Gospel-worship, or, The right manner of sanctifying the name of God in general and particularly in these three great ordinances, viz. [brace] 1. hearing of the Word, 2. receiving the Lords Supper, 3. prayer / by Jeremiah Burroughs ; being the second of the seven volumns lately published by Thomas Goodwin ... [et al.]

Gospel-worship, or, The right manner of sanctifying the name of God in general and particularly in these three great ordinances, viz. [brace] 1. hearing of the Word, 2. receiving the Lords Supper, 3. prayer / by Jeremiah Burroughs ; being the second of the seven volumns lately published by Thomas Goodwin ... [et al.]

Table of contents

Title page

TO the READER.

The CONTENTS of the several ensuing Sermons.

Books printed by Peter Cole, at the Printing-Press in Cornhil. London.

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.

SERMON II.

SERMON III

SERMON III

SERMON V.

SERMON VI.

SERMON VII.

SERMON VIII.

SERMON IX.

SERMON X.

THE ELEVENTH SERMON

SERMON XII.

SERMON XIII.

Sanctifying the Name of God in Prayer.

SERMON XIV.

The Alphabetical TABLE.

§

§

§

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Gospel-Worship: OR, The Right Manner of Sanctifying the Name of GOD in General.

And particularly in these Three great Ordinances: Viz.

1. Hearing of the WORD.

2. Receiving the Lords SƲPPER.

3. PRAYER.

By JEREMIAH BURROUGHS.

Being the Second of the Seven Volumns, lately published by

Thomas Goodwin,

William Bridge,

William Greenhil,

John Yates,

Sydrach Sympson,

Philip Nye,

William Adderly.

[coat of arms or blazon]

COLE. 1216.

London: Printed by Peter Cole in Leaden-Hall, and are to be sold at his Shop, at the sign of the Printing-Press in Cornhil, near the Royal Exchange. 1653.

TO the READER.

[Page]

[Page]

O ƲR purpose in this Preface, is not to speak either of the eminent Worth of the Author, whose memory is blessed in the hearts of all the godly in this Nation; or of this Piece it self here published: but only to assure thee, That it is his. And although it riseth not up to that exactness and perfection as might have been in them, had he publish'd them himself; yet with that different allowance which is to be given Notes taken from his mouth in ordinary and frequent Preaching, We doubt not but that in their use and benefit they may be as profitable to the Saints as other of his Writings, being as full of weighty and Divine Materials, having also the impress of the Spirit and language of this holy Man (one of the greatest Preachers of this Age) stampt all along upon them.

We (to whom this our Brother was most dear and precious) being entrusted with the publishing of his Sermons, have thought good first to usher abroad these few, which if they receive that welcom they deserve, many other excellent Pieces of his may soon after have encouragement to appear in publick view. The Points treated of in these, are of great concernment, and therefore we conceive, the Author though in handling of them, he had room enough for the discussing many of the controversies of the times, yet he purposely waved it, and bent himself to the single delivery of that which tended most to edification, and best suted with such a popular Auditory as that was to whom he spake. The Lord of Heaven bless them to thy spiritual advantage, and enable thee by such means as these to sanctifie his Name in the use of all his Ordinances, which is the desire of

Thomas Goodwyn,

William Greenhil,

Sydrach Sympson,

Philip Nye,

William Bridge,

John Yates,

William Adderly.

The CONTENTS of the several ensuing Sermons.

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SERMON I.

THe occasion of the words 1

The words opened 5

Observ. 1 There must be nothing in Gods Worship, but what he hath commanded 8

Obs. 2. God stands upon little things in matters of his worship 11

Obs. 3. No priviledg can secure from Gods stroke 12

Obs. 4. The more dignity the more danger ibid

Obs. 5. The beginnings of great matters meet with difficulties 13

Obs. 6. Those that enter into publick places have need of the fear of God ib.

Obs. 7. We should pick out Gods meaning from dark expressions in his word 14

Obs. 8. Sinners may meet with judgments never threatned in the Word 16

Obs. 9. God is very quick with some in the way of judgment 17

Obs. 10. The holiness of a duty will not bear a man out in his miscarriage in it. ib.

Obs. 11. The Lord is terrible out of his holy places 18

Obs. 12. Gods judgments are oft sutable to mens sins ib.

Obs. 13. We should take heed of bringing strange fire to Gods service 19

SERMON II.

Obs. 14. Gods saints many times meet with afflictions in their children 20

Obs. 15. Gods judgments come many times in an invisible way 21

Obs. 16. Gods glory more precious to him than mens lives 22

Obs. 17. The nearer any are to God the more careful they should be to glorifie him ib.

Obs. 18. When judgments are exemplary we should look to the word how God makes it good 23

Obs. 19. The great honor of Gods Name in the making it holy. ib.

Obs. 20. True friendship to comfort friends in distress from the Word 24

Obs. 21. The way to quiet the heart in affliction, is, to think God wil have honor by it 25

Doct. 1. In worshiping God we draw nigh to him 26

In what respect we are said to draw nigh God in worship 27

Use 1. To take heed what we do when we worship God 30

Use 2. Why guilty consciences fly from the worship of God 31

Use 3. Why Hypocrites meet with such severe judgments 32

Use 4. To neglect Gods Worship is to depart from him 33

Use 5. Exhortation to be much in Gods worship 34

SERMON III.

[Page]Use 6. The honor of Gods Servants to draw nigh him 39

Doct. 2. We must sanctifie Gods Name in drawing nigh to him 42

First, In preparation to his worship ib.

1 Because he is a great God 43

2 The duties of Gods worship are great 44

3 Our hearts are naturally unprepared 46

4 The hindrances of Gods worship are many ibid

5 The Heathens prepared to worship ship their Idols ibid

6 Preparation shews sincerity of heart 47

Five things wherein preparation consists 48

1 A right apprehension of God 49

2 Taking the heart from sinful waies ibid

3 Taking off the heart from the world ibid

4 In watching and prayer 50

5 In acting the faculties and graces 51

Four things of the excellency of Preparation 52

1 It will make duties easie ib.

2 We shal do much in a little time ib.

3 The Lord will pass by weakness in duties 53

4 It will make the heart alway ready for duty 54

SERMON IV.

Cases of Conscience

1 Whether we be alway bound to set some time apart for preparation to duties 55

2 Whether being not prepared; the duty may be omitted 57

Answered in 4. particulars.

1 The omission of duty will not fit the soul for duty 58

2 It is but a temptation to keep from duty 59

3 If the duty be done in sincerity, though there be not due preparation it is better than to omit it ib.

4 While people struggle with their corruptions, and seek not God, they fall into snares 61

In what manner duties are to be performed that Gods Name may be sanctified ibid

1 We must perform them so, that we may glorifie God as a God 62

Which is done

1 When we offer all we have 63

2 When we grieve that we can do no more 64

3 There is an impression of Gods infinitness on the duties of his Saints ibid

2 When the soul follows after God as a God 66

3 When the soul comes expecting the choicest mercies of God ib.

How the heart must behave it self to sanctifie Gods Name in respect of his greatness and glory ibid

1 It must be a sanctified heart 67

1 Because the Lord accepts the person before he accepts the action 69

2 God looks more at the principle of the duty, than at the duty ib.

3 According as the heart is, so will the duty be 70

SERMON V.

2 In sanctifying Gods Name in Worship we must have high thoughts of God 71

3 We must have high ends in worshiping God 72

[Page] Several base low ends in worshiping of God.

1 In subjecting his Worship to our lusts ib.

2 Subjecting his worship to the praise of men 73

3 Making self our end in his worship 74

Which we do

1 when we are weary of duties if we find not that we desire 76

2 when men are streightned in worship, and envy others that are enlarged 77

3 when men regard holy duties only in times of extremity ib.

4 There must be reverence and fear in Gods worship 78

5 There must be strength in the Duties of Gods worship 80

Strength of

Intention 81

Affection 82

Faculties. 83

6 There must be an humble frame of spirit 84

Which consists

1 In admiring Gods goodness that we are alive to come before him ib.

2 To have no thought of any Excellency in our selves 85

3 To come without our own righteousness ibid

4 To take off our hearts from all ability of grace ib.

5 To wait Gods leisure in regard of the time 86

7 In sanctifying Gods Name we must bring that which is his own ibid

1 The matter must be that which he hath commanded ibid

2 we must be acted by the spirit 87

When duties are acted by natural parts, and not the spirit of God

1 If they change not the heart ib.

2 If they carry not through difficulties ibid

3 when men rejoyce in acting their parts ib.

4 When there is little enlargement in secret 88

5 when there is not constancy in duty ib.

Duties acted by Natural Conscience

1 It gives no strength to do them ib.

2 The heart loves not the duty ib.

3 It doth not encrease communion with God ib.

SERMON VI.

4 It makes not a duty strong to the soul 89

5 It limits it self in Duty ibid

6 It is satisfied with little 90

7 In the sanctifying Gods Name in Worship, there must be a resignation of all to God ibid

8 All worship must be tendred in the Name of Jesus Christ 91

How to sanctifie Gods Name in reference to his Attributes

1 God is a spirit and to be worshiped in spirit 93

2 God is Eternal, and how to worship him in that consideration 94

3 God is Incomprehensible, and therefore seeth us in every place 95

4 God is unchangable, what that should teach us in our 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 ib.

10 God is Merciful, and what that [Page] should teach us 100

11 God is Just, and what that should teach us 101

12 God is Faithful, and what we should learn thence 102

SERMON VII.

Reasons why God wil be sanctified in all the Duties of his Worship.

1 God doth will himself the last end 104

2 The especial glory God hath in the world, is, to be actively honored 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 should 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 own strenghth 115

3 Not to be satiisfied 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-beds 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 the Word 161

Hearing the word a part of Gods worship 162

1 We profess 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 a 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 ib

2 To plough up the fallow ground of the heart, and what is meant by it 168

3 Resolution to yield to all truths delivered 170

4 A desire after the word ib.

5 Prayer before we hear the word 171

The behavior of the Soul in hearing the Word.

1 Careful attention to it ib.

Means to help attention ib.

2 An opening of the heart to receive it 175

3 Careful applying of the word ibid

4 It must be mixed with faith 177

How the word is to be mixed with saith ibid

SERMON IX.

5 The word must be received with meckness 179

6 It must be heard wich ae 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 turn 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 special mercies ib.

3 It is quick and lively in working 196

Use 1. Reproof of several sorts of men concerning the word neglected 197

The fearful estate of those that do not sanctifie God in his Word 200

1 They lose the choicest opportunity ibid

2 The word wil be a great aggravation of sin ibid

3 They that reject the word, reject Christ 201

4 It is an argument of hardness 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 ib.

8 It will turn to their damnation 205

9 It will not comfort them in afflictions 206

[Page] 10 God will make his word good upon them 207

11 The word shal judg them ibid

12 God will blast them that sanctifie not his Name in his word 208

Use 2. Exhortation to glorifie the word of God 209

God wil sanctifie his Name in mercy upon those that sanctifie it in hearing the Word 210

1 All the good in the world is theirs ibid

2 It is a certain evidence of their election 213

3 God will sanctifie them by the word 214

4 They wil 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 lest 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 ib.

3 Nothing strikes 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 spiritual nourishment 233

3 Because we are required to examine our selves ib.

4 It is a Sacrament of communion with God and the Saints 234

2 It must be received in an holy communion ibid

Wicked men not to be admitted to this communion 235

SERMON XII.

Addition to the former concerning holy communion 242

The qualifications in the soul to fit it for receiving the Lords Supper 244

1 Knowledg ibid

2 A broken heart 246

3 Actual purging the heart from sin 249

4 Hungring and thirsting after Jesus Christ 251

5 Exercise of Faith 252

6 Exercise of spiritual Joy 255

7 Thankfulness 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 general, 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

Meditations 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 dreadfulness of Gods justice ibid

6 The price of saving a soul 269

7 The greatness of the evil of sin ibid

8 The infinit love of God to mankind ibid

9 That Beleevers shall be nourished to eternal life ib.

10 To meditate upon the Covenant of grace to Beleevers 270

Holy dispositions 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 [Page] in Prayer 282

SERMON XIV.

A further enlargement concerning wandring thoughts in in Prayer 283

Five Rules to help against wandring thoughts 286

1 Set an high price upon the duties of prayer ibid

2 To reuew resolutions against wandring thoughts 287

3 To set the presence of God before us 288

4 To account all wandring thoughts evil 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 289

4 There must be pure hearts and hands 292

5 We must 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 ib.

10 We must tender up all our prayers in the Name of Christ 296

Conclusion of all 297

Books printed by Peter Cole, at the Printing-Press in Cornhil. London.

Seven Books of Mr. Jeremiah Burroughs, lately published; As also the Texts of Scripture up in which they are grounded.

1 The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, Phil. 4 11. Wherein is shewed, 1 What Contentment is, 2 It is an holy Art and Mystery, 3 The Excellencies of it; 4 The Evil of the contrary sin of Murmuring, and the Aggravations of it.

2 Gospel-Worship, on Levit. 10. 3. Wherein is shewed, 1 The right manner of the Worship of God in general; and particularly, In Hearing the Word, Receiving the Lords Supper, and Prayer.

3 Gospel-Conversation, on Phil. 1. 17. Wherein is shewed, 1 That the Conversations of Beleevers must be above what could be by the light of Nature, 2 Beyond those that lived under the Law, 3 And sutable to what Truths the Gospel holds forth. To which is added, The Misery of those men that have their Portion in this Life only, on. Psal. 17. 14.

4 A Treatise of Earthly-mindedness. Wherein is shewed, 1 What Earthly-mindedness is, 2 The great Evil therof, on Phil. 3. part of the 19. vers. Also to the same Book is Joyned, A Treatise of Heavenly-mindedness, and walking with God, on Gen. 5. 24. and on Phil. 3. 20.

5 An Exposition on the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh Chapters of the Prophesie of Hosea.

6 An Exposition on the eighth, ninth, and tenth Chapters of Hosea.

7 An Exposition on the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth Chapters of Hosea, being now compleat.

Twelve several Books of Mr. William Bridg, Collected into one Volumn. Viz.

1 The great Gospel Mystery of the Saints Comfort and Holiness, opened and applied from Christs Priestly Office.

2 Satans Power to Tempt; and Christs Love to, and Care of His People under Temptation.

3 Thankfulness required in every Condition.

4 Grace for Grace; or, the Overflowings of Christs Fulness received by all Saints.

5 The Spiritual Actings of Faith, through Natural Impossibilities.

6 Evangelical Repentance.

7 The Spiritual-Life, and In-being of Christ in all Beleevers.

8 The Woman of Canaan.

9 The Saints Hiding-Place in time of Gods Anger.

10 Christs Coming is at our Midnight.

11 A Vindication of Gospel Ordinances.

12 Grace and Love beyond Gifts.

Six Sermons Preached by Dr. Hill, Viz.

1 The Beauty and Sweetness of an Olive Branch of Peace, and Brotherly Accommodation budding.

2 Truth and Love happily married in the Saints, and in the Churches of Christ.

3 The Spring of Strengthning Grace in the Rock of Ages Christ Jesus.

4 The Strength of the Saints to make Jesus Christ their Strength.

5 The Best and Worst of Paul.

6 Gods Eternal Preparations for his dying Saints.

A Godly and Fruitful Exposition, on the first Epistle of Peter. By Mr. John Rogers, Minister of the Word of God at Dedham in Essex.

A Platform of Church-Discipline; Gathered out of the Word of God, and agreed upon by the Elders and Messengers of Churches assembled in the Synod at Cambridg in New-England.

Tears of Repentance: Or, a further Narrative of the Progress of the Gospel amongst the Indians in New-England: Setting forth, not only their present state and condition, but sundry Confessions of sin by diverse of the said Indians, wrought upon by the saving Power of the Gospel; Together with the manifestation of their faith and hope in Jesus Christ, and the Work of Grace upon their hearts.

The Wonders of the Load-stone, by Mr. Samuel Ward of Ipswich.

An Exposition on the Gospel of the Evangelist St. Matthew, by Mr. Ward.

Clows Chyrurgery.

Marks of Salvation.

Christians Engagement for the Gospel, by John Goodwyn.

Six several Books by Nich. Culpeper, Gent. Student in Physick and Astrology.

1 The Anatomy of the Body of Man, Wherein is exactly described the several parts of the Body of Man, illustrated with very many large Brass Plates.

2 A Translation of the New Dispensatory, made by the Colledg of Physitians of London. Whereunto is added, The Key to Galen's Method of Physick.

3 A Directory for Midwives; or, A Guide for Women.

4 Galen's Art of Physick, with a large Comment.

5 The English Physitian; Being an Astrologo-Physical Discourse of the Vulgar Herbs of this Nation; wherein is shewed how to cure a mans self of most Diseases incident to mans Body, with such things as grow in England, and for three-pence charge. Also in the same Book is shewed, 1 The time of gathering all Herbs both Vulgarly and Astrologically. 2 The way of drying and keeping them and their Juyces. 3 The way of making and keeping all manner of useful Compounds made of those Herbs. 4 The way of mixing the Medicines according to cause, and mixture of the Disease, and part of the Body afflicted.

6 A New Method both of studying and practising Physick.

Great Church Ordinance of Baptism.

Mr. Love's Case, containing his Petitions, Narrative, and Speech.

Dr. Prestons Saints Submission, and Satans Overthrow.

The Bishop of Canterburies Speech on the Scaffold.

The King's Speech on the Scaffold.

A Treatise of the Rickets, being a Disease common to Children; wherein is shewed, 1 The Essence, 2 The Causes, 3 The Signs, 4 The Remedies of the Disease. Published in Latin by Dr. Glisson, Dr. Bate, Dr. Regemorter; now translated into English.

Cum multis aliis—

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. , and • 3. PRAYER. 

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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, endeavoring 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 and 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 [Page] God had appointed: Upon that the fire of Gods wrath broke out upon them, and slew them both presently in the very Sanctuary before all the people, for it was a solemn time: being the beginning of the solemn Consecration of the Priest-hood. Upon this, the spirit of Aaron could not but be exceedingly troubled, to see his two Sons thus struck Now Moses comes to him and saith, This is that which the Lord spake, I will be sanctified in them that draw nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And upon this, Aaron held his peace.

We reade that once fire came down from Heaven in a way of Mercy to consume the Sacrifices: but now fire comes down from Heaven in a way of Judgment to consume the Sacrificers, even Nadab and Abihu: they were Aarons Sons, the Sons of a godly man, the Sons of the High-Priest, they were his eldest Sons, for Aaron had other Sons besides Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, but these were his two eldest Sons: they were two yong men, they were struck in the very prime of their age, they were two that were newly consecrated in the Priests Office, for so you find it in the 9. Chap. And they were two men of renown in the Country, and before all the people of Israel two men that God had much honored heretofore; as you shall find in Exod. Chap. 24. and the beginning; this Nadab and Abihu were men of great repute, and great renown, that God did much honor in former times; for when God called Moses and Aaron with the Elders to come to him, he singles out Nadab and Abihu amongst the rest, and names them. And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the Lord, thou and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and 70. of the Elders of Israel. Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu are only named, and then 70. of the Elders in general, but Moses, Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, as if these were the four eminent men of renown among all the people of Israel, he names none of the 70. Elders but these two, besides Moses and Aaron: therefore these two that were consumed by strange fire, were renowned men, and newly consecrated into their Office.

What was their sin?

Their sin it was offering of strange fire, so the text saith that they offered strange fire, which God commanded them not, in the beginning of the Chapter.

[Page] But had God ever forbidden it? Where do we find that ever God had forbidden them to offer strange Fire, or appointed that they should offer only one kind of Fire? There is no text of Scripture that you can find from the beginning of Genesis to this place, where God hath said in terminis, in so many words expresly, You shall offer no fire but one kind of fire. And yet here they are consumed by Fire from God, for offering strange Fire. I find in the 30. of Exod. ver. 9. that there they were forbidden offering strange Incense, but I do not find that they were forbidden offering strange Fire. In Levit. 6. 13. and divers verses in that Chapter we find that God had appointed that they should keep constantly the Fire on the Altar burning, and never to let it go out: Now that was (it seems) Gods intention that therefore they should make use of that Fire, and that Fire only. God would have them to pick out his meaning: God sent Fire down from Heaven upon the Altar, so in the latter end of the 9. chap. God sent down Fire from Heaven, and gave them a charge to keep that Fire on the Altar constantly, and never to let it go out: so that it seems God would have them pick out his meaning, that because he had sent down Fire from Heaven upon the Altar, and gave them power to keep that constantly, God would have them therefore to understand, that what Incense or Sacrifice he would have the use of Fire in, it should be only 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, not their cloathes, they were kil'd by the Fire and yet their cloathes were whol, therefore it was not an ordinary Fire, it was some Coelestial Fire struck into them to slay them, for so saith the text in the 4. ver. Come neer, carry away your Brethren from before the Sanctuary out of the Camp: and so they went and carried them in their crats out of the Camp, so that their cloathes and bodies were not consumed, only they were kil'd by the Fire: they were struck [Page] 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 judgment, the, heart of Aaron could not possibly but be very much troubled, yea, and the spirit of Moses too, for Moses was their Unkle, and Aaron their father, they could not but be exceedingly much grieved: 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 befal his children: Moses comes and speaks comfortably to him, and labors 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 applies the Word of God, and shews 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: He seeks 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 terminis before this time: and therefore Augustin thinks it was only the word God spake, but not written, and so they had it from hand to hand by tradition as many other things, as the Prophesie of Enoch that the Apostle Jude speaks of, you do not find it written in the Book of God, and yet the Apostle speaks of it, so that indeed it was from hand to hand: yea and we find in the new Testament when Paul speaks of a thing that Christ should say, how that our Lord saith, It is a more blessed thing to give than 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 express terms, yet somthing is recorded to the same purpose and effect: and so it may seem to have reference to that Scripture Exod. 29. 43. there [Page] we have a Scripture comes as neer to it as any I know. And there wil I meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shal 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 concern my Worship, I will be sure to be sanctified 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 Greek word, and this is the Hebrew: but if you would translate this word into Greek, you must translate it by the same word that Christ spake when he taught his Disciples to pray, Hallowed be thy Name, Hallowed and Sanctified is all one. Lord let thy Name appear to be Holy: so I will be Sanctified, that is, I will have my Name appear 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 Sanctified, I will be known to all the world that I am a Holy God.

And before all the people I will be Glorified, 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 Sanctified; that is, I will have my People to demean and carry themselves so, as to hold forth their acknowledgment of my Holiness so, as by their carriage I may appear to be a Holy God. I will be sanctified by them, or otherwise if they shall not in an active way Sanctifie my Name, that is, if they shall not demean themselves so as to hold forth the glory of my Holyness, then I will be sanctified upon them; I will demean and carry my self towards them so, as by my actions upon them, I will make it appear what a Holy God I am: So God is Sanctified two waies, either by the Holiness of his People, in their carriage towards him holding forth the glory of Gods Holiness: and so in that 1 Pet. 3. 15. Sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts; the Saints do Sanctifie God in their hearts when they fear 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 do hold forth the glory of Gods Holiness, then God is Sanctified.

But then if we do not do so, then God sanctifies himself, that is in waies of Judgment upon those that do not in waies of Holiness [Page] 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, and I wil be glorified in the midst of thee, and they shal know that I am the Lord, when I shall have executed judgment in her, and shal be sanctified in her. And this is al one with I wil be glorified in the midst 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 shal be in the latter daies: and I wil bring thee against my Land that the Heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee O Gog, before their eyes. And in the 23. ver. Thus wil I magnifie my self, and sanctifie my self, and will be known in the eyes of many Nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord, in the way of the execution of Judgment: thus I will sanctifie my self, so I will be sanctified in those that draw nigh me.

In those that are nigh me] Nigh ones, so it may be read: that is, especially the Priests that did approach to God. Ezek. 42. 13. they approach to God especially. But it is meant generally of all those that shall have to deal in my Worship, whosoever shall come to Worship me, let them look to it, they must sanctifie my Name, they must so demean themselves in my Worship, as to hold forth my Name to be Holy: or otherwise, I will manifest my self against them in the waies of Judgment, for I will appear to be a Holy God. I will have the glory of my Holiness one way or other (saith God) in those that come neer Me; As if God should say, Though it's otherwise with men, they indeed will be ready to favor those that are neer them, but I will not do so. Men will sooner pass by the offences of those that are neer them, than those that are not: as suppose that a stranger commits an offence, you would be severe towards him; but suppose it were one of your own Children, or Kinsmen, what would you do then? Do not we see that men will rather favor their own Kindred than strangers, though the offence be the same? But I will not do so saith God. Suppose it be one of your own family, wil not you be ready to excuse them? Suppose it were your own child that should cōmit such an offence, Oh! what friends would you make to take him off from punishment? Though men would do so towards their own, yet be bitter & severe towards strangers; Yet I wil not be so saith God: Let those [Page] that are neer me look to it, I will be sanctified by them. I will be sanctified in those that draw neer me.

Now upon this, when Moses said thus, That God would be sanctified in those that draw neer him: this was Moses scope to Aaron, as if Moses should say, Aaron, though I confess the hand of God is heavy upon you this day: Yet it is fit for you to submit to God, 'tis fit that God should be glorified what ever becomes of you; you are dear to God, but Gods Name is dearer to him than you are: what ever the lives of your sons were, yet it is fit that God should be honored, and his Name Sanctified what ever become of your Sons, or of your Comforts, and therfore let your heart be quieted, you have had a great loss and affliction upon you; but God hath had glory; God hath glorified himself. How hath God glorified himself? Very much by this way; for God by this way hath done an act to make all the People of the Land fear before him; to cause them to Worship him with al reverence. All the people of the Land seeing such a Judgment as this, and hearing of it; they will learn for ever to fear and reverence this God: they will say, How shall we appear before this Holy God? We had need take heed how we appear in his presence, and Worship him according to the way that He Himself would be Worshiped; As if Moses should say, This Honor that God hath by this means in the hearts of his people; it is that that you should account a greater good than the Lives of your Children, what ever they are. This is the scope of Moses speech to Aaron. Now upon this the Text saith:

Aaron held his peace] He was silenced. It may be before, He was expressing himself in grief, and sorrow'd exceeding much in words; but now he was quiet and had nothing to say: he did by his silence acknowledge his Children were deer to him, but it's fit that God should be glorified what ever becomes of his Children, and therefore Aaron holds his peace.

But the word that is here translated, Holds his peace, It hath more in it than meer silence; for the Hebrews have another word that signifie meer silence of speech: but this signifies, a staying of the heart, that it doth not further proceed in and trouble of spirit, a silence in the very heart, and staying of it; a staying of the motions [Page] of the heart. I find the same word to be used in Scripture, when Joshua said to the Sun, stand still, stay thy self on Gibeon, Jos 10. 12. It is the same word that is here translated, and Aaron held his peace, that is, he was stayed from further vexing or troubling of himself, or being disquieted; whereas his heart was in a strong violent motion: Now Moses speech did stop him, and gave a stop to his heart to make it stand still in a wonderful manner, As the Sun, when Joshua spake to it to stand still. As if the Lord should have spoken to his heart, Aaron, thy heart is in a mighty strong motion, but consider that I must be sanctified in those that draw nigh me; and let all those motions of thy heart be stopt and quiet. Thus now you see the meaning of the Scripture, and the Scope of it. Now in this Scripture you have these Three special and notable Points.

1 That in worshiping of God, there is a drawing nigh unto Him.

2 That when we do draw nigh to God, we should take heed to our selves that we sanctifie Gods Name.

3 If we do not sanctifie Gods Name in our drawings nigh to Him, then certainly God will sanctifie his own Name upon us.

These are the Three Points that I intend to handle; And especially the second to handle largely among you. I confess upon another occasion in one Sermon I have spoke out of these words, but now I intend not only in general, to shew you how you should sanctifie Gods Name in Worship, but likewise in the particular Acts of Worship: As sanctifying His Name in Prayer, in Receiving the Sacrament, in hearing the Word; in the several chief parts of the Worship of God, how his Name should be sanctified: For in all these you do draw night to God. And for that end I have pitch'd my thoughts upon this Scripture. But before I come to these Three great Points, that are the principal Points in the words read unto you; I shall take up divers other Notes of observation that lie up and down as it were scattered, that are of great use, and will help us further to make use of this Scripture in the other points that I shall come to afterward, and handle more largely.

The first Note is this, That in Gods Worship there must be nothing tendered up to God but what he hath commanded, whatsoever we meddle with in the Worship of God, it must be what we have a Warrant for out of the Word of God.

[Page] For this speech of Moses is upon occasion of the Judgment of God upon Aarons Sons for offering strange Fire: They offered Fire that God had not commanded. Hence I say, that all things in Gods worship must have a warrant out of Gods word, must be commanded, It's not enough that it is not forbidden: I beseech you observe it: it is not enough that a thing is not forbidden, and what hurt is there in it? But it must be commanded: I confess in matters that are Civil and Natural, there this may be enough; If it be but according to the rules of prudence, and not forbidden in the word; we may make use of this in Civil and Natural things. But now when we come to matters of Religion, and the Worship of God, we must either have a command, or some what out of Gods Word by some Consequence drawn from some command wherein God manifests his will; either a direct command, or by comparing one thing with another, or drawing consequences plainly from the Words. We must have a warrant of the Worship of God. One would have thought that these Priests offering Incense to the true God, what hurt was there in taking other Fire? But there was no Command for it, and therefore it was not accepted. It's true, there are some things in the Worship of God that are Natural and Civil helps, and there we need not have any Command: As for instance; when we come to worship God, the Congregation meets, they must have a convenient place to keep the air and weather from them: now this is but a natural help, and so far as I Use the place of Worship as a natural help I need have no Command. But if I will put any thing in a Place beyond what it hath in its own nature, There I must look for a Cammand. For if I account one place more Holy than another; or to think that God should accept of worship in one place rather than in aother: This is to raise it above what it is in its own Nature. So that when any creature is rased in a Religious way, above what it hath in it by Nature; if I have not Scripture to warrant me I am therein superstitious. It's a very useful rule for to help you: If any Creature that you make any use of in a way of Religion beyond what it hath in its own Nature, if you have not some warrant from the Word of God (whatsoever specious shew there may be in it) it is Superstition. As now for the Place, [Page] there was a place that was Holy, but then it had an Institution from God. And so for garments, to use those that are decent, the light of reason is enough: but if I will put any thing upon them beyond what there is in them in their own Nature, as heretofore in a Surplis, what, Had that any more decency in its own nature, but only mans Institution? Now when man shall put a Religious respect upon a thing, by vertue of his own Institution when he hath not a warrant from God; here's superstition! we must al be Willing worshipers, but not Wil-worshipers; We must come freely to worship God; but we must not worship God according to our own wills, and therefore what ever we do in the Worship of God, if we have not a warrant for it, when this is said, Who requireth this at your hands? It will stop our mouthes another day: In Matthew 15. 9. In vain do they worship me, teaching for Doctrin the Commandements of men. In vain: it is a vain thing to Worship God, when there is nothing but a Commandement of man for this Worship. If you would Worship God, you must have a Commandement of God for the worship: And in Isa. 29. 13. there is a place to the same purpose, that shews how the Lord is offended with any man that shal teach his fear by their own precepts, Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw neer me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear towards me taught by the precepts of men. Mark it: Now if this be so, the Lord have mercy upon us in this thing. You have cause to be humbled every one of you; I beleeve in some degree or other, this Congregation very much, and most Congregations that have had the fear of God taught them by the precepts of men: How many things have there been in the Worship of God that you can shew no warrant in the Word for? A great many things meerly mens inventions, however they are now cast out, because Authority came in and cast them out, and so you submit to it; but that is not enough for you to submit to it because Authority would have it so; but you ought to be humbled before God for all your Will-worship, for all your yieldings to any thing in the Worship of God, that was taught by the precepts of men: You see how severe God was to Nadab and Abihu for but taking other fire than that which God had appointed to offer up [Page] Incense, though there was no direct Commandement against it. If the Lord hath spared you, and not manifested any displeasure upon you, you have cause to acknowledg Gods mercy, and to be humbled for all your false worship; Certainly God doth expect it from this Land to be humbled for their Wil-worship, or otherwise they sow among thorns: All the Reformation that is among us, if there be not a humiliation before, for all our falseworship; 'tis not enough that we set up now the true Worship of God, but we must be humbled for our false Worship. And that's the First Note; That in the Worship of God there must be nothing but what God Commands.

The Second Note is, In the matters of Worship, God stands upon little things: Such things as seem to be very small and little to us, yet God stands much upon them in the matter of Worship. For there is nothing wherein the Prerogative of God doth more appear than in Worship: as Princes, they stand much upon their Prerogatives: Now God hath written the Law of natural Worship in our hearts, as that we should love God, fear God, trust in God, and pray to God; this God hath written in our hearts: But there are other things in the Worship of God that are not written in our hearts, that only depend upon the Will of God revealed in his Word, which were no duties except they were revealed in his Word. And these are of such a nature as we can see no reason for, but only this, because God will have them. As now, There are many kinds of Ceremonies to manifest honor to Princes that there is no reason for them at all, but meerly because it is a Civil Institution so appointed: So God would have some waies for the honoring of him, that the Creature should not see into the reason of them, but meerly the Will of God to have them so: Now God stands much upon little things, though men would think it a little matter whether this Fire, or that Fire, and will not this burn as well as that? But God stands upon it: And so for the Ark, when Ʋzza did but touch the Ark, when it was ready to fall, we would think it no great matter, but one touch of the Ark cost him his life. There is not any one minnim in the Worship of God, but God stands mightily upon it: In the matter of the Sabbath, that's His Worship, for a poor man to gather a few sticks, what great matter [Page] is it? But God stands upon it. And so when the men of Bethshemesh did but look into the Ark, it cost the lives of Fifty thousand threescore and ten men. If it be a matter of a holy thing that concerns his Worship, he would not have it abused in any thing. Let us learn to make conscience of little things in the Worship of God, and not to think, O how nice such are, and how precise and nice in such smal things! Thou doest not understand the nature of Divine Worship if so be thou art not nice about it; God is nice and stands upon little things in the matter of his Worship.

Another Note is this; That there is no priviledges or dignities of man that can secure them from Gods stroke.

Eirst, Moses the man of God, he was their Uncle, Aaron that great Instrument of Gods glory, he was their Father: They were men that were newly consecrated to the Priests Office, they were renowned, men that God put much glory upon; yet if they will venture but to offend God in this little thing, Gods wrath breaks out upon them, and kills them presently. Let us take heed then of venturing, and do not think that any Services that we have done heretofore can bear us out; If the greatest cannot be bore out with all their priviledges, how dare we poor worms venture upon the displeasure of God? Thou that art a worthless creature of no use at all in the world, darest thou provoke this God, when as the Lord is so angry against men that are of great use and service, to let out his wrath upon them suddenly? If you should see a Prince not spare his Favorite, or his Nobles that are about him, but upon one offence that we think is but a little offence, that the Princes anger should be so much against them as to cost them their lives; what cause is there for poor people to tremble then, when they have done that which may incur the anger of the Prince? You see all outward priviledges and greatness will not excuse from the stroke of Gods Justice, it should not excuse from the stroke of mans Justice: It's true, among men, poor people they go to it if they offend, but if great men offend, they escape; but it is not so with God, for Nadab and Abihu were great and renowned men.

The Fourth Note is, That the more the dignity of men is, the more is their danger if they look not to it: And this Note I gather from [Page] hence, That Nadab and Abihu were the two eldest Sons of Aaron, and we find in the Scripture that Eleazer and Ithamer that were the two other sons of Aaron, they escaped and were not thus consumed. Why? Because the two elder sons had the dignity and priviledg to come and offer the Incense, and having greater dignity than the yonger, and not being careful to behave themselves as they ought to do, the Lord smote them, and the yonger they escaped. And so many times they that are in a meaner condition they escape, when those that are in a higher condition they are struck. Let men that are in higher conditions than others look to themselves, for their danger is greater: And you that are in a meaner condition, envy not those that are higher, for you may be more safe in that mean condition which you are in, than they in theirs.

The Fifth Note is this, That the beginnings of things of high concernment, do meet sometimes with great difficulties and interruptions. This Note I gather from hence, That Nadab and Abihu were struck at the very beginning of their Priest-hood: As now, suppose there were a new Office erected in a Common-wealth that concern'd the publick good of the Kingdom, and in the very first erecting of the Office there falls out some hideous accident that rings throughout the whol Kingdom, as if God from Heaven had done something against them in that Office: As now, Suppose that the first time the Judges should come at the Bench, that God should strike them from Heaven dead at the very Bench, it would be a mighty matter to darken the glory and honor of that Office. So one would think that it should have been a mighty matter to have darkned the glory and the honor of the Priest-hood alwaies: but God stands not upon that, many times the beginnings of great things are darkned by sad accidents, and therefore let us not be offended though we see some sad accidents to fall out at the beginning of great things, for though accidents fall out sadly at first, yet God may prosper it afterwards, as he did the Priest-hood.

The Sixth Note is, That those that enter into publick places. and especially such places as concern the Worship of God, they had need have the fear of God much upon them when they first enter into those places. Now this were a very good Point if I were to preach to an Auditory [Page] of Ministers. You see Nadab and Abihu upon their first consecration the Lord smote them for this little miscarriage as we would think. And that's a Sixth Note which especially concerns Ministers, and therefore I pass it over.

The Seventh Note that we have, and that's very useful for us all, God would have us all to pick out his mind from dark expressions in his Word.

Though he doth not express His Will fully, and in express terms; yet if there be any thing in his Word whereby we may come to gather the mind of God, God expects that we should gather His mind out of His Word, and if we do not it's at our own peril.

The mind of God about this strange fire that these offered, you will say, They were to pick it out: How could they have known that it was Gods mind that they should not offer any fire but that on the Altar?

They should have reasoned thus with themselves, What hath God let fire come down from Heaven upon the Altar, and hath He Commanded that that should be preserved on the Altar for His service? Surely this must be Gods mind then, that we should make use of this fire rather than any other fire: God expects that they should have reasoned thus, but because they did not pick out Gods mind by reasoning after this manner, therefore the hand of God came out upon them. They offended, and it may be it was through ignorance, but it was at their peril, if they were ignorant of the mind of God when it might be known though it were but darkly revealed, and were to be pickt out from several places compared together, it was at their peril. It is a Point that we have a great deal of need of: for this is the vain heart of man, That if there be any thing that God would have that is not sutable to his own ends, he will stand wrangling against it, and cavelling at it; How doth it appear (will he say) can you bring express Scripture for it? Bring me express Scripture in words for to prove it, and then I will beleeve it; and so stands out till you bring so many words of Scripture that forbids such a thing, or commands such a duty. Now my Brethren if you be of this temper, That you will forbear nothing, nor set up any thing but what you have directly express [Page] words of Scripture for, you may run at your own peril into woful dangers, into woful sins: know that God hath so revealed a great part of his mind as it is only to be known by gathering one thing from another, and by comparing one thing with another. And God expects this from you, That if upon examination of Scripture that one thing appear more likely to be his mind and will than another; you are bound to go that way that is more likely. I told you before, That in matters of Worship we must have warrant from the Word; but it doth not follow, That we must have a direct express warrant in every thing: As it is many times in some kind of picture, the great Art, it is in the cast of the looks; you cannot say, it's in the drawing of this line, or the other line, but altogether, it is the cast of the looks that causes the beauty of the Picture: So in the Scripture, you cannot say that this one line, or the other line, take it single that proves it, but let them be laid all together and there will be a kind of aspect of Gods mind, that we may see that this is the mind of God rather than the other, and we are bound to go that way.

Now so far Nadab and Abihu might have seen, that they should rather have taken fire off the Altar than any other Fire: But they presum'd because they had not express word, and you see it was at their peril. Oh take heed of standing out, and wrangling against what is required, because you have not express words; the Lord hath laid things so, and especially in the New Testament, for the ordering of the Church in the new Testament, as you have not express Command for abundance of things, but sometimes an example in some things, and sometimes not a cleer example neither; but compare one thing with another, and that which seems to be neerest the mind of God that should be bond enough to us, to tye us to go according to what the mind of God seems most probable to be in the Scripture; and an humble teachable heart will soon be convinced, when another man will not.

We find it cleerly, That such things that are most sutable to mens own ends, a little matter will serve the turn to perswade men to it, though one might argue against it: I could easily shew it, but that I think it not so convenient in Pulpits to [Page] meddle with such things as those are. Those things I say which are sutable to mens own ends and waies, them they will close withal; but other things that do cross the flesh, that are most opposite to loosness, and would bring men most under the Government of Christ, those things men stand out against, and they must have cleer and express words, express and cleer warrant out of the Word in so many terms, or otherwise by no means they will not so much as yield to it: That's a Point that if God would but settle it upon our hearts, might be of very great use; A gracious heart will see the truth through a very little crevis; But it is mervailous to consider what a do there is to convince a man before he is humbled, of some part of Gods will; and how easie is it to convince a man after he is humbled.

The Eighth Note is this, That sinners may meet with some judgments of God that were never threatned in his Word.

God did never threaten beforehand, and say, Whosoever offers strange Fire, I will consume them with Fire from Heaven; But they meet with a judgment that was not threatned; Consider of this, it may be when we come to speak out of the Word, and shew you plainly how God doth threaten such and such sins, you are afraid then; but know, if thou venturest upon waies of sin, thou mayest meet with dreadful judgments executed that never yet were threatned: Besides all those judgments that are threatned in the Book of God, thou maiest meet with judgments unheard of, unexpected: As God hath mercies beyond what he hath expresly revealed in his Word, for never was it heard since the beginning of the world what God hath laid up for them that love him: So God hath judgments beyond what is in his Word. Sometimes when the Ministers of God do open the threatnings that are in Gods Word, you think that they are terrible: But know that God in the treasury of his judgments hath more dreadful things than ever yet hath been reveal'd in his Word; and therefore learn to tremble, not only at what is revealed in Gods Word against thy sin, but tremble at what there is in that infinite Justice, Power, and Wisdom of God to find out, and execute upon sinners; for thou art a sinner, and especially if thou beest a bold and presumptuous sinner; thou mayest I say expect to meet with whatsoever evil an infinite [Page] wisdom is able to devise, and that an infinite power is able to bring upon thee that thou art capable of: Thou committest such and such a sin; perhaps thou doest not know of any particular Judgment that is threatned against it; but think thus, I that do provoke God by my sins, what may I look for? 'Tis more than I know to the contrary, but that whatsoever the infinite Wisdom of God is able to find out, and what misery soever I am capable of, that the Lord may bring upon me. Consider of this, and take heed of sin.

The Ninth Observation is this, That God is very quick with some in the waies of his judgments.

It may be he may spare others for a long time, but concerning thee he may say, Thou shalt not offend twice. If thou wilt venture the first act, God may strike thee with death; he did so here with Nadab and Abihu, for they were but newly consecrated, so I find it by Interpreters, That they were to be in consecration for seven daies, and this was the first day that they came to their place, and in the very first act that they did, God did smite them: Let us tremble: the Lord is quick towards some, he is patient towards others, but do not thou presume because he is patient to others, he may take thee in the very first act of thy sin, and be quick with thee.

The Tenth Note is this, That the holiness of a duty will never bear a man out in the miscarriage of it.

This was a holy duty, they were the true Priests of God, they came to offer Incense to the true God, It was right Incense that they offered, there was but this one miscarriage, They had not the same Fire that God would have; now this miscarriage God comes upon them for, and all the good there was in the Duty it would not bear them out.

Consider of this, you that perform many holy duties, take heed of giving way to your selves in any miscarriage, for do not think, that because your duties are very good and holy, that by doing thereof you may venture upon mixture; take heed of mixing any evil, any miscarriage in any holy thing, though you have performed a thousand holy duties, yet it will not bear you out in the miscarriage of them.

[Page] The Eleventh Note is this, That the Lord is very terrible out of his holy places.

The Note is the same that you have in Psal. 68. 35. The Lord is terrible out of his holy places: When we have to deal with God, who can stand before this holy God? our God is a consuming fire: The Lord manifests himself here most dreadfully to strike with Fire these two Priests, as in Ezek. 9. 6. Begin at my Sanctuary, saith God. God is terrible, terrible towards those that shall dare to approach unto him, and yet are wicked and ungodly in their approaching, he is terrible to those that are neer unto him, God would have us all to tremble at his presence.

In the Twelfth place, Gods Judgments are often very sutable to mens sins.

Here they sinned by fire, and they are consumed by fire. They offended by strange fire, and God strikes them by a strange fire. The Judgments of God are very sutable to the sins of men oftentimes. As here by fire, so another time we find it by water: Pharaoh he sins by drowning the Infants of the people of Israel in the waters, and God drowns him in the Sea. If you will be drowning by water, you shall have water enough saith God: And so here, if you will be medling with strange Fire, you shall have strange Fire saith God: God doth many times proportion Judgments to sinners that his righteousness might the more appear: those very creatures in which we sin, many times God makes them, or others of the same kind, to be the Executioners of his Wrath. So it was with the Jews, they would sell Christ for 30. pieces of silver, and they were sold 30. of them for a penny afterwards. And so the story of Adoni-bezek in the first of Judges, that was so cruel in such a way to cut off Thumbs and Toes of Kings, even so he was served in the like kind: and it's ordinary for men that are of cruel fiery spirits, to meet with cruel fiery spirits likewise.

And I would apply it in this particular, You that are stout Children to your Parents, if God lets you live, you many times meet with the very same in your Children, and when you that are Parents meet with stubborn Children, you should reflect, Doth not God come righteously upon me? And so you that are Servants, you are stout to your Masters, and afterwards [Page] when you come to have Servants they will be so to you; and perhaps you were unfaithful to your Governors, afterwards when you come to have servants, it's a thousand to one but they will be so to you. Now you should strike your hand upon your heart and say, It's just with God that it should be so, and that He should come upon me in my own kind.

Another Note is this, They offered strange fire. Let's take heed all of us, how we bring strange fire into Gods Service.

Bring strange fire into Gods Service, What's that?

I find diverse Writers speaking upon this, saith Ambrose, Lusts, and Covetousness are this strange Fire. That which I would have you consider of, is this, Above all strange fire, take heed of the strange Fire of passion and anger; and especially in the Worship of God; and at any time when you find your hearts heated and fired with Anger, when you are about to worship God, remember this Scripture, Nadab and Abihu were consumed by God, with fire from God, for coming into Gods presence with strange fire: Now, O Lord, how often have we come into thy presence with strange Fire! Perhaps your hearts have been burning hot with passion when you have been coming into Gods presence: You are to pray with fervency, for so the Scripture saith: we are indeed to be heat in prayer, by the holy Ghost in our hearts, but certainly not to come with the fire of passion and anger: Lift up your hands without wrath and doubting. If you have been passionate, and your hearts have been heat that way, be sure you get your hearts cold before you go to Prayer. And so when you come to hear the Word, if your hearts have been heat with passion, be sure you get them cold before you come to hear the Word: Receive with meekness the ingrafted Word that may save your souls.

And so when you come to the Lords Supper, Take heed of coming with wrath and malice, for then you come but to offer strange Fire. It is a special Consideration for Ministers that come to preach, they should take heed of bringing strange fire into ther Pulpits; that is, of venting their own passions; That hath been ever a rule, that I have been convinced of since I knew any thing of Preaching, That that man that is appointed to reveal Gods wrath, had need to conceal his own wrath: that's [Page] certainly a rule for all Preachers, for the Lord sends his Preachers to make known his wrath against mens sins; but now, the more they make known his wrath, the more they should conceal their own; and so by that means when they come in the openest way to manifest Gods wrath, the more their preaching would be accepted. Now it's true, a carnal heart would be ready to think, That when a Preacher speaks out of true zeal to God, he will be ready to say, That he hath aiming at himself: Take heed of that, I beleeve you have had but little occasion of such a temptation in this place: but however this I know, it is the duty of the Ministers of God to be sure to bring nothing but the Fire of the Spirit of God, the Fire that they have from the Alter; their tongues being touch'd with one of these Coals, and not that they should come with their own passions to further the Righteousness of God, no, The wrath of man doth not accomplish the Righteousness of God. There are some other particulars which being laid down, we shall come to the Three main Points.

SERMON II.

Leviticus. 10. 3.‘I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me. Stepney Novemb. 16. 1645’

WEE began these words the last day, and shewed the scope of them, and opened the meaning of them, and spake of divers Notes of Observation that we gathered from this story of Nadab and Abihu, and of Gods dealing with them. From the general story of it, there were many Points of notable Observation that were drawn from thence: I'le ad some few now, and so come to the main Doctrinal Point in the Text.

A further Note of Observation is this, That many times even the dear Saints of God do meet with very sore and grevous offlictions in their Children.

[Page] That the most eminent Saints of God are not freed from very grievous afflictions even in their Children; It was one of the forest afflictions that almost ever any Saint of God met withal in his Children; this affliction of Aaron at this time, That two of his Sons, and (as I told you the last day) renowned men in Israel, newly consecrated to the Office of Priesthood, that the very first day they came to offer in their Office, they were struck before all the people with Fire from Heaven, and were consumed: Oh what a sad affliction was it to Aaron their Father, when he saw his Sons in such a manner destroyed by God Himself! Consider of this, you that have Children, and are ready to murmur and complain of every little affliction that is upon you in respect of your Children: If so be that your Children be but a little sick, or there be any miscarriage of them, you think it is a heavy hand of God; But especially if God take away your Children by death, then you mourn and will not be comforted: Yea, but though God have taken away your Children by death, yea, perhaps it may be by a violent death, as being drowned, &c. yet they have not been strucken with Fire from Heaven by God, and they have not been of such publick use. These here were renowned men, and taken away in their very sin too; your Children which have gone upon their lawful imployments, and God hath taken away their lives, there is no such cause of murmuring here; but when God takes away Children in their sins, and in such a way as by Fire from Heaven; thus God took away Aarons Children, and he was as dear to God as you are: And yet thus God deals with his Saints, with Aaron in regard of his Children, and with his elder Children, and with two of them together. This Example may be enough to still and quiet the hearts of men and women that are afflicted in respect of any calamity that befals their Children. You see what a hand of God is against the very Children of Aaron.

A further Note is this That Gods Judgments we see sometimes, though the effect of them be visible, yet they come in an invisible way.

For you shal find if you reade on in this story, That they were smote with fire from Heaven, but it did not appear what fire, for [Page] it did not so much as consume their cloathes, not their bodies, but went through all and struck them dead, and no body could tell how. Gods judgments do come in a way that is invisible: if it had been in a visible flame of fire, all would have seen it, and it would have burnt their cloaths, or their bodies: but you shall find in the 5. verse, That they were carried away from the Sanctuary in their cloaths, they were not burnt.

Another Note is this, That though the lives of men be dear and precious to God yet they are not so precious as his Glory.

The Glory of his Name is a thousand thousand times more dear unto God than the lives of thousand thousands of People; the lives of Nadab and Abihu must go, that God may be Sanctified: If it comes so in the way (as I may so say) the lives of men, and the Sanctifying of Gods Name, the Glory of God must pass on, and must have its course let the lives of men go which way they will.

We think much to have the lives of men taken away; but if we know what the Glory of God meant, and what infinite reason there is that God should be glorified, we would not think it much that the lives of never so many men should go for the Glory of God. 'Tis mercy that our lives have not gone many times for Gods Glory; How often might God have glorified Himself in taking away our lives? We have cause to bless Him, that our lives have been preserved so long as they have.

Again Note, That the neerer any men are unto God, the more they had need take heed that they glorifie Him, for they must expect to be spared the less if they sin against Him.

Nadab and Abihu, the Priests of God, and they came neer to God, yet by their transgression; though I told you, We do not find in any place of Scripture directly in words, that this Fire is forbidden, but they should have gathered Gods mind by consequence, And therefore by the way I only Note. That we must not think to urge upon men in all things strict commands in very words, but if it be commanded so as we may draw it by any consequence, it's a command; as now here for the Negative, they had not a Negative prohibition in words, yet they had it by Consequence: So for the Affirmative, though we have not [Page] the Affirmative in express words, yet if we may have it by consequence, it is an Affirmative as well as the Negative, when we have it by consequence. But now the Note of Observation is, That the neerer any comes to God, if they sin against Him, they must not expect to be spared. Do not think that God will spare you the more because you are Professors of Religion, or because you do often worship him: I suppose you that are acquainted with Scripture, know that place in Amos, 3. 2. You only have I known of all the families of the Earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.

Another Note is this, That when a judgment is exemplary, then we should have recourse to the Word of God, to see how God doth make his Word good in that judgment.

So Moses doth, This is that which the Lord hath said. Do you see any remarkable hand of God in the execution of a judgment upon one, have recourse to Gods Word, and presently begin to think this, What is there in Gods Word against that sin that this man hath been guilty of? If you see a judgment of God upon a Drunkard, remember the threats in the Word of God against Drunkenness, and so the judgments of God upon unclean Persons, Swearers, Sabbath-breakers, Lyars, or any Prophane, and ungodly persons, have recourse to the judgments of God threatned in the Word against such: and so likewise concerning Scorners and Opposers of Religion, remember what is said in the Word of God against such, and so learn to sanctifie Gods Name: We might have mentioned some particular threats of God against particular sinners for the helping of you, that when you see exemplary judgments: to have recourse to the Word of God: But we let that pass.

