him in another Not be confident or proud for though they have found God much in an Ordinance yet they may misse him in the next Where they least expect to finde God there many times they finde him most therefore not be discouraged and on the other side where they are most confident to finde God they many times misse him trust not Ordinances therefore but the God of Ordinances in all 2. Set awork thy faith in the promise the condition whereof thou hast in thy heart Psal 10.17 Thou wilt prepare the heart thou wilt bow thine ear these two go together if God do prepare the heart he will bow the ear he will do thee good thou maiest believe it thy preparation is an earnest a pledge thou maiest thereby help thy faith Thus did Manoahs wife comfort him when he was afraid they should die because they had seen an Angel of God Judg. 13.22 23. If the Lord were pleased to kill us he would not have accepted a sacrifice at our hands nor have shewed us such things as these so if God had not intended thee good in his worship he would not have accepted thy preparation 3. Thou must difference the different effects of Gods presence or else thou maiest wrong God as well as thy self to say he was not with thee when yet he was Not onely are there more manifest and evident fruits of Gods presence in duties as much liberty of spirit much joy peace assurance of faith but also there are more inward and reserved fruits of his presence as sense of want sorrow for want desire of enjoyment willingnes unto further duties to finde that which we want in some in the former God is with us and we know he is with us in the later God is with us but we know not so much an instance of the later we have in the two Disciples going to Emaus Luk. 24.16 Their eies were holden that they could not know him yet afterward when they did know him they remembred that they had sufficient evidence of his presence even when they knew him not ver 32. did not our hearts burne within us when he talked with us by the way and opened to us the Scriptures Whence was that fire in their hearts but from the spirit of Christ conveighed in his word Yet till they knew him they made no account of this The godly cannot see God in Ordinances though present because sometimes their eies are altogether pitched upon those more evident fruits of his presence sometimes also they stumble upon the presence of God sleight make no account of such fruits as are put forth sense of many failings in duties makes them think God was not there whereas that sense is from God in the Ordinances who is the father of lights CHAP. III. Of the fourth hinderance of instant worshipping of God Wearines AMOS â— Part of the 5 vers When will the new moone be gon and the sabbath TWo things are in the verse whereof the words read are a part 1. A desire 2. The reason Their desire is that the new moon and sabbath were gon laid down interrogatively to shew the greater vehemency and earnestnes of it When will the new moon be gon and the sabbath they thought the time long that they continued their stay was a burden unto them when a mans dâ—sire meets with hinderance his greife takes place so the new moon and sabbaths were matter of greif and burden unto them and they were weary of them because they hindred for present their civill commerce The reason of their desire that the new moon and sabbath were gon is that they might sell corne that they might follow their worldly occasions wherein they would oppresse We have to do with the first particular Their desire that the new moon were gon and the sabbath ended Why what was the matter that they had enough and too much of the new moon and sabbath Why did they stand in their way for buying and selling Ans At every new moon or in the beginning of every moneth they had a great solemnity speciall sacrificing to God Numb 28.11 a solemne feast day Psal 81.3 wherein they were wont to heare from God by the prophets for when the Shunammitish woman would go to the prophet for her dead son her husband disswaded her from the ordinary unseasonablenes of the time Wherefore wilt thou go to day it is neither new moon nor sabbath 2 Kings 4.23 A signe the people did communicate with the prophets in the counsels of God in the new moons and sabbaths and speciall seasons and times appointed for that purpose And whether here be meant the weekly Sabbath or by this generall name be intended all the Sabbaths or dayes of rest mentioned Levit. 23. it comes all to a reckoning in regard of their exception for in the weekly Sabbath and day of atonement or humiliation they might do no worke Levit. 23.3.28 and on the other Sabbaths or dayes of rest feast dayes they might do no servile worke Levit. 23.7 which is expounded in case of the passeover which was one of the feasts Exod. 12.16 no manner of worke shall be done save about that which every man must eat no worke might be done but about providing meat for the feast they might not do any worke of service or labour about their callings as plowing and sowing buying and selling They therefore wish the new moon and Sabbath gon that they might sell corne because that was forbidden worke in those times and seasons they are therefore weary of them and gladly would be shut of them could they sanctifie these holy daies or performe fervent and hearty worship to God in the same when all their desire was that they were gon whence we have just occasion to lay ground for handling a fourth hindrance of our earnest worshipping of God N. Wearines hinders our earnest worshipping of God When the worship we performe is a burden to us we do but weakly performe the same This people being weary of the new moon and Sabbath instead of setting their hearts upon solemne worship of God therein performed they set their hearts upon the end of the same they do not say O when will the new moon and Sabbath come or O that they would stay long but when will they be gon no daies so long as those daies of solemne worship in them the sunne seemes to stand still or to go back they passe not away fast enough and if the end of these solemne services have all the heart what shall God have in the performance of them This God complains of both in preists and people Mal. 1.13 That they had said of his worship What a wearines is it and that worship is poorely performed which is but a weary worship Though some take this place otherwise yet this sense suits well with that despising of Gods name blamed vers 6.7 for what a man thinks meanly of he will be weary of and what did their offering of
may and must spend them in our own occasions but we must keep it holy as a day set a part for his glory and how shall we keep the day holy if we our selves be unholy 3. It is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God as in Revel 1.10 The Lords day he hath reserved it for himself the six daies are our daies allowed us for our occasions and shall we make no difference between Gods day and our own If the King will have the coronation day kept as his day If a Landlord will have his marriage be kept as his day we difference the same by change of apparell and shall we not difference Gods day from other daies by change of spirit 4. Six daies thou shalt labour and do all thou hast to do and ver 11. In it thou shalt do no manner of work What is this but a charge to prepare when we are commanded to get all our earthly occasions dispatched ere that day come And if it be a difficulty so to do yet we must labour and take pains for that end and if we must have none of our occasions to do on the Lords day which are lawfull all the six daies much lesse must we have our sinfull occasions to do on that day which are never lawfull Another generall place is Eccl. 5.1 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God It is spirituall worship chiefly that is performed in Gods house therefore it is a spirituall foot that is here chiefly meant and the foot of the soul is the inclination or disposition of the soul for all the faculties of the soul do move and work by the dispositions thereof good or evil by them we walk towards God and converse with God Phil. 3.19 20. The Apostle speaking of the wicked saith they minde earthly things but of the godly he saith their conversation is in heaven i. e. as men by the help of their feet carrying them from place to place do converse amongst men so the godly by means of their understanding do walk to heaven though they live here upon earth do converse with God The feet of the soul must be kept when we goe into the house of God then our minde will and affections must be in speciall compasse and under speciall command and that will not be without preparation we have them not at a beck As the Scripture doth plainly command in generall that we prepare unto all the worship of God so doth it plainly command preparation in particular parts of Gods worship For hearing the Word of God Jer. 4.3 Break up the fallow ground of your hearts and sowe not among thornes The ground the heart must be prepared by the plow of repentance the very inwards of the heart must be fastned and opened thereby and the weeds plucked up by the roots Luke 8.18 Take heed how you hear it must be done with caution not with carelesnes he doth not say you need not heed how you hear but take heed how you hear For praier Eccles 5.2 Be not rash with thy mouth nor let thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God we must not rush upon praier nor rashly pour out words in that duty but be well advised and ponder well what we say For singing psalms be filled with the spirit and then sing Ephes 5.18 19. For the passover the paschall lamb was not to be killed till the fourteenth day of the moneth Exod. 12.6 but it was to be taken up on the tenth day ver 3. What was this but to prepare them The paschall lamb was set apart