particular preparation then it cannot be performed well at all where there is no preparation as in the unregenerate there is not And can they be fit for heaven that are not fit for Gods service What fit for wages and not fit for work They that partake in the inheritance of heaven have it among them that are sanctified Act. 26.18 and what is it to be sanctified by faith in Christ Jesus but to be set apart unto God and his service to be purified for Christ zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 Change of place will not change the dispâ—sition of the soul no not heaven it self could an unregenerate man come thither no more then a man comming from hell and relating his experimentall knowledge of the torments there would change the soul Luk. 16.31 If therefore men be unfit for the service of God here they will be much more unfit for the service of God in heaven where more perfection and continuall worshipping of God is required 2. To reprove the usuall and ordinary generall and common unpreparednes of Gods people unto Gods worship It is not the fault of some particular Christians onely but of all the people of God generally and their fault it is not at some particular times onely but ordinarily No one thing I am perswaded the godly are more failing in then in preparing themselves for Gods worship They cannot be ignorant that it is a way of Gods command and a way of promise therefore of advantage and benefit unto them therefore in neglecting it they sin against Gods soveraignty and their own good Do not the practices of Gods severall servants in Scripture cast shame upon them Nay do not their own consciences reprove them when they are out of temper in holy duties and cannot finde God Do not their consciences whisper to them and tell them that they may thank their unpreparednes Nay doth not the thing it self deeply reprove them and take away all excuse what come unprepared to Gods worship Suppose that God would not at all hide himself when his people come unprepared to his worship and they were sure of so much yet were it their fault to come unprepared should not they suit themselves according to the presence they come unto and the work they go about Doth not reason teach as much Can we without fault lesse prepare for eternall waies for waies that concern Gods glory and our good most then for other matters Gods worship is an eternall way though this and that particular worship of God be not eternall yet some worship of God is eternall and shall remain with us for ever in heaven and all the worship of God doth tend more to Gods glory and our good then any thing else yet we prepare more for any thing else More particularly we are to be reproved for sundry things that tend to our unfitting to the worship of God 1. The godly do not remember the sabbath in the week day That remember which the Lord hath prefixed before that commandement rather then any other doth imply as a necessity of speciall remembrance of that so an easines to forget that a difficulty to remember it or else the Lord would not have set this remember before it And if the godly consider they shall finde that the Sabbath comes seldome into their mindes the week thorow though it be the most solemne day in the week and of more weight then all the dayes in the week 2. The godly do not ordinarily keepe up their watch and so advantages for grace are overslipped and sinne is committed through carelessenes which doth exceedingly unfit the heart for Gods worship sinne makes grace unto the performance of duty as a knife to cut without an edge 3. They do not spiritualize their callings and earthly businesses by going about them in the strength and wisdome of the spirit of God and propounding Gods glory as their aime and end and making some spirituall use of passages therein by meditation often raising up their thoughts and desires to heaven so that they grow earthly and carnall like the occasions they meddle with and so unfit for heavenly and spirituall worship 4. The times of their vacancie from their callings and of libertie they spend in empty and unprofitable wayes letting loose their thoughts and speeches unto vain and empty things which tend to no profit and so the heart is more empty whereas if the people of God would but season the times of their repast and recreation with some sprinklings of good discourse as salt or winde up the same with some good discourse or with prayer or with some heavenly thoughts their bodies would be more fit for Gods worship and their spirits not the more unfit 5. The people of God do their worldly occasions unto the utmost period of time on the Saturday night that sleepe will allow them to take and doe not improve their time that day that they might get their occasions dispatched and have some time to prepare their hearts Herein I perswade my self the godly that use our Saturday markets do exceedingly faile in that they do come home so late not through necessity of busines but carelessenes much time is spent on that day which they can give no good account of when they come to recollect themselves Nothing but sleepe doth part the Lords day and their dayes with them beside ordinary duties Will sleepe change the frame No surely but as they left with the world last when they went to sleepe so they shall meet with that first when they awake in the morning That which may the more reprove the godly is the consideration of a treble cause of this unpreparednes 1. The difficulty of it it is an harder matter to prepare the heart then to performe a dutie for the godly do not ordinarily neglect duties but they ordinarily neglect to prepare their hearts were it as easie to prepare the heart as to performe duty they would doe that as well And if difficulty hinder is not spirituall sloth the cause and what more lothsome then to neglect that which might exceedingly tend to Gods glory and their good for want of taking a little paines 2. A second cause why the godly doe no more prepare themselves is an opinion that a little preparation will serve for if they did not thinke a little would serve if they were perswaded that God would not take a little well they would prepare more And if this opinion did spring from meere ignorance because they know no better it were lesse matter but it doth spring from heedlessenes and carelessenes because they do not attend to and consider of the light they have for did they but consider the command of God the practice of the servants of God and their own practice in other matters they cannot but know that a little preparation will not serve 3. A third cause is confidence in duties done did they thinke duties would do them no good without preparation they would
with wisdom 4. Accustom our selves to meditation so we shall get a skill of thinking well Meditation in its nature is the composing setling and congealing of our thoughts It is to our roving sluent mindes as a damme to running water when much water is gathered together the damme makes it there to stand So when many thoughts are gathered together in the soul meditation makes them there to stand keeps them from running out again The nature of it being a setling of the minde the effect of it must needs be so and the use of it frequently must needs perfect the effect more and more settle our mindes When Paul desired to have a good conscience alwaies the means he used was to exercise himself therein so Paul to Timothy 1 Tim. 4.7 Exercise thy self unto godlines the way to gain the trade and skill of godlines is to exercise our selves therein ver 15. Mâ—ditate on these things give thy self wholly unto them that thy profiting may appear unto all If Timothy would be busied wholly in stirring up the gift of God all should see his profiting So if we would give our selves to meditation be much in it it would apparently settle our mindes It is made the property of a blessed meditating man to bring forth fruit in season Psal 1.3 Why so because he is as a tree planted by the rivers of waters As a tree planted by the rivers of waters cannot want fitnes to bring forth fruit in season bâ—cause it hath abundance of nourishment So the meditating soul cannot want fitnes to bring forth fruit in season good thoughts in holy duties because it is planted amongst Gods springs the fulnes of the assisting spirit 5. Adde to these watchfullnes wandring thoughts will not be prevented without watching Watch 1. Thy minde it needs watching for it is nimble therefore will soon be gone and go far in a little time 2. Watch thine eie a rolling eie a wandring heart if thou give libertie to thy eie that will set the minde at liberty Job 31.1 I have made a Covenant with mine eies why should I think on a maid the eie depends on the minde else why should he make one Covenant to binde them both So he argues I have made a covenant with mine eies why should I think It might be said though the eie be bound by covenant yet the minde is at liberty The answer is that the eie is the servant of the minde made to help that therefore in binding the eie the minde is bound for if it cannot have the help and service of the eie it hath not full liberty if the minde should not be bound why should the eie to which it serves 3. Watch thy ears when thou art hearing or praying the Devil will cause some sound or other to draw away thy ear he is that cunning charmer that labours to inchant our ears he will make us think that we hear some pleasant melody of our profit or pleasure or honour if we keep not our ears stopped with attention thickned with watchfullnes 4. Watch thy affections 1. That they be affected and moved with the duty in hand dead affections make a wandring minde if what is thought on do not affect the minde will think of something else that may affect this is one reason of wandring thoughts because present thoughts do not affect the minde doth naturally serve the affections the more they are delighted the more content the minde hath for it hath its ende if duties in hand delight not the minde will wander till it hath found matter of delight 2. Watch thy affections that they continue as they begin if they be affected A bowe continuing bent doth carry the arrow levell to the mark but if it slip the arrow wanders So if our affections continue in that vigour and life wherein they begin they will keep our mindes steady but if our affections tire and wax weary our mindes will rove Though by watchfulnes we cannot wholly prevent wandring thoughts yet we shall in part prevent them hereby we shall more easily discern them and resist them this is a way of command therefore a sure way Ob. But when we have used all means still we shall be troubled with wandring thoughts Answ True therefore when we have done God the best service in his Ordinances that is attainable these three things must allwaies follow 1. Sense of our failings 2. Recourse unto the Lord Jesus for renewment of repentance and pardon and increase of power 3. Confidence of Gods acceptance in and through Christ of what he enableth us unto CHAP. IIII. Of the third hinderance of instant worshipping of God unpreparednes PSAL. 57.7 My heart is fixed oh God my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise THis verse doth afford us an help and means to the better praising of God i. e. fixednes firmnes or preparation of heart and soul which gives us just ground to speak of another hinderance of our earnest worshipping of God viz. unsetlednes loosenes and unpreparednes of heart N. God cannot so well be worshipped without a fixed or prepared heart unpreparednes of heart doth weaken our worshipping of God What is said of thanksgiving which is one part of Gods worship is true of all for there is the same reason of one and of all Preparation of heart doth commend all thanksgiving even unto God himself and in like manner doth it commend all other parts of worship and the want of it doth discommend the worship performed and therefore discommend it because it doth weaken it for had the worship its full and due strength and worth without it how should the want thereof discommend But this is clear in the Text ver 8. That worship that is performed with a sleepy drousy body is a weak worship but the Psalmist here makes the awaking of the body to be the fruit and effect of the preparation of the heart awake my glory awake lute and harp I my self will awake early why so My heart is prepared the heart prepared and thereby awaked will awake the body To worship God therefore without a prepared heart is to worship him with a drousy body because with a drousy heart and therefore weakly Three things will fully manifest the truth of this point 1. The command of God for preparation see it both in ordinary and in extraordinary worship God requires preparation unto ordinary worship A generall command that reacheth unto all parts of ordinary worship expressely is the fourth Commandement There are foure things in that which do call for preparation 1. Remember the Sabbath day and he that setteth down no particular time when we should remember it means all time a signe there is somewhat more in that day then in other daies that we must remember it more then any other yea then all other surely for some end we must remember it 2. Keep it holy and ver 11. The Lord sanctified it there is a difference between this and other daies we
arguments that the most are weary of Gods service some whereof will fall upon some and others upon others and one or other upon the most 1. That comming after the beginning of Gods worship and going away before the end of it which I blamed heretofore as an act of despising of Gods worship will prove wearines in this place Were it matter of delight Gods worship then the more of it the more delight the sooner men come the longer they stay the more delight if men come with the first and stay with the last they shall have more delight but if it be a burden the lesse of it the more delight Were man to go to a delightfull recreation they would be there with the first and stay with the last upon this ground lest they should lose part of their delight let not men say they have many hinderances when they should come and they have many things to hasten them when they should go home for delight would break thorow hinderances and make a man forget what would take him off Do not men forget their meat and sleep when they are about pleasant occasions And were the worship of God delighfull men would forget their occasions at home till the worship of God be ended 2. That allowance of the forenoon only on the Lords day to the worship of God and reservation of the afternoon by some which is a clipping of the Kings coin of heaven for the Sabbath is the Lords day in a speciall respect all the dayes of the week are Gods in respect of creation and end but the Sabbath is the Lords as the Kings coin is his it bears the Lords image of holines it is an holy day set apart from common use unto Gods worship to take away the afternoon of that therefore is to clip the Kings coin yea though a man should spend so much time in private reading as he is wont to spend in publike worship seeing therefore there is such variety of Gods Ordinances such convenient time of rest and refreshing between the forenoon and afternoon exercise and due and timely finishing of the afternoon exercise what but wearines doth keep men from it Nay many do take so liberally of Gods good creatures on that day which most will have on that day more then any other though it be fit for very few bodies that their bodies are made unfit to performe Gods service Suppose the day be cold or rainy as it doth sometimes fall out on that day and it may be to try whether that will keep men away would not delight break thorow will not men do the like for