturally many things to keep us off from God but now when the heart is prepared for a holy duty it goes off as easie to God even into the infinite ocean of All mercy and goodness as a ship goes off to be lanch'd when you have made preparation for it the heart can go with a holy boldness to God when you have made preparation for holy duties In Job 11. the place which I quoted before for the work of preparation do but consider a verse or two further and you shall find what abundance of good there comes upon the keeping of the heart prepared in things that are good Vers 13. If thou prepare thine heart c. And then Vers 15. Then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot yea thou shalt be steadfast and shalt not fear When the heart is prepared for that that is good when it comes into the presence of God it is able to lift up its self without fear in a steadfast comfortable way and this will quit the cost of any labor 2 Secondly if the heart be prepared it will do a great deal in a little time In 2. Chron. 2.36 it is said That Hezekiah rejoyced and all the people that God had prepared the people for the thing was done suddenly The thing came off freely and suddenly when as that they were prepared Hezekiah rejoyced and blessed God for such a mercy as this was it is a great mercy to have the hearts of people prepared unto a good work And so in 2 Chr. 27.6 the text saith Jotham became mighty because he prepared his waies before the Lord his God Jotham he grew mighty by this and so certainly the way to grow to be very strong and mighty to be able to do a great deal in a little time it is to make preparation there may be as much work done in one hour so as in ten times so much time when the heart is not prepared for it In Ezra 7.10 you shall find that the reason is given why Ezra had such good success in his journy it was because he had prepared his heart Make preparation for holy duties and you shall have success in holy duties There is a notable Scripture for that in Psal 10.17 where the holy Ghost saith that God prepares the heart and what then when God doth prepare the heart he doth then cause his eare to hear There was never a prayer made wherein the heart was prepared for it but that praier was heard they go both together Lord thou wilt prepare their heart and thou wilt cause thine eare to hear if God hath once prepared thy heart thou wilt be sure to be heard then Is it not worth a world for to know ones self to be accepted of God in every duty of Worship that we tender up to him this one Scripture Psal 10.17 will shew it Oh the excellency that there is in Preparation to duty There is one thing more that is very observable and that is this Where the heart
from the thoughts and apprehensions of all excellencies in our selves we must not come in the pride of our hearts because we have abilities more then others what do all thy parts commend thee to God thou hast ability in expressing of thy self in Prayer why do thy parts commend thee to God Whatever is natural in any of our duties is nothing to God only that which is from his own Spirit and therefore thou shouldest come in thine own thoughts as vile as if thou hadest no parts and abilities at all I ay aside all such apprehensions of thy self for the truth is some poor broken hearted sinner that can but sigh out a few groans to God and is not able to speak two or three sentences together in a right language but only breath out his Soul to God may be a thousand thousand times more acceptable to God than thou that art able to make great Orations when thou comest before him 3 Thou must come without any righteousness of thy own thou must never come into Gods presence but as a poor worm and if there be any difference that is made between thee and others in outward respects it is nothing to thee when thou art in the presence of God thou art as a base vile worm though thou beest a Prince or Emperour 4 Thy heart must be taken off from what thou doest If thou hast any abilities of grace yet thy heart must be taken off there there may be pride not only from ones parts but it may be God hath given me enlargements in Prayer the Devil will come in and seek to puffe up thy heart even because of this But thy heart must be taken off there and thou must deny thy self in all when thou hast done the best service of all yet thou must conclude thou art an unprofitable servant when thou hast prayed the best yet rise with shame and take heed of having thy heart puft up even through the assistance of the graces of the Spirit of God in holy duties 5 Lastly Thou must come with a humble resignation of thy self to God to be content to wait upon God as long as he pleases to wait upon God in regard of the time and of the measure and of the manner of the Communication of himself in regard of the means by which he will please to communicae himself wait upon him Let me have mercy though at the last hour This now is an humble heart in Prayer and when we come with such a poverty of Spirit as this is we may expect that the Lord will accept of us Give this poor man somewhat will God say This poore man cryed and the Lord heard him In the Seventh place we must bring that which is Gods own in Sanctifying Gods Name I spake to this before in the Point of Preparation Viz. That in Gods Worship we must give him his own I will only mention it here in the Sanctifying of God Name in two regards 1 First To give God his own for the matter of it 2 Secondly To give God his own that is what comes from the work of his own Spirit or else we do not Sanctifie Gods Name I will give you one text further about the matter of it in Exod. 39. if you read the Chapter you shall find that there is ten times said that they did as God had commanded Moses And then in the close of the Chapter when they had done as God had commanded in his Worship the text saith Moses blessed them That people is a blessed people that do observe the Worship of God as God hath commanded them But the main thing is all that we do it must acted by the Spirit of God it is not enough to have true silver and gold but it must have the right stamp or else it cannot go for current coyn And so it is not enough that the things that we offer to God in His Worship be Gods own be what we have warrant for out of Gods Word but it must have the stamp of the Spirit of God In the Worship of God there be Two Questions that He wil ask First Who required this at your hands But then if you can Answer thus Thou O Lord didst require it It is well but then God hath another Question Whose Image and Superscription is this If thou canst not give an Answer to that it will be rejected too Thou must be acted by Divine principles in all that thou doest there must be the stamp of the Spirit upon that which is tendered to God else it is nothing To open this Point fully will ask some time First Therefore I will shew you how we may know when our duties are acted by our naturall parts rather than by the Spirit of God Secondly How we may know whether our duties be acted by natural Conscience rather than by the Spirit of God 1 First If thou art acted by naturall parts they will not change thy heart Men that do perform duties by the strength of natural parts they may be as large as others and speak to the edification of others but those duties do never change their hearts now if thou beest actd by the Spirit of God thou wilt be changed into the very Image of His Spirit 2 Secondly If men are acted by naturall parts they wil not carry them through difficulties and discouragements but now the Spirit of God if thou hast acted by Him though thou dost meet with never such difficulties and discouragements thou wilt be carried through them all 3 Thou mayest know it by this wherein dost thou account the excellency of a duty to consist either in thy self or others Thou performest a duty now it may be thy parts do act very lively and to thy credit and yet thy conscience tells thee that thy heart was streightened Now canst thou rise up with joy because thou hast thy ends At another time perhaps thy heart is more troubled and broken But thou doest not express thy self so much then thou art discouraged And when thou seest another perform a duty if thou seest but any failing in their expressions thou pitchest upon that and lookest upon it as a poor thing thou art not able to see an excellency in holy duties except there be an excellency of naturall parts but those that have the Spirit of God they can finde the Spirit of God acting in others though they have not such naturall parts 4 Those that are acted by their natural parts in secret they are less enlarged than they are before others a great deal Their parts act much before others But what is there between God and their own souls 5 They that be so acted will not be very constant you shal have young ones that begin to look towards Religion their parts are a little fresh and they are mightily enlarged in holy duties and the thing is good for them to make use of their parts but how ordinary it is that after a few yeers they are
deader and duller than they were before and have less mind to the duties of Gods Worship than they had formerly Were this the Spirit of God you would find as much savour and relish in them afterwards as there was at that time Secondly For naturall Consciences which sometimes puts men upon acting of duties and indeed is better than meerly natural parts 1 If it be only natural Conscience it puts upon duties but gives no strength to do them but when the Spirit of God puts thee upon a duty it gives thee some strength to performe it some strength whereby thou gettest some Communion with God 2. If it be natural Conscience it puts upon the duty but makes not the heart glad of the duty and to love the duty but if it be the Spirit of God it makes thee to delight in it and to love it 3 Thirdly If it be natural Conscience thou doest not by that increase thy communion with God thou doest thy duties as in a round but now when the Spirit of God puts thee upon holy duties it is not a task done but thou sindest more and more increase in Communion with God thy heart more raised to God and more closing with the Lord and so still more and more in the course of thy life I had a little converse with God at first when God began to acquaint my Soul with His wayes but through his mercy now I find more communion with Him and so thou canst bless thy self in God in that converse that thou hast in communion with Him thou wouldst not lose that Communion thou hast with God in holy duties for all the world others have their companions that they have their communion withal much good may do them but the Lord hath shewen me another manner of communion which my Soul can have with Himself in which it hath sweet satisfaction And thus you have had Seven Particulars for the Sanctifying of the Name of God in holy duties SERMON VI. LEVITICUS 10.3 I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me Stepney Dec. 21. 1645. 4 AGAIN As Natural Conscience doth give no strength to do the duty so it makes not the duty to be strong to the Soul that is thus there 's no strength got by the duty they are not by one duty prepared for another But the way of the Lord is strength to the upright that is when a gracious heart is in the way of Gods Worship it finds the very duty of the Worship of God to be strength to it and so it fits it for another duty 5 Further A Naturall Conscience limits it's selfe and is bounded that is so much as will serve the turn for it 's own peace and quiet so much it will do and no more But when one is acted by the Spirit of God one is enlarged without any limits at all not bounded to ones own peace for the more peace a gracious heart hath in duty the more it is enlarged in duty Now a Natural Conscience that puts to duty and will act you when you want peace when you are in trouble and fear but when you are not in trouble and fear then it puts not on the heart to performance of duty but the Spirit of God puts on the Soule to dutie when there is most peace and comfort 6 A little will serve the turn to satisfie a natural Conscience so be it they performe the duty it is enough but one that is acted by the Spirit of God in duty must meet with much of God or else he is not satisfied he goes mourning in the day time if he hath not met with much of God in the morning in the performance of duty Thus you see there is much difference between the Actings of natural parts and conscience in duty and the Acting of the Spirit of God There be only now Two things more for the Sanctifying of Gods Name in duty and then we are to come to shew how we should Sanctifie Gods Name in duty in reference to the severall Attributes of God But First for those Two Heads Further 8 The Eight thing is this When you come to performe holy duties if you would Sanctifie Gods Name you must consecrate your selves to God there must be a resignation of soul and body estate liberty name and all you are have or can do unto God This is to Sanctifie Gods Name the consecration of your selves to God And the professing of this in the performance of duty when you are to pray were a very good thing actually to professe your selves to be Gods to professe that you do give up all that you are have or can do to God Lord I am thy servant take all Faculties of Soul and Members of body and improve all lay out all to thine own praise to the uttermost to bring glory to thy great Name If every time you came to God in prayer you did this this were to Sanctifie your selves to God I spake before of a Sanctified heart but now this is in a profession of your selves to God do it secretly at least in your own thoughts if you do not every time expresse it in words yet in your own thoughts do it devote your selves to God every day Of admirable use it would be if every day when men and women worship God either in their closets or families they did professedly devote and consecrate themselves to God and so likewise every time they came to hear the Word or to receive Sacraments God would account His Name to be Sanctified in such a work as this is 9 Lastly That that must make all up and witout which all the other is nothing it is that you must tender up all your worship in the Name of Jesus Christ let a man or woman worship God never so well yet when they have done all if they do not tender it up in the Name of Jesus Christ God will not account his Name to be Sanctified thou must by Faith look upon Jesus Christ as the glorious Mediator that is come into the world by whom thou hast access unto the Father And act thy Faith upon Christ and give up thy duties into his hand as the hand of a Mediator to be tender'd up to the Father by him though thou hast laboured what thou canst to performe duty as well as thou art able yet thou must not think to tender it up by thine own hand unto God but thou must tender it up to the Father by the hand of Jesus Christ the Mediator and so thou shalt Sanctifie the Name of God in holy duties We reade in Levit. 16.13 that when Aaron was to tender up the Incense he was to put the Incense on the fire before the Lord that the cloud of the Incense may cover the Mercy Seat that is upon the Testimony that he die not Mark it is as much as his life is worth whether he doth it or doth it not Now Incense it is in the NEW TESTAMENT called
How infinitly are these people mistaken how little do they know of God or of the way of acceptation to eternal life That is the first Use 2 Secondly If all this be required for the Sanctifying of Gods Name in duties That we cannot performe the duties of Worship without this behaviour of Soul hence we see that the work of Religion is a hard and difficult work to flesh blood A main work of Religion is the work of worshipping of God for indeed those that are not religious and godly they never worship God to any purpose then we come to worship God when we begin to be religious and godly Now it must needs be a busy work to be a religious and a godly man because there is so much required in the Sanctifying of Gods Name in holy duties many people think it a very easie matter to worship God and the worship that they tender up to God is an easie matter there is little in it If it were nothing else to worship God but meerly to go and say a few prayers and come and hear a Sermon and take a piece of Bread and Wine then it were the easiest matter in the world to come and worship God but there is more required in the duties of Gods worship than thou hast been acquainted with there is a power of godliness in it That Text of Scripture is a very famous one that shews the difficulty that there is in the Worship of God and how men are mistaken in thinking it such an easie and slight matter to worship God It is in Josh 24.16.19 where Joshua doth call upon the people to worship God and they came off presently and said They would worship him so you shall find them profess verse 16. But mark what the Text saith in verse 19. And Joshua said unto the people Ye cannot serve the Lord for he is an holy God he is a jealous God and he will not forgive your transgressions and your sins As if he should say You think it is nothing to serve the Lord and that it is an easie matter to serve him you think to put off God with any thing Alas you cannot serve the Lord for he is a holy God and a jealous God and you must have other manner of hearts than yet you have and you must understand his worship in another manner than yet you do the Lord will be Sanctified in those that draw nigh him and therefore untill you understand God and his waies and worship you cannot serve the Lord. Know that the work of Religion is a very hard and difficult work for it requireth all this and therefore the Soul had need be very diligent and laborious that would come to worship God in a right way 3 Thirdly Hence is a use of humiliatton to us all even to the best of us Oh how little how little hath the best of us all Sanctified the Name of God! how far have we all come short of the Sanctifying of Gods Name in holy duties And when we look abroad in the world and see what poor service God hath generally from the Men and Women of the earth it should make our hearts bleed within us Where almost is the man or woman that according to that text in Isa Stirs up himself to take hold on God And I verily beleeve that in the opening of this Point of Sanctifying the Name of God in holy duties that I have bin in the bosoms of as many as in the opening of any Point whatsoever and as many may have cause to lay their hands upon their hearts and say Certainly I have come short of what is required here and have not bin accquainted with this way this mystery of godlines in Sanctifying Gods Name in holy duties as I ought to be O be humbled for this for all the uncleanness in your hearts in the performance of duties In Exod. 27.4 5. you reade that at the Altar where the Sacrifices were to be offered the Lord required that there should be a grate made Thou shalt make for it meaning the Altar a grate of net-work of brass and upon the net shalt thou make four brasen rings in the four corners thereof and thou shalt put it under the compasse of the Altar beneath that the net may be even to the middest of the Altar There was as it were a grate for the ashes of the Altar to go thorow as you have grates in your fires to make them burne cleer and for the ashes to fal down so the Lord would have such a grate for the ashes of the Altar to fall down We had need of such a grate Oh the ashes and dirt and filth that there is in our services when we come to offer and tender them up to God! So that we have cause I say to to be humbled for holy offerings There be many godly people that through Gods mercy are able to keep from gross sins they do not find it any great matter to keep from company swearing drinking uncleanness lying or wronging of others and such kind of sins as those are so that they see not such need of humiliation in this regard unlesse it be for that their natures are as corrupt as any though they break not forth into those actuall grosse sins but the main work of the humiliation of those that are godly it is to be humbled for their thoughts for the mispending of time and for not sanctifying of Gods Name in holy duties those are the maine things that are the subject of the humiliation of the Saints beside the body of sin and death that they carry about with them And it would be a good signe that thy heart hath some tenderness in it when thou makest these to be the matter of thy humiliation Carnall people little are troubled for these if they fall into such sinnes as that their Consciences do fly in their faces then they are troubled and humbled But for such things as these are they are seldom humbled To be humled for thy holy offerings is a good signe of a gracious heart We reade of the Cherubims that they had six wings and with two of their wings the text saith they covered their faces so my Brethren we had need have wings as it were to cover our best duties they had wings and with two they covered their legs and with two their faces we had need not onely of a covering for our lower parts and meaner duties but a covering for our holy duties to cover our faces our best duties of al the most heavenly duties we perform had need be purged by the blood of Christ In Levit. 16.14.16 we reade of their holy things that there was need of purging of them by blood and so it should be in our holy duties Let us be humbled for our best performance that ever we performed in our lives The best had need be so but then as for others that have made little or no conscience of Sanctifying
