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 stedfast 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 it self without fear in a stedfast comfortable way and this will quit the cost of any labor Secondly If the heart be prepared it will do a great deal in a little time In a Chron. 29. 36. it is said That Hezekiah rejoyced and all the poeple 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 Chron. 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 mighty to be able to do a great deal in a little time it is to make preration 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 journey 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 ear to hear There was never a prayer made wherein the heart was prepared for it but that prayer was heard they go both together Lord thou wilt prepare their heart and thou wilt cause thine ear 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 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 maiest 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 endeavored 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 beforehand the Scripture is in 2 Chron. 33. 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 Sanctuary 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 hearkned to Hezekiah and healed the people Nay saith God I wil 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 thine 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 the 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 beforehand 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 yong 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 calls 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 perform 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 Christians 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 whol day but if God calls them to prayer they could presently fall down upon their knees and pray so as to Sanctify 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 sanctify 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. 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 waies 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 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 call 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 accuse them and tell 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 wil 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 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 yong 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 enlightned and awakened they will be very careful 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 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 beforehand be very serious in the examination of their hearts and to endeavor the working of their hearts into mourning for their sin and to labor to possess their souls with the presence of God even before they come These two sorts of people such as have not been acquainted with the waies of Godliness or such as have broken their peace with God by some evil carriage of theirs towards God in some vile way I say it is requied of them to be more solemn in the Work 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 sanctifie the Name of God in holy duties they are ready to think thus Were it not better to neglect this duty and lay it aside for the present Will God accept of a duty when I perform it and am not set for it Therefore for the Answer to this because it is a temptation 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 perform 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 which goes neer their hearts when they think with themselves 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
Secondly Our hearts must be sanctified because the Lord doth look more to the principle from whence a thing comes than at the the thing it self As indeed were our hearts right as they should then all the good things that come to us we would not so much regard what the things are that we do enjoy from God as what the principle is from whence they come that is Whether what we do enjoy from God is from the love of God in Jesus Christ or no Whether it it be from the general Bounty and Patience of God or from the special love of God in Jesus Christ Our hearts would regard that most if we were spiritual now then look as a godly man is not satisfied with enjoying any good thing from God except he knows it comes from a principle of love to him in Jesus Christ So God is not pleased with any thing that comes from us except he knows that it comes from a principle of Love Grace and Holiness in our hearts Thirdly According as the heart is so will the service be Certainly if the heart be unclean the duty will be unclean perhaps the words may be fine and brave but if there be an unclean heart the duty will be unclean As it is with a man that hath the Plague suppose he makes a brave Oration yet his breath is infectious so it is in our services with God If so be that our hearts within us have the plague then certainly the breath that comes from us all our duties will be unclean and therefore that is the first thing that we are to look for in the sanctifying Gods Name in holy duties Look to have thy heart sanctified and consider from what principle it comes 't is for want of this that thousands of our duties are cast aside and God never doth regard them But this is the first Particular there are many more to speak of SERMON V. Leviticus 10. 3. I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me WEE proceed The next thing therefore for the behavior of the soul in the sanctifying Gods Name in Worship is this When we come to Worship God if we would sanctifie Gods Name we must have high thoughts of God we must look upon God as he is upon his Throne in Majesty and in Glory as in Isa 9. 1 2. you shall find that the Prophet saw the Lord upon his Throne It is an excellent thing when all who come to worship God every time they come to worship Him have their eyes darted up to Heaven and behold the Lord God sitting in his Glory upon his Throne So you shall find in Rev. 4. the 24. Elders that worshiped God they saw him upon his Throne in his Glory and so they worshiped him they worshiped God to purpose indeed when they saw the Lord in that Majesty as he was We should at all times have high thoughts of God take heed of having low thoughts and apprehensions of the infinite Majesty of God at any time but especially when thou art to worship the great God then look upon the Lord in that infinite distance that there is between him and thy self yea that infinit distance that there is between him and all creatures in the world look upon the Lord as lifted up in glory not only above all creatures but above all excellencies that all Angels and Men in Heaven and Earth are able to imagine Look upon the Lord as having all Excellencies in Himself joyned in one and that immutably look upon him as the Fountain of all excellency good and glory that all creatures in the world have and look upon the Lord every time thou comest to worship him as that God whom Angels do adore and before whom the Devils are forc'd to tremble behold him in this his Glory and this will help thee to sanctifie his Name when thou comest to him The great Reason why people come and worship God in a slight way it is because that they do not see God in his glory 't is a great Mercy for God to give unto us a sight of himself a sight of his glory here in this world while we are worshiping of him this would keep our eyes and our thoughts from wandring if we had a sight of the glory of God and had high thoughts of God What 's the reason why we wander so as we do but meerly because we see not God As now suppose you were in your house and looking after every feather that were flying up and down if you should hear that the King were come into the room or any great Person it would compose your spirits because you have high thoughts of such as of those that are above you So let us look upon God as in his excellency and His glory and have high thoughts of him and this is that whereby we are to sanctifie Gods Name when we come before Him in holy duties And that 's the second thing First a sanctified heart and then high thoughts of God 3. A third thing is High-ends Raised-ends in the worshiping of God Prov. 15. 24. The way of life is above to the wise It is on high in this respect when he worships God his heart is lifted up on high there is a holy raising of the heart which is well pleasing to God Our hearts should be on high in regard of the high ends that we aim at in holy duties Lift up thy prayer saith Hezekiah to the Prophet in another case so I may say Lift up thy soul when thou comest to worship God in regard of the high ends that thou aimest at when we are worshiping God we should have our hearts above all creatures and above our selves Let not our hearts then be groveling upon the ground mingled with base and drossie things when we come to worship the Lord Indeed it is fit that we should have our hearts low as we shall shew hereafter in regard of humility but not low in regard of any baseness of spirit to mix with any base and low ends Now there are low and base ends in worshiping of God As First We must take heed we do not subject the Worship of God unto our Lusts that is a cursed thing thou art far from sanctifying Gods Name in worshiping of Him that shalt subject His Worship to thy base lusts this is an abominable and a cursed thing indeed You will say Who doth thus who is the man or where is he that will do this subject the Worship of God to his base lusts To that I answer Whosoever doth make use of any duty of Worship as Prayer Hearing the Word or what ever it be to cloak any kind of wickedness whosoever is conscious to himself of any kind of secret wickedness and yet shall think to cover it by the performance of duties and shall reason in this manner Who will think me to be guilty of such a vile thing when I pray so as I do and am so careful to hear
yeer than thou hast done before in seven yeers one Christian that keeps close to God in holy duties and sanctifies the Name of God in them I say finds more comfort with God and grows on in godliness more in one quarter of a yeer than the other doth in seven yeers that goes on in an ordinary dull and formal way in the performance of the duties of Worship Some there are in our time that cry out of duties And what need we trouble our selves so much those that know not how to sanctifie Gods Name they think lightly of them but now do you apply your selves fully as you are able to this that I am speaking of and you will find your selves to be as it were in another world you will be able to say Well I have not yet understood what it was to enjoy Communion with God in Prayer in Word and in Sacraments before this will make your faces shine in your conversations if you would do it and now to that end that you may do it there are these two or three things that I would propound to you 1. In the first place Learn to know God more with whom you have to do and present those things that you have heard before you in your meditations when as you are to come to God in Prayer or in any other Duty and when you are Worshiping of God remember that you have to do with God and none else You are every time you come to perform holy duties to be as a man or woman separated from all things Valerius Maximus tels a story of a yong Noble-man that attended upon Alexander while he was sacrificing this Noble-man held his Censer for Incense and in the holding of it there fell a coal upon his flesh and burnt it so as the very scent of it was in the nostrils of all that were about him and because he would not disturb Alexander in his service he resolutely did not stir to put of the fire from him but holds still his Censer If Heathens made such ado in their sacrificing to their Idol-gods that they would mind it so as no disturbance must be made what ever they endured What care should we have then of our selves when we come to worship the high God And so Josephus he reports of the Priests that were sacrificing in the Temple when Pompey brake in to them with armed men and though they might have fled and saved their lives yet they would not leave off their sacrificing but were slain by the Soldiers They did so mind it as a matter of great consequence Oh that we could mind the duties of Gods Worship as matters of great moment that so we might learn to sanctifie the Name of God in the performance of them more than ever we have done 2. When thou comest to worship take heed thou doest not come in thine own strength For there is more required in sanctifying the Name of God than thy strength is able to carry thee on in and therefore act thy Faith upon Jesus Christ every time thou comest to worship God not only as I said before to tender up thy services in his Name but act thy faith upon Christ to give thee strength to do what thou hast to do And what strength thou hast received from Christ be sure to stir it up many godly men and women have more strength than they know of themselves and if they would but stir up that strength that they have received they might sanctifie the Name of God a great deal more than they do Therfore remember that text before mentioned None stirs up himself to take hold on God Quicken up thy heart and rouze up thy spirit when thou art to worship God 3. When ever thou art worshiping of God do not satisfie thy self meerly in the duty done but consider Do I sanctifie Gods Name in the duty Every time thou worshipest him examine thy heart whether thou doest it yea or no. And if thou findest that thou hast not attained in some comfortable measure to this that hath been presented to thee let the shame and the sorrow for that abide upon thy spirit until the next time thou comest to worship God at such a time I have been worshiping of God and God knows I have been stirring up my heart in some measure but I find my heart dead wandring sluggish and dull I say when thou findest thou canst not do it according to what is required in any comfortable measure let the shame and sorrow of heart for it abide upon thee till the next time thou comest to worship God and that will mightily help thee Thou art now praying and thou canst not now get up thy heart to what is required The next time thou comest to prayer come in the shame and sorrow of thy heart for the want of sanctifying Gods Name the last time And so for hearing of the Word or receiving the Sacraments And this will further thee mightily for the sanctifying the Name of God in holy duties But now that all may be sealed up unto you and so that we may close the Point know That God will be sanctified in those that do draw nigh to Him And there are these two things in the Point First If we do not sanctifie Gods Name God will sanctifie his Name in a way of Justice Secondly If we do sanctifie his Name then he will sanctifie his Name in a way of mercy towards us For the first God will manifest that he is displeased with such duties that thou doest perform he will manifest it one way or other that he is a holy God and he doth not accept of such unholy things as thou doest tender up to him for the truth is if God should accept of such unholy things from men God may be said to be like unto themselves As a man if he doth entertain any as his familiar friend that is naught and wicked it is his disgrace and dishonor a man may sometimes imploy in some business those that are naught and wicked and it may be no disgrace to him but if he doth entertain one in his house that is wicked it is a dishonor to him So God may imploy the most wicked men in the world in some outward services but if he should accept of them in his Worship it would be a dishonor to God and therefore God that he might sanctifie his own Name he will manifest his displeasure at one time or other against such duties of worship you that perform worship in a formal manner and with unclean vile hearts I say it stands upon the Honor of God if he will manifest Himself a holy God He must manifest some displeasure against that way of thy worshiping of him This one meditation one would think should mightily sink into the heart of any man that hath an enlightned conscience to think thus It stands upon the holiness of God And he cannot appear to be a holy God except he doth some
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 Kingdom 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 all 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 surtherance of their eternal good And however it be here yet hereafter at the great day of Judgment 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 hadst 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 marvelous 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 general 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 unto the Point in the General the last day we finished it I do not intend to look back to any thing that was said but we are to proceed to shew how the Name of God should be Sanctified in the Particular Duties of his Worship Now the Duties of Gods Worship are especially these Three 1. The Hearing of the Word 2. Receiving of the Sacrament 3. And Prayer Other things come under Worship but yet these are the three chief duties of Worship and I intend to speak to al these three and to shew how we should Sanctifie the Name of God in drawing nigh unto him in the Word Sacrament and Prayer We might chuse several Texts for all these but they fall full within the General and therefore it shall be sufficient for to ground the Sanctifying of Gods Name in these Duties of Worship upon this Text. 1. Of Sanctifying the Name of God in the Hearing of the Word THat which we are to speak to this morning it is the Sanctifying of the Name of God in the hearing of his Word If you would have the ground of what we are to say concerning this in a particular Scripture you may have it in Luke 8. 18. take heed therefore how ye hear It is not enough to come to hear the Word that is good and no question but God is pleased with the willingness of people to come to hear his Word but you must not rest barely in hearing but take heed how you hear Now this is a Point of great consequence and I hope it may do good to help to make many Sermons to be profitable to you and the Point I hope is seasonable and will be very sutable unto you For those that come to hear so soon in a morning and are willing even in hard weather to come out of their beds they give some good testimony that they do desire to honor God in their hearing and to get good by their hearing and 't is pity that labor and pains should be bestowed and no profit but hurt rather got by it which God forbid Therefore now I am to speak to a Point that may help you so to hear as may recompence all your labor and pains in hearing In preaching to those that come to hear so that they may get good and benefit by it there is a great deal more encouragement than to such as come in a formal way because they use to come therfore this Point being a great Point I shall open it somewhat largely and cast into this Method First I shall shew you That the hearing of Gods Word is a part of the Worship of God for otherwise I could not ground it upon my text Secondly I shall shew you How we are to sanctifie Gods Name in the hearing of his Word either in regard of preparation unto it or our behavior in hearing of the Word Thirdly Why it is that God will be sanctified in this Ordinance of his Fourthly How God will sanctifie himself in such as do not sanctifie his Name in the hearing of his Word Fifthly How God will sanctifie his Name in waies of mercy to those that are careful to sanctifie his Name in the hearing of the Word These are the Five Principal things that concern this Argument For the first That the hearing of Gods Word it is a part of Gods Worship You heard in the opening of the Worship of God in the general what it was I told you it was a tendring up of the creatures homage to God as testimony of the respect that the creature did owe to God Now if that be the nature of Worship certainly the hearing of Gods Word it is a part of the Worship of God for in the hearing of Gods Word we First Do profess our dependance upon God for the knowing of his Mind and the way to Eternal Life Every time we come to hear the Word if we know what we do we do thus much We do profess that we do depend upon the Lord God for the knowing of his Mind and the Way and Rule to Eternal Life we do as much as if we should say Lord of our selves we neither know thee nor the way and means how we should come to be saved and therfore that we might testifie our dependance upon thee for this thing we here present our selves before thee Now this is a Testimony of the high respect we owe to God Secondly The hearing of Gods Word is a part of his Worship because in it we come to wait upon God in the way of an Ordinance to have that good conveyed to us by way of an Ordinance beyond what the thing in it self
What fear we must have in Gods worship 78 In fear natural conscience puts on to duty 89 Fervency Fervency required in prayer 225 Fire Fire from heaven Two-sold 2 Fire that slew Aarons sons what 3 Strange fire what 19 Folly To be ashamed of our folly when we come to God 99 Follow The soul is to follow after God as a God 65 Free see Grace Friend see Word Friends who are the best Page 25 G Gesture Gesture in the Sacrament not meerly indifferent 262 Guilty see Blood Guilty consciences flee the worship of God why 31 Guilt to be removed when we come to pray 274 God Duties must be performed to God as a God 23 The word to be heard as the word of God 166 We are reconciled by the blood of that person that is God 268 Good Good heart what 187 The word will be made good on the abusers of it 207 We are to pray for our own good 277 Gospel Gospel the tenour of it 257 Glory Glory of God dear to him 7 Glory of God dearer to him than the lives of men 22 Glory of God is the lustre of all his Attributes together 102 The active Glory of God is the especial honor he hath 105 Glory of God in his Word the greatest 182 Why God will be glorified in them that hear the word 209 Those that will obey the word will be the glory of the Ministers 214 We should have apprehensions of Gods glory in prayer 275 The glory of God is the chief thing we should pray for 176 Spiritual things neerest the glory of God Page 277 Grace Grace to be acted especially in Gods worship 29 Grace the freeness of it should make us more diligent in the worship of God 34 Graces encreased by drawing nigh to God 35 Graces to be acted and stirred up in the Sacrament 271 We must act our own graces in prayer together with the Spirit 291 See Covenant Great A people are great that have God nigh them 40 we should prepare to Gods worship because he is great 43 The duties of Gods worship are great 44 How to sanctifie Gods Name in respect of his greatness 67 Great things to be expected from God 100 We must hear the word with attention because of the greatness of him that sends it 172 We must be attentive because the matters delivered are great 173 H Habitual Habitual sanctification 68 Harden Nothing doth harden the heart more than the word by accident 205 Hand Faith is a hand to take Christ in the Sacrament 253 The Cup in the Sacrament not to be delivered into every particular hand 246 Heart Our hearts naturally prepared for duty Page 46 The heart in preparation to be taken from every sinful way 49 As the heart is so are the duties 70 The heart is not changed by the acting of natural parts 87 Good heart what 187 The Word of the Law not in the heart 211 A broken heart required in-receiving the Sacrament 246 Hearing Of sanctifying Gods Name in hearing the Word 161 Hearing the Word a part of Gods worship 162 How to know that God hears our prayers 294 Heathen Heathens attend to worship their Idols 46 Heaven Being oft in Gods presence minds us of Heaven 36 The Worship of God here the beginning of that in Heaven 106 Hide We must hide the Word in our hearts 189 Highest What we lift highest in our worship that is our God 74 See Thoughts Ends. Hindrance Hindrances in Gods Worship many 46 Holy Holiness Holiness the greatest Honor of Gods Name 23 Holiness of God to be held forth by his servants 24 Drawing nigh to God makes us holy 36 Time and place said to be holy how 50 God infinite holy 99 Those that receive the Lords Supper must be holy 232 Honest We must receive the Word into honest hearts Page 186 Honest heart what 188 Honest amongst men who 189 Honor To quiet the heart in affliction is to know that God will have honor by it 25 Humble Humbled Humility Humility of spirit requisite in the Worship of God 84 To be humbled for not sanctifying the Name of God aright Humiliation in preparing to hear the Word 168 Wandring thoughts in prayer suffered by God to humble us 285 Humility required in our prayers 295 See Worship Hungring There must be hungring after Christ in the Sacrament 251 I Incense Incense what it signifieth 91 Incomprehensible Incomprehensibleness of God what it should teach us in our Worship 95 Infinite There is an impression of Gods infinitness upon the duties of his servants 64 Infirmities Infirmities of others to be passed by of those that receive the Sacrament 258 Infirmities how helped by the spirit 290 Institution Institution of the Sacrament to be kept close to 261 Intention Strength of intention required in the Worship of God 81 Joy The mercy of God should make us come to him with joy Page 100 The word to be received with joy 184 Difference in the joy of hypocrites and true Christians 186 Spiritual joy required in receiving the Sacrament 255 A broken spirit may consist with spiritual joy ibid Judg Judgment Sinners may meet with judgments never threatned in the word 16 God is quick with some in the way of his judgments 17 Judgments many times sutable to the sias 18 Gods judgments many times invisible 21 The Word of God shall judg those that abuse it 207 Justice Justice of God seen in the death of Christ 268 K Knowledg Knowledg required in receiving the Lords Supper 244 Knowledg in other points necessary to them that receive the Sacrament 245 Knowledg actual required in receivers 246 L Leaven Leaven how cast out by the Jews 249 Life Living Gods goodness in sparing our lives to worship him 84 That God is a living God what it should teach us 96 The things delivered in the Word concern our lives 174 Beleevers nourished to eternal life 269 Limited The duties of Gods Children not limited Page 65 Little In matters of Worship God stands upon little things 11 Lose The ground why we lose so many prayers 296 Love Natural conscience makes not the heart love a duty 88 The Word must be received with love 184 The Sacrament ordained by Christ out of love 228 Love to be renewed in the receiving the Sacrament 258 The infinite love of God seen in the death of Christ 269 Lust The Worship of God not to be subjected to our lusts 72 Who they be that subject it to their lusts M Man The Mediator between God and Man is Man 276 Mean Mean men not to envy great ones and why 13 Mediator The way of a mans salvation is by a Mediator 267 Meditation Meditation in preparing the heart to holy duties 49 Meditations in the receiving the Sacrament 297 Meekness The word must be received with meekness 179 Mercy Merciful God is merciful 100 Mercy of God should teach us to be merciful to others Page 101 The duties of Worship the way to convey Gods choyce mercies 105 The
