Gospel Concerning the Word of the Law there is two things wherein that comes short of the Word of the Gospel First It is not so nigh thee Secondly It is not so certain to assure thy soul what shall become of thee to all eternity The Word of the Law saith Who shall ascend into Heaven c. but the Word of the Gospel is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart You will say Why is not the Word of the Law as nigh one as the Word of the Gospel I Answer The Word of the Law you hear it in your ears but it is not written in the heart as the Word of the Gospel is The Law cannot work savingly upon the heart of a man to bring salvation those that are meerly Legal they can hear the duties that are required but the Word hath no power to write in their hearts what they do hear But now when you come to hear the Word of the Gospel that is nigh you even in your very hearts as wel as in your ears God speaks in it and it comes into your hearts and there it works efficaciously which the Law cannot The Law is but a dead Letter in comparison of the Word of the Gospel If you come meerly to hear the Law preached add not in an Evangelical way you may hear it a hundred times and it wil never be written in your hearts but when you come to hear the Gospel in an Evangelical way that will come to be written in your hearts so that the Word of the Gospel is nigh you But what is the meaning of the other Say not who shall ascend up into Heaven c The meaning is this As if the Apostle should say The truth is while you have no other but the righteousness of the Law you are at an infinite uncertainty about your eternal estates The Law saith Do and live but you can never know when you have done enough so as to be certain that you are well for eternity That saith Who shal ascend into Heaven to know the mind of God concerning me whether he will accept of me and of that obedience and worship that I tender up to him Who shall go down into the deep Who shall go down to Hell to know there whether that place be prepared for him or no It is a phrase that only expresseth an uncertainty that one cannot be satisfied about his eternal estate except he could go to Heaven and there see and read Gods Book and so discover Gods mind concerning him or go down to Hell and so know whether that place be appointed for him or not except I can do one of these I cannot certainly tell meerly by the Law whether I shall go to Heaven or Hell As you that are Merchants and Dealers abroad you are at a great deal of uncertainty what shall become of your estates Indeed if I could send one over to the Indies to tell me now my Ship prospered then I could be at a certainty then I should hear whether I were a rich man yea or no but except I could do such a thing I am at an uncertainty Such is the expression here As if a poor soul should say I would fain be saved and loth to perish eternally But all the while the soul remains under the Law it remains in an uncertain condition but now saith he The Word of the Gospel is nigh thee even in thine heart and that is the Word that we preach that saith Rom. 10. 9. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt beleeve in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved As if he should say This Word of the Gospel that is come into thine heart doth assure thy soul of thy eternal estate so that though thou canst not go up to Heaven nor go down to Hell yet thou hast that in thine heart that doth as it were assure thee that thou shalt be eternally saved as if thou wert able to go up to the highest Heavens and fetch News from thence Oh now the good Word of the Gospel how should we prize it and keep it in our hearts for that 's in our hearts that will assure us of our salvation to all eternity and of Gods eternal purpose to do thee good in Heaven You would account it a great happiness if there could be any art to send abroad to the Straits or to other place to know how things fare with you but now if thou hast the Word of the Gospel within thee if that prevails in thy soul thou hast alwaies got something in thy heart that will tell thee how things are with thee in Heaven and what shall become of thee for all eternity Oh who would not sanctifie the Name of God in hearing of His Word seeing it is such a blessed Word wherein the Gospel is opened with more clearness than it hath been to many of our fore-fathers 2. It is a certain evidence of your election in Thess 1. 3. 4 5. Remembring without ceasing your work of Faith and labor of Love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God and our Father Knowing Brethren beloved your election of God Why For our Gospel came not to you in Word only but also in Power and in the holy Ghost and in much assurance And know this excellency there is in Sanctifying Gods Name in hearing the word I beseech you mark it that it is a more blessed thing than if you did bear Jesus Christ in your wombs You that are women would not you have accounted it a great happines if Christ had been born in your wombs Now if thou comest to the hearing of the word and sanctifiest Gods Name in it thou art in a better condition and hast a greater blessing upon thee than if thou hadest born Jesus Christ in thy womb In Luk 11. 27 28. And it came to pass as he spake these things that a certain woman of the company lift up her voice and said unto him Blessed is the womb that bear thee and the paps which thou hast sucked Seeing Christ and what gracious things came from him she spake so But he said Yea rather blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it That is Labor to sanctifie my Name as hath been opened in the particulars rather is that woman blessed that doth so than the woman that bear Christ Me thinks this one Scripture should be such a Scripture for women to cause them to sanctifie Gods Name in hearing of the word instead of a hundred Scriptures certainly thou maiest be so blessed if thou wilt beleeve the word that comes from Christs mouth 3. Do you sanctifie the Name of God in the Word that will sanctifie you by that your souls come to be sanctified and it will comfort you in the day of your affliction and it will save you at last 4 You that do sanctifie Gods Name in
Secondly Our hearts must be sanctified because the Lord doth look more to the principle from whence a thing comes than at the the thing it self As indeed were our hearts right as they should then all the good things that come to us we would not so much regard what the things are that we do enjoy from God as what the principle is from whence they come that is Whether what we do enjoy from God is from the love of God in Jesus Christ or no Whether it it be from the general Bounty and Patience of God or from the special love of God in Jesus Christ Our hearts would regard that most if we were spiritual now then look as a godly man is not satisfied with enjoying any good thing from God except he knows it comes from a principle of love to him in Jesus Christ So God is not pleased with any thing that comes from us except he knows that it comes from a principle of Love Grace and Holiness in our hearts Thirdly According as the heart is so will the service be Certainly if the heart be unclean the duty will be unclean perhaps the words may be fine and brave but if there be an unclean heart the duty will be unclean As it is with a man that hath the Plague suppose he makes a brave Oration yet his breath is infectious so it is in our services with God If so be that our hearts within us have the plague then certainly the breath that comes from us all our duties will be unclean and therefore that is the first thing that we are to look for in the sanctifying Gods Name in holy duties Look to have thy heart sanctified and consider from what principle it comes 't is for want of this that thousands of our duties are cast aside and God never doth regard them But this is the first Particular there are many more to speak of SERMON V. Leviticus 10. 