in receiving the Lords Supper Page 255 Christ's Body broken for us Page 268 C Children Gods Saints may meet with afflictions in their Children Page 20 Ground of contentment in afflictions upon our Children Page 21 Church Church what it signifieth Page 235 Church defiled by wicked men uncast out Page 236 Civil see Worship Christ All worship must be tendered in the Name of Christ Page 91 All must be tendered in Christ because of Gods Justice Page 101 They that reject the Word reject Christ Page 201 All our prayers must be tendered in the Name of Christ Page 296 Command Nothing must be tendered to God in worship but what he hath Commanded Page 8 No expresse Command for many things in the New-Testament Page 15 Comfort see Word Communion Communion with God not increased by duties done with naturall conscience Page 88 The Sacrament the Ordinance of our Communion with Christ Page 229 The Sacrament must be received in a holy Communion Page 234 How far the presence of wicked men hinder this Communion Page 235 No close Church Communion with wicked men Page 240 More Communion with Christ in the Sacrament than in the Word Page 251 Confession Ground of Confession to God Page 98 Conscience Sinners against conscience need great preparation to duties Page 57 Duties acted by natural Conscience Page 88 Naturall Conscience limits it self in duties Page 89 Trouble of Conscience should make men meekly hear the Word Page 180 Consciences of wicked men troubled about the Sacrament Page 230 Constant Men acted by naturall parts are not constant in duties Page 88 There must be constancie in our prayers Page 295 Contrary The Word will be made good on the contrary to those that abuse it Page 205 Conversion Conversion not wrought by the Sacrament Page 232 Covenant In the Sacrament we make a solemn Covenant Page 226 Covenant of grace sealed in the Sacrament Page 229 Those that receive the Sacrament must be in the Covenant of Grace Page 232 Condition of that Covenant ibid. Renewing of Covenant in the Sacrament Page 257 Crucified Christ Crucified in the Sacrament Page 248 Curse They that neglect the Word are nigh to a curse Page 203 Cursing of others sinful Page 278 How far we may curse the enemies of the Church Page 280 D Danger see Dignity Dark see Mind Dead Death Fear of death taken away how Page 38 We must not bring dead services and hearts to the living God Page 97 Consciences of carnall men opened upon their death-bed Page 118 Death of Christ to be meditated on in the Sacrament Page 165 Dear see Glory Delight God delights in our drawing nigh to him Page 37 Depart To neglect GODS Worship is to depart from Him Page 33 Dependance We should continually be sensible of our dependance on God Page 274 Desire We must hear the Word with a desire after it Page 170 Devil Devil gratified by omission of duties Page 59 Vnseasonable motions though materially good come from the Devil Page 82 Wandering thoughts in prayer suggested by the Devil Page 286 Difficulty Naturall parts in performance of duties will not carry thorow difficulties Page 87 Not to be discouraged in difficulties considering Gods power Page 97 The work of Religion difficult Page 109 Dignity see Prerogative The more dignity the more danger Page 12 Dishonour It were a dishouour to God to accept the services of wicked men Page 116 Disposition Inward disposition in Prayer Page 292 Divine see Service Doubt The time of receiving the Sacrament no time for doubting Page 254 We must pray without doubting Page 293 Duty The holinesse of a duty will not bear men out in their miscarriage in it Page 17 Omission of duty will not fit for duty Page 58. 113 The doing of one duty prepares for another Page 60 Duties not to be rested on Page 103. 107. 115 To be humbled for our best duties Page 111 All duties of carnall worshippers lost Page 112 Sin of Hypocrites aggravated by holy duties ibid E Easie Preparation makes duties easie Page 52 Election Evidence of election Page 213 End see Extremity Our ends must be high in the worship of God Page 72 Base ends of men in Gods worship ibid To have right ends a part of wisdom Page 99 It is the nature of God to will himself the last end Page 104 Engagement Engagements of prayer to be performed Page 293 Envie see Mean Eternity Eternity of God how to be considered in our worship Page 94 Excellency Thoughts of our own excellency to be cast off in our worship Page 85 Exemplary Exemplary judgements should make us look into the Word how God makes it good Page 23 Extremity Men that regard duties only in extremitie make themselves their end Page 77 Examination Examination required in partaking of the Sacrament Page 233 Eye Faith as an eye to see Christ in the Sacrament Page 252 F Faith Faithfulness Faithfulnesse of God what it should teach us Page 102 Faith must be mixed in hearing the Word Page 177 Faith exercised in receiving the Sacrament Page 252 Faith how to act it in the Sacrament Page 271 We must pray in Faith Page 293 Faculties All the Faculties of the Soule to be given up in Prayer Page 281 Familiarity see Potent Drawing nigh to God breeds familiarity Page 37 Benefit of familiarity with God Page 38 Falling away Falling away the ground of it Page 34 Fear see Publick What fear we must have in Gods worship Page 78 In fear naturall Conscience puts on to duty Page 89 Fervency Fervency required in prayer Page 295 Fire Fire from Heaven Two fold Page 2 Fire that slew Aarons Sons what Page 3 Strange fire what Page 19 Folly To be ashamed of our folly when wee come to GOD. Page 99 Follow The Soul is to follow after God as a God Page 65 Free see Grace Friend see Word Friends who are the best Page 25 G Gesture Gesture in the Sacrament not meerly indifferent Page 262 Guilty see Blood Guilty Consciences flee the worship of God why Page 31 Guilt to be removed when we come to pray Page 274 God Duties must be performed to God as a God Page 62 When duties are offered to God as a God Page 63 The Word to be heard as the Word of God Page 166 We are reconciled by the blood of that person that is God Page 268 Good Good heart what Page 187 The word will be made good on the abusers of it Page 207 We are to pray for our own good Page 277 Gospel Gospel the tenour of it Page 257 Glory Glory of God dear to him Page 7 Glory of God dearer to him than the lives of men Page 22 Glory of God is the lustre of all his Attributes together Page 102 The active Glory of God is the especiall honor he hath Page 105 Glory of God in his Word the greatest Page 182 Why God will be glorified in them that hear the Word Page 209 Those that will obey the Word will be the
Page 61 In what manner duties are to be performed that Gods Name may be sanctified ibid 1 We must performe them so that we may glorifie God as a God Page 62 Which is done 1 When we offer all we have Page 63 2 When we greive that we can do no more Page 64 3 There is an impression of Gods infinitness on the duties of his Saints ibid 2 When the Soul follows after God as a God Page 66 3 When the Soul comes expecting the choicest mercies of God ibid How the heart must behave it self to sanctifie Gods Name in respect of his greatness and glory ibid 1 It must be a sanctified heart Page 67 1 Because the Lord accepts the person before he accepts the action Page 69 2 God looks more at the principle of the duty than at the duty ibid 3 According as the heart is so will the duty be Page 70 SERMON V 2 In sanctifying Gods Name in worship we must have high thoughts of God Page 71 3 We must have high ends in worshipping God Page 72 Several base low ends in worshipping of God 1 In subjecting his worship to our lusts ibid 2 Subjecting his worship to the praise of men Page 73 3 Making Self our end in his worship Page 74 Which we do 1 Whâ—â—â—e are weary of duties if we find not that we desire Page 76 2 When men are streightened in Worship and envy others that 〈◊〉 Page 77 3 W◠〈◊〉 regard holy duties 〈◊〉 in times of extremity ibid 4 There must be reverence and 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 worship Page 78 5 There must be strength in the dâ—â—es of Gods worship Page 80 Strength of Intention Page 81 Affection Page 82 Faculties Page 83 6 There must be a humble frame of Spirit Page 84 Which consists 1 In adâ—â—â—â—g Gods goodness that we are alive to come before him ibid 2 To have no thought of any excellency in our selves Page 85 3 To come without our own righteousness ibid 4 To take off our hearts from all abilitie of grace ibid 5 To wait Gods leasure in regard of the time Page 86 7 In Sanctifying Gods Name we must bring that which is his own ibid. 1 The matter must be that which he hath commanded ibid 2 We must be acted by the spirit Page 87 When duties are acted by natural parts and not the Spirit of God 1 If they change not the heart ibid 2 If they carry not through difficulties ibid 3 When men rejoyce in acting their parts ibid 4 When there is little enlargment in secret Page 88 5 When there is not constancy in duty ibid Duties acted by natural Conscience 1 It gives no strength to do them ibid 2 The 〈…〉 not the duty ibid 3 It doth not increase communion with God ibid SERMON VI 4 It makes not a duty strong to the soul Page 89 5 It limits it selfe in dutie ibid 6 It is satisfied with little Page 90 8 In the sanctifying Gods Name in Worship there must be a resignation of all to God ibid 9 All Worship must be tendered in the Name of Jesus Christ Page 91 How to Sanctifie Gods Name in reference to his Attributes 1 God is a Spirit and to be worshipped in Spirit Page 93 2 God is Eternall and how to worship him in that consideration Page 94 3. God is incomprehensible and therefore seeth us in every place Page 95 4 God is unchangeable what that should teach us in our worship Page 96 5 God is a living God and what we should learn thence ibid 6 God is Almighty what that should teach us in our worship Page 97 7 God is Omniscient and what that should teach us Page 98 8 God is a God of Wisdom and what that should teach us Page 99 9 God is Holy and what that should teach us in one worship ibid 10 God is Mercifull and what that should teach us Page 100 11 God is Just and what that should teach us Page 101 12 God is Faithfull and what we should learn thence Page 102 SERMON VII Reasons why God will be sanctified in all the duties of his Worship 1 God doth will himself the last End Page 104 2 The especial glory God hath in the world is to be actively honored Page 105 3 The duties of worship are the means to convey Gods choicest mercies ibid 4 We are not fitted to receive mercies but by sanctifying Gods Name ibid 5 Else we shall not hold out in duty Page 106 Application 1 We have no cause to rest on our duties Page 107 2 The work of Religion is hard to flesh and blood Page 109 3 We should be humbled that we have no more sanctified Gods Name Page 110 4 Exhortation to sanctifie Gods Name Page 113 1 To consider we have to deal with God in worship Page 114 2 Not to come in our own strength Page 115 3 Not to be satisfied with the duty done ibid 5 God is displeased with the duties of wiked men Page 116 1 God blasts such men Page 117 2 God opens their eyes on their death bed to see what they have done Page 118 6 Those that sanctifie Gods name he will Sanctifie it in a way of mercy Page 119 SERMON VIII Of sanctifying Gods name in hearing of the word Page 161 Hearing the word is a part of Gods worship Page 162 1 We profess our dependance upon God for the knowing of his mind Page 163 2 In hearing we wait on God in the way of an Ordinance ibid In hearing the word 1 There must be preparation Page 165 Which is 1 To hear the word as the word of God Page 166 2 To hear the word as Gods Ordinance for our good ibid 2 To plow up the fallow ground of the heart and what is meant by it Page 168 3 Resolution to yeild to all truths delivered Page 170 4 A desire after the word ibid 5 Prayer before we hear the word Page 171 The behaviour of the Soul in hearing the word 1 Careful attention to it ibid Means to help attention ibid 2 An opening of the heart to receive it Page 175 3 Careful applying of the word ibid 4 It must be mixed with faith Page 177 How the word is to be mixed with Faith ibid SERMON IX 5 The word must be received with meekness Page 179 6 It must be heard with a trembling heart Page 181 7 With humble subjection to the word Page 182 8 It must be received with love and joy Page 184 9 It must be received into an honest heart Page 186 10 We must hide the word in our hearts Page 189 11 We must turne the word into practice Page 192 SERMON X Why God will be glorified in them that hear the word Page 195 1 Because there is so much of God in it ibid 2 God hath appointed it to convey special mercies ibid 3 It is quick and lively in working Page 196 Use 1 Reproof of severall sorts of men concerning the Word neglected Page 197 The fearfull
not a warrant for it when this is said who requireth this at your hands It will stop our mouthes another day In Matthew 15.9 In vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrine the Commandements of men In vain it is a vaine thing to Worship God when there is nothing but a Commandement of man for this Worship If you would Worship God you must have a Commandement of God for the Worship And in Isa 29.13 there is a place to the same purpose that shews how the Lord is offended with any man that shal teach his fear by their own precepts Wherefore the Lord said Forasmuch as this people draw neer me with their mouth and with their lips do honor me but have removed their heart far from me and their fear towards me is taught by the precepts of men Mark it Now if this be so the Lord have mercy upon us in this thing You have cause to be humbled every one of you I beleeve in some degree or other this Congregation very much and most Congregations that have had the fear of God taught them by the precepts of men How many things have there been in the Worship of God that you can shew no warrant in the Word for A great many things meerly mens inventions however they are now cast out because Authority came in and cast them out and so you submit to it but that 's not enough for you to submit to it because Authority would have it so but you ought to be humbled before God for all your Will worship for all your yeildings to any thing in the Worship of God that was taught by the precepts of men You see how severe God was to Nadab and Abibu for but taking other fire then that which God had appointed to offer up Incense though there was no direct commandment against it If the Lord hath spared you and not manifested any displeasure upon you you have cause to acknowledge Gods mercy and to be humbled for all your false worship Certainly God doth expect it from this Land to be humbled for their will-Worship or otherwise they sow among thornes All the Reformation that is among us if there be not a humiliation before for all our false-Worship 't is not enough that we set up now the true Worship of God but we must be humbled for our false Worship And that 's the first Note That in the Worship of God there must be nothing but what God Commands The Second Note is In the Matters of Worship God stands upon little things Such things as seem to be very small and little to us yet God stands much upon them in the matter of Worship For there is nothing wherein the Prerogative of God doth more appear than in Worship as Princes they stand much upon their Prerogatives Now God hath written the Law of natural Worship in our hearts as that we should love God fear God trust in God and pray to God this God hath written in our hearts But there are other things in the Worship of God that are not written in our hearts that only depend upon the Will of God revealed in his Word which were no duties except they were revealed in his Word And these are of such a nature as we can see no reason for but only this because God will have them As now There are many kinds of Ceremonies to manifest honour to Princes that there is no reason for them at all but meerly because it is a Civill Institution so appointed So God would have some wayes for the honoring of Him that the Creature should not see into the reason of them but meerly the Will of God to have them so Now God stands much upon little things though men would think it a little matter whether this fire or that fire and will not this burn as well as that But God stands upon it And so for the Ark when Vzza did but touch the Ark when it was ready to fall we would think it no great matter but one touch of the Ark cost him his life There is not any one minnim in the Worship of God but God stands mightily upon it In the matter of the Sabbath that 's His Worship for a poor man to gather a few sticks what great matter is it Put God stands upon it And so when the men of Beth-shemesh did but look into the Ark it cost the lives of fifty thousand threescore and ten men If it be a matter of a holy thing that concerns his worship he would not have it abused in any thing Let us learn to make conscience of little things in the Worship of God and not to think O how nice such are and how precise and nice in such small things Thou doest not understand the nature of Divine worship if so be thou art not nice about it God is nice and stands upon little things in the matter of his Worship Another Note is this That there are no priviledges or dignities of men that can secure them from God sâ—roke First Moses the man of God he was their Uncle Aaron that great instrument of Gods glory he was their Father They were men that were newly consecrated to the Priests office they were renowned men that God put much glory upon yet if they will venture but to offend God in this little thing Gods wrath breaks out upon them and kils them presently Let us take heed then of venturing and do not think that any services that we have done heretofore can bear us out If the greatest cannot be bore out with all their Priviledges how dare we poor wormes venture upon the displeasure of God Thou that art a worthless creature of no use at all in the world darest thou provoke this God when as the Lord is so angry against men that are of great use and service to let out his wrath upon them suddenly If you should see a Prince not spare his Favorite or his Nobles that are about him but upon one offence that we think is but a little offence that the Pinces anger should be so much against them as to cost them their lives what cause is there for poor people to tremble then when they have done that which may incur the anger of their Prince You see all outward priviledges and greatness will not excuse from the stroke of Gods Justice it should not excuse from the stroke of mans justice It 's true among men poor people they go to it if they offend but if great men offend they escape but it is not so with God for Nadab and Abihu were great and renowned men The Fourth Note is That the more the dignity of men is the more is their danger if they look not to it And this Note I gather from hence That Nadab and Abihu were the two eldest sons of Aaron and we find in the Scripture that Eleazer and Ithamer that were the two other sons of Aaron they escaped and were not thus consumed Why
