Gospel Worship, Sermons · Sermon 3
SERMON III.
LEVITICUS. 10. 3.
I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me.
I WILL onelyonly adde one particular moreStepney, Nov. 30. 1645. to what we ſaid the laſt day and then proceed.
If in the duties of Worſhip we are nigh to God,Applic. 6 Great honour God puts upon his ſervants. then hence appears the great honour that God puts upon his Servants that do Worſhip him Certainly the Worſhippers of God have great honour put upon them becauſe the Lord vouchſafes them to draw nigh unto him, they are ſuch as are precious and honourable in his eies. I will not inlarge my ſelf in this, only give you three Scriptures that ſhew the great honour 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 then 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 then 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 honoured by the Lord God, in that they have the Lord nigh to them and they are nigh to him, here's the greatneſſe of a nation; you would think that if one would deſcribe the greatneſſe of a nation, it ſhould be in their great wealth, their great trading and traffique that they have and the fertile place that they live in; no, this is not the greatneſſe of a nation, But what nation is there ſo great that hath the Lord God ſo nigh to them? There's the greatneſſe of a nation, and ſo a ſpirituall heart would account greateſſe 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 greatnes 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 honour enough? As if Moſes ſhould have ſaid, Why do you contend for any more honour, the Lord hath ſeparated you to bring you neer to himſef?
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 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 a part 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 priviledge, and thou ſhouldeſt account it thy great honour: thou haſt not that honour and reſpect in the world as others have, but thou art one of Gods ſeparated 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 eſteeme of that great honour 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 deſiroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. As if he ſhould ſay, There are ſome that did ſeeme 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 carnall 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 young ones, or others that were very forward not many years agoe, 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 wayes, 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's 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 bleſſe my ſelf in drawing neer to thee the Lord, and bleſſe the time that ever I did draw neer to thee, and that ever I knew thoſe waies wherein in my ſoul hath drawn neer to God. Such a Worſhip God aright, and do delight in the worſhip of God they are ſuch as have a great honour 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.Doct. 2.
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. Looke to thy feet when thou comeſt into the houſe of God, Eccle. 5. 1. Now for the Sanctifying of Gods Name in drawing nigh to him we ſhall indeavour to open it;
1 Firſt 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 due preparation unto the Worſhip of God that we exerciſe our ſelves in at any time.
Secondly, A right behaviour 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 of the Firſt:
The due preparation of the Soul unto the duties of Gods Worſhip; Therein conſiſts a ſpeciall 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 ſpeake of the preparation unto worſhip in our Sanctifying Gods Name, becauſe I find in Scripture that the Sanctifying our ſelves for worſhip, and the preparation of our ſelves for worſhip are all 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? 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 Joh when his ſons had been feaſting, he was ſome what afraid leaſt 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 tranſgreſſe bounds; therefore Job though he did not hear of any notorious abuſe of their feaſting, yet he was afraid leaſt they ſhould ſin, he knew how dangerous it was to have ſo much ſatisfaction to the fleſh and not to tranſgreſſe 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 ſpeciall 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;
1. Firſt, I ſhal ſhew you, That we muſt prepare for the worſhip of God.
2 Secondly, I ſhall ſhew you, Wherein this preparation for the Worſhip of God doth conſiſt.
3 Thirdly, The excellencie that there is in this, or what great good there is in preparation for Gods Worſhip.
4. Fourthly, I ſhall Anſwer a caſe of Conſcience or two.
5. Fiftly, I will ſhew you what is the behaviour of the Soul in Sanctifying Gods Name.
6 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,Reaſon 1 is a great and glorious God, and we having to deal with ſuch an infinite, glorious, dreadfull 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 tomorrow, and that they ſhould waſh their cloaths and be ready againſt the third day, for the third day the Lord would come down upon mount Sinai in the ſight of all the people. God did not ſo much ſtand upon their cloaths, but it was to ſignifie an inward waſhing. Now my brethren, if when God came to give the Law they were ſo to prepare, then certainly when we are to 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 dayes 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 to morrow, 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 the third day and therefore let them be Sanctified. 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 therefore 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 1 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 morral 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 ſhewes that there ſhould be much preparation when we have to deal with God in his Ordinances.