3. I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me WEE proceed The next thing therefore for the behavior of the soul in the sanctifying Gods Name in Worship is this When we come to Worship God if we would sanctifie Gods Name we must have high thoughts of God we must look upon God as he is upon his Throne in Majesty and in Glory as in Isa 9. 1 2. you shall find that the Prophet saw the Lord upon his Throne It is an excellent thing when all who come to worship God every time they come to worship Him have their eyes darted up to Heaven and behold the Lord God sitting in his Glory upon his Throne So you shall find in Rev. 4. the 24. Elders that worshiped God they saw him upon his Throne in his Glory and so they worshiped him they worshiped God to purpose indeed when they saw the Lord in that Majesty as he was We should at all times have high thoughts of God take heed of having low thoughts and apprehensions of the infinite Majesty of God at any time but especially when thou art to worship the great God then look upon the Lord in that infinite distance that there is between him and thy self yea that infinit distance that there is between him and all creatures in the world look upon the Lord as lifted up in glory not only above all creatures but above all excellencies that all Angels and Men in Heaven and Earth are able to imagine Look upon the Lord as having all Excellencies in Himself joyned in one and that immutably look upon him as the Fountain of all excellency good and glory that all creatures in the world have and look upon the Lord every time thou comest to worship him as that God whom Angels do adore and before whom the Devils are forc'd to tremble behold him in this his Glory and this will help thee to sanctifie his Name when thou comest to him The great Reason why people come and worship God in a slight way it is because that they do not see God in his glory 't is a great Mercy for God to give unto us a sight of himself a sight of his glory here in this world while we are worshiping of him this would keep our eyes and our thoughts from wandring if we had a sight of the glory of God and had high thoughts of God What 's the reason why we wander so as we do but meerly because we see not God As now suppose you were in your house and looking after every feather that were flying up and down if you should hear that the King were come into the room or any great Person it would compose your spirits because you have high thoughts of such as of those that are above you So let us look upon God as in his excellency and His glory and have high thoughts of him and this is that whereby we are to sanctifie Gods Name when we come before Him in holy duties And that 's the second thing First a sanctified heart and then high thoughts of God 3. A third thing is High-ends Raised-ends in the worshiping of God Prov. 15. 24. The way of life is above to the wise It is on high in this respect when he worships God his heart is lifted up on high there is a holy raising of the heart which is well pleasing to God Our hearts should be on high in regard of the high ends that we aim at in holy duties Lift up thy prayer saith Hezekiah to the Prophet in another case so I may say Lift up thy soul when thou comest to worship God in regard of the high ends that thou aimest at when we are worshiping God we should have our hearts above all creatures and above our selves Let not our hearts then be groveling upon the ground mingled with base and drossie things when we come to worship the Lord Indeed it is fit that we should have our hearts low as we shall shew hereafter in regard of humility but not low in regard of any baseness of spirit to mix with any base and low ends Now there are low and base ends in worshiping of God As First We must take heed we do not subject the Worship of God unto our Lusts that is a cursed thing thou art far from sanctifying Gods Name in worshiping of Him that shalt subject His Worship to thy base lusts this is an abominable and a cursed thing indeed You will say Who doth thus who is the man or where is he that will do this subject the Worship of God to his base lusts To that I answer Whosoever doth make use of any duty of Worship as Prayer Hearing the Word or what ever it be to cloak any kind of wickedness whosoever is conscious to himself of any kind of secret wickedness and yet shall think to cover it by the performance of duties and shall reason in this manner Who will think me to be guilty of such a vile thing when I pray so as I do and am so careful to hear
you use then to seal So it must be here I would appeal to many of your consciences that have come to the Lords Supper what transactions have there been between God and your souls Canst thou say the Lord was pleased to reveal Himself to me to make known to me my wretched condition and the way of grace and salvation and shewed me that upon my coming in to receive His Son he would be merciful to me and pardon my sins and I have found the Spirit of God working my heart to Jesus Christ the Lord from Heaven speaking to me and I sending an Answer to Heaven again how willing my soul was to accept of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with poor creatures in the word of His Gospel canst thou say this in the uprightness of thy heart if not know that this Seal belongs not to thee untill the Lord hath by His word subdued thy heart to this agreement first with him Secondly This Ordinance it is the Ordinance of spiritual nourishment of eating the flesh of Christ and drinking blood in a spiritual way Now it must needs suppose that first there must be life before there can be any nourishment received in If it be appointed to nourish and encrease grace then surely there must be grace before what nourishment can a dead child take The very first thing that is to be done is nourishment here The word hath power to convey life then to nourish but we reade of no such thing here but that which is to be done here is presently to feed to eat and to drink that is the end of the Sacrament therfore it must be supposed that thou must have Spiritual life there must come no dead soul to this Ordinance but those who are quickned by the Spirit of Jesus Christ they must come for nourishment Thirdly the act here required doth note That only those that are holy and godly can receive this Sacrament we are required by the Apostle examine our selves To examine our selves of what It must be of our godliness examine what work of God hath been upon the soul how God hath brought the soul to Himself and what Graces of the Spirit of God are there And how we have been brought into Covenant with God Now if only those can receive worthily and are to come that first examine themselves then certainly such only as are godly are to come for they only can perform those acts that are required Fourthly It is a Sacrament of Communion with God and Communion with the Saints now what Communion hath Light with Darkness what fellowship hath Christ with Belial If it be a Sacrament of Communion of coming to the Table of God Will God have enemies to come to his Table you will invite no enemies to your Tables but your children and friends so they must be the Children of God and the Friends of God those that are reconciled to God in the blood of his Son and those that are his Children that must sit at his Table therfore they must be holy Now this may suffice for that first thing that this is not an Ordinance for al sorts of people but such as have submitted to the condition of the Covenant before Such as have grace and ability to examin themselves of their graces and such as are children and reconciled to God and so are fit to sit at the Table of God and to enjoy Communion with him and with his Son and with the Saints for we are one body sacramentally when we come to this holy Ordinance all others therfore certainly are to be kept from this Sacrament but such 2 The Second thing wil make it out more fully and that is It is not enough that we be holy our selves and so al ignorant prophane and scandalous yea al that are meerly civil that cannot make out any work of godliness upon their hearts in bringing them to Christ are excluded But 1 It is to be done in a holy communion and is cleer one of that place in 1 Cor. 10. 