cannot live without his meat and drinke and so for the soule to have such a disposition after Christ this is a rare thing but know that Gods name is not sanctifyed 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 Excellencie 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 spirituall meat and spirituall 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 reall sight of what there is here you are not able to discerne 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 soule 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 body of Christ gushing in the wine And it is a mighty thing to have Christ and such spirituall things made reall and not to be a fansie If one look upon the fire that is painted one cannot heat ones selfe 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 doe not see Christ really his body and bloud and those great Mysteries of the Gospel are not presented as reall things to their soules and hence it is that they go away and get nothing but now when the soule comes with the eye of Faith the soule 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 sight of Jesus Christ and the mysteries of the Gospell that do appeare 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 sight that ever your eyes did behold alas with our naturall eyes we behold a Minister comming with a peece of bread and a little wine but when the eye of faith is opened then wee behold the glorious things of the Gospell many times when you come to hear the word your hearts burne 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. latter end 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 sinne 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 actuall reaching out of the soule by faith putting forth an act of faith to receive Jesus Christ unto the soule 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 Sonne as if this were your condition I am now in the presence of the eternall Father who now doth actually give out his Sonne to my soule and saith soule here receive anew this day my Sonne with all that he hath purchased for thy good now then the soule acts upon this and by stirring up an act of faith comes and closes with this gift of the Father and casts its selfe upon Jesus Christ and saith as it were Amen to what the Father gives oh Lord here I come and imbrace thy Sonne as my life as my Saviour as the fountaine of all my good in whom I expect all the good I am like to have either here or to all eternity so that there must be a stirring up of the act of faith in an actuall taking of Christ if thou beest a beleever canst thou remember what thou didst when first thou didst take Jesus Christ when the Lord in the preaching of his word did reveale Jesus Christ to thy soule what didst thou then oh soule how did thy soule work in closing with Christ as thy soule did then in closing with Christ so it must now renew the work there must be a renewall of the worke at that time So that when you come to the Sacrament you must not thinke that it is then a time to listen to doubts feares and scruples no but it is a time that God cals for the exercise of faith the casting of the soule upon Christ and his merits for life and for salvation or else the name of God is not sanctified as it ought thou doest not sanctifie Gods name when thou art busying thy foule in doubts and scruples in thy receiving of the Sacrament And then faith is as the mouth when thou commest to eat and drinke how canst thou if thou hast not a mouth thou hast a bodily month to take in bread and wine but know that without faith thy soule cannot take in Christ faith is as it were the mouth that is by the act of faith the soule doth open it selfe for Jesus Christ and not only opens it selfe but takes in Christ to the soule and makes Christ and the soule as one as our bread and wine is made one with our body so faith takes in Christ and makes him as one with thee and turnes Christ into the nourishment of thy foule and thou and Christ by faith are made as truly one as the bread and wine that is put into thy body is made one with thy body This is the worke of faith without which wee cannot sanctifie the name of God Sixthly there must be spirituall joy that must be exercised here for it is a feast here we come to sit with Christ at his Table wee come as children to our Fathers Table and to sit there with Jesus Christ our elder Brother now as a Father doth not love to have his child set in a sullen and dogged way at his Table or to be crying but he would have the child set in comfort
men because they do good actions but God accepts of the actions of men because their 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 Abeâ— 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 sinfull 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 meanes of acceptation of your persons which is through the Righteousnesse 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 eternall life untill 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 performe any duties of Gods Worship you should coâ—â—der this Is my heart Sanctified I must Sanctifie Gods Name and how can I do that except my heart be Sanctified 2 Secondly Our hearts must be Sanctified because the Lord doth look more to the principle from whence a thing comes then at 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 injoy from God as what the principle is from whence they come that is Whether what we do injoy from God is from the love of God in Jesus Christ or no Whether it be from the generall Bounty and Patience of God or from the speciall â—oue of God in Jesus Christ â—ur hearts would regard that moâ—â— if we were Spirituall now then look as a godly man is not satisfied with injoying any good thing from God except he knows it comes from a principle of love to him â—esus 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 Holinesse in our hearts 3 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 is 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 behaviour 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 Maâ—estie and in Glory as in Isa 6. 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 Worshipped God they saw 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 Majestie as he was we should at all times have high thoughts of God take heed of having low thoughts and apprehensions of the Infinite Majestie 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 infinite 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 excellencie good and glory that all Creatures in the world have And look upon the â—ord every time thou comest to Worship him as that God whom Angels do adore and before whom the Devils are forced 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 â—ing were come into the â—oom or any great person it would compose your spirits because you have â—igh thoughts of such as or those that are above you So let us look upon God as in his excellencie 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 is 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 wife 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