Word a means to convey special mercies 195 Mercy-Seat Mercy-Seat a type of Christ 91 Mind We should pick out Gods mind from dark expressions 14 We come to know the mind of God when we come to hear the Word 163 Mysterie The greatest mysteries of Salvation presented in the Sacrament 228. 255 Mixture Mixture of mans inventions with Gods Ordinances unlawful 266 Mortification Mortification requisite to the sanctifying Gods Name 67 Mouth Faith the mouth of the soul to receive Christ 254 N Name No way to enjoy mercies but by sanctifying Gods Name 105 See Sanctifie Nature Natural Some duties of Worship are natural 261 Christ hath honored humane Nature by taking it 267 Neer Nigh God wil be sanctified in those that come neer him 6 Those that are neerest God should be most careful 22 In worshiping God we should draw nigh to him 26 In what respect we draw nigh to God in worship 27 The Word of the Gospel nigh 211 See Grace Delight Adoption Neglect Several sorts that neglect to sanctifie Gods Name in hearing the Word Page 197 Nourishment The Lords Supper an Ordinance of spiritual nourishment 233 Belevers are nourished to eternal life 269 O Omniscient What we should learn that God is Omniscient 98 Opening Ground of opening the heart to God 98 The heart must be opened to hear the Word 175 Opportunity The happiest opportunity to sanctifie Gods Name is in hearing his Word 200 Ordinance An Ordinance of God what 163 The Word an Ordinance of God to convey good to us 166 Men are not to be forced to Congregations where any of Christs Ordinences are wanting 237 The Lords Supper the great Ordinance appointed to set forth Christs sufferings 348 Own We must bring to God in his service that which is his own 86 P Parts How to know when men are acted by natural parts in Gods worship 87 Passion Passion hinders the right hearing of the Word 179 Wicked men in passion rise against God 180 Peace-offering Difference between Peace-offerings and Burnt-offerings Page 75 Person God accepts the person before he accepts the offering 69 Place The Lord is very terrible out of his holy places 18 God in his essential presence in every place 26 See Holy Plowing Plowing of the fallow ground of the heart what 168 Men may do somwhat toward the plowing of their hearts 169 See Word Potent Familiarity with God makes us potent with him 38 Prayer Prayer a great duty that needs preparation 45 Prayer required in preparation to duties 50 Vnregenerate men cannot sanctifie Gods Name in Prayer 68 We should pray before we hear the word 171 Of sanctifying the Name of God in Prayer 272 Prayer put for the whol Worship of God 273 See Preparation Wandring Praise Gods Worship must not be subjected to the praise of men 73 Preparation Preparation of the soul in the duties of Gods Worship 42 Preparation and sanctification all one 43 Preparation to Gods worship why ib. Preparation five things wherein it consists Page 48 Preparation the excellency of it in seveveral things 52 Those that walk closely with God are in continual Preparation 56 Preparation a special duty of yong beginners ibid Good men grieved for want of preparation 58 Where there is sincerity duties should be done though there want preparation 59 Preparation required in hearing the Word 165 Preparation to be made to prayer 273 See Prayer Great c. Prerogative Gods Prerogative appears most in his Worship 11 No Prerogative can secure from Gods stroke 12 Presence Presence of God even in the godly terrible to wicked men 32 Presence of godly men comfortable 35 To set Gods presence before us in prayer 288 See Guilty Present When we worship God we tender a present to him 63 Sin committed long since to be looked on as present 94 Principle God looks more at the principle of the duty than at the duty 69 Good men look at the principle of the things they enjoy from God 70 Prize To prize those mercies we beg in prayer 275 Prayer to be highly prized 286 Promise Every Ordinance of Christ hath a special promise 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 292 Q Questions Two questions God will ask his Worshipers 87 Quick God is quick in way of judgment with some 17 The Word of God is quick in working 196 Quiet The best way to quiet the heart in affliction 25 R Ready What will make the heart ready for duty 54 Readiness to hear the Word wherein it consists 166 Reading Reading not to be prefer'd before hearing 167 Reprobation Not to sanctifie Gods Name in hearing the Word a sign of reprobation 202 Two fearful signs of reprobation 203 Resign In Gods Worship we must resign all to God 90 Resolution We must hear the Word with resolution to yield to it 170 Resolution against wandring thoughts in prayer 287 S Sabbath Sabbath see Strength Sacrament Sacrament the meaning of the word Page 225 Sacrament a part of Gods Worship 226 We must sanctifie Gods Name in receiving the Sacrament 229 Vnworthy receiving the Sacrament severely threatned 228 How we sanctifie Gods Name in receiving the Sacrament 291 Whether Judas received the Sacrament of the Lords Supper 238 Safety Safety wherein it consists 38 Salt Salt of the Sacrifice what it signifieth 67 Sanctifie Sanctifie what it signifieth 5 Gods Name sanctified two waies ibid Gods Name to be sanctified when we draw nigh to him 42 How Gods Name is sanctified in drawing nigh to him ibid How duties must be performed that Gods Name may be sanctified 62 The heart must be sanctified in regard of Gods greatness 67 Sanctification the parts of it ibid Sanctification of the heart double 68 Sanctifying of Gods Name the only way to sit us for mercies 105 Exhortation to sanctifie Gods Name 113 Nothing sanctified to them that do not sanctifie God in his Word 203 See Sacrament Satisfied Natural consciences is satisfied with a little duty 90 See Sin Schism No schism to depart from a Church that hath not al Christs Ordinances 243 Schism what Difference between Schism and Apostasie Page ib. Secret Men acted by natural parts are not enlarged in secret 88 See The Sacrament so to be delivered as all may see what is done 262 Self Self not to be our end in our duties 74 Where self is the highest end God regards not the duties 75 Service Hearing the Word is Divine Service 164 Shadow Shadow of Gods wing what 30 Shift Of those that shift off the Word closely applied 199 Silence Silence what 7 Sin The committing of one sin prepares for another 60 No salvation without satisfying for sin 108 The heart must be purged from sin to receive the Sacrament 249 Motives in the Sacrament to abhor sin 250 Sin the great evil of it 269 Singing Singing Psalms in the time of the Sacrament unfit 265 Singing after the Sacrament requisite 266
high ends in worshiping God 72 Several base low ends in worshiping of God 1 In subjecting his Worship to our lusts ib. 2 Subjecting his worship to the praise of men 73 3 Making self our end in his worship 74 Which we do 1 when we are weary of duties if we find not that we desire 76 2 when men are streightned in worship and envy others that are enlarged 77 3 when men regard holy duties only in times of extremity ib. 4 There must be reverence and fear in Gods worship 78 5 There must be strength in the Duties of Gods worship 80 Strength of Intention 81 Affection 82 Faculties 83 6 There must be an humble frame of spirit 84 Which consists 1 In admiring Gods goodness that we are alive to come before him ib. 2 To have no thought of any Excellency in our selves 85 3 To come without our own righteousness ibid 4 To take off our hearts from all ability of grace ib. 5 To wait Gods leisure in regard of the time 86 7 In sanctifying Gods Name we must bring that which is his own ibid 1 The matter must be that which he hath commanded ibid 2 we must be acted by the spirit 87 When duties are acted by natural parts and not the spirit of God 1 If they change not the heart ib. 2 If they carry not through difficulties ibid 3 when men rejoyce in acting their parts ib. 4 When there is little enlargement in secret 88 5 when there is not constancy in duty ib. Duties acted by Natural Conscience 1 It gives no strength to do them ib. 2 The heart loves not the duty ib. 3 It doth not encrease communion with God ib. SERMON VI. 4 It makes not a duty strong to the soul 89 5 It limits it self in Duty ibid 6 It is satisfied with little 90 7 In the sanctifying Gods Name in Worship there must be a resignation of all to God ibid 8 All worship must be tendred in the Name of Jesus Christ 91 How to sanctifie Gods Name in reference to his Attributes 1 God is a spirit and to be worshiped in spirit 93 2 God is Eternal and how to worship him in that consideration 94 3 God is Incomprehensible and therefore seeth us in every place 95 4 God is unchangable what that should teach us in our worship 96 5 God is a living God and what we should learn thence ibid 6 God is Almighty what that should teach us in our worship 97 7 God is Omniscient and what that should teach us 98 8 God is a God of wisdom and what that should teach us 99 9 God is Holy and what that should teach us in our worship ib. 10 God is Merciful and what that should teach us 100 11 God is Just and what that should teach us 101 12 God is Faithful and what we should learn thence 102 SERMON VII Reasons why God wil be sanctified in all the Duties of his Worship 1 God doth will himself the last end 104 2 The especial glory God hath in the world is to be actively honored 105 3 The duties of worship are the means to convey Gods choicest mercies ibid 4 We are not fitted to receive mercies but by sanctifying Gods Name ibid 5 Else we should not hold out in duty 106 Application 1 We have no cause to rest on our duties 107 2 The work of Religion is hard to flesh and blood 109 3 We should be humbled that we have no more sanctified Gods Name 110 4 Exhortation to sanctifie Gods Name 113 1 To consider we have to deal with God in worship 114 2 Not to come in our own strenghth 115 3 Not to be satiisfied with the duty done ibid 5 God is displeased with the duties of wicked men 116 1 God blasts such men 117 2 God opens their eyes on their death-beds to see what they have done 118 6 Those that sanctifie Gods Name he will sanctifie it in a way of mercy 119 SERMON VIII Of sanctifying Gods Name in hearing the Word 161 Hearing the word a part of Gods worship 162 1 We profess our dependance upon God for the knowing of his mind 163 2 In hearing we wait on God in the way of an Ordinance ibid In hearing the Word 1 There must be a preparation 165 Which is 1 To hear the word as the word of God 166 2 To hear the word as Gods Ordinance for our good ib 2 To plough up the fallow ground of the heart and what is meant by it 168 3 Resolution to yield to all truths delivered 170 4 A desire after the word ib. 5 Prayer before we hear the word 171 The behavior of the Soul in hearing the Word 1 Careful attention to it ib. Means to help attention ib. 2 An opening of the heart to receive it 175 3 Careful applying of the word ibid 4 It must be mixed with faith 177 How the word is to be mixed with saith ibid SERMON IX 5 The word must be received with meckness 179 6 It must be heard wich ae trembling heart 181 7 With humble subjection to the word 182 8 It must be received with love and joy 184 9 It must be received into an honest heart 186 10 We must hide the word in our hearts 189 11 We must turn the word into practice 192 SERMON X. Why God will be glorified in them that hear the word 195 1 Because there is so much of God in it ibid 2 God hath appointed it to convey special mercies ib. 3 It is quick and lively in working 196 Use 1. Reproof of several sorts of men concerning the word neglected 197 The fearful estate of those that do not sanctifie God in his Word 200 1 They lose the choicest opportunity ibid 2 The word wil be a great aggravation of sin ibid 3 They that reject the word reject Christ 201 4 It is an argument of hardness of heart 202 5 It is a sad sign of Reprobation ibid 6 To such there can be nothing sanctified 203 7 They are nigh to a curse ib. 8 It will turn to their damnation 205 9 It will not comfort them in afflictions 206 10 God will make his word good upon them 207 11 The word shal judg them ibid 12 God will blast them that sanctifie not his Name in his word 208 Use 2. Exhortation to glorifie the word of God 209 God wil sanctifie his Name in mercy upon those that sanctifie it in hearing the Word 210 1 All the good in the world is theirs ibid 2 It is a certain evidence of their election 213 3 God will sanctifie them by the word 214 4 They wil be the glory of the Ministers at the day of Christ ibid 5 It will rejoyce them hereafter when God shall magnifie his word 215 SERMON XI Of sanctifying the Name of God in receiving the Sacrament 225 1 Receiving the Sacrament is a part of Gods Worship 226 2 Gods Name must be sanctified in our receiving the Sacrament 228 1 Because there are
have a command or some what out of Gods Word by some Consequence drawn from some command wherein God manifests his will either a direct command or by comparing one thing with another or drawing consequences plainly from the Words We must have a warrant of the Worship of God One would have thought that these Priests offering Incense to the true God what hurt was there in taking other Fire But there was no Command for it and therefore it was not accepted It 's true there are some things in the Worship of God that are Natural and Civil helps and there we need not have any Command As for instance when we come to worship God the Congregation meets they must have a convenient place to keep the air and weather from them now this is but a natural help and so far as I Use the place of Worship as a natural help I need have no Command But if I will put any thing in a Place beyond what it hath in its own nature There I must look for a Cammand For if I account one place more Holy than another or to think that God should accept of worship in one place rather than in aother This is to raise it above what it is in its own Nature So that when any creature is rased in a Religious way above what it hath in it by Nature if I have not Scripture to warrant me I am therein superstitious It 's a very useful rule for to help you If any Creature that you make any use of in a way of Religion beyond what it hath in its own Nature if you have not some warrant from the Word of God whatsoever specious shew there may be in it it is Superstition As now for the Place there was a place that was Holy but then it had an Institution from God And so for garments to use those that are decent the light of reason is enough but if I will put any thing upon them beyond what there is in them in their own Nature as heretofore in a Surplis what Had that any more decency in its own nature but only mans Institution Now when man shall put a Religious respect upon a thing by vertue of his own Institution when he hath not a warrant from God here 's superstition we must al be Willing worshipers but not Wil-worshipers We must come freely to worship God but we must not worship God according to our own wills and therefore what ever we do in the Worship of God if we have 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 Doctrin the Commandements of men In vain it is a vain 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 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 is 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 yieldings 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 Abihu for but taking other fire than that which God had appointed to offer up Incense though there was no direct Commandement against it If the Lord hath spared you and not manifested any displeasure upon you you have cause to acknowledg Gods mercy and to be humbled for all your false worship Certainly God doth expect it from this Land to be humbled for their Wil-worship or otherwise they sow among thorns 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 honor to Princes that there is no reason for them at all but meerly because it is a Civil Institution so appointed So God would have some waies 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 But God stands upon it And so when the men of Bethshemesh did but look into the Ark it cost the lives of Fifty thousand threescore and ten men If it be a
be acting upon me that 's the meaning And in Zeph. 3. 2. God complains there of his people that they did not draw neer to him as they should And it appears plainly it was from hence that their graces did not act so upon God as they ought She obeyed not the voice she received not correction she trusted not in the Lord she drew not neer to her God So that acting faith upon God is a drawing nigh to God and so acting any grace upon God is a drawing nigh to God Now when is there a time for the acting of our graces upon God so as when we come to worship God And therefore in Isa 94. 7. the Lord complains there That no man did stir up himself to take hold on him When we come to Worship God we should stir up our selves to take hold of God And thus you see in what respects the Soul may be said to draw nigh to God when it comes to Worship him Now for the Aplication of this point and it is in divers particulars The First is this Hence learn what you do when you come to Worship God and consider of it every time you come to perform any act of Worship Truly this one thing would be of marveilons use and it would help forward to the next point of Sanctifying of Gods Name This you are all convinced of That it is your duty to Worship God when you Pray you come to Worship God when you come to hear his Word you come to worship him and when you receive the Sacrament you Worship him Now if I should come from one end of the Congregation to the other and ask every one of you this Question It is your duty to Worship God Is it not Yes that you will all be ready to answer And what do you do when you Worship God I fear that this Second Question would gravel many You will say We must pray to God and serve him and hear his Word and go to the Communion yea but what do your Souls do in this work of worshiping of God This should be the answer and so you should think with your selves and charge this upon your own hearts I am now going to worship God either in Prayer Word or Sacrament I am now going to tender up that homage that is due from a creature to the infinit Creator so that I must so pray as I must manifest that high respect that I owe to God as my Creator but that I shall speak to more afterword only now remember this That you do profess every time you go to Prayer That you go to tender up that homage that you owe unto God and so every time you come to hear the Word there is a profession that you come to tender up that respect and homage that you owe to the infinite God And so likewise when you come to receive the Sacrament Now when we come to offer a present to men we know how we prepare and with what sutable presence we desire to offer but of that afterward when we come to speak of Sanctifying Gods Name 2 Secondly Remember when I come to Worship God I come to set my self before the Lord in those ways that God doth let out the choice of His Mercies to his people in I have many mercies from God in the enjoyment of the creature but when I come to worship Him I expect the communication of his mercy in another way than through any creature in the world The duties of his Worship are the chief channels that God doth let out the choicest of His Mercies to the hearts of His people through and now I am going to worship Him I am going to present my self before God Indeed there is a little glimmering of the light of God through other Creatures to me but the glorious Beams of the light of God is through the duties of His Worship 3. And then Thirdly I am now going to act my Soul upon God so that if I have any abilities to close with God to act my soul upon him it must be put forth now at this time I am indeed at all times to labor to enjoy Communion with God when I see the Creatures the Sun Moon and Stars to labor to lift up my heart to God and when I see the glory of God in the Sea and for my meat and drink I am to bless God and to acknowledg God in all but when I come to worship God then all the strength of my soul is to be acted upon God in a more special manner I must then above all labor to stir up whatsoever I have in my soul to act upon God this is now to worship God Secondly If to worship God be to draw nigh to God hence we see the reasons why guilty consciences have little mind to the duties of Gods Worship When a man or woman hath given liberty to any licentious way and sinned against their consciences if they have any light in their consciences it is one of the tediousest things in the world to come to the duties of Gods Worship they had rather do any thing than come to holy Duties as to Prayer and especially to secret Prayer A man or woman that hath an enlightned conscience and is under the guilt of sin the coming to God in holy duties is a very grievous burden to them Why Here 's the Reason Because to worship God is to draw to God and the guilt that is upon them hath made the presence of God terrible to them and therefore they had rather go into their company and be merry eat drink sport or any thing rather than to come into Gods presence We know how it was with Adam when God appeared in the Garden and called to him he ran to hide himself Why Because he had guiltiness upon him Oh! the evil that the guilt of sin brings upon the soul it makes the presence of God terrible The presence of God it should be more comfortable to us than our lives but our sin makes Gods presence grievous and terrible A Child sometimes when it hath offended the Father and is conscious to its self of the offence that it hath given the Father it had rather be in the Kitchin among the Servants than to come into the Hall or Parlor where the Father is because it hath offended him And so it is with a guilty conscience when it is conscious to its self of some haunt of evil that it hath given it self unto it hath no mind at all of coming into the presence of the Father but hangs off My Brethren the very presence of God in the Communion of his Saints is terrible to a guilty conscience the very looking upon a godly man is terrible to a guilty conscience When as thou hast been abroad and been loose and wicked in thy waies I appeal to thy conscience when thou comest into the presence of some holy gracious man or woman that lives close with God Doth it
not daunt thee Now is the presence of God in the very faces of his Saints terrible to a guilty conscience how terrible is the presence of God in his Ordinances then Indeed those men and women whose consciences are not enlightened but are ignorant and sottish they can sin against God and go into his presence without any trouble you shall have men swear and be drunk over night and come to the Sacrament the next day What 's the reason Because there is no light sn their consciences their consciences are in darkness they are besotted in their sin but I speak now of one who hath an enlightened conscience the presence of God is terrible to such an one A Third Use is this Here 's the reason why Hypocrites do meet with such vengeance from God as they do I confess we shall meet with this more especially afterwards only by the way take notice of it Hypocrites above all men may expect the severest judgments of God upon them because they come so nigh God for they come often to the Duties of Gods Worship now they that will come so nigh Gods presence and come with base and ungodly hearts to cloak their villany of all in the world they must expect to have the severe vengeance of God let down upon them they that stand nighest the bullet must expect to have the strength of it to be the more upon them so when the wrath of God proceeds out upon sinners wicked men that stand nighest Him they have the greatest stroke of Gods wrath But of that more when I come to the Third Point That God will be Sanctified in those that draw nigh Him The Fourth Use is this If to Worship God be to draw nigh Him then to neglect Gods Worship is to depart from Him that must needs follow And this is a dreadful thing it is the Sentence that shall be at the last day of Judgment Depart from me Thou now art willing to depart from God Oh consider of this you that neglect Worship the Worship of God in your Families and in your Closets and in the Congregation in the Communion of the Saints thou hast little minded or regarded the Worship of God it may be all thy daies what hast thou been doing all this while thou hast been departing from God all this while and when thy conscience shall be but enlightned and awakened to see how far thou art from God how terrible will it be to thee Remember this you 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 less 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 dishonor 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 for 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 Holinese 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 gross sins grow many times to lying and deceiving and to drunkenness and company-keeping yea to worse things by degrees Perhaps they are at first ready to say Is thy Servant a dead Dog 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 Heavenliness Spiritualness as they were wont to have in former times and no mervel for now they keep not so nigh to God as they were wont You that are Sea-men and Travellers 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 will grow to meer Athiesm Another Use is this An 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 Doctor 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 Cato 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