that I think it not so convenient in Pulpits to meddle with such things as those are Those things I say which are suitable to mens own ends and waies them they will close withal but other things that do cross the flesh that are most opposite to loosness and would bring men most under the government of Christ those things men stand out against and they must have cleer and express words express and cleer warrant out of the word in so many terms or otherwise by no means they will not so much as yeild to it That 's a point that if God would but settle it upon our hearts might be of very great use A gracious heart will see the truth through a very little crevis But it is marvelous to consider what a do there is to convince a man before he is humbled of some part of Gods will and how easie it is to convince a man after he is humbled The Eighth Note is this That sinners may meet with some judgments of God that were never threatned in his Word God did never threaten before hand and say Whosoever offers strange fire I will consume them with fire from heaven But they meet with a judgment that was not theatned Consider of this it may be when we come and speak out of the Word and shew you plainly how God doth threaten such and such sins you are afraid then but know if thou venturest upon waies of sin thou mayest meet with dreadful judgments executed that never yet were threatned Besides all those judgments that are threatned in the Book of God thou mayest meet with judgments unheard of unexpected As God hath Mercies beyond what he hath expresly revealed in his Word for never was it heard since the beginning of the world what God hath laid up for them that love him So God hath judgments beyond what is in his Word Sometimes when the Ministers of God do open the threatnings that are in Gods Word you think that they are terrible But know that God in the treasury of his iudgments hath more dreadful things than yet ever hath bin revealed in his Word and therefore learn to tremble not only at what is revealed in Gods Word against thy sin but tremble at what there is in that infinit Justice Power and Wisdom of God to find out and execute upon sinners for thou that art a sinner and especially if thou beest a bold and presumptuous sinner thou mayest I say expect to meet with whatsoever evil an infinite wisdom is able to devise and that an infinite power is able to bring upon thee that thou art capable of Thou committest such and such a sin perhaps thou doest not know of any particular judgment that is threatned against it but think thus I that do provoke God by my sins what may I look for 'T is more than I know to the contrary but that whatsoever the infinite wisdom of God is able to find out and what misery so ever I am capable of that the Lord may bring upon me Consider of this and take heed of sin The Ninth Observation is this That God is very quick with some in the waies of his judgments It may be he may spare others for a long time but concerning thee he may say Thou shalt not offend twice If thou wilt venture the first act God may strike thee with death he did so here wi h Nadab and Abihu for they were but newly consecrated so I find it by Interpreters That they were to be in consecration for seven daies and this was the first day that they came to their place and in the very first act that they did God did smite them Let us tremble the Lord is quick towards some he is patient towards others but do not thou presume because he is patient to others he may take thee in the very first act of thy sin and be quick with thee The Tenth Note is this That the holiness of a duty will never bear a man out in the miscarriages of a duty This was a holy duty they were the true Priests of God they came to offer incense to the true God It was right incense that they offered there was but this one miscarriage They had not the same fire that God would have now this miscarriage God comes upon them for and all the good there was in the Duty it would not bear them out Consider of this you that performe many holy duties take heed of giving way to your selves in any miscarriage for do not think that because your duties are very good and holy that by doing therof you may venture upon mixture take heed of mixing any evil any miscarriage in a holy thing though you haue performed a thousand holy duties yet it will not bear you out in the miscarriage of them The Eleventh Note is this That the Lord is very terrible out of his holy plcaes The Note is the same that you have in Psal 68.35 The Lord is terrible out of his holy places When we have to deal with God who can stand before this holy God Our God is a consuming fire The Lord manifests himself here most dreadfully to strike with fire these two Priests as in Ezek. 9.6 Begin at my Sanctuary saith God God is terrible terrible towards those that shall dare to approach unto him and yet are wicked or ungodly in their approaching he is terrible to those that are neer unto him God would have us all to tremble at his presence In the Twelfth place Gods judgments are often very suitable to mens sins Here they sinned by fire and they are consumed by fire They offended by strange fire and God strikes them by a strange fire The judgments of God are very suitable to the sins of men oftentimes As here by fire so another time we find it by water Pharaoh he sins by drowning the Infants of the people of Israel in the waters and God drowns him in the Sea If you will be drowning by water you shall have water enough saith God And so here if you will be medling with strange fire you shall have strange fire saith God God doth many times proportion judgments to sinners that his righteousness might the more appear those very creatures in which we sin many times God makes them or others of the same kind to be the executioners of his wrath So it was with the Jews they would sell Christ for 30. pieces of silver and they were sold 30. of them for a penny afterwards And so the story of Adoni-bezek in the first of Judges that was so cruel in such a way to cut off Thumbs and Toes of Kings even so he was served in the like kind and it 's ordinary for men that are of cruel fiery spirits to meet with cruel fiery spirits too And I would apply it in this particular You that are stout Children to your Parents if God lets you live you many times meet with the very same in your
is that which the Lord hath said I will be Sanctified Now mark no question Moses was afflicted upon this heavy hand of God for he was their Uncle but though it was heavy upon the Uncle yet it was heavier upon the Father and therefore though Moses was troubled yet he knew that Aaron was more troubled and therefore he goes to Aaron and seeks to comfort him and he makes use of the Word in his comfortting of him Learn this then to go and comfort your brethren for Aaron was Moses brother Go and comfort them in their afflictions and think not because that you have some afflictions upon you that therefore you should not be a comfort to your brethren their affliction is greater than yours and when you come to comfort them come not in a meer carnal way and say Brother you must be content but you must come and apply somewhat of the Word of God to comfort them and say This is that which the Lord hath spoke and to that end you should labour to be exercised in the Word of God that so you may be able to go to your brethren and comfort them in any affliction for there is no particular affliction but there is some Word of God that is sutable to that particular affliction and those who are well exercised in the Word of God they can apply some word to every affliction And indeed this is an excellent friend and such a friend is worth his weight in Gold that can come to another friend in any affliction and evermore hath somewhat of the Word of God to apply to that affliction The last Observation is this That Aaron held his peace From whence we may Note That there is no such way to quiet a gracious heart under any afflictions in the world as that God will setch out His Honor by it It is grievous to me but God fetches out His Glory and Honour by it The applying of the Word and the consideration that God hath His way to fetch out His glory in our afflictions is the only way to quiet a gracious heart All these Points might take up a great deal of time but I will let them pass and come to the main Point of all I will be Sanctified in all those that come nigh me There are these Three Points in these words 1 First That in the Worship of God men and women draw nigh to God 2. Secondly That we ought to Sanctifie Gods Nume in drawing nigh to Him Thirdly That if we do not Sanctifie it God will Sanctifie His own Name upon us First That in Worshipping of God there is a drawing nigh to God Quest Why is not God in every place Answ Yes certainly we can never be in any place but we are nigh to God God stands by us and looks upon us It is not only when you are Worshipping of God that you are nigh Him but when you sin against Him when thou art swearing brophaning His Name His Day God stands and looks upon thee thou art nigh Him And it may be said or written upon every place what was said of the City in the last words of the Prophecie of Ezek. 48.35 The name of the City was Jehovah-Shammah that is The Lord is there the Lord Jehovah He is there He is present in this place Oh that you would remember when you are in any place that the name of that place is Jehovah-Shamma The Lord is there In him we live we move and have our being therefore we are alwaies nigh him yea but hough we are alwaies nigh God in regard of that essential presence of his yet there is a more peculiar and special drawing nigh to God in the duties of his Worship and that the Scripture seems to hold forth unto you First I 'le shew you how the Scripture holds it forth and then in what respects the Creature may be said to draw nigh to God in holy duties of Worship for so it was here they were coming to offer Incense 1 That we do draw nigh to God in holy duties see Jam. 4.8 Draw nigh to God so that you may be neerer God than you were that is by holy Services holy duties hence it is in Psa 95.2 Let us saith he come before his presence with thanksgiving so that there is a more peculiar coming before Gods presence when we come to Worship him than at other times And v. 6 O come let us Worship and bow down let us kneel before the Lord our maker So in Psal 1 0. 2. Let us come before his presence with singing for that 's one part of the Worship of God But the Scripture is plain that there is a special coming before God when we are coming to Worship him and in this respect the Servants of God in Psal 148.14 are said to be a people neer to God It is a very remarkable expression and sets forth much the honor of the Saints of God There 's the commendation of the excellent estate of the Saints He also exalteth the born of his people the praise of all his Saints even the children of Israel a people neer unto him The Saints of God the Children of Israel the Church of God are said to be a people neer to God Why neer him Because that they Worship God they are much exercised in the Worship of God This is one respect though there may be divers others mentioned yet in respect of their coming so much before God in his Worship therefore they are neer God Quest Neer him Why in what respects may a man be said to draw nigh to God when he Worships him Answ To that I Answer There are three respects in which a man when he is Worshipping of God may be said to draw nigh to God 1 First Because when we come to Worship God we come to tender up that homage and service unto him that is due from us as creatures to the infinite Creator that 's the very end of Worship If you would know what it is to Worship God it is this You come to tender up that homage and respect that is due from the creature to the Creator Now when a Subject comes to tender up his homage to his Prince he comes towards him when he doth it immediately So we have none to tender it up by but Jesus Christ and when we tender it up we must come our selves too for Christ doth not take our service and tender it up to God and we be absent but we must come with Christ and Christ takes us by the hand and so tenders it up to the Father while we are in presence so that we are said to come nigh to God in that respect because of the immediate tendering up of that Worship of ours to God I call it immediate in respect of any creature But in respect of Christ indeed he is a Mediator to do it but yet he doth it in a spiritual way and we have to do with none but
that have no mind to the duties of the Worship of God but love the Commission of sin you neglect Gods Worship you were wont to Worship Him in a constant way in your closets and families but now you grow more loose and so you grow more dead every day than other you go off from God more and more Surely there can be no good to neglect Gods Worship And those that are loth to Worship God because they cannot Worship Him as they ought from this Point it appears plainly That there can be no good gotten by neglecting Gods Worship for it is departing from God whatsoever plea there may be by any temptation to neglect Gods Worship certainly there is danger in it and therefore never listen to any such temptation as shall draw your hearts from the duties of Gods Worship There are a generation of wantons in these times that make little matter of continuing the duties of Gods Worship they were wont constantly to worship God and to attend upon the Word but now it is nothing to them and they are even ready to thank God for it that they make not such conscience as they were wont to do in the duties of the Worship of God It may be they will say That heretofore some slavish terror did carry them on in the duties of Gods Worship more than the understanding of the freeness of the grace of God would admit of But shall the understanding of the freedom of the grace of God carry thee on lesse than thy slavish terror did Oh blind and wanton spirit that knowest not the waies of God nor the freeness of the grace of God nor the riches of it Oh what a dishonour art thou to Jesus Christ and to the freeness of His grace that thou canst go up and down from day to day and never worship God! Did Jesus Christ come into the world to that end for to cause thee to depart more from God 'T is plain out of the Word That the duties of Gods Worship are those duties whereby the soul comes to draw nigh to God And I beseech you Brethren observe these men whether there be that Holiness in their lives that Spiritualness as there was wont to be No you shall find them by degrees to grow loose yea run sometimes into grose sins grow many times to lying and deceiving and to drunkenesse and company-keeping yea to worse things by degrees Perhaps they are at first ready to say Is thy Servant a dead Dogge that I should do this But by departing from God they grow dead to Holy duties we find it by experience That the professors of Religion have not that Holiness Heavenlyness Spiritualnes as they were wont to have in former times no merveil for now they keep not so nigh to God as they were wont You that are Sea-men and Travelours sometimes you are neer the Sun and then you are hot but the further off the Sun you go you grow to be colder and colder And so those that neglect the Worship of God they go from warm Sun they go from the light of Gods Countenance and from the presence of God and so they grow cold and chill and by degrees they grow to prophaness and it is to be feared that many of them wil grow to meer Athisme Another Use is this A Use of Exhortation that we would be encouraged to Worship God and to be much in the Worship of God In Heb. 10.22 Let us draw neer saith the Text Who would not draw neer to God Oh what a good thing is it to be in the presence of God! Is not the Lord the fountain of thy life Is it not a sweet thing to be in his presence We think it a sweet thing to be in the presence of godly men Oh that we might alwaies live with such men and be nigh them That Martyr Docter Taylor rejoyced in this That ever he came into Prison to be acquainted with that Angel of God holy Master Bradford and as I remember some among the heathens that profest they would rather be in prison with Calo than be in the greatest glory with some other It is a blessed thing to be in the presence of God to be with him that is the God of our lives and the fountain of all good let us draw nigh to God often let us know that it is a mercy that we may draw nigh to God we might have been banished from the presence of the Lord long e're this time This is that that the happiness of the glorious Church is set out by in Rev. 22.4 They shall see his face and his Name shall be in their foreheads This is the priviledge of the Church And that it is such a blessing to draw nigh to God you may see it by that in Eph. 2.18 For through him we both have an access by one spirit unto the Father Through him Through Christ we have access by one Spirit unto the Father and now saith he Ye that were strangers and forreiners are made fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God and vers 13. But now by Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were a far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ and you have access through Christ So our coming nigh to God is such a priviledge as cost the blood of Christ and will not you improve it You were far off in your natural condition but now you are nigh through his blood Lay but this text warm to your hearts this morning That I that was far off am made nigh by the blood of Christ made nigh to God it will be a means for ever to draw your hearts to all those waies whereby you may draw neerest to God And by drawing nigh to God often you will come to increase your graces abundantly your graces how will they act the presence of God will draw forth the acts of grace as the presence of the fire draws forth our heat so the presence of God will draw forth our graces And by this means we come to live most holy lives We read of Moses he was upon the mountain forty daies with God and when he came down his face did so shine that the people were not able to bear it What 's the reason it was from hence because he was so nigh to God would you have your faces to shine in a holy conversation before men converse much with God be often with God be nigh to him and that will make you shine as lights in the middest of a crooked and perverse generation We find it so with some that converse much with God there is a shine upon their very countenances And further it is a special sign of our adoption to love to be nigh to God What should a Child love most but to be in the presence of his Father Would you know whether you have received the Spirit of adoption yea or no I can hardly give you any one sign so cleer as
