the Heart away from God and from the Duty that seems to be performed to him it hinders the stirring of holy Affections the acting of saving Grace and turns Religion into a meer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bodily Exercise and how can that be profitable to the Soul which is a great way off and so little regards what is done How can it be acceptable to God who is a Spirit and will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth The Church of Rome is for implicit Faith for blind Obedience and for Worship in an unknown Tongue How distracted must that Worship needs be How can the Peoples Thoughts be intent upon what they do not understand Too many Protestants in their Devotions mind what themselves say as little as if they did not understand the words they spake and truly the latter sin with greater aggravation because having means of better instruction their Duties are no better performed The Cure of Distraction in Religious Services is very difficult some think light of the Disease and imagine the Cure needless others are discouraged from striving against Distraction as if it were impossible to overcome them but nothing is too hard for the great Physician he can heal the Mind's Vanity bring the Heart into God's Presence he is able to cast down Imaginations and to hinder them from rising again and to bring Thoughts into Captivity and Obedience A Sense of my own Wandrings in those Ordinances I administer and engage in has put me upon a more serious study how to prevent them And I would be the first and best Follower my self of that Counsel which I give to others And if the Lord is served with greater Attention and Spirituality and if the Hearts of those who shall read this Treatise are more than ever in the Work of God and more benefited by doing it the great End is obtained which is designed by Nathanael Vincent The CONTENTS of the ensuing Treatise THE Context considered Page 2. The Text opened and divided p. 5. Three Doctrines raised p. 7. D. 1. The Children of Men ought to attend upon God ibid. Ten things supposed as pre-requisite unto Man's attending upon God p. 8. Ten things implied in this attendance upon him p. 22. Several sorts of attending upon God Distinction 1. Attendance upon God with the Lips and Body only and that which is with the Heart also p. 36. Dist 2. Attendance upon God which is voluntary and which is through constraint and forced p. 39. Dist 3. Attendance upon God which is ordinary and which is extraordinary p. 41. Dist 4. Attendance which is secret in the Closet private in the Family and publick in the Congregation p. 45. Dist 5. Attendance upon God on his own Day and upon other Days p. 50. Dist 6. Attendance upon God in a time of Liberty and in a time of Persecution p. 54. Reasons assigned why the Children of Men ought to attend upon God which are nine p. 56. Use 1. Of Reproof applied to eight sorts of Persons p. 67. Use 2. Of Exhortation to all to attend upon God and backt with nine Arguments p. 77. Use 3. Of Direction how God is to be attended upon in nine particulars p. 90. Use 4. Of Consolation to them that in due order attend on God five grounds of Comfort p. 104. D. 2. In attending upon God we should look upon him as the Lord and serve him accordingly p. 109. How God is the Lord shewed in ten particulars p. 111. What influence and effect the apprehensions of God's being the Lord should have upon us when we attend upon him in eight particulars p. 126. Use 1. Of Reproof four sorts of Persons concerned p. 135. Use 2. Of Advice in five things p. 140. D. 3. Attendance upon the Lord should be without distraction p. 143. What distraction in attending upon God is p. 145. Four things premised When the Heart may be said to be distracted in attending upon the Lord this shewed in eight particulars p. 148. What 't is to attend upon the Lord without distraction shewed in nine particulars p. 158. Reasons produced why with such care we should take heed of distraction These of two sorts Eight Reasons drawn from the Evils of distraction in attending upon God p. 166. Seven Reasons more from the benefit of attending upon the Lord without distraction p. 173. Several Cases of Conscience answered relating to distraction in attending on God Case 1. Whether our Thoughts cannot be off from God in the least when we attend upon him but there must be a sinful distraction Answered in three particulars p. 180. Case 2. Whether it be distraction and withdrawing from God at all to think of our Worldly Affairs Answered in three particulars p. 182. Case 3. Whether the best of Men while in this World can be totally free from distraction in Holy Duties Answered in three particulars p. 184. Case 4. Whether a true Believer may not sometimes perform Duties so distractedly as to reap no benefit at all by them Answered in three particulars p. 185. Case 5. What Distractions are they which are mercifully overlookt and hinder not the success of our Duties Answered in six particulars p. 188. Case 6. What course are Melancholick Persons to take in their attendance upon God when distraction arises from the prevalency of that Distemper Answered in five particulars p. 192. Case 7. What are those Distractions that make our attendance upon God altogether unacceptable to him and unavailable to our selves Answered in five particulars p. 196. Use 1. Of Caution against the Causes of Distraction Eight Causes specified p. 200. Use 2. By way of Expostulation about the unreasonableness of Distraction p. 218. Use 3. Of Direction Nine Remedies prescribed against Distraction in attending upon God p. 221. Particular Duties mentioned How Reading the Scripture may be with less distraction p. 233. How with less distraction you may attend on the Word preached p. 237. How with less distraction you may call upon the Name of God in Prayer p. 241. How with less distraction you may Communicate at the Lord's Table p. 245. Use 5. Of Terrour to Sinners and Hypocrites all whose attendance upon God is full of allowed distraction p. 250. Use 6. Of Comfort to Believers who desire to do still better and with less distraction to attend upon God p. 253. THE CURE OF DISTRACTIONS IN ATTENDING upon GOD. 1 Cor. 7. 35. lat part That you may Attend upon the Lord without Distraction THE Apostle Paul had a great and fervent zeal for the honour of God that he might have such attendance as he Commands and which most rightfully appertains to a Lord so great and good unto whom both Heaven and Earth do owe all Service and Obedience The Apostle also manifests an extraordinary care of the Souls of Men that they might not fail to give that Attendance which is enjoyned them as their Duty and is also their advantage honour and security The thoughts the hearts the endeavours of
