â—spy in it matter of displeasure But ordinarily the godly finde God according to their preparatiâ—nâ— hereto the currâ—â—t of â— r pâ—â—â—â—e â—oth bâ—are witnesse they that seeke the Lord shall praise him Psal â—2 26 open your gâ—â—es and the king of glory shall come in Psal 24. â—â— If any man open to me I will come in to him Revel 3.20 and the experience of the godly doth second it 2. Some of the godly complain of difficulty of understanding and weaknes of memory but if they prepare God will clear and open their understandings Preparation also will empty their memories and so strengthen them it may be they are too full If they say their momories are weak also for other things yet preparation will strengthen them for so they shall stirre up and improve the good in their memories and bring in the assistance of the holy spirit 3. Others of the godly complain they cannot finde peace and sweet communion with God they have prayd heard the Word received the Sacrament yet cannot finde peace Let them be perswaded to try this one way more prepare unto prayer prepare unto the Word prepare unto the Sacraments There is a promise Job 11.13 14 15. If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hands towards him c. Then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot It may be thou hast stretched out thine hands thou hast prayed earnestly but now prepare thy heart see if there be not somewhat amisse in thy hand or family that might hinder then thou shalt have comfort in thy heart and boldnes in thy countenance guilt of heart makes a man hang down the head as spots make a man to hide his face 4. If God do not meet with thee yet thou shalt not have this increase of thy burden that thou wert unprepared but on the contrary thou shalt have assurance that God who hath prepared thy heart will beaâ—e witnesse to it and hath some good for thee in store which he will prepare thee for in a further measure by present withdrawings Quest How should we helpe our selves unto preparednes for Gods worship There are three helps Examination Meditation Prayer 1. Examâ—nation This is made an helpe unto p ayer Lam. 3.40 41. Let us search and try our wayes let us lift up our hearts with our hands so Psal 4.4.5 Commune with your own hearts offer to God the sacrifices of righteousnes thou must be a soul-searcher Examine 1. What the generall frame and temper of thy heart is whether in a better or worse temper then formerly 2. What particular failings have lately escaped thee that mâ—ght specially indispose thy soul 3. What graces are specially to be exercised in the worship we go about 4. What are the speciall occasions for which our souls desire to meet God 2. Meditation Psal 119.59 David will looke over his wayâ—s on every siâ—e ere he will set his feet into Gods wayes Meditation is of a separating and settling nature it separateth heavenly thoâ—ghts and affections from earthly and setleth the heart in heavenly thoughts and affections for it often goeth over with thoughts It is as the bellows of the soul that doth kindle and inflame holy affections and by renewed and more forcible thouâ—hts as by renewed and stronger blasts doth renew and increase the slame 3. Prayer David prayes to God to prepare the heart of the people 1 Chron. 29.18 God prepared the people 2 Chron. 29. ult pray therefore to him 1. To pardon our originall indisposednes and particular failings 2. To give successe to examination and meditation 3. To supply his spirit unto the heart which hath put grace into the heart therefore can revive and bring out the same Ob. I cannot get time thus to prepare Ans In diligence in thy calling thou servest God but if thou be so imployed in it as to shut out preparation thou servest Satan more then God because thou dost more his minde and for his advantage then Gods Ob. I am a childe or servant under government and cannot get time having not my time at mine own dispose Ans 1. Thy governours ought to allow thee time for Gods service thou art more Gods servant then theirs If they will not yet 1. By diligence gain time 2. If thou canst not do that take it from thy meat or sleep If neither father nor mother nor master will take care of thy soul yet do thou take care of it Before I leave this point of preparation the want whereof doth weaken that worship of God which we performe I will take occasion to answer some cases of conscience which may fall in the way of the people of God and trouble them for want of light 1. Quest Whether are we bound to prepare more for the Sacrament then for the word I will premise foure things and then answer to the question 1. The Sacrament is an ordinary ordinance of God and so stands in the same ranke of ordinances with the word that it is an ordinary ordinance appeares in that it is oft to be celebrated and that without the condition of speciall and extraordinary occasions 1 Cor. 11.25.26 do this as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me for as oft as ye eat this bread c. It is an ordinance often to be used without speciall occasion and and for an ordinary end the remembrance of Christs death 2. The question is not between the whole word and the Sacrament but between a particular Sermon and the Sacrament whether we be bound more to prepaâ—e for the Sacrament then a particular Sermon going before the Sacrament 3. The question is of those who in regard of grace received are generally and habitually prepared both for the word and supper for of the unregenerate more preparation is required to admit them to the supper then to the woâ—d 4. The Sacrament in some respect hath it's place below the word in that the word is the covenant yea a particular Sermon doth contain part of the Covenant and the Sacrament is the seal now the seal doth receive necessary force from the covenant but not the covenant from the seal the seal is of no force without the covenant but the covenant is of force without the seal therefore the promise is called an immutable thing Heb. 6.18 the seal doth but increase the validity and force of the covenant add a further degree and measure The seal follows the covenant and serves unto it To the question then I answer That it should seem there is not more preparation required unto the Sacrament then unto the Word This truth will more plainly appear if the objections be cleared which are brought to the contrary Ob. Of a Sermon it can but be said This is my Word but of the Sacrament it is said This is my body and more reverence is due to the body of the Lord then to the word of the Lord and so more preparation to be made for the Sacrament then for the Word
God and reading Gods word the meanes are his meanes under his authority and for his glory you cannot separate God and them when men speake ill of professours for praying reading they thinke they speake ill of men and that not for goodnes but nicenes and overstrictnes but they speake ill of God in men they speake ill of godly men who do read and pray not because it is their own minde but Gods minde and shall we run into such horrible profannes to speake ill of God 3. Despising of Gods worship is the way to quench the spirit in our hearts and in the ordinances These two are put together as depending one upon another 1 Thes 3.19 20. Quench not the spirit Despise not prophesying implying that to despise prophesying is the way to quench the spirit It is observable when the Apostle speaketh of other sins Ephes 4 2â— as lying sinfull anger stealing corrupt communication he saith Grieve not the holy spirit but when he comes to speak of despising prophesying he saith Quenâ—h not the holy spirit shewing us that any sin if it be but corrupt speech will grieve the spirit make it sad in our hearts withdraw its lively and comfortable working but despising or prophesying doth quench the spirit it doth take a course quite to put out the fire of the spirit for it takes away the sewel of the spirit that which should nourish and increase its slame If a man despise Gods ordinances either he will not make use of them at all or never the better and then the nourishment of the fire of the spirit is taken away and so it is quenched As therefore we would have the spirit slame in our hearts and in the ordinances let us take heed of despising the ordinances Do we not finde a damp of Gods spirit in our hearts and in the ordinances the cause is here we have taken away the fewel by sleighting the ordinances It may be said How may we be helped against this despising of Gods worship Answer By the contrary reverence a fâ—ame of minde called much for in the book of God Psal 2.11 Serve the Lord with fear rejoice with trembling Psal 3.7 In thy fear will I worship towards thy holy Temple Prov. 13.13 Fear is opposed to dispising who so despiseth the Word shall be destroyed but he that feareth the commandement shall be rewarded the way not to despise the Word is to fear it Psal 66.2 To him will I look that trembleth at my word tremblinâ— i◠〈◊〉 â—â—â—t of the boâ—y springâ—â—â— fâ—oâ—â—â—â—â—â—rence or 〈◊〉 â—n act of the minde apprehending an excellency and worth an excelling overpowâ—â—ng worth and excellency How shall we get this reverence Answ For obtaining the truth and beginning of reverence there is no way but one chanâ—e of heart for that brings both â—ight and love which two make reverence light to discern worth and love to affect it to be willing it should be there and to acknowledge it to be there If a man receive light from the spirit to see an excellency in Gods worship in preaching in praier yet if there be not love a man will at one time or other shut out that light and so despise the ordinances notwithstanding them No wonder if unregenerate men be careles of the Word Sacraments Praier yea after many years preaching it will not be helped nor can it be expected otherwise till the heart be changed For the help of the measure and increase of our reverence and so our earnest worshipping of God it will be usefull 1. To labour to increase our knowledge of the worth of Gods ordinances which we shall do two waies 1. By considering that Gods ordinances are means of conveighing glory to God yea the greatest glory and good to us yea the greatest good They are means of conveighing honour to God therefore they are called Gods worship because they do defer and carry worship and honour to God yea the greatest honour more then the works of God for they do declare Gods worth more then his works more clearly mâ—re abundantly and they do work more deep and constant expressions of Gods honour in our thoughts affections words and actions then the works of God That which conveighs honour to God as appointed means is honourable that which conveys most honour to God is most honourable so do the ordinances of God therefore they are most honourable As the ordinances do convey the greatest honour to God so they convey the greatest good to us In Gods providence we have many sweet mercies which we could not want as health estate friends guidance protection but in the ordinances we finde God and Christ and eternall life Prov. 8.34.35 They that wait at the gates of wisdome and attend at the posts of her doores are blessed for they finde Christ and with him life and savour at Gods hands Is not that of great worth and greatly to be respected that brings unto us the greatest good good incomparable and invaluable so do Gods Ordinances And that we may have the knowledge of this worth ready at hand for use we are to call it often to minde and to consider of it for what a man hath forgotten it is all one to him as if he had never knowne it and especially when we are to come to them let us consider of their worth make present our knowledge by meditation 2. To increase our knowledge of the worth of Gods Ordinances let us observe and remember the effects and workings of Gods Ordinances sometimes in one sometim s in another our hearts are humbled quickned comforted satisfied yea sometimes when our hearts have been at a low â—bb when we have despaired of helpe and thought all â—â—ans in vain when much hearing and use of private means would do no good these are sensible arguments of the worth of Gods Ordinances we know they have done us good when no other means could 2. Consider the examples of the servants of God This is their description and hereby they differ from others they tremble at Gods Word Ezra 9.4 David will worship God with fear Psal 3.7 Josiahs heart melted at the hearing of the word 2 King 22.11 Habakkuk trembled Hab. 3.16 these were deepe expressions a signe they had deepe thoughts Wilt not thou be like Gods people what and call God father Wilt not thou expresse the image of his children 3. Consider this frame of minde hath the promise of speciall favour Isai 66.2 God will have an eye to them that tremble at his word Josiah should not see the evil God would bring Habakkuk should rest in the evil day 4. Endeavour after a reverent carriage of body there is that nearnes betweene soul and body that they are helps or hinderances one to another An irreverent behaviour will 1. Increase the irreverence of the minde provoke and procure sleighty thoughts 2. Beget the like irreverent behaviour in others which will reflect upon our hurt 3. Give advantage to satan to suggest and move unto
the spirit of God These wandring thoughts in Gods worship imploied about things good in themselves earthly good or spirituall good things are therefore sinfull because wandring and therefore 1. Impertinent and so a part of disorder and confusion which God is not the authour of they are out of their place and ranke they should not come in when other occasions and duties take place they have no due place now they doe but usurp 2. Being wandring they are unseasonable out of their time and therefore undecent uncomely for time doth give a beauty to things 3. Being wandring they are distracting they goe from the duty in hand take away part of the souls strength and thereby weaken the performance of duty and thus pertinent thoughts sometimes gain the name of wandring thoughts from the effect because they make the soul to wander Having seen the nature and kindes of wandring thoughts in Gods worship Let us now consider how they do hinder our earnest worshipping of God Ans Two waies 1. As they weaken the inward power of the soul to worship God 2. As they weaken the assisting power of the spirit of God 1. Wandring thoughts do weaken the inward power of the soul to worship God and so hinder our fervent and affectionate worshipping of God First As they take up part of the minde so that Gods worship hath not the whole minde as it should have Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy minde A man doth not pray with all his minde nor hear with all his minde part is bestowed elsewhere let a river be parted into two streams and it cannot runne so full in both as it would in one No finite minde can be so strong about many objects at same time as about one Wandring thoughts make God to be worshipped with a divided parted minde with a piece of the minde therefore weakly 2. Wandring thoughts in worship do not onely take up part of the minde and so weaken the power of the soul to worship God but they do take off the minde from the worship in hand so God saith the heart is removed farre from me and their hearts goeth after their covetousnes that is the minde is much nearer such thoughts and more taken up with them then with the Word or praier the minde is wholly with them or at least chiefly with them As it is often seen when doggs are following an hare if a new one be started they follow that and leave the other so when we are praying reading hearing if new thoughts arise in our hearts we let go our thoughts of the duty and follow them and so God hath scarce a part of our minde in his worship if any it is the least part 3. Wandring thoughts do weaken the power of the soul to worship God not onely because they take up part of the minde and take off the minde from Gods worship but also because in so doing they take up and take off the affections and endeavours the desires and delights of the soul and the actions of the body What a man doth not think of he cannot desire or delight in and what he doth but little think of he will but little desire and delight in and consequently will take little pains about Thus wandring thoughts carrying away the minde from Gods worship do also carry away the affections and outward man and if God hath neither minde nor affections nor body or but little of them then he hath but weak service 2. Wandring thoughts do hinder our thorow worshipping of God as they do weaken the power of the assisting spirit in our hearts and that they doe three waies 1. As they draw us from present spirituall thoughts about the worship in hand which are the work of Gods spirit concurring with grace in the heart We cannot think a good thought in a duty without the assistance of Gods spirit All our sufficiency saith Paul 2 Cor. 3.5 is of God and he instanceth in the smallest power of the soul thoughts we cannot think any thing of our selves when therefore wandring thoughts do take us from such thoughts as the assisting spirit hath wrought in us doth it not weaken the power of the assisting spirit 2. Wandring thoughts being evil and sinfull do grieve the spirit of God and so weaken the assisting power of the spirit when a man is grieved he will have no minde to shew his love and power Ephes 4.30 Grieve not saith the Apostle the holy spirit of God unholines is contrary to the nature of the spirit therefore doth grieve it and wandring thoughts in holy duties are unholines because they separate the soul from God when the body comes near him they are therefore contrary and grievous to Gods spirit and makes it unwilling to shew it self 3. Wandring thoughts doe weaken the power of the assisting spirit of God Because they hinder us in the way of the spirit the Word Praier Sacraments wherein the spirit is wont to conveigh himself more unto us Wandring thoughts do prevent our carefull use of the ordinances and so a greater measure of the spirits assistance which we should have in those Ordinances were wandring thoughts absent If wandring thoughts do weaken the power of Gods assisting spirit in our hearts they must needs hinder our fervent worshipping of God for the exercise of the strength of our souls depends upon the assistance of the spirit But it may be demanded further what are the causes of these wandring thoughts and how comes it to passe that the godly are troubled with them in good duties that do so hinder them in the due worshipping of God Ans There is a three-fold cause of them 1. Our selves 2. Satan 3. God 1. We our selves are the causes of wandring thoughts in Gods worship How Surely many waies 1. As we have a remnant of originall corruption a root and stock yet living and fruit bearing and one fruit is evil thoughts Matth. 13.19 out of the heart proceed evil thoughts i. e. the heart being an evil tree It is the happines of a good tree to bring forth fruit in season Psal 1.3 good and seasonable good and it is the curse of corruption a bad tree to bring forth fruit out of season good thoughts but out of season More particularly sinne hath brought a vanity upon our mindes Ephes 4.17 and there is yet a remnant of it in us i. e. the more worth and weight and excellency is in aâ—y thing the lesse we in our mindes suit with it and the more light and empty any thing is the more our mindes agree thereto now thoughts on the by have not that worth and excellency in holy duties that pertinent thoughts inlarging our affections Besides the more any thing requires the fixing setling and holding close of the thoughts as good duties do the lesse do our mindes suit therewith our mindes are vain inconstancy variety change and alteration of thoughts do best please them Experience tells us that it is