this For to love to go into Gods presence As David said I was glad when they said Come and let us go up unto the House of the Lord. You shall have many that love to be in Gods presence so as they think on it over-night and long for the time while it comes I never am better than when I am with God me thinks when I get into Gods presence either in Prayer or any duty of Gods Worship I find my heart warmed and quickened c. They are ready to say with Peter Master it is good being here And that 's another thing It is that which will put us in mind of the life of heaven it is the only thing in heaven to be in the presence of God Why the more thou art nigh God in the Duties of Worship the more thou art in heaven and doest not thou pray That the will of God may be done in Earth as in Heaven Now the Saints and Angels are alwaies before God Worshipping of him then be as much as thou canst in the presence of God If thou wouldest be in heaven be there Many of the Saints they find it so It is not so with carnal hearts they are weary presently when they are in Prayer or hearing the Word it is not so to them yea that 's because thou hast not the presence of God as in Mal. 1. what weariness is there Thou canst be a gaming till one or two a clock at night and though thou shouldest lose thy supper or the work of thy family it is not tedious to thee to be exercised in those things that pleaseth the flesh but when thou comest to Worship God how quickly art thou tir'd now what wilt thou do in heaven where there is nothing else done to all eternity but Worshipping of God And then it must needs be delightful to God that thou shouldest come nigh him There is nothing in the world more pleasant to God then to have his Saints come into his presence What doth a Father more delight in than to have his Children about him Never did any Father or Mother love to have their Children by them so as God loves to have his Children come nigh him and be often with him And the truth is one great reason that God suffers you to fall into afflictions so much is that you may come running to him How doth the Child come running to the Father or Mother when it is afraid why the Lord is willing to permit men to do you wrong that you may run to him that he might have more of your presence Thou that art such a poor creature yet thou hearest this day that there is nothing in the world that God takes more pleasure in next to the presence of his own Son Jesus Christ and his Saints and Angels that he hath with him in heaven then to have his Saints come nigh him to have them alwaies to be under his wing And then by coming often into Gods presence in his Worship there will grow a sweet and blessed familiarity between God and thy soul for thou wilt be speaking to God and God will be speaking to thee too We know many times that dear friends who are very neerly linkt together yet if they be long absent one from another there grows a strangeness and so by degrees their friendship is deaded but now when they are together every day and there is an intercourse of love and friendship then their friendship is kept active and quick but now if they be absent long Indeed if they be absent in another Country when they cannot come together that they are sure it is not through any neglect then it will not damp their friendship but when they are neer and come not one to another then they think it is out of neglect and so they grow strange So it is with the Soul if there were no possibility of a coming into Gods presence then it would not hinder the sweetness of the love of God to us But now when we have those duties of Worship wherein we may draw nigh to God if we neglect them our familiarity with God will quickly be lost Acquaint thy self with God and be at peace God is willing to be acquainted with his Servants the Lord loves to be familiar with the poorest of his Saints and wilt not thou maintain that sweet familiarity with God These two benefits will follow upon thy familiarity with God First Those that are most familiar with God they are most potent with God As now a stranger cannot prevail in any Petition so as a familiar friend can Thus my brethren when strangers come into Gods presence God doth not so much regard them but when his familiars come into his presence the Saints of God that keep close with him in constant communion and converse in the duties of his Worship God doth take them as his familiar friends and they will prevail much with God Secondly By this means the terror of death will be taken away there is no such way to take off the terror of the thoughts of death as by keeping familiarity with God death then is joyful to those that converse with him That Reverend Divine that is now with God Docter Preston when he was to die he had this speech I shall but change my place I shall not change my company whereas it 's otherwise if thou growest estranged from God when death comes it will look with a terrible face for then thou hast to deal with God thou art then to go into the presence of the infinite dreadful God into whose presence thou never hadst any mind to go before but saith death I must now carry thee into the presence of God As thy Body returns to the dust so thy Soul must return to God that gave it that is to receive it's eternal doom c. But now saith a Saint what must my body return to dust and my Soul to God that gave it it is he which I have bin with every day and can say as he said My Soul go forth go forth why art thou unwilling to go forth to him that thou hast conversed with all thy daies And then what safety is there in being neer to God especially in these dangerous times in the times wherein we live it is safe to be neer God in Psal 22.11 Be not far from me for trouble is neer saith David Lord trouble is neer me be not thou far from me It 's a blessed thing to have God neer us when trouble is neer us trouble is neer many of you perhaps there 's not a spans breadth between death and us what a blessed thing is it then to have God to be neer us When the poor Chickin sees the Kite come neer it to seize upon it and is like to be surprized if the Hen be neer it runs to the Hen and the Hen covers it and keeps it safe So it should be with us for so Christ saith of Jerusalem
is prepared to duties there the Lord will pass by weaknesses and imperfections in duties When thou comest to perform holy duties thou art troubled will the Lord have regard to such a duty as this is thou mayest have certain assurance that the Lord will have regard if thou canst make this point good to thine own soul that it was thy care to make preparation for this duty canst thou say Lord I have indeavoured and done what I could to fit my heart for duty but O Lord I find when I am at it wonderful distractions much deadness and vanity what shall I do Why canst thou make good the former and appeal to God that indeed it was thy care to make preparation I 'le give thee one Scripture then for the quieting of thy heart in this That the weakness of the duty shall be pardoned and past by where there is care to prepare before hand the Scripture is in 2 Chron. 30.18 19. But Hezekiah prayed for them saying The good Lord pardon every one what every one every one that prepareth his heart to seek the Lord God of his fathers though he be not clensed according to the purification of the Sancttuary As if he should say Oh Lord there are many things amiss in this people they are not in many regards purified according to the order that thou hast set but Lord if thou doest but see any heart prepared to seek thee though they fail in such particulars Lord heal them and pardon them and did God hearken to his prayer Mark the following words And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah and healed the people Nay saith God I will not stand so much upon the purification of the Sanctuary if they have prepared their hearts to seek me Take this Scripture know it 's written for thy instruction and thou mayest make use of it to thine own soul this day if thou canst appeal to God that thou art careful to prepare thy heart though thou shouldest not have that pureness of thy heart as thou doest desire the Lord will pardon thee and heal thee make conscience of Preparation to holy duties Again further by being careful to make Preparation for duties within some little time thou wilt bring thy heart to such a frame as it will alwaies be ready for duty without much ado Indeed at first it is somewhat hard You will say Are we bound to spend some time every time we go to prayer before hand or every time we come to the Word That should have been one of the Cases of Conscience but I cannot come to Answer that but this we may say Be careful to prepare for duties you that are young beginners or you that have made profession a longer time but yet have not had the weight of this duty upon your spirits now be careful for a while to prepare for every duty of Gods Worship that God cals you to and I say within a little time thou mayest bring thy heart into such a temper as thou mayest be ready at all times to performe holy duties because you shall be able to come to that temper and frame that the Apostle exhorts to Pray continually for indeed so it should be with us we should be alwaies prepared either for Prayer hearing the Word or receiving Sacraments Now because Sacraments are so rare those that have any enlightened conscience they think they dare not but prepare for Sacraments but you should be alwaies in a preparation for the receiving of the Sacraments as the Primitive Chriâ—tian did And those that have been acquainted with this Point that I am upon of preparing for duties they have come to such a frame of Spirit as that there is not so much time required of them as of others for they are in a constant fitness so that there is no instant of time in the whole day but if God cals them to prayer they could presently fall down upon their knees and pray so as to sanctifie Gods Name in Prayer that were an excellent temper indeed if you could find it so that you walk so spiritually and holily before God as there could be never a quarter of an hour from morning to night nor from the beginning of the week to the end but if you were cal'd to pray or to receive the Sacrament you had your heart fitted that you could come into Gods presence with a prepared heart and were able to sanctifie Gods Name in the duty Acquaint your selves with this work of Preparation and so you may have hearts fitted to come into Gods presence at any time SERMON III. LEVITICUS 10.3 Stepney Decem. 7. 1645. I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me WEE Proceed now to what remains There are only for the perfecting of this Point two Cases of conscience to be resolved And then we are to proceed to other things The first is Whether we ought at all times to set apart some time for preparation to every duty of Gods Worship Secondly Suppose we do not find our hearts prepared as we do desire Whether it were better to leave off the duty than perform it For the first of these Viz. Whether we are alwaies bound to set some time apart for preparation to the duty that we are to perform The Answer to that is this we must distinguish of persons There are some that are exercised in the way of godliness and do keep their hearts close with God in the wayes of holiness now for them it may be supposed that through their exercise in the waies of godliness and keeping of their hearts constant with God in communion with Him walking with God closely that they are at all times prepared to every good work and fitted to fulfil that command of the Apostle Pray continually that is in the disposition of their hearts they are fit to pray at any time there is no day in the week nor no hour in the day but they if God call them to it could fall down to solemn prayer And indeed this is an excellent condition and a good evidence of the hearts walking close with God that there is no time but they are fit to pray and fit for any Ordinance yea to receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper It is possible to keep the heart so close to God as to be fit for Prayer and for the Hearing of the Word and for Receiving of the Sacrament every day or any hour in the day but this needs a very close walking with God and communion with God and the truth is this is very rare most men let out their hearts so much to other things as their consciences cannot but tell them that if God cal them to prayer at such a time in the day they are altogether unfit for it If they were called to receive the Sacrament their consciences would fly in their faces and tel them they are unfit for it but it is not so with those that walk close with God though they be in
the world You will say If a man have business in the world how can this be Yes though they have business in the world yet they carry the Heavenliness of their hearts along with them Our Conversation is in Heaven saith the Apostle Phil. 3. Now the word that is translated our conversation it is a word that signifies our City converse our trading is in Heaven When we go to the City or the Exchange or about any business yet our trading is alwaies in Heaven But now there are other sorts of people that had need at all times to look to their hearts in way of preparation As First Those that first set upon the duties of Religion young beginners that begin at first to set their faces towards Heaven to worship God they had need look to their hearts they should spend some time in Preparation when they come to holy duties and the truth is when the conscience of a man or woman is at first enlightened and awakened they will be very carefull in preparing to holy duties the fear of God it is mighty upon their spirits at first and it should not be less afterward the constancy of Gods fear should bring their hearts to such a holy temper as to make them fit for holy duties alwaies Secondly Those men and women that at any time shall sin against conscience shall commit such sins as shall in a kind even lay wast Conscience shall break their peace between God and their souls they had need spend some time in preparation for holy duties they cannot come into the presence of God to enjoy communion with God but they had need before hand be very serious in the examination of their hearts and to endeavour the working of their hearts into mourning for their sinne and to labour to possesse their souls with the presence of God even before they come These two sorts of people such as have not been acquainted with the wayes of godliness or such as have broken their peace with God by some evill carriage of theirs towards God in some vile way I say it is required of them to be more solemne in the worke of Preparation 2 But now for the Second Case which indeed is the main Suppose when we come to duties and begin to examine our hearts and begin to bethink our selves whether we be prepared yea or no to holy duties and we do not find our hearts prepared according to that that we do desire Whether then we may let the duty go for that time and forbear the performance of it as suppose Prayer or receiving the Sacrament or coming to the Word or any other holy duty And the reason of this doubt is because when any man or woman is consciencious they think with themselves that they must Sanctifie Gods Name in holy duties now if they cannot find their hearts in a fit disposition to sanctify the Name of God in holy duties they are ready to think thus Were it not better to neglect his duty and lay it aside for the present Will God accept of a duty when I perform it and am not fit for it Therefore for the answer to this because it is a temptatation that sometimes carnal hearts have and they are ready to take this temptation and willing to neglect the duty upon such a thoughts as this that they are not prepared And the truth is they are more glad to let the duty fall than they are sorry for want of the preparation of their hearts for the duty I beseech you consider of this whether you have not found it so that sometimes when you have not been fit to performe a holy duty there hath not been a more secret willingness of the heart to let the duty go than a sorrow of the heart because you are not fit for the duty This is a very evil sign that the heart is very much distempered Those that are godly indeed when they find not their hearts prepar'd for the duty it is the trouble of their souls it is that that goes neer to their hearts when they think with them selves that they are now like to lose a duty of the Worship of God they are now like to lose their communion with God in a holy duty they even look upon themselves in an evil case in regard of this and it makes them watchful for time to come to take heed of those things that have put them in such an unpreparation as they find their hearts to be in at this time Now if it be so with thee it is a good sign that thy heart may be upright with God though through infirmity it comes at such a time to be unprepared for the duty But yet suppose I find I am not prepared I am griev'd and troubled at it for that must be premised whether were I better to leave the duty for this time than to fall upon it in such an unpreparation as this is Now for the Answer to this Question 1 First That which I would answer to it is this The omission of a duty or the laying of a duty aside will never fit the soul for a duty afterwards it is no way to make thy soul more fit afterwards because thou hast laid it aside now for the present do but observe your own hearts that way and you wil finde this by experience Such a time you have been buâ—e in the world and occasions have hindred you so as your heart is out of temper and frame for a duty you lay it asâ—de now are you more fâ—t the next day If you do neglect duty in the morning upon any business are you fitter to perform duty at night because of it â— you will not find it to be so The forbearing a duty now will not make the Soul fitter for a duty afterwards â—â—erefore it is no wisdom to forbear a duty for want of preparation because the forbearance will never help to further preparation but will make the Soul more unfit for duty It is an excellent speech that I read that Luther hath concerning himself I have learned this by experience that the oftener I do omit duty the oftener do I make my self the more unfit for duty and cause I have to abhor my self It is not the deferring that makes thee the more fit 2 Therefore consider that this is but a temptation and that is the Second thing that I would propound to those that shall omit a duty because they are not prepared That this is but a Temptation to keep thee from it to tell thee that thou art not prepared and if thou shalt forbear it because thou art not prepared in this thing thou doest gratifie the Devil and the Devil hath what he would have and so would be encouraged to tempt thee another time because he hath now what he would have in causing thee to forbear the duty First he laboureth to unfit thee for it and then he tempts thee to forbear it because thou art unfit this