their callings and recreations 3. That hasty hearty and full speech of the world and worldly occasions on the Lords day in some when the service of God is finished morning and evening as if the Sabbath were a market day a day of bargening paying receiving rather then of worshipping of God or seeking the good of the souls of men If the Sabbath be holy then nothing must be spoken or done that day but what is directly holy or done directly for an holy end to further Gods worship to helpe our hearts Were not men weary of holy duties would they so soon be gotten to earthly occasions would they be so hot and fervent in the same would there not be some remembrance of the duties newly past but that men lay aside a burden when they finish them 4. The neglect of all private duties by some on the Lords day If they were not tired with and weary of Gods publike worship would they not pray in their families speak something of the word they have heard though it were the lesse the Sabbath being appointed only for holy duties But if a man should go from family to family how few should he finde that pray on the Lords day night or speak any thing of the word preached but spend the time in idle talking a signe they have enough of Gods service are tired therewith 5. The haste that some make out of the house of God into the alehouse wherein they can sit longer then at the worship of God All these things which fall upon the most some or other of them do shew what weary service God hath generally performed and consequently weak service 2. The weak service God hath done him by his own people for it is weary service as appeares 1. In that they are not so willing of the approach of the Sabbath that light is not so pleasant unto them they think it comes too soon could wish it would stay a little longer 2. Their hearts are not so chearfull in Gods service nay many times the Lords day is the saddest day in the week they are more merry before it comes and when it is gone then in it 3. They give too much way to wandring thoughts and affections in holy duties they are not so unpleasant and burdensome to them they do not strive against them 4. Secret wishings and desires that the Sabbath were gone to the end they might go about other occasions 5. Too much gladnes of the end of the Sabbath too much ease and rest in their hearts these things shew how weak service God hath because so weary 3. Their sin that take course to weary soul and body so as to make them unfit for Gods worship for they take course to weaken his worship they that overcharge their bodies with surfeting and drunkennes that overtire them with labour that suffer their affections to run at their will upon earthly things do take course that God might have but poore service to do God but poore service is a sin but to take course that God may have but poore service is a double sinnne that argues we are willing he should have but weak service or at least are carelesse of the strength of his worship 2. To reprove 1. Our generall wearines of Gods worship If we consider it it may shame us 1. A signe we have lost Gods creation Is it likely that God would make creatures on purpose for his service and make them so that it should be a burden to them when it was in his power to make them otherwise Thou art weary of the word of prayer canst rest no where dost continually wish the minister had done oh be ashamed God did not make thee thus thou hast lost his image wiped off his spot should a father take paines and be at cost with a childe to learn him the skill of some trade and he should have lost it when he should come to exercise it would he not be ashamed thou hast lost the skill of serving of God which God gave thee wherein he was at more paines and cost then in making the rest of his creatures Me thinks this should make men hang down their heads for shame when they finde themselves weary of Gods worship they were sometimes fit to do Gods service but now unfit 2. There is no matter of wearines in Gods worship for it
in spirituall actions because a man in them did come nearest to God and had most to do with him the fountain of comfort therefore the curse of sorrow is most found in spirituall actions because in them naturally a man is furthest from God and doth â—east expresse him And though the godly do finde much sweetnesse and comfort in holy duties more then in other actions yet they tast of the curse here more then elsewhere they finde more travill trouble and sorrow attending spirituall actions then any other the sweat of their browes and wearines of their bodies is not so troublesome as the pain of their hearts in holy duties their generall calling is more sorrowfull and bitter then their particular an harder matter to keep their thoughts close to good duties then to their particular callings their mindes are more vexed and their bodies more tired in good performances then with so much labour any where else If most disquiet from within and from without be found in spirituall actions then there is most cause of spirituall sloth This spirituall sloth that hinders our fervent performance of good duties is improved and increased sundry wayes 1. By ignorance of three things 1. Our necessity and want of spirituall actions we see not what need we have to pray much and hear much because we naturally want Gods favour grace apart in heaven and they that are renewed have but little grace much to do with it and much opposition against it yet know not what need they have of the increase of grace When our Saviour commandeth his Disciples Matth. 6.31 33. to take no thought saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or where withall shall we be clothed But first seek the kingdome of God and his righteousnes doth he not give us to understand that they and so we are more sensible of wants for our bodies then for our soules that we had need be called from the one unto the other 2. Ignorance of the worth and excellency of holy duties which have a worth above other actions inasmuch as they are commanded in the first place do require more expression of grace do more immediately concern God do bring more honour to him we do duties on Gods day and at other times because God commandeth them others do so and we are wont so to do but we look at them as mean work as poor imployment we do not see the hidden worth and excellency of them It is not in vain that the Lord saith Isa 58.13 they should call the Sabbath honourable It is one thing to keep the Sabbath and another thing to keep it as an high day a day of honour thinking our ordinary worldly thoughts words and works too mean and base for it we perform good duties but we know not the honour of them if we did we should not be ashamed of good speeches and actions as if they were matter of shame rather then honour 3. Ignorance of the benefit and good that redounds unto us by the performance of good duties as increase of our communion with God increase of his Image in us increase of peace and comfort increase of all other good things Why doth God so frequently use the argument from the benefit to move us unto performance of them but to declare our ignorance herein as well as to declare his bounty and to meet with our self-love and desire of our own good If we know experimentally the trouble and toil of good duties and not so well know our want the worth and benefit of them how should we but be backward unto them as disquieting us without any great necessity worth or benefit to countervail that disquiet 2. Spirituall sloth is improved and increased by false reasonings in our mindes For instance 1. Lesse frequencie in performing good duties and fervencie will serve the turne and if lesse will do what needs more Are not the hearts even of the godly apt to say what need we be so often in prayer and take so much paines with our hearts therein surely God is not so strict nor the way to heaven so streight Why doth the Apostle call for all diligence in the adding of grace to grace 2 Pet. 1.5 and in making our calling and election sure vers 10. but that we thinke a little will serve Why doth our Saviour call the way to heaven a strait gate and narrow way Maâ—th 7.14 and command us to strive to enter in Luke 13.24 but that we are not easily possessed that so much paines is required in good duties as indeed there is especially others do cry out of them as prodigalls that take much paines in hearing praying and are not backward to say that they hope to get to heaven with lesse adoe and if lesse will not serve God helpe them That there is no need of so much paines in good duties they undertake to prove by experience others say they have done well others have done well in times past and do well now that take not so much pains spend not so much time in good duties labour not so much with their hearts were not such and such honest men were they not well thought of of the Church of God are they not gon to heaven dare you think otherwise yet they were not forward strict and precise as some they went on fairely and made not so great a noise and stirre in religion Are not such and such now well thought of you would be loath to think they do not fear God that they shall not go to heaven yet they do not so much as keep company with the godly you can discern in them no great labour and pains-taking for heaven one may therefore do well and get well to heaven where nothing will be wanting without so much adoe the labour then is well spared so saith sloth spare what one can but reason grounded upon experience saith a man may do well without so much labour therefore spare it This reasoning is false for suppose some have gotten to heaven and shall get to heaven that are not so diligent in good wayes and so shall do well in the end yet they do not so well in the way Who knows what smart their sloth costs them in life in time of sicknes in the houre of death who knows what peace comfort grace what heaven upon earth they deprive themselves of who knows how God in Ordinances would raise them up to heaven and come down from heaven unto them were they more carefull to take pains Nor do they so well in the end they shall have lesse grace and glory in heaven lesse of God and so be lesse happy They shall have a crown but not be set with pearls they shall sit in thrones but not so near the King of Kings as others they shall be filled with the rivers of Gods pleasures but their vessells shall not be so able to contain as others 2. There is no profit in performing good duties we
nor can he put any glorious effect into such his commanded meanes that they shall beare weight with the Judgement or helpe the affections and so they remain obscure and darke as man himselfe is in heavenly things and so unsutable to Gods glorious worship To be carelesse in obscure darke hidden good is a small matter but to be carelesse about eminent good as Gods worship is eminent and apparent sin 4. A reverent or fearfull Name Deut. 28.58 Psal 111.9 Gods Name is such a name as considered of doth strike with reverence and feare the holines of it the greatnesse of it things holy and great have a Majesty in them Gods worship is a holy worship and a great worship therefore a fearfull worship Now to take in vain light and triviall matters is a small thing but to take in vain a reverent and fearfull worship argues senselessnes 5. God will not hold him guiltlesse that doth take his Name in vain as a man doth his worship by carelessnes 1. How ever men performing Gods worship onely outwardly with the outward man may go for innocent with men none will say that they have sinned yet God will not count them innocent unlesse they have performed the same carefully which is a weighty consideration When men have been at the Sacrament or word or prayer they thinke all now is well but God accounts them sinners if they have not performed the same with their best affections he holds them guilty they are sinners in his account and if sinners he will so deâ—le with them and so he profesâ—â—â—â— Mâ—l 1.14 Cursed bâ— the deceiver that hath a male in his flock c. He is a deceiver there is his sinne his guiltines cursed be the deceiver there is Gods dealing with him as guilty A deceivâ—r as if God should say I observe such men all the week about their owne occasions they are up early and down late they sweat hard but when they come to serve me on my day they are heavy and carelesse they are deceivers they have better affections to bestow then they do bestow upon me Cursed be the deceiver what 's that evil shall befall him evil of punnishment Losse of good Presence of evil Losse of good what Gods acceptance Gods recompence Gods acceptance promised Ezek. 20 41. I will accept you with your sweet savour Gods recompence promised Isai 36.7 I will make you joyfull in my house of prayer Isai 58.14 Then shalt thou delight thy selfe in the Lord. .i. encrease their delight more and more delight inlargement of heart in duty is an evidence of Gods acceptance what God prepares he will accept joy in duty fitnes for and forwardnes unto duty is Gods recompence when the more we pray read heare or receive the more we joy therein and are forward thereunto They that are carelesse in Gods worship shall neither finde Gods assistance nor joy therein nor willingnes thereunto but shall be bound up and backward unto the same Positive evil shall befall carelesse worshippers Jer. 17.5 6. Cursed be the man whose heart departeth from God and pitcheth elsewhere why he shall inhabit the parched places of the wildernes the sunne of Gods wrath shall light upon him and parch soul and body and estate dry up graces and affections and if body and estate prosper yet the soul and the good thereof shall be much more parched so experience shews Carelesse worshipers of God are barren of spirituall good Vse Information 1. The perfection of the law of God it reacheth to the inward and spirituall part of man yea to the utmost of that As it is said of the sunne Psal 19.6 Nothing is hid from the heat thereof the beames peirce into the bowels of the earth so not the heart not the extent of the heart which is most spirituall and comes nearest God is hid from the command of the law a signe the author thereof is above man in knowledge in power 2. The dignity of Gods worship the best part of man yea the best of the soul the utmost of it is but meet for it if any thing in the soul be better then other it must be drawn forth This was shadowed out in the sacrifices of the law Gods sacrifices were to be without blemish and the fat the best of the beast was specially his If civil worship have the body the outward man it is sufficient because it is done unto men that can look no further are capable to receive no more this is as much as will be honour to them before men but religious worship requires the soul and the best of the soul because it is done to that God that searcheth the hearts and trieth the raines is capable of the best and most honoured thereby 3. All performance of worship is â—â—t equally good and equally pleasing unto God he requires fervencie God is life and the more lively worship the more sutable and delightfull unto him 2. To reprove 1. Neglect of Gods worship this is a contrary extream unto instant worshipping of God when men pray not at all go not to the assembly on the Lords day sanctifie no Sabbath but their whole soul and body and strength of both are taken up about the world or about their lusts this is fervencie and strength either of ignorance or of disobedience Do not men know that God is to be worshiped that some time is appointed for his worship that is grosse ignorance what God have no worship who is your King your maker works of creation and providence do cry aloud against this ignorance Act. 17.26 27 28. And if we know God is to be worshipped and time is sanctified for that end and yet neglect do we not manifest strength of disobedience great frowardnes of heart 2. Our inconstancy and partiality in the worship and service of God our inconstancy sometimes we take it up at other times we lay it downe some will pray and be very reliâ—ious in affliction or on the Sabbath-day or at least against they go to the Sacrament but not ordinarily others will ordinarily worship God for a time but they have their interruptions and breakings off one while they will pray and another while they will be unpraied these have their cold fits the fire of love were that in their hearts would consume these interruptious Others are partiall in Gods worship they will come to the word not to the Sacraments some will come to both these yet do not strive to joyn with the Congregation in prayer these have but halfe hearts to Gods worship the rule of their worshipping of God is not love to God for then they would be found in all his worship and expresse their love in all 3. Our constant carelesnes in Gods ordinary worship though we observe part and are observant of appointed times with Gods people yet we make it not matter of feare we do not stir up our affections thereunto or therein we are not of Davids spirit who would not offer that
