that hee hath found a better service then the Lord's Hos 2.5 and that it is better to serve sinne the world and the Devill then to serve God and doth as if he should say well friends heare me and know my judgement Time was when I was a slave to my lust and the world and had no heart to any of the duties of God's service I never cared for prayer the word nor any such thing and so I spent my twenty or thirty first yeares And afterward I know not how going to such a place where there was a Sermon I could not choose but goe in and in hearing my conscience being much stird I was brought to take another course and then I gave my selfe to pray heare read and the like and to professe religion and thus I have held thus many years So that I have tryed both masters and tryed both services and now I proclaime to all the world that I judge the service of sin and of the Devill to be better then the Lord's service for I thinke this to be but a vaine service and therefore I leave it and turne as I hope to mend my selfe Now must not the Lord needs take this very ill at the hands of such as shall thus disparage his service in this manner Vse 2. Of reproofe The second use is for reproofe First to such as not onely think thus that the service of God iâ— in vaine that a man is never the better for it but judge it so evill and conceive a man is much the worse as those in Ioshua to whom it seemed evill to serve the Lord so some think Iosh 24.15 that such as give themselves to pray and mourne for their sins that are zealous for God and forward in the profession of religion are the worse worse in their health worse in their estates worse in their wits and the like These are a degree above the ordinary sort of wicked people and shal fare thereafter of which see Iude 15. for God shall come one day to execute judgement upon ungodly men not onely for all their ungodly deeds but for all their hard speeches also which they have spoken against him Secondly It is of Reproof to such as are guilty of this sinne in the Text. And of this sort are many and multitudes even of those that in a formall manner doe performe many services that the Lord requires that doe hear pray and professe and yet in their hearts have but meane and low thoughts of those duties of Gods service and looke upon the labour and paines taken in it as lost and in vaine Let these know that they are guilty of a sinne which the Devill himselfe was free from He said Iob. 1.9 that Iob did not serve God for nought yet these thinke the service of God to be vaine and fruitlesse but howsoever it is a desperate signe of a carnall heart and a black brand set upon the wicked by the hand of the spirit of God whereby all the world may know them to be wicked where-ever they find it And they themselves may know themselves so to be much more let them be otherwise never so faire and formall yet if they finde this in themselves it may be conviction enough unto them that their hearts are carnall and their conditions desperate If any body should goe and raise a report upon you that are Masters and give great wages that you gave your servants no wages would you take it well at their hands Yet thus doe you report of Gods service at least by your practice by your omitting of that which God commands and by your committing of that which God forbids you proclaime the service of God to be nothing worth But suppose one should aske you how you can tel that it is in vaine to serve God you never tryed to purpose what it was to serve him in sincerity If a man should go and report as before that you made your servants work for nothing you would say how can you tell that seeing you never tryed my service so may I say to such as complaine of the service of God to be a vaine service how can you tel it is so seeing you never made tryall of it upon your own experience and therefore you are guilty of speaking evill of the things which you understand not 2 Pet. 2.12 Thirdly it is of use by way of inference to the people of God For if it be a fault in carnall people much more in such as are spirituall and yet many of these are much to blame even about this very thing having strange thoughts about the vanity of Gods service that upon grounds both from themselves and others 1. From themselves and they are two The one is the non-apprehension of any good gotten by that service that they ever did for God The other is that indiscernable difference in themselves betweene serving and not serving of God performing and omitting the duties of Gods service For the better setling of the people of God in his wayes and service these grounds of their mistakings must be removed and their objections answered or else it is not the bare chiding of them or laying of blame upon them that will pacifie the Soul or satisfie doubts and scruples And therefore I shall endeavour to remove these lets and to answer these objections Obj. 1 First then the soul saith what should I do serving of God 2 King 6.33 or waiting upon the Lord any longer I have spent a great deale of time and taken a great deal of paines that way but I doe not see that I am the better for any thing that I have done as these people here though they had offered many sacrifices yet afterward began to look upon them as cast away We have offered many cattel and creatures in sacrifice say they but wee had better have sold them and laid out the money some other way for our comfortable subsistence So saith many a Soule what shall I doe I have prayed and mourned but nothing the better my Prayers are not let into heaven but shut out my almes are not had in remembrance before God but forgotten my teares are spilt and not bottled up my wants are not supplyed my desires are not answered my corruptions are not mortified I have taken much paines in attending upon the ordinances of God but have got little or no good by them And not only ordinary but extraordinary means have I used I have joyned fasting to my prayers and yet all will doe nothing I was amongst the people of God such a day and such a day in the duties of humiliation but alas I was never the better my heart was as hard at night as it was in the morning so that I had better have been about my calling or the world for there I might have done or got some good for the body but here I got no good either for body or soule there I might
