with a dead heart and with a dead Service to sacrifice that which is dead before it comes it 's like a carrion that lies dead in the ditch Oh let us be humbled for our dead hearts and dead Sacrifices it it a living God that I am Worshiping and therefore I must pray Lord turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity and quicken my heart in thy Law Psal 119.37 Remember when thou comest to worship that thou come with a quickned heart for thou hast to deal with a living God A man or woman that is of an active spirit cannot endure a dull and heavie servant in the family but the Lord is a pure act and nothing else but act and therefore he doth expect that all His people should have quick active and lively spirits 6 When you come to Worship God you are to look upon Him as Almighty And so are 1. To Feare His great power when you come before Him And 2ly Then you are not to be discouraged by any difficulties I come to seek for some great thing and I come to seek to a great God that hath all power in Heaven and Earth and infinitly more power than there is in all creatures in Heaven and earth I am praying to a God that can create peace create help My condition cannot be so desperate but this Infinite Almighty God is able to help me Let me make Him the object of my faith as He is so infinitly Almighty What a full object of Faith is this God that hath all power in Him Let me therefore come to Him as a strong Tower run to the Name of God as a strong Tower that can help in al straights whatsoever There would be much drawing forth of our Faith if we could present the Lord before us as an infinit Almighty God when we see outward helps and means neer at hand then we can beleeve that we may have some succour from him but when al outward helps and means fail then we are discouraged we do not Sanctifie Gods Name but we rather take this Name of God in vaine when as our hearts are discouraged with any difficulties now the Lord expects that all His Children that come to worship Him should worship Him as the Almighty God and so have their hearts working towards Him there would be mighty workings of Spirit towards God if we saw Him by the eye of Faith as well as Reason 7 Look upon God as an Omniscient God as a God infinitly understanding all things Now what doth this call for First If God be a God of infinit understanding then let not me bring a blind sacrifice to God then let not me bring an ignorant heart to God this is the excellency of an understanding Creature to know the rule and end of it's own Actions now thou comest to worship an infinite God of infinite understanding then know the rule of what you do and know the end of what you do and come with understanding into His presence Secondly If He be so understanding come with a free open heart to open whatsoever is in thine heart to God take heed of keeping any secret resolutions in thine own heart God knows thee and can tell how to find thee out God knows all that is in thine heart before all the secret baseness that is in thine heart the Lord doth understand it the Lords eye is a piercing eye He sees thorow and thorow thy heart It 's a vaine thing for thee to come and conceale any thing before Him You will say If God understand a mans heart what need he come and confess Yes He requires it as thy duty that thou shouldest come and open all before Him In spight of thy heart thou canst not cover any thing from the Lords eyes but the Lord will see whether thou beest willing of thy self that He should understand all God doth not require us to come and confess our sins that so he might know that which he knew not before but for this end That there might be a testimony that thou art willing that he should know all that is in thy heart therefore now when thou comest to worship him ransack every corner of thy heart and confess all before the Lord and give glory to his Name as that God that is an All-seeing God that knows all the windings and turnings of thy heart Now meditate of these things that be presented to thee and it will be a mighty means to help thee to Sanctifie his Name 8 God is a God of infinite Wisdom therefore when we come to worship God let us be ashamed of our folly When thou comest to have to deal with God look upon him as a God of infinite Wisdom and I say be thou ashamed of thy folly then and do thou exercise the grace of wisdom too when thou comest to God that is by propounding right ends of which we spake before That is one part of wisdom to have right ends and right means towards those ends so that the meditation of the wisdom of God when we come to worship him will further us to Sanctifie his Name And further This is to Sanctifie Gods Wisdom when thou comest into Gods presence in thy greatest straights deny thy own wisdom come with a resolution to be guided by the wisdom of God in this manner Lord I know not how to order my steps there is much folly and vanity in my heart but thou art a God of infinite wisdom I come to thee for direction and I profess here I am willing to give up my whol Soul to be guided by thy wisdom If every time we come to worship God we came thus Oh Lord whatsoever our thoughts have been heretofore yet if thou shalt but reveal thy mind to us we will hearken to thee Lord we beleeve that thy Wisdom it is thy Self and therefore we profess to give up our selves to thy Wisdom Now this is to Sanctifie the Name of God 9 Consider the holiness of God God is a God infinitely pure from all sin and therefore when we come to worship God we must be ashamed of our unholiness as the Prophet in Isa 6. when he heard the Seraphims cry Holy holy holy is the Lord of hosts he fals down and saith Woe is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips And is God a holy God Then let me take heed when I come before him that I bring not with me a love to any sin for the Lord hates it and let me take heed that I do not cast dirâ— in the very face of Gods holiness but give up my Soul to be rul'd wholly by him And labour that there may be a suitableness between the holiness of thy heart and of the infinite God Now this is to Sanctifie Gods Name when the consideration of this Attribute of God hath such effect upon my heart that I labor upon this to come with a suitable heart before God 10 When thou comest before God
in the general in shewing how the duties of Gods Worship are as a Channel for the conveyance of Special good to the Saints But none more than the Wordâ— that 's the Ordinance to convey the First Grace to those that belong to Gods election The Sacrament is for strengthening and therefore there is rather more in the Word than in the Sacrament and yet every one thinks in conscience that he is bound to come carefully to the Sacrament and to look to Sanctifie Gods Name there It is an easier matter to convince men and women that they are bound to Sanctifie the Name of God when they come to receive the holy Communion than for the hearing of the Word they think not so much of that but certainly the Word is appointed to be an Ordinance of conveying more blessing than the Sacrament because it is appointed to convey the first Grace and to convey strength of Grace as well as the Sacrament Now being appointed to convey such great things to the souls of the elect both the first grace and strengthning of grace and comfort and assistance thereof the Lord expects to have His Name Sanctified in it 3 Thirdly The Name of God must be Sanctified in the Word because the word is very quick and lively it works men or women to life or death to salvation or damnation In Heb 4.12 The Word of God is quick and powerfull and sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit c. It is very quick of opperation the text saith that is when God hath to deal with men by his word He wil not stand dallying and trifling with them but he is very quick with them either to bring their souls to life or to cast them away The time of mens ignorance God winks at but now he cals all men to repent Let them look to it now God did forbear in the time of ignorance but He will not forbear so when the word comes Now is the Ax laid to the root of the tree And when was that when John Baptist came to preach repentance because the kingdom of Heaven is at hand Though the tree were barren before and did not bring forth good fruit yet it might stand still and not be cut down but when the powerful Ministration of the Word comes then the Ax is laid to the root of the Tree either now come in and be saved or resist the word and perish And therefore that is very observable when Christ sends out His Discples to preach in Mark 16.15 16. Saith he Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature and he that beleeveth and is Baptized shall be saved but he that beleeveth not shall be damned As if He should say There shal be quick work made with them go and preach those that belong to my election shal be brought in to beleeve and be saved and the others shall be damned As if God should say If they will come in and imbrace the Gospel they shall be saved If they will not they shal be damned and there is an end of them So that I say we have need to look to it that we Sanctifie the Name of God in His Word upon these Three Ground Because there is so much of God in His word Because He hath appointed it to convey the grearest Mercies to His Saints And because God is very quick in His Word one way or other We shall now proceed to the Application of this Point And First by way of reprehension to al those that do not Sanctifie Gods Name in hearing the Word and herein we shal shew their fearful condition