them hereupon they draw in and are afraid to shew their respect But let such consider what they doe They that think meanly of good duties doe sinne and wilt thou be beaten from thy duty by the sinne of others because others doe ill wilt thou doe ill also The sinnes of others should warne us from sinne not draw or drive us unto sinne because others despise Gods ordinances wilt thou despise them also there is most need now to honour them to recover that esteeme which they lose by others for that is one reason why Gods people are called his portion because he makes up by meanes of them the losses of glory that he sustaines from the world Isai 43.21 This people have I formed for my self they shall shew forth my praise though other people are for themselves and their owne praise yet his people shall be for his ends and his praise though prayer was cryed down in Babylon for thirty dayes to make a snare for Daniel yet the disrespective law against it could not make Daniel neglect his course of praying Though David was mocked by his own wife for dancing before the Arke he answered it was before the Lord and if that were to be vile he would be more vile so say thou if to read and pray be to be vile thou wilt make thy selfe more vile 4. To provoke us to take heed of despising Gods holy things Two arguments are at hand to disswade us 1. It is sinne a sinne that is obvious to every eye an unnaturall sinne Will not all judge it a sinne for a childe to despise his father or a servant to despise his Master Is it not an unnaturall sinne Nature bindes them to the contrary Is not God our Father our Master the best Father the best Master like whom is none and is it not much more a sinne an unnaturall sinne a sinne cryed down by all to despise God yet so we doe when we despise his worship which is his name What is worse then sinne who would not avoid sinne specially manifest and unnaturall sinne such is this despising of Gods worship for we returne disrespect for respect The Psalmist admires at Gods respect to man Psal 8.4 What is man Though there be no worth in man yet God shewes that respect to man that men are wont to doe to them that have great place and worth to disrespect him therefore is great sinne 2. Despising of Gods worship will hinder our earnest worshipping of God doth not God deserve our best affections in his worship and doe we not desire to bestow our best affections upon God in his worship God will returne them to us better againe This we cannot doe if we despise Gods worship Will we bestow much affection upon that which we thinke is not worthy much Let me adde one more argument to disswade us from despising Gods worship drawn from the ill consequence hereof and this argument hath three severall branches I pray take notice of them 1. Our despising of Gods worship will redound to our dishonour if we expose them to sleighting by our sleightly use of them God will cause us to be despised To despise Gods worship is to sinne against Gods honour therefore Gods punishment shall be directed against our honour Mal 2.9 Therefore have I also made you base and contemptible before all the people God made the priests generally and of all hands base and contemptible and he did it also i. e. in relation and with respect unto that reproach and dishonour they had put upon him as it followeth in the verse According as ye have not kept my wayes but have been partiall in the law they dishonour God by obeying but where they listed and God poured contempt upon them Ever observe it ministers that have but low thoughts of Gods worship and meane behaviour in the same God makes them contemptible Not only is it so with ministers who being publike persons do put more dishonour upon God but also with private persons whose dishonour of God is lesse Esau despised his birthright and therein the Covenant of God and God cast such dishonour upon him as can never be wiped away An instance whereof is Heb. 12.16 when the spirit of God had occasion to speak of him and that act he calls him by way of reproach prophane Esau and that thousands of yeares after the action when one would have thought it had been forgotten but God doth not so easily forget dishonour done to him Michal she despiseth David worshipping of God and what was her punishment Not only that which was an affliction but that which was over and besides a speciall reproach 2 Sam. 6.23 Therefore she had no childe to the day of her death A woman whose name should be buried with her self but her reproach should live she had no childe because she despised David worshipping of God If therefore we have any respect to our honour as we have if we be not destitute of the spirit of men and women for what is a mans life without respect but a living in the grave a being buried whilst a man lives let us take heed of despising Gods worship 2. Our despising of Gods Ordinances doth not rest or is limited in them but passeth through them unto God doth not stay till it commeth unto him Luk. 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me The Apostles were but ignorant and unlearned men fishermen in themselves considered but when they became vessels to carry the word of God unto the world then what respect was shewed to them was done to God and what disrespect was done to them did not rest till it came to the highest Majesty for they are the Ordinances of his command and of his glory His Name is called upon them his commission is with them nay his presence is with them Math. 18.20 Where two or three are met in my Name I am in the midst of them A notable proof hereof we finde in Elisha 2 Kings 2.23 24. when little children mocked him he cursed them in the Name of the Lord i. e. in the Lords authority command and commission Had not their mocking of Elisha been Gods cause he had sinfully used Gods Name and authority If a Master send his servant about some errand and give him power to use his Name in it may he also use his Name about his own busines Nor had his curse been effectuall for he could not have sent the bears to have destroyed them which is one of Gods sore judgements Ezek. 14.21 and God would not have sent them had not the cause been his own Let us now consider Men that despise the word and prayer yet do not thinke God is to be despised but rather thinke him not worthy to live that doth despise God for God is of infinite worth and goodnes yet in despising these they do depise God for it is prayer unto
for silver and the needy for a paire of shoes and sell the refuse of the wheat It was not likely that they were so profane as to say so but they said so in their thoughts which whispering the Lord heard and so reports them these were wandring thoughts evil in themselves thoughts of deceit of falshood of oppression of injustice and that in the Sabbaths Thus wicked Jezebel 1 King 21.8 9 10. calls upon the Elders of Iesreel to proclaime a fast and in it to busie their thoughts about false witnesse and murther two men must come in and witnesse that Naboth blasphemed God and the King and then he must be carried out and stoned these things their thoughts must be busied about as the maine end of their fasting Our Saviour chargeth the Pharisees that they did devoure widows houses and for a pretence or cloke to hide it make long prayers in their prayers their thoughts did busie themselves about hiding their oppression and cruelty the main end of their praying Thoughts in themselves evil in time of Gods worship are most evil 1. Because they argue deepe hypocrisie for they are directly contrary to God yet covered over with shew of love to God To colour over great hatred of God with show of love is great hypocrisie 2. Great injury is done to God for in the very time that we should do service to him in a speciall manner we do speciall service to the devil 3. Deepe dishonour is put upon holy duties as if they had fellowship with sinne and could complie with it which doth indeede destroy their nature why else are these thoughts evil in themselves admitted when holy duties are in hand 4. Our spirits are specially poisoned hereby more then if we had them at another time because a greater curse goeth with them in that they abuse a time of blessing The devil is therefore the worst creature being corrupted because he was the best creature in creation and times of greatest blessing perverted are times of greatest curse Let a man abuse the sabbath time of prayer time of hearing with unclean drunken oppressing thoughts he shall be more accursed from God then if he had the same unclean drunken oppressing thoughts at another time and in other occasions for the sinne is aggravated from the time occasion and so the curse increased which well considered of would make us take heed how we spend the sabbath how we carry our selves in holy duties lest suffering sin to be stirred we become deeply accursed 2. A second sort of wandring thoughts in Gods worship are taken up about things lawfull and good in themselves and they are either Earthly good things Or spirituall good things 1. Wandring thoughts about earthly good things in Gods worship are such thoughts as are imployed about our particular callings or provision for our selves and children or about our pleasures and recreations thoughts warrantable and lawfull yea necessary at other times but now wandring thoughts because the minde is in other imployment God peremptorily saith that on the sabbath day we shall do no manner of work Exod. 20.10 If our hands rest and our thoughts be working is that no work Thoughts are as properly the labour and work of the minde as actions and doings are the work of the body Isa 58.13 God forbids us to finde our own pleasure on his holy day and do we not finde our pleasure by our thoughts Thoughts will frame the acting and enjoying of any pleasure or recreation If thoughts about earthly good things holden in time set apart for God are wandring and so sinnefull then in like manner such thoughts had in duties set apart for God are wandring and therefore sinfull When God complains of the Jews by the Prophet that their hearts went after their covetousnes in time of hearing the Word what doth he mean bâ—t that they were busy in thoughts and affections about worldly things which they so much desired though their bodies were absent from them 2. Wandring thoughts in Gods worship about spirituall good things are either such spirituall things as are impertinent and of a divers kinde from the duties in hand or such spirituall things as are pertinent of the same kinde and agreeable to the duty in hand Wandring thoughts in duty impertinent and of divers kinde are such as these When a man in time of hearing the Word hath thoughts of praier or of some Sermon thâ—t he heard at such a time in such a place how good it was and usefull unto him when a man in praier hath thoughts of preparation unto praier thoughts of meditation thoughts of hearing the Word Spirituall thoughts pertinent and of the same kinde with the worship in hand are not alwaies to be accounted wandring and sinfull thoughts As for example a man is hearing the Word of God and some thoughts come into his minde suitable to what is spoken some place of Scripture to the purpose or some place of Scripture inlightned to a man beyond what light the Minister giveth to it or something come to minde a man hath heard before to the same purpose A man also joins in praier with others and besides the thoughts of what is praied he hath other like thoughts of his own if these like thoughts do clear the duty in hand to the understanding do increase attention and affection to what is in doing they are not wandring thoughts but they are conserving thoughts thoughts that keep up and keep close the attention and affection to Gods worship and do prevent the weakning and wasting of the same and they are the work of the enlarging and establishing spirit which can at the same time suggest new thoughts and make them helpfull to us But if these pertinent and like thoughts do carry away the attention and take it wholly up that what is in hand is neglected and the thoughts loâ—e the present duty and are long before they can recall themselves and finde the duty then ordinarily they are the work of Satan and corruption working as an Angel of light doing evil but in such a way as may not be discovered for who would suspect good thoughts in duty of the very same kinde to come from Satan and corruption I say if these like thoughts do carry away the attention they are ordinarily evil for God may and sometimes doth as experience proves so take up the thoughts and affections with something in the Word and praier that is suitable to the necessity of the soul that it can minde nothing else for the present but as the soul hath dwelt upon some matter of sorrow and been deeply humbled thereby so God will have a man dwell upon some matter of comfort till the heart be greatly refreshed thereby but this is more then ordinary we may not neglect any part of worship but God may imploy us about some part if he will this act is not voluntary or deliberate but the soul is carried thereto by the power of
