A77988:184
Gospel-Worship
Gospel-worship: or, The right manner of sanctifying the name of God in general. And particularly in these 3. great ordinances, [brace] viz. [brace] 1. Hearing the Word. 2. Receiving the Lords Supper 3. Prayer. By Jeremiah Burroughs, the Gospel-preacher to two of the greatest congregations in England, viz. Stepney and Cripple-gate, London.Gospel-worship: or, The right manner of sanctifying the name of God in generall. And particularly in these 3. great ordinances, [brace] viz. [brace] 1. Hearing the Word. 2. Receiving the Lords Supper 3. Prayer. By Jeremiah Burroughes, the Gospel-preacher to two of the greatest congregations in England, viz. Stepney and Criple-gate, London.
London: printed for Peter Cole and R.W., 1647
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Gospel-worship: OR, The right manner of drawing nigh to God in gene… › Sermon 4: SARMON IV.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
And the reason of this doubt is, because when any man or woman is conscientious, they think with themselves that they must Sanctify Gods Name in holy duties, now if they cannot find their hearts in a f•t disposition to Sanctify 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 perform it, and am not fit for it?
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 ⟨p. 58⟩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 perform a holy duty, there hath not been a more secret willingness 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 prepared for the duty it is the trouble of their souls, it is that that goes near 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 evil case in regard of this; and it makes them watchful 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.