be struck with godly Fear Thus was the Psalmist Psal 104. 1. O Lord my God thou art very great thou art cloathed with Honour and Majesty who coverest thy self with light as with a Garment Psal 96. 4 6 9. For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised he is to be feared above all Gods Honour and Majesty are before him Strength and Beauty are in his Sanctuary O worship the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness fear before him all the Earth Now that you may the better understand with whom you have to do when you attend upon God You must know 1. God is Lord Creator of whom are all things The Man of God Moses with wonder and adoration cries out Psal 90. 2. Before the Mountains were brought forth or ever thou hadst formed the Earth or the World even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God The Lord was before all and he was all of and in and to himself from Eternity The Father is of himself alone the Son is necessarily and eternally of the Father and the Holy Ghost as necessarily and eternally from both the Father and the Son And these Three are that one living and true God whom Christians believe in and in whose Name they are baptized But though God necessarily is yet Creatures are not so but have their being at his pleasure Rev. 4. 11. Thou art worthy O Lord to receive Glory and Honour and Power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created It is the Lord whose Word of Power and Command brought all things out of nothing at first Heb. 11. 3. Through Faith we understand that the Worlds were framed by the Word of God Though some have imagined that Angels were created and many of them fell long before this visible World was made in Scripture there is not sufficient ground for such an Imagination It is probable those excellent Creatures were made the first day when 't is said Gen. 1. 1. In the beginning God created the Heaven The Heaven may take in the highest Heaven and the Host of Angels there Oh what a powerful Word was that which commanded Angels to be which before were nothing and gave them Spiritual and Immortal Natures indued with such mighty Strength and Understanding And when the Lord laid the Foundations of the Earth and stretched the line upon it these glorious Angels called Morning Stars sang together and all these Sons of God shouted for joy Job 38. 4 5 7. This Lord Creator did but say Let there be Light and there was Light The Sun the Moon the Stars the Earth and Seas and all their Hosts were what his Word made them And Man who was to have Dominion over this lower World God did make in his own Image his Body indeed was formed of the Dust of the ground but to shew that his Soul was not of earthly Original God is called the Father of Man's Spirit he breathed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life and Man became a living Soul Gen. 2. 7. This great Creator whom we attend upon made all things very good Gen. ◠31. and though Sin entring into the World spoiled much of his Workmanship he can easily new make what Sin has marred and he can easily and will certainly destroy those who are finally unwilling to be made new Creatures 2. God is Lord Preserver of what himself has made The word of his power sustains all things Heb. 1. 3. it continues things in those beings into which at first it brought them Psal 148. 5 6. Let them praise the name of the Lord for he commanded and they were created He hath also established them for ever and ever He hath made a Decree which shall not pass The same Lord who called things out of nothing by his word hinders their returning into nothing by the same word of command Psal 33. 9. For he spake and it was done he commanded and it stood fast There is so much power exerted in upholding the Creation that the Preservation of the Universe is rightly called a continued Creation of it If God should totally draw back his supporting hand all the Luminaries in Heaven would presently lose their Light the Earth and Seas would become a Chaos of Confusion nay Men and Angels and all things else would immediately lose their beings and become nothing As the Creation so the Preservation of all things is of the Lord alone Neh. 9. 6. Thou even thou art Lord alone thou hast made Heaven the Heaven of Heavens with all their Host the Earth and all things that are therein the Seas and all that is therein and thou preservest them all How worthy is he to be worshipped by the Host of Heaven and by the Sons of Men the Inhabitants of the Earth God is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Almighty or All-sufficient and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Mamma a Pap or Breast all Creatures from the mightiest to the very meanest do hang and depend upon God as Children do upon the Breasts that he may nourish and sustain them And if God thus upholds all things surely he will not fail to preserve his Church and Saints they may with Confidence attend upon him for defence no Humane nor Hellish Force shall prevail against them 3. God is Lord Proprietor and Possessor of Heaven and Earth So Melchizedek called the most high God when he blessed Abram the Father of the Faithful Gen. 14. 19. Blessed be Abram of the most high God the Possessor of Heaven and Earth Psal 24. 1. we read The Earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof the World and they that dwell therein All Persons and things are properly God's own and he may do with them what he pleases By Creation the Lord began and by Preservation he continues to be the Proprietor of all things Propriety is the ground of Power and Power of Government now a most absolute and universal Propriety and Power the Lord does rightly challenge to himself he is accountable to none not to be resisted by any none can stay his hand or say to him What doest thou It was a good answer that Elihu made to Job Ch. 33. 12 13. God is greater than Man Why dost thou strive against him For he giveth not an account of any of his matters It is a wise part to attend upon God who has a Propriety in us and in all things besides and all things are really in his Hands and Possession so that he can with-hold or bestow them according to his own Will If God be for us he can make all things for us if he be against us nothing shall be for our help and benefit There is nothing which we need but a superabundance of it is in God's hand The Possessor of Heaven and Earth has the Blessings of Heaven and Earth to give forth Every Beast of the Forest is his and the Cattle upon a thousand Hills Psal 50. 10. All Sheep and Oxen yea and
the Heart away from God and from the Duty that seems to be performed to him it hinders the stirring of holy Affections the acting of saving Grace and turns Religion into a meer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bodily Exercise and how can that be profitable to the Soul which is a great way off and so little regards what is done How can it be acceptable to God who is a Spirit and will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth The Church of Rome is for implicit Faith for blind Obedience and for Worship in an unknown Tongue How distracted must that Worship needs be How can the Peoples Thoughts be intent upon what they do not understand Too many Protestants in their Devotions mind what themselves say as little as if they did not understand the words they spake and truly the latter sin with greater aggravation because having means of better instruction their Duties are no better performed The Cure of Distraction in Religious Services is very difficult some think light of the Disease and imagine the Cure needless others are discouraged from striving against Distraction as if it were impossible to overcome them but nothing is too hard for the great Physician he can heal the Mind's Vanity bring the Heart into God's Presence he is able to cast down Imaginations and to hinder them from rising again and to bring Thoughts into Captivity and Obedience A Sense of my own Wandrings in those Ordinances I administer and engage in has put me upon a more serious study how to prevent them And I would be the first and best Follower my self of that Counsel which I give to others And if the Lord is served with greater Attention and Spirituality and if the Hearts of those who shall read this Treatise are more than ever in the Work of God and more benefited by doing it the great End is obtained which is designed by Nathanael Vincent The CONTENTS of the ensuing Treatise THE Context considered Page 2. The Text opened and divided p. 5. Three Doctrines raised p. 7. D. 1. The Children of Men ought to attend upon God ibid. Ten things supposed as pre-requisite unto Man's attending upon God p. 8. Ten things implied in this attendance upon him p. 22. Several sorts of attending upon God Distinction 1. Attendance upon God with the Lips and Body only and that which is with the Heart also p. 36. Dist 2. Attendance upon God which is voluntary and which is through constraint and forced