Gospel Worship, Sermons · Sermon 9
SERMON IX.
LEVITICUS. 10. 3.
I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me.
THE next thing for the right behaviour of the Soul for Sanctifying Gods Name is this,Stepney, Janu. 11 1645. We muſt receive the Word with meekneſſe of Spirit, that you have in Jam. 1. 21. Wherefore lay apart all filthineſſe, and ſuperfluity of naughtineſs, and receive with meekneſs the ingrafted word which is able to ſave your ſouls. Receive with meekneſs; The former part of this Scripture I confeſſe concerns ſome what that was before, about the preparation of the Soul, and we ſhall perhaps afterwards in the Application come to open the former part of this verſ. Lay apart all filthineſs & ſuperfluity of naughtineſs: But only now we quote the place for this, Receive with meekneſs the ingrafted word which is able to ſave your ſouls. Let there be a quietneſſe in your Spirits in attending upon the word, no hurring; There is a twofold diſtemper of paſſion in many people that is a great hinderance to the profit of the Word, and Sanctifying Gods Name in hearing it.
1 The Firſt is a diſtemper of Paſſion in thoſe that have ſome trouble of conſcience in them, they are troubled for their fin, and their Spirits are in a diſcontented froward humour becauſe they have not that comfort that they do deſire, and therefore the Word of God when it comes to be preached to them, if it doth not every way ſuit with their hearts, and if they do not find preſent comfort by it, their Spirits are in a diſtemper and frowardneſſe, and caſt it off; and if at any time there be never ſuch comfortable things ſpoken in the word, yet there is an anger in their ſpirits becauſe they are not able to apply the Word to themſelves, and they think, This doth not concern me: now there ſhould be meekneſſe of Spirit in thoſe that are in trouble of conſcience above all; they ſhould quietly attend upon the Word, and wait for the time that God will ſpeak peace to their conſciences: And if I cannot find the Word ſuitable to me at this time, yet I may at another time: let me atend with meeknes, let me receive everything with meekneſſe the Word is above me, and if ever I have good, it muſt be by the word at laſt. It doeth much concern thoſe that are in trouble of Conſcience to have meeke Spirits.
2 There is another diſtemper in others and that is worſe; that is, Such as when they find the word come neer unto them, relating thoſe ſins that their conſciences tels them they are guilty of, their hearts riſe againſt God, and his Word, and Miniſters too: Becauſe it would pluck away ſome beloved corruption, becauſe it rebukes them for ſome haunt of evill, ſome diſtemper of heart that they have been or are guilty of, it puts a ſhame upon them, and therefore their hearts do riſe againſt it. It is a dreadfull thing to have the heart riſe againſt the Word. As we read of that froward Prince Jehoiakim in the Propheſie of Jeremiah, that when the Roll was read in his hearing, ſitting in the winter time by a great fire, he tooke a penknife and cut it a pieces and threw it into the fire in anger; and I have read that the Jewes kept a Faſt every year to mourne for that great ſin, & yet this Jehoiakim was the Son of Joſiah whoſe heart did melt at the hearing of the Word, he had an humble and a meek heart when the Law was read, and yet ſee what a different Spirit Jehoiakim had either from his Father or grand-Father. It is a great diſhonour to the name of God for men to give liberty to their Paſſions to riſe againſt the Word; take heed of Paſſion either while you are hearing the Word, or after the Word, as many of you when you are diſcontented with what is ſaid. When you come in company, what a fury are many men in upon the hearing of ſome things in the word that comes cloſe to their hearts; Remember when you are a hearing of the Word that it is that which is above you, and it is not fit for one that is an inferiour to ſhew himſelf Paſſionate in the preſence of a Superiour: It is true, the Miniſters they may be in as low a condition as you, and in a lower; but the word they ſpeak, it is above all the Princes and Monarchs upon the face of the earth; and it is fit therefore we having to deal with God that we ſhould behave our ſelves in a meeke diſpoſition.
