Gospel Worship, Sermons · Sermon 4
SARMON IV.
LEVITICUS. 10. 3.
I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me.
WEE proceed now to what remaines.Stepney Decem. 7. 1645. There are onelyonly 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, whither 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; whither it were better to leave off the duty then performe 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 performe.
The anſwer to that is this; we muſt diſtinguiſh of perſons; There are ſom that are exerciſed in the way of godlineſſe, and do keep their hearts cloſe with God in the waies of holineſſe; now for them it may be ſuppoſed that through their exerciſe in the waies of godlineſſe, 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 … 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 fal down to ſolemn …raier. And indeed this is an exellent 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 recive the Sacrament of the Lords upper. It is poſible to keep the heart ſo cloſe to God, as to be fit for praier, and for the hearing of the Word, and for receiving of 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 tel them, that if God call them to praier at ſuch a time in the day, they are altogether unfit for it: If they were called to receive, the Sacrament, their conſciences would fly in their faces and tel them, they are unfit for it but it is not ſo with thoſe that walke cloſe with God, though they be in the world.
You will ſay if a man have buſineſſe in the world how can this be? Yes though they have bu…ne…e in the world, yet they carry the heavenlineſſe 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 the Exchange, or about any buſineſſe; 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: young 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 inlightened, and awakened, they will be very carefull in preparing to holy duties, the fear of God it is mighty upon their Spirits at firſt, and it ſhould not be leſſe afterwards 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 at 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 before hand be very ſerious in the examination of their hearts, and to endeavour the working of their hearts into mourning for their ſinne, and to labour to poſſeſſe 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 godlineſſe, or ſuch as have broken their peace with God by ſome evill carriage of theirs towards God in ſome vile way, I ſay it is required of them to bee more ſolemne in the worke 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 f…t 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 performe it, and am not fit 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 thought as this, that they are not prepared: And the truth is, they are more glad to let the duty fall, then 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 performe a holy duty, there hath not been a more ſecret willingneſſe of the heart to let the duty go, then a ſorrow of the heart becauſe you are not it 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 that goes neer to 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 evill caſe in regard of this; and it makes them watchfull 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 greiv'd and troubled at it, (for that muſt be premiſed) whether were I better to leave the duty for this time then to fall upon it in ſuch an unpreparation as this is?
Now for the Anſwer to this Queſtion.
1 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 buſineſſe, 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 is no wiſdome to forbear a duty for want of preparation, becauſe the forbearance will never help to further preparation, 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 abhorre 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 incouraged to tempt thee another time becauſe he hath now what he would have in cauſing thee to forbear the duty; Firſt, he laboureth 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 and 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 then help the Devil who is powerfull 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 gratifie 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 performe 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 then to neglect it. It is true, ſome do performe a duty in a meer formall way, and to ſatisfie their conſciences, or to cloak and cover their ſins and the like: perhaps they may ſo performe it as it might be better to be unperformed then to performe it as they do, but if you do indeavour 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 then 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 ſinne, and he hath a conſcience that is inlightened 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 inlightening of his conſcience he cannot ſinne 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 freedome 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 freedome 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 cannot 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 leſſe trouble, till at length you can commit it freely without any trouble of Conſcience at all. As it is in ſinne, ſo it is in godlineſſe 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 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 deferre 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 performance of one duty will prepare for another.
4 In the Fourth place, while men and women are ſtrugling with their ſouls and the corruption of their hearts, and do not fall upon ſeeking God, they by their very ſtrugling to prepare themſelves many times, do inſnare themſelves: It may be thou haſt thoughts of Athiſme or other wickedneſſe, the very ſtrugling with thoſe thoughts may inſnare thy heart; now the better way were to fall upon prayer, and to cry to God to help thee again 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, & 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 then 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 behaviour of the Soul in the …anctifying of Gods Name when it is in the very act of the duty?
To that … Anſwer. Firſt in generall thus, When the Soul labours to performe duties ſo as God may have ſuch glory from the duty as is fit for a God to have in ſome meaſure: then do I Sanctifie Gods name.
