except he could go to heaven and there see and reade Gods Book and so discover Gods mind concerning him or go down to hell and so know whether that place be appointed for him or not except I can do one of these I can not certainly tell meerly by the Law whether I shall go to heaven or hell As you that are Merchants and dealers abroad you are at a great deal of uncertainty what shall become of your estates Indeed if I could send one over to the Indies to tell me how my Ship prospered then I could be at a certainty then I should hear whether I were a rich man yea or no but except I could do such a thing I am at an uncertainty Such is the expression here As if a poor soul should say I would fain be saved and loth to perish eternally But all the while the soul remains under the Law it remains in an uncertain condition but now saith he The Word of the Gospel is nigh thee even in thine heart And that is the word that we preach that saith Rom. 10.9 If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt beleeve in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved As if he should say This word of the Gospel that is come into thine heart doth assure thy soul of thy eternall estate so that though thou canst not go up to heaven nor go down to hell yet thou hast that in thine heart that doth as it were assure thee that thou shalt be eternally saved as if thou wert able to go up to the highest heavens and fetch newes from thence Oh now the good word of the Gospel how should we prize it and keep it in our hearts for that 's in our hearts that wil assure us of our salvation to all eternity and of Gods eternal purpose to do the good in heaven You would account it a great happiness if there could be any art to send abroad to the Straits or to other place to know how things fare with you but now if thou hast the word of the Gospel within thee if that prevails in thy Soul thou hast alwaies got something in thy heart that will tell thee how things are with thee in heaven and what shall become of thee for all eternity Oh who would not Sanctifie the Name of God in hearing of his Word seeing it is such a blessed Word wherein the Gospel is opened with more clearness than it hath been to many of our fore-fathers 2 It is a certain evidence of your election in Thess 1.3 4 5. Remembring without ceasing your work of Faith and labour of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God and our Father Knowing Brethren beloved your election of God Why For our Gospel came not to you in word only but also in power and in the holy Ghost and in much assurance And know this excellency there is in Sanctifying God Name in hearing the word I beseech you mark it that it is a more blessed thing than if you did bear Jesus Christ in your wombes You that are women would not you have accounted it a great happiness if Christ had been borne in your wombes Now if thou comest to the hearing of the word and Sanctifiest Gods Name in it thou art in a better condition and hast a greater blessing upon thee than if thou hadest born Jesus Christ in thy womb In Luk. 11.27 28. And it came to pass as he spake these things that a certain woman of the company lift up her voice and said unto him Blessed is the womb that bare thee and the paps which thou hast sucked Seeing Christ and what gracious things came from him she spake so But he said Yea rather blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it That is Labor to Sanctifie my Name as hath been opened in the particulars rather is that woman blessed that do so than the woman that bare Christ Me thinks this one Scripture should be such a Scripture for women to cause them to Sanctifie Gods Name in hearing of the word instead of a hundred Scriptures certainly thou maiest be so blessed if thou wilt beleeve the word that comes from Christs mouth 3 Do you Sanctifie the Name of God in the Word that will Sanctifie you by that your souls come to be Sanctified and it will comfort you in the day of your affliction and it will save you at last 4 You that do Sanctifie Gods Name in the hearing of his Word you will be the glory of the Ministers of God at the great day of â—udgment You will be an honour to them before the Lord and his Saints and Angels In Phil. 2.16 Holding forth saith the text the word of life This is the duty of all the hearers of the word that they must hold forth the word of life when you go home you must hold forth the power of the word you hear well what will become of that That I may rejoyce in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain neither laboured in vain Let that be one motive among the rest saith the Apostle this will be such a glory to me that I in the day of Jesus Christ shall rejoyce that I have not laboured in vain I shall bless God for all my studies and care and all the pains that ever I have taken and venturing my self for this People I shall bless God in the day of Jesus Christ Would it not be a comfortable thing to you that all the Ministers of God that come to preach the word faithfully to you If at the day of Jesus Christ you should hear them blessing God that ever he did send them to preach the Gospel in such a place and you should hear them saying Oh Lord it may be had I been sent to another place I should have spent all my strength in vain but through thy mercy I was sent to a teachable people that were ready to imbrace thy Word Oh this is my crown and glory Would it not do good to any whose hearts are faithful to think this that their holding forth the word of life will not only be a glory to God which is the cheif but it will be a glory to the Ministers to recompence all their labours that you shall not only be saved your selves in the day of Jesus Christ but you shall adde to the glory of his faithful Ministers likewise when they do appear before Christ 5 I shall adde one particular more There is a time coming when God shall magnifie his Word before men and Angels In Isa 22.21 He will magnifie his Law and make it honourable What a joy shal it be to thee when the Lord before men and Angels shall come to magnifie His Word and make it honorable for thee then to think This is the Word that spoke to my heart at such and such a time this is that