p. 39. Dist 3. Attendance upon God which is ordinary and which is extraordinary p. 41. Dist 4. Attendance which is secret in the Closet private in the Family and publick in the Congregation p. 45. Dist 5. Attendance upon God on his own Day and upon other Days p. 50. Dist 6. Attendance upon God in a time of Liberty and in a time of Persecution p. 54. Reasons assigned why the Children of Men ought to attend upon God which are nine p. 56. Use 1. Of Reproof applied to eight sorts of Persons p. 67. Use 2. Of Exhortation to all to attend upon God and backt with nine Arguments p. 77. Use 3. Of Direction how God is to be attended upon in nine particulars p. 90. Use 4. Of Consolation to them that in due order attend on God five grounds of Comfort p. 104. D. 2. In attending upon God we should look upon him as the Lord and serve him accordingly p. 109. How God is the Lord shewed in ten particulars p. 111. What influence and effect the apprehensions of God's being the Lord should have upon us when we attend upon him in eight particulars p. 126. Use 1. Of Reproof four sorts of Persons concerned p. 135. Use 2. Of Advice in five things p. 140. D. 3. Attendance upon the Lord should be without distraction p. 143. What distraction in attending upon God is p. 145. Four things premised When the Heart may be said to be distracted in attending upon the Lord this shewed in eight particulars p. 148. What 't is to attend upon the Lord without distraction shewed in nine particulars p. 158. Reasons produced why with such care we should take heed of distraction These of two sorts Eight Reasons drawn from the Evils of distraction in attending upon God p. 166. Seven Reasons more from the benefit of attending upon the Lord without distraction p. 173. Several Cases of Conscience answered relating to distraction in attending on God Case 1. Whether our Thoughts cannot be off from God in the least when we attend upon him but there must be a sinful distraction Answered in three particulars p. 180. Case 2. Whether it be distraction and withdrawing from God at all to think of our Worldly Affairs Answered in three particulars p. 182. Case 3. Whether the best of Men while in this World can be totally free from distraction in Holy Duties Answered in three particulars p. 184. Case 4. Whether a true Believer may not sometimes perform Duties so distractedly as to reap no benefit at all by them Answered in three particulars p. 185. Case 5. What Distractions are they which are mercifully overlookt and hinder not the success of our Duties Answered in six particulars p. 188. Case 6. What course are Melancholick Persons to take in their attendance upon God when distraction arises from the prevalency of that Distemper Answered in five particulars p. 192. Case 7. What are those Distractions that make our attendance upon God altogether unacceptable to him and unavailable to our selves Answered in five particulars p. 196. Use 1. Of Caution against the Causes of Distraction Eight Causes specified p. 200. Use 2. By way of Expostulation about the unreasonableness of Distraction p. 218. Use 3. Of Direction Nine Remedies prescribed against Distraction in attending upon God p. 221. Particular Duties mentioned How Reading the Scripture may be with less distraction p. 233. How with less distraction you may attend on the Word preached p. 237. How with less distraction you may call upon the Name of God in Prayer p. 241. How with less distraction you may Communicate at the Lord's Table p. 245. Use 5. Of Terrour to Sinners and Hypocrites all whose attendance upon God is full of allowed distraction p. 250. Use 6. Of Comfort to Believers who desire to do still better and with less distraction to attend upon God p. 253. THE CURE OF DISTRACTIONS IN ATTENDING upon GOD. 1 Cor. 7. 35. lat part That you may Attend upon the Lord without Distraction THE Apostle Paul had a great and fervent zeal for the honour of God that he might have such attendance as he Commands and which most rightfully appertains to a Lord so great and good unto whom both Heaven and Earth do owe all Service and Obedience The Apostle also manifests an extraordinary care of the Souls of Men that they might not fail to give that Attendance which is enjoyned them as their Duty and is also their advantage honour and security The thoughts the hearts the endeavours of
him and to Obedience and Duty The Angels that sinned were not spared nor called to attend upon God in order to their recovery after their Apostasie Indeed we find Satan an Intruder among the Sons of God who came to present themselves before the Lord Job 1. 6. but it was not to beg Grace for himself his Chains of Darkness hindered his Hope of finding any he comes as an Accuser of Job and with a desire of a Permission to do him a Mischief But Man though departed from God is called to come backagain Hos 14. 1. O Israel return to the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thy Iniquity Man is sought after as well as saved or sought that he may be saved And if the Lord did not seek him but leave him to his own Imagination and Inclination his Imaginations are so vain his Inclinations so perverse and wicked he would never cease going astray till he died without Wisdom The Call of God is loud and earnest that Man would turn from his Disobedience and do his Duty Prov. 8. 4. Vnto you O Men I call and my voice is to the Sons of Man Prov. 1. 23. Turn you at my reproof behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you I will make known my words unto you Prov. 8. 34. Blessed is the Man that heareth me watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors 6. Man must look upon God as accessible in Christ When Adam fell into the first Transgression shewing a Contempt of God and of his Covenant and the Life that was there promised he was turned out of Paradise and a flaming Sword was placed to hinder his re-entring and access to the Tree of Life Life was impossible to be had by the first Covenant therefore he and his Faith were directed to the promised Seed who should bruise the Serpents head and in time would be manifested to destroy the Works of the Devil 1 John 3. 8. This Work of the Devil was Sin whereby Man had departed from his Maker Now Christ the second Adam suffered once for Sins the Just for the Vnjust that he might bring Man to God and make up the Breach that Sin had made between them 1 Pet. 3. 18. As God is but One so there is but One Mediator between God and Men the Man Christ Jesus Who gave himself a Ransom for all 1 Tim. 2. 5 6. no access to God by any other But says the Apostle In Christ Jesus our Lord we have boldness and access with confidence by the Faith of him Eph. 3. 12. Under the Old Testament there was but one Temple one Altar for Burnt offering and Sin offering to make an Atonement An Heathen thought it a dishonour to the Lord Jehovah that Hezekiah had taken away his high Places and his Altars and had commanded Judah and Jerusalem to Worship before one Altar 2 Chron. 32. 12. But the mystery and meaning of this was that Jesus Christ alone is the Way the Truth and the Life and that no Man cometh to the Father but by him 7. Man must plainly discern his Ignorance and Impotence to give a right Attendance upon God without the Direction and Aid of his Word and Spirit Nay as Man does want both Skill and Strength to serve the Lord so he has no Will to it there is an Indisposition and an Ill disposition in him which plainly shews that the Light and Grace of the Word and Spirit is of absolute necessity unto an Attendance upon God that is acceptable to him When Man is off from God and betakes himself to himself in Matters of Religion he rangeth infinitely like a Sea-faring Man who has lost his Compass in a Mist moving swiftly but to no purpose Now there shall be more words than that which is written more Articles than what God has put into our Creed more Commands than the Law-giver ever gave nay more Gods and more Mediators than One Mans Invention will be fruitlesly Fruitful and himself restless and endless in his own ways We should see our need of Instruction and Help from the Spirit of the Lord Both Light and Liberty Strength and Liveliness in all Holy Duties is from Him 'T is through the Son as Mediator and 't is by the Spirit as our Helper that we have access to the Father Eph. 2. 18. The Apostle acknowledges We know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit helps our infirmities the holy and gracious desires of the Saints are the breathings of this spirit in them acceptable Petitions that will find Audience are of his drawing up and enditing He maketh intercession for the Saints according to the Will of God Rom. 8. 26 27. He is the instructer of all those who are taught to profit Ordinances Gifts Administrations which are so useful are from the Spirit and the benefit and success of them is owing to him his Aid is earnestly to be implored and thankfully to be accepted Preparation to Attendance upon God is necessary Psal 10. 