in the worship of God But they are to be regarded in Gods worship for they make it better or worse therefore they are not free And do we think the law of God doth take hold of thoughts onely in Gods worship No it is not so partiall it is more compleat and perfect then so What should make men thinke thoughts are not to be regarded Surely such grounds as will not hold 1. The secrecy of them they are unknown hidden secret in the soul To whom are thoughts unknown to men And is mans knowledge the only or chief rule of our care about our thoughts that if he know them not we need not regard them Hath man given us a command Or must man be our judge Our thoughts are sufficiently known to God and our consciences do know them and if these could be ignorant it were better though all the world did know them and though they be hid from men for a time yet they shall know them at the day of judgement if therefore the knowledge of men would make us regard them we must regard them for though they do not know them at present yet they shall know them 2. The multitude of them they are numberlesse who can count or tell them Therefore they are not to be regarded The more our thoughts are the lesse free they are the more to be regarded for were all our thoughts good as in innocency they were and in heaven they shall be what a world of good were there And if they be evil the more they are the more evil 3. The impossibility of ruling them would a man put to all his care the minde will not be kept in compasse passions are unruly but not so unruly as thoughts the most passionate man in the world doth not offend so much in passion as in thoughts If passions at any time break out if we look back we shall see many passionate thoughts have gon before those passions that have broken out have been acted over in our thoughts our thoughts have been very angry when our tongues have been silent There is indeed an impossibility of ruling our thoughts alltogether but was this planted in us by God Then indeed it would be an excuse did not sin bring it upon us And shall we think to make that want an excuse which we have brought upon our selves And because we cannot perfectly governe our thoughts shall we let loose the raines unto them because we cannot do all we should do shall we do nothing at all Not go to the furthest we can That thoughts are to be regarded will appear if we consider 1. There are abominations in the thoughts we think that lying swearing drunkennes uncleannesse are abominations and so they are but there are abominations in the thoughts though we think not so 1 Chron. 29.9 he understandeth the abominations of the thâ—ughts there are then abominations in our thoughts Matth. 15.28 Our Saviour saith that he who looketh upon a woman to â—ust after hath committed adultery with her already in his heart adultery may be committed in the heart and so any other grosse sin The betraying of our Saviour was first in Judas thoughts before it was in his tongue or actions Iohn 13.2 Simons simony his desire to buy the gifts of the Holy Ghost was first in his thoughts Act. 8.20 22. Thou hast thought that the gifts of God may be purchased with money pray God if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee And this thought is called wickednes 2. God as well knowes our thoughts as our actions this is one of Gods peculiar abilities Amos 4.13 He declareth unto man what is his thought An instance whereof we have in Nebuchadnezzars drâ—am he dreamed and forgat his dream the Devil could not tell it for then the Magicians and Soothsayers and Astrologers should have known it but God discovered it to Daniel when he and his companions joined in praier unto Heaven in this regard Dan. 2.17 18. In this respect Daniel saith ver 22. That God revealeth deep and secret things he knoweth what is in the darknes and the light dwelleth with him i. e. he is as well acquainted with the night and the actions thereof as with the day If our thoughts be secret and hidden yet God searcheth all hearts Jer. 17.10 The heart is deceitfull above all things who can know it I the Lord. How should God know it and it be deceâ—tfull above all things He doth search the hearts and try the reins By how much the heart is more deceitfull then other things by so much the Lord doth more narrowly look into it then into other things This is made the reason why the Word of â—od is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4.12 13. because all things are naked and opened before him with whom we have to do what though the heart have many coverings and garments to hide it from the eie of man yet when God comes to look upon it they are taken away the heart is naked What though there be many curious in-works in the heart one â—hought wrapt within another as in the body of man is a curious unknown workmanship and one part more inward and hidden then another yet when God comes to look upon it it is a body anatomized all the most inward inwrapt thoughts may be seen distinctly and fully Psal 13.9 2. God knows our thoughts a farre off what we will think before we think it his infinite eie will see all things at the same time much more therefore doth he know our thoughts when we our selves know them 3. According to our thoughts so will conscience Gods vicegerent acquit and condemn us our thoughts are evidence sufficient whether we shall go to heaven or to hell therefore they are to be regarded Rom. 2 1â— their thoughts accusing or excusing one another If some thoughts be evil other thoughts will accuse them and if some thoughts be good other thoughts will excuse them and as our consciences inlightned do accuse or excuse so will God do 1 Ioh. 3.20 2. If our hearts condemn us God is greater then our hearts and knoweth all things our hearts know but somethings to condemn us for but God knoweth all things amisse in us but if our hearts condemn us not then have we boldnes towards God It is so farre from being a truth that thoughts are not to be regarded that if we seriously consider it they are in the first place and chiefly to be regarded 1. Because they are the first step and beginning of our communion with God in any ordinance publike or private for they are the very first expressions of the first and leading faculty of the soul the minde They that would have any thing furthered must especially have an eie to the beginning for a little help in the beginning will help much and a little hinderance in the beginning will hinder much if therefore we would have that which is
may and must spend them in our own occasions but we must keep it holy as a day set a part for his glory and how shall we keep the day holy if we our selves be unholy 3. It is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God as in Revel 1.10 The Lords day he hath reserved it for himself the six daies are our daies allowed us for our occasions and shall we make no difference between Gods day and our own If the King will have the coronation day kept as his day If a Landlord will have his marriage be kept as his day we difference the same by change of apparell and shall we not difference Gods day from other daies by change of spirit 4. Six daies thou shalt labour and do all thou hast to do and ver 11. In it thou shalt do no manner of work What is this but a charge to prepare when we are commanded to get all our earthly occasions dispatched ere that day come And if it be a difficulty so to do yet we must labour and take pains for that end and if we must have none of our occasions to do on the Lords day which are lawfull all the six daies much lesse must we have our sinfull occasions to do on that day which are never lawfull Another generall place is Eccl. 5.1 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God It is spirituall worship chiefly that is performed in Gods house therefore it is a spirituall foot that is here chiefly meant and the foot of the soul is the inclination or disposition of the soul for all the faculties of the soul do move and work by the dispositions thereof good or evil by them we walk towards God and converse with God Phil. 3.19 20. The Apostle speaking of the wicked saith they minde earthly things but of the godly he saith their conversation is in heaven i. e. as men by the help of their feet carrying them from place to place do converse amongst men so the godly by means of their understanding do walk to heaven though they live here upon earth do converse with God The feet of the soul must be kept when we goe into the house of God then our minde will and affections must be in speciall compasse and under speciall command and that will not be without preparation we have them not at a beck As the Scripture doth plainly command in generall that we prepare unto all the worship of God so doth it plainly command preparation in particular parts of Gods worship For hearing the Word of God Jer. 4.3 Break up the fallow ground of your hearts and sowe not among thornes The ground the heart must be prepared by the plow of repentance the very inwards of the heart must be fastned and opened thereby and the weeds plucked up by the roots Luke 8.18 Take heed how you hear it must be done with caution not with carelesnes he doth not say you need not heed how you hear but take heed how you hear For praier Eccles 5.2 Be not rash with thy mouth nor let thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God we must not rush upon praier nor rashly pour out words in that duty but be well advised and ponder well what we say For singing psalms be filled with the spirit and then sing Ephes 5.18 19. For the passover the paschall lamb was not to be killed till the fourteenth day of the moneth Exod. 12.6 but it was to be taken up on the tenth day ver 3. What was this but to prepare them The paschall lamb was set apart foure daies before the celebration of the passeover So in regard of the Lords supper 1 Cor. 21.28 Let a man examine himself and so let him eat not first eat and then examine himself The like command we may finde for extraordinary parts of Gods worship When the people were to hear the Word from Gods own mouth he commanded Exod. 19.10 11. That they should be sanctified two daies together Go sanctify the people to day and to morrow and be ready against the third day Joel 2.15 16. Sanctify a Fast and how shall the people be fitted Sanctify the Congregation When God was about to bring inexpressible evil upon his people and would set them an effectuall way to prevent it he bids them prepare to meet him meet him but not without preparation Amos 4.12 The like command lies upon vows which are the companions of extraordinary speciall praier Eccles 5.4 5 6. The summe of this first argument to prove that the want of preparation doth weaken the worship of God is this To want that which God hath commanded as an help to his worship ordinary and extraordinary is to weaken that worship But to want preparation is to want that which God hath appointed as an help to his worship ordinary and extraordinary therefore to want preparation is to weaken that worship 2. The examples of the servants of God agreeable to this command Psal 26.6 I will wash mine hands in innocency so will I compasse thine Altar oh God David alludeth to a command injoined to the Priests who served at the Altar viz. to wash their hands and their feet when they went to do the service of the Tabernacle Exod. 30.18 19 20. This no doubt was exemplary to the people to teach them with what preparation they should worship God and David saith he will wash his hands in innocency i. e. put away the evil of his doings and then come to worship God as Isa 1.15 16. God excepted against their duties because their hands were full of blood cruell hands and must be washed 2 Chron. 35.6 It was Iosiahs command that the Priests should prepare themselves and sanctify their brethren against the passeover what a pithy letter did Hezekiah write to his Subjects to fit them for the passeover 2 Chron. 30. A letter of instruction shewing them how they should prepare themselves a letter of exhortation pressing them thereto a letter of consolation shewing the benefits that would thence flow and vvhen he perceived the peoples hearts vvere prepared yet they vvanted some ceremoniall preparation he vvas not satisfied but praied to the Lord to heal them Notable vvas Jacobs care to fit his family for a day of extraordinary thanksgiving Gen. 35.1 2. and if he were so carefull to prepare many surely he was not carelesse of one of himself He said to his household Put away the strange Gods that are amongst you and be clean and change your garments put away the strange Gods more open and grosse sins be clean from more secret sins change your garments the frame of their hearts from earthly to heavenly Jehosaphat 2 Chron. 20.3 When he was in danger set himself to seek the Lord and proclaimed a Fast turned his face from other occasions and set it towards that great occasion From this argument we may reason thus To neglect that which the servants of God have practised as a way of due
worshipping of God is to weaken that worship But to neglect preparation is to neglect that which the servants of God have practised as a way of due worshipping God Therefore to neglect preparation is to weaken that worship 3. God hath generally put it into the mindes of men as a point of wisdom to make preparation for matters of lesse moment Prov. 24 2â— prepare thy work without and make it ready for thy self in the field and afterwards build thine house When men build an house they first bring materialls to the hill as we say and then fit and prepare those materialls that they may sit the work intended and then they build they do not build without preparation Pro. 21.31 The horse is prepared against the day of battell the horse is not used in battell out of hand nor will any ordinary common horse serve for that end but the horse is prepared against the day of battell by exercising unto warlike skill by fit keeping by harnessing Men prepare their ground by mannuring and plowing ere they cast in the seed Isa 28.24 25 26. Doth the plow-man plow all day to sowe doth he open and break the clods of his ground when he hath made plain the face thereof doth he not cast abroad the sirches and scatter the cummin and cast in the principall wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place And why doth he thus prepare the ground ere he sowe ver 26. for his God doth instruct him unto discretion and doth teach him Is it wisdom to prepare ere we build a materiall house for man to dwell in And is it not much more wisdom to prepare for that house that it want nothing which must entertain the God of heaven Isa 66.1 2. Heaven and earth are Gods he hath made them and they are ready prepared but what house will they make for God The Lord tells them what house he chuseth more then heaven and earth To him will I look that is poor and contrite and that tremblâ—th at my word a prepared heart to worship God is Gods hoâ—se a poor heart sensible of its emptines of grace a contrite heart that is ground to dust and powder in regard of sin and a heart that trembles at Gods word that is deeply affected therewith and wrought upon thereby Let me adde one instance more which comes a little more nearer to the matter in hand When we are to come to the house of God we prepare our bodies in regard of the company we come unto we wash our selves and change our apparell and see that it be clean we put on some clothes that were not worne since they were washed but are prâ—pared in the week for that day and we should condemn a man of uncomelines rudenes of rashnes indiscretion that should come unprepared in body Nay many that go abroad all the week yet will not come to Church on the Lords day and all the reason is because they have no better clothes had they nâ—w clothes they would come as well as any and the reason why this doth hinder them is becaâ—â—â— aâ—l mâ—â— tâ—ke â—â—re to come iâ—â—â—â—â—l◠〈◊〉 thâ—s to the Câ—â—râ—h â—nâ— they should be 〈…〉 bâ—dy Nay more tâ—â—â— tâ—â—â—â—â—â—t comely cloâ—â—â—â— o◠〈◊〉 own do count it a lesse matter to humble themselves to borrow clothes then to come unhansomâ—ly Nay yâ—t a little furtâ—er many when they come to the Sacrament rather tâ—â—n thâ—y will not have their bodiâ—s prepâ—â—ed as they think they will deprive themselves of food necessary to the comfort of their bodies they will come fasting though our blâ—ssâ—d Saviour and his Apostles did celebrate the Lords supper after they had eaten the passeover which I suppose was a competent meal for they were to be no more at it then could well make an end of the paschall lamb If the body cannot come well into the presence of man without preparation can the soul come well into the presence of God without preparation to worship him The body comes to meet men the soul to meet God the body men count unfit till it be prepared and is the soul sit without preparation shall we make the presence of men of greater consequence then the presence of God Beside the principall end why the body