of the secrets of all hearts Thou knowest that I go with such a resolution to yeeld up my self to every truth of thine How would the Name of God be Sanctified if you did thus come to hear the Word If you did come with such a resolution Job 32.34 That wich I know not teach thou me and if I have done iniquity I will do no more In Isa 2.3 you have a prophesie of the Gentils how they should come to the Word And many people shall go and say Come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his waies and we will walk in his paths Here is a blessed disposiâ—ion when you come to hear the Word Some of you come together in streets and Ianes and over the fields when you come together and meet one with another as you walk over the fields make use of this text Oh that this prophesie might be fulfilled in your coming over the fields every Lords day morning and at other times that you would say one to another or when you call one upon another to go to hear Come let us go up to the house of the Lord and he will teach us of his waies and we will walk in his paths We are resolved that whatever the Lord shall teach us to be his waies we will submit unto it This is a due preparation of the heart for the Sanctifying of Gods Name in the hearing of his word 4 When you come to hear the word come with longing desires after the word come with an appetite to it As in 1 Pet. 2.2 As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that yee may grow thereby Do it as new born babes Now you know little babes they do not desire milk to play withal but only to nourish them Children of three or four yeers old they may desire milk to play with but new born babes never care for it but when they are hungry to nourish them And so it is true many come to hear the word to play with it But now you should come to hear the word as new born babes with a hungring desire after the word that your Souls may be nourished thereby That were excellent if every Lords day and at other daies you did come as hungry to the Word as ever you went to your dinner or supper The Word of God should be to you more than your appointed food And then you are like to grow by it and to Sanctifie Gods Name in it 5 Pray before-hand That God would open thine eyes and open thine heart and accompany His Word thus did David Open mine eyes O Lord that I may understand the wonders of thy Law And you know what is said of Lydia The Lord opened her heart to attend to the Word that was spoken Now seeing it is an Ordinance thou doest expect more good from than what it self of of it's own nature is able to convey thou hadest need to Pray Lord I go to such an Ordinance of thine and I know there is no efficacy in it's self it is not able to reach to such effects as I expect that is to have my heart spoken too and quickened 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 art 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 Spech 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 tht 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 iâ— not a vain thing it is your life when you come to hear the word give diligent attention to what you hear In Acts 8.6 it is said The people with one accord gave heed unto 〈◊〉 things which Philip spake They gave 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 somtimes to give such heed as a disciple gives unto his master so they gave need to the word So in Pro. 2.1 2. My son if thou wilt receive my words and hide my commandements with thee so that thou encline thine eaâ—e unto wisdome We must diligently attend and not to suffer our eyes and 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 Hee 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 Ministry of His Word as if so be
dishonoured by us In 2 Thess 3.1 Finally Brethren pray for us that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified even as it is with you Oh that we were able to say so and yet through Gods mercy in some degree we hope we can say so and I could heartily pray that the word of God might be glorified in all places as it hath been with many of you but yet go on in this and labour every one of you that it may be more glorified that you may manifest the power of the word in your conversations that all that do behold you may glorifie the word and say Oh what hath the Lord wrought in such a place in such families families that were wretched vile carnal and liv'd without God in the world Prophane Swearers foul-mouth'd Unclean Now since they have attended upon the word how hath it wrought upon them what a change is there in such men and women That the carnal husband may say since such time as my wife hath attended upon the word I have seen a Beauty in her conversation she is more holy more gentle and meek and so my servant more submissive and faithful and so my children more obedient than before Oh that the word may be thus glorified Take heed I beseech you that the Word be not blasphemed by any of you In Tit. 2.5 there the Apostle gives divers exhortations and among others to wives and to servants To be discreet chast keepers at home good obedient to their own husbands that the Word of God be not blasphemed you must perform your duties unto your husbands and why that so the Word of God be not