painfull to keep our mindes close to a duty and to let them rove and wander is an ease to us a signe of their vanity 2. Want of inuring and accustoming our selves unto good thoughts in ordinary course and to setlednes therein and accustoming our mindes to rove and wander to take their lawlesse and boundlesse liberty whereby their aversenes unto good thoughts is not weakned but their forwardnes unto vanity and wandring of thoughts strengthened custome is a second nature what we use our selves to will be ready and easy to us If we ordinarily disuse good thoughts we do not raise up our mindes to heaven in our callings upon sight of the creatures we do not parley and commune with our hearts in some holy spirituall conference when we lie down and when we rise up when we sit in our houses and when we walk by the way we shall finde that when we come to holy duties holy thoughts will be tedious and painfull for we strive against two natures one that sin hath brought and another that custom hath brought And suppose we have a new nature a little grace yet what will a little grace do against two natures on the other side if we use our selves to sinfull thoughts or to roving and wandring of minde we shall come to an art and trade of sinfull and vain thoughts they will easily come into our mindes in holy duties without any pains any study or devising there will be swarms and treasures there the minde by continuall use will have gotten a more perfect faculty and ability in such thoughts 3. An overfullnesse of earthly occasions or a fullnesse of thoughts desires and cares about a few occasions hindring or instead of dependence upon God When a mans hands are so full of occasions that his minde hath hardly room enough for the thoughts thereof at least in due time or when all a mans thoughts morning evening all the day long are taken up about that businesse he hath in hand that no spirituall thoughts can get place in the minde they will not be shut out in good duties those thoughts that have all place at other times will have some place in Gods worship Beside too much to do with the world or too much thought about the world will make all the faculties of the soul more ready and observant that way Some occasion amongst many will be neglected or an occasion might have been dispatched some other way and the memory will not be wanting to suggest it no not in midst of good duties Multitude of occasions or sollicitude about them have a power to pull the minde apeeces to divide it into parts that if the worship of God have any of the minde it shall have but a part When Martha was so sollicitous about providing for our Saviours entertainment he chides her Martha Martha thou carest and he useth a word that signifieth to cut into parts her soul was all apeeces with it and therefore unfit to hear till that care should be gone and her soul return unto it self Immoderacie of affection will breed immoderacie of thoughts if there be not a greater dependence If a man be sollicitous about good duties how he shall perform them how he shall pray how he shall hear and do not look up to God as able and willing to helpe him those thoughts will not rest nor lye still when the duty is in hand for a man seeth nothing to quiet his thoughts In like manner if a mans thoughts be taken up with his earthly occasions and he do not think and that much that God taketh care for him if he doth not often call to minde the promises of God the providence of God his preventing and succeeding providence what experiences he hath had of the same his carefull thoughts will not be quiet in holy duties for only two things can give any quiet to the minde 1. A mans own imployment about them 2. Assurance and remembrance of Gods care If a mans thoughts be full of his occasions he will forget Gods care therefore his thoughts will be ranging in duties for he hath nothing to quiet him but imployment about them his body cannot be imployed for that is about good duties he must let his minde therefore be casting and thinking about them in holy duties or else he will have no quiet of minde 4. Want of reverence did we look upon Gods worship respectively as a matter of that worth and weight that indeed it hath we would take heed that our thoughts be weighty 5. Want of preparation When we come with earthly thoughts with wandring mindes do not winde them up nor set them in tune by some spirituall thoughts by prayer how should they but worke after their naturall frames when we do not stir up the spiritualnesse of our mindes We must not thinke that we have good thoughts at command and alwaies ready unlesse our mindes were perfectly regenerate what we get now must be by the lusting of the spirit against the flesh Gal. 5.17 by strugling and striving 6. Want of watchfullnesse in duties 1. We do not watch our mindes that they do not wander but keep close to the duty 2. We do not watch our affections that they be affected and moved with the duty if they were affected they would keep the thoughts close 3. We do not watch our eies that they do not rove from one object to another for then they will minister matter of wandring to the minde And on the Lords day we do not watch our tongues that they speak not of the world and our eares that they hear not others speak of the world for if our tongue may have liberty to speak of the world and our ears to hear matters of the world spoken of save in case of some spirituall ends or use made thereof our mindes will be thinking of them 2. Satan hath his hand in wandring thoughts He comes to Church with us Zech. 3.1 He stood at Iosuas right hand to resist him he watcheth the best opportunity to hinder us The high-way side ground hearers have the word taken from them by the Devil How they understand it not when the Word is delivering the Devil fills their mindes with other thoughts that they do not attend to the Word nor know what is spoken some wandring thoughts he immediately casts in without any help of our corruption he is a spirituall wickednes therefore can conveigh himself into our spirits have communion and converse with them Such as come immediately from Satan discover themselves thus 1. By their suddainnes they are with us ere we are aware we cannot discern the rise of them other thoughts wherein our corruption hath an hand do come more leasurely and by degrees upon occasion of some object or some thing remembred or some thing represented to the minde we see their rise 2. By their sinfulnes ordinarily for comming immediately from Satan and being his children onely they must needs more lively expresse his
