Gospel Worship, Sermons · Sermon 13
SERMON XIII.
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 concernes us: and that is,
To keep to 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 will of God; there are ſome duties of worſhip which are naturall, that we may know by the light of nature they are due to God: but the Sacrament is a duty of worſhip that is onelyonly 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 punctuall upon them; we muſt be very exact, neither to erre 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 Evangeliſt; 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 thats the firſt thing that is according to the inſtitution, that thoſe that doe communicate muſt come to the Table as neer as they can; as many as can ſet 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 would have you come to receive; the end is to remember the death of Chriſt; now except you be able to ſee the ſight, to ſee what is done, to have your eye as well as your eare exerciſed, you do not fully accompliſh the end that is appointed; for this is a Sacrament, that doth preſent to our 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 hee 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 ſet up and downe in their pews everywhere in the Congregation; and for the Miniſter to goe up and downe after them; ſo that they could ſee nothing, nor ſcarce hear any thing; it is much for the attaining to the end of the inſtitution for all Communicants to look upon the breaking of the bread, and the pouring 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 thats ſomwhat; but becauſe it hath a ſpirituall ſignificancie in it, and thats the reaſon that it ſhould be done; we find in Luke 22. 26. the inſtitution of the Sacrament; now marke upon their comming and being with Chriſt, at the Table, ſaith Chriſt in the 29. and 30. verſes, and I appoint unto you a Kingdome as my father hath appointed unto mee, that you may eat and drinke at my Table in my Kingdome, 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 tooke the Cup; upon that occaſion Chriſt ſpoke to his Diſciples, and ſaid I appoint to you a Kingdome, and ſo ſit on Thrones judging at my Table in my Kingdome, and ſo ſit on Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Iſrael; as if Chriſt ſhould ſay, you can ſit with mee at my Table here; and know that this ſitting with me at my Table it is but as it were a praeludium, a foreſignification of the Communion that you ſhall have with me in my Kingdome: you ſhall have that familiar Communion with me when I come unto my Kingdome, there to ſit as it were with mee, to joyne with me in my Kingdome judging the twelve Tribes of Iſrael: even as you doe now in that holy fellowſhip joyne with me in ſitting at my Table; this is the meaning of Chriſt, ſo that the Geſture in the Sacrament is not a meer indifferent thing; heretofore it hath been thought unreaſonable to contend for what Geſture wee ſhould uſe.
Now that that hath been the Inſtitution of Chriſt, and hath a ſpirituall ſignificancie 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 Kingdome of Heaven; ſo that the people of God were depriv'd of a great deale of comfort, and of one ſpeciall benefit of this holy Sacrament, whereas they might not receive it fitting; whereas Chriſt ſaith that your ſitting with me here is a ſignification of your ſitting with me when I come into the Kingdome of heaven; ſome ſay they muſt kneele 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 himſelfe 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 poore wretched wormes, yet even ſuch is my love to you, as you ſhall ſit with me when I come to my Kingdome, and judge 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 poore unworthy creatures, worthy to be among the dogges, 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 Kingdome to ſit with him, and even to judge the twelve tribes of Iſrael, yea to judge the whole world; for ſo ſaith the Scripture, ſhall not the Saints judge the world? now this hinders ſpirituall meditation and comfort, that the Saints have; therefore we are to look to the inſtitution and to follow it; thats the firſt thing in ſetting 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 bee 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 ſelfe, wee find Chriſt in Matth. 26. 27. hee firſt bleſt the bread, and then he bleſt the cup diſtinctly by its ſelfe ſaying, this is my blood of the New Teſtament which is ſhed for many, for the remiſſion of ſinnes; and you ſhall obſerve that the text ſaith he drank it, and ſaid, drink yee all of it; ſo that this is not according to the inſtitution for a Miniſter to goe up and downe, 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, hee gave it to them all, and ſaid, drink yee all of this, ſo it was done.