particular act of unworthy receiving for God doth not so correct for unavoidable infirmities but for carelessnes for God did not so afflict them at other times there was some diffeÌ„rence therefore betweene them at that time and at other times the difference was not in the frame and habit of grace for then they had not been truly godly therefore in the exercise of grace see it in an example There is a generall affection in fire allwayes to burne but suppose fire be covered over with ashes it is not fit to burne in that present state because it hath a present particular hinderance but when that is removed it will actually burne so Gods grace in our hearts hath a generall fitnes to worship God but when a spirit of security and sloth lyes upon the soul if ye bring the soule to the word to prayer it hath not a present fitnes for grace is not ready at this time to be exercised because hindered by security and sloth and therefore unprepared till that be removed Let us recollect what hath been said An unprepared heart to worship God is 1. A rash heart that doth not consider what a poore creature it is that doth worship what an high and holy God he is that is worshipped what an holy and high way Gods worship is that Christ is our strength and acceptance that God will be worshiped inwardly and spiritually thâ—t Gods glory and our soules good must be our speciall aimes in Gods worship 2. An unprepared heart is a prophane heart that comes to worship God in sinne unrepented of or in worldly thoughts and affections 3. An unprepared heart is an heart indisposed to exercise grace to put forth holy and gracious affections in the worship of God Quest It followes in the next place that we make enquiry after the reason why unpreparednes of heart doth weaken our worshiping of God or the manner how it doth it Ans An unprepared heart doth weaken the worship we performe three wayes 1. As it makes the soul an unmeet instrument to worship God If the soul cannot be sit to worship God without preparation then unpreparednes makes it unfit But the soul cannot be fit to worship God without preparation That I shall make manifest many wayes 1. Take the soul in the best preparation when the soul hath walked in all the preparing wâ—y of God and taken all the paines that humane frailty allow it will be but in measure fit because there will be but a mâ—asure of grace and readines to exercâ—se grace in the heart perfection of these alone will bring perfection of fitnes to worship God We on earth pray that we may doe Gods will as it is done in heaven onely they that are in heaven are a perfect paterne of worshiping God Nay I appeale to the experience of the people of God when they have endeavoured to renew their repentance to pitch their thoughts and affections upon heavenly things to stirre up their graces and doe lâ—oke upon the r preparation with eyes awaked and cleare fighted in measure doe they not see but little preparation rather what they want then what they have there is such difference between the one and the other If the soul prepared hath but a measure of fitnes yea but a small measure then a soul without preparation cannot be fit at all 2. We cannot be fit to worship God without preparation because we continually disfit our selves between time and time of Gods service In the generall the flesh doth lust against the spirit uncessantly Gal. 5.17 As grace doth make a man willing to worship God and desirous to be imploied about that so corruption on the contrary doth make a man backward thereto nay forward to sin this is that Paul saith Rom. 7.21 When I would do good evil is present with me When his regenerate will chuseth good his unregenerate will out of hand chuseth evil And the effect of this lusting of the flesh against the spirit is this saith the Apostle ye cannot do what ye would though there be a will to be prepared for duty yet the corrupt will will hinder the act of the regenerate will or at least weaken it More particularly we do continually unfit our selves for the worship of God two waies 1. We sin continually in all our actions and every act of sin doth strengthen the habit and weaken the contrary habit of grace Not only we do sin necessarily and unavoidably but through carelesnes for want of watching to avoid occasions and to take hold of advantages against sin And the more of the will in sin the lesse opposition it meeteth with all the more doth it gather strength and weaken grace because grace is lesse exercised Isa 59.2 Your iniquities have separated between you and your God Sin doth not only separate us from God as a fountain of comfort but as a fountain of grace so that the more we sin the lesse communion we have with God in grace and the lesse communion we have with God in grace the more unfit to worship him It fares with us in this case as with Samson when he had given way that the hair of his head should be cut which was to break his covenant a sin rather of carelesnes then of presumption he thought to have risen up and gon from the Philistines as at other times but he knew not that God was departed from him sin had bereaved him of his strength So when we have been carelesse of our watch as we generally are and have let loose our thoughts affections speeches we think to pray hear meditate with the same spirituall life and strength that we have formerly done but we know not that God is absent from our hearts and so our strength is absent 2. We do specially unfit our selves for Gods worship by the use of our callings and the comforts of this life Neither our callings nor outward good things do of themselves unfit us to worship God for God would not then have given man a calling and set him in midst of outward comforts in innocency But we abuse our callings and comforts to make us unfit for Gods worship and that we do three waies 1. We spend too much affection upon them 2. Too much time 3. Too much labour 1. We bestow the strength of our affections upon our callings and outward comforts contrary to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.30 31. and they that buy as if they possessed not and they that use the world as not abusing it teaching us a weaned affection from them we should be in regard of setting our hearts upon them when we are in the midst of them as if we wanted them But we not only use them but let our hearts go into them we too much care about them when we want them which made our Saviour take so much pains with his Disciples Matth. 6. from ver 25. to the end to prevent this did not care make Martha unfit to hear our Saviour
yea so change her into care that she would have hindred Mary also yea and charged it as a neglect upon our Saviour himself that he did not relieve her in this immoderate care Luk. 10.40 Master dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone bid her therefore that she help me her immoderate care made her think that Mary had too little care and our Saviour also Is not the reason rendered why cares immoderate do unfit us for Gods worship Luk. 21.34 Take heed that your hearts be not overcharged with surfeting and drunkennes and cares of this life Immoderate cares are to the soul as a surfet of drink too much drink unto the body the body is overcharged with it and so unfit for occasions so the soul is over-burdened with immoderate cares therefore unfit for a farther weight of Gods worship Why do cares choak the seed of the Woâ—d Matth. 13.22 but because they choak the soil draw away the strength of the heart and affections When we are about our callings and enjoy the comforts of this life we lose our hearts in love and delight and if they have the strength of our joy and desire God cannot have it also No man saith our Saviour can serve two masteâ—s for he will love thâ— one and hate the other Matth. 6.24 Ye cannot serve God and mammon If these worldly good things have the best of our love God cannot also have it If we be at any time busied about the worship of God our hearts will go after our covetousnes the good things we have coveted will have our thoughts and affections when God should have them 2. We bestow too much time upon our callings Psal 127.2 It is vain for you to rise early to sit up late shewing that ordinarily our care is to gain all time for our callings and occasions hardly can we spare time daily for the worship of God and when the Sâ—bbath doth approach all the time that we can any way get we lay hold of lest God should have too much no time will be allowed for preparation not only so long as light will permit men will they be labouring about their callings on saturday night but so long as sleep will suffer them when we are counselled Ephes 5.16 to redeem the time part of the meaning is out of the hands of our callings unlesse we can prove that they do not take up too much time Luk. 14.18 19. The foundation of their refusing to come to the supper the ordinances of God was this they could not spare time from their callings We bestow too much pains and labour about our callings too much spend the vigour and strength of our bodies that they become unfit to serve our souls in the worship of God What means our sleepy praiers every night in our families but the over-wearying of our bodies What means our sleepy Sabbaths but the overtiring of our bodies on the week daies 3. We cannot be fit to worship God without preparation because of Satans continuall main endeavour to make us unfit for Gods worship Satan is more Gods enemy then ours because God stands more directly opposite unto him then we do God is the greatest good Satan is the greatest evil What is more opposite to the greatest good then the greatest evil We have somewhat like Satan therefore he is not so great an enemy unto us God is altogether unlike him and contrary to him therefore he is an utter enemy to him so that though Satan will endeavour to unsit us for our own callings yet chiefly for Gods worship for that doth most concern Gods glory and in that he doth more immediately and fully oppose God When did Satan put that thought into Judas heart of betraying Christ but when the passeover did approach And experience tells the godly that they have never more confusion of thoughts then when they desire to meditate and to fit themselves thereby for praier 4. Unpreparednes of heart doth weaken the worship of God performed by us as it doth hinder the breathing and working of the spirit in our hearts If the spirit assist us not we shall but weakly worship God therefore it is said to help our infirmities in praier and so in other duties Rom. 8.26 Whereas the burden of duty is too heavy the spirit of God doth help to lift the burden If the soul come unpreparedly the spirit of God will not ordinarily assist 1. Because a lesser breathing of the spirit is neglected and will the spirit lay out more when lesser is not prized and improved The spirit of God doth allwaies move and provoke the soul unto all the will of God and therefore unto preparation if men therefore come without preparation they come wâ—th neglect of the spirits motion unto preparation and if lesse of the spirit be not improved will he be lavish of more assistance 2. The spirit will not ordinarily assist the unprepared heart because it is out of the way and road of the spirit the spirit of God is a spirit of promise Eph. 1.13 and is therefore conveighed to the soul in a way oâ— promise but the unprepared heart is out of the way of promise and therefore out of the way of the spirit Indeed the spirit of God will sometimes meet an unprepared heart in a duty but it goeth out of the ordinary way at such a time as it must do when we are out of the way the spirit of God must first come out of its ordinary way to us ere we can get into our way but the effect of the spirit meeting a soul unprepared is to make it ashamed of unpreparednes and more watchfull thereunto for time to come 3. Unpreparednes of heart doth weaken our worshiping of God as it doth give advantage to Satan to interrupt and hinder us in the same To what end serves preparation is not this a main end to prevent impediments in worship and Satan the master of them When the Apostle 1 Pet. 5.8 would have us be vigilant upon this ground that Satan walketh about seeking whom he may devoure doth he not give us to understand that the more carelesse we are the more advantage Satan hath against us and the more watchfull we are the lesse harme can he doe us This was our Saviours counsell to his three disciples in the garden in the very houre of temptation watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation implying that it is not sufficient for the preventing of Satans temptations to performe dueties unlesse we adde watching that we be fit to performe them It is not dueties that weaken Satan but dueties performed in the power of the spirit Gal 5.16 walke in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh so much as we expresse the spirit we oppose sin and Satan The devil makes great advantage of dueties of mens hearing reading praying Into whom doth he enter with the unclean spirit but into the house that is
swept of grosse and foule sinnes and garnished with common gilts and performances of dueties The scribes and Pharisees made a cloke of their long prayers to cover their oppression The devil himself will sometimes put on the forme of an Angel of light and herein doe his instruments imitate him as a way of more effectuall deceiving 2 Cor. 11.13 14 15. so that duties performed unpreparedly do more advantage Satan then otherwise But that we may see more fully how unpreparednes of heart doth give advantage unto Satan let us enter into some particulars 1. The heart unprepared is indisposed unto good duties hath no readines unto them but disposed unto other things unto sinne or unto worldly occasions the soul is ever working because it is sometimes indisposed to good duties it is not therefore indisposed to every thing else but it stands inclined to other things Now no disposition of the soul is so contrary to Satan as a disposition unto that which is good for that is Gods image and the devil can make least advantage of it for though he make great advantage of good duties yet for the most part it is when the heart is indisposed but when the heart is unprepared and so hath no readines unto that which is good but rather unto other things it doth come nearer the devils disposition and so gives more advantage to Satan it is more fit to close with his suggestions and unfit to resist them 2. When the heart is unprepared the spirit of God is withdrawne for that is the principall cause of the unpreparednes of the heart the absence of the spirit and if the spirit be absent in any measure the greatest enemy and opposite of Satan is absent the light and power of the soul is absent light to discerne Temptations and power to resist them and if Satan hath the advantage of the darknes and weaknes of the soul hath he not great advantage 3. Unpreparednes of heart doth weaken the grace of faith whereby we should draw strength from Christ both to perform duty and to resist Satans temptations in duty The ground of faith is the promise unpreparednes of heart doth take the soul out of the way of the promise therefore takes away the ground of saith and faith being weakned Satans temptations are strengthened for faith is the shield that quencheth the fiery darts of the Devil Ephes 6.16 The lesse use of faith in the heart the more fire in Satans temptations 4. As unpreparednes of heart doth weaken faith so at the same time it doth weaken the comfort of the soul and bring in doubts in the room thereof so much want of faith in the heart so much want of comfort if the soul be out of the way of assistance in duty as in unpreparednes it is what comfort or chear can it have to go about the worship of God It will be full of doubts and fears and that will be Satans advantage for as the joy of the Lord is our strength Neh. 8.10 so the sorrow of the heart and doubt of the heart is the weaknes of the heart and that is Satans advantage The heart allready doubting is sit to have doubts multiplied by Satan the doubts of the soul do darken the soul and so Satan may with lesse notice and discerning scatter his temptations in the heart Vse This doctrine doth prove foure things 1. The fall The worship of God cannot be so well performed by the servants of God without preparation a signe they are not alwaies fit to worship God a signe of their imperfection and imperfection is a signe of their fall Did God send us out of his hand imperfect If we were perfect we had no unpreparednes unto that which is good God made us in his image and likenes and Gods image is ready and free unto that which is good we are not therefore as we were made Hence the Apostle saith we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works Ephes 2.10 our first creation unto good works was not in Christ Jesus but before we can have any disposednes unto that which is good we must be created again through the power of the Lord Jesus we are not therefore the same cretion we were at first but have lost it and the signe hereof we carry continually about us an unreadines to that which is good 2. The evil of the fall What greater evil then to be allwaies out of frame to what is good any further then the heart is set in temper All evils of punishment do spring from the distemper of the heart and are appointed to punish that therefore that is greater then them all It is the Lords greatest good and so his greatest glory to be allwaies disposed unto good and never unto evil And it is the greatest evil that the fall hath brought upon us that naturally we are allwaies disposed unto evil but never unto good and when we are regenerate we are allwaies more ready unto evil then unto good 3. The miserable estate of unregenerate persons such as are in the same estate wherein they were borne If Gods people that are new creatures that have Gods image renewed in them cannot be fit to worship God till they have prepared their hearts and stirred up grace unto particular act and exercise how should they be sit to worship God that have no grace at all no generall reddines Unregenerate men may read pray hear the word receive the Sacraments but they can never be fit for those duties whilst they remain in an unregenerate estate And what a misery is it to be unfit for Gods service which is the best work we can do a work we shall never repent of a work that tends to Gods glory and to our best good And the misery is the greater if we consider unregenerate men are fit for any thing else but to serve God fit for their own occasions fit to sin against God they are wise to do evil but to do well they have no understanding Jer. 4.12 put the case that a subject should finde himself fit to do any busines of his own yea also fit to warre against his Prince but unfit to do him any service would he not think himself in a miserable temper Nay suppose a man should finde himself unfit to do for the best friend he hath in the world that which he would have him to do and what might pleasure and honour him but fit to do the minde of his greatest enemy would he not think himself in an evil and lamentable temper So it is with unregenerate men they are fit to do their own occasions fit to do against Gods minde and against Gods honour but unfit to do for him yea fit to do for their greatest enemy Satan but unfit to do for God their greatest friend and is not this an evil temper who would rest in this condition 4. The necessity of regeneration unto glory If Gods worship cannot be so well performed without