Secondly,Reaſon 2 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 carnall heart to ſlight the duties of Gods Worſhip, to make account of them as little matters: Carnall 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 buſineſſe, or I may not neglect to viſit or gratifie ſuch a friend but now for the worſhip of God it is good indeed, but whither it be done or not it is no great matter, therefore they can put off prayer; if they have any buſineſſe the time of prayer muſt pay for it; they can put off that 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 concerne 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 communicats 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: Buſineſſe of great conſequence we make preparation for, indeed if a buſineſſe be a ſlight buſineſſe we can fall upon it on a ſudden, you make not preparation to go in a Boat in 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 performe 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 evill to loſe any part of the time of worſhip: Chriſtians, I beſeech you account highly of the time of your worſhip, you have bin ſo long time at prayer, yea but how much of it hath been loſt becauſe you have not prepared before hand 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 buſineſſe, they come together and they are a long time before they can buckle to the buſineſſe that they came about, becauſe there was no preparation, but if there be preparation made, that every man knows before hand 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.
Thirdly,Reaſon 3 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 Spirituall, and holy things, but by nature our hearts grovell in the dirt, and we are carnal, ſenſual, droſſie, dead, ſlight, ſottiſh, and vain, altogether unfit to come into the preſence of God: Oh that we were but apprehenſive and ſenfible of the unfitneſſe of our hearts to come into Gods preſence! Perhaps becauſe thou knoweſt not God thou canſt ruſh into his preſence without any more adoe, 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 unfit to come into his preſence.
Fourthly,Reaſon 4 There had need be preparation becauſe of the great hinderances of the Worſhip of God. This buſineſſe and the other buſineſſe would hinder; the intanglements, they would hinder; the temptations of the Devill, 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 buſineſſe fals out amiſle in the family, and any thing go but croſſe, how are we put off the hinges & 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 before hand? 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,Reaſon 5 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 ſuitable to thoſe gods that the worſhipped, therefore 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 convinſt in their conſciences that when God was to be Worſhipped, people ſhould be prepared.
The Sixt & laſt reaſon hath a great deal in it,Reaſon 6 which I beſeech you conſider of; we find that the Scripture doth make the uprightnes of the heart much to conſiſt in preparation for worſhip; and doth make the falſeneſſe 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 uprightneſſe of the heart to conſiſt in the preparation for duty; and the falſeneſſe 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 falſeneſſe 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 evill 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 himſelfe 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 himſelfe upon thoſe that in a way of Rebellion did rend themſelves from under his government, & he obeyed the word of the Lord but for al that he did evil in the fight of the Lord God look'd upon him as a man that had no uprightnes in him, why? for he did not prepare his heart to ſeek the Lord, ſaith God, I look upon all Rehoboam did as nothing; I 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 hart had bin 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 you go to prayer can you ſay that you take paines 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. Nevertheleſſe, there are good things found in thee, in that thou haſt taken away the greves 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? therefore 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 joyne 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 uprightneſſe of the heart to conſiſt in this, And Samuel ſpake unto all the houſe of Iſrael ſaying, If ye do returne unto the Lord with all your hearts, what then? why 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 ſeeme to profeſſe in turning to God, why then prepare your hearts to ſeek the Lord. You do not in truth turne to God except you make conſcience to prepare your hearts: Therefore you that yet never 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 now 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 but briefly name.
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 labour 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 greatneſſe, 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 aime at: Meditation is a good preparation to holy duties. And theſe are the generall heads of our meditation for our preparation to duty. Viz.
What God He is we have to deal with meditate of God in his Attributes and then meditate of the weight of our duties, and the nature of them and the rule of them, and the end of them; get your hearts poſſeſſed with meditations of this nature, and in this as a ſpeciall thing doth conſiſt your preparation to holy dutie, and that's the firſt thing.