convey thou hadest need to Pray Lord I go to such an Ordinance of thine and I know there is no effiâ—acy in its self it is not able to reach to such effects as I expect that is to have my heart spoken too and quickned and to have mine eyes opened but O Lord open mine eyes and open mine heart Lord my heart naturally is lockt up against thy Word there are such wards in my heart that except thou aâ—t pleased to put in a key that may fit my heart it will never open Man he is not able to know my heart and therefore he cannot fit a key to answer every ward to resolve every doubt to silence every objection but Lord thou canst do it Do thou Lord therefore fit thy word this day that may meet with my heart Lord I have gone often to thy Word and the key hath stuck in it and it hath not opened but Lord if thou wouldest but fit it and turn it with thine own hand my heart would open Oh come with such a praying heart to the Word and thereby shalt thou sanctifie the Name of God in hearing his Word this is to come to the Word as to the Word of God you must not come to the hearing of the Word as to hear a speech or an oration but come in such a preparation as this is and so I say God will be glorified and you will be profited The next thing is what should be the behaviour of the Soul in the Sanctifying Gods Name in the Word when it is come Now to that there are these particulars 1 First there must be a carefull attention unto the Word you must set your hearts unto it as Moses in Deut. 32. 46 he said unto the people Set your hearts unto all the words which I testifie among you this day which you shall command your Children to observe to do for it is not a vain thing for you because it is your life Set your hearts to it for it is not a vain thing it is your life when you come to hear the word give diligent attention to what you hear In Act. 3. 6. it is said The people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake They gate heed The word is used often in Scripture sometimes it is used for to beware of a thing Beware of the leven of the Pharisees Beware of them as a man when he sees an enemy and is aware of him he is very diligent to observe how to avoid him So there should be as much diligence to get good by the Word as one would be diligent to avoid any danger whatsoever And the word signifies sometimes to give such heed as a Disciple gives unto his Master so they gave heed to the Word So in Prov. 2. 1 2. My Son if thou wilt receive my words and hide my commandments with thee so that thou incline thine eare unto wisdome We must diligently attend and not to suffer our eyes our thoughts to be wandring but diligently attend to what is said My Brethren there is all things that may challenge attention in the Word What would make you to attend to any thing First if he that speaks were much above you If it were a great Prince or Lord that spake to you then you would attend Now though it is true it is but a man that it may be is inferiour to most of you that speaks yet know in him it is the Lord of heaven and earth that speaks to you And so you know what Christ saith He that heareth you heareth me So though you would not attend in respect of the Messenger so much yet as it is the Son of God that is speaking to you it may challenge your attention This day if you should hear a voice out of the clouds from heaven speaking to you would you not then listen the truth is we should listen as much to the voice of God in the Ministery of his Word as if so be that the Lord should spake out of the clouds to us And I will give you a Scripture for that that the voice of God in his Word should be as much regarded of you as if God should speak from heaven to you by an audible voice out of the clouds In 2 Pet. 1. 18 19. This voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy â—ount But mark in vers 19. We have also a mere sure Word of Prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed Mark We heard a voice from heaven saith Peter yea but we have a more sure word of Prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed There was a voice from heaven spake you will say If we had heard that voice we would have given heed to that saith the Apostle You have a more sure word of Prophesie Now prophesie in Scripture is taken for preaching Dispise not Prophesie As if the Holy Ghost should say You must have regard to the word of Prophesie as you would have regard to any voice from heaven Suppose an Angel should come and speak to you would not you attend to him then whatsoever thoughts you had they would be taken off for there is an Angel that is come down from heaven to speak Now mark what is said in Heb. 1. 1. God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past to the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last daies spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath appointed heir of all things by whom also he made the worlds And then in vers 3. he describes his Son And being made so much better then the Angels as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name then they If a Prophet should come and speak that is not so much as if the Son of God comes no nor as if an Angel should come for Jesus Christ hath obtained a more excellent name then the Angels and it is Christ that is in the Ministry of his Word He that heareth you heareth me 2 Secondly That which would cause attention is the greatnes of the matter propounded It is true if a man should speak of some flight and vain things there need not so much attention My Brethren the matters in the Word are the great things of God it is the voice of God the great Mysteries of godlinesse those deep things that the Angels themselves desire to pry into Yea the Angels themselves by the Churches they come to have the knowledge of the Mysteries of God I make no question but in the Ministery of the Word among the Churches the Angels they attend and come to some knowledge in the Mysteries of godlinesse for so the Scripture saith That they have it by the Churches there the greatest things of Gods will the greatest Counsels of God that were kept hid from all eternity are opened to you in the Ministry of the Word We do not come to tell you tales and the conceits