6 The next thing for the Sanctifying Gods name in the hearing of the word is this, we muſt hear it with a trembling heart, with fear as well as meekneſſe, and for that you have that famous Scripture in Iſa. 66. begining. Thus ſaith the Lord, the Heaven is my Throne, and the Earth is my footſtool wher is the houſe that ye build unto me, and where is the place of my reſt? For all thoſe things hath my hand made, and all thoſe things have been ſaith the Lord, but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and of a contrite ſpirit and trembleth at my word. this is a moſt admirable Scripture. Marke how God lifts up himſelf in his glory, ſo great a God as the Heaven is my Throne, and the Earth is my footſtool where is that houſe that ye will build unto me? but then may a poor Soul ſay, how ſhall I be able to ſtand before this God that is ſo glorious? Saith God, be not diſcouraged Poor Soul who doeſt tremble at my word, for I look to you; And then this is a further thing obſervable that God hath a regard to that ſoul that trembles at his word, rather then to any that ſhould build the moſt ſumptuous buildings in the world for him, for ſaith God here, the Heaven is my Throne, and the Earth is my footſtool, where is the houſe that ye build unto me and where is the place of my reſt? they have built a glorious Temple to God, but what do I regard that ſaith God? I regard one that trembls at my word more then that great houſe that you have built unto me, it is a notable Scripture to ſhew what a high reſpect God hath to one that trembles at his word, he regards them more then this glorious Temple, that was built unto him, If you were able to build ſuch a place as this was for the ſervice of God, you would think it a great matter, it is not ſo much regarded as if you could bring a trembling heart to Gods word, that's a ſpecial thing wherein the Sanctifying of the name of God conſiſts, when we come to ſee the dreadfull authority that there is in the word of God, when we are able to ſee more glory of God in his word then in all the works of God beſides, for there is more of his glory in the word then there is in the whole Creation of Heaven and Earth, take the Sun, and Moon and Stars, you that are Marriners you have ſeen much of the glory of God abroad that one would think might ſtrik terrour into all your hearts, but know that there is more of the dreadfulneſſe of Gods name in his word then in all his works; In Pſal. 138. 2. Thou haſt magnified thy word above all thy name, the word it is magnified above all the name of God whatſoever, and it is a very good ſign of a Spirituall inlightened Soul that can ſee the name of God more magnified in his word then in all his works beſides; I appeal unto your conſciences in this thing, have you ever ſeen the name of God to be more magnified in his word then in all his works? I may with very good confidence affirm this that there is no godly Soul upon the face of the earth, that hath the weakeſt degree of grace but hath ſeen more of the glory of God revealed in his word, then he hath ſeen in all the works of God beſides, and his heart hath been more taken with it, It requires therefore a trembling frame of heart when we hear it.
And then further when this is conſidered that the word is that that bindeth the Soul over either to life or death, mens eternal eſtates are to be caſt by the world, certainly then it requires a trembling heart to hear that by which the eternal eſtate of man is to be caſt, we do not Sanctifie Gods name when we come to hear the word, except we come with trembling hearts, and they are the moſt likely of all men and women to underſtand the mind of God, as for ſuch as come with conceited ſpirits that they underſtand as much before they come, and think their reach of wit or capacity is beyond the capacity of any that ſhall open the word unto them (yet that were not ſo much if it did but only reſt upon the man and not reflect upon the word it ſelf) Now theſe that are rich in their own thoughts and underſtandings are ſent empty away, but thoſe that come with trembling hearts to the word, they are the men that are like to underſtand Gods Counſels revealed in his word. In Ezra 10. 2, 3. Shechaniah the Son of Iehiel one of the Sons of Elam anſwerd & ſaid unto Ezra, we have tranſgreſſed againſt our God & have taken ſtrange wives &c. Yet now there is hope in Iſrael concerning this thing, now therefore let us make a covenant with our God according to the counſel of my lord and of thoſe that tremble at the Commandment of our God; ſo that thoſe that tremble at Gods word are ſuch as are fiteſt to counſel, they underſtand moſt of Gods mind; and that's another particular of the behaviour of the Soul in Sanctifiying Gods name in hearing his word.