considering what precious Souls all are intrusted with and how full of Enemies and Snares this World is in which we live But the Lord alone is he of whom Safety is Psal 18. 31. Who is God save the Lord and who is a Rock save our God Sincere attenders upon God are very dear to him they are called his peculiar Treasure Exod. 19. 5. Now therefore if ye will obey my voice indeed and keep my Covenant then shall ye be unto me a peculiar Treasure above all People They are called his Jewels Mal. 3. 17. They shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels and I will spare them as a Man spareth his own Son that serveth him Nay he that toucheth them toucheth the apple of his Eye Zech. 2. 8. Therefore he will keep them as the apple of the Eye he will hide them under the shadow of his wings Psal 17. 8. When you attend upon God you repair to a Rock of Salvation to an high Tower of defence With his favour he will compass you as with a Shield Psal 5. 12. He will cover you with his feathers and under his wings you may securely trust for his truth shall be your buckler Psal 91. 4. In the hollow of his hand you shall be hid and the same hand shall beat down all your Enemies that design your Destruction You shall dwell on high your place shall be the munitions of Rocks Isa 33. 16. No Rock so high so firm as God no Munition so safe the Refuge is eternal When David says Vnto thee will I cry O Lord my rock be not silent to me Psal 28. 1. 'T is signified that this Rock can hear and answer and help abundantly and afford abundant matter for thanksgiving Psal 18. 46. The Lord liveth and blessed be my Rock and let the God of my Salvation be exalted 6. That God whom you attend upon can abundantly satisfie the very Soul of Man When the Soul has wearied it self with seeking satisfaction from the Creature and is sorrowful because its labour has been in vain God can say and do what Creatures cannot Jer. 31. I have satiated the weary Soul and I have replenished every sorrowful Soul The Negative Happiness is considerable in being secured from Evil and Misery but positive Blessedness is more in being satisfied and delighted with Divine Goodness Psal 65. 4. Blessed is the Man whom thou choosest and causest to approach unto thee that he may dwell in thy Courts we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy House even of thy holy Temple That rich Man in the Gospel speaks as if he had like Nebuchadnezzar the Heart of a Beast rather than the Soul of a Man When he says Soul thou hast Goods laid up for many years take thine ease eat and drink and be merry Luke 12. 19. This was but sorry provision for an immortal Soul that was just ready to be required at his hand to leave all these things behind it and to go into Eternity Attenders upon God find that in him with which their Souls are satisfied indeed They are satisfied with his Mercy and Love in Christ They are satisfied in Christ's Sacrifice and the Satisfaction he has made for Iniquity They are satisfied when they perceive themselves changed more and more into the Image of God and what a Satisfaction is it to converse above and to sit in heavenly places Eph. 2. 6. And hath raised us up together and hath made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus And what a Satisfaction is it at present to be assured of a far fuller Satisfaction hereafter Psal 17. 15. As for me I shall behold thy face in righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness 7. Attend upon God for he has long waited that he might be gracious to you How has that Scripture been fulfilled Isa 13. 18. And therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you and therefore will he be exalted that he may have mercy upon you He has stood at the door and has knock'd for entrance and though that has been denied him he has not gone away as he might in just Anger but behold he stands at the door still Rev. 3. 20. If you hear his voice and open the door he will enter and dwell with you and he and his Benefits shall be yours It is well for sinful Man that God is Patient and Long-suffering he does not cease calling at Man's first Deafness to his call he does not cease offering Grace Mercy and Life upon Man's first refusing to accept what is offered He told the old World that his Spirit should not always strive with Man Gen. 6. 3. yet 't is added his days shall be an hundred and twenty years All that time the Long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the Ark was a preparing 1 Pet. 3. 20. to see if the Disobedient would return to him The Lord comes year after year to the barren Fig-tree seeking Fruit but he found none whereupon he says Cut it down why cumbereth it the ground Yet upon Intercession made he is prevailed with to spare it longer to see if means that were used might be effectual to make it fruitful Luke 13. 6 9 The Apostle tells that the Lord is long suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance 2 Pet. 3. 9. Oh repent of your forgetting God and your duty towards him days without number attend and seek unto him in Sincerity who has had many a long look for you and has waited so great a while for your return 8. Consider seriously how God is attended upon in Heaven and what an Honour it is to you to wait upon him He has thousand thousands that minister unto him ten thousand times ten thousand that stand before him Dan. 7. 10. He has Angels that excel in strength who surround his Throne that are ready to do his Commandments hearkening to the voice of his word Psal 103. 20. The Seraphims worship him with covered faces to shew their great reverence of God and how they are ravishingly overcome with the brightness of his Majesty and they cry out one to another Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of Hosts the whole Earth as well as Heaven is full of his Glory Isa 6. 2 3. These Angels are Spirits these Ministers likened to a flame of fire Psal 104. 4. How Sublime and Spiritual are their Praises How ardent their Love to the Lord whom they praise and serve And yet the Lord is said to humble himself when he takes notice of such Attendants as these 'T is certainly an high Honour that is done you when you are admitted into the presence of such a glorious Majesty he that sits upon a Throne of Grace and is so ready to pitty pardon heal help and save is the blessed and only Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords
abundantly more Eph. 3. 20. Who can conceive how beneficial waiting upon God is That passage is both encouraging and amazing Isa 64. 4. For since the beginning of the World Men have not heard nor perceived by the Ear neither hath the Eye seen O God besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him 3. God is ready to cover a multitude of Infirmities in them that sincerely attend upon him He mercifully observes how willing their Spirits are when their Flesh is weak and cannot keep pace with their renewed Minds When our Lord was in an Agony his Disciples could not watch with him one hour but were fallen asleep yet he himself graciously excuses it Matt. 26. 41. The Spirit indeed is willing but the Flesh is weak and passes it by He takes notice of the Lustings of the Spirit against the Flesh the Strivings of Grace against Sin and Corruption and passes by the Lusting of the Flesh against the Spirit the Strivings of Sin against Grace The Lord does not enter into Judgment with his Servants nor deal in Rigour with them but he expresses Fatherly Tenderness and Compassion towards them Psal 103. 13. Like as a Father pittieth his Children so the Lord pittieth them that fear him We are directed to beg for the Forgiveness of Trespasses daily which shews that as the Disciples of Christ daily offend so their Heavenly Father is ready to grant forgiveness daily to them Nay Iniquity cleaves unto our holiest things our best Dâ—ties should and might be done a great deal better These Infirmities then are much to be lamented more and more striven against and seeing our selves compassed about with them we should banish all Self-confidence and look into Jesus that in him we may find acceptance and certainly the Righteousness of Christ the Son of God and the Father's love in him will cover the greatest multitude of bewailed Infirmities and Offences 4. It may be also Comfort to Attenders upon God to think whom they have attending upon them Saints on Earth have the Angels in Heaven to be their Guardians Christ is signified by Jacob's Ladder the Angels of God are said to ascend and descend upon the Son of Man John 1. 51. 'T is owing to our Lord Jesus that Believers have the Benefit of the Angels Ministry and the Apostle signifies that all of them are thus employed for the Saints Protection and Security Heb. 1. 14. Are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them that shall be heirs of Salvation The reprobate and evil Angels resist Attenders upon God but the elect and good Angels are their Friends These Angels that excel in strength How do they rejoyce when any repent and are converted And they have a Charge over Converts to keep them in all their ways Psal 91. 11. and when 't is added v. 13. Thou shalt tread upon the Lion and the Adder the young Lion and the Dragon thou shalt trample under feet It may be intimated that Satan's Force and Fury and Subtlety shall be ineffectual and that by his Temptations he shall not prevail But though Angels attend the Servants of God they are not wholly trusted to the Angelical Care The Lord himself is their Keeper The Father and the Son come to them and make their abode in them and will secure their own Mansions till they are out of the reach of Enemies and past all danger 5. Sincere Attendance upon God shall attend upon him after another and better manner in another World They shall be sitted for and admitted into the presence Chamber of the King of Glory In Heaven there will be no need of the Sun or of the Moon to shine in it for the Glory of the Lord does lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof Rev. 21. 23. and Rev. 22. 3. And there shall be no more Curse but the Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it and his Servants shall serve him They shall serve him so as never in the least to disserve him they shall do his Will and nothing at all contrary to it there will be a Perfection of Delight and Rest and Peace in the Obedience they shall yield when they rest not day and night saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come Rev. 4. 8. and Rev. 5. 13. Blessing and Honour and Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever All God's sincere Attendants are now advanced to Priestly nay to Kingly Dignity therefore they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2. 9. Christ has loved them and washed them from their sins in his own Blood and has made them Kings and Priests unto God and his Father Rev. 1. 5 6. But hereafter they shall inherit and possess the Kingdom prepared for them they shall all of them be actually crown'd with a Crown of Life and Righteousness And Oh what a joyful sight will it be to behold the Lord and all his Saints glorified together with him Col. 3. 4. When Christ who is our Life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in Glory Thus of the first Doctrine Doct. II. The second Doctrine is this In attending upon God we should look upon him as the Lord and serve him accordingly When God pronounced his own Laws with his own Mouth upon Mount Sinai He thus begins I am the Lord Exod. 20 2. and this was to awe Israel into Obedience We read Deut 6. 4. Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord. No other Lord is his equal no Commands to be regarded like his Commands None so worthy of service as He He must have attendance who or whatever is neglected Psal 89. 6 7. Who in Heaven can be compared to the Lord who among the Sons of the Mighty can be likened unto the Lord The mightiest Monarchs upon Earth the highest Angels in Heaven are infinitely below him therefore it follows God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of his Saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him Holy David cries out Psal 8. 1. O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy Name in all the Earth who hast set thy Glory above the Heavens He worshipped and praised him as the highest Sovereign who excelled all things on Earth and whose Glory the Heaven though full of it was not able to contain and when he says our Lord 't is intimated that he was truly his Servant and Subject and that he gloried in subjection to him In the handling of this Doctrine I shall First Shew you how God is the Lord. Secondly Manifest what influence and effect the apprehension of his being Lord should have upon us when we attend upon him Thirdly and Lastly make Application In the first place I am to shew you how God is the Lord. His Majesty may amaze us when we think or speak of his Dominion we should