Sanctifying Gods Name in hearing it 1 The First is a distemper of Passion in those that have some trouble of conscience in them they are troubled for their fin and their Spirits are in a discontented froward humour because they have not that comfort that they do desire and therefore the Word of God when it comes to be preached to them if it doth not every way suit with their hearts and if they do not find present comfort by it their Spirits are in a distemper and frowardnesse and cast it off and if at any time there be never such comfortable things spoken in the word yet there is an anger in their spirits because they are not able to apply the Word to themselves and they think This doth not concern me now there should be meeknesse of Spirit in those that are in trouble of conscience above all they should quietly attend upon the Word and wait for the time that God will speak peace to their consciences And if I cannot find the Word suitable to me at this time yet I may at another time let me atend with meeknes let me receive everything with meeknesse the Word is above me and if ever I have good it must be by the word at last It doeth much concern those that are in trouble of Conscience to have meeke Spirits 2 There is another distemper in others and that is worse that is Such as when they find the word come neer unto them relating those sins that their consciences tels them they are guilty of their hearts rise against God and his Word and Ministers too Because it would pluck away some beloved corruption because it rebukes them for some haunt of evill some distemper of heart that they have been or are guilty of it puts a shame upon them and therefore their hearts do rise against it It is a dreadfull thing to have the heart rise against the Word As we read of that froward Prince Jehoiakim in the Prophesie of Jeremiah that when the Roll was read in his hearing sitting in the winter time by a great fire he tooke a penknife and cut it a pieces and threw it into the fire in anger and I have read that the Jewes kept a Fast every year to mourne for that great sin yet this Jehoiakim was the Son of Josiah whose heart did melt at the hearing of the Word he had an humble and a meek heart when the Law was read and yet see what a different Spirit Jehoiakim had either from his Father or grand-Father It is a great dishonour to the name of God for men to give liberty to their Passions to rise against the Word take heed of Passion either while you are hearing the Word or after the Word as many of you when you are discontented with what is said When you come in company what a fury are many men in upon the hearing of some things in the word that comes close to their hearts Remember when you are a hearing of the Word that it is that which is above you and it is not fit for one that is an inferiour to shew himself Passionate in the presence of a Superiour It is true the Ministers they may be in as low a condition as you and in a lower but the word they speak it is above all the Princes and Monarchs upon the face of the earth and it is fit therefore we having to deal with God that we should behave our selves in a meeke disposition 6 The next thing for the Sanctifying Gods name in the hearing of the word is this we must hear it with a trembling heart with fear as well as meeknesse and for that you have that famous Scripture in Isa 66. begining Thus saith the Lord the Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my footstool wher is the house that ye build unto me and where is the place of my rest For all those things hath my hand made and all those things have been saith the Lord but to this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word this is a most admirable Scripture Marke how God lifts up himself in his glory so great a God as the Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my footstool 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 then 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 footstool 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 then 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 trembles at his word he regards them more then 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 dreadfull authority that there is in the word of God when we are able to see more glory of God in his word then in all the works of God besides for there is more of his glory in the word then 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 strik terrour into all your hearts but know that there is more of the dreadfulnesse of Gods name in his word then 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 sign of a Spirituall inlightened Soul that can see the name of God more magnified in his word then 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 then 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 then he hath seen in all the works of God besides and his heart hath been more taken with it