7 The next is an humble ſubjection to the word that we hear, our hearts muſt bow to it, muſt lie under the word that we hear, it is a very remarkable Scripture that we have in 2 Chron. 36. 12. There it is ſaid concerning a great King Zedekiah, He did that which was evil in the ſight of the Lord, his God, and humbled not himſelf before Jeremiah the prophet, ſpeaking from the mouth of the Lord… It it a very ſtrange expreſſion as any we have in the book of God, that Zedekiah a great King ſhould be charged with this as a great ſin that he did not humble himſelf, humble himſelf before whom you will ſay? we are bound to humble our ſelves before God, but here it is that he did not humble himſelf before Jeremiah the prophet; Why before the prophet? Becauſe he ſpake from the mouth of the Lord. If it be any meſſenger that ſpeaks from the mouth of the Lord, God expects that we ſhould humble our ſelves, ſo that if any truth comes to be delivered unto you, the Lord expects that you ſhould fal down and yeeld obedience to it, whatſoever your thoughts, your judgments, your opinions have heretofore been, if there come any thing in the word agianſt it you muſt ſubmit your judgments, ſubmit your very conſciences, you muſt ſubmit your wills, whatſoever your hearts have been ſet upon, though it hath been never ſo contentfull to your ſpirits before, yet now ſubmit, and yeeld though it go never ſo croſſe unto your minds, your wils, your ends, yet all muſt be ſubmitted, and laid down flat before the word, ſo as to be willing to deny your ſelves of any thing in the world. When a man or woman can ſay thus, Lord it is true, I confeſſe before I heard thy word opened in the evidence and demonſtration of the ſpirit unto me, I was of ſuch a mind, and my heart went after ſuch and ſuch contentments, and I though it was impoſſible that ever my heart ſhould be taken from them, but Oh Lord thou haſt been pleaſed plainly to ſhew to me by the opening of thy word in the evidence of thy ſpirit, what thy mind is; Now whatſoever becomes of my name, of my comforts, of my contentments in this world, Lord here I caſt down all before thee, I ſubmit unto thy word; this is a gracious frame. Now is the name of God extoll'd, and lifted up in hearing of the word, the name of God is Sanctified in ſuch a work of ſpirit as this is. I have read of a Germain Divine writing to Oecolampadius another famous German Divine, he hath this expreſſion, Oh let the word of God come, & though we had 600. necks we would al ſubmit them unto the word of God ſaith he. So it ſhould be the temper of ſuch as hear the word and deſire to Sanctifie Gods name in it, let the word of God come this morning, let God ſpeak and we will ſubmit had we 600. necks, we will ſubmit all we are, or have, to this word of the Lord, it is the word of God, that we are willing ſhould triumph over us: To have a congregation to lie down under the word of God that is preached to them is a moſt excellent thing, and Gods name is much Sanctified, we do not brethren deſire you ſhould lie under us, we are not only willing, but we are very deſirous that you would examin what we ſpeak to you, whether it be according to the word of God or no. But look to it, that if we do ſpeak to you that which is the word from the mouth of the Lord, know then that God expects that you ſhould ſubmit your eſtates, your ſouls, your bodies, all that you are and have to this word, and that is another particular in the Sanctifying of the name of God in hearing the word; there muſt be an humble ſubmiſſion of the ſoul unto it.