and how God will Sanctifie His Name upon them in wayes of judgement and then when we come to the use of Exhortation to exhort you to Sanctifie the Name of God there we shall shew you likewise how God will Sanctifie His Name in wayes of mercy upon those that do Sanctifie Him in wayes of obedience in Hearing of His word 1 For the first Certainly if that be to Sanctifie the Name of God that we have spoken of Gods Name is but very little sanctified by people that do come to hear His word and we have no cause to wonder that there is so little good got by the word because there are so few that make conscience to Sanctifie Gods Name in hearing it Some there are that are so far from Sanctifying Gods Name in it as they altogether neglect it and make it a matter of nothing whether they come to hear it or no Saith Christ in Joh. 8.47 He that is of God heareth my Word ye therefore hear them not because ye are not of God Certainly he that hath the knowledge of God and any interest in God and that belongs unto Him nothing is more sweet to him than the hearing of His word but because ye are not of God saith Christ therefore you hear not his word Those men and women that have no interest in God but live without God in this world they regard not to hear his word O how many have we that belong to this place that do so How many live without God in the world and do declare to al the world that they are not of Godâ— they have no part nor portion in God in that they hear not His word Some there are that come to hear it but they come to hear it as a meer matter of indifferency in a meer formall and customary way or for companies sake or to give content to others These are poor and low ends thou shouldest come to hear the word as expecting God should speak to thy Soul for the furtherance of thy eternal good but your consciences may tell you what vain and wandring hearts you have when you come to hear it The eyes of the fool saith Solomon are in all the corners of the earth up and down wandring little minding that you are come to hear God Himself speak to you in the Ministry of man And if so be that it be minded yet ordinarily the hearts of men do put off the word and if it come any thing neer to them they think to shift it from themselves to others We have a notable Scripture in Heb. 12.25 for such men as shift off Gods word when it comes many times very neer to them See that ye refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from Him which speaketh from Heaven See that ye refuse not him that speaks the Word see that you do not put him off And that that is the signification of it If you compare it with Luke 12.18 you shall find that there is the same word used where speaking of those that were invited to the supper it is said They all with one consent began to make excuse they began to shift it off that is the same word Oh
and Gomorah in the day of judgement than for that City It is a most dreadfull Scripture their very dust must be shaken off in token of indignation and it shall be more easie for the Land of Sodom and Gomorah in the day of judgment than for that place You would be very loth to be in a worse condition than Sodom and Gomorah that was consumed by fire from heaven And now suffer the vengeance of eternal fire Jude 7. Certainly they shall not be so deep in judgments as those that live under the Ministry of the word and Sanctifie not the Name of God in it Your sin is of a deeper dye than the sin of the Heathens yea and in some respects than the sin of the Devils they never had the word of the Gospel sent to be preached to them and therefore this will aggravate your sin not only beyond heathens but beyond Devils Look to it then that Gods Name be Sanctified in the hearing of his Word 3 Thirdly Know that so much as the word is rejected Jesus Christ is rejected Luk. 10.16 He that dispiseth you dispiseth me and he that dispiseth me dispiseth him that sent me It is Christ himself that is rejected when the word is rejected thou hast not to do with man so much as with Jesus Christ in the hearing of the Word And the power of Jesus Christ is to be put forth either to do the good by the word or to avenge thy neglect of the word Therefore in Mat. 28.18 19. when Christ sends forth his Disciples to preach he makes this preface All power is given unto me in heaven and earth go ye therefore and teach As if he should say I having received all power in heaven and earth through the power I received I send you to preach and I 'le be with you to the end of the world that is all power in heaven and earth shall go along with you to assiâ—t your Ministry either for the good of those that shall imbrace it or for the Misery of those that shall reject it So that whosoever stands out against the Ministry of the Word stands out against all the power in heaven and earth that is given to Christ Do not think that thou doest resist a poor weak mortal man but thou doest resist all the power in heaven and earth And is not this a dreadful thing then to be guilty of not Sanctifying of Gods Name 4 Fourthly It is an Argument of extreame hardness of heart not to be wrought upon by the Word Luk. 16.31 If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead saith Abraham Certainly that man or woman that shall not be wrought upon by the word so as to Sanctifie Gods Name in it I say to such If one should rise from the dead they would not have their hearts wrought upon and therefore much less are they like to be wrought upon by afflictions It may be some of you think when you are upon your sick beds then you will repent no surely if this that is the great Ordinance to bring men to God shall not work upon you so as God shall be honoured in itâ— you cannot expect that sickness and affliction should do it no if one should come from the dead to tell you of all the miseries that were there certainly if the word work not upon you that will not do it But you will say One would think that there should be more power to work upon the heart truly no because that is not such an Ordinance appointed by God for working such great works upon the hearts and consciences of men as the word is It is true the word is but a weak thing in it self but here lies the strength that it is an Ordinance of God appointed for to work upon the hearts of men therefore if this work not upon you to give God glory in the hearing of it there is no other means is like to do it 5 Fiftly When the word works not upon men it is a dreadful sign of Reprobation If our Gospel be hid saith the Apostle in 2 Cor 4 3. it is hid to those that are lost It is a dreadful Argument that here is a lost creature one that God intends no good to One â—he Lord works upon perhaps he lets pass another one in a family and not in another Now where it is so that the word worketh not I say there is no such dreadful brand of Reprobation as this is It is true we cannot give any certain sign of Reprobation therefore I cannot say of any man he hath now such a mark upon him as doth evidently prove that he is a Reprobate we cannot tell that because we know not what God may do afterwards but we may say this That it is as dreadful a sign as any There are not any more dreadfull signs than these two First For a man to be suffered to prosper in a sinful course For God to let men go on and have their hearts desire satisfied in an ungodly way And then Secondly For the Lord to leave them to themselves so as the Ministry of the Word shal not work upon them that they shall be by Gods providence so disopsed of as to live under a faithful and powerful Ministry and that it should not work upon them These are the two blackeâ— signs of Reprobation and therefore it is a most dreadfull thing to sit under the Ministry of the Word and not to sanctifie Gods Name in it 6 In the next place Surely there can be nothing Sanctified to thee who doest not Sanctifie Gods Name in His Word The Scripture saith That every thing is Sanctified by the Word and Prayer And how canst thou expect that the Word should sanctifie any thing unto thee seeing that thou dost not make conscience of Sanctifying Gods Name in the word The godly think thus 'T is the Word that must Sanctifie all things to my Soul and I had need then Sanctifie Gods Name in that from which I expect the sanctified use of all blessings You therefore that can fit under it and make not conscience of Sanctifying Gods Name in it I say you cannot expect no sanctified use of any thing that you have in this world 7 Such as do not Sanctifie Gods Name in the Word are very nigh to a curse There is a notable Scripture for this in Heb. 6.7 8. where the Apostle compares the Word to the rain that fals upon the ground For the earth that drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dresâ—ed receiveth blessing from God But saith he that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected and is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned The meaning is this plainly The rain here is the Word and the good hearers they are like the ground that receive the rain and bring forth fruit and receive a blessing