increasing till it issue in glory John 4. 14. But the water that I shall give him shall be in him a Well of water springing up into everlasting Life And as all sorts of Life are from God so all sorts of Death he has power to inflict All Afflictions and Plagues when this Lord sends them do say Here we are The King of Terrors Death is God's subject and says I am ready to strike young or old high or low few or many as the Lord of all does give me Commission and Command And the second Death at God's righteous pleasure opens its everlasting doors to receive and eternally to swallow up all that he sentences thither Isa 5. 14. Therefore Hell hath enlarged her self and opened her mouth without measure and their glory and their multitude and their pomp and he that rejoyceth shall descend into it Such a Lord the effects of whose love and anger are felt not only in this World but also in the other and indeed run parallel with Eternity should certainly be attended on with a great dread of offending him with the exactest care in every thing to please him 7. God is a Lord obeyed by the whole Creation but only Men on earth and Devils and damned Spirits in Hell These greater lights the Sun and Moon that rule the day and night are perfectly ruled by their Maker and rise and set at his command And to shew that he can stop the Sun in its swift motion at Joshua's intreaty he commanded it to stand still in Gibeon and the Moon in the Valley of Ajalon Josh 10. 12. Nay in the days of Hezekiah he makes the Sun to move backward and to return no less than ten degrees by which it had gone down Isa 38. 8. All the Stars of Heaven he calls by their names and they observe their courses according to his Ordinances The Sea does ebb and flow according to his appointment and keep within the bounds that he has set it when it roars and is most tempestuous The Storms and Winds fulfil his word and if he do but say to them Peace be still presently there is a great calm He calls for the Thunder and the Lightning and how terrible is the Voice of the one and the flashing of the other The Thunder is silenced and the Lightning extinguished at his pleasure All Creatures that glide through the Air or slide through the Ocean that feed and grow upon the Earth in their way and manner obey their Maker and Preserver's Will Fye Oh Fye upon Apostate Angels and Men that they should be the only Rebels Look upward downward on the right hand and on the left and the many Thousands of Creatures which your Eyes behold are so many instances of Obedience to God Why Oh why should not all we be ready to yield our utmost Service 8. God is a Lord who over-rules them that rebel against him though they break his Commands they cannot get from under his power but he can check restrain disappoint and destroy them at his pleasure The Seed of the Woman has been hated by the Serpents brood and they that have been born only after the Flesh have been strongly inclined to persecute such as have been born after the Spirit Gal. 4. 28 29. Now we Brethren as Isaac was are the Children of Promise But as then he that was born after the Flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit even so it is now And so 't is likely to be still When Heathen Emperors and Kings were Converts to the Christian Faith the Prince of Darkness did not turn and change He always was and is and will be full of Malice against Christ the Head and against his true Members And those who are of their Father the Devil the Lusts of their Father they will do and they that are Saints must expect find their Hearts set against them and as far as they can their hands too But that Lord who is with his People is greater infinitely than the evil one 1 John 4. 4. Ye are of God little Children and have overcome them because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the World As Satan's Subtlety is nothing to God's Wisdom as his Power is small to God's Almightiness so his Wrath though never so great is a little and contemptible thing when the Love which God bears to his People is believingly considered The mightiest Men whom Satan employs to run down the Church of the living God shall never affect their wicked purpose the Church triumphs over her most surious Enemies looking unto her Mighty Helper Psal 46. 5 6 7. God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved God shall help her and that right early The Heathen raged the Kingdoms were moved They stirred up themselves with their united force and in their rage they would have devoured the Israel of God but He uttered his Voice and the Earth melted All these Enemies were dispirited and came to nothing and no wonder for it follows The Lord of Hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our refuge Selah Well may the voluntary Subjects of such a Lord attend upon him with forwardness and Faith since he has such an absolute uncontrolable Dominion over all his and their Enemies 9. God is a Lord infinitely above and better than any other Lords whatsoever As he is infinitely superior to all in Majesty and Greatness so also in Mercy and Goodness The whole Earth is full of Divine Goodness Psal 145. 9. The Lord is good to all and his tender Mercies are over all his works It is special and peculiar Kindness which is shewn to his Saints Psal 103. 11. As the Heaven is high above the Earth so great is his Mercy towards them that fear him What are other Lords if compared with God As for Mammon who has most of Mankind to be his Vassals his delights are low his Riches uncertain his all is Vanity Satan is a cruel Lord he is a Lyar who deceives a Murtherer who destroys all whom he can keep under his Power and Dominion And the Wages which Sin does give to them that serve it is eternal Death and the more diligent they have been in the Service of Sin and the more laborious Workers of Iniquity Hell will be so much the hotter their Sorrow and Misery so much the greater Are such Lords as these comparable to the Lord Jehovah whose Strength whose Love is everlasting What care does he take of all that are truly his Servants How mild and gentle is his Government His Kingdom is Righteousness and Peace and Joy It was a Pious Ejaculation of one of the Ancients Da Domine quod jubes O Lord give that which thou commandest His Servants are by himself created in Christ Jesus unto the good works in which he has commanded them to walk He teaches them by his own Spirit to do his Will Psal 143. 10. Teach me to do thy Will for
