mixture among them thus wee should sanctifie the name of God in receiving this holy Sacrament you have had divers things propounded to you whereby you may come to know and easily to see that there hath been a great deale of dishonour done to this Sacrament and the beauty and glory of it hath been darkened and the sweet that the Saints might otherwise have received in plucking hath been exceedingly hindred There is but one thing more that I shall propound to you and that is the severall meditations that we should meditate on in receiving of the Sacrament the most concerning meditations are suggested in the holy Communion that are in any thing whatsoever more concerning more efficacious more various meditations wee have suggested here then in any thing and it is a great figne that men and women do not discerne the Lords body if so be their meditations be barren at that time I will therefore suggest some nine or ten meditations that that Ordinance of God may hold out very plainly and familiarly to every Communicant for the busying of their thoughts all the time that action is a doing Meditation 1. As first that the way of mans salvation it was by a Mediator it is not only by Gods mercy Gods saying that hee is offended by sin but he will be content to passe it by no but it is through a Mediator now this meditation is suggested thus when I see the bread and wine if I disceren what that signifyes it will hold forth this to me that the way of mans salvation it is not meerly from hence that God saith well I will pardon them and no more but there is required a great worke of God to make an aronement between sinners and himselfe this Sacrament doth hold forth thus much unto us wherefore else have we bread and wine but to signifie that the way of our rconciliation it must be through a Mediator Med. 2. The second Meditation is this that this Mediator that stands between God and us is verily and truely man hee hath taken our nature upon him the bread that puts us in mind of the body of Christ and the wine of his bloud and therefore we are to meditate of the humane nature of Iesus Christ and this is a meditation that hath abundance that might spring out of it what hath the Son of God taken our nature upon him hath hee body and bloud and humane nature upon him oh how hath God honoured humane nature then let me not abuse my body to lust to wickednesse seeing that Jesus Christ hath taken the body of man upon him humane nature upon him let me honour humane nature that is so neerly united to the divine nature that 's the second Meditation Meditation 3. Here 's presented unto us what this Mediator hath done for the reconciling of us unto God that his body was broken he hath subjected himself to the breaking of his body and to the pouring forth of his blood for the reconciling of us it is not meerly as before that God saith I le pardon them but Christ undertaking to make peace between his Father and us it cost him the breaking of his body and the pouring forth of his blood this is a usefull Meditation Oh what should we be willing to suffer for Jesus Christ in our bodies even to resist unto blood seeing Christ hath been content to have his precious body broken and his blood shed for us Meditation 4 Againe a fourth Meditation is this that here we come to see we have occasion of meditating of that the Scripture saith that we are by the blood of God saved it is the blood of God they crucified the Lord of glory that 's the Scripture phrase we should consider when we see the Wine poured out and so put in mind of blood whose blood and whose body is this It is no other but the body and blood of him that was truly God the second Person in Trinity This is the great Mystery of the Gospel and this is very needfull for us to be thinking of when we see the body broken and the blood poured out What will the breaking of the body and shedding of the blood of a meere creature be sufficient to make peace between God and Man surely no therefore you must meditate whose body this is and whose blood this is it is the body and blood of him that was God It s true God hath no body nor no blood but the same person that was God had a body and blood that body and blood was united unto the divine nature in a hypostaticall union and from thence it came to have an efficacie for to satisfie God for to reconcile God and us together this is the great mystery of godlinesse Med. 5. Another Meditation is this when you see Bread broken and Wine poured out oh the infinite dreadfulnesse of the justice of God! how dreadful is the justice of God that coming upon his own Son and requiring satisfaction from him that should thus break him and bruise him that should have his blood that should require such sufferings even from his Son dreadfull is Gods justice the justice of God it is to be feared and to be trembled at here we see what is required for the sinne of man and nothing would be bated to Jesus Christ himself Med. 6. Another Meditation is this here I see presented to me what every soul that shall be saved cost whoever shall have his soul sav'd he hath it sav'd by a ransom by a price paid that is more worth then ten thousand thousand worlds thou slightest thine owne soule but if it prove to be saved it cost more then if thousands of worlds had been given for thee even the shedding of the blood of Christ every drop of which was more precious then ten thousand worlds Meditation 7. Again from hence see what is the evill of sin how great it is that hath made such a breach between God and my soule that only such a way and such a means must take away my sinne I must either have laine under the burden of my sinne eternally or Jesus Christ that's God and man must suffer so much for it oh what Meditations are these to take up the hearts of men Meditation 8. Behold the infinite love of God to mankind and the love of Jesus Christ that rather then God would see the children of men to perish eternally he would send his Sonne to take our nature upon him and thus to suffer such dreadfull things herein God shows his love it is not the love of God so much in giving you a good voyage and prospering you outwardly in the world But so God loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne And it pleased the Father to break his Sonne and to poure out his blood here is the love of God and of Jesus Christ oh what a powerfull mighty drawing efficacious Meditation should this be unto us Med. 9. Those that are
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 Incomprehensiblenesse of God what it should teach us in our worship 95 Infinite There is an impression of Gods infinitnesse 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 100 The word to be received with joy 184 Difference in the joy of hypocrites and true Christians 186 Spirituall joy required in receiving the Sacraments 255 A broken spirit may consist with spiritual joy ibid Judge Judgement Sinners may meet with judgements 〈…〉 in the word 10 God is quick with same in the way way of his judgements 17 Judgements many times sutable to the sins 18 Gods judgements many times invisible 21 The word of God shall judge those that abuse it 207 Justice Justice of God seen in the death of Christ 268 K Knowledge Knowledge required in receiving the Lords Supper 244 Knowledge in other points necessary to them that receive the Sacrament 245 Knowledge actuall required in receivers 246 L Leaven Leaven how cast out by the Jewes 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 eternall life 269 Limitted The duties of Gods Children not limitted 65 Little In matters of worship God stands upon little things 11 Lose The ground why we lose so many prayers 296 Love Naturall 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 73 M Man The Mediator between God and man is man 276 Mean Mean men not to envy great ones why 13 Mediator The way of mans salvation is by a Mediator 267 Meditation Meditation in preparing the heart to holy duties 49 Meditations in the receiving the Sacrament 267 Meeknesse The word must be received with meeknesse 179 Mercy Mercifull God is mercifull 100 Mercy of God should teach us to be mercifull to others 101 The duties of worship the way to convey Gods choice Mercies 105 The word a means to convey speciall Mercies 195 Mercie-Seat Mercie-Seat a Type of Christ 91 Mind We should pick out Gods mind from dark expressions 14 We come to know the mind of God when we come to hear the word 163 Mysterie The greatest Mysteries of Salvation presented in the Sacrament 228. 