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 to day and tomorrow and let them wash their cloaths and be ready against the third day Why for the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai The Lord will come down in the third day and therefore let them be sanctisied So when thou goest to worship God thou expectest or shouldest expect that God will come to thee and that thy heart shall be drawn to God and therfore 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 moral 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 matter 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 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 choise Mercies now being such great matters there is cause that we should prepare For that one thing of prayer saith Luther It is a great work and a difficult work and therefore there had need be preparation for it 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 Boat one 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 perform 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 been so long time at prayer yea but how much of it hath been lost because you have not prepared beforehand for it perhaps you kneel'd upon your knees but you were a long time before you could get your hearts warm at your work why you should have been warm before you had come It is so oftentimes with many men when they meet together and there is no preparation for their business they come together and they are a long time before they can buckle to the business that they came about because there is no preparation but if there be preparation made that every man knows beforehand 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 dirt and we are carnal sensual drossie dead slight sottish and vain altogether unsit 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 Lord should not spurn thee out of his presence every time thou comest unto him there had need then be preparation because we are so unsit 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 cross 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 beforehand 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 sutable to those gods that they worshiped therfore 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 convinc'd in their consciences that when God was to be worshiped people should be prepared
The sixt and last reason hath a great deal in it which I beseech you consider of we find that the Scripture doth make the uprightness of the heart much to consist in preparation for worship and doth make the falsness 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 consist 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 falsness 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 himself 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 sight 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 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 been 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 see what the Lord saith of Jehoshaphat that was godly Nevertheless there are good things found in thee in that thou hast taken way 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 Therfore 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 joyn 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 return 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 return indeed to the Lord if indeed your hearts be upright according to what you seem to profess in turning to God Then prepare your hearts to seek the Lord. You do not in truth turn to God except you make conscience to prepare your hearts Therefore you that never yet 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 Well you will say seeing there lies so much in it I pray open it wherein it doth consist To that I answer It consists in these Five things which I shall briefly name 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 labor 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 aim at Meditation is a good preparation to holy duties And these are the general Heads of our Meditation for our Preparation to Duty Viz. 1. What God he is we have to deal with Meditate of God in 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 at a special thing doth consist your preparation to holy duties 2. The Second thing wherein the preparation to a duty consists it is this The taking off of the heart from every sinful way the endeavor at least If there be iniquity in thine hand or heart labor to put it out When thou art to come into Godâ— presence do not bring into the presence of God the love of any sin in thy heart but labor 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 filthiness 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 thine hand put it far away and let not wickedness dwell 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 othere business 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 labor to separate 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 read 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 all 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 perform 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 business to devour that time that is holy in that regard as Nehemiah When Tobiah and Sanballat sent to him to come and confer with them No saith he I cannot go for the work is great 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 duties So we should prepare for Prayer all day long in this sense that is we should watch over our hearts that they be not let 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 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 you 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 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 calls you to it but that you may be ready even to every good work The Fifth Note 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 an 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 assoon as ever they fall upon duty Just as you see a company of Ringers when they have made all preparation for the raising of the Bells then in an instant when thy begin to pul 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 pul all the faculties of our souls and the 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 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 As 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 that keep us off from God but 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 lancht when you have made preparation for it so the heart can go with an holy holdness 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
God they by their very strugling to prepare themselves many times do ensnare themselves It may be thou hast thoughts of Atheism or other wickedness the very strugling with those thoughts may ensnare thy heart now the better way were to fall upon prayer and to cry to God to help thee against them for while thou art strugling and striving with those thoughts thou art striving with the corruption of thy heart and with the Devil all alone but now when thou fallest to the duty thou callest in the help of God and of Jesus Christ and that is a great deal better while thou art musing plodding and troubling thy heart that way I say thou art strugling alone but now when thou fallest upon the duty then thou callest in help from God and so thou art more able to the performance of the duty than thou wert before And therefore it is the best way to fall upon a duty though thou canst not find thy heart prepared as thou doest desire the very falling upon it will fit thee for it And thus much for the Answer unto those two Cases of Conscience Now then we are to proceed further in the opening of the Sanctifying of Gods Name in holy duties Thus much for the preparation of the heart But when the heart comes to it in what manner should the duty be performed so as the Name of God may be sanctified in the duty or what is the behavior of the soul in the sanctifying of Gods Name when it is in the very act of the duty To that I answer First in general thus When the soul labors to perform duties so as God may have such glory from the duty aâ— is fit for a God to have in some measure then do I Sanctifie Gods Name You will say this is a very hard thing to perform a duty so as that we should give God the glory that is fit for a God to have Certainly this is not done by every manner of performance of a duty of Worship yet you shall hear this opened to you and I hope you shall have it made very plain before you First therefore I shall shew you that when we are to perform a duty of Worship we should set our selves to glorifie God as a God that is to do it in that manner that God may have that Glory that is fit for a God to have As now in the duty of Praise Psal 66. 2. Make his Praise glorious that is do it so as you may lift up His Name in it and that God may be glorious in your praise And Rom. 1. 21. there the Apostle speaking of the Heathens he doth rebuke them For what It was for this Because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankful now this is spoken especially of the Worship of God for he saith afterwards ver 23. That they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible men c. So that it 's spoken of the Worship of God that they glorified not God as God That is then to sanctifie Gods Name to glorifie God as God and therefore our Savior in the 4. of John when he spake to the woman of Samaria he tels her that God is a Spirit and must be worshiped in spirit and truth that is we must labor to suit our worship to what therâ— is in God that our worship my be proportionable in some measure even to the nature of God himself And therfore God being a Spirit His Worship must be a Divine Worship I have read of some of the Heathens that dip worship the Sun for a God and they would offer to the Sun something sutable therefore because they did so admire at the swiftness of the motion of the Sun they would not offer a Snail to the Sun but a fâ—ying Horse a Horse with wings now a Horse is one of the swiftest creatures and the strongest creature to continue in motion for a long time together and they added wings to the Horse and they thought that sutable to be a sacrifice for the Sun So when we come to worship God that is to sanctifie His Name we must behave our selves so as to give him the glory that is fit for a God to have As now in those three particulars which I opened to you when I shewed you wherein we draw nigh to God This was one I told you that when we come to worship God we come to tender up some present to God now then we must tender up such a present as is sutable to Gods excellency If a man should come to a poor man to give a present if it were not worthy twelve pence yet it may be taken well but if you were to tender up a present to a Prince a Monarch an Emperor then you must tender a present that is fit for the quality of the preson Therefore in Malachi 1. 8. When the Lord rebukes them for their sacrifices that they were such poor things Go saith God and tender up this to your Governor and see whether he will accept of it or no. So certainly that which may be accepted of by a mean man would be accounted a scorn if you should tender it up to a Prince or an Emperor Now when we come to worship God we must consider that we are to tender up our service to God who is the great King of Kings and Lord of Lords But you will say Is it possible for any creature which comes to tender up its worship to God to tender up that which is fit for a God to have This may rather be a discouragement unto prayer or any other duty of worship than an encouragment To that I answer thus Though we be very poor and mean yet it doth not hinder but we may tender up that to God which God will acknowledg to be sutable to his infinite excellency as First If we tender up to God all that we have Though we be never so poor and mean yet if God hath the strength of our souls God accepts it For we are to know that God doth not stand in need of what we have or of what we do but that we might shew our respect to Him Therefore if we give all that we have God accepts it As a Child if it puts forth all its strength that it hath to do a business which the father bids him whether the business be doue or no the father looks upon it and accepts it as sutable to the childs strength and it shews the respect that the child hath to his father And as it is storied of an Emperor that when a poor man had nothing to offer him but a little water that he had taken up with his hand he having nothing else the Emperor accepts of it So that 's that which God looks for that the Creature should lift him above all If therefore when thou comes to worship God God hath more in thy heart than
the Word and I hope I shall cover some wickedness this way If there be any in this place whose conscience tells 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 self 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 wickedness 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 perform duties of Gods Worship for the esteem of men and because we shall be well thought of take heed of this you yong 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 encouragement to you as David saith Psal 52. 9. This is good before thy Saints David did encourage â—â—â—self to praise God because it was good before Gods Saints and I confess it may be an encouragement 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 therfore thou art inlarged in that regard take heed of that know that now thou doest not worship God but thou worshipest men thou dost 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 they end thou makest that thy God and so thou art a worshiper of men but not a worshiper of God Thirdly Take heed of making Self thy end there are some that are not so base and low in their hearts as to make the praise of men their end but they aim and look at themselves that is they aim at their own peace and satisfying their own consciences in the performance of duties now though it 's true when we perform duties of Gods Worship we may expect to receive some good to our selves and we may be encouraged 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 honor by my hearing this day and 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 bed 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 maiest this day know some part of the mind of God that God may speak to thy heart that so thou maiest be sitted to honor the Name of God that thou maiest be enabled to live to his Honor 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 business of the world and entangled 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 enabled the week following the better to live to thy Honor 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 wil give you two or three Scriptures to shew that God regards little any duties where self is the highest end The first is in Hosea 7. 14. They howled upon their beds saith the text there but they cryed not to me The Lord there did acknowledg 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 cried unto me saith the Lord with their heart when they howled upon their beds It was but meerly for Corn and Wine and Oyl 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 wil 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 eat a great part of it themselves Indeed the burnt offering was wholly offered unto God God had all that but the Peace-offerings
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. 7. there they did keep many daies in seeking of God it 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 years 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 he doubled it 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 aim 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 is 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 we fasted and thou seest it not This is an Argument that thou art acted by Self 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 than themselves they may have a good evidence to their own souls that when they worship God they are acted by higher ends than Self but now such as are straightned themselves and when they see other more enlarged in the Worship of God they rather envy them are griev'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 wretched 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 sickness or in danger 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 midst 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 midst 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 access 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 is able thus to appeal 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 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 doest not glorifie God as God except thou doest come into his presence with much fear reverence of his great Name Fear in worshiping 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 Worshiper of God kept his constant times to worship God and worshiped him in such a constant way as except David and Daniel we do not find mention of the constancy of any in the worshiping of God as we do of Isaac's 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 a notable Scripture for this drawing nigh to God with fear 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 called 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 reverential 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 pass saith the text vers 23. when ye heard the voyce out of the middest of the darkness for the mountain did burn with fire that ye came neer unto me even al 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 voyce out of the midst 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 voyce of the Lord our God any more then we shall die See with what a terror 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 this 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 terror 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 terror 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 terrified somtimes but yet there is not a filial and reverential fear of God in them And I find in 1 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 smal still voyce therfore in vers 13. it is said And it was so when Elijah heard it that is the soft voyce after the fire and earthquake and the mighty wind that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out stood in the entring in of the Cave and behold there came a voice unto him and said What doest then here Elijah Then his heart was more struck with fear where was most of Gods presence though it was in a soft voyce 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 than when God appears in the most terrible way of his works or when there is terror 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 your elbows sleeping but carrying your selves 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 worshiping 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 worshiping of God Fifthly The duties of Gods Worship must be full of strength for they are not sutable to God else because God is a God infinite in power and glory himself therefore God cannot endure vain worshiping In Isa 1. 13. I hate vain oblations Vanity of spirit in worshiping of God is very hateful to God it doth defile the Name of God God is dishonored by the vanity of mens spirits Now this strength is Three fold First The strength of Intention Secondly The strength of Affection 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 worshiping of God 1 First the strength 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 worshiping 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 businesse My Brethren look upon every duty of 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 you not 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 Oh 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 businesse 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 Superior 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 Therfore 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 agravate our sin exceedingly It may be thou wilt not dare to commit that sin that the temptation doth turn thy thoughts upon yea but the Devil 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 whatever thoughts come in The truth 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 which is materially good and coming 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 prevail 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 worshiping of God and therefore thou hadst need be intent about what thou art 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 crowd of people without that would come in perhaps the man doth open the door for some Gentleman that he hears is at the door but when he opens it for one that is to come in fourty others will crowd in And so it is many times with the soul that when it opens the door for some good thought a great many evil thoughts will crowd in Those people might come in if they would stay their time but they should not now come in So about worldly businesses that are not in themselves unlawful if they will stay the time they may come in but they must be bard out now at this time There is required strength of Intention 2. Secondly Strength of Affection is required also That is The Affections must work mightily after God striving with God in Prayer If ever thou hadst a heart inflam'd in any thing it should be when thou art praying or attending upon the Word as the Heathens that worshiped the Sun sometimes I have told you that they would not have a Snail but a flying Horse they would offer that that was swift so when we come to the living God we must have living Affections our Affections boyling and that will be the way to cure vain thoughts as the Flies will not come to the Honey if it be boyling hot but when it is cold So if the heart be boyling hot and the affections a working it will keep out vain thoughts and temptations It is a sign of the breath of life when it is warm but artificial breath you know it is cold as now the breath that comes out of the body that is warm but the breath that comes out of a pair of bellows that is cold So the breath of many people in Prayer it is discovered to be but artificial breath because it is so cold but if there were spiritual life then it would be warm Ther must be strength of affection 3. Thirdly There must be likewise the strength of all the Faculties We should stir up whatever we are or have or can do to work in Prayer then the bent of Mind and Conscience and Will and Affection yea and the body should be put to it also and those that worship God to purpose they spend their bodies in nothing so much as in the worshiping of God It will be a sad thing another day when this shall be charged upon many Thou hast spent the strength of thy body upon lusts but when didst thou spend any strength of the body about any holy duty What a riddle is this to most people to tell them of spending the strength of their bodies in Prayer or hearing of the Word or Sanctifying a Sabbath they think the Sabbath is a time of rest I confess it is a time of rest from an outward labor but it is a time of spending strength in a spiritual way and those that shall worship God a right on the Sabbath will find it a spending of a great deal of strength and blessed is that strength that is spent in the Worship of God rather than in the waies of sin as most spend their strength If God gives thee a heart to spend thy strength in His Worship thou maiest think thus Lord thou mightest have left me to have spent my strength in sin how much better is it spent in the Worshiping of thy Name There is one notable Scripture in Jer. 8. 2. that shews how much strength the Idolaters put forth in the worshiping of their Idol they would not do it in a slight and vain way but their hearts were much in that false-worship saith the text And they shall spread them before the Sun and the Moon and all the host of Heaven mark now whom they have loved and whom they have served and after whom they have walked and whom they have sought and whom they have worshiped All these are put together in reference to their Idols Oh that it could be said so of us in reference to God when we come to worship him whom we have loved and whom we have served and after whom we have walked and whom we have sought and whom we have worshiped there is all these several expressions to shew the strength of their spirits in following after their Idols And that is the Fift thing in our Sanctifying Gods Name 6. The Sixth is If thou wilt Sanctifie Gods Name in Worship there must be an humble frame of spirit worship him with much humility of soul Abraham did fall upon the ground before the Lord and dust and ashes saith he hath begun to speak unto thee yea we reade of Jesus Christ groveling upon the earth and the Angels they cover their faces in the presence of God and so should we be humble when we come before the Lord there is nothing more abases the