have done some good to others but here no body hath been the better for me but for ought I know rather the worse It may be I have been a Ionah or an Achan amongst Gods people to provoke the Lord to displeasure and to cause him to withhold that mercy from that Assembly I joyned with which they might have had if J had been from amongst them but however I have deluded others and play'd the hypocrite seeming better then I am and fit to be amongst Gods people which I was not have hardened my heart and am to be sure never the better if not much the worse These and the like complaints are commonly made by the people of God as if his service were indeed altogether vaine To this I answer divers wayes Answ 1 That the service of God which a Soul does may be may be profitable to others though for the present or in his own apprehension little or nothing so to it selfe For the Acts or parts of Gods service are of divers kinds Some in which the Lord and master himself hath the chiefest hand he being especially the Agent and we patients as hearing the word receiving the sacrament and duties of that nature Other some againe there are in which man is more said to be an Agent then in the former As in prayer workes of charity taking up the crosse and the like Now its true for the first if a soul gets no good at them it selfe at the word at the sacrament and the rest of that kind That service is like to be in vaine altogether But for the latter it will not hold viz. in sufferings for Christ and the like though a man may seeme to have lost not his labour onely but much other wayes in his estate credit liberty and the like in so much that he may suffer the spoyling of all his goods and himselfe dye in the Gaole yet this service may not be in vaine For besides his own gaine in spirituall respects the Church of God may have more light and liberty hereby in after times Also of prayer and seeking the Lord the like may be said for as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 12.14 that the parents lay up for the Children so doth one Christian for another For these duties are properly compar'd to sowing of seed and Christ saith one soweth Joh. 4.37 and another reapeth And I doubt not but many a christian and parent hath prayers hanging upon Gods file in heaven unanswered for their Children and the Church of God though made long agoe so that that may seeme to be labour lost that was taken that way But yet as Ahasuerus Ester 6.1 call'd for the Records after a certaine time and finding there such a piece of service done by Mordecai not yet rewarded he forthwith gave him wages for his work and bountifully rewarded him So the Lord in his due time will look over his files as I may so speak and finding the parents prayers made for the childe and the Christians prayers made for the Church of God hanging still unanswered he will undoubtedly return them an answer in a time accepted And because a parent or a christian does not receive an answer hereof presently or wages for his work in the service of the Lord or live to see others the better for it shall he therefore conclude It is a vaine service or the work a vaine work Simil. When a man hath beene at paines cost in tilling sowing of his ground though hee doth not live to the harvest to reape the crop himselfe yet wil he not account his labour lost because he can make his will of it and his heires executors and such as he doth intirely love shall be the better for it Even so it is here The Church may be the better others the better for thy labour And therefore this work and service is not to be accounted vaine Answer 2 Secondly I answer that the Lord doth not alwayes pay his servants wages for the work they doe him in ready mony as they use to say Simil. but many times by way of exchange giving of them something in liew yet alwayes for the best unto them Even as you pay your workmen when they have wrought with you and done you service you doe not pay them it may be in ready mony gold silver and the like but with such commodities as they stand in great need of which happily are scarce and rare and such as they could not buy with their money if they had had their wages paid them therein Now if these servants should goe away and exclaime on you and on your service that because you did not pay them in ready money as they expected they should therefore say that your service were a vaine service and that they had wrought with you for nothing and the like would you take this well at their hands Why yet thus dost thou deale by the Lord Thou attendest upon God in duties and ordinances in hearing praying and the like and thou dost him some service Now thou expectest to be paid down at the stub as it were in ready money That is to say thou lookest to grow in parts as in knowledge in quick apprehension and ability of expression in conference or prayer as others doe and because thou dost not so thou art ready to complaine that this service of God is vaine and that thou hast but lost thy labour therein Whereas it may be the Lord hath given thee something in stead of these which is better and daintier and which thou couldst not have purchased with these if thou hadst never so much of them For instance it may be he hath given thee a tender conscience and an humble heart instead of those other which thou didst expect Well if he hath thus paid thee I tell thee he hath done thee no wrong For these are things which thou couldst not have purchased with thy parts were they never so great and high Answ 3 Thirdly I answer that thou canst not conclude that the service of God is in vaine though thou thinkest thy selfe never the better or as yet beest never the better for the present unlesse also thou art able to conclude that thou never shalt be the better hereafter neither which I am sure thou canst not possibly doe Suppose thy prayers as yet be not answered art thou sure that they never shall be answered though thy corruptions be not yet subdued nor Satan as yet troden under foot how dost thou know that they never shall Nay how dost thou know but that this delay may bee fully satisfied for when the Lords time is fully come We find how Moses speaks to the people of the Lord in this manner Deut. 8.15 16. who led thee through that great and terrible wildernesse wherein were siery Serpents and Scorpions and drought where there was no water c. that hee might humble thee and that he might prove thee to doe