Children and when you that are Parents meet with stubborn Children you should reflect Doth not God come righteously upon me And so you that we servants you are stout to your Masters why afterwards when you come to have Servants they will be so to you and perhaps you were unfaithful to your Governours afterwards when you come to have Servants it 's a thousand to one but they will be so to you Now you should strike your hand upon your heart and say It 's just with God that it should be so and that He should come upon me in my own kind Another Note is this They offered strange fire Let 's take heed all of us how we bring strange fire into Gods service Bring strange fire into Gods service What 's that I find divers Writers speaking upon this saith Ambrose Lusts and Covetousnesse are this strange fire That which I would have you consider of is this Above all strange fire take heed of the strange fire of Passion and Anger and especially in the Worship of God and at any time when you find your hearts heated and fired with Anger when you are about to Worship God remember this Scripture Nadab and Abihu were consum'd by God with fire from God for coming into Gods presence with strange fire Now O Lord how often have we come into thy presence with strange fire Perhaps your hearts have been burning hot with Passion when you have been coming into Gods presence You are to pray with fervency for so the Scripture saith we are indeed to be heat in Prayer by the Holy Ghost in our hearts but certainly not to come with the fire of Passion and Anger Lift up your hands without wrath and doubting If you have been Passionate and your hearts have been heat that way be sure you get your hearts cold before you go to Prayer And so when you come to hear the Word if your hearts have been heat with Passion be sure you get them cold before you come to heare the Word Receive with meekness the ingrafted Word that may save your souls And so when you come to the Lords Supper Take heed of coming with Wrath and Malice for then you come but to offer strange fire It 's a speciall Consideration for Ministers that come to Preach they should take heed of bringing strange fire into their Pulpits that is of venturing their own Passions That hath been ever a rule that I have been convinced of since I knew any thing of Preaching That that man that is appointed to reveal Gods Wrath had need to conceal his own wrath that 's certainly a rule for all preachers for the Lord sends His Preachers to make known His wrath against mens sins but now the more they make known His wrath the more they should conceal their own and so by that means when they come in the openest way to manifest Gods wrath the more their Preaching would be accepted Now it's true a carnal heart would be ready to think That when a Preacher speaks out of true zeal to God he will be ready to say That he hath aiming at himself Take heed of that I beleeve you have had but little occasion of such a temptation in this place But however this I know it is the duty of the Mini ers of God to be sure to bring nothing but the fire of the Spirit of God the fire that they have from the Altar their tongues being toucht with one of these coals and not that they should come with their own Passions to further the Righteousness of God no The wrath of man doth not accomplish the Righteousness of God There are some other particulars which being laid down we shall come to the Three main Points SERMON II. LEVITICUS 10.3 I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me Stepney Nov 16. 1645. WEE began these words the last day and shewed the scope of them and opened the meaning of them and spake of divers Notes of Observation that we gathered from this story of Nadav and Abinu and of Gods dealing with them From the generall story of it there weâ—e many Points oâ— notable Observation that were drawn from thence He adde some few now and so come to the main Doctrinal Point in the Text. A further Note of Observation is this That many times even the dear Saints of God do meet with very sore and grievous afflictions in their Children That the most eminent Saints of God are not freed from very grievous afflictions even in their Children It was one of the forest afflictions that almost ever any Saint of God met withall in his Children this affliction of Aaron at this time That two of his Sons and as I told you the last day renowned men in Israel newly consecrated to the Office of Priesthood that the very first day they came to offer in their Office they were struck before all the people with fire from Heaven and were consumed Oh what a sad affliction was it to Aaron their Father when he saw his Sonnes in such a manner destroyed by God Himself Consider of this you that have Children and are ready to murmur and complaine of every little affliction that is upon you in respect of your Children If so be that your Children be but a little sick or there be any miscarriage of them you think it is a heavy hand of God But especially if God take away your Children by death then you mourn and wil not be comfortred Yea but though God have taken away your Children by death yea perhaps it may be by a violent death as being drowned c. yet they have not been strucken with fire from Heaven by God and they have not been of such publick use These here were renowned men and taken away in their very sin too your Children which have gone upon their lawfull imployments and God hath taken away their lives there is no such cause of murmuring here but when God takes away Children in their sins and in such a way as by fire from Heavenâ— thus God took away Aarons Children and he was as dear to God as you are And yet thus God deals with His Saints with Aaron in regard of his Children and with his Elder Children and with two of them together This Example may be enough to still and quiet the hearts of men and women that are afflicted in respect of any calamity that befals their Children You see what a hand of God is against the very Children of Aaron A further Note is this That Gods judgements we see sometimes though the effect of them be visible yet they come in an invisible way For you shal find if you reade on in this story That they were smote with fire from heaven but it did not appear what fire for it did not so much as consume their cloaths nor their bodies but went through al struck them dead and no body could tel how Gods judgements do come in a way that is
God through Jesus Christ in the tendering up of our Worship to him We may make use of an institution that God hath appointed but we do not tender up our Worship to God through that creature but in the use of that creature we do come to God and our souls are to tender up that respect we owe to God immediatly Therefore in Levit. 21.21 it is said of the Priests in their Sacrifices when they were to come to Worship God No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the Priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the Lord made by fire So that when any come to offer any offerings of the Lord made by fire it appears he came nigh to God he came to bring a present to God therefore he comes nigh So when we come to offer our spiritual Sacrifices unto God we come nigh to God to offer it 's the offering of a Sacrifice to God And that 's the first thing because the creature comes to bring a present to God therefore he is said to draw nigh And Secondly the Soul is said to draw nigh to God in holy duties because it doth present it's self before God in those waies through which God doth use to communicate his choice precious most excellent and glorious mercies to his people I say when we come to Worship God we come to set our selves before God in those waies that God doth use to communicate the choice most excellent and glorious rich mercies that he hath to communicate to his creature When we have to deal with creatures as meat and drink and our outward businesses we have to do with God in them but when we come to worship God we come to present our selves before him in those things that he doth use to let out himself through in a more special and glorious manner to the souls of his people What 's the reason why heaven is said to be the presence of God and why those that are in heaven are said to live with God There they behold the face of God and are before him in a special manner therefore when Christ teacheth us to pray he teacheth us to look up to heaven and to say Our Father which art in heaven c. Now certainly the essential presence of God is on earth as truly and really as in heaven and God is not so as to have one part in one place and another in another but All God is in every place but the reason why God is said to be in heaven it is because the Lord makes known himself there in a more glorious manner than in any other place and therefore heaven is the presence of God in a more special way Now then if the communication of God unto a creature be enough to make the presence of God more special if this be enough to make a creature to live with God and to be before his face because they are there where God doth most communicate himself then certainly when we come to Worship God we come to be neer God and be with God because the duties of his Worship are those means that the Lord hath appointed for the letting out of himself in the glory of his goodness and mercy to his people You may expect other manner of communication of Gods goodness through the duties of his Worship than in any other way And that 's the Second respect wherein you may be said to draw nigh to God in holy duties Thirdly You may be said to draw nigh to God because then we should and if we Worship God as we ought we do act our faith and humility and all the graces of the Spirit We do act them as it were upon God when we come to Worship him That 's required in every duty of Worship that you should stir up the faculties of your souls and all the graces of the Spirit of God and you should act them upon God when you are Worshipping of him 'T is not enough to come with grace when you come to Worship God but there must be an acting of that grace upon God And so we find in Scripture that the acting of grace upon God it is a drawing neer to him therefore in Isa 29.13 the Lord complains there This people draws neer to me with their lips but their hearts are far from me as if God should say Indeed they come and speak to me and therefore they think they draw nigh to me but I expect that their hearts should 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 64.7 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 Application 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 performe any act of Worship Truly this one thing would be of marveilous 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 gravil 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 Worshipping 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 Sacraments I am now going to tender up that homage that is due from a creature to the infinite 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