us into Disorder in our Duties and utterly out of Frame Sometimes this wickedly bold and foul and wretched Spirit will give the vilest Names to the blessed God which are given to the worst of Men. Sometimes he will say that divine Favour and Fury are both contemptible and as if he were a mere Idol that 't is not in him to do good or to do evil Zeph. 1. 12. whereas indeed penal Evils are all from him Amo. 3. 6. Shall there be evil in the City and the Lord hath not done it And the Psalmist tells Psal 33. 5. He loves Righteousness and Judgment the Earth is full of the Goodness of the Lord. Sometimes Satan will deny the Providence of God and say how doth God know And is there Knowledge in the most high As if he did not regard Men or their Ways but that all things in this World fall out either according to blind Chance or fatal Necessity whereas the Psalmist with great Force and Evidence of Reason argues Psal 94. 9 10. He that planted the Ear shall he not hear He that formed the Eye shall he not see He that teacheth Man Knowledge shall not he know Nay sometimes this evil one though himself believes a God and trembles before him yet will inject atheistical Thoughts and confidently deny the very Being of a God that he may discourage all Religion and Application to him Whereas the Heavens declare the Glory of the Lord and as the Light of the Sun is evident so it is evident there is a God by whom that Sun was made and all things visible besides Finally this lying Spirit will bear in with great Violence blasphemous Falshoods against the Word and Gospel of Jesus Christ Christ was manifested to destroy the Works of the Devil and the Devil will endeavour to hinder the Word of Christ from being believed though God himself did bear witness to the Truth of this Word both with Signs and Wonders and with divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own Will Heb. 2. 4. and miraculous Operations of Grace cease not to this Day When a blind Mind is made to see when an Heart of Stone is turned into an Heart of Flesh when the dead in Sin are made alive to God and Righteousness is their Practice and their Conversation is in Heaven all this shews a divine Efficacy in the Word and its divine Authority and most certain Truth These hellish Injections must by no means have an undisturbed Abode in the Mind for if they have they will cut the Sinews of all religious Endeavours They will damp the Affections dead the Heart and eat out all manner of gracious Inclinations and Purposes These blasphemous Injections shew that there is a Devil for even Nature as bad as it is will rise against some vile Thoughts which he casts in and he is an Enemy to God to Righteousness to the Souls of Men and as great a Lyar as an Enemy therefore he is not at all to be credited but his Wickedness and Falshoods to be abhorred 4. The Heart is distracted when though its Thoughts are good they are unseasonable A good Thought becomes a bad one when 't is entertained at a time that is not proper for it If when we are confessing Sin a Thought good for the matter of it arises that is utterly alien that draws the Mind away from thinking of Sin and that has no Tendency to humble and break the Heart for it This Thought by its Unseasonableness becomes evil If when we are Petitioning for Mercy a good Thought should intrude and make us forget what we are doing and we neither mind what we are asking nor to whom we are speaking A good Thought in this Case causes a sinful Distraction Solomon says that every thing is beautiful in its time Eccles 3. 11. A Word spoken in due season how good is it And as Words so Thoughts are the better the more seasonable they are If the subtle Serpent cannot divert the Mind from the Duty performing by bad Thoughts he will endeavour to do it by good ones If when hearing the Word preached we fall a reading the Scripture to our selves or our Minds are upon a Piece of a Sermon hat we heard at another time and the Truths that are propounding and the Duties that are pressing are not at all regarded Alas we are but too much like the very high way ground and the Seed is catched away assoon as sown 5. The Heart is distracted when the Mind and Judgment are so carnal and perverted as to esteem earthly things above spiritual and eternal When our Lord says The Light of the Body is the Eye Mat. 6. 22. He intimates that what the Eye is to the Body the Judgment is to the Soul and indeed to the whole Man If the Judgment be rectified and apprehends things aright the actings of the Soul will be the better but if the Judgment be darkened and does not discern between Truth and Falshood between good and evil between Substance and Shaddows the Soul must needs wander away from God and lose it self quickly When the Judgment is perverted there is a very wicked Distraction of Mind for the Judgment gives Sentence against God and for the Creature as if a Portion in this Life were more worthy to be chosen and secured than an Inheritance that is eternal It was said to the rich Man in Hell Son remember thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things Luke 16. 25 They are called his good things because his mistaking Mind apprehended them to be the good things indeed and the best things of all were not in his Judgment so good as these How can the natural Man chuse but be distracted in all his Duties he performs to God since his darkened Mind thinks such Duties unprofitable and that the things of God are Foolishness 1 Cor. 2. 14. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are Foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 6. The Heart is distracted when the Will and Affections withdraw from God and fasten upon Vanity A false Judgment being past no wonder that a foolish Choice is made This is an ill distraction indeed When the Biass of the Will turns away from God and it refuses to be subject to him though the best Lord and cares as little to enjoy him as to obey him The Lord observed and complained of this Psal 81. 11. My People would none of me He offered no less than himself to them who is so infinitely desirable who was so alsufficient and able to fulfil their Desires in whom the truest Delight was to be found yet this greatest and best Offer was contemned And when the Heart and Affections are thus denyed to God how are they bestowed Pleasures are loved more than God and even in his House and when there is an external Service yielded the Heart goeth after its Covetousness Ezek.
