had the very best that they had knowing that the better any thing is that they offer to God the greater is the reward that God wil give to them for it For this wil make a soule free for God As David who knowing what a bountiful pay-master the Lord was would not offer him sacrifice 2 Sam. 24.24 of that which should cost him nothing Why just thus doe earnal hearts in doing the Lord service as these people did in offering him sacrifice they bring him the torn blind and lame Yea is there no help but I must doe duties heare pray repent give almes and the like wel then I l'e shift as as wel as I can if I must heare I 'le hear at my leisure when I have little else to doe If I must give it shal be of that which I got by usury bribery or the like If I must pray in my family it shal be the last thing I doe immediately before I goe to bed being half asleep and halfe awake If I must repent I wil doe it when I am ready to dye and goe out of the world when I feel the house crack and it be ready to tumble downe about my eares then wil I seeke out for another habitation and so for other duties This is the practice of carnal hearts thus to turn the Lord off with the worst which is a cleare evidence against them that they Judge his service to be but vaine service Thirdly this truth may be evidenced by their wearinesse in their serving the Lord though in a slighty and formal manner as this people in that place before named are charged with this very thing Malac. 1.13 yee have said what a wearinesse is it and yee have snuffed at it c. And thus are carnal hearts soonest weary though in some regard they have by far the least cause Of all men one would thinke that these people should not be weary of serving the Lord that are at so little paines and cost and so formal therein It might rather be thought that the people of God which doe so put out themselves and spend their spirits in the service of the Lord that they should rather be weary then such as are slighty and formal therein turning the Lord off with lip-labour and bodily exercise And it is true indeed if wearinesse in the service of God did arise from the expence of Spirits then the godly should be sooner weary then those that are carnall but indeed this is not the cause of it but rather a dislike of the service it selfe from an indisposition in the heart being carnal to a duty or service that is of a spirituall nature hence it is that the people of God who love the service of God after such time as they have been much with God in the duties of his service and have both wearyed their bodies and wasted their strength and spirits yet delighting in the Law and Service of God after the innerman are not yet weary of the duty or service it selfe but wish that they had fresh strength and Spirits For it is one thing to be weary in the service of God and another thing to be weary of the service of God The first may befall a gratious heart or child of God but the latter is the property of those that are onely carnall And againe there is much difference betweene that wearisomnesse that ariseth from inabilities to hold out any longer in the duty or service and that which springeth from a dislike of the duty or service it selfe both in the affections from that contrariety that is in the heart being carnal to the duty or service as spiritual as also in the judgement from secret feares and thoughts of losing its labour and so being in vaine The earnal heart is weary of the service of God in this last manner as wel as in the first and that upon this last ground also whereby the truth in hand is evidenced Fourthly it is clearly evidenced that they think the service of God in vaine By those base and hard thoughts which they secretly harbour of such as serve God more and better then themselves this is a thing very commonly found in carnal hearts and who wil serve God a little to be bitter in censuring of them that serve him much those that keep their times and go their pace and are of their Last and straine they can like wel enough But such as exceed them they suspect for too much nicenesse what wil not common Prayers please them but they must have conceived Prayer wil not praying with others and in the family suffice but they must Pray alone and in their closets wil not one Sermon a day content them but they must hear all day long and are not Sermons on the Sunday sufficient but they must run to Sermons and Lectures in the week too c. Thus condemning the generation of the righteous and such as are better then themselves These thoughts and speeches proceed from carnal hearts which conceive in themselves that the service of God is altogether in vaine for if they did really beleeve that it were good and profitable to serve God a little then it would follow even by the rule of common reason that it is much better to serve him more and so still the more the better Take a man which beleeveth that such a worke or Trade is gainefull and profitable though he himselfe cannot work or earne that way by reason of age or infirmities yet wil not hee condemne those that can and doe but wil blesse them and their condition wishing that he were in the same himself Alas saith he I am grown old my sight and strength decayes that my work is gone I can make no earnings but lose my time c. Oh but such or such they are happy for they can work and earne I am glad that others can though J cannot but I would I could work for I know it is profitable worke and wil bring in great advantage to him that labours in it whereas another it may be slights that work and trade and condemnes them of folly that follow it most and all out of ignorance and that because they thinke it to be but labour in vaine Thus it is concerning the service of the Lord and the trade of godlinesse those that are truly godly wil rejoyce that others serve God and can do it better then themselves I am a poore ignorant creature a dwarfe and a nurling and grow very slowly but I am glad to see others grow my Spirit is straitned and bound up but others are large hearted for God and God lets out himselfe to others though he be a stranger to my Soule I am hard hearted and cannot mourn for my own or others sins and for the afflictions of Gods Church and people which I ought to doe but cannot Oh but such or such they can doe these things wel blessed be God I am glad that any