255. Mixture Mixture of mans inventions with Gods Ordinances unlawfull 266 Mortification Mortification requisite to the sanctifying Gods name 67 Mouth Faith the mouth of the soul to receive Christ 254 N Name No way to enjoy mercies but by sanctifying Gods Name 105 See Sanctifie Nature Naturall Some duties of worship are naturall 261 Christ bath honoured humane nature by taking it 267 Neer Nigh God wil be sanctified in those that come neer him 6 Those that are neerest God should be most carefull 22 In worshipping God we draw nigh to him 26 In what respects we draw nigh to God in worship 27 The word of the Gospel nigh 211 See Grace Delight Adoption Neglect Severall sorts that neglect to sanctifie Gods Name in heating the word 197 Nourishment The Lords Supper an Ordinance for Spirituall nourishment 233 Beleevers are nourished to eternall life 269 O Omniscient What we should learn that God is Omniscient 98 Opening Ground of opening the heart to God 98 The heart must be opened to hear the word 175 Opportunity The happiest opportunity to sanctifie Gods Name is in hearing his word 200 Ordinance An Ordinance of God what 163 The word an Ordinance of God to convey good to us 166 Men are not to be forced to Congregations where any of Christs Ordinances are wanting 237 The Lords Supper the great Ordinance appointed to set forth Christ sufferings 348 Own We must bring to God in his service that which is his own 86 P Parts How to know when men are acted by naturall parts in Gods worship 87 Passion Passion hinders the right hearing of the word 179 Wicked men in passion rise against God 180 Peace-Offering Difference between Peace-Offerings and Burnt-Offerings 75 Person God accepts the person before he accepts the offering 69 Place The Lord is very terrible out of his holy places 18 God in his essentiall presence in every place 26 See Holy Plowing Plowing of the fallow ground of the heart what 168 Men may do somewhat toward the plowing of their hearts 169 See Word Potent Familiarity with God makes us potent with him 38 Prayer Prayer a great duty that needs preparation 45 Prayer required in preparation to duties 50 Vnregenerate men cannot sanctifie GODS Name in prayer 68 We should pray before we hear the word 171 Of sanctifying the Name of God in prayer 272 Prayer put for the whole worship of God 273 See Preparation Wandring Praise Gods worship must not be subjected to the praise of men 73 Preparation Preparation of the soul in the duties of Gods worship 42 Preparation and sanctification all one 43 Preparation to Gods worship why ibid Preparation 5 things wherein it consists 48 Preparation the excellency of it in severall things 52 Those that walk closely with God are in continuall preparation 56 Preparation a speciall duty of young beginners ibid Good men greived for want of preparation 58 Where there is sincerity duties should be done though there want preparation 59 Preparation required in hearing the word 165 Preparation to be made to prayer 273 See Prayer Great c. Prerogative Gods Prerogative appears most in his worship 11 No Prerogative can secure from Gods stroke 12 Presence Presence of God even in the godly terrible to wicked men 32 Presence of godly men comfortable 35 To set Gods presence before us in prayer 288 See Guilty Present When we worship God we tender a present to him 63 Sin committed long since to be looked on as present 94 Principle God looks more at the principle of the duty then at the duty 69 Good men looke at the principle of the things they enjoy from God 70 Prize To prize those mercies we beg in prayer 275 Prayer to bee highly priz'd 286 Promise Every Ordinance of Christ hath a speciall promise 248 Publick Those that are in publick place have especially need of the fear of God 13 Pure We must lift up pure hands in prayer 292
what Incense or Sacrifice he would have the use of fire in it should be onely that fire and no other though God did never say to them directly in these words You shall make use of this fire and no other but God would have them to understand this That 's their sin therefore in offering of strange fire Now fire comes from the Lord and doth consume them Some think this fire came from the Altar but surely it could not be any ordinary fire that did consume Nadab and Abihu at this time for you shall find in the next ver to my text That the bodies of Nadab and Abihu were not consumed by the fire no nor their cloathes they were kil'd by the fire and yet their cloathes were whole therefore it was not an ordinary fire it was some Celestiall fire struke into them to slay them for so saith the text in the 4 th ver Come neer carry away your Bretheren from before the Sanctuary out of the Camp and so they went and carried them in their coats out of the Camp so tht their cloathes and bodies were not consumed only they were kil'd by the fire they were struck with a sudden death and that in the presence of the Lord such a death as God had never threatned in the Word before God had never threatned the Priests and said If you Offer strange fire you shall be consumed by fire but yet God smites them with death by fire they had not time to seek God no not so much as we use to say as to say Lord have mercy upon me they had no time to promise amendment at all now upon this heavy judgement the heart of Aaron could not possibly but be very much troubled yea and the spirit of Moses too for Moses was their unckle and Aaron their father they could not but be exceedingly much greived but Moses being the brother of Aaron seeing his spirit no question exceedingly troubled being under such a sad affliction and that such a Godly man even as Aaron was should have such a sad judgment befall his Children Moses comes and speakes comfortably to him and labours to support his spirit and how doth he do it He comes not as ordinarily you use to visit your brethren Oh! you must be content with this no but he comes and applyes the Word of God and shewes how God must be sanctified and by that he comes to quiet the heart of his brother Aaron This is that which the Lord hath spoke saith Moses Hee seekes to stay the heart of his Brother with that which God spake But where do we find that God spake this It 's hard to find in any Scripture these very words in ter minis before this time and therefore Augustin thinks it was onely the word God spake but not written and so they had it from hand to hand by tradition as many other things as the Prophecie of Enoch that the Apostle Jude speakes of you doe not find it written in the Book of God and yet the Apostle speakes of it so that indeed it was from hand to hand yea and we find in the New Testament when Paul speakes of a thing that Christ should say how that our Lord saith It is a more blessed thing to give then to receive you find it not recorded in the Gospels that Christ said so So this is that which the Lord said though it was not written from the beginning of Genesis to this very place or otherwise though it be not recorded in expresse terms yet somthing is recorded to the same purpose and effect and so it may seeme to have reference to that Scripture Exod. 29. 43. there we have a Scripture comes as neere to it as any I know And there will I meet with the children of Israel and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory that 's as much in effect as I will be sanctified in those that come nigh me in those that come to Worship me in my Tabernacle I will be sanctified in all things that concerne my Worship I will be sure to be sanctifyed there I will be sanctified I will be Hallowed for it is the very same that you have in the Lords Prayer Hallowed be thy Name only that 's the Greeke word and this is the Hebrew but if you would translate this word into Greeke you must translate it by the same word that Christ spake when he taught his disciples to pray hallowed bee thy name Hallowd and Sanctifyed is all one Lord let thy Name appeare to be Holy so I will be Sanctified that is I will have my Name appeare to be Holy I will be made known unto my People and to all the World that I am a holy God that 's the meaning of I will be Sanctifyed I will be knowne to al the world that I am a Holy God And before all the People I will be Glorifyed so it is in the latter part of the verse as if God should say I account it to be my glory that I should be manifested to be Holy before all the World I will be Sanctifyed that is I will have my People to demeane and carry themselves so as to hold forth their acknowledgement of my Holynesse so as by their carriage I may appeare to be a Holy God I will be Sanctifyed by them or otherwise if they shall not in an active way Sanctify my name that is if they shall not demeane themselves so as to hold forth the glory of my Holynesse then I will be Sanctifyed upon them I will demeane and carry my self towards them so as by my actions upon them I will make it appeare what a Holy God I am So God is Sanctified two wayes eyther by the Holynesse of his People in their carriage towards him holding forth the glory of Gods Holynesse and so in that 1. Pet. 3. 15. Sanctifye the Lord God in your hearts the Saints doe sanctifye God in their hearts when they feare God as a Holy God and Reverence him and Love him as a holy God and so Sanctifie him in their lives when their lives doe hold forth the glory of Gods Holynesse then God is Sanctifyed Put then if we do not do so then God Sanctifies himself that is in wayes of Judgement upon those that do not in wayes of holynesse Sanctifie his Name And thus you have it Ezek. 28. 22. And say Thus saith the Lord God Behold I am against thee O Zidon I will be glorified in the middest of thee and they shall know that I am the Lord when I shall have executed judgment in her and shall be Sanctified in her And this is all one with I will be glorified in the middest of them And in the 38. of Ezek. 16 23. You have to the same purpose And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel as a cloud to cover the Land it shall be in the latter dayes and I will bring thee against my Land that the Heathen may
