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A64958
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The cure of distractions in attending upon God in several sermons preached from I Cor. 7.35 / by Nathanael Vincent ...
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Vincent, Nathanael, 1639?-1697.
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1695
(1695)
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Wing V405; ESTC R16228
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136,768
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288
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and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart The Man after God's own Heart said that the Meditations of God are sweet Psal 104. 34. He was glad when they said to him let us go into the House of the Lord Psal 122. 1. He tells us who is the Man that may have what he will all his desire granted 't is he whose delight is in God Psal 37. 4. Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall give thee the desire of thy Heart He is the blessed Man who takes no pleasure in the counsel way or seemingly easest Seat of the Wicked but his delight is in the Law of the Lord Psal 1. 1 2. And why should he not with delight be served at present since in his Kingdom by all he will be praised with the highest Rapture of Joy for ever 8. Our Attendance upon God should be in all Ordinances It is produced as an Argument that that excellent couple mentioned Luke 1. 6. were both righteous before God because they walked in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless Under the Old Testament there was an Ordinance of God that was to be administred betimes even to the Infants and that was Circumcision and though Abraham at the first Institution of this Ordinance believed and was circumcised at Age as also were the Men of his Houshold and though Circumcision is called a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith Rom. 4. 11. Yet Infants also were circumcised these little ones are said to enter into Covenant with the Lord their God Deut. 29. 11 12. Under the New Testament our Lord Jesus does not cast these Infants out of his Church and Covenant but says Suffer little Children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of God Mark 10. 14. The Apostle Peter after he had exhorted to Baptism says The Promise is unto you and to your Children Acts 2. 39. And the Apostle Paul affirms That the Children of Believing Parents are Holy 1 Cor. 7. 14. they are therefore Members of the Body of Christ Now 't is plainly signified that Baptism is the Privilege of all in that Body 1 Cor. 12. 13. We are all baptized into one Body Indeed some that mind the Sound of Scripture more than the Sense of it when they read Repent and be baptized Believe and be baptized conclude that none but those that are at Age and capable of professing their Faith and Repentance ought to partake of this Ordinance But they would do well to consider who these were that in Scripture repented believed and were baptized they were either * Under the Name of Jews I take in all Proselytes to the Jewish Religion Jews or Heathens that were converted to the Christian Faith at Age and if thousands of such should be converted now now also at Age Baptism ought to be administred to them upon their repenting and believing But in the whole New Testament we do not find any baptized at Age whose Parents were Christians at their Birth Yet several without Scripture warrant are thus baptized at this day Oh that there were less disputing about Infant-Baptism and more care to improve it All Infants that go to Heaven are baptized with the Blood and Spirit of Christ they are justified and sanctified thereby This Justification and Sanctification all that have been baptized should desire to partake of Other Ordinances also should be engaged in for the Lord who has instituted them is ready to own and bless them and himself to be found in them Who that is wise would neglect any one of them since none of them are appointed in vain nay every one of them to serious engagers has been experienced abundantly Beneficial The Lord is to be atteâ—â—â—ed upon how and in what way soever he pleases in the Closet in the Family in the Sanctuary at the Table or any other way that he has ordained Blessed are all they that wait for him 9. Every Attendance upon God should make every Attender better 'T is thought by some that Creatures in the Waters as long as they live they grow still greater Saints as long as they live should still be growing in Grace and be more full of all Goodness They should grow as the Lilly cast forth their roots as Lebanon their branches should spread and their beauty be as the Olive-tree Hos 14. 5 6. God is ready to be as the dew to them that from Him their Fruit may be found It is really a fault in Believers if every time they wait upon the Lord they come not away from him with more Wisdom Strength and Grace and Peace than they had since he is ready to impart such Blessings as these and gives them Liberally without upbraiding USE IV. Shall be of Consolation to them that thus as I have directed do attend apon God Isa 40. 1. Comfort ye Comfort ye my People saith your God with Joy you may come and draw most pure and refreshing Waters out of the Wells of Salvation You are the Children of Peace and the Peace of God is to rest upon you For your Comfort take notice of these things following 1. God puts an high value upon his sincere Attendants He had a special respect to Abel and that excellent Sacrifice that he offered Though the Heaven be his Throne and the Earth his Foot-stool yet to that Man will he look as being well pleased with him that is Poor and of a contrite Spirit and that trembles at his Word Isa 56. 1 2. He remembers the kindness of their Youth the love of their Espousals Jer. 2. 2. and their willing Consecration of themselves to be Holiness to the Lord. He has taken notice of all their Desires and Groans and their Cries to himself and their frequent speaking one to another that they might confirm and encourage one another in the worst of Times and Trials to continue his Attendants still Mal. 3. 16. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkened and heard and did so well approve them that a Book of Remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his Name 2. God delights over his sincere Attendants to do them good He takes pleasure in the Prosperity of his Servants they are in Heaviness by Affliction only when there is need of it he delights especially to see their Souls prosper As he opens his Armory and brings forth the Weapons of his Indignation against the Wicked so he opens his Treasures of Bounty and Goodness to his Servants that they may be supplied abundantly He does them good with a good Will his whole Heart and Soul is with them Jer. 32. 41. when his hand is open to them He is ready to fulfil their Desires to grant their Requests Nay when their Thoughts are most Comprehensive and they crave never so much he is able and ready to do for them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exceeding