we are engaged in holy Ordinances how uncomely would this be How inexcusable should we be How much displeased would the Lord be 8. To attend without distraction implies refusing to be diverted from attending upon God without great necessity Indeed since the Lord will have mercy and not sacrifice he will excuse our attendance when unavoidable necessity and the Mercy he requires us to shew does divert us from it but Hearts that are truly gracious are troubled when they are thus diverted When our Lord admonishes his Disciples to pray that their flight might not be in the Winter nor on the Sabbath-Day Mat. 24. 20. he plainly intimates that to be disturbed on the Sabbath and to be hindred from engaging in Ordinances ought to be lookt upon as a very great Affliction Carnal Minds are glad of occasions that seem to justifie their omission of Holy Duties but sanctified and renewed hearts are otherwise minded they are sensible that Worship and Duty is owing to the Lord and that he is not benefited but they by giving it The Farm the Merchandise and things of that nature cannot hinder their coming to the Marriage Supper They are deaf to the perswasions of carnal Relations and Friends who would draw them off from Exercises of Religion They know that time was given them not that chiefly they should mind things temporal but those things that are invisible and eternal To be far from God is the way to perish 't is good 't is pleasant 't is safe to be near him Psal 73. 27. To be diverted from attending on the Lord is to be diverted from the most blessed thing on earth Psal 65. 4. Blessed is the Man whom thou chusest and causest to approach unto thee that he may dwell in thy Courts we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy House even of thy holy Temple 9. To attend without distraction implies abiding with God and perseverance in his Service The undistracted attendant is stedfast in the Lord's Covenant his Bonds and Cords are Bonds and Cords of love and why should any say Let us break these Bonds asunder and cast away these Cords from us They were good words and they that spake them were as good as their word Jer. 50. 5. They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward saying Come and let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that shall not be forgotten This perpetual Covenant should be kept in everlasting remembrance and there is good reason for it Psal 25. 10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his Covenant and his Testimonies He that attends without distraction ceases not to be an Attendant but perseveres in his Lord's Service he takes care to have his Loyns girt about for spiritual Labour his Light burning for he is waiting and expecting his Lord's coming An ancient Father wished when Christ came that he might find him aut precantem aut praedicantem either Praying or Preaching Every Christian should have a wish of this nature that he may be found either praying hearing or practising what he hears Blessed are those Servants whom the Lord when he comes shall find so doing Luke 12. 43. In the third place I am to assign the reasons why with such care we should take heed of distraction in the Lord's Service And these Reasons shall be of two sorts The first sort shall be drawn from the evil of distraction The second sort shall be drawn from the benefit of attending without distraction The first sort of reasons shall be drawn from the evil of distraction and the evil of this I shall make manifest and apparent 1. In distraction there is great irreverence and contempt of God Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God says the Psalmist Psal 10. 13. There is no reason he should do it nay there is all the reason in the World to the contrary that he should adore and serve him The wicked contemn God by running away from him and a total neglect of his Service but his Attendants contemn him when they make their addresses to him if instead of offering spiritual Sacrifices they offer Affronts to God and there is a special offensiveness in so doing therefore he protests that such Service were a trouble to him that he was weary to bear them that his Soul hated them Isa 1. 14. If a Man should address an earthly Potentate and instead of speaking to the King should ever and anon talk to some inferiour Person that stood by instead of hearing the King should turn his Eye and his Ear away from him and not mind a word he should say Royal Majesty would look upon this as an Affront insufferable But thus in distracted Duties the King of Glory is treated the Mind is upon the Creature and this and that and t'other worldly affair when the Tongue is speaking to the Creatour and what he speaks the Ear many times hears not and the Heart is farther off from heeding Thus what would not be done to a Governour is done to the highest and best and greatest King whose dreadful Name all the Earth should stand in awe of 2. In distraction there is a taking of God's Name in vain the third Commandment is broken the Transgressors whereof the Lord says he will not hold guiltless Exod. 20. 7. This may be called the first Commandment with threatning as the fifth is said to be the first Commandment with promise For though in the second Commandment mention is made of the Mercy of God and of his Jealousie yet the one is provoked by them that hate God the other is promised to them that love him and keep his Commandments so that Commandments in the general are mentioned not this particular Commandment specified To what purpose is a Duty performed where distraction is allowed The Name of God is not hallowed but profaned when it sounds from the Lips but the heart thinks not of nor sanctifies him whose Name it is When distraction prevails all Ordinances are engaged in vain nay there is not only a missing of that benefit that is promised unto serious Engagers but guilt is contracted and by such distracted Duties the distance becomes greater between God and the performers Bernard complains Aliud canto aliud cogito I sing and pray one thing and think another And afterwards Vae mihi quoni am ibi pecco ubi peccata emendare debeo I commit faults wo is me even in those Duties by which my faults should be amended It was well he said Wo is me Because of these distractions else God would have said Wo to thee because of them And indeed where they are not minded nor bewailed the case is woful God takes it amiss and is very much displeased that such Hypocrites take his Name into their Mouths 3. In distraction there is a slighting of Jesus the Advocate and Mediatour Our Lord's Heart and Soul was in the Work of our Redemption he was forward to undertake