foure daies before the celebration of the passeover So in regard of the Lords supper 1 Cor. 21.28 Let a man examine himself and so let him eat not first eat and then examine himself The like command we may finde for extraordinary parts of Gods worship When the people were to hear the Word from Gods own mouth he commanded Exod. 19.10 11. That they should be sanctified two daies together Go sanctify the people to day and to morrow and be ready against the third day Joel 2.15 16. Sanctify a Fast and how shall the people be fitted Sanctify the Congregation When God was about to bring inexpressible evil upon his people and would set them an effectuall way to prevent it he bids them prepare to meet him meet him but not without preparation Amos 4.12 The like command lies upon vows which are the companions of extraordinary speciall praier Eccles 5.4 5 6. The summe of this first argument to prove that the want of preparation doth weaken the worship of God is this To want that which God hath commanded as an help to his worship ordinary and extraordinary is to weaken that worship But to want preparation is to want that which God hath appointed as an help to his worship ordinary and extraordinary therefore to want preparation is to weaken that worship 2. The examples of the servants of God agreeable to this command Psal 26.6 I will wash mine hands in innocency so will I compasse thine Altar oh God David alludeth to a command injoined to the Priests who served at the Altar viz. to wash their hands and their feet when they went to do the service of the Tabernacle Exod. 30.18 19 20. This no doubt was exemplary to the people to teach them with what preparation they should worship God and David saith he will wash his hands in innocency i. e. put away the evil of his doings and then come to worship God as Isa 1.15 16. God excepted against their duties because their hands were full of blood cruell hands and must be washed 2 Chron. 35.6 It was Iosiahs command that the Priests should prepare themselves and sanctify their brethren against the passeover what a pithy letter did Hezekiah write to his Subjects to fit them for the passeover 2 Chron. 30. A letter of instruction shewing them how they should prepare themselves a letter of exhortation pressing them thereto a letter of consolation shewing the benefits that would thence flow and vvhen he perceived the peoples hearts vvere prepared yet they vvanted some ceremoniall preparation he vvas not satisfied but praied to the Lord to heal them Notable vvas Jacobs care to fit his family for a day of extraordinary thanksgiving Gen. 35.1 2. and if he were so carefull to prepare many surely he was not carelesse of one of himself He said to his household Put away the strange Gods that are amongst you and be clean and change your garments put away the strange Gods more open and grosse sins be clean from more secret sins change your garments the frame of their hearts from earthly to heavenly Jehosaphat 2 Chron. 20.3 When he was in danger set himself to seek the Lord and proclaimed a Fast turned his face from other occasions and set it towards that great occasion From this argument we may reason thus To neglect that which the servants of God have practised as a way of due
the fore-kin was a superfluitie therefore to be cut off so sin is a superfluity wee may well spare it and it must be cut off when wee come to heare the word if wee would be clean 2. The heart is then unâ—lean and prophaâ—e when it come to worship God not having laide aside earthly thoughts and affections these thoughts and affections are common not set apart untâ—o Gods worship therefore do defile the heart in Gods worship because they make it common when it should be set apaâ—t for God Common is as well opposed to holy as sinfull 1. Sam. 21.4 There is no common bread under my hand but hallowed common or ordinary bread in comparison of hallowed bread is unholy and so common ordinary thoughts and affections inreference to holy worship are prophane and unholy and make the heart a prophane vessel Nehe. 13.17 Nehemiah did contend with the Nobles because they did prophane the sabbath How did they prophane the sabbath viz. in suffering wares to be sold and tradesmen to be imploied in their trades on the sabbath-sabbath-day much more did they that were imploied in them prophane the sabbath and especially their hearts by intermedling with such occasions Isa 58. â—3 Thou shalt not do thine owne wayes nor finde thine own pleasure on my holy day the day and duties are Gods therefore the workes and word yea and thoughts and affections too must in a speciall manner tend to God upon that day This was shadowed by Gods command to Moses when he drew nigh to the bush where God did manifest himselfe in glory setting the bush on fire yet keeping it from being consumed put off thy shoes from thy feet Exod. 3 5. why For the place whereon thou standest is holy â—round Those shoes those affections whereby wee tread upon the earth converse with men and with earthly occasiâ—ns must be put off when wee come to Worship God else they will make our hearts unholy and uncleane because common 3. A third part of the unpreparednes of the heart is unaptnes or indisposednes suppose a man lie under one sin unrepented of and lay aside wordly thoughts and affections yet experience proves a man may be unwilling and backward to the Worship of God or may have an indifferencie or carlesnes of spirit that he could as well let it alone as do it a spirit of luke-warmenes that doth neither strongly incline to the Worship of God nor from it but stands in a middle way This unaptnes is not only a want of Grace without which a man wants a will for God works the will till God worke a will in a man to that which is good he hath none but also a want of readines in grace to be put in exercise in Gods worship by reason of spirituall sloth the case of the wise virgins who by reason of their slumbring had their lamps to trim when the bridegroom was comming ere they could be prepared the orbe of grace grew low and so their lampes of profession did burne obscurely they awaking and using the meanes got supplye of oyl from Christ and so their lamps recovered their brightnes and the want of that which Paul calls upon Timoâ—hy for 2. Tim. 1.6 Stir up the gift of God there are gifts and graces but they are like fire in the ash-heaps not fit to kindle and flame the ordinances of God being put to them because the ashes of security lye between grace and the ordinances of God unblowne away This we finde in Iacobs preparing of his family Gen. 35.2 First put away the strange gods that was all manifest and open sinne Secondly be ye clean i. e. from all ceremoniall pollutions Thirdly change your garments not onely put off those they had on but put on others The garments of the soule are the dispositions of the soule Isai 61.3 a garment of praise is opposed to a spirit of heavines a spirit of heavines is a sad or mournfull disposition a garment of praise on the contrary is a ioyfull and thankfull disposition We must change our garments put off our earthly and worldly dispositions thoughts desires cares about the world and not there rest but we must be clothed with heavenly thoughts affections graces have them in a readines to expresse themselves in the worship of God This is the wedding garment spoken of Matth. 22.2 for by the marriage feast there is meant all the ordinances of God word sacraments prayer for in all doth God give our soules liberall and honourable entertainment doth set all his dainties before us with great solemnity the wedding garment is our fitnes and disposednes unto the ordinances by reason of certain heavenly sutable dispositions in a readines in our soules appearing to Almighty God and in measure to the godly by our outward carriage and behaviour If we take Christ for the wedding garment as some do how doth he fit us for the ordinances but by imputing his righteousnes unto us which is our worth and communicating to us heavenly dispositions to make us meet They that put on wedding garments do first put off their ordinary common apparel and then put on comely pleasant apparel meet for such an occasion so when we come to the feast of Gods ordinances where God is the feast-maker and Christ the feast and Angels entertainers and attenders we must not onely put off our ordinary and common affections but we must put on such affections as are meet for the ordinances of God sanctified and holy affections for holy duties as reverence humility love repentance faith these in a readines do make the heart apt and disposed and these not put on by new care and diligence in use of meanes and dependencie upon Christ do make us unapt and indisposed and so unprepared If a man take not care to stirre up holy thoughts and holy affections when he cometh to the ordinances of God he hath an unprepared heart because his heart having no holy affections ready to meet and close with holy dueties hath no fitnes unto them because no present ready suitablenesse unto them It is one thing to have grace in the heart another thing to have it ready for exercise and so it is one thing to have a generall fitnes for the ordinances another thing to have a particular and present fitnes at this and that time for this and that ordinance A childe of God that hath grace in his heart hath a generall fitnes for the ordinances because the same holines that is in the ordinances is in his heart and they must needs fit one another but the same childe of God if his grace be not fit for exercise through some impediment at a particular time and in a particular ordinance may want a perfect and particular fitnes for that ordinance If this were not so a childe of God could never performe any duety unworthyly as to bring speciall judgements of siâ—knes â—eaknes and death upon them as the Corinthians did 1 Cor. 11 3â— for a