16 17. The Cup of blessing which we bless it is not the Communion of the blood of Christ the bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ And then saith the Apostle in the 17. verse for we being many are one bread and one body therefore all that come to receive the Sacrament thay must so come as they must be one body one spiritual Corporation this very consideration That those with whom we receive the Sacrament are one body with us it hath a great deal in it for the helping of us to sanctifie Gods Name this Ordinance I say it is to be received only in a holy Communion one Christian cānot receive the Sacrament alone there must be a Communion wheresoever it is to be administred it is not enough there is one godly man there but there must be a Communion of Saints and in that Communion it is to be received Quest You wil say Must it be received in a Communion of Saints what if wicked men do come there will that hinder us from sanctifying Gods Name in partaking of the Sacrament with them Do not we find in Scripture that the Church had alwaies wicked men among them there are alwaies tares growing up with the wheat If you reade even in the Corinthians you shall find that there were some in that Church that were wicked yea and it 's thought that Iudas himself did receive the Sacrament therefore what if wicked men be there doth that hinder Answ I answer First it is true That in the Church of God there have been wicked men and 't is like there will be wicked men to the end of the world but yet wheresoever there is a right Communion of Saints there ought to be the power of Christ exercised to cast out those wicked men or at least to withdraw from them This is the Law of Christ That if there be any that have Communion with you if any of them do appear to be wicked you are bound in conscience to go and tell them if they do not reform you are bound to take two or three and if they do not yet reform then you are bound to tell the Church to tell the Assembly of the Saints when they meet together for so the word Church doth signifie and we find in the 1 Cor. 5. chap. that when there was an incestuous person to be cast out it was done in the presence of the Congregation Thus far you are bound to do otherwise you cannot say that it is nothing to you if wicked men be there for you have not discharged your conscience and so you come to be defiled and you do not sanctifie Gods Name in this Ordinance because you have not done to the utternost of your duty for the casting out of those wicked men And mark in 2 Cor. 5. 7. there the Apostle writing to the Church bids them that they should purge out the old leaven
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 Godlines those great and deep Counsels of my Will concerning my eternal estate those great Things that 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 sounding in mine ears 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 Communion of thy chief mercies to my soul in Jesus Christ I am going to feast with the to feed upon the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ Yea I am now going to set 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 strong 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 spake of the disarming the Lords body he rebukes the Corinthians for there sin and shew them that they were guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ because they did not descren the Lords Body they look'd only upon the outward elements but did not discren what their 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 is the first thing there must be knowledg and understanding And now for the knowledg and understanding of the nature of the Sacrament there need be knowledg 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 are by Nature knowing our Fall knowing the way of Redemtion 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 souls to eternall life by The main points of Religion must be known but especially that which concerns the nature of a Sacrament Now this knowledg likewise must be actual not meerly habitual knowledg but there must be a stirring up of this knowledg that is by meditation I must be meditating have actual thoughts and meditations of what I do know that ought to be the work of a Christian in coming to receive the Sacrament to quicken up his knowledg to have a renewed work of his knowledg by actual thoughts and meditations of the main Points of Religion and especially of the nature and the end of this holy institution that is the first thing Secondly As we must come understandingly without which we cannot Sanctifie Gods Name so we must come with hearts sutable to the work that we are about that is because the great thing that is here is the breaking of Christs body and the powring forth His blood A sutable disposition to this is brokenness of heart sence of our sin of that dreadful breach that sin hath made between God and the soul our sin should be upon our hearts so as to break them But this brokenness must be Evangelical it must be through the applying of the Blood of Christ unto my soul 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 sin 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 eternal flames that are prepared for sinners those everlasting burnings But now those are not the things that will break the heart in an Evangelical way in a gracious way the main thing by which the soul must come to break its heart must be the beholding of the evil of sin in the red glass of the blood of Jesus Christ the beholding him broken and truly there is nothing in the world that hath that power to break the heart of sin as the beholding of that which is to be beheld in the holy Sacrament and that heart is a hard heart that can see what is there to be seen not break in the apprehension of sin when I here see what my sin cost what a price was made for my soul when I see the hatred of God against sin and the justice of God in not sparing his Son but in breaking his Son for my sin and in shedding the blood of his Son for my sins I see here that the making of my peace with God did cost more than ten thousand worlds is worth I see that by my sin such a breach was made between God and my soul that all the Angels in Heaven and Men in the World could never make up this breach only the Son of God he that was God and man that was thus broken by the burden of the wrath of his Father for my sins could do this The truth is when we come to this holy Communion we are to look upon Christ as if we saw Him hanging upon the Cross suppose thou hadst lived at the time when Christ was crucified and hadst understood as much concerning the death of Christ as now thou doest and what Christ was if so be that thou shouldest have beheld Him in the Garden and there sweating drops of water and blood and lie groveling upon the ground crying If it be possible let this cup pass from me and shouldest have followed Him to the Cross and there have seen His hands and feet naied and His side pierced and the blood trickling down and have heard him crying out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me would not such a sight as this is have broken thy heart for thy sin the truth is there is more I won't say only so much but I