this For to love to go into Gods presence As David said I was glad when they said Come and let us go up unto the House of the Lord. You shall have many that love to be in Gods presence so as they think on it over-night and long for the time while it comes I never am better than when I am with God me thinks when I get into Gods presence either in Prayer or any duty of Gods Worship I find my heart warmed and quickened c. They are ready to say with Peter Master it is good being here And that 's another thing It is that which will put us in mind of the life of heaven it is the only thing in heaven to be in the presence of God Why the more thou art nigh God in the Duties of Worship the more thou art in heaven and doest not thou pray That the will of God may be done in Earth as in Heaven Now the Saints and Angels are alwaies before God Worshipping of him then be as much as thou canst in the presence of God If thou wouldest be in heaven be there Many of the Saints they find it so It is not so with carnal hearts they are weary presently when they are in Prayer or hearing the Word it is not so to them yea that 's because thou hast not the presence of God as in Mal. 1. what weariness is there Thou canst be a gaming till one or two a clock at night and though thou shouldest lose thy supper or the work of thy family it is not tedious to thee to be exercised in those things that pleaseth the flesh but when thou comest to Worship God how quickly art thou tir'd now what wilt thou do in heaven where there is nothing else done to all eternity but Worshipping of God And then it must needs be delightful to God that thou shouldest come nigh him There is nothing in the world more pleasant to God then to have his Saints come into his presence What doth a Father more delight in than to have his Children about him Never did any Father or Mother love to have their Children by them so as God loves to have his Children come nigh him and be often with him And the truth is one great reason that God suffers you to fall into afflictions so much is that you may come running to him How doth the Child come running to the Father or Mother when it is afraid why the Lord is willing to permit men to do you wrong that you may run to him that he might have more of your presence Thou that art such a poor creature yet thou hearest this day that there is nothing in the world that God takes more pleasure in next to the presence of his own Son Jesus Christ and his Saints and Angels that he hath with him in heaven then to have his Saints come nigh him to have them alwaies to be under his wing And then by coming often into Gods presence in his Worship there will grow a sweet and blessed familiarity between God and thy soul for thou wilt be speaking to God and God will be speaking to thee too We know many times that dear friends who are very neerly linkt together yet if they be long absent one from another there grows a strangeness and so by degrees their friendship is deaded but now when they are together every day and there is an intercourse of love and friendship then their friendship is kept active and quick but now if they be absent long Indeed if they be absent in another Country when they cannot come together that they are sure it is not through any neglect then it will not damp their friendship but when they are neer and come not one to another then they think it is out of neglect and so they grow strange So it is with the Soul if there were no possibility of a coming into Gods presence then it would not hinder the sweetness of the love of God to us But now when we have those duties of Worship wherein we may draw nigh to God if we neglect them our familiarity with God will quickly be lost Acquaint thy self with God and be at peace God is willing to be acquainted with his Servants the Lord loves to be familiar with the poorest of his Saints and wilt not thou maintain that sweet familiarity with God These two benefits will follow upon thy familiarity with God First Those that are most familiar with God they are most potent with God As now a stranger cannot prevail in any Petition so as a familiar friend can Thus my brethren when strangers come into Gods presence God doth not so much regard them but when his familiars come into his presence the Saints of God that keep close with him in constant communion and converse in the duties of his Worship God doth take them as his familiar friends and they will prevail much with God Secondly By this means the terror of death will be taken away there is no such way to take off the terror of the thoughts of death as by keeping familiarity with God death then is joyful to those that converse with him That Reverend Divine that is now with God Docter Preston when he was to die he had this speech I shall but change my place I shall not change my company whereas it 's otherwise if thou growest estranged from God when death comes it will look with a terrible face for then thou hast to deal with God thou art then to go into the presence of the infinite dreadful God into whose presence thou never hadst any mind to go before but saith death I must now carry thee into the presence of God As thy Body returns to the dust so thy Soul must return to God that gave it that is to receive it's eternal doom c. But now saith a Saint what must my body return to dust and my Soul to God that gave it it is he which I have bin with every day and can say as he said My Soul go forth go forth why art thou unwilling to go forth to him that thou hast conversed with all thy daies And then what safety is there in being neer to God especially in these dangerous times in the times wherein we live it is safe to be neer God in Psal 22.11 Be not far from me for trouble is neer saith David Lord trouble is neer me be not thou far from me It 's a blessed thing to have God neer us when trouble is neer us trouble is neer many of you perhaps there 's not a spans breadth between death and us what a blessed thing is it then to have God to be neer us When the poor Chickin sees the Kite come neer it to seize upon it and is like to be surprized if the Hen be neer it runs to the Hen and the Hen covers it and keeps it safe So it should be with us for so Christ saith of Jerusalem
the Lord upon His Throne It is an excellent thing when all who come to Worship God every time they come to Worship Him have their eyes darted up to Heaven and behold the Lord God sitting in His Glory upon His Throne So you shall find in Rev. 4. the 24 Elders that Worshipped God they say Him upon His Throne in His Glory and so they worshipped Him they Worshipped God to purpose indeed when they saw the Lord in that Majesty as He was we should at all times have high thoughts of God take heed of having low thoughts and apprehensions of the Infinite Majesty of God at any time but especially when thou art to Worship the great God then look upon the Lord in that infinite distance that there is between Him and thy self yea that infinit distance that there is between Him and all creatures in the world look upon the Lord as lifted upon Glory not only above all Creatures but above al Excellencies that all Angels and men in Heaven and Earth are able to imagine Look upon the Lord as having all Excellencies in Himself joyned in one and that immutablly look upon Him as the Fountain of all Excellency good and glory that al creatures in the world have And look upon the Lord every time thou comest to Worship Him as that God whom Angels do adore and before whom the Devils are forc'd to tremble behold Him in this His Glory and this will help thee to Sanctifie His Name when thou comest to Him The great Reason why people come and worship God in a slight way it is because that they do not see God in his glory 't is a great Mercy for God to give unto us a sight of himself a sight of his glory here in this world while we are Worshipping of him this would keep our eyes and our thoughts from wandring if we had a sight of the glory of God and had high thoughts of God What 's the reason why we wander so as we do But meerly because we see not God As now suppose you were in your house and looking after every feather that were flying up and down if you should hear that the King were come into the room or any great Person it would compose your spirits because you have high thoughts of such as of those that are above you So let us look upon God as in His excellency and His glory and have high thoughts of him and this is that whereby we are to sanctifie Gods Name when we come before Him in holy duties And that 's the Second thing First a sanctified