Queſt. But you will ſay, is it not better for it 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 bee ſet before them and they muſt take it themſelves: Indeed, if they be children you cut every peice of meat, and give it into their hands or mouths; but thats 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 ſuperſtitious 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 deale of danger, for to bring in mens devices for to cauſe more reverence; we are to look to the Ordinance of Chriſt, hee gave it once, and ſaid, drink yee 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 generall to the Church: for by this meanes Miniſters might abundantly eaſe themſelves of a great deale of charge and guilt; for upon this ground it will appeare, that a Miniſter, though as an eminent officer he is to look to his Congregation that they be fit, yet the truth is, it concernes the Church as well to look who comes there, and likewiſe the Miniſter I ſay, to look about him that he doth not ſay, The body of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt was given to thee, when he knowes they are prophane and wicked; it concerns the Miniſter to look that he doth not tell a lie; but now when the Miniſter gives it generally to the Church, Take, eate, and Take drinke, 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, its more eſpecially in particular his duty then 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 knowledge did know to be naught, he might in great part diſcharge himſelfe, 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 profeſſe againſt ſuch and ſuch men, the Church muſt joyne with him to labour 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, Drinke, and eat yee 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 thats the inſtitution; do this in remembrance of mee; 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 Ieſus Chriſt; and to diſcerne the body of the Lord, not only when you take your ſelves 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 elements do ſignifie, and that they doe ſeale the great benefit of the Covenant of grace; therefore it is not according to the inſtitution, to be ſinging of Pſalmes in the mean time while the Sacrament is receiving and ſo to have your thoughts about other things: ſinging of Pſalmes in its due time is a good thing; but for you to doe 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 thinke 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 ſung an hymne; ſo that according to the inſtitution, it is after the action is done of eating and drinking, then for the Church to joyne together and ſing a Pſalme in the praiſe of God; and then they muſt mind all the ſame thing together; for thats the thing to be done in the Sacrament; that look what one doth all 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 joyne together in ſinging to the praiſe of God.
Now it may be, this at firſt ſeems ſtrange to many; yet certainly obſerve this; doe but keepe to the inſtitution in the Sacrament, though you may thinke it a more mean way, yet you will find a greater beauty in this Ordinance, then ever you found in all your lives; for the more wee keep to Chriſts inſtitution and mingle nothing of our owne, the more glory, and beauty, and excellency doth appeare in the Ordinances of Ieſus Chriſt; but when any man ſhall mix any of his owne inventions, though he may do it to a good end, and think to adde to and put a greater luſtre upon the Sacrament: the truth is, that which he thinks to be a greater luſtre, reverence, or honour 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 wee ſhould ſanctifie the name of God, in receiving this holy Sacrament; you have had divers things propounded to you whereby you may come to know and eaſily to ſee that there hath been a great deale of diſhonour done to this Sacrament, and the beauty and glory of it hath been darkened, and the ſweet that the Saints might otherwiſe have received in plucking hath been exceedingly hindred. There is but one thing more that I ſhall propound to you, and that is the ſeverall meditations that we ſhould meditate on in receiving of the Sacrament; the moſt concerning meditations are ſuggeſted in the holy Communion that are in any thing whatſoever, more concerning, more efficacious, more various meditations wee have ſuggeſted here then in any thing, and it is a great figne that men and women, do not diſcerne the Lords body if ſo be their meditations be barren at that time. I will therefore ſuggeſt ſome nine or ten meditations that that Ordinance of God may hold out very plainly, and familiarly to every Communicant, for the buſying of their thoughts all the time that action is a doing.
Meditation 1. As firſt, that the way of mans ſalvation it was by a Mediator, it is not only by Gods mercy, Gods ſaying that hee is offended by ſin, but he will be content to paſſe it by; no, but it is through a Mediator; now this meditation is ſuggeſted thus, when I ſee the bread and wine, if I diſceren what that ſignifyes it will hold forth this to me, that the way of mans ſalvation, it is not meerly from hence that God ſaith, well, I will pardon them, and no more, but there is required a great worke of God to make an aronement, between ſinners and himſelfe; this Sacrament doth hold forth thus much unto us; wherefore elſe have we bread and wine, but to ſignifie that the way of our rconciliation it muſt be through a Mediator?
Med. 2. The ſecond Meditation is this, that this Mediator that ſtands between God and us, is verily and truely man; hee hath taken our nature upon him; the bread that puts us in mind of the body of Chriſt, and the wine of his bloud, and therefore we are to meditate of the humane nature of Ieſus Chriſt; and this is a meditation that hath abundance that might ſpring out of it; what hath the Son of God taken our nature upon him? hath hee body and bloud and humane nature upon him? oh how hath God honoured humane nature? then let me not abuſe my body to luſt, to wickedneſſe, ſeeing that Jeſus Chriſt hath taken the body of man upon him, humane nature upon him, let me honour humane nature that is ſo neerly united to the divine nature; thats the ſecond Meditation.