You will ſay this is a very hard thing to performe 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 plaine 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 Pſa. 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 thankfull… 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 man &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 Saviovr in the 4. of John when he ſpake to the woman of Samaria, he tels her that God is a Spirit, and muſt be worſhipped in ſpirit and truth, that is we muſt labour to ſuite, our worſhip to what there is in God; that our worſhip may be proportionable in ſome meaſure even to the nature of God himſelfe; And therefore God being a Spirit, his worſhip muſt be a Divine worſhip. I have read of ſome of the Heathens that did worſhip the Sun for a God, and they would offer to the Sunne ſomwhat ſutable; therefore becauſe they did ſo admire at the ſwiftneſs of the motion of the Sunne, they would not offer a ſnaile to the ſunne, but a flying 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 Sunne. 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 opened to you when I ſhewed you wherein wee draw nigh to God. This was one, I tould 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 excellencie. If a man ſhould come to a poor man to give a preſent, If it were not worth twelve pence, yet it may be taken well; but if you were to tender up a preſent to a Prince, a Monarch, an Emperour, then you muſt tender a preſent that is fit for the qualitie of the perſon. Therefore Mal 1. 8. When the Lord rebukes them for their Sacrifices that they were ſuch poore things: Go ſaith God and tender up this to your governour and ſee whether he wil accept of it or no. So certainly that which may be accepted of by a mean man, would be accounted a ſcorne, if you ſhould tender it up to a Prince or an Emperour. Now when we are 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 wil ſay, is it poſſible for any creature when it comes to tender up it's 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, then an incouragement.
To that I Anſwer thus, though we be very poore and mean, yet it doth not hinder but we may tender up that to God which God wil acknowledge to be ſuitable to his infinite excelencie, as
Firſt, if we tender up to God all that we have. Though we be never ſo poore and mean, yet if God hath the ſtrength of our ſoules, 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 it's ſtrength that it hath to do a buſines which the father bids him, whether the buſines be done or no, the father looks upon it and accepts it as ſutable to the childs ſtrength; and it ſhewes the reſpect that the child hath to his father. And as it is ſtoried of an Emperour that when a poore man had nothing to offer him but a little water that he had taken up with his hand, he haveing nothing elſe the Emperour accepts of it. So that's that which God looks for, that the Creature ſhould lift him above all. If therfore when thou comeſt to worſhip God, God hath more of thy heart then 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 weakneſs in my ſpirit, but thou that knoweſt al things knoweſt, that thou haſt more of my heart then 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 Coats-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 adde 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 ſuitable 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 ſuitable to the infinite Majeſty of God, upon this Third Ground, becauſe that there is a kind of impreſſion of Gods infinitnes in thoſe ſervices that a gracious heart doth tender unto God, and therefore ſuitable unto God.
You will ſay, God is an Infinite Glorious God? Be it ſo; He is Infinite that's certain but the duty of Worſhip that a gracious heart tenders unto God, it hath an impreſſion of Gods infinitneſſe upon it. How is that? If that can be made out, then indeed we may be incouraged to worſhip God. Thus, That that a gracious heart tenders up to God hath an impreſſion of his Infinitneſſe 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 inlarged infinitly if it could. If it were poſſible for a creature to be inlarged to God infinitly it would be. Here lies I conceive the maine difference betweene the moſt glorious 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 then 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 eſteeme, 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 leſſe, he would do leſſe. 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 inlarge my heart, that I would have no bounds ſet in what I do for God, but I would have it inlarged to the uttermoſt Latitude, if it were poſſible beyond what ever 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 infinitnes that there is in the heart where Grace comes: I ſay, Grace inlarges the heart to a kind of infinitneſſe 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 ſuitable to the infinite excellencie 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 inlarge the heart even to an infinitneſſe as it were for God. And thus you ſee in the generall what it is to Sanctifie Gods Name, to tender up to God that which is ſome way ſuitable to the glory of the infinite God.
2 You know there was a Second thing, viz. That then I do 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 infinite 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 is a mighty encouragement to put forth the heart to the uttermoſt, becauſe when thou doeſt ſo the right hand of God upholds thee: ſo that thy heart muſt follow after God more then 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 labour to prepare and open my heart for God as for the choiceſt Mercies that God hath to beſtow upon his Creature. When there is ſuch a temper of heart that my conſcience tels me it is ſuitable to that that is fit for a Soul to have that expects to receive the choiceſt Mercies 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 of Gods Name.
1 Firſt, In what particulars the behaviour of the heart may be diſcovered to be ſuitable to God in reſpect of Gods greatneſſe and glory.