in their Children It was one of the forest afflictions that almost ever any Saint of God met withal 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 Sons 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 lawful 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 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 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 Judgments 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 cloathes not their bodies but went through all and struck them dead and no body could tell how Gods judgments 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 cloaths 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 than the lives of thousand thousands of People the lives of Nadab and Abihu must go that God may be Sanctified If it comes so in the way as I may so say the lives of men and the Sanctifying of Gods Name the Glory of God must pass on and must 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 what the Glory of God meant and what infinite reason there is that God should be glorified 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 Himself in taking away our lives We have cause to bless Him that our lives have been preserved so long as they have Again Note That the neerer any men are unto God the more they had need take heed that they glorifie Him for they must expect to be spared the less 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 express 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 judgment is exemplary then we should have recourse to the Word of God to see how God doth make his Word good in that judgment So Moses doth This is that which the Lord hath said Do you see any remarkable hand of God in the execution of a judgment 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 judgment of God upon a Drunkard remember the threats in the Word of God against Drunkenness and so the judgments of God upon unclean Persons Swearers Sabbath-breakers Lyars or any Prophane and ungodly persons have recourse to the judgments of God threatned in the Word against such and so likewise concerning Scorners and Opposers of Religion remember what is said in the Word of God against such and so learn to sanctifie Gods Name We might have mentioned some particular threats of God against particular sinners for the helping of you that when you see exemplary judgments to have recourse to the Word of God But we let that pass A further Note from this story is this That the great honor that God intends to his Name It is the making of his Name Holy I wil be Sanctified in them that draw nigh me and before all the people I will be glorified As Moses should say in Gods Name I must and will have glory from the people And how By making my Name appear to be Holy this is the glory that I stand upon above all other things that my Name may appear to be Holy that I may appear to be
This is that that the happiness of the glorious Church is set out by in Rev. 22. 4. They shall see his face and his Name shall be in their foreheads This is the Priviledg of the Church And that it is such a blessing to draw nigh to God you may see it by that in Ephes 2. 18. For through him we both have an access by one Spirit unto the Father Through Him Through Christ we have access by one Spirit unto the Father and now saith he Ye that were strangers and forreigners are made fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God And vers 13. But now by Jesus Christ ye who somtimes were afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ and you have access through Christ So our coming nigh to God is such a priviledg as cost the Blood of Christ And will not you improve it You were far off in your natural condition but now you are nigh through his Blood Lay but this Text warm to your hearts this morning That I that was far off am made nigh by the Blood of Christ made nigh to God it will be a means for ever to draw your hearts to all those waies whereby you may draw neerest to God And by drawing nigh to God often you will come to encrease your graces abundantly your graces how wil they act the presence of God wil draw forth the acts of grace as the presence of the fire draws forth our heat so the presence of God will draw forth our graces And by this means we come to live most holy lives We reade of Moses he was upon the mountain fourty daies with God and when he came down his face did so shine that the people were not able to bear it What 's the reason it was from hence because he was so nigh to God Would you have your faces to shine in a holy conversation before men converse much with God be often with God be nigh to him and that will make you shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation We find it so with some that converse much with God there is a shine upon their very countenances And further it is a special sign of our adoption to love to be nigh to God What should a Child love most but to be in the presence of his Father Would you know whether you have received the Spirit of aboption yea or no I can hardly give you any one sign so cleer as this For to love to go into Gods presence As David said I was glad when they said Come and let us go up unto the House of the Lord. You shal have many that love to be in Gods presence so as they think on it over-night and long for the time till 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 quickned 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 Worshiping 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 worshiping 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 than 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 affliction so much is That you may come runing 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 than to have his Saints come nigh him to have them to be alwaies 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 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 fallow upon thy familiarity with God First Those that are most familiar with God they
they have been or are guilty of it puts a shame upon them and therefore their hearts do rise against it It is a dreadful thing to have the heart rise against the Word As we reade 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 took a penknife and cut it in pieces and threw it into the fire in anger and I have read that the Jews kept a Fast every yeer to mourn for that great sin and yet this Jehoiakim was the son of Josiah whose heart did melt at the hearing of the Word he had an humble and 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 dishonor 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 while 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 hearing of the Word that it is that which is above you and it is not fit for one that is an inferior to shew himself passionate in the presence of a Superior 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 meek 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 meekness and for that you have that famous Scripture in Isa 66. beginning Thus saith the Lord The Heaven is my Throne and the earth is my Foot-stool where is the house that the 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 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 this 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 trembles 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 whol 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 terror 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 sign of a spiritual enlightened soul that can see the Name of God more magnified in his Word than in al 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 VVorks of God besides and his heart hath been 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 it 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 with 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 and said unto Ezra We have transgressed against our God have taken strang wives c. Yet now there is hope ni 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 Gods Word and such as are fittest to counsel they understand most of Gods mind and that 's another particular of the behavior of the soul in sanctifying Gods Name in hearing
