Gospel-worship, or, The right manner of sanctifying the name of God in general. And…

Then further, Thou art worshipping an eternal God: hence then whatsoever sin thou doest confess although committed 20. or 40. years ago, thou must look upon it as if it were now presently committed, and be humbled as much before the Lord as if it were now committed at this present, you will say, Why so? Because God is an Eternal God? Yes: For if I understand Gods Eternity, I know that there is no succession in Gods being; therefore the sins that I committed in my youth, if I come to confess them, they are before God as if they were now a doing in regard of time; and therefore I must (as much as I can) look so upon them, and be humbled for them as if they were sins lately committed. Many people are troubled for their sins the very day after they commit them, but a little time wears ⟨p. 95⟩off their trouble; but if you did consider that you had to deal with an eternal God, then you would look upon your sins though a long time since committed as if they were but now done.

Then further, Thou art worshipping an eternal God: hence then whatsoever sin thou doest confess although committed 20. or 40. yeers ago, thou must look upon it as if it were now presently committed, and be humbled as much before the Lord as if it were now committed at this present, you will say, Why so? Because God is an Eternal God? Yes: For if I understand Gods Eternity, I know that there is no succession in Gods being; therefore the sins that I committed in my youth, if I come to confess them, they are before God as if they were now a doing in regard of time; and therefore I must (as much as I can) look so upon them, and be humbled for them as if they were sins lately committed. Many people are troubled for their sins the very day after they commit them, but a little time wears ⟨p. 95⟩off their trouble; but if you did consider that you had to deal with an eternal God, then you would look upon your sinnes though a long time since committed as if they were but now done.

Likewise there will be this required from the consideration of Gods Eternity, You must come with such a disposition of heart as not to think much, though what you desired be deferred and not granted in your time when you would have it. For if there be no time that alters with God, but a thousand years are with God as one day, then that that we account long before its done, it is nothing with God; and therefore we must have our hearts so work towards God as towards an Eternal God, as one with whom there is no alteration of time at all, with whom there is no succession of time. If we come to a man and seek any thing of him, if he doth not answer us presently, we will think that he will forget it, and other things will come into his mind: but when we come to worship God, we must look upon Him as an Eternal being, and that time alters nothing with him: Thus understanding God in a right way will much help us in his worship, and to Sanctify His Name. We cannot Sanctify Gods Name, without knowing His name, without having serious thoughts about His Name; and getting our hearts to work accordingly.