arguments that the most are weary of Gods service some whereof will fall upon some and others upon others and one or other upon the most 1. That comming after the beginning of Gods worship and going away before the end of it which I blamed heretofore as an act of despising of Gods worship will prove wearines in this place Were it matter of delight Gods worship then the more of it the more delight the sooner men come the longer they stay the more delight if men come with the first and stay with the last they shall have more delight but if it be a burden the lesse of it the more delight Were man to go to a delightfull recreation they would be there with the first and stay with the last upon this ground lest they should lose part of their delight let not men say they have many hinderances when they should come and they have many things to hasten them when they should go home for delight would break thorow hinderances and make a man forget what would take him off Do not men forget their meat and sleep when they are about pleasant occasions And were the worship of God delighfull men would forget their occasions at home till the worship of God be ended 2. That allowance of the forenoon only on the Lords day to the worship of God and reservation of the afternoon by some which is a clipping of the Kings coin of heaven for the Sabbath is the Lords day in a speciall respect all the dayes of the week are Gods in respect of creation and end but the Sabbath is the Lords as the Kings coin is his it bears the Lords image of holines it is an holy day set apart from common use unto Gods worship to take away the afternoon of that therefore is to clip the Kings coin yea though a man should spend so much time in private reading as he is wont to spend in publike worship seeing therefore there is such variety of Gods Ordinances such convenient time of rest and refreshing between the forenoon and afternoon exercise and due and timely finishing of the afternoon exercise what but wearines doth keep men from it Nay many do take so liberally of Gods good creatures on that day which most will have on that day more then any other though it be fit for very few bodies that their bodies are made unfit to performe Gods service Suppose the day be cold or rainy as it doth sometimes fall out on that day and it may be to try whether that will keep men away would not delight break thorow will not men do the like for their callings and recreations 3. That hasty hearty and full speech of the world and worldly occasions on the Lords day in some when the service of God is finished morning and evening as if the Sabbath were a market day a day of bargening paying receiving rather then of worshipping of God or seeking the good of the souls of men If the Sabbath be holy then nothing must be spoken or done that day but what is directly holy or done directly for an holy end to further Gods worship to helpe our hearts Were not men weary of holy duties would they so soon be gotten to earthly occasions would they be so hot and fervent in the same would there not be some remembrance of the duties newly past but that men lay aside a burden when they finish them 4. The neglect of all private duties by some on the Lords day If they were not tired with and weary of Gods publike worship would they not pray in their families speak something of the word they have heard though it were the lesse the Sabbath being appointed only for holy duties But if a man should go from family to family how few should he finde that pray on the Lords day night or speak any thing of the word preached but spend the time in idle talking a signe they have enough of Gods service are tired therewith 5. The haste that some make out of the house of God into the alehouse wherein they can sit longer then at the worship of God All these things which fall upon the most some or other of them do shew what weary service God hath generally performed and consequently weak service 2. The weak service God hath done him by his own people for it is weary service as appeares 1. In that they are not so willing of the approach of the Sabbath that light is not so pleasant unto them they think it comes too soon could wish it would stay a little longer 2. Their hearts are not so chearfull in Gods service nay many times the Lords day is the saddest day in the week they are more merry before it comes and when it is gone then in it 3. They give too much way to wandring thoughts and affections in holy duties they are not so unpleasant and burdensome to them they do not strive against them 4. Secret wishings and desires that the Sabbath were gone to the end they might go about other occasions 5. Too much gladnes of the end of the Sabbath too much ease and rest in their hearts these things shew how weak service God hath because so weary 3. Their sin that take course to weary soul and body so as to make them unfit for Gods worship for they take course to weaken his worship they that overcharge their bodies with surfeting and drunkennes that overtire them with labour that suffer their affections to run at their will upon earthly things do take course that God might have but poore service to do God but poore service is a sin but to take course that God may have but poore service is a double sinnne that argues we are willing he should have but weak service or at least are carelesse of the strength of his worship 2. To reprove 1. Our generall wearines of Gods worship If we consider it it may shame us 1. A signe we have lost Gods creation Is it likely that God would make creatures on purpose for his service and make them so that it should be a burden to them when it was in his power to make them otherwise Thou art weary of the word of prayer canst rest no where dost continually wish the minister had done oh be ashamed God did not make thee thus thou hast lost his image wiped off his spot should a father take paines and be at cost with a childe to learn him the skill of some trade and he should have lost it when he should come to exercise it would he not be ashamed thou hast lost the skill of serving of God which God gave thee wherein he was at more paines and cost then in making the rest of his creatures Me thinks this should make men hang down their heads for shame when they finde themselves weary of Gods worship they were sometimes fit to do Gods service but now unfit 2. There is no matter of wearines in Gods worship for it
for silver and the needy for a paire of shoes and sell the refuse of the wheat It was not likely that they were so profane as to say so but they said so in their thoughts which whispering the Lord heard and so reports them these were wandring thoughts evil in themselves thoughts of deceit of falshood of oppression of injustice and that in the Sabbaths Thus wicked Jezebel 1 King 21.8 9 10. calls upon the Elders of Iesreel to proclaime a fast and in it to busie their thoughts about false witnesse and murther two men must come in and witnesse that Naboth blasphemed God and the King and then he must be carried out and stoned these things their thoughts must be busied about as the maine end of their fasting Our Saviour chargeth the Pharisees that they did devoure widows houses and for a pretence or cloke to hide it make long prayers in their prayers their thoughts did busie themselves about hiding their oppression and cruelty the main end of their praying Thoughts in themselves evil in time of Gods worship are most evil 1. Because they argue deepe hypocrisie for they are directly contrary to God yet covered over with shew of love to God To colour over great hatred of God with show of love is great hypocrisie 2. Great injury is done to God for in the very time that we should do service to him in a speciall manner we do speciall service to the devil 3. Deepe dishonour is put upon holy duties as if they had fellowship with sinne and could complie with it which doth indeede destroy their nature why else are these thoughts evil in themselves admitted when holy duties are in hand 4. Our spirits are specially poisoned hereby more then if we had them at another time because a greater curse goeth with them in that they abuse a time of blessing The devil is therefore the worst creature being corrupted because he was the best creature in creation and times of greatest blessing perverted are times of greatest curse Let a man abuse the sabbath time of prayer time of hearing with unclean drunken oppressing thoughts he shall be more accursed from God then if he had the same unclean drunken oppressing thoughts at another time and in other occasions for the sinne is aggravated from the time occasion and so the curse increased which well considered of would make us take heed how we spend the sabbath how we carry our selves in holy duties lest suffering sin to be stirred we become deeply accursed 2. A second sort of wandring thoughts in Gods worship are taken up about things lawfull and good in themselves and they are either Earthly good things Or spirituall good things 1. Wandring thoughts about earthly good things in Gods worship are such thoughts as are imployed about our particular callings or provision for our selves and children or about our pleasures and recreations thoughts warrantable and lawfull yea necessary at other times but now wandring thoughts because the minde is in other imployment God peremptorily saith that on the sabbath day we shall do no manner of work Exod. 20.10 If our hands rest and our thoughts be working is that no work Thoughts are as properly the labour and work of the minde as actions and doings are the work of the body Isa 58.13 God forbids us to finde our own pleasure on his holy day and do we not finde our pleasure by our