heart and then high thoughts of God 3 A Third thing is High-ends Raised-ends in the Worshipping of God Prov. 15.24 The way of life is above to the wise It is on high in this respect when he Worships God his heart is lifted up on high there is a holy raising of the heart which is well pleasing to God Our hearts should be on high in regard of the high ends that we aime at in holy duties Lift up thy prayer saith Hezekiah to the Prophet in another case so I may say Lift up thy soul when thou comest to Worship God in regard of the high ends that thou aimest at when we are Worshipping God we should have our hearts above al creatures and above our selves Let not our hearts then be groveling upon the ground mingled with base and drossie things when we come to Worship the Lord Indeed it is fit that we should have our hearts low as we shall shew hereafter in regard of humility but not low in regard of any baseness of spirit to mix with any base and low ends Now there are low and base ends in Worshipping of God As First We muâ—â— take heed we do not subject the Worship of God unto our Lusts that is a cursed thing thou art far from Sanctifying Gods Name in Worshipping of Him that shalt subject His Worship to thy base Lusts this is an abominable and a cursed thing indeed You will say Who doth thus who is the man or where is he that will do this subject the Worship of God to his base lusts To that I Answer Whosoever doth make use of any duty of Worship as Prayer Hearing the Word or what ever it be to cloak any kind of wickedness whosoever is conscious to himself of any kind of seeret wickedness and yet shall think to cover it by the performance of duties and shall reason in this manner Who will think me to be guilty of such a vile thing when I pray so as I do and am so careful to hear the Word and I hope I shall cover some wickedness this way If there be any in this place whose conscience tels them that they subject the Worship of God to such a base end as this is the Lord rebuke them this day and speak to their hearts If I knew any I would set mine eyes upon them and say as the Apostle to Simon Magus I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity and as he said to him that did seek to draw the Deputy from the Faith O thou child of the Devil and full of all subtilty to damn and undo thy selfe eternally that seekest to cloak any wicked way by any duty of Gods Worship Is it a great evil for a man or woman to make use of any of Gods creatures to be serviceable to their lusts as meat and drink c What a damnable thing is it then to make use of any duty of Gods Worship sometimes extraordinary Worship as Fasting and Prayer to be a cloak to cover their wickednesse Thou art so far from Sanctifying Gods Name that thou pollutest Gods Name thou doest what in thee lies for to cast even dirt in the face of God himself that doest so The Second Base end is to subject the duties of Gods Worship to the praise of men as to performe duties of Gods Worship for the esteem of men and because we shall be well thought of take heed of this you young ones and others you would fain be esteem'd well of by those that you live withal It is a desirable thing to have a good esteem from those that are godly but take heed that you do not subject the duties of Gods Worship to this Indeed it may be an incouragement to you as David saith Psal 52 9. This is good before thy Saints David did incourage himself to praise God because it was good before Gods Saints and I confesse it may be an incouragement because holy duties are good before Gods Saints but take heed that this be not thy highest end that thou aimest at and that which carries thee on in the work meerly to get the praise of men and that they shall think that thou hast good gifts and parts and therefore thou art enlarged in that regard take heed of that know that now thou doest not Worship God but thou Worshippest men thou doest make
of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my Word This is a most admirable Scripture Mark how God lifts up Himself in His Glory so great a God as the Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my foot-stool where is that house that ye will build unto me But then may a poor soul say How shall I be able to stand before this God that is so glorious Saith God Be not discouraged poor soul who doest tremble at my Word for I look to you And then this is a further thing observable that God hath a regard to that soul that trembles at His Word rather than to any that should build the most sumptuous buildings in the world for Him for saith God here The Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my foot-stool where is the house that ye build unto me and where is the place of my rest They have built a glorious Temple to God but what do I regard that saith God I regard one that trembls at my word more than that great house that you have built unto me It is a notable Scripture to shew what a high respect God hath to one that trembls at His word He regards them more than this glorious Temple that was built unto Him If you were able to build such a place as this was for the service of God you would think it a great matter it is not so much regarded as if you could bring a trembling heart to Gods word that 's a special thing wherein the Sanctifying of the Name of God consists when we come to see the dreadful Authority that there is in the word of God when we are able to see more glory of God in His Word than in all the works of God besides for there is more of his glory in the word than there is in the whole Creation of Heaven and Earth take the Sun and Moon and Stars you that are Marriners you have seen much of the glory of God abroad that one would think might strike terrour into all your hearts but know that there is more of the dreadfulness of Gods Name in His word than in all His works In Psal 138.2 Thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name the Word it is magnified above all the Name of God whatsoever and it is a very good signe of a Spiritual enlightened Soul that can see the Name of God more magnified in His Word than in all His works besides I appeal unto your Consciences in this thing Have you ever seen the Name of God to be more magnified in His Word than in all His works I may with very good confidence affirm this that there is no godly soul upon the face of the earth that hath the weakest degree of grace but hath seen more of the glory of God revealed in His word than he hath seen in all the works of God besides and his heart hath bin more taken with it It requires therefore a trembling frame of heart when we hear it And then further When this is considered that the Word is that which bindeth the soul over either to life or death mens eternal estates are to be cast by the Word certainly then it requires a trembling heart to hear that by which the eternal estate of man is to be cast we do not Sanctifie Gods Name when we come to hear the Word except we come with trembling hearts and they are the most likely of all men and women to understand the mind of God as for such as come with conceited spirits that they understand as much before they come and think their reach of wit or capacity is beyond the capacity of any that shall open the Word unto them yet that were not so much if 〈◊〉 did but only rest upon the man and not reflect upon the word it self Now these that are rich in their own thoughts and understandings are sent empty away but those that come wiâ—h trembling hearts to the Word they are the men that are like to understand Gods Counsels revealed in His word In Ezra 10.2 3. Shechaniah the Son of Jehiel one of the Sons of Elam answered said unto Ezra we have transgressed against our God have taken strange wives c. Yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing now therefore let us make a covenant with our God according to the counsel of my Lord and of those that tremble at the Commandement of our God So that those that tremble at Godâ— Word are such as are fitest to counsel they understand most of Gods mind and that 's another particular of the behaviour of the Soul in Sanctifying Gods Name in hearing his Word 7 The next is a humble subjection to the Word that we hear our hearts must bow to it must lie under the word that we hear it is a very remarkable Scripture that we have in 2 Chron. 6.12 There it is said concerning a great King Zedekiah He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the Prophet speaking from the mouth of the Lord. It is a very strange expression as any we have in the Book of God that Zedekiah a great King should be charged with this as a great sin that he did not humble himself Humble himself before whom you will say We are boud to humble our selves before God but here it is that he did not humble himself before Jeremiah the Prophet Why before the Prophet Because he spake from the mouth of the Lord. If it be any messenger that speaks from the mouth of the Lord God expects that we should humble our selves so that if any truth comes to be delivered unto you the Lord expects that you should fall down and yeeld obedience to it whatsoever your thoughts your judgements your opinions have heretofore been it there come any thing in the word against it you must submit your judgments submit your very consciences you must submit your wills whatsoever your hearts have been set upon though it hath been never so contentful to your spirits before yet now submit and yeeld though it go never so cross unto your minds your wils your ends yet all must be submitted and laid down flat before the Word so as to be willing to deny your selves of any thing in the world When a man or woman can say thus Lord it is true I confess before I heard thy word opened in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit unto me I was of such a mind and my heart went after such and such contentments and I thought it was impossible that ever my heart should be taken from them but O Lord thou hast been pleased plainly to shew to me by the opening of thy Word in the evidence of thy Spirit what thy mind is Now whatsoever becomes of my name of my comforts of my contentments in this world Lord here I cast down all before thee I submit unto thy Word this is a gracious