the Lord upon His Throne It is an excellent thing when all who come to Worship God every time they come to Worship Him have their eyes darted up to Heaven and behold the Lord God sitting in His Glory upon His Throne So you shall find in Rev. 4. the 24 Elders that Worshipped God they say Him upon His Throne in His Glory and so they worshipped Him they Worshipped God to purpose indeed when they saw the Lord in that Majesty as He was we should at all times have high thoughts of God take heed of having low thoughts and apprehensions of the Infinite Majesty of God at any time but especially when thou art to Worship the great God then look upon the Lord in that infinite distance that there is between Him and thy self yea that infinit distance that there is between Him and all creatures in the world look upon the Lord as lifted upon Glory not only above all Creatures but above al Excellencies that all Angels and men in Heaven and Earth are able to imagine Look upon the Lord as having all Excellencies in Himself joyned in one and that immutablly look upon Him as the Fountain of all Excellency good and glory that al creatures in the world have And look upon the Lord every time thou comest to Worship Him as that God whom Angels do adore and before whom the Devils are forc'd to tremble behold Him in this His Glory and this will help thee to Sanctifie His Name when thou comest to Him The great Reason why people come and worship God in a slight way it is because that they do not see God in his glory 't is a great Mercy for God to give unto us a sight of himself a sight of his glory here in this world while we are Worshipping of him this would keep our eyes and our thoughts from wandring if we had a sight of the glory of God and had high thoughts of God What 's the reason why we wander so as we do But meerly because we see not God As now suppose you were in your house and looking after every feather that were flying up and down if you should hear that the King were come into the room or any great Person it would compose your spirits because you have high thoughts of such as of those that are above you So let us look upon God as in His excellency and His glory and have high thoughts of him and this is that whereby we are to sanctifie Gods Name when we come before Him in holy duties And that 's the Second thing First a sanctified heart and then high thoughts of God 3 A Third thing is High-ends Raised-ends in the Worshipping of God Prov. 15.24 The way of life is above to the wise It is on high in this respect when he Worships God his heart is lifted up on high there is a holy raising of the heart which is well pleasing to God Our hearts should be on high in regard of the high ends that we aime at in holy duties Lift up thy prayer saith Hezekiah to the Prophet in another case so I may say Lift up thy soul when thou comest to Worship God in regard of the high ends that thou aimest at when we are Worshipping God we should have our hearts above al creatures and above our selves Let not our hearts then be groveling upon the ground mingled with base and drossie things when we come to Worship the Lord Indeed it is fit that we should have our hearts low as we shall shew hereafter in regard of humility but not low in regard of any baseness of spirit to mix with any base and low ends Now there are low and base ends in Worshipping of God As First We muâ—â— take heed we do not subject the Worship of God unto our Lusts that is a cursed thing thou art far from Sanctifying Gods Name in Worshipping of Him that shalt subject His Worship to thy base Lusts this is an abominable and a cursed thing indeed You will say Who doth thus who is the man or where is he that will do this subject the Worship of God to his base lusts To that I Answer Whosoever doth make use of any duty of Worship as Prayer Hearing the Word or what ever it be to cloak any kind of wickedness whosoever is conscious to himself of any kind of seeret wickedness and yet shall think to cover it by the performance of duties and shall reason in this manner Who will think me to be guilty of such a vile thing when I pray so as I do and am so careful to hear the Word and I hope I shall cover some wickedness this way If there be any in this place whose conscience tels them that they subject the Worship of God to such a base end as this is the Lord rebuke them this day and speak to their hearts If I knew any I would set mine eyes upon them and say as the Apostle to Simon Magus I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity and as he said to him that did seek to draw the Deputy from the Faith O thou child of the Devil and full of all subtilty to damn and undo thy selfe eternally that seekest to cloak any wicked way by any duty of Gods Worship Is it a great evil for a man or woman to make use of any of Gods creatures to be serviceable to their lusts as meat and drink c What a damnable thing is it then to make use of any duty of Gods Worship sometimes extraordinary Worship as Fasting and Prayer to be a cloak to cover their wickednesse Thou art so far from Sanctifying Gods Name that thou pollutest Gods Name thou doest what in thee lies for to cast even dirt in the face of God himself that doest so The Second Base end is to subject the duties of Gods Worship to the praise of men as to performe duties of Gods Worship for the esteem of men and because we shall be well thought of take heed of this you young ones and others you would fain be esteem'd well of by those that you live withal It is a desirable thing to have a good esteem from those that are godly but take heed that you do not subject the duties of Gods Worship to this Indeed it may be an incouragement to you as David saith Psal 52 9. This is good before thy Saints David did incourage himself to praise God because it was good before Gods Saints and I confesse it may be an incouragement because holy duties are good before Gods Saints but take heed that this be not thy highest end that thou aimest at and that which carries thee on in the work meerly to get the praise of men and that they shall think that thou hast good gifts and parts and therefore thou art enlarged in that regard take heed of that know that now thou doest not Worship God but thou Worshippest men thou doest make
the praise of men to be thy God for whatsoever thou doest lift up in the highest place that 's thy God whatsoever it be therefore if thou liftest up the praise of men and makest that thy end thou makest that thy God and so thou art a worshipper of men but not a worshipper of God Thirdly Take heed of making Self thy end there are some that are not so base low in their hearts as to make the praise of men their end but they aime and look at themselves that is they aime at their own peace and satisfying their own Consciences in the performance of duties now though it 's true when we performe duties of Gods Worship we may expect to receive some good to our selves and we may be incouraged to the duties by the expectation of good to our selves yet we must look higher we must look at the honor and praise of God that the Name of the blessed God may be honored Now I am going to Prayer Oh that I may pray so as I may lift up Gods Name I am going to Hear Oh that I may hear so as God may be honored by my hearing 't is this that carries me on to hearing the Word and makes me rise readily and to go forth cheerfully I hope that God may have some honour by my hearing this day God knows that this is the thing that I aim at I do not come for company nor to be seen of men neither do I come meerly to satisfie mine own Conscience Others go and hear such Truths of God as do good to their Souls and if I should neglect them meerly for mine own ease my Conscience would not let me be quiet howsoever there are many whose Consciences will be quiet enough though they lose an opportunity in the Worship of God but yet there are others whose Consciences cannot do so their Consciences would tell them when they are lying and turning themselves upon their beds How do you know but that God had something to speak to thy heart this morning that may never be spoken to thy heart at any other time therefore they cannot be at quiet except they attend upon God in the duties of his Worship but still this is not enough meerly to satisfie Conscience thy main end it must be that thou mayest this day know some part of the mind of God that God may speak to thy heart that so thou mayest be fitted to honour the name of God that thou mayest be inabled to live to his honour the week following so much the better As in this manner thy thoughts should be Lord I find a drossie carnal heart I am busie in the world in the week time and I find that my heart is sullied and defiled with the businesse of the World and intangled but Lord thou hast appointed thy Sabbath and Word to be a means to Sanctifie my heart and to clense it Oh Lord communicate thy grace to my Soul through thy Ordinances upon this day that so I may be inabled the week following the better to live to thine honour Lord I come into thy presence to that end that I might know some part of thy Will and that I might get thy Spirit to be conveyed through this Word of thine into my heart this should be thy end when ever thou comest and not only Self I will give you two or three Scriptures to shew that God regards little any duties where self is the highest end the First is in Hos 7.14 They howled upon their beds saith the Text there but they cryed not to me The Lord there did acknowledge that they were very much affected in their Prayers but what was it it was but a howling upon their beds and how so it was because only they did cry for themselves They have not cryed unto me saith the Lord with their heart when they howled upon their beds It was but meerly for Corn and Wine and Oyle but not unto me they aim'd at themselves and not at me And in Amos 5.22 there the Lord professes that he did reject the fat of their peace-offerings Though ye offer me saith he burnt-offerings and your meat-offerings I will not accept them neither will I regard the peace-offerings of your fat beasts They were careful to offer their fattest beasts in their peace-offerings and will not God regard them It was in their peace-offerings that they offered their fat beasts and there they were to eate a great part of it themselves Indeed the burnt-offering was wholly offered unto God God had all that but the peace-offering those that did offer it they did eat a great part of it themselves now they were very careful in those offerings that they were to partake of themselves to offer fat beasts you do not see that the Holy-Ghost takes any notice of fat beasts in their burnt-offerings Now the Note from hence is this That in those things where men are interested themselves they will be very careful to have the best things But now the Lord rejected the fat beasts of their peace-offerings saith God You were very careful to offer fat beasts in your peace-offerings where you may feed your selves but for those offerings wherein I have all there you are not so careful and therefore I regard them not The Third Scripture is in Zach. 7.5 there they did keep many daies in seeking of God is is an observable Scripture for these times Speak unto all the People of the Land and to the Priests saying When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month even those seventy yeers Did ye at all fast unto me even unto me Mark the phrase you fasted in the fifth and seventh month and for seventy yeers together but saith the Lord Did you at all fast unto me and then mark how it is doubled To me even unto me Noting that when we fast or pray or do any thing in the Worship of God we should be sure to aime at God more than our selves that God may not say of us another day Do you do it to me even to me You may ask me this Question How may I know that I am acted by self-ends in holy duties for it is a hard thing for one to know ones own heart when one it acted by principles of self and when we aim at God in holy duties Now for that I will give you these notes to try whether you be acted from your selves or no. The First is this If a man loves holy duties though he finds no present good comes in by them because they are such things as God requires and therefore though I get nothing by them yet this is enough to carry me on and to carry me on readily and willingly in the Worship of God those that can delight in Gods Worship even at that time though they find nothing coming in to themselves But now when we find not that coming in that we do desire we begin to be weary of Worship and say
Why have wee fasted and thou seest it not This is an Argument that thou art acted by Selfe rather than by God Secondly To know whether we be acted by self-ends or rather by high ends for God Those men that can rejoyce in others that are able to honor God in holy duties more then themselves they may have a good evidence to their own souls that when they Worship God they are acted by higher ends than Selfe but now such as are streightned themselves and when they see others more enlarged in the Worship of God they rather envy them are greiv'd and troubled know that Self is a great ingredient in those duties that thou doest perform if thy heart were raised high to God though thou canst not thy self be enlarged in holy duties yet thy soul would be glad that any others are though I have a whetched and vile heart of my own yet blessed be God that there are any others that can Worship God better than I can Thirdly A man that is acted by Self in holy duties he regards holy duties but little save in time of extremity in time of fear or in fickness or in dangers But now one that hath high ends in holy duties makes the duties of Gods Worship to be the joy of his Soul in the mid'st of his prosperity and that is an evident sign that thou art not acted by self ends but by higher ends Canst thou in the mid'st of thy abundance say Lord thou givest me all conveniences in this world and all outward things that I want but Lord this is that which is the joy of my Soul this is that which makes my life comfortable even communion with thy Self in the duties of thy Worship that I have free accesse unto the Throne of thy Grace to Worship Thee the Lord and there meet with thee when I am in the performance of holy duties O Lord thou that knowest all things knowest that this is the thing that makes my life comfortable It is not that I have a Table furnished with variety of dishes and that I can have liberty of time to go into company and spend according as I please but Lord those incomes of thy Spirit that I do find in the duties of thy worship those are the things that makes my life blessed indeed unto me Such a man as is able thus to appeale to God surely when he worships God he is acted by high-ends and not by self-ends And that 's the Third thing that is necessary for Sanctifying of Gods Name in holy duties thou must have a Sanctified heart high thoughts of God and high ends In the Fourth place There must be much reverence and much fear when thou comest into the presence of God to Worship Him thou dost not glorifie God as God except thou dost come into his presence with much fear reverence of His great Name Fear in worshipping of God it is so necessary that many times in Scripture we find that the very Worship of God is called the fear of God they are put both for one I might give you divers Scriptures for it and hence it was that the Name of God was called The fear of Isaac Jacob did swear by The fear of his father Isaac because Isaac being a great Worshipper of God kept his constant times to worship God and worshipped him in such a constant way as except David and Daniel we do not find mention of the constancy of any in the worshipping of God as we do of Isaacs for it is said that he walked but into the fields in the evening as he was wont to do to Meditate and to Pray and therefore God is called The Fear of Isaac In Psal 89.7 is an notable Scripture for this drawing nigh to God with feare God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are about Him God is to be had in reverence of all them that are about Him but in the assembly of His Saints He is greatly to be feared He is daunting terrible so the words are in the assembly of the Saints When thou comest nigh to God thou hadst need have thy heart possest with much fear So in Psal 2.11 the Kings and Princes of the earth are cal'd upon to serve the Lord with fear Let them be never so great yet when they come into Gods presence they must serve Him with fear And so in Psal 5.7 In thy fear will I worship toward thy holy Temple Now this fear of God it must not be a servile fear but a filial and reverentiall fear For my Brethren there may be a great deal of slavish fear where God is not honored there may be fear from some terrible apprehensions of God which yet is not owned by God to be this grace of fear I 'le give you Two notable Scriptures for that in Deut. 5.23 24. compared with the 29. It came to passe saith the text vers 23 when ye heard the voice out of the middest of the darkness for the mountain did burn with fire that ye came neer unto me even all the heads of your tribes and your elders And ye said Behold the Lord our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness and we have heard his voice out of the middest of the fire we have seen this day that God doth talk with man and he liveth now therefore why should we die for this great fire will consume us If we hear the voice of the Lord our God any more then we shall die See with what a terrour they were struck at the apprehension of Gods appearance you would think surely these men did fear God much but mark in vers 29. O that there were such a heart in them that they would fear me Why did they not fear the Lord Were they not struck with such fear that they thought they should die they saw his presence so terrible that they were afraid they should die and yet O that there were such a heart in them that they would fear me So that it appears by this that one may be struck with much terrour in the apprehension of Gods presence and yet have no true fear of the Name of God So some of you it may be in time of thunder or danger are filled with terrour but yet may it not be said presently after O that there were the fear of God in the heart of this man or woman this youth or maid They are terrifed sometimes but yet there is not a filiall and reverential fear of God in them And I find in I King 19. where you have the story of Gods appearing in that most terrible manner unto the Prophet Elijah by Fire by Thunder and in a mighty Wind the Prophet was not so struck with fear of Gods presence when he did appear in the mighty wind or earthquake or fire as when God did appear in the small still voice therefore in vers 13. it