meddle with my worke It was an answer which they gave in the 20 of Mat. 6 verse why they stood so long idle because no man had hyred them as if they should say we had as good doe nothing as to worke before we are hyred and it is most certainly true here that till a soule be agreed in the sence before mentioned with God It shall have no reward for the work it does but loseth al its labour Job 9.29 As Iob saith if I be wicked why then labour I in vaine so surely all the labour that a wicked man takes whilst he is wicked and in the state of sinne and nature is but lost he does but labour in vaine Vers 20. The Prophet saith Psal 139. Thine enemyes take thy Name in vaine which holds very firme in this sence namely That whilst people remaine enemies to God and are not truely reconciled to to him through Christ they take his name word Sacrament and all they meddle withall in vaine Should they heare pray doe suffer or performe never so many duties of the Lords service yet all would prove in vaine unto them and they should never have comfort nor profit by any thing they doe It is a great deale of time that some spend of paines that they take and cost that they are at about the duties of Gods service who yet if they goe on as they have begun will lose all at the last Oh! therefore let me prevaile with so many of you this day as never tooke this course now to enter upon it get you home enter into your chambers and commune with your hearts about your conditions and this worke labour to see your misery by nature and sinne and so long as you stand in emnity with God and God with you begge as for more then your lives to be at peace with him and be glad of reconciliation with him upon any termes you may goe on still in your old way of formality if you please without taking this course as long and twice as long if you live as you have done thinking that if you be diligent in duties and painefull in the service of the Lord especially with honest hearts as you call them that then you shal not lose your labour but that God will reward you for the service you doe and it may be that some of you may intend so to doe notwithstanding what ever hath beene said against it and so they may if they please to their shame and heart-smart but if this be the way to true peace or profit the Lord hath not spoken by me And when they have wearied themselves in this their way and misse what they looke for which they will most certainely doe if they looke for any good then will they acknowledge the truth and necessity of this counsell and when it is too late will bewayle that they tooke it not in time Direction 2 Secondly if you would not have the service of God prove a vaine service then take heed of a slighty spirit in the performing of it and of having low and meane thoughts of those duties that thou undertakest the doing of but labour for high and pretious thoughts of the duties of this service and of the ordinances of God which thou commest to be a partaker of that thou may'st looke upon the service of God as honourable and much desirable service and the parts and duties of this service as very profitable as those means which the Lord hath ordained for thy great good To look upon prayer as a profitable ordinance and meanes very forcible with God to breake open his treasure and to obtaine all needfull mercies by So for the word the Sacrament and the rest many there be which performe many of the duties of Gods service but yet come not with such thoughts as these are but looke upon them as meane ordinarie things and that because they know not the worth and pretiousnesse of them and never found or got any great good by them when as the ground thereof is in themselves they come with low thoughts and slighty estimation to the ordinances and then no marvell they find them vaine and unprofitable to them Direction 3 Thirdly he that would not have the service of God in vaine unto him must looke that he be faithfull in the doing of it And this faithfulnesse is to be shewed in these five things Carefulnesse Faithfulnesse in Gods service to be shewed in 5. things Carefulnesse Diligence sinceritie Beliefe and Perseverance First it is to be shewed in carefulnesse of universalitie of obedience that a man be carefull in attending upon all Gods wayes and in doing all that worke that God sets him about He is not a faithfull servant that will pick and choose his worke to doe onely that which likes him and leave the rest so neither is he a faithfull servant to God that will doe onely some not all that will attend upon God in some duties and ordinances but omit othersome and that can be content to put his hand to Gods worke but not to his neck or his back to his crosse or burthen doing-worke will down but not suffering-worke Well thinke better of it and baulke none of Gods worke but take it as it lies in order and comes for that part of Gods service that thou neglectest may be that in the doing whereof the Lord may intend to shew thee much mercy and to give thee a reward for that and other service together If it be secret prayer or such a duty that thou livest in the neglect of thou may'st bereave thy selfe of much good in the neglect of it for as God meets one in some dutie rather then in other-some so that may be that very dutie that God may intend to Communicate more mercie to thee in then any other So the like may be said of sufferings for the Lord hath let out more of himselfe sometimes in a prison then any other way And therefore as David shewed his faithfulnesse in having respect to all Gods commandements Psal 119.6 so let us Secondly Diligence 2. this faithfulnesse lies in doing the worke of the Lord diligently when the soule puts out its selfe in what it undertakes for God A man is not therefore a faithfull servant to his Master because he puts his hand to every worke and shunneth none if yet he slubbereth over his worke in a lazy and slothful manner and doth none as he ought to doe but the doing of it to his utmost sheweth his faithfulnesse as well as his doing of it at all and this is that which the Lord calls for Rom. 12.11 Not slothfull in businesse fervent in Spirit serving the Lord. So in another place Eccles 9.10 what ever thy hand findeth to doe doe it with thy might if it be not a duty meddle not with it doe it not at all but if it be a duty a duty to God what exactnesse in the doing