comes to Church is that the soul might meet with God and we trim the handmaid but not the mistris that which hath least use in the present occasion not that which hath most just as if you should trim the hoâ—se you ride upon to Church but not your selves which were a ridiculous thing This argument therâ—fore doth conclude strongly and sensiâ—ly If matters of a lesse moment cannot be so well done without preparation then not the worship of God But lesse matters cannot so well be done without preparation as appears by instance Therefore not the worship of God God will at last day bring out meâ—s plowing to witnes against them and condemn them and this shall be so sensible and plain an argument that men shall have nothing to say As when the Lord said to the man that wanted the wedding garment Friend how camest thou hither not having a wedding garment What come a wedding and not have on a wedding garment The argument was so sensible and plain that he was speechles So when God shall say to us as he will do at the last day â—â—iâ—nd didst not thou prepare thy ground for thy seed What and not thy heart for my worship This shall be so sensible and manifest an argument as men shall n t be aâ—le to say any thing against it but be speeâ—hles What is unpreparednes of heart to worship God It stands in three things 1. Rashâ—â—s 2. Prophanâ—nes 3. Unaptnes or indisposednes 1. Rashnes a rash heart is an unprepared heart and begins the unpreparednes of the heart at the highest faculty of the soul the minde Eccles 5.2 Be not rash wâ—th thy mouth nor let thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God God hath given a man a power to deliberate and consult with himself about matters what is fit to be done and what not fit how matters may best be done and hovv not and hereby the mold and patern of things is made in the minde according to which the outward man doth them and vvithout this a man is not fit to do any thing much lesse the vvorship of God for he doth the same in great part vvithout the soul is carried thereunto by the force of sense and blinde affection and herein represeâ—tâ—th the brâ—te beasts It is called Prov. 22.2 A devouring of holy things It is a snare to a man that devoureth holy things and after vowes to make enquiry When a man devoures holy duties performs them at all adventurâ—s considers not time nor place nor manner nor end such a man is in a snare the food he hath devoured is vvithin a net and hath an hook vvithin it evil vvill befall him after such duties anguish
Ans 1. If it be said that Christs body is present at the Sacrament onely in the Word the word of promise then this objection doth fall to the ground as of no force for we must prepare to receive the word in a Sermon and the word in the Sacrament but diversly dispenced to the ear in a sermon to the eie and hand mouth and stomack in the Sacrament these senses are appointed to help faith to embrace the promise That Christ is no otherway present in the Sacrament but by his Word and promise appears by our Creed which saith he ascended up into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God and from thence shall come to judge the quick and the dead If he sit at Gods right hand in Heaven then he is not bodily present in the Sacrament 2. Suppose Christs body were present in the Sacrament was it not so at the passeover and supper yet we do not reade that in those Ordinances they did shew more reverence to his bodily presence then to his Word though at other times they did so therefore did not prepare more for his bodily presence and for the Sacrament then for his Word And whereas they were bound continually to worship his bodily presence in regard of the union of his humane nature to the divine and our Saâ—iour did sometimeâ— manifest his divine nature to â—nâ—oâ—ce from them bodily worship as Luk. 13.8 Matth. 14.33 Why did he hide it now at this time and rather shew himself most humble in washing their feet Joh. 13.4 But that he would not in this Ordinance have them to worship his bodily presence but intended to admit them unto familiar and honourable converse with him 3. Iâ— the Sacrament be but a signe and representation of the body and blood of Christ as it must needs be granted then the word will require more reverence for the Word so farre as by Scripture it can be proved to be the Word of Christ is not a signe or representation of his Word but his very Word Luk. 10.16 He that hâ—areth you heareth me not an Image of me but me speaking in you as he speaketh in a speciall case Mat. 10.20 It is not you that speak but the spirit of your Father that speaketh in you 2. Object Of the Sacrament the Apostle saith precisâ—ly Let a man examine himself and so let him eat he doth not say so much of hearing the Word therefore we are bound to prepare more for the Sacrament Answ Though so much be not expressed concerning the word in any place that I remember yet so much is implied Ier. 4.3 When it is said break up the fallow ground and sowe not among thorns the meaning of that is the rooting out of sins out of the heart which are as thorns piercing the soul and choaking that which is good How shall they be rooted out unlesse they be known to be there And how shall they be known to be there but by examination Lam. 3.40 Let us search and try our waies and turne unto the Lord. Examination must go before repentance and repentance must break up the fallow ground ere the seed of the word be sown 1 Pet. 2.1 2. When it is said Lay aside all malice and guile and hypocrisies and then desire the sincere milk of the Word is not examination implyed How can they lay aside these sins unlesse they know them to be in their hearts And how shall they know them to be there unlesse they do examine 2. The Apostle had just occasion at that time more punctually and precisely both to declare the institution and manner of preparation that he might root out the disorders and unworthy receivings that were deeply and strongly fastned amongst the Corinthians and brought down from heaven eminent expressions of wrath and displeasure And this will the rather appear if we consider that setting asiâ—e what is here said upon speciall occasion so much is no where else spoken of the Sacrament no more then of the Word Object In the Sacrament we do renew our Covenant with God therefore we should prepare more for it then for the Word Answ So we do renew our Covenant in every Sermon for God declareth what â—e will be unto us and what he requireth of us back again and if we consent and obey as we do if we hear well we do renew our Covenant with God Ob. In the Sacrament we do more fully renew our Covenant with God the Sacrament hath relation to the whole Covenant a Sermon doth but treat of a part of the Covenant therefore we must prepare more for the Sacrament then for the Word Answ If a Sermon do treat but of a part of the Covenant but a branch of it yet of an essentiall part so including the whole for if eveâ—y part of the Covenant be not kept all is void nay the substance and summe of the Covenant is in every Sermon viz. that God will be ours and we his or if one part be onely expressed the other is implyed for the Covenant is mutuall and one part inseparably depends upon the other Quest Why then do Ministers many times take more care that their people be prepared for the Sacrament and people take more care to prepare themselves Answ I deny not but there may be an opinion rooted in the mindes both of Ministers and people that more preparation is required unto the Sacrament then unto the Word which may now be taken away by what hath been said The causes of this opinion may be two 1. The more solemn gesture used yea and commanded at the Sacrament a gesture not onely of reverence but adoration a gesture of worship as the Papists themselves acknowledge who professe they kneel in regard of the reall presence and wonder that we deny the reall presence and yet kneel And indeed if there be no more in the supper then in the word why do we use a gesture in the Sacrament that signifieth more If opinion of greater preparation due to the Sacrament then to the Word did not breed kneeling yet no doubt kneelling hath bred and nourished this opinion in many 2. The seldom and so more solemn use of this Ordinance monethly or quarterly or yearly more like an extraordinary then an ordinary Ordinance of God which might lawfully be used every Lords day hath furthered this opinion for were it used as often as the Word on the Lords day as it lawfully might men would not think it of more weight and consequence then the Word preached 2. Considering this Ordinance so seldom used there may be some reason rendered of the Ministers speciall care to prepare the people before the Sacrament 1. There is a preparation of separation belonging to the Sacrament which doth not belong to the Word all may partake in the Word Mark 16.15 Go preach the Gospel to every creature no creature is excepted from hearing some think the excommunicate should not be kept from heaâ—ing the Word for they are
the blinde lame sick torn manifest but wearines of Gâ—ds worship that it was a burden the actions of the weary and tired are blinde sicke lame divided and distracted actions When the Apostle Gal. 6.9 2 Thes 3.13 doth call upon the people of God not to be weary of well doing doth he not give them to understand that wearines will be an hinderance to them in well doing and therefore they must not give way unto it though the way of God be laborious and painfull When God would direct his people how they might be kept from doing their own minde on the Sabbath Isai 58.13 and so might thorowly sanctifie it he adviseth them to call the Sabbath a delight i. e. not only inwardly to delight in it but to grow to such a measure of delight to call it so openly professe and make it manifest that it is our delight let that be the name we give it as God termeth his people Isai 62.4 my delight is in her let others see by our speeches and actions that it is the day of our delight otherwise if we be weary of it and it be a burden unto us we will not be kept from doing our own pleasure What is it to be weary of Gods worship Ans There is a wearines of the soul that reflects upon the body and a wearines of the body that reflects upon the soul The wearines of the soul stands in the absence of two affections which are the strength of the soul desire and delight and the presence of two which are the weaknes of the soul unwillingnes no desire no delight uncheerfulnes backwardnes greif When God in Scripture commendeth the fervencie and strength of any action he commendeth it from these two affections willingnes and delight 1. Willingnes or desire makes any action strongly to be performed when there is a sutablenes or agreement betwixt the will and the action a man doth chuse to do it and that rather then any other such an action must needs have the power of the soul for the will commands the whole soul 1 Chron. 29.14 17. the people of God did offer willingly and therefore abundantly to the building of the temple that David admires and joyes at the offering The fervent worshipping of God prophesied of in the daies of the Gospel is comprehended in this affection of desire or willingnes Psal 110.3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power in the day of the powerfull preaching of the Gospel the worship of Gods people should be willing free-hearted worship not constrained The Bereans hearing of the word was hearing indeed commended above that of Thessalonica Act. 17.11 they received the word with all readinesse of minde they had a forward affection a forth-putting desire to heare and embrace the word Act. 16.14 God opened the heart of Lydia to attend to the word her ear was open and ready to hear and that open ear came from an open heart a desire to heare 2. Ioy or chearfullnes makes an action strongly to be performed when the soul is cheared and comforted in the doing of it then will it do it in the best manner and measure because it 's comfort and delight is the greater Psal 19.5 when the psalmist would expresse how strongly the sun doth run his course he saith It rejoyceth as a strong man to run his race 2 Cor. 8.2 The Apostle saith of the Macedonians that the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded to the riches of their liberality though their poverty was abundant and so unfit for liberality yet their joy being abundant in that Christian action made their liberality to abound so that according to their power yea and beyond their power they ministred to the necessity of the Saints their joy in the action carried them to forget themselves in measure They prayed Paul and his companions with much intreaty to take the gift such was their comfort in the action that if Paul would not take their gift they should misse of their comfort Psal 100.2 we are commanded to serve the Lord with gladnes the joy and mirth of our hearts in Gods service doth better the service performed But on the contrary when desire and joy are wanting the strength and vigour of the soul is gon and it is weary of such actions as it performeth unwillingly and sadly 1. What a man doth unwillingly backwardly he doth as a burden and therefore weakly because wearily Thus the wicked expresse their wearines of Gods waies Job 21.13 we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes they have no desire to be acquainted with the worship of God therefore will but poorly performe it if they performe any 1 Pet. 5.2 feed the flock of God not by constraint but willingly 2 Cor. 9.7 as every man hath purposed so let him give not grudgingly or of necessity whatever dutie a man performeth if he have no minde no desire no will unto it if somewhat without move him to it and not somewhat within if he had rather not do it or rather do somewhat else he doth it without strength therefore wearily it is a burden unto him Exod. 25.2 God willed Moses to take an offering of every one whose heart was willing towards the service of the Tabernacle Ex. 35.21 They came every one whose heart stirred him up and every one whom his spirit made willing to offer God would accept none but from the willing heart there would have been no strength in their offerings had the will been wanting 2. That which a man doth sadly and unchearfully with inward greif of heart he doth without strength of his soul and therefore wearily for such a man doth but bear a burden and carry a load all the while he doth the action and therefore will not care how soon it be done Not but tâ—at a man may be sad in Gods worship David saith Psal 6.8 God heard the voice of his weeping as if his teares did prevail more with God then his prayers We are also commanded to serve the Lord with trembling Psal 2.11 and we know that trembling proceeds from the affection of fear which is of a sadding nature But when our greif is pitched not upon our sinnes which are just matter of acceptable greif yea when we come to joy before God but upon the duty we are sad because we must pray or heare or keepe the Sabbath because we must fall to that imployment and may not go to any other or when sorrow for other causes become a floud so great that it over-whelmes and drownes our joy then the duty is a wearisome duty the soul doth it with no joy with no comfort therefore with no strength In this case when the people wept sore upon that day of thanksgiving Nehem. 8.10 they are commanded not to weepe nor to be sorry for the joy of the Lord is your strength so to weepe and to be sorrowfull as to drown or eclipse their joy on that day was to