with their Tongues for their Heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant Had they not felt God's Hand he had not heard their Voice had not peril been extream they would not have run to this Rock for refuge had not enemies prest hard upon them they would not have cryed to this high Redeemer for deliverance But their cries were lies and flatteries As soon as the danger was in their apprehension over their naughty Hearts started aside like deceitful bowes and they soon returned to their corrupt way In Attending upon God let not Affliction Conviction and fear of punishment be the only cords that hale you to your Duty The more there is of God's Servants wills in his work the more acceptable and well-pleasing is the Service III. There is an Attendance upon God which is ordinary and extraordinary 1. An Attendance upon God which is ordinary As we are ordinarily to be employed in the works of our particular Callings so the works of our general Calling as we are Christians must in no wise be neglected As we have Bodies to feed and to cloath and some business about the World to mind and manage So we have Souls to look after and a God to serve and this is the main business of all To work out our Salvation with fear and trembling is that which should always be upon our Hearts That Man may truly say Diem perdidi I have lost a day if a day is gone and nothing at all of this work done Mary is commended who heard and heeded Christ's word and according to the direction of it minded the one thing needful and chose the good part which could not be taken away from her Whereas Martha is taxed and reproved for being careful and troubled about many things Luke 10. 41 42. All the Lord's Servants are to be Attendants in ordinary Religion is to be the constant business of their lives as being of greatest concern and most worthy of their time and labour 2. There is an Attendance upon God which is extraordinary When he goes out of the common way and course of his Providence his Servants ought to follow him and as He acts extraordinarily in a way of Judgment or of Mercy They are to do something extraordinary in the Duties they have such a signal and loud Call to Acts of severity are styled God's strange Acts Isa 28. 21. The Lord will rise up as in Mount Perazim that he may do his work his strange work and bring to pass his act his strange act Affliction is said to be strange either because his ordinary course is otherwise Kindness and Mercy is that which he delights in shewing or it may denote Judgments that are unusual and that have something more than ordinary of terror and instruction When the Lord is thus raised up out of his holy Habitation and comes forth to visit and punish Iniquity there should be great preparation to meet him Amos 4. 12. Because I will do this unto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israel There should be deep Humiliation before him 1 Pet. 5. 6. Humble your selves therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time There must be strong cries unto him for pitty favour and a spirit suited to his dealings Psal 18. 6. In my distress I called upon the Lord and cryed unto my God he heard my Voice out of his holy Temple and my cry came before him even into his Ears Sin must be forsaken with more than ordinary sorrow and hatred as that which has provoked the Lord to be so very angry and Righteousness must be followed after with greater zeal and diligence Isa 26. 9. When thy Judgments are in the Earth the Inhabitants of the World will learn Righteousness On the other side when God does act extraordinarily in deliverance and salvation Songs suitable to Deliverance should be loud the Heart should be exceedingly well tuned to praise his Name His Attendants should call upon their Souls and all that is within them to bless him Psal 103. 1. Love should be extraordinarily ardent unto God the deliverer when extraordinary deliverance has been wrought And he that is so mighty to save should be both feared and believed in together Exod. 14. 31. And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians and the People feared the Lord and believed the Lord and his Servant Moses I might also add that when Falls have been foul and scandalous sins have been committed then there should be extraordinary contrition and supplication unto God for Pardon Healing for Establishment by his Spirit and for the Joy of his Salvation When David an eminent Saint and Prophet was of a sudden turned black as Hell and become a Monster of Ingratitude Impurity and Cruelty he comes unto God being awakened by Nathan's Ministry with great shame and brokenness of Heart Psal 51. 16 17. he implores mercy begs Ease and the healing of his wounded Conscience He cries for a clean Heart and a right Spirit and being sensible of his own weakness nay treacherousness and unfaithfulness to himself he intreats that the Lord would undertake for him and by his own free Spirit continually uphold him IV. There is an Attendance upon God which is Secret in the Closet Private in the Family and Publick in the Congregation 1. An Attendance upon God that is Secret in the Closet Our Lord was much in Prayer alone by himself sometime a great while before Day and sometime he continued in it all Night He commands and urges secret Prayer upon every one of his Disciples Mat. 6. 6. But thou when thou prayest enter into thy Closet and when thou hast shut thy Door pray to thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly God sees in secret and hears even whisper'd Confessions and Petitions And when 't is said that He is in secret it seems to intimate a special gracious presence that is vouchsafed to them that are often alone with him In this secret Attendance upon God we may use a greater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freedom of Speech and tell him all that we fear and feel and ayle and desire Secret Duties which Man can take no notice of have not those motives which are very prevalent with Hypocrites who lov'd to Pray standing in the Synagogues and in the Corners of the Streets where two Streets met that those in the one Street and in the other might behold their Devotions and applaud them God is pleased to listen and hearken after Prayer and there is not the closest homeliest Corner where there is a sincere Supplicant but God is really there to fulfil and grant the desire and to support the burthen'd if not to remove the burthens that are groaned under Psal 38. 9. All my desire is before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee As according to Solomon A gift in secret pacifieth