fear and tremble at the evidence given in by the abounding of errours desertion of Gods publique wâ—rship contempt of that Ministry God hath so highly honoured and so richly blessed even by those that have been ingrafted into Christ and nourished up in hâ—m thereby with much tendernesse pains and patience the exchange of duties of piety expressing and increasing the power of godlinesse for hot and wrangling dâ—sputes about strange doctrines and governments and the bitter fruits of these disputes and differences the seperation of hearts and communion amongst the truly godly thâ— fearfull out-breakings of wrath envy evil speakings the uncharitable unchristian provoking censures of estates and actions the almost incredible propensity to fall out with and fall upon our loving and faithfull brethren of Scotland together with deceitfull dangerous overweening and bold confidences of excelling light grace spirit inlargements comforts c. Here is room enough for a large heart to powre out bitter soul-breaking expostulations O where is the spirit of the Lord that was wont to possesse the hearts of the godly to strengthen grace there to keep good order in the soul to keep in and under these masters of mis-rule O where is that spirit that was wont to fill the Ordinances and in them cleerly to discover to the godly the distempers of their hearts and disorders of their waies and powerfully to break their hearts for sinne and from it Is it possible the spirit should be in the hearts of Gods people and in his own Ordinances in as plentifull a measure as sometimes and so much of the flesh and so little of the spirit appear in these times of so many and great unlooked for unthought of amazing astonishing Nationall mercies Gospel-inlargement wonders of providence Humiliations Thankesgivings Covenants and indeavours for thorow Reformation Sure it cannot be O where is the wisdome love humility meeknesse tendernesse of conscience compassion patience forbearance long suffering that was wont to triumph in the godly and to be the glory of Religion even in the eies of the irreligious My dearly beloved sadly think of these things and let such sad considerations work unto serious search whether some of you also have not lost your first love that you may remember from whence you are fallâ—n repent and doe your first work or unto an wholsome preserving fear least you should depart by degrees from God in the lively expressions of love and he should by the same degrees depart from you in the life of Ordinances you were never in so much danger since your profession began as now That of our Saviour is abundantly verified Matthew 12.43 The unclean spirits that were gone out of men finding the rooms empty swept and garnished are returned with seven spirits more wicked then themselves and they dwelt there And that of Paul Acts 20.30 In many parts of the Kingdome is acted over again Of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them Therefore watch and remember 〈…〉 have formerly preac◠〈…〉 not without tempta◠〈…〉 d tears and what I 〈…〉 now written to you that ye lose not those things that ye have wrought but that ye may receive a full reward It is in the desire of my heart that I may not be negligent to put you alwaies in remembrance of these things yea I thinke it meet as long as I am in this Tabernacle to stirre you up by putting you in remembrance knowing that shortly I must put off this my Tabernacle And in this work I have indeavoured that you may be able after my decease to have these things alwaies in remembrance 2 Pet. 1.12 13 14 15. If the Lord shall keep you from despising 〈◊〉 Ordinances which I taâ—◠〈…〉 very beginning of 〈…〉 â—pers of the times and 〈◊〉 â—eep up in you an honourable esteem of Gods Ordinances and particularly of those Orthodox godly painfull Ministers that have brought home your own souls or the souls of others and led on the people of God towards perfection for many years bearing the burden and heat of the day and not be bewitched as the foolish Galathians and Corinthians with flourishing high-flown flashing men whose piety lies in parts whose power lies in novelties and whose baits lie in gilded words and dissembled carriages who vapour for a little while and then extinguish for want of substance that will keep you in a prepared attentive profitable attendance upon them in which way God will converse familiarly with you make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you All that I now desire in recompence of my renewed pains for your good in a time when my body was not very fit for it is your purposed fervent praiers to him that hath the seven spirits of God that he would pour out his spirit upon his people that they may discover how wofully their own hearts and Satan have deceived them clearly discern Gods bitter anger in their strange affections expressions and carriages one to another that with Ioseph and his brethren they may meet and weep one in anothers bosome humble their souls before God together seek of God together the wayes of communion being troubled at and weary of the wayes of separation from their approved beloved brethren and not rest till they have recovered their love to God and reunited their affections and societies that their humiliations and supplications recovering their former vigour they may prevail mightily with God to poure out his spirit upon his Ordinances in greater measure then ever to the inlightning of the ignorant converting of the prophane cleering of doubts reconciling of differences increasing of the power of godlinesse perfecting of Reformation and edification of the body of Christ In joyfull expectation of your ready and unanimous concurrence in this desire I doe heartily take leave and remaine whilst the chief shepard shall continue my commission and work amongst you Your loving Pastor covetous to preserve the heat and strength of your love to the Lord Jesus that I may present you a chaste Virgin and may rejoice in that day that I have not runne in vain JOHN ANGIER TO THE Christian Reader READER WE will not we need not say much of this book only this we dare promise thee that if the title like thee the Treatise is like the man that made it no whit lesse then it speaks And truly it is such a theam that we have need to study For in vain doe we expect better times unlesse we get better hearts alas what should impure hearts doe with pure Ordinances we tremble to hear so many cry Reformation Reformation and yet see so few reforming themselves or their families We are bold to say that unlesse our hearts and lives were bâ—tter Episcopacy were too good for us The truth is God is mockt to his very face and one of these two evils we may expect either that we shall die in the wildernes and never go over Jordane to see the good land of Reformation
receive the word with all readines of minde they did in the greatest measure put forth their hearts unto the words of the Apostle to meet with it in the way and to take it up so soone as it was let fall by him Luk. 24.32 Did not our hearts burne within us when he opened to us the Scripture burne these did and were in a flame with indignation against themselves for their ignorance with desire of and joy in the good and glad tydings of Christs death and resurrection 2. Receiving the Sacraments the Passeover 2 Chron. 35.18 There was no Passeover like to that kept in Israel since the dayes of Samuel the Prophet They exceeded in this Passeover all the Passeovers of a long time a signe they kept it with a great measure of affection for would God onely have commended the outward action Luk. 22.15 With desire I have desired to eate this Passeover with you before I suffer .i. with earnest and vehement desire earnest desire to the ordinance doth imply earnest desire in the ordinances The duty of examination required of the communicant 1 Cor. 11.28 doth carry as much examination is the bellows of affection The like we finde in the Eunuch in regard of baptisme Act. 8.36 See here is water what doth hinder me to be baptized He had a forward desire the Evangelist should have stirred up and provoked him but he prevents him is more forward to receive it then he to offer it 3. Prayer Psal 119.145 I cryed with my whole heart he imploied all the affections of his heart in prayer and that with earnestnes he cries Psal 142.2 I poured out my complaint before him David empties his soule in prayer leaves nothing behinde a signe of earnestnes Psal 143.6 I stretch forth my hands unto thee the instancy here spoken of he fears lest his prayers should fall short of God therefore sends them forth with as great earnestnes as may be 4. Singing of psalms Ps 149.5 6. Let them sing aloud let the high prayses of God be in their mouthes in singing psalmes our hearts must be extended and stretched out as the extending of the voice implies our hearts must be wide open and filled with gracious affections When God would expresse great Joy he bids the mountains breake forth into singing Esai 49.13 Ephes 5.18.19 Be not drunk with wine wherein is excesse but be filled with the spirit speaking to your selves in Psalms c. we should labour to drinke deepe of the spirit and expresse it in singing and makeing melody in our hearts to the Lord there must be a sweet and loud sounding joy in our hearts when we sing psalmes For proofe of this truth may be brought in the testimony of Scripture examples commended and reproofs of the contrary The Scripture calls for this affection Rom. 12.11 Fervent in spirit serving the Lord if we should be cold in our owne occasions which we are not yet when we come to serve God our spirits should burne within us with desire and delight Gal. 4.18 It is good to be Zealously affected allwayes in a good thing good because agreeable to Gods will to Gods nature to the nature of the good we are zealous about zealous affection in good is allwaies good other good things have their proper season this is allwaies in season in every good action 2. The servants of God have thus practised Nehemiah was zealous for the service and worship of God so that he had his conscience on his side to embolden him to desire mercy of God according to his forward affection that way Nehem. 13.14 Remember me O my God concerning this and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and the offices thereof David Psal 69.9 The Zeal of thy house hath eaten me up Such was his affection to Gods Worship and Service that partly out of desire thereafter and partly out of greife for the neglect contempt and reproach thereof he was even a devoured consumed man so great was his affection that way that he seemed carelesse every other way And herein he was a type of the best of paterns the Lord Jesus Christ who being a Preist though not after the order of Aaron did expresse an ardent affection in purging the Temple from the corruption of those times in so much that his Disciples thought he was an apparent accomplisher of that place of propheticall Scripture The Zeal of thy house hath eaten me up John 2.17 Who but a man in the power and possession of zeale to Gods house would have made a whip and therewith driven out the polluters of the Temple and have overthrown their Tables and Seats and that with Scripture-chiding Math. 21.13 Another remarkable instance concerning our Saviour we have John 4.32.33.34 Whilst his Disciples were gone into the City to buy meat he falls into parly with a woman of Samaria about her soul when his Disciples come again they pray him to eat he tells them he is provided he had meat to eat they knew not of his Disciples say one to another Hath any man brought him meat to eat our Saviour answereth My meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work No meat could be more sweet unto him or refreshing then the doing of Gods will a signe he was dearly affected thereto that he could make food of it The like we read of Apollos Acts 18.25 being fervent in Spirit he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord he did not only preach the things of the Lord but with fervencie of spirit with a burning heart Thus unlesse we will be irregular in our serving of God and unlike the approved Saints and servants of God in Scripture yea unlike Christ our patern who was sent from Heaven to set us a copy we must perform Gods service with earnestnesse of affection 3. God hath reproved the want of this fervency of affection in his service a signe it is a transgression Where the Apostle saith Gal. 4.18 It is good to be Zealous alwaies in a good matter he doth conveigh a secret reproof of them who were dearly affected to the false Apostles who were but counterfeit Ordinances of God but were abated in their love to him a true Apostle and so a true Ordinance of God If it be good to be zealous in a good thing then it is evil nor to be zealous The luke-warm temper of Laodicca the Lord reckons to be worse then key cold I would thou wert hot or cold down-right and sensibly good or evil no temper so evil as lukewarm he threatens to spue them out of his mouth shewing that the â—ord will have no communioâ—â—â—â—h but doth detest and will 〈◊〉 â—ove far from him the pâ—â—â—ons and services that are lukeâ—aâ—â— God tells the Churc◠〈◊〉 â—pâ—esâ—â— he had somewhat against her because she had left her first love her love was not utterly gone but her first love and her first works she
worth spirituall therefore above the reach of nature 1 Cor. 2.14.15 spirituall things are spiritually discerned therefore onely by spirituall men John 4.23 The true worshippers There are different apprehensions of Gods worship because different worshippers some true some false some in true light others in darknes some left in the darknes of nature others called into light 1 Cor. 1.23 24. The preaching of the Gospel to the Jewes a stumbling block to the Greeks foolishnes but to them that are called the wisdome of God and the power of God to them that are called out of darknes into marvellous light such as have a manifesting differencing discerning knowledge the godly know thus but in measure therefore esteeme but in measure 2. Where there is some knowledge of the worth of Gods worship yet there wants attendance to that light 2 Pet. 1.19 Ye do well to take heed as to a light that shineth in a darke place it is one thing to have light another thing to attend to it to heed it men forget they consider not the weight and worth of Gods worship Eccles 3.1 Keepe thy foot when thou goest to the house of God be more ready to hear there is an inconsideratenes in us in Gods worship we doe not deliberate about it because we are too thoughtfull about other things 3. The worship of God is contrary to nature because holy spirituall self-humbling and emptying this includes a defect of love to it and where love is wanting something will be imagined to worke disrespect That despising of Gods worship is an hinderance of fervencie and how it is an hinderance appeares 1. From consideration of the dependance of affections and endeavours upon the judgement if the thoughts be but low the affections and endeavours will be but low and on the contrary if the thoughts be high they will carry up affection and endeavours 2. It is against the nature of wisdome and therefore folly to bestow much affection and endeavour about things of small worth wisdome doth proportion affection and endeavours to the worth of things 3. The motive of the will is good the more or lesse good is apprehended the more or lesse the will is moved and so lesse or more fervencie of desire and endeavour If Gods worship be despised little good is apprehended and so little to move the will and affections if it be of little or no benefit as despisers apprehend why should we earnestly chuse it desire it take pains about it it will yeild small delight and satisfaction Desp siâ—g sometâ—â—â—s prevâ—â—â—â—â— to a totall neglect of duty much more to measure of neglect Vse 1. To convince of sinne the body of our people 1. Such as neglect Gods private worship reading and prayer in their families catechising and calling over the word which they have heard the fountaine of this neglect is dâ—spising they thinke it more honourable to be unpraid unread to leave children untaught the word unrepeated they thinke meanly of good duties that the practice of them comes out of simplicity and weaknes of judgement The greatnes of their sin in the effect and cause will the better appear if we consider Gods opinion of them and dealing with them 1. God thinks no better of them then of doggs swine Mat. 7.6 who trample under foot pearls brutish unreasonable creatures they are not base that pray but they that despise praier God makes account none will despise praier but doggs and swine such as are deprived of reason as farre below themselves as their thoughts are below Gods worship as if he should say Never take them for men and women again that tread under foot holy things that speak ill of reading conference praier God calls them doggs and swine so must we who can skill of nothing but the bones and akorns of the world 2. God will reject them when they would be most esteemed Heb. 12.16 17. Esau was rejected his suit was not regarded he despised the birthright and was himself despised when he would have had the blessing and though men prevail by earnest desires and tears to change the mindes of men yet he could not move the minde of God though he sought diligently with tears So men that despise praier or other parts of Gods worship when afterwards they would pray themselves or have others pray for them when they greatly need and earnestly desire the benefit of that worship they have despised they shall be rejected Prov. 1.24 25 28. Zech. 7.13 2. Such as come to the publike worship of Gods Word Sacraments Prayer but care not with what affections they come have no desire no delight there to be busied they bring their bodies but leave their hearts behinde them they trim and adorn their bodies but not their hearts They are farre from David spirit Psal 83.10 who esteemed one day in Gods house better then a thousand and again Psal 26.6 I will wash my hands in innocency and so will I compasse thine altar he will not come carelesly but with painfull preparation such as washing in the laver of repentance is clean hands become clean work these had rather be any where else then at Gods Ordinances any triviall occasion or idle company will keep them away they say Such as oâ—◠〈◊〉 despâ—sing do negâ—â—ct private may dâ—spisâ—n ly perform publike worship they can spend the time as well at home in reading some good book or in discoursing about some profitable subject as in the ordinances used in publike Assemblies Did not authority command and generall example forcibly perswade and desire to avoid shame constrain they would not afford their company at all and when they do come they bring the same affections where with they go about other occasions And why so They see no good in preaching praier sacraments What profit is in them What good comes by them these have too low thoughts of Gods worship as if it were onely outward and did only deserve the worst part the presence of the body which is their sinne And how should they do otherwise who make their own blindenes the judge of the worth of Gods ordinances not the word of command not the person regarded not the promise annexed to the worship not the the presence therein manifested Iudge you is it not a despising of Gods worship to think that any affections are good enough if a man do but get out of his bed and have but so much time as to get him ready he is fit to go to the Assembly though he have no spirituall thoughts no sense of his unfitnes by reason of the sinnes of the week past no praier to God for preparednes of heart doth not such a man think meanly of God he would set his thoughts and affections more in order were he to go into the presence of a King or to do some publike action these sinfull low thoughts are fruitfull in low affections and actions these weak expressions do manifest such men to be weak