blasphemed that is that neither your husbands nor any of your friends may blaspheme the Word and say What do you get this by going to Sermons Oh it should pierce your hearts when as your consciences tell you that you have given cause whereby the Word of God should be blasphemed and so he exhorts servants and others and all in the strength of this argument That the Word of God be not blasphemed you get up early in a morning to hear the Word that 's good but take heed you give no occasion that the Word be blasphemed Now I shall shew what an excellent thing it is so to Sanctifie God Name in the Hearing of His Word as to honor it and how God will Sanctifie His own Name in mercy to you 1 First All the good in the Word is thine if thou dost Sanctifie Gods Name There is abundance of good in this Word that we preach it is the word of the Gospel and to have all the good in that to be thine that must needs be an excellent thing you wil say sometimes I reade and hear such things in the Word that if I were but sure that these things were my portion how happy should I be Here 's one sign by which thou mayest be assured that they are all thy portion Is it thy unfained care to Sanctifie Gods Name in the Hearing of his Word Oh peace be to thee all the good in the Word is thine And here we might fall into a commendation of the word of the Gospel and if I should give way to that a great deal of time would quickly be gone I wil only give you one Scripture for your encouragement to Sanctifie Gods Name in the hearing of his word by way of commendation of it It is Rom. 10.5 a place I am afraid you have not had the sweetness of it for the want of understanding it It is quoted out of Deut. For Moses describeth the Righteousness which is of the Law that the man which doth those things shall live by them But the Righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thine heart who shall ascend into heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring Christ again from the dead But what saith it The word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which we preach The text hath some difficul y and yet exceeding sweet to us to know it I confess it the Apostle Paul had not quoted this place out of Deut. and thus interpreted it who could ever have thought in reading of Deut. that by the one had bin meant the word of the Law and by the other the word of the Gospel therefore the meaning is this here is a comparison between the word of the Law and the word of the Gospel Concerning the word of the Law there is two things wherein that comes short of the word of the Gospel First It is not so nigh thee Secondly It is not so certain to assure thy Soul what shall become of thee to all eternity The word of the Law saith who shall ascend into heaven c. But the word of the Gospel is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart You will say Why is not the word of the Law as nigh one as the word of the Gospel I Answer The word of the Law you hear it in your eares but it is not written in the heart as the word of the Gospel is The Law cannot work savingly upon the heart of a man to bring salvation those that are meerly Legal they can hear the duties that are required but that word hath no power to write in their hearts what they do hear But now when you come to hear the word of the Gospel that is nigh you even in your very hearts as well as in your ears God speaks in it and it comes into your hearts and there it works efficaciously which the Law cannot The Law is but as a dead Letter in comparison of the word of the Gospel If you come meerly to hear the Law preached and not in an Evangelical way you may hear it a hundred times and it will never be written in your hearts but when you come to hear the Gospel in an Evangelical way that will come to be written in your hearts So that the word of the Gospel is nigh you But what is the meaning of the other Say not who shall ascend up into heaven c The meaning is this As if the Apostle should say The truth is while you have no other but the righteousness of the Law you are at an infinite uncertainty about your eternal estates The Law saith Do and live but you can never know when you have done enough so as to be certain that you are well for eternity That saith Who shall ascend into heaven to know the mind of God concerning me whether he will accept of me and of that obedience and worship that I tender up to him Who shall go down into the deep Who shall go down to Hell to know there whether that place be prepared for him or no It is a phrase that only expresseth an uncertainty that one cannot be satisfied about his eternal estate
estate of those that do not Sanctifie God in his Word Page 200 1 They lose the choicest opportunity ibid 2 The Word will be a great aggravation of sin ibid 3 They that reject the Word reject Christ Page 201 4 It is an Argument of hardness of heart Page 202 5 It is a sad s gn of Reprobation ibid 6 To such there can be nothing sanctified Page 203 7 They are nigh to a curse ibid 8 It will turn to their damnation Page 205 9 It will not comfort them in afflictions Page 206 10 God will make his word good upon them Page 207 11 The word shall judge them ibid 12 God will blast them that sanctifie not his name in his word Page 208 Use 2 Exhortation to glorifie the Word of God Page 209 God will Sanctifie His Name in mercy upon those that sanctifie it in hearing the word Page 210 1 All the good in the world is theirs ibid 2 It is a certain evidence of their election Page 213 3 God will Sanctifie them by the word Page 214 4 They will be the glory of the Ministers at the day of Christ ibid 5 It will rejoyce them hereafter when God shall magnifie His word Page 215 SERMON XI Of Sanctifying