generall heads of our meditation for our preparation to duty Viz. What God He is we have to deal with meditate of God in his Attributes and then meditate of the weight of our duties and the nature of them and the rule of them and the end of them get your hearts possessed with meditations of this nature and in this as a speciall thing doth consist your preparation to holy dutie and that 's the first thing 2 The Second thing wherein the preparation to a duty consists it is in this In the taking off of the heart from every sinfull way the indeavour at least If there be iniquity in thine hand or heart labour to put it out When thou are come into Gods presence do not bring into the presence of God the love of any sin in thine heart but labour to put it from thy heart In 2 Chron. 29. 5. We find there what is required to preparation the Text saith Hezekiah said unto them Hear me ye Levits sanctifie now your selves and sanctifie the house of the Lord God of your fathers and carry forth the filthinesse out of the holy place that is sanctifying a thing to carry forth the filthinesse out of that thing that we would sanctifie so the Sanctifying of our hearts it is by carrying forth the filthinesse out of our hearts so as to be fit for a duty And in Job 11. 13 14. If thou prepare thine heart and siretch out thine hand towards him What then If iniquity he in thine hand put it far away and let not wickednessed well in thy tabernacles These Two must be together 3 A Third thing is this The Preparation of the heart it is the disintangling of the heart from the world and from all occasions and businesses in the world I am to worship God but how is my heart insnared and intangled in this and the other businesse Now when I come to worship God I must lay aside all for there 's the preparation of the heart the separating of it for such a work for that 's the nature of Sanctification the separating of a thing from a common use I am to worship God now I must labour to separate my heart from a common use At other times God gives me liberty to let out my heart to common uses but now when I come to worship him I must separate my heart from all common uses that my heart may be wholly for God I remember it is said in the story of Cieil which was Lord treasurer that when he went to read he would lay his gown off and say Lie there Lord Cieil So when we go to duty we should say Lie by world and by laying aside the world I mean laying aside of all houshold affairs or affairs in trading c. I must be as one that hath nothing to do in the world for that time It is true the time cannot be said to be holy for this as the time of the Sabbath day is holy You will say Why may not any time be said to be holy that I spend in holy duties No that is not enough to make time holy for the time that God makes holy it is not holy because of the duties that I perform in it but the duties that I perform then are more acceptable because they are done in such a time and so that makes a place holy not because it is appointed for holy duties and uses but because it is so appointed by God and the performing a duty in that place is more acceptable to God then in another place But now though we cannot make our time holy in that second sense yet in the first it is time set apart for a holy use and in that regard it is holy and so we should look upon it as not to have our outward businesse to devour that time that is holy in that regard as Nehemiah When Tobiah and Sanballat sent to him to come and confer with them No saith he I cannot go for the work is great that I have to do So we must not intangle our selves to meddle with other things when we are to come to worship God for our work is great The Fourth thing for Preparation is To Watch and to Pray We should watch over our hearts least they be made unfit for duties So we should prepare for Prayer all day long in this sense that is we should watch over our hearts that they bee not let out so far as to hinder us in prayer when we come to do it I remember that Tertullian saith That the Christians did so sup as if that they were to pray so when thou art in company thou shouldest watch unto Prayer Oh that you did so you cannot but be conscious to your selves that oftentimes when you have bin in company your hearts have been put out of tune and frame that you have been no way fit for prayer when you come home your house and family finds it so you that take such delight in company and fitting up late I appeale to your consciences whither you can come home and find your selves fit either in your family or closet to go and open your hearts to God This is one Note by the way wherby you may come to know whither you have been immoderate in company at any time God gives not men liberty to be busie in any outward occasions in the world so as to unfit them for his service preparation consists in that in watching over your hearts that you may not be unfitted for any holy duty when God cals you to it but that you may be ready even to every good work The Fift is this Preparation consists in the readinesse of the faculties of the soul and the graces of the spirit of God presently to act upon the setting upon a holy duty When a man or woman shall find the faculties of their soul and the graces that are in them to be ready to act as soon as ever they fall upon duty just as you see a company of Ringers when they have made all preparation for the raising of the bels then in an instant when they begin to pull all the bels go in that tune that according to their skil they set them in And so it should be with our hearts the faculties of our souls and graces though now we are not upon duty yet we should be so ready that as it were upon a pull all the faculties of our souls and graces of Gods Spirit should work in a melodious way There are those that keep their hearts so prepared as at the very first moment that they set about the duty of Worship all faculties and graces begin to act and to stir and are working towards God as a fire when all the matter is ready laid presently it comes to be kindled and flame out and thus it should be with our hearts So that now you see wherein preparation of our hearts to duty consistâ— The next thing is the Excellency of
men because they do good actions but God accepts of the actions of men because their persons are good If indeed we see a man do good then we love him and accept of the person of the man but God first will accept of the person before the Action As the Lord accepted of Abeâ— first and then he accepted his offering So you must look to that to have your persons first accepted of God before any duty can be accepted You think though you be wicked and sinfull yet if you amend your life God will accept of you you go that way to work but certainly that is the wrong way you must first look after meanes of acceptation of your persons which is through the Righteousnesse of Jesus Christ and through the Sanctification of his Spirit whereby you come to have his Image and life and so are accepted and then all that proceeds from you comes to be accepted There is not any action which comes from you that comes to be accepted to eternall life untill your persons be accepted before God and therefore there must be a Sanctifying of the heart before there can be a Sanctifying the Name of God in the duties of his Worship Therefore when you come to performe any duties of Gods Worship you should coâ—â—der this Is my heart Sanctified I must Sanctifie Gods Name and how can I do that except my heart be Sanctified 2 Secondly Our hearts must be Sanctified because the Lord doth look more to the principle from whence a thing comes then at the thing it self As indeed were our hearts right as they should then all the good things that come to us we would not so much regard what the things are that we do injoy from God as what the principle is from whence they come that is Whether what we do injoy from God is from the love of God in Jesus Christ or no Whether it be from the generall Bounty and Patience of God or from the speciall â—oue of God in Jesus Christ â—ur hearts would regard that moâ—â— if we were Spirituall now then look as a godly man is not satisfied with injoying any good thing from God except he knows it comes from a principle of love to him â—esus Christ So God is not pleased with any thing that comes from us except he knows that it comes from a principle of Love Grace and Holinesse in our hearts 3 Thirdly According as the heart is so will the Service be Certainly if the heart be unclean the duty will be unclean perhaps the words may be fine and brave but if there be an unclean heart the duty will be unclean As it is with a man that hath the Plague suppose he makes a brave Oration yet his breath is infectious so it is in our Services with God If so be that our hearts within us have the plague then certainly the breath that comes from us all our duties will be unclean and therefore that is the first thing that we are to look for in the Sanctifying Gods Name in holy duties Look to have thy heart Sanctified and consider from what principle it comes t is for want of this that thousands of our duties are cast aside and God never doth regard them But this is the first Particular there is many more to speak of SERMON V. LEVITICUS 10. 3. I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me WEE proceed The next thing therefore for the behaviour of the Soul in the Sanctifying Gods Name in Worship is this When we come to Worship God if we would Sanctifie Gods Name we must have high thoughts of God we must look upon God as he is upon his Throne in Maâ—estie and in Glory as in Isa 6. 1 2. you shall find that the Prophet saw the Lord upon his Throne It is an excellent thing when all who come to Worship God every time they come to Worship him have their eyes darted up to heaven and behold the Lord God sitting in his Glory upon his Throne So you shall find in Rev. 4. the 24 Elders that Worshipped God they saw him upon his Throne in his Glory and so they Worshipped him they Worshipped God to purpose indeed when they saw the Lord in that Majestie as he was we should at all times have high thoughts of God take heed of having low thoughts and apprehensions of the Infinite Majestie of God at any time but especially when thou art to Worship the great God then look upon the Lord in that infinite distance that there is between him and thy self yea that infinite distance that there is between him and all Creatures in the world look upon the Lord as lifted up in Glory not only above all Creatures but above all excellencies that all Angels and men in heaven and earth are able to imagine Look upon the Lord as having all excellencies in himself joyned in one and that immutably look upon him as the fountain of all excellencie good and glory that all Creatures in the world have And look upon the â—ord every time thou comest to Worship him as that God whom Angels do adore and before whom the Devils are forced to tremble behold him in this his Glory and this will help thee to sanctifie his Name when thou comest to him The great Reason why people come and Worship God in a slight way it is because that they do not see God in his glory 't is a great Mercy for God to give unto us a sight of himself a sight of his glory here in this world while we are Worshiping of him this would keep our eyes and our thoughts from wandring if we had a sight of the glory of God and had high thoughts of God What 's the reason why we wander so as we do but meerly because we see not God as now suppose you were in your house and looking after every feather that were flying up and down if you should hear that the â—ing were come into the â—oom or any great person it would compose your spirits because you have â—igh thoughts of such as or those that are above you So let us look upon God as in his excellencie and his glory and have high thoughts of him and this is that whereby we are to Sanctifie Gods Name when we come before him in holy duties And that is the Second thing First a Sanctified heart and then high thoughts of God 3. A Third thing is High-ends Raised-ends in the Worshipping of God Prov. 15. 24. The way of life is above to the wife it is on high in this respect when he Worships God his heart is lifted up on high there is a holy raising of the heart which is well pleasing to God Our hearts should be on high in regard of the high ends that we aime at in holy duties Lift up thy prayer saith Hezekiah to the Prophet in another case so I may say lift up thy Soul when thou comest to Worship God in regard of the high