your Hearts rise and ascend after him 9. Ever commit the keeping of your Souls to God himself in well-doing 1 Pet. 4. 19. Apprehending how liable you are to distraction in his Service intreat that he would undertake for you He that spans the Heavens and in his Hand does hold the Winds so that they stir not in the least against his Will certainly is able to keep your Hearts undistracted in your Duties and close to himself The Lord makes and searches and new makes and fixes the Heart of Man and none of this is to be done by any power less than his When David's Soul followed hard after God he acknowledged it was the Lord's own right hand which upheld him Psal 63. 8. Call in help from Heaven against distraction if you would be helpt effectually The Christian not only when he is leaving the World but when he is engaging in any Religious Duty should say with the Psalmist Psal 31. 5. Into thy Hands O Lord I commit my Spirit He and he alone can keep it in a serious and composed frame USE IV. Shall be of Counsel as to some particular Duties which I shall insist on and shew you how they may with less distraction be performed And there are four Duties which at present I shall speak of The first is Reading the Holy Scriptures The second is Hearing the Word Preached The third is The Duty of Prayer The fourth is Communicating at the Lord's Table Of these in order I begin with Reading the Holy Scriptures and that these may be read with less distraction 1. Be firmly perswaded of the Scriptures Divine Authority and Verity When you take the Bible to look into it remember 't is a Book of God's own making you have in your hands The Writers of it were but his Penmen they wrote not their own but God's Mind and Will and were moved and inspired by the Holy Ghost To be distracted and regardless of what you read is to contemn God in disregarding his Word Mind what you read for the Scripture can make you wise to Salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. You may securely trust to his Word its light is infallible 't is certain in its Promises and Threatnings 't will by all be found true to eternity The word of the Lord endures for ever 1 Pet. 1. 25. 2. Believe the Scriptures perfection and sufficiency as a means most full and plain to guide you to everlasting blessedness Here you are faithfully warned to flee from the Wrath to come and from sin which does deserve it and here you may find God's Counsel by which you may be guided safe to Glory Psal 73. 24. You need not be distracted and doubtful in your own Minds as if in the Scriptures God's Mind was declared only in part Man's additions are needless nay impious Prov. 30. 6. Add thou not unto his Words lest he reprove thee and thou be found a Liar and Mens Traditions are vain Heed the Word of God as that which enlightens the Eyes converts the Soul rejoyces the Heart as that which is profitable for Doctrine Reproof for Correction instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. 3. Look upon the Scriptures as much directed to you in particular and laying an obligation upon you as if they had dropt from God out of Heaven into your hand The word forbids sin in you as well as in any other in the World the Commands of it reach you as truly as if you had heard the Lord calling to you by Name to yield Obedience The offers of the Gospel are really made to you and upon acceptance the Blessings offered are your own if they are refused how can you ecape the Wrath of him who from Heaven speaks to you for your good Heb. 12. 25. That such a particular application should be made is signified by Solomon whose word is as a Goad and a Nail fastned to stir you up to your Duty and to settle you in it Prov. 22. 19 20. That thy trust may be in the Lord I have made known to thee this day even unto thee Have I not written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge 4. See the Lord himself just by you when you read his Word and hear him bidding you take heed how you read As he has magnified his Word above all his Name so he requires a special regard should be had to it He looks with approbation and pleasure upon that Man who trembles at his Word Isa 66. 2. but when he perceives instruction to be hated and that his Law is cast behind the Back he admonishes such forgetters of God to consider what this neglect will cost them if not repented of and he threatens to tear them in pieces so as that there shall be none to deliver Psal 50. 17. 22. 5. Lift up your Eyes to Heaven for instruction from the Spirit by whose inspiration the Scripture was given 'T is the Spirit of Christ who opens Mens Vnderstandings to understand the Scriptures Luke 24. 45. Be humbly sensible of your ignorance and proneness to error and mistake A promise is made to the humble and meek that God will guide them in Judgment so that they shall judge aright of things and he will teach them his way Psal 25. 9. Cry to the Lord to make you mind what you read and to profit by what you mind Desire Scripture knowledge that what you know may have a deep impression upon your Spirits may excite holy and gracious Affections and Resolutions in your Hearts and be mightily effectual unto the more thorow amending of your ways and doings 6. In all your ways seek for light from the holy Scriptures that every step you take may be rightly ordered Go not in any way which the word of truth calls a false way How well and wisely does he walk that can say with the Psalmist Thy Word is a Lamp to my Feet and a light unto my Path Psal 119. 105. When you go let this Word lead you and then when you sleep there is a promise to keep you and when you awake it will talk with you and be telling you what you must avoid believe and do that you may be blessed for ever The Commandment is a Lamp and the Law is light and the reproofs of instruction are the way of Life Prov. 6. 22 23. And as the Word talks to you so you should talk of the word you read it will fix it in your Thoughts and Hearts the better and make your Discourse more edifying to others Deut. 6 6 7. And these words which I command thee this Day shall be in thy heart and thou shalt diligently teach them to thy Children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy House and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest down and when thou risest up The more the word is written in your Hearts the more Grace is there and