the Name of God in Receiving the Sacrament Page 225 1 Receiving the Sacrament is a part of Gods Worship Page 226 2 Gods Name must be Sanctified in our Receiving the Sacrament Page 228 1 Because there are presented the greatest mysteries of salvation ibid 2 It is an Ordinance that Christ hath left out of His love ibid 3 It is the Sacrament of our Communion with Christ Page 229 4 The Covenant of Grace is sealed in it ibid 2 No duty is urged with more strength and severity ibid 3 Nothing striks more upon mens Consciences Page 230 How many are to Sanctifie Gods Name in the Sacrament Page 231 1 Those that receive it must be holy Page 232 1 Because it is the seal of the Covenant ibid 2 It is an Ordinance of spiritual 〈◊〉 Page 233 3 Because we are required to examine our selves ibid 4 It is a Sacrament of Communion with God and the Saints Page 234 2 It must be received in a holy Communion ibid Wicked men not to be admitted to this Communion Page 235 SERMON XII Addition to the former concerning holy Commuion Page 242 The qualifications in the soul to fit it for receiving the Lords Supper Page 244 1 Knowledge ibid 2 A broken heart Page 246 3 Actual purging the heart from sin Page 249 4 Hungring and thirsting after Jesus Christ Page 251 5 Exercise of faith Page 252 6 Exercise of Spirituall joy Page 255 7 Thankfulness ibid 8 Renewing of Covenant Page 257 9 Renewing of love towards God and our brethren Page 258 SERMON XIII We must keep to the institution in the Sacrament Page 261 1 For the gesture Page 262 2 Delivering it to all in generall and not into every particular mans hand Page 264 3 That the Communicants be all the while exercised in their thoughts about the death of Christ Page 265 Meditations in receiving the Sacrament Page 267 1 That the way of mans salvation it is through a Mediator ibid 2 This Mediator between God and man is true man ibid. 3 That his body was broken and his blood shed for us Page 268 4 It was the body and blood of that person that is God that reconciles us ibid. 5 To consider the dreadfulnesse of Gods justice ibid 6 The price of saving a Soul Page 269 7 The greatnesse of the evill of sin ibid. 8 The infinite love of God to mankinde ibid. 9 That beleevers shall be nourished to eternall life ibid. 10 To meditate upon the Covenant of grace to beleevers Page 270 Holy dispositions to be actuated in receiving the Sacrament Page 271 Of Sanctifying the name of God in Prayer Page 272 What preparation we are to make to Prayer Page 274 1 Concerning the matter of Prayer Page 276 2 Concerning the manner of Prayer Page 280 Concerning wandring thoughts in Prayer Page 281 SERMON XIV A further enlargement concerning wandring thoughts in Prayer Page 283 5 Rules to helpe against wandring thoughts Page 286 1 Set a high price upon the duties of Prayer ibid. 2 To renew resolutions against wandring thoughts Page 287 3 To set the presence of God before us Page 288 4 To account all wandring thoughts evill ibid. 5 To blesse God if at any time he did help us against them Page 289 3 For sanctifying Gods name in Prayer there must be the breathings of the spirit Page 289 4 There must be pure hearts and hands Page 292 5. Wee must call upon God in truth ibid. What it is to call upon God in truth ibid. 6 Wee must pray in faith Page 293 7 In the spirit of adoption Page 294 8 Wee must pray with constancy Page 295 9 We must pray in humility ib. 10 We must tender up al our prayers in the name of Christ Page 296 Conclusion of all Page 297 FINIS THREE TREATISES OF Mr. Ieremiah Burroughs VIZ. 1. The rare Iewel of Christian Contentment Wherein is shewed 1. What it is 2. The holy Art or Mystery of it 3. Several Lessons that Christ teacheth to work the Heart to Contentment 4. The excellencies of it 5. The evils of Murmuring 6. The aggravations of that sin II. Gospel-Worship Wherein is shewed 1. The right maner of Sanctifying the Name of God in general and particularly in these three great Ordinances 1. Hearing the Word 2. Receiving the Lords-Supper 3. Prayer III. Gospel-Conversation Wherein is shewed 1. That the Conversation of Believers must be above what could be by the light of Nature 2. Beyond those that lived under the Law Suitable to what Truths the Gospel holds forth Published by Thomas Goodwin William Greenhill Sydrach Simpson Philip Nye William Bridge John Yates William Adderly London Printed for Peter Cole at the Printing-Press in Cornhil neer the Royal Exchange and Richard Westbrook 1648. Gospel-worship OR The right manner of drawing nigh to God in general And particularly in these three great Ordinances Viz. 1 Hearing of the Word 2 Receiving the Lords Supper 3 Prayer LEVITICUS 10.3 Then Moses said unto Aaron This is it that the Lord spake saying I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me and before all the People I will be glorified And Aaron held his peace THESE words are the speech of Moses to Aaron his Brother endeavouring to quiet and comfort his heart which was no question exceedingly troubled upon that great and sore affliction that was upon him in the strange death of his two sons Nadab Abihu the story is this After Aarons sons were consecrated to the Priestly Office they coming to attend this their Office the very first day after their consecration to offer Incense unto God they ventured to offer Incense with strange fire with other fire than God had appointed Upon that the fire of Gods wrath broke out upon them