thoughts Thoughts will frame the acting and enjoying of any pleasure or recreation If thoughts about earthly good things holden in time set apart for God are wandring and so sinnefull then in like manner such thoughts had in duties set apart for God are wandring and therefore sinfull When God complains of the Jews by the Prophet that their hearts went after their covetousnes in time of hearing the Word what doth he mean bâ—t that they were busy in thoughts and affections about worldly things which they so much desired though their bodies were absent from them 2. Wandring thoughts in Gods worship about spirituall good things are either such spirituall things as are impertinent and of a divers kinde from the duties in hand or such spirituall things as are pertinent of the same kinde and agreeable to the duty in hand Wandring thoughts in duty impertinent and of divers kinde are such as these When a man in time of hearing the Word hath thoughts of praier or of some Sermon thâ—t he heard at such a time in such a place how good it was and usefull unto him when a man in praier hath thoughts of preparation unto praier thoughts of meditation thoughts of hearing the Word Spirituall thoughts pertinent and of the same kinde with the worship in hand are not alwaies to be accounted wandring and sinfull thoughts As for example a man is hearing the Word of God and some thoughts come into his minde suitable to what is spoken some place of Scripture to the purpose or some place of Scripture inlightned to a man beyond what light the Minister giveth to it or something come to minde a man hath heard before to the same purpose A man also joins in praier with others and besides the thoughts of what is praied he hath other like thoughts of his own if these like thoughts do clear the duty in hand to the understanding do increase attention and affection to what is in doing they are not wandring thoughts but they are conserving thoughts thoughts that keep up and keep close the attention and affection to Gods worship and do prevent the weakning and wasting of the same and they are the work of the enlarging and establishing spirit which can at the same time suggest new thoughts and make them helpfull to us But if these pertinent and like thoughts do carry away the attention and take it wholly up that what is in hand is neglected and the thoughts loâ—e the present duty and are long before they can recall themselves and finde the duty then ordinarily they are the work of Satan and corruption working as an Angel of light doing evil but in such a way as may not be discovered for who would suspect good thoughts in duty of the very same kinde to come from Satan and corruption I say if these like thoughts do carry away the attention they are ordinarily evil for God may and sometimes doth as experience proves so take up the thoughts and affections with something in the Word and praier that is suitable to the necessity of the soul that it can minde nothing else for the present but as the soul hath dwelt upon some matter of sorrow and been deeply humbled thereby so God will have a man dwell upon some matter of comfort till the heart be greatly refreshed thereby but this is more then ordinary we may not neglect any part of worship but God may imploy us about some part if he will this act is not voluntary or deliberate but the soul is carried thereto by the power of
with wisdom 4. Accustom our selves to meditation so we shall get a skill of thinking well Meditation in its nature is the composing setling and congealing of our thoughts It is to our roving sluent mindes as a damme to running water when much water is gathered together the damme makes it there to stand So when many thoughts are gathered together in the soul meditation makes them there to stand keeps them from running out again The nature of it being a setling of the minde the effect of it must needs be so and the use of it frequently must needs perfect the effect more and more settle our mindes When Paul desired to have a good conscience alwaies the means he used was to exercise himself therein so Paul to Timothy 1 Tim. 4.7 Exercise thy self unto godlines the way to gain the trade and skill of godlines is to exercise our selves therein ver 15. Mâ—ditate on these things give thy self wholly unto them that thy profiting may appear unto all If Timothy would be busied wholly in stirring up the gift of God all should see his profiting So if we would give our selves to meditation be much in it it would apparently settle our mindes It is made the property of a blessed meditating man to bring forth fruit in season Psal 1.3 Why so because he is as a tree planted by the rivers of waters As a tree planted by the rivers of waters cannot want fitnes to bring forth fruit in season bâ—cause it hath abundance of nourishment So the meditating soul cannot want fitnes to bring forth fruit in season good thoughts in holy duties because it is planted amongst Gods springs the fulnes of the assisting spirit 5. Adde to these watchfullnes wandring thoughts will not be prevented without watching Watch 1. Thy minde it needs watching for it is nimble therefore will soon be gone and go far in a little time 2. Watch thine eie a rolling eie a wandring heart if thou give libertie to thy eie that will set the minde at liberty Job 31.1 I have made a Covenant with mine eies why should I think on a maid the eie depends on the minde else why should he make one Covenant to binde them both So he argues I have made a covenant with mine eies why should I think It might be said though the eie be bound by covenant yet the minde is at liberty The answer is that the eie is the servant of the minde made to help that therefore in binding the eie the minde is bound for if it cannot have the help and service of the eie it hath not full liberty if the minde should not be bound why should the eie to which it serves 3. Watch thy ears when thou art hearing or praying the Devil will cause some sound or other to draw away thy ear he is that cunning charmer that labours to inchant our ears he will make us think that we hear some pleasant melody of our profit or pleasure or honour if we keep not our ears stopped with attention thickned with watchfullnes 4. Watch thy affections 1. That they be affected and moved with the duty in hand dead affections make a wandring minde if what is thought on do not affect the minde will think of something else that may affect this is one reason of wandring thoughts because present thoughts do not affect the minde doth naturally serve the affections the more they are delighted the more content the minde hath for it hath its ende if duties in hand delight not the minde will wander till it hath found matter of delight 2. Watch thy affections that they continue as they begin if they be affected A bowe continuing bent doth carry the arrow levell to the mark but if it slip the arrow wanders So if our affections continue in that vigour and life wherein they begin they will keep our mindes steady but if our affections tire and wax weary our mindes will rove Though by watchfulnes we cannot wholly prevent wandring thoughts yet we shall in part prevent them hereby we shall more easily discern them and resist them this is a way of command therefore a sure way Ob. But when we have used all means still we shall be troubled with wandring thoughts Answ True therefore when we have done God the best service in his Ordinances that is attainable these three things must allwaies follow 1. Sense of our failings 2. Recourse unto the Lord Jesus for renewment of repentance and pardon and increase of power 3. Confidence of Gods acceptance in and through Christ of what he enableth us unto CHAP. IIII. Of the third hinderance of instant worshipping of God unpreparednes PSAL. 57.7 My heart is fixed oh God my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise THis verse doth afford us an help and means to the better praising of God i. e. fixednes firmnes or preparation of heart and soul which gives us just ground to speak of another hinderance of our earnest worshipping of God viz. unsetlednes loosenes and unpreparednes of heart N. God cannot so well be worshipped without a fixed or prepared heart unpreparednes of heart doth weaken our worshipping of God What is said of thanksgiving which is one part of Gods worship is true of all for there is the same reason of one and of all Preparation of heart doth commend all thanksgiving even unto God himself and in like manner doth it commend all other parts of worship and the want of it doth discommend the worship performed and therefore discommend it because it doth weaken it for had the worship its full and due strength and worth without it how should the want thereof discommend But this is clear in the Text ver 8. That worship that is performed with a sleepy drousy body is a weak worship but the Psalmist here makes the awaking of the body to be the fruit and effect of the preparation of the heart awake my glory awake lute and harp I my self will awake early why so My heart is prepared the heart prepared and thereby awaked will awake the body To worship God therefore without a prepared heart is to worship him with a drousy body because with a drousy heart and therefore weakly Three things will fully manifest the truth of this point 1. The command of God for preparation see it both in ordinary and in extraordinary worship God requires preparation unto ordinary worship A generall command that reacheth unto all parts of ordinary worship expressely is the fourth Commandement There are foure things in that which do call for preparation 1. Remember the Sabbath day and he that setteth down no particular time when we should remember it means all time a signe there is somewhat more in that day then in other daies that we must remember it more then any other yea then all other surely for some end we must remember it 2. Keep it holy and ver 11. The Lord sanctified it there is a difference between this and other daies we