A further Note from this story is this, That the great honor that God intends to his Name, It is, the making of his Name Holy. I wil be Sanctified in them that draw nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified.

As Moses should say in Gods Name, I must, and will have glory from the people, And how? By making my Name appear to be Holy, this is the glory that I stand upon above all other things, that my Name may appear to be Holy, that I may appear to be a Holy God. I beseech you Brethren consider of this, [Page] God stands upon nothing more than to appear to all the world to be a Holy God, there's the glory of Gods Name in an eminent way, God doth not so much stand upon this to appear to be a strong God, to appear to be a powerful God, to be a God of patience, long suffering, God doth not so much stand to be an Omniscient God, though these Attributes are dear to God, but that he may appear to be a Holy God: that he stands upon. Whatever glory of the Name of God, that God shall be content to have ecclipsed in the world for a while, yet he is resolved he will have the glory of his Holiness above all things: and therefore the Angels when they are celebrating the glory of God, they do not say, Lord Almighty, Almighty, Almighty, or Lord, Omniscient, Omniscient, Omniscient; but Holy, Holy, Holy: Those three together, the Holiness of God, therein appears the glory of God above all: God stands upon it that he will appear to be a Holy God.

Oh that those who profess themselves to be the Servants of God, that they would especially endeavor to hold forth Gods Holiness; you that are neer to God, you that hope you are Gods Children, and make profession of his Name, labor you to hold forth the glory of his Holiness above all things, in your holy lives and Conversations: for God stands upon this, To have his Name to be Sanctified, I will be Sanctified, saith God, and I will be glorified, so he doth interpret the glory of his Name by being Sanctified. As if God should say, That's the glory that I look for, That my Name may be extolled as Holy: And therefore the very first Petition that Christ teaches us to pray in the Lords Prayer, it is, Hallowed be thy Name, which is all one with this, Sanctified be thy Name; Oh let the Name of God appear to be holy in the World: that's another Note, that these two are joyned together, I'le be Sanctified in those that draw nigh me, and I will be glorifyed before the People.

Again observe, That it is the part of true friendship, to help friends in their distresses, and seek to comfort them from the Word.

Though we our selves be in afflictions, yet we should seek to comfort our friends that are in greater afflictions, and to comfort them by the Word, for so did Moses: Moses comes to comfort Aaron, and applies the Word, This is that which the Lord hath [Page] said, I will be Sanctified. Now mark, no question Moses was afflicted upon this heavy hand of God, for he was their Uncle; but though it was heavy upon the Uncle, yet it was heavier upon the Father, and therefore though Moses was troubled, yet he knew that Aaron was more troubled, and therefore he goes to Aaron, and seeks to comfort him, and he makes use of this Word in his comforting of him. Learn this then, to go and comfort your Brethren, for Aaron was Moses brother; Go and comfort them in their afflictions, and think not because that you have some afflictions upon you, that therefore you should not be a comfort to your brethren: their affliction is greater than yours, and when you come to comfort them, come not in a meer carnal way, and say, Brother you must be content: but you must come and apply somewhat of the Word of God to comfort them, and say, This is that which the Lord hath spoke; and to that end you should labor to be exercised in the Word of God, that so you may be able to go to your brethren and comfort them in any affliction; for there is no particular affliction, but there is some Word of God that is sutable to that particular affliction, and those who are well exercised in the Word of God, they can apply some word to every affliction: And indeed this is an excellent friend, and such a friend is worth his weight in gold, that can come to another friend in any affliction, and evermore hath somewhat of the Word of God to apply to that affliction.

The last Observation is this, That Aaron held his peace.

From whence we may Note, That there is no such way to quiet a gracious heart under any afflictions in the world, as that God will fetch out His Honor by it.

It is grievous to me, but God fetches out His Glory, and Honor by it. The applying of the Word, and the consideration that God hath his way to fetch out his glory in our afflictions, is the only way to quiet a gracious heart. All these Points might take up a a great deal of time, but I will let them pass, and come to the main Point of all, I will be Sanctified in those that come nigh me. There are these Three Points in these words.

First, That in the Worship of God, men and women draw nigh to God.

[Page] Secondly, That we ought to Sanctifie Gods Name in drawing nigh to him.

Thirdly, That if we do not Sanctifie it, God will Sanctifie his own Name upon us.

1. That in Worshiping of God, there is a drawing nigh to God.

Quest. Why, is not God in every place?

Answ. Yes certainly, we can never be in any place but we are nigh to God, God stands by us, and looks upon us: It is not only when you are Worshiping of God that you are nigh Him, but when you sin against Him, when thou art swearing, prophaning His Name, His Day, God stands and looks upon thee, thou art nigh Him: And it may be said or written upon every place, what was said of the City, in the last words of the Prophesie of Ezek. 48. 35. The name of the City was Jehovah Shamma, that is, The Lord is there, the Lord Jehovah He is there, He is present in this place: Oh that you would remember when you are in any place, that the Name of that place is Jehovah Shamma, The Lord is there, In him we live, we move, and have our being, therfore we are alwaies nigh him: yea, but though we are alwaies nigh God in regard of that essential presence of his, yet there is a more peculiar and special drawing nigh to God in the duties of his Worship, and that the Scripture seems to hold forth unto you. First I'le shew you how the Scripture holds it forth, and then in what respect the Creature may be said to draw nigh to God in holy duties of Worship; for so it was here, they were coming to offer Incense.

1. That we do draw nigh to God in holy duties, see Jam. 4. 8. Draw nigh to God (so that you may be neerer God than you were) that is, by holy services, and holy duties; and hence it is in Psal. 95. 2. Let us come before his presence with thanks giving; so that there is a more peculiar coming before Gods presence when we come to worship him than at other times: And Vers. 6. O come let us Worship and how down, let us kneel before the Lord our maker. So in Psal. 100. 2. Let us come before his presence with singing. for that's one part of the Worship of God. But the Scripture is plain, that there is a special coming before God when we are coming [Page] to Worship him, and in this respect the Servants of God in Psal. 148. 14. are said to be a people neer to God. It is a very remarkable expression, and sets forth much the honor of the Saints of God: There's the commendation of the excellent estate of the Saints. He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his Saints, even the children of Israel, a people neer unto him. The Saints of God, the Children of Israel, the Church of God are said to be a people neer to God; Why neer him? Because that they Worship God, they are much exercised in the Worship of God. This is one respect though there may be divers others mentioned, yet in respect of their coming so much before God in his Worship, therefore they are neer God.

Quest. Neer him! Why, in what respects may a man be said to draw nigh to God when he Worships him?

Answ. To that I Answer, There are three respects in which a man when he is Worshiping God may be said to draw nigh to God:

First, Because when we come to Worship God, we come to tender up that homage and service unto him, that is due from us as Creatures to the infinite Creator; that's the very end of Worship. If you would know what it is to Worship God, it is this:

You come to tender up that homage and respect that is due from the Creature to the Creator. Now when a Subject comes to tender up his homage to his Prince, he comes towards him, when he doth it immediately: So we have none to tender it up by but Jesus Christ, and when we tender it up we must come our selves too, for Christ doth nor take our service and tender it up to God and we be absent, but we must come with Christ, and Christ takes us by the hand and so tenders it up to the Father while we are in presence, so that we are said to come nigh to God in that respect, because of the immediate tendering up of that Worship of ours to God; I call it immediate in respect of any creature: But in respect of Christ, indeed he is a Mediator to do it, but yet he doth it in a spiritual way, and we have to do with none but God through Jesus Christ in the tendering up of our Worship to him: We may make use of an institution that God hath appointed, but we do not tender up our [Page] Worship to God through that creature, but in the use of that creature we do come to God, and our souls are to tender up that respect we owe to God immediatly. therefore in levit. 21. 21. it is said of the Priests in their Sacrifices, when they were to come to Worship God, No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the Priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the Lord made by fire. So that when any come to offer any offerings of the Lord made by Fire, it appears he came nigh to God; he came to bring a Present to God, therefore he comes nigh. So when we come to offer our Spiritual sacrifices unto God, we come nigh to God to offer, it's the offering of a sacrifice to God. And that's the first thing, because the creature comes to bring a Present to God, therefore he is said to draw nigh.

And secondly, The soul is said to draw nigh to God in holy duties, because it doth present its self before God in those waies through which God doth use to communicate his choice, precious, most excellent and glorious mercies to his people; I say, when we come to Worship God, we come to set our selves before God in those waies that God doth use to communicate the choice, most excellent and glorious rich mercies that he hath to communicate to his creature.

When we have to deal with creatures, as meat and drink, and our outward businesses we have to do with God in them; but when we come to worship God, we come to present our selves before him in those things that he doth use to let out himself through in a more special and glorious manner to the souls of his people. What's the reason why Heaven is said to be the presence of God, and why those that are in Heaven are said to live with God? There they behold the face of God and are before him in a special manner, therefore when Christ teacheth us to pray, he teacheth us to look up to Heaven and to say, Our Father which art in Heaven, &c. Now certainly the essential presence of God is on Earth as truly and really as in Heaven, and God is not so as to have one part in one place, and another in another, but All God is in every place, but the reason why God is said to be in Heaven, it is because the Lord makes known himself there in a more glorious manner than in any other place, and therefore Heaven is the presence of God in a more special [Page] way. Now then if the communication of God unto a creature be enough to make the presence of God more special, if this be enough to make a creature to live with God, and to be before his face, because they are there where God doth most communicate himself, then certainly when we come to worship God, we come to be neer God, and be with God, because the duties of his Worship are those means that the Lord hath appointed for the letting out of himself in the glory of his goodness and mercy to his people: You may expect other manner of communication of God goodness through the duties of his Worship than in any other way: And that's the second respect wherein you may be said to draw nigh to God in holy duties.

Thirdly, You may be said to draw nigh to God, because then we should (and if we worship God as we ought, we do) act our faith and humility, and all the graces of the Spirit; We do act them, as it were, upon God, when we come to worship him: That's required in every duty of worship, that you should stir up the faculties of your souls, and all the graces of the Spirit of God, and you should act them upon God when you are worshiping of him. 'Tis not enough to come with grace when you come to worship God, but there must be an acting of that grace upon God.

And so we find in Scripture, that the acting of grace upon God, it is a drawing neer to him, therefore in Isa. 29. 13. the Lord complains there, This people draws neer to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me: as if God should say, Indeed they come and speak to me, and therefore they think they draw nigh to me, but I expect that their hearts should be acting upon me, that's the meaning. And in Zeph. 3. 2. God complains there of his people that they did not draw neer to him as they should: And it appears plainly, it was from hence, that their graces did not act so upon God as they ought, She obeyed not the voice: she received not correction: she trusted not in the Lord: she drew not neer to her God. So that acting faith upon God is a drawing nigh to God, and so acting any grace upon God is a drawing nigh to God. Now when is there a time for the acting of our graces upon God, so as when we come to worship God? And therefore in Isa. 94. 7. the Lord complains there, That no man did stir up [Page] himself to take hold on him. When we come to Worship God we should stir up our selves to take hold of God. And thus you see in what respects the Soul may be said to draw nigh to God when it comes to Worship him.

Now for the Aplication of this point, and it is in divers particulars. The First is this.

Hence learn what you do when you come to Worship God and consider of it every time you come to perform any act of Worship. Truly this one thing would be of marveilons use, and it would help forward to the next point of Sanctifying of Gods Name. This you are all convinced of, That it is your duty to Worship God; when you Pray, you come to Worship God, when you come to hear his Word you come to worship him, and when you receive the Sacrament you Worship him. Now if I should come from one end of the Congregation to the other, and ask every one of you this Question, It is your duty to Worship God, Is it not? Yes, that you will all be ready to answer. And what do you do when you Worship God? I fear that this Second Question would gravel many. You will say, We must pray to God, and serve him, and hear his Word, and go to the Communion: yea, but what do your Souls do in this work of worshiping of God? This should be the answer, and so you should think with your selves, and charge this upon your own hearts, I am now going to worship God, either in Prayer, Word, or Sacrament, I am now going to tender up that homage that is due from a creature to the infinit Creator, so that I must so pray, as I must manifest that high respect that I owe to God as my Creator; but that I shall speak to more afterword: only now remember this, That you do profess every time you go to Prayer, That you go to tender up that homage that you owe unto God, and so every time you come to hear the Word, there is a profession that you come to tender up that respect and homage that you owe to the infinite God: And so likewise when you come to receive the Sacrament. Now when we come to offer a present to men, we know how we prepare, and with what sutable presence we desire to offer: but of that afterward when we come to speak of Sanctifying Gods Name.

2 Secondly, Remember, when I come to Worship God, I [Page] come to set my self before the Lord in those ways that God doth let out the choice of His Mercies to his people in; I have many mercies from God in the enjoyment of the creature, but when I come to worship Him, I expect the communication of his mercy in another way than through any creature in the world. The duties of his Worship are the chief channels that God doth let out the choicest of His Mercies to the hearts of His people through, and now I am going to worship Him, I am going to present my self before God. Indeed there is a little glimmering of the light of God through other Creatures to me, but the glorious Beams of the light of God is through the duties of His Worship.

3. And then Thirdly, I am now going to act my Soul upon God, so that if I have any abilities to close with God, to act my soul upon him, it must be put forth now at this time: I am indeed at all times to labor to enjoy Communion with God, when I see the Creatures, the Sun, Moon, and Stars, to labor to lift up my heart to God, and when I see the glory of God in the Sea, and for my meat and drink I am to bless God, and to acknowledg God in all, but when I come to worship God, then all the strength of my soul is to be acted upon God in a more special manner; I must then above all labor to stir up whatsoever I have in my soul to act upon God: this is now to worship God.

Secondly, If to worship God, be to draw nigh to God, hence we see the reasons why guilty consciences have little mind to the duties of Gods Worship. When a man or woman hath given liberty to any licentious way, and sinned against their consciences, if they have any light in their consciences, it is one of the tediousest things in the world to come to the duties of Gods Worship; they had rather do any thing than come to holy Duties, as to Prayer, and especially to secret Prayer. A man or woman that hath an enlightned conscience, and is under the guilt of sin, the coming to God in holy duties, is a very grievous burden to them: Why? Here's the Reason, Because to worship God, is to draw to God, and the guilt that is upon them hath made the presence of God terrible to them, and therefore they had rather go into their company, and be merry, eat, drink, [Page] sport, or any thing rather than to come into Gods presence. We know how it was with Adam, when God appeared in the Garden and called to him, he ran to hide himself; Why? Because he had guiltiness upon him. Oh! the evil that the guilt of sin brings upon the soul, it makes the presence of God terrible. The presence of God it should be more comfortable to us, than our lives; but our sin makes Gods presence grievous and terrible. A Child sometimes when it hath offended the Father, and is conscious to its self of the offence that it hath given the Father, it had rather be in the Kitchin among the Servants, than to come into the Hall, or Parlor, where the Father is, because it hath offended him. And so it is with a guilty conscience when it is conscious to its self of some haunt of evil that it hath given it self unto, it hath no mind at all of coming into the presence of the Father, but hangs off. My Brethren, the very presence of God in the Communion of his Saints is terrible to a guilty conscience, the very looking upon a godly man is terrible to a guilty conscience: When as thou hast been abroad, and been loose and wicked in thy waies, I appeal to thy conscience, when thou comest into the presence of some holy, gracious man or woman that lives close with God, Doth it not daunt thee? Now is the presence of God in the very faces of his Saints, terrible to a guilty conscience: how terrible is the presence of God in his Ordinances then? Indeed those men and women, whose consciences are not enlightened, but are ignorant and sottish, they can sin against God, and go into his presence without any trouble; you shall have men swear, and be drunk over night, and come to the Sacrament the next day; What's the reason? Because there is no light sn their consciences, their consciences are in darkness, they are besotted in their sin; but I speak now of one who hath an enlightened conscience, the presence of God is terrible to such an one.

A Third Use is this, Here's the reason why Hypocrites do meet with such vengeance from God as they do. I confess we shall meet with this more especially afterwards, only by the way take notice of it, Hypocrites above all men may expect the severest judgments of God upon them, because they come so nigh God, for they come often to the Duties of Gods Worship; [Page] now they that will come so nigh Gods presence, and come with base and ungodly hearts, to cloak their villany, of all in the world they must expect to have the severe vengeance of God let down upon them; they that stand nighest the bullet must expect to have the strength of it to be the more upon them; so when the wrath of God proceeds out upon sinners, wicked men that stand nighest Him, they have the greatest stroke of Gods wrath: But of that more when I come to the Third Point, That God will be Sanctified in those that draw nigh Him.

The Fourth Use is this, If to Worship God, be to draw nigh Him, then to neglect Gods Worship, is to depart from Him; that must needs follow. And this is a dreadful thing, it is the Sentence that shall be at the last day of Judgment, Depart from me. Thou now art willing to depart from God, Oh consider of this you that neglect Worship, the Worship of God in your Families, and in your Closets, and in the Congregation, in the Communion of the Saints, thou hast little minded or regarded the Worship of God (it may be) all thy daies, what hast thou been doing all this while? thou hast been departing from God all this while, and when thy conscience shall be but enlightned, and awakened to see how far thou art from God, how terrible will it be to thee; Remember this, you that have no mind to the duties of the Worship of God, but love the Commission of sin, you neglect Gods Worship, you were wont to worship him in a constant way in your closets, and families, but now you grow more loose, and so you grow more dead every day than other, you go off from God more and more. Surely there can be no good to neglect Gods Worship. And those that are loth to Worship God, because they cannot worship him as they ought; from this Point it appears plainly, That there can be no good gotten by neglecting Gods Worship, for it is departing from God, whatsoever plea there may be by any temptation to neglect Gods Worship certainly there is danger in it and therefore never listen to any such temptation as shall draw your hearts from the duties of Gods Worship. There are a generation of wantons in these times, that make little matter of continuing the duties of Gods Worship, they were wont constantly to worship God, and to attend upon the Word, but now it is nothing [Page] to them, and they are even ready to thank God for it that they make not such conscience as they were wont to do in the duties of the Worship of God, It may be they will say, That heretofore some slavish terror did carry them on in the duties of Gods Worship more than the understanding of the freeness of the grace of God would admit of: but shall the understanding of the freedom of the grace of God carry thee on less than thy slavish terror did? Oh blind and wanton spirit that knowest not the waies of God, nor the freeness of the grace of God, nor the riches of it! Oh what a dishonor art thou to Jesus Christ, and to the freeness of his grace, that thou canst go up and down from day to day and never Worship God! Did Jesus Christ come into the world for that end for to cause thee to depart more from God? 'Tis plain out of the Word, That the duties of Gods Worship are those duties whereby the soul comes to draw nigh to God: And I beseech you Brethren, observe these men, whether there be that Holinese in their lives, that Spiritualness as there was wont to be? No, you shall find them by degrees to grow loose, yea, run sometimes into gross sins, grow many times to lying and deceiving, and to drunkenness and company-keeping: yea, to worse things by degrees: Perhaps they are at first ready to say, Is thy Servant a dead Dog that I should do this? But by departing from God they grow dead to holy duties: we find it by experience, That the Professors of Religion have not that Holiness, Heavenliness, Spiritualness as they were wont to have in former times; and no mervel, for now they keep not so nigh to God as they were wont. You that are Sea-men and Travellers, sometimes you are neer the Sun, and then you are hot, but the further off the Sun you go, you grow to be colder and colder: And so those that neglect the Worship of God they go from warm Sun, they go from the light of Gods Countenance, and from the presence of God, and so they grow cold and chill, and by degrees they grow to prophaness, and it is to be feared that many of them will grow to meer Athiesm.

Another Use is this, An Use of Exhortation, that we would be encouraged to worship God, and to be much in the Worship of God. In Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw neer (saith the Text) Who [Page] would not draw neer to God? Oh what a good thing is it to be in the presence of God: Is not the Lord the fountain of thy life? Is it not a sweet thing to be in his presence? We think it a sweet thing to be in the presence of godly men; Oh that we might alwaies, live with such men, and be nigh them! That Martyr Doctor Taylor rejoyced in this, That ever he came into prison to be acquainted with that Angel of God, holy Master Bradford: and as I remember some among the Heathens that profest they would rather be in prison with Cato, than be in the greatest glory with some other. It is a blessed thing to be in the presence of God, to be with him that is the God of our lives, and the fountain of all good; let us draw nigh to God often, let us know that it is a mercy that we may draw nigh to God; we might have been banished from the presence of the Lord long e're this time.

This is that that the happiness of the glorious Church is set out by, in Rev. 22. 4. They shall see his face, and his Name shall be in their foreheads. This is the Priviledg of the Church. And that it is such a blessing to draw nigh to God, you may see it by that in Ephes. 2. 18. For through him, we both have an access by one Spirit unto the Father.

Through Him] Through Christ we have access by one Spirit unto the Father; and now (saith he) Ye that were strangers and forreigners, are made fellow Citizens with the Saints, and of the houshold of God. And vers. 13. But now by Jesus Christ, ye who somtimes were afar off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ, and you have access through Christ. So, our coming nigh to God is such a priviledg as cost the Blood of Christ; And will not you improve it? You were far off in your natural condition, but now you are nigh through his Blood. Lay but this Text warm to your hearts this morning, That I that was far off, am made nigh by the Blood of Christ, made nigh to God; it will be a means for ever to draw your hearts to all those waies whereby you may draw neerest to God.

And by drawing nigh to God often, you will come to encrease your graces abundantly: your graces, how wil they act? the presence of God wil draw forth the acts of grace, as the presence of the fire draws forth our heat, so the presence of God will draw forth our graces.

[Page] And by this means we come to live most holy lives. We reade of Moses, he was upon the mountain fourty daies with God, and when he came down his face did so shine, that the people were not able to bear it; What's the reason? it was from hence, because he was so nigh to God: Would you have your faces to shine in a holy conversation before men? converse much with God, be often with God, be nigh to him, and that will make you shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. We find it so with some that converse much with God, there is a shine upon their very countenances.

And further, it is a special sign of our adoption to love, to be nigh to God. What should a Child love most but to be in the presence of his Father? Would you know whether you have received the Spirit of aboption yea or no? I can hardly give you any one sign so cleer as this, For to love to go into Gods presence: As David said, I was glad when they said, Come, and let us go up unto the House of the Lord. You shal have many that love to be in Gods presence, so as they think on it over-night, and long for the time till it comes; I never am better than when I am with God, me thinks when I get into Gods presence, either in prayer or any duty of Gods Worship, I find my heart warmed and quickned, &c. They are ready to say with Peter, Master, it is good being here.

And that's another thing, It is that which will put us in mind of the life of Heaven, it is the only thing in Heaven to be in the presence of God. Why, the more thou art nigh God in the Duties of Worship, the more thou art in Heaven, and doest not thou pray, That the Will of God may be done in Earth as in Heaven? Now the Saints and Angels are alwaies before God Worshiping of Him; then be as much as thou canst in the presence of God, If thou wouldest be in Heaven, be there: Many of the Saints they find it so: It is not so with carnal hearts, they are weary presently, when they are in Prayer, or hearing the Word, it is not so to them: yea, that's because thou hast not the presence of God, as in Mal. 1. what weariness is there? Thou canst be a gaming till one or two a clock at night, and though thou shouldest lose thy supper, or the work of thy family, it is not tedious to thee to be exercised in those things that pleaseth [Page] the flesh; but when thou comest to worship God, how quickly art thou tir'd? now what wilt thou do in Heaven where there is nothing else done to all eternity but worshiping of God;

And then it must needs be delightful to God that thou shouldest come nigh him: There is nothing in the world more pleasant to God than to have His Saints come into His presence. What doth a Father more delight in than to have his Children about him? Never did any Father or Mother love to have their Children by them, so as God loves to have His Children come nigh Him, and be often with him. And the truth is, one great reason that God suffers you to fall into affliction so much, is, That you may come runing to him: How doth the child come running to the Father or Mother when it is afraid? why, the Lord is willing to permit men to do you wrong that you may run to him, that he might have more of your presence: Thou that art such a poor creature, yet thou hearest this day that there is nothing in the world that God takes more pleasure in (next to the presence of his own Son Jesus Christ, and his Saints and Angels that he hath with him in Heaven) than to have his Saints come nigh him, to have them to be alwaies under his wing.

And then by coming often into Gods presence in His worship there will grow a sweet and blessed familiarity between God and thy soul, for thou wilt be speaking to God, and God will be speaking to thee too: We know many times that dear friends who are very neerly linkt together, yet if they be long absent one from another there grows a strangeness, and so by degrees their friendship is deaded; but now when they are together every day, and there is an intercourse of love and friendship, then their friendship is kept active and quick, but now if they be absent long; Indeed if they be absent in another Country when they cannot come together, that they are sure it is not through any neglect, then it will not damp their friendship; but when they are neer and come not one to another, then they think it is out of neglect, and so they grow strange. So it is with the soul, if there were no possibility of coming into Gods presence, then it would not hinder the sweetness of the love of God to us. But now when we have those duties of worship wherein [Page] we may draw nigh to God, if we neglect them, our familiarity with God will quickly be lost, Acquaint thy self with God and be at peace. God is willing to be acquainted with his servants, the Lord loves to be familiar with the poorest of his Saints, and wilt not thou maintain that sweet familiarity with God? These two benefits will fallow upon thy familiarity with God.

First, Those that are most familiar with God they are most potent with God; As now, a stranger cannot prevail in any Petition so as a familiar friend can. Thus my brethren, when strangers come into Gods presence, God doth not so much regard them: but when his familiars come into his presence, the Saints of God that keep close with him in constant communion and converse in the duties of his Worship, God doth take them as His familiar friends, and they will prevail much with God.

Secondly, By this means the teror of death will be taken away, there is no such way to take off the terror of the thoughts of death as by keeping familiarity with God, death then is joyful to those that converse with him. That Reverend Divine that is now with God (Docter Preston) when he was to die he had this speech, I shall but change my place, I shall not change my company; whereas its otherwise if thou growest-estranged from God, when death comes it will look with a terrible face, for then thou hast to deal with God, thou art then to go into the presence of the infinite dreadful God, into whose presence thou never hadst any mind to go before, but saith death, I must now carry thee into the presence of God. As thy Body returns to the dust, so thy soul must return to God that gave it; that is, to receive its eternal doom, &c. But now saith a Saint, what must my boby return to dust and my soul to God that gave it? it is he which I have been with every day, and can say as he said, My soul go forth, go forth, why art thou unwilling to go forth to him that thou hast conversed with all thy daies?

And then, what safety is there in being neer to God, especially in these dangerous times? In the times wherein we live it is safe to be neer God; in Psal. 22. 11. Be not far from me, for trouble is neer, saith David: Lord, trouble is neer me, be not thou far from me. It's a blessed thing to have God neer us when [Page] trouble is neer us. Trouble is neer many of you, perhaps there's not a spans breadth between death and us, what a blessed thing is it then to have God to be neer us? When the poor Chickin sees the Kite come neer to seize upon it, and is like to be supprized; if the Hen be neer, it runs to the Hen, and the Hen covers it, and keeps it safe; So it should be with us, for so Christ saith of Jerusalem, How often would I have gathered thee as a Hen gathereth her Chickens? There are a company of Kites abroad in the world, and we are poor shiftless Creatures; now how happy are we then if we can run under the shadow of Gods wing? There is a kind of shadow in the presence of God in the enjoyment of the creature; but the shadow of God that we have in his Worship that is as the shadow of his Wing. There is the shadow of a Tree, and that may help from some kind of troubles; but there's another manner of shadow under the shadow of the wing of the Hen, because that nourishes the Chicken: The men of the world they have the shadow of the Tree, as it were, Gods general providence which is over all creatures; but the Saints of God that draw nigh to God, they have the shadow of Gods Wing, like the shadow of the Hens wing to the Chicken, which doth comfort it, and safe-guard it. Let us by the duties of Worship thus draw nigh to God, and keep nigh unto Him.

SERMON III

Leviticus, 10. 3.‘I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me.’

I WILL only add one Particular more to what we said the last day, and then proceed.

If in the duties of Worship, we are nigh to God, then hence appears the great Honor that God puts upon His Servants that do Worship him: Certainly the Worshipers of God have great Honor put upon them, because the Lord vouchsafes [Page] them to draw nigh unto Him, they are such as are precious and honorable in his eyes. I will not enlarge my self in this, only give you three Scriptures that shew the great honor and respect that God puts upon those that he doth admit to come and worship him.

The first Scripture is in Deut. 4. 17. There Moses speaking of the people of Israel, and the great respect that God shewed to them more than others; for saith he, What Nation is there so great, who hath God so Nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for? What Nation is there so great as you are? (So great!) How doth it appear that the Nation of Israel is a greater Nation than other Nations are? How? That hath God so Nigh unto them in all things that they call upon him for: herein any man or woman, or Nation, may be said to be great, that is, greatly honored by the Lord God, in that they have the Lord nigh unto them, and they are nigh unto him; here's the greatness of a Nation: You would think that if one would describe the greatness of a Nation, it should be in their great Wealth, their great Trading and Traffick that they have, and the Fertile place that they live in: No, this is not the greatness of a Nation, But what Nation is there so great, that hath the Lord God so nigh to them? There's the greatness of a Nation: and so a spiritual heart would account greatness to consist in having God to be nigh unto it.

The second Scripture is in Numb. 16. 9. There we have Moses speaking unto the sons of Korah, rebuking them for their sin, and he brings this aggravation to them of the greatness of their sin, saith he, Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the Congregation of Israel to bring you neer to Himself? That is, That you should come to worship him, Is this a small thing to you? Is not this honor enough? As if Moses should have said, Why do you contend for any more Honor, the Lord hath separated you, to bring you neer to himself?

Object. This you will say was spoken to the Priests.

Answ. But it may be said of every gracious soul, for every Beleever Christ hath made a King, Priest, and Prophet unto himself; now there is no Beleever, but Jesus Christ hath separated [Page] him or her from the rest of the world to be neer unto God. This is the dignity that God hath put upon thee, that thou art separated by His grace to be one neer to Him, whereas others of the world they depart from Him, continually depart more and more from Him; but (I say) the Lord by his grace hath set thee apart for Himself, as he saith in Psal, 4. 3. The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: Thou art separated from the world, To what end? It is, that thou mightest be neer to Him, this is thy priviledg, and thou shouldest account it thy great Honor (thou hast not that Honor and respect in the world as others have, but thou art one of Gods separate Ones, that thou art neer to Him.

A third Scripture is in Psal. 33. 28. There you may see how the Prophet David did highly esteem of that great Honor that the Lord did put upon him in this in being neer to God: But it is good for me to draw neer to God. Mark how he speaks, But it is good for me: Why? For loe, they that are far from thee, shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. As if he should say, There are some that did seem to be neer unto thee heretofore, that were as the Wife to the Husband, but they are gone a whoring from thee; base Hypocrites, base Apostates, they are gone a whoring from thee, their hearts being carnal, they did not find that Contentment and satisfaction in thy Worship as thy Saints do, and therefore they are gone a whoring from thee; but it is good for me to draw neer to thee. It is an excellent Scripture. Do you see any yong ones, or others that were very forward not many yeers ago, and would speak of good things, and seem to rejoyce in the Word, but now they are gone a whoring, they are departed from God and His Waies, and the pleasures of the flesh hath taken their hearts? Thou wilt destroy them (saith David) that go a whoring from thee. So thou shouldest think with thy self; Oh miserable is the condition of those who once were forward in the profession of Religion and now are gone a whoring from God; But it is good for me to draw neer to God, they are gone from thee, and thou wilt destroy them; but it is good for me to draw neer to thee; I bless my self in drawing neer to thee, the Lord, and bless the time that ever I did draw neer to thee, and that ever I knew those waies wherein [Page] my soul hath drawn neer to God. Such as worship God aright, and do delight in the Worship of God they are such as have a great honor put upon them, they do draw nigh to God. And thus we have finished the first Point.

The second Point is that will hold us some time, and that is, The Sanctifying Gods Name in our drawing neer to God.

When we worship God we draw nigh to Him, but let us take heed how we draw nigh, Heb. 10. 12. Let us draw neer with a true heart. Look to thy feet when thou comest into the house of God, Eccles. 5. 1. Now for the Sanctifying of Gods Name in drawing nigh to Him we shall endeavor to open it.

1. In shewing you wherein the Sanctification of Gods Name consists, or what we should do that we might sanctifie the Name of God in drawing nigh to Him.

2. The Reason why God will have his Name to be Sanctified in those that do draw nigh to Him.

How we should sanctifie the Name of God in drawing nigh to Him, it is under these two Heads:

First, There must be a dew preparation unto the Worship of God that we exercise our selves in at any time.

Secondly, A right behavior of our souls in it: in these two things consists the Sanctifying of Gods Name in His Worship. Now under these Two Heads all that I shall speak about the opening of the Sanctifying of Gods Name will be contain'd. At this time I shall only speak to the First:

The due preparation of the Soul unto the Duties of Gods Worship: Therein consists a special part of the Sanctifying of Gods Name in drawing nigh to him. And that it is so, we find it in Scripture, That preparation for Worship it is called the Sanctifying of our selves; and by finding this in Scripture, it hinted me upon this Head, to speak of the preparation unto worship in our sanctifying Gods Name, because I find in Scripture that the sanctifying of our selves for Worship, and the preparation of our selves for Worship, are al one: I'le give you these two texts; In 1 Sam. 16. 5. you shall find there, that Samuel when he was sent by God to anoint David in Bethlem, the text saith, I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord: sanctifie your selves, and come with me to the sacrifice. Do you come peaceably say they? Yes, what then? [Page] Sanctifie your selves and come with me to the Sacrifice: That's all one, as if he should have said, Prepare your selves and come with me to the Sacrifice: and so in Job, 1. 5. there you shall find that the holy man Job when his sons had been feasting, he was somewhat afraid lest there should be some miscarriage, and that they had sinned against God in their feasting (as it is very hard to give liberty to please the flesh and not to sin, not to transgress bounds) therefore Job, though he did not hear of any notorious abuse of their feasting, yet he was afraid lest they should sin, he knew how dangerous it was to have so much satisfaction to the flesh and not to transgress bounds, therefore it is said, he sent to his sons and sanctified them. It was so (saith the text) when the daies of the feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them: that Job sent unto them to prepare them to offer sacrifice, to prepare them for the Worship of God: So that the Scripture holds forth this then, that to prepare for Worship it is, to sanctifie for worship, and so it is one special thing that is required in our sanctifying of God, in our drawing nigh to God, to make a due preparation for his holy Worship, Now for the orderly handling of things:

First, I shal shew you That we must prepare for the Worship of God.

Secondly, I shall shew you, Wherein this preparation for the Worship of God doth consist.

Thirdly, The excellency that there is in this, or what great good there is in preparation for Gods Worship.

Fourthly, I shall Answer a case of Conscience or two.

Fifthly, I will shew you, What is the behavior of the soul in Sanctifying Gods Name.

Sixthly, The Reasons why God will be sanctified in the duties of his Worship.

First, That there must be preparation to the Worship of God.

For first, That God that we come to worship, is a great and glorious God, and we having to deal with such an infinite, glorious, dreadful Majesty, it is fit that we should make preparation when we come nigh unto him: therefore in Exod. 19. 10. when God came among the people to give them his Law, he did require that they should be sanctified to day and to morrow, and that they should wash their cloaths and be ready against the third day, for [Page] the third day the Lord would come down upon mount Sinai in the sight of the people. God did not so much stand upon their cloaths, but it was to signifie an inward washing. Now my breathren, if when God came to give the Law they were so to prepare, then certainly when we are come to worship God in the way of the Gospel, we are to prepare as well as they, because God is coming, For that that is observable is, Why they were for two daies together to make such preparation, the argument is because of the presence of God; The Lord said to Moses, Go and Sanctifie the people to day and tomorrow, and let them wash their cloaths, and be ready against the third day, Why? for the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai: The Lord will come down in the third day, and therefore let them be sanctisied. So when thou goest to worship God, thou expectest, or shouldest expect that God will come to thee, and that thy heart shall be drawn to God, and therfore thou shouldest make some preparation. (For the time of preparation we shall speak to afterward when we come to the cases of Conscience about preparation for worship.) And so in Chr. 22 5. 14. David makes preparation for the House of God, because it was the House of God that he had to build, though he could not do it himself in his own time, yet being the House of God, what great preparation was made by David? The moral of which is this, That the House of God being a Type of the Church, and the Worship of God, as well as of Christ; it shews that there should be much preparation when we have to deal with God in his Ordinances.

Secondly, As God is great that we draw nigh to, so the duties of Gods Worship are great duties, they are the greatest things that doth concern us in this world, and it is a sign of a very carnal heart to slight the duties of Gods Worship, to make account of them as little matters: Carnal hearts ordinarily, the things that concern their businesses in the world they think great matters; Oh I may not neglect that, I may not neglect that, I may not neglect such a business, or I may not neglect to visit or gratifie such a friend; but now for the Worship of God it is good indeed, but whether it be done or not, it is no great matter therefore they can put off Prayer; if they have any business the time of prayer must pay for it; they can put off that [Page] upon any slight occasion, they do not account the duties of Gods Worship great matters; My brethren I beseech you learn this lesson this morning, to account the duties of Gods Worship great matters, they are the greatest things that do concern you here in this world; for they are the homage that you tender up to the high God, as you heard, and those things wherein God communicates himself in his choise Mercies, now being such great matters there is cause that we should prepare. For that one thing of prayer, saith Luther, It is a great work, and a difficult work, and therefore there had need be preparation for it: Business of great consequence we make preparation for, indeed if a business be a slight business we can fall upon it on a sudden, you make not preparation to go in a Boat one the Thames, but to go a voyage you make great preparation. Now if men and women would but understand the duties of Gods Worship to be great, they would see a necessity to make a preparation; Many men for want of preparation to duties they lose a great part of the time, when they come to perform a duty of Worship in prayer, they spend half the time that is convenient to be spent in prayer before they begin to pray; and so in hearing the Word, they are a long time before they can settle themselves to attend to the Word, or in any other kind of worship; I say a great deal of time in the worship is spent ordinarily before we can get our hearts to close with the worship; now that is a sore and a great evil to lose any part of the time of worship: Christians, I beseech you account highly of the time of your worship, you have been so long time at prayer, yea, but how much of it hath been lost because you have not prepared beforehand for it? perhaps you kneel'd upon your knees, but you were a long time before you could get your hearts warm at your work, why you should have been warm before you had come: It is so oftentimes with many men, when they meet together and there is no preparation for their business, they come together and they are a long time before they can buckle to the business that they came about, because there is no preparation, but if there be preparation made, that every man knows beforehand what his work is, they can fall to it, and they can dispatch as much in one hour as others do in two or three; but of that we shall speak more afterwards.

[Page] Thirdly, There must be preparation because our hearts are naturally, exceedingly unprepared for every good work, we are all naturally even reprobate to every good work, the duties of Gods Worship are high and spiritual, and holy things, but by nature our hearts grovel in the dirt and we are carnal, sensual, drossie, dead, slight, sottish, and vain, altogether unsit to come into the presence of God: Oh that we were but apprehensive and sensible of the unfitness of our hearts to come into Gods presence! Perhaps because thou knowest not God thou canst rush into his presence without any more ado, but if thou knowest thy self, and God, thou couldest not but see thy self altogether unfit for his presence, and so as to wonder that the Lord should not spurn thee out of his presence every time thou comest unto him, there had need then be preparation because we are so unsit to come into his presence.

Fourthly, There had need be preparation because of the great hinderances of the Worship of God. This business and the other business would hinder; the intanglements, they would hinder; the temptations of the Devil, they would hinder; sometimes the indisposition of our bodies doth mightily hinder; and the stirrings of the passions of our minds they hinder: if there be any business fals out amiss in the family, and any thing go but cross, how are we put off the hinges and made unfit for holy duties! There had need be preparation therefore because there are so many hinderances in the way; many of you will complain that you are much hindered, but do you do what you can to make preparation beforehand? Do the hinderances that you complain of put you on to be so much the more carefull to make due preparation for Holy Duties.

Fiftly, We find that the Heathens themselves by the light of Nature when they did but worship their Idol gods, they would make some preparation, such as was sutable to those gods that they worshiped, therfore they would wash their flesh and purge themselves, but though their preparation was but very poor, yet they taught us thus much, That they were convinc'd in their consciences that when God was to be worshiped, people should be prepared.

[Page] The sixt and last reason hath a great deal in it, which I beseech you consider of; we find that the Scripture doth make the uprightness of the heart much to consist in preparation for worship; and doth make the falsness of the heart to consist in this, that men do not prepare. Perhaps you have not so much thought of this, but yet it is of excellent use unto you. We shall find the Scripture doth make the very uprightness of the heart to consist in the preparation for duty; and the falsness of a mans heart to consist in this, That he makes not conscience to prepare his heart for God and His Worship: And this I will shew unto you very plainly and cleerly; take these two Examples, The first of Rehoboam, and the second of Jehoshaphat, one a wicked man whose heart was false, and the other a godly man whose heart was right with God. The falsness of the heart of the one is in 2 Chron. 12. 14. there you have what Gods thoughts of Rehoboam were in the verses before: but now he brings the reason of his sentence upon him, and saith the text, he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord: there were many good things that Rehoboam did: I might shew you some things; as how he did obey the Prophet of God, when he was seeking to avenge himself upon those that did rend themselves from his obedience: the Lord did but send his Prophet, and though he had an Army ready to revenge himself upon those that in a way of rebellion did rend themselves from under his government, and he obeyed the Word of the Lord but for all that he did evil in the sight of the Lord: God looked upon him as a man that had no uprightness in him, Why? For he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord: Saith God, I look upon all Rehoboam did, as nothing; look upon his waies as evil, and himself as a wicked man, why? Because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord, if his heart had been upright with me, he would have prepared his heart to seek me. I beseech you now lay this text to your hearts, Do you prepare your hearts to seek God? when ye go to prayr, Can you say that you take pains in preparing your hearts for it? and in hearing the Word; and so likewise for receiving the Sacrament?

Now for Jehoshaphat a godly man, in 2 Chron. 19. 3. there you may see what the Lord saith of Jehoshaphat that was godly; Nevertheless, there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken [Page] way the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God. Jehoshaphat was found guilty in joyning himself to wicked men too much, the Prophet comes and saith to him, Wouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? Therfore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. Jehoshaphat here we see was very faulty in joyning with those that were wicked, and is rebuked by the Prophet from the Lord; What wilt thou joyn with the wicked? the wrath of God is upon thee: Well, but for all that, (I beseech you observe it) That at that time when the Lord is most displeased against Jehoshaphat, and sends his Prophet in his Name to pronounce this, that the wrath of God is out against him; yet for all this, God cannot but take notice of this, that he had an upright heart, though he failed in that particular, yet there is some good found in thee, in that thou hast prepared thy heart to seek God. Indeed through some sudden temptations thou art drawn aside in this particular act; Yea, but it hath been thy care to prepare thy heart to seek me, and in that regard I do look upon thee as having an upright heart. And thus you see how much the Scripture puts upon the preparation of the heart to seek God. And so in 1 Sam. 7. 3. you shall find that the Scripture makes the uprightness of the heart to consist in this, And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel saying, If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, (what then?) Then put away the strange gods: and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only: As if Samuel should say, If you will return indeed to the Lord, if indeed your hearts be upright (according to what you seem to profess in turning to God,) Then prepare your hearts to seek the Lord. You do not in truth turn to God except you make conscience to prepare your hearts: Therefore you that never yet knew what it was to make conscience to prepare your hearts for holy duties, know that you have not turned with all your heart unto the Lord, there hath not been the true turning of your hearts unto the Lord. Thus you see there is much lies upon preparation to the duties of Gods Worship: Well, you will say, seeing there lies so much in it, I pray open it wherein it doth consist. To that I answer, It consists in these Five things, which I shall briefly name.

[Page] First, In the possessing the heart with the right apprehension of that God before whom we come to tender our duties. Then do we make conscience to prepare our hearts, when we labor upon our going to worship God, to get our hearts before-hand possessed with right apprehensions of the Majesty of that God that we are going to worship, and of the greatness and weight of the duty that we are setting about, the nature of it, the manner how it is to be performed, the rule by which we are to be guided, the end that we are to aim at: Meditation is a good preparation to holy duties. And these are the general Heads of our Meditation for our Preparation to Duty. Viz.

1. 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, at a special thing, doth consist your preparation to holy duties.

2. The Second thing wherein the preparation to a duty consists, it is this, The taking off of the heart from every sinful way, (the endeavor at least) If there be iniquity in thine hand or heart, labor to put it out: When thou art to come into God [...] presence, do not bring into the presence of God the love of any sin in thy heart, but labor 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 Levites sanctifie now your selves, and sanctifie the house of the Lord God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place. That is sanctifying a thing, to carry forth the filthiness out of that thing that we would sanctifie: So the sanctifying of our hearts it is, by carrying forth the filthiness out of our hearts, so as to be fit for a duty. And in Job. 11. 13, 14. If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hand towards him: (What then?) If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles. These Two must be together.

3. A Third thing is this, The preparation of the heart it is, The dis-intangling 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 othere [Page] business; 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 labor 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 Cicil which was Lord Treasurer, that when he went to read, he would lay his gown off and say, Lie there Lord Cicil: 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 than 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 business 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 lest 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 be not let out so far as to hinder us in prayer when we come to do [Page] it. I remember that Tertullian saith, That the Christians did so sup as if 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 sitting up late I appeal to your consciences, whether you can come home and find your selves fit either in your family, or closet to go and open you hearts to God.

This is one Note by the way wherby you may come to know whether you have been immoderate in company at any time; God gives not men liberty to be busie in any outward occasions 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 calls you to it, but that you may be ready even to every good work

The Fifth Note is this, Preparation consists in the readiness of the faculties of the Soul, and the Graces of the Spirit of God' presently to act upon the setting upon an 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 assoon 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 Bells, then in an instant when thy begin to pul, 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 pul, all the faculties of our souls, and the 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 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 consists.

The next thing is, The Excellency of this Preparation: and that [Page] 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. As,

First, By this means 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 if you have every thing prepared, it would be carried on in an easie way: And the reason why people complain so much of difficulty in duty, it is, because their hearts are not prepared. Indeed we have naturally many things that keep us off from God, but 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 goodness, as a Ship goes off to be lancht when you have made preparation for it; so the heart can go with an holy holdness 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 thine heart, &c. and then vers. 15. Then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast 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 it self without fear, in a stedfast comfortable way, and this will quit the cost of any labor.

Secondly, If the heart be prepared it will do a great deal in a little time. In a Chron. 29. 36. it is said, That Hezekiah rejoyced, and all the poeple 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 rejoyced, and blessed 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 Chron. 27. 6. the text saith, Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his waies before the Lord his God. Jotham, he grew mighty by this. And so certainly the way to grow to be very strong & mighty, to be able to do a great deal in a little time, it is to make preration, [Page] there may be as much work done in one hour so, as in ten times so 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 success in his journey, 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 ear to hear. There was never a prayer made wherein the heart was prepared for it, but that prayer was heard, they go both together; Lord, thou wilt prepare their heart, and thou wilt cause thine ear to hear; if 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 Worship 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 pass 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 maiest 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 endeavored and done what I could to fit my heart for duty, but O Lord, I find when I am at it, wonderful distractions, much deadness 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 Scripture then for the quieting of thy heart in this, That the weakness of the duty shall be pardoned and past by where there is care to prepare beforehand; the Scripture is in 2 Chron. 33. 18, 19. But Hezekiah prayed for them saying, The good Lord pardon every one; what, every one? every one that prepareth his heart to seek the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not clensed according to the purification of the Sanctuary. As if he should say, Oh Lord, there are many things amiss in this People, they are not in many regards purified [Page] according to the order that thou hast set, but Lord, if thou doest but see any heart prepared to seek thee, though they 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 healed the people. Nay saith God, I wil 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 appeal to God that thou art careful to prepare thy heart, though thou shouldest not have that pureness of thy heart as thou doest desire, the Lord will pardon thee and heal thee: make conscience of preparation to holy duties.

Again further, By being careful to make preparation for duties, within some little time thou wilt bring the heart to such a frame as it will alwaies be ready for duty without much ado; Indeed at first it is somewhat hard.

You will say, Are we bound to spend some time every time we go to prayer beforehand, 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 careful to prepare for duties, you that are yong 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 careful 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 perform 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 prepared either for Prayer, hearing the Word, or receiving Sacraments. Now because Sacraments are so rare those that have any enlightened conscience they think they dare not but prepare for Sacraments, but you should be alwaies in a preparation for the receiving of the Sacraments, as the primitive Christians did. And those that have been acquainted with this Point that I am upon, of preparing for duties, they have come to such a frame of spirit, as that there is not so much time [Page] required of them as of others, for they are in a constant fitness, so that there is no instant of time in the whol day, but if God calls them to prayer, they could presently fall down upon their knees and pray so as to Sanctify Gods Name in prayer, that were an excellent temper indeed if you could find it so, that you walk so spiritually and holily before God as there could be never a quarter of an hour from morning to night, nor from the beginning of the week to the end, but if you were cal'd to pray, or to receive the Sacrament, you had your heart fitted, that you could come into Gods presence with a prepared heart, and were able to sanctify Gods Name in the duty. Acquaint your selves with this work of Preparation, and so you may have hearts fitted to come into Gods presence at any time.

SERMON III

Leviticus, 10. 3.‘I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me.’

WEE proceed now to what remains. There are only for the perfecting of this Point two Cases of Conscience to be resolved: And then we are to proceed to other things.

The First is, Whether we ought at all times to set apart some time for Preparation to every duty of Gods Worship?

Secondly, Suppose we do not find our hearts prepared as we do desire; Whether it were better to leave off the duty than perform it?

For the First of these, Viz. Whether we are alwaies bound to set some time apart for preparation to the duty that we are to perform.

The answer to that is this; we must distinguish of persons; There are some that are exercised in the way of godliness, and do keep their hearts close with God in the waies of holiness; now for them it may be supposed that through their exercise in [Page] the waies of Godliness, and keeping of their hearts constant with God in communion with him, walking with God closely, that they are at all times prepared to every good work, and fitted to fulfil that command of the Apostle, Pray continually, that is, in the disposition of their hearts, they are fit to pray at any time, there is no day in the week, nor no hour in the day, but they (if God call them to it) could fall down to solemn Prayer. And indeed this is an excellent condition, and a good evidence of the hearts walking close with God, that there is no time but they are fit to pray, and fit for any Ordinance, yea, to receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper. It is possible to keep the heart so close to God, as to be fit for Prayer and for the hearing of the Word, and for receiving the Sacrament every day, or any hour in the day; but this needs a very close walking with God and communion with God; and the truth is, this is very rare; most men let out their hearts so much to other things, as their consciences cannot but tell them, that if God call them to Prayer at such a time in the day they are altogether unfit for it: If they were called to receive the Sacrament, their consciences would accuse them, and tell them, they are unfit for it: but it is not so with those that walk close with God, though they be in the world.

You wil say, If a man have business in the world, how can this be?

Yes, Though they have business in the world, yet they carry the heavenliness of their hearts along with them: Our Conversation is in Heaven (saith the Apostle Phil. 3.) Now the word that is translated, Our Conversation, it is a word that signifies Our City Converse, our trading is in Heaven: when we go to the City, or Exchange, or about any business, yet our trading is alwaies in Heaven. But now there are other sorts of people that had need at all times to look to their hearts in way of preparation: As,

First, Those that first set upon the duties of Religion, yong beginners, that begin at first to set their faces towards Heaven, to worship God, they had need look to their hearts, they should spend some time in Preparation when they come to holy Duties, and the truth is, When the conscience of a man or woman is at first enlightned and awakened, they will be very careful in [Page] preparing to holy duties, the fear of God it is mighty upon their spirits at first; and it should not be less afterward; the constancy of Gods fear should bring their hearts to such a holy temper as to make them fit for holy duties alwaies.

Secondly, Those men and women that any time shall sin against conscience, shall commit such sins as shall in a kind even lay wast conscience, shall break their peace between God and their souls; they had need spend some time in preparation for holy duties, they cannot come into the presence of God to enjoy communion with God, but they had need beforehand be very serious in the examination of their hearts, and to endeavor the working of their hearts into mourning for their sin, and to labor to possess their souls with the presence of God even before they come. These two sorts of people, such as have not been acquainted with the waies of Godliness, or such as have broken their peace with God by some evil carriage of theirs towards God in some vile way, (I say) it is requied of them to be more solemn in the Work of Preparation.

2. But now for the Second Case, which indeed is the main; Suppose when we come to duties, and begin to examine our hearts, and begin to bethink our selves whether we be prepared yea or no to holy duties, and we do not find our hearts prepared according to that that we do desire, Whether then we may let the duty go for that time, and forbear the performance of it; as suppose Prayer, or receiving the Sacrament, or coming to the Word, or any other holy Duty?

And the reason of this doubt is Because when any man or woman is consciencious, they think with themselves that they must Sanctifie Gods Name in Holy Duties; now if they cannot find their hearts in a fit disposition to sanctifie the Name of God in holy duties, they are ready to think thus, Were it not better to neglect this duty and lay it aside for the present? Will God accept of a duty when I perform it, and am not set for it?