were broken and were rather chattering than Supplications Isa 38. 14. Like as a Crane or a Swallow so did I chatter I did mourn as a Dove mine eyes fail with looking upward O Lord I am oppressed undertake for me CASE VII What are those Distractions that make our attendance upon God altogether unacceptable to him and unavailable to our selves To this I answer 1. Distractions make our Duties of none effect for which there is no concernedness that God observes them as long as Man can take no notice of them How can it be expected that the Lord should have any gracious regard to them who have no regard to him or to his all observing Eye They that mind the praise of Men and not the praise of God and if Men do but approve and applaud they are not troubled though God does not commend but condemn them the praise of Men is all the reward they are likely to have Mat. 6. 5. Verily I say unto you they have their reward 'T is an argument of a carnal heart and that Duties are lost when Distractions are not unwelcome or disliked but the Heart is quiet enough with them If this be the ordinary frame and temper of the Heart to make nothing of heartless performances as long as Man cannot see the Heart to be absent 't is a sign that hypocrisie reigns and alass Hypocrites go to Hell through the Sanctuary they tread the broad road praying hearing receiving all along till they fall into eternal Condemnation 2. Distractions make Duties of none effect that are pleaded for as if there were nothing of sin or provocation in them The worse the Duties are many times the Performers think them to be the better they eye not their own Hearts and observe not their Deviations and Wandrings they rest in the external Service as if God would be pleased with the Work done and not mind the manner how We read of some that were bold to expostulate with God because they had fasted and he took no notice of it and yet there was good reason for his disliking what they did because when their Voice was heard on high their Hearts were inclined to strife debate and wickedness Isa 58. 3 4. The Scribes and Pharisees contented themselves with an outside righteousness they minded not that their Hearts should be serious and sanctified in their approaches to God but this righteousness of theirs our Lord pronounces insufficient and we must go beyond it or we cannot go to Heaven 3. Distractions make Duties of none effect that come from prevailing and allowed earthlimindedness How can a devoted Servant of Mammon whose Heart worships Mammon give acceptable attendance on God His Covetousness after which his Heart goes proves him an Idolater Eph. 5. 5. and his Service is most abominable dissimulation Let the Sin be what it will that is beloved and there is a resolution still to love and hide and spare it that sin will so distract and draw away the Heart from God that no Duty that is done can please him If we cover our sins we shall not prosper in our Services If we hide our iniquities in our Bosoms because they are dear to us God will hide his Face and refuse to hear us when we cry to him Isa 59. 2. 4. Distractions make Duties of none effect which hinder all manner of holy and spiritual affections and desires after God How can the Lord accept of a Service when the Heart is dead and cold as a stone and altogether senseless and unconcerned that it is so In such an heart there is no desire to know the Lord and his ways no inclination to become like to him or to enjoy any fellowship with him The Apostle says Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably Heb. 12. 20. Those Distractions that altogether hinder the acting and exercise of any grace whatsoever so that there is no Faith no Love no godly Sorrow no hungring and thirsting after righteousness certainly hereby also the success of Duties must be hindred 5. Distractions make Duties of none effect which though reproved are not striven against but sloth and negligence and formality in attendance upon God are allowed of Abundance of Idleness was the sin of Sodom and abundance of Idleness is to be found in many a Professour even then when engaged in Duties of Religion Such bestow no labour upon their Hearts they do not stir up themselves to take hold of God when they call upon his Name Isa 64. 7. As Vinegar to the Teeth and smoak to the Eyes is very offensive so is the sluggard to him that sends him How then must the Lord needs be displeased with the slothful attendant and slight his negligent Service Will such Service be rewarded No no so far from that that it will be severely punished He that took no pains to improve his Talent is called a wicked and slothful Servant Mat. 25. 26 and v. 30. the Sentence is past upon him Cast ye the unprofitable Servant into outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth In the last place follows the Application And here I shall First Caution you against the Causes of Distraction Secondly Expostulate with you about these Distractions Thirdly Direct unto Remedies against Distractions Fourthly Insist upon several particular Duties and shew you how you may with less Distraction perform them Fifthly Speak Terrour to Sinners and Hypocrites Sixthly Conclude with Comfort and Encouragement to Saints who would fain do better and with less Distraction attend upon the Lord. USEI Shall be of Caution against the Causes of Distraction If we would be delivered from the effect we must find out and remove the cause Health and Ease are in vain hoped for while no care is taken to remove the Causes of sickness and pain Serious in holy Duties we shall never be whilst we allow and cherish the Causes which make our Hearts rove and wander from God Now the great Causes of Distraction which I am to warn you against and you are to take heed of are these 1. I enter a Caveat against corrupted Nature This is the Cause of Causes if you trace up any sin to its original you will see that to be original sin Corrupted Nature never did any Duty well has no care at all to do any thing better Though the first Adam died several thousand Years ago yet in a sense he lives to this Day he walks and haunts and troubles his whole Posterity and though this old Man is Crucified with Christ yet he is not quite dead in any Believer while the Believer lives upon the face of the Earth and the evil that remains in him will shew it self present with him when he would do that which is good Rom. 7. 21. We may truly cry out Mystery of Iniquity the great corruption of Nature the Mother of wickedness and abominations of the Earth As sin is from hence so this is the grand obstruction of the serious Service of