of it can be sufficient and therefore doe such a duty with thy might pray with thy might heare with thy might stand for God with thy might and so for any other duty The want of this is the bane of a great many duties and of much service which are made void and unprofitable by this very meanes nay instead of a reward they shal have wrath and vengeance for their wages according to that of the Prophet Ieremy Ier. 48.10 cursed be he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently or deceitfully that might do it better then he does but doth not put out himselfe Or that seemes to do it otherwise then he doth it in deed seeming very zealous God when there is neither for life nor heat within Burning lippes and a wicked heart like Solomons plate a potsheard covered with silver drosse Pro. 26.23 Oh heare and feare The third part of this faithfulnesse Sincerity 3. is sincerity and uprightnesse in heart which is when a soule doth the service of God and the duties of it in obedience to his command aiming at him and his glory in the workes and duties that it doth performe The Lord would have servants looke through their earthly masters in the service they doe for them Eph. 6.5 and and to have an eye to Christ in what they doe who is the chiefe Master of all but much more then ought he to be especially eyed and aymed at in those actions which are immediately done unto himselfe true the eye of man cannot pierce the heart to diserne the intention of that but the Lords doth For however a servant may be accounted faithfull when as he doth not purely looke at his Master in the service he doth for his Master cannot see his heart yet he cannot be nor is accounted a faithfull servant with the Lord unlesse he lookes more at the Lord then at himselfe or any other In the 7 of Zach. 5. the Lord puts this question home unto them did yee at all fast to me and doubles it againe even to me that whereas they might be ready and overforward to make answer for themselves and say Yes Lord we did what we did to thee he replies even to me are you sure you did it to me that you looked purely at me c. The want of this makes void and vaine our worke and prevents that reward that else we might have as is cleare from Mat. 6.5 and 16 verse as if the Lord had said if you looke not at me in your worke why should you looke at me for wages for the worke you doe The fourth branch of this faithfulnesse required Faith or Believing 4. in the service of God to make it profitable is Beleeving which is that when the soule hath proved it selfe to be in covenant with God according to the first direction that then it stirres up it selfe to exercise faith in the beleeving Applying and pressing of those promises which it hath right and title to as touching assistance accceptance answering rewarding and the like The Apostle shewes the absolute necessity of faith Heb. 11.6 even in the exercise of it to be in those that approach nigh to God in any service of his Iam. 1.6 7 as in prayer Saint Iames shewes that such an one as doth not pray in faith without wavering must not looke to receive any thing as wages for his worke from the Lord though he may receive much from man rewards and applause c. Yet from the Lord he must looke for none if he doe he is but deceived and so shall bee The Lord saith to them that come to him as he said as he said to those blind men what doe you come to me for sight Matth. 9.28 29. according as you beleeve so shall you speed c. I am preswaded that if these men had come to our Saviour in an ordinary formall way led by the example of others that because they saw others that were blind and lame goe to Christ therefore they would goe too they might have gone away as blind as they came for any sight or benefit that they should have had from him And so if people goe to God in duties as in prayer in an ordinary formall way because it is the order and fashion to goe to God and pray in time of want they may goe often enough and pray long enough ere they shall obtaine and worke till they be weary in the service of God ere they get any good reward for it yea though a man be a beleever and hath that singular gift and grace of faith in him yet this is not enough unlesse he doth stirre up this gift and grace so as to have the use and exercise of it even in the time of working and doing God service for a habite is onely so farre of use and profitable as it is brought forth into act and exercise Experience shewes that the same soule which seemes one day to worke for nothing and to labour in vaine with God in the duties of his service another day or by another duty is sent loaden away full of the desires of its soule and thinkes it selfe abundantly rewarded the reason will be found to be from hence if it be well looked into that faith was more exercised at one time then at another If therefore thou wouldest not have the service of the Lord and the dutyes of it to be in vaine unto thee then worke in faith Last of all Perseverance 5. this faithfulnesse consisteth and is to be shewed in perseverance holding on without fainting Rev. 2.10 Be faithfull unto the death that is in persevering to the last for thus faithfulnesse is shewed he is not accounted a faithfull servant that gives over his work before it be done nor he faithfull to god or his own soul that gives over before he speed Psal 123.2 We waite upon the Lord untill he have mercy upon us so should a Christian refolve not to give over or away from God without an answer I doe not deny but a Christian may be held off and delayed in his suite and service that he may even make some question whether he hath not quite lost his labour whether ever his prayers shall be answered and his service rewarded or no for all may seeme to be in vaine 1 Cor. 4.5 Oh! but stay a while and Iudge nothing before the time much lesse this to say or thinke that the Lord will be so hard and unfaithfull as not to reward your labour for the full and set time of the Lord payment is not yet come I wish that well knowne place in Mat. 24 13 were as wel considered of as knowen He that endureth to the end the same shall be saved In which words amongst many things considerable there be especially two for our present purpose the condition of the promise and the promise it selfe Perseverance is the dutie required in all the parts of Gods