Prayer and so in the OLD TESTAMENT too it was a kind of emblem of Prayer The offering up of our Prayers is the offering up of Incense to God and the Mercy Seat it was a Type of Jesus Christ Now the Incense should cover the Mercy Seat so our prayers must go up to Jesus Christ must be upon him and so must be accepted by the Father And as we read in Judg. 13.20 when Manoah offered a Sacrifice the text saith that the Angel of the Lord ascended in the flame This Angel of God here was Jesus Christ as we might eaâ—â—ly from this Scripture make it out and he ascends up in the flame from the Altar Now though we do not offer such kind of Sacrifices with Fire and Incense as they did in the time of the Law yet when we are offering up of our Incense there must be a flame of Fervency and Zeal But that is not enough together with the flame of the Altar the Angel of God Jesus Christ the great Angel of the New Covenant for Angel signifies nothing but Messenger the great Messenger that is come into the world about that great Errand of his to reconcile the world to himself he must ascend up in the flame and so God will account his Name to be Sanctified the Name of God is not Sanctified but through Jesus Christ The Acting of our Faith upon Christ as Mediator is a special ingredient to the Sanctifying of Gods Name in holy duties as you know the Scripture saith that the Altar doth Sanctifie the gift offered upon the Altar Jesus Christ is the Altar upon whom all our Spiritual Sacrifices are to be offered and this Altar doth Sanctifie the gift that is offered upon it let never so great a gift be offered upon any other Altar it was not accounted holy nor accepted so let men by their naturall strength or power that they have offer up the most glorious and speciousest Service to God It is not accepted unless it be offered up upon the Altar Jesus Christ we have an Altar now not the communion Table but Jesus Christ himself is our Altar upon whom we are to offer all our Sacrifices and this Altar must Sanctifie the gift we can never have our gift sanctifâ—ed no nor Gods Name sanctified in this gift except it be offered upon this Altar and our Faith acted upon Jesus Christ People little think of this but of other things viz. That when we worship God we should worship him with fear and reverence and with humility and with strength of Intention such kind of things every one that hath any enlightening of conscience will think of at some time or other but people do least think of this which is the greatest ingredient of all that is required in the Sanctifying of Gods Name in holy duties that is to come and tender up all to the Father in the Name of Jesus Christ How many men and women that have been Professors of Religion 20 or 30 yeers and yet not acquainted with this great mystery of godliness to tender up all to God in the Name of his Son This is that that upon divers occasions I have spoken unto and am willing upon every occasion as I meet with it to speak of because it is a principle part of the great mystery of the Gospel without which all our duties are rejected of God and cast away Now then put all these Nine things together and see by them what we ought to do that we may Sanctifie the Name of God in holy duties But there is something further to be spoken that may help you to Sanctifie Gods Name in holy duties and that is several workings of hearts suitable to the several Attributes of God for that is to Sanctifie Gods Name to have the duty to be such as is some way suitable to such a God as we are now worshipping Now then let us consider what the Scrip ure saith of God and then let us see what suitable dispositions we should have in us unto those things that the Scripture saith of God 1 First You know the Scripture saith that God is a Spirit in Joh 4.24 Then presently Christ saith That he that worships him must worship him in Spirit that is there must be a suitableness in our worship to what God is Is God a Spirit then all that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth that is thus When I am to go to worship God I must consider of him as he is an infinite and glorious Spirit well then surely bodily worship is not sufficient for me Though I do kneel down in Prayer or do come and present my body to hear the Word or my body to receive the Sacrament this is not to worship God as a Spirit If indeed that our God were as the Heathens that were corporeal then it were another matter then bodily worship would serve the turn but God being a Spirit he must have Spiritual Worship therefore my soul and all that is within me magnifie his Name saith David my Soul magnifie his Name not my lips only but my Soul The Apostle in 1 Tim. 4.8 saith that bodily exercise profits little it is no great matter for the body God looks but very little at bodily exercise but it is godliness that is profitable it is the work of the Spirit when we come to pray we must pray in the Spirit that is we must pray with our Souls we must poure forth our souls before God and when we come to hear our hearts must not go after our coveteousness we must set our hearts to what we hear we must hear with our hearts as well as with our ears our Souls must be at work in hearing of the Word when you hear it is not enough for you to come and fit in a Pew and have the sound of a mans voice in your eares but your Souls must be at work And so when you come to receive the Sacrament your Souls must feed upon Jesus Christ Bodily worship without Soul-worship is nothing but Soul-worship may be accepted without bodily worship therefore it is the Soul that God doth principally look at in holy duties If you be not able to worship God in your bodies you may worship him in your Souls and God regards that bodily exercise in holy duties is little worth somewhat it may be worth I confess sometime bodily exercise may further the soul as a reverend carriage of the body and the like but it is nothing in comparison the great work is the work of the Soul for God is a Spirit and must be worshipped in Spirit And God is said to be a Spirit not only in that he is not of so thick a Corporal substance but it notes the simplicity of God he is without any composition whatsoever is in God is God himself he is absolutely one there are not divers things in God now then those that come to worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth
with a dead heart and with a dead Service to sacrifice that which is dead before it comes it 's like a carrion that lies dead in the ditch Oh let us be humbled for our dead hearts and dead Sacrifices it it a living God that I am Worshiping and therefore I must pray Lord turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity and quicken my heart in thy Law Psal 119.37 Remember when thou comest to worship that thou come with a quickned heart for thou hast to deal with a living God A man or woman that is of an active spirit cannot endure a dull and heavie servant in the family but the Lord is a pure act and nothing else but act and therefore he doth expect that all His people should have quick active and lively spirits 6 When you come to Worship God you are to look upon Him as Almighty And so are 1. To Feare His great power when you come before Him And 2ly Then you are not to be discouraged by any difficulties I come to seek for some great thing and I come to seek to a great God that hath all power in Heaven and Earth and infinitly more power than there is in all creatures in Heaven and earth I am praying to a God that can create peace create help My condition cannot be so desperate but this Infinite Almighty God is able to help me Let me make Him the object of my faith as He is so infinitly Almighty What a full object of Faith is this God that hath all power in Him Let me therefore come to Him as a strong Tower run to the Name of God as a strong Tower that can help in al straights whatsoever There would be much drawing forth of our Faith if we could present the Lord before us as an infinit Almighty God when we see outward helps and means neer at hand then we can beleeve that we may have some succour from him but when al outward helps and means fail then we are discouraged we do not Sanctifie Gods Name but we rather take this Name of God in vaine when as our hearts are discouraged with any difficulties now the Lord expects that all His Children that come to worship Him should worship Him as the Almighty God and so have their hearts working towards Him there would be mighty workings of Spirit towards God if we saw Him by the eye of Faith as well as Reason 7 Look upon God as an Omniscient God as a God infinitly understanding all things Now what doth this call for First If God be a God of infinit understanding then let not me bring a blind sacrifice to God then let not me bring an ignorant heart to God this is the excellency of an understanding Creature to know the rule and end of it's own Actions now thou comest to worship an infinite God of infinite understanding then know the rule of what you do and know the end of what you do and come with understanding into His presence Secondly If He be so understanding come with a free open heart to open whatsoever is in thine heart to God take heed of keeping any secret resolutions in thine own heart God knows thee and can tell how to find thee out God knows all that is in thine heart before all the secret baseness that is in thine heart the Lord doth understand it the Lords eye is a piercing eye He sees thorow and thorow thy heart It 's a vaine thing for thee to come and conceale any thing before Him You will say If God understand a mans heart what need he come and confess Yes He requires it as thy duty that thou shouldest come and open all before Him In spight of thy heart thou canst not cover any thing from the Lords eyes but the Lord will see whether thou beest willing of thy self that He should understand all God doth not require us to come and confess our sins that so he might know that which he knew not before but for this end That there might be a testimony that thou art willing that he should know all that is in thy heart therefore now when thou comest to worship him ransack every corner of thy heart and confess all before the Lord and give glory to his Name as that God that is an All-seeing God that knows all the windings and turnings of thy heart Now meditate of these things that be presented to thee and it will be a mighty means to help thee to Sanctifie his Name 8 God is a God of infinite Wisdom therefore when we come to worship God let us be ashamed of our folly When thou comest to have to deal with God look upon him as a God of infinite Wisdom and I say be thou ashamed of thy folly then and do thou exercise the grace of wisdom too when thou comest to God that is by propounding right ends of which we spake before That is one part of wisdom to have right ends and right means towards those ends so that the meditation of the wisdom of God when we come to worship him will further us to Sanctifie his Name And further This is to Sanctifie Gods Wisdom when thou comest into Gods presence in thy greatest straights deny thy own wisdom come with a resolution to be guided by the wisdom of God in this manner Lord I know not how to order my steps there is much folly and vanity in my heart but thou art a God of infinite wisdom I come to thee for direction and I profess here I am willing to give up my whol Soul to be guided by thy wisdom If every time we come to worship God we came thus Oh Lord whatsoever our thoughts have been heretofore yet if thou shalt but reveal thy mind to us we will hearken to thee Lord we beleeve that thy Wisdom it is thy Self and therefore we profess to give up our selves to thy Wisdom Now this is to Sanctifie the Name of God 9 Consider the holiness of God God is a God infinitely pure from all sin and therefore when we come to worship God we must be ashamed of our unholiness as the Prophet in Isa 6. when he heard the Seraphims cry Holy holy holy is the Lord of hosts he fals down and saith Woe is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips And is God a holy God Then let me take heed when I come before him that I bring not with me a love to any sin for the Lord hates it and let me take heed that I do not cast dirâ— in the very face of Gods holiness but give up my Soul to be rul'd wholly by him And labour that there may be a suitableness between the holiness of thy heart and of the infinite God Now this is to Sanctifie Gods Name when the consideration of this Attribute of God hath such effect upon my heart that I labor upon this to come with a suitable heart before God 10 When thou comest before God
the more I have of these the more shall I enjoy 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 on any duties that we performe There are many poor creatures that have no other Saviors to rest upon but their Prayers and coming to Church and taking the Communion Now if in all these the Lord expects that thou shouldst 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 labor 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 Stepney Dec. 28. 1645. 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 essential to Him as any thing for Him to will Himselfe as the highest end and that all things should work so as to be sutable unto that Glory of His for the furtherance of it God should cease to be God if so be He should not will Himselfe as the 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 Holiness consists in the willing Himself as the last end and so to work all things as sutable unto His own infinit Excellency Now as this is Gods holiness so it is the holiness that that God requires in His creatures that are capable of holines that they should will Him as the last end and all things sutable to that infinite excellency of His. Now if this be the nature of God and this be His holiness then certainly it must needs be a necessary duty in al those that would have coÌ„munion with God and would honor God to wil as God himself doth will that is that all things should work sutable to the infinite excellency of God that God may attaine the Glory of His infinite Excellency and this makes it to be a necessarie duty that when wee come to Worship Him wee should Sanctifie his Name So that the first reason is taken from the very nature of God it is the very being of God that all things should work to Himself and in such a sutable way as to lift up his Excellency and Glory 2 Secondly We must Sanctifie God in the duties of His Worship because it is the speciall glory that God hath in the world to be actively honoured for his passive glory that is to be glorified in a passive way that he hath in Hell but the special glory that God would have it is that He might be glorified actively Now there is no such way of glorifying the Name of God actively as by worshipping of Him in a holy manner and therefore God stands much upon this That when we come to worship Him we sanctifie His Name For saith God If I be not sanctified in my worship what active glory have I in the world It is the special active glory that God hath in the world the Sanctifying of His Name in the duties of His Worship 3 Thirdly That which we have intimated before That the duties of Gods Worship are the most precious things the special conveyances of the choice mercies that He intends to bestow on His Saints and therefore though He loses His glory in any thing else He would not lose it in that wherein He doth especially convey His mercy and goodness to His people But that we spake too in shewing how we draw nigh to God in holy duties and it may well come in here again as an Argument why we should sanctifie Gods Name 4 A Fourth Reason is this Because there is no way for us to be fitted for the receiving of Mercy from God through those duties of Worship but by our sanctifying of Gods Name when thou comest at any time to worship God What wouldest thou have there is some communion that thou wouldest enjoy with God now there is no way to make thee a fâ—t subject of Mercy or capable of the enjoyment of Communion with God but by such a behaviour of Soul as this is that hath been spoken of to Sanctif e the Name of God thou wouldest be loth to lose those duties of Worship that thou doest perform therefore it is required of thee to Sanctifie His Name lest thou doest lose all for 't is this that makes thee the only capable subject of what good is to be had there 5 We must Sanctifie Gods Name in holy duties because otherwise we should certainly never hold out in duties but vanish and come to nothing now God would be worshipped so by His creatures as to be constantly worshiped He would have those that do worship Him to worship Him alwaies to worship Him for ever and He would have this Worship that we perform to Him but to be the beginning of that eternal Worship that he shall have from us in Heaven And so the Saints do Worship God now the Worship wich they perform it is but as the beginning of that Worship that hereafter in Heaven they shall tender up to God though there may be some difference in it as there our prayers will be turned into praises and it will not be in such outward Ordinances as now we worship God in there will be no Preaching nor Sacraments yet notwithstanding the Soul-worship that is now will be in effect the same as it shall be in Heaven God would have us so to worship Him as to continue to worship Him Now I say unless His Name be Sanctified in our worshiping of Him we will certainly fall off and the truth is This is the very ground of all Apostacie in Hypocrites Some that have been very forward in the Worshipping of God when they were young
ones and afterwards they have fallen off they were wont constantly in their families and in secret in their chambers to be worshipping of God and they accounted it the very joy of their lives for the present to be worshipping of God but it is not so with them now as it was yea they are fallen off it may be from their very profession of Religion and turned loose And now to be in vain company to drink or play is better to them than any service or worship of God they prize more to be in company with their sports than to hear a Sermon or to be in Communion with the people of God in Prayer Heretofore they would not have changed one short time of private Communion with God for the enjoyment of a great deal of pleasures and content in the world but now it is otherwise with them How comes it to pass that these are Apostatized thus from God Surely here is the ground of it That they did not Sanctifie Gods Name in holy duties at the most it was but a work of conscience that put them upon them and they had but some flashes there was no reall Sanctification of their hearts whereby they did Sanctifie the Name of God in holy duties and upon this it is that they have left off This I dare say That there was never any soul that did know what it was to Sanctifie Gods Name in worship that ever was weary of worshipping God It may be some of you may say We have heard that there is much required in Sanctifying Gods Name in duties and that is the only way to weary the Soul and to make it fall off Oh no as we said the last day there is not any one thing that hath bin opened for the Sanctifying of Gods Name in duties that any gracious heart can tell how to miss and the more we do Sanctifie his Name the more we shall be in love with worship For it is from hence that those that Sanctifie Gods name in worship will hold out because they will find the sweetness of worship they will meet with God in holy duties and so they come to be encouraged in worship but as for others who do worship God in a formal way their worship will prove to be tedious to them for they performe the duties but do not find God in the duties in that Spiritual way as the Saints do If they think they meet with God it is but an imagination rather than any real meeting with him they do not find the influence of God in their souls in holy duties so as those do that Sanctifie Gods Name in holy duties here then you see the Reasons why we are to Sanctifie Gods Name in holy duties Now then for the Application of all this 1 If all this which you have heard be required of us for the Sanctifying of Gods Name Hence we see how little cause we have to rest upon any duty of worship that we do performe certainly the duties of worship that we performe are no such things as are fit to be rested upon for life and for salvation and yet for the most part there is scarce any thing that people have to rest upon or to tender up to God for acception to eternal life but only their prayers and their coming to hear and receiving of the Communion and such duties that they perform this is all they have to tender up for life and for salvation perhaps they may somtimes speak of Christ but the truth is that which their hearts rest upon for acceptation to eternal life is this And is it but this It is a weak prop a rotten reed that thou hast to rest upon Let the duties of worship be performed never so well Suppose we did Sanctifie Gods Name to the uttermost that is possible for any creature to do in this world yet such duties are not to be rested upon Abraham Isaac and Jacob and the Apostles the most holy men that ever did perform duties in the most holy manner yet wo to them if they have nothing to rest upon but their duties consider therefore of this that what thou must rest upon for acceptation to eternal life it must be that that must have so much worth in it as must satisfie for all thy sins that formerly thou hast committed yea and for all the sins that ever thou shalt commit Now I appeal unto any ones conscience Is that which thou performest as Prayer or receiving the Sacrament or hearing of the word such a work as in thy conscience thou canst think it hath so much worth in it as to satisfie God for all the sins that ever thou didest or shalt commit I am perswaded if people that have rested upon duties heretofore would but seriously have this thought in their minds That I must rest upon nothing for my acceptation for life and Salvation but that that must have such worth in it as to satisfie God for all my sins that ever have been committed or shall be committed this would take them off for ever from resting in duties Yea and it must be such as must be the object of the infinite holinesse of God to take content in Surely the duties that we performe are no such duties to rest upon the truth is If we would seriously consider what they are as they come from us we would even abhor our selves in dust and ashes and account of them as the Prophet speaks of his own righteousness as menstruous cloaths they are such as if God should deal with us as justly he may do he might cast them and us to the dogs for they are as the Prophet saith torne and rent Sacrifices now if a man in the time of the Law should bring to the Lord a Sacrifice that was all torne and rent before he brought it would such a Sacrifice have been accepted All the duties we perform as they come from us they are such we reade in Exod. 22.31 concerning such things as were torne and rent that they should cast them to the dogs Ye shall be holy men unto me saith he verse ult neither shall ye eate any flesh that is torne of beasts in the field ye shall cast it to the dogs because ye are holy men unto me Must the people of Israel manifest their holiness in this That they must eat nothing torne by beasts but cast it unto dogs Or was the holiness of the people of Israel such as God required them that they must eat nothing that was torne by beasts What then is the holiness of the infinite God our services that we perform are of themselves such as are torne by our beastly lusts many times how many are there that bring Sacrifices to God that are as a carrion that swine have been tearing before hand and yet these are the Sacrifices that they bring to God and not only think that God should accept of them but they do rest upon them for their acceptation to eternal life