2 Secondly, What the behaviour of the heart ſhould be as ſuitable to the ſeverall Attributes of God.
It will coſt us ſome time to open the particular things in the behaviour of the heart as in reference to the Greatneſſe and Majeſtie of God, conſidered more generally; as in Pſal. 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 f…ock 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 ſuitable to my Greatneſſe? 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 be ſuitable to his greatneſſe. Now if you ask me in what particulars doth the behaviour of the Soul conſiſt that is very ſuitable to the greatneſſe of God in the generall? there are many things in this:
1 The Firſt is, You muſt be carefull to bring a Sanctified heart. You cannot tender up a worſhip ſuitable to his greatneſſe except you bring a Sanctified heart with you, there muſt be holineſſe in the heart: Under the Law you know, if any one came to offer a Sacrifice in his uncleanneſſe, he muſt be cut off: and ſo it muſt be here, we muſt look to it that we offer not to God in our uncleanneſſe: Waſh you, and make you clean. in Iſa. 1. and then come let us reaſon together: There is no comming to God without waſhing and making clean: in Pſal 93. 5. Holineſſe becometh thine houſe O Lord for ever: Holineſſe 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 read 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 clen…ng of our hearts when we come to offer any ſervice to God, How much more ſhall the blood of Chriſt who through the eternall 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 untill 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 eternall 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 naturall filthineſſe and uncleanneſſe in which we all were; for the whole world doth lie in filth, as a carrion doth lie in his ſlyme. Now if we would worſhip God ſo as to Sanctifie him, we muſt apply Chriſt to our Souls, and get our conſciences purged from dead works, and to have the Spirit of Chriſt in us to quicken up our hearts in the waies of holineſſe; to have the image of eſus Chri…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 habituall Sanctification and an actuall Sanctification of the heart: An Habituall, 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, Poure 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 holineſſe 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 a doe 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 performe 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 acting of Grace. So that one cannot Sanctifie Gods Name in holy duties unleſſe he come thus far, to be able to ſay, Lord, thou that knoweſt all things, knoweſt, there is nothing that thou doeſt reveale 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, untill thou come thus far, to have thy heart to work thus againſt ſin, and to be ſet upon every good that God reveals to be his mind. You know when a man of quallity comes to your houſe what a deale of ſtir there is, not onelyonly in ſweeping, but in making all things as clean and tite and ſhining as poſſibly can be: Thus it ſhould be when thou comeſt to God.
And the Reaſon why there muſt be this Sanctifying of the heart is.
1 Firſt, Becauſe the Lord doth firſt accept of the perſon before he doth accept o… 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 their perſons are good If indeed we ſee a man do good, then we love him and accept of the perſon of the man, but God firſt will accept of the perſon before the Action: As the Lord accepted of Abe… firſt, and then he accepted his offering: So you muſt look to that, to have your perſons firſt accepted of God before any duty can be accepted: You think though you be wicked and ſinfull, yet if you amend your life God will accept of you, you go that way to work; but certainly that is the wrong way; you muſt firſt look after meanes of acceptation of your perſons, which is through the Righteouſneſſe of Jeſus Chriſt, and through the Sanctification of his Spirit, whereby you come to have his Image and life, and ſo are accepted, and then all that proceeds from you comes to be accepted. There is not any action which comes from you that comes to be accepted to eternall life, untill your perſons be accepted before God, and therefore there muſt be a Sanctifying of the heart before there can be a Sanctifying the Name of God in the duties of his Worſhip: Therefore when you come to performe any duties of Gods Worſhip you ſhould co…der this, Is my heart Sanctified? I muſt Sanctifie Gods Name, and how can I do that, except my heart be Sanctified?
2 Secondly, Our hearts muſt be Sanctified becauſe the Lord doth look more to the principle from whence a thing comes, then at the thing it ſelf. As indeed were our hearts right as they ſhould then all the good things that come to us, we would not ſo much regard what the things are, that we do injoy from God, as what the principle is from whence they come, that is, Whether what we do injoy from God is from the love of God in Jeſus Chriſt or no? Whether it be from the generall Bounty and Patience of God, or from the ſpeciall …oue of God in Jeſus Chriſt? …ur hearts would regard that mo… if we were Spirituall: now then look as a godly man is not ſatisfied with injoying any good thing from God except he knows it comes from a principle of love to him …eſus Chriſt; So God is not pleaſed with any thing that comes from us, except he knows that it comes from a principle of Love, Grace, and Holineſſe in our hearts.
3 Thirdly, According as the heart is, ſo will the Service be; Certainly if the heart be unclean the duty will be unclean; perhaps the words may be fine and brave, but if there be an unclean heart, the duty will be unclean: As it is with a man that hath the Plague, ſuppoſe he makes a brave Oration, yet his breath is infectious: ſo it is in our Services with God: If ſo be that our hearts within us have the plague, then certainly the breath that comes from us, all our duties will be unclean, and therefore that is the firſt thing that we are to look for in the Sanctifying Gods Name in holy duties: Look to have thy heart Sanctified, and conſider from what principle it comes 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 is many more to ſpeak of.