8 Another particular wherein the behaviour of the Soul for the Sanctifying of Gods name conſiſts is this, The word it muſt be received with love, and with joy, it is not enough for you to be convinct of the authority of it, and to think thus, well I muſt yeeld to it, this is the word of God and if I do not yeeld to it I muſt expect the plagues and judgements of God to follow it that is not enough, but you muſt yeeld to it with love, and with joy, except you receive the word with love and with joy it is not Sanctified; you do not Sanctifie Gods Name, nor is it ſanctified unto you. You muſt receive the word not only as the true word of the Lord, but as the good word of the Lord. In Theſſalon. 2. 10. we find it to be the cauſe of mens being given over to a ſpirit of delution, Becauſe they received not the word of God in Love: It is ſpoken of Antichriſt, that at his coming he ſhall come with all deceivableneſſe, and he ſhall prevail with them that periſh, who are they? They that receive not the love of the truth that they might be ſaved. It is not enough my Brethren to receive the truth that we might be ſaved; but we mnſt receive the love of the truth if ever we would be ſaved; Good is the word of the Lord to my ſoul. And we muſt receive it with joy too as well as with love; Prov. 2. 10. When wiſdome entereth into thy heart, and knowledge is pleaſant unto thy Soul: Then diſcretion ſhall preſerve thee, underſtanding ſhall keep thee, &c. That is a great matter, when the word reveals ſome truth to thy underſtanding, and thou canſt ſo receive it as it ſhould be pleaſant to thy ſoul, that thy ſoul rejoyces in it; it is a good word, it is that that doth me good at the heart, when a people can hear the word, and the word coming neer unto them, they can ſay, This word doth me good at the heart, it is pleaſant to my ſoul, that is excellent. In Act. 2. 41. the godly are deſcribed, thoſe that did receive the word ſo as to ſanctifie Gods Name in it; by this, that they gladly received the word and were baptized, and the ſame day there were added unto them about three thouſand ſouls. There were three thouſand in one day that did gladly receive the word; What an auditory had Peter at this time? Then the word it did them good, when they gladly received it.
Queſt. But it may be ſaid, We read in Matt. 13. of the ſtony ground, the hearers that were not good and did not profit by the word ſo as to be ſaved, yet they received the word with joy. And Herod it is ſaid of him, That he heard John Baptiſt gladly: It ſeems then that it is not enough to receive it with gladneſſe?
Anſw. To that I Anſwer Firſt, There muſt be that that Hypocrites may have, if there be want of that, we cannot Sanctifie Gods Name. But you will ſay, We muſt go further or elſe Gods Name is not ſanctified: That I confeſſe; Therefore when I ſpeak of gladneſſe and joy, know that I mean another kind of joy then the ſtony ground had; and ſo certainly the pleaſantneſſe that is ſpoken of in Prov. which I mentioned before; And the gladneſſe that the three thouſand did receive the Word withall is different from the gladneſſe of the ſtony ground. If you ask me wherein it differs? I would Anſwer it differs thus, The gladneſſe of an Hypocrite in receiving Gods Word, it ariſeth either from the novelty of it, becauſe it is a new thing, and he gets new notions that he had not before, or elſe he is joyful from ſome other carnal excellencies that he finds going together with the word, ſome eſteem or honour that he ſhall get by it, ſome ſelviſhneſſe there is that makes his heart to be glad, for there is a great deal of natural and carnal excellency that goes along many times with the word. But now this gladneſſe that is ſpoken of in the Acts and in the Proverbs, it is the gladneſſe that ariſeth from the apprehenſion of the ſpirituall excellencies that there are in the word, as that it is that word that reveals God and Chriſt to my ſoul; that word that comes neereſt to my ſoul to the mortifying of my Luſts, and the ſanctifying of my heart: This is that which makes me rejoyce in the word, the holineſſe and the ſpirituall excellencie that I ſee to be in the word: Thy word is pure (ſaith David) and therefore doth thy ſervant love it and rejoyce in it. This no Hypocrite can ſay; I ſee the Image of God in his Word, I ſee the very glaſſe of Gods holineſſe in his word, I feel that in the word that may bring my Soul to God, wherein my ſoul injoyes communion with God and Jeſus Chriſt, and it is this that glads my ſoul. If we receive the word with joy thus, we ſhall come to Sanctifie the Name of God in the hearing of it; And that is the Eight particular.