Therefore for the Answer to this, because it is a temptation that sometimes carnal hearts have, and they are ready to take this temptation, and willing to neglect the duty upon such a [Page] thoughts as this, that they are not prepared: And the truth is, they are more glad to let the duty fall, than they are sorry for want of the preparation of their hearts for the duty. I beseech you consider of this, whether you have not found it so, that sometimes when you have not been fit to perform a holy duty, there hath not been a more secret willingness of the heart to let the duty go, than a sorrow of the heart because you are not fit for the duty. This is a very evil sign that the heart is very much distempered. Those that are godly indeed when they find not their hearts prepar'd for the duty, it is the trouble of their souls, it is that which goes neer their hearts, when they think with themselves that they are now like to lose a duty of the Worship of God, they are now like to lose their communion with God in a holy duty, they even look upon themselves in an evil case in regard of this; and it makes them watchful for time to come to take heed of those things that have put them in such an unpreparation as they find their hearts to be in at this time: Now if it be so with thee, it is a good sign that thy heart may be upright with God though through infirmity it comes at such a time to be unprepared for the duty.

But yet suppose I find I am not prepared, I am griev'd and troubled at it, (for that must be premised) whether were I better to leave the duty for this time than to fall upon it in such an unpreparation as this is?

Now for the Answer to this Question.

First, That which I would answer to it is this, The omission of a duty, or the laying of a duty aside, will never fit the soul for a duty afterwards; it is no way to make thy soul more fit afterwards, because thou hast laid it aside now for the present; do but observe your own hearts that way, and you will find this by experience: Such a time you have been busie in the world, and occasions have hindered you so as your heart is out of temper and frame for a duty, you lay it aside; now are you more fit the next day? If you do neglect duty in the morning upon any business, are you fitter to perform duty at night because of it? you will not find it to be so: The forbearing a duty now, will not make the soul fitter for a duty afterwards? therefore it is no wisdom to forbear a duty for want of preparation, [Page] because the forbearance will never help to further prepartion, but will make the soul more unfit for duty. It is an excellent Speech that I read, that Luther hath concerning himself, I have learned this by experience, that the oftener I do omit duty, the oftener do I make my self the more unfit for duty, and cause I have to abhor my self. It is not the deferring that makes thee the more fit.

2. Therefore consider that this is but a temptation, and that is the second thing that I would propound to those that shall omit a duty because they are not prepared, That this is but a temptation to keep thee from it, to tell thee that thou art not prepared; and if thou shalt forbear it because thou art not prepared, in this thing thou doest gratifie the Devil, and the Devil hath what he would have, and so would be encouraged to tempt thee another time because he hath now what he would have, in causing thee to forbear the duty; First, he laboreth to unfit thee for it, and then he tempts thee to forbear it because thou art unfit, this is the subtilty of the Devil. From whence is it that thou art unfit, but from the temptation of the Devil? And I find Luther again, that was a man that had as much converse with God as any in his daies, and a man that had as much to draw his heart away, as many temptations, and as many businesses as any, for indeed the great cause of Christ in all the Christian world in a great measure under God lay upon his shoulders, and yet saith he, If any one think that prayer must be defer'd till the soul be purified from impure cogitations, he doth no other than help the Devil, who is powerful enough; he thinks to be wise in deferring the duty because he is not fit, and he hath many ill thoughts and troubles in his spirit, he doth nothing else (saith Luther) but gratify the Devil that is strong enough without this. Oh let us take heed of gratifying the Devil in his temptations, therefore remember it is a temptation for thee to omit a duty meerly because thou art not prepared for the duty.

3. In the Third place, That which I would answer to this Question is this, If any one perform a duty of Worship in that sincerity and strength that he is able to do it, though he be not prepared as he ought, yet it is better to do it than to neglect it. It is true, some do perform a duty in a meer formal way, and [Page] to satisfie their consciences, or to cloak and cover ther sins and the like; perhaps they may so perform it as it might be better to be unperformed than to perform it as they do, but if you do endeavor to the uttermost of your strength to do it, though you be not prepared as you do desire, yet it is better to do it than to omit the doing of it, and you will find it so, for one duty doth prepare for another. Though it be not done as I desire it should be done, yet the doing of it as well as I can at this time will help me to do it better at another time, that is certain: as one sin doth prepare the heart for another sin, so one duty prepares the heart for another; as now, suppose a man commits a sin, and he hath a conscience that is enlightened that doth hinder him from committing his sin with that full strength that he would do it; many a man hath a mind to sin, but through the enlightening of his conscience he cannot sin with that delight as he would, because his conscience flies in his face and doth interrupt him, but yet for all this through the strength of his corruption he will break through to that sin; now though at first they cannot commit that sin with that delight and freedom as they do at other times, yet if their corruptions be so strong as to break through the light of their consciences, the next time they come to the committing of that sin they will commit it with more freedom and ease a great deal.

This is evident by experience; there is none of you but if you well observe your hearts you will find this, A temptation comes to a sin, now you connot do it with so much freedom as you would, but yet you break through it, you will find that the next time you will commit it with more freedom, and so one sin will prepare for another, and it may be you have some trouble of conscience at first, but the next time you will have less trouble, till at length you can commit it freely without any trouble of Conscience at all. As it is in sin, so it is in godliness many times, in some degree; at the first you have a motion to a holy duty, but through the stirrings of your corruptions you are not fit for it, now do you but break through that difficulty, and the next time you will be more fit, and the next time after that you will be more fit, and so still more and [Page] more fit as it is in sin, If a man when he hath some trouble of conscience would but listen to his conscience and would not commit that sin his conscience would grow stronger upon him, and strengthen him against that sin; so if any man or woman listens to the temptation to defer duty and put it off because they are not prepared, why after that the corruption will grow more strong, therefore set upon the duty, and the peformance of one duty will prepare for another.

4. In the fourth place, While men and women are strugling with their souls and the corruptions of their hearts, and do not fall upon seeking God, they by their very strugling to prepare themselves many times do ensnare themselves; It may be thou hast thoughts of Atheism or other wickedness, the very strugling with those thoughts may ensnare thy heart; now the better way were to fall upon prayer, and to cry to God to help thee against them, for while thou art strugling and striving with those thoughts thou art striving with the corruption of thy heart and with the Devil all alone: but now when thou fallest to the duty thou callest in the help of God and of Jesus Christ, and that is a great deal better, while thou art musing, plodding, and troubling thy heart that way, I say, thou art strugling alone, but now when thou fallest upon the duty then thou callest in help from God, and so thou art more able to the performance of the duty than thou wert before. And therefore it is the best way to fall upon a duty though thou canst not find thy heart prepared as thou doest desire, the very falling upon it will fit thee for it. And thus much for the Answer unto those two Cases of Conscience.

Now then we are to proceed further in the opening of the Sanctifying of Gods Name in holy duties. Thus much for the preparation of the heart. But when the heart comes to it, in what manner should the duty be performed so as the Name of God may be sanctified in the duty? or what is the behavior of the soul in the sanctifying of Gods Name when it is in the very act of the duty?

To that I answer, First in general thus, When the soul labors to perform duties so as God may have such glory from the duty a [...] is fit for a God to have in some measure, then do I Sanctifie Gods Name.

[Page] You will say this is a very hard thing to perform a duty so as that we should give God the glory that is fit for a God to have: Certainly this is not done by every manner of performance of a duty of Worship: yet you shall hear this opened to you, and I hope you shall have it made very plain before you.

First therefore I shall shew you, that when we are to perform a duty of Worship, we should set our selves to glorifie God as a God; that is, to do it in that manner that God may have that Glory that is fit for a God to have. As now in the duty of Praise, Psal. 66. 2. Make his Praise glorious, that is do it so as you may lift up His Name in it, and that God may be glorious in your praise. And Rom. 1. 21. there the Apostle speaking of the Heathens; he doth rebuke them; For what? It was for this, Because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful: now this is spoken especially of the Worship of God; for he saith afterwards, ver. 23. That they changed the glory of the incorruptible God, into an image made like to corruptible men &c. So that it's spoken of the Worship of God; that they glorified not God as God. That is then to sanctifie Gods Name, to glorifie God as God: and therefore our Savior in the 4. of John when he spake to the woman of Samaria, he tels her that God is a Spirit, and must be worshiped in spirit and truth, that is, we must labor to suit our worship to what ther [...] is in God; that our worship my be proportionable in some measure even to the nature of God himself: And therfore God being a Spirit, His Worship must be a Divine Worship. I have read of some of the Heathens that dip worship the Sun for a God, and they would offer to the Sun something sutable; therefore because they did so admire at the swiftness of the motion of the Sun, they would not offer a Snail to the Sun, but a f [...]ying Horse, a Horse with wings; now a Horse is one of the swiftest creatures, and the strongest creature to continue in motion for a long time together, and they added wings to the Horse, and they thought that sutable to be a sacrifice for the Sun. So when we come to worship God, that is, to sanctifie His Name, we must behave our selves so as to give him the glory that is fit for a God to have. As now in those three particulars which I [Page] opened to you when I shewed you wherein we draw nigh to God: This was one, I told you that when we come to worship God, we come to tender up some present to God, now then we must tender up such a present as is sutable to Gods excellency. If a man should come to a poor man to give a present, if it were not worthy twelve pence, yet it may be taken well: but if you were to tender up a present to a Prince, a Monarch, an Emperor, then you must tender a present that is fit for the quality of the preson. Therefore in Malachi, 1. 8. When the Lord rebukes them for their sacrifices that they were such poor things: Go (saith God) and tender up this to your Governor, and see whether he will accept of it or no. So certainly that which may be accepted of by a mean man, would be accounted a scorn if you should tender it up to a Prince, or an Emperor. Now when we come to worship God, we must consider that we are to tender up our service to God, who is the great King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. But you will say, Is it possible for any creature which comes to tender up its worship to God, to tender up that which is fit for a God to have? This may rather be a discouragement unto prayer, or any other duty of worship than an encouragment.

To that I answer thus, Though we be very poor and mean, yet it doth not hinder, but we may tender up that to God which God will acknowledg to be sutable to his infinite excellency: as,

First, If we tender up to God all that we have: Though we be never so poor and mean, yet if God hath the strength of our souls, God accepts it. For we are to know that God doth not stand in need of what we have, or of what we do; but that we might shew our respect to Him: Therefore if we give all that we have, God accepts it. As a Child, if it puts forth all its strength that it hath to do a business which the father bids him, whether the business be doue or no, the father looks upon it and accepts it as sutable to the childs strength; and it shews the respect that the child hath to his father. And as it is storied of an Emperor, that when a poor man had nothing to offer him but a little water that he had taken up with his hand, he having nothing else, the Emperor accepts of it. So that's that which God looks for, that the Creature should lift him above [Page] all. If therefore when thou comes to worship God, God hath more in thy heart than ever any creature in the world had, God accepts of that, and that you must look unto: Can you say so, when you go to worship God? Lord it is true, there is much weaknes in my spirit, but thou that knowest all things, knowest, That thou hast more of my heart than ever any creature in the world had. This is sutable to God, God will account this (in the Covenant of Grace) to be a present sutable to Himself. As in the Law, when they offered to the building of the Temple, every one could not offer gold and silver and precious stones, but some came and offered Badgers-skins, and some women did spin and offered Goate-hair to the building of the Temple; and so God accepted of that being the most they could do.

2. In the second place, When we do not only offer unto God the most we can, but when we ad to this the grief of our souls that we can do no more, when the soul shall strive to the uttermost it can, and when it hath done all, saith, I am an unprofitable servant, Oh that I could do more! This is sutable to God.

3. Thirdly, The People of God though they be weak, yet the weakest Servant of God is able to offer up to God somewhat that is sutable to the infinite Majesty of God, upon this Third Ground, because there is a kind of impression of Gods infinitnes in those services that a gracious heart doth tender unto God, and therefore sutable unto God.

You will say, God is an Infinite Glorious God; Be it so, He is Infinit that's certain, but the duty of Worship that a grations heart tenders unto God, it hath an impression of Gods infinitness upon it. How is that? If that can be made out, then indeed we may be encouraged to worship God. Thus, That that a gracious heart tenders up to God hath an impression of His infinitness in this regard, because as God hath no limits of His Being; so a gracious heart when it comes to worship God, will not propound any limits or bounds, but in the desires of it would fain be enlarged infinitly if it could. If it were possible for a creature to been larged to God infinitly it would be. Here lies (I conceive) the main difference between the most glorious [Page] Hypocrite in the world, and one that hath true Grace, yea, that hath but the least degree of grace: The most glorious Hypocrite in the world, who (it may be) for the outward act doth more than one that hath true grace, yet such a one doth limit himself: he doth great things, but he doth it so, as he limits himself, that is, so much as may serve for such and such ends of his, so much as may serve his turn, either to satisfie his Conscience, or to get credit and esteem, to be accounted eminent in such a way, so much he doth do, but his duty is alwaies limited within such bounds; and if he could conceive that he might go to Heaven, and that he might have as much Credit and Honor, and as much peace of Conscience with doing less, he would do less. But now, one that hath grace, though but little, though but the least dram of grace, he goes farther, Indeed saith he, Though through the little grace that I have, I cannot do what another can do; yet this doth so enlarge my heart, that I would have no bounds set in what I do for God, but I would have it enlarged to the uttermost latitude, if it were possible, beyond whatever yet was done for God in the world; and the more I do, the more I do desire to do. That's now a kind of infinitness that there is in the heart where grace comes: I say, grace enlarges the heart to a kind of infinitness, that the more it doth, the more it would do: there is no Hypocrite but will have his periods, he will rise thus, and thus, and thus high; ordinarily you shall find that if he lives in some company, there he is high; but if he lives in other company, there he is lower: Now there is nothing doth limit a gracious heart, but to all Eternity it would work and work more and more for God: Here now is a Worship that is some way sutable to the infinite Excellency that there is in God: Here's a kind of proportion (as I may so speak) even between the Creature and God himself in this thing, but it is the grace of God in the Creature; here is the Image of God indeed, because grace doth so enlarge the heart even to an infinitness (as it were) for God. And thus you see in the general what it is to sanctifie Gods Name to tender up to God that which is some way sutable to the glory of the infinite God.

2. You know there was a Second thing, viz. That then I do [Page] sanctifie Gods Name when I come so to Worship God as my heart works, and follows after God as a God, so as it doth beseem the soul of a Creature to follow the infinite Creator, and to work after the in [...]nit Creator: So David in Psal. 63. 5. My soul followeth hard after thee, O God, and (mark it's a very sweet Scripture thy right hand upholdeth me. Those whose hearts follow hard after the Lord, they have the right hand of God upholding of them: It's a mighty encouragement to put forth the heart to the uttermost, because when [...] [...]o the right hand of God upholds thee: so that thy heart must follow after God more than it followed after any creature.

3. When I come to draw nigh to God. I come to present my self for the Cōmunication of the choicest of His Mercies so then I sanctifie Gods Name when I labor to prepare and open my heart for God as for the choicest Mercies that God [...] to bestow upon His Creature. When there is such a temper of heart that my conscience tels me it is sutable to that that is fit for a soul to have that expects to receive the choicest mercie from God; but that we spake too more in the opening of our drawing nigh to God. Now we are to come more particularly to this, to open the Sanctifying Gods Name.

First, In what particulars the behavior of the heart may be discovered to be sutable to God in respect of Gods greatness and glory.

Secondly, What the behavior of the heart should be as sutable to the several Attributes of God.

It will cost us some time to open the particular things in the behavior of the heart as in reference to the greatness and Majestie of God; considered more generally; as in Psalm, 48. 1. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised. And so in Mal. 1. 14. Cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a male, and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: why? for I am a great King saith the Lord, and therefore cursed is he that doth not offer a sacrifice sutable to my greatness. And in 2 Chron. 2. 5. we find that Solomon when he was preparing for the Temple, he would build a great Temple, why? Because God was a great God that he would build it too: So that the Worship of God must be some great thing because the Lord is a great God, and it must [Page] be sutable to his greatness. Now if you ask me in what particulars doth the behavior of the soul consist that is very sutable to the greatness of God in the general? There are many things in this:

The first is, You must be careful to bring a sanctified heart. You cannot tender up a worship sutable to his greatness except you bring a sanctified heart with you, there must be holiness in the heart: Under the Law you know, if any one came to offer a sacrifice in his uncleanness, he must be cut off: and so it must be here, we must look to it that we offer not to God in our uncleanness: Wash you and make you clean, in Isa. 1. and then, Come, let us reason together. There is no coming to God without washing and making clean; in Psal. 93. 5. Holiness becometh thy House O Lord for ever: Holiness becometh the presence of God for ever, we must look to get a sanctified heart. Sanctification consists in those two parts, Mortification, and Vivification: there must be a mortifying of the lusts of the heart: We reade in the Law, that every Sacrifice was to be salted with salt; that did signifie the mortification of our hearts when we come to offer up our selves as a Sacrifice to God; the salt did eat out the raw humors, and kept the flesh from putrifying; so doth the grace of God in mortifying our lusts, In Heb. 9. 14. you have a notable Scripture for the clensing of our hearts when we come to offer any service to God, How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Consciences from dead works to serve the living God: So that you cannot serve the living God until your consciences be purged from dead works: And how comes your consciences to be purged from dead works? It is through the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, he must purge your consciences; So that here's the way of sanctifying Gods Name by applying of Jesus Christ who was offered to God without spot that our consciences might be purged from dead works, that we might be purged from that natural filthiness and uncleannness in which we all were; for the whol world doth lie in filth, as a carrion doth lie in his slime. Now if we would worship God so as to Sanctifie him, we must apply Christ to our souls, and get our conscience [Page] purged from dead works, and to have the Spirit of Christ in us to quicken up our hearts in the waies of holiness; to have the Image of Jesus Christ in us, whereby we may be holy according to our proportion even as he himself is holy, this is the sanctifying of the heart; There must be an habitual sanctification, and actual sanctification of the heart: An Habitual, that is, that the heart must be changed through the work of Regeneration; there must be a Regeneration in the heart, there must be Divine Principles of the Graces of the Spirit of God in the heart.

But you will say, May not an unregenerate man Pray?

To that I answer;

It is true, it is his duty to pray, Powr forth thy wrath upon the Heathen, and upon the families that call not upon thy Name: But it's as true, that they cannot sanctifie Gods Name in doing of it: But if we would sanctifie Gods Name in it, there must be an Habitual holiness in the heart, for every thing doth act according to its Principles, in Nature it is so; and so doth the heart when it comes to worship God, it doth act according to the Principles that it hath.

And then there must not only be Habitual sanctification, but Actual sanctification likewise; as in Exod. 19. 10, 11. there you see what ado there was to fit them for the hearing of the Law, because God was to come among them: God is to come among us, and we are to come to God when we are to perform holy duties; therefore it is not enough to have Grace, but there must be an improving of Grace, there must be an acting of Grace, not only when you come to receive the Sacrament, to think that then there must be an acting of Grace, but every time you pray and hear, there must be an acting of Grace; A purging out of your corruptions and an acting of Grace. So that one cannot sanctifie Gods Name in holy duties unless he come thus far, to be able to say, Lord, thou that knowest all things, knowest, there is nothing that thou doest reveal to be contrary to thy Will, but my heart is against it, that's the least; thou canst not have any peace of conscience in drawing nigh to God, until thou come thus far, to have thy heart to work thus against sin [Page] and to be set upon every good that God reveals to be his mind. You know when a man of quality comes to your house what a deal of stir there is, not only in sweeping, but in making all things as clean and tite and shining as possible can be: Thus it should be when thou comest to God.

And the Reason why there must be this sanctifying of the heart is,

First, Because the Lord doth first accept of the Person before he doth accept of the action: Men indeed do accept of the persons of men, because they do good actions; but God accepts of the actions of men because thesr 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 Abel 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 sinful, 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 means of acceptation of your persons which is through the Righteousness 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 eternal life, until 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 perform any duties of Gods Worship, you should consider this, Is my heart Sanctified? I must sanctifie Gods Name, and how can I do that, except my heart be sanctified?

Secondly, Our hearts must be sanctified, because the Lord doth look more to the principle from whence a thing comes, than at the the thing it self. As indeed were our hearts right as they should, then all the good things that come to us, we would not so much regard what the things are, that we do enjoy from God; as what the principle is from whence they come, that is, Whether what we do enjoy from God is from the love of [Page] God in Jesus Christ or no? Whether it it be from the general Bounty and Patience of God, or from the special love of God in Jesus Christ? Our hearts would regard that most if we were spiritual: now then, look as a godly man is not satisfied with enjoying any good thing from God, except he knows it comes from a principle of love to him in Jesus Christ; So God is not pleased with any thing that comes from us, except he knows that it comes from a principle of Love, Grace, and Holiness in our hearts.

Thirdly, According as the heart is, so will the service be; Certainly if the heart be unclean, the duty will be unclean; perhaps the words may be fine and brave, but if there be an unclean heart, the duty will be unclean: As it is with a man that hath the Plague, suppose he makes a brave Oration, yet his breath is infectious; so it is in our services with God: If so be that our hearts within us have the plague, then certainly the breath that comes from us, all our duties will be unclean, and therefore that is the first thing that we are to look for in the sanctifying Gods Name in holy duties: Look to have thy heart sanctified, and consider from what principle it comes; 'tis for want of this that thousands of our duties are cast aside, and God never doth regard them: But this is the first Particular, there are many more to speak of.

SERMON V.

[Page]

Leviticus, 10. 3.‘I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me.’

WEE proceed. The next thing therefore for the behavior of the soul in the sanctifying Gods Name in Worship, is this:

When we come to Worship God, if we would sanctifie Gods Name, we must have high thoughts of God; we must look upon God as he is upon his Throne, in Majesty, and in Glory; as in Isa. 9. 1, 2. you shall find, that the Prophet saw the Lord upon his Throne: It is an excellent thing when all who come to worship God, every time they come to worship Him, have their eyes darted up to Heaven, and behold the Lord God sitting in his Glory upon his Throne: So you shall find in Rev. 4. the 24. Elders that worshiped God, they saw him upon his Throne in his Glory, and so they worshiped him; they worshiped God to purpose (indeed) when they saw the Lord in that Majesty as he was. We should at all times have high thoughts of God: take heed of having low thoughts and apprehensions of the infinite Majesty of God at any time, but especially when thou art to worship the great God, then look upon the Lord in that infinite distance that there is between him and thy self, yea, that infinit distance that there is between him and all creatures in the world, look upon the Lord as lifted up in glory, not only above all creatures, but above all excellencies that all Angels and Men, in Heaven and Earth are able to imagine: Look upon the Lord as having all Excellencies in Himself, joyned in one, and that immutably; look upon him as the Fountain of all excellency, good, and glory that all creatures in the world have: and look upon the Lord every time thou comest to worship him, as that God whom Angels do adore, and before whom the Devils are forc'd to tremble; behold him in this his Glory, and this will help thee to sanctifie his Name when thou comest to him.

[Page] 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, 'tis a great Mercy for God to give unto us a sight of himself, a sight of his glory here in this world while we are worshiping of him, this would keep our eyes and our thoughts from wandring, if we had a sight of the glory of God, and had high thoughts of God. What's the reason why we wander so as we do, but meerly because we see not God? As now, suppose you were in your house, and looking after every feather that were flying up and down, if you should hear that the King were come into the room, or any great Person, it would compose your spirits, because you have high thoughts of such, as of those that are above you: So let us look upon God as in his excellency, and His glory, and have high thoughts of him, and this is that whereby we are to sanctifie Gods Name when we come before Him in holy duties. And that's the second thing. First a sanctified heart; and then high thoughts of God.

3. A third thing is, High-ends, Raised-ends in the worshiping of God: Prov. 15. 24. The way of life is above to the wise: It is on high in this respect, when he worships God, his heart is lifted up on high; there is a holy raising of the heart which is well pleasing to God: Our hearts should be on high in regard of the high ends that we aim at in holy duties: Lift up thy prayer saith Hezekiah to the Prophet in another case; so I may say, Lift up thy soul when thou comest to worship God in regard of the high ends that thou aimest at: when we are worshiping God we should have our hearts above all creatures, and above our selves. Let not our hearts then be groveling upon the ground, mingled with base and drossie things, when we come to worship the Lord: Indeed it is fit that we should have our hearts low (as we shall shew hereafter) in regard of humility, but not low in regard of any baseness of spirit to mix with any base and low ends; Now there are low and base ends in worshiping of God. As,

First, We must take heed we do not subject the Worship of God unto our Lusts, that is a cursed thing, thou art far from sanctifying Gods Name in worshiping of Him that shalt subject His Worship to thy base lusts, this is an abominable, and a [Page] cursed thing indeed; You will say, Who doth thus? who is the man, or where is he that will do this? subject the Worship of God to his base lusts! To that I answer, Whosoever doth make use of any duty of Worship, as Prayer, Hearing the Word, or what ever it be, to cloak any kind of wickedness, whosoever is conscious to himself of any kind of secret wickedness, and yet shall think to cover it by the performance of duties, and shall reason in this manner, Who will think me to be guilty of such a vile thing, when I pray so as I do, and am so careful to hear the Word? and I hope I shall cover some wickedness this way. If there be any in this place whose conscience tells them that they subject the Worship of God to such a base end as this is, the Lord rebuke them this day, and speak to their hearts; If I knew any, I would set mine eyes upon them and say as the Apostle to Simon Magus, I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity; and as he said to him that did seek to draw the Deputy from the Faith, O thou child of the Devil, and full of all subtilty, to damn and undo thy self eternally, that seekest to cloak any wicked way by any duty of Gods Worship; Is it a great evil for a man or woman to make use of any of Gods Creatures to be serviceable to their lusts, as meat and drink &c? What a damnable thing is it then to make use of any duty of Gods Worship, sometimes extraordinary Worship, as Fasting and Prayer, to be a cloak to cover their wickedness! Thou art so far from sanctifying Gods Name, that thou pollutest Gods Name; thou doest what in thee lies for to cast even dirt in the face of God himself that doest so.

The second base end, is to subject the duties of Gods Worship to the praise of men, as to perform duties of Gods Worship for the esteem of men, and because we shall be well thought of; take heed of this you yong ones, and others, you would fain be esteem'd well of by those that you live withal; It is a desirable thing to have a good esteem from those that are godly; but take heed that you do not subject the duties of Gods Worship to this. Indeed it may be an encouragement to you, as David saith Psal. 52. 9. This is good before thy Saints: David did encourage [...]self to praise God, because it was good before Gods Saints; and I confess it may be an encouragement because [Page] holy duties are good before Gods Saints: but take heed that this be not thy highest end that thou aimest at, and that which carries thee on in the work, meerly to get the praise of men, and that they shall think that thou hast good gifts and parts, and therfore thou art inlarged in that regard; take heed of that; know, that now thou doest not worship God, but thou worshipest men, thou dost make the praise of men to be thy God, For whatsoever thou doest lift up in the highest place, that's thy God, whatsoever it be; therefore if thou liftest up the praise of men, and makest that they end, thou makest that thy God, and so thou art a worshiper of men, but not a worshiper of God.

Thirdly, Take heed of making Self thy end; there are some that are not so base and low in their hearts, as to make the praise of men their end. but they aim and look at themselves, that is, they aim at their own peace, and satisfying their own consciences in the performance of duties; now though it's true, when we perform duties of Gods Worship, we may expect to receive some good to our selves, and we may be encouraged to the Duties by the expectation of good to our selves; yet we must look higher, we must look at the honor and praise of God, that the Name of the blessed God may be honored: Now I am going to Prayer, Oh that I may pray so, as I may lift up Gods Name: I am going to Hear, Oh that I may hear so, as God may be honored by my hearing; 'tis this that carries me on to hearing the Word, and makes me rise readily, and to go forth cheerfully; I hope that God may have some honor by my hearing this day, and God knows that this is the thing that I aim at, I do not come for company, nor to be seen of men, neither do I come meerly to satisfie mine own Conscience: Others go and hear such Truths of God as do good to their Souls, and if I should neglect them meerly for mine own ease, my Conscience would not let me be quiet; howsoever there are many whose Consciences will be quiet enough, though they lose an opportunity in the Worship of God; but yet there are others whose Consciences cannot do so, their Consciences would tell them when they are lying and turning themselves upon their bed, How do you know but that God had something to speak to thy heart this [Page] morning, that may never be spoken to thy heart at any other time? therefore they cannot be at quiet except they attend upon God in the duties of his Worship: But still this is not enough meerly to satisfie conscience; thy main end it must be that thou maiest this day know some part of the mind of God, that God may speak to thy heart, that so thou maiest be sitted to honor the Name of God, that thou maiest be enabled to live to his Honor the week following so much the better. As in this manner thy thoughts should be, Lord, I find a drossie, carnal heart, I am busie in the world in the week time, and I find that my heart is sullied and defiled with the business of the world, and entangled, but Lord, thou hast appointed thy Sabbath, and Word to be a means to sanctifie my heart, and to clense it; Oh Lord, communicate thy Grace to my soul through thy Ordinances upon this Day, that so I may be enabled the week following the better to live to thy Honor, Lord, I come into thy presence to that end, that I might know some part of thy Will, and that I might get thy Spirit to be conveyed through this Word of thine into my heart; this should be thy end when ever thou comest, and not only self. I wil give you two or three Scriptures to shew that God regards little any duties where self is the highest end. The first is in Hosea, 7. 14. They howled upon their beds, (saith the text there) but they cryed not to me. The Lord there did acknowledg that they were very much affected in their prayers, but what was it? It was but a howling upon their beds: And how so? It was because only they did cry for themselves, They have not cried unto me (saith the Lord) with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: It was but meerly for Corn, and Wine, and Oyl, but not unto Me; they aim'd at Themselves, and not at Me. And in Amos, 5. 22. there the Lord professes, that he did reject the fat of their Peace offerings: Though ye offer me (saith he) burnt offerings, and your meat offerings, I wil not accept them, neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. They were careful to offer their fattest beasts in their peaceofferings, and will not God regard them? It was in their peaceofferings that they offered their fat beasts, and there they were to eat a great part of it themselves: Indeed the burnt offering was wholly offered unto God, God had all that; but the [Page] Peace-offerings, those that did offer it, they did eat a great part of it themselves: now they were very careful in those offerings that they were to partake of themselves, to offer fat beasts: you do not see that the holy Ghost takes any notice of fat beasts in their burnt offerings. Now the Note from hence is this, That in those things where men are interested themselves, they will be very careful to have the best things. But now the Lord rejected the fat beasts of their Peace-offerings: saith God, You were very careful to offer fat beasts in your Peace-offerings where you may feed your selves, but for those offerings wherein I have all, there you are not so careful, and therefore I regard them not. The third Scripture is in Zach. 7. 7. there they did keep many daies in seeking of God, (it is an observable Scripture for these times) Speak unto all the People of the Land, and to the Priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years; Did ye at all fast unto me? even unto me? Mark the phrase, You fasted in the fifth and seventh month, and for seventy yeers together, but saith the Lord, Did you at all fast unto me? and then mark how he doubled it, To me? even unto me? Noting that when we fast or pray, or do any thing in the Worship of God, we should be sure to aim at God more than our selves, that God may not say of us another day, Do you do it to me, even to me?

You may ask me this Question, How may I know that I am acted by self-ends in holy Duties? for it is a hard thing for one to know ones own heart, when one is acted by principles of self, and when we aim at God in holy Duties. Now for that I will give you these Notes, to try whether you be acted from your selves or no.

The First is this, If a man loves holy Duties, though he finds no present good comes in by them, because they are such things as God requires, and therefore though I get nothing by them, yet this is enough to carry me on, and to carry me on readily, and willingly in the Worship of God: those that can delight in Gods Worship, even at that time, though they find nothing coming in to themselves: But now when we find not that coming in that we do desire, we begin to be weary of Worship, and say, Why have we fasted, and thou seest it not? This [Page] is an Argument that thou art acted by Self rather than by God.

Secondly, To know whether we be acted by self-ends, or rather by high ends for God: Those men that can rejoyce in others that are able to honor God in holy duties more than themselves, they may have a good evidence to their own souls, that when they worship God, they are acted by higher ends than Self, but now, such as are straightned themselves, and when they see other more enlarged in the Worship of God, they rather envy them, are griev'd and troubled; know that Self is a great ingredient in those duties that thou doest perform: if thy heart were raised high to God, though thou canst not thy self be enlarged in holy duties, yet thy soul would be glad that any others are, though I have a wretched and vile heart of my own, yet blessed be God that there are any others that can worship God better than I can.

Thirdly, A man that is acted by Self in holy duties, he regards holy duties but little save in time of extremity, in time of fear, or in sickness, or in danger. But now, one that hath high ends in holy duties; makes the duties of Gods Worship to be the joy of his soul in the midst of his prosperity, and that is an evident sign that thou art not acted by self ends, but by higher ends, Canst thou in the midst of thy abundance say, Lord, thou givest me all conveniences in this world, and all outward things that I want; but Lord, this is that which is the joy of my soul, this is that which makes my life comfortable, even communion with thy self, in the duties of thy worship, that I have free access unto the Throne of thy Grace to worship Thee the Lord, and there meet with thee when I am in the performance of holy duties; O Lord, thou that knowest all things, knowest, that this is the thing that makes my life comfortable; It is not that I have a Table furnished with variety of dishes, and that I can have liberty of time to go into company, and spend according as I please; but Lord, those incomes of thy Spirit that I do find in the duties of thy Worship, those are the things that makes my life blessed (indeed) unto me? Such a man is able thus to appeal to God, surely when he worships God, he is acted by high ends, and not by self-ends; And that's the Third thing [Page] that is necessary for sanctifying Gods Name in holy Duties, thou must have a sanctified heart, high thoughts of God, and high ends.

In the fourth place, There must be much reverence, and much fear when thou comest into the presence of God to worship him: thou doest not glorifie God as God, except thou doest come into his presence with much fear & reverence of his great Name: Fear in worshiping of God it is so necessary, that many times in Scripture we find that the very Worship of God is called, The fear of God, they are put both for one; I might give you divers Scriptures for it: and hence it was that the Name of God was called the Fear of Isaac, Jacob did swear by the Fear of his father Isaac; because Isaac being a great Worshiper of God, kept his constant times to worship God, and worshiped him in such a constant way, as (except David and Daniel) we do not find mention of the constancy of any in the worshiping of God as we do of Isaac's; for it is said, that he walked but into the fields in the evening as he was wont to do, to Meditate, and to Pray; and therefore God is called, The fear of Isaac. In Psal. 89. 7. is a notable Scripture for this drawing nigh to God with fear: God is greatly to be feared in the Assembly of the Saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him: God is to be had in reverence of all them that are about him, but in the Assembly of his Saints he is greatly to be feared, he is daunting terrible (so the words are) in the Assembly of the Saints. When thou comest nigh to God, thou hadst need have thy heart possest with much fear. So in Psal. 2. 11. the Kings and Princes of the earth are called upon to serve the Lord with fear: Let them be never so great, yet when they come into Gods presence, they must serve him with fear! And so in Psal. 5. 7. In thy fear will I worship toward thy holy Temple. Now this fear of God, it must not be a servile fear, but a filial and reverential fear; For my brethren, there may be a great deal of slavish fear, where God is not honored; there may be fear from some terrible apprehensions of God, which yet is not owned by God to be this grace of fear: I'le give you two notable Scriptures for that, in Deut. 5. 23, 24. compared with the 29. It came to pass (saith the text, vers. 23.) when ye heard the voyce out of the middest of the darkness, [Page] for the mountain did burn with fire that ye came neer unto me, even al the heads of your Tribes, and your Elders, And ye said, Behold the Lord our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voyce out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day, that God doth talk with man, and he liveth; now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us: If we hear the voyce of the Lord our God any more then we shall die. See with what a terror they were struck at the apprehension of Gods appearance; you would think surely these men did fear God much, but mark in vers. 29. O that there were such a heart in them that they would fear me. Why, did they not fear the Lord? Were they not struck with such fear that they thought they should die? they saw this presence so terrible, that they were afraid they should die, and yet, O that there were such a heart in them that they would fear me! So that it appears by this, That one may be struck with much terror in the apprehension of Gods presence, and yet have no true fear of the Name of God: So some of you it may be in time of thunder or danger, are filled with terror; but yet may it not be said presently after, O that there were the fear of God in the heart of this man or woman, this youth or maid! They are terrified somtimes, but yet there is not a filial and reverential fear of God in them. And I find in 1 King. 19. (where you have the story of Gods appearing in that most terrible manner unto the Prophet Elijah by Fire, by Thunder, and in a mighty Wind) the Prophet was not so struck with fear of Gods presence when he did appear in the mighty wind, or earthquake, or fire, as when God did appear in the smal still voyce, therfore in vers. 13. it is said, And it was so when Elijah heard it: that is, the soft voyce, (after the fire, and earthquake, and the mighty wind) that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out & stood in the entring in of the Cave and behold there came a voice unto him and said, What doest then here Elijah? Then his heart was more struck with fear where was most of Gods presence (though it was in a soft voyce) than when the fire and earthquake did appear: It is a good sign of a gracious fear, when the soul can be struck with more fear from the Word, and from the sight of God in enjoying of communion with him in his Worship, than when God appears in the most terrible way of his works; or when there is terror in a mans conscience [Page] through fear of Hell, when God appears as though he would send him down presently to Hell, though God expects to be feared then, but when the soul in enjoying communion with God in holy duties, and the more communion he hath with God, the more is he struck with reverence and the fear of God, this is a sign of sanctifying fear; and then, Doth the heart sanctifie the Name of God indeed when it is so possessed with fear in the duties of Worship? Now this fear of God should be indeed in the soul, and expressed outwardly when you are in the Assembly, by such reverent carriage in prayer, as if a Heathen should come in, he may see Gods Name sanctified, and may say, How great is this God that this People do Worship! And in your Families, a reverent carriage, not lying all along in prayer upon your elbows sleeping, but carrying your selves so, that if a Heathen should come into your families, they may say, O how great is this God that this people do worship! And likewise this fear it must be an abiding fear, not only at that instant when you are worshiping of God, or speaking of any of Gods Titles and Names, but a fear that must abide upon your hearts after duty is over; that is, after you are come out from your Closets one may perceive the fear of God upon you, and so walking all the day long in the fear of God, as it becomes those that have been solemnly setting themselves to worship Him: Now this fear and reverence is contrary to the slightness, vanity, the boldness and presumptuousness that there is in the hearts of men and women when they are worshiping of God.

Fifthly, The duties of Gods Worship must be full of strength, for they are not sutable to God else, because God is a God infinite in power and glory himself, therefore God cannot endure vain worshiping. In Isa. 1. 13. I hate vain oblations: Vanity of spirit in worshiping of God is very hateful to God, it doth defile the Name of God, God is dishonored by the vanity of mens spirits. Now this strength is Three fold:

First, The strength of Intention.

Secondly, The strength of Affection.

Thirdly, The strength of all the Faculties of the soul, and the strength of body too, as much as we are able should be put forth in the worshiping of God.

[Page] 1 First the strength of Intention. We must intend our work as if it were for our lives: If ever we were seriously Intentive or Attentive about any thing, it must be when we are worshiping of the Name of God. When you are coming to Pray, be intent about it. You shall see some when they are going in the street, when they have much intention about their businesse, their friends meet them, and they never mind them; one may perceive as they are going, That they are mightily intent about their businesse. My Brethren, look upon every duty of Worship as a great thing which you must be intent in your thoughts about, and not give way to the wandring of your thoughts. I have read of one Martyr, that when he was to die, and the fire a kindling, saith an Officer, What! will you not speak when you see the Fire kindling? Saith he, I am speaking to God: that is, he was praying, and he minded not at all what they were doing. Oh what little things do take our thoughts away from holy duties! When every toy, every feather, every light matter cals them off; Is this to Sanctifie Gods Name? Would not we account it a dishonorable thing, If we were talking to one about serious businesse, and when we are talking, every one that comes by, he should be looking after them, and turning aside to talk with them? If a Superior be talking with you, he doth expect that you should mind what he saith. But when God is speaking to you, and you are speaking to God, every vain thought that comes by, you are turning aside too: as if it were a greater thing to talk to vain thoughts and temptations, than to the great and glorious God. Therfore now that is the very time that the Devil chuses for to bring temptations when we are in holy duties, for the Devil knows then he doth two works at once: he doth disturb us in our duties, and call off our hearts to that that is wicked, and doth agravate our sin exceedingly. It may be thou wilt not dare to commit that sin that the temptation doth turn thy thoughts upon, yea but the Devil hath spoiled the duty by it. The Lord doth expect that there should be strength of Intention when thou art upon the duty: and there is no time to parlie with temptations now, whatever thoughts come in. The truth is, though they be good thoughts that should come into thy mind, and that time that thou art [Page] Praying, yet if they be not pertinent to the duty thou must cast them away as the temptation of the Devil.

You will say, Can any thing that is good come from the Devil? Certainly that which is materially good, and coming unseasonably, may be from the Devil; the Devil may take advantage by what is in it self materially good, and bring in that in an unseasonable time, and so he may turn it to evil: As now, when thou art hearing the Word, it may be the Devil thinks he cannot prevail to cause thee to have thy heart running about uncleanness; yea, but (saith the Devil) If I can inject good thoughts, I will put into their minds some place of Scripture that is no way pertinent to this, only to divert them: The Devil gets much by this; therefore look to it, and know that God expects the strength of thy spirit in duty; that is, Strong intention; thou art worshiping of God, and therefore thou hadst need be intent about what thou art doing: Indeed sometimes before you are aware, evil thoughts will come into your minds, As when a man is keeping of a door, and there is a crowd of people without that would come in, perhaps the man doth open the door for some Gentleman that he hears is at the door, but when he opens it for one that is to come in, fourty others will crowd in: And so it is many times with the soul, that when it opens the door for some good thought, a great many evil thoughts will crowd in: Those people might come in if they would stay their time, but they should not now come in. So, about worldly businesses, that are not in themselves unlawful, if they will stay the time they may come in; but they must be bard out now at this time. There is required strength of Intention.

2. Secondly, Strength of Affection is required also: That is, The Affections must work mightily after God, striving with God in Prayer: If ever thou hadst a heart inflam'd in any thing, it should be when thou art praying, or attending upon the Word; as the Heathens that worshiped the Sun, sometimes I have told you that they would not have a Snail, but a flying Horse, they would offer that that was swift: so when we come to the living God, we must have living Affections, our Affections boyling; and that will be the way to cure vain thoughts; as the Flies will [Page] not come to the Honey if it be boyling hot, but when it is cold: So if the heart be boyling hot, and the affections a working, it will keep out vain thoughts and temptations: It is a sign of the breath of life when it is warm, but artificial breath you know it is cold; as now, the breath that comes out of the body that is warm, but the breath that comes out of a pair of bellows that is cold? So the breath of many people in Prayer, it is discovered to be but artificial breath, because it is so cold, but if there were spiritual life, then it would be warm. Ther must be strength of affection.

3. Thirdly, There must be likewise the strength of all the Faculties: We should stir up whatever we are, or have, or can do to work in Prayer, then the bent of Mind, and Conscience, and Will, and Affection; yea, and the body should be put to it also, and those that worship God to purpose, they spend their bodies in nothing so much as in the worshiping of God. It will be a sad thing another day when this shall be charged upon many, Thou hast spent the strength of thy body upon lusts, but when didst thou spend any strength of the body about any holy duty? What a riddle is this to most people, to tell them of spending the strength of their bodies in Prayer, or hearing of the Word, or Sanctifying a Sabbath; they think the Sabbath is a time of rest, I confess it is a time of rest from an outward labor, but it is a time of spending strength in a spiritual way; and those that shall worship God a right on the Sabbath, will find it a spending of a great deal of strength, and blessed is that strength that is spent in the Worship of God, rather than in the waies of sin, as most spend their strength: If God gives thee a heart to spend thy strength in His Worship, thou maiest think thus, Lord, thou mightest have left me to have spent my strength in sin, how much better is it spent in the Worshiping of thy Name? There is one notable Scripture in Jer. 8. 2. that shews how much strength the Idolaters put forth in the worshiping of their Idol, they would not do it in a slight and vain way, but their hearts were much in that false-worship, saith the text, And they shall spread them before the Sun and the Moon, and all the host of Heaven, (mark now) whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought [Page] and whom they have worshiped: All these are put together in reference to their Idols; Oh that it could be said so of us in reference to God, when we come to worship him, whom we have loved, and whom we have served, and after whom we have walked, and whom we have sought, and whom we have worshiped; there is all these several expressions to shew the strength of their spirits in following after their Idols: And that is the Fift thing in our Sanctifying Gods Name.

6. The Sixth is, If thou wilt Sanctifie Gods Name in Worship, there must be an humble frame of spirit, worship him with much humility of soul: Abraham did fall upon the ground before the Lord, and dust and ashes (saith he) hath begun to speak unto thee: yea, we reade of Jesus Christ groveling upon the earth, and the Angels they cover their faces in the presence of God; and so should we be humble when we come before the Lord: there is nothing more abases the soul of man, than the sight of God; and the great reason of the pride of all mens hearts, is because they never knew God: If thou didest but see God, thy heart must needs be abased; And when doth the soul see God if not when it comes to worship him? In Job, 42. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye seeth thee, wherefore I abhor my self, and repent in dust and ashes. Now this humility must be in the sense of our own meanness and baseness. Ps. 34. 6. This poor man cryed to God: They are poor souls that come into Gods presence that sanctifie Gods Name most; even those souls that do apprehend, and are sensible of their own baseness, and meanness before God. This poor man cried to God: we use to say, Give that poor man somewhat. It doth affect the heart of God when he sees much poverty of spirit: when we come before Him, we must be sensible of our infinite dependance upon God. Come as the woman of Canaan, O Lord, even dogs do receive crums, and though I be a dog, yet let me receive crums; here is humility of spirit. Now this humility of Spirit appears in these things.

1. First, admiring Gods goodness that we do live at this time, and that we have liberty to come before him; we might have been past praying and worshiping of God: think thus, What a mercy is it that we are not banished out of Gods presence, that [Page] the Lord hath not spurn'd us out of his sight as filth, and cast us out as an everlasting abhorring, while others have been praying we might have bin yelling under the wrath of the eternal God: Come with this apprehension of thy self, and adore Gods goodness, that thou art alive to pray, and alive to hear Gods Word. And that it is not only a duty, but a rich priviledg and mercy that God will admit of thee to come into His Presence. Again, it is the goodness of God, that He will vouchsafe to look upon the things that are done in Heaven, then if the Lord doth humble Himself to behold the things that are done in Heaven, then how doth the Lord humble Himself to behold me a poor vile captive as I am in my self; and yet that God should not only behold me before Him, but invite me to come into His presence; What mercy and goodness is this!

2. Our hearts must be taken off from the thoughts and apprehensions of all excellencies in our selves; we must not come in the pride of our hearts, because we have abilities more than others, what do all thy parts commend thee to God? thou hast ability in expressing of thy self in prayer: why, do thy parts commend thee to God? Whatever is natural in any of our duties is nothing to God, only that which is from his own Spirit, and therefore thou shouldest come in thine own thoughts as vile as if thou hadst no parts and abilities at all. Lay aside all such apprehensions of thy self, for the truth is, some poor broken hearted sinner that can but sigh out a few groans to God, and is not able to speak two or three sentences together in a right language, but only breath out his soul to God, may be a thousand thousand times more acceptable to God than thou that art able to make great Orations when thou comest before Him.

3. Thou must come without any righteousness of thy own, thou must never come to Gods presence but as a poor worm; and if there be any difference that is made between thee and others in outward respects, it is nothing to thee: when thou art in the presence of God, thou art as a base vile worm, though thou beest a Prince, or Emperor.

4. Thy heart must be taken off from what thou doest: If [Page] thou hast any abilities of grace yet thy heart must be taken off there, there may be pride not only from ones parts, but it may be God hath given me enlargements in Prayer, the Devil will come in and seek to puff up thy heart even because of this. But thy heart must be taken off there, and thou must deny thy self in all, when thou hast done the best service of all, yet thou must conclude, thou art an unprofitable servant; when thou hast prayed the best, yet rise with shame, and take heed of having thy heart puft up even through the assistance of the graces of the Spirit of God in holy Duties.

5. Lastly, Thou must come with a humble resignation of thy self to God, to be content to wait upon God as long as he pleases, to wait upon God in regard of the time, and of the measure, and of the manner of the Communication of himself, in regard of the means by which he will please to communicate himself, wait upon him; Let me have mercy though at the last hour. This now is an humble heart in Prayer; and when we come with such a poverty of spirit as this is, we may expect that the Lord will accept of us, Give this poor man somewhat, will God say: This poor man cryed, and the Lord heard him.

In the Seventh place, We must bring that which is Gods own in sanctifying Gods Name. I spake to this before in the Point of Preparation, Viz. That in Gods Worship we must give him his own. I will only mention it here in the sanctifying of Gods Name in two regards:

1. First, To give God His own for the matter of it.

2. Secondly, To give God His own, that is, what comes from the work of His own Spirit, or else we do not sanctifie Gods Name. I will give you one text further about the matter of it, in Exod. 39. if you reade the Chapter, you shall find that there is ten times said, that they did as God had commanded Moses: And then in the close of the Chapter, when they had done as God had commanded in His Worship; the text saith, Moses blessed them. That people is a blessed people that do observe the Worship of God as God hath commanded them. But the main thing is, all that we do it must be acted by the Spirit of God; it [Page] is not enough to have true silver and gold, but it must have the rigbt stamp, or else it cannot go for current coyn. And so it is not enough that the things that we offer to God in His Worship be Gods own, be what we have warrant for out of Gods Word, but it must have the stamp of the Spirit of God. In the Worship of God there be two Questions that He will ask, First, Who required this at your hands? But then if you can answer thus, Thou O Lord didst require it: It is well: But then God hath another Question, Whose Image and Superscription is this? If thou canst not give an Answer to that, it will be rejected too: Thou must be acted by Divine Principles, in all that thou doest, there must be the stamp of the Spirit upon that which is tendered to God, else it is nothing. To open this Point fully will ask some time.

First, Therefore I will shew you how we may know when our duties are acted by our natural parts rather than by the Spirit of God.

Secondly, How we may know whether our duties be acted by natural Conscience rather than by the Spirit of God.

1. First, If thou art acted by natural parts, they will not change thy heart: Men that do perform duties by the strength of natural parts, they may be as large as others, and speak to the edification of others, but those duties do never change their hearts; now if thou beest acted by the Spirit of God, thou wilt be changed into the very Image of his Spirit.

2. Secondly, If men are acted by Natural parts, they will not carry them through difficulties and discouragements; but now the Spirit of God if thou hast acted by him, though thou doest meet with never such difficulties, and discouragements, thou wilt be carried through them all.

3. Thou maiest know it by this, wherein dost thou account the excellency of a duty to consist, either in thy self or others; Thou performest a duty, now (it may be) thy parts do act very lively, and to thy credit, and yet thy conscience tells thee that thy heart was straightened: Now canst thou rise up with joy because thou hast thy ends? At another time (perhaps) thy heart is more troubled, and broken: But thou doest not express thy self so much, then thou art discouraged. And when [Page] thou seest another perform a duty, if thou seest but any failing in their expressions, thou pitchest upon that, and lookest upon it as a poor thing; thou art not able to see an excellency in holy duties, except there be an excellency of natural parts; but those that have the Spirit of God, they can find the Spirit of God acting in others, though they have not such natural parts.

4. Those that are acted by their natural parts, in secret they are less enlarged, than they are before others a great deal. Their parts act much before others, But what is there between God and their own souls?

5. They that be so acted will not be very constant, you shall have yong ones, that begin to look towards Religion, their parts are a little fresh, and they are mightily enlarged in holy duties, and the thing is good for them to make use of their parts; but how ordinary it is, that after a few yeers they are deader and duller than they were before, and have less mind to the duties of Gods Worship than they had formerly? Were this the Spirit of God, you would find as much savour and relish in them afterwards, as there was at that time.

Secondly, For natural Consciences, which sometimes puts men upon acting of duties, and (indeed) is better than meerly natural parts.

1. If it be only natural Conscience, it puts upon duties, but gives no strength to do them: but when the Spirit of God puts thee upon a duty, it gives thee some strength to perform it, some strength whereby thou gettest some Communion with God.

2. If it be natural Conscience, it puts upon the duty, but makes not the heart glad of the duty, and to love the duty: but if it be the Spirit of God, it makes thee to delight in it, and to love it.

3. If it be natural Conscience, thou doest not by that encrease thy communion with God, thou doest thy duties as in a round; but now when the Spirit of God puts thee upon holy duties, it is not a task done, but thou findest more and more encrease in communion with God; thy heart more raised to God, and more closing with the Lord, and so still more and [Page] more in the course of thy life: I had a little converse with God at first when God began to acquaint my soul with His Waies, but through His mercy now I find more communion with Him; and so thou [...] bless thy self in God, in that converse that thou hast in communion with Him, thou wouldst not lose that Communion thou hast with God in holy duties, for all the world; others have their companions, that they have their communion withal, (much good may do them) but the Lord hath shewen me another manner of communion which my soul can have with himself, in which it hath sweet satisfaction. And thus you have had Seven Particulars for the Sanctifying of the Name of God in Holy Duties.

SERMON VI. Stepney, Dec. 21. 1645.

Leviticus, 10. 3.‘I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me.’

