in spirituall actions because a man in them did come nearest to God and had most to do with him the fountain of comfort therefore the curse of sorrow is most found in spirituall actions because in them naturally a man is furthest from God and doth â—east expresse him And though the godly do finde much sweetnesse and comfort in holy duties more then in other actions yet they tast of the curse here more then elsewhere they finde more travill trouble and sorrow attending spirituall actions then any other the sweat of their browes and wearines of their bodies is not so troublesome as the pain of their hearts in holy duties their generall calling is more sorrowfull and bitter then their particular an harder matter to keep their thoughts close to good duties then to their particular callings their mindes are more vexed and their bodies more tired in good performances then with so much labour any where else If most disquiet from within and from without be found in spirituall actions then there is most cause of spirituall sloth This spirituall sloth that hinders our fervent performance of good duties is improved and increased sundry wayes 1. By ignorance of three things 1. Our necessity and want of spirituall actions we see not what need we have to pray much and hear much because we naturally want Gods favour grace apart in heaven and they that are renewed have but little grace much to do with it and much opposition against it yet know not what need they have of the increase of grace When our Saviour commandeth his Disciples Matth. 6.31 33. to take no thought saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or where withall shall we be clothed But first seek the kingdome of God and his righteousnes doth he not give us to understand that they and so we are more sensible of wants for our bodies then for our soules that we had need be called from the one unto the other 2. Ignorance of the worth and excellency of holy duties which have a worth above other actions inasmuch as they are commanded in the first place do require more expression of grace do more immediately concern God do bring more honour to him we do duties on Gods day and at other times because God commandeth them others do so and we are wont so to do but we look at them as mean work as poor imployment we do not see the hidden worth and excellency of them It is not in vain that the Lord saith Isa 58.13 they should call the Sabbath honourable It is one thing to keep the Sabbath and another thing to keep it as an high day a day of honour thinking our ordinary worldly thoughts words and works too mean and base for it we perform good duties but we know not the honour of them if we did we should not be ashamed of good speeches and actions as if they were matter of shame rather then honour 3. Ignorance of the benefit and good that redounds unto us by the performance of good duties as increase of our communion with God increase of his Image in us increase of peace and comfort increase of all other good things Why doth God so frequently use the argument from the benefit to move us unto performance of them but to declare our ignorance herein as well as to declare his bounty and to meet with our self-love and desire of our own good If we know experimentally the trouble and toil of good duties and not so well know our want the worth and benefit of them how should we but be backward unto them as disquieting us without any great necessity worth or benefit to countervail that disquiet 2. Spirituall sloth is improved and increased by false reasonings in our mindes For instance 1. Lesse frequencie in performing good duties and fervencie will serve the turne and if lesse will do what needs more Are not the hearts even of the godly apt to say what need we be so often in prayer and take so much paines with our hearts therein surely God is not so strict nor the way to heaven so streight Why doth the Apostle call for all diligence in the adding of grace to grace 2 Pet. 1.5 and in making our calling and election sure vers 10. but that we thinke a little will serve Why doth our Saviour call the way to heaven a strait gate and narrow way Maâ—th 7.14 and command us to strive to enter in Luke 13.24 but that we are not easily possessed that so much paines is required in good duties as indeed there is especially others do cry out of them as prodigalls that take much paines in hearing praying and are not backward to say that they hope to get to heaven with lesse adoe and if lesse will not serve God helpe them That there is no need of so much paines in good duties they undertake to prove by experience others say they have done well others have done well in times past and do well now that take not so much pains spend not so much time in good duties labour not so much with their hearts were not such and such honest men were they not well thought of of the Church of God are they not gon to heaven dare you think otherwise yet they were not forward strict and precise as some they went on fairely and made not so great a noise and stirre in religion Are not such and such now well thought of you would be loath to think they do not fear God that they shall not go to heaven yet they do not so much as keep company with the godly you can discern in them no great labour and pains-taking for heaven one may therefore do well and get well to heaven where nothing will be wanting without so much adoe the labour then is well spared so saith sloth spare what one can but reason grounded upon experience saith a man may do well without so much labour therefore spare it This reasoning is false for suppose some have gotten to heaven and shall get to heaven that are not so diligent in good wayes and so shall do well in the end yet they do not so well in the way Who knows what smart their sloth costs them in life in time of sicknes in the houre of death who knows what peace comfort grace what heaven upon earth they deprive themselves of who knows how God in Ordinances would raise them up to heaven and come down from heaven unto them were they more carefull to take pains Nor do they so well in the end they shall have lesse grace and glory in heaven lesse of God and so be lesse happy They shall have a crown but not be set with pearls they shall sit in thrones but not so near the King of Kings as others they shall be filled with the rivers of Gods pleasures but their vessells shall not be so able to contain as others 2. There is no profit in performing good duties we