soul of man than the sight of God and the great reason of the pride of all mens hearts is because they never knew God If thou didest but see God thy heart must needs be abased And when doth the soul see God if not when it comes to worship him In Job 42. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now my eye seeth thee wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Now this humility must be in the sense of our own meanness and baseness Ps 34. 6. This poor man cryed to God They are poor souls that come into Gods presence that sanctifie Gods Name most even those souls that do apprehend and are sensible of their own baseness and meanness before God This poor man cried to God we use to say Give that poor man somewhat It doth affect the heart of God when he sees much poverty of spirit when we come before Him we must be sensible of our infinite dependance upon God Come as the woman of Canaan O Lord even dogs do receive crums and though I be a dog yet let me receive crums here is humility of spirit Now this humility of Spirit appears in these things 1. First admiring Gods goodness that we do live at this time and that we have liberty to come before him we might have been past praying and worshiping of God think thus What a mercy is it that we are not banished out of Gods presence that the Lord hath not spurn'd us out of his sight as filth and cast us out as an everlasting abhorring while others have been praying we might have bin yelling under the wrath of the eternal God Come with this apprehension of thy self and adore Gods goodness that thou art alive to pray and alive to hear Gods Word And that it is not only a duty but a rich priviledg and mercy that God will admit of thee to come into His Presence Again it is the goodness of God that He will vouchsafe to look upon the things that are done in Heaven then if the Lord doth humble Himself to behold the things that are done in Heaven then how doth the Lord humble Himself to behold me a poor vile captive as I am in my self and yet that God should not only behold me before Him but invite me to come into His presence What mercy and goodness is this 2. Our hearts must be taken off 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 than 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 hadst no parts and abilities at all Lay 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 to 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 Emperor 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 puff 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 communicate 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 poor 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 Gods 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 reade 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 be acted by the Spirit of God it is not enough to have true silver and gold but it must have the rigbt 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 will 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
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 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 unto God do it secretly at least in your own thoughts if you do not every time express it in words yet in your own thoughts do it devote yourselves 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 come to hear the Word or to receive Sacraments God would account his Name to be sanctified in such a work as this is 8. Lastly That that must make all up and without which all the other is nothing it is That you must tender up al 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 labored what thou canst to perform 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 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 reade in Judg. 13. 20. when Monah 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 easily 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 and 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 Errend 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 natural strength or power that they have offer up the most glorious and speciousest Service to God it is not accepted except 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 al our Sacrifices and this Altar must sanctifie the Gift we can never have our Gift Sanctified 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 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 twenty or thirty years 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 principal 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 heart sutable to the several Attributes of God for that is to sanctifie Gods Name to have the duty to be such as is some way sutable to such a God as we are now worshiping Now then let us consider what the Scripture saith of God and then let us see what sutable 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 sutableness 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
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 it some communion that thou wouldest enjoy with God now there is no way to make thee a fit subject of mercy or capable of the enjoying of Communion with God but by such a behavior of soul as this is that hath been spoken of To sanctifie 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 worshiped 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 begining of that eternal Worship that he shall have from us in Heaven And so the Saints do Worship God now the Worship which 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 â—nless his Name bâ— 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 worshiping 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 worshiping of God and they accounted it the very joy of their lives for the present to be worshiping 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 turn'd loose And now to be in vain company to drink or play is better to them than any Service of 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 enioyment 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 this 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 real 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 worshiping God It may be some of you may say We have hard 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 been opened for the sanctifiing 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 perform 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 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 perform certainly the duties of worship that we perform 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 acceptation 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 al they have to tender up for life and for salvation perhaps they may sometimes 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 preform 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 which 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 is 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 preswaded 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 holiness of God to take content in Surely the duties that we perform are no such duties to rest upon the truth is If we would seriously consider what they are at 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 cloathes 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 torn and rent sacrifices now if a man in the time of the Law should bring to the Lord a Sacrifice that was all torn and rent before he brought it would such a sacrifice have been accepted All the duties we preform as they come from us they are such we reade in Exod. 22. 31. concerning such things as were torn and rent that they should cast them to the dogs Ye shall be holy men unto me saith he verse ult neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn 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 torn 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 torn by beasts What then is the holiness of the infinite God Our services that we perform are of themselves such as are torn by our beastly lusts many times How many are there that bring Sacrifices to God that are as Carrion that Swine have been tearing beforehand 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 How infinitely 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 Secondly If all this be required for the Sanctifying of Gods Name in Duties that we cannot perform the Duties of Worship without this behavior of Soul Hence we see that the work of Religion is a hard and difficult work to flesh and blood A main work of Religion is the work of worshiping 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 busie 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 is 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 until 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 to be very diligent and laborious that would come to Worship God in a right way Thirdly Hence it is an Use of humiliation 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 Isaiah stirs up himself to take hold on God And I verily beleeve that in the opening of this Point Of Sanctifying of the Name of God in holy Duties that I have been 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 been acquainted with this way this mystery of Godliness Of Sanctifying of Gods Name in holy Duties as I ought to be Oh be humbled for this for all the uncleaness of your hearts in the performance of holy duties 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 compass 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 burn cleer and for the ashes to fall 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 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 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 unless it be for that their natures be as corrupt as any though they break not forth into those actual gross 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 main 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 sign that thy heart hath some tenderness in it when thou makest these to be the matter of thy humiliation Carnal people are little troubled for these if they fall into such sins 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 humbled for thy holy offerings is a good sign of a gracious heart We reade of 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 only of a covering for our lower parts meaner duties but a covering for our holy duties to cover our faces our best duties of all the most heavenly duties we perform had need be purged by the blood of Christ in Levit. 16. 16. we reade of their holy things that there was need of purging 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 of Gods Name how had they need be humbled Thou hast something more to repent of than thou thoughtest of for the truth is Those that have not made conscience of sanctifying of Gods Name in holy Duties they never in all their lives did any service for the honor of God thou hast lived perhaps thirty or fourty it may be sixty years or more and didst never yet honor God in any one thing that ever thou didst in all thy life You will say God forbid Have not I prayed and heard the Word much and received the Communion often and yet have I never honored God If thou hast not been acquainted with this Mystery of Godliness in sanctifying his Name in these things this is said from God to thee this morning That thou hast never done any one action to the honor of God Thou hadst need begin presently for thy time is not long And wilt thou go out of this world and the Name of God never to be honored by thee Yea and further Thou hast lost all thy duties all the time hath been lost that thou hast been in performance of duties now it is an ill thing to idle away time in the things of the world When a man hath an opportunity for to gain in the world if so be he loses his time and neglects it we account it a very sad thing to him but now to lose our trading-time for Heaven for the times of the worshiping of God are our trading times for Heaven that 's sad indeed And yet thou that makest not conscience of sanctifying the Name of God in holy duties all the time thou hast spent is lost And yet further You that have been false in the performing of duties and hypocrites not only all your pains and labor is quite lost for if that were so it might be well with you but you have aggravated your sins by your holy Duties Those Duties that others have enjoyed Communion with God in and furthered their eternal life by thou hast aggravated thy sins by them yet it was thy duty to do them but I say by not sanctifying of Gods Name thou hast aggravated thy sins so much the more As those that are godly they work out their salvation even in their natural actions they sanctifie Gods Name in eating and drinking and following their business they perform those actions in such a holy manner as they honor God in them and further their eternal peace but as they in their Natural and Civil actions work out their salvation so thou in the very religiousest actions dost work out thy damnation Certainly wicked men that are not acquainted with this work of Godliness to Sanctifie Gods Name in holy duties they work out their damnation even in the performance of them You will say Then they had better not do them Yes they are bound to do them but they are bound to do them in a right manner as sometimes I have given you this instance and it is a ful and a cleer one to shew that men are bound to perform holy duties and not to leave them undone and yet they may further their own damnation while they are doing of them As for example If so be that a Prince should appoint a man to come into his presence such a day to Petition for his life which he hath forfeited by the Law If he do not come he may be a dead man But now if this man be drunk on that day and come drunk into the Kings presence he may be a dead man too for presuming to come drunk before him So wicked and ungodly men whether they worship or worship not they are in danger to perish But of this more when we come to shew that God will be sanctified In the fourth place here is an use of Exhortation That seeing we have this truth thus presented to us and opened before us Oh that we had hearts to apply our selves now to it with all our might to seek to sanctifie the Name of God when we draw nigh to him The Lord hath shewen thee what it is that he requires of thee make conscience of it for time to come thou doest not know what blessed communion thou mayest have with God if thou doest make conscience of this the truth is If you have not been acquainted with this you have not been acquainted with the way of a Christian in his enjoyment of Communion with God thou doest not know what the comfort of a Christian life means do but make tryal of this for time to come and thou wilt find more comfort in the waies of Godliness and more thriving in them in one quarter of a
Word than to entertain Christ in your houses You that are of loving dispositions that if a good Minister shall come to your houses or a good Christian that you see but the Image of Christ in your hearts spring within you and you will do any thing to entertain them Well but what if Jesus Christ should come if you knew that such a man that came within your doors were the Son of God how would you bestir your selves to entertain him But know it is a more acceptable service to Jesus Christ to attend upon his Word than to provide for him in your houses And there is great reason too that we should be diligent in drawing nigh to the Word and give ear unto it because you find that the Lord doth express himself in the Scripture how he gives ear to us when we speak to him God is said to encline His ear sometimes to open His ear sometimes to bow His ear sometimes to cause His ear to hear and divers such expressions there are to that purpose Now if God when we that are poor wretches speak to Him shall bow His ear bend His ear open His ear cause His ear to hear much more should we when we come to attend upon Him 2. Secondly as there must be attending to the Word of God so there must be an opening of the heart to receive what God speaks to you it is true it is the work of God to open the heart but God works upon men as upon rational creatures and He makes you to be active in opening your hearts so that when you have any truth come to be revealed you should open your understandings your conscience and will and affections Oh Lord thy truth which thou art presenting here to my soul at this time let it come in let me receive it as the expression is in Prov. 2. 1. My Son if thou wilt receive my words and then in ver 10. When wisdom entereth into thy heart The words of wisdom the Words of God they must enter into the heart get in it may be they get into thy ear but that 's not enough they must get into thy heart in Job 8. 37. There Christ complains that His Word had no place in them that 's a sad thing when the Word of God shall have no place in the heart If a temptation to sin comes that hath a place in the heart but when the Word comes that hath no place in the heart I say it is a very sad thing that we can find no room for the Word we should get room for the Word Open ye gates Stand open ye everlasting doors that the King of Glory may come in Know that when you come to hear the Word the Lord is knocking at the doors of your hearts have not you felt it sometimes Open O open the doors let all be opened to receive the Word into your hearts That is the second thing for the behavior of the soul in hearing 3. The third thing is The careful applying of the word so in Prov. 2. 2. There must be an applying of the heart to the word and an applying of the word unto the heart All action is by an application of the thing that doth act unto the subject there must be an application of the word to thy soul as now suppose thou comest to hear the Word and thou hearest of some sin that it may be thou knowest thou art guilty of take the Word and lay it to thy heart and say The Lord hath met with my soul this day the Lord hath spoken to me to the end that I might be humbled for this sin and the other sin that my conscience tells me I am guilty of So doth the Lord put thee upon a duty that concerns thee acknowledge this the Lord hath spoken to me this day and put me upon the reformation of my family and the reformation of mine own heart Is there a word presented apply that and let not the trouble of thy heart cause thee to cast off that word that God hath spoken to thee The application of the word to thy heart is of mervelous use and it concerns not only Ministers in general to lay before people the doctrin of the Gospel but to apply it And know that it concerns you as well as Ministers to apply it And not only when they come to that that is called Use but all the way in the opening of the word it concerns you all to apply it to your own souls and to consider how doth it concern me in particular My brethren there is no such way to honor God or get good to your own souls as the application of the word unto your selves As a man that is asleep if there be a noise made it will not awake him so soon but come and call him by his name and say John or Thomas and that will awake him sooner than a greater noise will So when the word makes a noise when it is delivered only in the general men take little notice of it but when the word comes particularly to the souls of men and doth as it were call them by name this awakens them Now God many times doth speak to your hearts but you should apply it you know the word is compared to meat and it must be applied to the body Then do we worship God in a right way when as we take notice of Gods word as concerning us in particular as that notable Scripture that you have in 1 Cor. 14. 25. Where there come a poor man into the Church of God and hears Prophesying hears the word opened and the text saith he is convinced of all he is judged of all and then in vers 25. Thus are the secrets of his heart manifest and so falling down on his face he worships God and reports that God is in you of a truth That is when the word comes and meets with his soul in particular that he finds himself to be aim'd at by the Word then he worships God and saith that God certainly is in them Here 's the reason now that when you come to hear the Word you do not worship God because you apply it not to your selves you are ready to say This was well spoken to such a one and it concerns such a one but how doth it concern thy soul in particular Sometimes the Lord doth even force men and women to apply it whether they will or no for that they think the Minister speaks to them in partiticular and that no body was spoken too in the Congregation but themselves This is a mercy when the Lord doth it unto you but it is a greater mercy when the Lord gives you a heart to apply to your selves and although it may trouble you a little for the present yet be willing to apply it and account it a great mercy from the Lord That the Lord will be pleased to speak in particular to your souls 4. Fourthly We must mix
give an accompt of any one Sermon they have heard in all their lives hardly I say but the Word which they heard is presently taken away from them and yet these are accounted honest men in the world But this is not the honest heart the Scripture speaks of And many there are that go further than these that come to hear the Word with joy and yet they have not this honest heart Yea they may hear the Word so as to bring forth a Blade and yet not have this honest heart But this honest heart I take therefore to be meant this An heart that deals squarely and truly with God behaving it self in a beseeming manner sutable to that Authority and Excellency that there is in the Word of God As now for Example 1. First Among men he is accounted an honest man that deals squarely and truly with men in all actions such a man you will say is an honest man as honest a man as ever broke bread that is one that will deal squarely with men not only in one thing but turn him to any thing and you shall find a proportion between one action and another So this is an honest heart not one that only will be forward for God in some one action wherein he may enjoy himself as well as God but one that deals squarely with God let God put him upon duty upon any service God shall find him still to be the same man Put him upon any easie service as many will imbrace that or put him upon a difficult service it is all one if it be the mind of God you shall find him square in every thing though he be put upon that which he is like to suffer very much in yet he goes on according to his principles An honest heart is one that hath received gracious principles and accordingly he acteth all the world cannot take him off from his principles of godliness that the Lord hath put into his heart 2. Secondly An honest man is one that provides things honest before men that doth all things in a seemly way in all those relations that he hath unto others that we account honesty So when a mans behavior towards the Word is such as doth beseem the Word of that God with whom he hath to deal That look what excellency what glory there is in the Word of God such a sutable behavior there is in the heart of a man to it this is an honest heart So that there are those two things when a man is square with God in one thing as well as another and when there is a sutableness in the behavior of the soul to what excellency there is in the Word when the heart of man will not abuse the Word at all but behaves it self honestly according unto the gravity holiness and weight that there is in the Word And thus now with such a good and honest heart we are to receive the Word if we will sanctifie Gods Name in it 10. A tenth particular is this If we will sanctifie Gods Name in the Word we must hide the Word in our hearts we must not only hear the Word but keep it preserve it and then we do declare that we account the Word of God to be worth something indeed For what is it to sanctifie God as we have opened before in the General but such a behavior towards him as may testifie the Excellency of the Name of God so the behavior of the soul in hearing the Word must be such as must give a testimony to the Excellency of the Word and manifest the high esteem I have of it Now if I received a thing that is of great value if I slight it and let any body take it from me I do not give a testimony of the excellency of that thing but if I take it and lock it up and keep it under lock and key I do thereby give a testimony of the esteem that I have of the excellency of that thing So now when I come to hear the Word and meet with Truths that I have gotten into my soul I close with them and am resolved within my heart as I am hearing of them well This Truth I will keep through Gods Grace this concerns me and I will make much of it and although I forget other things yet I hope I shall remember this To sanctifie Gods Name in hearing of the Word In Isa 42. 23. Hear saith the holy Ghost there for the time to come When we come to the Word we must not only hearken for the present as many of us while we are hearing our hearts are stir'd for the present Oh that we could but have that affection of heart alwaies as we have when we are hearing of the Word How many of you have said when you have been hearing such a Sermon Oh! then me thought I could have gone through fire and water for God I but mark it you must hear for afterwards And in Psalm 119. 11. there the Prophet David profest That he did hide the Word in his heart the Word was sweet unto him Thy Word saith he have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee You that come and hear those Truths upon the Lords day if you would hide them thus in your hearts and keep them all the week they would help you against the many temptations that you meet withal you go abroad on the week daies into company and there you meet with a temptation and it overcomes you and you complain Alas I am weak I have met with a temptation and it hath foil'd me But had you hid the Word that you heard on the Lords day in your heart it would have kept you from the strength of your temptation that it should not have overcome you Those that are truly godly they have a care to hide the word in their hearts when they hear it they think This word shall help me against such and such sins which I am prone to by nature and when a temptation comes to that sin I hope I shall have use of the word that I have heard this day As now Suppose you hear a word against passion then you should hide that word in your hearts against that time that temptation comes to passion And you hear a word against sensuality and abuse of the creatures you should hide that word against that temptation cometh And you hear a word against unrighteousness and unjust dealings when a temptation comes to that sin you should hide that word against that time So you hear a word that speaks of obedience to Parents and servants duties to Governors now you should hide that word in your hearts against that time I have hid thy word in my heart that I might not sin against thee You say that you would fain withstand and not be overcome with temptations Then here 's the way Hide the word within thee that thou maiest not sin against him And so in Prov.