nature and image save when he doth transform himself into an Angel of light as sometimes he doth and Satan is worse more sinfull then our hearts therefore the thoughts that come from him will ordinarily be more sinfull like their pâ—â—â—â—â— then those in which our hearts have an hand 2. By the measure of the opposition of the gracious heart it doth more forcibly repell them with greater strength of detestation for grace not being weakned by them having no hand in them doth more easily discern them and is more able to detest them whereas when the soâ—l is a party in them they being his own having affection to them and having given some countenance to them in their rising cannot so easily see their sinfulnes nor so ably resist the same Some wandring thoughts he casts immediately by means of the corruption of our hearts 1. By occasion of some object to our eie or ear 2. Joining with our memories to remember somewhat forgotten 3. Representing some fancy to our mindes 3. God so disposeth that his people shall have wandring thoughts by withdrawing his preventing spirit by leaving them in the hands of Satan and corruption by casting in occasions to be snared and distractions unto them and that he doth for many wise ends 1. To chastise them for a double sin First neglect of good motions they that have slâ—ighted good thoughts and the comfort of them it is just they should feel the sorrow of evil thoughts Secondly too much favouring of wandring thoughts what hath been the sin God often makes the rod of his wandring thoughts have been their sin therefore shall be their rod. 2. To keep their hearts under and humble the ground of pride is some good thing some worth some excellency reall or imagined what greater good then communion with God in holy duties the exercise of graces the powring out of the spirit upon us nothing therefore so fit to be matter of pride but when the godly look into their hearts and see such wandring thoughts they are kept from exalting themselves 3. Still to convince them thorowly and to put them in minde what need they have of a Saviour they see matter of damnation desert of hell in their best duties If their praiers hearings receivings of the Sacrament will not save them what will Nothing in themselves they must have a Jesus a daies-man betwixt God and them one that hath perfect holines that hath perfectly obeied God 4. To quicken and increase their care of preparation before they come and of watchfulnes in duty for they see in experience what need they have they dare not come without meditation without praier for the spirits assistance when they are there they dare not sleep or give way to drousines as others nor look about them lest thus they set their mindes a wandring Vse 1. Hence we may take notice 1. Of the evil nature of sin it stands in direct opposition to the good God to his service and glory for this doctrine doth manifest that though sin be never so secret never so small if but in thought yet it doth weaken the worship of God and therefore hinder his glory Men may to the eie of men worship and honour God as much as any the outward carriage of their bodies may be such but if sin be but within the thought it will divide the soul from the body carry away the best part of man from the worship of God 2. The exactnes and strictnes of the worship of God It requires the whole man and every part thereof even to the least thought of the minde It will not abate a thought it will not suffer one thought to wander but will complain that its due is wanting that it is weakned and wronged 3. The mistake of the world who being very loose themselves do condemn the godly of too much strictnes and precisenes but they know not what they say can they be more strict then God requires No not possible Nay they cannot possibly be so strict as they should be therefore it is lesse possible that they should be too strict too precise The worship of God requires that all our thoughts should be kept close unto it that not one should wander This is not possible nor will it be possible when the godly have attained the greatest measure of grace that is attainable in this world so long as corruption remains there will be â—â—andring thoughts if then 〈◊〉 â—â—dly cannot be so strâ—ctâ—â—◠〈◊〉 should be though they 〈◊〉 and endeavour it much 〈…〉 can they be too strict That which makes men think the godly too strict is paâ—tly ignorance of that strictnâ—â— God requireth partly love 〈◊〉 â—oâ—enes they neither pracâ—â—â—â— nor love strictnes in themselves therefore they condemn it in others that they might justify themselves 4. God hath much bad service done him that the world knoweth not of no body is privy thereto but God and the consciences of men wandring thoughts worldly thoughts sinfull thoughts impertinent good thoughts do hinder Gods worship yet how full are all mens mindes of these some let their mindes go loose all Sermon while all Praier while they think not at all of what is in hand and they that do keep their minde in measure have no fast hold of them but soon let them goe Oh what strange hearing and praying will be discovered and brought into judgement at the last day for Eccles 12.14 God will bring jnto judgement every secret thing and Rom. 2.16 God will iudge the secrets of men some shall be brought in hearing and praying with their bodies but thinking of their whoring gaming drinking and the like others busy about their recreations others buying and selling and making bargains others plowing and sowing and reaping Herein shall be discovered the meeting of prophanenes hypocrisy and idolatry in the hearts of men Prophanenes in that they have suffered unholy common thoughts to come into their mindes in holy time and holy worship a thing that the soul if perfectly sanctified would not do Hypocrisy in that they make shew of what they do not they make shew of true and earnest worshipping of God by the presence of their bodies but they do nothing lesse Idolatry in that they give leave to their souls because their operations are hidden and secret to do that which they will not give leave to their bodies to do in the eie of man What is this but to make an Idol of God as if he did not see the souls actions as well as men see the actions of the body and if he doth see them why do men give more liberty to their thoughts which are in Gods eie then to their actionsi which are in mans eie 2. To reprove 1. An opinion planted by Satan in the mindes of men contrary to this truth I have in hand That thoughts are not to be mattered thoughts are free we need not be troubled at them If thoughts be free then they are not to be regarded
good go forward and would have our communion with God in holy duties furthered we must look to our thoughts for they are the beginning 2. Our thoughts are the rise and well-spring of all evil No evil is at any time in tongue or life but was first in thought Such breakings out in tongue as men are ashamed of did first make a gap in the thoughts Actuall sins in Scripture are called inventions Eccles 7.9 God made man upright but he hath found out many inventions the first apostasy and fall of our parents was a finding out of many inventions Psal 99.8 He took vengeance of their inventions Actuall sins the sins of the outward man are therefore called inventions because f you follow any sin to the fountain and spring you shall finde it was an invention it began in a device an imagination Art thou aware that the furthest sin goeth the worse and would'st thou stop it in the beginning then look to thy thoughts regard them if any anger swearing lying come into thy tongue they will be first in thy thoughts and if thou wouldst keep them out of thy tongue thou must regard thy thoughts 3. Little dost thou or any man know to what one thought may grow be it good or evil behold saith the Apostle Iam. 3.5 how much a little fire kindleth a thought is but a spark yet a spark of fire that will kindle wonderfull much if not quenched there To see the stream and spring of some river a man would hardly believe that so great a stream came from so small a fountain The greatest good and evil that ever was in the world was at first but a little thought Thoughts therefore are to be regarded yea chiefly to be regarded If a good thought come into thy heart and thou cherish it and the spirit of God move upon it thou canst not tell what may proceed from it If an evil motion come into thy heart and thou let it go without controll and the Devil be suffered to hatch it it will grow to a monster of sin 4. Thou maiest sin in thought and not sin in word or deed but thou canst not sin in word or deed but thou must first sin in thought Sin in thought is more easily and suddainly committed and more independently then in word or deed therefore thoughts are chiefly to be looked unto Many will blesse themselves from such and such sins in life which others runne into and they look carefully to their steps not considering they may commit the same sin in their thoughts which they give liberty unto though not in life and therefore they should look first to their thoughts 2. Generall and common carelesnes of thoughts in Gods worship is to be reproved Is it not a fault for men to be careles how they worship God who is so great and so good so great that none is like him so good that he gives us rain from heaven and fruitfull seasons filling our hearts with food and gladnes yea giveth us his statutes and ordinances he hath not so dealt with all his people Is it not carelesnesse in Gods worship to be carelesse what we think therein whether good or evil whether impertinent good or pertinent Thus they rob God of a part of their soul who hath made all requires all and deserves all That there is a common carelesnesse in men of thoughts appears in that they do not set their thoughts in order when they come to Gods worship but rather bring that with them which may distract them viz. thoughts of meeting with such and such and speaking with them about some worldly busines and when they are there suffer their eies to wander and rove and to delight themselves with variety of objects They that take no care of their eies take no care of their thoughts for the eies do feed the thoughts the thoughts depend upon the eies God out of his care of his glory and our good spirituall temporall and eternall hath appointed his worship is it not our great sin to be carelesse of it Our own thoughts will in time accuse us and passe this reproof upon us when it shall be an evil day of affliction with us or when the word shall be a light in our mindes and a terrour in our hearts Time of sicknes is a time of thoughts then our hands and feet are bound onely our thoughts are at liberty which will then toil and busy themselves about our wandring in good duties and thereby vex and torment us The more carelesse we have been of our thoughts in Gods worship the more carefull will our thoughts be to disquiet us for conscience must and shall do its office and there is more matter of disquiet 3. The particular carelessenes of Gods people of their thoughts in Gods worship is particularly to be reproved their mindes are in part sanctified they know the weight of Gods worship the worth of good thoughts the evil of wandring thoughts how comfortable the one leaves the heart and how sad the other yet they take but little care to keep their minde close to Gods worship I speak not of that infirmity which doth follow necessarily upon the remainings of corruption and is common to all the godly some wandring thoughts in good duties but I speak of their carelessenes and negligence to prevent wandring thoughts whereupon follows store and abundance of them The former is their sin because unavoidable wandring thoughts are the fruits of our sin our first voluntary Apostasy from God but this is an addition of sin to sin an increase of sin not only a neglect of Gods worship but also a neglect of our first injuring of God and his worship by our fall For were we sensible of our sinfull frame of minde that doth as necessarily and naturally send out wandring thoughts as the fire doth heat were we troubled that we have brought upon our selves a necessity of wandring and roving from God in his worship we would take care that this originall corruption should not be fruitfull I appeal to the consciences of the godly do not your thoughts accuse you for carelessenes of your thoughts in Gods worship Were there nothing else to convince the godly of the carelessenes of their thoughts in Gods worship and their fault therein this were sufficient the fruit of their wandring thoughts What makes Sabbaths so wearisome to the godly but this that they cannot keep their thoughts to God the more the day and our thoughts suit the more contentment and delight therein and the lesse out thoughts and the day suit the more wearisome the day will be What makes the ordinances so unprofitable the hearts of the godly are not affected in the word in praier because of these wandring thoughts as the thoughts are taken up about any thing so the affections do work if the thoughts be but sleighty the affections will be but sleightly moved if the thoughts be deeply possessed with a thing the affections are strongly
having though it cost dear So on the contrary wandring thoughts being a curse are worthy preventing though it cost us tears to God yea many tears and much pains with our own hearts 3. The Lord hath threatned to punish these wandring thoughts which carry away the heart in his worship and make it only a bodily exercise without spirit and life with a secret but sure blasting of inward spirituall good that as God hath but a shadow and outside of worship so they shall have but a shadow and shew of spirituall wisdom and prudence Isa 29.14 Therefore the wisdom of the wise shall perish and the understanding of the prudent shall be hid Therefore why Because they have drawn neer to God with their mouths and have removed their hearts farre from him They gave God a body without an heart therefore he will give them a body without an heart the shape of wise men without wisdom and prudence a suitable judgement What is the reason that Christians are so much shadows and shews of Christians rather then substance and truth when they should come to bear injuries and wrongs to forget and forgive they can do it no more then other men when they should expresse their dependance upon God and submission unto God in willing and chearfull parting with comforts and friends when God will have it so they can no more do it then other men they hold comforts fast as if they should part with God and all when they part with them and they hold friends fast and will not let them go as if friends were made more to serve one another then to serve God and when friends and comforts are gon they grieve as if all their joy were gone When they should bear quietly the crosse and grieving passages of Gods providence as those who have learned in whatsoever state they are to be content knowing they are in heavines if need be they cannot bear but carry themselves as untamed heifers that would rather shake off the yoke then bear it they have the shew of these graces in their profession but they want that measure of substance the reason is because their service of God is more in shew then substance therefore they are Christians more in shew then substance As we spend our Sabbaths so will our week daies be spent and as we perform holy duties so will our conversation be Is it not a heavy judgement to be inwardly worse then we think our selves or others think us to be to be unable to use grace when we have most need to exercise it yet thus hath God threatned to afflict us and he will make his Word good if we suffer our thoughts to wander in his service Quest By what means may we prevent wandrings in Gods worship Answ First labour the increase of grace Heb. 13.9 It is good that the heart be established with grace i. e. with gâ—acious knowledge of old and well known truths which the Apostle opposeth to new and strange doctrine And when the Apostle would direct the people of God to keep their own stedfastnes yea though the errour of the wicked took course to draw them away He gives them counsell to grow in grace 2 Pet. 3.17 18. Which places do shew that grace is of an establishing setling nature and so indeed it is for 1. It is contrary to vanity and inconstancy being the nature of God who is stable and firm alwaies