not so bad as you hear it is a cursed comfort that hath no sure bottome Grant that respect therefore to the Word 3 Thirdly consider this It may be I do not see cleerly that these things are so which are delivered I do not see enough to beleeve them now but what if I were now dying What if I were now going to receive the sentence of my eternal doome would I not then beleeve these things Would I not then think what I hear out of the word to be true It is an easie matter for men to reject the word while they have their healths and prosperity But if you were to die and upon your sick and death bed if you saw the infinite ocean of eternity before you what would you say then were the Word true yea or no would you give beleif unto the suggestions of the Devil then We find it by experience That men that could easily cast off the word in their healths yet when they have come to lie upon their sick bed and death bed they found the word true Beleeve it now as well as then 4 Consider If thou doest not beleeve what a case art thou in Am I worse than the Devils themselves The Scripture tels me That the Devils beleeve and tremble Why Lord do I come to hear Sermons and am I more hard to beleeve than the very Devils themselves They do beleeve that word that I cast off and they tremble at it but my Soul is not at all stirred as if there were no reallity in such things that have been spoken to me There be other things which may further help us towards beleeving of the word of God but these shall suâ—â—â—ce And certainly my brethren till we come to this to beleeve the Word though we should sit under it many yeers it will do us little good and we shall never Sanctifie the Name of God in the hearing of it SERMON IX LEVITICUS 10.3 I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me THE next thing for the right behaviour of the Soul for Sanctifying Gods Name is this We must receive the Word with meeknesse of Spirit that you have in Jam. 1.21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the ingrafted word which is 〈…〉 save your souls Receive with meekness The former part of his Scripture I confess concerns some what that was before about the preparation of the Soul and we shall perhaps afterwards in the Application come to open the former part of this vers Lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness But only now we quote the place for this Receive with meekness the ingrafted Word which is able to save your souls Let there be a quietness in your spirits in attending upon the Word no hurring There is a twofold di emper of passion in many people that is a great hindrance to the profit of the Word and Sanctifying Gods 〈…〉 hearing it 1 The First 〈◊〉 distemper of Passion in those that have some trouble of conscience in them they are troubled for their sin and their spirits 〈◊〉 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 sure with their hearts and if they do not find present comfort by it their spirits are in a distemper and frowardness 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 sutable to me at this time yet I may at another time let me attend with meekness let me receive every thing with meekness the Word is above me and if ever I have good it must be by the Word at last It doth much concern those that are in trouble of Conscience to have meek 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 tells 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 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 pen-knife and cut it in pieces and threw it into the fire in anger and I have read that the Jewes kept a Fast every yeer to mourne for that great sin yet this Jehoiakim was the son of Josiah whose heart did melt at the hearinng 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 dishonor to the Name of God for men to give liberty to their Passions to rise against the Word take hâ—ed 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 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 himselfe 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 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-sâ—ool where 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
But now ill hearers that do not Sanctifie Gods Name in His Word they are like ground that receive the rain as much as the other hear as many Sermons as the other but they bring forth nothing but thorns and briers and mark what a dreadful expression is against them First It is rejected Secondly It is nigh to cursing Thirdly Whose end is to be burned Thou rejectest the word doest thou The Lord rejecteth thy soul If thou hast no need of the word the word hath no need of thee it is a dreadful thing to be rejected of God And then thou art nigh unto cursing It may be the Lord may for the time withdraw Himself from the soul and manifest that it is as it were rejected but yet the soul hath not the curse of God upon it to say Well let this soul perish for ever but some there are that are under an actual curse and saith God Well My word shall never do good to this soul such a one hath sate under it thus long and hath rejected it My word shall never do good to him Like as in Luk. 14. where those that made excuses when they were bidden to the Supper the text saith at length That the Master of the feast was angry which was God Himself that invited them by the Gospel to partake of His Son and when men would not come in but make excuses and refused the offer of the Gospel Verily saith he none of those men that were bidden shall tast of my Supper They shall never partake of any good of the Gospel This is a dreadful Curse Now the Lord deliver you from having this curse pronounced against you but yet I beseech you tremble at this Scripture in the Hebrews They are nigh to cursing Who knows how nigh some soul in this place may be to this curse for God to say This soul hath been often invited and yet hath made excuses and put off all he shall never taste of my Supper of the good things in Jesus Christ the word that hath been so rejected shall never do them