for silver and the needy for a paire of shoes and sell the refuse of the wheat It was not likely that they were so profane as to say so but they said so in their thoughts which whispering the Lord heard and so reports them these were wandring thoughts evil in themselves thoughts of deceit of falshood of oppression of injustice and that in the Sabbaths Thus wicked Jezebel 1 King 21.8 9 10. calls upon the Elders of Iesreel to proclaime a fast and in it to busie their thoughts about false witnesse and murther two men must come in and witnesse that Naboth blasphemed God and the King and then he must be carried out and stoned these things their thoughts must be busied about as the maine end of their fasting Our Saviour chargeth the Pharisees that they did devoure widows houses and for a pretence or cloke to hide it make long prayers in their prayers their thoughts did busie themselves about hiding their oppression and cruelty the main end of their praying Thoughts in themselves evil in time of Gods worship are most evil 1. Because they argue deepe hypocrisie for they are directly contrary to God yet covered over with shew of love to God To colour over great hatred of God with show of love is great hypocrisie 2. Great injury is done to God for in the very time that we should do service to him in a speciall manner we do speciall service to the devil 3. Deepe dishonour is put upon holy duties as if they had fellowship with sinne and could complie with it which doth indeede destroy their nature why else are these thoughts evil in themselves admitted when holy duties are in hand 4. Our spirits are specially poisoned hereby more then if we had them at another time because a greater curse goeth with them in that they abuse a time of blessing The devil is therefore the worst creature being corrupted because he was the best creature in creation and times of greatest blessing perverted are times of greatest curse Let a man abuse the sabbath time of prayer time of hearing with unclean drunken oppressing thoughts he shall be more accursed from God then if he had the same unclean drunken oppressing thoughts at another time and in other occasions for the sinne is aggravated from the time occasion and so the curse increased which well considered of would make us take heed how we spend the sabbath how we carry our selves in holy duties lest suffering sin to be stirred we become deeply accursed 2. A second sort of wandring thoughts in Gods worship are taken up about things lawfull and good in themselves and they are either Earthly good things Or spirituall good things 1. Wandring thoughts about earthly good things in Gods worship are such thoughts as are imployed about our particular callings or provision for our selves and children or about our pleasures and recreations thoughts warrantable and lawfull yea necessary at other times but now wandring thoughts because the minde is in other imployment God peremptorily saith that on the sabbath day we shall do no manner of work Exod. 20.10 If our hands rest and our thoughts be working is that no work Thoughts are as properly the labour and work of the minde as actions and doings are the work of the body Isa 58.13 God forbids us to finde our own pleasure on his holy day and do we not finde our pleasure by our thoughts Thoughts will frame the acting and enjoying of any pleasure or recreation If thoughts about earthly good things holden in time set apart for God are wandring and so sinnefull then in like manner such thoughts had in duties set apart for God are wandring and therefore sinfull When God complains of the Jews by the Prophet that their hearts went after their covetousnes in time of hearing the Word what doth he mean bâ—t that they were busy in thoughts and affections about worldly things which they so much desired though their bodies were absent from them 2. Wandring thoughts in Gods worship about spirituall good things are either such spirituall things as are impertinent and of a divers kinde from the duties in hand or such spirituall things as are pertinent of the same kinde and agreeable to the duty in hand Wandring thoughts in duty impertinent and of divers kinde are such as these When a man in time of hearing the Word hath thoughts of praier or of some Sermon thâ—t he heard at such a time in such a place how good it was and usefull unto him when a man in praier hath thoughts of preparation unto praier thoughts of meditation thoughts of hearing the Word Spirituall thoughts pertinent and of the same kinde with the worship in hand are not alwaies to be accounted wandring and sinfull thoughts As for example a man is hearing the Word of God and some thoughts come into his minde suitable to what is spoken some place of Scripture to the purpose or some place of Scripture inlightned to a man beyond what light the Minister giveth to it or something come to minde a man hath heard before to the same purpose A man also joins in praier with others and