God that God may attain the glory of his infinit excellencie and this makes it to be a necessary duty that when we come to worship him we should Sainctâ—fie his name So that the first reason is taken from the very nature of God it is the very being of God that all things should work to himself and in such a suitable way as to lift up his excellencie and glory 2 Secondly We must Sanctifie God in the duties of his Worship because it is the speciall glory that God hath in the world to be actively honoured for his passive glory that is to be glorified in a passive way that he hath in hell but the speciall glory that God would have it is that he might be glorified actively Now there is no such way of glorifying the Name of God actively as by worshipping of him in a holy manner and therefore God stands much upon this That when we come to worship him we sanctifie his Name For saith God If I be not sanctified in my worship what active glory have I in the world It is the speciall active glory that God hath in the world the Sanctifying of his Name in the duties of his worship 3 Thirdly That which we have intimated before That the duties of Gods worship are the most precious things the special conveyances of the choice mercies that he intends to bestow on his Saints and therefore though he loses his glory in any thing else he would not lose it in that wherein he doth especially convey his mercy and goodnesse to his people But that we spake too in shewing how we draw nigh to God in holy duties and it may well come in here again as an Argument why we should sanctifie Gods name 4 A Fourth Reason is this Because there is no way for us to be fitted for the receiving of Mercy from God through those duties of worship but by our Sanctifying of Gods name when thou comest at any time to worship God what wouldest thou have there is some communion that thou wouldest injoy with God now there is no way to make thee a fit subject of Mercy or capable of the injoyment of Communion with God but by such a behaviour of Soul as this is that hath been spoken of to Sanctifie the Name of God thou wouldest be loath to lose those duties of worship that thou doest performe therefore it is required of thee to sanctifie his Name lest thou doest lose all for 't is this that makes thee the only capable subject of what good is to be had there 5 We must Sanctifie Gods Name in holy duties because otherwise we should certainly never hold out in duties but vanish and come to nothing now God would be worshipped so by his creatures as to be constantly worshipped he would have those that do worship him to worship him alwaies to worship him for ever and he would have this worship that we perform to him but to be the beginning of that eternall worship that he shall have from us in heaven And so the Saints do Worship God now the worship which they performe it is but as the beginning of that worship that hereafter in heaven they shall tender up to God though there may be some difference in it as there our prayers will be turned into praises and it will not be in such outward Ordinances as now we worship God in there will be no Preaching nor Sacraments yet notwithstanding the Soul-worship that is now will be in effect the same as it shall be in heaven God would have us so to worship him as to continue to worship him Now I say unlesse his Name be Sanctified in our worshipping of him we will certainly fall off and the truth is this is the very ground of all Apostacie in Hypocrites Some that have been very forward in the worshipping of God when they were young ones and afterwards they have fallen off they were wont constantly in their families and in secret in their chambers to be worshipping of God and they accounted it the very joy of their lives for the present to be worshipping of God but it is not so with them now as it was yea they are fallen off it may be from their very profession of Religion and turned lose And now to be in vain company to drink or play is better to them then any service or worship of God they prize more to be in company with their sports then to hear a Sermon or to be in Communion with the people of God in Prayer Heretofore they would not have changed one short time of private communion with God for the injoyment of a great deal of pleasures and content in the world but now it is otherwise with them How comes it to passe that these are Apostatised thus from God Surely here is the ground of it That they did not Sanctifie Gods name in holy duties at the most it was but a work of conscience that put them upon them and they had but some flashes there was no reall sanctification of their hearts whereby they did sanctifie the name of God in holy duties and upon this it is that they have left off This I dare say That there was never any soul that did know what it was to sanctifie Gods Name in worship that ever was weary of worshipping God It may be some of you may say We have heard that there is much required in Sanctifying Gods Name in duties and that is the only way to weary the Soul and to make it fall off Oh no as we said the last day there is not any one thing that hath been opened for the Sanctifying of Gods name in duties that any gracious heart can tell how to misse and the more we do Sanctifie his Name the more we shall be in love with worship For it is from hence that those that Sanctifie Gods name in worship will hold out because they will find the sweetnesse of worship they will meet with God in holy duties and so they come to be incouraged in worship but as for others who do worship God in a formall way their worship will prove to be tedious to them for they performe the duties but do not find God in the duties in that Spirituall way as the Saints do If they think they meet with God it is but an imagination rather then any reall meeting with him they do not find the influence of God in their souls in holy duties so as those do that sanctifie Gods name in holy duties here then you see the Reasons why we are to Sanctifie Gods name in holy duties Now then for the Application of all this 1 If all this which you have heard be required of us for the Sanctifying of Gods Name Hence we see how little cause we have to rest upon any duty of worship that we do performe certainly the duties of worship that we performe are no such things as are fit to be rested upon for life and for
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 then if you did bear Jesus Christ in your wombes You that are women would not you have accounted it a great happines 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 then if thou hadest borne Jesus Christ in thy womb In Luk. 11. 27. 28. And it came to passe 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 keep it That is Labour to sanctifie my name as hath been opened in the particulars rather is that women blessed that do so then 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 wil sanctifie you by that your souls come to be sanctified it wil comfort you in the day of your affliction 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 judgement 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 runne 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 blesse God for all my studies and care and all the pains that ever I have taken and ventring my self for this People I shall blesse 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 Iâ—â— 22. 21. He will magnifie his Law and make it honorable 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 word that I did reverence that I did obey that I did love that I made to be the joy of my heart this word the Lord now doth magnifie and make to be honorable This will be comfortable to thy Soul The Eleventh SERMON The Eleventh SERMON LEVITICUS 10. 3. I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me THE last day we finished the point of Sanctification of the name of God in the hearing of his Word and now wee will proceed to the Sanctification of the name of God in receiving the Sacrament that 's the next duty of worship Now first for the word Sacrament I confesse wee have not that word in all the Scripture as neither have we the word Trinitie and divers other words that Ministers make use of to set forth the Mysteries of Religion by but yet it is usefull to consider the meaning why Ministers in the Church have given this name unto those signes and seals that the Church receives Sacrament is to hallow a thing or to dedicate because in the Sacraments there are outward things that are made holy for holy and spirituall ends Secondly wee our selves do as it were hallow or dedicate our selves unto God in the use of these Ordinances that 's one reason from whence it hath the name Or otherwise as some will have it Sacramentum because it is to be received Sacramente with a holy mind and therefore cald the Sacrament The Churches have used it a long time in Tertullians time which was above fourteen hundred years agoe he was the first that we find used this word and most that would open the word unto us say that especially it was taken from the practise of Souldiers who when they came and listed themselves bound themselves in a solemne oath to be faithful to their Captaine and to the Cause that they did undertake and the oath they were wont to call Sacramentum A Sacrament Now in regard that Christians when they come to this Ordinance they come to seale a Covenant with God and though they doe not formally and explicitely take an oath yet they bind themselves in a holy Covenant which hath the strength even of an oath in it For a solemne Promise to the high God hath the strength of an oath in it and from thence they were cald by these names Sacraments but that for the word that you may understand it But the word the Scripture useth to set out this Sacrament by that now I am speaking of is the Communion of the body and bloud of Christ so you have it in 1 Cor. 10. 6. The Cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the bloud of Christ The bread which we break is it