or no Saith Christ in Job 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 knowledg 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 all the world that they are not of God they have no part nor portion in God in that they hear not His Wâ—â—â— Some there are that come to hear it but they come to hear it as a meer matter of indifferency in a meer formal 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 heart 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 to com 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 is the signification of it if you compare it with Luke 12. 18. you should 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 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 way 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 acknowledg 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 Oh take heed that you do not shift off 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 stir'd but it is presently gone so that they are far from holding the Word far from keeping it in their hearts Oh! How many of you have been stir'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 abroad 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 sail on a little further and then you see only the houses you sail a little further and then you see only the steeples and such high places and you sail 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 mind 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 lose more and more untill you have lost the sight of all all truths 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 Treasure that may be Another sort to be rebuked are those who are so far from falling down before the Lord to receive the Word with meekness as they can bless themselves in their wicked waies notwithstanding the Word comes and meets with them I only name this because of that notable Scripture we have in Deut. 29. 18 19. saith Moses there to them Take heed lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood what 's that root that beareth gall and wormwood And it come to pass when he heareth the words of this curse that he bless himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of my heart c. Take heed there be not among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood This is a bitter root in mens hearts when they can hear the Word of God and have their hearts rise against it and think with themselves that there is no such matter these are but meer words but meer wind let the Minister say what he will and talk as long as he will I will go on in my way I shall do well enough that which he saith it is but his opinion I say when men can bless themselves thus in their way and when there are such tumulcuous and rebellious thoughts rising in their hearts this is a root of gall and wormwood and take heed of it it will bring forth bitter fruit one day But I should quickly be prevented if I should lanch into this argument to reprove the several waies of sinning against God in hearing of his word And therefore I leave those and come to shew what a fearful thing it is for men and women not to sanctifie the Name of God in the hearing of his word that
so you may see that God will have his Name sanctified upon them And they are these 1. In the first place You that do not sanctifie Gods Name in hearing his word in those waies that have been opened to you First you lose the greatest and happiest opportunity of good that ever creatures had for an outward opportunity indeed when God moves by his Spirit if that be neglected that opportunity is more than meerly hearing his Word but otherwise except it be at such a time when God adds his Spirit together with his Word I say you that are cast by the providence of God in such a place where the word of the Gospel is preached to you applied and urged upon you if you sanctifie not the Name of God to hear as you ought and to profit by it I say you lose the greatest opportunity for good that is in the world Oh what hast thou lost that hast lived many yeers under the Ministry of the Gospel and yet hast not been acquainted with this mystery of godliness in sanctifying Gods Name in the word There are many thousand souls that are and shall be blessing God to all eternity for what of God they have met withal in the Word but thou hast sat under it stuped as a block dead and barren and no good hath been done Wherefore is there a prize in the hand of a fool and he hath no heart to get wisdom This will lie upon thee heavy one day the loss of such an opportunity and that is the first 2. In the second place Know that this Word that is appointed by God for the conveyance of so much mercy to his Elect it will prove to be the greatest aggravation of thy sin that can be This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather than light This is The condemnation If so be that light had not come among you then the condemnation had not been so great your sin had not been so great and your punishment had not bin so great In Mat. 10. 14 15. where speaking of those that did enjoy the Word and yet did not sanctifie Gods Name in it Whosoever shall not receive you saith Christ to his Disciples nor hear your words when ye depart out of that house or City shake off the dust of your feet Verily I say unto you it shall be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom and Gomorah in the day of judgment than for that City It is a most dreadful Scripture their very dust must be shaken off in token of indignation and it shal 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 venegance 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 Luke 10. 16. He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth 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 thee good by the Word or to avenge thy neglect of the Word Therefore in Matth. 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 have 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 Al power in Heaven and Earth shal go along with you to assist your Ministry either for the good of those that shall embrace it or for the misery of those that shal reject it so that whosoever stands out against the Ministry of the Word stands out against all thē power Heaven and Earth that is given to Christ do not think that thou doest resist a poor weak mortall man but thou doest resist all the power in Heaven and Earth And is not this a dreadfull thing then to be guilty of not sanctifying of Gods Name 4. Fourthly it is an Argument of extream hardness of heart not to be wrought upon by the Word Luk 16. 31 If they here not Moses and the prophets nether wil 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 there 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 honored in it you cannot expect that sick ness and affliction should do it no if one shall 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 wil say One would think that there should be more power to work upon the heart truly no because it is 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 like to do it 5. Fifthly when the Word works not upon men it is a dreadfull 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 the 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 dreadfull brand of Reprobation as this is It is true we cannot give