17. Thou wilt prepare their Heart thou wilt cause thine Ear to hear and this preparation is the work of the Spirit 8. Man must not doubt but be thoroughly perswaded that God is ready to be found of such as attend upon him and is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. Satan affects to be the Representer of God to Man and he represents him contrary ways and both are false and indeed misrepresentations from secure Souls he does endeavour to hide the Wrath of God his Holiness Justice and Jealousie that he may heighten presumption from awakened and humble Hearts he does endeavour to conceal his Mercy and Grace in Christ that he may kill their Hope and discourage them from engaging in the work of God But 't is Wisdom in Man to hear what the Lord speaks of himself for he best knows himself and the Revelations he makes of himself are most certainly true Now as he has told us that he will wound the Head of his Enemies and be accounts those Enemies who go on still in their trespasses Psal 68. 21. so he has assured us that he is good and ready to forgive those who are troubled because they have offended and see their need of pardon and he is plenteous in Mercy unto all that in Truth do call upon him Psal 68. 5. 'T is a mighty encouragement to attend upon God when we see the door of Hope standing open and that the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear his displeasure and hope in his mercy together Psal 147. 11. The Tables of the Law were put into the Ark and the mercy-seat was above it a plain intimation that the Lord who sits upon this mercy-seat will not enter into Judgment with his Servants nor mark the iniquities but be merciful to the unrighteousness of them that turn to him this should raise Hope in dejected Spirits and cause it to abound Psal 130. 7 8. Let Israel hope
unworthy to be saved nay unwilling to be saved till thou didst make him willing in the day of thy Power 4. When we look upon God as Lord we should exceedingly dread his Wrath and value his Loving-kindness The Rebukes of such a mighty Lord when provoked must needs be terrible Psal 18. 7. Then the Earth shook and trembled the foundations also of the Hills moved and were shaken because he was wrath Exod 15. 6 7. Thy right hand O Lord is become glorious in Power thy right hand O Lord hath dashed in pieces the Enemy and in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee thou sentest forth thy wrath which consumed them as Stubble And as the Anger of God has all evils in its power to inflict on those who are so fool-hardy to provoke it so his loving-kindness is ready to open the treasures of his goodness How bountiful is his love to his beloved ones The Psalmist having meditated on it justly stands amazed at it and cries out How excellent is thy loving kindness O God! Psal 36. 7. It transcends all created love if all the love that is in Men and Angels were united together it would not be so much compared with the love of God as the light of a Gloworm is to the Sun shining forth in its Noon-day Glory And as the love of God is so excellent in it self transcendently excellent also are the acts and beneficial effects of it If the wrath of a King be as the messengers of death Prov. 16. 14. what is the wrath of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords If in the light of the King's Countenance is life and his favour is as the Cloud of the later Rain Prov. 16. 15. the favour of the blessed and only Potentate must needs be infinitely more refreshing and better than life it self It is from this Lord that every Man's Judgment comes He ministers Judgment at present good and evil is dispenced by his hand and 't is he that will pass upon all the final Sentence of Absolution or Condemnation at the last day What care then should there be to have his Wrath appeased by a Mediator what fervency of Spirit in sueing for peace and reconciliation Solomon tells that many seek the Rulers Favour but certainly Divine Favour is much more desirable because every man's Judgment is from the Lord Prov. 29. 26. 5. When we look upon God as Lord we should trust in him for deliverance from other Lords who have had the Dominion over us He can work whatsoever and in whomsoever he pleases and none shall be able to hinder The Psalmist was sensible of sins force and power he was weary of sins Dominion he cries unto God to deliver him from the Reign of all the sins he knew and those sins which were secret and concealed from his view he begs that he might be convinced of them and throughly cleansed from them Psal 19. 12 13. The Lord can turn the Heart perfectly to hate the sin that was most of all beloved and the strength of sin is gone when once 't is hated and as the hatred grows stronger and stronger sin becomes weaker and weaker daily Saul was a proud self-confident Pharisee a furious Persecutor the Lord meets him and stops him in his persecuting Rage he humbles him works in his Heart Faith in Christ against whom he had such a mighty and seemingly invincible prejudice of a Wolf he turns him into one of the Sheep of Christ nay into a zealous and careful Shepherd of the Flock so that he preached that Faith which once he endeavoured to destroy Gal 3. 23. The Lord can subdue Iniquity where it has born the greatest sway If he speaks the word of power down go all strong-holds reasonings that before were thought strong are seen to be absurd imaginations vain high things and thoughts are brought into Captivity and Obedience 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into Captivity every thought to the Obedience of Christ The very Prince of the Devils Beelzebub himself the Lord can easily dispossess He cast him out of Heaven and surely he can cast him out of the Heart also If the Lord speak the Word Satan falls like Lightning How sudden and remarkable is his Downfall If he charge this unclean Spirit to come out he must presently quit his Habitation and if he command him to keep out he must enter no more Mark 9. 25. He rebuked the foul Spirit saying unto him I charge thee to come out of him and to enter no more into him When the Lord by the preaching of the Gospel made himself known in the World how were Heathen Idols destroyed 1 Thes 1. 9. Ye turned to God from Idols to serve the living and true God And whatever Worldly Enjoyments have been idolzied he can shew the Vanity of them and mortifie inordinate Affection to them He is jealous of his Honour likes not to have his Throne usurped we are to trust in this Lord and to desire he would take unto this his great Power and Reign in us and that no opposite Lords may be any longer served 6. When we look upon God as Lord we should be careful to know his Will and always forward to do it That is one of the first Inquiries of a true Convert Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 9. 6. Man's Will till renewed by Grace is foolish perverse wicked and perniciously inclined He wills that which is to his own Woe 'T is but reason that such a Will should yield to the Will of God who is wise holy and good Who ever acted according to the Will of God and saw cause to repent of it And sure I am that they who do contrary to the Will of God must repent of it in this World or too late in the next We find that Wisdom is very much placed in knowing the Will of God Eph. 5. 17. Wherefore be ye not unwise but understanding what the Will of the Lord is And Happiness is placed in the doing of it Joh. 13. 17. If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them We should approve our selves better Servants if we did but mind more our Lord and Master's Will In Temptation we should consider what is the Will of God and then the Tempter would be withstood When earthly Treasure is laid before us to draw our Hearts to covet it we should remember 't is the Will of the Lord that our Heart and Treasure should be in Heaven Whatever Duty we are setting about towards God or Man we should inquire how would God have this Duty to be done What acceptable Service then would God have from us And what Blessings should we be to those whom we are related to and converse