besides the thoughts of what is praied he hath other like thoughts of his own if these like thoughts do clear the duty in hand to the understanding do increase attention and affection to what is in doing they are not wandring thoughts but they are conserving thoughts thoughts that keep up and keep close the attention and affection to Gods worship and do prevent the weakning and wasting of the same and they are the work of the enlarging and establishing spirit which can at the same time suggest new thoughts and make them helpfull to us But if these pertinent and like thoughts do carry away the attention and take it wholly up that what is in hand is neglected and the thoughts loâ—e the present duty and are long before they can recall themselves and finde the duty then ordinarily they are the work of Satan and corruption working as an Angel of light doing evil but in such a way as may not be discovered for who would suspect good thoughts in duty of the very same kinde to come from Satan and corruption I say if these like thoughts do carry away the attention they are ordinarily evil for God may and sometimes doth as experience proves so take up the thoughts and affections with something in the Word and praier that is suitable to the necessity of the soul that it can minde nothing else for the present but as the soul hath dwelt upon some matter of sorrow and been deeply humbled thereby so God will have a man dwell upon some matter of comfort till the heart be greatly refreshed thereby but this is more then ordinary we may not neglect any part of worship but God may imploy us about some part if he will this act is not voluntary or deliberate but the soul is carried thereto by the power of
to be but as the Publican and the Heathen and the Publican and Heathen may hear the Word But all may not receive the Sacrament for that is the seal of the Covenant and the seal doth belong to none but them who by the Word are brought into the Covenant 2. Where there is a meeting of more Ordinances more preparation is required but where the Sacrament is administred together with the Word is a meeting of more Ordinances therefore more preparation is required were this Ordinance more frequently used men would better be acquainted with the preparation due thereto Quest Suppose a man come to Church on the Lords day and the Sacrament be administred there beyond his expectation whether may he receive not knowing of that aforehand to prepare himself for it Answ 1. If a man doubt whether he may receive lawfully or no he shall do best to forbear for in this case holds that of the Apostle Rom. 14.23 Whatsoever is not of faith is sin if a man do an action and knoweth not whether he shall do well or no he sinneth in that action for the rule of our obedience is the Word of God if therefore I do not know that such an action is according to the Word I do not obey in it and therefore sin 2. If thou be prepared for the Word thou art in measure prepared for the Sacrament for those duties of examination meditation praier which do prepare us for the Word do not onely stirre up those affections and graces that are more properly requisite unto the Word but those also that more peculiarly belong to the Sacrament 3. God may increase the beginnings of thy preparation by the Word further provoking and stirring up thy graces especially thy faith and repentance 4. Though there be some defect in thy preparation before thou didst come yet if thy hearts desire be set to seek and finde the Lord he will have such respect to the praiers of the Congregation that he will pardon thy unpreparednes and conveigh to thee the blessing so 2 Chron. 30.18 19 20. Many of the people whose hearts were prepared yet were ceremonially unclean did eat the passeover contrary to the law but Hezekiah praid for them saying The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek the Lord God of his fathers though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary and God hearkened to Hezekiah and healed the people Quest Suppose there be a day of fasting kept and I know not of it till the morning of it whether may I go unto it it being an extraordinary duty and requiring extraordinary preparation and I unprepared not knowing of it Answ A day of fasting ought to be kept from even to even Levit. 23.32 therefore to be known before the morning and they that hinder such knowledge of it are like to bear their sinne 2. If thy soul be earnestly desirous to seek God in that Ordinance unwilling to misse the opportunity and sensible of thy unpreparednes the bare want of extraordinary preparation need not hinder thee if thou do not lie under the guilt of some sin unrepented of for thy unpreparednes is not through any neglect of him It is not bare want of such a measure of preparation that doth displease God so as to disrespect our duties but neglect and sleighting of it God requires no more then he gives had God given thee time of extraordinary preparation by fore-knowledge of the duty he would have required the same but having not given thee that time he will not require that Nay it may be God will specially prepare thy soul by want of speciall preparation humble and soften thy heart Ob. But the scrupulous heart as the most conscientious are will be ready to say If God would have had them to partake in the duty he would have given them time of preparation Answ Not so God may give thee the substance of preparation disposednes of heart but deny the circumstances of preparation viz. time and performance of preparing duties Preparation serves unto the worship of God the measure and time thereof cannot strictly be set down but the rule thereof is the measure of the souls unpreparednes God hath commanded