except he could go to heaven and there see and reade 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 can not 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 how 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 eternall 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 newes 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 wil assure us of our salvation to all eternity and of Gods eternal purpose to do the 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 labour 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 God 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 wombes You that are women would not you have accounted it a great happiness if Christ had been borne in your wombes 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 bare 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 do so than the woman that bare 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 the hearing of his Word you will be the glory of the Ministers of God at the great day of â—udgment You will be an honour 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 will become of that That I may rejoyce in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain neither laboured in vain Let that be one motive among the rest saith the Apostle this will be such a glory to me that I in the day of Jesus Christ shall rejoyce that I have not laboured in vain I shall 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 faithfully to you If at the day of Jesus 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 Oh 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 forth the word of life will not only be a glory to God which is the cheif but it will be a glory to the Ministers to recompence all their labours that you shall not only be saved your selves in the day of Jesus Christ but you shall adde to the glory of his faithful Ministers likewise when they do appear before Christ 5 I shall adde one particular more There is a time coming when God shall magnifie his Word before men and Angels In Isa 22.21 He will magnifie his Law and make it honourable What a joy shal 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
peoples withdrawing from such a Congregation where they could not receive all the Ordinances of Jesus Christ As now If I were in a Church where I could have but a piece of the Sacrament suppose they dealt with me as the Papists do with the people that is they will give them the bread and not the wine Certainly I were not bound to stay with them then but I were bound to goe where I might have the whole Sacrament So if a Church will give me some one Ordinance and not another I confess so long as there is hope that I may enioy it and that they are in a way for enjoyment I think there should be a great forbearance to a Church as well as to a particular person as I must not withdraw from a particular man where there is hope still of his reformation and that there may come good of my forbearance so toward a Church much more but I say if I cannot enjoy neither doth there appear any hope of the enjoyment of all Ordinances certainly it were but a cruelty to force men to stay there when as other where they may enjoy all Ordinances for the good of their souls And this cannot be Schisme thus to do as now is this Schisme suppose a man were in a place and joyned in such a Communion for his outward benefit he may remove his dwelling from one place to another if he can have better trading in another place then certainly if he may have more Ordinances for the edification of his soul he may as well remove from one to another as he may remove if his trading be better in one place than another Christ would have all his people look to the edification of their souls and should I account that Schisme when a man or woman meerly out of tenderness and a desire to enjoy Jesus Christ in all his Ordinances for the benefit of their souls they find such want to their souls of all Ordinances that though they may have some in one place yet if they cannot have all their souls do not so thrive now if this be all the end why they remove that they might have more edification to their souls enioying the Ordinances of Christ more fully God forbid that this should ever be accounted such a sin that the Scripture is to brand no that's Schisme when there is a violent rending out of malice for the want of love for as Apostasie is a rending from the Head So Schism from the Body that is when it is out of an evil Spirit from envy or from malice from want of love or from any base sinister ends and upon no just Ground but now when it is meerly out of love to Jesus Christ that I might have more edification to my soul and still I retain love to the Saints that are there as they are in a Communion and so far as they have any thing good among them I hold Communion with them in that only I desire in humility and in meekness that I may be in such a place where my soul may be most edified where I may enjoy al those Ordinances that Christ hath appointed for his Church certainly that soul that can give this account to Jesus Christ for going from one place to another will be freed by Jesus Christ from such a sin as this that the world cals Scisme but the truth is this word is in mens mouthes that understand not what it means and the Devil alwaies will have some word or other cast upon them that are good for he hath heretofore gained much by it so still he makes account to gain much by words and Termes and therefore men should take heed of words and Termes that they do not understand and examine seriously what the meaning of these words and what is held forth in those words and thus much for that point that it must be in a holy Communion wherever there is the receiving of the Lords Supper it must be received in a holy Communion Now we are to proceed to that which is the main thing and that is What are the holy qualifications or dispositions of the soul together with the actings fit in the receiving of the Lords Supper what is required in the soul for the sanctifying of the Name of God in this holy Sacrament There are many things required As first there is required knowledge I must know what I do when I come to receive this holy Sacrament knowledge applyed to the work that I am about when some of you have come to receive this Sacrament if God should have spoken from heaven and have said thus to you what are you doing now what do you go for what account had you been able to have given unto him you must understand what you do when you come thither First You must be able to give this account to God Lord I am now going to have represented to me in a visible and sensible way the greatest mysteries of godliness those great and deep Councels of thy will concerning my eternal estate those great things that the Angels desire to pry into that shall be the matter of eternal praises of Angels and Saints in the highest heavens that they may be set before my view Lord when I have come to thy Word I have had in mine eares sounding the great mysteries of godliness the great things of the Covenant of grace and now I go to see them represented before mine eyes in that Ordinance of thine that thou hast appointed Yea Lord I am now going to receive the Seals of the blessed Covenant of thine the second Covenant the new Covenant the Seals of the Testimony and Will of thine I am going to have confirmed to my soul thine everlasting Love in Jesus Christ Yea Lord I am going to that Ordinance wherein I expect to have Communion with thy self and the communication of thy cheif mercies to my soul in Jesus Christ I am going to feast with thee to feed upon the body and blood of Jesus Christ Yea I am now going to set to the Seal of the Covenant on my part to renew my Covenant with thee I am going to have Communion with thy Saints to have the bond of Communion with all thy people to be confirmed to me that there might be a stronger bond of union and love between me and thy Saints than ever these are the ends that I go for this is the work that I am now going about thus you must come in understanding you must come with understanding you must know what you are going about this is that which the Apostle speaks of when he speaks of the discerning the Lords Body he rebukes the Corinthians for their sin and shews them that they were guilty of the body and blood of Christ because they did not discern the Lords body they lookt only upon the outward elements but did not discern what there was of Christ there they did not understand the institution of Christ they did