good more you had better never been born than to have this curse actually upon you Oh fear and tremble lest your condition be such as to be nigh to cursing Who knows what a day a week may bring forth It may be the Lord may spare and be willing to passe by the neglect of former Sermons but who knows what the next actuall rebellion against the Lord in His word may do to bring the curse upon thee And then if so the next part of the verse will prove to be thy portion Whose end is to be burned Oh! It is a dreadfull thing to sin against the Word God stands much upon it 8 Eightly Know that if Gods Name be not Sanctified in it the end that God hath appointed it for will be turned quite contrary to thee The proper end that God hath appointed His Word for it is to save souls but now where Gods Name is not Sanctified it is turned quite contrary so the Aposte in 2 Cor. 2.16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death and to the other the savour of life unto life It is a dreadful thing that the good word of God in which there is such treasures of Gods mercy wherein the councels of God concerning mans eternal estate comes to be revealed that this should prove to be the savour of deah unto death unto any soul that is to have such an efficacy in it as to kill them by the very scent of it as it were As some things have such a poyson in them as the very scent is enough to poyson one So saith the Apostle to some our word hath that efficacy being turned quite to the contrary end some souls are sav'd and are and shal be blessing God to al eternity for the Word and thy soul is damn'd by the Word so as thou wilt hereafter curse the time that ever thou camest to hear it That will be a dreadful thing that the same word that others shal be blessing of God eternally in heaven for that thou shalt be cursing eternally in hell for it wil be turned to the quite contrary end If it works not in the right way it will work the other the truth is it hardens mens hearts if it brings them not to God there is nothing that doth harden the hearts of men more than the Ministry of the Word yet by accident not by it's self there is no men in the world have such hard hearts as those that are wicked under the Ministry of the word It is not only an argument that their hearts are hard but they are hardened by it That in Isa 6.9 10. is remarkable for this and the rather because I find it so often quoted by Christ I think it is quoted three or four times in the Gospel And he said Go and tell this people hear ye indeed but understand not and see yee indeed but perceive not Make the heart of this people fat and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and convert and be healed This is a strange Scripture what must a Prophet go to them to make their hearts fat and to shut their eyes Why the word is appointed to open mens eyes but here the Prophet is sent to shut their eyes that they may not be converted this is dreadfull this is for the punishment of some former neglect of the word of God sent unto this People above all Judgments you should be afraid of this It is not so much that a fire should be upon your houses as that God should make His word to be a means to harden your hearts In Ezek. 14. we have a dreadful expression to this purpose by the Prophet there where the Lord saith that the people did come to enquire of him with setting up their Idols in their hearts but saith God I will answer them according to their Idol If men come to the Ministry of the Word with their beloved sins and resolve they will not part with them the Lord many times in His just judgement suffers some things in the Word to be accidentally a means to harden them in that sin of theirs I will answer them according to their Idoll those men are in a dreadful estate whose hearts come to be hardned by the word 9 Ninthly If thou doest not Sanctifie Gods Name in the hearing of the Word what comfort canst thou ever have by the Word in the day of thy affliction Certainly when the day of thy affliction comes then there is nothing can comfort thee but the word Vnless thy Law had been my delight saith David I should then have perished in mine affliction but thou having been exercised in the word so much and Gods Name not Sanctified thou must not expect to have thy soul comforted in the day of thy affliction No marveil then
though the word hath been applied againe and againe to your hearts and nothing would stick I remember it was an expression of one in a great deal of terror of conscience many came to apply comfortable Scriptures to him and he himself for a while did take those Scriptures and lay them upon his heart to pacifie his troubled conscience but a little before he dyed he cries out with a most fearful terror There is a fair plaister made but it will not stick on it will not stick on so dyed dispairing So there is in the word such a plaister as may help a wounded and troubled conscience but canst thou expect that hast not Sanctified Gods Name in thy life time that it shall stick upon thy soul in the day of thy affliction never expect it for the Lord hath said otherwise Prov. 1. Because when I cryed and call'd ye would not hear you shall cry and call and I will not hear The Lord in his Word cries to thee Oh thou sinful soul who art going on in the waies of sin and eternal destruction Return return that is the way that will bring thee to eternal miseries but here is the way that will bring thee to life and eternal salvation Thus the Lord cries and call to day to day and thou stoppest thy eare Oh how just is it with God to stop his eare from thy crying and calling in the day of thy affliction 10 Further Know that thou that doest not Sanctifie the Name of God in his Word that all the