extraordinary preparation for extraordinary duties because the heart usually is extraordinarily unfit but suppose by affliction or some other way the heart be more then ordinarily prepared then extraordinary preparation is not required for it is allready done some other way so if thy soul be much humbled and quickned by want of preparing time and means it is all one as if thou hadst them True it is God requires preparation as well as duty but preparation is the lesser part of Gods minde though a necessary part when therefore thou maiest do a greater part of Gods minde thou art not to neglect it though thou canst not do a lesser when that not doing of the lesse doth not proceed from any known and willing neglect of thine which alters the case For if a man have time and do not prepare he doth presumptuously not believingly pâ—rform holy duties To be sure this case may put the godly in minde what need they have to keep their hearts continually in a good frame that so they may have a continuall preparednes unto every good work Quest Suppose I labour in the use of means to prepare my heart and cannot finde it prepared what should I then do Answ 1. Thy soul may be prepared and thou not sensible of it it is the measure of preparation and evidence of the spirit in the heart that makes a man sensible of his preparation 2. Sense of preparation is a separable fruit of the use of the means part of the successe it is but may be separated from the use of the means when thou therefore hast prepared thy self thou hast done part of thy duty thou must not now stay from going about the Ordinances which is a further part of thy duty till thou be sensible of thy preparednes which is part of the successe and so Gods part thy duty is to prepare thy heart and when thou hast prepared to go about the worship though God for reasons best known to himself doth withdraw his part the sense and feeling of preparation Let a man examine himself and so let him eat not forbear when he hath examined himself because he findes not matters as he would Quest Suppose I finde God helping my heart in preparation and withdrawing himself in the worship prepared unto there my heart is dead carelesse what should I then do Answ 1. The godly are apt in experience to runne upon extreams if their heart be not assisted in preparation they are discouraged if they be much assisted they grow proud and confident therefore God withdraws himself sometimes in one way and sometimes in another that they might not be discouraged nor be confident Not be discouraged if they do not finde God in one way of promise yet they may finde
him in another Not be confident or proud for though they have found God much in an Ordinance yet they may misse him in the next Where they least expect to finde God there many times they finde him most therefore not be discouraged and on the other side where they are most confident to finde God they many times misse him trust not Ordinances therefore but the God of Ordinances in all 2. Set awork thy faith in the promise the condition whereof thou hast in thy heart Psal 10.17 Thou wilt prepare the heart thou wilt bow thine ear these two go together if God do prepare the heart he will bow the ear he will do thee good thou maiest believe it thy preparation is an earnest a pledge thou maiest thereby help thy faith Thus did Manoahs wife comfort him when he was afraid they should die because they had seen an Angel of God Judg. 13.22 23. If the Lord were pleased to kill us he would not have accepted a sacrifice at our hands nor have shewed us such things as these so if God had not intended thee good in his worship he would not have accepted thy preparation 3. Thou must difference the different effects of Gods presence or else thou maiest wrong God as well as thy self to say he was not with thee when yet he was Not onely are there more manifest and evident fruits of Gods presence in duties as much liberty of spirit much joy peace assurance of faith but also there are more inward and reserved fruits of his presence as sense of want sorrow for want desire of enjoyment willingnes unto further duties to finde that which we want in some in the former God is with us and we know he is with us in the later God is with us but we know not so much an instance of the later we have in the two Disciples going to Emaus Luk. 24.16 Their eies were holden that they could not know him yet afterward when they did know him they remembred that they had sufficient evidence of his presence even when they knew him not ver 32. did not our hearts burne within us when he talked with us by the way and opened to us the Scriptures Whence was that fire in their hearts but from the spirit of Christ conveighed in his word Yet till they knew him they made no account of this The godly cannot see God in Ordinances though present because sometimes their eies are altogether pitched upon those more evident fruits of his presence sometimes also they stumble upon the presence of God sleight make no account of such fruits as are put forth sense of many failings in duties makes them think God was not there whereas that sense is from God in the Ordinances who is the father of lights CHAP. III. Of the fourth hinderance of instant worshipping of God Wearines AMOS â— Part of the 5 vers When will the new moone be gon and the sabbath TWo things are in the verse whereof the words read are a part 1. A desire 2. The reason Their desire is that the new moon and sabbath were gon laid down interrogatively to shew the greater vehemency and earnestnes of it When will the new moon be gon and the sabbath they thought the time long that they continued their stay was a burden unto them when a mans dâ—sire meets with hinderance