wonderful things of God it is the most glorious sight in the world al the glory of God in the Heavens and Earth is not like this Sight 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 Sight that ever your eyes did behold Alas with our natural 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 sense those that have pierced Christ must look upon him that Scripture is fulfilled in Zachariah 12. latter end They shall look on him whom they have pierced by their Sins and then mourn 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 real 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 unto his Disciples saying Take eat this Take it how shal 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 unto thy soul with all his merits and good things that he hath purchased when the Minister doth give out that Ordinance 〈◊〉 should look upon God the Father giving out his Son as if this were your condition I am now in the presence of the eternal Father who now doth actually give out his Son to my soul and saith Soul here receive a new this day my Son with all that he hath purchased for thy good now then the soul 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 Son as my life as my Savior as the Fountain 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 actual 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 reveal Jesus Christ to my soul what didst thou then Oh soul how did thy soul work in closing with Christ as thy soul did then in closing with Christ so it must now renew the work there must be a renewal of the work at that time So that when you come to the Sacrament you must not think that it is then a time to listen to doubts fears and Scruples no but it is a time that God cals for the exercise of faith the casting of the soul 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 soul in doubts and scruples in thy receiving of the Sacrament And then faith is as the mouth when thou comest to eat and drink how canst thou if thou hast not a mouth thou hast a bodily mouth to take in Bread and Wine but know that without faith thy soul cannot take in Christ faith is as it were the mouth that is by the act of faith the soul doth open it self for Jesus Christ and not only opens it self but takes in Christ to the soul and makes Christ and the soul 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 turns Christ into the nourishment of thy soul 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 work of faith without which we cannot Sanctifie the Name of God Sixthly There must be spiritual Joy that must be exercised here for it is a feast here we come to sit with Christ at his Table we 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 sit in a sullen and dogged way at his Table or to be crying but he would have the child sit in comfort and with a holy cheerfulnes with a holy freedom of spirit not in a sullen way but as a child in the presence of his father and not as a servant with the master Obiect You told us before that there should be brokenness of spirit and sence of our sin Answ That may be and joy we rejoyce with trembling therefore that brokennese of spirit that I meant must not be slavish horror and fear but a kindly melting of the soul from the apprehension of the love of God unto it in Jesus Christ that was willing to be at so great cost to purchase the pardon of sin such a gracious mourning as may stand with joy and the truth is that that sorrow for sin in the Sacrament that is not mixt with joy is a sorrow that doth not Sanctifie Gods Name godly sorrow and evangelical joy may stand together very well And therefore know that this is not the time neither to give liberty to have your hearts sink no there must be no sinking sorrow of heart but such a sorrow of heart as in the midst of it you may be able to look upon God as a reconciled Father to you and have a cheerfulness of spirit as in the presence of God you must look upon your selves as Gods guests to be merry at his Table now this is a great mystery of godliness that there should be at the same time the sight of Christ crucified and yet at the same time a spiritual cheerfulness in the assurance of the love of God in Jesus Christ I say it is a mystery and only those that are Beleevers are able to understand this mystery how to have their hearts break and yet how to rejoyce at the same time in that unspeakable love of God that is here presented unto them in this Sacrament Seventhly In the next place There must be thankfulness therefore it is called the Eucharist and in one of the Evangelists where it is said Christ blest the Bread in another it is said Christ gave thanks Christ when he instituted this
Wine Certainly it hath been a disorderly way therefore for people to sit up and down in their Pews every where in the Congregation and for the Minister to go up and down after them so that they could see nothing nor scarce hear any thing It is much for the attaining the end of the institution for all Communicants to look upon the breaking of the Bread and the powring forth of the Wine in the Sacrament and therefore all should come together and there as many as can sit at his Table or those that cannot neer to it and the rather because this is not only from the example of Christ that he did so though that 's some what but because it hath a spiritual significancy in it and that 's the reason that it should be done we find in Luke 22. 26. the institution of the Sacrament Now mark upon their coming and being with Christ at the Table saith Christ in the 29 and 30. verses And I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me that you may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom and sit on Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel He spake it upon that occasion of the Disciples sitting with him at the Table when they did eat Bread and when they took the Cup upon that occasion Christ spake to his Disciples and said I appoint you a Kingdom that ye may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom that ye may eat and drink the twelve Tribes of Israel as if Christ should say You can sit with me at my table here and know that this sitting with me at my Table it is but as it were a preludium a foresignification of the Communion that you shal have with me in my Kingdom you shall have that familiar Communion with me when I come into my Kingdom there to sit as it were with me to joyn with me in my Kingdom judging the twelve Tribes of Israel even as you do now in that holy Fellowship joyn with me in sitting at my Table This is the meaning of Christ so that the gesture in the Sacrament is not a meer indifferent thing heretofore it hath been thought unreasonable to contend for what Gesture we should use Now that which hath been the Institution of Christ and hath a spiritual significancy in it is not indifferent for not only the eating the Bread and drinking the Wine is significative but the gesture whereby we have fellowship with Jesus Christ here to signifie that fellowship we shall have with him in the Kingdom of Heaven so that the people of God were depriv'd of a great deal of comfort and of one special benefit of this holy Sacrament whereas they might not receive it sitting whereas Christ saith that your sitting with me here is a signification of your sitting with me when I come into the Kingdom of Heaven Some say they must kneel because they may receive it with more reverence certainly were it a thing as some say indifferent it were another matter but for to say it is not reverence to sit in that they accuse Christ himself for want of reverence as if he would appoint a way or would have his Disciples use any such way as were not reverent saith Christ I intend by your very gesture to have this signified unto you that though you be poor wretched worms yea even such is my love unto you as you shal sit with me when I come to my Kingdom and judg the twelve Tribes of Israel and every time you come to my Table and there sit at it or about it then you should be put in mind that there is a time that though you be poor unworthy creatures worthy to be among the dogs yet the mercy of God is such unto us as he hath appointed us to have a familiar fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ when we come in his Kingdom to sit with him and even to judg the twelve Tribes of Israel yea to judg the whol world for so saith the Scripture Shall not the Saints judg the world now this hinders spiritual medication and comfort that the Saints have therefore we are to look to the institution and follow it That 's the first thing in sitting with Christ at his Table The second thing in the institution is That the Bread being taken by the Minister is to be blessed broken and then to be given Christ took it and blessed it and brake it and gave it and the people they are to look upon all this to look upon the Ministers taking blessing breaking and giving and then the Cup by its self we find Christ in Matth. 