4. AGain, As Natural Conscience doth give no strength to do the duty, so it makes not the duty to be strong to the soul; that is thus, Thre's no strength got by the duty; they are not by one duty prepared for another, But the way of the Lord is strength to the upright, that is, when a gracious heart is in the way of Gods Worship, it finds the very duty of the Worship of God to be strength to it, and so it fits it for another Duty.

5. Further, A Natural Conscience limits its self, and is bounded; that is, so much as will serve the turn for its own peace and quiet, so much it will do, and no more: But when one is acted by the Spirit of God, one is enlarged without any limits at all, not bounded to ones own peace, for the more peace a gracious heart hath in duty, the more it is enlarged in duty: Now a Natural Conscience, that puts to duty, and will act you when you want peace, when you are in trouble and fear, but when you are not in trouble and fear, then it puts not on the heart to performance of duty; but the Spirit of God puts [Page] on the Soul to Duty, when there is most peace and comfort.

6. A little will serve the turn to satisfie natural conscience, so be it they perform the duty, it is enough; but one that is acted by the Spirit of God in duty, must meet with much of God or else he is not satisfied, he goes mourning in the day time if he hath not met with much of God in the morning in the performance of duty, Thus you see there is much difference between the acting of Natural parts and conscience in duty, and the acting of the Spirit of God.

There be only now Two things more for the Sanctifying of Gods Name in Duty, and then we are to come to shew how we should sanctifie Gods Name in Duty in reference to the several Attributes of God. But First for those Two Heads. Further.

7. The Seventh thing is this, When you come to perform holy duties, if you would sanctifie Gods Name, you must consecrate your selves to God, there must be a resignation of Soul and Body, Estate, Liberty, Name, and all you are, have, or can do unto God: This is to sanctifie Gods Name, the consecration of your selves unto God: And the professing of this is the performance of duty, when you are to pray, were a very good thing, actually to profess your selves to be Gods, to profess that you do give up all that you are, have, or can do, to God: Lord, I am thy servant, take all Faculties of Soul, and Members of Body, improve all, lay out all to thine own praise to the uttermost, to bring glory to thy great Name. If every time you came to God in Prayer you did this, this were to sanctifie your selves to God (I spake before of a sanctified heart, but now this is in a profession of your selves unto God) do it secretly at least in your own thoughts; if you do not every time express it in words, yet in your own thoughts do it; devote yourselves to God every day. Of admirable use it would be, if every day when men and women worship God, either in their closets or families, they did professedly devote and consecrate themselves to God; and so likewise, every time they come to hear the Word or to receive Sacraments, God would account his Name to be sanctified in such a work as this is.

[Page] 8. Lastly, That that must make all up, and without which all the other is nothing; it is, That you must tender up al your worship in the Name of Jesus Christ; let a man or woman worship God never so well, yet when they have done all if they do not tender it up in the Name of Jesus Christ, God will not account his Name to be sanctified; thou must by Faith look upon Jesus Christ as the glorious Mediator that is come into the world, by whom thou hast access unto the Father: And act thy Faith upon Christ, and give up thy Duties into his hand, as the hand of a Mediator to be tender'd up to the Father by him; though thou hast labored what thou canst to perform Duty as well as thou art able, yet thou must not think to tender it up by thine own hand unto God; but thou must tender it up to the Father by the hand of Jesus Christ the Mediator, and so thou shalt sanctifie the Name of God in holy Duties. We reade in Levit. 16. 13. that when Aaron was to tender up the Incense, he was to put the Incense on the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the Incense may cover the Mercy-seat that is upon the Testimony, that he die not. Mark, it is as much as his life is worth, whether he doth it, or doth it not. Now Incense it is in the New Testament called Prayer, and so in the Old Testament too, it was a kind of emblem of Prayer; The offering up of our Prayers, is the offering up of Incense to God; and the Mercy-seat, it was a Type of Jesus Christ. Now the Incense should cover the Mercyseat; so our Prayers must go up to Jesus Christ, must be upon him, and so must be accepted by the Father. And as we reade in Judg. 13. 20. when Monah offered a Sacrifice, the text saith, that the Angel of the Lord ascended in the flame: This Angel of God here was Jesus Christ, as we might easily from this Scripture make it out, and he ascends up in the flame from the Altar. Now though we do not offer such kind of Sacrifices with Fire and Incense as they did in the time of the Law, yet when we are offering up of our Incense; there must be a flame of Fervency and Zeal: But that is not enough, together with the flame of the Altar, and the Angel of God, Jesus Christ, the great Angel of the new Covenant, (for Angel signifies nothing but Messenger) the great Messenger that is come into the world, about that great Errend of his, To Reconcile the World to Himself; He must [Page] ascend up in the flame, and so God will account his Name to be sanctified, the Name of God is not sanctified but through Jesus Christ: The acting of our Faith upon Christ as Mediator is a special ingredient to the Sanctifying of Gods Name in holy Duties; as you know the Scripture saith, That the Altar doth Sanctifie the Gift offered upon the Altar. Jesus Christ is the Altar upon whom all our Spiritual Sacrifices are to be offered, and this Altar doth sanctifie the Gift that is offered upon it, let never so great a gift be offered upon any other Altar, it was not accounted holy, nor accepted: So let men by their natural strength or power that they have, offer up the most glorious and speciousest Service to God, it is not accepted except it be offered up upon the Altar Jesus Christ: We have an Altar now, not the Communion Table, but Jesus Christ himself is our Altar, upon whom we are to offer al our Sacrifices, and this Altar must sanctifie the Gift; we can never have our Gift Sanctified, no, nor Gods Name sanctified in this Gift, except it be offered upon this Altar, and our Faith acted upon Jesus Christ. People little think of this, but of other things, viz. That when we worship God, we should worship him with Fear, and Reverence, and with Humility, and with strength of Intention; such kind of things every one that hath any enlightening of conscience will think of at some time or other; but people do least think of this, which is the greatest ingredient of all in the Sanctifying of Gods Name in holy duties, that is, To come and tender up all to the Father, in the Name of Jesus Christ: How many men and women that have been Professors of Religion twenty or thirty years, and yet not acquainted with this great Mystery of Godliness, To tender up all to God in the Name of his Son. This is that that upon divers occasions I have spoken unto, and am willing upon every occasion as I meet with it to speak of, because it is a principal part of the great Mystery of the Gospel, without which, all our duties are rejected of God, and cast away. Now then, put all these Nine things together, and see by them what we ought to do that we may sanctifie the Name of God in holy Duties.

But there is something further to be spoken that may help you to sanctifie Gods Name in holy duties, and that is, Several [Page] workings of heart, sutable to the several Attributes of God, for that is to sanctifie Gods Name, to have the duty to be such as is some way sutable to such a God as we are now worshiping. Now then let us consider what the Scripture saith of God, and then let us see what sutable dispositions we should have in us unto those things that the Scripture saith of God:

1. First, You know the Scripture saith, that God is a Spirit, in Joh. 4. 24. Then presently Christ saith, That he that worships him, must worship him in Spirit; that is, there must be a sutableness in our worship to what God is: Is God a Spirit? then all that worship him, must worship him in Spirit and Truth; that is thus, When I am to go to worship God, I must consider of him, as he is an infinite and glorious Spirit; well then, surely bodily worship is not sufficient for me: Though I do kneel down in prayer, or do come and present my body to hear the Word, or my body to receive the Sacrament, this is not to worship God as a Spirit: If indeed that our God were as the Heathens, that were corporeal, then it were another matter, then bodily worship would serve the turn; but God being a Spirit, he must have Spiritual Worship, therefore my soul, and all that is within me, magnifie his Name: saith David, my Soul magnifie his Name, not my lips only, but my soul: The Apostle in 1 Tim. 4. 8. saith, that bodily exercise profits little; it is no great matter for the body, God looks but very little at bodily exercise; but it is godliness that is profitable, it is the work of the Spirit; when we come to pray, we must pray in the Spirit; that is, we must pray with our souls, we must powr forth our souls before God, and when we come to hear, our hearts must not go after our covetousness, we must set our hearts to what we hear, we must hear with our hearts as well as with our ears, our souls must be at work in hearing of the Word; when you hear, it is not enough for you to come and sit in a Pew, and have the sound of a mans voice in your ears, but your souls must be at work: And so when you come to receive the Sacrament, your souls must feed upon Jesus Christ: Bodily-worship without Soul-worship is nothing, but soul-worship may be accepted without bodily-worship; therefore it is the Soul that God doth principally look [Page] at in holy duties: If you be not able to worship God in your bodies, you may worship him in your souls, and God regards that bodily exercise in holy duties is little worth, somewhat it may be worth, I confess sometime bodily exercise may further the soul, as a reverend carriage of the body, and the like, but it is nothing in comparison, the great work is the work of the soul, for God is a Spirit, and must be worshiped in Spirit. And God is said to be a Spirit, not only in that he is not of so thick a Capital substance, but it notes the simplicity of God, he is without any composition, whatsoever is in God, is God Himself, He is absolutely One, there are not divers things in God; now then, those that come to worship Him, must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth; that is, there must not be a heart and a heart, there must not be a compounded heart, but you must bring simple hearts before God, without any composition of dross in your selves, and of any kind of falsness, but in the simplicity of your hearts you must come to worship God, and thus you shall worship him with such worship as is some way sutable to him as he is a spirit.

2. Further consider, God as he is an eternal God, what sutable disposition doth this require of me when I am to look upon God as an eternal Being? it requires this only, That therefore thy heart must be taken off from all temporal good things, and set upon that eternal good, thou mayest indeed desire these outward good things but in order to thy eternal good.

Then further, Thou art worshiping an eternal God: hence then, whatsoever sin thou doest confess, although committed 20. or 40. yeers ago, thou must look upon it as if it were now presently committed, and be humbled as much before the Lord as if it were now committed at this present; You will say, Why so? Because God is an Eternal God? Yes: For if I understand Gods Eternity, I know that there is no succession in Gods Being; therefore the sins that I committed in my youth, if I come to confess them, they are before God as if they were now a doing in regard of time, and therefore I must (as much as I can) look so upon them, and be humbled for them as if they were sins lately committed. Many people are troubled for their sins the very day after they commit them, but a little time wears [Page] off their trouble: but if you did consider that you had to deal with an eternal God, then you would look upon your sins though a long time since committed as if they were but now done.

Likewise there will be this required from the consideration of Gods eternity, You must come with such a disposition of heart as not to think much, though what you desired be deferred and not granted in your time when you would have it. For if there be no time that alters with God, but a thousand yeers are with God as one day, then that that we account long before its done, it is nothing with God; and therefore we must have our hearts so work towards God as towards an Eternal God, as one with whom there is no alteration of time at all, with whom there is no succession of time. If we come to a man and seek any thing of him, if he doth not answer us presently, we will think that he will forget it, and other things will come into his mind: but when we come to worship God, we must look upon him as an Eternal Being, and that time alters nothing with him: Thus understanding God in a right way wil much help us in his Worship, and to Sanctifie his Name. We cannot Sanctifie Gods Name, without knowing his Name, without having serious thoughts about his Name; and getting our hearts to work accordingly.

3. Thirdly, Look upon God when you come to Worship Him in His comprehensible Being: that is, as a God that fils all places, His being is real in the room that we are praying in, the place that we are meeting in, as it is in Heaven. Now then when we come to worship Him, we must consider that that infinite glorious Being stands before us, looks upon us, is at our elbow; and therefore especially when you worship in secret consider this, it is good to consider it when you are with others, but especially (I say) consider it when you are in secret, and know that when you are most private, you have one that looks on you, and takes notice of you, who is more than if you had ten hundred thousand witnesses standing by you, and looking upon you: For it is the Lord that stands by you, and sees your behavior, sees what you do in your worshiping of Him; take heed therefore that there be nothing done by you that is [Page] unbeseeming the presence of such a God as the Lord is: Suppose that some of you were praying, and there were some godly able Minister stood neer you, it would be some means to stir up your hearts to mind what you did: but now the Lord He is not in the next room only, but in the same room, and stands by you: Let there be nothing done therefore unbeseeming the presence of that infinite holy God that stands by you; and hold this truth forth, The Lord is present with me, I acknowledg it, and I own it, and therefore I carry my self thus, and all because I would witness to Angels and Men, that I do acknowledg that the Lord is present with me in this duty.

4. Fourthly, Consider God is an unchangable God, immutable. That is another Attribute of God; He is unchangeable.

First, Therefore our hearts must be taken off from these mutable things, and set upon God as that unchangable good.

Secondly, We must be humbled for our fickleness, and unconstantness; there is no shadow of change in God, and there is no shadow of constancy in us.

Thirdly, When we come into the presence of a God who is unchangable, then we should look upon God as being the same now that ever He was heretofore; He hath as much displeasure against sin now as ever he had, and that God that hath done such great things for his Church in former times, is the same God to do good to His people as ever he was. And make use of this; When you reade the Word, and there find how God hath made Himself appear to be glorious for His people; and now every time I am to worship God, I should think that I am to deal with God that is the same that ever he was, a merciful, and gracious, and just, and powerful as ever he was, and so my heart is to work towards him.

5. Fiftly, When I am to Worship God, I am to look upon Him as the Living God, as that God that hath life in Himself, and gives life unto his Creatures.

Then what sutable behavior doth become me? I must come before His presence with fear; It is a fearful thing to fall into his hands that is the living God; that hath my life under his feet, He [Page] hath the absolute dispose of my present and eternal condition, He gave me my life, he hath preserved my life, and so may take it away when he pleases, and bring death, eternal death unto me. These things may marvelously help your meditation when you are to come before Him, you who are barren in your meditations, go over the Attributes of God thus, and consider what you may be able to draw from thence. God, He is the living God: What behavior then doth beseem me towards this living God? Oh let me be afraid lest my soul depart from the living God: Let me bring a living Service to Him, I must not bring a dead heart; let me take heed how I come before the living God with a dead heart, and with a dead service, to sacrifice that which is dead before it comes, it's like a carrion that lies dead in the ditch. Oh let us be humbled for our dead hearts, and dead sacrifices; it is a living God that I am worshiping, and therefore I must pray, Lord turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, and quicken my heart in thy Law, Psal. 119. 37. Remember when thou comest to worship, that thou come with a quikned heart, for thou hast to deal with a living God: A man or woman that is of an active spirit, cannot endure a dull and heavy servant in the family; but the Lord is a pure act, and nothing else but act, and therefore he doth expect that all his people should have quick, active, and lively spirits.

6, When you come to worship God; you are to look upon Him as Almighty. And so are, First,

To fear his great Power when you come before Him. And Secondly:

Then you are not to be discouraged by any difficulties. I come to seek for some great thing, and I come to seek to a great God, that hath all Power in Heaven and Earth, and infinitely more power than there is in all creatures in Heaven and Earth; I am praying to a God that can create peace, create help: My condition cannot be so desperate, but this Infinite Almighty God is able to help me: Let me make him the object of my faith as he is so infinitely Almighty: What a full object of faith is this God that hath all power in Him? Let me therefore come to him as a strong Tower; Run to the Name of God as a strong Tower, that can help in all straights whatsoever. There would be much [Page] drawing forth of our Faith: if we could present the Lord before us as an infinite Almighty God: when we see outward helps and means neer at hand, then we can beleeve that we may have some succour from him, but when all outward helps and means fail then we are discouraged; we do not sanctifie Gods Name, but we rather take this Name of God in vain, when as our hearts are discouraged with any difficulties; now the Lord expects that all his Children that come to worship him, should worship him as the Almighty God, and so have their hearts working towards him; there would be mighty workings of Spirit towards God, if we saw him by the eye of Faith as well as Reason.

7. Look upon God as an Omniscient God, as a God infinitely understanding all things. Now what doth this call for?

First, If God be a God of infinite understanding, then let not me bring a blind Sacrifice to God, then let not me bring an ignorant heart to God; this is the excellency of an understanding creature to know the rule and end of its own Actions; now thou comest to worship an infinite God, of infinite understanding, then know the rule of what you do, and know the end of what you do, and come with understanding in His presence.

Secondly, If He be so understanding, come with a free open heart, to open whatsoever is in thine heart to God; take heed of keeping any secret resolutions in thine own heart, God knows thee, and can tell how to find thee out; God knows all that is in thine heart before; all the secret baseness that is in thine heart, the Lord doth understand it, the Lords eye is a piercing eye, He sees thorow and thorow thy heart. It's a vain thing for thee to come and conceal any thing before Him.

You will say, If God understand a mans heart, what need he come and confess?

Yes: He requires it as thy duty that thou shouldest come and open all before him: In spight of thy heart thou canst not cover any thing from the Lords eyes; but the Lord will see whether thou beest willing of thy self that He should understand al: [Page] God doth not require us to come and confess our sins, that so he might know that which he knew not before, but for this end, That there might be a testimony, that thou art willing that he should know all that is in thy heart; therefore now when thou comest to worship him, ransack every corner of thy heart, and confess all before the Lord, and give glory to his Name, as that God that is an All-seeing God, that knows all the windings and turnings of thy heart: Now meditate of these things that be presented to thee, and it will be a mighty means to help thee to sanctifie his Name.

8. God is a God of infinite Wisdom, therefore when we come to worship God, let us be ashamed of our folly: When thou comest to have to deal with God, look upon him as a God of infinite Wisdom, and I say be thou ashamed of thy folly then, and do thou exercise the grace of wisdom too when thou comest to God; that is, by propounding right ends (of which we spake before) That is one part of wisdom to have right ends, and right means towards those ends, so that the meditation of the wisdom of God when we come to worship him will further us to sanctifie his Name.

And further; This is to Sanctifie Gods Wisdom, when thou comest into Gods presence, in thy greatest straights, deny thy own wisdom, come with a resolution to be guided by the Wisdom of God, in this manner, Lord, I know not how to order my steps, there is much folly and vanity in my heart, but thou art a God of infinite Wisdom, I come to thee for direction, and I profess here, I am willing to give up my whol Soul to be guided by thy wisdom. If every time we come to Worship God we came thus; Oh Lord, whatsoever our thoughts have been heretofore, yet if thou shalt but reveal thy mind to us, we will hearken to thee, Lord, we beleeve that thy Wisdom it is thy Self, and therefore we profess to give up our selves to thy Wisdom. Now this is to Sanctifie the Name of God.

9. Consider the holiness of God; God is a God infinitely pure from all sin, and therefore when we come to Worship God, we must be ashamed of our holiness, as the Prophet in Isa. 6, when he heard the Seraphins cry, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts, he fals down and saith, Wo is me, for I am undone, because I [Page] am a man of unclean lips. And is God a holy God? Then let me take heed when I come before Him, that I bring not with me a love to any sin, for the Lord hates it, and let me take heed that I do not cast dirt in the very face of Gods Holiness, but give up my soul to be rul'd wholly by Him:

And labor that there may be a sutableness between the holiness of thy heart, and of the infinite God. Now this is to sanctifie Gods Name, when the consideration of this Attribute of God hath such effect upon my heart, that I labor upon this to come with a sutable heart before God.

10. When thou comest before God, Consider that thou comest to a merciful God: And what should this work?

First, It should make me come joyfully into His presence, as a God that is willing to do good to his poor creatures that are in misery.

Secondly, It should make me to come with a heart sensible of the need of this mercy; O Lord, I have had my heart let out to other vain things heretofore, but now Lord, thy mercy it is that my soul comes for, as that wherein my chief and only good consists.

Thirdly, It should make me come with expectation of great things from God; do not come unto God as unto an empty Vine, but as unto a full Vine, and the more thy faith is raised to expect great things from God, the more acceptable art thou to God: Certainly the higher any ones faith is raised when they come into his presence, to expect the greatest things, the more acceptable. It is otherwise with God than men, if you come to men to beg a little thing, you may be welcome, but if you come to ask a great matter, they will look askew upon you: but the truth is, the greater the things are that we come to God for, the more welcome are we into Gods presence; and those that are acquainted with God they know it, and therefore they come the more fully. When they come to ask Jesus Christ himself and his Spirit that is more worth than ten thousand worlds, they come with more freedom of Spirit than when they come to ask their healths, and the like.

Fourthly, It will be likewise another means of sanctifying this Attribute of God; when thou comest to him: If thou [Page] doest come with a merciful heart towards thy brethren: Take heed whensoever you come to worship God, that you come not with a rugged and cruel heart towards any of your brethren; therefore you find that Christ laies this upon you, in teaching how to pray, you most say, Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive our brethren that trespass against us: And you find it repeated again, If you forgive, then your Heavenly Father will forgive, and not otherwise. As if Christ should say, When you come to beg mercy, be sure you bring merciful hearts.

Fifthly, It is a good way to sanctifie the Name of God in this Attribute, for the soul to be solicitous with it self: What is that that will hinder me from the mercy of God, and let me avoid it? It is otherwise, a taking of the Name of God in vain, for me to come to profess what need I have of Gods mercy, and yet for al that, never regard to avoid those things that may hinder the work of his Grace upon me

11. Consider the Justice of God, (that's another Attribute) Consider that thou hast to deal with an Infinite, Righteous and Just God: Do not think that if thou beest a Beleever, that thou hast nothing to do with the Justice of God, for certainly thou art to sanctifie the Justice of God.

Now you will say, How should a Beleever sanctifie the Justice of God? Thus:

First, He should be apprehensive and sensible, how by sin he hath put himself under Justice, and deserved the stroke of Justice to be upon him to eternity; he should consider what he is in himself: It's true, that Jesus Christ hath come between a beleeving soul and the Justice of the Father, and hath taken the stroke of Justice upon himself: yea, but though he hath done it it doth not hinder but that thou shouldst be apprehensive of what thou hast deserved thy self.

Secondly, Here is a special thing in the sanctifying of the Justice of God: When we come before him we should consider that we have to deal with an infinite just God, and therefore not to dare to come but through a Mediator; Here you have the reason why we must tender up all in the Name of Jesus Christ, because when we are to come before God, we are to sanctifie the Name of his Justice: For thee to think thus, I have [Page] sinned, and God is merciful; and I will go and pray to him that he might be merciful, and there's an end. Is this all? Oh no, God requires the sanctifying of his Justice, and there is nothing that doth sanctifie his Justice so much as this, That when a poor creature sees the infinite distance that sin hath made between that infinite God and it, it sees that though sin, it hath made its self liable to Justice; and when it sees that there is an absolute necessity that infinit Justice must have satisfaction, and thinks the sinner, If it comes to me that I must satisfie the Justice of God I am never able to do it, but there is a Mediator, and therefore I'le fly to him, and by Faith tender up to the Father all the merits of his Son as a full satisfaction to his infinite Justice: When thou comest thus before the Lord, thou Sanctifiest his Name indeed. Many think that when they come to pray, they should look upon Gods Grace, and Mercy, and not upon his Justice; but thou must look upon both.

Another Attribute, it is Gods Faithfulness: Consider thou hast to deal with a God of infinite Truth, and Faithfulness, and therefore look upon him as an object of thy Faith to rest upon, And likewise thou must bring a faithful heart sutable some way to this Faithfulness of God, that is, a heart faithful with him, to keep within the Covenant that thou hast entered into and to perform all the Vows that thou makest with God; Remember thou hast to deal with a Faithful God, and as the Lord delights to manifest his Righteousness to poor Creatures that seek His face; so this God doth expect that thou shouldest be faithful in all the Covenants that thou doest make with Him, and this is to sanctifie Gods Name.

Now then put all these Attributes of God together, and there you have his Glory, the infinitness of his Glory. The shine and lustre of all the Attributes together is Gods Glory. I have then to deal with a glorious God, and let me labor to perform such services as may have a spiritual Glory upon them, that some Image of the Divine Lustre that there is in God may be upon my services; and let me look for glorious things seeing I have to deal with such a glorious God.

You will say, Here is a great deal of do in serving of God, how much is here that we must do?

[Page] I appeal to any gratious heart, What canst thou want of any of these, or what wouldest thou want? Doest thou say, Her's a great deal? Can there be too much to make thee happy? These things are not only thy duty, but thy happiness, glory and excellency consists in them: If any one should bring you a great many Jewels and Pearls, would you say, Here's a great deal ado? Oh no, the more the merrier. So say I, this one meditatiion would take off the thoughts of a deal, for in all these my happiness consists, and the more I have of these, the more shall I enjoy of God, the more happy shall I be both here and for ever.

Now I had thought to have given you some Reasons why the Name of God must be sanctified; only I beseech you by all that hath been said go away with this thought, What little cause is there that any of us should rest upon any of our duties; If this be required of us thus to sanctifie the Name of God in duty, (I say) we have little cause any of us to rest on any duties that we perform. There are many poor creatures that have no other Saviors to rest upon but their Prayers, and coming to Church, and taking the Communion; Now if in all these the Lord expects that thou shouldst thus sanctifie his Name: Thou hast little cause to rest upon any thing that thou hast done, thou hast cause rather to go alone and mourn for taking the Name of God in vain in the duties of his Worship: Rest not in any of your performances; labor to perform duties as well as you can, but when you have done, know that you are unprofitable servants after all, and renounce all as in the point of Justification, and rest upon something else, otherwise you are undone for ever.

SERMON VII.

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Leviticus, 10. 3.‘I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me.’

WEE are coming now to the conclusion of this great Argument of sanctifying Gods Name in holy duties for the general. God expects that we should all in our drawings neer to Him in the duties of worship, sanctifie His Name. Now we are to consider of divers Reasons why God will be Sanctified in all the duties of His Worship.

1. The first Reason is this, It is the very Nature of God to Will Himself the last end, and all other things to work sutable to the lifting up of Himself as the last end: (I say) it is as essential to Him as any thing, for Him to will Himself as the highest end, and that all things should work so as to be sutable unto that Glory of His for the furtherance of it: God should cease to be God, if so be He should not will Himself as the highest end, and so will that all things that have any being should some way or other work for Himself: This is the very nature of God. It is that which I conceive the very nature of Gods Holiness consists in, the willing Himself as the last end and so to work al things as sutable unto His own infinit Excellency. Now as this is Gods holiness, so it is the holiness that God requires in His Creatures (that are capable of holiness) that they should will Him as the last end, and all things sutable to that infinite Excellency of His. Now if this be the nature of God, and this be His holiness, then certainly it must needs be a necessary duty in al those that would have cōmunion with God and would honor God, to wil as God himself doth will, that is, that all things should work sutable to the infinite Excellency of God, that God may attain the Glory of His infinite Excellency, and this makes it to be a necessarie dutie, that when we come to Worship Him we should Sanctifie [Page] 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 sutable way as to lift up His Excellency and Glory.

2. Secondly, We must sanctifie God in the duties of His Worship, because it is the special glory that God hath in the world, to be actively honored; for his passive glory, that is, to be glorified in a passive way, that he hath in Hell, but the special 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 worshiping 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 special 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 goodness 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 it some communion that thou wouldest enjoy with God, now there is no way to make thee a fit subject of mercy, or capable of the enjoying of Communion with God, but by such a behavior of soul as this is that hath been spoken of, To sanctifie the Name of God; thou wouldest be loth to lose those duties of worship that thou doest perform, therefore it is required of thee to sanctifie his Name lest thou doest lose all, for 'tis this that makes thee the only capable subject of what good is to be had there.

[Page] 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 worshiped so by his creatures, as to be constantly worshiped, 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 begining of that eternal Worship that he shall have from us in Heaven. And so the Saints do Worship God now, the Worship which they perform, 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) [...]nless his Name b [...] sanctified in our worshiping 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 worshiping 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 worshiping of God, and they accounted it the very joy of their lives for the present to be worshiping 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 turn'd loose; And now to be in vain company, to drink or play, is better to them than any Service of Worship of God, they prize more to be in company with their sports, than 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 enioyment of a great deal of pleasures and content in the world; but now it is otherwise with them. How comes it to pass that these are apostatized thus from God? Surely this 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 real Sanctification [Page] 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 worshiping God.

It may be some of you may say, We have hard 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 sanctifiing of Gods Name in duties that any gracious heart can tell how to miss, 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 sweetness of worship, they will meet with God in holy duties, and so they come to be encouraged in worship, but as for others who do worship God in a formal way, their worship will prove to be tedious to them, for they perform the duties, but do not find God in the duties in that spiritual way as the Saints do; If they think they meet with God, it is but an imagination rather than any real 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 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 perform, certainly the duties of worship that we perform are no such things as are fit to be rested upon for life and for salvation, and yet for the most part there is scarce any thing that people have to rest upon, or to tender up to God for acceptation to eternal life but only their prayers, and their coming to hear, and receiving of the Communion, and such duties that they perform; this is al they have to tender up for life and for salvation; perhaps they may sometimes speak of Christ, but the truth is that which their hearts rest upon for acceptation to eternal life is this. And is it but this? It is a weak prop, a rotten reed that [Page] thou hast to rest upon; Let the duties of Worship be performed never so well; Suppose we did sanctifie Gods Name to the uttermost that is possible for any creature to do in this world, yet such duties are not to be rested upon: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the Apostles, the most holy men that ever did preform duties in the most holy manner, yet wo to them if they have nothing to rest upon but their duties; Consider therefore of this, That what thou must rest upon for acceptation to Eternal life, it must be that which must have so much worth in it, as must satisfie for all thy sins that formerly thou hast committed, yea, and for all the sins that ever thou shalt commit. Now I appeal unto any ones conscience, Is that which thou performest, is Prayer, or receiving the Sacrament, or hearing of the Word, such a work as in thy conscience thou canst think, it hath so much worth in it, as to satisfie God for all the sins that ever thou didest or shalt commit? I am preswaded if people that have rested upon duties heretofore, would but seriously have this thought in their minds, That I must rest upon nothing for my acceptation for life and salvation, but that that must have such worth in it, as to satisfie God for all my sins that ever have been committed, or shall be committed; this would take them off for ever from resting in duties. Yea, and it must be such as must be the object of the Infinite holiness of God to take content in, Surely the duties that we perform are no such duties to rest upon: the truth is, If we would seriously consider what they are, at they come from us, we would even abhor our selves in dust and ashes, and account of them as the Prophet speaks of his own righteousness, as menstruous cloathes, they are such as if God should deal with us, as justly he may do, he might cast them and us to the dogs, for they are (as the Prophet saith) torn and rent sacrifices; now if a man in the time of the Law should bring to the Lord a Sacrifice that was all torn and rent before he brought it, would such a sacrifice have been accepted? All the duties we preform as they come from us they are such; we reade in Exod. 22. 31. concerning such things as were torn and rent, that they should cast them to the dogs, Ye shall be holy men unto me (saith he, verse ult) neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field, ye shall cast it to the dogs, because ye are [Page] holy men unto me. Must the People of Israel manifest their holiness in this, That they must eat nothing torn by beasts, but cast it unto dogs? Or was the holiness of the People of Israel such, as God required them, that they must eat nothing that was torn by beasts? What then is the holiness of the infinite God? Our services that we perform are of themselves such as are torn by our beastly lusts many times: How many are there that bring Sacrifices to God that are as Carrion that Swine have been tearing beforehand? and yet these are the Sacrifices that they bring to God, and not only think that God should accept of them, but they do rest upon them for their acceptation to eternal life. How infinitely are these people mistaken! how little do they know of God, or of the way of acceptation to eternal life! That is the first Use.

Secondly, If all this be required for the Sanctifying of Gods Name in Duties, that we cannot perform the Duties of Worship without this behavior of Soul; Hence we see that the work of Religion is a hard and difficult work to flesh and blood. A main work of Religion is, the work of worshiping of God; for indeed, those that are not Religious and Godly, they never worship God to any purpose: then we come to worship God when we begin to be Religious and godly. Now it must needs be a busie work to be a religious and a godly man, because there is so much required in the Sanctifying of Gods Name in holy duties: Many people think it a very easie matter to worship God, and the worship that they tender up to God is an easie matter, there is little in it. If it were nothing else to worship God but meerly to go and say a few Prayers, and come and hear a Sermon, and take a piece of Bread and Wine, then it were the easiest matter in the world to come and worship God; but there is more required in the Duties of Gods Worship than thou hast been acquainted with, there is a power of godliness in it. That Text of Scripture is a very famous one, that shews the difficulty that there is in the Worship of God, and how men are mistaken in thinking it such an easie and slight matter to worship God; it is in Josh. 24. 16. 19. where Joshua doth call upon the people to worship God, and they came off presently, and said, They would worship him (so you shall find them profess, [Page] verse 16.) But mark what the Text saith in verse 19. And Joshua said unto the People, Ye cannot serve the Lord, for he is an holy God, he is a jealous God, and he will not forgive your transgressions and your sins. As if he should say, You think it is nothing to serve the Lord, and that it is an easie matter to serve him, you think to put off God with any thing: Alas you cannot serve the Lord, for he is a holy God, and is a jealous God, and you must have other manner of hearts than yet you have, and you must understand his Worship in another manner than yet you do: The Lord will be sanctified in those that draw nigh him, and therefore until you understand God, and his waies and Worship, you cannot serve the Lord. Know, that the work of Religion is a very hard and difficult work, for it requireth all this, and therefore the soul had need to be very diligent and laborious that would come to Worship God in a right way.

Thirdly, Hence it is an Use of humiliation to us all, even to the best of us; Oh how little! how little hath the best of us all sanctified the Name of God! how far have we all come short of the sanctifying of Gods Name in holy Duties! And when we look abroad in the world, and see what poor service God hath generally from the Men and Women of the Earth, it should make our hearts bleed within us: Where almost is the man or woman that according to that text in Isaiah, stirs up himself to take hold on God? And I verily beleeve that in the opening of this Point, Of Sanctifying of the Name of God in holy Duties, that I have been in the bosoms of as many, as in the opening of any Point whatsoever; and as many may have cause to lay their hands upon their hearts, and say, Certainly I have come short of what is required here, and have not been acquainted with this way, this mystery of Godliness, Of Sanctifying of Gods Name in holy Duties as I ought to be: Oh be humbled for this, for all the uncleaness of your hearts in the performance of holy duties. Exod. 27. 4, 5. you reade, that at the Altar where the Sacrifices were to be offered, the Lord required that there should be a grate made. Thou shalt make for it (meaning the Altar) a grate of network of brass, and upon the net shalt thou make four brasen rings in the four corners thereof, and thou shalt put it under the compass of [Page] the Altar beneath, that the net may be even to the middest of the Altar. There was (as it were) a grate for the ashes of the Altar to go thorow: As you have grates in your fires to make them burn cleer, and for the ashes to fall down; so the Lord would have such a grate for the ashes of the Altar to fall down: We had need of such a grate. Oh the ashes, dirt, and filth that there is in our services when we come to offer and tender them up to God! so that we have cause (I say) to be humbled for holy offerings. There be many godly people that through Gods mercy, are able to keep from gross sins, they do not find it any great matter to keep from company, swearing, drinking, uncleanness, lying, or wronging of others, and such kind of sins as those are, so that they see not such need of humiliation in this regard, unless it be for that their natures be as corrupt as any though they break not forth into those actual gross sins, but the main work of the humiliation of those that are godly, it is, to be humbled for their thoughts, for the mispending of time, and for not sanctifying of Gods Name in holy duties; those are the main things that are the subject of the humiliation of the Saints, beside the body of sin and death that they carry about with them. And it would be a good sign that thy heart hath some tenderness in it when thou makest these to be the matter of thy humiliation: Carnal people are little troubled for these, if they fall into such sins as that their consciences do fly in their faces, then they are troubled and humbled; but for such things as these are, they are seldom humbled: To be humbled for thy holy offerings is a good sign of a gracious heart. We reade of Cherubims that they had six wings, and with two of their wings (the text saith) they covered their faces: So my Brethren, we had need have wings (as it were) to cover our best duties: they had wings, and with two they covered their legs, and with two their faces; we had need, not only of a covering for our lower parts & meaner duties but a covering for our holy duties, to cover our faces, our best duties of all, the most heavenly duties we perform had need be purged by the blood of Christ: in Levit. 16. 16. we reade of their holy things, that there was need of purging them by blood; and so it should be in our holy duties. Let us be humbled for our [Page] best performance that ever we performed in our lives: The best had need be so. But then as for others that have made little or no conscience of sanctifying of Gods Name, how had they need be humbled? Thou hast something more to repent of than thou thoughtest of; for the truth is, Those that have not made conscience of sanctifying of Gods Name in holy Duties, they never in all their lives did any service for the honor of God; thou hast lived perhaps thirty or fourty, it may be sixty years or more, and didst never yet honor God in any one thing that ever thou didst in all thy life.

You will say, God forbid: Have not I prayed, and heard the Word much, and received the Communion often, and yet have I never honored God?

If thou hast not been acquainted with this Mystery of Godliness in sanctifying his Name in these things, this is said from God to thee this morning, That thou hast never done any one action to the honor of God: Thou hadst need begin presently for thy time is not long, And wilt thou go out of this world, and the Name of God never to be honored by thee:

Yea, and further, Thou hast lost all thy duties, all the time hath been lost that thou hast been in performance of duties: now it is an ill thing to idle away time in the things of the world; When a man hath an opportunity for to gain in the world, if so be he loses his time and neglects it, we account it a very sad thing to him; but now to lose our trading-time for Heaven (for the times of the worshiping of God are our trading times for Heaven) that's sad indeed: And yet thou that makest not conscience of sanctifying the Name of God in holy duties, all the time thou hast spent is lost.

And yet further, You that have been false in the performing of duties, and hypocrites, not only all your pains and labor is quite lost (for if that were so it might be well with you) but you have aggravated your sins by your holy Duties. Those Duties that others have enjoyed Communion with God in, and furthered their eternal life by, thou hast aggravated thy sins by them, yet it was thy duty to do them; but I say, by not sanctifying of Gods Name, thou hast aggravated thy sins so much the more. As those that are godly, they work out their salvation, [Page] even in their natural actions they sanctifie Gods Name, in eating and drinking, and following their business: they perform those actions in such a holy manner, as they honor God in them, and further their eternal peace; but as they in their Natural and Civil actions work out their salvation; so thou in the very religiousest actions dost work out thy damnation: Certainly wicked men that are not acquainted with this work of Godliness, to Sanctifie Gods Name in holy duties, they work out their damnation even in the performance of them.

You will say, Then they had better not do them.

Yes, they are bound to do them; but they are bound to do them in a right manner; as sometimes I have given you this instance, and it is a ful and a cleer one, to shew that men are bound to perform holy duties, and not to leave them undone, and yet they may further their own damnation while they are doing of them: As for example, If so be that a Prince should appoint a man to come into his presence such a day to Petition for his life, which he hath forfeited by the Law, If he do not come he may be a dead man: But now, if this man be drunk on that day, and come drunk into the Kings presence, he may be a dead man too, for presuming to come drunk before him: So wicked and ungodly men, whether they worship or worship not, they are in danger to perish. But of this more when we come to shew that God will be sanctified.

In the fourth place, here is an use of Exhortation, That seeing we have this truth thus presented to us, and opened before us; Oh that we had hearts to apply our selves now to it with all our might, to seek to sanctifie the Name of God when we draw nigh to him! The Lord hath shewen thee what it is that he requires of thee; make conscience of it for time to come, thou doest not know what blessed communion thou mayest have with God if thou doest make conscience of this, the truth is, If you have not been acquainted with this, you have not been acquainted with the way of a Christian in his enjoyment of Communion with God, thou doest not know what the comfort of a Christian life means; do but make tryal of this for time to come, and thou wilt find more comfort in the waies of Godliness, and more [Page] thriving in them in one quarter of a yeer than thou hast done before in seven yeers, one Christian that keeps close to God in holy duties, and sanctifies the Name of God in them, (I say) finds more comfort with God, and grows on in godliness more in one quarter of a yeer, than the other doth in seven yeers that goes on in an ordinary, dull, and formal way in the performance of the duties of Worship: Some there are in our time that cry out of duties, And what need we trouble our selves so much? those that know not how to sanctifie Gods Name they think lightly of them; but now do you apply your selves fully (as you are able) to this that I am speaking of, and you will find your selves to be (as it were) in another world, you will be able to say, Well, I have not yet understood what it was to enjoy Communion with God in Prayer, in Word, and in Sacraments before; this will make your faces shine in your conversations if you would do it; and now to that end that you may do it, there are these two or three things that I would propound to you.

1. In the first place, Learn to know God more, with whom you have to do, and present those things that you have heard before you in your meditations, when as you are to come to God in Prayer, or in any other Duty, and when you are Worshiping of God, remember that you have to do with God and none else. You are every time you come to perform holy duties to be as a man or woman separated from all things. Valerius Maximus tels a story of a yong Noble-man that attended upon Alexander while he was sacrificing, this Noble-man held his Censer for Incense, and in the holding of it, there fell a coal upon his flesh and burnt it so, as the very scent of it was in the nostrils of all that were about him, and because he would not disturb Alexander in his service, he resolutely did not stir to put of the fire from him, but holds still his Censer. If Heathens made such ado in their sacrificing to their Idol-gods, that they would mind it so, as no disturbance must be made what ever they endured: What care should we have then of our selves when we come to worship the high God? And so Josephus he reports of the Priests that were sacrificing in the Temple when Pompey brake in to them with armed men, and though they [Page] might have fled and saved their lives, yet they would not leave off their sacrificing, but were slain by the Soldiers: They did so mind it as a matter of great consequence. Oh that we could mind the duties of Gods Worship as matters of great moment, that so we might learn to sanctifie the Name of God in the performance of them more than ever we have done.

2. When thou comest to worship, take heed thou doest not come in thine own strength. For there is more required in sanctifying the Name of God than thy strength is able to carry thee on in, and therefore act thy Faith upon Jesus Christ every time thou comest to worship God, not only as I said before, to tender up thy services in his Name, but act thy faith upon Christ to give thee strength to do what thou hast to do. And what strength thou hast received from Christ be sure to stir it up: many godly men and women have more strength than they know of themselves; and if they would but stir up that strength that they have received, they might sanctifie the Name of God a great deal more than they do. Therfore remember that text before mentioned, None stirs up himself to take hold on God: Quicken up thy heart, and rouze up thy spirit when thou art to worship God.

3. When ever thou art worshiping of God, do not satisfie thy self meerly in the duty done, but consider, Do I sanctifie Gods Name in the duty? Every time thou worshipest him, examine thy heart, whether thou doest it, yea, or no. And if thou findest that thou hast not attained in some comfortable measure to this that hath been presented to thee, let the shame and the sorrow for that abide upon thy spirit until the next time thou comest to worship God; at such a time I have been worshiping of God, and God knows I have been stirring up my heart in some measure; but I find my heart dead, wandring, sluggish, and dull; I say, when thou findest thou canst not do it according to what is required in any comfortable measure, let the shame and sorrow of heart for it abide upon thee till the next time thou comest to worship God, and that will mightily help thee: Thou art now praying, and thou canst not now get up thy heart to what is required; The next time thou comest to prayer, come in the shame and sorrow of thy heart for the want of sanctifying Gods Name the last time: And so for hearing of [Page] the Word, or receiving the Sacraments. And this will further thee mightily for the sanctifying the Name of God in holy duties.

But now that all may be sealed up unto you, and so that we may close the Point, know, That God will be sanctified in those that do draw nigh to Him. And there are these two things in the Point.

First, If we do not sanctifie Gods Name, God will sanctifie his Name in a way of Justice.

Secondly, If we do sanctifie his Name, then he will sanctifie his Name in a way of mercy towards us.

For the first, God will manifest that he is displeased with such duties that thou doest perform, he will manifest it one way or other that he is a holy God, and he doth not accept of such unholy things as thou doest tender up to him; for the truth is, if God should accept of such unholy things from men, God may be said to be like unto themselves. As a man if he doth entertain any as his familiar friend that is naught and wicked, it is his disgrace and dishonor; a man may sometimes imploy in some business those that are naught and wicked, and it may be no disgrace to him, but if he doth entertain one in his house that is wicked, it is a dishonor to him: So God may imploy the most wicked men in the world in some outward services, but if he should accept of them in his Worship, it would be a dishonor to God, and therefore God that he might sanctifie his own Name, he will manifest his displeasure at one time or other against such duties of worship; you that perform worship in a formal manner, and with unclean vile hearts; I say, it stands upon the Honor of God, if he will manifest Himself a holy God, He must manifest some displeasure against that way of thy worshiping of him: This one meditation one would think, should mightily sink into the heart of any man that hath an enlightned conscience, to think thus, It stands upon the holiness of God, And he cannot appear to be a holy God except he doth some way or other appear to be against me in such duties that I tender up unto him.

Now you will say, How doth God appear, that he doth not accept of them? He will appear in these three things:

[Page] 1. First, By blasting those that do worship him thus in a formal way: It shall at first be secret, but afterwards it will appear more apparantly, and we see it by experience, that such as have been Professors of Religion, and worship God in hypocrisie, and in formality, they have been blasted in their parts and common gifts.

The Judgment of God upon Nadab and Abihu that did not Sanctifie Gods Name, it was secret at first; It struck them dead, and though by fire, yet if you reade the story, you shall find that their cloathes were not burnt, and yet they were burnt in their bodies: So the Lord sometimes doth blast men inwardly in their Spirits, in their Souls, in their Parts, in their common Gifts; He blasts them (I say) inwardly though it doth not appear outwardly, yet at length it will appear before men that they are blasted; and in these times of the Gospel the Lord doth come with spiritual judgments rather than with outward temporal judgments. In the time of the Law, those that did not Sanctifie the Name of God in holy duties, the Lord did appear by some external and visible way upon their bodies; but now in the time of the Gospel, there God comes with more spiritual judgments upon mens souls, and those are the most terrible judgments: We have a notable Scripture for this in Isa. 29. 13. How God doth blast those that do not sanctifie his Name in holy duties. Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw neer me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear towards me is taught by the Precepts of men: Mark what follows: Therfore behold I wil proceed to do a marvelous work amongst this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. What do they come and draw neer me with their lips, and their hearts are far from me, and do they worship me in a formal way? I'le take away the wisdom from the wise, and the understanding from the prudent: And that is the reason why so many great Scholers are blasted in their very Parts, because they would worship God according to the precepts of men, in a formal way; and so all Hypocrites, and formal Worshipers, the Lord doth blast them in one way or other; the judgments of God upon the spirits [Page] of men were sometimes in the time of the Law; But in the times of the Gospel there we find generally the judgments of God to be more spiritual upon the hearts and consciences of men; we find it by experience God doth discover that he doth not accept of such as those are; and therefore when you see any that have made profession of Religion, that had excellent Parts at first, many common gifts, and now are as we say, no body; Remember this Text, That God will be sanctified in those that come nigh Him.

Secondly, The Lord doth manifest that he will be sanctified in those that draw nigh him, by awaking their consciences many times upon their sick beds and death beds, the Lord doth force them to give glory to Him, and there to acknowledg that they did not worship God in Uprightness but in Formality. And now they are in horror of conscience and cry out in the anguish of their souls upon the apprehension of the dreadful wrath of God that is upon them: Take heed for the Lords sake of this thing, when you are performing of the duties of Worship, do not rest in the outward duties for they will never comfort you upon your sick and death beds, you may perhaps put off your consciences a little for the present, but when you come upon your sick beds there will be no comfort unto you, and then you will be forced to say, wel, all this while I have but taken the Name of God in vain, and now God hath rejected me and all my services; and you will then speak to those that come about your beds side, and bid them take warning by you: take heed that when you worship God you worship him to purpose, I have spent time in prayer, and hearing; but for want of this I find I have no comfort at all, but the Lord appears to be terrible to my soul and comes out against me as an enemy. I say now Gods Name is sanctified: whatever becomes of thee, he will force glory from thee one way or other, and it may be even here in this time of thy life; but however, at the great day, when the secrets of all hearts must be disclosed before Men and Angles, then the Lord will appear to be a holy God by rejecting all such services that thou didest tender up to him, and it will then be a great part of the work of the day of Judgment for God to be sanctified in those that did worship him; by declaring [Page] before Men and Angels, how did he reject such formal and hypocritical worship that they did tender up unto him, Oh that God would strike this upon your hearts that it may abide upon you every time you come to worship him, to think thus, Let me look to it to sanctifie his Name now, for I hear that God will sanctifie it himself if I do not do it.

But then on the other side, If so be that thou makest conscience of sanctifying Gods Name in duties, then he will sanctifie his Name in a way of Mercy; that is, he will manifest how he doth accept of the least degree of holiness though there be much mixture: God hath a way to take away the mixture by the blood of his Son, and then to accept of any holiness he sees in thee, He will sanctifie his Name by meeting with thee, and revealing his glory to thee when thou art worshiping of him: There is an excellent Scripture for this, Exod. 29. 43. There I will meet with the Children of Israel, and the Tabernacle shall be sanctified by my Glory. Thou that hast a gracious heart, and art worshiping of God in sincerity, thou art as a Tabernacle of God, and God hath his Service and Worship from thee, thou art as the Temple of God, and there will I meet with thee (saith God) and I will sanctifie my Tabernacle by my Glory. God wil sanctifie thy heart by his Glory, if thou dost sanctifie his Name.

Further, Thou shalt (it may be) not alwaies have such glorious comforts, the full beams of the Sun rising upon thee, but at one time or other the Lord will break in upon thee and manifest his Glory to thee, and it's like if thou hast not such full comforts now, yet upon thy sick bed, though God doth not then alwaies manifest himself fully, for sometimes the disease may be a hinderance, yet it is ordinary that those that in their constant way did sanctifie Gods Name in holy duties, they do lie comfortably upon their sick beds, and a glorious entrance is made for them into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

And then again, All things are sanctified unto them: as on the other side, those that do not sanctifie Gods Name, all things are cursed to them, if thou doest not make conscience of sanctifying Gods Name in duties, God cares not to sanctifie any thing for thy good: But now, those that make conscience of [Page] Sanctifying Gods Name in holy duties, the Lord takes care, that all things shall be sanctified for their good, for the surtherance of their eternal good.

And however it be here, yet hereafter at the great day of Judgment it will be a part of the glory of God to manifest before Men and Angels how he did accept of those holy services that thou didst tender up to him; when Hypocrites shall be cast away and abhor'd, and thou who hadst an upright sincere heart shalt be owned before God, and before men and Angels at that great Day: and God shall say, Well, it is a part of the glory of my Holiness to make it appear that I have accepted of these holy things, that these my poor servants have tendered up to me. And this now is of marvelous use for the comforting of a gracious heart: those duties that thou doest now think thou hast lost, and there will nothing come of them, thou shalt certainly hear of them another day, God will make it appear, there is nothing that he stands more upon than the glory of his Holiness; and it is the glory of his Holiness that is thy strength in this thing, and that makes it certain to thee that there must be a manifestation of thy acceptance: and therefore take these Truths into thy heart about sanctifying the Name of God. You have had only the Point in general opened to you: Oh that the Spirit of God would bring things unto your remembrance.

SERMON VIII.

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Leviticus, 10. 3.Stepney, Jan. 4. 1645.‘I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me.’

WEE have (as you may remember) Preached many Sermons upon that Point, Of Sanctifying the Name of God in the Duties of his Worship: We have spoken unto the Point in the General, the last day we finished it. I do not intend to look back to any thing that was said, but we are to proceed to shew how the Name of God should be Sanctified in the Particular Duties of his Worship. Now the Duties of Gods Worship, are especially these Three:

1. The Hearing of the Word.

2. Receiving of the Sacrament.

3. And Prayer.

Other things come under Worship, but yet these are the three chief duties of Worship; and I intend to speak to al these three, and to shew how we should Sanctifie the Name of God in drawing nigh unto him, in the Word, Sacrament, and Prayer.

We might chuse several Texts for all these, but they fall full within the General, and therefore it shall be sufficient, for to ground the Sanctifying of Gods Name in these Duties of Worship upon this Text.

1. Of Sanctifying the Name of God in the Hearing of the Word.

THat which we are to speak to this morning, it is the Sanctifying of the Name of God in the hearing of his Word; If you would have the ground of what we are to say concerning this in a particular Scripture, you may have it in Luke, 8. 18. [Page] take heed therefore how ye hear: It is not enough to come to hear the Word, that is good, and no question but God is pleased with the willingness of people to come to hear his Word, but you must not rest barely in hearing, but take heed how you hear. Now this is a Point of great consequence, and I hope it may do good, to help to make many Sermons to be profitable to you, and the Point (I hope) is seasonable, and will be very sutable unto you: For those that come to hear so soon in a morning, and are willing, even in hard weather, to come out of their beds, they give some good testimony that they do desire to honor God in their hearing, and to get good by their hearing; and 'tis pity that labor and pains should be bestowed, and no profit, but hurt rather got by it, which God forbid. Therefore now I am to speak to a Point that may help you so to hear, as may recompence all your labor and pains in hearing. In preaching to those that come to hear, so that they may get good and benefit by it, there is a great deal more encouragement than to such as come in a formal way because they use to come; therfore this Point being a great Point, I shall open it somewhat largely, and cast into this Method:

First, I shall shew you, That the hearing of Gods Word is a part of the Worship of God; for otherwise I could not ground it upon my text.

Secondly, I shall shew you, How we are to sanctifie Gods Name in the hearing of his Word, either in regard of preparation unto it, or our behavior in hearing of the Word.

Thirdly, Why it is that God will be sanctified in this Ordinance of his.

Fourthly, How God will sanctifie himself in such as do not sanctifie his Name in the hearing of his Word.

