A fourth volume containing one hundred and fifty sermons on several texts of Scripture…

(2.) He owns them in his Ordinances, so as to maintain Communion with them, as he doth not with others. When others pray, God takes no notice that such a Prayer is made; they hear, but cannot say God owns them. But now he owns his People in their Approaches; Isa. 58.9. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. God doth as it were say, It is the Voice of my People, What would you have? here I am, ready to help you, and to give you Grace. No King will do so much for his Favourites; as God will do for his ⟨p. 178⟩People; Zeph. 3.10. he calls them his Suppliants. This is not a peculiar Privilege for some peculiar Saints, that they are thus honoured of God, and answered by him in Prayer, but all are a peculiar People, and God hath Affections and Blessings enough for them all. When the Wicked come and pray, God takes no notice of them, as if no such Men were in the Congregation; Isa. 1.15. When you spread forth your hands, I will hide mine Eyes from you; yea, when you make many Prayers, I will not hear. They have no Visits from the Spirit, nor sensible Returns of Prayer. It is sad to come to Ordinances, and God to take no notice of us; when the Spirit of God comes into the Congregation to bless the Worshippers by Head and Pole, and you are left out of the Account, and past over. You know what is said in the Law, Exod. 29.42, 43. —At the Door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, before the Lord; where I will meet you, to speak there unto you: And there I will meet with the Children of Israel. God did not only promise to meet with Moses, but with all the Congregation: and certainly the Services of the Church now are not less fruitful than the Services of the Tabernacle. When God's People come together, God meets with them, and talks with them, and sends them away with Gifts of Grace, and spiritual Increase; for they are his Suppliants, and his peculiar People.

(2.) He owns them in his Ordinances, so as to maintain Communion with them, as he doth not with others. When others pray, God takes no notice that such a Prayer is made; they hear, but cannot say God owns them. But now he owns his People in their Approaches;