33. 31. There is a Greediness after Gain no hungring and thirsting after Righteousness Iniquity though so hateful and hurtful is regarded in the Heart but there is no regard unto God there How can there be a worse Distraction than for the Heart to forsake Fullness and Goodness it self and to embrace and fix upon meer Emptiness and Evil In this Distraction there is Phrenzy in the highest Degree 7. The Heart is distracted when carnal self and interest in attending upon God is the great end designed The end is that which directs an action and the eye and heart of him who acts is upon the end which he pursues If the end be wrong the action cannot be right Without a sincere aim no religious Duty can sincerely be performed Now if we look no higher than our carnal selves in those Services we pretend to do for God our selfish design will be in our Thoughts and distract them Acceptance with God and the Enjoyment of him will not be at all minded The Captives in Babylon were blamed in their Fasting and Mourning that God was not in their Eye his Approbation his Glory not regarded Zach. 7. 5. Did ye at all fast unto me even unto me They minded returning to Canaan more than returning to God and to their Duty If indeed we are truly selfish God will not be angry with us for there is an inseparable connexion between God's Honour and our truest interest When we seek and eye him most we most truly eye and seek our selves God has the highest Honour from us when we look for the highest Happiness in him and love him for himself and delight in him and bless and magnifie him to eternity But when God himself is not our end but his Service is made use of that we may the better bring about our earthly and worldly designs and projects Our Duties then are Hypocrisie and Distraction Such were those whom the Prophet so severely taxed Jer. 12 2. Thou art near O Lord in their Mouths and far from their Reins They gave good words but their Hearts were far off from that God to whom they spake It was outward Prosperity and Plenty which they sought and this Plenty and Prosperity was most wickedly abused 8. The Heart is distracted when the worship performed is Will worship of Man's Invention not of God's Institution How can there chuse but be Distraction if there be a wandring out of the Way in which he has appointed us to serve him The Jews of old were very culpable in this respect Isa 29. 13. Their Fear towards me says God is taught by the Precepts of Men When Man aspired to be like unto God in Wisdom he deprived himself of the Knowledge of God and grew unacquainted with his Will so that he is utterly unfit to be his own Instructer in Religion there is a necessity of a Revelation from Heaven that God may be known and the right way of serving him may be understood The vilest Impurities the greatest Cruelties have been practis'd under the Name of Devotion when Man has been contriving how God should be served Nay Will-worship is condemned by the Apostle though there be never so great a shew of Wisdom and Humility and neglecting of the Body Col. 2. 23. The Will of God is to determine what Worship pleases him not the Will of Man and whatever Mortifications and Austerities some may fancy God allows an honour and satisfaction to the flesh as long as the Lusts of it are not fulfilled Worship that is not of God's Institution is meer distraction labour to no purpose unless it be to ill purpose When God is represented by Images he is grosly misrepresented the Glory of him who is an incorruptible Spirit is changed When other Mediators in Heaven are made use of besides that great High Priest who is passed into Heaven Jesus the Son of God worship becomes carnal sinful and the mind of the Worshipper instead of drawing near to God is distracted and drawn away from him In the second place I am to tell you what it is to attend upon the Lord without distraction 1. To attend without distraction is to set God just before us and our selves just before God When our Eye is fixt upon his Eye and we behold him looking most stedfastly upon us He searches the Hearts and weighs the Spirits of the Children of Men. Nothing can escape his finding out for he knoweth the Secrets of the Heart Psal 44. 21. Doth not he see my ways says Job not only the ways of the Feet but the ways and Workings of his very Soul were open to God's View We are all here present before God says Cornelius Acts 10. 33. I have set the Lord always before me says David Psal 16. 8. This is undistracted Attendance when the Lord is still kept in our view and we keep and behave our selves as just under the inspection of the all-observing Eye of his Holiness 2. To attend without distraction is to have right apprehensions of God whom we attend upon God is a Spirit and as such he must be apprehended when we worship him that we may worship him in spirit and in truth and that our Conceptions of him may be spiritual and sutable unto his Nature As he is without Passions which Men are subject to so without those bodily parts which Men have Indeed metaphorically Eyes and Hands and Feet and Heart are in Scripture ascribed unto God but by these is signified his Knowledge his Working his Accesses and Departing his Will and Pleasure We must take heed of entertaining gross Idea's and Images in our Minds concerning God Act. 17. 29. We ought not to think says the Apostle that the Godhead is like unto Gold or Silver or Stone graven by art or Man's device Such kind of Representations are very improper of him who not only fills the Earth but the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him Our worship is distraction and the heart is drawn away from God unto a meer Vanity and Idol if God is conceived in the likeness of any Creature How severely are the Gentiles censured and how dreadfully were they punished and left to their vile Lusts and Affections to dishonour their own Bodies because they glorified not God as God but changed his Glory into the Image of corruptible Creatures Rom. 1. 21 22 23. Because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned professing themselves to be wise they became Fools and changed the Glory of the incorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible Man and to Birds and fourfooted Beasts and creeping things In our Attendance upon God we must think of him as an incomprehensible Spirit of infinite Wisdom Power Truth Holiness Mercy and Goodness ready in Christ to receive returning Sinners but full of displeasure against those that go on still in their Trespasses God must be believed to
be One yet in the Unity there is a Trinity This one God is Father Son and Holy Ghost Nazianzen an ancient Greek Father thus expresses his apprehensions of God when he came to worship him I am not able says he to apprehend One but I am presently struck with the brightness of Three I am not able to distinguish Three but I am presently brought back to One again Regulate your Apprehensions of God by that Revelation he has made of himself in his own Word and pry no farther than what is written that so you may undistractedly worship God himself and not the fruit of your imagination instead of him 3. To attend without distraction implies the greatest intention of mind As all the Lines from the circumference of a Circle meet together in one point of the Center so the Thoughts of the Mind should center upon God and the Duty that is done to him God should be so minded as that all other things should be out of mind Though the Soul is united to the Body yet it should be in a sense separated as risen with Christ and with him ascended and sitting in heavenly places Eph. 2. 6. And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus How intent upon God and his Praises are the Spirits of Just Men made perfect And the Spirits of Saints Militant should imitate those that are Triumphant It is storied of that famous Mathematician Archimedes that when Syracuse was taken by Marcellus he was so intent in making Figures upon the ground that he minded not the taking of the City and was slain by a Soldier that knew not who he was for Marcellus had given a Commandment to save him If such a danger could not disturb the intention of Archimedes for the saving of a City the saving of a Soul does justly challenge a greater intention in every Duty we perform to God 4. To attend without distraction implies the highest concernedness of Soul Faith should be strong and constrain the Mind to be serious things invisible should be represented so evident and substantial as if they were most visible and apparent God should be addressed as if he appeared to us as he did to Abraham as if he talked with us as he did to the Children of Israel from Mount Sinai With humbleness of Mind and self-abasement considering our distance guilt and vileness we should cry out Let not the Lord be angry if we intreat the forgiveness of Sin and that our Souls may live before him Now we should stir up our selves and take hold of God Isa 64. 7. Now his Strength and his Son and his Covenant may be laid hold on within a little while it may be too late and impossible to do it We should be concerned in all Duties and perform them with such a solicitous care as if we saw the Dart of the last Enemy ready to pierce us and the Grave open for us as if we saw the Judge upon the great white Throne and all both small and great standing before God and the Books opened that they might be judged according to their Works Rev. 20. 11 12. There should be a concernedness of Spirit as if we saw the World in a flame Hell naked before us and we beheld the flashings of eternal fire as if we saw Heaven opened and all that Glory that is there Weight and Worth and Necessity command Concernedness now when we attend on God we draw nigh to him about those things that are of most absolute necessity and of the greatest worth and weight imaginable 5. To attend without distraction implies the fullest bent and inclination of heart there must be intensivum velle a strong propension of the Will towards God and this is expressed by longing by panting Psal 42. 