doth not give it a like to all his people but yet he gives it so to all as it will be quickly discernable to them that have it even this way as many other wayes beside Reason 3 A third ground or reason of carnall peoples Judging thus of the service of God as if it were in vaine is because they see many of those very negligent and carelesse herein whom they much admire great ones and learned ones whom they Judge to be so wise that they cannot be thus mistaken And therefore when they see them carelesse in the duties of Gods service that either they use no prayer nor duties in their families or but seldome or if constantly yet but in a slighty formall way so for hearing the word and other duties c. They begin to thinke surely these things are not so needfull this same serving of God in this manner is not so profitable for if it were certainly such and such learned men and great Schollers that should know better what belong to it then so would not omit these things as they doe thus as the Apostle saith of them in Iude that they had some mens persons in admiration so some mens Iudgements and Practices are had in admiration and followed as unerring patterns and the judgements and examples of these men are more to them then all the precepts of God not considering that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.26 not many wise or great or noble are called Reason 4 The fourth Reason why carnall hearts Judge the service of God a vaine service is because the Lord doth many times deferre the paying of his servants wages for the service which they do for him till afterwards God doth not give them outward prosperity it may be at all and no marvell because as his Kingdome is not of this world so neither shall his servants live as in a Kingdome here nay it may be they attaine not to that inward joy and peace which they expect and shall bee sure of at last together with other parts of their reward which they are uncapable of whil'st they are here onely they must stay as those labourers for their penny Mat. 20. till night so they for their reward till death Now carnall people seeing nothing comming in having no Bird in their hand and wanting faith to believe and patience to waite give it over as labour lost and paines to no purpose that is taken in this service like as in their own doing service to the Devill because when they have sinned Psal 50. and God is so patient as not to reprove and punish them for the present they think hee never will so in the doing of good and serving the Lord they think because it is not rewarded for the present therefore it never will though yet the Lord hath bound himselfe by many promises to reward them which bonds are good debts and the Christians reversions which are better then the worldlings possessions Obj. But here comes an objection in the way which must be removed before we can proceed any further thus some may say if so many doe think the service of God to be in vaine as you say doe why then doe any that are thus naturall and carnall keep Gods service or doe him any work at all you will grant that many which are naturall and carnall yet doe much of Gods work pray preach heare c. And if they thought that all which they did were in vaine surely they would not doe as they do to lose labour Answ I answer there are divers grounds and reasons of their doing God some work and service though yet in their hearts they think it to be in vaine I will instance in two the oneis that they are haled and forced hereunto and that they can do no lesse either the examples of others or a habit gotten by practice or powerfull ordinances making way and work for an inlightned conscience not quite benum'd they are hereby forced upon that service of God which of themselves they have no love unto Simil. As two men that are friends dwell together the one of them having much work to doe calls to the other to come and helpe happily he will not goe himself but sends in his man now this man goes to work not out of any love to him that he goes to work withall nor yet out of any hope to be the better for working with him for he is agreed with his own Master and so therefore looks upon all other work as in vaine onely yet he goes as sent by his own master and so works for the other and dare doe no lesse even so it is here God and conscience are two friends and God having work to doe Prayers to make Sermons to Preach and heare or afflictions to suffer c. conscience that being Gods friend sends in its man for many a man is more servant to his conscience then he is to God and he falls to this work yet looking upon it as in vaine and yet can doe no lesse then goe and work being sent and forced by the power of his conscience to which he is a Servant and not to God though yet hee doth his worke And there is many a man that if his own Master conscience would let him alone that he could be quiet would not do half so much of Gods work as now he doth But when he goes to bed like a beast or abroad in the morning without prayer conscience stuffes his Pillow with Pricks and doth so hale gaule him and disease him that he cannot be quiet but it doggs him and there it baites him thou hast not beene at prayer how dar'st thou make such adventures as thou dost how can'st thou look to bee kept or blest without seeking God c. Hereupon he falls to work and then conscience is quiet and giving him a little cursed peace he is quiet too and this wages he hath from his conscience for the work and duties which he doth but as for any reward from God he hath no ground to looke for any and yet doth what he doth upon this ground I grant the best of Gods servants are bound to hearken to the voyce of conscience but wicked men are more driven by the lash and accusation of conscience then drawn to duty by the light thereof The other ground of this their doing God some work though yet in their hearts they think that service of God to be in vaine is this They do it to make sure uncertainties for though for their own parts they be setled in the thoughts and resolutions of these things and think and say as the Scripture saies of them that there is no God or that his service is in vaine c. Yet either by some powerfull Sermon or upon the generall acknowledgement of the contrary by others or happily upon the beholding of some of Gods people and their carriage in sicknesse and at the approaches of death how comfortably they