Meditation. 3. Here's preſented unto us what this Mediator hath done for the reconciling of us unto God, that his body was broken; he hath ſubjected himſelf to the breaking of his body, and to the pouring forth of his blood for the reconciling of us; it is not meerly (as before) that God ſaith, Ile pardon them; but Chriſt undertaking to make peace between his Father and us, it coſt him the breaking of his body, and the pouring forth of his blood; this is a uſefull Meditation; Oh what ſhould we be willing to ſuffer for Jeſus Chriſt in our bodies, even to reſiſt unto blood, ſeeing Chriſt hath been content to have his precious body broken, and his blood ſhed for us!
Meditation 4 Againe, a fourth Meditation is this, that here we come to ſee we have occaſion of meditating of that the Scripture ſaith, that we are by the blood of God ſaved, it is the blood of God, they crucified the Lord of glory, thats the Scripture phraſe; we ſhould conſider when we ſee the Wine poured out, and ſo put in mind of blood, whoſe blood and whoſe body is this; It is no other but the body and blood of him that was truly God, the ſecond Perſon in Trinity. This is the great Myſtery of the Goſpel, and this is very needfull for us to be thinking of when we ſee the body broken and the blood poured out: What will the breaking of the body and ſhedding of the blood of a meere creature be ſufficient to make peace between God and Man? ſurely no; therefore you muſt meditate whoſe body this is, and whoſe blood this is, it is the body and blood of him that was God; Its true, God hath no body nor no blood, but the ſame perſon that was God, had a body and blood; that body and blood was united unto the divine nature in a hypoſtaticall union, and from thence it came to have an efficacie for to ſatisfie God, for to reconcile God and us together, this is the great myſtery of godlineſſe.
Med. 5. Another Meditation is this, when you ſee Bread broken and Wine poured out, oh the infinite dreadfulneſſe of the juſtice of God! how dreadful is the juſtice of God, that coming upon his own Son, and requiring ſatisfaction from him, that ſhould thus break him and bruiſe him, that ſhould have his blood, that ſhould require ſuch ſufferings even from his Son! dreadfull is Gods juſtice, the juſtice of God, it is to be feared and to be trembled at; here we ſee what is required for the ſinne of man, and nothing would be bated to Jeſus Chriſt himſelf.
Med. 6. Another Meditation is this, here I ſee preſented to me what every ſoul that ſhall be ſaved coſt; whoever ſhall have his ſoul ſav'd he hath it ſav'd by a ranſom, by a price paid that is more worth then ten thouſand thouſand worlds; thou ſlighteſt thine owne ſoule; but if it prove to be ſaved, it coſt more then if thouſands of worlds had been given for thee; even the ſhedding of the blood of Chriſt, every drop of which was more precious then ten thouſand worlds.
Meditation 7. Again, from hence ſee what is the evill of ſin, how great it is that hath made ſuch a breach between God and my ſoule, that only ſuch a way, and ſuch a means muſt take away my ſinne; I muſt either have laine under the burden of my ſinne eternally, or Jeſus Chriſt that's God and man muſt ſuffer ſo much for it; oh, what Meditations are theſe to take up the hearts of men!
Meditation 8. Behold the infinite love of God to mankind, and the love of Jeſus Chriſt, that rather then God would ſee the children of men to periſh eternally, he would ſend his Sonne to take our nature upon him, and thus to ſuffer ſuch dreadfull things; herein God ſhows his love; it is not the love of God ſo much in giving you a good voyage, and proſpering you outwardly in the world; But, ſo God loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne; And it pleaſed the Father to break his Sonne, and to poure out his blood, here is the love of God and of Jeſus Chriſt; oh, what a powerfull, mighty, drawing, efficacious Meditation ſhould this be unto us!