2 The Second thing wherein the preparation to a duty conſiſts, it is in this, In the taking off of the heart from every ſinfull way, the indeavour at leaſt, If there be iniquity in thine hand or heart labour to put it out: When thou are come into Gods preſence, do not bring into the preſence of God the love of any ſin in thine heart, but labour to put it from thy heart: In 2 Chron. 29. 5. We find there what is required to preparation the Text ſaith, Hezekiah ſaid unto them, Hear me, ye Levits, ſanctifie now your ſelves, and ſanctifie the houſe of the Lord God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthineſſe out of the holy place: that is ſanctifying a thing to carry forth the filthineſſe out of that thing that we would ſanctifie ſo the Sanctifying of our hearts it is by carrying forth the filthineſſe out of our hearts, ſo as to be fit for a duty. And in Job. 11. 13, 14. If thou prepare thine heart, and ſiretch out thine hand towards him: What then? If iniquity he in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedneſſed well in thy tabernacles: Theſe Two muſt be together.
3 A Third thing is this, The Preparation of the heart it is the diſintangling of the heart from the world, and from all occaſions and buſineſſes in the world. I am to worſhip God, but how is my heart inſnared and intangled in this and the other buſineſſe? Now when I come to worſhip God I muſt lay aſide all, for there's the preparation of the heart, the ſeparating of it for ſuch a work, for that's the nature of Sanctification, the ſeparating of a thing from a common uſe I am to worſhip God, now I muſt labour to ſeparate my heart from a common uſe: At other times God gives me liberty to let out my heart to common uſes; but now when I come to worſhip him, I muſt ſeparate my heart from all common uſes, that my heart may be wholly for God. I remember it is ſaid in the ſtory of Cieil which was Lord treaſurer, that when he went to read, he would lay his gown off and ſay, Lie there Lord Cieil: So when we go to duty, we ſhould ſay, Lie by world: (and by laying aſide the world I mean, laying aſide of all houſhold affairs, or affairs in trading, &c.) I muſt be as one that hath nothing to do in the world for that time: It is true, the time cannot be ſaid to be holy for this, as the time of the Sabbath day is holy.
You will ſay, Why may not any time be ſaid to be holy that I ſpend in holy duties? No, that is not enough to make time holy, for the time that God makes holy, it is not holy becauſe of the duties that I perform in it, but the duties that I perform then are more acceptable becauſe they are done in ſuch a time, and ſo that makes a place holy, not becauſe it is appointed for holy duties and uſes, but becauſe it is ſo appointed by God, and the performing a duty in that place is more acceptable to God then in another place: But now though we cannot make our time holy in that ſecond ſenſe, yet in the firſt, it is time ſet apart for a holy uſe, and in that regard it is holy, and ſo we ſhould look upon it as not to have our outward buſineſſe to devour that time that is holy in that regard, as Nehemiah When Tobiah and Sanballat ſent to him to come and confer with them; No, ſaith he, I cannot go for the work is great that I have to do: So we muſt not intangle our ſelves to meddle with other things when we are to come to worſhip God, for our work is great.
The Fourth thing for Preparation is, To Watch and to Pray: We ſhould watch over our hearts leaſt they be made unfit for duties. So we ſhould prepare for Prayer all day long in this ſenſe, that is, we ſhould watch over our hearts that they bee not let out ſo far as to hinder us in prayer when we come to do it. I remember that Tertullian ſaith, That the Chriſtians did ſo ſup as if that they were to pray, ſo when thou art in company thou ſhouldeſt watch unto Prayer; Oh that you did ſo, you cannot but be conſcious to your ſelves that oftentimes when you have bin in company your hearts have been put out of tune and frame, that you have been no way fit for prayer; when you come home your houſe and family finds it ſo; you that take ſuch delight in company and fitting up late, I appeale to your conſciences whither you can come home and find your ſelves fit either in your family or cloſet to go and open your hearts to God.