1. As the Hart panteth after the Water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God 'T is the Lord himself that thus determines the Will towards himself and this he doth without compulsion for he alters the Nature and Inclination of it so that the Will being made free by Divine Grace uses its liberty aright and chuses God as its end and the way of his Testimonies Such an end such a way is most worthy to be chosen The Heart now designs and desires the injoying Fellowship with God as infinitely more valuable than all other Enjoyments And this full bent of the Heart mightily fixes it so that the stream of the Affections is kept the better in one undivided Channel When the Psalmist said there was none on Earth he desired besides God it plainly shewed that his desire after God swallowed up his desire after worldly things and when he says Whom have I in Heaven but God! He signifies that he should not count Heaven it self to be Heaven indeed without the Enjoyment of God there 6. To attend without distraction implies a sincere care to please the Lord in that attendance his Approbation being principally minded Man's good thoughts and word are more easily gained but the Jew inwardly his praise is not of Man but of God Rom. 2. 29. And indeed all other Commendations are insignificant unless the Lord commandeth 2 Cor. 10. 18. The undistracted Attendant studies to approve himself to God With what confidence does David speak before his all discerning Judge that he had walked in his integrity Psal 26. 1. and Psal 17. 3. Thou hast proved my heart thou hast visited me in the night Thou hast tried me and shalt find nothing He was not conscious to himself of regarded sin or of allowed guile and negligence in the Lord's Service Care to please that God whom we serve is a necessary ingredient in every Service that is acceptable This care commands the heart into the presence of God and keeps it there and he loves to see Hearts before him set on him and seeking after him 7. To attend without distraction implies resisting all attempts to draw away the heart from God Satan and Mammon will be knocking at the Door of the Heart while 't is attending upon the Lord and the flesh which lusts against the spirit will be apt to shew its treachery and to open the Door Undistracted Attendants do use great Vigilancy for they are full of Jealousie over themselves They bid Satan to get him behind them for they are worshipping the Lord their God and 't is wickedness and boldness in him to disturb them in the Lord's Service and when the Affairs of the World would crowd in upon them they reply They have some greater and more important affairs to mind and therefore those worldly matters must be regarded only at a convenient season At all times it should be our care to keep unspotted from the World to keep our selves that the wicked one touch us not 1 Joh. 5. 18. but this care should be greatest when our approaches to God are nearest For if the World and the God of it should all bespatter and defile us even while
thee of the evil Therefore now O Lord take I beseech thee my life from me for 't is better for me to die than to live Sometimes distraction and deadness and a carnal worldly frame of Spirit may hinder a Duty from doing any good to the performer of it though he be good in the main The perfection of sincerity may be so much wanting in some Services as that they may prove altogether unavailable Rev. 3. 2. Be watchful and strengthen the things that remain that are ready to die for I have not found thy Works perfect before God 3. I add further that Duties may be so performed by Believers themselves that the bad manner of doing them shall cost them very dear A true Saint may do his Duty in a way so displeasing to God that his Duty shall be his Death Thus the Corinthians came together to the Lord's Table not for the better but for the worse there was not that care to keep their hearts fixt upon God and fit for Communion with him and the Holy Supper was profaned by a prevailing of sensuality and Divine Displeasure broke out against them 1 Cor. 11. 30. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep and they were thus chastned of the Lord and some with stripes that proved deadly that they might not be condemned with the World v. 32. With what Intention Vigilancy and godly fear should the Lord's People engage in his Work and Worship He will be sanctified by them that draw near to him or he will be sanctified upon them he will manifest to their cost what an Holy and Jealous God he is Therefore says the Apostle Do we provoke the Lord to Jealousie are we stronger than he 1 Cor. 10. 22. CASE V. What Distractions are they which are mercifully overlookt and that hinder not the success of our Duties nor the benefit of them I answer 1. The Lord in much Compassion overlooks those Distractions in his Service that are grievous to us and which we heartily lament He passes by the greatest sins for the great Propitiations sake if there be Contrition in him that has been guilty of them Psal 51. 17. The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise And if the heart be broken because religious Duties are so broken and interrupted by vain imaginations he will not withdraw his Presence because of these weaknesses that are bewailed but according to his Promise He will be nigh to them that are of a broken heart and will save such as are of a contrite Spirit Psal 34. 18. 2. Distractions shall be pass'd by that are prayed against before they come and are resisted when they are come He that would worship God with great intention of Soul 't is a sign his heart is good and honest and that very Will is wrought in him by the Lord 's own Grace and is pleasing in the Lord's Eyes and 't is further pleasing to him when he beholds a Soul checking these Distractions as often as they do occur and manifesting a constant dislike of them The Psalmist tells us That he hated vain thoughts but he loved both the Word and the Work of God Psal 119. 113. His hatred of vain thoughts was well taken the intruding of them though they were hated was overlookt in Mercy And this hatred of them and perpetual conflicting with them is a good way to be rid of them And certainly those Distractions shall not be imputed to us which by checking of them and crying to Heaven for help we do in some measure prevail against 3. Distractions shall be overlookt the causes of which we endeavour to remove when we are upon our guard against the Cares of this Life deceitful Riches and those Lusts and Pleasures that would command our thoughts and entice away our hearts from God and cause them to be absent when our Bodies are before him 'T is meer self-deceit to pretend we are desirous to be freed from the effect if we like the cause to say we dislike Distraction if we are pleased well enough with those things whereby Distraction is caused The Psalmist who sighed and said Oh let me not wander from thy Commandments Psal 119. 10. certainly he was watchful against and groaned to be delivered from every thing that might make him wander Therefore he wishes that his heart might not be inclined to covetousness and that his eyes might be turned away from beholding vanity ver 36 37. He knew very well that coveting this World's Wealth would eat out his Desires after God and that eying and affecting vanity would deaden and distract his heart in the Lord's Service 4. Distractions though very horrid shall not hinder the success of Duties which the heart trembles at and utterly detests and abhors Satan sometimes apparently shews himself Devil indeed he roars like a Lyon he speaks like the old Dragon Hideous blasphemous Injections and thoughts are with hellish violence born into the mind of a Believer while attending upon God and the heart seems to be overspread with the blackness of darkness and with the wickedness of Hell it self But when these Satanical Injections are disowned and the Believer crys out Lord I am oppressed undertake for me And his Eye is unto Jesus for succour who is so ready to help 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those who by force are ready to be run down by the Devil Act. 10. 38. Satan shall not prevail against the Believer but the Believer shall prevail with God for that Grace which the evil one is so busie to hinder him from partaking of 5. Distractions shall in pity be covered that are occasioned by the prevailing indisposition of the head or other corporal Maladies that are the effect of excessive pain or of Melancholy which causes great confusion in such cases the Lord's compassion is drawn forth rather than his displeasure provoked We read Psal 103. 13. Like as a Father pittieth his Children so the Lord pittieth them that fear him for he knows their frame They are subject to much bodily indisposition as well as to spiritual Infirmities Now what earthly Father is angry with a Child because he does not those acts of Obedience in sickness which he could and would readily do were health continued The Lord is infinitely beyond the tenderest earthly Parent in pittying and sparing his Children He observes the Spirit 's willingness when the Flesh is weak and indisposed Distractions by sudden Accidents also shall not hinder Duties acceptance God will have mercy and not sacrifice Mat. 9. 13. It will not displease him neither shall Duty be lost if we leave off Prayer to help one by us fallen into a Swoon and that may expire without present succour in such cases his own Providence calls us off from a Duty of Religion to an act of Mercy 6. Distractions shall be past by that drive us to Christ for acceptance and to the Spirit for greater