and the understanding from the prudent And that is the reason why so many great Scholars are blasted in their very parts because they would worship God according to the precepts of men in a formal way and so all hypocrites and formal worshippers the Lord doth blast them in one way or other the judgments of God upon the spirits of men were sometimes in the time of the Law But in the times of the Gospel there we find generally the judgments of God to be more spiritual upon the hearts and consciences of men we find it by experience God doth discover that he doth not accept of such as those are and therefore when you see any that have made profession of Religion that had excellent Parts at first many common Gifts and now are as we say no body Remember this Text That God will be Sanctified in those that come nigh Him Secondly The Lord doth manifest that he wil be Sanctified in those that draw nigh him by awaking their consciences many times upon their sick beds and death beds the Lord doth force them to give glory to him and there to acknowledge that they did not worship God in Uprightness but in Formality And now they are in horrour of conscience and cry out in the anguish of their souls upon the apprehension of the dreadfull wrath of God that is upon them Take heed for the Lords sake of this thing when you are performing of the duties of Worship do not rest in the outward duties for they will never comfort you upon your sick and death beds you may perhaps put off your consciences a little for the present but when you come upon your sick beds there will be no comfort unto you and then you will be forced to say wel all this while I have but taken the Name of God in vain and now God hath rejected me and all my services and you will then speak to those that come about your beds side and bid them take warning by you take heed that when you worship God you worship him to purpose I have spent time in prayer and hearing but for want of this I find I have no comfort at all but the Lord appears to be terrible to my soul and comes out against me as an enemy I say now Gods Name is Sanctified whatever becomes of thee he will force glory from thee one way or other and it may be even here in this time of thy life but how ever at the great day when the secrets of all hearts must be disclosed before men and Angels then the Lord will appear to be a holy God by rejecting all such services that thou didest tender up to him and it will then be a great part of the work of the day of Judgment for God to be Sanctified in those that did worship him by declaring before men and Angels how He did reject such formal and hypocritical worship that they did tender up unto him Oh that God would strike this upon your hearts that it may abide upon you every time you come to worship Him to think thus Let me look to it to Sanctifie His Name now for I hear that God will Sanctifie it Himself if I do not do it But then on the other side If so be that thou makest conscience of Sanctifying Gods Name in duties then he will Sanctifie his Name in a way of Mercy that is He will manifest how he doth accept of the least degree of holines though there be much mixture God hath a way to take away the mixture by the blood of his Son and then to accept of any holiness He sees in thee He will Sanctifie his Name by meeting with thee and revealing His glory to thee when thou art worshipping of Him There is an excellent Scripture for this Exod. 29.43 There I will meet with the Children of Israel and the Tabernacle shall be Sanctified by my Glory Thou that hast a gracious heart and art worshipping of God in Sincerity thou art as a Tabernacle of God and God hath His Service and Worship from thee thou art as the Temple of God and there will I meet with thee saith God and I will Sanctifie my Tabernacle by my Glory God wil sanctifie thy heart by his Glory if thou dost Sanctifie his Name Further Thou shalt it may be not alwaies have such glorious comforts the full beams of the Sun rising upon thee but at one time or other the Lord will break in upon thee and manifest his Glory to thee and it 's like if thou hast not such full comforts now yet upon thy sick-bed though God doth not then alwaies manifest Himself fully for sometimes the disease may be a hinderance yet it is ordinary that those that in their constant way did Sanctifie Gods Name in holy duties they do lie comfortably upon their sick beds and a glorious entrance is made for them into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ And then again All things are Sanctified unto them as on the other side those that do not sanctifie Gods Name al things are cursed to them if thou doest not make Conscience of sanctifying Gods Name in duties God cares not to sanctifie any thing for thy good But now those that make conscience of Sanctifying Gods Name in holy duties the Lord takes care that all things shall be Sanctified for their good for the furtherance of their eternal good And however it be here yet hereafter at the great day of Judgement it will be a part of the glory of God to manifest before Men and Angels how He did accept of those holy services that thou didst tender up to Him when hypocrites shall be cast away and abhor'd and thou who had'st an upright sincere heart shalt be owned before God and before Men and Angels at that great Day and God shall say Well it is a part of the glory of my Holiness to make it appear that I have accepted of these holy things that these my poor servants have tendered up to me And this now is of marveilous use for the comforting of a gracious heart those duties that thou doest now think thou hast lost and there will nothing come of them thou shalt certainly hear of them another day God will make it appear there is nothing that He stands more upon than the glory of his Holiness and it is the glory of his Holiness that is thy strength in this thing and that makes it certain to thee that there must be a manifestation of thy acceptance and therefore take these Truths into thy heart about Sanctifying the Name of God You have had only the Point in generall opened to you Oh that the Spirit of God would bring things unto your remembrance SERMON VIII LEVITICUS 10.3 I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me WEE have as you may remember Preached many SERMONS upon that Point of Sanctifying the Name of God in the duties of his Worship We have spoken
Christ might be the true Messias some kind of imperfect beleeving they had but they were not thoroughly brought off now saith Christ If you continue in my Word you are my Disciples As if he should say Do not you think it enough that you come to hear me and that you are taken by what I say you must continue in my Word and then you are my Disciples Christ will not own that man or woman to be his Disciple that doth not continue in his Word O that you would consider of this you that satisfie your selves in having some flashes of your affections when you are hearing the Word but do not think that you are the Disciples of Christ because of them In Tit. 1.9 Holding fast the faithful word as you have been taught that is the thing you should labour for to hold fast the faithful word hold it fast that it may not be taken from you and so you shall come to Sanctifie the Name of God in the hearing of his Word 11 The last that I shall speak to is this If thou wouldest Sanctifie the Name of God in hearing his Word turn it into practice or otherwise the Name of God is blasphemed or at least is taken in vain by thee if thou doest not turn what thou hearest into practice So you have it in Jam. 1.22 He that is not a forgetful bearer but a doer of the word this man saith he shall be blessed in his deed And vers 22. Be ye dâ—ers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves The word here that is translated Deceiving your own selves it s a word taken from Logicians and signifies to make a false Sylogisme A man that hears the Word and doth not do it he doth as it were reason thus Those that do come to Church as we use to say those surely are Religious people but I come to Sermons and therefore I am Religious Now this is a false reasoniag and thou doest but cozen thy self Be not a hearer only but a doer of the word that thou mayest not deceive thine own soul So in Rom. 2.3 Thinkest thou this O man that judgest them that do such things doest the same that thou shalt escape the judgment of God As if he should say You have the word and you are able to judge thereby what you hear but yet still you are wicked in your lives this is dispising of the riches of the goodness of God towards you And in Ppilipians 2.16 you have a remarkable text where the holy Ghost saith of the Philipians That he would have them hold forth the word of Life It were a most excellent thing if it might be said of this Congregation that as they come deligently to hear and are willing to take pains to get out of their beds so earely in the mornings so all the week after they hold forth the Word of God You that are servants it may be your masters are naught and the families naught from whence you come now when you go home though it may be they will not let you repeat the Sermon yet you are to hold forth the Sermon in your practice and conversation How is the Name of God glorified when we hold forth his Word this is to let not only your light shine but the light of the word shine before men that they may behold it and glorifie your Father which is in heaven So that now put all these Eleven Particulars together and then you have made good that expression we find in Act. 13.48 That the Word of God was glorified And to the same purpose we have another expression in 2 Thess 3.1 Finally brethren Pray for us that the Word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified even as it is with you This is the commendation of a people that they do glorifie the Word of God I beseech you brethren in the Name of Jesus Christ this morning that you that are hearers of the Word would glorifie the Word and glorifie the Name of God in the Word Oh that not one of you would be a disgrace or shame to the Word of God this is the charge that God this morning laies upon you as ever you expect to receive any good from the Word or to look upon the face of God with comfort whose word this is do not be a shame to his Word and to the Ministers of his Word Put all these things together I say and learn to make conscience of Sanctifying Gods Name in hearing the Word that so there may be none of you that may give any just occasion to others to say Is this to hear Sermons Do you get nothing else but this by hearing Sermons If you should open the mouths of men to say so of you the Word of God as much as lies in you would be disgraced by you you should rather think thus It were better for me that I should die and that I were under the ground and rotting there than that the Word of God should ever be disgraced by me Let me hold forth the glory of the Word the Word is that that hath done good to my soul the Word is that that I would not for ten thousand worlds but have heard it and shall I disgrace this Word shall I give any occasion that this Word of the Lord should be spoken ill of by reason of me O God forbid Therefore if you regard not your selves and your own honour yet regard the honor of the Word If ever you have got any good by the Word you should go away with this resolution Well I will labour all the daies of my life to honour this Word of God that I have got so much good by If this were but the resolution of every one of your hearts this morning it would be a blessed mornings work SERMON X. LEVITICUS 10.3 I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me NOW follow the Reasons why God stands so much upon it that He will have his Name Sanctified in this Ordinance of hearing his Word 1 First It is because there is so much of God in His Word and therefore we should Sanctifie Gods Name If it were possible there could be â—n in Heaven that sin would be greater than sin committed here therefore the sin of the Angels when they were in Gods presence in a more especial manner was the greater The Name of God being in any thing the greater will be the evil if we do not Sanctifie Gods Name in it now there is very much of God in his word more of God there than in al his works of Creation and Providence In Psa 138.2 Thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name There being therfore so much of God in His word we must Sanctifie the Name of God in it 2 Secondly God hath appointed his Word to be the great Ordinance to convey the special mercies that He intends for the good of his people That we spake to before
dishonoured by us In 2 Thess 3.1 Finally Brethren pray for us that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified even as it is with you Oh that we were able to say so and yet through Gods mercy in some degree we hope we can say so and I could heartily pray that the word of God might be glorified in all places as it hath been with many of you but yet go on in this and labour every one of you that it may be more glorified that you may manifest the power of the word in your conversations that all that do behold you may glorifie the word and say Oh what hath the Lord wrought in such a place in such families families that were wretched vile carnal and liv'd without God in the world Prophane Swearers foul-mouth'd Unclean Now since they have attended upon the word how hath it wrought upon them what a change is there in such men and women That the carnal husband may say since such time as my wife hath attended upon the word I have seen a Beauty in her conversation she is more holy more gentle and meek and so my servant more submissive and faithful and so my children more obedient than before Oh that the word may be thus glorified Take heed I beseech you that the Word be not blasphemed by any of you In Tit. 2.5 there the Apostle gives divers exhortations and among others to wives and to servants To be discreet chast keepers at home good obedient to their own husbands that the Word of God be not blasphemed you must perform your duties unto your husbands and why that so the Word of God be not blasphemed that is that neither your husbands nor any of your friends may blaspheme the Word and say What do you get this by going to Sermons Oh it should pierce your hearts when as your consciences tell you that you have given cause whereby the Word of God should be blasphemed and so he exhorts servants and others and all in the strength of this argument That the Word of God be not blasphemed you get up early in a morning to hear the Word that 's good but take heed you give no occasion that the Word be blasphemed Now I shall shew what an excellent thing it is so to Sanctifie God Name in the Hearing of His Word as to honor it and how God will Sanctifie His own Name in mercy to you 1 First All the good in the Word is thine if thou dost Sanctifie Gods Name There is abundance of good in this Word that we preach it is the word of the Gospel and to have all the good in that to be thine that must needs be an excellent thing you wil say sometimes I reade and hear such things in the Word that if I were but sure that these things were my portion how happy should I be Here 's one sign by which thou mayest be assured that they are all thy portion Is it thy unfained care to Sanctifie Gods Name in the Hearing of his Word Oh peace be to thee all the good in the Word is thine And here we might fall into a commendation of the word of the Gospel and if I should give way to that a great deal of time would quickly be gone I wil only give you one Scripture for your encouragement to Sanctifie Gods Name in the hearing of his word by way of commendation of it It is Rom. 10.5 a place I am afraid you have not had the sweetness of it for the want of understanding it It is quoted out of Deut. For Moses describeth the Righteousness which is of the Law that the man which doth those things shall live by them But the Righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thine heart who shall ascend into heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring Christ again from the dead But what saith it The word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which we preach The text hath some difficul y and yet exceeding sweet to us to know it I confess it the Apostle Paul had not quoted this place out of Deut. and thus interpreted it who could ever have thought in reading of Deut. that by the one had bin meant the word of the Law and by the other the word of the Gospel therefore the meaning is this here is a comparison between the word of the Law and the word of the Gospel Concerning the word of the Law there is two things wherein that comes short of the word of the Gospel First It is not so nigh thee Secondly It is not so certain to assure thy Soul what shall become of thee to all eternity The word of the Law saith who shall ascend into heaven c. But the word of the Gospel is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart You will say Why is not the word of the Law as nigh one as the word of the Gospel I Answer The word of the Law you hear it in your eares but it is not written in the heart as the word of the Gospel is The Law cannot work savingly upon the heart of a man to bring salvation those that are meerly Legal they can hear the duties that are required but that word hath no power to write in their hearts what they do hear But now when you come to hear the word of the Gospel that is nigh you even in your very hearts as well as in your ears God speaks in it and it comes into your hearts and there it works efficaciously which the Law cannot The Law is but as a dead Letter in comparison of the word of the Gospel If you come meerly to hear the Law preached and not in an Evangelical way you may hear it a hundred times and it will never be written in your hearts but when you come to hear the Gospel in an Evangelical way that will come to be written in your hearts So that the word of the Gospel is nigh you But what is the meaning of the other Say not who shall ascend up into heaven c The meaning is this As if the Apostle should say The truth is while you have no other but the righteousness of the Law you are at an infinite uncertainty about your eternal estates The Law saith Do and live but you can never know when you have done enough so as to be certain that you are well for eternity That saith Who shall ascend into heaven to know the mind of God concerning me whether he will accept of me and of that obedience and worship that I tender up to him Who shall go down into the deep Who shall go down to Hell to know there whether that place be prepared for him or no It is a phrase that only expresseth an uncertainty that one cannot be satisfied about his eternal estate