THE GOOD MASTERS PLEA AGAINST THE EVILL SERVANTS CAVILL Discovering the vanity of those men who judge the Service of God to be vaine Delivered in certaine Sermons upon MALACHI 3.14 Being a taste of the labours of that reverend faith full and holy servant of God Nicholas Stanton M. of Arts late Preacher of the Gospel of Christ at the Parish of Margarets in Ipswich in Suffolk MALACHI 1.10 Who is there even among you that would shut the doores for nought neither do ye kindle fire on mine Altar for nought LONDON Printed for William Weekely and are to be sold at his shop at Ipswich and Iohn Rothwell at the Signe of the Fountaine and Sunne in Pauls Church-yard 1650. TO The Right Worshipfull the Bayliffes Burgesses with the rest of the inhabitants of the Towne of IPSWICH And in particular to the Authors Christian Auditors Worthy and well-esteemed friends THat generall and good respect which the author of this treatise found amongst you whil'st he was living hath well perswaded us that the reviving of any little piece of his would be very welcome after his death The restoring of a dead man to life 2 King 13.21 by the touch of the Prophet's bones was an extraordinary and indeed no lesse then a miraculous putting forth of the power of God and therefore no sufficient ground for the common preserving much lesse for the superstitious adoring of the bodily reliques of Saints departed Yet we must needs acknowledge that great reviving which many drooping hearts have found and felt by the Spirituall reliques of Gods faithfull servants in workes of this nature as it holds forth a sweet manifestation of the Grace of God going along with the endeavours of his servants so is it no lesse warrant for the preserving and publishing such Posthumes as these whereby the authors being dead Heb. 11.4 doe yet speake and after a sort out-live themselves putting also a kind of new life into their dearest friends who being most deeply affected with their death could have found in their hearts to have said with Thomas if the will of the Lord had beene so Joh. 11.16 let us also goe that we may dye with him I say the resurrection of their labours before hand which did seeme to have been buried with them doth not a little revive their friends Io. 11.23 24. and is next in comfort to the resurrection of their Bodies at the last day 1 Thes 4.13.14 c. or to the assurance of the happy condition of their Soules in the meane time For this cause wee were not a little encouraged to bring this child of light into publike view being well assured that all such as loved the parents will be very glad to see the face of it And if it should happen which is the sad case of many a poor Orphan to meet with hard usage from the hands and tongues of such as use to shew little kindnesse either to the living or to the dead we make no question but that great Lord Protector whose service it plead's for will also plead for it and under him we are bold to commit it to your care and patronage The work it selfe speaks much of the mind and spirit of him that compos'd it and is like the sweet sent of a perfuming Candle which continues a great while after the Candle it selfe is put forth and removed out of the roome It is a work fit for these times wherein the eyes of too mans professors are so dazled with looking up to their priviledges they know not how to looke downe to their duties Heb. 13.2 The author was like Moses a faithfull Servant in the house of God and wee are perswaded his maine designe was to draw Others also from the vassalage of Satan to the service of God Act. 26.18 in which worke Phil. 4.1 God hath crown'd his endeavours with so many seales of his ministery 1 Cor. 9.2 as well amongst your-selves as in other places that if wee should hold our peace Luk. 19.40 many stony hearts converted into flesh and made children of Abraham Mat. 3.9 would speake to the praise of Gods grace in this usefull instrument In the opening and applying of this Scripture hee hath notably discovered the vanity of those men who judge it a vaine thing to serve God It is most true 1 Cor. 15.33 that evill words much more evill principles in the heart doe corrupt good manners The activity or unactivity of men outwardly doth most certainly spring from internall principles most deeply rooted and closely rivetted in their spirits amongst the rest a world of hurt is done by this one common and hurtfull principle in the World it is in vaine to serve God What makes men either so desperatly Active for the worst of Masters or so shamefully unactive for the best but this secret perswasion that commeth not of him Gal. 5.8 that calleth them Now wee know a disease clearly discovered in the cause is in the