9 The Ninth Particular is this, If we would Sanctifie the Name of God in his word, we muſt receive the Word into honeſt hearts. This you have in Luk. 8. 15. in the Parable of the Sower; you ſhall find there that there are divers grounds that do receive the ſeed; and by thoſe divers grounds are meant divers ſorts of hearers: There is Firſt the high-way ground, that is, ſuch as hear the word and never regard what they hear, and as ſoon as ever they go out of the Congregation the ſeed of the Word is quite gone and is as if they had not heard at all. And then there is the ſtony ground, and the thorny ground, that is, thoſe that hear with joy (as was ſpoken of before) but the cares of the world choak the ſeed of the word; as ſoon as ever they are gone, they are upon their worldly buſineſſe, and their thoughts and hearts runs that way. But then there is the good ground, that is, Thoſe that receive the ſeed of the Word into a good and honeſt heart, a good and an honeſt heart they are both joyned together. By a good heart is meant a heart that hath not malice in it, a heart that doeth deſire to empty it ſelf of every thing that is againſt the Word, and which is not ſuitable to the ſpiritualneſſe of the Word: A heart I ſay that entertaines nothing in it that any way makes againſt the word: A good heart is a heart which (as the Apoſtle ſaith in Jam. 1. 21. and that place may very well come in here to be opened) is clenſed from all filthineſſe and ſuperfluity of naughtineſſe. The word that is there tranſlated filthineſſe it ſignifies Excrements; that which is unclean, that which comes from the body, ſuch is the ſinfulneſſe of your hearts; you come to hear the word, if it be with evil hearts you mingle that very filthineſſe which is as vile before God as excrements are: And ſuperfluity of naughtineſſe; by that I take is meant, as if the holy Ghoſt ſhould ſay, Do not think it enough for to purge away filthineſſe, that is notorious ſtinking evils, abominable ſins, that you do not come with ſuch filthy vile hearts, but whatſoever there is in your heart that is any way againſt the work of Grace, it is a ſuperfluity of naughtineſſe, all kind of evill thoughts, and evill affections that are more then needs. Look into your hearts and affections, and ſee whatſoever you find there that is more then ought to be, runing out unto any thing that they ſhould not, labour to purge out that ſaith he, do not ſatisfie yourſelves in any kind of evill whatſoever: It may be you are clenſed from the notorious evils of the World; but if there remaines any naughtineſſe, any kind of droſſineſſe in your hearts that is not grace, it is to be purged out, for it is a ſuperfluity: So then that is a good heart that entertaines no kind of evill in it. It may be there is ſome evill, but it doth deſire to purge out not only that that is filthy, naſtie, and abominable; but if there be any thing that ſhould not be there, a good heart is againſt it. And that is a good heart that is willing to receive any thing that God reveals; As we uſe to ſay, Such a man is a good man, that is, you can propound nothing to him that is fit to be done but he is willing to hearken to you. A good man he hath no kind of evill ends in him, no evill deſignes at all, but he is willing to hearken to every thing that is good: So a good heart whatſoever is good he is ready to entertain, if it be a good thing his heart is ſutable to it, and runs preſently unto it; having a good heart, it doth preſently cloſe with the good word of the Lord.
But what is meant by an honeſt heart?