This is one Note by the way wherby you may come to know whither you have been immoderate in company at any time; God gives not men liberty to be buſie in any outward occaſions in the world ſo as to unfit them for his ſervice. preparation conſiſts in that, in watching over your hearts, that you may not be unfitted for any holy duty when God cals you to it, but that you may be ready even to every good work.
The Fift is this, Preparation conſiſts in the readineſſe of the faculties of the ſoul and the graces of the ſpirit of God, preſently to act upon the ſetting upon a holy duty. When a man or woman ſhall find the faculties of their ſoul and the graces that are in them, to be ready to act as ſoon as ever they fall upon duty, juſt as you ſee a company of Ringers when they have made all preparation for the raiſing of the bels, then in an inſtant when they begin to pull, all the bels go in that tune that according to their skil they ſet them in. And ſo it ſhould be with our hearts, the faculties of our ſouls and graces, though now we are not upon duty, yet we ſhould be ſo ready that as it were upon a pull, all the faculties of our ſouls and graces of Gods Spirit ſhould work in a melodious way; There are thoſe that keep their hearts ſo prepared as at the very firſt moment that they ſet about the duty of Worſhip, all faculties and graces begin to act and to ſtir and are working towards God, as a fire, when all the matter is ready laid, preſently it comes to be kindled and flame out; and thus it ſhould be with our hearts: So that now you ſee wherein preparation of our hearts to duty conſiſt….
The next thing is the Excellency of the preparation; and that may be in way of Application to you to make you to be in love with Preparation for holy duties. There is abundance of good in it.
Firſt, By this meanes we come to make every duty of worſhip eaſie to us, things are difficult when we come upon them unprepared, If you have a friend come to dinner or ſupper to you, and ſhould come ſuddenly, and you have nothing prepared there would be a great deal of ſtir in the houſe, but it you have every thing prepared, it would be carried on in an eaſie way; and the reaſon why people e…mplaine ſo much of difficulty in duty, it is becauſe their hearts are not prepared. Indeed we have naturally many things to keep us off from God but now when the heart is prepared for a holy duty, it goes off as eaſie to God even into the infinite ocean of All mercy and goodneſſe, as a ſhip goes off to be lanſht when you have made preparation for it and the heart can go with a holy boldne e to God when you have made preparation for holy duties. In Job 11. the place which I quoted before for the work of preparation, do but conſider a verſe or two further, and you ſhall find what abundance of good there comes upon the keeping of the heart prepared in things that are good. Verſ 13. If thou prepare th…ne heart, &c. And then Verſ. 15. Then ſhalt thou life up thy face without ſpot, yea, thou ſhalt be ſteadf…ſt and ſhalt not fear: When the heart is prepared for that that is good, when it comes into the preſence of God it is able to lift up its ſelf without fear, in a ſteadfaſt comfortable way, and this will quit the coſt of any labour.
2 Secondly, if the heart be prepared, it will do a great deal in a little time In 2 Chron. 29. 36 it is ſaid, That Hezekiah rejoyced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people for the thing was done ſuddenly. The thing came off freely and ſuddenly when as that they were prepared: Hezekiah rejoiced and ble…ed God for ſuch a mercy as this was it is a great mercy to have the hearts of people prepared unto a good work. And ſo in 2 Chr. 27. 6. the text ſaith, Joth…m became mighty becauſe he prepared his waie… before the Lord his God. Joth…m, he grew mighty by this, and ſo certainly the way to grow to be very ſtrong and mighty, to be able to do a great deal in a little time, it is to make preparation, there may be as much work done in one hour …, as in ten times to much time when the heart is not prepared for it. In Ezra 7. 10. you ſhall find that the reaſon is given why Ezra had ſuch good ſucceſſe in his journy, it was becauſe he had prepared his heart. Make preparation for holy duties and you ſhall have ſucceſs in holy duties There is a notable Scripture for that in Pſal 10 17 where the holy Ghoſt ſaith, that God prepares the heart and what then? when God doth prepare the heart, he doth then cauſe his eare to hear. There was never a prayer made wherin the heart was prepared for it but that praier was heard, they go both together, Lord thou wilt prepare their heart, and thou wilt cauſe thine eare to hear: it God hath once prepared thy heart, thou wilt be ſure to be heard then: Is it not worth a world for to know ones ſelf to be accepted of God in every duty of Wo-ſhip that we tender up to him? this one Scripture Pſal 10. 17. will ſhew it. Oh the excellency that there is in Preparation to duty!