Med. 9. Thoſe that are beleevers they ſhall be nouriſhed to eternall life, ſo that there is no feare 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 unto him for his ſpirituall nouriſhment: though a beleever be never ſo weak, yet ſeeing God hath appointed the body and blood of his Sonne for him to feed upon and to drink in a ſpirituall way, ſurely then the weakeſt in the world will be ſtrengthned to goe through all the hazzards, and dangers that there are in the world; tis this that ſtrengthens beleevers to encounter with all kind of dangers, its this that preſerves the weakeſt grace in a beleever, namely the ſpirituall 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 drinke indeeed that will nouriſh to eternall 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 whole 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 containes the ſubſtance of the new Covenant, but calld 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 cald a Covenant, is calld 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 Goſpell as in a way of Covenant, why then they thinke this, this requires 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 faile 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 ſoule, that all the precious things of the Goſpel come to mee in the way of a Teſtament, and thats the meaning of the new Teſtament, that is, the mercies of God in Chriſt comming now in the way of another adminiſtration, then they did before; tis not only new in reſpect of the Covenant of workes that God made with Adam, but new in reſpect of the adminiſtration; our forefathers, the Patriarchs, they had the ſame thing in ſubſtance, but adminiſtred in a darker way, and many differences there are; but now when wee heare of the new Teſtament, there is preſented unto us all the riches of the Covenant of grace in the way of a legacie and in the adminiſtration of it with cleerneſſe, and with a great deal of mercy and goodneſſe of God, the terrour and harſhneſſe of the old adminiſtration being taken away. Now theſe are the meditations, by which wee ſhould labour to ſanctifie our hearts, when we are receiving of the Sacrament; and in the working of theſe meditations upon our hearts; wee ſhall 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 wee are there, muſt be an actuating of theſe holy diſpoſitions that before wee ſpoke 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 ſanctifyed in the receiving of the Sacrament, and above all 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 Ieſus Chriſt which was given for you, take, eat, thou ſhouldeſt have thy faith ſo acting upon the mercy of God, in giving Ieſus Chriſt, for the nouriſhment of thy foule to eternall life, as if thou didſt heare a voice from heaven ſaying, here is the body of my Sonne 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 commeſt to take hold of the bread, thou art to put forth an act of faith, faith being as the hand of the ſoule, and at that inſtant, when thou takeſt the bread and putteſt it into thy mouth to eat, thou ſhouldeſt ſtirre up the act of faith afreſh, laying more hold upon Jeſus Chriſt; look as once thou didſt in thy firſt converſion, when Chriſt was preſented to thee in the word or in any other way, there was an act of faith drawne forth whereby thy ſoule did caſt it ſelfe, and roule it ſelfe upon Jeſus Chriſt; ſo ſhouldeſt thou renew it; renew the ſame work of faith that thou didſt find in thy very firſt converſion; and thereby 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; onelyonly 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 actuating, and a ſtirring up of that grace; many Chriſtians are carefull 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 & benefit of that Ordinance. Thus much ſhal 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 dayes of prayer and humiliation, I have preached divers Sermons about the point of prayer; therefore I ſhall be breife, and only now reckon up together, and ſet before your view, the ſeverall things that are to bee done for the ſanctifying of the name of God in prayer. Firſt, for prayer in that wee draw nigh to God, and its a duty of Gods worſhip, that I ſuppoſe all of you cannot but acknowledge; and that it is a naturall duty of worſhip; the other was inſtituted, but this is naturall; its naturall for the creature to draw nigh to God in prayer, wherein the creature tenders up his homage to God, and manifeſts his profeſſion of his dependance upon God for all good that he hath, and acknowledges God as the Author of all good, therefore this is worſhip, and its a great part of worſhip, prayer it is ſuch a part of worſhip as ſometimes in Scripture its put for the whole worſhip of God, Hee that calls upon the name of God ſhall be ſav'd, that is, hee that worſhips God aright, Jerem. 10. 25. and, Pour out thy wrath upon the Heathen that know thee not, and on the families that call not on thy name, that do not pray, that is, that do not worſhip thee; there one part of worſhip is put for the whole, as being a principall part of the worſhip of God.
Surely we muſt ſanctifie Gods name in prayer, for it is that that ſanctifies all things to us; 1 Tim. 4. 5. every thing is ſanctifyed by the word of God and prayer; And if the argument of Chriſt was right, as no queſtion but it was, that the Temple was greater then the gold upon the Temple, becauſe the Temple did ſanctifie the gold; and the Altar was greater then the offering that was offered upon it, becauſe it did ſanctifie the offering; then prayer muſt needs be a mighty great Ordinance; a greater thing then any other; becauſe that it ſanctifies all things. The word ſanctifies the creatures; but prayer ſanctifies the very word unto our uſe; and therefore when wee read the word we are to pray for a ſanctified uſe of the word; Prayer is a great Ordinance; a great duty of worſhip that ſanctifies all; prayer hath a caſting voice (as I may ſay) in all the great works of God in the world, the great affaires of the Kingdome of God, the Kingdome of his power, and the Kingdome of Chriſt, I ſay prayer hath a kind of a caſting voice, and doth order under God the great things of the world, they are according to the prayers of the Saints, they bring down bleſſings upon the godly, they poure forth judgements on the wicked; the prayers of the Saints, they are the vyalls that are poured forth in a ſpeciall manner upon the heads of the wicked; therefore Gods name is to bee ſanctifyed in Prayer.