By honeſty of heart, certainly there is more meant then ſuch a one that we call an honeſt man, that is, a man that is honeſt in his dealings between man and man; there is many a man that is accounted a very honeſt man in the world but hath not an honeſt heart: I beſeech you obſerve it, That man that hath an honeſt heart to God, is one that receives the ſeed of the word, ſo as he goes beyond the high-way ground, the ſtony ground, or the thorny ground, he goes beyond thoſe three ſort of profeſſors; he is one that hath an eminency in profeſſion of Religion beyond thoſe three: now the world accounts many honeſt men that do not go beyond any of thoſe three; yea the world doth ordinarily account any of thoſe three to be honeſt men, as the high-way ground: Are there not many honeſt men in the world, that regard not the word of God at all, but only come to hear a Sermon, and as ſoon as they have done, as it came in at one eare, ſo it goes out at the other? I fear there are ſome men and women that are accounted honeſt men and women in the world that can hardly give an account of any one Sermon they have heard in all their lives: hardly I ſay, but the word which they heard is preſently taken away from them, and yet theſe are accounted honeſt men in the world: But this is not the honeſt heart the Scripture ſpeaks of. And many there are that goe further then theſe, that come to hear the word with joy, and yet they have not this honeſt heart: Yea they may hear the word ſo as to bring forth a Blade, and yet not have this honeſt heart. By this honeſt heart I take therefore to be meant this, A heart that deals ſquarely and truly with God, behaving it ſelf in a beſeeming manner ſutable to that authority and excellency that there is in the Word of God. As now for example:
1 Firſt, Amongſt men he is accounted an honeſt man that deals ſquarely and truly with men in all actions; ſuch a man you will ſay is an honeſt man, as honeſt a man as ever broke bread; that is, one that will deal ſquarely with men, not only in one thing, but turn him to any thing, and you ſhall find a proportion between one action and another: So this is an honeſt heart, not one that only will be forward for God in ſome one action wherein he may injoy himſelf as well as God; but one that deals ſquarely with God, let God put him upon duty, upon any ſervice, God ſhall find him ſtill to be the ſame man: Put him upon an eaſie ſervice (as many will imbrace that) or put him upon a difficult ſervice, it is all one if it be the mind of God; you ſhall find him ſquare in every thing, though he be put upon that which he is like to ſuffer very much in, yet he goes on according to his principles. An honeſt heart is one that hath received gracious principles, and accordingly he acteth, all the world cannot take him off from his principles of godlineſſe that the Lord hath put into his heart.
2 Secondly, An honeſt man is one that provides things honeſt before men, that doth all things in a ſeemly way in all thoſe relations that he hath unto others, that we account honeſty: So when a mans behaviour towards the word is ſuch as doth beſeem the word of that God with whom he hath to deal, That look what excellency, what glory, there is in the word of God, ſuch a ſutable behaviour there is in the heart of a man to it, this is an honeſt heart. So that there are thoſe two things, when a man is ſquare with God in one thing as wel as another, and when there is a ſutableneſſe in the behaviour of the Soul to what excellency there is in the word, when the heart of man will not abuſe the word at all, but behaves its ſelf honeſtly, according unto the gravity, holineſſe, and weight that there is in the word. And thus now with ſuch a good and honeſt heart we are to receive the word if we will Sanctifie Gods Name in it.
10 A tenth particular is this, If we will Sanctifie Gods name in the word we muſt hide the word in our hearts, we muſt not only heart the word but keep it, preſerve it, and then do we declare that we account the word of God to be worth ſomething indeed; For what is it to Sanctifie God (as we have opened before in the general) but ſuch a behaviour towards him as may teſtifie the excellency of the name of God, ſo the behaviour of the Soul in hearing the word muſt be ſuch as may give a teſtimony to the excellency of the word and manifeſt the high eſteem I have of it. Now if I received a thing that is of great value, if I ſlight it, and let any body take it from me I do not give a teſtimony to the excellency of that thing, but if I take it and lock it up, and ſo keep it under lock and key I do thereby give a teſtimony of the eſteem that I have of the excellency of that thing, ſo now, When I come to hear the word, and meet with truths that have gotten into my Soul I cloſe with them, and am reſolved within my heart as I am hearing of them, well this truth I will keep through Gods grace, this concerns me, and I will make much of it, and although I forget other things, yet I hope I ſhall remember this to Sanctifie Gods name in hearing of the word, In Iſa. 42. 