and with a holy cheerfulnesse with a holy freedome 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 Object You told us before that there should be brokennesse of Spirit and sence of our sin Answ That may be and joy we rejoyce with trembling therefore that brokennesse of Spirit that I meant must not bee slavish horrour and feare but a kindly melting of the soule from the aprehension 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 evangelicall joy may stand together very well And therefore know that this is not the time neither to give liberty to have your hearts sinke 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 cheerfulnesse of Spirit as in the midst of it you must look upon your selves as Gods guest to be merry at his Table now this is a great mystery of godlinesse that there should be at the same time the sight of Christ crucified and yet at the same time a spirituall cheerfulnesse in the assurance of the love of God in Iesus 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 unspeakeable love of God that is here presented unto them in this Sacrament Seventhly In the next place there must be thankefulnesse 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 Sacrament hee gave thanks he gave thanks for what he gave thanks to God the Father that he was pleased to send him into the world to die for poor soules now shall Iesus Christ give thanks unto God the Father for that that did cost him his life yea saith Christ I see that here is a way to save soules and let it cost me my life if it will yet I blesse thee O Father if soules may come to be sav'd though it cost me my life Christ rejoyced in his Spirit in thanking his Father for this then how should our hearts be inlarged with thankefulnesse when we come to this that the Ancients were wont to call the Eucharist that is a thanksgiving we are to give God thankes for every mercy you will not eate your owne bread without giving of thankes but when wee come to have this bread this bread of life here is matter of thankefulnesse here is matter of inlargement of soule thou that hast the deadest and dullest soule and straightest Spirit yet when thou comest hither and understandest what thou doest here thou canst not but see matter for the inlargement of thy heart and wish that thou hadst ten thousand thousand times more strength to expresse the praises of the Lord here is a thing that must be the subject of the Hallelujahs and doxologies that Angels and Saints must for ever sound out in the highest heavens dost thou know what the Lord presents to thee here it is more then if the Lord should say I will make ten thousand worlds for the sake of this creature and give all these worlds to him thou wouldest thinke that thou wert bound to blesse him then only when God in the Bread and wine reaches out to thee the body bloud of his Sonne here is more matter of praise then if ten thousand thousand worlds were given to thee and therefore God expects that thou shouldest say to thy soule my soul praise thou the Lord and all that is within me praise his holy name blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases O poor soule here is the foundation of all mercies dost thou praise God for justification for sanctification here is a glorious application of the mercy of God to the soules of sinners and therefore if ever thou wert thankfull be thankefull here The Sabbath my Brethren that is appointed to be the set constant day of thankesgiving for the great mercies of God in Christ and there are other dayes for nationall mercies now a speciall work of the Lords day is the celebration of this holy Sacrament and the Christians in former times were wont to do it every Lords day because that 's the day appointed by God for to be the day of thankesgiving for that great mercy the Lord Jesus Christ and that 's the reason why the Sabbath was changed the last day of the week was the Iewish Sabbath and that was to celebrate the memoriall of the Creation of the world and the first day now it is to be the day of thanksgiving for all the work of God in mans redemption Eightly A further thing is this if you would sanctifie Gods name you must be willing to renew your Covenant that 's the end of it there must be an actuall renewing of your Covenant with God that 's thus I come to receive this bread and this wine and this is to be as the Seale of the Covenant on Gods part now this will be emplyed in the nature of the thing that if I take the Seales of Gods Covenant that I must be willing to set to my Seale too to renew the Covenant that God calls me to now know all men and women that are sav'd they are sav'd by the vertue of the Covenant of grace and there God on his part promises and makes a Covenant that hee will bestow his Son life and salvation through him and thou must likewise come in on thy part and beleeve on his Son and repent which is the Tenour of the Gospel now every time thou comest to receive this Sacrament thou commest to renew this Covenant As if thou shouldest say Lord thou hast been pleased to make a Covenant of grace as the first Covenant was broken and all men were cast by that Covenant now thou hast made a Covenant of grace and callest thy servants whom thou intendest to save that they should renew their Covenant with thee in this Sacrament of thine Lord here I come and Lord here I renew it and set to my seale to promise and Covenant with thee that as ever I expect to receive any good from Christ so Lord here I will be thine I will give up my selfe for ever to thee as thou hast given me the Body and bloud of Christ for my salvation so Lord here I consecrate my body and bloud to thee the last drop of
my heart blood shall be given up to thee and so my strength and estate and name and whatever I am or have shall be thine Have you done thus when you have come to receive the Sacrament have you actually renewed your Covenant with God you that have taken the body of Christ have you given up your body to Christ what 's the reason then that you sinne so much with your bodies that you abuse your body with uncleannesse and drunkennesse and other wickednesse afterwards oh you prophane the name of God and the very body and blood of Christ in this except thou givest up thy body and soule to God in way of Covenant Ninthly In the last place for the sanctifying of Gods name there is required a renewing of Love the comming with lovely dispositions and the renewing of the grace of love not only towards God but towards our Brethren for it is the feast of the Lord and it is an act of Communion Communion not only with Christ but with his Churches with his Saints and as I have told you that there is a profession of our selves to be of the same body with Jesus Christ then the Lord requires that his children should not fall out that come to his Table but that there should be love and peace there 's a mighty bond upon thee when thou commest to the Sacrament and therefore first all heart burnings and heart grudges must bee laid aside and Secondly you must come with a willingnesse to be reconciled one to another willingnesse to passe by all infirmities in thy Brethren here I have the Seale of Gods willingnesse to passe by all my sins and therefore I must bee willing to passe by all infirmities in my Brethren I must now cast out all ill wishes towards others and come with a desire of all good unto them and with a heart ready to embrace any opportunity to do any good thou doest lye unto God except thou commest with such a heart as this is Lord thou knowest that I am willing to take all opportunities to doe good to those that I now doe communicate with for it is the nearest Communion that possibly can be in this world betweene one Creature and another and this is the reason why there should bee that Ordinance of Christ set up everywhere to cast out those that are unworthy because it is the greatest union and Communion that possibly can be for it is the Sacrament and Communion of the same body they are the same members of Christ now if thou doest not thinke such a one to be a member of Christ why doest not thou what thou canst to have him cast out but so long as thou hast done nothing in private to him or in telling the Church thou doest owne him to be a member of Iesus Christ if thou doest so take heed how thy heart be estranged from him take heed how thou behavest thy selfe to them take heed how thou livest in a jarring way and a contentious way with them and holdest them off at staves end or walking at a distance from them