make their soules weake and so weary of the duty When Moses chod with Aaron and his sonnes Levit. 10.17 to the end because they had not eaten the sacrifice in the holy place that day his sonnes were destroyed his answer was Had I eaten it would it have been accepted Why not oh he could not have done it with any chear and comfort so heavy a hand of God having lately befallen him and therefore he should have been weary of the service and then God would not have accepted it if thus the heart be weary having no desire or delight the body will be weary for that followes the disposition of the soul the soul carrieth the body with it which way so ever it goeth There is a wearines proper to the body when the strength thereof is spent and the spirits exhausted and so the body is left weak and feeble and so weary of any further action because it hath no strength There is a foure fold cause of exhausting the strength of the body and so making it weary of Gods service 1. The orâ—ginall corrupt disposition of the body by reason of sinne whereby it withholdeth and dryeth up it's strength from that which is good but freely expendeth it upon that which is evil Thus naturally the eyes had rather looke upon a company of sinners then a company of Saints see a company in the ale-house rather then in Gods house prophaning the Lords day then serving him the eare had rather hear evil then good the feet had rather walke to any sinnefull meeting on the Lords day then to the house of God Rom. 6.19 20. The Apostle saith We naturally give our members instruments of unrighteousnes there is no unwillingnes in us but we readily part with them all at sinnes motion nay we are free from holines will have nothing to do with that not any part of our bodies but we are servants of sinne all for sinne And this disposednes to withhold the strength of our bodies from Gods service and to give it unto sinne remains in part in the godly 2. The strength of the body is spent in sinnefull actions sometimes Jer. 9.3 They weary themselves to commit iniquity Particularly the sins of uncleannes and drunkennes do wast the strength of the body Prov. 5.11 The holy ghost tells what shall be the end of the unclean person a mournfull end thou mourne at the last when thy flesh and thy body are consumed And doth not experience tell that men are forced to ly in their beds or keep their houses on the Lords day because they have drunk so hard in the week or on saturday that their bodies are weak and tired The sinne of idlenes doth weaken the body strength used doth encrease and not used doth decay beside the nourishment taken for want of exercise doth turne to corruption and so rather weaken the body then nourish it none more weary of any imployment and of the service of God then idle persons 3. The strength of the body is exhausted sometimes by naturall distempers sicknesses diseases either such as are continually with men which is the case of some or such as lie upon the body at particular times onely the case of others 4. Sometimes foregoing recreations and businesses of mens callings do so spend the body that it hath no strength lest for Gods service The body thus wearied will reflect upon the soul 1. In regard of sympathy agreement and like affection between soul and body what the body delights in the soul doth in measure delight in and what the body is weary of the soul will in measure be weary of 2. As it doth expresse and act the wearines of the soul by reason of sin for so the wearines of the soul is increased and the contrary strength of the soul desire and delight weakned 3. As it is an unfit instrument to expresse the desire and delight of the soul if those affections may not be expressed they will decay and weaken 4. As by the eies and ears it doth let in new objects of delight the soul by sin is new fangled will entertain them and so grow weary of former delights The soul doth expresse its wearines 1. By letting loose thoughts and affections it will not keep them bound but suffers them to wander about for refreshment 2. In thinking the service hard painfull grievous 3. In thinking the time long that is spent therein wishing the same at an end The body doth expresse its wearines 1. By restlesnesse it cannot rest in any position or gesture of it but as a door upon the hinges turns first one way and then another 2. By letting the eies and ears loose to all objects to chuse their delights where they please 3. By speeches too if occasion serve as here they are brought in saying when will the new moon be gon If they did onely say so in their hearts yet God saw they would say so with their tongues if occasion were offered therefore he sets it down so How doth wearines weaken our worshipping of God 1. Wearines in the very nature of it is weaknes a deniall an absence of strength and actions performed in weaknes must needs be weak wearines denies the strength of the minde Can a man think well of what he is weary It denies the strength of the will Can a man be willing of that he is weary of What be willing of a burden It denies the strength of the affections a man will neither desire nor joy in what he is weary of and if the strength of the soul be denied the strength of the body also will be denied and that service which hath neither strength of soul nor strength of body must needs be weak service 2. As it is contrary to the spirit 1. To the nature of it which is a spirit of liberty and freedom a spirit of desire and delight a spirit of Adoption opposed to a spirit of bondage Rom. 8.15 The spirit of a childe which a spirit of love a childe doth his fathers commands with desire and delight he loves his father joyes in him therefore in his commands 2 Cor. 9.7 God loves a cheerfull giver wearines being contrary to the spirit must needs damp that hinder the assistance of it in worship 2. To the work of it 2 Cor. 3.17 Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty sin is compared to cords Prov. 5.22 to a snare 2 Tim. 2.26 because it takes away a mans liberty and free will unto that which is good when God calls a man to any duty his will is not in his own power he is not able to move thereto no not in desire God therefore is said to work the will Phil. 2.13 there is no will till God work it But when the spirit of God comes into the heart it breaks the cords and snares sets the will at liberty unto God 2 Cor. 8.3 The Churches of Macedonia were willing of themselves to minister to the Saints to
from Lords day to Lords day from Sermon to Sermon then shall the ordinances they have slept in accompany them wake and watch with them As they turned their seats into beds their heads were so heavy that they needed no place of ease so now their beds shall be turned into seats hard under them that they shall take no rest When men shall thinke the sleep they should have now in sicknes to make the pain lesse the nights short their bodies more able to bear they have had it long agoe they spent it prodigally therefore must now pinch for it how heavy will it be 3. It puts God upon violent courses to awaken men and make them lively in his service when men do not awake of themselves the vapours being dissolved and senses loosned which is naturall we do by sound or by shaking them force them to awake so when the ordinances Gods apointed naturall way will not awaken them God forcibly breaks open the eyes and eares of men Why did that young man sleep at Pauls Sermon Act. 20. fall down dead not only to punish him but also to make the company 〈◊〉 wakefull and to be a coâ—â—â—â—â—ll noise sounding in the eares of sleepers for that 〈◊〉 videâ—ce of God is a reall â—oice continually and for ever sounding thus much that death 〈◊〉 contained in â—ermon sleeping Indeed it doth not alwaies appear but there it is inâ—olded and â—nwraped in sleeping it did once appear and may alwaies appear â—or ought we know Why did God send a storme after Jonah not so much because â—e ran away from Gods work but beâ—ause his conscience was sleepy and would not awaken withâ—â—t violence Why doth God and amongst a people the shrill â—ounding and eare-piercing â—rumpet the thundring drums â—he warring terrifying cannons but to awaken them whom the silver trumpets of the Temple the Ordinances of God that joyfull sound Psal 89.15 would not awaken When a people have too much â—est and are secure thereby they must hear noise of war God will have his people awakened men are so setled in sleeping that the word will not do it no not the word against sleeping the Lord must therefore take some violent way And I pray God from my heart that this ordinary Lords day sleeping which will not be reclaimed be not a fore-runner of some forcible curse either the losse of the Ordinances or some other judgement if not the waking stirring sword The sword hath long slept in this nation and we mean while give our selves to all rest but when the Lord shall bid the sword awake as Zech. 13.7 our sleep shall be gon The arguments that particularly conâ—e n the unregenerate are these 1. By sleep thou dost as much as in thee lies to keep thy soul out of heaven thou dost shut the door of life the eare is the door of life for faâ— h comes by hearing Rom. 10.17 no hearing no faith no faith no salvation Ephe. â— 8 by grace ye are saved through faith And whereas thou thinkest to awake another day though thou sleepest this day know and consider of it in sleeping this day and this Sermon thou dost sleep all thy time and all thy Sermons for no time is thy time but the present no Sermon is thy Sermon but the present Sermon Why dost thou reckon upon another Lords day how canst thou tell thou shalt reach it The man that made account of many daies to come was stiled Fool by the Lord Luke 12.20 Thou fool this night shall they fetch away thy soul Is it not a folly for a man to reckon upon many daies that hath not a part of a day one night in his power In sleeping this day thou doest what thou canst to shut thy soul out of heaven for ever for thou hast no time to labour for heaven that thou knowest but the time present sleeping therefore in men unregenerate is a desperate action they have but the time present to provide for eternity they may be in hell for ought they know ere another Sermon yet they sleep out this Beside there is a certain set particular time when God will call every man which should make men be in expectation every Sermon because they know not which is the time to sleep is to do what we can to prevent the Lords â—all and so our own salvation 2. Hell was made for Sermon sleeprs torment is the â—â—st recompence of sinfull ease â—hey that sleepe when they â—hould awake must make acâ—ount to wake with pain when â—hey would rest And it may â—ot be unusefull here to relate the providence of God concerning a maid who was much given to sleep at Church The â—ase was this A certain maid went to Church with a purpose to sleep from day to day as she confessed afterwards thinking he could sleep more sweeâ—ly â—here then any where it pleased God one night she fell into a dream in her dream she imagined her selfe walking two waies were presented to her in the one way was a great fire that way she would not go the other way she took it led her by the Church she awaked with this application of her dream she had been wont to sleep much at Church and if she did not amend that fault she must expect no other but hell fire This dream thus applied made her leave sleeping and fall to hearing and from hearing to believing and repenting The arguments that particularly concern the godly are these 1. Let them read with understanding and ponder our Saviours carriage to his sleeping disciples Luke chap. 22.46 brings him in expressing himself in a shâ—rt and sharp angry â—eprose Why sleep ye What â—eason have you to sleep Have you no other busines Matthew chap. 26.40 brings him in upbraiding them of unkindnesse yea great unkindnesse that denied him so small a matter could you not watch with me one houre What not with me not one hour not so small a time If ye cannot do so small a thing for me how will you do more If you cannot overcome a little sleep deny your selves of a little â—est how will you indure persecution and overcome death for my sake 2. He tells them of the danger they had brought themselves into by sleep Matth. 26.41 watch and pray â—hat ye enter not into temptation so much as you sleep now you should watch and pray so much you enter into temptation give Satan advantage will be overcome of sinne and Satan in this houre of affliction Their sleeping was a procuring cause of their flight and of Peters deniall of his master this was the reason that in his winnowing he discovered so much chaff he slept when he should have praid therefore he sinned in trouble he slept the time of his preparation therefore sinned in time of temptation 3. He bringeth them into a condition wherein they could not sleep and yet bids them Sleep on now and take your rest Matth. 26 4â— Sleep now if they could a bitter upbraiding of
their sleeping when they should not and an intimation of punishment by present disquiet Sleep on now what could they now sleep No if you mark the following words behold the houre is at hand and the sonne of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners rise let us be going behold he is at hand that doth betray me How could they both sleep and rise and be going A signe our Saviour did intend to speak ironically i. e. to mock at their restlesse condition so bidding them to sleep that they might well perceive he intended no such matter which is the bitterest kinde of reproof jestingly to bid a man to doe a thing when he knowes he cannot doe it to make a rest of a mans trouble So when God shall cast men into restlesse coâ—ditions and they shall apprehend God bids them sleep now when yet they cannot sleep i. e. doth not pity their want of rest but rather mock at their misery as Prov. 1.26 how heavy will it be before Christ did thus bitterly reprove them their sleeping brought a confusion upon their hearts Mark 14.40 They knew not what to answer they had no excuse for themselves How much more when the godly are in affliction will it trouble and God shall then lay it home to their hearts 2. Consider that proverb of Solomon Chap. 23.21 Drousines shall cloath a man with raggs Is it not true spiritually as well as bodily Were not the Disciples ragged and uncomely when they fled from their Master and Peter especially a man of a poor torne and distracted soul when he denied his Master with swearing and cursing In like manner drousy Christians are ragged Christians of distracted spirits of uncomely conversations How can it be otherwise when they sleep out those Ordinances wherein they should put on the Lord Jesus How did Dalilah get God from Sampson but by getting him asleep and in his sleep causing him to break his Covenant with God by cutting off his locks So whilst men sleep in holy duties God goes from them and they are not awaâ—e for thus the way of intercourse between God and them is shut up 3. Hath not the spirit of God some respect to this sleeping in that Scripture-phrase which the godly have occasion to make use of in their afflictions finding somewhat suitable thereto in the providence of God Psal 44.23 Awake why sleepest thou oh Lord God sometimes doth no more for his people in affliction in their apprehension then a man asleep we call and cry desire others to call and cry for us times and daies doe passe over our heads yet God sleeps still he doth nothing for us our afflictions doe continue Doth not this suit our dealing with God we sle p in his service therefore he sleeps in our occasions When we are in affliction and none can help us but God and we cannot perceive that God doth take any course for us Now in Scripture God is said to sleep and when we finde it so have we not just cause to consider whether we have not slept in Gods service And