thee good at thy latter end Mark that phrase well at thy latter end which imports the time of Gods shewing mercy to many even of his own people that they shall not have the good of Gods present dealings with them till their latter end It may be before this Message came from the Lord to this people they began to repent them in part of what they had done in following of Moses and putting themselves upon so many hardships and think all to be but labour lost and their service in obeying the Lords commands to be in vaine but now they are answered and taken off from this hearing that the time of their reward was not yet come but that verily it would come and that without faile to wit in the latter end So then it 's clear that a soul in obeying God and in doing him service may bee led through a wildernesse where it may meet with serpents scorpions drought and a great deale of hardship and be much disappointed in its expectation and desires And yet the Lord may intend it good at the last and plentifully reward it for all the service it doth for him And therefore let not any complaine till they have cause Ps 9.18 The patient abiding of the meek shall not perish for ever And Ps 58.11 verily there is a reward for the righteous And Yet a little while Heb. â— 37 and he that shall come will come and will not tarry Have you never heard it rumor'd and reported very commonly and confidently that such or such a ship hath been quite cast away and lost and yet that ship hath come home afterwards richly laden So t is oft' in Prayer and other duties and therefore be not overmuch discouraged though you enjoy not the present fruit of your labours in due time Gal. 6.9 you shall reap if you faint And thus far in answer to these thoughts and objections that are in the people of God from the first ground in themselves Obj. 2 The second ground of this Feare followes to be answered Namely That indiscernable difference that is in themselves betweene their serving and not serving of God The Soul saith surely I cannot perceive that I am any whit the better for all the service that I have done to the Lord For all my Prayers hearing christian communion and the like I am as well when I omit serving of him or when I am slighty in his service as when I serve him most and best of all I prosper as well in my businesse and returne as safe home from my journey when I set forth without seeking direction from the Lord as when I do seek him before I goe out I sleepe as sweetly when I goe to bed without Prayer as when I do pray and so for other particulars Therefore this serving of the Lord seemes to be vaine To this also I answer divers wayes Answ 1 First That it is a sad thing that any of Gods people should Try and Tempt him in this manner to doe as if they should say I le see what the Lord will doe for me without asking and the like that any who have tasted how gracious the Lord hath beene unto them in a duty or ordinance that they should in the least degree willingly omit such a duty againe and that they should to speak after the manner of men disappoint the Lord thus That when the Lord shall goe into thy Chamber or Closet at the usuall time of Prayer with his eare open to the Prayer that thou hadst need to make him that then thou shouldest not be there but he must be forced to turne himselfe away missing whom hee looked for That when the Lord bringeth mercy in his hand as it were to bestow upon thee that thou shouldst not be there to receive it but he must be forced to carry his mercy back againe with him and when he bringeth his bottle to put up thy tears thou sendest him empty away This I say is a very sad thing Answer 2 But secondly I answer that if there be no difference in thine outward man in thy estate body name and the like yet there may be great difference in thine inner man and soul and I dare say there is so Doth not thy neglect of duty beget a dislike of duty doth no disuse in Gods service breed an auknesse and an indisposition thereto I doubt not but if the heart be well observed it will be acknowledged that this is true that it is thus And is this nothing Answer 3 Thirdly I would demand of those that say they can find no difference in themselves between the time when they serve the Lord and when they do not serve him whether they doe never at no time find any difference Sometimes it may be you find little or no difference the Lord meets you not in duties but you go away empty with hardnesse in your hearts and blacknesse in your bosomes and the like as you conceive But is it alwayes thus are you never answered in the joy of your soules does the Lord never give you a good look nor shew you a pleased face If you have any Joh. 15.11 slight them not are the consolations of God small unto you Or if you have none yet that thou art upheld in the way and in the work of the Lord to go on in his service even this very thing is a great mercy and is very like to be the fruit and wages for the former work and service thou hast done him And it is all one whether the Lord doth give the soul what it would have presently or strength to persevere in his wayes till he doth meet and answer it Of the two the last is rather the best because the soule honours God most by this Answer 4 Lastly consider if thou hast such and such things gifts or parts in as full a measure when thou dost not serve God as when thou dost serve him most exactly yet thou canst not look upon them as such speciall mercies if they come not in the way of seeking and serving God Psal 69.22 The very table of wicked men is made their snare Prov. 1.32 the prosperity of fooles shall slay them 2. There be also thoughts in the hearts of Gods people about the vanity of Gods service arising from some ground in others for thus they reason Obj. Those that have no care at all to serve God or to attend upon the duties of his worship yet they seeme to spred and to fare as well as those that serve him most and best of all and therefore the serving of God seemes to be in vaine To this also divers answers may be made Ans 1 As first that there is much difference in the maine and in that which ought most to be regarded Though they may seeme to be as well in their outward condition and for their body yet not with their soules for they are not in Gods wayes nor