make their soules weake and so weary of the duty When Moses chod with Aaron and his sonnes Levit. 10.17 to the end because they had not eaten the sacrifice in the holy place that day his sonnes were destroyed his answer was Had I eaten it would it have been accepted Why not oh he could not have done it with any chear and comfort so heavy a hand of God having lately befallen him and therefore he should have been weary of the service and then God would not have accepted it if thus the heart be weary having no desire or delight the body will be weary for that followes the disposition of the soul the soul carrieth the body with it which way so ever it goeth There is a wearines proper to the body when the strength thereof is spent and the spirits exhausted and so the body is left weak and feeble and so weary of any further action because it hath no strength There is a foure fold cause of exhausting the strength of the body and so making it weary of Gods service 1. The orâ—ginall corrupt disposition of the body by reason of sinne whereby it withholdeth and dryeth up it's strength from that which is good but freely expendeth it upon that which is evil Thus naturally the eyes had rather looke upon a company of sinners then a company of Saints see a company in the ale-house rather then in Gods house prophaning the Lords day then serving him the eare had rather hear evil then good the feet had rather walke to any sinnefull meeting on the Lords day then to the house of God Rom. 6.19 20. The Apostle saith We naturally give our members instruments of unrighteousnes there is no unwillingnes in us but we readily part with them all at sinnes motion nay we are free from holines will have nothing to do with that not any part of our bodies but we are servants of sinne all for sinne And this disposednes to withhold the strength of our bodies from Gods service and to give it unto sinne remains in part in the godly 2. The strength of the body is spent in sinnefull actions sometimes Jer. 9.3 They weary themselves to commit iniquity Particularly the sins of uncleannes and drunkennes do wast the strength of the body Prov. 5.11 The holy ghost tells what shall be the end of the unclean person a mournfull end thou mourne at the last when thy flesh and thy body are consumed And doth not experience tell that men are forced to ly in their beds or keep their houses on the Lords day because they have drunk so hard in the week or on saturday that their bodies are weak and tired The sinne of idlenes doth weaken the body strength used doth encrease and not used doth decay beside the nourishment taken for want of exercise doth turne to corruption and so rather weaken the body then nourish it none more weary of any imployment and of the service of God then idle persons 3. The strength of the body is exhausted sometimes by naturall distempers sicknesses diseases either such as are continually with men which is the case of some or such as lie upon the body at particular times onely the case of others 4. Sometimes foregoing recreations and businesses of mens callings do so spend the body that it hath no strength lest for Gods service The body thus wearied will reflect upon the soul 1. In regard of sympathy agreement and like affection between soul and body what the body delights in the soul doth in measure delight in and what the body is weary of the soul will in measure be weary of 2. As it doth expresse and act the wearines of the soul by reason of sin for so the wearines of the soul is increased and the contrary strength of the soul desire and delight weakned 3. As it is an unfit instrument to expresse the desire and delight of the soul if those affections may not be expressed they will decay and weaken 4. As by the eies and ears it doth let in new objects of delight the soul by sin is new fangled will entertain them and so grow weary of former delights The soul doth expresse its wearines 1. By letting loose thoughts and affections it will not keep them bound but suffers them to wander about for refreshment 2. In thinking the service hard painfull grievous 3. In thinking the time long that is spent therein wishing the same at an end The body doth expresse its wearines 1. By restlesnesse it cannot rest in any position or gesture of it but as a door upon the hinges turns first one way and then another 2. By letting the eies and ears loose to all objects to chuse their delights where they please 3. By speeches too if occasion serve as here they are brought in saying when will the new moon be gon If they did onely say so in their hearts yet God saw they would say so with their tongues if occasion were offered therefore he sets it down so How doth wearines weaken our worshipping of God 1. Wearines in the very nature of it is weaknes a deniall an absence of strength and actions performed in weaknes must needs be weak wearines denies the strength of the minde Can a man think well of what he is weary It denies the strength of the will Can a man be willing of that he is weary of What be willing of a burden It denies the strength of the affections a man will neither desire nor joy in what he is weary of and if the strength of the soul be denied the strength of the body also will be denied and that service which hath neither strength of soul nor strength of body must needs be weak service 2. As it is contrary to the spirit 1. To the nature of it which is a spirit of liberty and freedom a spirit of desire and delight a spirit of Adoption opposed to a spirit of bondage Rom. 8.15 The spirit of a childe which a spirit of love a childe doth his fathers commands with desire and delight he loves his father joyes in him therefore in his commands 2 Cor. 9.7 God loves a cheerfull giver wearines being contrary to the spirit must needs damp that hinder the assistance of it in worship 2. To the work of it 2 Cor. 3.17 Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty sin is compared to cords Prov. 5.22 to a snare 2 Tim. 2.26 because it takes away a mans liberty and free will unto that which is good when God calls a man to any duty his will is not in his own power he is not able to move thereto no not in desire God therefore is said to work the will Phil. 2.13 there is no will till God work it But when the spirit of God comes into the heart it breaks the cords and snares sets the will at liberty unto God 2 Cor. 8.3 The Churches of Macedonia were willing of themselves to minister to the Saints to
of the streets they doe not onely pray in the Synagogues and in the corners of the streets but they love to pray there they have an affection thereto a delight therein why not in regard of the duties themselves or Gods glory but their own ends that they may be seen of men get praise and glory to themselves 3. Unregenerate men may have some affection to and delight in the service of God by reason of some work of the spirit of God upon them for the time As 1. A work of illumination giving some clear discerning of that good is in Gods worship more then in any other imployment and the apprehension of such good whilest it lasteth will somewhat stirre the affection 2. Awaking and exciting the conscience to do its office which by promises of good on the one hand and threatnings of evil on the other assisted by the spirit of God hath a power to command the desire and delight of the soul to work Felix his conscience awaked by the preaching of Paul stirred his affection of fear And when the conscience doth charge it upon the affections as a duty to joy in Gods worship and to be willing unto it a duty which God will reward the contrary whereto God will punish it may forcibly compell and draw out the affections 3. Lifting up the affections of desire and delight by an heavenly power of experience As a man which dips his finger in some sweet liquour and tasteth the sweetnes of it doth afterward desire and delight therein So God doth by the work of his spirit sometimes drench the affections of unregenerate men in the sweetnes of his worship doth so make their affections and the good of the Ordinances to meet that they feel and taste a sweetnes which make them affected afterward to the means thereof Heb. 6.4 5. Such as afterward fall away may taste of the powers of the world to come may dip their finger in the rivers of the pleasures of Heaven But this work of the spirit making unregenerate men willing to and cheerfull in the worship of God is rather a work upon them then in them a forced work not naturall rather a flash then a fire of affection The affections are lifted up not altered and changed acted onely by an outward principle the work of the spirit the experience the spirit hath forcibly and powerfully wrought not by an outward and inward principle both the spirit of God and the suitablenes of the affection to that which is good as in the godly If this were well considered that mens natures have no affection to that which is good it would keep them from priding themselves in their knowledge wisdom wit gifts it would keep them from pride in beauty and trimming their bodies considering there is no part of the body but gives it self away to sin and is wholly unwilling to bestow it self in the service of God 2. As there is great cause that unregenerate men should grow out of love with themselves on the one hand so in love with the image of God on the other hand that and that onely can affect their hearts with Gods worship for Gods Image is that in the heart which the law of God is in the book of God Act. 13.22 I have found a man after my own heart saith God of David which shall fulfill all