his greife takes place so the new moon and sabbaths were matter of greif and burden unto them and they were weary of them because they hindred for present their civill commerce The reason of their desire that the new moon and sabbath were gon is that they might sell corne that they might follow their worldly occasions wherein they would oppresse We have to do with the first particular Their desire that the new moon were gon and the sabbath ended Why what was the matter that they had enough and too much of the new moon and sabbath Why did they stand in their way for buying and selling Ans At every new moon or in the beginning of every moneth they had a great solemnity speciall sacrificing to God Numb 28.11 a solemne feast day Psal 81.3 wherein they were wont to heare from God by the prophets for when the Shunammitish woman would go to the prophet for her dead son her husband disswaded her from the ordinary unseasonablenes of the time Wherefore wilt thou go to day it is neither new moon nor sabbath 2 Kings 4.23 A signe the people did communicate with the prophets in the counsels of God in the new moons and sabbaths and speciall seasons and times appointed for that purpose And whether here be meant the weekly Sabbath or by this generall name be intended all the Sabbaths or dayes of rest mentioned Levit. 23. it comes all to a reckoning in regard of their exception for in the weekly Sabbath and day of atonement or humiliation they might do no worke Levit. 23.3.28 and on the other Sabbaths or dayes of rest feast dayes they might do no servile worke Levit. 23.7 which is expounded in case of the passeover which was one of the feasts Exod. 12.16 no manner of worke shall be done save about that which every man must eat no worke might be done but about providing meat for the feast they might not do any worke of service or labour about their callings as plowing and sowing buying and selling They therefore wish the new moon and Sabbath gon that they might sell corne because that was forbidden worke in those times and seasons they are therefore weary of them and gladly would be shut of them could they sanctifie these holy daies or performe fervent and hearty worship to God in the same when all their desire was that they were gon whence we have just occasion to lay ground for handling a fourth hindrance of our earnest worshipping of God N. Wearines hinders our earnest worshipping of God When the worship we performe is a burden to us we do but weakly performe the same This people being weary of the new moon and Sabbath instead of setting their hearts upon solemne worship of God therein performed they set their hearts upon the end of the same they do not say O when will the new moon and Sabbath come or O that they would stay long but when will they be gon no daies so long as those daies of solemne worship in them the sunne seemes to stand still or to go back they passe not away fast enough and if the end of these solemne services have all the heart what shall God have in the performance of them This God complains of both in preists and people Mal. 1.13 That they had said of his worship What a wearines is it and that worship is poorely performed which is but a weary worship Though some take this place otherwise yet this sense suits well with that despising of Gods name blamed vers 6.7 for what a man thinks meanly of he will be weary of and what did their offering of
to chuse his apostles the next day And in the place where our text is when he was presently to be betrayed by Iudas and apprehended by the souldiers he prayed and prayed again and had no sleep in his eies though his disciples were so sleepy that they could not hold open their eies When Paul was to depart on the morrow and the disciples to see his face no more he continued his speech untill midnight without any drousines If we will spend the night in holy duties there must be something beside the bare duties to keep us awake some awaking necessity or speciall occasion it will not be sufficient that we are loth to spend the day there must be some circumstance which will so stirre the the affection that it will stirre and disease the body Nor is it good to put off family duties till late at night unlesse we think God will be served with sleeping instead of praying These instrumentall causes I have been speaking of are over ruled by the principall cause God to punish such sinnes as these 1. Idlenesse in our particular callings Is it not just with God that they who are drousie in the occasions that concern their bodies should be drousie in the matters that concern their soules 2. Overmuch labour in their callings Is it not just with God that they who spend too much paines upon their own callings should spend too little upon his service too much upon their bodies and too little upon their soules 3. Heartlesse worship of God when men bring God a body only and take no care to bring the soul it is just with God they should not give so much as a body but rather sleep 4. Pride in spirituall abilities Is it not just with God that they who are conceited of strength should expresse weaknesse as they do that sleep and shall we think the Devil hath his hand out of this sleeping It is sure we oppose him in Gods service more then elsewhere therefore he will oppose us most He helps men to over-weary themselves in the week whereby they are unfit for the Sabbath He helps them to chuse the Saturday night to spend till late in triviall occasions for ordinarily of all dayes in the week men chuse Saturday night and Sabbath night for occasions of least moment the worst chosen time in tâ—e week for Saturday night they should be preparing them selves and Sabbath night considering how they have spent the