one and the same 2. It sets the soul in order puts every faculty into its place and sets it about its own proper office and so it doth establish 3. It doth establish as it is the work of the free or liberall spirit Psal 51.12 David praieth that God would establish him with his free spirit grace doth establish a man as it is the work of the free spirit because it maketh a mans spirit free and liberall like to the spirit of God to sleight earthly things in comparison and to minde heaven and heavenly things earthly things do unsettle they are themselves changeable and do change the thoughts and affections pitched upon them Let a man pitch his thoughts and heart upon his nearest friends he hath in the world to whom nature society interchange of love Christianity hath bound him yet his thoughts and affections placed upon these nearest friends shall change and not alwaies contitinue one and the same because they change and are not alwaies the same therefore the thoughts pitched upon them do change also spirituall and heavenly things are of the nature of the spirit and heaven steady and stable immoveable unchangeable therefore will establish the affections pitched upon them Now the more grace we have the more we shall minde heavenly things and so be the more established 2. Labour the increase of thy reverence and high esteem of the worship of God According to thy thoughts of the worship of God so much-what will thy thoughts be in it Psal 48.9 We have thought of thy loving kindnes oh God in the midst of thy Temple They professe their thoughts were busied about Gods loving kindnes in his Ordinances why so because of their high thoughts thereof ver 2 3. beautifull for situation the joy of the whole earth is mount Sion God is known in her palaces for a refuge And herein were they helped by the report of their fathers ver 8. as we have heard so have we seen in the City of the Lord of hosts they had seen Gods mighty presence and protection in and about his own Ordinances but they had also heard so and that before they had seen it To help our reverence of Gods worship it is good to talk with ancient Christians that have lived long before us to hear what they will say we may be helped by their experience when we have none or but little of our own and if we have experience of the worth of the Ordinances we may be further helped by their experience 3. Prepare our selves aforehand Prov. 18.1 Through desire a man having separated himself intermedleth with all wisdom if a man have a desire to meddle with matters of wisdom and would do it as becomes such occasions and as may be for profit he will first separate himself not passe immediately from common and triviall matters to matters of wisdom but he will have some time betwixt the leaving off of the one and taking to the other If we passe from our callings to Gods worship without separating our selves how is it ordinarily possible but that we should have the same thoughts in Gods worship that we bad in our callings There are some separating duties that do prepare unto others as examination meditation praier and they do prepare by stirring up the grace of God and providing an heavenly assistance to begin with us in the duty If thou canst not alwaies have separating time betwixt other occasions and Gods worship Yet have some separating thoughts ere thou enter upon the duty thou art not fit else to meddle
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
in heart and outvvard trouble And after vows to make enquiry is a snare When a man ha h vowed to enquire whether he hath done vvell or no and to vvish he had his vow in again vvere it to do again he vvould not do it this is rash vowing and brings a man into a snare he should have better considered aforeâ—â—nd Eccles 5.6 Say not thou before the Angel It was an errour why should God be angry at thy voice do not so vow as that afterward thou should'st have cause to say thou wert mistaken that vvere to make God angry vvith thee To vvorship God rashly is not to consider of six things before vve go about any part of Gods solemn vvorshâ—p 1. The persons worshipping 2. The person vvorshipped 3. The vvorship it self 4. The means of assistance and acceptance 5. The manner 6. The end 1. We must consiâ—er the persons that do worshâ—p Eccles 5.2 By this argument the spirit of God disswaâ—es from rashnes in praier or vows We are on earth dust and aâ—hes base and vile that considered would make us more serious and weighty So Abraham when he was further to speak unto God doth consider he was but dust and ashes Gen. 18.27 Job also chap. 40.40 When he was to converse with God acknowledgeth his own vilenes Behold I am vile this consideration doth stirre up our humility yea and our repentance for we cannot think of our vilenes but we must be put in minde of our sinne which hath had the chief hand in it 2. We must consiâ—er the person worshipped Eccles 5.2 Be not â—ash with thy mouth Why God is in heaven thou hast to do with an high holy powerfull God thou canst not be too serious and deliberatâ— So Abâ—â—ham Gen. 18.27 I have taken upon me to speak to the Lord who am but dust and ashes God is the Lord a person of greatest place and authority Abraham bust dust and ashes great difference between dust and ashes and the Lord this consideration will further our reverence and respect of God yea and our repentance the geater God is the greater is our sin against him when Iobs eie did see God chap. 41.16 i. e. he had a clear knowledge of God he abhorred himself in dust and ashes It will help our faith also God having a power above us and others can do that for us which neither we nor others can do 3. We must consider the worship it self whether it be ordinary or extraordinary more or lesse solemn for â—ore iâ— required in the one then in the other and what part of ordinary worship it is we must consider for beside the heart which must be imploied in all we have more speciall use of the ear in hearing the Word and the hand and eie in the supper of the Lord and by the well using of them our hearts are helped the worship of God is a separate way an holy way a way above an high way Prov. 15.24 a way of converse and communion with God 4. We must consider the means of assistance and acceptance the Lord Jesus Christ we have no ability of our own to worship God nor have we any worth to commend our duties unto God when we have done them this consideration will stirre up our humility and faith ouâ— humility for we have no strength of our selves to do any good nor is there any thing in us that can procure savour and acceptance of Gods hands of what we do and they that have no strength nor worth had need by faith depend upon him that hath perfection Heb. 11.4 Faith depending upon Christ for assistance and acceptance did make Abels sacrifice excell Cains which it may be did not exceed in matter 5. We must consider the manner of Gods worship how God will be worshipped with inward affections and the life of them with willingnes and cheerfullnesse with reverence love humility repentance faith Eccles 5.1 be more ready to hear then to offer the sacrifice of fools i. e. do not satisfy thy self with an outward performance of duty or with some other service beside that in hand which thy self dost fancy which a fool may do one that hath no spirituall understanding but be more ready to hear attend and give thine eare unto the present ordinance which doth argue inward reverence and affection 6. We must consider the end of Gods worship which is double His glory Our good His glory more immediatly fully then in other works which yet honour God Our good the good of our souls more immediatly fully thâ—n in other occasiâ—â—s wherein yet is a blessing If we consider not of these things before we worship God we are rash and not prepared and the more serious solemne and set any worship is at any time the more must we consider of them 2. The second part of an unprepared heart is prophanenes or unholines of heart Prophanenes and unholines are all one Ezek. 22.26 They put noe difference betweene the holy and prophane the holy and prophane are contrary therefore these two unholy and prophane are al one and unsanctified and unprepared are all one for prepared and sanctifâ—â—d are all one 2 Châ—o 29. â—9 An heart is prophane common or polluted two waies in relation to the worship or God 1. When it lies under an act of sin unrepâ—nted of Sin doth pollâ—te and defile â— Cor. â— 17 touch no unclean thing cap 7.1 Let us cleanse our selves from all filâ—hines of flesh and spirit sin is the unclean thing and doth defile for it takes the soule from God which was set apart for him and from the holy way and nothing but repentance will wash away this defilement Ier. 4.14 O Ierusalem wash thine heart from wickednes how long shall thy vaine thoughts lodge within thee To come therefore to worship God with sin unrepented of is to come with a defiled heart Ezek. 23.38 they have defiled my sanctuary and prophaned my sabbaths and how doth he prove it ver 39. for wâ—en they had slaine their children to their Idols then they came into my sanctuary to prophane it they came from their Idolatry unto the sanctuary of God without repentance and so they prophaned it by making no difference between it and an unholy place and especially did they first defile their hearts by making no difference between an holy unclean heart Numb 9.7 We are defiled by the dead body of a man why are we kept from offeringe an offeringe to the Lord in his season amongst the children of Israel that uncleannes was a sinfull uncleannes though ceremoniall hindring them from preparednes unto the passeover till they were washed shadowing out that defilement we get by touchinge sin and sinners which are dead things Exod. 2.48 No uncircumcised person shall eat thereof uncircumcision was a sinfull uncleannes that did unfit them for the passeover and to this the Apostle alludes when he speaks of preparednes to beare the word Iam. 1.21 Lay aside all superfluitie of naughtines
the fore-kin was a superfluitie therefore to be cut off so sin is a superfluity wee may well spare it and it must be cut off when wee come to heare the word if wee would be clean 2. The heart is then unâ—lean and prophaâ—e when it come to worship God not having laide aside earthly thoughts and affections these thoughts and affections are common not set apart untâ—o Gods worship therefore do defile the heart in Gods worship because they make it common when it should be set apaâ—t for God Common is as well opposed to holy as sinfull 1. Sam. 21.4 There is no common bread under my hand but hallowed common or ordinary bread in comparison of hallowed bread is unholy and so common ordinary thoughts and affections inreference to holy worship are prophane and unholy and make the heart a prophane vessel Nehe. 13.17 Nehemiah did contend with the Nobles because they did prophane the sabbath How did they prophane the sabbath viz. in suffering wares to be sold and tradesmen to be imploied in their trades on the sabbath-day much more did they that were imploied in them prophane the sabbath and especially their hearts by intermedling with such occasions Isa 58. â—3 Thou shalt not do thine owne wayes nor finde thine own pleasure on my holy day the day and duties are Gods therefore the workes and word yea and thoughts and affections too must in a speciall manner tend to God upon that day This was shadowed by Gods command to Moses when he drew nigh to the bush where God did manifest himselfe in glory setting the bush on fire yet keeping it from being consumed put off thy shoes from thy feet Exod. 3 5. why For the place whereon thou standest is holy â—round Those shoes those affections whereby wee tread upon the earth converse with men and with earthly occasiâ—ns must be put off when wee come to Worship God else they will make our hearts unholy and uncleane because common 3. A third part of the unpreparednes of the heart is unaptnes or indisposednes suppose a man lie under one sin unrepented of and lay aside wordly thoughts and affections yet experience proves a man may be unwilling and backward to the Worship of God or may have an indifferencie or carlesnes of spirit that he could as well let it alone as do it a spirit of luke-warmenes that doth neither strongly incline to the Worship of God nor from it but stands in a middle way This unaptnes is not only a want of Grace without which a man wants a will for God works the will till God worke a will in a man to that which is good he hath none but also a want of readines in grace to be put in exercise in Gods worship by reason of spirituall sloth the case of the wise virgins who by reason of their slumbring had their lamps to trim when the bridegroom was comming ere they could be prepared the orbe of grace grew low and so their lampes of profession did burne obscurely they awaking and using the meanes got supplye of oyl from Christ and so their lamps recovered their brightnes and the want of that which Paul calls upon Timoâ—hy for 2. Tim. 1.6 Stir up the gift of God there are gifts and graces but they are like fire in the ash-heaps not fit to kindle and flame the ordinances of God being put to them because the ashes of security lye between grace and the ordinances of God unblowne away This we finde in Iacobs preparing of his family Gen. 35.2 First put away the strange gods that was all manifest and open sinne Secondly be ye clean i. e. from all ceremoniall pollutions Thirdly change your garments not onely put off those they had on but put on others The garments of the soule are the dispositions of the soule Isai 61.3 a garment of praise is opposed to a spirit of heavines a spirit of heavines is a sad or mournfull disposition a garment of praise on the contrary is a ioyfull and thankfull disposition We must change our garments put off our earthly and worldly dispositions thoughts desires cares about the world and not there rest but we must be clothed with heavenly thoughts affections graces have them in a readines to expresse themselves in the worship of God This is the wedding garment spoken of Matth. 22.2 for by the marriage feast there is meant all the ordinances of God word sacraments prayer for in all doth God give our soules liberall and honourable entertainment doth set all his dainties before us with great solemnity the wedding garment is our fitnes and disposednes unto the ordinances by reason of certain heavenly sutable dispositions in a readines in our soules appearing to Almighty God and in measure to the godly by our outward carriage and behaviour If we take Christ for the wedding garment as some do how doth he fit us for the ordinances but by imputing his righteousnes unto us which is our worth and communicating to us heavenly dispositions to make us meet They that put on wedding garments do first put off their ordinary common apparel and then put on comely pleasant apparel meet for such an occasion so when we come to the feast of Gods ordinances where God is the feast-maker and Christ the feast and Angels entertainers and attenders we must not onely put off our ordinary and common affections but we must put on such affections as are meet for the ordinances of God sanctified and holy affections for holy duties as reverence humility love repentance faith these in a readines do make the heart apt and disposed and these not put on by new care and diligence in use of meanes and dependencie upon Christ do make us unapt and indisposed and so unprepared If a man take not care to stirre up holy thoughts and holy affections when he cometh to the ordinances of God he hath an unprepared heart because his heart having no holy affections ready to meet and close with holy dueties hath no fitnes unto them because no present ready suitablenesse unto them It is one thing to have grace in the heart another thing to have it ready for exercise and so it is one thing to have a generall fitnes for the ordinances another thing to have a particular and present fitnes at this and that time for this and that ordinance A childe of God that hath grace in his heart hath a generall fitnes for the ordinances because the same holines that is in the ordinances is in his heart and they must needs fit one another but the same childe of God if his grace be not fit for exercise through some impediment at a particular time and in a particular ordinance may want a perfect and particular fitnes for that ordinance If this were not so a childe of God could never performe any duety unworthyly as to bring speciall judgements of siâ—knes â—eaknes and death upon them as the Corinthians did 1 Cor. 11 3â— for a
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