my will David was therefore fit to fulfill all Gods will because his heart was after Gods own heart and what this is to be after Gods own heart we shall know if we consider David expressing his willingnes to do the will of God in other terms Psal 40.8 I delight to do thy will oh my God yea thy law is within my heart David therefore delighted to do Gods will outwardly because he had the law of God within in his heart Who would not have an heart like Gods heart an heart adorned with the good law of God Till thou have this heart thou canst not from within taste sweetnes in and readily come unto the worship of God Oh therefore thou that findest thy self in an unregenerate condition and the worship of God a burden to thee go to God tell him that indeed it was his goodnes to make thee after his image in Adam when thou couldest willingly and cheerfully have served him but it was thy sin in Adam to make away that image which now thou perceivest the want of tell him he hath promised to wri e his law in the hearts of his people a second time pray him to make good that promise to thee thou canst not else serve him with thy heart as the good will be thine so the glory will especially be his 2. Having thus spoken to the unregenerate to perswade them to grow out of love with themselves and in love with the Image of God as the way to grow in love with Gods worship and so to remedy their wearines let me now turn my speech to the people of God who are sensible of wearines bear it as a burden and would gladly be rid of it and that upon this ground which they are well aware of because it hinders them in Gods worship Let me first exhort and then direct them to get rid of this wearines in a greater measure First let me exhort them and for that end I will use a double argument 1. The first shall be my Doctrine Wearinesse makes us perform weak service unto God which every childe of God hath great reason to remedy The weight of this first argument will appear if we consider Time Past Present Future or to come 1. Time past we may call to minde that before God brought us home to him we did the work of sin both willingly and cheerfully Eph. 2.3 The Apostle saith of the converted Ephesians that in times past they had their conversation in the lusts of the flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh they were willing to do whatsoever corruption desired would deny it nothing if that did but desire it must be done Tit. 3.3 Paul puts in himself and Titus and the rest of the godly and saith We our selves were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures not onely had we to do with sinfull lusts and desires but pleasures sweet sins that did bring us delight and joy and these we served were commanded by them they were our masters and we did them as willing and cheerfull service as ever servant did his Master The Holy Ghost speaking in the language of young men that will not be reclaimed from their sinfull waies saith Let thine heart chear thee in the daies of thy youth and walk in the waies of thine heart not onely doe young men and others walk in the waies of their hearts but their hearts are cheered therein Prov. 10.23 It is a sport to a fool to do mischief and all unregenerate men are fools Paul saith of himself Titus and the godly before conversion they were foolish And cannot we
be for family worship and the more we worship God in our families the sitter we shall be for publike worship Quest 2. How may we remedy the wearines of our bodies Ans By the exercise of Temperance governed by watchfulnes 1 Thes 5.6 watch and be sober This watchfull advised observant Temperance must be exercised about Sleep Diet. Labour Recreation Some lesse sleep makes fitter for Gods worship some more some are more apt by lesse food some by more some more labour makes fitter some lesse we must carefully observe and accordingly order our selves too much recreation will make the body altogether sensuall and so loose that it will not be fixed in any ordinance Caution Let the godly be advised not too easily to hearken to the complaints of the body i. q. the soul may deceive us thereby we may rather suspect the complaints of the body in Gods worship and trust them else where for the soul is more apt to be weary in Gods worship and lesse weary in other works and the body is more apt to be weary in other works and lesse in Gods worship the soul is more weary of Gods worship because it hath lesse disposednes thereto and it is more spirituall and so lieth heavier upon the soul it is lesse weary of other works because it hath more disposednes unto them and they are more bodily and do not so lye upon the spirit the body is more weary of other worke because they take more of the body lesse weary of Gods worship because it is more spirituall and doth not so presse upon the body suspect therefore the complaints of the body in Gods worship and do not easily hearken unto them 2. There is time and place for the execution of an holy revenge upon the body It hath spent the whole day and it may be the night after that in sin therefore put it to make it do somewhat more for the service of God then it willingly would This is not cruelty but mercy to our bodies to constrain them to Gods â—ervice and that in some proportion to their service of sin 3. There is a necessity of beating down the body if we mean it should be helpfull to our souls if we too much favour them we do against our souls 1 Cor. 9. ult There is a danger that Paul himself may be cast away whilst he doth preach to save others if he do not beat down his body The occasions and comforts we daily converse with do give a strength to the body and the body gives a strength to sin Hence the fruit of the godly is more mellow and gracious in old age because the vigour of their bodies decaying the strength of sin is wasted CHAP. VI. Of the fifth hinderance of instant worshipping of God sleâ—ping MATTH 26.40 And he commeth to his Disciples and findeth them asleep I Now come unto another hinderance of our fervent serving of God which is slâ—â—p a sin that doth not onely hinâ—er our fervency in Gods worship but also at this time will hinder the means of redresse if not forborne A sin not onely doggs the carelesse who regard onely to have their bodies present at Gods worship but steals upon the godly yea the godly of most lively inward affections and therefore it may be of generall use to discover how it hinders our instant serving of God and the remedy thereof The coherence of my Text is this our Saviour knowing that the place of his solace in communion with God should be the place of his suffering Joh. 18.2 He resorteth to that garden which he was so accustomed to when he knew Judas would look for him rather then else-where and he takes with him his Disciples to the intent they should assist him in praier having lately received the strengthening passeover and Lords Supper this appears by his speech unto them v. 36. Sit ye here whilst I go and pray yonder He that biddeth us when we pray privately to enrer into our chamber to shut the door and to pray to our Father in secret Matth. 6.6 would not have disclosed his secret praying had it not been to provoke them unto praieâ— for they might easily apprehend if he had need to pray much more they for though he had more work to go thorow then they yet he had incomparably more strength then they his so difficult work was lesse to his strength then their so easy woâ—k comparatively to their strength Three of his Disciples he takes unto more intimate and retired sympathy with him in his troubles these three Peter and the two sonnes of Zebedee he took rather then the rest as we may conceive because they had expressed most forward confident affection unto him he will try them that upon triall they might better know themselves and be humble Peter ver 33 34 35. professeth that he will not be offended because of the evil shall befall Christ though all be offended And when Christ tells him that he shall deny him thrice that night he believes himself rather then Christ and affirmeth that he will sooner die with him then deny him The two sonnes of Zebedee Matth. 20.20 21 22. desire to sit the one at Christs right hand and the other at his left in his Kingdom he asketh them whether they be able to drink of his cup and to be baptized with his baptisme they say they are able as little considering what they now answered as what they before asked when our Saviour had parted these three from the rest he began to be sorrowfull and very heavy he communicateth his sorrow to them and the extremity thereof My soul is exceeding sorrowfull even unto death he had as much sorrow as life could hold he exhorteth them to whom he had thus specially unbosomed himself that they would tarry in that place and watch with him As he was sensible of affliction so of comfort and the means thereof It became him to fulfill all righteousnes therefore not onely to pray himself but to resort to the praiers of others His suspended comfort must be recovered in Gods own way The weak Disciples may help their persect Saviour whilest he suffered as a sinner if they doe but watch But watching was not all that Christ aimed at that is a duty no further usefull then it seemeth for some other end Christ would have them watch that they might pray with him as ver 41. Watch and pray watching without praier had been but a waking idlenes Our Saviour himself goes a little further from them and praies earnestly that if it vvere possible the cup of his sufferings might be turned some other vvay He returneth again to his Disciples and findeth them asleep Though they had professed great love to him and great ability to expresse that love though he singled them out and told them his present great necessity and cald upon them to watch and pray i. e. to pray not drousily but fervently which in all these regards did presse upon them