if so God will not awake till we be humâ—led for that sin As therefore â—e would have God wake and â—tirre about in our troubles when no body else can doe us good let us take heed of sleepâ—ng Prov. 28.9 He that turneth â—way his ear from hearing the Law â—ven his praier shall be abominaâ—ion doe not men turne away their ear from hearing the Law when they sleep in time of the preaching of the Word If God therefore will not come neer their praiers he will sleep as it were in their afflictions when they pray to him Quest How may we be helpâ—d against sleeping in time of Gods worship Answ Somewhat must be done Before In time of the worship of God After The things to be done before are these â— Allow thy self conveni nt sleep the night before the Lords day doe not then abâ—iâ—ge thy self that thy body should have cause to complain thou hast done it wrong therefore it must make bold with God Nor take too much that also will make thee lumpish 2. Moderation in diet feeblenes and faintnes thorow want of food will cause sleep so also will fullnes therefore doe thou so order thy fasting or feeding as experience tells thee will best conduce to thy waking 3. Moderation in weekly labour i. e. when we manage them with dependance upon God for wisedom strength and blessing Psal 127.2 So the burden somnesse in measure is â—aken away and our bodies have not that vexatious toil whereas if we think to carry our occasions with the strength of our own abilities the whole burden will lie upon us so shall we be overwearied and unfit to wake on the Lords day 4. Pray before thou come for Gods quickning spirit to thy soul that quickned will quicken thy body 5. Love not sleep It is a phrase the holy Ghost useth Prov. 20.13 It is one thing to take our naturall rest in time convenient another thing to have an affection to drouse and slumber when we should otherwise be imployed so we shall bring our selves to an habit and custom of droâ—sinesse which will not be shaken off on the Lords day The things to be done in time of Gods worship are 1. Intention of soul and attention of body intend thy thoughts and affections to the Ordinance in hand and attend with eies and eaâ—s carelesnesse is the mother of drousinesse Prov. 19.15 2. Disease thy body If thou finde thy self drousy and shalt soule thy self to ease thou shalt increase thy drousines 3. Desire them that wake to watch over thee and chase away thy heavines by their freequent stirring of thee 4. Lift up an ejaculation to heaven in midst of thy heavines â—rom the bitternes of thy heart â—nd inward opposition of thy â—ullnes that help may come â—rom heaven though there be â—one upon earth The things to be done after Gods worship are 1. Family repetition of the word so should men discern how they wrong God his worship themselves and theirs when they finde all lost by sleep 2. Secret calling of our selves â—o account how we have spent â—he Sabbath so it would appear how ill sleeping becomes that day and the duties of it 3. Renew our godly sorrow for this sinne It worketh repentance change both in heart and life 2 Cor. 7.10 It is a work of the new man therefore doth mortify the deeds of the old man it is a fruit of the death of Christ therefore will dead this sinne of sleeping 4. Burden thy thoughts and affections with it the week thorow so shalt thou be weary of it on the Lords day but if it lie light the week thorow it will be no burden on the Lords day Object Here come old age in the last place to plead its infirmity Answ 1. Nature is infirm by age and so is corruption 2. There are promises of bringing forth fruit in age Psal 92.14 of renewing the youth as the
shall fare no otherwise no better in performing them then if we neglected them Job 21.15 What profit should we have if we pray unto him We say in our proverb as good sit for nought as work for nought this keeps men from the work and labour of prayer a conceit there is no profit in it they see no good come of it they that pray much and spend much time in religious exercises are as poor in the world as much despised and afflicted as any yea and more Mal. 3.14 Ye have said it is vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinances and walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts They are not ashamed to say that it is vain to serve God an unprofitable way and they undertake to prove it by their own experience they have kept Gods Ordinances and have mourned for their failings yet have found no benefit things have gon no better with them Jer. 44.17.18 they speak their mindes fully since they left off burning incense to the Queen of heaven they wanted all things and were consumed with famine and sword but when they did burn incense to the Queen of heaven they had plenty of victuals were well and saw no evil so the godly have times of temptation wherein carnall reason assisted by Satan doth prevail to make them think and say all their sincerity is in vain and the pains they have taken in Gods service Psal 73.13 Verily I have clensed my heart in vain and washed mine hands in innocency he thought that neither the purity of his heart nor innocency of his conversation was to any purpose he should be never the better for it Nay because the more they pray and walk in the use of Gods means sometimes the worse matters are with them in providence are they not ready to reason from sense that there is no benefit in precisenes and strictnes This is a false reasoning Psal 19.11 There is reward and great reward If so small a matter as a cup of cold water given for Gods sake shall not go unrewarded how much lesse greater matters Gods righteousnes is ingaged Heb. 6.10 He may as soon cease to be righteous as leave unrewarded the labour of his peoples love 3. So much pains and care about good duties will hinder the particular calling and so the benefits of this life and bring poverty And though the godly do not expressely say so as others will yet would they not take more pains about good duties if they did think it would not hinder their particular calling and profit which they are so sensible of This is a false reasoning for though carefull and fervent performances of duties may take up more time yet if it bring a double blessing what losse will there be That it is thus we may see in the case of the Iewes Hag. 1.2 They did not refuse to build the Temple and therein to take care of the Lords worship but they were carelesse of it and for carelessenesse he doth reprove them This people say the time is not yet come the time that the Lords house should be built at present they wanted opportunity and hoped they should have opportunity afterward but would not try whether opportunity would serve See how this carelessenes of Gods service did redound to the frustrating of all their care about their own occasions vers 6. ye have sown much and brought in little he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bagge with holes their labour did not prosper they were not the richer for their sowing and labouring they looked for much and it came to little vers 9. I did blow upon it I called for a drought Why because my house is wast and ye run every one to your own house Their too much care of their own occasions and carelessenes of Gods service got them nothing but it lost them much Chap. 2.16 17. When one came to a heap of twenty measures there were but ten when one came to the presse fat to draw out fifty vessels there were but twenty When come doth not prove doth not fill men do not consider that this is because they take more care about their own matters then Gods service It follows I smote you with blasting and mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands when mens corn is spoiled with blasting and mildew and hail they do not consider it is because they are carelesse of Sabbaths and Ordinances of God more carelesse of his service then their own occasions on the other side see how care of Gods service brings a blessing upon our occasions vers 18 19. Consider from this day that the foundation of the Lords Temple was laid consider it from this day I will blesse you And that they may know that the Lord doth blesse them because of their care of his worship he addeth Is the seed yet in the barn Is it already past Gods blessing yea as yet the vine and the fig-tree and the pomgranet and the Olive tree hath not brought forth Zach. 8.10.11 before this time there was no hire for man nor any for beast but now I will not be as in the former dayes for the seed shall be prosperous c. so that what time Gods service takes up from our callings it will abundantly make up in blessing and it must needs be so for all successe is Gods Psal 127.1 Except the Lord build the house they labour in vain that build it and where God is best served he will bestow the most blessing 4. The comfort will not countervail the sorrow the ease the difficulty the rest the labour Thus much we may gather from the sluggards speech Eccl. 4.6 Better is a handfull with quietnesse then both the hands full with travell and vexation of spirit He thinks the filling of both hands will not be answerable to the pains taken therein the lesse he hath the lesse disquiet and the more the more disquiet and that disquiet will not be exceeded by comfort and quiet but the vexation seems to him more then the quiet therefore one handfull is rather to be chosen then both because the lesse he hath the lesse disquiet So much also is implied in the spouse her answer to Christ calling on her to awake out of the bed of security arise and open to him Cant. 5.3 I have put off my coat how shall I put it on I have washed my feet how shall I defile them Had she thought the benefit would have countervailed the trouble she would not have made that exception This is a false reasoning for it saith Christ hath not purchased so much as sin hath deserved 5. As the difficulty of good waies is unavoidable so unconquerable not possible to overcome it the evil and discomfort of good waies is destroying Prov. 22.13 The slothfull man saith their is a Lyon without the difficulties of his way are as unable to be overcome as a Lyon he shall be slain
in the streets nothing but death and destruction lies before him So many think that frequency and earnestnes in good duties much praying hearing reading is the onely way to bring malancholly distractions and madnes upon the soul and diseases upon the body Whereas it is the way of greatest promise therefore of greatest blessing and good The godly often think with David 1 Sam. 27.1 They shall one day fall never hold out never goe thorow the difficulty of holy waies nor the danger of them they shall never hold up their heads with comfort Elijah desires he might die 1 King 19. he thinks he can never keep his life and uprightnes both now Iezabell is so incensed against him whereas the waies of wisdom are waies of pleasantnes and all his paths are peace no waies are peaceable and pleasant but the waies of wisdom and all her waies are so Prov. 8.9 All the words of wisdom are plain to him that understandeth so are the waies of wisdom plain to grace though obscure and dark to corrupt nature Prov. 14.6 Knowledge is easy to him that understandeth to the spirituall understanding knowledge is easy 3. Spirituall sloth is improved and increased by neglect of good duties or carelesse performance of them Neglect of good duties doth weaken diligence for strength not exercised doth decrease and doth increase sloth because strength of opposition is removed yea sloth is exercised Carelesse performance doth increase sloth because it is an act of it and every act doth increase the habit Let a man pray or hear carelessely and he shall be fitter to doe so another time Let a man spend one Sabbath carelesly not minding whether he be at any publique exercise and he shaâ—l be fitter to doe so another day and at length he shall come to think that there is no difference between the Lords day and another day and no matter how he spends it 4. Spirituall sloth is improved and increased by too much use of sensible comforts or carnall sensuall use of them When we are much in recreation given to our appetite to please and content our selves in sensible things it will cherish a love of ease and an abhorring of trouble Amos 6.1 Woe to them that are at ease in Zion How doe they further themselves in ease We finde in the sequel of the chapter On the one hand they put farre away the evil day they will not suffer thoughts of trouble to come neer them on the other hand they eat the calves out of the stall they drink wine in bowls they invent to themselves instruments of musick they chant to the sound of the violl they bring neer them all things that might please and content nature that it increaseth the love of that ease and delight and aversenesse unto trouble they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph grief can get no place with them be there never so great need 2. If we doe not exceed in the measure of sensible good things if we misse it in the end of the use of them we desire sensible comforts for themselves onely the comfort of them and not to fit us for Gods service if ease be all our end love and desire of ease will be cherished by the use of them Means doe not onely bring unto the end but increase the desire of the end by bringing the desire and the end together good the more enjoyed the more desired because by enjoyment we have experience of the good of it If we desire outward good things for ease sake and comfort sake because we would be freed from trouble then the more we enjoy them the more we shall love ease because we shall more free the sweetnesse and content of it unto nature whereas if we did use outward mercies and sensible comforts that we might be sitter for Gods service we should finde our selves fitted by the use of them for his service and finde our affection thereto increased Means used for a sanctified end doe increase ability sanctified ability to attain that end Quest How doth sloth hinder our earnest worshipping of God Answ Three waies 1. As it stands in opposition to fervency and so fights against it Sloth stands in opposition to fervency because it opposeth diligence without which fervency in Gods worship will not be attained That fervency in Gods worship will not be had without diligence and pains-taking appears by the command of God to seek the Kingdom of God and the righteousnesse thereof Matth. 6.33 To work out our salvation Phil. 2.12 To stirre up the gift of God 2 Tim. 1.6 To contend for the faith Jude 3. Which were in vain if carelesnesse would serve the turne It appears also by the different affectednesse in Gods worship in different Christians the diligent and carelesse May not they that observe it see some more affected and taken up in the Ordinances and they are not the idle carelesse Christians but such as take pains and make a labour of Gods service It appears further by the experience of the most diligent Christians who finde a manifest difference in the hearts-warmth and liberty of their hearts in holy duties when they take pains with them and when they are carelesse ordinarily they finde most presence and life of the spirit in worship when they have taken most pains to cleanse and empty the vessell of their hearts fit for the breathing of the spirit and have laboured most to stirre up grace in their hearts fit to meet with Gods Spirit Though it appear to be a truth that fervency in Gods worship will not be had without diligence yet let us further see it in the causes thereof which are 1. The weaknesse of grace considered in it self The weaknesse of grace is this that it is imperfect we have not that full measure of strength which we should have and which we had in innocency we have but a part of it but a little part as Job saith Iob 26.14 These are part of Gods waies but how little a portion is heard of him So could the godly look into their own hearts they would admire what little grace they have and that little they have is above and contrary to that which is our nature since the fall and is subject to be made lesse to be weakned To make weak grace bring forth strong acts such as fervent worshipping of God is will need pains and labour things very weak are hardly strengthened Hence is that exhortation of the Apostle Heb. 12.12 Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees He compares grace to faint hands and feeble knees which are not easily strengthened Let a man lift up hands that are weak in the joints they will presently fall down again he must make a continuall labour and work of it Let a man lift up feeble knees it will cost him some pains and they will presently sink down again So if we will fervently worship God we doe not lift up strong hands and knees