God That depravation of humane Nature which is derived from the first Adam makes the Heart of Man deceitful above all things as well as desperately wicked and for such an Heart in holy Duties to act treacherously and to start aside from God like a deceitful Bow is indeed but to act like it self An Heart totally carnal is so estranged from God that it will never come near him you should therefore value the promise of a new Heart and a new Spirit Ezek. 36. 26. and beg earnestly that what is promised may be given to you and though your Hearts are indeed renewed the renovation is but imperfect there is much of the old nature still remaining and this if you are not very vigilant will catch away your thoughts while you are worshipping the Lord and bring a damp and coldness upon your Hearts Original Corruption has seised upon all the Powers of your Souls and makes all of them averse from attending upon God The Imagination is strongly inclined to wander far off and the Heart and Affections but too apt to follow If a free vent be but given to a sinful and vain imagination the product and off-spring of it will be distracting thoughts without number like the Locusts Frogs and Flies that fill'd the Land of Egypt and with these Religious Duties will be corrupted and rendred unacceptable Solomon tells us that when Man fell from original uprightness he sought out many inventions Eccles 7. ult and all these Inventions were but Distractions from God and ways of departing from him a seeking and trying to find satisfaction and felicity elsewhere which is indeed to be found in the Lord alone Let this truth sink deep into you that your Hearts naturally care not for the Lord's Service and if it be engaged in they are very apt to be careless therein Cry to Heaven that you may be more renewed in the Spirit of your Mind that the old Man may be more compleatly put off and the new Man more fully put on The less your Hearts are renewed and sanctified the more you are likely to be distracted the more there is of corruption in you it will the more discover it self in the Duties of Religion which you do perform 2. A Caution is to be given you against your great Adversary Satan He catches the Word of God out of the Heart he draws away the Heart from the Word and every other Duty The Spirit of the Lord helps our infirmities and assists us in Prayer This evil Spirit resists us in our Supplications He himself confesses that he walks too and fro in the earth and goes up and down in it Job 1. 7. His business is to perswade the Children of Men to the doing of evil to hinder the doing of good or to hinder the good that is done from being well done Who is the Man that this bold Enemy will not set upon since he tempted Christ himself who is God and Man If he perswaded our Lord to worship the Devil no wonder if he perswades us not to worship God or to be heartless in the worship of him Where is the place in which we may be safe and free from his Temptations since he got into Paradise it self and tempted and prevailed over our first Parents there In secret Prayer he is ready to disturb us he is busie in the Sanctuary that Ordinances there may be lost and our engaging in them may be for the worse and not for the better He set upon Judas and entred into him while he was with Christ himself at the Table Joh. 13. 27. Great reason we have to watch and pray against this Tempter and to say to him The Lord rebuke thee Zach. 3. 2. Can you imagine that when you are about to draw nigh to God Satan will not draw nigh to you He will present objects and lay baits for your Senses thereby to divert your Minds from the Work of God and not only will he tempt you objectively but by injection too Though he cannot look into the Heart yet he can cast a great company of evil thoughts into it he makes strange impressions upon the Fancy sometimes endeavouring to please it sometimes to terrifie and affright it that either the one or the other way the Mind in Duties may be distracted You had need to be well aware of this subtle and sedulous Enemy and to look unto your compassionate High-Priest who intercedes for you with the Father to succour you against the Tempter When Satan would interrupt you with this and the other trifle reply to him You have to do with the great God about business of the greatest and highest consequence and it would shew both a neglect of God and a slighting of your own Souls to be diverted The Builders of Jerusalem's Walls as they wrought in the Work with the one hand so in the other hand they held a Weapon Neh. 4. 17. When you are about the Work of God you should have on the Armour of God that you may stand against the Devil's wiles the shield of Faith the breast-plate of Love and Righteonsness the Helmet of Hope and the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God Satan's force is too weak for such weapons as these 3. A Caution also is highly needful against Mammon as one of the principal causes of Distraction The Service of Mammon justles out the Service of God or so distracts it that it is justly accounted no Service at all As this World is vain in many other regards so in this respect that sin hinders the end of it from being attained Instead of being led up unto God per scalam creaturarum by the Creatures which he has made we are by them drawn away from him instead of admiring God in the Creature we admire and affect the Creature and forget God The World being present and visible takes the Senses of Men and their Fancies and to walk after the sight of the eye is the way that the heart very well likes Eccles 11. 9. And hence it is that the invisible God and the things which are unseen tho of eternal excellency and continuance are totally disregarded or but slightly pursued by the most of Men. How are Men since the Fall become Children in understanding Meer toys and trifles are of great account with them Husks are coveted but that which is indeed Bread they have no hunger after Isa 55. 2. Wherefore do ye spend your Money for that which is not Bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not Hearken diligently unto me and eat ye that which is good and let your Soul delight it self in fatness Here is a plain intimation that diligent hearkning and serious Service of the Lord was hindred by minding things which could not satisfie These are things which the Flesh purveys for that the Lusts of it may be fulfilled these are the things that Satan puts a varnish upon that they may be the more ensnaring and bewitching so
less will your Thoughts be drawn away from him 6. Be very poor in Spirit A pressing sense of your spiritual Necessities will make you very intent and serious in begging Supplies from above for 't is from thence alone you can be supplied They that are pinched with Poverty how much do they think how poor they are They have such a smart feeling of their Needs they can scarce think of any thing besides The condemned Malefactor when he cries for a Pardon and has hopes to speed surely the apprehension of his danger makes his Words and his Thoughts to go together When the Man almost famished asks for Bread no doubt his Mind is very much upon that Bread which may prevent his starving Be you but sensible how great the Needs of your Souls are and that 't is the Father of Spirits only who can give you the mercy and grace which you need and the more of sense you have the less distracted will you be in your Applications to him Our Lord pronounces the poor in Spirit blessed Mat. 5. 3. their Petitions come from an inward sense of their want and of the worth of Blessings and being earnest Petitioners they shall be successful ones You that feel your guilt and fear Divine Wrath must needs think of a Pardon and the desirableness of it when you ask for it You that are sensible of your Maladies how intent will your Minds be upon the Lord the healer of his People And you will have little list to think of something else when you are begging to be cured True poverty of Spirit will constrain to an undistracted seeking of that Gold tried in the fire to enrich you and that white Raiment to cover you Rev. 3. 