high-way of cure The wisdome and spirituall skil of this heavenly physitian Pro. 20.27 hath much appeared in this kind who by the candle of the Lord hath made so deep search into the privy Chambers of the Soul and most inward thoughts of men that by the cleare discovery of the guil and self-deceit of their hearts in the service of God they might be throughly convinced of the error of their wayes 1 Cor. 14.25 and so the secrets of their hearts being made manifest they might fall downe on their faces and worship God reporting that God is in his Ordinance of a truth If the communicating these labours may through Gods blessing conduce to that happy end as wee are assured it was the maine ayme of this faithfull Stevvard in preaching of them so we hope it shall be our utmost end in the publishing thereof For this cause Eph. 3.14 we desire to bow our knees unto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and to begge of you that the Authors Plantation 1 Cor. 3.6 may be watered by your Prayers and teares also that God giving the increase his name may have the Glory of all that Service which is done in obedience to his commands and his poore servants may enjoy the comfort of all his precious promises Isa 45.19 who never said to the seed of Iacob seeke ye me in vaine By the grace and in the strength of this God wee are bold to engage our selves 2 Cor. 8.5.4 5. first to the Lord and then unto you by the will of God Your Servants for Jesus sake Matthew Lawrence Robert Stansbye Isaac Basil To the Reader Christian Reader THou shalt finde 1 Sam. 14.18 Absolon having no son to keep his name in remembrance he set up a Pillar this Godly Author whose modesty was far enough of from affectation of Printing as all know that knew him having no naturall issue though spiritually he brought forth many sonnes and daughters unto
God his Pious Consort while others are building Sepulchers to their fathers and Husbands erects him this Pillar and Monument both for matter form of his own providing hewing by the help of Gods spirit while he lived a Monument more lasting then that of Brasse and Marble It was found in his study written out with his own hand by importunity of a friend for private use but as the wine was found in the Cluster of Grapes Isa 65.8 and one said destroy it not there is a blessing in it so such as saw it much desired the publication of it And his Yoak-fellow it being a I'hoenix springing out of his ashes and the true child of such a father darst not with the carelesse Mother suppresse and smother it but call in help 1 King 3.19 to hand it forth for Publike use which else had been stil-borne and never seene the light that so he might live though dead and that lasting Posterity might rise up and call him blessed honey dropped and lay upon the ground and Saul had kept the People by an Oath from eating but Jonathan comming and tasting thereof with the end of his rod was much revived and refreshed blaming his father for restraining the people surely the people under this godly mans ministry were brought to a place of much honey where the word dropped abundantly and was sweeter then honey and the honey-combe where many a fainting and weary soule was cheered and comforted and you that do but taste as with the end of a rod how good and gracious the Lord is by this little piece of him who otherwise was abundant in labours will lay blame some-where that you are kept from more of it you will find such sweetnesse in it and thinke the Church hath wrong that she wants any of her treasure but be assured Reader whoever thou art that no Ananias and Sapphira-like spirit hath held any of it back but that which hath been a cause why the labours of many godly Ministers have been buried with them a necessity from the closenesse and shortnesse of his notes and hand which have made it not onely difficult but almost impossible to Mid-wife them into the world and if any imperfect Copy should be thrust forth Gen. 38.29 the breach be upon them Know it comes not polished from the Authors pen and is of quicker delivery then that any skilful hand could come at it His spent paines and labours together with himself are now with the Lord finding what here he hath taught that his labour was not in vaine in the Lord he was a burning and a shining light while he lived a workman that needed not be ashamed and this his work will praise him in the Gates it carries its own letters of commendation and if thine eye be single to judge righteous judgement thou wilt find it full of heart-breaking conscience-convincing and soule-incouraging truths in plaine and familiar but heavenly and spiritual dresse and while others are busie in tying and untying knots spending time in the brabbles and disputes of the times which tend to strife rather then godlinesse this holy servant of God throwes out the disputer of this world and like a good Spie or Seer he brings and maintaines a good report of the good old way of serving God And though possibly there may not be wanting some that may call them low and legall things not savouring as they use to say of the Gospell spirit of these times to such we answer as Moses had his Jannes and Jambres Exod. 17.11 2 Tim. 3.5 8. and Paul met with some that had a forme of Godlinesse but denyed the power thereof men of corrupt minds that withstood the truth 2 Tim. 1.7 so it may now fall out but if thou hast a spirit of love and of a sound mind and hast been nourished up in the words of faith 1 Tim. 4.6 7. and of good doctrine which thou hast