the lesse labour about them the more worth the more labour Thus our Saviour doth expresse things Matth. 6.33 speaking of earthly good things he saith they shall be added to us cast in as an over-plus but speaking of heavenly things he bids us seek the kingdom of God take pains about that diligently imploy our selves we must take no pains about earthly things in comparison of the pains we take about spirituall things 3. It will help to our prizing of the spirits assistance and consequently to our thankfulnesse for it not to attain it without pains our knowledge of the worth of heavenly things is but little it is increased by experience of the difficulty in attaining them evil things come easily good things hardly and the more we know the worth of the spirits assistance the more we shall value and prize it Beside if the spirits assistance should not be so precious in it self as it is yet it is of worth to us if we attain it by diligence for it costeth us much and what we pay much for we set store by And according as we prize the spirits assistance we shall be thankfull for it the greater good it is the greater mercy from God to us and the more cause of thanksgiving If thus it be that fervency in Gods worship will not be had without diligence because of the weaknesse of grace the strong opposition against it and the necessity the supply of the spirit then sloth will hinder our servent worshipping of God for that is clean contrary to diligence and doth destroy that where it prevails 2. Sloth hinders our fervent worshipping of God as it gives advantage to Satan the enemy thereof Satan hath alway a ready minde to hinder us in Gods service but he hath not alwaies the same advantage therefore he walks to and fro seeking advantage Sloth gives him advantage not onely as it is a corruption contrary to fervent worshipping of God and suitable to the Devils dispositition whereby he worketh but also as it is a fit corruption whereby to screw into the soul the Devils temptations against the fervency of Gods worship as the difficulty uncomfortablenesse needlesnesse unprofitablenesse thereof all these sloth stands ready to entertain and is increased thereby If lesse will serve what needs more If it be so hard a thing to serve God with earnestnesse if there be no profit nor comfort in it who would take the pains though he had a love to pains Much lesse where there is no love as in sloth The diligent man hath much adoe to withstand these temptations they cause often waverings and staggerings in them and present abatements of diligence they make their hearts cold within them much more must they take hold of the slothfull who are prepared and ready for such temptations Beside sloth doth give advantage to Satan as it doth make no use of appointed strength against him Duties of preparation unto more solemn worship are means of strength against Satan labouring to hinder our fervency in Gods worship thereby we shake off sloth stirre up diligence procure the presence and power of the spirit But sloth will either neglect duties of preparation or carelesly perform them and so the soul is stripped of that strength against Satan Watchfulnesse in duty is a means of strength against Satan but watchfulnesse is too painfull for sloth resisting of stirrings of corruption and temptations of Satan in duties is a means of strength against Satan Jam. 4.7 Resist the devil and he will flee from you He is a most impatient discontented creature and cannot indure to be resisted he will not there abide but resistance of Satan is too painfull for sloth it will not be done without a detestation of his temptations and an increase of attention to Ordinances in hand 3. Sloth hinders our fervent worshipping of God as it doth grieve the holy spirit and make it withdraw his working and assistance it grieves the Spirit of God 1. As it is contrary to its nature which is all life and action compared to things most stirring and active as the fire the winde 2. To its command to be fervent in spirit to be zealous to be diligent not to be slothfull 3. To its title when it is called a spirit of promise Eph. 4.30 for sloth is not the condition and way of the promise but diligence 4. To its operation and working which is to baptize with fire Matth. 3.11 The spirit doth besprinkle the soul with inflamed affections toward God and his service Sloth being thus contrary to the spirit must needs grieve the spirit and the spirit grieved will reserve its assistance without which we cannot fervently worship God Vse To inform us 1. That God hath but little fervent worship For 1. All unregenerate men are overwhelmed and drowned in sloth there is not so much as a seed or principle of diligence till grace come into the foul all the service therefore of men destitute of grace is cold and heartlesse whatsoever it may seem such onely as sloth will afford and how full are our Congregations of unregenerate men and women 2. There are many lazy and slothfull Christians that do indeed perform duties in publike and private but they make no labour of them they take no pains to prepare and fit their hearts they are not diligent to get the assistance of the spirit they say not with David 2 Sam. 24.24 I will not offer to the Lord a sacrifice of that which cost me nothing they do not offer the Lord costly services but cheap such as cost them nothing all their preparation to the duties of the Sabbath is family duties and it were well if they did perform them so much the more carefully No wonder that they are thus idle in Gods service grace for want of ordinary exercise is sluggish they do not use their faith love and spirituall wisdom in their callings and how should they be diligent in Gods worship Their diligence is taken up other wayes in some about some lust they savour It was their case Iames 4.2 3. Ye fight and warre yet ye have not because ye aske not ye aske and receive not because ye ask amisse that you may consume it upon your lusts They were so busie about their contentions and wranglings amongst themselves that they could not pray at all or if they did pray it was for their lusts sake to get advantage unto them Thus a man may be conversant about good duties and his end not be Gods worship but his own corruptions that they may not be discovered that the ragings of conscience may be quieted that he may the more easily compasse his corrupt and sinfull ends The diligence of others is taken up aboâ—t matters of the world meat drink apparell riches This was their case Iohn 6. they seem to take much pains to enjoy Christ his ministry and miracles they compasse land and sea after they had enjoyed him at land they take ship and follow
to the house of God on the Lords day as they have done to go to the alehouse in the week dayes had they searched Gods book but as much as they have tossed the cards and tables yea it may be on the Lords day they had been Saints in heaven 3. To perswade the godly to shake off this sloth If we prize the manner of Gods worship and affect it we must do so if we care not how we pray or hear if we think any affections are meet for him we may continue our sloth We finde this commanded Josh 22.5 Take diligent heed to keep the commandment which Moses charged you to love the Lord your God to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul take heed and diligent heed Prov. 4.23 Keep thy heart with all diligence we finde it commended Act. 18.25 Apollo being fervent in spirit taught diligenly the things of the Lord. 2 Cor. 8.7 The Apostle makes it part of the commendation of the Corinthians that they did abound in all diligence Of our Saviour the head of the Church that he went about doing good Act. 10.38 he did not onely do good but was diligent therein To discourage the more from sloth and bring in love with diligence consider how the wisedome of the holy Ghost doth compare them in Solomons Proverbs all which comparisons we may improve with advantage against spirituall sloth and for spirituall diligence spirituall sloth being a greater sin and lying under an heavier curse and spirituall diligence being a greater grace and attended with an happier blessing 1. For wealth Prov. 10.4 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand but the hand of the diligent maketh rich It holdeth especially true in spirituall riches the slothfull Christian is poor in grace the diligent Christian is rich hath store and abundance of precious grace Prov. 18.8 He that is slothfull in his work is brother to him that is a great waster if a man have a good stock of grace yet by slothfullnesse he will waste it not labouring to increase it he will diminish it Prov. 20.4 the slugard shall beg in harvest and have nothing they who have nothing of their own nor no interest in them that have something are poor indeed God will shut up the hearts of men towards slothfull Christians when they come to beg counsell and prayers when they come to complain of their spirituall wants and poverty 2. For honour see how they are compared Prov. 12.24 The hand of the diligent shall bear rule but the slothfull shall be under tribute A diligent Christian shall be a King in his own soul and amongst the people of God God will set him up give him authority and rule in their hearts they that can rule themselves are fit to rule others so do the diligent but the slothfull Christian shall be an underling in his own soul and amongst the people of God he shall be a slave and tributary to his lusts Prov. 22.29 3. For fruit of pains-taking see how they are compared Prov. 12.27 The slothfull man rosteth not that which he took in hunting but the substance of the diligent man is precious When a slothfull Christian hath taken some pains for want of taking a little more he loseth that pains as if an huntsman should take pains to kill an hare and then through lazines should suffer the dogs or some other to run away with it for instance a man is at pains to come to the house of God to pray in the word or prayer his heart is much affected he goes his way and thinks no more of it that man doth in great measure lose his labour but the substance of a diligent man is precious what he getteth by labour he doth not easily part with he makes precious account of it that help of heart which a diligent Christian findeth in the Ordinances of God he thinks oft of he improves by prayer by praise by treasuring up the same he can tell you what it cost him to get down such a corruption to get to such a frame of heart to obtain such a mercy how oft he praid how long he waited therefore he maketh a precious account thereof Lastly That which is not the least to discourage us from sloth it is full of pride and conceitednesse Prov. 26.16 put the wisdome of seven men together the sluggard conceits he goes beyond it and no wonder for he neither knows what he hath nor what he wants and ignorance is the mother and nurse of pride If a man knew the thoughts of sluggish Christians he should finde that they think all is well with them though a man may be able to convince them by reason that things cannot be well with them And the devil will not stick to tell them all is well to keep them from taking pains It is a misery to have an heart empty of good but to think an empty heart full is a double misery so is it with the slothfull Christian To help against sloth and unto diligence it will be usefull first To ponder these weighty considerations 1. Fervency in Gods worship and ease cannot possibly stand together whilst so great opposition remains both within us and without us 2. The difficulty and toil found in Gods service is a bitter afflictive fruit of sin Shall we not bear the burden we have brought upon our selves willingly though not cheerfully It is a signe sinne is pardoned when we have patience to bear the chastisement of sinne it is a great favour when there is a will to bear where there is no power to shake off 3. The deceitfull ease that proceeds from sloth is both Gods losse and thine and who would covet that ease whereby God and himself his best friends must lose 4. The more painfull the service of God is the more sweet for that sweetnes comes out of the strong it is the delightfull fruit of a powerfull conquest over corruption of more honour done to God of the condition of the promise performed with a greater measure of heavenly assistance 5. If sloth prevail in thy soul it will shut out diligence but at the same time it shuts in more disquiet then ease for sin is shut up in that ease the disquiet of lawfull labour is but affliction the ease of sloth is sin and sin is attended with more trouble then ease it will prove more easy to taste the sower of affliction then the sweet of sin 2. It will be usefull to inure our selves to the serious and thorough examination of our hearts and waies of our spirituall estate this will discover what need we have of diligence and what hurt sloth hath done us This cured Davids lazines Psalm 119.59 60. Though he were slow-paced in his obedience in the neglect of this yet when he was once past this difficult usefull duty he made haste he lost no time nor ground as formerly 3. It will be usefull not to cherish our pride by poring upon what we have atained but to strengthen humility by frequent and serious meditation of what we want and what is to be attained This helped Paul Phil. 3.13 14. what he was come to was behind him he could not so redily and constantly look upon that but what he was to come to was before him in his eye to alure and draw him forward Looke we also upon what is before us Hast attained some measure of fervency stay not gazing upon that but look right forth look onward dost see what thou wantst Look not so much upon thy work as thy patterâ— the affection not onely of the best of creatures upon earth but also and chiefly in heaven the spirits of just men made perfect yea the flaming Angels yea the Lord Jesus Christ who had zeal enough to carry him through the flames of hell to do his fathers will in whose brest alone that fire of heavenly love dwels that hath inflamed Saints on earth and Saints in heaven which we shall finde inflaming us more and more as we draw near to look upon him as our pattern with desire of imitation The close of all containing an help in all that hath gon before as prayer comes after the severall pieces of the spirituall armour to help our skill in all and the usefulnes of all Ephe. 6.18 may fitly be Davids prayer when the people were warm hearted in their offering to the building of the Temple for the publike solemn worship of God 1 Chron. 29.18 O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and of Israel our fathers keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people and prepare their heart unto thee Finis