read and hear such things in the word that if I were but sure that these things were my portion how happy should I be Here 's one sign by which thou mayest be assured that they are all thy portion Is it thy unfained care to Sanctifie Gods name in the hearing of his word Oh peace be to thee all the good in the word is thine And here we might fall into a comendation 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 encouragement to Sanctifie Gods name in the hearing of his word by way of comendation of it It is Rom. 10. 5. a place I am afraid you have not had the sweetnesse of it for the want of understanding it It is quoted out of Deut. For Moses describeth the Righteousness which is of the Law that the man which doth those things shall live by them But the Righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thine heart who shall ascend into heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring Christ again from the dead But what saith it the word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which we preach The text hath some difficulty and yet exceeding sweet to us to know it I confesse if the Apostle Paull had not quoted this place out of Deut. and thus interpreted it who could ever have thought in reading of Deut. that by the one had been ment the word of the Law and by the other the word of the Gospel therefore the meaning is this here is a comparison between the word of the Law and the word of the Gospel Concerning the word of the Law there is two things wherein that comes short of the word of the Gospel First It is not so nigh thee Secondly It is not so certain to assure thy Soul what shall become of thee to all eternity The word of the Law saith who shall ascend into heaven c. But the word of the Gospel is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart You will say Why is not the word of the Law as nigh one as the word of the Gospel I Answer The word of the Law you hear it in your eares but it is not written in the heart as the word of the Gospel is The Law cannot work savingly upon the heart of a man to bring salvation those that are meerly Legall they can hear the duties that are required but that word hath no power to write in their hearts what they do hear But now when you come to hear the word of the Gospel that is nigh you even in your very hearts as well as in your eares God speaks in it and it comes into your hearts and there it works efficaciously which the Law cannot The Law is but as a dead Letter in comparison of the word of the Gospel If you come meerly to hear the Law preached and not in an Evangellicall way you may hear it a hundred times and it will never be written in your hearts But when you come to hear the Gospel in an Evangellicall 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 righteousnesse of the Law you are at an infinit uncertainty about your eternal estates The Law saith Do and live but you can never know when you have done enough so as to be certain that you are well for eternity That saith Who shall ascend into heaven to know the mind of God concerning me whether he will accept of me and of that obedience and worship that I tender up to him Who shall go down into the deep Who shall go down to Hell to know there whether that place be prepared for him or not It is a phrase that only expresseth an uncertainty that one cannot be satisfied about his eternall 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 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 confesse 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 of Gods eternal purpose to do the good in heaven You would account it a great happines 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 tel 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 clearnesse then 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
man doth not accomplish the Righteousnesse of God there are some other particulars which being laid down we shall come to the 3 main points SERMON II. LEVITICUS 10. 3. I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me 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 Nadab and Abihu and of Gods dealing with them From the general story of it there were many Points of notable Observation that were drawn from thence I le 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 sorest 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 strucke before all the people with fire from heaven and 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 complain 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 will not be comforted 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 's no such cause of murmuring here but when God takes away Children in their sins and in such a way as by fire from heaven 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 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 shall find if you read 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 and struck them dead and no body could tell how Gods judgements do come in a way that is invisible if it had been in a visible flame of fire all would have seen it and it would have burnt their cloaths or their bodies but you shall find in the 5 verse That they were carried away from the Sanctuary in their cleaths they were not burnt Another Note is this That though the lives of men be dear and precious to God yet they are not so precious as his glory The Glory of his Name is a thousand thousand times more dear unto God then the lives of thousand thousands of people the lives of Nadab and Abihu must go that God may be â—anctified If it comes so in the way as I may so say he lives of men and the Sanctifying of Gods Name the Glory of God must passe on and mast have its course let the lives of men go which way they will We think much to have the lives of men taken away but if we know 〈◊〉 Glory of God meant and what infinite reason there is that God should be gâ—â—ned we would not think it much that the lives of never so many men should go for the Glory of God 〈◊〉 'T is mercy that our lives have not gone many times for Gods glory How often might God have glorified himselfe in taking away our lives Wee have cause to blesse him that our lives have been preserved so long as they have Again Note That the neerer any men are to God the more they had need take heed that they glorifie him for they must expect to be spared the lesse if they sin against him Nadab and Abihu the Priests of God and they came neer to God yet by their transgression though I told you We do not find in any place of Scripture directly in words that this fire is forbidden but they should have gathered Gods mind by consequence And therefore by the way I only Note That we must not think to urge upon men in all things strict commands in very words but if it be commanded so as we may draw it by any consequence it 's a command as now here for the Negative they had not a Negative prohibition in words yet they had it by Consequence So for the Affirmative though we have not the affirmative in expresse words yet if we may have it by consequence it is an affirmative as well as the negative when we have it by consequence But now the Note of Observation is That the neerer any comes to God if they sin against him they must not expect to be spared Do not think that God will spare you the more because you are professors of Religion or because you do often worship him I suppose you that are acquainted with Scripture know that place in Amos 3. 