continually followed exercising thy selfe unto godlinesse thou wilt eat and blesse God and blesse his counsell thou wilt find it very profitable if the fault be not thine owne eat and digest the roll and let it be sweet in thy belly and despise not the day of small things pray that the Lord of the harvest would thrust forth more such labourers and that he would teach and tell thee how vaine all things else are but to serve God and that godlinesse onely is true gaine and if any man teach otherwise and consenteth not to the doctrine that is according to godlinesse he is puft up and knoweth nothing but doteth about questions and strife of words from whence commeth envy strife railings evil surmisings froward disputations of men of corrupt minds destitute of the truth which think that gaine is godlinesse from such turn away But lest we unmannerly make thee stand too long at the door ere wee bid thee come into the house we beg thy prayers and are thine in the service of the Gospell Matthew Lawrence Robert Stansbye Isaac Basil THE GOOD MASTERS PLEA AGAINST THE EVILL SERVANTS CAVILL MALACHI 3.14 Ye have said it is vaine to serve God THe Author and Pen man of this Book being the last of the first Testament was the Prophet Malachi who was one of those even the last of those three Prophets that the Lord raised up for the help of his Church and benefit of his people after that long and sore captivity which they had been in and now but newly delivered out of and though they had been in a hot furnace yet were they not purged from their drosse There were two sinnes which the Prophet doth now especially charge upon them 1. Slighting of Gods Services and Ordinances 2. Cavilling at his wayes and speeches Strange sins to be found especially in such a people at such a time It might wel have bin expected from this people especially now coming so lately out of such sore troubles that they should have laid their hands upon their mouthes and have justified the Lord in all his proceedings that they should have been even hungry of offering Sacrifice and glad of opportunity to have done God service resolving after this manner well seeing the Lord hath been so good to us as to deliver us out of the hands of our enemies we will resolve to serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the remnant of our daies and seeing we have wanted our former opportunities of doing God service and offering him sacrifice but have them now restored us againe we will now double our diligence time cost and paines in serving of him These and the like expressions might well have been expected to have come from this people as from such as come out of affliction but as it is nothing thus with many others so neither was it with these which were not onely soone weary of Gods service themselves but in their hearts at least condemned it as fruitlesse and unprofitable for any others for which as
body can doe thus Oh! that J could do so too this is an evidence of a gratious heart that knowes the service of God to be a profitable service but on the contrary such as speak or think otherwise as formerly was said they think the service of God to be but a vaine service and this doth clearly evidence their hearts to be but carnall Thus for the proofe of the Doctrine now follow the Grounds of Reasons why carnal hearts doe Judge the service of God to be but vaine Reason 1 The first is because they make question whether there be any such Lord to serve or no for as Psal 14.1 The foole hath said in his heart there is no God so many such there be even amongst us who though they doe not verbally deny it yet they doe not really and cordially beleeve it for though this be one of those morall principles that are engraven upon the heart of man by nature which can never be utterly blotted out yet as others so this lies up as a dead principle in the Soule and stirs little till it be enlivened and then they making question whether there be such a God to serve or no no marvaile though they judge and condemne the service of that God to be in vain when the worshippers of Baal spent much time and paines in praying offring of sacrifice and cutting themselves with Knives and Lancers and continued thus doing all the day from morning till noone and from noone till night the Prophet that stood by mockt at them and derided them and the reason why he did so was because he knew that there was no such God as they seemed to serve none such to hear and help as they call'd and cried unto and that therefore what they did was in vaine Now that which Elijah the true servant of the true God did to those Priests servants and worshippers of Baal the servants of Baal of the world and sinne doe to the servants of the true God and that upon the selfe same ground though they be mistaken When these carnall hearted creatures and atheisticall spirits look upon the faithfull servants of God and see what time they spend and what paines they take in the service of the Lord calling and crying to the Lord by fervent Prayer cutting I meane rending and tearing their hearts by repentance and humiliation and that so long and constantly from the morning of their youth to the noon tide of their manhood and from the noone tide of their middle age till the evening of their life c. where carnall hearts behold these things I say they secreetly mock at the servants of God for doing thus as thinking in their hearts that their labour is but lost and in vaine because they make question whether there be any such God to serve or no which if there were not then it were in vaine indeed and though there be yet they questioning the truth of it these things must needs seeme in vaine to them Reason 2 Secondly They thinke the service of the Lord to be a vaine service because t is in vain to them they are never the better for any of Gods service which they doe and therefore they think that no body else is they get nothing at the table of the Lord nor at the throne of grace but come away as dead hearted with their corruptions as strong and they continuing as ignorant of the my steries of Christ and life and as unable to pray or doe God any service as formerly and therefore it being thus with them they thinke it is thus with every body else yea that there is no such good as men speake of to be gotten in any part of Gods service And the truth is they dare do no otherwise then give entertainement to these kind of thoughts being suggested to them by Satan hereby to prevent that condemning sentence which their own consciences would be ready to passe upon them for their unprofitablenesse in Gods service For should they admit of this for a truth that there were so much good to be got in duties and ordinances then would conscience be upon them and demand why they do then get no more good thereby and so make them call into question the truth and uprightnesse of their hearts and the manner of their performing duties and doing of God service Which to prevent as also to save themselves in the esteeme of others so farre as they can they cast this imputation upon the service of God it selfe Simil. As it is the practice of some servants that having wasted their wages by some riotous courses or secret haunts of expence to save their credits with their friends and such as would else be ready to tax them for ill husbandry in comming away without clothes on their backs or money in their purse they to save their credit and avoid blame unjustly accuse that service they dwelt in say that it is a stroying and wasting service much work and little wages that there is nothing to be gotten in it and the like thinking thereby to scape free from blame which t is true they may doe with those that know not the service but not with those that know how good and profitable a service it is Thus doe carnall hearts with the service of God and the duties of it thinking and saying it is but vaine to save themselves and whereas they cannot deny but that some others doe thrive and grow better and more then themselves they will not acknowledge this to be from the duties of Gods service but rather from some other thing as for instance when they see others grow in knowledge and parts whilst themselves remaine still grossely ignorant they will not acknowledge that they got this by attending upon the meanes and ordinances but rather impute it to good education to the strength of their memories and other abilities of their own when they see others have gotten power over their passions and corruptions whilst they remaine still hare-braind and furious upon every slight occasion that the wagging of a straw will make them off the hookes and make them little better then Bedlams they will not ascribe any such grace to be power received from Iesus Christ through any ordinance but rather to the goodnesse of their natures Oh they are of a more milde disposition then I am of my nature is hasty I cannot help it c. Nay rather then they will take shame to themselves they wil lay the blame upon God if for want of a true change in the heart they remaine without the spirit of God and the spirit of supplication that they are still children and babes cannot speak in Prayer further then what they have gotten from others then wil they excuse themselves and say that God doth not give the spirit of Prayer to every one alike not considering that promise of Gods giving his holy spirit to them that aske it meaning aright it is granted that he
lay and how confident they were of a liberall reward for their serving of God c. Having also some tast and the first fruits of it already these things make these people begin to doubt and question what before they seemed resolved of that many a man comes away sighing and saying within himselfe well I am affraid that if this were my condition that death were comming for me and I were under the hand of God and so near my end as such a one is I should not be so comfortable as he is but that J should lye like a wild Bul in a net ful of the fury of the Lord and be at my wits end therefore it may be that I have been mistaken all this while and for all this there may be a God and there may be some reward in serving of him c. and hereupon he resolves to do something in Gods service well I will resolve to pray hear c. More then I have done that if there be a God and there be any reward for his service I may have something in the Bank and a comming thus thinking to make sure however things goe Simil. As you shall have some ignorant hide bound Countreyman that having no skil nor experience in Sea-affaires and adventures into forraigne parts and new plantations is quite against such kind of trading when the ship goes out he gives it for lost and all that is ventured in it secretly condemning them for folly at least that have nothing to doe with their moneys but to make such desperate ventures of it as these and yet this man hearing how such a one and such a one by putting in a stock of money and imploying it that way were great gainers and and made men for ever as they say this man at length and in