23. Hear (ſaith the holy Ghoſt there) for the time to come? When we come to the word we muſt not only hearken for the preſent, as many of us while we are hearing, our hearts are ſtirr'd for the preſent, Oh that we could but have that affection of heart alwaies as we have when we are hearing of the word, how many of you have ſaid when you have been hearing ſuch a ſermon, Oh then me thought I could have gone through fire and water for God? I but mark it, you muſt hear for afterwards. And in Pſa. 119. 11. There the prophet David profeſt that he did hide the word in his heart, the word was ſweet unto him, Thy word ſaith he have I hid in my heart that I might not ſin againſt thee. You that come and hear thoſe truths upon the Lords day if you would hide them thus in your hearts and keep them all the week, they would help you againſt the many temptations that you meet withall, you go abroad on the week daies into company, and there you meet with a temptation and it overcomes you, and you complain, Alas I am weak, I have met with a temptation and it hath foyld me? But had you hid the word that you heard on the Lords day in your heart, it would have kept you from the ſtrength of your temptation that it ſhould not have overcome you, thoſe that are truly godly they have a care to hide the word in their hearts, when they hear it, they think, this word ſhall help me againſt ſuch and ſuch ſins which I am prone to by nature, and when a temptation comes to that ſin I hope I ſhall have uſe of the word that I have heard this day; As now ſuppoſe you hear a word againſt paſſion, then you ſhould hide that word in your hearts againſt that time that temptation comes to paſſion, And you hear a word againſt ſenſuallity and abuſe of the creatures you ſhould hide that word, againſt that temptation cometh, And you hear a word againſt unrighteouſneſſe and unjuſt dealings, when a temptation comes to that ſin you ſhould hide that word againſt that time, So you hear a word that ſpeaks of obedience to parents, and ſervants duties to governors, now you ſhould hide that word in your hearts againſt that time, I have hid thy word in my heart that I might not ſin againſt thee. You ſay that you would fain withſtand and not be overcome with temptations? why here is the way, hide the word within thee that thou mayeſt not ſin againſt him; And ſo in Pro. 2. 1. you have a Scripture to the ſame purpoſe, about hiding the commandements within us. And then in 1 Joh. 2. 14. I write unto you young men becauſe you are ſtrong, and the word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one. I have written to you young men, you are youug, you have ſtrong natures, and ſo ſtrength of nature for God, But how comes this to paſſe? You are ſtrong and the word of God abideth in you; here is an excellent Scripture for all young men, you have your memories freſh, and if you will exerciſe your memories about any thing it ſhould be in the word of God, it is a comely and an excellent thing to ſee young ones to have the word of God abiding in them, that if you come to them, not only a week but a month after they have heard the word they are able to give you an account of it: I am verily perſwaded that there are many young ones in this place, that are able to give you old ones, If you ask them, an account of what it is to Sanctifie Gods name in the duties of worſhip and why? becauſe the word of God abideth in them, It is the honour of young men to have the word of God to abide in them, and hereby they overcome the wicked one. And on the other ſide many young people that do come to hear the word, it may be they are drawn to it by others, or it may be they love to have a walk in the morning, but the word of God abideth not in them, and therefore when the wicked one comes with temptations the week after they are overcome by him, but thoſe that have the word of God abiding in them they overcome the wicked one. And ſo in Job. 8. 31. you have a very remarkable Scripture for this purpoſe of keeping the word after we have heard it. Then ſaid Jeſus to thoſe which beleeved on him, if you continue in my word then are you my Diſciples indeed. I beſeech you obſerve it, It is ſaid that the Jewes did beleeve in Chriſt, and yet ſaith Chriſt If ye continue in my word then are you my Diſciples, why, were they not the Diſciples of Chriſt that did beleeve in him? By this beleeving therefore we muſt underſtand ſome kind of general notion that they had of Chriſt, they began to think that Chriſt might be the true Meſſias, ſome kind of imperfect beleeving they had, but they were not throughly brought off, now ſaith Chriſt, If you continue in my word, you are my Diſciples. As if he ſhould ſay, Do not you think it enough that you come to hear me, and that you are taken by what I ſay; you muſt continue in my word, and then you are my Diſciples: Chriſt will not own that man or woman to be his Diſciple that doth not continue in his word. O that you would conſider of this, you that ſatisfie your ſelves in having ſome flaſhes of your affections when you are hearing the word, but do not think that you are the Diſciples of Chriſt becauſe of them, In Tit. 1. 9. Holding faſt the faithfull word as you have been taught, that is the thing you ſhould labour for, to hold faſt the faithful word, hold it faſt, that it may not be taken from you, and ſo you ſhall come to Sanctifie the name of God in the hearing of his word.