serving the Lord. Onely they say that they themselves are never the better they thinke they heare and pray and doe all in vaine Whereas Carnall hearts and such as are naught they doe not accuse or condemne their own particular serving of God but the service of God it selfe in generall As here in the text You have said it is vaine or a vaine thing to serve the Lord. Now there is a wide difference in this also easie to be discerned and let every soule try it selfe by this signe Thirdly 2 Difference or trial though there be such thoughts as were spoken of to be found in the hearts of Gods people yet they are not such as beat them off from the use of meanes reading hearing praying and the like but they wil still serve the Lord though the feare the losse of their labour in their serving of him though they feare they pray but in Vaine yet they will pray still and so for other duties Many poore soules have complained much of their unprofitablenes in Gods service that they have but lost their labour and all in vaine which they have done and the like whereupon for their triall they have beene asked after this manner why doe you not then give over why doe you heare or pray still To which they have made answer that they could doe no otherwise though I feare it is but in vaine to pray yet I cannot but pray heare conferre and the like Thus another and thus another saith So that it hath beene evident that there was some Principle in them that hath carryed them on in the wayes of God and in his service notwithstanding the sence of their former unprofitablenesse in the same Or if at a time or for a while they have beene beaten off and so desisted yet it hath not beene out of distast of the duty so much as their own unfitnesse and indisposition thereunto though yet they themselves may and do conceive that they doe really disaffect the duty it selfe Simil. As a distempered stomack may seeme to loath good meate whilst it is distemperd and even that which it naturally loves very well And so it is in this case Whereas a carnall heart is willing to admit of this as a pretence for his sloth that the service of God is in vain that so with the more peace and quiet he may sit still and fold up his hands and so he doth So that his thoughts about the vanity of the service of God doe beate him off and out of the service it selfe And this is a great difference Fourthly there is difference in the effect of these thoughts 4 Difference or trial For in the hearts of the Godly they are soone followed if not attended for the present with much sorrow and selfe-shaming as in the 73 Psal Comparing the 13 verse with the 22 verse Whereas they that are carall doe not thus as for the unGdly it is not so with them They are hardly humbled for words or actions against God much lesse for thoughts The next use to be made of this point 3 Vse of Caution is an use of Caution for Warning And that 1 to the wicked 2 to the Godly 3 to all in general First to the wicked Caution 1. to the wicked to warne them ever hereafter to take heede of this sinne of censuring the service of God for a vayne service Or them of Folly or losing their Labour which keepe this service or worke hard in it Know that though it be in vaine to you as indeed it Can be no otherwise as you go to worke yet doe not thinke that it is in vayne to all others Though you get no good by the word you heare or are never the better by the prayers you make and the like yet do not thinke but that there is good to be gotten by them and that others are the better for them Simil. Because a tradesman out of his bad husbandry doth not thrive in his trade shall he goe and condemne the trade it selfe or censure those of folly that drive such a trade as that is Nay rather let him mend his husbandry and follow his trade in a better manner and then he may thrive though hitherto he could not So it is here For men are ready to condemne this trade of Godlynesse and to suspect the worst by the service of God because they profit no more by duties and ordinances whereas the fault is not in the ordinances but in themselves they prepare not their hearts to seeke the Lord they serve him not for matter Manner measure end as they should doe which if they did they might soone finde it were not in vaine to serve God Secondly Caution to the godly it is for Caution and warning unto the people of God that they take heed how they harbour such thoughts as these are of the service of God For as a Divine saith though you cannot hinder the birds from flying over your heads yet you may keepe them from making Nests in your haire so though such thoughts as these may arise or be cast in by Satan yet suffer them not to settle upon your hearts This is the brand of a carnall heart O let it not be set upon any of you that have any truth of grace in you If the Devill can but fasten such thoughts upon any of you as to make you thinke or feare that the service of God is in vayne he will easily prevaile with you either wholly to forsake it or else to be very remisse and negligent in it Simil. If a man be sick and weak and he be prejudic'd against men and means and perswaded that no physitian or physicke can doe him good that man is in the high way to death for either he will not meddle at al with meanes or else stray from the rules that are prescribed him and then though it be not in vayne to take physicke yet to be sure he will make it in vaine And the same will people doe for their soules if they come to entertaine a prejudice against the service of God We finde this to be the counsel of the Apostle Heb. 10.35 Cast not away your confidence which hath great recompence of reward It seemes then that that which is of great worth and will at length be very profitable is in danger to be cast away by the people of God as vaine and nothing worth It is the case and condition of many a poore soule to stand staggering and remaine doubtfull as not knowing what to thinke of of it selfe one while it hath a doore of hope set open to it it that some glimps glimring of the light of Gods countenance and some confidence of his love and mercy which doth much refresh it another while that doore is shut and there is nothing but darknesse and feare in the soule and it suspects its former confidence to be but meere delusion that it was mistaken and the like