Word of God will be made good one day upon thee God hath his time to magnifie his Law and to make it honourable Isa 42.21 You slight Gods Law you slight his Word and dispise it but God will magnifie it and make it honourable there is not any sentence that thou hast heard in the word but it shall be made good whatsoever becomes of thy soul Thou hinkest that God is a merciful God and he will not damn thee but though God be merciful hath regard to his creatures yet the Lord hath ten thousand times more regard to his word than to all the souls of men and women in the world and God will stand to make that good he will not have such regard to that wretched vile sinful soul of thine as not to honour his Word he will honour his Word whatsoever becomes of thee and all that thou hast heard and rejected shall be made good upon thee one day 11 Again the word that thou doest reject and sin against it shall be the word that shall judge thee Joh. 12.48 Look to it as well as you will this Book of God out of which we preach and those truths that we delivered to you from this word they must be called over again at the great day to judge your souls by the sentence of every one of your eternal estates must be tryed out of this book Oh look upon it as the word that must judge your Souls at the last day and then you will see it a dreadful thing not to Sanctifie Gods Name in it And then when the Word doth judge you you shall obey it whether you will or no. Now the word convinces you and you will not obey it but when God comes to judge you by the word then you shall obey it Then when God comes to reade that sentence out of the word Go ye cursed into everlasting fire then I say you shall be forced to obey it 12 Lastly There is yet one thing more which should have been mentioned before which is very remarkable That those men which do not Sanctifie Gods Name in his Word they will be blasted even here while they live their parts and common gifts that they yet have will be blasted wither and come to nothing We find it ordinarily that many that are young had very good beginnings and very good parts that were very hopeful and would speak very savourly where they came afterwards beginning by degrees to neglect the Word the Lord hath blasted them their gifts have withered the common gifts of the Spirit have been taken from them I will give you one Text for that in Luk. 8.18 Take heed therefore how ye hear It is an Exhortation that follows upon the parable of the Sower that went out to sow because it is so that when the word is sowen as seed there is so little of it doth prosper and most hearers do not Sanctifie Gods Name in it therefore look to your selves Why For whosoever hath to him shall be given and whosoever hath not from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have You had need look to your selves how you hear for the truth is all depends upon it under God have you got any common gifts of the Spirit of God or any abilities to do any service for God do not be proud of them neither be jolly nor think that you are able to do better than others and that those are but ordinary things that the Minister speaks and you are gotten into a higher forme Look to your selves take heed you come not to the word with a proud Spirit be not offended at the plainness of the word take heed how you hear for if you do not that that you seem to have shall be taken from you saith Christ You seem to have excellent gifts yea you seem to have grace too but take heed how you hear for all this whatsoever parts you have got though you be highly esteemed in the company where you come and you are able to do things more than others yet I say Take heed how you hear for otherwise that that you have will be taken away from you have have we not seen this in our own experience and it is apparent that they began to be withered and to be blas ed by neglecting of the Word And therefore I beseech you look to this that you do Sanctifie the Name of God in his Word and let your hearts bow unto it as unto the Ordinance of God and wait upon it in the Ministry of it lest you wither and be blasted and come to nothing And thus I have shewen the great evil of not Sanctifying Gods Name and how God will be Sanctified I shall be very brief in the Use of Exhortation Oh that the Lord by this would cause some thing to stick upon your hearts that what hath been preached in this point may be made useful for many Sermons afterwards that it might be said of you in this place as it was said of them in Act. 13.48 When the Gentiles heard this they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternal life beleeved Oh that God would make every one of you to be a means to glorifie the word of God! That should be our care that the word of God may be glorified by us we come to hear the word but take heed that the word of God be not
glory of the Ministers Page 214 We should have apprehensions of Gods Glory in prayer Page 275 The Glory of God is the chiefe thing we should pray for Page 176 Spirituall things neerest the Glory of God Page 277 Grace Grace to be acted especially in Gods worship Page 29 Grace the freenesse of it should make us more diligent in the worship of God Page 34 Graces increased by drawing nigh to God Page 35 Graces to be acted and stirred up in the Sacrament Page 271 We must act our own Graces in Prayer together with the spirit Page 291 See Covenant Great A people are great that have God nigh them Page 40 We should prepare to Gods worship because he is Great Page 43 The duties of Gods Worship are Great Page 44 How to Sanctifie Gods Name in respect of his Greatness Page 67 Great things to be expected from God Page 100 We must hear the word with attention because of the greatnesse of