he comes to a feast and the Lord expects that all his guests should come with stomacks unto this feast come with hungring and longing for Jesus Christ this should be the disposition of the soul Oh that my soul might enjoy Communion with Jesus Christ now this is the end that I am come for Oh the Lord that knows the workings of my heart knows that this is the great desire of my soul that I might enjoy Communion with Jesus Christ Oh that I might have more of Christ that I might meet with Christ that I might have some further manifestation of Jesus Christ that I might have my soul further united to the Lord Christ and so have further influence of Christ to my soul I come with thirsting after the Lord Christ knowing my infinite need of him and the infinite excellency that there is in Jesus Christ my soule doth famish and perish for ever without Christ but in the enjoyment of Christ there is a fulnesse for the satisfying of my soule that I have had of Christ sometimes in the word and sometimes in prayer that hath bin sweet unto me but I expect a further Communion of Christ here for this is the grand Ordinance for Communion with Jesus Christ indeed the word in this respect it is beyond this Ordinance that is it is not only for the increase of grace but for the begetting this is only for the increase of grace and not appointed for the begetting now in that respect the Word is above the Sacrament but now this Sacrament is a more full Ordinance for Communion with Jesus Christ this is the Communion of the body of Jesus Christ and of his blood and therefore there ought to be hungring and thirsting desires of the soule after Jesus Christ therefore you must take heed you doe not come with your Stomacks full of trash as children when they can get Plums and Peares and fill their stomacks with them when they come to your Tables though there be never so much wholsome diet they have no mind at all to it so it is with men of the world they fill their hearts with the trash of this world and with sensual delights and hence it is that when they come to such a great Ordinance to enjoy Communion with Jesus Christ that then they feele no want at all of Christ only they come and take a little piece of bread and a draught of wine but for any strong pausing desires to meet with Jesus Christ there in the Ordinance to come so as they know not how to live without Christ even as a man that is an hungred cannot live without his meate and drink and so for the soule to have such a disposition after Christ this is a rare thing but know that Gods Name is not sanctified unlesse thou doest come in such a way unto this holy Sacrament that 's the fourth thing hungry and thirsty desires after Christ from a deepe sence of the need of him and the apprehension of the Excellency in him 5 In the fift place there must be an exercise of Faith for the sanctifying of Gods Name here Faith that is both the hand and the mouth for the taking of this spiritual meat and spiritual drink when thou comest to the Feast of the Lord Faith first is the eye and then the hand and mouth it is the eye of the soul to give a real sight of what there is here you are not able to discern the Body of the Lord but by the eye of Faith if thou comest only with bodily eyes to look upon what is here thou seest nothing but a little bread and wine But now where the eye of Faith is there is a reall appearance of Jesus Christ to the soul as if Christ were bodily present and we need not have the bread turned into his body for Faith can see the body of Christ through the bread and the blood of Christ gushing in the wine And it is a mighty thing to have Christ and such spiritual things made real and not to be a fansie If one look upon the fire that is painted one cannot heat ones self in cold weather with that but fire that is really burning upon the hearth so those that come to receive the Sacrament and not come with Faith that have only the eye of their bodies they only see as it were a painted Christ they do not see Christ really his body and blood and those great Mysteries of the Gospel are not presented as reall things to their souls and hence it is that they go away and get nothing but now when the soul comes with the eye of Faith the soul sees the wonderfull things of God it is the most glorious sight in the world all the glory of God in the heavens and earth is not like this fight of Jesus Christ and the mysteries of the Gospel that do appear to the eye of Faith therefore you may by this know whether you have come with faith or no to the Sacrament whether you have seen the most glorious fight that ever your eyes did behold alas with our naturall eyes we behold a Minister coming with a piece of bread and a little wine but when the eye of Faith is opened then we behold the glorious things of the Gospel many times when you come to hear the word your hearts burn within you as they that went to Emaus but when you are breaking bread the eye of Faith that must look upon Jesus Christ and in this sence those that have pierced Christ must look upon him that Scripture is fulfilled in Zach. 12. latterend They shall look on him whom they have pierced by their sins and then mourne and lament this eye of Faith will cause mourning and lamenting for sin And then as faith is the eye to make what is here reall so faith is the hand to take it when you come to a feast you must have something to take the meat to you so saith Christ he brake bread and gave it to his Disciples saying take eat this take it how shall we take it by reaching out of the hand if you sanctifie Gods Name in this Ordinance as you reach out your hand to take the bread and wine so there must be an actual reaching out of the soul by faith putting forth an act of faith to receive Jesus Christ unto the soul to apply the Lord Jesus Christ to thy soule with all his merits and good things that he hath purchased when the Minister doth give out that Ordinance you should look upon God the Father giving out his Son as if this were you condition I am now in the presence of the eternal Father who now doth actually give out his Sonne to my soule and saith soule here receive a new this day my Sonne with all that he hath purchased for thy good now then the soul acts upon this and by stirring up an act of faith come and closes with this gift of the Father
in receiving the Lords Supper Page 255 Christ's Body broken for us Page 268 C Children Gods Saints may meet with afflictions in their Children Page 20 Ground of contentment in afflictions upon our Children Page 21 Church Church what it signifieth Page 235 Church defiled by wicked men uncast out Page 236 Civil see Worship Christ All worship must be tendered in the Name of Christ Page 91 All must be tendered in Christ because of Gods Justice Page 101 They that reject the Word reject Christ Page 201 All our prayers must be tendered in the Name of Christ Page 296 Command Nothing must be tendered to God in worship but what he hath Commanded Page 8 No expresse Command for many things in the New-Testament Page 15 Comfort see Word Communion Communion with God not increased by duties done with naturall conscience Page 88 The Sacrament the Ordinance of our Communion with Christ Page 229 The Sacrament must be received in a holy Communion Page 234 How far the presence of wicked men hinder this Communion Page 235 No close Church Communion with wicked men Page 240 More Communion with Christ in the Sacrament than in the Word Page 251 Confession Ground of Confession to God Page 98 Conscience Sinners against conscience need great preparation to duties Page 57 Duties acted by natural Conscience Page 88 Naturall Conscience limits it self in duties Page 89 Trouble of Conscience should make men meekly hear the Word Page 180 Consciences of wicked men troubled about the Sacrament Page 230 Constant Men acted by naturall parts are not constant in duties Page 88 There must be constancie in our prayers Page 295 Contrary The Word will be made good on the contrary to those that abuse it Page 205 Conversion Conversion not wrought by the Sacrament Page 232 Covenant In the Sacrament we make a solemn Covenant Page 226 Covenant of grace sealed in the Sacrament Page 229 Those that receive the Sacrament must be in the Covenant of Grace Page 232 Condition of that Covenant ibid. Renewing of Covenant in the Sacrament Page 257 Crucified Christ Crucified in the Sacrament Page 248 Curse They that neglect the Word are nigh to a curse Page 203 Cursing of others sinful Page 278 How far we may curse the enemies of the Church Page 280 D Danger see Dignity Dark see Mind Dead Death Fear of death taken away how Page 38 We must not bring dead services and hearts to the living God Page 97 Consciences of carnall men opened upon their death-bed Page 118 Death of Christ to be meditated on in the Sacrament Page 165 Dear see Glory Delight God delights in our drawing nigh to him Page 37 Depart To neglect GODS Worship is to depart from Him Page 33 Dependance We should continually be sensible of our dependance on God Page 274 Desire We must hear the Word with a desire after it Page 170 Devil Devil gratified by omission of duties Page 59 Vnseasonable motions though materially good come from the Devil Page 82 Wandering thoughts in prayer suggested by the Devil Page 286 Difficulty Naturall parts in performance of duties will not carry thorow difficulties Page 87 Not to be discouraged in difficulties considering Gods power Page 97 The work of Religion difficult Page 109 Dignity see Prerogative The more dignity the more danger Page 12 Dishonour It were a dishouour to God to accept the services of wicked men Page 116 Disposition Inward disposition in Prayer Page 292 Divine see Service Doubt The time of receiving the Sacrament no time for doubting Page 254 We must pray without doubting Page 293 Duty The holinesse of a duty will not bear men out in their miscarriage in it Page 17 Omission of duty will not fit for duty Page 58. 