time may be brought to make some venture himselfe that way reasoning thus well though I have no minde that way yet I care not if I venture something at Sea c. It may be the ship may return and some profit may come by it that if it doth prove so I may be the better and save something but he will not venture so much as shall undoe him if it should miscarry but what he can easily spare So it is here carnall hearts though they Judge thus of the service of God as vaine and that labour as lost that is taken therein yet perceiving as before was said what others have got thereby are hereby brought to do something for God thinking that if there be a God and it be not in vain to serve him that something may come in in an evill day being so simple as not to consider that God will be served aright for the manner as well as for the matter neither will they venture much for God to part with all for the Pearle but onely venture so farre as to provide for themselves how they may be happy as they thinke without any thing comming in this way The first use of this Doctrine is for Information Vses and that in many particulars First Vse 1. Of information It informes us of the reason why the Lord hath no more servants to wait upon him and doe his worke The world and sin have abundance but the Lord very few especially of those that will wear an in tire coat without seame or that will venture upon any hot piece of service if they be put upon it here is the true ground of it they doubt whether the service of God be not a vaine service and whether there be as good wages to be had for doing of Gods work as they have from those Masters whom now they serve and whose worke they do Secondly It informs us of the ground of so much lukewarmnesse and indifferency as is in many that are or seeme to be the servants of God why they slubber over the Lords work and are so slighty in his service offering him sacrifice of that which doth cost them little or nothing as in praying hearing and the like as if it were no great matter whether they prayed or not prayed whether they heard or not heard whether they stood and appeared for God or dissembled it especially if it come to this that they cannot follow and serve God but it must cost them dear Indeed many can be content to keep Gods service doe Gods work and professe religion so long as this profession and service will maintaine them but if it comes to this that they must maintaine their service and they cannot professe and follow God but it will cost them their estates credits liberties or lives then they shrinke and here 's the reason they make a question if they should disburse so much for God and in his service whether ever they should see their own again and not be losers by the bargaine This makes them so backward to enter upon some worke that God puts them upon and so slighty in that which they doe Simil. That as they that work for bad pay-Masters when their work is faulted are ready to answer why t is even well enough unlesse I were like to be paid better for it then I am so doe they here suspecting the service of God for a vain service they think the work done in it to bee well enough how slighty soever whereas did they believe otherwise and the truth of those promises of God 1 Cor. 15.58 for his bountifull rewarding of such as are his servants it would make them fruitfull and painfull in his service Thirdly It informes us of the ground of so much Apostacy and backsliding from God why so many of his disciples and servants go away and fall off daily Yea many ancient standing professors that seemed to have been good and faithfull servants and to have done God much good work yet now after a long time they carry the Lord his livery home againe and will weare it no longer nor follow him any further but are now for a new Master and that such a one as the times will serve them to follow and serve without danger The ground hereof is clearly this they thinke to mend themselves and to take a course that will be more profitable then this service would be if they should continue it But as Moses Heb. 11.25 26 27. endured many and great afflictions seeing him by faith who is invisible to sence so had people hearts and faith to beieeve the truth of Gods promises and the profitablenesse of his service all the world could not be able to hire them out of it nor any thing in it beat them off or any whit discourage them But I would earnestly desire these people that are backesliders from God to consider how wonderfully they provoke the Lord to displeasure who thus turne their backs upon him and give over his service and indeed there is just cause that the Lord should be sore displeased For such a one proclaimes to all the world in effect