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 ears 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 the 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 wel 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 a dead Letter in comparison of the Word of the Gospel If you come meerly to hear the Law preached add not in an Evangelical way you may hear it a hundred times and it wil 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 shal 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 except he could go to Heaven and there see and read Gods Book and so discover Gods mind concerning him or go down to Hell and so know whether that place be appointed for him or not except I can do one of these I cannot certainly tell meerly by the Law whether I shall go to Heaven or Hell As you that are Merchants and Dealers abroad you are at a great deal of uncertainty what shall become of your estates Indeed if I could send one over to the Indies to tell me now my Ship prospered then I could be at a certainty then I should hear whether I were a rich man yea or no but except I could do such a thing I am at an uncertainty Such is the expression here As if a poor soul should say I would fain be saved and loth to perish eternally But all the while the soul remains under the Law it remains in an uncertain condition but now saith he The Word of the Gospel is nigh thee even in thine heart and that is the Word that we preach that saith Rom. 10. 9. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt beleeve in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved As if he should say This Word of the Gospel that is come into thine heart doth assure thy soul of thy eternal estate so that though thou canst not go up to Heaven nor go down to Hell yet thou hast that in thine heart that doth as it were assure thee that thou shalt be eternally saved as if thou wert able to go up to the highest Heavens and fetch News from thence Oh now the good Word of the Gospel how should we prize it and keep it in our hearts for that 's in our hearts that will assure us of our salvation to all eternity and of Gods eternal purpose to do thee good in Heaven You would account it a great happiness if there could be any art to send abroad to the Straits or to other place to know how things fare with you but now if thou hast the Word of the Gospel within thee if that prevails in thy soul thou hast alwaies got something in thy heart that will tell thee how things are with thee in Heaven and what shall become of thee for all eternity Oh who would not sanctifie the Name of God in hearing of His Word seeing it is such a blessed Word wherein the Gospel is opened with more clearness than it hath been to many of our fore-fathers 2. It is a certain evidence of your election in Thess 1. 3. 4 5. Remembring without ceasing your work of Faith and labor of Love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God and our Father Knowing Brethren beloved your election of God Why For our Gospel came not to you in Word only but also in Power and in the holy Ghost and in much assurance And know this excellency there is in Sanctifying Gods Name in hearing the word I beseech you mark it that it is a more blessed thing than if you did bear Jesus Christ in your wombs You that are women would not you have accounted it a great happines if Christ had been born in your wombs Now if thou comest to the hearing of the word and sanctifiest Gods Name in it thou art in a better condition and hast a greater blessing upon thee than if thou hadest born Jesus Christ in thy womb In Luk 11. 27 28. And it came to pass as he spake these things that a certain woman of the company lift up her voice and said unto him Blessed is the womb that bear thee and the paps which thou hast sucked Seeing Christ and what gracious things came from him she spake so But he said Yea rather blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it That is Labor to sanctifie my Name as hath been opened in the particulars rather is that woman blessed that doth so than the woman that bear Christ Me thinks this one Scripture should be such a Scripture for women to cause them to sanctifie Gods Name in hearing of the word instead of a hundred Scriptures certainly thou maiest be so blessed if thou wilt beleeve the word that comes from Christs mouth 3. Do you sanctifie the Name of God in the Word that will sanctifie you by that your souls come to be sanctified and it will comfort you in the day of your affliction and it will save you at last 4 You that do sanctifie Gods Name in
they do not consider that God doth converse with the thoughts of men as well as men do with the words of men that 's the third Rule Fourthly Take heed thou beest not deceived because that those thoughts thou hast in prayer do not appear to be verie evil in themselves This is a great deceit and hinders manie in the sanctifying of Gods Name in Prayer there is sometimes darted in some vain thoughts now because the thought hath no great evil in it self therefore they think they may play with it and their hearts close with it and so run along with it as the fish doth with the bait if the Devil casts in a thought of blasphemie that makes thee quake and shake but if thy thoughts have no great evil in them but they are slight things matters of no moment one way or other upon that thy heart begins to be dandling and playing with them therefore remember this Rule That in the time of prayer whatsoever thoughts be in thy mind that do not concern the present dutie they are sinful before God though the thoughts for the matter of them be never so good yet thou art to abandon them as sinful at that time Therefore never be deceived with this that the thoughts are not verie sinful that 's another Rule In the last place observe this Rule If ever God hath helped thee at any time in prayer that thy heart hath been kept close to a dutie and thou hast had communion with him bless God for that bless God for that help 't is a Rule of verie great use for us to get further assistance from God in any thing if so be our hearts be enlarged to bless God for any assistance we have had heretofore and the reason why we gain and prosper so little in our Christian course it is because we do not take notice of what God hath done for us to give God glorie for mercies formerly received and therefore God takes little or no delight in coming in with further mercies to us as if you had a yong Nurserie of Trees and they began to thrive very well but there comes a companie of Caterpillars and spoils almost all the yong Trees that are set only two or three are kept from the Caterpillars a man goes into his Orchard and looks upon his Trees and this is spoiled and that is spoiled but he sees two or three and these flourish fairly and these are full of Buds and are like to come to something and he rejoyces mightily in those because they are sav'd when so manie others are spoil'd and so do thou view thy Prayers and consider how many nie hath been spoiled as it were by these Caterpillars for I compare wandring vain thoughts in Prayer unto Caterpillars that are upon the trees and we see that if stormy rainy weather comes the Caterpillars will fall and one would think that these blustering storms and the hand of God that hath been out against us should have clensed our thoughts and souls from these Caterpillars that have been upon our duties but manie duties have been spoiled yet thou maiest say that through Gods mercie such a morning in my closet the Lord hath preserved a prayer to himself and I have gotten power over this vain heart of mine bless God for this and so the Spirit of God will be more readie to come in and help thee another time But thus much shall suffice to speak to this That 's the second thing we must give up our selves wholly to this dutie The third thing for the sanctifying of Gods Name in Prayer is this There must be the breathings of the Spirit of God otherwise Gods Name is not sanctified that in Rom. 8. 26. is cleer for this Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered If any of you should say How can we sanctifie Gods Name we are poor and weak we can do little Mark it is said here That the Spirit helpeth our infirmities to pray and the word is exceeding emphatical in the original in your books it is but meerly helping our infirmities but the meaning of the word is In these two things the Spirit helps that is look how a man that is taking up an heavie piece of Timber at one end he alone cannot get it up but there comes another and takes it up at the other end and so helps him the word signifies such a kind of helping as when a man takes a thing at the other end or on the other side one standing the one way and the other standing the other way or one taking up one end and the other the other end that is the meaning of it he helps our infirmities the poor soul is pulling and tugging with its own heart and finds his heart heavie and dull like a log in a ditch And have not many of you found your hearts so but now when you are tugging with your hearts and would fain lift up your hearts to God in prayer there comes the Spirit of God at the other end and takes the heaviest end of the burden and helps you to lift it up If a Child were at one end of the log and that were but light and the other end very heavie if one come and take up the heaviest end a little strength will serve for the lighter end So the Spirit comes and takes up the heavier end in duty and so helps our infirmities helps together And then the other word is The Spirit that is together with the acting of the graces of the Spirit in our hearts you must not say so Alas what can I do it must be the Spirit of God that must do it It 's true he doth all First he gives converting and habitual grace and assisting and actuating grace but now when the Spirit hath wrought grace so as to convert the heart and hath given habitual grace in thy heart why then when the Spirit comes to assist it doth expect that thou shouldest stir up all the gifts and graces of the Spirit and the very strength of thy body the Spirit of God expects that thou shouldest act to the uttermost thou art able what power hath been given thee by God and when thou art in acting then the Spirit comes and helps together with us noting that we are to put forth what strength we have and thus Gods Name will be sanctified when as we putting forth the graces of the Spirit in us then the Spirit comes and helps and what comes from us now comes from the breathings of the holy Spirit in us and then God who knows the meaning of the Spirit will know now the meaning of our sighs and groans therfore when thou art going to prayer thou art to eye the Spirit of God thou art by the eye of faith to look upon the Spirit of God and to cast thy
Sitting Sitting at the Sacrament the fittest gesture 263 Soul The price of the salvation of a Soul 269 Spirit Spiritual We must be acted by the spirit in our worship Page 87 God must be worshiped in spirit 93 Spiritual things may be absolutely prayed for 177 How to know when the spirit helps our prayers 291 See Glory Sweet Strange see Fire Strength Strength required in Gods Worship 80 Strength required to spend the Sabbath 83 Natural conscience gives not strength to duty 88 We must not come to duties in our own strength 115 Strugling Strugling alone against corruption oft times ensnares us 61 Subjection Subjection required in bearing the Word 182 Sufferings The sufferings of Christ chiefly represented in the Sacrament 246 Ground of suffering for Christ 268 Superstition Superstition what 9 Sutable see Judgment Sweet Breathings of the spirit sweet 292 T Table Those that come to the Sacrament should come neer the Table 261 Tares Tares what ment by them 238 Temptation Time of temptation the time of worship 81 We must hide the Word in our hearts against temptation 191 Terrible see Place Thankfulness Thankfulness required in receiving the Sacrament Page 255 Motives to thankfulness 256 Time Preparation makes us do much in a little time 52 See Holy Thorns Thorns must be plucked out of the heart when we hear the Word 169 Thoughts In the worshiping of God we must have high thoughts of God 71 Wicked men have many times wicked thoughts in prayer 282 Thoughts are to God as words are to men ibid See Wandring Tremble We should tremble at the hearing of the Word 181 Truth We must pray in truth 292 Truth what meant by it ibid V Vain Where wicked men are willingly admitted to the Sacrament Gods Name is taken in vain 241 Unchangable God is unchangable 96 Understanding We must pray with understanding 280 Uncertainty The righteousness of the Law leaves at uncertainty 212 W Wait We must wait Gods leisure in regard of time 86 Ground of waiting from Gods eternity 95 Wandring Wandring thoughts in prayer Page 281 Directions against wandring thoughts in prayer 286 All wandring thoughts in prayer sinful 288 See Birds Humble Devil Warrant see Command Watching Watching required in preparation to duty 50 Weakness God passes by weakness where the heart is prepared to duty 53 Weary A man that makes himself his end will be weary of duty 76 Wicked Wicked men are to be cast out or withdrawn from in the Sacrament 235 Every man in the Congregation to look to the casting out of wicked men 241 Ground of excluding wicked men 258 Will Willing We must be willing not will worshipers 10 Things in Gods Worship depend only upon his Will 11 God requires that we will as he willeth 104 Our prayers must be according to Gods Will 276 Wisdom Wisdom of God what to learn from it 99 Wisdom of God to be our guide ibid Womb Those that sanctifie Gods Name in hearing the Word it is a greater blessing than to bear him in their Womb 213 Word To comfort afflicted friends from Gods Word 24 The heart must be plowed by the Word 196 The Word must be glorified 194 Word what should make us esteâ—m â—t Page 186 The Word hath much of God in it 195 The Word a means to convey spectal mercies ibid The Word wherein the strength of it liâ—s 202 All the good in the Word for whom 210 The Devil 〈◊〉 advantage by fastning ill Words upon thâ— good 244 The Word in what respect above the Sacrament 251 The Word sanct fiâ—d by Prayer 273 Worship Difference between civil things and Gods Worship 9 Natural helps in Gods Worship ib. We should be humbled for false Worship 11 Worship of God what Page 27 Worship of God the means to convey hâ—â— choyce mercies 28 To heâ—d what we do in Worship 32 Exhortation to be much in the Worship of God 34 Heaâ—ing the Word a part of Gods Worship 162 〈◊〉 makes hearing the Word a Worship 163 Prayer put for the whâ—â— Worship of God 173 See Comman Liâ—d c. World In preparation the heart must be taken from the World 49 In prayer the heart must be taken from the world 275 Wrath Preachers that 〈◊〉 Gods wrath should conceal their own 19 FINIS COLE Stepney Novemb. 16. 1645 Stepney Dec. 21. 1645. Stepney Jan. 4. 1645. Stepney Jan. 11. 1645.
Gospel-Worship OR The Right Manner of Sanctifying the Name of GOD in General And particularly in these Three great Ordinances Viz. 1. Hearing of the WORD 2. Receiving the Lords SVPPER 3. PRAYER By JEREMIAH BURROUGHS Being the Second of the Seven Volumns lately published by Thomas Goodwin William Bridge William Greenhil John Yates Sydrach Sympson Philip Nye William Adderly COLE 1216. London Printed by Peter Cole in Leaden-Hall and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the Printing-Press in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange 1653. TO the READER OVR purpose in this Preface is not to speak either of the eminent Worth of the Author whose memory is blessed in the hearts of all the godly in this Nation or of this Piece it self here published but only to assure thee That it is his And although it riseth not up to that exactness and perfection as might have been in them had he publish'd them himself yet with that different allowance which is to be given Notes taken from his mouth in ordinary and frequent Preaching We doubt not but that in their use and benefit they may be as profitable to the Saints as other of his Writings being as full of weighty and Divine Materials having also the impress of the Spirit and language of this holy Man one of the greatest Preachers of this Age stampt all along upon them We to whom this our Brother was most dear and precious being entrusted with the publishing of his Sermons have thought good first to usher abroad these few which if they receive that welcom they deserve many other excellent Pieces of his may soon after have encouragement to appear in publick view The Points treated of in these are of great concernment and therefore we conceive the Author though in handling of them he had room enough for the discussing many of the controversies of the times yet he purposely waved it and bent himself to the single delivery of that which tended most to edification and best suted with such a popular Auditory as that was to whom he spake The Lord of Heaven bless them to thy spiritual advantage and enable thee by such means as these to sanctifie his Name in the use of all his Ordinances which is the desire of Thomas Goodwyn William Greenhil Sydrach Sympson Philip Nye William Bridge John Yates William Adderly The CONTENTS of the several ensuing Sermons SERMON I. THe occasion of the words 1 The words opened 5 Observ 1 There must be nothing in Gods Worship but what he hath commanded 8 Obs 2. God stands upon little things in matters of his worship 11 Obs 3. No priviledg can secure from Gods stroke 12 Obs 4. The more dignity the more danger ibid Obs 5. The beginnings of great matters meet with difficulties 13 Obs 6. Those that enter into publick places have need of the fear of God ib. Obs 7. We should pick out Gods meaning from dark expressions in his word 14 Obs 8. Sinners may meet with judgments never threatned in the Word 16 Obs 9. God is very quick with some in the way of judgment 17 Obs 10. The holiness of a duty will not bear a man out in his miscarriage in it ib. Obs 11. The Lord is terrible out of his holy places 18 Obs 12. Gods judgments are oft sutable to mens sins ib. Obs 13. We should take heed of bringing strange fire to Gods service 19 SERMON II. Obs 14. Gods saints many times meet with afflictions in their children 20 Obs 15. Gods judgments come many times in an invisible way 21 Obs 16. Gods glory more precious to him than mens lives 22 Obs 17. The nearer any are to God the more careful they should be to glorifie him ib. Obs 18. When judgments are exemplary we should look to the word how God makes it good 23 Obs 19. The great honor of Gods Name in the making it holy ib. Obs 20. True friendship to comfort friends in distress from the Word 24 Obs 21. The way to quiet the heart in affliction is to think God wil have honor by it 25 Doct. 1. In worshiping God we draw nigh to him 26 In what respect we are said to draw nigh God in worship 27 Use 1. To take heed what we do when we worship God 30 Use 2. Why guilty consciences fly from the worship of God 31 Use 3. Why Hypocrites meet with such severe judgments 32 Use 4. To neglect Gods Worship is to depart from him 33 Use 5. Exhortation to be much in Gods worship 34 SERMON III. Use 6. The honor of Gods Servants to draw nigh him 39 Doct. 2. We must sanctifie Gods Name in drawing nigh to him 42 First In preparation to his worship ib. 1 Because he is a great God 43 2 The duties of Gods worship are great 44 3 Our hearts are naturally unprepared 46 4 The hindrances of Gods worship are many ibid 5 The Heathens prepared to worship ship their Idols ibid 6 Preparation shews sincerity of heart 47 Five things wherein preparation consists 48 1 A right apprehension of God 49 2 Taking the heart from sinful waies ibid 3 Taking off the heart from the world ibid 4 In watching and prayer 50 5 In acting the faculties and graces 51 Four things of the excellency of Preparation 52 1 It will make duties easie ib. 2 We shal do much in a little time ib. 3 The Lord will pass by weakness in duties 53 4 It will make the heart alway ready for duty 54 SERMON IV. Cases of Conscience 1 Whether we be alway bound to set some time apart for preparation to duties 55 2 Whether being not prepared the duty may be omitted 57 Answered in 4. particulars 1 The omission of duty will not fit the soul for duty 58 2 It is but a temptation to keep from duty 59 3 If the duty be done in sincerity though there be not due preparation it is better than to omit it ib. 4 While people struggle with their corruptions and seek not God they fall into snares 61 In what manner duties are to be performed that Gods Name may be sanctified ibid 1 We must perform them so that we may glorifie God as a God 62 Which is done 1 When we offer all we have 63 2 When we grieve that we can do no more 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 66 3 When the soul comes expecting the choicest mercies of God ib. 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 67 1 Because the Lord accepts the person before he accepts the action 69 2 God looks more at the principle of the duty than at the duty ib. 3 According as the heart is so will the duty be 70 SERMON V. 2 In sanctifying Gods Name in Worship we must have high thoughts of God 71 3 We must have
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 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 will find this by experience Such a time you have been busie in the world and occasions have hindered you so as your heart is out of temper and frame for a duty you lay it aside now are you more fit 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 you will not find it to be so The forbearing a duty now will not make the soul fitter for a duty afterwards therefore it is no wisdom to forbear a duty for want of preparation because the forbearance will never help to further prepartion 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 laboreth to unfit thee for it and then he tempts thee to forbear it because thou art unfit this is the subtilty of the Devil From whence is it that thou art unfit but from the temptation of the Devil And I find Luther again that was a man that had as much converse with God as any in his daies and a man that had as much to draw his heart away as many temptations and as many businesses as any for indeed the great cause of Christ in all the Christian world in a great measure under God lay upon his shoulders and yet saith he If any one think that prayer must be defer'd till the soul be purified from impure cogitations he doth no other than help the Devil who is powerful enough he thinks to be wise in deferring the duty because he is not fit and he hath many ill thoughts and troubles in his spirit he doth nothing else saith Luther but gratify the Devil that is strong enough without this Oh let us take heed of gratifying the Devil in his temptations therefore remember it is a temptation for thee to omit a duty meerly because thou art not prepared for the duty 3. In the Third place That which I would answer to this Question is this If any one perform a duty of Worship in that sincerity and strength that he is able to do it though he be not prepared as he ought yet it is better to do it than to neglect it It is true some do perform a duty in a meer formal way and to satisfie their consciences or to cloak and cover ther sins and the like perhaps they may so perform it as it might be better to be unperformed than to perform it as they do but if you do endeavor to the uttermost of your strength to do it though you be not prepared as you do desire yet it is better to do it than to omit the doing of it and you will find it so for one duty doth prepare for another Though it be not done as I desire it should be done yet the doing of it as well as I can at this time will help me to do it better at another time that is certain as one sin doth prepare the heart for another sin so one duty prepares the heart for another as now suppose a man commits a sin and he hath a conscience that is enlightened that doth hinder him from committing his sin with that full strength that he would do it many a man hath a mind to sin but through the enlightening of his conscience he cannot sin with that delight as he would because his conscience flies in his face and doth interrupt him but yet for all this through the strength of his corruption he will break through to that sin now though at first they cannot commit that sin with that delight and freedom as they do at other times yet if their corruptions be so strong as to break through the light of their consciences the next time they come to the committing of that sin they will commit it with more freedom and ease a great deal This is evident by experience there is none of you but if you well observe your hearts you will find this A temptation comes to a sin now you connot do it with so much freedom as you would but yet you break through it you will find that the next time you will commit it with more freedom and so one sin will prepare for another and it may be you have some trouble of conscience at first but the next time you will have less trouble till at length you can commit it freely without any trouble of Conscience at all As it is in sin so it is in godliness many times in some degree at the first you have a motion to a holy duty but through the stirrings of your corruptions you are not fit for it now do you but break through that difficulty and the next time you will be more fit and the next time after that you will be more fit and so still more and more fit as it is in sin If a man when he hath some trouble of conscience would but listen to his conscience and would not commit that sin his conscience would grow stronger upon him and strengthen him against that sin so if any man or woman listens to the temptation to defer duty and put it off because they are not prepared why after that the corruption will grow more strong therefore set upon the duty and the peformance of one duty will prepare for another 4. In the fourth place While men and women are strugling with their souls and the corruptions of their hearts and do not fall upon seeking