though they be never so poor and mean know that thou doest prophane this holy Ordinance every time thou commest to it when thou commest with such a heart as this is if thou dost not find this renewed love Lord there began to be a strangenesse between me and those that have communicated with me but Lord thou art pleased to vouchsafe us to come once more to this Ordinance and Lord here we do professe that this Ordinance shall unite our hearts together more then ever they were I will study to doe what good possibly I can to my brother that is we joyne here to the feast of the Lord with comfort so we may live together in peace and love as it becomes the Saints of God and the members of the Body of Iesus Christ oh how farre are people from any such worke of God as this is the Lord expects that this should be in you every time you come to the holy Communion here hath been nine particulars now mentioned for the sanctifying of the name of God when wee come to partake of the Sacrament but oh Lord what cause have we to lay our hands upon our hearts â— for if this be to sanctifie thy name then it hath been a riddle a mystery to us certainly my brethren these things are the truths of God that I have delivered and so farre as you have been wanting in any of these know so farre you have taken Gods name in vaine in this holy Ordinance you have not been worthy receivers of this Sacrament you have cause to look back to your former waies and spend much humilation for your sin herein and not to be so greedy of it as some are they must have the Communion but I put it to your Consciences have you repented you for the profaning of Gods name and that 's that that we should further have spoken of that God will be sanctified that 's thus if we doe not sanctifie Gods name it will quite turne to the contrary it is the proper end of the Sacrament to seale up our salvation but if wee sanctifie not Gods name it will seale up our condemnation if it hath not been thy endeavour to sanctifie the name of God so many times as thou hast received the Sacrament so many seales hast thou upon thee for the sealing up of thy condemnation many mens or womens condemnations are sealed with three or foure hundred seales it may be But yet for thy comfort while thou art alive it is possible that thse Seales may be broken open as wee read in the Revelations that John saw the Book that had seven seals upon it and none could be found that was able to open it at length the Lamb that was slaine he was found worthy to open the Book So I say thy condemnation is sealed up with many seales and there is no Creature that is able to cancel these seales only the Lamb Iesus Christ yea that Christ whose blood thou hast shed and been guilty of only he is worthy and he is willing to open these seales for as it was with those that did crucifie Christ yet they were sav'd by the same blood that they had shed as in Acts 2. so though thou hast been guilty of shedding the blood of Christ againe and againe by thy prophane coming to the Sacrament yet know seeing there is life in thee and the day of grace is continued it is possible that thy soul may be sav'd by that blood that thou hast crucified O how many are cut off that have thus prophan'd the name of God in this Sacrament and never came to understand this danger they are cut of and now are undone for ever why blesse God that thou art alive to heare more about this Sacrament and how Gods name should be sanctifyed that thou art alive and hast time to repent thee of this great evill of profaning the name
this is naturall its naturall 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 its a great part of worship prayer it is such a part of worship as sometimes in Scripture it s put for the whole worship of God Hee that calls upon the name of God shall be sav'd that is hee that worships God aright Jerem. 10. 25. and Pour 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 whole as being a principall part of the worship of God Surely we must sanctifie Gods name in prayer for it is that that sanctifies all things to us 1 Tim. 4. 5. every thing is sanctifyed 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 then the gold upon the Temple because the Temple did sanctifie the gold and the Altar was greater then the offering that was offered upon it because it did sanctifie the offering then prayer must needs be a mighty great Ordinance a greater thing then 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 wee read 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 voice as I may say in all the great works of God in the world the great affaires of the Kingdome of God the Kingdome of his power and the Kingdome of Christ I say prayer hath a kind of a casting voice 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 poure forth judgements on the wicked the prayers of the Saints they are the vyalls that are poured forth in a speciall manner upon the heads of the wicked therefore Gods name is to bee sanctifyed in Prayer It is to be sanctifyed first in preparation Psalme 10. 17. Thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine ear to hear it is the Lord that prepareth the heart and then he causes his eare to hear and therefore in 1 Pet. 5. 7. we are there required to watch unto prayer men and women should keep a narrow watch over their hearts and minds that they may not be hindred in their prayers that they may be alwaies in a fit posture to pray watch unto prayer it s that that would helpe us against many temptations to evill if I give way to such and such temptations it will hinder my prayers I shall not have that freedome and inlargement in prayer as otherwise if I give way to such and such things therefore let me take heed of this for it will hinder my prayers As if the Apostle should say this should be the care of Christians then they are like to sanctifie the name of God in prayer if this be their great care that there is nothing in the world that shall hinder their prayers O let me take heed I doe nothing to hinder my prayers if I goe abroad into company and am merry and jocond and there game and drinke and sport my selfe in company will not this hinder my prayers will not this hinder the spiritualnesse of my heart in Communion with God in prayer when I come home at night I appeal to you have you had that freedome in prayer afterwards surely no therefore watch unto prayer Now for the preparation of the heart to prayer wee must understand either First what is to be done in the course of ones life or Secondly What 's to be done just when one comes to prayer For the first the course of ones life labour to keepe all things even and cleare between God and your soules that so you may not come with shakels about your legs with guiltinesse I mean upon your consciences men that have given way to any base sinfull way when they come to prayer the guilt of their hearts doth even sink them but those that can keepe their peace with God in the course of their lives they have other manner of freedome in prayer then you that walke loosely and contract guiltinesse upon your Spirits And then the second thing is to keep our hearts sensible of our continuall dependance upon God sensible how wee depend upon God for whatsoever we are whatsoever we have whatsoever we do for the blessing of all is from God The beames of the Sun do not so depend upon the Sun as we upon God that if he doth but withdraw himselfe never so little from us wee all sinke downe to nothing and perish for ever that soule that every day and houre is sensible of the infinite dependance it hath upon God for its present and eternall estate will be fit for prayer and that should be our care for to carry our selves as any houre in the day or minute in the houre we might be fit to go to prayer that 's one meaning of that place in the Thessalonians pray continually not that every moment wee should be praying but that we should keepe our hearts in a praying frame some of you when you have let out your passions and are in a distemper what will you goe to prayer now your conscience will tell you that you are not fit to go to prayer at that time certainly if you be not fit to pray you are not fit to live you are in an ill condition at any time if you be not fit to pray and there can be no excuse whatever that can be sufficient to plead for your selves why you should not be fit to pray at any time there is that continuall dependance upon God for all and that need you have of the blessing of God for every thing that there is reason you should bee in a fit condition for praying at all times but now when you come to prayer at the set time then there should be a speciall preparation First you should prepare your selves by getting fresh and powerfull apprehensions of the glory of God before whom you goe prepare by meditation about the glory of that infinite God that you are now addressing your selfe unto possesse yourselves with thoughts and meditations of the glory of the great God that 's the first Secondly labour to get your hearts sensible of what you go for I am now going to God for what for pardon of sin or for assurance of his love or for power against sin or for such and such mercies let me by meditation work my heart to be sensible of these things that