and pains-taking in the same doth chear and awaken both soul and body 2. A present senselesnesse of the necessity of watching both to attain good and prevent evil A sleepy conscience makes a sleepy body when that doth not its office as a monitour to warn and presse unto duty the conscience is made thus sleepy and so senselesse of good to be found or evil to be prevented by watchfull performance of duties two waies 1. By some false opinion and errour of minde some false representation of things some false conclusion drawn sometimes from some truth whereby the conscience is deceived and so cast asleep Matth. 25.5 Whilst the bridegroom tarried the Virgins slumbred and slept from this false opinion that it was no matter if they slept in time of the bridegrooms tarrying and no good was to be gotten by waking and watching unlesse the bridegroom had been at hand which was false contrary to that of our Saviour Luk. 12.35 36 37. Let your loins be girded about and your lamps burning And ye your selves like unto men that wait for their Lord when he will return from the wedding that when he commeth and knocketh they may open to him immediatly Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he commeth shall finde watching Verily I say unto you that he shall gird himself and make them to sit down to meat and will come forth and serve them Something is to be done when the Lord delayeth his comming unto us according to his promise and our expectation we are then to wait for him and it is not in vain so to do for by that means we shall be ready to entertain him speedily when he commeth and shall receive more honourable acknowledgement from him So ver 45. If that servant shall say in his heart My Lord delaieth his comming and shall begin to beat the men-servants and maidens and to eat and drink and to be drunken Why doth the evil servant miscarry himself thus in the delay of his Masters comming but from a false opinion that there was no danger in his misbehaviours unlesse his Master were comming and at hand contrary to what our Saviour addeth v. 46. The Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an houre when he is not aware and will cut him in sunder and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers Though God come not presently unto misbehaving men yet that will not take away their danger he will come soon enough and too soon for them and bring recompence enough though he delay and that they may resolve upon as sure and certain In like manner had men true and present apprehensions of the benefit of watching in time of Gods worship and the danger of sleeping they would leave sleeping and fal to waking but they are deceived by a false opinion that there is no good to begotten by waking nor evil to be found in sleeping and so they are senselesse not at all affected with the good of the one or evil of the other 2. The conscience is made sleep and so senselesse of good to be obtained or evil to be prevented by waking in the time when God is to be worshipped by some sin committed but not repented of whereby grace is dulled and the awaking quickning spirit of God grieved and withdrawn This was Ionahs case when he had fled from Gods work against his knowledge and conscience the grace of God was so dulled and his conscience made so sleepy that whereas he should have spent his time in confessing his sin and humbling his soul and seeking peace with God he settles himself to sleep Ionah 1.5 yea in time of the storm when the naturall consciences of the heathen did call upon them to pray and would not let them rest Ionahs conscience was so sleepy that it suffered him to continue his sleep which had it been waking and restlesse it would not have done Not Ionahs conscience but the ship-master doth awaken him and that with upbraiding his sleepinesse What meanest thou ô sleeper arise call upon thy God Thus the conscience of a godly man after sin committed may be more sleepy anâ— more hardly awaked then the conscience of a naturall man Ionah having sinned his conscience was sleepy and he not sensible of the good of waking and praying and returning into the way out of the which he was gon nor of the danger of sleeping in sin the way to pull down the awaking judgements of God as it fell out So when men even good men come to the house of God in their speciall sins unrepented of they come with sleepy consciences not sensible of the good found in watchfull attendance upon the Ordinances nor of the danger of drousines and sleepinesse and a sleepy soul makes a sleepy body yea they sleep fast whom sin rocks asleep 3. A third cause of sleep in time of Gods worship is wearinesse when the spirit and body is tired and so made fitter to rest then to labour This wearines that brings on sleep comes 1. From toiling and over-working the body in other occasions Iudges 4.21 Sisera being weary falls fast asleep to the losse of his life When men come to family duties with overwearied bodies or to the house of God having overtoiled their bodies in the week or allowing themselves too little sleep on the Saturday night they are fitter to sleep then to perform duties 2. This wearines that fits the body for sleep doth also come from the length of good duties we are imperfect creatures and can endure but a measure in the best actions though they be most comfortable Act. 20.9 The spirit of God speaking of Eutychus sleeping at the Word doth adde that Paul was long in preaching thereby intimating that it was some cause of his sleep through the weaknes of nature 4. There is something also sometimes in the season of the time when duties are performed in the night So in the forenamed place Act. 20. where Eutychus is founâ— slâ—â—ping at Pauls sermon it is also recorded that Paul continued his speech untill midnight being to depart on the morrow Now it was grown to a slâ—eping season The bodies of men are more dull and heavy in the night then in the day because of the absence of the warm and reviving beams of the sunne the coldnes and darknes of the night It is not good therefore to chuse the night to spend in holy duties unlesse there be some necessity or speciall occasion on the next day Necessity and speciall occasion will make sleep depart from our eies Iacobs care of his sheep and feare of their danger kept him from sleeping in the night Gen. 31.40 The same man afraid of his brother Esau whom he was to meet the next day spent the night in prayers and teares Gen. 32.24 there wrestled with him a man till the breaking of the day Luk. 6.12 13. our Saviour spent the whole night in prayer when he was
to chuse his apostles the next day And in the place where our text is when he was presently to be betrayed by Iudas and apprehended by the souldiers he prayed and prayed again and had no sleep in his eies though his disciples were so sleepy that they could not hold open their eies When Paul was to depart on the morrow and the disciples to see his face no more he continued his speech untill midnight without any drousines If we will spend the night in holy duties there must be something beside the bare duties to keep us awake some awaking necessity or speciall occasion it will not be sufficient that we are loth to spend the day there must be some circumstance which will so stirre the the affection that it will stirre and disease the body Nor is it good to put off family duties till late at night unlesse we think God will be served with sleeping instead of praying These instrumentall causes I have been speaking of are over ruled by the principall cause God to punish such sinnes as these 1. Idlenesse in our particular callings Is it not just with God that they who are drousie in the occasions that concern their bodies should be drousie in the matters that concern their soules 2. Overmuch labour in their callings Is it not just with God that they who spend too much paines upon their own callings should spend too little upon his service too much upon their bodies and too little upon their soules 3. Heartlesse worship of God when men bring God a body only and take no care to bring the soul it is just with God they should not give so much as a body but rather sleep 4. Pride in spirituall abilities Is it not just with God that they who are conceited of strength should expresse weaknesse as they do that sleep and shall we think the Devil hath his hand out of this sleeping It is sure we oppose him in Gods service more then elsewhere therefore he will oppose us most He helps men to over-weary themselves in the week whereby they are unfit for the Sabbath He helps them to chuse the Saturday night to spend till late in triviall occasions for ordinarily of all dayes in the week men chuse Saturday night and Sabbath night for occasions of least moment the worst chosen time in tâ—e week for Saturday night they should be preparing them selves and Sabbath night considering how they have spent the Sabbath a signe the Devils hand is in the choise He suggests unto men that there is no benefit in watching no danger in sleeping he helps men that are naturally heavy to settle themselves easily to hang down their heads and shut their eies as furtherances He can if God permit cast an heavinesse upon a man He is compared to the fowls that picke up the seed and is not this our way shutting up the soul by sleep stopping the eare Quest How doth sleep hinder our earnest worshipping of God Ans We need not go farre to know that sense and experience doth teach every man the nature of sleep doth answer this question why is death compared to sleep but because they agree in somethings a sleeping man hath no more use of his senses then a dead man they are for the time bound up and suspended from their use if a man be in