Sabbath a signe the Devils hand is in the choise He suggests unto men that there is no benefit in watching no danger in sleeping he helps men that are naturally heavy to settle themselves easily to hang down their heads and shut their eies as furtherances He can if God permit cast an heavinesse upon a man He is compared to the fowls that picke up the seed and is not this our way shutting up the soul by sleep stopping the eare Quest How doth sleep hinder our earnest worshipping of God Ans We need not go farre to know that sense and experience doth teach every man the nature of sleep doth answer this question why is death compared to sleep but because they agree in somethings a sleeping man hath no more use of his senses then a dead man they are for the time bound up and suspended from their use if a man be in a fast sleep so that he cannot worship God at all For though the soul be able to worship God without the body as appeares by the working of the phansie in sleep and the separation of the soul from the body in heaven yet in those duties wherein the soul must be helped by the body as in all outward worship with others it cannot worship God if the body be asleep for herein the soul is directed by the eye and by the eare what part of worship to set about when to begin and when to make an end what order and decorum to keep for in publike duties we are so to worship God as not only God may be glorified by us and we bettered in our soules but also others may be edified in their worshipping of God which they cannot be by the works of our soules any farther then they appeare and break out in our bodies the actions whereof do flow into the eyes and eares of others If our sleep be not fast but rather a slumbring a drousines and heavines our service of God is marred for our bodies are unto our soules in this case as an hollow trunk stopped in the midst our eyes do but half see and our eares but half heare the sight dies in the eye and sound in the eare they come not to the soul there is no distinct understanding of the worship in hand much lesse any affection moved but a man in respect of hearing praying singing is like unto that man in a dream spoken of Isa 29.8 He dreameth he is eating and behold he awaketh and is hungry he dreameth he is drinking and behold he awaketh and is thirsty so men think they pray but when they a wake they know not what is prayed they think they heare but when they awake they know not what is spoken Vse The application of this point shall be first to them whom God helpeth against this sinne of sleeping in time of his worship they are waking and watchfull lively and stirring in holy duties sleep doth not then trouble them their duty is 1. To be thankfull unto God it is a mercy and a mercy denied unto many others Hereby we are kept from sinne and from much sorrow of heart which befalls others of the godly hereby we have that advantage to worship God and get good to our soules that others want It is not because thy heart is better or thy body better by nature then others nor because thou hast more grace or hast better improved grace then others but as Christ saith in case of knowledge To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdome of God so say I to you it is given to wake and watch in holy duties it is nothing of your own but Gods free gift be thankfull therefore It is no small mercy to do God lively service hereby our good is the more abundant the more sensible 2. Take heed of despising or hardly câ—nsâ—ring them that aâ—e very heavy in Gods worship though they sinne yet do not thou sinne also rather mourn thou that God should have such poor service and pity them that lose they know not what good who knows what a man loseth when he sleepeth a sermon while or prayer while If Peter had watched and prayed he had not so denied his master nor the disciples had fled and left their master for our Saviour bad them watch and pray that they might not enter into temptation had they watched and prayd they had not been so overcome of temptation who knows what the young man might have gotten for his soul by Pauls last Sermon had he not slept 3.
but turneth not off his bed The speeches of sloth are such as these Eccles 4.6 Better is a handfull with quietnesse then both the hands full with travell and vexation of spirit what ever he hath or wanteth he would have quiet and his opinion is that a little with ease is better then as much again with trouble of minde and body Prov. 22.13 The slothfull man saith there is a Lion without I shall he slain in the streets There is no safety in stirring out of doors therefore he will keep within all safety is in the house but nothing but danger abroad if he should stir about any businesse His discouragement from labour is difficulty and trouble Pro. 15.19 The way of the slothfull man is as a hedge of thornes when he should goe about any businesse it seems as troublesom to him as a mans way that must goe thorow an hedge of thornes no comfort nothing but vexation to be found Prov. 20.4 The slâ—ggard will not plow by reason of the cold He cannot endure the could though for profit he is all for warmth and ease The slothfull mans work tends to ease rather then to labour is a cessation from pains-taking a life of rest rather then of labour as the holy Ghost declarethâ— Prov. 6.9 10. How long wilt thou sleep O sluggard When wilt thou rise out of thy sleep Yet a little sleep a little slumber a little folding of the hands to sleep A slothfull man dwells upon â—ase gives himself much to sleep and will not be drawn to labour Quest Whence comes this sloth Answ It is the fruit of the fall which hath brought about a double cause of sloth one within us and another without us The