Fifthly, How God will sanctifie his Name in waies of mercy to those that are careful to sanctifie his Name in the hearing of the Word.

These are the Five Principal things that concern this Argument.

For the first, That the hearing of Gods Word, it is a part of Gods Worship. You heard in the opening of the Worship of God in the general, what it was; I told you it was, a tendring [Page] up of the creatures homage to God, as testimony of the respect that the creature did owe to God; Now if that be the nature of Worship, certainly the hearing of Gods Word it is a part of the Worship of God: for, in the hearing of Gods Word we,

First, Do profess our dependance upon God for the knowing of his Mind and the way to Eternal Life: Every time we come to hear the Word, if we know what we do, we do thus much, We do profess, that we do depend upon the Lord God for the knowing of his Mind, and the Way and Rule to Eternal Life; we do as much as if we should say, Lord, of our selves we neither know thee, nor the way and means how we should come to be saved, and therfore that we might testifie our dependance upon thee for this thing, we here present our selves before thee. Now this is a Testimony of the high respect we owe to God.

Secondly, The hearing of Gods Word is a part of his Worship, because in it we come to wait upon God in the way of an Ordinance, to have that good conveyed to us by way of an Ordinance beyond what the thing in it self is able to do, and therfore 'tis Worship; I wait upon God when I am hearing the Word (if I know what I do) to have som spiritual good conveied to me beyond what there is in the means it self, this makes it Worship. When I am busied in Natural and Civil actions, there I must profess, that these things can do me no good without God, but I do not wait upon God in an Ordinance for the conveyance of Natural good beyond what God hath put into the Creature, 'tis his blessing with it, that God in the ordinary course of his providence doth convey such Natural or Civil good in the use of those Creatures: But now, when I come to hear his Word, I here come to wait upon God in the way of an Ordinance for the conveyance of some spiritual good that this Ordinance hath not in it self (take it materially) but meerly as it hath an Institution in it, and is appointed by God for the conveyance of such and such things. God doth appoint meat to nourish me, and together with his appointment he hath given a natural power to meat to nourish my body, that in an ordinary course of providence is enough for the nourishment of my body; but now when I come to hear the Word, I [Page] must look upon that not only as a thing appointed to work upon my soul, and to save my soul by, not as a thing that hath any efficacy put into it in a natural way as the other hath; it is not the nature of the thing that carries such a power in it, but it is the Institution of God, and the Ordinance of God in it; Now then, when I come to wait upon God in an Ordinance for the spiritual good that is beyond the vertue of any creature to convey to me, certainly I worship God, that is a speciall part of worship to wait upon God in this way; Therefore in these two respects, the hearing of Gods Word it is a part of the Worship of God, and I beseech you remember these two things every time you come to hear. I come now to give a Testimony that I am not able to understand God and the way to eternal life of my self, but I do depend upon God for the knowledg of it. And here I come to wait upon God for the conveyance of that good to my soul that is not in the power of any creature to convey: Now I worship when I do these.

But further (you shall find it more plain when we come to open how we should sanctifie Gods Name in the hearing of His Word) This is Divine Service, as much as any service can be performed. Heretofore our Prelates and those kind of men, made all the Worship of God to be in their Divine Service (as they call'd it) which was of their own inventions, and made light of the preaching or hearing of the Word, but the Word is a great part of that Divine Service that God requires of us in His Worship, and in it you do tender up your homage to God; You therefore must not only when you come to hear, think, I come to get something, I come to understand more than I did, and to hear such a mans parts, and the like, but remember you come to tender up your homage to God, to sit at Gods feet and there to profess your subjection to Him: That is one end of your coming to hear Sermons.

Now then you will say, What should be done in the hearing Gods Word, so as Gods Name may be Sanctified?

For that, as we opened in the general, That in the duties of Gods Worship, there must be preparation, and then an answerable behavior of the soul. So here, there must first be a preparation of the soul to this work, and then an answerable behavior of the soul in it.

[Page] 1. There must be a preparation of the Soul, so as when you come to hear, you may with all readiness receive the Word: The soul must be made ready, in Act. 17. 11. there it is said, These were more noble than those of Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind: The word is, with all Alacrity as well as readiness; their minds were in a fit preparation to receive the Word: and the text saith, They were more noble: The word that is translated more noble, it signifies better bred; for I do not take this Scripture as if it were meant only of men that were Earls, or Lords, that did thus receive the Word with readiness, but they were of a more Noble disposition, they were well bred men, so the Greek word signifies. A man sometimes preaching to a company of rude people, that never had any good breeding, they will behave themselves rudely, they slight the Word, and like the Swine regard Acorns rather than Pearls: And the Word is seldom so profitable to a company of rude people that have no breeding at all; but now, there is more hopes to preach to men that have breeding; Men that are exercised in Arts and Sciences, and have some understanding, and some ingenuity in them, they will hearken to reason. Now there is a great deal of spiritual reason in the Word, there is a great deal to convince men that are but rational men; Let a man be but a rational man, and willing to attend to the Word, I say, there is a great deal of reason to convince him in it, and it is a sign of good breeding, of men of ingenuity, to be willing to hear the Word; Who are those in a Parish that so disregard the Word as not to hear it, but the ruder sort? There are many, I confess, that are men of parts, perhaps the Word doth not so prevail with their hearts as to convert them, yet if they have any good breeding at all, if the Word be preached in a convincing way, so that they see there is a pains taken, and preached as the Word of God to them, they will vouchsafe their presence at least; but the rude multitude that know nothing at all, they had rather be in Alehouses drinking and swilling, they never care to hear the Word; As in such a place as this, There are very few of your miserable poor people that come to hear the Word: What place is there fuller of miserable poor people than this place is? and yet what a poor appearance is there of such people at the hearing of the [Page] Word? But now those that have any ingenuity in them at all, or any breeding (for so the word is) they will receive the Word with readiness: But this breeding here spoken of, was a little higher than natural breeding; They were spiritually Noble, and so they had a readiness in their hearts in receiving the Word. Now this readiness of heart in receiving the Word consists in these particulars:

First, When you come to hear the Word, if you would sanctifie Gods Name, you must possess your souls with what it is that you are going to hear, That what you are to hear is the Word of God, That it is not the speaking of a man that you are going to attend upon, but that you are now going to attend upon God, and to hear the Word of the Eternal God. Possess your souls with this, you will never sanctifie Gods Name else, in the hearing of his Word; therefore you find that the Apostle writing to the Thessalonians, he gives them the reason why the Word did them so much good as it did: It was because they did hear it as the Word of God, 1 Thes. 2. 13. For this cause also (saith he) thank we God without ceasing, because when ye received the Word of God, which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but (as it is in truth) the Word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that beleeve. Mark, so it came effectually to work, because they received it as the Word of God; many times you will say, Come, let us go hear such a man preach; Oh no, let us go hear Christ preach, for as it doth concern the Ministers of God that they preach not themselves, but that Christ should preach in them: So it concerns you that hear, not to come to hear this man, or that man, but to come to hear Jesus Christ. We as the Ambassadors of Christ do beseech you, saith the Apostle.

2. Possess your hearts likewise with this Consideration, That I come to hear the Word as an Ordinance appointed by God to convey Spiritual good to my soul, and this is a very useful consideration, and especially it concerns men of understanding and parts for the helping of them to hear. For men that are of understanding and parts, when they come to hear, this temptation is ready to come upon them, that except they hear some new thing that they did not understand before, wherefore [Page] should they come? I am able to understand as much in such a point as can be said: And when I have come and heard many times, I have heard but that I knew before, and upon that they think there is no use of coming to hear: Now this is a great mistake; when you come to hear the Word, you do not come alwaies to hear what you did not know, it may be sometimes God may dart in something that you did not think of before, or so fully understand; but suppose it be not so, you are to come to it as an Ordinance of God, for the conveyance of spiritual good to your souls.

You will say, Cannot we sit at home and reade a Sermon?

But hath God appointed that the great Ordinance for the converting and the edifying of souls in the way to eternal life? True, there is some use of it; but the great Ordinance is the Preaching of the Word, Faith comes by hearing (the Scripture saith) and never by reading; So that though when you come to hear, you do not hear that which you heard not before, yet you come to attend upon this Ordinance for the conveyance of some spiritual good that (it may be) hath not been conveyed before, or in a further degree than it hath been conveyed before: and so you should come to hear the Word with your hearts possest with that meditation, That it is the Word of God, and the great Ordinance that God hath appointed for the conveyance of spiritual good; so that I come now in obedience to God, and in this I do testifie my respect to God, that I wil attend upon this Ordinance of His for the conveyance of spiritual good to me, and although I may think that this or the other means may do the deed as well, yet because God hath appointed this to be his Ordinance, therefore in obedience to him I will attend upon this means rather than upon other means: as you know Naaman he thought the other waters would have been as good as the waters of Jordan to have healed him, but if God will appoint him the waters of Jordan, that they should heal him rather than other waters, he must wash there: No question but other waters had as much natural vertue in them as they had, but because the waters of Jordan were the Ordinance that God for that time had appointed to cure his Leprosie withal, he must come and wash in those waters rather than in any other: [Page] So, because preaching of the Word is the great Ordinance that God hath appointed to convey himself by, therefore he doth require that thou shouldest shew thy respect to him, so far as to attend upon him in this Ordinance.

The Second thing that is to be done in way of preparation, it is, To plow up the fallow ground of your hearts, and not to sow amongst thorns; as you have it in Jer. 4. 3. and so in Hosea. 10. The Word of God (you know) is compared to seed, in that Parable of Christ, in Mat, 13. And an Auditory is compared to the ground: I suppose you are al acquainted with that Parable of the sower, that it is to set out the Ministry of the Word, and what fruit it hath upon the hearts of men; a Congregation is like the field, and a Minister preaching is like the Sower that sows the seed in the field; he knows not which Truth, whether that or the other will prosper; the seed being sowed, in some part of the ground is lost, and in another part it grows: so in one Pew the seed of the Word is lost, in another Pew it grows up. But now, if people that are compared to the ground, would so hear the Word, as Gods Name may de sanctified in it, their hearts must be plowed; as if one should sow seed upon green soil, saw it in the fields upon green grass, What would become of it? The ground must first be plowed for the preparation of the seed.

But you will say, What is the meaning of the plowing of our hearts for the preparation of the Word?

The meaning is nothing else but this, The work of humiliation, the humbling of the soul before the Lord when it doth come to hear Gods Word.

Humble it in these two regards.

First, Be humbled for your Ignorance, that you know so little of Gods Mind as you do.

Secondly, Be humbled for all the sinfulness of your hearts, be sensible of the sinfulness and wretchedness of your hearts, and the miserable condition that you are in; if you can get your hearts broken with the sence of your sin and misery, and come so to hear the Word, it is very like the Word may be of mighty use, and Gods Name may be very much sanctified in your hearing of the Word.

[Page] You will say, Must we plow up our hearts before we come to hear? It must be the Word that must plow us, the Word is the Plow, and so the Ministers of God are compared to Plowmen in the Word, He that puts his hand to the Plow and looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of Heaven.

It is true, it cannot be expected that the heart should be throughly plowed as it ought but by the Word, therefore at the first coming to hear there is not hope that men will sanctifie Gods Name till the Word gets into plow them, and so by getting at one time into their hearts they come to be prepared for hearing at another time. And yet somewhat may be done before, by that natural knowledg that men have they may come to know themselves to be sinners, and come to understand themselves to be very weak and ignorant by some knowledg that they may have by the works of God, and by conference with others, and by reading and the like, and so they may in some measure come to have their hearts to be humble. And it is good to make use of these to humble the heart: but now, You that have heard the Word often, and yet have not sanctified Gods Name, there be Truths that you have heard heretofore, that if you had made use of in private to have plowed up your hearts, they would have prepared your hearts for the next time in hearing of the Word, If therefore you would hear the word with a great deal more profit than formerly, your hearts must be plowed by humiliation,

Secondly, The heart must be plowed, by laboring to get out those throns that are in the heart, those lusts that grow deep in the heart as throns grow in the ground: labor to pluck them out, that is, when thou comest to hear the word get thy heart into that frame, as to be willing to profess against every known sin that thou hast found in thy heart, labor to find out those lusts that are in thy heart, and then profess against them, that thou art willing to have them to be rooted out of thy heart: if men and women would but do thus when they come to hear, that God might see this in them, that they have before they come profest against every known sin, This would be an excellent thing indeed.

3. Again in the third place, which will follow from hence, [Page] When thou comest to hear the Word, come with resolution to yeeld to what ever God shall reveal to be his Mind, I am now going to hear thy Word O Lord, to wait upon thee, to know what thou hast to say to me; and thou that art the searcher 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 which I know not, teach thou me; and if I have done iniquity, I will do no more. In Isa. 2. 3. you have a Prophsie 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's a blessed disposition when you come to hear the Word. Some of you come together in streets and lanes, 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 Lord's 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 what ever 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.

Fourthly, When you come to hear the Word, come with longing desires after the Word, come with an appitite to it: As in 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word, that you 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 therby. That were excellent, if every Lords day, and at other daies you [Page] did come as hungry to the Word, as ever you went to your dinner or supper, the Word of God should be unto you more than your appointed food, and then you are like to grow by it, and to sanctifie Gods Name in it.

Fifthly, Pray beforehand, 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 exspect more good from, than what it self of its 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 self, it is not able to reach to such effects as I exspect; that is, To have my heart spoken too, and quickned, and to have mine eyes opened; But O Lord, open mine eyes, and open mine heart; Lord, my heart naturally is lockt up against thy Word, there are such wards in my heart, that except thou are 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 word, to resolve every doubt, to silence every objection; but Lord, thou canst do it: Do thou Lord therefore [...]it 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 wouldst but fit it, and turn it with thine own hand, my heart would open. Oh! come with such a praying heart to the Word, and thereby shalt thou sanctifie the Name of God in hearing his Word: This is to come to the Word, as to the Word of God, You must not come to the hearing of the Word as to hear a Speech, or an Oration, but come in such a preparation as this is: and so (I say) God will be glorified, and you shall be profited.

The next thing is, What should be the behavior of the soul in the sanctifying Gods Name in the Word when it is come. Now to that there are these Particulars:

First, There must be a careful 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 [Page] among you this day, which you shall command your children to observe to do; for it is not a vain thing for you, because it is your life. Set your hearts to it, for it is not a vain thing, it is your life: when you come to hear the Word, give diligent attention to what you hear. In Act. 8. 6. it is said The people with one accord gave heed unto those 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 leaven 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 must 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 heed to the Word. So in Prov. 2. 1, 2. My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandements with thee, so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom. We must diligently attend, and not 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 inferior to most of you, that speaks; yet know, in him it is the Lord of Heaven and Earth that speaks to you. And so you know what Christ saith, He that heareth you, heareth me: So, though you would not attend in respect of the Messenger so much, yet as it is the Son of God that is speaking to you, it may challenge your attention. This day if you should hear a voice out of the Clouds from Heaven speaking to you, would you not then listen? The truth is, we should listen as much to the voice of God in the Ministry of his Word, as if so be that the Lord should speak out of the Clouds to us. And I will give you a Scripture for that, that the voyce of God in his Word should be as much regarded of you, as if God should speak from Heaven to you by an audible voice out of the Clouds. In 2 Pet. 1. 18, 19. This voice which came from Heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy Mount. But mark, in vers. 19. We have also a more sure Word of [Page] Prophesie, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed. Mark, We heard a voice from Heaven, saith Peter; yea, but we have a more sure word of Prophesie, whereunto you do wel that ye take heed. There was a voice from Heaven spake. You will say, If we had heard that voice, we would have given heed to that. Saith the Apostle, You have a more sure Word of Prophesie. Now Prophesie in Scripture is taken for Preaching; Despise not Prophesie: As if the holy Ghost should say, You must have regard to the word of Prophesie as you would have regard to any voice from Heaven; Suppose an Angel should come and speak to you, Would not you attend to him? then whatsoever thoughts you had, they would be taken off, for there is an Angel that is come down from Heaven to speak: Now mark what is said in Heb. 1. 1. God who at sundry times, and in divers manners spake in times past to the fathers by the Prophets, hath in these last daies spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds. And then in vers. 3. he describes his Son, And being made so much better than the Angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they: If a Prophet should come and speak, that is not so much as if the Son of God comes, no, nor as if an Angel should come, for Jesus Christ hath obtained a more excellent Name than the Angels, & it is Christ that is the Ministry of his Word, He that heareth you, heareth me.

Secondly, That which would cause attention, is the greatness of the matter propounded: It's true, if a man should speak of some slight and vain things, there need not so much attention. My brethern, the matters in the Word are the great Things of God, it is the Voice of God, the great Mysteries of Godliness, those deep things that the Angels themselves desire to pry into; yea, the Angels themselves by the Churches they come to have the knowledge of the Mysteries of God. I make no question but in the Ministery of the Word among the Churches, the Angels they attend and come to some knowledge in the Mysteries of Godliness; for so the Scripture saith, That they have it by the Churches, there the greatest things of Gods Will, the greatest Counsels of God that were kept hid from all eternity, are opened to you in the Ministry of the Word: We do not come to tel you tales, and the conceits of men, but to open the great Counsels [Page] of God, wherein the depth of the Wisdom of God comes to be revealed to the children of men, and therefore this cals for attention.

Thirdly, Suppose they be great things, yet if they do not so much concern us, there is no such great reason of attention; Therefore in the Third place, that which we speak, it is Your Life it is that concerns your Souls and Eternal estates: Your Souls and Everlasting Estates do lie upon the Ministry of the Word; if that be made effectual to you, you are saved: if that be not made effectual to you, you are damned and undone for ever. If we should come to tel you of something whereby you might get some good bargain, or of a way how to get great riches, I make no question but you would rise though it were a cold or rainy morning: But know, when you are called to hear the Word, you are called to hear that which may do you good for ever, that for which you may bless God for to all eternity with the Angels and Saints in the highest Heavens; If they be such things of so great concernment, then there had need be great attention: You know what Christ said to Martha when she was troubled about his entertainment, Luke 10. 41. Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things, but one thing is needful; and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her. What did Mary choose? It was this, That she did diligently attend upon Jesus Christ to hear the Word from his own mouth, when Martha was busied in the house to provide for his entertainment; but it is a better thing to attend upon the Word than to entertain Christ in your houses: You that are of loving dispositions, that if a good Minister shall come to your houses, or a good Christian, that you see but the Image of Christ in, your hearts spring within you, and you will do any thing to entertain them: Well but what if Jesus Christ should come, if you knew that such a man that came within your doors were the Son of God, how would you bestir your selves to entertain him? But know, it is a more acceptable service to Jesus Christ to attend upon his Word, than to provide for him in your houses: And there is great reason too that we should be diligent in drawing nigh to the Word, and give ear unto it; because you find that the Lord doth express [Page] himself in the Scripture, how he gives ear to us when we speak to him. God is said to encline His ear, sometimes to open His ear, sometimes to bow His ear, sometimes to cause His ear to hear, and divers such expressions there are to that purpose. Now if God when we that are poor wretches speak to Him, shall bow His ear, bend His ear, open His ear, cause His ear to hear, much more should we when we come to attend upon Him.

2. Secondly as there must be attending to the Word of God, so there must be an opening of the heart to receive what God speaks to you; it is true, it is the work of God to open the heart, but God works upon men as upon rational creatures, and He makes you to be active in opening your hearts, so that when you have any truth come to be revealed, you should open your understandings, your conscience, and will, and affections, Oh Lord, thy truth which thou art presenting here to my soul at this time, let it come in, let me receive it, as the expression is in Prov. 2. 1. My Son, if thou wilt receive my words, and then in ver. 10. When wisdom entereth into thy heart: The words of wisdom, the Words of God, they must enter into the heart, get in; it may be they get into thy ear, but that's not enough, they must get into thy heart in Job. 8. 37. There Christ complains that His Word had no place in them; that's a sad thing when the Word of God shall have no place in the heart. If a temptation to sin comes, that hath a place in the heart; but when the Word comes, that hath no place in the heart; I say, it is a very sad thing that we can find no room for the Word; we should get room for the Word, Open ye gates, Stand open ye everlasting doors, that the King of Glory may come in: Know that when you come to hear the Word, the Lord is knocking at the doors of your hearts; have not you felt it sometimes? Open, O open the doors, let all be opened to receive the Word into your hearts. That is the second thing for the behavior of the soul in hearing.

3. The third thing is The careful applying of the word, so in Prov. 2. 2. There must be an applying of the heart to the word, and an applying of the word unto the heart. All action is by an application of the thing that doth act unto the subject, there must be an application of the word to thy soul, as now, [Page] suppose thou comest to hear the Word, and thou hearest of some sin that it may be thou knowest thou art guilty of, take the Word, and lay it to thy heart and say, The Lord hath met with my soul this day, the Lord hath spoken to me, to the end that I might be humbled for this sin, and the other sin that my conscience tells me I am guilty of: So, doth the Lord put thee upon a duty that concerns thee; acknowledge this, the Lord hath spoken to me this day, and put me upon the reformation of my family, and the reformation of mine own heart. Is there a word presented? apply that, and let not the trouble of thy heart cause thee to cast off that word that God hath spoken to thee: The application of the word to thy heart is of mervelous use, and it concerns not only Ministers in general, to lay before people the doctrin of the Gospel, but to apply it; And know, that it concerns you as well as Ministers to apply it; And not only when they come to that that is called Use, but all the way in the opening of the word, it concerns you all to apply it to your own souls, and to consider how doth it concern me in particular? My brethren, there is no such way to honor God, or get good to your own souls, as the application of the word unto your selves. As a man that is asleep, if there be a noise made it will not awake him so soon, but come and call him by his name (and say, John, or Thomas,) and that will awake him sooner than a greater noise will: So, when the word makes a noise when it is delivered only in the general, men take little notice of it; but when the word comes particularly to the souls of men, and doth (as it were) call them by name, this awakens them: Now, God many times doth speak to your hearts, but you should apply it; you know the word is compared to meat, and it must be applied to the body, Then do we worship God in a right way when as we take notice of Gods word, as concerning us in particular; as that notable Scripture that you have in 1 Cor. 14. 25. Where there come a poor man into the Church of God, and hears Prophesying, hears the word opened and the text saith, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all; and then in vers. 25. Thus are the secrets of his heart manifest, and so falling down on his face he worships God, and reports that God is in you of a truth: That is, when the word comes [Page] and meets with his soul in particular, that he finds himself to be aim'd at by the Word, then he worships God, and saith that God certainly is in them. Here's the reason now that when you come to hear the Word, you do not worship God because you apply it not to your selves, you are ready to say, This was well spoken to such a one, and it concerns such a one, but how doth it concern thy soul in particular? Sometimes the Lord doth even force men and women to apply it whether they will or no, for that they think the Minister speaks to them in partiticular, and that no body was spoken too in the Congregation but themselves; This is a mercy when the Lord doth it unto you; but it is a greater mercy when the Lord gives you a heart to apply to your selves, and although it may trouble you a little for the present, yet be willing to apply it, and account it a great mercy from the Lord, That the Lord will be pleased to speak in particular to your souls.

4. Fourthly, We must mix Faith with the Word, or otherwise it will do us but little good; Apply it and then beleeve it. In Heb. 4. 2. it is said, that The Word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with Faith in them that heard it. Wherefore there must be a mixture of Faith, to beleeve the Word that the Lord brings unto you. Now concerning that I'le but propound these few particulars;

You will say, Must we beleeve every thing that is spoken? sometimes there are some things spoken that we cannot tell how to beleeve?

I do not mean so, to beleeve every thing meerly being spoken, for you must take heed what you hear, as well as how you hear; but do thus much at least.

1. In the first place, Whatsoever comes in the Name of God to you, (except you know certainly it is not according to the written Word) you owe so much respect to it, as to examin it, at least to try it whether it be so or no, as it is said of those Wellbred men that I spake of, that they did examin whether things were so or no. Do not cast off any thing presently that comes in the Name of God: Now any thing that hath the broad Seal upon it, you must not disobey: You will say, It may be counterfeit: but do not disobey it till you be sure it be counterfeit. [Page] Oh that men would give but this respect to all things that they hear, never to cast them off till they have examined and tried whether they be so or no.

2. Secondly, Do but grant this respect to the Word that is spoken to you, as to think thus, What if all that I hear spoken against my sin, which laies open the dangerous condition that my soul is in, prove to be true, what a case were I in then? This hath been the beginning of the conversion of many souls, the having but such a thought as this, It may be things are not so terrible as I hear, but what if they do prove so? then I am undone for ever. Dare I venture my soul and my eternal estate upon hopes that these things are not so bad as I hear? I beleeve if you would put your selves to it, you would think it a bold adventure, and the comfort that any of you have grounded upon this, meerly hoping that things are not so bad as you hear; it is a cursed comfort that hath no sure bottom: 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 doom; 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 infinit Ocean of Eternity before you, what would you say then? were the Word true yea, or no? would you give belief unto the suggestions of the Devil then? We find it by exprience, 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 [Page] 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 suffice: 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. Stepney Jan. 11. 1645.’

THE next thing for the right behavior of the soul for sanctifying Gods Name is this, We must receive the Word with meekness 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 able to save your souls. Receive with meekness; The former part of this Scripture I confess concerns somewhat 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 meeknes: the ingrafted Word which is able to save your souls. Let there be a quietness in your spirits in attending upon the Word, no hurrying: There is a twofold distemper of passion in many people that is a great hindrance to the profit of the Word, and sanctifying Gods Name in hearing it.

1. The first is a distemper of passion in those that have some trouble of concience in them, they are troubled for their sin, and their spirits are in a discontented froward humor because they have not that comfort that they do desire, and therefore the Word of God when it come to be preached to them, if it doth not every way sute with their hearts, and if they do not find present comfort by it, their spirits are in a distemper and [Page] 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 meekness 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 evil, 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 dreadful thing to have the heart rise against the Word. As we reade of that froward Prince Jehoiakim in the Prophesie of Jeremiah, that when the Roll was read in his hearing, (sitting in the winter time by a great fire) he took a penknife and cut it in pieces and threw it into the fire in anger: and I have read that the Jews kept a Fast every yeer to mourn for that great sin, and yet this Jehoiakim was the son of Josiah whose heart did melt at the hearing of the Word, he had an humble and meek heart when the Law was read, and yet see what a different spirit Jehoiakim had either from his Father or Grand-Father. It is a great dishonor to the Name of God for men to give liberty to their passions to rise against the Word; take heed of passion either while you are hearing the Word, or after the Word; as many of you while you are discontented with what is said, when you come in company, what a fury are many men in upon the hearing of some things in the Word that comes close to their hearts; Remember when you are hearing [Page] of the Word, that it is that which is above you, and it is not fit for one that is an inferior to shew himself passionate in the presence of a Superior: It is true, the Ministers they may be in as low a condition as you, and in a lower; but the Word they speak, it is above all the Princes and Monarchs upon the face of the Earth; and it is fit therefore, we having to deal with God, that we should behave our selves in a meek disposition.

6. The next thing for the sanctifying Gods Name in the hearing of the Word, is this, We must hear it with a trembling heart, with fear as well as meekness, and for that you have that famous Scripture, in Isa. 66. beginning, Thus saith the Lord, The Heaven is my Throne, and the earth is my Foot-stool, where is the house that the build unto me, and where is the place of my rest? For all those things hath my hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord; but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my Word. This is a most admirable Scripture: Mark how God lifts up himself in his Glory, so great a God, as the Heaven is my Throne, and the Earth is my Foot-stool, where is that house that ye will build unto me? But then may a poor soul say, How shall I be able to stand before this God that is so glorious? Saith God, Be not discouraged poor soul who doest tremble at my Word, for I look to you. And then this is a further thing observable, That God hath a regard to that soul that trembles at this Word, rather than to any that should build the most sumptuous buildings in the world for him; for saith God here, The Heaven is my Throne, and the Earth is my Foot-stool, where is the house that ye build unto me, and where is the place of my rest? They have built a glorious Temple to God, but what do I regard that saith God? I regard one that trembls at my Word more than that great house that you have built unto me. It is a notable Scripture to shew what a high respect God hath to one that trembles at his Word, he regards them more than this glorious Temple that was built unto him; If you were able to build such a place as this was for the service of God, you would think it a great matter, it is not so much regarded as if you could bring a trembling heart to Gods Word, that's a special thing wherein the sanctifying [Page] of the Name of God consists, when we come to see the dreadful Authority that there is in the Word of God, when we are able to see more Glory of God in his Word than in all the works of God besides, for there is more of his Glory in the Word than there is in the whol Creation of Heaven and Earth, take the Sun, and Moon, and Stars: you that are Marriners, you have seen much of the Glory of God abroad, that one would think might strike terror into all your hearts, but know, That there is more of the dreadfulness of Gods Name in his Word than in all his Works; In Psal. 138. 2. Thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name; the Word it is magnified above all the Name of God whatsoever, and it is a very good sign of a spiritual enlightened soul that can see the Name of God more magnified in his Word than in al his Works besides; I appeal unto your consciences in this thing, Have you ever seen the Name of God to be more magnified in his Word than in all his Works; I may with very good confidence affirm this, That there is no godly soul upon the face of the Earth, that hath the weakest degree of grace, but hath seen more of the glory of God revealed in his Word, than he hath seen in all the VVorks of God besides, and his heart hath been more taken with it, It requires therefore a trembling frame of heart when we hear it.

And then further, When this is considered that the word is that which bindeth the soul over, either to life or death, mens eternal estates are to be cast by the word, certainly then it requires a trembling heart to hear that by which the eternal estate of man is to be cast, we do not sanctifie Gods Name when we come to hear the word, except we come with trembling hearts, and they are the most likely of all men and women to understand the mind of God; as for such as come with conceited spirits that they understand as much before they come, and think their reach of wit or capacity is beyond the capacity of any that shall open the word unto them (yet that were not so much if it did but only rest upon the man, and not reflect upon the word it self.) Now these that are rich in their own thoughts and understandings are sent empty away, but those that come with trembling hearts to the word, they are the men that are like to understand Gods Counsels revealed in his word. In [Page] Ezra. 10. 2, 3. Shechaniah the Son of Jehiel one of the Sons of Elam answered and said unto Ezra, We have transgressed against our God & have taken strang wives &c. Yet now there is hope ni Israel concerning this thing, now therefore let us make a Covenant with our God according to the counsel of my Lord, and of those that tremble at the Commandement of our God; So that those that tremble at Gods Word and such as are fittest to counsel, they understand most of Gods mind; and that's another particular of the behavior of the soul in sanctifying Gods Name in hearing His Word.

7. The next is a humble subjection to the Word that we hear, our hearts must bow to it, must lie under the Word that we hear, it is a very remarkable Scripture that we have in 2 Chron. 36. 12. There it is said concerning a great King, Zedekiah, He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the Prophet, speaking from the mouth of the Lord. It is a very strange expression as any we have in the Book of God, that Zedekiah a great King should be charged with this as a great sin, that he did not humble himself, Humble himself, before whom you will say? We are bound to humble our selves before God, but here it is that he did not humble himself before Jeremiah the Prophet; Why before the Prophet? Because he spake from the mouth of the Lord. If it be any messenger that speaks from the mouth of the Lord, God expects that we should humble our selves, so that if any truth comes to be delivered unto you, the Lord expects that you should fall down and yeild obedience to it, whatsoever your thoughts, your judgments, your opinions have heretofore been, if there come any thing in the Word against it you must submit your judgments, submit your very consciences, you must submit your wills, whatsoever your hearts have been set upon, though it hath been never so contentful to your spirits before, yet now submit, and yeild though it go never so cross unto your minds, your wills, your ends, yet all must be submitted, and laid down flat before the Word, so as to be willing to deny your selves of any thing in the world. When a man or woman can say thus, Lord it is true, I confess before I heard thy word opened in the evidence and demonstration or the Spirit unto me, I was of such a mind, and my heart went after such and such contentments, [Page] and I thought it was impossible that ever my heart should be taken from them but O Lord thou hast been pleased plainly to shew to me by the opening of thy Word in the evidence of thy Spirit, what thy mind is; Now whatsoever becomes of my name, of my comforts, of my contentments in this world, Lord, here I cast down al before thee, I submit unto thy Word; this is a gracious frame. Now is the Name of God extol'd, and lifted up in hearing of the Word, the Name of God is sanctified in such a word of spirit as this is. I have read of a German Divine writing to Oecolampadius another famous German Divine, he hath this expression, Oh let the Word of God come, and though we had 600 necks we would all submit them unto the Word of God saith he. So it should be the temper of such as hear the Word and desire to sanctifie Gods Name in it, let the Word of God come this morning, let God speak and we will submit had we 600. necks, we will submit all we are, or have, to this Word of the Lord, it is the Word of God, that we are willing should triumph over us: To have a Congregation to lie down under the Word of God that is preached to them is a most excellent thing, and Gods Name is much sanctified; we do not brethren desire you should lie under us▪ we are not only willing, but we are very desirous that you would examin what we speak to you, whether it be according to the Word of God or no. But look to it, that if we do speak to you that which is the Word from the mouth of the Lord know then that God expects that you should submit your estates, your souls, your bodies, all that you are and have to this Word, and that is another particular in the sanctifying of the Name of God in hearing the Word; there must be an humble submission of the soul unto it.

8. Another particular, wherein the behavior, of the soul for the sanctifying of Gods Name consists is this, the Word it must be received with love, and with joy, it is not enough for you to be convinc'd of the authority of it, and to think thus, well I must yield to it, this is the Word of God and if I do not yield to it I must expect the plagues and judgments of God to follow it: that is not enough, but you most yield to it with love, and with joy; except you receive the Word with love [Page] and with joy it is not sanctified; you do not sanctifie Gods Name, nor is it sanctified unto you. You must receive the Word, not only as the true Word of the Lord, but as the good Word of the Lord. In Thess. 2. 10. we find it to be the cause of mens being given over to a spirit of delusion, because they received not the Word of God in love: It is spoken of Antichrist, that at his coming, he shall come with all deceivableness, and he shal prevail with them that perish: Who are they? They that receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved. It is not enough my Brethren, to receive the truth that we might be saved, but we must receive the love of the truth if ever we would be saved: Good is the Word of the Lord to my soul. And we must receive it with joy too as well as with love; Prov. 2. 10. When wisdom entereth into thy heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; then discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee, &c. That is a great matter, when the Word reveals some truth to thy understanding, and thou canst so receive it as it should be pleasant to thy soul, that thy soul rejoyces in it; it is a good Word it is that which doth me good at the heart: When a people can hear the Word, and the Word coming near unto them they can say, This Word doth me good at the heart, it is pleasant to my soul; that is excellent. In Act. 2. 41 the godly are described, (those that did receive the Word, so as to sanctifie Gods Name in it) by this, That they gladly received the Word, and were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. There were three thousand in one day that did gladly receive the Word: What an Auditory had Peter at this time! Then the Word it did them good, when they gladly received it.

Quest. But it may be said, W [...] reade in Matth. 13. of the stony ground, the hearers that were not good and did not profit by the Word so as to be saved, yet they received the Word with joy. And Herod, it is said of him, That be heard John Baptist gladly. It seems then that it is not enough to receive it with gladness?

Answ. To that I Answer, First, There must be that which Hypocrites may have, if there be want of that, we cannot sanctifie Gods Name. But you will say, We must go further, or else Gods Name is not sanctified. That I confess: Therefore when I speak of gladness and joy, know, that I mean another kind of [Page] joy than the stony ground had; and so certainly the pleasantness that is spoken of in Prov. which I mentioned before; And the gladness that the three thousand did receive the Word withal, is different from the gladness of the stony ground. If you ask me, wherein it differs? I would answer, it differs thus The gladness of an Hypocrite in receiving Gods Word, it ariseth either from the novelty of it, because it is a new thing, and he gets new notions that he had not before; or else he is joyful from some other carnal excellencies that he finds going together with the Word, some Esteem, or Honor that he shall get by it, some selvishness there is that makes his heart to be glad, for there is a great deal of natural and carnal excellency that goes along many times with the Word. But now this gladness that is spoken of in the Acts, and in the Proverbs, it is the gladness that ariseth from the apprehension of the Spiritual excellencies that there is in the Word, as that it is that Word that reveals God and Christ to my soul; that word that comes neerest to my soul, to the mortifying of my lusts, and the Sanctifying of my heart: This is that which makes me rejoyce in the Word, the holiness and the Spiritual excellency that I see to be in the Word: Thy Word is pure (saith David) and therefore doth thy servant love it, and rejoyce in it. This no Hypocrite can say; I see the Image of God in his Word, I see the very glass of Gods holiness in the word, I feel that in the word that may bring my soul to God, wherein my soul enjoys communion with God, and Jesus Christ, and it is this that glads my soul. If we receive the word with joy thus, we shall come to sanctifie the Name of God in hearing of it. And that's the Eighth Particular.

9. The Ninth Particular is this, If we would sanctifie the Name of God in his word, We must receive the Word into honest hearts. This you have in Luke 8. 15. the parable of the Sower; you shall find there, that there are divers grounds that do receive the Seed; and by those divers grounds are meant divers sorts of hearers: There is first the high-way ground, that is, Such as hear the word, and never regard what they hear, and assoon as ever they go out of the Congregation, the seed of the word is quite gone, and is as if they had not heard at all. And [Page] then there is the stony ground, and the thorny ground, that is, those that hear with joy (as was spoken of before) but the cares of the world choak the seed of the Word; as soon as ever they are gone, they are upon their worldly business, and their thoughts and hearts runs that way. But then there is the good ground, that is, Those that receive the Seed of the Word into a good and honest heart; a good and an honest heart they are both ioyned together: By a good heart is meant, a heart that hath no malice in it, a heart that doth desire to empty it self of every thing that is against the Word, and which is not sutable to the spiritualness of the Word: A heart (I say) that entertains nothing in it that any way makes against the Word, A good heart is a heart (which as the Apostle saith in Jam. 1. 21. and that place may very well come in here to be opened) is clensed from all silthiness and superfluity of naughtiness. The Word that is there translated silthiness. it signifies Excrements: that which is unclean, that which comes from the body, such is the sinfulness of your hearts; you come to hear the Word, if it be with evil hearts you mingle that very filthiness which is as vile before God as excrements are, And superfluity of naughtiness; by that I take is meant, as if the holy Ghost should say, Do not think it enough for to purge away filthiness, that is, notorious stinking evils, abominable sins, that you do not come with such filthy vile hearts, but whatsoever there is in your heart that is any way against the Word of Grace, it is a superfluity of naughtiness, all kind of evil thoughts, and evil affections that are more than needs. Look into your hearts and affections, and see whatsoever you find there that is more than ought to be, running out unto any thing that they should not, labor to purge out that saith he, do not satisfie your selves in any kind of evil whatsoever: it may be you are clensed from the notorious evils of the world: but if there remains any naughtiness, any kind of drossiness in your hearts that is not grace, it is to be purged out, for it is superfluity: So then that is a good heart that entertains no kind of evil in it, It may be there is some evil, but it doth desire to purge out, not only that that is silthy, nasty, and abominable; but if there be any thing that should not be there, a good heart is against it. And that is a [Page] good heart that is willing to receive any thing that God reveals; as we use to say, Such a man is a good man; that is, you can propound nothing to him that is fit to be done, but he is willing to hearken to you. A good man he hath no kind of evil ends in him, no evil designs at all, but he is willing to hearken to every thing that is good: So, a good heart whatsoever is good he is ready to entertain, if it be a good thing his heart is sutable to it, and runs presently unto it; having a good heart it doth presently close with the good Word of the Lord.

But what is meant by an Honest Heart?

By honesty of heart, certainly there is more meant than such a one that we call an honest man, that is, a man that is honest in his dealings between man and man; there is many a man that is accounted a very honest man in the world, but hath not an honest heart: I beseech you observe it, That man that hath an honest heart to God, is one that receives the seed of the Word, so as he goes beyond the high-way ground, the stony ground, or the thorny ground, he goes beyond those three sorts of professors; he is one that hath an emenency in profession of Religion beyond those three: Now the world accounts many honest men that do not go beyond any of those three; yea, the world doth ordinarily account any of those three to be honest men; As the high-way ground, Are there not many honest men in the world, that regard not the Word of God at all, but only come to hear a Sermon, and assoon as they have done, as it came in at one ear, so it goes out at the other? I fear there are some men and women that are accounted honest men and women in the world, that can hardly give an accompt of any one Sermon they have heard in all their lives; hardly, I say, but the Word which they heard is presently taken away from them; and yet these are accounted honest men in the world: But this is not the honest heart the Scripture speaks of. And many there are that go further than these, that come to hear the Word with joy, and yet they have not this honest heart: Yea, they may hear the Word so as to bring forth a Blade, and yet not have this honest heart. But this honest heart I take therefore to be meant this: An heart that deals squarely and truly [Page] with God, behaving it self in a beseeming manner sutable to that Authority and Excellency that there is in the Word of God. As now for Example:

1. First, Among men, he is accounted an honest man that deals squarely and truly with men in all actions; such a man you will say, is an honest man, as honest a man as ever broke bread; that is, one that will deal squarely with men, not only in one thing, but turn him to any thing, and you shall find a proportion between one action and another: So this is an honest heart, not one that only will be forward for God in some one action wherein he may enjoy himself as well as God; but one that deals squarely with God, let God put him upon duty, upon any service, God shall find him still to be the same man: Put him upon any easie service (as many will imbrace that) or put him upon a difficult service, it is all one if it be the mind of God; you shall find him square in every thing, though he be put upon that which he is like to suffer very much in, yet he goes on according to his principles. An honest heart is one that hath received gracious principles, and accordingly he acteth, all the world cannot take him off from his principles of godliness that the Lord hath put into his heart.

2. Secondly, An honest man is one that provides things honest before men, that doth all things in a seemly way in all those relations that he hath unto others, that we account honesty: So when a mans behavior towards the Word is such as doth beseem the Word of that God with whom he hath to deal, That look what excellency, what glory there is in the Word of God, such a sutable behavior there is in the heart of a man to it, this is an honest heart. So that there are those two things, when a man is square with God in one thing as well as another, and when there is a sutableness in the behavior of the soul to what excellency there is in the Word, when the heart of man will not abuse the Word at all, but behaves it self honestly, according unto the gravity, holiness, and weight that there is in the Word. And thus now with such a good and honest heart we are to receive the Word if we will sanctifie Gods Name in it.

10. A tenth particular is this, If we will sanctifie Gods Name [Page] in the Word, we must hide the Word in our hearts, we must not only hear the Word, but keep it, preserve it, and then we do declare that we account the Word of God to be worth something indeed; For, what is it to sanctifie God (as we have opened before in the General) but such a behavior towards him, as may testifie the Excellency of the Name of God so the behavior of the soul in hearing the Word, must be such as must give a testimony to the Excellency of the Word, and manifest the high esteem I have of it. Now if I received a thing that is of great value, if I slight it, and let any body take it from me, I do not give a testimony of the excellency of that thing; but if I take it and lock it up, and keep it under lock and key, I do thereby give a testimony of the esteem that I have of the excellency of that thing: So now, when I come to hear the Word, and meet with Truths that I have gotten into my soul, I close with them, and am resolved within my heart as I am hearing of them, well, This Truth I will keep through Gods Grace, this concerns me, and I will make much of it, and although I forget other things, yet I hope I shall remember this, To sanctifie Gods Name in hearing of the Word: In Isa. 42. 23. Hear (saith the holy Ghost there) for the time to come. When we come to the Word, we must not only hearken for the present, as many of us while we are hearing, our hearts are stir'd for the present; Oh that we could but have that affection of heart alwaies, as we have when we are hearing of the Word! How many of you have said when you have been hearing such a Sermon, Oh! then me thought I could have gone through fire and water for God? I, but mark it, you must hear for afterwards. And in Psalm 119. 11. there the Prophet David profest, That he did hide the Word in his heart, the Word was sweet unto him; Thy Word (saith he) have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee. You that come and hear those Truths upon the Lords day, if you would hide them thus in your hearts, and keep them all the week, they would help you against the many temptations that you meet withal; you go abroad on the week daies into company, and there you meet with a temptation, and it overcomes you, and you complain, Alas! I am weak, I have met with a temptation and it hath foil'd me: But had you hid the Word that you [Page] heard on the Lords day in your heart, it would have kept you from the strength of your temptation that it should not have overcome you. Those that are truly godly they have a care to hide the word in their hearts; when they hear it they think, This word shall help me against such and such sins which I am prone to by nature, and when a temptation comes to that sin I hope I shall have use of the word that I have heard this day; As now, Suppose you hear a word against passion, then you should hide that word in your hearts against that time that temptation comes to passion. And you hear a word against sensuality, and abuse of the creatures; you should hide that word against that temptation cometh. And you hear a word against unrighteousness and unjust dealings; when a temptation comes to that sin you should hide that word against that time. So, you hear a word that speaks of obedience to Parents and servants duties to Governors, now you should hide that word in your hearts against that time; I have hid thy word in my heart, that I might not sin against thee, You say, that you would fain withstand and not be overcome with temptations: Then here's the way, Hide the word within thee, that thou maiest not sin against him. And so in Prov. 2. 1. you have a Scripture to the same purpose, about hiding the Commandements within us. And then in 1 John, 2. 14. I write unto you yong men because you are strong, and the Word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wiched one. I have written unto you yong men, you are yong, you have strong natures, and so strength of nature for God: But how comes this to pass? You are strong, and the Word of God abideth in you: Here is an excellent Scripture for all yong men, you have your memories fresh, and if you will exercise your memories about any thing, it should be in the word of God; it is a comly and an excellent thing to see yong ones to have the word of God abiding in them, that if you come to them, not only a week, but a month after they have heard the word, they are able to give you an account of it I am verily perswaded that there are many yong ones in this place, that are able to give you old ones (if you ask them) an account of what it is to sanctifie Gods Name in the Duties of worship; And why? Because the word of God abideth in them. It is the [Page] honor of yong men to have the Word of God to abide in them and hereby they overcome the wicked one. And on the other side, many yong people that do come to hear the Word, it may be they are drawn to it by others, or it may be they love to have a walk in the morning, but the Word of God abideth not in them, and therefore when the wicked one comes with temptations the week after they are overcome by him; but those that have the Word of God abiding in them they overcome the wicked one. And so in Job. 8. 31. you have a very remarkable Scripture for this purpose of keeping the Word after we have heard it. Then said Jesus to those which beleeved on Him, if you continue in my Word then are you my Disciples indeed. I beseech you observe it, It is said that the Jews did beleeve in Christ, and yet saith Christ, If you continue in my Word then are you my Disciples, why were they not the Disciples of Christ that did beleeve in him? By this beleeving therefore we must understand some kind of general notion that they had of Christ, they began to think that Christ might be the true Messias, some kind of imperfect beleeving they had, but they were not throughly brought off, now saith Christ, If you continue in my Word, you are my Disciples. As if he should say, Do not you think it enough that you come to here me, and that you are taken by what I say; you must continue in my Word, and then you are my Disciples: Christ will not own that man or woman to be his Disciple that doth not continue in His Word. O that you would consider of this, you that satisfie your selves in having some flashes of your affections when you are heating the Word, but do not think that you are the Disciples of Christ because of them, In Tit. 1. 9. Holding fast the faithful Word as you have been taught, that is the thing you should labor for, to hold fast the faithful Word, hold it fast, that it may not be taken from you, and so you shall come to Sanctifie the Name of God in the hearing of his Word.

11. The last that I shall speak to is this, If thou wouldest Sanctifie the Name of God in hearing His Word, turn it into practice, or otherwise the Name of God is blasphemed, or at least is taken in vain by thee if thou doest not turn what thou hearest into practice; So you have it in Jam. 1. 22. He that is [Page] not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the Word, this man (saith he) shall be blessed in his deed. And vers. 22. Be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. The word here that is translated, Deceiving your own selves, it's a word taken from Logicians, and signifies to make a false Sylogisme. A man that hears the Word and doth not do it, he doth as it were reason thus, Those that do come to Church (as we use to say) those surely are Religious people, but I come to Sermons and therefore I am Religious: Now this is a false reasoning, and thou doest but cozen thy self. Be not a hearer only, but a doer of the Word, that thou maiest not deceive thine own soul. So in Rom. 2. 3. Thinkest thou this O man that judgest them that do such things, & doest the same, that thou shalt escape the Judgment of God? As if he should say, You have the word, and you are able o judg thereby what you hear, but yet still you are wicked in your lives: this is despising of the riches of the goodness of God towords you. And in Philippians, 2, 16. you have a remarkable text where the holy Ghost saith of the Phylippians, That he would have them hold forth the Word of Life. It were a most excellent thing if it might be said of this Congregation, that as they come deligently to hear, and are willing to take pains to get out of their beds so early in the mornings, so all the week after they hold forth the word of God. You that are servants it may be your masters are naught, and the families naught from whence you come; now when you go home, though it may be they will not let you repeat the Sermon, yet you are to hold forth the Sermon in your practice and conversation: How is the Name of God glorified when we hold forth His Word! this is to let, not only your light shine, but the light of the word shine before men that they may belold it and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven.

So that now put all these Eleven Particulars together, and then you have made good that expression we find in Act. 13. 48. That the Word of God was glorified. And to the same purpose we have another expression in 2 Thess. 3 1. Finally, bretheren, Pray for us, that the Word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified even as it is with you. This is the commendation of a people, that they do glorifie the Word of God: I beseech you brethren, in [Page] the Name of Jesus Christ this morning that you that are hearers of the Word would glorifie the Word, and glorifie the Name of God in the Word; Oh that not one of you would be a disgrace or shame to the Word of God; this is the charge that God this morning laies upon you, as ever you expect to receive any good from the Word, or to look upon the face of God with comfort whose Word this is: do not be a shame to His Word, and to the Ministers of His Word. Put all these things together, I say and learn to make conscience of sanctifying Gods Name in hearing the Word, that so there may be none of you that may give any just occasion to others to say, Is this to hear Sermons? Do you get nothing else but this by hearing Sermons? If you should open the mouths of men to say so of you, the Word of God (as much as lies in you) would be disgraced by you; you should rather think thus, It were better for me that I should die, and that I were under the ground and rotting there, than that the Word of God should ever be disgraced by me: Let me hold forth the glory of the Word, the Word is that which hath done good to my soul; the Word is that which I would not for ten thousand worlds but have heard it, and shall I disgrace this Word? shall I give any occasion that this Word of the Lord should be spoken ill of by reason of me? O God forbid. Therefore if you regard not your selves and your own honor, yet regard the honor of the word; If ever you have got any good by the word, you should go away with this resolution, well, I will labor all the daies of my life to honor this word of God that I have got so much good by: If this were but the resolution of every one of your hearts this morning, it would be a blessed mornings work.

SERMON X.

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Leviticus, 10. 3.‘I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me.’

NOW follow the Reasons why God stands so much upon it, That he will have his Name Sanctified in this Ordinance of hearing his Word.

1. First, It is because there is so much of God in his Word, and therefore we should Sanctifie Gods Name. If it were possible there could be sin in Heaven, that sin would be greater than sin committed here; therefore the sin of the Angels when they were in Gods presence, in a more special manner was the greater: The Name of God being in any thing, the greater will be the evil, if we do not sanctifie Gods Name in it; now there is very much of God in his Word, more of God there than in all the Works of Creation and Providence. In Ps. 138. 2 Thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name. There being therefore so much of God in his Word, we must sanctifie the Name of God in it.

2. Secondly, God hath appointed His Word to be the great Ordinance to convey the special mercies that He intends for the good of His People. That we spake to before in the general, in shewing how the duties of Gods Worship are as a Channel for the conveyance of Special good to the Saints: But none more than the Word, that's the Ordinance to convey the first Grace to those that belong to Gods election. The Sacraments is for strengthening, and therefore there is rather more in the Word than in the Sacrament, and yet every one thinks in conscience that he is bound to come carefully to the Sacrament, and to look to Sanctifie Gods Name there. It is an easier matter to convince men and women, that they are bound to sanctifie the Name of God when they come to receive the holy Communion, than for the hearing of the Word: they think not so much of that, but certainly the Word is appointed to be an Ordinance [Page] of conveying more blessing than the Sacrament, because it is appointed to convey the first Grace, and to convey strength of Grace as well as the Sacrament: Now being appointed to convey such great things to the souls of the elect, both the first grace and strengthening of grace, and comfort, and assistance thereof, the Lord expects to have his name santifiied in it.

3. Thirdly, The name of God must be Sanctiffed in the Word, because the word is very quick and lively, it works men or women to life or death, to salvation or damnation. In Heb. 4. 12. The word of God quick and powerfull, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the deviding a sunder of soul and spirit, &c. It is very quick of operation (the text saith;) that is when God hath to deal with men by His Word, He wil not stand dallying and trifling with them, but he is very quick with them either to bring there soules to life, or to cast them away. The time of mens ignorance God winks at, but now he cals all men to repent. Let them look to it now, God did forbeare in the time of ignorance, but He will not forbear so when the word comes, Now is the Ax laid to the root of the tree: And when was that? when John Baptist came to preach repentance, because the kingdom of Heaven is at hand. though the tree were barren before, and did not bring sorth good sruit, yet it might stand still and not be cut down; but when the powerfull ministration of the World comes, then the Ax is laid to the root of the Tree: either now come in and be saved, or resist the Word and perish: And therefore that is very observable when Christ sends out His Disciples to preach, in Mark 16. 15, 16. Saith he, Go ye into al the world and preach the Gospel to every creature, and he that beleeveth and is Baptized shall be saved? but he that beleeveth not shall be damned: As if he should say, there shall be quick work made with them, go & preach, & those that belong to my election shal be brought in to beleeve and be saved, and the others shall be damned: As if God should say, If they will come in and imbrace the Gospel they shall be saved, if they wil not they shall be damned, and there is an end of them. So that I say, we have need to look to it that we Sanctifie the name of God in His Word upon these Three Grounds, Because there is so much of God in His Word Because he hath appointed it to convey the greatest Mercies to [Page] His Saints. And because God is very quick in His Word, one way or other.