2. You only have I known of all the families of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities Another Note is this That when a judgement is exemplary then we should have recourse to the Word of God to see how God doth make his Word good in that judgement So Moses doth This is that which the Lord hath said Do you see any remarkable hand of God in the execution of a judgement upon one have recourse to Gods Word and presently begin to think this What is there in Gods Word against that sin that this man hath been guilty of If you see a judgement of God upon a Drunkard remember the threats in the Word of God against drunkennesse and so the judgements of God upon unclean Persons swearers Sabbath breakers lyars or any prophane and ungodly persons have recourse to the judgements of God threatned
work made with them go and preach those that belong to my election shall 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 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 shall shew their fearful condition and how God will Sanctifie his name upon them in waies 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 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 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 whither 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 then 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 all the world that they are not of God 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 eies 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 O take heed of this that when you are hearing the word and Christ comes and speaks to your hearts and you begin to think that it may concern you and your consciences begin to stir take heed that you do not shift him off take heed that you do not put away the word from you by any kind of pretence whatsoever It may be you will say If I were certain it were the word of God and that God spake to me God forbid but that I should submit unto it But though it may be the hearts of men are not so notoriously rebellious as to resolve to sin against the word which they will acknowledge to be the word of God yet this is the deceit of the heart when the heart hath no mind to obey it will shift off the word and have pretences and put offs O take heed that you do not shift oft him that speaks from heaven by making any kind of excuse whatsoever but when thou hearest if the word of God come to thy conscience do not listen to vain reasonings that are against it Others there are that cannot tell how to shift off the word but it will come upon them when they are hearing it may be they are a little stirr'd but it is presently gone so that they are far from houlding the word far from keeping it in their hearts Oh how many of you have been stirr'd when you have been hearing the word and how happy had it been for you if you had hid those words in your heart that the Lord hath spoken to you in the Ministry of it If you had but the Invitations of the Spirit now that sometimes you have had how happy were it for you But it is with many in hearing the word just as with you Marriners when you are to go aboard your friends come with you take their leaves of you and then you see them stand upon the shore a while but when you sail a little further your friends are out of sight and then you see only the shore you sayl on a little further and then you see only the houses you sayl a little further and then you see only the steeples and such high places and you sayl yet a little further and then you see nothing but the Ocean So it is in hearing the word It may be when you go home there are some things fresh in your minds but on the munday morning you have lost some but then there are some others that do yet present themselves before you and then you loose more and more until you have lost the sight of all all truthes are gone you see no more of the word as if you had never heard it this is not to Sanctifie Gods name you should treasure up the word as the most rich
now when it is meerly out of love to Jesus Christ that I might have more edification to my soule and still I retain love to the Saints that are there as they are in a Communion and so farre as they have any thing good among them I hold Communion with them in that onely I desire in humility and in meekenesse that I may be in such a place where my soule may be most edified where I may enjoy all those Ordinances that Christ hath appointed for his Church certainly that soule that can give this account to Iesus Christ for going from one place to another will be freed by Iesus Christ from such a sinne as this that the world cals Schisme but the truth is this word is in mens mouthes that understand not what it means and the devill alwayes will have some word or other cast upon them that are good for hee hath heretofore gained much by it so still he makes account to gaine 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 wee are to proceed to that which is the maine thing and that is What are the holy qualifications or dispositions of the soule together with the actings fit in the receiving of the Lords Supper what is required in the soule 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 doe when I come to receive this holy Sacrament knowledge applyed to the worke 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 doe when you come thither First you must bee 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 godlinesse those great and deep Councels of thy will concerning my eternall estate those great things that the Angels desire to pry into that shall be the matter of eternall 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 godlinesse the great things of the Covenant of grace and now I goe 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 Seales of the blessed Covenant of thine the second Covenant the new Covenant the Seales of the Testimony and will of thine I am going to have confirmed to my soule thine everlasting Love in Jesus Christ Yea Lord I am going to that Ordinance wherein I expect to have Communion with thy selfe and the communication of thy cheife mercies to my soule in Jesus Christ I am going to feast with thee to feed upon the body and bloud of Jesus Christ Yea I am now going to set to the Seale 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 then 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 bloud of Christ because they did not discerne the Lords body they lookt only upon the outward elements but did not discerne what there was of Christ there they did not understand the institution of Christ they did not see how Christ was under those elements both represented and exhibited unto them that 's the first thing there must be knowledge and understanding And now for the knowledge and understanding of the nature of the Sacrament there need be knowledge in other points of Religion for we can never come to understand the nature of this Sacrament without knowing God and knowing our selves knowing in what estate we were by nature knowing our Fall knowing the way of Redemption knowing Jesus Christ what he was and what he hath done for the making of an Atonement the necessity of Jesus Christ and what the way of the Covenant is that God hath appointed to bring mens soules to eternall life by The maine points of Religion must be known but especially that that concernes the nature of a Sacrament Now this knowledge likewise must be actuall not meerly habituall knowledge but there must be a stirring up of this knowledge that is by meditation I must be meditating have actuall thoughts and meditations of what I doe know that ought to be the work of a Christian in comming to receive the Sacrament to quicken up his knowledge to have a renewed work of his knowledge by actuall thoughts and meditations of the maine points of Religion and especially of the nature and the end of this holy institution that is the first thing Secondly As wee must come understandingly without which wee cannot sanctifie Gods name so we must come with hearts sutable to the work that wee are about that is because the great thing that is here is the breaking of Christs body and the pouring forth his bloud A sutable disposition to this is brokennesse of heart sence of our sinne of that dreadfull breach that sin hath made between God and the soul our sin should be upon our hearts so as to break them But this brokennesse must be evangelicall it must be through the applying of the blood of Christ unto my soule I must come to be sensible of my sin but especially be sensible of it by what I see in the holy Sacrament that must make me sensible of my sinne There are a great many things to make me sensible of my sin The consideration of the great God that thou hast sinned against and the Curse of the Law that 's due to thee the wrath of God that is incensed against thee for thy sin and those eternall flames that are prepared for sinners those everlasting burnings But now those are not the things that will break the heart in an evangelicall way in a gracious way the maine thing by which the soule must come to break its heart must be the
the living God 97 Consciences of carnall 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 Devill Devill gratified by omission of duties 59 Vnseasonable motions though materially good come from the Devill 82 Wandering thoughts in prayer suggested by the Devill 286 Difficulty Naturall parts in performance of duties will not carry thorow difficulties 87 Not to be discouraged in difficultes considering Gods power 97 The work of Religion difficult 109 Dignity see Prerogative The more dignity the more danger 12 Dishonour It were a dishonour 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 for doubting 254 We must pray without doubting 293 Duty The holinesse of a duty will not bear men out in their 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 carnall worshippers lost 112 Sin of Hypocrites aggravated by holy duties ibid E Easie Preparation makes 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 ibid To have right ends apart of wisdom 99 It is the nature of God to will himself the last end 104 Engagement Engagements of prayer to be performed 293 Envie 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 judgements 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 233 Eye Faith as an eye to see Christ in the Sacrament 252 F Faith Faithfulnesse Faithfulnesse 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 What fear we must have in Gods worship 78 In fear naturall Conscience puts in to duty 89 Fervency Fervency required in prayer 295 Fire Fire from Heaven Two fold 2 Fire that slew Aarons Sons what 3 Strange fire what 19 Folly To be ashamed of our follie 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 25 G Gesture Gesture in the Sacrament not meerly indifferent 262 Guilty see Bloud 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 62 When duties are offered to God as a God 63 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 then the lives of men 22 Glory of God is the lustre of all his attributes together 102 The active Glory of God is the especiall honour 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 chiefe thing we should pray for 276 Spirituall things nearest the Glory of God 277 Grace Grace to be acted especially in Gods worship 29 Grace the freenesse of it should make us more diligent in the worship of God 34 Graces increased 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 greatnesse 67 Great things to be expected from God 100 We must hear the word with attention because of the greatnesse of him that sends it 172 We must be attentive because the matters delivered are great 173 H Habituall Habituall sanctification 68 Harden Nothing doth harden the heart more then 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 264 Heart Our hearts naturally unprepared for duty 46 The heart in preparation to be taken from every sinfull way 49 As the heart is so are the duties 70 The heart is not changed by the acting of naturall 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 Idolls 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 to Gods worship many 46 Holy Holinesse Holinesse the greatest honour of Gods Name 23 Holinesse 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 infinitly holy 99 Those that receive the Lords Supper must be holy 232 Honest We must receive the word into honest hearts 186 Honest heart what 188 Honest amongst men who 189 Honour To quiet the heart in affliction is to know that God will have honour 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