serving the Lord. Onely they say that they themselves are never the better they thinke they heare and pray and doe all in vaine Whereas Carnall hearts and such as are naught they doe not accuse or condemne their own particular serving of God but the service of God it selfe in generall As here in the text You have said it is vaine or a vaine thing to serve the Lord. Now there is a wide difference in this also easie to be discerned and let every soule try it selfe by this signe Thirdly 2 Difference or trial though there be such thoughts as were spoken of to be found in the hearts of Gods people yet they are not such as beat them off from the use of meanes reading hearing praying and the like but they wil still serve the Lord though the feare the losse of their labour in their serving of him though they feare they pray but in Vaine yet they will pray still and so for other duties Many poore soules have complained much of their unprofitablenes in Gods service that they have but lost their labour and all in vaine which they have done and the like whereupon for their triall they have beene asked after this manner why doe you not then give over why doe you heare or pray still To which they have made answer that they could doe no otherwise though I feare it is but in vaine to pray yet I cannot but pray heare conferre and the like Thus another and thus another saith So that it hath beene evident that there was some Principle in them that hath carryed them on in the wayes of God and in his service notwithstanding the sence of their former unprofitablenesse in the same Or if at a time or for a while they have beene beaten off and so desisted yet it hath not beene out of distast of the duty so much as their own unfitnesse and indisposition thereunto though yet they themselves may and do conceive that they doe really disaffect the duty it selfe Simil. As a distempered stomack may seeme to loath good meate whilst it is distemperd and even that which it naturally loves very well And so it is in this case Whereas a carnall heart is willing to admit of this as a pretence for his sloth that the service of God is in vain that so with the more peace and quiet he may sit still and fold up his hands and so he doth So that his thoughts about the vanity of the service of God doe beate him off and out of the service it selfe And this is a great difference Fourthly there is difference in the effect of these thoughts 4 Difference or trial For in the hearts of the Godly they are soone followed if not attended for the present with much sorrow and selfe-shaming as in the 73 Psal Comparing the 13 verse with the 22 verse Whereas they that are carall doe not thus as for the unGdly it is not so with them They are hardly humbled for words or actions against God much lesse for thoughts The next use to be made of this point 3 Vse of Caution is an use of Caution for Warning And that 1 to the wicked 2 to the Godly 3 to all in general First to the wicked Caution 1. to the wicked to warne them ever hereafter to take heede of this sinne of censuring the service of God for a vayne service Or them of Folly or losing their Labour which keepe this service or worke hard in it Know that though it be in vaine to you as indeed it Can be no otherwise as you go to worke yet doe not thinke that it is in vayne to all others Though you get no good by the word you heare or are never the better by the prayers you make and the like yet do not thinke but that there is good to be gotten by them and that others are the better for them Simil. Because a tradesman out of his bad husbandry doth not thrive in his trade shall he goe and condemne the trade it selfe or censure those of folly that drive such a trade as that is Nay rather let him mend his husbandry and follow his trade in a better manner and then he may thrive though hitherto he could not So it is here For men are ready to condemne this trade of Godlynesse and to suspect the worst by the service of God because they profit no more by duties and ordinances whereas the fault is not in the ordinances but in themselves they prepare not their hearts to seeke the Lord they serve him not for matter Manner measure end as they should doe which if they did they might soone finde it were not in vaine to serve God Secondly Caution to the godly it is for Caution and warning unto the people of God that they take heed how they harbour such thoughts as these are of the service of God For as a Divine saith though you cannot hinder the birds from flying over your heads yet you may keepe them from making Nests in your haire so though such thoughts as these may arise or be cast in by Satan yet suffer them not to settle upon your hearts This is the brand of a carnall heart O let it not be set upon any of you that have any truth of grace in you If the Devill can but fasten such thoughts upon any of you as to make you thinke or feare that the service of God is in vayne he will easily prevaile with you either wholly to forsake it or else to be very remisse and negligent in it Simil. If a man be sick and weak and he be prejudic'd against men and means and perswaded that no physitian or physicke can doe him good that man is in the high way to death for either he will not meddle at al with meanes or else stray from the rules that are prescribed him and then though it be not in vayne to take physicke yet to be sure he will make it in vaine And the same will people doe for their soules if they come to entertaine a prejudice against the service of God We finde this to be the counsel of the Apostle Heb. 10.35 Cast not away your confidence which hath great recompence of reward It seemes then that that which is of great worth and will at length be very profitable is in danger to be cast away by the people of God as vaine and nothing worth It is the case and condition of many a poore soule to stand staggering and remaine doubtfull as not knowing what to thinke of of it selfe one while it hath a doore of hope set open to it it that some glimps glimring of the light of Gods countenance and some confidence of his love and mercy which doth much refresh it another while that doore is shut and there is nothing but darknesse and feare in the soule and it suspects its former confidence to be but meere delusion that it was mistaken and the like