ever any creature in the world had God accepts of that and that you must look unto Can you say so when you go to worship God Lord it is true there is much weaknes in my spirit but thou that knowest all things knowest That thou hast more of my heart than ever any creature in the world had This is sutable to God God will account this in the Covenant of Grace to be a present sutable to Himself As in the Law when they offered to the building of the Temple every one could not offer gold and silver and precious stones but some came and offered Badgers-skins and some women did spin and offered Goate-hair to the building of the Temple and so God accepted of that being the most they could do 2. In the second place When we do not only offer unto God the most we can but when we ad to this the grief of our souls that we can do no more when the soul shall strive to the uttermost it can and when it hath done all saith I am an unprofitable servant Oh that I could do more This is sutable to God 3. Thirdly The People of God though they be weak yet the weakest Servant of God is able to offer up to God somewhat that is sutable to the infinite Majesty of God upon this Third Ground because there is a kind of impression of Gods infinitnes in those services that a gracious heart doth tender unto God and therefore sutable unto God You will say God is an Infinite Glorious God Be it so He is Infinit that 's certain but the duty of Worship that a grations heart tenders unto God it hath an impression of Gods infinitness upon it How is that If that can be made out then indeed we may be encouraged to worship God Thus That that a gracious heart tenders up to God hath an impression of His infinitness in this regard because as God hath no limits of His Being so a gracious heart when it comes to worship God will not propound any limits or bounds but in the desires of it would fain be enlarged infinitly if it could If it were possible for a creature to been larged to God infinitly it would be Here lies I conceive the main difference between the most glorious Hypocrite in the world and one that hath true Grace yea that hath but the least degree of grace The most glorious Hypocrite in the world who it may be for the outward act doth more than one that hath true grace yet such a one doth limit himself he doth great things but he doth it so as he limits himself that is so much as may serve for such and such ends of his so much as may serve his turn either to satisfie his Conscience or to get credit and esteem to be accounted eminent in such a way so much he doth do but his duty is alwaies limited within such bounds and if he could conceive that he might go to Heaven and that he might have as much Credit and Honor and as much peace of Conscience with doing less he would do less But now one that hath grace though but little though but the least dram of grace he goes farther Indeed saith he Though through the little grace that I have I cannot do what another can do yet this doth so enlarge my heart that I would have no bounds set in what I do for God but I would have it enlarged to the uttermost latitude if it were possible beyond whatever yet was done for God in the world and the more I do the more I do desire to do That 's now a kind of infinitness that there is in the heart where grace comes I say grace enlarges the heart to a kind of infinitness that the more it doth the more it would do there is no Hypocrite but will have his periods he will rise thus and thus and thus high ordinarily you shall find that if he lives in some company there he is high but if he lives in other company there he is lower Now there is nothing doth limit a gracious heart but to all Eternity it would work and work more and more for God Here now is a Worship that is some way sutable to the infinite Excellency that there is in God Here 's a kind of proportion as I may so speak even between the Creature and God himself in this thing but it is the grace of God in the Creature here is the Image of God indeed because grace doth so enlarge the heart even to an infinitness as it were for God And thus you see in the general what it is to sanctifie Gods Name to tender up to God that which is some way sutable to the glory of the infinite God 2. You know there was a Second thing viz. That then I do sanctifie Gods Name when I come so to Worship God as my heart works and follows after God as a God so as it doth beseem the soul of a Creature to follow the infinite Creator and to work after the inâ—â—nit Creator So David in Psal 63. 5. My soul followeth hard after thee O God and mark it 's a very sweet Scripture thy right hand upholdeth me Those whose hearts follow hard after the Lord they have the right hand of God upholding of them It 's a mighty encouragement to put forth the heart to the uttermost because when 〈…〉 â—o the right hand of God upholds thee so that thy heart must follow after God more than it followed after any creature 3. When I come to draw nigh to God I come to present my self for the CoÌ„munication of the choicest of His Mercies so then I sanctifie Gods Name when I labor to prepare and open my heart for God as for the choicest Mercies that God 〈◊〉 to bestow upon His Creature When there is such a temper of heart that my conscience tels me it is sutable to that that is fit for a soul to have that expects to receive the choicest mercie from God but that we spake too more in the opening of our drawing nigh to God Now we are to come more particularly to this to open the Sanctifying Gods Name First In what particulars the behavior of the heart may be discovered to be sutable to God in respect of Gods greatness and glory Secondly What the behavior of the heart should be as sutable to the several Attributes of God It will cost us some time to open the particular things in the behavior of the heart as in reference to the greatness and Majestie of God considered more generally as in Psalm 48. 1. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised And so in Mal. 1. 14. Cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a male and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing why for I am a great King saith the Lord and therefore cursed is he that doth not offer a sacrifice sutable to my greatness And in 2 Chron. 2. 5. we find
that Solomon when he was preparing for the Temple he would build a great Temple why Because God was a great God that he would build it too So that the Worship of God must be some great thing because the Lord is a great God and it must be sutable to his greatness Now if you ask me in what particulars doth the behavior of the soul consist that is very sutable to the greatness of God in the general There are many things in this The first is You must be careful to bring a sanctified heart You cannot tender up a worship sutable to his greatness except you bring a sanctified heart with you there must be holiness in the heart Under the Law you know if any one came to offer a sacrifice in his uncleanness he must be cut off and so it must be here we must look to it that we offer not to God in our uncleanness Wash you and make you clean in Isa 1. and then Come let us reason together There is no coming to God without washing and making clean in Psal 93. 5. Holiness becometh thy House O Lord for ever Holiness becometh the presence of God for ever we must look to get a sanctified heart Sanctification consists in those two parts Mortification and Vivification there must be a mortifying of the lusts of the heart We reade in the Law that every Sacrifice was to be salted with salt that did signifie the mortification of our hearts when we come to offer up our selves as a Sacrifice to God the salt did eat out the raw humors and kept the flesh from putrifying so doth the grace of God in mortifying our lusts In Heb. 9. 14. you have a notable Scripture for the clensing of our hearts when we come to offer any service to God How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Consciences from dead works to serve the living God So that you cannot serve the living God until your consciences be purged from dead works And how comes your consciences to be purged from dead works It is through the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God he must purge your consciences So that here 's the way of sanctifying Gods Name by applying of Jesus Christ who was offered to God without spot that our consciences might be purged from dead works that we might be purged from that natural filthiness and uncleannness in which we all were for the whol world doth lie in filth as a carrion doth lie in his slime Now if we would worship God so as to Sanctifie him we must apply Christ to our souls and get our conscience purged from dead works and to have the Spirit of Christ in us to quicken up our hearts in the waies of holiness to have the Image of Jesus Christ in us whereby we may be holy according to our proportion even as he himself is holy this is the sanctifying of the heart There must be an habitual sanctification and actual sanctification of the heart An Habitual that is that the heart must be changed through the work of Regeneration there must be a Regeneration in the heart there must be Divine Principles of the Graces of the Spirit of God in the heart But you will say May not an unregenerate man Pray To that I answer It is true it is his duty to pray Powr forth thy wrath upon the Heathen and upon the families that call not upon thy Name But it 's as true that they cannot sanctifie Gods Name in doing of it But if we would sanctifie Gods Name in it there must be an Habitual holiness in the heart for every thing doth act according to its Principles in Nature it is so and so doth the heart when it comes to worship God it doth act according to the Principles that it hath And then there must not only be Habitual sanctification but Actual sanctification likewise as in Exod. 19. 10 11. there you see what ado there was to fit them for the hearing of the Law because God was to come among them God is to come among us and we are to come to God when we are to perform holy duties therefore it is not enough to have Grace but there must be an improving of Grace there must be an acting of Grace not only when you come to receive the Sacrament to think that then there must be an acting of Grace but every time you pray and hear there must be an acting of Grace A purging out of your corruptions and an acting of Grace So that one cannot sanctifie Gods Name in holy duties unless he come thus far to be able to say Lord thou that knowest all things knowest there is nothing that thou doest reveal to be contrary to thy Will but my heart is against it that 's the least thou canst not have any peace of conscience in drawing nigh to God until thou come thus far to have thy heart to work thus against sin and to be set upon every good that God reveals to be his mind You know when a man of quality comes to your house what a deal of stir there is not only in sweeping but in making all things as clean and tite and shining as possible can be Thus it should be when thou comest to God And the Reason why there must be this sanctifying of the heart is First Because the Lord doth first accept of the Person before he doth accept of the action Men indeed do accept of the persons of men because they do good actions but God accepts of the actions of men because thesr persons are good If indeed we see a man do good then we love him and accept of the person of the man but God first will accept of the person before the action As the Lord accepted of Abel first and then he accepted his offering So you must look to that to have your persons first accepted of God before any duty can be accepted You think though you be wicked and sinful yet if you amend your life God will accept of you you go that way to work but certainly that is the wrong way you must first look after means of acceptation of your persons which is through the Righteousness of Jesus Christ and through the sanctification of his Spirit whereby you come to have his Image and Life and so are accepted and then all that proceeds from you comes to be accepted There is not any action which comes from you that comes to be accepted to eternal life until your persons be accepted before God and therefore there must be a sanctifying of the heart before there can be a sanctifying the Name of God in the duties of his Worship Therefore when you come to perform any duties of Gods Worship you should consider this Is my heart Sanctified I must sanctifie Gods Name and how can I do that except my heart be sanctified
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 natural 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 natural 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 acted by the Spirit of God thou wilt be changed into the very Image of his Spirit 2. Secondly If men are acted by Natural parts they will not carry them through difficulties and discouragements but now the Spirit of God if thou hast acted by him though thou doest meet with never such difficulties and discouragements thou wilt be carried through them all 3. Thou maiest 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 straightened 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 natural parts but those that have the Spirit of God they can find the Spirit of God acting in others though they have not such natural 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 shall have yong 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 natural 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 perform 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. If it be natural Conscience thou doest not by that encrease 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 findest more and more encrease 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 Waies but through His mercy now I find more communion with Him and so thou 〈◊〉 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 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 Thre'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 Natural Conscience limits its self and is bounded that is so much as will serve the turn for its 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 Soul to Duty when there is most peace and comfort 6. A little will serve the turn to satisfie natural conscience so be it they perform 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 acting 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 several Attributes of God But First for those Two Heads Further 7. The Seventh thing is this When you come to perform 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 unto God And the professing of this is the performance of duty when you are to pray were a very good thing actually to profess your selves to be Gods to profess that you do
Angels and Men that I do acknowledg that the Lord is present with me in this duty 4. Fourthly Consider God is an unchangable God immutable That is another Attribute of God He is unchangeable First Therefore our hearts must be taken off from these mutable things and set upon God as that unchangable good Secondly We must be humbled for our fickleness and unconstantness there is no shadow of change in God and there is no shadow of constancy in us Thirdly When we come into the presence of a God who is unchangable then we should look upon God as being the same now that ever He was heretofore He hath as much displeasure against sin now as ever he had and that God that hath done such great things for his Church in former times is the same God to do good to His people as ever he was And make use of this When you reade the Word and there find how God hath made Himself appear to be glorious for His people and now every time I am to worship God I should think that I am to deal with God that is the same that ever he was a merciful and gracious and just and powerful as ever he was and so my heart is to work towards him 5. Fiftly When I am to Worship God I am to look upon Him as the Living God as that God that hath life in Himself and gives life unto his Creatures Then what sutable behavior doth become me I must come before His presence with fear It is a fearful thing to fall into his hands that is the living God that hath my life under his feet He hath the absolute dispose of my present and eternal condition He gave me my life he hath preserved my life and so may take it away when he pleases and bring death eternal death unto me These things may marvelously help your meditation when you are to come before Him you who are barren in your meditations go over the Attributes of God thus and consider what you may be able to draw from thence God He is the living God What behavior then doth beseem me towards this living God Oh let me be afraid lest my soul depart from the living God Let me bring a living Service to Him I must not bring a dead heart let me take heed how I come before the living God 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 is 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 quikned 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 heavy 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 First To fear his great Power when you come before Him And Secondly 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 infinitely 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 infinitely 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 all straights whatsoever There would be much drawing forth of our Faith if we could present the Lord before us as an infinite 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 all outward helps and means fail then we are discouraged we do not sanctifie Gods Name but we rather take this Name of God in vain 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 infinitely understanding all things Now what doth this call for First If God be a God of infinite 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 its 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 in 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 vain thing for thee to come and conceal 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 al 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
I am never able to do it but there is a Mediator and therefore I 'le fly to him and by Faith tender up to the Father all the merits of his Son as a full satisfaction to his infinite Justice When thou comest thus before the Lord thou Sanctifiest his Name indeed Many think that when they come to pray they should look upon Gods Grace and Mercy and not upon his Justice but thou must look upon both Another Attribute it is Gods Faithfulness Consider thou hast to deal with a God of infinite Truth and Faithfulness and therefore look upon him as an object of thy Faith to rest upon And likewise thou must bring a faithful heart sutable some way to this Faithfulness of God that is a heart faithful with him to keep within the Covenant that thou hast entered into and to perform all the Vows that thou makest with God Remember thou hast to deal with a Faithful God and as the Lord delights to manifest his Righteousness to poor Creatures that seek His face so this God doth expect that thou shouldest be faithful in all the Covenants that thou doest make with Him and this is to sanctifie Gods Name Now then put all these Attributes of God together and there you have his Glory the infinitness of his Glory The shine and lustre of all the Attributes together is Gods Glory I have then to deal with a glorious God and let me labor to perform such services as may have a spiritual Glory upon them that some Image of the Divine Lustre that there is in God may be upon my services and let me look for glorious things seeing I have to deal with such a glorious God You will say Here is a great deal of do in serving of God how much is here that we must do I appeal to any gratious heart What canst thou want of any of these or what wouldest thou want Doest thou say Her 's a great deal Can there be too much to make thee happy These things are not only thy duty but thy happiness glory and excellency consists in them If any one should bring you a great many Jewels and Pearls would you say Here 's a great deal ado Oh no the more the merrier So say I this one meditatiion would take off the thoughts of a deal for in all these my happiness consists and 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 perform 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 mourn for taking the Name of God in vain in the duties of his Worship Rest not in any of your performances labor to perform 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 general 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 sutable 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 Himself 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 Himself 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 al things as sutable unto His own infinit Excellency Now as this is Gods holiness so it is the holiness that God requires in His Creatures that are capable of holiness 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 cōmunion 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 attain the Glory of His infinite Excellency and this makes it to be a necessarie dutie that when we come to Worship Him we 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 special glory that God hath in the world to be actively honored 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 worshiping 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
2. 1. you have a Scripture to the same purpose about hiding the Commandements within us And then in 1 John 2. 14. I write unto you yong men because you are strong and the Word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wiched one I have written unto you yong men you are yong you have strong natures and so strength of nature for God But how comes this to pass You are strong and the Word of God abideth in you Here is an excellent Scripture for all yong men you have your memories fresh and if you will exercise your memories about any thing it should be in the word of God it is a comly and an excellent thing to see yong ones to have the word of God abiding in them that if you come to them not only a week but a month after they have heard the word they are able to give you an account of it I am verily perswaded that there are many yong ones in this place that are able to give you old ones if you ask them an account of what it is to sanctifie Gods Name in the Duties of worship And why Because the word of God abideth in them It is the honor of yong men to have the Word of God to abide in them and hereby they overcome the wicked one And on the other side many yong people that do come to hear the Word it may be they are drawn to it by others or it may be they love to have a walk in the morning but the Word of God abideth not in them and therefore when the wicked one comes with temptations the week after they are overcome by him but those that have the Word of God abiding in them they overcome the wicked one And so in Job 8. 31. you have a very remarkable Scripture for this purpose of keeping the Word after we have heard it Then said Jesus to those which beleeved on Him if you continue in my Word then are you my Disciples indeed I beseech you observe it It is said that the Jews did beleeve in Christ and yet saith Christ If you continue in my Word then are you my Disciples why were they not the Disciples of Christ that did beleeve in him By this beleeving therefore we must understand some kind of general notion that they had of Christ they began to think that Christ might be the true Messias some kind of imperfect beleeving they had but they were not throughly 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 here 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 heating 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 labor 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 hearer but a doer of the Word this man saith he shall be blessed in his deed And vers 22. Be ye doers 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 reasoning and thou doest but cozen thy self Be not a hearer only but a doer of the Word that thou maiest 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 o judg thereby what you hear but yet still you are wicked in your lives this is despising of the riches of the goodness of God towords you And in Philippians 2 16. you have a remarkable text where the holy Ghost saith of the Phylippians 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 early 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 belold 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 bretheren 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 which hath done good to my soul the Word is that which I would not for ten thousand worlds but have heard it and shall I disgrace this Word shall I give any occasion that this Word of the Lord should be spoken ill of by reason of me O God forbid Therefore if you regard not your selves and your own honor yet regard the honor of the word If ever you have got any good by the word you should go away with this resolution well I will labor all the daies of my life to honor this word of God that I have got so much good by If this were but the resolution of every one of your hearts this morning it would be a blessed mornings work SERMON X. Leviticus 10. 3. I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me NOW follow the Reasons why God stands so much upon it That he will have his Name Sanctified in this Ordinance of hearing his Word 1. First It is because there is so much of God in his Word and therefore we should Sanctifie Gods Name If it were possible there could be sin in Heaven that sin would be greater than sin committed here therefore the sin of the Angels when they were in Gods presence in a more special manner was the greater The Name of God being in any thing the greater will be the evil if we do not sanctifie Gods Name in it now there is very much of God in his Word more of God there than in all the Works of Creation and Providence In Ps 138. 