18. without which you must needs be wretched and miserable because you will be poor and naked 7. Let Conscience be very tender vigilant and faithful Such a Conscience will be very helpful to prevent distraction or quickly to put an end to it It will observe and fetch home the Truant and straying Thoughts and bring them to your Duties * I distinguish between a tender Conscience and a scrupulous one for a scrupulous Conscience is a great cause of distraction for Scruples are most apt to run in and pester the Mind when holy Duties are performing Conscience acts in God's Name by his Authority and urges Obedience to his Laws and much insists if it be truly enlightned and faithful upon the right manner of obeying Conscience takes strict notice of the whole Soul and all the actings of it and this Officer of God especially does this in the Souls approaches to the Lord a sense of being under God's Eye makes the faithful Consciences Eye more strict and ready to spy all faults that they may presently be amended In holy Duties such a Conscience will be very busie it will earnestly protest against vain and distracting Thoughts and it will say What make such thoughts here when God and his Work ought only to be minded The presence of evil when good is doing such a Conscience cannot brook with Patience it stirs up the lustings of the Spirit against those of the Flesh that the Law of the Mind may prevail more against the Law in the Members Rom. 7. 23. If Conscience is asleep in your Performances how sorry and sinful will they be The Heart will be dead the Thoughts will be gone far away no holy Affections will be stirring Pray hard for a good Conscience a Conscience not only purged by the Blood of Christ from all the guilt which by dead Works you have contracted but also by the same Blood healed of its Sleepiness Stupidity and all other faults of it And that Conscience may more effectually check your Hearts from roving and trifling in attendance upon God look before you with the Eye of strong and steddy Faith and see as far as Death and Judgment and into Eternity and then do you judge whether for your carelesly performed Duties your Lord will say Well done true and faithful Servants The Apostle having lookt as far as his own and also the World's last Day wherein the Heaven shall pass away with a great noise the Elements melt with fervent heat and the Earth and the Works therein shall be burnt up rationally infers that Christians Conversations should be very well ordered Duties of Godliness most undistractedly and seriously performed Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of Persons ought ye to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness 2 Pet. 3. 10 11. 8. Another Remedy against Distraction is growing in Grace and in the knowledge of Christ 2 Pet. 3. 18. This will keep you from being led away by errour and will make you more stedfast in Duty as well as Truth When Grace shall be perfected in Glory distraction will be perfectly cured and here on Earth the Cure is advanced as Grace is augmented The more Grace you have you will set the higher value upon Communion with God and this will fill your Hearts with holy Zeal and Indignation against every thing that may divert your Minds and be an obstruction to this Communion The more Grace you have the more you are filled with the Spirit and when you pray in the Holy Ghost your Prayer will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in-wrought Prayer Jam. 5. 16. How much of the Heart and Soul will be therein And the same Spirit in hearing and other Ordinances will keep your Hearts with God when they are about to turn to the right hand or to the left Isa 30. 21. The more Grace you have the more your Treasure will be in Heaven and you are told Mat. 6. 21. Where your treasure is there will your hearts be also Now that there may be an increase of Grace Christ must be better known for 't is from him that the first Grace is derived and all additional degrees of it Study him more and understand his fulness who fills all in all Eph. 1. 23. Desire with the Apostle that you may know him and the power of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his Sufferings being made conformable to his Death Psal 3. 10. If you conform to the Death of Christ and are crucified and dead to the World and the World to you the things of the World will appear without form and comeliness and will be less able to distract your Minds and ensnare your Affections And if you feel the Power of Christ's Resurrection your Hearts and Thoughts will rise with him and at what a rate will you seek those things that are above The Angels when here on Earth they are doing what God commands them and are in Heaven still as to their Thoughts and as to the Happiness they enjoy You should be heavenly when about your earthly business but especially when you are attending upon the God of Heaven And the more experimentally you understand Christ risen the less will things on Earth be minded and the higher will
the more thou talkest of it unto them thou conversest with the more it will administer Grace to the Hearers The second Duty is hearing the Word preached And that you may hear the word with less distraction 1. Look beyond Preachers unto that God who sends them and speaks to you by them Look beyond the earthen Vessels unto the Treasure which they bring and upon the Word that is preached as the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ who is the Image of God 2 Cor. 4. 4 7. Preachers of the Gospel are Christ's Ambassadors and they are sent to treat with you about Peace with God and by them God beseeches you to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5. 20. How beautiful should you count the Feet of them who preach the Gospel of Peace and bring glad tidings of good things Rom. 10. 15. Such Tidings are too good distractedly and heedlesly to be heard And he that sends them is too great to be thus contemned When you sit before the Ministers of Christ and the Stewards of the Mysteries of God remember what our Lord himself says Luke 10. 16. He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me 2. Apprehend who are ready if you hear distractedly and without care to catch away the Word from you as soon as 't is spoken Evil Angels are compared to the Fowls of the Air who hover about the Sower to devour the Seed as soon as it is sown Luk. 8. 5. These evil Spirits are fitly compared to Fowls for they are many and how do they come flocking into our Religious Assemblies 'T is desirable to have Souls come flying to Christ as Doves to their Windows but it may startle us to understand that Devils came flocking into Churches to catch away the Word which is preached there These Enemies as they are many so as Fowls they are above us and consequently not so easie is it to resist them How many Sermons have these evil Angels stolen And the Sermons they have stolen they have them to shew against heedless Hearers at the Day of reckoning 3. Make a Covenant with your Eyes that your hearing may be the less distracted and more attentive Fix not your sight upon any alluring and ensnaring Objects or any thing which may divert you And as your Eyes must be turned away from beholding Vanity that you may be quickned in the way of your Duty so be sure to keep your Eyes waking If sleep locks up the Senses how fast must the Heart the mean time be barr'd against the Word of God! Eutichus a Church Sleeper is an Example upon Record sinking down with sleep while Paul was preaching he fell down and was taken up dead Act. 20. 9. They that sleep at a Sermon scandalously reject and despise the word preached Satan is a most wakeful Witness against them and his Arms are the Cradle in which they are rockt 4. Beg that the Lord himself would open your Hearts to attend to his Word It was he who opened the Heart of Lydia and then she attended to those things which were spoken by Paul Acts 16. 14. 'T is the Lord that makes way for the Word into the Mind that it may be heeded and understood and he makes way for the Word into the Heart that the Heart may be changed and cleansed thereby Joh. 15. 3. Now are ye clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you 'T is dreadful to provoke the Lord so as to be like unto provoking Israel to whom Moses speaks thus Deut. 29. 4. The Lord hath not given you an Heart to perceive and Eyes to see and Ears to hear unto this Day And it will be worse if you love to have it thus still O think thus that distracted hearing may cause the word of Life to become deadly to you and God may judicially and yet justly harden your Hearts lest you should see and hear and understand and convert and be healed Isa 6. 10. 5. Let the word preached be mixt with Faith and received with Love The Apostle tells us that the Word preached did not profit the hearers of it not being mix'd with Faith in them that hear'd it Heb. 4. 