and and all on the sudden the soule is ready to cast away that confidence as nothing worth Oh but saith the Apostle hold your hand and be well advised what you doe be not so prodigall to cast away that in a pang or pittish moode which you were so long a getting and cost you so deare Prove and try your confidence if you will nay 't is needfull you should doe so but cast it not away Or if Satan wring your hold out of your hand and your confidence out of your heart by the strength of any violent temptation then indeed you are to be pittyed and your condition with much Christian compassion to be laid to heart But for you to stand in your owne light and to throw away such a stay to your soules by a willfull refusall of that mercy and denyall of that grace which the Lord hath wrought in you and given you some experience of and that out of the pride of your hearts because you cannot finde a ground of your holding fast of a confidence in your selves but must live upon free grace or out of discontentednesse of spirit that because you cannot affirme that full assurance of heaven and Gods love that you would have therefore you will have none at all because you may not carve your selves and have whole loaves therefore you will scorne crummes and cast away pieces If thus you doe in stead of pitty you shal deserve blame And as little as this confidence waiting upon God seemes worth which you slight and are casting away as worth nothing yet beleeve me t is not in vaine to hold fast upon a promise something will come at last though all seeme but lost for the present And therefore cast not away your confidence which hath great recompence of Reward Lastly Caution to all in general it is usefull for all in generall to warne every one to take heed of making voyd and vayne the service of God to himselfe We have seene and heard the evill of this sinne of accusing the service of God for a vaine service and how much wrong they doe the Lord and themselves that cast such an aspersion and unjust imputation upon the service of God But now if that should become really so to us which is not so in it selfe nor to others and that whilst we blame others for saying it is in vaine we should be those that should make it vaine to our selves this would prove hard and sad in conclusion How will this make up the mouths of carnall loose libertines when they come at the judgement seat when those that would never spend time nor take paynes in the service of God shall fare speed as wel as they that spent and took much time therein when those that would not be brought to make any shew of goodnesse or take up the practice of any duties at all shall fare aswell as those that had a faire forme of Godlinesse and were very abundant in holy duties When they that had no prayer in their families so much as once in the weeke or month or yeare shall speed as well and alike with those that had prayer twice a day in a word when those that take their fill in the pleasures of sin that cast off the feare of the almighty Joh. 21.14 saying depart from us for we desire not the Knowledge of thy wayes That were servants to their lusts and not to God but run on in all excesse of riot in sinning with high hands and stiffenecks shal see them thrust out from God that wore his livery call'd him master and did much work in his service Oh how wide will it open their mouthes And if it were possible to laugh in Hell how would it make them laugh and triumph why certainely it will be thus with very many to whom the service of God shall be but a vaine service and they shall lose all the time and paynes that they have spent taken therein see Mat. 7 chap. in the 22 and 23 verses and Luke 13.26 Where you shall finde that many who have beene in Christs company and stood in Christs roome and done Christs worke shall yet be disclaimed by him and excluded from him at the last day And therfore what need is there that we looke well to it that though this service be not vaine in it selfe yet that it prove not vaine to us Which that it may not do Directions that the service of God may not be in vaine I shall desire to lay downe some directions in way of prevention which being followed will undoubtedly make our worke and labour in the service of the Lord profitable unto us but without which could we doe never so much and that in shew never so well yet should we be accounted but evill servants and this is all we shall have at Gods hand at last Isa 50.11 to lye downe in sorow Direction 1 The first thing that a soule must doe that would not have the service of the Lord prove in vaine to him is To get into Covenant with God and to be at agreement with him for whom we do work I doe not meane to Covenant for wages and what thou shalt have for thy work as if otherwise thou wer 't in danger to have nothing for there is no feare of that but onely Covenant with him to be his servant to be one whom he may please to owne and looke upon as one that doth especially belong unto him This is to be in inward Covenant with God for you are to know that there is a secret league and Covenant which is made and passeth between God and the soule at its first conversion In which the Lord for his part makes tender and promise of free grace and mercy to the poore soul seeing it selfe lost and undone And the soul for its part being glad of God and mercy upon such faire termes as he propounds it upon accepts thereof and so the Covenant is struck the soule is willing to become the Lords and to give up it selfe to him and his service wholly and freely And the Lord for his part is willing to accept of that soul and of such service as it is and shall be able to doe for him to assist him in his undertakings to overlooke his fayling and to reward his endeavours And so for ever after this the Lord lookes upon this soule as a servant of his and as set on worke by him and so intends the rewarding of him as his servant which before he doth not but saith as Esay 1.12 who hath required these things at your hands I doe not deny but that I doe require them but not of you and I will give a reward for the doing of them but not to you So in the 50 Psal 16 verse unto the wicked God saith what hast thou to doe to declare my statutes or that thou shouldst take my Covenant in thy mouth where had you any commission to