We shall now proceed to the Application of this Point: And,

First by way of reprehension to all those that do not sanctifie Gods Name in hearing the Word; and herein we shal shew their feareful condition, and how God will Sanctifie His Name upon them in waies of judgment, and then when we come to the use of Exhortation, to exhort you to sanctifie the Name of God, there we shall shew you likewise how God will sanctifie His Name in waies of mercy upon those that do sanctifie Him in waies of obedience in Hearing of His Word.

1. For the first, Certainly if that be to sanctsfie the Name of God that we have spoken of; Gods Name is but very little sanctified by people that do come to hear His Word, and we have no cause to wonder that there is so little good got by the Word, because there are so few that make conscience to sanctifie Gods Name in hereing it; Some there are that are so far from sanctifying Gods Name in it, as they altogether neglect it, and make it a matter of nothing whether they come to hear it or no: Saith Christ in Job. 8. 47. He that is of God heareth my Word, ye therefore hear them not because ye are not of God. Certainly he that hath the knowledg of God, and any interest in God, and that belongs unto Him, nothing is more sweet to him than the hearing of His Word, but because ye are not of God (saith Christ) Therefore you hear not his Word. Those men and women that have no interest in God, but live without God in this world, they regard not to hear His Word. O how many have we that belong to this place that do so! How many live without God in the world, and do declare to all the world that they are not of God? they have no part nor portion in God in that they hear not His W [...] ▪ Some there are that come to hear it, but they come to hear it as a meer matter of indifferency, in a meer formal and customary way, or for companies sake, or to give content to others: These are poor and low ends, thou shouldest come to hear the Word, as expecting God should speak to thy soul for the furtherance of thy eternal good; but your consciences may tell you what vain and wandring heart you have, when you [Page] come to hear it. The eyes of the fool (saith Solomon) are in all the corners of the earth, up and down wandring, little minding that you are to com to hear God Himself speak to you in the Ministry of man. And if so be that it be minded, yet ordinarily the hearts of men do put off the Word, and if it come any thing neer to them they think to shift it from themselves to others. We have a notable Scripture in Heb. 12. 25. for such men as shift off Gods Word when it comes many times very neer to them: See that ye refuse not him that speaketh: for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from Him which speaketh from Heaven: See that ye refuse not him that speaks the Word, see that you do not put him off: And that is the signification of it: if you compare it with Luke, 12. 18. you should find that there is the same word used, where speaking of those that were invited to the supper, it is said, They all with one consent began to make excuse; they began to shift it off, that is the same word. Oh take heed of this, that when you are hearing the Word and Christ comes and speaks to your hearts, and you begin to think that it way concern you, and your consciences begin to stir, take heed that you do not shift him off, take heed that you do not put away the Word from you by any kind of pretence whatsoever. (It may be) you will say, If I were certain it were the Word of God, and that God spake to me, God forbid but that I should submit unto it. But though it may be the hearts of men are not so notoriously rebellious as to resolve to sin against the Word, which they will acknowledg to be the Word of God, yet this is the deceit of the heart, when the heart hath no mind to obey, it will shift off the Word, and have pretences and put-offs, Oh take heed that you do not shift off him that speaks from Heaven, by making any kind of excuse whatsoever, but when thou hearest, if the Word of God come to thy conscience, do not listen to vain reasonings that are against it. Others there are that cannot tell how to shift off the Word, but it will come upon them when they are hearing; it may be they are a little stir'd, but it is presently gone, so that they are far from holding the Word, far from keeping it in their hearts. Oh! How many of you have been stir'd when you have been hearing the Word! and how [Page] happy had it been for you if you had hid those words in your heart that the Lord hath spoken to you in the Ministry of it. If you had but the Invitations of the Spirit now, that sometimes you have had, how happy were it for you? But it is with many in hearing the word, just as with you Marriners when you are to go abroad, Your friends come with you, take their leaves of you, and then you see them stand upon the shore a while, but when you sail a little further, your friends are out of sight, and then you see only the shore; you sail on a little further, and then you see only the houses; you sail a little further, and then you see only the steeples, and such high places; and you sail yet a little further, and then you see nothing but the Ocean: So it is in hearing the Word; It may be when you go home, there are some things fresh in your mind, but on the munday morning you have lost some; but then there are some others that do yet present themselves before you, and then you lose more and more, untill you have lost the sight of all; all truths are gone, you see no more of the Word, as if you had never heard it; this is not to sanctifie Gods Name; you should treasure up the Word as the most rich Treasure that may be.

Another sort to be rebuked are those, who are so far from falling down before the Lord to receive the Word with meekness, as they can bless themselves in their wicked waies, notwithstanding the Word comes and meets with them. I only name this, because of that notable Scripture we have, in Deut. 29. 18, 19. saith Moses there to them, Take heed, lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood, (what's that root that beareth gall and wormwood?) And it come to pass when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of my heart, &c. Take heed there be not among you, a root that beareth gall and wormwood; This is a bitter root in mens hearts, when they can hear the Word of God, and have their hearts rise against it, and think with themselves that there is no such matter, these are but meer words, but meer wind; let the Minister say what he will, and talk as long as he will, I will go on in my way, I shall do well enough; that which he saith, it is but his opinion. I say, when men can bless themselves thus in their [Page] way, and when there are such tumulcuous and rebellious thoughts rising in their hearts, this is a root of gall and wormwood; and take heed of it, it will bring forth bitter fruit one day. But I should quickly be prevented if I should lanch into this argument, to reprove the several waies of sinning against God in hearing of his word. And therefore I leave those, and come to shew what a fearful thing it is for men and women not to sanctifie the Name of God in the hearing of his word, that so you may see that God will have his Name sanctified upon them. And they are these:

1. In the first place, You that do not sanctifie Gods Name in hearing his word in those waies that have been opened to you, First, you lose the greatest and happiest opportunity of good that ever creatures had, for an outward opportunity: indeed when God moves by his Spirit if that be neglected, that opportunity is more than meerly hearing his Word, but otherwise except it be at such a time when God adds his Spirit together with his Word; I say, you that are cast by the providence of God in such a place where the word of the Gospel is preached to you, applied and urged upon you, if you sanctifie not the Name of God, to hear as you ought, and to profit by it; I say, you lose the greatest opportunity for good that is in the world: Oh what hast thou lost that hast lived many yeers under the Ministry of the Gospel, and yet hast not been acquainted with this mystery of godliness in sanctifying Gods Name in the word. There are many thousand souls that are, and shall be blessing God to all eternity for what of God they have met withal in the Word, but thou hast sat under it stuped as a block, dead and barren, and no good hath been done; Wherefore is there a prize in the hand of a fool, and he hath no heart to get wisdom? This will lie upon thee heavy one day, the loss of such an opportunity, and that is the first.

2. In the second place, Know that this Word that is appointed by God for the conveyance of so much mercy to his Elect, it will prove to be the greatest aggravation of thy sin that can be; This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light: This is [The] condemnation. If so be that light had not come among you, then the condemnation [Page] had not been so great, your sin had not been so great, and your punishment had not bin so great. In Mat. 10. 14, 15. where speaking of those that did enjoy the Word, and yet did not sanctifie Gods Name in it. Whosoever shall not receive you (saith Christ to his Disciples) nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house, or City, shake off the dust of your feet: Verily I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom and Gomorah in the day of judgment than for that City. It is a most dreadful Scripture; their very dust must be shaken off in token of indignation, and it shal be more easie for the Land of Sodom and Gomorah in the day of judgment than for that place. You would be very loth to be in a worse condition than Sodom and Gomorah that was consumed by fire from heaven, And now suffer the venegance of eternal fire, Jude 7. Certainly they shall not be so deep in judgments, as those that live under the Ministry of the Word, and sanctifie not the Name of God in it. Your sin is of a deeper dye, than the sin of the Heathens; yea, and in some respects than the sin of the Devils, they never had the Word of the Gospel sent to be preached to them: and therefore this will aggravate your sin, not only beyond Heathens, but beyond Devils. Look to it then that Gods Name be sanctified in the hearing of his Word.

3. Thirdly, Know that so much as the Word is rejected, Jesus Christ is rejected; Luke 10. 16. He that despiseth you, despiseth me; and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me. It is Christ himself that is rejected when the Word is rejected: thou hast not to do with man so much as with Jesus Christ in the hearing of the Word, and the power of Jesus Christ is to be put forth either to do thee good by the Word, or to avenge thy neglect of the Word: Therefore in Matth. 28. 18 19. when Christ sends forth his Disciples to preach, he makes this preface, All power is given unto me in Heaven and Earth: Go ye therefore and teach: As if he should say, I have received all power in Heaven and Earth; through the power I received I send you to preach, and I'le be with you to the end of the world: that is, Al power in Heaven and Earth shal go along with you to assist your Ministry, either for the good of those that shall embrace it, or for the misery of those that shal reject it; so that whosoever stands out against the Ministry of the Word, stands out against all thē power [Page] Heaven and Earth that is given to Christ: do not think that thou doest resist a poor weak mortall man, but thou doest resist all the power in Heaven and Earth. And is not this a dreadfull thing then, to be guilty of not sanctifying of Gods Name?

4. Fourthly, it is an Argument of extream hardness of heart not to be wrought upon by the Word. Luk 16. 31, If they here not Moses and the prophets, nether wil they be perswaded though one rose from the dead, saith, Abraham. Certainly that man or woman that shall not be wrought upon by the Word so as to sanctifie Gods name in it, I say to such, If one should rise from the dead they would not have there hearts wrought upon, and therefore much less are they like to be wrought upon by afflictions. it may be some of you think when you are upon your sick beds then you will repent; no surely, if this that is the great Ordinance to bring men to God shall not work upon you so as God shall be honored in it; you cannot expect that sick ness and affliction should do it, no, if one shall come from the dead to tell you of all the miseries that were there certainly if the Word work not upon you, that will not do it. But you wil say, One would think that there should be more power to work upon the heart: truly no, because it is such an Ordinance appointed by God for working such great works upon the hearts and consciences of men, as the Word is: It is true, the Word is but a weak thing in it self, but here lies the strength that it is an Ordinance of God appointed for to work upon the hearts of men; therefore if this work not upon you to give God glory in the hearing of it; there is no other means like to do it.

5. Fifthly, when the Word works not upon men, it is a dreadfull sign of reprobation, If our Gospel be hid (saith the Apostle in 2. Cor. 4. 3) it is hid to those that are lost. It is a dreadful Argument that here is a lost creature, one that God intends no good to. One the Lord works upon, perhaps he lets pass another, one in a family and not in another. Now where it is so that the Word worketh not I say there is no such dreadfull brand of Reprobation as this is. It is true, we cannot give any certain sign of Reprobation; therefore I cannot say of any man, he [Page] hath now such a mark upon him as doth evidently prove that he is a Reprobate; we cannot tell that, because we know not what God may do afterwards, but we may say this, That it is as dreadful a sign as any. There are not any more dreadful signs than these two.

First, For a man to be suffered to prosper in a sinful course; For God to let men go on and have their hearts desire satisfied in an ungodly way.

And then secondly, For the Lord to leave them to themselves, so as the Ministry of the Word shal not work upon them, that they shall be by Gods providence so disposed of, as to live under a faithful and powerful Ministry, and that it should not work upon them: These are the two blackest signs of Reprobation; and therefore it is a most dreadful thing to sit under the Ministry of the Word, and not to sanctifie Gods Name in it.

6. In the next place: Surely there can be nothing sanctified to thee who doest not sanctifie Gods Name in His Word. The Scripture saith, That every thing is sanctified by the Word and Prayer. And how canst thou exspect that the Word should sanctifie any thing unto thee, seeing that thou doest not make conscience of sanctifying Gods Name in the Word? The godly think thus, 'Tis the Word that must sanctifie all things to my soul, and I had need then sanctifie Gods Name in that from which I exspect the sanctified use of all blessings. You therefore that can sit under it, and make not concience of sanctifying Gods Name in it, I say, you can expect no sanctified use of any thing that you have in this world.

7. Such as do not sanctifie Gods Name in the Word, are very nigh to a curse: There is a notable Scripture for this in Heb. 6. 7, 8. where the Apostle compares the Word to the rain that fals upon the ground, For the earth that drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: But (saith he) that which beareth thorns and bryars is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned. The meaning is this plainly, The rain here is the Word, & the good hearers they are like the ground that receive the rain and bring forth fruit, and receive a blessing: But now ill hearers [Page] that do not sanctifie Gods Name in his Word, they are like ground that receives the rain as much as the other, hear as many Sermons as the other, but they bring forth nothing but thorns and bryars: 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 uigh unto cursing: It may be the Lord may for the time withdraw Himself from the soul, and manifest that it is at 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 tast 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 pass by the neglect of former Sermons; but who knows what the next actual 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 [Page] to be thy portion, Whose end is to be burned. Oh! It is a dreadful thing to sin against the Word: God stands much upon it.

8, Eightly, Know that if Gods Name be not sanctisied 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 Apostle in 2 Cor. 2. 16. To the one we are the savor of death unto death, and to the other the savor 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 counsels of God, concerning mans eternal estate comes to be revealed, that this should prove to be the savor of death 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 wil 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 will 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 its 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 [...] ye 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 [Page] 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 might not be converted; this is dreadful, 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, 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 that they will not part with them, the Lord many times in his just judgment 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 Idol: Those men are in a dreadful estate whose hearts come to be hardened 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 affliction? Certainly when the day of thy affliction comes, then there is nothing can comfort thee but the word: Ʋnless 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 marvel then though the word hath been applied again and again 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 passifie his troubled conscience, but a little before he died, he cries out with a most fearful terror, There is a fair Plaister made but it will not stick on, it wil not stick on so died despairing: 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 [Page] time that it shall stick upon thy soul in the day of thy afflction? never expect it, for the Lord hath said otherwise, Prov. 1. Because when I cryed and call'd ye would not hear, you shal cry and call and I will not hear; The Lord in His Word cries to the, Oh thou sinfull soul who are going on in the waies of sin and eternall destruction, Return, return, that is the way that will bring thee to eternall miseries, but here is the way that wil bring thee to life and eternall salvation: Thus the Lord cries and cals to day, to day, and thou stopest thy ear, Oh how just is it with God to stop his ear from thy crying and calling in the day of thy affliction.

10. Further, Know that thou that doest not sanctife the Name of God in his Word, that all the Word of God wil be made good one day upon thee, God hath His time to magnifie his Law and to make it honorable, Isa. 42. 21. You slight Gods Law, you slight His Word, and despise it, but God will magnifie it and make it honorable, there is not any sentence that thou hast heard in the Word, but it shall be made good, whatsoever becomes of thy soul, Thou thinkest that God is a merciful God, & he will not damn thee; but though God be merciful and 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 woman in the world, and God will stand to make that good, he will not have such regard to that wretched vile sinfull soul of thine as not to honor His Word, He will honor His Word whatsoever becomes of thee, and al that thou hast heard and rejected shall be made good upon the on day.

11. Again the Word that thou doest reject and sin against, it shall be the Word that shall judg 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 his Word, they must be called over again at the great day to judg your souls by the sentence of every of your eternal estates must be tryed out of this book: Oh look upon it as the word that must judg your souls at the last day, and then you will see it a dreadfull thing not to sanctifie Gods Name in it. And then when the Word doth judg you you shall obey it whether you will of no. Now the Word convinces you and you will not obey [Page] it; but when God comes to judg 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 yong, had very good beginnings, and very good parts, that were very hopeful, and would speak very savorly 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 Luke, 8. 18. Take heed therefore how you 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 shal be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shal 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 form. 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 [Page] we not seen this in our own experience? and it is apparant that they began to be withered and to be blasted by neglecting of the word. And therefore I beseech you look to this, that you doe 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 something 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 Gentils 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 dishonored 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 labor 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 wise hath attended upon the Word, I have seen a beauty in her conversation, she it more holy, more gentle, and meek; and so my [Page] servant, more submissive and faithfull, 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 owne husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed; you must performe your duties unto your husbands and why? that so the Word of God be not blasphemed, that is, that neither your husband, 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 conscience 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 here 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 Gods Name in the hearing of His Word as to honor it, and how God will sanctifie His own Name in mercie 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 Gospell, and to have all the good in that to be thine, that must needs be an excellent thing; you will say, smotimes I read and heare 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 signe by which thou maiest be assured that they are all thy portion: Is it thy unfaned care to sanctifie Gods Name in the hearing of His Word? Oh peace be to thee! all the good in the Word in 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 will only give you one Scripture for your encouragment 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 heard the sweetnes of it for the want of understanding it) It is quoted out of Deut. for Moses describeth the [Page] righteousnes which is of the Law, that the man which doth those things shal live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise; Say not in thine heart, who shal ascend into Heaven that is, To bring Christ down from above; or, who shal ascend into the deep, that is, To bring Christ again from the dead? But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart, that is, the word of faith which we preach. The text hath some difficulty, and yet exceeding sweet to us to know it; I confess if the Apostle Paul had not quoted this place out of Deuteronomy, and thus interpreted it, who could ever have thought in reading of Deuteronomy, that by one had been 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 ears, but it is not written in the heart as the Word of the Gospel is: The Law cannot work savingly upon the heart of a man to bring salvation: those that are meerly Legal, they can hear the duties that are required, but the Word hath no power to write in their hearts what they do hear: But now when you come to hear the Word of the Gospel, that is nigh you, even in your very hearts as wel as in your ears; God speaks in it, and it comes into your hearts, and there it works efficaciously, which the Law cannot: The Law is but a dead Letter in comparison of the Word of the Gospel. If you come meerly to hear the Law preached, add not in an Evangelical way, you may hear it a hundred times, and it wil never be written in your hearts? but when you come to hear the Gospel in an Evangelical way, that will come to be written in your hearts, so that the Word of the Gospel is nigh you. But what is the meaning of the other, [Page] Say not, who shall ascend up into Heaven &c? The meaning is this, As if the Apostle should say, The truth is, while you have no other but the righteousness of the Law, you are at an infinite uncertainty about your eternal estates. The Law saith, Do and live; but you can never know when you have done enough so as to be certain that you are well for eternity: That saith, Who shal ascend into Heaven to know the mind of God concerning me? whether he will accept of me, and of that obedience and worship that I tender up to him? Who shall go down into the deep? Who shall go down to Hell to know there, whether that place be prepared for him or no? It is a phrase that only expresseth an uncertainty that one cannot be satisfied about his eternal estate, except he could go to Heaven, and there see and read Gods Book, and so discover Gods mind concerning him; or go down to Hell, and so know whether that place be appointed for him or not; except I can do one of these I cannot certainly tell, (meerly by the Law) whether I shall go to Heaven or Hell. As you that are Merchants and Dealers abroad, you are at a great deal of uncertainty what shall become of your estates. Indeed if I could send one over to the Indies to tell me now my Ship prospered, then I could be at a certainty, then I should hear whether I were a rich man yea, or no, but except I could do such a thing I am at an uncertainty: Such is the expression here, As if a poor soul should say, I would fain be saved, and loth to perish eternally: But all the while the soul remains under the Law, it remains in an uncertain condition; but now saith he, The Word of the Gospel is nigh thee, even in thine heart, and that is the Word that we preach, that saith, Rom. 10. 9. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt beleeve in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. As if he should say, This Word of the Gospel that is come into thine heart doth assure thy soul of thy eternal estate, so that though thou canst not go up to Heaven, nor go down to Hell, yet thou hast that in thine heart, that doth as it were assure thee that thou shalt be eternally saved, as if thou wert able to go up to the highest Heavens and fetch News from thence. Oh now, the good Word of the Gospel, how should we prize it, and keep [Page] it in our hearts? for that's in our hearts that will assure us of our salvation to all eternity, and of Gods eternal purpose to do thee good in Heaven. You would account it a great happiness if there could be any art to send abroad to the Straits or to other place, to know how things fare with you: but now if thou hast the Word of the Gospel within thee, if that prevails in thy soul, thou hast alwaies got something in thy heart that will tell thee how things are with thee in Heaven, and what shall become of thee for all eternity. Oh who would not sanctifie the Name of God in hearing of His Word, seeing it is such a blessed Word wherein the Gospel is opened with more clearness than it hath been to many of our fore-fathers.

2. It is a certain evidence of your election, in Thess. 1. 3. 4, 5. Remembring without ceasing your work of Faith, and labor of Love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God and our Father, Knowing Brethren, beloved your election of God; Why? For our Gospel came not to you in Word only, but also in Power, and in the holy Ghost, and in much assurance. And know this excellency there is in Sanctifying Gods Name in hearing the word, I beseech you mark it, that it is a more blessed thing, than if you did bear Jesus Christ in your wombs; You that are women, would not you have accounted it a great happines if Christ had been born in your wombs? Now if thou comest to the hearing of the word, and sanctifiest Gods Name in it, thou art in a better condition, and hast a greater blessing upon thee, than if thou hadest born Jesus Christ in thy womb. In Luk 11. 27, 28. And it came to pass as he spake these things, that a certain woman of the company lift up her voice and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bear thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. Seeing Christ and what gracious things came from him, she spake so; But he said, Yea, rather blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it. That is Labor to sanctifie my Name, (as hath been opened in the particulars) rather is that woman blessed that doth so, than the woman that bear Christ: Me thinks this one Scripture should be such a Scripture for women, to cause them to sanctifie Gods Name in hearing of the word, instead of a hundred Scriptures; certainly thou maiest be so blessed, if thou wilt beleeve the word that comes from Christs mouth.

[Page] 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 hearing of his Word, you will be the glory of the Ministers of God at the great day of Judgment: You will be an honor 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 wil become of that? That I may rejoyce in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain: Let that be one Motive amongst the rest. Saith the Apostle, This will be such a glory to me, That I in the day if Iesus Christ shall rejoyce, that I have not labored in vain, I shal 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 saithfully to you, if at the day of 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, O 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 froth the Word of Life will not only be a glory to God, which is the chief, but it will be a glory to the Ministers, to recompence all their labors, that you shall not only be saved your selves in the day of Jesus Christ, but you shall add to the glory of his faithful Ministers likwise when they do appear before Christ?

5. I shall add one particular more, There is a time coming when God shall magnifie his word and make it honorable. What a joy shall 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

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Leviticus, 10. 3.‘I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me.’

THE last day we finished the Point fanctification of the Name of God in the hearing of his Word; and now we 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 confess we have not that word in all the Scripture; as neither have we the word Trinity, and divers other words which 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 sings 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, We our selves do (as it where) hallow or dedicate our selves unto God in the vse of these Ordinances: That one reason from whence it hath the name.

Or otherwise, as some will have it, Sacramentum because it is to be received sacrament, with a holy mind, and therefore caled the Sacrament. The Churches have vsed it a long time; in Tertulliar's time (which was above fourteen hundred years since) he was the first that we find vsed this word, and most that [Page] would open the word unto us, say, that especially it was taken from the practice of Solders, who when they came & listed themselves, bound themselves in to a solemn Oath to be faithfull to their Captain, and to the cause that they did undertake; and the Oath they were wount 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 do 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 solemn Promise to the high God hath the strength of an Oath in it) and from thence they were call'd by these names, Srcraments: but that for the Word, that you may understand it.

But the word the Scripture useth to set out this Sacrament, by that that now I am speaking of, is the communion of the body and blood of Christ; so you have it in 1 Cor. 10. 6. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not Communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the Communion of the body of Christ? I say we are now treating about this point, how we are to sanctifie the Name of God, in that which the Scripture cals the Communion of the body and blood of Christ; And now for the opening of that

First, we must know that this is a part of the Worship of God, and we draw nigh to God in this, or otherwise it will not come up to our point.

And then we shall shew that God is to be sanctified in this duty of worship.

And then thirdly, how.

First, We do in this draw nigh to God; We worship God; For when we are coming to receive these holy Signs and Seals, we come to present our selves before God; and we have to deale with God Himself in a service that He Himself requires of us, in a Holy, in a Divine service; we come to present our selvess to God for blessing, for communication of some higher good unto us than pobssily those Creatures that we have to deal with, are able of themselves to convey to us, we come for a higher good than to tast a pece of bread, or to drink a draught of wine, we come (I say) to present our selves to God; that we [Page] might have Communion with him, and that we might have the blessing of the Covenant of grace conveyed unto us through these things; now certainly this is a drawing nigh to God, for to present our selves, for the conveyance of the blessing of the Covenant of Grace through these Creatures, yea, that we might have communion with God himself in them, this is drawing nigh to him, when we come to his Table; therefore we draw nigh to God; had not God instituted and appointed these Creatures, Bread and Wine, and the actions about them to be the means of conveyance of blessing unto us, it had been Willworship for us to have expected any further presence of God in such creatures, than there is in the nature of them. It is true, God is present with every Creature, when we eat and drink at our Tables God is present there; but we cannot be said to draw nigh to God, and worship God there; for we there look for no further presence of God with us in them, to convey further good than the Lord hath put into the nature of those things; only when godly people take them, and receive them as blessings sanctified by the Word, they take them as the blessings of God that come out of love to them. But now when we come to receive that which is cal'd the Communion, there we expect things that are beyond the nature of these creatures, to convey that that is by an institution of God set apart for supernatural uses and ends, not to convey in any natural way such and such things, but in a supernatural way, through the institution of God, and so it comes to be worship. Had we not I say a command for this, it were superstition and Idolatry for us to make use of such creatures for such ends. If any man in the world should have appointed a piece of Bread, or a draught of Wine, to have signified and sealed the Body and blood of Christ, it had been Superstition in any, and Wil-worship, and sinful and abominable to you; but we are to look upon God, setting apart these Creatures for such holy and solemn ends, and therefore when we come to be exercised in them, we come to worship God; and we come likewise to tender up our homage to God when we come to attend upon him in such Ordinances as these are; to tender up that homage that is due from us poor creatures, unto such an infinite and glorious God: and therefore we draw nigh to him in these.

[Page] Secondly, We must santifie Gods Name in drawing nigh to him▪ whatsoever we do whether we eat or drink we must do all to the glory of God: Now if your common eating and drinking we must do all to the glory of God, than certanly in this spiritual eating and drinking there must be some special thing done for the glory of God in this.

1. Because there is so much of God in it; for here there is a presenting before us the great, yea, the greatest Mysteries of Salvation, and deep Councells of God concerning Eternal Life are presented before us in these outward Elements of the Bread and Wine, and action thereof; Now when we come to eat and to drink those things that are appointed to set forth the great Misteries of Salvation, and the deepest of the Councells of God concerning mans Eternall good, wherein especally God will gloryfie Himself; we had need there sanctifie the Name of God, for the things that are very great and glorious that are presented unto us.

2. This Ordinance of the Lords Supper, or the communion it is an Ordinance that Christ hath left to his Church, out of the abundance of his love; and therefore you shall find if you read in the institution of it, in the 25 of Matthew that the same night wherein Christ was betrayed, he took bread and brake it; though Christ was to die the next day, and to encounter with the warth of God, yea, that very night he was to be in an Agony and to sweat drops of Water and Blood, and the next day to die and to have these tryals of wrath powered upon him, so as to put him to cry out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? yet he busies his thoughts that every night to institute this Supper; surely this must be a great Ordinance, & there is a great deal of love of Christ in it. Christ saw that his Church had need of it, that he should that night when he was betrayed have his thoughts busied about such a thing as this is. One would think at that time, that he had enough to take up his thoughts concerning Himself being to encounter with the Law, and with the Wrath of God for mans sin; but for all that great work Christ had to encounter with, yet his thoughts are busied about this great Ordinance of the institution of the Supper, and therfore there was great love in it, Christ saw [Page] that it was a matter of great moment; Now if it be so, then there is great cause why we should sanctifie Gods Name in such an Ordinance as this is, and not to account it as a common and ordinary thing.

3. We must sanctifie Gods name in this, because it is the Sacrament of of our communion with Christ, wherein we come to have such a neer Union and Communion with him as to eat his Flesh, and to drink his Blood, and to sit at his Table. We come to have communion with Christ even in all our sences; now Christ coming so fully to us, that cals upon us to sanctifie his Name when we come before him.

4. In this the Covenant of Grace is sealed, the Covenant of Grace comes to be sealed in both the parts of it; now when we come to have to deal with God in the way of the Covenant of Grace, both to have the Seal on his part, and the seal on ours, surely this must needs call for a sanctified use of such a thing as is so holy as this is. And that's the first reason why we are to sanctifie Gods Name in this, because if we be in ordinary eating and drinking we must do it, then in this, wherin there is so much of God, wherein the Mysteries of Godliness are set before us, wherein there is so much of the love of Christ, wherein we are to have close Communion with Jesus Christ, and wherein the Covenant of Grace comes to be sealed on both sides: there had need therefore be sanctifying of Gods Name in the use of it.

Secondly, Consider this, That there is no duty in al the book of God that I know of, that is urged with more strength and severity than this is; as in that place 1 Cor. 11. sheweth, where you have required of every one that comes to receive the Bread and Wine in the Lords Supper, That they should examine themselves and so eat; and you have the most dreadful expressions against those that do not do it, that I know are mentioned against the neglect of any duty in all the book of God; there the holy Ghost faith, That whosoever eats and drinks unworthily, First, he is guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ; and then Secondly, he eats and drink [...] his own d [...]mnation: These two expressions have as much dreadfulness in them as can be imagined, and we do not find an exhortation to a duty backt with two such severe expressions (in case we should neglect our duty) as this [Page] exhortation. What if we do not sanctifie Gods Name in this dutie? we come to be guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ. Blood guiltiness is a terrible thing; you know David cries out, Lord, deliver me from blood guiltiness; to have but the Blood of an ordinary man to lie upon one, to shed the blood of the vilest Rogue that lives in a murderous way, it would lie upon the conscience and be very terrible; it is impossible that such a man can be quiet all his daies, though he hath never such a seared conscience: An Heathen could not be at quiet if he hath the guilt of Blood lie upon him, but to be guilty of the blood of Christ, whose blood is ten thousand thousand times more worth than the blood of all the men that ever lived upon the face of the earth must needs be a most dreadful thing; It is a fearful expression, Guilty of the body and blood of Christ, that is, he offers such an indignitie to the body and blood of Christ, as the Lord will charge him of being guiltie of it, guiltie of abusing the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

And then, he doth eat and drink his own damnation: but we shall speak more to that, when we come to shew how God will sanctifie his Name in those that do not sanctifie it here in this holy Ordinance. I will not therfore spend further time in those Scriptures, for I bring them only now to shew that there is a necessity of it, that we do sanctifie the Name of God in this Ordinance.

Thirdly, There is nothing that strikes more upon a mans conscience; we find it by experience, even upon wicked mens consciences, and especially upon such begin to be enlightned in the holiness of this Ordinance, God hath put much honor upon it: I confess some men may use it superstitiously though it be an Ordinance of Christ, yet God hath put a great deal of honor upon this Ordinance, that men that are very wicked otherwise, yet their consciences tell them that when they come to this Ordinance then they must be good, then they must not sin, but have good thoughts, and good prayers at that time. And many times they dare not come, if their consciences tell them that they live in some sin. I knew one my self once that was to be executed, and he had never received this Ordinance in all his life, though about fourtie yeers of age; And being [Page] askt the reason why, he confest that he lived in some sin that he was loth to leave, and therefore would never come to that Ordinance all his life, though herein the Devil gul'd and deceived him; but I mention it to shew what a power there is in the consciences of men about this Ordinance; this ordinarily is one of the first things that strikes upon the souls of men, when they come to have their consciences awakened, Oh how have I prophaned the Name of God in the Ordinance of the holy communion and have not sanctified his name in it.

That God should be sanctified in this Ordinance, that's cleer enough.

But now the great work is, (which is the third thing which I promised to shew) how we should sanctifie Gods Name in this Ordinance, Certainly the Name of God hath been much taken in vain, there hath been a great deal of pollution in the use of this Ordinance, and in mens spirits when they have been exercising themselves in such an holy Ordinance as this is; therefore I will open this to you, and shall not be very large in it, only to shew you the main and principall things that may serve for the direction of us, that the Name of God may not be taken in vain and dishonored as heretofore, and I shall cast what I intend to speak of into these particulars.

1. That whosoever was to partake of this must be holy himself; none can sanctifie God, but he must have a sanctified heart himself.

Secondly, This Ordinance it must be received in a holy communion; There must be a Communion of Saints for this Ordinance; and it cannot be received any where else but in a Communion of Saints.

Thirdly, The holy disposition of soul particularly, or the qualifications of the soul that are required or the sanictfying of Gods Name in this Ordinance.

Fourthly, The manner of the exiplcite going out of the soul, that there are to be at the very time of receiving.

Fifthly, The keeping of the institution of Christ in our receiving. These things are required for the sanctifying of the Name of God in this Ordinance.

For the first, Those that come must be holy themselves.

[Page] This is an Ordinance not appointed for Conversion, to make holy; others that are not converted may come to the Word, because the Word is appointed to work Conversion; 'tis appointed to work Grace, to work the first Grace, Faith comes by hearing; we do not find in all the Scripture that this is appointed for Conversion, but supposes Conversion; none are to come to receive this Sacrament but men and women that before are converted by the Word; the Word therefore is first to be preached to [...]en for their Conversion, and then this is an Ordinance appointed for to seal them: therefore in the Primitive times they let all come to hearing of the Word. and then when the Sermon was done, there was an Officer stept up and cried, Holy things for holy men, and then all others where to go out and therefore it was called Missa (though the papists did corrup it and so called it the Mass afterwards, by mixing there own inventions instead of the Supper of the Lord, but it had that name at first) I say, this holy Communion was called by the name of Missa, because that all others were sent away, and only such as were of the Church, and accounted godly staid: holy things to holy men.

And this must needs be so, because that the nature of it being the Seal of the Covenant of Grace requires it; it must be supposed that al that comes hither must be in Covenant with God, they must be such as have been brought to submit to the Condition of the Covenant. Now the Condition of the Covenant of Grace is, Beleeve and be saved; it is therefore appointed for Beleevers; And as the nature of it begin a Seal, supposeth a Covenant, so none can have his covenant sealed to them, but those that do first submit to it, and are brought into Covenant; When you make an Indenture, and put to the Seal, certainly the Seal belongs only to those that have their names in the Indenture. Now tis true, though mens names are not mentioned in the word, yet the condition is to those that are brought in to beleeve in Jesus Chrst; saith God, I come now to seal all my mercies in Christ to their souls. We abuse God if we come to take the seal to a blank, it is to make this Ordinance a rediculous thing; therefore there must be some transactions between God and your souls before you come to the Seal; If a man should say to you, Come, set [Page] to your seal to such a thing, and there were never any kind of transactions between this man and you before, you would account it rediculous, after there hath been agreements between you, you use then to seal. So it must be here, I would appeal to many of your consciences that have come to the Lords Supper, what transactions have there been between God and your souls? Canst thou say the Lord was pleased to reveal Himself to me, to make known to me my wretched condition, and the way of grace and salvation, and shewed me that upon my coming in to receive His Son, he would be merciful to me and pardon my sins, and I have found the Spirit of God working my heart to Jesus Christ the Lord from Heaven speaking to me, and I sending an Answer to Heaven again, how willing my soul was to accept of the Covenant, which the Lord hath made with poor creatures in the word of His Gospel; canst thou say this in the uprightness of thy heart; if not, know that this Seal belongs not to thee, untill the Lord hath by His word subdued thy heart to this agreement first with him.

Secondly This Ordinance, it is the Ordinance of spiritual nourishment, of eating the flesh of Christ and drinking blood in a spiritual way. Now it must needs suppose that first there must be life before there can be any nourishment received in If it be appointed to nourish and encrease grace, then surely there must be grace before; what nourishment can a dead child take? The very first thing that is to be done is nourishment here, The word hath power to convey life & then to nourish, but we reade of no such thing here, but that which is to be done here is presently to feed, to eat, and to drink, that is the end of the Sacrament; therfore it must be supposed that thou must have Spiritual life, there must come no dead soul to this Ordinance, but those who are quickned by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, they must come for nourishment.

Thirdly, the act here required doth note, That only those that are holy and godly can receive this Sacrament; we are required by the Apostle examine our selves. To examine our selves of what? It must be of our godliness, examine what work of God hath been upon the soul, how God hath brought the soul to Himself, and what Graces of the Spirit of God are [Page] there, And how we have been brought into Covenant with God Now if only those can receive worthily, and are to come that first examine themselves, then certainly such only as are godly are to come, for they only can perform those acts that are required

Fourthly, It is a Sacrament of Communion with God, and Communion with the Saints; now what Communion hath Light with Darkness? what fellowship hath Christ with Belial? If it be a Sacrament of Communion, of coming to the Table of God; Will God have enemies to come to his Table: you will invite no enemies to your Tables, but your children and friends; so they must be the Children of God, and the Friends of God, those that are reconciled to God in the blood of his Son, and those that are his Children that must sit at his Table, therfore they must be holy. Now this may suffice for that first thing, that this is not an Ordinance for al sorts of people, but such as have submitted to the condition of the Covenant before. Such as have grace and ability to examin themselves of their graces, and such as are children and reconciled to God, and so are fit to sit at the Table of God, and to enjoy Communion with him and with his Son, and with the Saints; for we are one body sacramentally when we come to this holy Ordinance; all others therfore certainly are to be kept from this Sacrament but such.

2 The Second thing wil make it out more fully, and that is, It is not enough that we be holy our selves; (and so al ignorant prophane and scandalous, yea al that are meerly civil, that cannot make out any work of godliness upon their hearts, in bringing them to Christ are excluded.)

But, 1 It is to be done in a holy communion, and is cleer one of that place in 1 Cor. 10. 16, 17. The Cup of blessing which we bless, it is not the Communion of the blood of Christ? the bread which we break, is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ? And then saith the Apostle in the 17. verse, for we being many, are one bread and one body: therefore all that come to receive the Sacrament, thay must so come, as they must be one body, one spiritual Corporation: this very consideration, That those with whom we receive the Sacrament are one body with us, it hath a [Page] great deal in it, for the helping of us to sanctifie Gods Name; this Ordinance, I say, it is to be received only in a holy Communion; one Christian cānot receive the Sacrament alone, there must be a Communion wheresoever it is to be administred; it is not enough there is one godly man there, but there must be a Communion of Saints, and in that Communion it is to be received.

Quest. You wil say, Must it be received in a Communion of Saints? what if wicked men do come there, will that hinder us from sanctifying Gods Name in partaking of the Sacrament with them? Do not we find in Scripture that the Church had alwaies wicked men among them? there are alwaies tares growing up with the wheat: If you reade even in the Corinthians, you shall find that there were some in that Church that were wicked, yea, and it's thought that Iudas himself did receive the Sacrament; therefore what if wicked men be there, doth that hinder?

Answ. I answer, First it is true, That in the Church of God there have been wicked men, and 'tis like there will be wicked men to the end of the world; but yet wheresoever there is a right Communion of Saints, there ought to be the power of Christ exercised to cast out those wicked men, or at least to withdraw from them. This is the Law of Christ, That if there be any that have Communion with you, if any of them do appear to be wicked, you are bound in conscience to go and tell them; if they do not reform, you are bound to take two or three; and if they do not yet reform, then you are bound to tell the Church, to tell the Assembly of the Saints when they meet together, for so the word Church doth signifie; and we find in the 1 Cor. 5. chap. that when there was an incestuous person to be cast out, it was done in the presence of the Congregation: Thus far you are bound to do, otherwise you cannot say, that it is nothing to you if wicked men be there, for you have not discharged your conscience. and so you come to be defiled, and you do not sanctifie Gods Name in this Ordinance, because you have not done to the utternost of your duty for the casting out of those wicked men.

And mark, in 2 Cor. 5. 7. there the Apostle writing to the Church, bids them that they should purge out the old leaven, Know [Page] ye nst (saith he) that a little leaven leaveneth the whol lump; the Apostle doth not speak there of sin, but of the wicked incestuous person, saith he, you must look to it that this man be purged out from you, or otherwise you are all leavened by it, that is, the whol Church would be leavened by it, if there were not care taken to purge out that one man.

You will say, shall we be the worse for one wicked mans coming; No, if we be no way faulty in it, then we cannot be said to be worse and it cannot leaven us; but now when it is our duty to purge him out, and we do not do it; as in all communion of Saints there is a duty, and there is not any one but may do somthing towards it; thus far every communicant in every communion of Saints must go; if there be a wicked man there, if you come to know it, and do not go thus far as I have spoken, you are defiled by him, you are not defiled by the meer presence of wicked men; (for that is a meer deceit and gull that some would put upon men that differ from them otherwise;) but thus now you are defiled by their presence, if you do not do your duty, and the uttermost that you are able to purge them out; yea, then the whol Congregation is defiled, if they do not do their duty; now this is the duty of every one in the Congregation, to tell their brother, or to take two or three, and after that to tel the Church, and so come to profess against them or if the Church will not do their duty as they ought, yet then to free their own souls, as to profess, here is one that is so and so guilty, and may be proved thus and thus: and so for my part I to free my own soul profess that this man or woman ought not to have communion here; and thus you come to free your own souls, and when you have done thus, though wicked men be there you may there eat and drink and not be defiled by their presence, for you cannot be said properly to eat with them now, not to have communion with them, no more than if a dog should come and skip upon the Table, and take a piece of bread; you cannot have communion with him because he takes it, no more have you with those wicked men when once you have dealt so fare with them you for your selves profess against them that you for your own particular cannot have communion with them herein, this is not to eat with them: The Apostle in 1 Cor. 5. latter end, he [Page] doth there require, in the 11. v. that If any man that is called a Brother be a fornicator, or covetous or an idolater, or a railor, or a drunkard, or an Extortioner, with such an one no not to eat; for what have I to do to judg them also that are without? that is, the Heathens and those that are in no communion with them, I have nothing to do to judg them; but do not ye judg them that are within? When we have so far freed out selvs as professing against their sin, then we cannot be said to have communion with them, and then we do withdraw from those that walk disorderly, when we do our duty thus far. 1 Thess. 3. 14. If any man obey not our Word by this Epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed; and in the sixt verse of that Chapter he commands them in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that they should withdraw themselves from every brother that walked disorderly. So that till we do our duty we come to be defiled; but now, if we do our duty, then it is not the mixture of a Congregation that is enough to hinder any from receiving the Sacrament there, and this will tend much to satisfie men about the receiving in mixt Congregations where any are cast into them, and are actual Members there

But now on the other side, if we be in a place where either this Congregation will not take upon them any such power to cast out unworthy ones, or are not convinc'd of this power, then there is no rule that Christ hath set, that we must he forced al our dayes to continue to be in such a Congregation as denies one of the Ordinances of Jesus Christ; if so be there be any such that are wicked, and we doe first what we can to have them cast out, and we wait with patience in such a Congregation for to have them cast out, and yet we see that either the Congregation doth not understand that they have any such power, or deny such a power that they have, and so upon that all people are left in a mixt way, I say then there is no rule in all the Book of God that should force men to continue to be Members of such a Communion where they cannot enjoy one Ordinance of Jesus Christ, which is the Ordinance of Separating the precious from the vile, the Ordinance of casting out the wicked and ungodly. It where a very diseased body, and in danger quickly of the loss of life, to take in every thing into it, and to have no exexpulsive [Page] faculty to purge any thing out again; so a congregation that is altogether without such an Ordinance as that is of expelling such as are wicked and ungodly; I say, I find no Scripture that doth force people, and require them as bound in conscience to continue there where they may not injoy all the Ordinances of Jesus Christ, and the right understanding of what I saw now, will help us to answer all those Scriptures that are brought. As if it be that of Judas, first it is hard to make it out cleer whether it were the Lords Sudper that he received yea, or no: but suppose it be granted that he did, yet I make no queststion but such as Judas was, that shall continue to make such anoutward profession as he did, and could not be discovered in the Church-way, but that we may receive with such as are close hypocrites.

You will say, Jesus Christ knew him to be faulty, and he told John that lay in his bosom what he was; but though he knew him as he was God, yet he deales with him in his ministerial way, and he had appointed before that none were to be cast out but were to be delt withal in such a Ministerial way; so that it is not enough though I knew by Revelation from God that such a man were an Hypocrite; suppose God should reveale from heaven to me that such a man were an hypocrite, I think I might communicate with him still when he doth not so far discover himself that I can by witness prove his evil; therefore though men be wicked, yet it doth not defile the communion where they are, if there hath been that way used that Christ hath appointed for the observation in His Church. And when that is done, then I am to withdraw from him, and to profess against communion with him, so that thats enough to answer the case.

We reade likewise that there were divers wicked men among the Corinthians, and of Tares that grew in the Wheat.

It's true, There where wicked men among them, but they were enjoyned by the Apostle to cast out those wicked men, and if they did not do it, it was there sin, and they were defiled by it.

And for Tares that were among the Wheat, take it that this is meant concerning the Church, suppose it where (and yet Christ saith plainly that the field is the world, and it's the godly and [Page] the wicked living together in the world, and so I find many Interpreters take it but howsoever take it that it is meant of the Church-communion, yet thus far is cleer that it was through the fault of the Officers that there should be any Tares among the Wheat; for so the text saith plainly, that while the servants slept there did Tares spring up; therefore there should have been none.

Secondly, They were not such Tares as would spoil the Wheat, but as Hierom saith in those Countries the Tares did grow much like Wheat all the while it was in the blade, so that they were hardly to be distinguished, though some that were of more understanding were able to discern them from the Wheat; therefore though such as do grow up like unto the Wheat may be suffered, and yet in this case only, that is, in case that it will prejudice the Wheat, that is, when they are so close to the Wheat as there will be danger by plucking them up to pluck up the Wheat too, then they must be let alone: Mark, first it was through the negligence of the Officers; they should have been kept out. Secondly, if they do get in, yet while they grow so close to the Wheat as there will be danger that when you pluck out them, to pluck out the Wheat too, only in that case it must be forborn; but this gives no libertie that therefore all sorts may be let into the Church, and there should be no kind of Ordinance to cast out those that are venemous weeds that will do hurt and mischief.

But if you understand it (as many do) concerning the world, then the meaning is thus, The preaching of the Gospel that comes to a place, and there's only good Seed sown, and is a means of the conversion of many, but together with the conversion of some; there are others that do hear the Gospel preached, and the truth is they being mingled among the hearers of the Word instead of bringing forth good fruit according to the Gospel, they bring forth the Tares; now saith the servant, Lord, how comes it to pass that we preach such excellent Truths in this place, and yet there are so many wicked men that bring forth such wicked fruit? Lord, is it thy mind that we should be wholly separated from them, and have nothing to do with them, that there should be a full separation while we live in this [Page] world? no saith Christ, not so; for then the truth is, if all godly men should wholly withdraw from wicked men, and beleeve that they may not live among them, they could not live in the world. If you did beleeve it were your dutie not so much as to live neer a wicked man, nor to have any thing to do in any kind of converse with him, there would be no Wheat growing in this field of the world here; and therefore you must be content, when you live where the preaching of the Gospel is, and the seed brings forth good fruit in some, and in others it brings forth Tares, you must not be offended by this that here in this world God doth not by some visible stroke of judgment come and strike them dead, or that God doth not take some course that there should be a full separation here, but that they might live together til the day of judgment; here I say you shall not have such a full separation; so that you see it carries a very fair sense to take the field to be the world, and the Kingdom of Heaven there to be the preaching of the Gospel in any place, and so we must be content while we live in this world to be where wicked and ungodly men are. But it doth not follow from this place that we are to have converse in the closest communion, in Church-communion with wicked men, to be made body by eating the same Bread, and drinking the same Wine; it holds not forth such close communion as this is; so that there's little strength can be taken from that place, but still it holds that wheresoever there is the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, there must be a holy communion of Saints.

Object. The Scripture only saith, Let us examine our selves.

Answ. I grant, for the benefit of mine own soul, I must look to examine my self more especially; but now for another I am but only so far bound to look to him as to keep my self clean; it is true, I am not bound to go and pry into his life and all his waies, so as to force him to give an account of things that are secret, but I am bound to keep a watch, and if any thing be done that offends me, then I am bound to go to him according to the formet Rule of Christ, and if he appears to be wicked, then I am bound to see him purged from the Congregition; for take but that other text in 1 Cor. 5. 6. Know you not that a [Page] little leaven leaveneth the whol lump? If I do not do so much as concerns my duty, than I am defiled by it. So as that you must not think that it is nothing to you how many wicked men comes to the Lords Table, and that it belongs only to the Ministers and they are to look to it; the truth is, that every one in his place is to look to it, and every one may be defiled, if he doth not perform this duty that God requires of him; do not say, What have I to do with my Brother; am I my Brothers keeper? It was the speech of Cain if thou beest of the same body, you are to have a care of your Brother; do not ye Judg those that are within? there is some kind of judgment that every one may pass upon such as do joyn with them in the same Body; surely it concerns me much; what shall I do in such an action as to joyn with them to eat Bread, whereby I must profess that I do beleeve my self to be of the same body, that this Drunkerd is of, that this Whoremaster is of, that this Swearer is of? whenever you receive the Communion with any company, you do profess your selves to be of the same body with that Company; only in this case, If I have discovered any, and can particularly profess against any one, then I do not profess my self to be of the same body with him; but now when I come in an ordinary way, and I know such to be wicked, vile, and prophane, and I professe nothing against them, nor take any course at all, I do then by partaking with them, profess my self to be of the same body that they are of. Thou doest as it were openly declare, Lord, here we come and profess that we are all of the Body of Jesus Christ; now when thou knowest such and such are notoriously wicked and prophane, and dost nothing in the world to help to purge them out, dost not thou think that Gods name is taken in vain? is not Gods Name prophaned here? therefore it co [...]ce [...]s us very much to look unto it that it be a holy communion that we receive the Bread and Wine in; I beseech you therefore understand things aright that I have spoken of; I have lab [...]ed to satisfie men that there is a way that we may partake of the Sacrament though wicked men be mixt with us: but this is that which is required of you for doing your duty, to keep your selves clean, that you may not be accessary to any way to any wicked mans coming to partake [Page] of this holy mystery of the Body and Blood of Christ, there are divers things further about this, and the speciall thing I thought of, was to shew you the holy qualifications that there ought to be; but this I conceive to be the necessary, and I should not have had peace in mine own conscience as being faithfull to you in what I am speaking, of sanctifyng the Name of God in this Ordinance, if I should not have mentioned this that I have spoken unto you, and ther's an error on both sides, that I desire to meet withal; either those that come hand over head, and think it concerns them not at all with whom they come to the Sacrament but to look to their own hearts: and there's an error on the other side, that if they do what they can to keep them away, and yet if they should be suffered to come, they may not come to partake of those things, now it is very usefull for us to know what we should do in this case.

SERMON XII.

Leviticus, 10. 3.‘I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me.’

I Shall ad somthing to one particular, that I had the last day, concerning Peoples withdrawing from such a Congregation where they could not receive all the Ordinance of Jesus Christ.

As now, If I were in a Church where I could have but a piece of the Sacrament, suppose they deale with me as the papists do with the people that is, they will give them the Bread and not the Wine, Certainly I were not bound to stay with them then, but I were bound to go where I might have the whol Sacrament. So if a Church will give me some one Ordinance and not another, I confess so long as there is hope that I may enjoy it, and that they are in a [Page] way for injoyment, I think there should be a great forbearance to a Church as wel as to a particular person; as I must not withdraw from a particular man, where there is hope still of his reformation, that there may come good of my forbearance, so towards a Church much more; but I say, if I cannot enjoy neither doth there appear any hope of injoyment of all Ordinances, certainly it were but a cruelty to force men to stay there, when as otherwhere they may enjoy all Ordinances for the good of there souls. And this cannot be schism thus to do; As now if this schism? Supose a man were in a place and joyned in such a Communion, for his outward benefit he may remove his dwelling from one place to another if he can have better trading in another place; than certainly if he may have more Ordinance for the edification of his soul; he may as well remove from one to another, as he may remove if his trading be better in one place than another. Christ would have all his people look to the edification of there souls; and should I account that schism, when a man or woman meerly out of tenderness and a desire to injoy Jesus Christ in all his Ordinances for the benefit of there souls,, they find such want to there souls of all Ordinances, that though they may have some in one place, yet if they cannot have all, their souls do not so thrive; now if this be all the end why they remove, that they might have more edification to their souls, injoying the Ordinances of Christ more fully, God forbid that this should ever be acounted such a sin, that the Scripture is to brand; no that's schism when there is a violent rending out of malice, for the want of love; for as a postasie is a rending from the head, so schism from the body, that is, when it is out of an evil spirit, from envie, or from malice, from want of love, or from any base sinister ends, and upon no Just Ground; but now when it is meerly out of love to Jesus Christ, that I might have more edification to my soul and still I retaine love to the Saints that are there as they are in Communion, and so far as they have any thing good among them, I hold communion with them in that: only I desire in humility, and in meekness that I may be in such a place where my soul may be most edified, where I may enjoy al those Ordinances that Christ hath appointed for his Church, [Page] certainly, that soul that can give this account to Jesus Christ for going from one place to another, will be freed by Jesus Christ from such a sin as this is that the world calls Schism; but the truth is, this word is in mens mouths that understand not what it means, and the Devil alwayes will have some word or other cast upon them that are good; for he hath heretofore gained much by it, so still he makes account to gain much by words and terms and therefore men should take heed of words and termes that they do not understand, and examine seriously what the meaning is and what is held forth in these words: And thus much for that point that it must be in a holy Communion wherever there is the receiving of the Lords Supper, it must be received in an holy Communion.