him that sends it Page 172 Wee must be attentive because the matters delivered are great Page 173 H Habitual Habitual sanctification Page 68 Harden Nothing doth harden the heart more than the word by accident Page 205 Hand Faith is a Hand to take Christ in the Sacrament Page 253 The Cup in the Sacrament not to be delivered into every particular hand Page 264 Heart Our hearts naturally unprepared for duty page 46 The heart in preparation to be taken from every sinfull way page 49 As the heart is so are the duties page 70 The heart is not changed by the acting of natural parts page 87 Good heart what page 187 The world of the Law not in the heart page 211 A broken heart required in receiving the Sacrament page 246 Hearing of Sanctifying Gods Name in hearing the word page 161 Hearing the word a part of Gods worship page 162 How to know that God hears our prayers page 294 Heathen Heathens attend to worship their Idolls page 46 Heaven Being oft in Gods presence minds us of heaven page 36 The worship of God here the beginning of that in heaven page 106 Hide We must hide the word in our hearts Page 189 Highest What we lift highest in our worship that is our God Page 74 See Thoughts Ends. Hindrance Hindrances to Gods worship many Page 46 Holy Holinesse Holinesse the greatest honour of Gods Name Page 23 Holinesse of God to be held forth by his servants Page 24 Drawing nigh to God makes us holy Page 36 Time and Place said to be holy how Page 50 God infinite holy Page 99 Those that receive the Lords Supper must be holy Page 232 Honest We must receive the word into honest hearts Page 186 Honest heart what Page 188 Honest amongst men who Page 189 Honour To quiet the heart in affliction is to know that God will have honour by it Page 25 Humble Humbled Humility Humility of Spirit requisite in the worship of God Page 84 To be humbled for not sanctifying the Name of GOD aright Humiliation in preparing to hear the word Page 168 Wandring thoughts in prayer suffered by God to humble us Page 285 Humility required in our prayers Page 295 See Worship Hungring There must be hungring after Christ in the Sacrament Page 251 I Incense Incense what it signifieth Page 91 Incomprehensible Incomprehensiblenesse of God what it should teach us in our worship Page 95 Infinite There is an impression of Gods infinitnesse upon the duties of his servants Page 64 Infirmities Infirmities of others to be passed by of those that receive the Sacrament Page 258 Infirmities how helped by the spirit Page 290 Institution Institution of the Sacrament to be kept close to Page 261 Intention Strength of intention required in the worship of God Page 81 Joy The mercy of God should make us come to him with joy Page 100 The word to be received with joy Page 184 Difference in the joy of hypocrites and true Christians Page 186 Spiritual joy required in receiving the Sacrament Page 255 A broken spirit may consist with spiritual joy ibid Judge Judgement Sinners may meet with judgements never threatned in the word Page 16 God is quick with some in the way of his judgements Page 17 Judgements many times sutable to the sins Page 18 Gods judgements many times invisible Page 21 The word of God shall judge those that abuse it Page 207 Justice Justice of God seen in the death of Christ Page 268 K Knowledge Knowledge required in receiving the Lords Supper Page 244 Knowledge in other points necessary to them that receive the Sacrament Page 245 Knowledge actuall required in receivers Page 246 L Leaven Leaven how cast out by the Jewes Page 249 Life Living Gods goodness in sparing our lives to worship him Page 84 That God is a living God what it should teach us Page 96 The things delivered in the word concern our lives Page 174 Beleevers nourished to eternall life Page 269 Limitted The duties of Gods Children not limitted Page 65 Little In matters of worship God stands upon little things Page 11 Lose The ground why we lose so many prayers Page 296 Love Naturall conscience makes not the heart love a duty Page 88 The word must be received with love Page 184 The Sacrament ordained by Christ out of love Page 228 Love to be renewed in the receiving the Sacrament Page 258 The infinite love of God seen in the death of Christ Page 269 Lust The worship of God not to be subjected to our lusts Page 72 Who they be that subject it to their lusts Page 73 M Man The Mediator between God and man is man Page 276 Mean Mean men not to envy great ones why Page 13 Mediator The way of mans salvation is by a Mediator Page 267 Meditation Meditation in preparing the heart to holy duties Page 49 Meditations in the receiving the Sacrament Page 267 Meeknesse The word must be received with meeknesse Page 179 Mercy Mercifull God is mercifull Page 100 Mercy of God should teach us to be mercifull to others Page 101 The duties of worship the way to convey Gods choice Mercies Page 105 The word a means to convey speciall Mercies Page 195 Mercie-Seat Mercie-Seat a Type of Christ Page 91 Mind We should pick out Gods mind from dark expressions Page 14 We come to know the mind of God when we come to hear the word Page 163 Mystery The greatest Mysteries of Salvation presented in the Sacrament Page 228. 255 Mixture Mixture of mans inventions with Gods Ordinances unlawfull Page 266 Mortification Mortification requisite to the sanctifying Gods Name Page 67 Mouth Faith the mouth of the soul to receive Christ Page 254 N Name No way to enjoy mercies but by sanctifying Gods Name Page 105 See Sanctifie Nature Natural Some duties of worship are naturall Page 261 Christ hath honoured humane nature by taking it Page 267. Neer Nigh God wil be sanctified in those that come neer him Page 6 Those that are neerest God should be most carefull Page 22