2 Thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name There being therefore so much of God in his Word we must sanctifie the Name of God in it 2. Secondly God hath appointed His Word to be the great Ordinance to convey the special mercies that He intends for the good of His People That we spake to before in the general in shewing how the duties of Gods Worship are as a Channel for the conveyance of Special good to the Saints But none more than the Word that 's the Ordinance to convey the first Grace to those that belong to Gods election The Sacraments is for strengthening and therefore there is rather more in the Word than in the Sacrament and yet every one thinks in conscience that he is bound to come carefully to the Sacrament and to look to Sanctifie Gods Name there It is an easier matter to convince men and women that they are bound to sanctifie the Name of God when they come to receive the holy Communion than for the hearing of the Word they think not so much of that but certainly the Word is appointed to be an Ordinance of conveying more blessing than the Sacrament because it is appointed to convey the first Grace and to convey strength of Grace as well as the Sacrament Now being appointed to convey such great things to the souls of the elect both the first grace and strengthening of grace and comfort and assistance thereof the Lord expects to have his name santifiied in it 3. Thirdly The name of God must be Sanctiffed in the Word because the word is very quick and lively it works men or women to life or death to salvation or damnation In Heb. 4. 12. The word of God quick and powerfull and sharper than any two edged sword piercing even to the deviding a sunder of soul and spirit c. It is very quick of operation the text saith that is when God hath to deal with men by His Word He wil not stand dallying and trifling with them but he is very quick with them either to bring there soules to life or to cast them away The time of mens ignorance God winks at but now he cals all men to repent Let them look to it now God did forbeare in the time of ignorance but He will not forbear so when the word comes Now is the Ax laid to the root of the tree And when was that when John Baptist came to preach repentance because the kingdom of Heaven is at hand though the tree were barren before and did not bring sorth good sruit yet it might stand still and not be cut down but when the powerfull ministration of the World comes then the Ax is laid to the root of the Tree either now come in and be saved or resist the Word and perish And therefore that is very observable when Christ sends out His Disciples to preach in Mark 16. 15 16. Saith he Go ye into al the world and preach the Gospel to every creature and he that beleeveth and is Baptized shall be saved but he that beleeveth not shall be damned As if he should say there shall be quick work made with them go preach those that belong to my election shal be brought in to beleeve and be saved and the others shall be damned As if God should say If they will come in and imbrace the Gospel they shall be saved if they wil not they shall be damned and there is an end of them So that I say we have need to look to it that we Sanctifie the name of God in His Word upon these Three Grounds Because there is so much of God in His Word Because he hath appointed it to convey the greatest Mercies to His Saints And because God is very quick in His Word one way or other We shall now proceed to the Application of this Point And First by way of reprehension to all those that do not sanctifie Gods Name in hearing the Word and herein we shal shew their feareful condition and how God will Sanctifie His Name upon them in waies of judgment and then when we come to the use of Exhortation to exhort you to sanctifie the Name of God there we shall shew you likewise how God will sanctifie His Name in waies of mercy upon those that do sanctifie Him in waies of obedience in Hearing of His Word 1. For the first Certainly if that be to sanctsfie the Name of God that we have spoken of Gods Name is but very little sanctified by people that do come to hear His Word and we have no cause to wonder that there is so little good got by the Word because there are so few that make conscience to sanctifie Gods Name in hereing it Some there are that are so far from sanctifying Gods Name in it as they altogether neglect it and make it a matter of nothing whether they come to hear it
given and whosoever hath not from him shal be taken even that which he seemeth to have You had need look to your selves how you hear for the truth is all depends upon it under God have you got any common gifts of the Spirit of God or any abilities to do any service for God do not be proud of them neither be jolly nor think that you are able to do better than others and that those are but ordinary things that the Minister speaks and you are gotten into a higher form Look to your selves take heed you come not to the Word with a proud Spirit be not offended at the plainness of the Word take heed how you hear for if you do not that that you seem to have shall be taken from you saith Christ You seem to have excellent gifts yea you seem to have grace too but take heed how you hear for all this whatsoever parts you have got though you be highly esteemed in the company where you come and you are able to do things more than others yet I say Take heed how you hear for otherwise that that you have will be taken away from you have we not seen this in our own experience and it is apparant that they began to be withered and to be blasted by neglecting of the word And therefore I beseech you look to this that you doe sanctifie the name of God in His Word and let your hearts bow unto it as unto the Ordinance of God and wait upon it in the Ministry of it lest you wither and be blasted and come to nothing And thus I have shewen the great evil of not sanctifying Gods Name and how God will be sanctified I shall be very brief in the Use of Exhortation Oh that the Lord by this would cause something to stick upon your hearts that what hath been preached in this point may be made useful for many Sermons afterwards that it might be said of you in this place as it was said of them in Act. 13. 48. When the Gentils heard this they were glad and glorified the Word of the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternal life beleeved Oh! that God would make every one of you to be a means to glorifie the Word of God! That should be our care that the Word of God may be glorified by us we come to hear the Word but take heed that the Word of God be not dishonored 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 labor 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 wise hath attended upon the Word I have seen a beauty in her conversation she it more holy more gentle and meek and so my servant more submissive and faithfull 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 owne husbands that the word of God be not blasphemed you must performe your duties unto your husbands and why that so the Word of God be not blasphemed that is that neither your husband 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 conscience 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 here 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 Gods Name in the hearing of His Word as to honor it and how God will sanctifie His own Name in mercie 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 Gospell and to have all the good in that to be thine that must needs be an excellent thing you will say smotimes I read and heare 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 signe by which thou maiest be assured that they are all thy portion Is it thy unfaned care to sanctifie Gods Name in the hearing of His Word Oh peace be to thee all the good in the Word in 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 will only give you one Scripture for your encouragment 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 heard the sweetnes of it for the want of understanding it It is quoted out of Deut. for Moses describeth the righteousnes which is of the Law that the man which doth those things shal live by them But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thine heart who shal ascend into Heaven that is To bring Christ down from above or who shal ascend 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 difficulty and yet exceeding sweet to us to know it I confess if the Apostle Paul had not quoted this place out of Deuteronomy and thus interpreted it who could ever have thought in reading of Deuteronomy that by one had been 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
hearing of his Word you will be the glory of the Ministers of God at the great day of Judgment You will be an honor to them before the Lord and his Saints and Angels In Phil. 2. 16. Holding forth saith the text the Word of Life This is the duty of all the hearers of the Word that they must hold forth the Word of Life When you go home you must hold forth the power of the Word you hear well what wil become of that That I may rejoyce in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain neither labored in vain Let that be one Motive amongst the rest Saith the Apostle This will be such a glory to me That I in the day if Iesus Christ shall rejoyce that I have not labored in vain I shal bless God for all my studies and care and all the pains that ever I have taken and venturing my self for this people I shall bless God in the day of Jesus Christ Would it not be a comfortable thing to you that all the Ministers of God that come to preach the Word saithfully to you if at the day of Christ you should hear them blessing God that ever he did send them to preach the Gospel in such a place and you should hear them saying O Lord it may be had I been sent to another place I should have spent all my strength in vain but through thy mercy I was sent to a teachable people that were ready to imbrace thy Word Oh! this is my crown and glory Would it not do good to any whose hearts are faithful to think this That their holding froth the Word of Life will not only be a glory to God which is the chief but it will be a glory to the Ministers to recompence all their labors that you shall not only be saved your selves in the day of Jesus Christ but you shall add to the glory of his faithful Ministers likwise when they do appear before Christ 5. I shall add one particular more There is a time coming when God shall magnifie his word and make it honorable What a joy shall it be to thee when the Lord before Men and Angels shall come to magnifie his Word and make it honorable for thee then to think This is the Word that spoke to my heart at such and such a time this is that Word that I did reverence that I did obey that I did love that I made to be the joy of my heart this Word the Lord now doth magnifie and make to be honorable This will be comfortable to thy soul THE ELEVENTH SERMON Leviticus 10. 3. I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me THE last day we finished the Point fanctification of the Name of God in the hearing of his Word and now we will proceed to the sanctification of the Name of God in receiving the Sacrament That 's the next duty of Worship Now first for the word Sacrament I confess we have not that word in all the Scripture as neither have we the word Trinity and divers other words which Ministers make use of to set forth the Mysteries of Religion by but yet it is usefull to consider the meaning why Ministers in the Church have given this name unto those sings and seals that the Church receives Sacrament is to hallow a thing or to dedicate because in the Sacraments there are outward things that are made holy for holy and spirituall ends Secondly We our selves do as it where hallow or dedicate our selves unto God in the vse of these Ordinances That one reason from whence it hath the name Or otherwise as some will have it Sacramentum because it is to be received sacrament with a holy mind and therefore caled the Sacrament The Churches have vsed it a long time in Tertulliar's time which was above fourteen hundred years since he was the first that we find vsed this word and most that would open the word unto us say that especially it was taken from the practice of Solders who when they came listed themselves bound themselves in to a solemn Oath to be faithfull to their Captain and to the cause that they did undertake and the Oath they were wount to call Sacramentum A Sacrament Now in regard that Christians when they come to this Ordinance they come to seale a Covenant with God and though they do not formally and explicitely take an Oath yet they bind themselves in a holy Covenant which hath the strength even of an Oath in it For a solemn Promise to the high God hath the strength of an Oath in it and from thence they were call'd by these names Srcraments but that for the Word that you may understand it But the word the Scripture useth to set out this Sacrament by that that now I am speaking of is the communion of the body and blood of Christ so you have it in 1 Cor. 10. 6. The cup of blessing which we bless is it not Communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we break is it not the Communion of the body of Christ I say we are now treating about this point how we are to sanctifie the Name of God in that which the Scripture cals the Communion of the body and blood of Christ And now for the opening of that First we must know that this is a part of the Worship of God and we draw nigh to God in this or otherwise it will not come up to our point And then we shall shew that God is to be sanctified in this duty of worship And then thirdly how First We do in this draw nigh to God We worship God For when we are coming to receive these holy Signs and Seals we come to present our selves before God and we have to deale with God Himself in a service that He Himself requires of us in a Holy in a Divine service we come to present our selvess to God for blessing for communication of some higher good unto us than pobssily those Creatures that we have to deal with are able of themselves to convey to us we come for a higher good than to tast a pece of bread or to drink a draught of wine we come I say to present our selves to God that we might have Communion with him and that we might have the blessing of the Covenant of grace conveyed unto us through these things now certainly this is a drawing nigh to God for to present our selves for the conveyance of the blessing of the Covenant of Grace through these Creatures yea that we might have communion with God himself in them this is drawing nigh to him when we come to his Table therefore we draw nigh to God had not God instituted and appointed these Creatures Bread and Wine and the actions about them to be the means of conveyance of blessing unto us it had been Will-worship for us to have expected any further presence of God in such creatures than there is in the
Know ye nst saith he that a little leaven leaveneth the whol lump the Apostle doth not speak there of sin but of the wicked incestuous person saith he you must look to it that this man be purged out from you or otherwise you are all leavened by it that is the whol Church would be leavened by it if there were not care taken to purge out that one man You will say shall we be the worse for one wicked mans coming No if we be no way faulty in it then we cannot be said to be worse and it cannot leaven us but now when it is our duty to purge him out and we do not do it as in all communion of Saints there is a duty and there is not any one but may do somthing towards it thus far every communicant in every communion of Saints must go if there be a wicked man there if you come to know it and do not go thus far as I have spoken you are defiled by him you are not defiled by the meer presence of wicked men for that is a meer deceit and gull that some would put upon men that differ from them otherwise but thus now you are defiled by their presence if you do not do your duty and the uttermost that you are able to purge them out yea then the whol Congregation is defiled if they do not do their duty now this is the duty of every one in the Congregation to tell their brother or to take two or three and after that to tel the Church and so come to profess against them or if the Church will not do their duty as they ought yet then to free their own souls as to profess here is one that is so and so guilty and may be proved thus and thus and so for my part I to free my own soul profess that this man or woman ought not to have communion here and thus you come to free your own souls and when you have done thus though wicked men be there you may there eat and drink and not be defiled by their presence for you cannot be said properly to eat with them now not to have communion with them no more than if a dog should come and skip upon the Table and take a piece of bread you cannot have communion with him because he takes it no more have you with those wicked men when once you have dealt so fare with them you for your selves profess against them that you for your own particular cannot have communion with them herein this is not to eat with them The Apostle in 1 Cor. 5. latter end he doth there require in the 11. v. that If any man that is called a Brother be a fornicator or covetous or an idolater or a railor or a drunkard or an Extortioner with such an one no not to eat for what have I to do to judg them also that are without that is the Heathens and those that are in no communion with them I have nothing to do to judg them but do not ye judg them that are within When we have so far freed out selvs as professing against their sin then we cannot be said to have communion with them and then we do withdraw from those that walk disorderly when we do our duty thus far 1 Thess 3. 14. If any man obey not our Word by this Epistle note that man and have no company with him that he may be ashamed and in the sixt verse of that Chapter he commands them in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that they should withdraw themselves from every brother that walked disorderly So that till we do our duty we come to be defiled but now if we do our duty then it is not the mixture of a Congregation that is enough to hinder any from receiving the Sacrament there and this will tend much to satisfie men about the receiving in mixt Congregations where any are cast into them and are actual Members there But now on the other side if we be in a place where either this Congregation will not take upon them any such power to cast out unworthy ones or are not convinc'd of this power then there is no rule that Christ hath set that we must he forced al our dayes to continue to be in such a Congregation as denies one of the Ordinances of Jesus Christ if so be there be any such that are wicked and we doe first what we can to have them cast out and we wait with patience in such a Congregation for to have them cast out and yet we see that either the Congregation doth not understand that they have any such power or deny such a power that they have and so upon that all people are left in a mixt way I say then there is no rule in all the Book of God that should force men to continue to be Members of such a Communion where they cannot enjoy one Ordinance of Jesus Christ which is the Ordinance of Separating the precious from the vile the Ordinance of casting out the wicked and ungodly It where a very diseased body and in danger quickly of the loss of life to take in every thing into it and to have no exexpulsive faculty to purge any thing out again so a congregation that is altogether without such an Ordinance as that is of expelling such as are wicked and ungodly I say I find no Scripture that doth force people and require them as bound in conscience to continue there where they may not injoy all the Ordinances of Jesus Christ and the right understanding of what I saw now will help us to answer all those Scriptures that are brought As if it be that of Judas first it is hard to make it out cleer whether it were the Lords Sudper that he received yea or no but suppose it be granted that he did yet I make no queststion but such as Judas was that shall continue to make such anoutward profession as he did and could not be discovered in the Church-way but that we may receive with such as are close hypocrites You will say Jesus Christ knew him to be faulty and he told John that lay in his bosom what he was but though he knew him as he was God yet he deales with him in his ministerial way and he had appointed before that none were to be cast out but were to be delt withal in such a Ministerial way so that it is not enough though I knew by Revelation from God that such a man were an Hypocrite suppose God should reveale from heaven to me that such a man were an hypocrite I think I might communicate with him still when he doth not so far discover himself that I can by witness prove his evil therefore though men be wicked yet it doth not defile the communion where they are if there hath been that way used that Christ hath appointed for the observation in His Church And when that is done then
upon the heads of the wicked therefore Gods Name is to be sanctified in Prayer It is to be sanctified first in preparation Psalm 10. 17. Thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine ear to hear It is the Lord that prepareth the heart and then he causes his ear to hear and therefore in 1 Pet. 5. 7 we are there required to watch unto prayer men and women should keep a narrow watch over their hearts and minds that they may not be hindred in their prayers that they may be alwaies in a fit posture to pray watch unto prayer it 's that that would help us against many temptations to evil if I give way not to such and such temptations it will hinder my prayers I shall not have that freedom and enlargement in prayer as otherwise if I give way to such and such things therefore let me take heed of this or it will hinder my prayers As if the Apostle should say this should be the care of Christians then they are like to sanctifie the Name of God in prayer if this be their great care that there is nothing in the world that shall hinder their prayers O let me take heed I do nothing to hinder my prayers if I go abroad into company and am merry and jocond and there game and drink and sprot my self in company will not this hinder my prayers will not this hinder the spiritualness of my heart in Communion with God in prayer when I come home at night I appeal to you have you had that freedom in prayer afterwards surely no therefore watch unto prayer Now for the preparation of the heart to prayer we must understand either First What is to be done in the course of ones life Or. Secondly What 's to be done just when one comes to prayer For the first The course of ones life labor to keep all things even and cleer between God and your souls that so you may not come with shakles about your legs with guiltiness I mean upon your consciences men that have given way to any base sinful way when thay come to prayer the guilt of there hearts doth even sink them but those that can keep their peace with God in the course of thier lives they have other manner of freedom in prayer than you that walk loosly and contract guiltiness upon your spirits And then the second thing is To keep our hearts sensible of our continual dependance upon God sensible how we depend upon God for whatsoever we are whatsoever we have whatsoever we do for the blessing of all is from God The beams of the Sun do not so depend upon the Sun as we upon God that if he doth but withdraw Himself never so little from us we all sink down to nothing and perish for ever that soul that every day and hour is sensible of the infinite dependance it hath upon God for its present and eternal estate will be fit for prayer and that should be our care for to carry our selves as any hour in the day or minute in the hour we might be fit to go to prayer and that 's one meaning of that place in the Thessalonians Pray continually not that every moment we should be praying but that we should keep our hearts in a praying frame some of you when you have let out your passions and are in a distemper what will you go to prayer now your conscience will tell you that you are not fit to go to prayer at that time Certainly if you be not fit to pray you are not fit to live you are in an ill condition at any time if you be not fit to pray and there can be no excuse whatsoever that can be sufficient to plead for your selves why you should not be fit to pray at any time there is that continual dependance upon God for all and that need you have of the blessing of God for every thing that there is reason you should be in a fit condition for praying at all times but now when you come to prayer at the set time then there should be a special preparation First You should prepare your selves by getting fresh and powerful apprehensions of the glory of God before whom you go prepare by meditation about the glory of that infinite God that you are now addressing your self unto possess your selves with thoughts and meditations of the glory of the great God that 's the first Secondly Labor to get your hearts sensible of what you go for I am now going to God for what for pardon of sin or for assurance of his love or for power against sin or for such and such mercies let me by meditation work my heart to be sensible of these things that I am going to God for to set a due price upon those mercies that I am praying for and to get my heart affected with them Thirdly Labor to get your hearts separated from the world and from all things that are here below in the world and that should have been a third thing in the course of your lives you should never let out your hearts to any creature either to businesses or pleasures in the world so but that you may have command of your hearts to call them when you will to call them in to God in prayer and then when you come to prayer there should be an actual separation of your hearts from all things in the world dedicating your selves to God for this time as one that hath nothing to do with the world nothing to do with anie thing but this dutie that now you are about this is the preparation of your hearts to prayer in the course of your lives Now then for the Prayer its self First We must consider of the Matter of Prayer And Secondly Of the Manner of it First for the Matter of it We must look to it that it be according to Gods will 1 John 5. 14. This is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us therfore for the Matter we must be sure it must be good that we pray for it must be for the Glorie of God for the good of our selves and the good of our Brethren First for the Glorie of God that should be the chief matter that we are to pray for so Christ when he teacheth us to pray he begins the very first Petition Matthew 6. 9 1â— Hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdom come thy Will be done First begin with the Glorie of God mind that in the chief place above all other things God gives you leave to pray for outward things but first for the Glorie of God minding that before your own benefit before the pardon of sin and your dailie bread how few do sanctifie Gods Name in this people have little mind to pray but when they are in outward afflictions when they are upon their sick beds then they wil pray or at Sea in storms then they