There is one thing more that is very obſervable, and that is this, Where the heart is prepared to duties, there the Lord will paſſe by weakneſſes and imperfections in duties. When thou comeſt to perform holy duties thou art troubled, will the Lord have regard to ſuch a duty as this is? thou mayeſt have certain aſſurance that the Lord will have regard if thou canſt make this point good to thine own ſoul, that it was thy care to make preparation for this duty canſt thou ſay, Lord I have indeavoured and done what I could to fit my heart for duty, but O Lord, I find when I am at it, wonderful diſtractions, much deadneſſe and vanity, what ſhall I do? Why canſt thou make good the former and appeal to God that indeed it was thy care to make preparation? I'le give thee one cripture then for the quieting of thy heart in this: That the weakneſſe of the duty ſhall be pardoned and paſt by, where there is care to prepare before hand the …cripture is in 2 Chron. 30… 18, 19. But Hezekiah prayed for them ſaying, The good Lord pardon every one, what every one? every o…e that prepareth h… heart to ſeek the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not cl…auſed according to the purifie …tion of the Sanctuary As if he ſhould ſay, Oh Lord, there are many things amiſſe in this people, they are not in many regards purif…ed according to the order that thou haſt ſet, but Lord, if thou doeſt but ſee any heart prepared to ſeek thee, though the… 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 hea…ed the people. Nay ſaith God, I will not ſtand ſo much upon the purification of the Sanctuary if they have prepared their hearts to ſeek me. Take this Scripture, know it's written for thine inſtruction, and thou mayeſt make uſe of it to thine own ſoul this day, if thou canſt appeale to God that thou art carefull to prepare thy heart, though thou ſhouldeſt not have that pureneſſe of thy heart as thou doeſt deſire, the Lord will pardon thee and hea… thee, make conſcience of Preparation to holy duties.
Again furthe, by being carefull to make Preparation for duties, within ſome little time thou wilt bring thy heart to ſuch a frame as it will alwaies he ready for duty without much adoe; Indeed at firſt it is ſomewhat hard.
You will ſay, Are we bound to ſpend ſometime every time we go to prayer before hand, or every time we come to the Word? That ſhould have been one of the Caſes of Conſcience, but I cannot come to Anſwer that, but this we may ſay, Be carefull to prepare for duties, you that are young beginners, or you that have made profeſſion a longer time, but yet have not had the weight of this duty upon your ſpirits; now be carefull for a while to prepare for every duty of Gods Worſhip, that God calls you to, and I ſay within a little time thou mayeſt bring thy heart into ſuch a temper as thou mayeſt be ready at all times to performe holy duties: becauſe you ſhall be able to come to that temper and frame that the Apoſtle exhorts to, Pray continually, for indeed ſo it ſhould be with us, we ſhould be alwaies prepared either for Prayer; hearing the Word, or receiving Sacraments. Now becauſe Sacraments are ſo rare, thoſe that have any inlightened 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 thoſ 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 required of them as of others, for they are in a conſtant fitneſſe, ſo that there is no inſtant of time in the whole day but if God cals them to Prayer they could preſently fall down upon their knees and pray ſo as to Sanctifie 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 cald 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 Sanctifie Gods Name in the duty. Acquaint your ſelves with this work of Preparation, and ſo you may have hearts …itted to come into Gods preſence at any time.