26. 27. he first blest the Bread and then he blest the Cup distinctly by it self saying This is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins and you shall observe that the text saith he drank it and said drink ye all of it so that this is not according to the institution for a Minister to go up and down and to give it into every mans hand certainly this was not so from the beginning this is a way of mans own devising for the bread and the cup to be given into every bodies hand by the Minister Christ did but give it once he gave it to them all and said Drink ye all of this so it was done Quest But you will say Is it not better for to be given into every ones hand Answ No because that the giving of it once for all doth signifie more fully the fellowship and communion that they have together as at a Table it were a strange thing that every bit of meat must be given to every one particularly no but the dishes must be set before them and they must take it themselves Indeed if they be children you cut every piece of meat and give it into their hands or mouths but that 's sutable to a fellowship at Table and Communion to have the meat set before them being blest and then for all to partake of it And besides this giving it into every ones hand certainly it came to us from a Popish and superstitous conceit of the Papists for the Papists will give it into their mouths because the people must not defile it with their hands And it was to bring more reverence to the Sacrament now there 's a great deal of danger for to bring in mens devices for to cause more reverence we are to look to the Ordinance of Christ he gave it once and said Drink ye all of it in general to them all and so the Ministers should do And besides there is this in it more and one would wonder that Ministers should give it in particular and not in general to the Church for by this means Ministers might abundantly ease themselves of a great deal of charge and guilt for upon this ground it will appear that a Minister though as an eminent Officer he is to look to his
keep Covenant on his part but it may be we shall not keep Covenant on ours and so we may fail at last but now when thou lookest upon all the good things in the Gospel dispensed in the way of a Testament that is the Will of God the Legacies that God doth bequeath to his Servants this is a mighty comfort to the foul that all the precious things of the Gospel come to me in the way of a Testament and that 's the meaning of the new Testament that is the mercies of God in Christ coming now in the way of another administration than they did before 't is not only new in respect of the Covenant of Works that God made with Adam but new in respect of the administration our fore-fathers the Patriarchs they had the same things in substance but administred in a darker way and many differences there are but now when we hear of the new Testament there is presented unto us all the riches of the Covenant of grace in the way of a Legacy and in the administration of it with cleerness and with a great deal of mercy and goodness of God the terror and harshness of the old administration being taken away Now these are the meditations by which we should labor to sanctifie our hearts when we are receiving of the Sacrament and in the working of these meditations upon our hearts we shal come to sanctifie the Name of God when we are drawing nigh to him in that holy Ordinance of his thus for Meditation The next thing when we are there must be an actuating of these holy dispositions that before we spake of 't is not enough for a Christian to bring grace to the Sacrament but there must be a stirring of that Grace at that time or otherwise the Name of God is not sanctified in receiving of the Sacrament and above al graces the actuating of the grace of faith 't is not enough that thou beest a Beleever but thy faith must act at that very instant as thus First When thou hearest the Minister in the Name of Christ say thus This is the Body of Jesus Christ which was given for you take eat thou shouldest have thy faith so acting upon the mercy of God in giving Jesus Christ for the nourishment of thy soul to eternal life as if thou didst hear a voyce from Heaven saying Here is the Body of my Son given for thee particularly take it and eat apply it to thee and so make Christ one with thee by faith as the Bread is made one with thy Body when thou doest eat it And then when thou comest to take hold of the Bread thou art to put forth the act of faith faith being as the hand of the soul and at that instant when thou takest the Bread and puttest it into thy mouth to eat thou shouldest stir up the act of faith afresh laying more hold upon Jesus Christ look as once thou didst in thy first conversion when Christ was presented to thee in the Word or in any other way there was an act of faith drawn forth whereby thy soul did cast it self and roul it self upon Jesus Christ so shouldest thou renew it renew the same work of faith that thou didst find in the very first conversion and therby thou shalt come to have renewed comfort in the renewing of that act I might name thee other graces and dispositions how there should be a stirring and an acting of them only remember I leave all this Point with this Note That grace is not enough for partaking the Sacrament of the Lords Supper except there be an acting and a stirring up of that grace many Christians are careful to prepare and examine before whether they have grace or no but at that time when they come to receive then there is not a lively working and stirring of that grace and so they come to lose the comfort and benefit of that Ordinance Thus much shall suffice for this point of sanctifying Gods Name in receiving the holy Communion I shall now come to the last Point which is the Sanctifying the Name of God in Prayer Sanctifying the Name of God in Prayer NOW this Argument might take us up many Sermons but upon occasion of the Daies of Prayer and Hmiliation I have preached divers Sermons about the Point of Prayer therefore I shall be brief and only now reckon up together and set before your view the several things that are to be done for the Sanctifying of the Name of God in Prayer First for Prayer in that we draw nigh to God and it 's a duty of Gods Worship that I suppose all of you cannot but acknowledg that it is a natural duty of Worship the other was instituted but this is natural it 's natural for the creature to draw nigh to God in Prayer wherein the creature tenders up his homage to God and manifests his profession of his dependance upon God for all good that he hath and acknowledges God as the Author of all good therefore this is Worship and it 's a great part of Worship Prayer it is such a part of Worship as sometimes in Scripture it 's put for the whol Worship of God He that calls upon the Name of God shall be saved that is He that worships God aright Jer. 10. 25. And Powr out thy wrath upon the Heathen that know thee not and on the Families that call not on thy Name that do not pray that is that do not worship thee There one part of Worship is put for the whol as being a principal part of the Worship of God Surely we must sanctifie Gods Name in Prayer for it is that which sanctifies all things to us 1 Tim. 4. 