cause of sloth within us is 1. The losse of inward strength activity and ability unto action the native and naturall strength of soul and body is gone we are altogether weaknesse and insufficiency and how should a man be willing unto that he is too weak for Naturally we know not how to doe things in the best way we know not the benefit of labour our will is perverse refusing what we should chuse and our affections carelesse so that we cannot set about any action without inward trouble and disquiet in regard of our unfitnesse 2. The contrariety that is in our nature to the law of God if God would have us love labour we love sleep Prov. 20.13 and so abhorre labour The outward cause of sloth is the travell and toil which sin hath made unavoidably to accompany all actions as a punishment and part of the curse which God hath threatned and man deserved wherein he is separated from God who is in a condition all of comfort and works all his works with ease and comfort whereas man in innocency should have laboured without trouble Gen. 2.15 God set Adam to dresse the garden of Eden and to keep it but speaks of no toil Adam was made perfectly fit for all imployment and fitnesse for action causeth comfort therein The blessing of God also was perfectly upon him he dwelt in the midst of blessing and Prov. 10.21 The blessing of God maketh rich and he addeth no sorrow with it Where Gods blessing is there sorrow cannot be if it be in perfection and fullnesse as with Adam But now that sin hath entred into the world and the curse of God by sin a man cannot use any power of soul or part of body without vexation and toil the soul is vexed in its labour Eccles 1.13 I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under the heaven this sore travell hath God given to the sonnes of men to be exercised therewith Let a man set a work his wisdom to finde out the secrets of actions he shall finde that travell sore and grievous to exercise and humble him therewith vers 17 18. I gave my heart to know wisdome and to know madnesse and folly I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit For in much wisdome is much grief and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow The labours of the soul the exercise of wisdome and knowledge in the means thereof is accompanied with grief and sorrow and vexation of minde The body is toiled and wearied in it's labour sweat forced out and strength weakned Gen. 3.19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread Gen. 5.29 This shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed The curse of God upon the ground did not bring man labour but toilsome painfull afflictive labour This outward trouble which accompanieth all labour meeting with an inward love of ease and aversnes unto labour must needs further and increase the same When a man findes himselfe unfit for action and therefore disquietnes will arise from that unfitnes it will make him backward thereunto but when he considereth disquietnes from within shall be met with outward trouble that cleaves fast even by the bond and tie of Gods truth unto all labour it will make him more backward Most of all are these causes of sloth found in spirituall actions inward and outward disquiet 1. Because our greatest weaknes and insufficiency lies in spirituall actions mans perfection in innocency was to be after Gods Image so that though he could perfectly dresse and keep the garden do the work of his particular calling rule and govern all the creatures put under his feet yet he could best do those works that come nearest to the works of God spirituall and divine actions love the chief good and delight himself in communion with God on the contrary now he hath lost the Image of God he can do any thing better then spirituall actions naturall and civil actions he can do but expresse no life of grace holines therein no more then a dead man can expresse naturall life And when God hath bestowed grace upon men yet that is but imperfect the contrary sloth doth remain spirituall actions are still above and most contrary to the naturall temper so that the soul quickned by grace is most unfit for them therefore most disquiet will thence arise to their souls which will make them more backward to them then to other actions any farther then faith assisted by the Spirit of God doth apply and make use of the all-sufficiency of Christ doth not experience tell us that the vexation which ariseth from sense of insufficience unto spirituall duties doth keep back and is a continuall clogge unto them in the way to such performances Beside our nature is enmity to the law of God Rom. 8.7 therefore most enmity to that which is most Gods law as the commandments of the first table 2. The curse lies heavier upon spirituall actions the curse of sorrow that attends actions for where the blessings of comfort did most appear there the cause of sorrow will be most manifested but the blessing of comfort was especially contained