I am going to God for to set a due prior upon those mercies that I am praying for and to get my heart affected with them Thirdly labour to get your hearts separated from the world and from all things that are here below in the world and that should have been a third thing in the course of your lives you should never let out you hearts to any creature either to businesses or pleasures in the world so but that you may have command of your hearts to call them when you will to call them in to God in prayer and then when you come to prayer there should be an actuall separation of your hearts from all things in the world dedicating yourselves to God for this time as one that hath nothing to do with the world nothing to do with any thing but this duty that now you are about this is the preparation of your hearts to prayer in the course of your lives Now then for the prayer its selfe First we must consider of the matter of prayer And Secondly of the manner of it First for the matter of it we must look to it that it be according to Gods will 1 John 5. 14. this is the confidence that wee have in him that if wee ask any thing according to his will hee heareth us therefore for the matter we must be sure it must be good that we pray for it must bee for the glory of God for the good of our selves and the good of our Brethren First for the glory of God that should be the cheife matter that we are to pray for so Christ when he teaches us to pray he begins the very first petition Matth. 6. 9 10. hallowed be thy name thy Kingdome come thy will be done first begin with the the glory of God mind that in the cheife place above all other things God gives you leave to pray for outward things but first for the glory of God minding that before your own benefit before the pardon of sin and your daily bread how few doe sanctifie Gods name in this people have little mind to pray but when they are in outward afflictions when they are upon their sick beds then they will pray or at sea in stormes then they will pray then it seemes that the maine matter of your prayer is onely for your selves but how hath the matters of the glory of the great God and the good of the Churches taken your hearts all this while how have your hearts been affected with this that the name of God hath been so little sanctifyed in the world and that the Kingdome of God hath not come and that the will of God hath not been done have these things taken up your hearts in prayer the matters of the glory of God and the good of the Churches though your selves have not any particular interest in them if these things did but take up your hearts in prayer then when you are at sea you would remember the cause of the Churches as much as your selves the Church is as it were in the midst of the sea tost up and downe and in a great storme now why do not you pray as earnestly for the Kingdome of Christ among his Churches as for your selves when you are in a storme at sea yea and spirituall things should be the cheife matter of your prayer for they are the neerest to the glory of God though God hath his glory from other things yet spirituall things are neerest the glory of God now in these dayes of prayer many will come to pray that they might be freed from danger that they might have outward peace this is good but spirituall things are the cheife things and therefore the strength of your spirits should be thus powred forth to God O that I could get my heart to God and the assurance of the love of God! O that I could get the shine of his face O that I could get power over such and such corruptions And I beseech you observe this that spirituall things may be prayed for absolutely but outward things must be prayed for conditionally I may pray and never put any condition in at all that the Lord would pardon my sins and help me against my corruptions c. But when I pray for the health of my body I ought to pray if this bee according to thy will then restore mee to the health of my body or the health of my husband or the health of my wife but thou mayst pray Lord convert the soule of my husband or the soule of my wife without any condition at all when your estates at Sea are in danger when you pray for them you must make conditions Lord as thou seest best for me so do thou deale with me this shewes the excellencie that there is in spirituall things above outward things surely spirituall things are more to be desired for they are to be prayed for absolutely and the other to be prayed for only conditionally that 's for the first In the second place we are to pray for our own good God doth give us leave so to doe only here comes in a question Quest Whether it be sinfull to pray for afflictions as sometimes some will be ready to do Answ To that I answer first take it absolutely considered we may not pray that God would afflict us because affliction is in its selfe materially an evill thing and a fruit of the curse therefore we may not I say absolutely pray for it but thus farre wee may pray for afflictions disjunctively conditionally comparatively Disjunctively thus Lord either grant unto me a sanctified use of such a mercy or otherwise let me rather be without it let me have a sanctified use of my sicknesse or otherwise let my sicknesse be continued to mee thus now you may pray for continuing in sicknesse Or thus conditionally Lord if thou seest that my heart be so vile and wretched that I will abuse through my corruption such and such mercies Lord rather take them from mee and let mee be without them if thou seest that there be no way to break this proud heart of mine but such a way Lord let that be thy way to break it if thou seest it according to thy will as the fittest way Then comparatively thus Lord rather let mee have any affliction then sin rather let me suffer losse of my estate then sin against thee then depart from thee any thing Lord rather then sin Thus you may pray for afflictions but not absolutely You must not pray that God would send you afflictions absolutely for you doe not know your hearts it may bee if afflictions should come your hearts may be as stubborne under your afflictions as they are now for affliction hath no power in it selfe to do us any good And then for the good of others for Christ teaches us to pray Our Father There comes in here a rebuke of the wicked practice of divers in cursing and then a question
worship 96 5 God is a living God and what we should learn thence ibid 6 God is Almighty what that should teach us in our worship 97 7 God is Omniscient and what that should teach us 98 8 God is a God of Wisdom and what that should teach us 99 9 God is Holy and what that should teach us in our worship ibid 10 God is Mercifull and what that should teach us 100 11 God is just and what that should teach us 101 12 God is Faithfull and what we should learn thence 102 SERMON VII Reasons why God will be sanctified in all the duties of his Worship 1 God doth will himself the last End 104 2 The especiall glory God hath in the world is to be actively honoured 105 3 The duties of worship are the means to convey Gods choicest mercies ibid 4 We are not fitted to receive mercies but by sanctifying Gods Name ibid 5 Else we shall not hold out in duty 106 Application 1 We have no cause to rest on our duties 107 2 The work of Religion is hard to flesh and blood 109 3 We should be humbled that we have no more sanctified Gods Name 110 4 Exhortation to sanctifie Gods Name 113 1 To consider we have to deal with God in worship 114 2 Not to come in our owne strength 115 3 Not to be satisfied with the duty done ibid 5 God is displeased with the duties of wicked men 116 1 God blasts such men 117 2 God opens their eyes on their death bed to see what they have done 118 6 Those that sanctifie Gods name he will sanctifie it in a way of mercy 119 SERMON VIII Of sanctifying Gods name in hearing of the word 161 Hearing the word is a part of Gods worship 162 1 We professe our dependance upon God for the knowing of his mind 163 2 In hearing we wait on God in the way of an Ordinance ibid In hearing the word 1 There must be preparation 165 Which is 1 To hear the word as the word of God 166 2 To hear the word as Gods Ordinance for our good ibid 2 To plow up the fallow ground of the heart and what is meant by it 168 3 Resolution to yeild to all truths delivered 170 4 A desire after the word ibid 5 Prayer before we hear the word 171 The behaviour of the Soul in hearing the word 1 Carefull attention to it ibid Means to help attention ibid 2 An opening of the heart to receive it 175 3 Carefull applying of the word ibid 4 It must be mixed with Faith 177 How the word is to be mixed with Faith ibid SERMON IX 5 The word must be received with meeknesse 179 6 It must be heard with a trembling heart 181 7 With humble subjection to the word 182 8 It must be received with love and joy 184 9 It must be received into an honest heart 186 10 We must hide the word in our hearts 189 11 We must turne the word into practice 192 SERMON X Why God will be glorified in them that hear the word 195 1 Because there is so much of God in it ibid 2 God hath appointed it to convey speciall mercies ibid 3 It is quick and lively in working 169 Use 1 Reproof of severall sorts of men concerning the word neglected 197 The fearfull estate of those that do not sanctifie God in his word 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 201 4 It is an argument of hardnesse of heart 202 5 It is a sad sign of Reprobation ibid 6 To such there can be nothing sanctified 203 7 They are nigh to a curse ibid 8 It will turn to their damnation 205 9 It will not comfort them in afflictions 206 10 God will make his word good upon them 207 11 The word shall judge them ibid 12 God will blast them that sanctifie not his name in his word 208 Use 2 Exhortatio to glorifie the word of God 209 God will sanctifie his Name in mercy upon those that sanctifie it in hearing the word 210 1 All the good in the word is theirs ibid 2 It is a certain evidence of their election 213 3 God will sanctifie them by the word 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 215 SERMON XI Of Sanctifying the Name of God in receiving the Sacrament 225 1 Receiving the Sacrament is a part of Gods worship 226 2 Gods Name must be sanctified in our receiving the sacrament 228 1 Because there are 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 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 230 How many are to Sanctifie Gods Name in the Sacrament 231 1 Those that receive it must be holy 232 1 Because it is the seal of the Covenant ibid 2 It is an Ordinance of spirituall