It is to be ſanctifyed firſt in preparation; Pſalme 10. 17. Thou wilt prepare their heart; thou wilt cauſe thine ear to hear; it is the Lord that prepareth the heart; and then he cauſes his eare to hear; and therefore in 1 Pet. 5. 7. we are there required to watch unto prayer; men and women ſhould keep a narrow watch over their hearts and minds, that they may not be hindred in their prayers, that they may be alwaies in a fit poſture to pray; watch unto prayer, its that that would helpe us againſt many temptations to evill; if I give way to ſuch and ſuch temptations it, will hinder my prayers; I ſhall not have that freedome and inlargement in prayer as otherwiſe, if I give way to ſuch and ſuch things, therefore let me take heed of this, for it will hinder my prayers. As if the Apoſtle ſhould ſay, this ſhould be the care of Chriſtians; then they are like to ſanctifie the name of God in prayer, if this be their great care that there is nothing in the world that ſhall hinder their prayers; O let me take heed I doe nothing to hinder my prayers; if I goe abroad into company, and am merry and jocond, and there game and drinke, and ſport my ſelfe in company; will not this hinder my prayers? will not this hinder the ſpiritualneſſe of my heart in Communion with God in prayer, when I come home at night? I appeal to you, have you had that freedome in prayer, afterwards? ſurely no, therefore watch unto prayer.
Now for the preparation of the heart to prayer, wee muſt underſtand either,
Firſt, what is to be done in the courſe of ones life, or
Secondly, Whats to be done juſt when one comes to prayer.
For the firſt, the courſe of ones life: labour to keepe all things even and cleare between God and your ſoules; that ſo you may not come with ſhakels, about your legs; with guiltineſſe (I mean) upon your conſciences; men that have given way to any baſe ſinfull way, when they come to prayer, the guilt of their hearts doth even ſink them; but thoſe that can keepe their peace with God in the courſe of their lives, they have other manner of freedome in prayer, then you that walke looſely and contract guiltineſſe upon your Spirits.
And then the ſecond thing is to keep our hearts ſenſible of our continuall dependance upon God; ſenſible how wee depend upon God, for whatſoever we are, whatſoever we have, whatſoever we do; for the bleſſing of all is from God. The beames of the Sun do not ſo depend upon the Sun, as we upon God; that if he doth but withdraw himſelfe never ſo little from us, wee all ſinke downe to nothing and periſh for ever; that ſoule that every day and houre is ſenſible of the infinite dependance it hath upon God for its preſent and eternall eſtate; will be fit for prayer; and that ſhould be our care for to carry our ſelves, as any houre in the day, or minute in the houre, we might be fit to go to prayer; & thats one meaning of that place in the Theſſalonians, pray continually; not that every moment wee ſhould be praying; but that we ſhould keepe our hearts in a praying frame; ſome of you when you have let out your paſſions and are in a diſtemper, what will you goe to prayer now? your conſcience will tell you that you are not fit to go to prayer at that time, certainly if you be not fit to pray, you are not fit to live; you are in an ill condition at any time if you be not fit to pray; and there can be no excuſe whatever that can be ſufficient to plead for your ſelves why you ſhould not be fit to pray at any time; there is that continuall dependance upon God for all, and that need you have of the bleſſing of God for every thing, that there is reaſon you ſhould bee in a fit condition for praying at all times; but now when you come to prayer at the ſet time, then there ſhould be a ſpeciall preparation.
Firſt, you ſhould prepare your ſelves by getting freſh and powerfull apprehenſions of the glory of God, before whom you goe; prepare by meditation about the glory of that infinite God that you are now addreſſing your ſelfe unto; poſſeſſe yourſelves with thoughts and meditations of the glory of the great God; thats the firſt.