2. Commands will be heeded and obeyed that are indeed believed to be of God Threatnings and Promises that are most firmly credited cannot but be minded and have a mighty influence The Word also is to be received in the Love of it that you may be saved The design of this Word is your deliverance from sin and misery your Peace your Purity and Perfection your eternal Redemption and Glory and therefore it commends it self exceedingly to your Aflections A sincere love to the Word will command the Thoughts of the Heart and hinder the Word from being disregarded 6. Remember that the Word which you hear is your Life There is a carelesness of life in heedlesness and distraction in hearing the Word of God Deut. 32. 46 47. Set your hearts unto all the Words which I testifie among you this Day for it is not a vain thing for you for it is your Life Prov. 7. 2. Keep my Commandments and live and my Law as the Apple of your Eye Isa 55. 3. Incline your Ear come unto me hear and your Soul shall live and I will make with you an everlasting Covenant even the sure Mercies of David And further to fix your attention to the Word preached be all of you perswaded that you who are now in the Sanctuary must shortly stand at the Judgment-Seat of Christ and the Word which he has spoken the same shall judge you at the last day Joh. 12. 48. Then you must render an account of your Stewardship and how all your Talents have been improved and you must be judged and receive according to your Works And sure I am that the Sentence which will then be pronounced whether it be of Absolution Come ye Blessed or of Condemnation Go ye Cursed cannot but be heard without distraction Both the one and the other of these Sentences must needs be heeded by all upon whom they are passed the one being so very comfortable and the other so terrible and confounding A third Duty which I shall insist on is Prayer now that you may with less distraction call upon the Name of God 1. Consider whose Name it is you are taking into your Mouths Deut. 28. 58. That glorious and fearful Name THE LORD THY GOD. A Name which should never be in the Lips without the profoundest Reverence in the Heart The Gods that made not the Heavens and the Earth shall perish from the Earth and from under these Heavens But the Lord is the true God he is the living God and an everlasting King at his Wrath the Earth doth tremble and the Nations shall not be able to abide his indignation Jer. 10. 10 11. This God whom you pray to is infinitely more above you than the greatest Emperour is above the meanest Worms
Christ's Righteousness and is so presented to the Father The Apostle tells us of the Glory of the Grace of God wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved Eph. 1. 6. When Christ was upon Earth the satisfaction he made was sufficient to make reconciliation for all sins and defects And now he is in Heaven he ceases not to intercede for Believers a thousand faults may be found in their best Duties but how absolutely faultless and prevailing is this Intercession of their Advocate 4. Many of those Duties which doubting Saints have thought to be nothing but Sin and Distraction God sees and owns the actings of Grace in He sees some Fire in the smoaking Flax which he will not quench though there is much that is offensive with it he sees some greenness in the bruised Reed though there is much that is dead and he will not break it Matt. 12. 20. His Eyelids try the Children of Men and he has a gracious regard to the actings of Grace and Faith though it be but as a grain of Mustard seed Christ Jesus is said to be quick of understanding in the fear of the Lord Isa 11. 3. He knows what Key will open every Heart and when he will open none can keep shut he can bring the most fearless and stupid to the fear of God And where the fear of God is in truth though it be in a lower degree he easily discerns it When a Well of Water is muddy at the top there is purer Water working up from the Spring at the bottom When the Heart is very much discomposed and distracted in Duty if under all these Infirmities there is a working and stirring of the Grace of God he will both observe and be well pleased with it He will not utterly reject a Duty when there is an hearty desire to do it well and an hearty grief 't is done no better 5. The Lord is ready to give a Blessing to those means which himself has appointed for the cure of these Distractions These means are effectual when the Spirit makes them so And is the Spirit of the Lord straitned Mic. 2. 7. What infirmity is too great for him to help What Heart too roving and unruly for him to settle The means must be used Cry for help that you may be helpt to cry hear the word with a desire to feel its power that you may hear it to better purpose Take encouragement from the mighty Spirit who is so ready to accompany God's Institutions He can fit you for your Duty and fix your Hearts in it and crown the doing of it with the Blessings which are promised And when your Hearts are fixed 't is but reason your Mouths should sing and give praise 6. When Militant Saints come to be triumphant their Distractions and Complaints because of them will be at a perpetual end In Heaven they shall be out of Satan's reach he shall resist them no more this World they will have left which so often troubled both their heads and hearts and will have exchanged it for a World that 's infinitely better their perfected Spirits will be perfect in their Operations nothing of imperfection will cleave to what the glorified Saints above are doing The Vision of God Face to Face will fix the Mind and Thoughts upon him eternally having once looked on they will never care to look off more Perfection of Holiness Love Delight and Joy must needs for ever hinder all even the least wandring None can in the least be weary of the Work that is done in Heaven it is so full of pleasure Rev. 4. 8 They rest not Day and Night saving Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come and full glad may they well be that such a pleasant Employment must never come to an end If all this Congregation with their Pastour can but get safe into the House not made with Hands eternal in the Heavens Oh what Thoughts and Apprehensions shall we have How shall we be fill'd with Joy and Wonder at what we shall then behold Being entred and swallowed up in the Joy of our Lord shall we not then cry out Ah! Ah! What a difference is there between this Heavenly Country and the most desirable earthly Inheritance The Sun is but a small Spark to that Light which we now see When we lookt upward we admired Heavens outside the Firmament with all its shining Luminaries but now we plainly see that Heaven is much more glorious within What an excellent Society is this innumerable Company of Angels that we are among How does every glorified Saint and Member of Christ resemble his Head being all fair and no spot remaining How pleasant is the Harmony where there is no Sin no Sorrow no Defect or Discord These Hallelujahs which we now joyn in how ravishing and transporting are they not like the distracted Services which we used to perform together in the Sanctuary We are all now fixt in this glorious place and shall go no more out Our Complaints are quite ended and never again shall we do in the least amiss We are indeed without fault before the Throne of God and we shall Live and Reign Triumph and Magnifie the Lord for ever Thus have I finished my Discourse concerning Distraction in attending upon God a fault whereof all are guilty most make nothing or very light of and very few mind to have it mended My design herein has been to do some Service to the Church of Christ that their Worship may be more pure and Spiritual being freed from those wandring Thoughts which both distract and defile it and that the Best of Lords may still have better and more acceptable Service from all of you and from my self also Whilst we are in this World truly this World is too much in us 't is suitable to our Senses and apt to intice and draw away our Hearts Let the Eye of Faith pierce through the Clouds and see Heavens Joy and Glory and then this Worlds Vanity will be the more apparent and how vain a thing 't is for you to be so thoughtful about it and eager after it When Faith has seen how God is attended upon by Saints and Angels above it may help to kindle in you an holy zeal and a vehement desire more to resemble those excellent Attendants and to serve the Lord more gladly and seriously here below Oh cry to have the Cure of Distractions carried on further towards compleatness Live as Strangers and Sojourners here on Earth not concerned about the things of it as others are Declare plainly that you are born from above and let your Hearts and Thoughts more and more ascend thither Carry your selves as fellow Citizens with the Saints and as those that are of the Houshold of God Let there be more of God more of Grace in all you do and speak in all the Powers of your Souls in all the Duties you perform And think with gladness and