to be but as the Publican and the Heathen and the Publican and Heathen may hear the Word But all may not receive the Sacrament for that is the seal of the Covenant and the seal doth belong to none but them who by the Word are brought into the Covenant 2. Where there is a meeting of more Ordinances more preparation is required but where the Sacrament is administred together with the Word is a meeting of more Ordinances therefore more preparation is required were this Ordinance more frequently used men would better be acquainted with the preparation due thereto Quest Suppose a man come to Church on the Lords day and the Sacrament be administred there beyond his expectation whether may he receive not knowing of that aforehand to prepare himself for it Answ 1. If a man doubt whether he may receive lawfully or no he shall do best to forbear for in this case holds that of the Apostle Rom. 14.23 Whatsoever is not of faith is sin if a man do an action and knoweth not whether he shall do well or no he sinneth in that action for the rule of our obedience is the Word of God if therefore I do not know that such an action is according to the Word I do not obey in it and therefore sin 2. If thou be prepared for the Word thou art in measure prepared for the Sacrament for those duties of examination meditation praier which do prepare us for the Word do not onely stirre up those affections and graces that are more properly requisite unto the Word but those also that more peculiarly belong to the Sacrament 3. God may increase the beginnings of thy preparation by the Word further provoking and stirring up thy graces especially thy faith and repentance 4. Though there be some defect in thy preparation before thou didst come yet if thy hearts desire be set to seek and finde the Lord he will have such respect to the praiers of the Congregation that he will pardon thy unpreparednes and conveigh to thee the blessing so 2 Chron. 30.18 19 20. Many of the people whose hearts were prepared yet were ceremonially unclean did eat the passeover contrary to the law but Hezekiah praid for them saying The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek the Lord God of his fathers though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary and God hearkened to Hezekiah and healed the people Quest Suppose there be a day of fasting kept and I know not of it till the morning of it whether may I go unto it it being an extraordinary duty and requiring extraordinary preparation and I unprepared not knowing of it Answ A day of fasting ought to be kept from even to even Levit. 23.32 therefore to be known before the morning and they that hinder such knowledge of it are like to bear their sinne 2. If thy soul be earnestly desirous to seek God in that Ordinance unwilling to misse the opportunity and sensible of thy unpreparednes the bare want of extraordinary preparation need not hinder thee if thou do not lie under the guilt of some sin unrepented of for thy unpreparednes is not through any neglect of him It is not bare want of such a measure of preparation that doth displease God so as to disrespect our duties but neglect and sleighting of it God requires no more then he gives had God given thee time of extraordinary preparation by fore-knowledge of the duty he would have required the same but having not given thee that time he will not require that Nay it may be God will specially prepare thy soul by want of speciall preparation humble and soften thy heart Ob. But the scrupulous heart as the most conscientious are will be ready to say If God would have had them to partake in the duty he would have given them time of preparation Answ Not so God may give thee the substance of preparation disposednes of heart but deny the circumstances of preparation viz. time and performance of preparing duties Preparation serves unto the worship of God the measure and time thereof cannot strictly be set down but the rule thereof is the measure of the souls unpreparednes God hath commanded extraordinary preparation for extraordinary duties because the heart usually is extraordinarily unfit but suppose by affliction or some other way the heart be more then ordinarily prepared then extraordinary preparation is not required for it is allready done some other way so if thy soul be much humbled and quickned by want of preparing time and means it is all one as if thou hadst them True it is God requires preparation as well as duty but preparation is the lesser part of Gods minde though a necessary part when therefore thou maiest do a greater part of Gods minde thou art not to neglect it though thou canst not do a lesser when that not doing of the lesse doth not proceed from any known and willing neglect of thine which alters the case For if a man have time and do not prepare he doth presumptuously not believingly pâ—rform holy duties To be sure this case may put the godly in minde what need they have to keep their hearts continually in a good frame that so they may have a continuall preparednes unto every good work Quest Suppose I labour in the use of means to prepare my heart and cannot finde it prepared what should I then do Answ 1. Thy soul may be prepared and thou not sensible of it it is the measure of preparation and evidence of the spirit in the heart that makes a man sensible of his preparation 2. Sense of preparation is a separable fruit of the use of the means part of the successe it is but may be separated from the use of the means when thou therefore hast prepared thy self thou hast done part of thy duty thou must not now stay from going about the Ordinances which is a further part of thy duty till thou be sensible of thy preparednes which is part of the successe and so Gods part thy duty is to prepare thy heart and when thou hast prepared to go about the worship though God for reasons best known to himself doth withdraw his part the sense and feeling of preparation Let a man examine himself and so let him eat not forbear when he hath examined himself because he findes not matters as he would Quest Suppose I finde God helping my heart in preparation and withdrawing himself in the worship prepared unto there my heart is dead carelesse what should I then do Answ 1. The godly are apt in experience to runne upon extreams if their heart be not assisted in preparation they are discouraged if they be much assisted they grow proud and confident therefore God withdraws himself sometimes in one way and sometimes in another that they might not be discouraged nor be confident Not be discouraged if they do not finde God in one way of promise yet they may finde
him in another Not be confident or proud for though they have found God much in an Ordinance yet they may misse him in the next Where they least expect to finde God there many times they finde him most therefore not be discouraged and on the other side where they are most confident to finde God they many times misse him trust not Ordinances therefore but the God of Ordinances in all 2. Set awork thy faith in the promise the condition whereof thou hast in thy heart Psal 10.17 Thou wilt prepare the heart thou wilt bow thine ear these two go together if God do prepare the heart he will bow the ear he will do thee good thou maiest believe it thy preparation is an earnest a pledge thou maiest thereby help thy faith Thus did Manoahs wife comfort him when he was afraid they should die because they had seen an Angel of God Judg. 13.22 23. If the Lord were pleased to kill us he would not have accepted a sacrifice at our hands nor have shewed us such things as these so if God had not intended thee good in his worship he would not have accepted thy preparation 3. Thou must difference the different effects of Gods presence or else thou maiest wrong God as well as thy self to say he was not with thee when yet he was Not onely are there more manifest and evident fruits of Gods presence in duties as much liberty of spirit much joy peace assurance of faith but also there are more inward and reserved fruits of his presence as sense of want sorrow for want desire of enjoyment willingnes unto further duties to finde that which we want in some in the former God is with us and we know he is with us in the later God is with us but we know not so much an instance of the later we have in the two Disciples going to Emaus Luk. 24.16 Their eies were holden that they could not know him yet afterward when they did know him they remembred that they had sufficient evidence of his presence even when they knew him not ver 32. did not our hearts burne within us when he talked with us by the way and opened to us the Scriptures Whence was that fire in their hearts but from the spirit of Christ conveighed in his word Yet till they knew him they made no account of this The godly cannot see God in Ordinances though present because sometimes their eies are altogether pitched upon those more evident fruits of his presence sometimes also they stumble upon the presence of God sleight make no account of such fruits as are put forth sense of many failings in duties makes them think God was not there whereas that sense is from God in the Ordinances who is the father of lights CHAP. III. Of the fourth hinderance of instant worshipping of God Wearines AMOS â— Part of the 5 vers When will the new moone be gon and the sabbath TWo things are in the verse whereof the words read are a part 1. A desire 2. The reason Their desire is that the new moon and sabbath were gon laid down interrogatively to shew the greater vehemency and earnestnes of it When will the new moon be gon and the sabbath they thought the time long that they continued their stay was a burden unto them when a mans dâ—sire meets with hinderance his greife takes place so the new moon and sabbaths were matter of greif and burden unto them and they were weary of them because they hindred for present their civill commerce The reason of their desire that the new moon and sabbath were gon is that they might sell corne that they might follow their worldly occasions wherein they would oppresse We have to do with the first particular Their desire that the new moon were gon and the sabbath ended Why what was the matter that they had enough and too much of the new moon and sabbath Why did they stand in their way for buying and selling Ans At every new moon or in the beginning of every moneth they had a great solemnity speciall sacrificing to God Numb 28.11 a solemne feast day Psal 81.3 wherein they were wont to heare from God by the prophets for when the Shunammitish woman would go to the prophet for her dead son her husband disswaded her from the ordinary unseasonablenes of the time Wherefore wilt thou go to day it is neither new moon nor sabbath 2 Kings 4.23 A signe the people did communicate with the prophets in the counsels of God in the new moons and sabbaths and speciall seasons and times appointed for that purpose And whether here be meant the weekly Sabbath or by this generall name be intended all the Sabbaths or dayes of rest mentioned Levit. 23. it comes all to a reckoning in regard of their exception for in the weekly Sabbath and day of atonement or humiliation they might do no worke Levit. 23.3.28 and on the other Sabbaths or dayes of rest feast dayes they might do no servile worke Levit. 23.7 which is expounded in case of the passeover which was one of the feasts Exod. 12.16 no manner of worke shall be done save about that which every man must eat no worke might be done but about providing meat for the feast they might not do any worke of service or labour about their callings as plowing and sowing buying and selling They therefore wish the new moon and Sabbath gon that they might sell corne because that was forbidden worke in those times and seasons they are therefore weary of them and gladly would be shut of them could they sanctifie these holy daies or performe fervent and hearty worship to God in the same when all their desire was that they were gon whence we have just occasion to lay ground for handling a fourth hindrance of our earnest worshipping of God N. Wearines hinders our earnest worshipping of God When the worship we performe is a burden to us we do but weakly performe the same This people being weary of the new moon and Sabbath instead of setting their hearts upon solemne worship of God therein performed they set their hearts upon the end of the same they do not say O when will the new moon and Sabbath come or O that they would stay long but when will they be gon no daies so long as those daies of solemne worship in them the sunne seemes to stand still or to go back they passe not away fast enough and if the end of these solemne services have all the heart what shall God have in the performance of them This God complains of both in preists and people Mal. 1.13 That they had said of his worship What a wearines is it and that worship is poorely performed which is but a weary worship Though some take this place otherwise yet this sense suits well with that despising of Gods name blamed vers 6.7 for what a man thinks meanly of he will be weary of and what did their offering of
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
their power yea and beyond their power How came that to passe ver 1. We do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed upon the Churches of Macedonia their outward bounty proceeded from abundance of grace within 1 Cor. 15.10 I laboured mort abundantly then they all yet not I but the grace of God in me abundant labour and wearines are contrary but the grace of the spirit makes a man labour abundantly wearines therefore being contrary to the work of the spirit must needs weaken the work of it and so the service of God 3. To the testimony of it the Word of God is the testimony of the spirit for holy men spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost what the word saith in this case is the testimony of the spirit the word saith 1. That forwardnes unto good duties is our duty when it saith Christ hath purified unto himself a people Zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 Hath Christ been at cost and pains to make us pure for that end and are we not bound to endeavour unto that end he hath laid it as a duty upon Ministers to put their people in minde that they be ready unto every good work Tit. 3.1 That they charge such as have ability to be ready to communicate willing to distribute 1 Tim. 6.17 18. a signe that not onely the duties themselves are our duties but readines and willingnes therein also 2. The word saith that cheerfullnes in duty is Gods delight 2 Cor. 9.7 He loveth a cheerfull giver Isa 64.5 The Lord cannot as it were contain himself till the soul come to him that worketh righteousnes with joy but he will go to meet him as we out of joy cannot contain our selves but we must runne to meet them we delight in when we espy them comming towards us 3. The word saith that the waies of wisdom are waies of pleasantnes and all her paths are peace â—rov 3.17 Christs yoke is easy his burden is light Matth. 11.30 The Commandements of God are not grievous 1 Joh. 5.3 4. The word saith that forwardnes and delight in good actions is beneficiall 2 Cor. â— 6 He that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully full handed works shall have full handed reward 1 Cor. 15.58 alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord knowing that your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord If the Lord be the rewarder the most abundant service shall not want a reward wearines doth contrary the severall branches of this testimony of the spirit Is willing and cheerfull service our duty wearines denies it If it be our duty to be willing and obedient why are we weary Where is our obedience Is God delighted with cheerfull service wearines denies it Who would be weary of that which is Gods delight of that which is so good that it joys God himself Is the way of God an easy pleasant way wearines denies it Who is weary of ease nd pleasantnes Is the way of God a beneficiall way wearines saith to the contrary Who is weary of benefit wearines therefore doth make the spirit of God a liar which unworthy dealing must needs hinder the spirit in the heart 4. To the honour of the spirit of God wearines doth cast reproach and dishonour upon the spirit in two things 1. As if it did not dispose and fit them inwardly whom it sets awork as if it did not work the will in them by whom it requires the work to be wrought for what is the ground of wearines in the person but unfitnes unsuitablenes unto the work and is it not a dishonour to the spirit to set unfit persons to work Are we not his workmanship unto good works he doth inwardly fashion us thereunto should a man go to work with an instrument and not first fit it with hand and edge should it not shame him wearines saith that God takes up unhandled unedged instruments to do his work which is a dishonour to him 2. Wearines of good duties doth cast dishonour upon the spirit as if his work had wearying properties and so were worse then Satans work or our own work which do not so weary Wearying properties are these three Hardnes Harshnes Hurtfullnes Why doth a work weary but because it is hard and difficult doth cost much pains and labour more then can well be afforded or is harsh unpleasant uncomfortable or is hurtfull no profit no benefit in the same but the contrary Thus wearines saith of the work the spirit of God doth set us about which must needs be a dishonour to the spirit of God who is the best master therefore appointeth the best woâ—k contrary to his wisdom goodnes justice Will it stand with his wisdom to set us about work too hard for us Will it stand with his goodnes to set us about evil work No work but evil work is wholly uncomfortable Will it stand with his justice to make us labour in vain and to no profit Hath he not promised to the contrary And is he not righteous to make good his promise yet wearines doth at same time cast dishonour upon the wisdom goodnes and justice of the spirit and must not such dishonour hinder the work of the spirit in the heart 3. Wearines doth weaken our fervent worshipping of God as it doth dispose and fit us for the work of sin and Satan in Gods worship which will weaken the worship we perform Wearines doth dispose us for the work of corruption a weary soul is fit for wandring thoughts and wandring affections a weary body is fit for change of objects fot new sights and sounds it is naturall to man to seek refreshment elsewhere when he is weary Corruption doth alwaies work in holy duties to hinder us in the same but when the man is weary it works with advantage he is in a corrupt temper fit for corruption now it may prevail more then at another time Wearines fits us for Satans work for his inward suggestions for his presenting of objects to withdraw us the heart is weary therefore fit for new work there is small ability to resist him and he walketh to and fro seeking whom he may devoure a great part of his work is to watch advantage against us When we are at best he will hinder us much more when we are so fit to be hindred 4. Wearines doth weaken our fervent worshipping of God as it produceth certain other effects both in opinion and affection 1. In opinion it makes a man think the worship of God evil if not in it self yet to him at least at this particular time what a man is weary of he apprehends to be an evil to him for no man is weary of good and suitable good for suitable good is delightsome therefore not wearisom 2. In affection 1. Wearines makes a man desire the end of the work rather then the work what a man is weary of he would have finished that his wearines might be at an end for whilst the work