5. Every thing is sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer And if the Argument of Christ was right as no question but it was That the Temple was greater than the Gold upon the Temple because the Temple did sanctifie the Gold And the Altar was greater than the Offering that was offered upon it because it did sanctifie the Offering then Prayer must needs be a mighty great Ordinance a greater than any other because that it sanctifies all things The Word sanctifies the Creatures but Prayer sanctifies the very Word unto our use and therefore when we reade the Word we are to pray for a sanctified use of the Word Prayer is a great Ordinance a great Duty of Worship that sanctifies all Prayer hath a casting voyce as I may so say in all the great works of God in the world the great affairs of the Kingdom of God the Kingdom of his Power and the Kingdom of Christ I say Prayer hath a kind of a casting voyce and doth order under God the great things of the world they are according to the prayers of the Saints they bring down blessings upon the godly they powr forth judgments upon the wicked the prayers of the Saints they are the viols that are powred forth in a special manner
What fear we must have in Gods worship 78 In fear natural conscience puts on to duty 89 Fervency Fervency required in prayer 225 Fire Fire from heaven Two-sold 2 Fire that slew Aarons sons what 3 Strange fire what 19 Folly To be ashamed of our folly when we come to God 99 Follow The soul is to follow after God as a God 65 Free see Grace Friend see Word Friends who are the best Page 25 G Gesture Gesture in the Sacrament not meerly indifferent 262 Guilty see Blood Guilty consciences flee the worship of God why 31 Guilt to be removed when we come to pray 274 God Duties must be performed to God as a God 23 The word to be heard as the word of God 166 We are reconciled by the blood of that person that is God 268 Good Good heart what 187 The word will be made good on the abusers of it 207 We are to pray for our own good 277 Gospel Gospel the tenour of it 257 Glory Glory of God dear to him 7 Glory of God dearer to him than the lives of men 22 Glory of God is the lustre of all his Attributes together 102 The active Glory of God is the especial honor he hath 105 Glory of God in his Word the greatest 182 Why God will be glorified in them that hear the word 209 Those that will obey the word will be the glory of the Ministers 214 We should have apprehensions of Gods glory in prayer 275 The glory of God is the chief thing we should pray for 176 Spiritual things neerest the glory of God Page 277 Grace Grace to be acted especially in Gods worship 29 Grace the freeness of it should make us more diligent in the worship of God 34 Graces encreased by drawing nigh to God 35 Graces to be acted and stirred up in the Sacrament 271 We must act our own graces in prayer together with the Spirit 291 See Covenant Great A people are great that have God nigh them 40 we should prepare to Gods worship because he is great 43 The duties of Gods worship are great 44 How to sanctifie Gods Name in respect of his greatness 67 Great things to be expected from God 100 We must hear the word with attention because of the greatness of him that sends it 172 We must be attentive because the matters delivered are great 173 H Habitual Habitual sanctification 68 Harden Nothing doth harden the heart more than the word by accident 205 Hand Faith is a hand to take Christ in the Sacrament 253 The Cup in the Sacrament not to be delivered into every particular hand 246 Heart Our hearts naturally prepared for duty Page 46 The heart in preparation to be taken from every sinful way 49 As the heart is so are the duties 70 The heart is not changed by the acting of natural parts 87 Good heart what 187 The Word of the Law not in the heart 211 A broken heart required in-receiving the Sacrament 246 Hearing Of sanctifying Gods Name in hearing the Word 161 Hearing the Word a part of Gods worship 162 How to know that God hears our prayers 294 Heathen Heathens attend to worship their Idols 46 Heaven Being oft in Gods presence minds us of Heaven 36 The Worship of God here the beginning of that in Heaven 106 Hide We must hide the Word in our hearts 189 Highest What we lift highest in our worship that is our God 74 See Thoughts Ends. Hindrance Hindrances in Gods Worship many 46 Holy Holiness Holiness the greatest Honor of Gods Name 23 Holiness of God to be held forth by his servants 24 Drawing nigh to God makes us holy 36 Time and place said to be holy how 50 God infinite holy 99 Those that receive the Lords Supper must be holy 232 Honest We must receive the Word into honest hearts Page 186 Honest heart what 188 Honest amongst men who 189 Honor To quiet the heart in affliction is to know that God will have honor by it 25 Humble Humbled Humility Humility of spirit requisite in the Worship of God 84 To be humbled for not sanctifying the Name of God aright Humiliation in preparing to hear the Word 168 Wandring thoughts in prayer suffered by God to humble us 285 Humility required in our prayers 295 See Worship Hungring There must be hungring after Christ in the Sacrament 251 I Incense Incense what it signifieth 91 Incomprehensible Incomprehensibleness of God what it should teach us in our Worship 95 Infinite There is an impression of Gods infinitness upon the duties of his servants 64 Infirmities Infirmities of others to be passed by of those that receive the Sacrament 258 Infirmities how helped by the spirit 290 Institution Institution of the Sacrament to be kept close to 261 Intention Strength of intention required in the Worship of God 81 Joy The mercy of God should make us come to him with joy Page 100 The word to be received with joy 184 Difference in the joy of hypocrites and true Christians 186 Spiritual joy required in receiving the Sacrament 255 A broken spirit may consist with spiritual joy ibid Judg Judgment Sinners may meet with judgments never threatned in the word 16 God is quick with some in the way of his judgments 17 Judgments many times sutable to the sias 18 Gods judgments many times invisible 21 The Word of God shall judg those that abuse it 207 Justice Justice of God seen in the death of Christ 268 K Knowledg Knowledg required in receiving the Lords Supper 244 Knowledg in other points necessary to them that receive the Sacrament 245 Knowledg actual required in receivers 246 L Leaven Leaven how cast out by the Jews 249 Life Living Gods goodness in sparing our lives to worship him 84 That God is a living God what it should teach us 96 The things delivered in the Word concern our lives 174 Beleevers nourished to eternal life 269 Limited The duties of Gods Children not limited Page 65 Little In matters of Worship God stands upon little things 11 Lose The ground why we lose so many prayers 296 Love Natural conscience makes not the heart love a duty 88 The Word must be received with love 184 The Sacrament ordained by Christ out of love 228 Love to be renewed in the receiving the Sacrament 258 The infinite love of God seen in the death of Christ 269 Lust The Worship of God not to be subjected to our lusts 72 Who they be that subject it to their lusts M Man The Mediator between God and Man is Man 276 Mean Mean men not to envy great ones and why 13 Mediator The way of a mans salvation is by a Mediator 267 Meditation Meditation in preparing the heart to holy duties 49 Meditations in the receiving the Sacrament 297 Meekness The word must be received with meekness 179 Mercy Merciful God is merciful 100 Mercy of God should teach us to be merciful to others Page 101 The duties of Worship the way to convey Gods choyce mercies 105 The