Secondly, labour to get your hearts ſenſible of what you go for. I am now going to God; for what? for pardon of ſin, or for aſſurance of his love; or for power againſt ſin; or for ſuch and ſuch mercies; let me by meditation work my heart to be ſenſible of theſe things that I am going to God for, to ſet a due prior upon thoſe mercies that I am praying for, and to get my heart affected with them.
Thirdly, labour to get your hearts ſeparated from the world, and from all things that are here below in the world; and that ſhould have been a third thing in the courſe of your lives, you ſhould never let out you hearts to any creature, either to buſineſſes or pleaſures in the world ſo, but that you may have command of your hearts to call them when you will; to call them in to God in prayer; and then when you come to prayer there ſhould be an actuall ſeparation of your hearts from all things in the world; dedicating yourſelves to God for this time, as one that hath nothing to do with the world, nothing to do with any thing but this duty that now you are about; this is the preparation of your hearts to prayer in the courſe of your lives.
Now then for the prayer its ſelfe.
Firſt we muſt conſider of the matter of prayer.
And Secondly of the manner of it.
Firſt for the matter of it, we muſt look to it that it be according to Gods will 1 John. 5. 14. this is the confidence that wee have in him, that if wee ask any thing according to his will hee heareth us; therefore for the matter we muſt be ſure it muſt be good that we pray for; it muſt bee for the glory of God; for the good of our ſelves and the good of our Brethren.
Firſt, for the glory of God, that ſhould be the cheife matter that we are to pray for; ſo Chriſt when he teaches us to pray, he begins the very firſt petition, Matth. 6. 9, 10. hallowed be thy name; thy Kingdome come; thy will be done; firſt begin with the the glory of God, mind that in the cheife place, above all other things. God gives you leave to pray for outward things; but firſt for the glory of God, minding that before your own benefit; before the pardon of ſin and your daily bread; how few doe ſanctifie Gods name in this? people have little mind to pray, but when they are in outward afflictions, when they are upon their ſick beds then they will pray; or at ſea in ſtormes then they will pray, then it ſeemes that the maine matter of your prayer is onelyonly for your ſelves; but how hath the matters of the glory of the great God, and the good of the Churches taken your hearts all this while? how have your hearts been affected with this, that the name of God hath been ſo little ſanctifyed in the world, and that the Kingdome of God hath not come, and that the will of God hath not been done, have theſe things taken up your hearts in prayer, the matters of the glory of God and the good of the Churches, though your ſelves have not any particular intereſt in them? if theſe things did but take up your hearts in prayer, then, when you are at ſea you would remember the cauſe of the Churches, as much as your ſelves; the Church is as it were in the midſt of the ſea, toſt up and downe and in a great ſtorme; now why do not you pray as earneſtly for the Kingdome of Chriſt among his Churches, as for your ſelves when you are in a ſtorme at ſea? yea and ſpirituall things ſhould be the cheife matter of your prayer; for they are the neereſt to the glory of God; though God hath his glory from other things, yet ſpirituall things are neereſt the glory of God; now in theſe dayes of prayer, many will come to pray, that they might be freed from danger, that they might have outward peace; this is good; but ſpirituall things are the cheife things; and therefore the ſtrength of your ſpirits ſhould be thus powred forth to God; O that I could get my heart to God, and the aſſurance of the love of God! O that I could get the ſhine of his face! O that I could get power over ſuch and ſuch corruptions.
And I beſeech you obſerve this, that ſpirituall things may be prayed for abſolutely; but outward things muſt be prayed for conditionally. I may pray (and never put any condition in at all) that the Lord would pardon my ſins, and help me againſt my corruptions, &c. But when I pray for the health of my body, I ought to pray, if this bee according to thy will, then reſtore mee to the health of my body, or the health of my husband, or the health of my wife; but thou mayſt pray, Lord convert the ſoule of my husband or the ſoule of my wife, without any condition at all; when your eſtates at Sea are in danger, when you pray for them, you muſt make conditions, Lord, as thou ſeeſt beſt for me ſo do thou deale with me; this ſhewes the excellencie that there is in ſpirituall things above outward things, ſurely ſpirituall things are more to be deſired, for they are to be prayed for abſolutely, and the other to be prayed for only conditionally; thats for the firſt.
In the ſecond place we are to pray for our own good, God doth give us leave ſo to doe; only here comes in a queſtion.