nourishment 233 3 Because we are required to examine our selves ibid 4 It is a Sacrament of Communion with God and the Saints 234 2 It must be received in a holy Communion ibid Wicked men not to be admitted to this Communion 235 SERMON XII Addition to the former conerning holy Communion 242 The qualifications in the Soul to fit it for receiving the Lords Supper 244 1 Knowledge ibid 2 A broken heart 246 3 Actuall purging the heart from sin 249 4 Hungring and thirsting after Jesus Christ 251 5 Exercise of Faith 252 6 Exercise of Spirituall joy 255 7 Thankfulnesse ibid 8 Renewing of Covenant 257 9 Renewing of love towards God and our brethren 258 SERMON XIII We must keep to the institution in the Sacrament 261 1 For the gesture 262 2 Delivering it to all in generall and not into every particular mans hand 264 3 That the Communicants be all the while exercised in their thoughts about the death of Christ 265 Mediations in receiving the Sacrament 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 268 4 It was the body and blood of that person that is God that reconciles us ibid 5 To consider the dreadfulnesss of Gods justice ibid 6 The price of saving a Soul 269 7 The greatness of the evill of sin ibid 8 The infinite love of God to mankind ibid 9 That beleevers shall be nourished to eternall life ibid 10 To meditate upon the Covenant of grace to beleevers 270 Holy disposition to be actuated in receiving the Sacrament 271 Of Sanctifying the name of God in Prayer 272 What preparation we are to make to Prayer 274 1 Concerning the matter of Prayer 276 2 Concerning the manner of prayer 280 Concerning wandring thoughts in Prayer 281 SERMON XIV A further enlargement concerning wandring thoughts in Prayer 283 5 Rules to help against wandring thoughts 286 1 Set a high price upon the duties of Prayer ibid 2 To renew resolutions against wandring thoughts 287 3 To set the presence of God before us 288 4 To account all wandring thoughts evill ibid 5 To bless God if at any time he did help us against them 289 3 For sanctifying Gods name in Prayer there must be the breathings of the spirit 290 4 There must be pure hearts and hands 292 5 We must call upon God in truth ibid What it is to call upon God in truth ibid 6 We must pray in faith 293 7 In the spirit of adoption 294 8 We must pray with constancy 295 9 We must pray in humility ibid 10 We must tender up al our prayers in the name of Christ 296 Conclusion of all 297 FINIS 1 Observ 2 Observ Observ Observ 5 Observ 6 Observ 7 Observ 8 Observ 9 Observ 10 Obser 11 Obser 12 Obser 13 Obser Stepney Nov. 16. 1645. 14 Obser 15 Obser 16 Obser 17 Obser 18 Obser 19 Obser 20 Obser 21 Obser That we draw nigh to God in Holy Duties What it is to worship God The Second respect wherein the Soule is said to draw nigh to God in holy duties Applic. 1 Applic. 2 Applic. 3 Applic. 4 Applic. 5 By drawing nigh to God often we increâ—se 〈◊〉 grâ—â—ts We come to live holy lives A special signe of our adoption We come to be put in mind of the life of heaven Our drawing nigh to God delightfull to him By coming into Gods presence there is a blessed familiarity betweeÌ„ God and the soul Our familarity with God makes us to be potent with him By our communion with God the terror of death wil be taken away Safety in being neer to God Stepney Nov. 30. 1645. Applic. 6 Great honour God puts upon his servants Doct. 2. Reason 1 Reason 2 Reason 3 Reason 4 Reason 5 Reason 6 Stepney Decem. 7. 1645. Stepney Dec. 14 1645. Stepney Dec. 21 1645. Stepney Janu. 4. 1645. Stepney Janu. 11 1645. Stepney Janu. 25. 1645. Stepney Febr. 1. 1645.
the preparation and that may be in way of Application to you to make you to be in love with Preparation for holy duties There is abundance of good in it First By this meanes we come to make every duty of worship easie to us things are difficult when we come upon them unprepared If you have a friend come to dinner or supper to you and should come suddenly and you have nothing prepared there would be a great deal of stir in the house but it you have every thing prepared it would be carried on in an easie way and the reason why people eâ—mplaine so much of difficulty in duty it is because their hearts are not prepared Indeed we have naturally many things to keep us off from God but now when the heart is prepared for a holy duty it goes off as easie to God even into the infinite ocean of All mercy and goodnesse as a ship goes off to be lansht when you have made preparation for it and the heart can go with a holy boldne e to God when you have made preparation for holy duties In Job 11. the place which I quoted before for the work of preparation do but consider a verse or two further and you shall find what abundance of good there comes upon the keeping of the heart prepared in things that are good Vers 13. If thou prepare thâ—ne heart c. And then Vers 15. Then shalt thou life up thy face without spot yea thou shalt be steadfâ—st and shalt not fear When the heart is prepared for that that is good when it comes into the presence of God it is able to lift up its self without fear in a steadfast comfortable way and this will quit the cost of any labour 2 Secondly if the heart be prepared it will do a great deal in a little time In 2 Chron. 29. 36 it is said That Hezekiah rejoyced and all the people that God had prepared the people for the thing was done suddenly The thing came off freely and suddenly when as that they were prepared Hezekiah rejoiced and bleâ—ed God for such a mercy as this was it is a great mercy to have the hearts of people prepared unto a good work And so in 2 Chr. 27. 6. the text saith Jothâ—m became mighty because he prepared his waieâ— before the Lord his God Jothâ—m he grew mighty by this and so certainly the way to grow to be very strong and mighty to be able to do a great deal in a little time it is to make preparation there may be as much work done in one hour â—â— as in ten times to much time when the heart is not prepared for it In Ezra 7. 10. you shall find that the reason is given why Ezra had such good successe in his journy it was because he had prepared his heart Make preparation for holy duties and you shall have success in holy duties There is a notable Scripture for that in Psal 10 17 where the holy Ghost saith that God prepares the heart and what then when God doth prepare the heart he doth then cause his eare to hear There was never a prayer made wherin the heart was prepared for it but that praier was heard they go both together Lord thou wilt prepare their heart and thou wilt cause thine eare to hear it God hath once prepared thy heart thou wilt be sure to be heard then Is it not worth a world for to know ones self to be accepted of God in every duty of Wo-ship that we tender up to him this one Scripture Psal 10. 17. will shew it Oh the excellency that there is in Preparation to duty There is one thing more that is very observable and that is this Where the heart is prepared to duties there the Lord will passe by weaknesses and imperfections in duties When thou comest to perform holy duties thou art troubled will the Lord have regard to such a duty as this is thou mayest have certain assurance that the Lord will have regard if thou canst make this point good to thine own soul that it was thy care to make preparation for this duty canst thou say Lord I have indeavoured and done what I could to fit my heart for duty but O Lord I find when I am at it wonderful distractions much deadnesse and vanity what shall I do Why canst thou make good the former and appeal to God that indeed it was thy care to make preparation I 'le give thee one cripture then for the quieting of thy heart in this That the weaknesse of the duty shall be pardoned and past by where there is care to prepare before hand the â—cripture is in 2 Chron. 30â— 18 19. But Hezekiah prayed for them saying The good Lord pardon every one what every one every oâ—e that prepareth hâ—â— heart to seek the Lord God of his fathers though he be not clâ—aused according to the purifie â—tion of the Sanctuary As if he should say Oh Lord there are many things amisse in this people they are not in many regards purifâ—ed according to the order that thou hast set but Lord if thou doest but see any heart prepared to seek thee though theâ— fail in such particulars Lord heal them and pardon them and did God hearken to his prayer Mark the following words And the Lord hearkned to Hezekiah and heaâ—ed the people Nay saith God I will not stand so much upon the purification of the Sanctuary if they have prepared their hearts to seek me Take this Scripture know it 's written for thine instruction and thou mayest make use of it to thine own soul this day if thou canst appeale to God that thou art carefull to prepare thy heart though thou shouldest not have that purenesse of thy heart as thou doest desire the Lord will pardon thee and heaâ— thee make conscience of Preparation to holy duties Again furthe by being carefull to make Preparation for duties within some little time thou wilt bring thy heart to such a frame as it will alwaies he ready for duty without much adoe Indeed at first it is somewhat hard You will say Are we bound to spend sometime every time we go to prayer before hand or every time we come to the Word That should have been one of the Cases of Conscience but I cannot come to Answer that but this we may say Be carefull to prepare for duties you that are young beginners or you that have made profession a longer time but yet have not had the weight of this duty upon your spirits now be carefull for a while to prepare for every duty of Gods Worship that God calls you to and I say within a little time thou mayest bring thy heart into such a temper as thou mayest be ready at all times to performe holy duties because you shall be able to come to that temper and frame that the Apostle exhorts to Pray continually for indeed so it should be with us we should be alwaies