Now we are to proceed to that which is the main thing, and that is, What are the holy Qualifications or dispositions of the soul, together with the actings fit in receiving of the Lords Supper, what is required in the soul, for he sanctifying of the Name of God in this holy sacrament?

There are many things required.

As first, there is required Knowledg; I must know what I do when I come to receive this holy Sacrament; knowledg applyed to the work that I am about, When some of you have come to receive this Sacrament, if God would have spoken from Heaven and have said thus to you, what are you doing now? what do you go for? What account had you been able to have given unto him? You must understand what you do when you come thither.

First You must be able to give this account to God, Lord, I am now going to have represented to me in a visible and sensible way the greatest Mysteries of Godlines, those great and deep Counsels of my Will concerning my eternal estate, those great Things that Angels desire to pry into, that shall be the matter of eternal praises of Angels and Saints in the highest Heavens that they may be set before my view; Lord, when I have come to thy Word, I have had sounding in mine ears the great Mysteries of Godliness, the great Things of the Covenant of Grace, and now I go to see them represented before mine eyes in that Ordinance of thine that thou hast appointed.

[Page] Yea Lord, I am now going to receive the Seals of the blessed Covenant of thine, the second Covenant, the new Covenant, the Seals of the Testimony and will of thine; I am going to have confirmed to my soul thine everlasting Love in Jesus Christ.

Yea Lord I am going to that Ordinance wherein I expect to have Communion with thy self, and the Communion of thy chief mercies to my soul in Jesus Christ.

I am going to feast with the, to feed upon the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.

Yea, I am now going to set the Seal of the Covenant on my part, to renew my Covenant with thee, I am going to have Communion with thy Saints, to have the bond of Communion with all thy people to be confirmed to me, that there might be a strong bond of union and love between me and thy Saints than ever; these are the ends that I go for, this is the work that I am now going about; thus you must come in understanding, you must come with understanding, you must know what you are going about; this is that which the Apostle speaks of, when he spake of the disarming the Lords body; he rebukes the Corinthians for there sin, and shew them that they were guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ, because they did not descren the Lords Body, they look'd only upon the outward elements, but did not discren what their was of Christ there, they did not understand the Institution of Christ; they did not see how Christ was under those elements, both represented, and exhibited unto them: that is the first thing, there must be knowledg and understanding.

And now for the knowledg and understanding of the nature of the Sacrament; there need be knowledg in other Points of Religion, for we can never come to understand the nature of this Sacrament, without knowing God, and knowing our selves, knowing in what estate we are by Nature, knowing our Fall knowing the way of Redemtion, knowing Jesus Christ what He was, and what He hath done for the making of an Atonement, the necessity of Jesus Christ, and what the way of the Covenant is that God hath appointed to bring mens souls to eternall life by. The main points of Religion must be known, but [Page] especially that which concerns the nature of a Sacrament.

Now this knowledg likewise must be actual, not meerly habitual knowledg, but there must be a stirring up of this knowledg, that is, by meditation, I must be meditating, have actual thoughts and meditations of what I do know; that ought to be the work of a Christian in coming to receive the Sacrament, to quicken up his knowledg, to have a renewed work of his knowledg by actual thoughts and meditations of the main Points of Religion, and especially of the nature and the end of this holy institution; that is the first thing.

Secondly, As we must come understandingly, without which we cannot Sanctifie Gods Name so we must come with hearts sutable to the work that we are about, that is, because the great thing that is here, is the breaking of Christs body, and the powring forth His blood. A sutable disposition to this is brokenness of heart, sence of our sin, of that dreadful breach that sin hath made between God and the soul; our sin should be upon our hearts so as to break them; But this brokenness must be Evangelical; it must be through the applying of the Blood of Christ unto my soul; I must come to be sensible of my sin; but especially be sensible of it by what I see in the holy Sacrament, that must make me sensible of my sin: There are a great many things to make me sensible of my sin: The consideration of the great God that thou hast sinned against, and the Curse of the Law that's due to thee, the wrath of God that is incensed against thee for thy sin, and those eternal flames that are prepared for sinners, those everlasting burnings.

But now those are not the things that will break the heart in an Evangelical way, in a gracious way; the main thing by which the soul must come to break its heart, must be the beholding of the evil of sin in the red glass of the blood of Jesus Christ, the beholding him broken; and truly there is nothing in the world, that hath that power to break the heart of sin, as the beholding of that which is to be beheld in the holy Sacrament, and that heart is a hard heart that can see what is there to be seen, & not break in the apprehension of sin; when I here see what my sin cost, what a price was made for my soul, when I see the hatred of God against sin, and the justice of God in not [Page] sparing his Son, but in breaking his Son for my sin and in shedding the blood of his Son for my sins, I see here that the making of my peace with God did cost more than ten thousand worlds is worth; I see that by my sin such a breach was made between God and my soul, that all the Angels in Heaven, and Men in the World could never make up this breach; only the Son of God, he that was God and man, that was thus broken by the burden of the wrath of his Father for my sins, could do this, The truth is, when we come to this holy Communion, we are to look upon Christ as if we saw Him hanging upon the Cross, suppose thou hadst lived at the time when Christ was crucified, and hadst understood as much concerning the death of Christ as now thou doest, and what Christ was, if so be that thou shouldest have beheld Him in the Garden and there sweating drops of water and blood, and lie groveling upon the ground, crying, If it be possible let this cup pass from me: and shouldest have followed Him to the Cross, and there have seen His hands and feet naied and His side pierced, and the blood trickling down, and have heard him crying out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me; would not such a sight as this is have broken thy heart for thy sin? the truth is there is more, I won't say only so much, but I say there is more in this Sacrament to break the heart for sin than such a sight as that.

You will say, If you should haue Christ to be crucified again before your eyes, if you should see the body of Christ hanging upon the Cross, and there behold him crucified, and hearing of him cry out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me; you would think if your hearts did not break for sin then, that they were desperately hard; know every time that thou hast come to receive the Sacrament, thou hast come to see such a sight and it is as great an aggravation of the hardness of thy heart if it hath not broken at this sight, as it would be if it should not break at that sight; We reade in Gal. 3. 1. of Pauls speaking of the preaching of the Gospel, he saith that Christ was crucified before those that did hear the word: and foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you; he doth not mean that Christ was crucified in [Page] Galatia, but that where the word was preached he was evidently set forth, and crucified among them; but now my brethren, the crucifying of Christ in the Word, is not such a real, evident and sensible setting forth of Christ crucified, as when he is set forth in this Sacrament, and tis that which works with more efficacie to break the heart than that other sight; and the reason that I give is this:

Because you do never find that God did set that apart as an Ordinance: an institution appointed to that end that they should come to look upon that for the breaking of there hearts; there was indeed a naturalness in it; that if they did behold Christ, it might break there hearts, but it was not such an Ordinance it was not a Sacrament as this is; now this being in a Sacramental way in the use of an Ordinance appointed by Jesus Christ to set forth his sufferings, and al the riches of the Covenant of grace to the soul, there may be expected here a further blessing than in the other, though it's true the other might work mightily upon the heart but yet this being a great ordinance of Christ in the Church, a great institution of Jesus Christ for the setting out of his sufferings, it hath a more special blessing that goes along with it; every Ordinance hath a promise, and a more special blessing than any other thing that is not an Ordinance. So when you come here to behold Christ crucified before you, you cannot see Christ naturally crucified as upon the Cross: but you have Christ crucified before you in the way of a Sacrament, in the way of a solemn institution of Jesus Christ, that hath a special blessing which goes along with it; therfore if the heart be not broken here, there is an aggravation of the hardness of the heart as great as if we should behold Jesus Christ upon the Cross and our hearts not broken there; and indeed this is a special reason why those are said to be guilty of the body and blood of Christ that receive unworthily; as if a man had been then alive and had been before the Cross; and there have seen how the blood of Jesus Christ, was shed for sin, and should not have been affected with it, but should have accounted it as a common thing, this man in some regard might have been said to be guilty of His death; that is, to have joyned and consented with those that [...] crucifie Him; for if a man sees another commit a sin, if he [...] [Page] affected with that sin, and it does not stir his heart, he may come to be partaker of his sin; so that those that come to see Jesus Christ crucified, and have not their hearts at all stir'd with the crucifying of Christ, they are in som regard truly said to be guilty of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ; And that's the second thing, brokenness of spirit is sutable to the light of a broken Christ.

3. The Third thing that is here to be done in the Sanctifying of Gods Name, is the purging and clensing of the heart from sin; and actuall clensing and purging the heart from sin there ought to be. The Jews in there Passover were to cast out all leaven and those that were of the custom of the Jews, say that they were wont to do three things in the casting out of their Leaven:

1. they made diligent search for Leaven; they lighted Candles to look into every corner lest there should be any bit of Leaven left in the house.

2. When they found it they cast it out.

3. They used an execration, they did curse themselves if they should willingly keep any leaven in the house.

So my brethren, when we come to partake of this holy Ordinance, there should be a diligent inquisition for sin, for sin in Scripture is compared to leaven; thou shouldest make a diligent search what sin there is in thy heart, in any of the faculties of thy soul, what sin there is in thy thoughts, in thy conscience, in thy understanding, in thy will, in any of thy affections, what sin there hath been in thy life, what family sins, what personall sins. thou shouldest make a diligent search to see whether there be not some leaven, some evil in thy heart; and what ever sin thou shalt come to find out in thy heart, there must be a casting of it out; that is, thy soul must be set against it to apose it with all thy might; what ever beloved sin, whatever gainfull sin, whatsoever become of thee, thy soul must renounce that sin of thine; yea and in a kind of execration of thy life: that's thus, Lord, as ever I expect to receive any good by this Body and Blood of Christ, that I come now to receive, so Lord, here I profess against every sin that I have found out in my heart; I desire to find out all, and profess [Page] against all, and renouuce all, and would do to the uttermost that I am able for delivering of my soul fully, from every known or beloved sin; Oh that there might not be any remaining in my heart: this must be the disposition of the soul coming hither, and it must needs be thus, or else we cannot sanctifie Gods Name, because there is nothing more sutable than this disposition unto the receiving of the Sacrament; for we come here to profess, That we do acknowledg that sin did cost so much as it did, that it cost the Blood of the Son of God; now this cannot chuse but cause the heart to renonnce sin; If indeed I do beleeve that sin hath cost the Blood of Christ, that it cost him so deer as it did, that it did trouble Heaven and Earth, that there must be such a mighty wonderful way of satisfaction to God for my sin committed against him, Certainly sin hath a dreadful evil in it, Oh let me never have to do with such sin that was the cause of such sufferings to my Savior that did shed his Blood. If so be that thou sawest a knife that had cut the throat of thy dearest child, would not thy heart rise against that knife? Suppose you come to a Table, and there is a Knife laid at your Trencher, and it was told you, This is the Knife that cut the Throat of your Child, or Father, if you could use that Knife as another Knife, would not any one say, There was but little love to your Father or Child: So when there is a Temptation comes to any sin, this is the Knife that cut the Throat of Christ, that pierc'd his Sides, that was the cause of all his sufferings, that made Christ to be a curse; now wilt not thou look upon that as a cursed thing that made Christ to be a curse? Oh with what detestation would a man or woman fling away such a Knife! and with the like detestation it is required that thou shouldest renounce sin, for that was the cause of the death of Christ. I remember it is reported of Anthony. when Caesar was slain, he comes to stir up the people against those that had slain Caesar, and he takes the cloaths that were bloody, and holds them forth to the people, and saith, Here is blood of your Emperor; and upon that the people were enraged against those that had slain him, and went and pulled down their houses upon them: So when thou comest to this Sacrament, thou seest the blood of Christ gushing out, and for thy [Page] sin, if ever thy sin be pardoned; either thy soul must be eternally damn'd for thy sin, or else thy sin cost the gushing out of the blood of Christ; now when thou seest this; this should cause an holy rage in thy soul against sin that caused this; surely the putting away sin, the rising of the heart against sin must needs be a disposition sutable to such an Ordinance as this is. And that's the Third thing required in sanctifying of Gods Name in this Ordinance, the purging out of sin, and rising of the heart against it.

4. The Fourth thing that is to be done for the sanctifying of Gods Name here, it is, the hungring and thirsting of the soul after Jesus Christ; whosoever comes hither, he comes to a feast, and the Lord exspects that all his Guests should come with stomachs unto his feast, come with hungring and longing for Jesus Christ; this should be the disposition of the soul, Oh that my soul might enjoy Communion with Jesus Christ; now, this is the end that I am come for; Oh! the Lord, that knows the workings of my heart, knowes that this is the great desire of my soul, that I might enjoy Communion with Jesus Christ; Oh! that I might have more of Christ, that I might meet with Christ, that I might have some further manifestation of Jesus Christ that I might have my soul further united to the Lord Christ, and so have further influence of Christ to my soul; I come with thirst after the Lord Christ, knowing my infinite need of him, and the infinite excellency that there is in Jesus Christ; my soul doth famish and perish for ever without Christ; but in the enjoyment of Christ, there is a fulness for the satisfying of my soul; that I have had of Christ somtimes in the Word, and somtimes in Prayer, that have been sweet unto me, but I expect a further communion with Christ here, for this is the grand Ordinance for Communion with Jesus Christ; indeed the word in this respect it is beyond this Ordinance, that is it is not only for the increase of Grace, but for the begetting; This is only for the increase of Grace, and not appointed for the begetting; now in that respect the Word is above the Sacrament; but now this Sacrament is a more full Ordinance for Communion with Jesus Christ, this is the Communion of the body of Jesus Christ, and of his blood, and therfore there ought [Page] to be hungring and thirsting desires of the soul after Jesus Christ, therefore you must take heed you do not come with your stomachs full of trash, as children when they can get Plums and Pears and fill their stomachs with them, when they come to your Tables, though there be never so much wholsome diet, they have no mind at all to it; so it is with men of the world, they fill their hearts with the trash of this world, and with sensual delights, and hence it is that when they come to such a great Ordinance to enjoy communion with Jesus Christ, that then they feel no want at all of Christ, only they come and take a little piece of bread and a draught of wine, but for any strong pausing desires to meet with Jesus Christ there in the Ordinance, to come so as they know not how to live without Christ, even as a man that is an hungred cannot live without his meat and drink; and so for the soul to have such a disposition after Christ, this is a rare thing; but know that Gods Name is not sanctified, unless thou doest come in such a way unto his holy Sacrament; that's the fourth thing, hungry and thirsty desires after Christ, from a deep sence of the need of him, and the apprehension of the excellency in him.

5. In the fift place there must be an exercise of faith for the Sanctifying of Gods Name here; Faith that is both the hand and the mouth of the taking of this spiritual meat; and spiritual drink; when thou comest to the Feast of the Lord, Faith first is the eye, and then the hand and mouth; it is the eye of thy soul to give a real sight to what there is here, you are not able to discern the body of the Lord but by the eye of Faith; if thou comest only with bodily eyes to look upon what is here, thou seest nothing but a little Bread and Wine; but now where the eye of Faith is, there is a real apperance of Jesus Christ to the soul, as if Christ were bodily present, and we need not have the bread truned in to his body; for Faith cannot see the body of Christ through the bread, and the blood of Christ gushing in the Wine. And it is a mighty thing to have Christ and such sprituall things made real and not to be a fansie. If one look upon the fire that is painted, one cannot heat ones self in cold wether with that, but fire that is really burning upon the harth; so those that [Page] come to receive the Sacrament, and not come with Faith, that have only the eye of their bodies, they only see as it were a painted Christ, they do not see Christ really, his body and blood and those great mysteries of the Gospel are not presented as real things to their souls; and hence it is that they go away and get nothing; but now when the soul comes with the eye of Faith, the soul sees the wonderful things of God, it is the most glorious sight in the world; al the glory of God in the Heavens and Earth is not like this Sight of Jesus Christ and the mysteries of the Gospel that do appear to the eye of Faith; therefore you may by this know whether you have come with Faith or no to the Sacrament, whether you have seen the most glorious Sight that ever your eyes did behold, Alas! with our natural eyes, we behold a Minister coming with a piece of Bread, and a little Wine: but when the eye of Faith is opened, then we behold the glorious things of the Gospel: Many times when you come to hear the Word, your hearts burn within you; as they that went to Emaus; but when you are breaking bread, the eye of Faith that must look upon Jesus Christ: and in this sense, those that have pierced Christ must look upon him; that Scripture is fulfilled in Zachariah, 12. latter end, They shall look on him whom they have pierced by their Sins, and then mourn and lament: This eye of Faith will cause mourning and lamenting for Sin.

And then, As Faith is the eye to make what is here real, so Faith is the hand to take it: When you come to a feast, you must have something to take the meat to you: so saith Christ, he brake bread, and gave it unto his Disciples, saying, Take, eat this. Take it; how shal we take it? By reaching out of the hand; if you sanctifie Gods Name in this Ordinance, as you reach out your hand to take the Bread and Wine, so there must be an actual reaching out of the soul by Faith, putting forth an act of Faith to receive Jesus Christ unto the soul, to apply the Lord Jesus Christ unto thy soul with all his merits and good things that he hath purchased; when the Minister doth give out that Ordinance, [...] should look upon God the Father giving out his Son; as if this were your condition I am now in the presence of the eternal Father, who now doth actually give out [Page] his Son to my soul; and saith Soul, here receive a new this day, my Son with all that he hath purchased for thy good; now then the soul acts upon this, and by stirring up an act of faith, comes and closes with this gift of the Father and casts its selfe upon Jesus Christ, and saith as it were, Amen: to what the Father gives, Oh Lord, here I come and imbrace thy Son as my life, as my Savior, as the Fountain of all my good, in whom I expect all the good I am like to have either here or to all eternity; so that there must be a stirring up of the act of faith in an actual taking of Christ, if thou beest a Beleever; Canst thou remember what thou didst, when first thou didst take Jesus Christ; when the Lord in the preaching of His word did reveal Jesus Christ to my soul, what didst thou then, Oh soul; how did thy soul work in closing with Christ; as thy soul did then in closing with Christ, so it must now renew the work; there must be a renewal of the work at that time. So that when you come to the Sacrament, you must not think that it is then a time to listen to doubts, fears, and Scruples; no, but it is a time that God cals for the exercise of faith, the casting of the soul upon Christ, and His merits for life and for salvation, or else the Name of God is not sanctified as it ought; thou doest not Sanctifie Gods Name, when thou art busying thy soul in doubts and scruples in thy receiving of the Sacrament.

And then faith is as the mouth; when thou comest to eat and drink, how canst thou if thou hast not a mouth; thou hast a bodily mouth to take in Bread and Wine; but know that without faith thy soul cannot take in Christ; faith is as it were the mouth; that is, by the act of faith the soul doth open it self for Jesus Christ, and not only opens it self, but takes in Christ, to the soul, and makes Christ and the soul as one, as our Bread and Wine is made one with our Body, so faith takes in Christ, and makes him as one with thee, and turns Christ into the nourishment of thy soul, and thou and Christ by faith are made as truly one, as the Bread and Wine that is put into thy Body, is made one with thy body. This is the work of faith, without which we cannot Sanctifie the Name of God.

[Page] Sixthly, There must be spiritual Joy; that must be exercised here; for it is a feast; here we come to sit with Christ at his Table, we come as Children to our fathers Table, and to sit there with Jesus Christ our Elder Brother; now as a father doth not love to have his child sit in a sullen and dogged way at his Table, or to be crying, but he would have the child sit in comfort and with a holy cheerfulnes with a holy freedom of spirit; not in a sullen way, but as a child in the presence of his father, and not as a servant with the master.

Obiect. You told us before, that there should be brokenness of spirit and sence of our sin.

Answ. That may be, and joy; we rejoyce with trembling; therefore that brokennese of spirit that I meant, must not be slavish horror and fear, but a kindly melting of the soul from the apprehension of the love of God unto it in Jesus Christ, that was willing to be at so great cost to purchase the pardon of sin: such a gracious mourning as may stand with joy; and the truth is, that, that sorrow for sin in the Sacrament that is not mixt with joy, is a sorrow that doth not Sanctifie Gods Name; godly sorrow and evangelical joy may stand together very well. And therefore know that this is not the time, neither to give liberty to have your hearts sink; no, there must be no sinking sorrow of heart, but such a sorrow of heart as in the midst of it you may be able to look upon God as a reconciled Father to you, and have a cheerfulness of spirit as in the presence of God; you must look upon your selves as Gods guests, to be merry at his Table; now this is a great mystery of godliness; that there should be at the same time the sight of Christ crucified, and yet at the same time a spiritual cheerfulness in the assurance of the love of God in Jesus Christ. I say, it is a mystery, and only those that are Beleevers are able to understand this mystery, how to have their hearts break, and yet how to rejoyce at the same time in that unspeakable love of God that is here presented unto them in this Sacrament.

Seventhly, In the next place, There must be thankfulness; therefore it is called the Eucharist, and in one of the Evangelists where it is said, Christ blest the Bread, in another it is said, Christ gave thanks; Christ when he instituted this Sacrament, [Page] he 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 souls; now shall Jesus Christ give thanks unto God the Father for that which did cost him his life? yea saith Christ, I see that here is a way to save souls, and let it cost me my life if it will, yet I bless thee O Father, if souls may come to be saved though it cost me my life. Christ rejoyced in his Spirit in thanking his Father for this; then how should our hearts be enlarged with thankfulness when we come to this, that the Ancients were wont to call the Eucharist, that is, a thanksgiving? we are to give God thanks for every mercy, you will not eat your own bread without giving of thanks; but when we come to have this bread, this bread of life, here is matter of thankfulness, here is matter of enlargment of soul; thou that hast the deadest and dullest soul; and straightest Spirit, yet when thou comest hither and understandest what thou doest, here thou canst not but see matter for the enlargment of thy heart, and wish that thou hadst ten thousand thousand times more strength to express 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 than 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 think that thou wert bound to bless him then; only when God in Bread and Wine, reaches out to the, the body and Blood of his Son, 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 soul, My soul praise thou the Lord, and all that is within me praise His holy Name; bless the Lord O my soul, and forget not all His benefits; who forgiteth all thine iniquitie, who healeth all thy diseases; O poor soul, here is the foundation of all mercies; dost thou praise God for Justification, for sanctification? here is a glorious application of the mercie of God to the souls of sinners, and therefore if ever thou wert thankfull, be thankfull here. The Sabbath my Brethren, that is appointed to be the set constant day of [Page] thanksgiving for the great mercies of God in Christ, and there are other daies for National mercies; now a special 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 is the day appointed by God for to be the day of thanksgiving for that great mercy; the Lord Jesus Christ: and that's the reason why the Sabbath was changed; the last day in the week was the Jewish Sabbath, and that was to celebrate the memorial of the Creation of the World; and the first day now, it is to be the day of thanksgiving for al the work of God in mans Redemption.

Eighthly, 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 actual renewing of your Covenant with God, that's thus, I come to receive this Bread & this wine, and this is to be as the Seal of the Covenant on Gods part: now this will be emplied in the nature of the thing, that if I take the Seals of Gods Covenant, that I must be willing to set to my Seal 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 Cavenant, That he 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 comest 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 seal, 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 self for ever to thee; as thou hast given me the Body and Blood of Christ for my salvation, so Lord, here I consecrate my body and blood to thee, the last drop of my [Page] heart blood shall be given to thee, and so my strength and estate, and name, or what ever 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 sin so much with your bodies? that you abbuse your body with uncleanness, and drunkenness, and other wickedness afterwards? Oh you prophane the name of God, and the very Body and Blood of Christ in this, except thou givest up the body and soul to God in way of Covenant:

Ninthly, in the last place, for the sanctifying of Gods Name there is required the renewing of Love; the coming 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 requireth 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 comest to the Sacrament; and therefore, first, all heart burnings, and heart grudges, must be laid aside; and secondly you must come with a willinness to be reconcilled one to another, willingnes to pass by all infirmities in thy Brethren; here I have the Seal of Gods wllingness to pass by al my sins. and therefore I must be willing to pass by all infirmities in my Brethren; I must now cast out all ill wishes towards others, and come with a disire of all good unto them; and with a heart ready to imbrace any opportunity to do any good; thou doest lye unto God except thou comest with such a heart as this is; Lord, thou knowest that I am willing to take all opportunities to do good to those, that I now do communicate with, for it is the neerest Communion that possible can be in this world, between one Creature and another, and this is the reason why there should be that Ordinance of Christ set up every where, to cast out those that are unworthy, because it is the greatest union and Communion [Page] 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 think such an one to be a Member of Christ; why doest not thou do 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 own him to be a Member of Jesus Christ; if thou doest so, take heed how thy heart be estranged from him, take heed how thou behavest thy self to them; take heed how thou livest in a jarring, 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 comest to it when thou comest with such an heart as this is; if thou dost not find this renewed love, Lord, there began to be a strangeness 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 profess, that this Ordinance shall unite our hearts together more than ever they were; I will study to do what good possibly I can to my brother; that as we joyn here to the feast of the Lord with comfort, so we may live together in peace & love as it becomes the Saints of God, and the Members of the Body of Jesus Christ; Oh how far are people from any such work of God as this is! The Lord expects 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 we come to partake of the Sacrament; but O Lord, what cause have we to lay our hands upon our hearts! for if this be to sanctifie thy Name then it hath been a riddle, a mysterie to us; Certainly my brethren, these things are the Truths of God which I have delivered, and so fare as you have been wanting in any of these, know, so far you have taken Gods Name in vain is 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 humiliation 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 we should further have spoken of, That God [Page] will be sanctified; that's thus, If we do not sanctifie Gods Name, it will quite turn to the contrary; it is the proper end of the Sacrament, to seal up our salvation: but if we sanctifie not Gods Name, it will seal up our condemnation; if it hath not been thy endeavor to sanctifie the Name of God, so many times as thou hast received the Sacrament, so many seals hast thou upon thee for the sealing up of thy condemnation.

But yet for thy comfort, while thou art alive, it is possible that these sels may be broken open; as we reade 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 slain he was found worthy to open the Book: So I say, thy condemnation is sealed up with many seals, and there is no creature that is able to conceal these seals, only the Lamb, Jesus Christ; yea, that Christ whose blood thou hast shed and been guilty of, only he is worthy; and he is willing to open these seals; for as it was with those that did crucifie Christ, yet they were saved by the same blood that thay had shed, as in Acts 2. So though thou hast been guilty of shedding the blood of Christ again and again, 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: Oh how many are cut off that have thus prophaned the Name of God in this Sacrament, and never came to understand this danger! they are cut off, and now are undone for ever; then bless God that thou art alive to hear more about this Sacrament, and how Gods Name should be sanctified; that thou art alive, and hast time to repent the of this great evil, of prophaning the Name of God in this holy Sacrament.

SERMON XIII.

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Leviticus, 10. 3.‘I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me.’

THere is one thing more about the Sanctifying the Name of God in the Sacrament which cleerly concerns us; and that is,

To keep the Institution of the Sacrament; for this is such a Worship of God, as depends meerly upon institution; that is, upon a positive Law, upon the wil of God. There are some duties of Worship which are natural, that we may know by the light of nature they are due to God; but the Sacrament is a duty of worship that is only by institution; and if God had not revealed it, we had not been bound to it; therefore in these duties of institution, God stands very punctual upon them; we must be very exact, neither to err on the right hand, nor the left; to make any alteration in the points of Institution; Now therefore for the Institution of this Sacrament we find it in divers of the Evangelists, in Matth. 26. 26. there you shall find that Christ and his Disciples they eat the Sacrament together; and this was the way of it; They were together sitting at the same Table; so it is called the Table of the Lord sometimes in Scripture; therefore that's the first thing that is according to the institution, that those that do communicate must come to the Table as neer as they can; as many as can sit about it, and all to come as neer as they can, and the reason is, Because that otherwise you will not be able to attain the end why God should have you come to receive; the end is to remember the death of Christ; now except pou be able to see the Sight, to see what is done, to have your eye as well as your ear exercised, you do not fully accomplish the end that is appointed; for this is a Sacrament, that doth present to our [Page] eyes the death of Christ, and the great mysteries of salvation, and therefore it is according to the institution, that every Communicant must be where he may behold what is done, he must be where he may see the breaking of the Bread, and the powring forth of the Wine; Certainly it hath been a disorderly way therefore for people to sit up and down in their Pews every where in the Congregation, and for the Minister to go up and down after them; so that they could see nothing nor scarce hear any thing: It is much for the attaining the end of the institution, for all Communicants to look upon the breaking of the Bread, and the powring forth of the Wine in the Sacrament, and therefore all should come together; and there, as many as can sit at his Table, or those that cannot, neer to it; and the rather, because this is not only from the example of Christ, that he did so, though that's some what; but because it hath a spiritual significancy in it, and that's the reason that it should be done: we find in Luke, 22. 26. the institution of the Sacrament; Now mark, upon their coming, and being with Christ at the Table, saith Christ in the 29, and 30. verses, And I appoint unto you a Kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me, that you may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom, and sit on Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel: He spake it upon that occasion of the Disciples sitting with him at the Table, when they did eat Bread; and when they took the Cup; upon that occasion Christ spake to his Disciples, and said, I appoint you a Kingdom, that ye may eat and drink at my Table, in my Kingdom, that ye may eat and drink the twelve Tribes of Israel; as if Christ should say, You can sit with me at my table here, and know, that this sitting with me at my Table, it is but as it were a preludium, a foresignification of the Communion that you shal have with me in my Kingdom; you shall have that familiar Communion with me when I come into my Kingdom, there to sit (as it were) with me, to joyn with me in my Kingdom, judging the twelve Tribes of Israel; even as you do now in that holy Fellowship joyn with me in sitting at my Table: This is the meaning of Christ, so that the gesture in the Sacrament is not a meer indifferent thing; heretofore it hath been thought unreasonable [Page] to contend for what Gesture we should use.

Now that which hath been the Institution of Christ, and hath a spiritual significancy in it, is not indifferent; for not only the eating the Bread and drinking the Wine is significative, but the gesture whereby we have fellowship with Jesus Christ here, to signifie that fellowship we shall have with him in the Kingdom of Heaven; so that the people of God were depriv'd of a great deal of comfort, and of one special benefit of this holy Sacrament, whereas they might not receive it sitting; whereas Christ saith that your sitting with me here is a signification of your sitting with me when I come into the Kingdom of Heaven. Some say they must kneel because they may receive it with more reverence; certainly were it a thing as some say indifferent, it were another matter; but for to say it is not reverence to sit, in that they accuse Christ himself for want of reverence, as if he would appoint a way, or would have his Disciples use any such way as were not reverent: saith Christ, I intend by your very gesture to have this signified unto you, that though you be poor wretched worms, yea, even such is my love unto you, as you shal sit with me when I come to my Kingdom, and judg the twelve Tribes of Israel; and every time you come to my Table, and there sit at it, or about it, then you should be put in mind that there is a time, that though you be poor unworthy creatures, worthy to be among the dogs, yet the mercy of God is such unto us, as he hath appointed us to have a familiar fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ when we come in his Kingdom to sit with him, and even to judg the twelve Tribes of Israel; yea, to judg the whol world, for so saith the Scripture: Shall not the Saints judg the world? now this hinders spiritual medication and comfort, that the Saints have, therefore we are to look to the institution and follow it: That's the first thing in sitting with Christ at his Table.

The second thing in the institution is, That the Bread being taken by the Minister, is to be blessed, broken, and then to be given; Christ took it, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it: and the people they are to look upon all this, to look upon the Ministers taking, blessing, breaking, and giving; and then the Cup by its self: we find Christ in Matth. 26. 27. he first [Page] blest the Bread, and then he blest the Cup distinctly by it self, saying, This is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for many, for the remission of sins; and you shall observe that the text saith, he drank it and said drink ye all of it; so that this is not according to the institution, for a Minister to go up and down, and to give it into every mans hand; certainly this was not so from the beginning; this is a way of mans own devising; for the bread and the cup to be given into every bodies hand by the Minister: Christ did but give it once, he gave it to them all, and said, Drink ye all of this, so it was done.

Quest. But you will say, Is it not better for to be given into every ones hand?

Answ. No, because that the giving of it once for all, doth signifie more fully the fellowship and communion that they have together; as at a Table it were a strange thing that every bit of meat must be given to every one particularly; no, but the dishes must be set before them, and they must take it themselves: Indeed if they be children you cut every piece of meat, and give it into their hands or mouths; but that's sutable to a fellowship at Table, and Communion; to have the meat set before them, being blest, and then for all to partake of it.

And besides this, giving it into every ones hand, certainly, it came to us from a Popish and superstitous conceit of the Papists; for the Papists will give it into their mouths, because the people must not defile it with their hands. And it was to bring more reverence to the Sacrament; now there's a great deal of danger for to bring in mens devices for to cause more reverence; we are to look to the Ordinance of Christ, he gave it once, and said Drink ye all of it, in general to them all; and so the Ministers should do.

And besides there is this in it more, and one would wonder that Ministers should give it in particular and not in general to the Church: for by this means Ministers might abundantly ease themselves of a great deal of charge and guilt; for upon this ground it will appear, that a Minister, though as an eminent Officer he is to look to his Congregation that they be fit, yet the truth is, it concerns the Church as well to look who comes there, and likewise the Minister I say, to look about him that he [Page] doth not say, The Body of the Lord Jesus Christ was given to thee, when he knows they are prophane and wicked; it concerns the Minister to look that he doth not tell a lye; but now when the Minister gives it generally to the Church, Take, eat, and Take, drink, he gives it particularly to no body; Now then his charge is divided to the Church, and if there be any body that is unworthy, let the Church look to it as well as he: though he as an eminent Officer, it's more especially in particular his duty than any others; heretofore the charge would lie much upon the Minister, but the Minister according to the Institution, should give the Sacrament to no particular, but in generall to the Church, and therefore if there were but any particular, that the Minister upon a particular knowledg did know to be naught, he might in great part discharge himself, as professing against this or that particular man; for it is not in his power alone to keep any from the Sacrament, but if so be that he shall profess against such and such men, the Church must joyn with him to labor to keep them from the Sacrament, and that is the next thing for the institution, Christ gave it not into any particular mens hands, but he gave it to all, saying, Drink, and eat ye all of it.

A third thing that is to be observed for the institution, of this; that all the while the Communicants are taking, eating, and drinking the Bread and Wine, they should all of them that while have their thoughts exercised about the death of Jesus Christ; for that's the institution; Do this in remembrance of me; there should be no action intermingled, in the time of the receiving of the Sacrament; nothing but minding the work that you are about, that is, to remember the death of Jesus Christ; and to discern the Body of the Lord, not only when you your selves take the Bread and Wine; but when you see the Bread and Wine, broken or powred forth, and you see others taking the Bread and Wine, all that while, you should be thinking of the death of Christ, and discerning the Lords Body; and consider what these outward clements do signifie, and that they do seal the great benefit of the Covenant of Grace; therfore it is not according to the Institution to be singing of Psalms in the mean time while the Sacrament is receiving; [Page] and so to have your thoughts about other things: singing of psalmes in its due time is a good thing; but for you to do it at that time when as the death of Christ is presented before you, and Christ calls you to look upon his body, and to think upon what he hath done and suffered; this is no seasonable, time of singing; and if you read the institution, you shall find, that Christ, after all was done (the text saith) they sang an Hymn; so that according to the institution, it is after the action is done of eating and drinking, then for the Church to joyn together and sing a psalm in the praise of God; and then they must mind all, the same thing together, for that's the thing to be done in the Sacrament, that look what one doth, al must mind together; for when one part sings, and the other are waiting for the Bread and Wine, this is not sutable to the holy Table-Action, and that Communion that God requires of us; though the things in themselves are both good that are doing, yet when we are about this holy Ordinance, being it is an Ordinance for Communion, all are to be doing the same thing at the same time; and so when all have done eating and drinking, then for all to joyn together to the praise of God.

Now it may be, this at first seems strang to many; yet certainly observe this, Do but keep to the institution in the Sacrament, though you may think it a more mean way, yet you will find a greater beauty in this Ordinance than ever you found in all your lives; for the more we keep to Christs institution, and mingle nothing of our own, the more glory and beauty, and excellency doth appear in the Ordinances of Jesus Christ; but when any man shall mix any of his own inventions, though he may do it to a good end, and think to add to, and put a greater lustre upon the Sacrament: the truth is, that wich he thinks to be a greater lustre, reverence, or honor put upon it, it doth rather take off the lustre and glory of the Sacrament; then are the institutions of Christ glorious when there is no mixture among them; thus we 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 deal of [Page] dishonor 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 partaking, hath been exceedingly hindred. There is but one thing more that I shal propound to you, and that is, The several 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 we have suggested here than in any thing, and it is a great sign that men and women do not discern 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 he is offended by sin, but he will be content to pass it by; no, but it is through a Mediator: Now this Meditation is suggested thus, When I see the Bread and Wine, if I discern what that signifies it will hold out 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 work of God to make an atonement between sinners and himself; this Sacrament doth hold forth thus much unto us, wherefore else have we Bread and Wine, but to signifie that the way of our reconciliation 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 truly Man; he hath taken our Nature upon him: the Bread that puts us in mind of the Body of Christ, and the Wine, of his Blood, and therefore we are to meditate of the humane Nature of Jesus 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 he Body and Blood, and human Nature upon him? Oh! how hath God honored humane Nature? Then let not me abuse my Body to Lust, to Wickednesse, [Page] seeing that Jesus Christ hath taken the body of man upon him, humane Nature upon him, let me honor humane Nature that is so neerly united to the Divine Nature. That's the second Meditation.

Med. 3. Here is 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 powring forth of his blood for the reconciling of us; it is not meerly (as before) that God saith I will pardon them; but Christ undertaking to make peace between his Father and us, it cost him the breaking of his body, and the powring forth of his blood; this is an useful 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!

Med. 4. Again, A Fourth Meditation is this, That here we come to see we have occasion of meditating of what 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 powred 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 needful for us to be thinking of when we see the body broken, and the blood powred out: What, will the breaking of the body and shedding of the blood of a meer creature be sufficient to make peace between God and Man? surely no: therfore 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 an hypostatical union, and from thence it came to have an efficacy for to satisfie God for to reconcile God and us together: This is the great Mystery of Godliness.

Med. 5. Another Meditation is this, When you see the Bread broken, and Wing powred out, Oh! the infinit dreadfulness of the Justice of God! how dreadful is the Justice of God, that coming [Page] 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! dreadful 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 sin 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 saved, he hath it sav'd by a ransom, by a price paid that is more worth than ten thousand thousand worlds; thou slightest thine own soul; but if it prove to be saved, it cost more than if thousands of worlds had been given for thee; even the shedding of the blood of Christ, every drop of which was more precious than ten thousand worlds.

Med. 7. Again, From hence see what is the evil of sin, how great it is, that hath made such a breach between God and my soul, that only such a way, and such a means must take away my sin; I must either have lain under the burden of my sin 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!

Med. 8. Behold the infinit love of God to mankind, and the love of Jesus Christ, that rather than God would see the children of men to perish eternally, he would send his Son to take our Nature upon him, and thus to suffer such dreadful 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 Son; And it pleased the Father to break his Son, and to powr out his blood, here is the love of God, and of Jesus Christ: Oh! what a powerful, mighty, drawing, efficacious Meditation should this be unto us!

Med. 9. Those that are Beleevers they shall be nourished to eternal life, so that there is no fear that ever a Beleever should quite fall off from God and die in his sin; Why? Because the body and blood of Christ is given to him for his spiritual nourishment: though a Beleever be never so weak yet seeing God hath appointed the body and blood of his Son for him to feed upon and to drink in a spiritual way, surely then the weakest [Page] in the world will be strengthened to go through all the hazards, and dangers that there are in the world; 'tis this that strengthens Beleevers to encounter with all kind of dangers, it's this that preserves the weakest grace in a Beleever, namely the Spiritual nourishment that God the Father hath appointed to them, even the feeding upon the Body, and drinking the very Blood of his Son; this is meat indeed, and drink indeed that will nourish to eternal life.

Med. 10. The last Meditation is this, When you come to this, seeing the Bread broken, and the Wine powred out, you have an occasion to meditate of the whol new Covenant, the Covenant of Grace, that God hath made with sinners; for so the words of institution are, This is the Cup of the New Testament: the New Testament which is all one with the New Covenant, only different in this particular; it contains the substance of the new Covenant, but cal'd Testament in this regard; to shew that the Lord doth do all in the new Covenant, that is, he doth not only promise such and such mercies upon condition of our beleeving and repenting, but he doth work beleeving and repenting, and works grace, and therefore the same thing that is sometime call'd a Covenant, is call'd a Testament; that is the will of God wherein the Lord doth bequeath his rich legacies to his Children, to those that shall be eternally saved, so that all the good things in the Covenant of Grace they are bequeathed by way of Testament as well as Covenant, and this is a mighty comfortable Meditation to the Saints; for indeed when they look upon the way of the Gospel as in a way of Covenant, why then they think thus, This require somewhat of our parts to be done, and indeed God will keep Covenant on his part, but it may be we shall not keep Covenant on ours. and so we may fail at last; but now when thou lookest upon all the good things in the Gospel dispensed in the way of a Testament, that is the Will of God, the Legacies that God doth bequeath to his Servants, this is a mighty comfort to the foul, that all the precious things of the Gospel come to me in the way of a Testament and that's the meaning of the new Testament, that is, the mercies of God in Christ coming now in the way of another administration, than they did before; [Page] 'tis not only new in respect of the Covenant of Works that God made with Adam, but new in respect of the administration; our fore-fathers, the Patriarchs, they had the same things in substance, but administred in a darker way, and many differences there are; but now when we hear of the new Testament, there is presented unto us all the riches of the Covenant of grace in the way of a Legacy, and in the administration of it with cleerness, and with a great deal of mercy and goodness of God, the terror and harshness of the old administration being taken away. Now these are the meditations, by which we should labor to sanctifie our hearts, when we are receiving of the Sacrament; and in the working of these meditations upon our hearts; we shal come to sanctifie the Name of God, when we are drawing nigh to him in that holy Ordinance of his: thus for Meditation.

The next thing when we are there, must be an actuating of these holy dispositions that before we spake of; 'tis not enough for a Christian to bring grace to the Sacrament: but there must be a stirring of that Grace at that time; or otherwise the Name of God is not sanctified in receiving of the Sacrament and above al graces the actuating of the grace of faith; 'tis not enough that thou beest a Beleever, but thy faith must act at that very instant; as thus,

First, When thou hearest the Minister in the Name of Christ say thus, This is the Body of Jesus Christ which was given for you, take, eat, thou shouldest have thy faith so acting upon the mercy of God, in giving Jesus Christ, for the nourishment of thy soul to eternal life, as if thou didst hear a voyce from Heaven, saying, Here is the Body of my Son given for thee particularly, take it and eat, apply it to thee, and so make Christ one with thee by faith, as the Bread is made one with thy Body when thou doest eat it.

And then when thou comest to take hold of the Bread, thou art to put forth the act of faith, faith being as the hand of the soul, and at that instant, when thou takest the Bread and puttest it into thy mouth to eat, thou shouldest stir up the act of faith afresh, laying more hold upon Jesus Christ; look as once thou didst in thy first conversion, when Christ was presented to thee [Page] in the Word or in any other way there was an act of faith drawn forth whereby thy soul did cast it self, and roul it self upon Jesus Christ; so shouldest thou renew it; renew the same work of faith that thou didst find in the very first conversion; and therby thou shalt come to have renewed comfort in the renewing of that act: I might name thee other graces and dispositions how there should be a stirring and an acting of them; only remember I leave all this Point with this Note, That grace is not enough for partaking the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, except there be an acting, and a stirring up of that grace; many Christians are careful to prepare, and examine before whether they have grace or no; but at that time when they come to receive, then there is not a lively working and stirring of that grace, and so they come to lose the comfort and benefit of that Ordinance. Thus much shall suffice for this point of sanctifying Gods Name in receiving the holy Communion; I shall now come to the last Point, which is the Sanctifying the Name of God in Prayer.

Sanctifying the Name of God in Prayer.

NOW this Argument might take us up many Sermons; but upon occasion of the Daies of Prayer and Hmiliation, I have preached divers Sermons about the Point of Prayer; therefore I shall be brief, and only now reckon up together, and set before your view, the several things that are to be done for the Sanctifying of the Name of God in Prayer: First, for Prayer in that we draw nigh to God, and it's a duty of Gods Worship, that I suppose all of you cannot but acknowledg, that it is a natural duty of Worship; the other was instituted but this is natural; it's natural for the creature to draw nigh to God in Prayer, wherein the creature tenders up his homage to God, and manifests his profession of his dependance upon God for all good that he hath, and acknowledges God as the Author of all good, therefore this is Worship, and it's a great part of Worship, Prayer, it is such a part of Worship as [Page] sometimes in Scripture it's put for the whol Worship of God, He that calls upon the Name of God shall be saved: that is, He that worships God aright, Jer. 10. 25. And, Powr out thy wrath upon the Heathen that know thee not, and on the Families that call not on thy Name; that do not pray; that is, that do not worship thee: There one part of Worship is put for the whol, as being a principal part of the Worship of God.

Surely we must sanctifie Gods Name in Prayer, for it is that which sanctifies all things to us; 1 Tim. 4. 5. Every thing is sanctified by the Word of God, and Prayer. And if the Argument of Christ was right, as no question but it was, That the Temple was greater than the Gold upon the Temple, because the Temple did sanctifie the Gold: And the Altar was greater than the Offering that was offered upon it, because it did sanctifie the Offering; then Prayer must needs be a mighty great Ordinance, a greater than any other, because that it sanctifies all things. The Word sanctifies the Creatures; but Prayer sanctifies the very Word unto our use; and therefore when we reade the Word, we are to pray for a sanctified use of the Word: Prayer is a great Ordinance, a great Duty of Worship that sanctifies all; Prayer hath a casting voyce (as I may so say) in all the great works of God in the world, the great affairs of the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of his Power, and the Kingdom of Christ; I say, Prayer hath a kind of a casting voyce, and doth order, under God, the great things of the world, they are according to the prayers of the Saints, they bring down blessings upon the godly, they powr forth judgments upon the wicked; the prayers of the Saints they are the viols that are powred forth in a special manner upon the heads of the wicked; therefore Gods Name is to be sanctified in Prayer.

It is to be sanctified, first in preparation; Psalm, 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 ear 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 [Page] to pray; watch unto prayer, it's that that would help us against many temptations to evil; if I give way not to such and such temptations, it will hinder my prayers: I shall not have that freedom and enlargement in prayer as otherwise, if I give way to such and such things, therefore let me take heed of this, or 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 do nothing to hinder my prayers; if I go abroad into company, and am merry and jocond, and there game and drink, and sprot my self in company; will not this hinder my prayers; will not this hinder the spiritualness of my heart in Communion with God in prayer, when I come home at night? I appeal to you, have you had that freedom in prayer, afterwards? surely no, therefore watch unto prayer.

Now for the preparation of the heart to prayer, we 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: labor to keep all things even and cleer between God and your souls; that so you may not come with shakles about your legs; with guiltiness (I mean) upon your consciences; men that have given way to any base sinful way, when thay come to prayer, the guilt of there hearts doth even sink them; but those that can keep their peace with God in the course of thier lives, they have other manner of freedom in prayer, than you that walk loosly and contract guiltiness upon your spirits.

And then the second thing is, To keep our hearts sensible of our continual dependance upon God; sensible how we depend upon God, for whatsoever we are, whatsoever we have, whatsoever we do; for the blessing of all is from God. The beams of the Sun do not so depend upon the Sun, as we upon God; that if he doth but withdraw Himself never so little from us, we all sink down to nothing and perish for ever; that soul that every day and hour is sensible of the infinite dependance it hath upon God for its present and eternal estate, [Page] will be fit for prayer; and that should be our care for to carry our selves, as any hour in the day, or minute in the hour, we might be fit to go to prayer; and that's one meaning of that place in the Thessalonians Pray continually; not that every moment we should be praying, but that we should keep our hearts in a praying frame; some of you when you have let out your passions and are in a distemper, what will you go 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 whatsoever, that can be sufficient to plead for your selves why you should not be fit to pray at any time; there is that continual dependance upon God for all, and that need you have of the blessing of God for every thing, that there is reason you should be 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 special preparation.

First, You should prepare your selves by getting fresh and powerful apprehensions of the glory of God, before whom you go; prepare by meditation about the glory of that infinite God that you are now addressing your self unto; possess your selves with thoughts and meditations of the glory of the great God; that's the first.

Secondly, Labor 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 price upon those mercies that I am praying for, and to get my heart affected with them.

Thirdly, Labor 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 your 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 [Page] there should be an actual separation of your hearts from all things in the world; dedicating your selves to God for this time, as one that hath nothing to do with the world, nothing to do with anie thing but this dutie 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 self.

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 we have in him, that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us; therfore for the Matter we must be sure it must be good that we pray for; it must be for the Glorie of God, for the good of our selves, and the good of our Brethren.

First, for the Glorie of God, that should be the chief matter that we are to pray for; so Christ when he teacheth us to pray, he begins the very first Petition, Matthew, 6. 9, 1 [...]. Hallowed be thy Name; thy Kingdom come; thy Will be done: First begin with the Glorie of God, mind that in the chief place, above all other things. God gives you leave to pray for outward things; but first for the Glorie of God, minding that before your own benefit; before the pardon of sin, and your dailie bread; how few do 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 wil pray; or at Sea in storms, then they will pray, then it seems that the main matter of your prayer is onlie for your selves; but how hath the matters of the Glorie 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 sanctified in the world, and that the Kingdom of God hath not come, and that the Will of God hath not been done, have these things taken up your heart in prayer, the matters of the Glorie of God, and the good of Churches, though your selves have not anie 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 [Page] much as your selves; the Church is as it were in the midst of the Sea, tost up and down and in a great storm; now why do not you pray as earnestly for the Kingdom of Christ among his Churches, as for your selves when you are in a strom at sea? yea, and spiritual things should be the chief matter of your prayer; for they are the nearest to the glory of God; though God hath his glory from other things, yet spiritual things are neerest the glory of God; now in these daies of prayer, many will come to pray, that they might be freed from danger, that they might have outward peace; this is good; but spiritual things are the chief things; and therefore the strength of your spirits should be thus powered forth to God Oh that I could get my heart to God, and the assurance of the love of God! Oh that I could get the shine of his face! Oh that I could get power over such and such corruptions!

And I beseech you observe this, That spiritual things may be prayed for absolutly; 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 be according to thy wil, then restore me to the health of my body, or the health of my husband or the health of my wife; but thou maiest pray, Lord, convert the soul of my husband or the soul of my wife, without any condition at al: 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 excellency that there is in spirituall things above outward things; surely spiritual things are more to be desired, for they are to be prayed for absolutly, and the others to be prayed for only conditionally. That's for the first.

In the second place, We are to pray for our owne good, God doth give us leave to do so; onely here comes in a Question.

Quest. Whether it be sinfull to pray for afflictions, as somtimes some will be ready to do?

Answ. To that I answer. frist, Take it absolutely considered, we may not pray, that God would afflict us; because afflione [Page] is in its self materially an evil thing, and a fruit of the curse, therefore we may not (I say) absolutely pray for it: but thus far we may pray for afflictions disjunctively, conditionally comparatively.

Disjunctively, thus, Lord, either grant unto me a sanctified use of such a mercie, or otherwise let me rather be without it; let me have a sanctified use of my siknes, or otherwise let my sickness be continued to me; thus now you may pray for continuing in sickness.

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 me and let me 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 me have any afffiction then sin, rather let me suffer loss of my estate than sin against thee, than depart from thee: any thing Lord rather than sin. Thus you may pray for afflictions, but not absolutly. You must not pray that God would send you afflictions absolutely, for you do not know your hearts; it may be if afflictions should come, your hearts may be as stubborn under your afflictions as they are now; for affliction hath no power in it self to do us any good.

And then for the good of others, for Christ teaches us to pray, Our Father &c.

There comes in here a rebuke of the wicked practice of divers in cursing, and then a question about it.