shall fare no otherwise no better in performing them then if we neglected them Job 21.15 What profit should we have if we pray unto him We say in our proverb as good sit for nought as work for nought this keeps men from the work and labour of prayer a conceit there is no profit in it they see no good come of it they that pray much and spend much time in religious exercises are as poor in the world as much despised and afflicted as any yea and more Mal. 3.14 Ye have said it is vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinances and walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts They are not ashamed to say that it is vain to serve God an unprofitable way and they undertake to prove it by their own experience they have kept Gods Ordinances and have mourned for their failings yet have found no benefit things have gon no better with them Jer. 44.17.18 they speak their mindes fully since they left off burning incense to the Queen of heaven they wanted all things and were consumed with famine and sword but when they did burn incense to the Queen of heaven they had plenty of victuals were well and saw no evil so the godly have times of temptation wherein carnall reason assisted by Satan doth prevail to make them think and say all their sincerity is in vain and the pains they have taken in Gods service Psal 73.13 Verily I have clensed my heart in vain and washed mine hands in innocency he thought that neither the purity of his heart nor innocency of his conversation was to any purpose he should be never the better for it Nay because the more they pray and walk in the use of Gods means sometimes the worse matters are with them in providence are they not ready to reason from sense that there is no benefit in precisenes and strictnes This is a false reasoning Psal 19.11 There is reward and great reward If so small a matter as a cup of cold water given for Gods sake shall not go unrewarded how much lesse greater matters Gods righteousnes is ingaged Heb. 6.10 He may as soon cease to be righteous as leave unrewarded the labour of his peoples love 3. So much pains and care about good duties will hinder the particular calling and so the benefits of this life and bring poverty And though the godly do not expressely say so as others will yet would they not take more pains about good duties if they did think it would not hinder their particular calling and profit which they are so sensible of This is a false reasoning for though carefull and fervent performances of duties may take up more time yet if it bring a double blessing what losse will there be That it is thus we may see in the case of the Iewes Hag. 1.2 They did not refuse to build the Temple and therein to take care of the Lords worship but they were carelesse of it and for carelessenesse he doth reprove them This people say the time is not yet come the time that the Lords house should be built at present they wanted opportunity and hoped they should have opportunity afterward but would not try whether opportunity would serve See how this carelessenes of Gods service did redound to the frustrating of all their care about their own occasions vers 6. ye have sown much and brought in little he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bagge with holes their labour did not prosper they were not the richer for their sowing and labouring they looked for much and it came to little vers 9. I did blow upon it I called for a drought Why because my house is wast and ye run every one to your own house Their too much care of their own occasions and carelessenes of Gods service got them nothing but it lost them much Chap. 2.16 17. When one came to a heap of twenty measures there were but ten when one came to the presse fat to draw out fifty vessels there were but twenty When come doth not prove doth not fill men do not consider that this is because they take more care about their own matters then Gods service It follows I smote you with blasting and mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands when mens corn is spoiled with blasting and mildew and hail they do not consider it is because they are carelesse of Sabbaths and Ordinances of God more carelesse of his service then their own occasions on the other side see how care of Gods service brings a blessing upon our occasions vers 18 19. Consider from this day that the foundation of the Lords Temple was laid consider it from this day I will blesse you And that they may know that the Lord doth blesse them because of their care of his worship he addeth Is the seed yet in the barn Is it already past Gods blessing yea as yet the vine and the fig-tree and the pomgranet and the Olive tree hath not brought forth Zach. 8.10.11 before this time there was no hire for man nor any for beast but now I will not be as in the former dayes for the seed shall be prosperous c. so that what time Gods service takes up from our callings it will abundantly make up in blessing and it must needs be so for all successe is Gods Psal 127.1 Except the Lord build the house they labour in vain that build it and where God is best served he will bestow the most blessing 4. The comfort will not countervail the sorrow the ease the difficulty the rest the labour Thus much we may gather from the sluggards speech Eccl. 4.6 Better is a handfull with quietnesse then both the hands full with travell and vexation of spirit He thinks the filling of both hands will not be answerable to the pains taken therein the lesse he hath the lesse disquiet and the more the more disquiet and that disquiet will not be exceeded by comfort and quiet but the vexation seems to him more then the quiet therefore one handfull is rather to be chosen then both because the lesse he hath the lesse disquiet So much also is implied in the spouse her answer to Christ calling on her to awake out of the bed of security arise and open to him Cant. 5.3 I have put off my coat how shall I put it on I have washed my feet how shall I defile them Had she thought the benefit would have countervailed the trouble she would not have made that exception This is a false reasoning for it saith Christ hath not purchased so much as sin hath deserved 5. As the difficulty of good waies is unavoidable so unconquerable not possible to overcome it the evil and discomfort of good waies is destroying Prov. 22.13 The slothfull man saith their is a Lyon without the difficulties of his way are as unable to be overcome as a Lyon he shall be slain