113 The doing of one duty prepares for another Page 60 Duties not to be rested on Page 103. 107. 115 To be humbled for our best duties Page 111 All duties of carnall worshippers lost Page 112 Sin of Hypocrites aggravated by holy duties ibid E Easie Preparation makes duties easie Page 52 Election Evidence of election Page 213 End see Extremity Our ends must be high in the worship of God Page 72 Base ends of men in Gods worship ibid To have right ends a part of wisdom Page 99 It is the nature of God to will himself the last end Page 104 Engagement Engagements of prayer to be performed Page 293 Envie see Mean Eternity Eternity of God how to be considered in our worship Page 94 Excellency Thoughts of our own excellency to be cast off in our worship Page 85 Exemplary Exemplary judgements should make us look into the Word how God makes it good Page 23 Extremity Men that regard duties only in extremitie make themselves their end Page 77 Examination Examination required in partaking of the Sacrament Page 233 Eye Faith as an eye to see Christ in the Sacrament Page 252 F Faith Faithfulness Faithfulnesse of God what it should teach us Page 102 Faith must be mixed in hearing the Word Page 177 Faith exercised in receiving the Sacrament Page 252 Faith how to act it in the Sacrament Page 271 We must pray in Faith Page 293 Faculties All the Faculties of the Soule to be given up in Prayer Page 281 Familiarity see Potent Drawing nigh to God breeds familiarity Page 37 Benefit of familiarity with God Page 38 Falling away Falling away the ground of it Page 34 Fear see Publick What fear we must have in Gods worship Page 78 In fear naturall Conscience puts on to duty Page 89 Fervency Fervency required in prayer Page 295 Fire Fire from Heaven Two fold Page 2 Fire that slew Aarons Sons what Page 3 Strange fire what Page 19 Folly To be ashamed of our folly when wee come to GOD. Page 99 Follow The Soul is to follow after God as a God Page 65 Free see Grace Friend see Word Friends who are the best Page 25 G Gesture Gesture in the Sacrament not meerly indifferent Page 262 Guilty see Blood Guilty Consciences flee the worship of God why Page 31 Guilt to be removed when we come to pray Page 274 God Duties must be performed to God as a God Page 62 When duties are offered to God as a God Page 63 The Word to be heard as the Word of God Page 166 We are reconciled by the blood of that person that is God Page 268 Good Good heart what Page 187 The word will be made good on the abusers of it Page 207 We are to pray for our own good Page 277 Gospel Gospel the tenour of it Page 257 Glory Glory of God dear to him Page 7 Glory of God dearer to him than the lives of men Page 22 Glory of God is the lustre of all his Attributes together Page 102 The active Glory of God is the especiall honor he hath Page 105 Glory of God in his Word the greatest Page 182 Why God will be glorified in them that hear the Word Page 209 Those that will obey the Word will be the
glory of the Ministers Page 214 We should have apprehensions of Gods Glory in prayer Page 275 The Glory of God is the chiefe thing we should pray for Page 176 Spirituall things neerest the Glory of God Page 277 Grace Grace to be acted especially in Gods worship Page 29 Grace the freenesse of it should make us more diligent in the worship of God Page 34 Graces increased by drawing nigh to God Page 35 Graces to be acted and stirred up in the Sacrament Page 271 We must act our own Graces in Prayer together with the spirit Page 291 See Covenant Great A people are great that have God nigh them Page 40 We should prepare to Gods worship because he is Great Page 43 The duties of Gods Worship are Great Page 44 How to Sanctifie Gods Name in respect of his Greatness Page 67 Great things to be expected from God Page 100 We must hear the word with attention because of the greatnesse of him that sends it Page 172 Wee must be attentive because the matters delivered are great Page 173 H Habitual Habitual sanctification Page 68 Harden Nothing doth harden the heart more than the word by accident Page 205 Hand Faith is a Hand to take Christ in the Sacrament Page 253 The Cup in the Sacrament not to be delivered into every particular hand Page 264 Heart Our hearts naturally unprepared for duty page 46 The heart in preparation to be taken from every sinfull way page 49 As the heart is so are the duties page 70 The heart is not changed by the acting of natural parts page 87 Good heart what page 187 The world of the Law not in the heart page 211 A broken heart required in receiving the Sacrament page 246 Hearing of Sanctifying Gods Name in hearing the word page 161 Hearing the word a part of Gods worship page 162 How to know that God hears our prayers page 294 Heathen Heathens attend to worship their Idolls page 46 Heaven Being oft in Gods presence minds us of heaven page 36 The worship of God here the beginning of that in heaven page 106 Hide We must hide the word in our hearts Page 189 Highest What we lift highest in our worship that is our God Page 74 See Thoughts Ends. Hindrance Hindrances to Gods worship many Page 46 Holy Holinesse Holinesse the greatest honour of Gods Name Page 23 Holinesse of God to be held forth by his servants Page 24 Drawing nigh to God makes us holy Page 36 Time and Place said to be holy how Page 50 God infinite holy Page 99 Those that receive the Lords Supper must be holy Page 232 Honest We must receive the word into honest hearts Page 186 Honest heart what Page 188 Honest amongst men who Page 189 Honour To quiet the heart in affliction is to know that God will have honour by it Page 25 Humble Humbled Humility Humility of Spirit requisite in the worship of God Page 84 To be humbled for not sanctifying the Name of GOD aright Humiliation in preparing to hear the word Page 168 Wandring thoughts in prayer suffered by God to humble us Page 285 Humility required in our prayers Page 295 See Worship Hungring There must be hungring after Christ in the Sacrament Page 251 I Incense Incense what it signifieth Page 91 Incomprehensible Incomprehensiblenesse of God what it should teach us in our worship Page 95 Infinite There is an impression of Gods infinitnesse upon the duties of his servants Page 64 Infirmities Infirmities of others to be passed by of those that receive the Sacrament Page 258 Infirmities how helped by the spirit Page 290 Institution Institution of the Sacrament to be kept close to Page 261 Intention Strength of intention required in the worship of God Page 81 Joy The mercy of God should make us come to him with joy Page 100 The word to be received with joy Page 184 Difference in the joy of hypocrites and true Christians Page 186 Spiritual joy required in receiving the Sacrament Page 255 A broken spirit may consist with spiritual joy ibid Judge Judgement Sinners may meet with judgements never threatned in the word Page 16 God is quick with some in the way of his judgements Page 17 Judgements many times sutable to the sins Page 18 Gods judgements many times invisible Page 21 The word of God shall judge those that abuse it Page 207 Justice Justice of God seen in the death of Christ Page 268 K Knowledge Knowledge required in receiving the Lords Supper Page 244 Knowledge in other points necessary to them that receive the Sacrament Page 245 Knowledge actuall required in receivers Page 246 L Leaven Leaven how cast out by the Jewes Page 249 Life Living Gods goodness in sparing our lives to worship him Page 84 That God is a living God what it should teach us Page 96 The things delivered in the word concern our lives Page 174 Beleevers nourished to eternall life Page 269 Limitted The duties of Gods Children not limitted Page 65 Little In matters of worship God stands upon little things Page 11 Lose The ground why we lose so many prayers Page 296 Love Naturall conscience makes not the heart love a duty Page 88 The word must be received with love Page 184 The Sacrament ordained by Christ out of love Page 228 Love to be renewed in the receiving the Sacrament Page 258 The infinite love of God seen in the death of Christ Page 269 Lust The worship of God not to be subjected to our lusts Page 72 Who they be that subject it to their lusts Page 73 M Man The Mediator between God and man is man Page 276 Mean Mean men not to envy great ones why Page 13 Mediator The way of mans salvation is by a Mediator Page 267 Meditation Meditation in preparing the heart to holy duties Page 49 Meditations in the receiving the Sacrament Page 267 Meeknesse The word must be received with meeknesse Page 179 Mercy Mercifull God is mercifull Page 100 Mercy of God should teach us to be mercifull to others Page 101 The duties of worship the way to convey Gods choice Mercies Page 105 The word a means to convey speciall Mercies Page 195 Mercie-Seat Mercie-Seat a Type of Christ Page 91 Mind We should pick out Gods mind from dark expressions Page 14 We come to know the mind of God when we come to hear the word Page 163 Mystery The greatest Mysteries of Salvation presented in the Sacrament Page 228. 255 Mixture Mixture of mans inventions with Gods Ordinances unlawfull Page 266 Mortification Mortification requisite to the sanctifying Gods Name Page 67 Mouth Faith the mouth of the soul to receive Christ Page 254 N Name No way to enjoy mercies but by sanctifying Gods Name Page 105 See Sanctifie Nature Natural Some duties of worship are naturall Page 261 Christ hath honoured humane nature by taking it Page 267. Neer Nigh God wil be sanctified in those that come neer him Page 6 Those that are neerest God should be most carefull Page 22