It is a wicked thing to use curses; but it's a most wicked thing to wish evil to others in way of prayer; yet how manie doe so! though it may be they do not think it, they speak to God, and desire him to bring such and such evils upon their neighbors; yea, somtimes parents, upon their children; this is a wicked practice of men; what, is it not wickedness enough for thee to have any desire that there should any evil befall thy brother, but wilt thou dare to presume to call God to be an instrument of the execution of thy base sinfull wrath, that [Page] God must be a drudg (as it were) to thy wrath, and to thy passion? this is abominable wickedness. Any of you that ever have been guilty of this sin, of cursing others, Wives, Children, Servants, or Friends, the Lord rebuke you for this sin; how far hast thou been from sanctifying Gods Name in Prayer? whereas instead of sanctifying the holy Name of God, thou hast called God to be a servant and a drudg to thy passion, God must be call'd to help the venting of thy passion: Oh! remember this you that have been at Sea, and have been angry, and things not going according to your mind, have fallen a cursing, and wishing such and such evils might come upon those you are angrie with; that's a kind of prayer, but it's a most fearful taking the Name of God in vain in the highest degree: and certainlie God will not hold him guiltless that shall so take his Name in vain; therefore be humbled for this sin.

Object. But you will say, Do not we reade in the Book of Psalms, where many times the Prophet David doth curse the Enemies of God, and wishes evil to come upon them.

Answ. To that I answer. First, That the Prophet, and those that pen'd the Psalms they had a prophetical spirit; and those places that you reade that are in a way of cursing, they are rather prophetical predictions of evil, than direful imprecations; they are rather fore-telling what shall be in a way of prophesie, than wishing what should be.

Secondly, If they be wishing what should be, then I answer That those which were endued with such a prophetical spirit, they did know who were the implacable enemies of God, and who were not; as David praied against Judas, so many hundred yeers before he was born: by a prophetical spirit he knew that he was the child of perdition; indeed, if we could certainly know a man that were to be a cast-away eternallie from God, it were another matter: As the Church in the time of Julian, because of his Apostasie being so abominable, it was determined almost generally by them, that he had committed the sin against the holy Ghost, and upon that they curs'd him. Now I say, those that had an extraordinarie spirit, that did know who these were, they might do it; but this is no example [Page] for us in an ordinarie way to wish evil and curses upon others. But thus far we may do with the Enemies of the Church.

First, We may curse them disjunctively, Lord either take them out of the way, or keep them that they may not do such mischief in the Church: or thus, conditionally, If thou seest Lord that they be implacable, thou knowest them, if so, let thy wrath and curse pursue them; Lord, thou seest what evil they are set upon, and therefore rather than they should attain their mischievous designs, let thy wrath and curse pursue them: so we may do it, but not absolutely to curse any, though they should do us never so much wrong, we are called to blessing: But now in zeal to God, take heed that we be not carried on in our own passion; but being sure it is zeal to God, we may wish the curses of God to pursue those that God knows to be implacable; this is but an appealing to God, and not at all fastning it upon any particular persons that we know, but leaving it unto God for the execution of it, and so in a zeal to the Glory of God, we may do it, and we are warranted so to do by the second Petition, Thy Kingdom come: for that Petition that requires us to pray for the coming of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, doth also require that we should pray against all means that hinder the coming of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, so that every time that the Church praies, Thy Kingdom come, or any praies, Thy Kingdom come, they do as much as say, O Lord, Do thou set thy self against all the Enemies of thy Kingdom; if they belong to thy Election, Lord convert them, but otherwise Lord confound them. Now thus we see how we are to sanctifie the Name of God in Prayer, in regard of the Matter of the Prayer; but now for the Manner of Prayer. The most things I confess are there.

First, When we come to prayer, we must be sure to pray with understanding, 1 Cor. 14. 15. What is it then? I will pray with the Spirit, and will pray with understanding also, God doth not love the Sacrifice of fools; we must not come babling to God in prayer to speak we know not what, and to multiply words we know not wherefore, but God doth require [Page] that those that come to prayer, come with understanding, that they offer to God a rational, a reasonable, an understanding sacrifice; God is a Spirit, and he will be worshiped in Spirit and in Truth; now as it belongs to all other duties of Worship, so especially in prayer, to know what we do when we pray, not to think to put off God with a meer emptie sound; that's the first thing.

The Second thing in the manner of Prayer, it is, The giving up all the faculties of our souls in it; I spake to that in the Worship of God in general, we shall apply it now particularly to prayer, the giving up, not only our understandings, but wills, thoughts, affections, strength in prayer: in 2 Chron. 20. 3. it is said of Jehoshaphat, that he set himself to seek the Lord, he did give his whol self to seek the Lord: we are to give our whol self, and not to divide in Prayer. Now this were an argument that indeed might well take up a whol Sermon, in shewing the evil of the wandering of our spirits in prayer; we should take heed of the wandering of our spirits in the hearing of the Word, and receiving the Sacraments, and so in prayer; the people of God are much troubled with the wandering of their thoughts both in Word and Sacrament, and it is their great burden, and should be so, but I never hear any more complainings of the wandering of their spirits than in the time of prayer, the people of God are much pestered in their spirits with this evil, it is very grievous unto them, and many of them go under it as a grievous burden all their daies; the chiefest burden that is upon their spirits is their wandering in prayer; so that if God should speak to them as he spake unto Solomon, and bade him ask what he should give him, I verily beleeve there are many in this Congregation, that have already good assurance of Gods love in Christ, if they had not that, that would be the main thing that they would ask, but having attained that, if God would speak from Heaven and say, What shall I give you for your selves, if he should ask you in the general, it may be you would ask something for the Churches; but if it be for your selves, you would put up this Petition, Oh Lord, that I may be delivered from a wandring spirit in holy [Page] duties, and especially in the dutie of Prayer, that I may thereby come to enjoy more holy communion with thy self than ever yet I enjoied, and they would account this to be a greater mercie than if God should give them to be Kings or Queens over the whol world; if God should put these two into the ballance, Either the whol world to possess, or otherwise to have more free hearts in coming to God in prayer, and to be delivered from that which hath so much hindred ther Communion with God in prayer, they would despise and scorn the world in comparison of such a mercie as this is: howsoever carnal hearts they think little of it, but those that are the Servants of God, they find it to be very grievous to them; but being the time is past, I shall reserve that to speak yet a little more largely for the help of those that are under the burden of it.

I'le only speak one thing further now, and that shall be to those that are wicked and vile, and not only have vain wandring thoughts in prayer, but even in the very dutie of prayer manie times have wicked and ungodly thoughts; how horrible are they? unclean thoughts, murderous thoughts it may be, and most abominable. I confess even those which are godlie may somtimes have some blasphemous thoughts cast into them, for the Devil is never more busie than at the time of prayer; but they rather come from the Devil than from the stream and corruption of their own hearts, which may be we may make out more cleerlie afterward; but now I speak to such as have most wicked abominable thoughts, rising from the stream and corruption of their hearts, such thoughts as their hearts do close withal in prayer, and they can roll those thoughts about in their minds as a Child will roll a piece of Sugar in its mouth; and this is the wickedness of manie men and womens hearts.

Take but this one Note with you, That all those dreadful, vile, unclean, covetous thoughts of thine in Prayer, they have been to God as if you had spoken them in words; thoughts to God, are all one with him as words are to men; for God is a Spirit, and the Spirit doth converse with God in thoughts, as well as men do converse with men in words; and what a [Page] woful guiltines would have been upon you, had you spoken such vile and wicked things to men as somtimes hath been in your minds even when you have been praying to God, how would the company have even spit in your faces, and kick'd you from them? none that have any face of godliness would have endured you in their company; and yet here's the evil of it, your hearts are not troubled, but you rise off your knees and away you go; thou hast a cauterised conscience, a seared conscience, that canst entertain such vile thoughts at any time without having thy spirit afflicted, and going away with shame and confusion, as if the greatest evil had befallen thee; therefore take heed of this.

SERMON XIV.

Leviticus, 10. 3.‘I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me.’

WEE are first to sanctifie Gods Name in regard of the matters of our Prayers. And secondly, in regard of the manner. For the first, we made an end of it the last day, and came unto the manner, and there where two things mentioned.

First, That we must pray with understandining. Secondly, we must give up our selves to Prayer. Now in the close of the exercise we had occasion to fall upon that Argument about the wandering of our thoughts in Prayer, and by that we come to take Gods name in vain, instead of sanctifying of His Name; God expects that we should have our thoughts, and wills, and affection, our whol souls acting upon him in the duty of prayer, or els we do not pray to God as unto a God; vain thoughts in Prayer doe pick up the Sacrifice like the brids that Abraham drove away from the Sacrifice, that they should not pick it. Wicked [Page] lusts in mens hearts, are like swine to take the meat and al to hale it in the dirt, so their Prayers are filthy and durty with their lusts; but those that are otherwise Godly, yet by their vaine thoughts the beauty and excellency of there prayers is taken away; as Wine and Beer that have the spirits of them gone, so the life and spirit of our duties are gone by our vain thoughts, and therefore vain thoughts do dead the heart very much. So saith David in the 119. Psal. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, and quicken me in thy Law: while our eyes look upon vanity, there will be no quickness in our hearts in any service that we tender up to God; now many of Gods people have experience of the evil of this, and they groan under the burden of this: & as I said the last time, if so be that the Lord should speak from Heaven to them, and ask them what he should have, they having already the asurance of his love in Christ, they would ask the deliverance from a vain spirit in the performance of [...] Duties: Bring no vain Oblation saith God in Isa. 1. 13. Oh what vain Oblation do we bring by the vanity of our thoughts in prayer! 'Tis true, the best of us al will have vain thoughts somtimes; but yet as one compares the vain thoughts of men in paryer, like to a Spaniel that goes out with a man, he walkes perhaps but half a mile, but the Spaniel will be runing up and down this way and that way, and if all the space of ground which the Spaniel hath gone over should me measured, it may be while you are walking half a mile, the Spaniel fetching compasses here and there would be halfe a dozen miles; so our fances are like a Spaniel which will have fetches about this way and that way in a thousand vain thoughts; but thus now it is with a godly man; as a Spaniel though running from his master, yet if he give him a call; he is able to call him to him presently; and it were well if it were so with us, though our fances be wild, yet if we were able to call in our fances, and to have them at command, it were well with us: And I find very much, that those that are new comers they complane much of the vanity of their thoughts, they were wount to pray before, and they never had such vane thoughts as now they have; the reason why there is so much vanity of thoughts, or at least so much taken notice of.

[Page] It is first, because there is but a little grace in the midst of a great deal of corruption in yong converts, like a spark of fire in the midst of a great deal of ashes; now if there lies a heap of ashes and nothing else, you do not stir them; but if there be ashes and some fire, then you will stir them and be blowing those sparks to kindle another fire by. Now when you come to make any motion, then the ashes wil flie about, wheras before they lay still; So it is here, before God wrought upon thy heart, there was nothing else but ashes upon thy soul, and then they lay still, but now God hath kindled some sparks of grace in thy heart, and God is blowing them up to a greater heat, and is bringing of them to a flame; upon this motion that is in thy heart, and the stirring to kindle those sparks further in thy heart, it is that the ashes of thy corruption do as it were flie about thine ears, and that there is such stirrings of corruption more than there was before, 'tis not because there is more corruption than there was formerly, but before there being nothing else but corruption it lay still, and now because there is something else, therefore it is that corruption doth so stir; and besides, you know a man that was wont to keep lewd company, if God turn him that he will keep that company no more, at first he shall be more troubled with them than he was before; and they will keep oftener knocking at his door, and laboring to get him to them again; so 'tis here, when the soul, vanity and lusts were as friends together there was no disturbance, and taking notice of any thing then, but now when the soul is casting out those sinful distempers, and will have no more of them, they for the present will be more importunate, active and stirring than they were before. And besides, the Lord doth this to humble thy heart the more, that thereby thou mayest come to see the great corruption that was in thy soul before; the working of thy corruptions will discover much evil in thy heart, that thou didst not think was there before; when the corruptions of men and women lie still, they think there is no such thing in their souls; as your civil men, what's the reason that they bless themselves and think they are in a good condition, it's because their corruptions lie still in them and do not stir, they cannot beleeve what abundance of wickedness there is [Page] in their hearts, if God should open the wickedness that there is in the hearts of men naturally, and so all unregenerate men they would think you spake strange riddles, whereas they bless themselves; they bless God, they know no such thing in their hearts, No? yes, there are such things, only they are not stir'd, but they lie quiet; as mud in the bottom of a pond, there it is, yet you cannot see it till it be stir'd: at first conversion (I say) the Lord suffers thy corruption thus to stir, that he may discover to thee what an evil heart thou hast, what abundance of sin there is in thy heart, and therefore your yong converts, they look upon themselves as more loathsom and vile than ever they thought they had been.

And besides, The Devil sees it a vain thing to tempt a yong Convert to any gross act of sin; when conscience hath life and power in it, he shall never prevail that way; but now he thinks he may prevail to disturb them with vain thoughts, and therefore he laies his strength most that way; therefore let not such be discouraged, that find their spirits anoyed and pestred with them, if they make them to be the burden of their souls; notwithstanding much vanity of thoughts, the Lord will accept of any desire that they have to sanctifie his Name in holy Duties; And I shal give you these three or four Rules to help you against these wandring and vain thoughts in holy Duties, and especially in Prayer.

First, When thou goest to prayer, account it to be a great work; set a high price upon thy prayer; not as having any excellency in it as it comes from thee, but set an high price upon it as a great Ordinance of God, wherein there is communion with God to be enjoyed, and the influence of the grace of God to be conveyed through it; so set an high price upon prayer, at every time thou art going to prayer; Lord, I am now setting upon a work that is of very great consequence, and much lies upon it, and I would account it to be a sore and a great evil to me, if I should lose but this prayer: this would be a special means to compose thy spirit, and to keep thee from wandring; as Nehemiah in Nehem. 6. 3. a place which I have sometimes quoted upon such an occasion; when the enemies of Nehemiah that would hinder the building of the Temple, sent [Page] to him that they might talk together, no saith he; I am doing a great work to that I cannot come down; so when the Devil and the vanity of thine own heart, would send to thee to parly, and talk as it were with thee, give an answer, I cannot stand parlying with these things; the work that I am about is a great work; there are verie few people that do account the work of prayer a great work; if thou didst, it would help thee much against the vanitie of thy thoughts.

Secondly, Every time thou goest to prayer, thou that art most troubled with such vain thoughts, renew thy resolutions against them; I have been troubled with vain thoughts heretofore, and am afraid, if I look not to it, that I shall lose this Prayer also; and therefore O Lord, here I renew my resolutions to set against them in this prayer with all my might; it is very much that may be done with strong resolutions, and especially if thy strong resolutions be renewed resolutions; for an old resolution begins to grow weak; a man that hath resolved upon a thing a great while ago, it hath little power over him; but now when a man hath resolved upon a thing but this morning, and just at the time when he is going about it, now he doth resolve upon it, and set himself upon it, and doth resolve through the Grace of God, that whatsoever difficultie he meets withal, whatsoever it cost him, that he will go through this work, I say that resolutions renewed have a great deal of power; and you cannot imagine what a great deal of power the renewing of resolution against vain thoughts will have, if they were renewed everie time thou goest to prayer, until thou gettest power over thy thoughts; do but make trial of this; thou hast lost many a prayer by vain thoughts; and thou hast been troubled for them, and yet they come again; do but trie for this week; as I remember I said in the point of passion and anger, that we should resolve with our selves well, whatsoever falls out this morning, I am resolved I will bear it; so bethink thy self how many Prayers thou hast lost by vain thoughts: and now renew thy resolutions, and Covenant with God, that for this Prayer, I will set my self against them, whatsoever pains I take, I will be sure yet withal to look up to Gods Grace to assist me, I will [Page] be sure this prayer to keep my heart close to what I am about; and perhaps that will help you a little; but yet some vain thoughts wil come for all that; then the next night renew them again; and the next morning renew them again; and that till thou comest to a habit of keeping thy heart close to the dutie, though now thou feelest thy heart so wild, that thou thinkest it is impossible to bring it into order, but certainly by such a means thy heart will be brought into order.

Thirdly, Be sure to set the presence of God before you in prayer; have a real sight of the infinite Greatness, Majestie, and Glorie of that you present your selves unto, when you are calling upon him; if so be that thou canst be a real sight of God in his Glorie, it will keep thy heart close to the dutie, as if a man be wandring with his eyes, and looking after everie feather, if the King or some great person come into the room, all his thoughts would be about the King, or the great person that were coming in: so if you would present the Lord in his Glorie and Greatness, Excellencie, Majestie, and Power, before you, and what a dreadful God he is in himself, and yet what a merciful God he is to us in his Son: this would mightily compose our hearts; certainly men and women that are so wandring in their prayers, it is because their eyes are not open to look upon God in his Glorie, they are as it were dreaming and do not apprehend that God stands and looks upon them, and observes them, and that God takes notice of everie wandring thought that comes from them; they do not consider that God doth converse with the thoughts of men, as well as men do with the words of men: that's the third Rule.

Fourthly, Take heed thou beest not deceived; because that those thoughts thou hast in prayer, do not appear to be verie evil in themselves. This is a great deceit and hinders manie in the sanctifying of Gods Name in Prayer; there is sometimes darted in some vain thoughts; now because the thought hath no great evil in it self, therefore they think they may play with it, and their hearts close with it, and so run along with it as the fish doth with the bait; if the Devil casts in a thought of blasphemie, that makes thee quake and shake; but if thy thoughts have no great evil in them, but they are slight [Page] things; matters of no moment one way or other, upon that thy heart begins to be dandling, and playing with them; therefore remember this Rule, That in the time of prayer, whatsoever thoughts be in thy mind that do not concern the present dutie, they are sinful before God, though the thoughts for the matter of them be never so good, yet thou art to abandon them as sinful at that time. Therefore never be deceived with this, that the thoughts are not verie sinful: that's another Rule.

In the last place, observe this Rule, If ever God hath helped thee at any time in prayer, that thy heart hath been kept close to a dutie, and thou hast had communion with him, bless God for that, bless God for that help; 'tis a Rule of verie great use for us to get further assistance from God in any thing, if so be our hearts be enlarged to bless God for any assistance we have had heretofore; and the reason why we gain and prosper so little in our Christian course, it is because we do not take notice of what God hath done for us, to give God glorie for mercies formerly received, and therefore God takes little or no delight in coming in with further mercies to us: as if you had a yong Nurserie of Trees, and they began to thrive very well, but there comes a companie of Caterpillars, and spoils almost all the yong Trees that are set, only two or three are kept from the Caterpillars; a man goes into his Orchard, and looks upon his Trees, and this is spoiled, and that is spoiled; but he sees two or three, and these flourish fairly, and these are full of Buds, and are like to come to something, and he rejoyces mightily in those, because they are sav'd when so manie others are spoil'd: and so do thou view thy Prayers, and consider how many nie hath been spoiled as it were by these Caterpillars; for I compare wandring vain thoughts in Prayer unto Caterpillars that are upon the trees; and we see that if stormy rainy weather comes, the Caterpillars will fall; and one would think that these blustering storms, and the hand of God that hath been out against us should have clensed our thoughts and souls from these Caterpillars that have been upon our duties, but manie duties have been spoiled; yet thou maiest say, that through Gods mercie such a morning in my closet, the Lord [Page] hath preserved a prayer to himself and I have gotten power over this vain heart of mine; bless God for this, and so the Spirit of God will be more readie to come in and help thee another time: But thus much shall suffice to speak to this. That's the second thing, we must give up our selves wholly to this dutie.

The third thing for the sanctifying of Gods Name in Prayer is this, There must be the breathings of the Spirit of God, otherwise Gods Name is not sanctified; that in Rom. 8. 26. is cleer for this, Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. If any of you should say, How can we sanctifie Gods Name, we are poor and weak, we can do little? Mark, it is said here, That the Spirit helpeth our infirmities to pray; and the word is exceeding emphatical in the original: in your books it is but meerly helping our infirmities, but the meaning of the word is, In these two things the Spirit helps; that is, look how a man that is taking up an heavie piece of Timber at one end, he alone cannot get it up, but there comes another, and takes it up at the other end, and so helps him: the word signifies such a kind of helping, as when a man takes a thing at the other end, or on the other side, one standing the one way, and the other standing the other way; or one taking up one end, and the other the other end, that is the meaning of it; he helps our infirmities; the poor soul is pulling and tugging with its own heart, and finds his heart heavie and dull, like a log in a ditch; And have not many of you found your hearts so? but now, when you are tugging with your hearts, and would fain lift up your hearts to God in prayer, there comes the Spirit of God at the other end, and takes the heaviest end of the burden and helps you to lift it up: If a Child were at one end of the log, and that were but light, and the other end very heavie; if one come and take up the heaviest end, a little strength will serve for the lighter end: So the Spirit comes and takes up the heavier end in duty, and so helps our infirmities, helps together. And then the other word is, The Spirit; that is, together with the acting of the graces of the Spirit in our hearts, you must not say so; Alas! what can I do? it must be the Spirit of God that must do it. It's true, he doth all.

[Page] First, he gives converting and habitual grace, and assisting and actuating grace; but now when the Spirit hath wrought grace so as to convert the heart, and hath given habitual grace in thy heart, why then when the Spirit comes to assist, it doth expect that thou shouldest stir up all the gifts and graces of the Spirit, and the very strength of thy body; the Spirit of God expects that thou shouldest act to the uttermost thou art able, what power hath been given thee by God; and when thou art in acting, then the Spirit comes and helps together with us; noting that we are to put forth what strength we have, and thus Gods Name will be sanctified, when as we putting forth the graces of the Spirit in us, then the Spirit comes and helps; and what comes from us now comes from the breathings of the holy Spirit in us, and then God who knows the meaning of the Spirit, will know now the meaning of our sighs and groans; therfore when thou art going to prayer, thou art to eye the Spirit of God; thou art by the eye of faith to look upon the Spirit of God, and to cast thy soul upon the assistance of the Spirit of God, thou art to look upon the holy Ghost, as appointed by the Father and the Son to that Office, to be a helper to his poor servants in the duties of Worship, and especially in that great duty of prayer; now upon the reading of this text, and having it thus opened? this is one good help for thee in prayer; reade this text, and then exercise thy faith upon it; Lord hast thou not said that thy Spirit helps our infirmities, when we know not what we pray for nor how to pray for any thing as we ought; but the Spirit will come, now Lord make good this Word of thine to my soul at this time, and let me have the breathings of the Spirit of God in me; alas the breaths of men, if it comes from gifts and parts, I know thou wilt never regard it, except there be the breathings of the holy Ghost in me in prayer; now if you would know whether the Spirit of God doth come in or no, you may know it by this; the Spirit of God carries unto God, and it makes the Prayer sweet and delightful, so much of the Spirit of God as is there, it comes to the soul in the duty, and it leaves a savour behind it; a gracious savour is alwaies left behind, when the Spirit of [Page] God comes to breath; O the breath of the Spirit of God is a sweet breath, and it makes prayers sweet; it never comes into the soul but after it hath done any work it came for, it leaves a sweet scent, after that, the soul finds a sweetness in that prayer; now many of you have been in the morning at prayer, but I appeal to you; what sweet savor of the Spirit of God is left behind? certainly if the Spirit hath been there it is like Civit that is put into a little box, though you should take out the Civit, yet there will be a sweet savor left behind; so though the Spirit of God, in respect of the present assistance, withdraws it self, yet it leaves a sweet savor behind.

The fourth thing is puritie of heart; pure hearts and hands in Heb 10 22. Rev. 5. 8. having every one of them harps, and golden vials ful of odors which are the prayers of Saints; mark, the prayers of Saints are odours in golden vials; the golden vials I may compare to the heart; the hearts of the Saints must be as golden vials, and then their prayers will be as odours; in 1 Tim. 2. 8. the holy Ghost giving directions how we should pray, it is with this qualification, I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up holy handes without wrath and doubting, the outward conversation must be pure, and the heart pure; in Job, 22. 26. mark what's said concerning that holy man; there's a promise made to him for the lifting up of his face to God, putting away iniquitie from his Tabernacle, that by putting away evil from our Tabernacles, and from our hearts, we may be able to lift up our hearts with joy to go; and that's the fourth thing, puritie of heart and hands.

The fift thing is, in truth, when we come to call upon God, we must call upon him in truth, Psalm, 145. 18. vers. the Lord is nigh unto all, to all that call upon him in truth; you will say, What is the meaning of that? to that I answer,

First, There must be inward dispositions answerable to the expressions; as for instance, when I come to express the greatness of the Majestie of God, then I must have an inward disposition sutable to this expression, I must have a fear and reverence of the infinite Majestie of God.

Secondly, When I come to confess my sin, to judg my self [Page] for my sin, there must be an inward disposition sutable to such a confession; O how many men and women will come and speak great things against themselves for their sins, and judg themselves for their sins, and yet there, is no such disposition in their hearts sutable to their words; you shall have some in praying with others, they will be a means to break the hearts of others, they will so follow their sin; and take such shame and confusion upon themselves for their sin; and yet God knows their hearts not stir'd all this while; and then they will call upon God for pardon of sin, and for power against their sin, and yet God knows that their hearts do close with their sin, and are loth to part with their sin in the mean time, this is falsness of heart; when the inward disposition is not answerable to outward expressions; I beseech you my brethren consider of the prayers you have made, and especially you that pray much with others, look what expressions you have made, and see whether there be answerable dispositions to the expressions you have made, and how that the Lord doth remember every expression that you have made.

Thirdly We must call upon God in truth, that is, Conscionably to performe the engagements of prayer, prayer puts an engagement upon the heart; now those that call upon him in truth are conscionable to perform the engagements; as now, do I pray for any good thing? I am engaged to endeavour in the use of al means for the attaning of the good thing: When you confess a sin, why, you are engaged by that means to endeavour all your might against that sin: and when you pray for my grace, you are engaged to make use of all means you can for the attaining of that grace; and then besides, in prayer there is much profession unto God for our sinceritie and uprightness, and of our willingness to be at his dispose, perform these engagments that thou makest to God in prayer; if God should present to us all our professions that We have made to him in prayer, and tell us how we have come short of them, it would make us be in shame and confusion in our own thoughts.

Another thing in prayer must be faith; pray without doubting, as in the former Scripture, the prayer of faith prevails [Page] much; James, 1. 6 7. a man that wavereth and doubteth must not think to obtaine any thing of God. But I should have opened what that faith is that we should have in prayer, we must have faith to beleeve that the thing that we do pleaseth God, and faith in Gods promises, and faith in Gods providence, this should be exercised in the time of our prayers; And therefore after we have done, to go away beleeving, as Hannah in 1 Sam. 1. 18. we read of her, that after she had been praying she went away, and lookt no more sad, the text saith; noting that after we have been powring forth our souls to God, we should beleeve and exercise faith and not go in as drooping a way as ever we did.

Object. You will say, Yea, if we knew certainly that God would hear us.

Answ. The way to be assured that God will hear you, is by casting your selves upon God, how can you know that he will hear, but by resting upon him? I have been with God, and I have been doing the duty of a poor creature, and for the success I leave it to God, and therfore it must be with faith.

But I have so many sins mixt with my prayers, how can I beleeve?

You have an excellent Scripture for that to help a soul, to exercise faith in prayer, notwithstanding there hath been many infirmiities; in psal. 65. 2, 3. O thou that hearest prayers, unto thee all flesh shall come; Thou hearest prayers, but I haue a great manie sines that hinders; no, mark what though iniquitie prevails against me, as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away? Oh make use of this Scripture, though you remember not other things; yet you that have dejected hearts and are afraid that God will not hear your prayers, see what text saith, Thou hearest prayer Lord But will not my sins hinder? no saith David, Iniquity prevails against me, as for our transgressions thou shalt purge them away; exercise faith in this; and know that God doth not hear prayer because thou art not sinful, because of thy worthyness, but meerly for his free grace.

Another holy disposition in prayer should be this; The soul [Page] should come with a holy freedom, with the Spirit of adoption to God, crying Abba, Father; if thou comest to God meerly as to a Judg; though it's true, those that do not know that God loves them, yet bound as creatures to pray, but thou canst never sanctifie the Name of God, til thou hast a child-like Spirit, the spirit of adoption; the Lord loves to have his Children come with freedom of Spirit to Himself in prayer, to come as Children, and not to come with dejected countenance, and discouraged hearts; but come freely to open thy heart to God, as any child would open his heart to a gratious and loving Father.

Another disposition is fervency in Prayer; the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much, and that will be a means to help against vain thoughts too; as when the Honey is scalding hot then the flies will not come to it; if thy heart were as it were scalding hot in prayer thou wouldest not have such vain thoughts,

Next there must be constancie in prayer; in 1 Thess. 5. 17. by that I mean this, never to give over until we have that we pray for, or somthing else in leiu of it; it may be thou heast prayed and nothing is come of it; but not discouraged thou hast to deale with a great God, and therefore pray againe and againe, & again, and pray with this resolution, Well, let God do with me what he will, I will as long as I live call upon Him, and if God shall cast me away, yet he shall cast me away calling upon Him, as the poor woman of Canaan when Christ called her dog, and discouraged her, yet stil she will pray; I but Dogs may have crums, that heart is in an ill condition that is discouraged in prayer, because it doth not get what he would, and therefore to think themselves I had as good not pray at all, take heed of any such thoughts.

Again If you would pray to God indeed, so as to sanctifie his Name in Prayer, there should be humility in your hearts so as to be sensible of your own unworthyness; I spake somwhat about being sensible of the distance between God and us, when I spake about sanctifying of Gods name in general. The last that I shall speak of this is, when you have done all this, all these qualifications will not sanctifie Gods Name, except all be tendered [Page] up in the Name of Jesus Christ, and in the power of his merits; let a man or woman pray with as much fervencie, zeal; constancie, puritie, in truth and sinceritie; yet except he puts up all in the Name of Christ, I say, he cannot be accepted; our spiritual offerings must be tendered up in His, Name; but I have preached much about that. But now put all that hath been said together, and this it is to pray:

That is, when as I pray understandingly; when I give my self to prayer, when there are the breathings of the holy Ghost in my prayer, when there is puritie of heart like a golden vial, together with sinceritie, when it is in truth of heart, when it is in faith, when it comes from a spiritual Adoption, when it is in fervencie, when in constancie, reverence, humilitie, and all put up in the Name of Jesus Christ; now a man prayes, as it is said of Saul, Behold he prayeth; so I may say of those that are instructed in ths Art, Behold they pray. You see now that prayer is more than to reade in a book, more than to say a few words; ye see it is a verie hard thing to pray, a work of great difficultie, and no marval though we have lost so manie of our prayers as we have done; we must not charge Prayer and God with it, but look to our selves (I mean not charge the Ordinance of Prayer) but the vileness of our carriage in our prayers; and let us for time to come know what a Christian life means. It is said of Christ in Luke: 9, 29. that, as he was praying, the fashion of his countenance was changed. Oh that, s an excellent thing, that when we have been in our closets at prayer, to come away with our faces shining; my Brethren could we but pray in such a manner as this is, the very fashion of our countenances would be changed, as Moses when he came from the presence of God upon the Mount, or as Christ that had the fashion of His countenances changed. Prayer, it is the sweet ease of ones spirit, it's the help at a dead lift, it's the great Ordinance of our Communion with God in this world, and therefore let us learn this Art of sanctifying Gods Name in prayer.

I shall conclude all in this, you have heard the mysterie of the sanctifying the Name of God in worshiping God; now I beseech you, you that have been a long time in the School of Christ, as it were Apprentices to Christ to learn Christianitie; be ashamed [Page] that you have understood so little of this art in sanctifying the Name of God in Prayer; It is an art and mysterie that you must be instructed in, and you are not Christians till you are instructed in this, as in an art and mysterie: And that man and woman that shall be instructed truly in this art and mysterie in sanctifying Gods Name now in the worshiping of him, such a man and woman shall be to all eternity sanctifying the Name of God in praising of him. There is a time coming when all the Saints must be in the presence of God, and be alwaies praising of him, and they shall then sanctifie Gods Name for ever; let us now learn this art of sanctifying Gods name in praying, that we may eternally sanctifie his Name in praising of him.

The Alphabetical TABLE.

A

Absolutely SPiritual things to be prayed for absolutely Page 277

Accept, Acceptation

Acceptation of our persons the means of it 69

God accepts not the duties of wicked men 116

The services of the Saints accepted 120

Act, Actual, Action, see Grace.

Actual sanctification 68

The Lord accepts the person before the Action 69

God is a pure Act, and requires Actual service 97

Adoption

Sign of adoption to desire to be oft in Gods presence 36

We must pray in the spirit of adoption 294

Affections Affections, the strength of them required in Gods Worship Page 82

Aggravation Aggravation of sin, to neglect due hearing of the Word 200

Afflictions see Honor

They that sanctifie not God in hearing the Word, can have no comfort from it in afflictions 206

Whether it be lawful to pray for afflictions 277

Afflictions in themselves materially evil 278

All

All that we have must be given to God 63

All things sanctified to the godly 319

Altar Christ is the Altar upon which we must offer all our sacrifices 92

Angel

[Page]Angel, what it signifieth Page 91

Angels, the aggravation of their sia. 195

Anger Anger not to be brought into Gods service 19

Apply We must apply the Word in hearing it. 175

Apostasie, see Schism Apostasie, the ground of it 106

Assurance The Gospel gives assurance of salvation 212

Attention Attention must be given in hearing the Word 171

B

Beginners Beginners in Religion to be careful of preparation 56

Beleeving Beleeving the condition of the Covenant of grace 232

Birds Wandring thoughts in prayer as the birds to Abrahams sacrifice 283

Blast

God blasts those men that sanctifie him not in Worship 117

God will blast those that neglect his word 208

Bless

Many bless themselves in evil waies 198

To bless God for helping us against wandring thoughts in prayer 289

Blind Blind sacrifice not to be offered to God 98

Blood A fearful thing to be guilty of Christs blood 230

Breathing, see Spirit

Broken, see Heart

What kind of broken heart is required in receiving the Lords Supper Page 255

Christs body broken for us 268

C

Children

Gods Saints may meet with afflictions in their Children 20

Ground of Consentment in afflictions upon our Children 21

Church

Church, what it signifies 235

Church defiled by wicked men uncast out 236

Civil, see Worship

Christ

All worship must be tendred in the Name of Christ 91

All must be tendred in Christ because of Gods Justice 101

They that reject the Word, reject Christ 201

All our prayers must be tendered in the Name of Christ 296

Command

Nothing must be tendred to God in worship but what he hath commanded 8

No express command for many things in the New Testament 15

Comfort, see Word Communion

Communion with God not encreased by duties done with natural conscience 88

The Sacrament the Ordinance of our Communion with Christ 229

The Sacrament must be received in a holy Communion 234

How far the presence of wicked men hinder this communion 234

No close Church communion with wicked men 240

[Page] More communion with Christ in the Sacrament than in the Word Page 251

Confession Ground of confession to God 98

Conscience

Sinners against Conscience need great preparation to Duties. 57

Duties acted by natural conscience 88

Natural conscience limits it self in duties 89

Trouble of conscience should make men meekly hear the Word 180

Consciences of wicked men troubled about the Sacrament 230

Constant

Men acted by Natural parts are not constant in Duties 88

There must be constancy in our prayers 295

Contrary The Word will be made good on the contrary, to those that abuse it 205

Conversion Conversion not wrought by the Sacrament 232

Covenant

In the Sacrament we make a solemn Covenant 226

Covenant of grace sealed in the Sacrament 229

Those that receive the Sacrament must be in the Covenant of grace 232

Condition of that Covenant ibid

Renewing of Covenant in the Sacrament 257

Crucified Christ crucified in the Sacrament 248

Curse

They that neglect the Word, are nigh to a curse 203

Cursing of others, sinful 278

How far we may curse the Enemies of the Church 280

D

Danger, see Dignity

Dark, see Mind.

Dead, Death

Fear of death taken away, how Page 38

We must not bring dead services and hearts to the living God 97

Consciences of carnal men opened upon their death bed 118

Death of Christ to be meditated on in the Sacrament 165

Dear, see Glory Delight God delights in our drawing nigh to him 37

Depart To neglect Gods Worship, is to depart from him. 33

Dependance We should continually be sensible of our dependance on God 274

Desire We must hear the Word with a desire after it 170

Devil

Devil gratified by omission of duties 59

Ʋnseasonable motions though materially good come from the Devil 82

Wandering thoughts in prayer suggested by the Devil 286

Difficulty

Natural parts in performance of duties will not carry through difficulties 87

Not to be discouraged in difficulties considering Gods power 97

The work of Religion difficult 109

Dignity, see Prerogative The more dignity the more danger 12

Dishonor It were a dishonor to God to accept the services of wicked men 116

Disposition Inward disposition in prayer 292

Divine, see Service

Doubt

The time of receiving the Sacrament no time of doubting 254

[Page] We must pray without doubting Page 293

Duty

The holiness of a duty will not bear men out in the miscarriage in it 17

Omission of duty will not fit for duty 58. 113

The doing of one duty prepares for another 60

Duties not to be rested on 103. 107 115

To be humbled for our best duties 111

All duties of carnal worshipers lost 112

Sin of hypocrites aggravated by holy duties ibid

E

Easie Preparation to make duties easie 52

Election Evidence of Election 213

End, see Extremity.

Our ends must be high in the worship of God 72

Base ends of men in Gods worship ib.

To have right ends a part of wisdom 99

It is the nature of God to will himself the last end 104

Engagement Engagements of prayer to be performed 293

Envy, see Mean

Eternity Eternity of God how to be considered in our Worship 94

Excellency Thoughts of our own excellency to be cast off in our worship 85

Exemplary Exemplary judgments should make us look into the word how God makes it good 23

Extremity Men that regard duties only in extremity make themselves their end 77

Examination Examination required in partaking of the Sacrament Page 233

Eye Faith as an eye to see Christ in the Sacrament 252

F

Faith, Faithfulness

Faithfulness of God, what it should teach us 102

Faith must be mixed in hearing the word 177

Faith exercised in receiving the Sacrament 252

Faith how to act it in the Sacrament 271

We must pray in faith 293

Faculties All the faculties of the soul to be given up in prayer 281

Familiarity, see Potent

Drawing nigh to God breeds familiarity 37

Benefit of familiarity with God 38

Falling away Falling away the ground of it 34

Fear, see Publick

What fear we must have in Gods worship 78

In fear natural conscience puts on to duty 89

Fervency Fervency required in prayer, 225

Fire

Fire from heaven Two-sold 2

Fire that slew Aarons sons, what 3

Strange fire, what 19

Folly To be ashamed of our folly when we come to God 99

Follow The soul is to follow after God as a God 65

Free, see Grace

[Page] Friend, see Word Friends, who are the best Page 25

G

Gesture Gesture in the Sacrament, not meerly indifferent 262

Guilty, see Blood

Guilty consciences flee the worship of God, why 31

Guilt to be removed when we come to pray 274

God

Duties must be performed to God as a God 23

The word to be heard as the word of God 166

We are reconciled by the blood of that person that is God 268

Good

Good heart, what 187

The word will be made good on the abusers of it 207

We are to pray for our own good 277

Gospel Gospel the tenour of it 257

Glory

Glory of God dear to him 7

Glory of God dearer to him than the lives of men 22

Glory of God is the lustre of all his Attributes together 102

The active Glory of God is the especial honor he hath 105

Glory of God in his Word the greatest 182

Why God will be glorified in them that hear the word 209

Those that will obey the word will be the glory of the Ministers 214

We should have apprehensions of Gods glory in prayer 275

The glory of God is the chief thing we should pray for 176

Spiritual things neerest the glory of God Page 277

Grace

Grace to be acted especially in Gods worship 29

Grace, the freeness of it should make us more diligent in the worship of God 34

Graces encreased by drawing nigh to God 35

Graces to be acted and stirred up in the Sacrament 271

We must act our own graces in prayer together with the Spirit 291

See Covenant

Great

A people are great that have God nigh them 40

we should prepare to Gods worship because he is great 43

The duties of Gods worship are great 44

How to sanctifie Gods Name in respect of his greatness 67

Great things to be expected from God 100

We must hear the word with attention, because of the greatness of him that sends it 172

We must be attentive because the matters delivered are great 173

H

Habitual Habitual sanctification 68

Harden Nothing doth harden the heart more than the word by accident 205

Hand

Faith is a hand to take Christ in the Sacrament 253

The Cup in the Sacrament not to be delivered into every particular hand 246

Heart

Our hearts naturally prepared for [Page] duty Page 46

The heart in preparation to be taken from every sinful way 49

As the heart is, so are the duties 70

The heart is not changed by the acting of natural parts 87

Good heart, what 187

The Word of the Law not in the heart 211

A broken heart required in-receiving the Sacrament 246

Hearing

Of sanctifying Gods Name in hearing the Word 161

Hearing the Word a part of Gods worship 162

How to know that God hears our prayers 294

Heathen Heathens attend to worship their Idols 46

Heaven

Being oft in Gods presence, minds us of Heaven 36

The Worship of God here, the beginning of that in Heaven 106

Hide We must hide the Word in our hearts 189

Highest What we lift highest in our worship, that is our God 74 See Thoughts, Ends.

Hindrance Hindrances in Gods Worship, many 46

Holy, Holiness

Holiness the greatest Honor of Gods Name 23

Holiness of God to be held forth by his servants 24

Drawing nigh to God, makes us holy 36

Time and place said to be holy, how 50

God infinite holy 99

Those that receive the Lords Supper must be holy 232

Honest

We must receive the Word into honest hearts Page 186

Honest heart, what 188

Honest amongst men, who 189

Honor To quiet the heart in affliction, is to know that God will have honor by it 25

Humble Humbled, Humility.

Humility of spirit requisite in the Worship of God 84

To be humbled for not sanctifying the Name of God aright

Humiliation in preparing to hear the Word 168

Wandring thoughts in prayer suffered by God to humble us 285

Humility required in our prayers 295

See Worship

Hungring There must be hungring after Christ in the Sacrament 251

I

Incense Incense, what it signifieth 91

Incomprehensible Incomprehensibleness of God, what it should teach us in our Worship 95

Infinite There is an impression of Gods infinitness upon the duties of his servants 64

Infirmities

Infirmities of others to be passed by of those that receive the Sacrament 258

Infirmities how helped by the spirit 290

Institution Institution of the Sacrament to be kept close to 261

Intention Strength of intention required in the Worship of God 81

Joy

[Page]The mercy of God should make us come to him with joy Page 100

The word to be received with joy 184

Difference in the joy of hypocrites and true Christians 186

Spiritual joy required in receiving the Sacrament 255

A broken spirit may consist with spiritual joy ibid

Judg, Judgment

Sinners may meet with judgments never threatned in the word 16

God is quick with some in the way of his judgments 17

Judgments many times sutable to the sias 18

Gods judgments many times invisible 21

The Word of God shall judg those that abuse it 207

Justice Justice of God seen in the death of Christ 268

K Knowledg

Knowledg required in receiving the Lords Supper 244

Knowledg in other points necessary to them that receive the Sacrament 245

Knowledg actual required in receivers 246

L

Leaven Leaven how cast out by the Jews 249

Life, Living

Gods goodness in sparing our lives to worship him 84

That God is a living God, what it should teach us 96

The things delivered in the Word concern our lives 174

Beleevers nourished to eternal life 269

Limited The duties of Gods Children not limited Page 65

Little In matters of Worship God stands upon little things 11

Lose The ground why we lose so many prayers 296

Love

Natural conscience makes not the heart love a duty 88

The Word must be received with love 184

The Sacrament ordained by Christ out of love 228

Love to be renewed in the receiving the Sacrament 258

The infinite love of God seen in the death of Christ 269

Lust

The Worship of God not to be subjected to our lusts. 72

Who they be that subject it to their lusts

M

Man The Mediator between God and Man, is Man 276

Mean Mean men not to envy great ones, and why 13

Mediator The way of a mans salvation is by a Mediator 267

Meditation

Meditation in preparing the heart to holy duties 49

Meditations in the receiving the Sacrament 297

Meekness The word must be received with meekness 179

Mercy, Merciful

God is merciful 100

Mercy of God should teach us to be [Page] merciful to others Page 101

The duties of Worship, the way to convey Gods choyce mercies 105

The Word a means to convey special mercies 195

Mercy-Seat. Mercy-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 unlawful 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, Natural

Some duties of Worship are natural 261

Christ hath honored 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 careful 22

In worshiping God we should draw nigh to him 26

In what respect we draw nigh to God in worship 27

The Word of the Gospel nigh 211

See Grace, Delight, Adoption.

Neglect Several sorts that neglect to sanctifie Gods Name in hearing the Word Page 197

Nourishment

The Lords Supper an Ordinance of spiritual nourishment 233

Belevers are nourished to eternal 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 Ordinences are wanting 237

The Lords Supper the great Ordinance appointed to set forth Christs 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 natural parts in Gods worship 87

Passion

Passion hinders the right hearing of the Word 179

Wicked men in passion rise against God 180

[Page] Peace-offering Difference between Peace-offerings and Burnt-offerings Page 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 essential presence in every place 26

See Holy

Plowing

Plowing of the fallow ground of the heart, what 168

Men may do somwhat 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

Ʋnregenerate 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 whol 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 ib.

Preparation, five things wherein it consists Page 48

Preparation, the excellency of it in seveveral things 52

Those that walk closely with God are in continual Preparation 56

Preparation, a special duty of yong beginners ibid

Good men grieved 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 than at the duty 69

Good men look at the principle of the things they enjoy from God 70

Prize

To prize those mercies we beg in prayer 275

Prayer to be highly prized 286

Promise Every Ordinance of Christ hath a special promise 248

[Page] Publick Those that are in publick place, have especially need of the fear of God Page 13

Pure We must lift up pure hands in prayer 292

Q

Questions Two questions God will ask his Worshipers 87

Quick

God is quick in way of judgment with some 17

The Word of God is quick in working 196

Quiet The best way to quiet the heart in affliction 25

R

Ready

What will make the heart ready for duty 54

Readiness to hear the Word, wherein it consists 166

Reading Reading not to be prefer'd before hearing 167

Reprobation

Not to sanctifie Gods Name in hearing the Word a sign of reprobation 202

Two fearful signs of reprobation 203

Resign In Gods Worship we must resign all to God 90

Resolution

We must hear the Word with resolution to yield to it 170

Resolution against wandring thoughts in prayer 287

S

Sabbath Sabbath see Strength

Sacrament

Sacrament, the meaning of the word Page 225

Sacrament a part of Gods Worship 226

We must sanctifie Gods Name in receiving the Sacrament 229

Ʋnworthy receiving the Sacrament severely threatned 228

How we sanctifie Gods Name in receiving the Sacrament 291

Whether Judas received the Sacrament of the Lords Supper 238

Safety Safety wherein it consists 38

Salt Salt of the Sacrifice what it signifieth 67

Sanctifie

Sanctifie, what it signifieth 5

Gods Name sanctified two waies ibid

Gods Name to be sanctified when we draw nigh to him 42

How Gods Name is sanctified in drawing nigh to him ibid

How duties must be performed that Gods Name may be sanctified 62

The heart must be sanctified in regard of Gods greatness 67

Sanctification the parts of it ibid

Sanctification of the heart double, 68

Sanctifying of Gods Name the only way to sit us for mercies 105

Exhortation to sanctifie Gods Name 113

Nothing sanctified to them that do not sanctifie God in his Word 203

See Sacrament

Satisfied Natural consciences is satisfied with a little duty 90 See Sin

Schism

No schism to depart from a Church that hath not al Christs Ordinances 243

Schism, what [Page] [...] [Page] Difference between Schism and Apostasie Page ib.

Secret Men acted by natural parts are not enlarged in secret 88

See The Sacrament so to be delivered as all may see what is done 262

Self

Self not to be our end in our duties 74

Where self is the highest end, God regards not the duties 75

Service Hearing the Word is Divine Service 164

Shadow Shadow of Gods wing, what 30

Shift Of those that shift off the Word closely applied 199

Silence Silence, what 7

Sin

The committing of one sin prepares for another 60

No salvation without satisfying for sin 108

The heart must be purged from sin to receive the Sacrament 249

Motives in the Sacrament to abhor sin 250

Sin, the great evil of it 269

Singing

Singing Psalms in the time of the Sacrament unfit 265

Singing after the Sacrament requisite 266

Sitting Sitting at the Sacrament the fittest gesture 263

Soul The price of the salvation of a Soul 269

Spirit, Spiritual

We must be acted by the spirit in our worship Page 87

God must be worshiped in spirit 93

Spiritual things may be absolutely prayed for 177

How to know when the spirit helps our prayers 291

See Glory, Sweet

Strange, see Fire

Strength

Strength required in Gods Worship 80

Strength required to spend the Sabbath 83

Natural conscience gives not strength to duty 88

We must not come to duties in our own strength 115

Strugling Strugling alone against corruption oft times ensnares us 61

Subjection Subjection required in bearing the Word 182

Sufferings

The sufferings of Christ chiefly represented in the Sacrament 246

Ground of suffering for Christ 268

Superstition Superstition, what 9

Sutable, see Judgment

Sweet Breathings of the spirit sweet 292

T

Table Those that come to the Sacrament should come neer the Table 261

Tares Tares, what ment by them 238

Temptation

Time of temptation the time of worship 81

We must hide the Word in our hearts against temptation 191

Terrible, see Place

Thankfulness

[Page]Thankfulness required in receiving the Sacrament Page 255

Motives to thankfulness 256

Time Preparation makes us do much in a little time 52 See Holy

Thorns Thorns must be plucked out of the heart when we hear the Word 169

Thoughts

In the worshiping of God we must have high thoughts of God 71

Wicked men have many times wicked thoughts in prayer 282

Thoughts are to God as words are to men ibid

See Wandring

Tremble We should tremble at the hearing of the Word 181

Truth

We must pray in truth 292

Truth, what meant by it ibid

V

Vain Where wicked men are willingly admitted to the Sacrament, Gods Name is taken in vain 241

Unchangable God is unchangable 96

Understanding We must pray with understanding 280

Uncertainty The righteousness of the Law leaves at uncertainty 212

W

Wait

We must wait Gods leisure in regard of time 86

Ground of waiting from Gods eternity 95

Wandring

Wandring thoughts in prayer Page 281

Directions against wandring thoughts in prayer 286

All wandring thoughts in prayer sinful 288

See Birds, Humble, Devil.

Warrant, see Command

Watching Watching required in preparation to duty 50

Weakness God passes by weakness where the heart is prepared to duty 53

Weary A man that makes himself his end will be weary of duty 76

Wicked

Wicked men are to be cast out or withdrawn from in the Sacrament 235

Every man in the Congregation to look to the casting out of wicked men 241

Ground of excluding wicked men 258

Will, Willing.

We must be willing, not will-worshipers 10

Things in Gods Worship depend only upon his Will 11

God requires that we will as he willeth 104

Our prayers must be according to Gods Will 276

Wisdom

Wisdom of God, what to learn from it 99

Wisdom of God to be our guide ibid

Womb Those that sanctifie Gods Name in hearing the Word, it is a greater blessing than to bear him in their Womb 213

Word

To comfort afflicted friends from Gods Word 24

The heart must be plowed by the Word 196

The Word must be glorified 194

[Page] Word, what should make us este [...]m [...]t Page 186

The Word hath much of God in it 195

The Word a means to convey spectal mercies ibid

The Word wherein the strength of it li [...]s 202

All the good in the Word for whom 210

The Devil [...] advantage by fastning ill Words upon th [...] good 244

The Word, in what respect above the Sacrament 251

The Word sanct fi [...]d by Prayer 273

Worship

Difference between civil things and Gods Worship 9

Natural helps in Gods Worship ib.

We should be humbled for false Worship 11

Worship of God, what Page 27

Worship of God the means to convey h [...] choyce mercies 28

To he [...]d what we do in Worship 32

Exhortation to be much in the Worship of God 34

Hea [...]ing the Word a part of Gods Worship 162

[...] makes hearing the Word a Worship 163

Prayer put for the wh [...] Worship of God 173

See Comman, Li [...]d., &c.

World

In preparation the heart must be taken from the World 49

In prayer the heart must be taken from the world 275

Wrath Preachers that [...] Gods wrath should conceal their own 19

FINIS.

§

§

[coat of arms or blazon]

COLE.

[Page]

Information about this book

Title statement

Gospel-worship, or, The right manner of sanctifying the name of God in general and particularly in these three great ordinances, viz. [brace] 1. hearing of the Word, 2. receiving the Lords Supper, 3. prayer / by Jeremiah Burroughs ; being the second of the seven volumns lately published by Thomas Goodwin ... [et al.]

Burroughs, Jeremiah, 1599-1646.

Edition statement

1653

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2008-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A30585

ID [STC]

Wing B6085

ID [STC]

ESTC R36311

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

15643313

ID [OCLC]

ocm 15643313

ID [VID]

104284

Availability

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A30585)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 104284)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1182:12)

Source

— Gospel-worship, or, The right manner of sanctifying the name of God in general and particularly in these three great ordinances, viz. [brace] 1. hearing of the Word, 2. receiving the Lords Supper, 3. prayer / by Jeremiah Burroughs ; being the second of the seven volumns lately published by Thomas Goodwin ... [et al.], Burroughs, Jeremiah, 1599-1646..

Extent

[11], 297 [i.e. 247], [13] p.

Printed by Peter Cole ...,. London :: 1653.. (Half-title page reads: Mr Burroughs Gospel-conversation. Mr Burroughs Gospel-worship.) (Includes index.) (Numerous errors in pagination.) (Reproduction of original in the Huntington Library.)

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