Queſt. Whether it be ſinfull to pray for afflictions, as ſometimes ſome will be ready to do.
Anſw. To that I anſwer, firſt, take it abſolutely conſidered, we may not pray that God would afflict us, becauſe affliction is in its ſelfe materially an evill thing, and a fruit of the curſe, therefore we may not (I ſay) abſolutely pray for it: but thus farre wee may pray for afflictions, disjunctively, conditionally, comparatively.
Disjunctively thus, Lord, either grant unto me a ſanctified uſe of ſuch a mercy, or otherwiſe let me rather be without it; let me have a ſanctified uſe of my ſickneſſe, or otherwiſe let my ſickneſſe be continued to mee; thus now you may pray for continuing in ſickneſſe.
Or thus, conditionally, Lord, if thou ſeeſt that my heart be ſo vile and wretched that I will abuſe (through my corruption) ſuch and ſuch mercies, Lord rather take them from mee, and let mee be without them; if thou ſeeſt that there be no way to break this proud heart of mine, but ſuch a way, Lord let that be thy way to break it, if thou ſeeſt it according to thy will as the fitteſt way.
Then comparatively thus, Lord rather let mee have any affliction then ſin, rather let me ſuffer loſſe of my eſtate then ſin againſt thee, then depart from thee: any thing Lord rather then ſin. Thus you may pray for afflictions, but not abſolutely. You muſt not pray that God would ſend you afflictions abſolutely, for you doe not know your hearts; it may bee if afflictions ſhould come, your hearts may be as ſtubborne under your afflictions as they are now; for affliction hath no power in it ſelfe to do us any good.
And then for the good of others, for Chriſt teaches us to pray, Our Father.
There comes in here a rebuke of the wicked practice of divers in curſing, and then a queſtion about it.
It is a wicked thing to uſe curſes; but its a moſt wicked thing to wiſh evill to others in a way of prayer; yet how many doe ſo? though it may be they doe not think it, they ſpeak to God, and deſire him to bring ſuch and ſuch evils upon their neighbours; yea, ſometimes parents, upon their children; this is a wicked practiſe of men; what, is it not wickedneſſe enough for thee to have any deſire that there ſhould any evill 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 God muſt be a drudge as it were to thy wrath and to thy paſſion? this is abominable wickedneſſe. Any of you that ever have been guilty of this ſinne 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, in ſtead of ſanctifying the holy Name of God, thou haſt called God to be a ſervant, and a drudge to thy paſſion, God muſt be cal'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 a wiſhing ſuch and ſuch evills might come upon thoſe you are angry with; thats a kind of prayer, but it is a moſt fearfull taking the name of God in vaine in the higheſt degree, and certainly God will not hold him guiltleſſe that ſhall ſo take his Name in vaine; therefore be humbled for this ſinne.
Object. But you will ſay, do not wee read in the book of the Pſalmes, where many times the Prophet David doth curſe the enimies of God and wiſhes evill to come upon them.
Anſw. To that I anſwer, firſt, that the Prophets, and thoſe that pen'd the Pſalmes they had a prophetical ſpirit; and thoſe places that you read that are in way of curſing, they are rather propheticall predictions of evill then direfull imprecations, they are rather foretelling what ſhall be in a way of prophecie then wiſhing what ſhould be.