corruption that was in thy soul before the working of thy corruptions will discover much evil in thy heart that thou didst not think was there before when the corruptions of men and women lie still they think there is no such thing in their souls as your civil men what 's the reason that they bless themselves and think they are in a good condition it 's because their corruptions lie still in them and do not stir they cannot beleeve what abundance of wickedness there is in their hearts if God should open the wickedness that there is in the hearts of men naturally and so all unregenerate men they would think you spake strange riddles whereas they bless themselves they bless God they know no such thing in their hearts No yes there are such things only they are not stir'd but they lie quiet as mud in the bottom of a pond there it is yet you cannot see it till it be stir'd at first conversion I say the Lord suffers thy corruption thus to stir that he may discover to thee what an evil heart thou hast what abundance of sin there is in thy heart and therefore your yong converts they look upon themselves as more loathsom and vile than ever they thought they had been And besides The Devil sees it a vain thing to tempt a yong Convert to any gross act of sin when conscience hath life and power in it he shall never prevail that way but now he thinks he may prevail to disturb them with vain thoughts and therefore he laies his strength most that way therefore let not such be discouraged that find their spirits anoyed and pestred with them if they make them to be the burden of their souls notwithstanding much vanity of thoughts the Lord will accept of any desire that they have to sanctifie his Name in holy Duties And I shal give you these three or four Rules to help you against these wandring and vain thoughts in holy Duties and especially in Prayer First When thou goest to prayer account it to be a great work set a high price upon thy prayer not as having any excellency in it as it comes from thee but set an high price upon it as a great Ordinance of God wherein there is communion with God to be enjoyed and the influence of the grace of God to be conveyed through it so set an high price upon prayer at every time thou art going to prayer Lord I am now setting upon a work that is of very great consequence and much lies upon it and I would account it to be a sore and a great evil to me if I should lose but this prayer this would be a special means to compose thy spirit and to keep thee from wandring as Nehemiah in Nehem. 6. 3. a place which I have sometimes quoted upon such an occasion when the enemies of Nehemiah that would hinder the building of the Temple sent to him that they might talk together no saith he I am doing a great work to that I cannot come down so when the Devil and the vanity of thine own heart would send to thee to parly and talk as it were with thee give an answer I cannot stand parlying with these things the work that I am about is a great work there are verie few people that do account the work of prayer a great work if thou didst it would help thee much against the vanitie of thy thoughts Secondly Every time thou goest to prayer thou that art most troubled with such vain thoughts renew thy resolutions against them I have been troubled with vain thoughts heretofore and am afraid if I look not to it that I shall lose this Prayer also and therefore O Lord here I renew my resolutions to set against them in this prayer with all my might it is very much that may be done with strong resolutions and especially if thy strong resolutions be renewed resolutions for an old resolution begins to grow weak a man that hath resolved upon a thing a great while ago it hath little power over him but now when a man hath resolved upon a thing but this morning and just at the time when he is going about it now he doth resolve upon it and set himself upon it and doth resolve through the Grace of God that whatsoever difficultie he meets withal whatsoever it cost him that he will go through this work I say that resolutions renewed have a great deal of power and you cannot imagine what a great deal of power the renewing of resolution against vain thoughts will have if they were renewed everie time thou goest to prayer until thou gettest power over thy thoughts do but make trial of this thou hast lost many a prayer by vain thoughts and thou hast been troubled for them and yet they come again do but trie for this week as I remember I said in the point of passion and anger that we should resolve with our selves well whatsoever falls out this morning I am resolved I will bear it so bethink thy self how many Prayers thou hast lost by vain thoughts and now renew thy resolutions and Covenant with God that for this Prayer I will set my self against them whatsoever pains I take I will be sure yet withal to look up to Gods Grace to assist me I will be sure this prayer to keep my heart close to what I am about and perhaps that will help you a little but yet some vain thoughts wil come for all that then the next night renew them again and the next morning renew them again and that till thou comest to a habit of keeping thy heart close to the dutie though now thou feelest thy heart so wild that thou thinkest it is impossible to bring it into order but certainly by such a means thy heart will be brought into order Thirdly Be sure to set the presence of God before you in prayer have a real sight of the infinite Greatness Majestie and Glorie of that you present your selves unto when you are calling upon him if so be that thou canst be a real sight of God in his Glorie it will keep thy heart close to the dutie as if a man be wandring with his eyes and looking after everie feather if the King or some great person come into the room all his thoughts would be about the King or the great person that were coming in so if you would present the Lord in his Glorie and Greatness Excellencie Majestie and Power before you and what a dreadful God he is in himself and yet what a merciful God he is to us in his Son this would mightily compose our hearts certainly men and women that are so wandring in their prayers it is because their eyes are not open to look upon God in his Glorie they are as it were dreaming and do not apprehend that God stands and looks upon them and observes them and that God takes notice of everie wandring thought that comes from them
Absolutely SPiritual things to be prayed for absolutely Page 277 Accept Acceptation Acceptation of our persons the means of it 69 God accepts not the duties of wicked men 116 The services of the Saints accepted 120 Act Actual Action see Grace Actual sanctification 68 The Lord accepts the person before the Action 69 God is a pure Act and requires Actual service 97 Adoption Sign of adoption to desire to be oft in Gods presence 36 We must pray in the spirit of adoption 294 Affections Affections the strength of them required in Gods Worship Page 82 Aggravation Aggravation of sin to neglect due hearing of the Word 200 Afflictions see Honor They that sanctifie not God in hearing the Word can have no comfort from it in afflictions 206 Whether it be lawful to pray for afflictions 277 Afflictions in themselves materially evil 278 All All that we have must be given to God 63 All things sanctified to the godly 319 Altar Christ is the Altar upon which we must offer all our sacrifices 92 Angel Angel what it signifieth Page 91 Angels the aggravation of their sia 195 Anger Anger not to be brought into Gods service 19 Apply We must apply the Word in hearing it 175 Apostasie see Schism Apostasie the ground of it 106 Assurance The Gospel gives assurance of salvation 212 Attention Attention must be given in hearing the Word 171 B Beginners Beginners in Religion to be careful of preparation 56 Beleeving Beleeving the condition of the Covenant of grace 232 Birds Wandring thoughts in prayer as the birds to Abrahams sacrifice 283 Blast God blasts those men that sanctifie him not in Worship 117 God will blast those that neglect his word 208 Bless Many bless themselves in evil waies 198 To bless God for helping us against wandring thoughts in prayer 289 Blind Blind sacrifice not to be offered to God 98 Blood A fearful thing to be guilty of Christs blood 230 Breathing see Spirit Broken see Heart What kind of broken heart is required in receiving the Lords Supper Page 255 Christs body broken for us 268 C Children Gods Saints may meet with afflictions in their Children 20 Ground of Consentment in afflictions upon our Children 21 Church Church what it signifies 235 Church defiled by wicked men uncast out 236 Civil see Worship Christ All worship must be tendred in the Name of Christ 91 All must be tendred in Christ because of Gods Justice 101 They that reject the Word reject Christ 201 All our prayers must be tendered in the Name of Christ 296 Command Nothing must be tendred to God in worship but what he hath commanded 8 No express command for many things in the New Testament 15 Comfort see Word Communion Communion with God not encreased by duties done with natural conscience 88 The Sacrament the Ordinance of our Communion with Christ 229 The Sacrament must be received in a holy Communion 234 How far the presence of wicked men hinder this communion 234 No close Church communion with wicked men 240 More communion with Christ in the Sacrament than in the Word Page 251 Confession Ground of confession to God 98 Conscience Sinners against Conscience need great preparation to Duties 57 Duties acted by natural conscience 88 Natural conscience limits it self in duties 89 Trouble of conscience should make men meekly hear the Word 180 Consciences of wicked men troubled about the Sacrament 230 Constant Men acted by Natural parts are not constant in Duties 88 There must be constancy in our prayers 295 Contrary The Word will be made good on the contrary to those that abuse it 205 Conversion Conversion not wrought by the Sacrament 232 Covenant In the Sacrament we make a solemn Covenant 226 Covenant of grace sealed in the Sacrament 229 Those that receive the Sacrament must be in the Covenant of grace 232 Condition of that Covenant ibid Renewing of Covenant in the Sacrament 257 Crucified Christ crucified in the Sacrament 248 Curse They that neglect the Word are nigh to a curse 203 Cursing of others sinful 278 How far we may curse the Enemies of the Church 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 97 Consciences of carnal men opened upon their death bed 118 Death of Christ to be meditated on in the Sacrament 165 Dear see Glory Delight God delights in our drawing nigh to him 37 Depart To neglect Gods Worship is to depart from him 33 Dependance We should continually be sensible of our dependance on God 274 Desire We must hear the Word with a desire after it 170 Devil Devil gratified by omission of duties 59 Vnseasonable motions though materially good come from the Devil 82 Wandering thoughts in prayer suggested by the Devil 286 Difficulty Natural parts in performance of duties will not carry through difficulties 87 Not to be discouraged in difficulties considering Gods power 97 The work of Religion difficult 109 Dignity see Prerogative The more dignity the more danger 12 Dishonor It were a dishonor to God to accept the services of wicked men 116 Disposition Inward disposition in prayer 292 Divine see Service Doubt The time of receiving the Sacrament no time of doubting 254 We must pray without doubting Page 293 Duty The holiness of a duty will not bear men out in the miscarriage in it 17 Omission of duty will not fit for duty 58. 113 The doing of one duty prepares for another 60 Duties not to be rested on 103. 107 115 To be humbled for our best duties 111 All duties of carnal worshipers lost 112 Sin of hypocrites aggravated by holy duties ibid E Easie Preparation to make duties easie 52 Election Evidence of Election 213 End see Extremity Our ends must be high in the worship of God 72 Base ends of men in Gods worship ib. To have right ends a part of wisdom 99 It is the nature of God to will himself the last end 104 Engagement Engagements of prayer to be performed 293 Envy see Mean Eternity Eternity of God how to be considered in our Worship 94 Excellency Thoughts of our own excellency to be cast off in our worship 85 Exemplary Exemplary judgments should make us look into the word how God makes it good 23 Extremity Men that regard duties only in extremity make themselves their end 77 Examination Examination required in partaking of the Sacrament Page 233 Eye Faith as an eye to see Christ in the Sacrament 252 F Faith Faithfulness Faithfulness of God what it should teach us 102 Faith must be mixed in hearing the word 177 Faith exercised in receiving the Sacrament 252 Faith how to act it in the Sacrament 271 We must pray in faith 293 Faculties All the faculties of the soul to be given up in prayer 281 Familiarity see Potent Drawing nigh to God breeds familiarity 37 Benefit of familiarity with God 38 Falling away Falling away the ground of it 34 Fear see Publick
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 smal 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 is no priviledges or dignities of man that can secure them from Gods stroke Eirst 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 kills 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 worms 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 Princes 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 the 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 Because the two elder sons had the dignity and priviledg to come and offer the Incense and having greater dignity than the yonger and not being careful to behave themselves as they ought to do the Lord smote them and the yonger they escaped And so many times they that are in a meaner condition they escape when those that are in a higher condition they are struck Let men that are in higher conditions than others look to themselves for their danger is greater And you that are in a meaner condition envy not those that are higher for you may be more safe in that mean condition which you are in than they in theirs The Fifth Note is this That the beginnings of things of high concernment do meet sometimes with great difficulties and interruptions This Note I gather from hence That Nadab and Abihu were struck at the very beginning of their Priest-hood As now suppose there were a new Office erected in a Common-wealth that concern'd the publick good of the Kingdom and in the very first erecting of the Office there falls out some hideous accident that rings throughout the whol Kingdom as if God from Heaven had done something against them in that Office As now Suppose that the first time the Judges should come at the Bench that God should strike them from Heaven dead at the very Bench it would be a mighty matter to darken the glory and honor of that Office So one would think that it should have been a mighty matter to have darkned the glory and the honor of the Priest-hood alwaies but God stands not upon that many times the beginnings of great things are darkned by sad accidents and therefore let us not be offended though we see some sad accidents to fall out at the beginning of great things for though accidents fall out sadly at first yet God may prosper it afterwards as he did the Priest-hood The Sixth Note is That those that enter into publick places and especially such places as concern the Worship of God they had need have the fear of God much upon them when they first enter into those places Now this were a very good Point if I were to preach to an Auditory of Ministers You see Nadab and Abihu upon their first consecration the Lord smote them for this little miscarriage as we would think And that 's a Sixth Note which especially concerns Ministers and therefore I pass it over The Seventh Note that we have and that 's very useful for us all God would have us all to pick out his mind from dark expressions in his Word Though he doth not express His Will fully and in express terms yet if there be any thing in his Word whereby we may come to gather the mind of God God expects that we should gather His mind out of His Word and if we do not it 's at our own peril The mind of God about this strange fire that these offered you will say They were to pick it out How could they have known that it was Gods mind that they should not offer any fire but that on the Altar They should have reasoned thus with themselves What hath God let fire come down from Heaven upon the Altar and hath He Commanded that that should be preserved on the Altar for His service Surely this must be Gods mind then that we should make use of this fire rather than any other fire God expects that they should have reasoned thus but because they did not pick out Gods mind by reasoning after this manner therefore the hand of God came out upon them They offended and it may be it was through ignorance but it was at their peril if they were ignorant of the mind of God when it might be known though it were but darkly revealed and were to be pickt out from several places compared together it was at their peril It is a Point that we have a great deal of need of for this is the vain heart of man That if there be any thing that God would have that is not sutable to his own ends he will stand wrangling against it and cavelling at it How doth it appear will he say can you bring express Scripture for it Bring me express Scripture in words for to prove it and then I will beleeve it and so stands out till you bring so many words of Scripture that forbids such a thing or commands such a duty Now my Brethren if you be
of this temper That you will forbear nothing nor set up any thing but what you have directly express words of Scripture for you may run at your own peril into woful dangers into woful sins know that God hath so revealed a great part of his mind as it is only to be known by gathering one thing from another and by comparing one thing with another And God expects this from you That if upon examination of Scripture that one thing appear more likely to be his mind and will than another you are bound to go that way that is more likely I told you before That in matters of Worship we must have warrant from the Word but it doth not follow That we must have a direct express warrant in every thing As it is many times in some kind of picture the great Art it is in the cast of the looks you cannot say it 's in the drawing of this line or the other line but altogether it is the cast of the looks that causes the beauty of the Picture So in the Scripture you cannot say that this one line or the other line take it single that proves it but let them be laid all together and there will be a kind of aspect of Gods mind that we may see that this is the mind of God rather than the other and we are bound to go that way Now so far Nadab and Abihu might have seen that they should rather have taken fire off the Altar than any other Fire But they presum'd because they had not express word and you see it was at their peril Oh take heed of standing out and wrangling against what is required because you have not express words the Lord hath laid things so and especially in the New Testament for the ordering of the Church in the new Testament as you have not express Command for abundance of things but sometimes an example in some things and sometimes not a cleer example neither but compare one thing with another and that which seems to be neerest the mind of God that should be bond enough to us to tye us to go according to what the mind of God seems most probable to be in the Scripture and an humble teachable heart will soon be convinced when another man will not We find it cleerly That such things that are most sutable to mens own ends a little matter will serve the turn to perswade men to it though one might argue against it I could easily shew it but that I think it not so convenient in Pulpits to meddle with such things as those are Those things I say which are sutable 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 yield 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 mervailous to consider what a do there is to convince a man before he is humbled of some part of Gods will and how easie is it 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 beforehand and say Whosoever offers strange Fire I will consume them with Fire from Heaven But they meet with a judgment that was not threatned Consider of this it may be when we come to 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 maiest 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 judgments hath more dreadful things than ever yet hath been reveal'd 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 infinite Justice Power and Wisdom of God to find out and execute upon sinners for thou 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 soever 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 with 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 miscarriage of it 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 perform many holy duties take heed of giving way to your selves in
way or other appear to be against me in such duties that I tender up unto him Now you will say How doth God appear that he doth not accept of them He will appear in these three things 1. First By blasting those that do worship him thus in a formal way It shall at first be secret but afterwards it will appear more apparantly and we see it by experience that such as have been Professors of Religion and worship God in hypocrisie and in formality they have been blasted in their parts and common gifts The Judgment of God upon Nadab and Abihu that did not Sanctifie Gods Name it was secret at first It struck them dead and though by fire yet if you reade the story you shall find that their cloathes were not burnt and yet they were burnt in their bodies So the Lord sometimes doth blast men inwardly in their Spirits in their Souls in their Parts in their common Gifts He blasts them I say inwardly though it doth not appear outwardly yet at length it will appear before men that they are blasted and in these times of the Gospel the Lord doth come with spiritual judgments rather than with outward temporal judgments In the time of the Law those that did not Sanctifie the Name of God in holy duties the Lord did appear by some external and visible way upon their bodies but now in the time of the Gospel there God comes with more spiritual judgments upon mens souls and those are the most terrible judgments We have a notable Scripture for this in Isa 29. 13. How God doth blast those that do not sanctifie his Name in holy duties 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 what follows Therfore behold I wil proceed to do a marvelous work amongst this people even a marvelous work and a wonder for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid What do they come and draw neer me with their lips and their hearts are far from me and do they worship me in a formal way I 'le take away the wisdom from the wise and the understanding from the prudent And that is the reason why so many great Scholers 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 Worshipers 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 will 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 acknowledg that they did not worship God in Uprightness but in Formality And now they are in horror of conscience and cry out in the anguish of their souls upon the apprehension of the dreadful 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 however at the great day when the secrets of all hearts must be disclosed before Men and Angles 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 did he 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 holiness 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 worshiping 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 worshiping 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