thoughts Next there must be constancie in prayer in 1 Thess 5.17 by that I mean this never to give over until we have that we pray for or something else in lieu of it it may be thou hast prayed and nothing is come of it be not discouraged thou hast to deal with a great God and therefore pray again and again and again and pray with this resolution well let God do with me what he will I will as long as I live call upon him and if God shall cast me away yet he shal cast me away calling upon him as the poor woman of Canaan when Christ cal'd her dog and discouraged her yet still she would pray I but dogs may have crums that heart is in an il condition that is discouraged in prayer because it doth not get what it would and therfore to think with themselves I had as good not pray at al take heed of any such thoughts Again If you would pray to God indeed so as to sanctifie his Name in prayer there should be humility in your hearts so as to be sensible of your own unworthiness I spake somwhat about being sensible of the distance between God and us when I spake about sanctifying of Gods name in general The last that I shall speak of is this when you have done all this all these qualifications will not sanctifie Gods Name except all be tendred up in the Name of Jesus Christ and in the power of his merits let a man or woman pray with as much fervencie zeale constancie purity in truth and sincerity yet except he puts up all in the Name of Christ I say he cannot be accepted our spiritual offerings must be tendered up in his Name but I have Preached much about that but now put all that hath been said together and this it is to pray That is when as I pray understandingly when I give my self to prayer when there are the breathings of the holy Ghost in my prayer when there is purity of heart like a golden vial together with sincerity when it is in truth of heart when it is in faith when it comes from a spiritual Adoption when it 's in fervencie when in constancie reverence humility and all put up in the Name of Jesus Christ now a man prayes as it is said of Saul behold he prayeth so I may say of those that are instructed in this Art behold they pray you see now that prayer is more than to reade in a book more than to say a few words ye see it is a very hard thing to pray a work of great difficultie and no marveil though we have lost so many of our prayers as we have done we must not charge prayer and God with it but look to our selves I mean not charge the Ordinance of prayer but the vilenesse of our carriage in our prayers and let us for time to come know what a Christan life means it is said of Christ in Luke 9.29 that as he was praying the fashion of his countenance was changed Oh that 's an excellent thing that when we have been in our closets at prayer to come away with our faces shining my Brethren could we but pray in such a manner as this is the very fashion of our countenacnes would be changed as Moses when he came from the presence of God upon the Mount or as Christ that had the fashion of his countenance changed Prayer it is the sweet ease of ones spirit it 's the help at a dead lift it 's the great Ordinance of our Communion with God in this world and therefore let us learn this Art of sanctifying Gods Name in Prayer I shall conclude all in this you have heard the mystery of the sanctifying the Name of God in worshipping God now I beseech you you that have been a long time in the School of Christ as it were Apprentices to Christ to learn Christianity be ashamed that you have understood so little of this art in Sanctifying the Name of God in Prayer It is an art and a mystery that you must be instructed in and you are not Christians till you are instructed in this as in an art and mystery And that man and woman that shall be instructed truly in this art and mystery in Sanctifying Gods Name now in the worshipping of him such a man and woman shall be to all eternity Sanctifying the Name of God in praising of him There is a time coming when all the Saints must be in the presence of God and be alwaies praising of him and they shall then Sanctifie Gods Name for ever let us now learn this art of Sanctifying Gods Name in praying that we may eternally Sanctifie his Name in praising of him FINIS AN EXACT ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF AL THE PRINCIPAL TRUTHS IN THE FOREGOING SERMONS A Absolutely SPirituall things to be prayed for absolutely Page 277 Accept Acceptation Acceptation of our persons the means of it Page 69 God accepts not the duties of wicked men Page 116 The services of the Saints accepted Page 120 Act Actual Action see Grace Actual sanctification Page 68 The Lord accepts the person before the action Page 69 God is a pure act and requires actual service Page 97 Adoption Sign of adoption to desire to be oft in Gods presence Page 36 We must pray in the spirit of adoption Page 294 Affections Affections the strength of them required in Gods worship Page 82 Aggravation Aggravation of sin to neglect due hearing the Word Page 200 Afflictions see Honor They that sanctifie not God in hearing the Word can have no comfort from it in afflictions Page 206 Whether it be lawfull to pray for afflictions Page 277 Afflictions in themselves materially evil Page 278 All All that we have must be given to God Page â—â— All things Sanctified to the godly Page 119 Altar Christ is the Altar upon which wee must offer all our sacrifices Page 92 Angel Angel what it signifieth Page 91 Angels the aggravation of their sin Page 195 Anger Anger not to be brought into Gods service Page 19 Apply We must apply the Word in hearing it Page 175 Apostasie see Schisme Apostasie the ground of it Page 106 Assurance The Gospel gives assurance of salvation Page 212 Attention Attention must be given in hearing of the Word Page 171 B Beginners Beginners in Religion to be carefull of preparation Page 56 Beleeving Beleeving the condition of the covenant of grace Page 232 Birds Wandring thoughts in Prayer as the birds to Abrahams sacrifice Page 283 Blast God blasts those men that sanctifie him not in worship Page 117 God will blast those that neglect his word Page 208 Bless Many blesse themselves in evill waies Page 198 To bless God for helping us against wandring thoughts in Prayer Page 289 Blind Blind sacrifice not to be offered to God Page 98 Blood A fearfull thing to be guilty of Christs blood Page 230 Breathing see Spirit Broken see Heart What kind of broken heart is required
glory of the Ministers Page 214 We should have apprehensions of Gods Glory in prayer Page 275 The Glory of God is the chiefe thing we should pray for Page 176 Spirituall things neerest the Glory of God Page 277 Grace Grace to be acted especially in Gods worship Page 29 Grace the freenesse of it should make us more diligent in the worship of God Page 34 Graces increased by drawing nigh to God Page 35 Graces to be acted and stirred up in the Sacrament Page 271 We must act our own Graces in Prayer together with the spirit Page 291 See Covenant Great A people are great that have God nigh them Page 40 We should prepare to Gods worship because he is Great Page 43 The duties of Gods Worship are Great Page 44 How to Sanctifie Gods Name in respect of his Greatness Page 67 Great things to be expected from God Page 100 We must hear the word with attention because of the greatnesse of him that sends it Page 172 Wee must be attentive because the matters delivered are great Page 173 H Habitual Habitual sanctification Page 68 Harden Nothing doth harden the heart more than the word by accident Page 205 Hand Faith is a Hand to take Christ in the Sacrament Page 253 The Cup in the Sacrament not to be delivered into every particular hand Page 264 Heart Our hearts naturally unprepared for duty page 46 The heart in preparation to be taken from every sinfull way page 49 As the heart is so are the duties page 70 The heart is not changed by the acting of natural parts page 87 Good heart what page 187 The world of the Law not in the heart page 211 A broken heart required in receiving the Sacrament page 246 Hearing of Sanctifying Gods Name in hearing the word page 161 Hearing the word a part of Gods worship page 162 How to know that God hears our prayers page 294 Heathen Heathens attend to worship their Idolls page 46 Heaven Being oft in Gods presence minds us of heaven page 36 The worship of God here the beginning of that in heaven page 106 Hide We must hide the word in our hearts Page 189 Highest What we lift highest in our worship that is our God Page 74 See Thoughts Ends. Hindrance Hindrances to Gods worship many Page 46 Holy Holinesse Holinesse the greatest honour of Gods Name Page 23 Holinesse of God to be held forth by his servants Page 24 Drawing nigh to God makes us holy Page 36 Time and Place said to be holy how Page 50 God infinite holy Page 99 Those that receive the Lords Supper must be holy Page 232 Honest We must receive the word into honest hearts Page 186 Honest heart what Page 188 Honest amongst men who Page 189 Honour To quiet the heart in affliction is to know that God will have honour by it Page 25 Humble Humbled Humility Humility of Spirit requisite in the worship of God Page 84 To be humbled for not sanctifying the Name of GOD aright Humiliation in preparing to hear the word Page 168 Wandring thoughts in prayer suffered by God to humble us Page 285 Humility required in our prayers Page 295 See Worship Hungring There must be hungring after Christ in the Sacrament Page 251 I Incense Incense what it signifieth Page 91 Incomprehensible Incomprehensiblenesse of God what it should teach us in our worship Page 95 Infinite There is an impression of Gods infinitnesse upon the duties of his servants Page 64 Infirmities Infirmities of others to be passed by of those that receive the Sacrament Page 258 Infirmities how helped by the spirit Page 290 Institution Institution of the Sacrament to be kept close to Page 261 Intention Strength of intention required in the worship of God Page 81 Joy The mercy of God should make us come to him with joy Page 100 The word to be received with joy Page 184 Difference in the joy of hypocrites and true Christians Page 186 Spiritual joy required in receiving the Sacrament Page 255 A broken spirit may consist with spiritual joy ibid Judge Judgement Sinners may meet with judgements never threatned in the word Page 16 God is quick with some in the way of his judgements Page 17 Judgements many times sutable to the sins Page 18 Gods judgements many times invisible Page 21 The word of God shall judge those that abuse it Page 207 Justice Justice of God seen in the death of Christ Page 268 K Knowledge Knowledge required in receiving the Lords Supper Page 244 Knowledge in other points necessary to them that receive the Sacrament Page 245 Knowledge actuall required in receivers Page 246 L Leaven Leaven how cast out by the Jewes Page 249 Life Living Gods goodness in sparing our lives to worship him Page 84 That God is a living God what it should teach us Page 96 The things delivered in the word concern our lives Page 174 Beleevers nourished to eternall life Page 269 Limitted The duties of Gods Children not limitted Page 65 Little In matters of worship God stands upon little things Page 11 Lose The ground why we lose so many prayers Page 296 Love Naturall conscience makes not the heart love a duty Page 88 The word must be received with love Page 184 The Sacrament ordained by Christ out of love Page 228 Love to be renewed in the receiving the Sacrament Page 258 The infinite love of God seen in the death of Christ Page 269 Lust The worship of God not to be subjected to our lusts Page 72 Who they be that subject it to their lusts Page 73 M Man The Mediator between God and man is man Page 276 Mean Mean men not to envy great ones why Page 13 Mediator The way of mans salvation is by a Mediator Page 267 Meditation Meditation in preparing the heart to holy duties Page 49 Meditations in the receiving the Sacrament Page 267 Meeknesse The word must be received with meeknesse Page 179 Mercy Mercifull God is mercifull Page 100 Mercy of God should teach us to be mercifull to others Page 101 The duties of worship the way to convey Gods choice Mercies Page 105 The word a means to convey speciall Mercies Page 195 Mercie-Seat Mercie-Seat a Type of Christ Page 91 Mind We should pick out Gods mind from dark expressions Page 14 We come to know the mind of God when we come to hear the word Page 163 Mystery The greatest Mysteries of Salvation presented in the Sacrament Page 228. 255 Mixture Mixture of mans inventions with Gods Ordinances unlawfull Page 266 Mortification Mortification requisite to the sanctifying Gods Name Page 67 Mouth Faith the mouth of the soul to receive Christ Page 254 N Name No way to enjoy mercies but by sanctifying Gods Name Page 105 See Sanctifie Nature Natural Some duties of worship are naturall Page 261 Christ hath honoured humane nature by taking it Page 267. Neer Nigh God wil be sanctified in those that come neer him Page 6 Those that are neerest God should be most carefull Page 22
in the general in shewing how the duties of Gods Worship are as a Channel for the conveyance of Special good to the Saints But none more than the Wordâ— that 's the Ordinance to convey the First Grace to those that belong to Gods election The Sacrament is for strengthening and therefore there is rather more in the Word than in the Sacrament and yet every one thinks in conscience that he is bound to come carefully to the Sacrament and to look to Sanctifie Gods Name there It is an easier matter to convince men and women that they are bound to Sanctifie the Name of God when they come to receive the holy Communion than for the hearing of the Word they think not so much of that but certainly the Word is appointed to be an Ordinance of conveying more blessing than the Sacrament because it is appointed to convey the first Grace and to convey strength of Grace as well as the Sacrament Now being appointed to convey such great things to the souls of the elect both the first grace and strengthning of grace and comfort and assistance thereof the Lord expects to have His Name Sanctified in it 3 Thirdly The Name of God must be Sanctified in the Word because the word is very quick and lively it works men or women to life or death to salvation or damnation In Heb 4.12 The Word of God is quick and powerfull and sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit c. It is very quick of opperation the text saith that is when God hath to deal with men by his word He wil not stand dallying and trifling with them but he is very quick with them either to bring their souls to life or to cast them away The time of mens ignorance God winks at but now he cals all men to repent Let them look to it now God did forbear in the time of ignorance but He will not forbear so when the word comes Now is the Ax laid to the root of the tree And when was that when John Baptist came to preach repentance because the kingdom of Heaven is at hand Though the tree were barren before and did not bring forth good fruit yet it might stand still and not be cut down but when the powerful Ministration of the Word comes then the Ax is laid to the root of the Tree either now come in and be saved or resist the word and perish And therefore that is very observable when Christ sends out His Discples to preach in Mark 16.15 16. Saith he Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature and he that beleeveth and is Baptized shall be saved but he that beleeveth not shall be damned As if He should say There shal be quick work made with them go and preach those that belong to my election shal be brought in to beleeve and be saved and the others shall be damned As if God should say If they will come in and imbrace the Gospel they shall be saved If they will not they shal be damned and there is an end of them So that I say we have need to look to it that we Sanctifie the Name of God in His Word upon these Three Ground Because there is so much of God in His word Because He hath appointed it to convey the grearest Mercies to His Saints And because God is very quick in His Word one way or other We shall now proceed to the Application of this Point And First by way of reprehension to al those that do not Sanctifie Gods Name in hearing the Word and herein we shal shew their fearful condition and how God will Sanctifie His Name upon them in wayes of judgement and then when we come to the use of Exhortation to exhort you to Sanctifie the Name of God there we shall shew you likewise how God will Sanctifie His Name in wayes of mercy upon those that do Sanctifie Him in wayes of obedience in Hearing of His word 1 For the first Certainly if that be to Sanctifie the Name of God that we have spoken of Gods Name is but very little sanctified by people that do come to hear His word and we have no cause to wonder that there is so little good got by the word because there are so few that make conscience to Sanctifie Gods Name in hearing it Some there are that are so far from Sanctifying Gods Name in it as they altogether neglect it and make it a matter of nothing whether they come to hear it or no Saith Christ in Joh. 8.47 He that is of God heareth my Word ye therefore hear them not because ye are not of God Certainly he that hath the knowledge of God and any interest in God and that belongs unto Him nothing is more sweet to him than the hearing of His word but because ye are not of God saith Christ therefore you hear not his word Those men and women that have no interest in God but live without God in this world they regard not to hear his word O how many have we that belong to this place that do so How many live without God in the world and do declare to al the world that they are not of Godâ— they have no part nor portion in God in that they hear not His word Some there are that come to hear it but they come to hear it as a meer matter of indifferency in a meer formall and customary way or for companies sake or to give content to others These are poor and low ends thou shouldest come to hear the word as expecting God should speak to thy Soul for the furtherance of thy eternal good but your consciences may tell you what vain and wandring hearts you have when you come to hear it The eyes of the fool saith Solomon are in all the corners of the earth up and down wandring little minding that you are come to hear God Himself speak to you in the Ministry of man And if so be that it be minded yet ordinarily the hearts of men do put off the word and if it come any thing neer to them they think to shift it from themselves to others We have a notable Scripture in Heb. 12.25 for such men as shift off Gods word when it comes many times very neer to them See that ye refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from Him which speaketh from Heaven See that ye refuse not him that speaks the Word see that you do not put him off And that that is the signification of it If you compare it with Luke 12.18 you shall find that there is the same word used where speaking of those that were invited to the supper it is said They all with one consent began to make excuse they began to shift it off that is the same word Oh