Secondly, if they be wiſhing what ſhould be, then I anſwer, that thoſe that were indued with ſuch a propheticall ſpirit, they did know who were the implacable enemies of God, and who were not, as David prayed againſt Judas, ſo many hundred years before hee was borne; by a propheticall ſpirit, he knew that he was the childe of perdition; indeed if we could certainly know a man that were to be a caſt-away eternally 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 ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt, and upon that they curſt him. Now I ſay, thoſe that had an extraordinary ſpirit that did know who theſe were, they might do it; but this is no example for us in an ordinary way to wiſh evill and curſes upon others. But thus far wee 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 doe ſuch miſchiefe 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 evill they are ſet upon, and therefore rather then they ſhould attaine their miſchievous deſignes, let thy wrath and curſe perſue 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 zeale to God, take heed that we be not carried on in our own paſſion. But being ſure it is in a zeale to God, we may wiſh the curſes of God to purſue thoſe that God knowes to be implacable; this is but an appealing to God, and not at all faſtning it upon any particular perſons that wee know, but leaving it unto God for the execution of it, and ſo in a zeale to the glory of God, we may doe it, and we are warranted ſo to doe by the ſecond Petition, Thy Kingdome come: for that petition that requires us to pray for the comming of the Kingdome of Jeſus Chriſt, doth alſo require that we ſhould pray againſt all meanes that hinder the comming of the Kingdome of Jeſus Chriſt, ſo that every time that the Church prayes thy Kingdome come or any prayes thy Kingdome come, they doe as much as ſay, O Lord, do thou ſet thy ſelfe againſt all the enemies of thy Kingdome; 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 confeſſe 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 fooles; we muſt not come babling to God in prayer to ſpeak wee know not what, and to multiply words we know not wherefore, but God doth require that thoſe that come to prayer, come with underſtanding, that they offer to God a rationall, a reaſonable, an underſtanding ſacrifice; God is a Spirit, and he will be worſhipped in ſpirit and in truth; now as it belongs to all other duties of worſhip, ſo eſpecially in prayer, to know what we doe when we pray, not to think to put off God with a meere empty ſound; thats the firſt thing.
The ſecond thing in the manner of prayer, it is the giving up all the faculties of our ſoules in it; I ſpake to that in the worſhip of God in generall, wee ſhall apply it now particularly to prayer, the giving up, not only out underſtandings, but wills, thoughts, affections, ſtrength in prayer, in 2 Chron. 20. 3. it is ſaid of Jehoſaphat, that he ſet himſelfe to ſeek the Lord, he did give his whole ſelfe to ſeeke the Lord; we are to give our whole ſelfe, and not to divide in prayer. Now this were an argument that indeed might well take up a whole Sermon, in ſhewing the evill of the wandring of our ſpirits in prayer; wee ſhould take heed of the wandring of our ſpirits in hearing of the Word, and receiving the Sacraments, and ſo in prayer; the people of God are much troubled with the wandring of their thoughts both in Word and Sacrament, and it is their great burthen, and ſhould be ſo, but I never hear any more complainings of the wandring of their ſpirits then in the time of prayer, the people of God are much peſtered in their ſpirits with this evill, it is very grievous unto them, and many of them goe under it as a grievous burthen all their dayes; the chiefeſt burthen that is upon their ſpirits is their wandring in prayers; ſo that if God ſhould ſpeak to them as he ſpake unto Solomon, and bade him aske 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 maine thing that they would aske, but having attained that, if God would ſpeak from heaven and ſay, what ſhall I give you for your ſelves, if he ſhould aske you in the Generall, it may be you would aske 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 duties, and eſpecially in the duty of prayer, that I may thereby come to enjoy more holy communion with thy ſelfe then ever yet I enjoyed, and they would account this to be a greater mercy then if God ſhould give them to be Kings or Queens over the whole World; if God ſhould put theſe two into the balance, either the whole world to poſſeſſe or otherwiſe to have more free hearts in comming to God in prayer, and to be delivered from that that hath ſo much hindred their communion with God in prayer, they would deſpiſe and ſcorne the world in compariſon of ſuch a mercy as this is: howſoever carnall hearts they think little of it, but thoſe that are the ſervants of God they finde 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 helpe of thoſe that are under the burthen of it.
I'le only ſpeak one thing further now, and that ſhall be to thoſe that are wicked and vile, that not only have vaine wandring thoughts in prayer, but even in the very duty of prayer many times have wicked and ungodly thoughts; how horrible are they? unclean thoughts, murderous thoughts it may bee, and moſt abominable. I confeſſe even thoſe that are godly may ſometimes have ſome blaſphemous thoughts caſt into them, for the devill is never more buſie then at the time of prayer; but they rather come from the devill then from the ſtream and corruption of their own hearts, which may be we may make out more cleerely 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 doe cloſe withall in prayer, and they can roule thoſe thoughts about in their minds as a child will roule a piece of ſugar in its mouth; and this is the wickedneſſe of many men and womens hearts.
Take but this one note with you, that all thoſe dreadfull, 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 doe converſe with men in words; and what a wofull guiltines would have been upon you, had you ſpoken ſuch vile and wicked things to men as ſome times hath been in your minds, even when you have been praying to God, how would the company have even ſpit in your faces, and kickt you from them? none that have any face of godlineſſe would have indured you in their company; and yet here's the evill 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 evill had befalne thee; therefore take heed of this.