continueth wearines doth continue and increase 2. It makes a man desire to change the present service for some other imployment a weary man would have new work to take away his wearines and to bring him contrary comfort and delight Can that be fervent service which a man thinks to be evil the end whereof he more desireth then the doing of it which he would change for any other imployment such service doth wearines make Quest It may be said you told us lately what some causes are of the wearines of the body in Gods service tell us now what the causes of the wearines of the soul are in the same service of God Answ 1. Remnants of corruption which do alwaies strive to draw the strength of the minde and affections another way and sometimes do prevail by our carelessenes and Satans watchfullnes Thus David when he was acted by corruption having looked too much upon the worlds prosperity and his own affliction without reflecting upon the end of both he was ready to throw off all the service of God Ps 73.13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed mine hands in innocency if all the fruit of his piety be affliction and all the fruit of the worlds prophanenes be prosperity then hath David spent a deal of labour in vain and it is time to make an end but this was the faulse suggestion of corruption so Jer. 28.8 9. When he was mocked and reproached daily for his ministery he said he would make mention of the Lords name no more he grew weary of his ministery if he could see no better fruit of his labour but reproach he would give it over but then he was acted by corruption as appears by his bitter cursing the day of his birth Thus the godly have sometimes their spirituall sick sits and so are spiritually weary of spirituall things More particularly 1. Ignorance of the inward worth and excellency of Gods worship and service So much know so much desire and delight and no more we cannot desire and delight in what we know not for so we might desire and delight in evil as soon and as much as in good which cannot be we do but little know the good of Gods worship and so can but little delight in it and where is but little delight will be wearines 2. Imperfect suitablenes of soul to Gods worship suitablenes and agreement is the cause of desire and delight Amos 3.3 Can two walk together except they be agreed Can they desire and delight in one anothers company unlesse they suit and agree in disposition Prov. 27.19 As in water face answereth to face so doth the heart of man to man Why doth a man love some particular man with a more inward free strong love because as in water face answereth to face a man may see the image of his face in water the represented face hath the likenes of the true face So a man sees the image and representation of his own affections and dispositions in some more then in others he sees himself in him and every man loves himself more then others and consequently such men in whom he sees himself more then in others Psal 40.8 The more suitablenes and agreement the more desire and delight we are but in a small measure suitable to the worship of God because the Image of God is but in part renewed in us and if there be but a measure of likenes in us to Gods worship there will be but a measure of delight and therefore wearines present likenes alone doth exclude wearines beside there will be a measure of unlikenes and that naturally causeth wearines 3. Immoderate desire and delight in other things even lawfull callings occasions and comforts so in my text Why are they weary of the new Moon and of the Sabbath the reason is rendred That we may sell corne and set forth wheat and why should they sell corn that they might gather riches When they were in the midst of Gods worship they had a greater desire and delight to their callings and worldly busines the strength of their souls went that way therefore they were weary of Gods worship 4. So much earthly converse with our callings and earthly occasions I say earthly converse after the manner of men who are altogether earthly for it is not the use of our callings that draw our hearts from heaven to earth but the manner of our use of them when we do not set awork grace in them do not use them as an appointed way to fit us for Gods worship and therefore watch our hearts that they be not drawn too much unto the things we have to do with We do not use them with fear lest there be a snare in them we do not use them with dependance upon God with strife against our naturall earthly mindednes therefore they steal away our hearts 5. Over-length of duties there is but a measure of desire and delight in us therefore duties should have but a set time in heaven when our affections shall be perfect there shall be no time to measure duties by but they shall be immeasurable The measure of the affections is regulated by judgement and discretion when therefore duties are drawn out beyond discretion they are burdensom or indiscretion beside the soul hath other occasions to attend beside Gods worship even on the Lords day works of mercy and necessity if therefore time be taken up so that convenient time is not reserved for these the soul growes weary because it cannot do all its work so in a family duties are then wearisom when they do not consist with our particular callings 6. Absence of the all-filling and quickning spirit It is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speak unto you they are spirit and life Joh. 6.63 As the body is dead without the spirit so the Ordinances without Gods quickning spirit it must both quicken our desire and delight and stirre up the good of the Ordinances Psal 84.10 11. David exceedingly prizeth a door in Gods house why the Lord is a sunne when there is such a presence of God that is both light and heat to discover the good in the Ordinances and to warm our hearts therewith then are they delightfull 2 Cor. 3.18 When the spirit shews us the face of God peace comfort grace in the glasse of the promise and so reflects the sunne upon us that whilst we behold Gods favour we are at peace with him whilst we behold his grace we are made gracious whilst we behold his comfort we are made comfortable then are the Ordinances delightfull but if the spirit be absent there is no affection stirring Vse This Doctrine doth manifest First that God hath but weak service at the hands of the most weak praying weak hearing because but weary service But because all will say they come willingly and cheerfully to Gods worship I will shew by severall instances as so many
a pretence put upon their unwillingnes for what a man is willing of he will get some skill in he will try what he can do when he hath no skill he will inquire of others and by exercise gain skill so had men a will to be religious in their families they would get skil they would first pray betwixt God and their own souls they would begge skill of God to pray in their own families they would get some body to pray for them in their families their wives if they be able or children or servants or some friend they would first learn a praier out of a book after pray of themselves what is it that will will not do Have not men just cause to be out of love with themselves who naturally have no will unto Gods service They are willing to do their own works as here When will the New moon be gon that we may sell corn they have more minde of selling corn then of Gods service they are willing to do sins work Prov. 2.13 14. evil men do not onely leave the paths of uprightnes to walk in the waies of darknes but they rejoice to do evil and delight in the frowardnes of the wicked Are these not bad hearts that can delight in any thing but what is best More then thus our hearts do not onely make us unfit to go to heaven because they make Gods worship a burthen to us but they make us unwilling to go to Heaven No unregenerate man can be willing to go to Heaven as he is unregenerate You will say every unregenerate man desires and is willing to go to Heaven I answer no you are deceived no unregenerate man is willing to go to Heaven for he is not willing unto the worship of God the necessary way to Heaven Indeed if you consider Heaven and Gods service as parted then they may be willing of Heaven and not of Gods service but if you consider Heaven and Gods service inseparably knit together then if he be unwilling of Gods service he is unwilling of Heaven because he cannot possibly have heaven but in a way of Gods service Ruth 4.3 c. Boaz tells Elimelechs next kinsman that Naomi selleth a parcell of land that was Elimelechs and he is next to redeem it he saith he will redeem it Boaz tells him that what time he redeem the inheritance he must take Ruth the wiâ—e of the dead then he saith he cannot redeem it though he were willing to redeem the inheritance yet because he was not willing to redeem it in that way wherein it was to be redeemed he was not willing to redeem it at all so he plainly saith I cannot redeem it In like manner because unregenerate men cannot be willing of Gods service the way to heaven they cannot be willing of heaven are not those natures to be loathed that love not heaven Object The Scripture doth bear witnesse that unregenerate men have delighted in the worship of God Isa 58.2 They seek me daily and delight to know my waies they take delight in approaching to God Herod heard John Baptist gladly Mark 6.20 The stony ground heare the Word with joy Matth. 13.20 Answ Unregenerate men may have some willingnes unto and delight in the service of God in three cases 1. When Gods service is a leading way unto some end that suits with corrupt nature and so it is not Gods pure worship that they love but their corrupt end for they love Gods worship no further then serves to that corrupt end Thus Iohn shewed abundance of zeal in destroying the house of Ahab and the idolatry of Baal that thereby he might establish the Kingdom to his posterity and get himself a great name â— King 10.16 Come with me and see my Zeal for the Lord he was so full of vain glory herein that he cannot hold in but is forced to break out And that he was forward unto Gods service onely for a corrupt end appears plainly by the testimony of the Holy ghost concerning him ver 31. He took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart he did walk in some part of the law but not with all his heart the service of God had but a piece of his heart he was no further willing unto it and forward in it then served his corrupt ends that he did not walk in the law of God with all his heart the spirit of God makes it plain in the later end of the verse for he departed not from the sins of Ieroâ—oam who made Israel to sin had he destroied Baals Idolatâ—y because it was Gods will he would also have destroied Ieroboams Idolatry because that also was Gods will but that in worldly policy would have been against his own ends for that Idolatry was set up in policy as a means to establish the Kingdom 1 King 12 26. Ieroboam said in his heart that if the people should go up to the house of God to worship in Ierusalem then their hearts would turne again to the King of Iudah and then his Kingdom were gon therefore he made two calves and put this pretence upon it It is too much for you to go up to Ierusalem but his intent was to preserve the Kingdom to himself and so it is likely that Iehu let them alone in the same policy for he spared them out of the unsoundnes of his heart 2. When the matter of worship or manner of dispensation doth suit with his disposition An understanding judicious man may love preaching that is judicious and understanding fit to increase knowledge and to perfect his understa ding A man of meeknes may delight in a Sermon of peace peace may be refreshed with smooth soft milde quiet preaching A temperate man may joy in a Sermon that is tart and bitter against drunkennesse uncleannes the liberall man may delight in severe preaching against covetousnes a man musically affected may delight in singing Psalms because these things suit with their dispositions The gifts of Ministers may have an affecting pleasingnes they may expresse their mindes in such sit terms or so pathetically or they may have such a grace in utterance so ready so smooth so distinct with such comely carriage of body as may affect c. Ezek. 33.32 So many no doubt may be very forward to Gods Ordinances ordinary and extraordinary as a way unto their credit and good name Isa 58.3 Wherefore have we fasted say they and thou seest not wherefore have we afflicted our souls and thou takest no knowledge they thought they deserved to be regarded highly for their fasting even of God himself and expostulate with God for disregarding them a signe they made account of that and aimed chiefly at that in doing the duty otherwise they would rather have complained of the sins found in those duties a God doth Matth. 6.5 Our Saviour speaking of hypocrites saith they love to pray standing in the Synagogues and in the corners
Improve your waking and watching in holy duties let not your soules be like children the more waking the more unsetled whom therefore we wish asleep rather then awake so the more waking our bodies are the more wandring and roving our soules may be and though Gods worship be not hindred by our sleep yet much more by our wandrings Make we use therefore of our waking by binding our soules close to Gods worship by the attention of our eyes and eares and that for a double reason 1. Some will alwaies be drousie and sleepy others had need be more diligent in watching that their defect might be supplied and their sinne pardoned If Hezekiah be clean himself according to the purification of the Sanctuary he may prevail for them which are impure 2 Chron. 30.9 If Iob himself be humbled he may prevail to turn away Gods wrath from his friends unhumbled Iob 42.6 8. And if we be diligent in waking soul as well as body God may pardon them that sleâ—p to be sure God will manifest more acceptance of the duty 2. If we wake in duties and worship God no better and get no more good to our souls then they that sleep our sin is greater then theirs that sleep because we abuse and take in vain more means and advantages they that sleep in ordinances have no use of ordinances are as without them they that wake in ordinances have the use of them and to have the use of ordinances and not to make use of them is the greater sinne Beside sleeping is a continued act of sinning belonging to the body and the soul may also sinne but a waking person not attending to the worship of God will sinne more for the body hath more power to sinne it self and to helpe the soul to sinne being awake then asleep 4. Take heed you provoke not God to change your wakefullnes into drousines so will a great change be made in Gods service and no lesse in your souls To this end 1. Be not conceited of your livelynes of affection and confident thereof as if now you could do any thing remember upon what foundation you are built and upon what root you grow you are indeed lively at present and have been so but consider you must be newly assisted by the quickning spirit every time you do any new duty Thus were the disciples undone when they perceived themselves affected unto Christ in a comfortable measure they thought that would alwaies continue and do any thing not considering they should need Christs helpe continually to renew it and increase it unto greater work 2. Take heed of known sins of going against light received opposing the word of God and the checks of conscience in our practice especially take heed of continuing in sinne unrepented of If we be drawn to sinne against knowledge let us not be quiet till we have humbled our souls recovered our peace with God and the free passage of Gods spirit in our hearts sinne against knowledge especially sinne continued in will dead the quickning spirit in our hearts will make dull and sleepy our consciences and so our bodies Experience shews both in our selves and others how sinne â—nâ—â—pentâ—d of will râ—ck the body asâ—â—ep in Gods service 3. Maintain in our souls a chear and present apprehension of the benâ—fit of waking and watching in holy duties and the danger of sleeping give not way to such delusions of Satan that there is no good to be gotten by diligent hearing and praying and that there is no dangâ—r in sleeping nor come with our mindes so filled with other things that these thoughts should be farre from us when we come to worship God then shall we neglect the way of God â—â—d he will neglect us withdraw himself from us and leave us to our weak soules and bodies 4. Look at Gods worship as matter of paines matter of difficulty an hard thing to pray well to sing well to hear we l no easie matter harder far then thy other occasions because thou hast lesse disposednes unto the same more inward opposion against the same Things easie we are carelesse of things difficult we take more care about If thou look at it as an hard thing to serve God well thou wilt set thy soul and body to it thou wilt câ—ave Gods help and assistance unto wakefullnes and attention and against drousines and in a way of endeavour and prayer God will assist 2. To comfort 1. Gods ministers against the greif and trouble of their souls at this sin of sleeping in Gods worship and the effect of it weakning of Gods worship It cannot but be a great greif to Gods Ministers to whom the care of the holy thiâ—gs and of the people of God is commitâ—â—d that their people shoulâ— sleep when they come to worship God especially if many sleep and they sleep much conâ—iâ—â—ring what poor service God hâ—th and what little good peopâ—â—â—â—t though God and his Ministers taâ—â— paines for both How do they â—â—ar pray sing when they sâ—â—â—p How can God be wâ—ll â—â—rved How do they proâ—â—â—e for their souls How shall they walk well the week thâ—row the Mâ—â—isters of God â—annot but â—e troâ—â—led heaâ—at if tâ—â—y 〈◊〉 any aâ—â—â—ction to Goâ—â— gloâ—y â—nd the good of their pâ—oples soâ—ls bâ—t that which â—â—y â—â—â—â—what comâ—ort them folloâ—â— 1. It is no new thing it is not a sinne peculiar to these times and congregations it hath been found in the Church of God formerly we cannot say that our people are worse then any people and thereby vexe our selves 2. There have been sleep found under better government and ministery then any now enjoyed our Saviour charged his disciples to watch and reproved them once and again yet they slept still whose authority and words like our Saviours Nay more all his company slept not oâ—e â—est to awake another Paul was a man of stirring gifts he excelled all the Apostles in ability yet the young man slept at his Sermon the fault therefore is not alltogether in Ministers 3. Though people get no good by Gods Ordinances whilst they are sleeping yet God will order and dispose of the sleeping of his own to do that good the Ordinances should do them he will hereby experimentally acquaint them with their own weaknes and humble their hearts though it cost them more trouble and smart and an humble heart is a fit vessel to carry glory to God and good to it self Thus Christ taught his discipes their weaknes and humbled their hearts more by their sleeping then his former preaching So that whereas we think they that sleep at the Ordinâ—â—ces do lose Gods glory and their own good God will recover both and that â—y means of their sleeping that which hath been the means of their sinne shall be the means of their amendment though with more smart as they shall well perceive it being easier to cure the body by diet then by physick and so the soul by the ordinances rather then by afflict on