a fast sleep so that he cannot worship God at all For though the soul be able to worship God without the body as appeares by the working of the phansie in sleep and the separation of the soul from the body in heaven yet in those duties wherein the soul must be helped by the body as in all outward worship with others it cannot worship God if the body be asleep for herein the soul is directed by the eye and by the eare what part of worship to set about when to begin and when to make an end what order and decorum to keep for in publike duties we are so to worship God as not only God may be glorified by us and we bettered in our soules but also others may be edified in their worshipping of God which they cannot be by the works of our soules any farther then they appeare and break out in our bodies the actions whereof do flow into the eyes and eares of others If our sleep be not fast but rather a slumbring a drousines and heavines our service of God is marred for our bodies are unto our soules in this case as an hollow trunk stopped in the midst our eyes do but half see and our eares but half heare the sight dies in the eye and sound in the eare they come not to the soul there is no distinct understanding of the worship in hand much lesse any affection moved but a man in respect of hearing praying singing is like unto that man in a dream spoken of Isa 29.8 He dreameth he is eating and behold he awaketh and is hungry he dreameth he is drinking and behold he awaketh and is thirsty so men think they pray but when they a wake they know not what is prayed they think they heare but when they awake they know not what is spoken Vse The application of this point shall be first to them whom God helpeth against this sinne of sleeping in time of his worship they are waking and watchfull lively and stirring in holy duties sleep doth not then trouble them their duty is 1. To be thankfull unto God it is a mercy and a mercy denied unto many others Hereby we are kept from sinne and from much sorrow of heart which befalls others of the godly hereby we have that advantage to worship God and get good to our soules that others want It is not because thy heart is better or thy body better by nature then others nor because thou hast more grace or hast better improved grace then others but as Christ saith in case of knowledge To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdome of God so say I to you it is given to wake and watch in holy duties it is nothing of your own but Gods free gift be thankfull therefore It is no small mercy to do God lively service hereby our good is the more abundant the more sensible 2. Take heed of despising or hardly câ—nsâ—ring them that aâ—e very heavy in Gods worship though they sinne yet do not thou sinne also rather mourn thou that God should have such poor service and pity them that lose they know not what good who knows what a man loseth when he sleepeth a sermon while or prayer while If Peter had watched and prayed he had not so denied his master nor the disciples had fled and left their master for our Saviour bad them watch and pray that they might not enter into temptation had they watched and prayd they had not been so overcome of temptation who knows what the young man might have gotten for his soul by Pauls last Sermon had he not slept 3.
in spirituall actions because a man in them did come nearest to God and had most to do with him the fountain of comfort therefore the curse of sorrow is most found in spirituall actions because in them naturally a man is furthest from God and doth â—east expresse him And though the godly do finde much sweetnesse and comfort in holy duties more then in other actions yet they tast of the curse here more then elsewhere they finde more travill trouble and sorrow attending spirituall actions then any other the sweat of their browes and wearines of their bodies is not so troublesome as the pain of their hearts in holy duties their generall calling is more sorrowfull and bitter then their particular an harder matter to keep their thoughts close to good duties then to their particular callings their mindes are more vexed and their bodies more tired in good performances then with so much labour any where else If most disquiet from within and from without be found in spirituall actions then there is most cause of spirituall sloth This spirituall sloth that hinders our fervent performance of good duties is improved and increased sundry wayes 1. By ignorance of three things 1. Our necessity and want of spirituall actions we see not what need we have to pray much and hear much because we naturally want Gods favour grace apart in heaven and they that are renewed have but little grace much to do with it and much opposition against it yet know not what need they have of the increase of grace When our Saviour commandeth his Disciples Matth. 6.31 33. to take no thought saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or where withall shall we be clothed But first seek the kingdome of God and his righteousnes doth he not give us to understand that they and so we are more sensible of wants for our bodies then for our soules that we had need be called from the one unto the other 2. Ignorance of the worth and excellency of holy duties which have a worth above other actions inasmuch as they are commanded in the first place do require more expression of grace do more immediately concern God do bring more honour to him we do duties on Gods day and at other times because God commandeth them others do so and we are wont so to do but we look at them as mean work as poor imployment we do not see the hidden worth and excellency of them It is not in vain that the Lord saith Isa 58.13 they should call the Sabbath honourable It is one thing to keep the Sabbath and another thing to keep it as an high day a day of honour thinking our ordinary worldly thoughts words and works too mean and base for it we perform good duties but we know not the honour of them if we did we should not be ashamed of good speeches and actions as if they were matter of shame rather then honour 3. Ignorance of the benefit and good that redounds unto us by the performance of good duties as increase of our communion with God increase of his Image in us increase of peace and comfort increase of all other good things Why doth God so frequently use the argument from the benefit to move us unto performance of them but to declare our ignorance herein as well as to declare his bounty and to meet with our self-love and desire of our own good If we know experimentally the trouble and toil of good duties and not so well know our want the worth and benefit of them how should we but be backward unto them as disquieting us without any great necessity worth or benefit to countervail that disquiet 2. Spirituall sloth is improved and increased by false reasonings in our mindes For instance 1. Lesse frequencie in performing good duties and fervencie will serve the turne and if lesse will do what needs more Are not the hearts even of the godly apt to say what need we be so often in prayer and take so much paines with our hearts therein surely God is not so strict nor the way to heaven so streight Why doth the Apostle call for all diligence in the adding of grace to grace 2 Pet. 1.5 and in making our calling and election sure vers 10. but that we thinke a little will serve Why doth our Saviour call the way to heaven a strait gate and narrow way Maâ—th 7.14 and command us to strive to enter in Luke 13.24 but that we are not easily possessed that so much paines is required in good duties as indeed there is especially others do cry out of them as prodigalls that take much paines in hearing praying and are not backward to say that they hope to get to heaven with lesse adoe and if lesse will not serve God helpe them That there is no need of so much paines in good duties they undertake to prove by experience others say they have done well others have done well in times past and do well now that take not so much pains spend not so much time in good duties labour not so much with their hearts were not such and such honest men were they not well thought of of the Church of God are they not gon to heaven dare you think otherwise yet they were not forward strict and precise as some they went on fairely and made not so great a noise and stirre in religion Are not such and such now well thought of you would be loath to think they do not fear God that they shall not go to heaven yet they do not so much as keep company with the godly you can discern in them no great labour and pains-taking for heaven one may therefore do well and get well to heaven where nothing will be wanting without so much adoe the labour then is well spared so saith sloth spare what one can but reason grounded upon experience saith a man may do well without so much labour therefore spare it This reasoning is false for suppose some have gotten to heaven and shall get to heaven that are not so diligent in good wayes and so shall do well in the end yet they do not so well in the way Who knows what smart their sloth costs them in life in time of sicknes in the houre of death who knows what peace comfort grace what heaven upon earth they deprive themselves of who knows how God in Ordinances would raise them up to heaven and come down from heaven unto them were they more carefull to take pains Nor do they so well in the end they shall have lesse grace and glory in heaven lesse of God and so be lesse happy They shall have a crown but not be set with pearls they shall sit in thrones but not so near the King of Kings as others they shall be filled with the rivers of Gods pleasures but their vessells shall not be so able to contain as others 2. There is no profit in performing good duties we