11 The laſt that I ſhall ſpeak to is this, If thou wouldeſt Sanctifie the Name of God in hearing his word, turn it into practice, or otherwiſe the Name of God is blaſphemed, or at leaſt is taken in vain by thee if thou doeſt not turn what thou heareſt into practice: So you have it in Jam. 1. 22. He that is not a forgetfull hearer but a doer of the word, this man (ſaith he) ſhall be bleſſed in his deed. And verſ. 22. Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only deceiving your own ſelves. The word here that is tranſlated Deceiving your own ſelves, its a word taken from Logicians, and ſignifies to make a falſe Sylogiſme. A man that hears the Word and doth not do it, he doth as it were reaſon thus, Thoſe that do come to Church (as we uſe to ſay) thoſe ſurely are Religious people, but I come to Sermons and therefore I am Religious: Now this is a falſe reaſoning, and thou doeſt but cozen thy ſelf. Be not a hearer only, but a doer of the word, that thou maieſt not deceive thine own ſoul. So in Rom. 2. 3. Thinkeſt thou this O man that judgeſt them that do ſuch things, & doeſt the ſame, that thou ſhalt eſcape the judgement of God? As if he ſhould ſay, You have the word, and you are able to judge thereby what you hear, but yet ſtill you are wicked in your lives; this is diſpiſing of the riches of the goodneſſe of God towards you. And in Phillipians 2. 16. you have a remarkable text where the holy Ghoſt ſaith of the Philipians, That he would have them hold forth the word of Life. It were a moſt excellent thing if it might be ſaid of this Congregation, that as they come diligently to hear, and are willing to take pains to get out of their beds ſo earely in the mornings, ſo all the week after they hold forth the word of God. You that are ſervants it may be your maſters are naught, and the families naught from whence you come: now when you go home, though it may be they will not let you repeate the Sermon, yet you are to hold forth the Sermon in your practice and converſation: How is the Name of God glorified when we hold forth his word! this is to let, not only your light ſhine, but the light of the word ſhine before men that they may behold it and glorifie your Father which is in heaven.
So that now put all theſe Eleaven Particulars together, and then you have made good that expreſſion we find in Act. 13. 48. That the word of God was glorified. And to the ſame purpoſe we have another expreſſion in 2 Theſſ. 3. 1. Finally, brethren, Pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free courſe, and be glorified even as it is with you. This is the commendation of a people, that they do glorifie the word of God: I beſeech you brethren, in the Name of Jeſus Chriſt this morning that you that are hearers of the Word would glorifie the Word, and glorifie the Name of God in the word; Oh that not one of you would be a diſgrace or ſhame to the word of God; this is the charge that God this morning laies upon you, as ever you expect to receive any good from the word, or to look upon the face of God with comfort whoſe word this is: do not be a ſhame to his Word, and to the Miniſters of his word. Put all theſe things together, I ſay, and learn to make conſcience of Sanctifying Gods Name in hearing the Word, that ſo there may be none of you that may give any juſt occaſion to others to ſay, Is this to hear Sermons? Do you get nothing elſe but this by hearing Sermons? If you ſhould open the mouths of men to ſay ſo of you, the Word of God as much as lies in you would be diſgraced by you; you ſhould rather think thus, It were better for me that I ſhould die, and that I were under the ground and rotting there, then that the Word of God ſhould ever be diſgraced by me: Let me hold forth the glory of the Word, the Word is that that hath done good to my ſoul; the Word is that that I would not for ten thouſand worlds but have heard it, and ſhall I diſgrace this Word? ſhall I give any occaſion that this word of the Lord ſhould be ſpoken ill of by reaſon of me? O God forbid. Therefore if you regard not your ſelves and your own honour, yet regard the honour of the Word; If ever you have got any good by the Word you ſhould go away with this reſolution, Well, I will labour all the daies of my life to honour this Word of God that I have got ſo much good by: If this were but the reſolution of every one of your hearts this morning, it would be a bleſſed mornings work.