necessity to sleep or if they have necessity it is through carelesnesse beâ—ause they will not take that time which God hath allowed and so they make themselves a necessâ—ty oâ— sinning which is a greater sin 2. It is an unthankâ—ull sinne God in pity hath allowed man sleep to refresh the weary body to further digestion to repair the spirits and we abuse this power to hinder Gods service he gives us sleep to strengthen our weak bodies and we use it to weaken his service 2. He gives us sleep after the labours of the six daies a night to sleep in that we might be fresh and lively in his service and we notwithstanding sleep on that day of his worship doe we not deal unkindely and unthankâ—ully with him When we rest and favour the creature we make account it should be fitter for service but when God hath rested us and we should serve him we rest still 3. It is an unreasonable sin 1. It denies God the least we can give him in his service Man consisteth but of two parts soul and body the body is the meanest part yet sleeping denies the body Reason tells us that God deserves both for he hath made both and doth maintain both and if he have but one part yet he should have the best part but sleep will give him none no not the body which God would not accept alone were it given 2. Sleeping in Gods worship is unseasonable a misplaced action especially Lords day sleeping and reason tells us that things are to be done in season sleeping in Gods house is unseasonable 1. If we consider the time which is the day the day is not the appointed time for sleep but for labour 1 Thes 5.7 They that sleep sleep in the night That time which is appointed for the wilde beasts labour is appointed for mans rest But the night is appointed for the wilde beasts labour Psal 104.20 therefore for mans rest for they cannot both labour together they will hinder one another 2. If we consider we are in imployment in action imployment is no season for sleep but rest from imployment Ps 104.23 Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour untill the evening Man ceaseth his labour with the day and then goes to rest Eccles 5.12 The sleep of a labouring man is sweet They that sleep according to reason do not sleep in labour but after labour but they that sleep in the house of God do sleep in midst of labour 3. If we consider what kinde of imployment it is that we sleep in the service and worship of God it is against reason to sleep in midst of any labour how much more in Gods service which requires the most pains and labour We are commanded to do whatsoever we finde to do with all our might do every thing thorowly and to purpose how much more Gods service the best work 4. If we consider the place and society to sleep in a place appointed for waking and in the midst of them that wake is against reason If then carelesnesse of sinning or unthankfullnes in sinning or unreasonablenesse in sinning will shame us this sin of sleeping in Gods house may shame us for thereby we shew that we make bâ—t a light account of sinning that we are unthankfull that we are unreasonable 2. Particularly the godly are to be reproved more then others if they sleep in time of Gods worship will they suffer Gods worship to be weakned and hindred who are tied by speciall ingagements to doe him speciall service From whom God doth expect it and the rather because others will sleep God saith in this case to them as to Judah in another case Hos 4.15 Though Israel play the harlot yet let not Judah offend So saith God to his people Though others sleep out Word and praier yet doe not you sleep They have more cause to be ashamed then others if we consider 1. They set an ill example and draw on others by the same in as much as they have excuse and shelter for their sleeping from the example of such because they professe more care of Gods service If they that professe more zeal for Gods service yet will ordinarily sleep much more may they that professe lesse care Thus they not onely sin themselves but draw on the sinnes of others Elies sonnes sins in Gods worship made the people to sinne in abhorring the offerings of the Lord so the sleeping of professours doth make others more carelesse of Gods worship thinking sleeping to be but a small sinne else they that professe much would not use 〈◊〉 so much 2. The godly have more incouragement to awake then others for the Ordinances are specially appointed for them Gods expectation is more of their service then others they have promise of more speciall presence of God communion with him benefit from him their sinne therefore is against much incouragement that others want therefore a greater sin in them then in others who have not that incouragement 3. The godly have more means to keep them awake then others they have the grace of God in their heart assisted by the spirit of God they have in their mindes a more clear and thorow light to discern of the excellency and worth of Gods worship above other things they have in their consciences a more divine and strict observation of carriages a more divine authority to command what is good and forbid what is evil a more divine application of promises or threatnings as good or evil is practised they have in their wills a speciall bent to that which is good they chuse that as the chief good they have in their affections a love to it and desire after it so that they sin against more means and helps against sin and then sin is the greater 3. Them that suffer others to sleep by them and do not wake them they suffer God and his worship to be wronged and might prevent it Is it not their sin Yes doubtlesse Why was Meroz cursed yea bitterly â—ursed Not because they â—ought directly against the Lord but because they came not out to help the Lord Judg. 5.23 And our Saviour is expresse that not to be for the Lord is to be against him he that is not with me is against me he that doth not what he can for the Lord and his worship is in that regard against the Lord and his worship they that therefore do not waken sleepers are not with the Lord therein but against him for they do not for him what they might These do not that for the comfort and good of their neighbours which God requireth to be done for our Neighbours beast though an enemy Exod. 23.4 If thou meet thine enemies Oxe or Asse going astray thou shalt surely bring it back to him again how much more a friends beast When a man sleeps in time of the word and praier he is gonne astray for he should pray and hear to wake him is to bring him into
but turneth not off his bed The speeches of sloth are such as these Eccles 4.6 Better is a handfull with quietnesse then both the hands full with travell and vexation of spirit what ever he hath or wanteth he would have quiet and his opinion is that a little with ease is better then as much again with trouble of minde and body Prov. 22.13 The slothfull man saith there is a Lion without I shall he slain in the streets There is no safety in stirring out of doors therefore he will keep within all safety is in the house but nothing but danger abroad if he should stir about any businesse His discouragement from labour is difficulty and trouble Pro. 15.19 The way of the slothfull man is as a hedge of thornes when he should goe about any businesse it seems as troublesom to him as a mans way that must goe thorow an hedge of thornes no comfort nothing but vexation to be found Prov. 20.4 The slâ—ggard will not plow by reason of the cold He cannot endure the could though for profit he is all for warmth and ease The slothfull mans work tends to ease rather then to labour is a cessation from pains-taking a life of rest rather then of labour as the holy Ghost declarethâ— Prov. 6.9 10. How long wilt thou sleep O sluggard When wilt thou rise out of thy sleep Yet a little sleep a little slumber a little folding of the hands to sleep A slothfull man dwells upon â—ase gives himself much to sleep and will not be drawn to labour Quest Whence comes this sloth Answ It is the fruit of the fall which hath brought about a double cause of sloth one within us and another without us The cause of sloth within us is 1. The losse of inward strength activity and ability unto action the native and naturall strength of soul and body is gone we are altogether weaknesse and insufficiency and how should a man be willing unto that he is too weak for Naturally we know not how to doe things in the best way we know not the benefit of labour our will is perverse refusing what we should chuse and our affections carelesse so that we cannot set about any action without inward trouble and disquiet in regard of our unfitnesse 2. The contrariety that is in our nature to the law of God if God would have us love labour we love sleep Prov. 20.13 and so abhorre labour The outward cause of sloth is the travell and toil which sin hath made unavoidably to accompany all actions as a punishment and part of the curse which God hath threatned and man deserved wherein he is separated from God who is in a condition all of comfort and works all his works with ease and comfort whereas man in innocency should have laboured without trouble Gen. 2.15 God set Adam to dresse the garden of Eden and to keep it but speaks of no toil Adam was made perfectly fit for all imployment and fitnesse for action causeth comfort therein The blessing of God also was perfectly upon him he dwelt in the midst of blessing and Prov. 10.21 The blessing of God maketh rich and he addeth no sorrow with it Where Gods blessing is there sorrow cannot be if it be in perfection and fullnesse as with Adam But now that sin hath entred into the world and the curse of God by sin a man cannot use any power of soul or part of body without vexation and toil the soul is vexed in its labour Eccles 1.13 I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under the heaven this sore travell hath God given to the sonnes of men to be exercised therewith Let a man set a work his wisdom to finde out the secrets of actions he shall finde that travell sore and grievous to exercise and humble him therewith vers 17 18. I gave my heart to know wisdome and to know madnesse and folly I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit For in much wisdome is much grief and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow The labours of the soul the exercise of wisdome and knowledge in the means thereof is accompanied with grief and sorrow and vexation of minde The body is toiled and wearied in it's labour sweat forced out and strength weakned Gen. 3.19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread Gen. 5.29 This shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed The curse of God upon the ground did not bring man labour but toilsome painfull afflictive labour This outward trouble which accompanieth all labour meeting with an inward love of ease and aversnes unto labour must needs further and increase the same When a man findes himselfe unfit for action and therefore disquietnes will arise from that unfitnes it will make him backward thereunto but when he considereth disquietnes from within shall be met with outward trouble that cleaves fast even by the bond and tie of Gods truth unto all labour it will make him more backward Most of all are these causes of sloth found in spirituall actions inward and outward disquiet 1. Because our greatest weaknes and insufficiency lies in spirituall actions mans perfection in innocency was to be after Gods Image so that though he could perfectly dresse and keep the garden do the work of his particular calling rule and govern all the creatures put under his feet yet he could best do those works that come nearest to the works of God spirituall and divine actions love the chief good and delight himself in communion with God on the contrary now he hath lost the Image of God he can do any thing better then spirituall actions naturall and civil actions he can do but expresse no life of grace holines therein no more then a dead man can expresse naturall life And when God hath bestowed grace upon men yet that is but imperfect the contrary sloth doth remain spirituall actions are still above and most contrary to the naturall temper so that the soul quickned by grace is most unfit for them therefore most disquiet will thence arise to their souls which will make them more backward to them then to other actions any farther then faith assisted by the Spirit of God doth apply and make use of the all-sufficiency of Christ doth not experience tell us that the vexation which ariseth from sense of insufficience unto spirituall duties doth keep back and is a continuall clogge unto them in the way to such performances Beside our nature is enmity to the law of God Rom. 8.7 therefore most enmity to that which is most Gods law as the commandments of the first table 2. The curse lies heavier upon spirituall actions the curse of sorrow that attends actions for where the blessings of comfort did most appear there the cause of sorrow will be most manifested but the blessing of comfort was especially contained
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
but feeble hands and knees which we shall finde to be a labour 2. The direct opposition that is found against fervent worshipping of God both within us and without us The opposition within us is corruption a disposition contrary not one onely disposition of coldnesse in good duties but many dispositions many seeds of sin all these are one nature they have had longer time of groath in our hearts then grace they lie at the very root of grace as suckers at the root of a tree to suck away the nourishment some of them are ever working every act doth weaken grace Rom. 7.23 I finde a law in my members warring against the law of my minde Not onely doth corruption work in the parts of the body which the Apostle calls the members but it works in opposition to grace as an adversary to it on purpose to foil and overthrow it 1 Pet. 2.11 Abstain from fleshly lusts Why they warre against the soul they doe not onely work in the soul but warre against the spiritualnes of the soul to make it wholly sensuall and carnall The opposition without us is 1. Satan who is our adversary as gracious because therein we are contrary to him When we were perfectly fit to worship God and he had lesse advantage against us yet he was never quiet till he had utterly made us unfit to worship God how much more will he now indeavour to make us unfit when we are in some measure fit again and he hath more advantage against us When the Apostle Rom. 16.19 20. had told the Romans of the commendation of their obedience every where and had exhorted them to be wise unto that which is good how seasonably doth he adde The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet short for they might have objected what an enemy Satan was to them how he did blinde and befool them and oppose them in what they should shew wisdom in as indeed he did Satan is Gods enemy he would have God to have no service at all much lesse fervent service the more service God hath the lesse he hath and the better service God hath the worse he hath for no man can service two masters No finite being can bestow it self wholly two waies at the same time Did not Satan himself set upon our Saviour who was perfectly able to worship God with desire that he would worship him and promised to give him all the Kingdoms of the world and the glory of them in way of recompence which shewed his enmity unto Gods worship to be such that he cared not what he gave had he it in his power so he could hinder God of his service 2. Our particular callings and the comforts of this life which are not in themselves opposite to Gods service for God hath made and appointed nothing contrary unto himself but subordinate to himself and a furtherance in his service our callings as God hath commanded them and the comforts of this life as they are Gods good creatures and blessings have a fitnesse in them to help and further us in Gods worship but corruption doth make more advantage of them then grace because of our carelesnesse in the use of them and want of exercising the grace of God in the use of them and so they rather hinder us then further us 3. The common and generall sinfulnesse of the times and places in which we live this is as much cold water poured upon the fire of our love Mat. 24.12 Because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold A flood of iniquity will a thousand to one cool and abate the heart of the warm hearted for in respect of men they have many hinderances and but few helps Example hath a great force in us especially if it be generall for so it is the more example particular and singular forwardnesse and strictnesse is observed reproved and reproached Solitarinesse in any way is uncomfortable and so weakning two are better then one and more better then a few This opposition within us and without us is therefore strengthened because it is not scattered and divided but united If Satan be divided against Satan his kingdom cannot stand Matth. 12.26 Satan and corruption doe not work seveâ—ally by themselves in opposition to Gods service but jointly both together Satan works in and by corruption Matth. 16.22 23. When Peter diswaded our Saviour from going up to Jerusalem there to suffer saying Master pity thy self these things shall not be unto thee our Saviour answereth Get thee behinde me Satan for thou savourest not those things which be of God but those things which be of men He did perceive Satan working in Peters carnall disposition which loves ease but cannot endure trouble Luk. 22.31 32. Satan hath desired to winnow you as wheat our Saviour saw that Satan would work with Peters carnall worldly fear to make him so shamefully deny his Lord and Master So Satan doth work with our corruption in the use of our callings and outward comforts to make us sin in them Satan doth sometimes cast in temptations over and besides and without our corruption but he doth ordinarily assist and work with our corruption 3. Fervency in Gods worship will not be had without diligence because to make grace fervent and lively there must be assistance and influence from heaven Rom. 8.26 The spirit helpeth our infirmity for we know not how to pray as we ought Jude 20. Praying in the Holy Ghost we cannot pray without the assistance of Gods Spirit Cant. 4.16 Awake O North-winde and come thou South blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow forth our graces though the seed of them have taken root in our hearts yet will not put forth without the winde of heaven which bloweth where it listeth without the Spirit of God doth breath upon them The assistance of the spirit will not be had without diligence these two goe together and depend one upon another our diligence and Gods assistance Phil. 2.12 13. Work out your salvation for it is God that worketh both the will and the deed God will no otherwise work in us then as we work with him The slothfull mans talent was hid in a napkin no use made of it The spirit will not breath in us without our diligence and pains 1. Because the spirit is at pains to assist and strengthen grace will he take pains for us and will he allow us to take no pains for our selves he is at pains in his Ordinances at pains by afflictions at pains to oppose corruption to watch advantages to help grace Shall the spirit take pains for us and we be idle 2. It agrees and suits well to the worth and dignity of the spirits assistance to cost pains Shall common matters and matters of price be had with one and the same labour doth it not better agree to the worth of things that different worth should challenge different labour the lesse worth in things
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
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