particular preparation then it cannot be performed well at all where there is no preparation as in the unregenerate there is not And can they be fit for heaven that are not fit for Gods service What fit for wages and not fit for work They that partake in the inheritance of heaven have it among them that are sanctified Act. 26.18 and what is it to be sanctified by faith in Christ Jesus but to be set apart unto God and his service to be purified for Christ zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 Change of place will not change the dispâ—sition of the soul no not heaven it self could an unregenerate man come thither no more then a man comming from hell and relating his experimentall knowledge of the torments there would change the soul Luk. 16.31 If therefore men be unfit for the service of God here they will be much more unfit for the service of God in heaven where more perfection and continuall worshipping of God is required 2. To reprove the usuall and ordinary generall and common unpreparednes of Gods people unto Gods worship It is not the fault of some particular Christians onely but of all the people of God generally and their fault it is not at some particular times onely but ordinarily No one thing I am perswaded the godly are more failing in then in preparing themselves for Gods worship They cannot be ignorant that it is a way of Gods command and a way of promise therefore of advantage and benefit unto them therefore in neglecting it they sin against Gods soveraignty and their own good Do not the practices of Gods severall servants in Scripture cast shame upon them Nay do not their own consciences reprove them when they are out of temper in holy duties and cannot finde God Do not their consciences whisper to them and tell them that they may thank their unpreparednes Nay doth not the thing it self deeply reprove them and take away all excuse what come unprepared to Gods worship Suppose that God would not at all hide himself when his people come unprepared to his worship and they were sure of so much yet were it their fault to come unprepared should not they suit themselves according to the presence they come unto and the work they go about Doth not reason teach as much Can we without fault lesse prepare for eternall waies for waies that concern Gods glory and our good most then for other matters Gods worship is an eternall way though this and that particular worship of God be not eternall yet some worship of God is eternall and shall remain with us for ever in heaven and all the worship of God doth tend more to Gods glory and our good then any thing else yet we prepare more for any thing else More particularly we are to be reproved for sundry things that tend to our unfitting to the worship of God 1. The godly do not remember the sabbath in the week day That remember which the Lord hath prefixed before that commandement rather then any other doth imply as a necessity of speciall remembrance of that so an easines to forget that a difficulty to remember it or else the Lord would not have set this remember before it And if the godly consider they shall finde that the Sabbath comes seldome into their mindes the week thorow though it be the most solemne day in the week and of more weight then all the dayes in the week 2. The godly do not ordinarily keepe up their watch and so advantages for grace are overslipped and sinne is committed through carelessenes which doth exceedingly unfit the heart for Gods worship sinne makes grace unto the performance of duty as a knife to cut without an edge 3. They do not spiritualize their callings and earthly businesses by going about them in the strength and wisdome of the spirit of God and propounding Gods glory as their aime and end and making some spirituall use of passages therein by meditation often raising up their thoughts and desires to heaven so that they grow earthly and carnall like the occasions they meddle with and so unfit for heavenly and spirituall worship 4. The times of their vacancie from their callings and of libertie they spend in empty and unprofitable wayes letting loose their thoughts and speeches unto vain and empty things which tend to no profit and so the heart is more empty whereas if the people of God would but season the times of their repast and recreation with some sprinklings of good discourse as salt or winde up the same with some good discourse or with prayer or with some heavenly thoughts their bodies would be more fit for Gods worship and their spirits not the more unfit 5. The people of God do their worldly occasions unto the utmost period of time on the Saturday night that sleepe will allow them to take and doe not improve their time that day that they might get their occasions dispatched and have some time to prepare their hearts Herein I perswade my self the godly that use our Saturday markets do exceedingly faile in that they do come home so late not through necessity of busines but carelessenes much time is spent on that day which they can give no good account of when they come to recollect themselves Nothing but sleepe doth part the Lords day and their dayes with them beside ordinary duties Will sleepe change the frame No surely but as they left with the world last when they went to sleepe so they shall meet with that first when they awake in the morning That which may the more reprove the godly is the consideration of a treble cause of this unpreparednes 1. The difficulty of it it is an harder matter to prepare the heart then to performe a dutie for the godly do not ordinarily neglect duties but they ordinarily neglect to prepare their hearts were it as easie to prepare the heart as to performe duty they would doe that as well And if difficulty hinder is not spirituall sloth the cause and what more lothsome then to neglect that which might exceedingly tend to Gods glory and their good for want of taking a little paines 2. A second cause why the godly doe no more prepare themselves is an opinion that a little preparation will serve for if they did not thinke a little would serve if they were perswaded that God would not take a little well they would prepare more And if this opinion did spring from meere ignorance because they know no better it were lesse matter but it doth spring from heedlessenes and carelessenes because they do not attend to and consider of the light they have for did they but consider the command of God the practice of the servants of God and their own practice in other matters they cannot but know that a little preparation will not serve 3. A third cause is confidence in duties done did they thinke duties would do them no good without preparation they would
arguments that the most are weary of Gods service some whereof will fall upon some and others upon others and one or other upon the most 1. That comming after the beginning of Gods worship and going away before the end of it which I blamed heretofore as an act of despising of Gods worship will prove wearines in this place Were it matter of delight Gods worship then the more of it the more delight the sooner men come the longer they stay the more delight if men come with the first and stay with the last they shall have more delight but if it be a burden the lesse of it the more delight Were man to go to a delightfull recreation they would be there with the first and stay with the last upon this ground lest they should lose part of their delight let not men say they have many hinderances when they should come and they have many things to hasten them when they should go home for delight would break thorow hinderances and make a man forget what would take him off Do not men forget their meat and sleep when they are about pleasant occasions And were the worship of God delighfull men would forget their occasions at home till the worship of God be ended 2. That allowance of the forenoon only on the Lords day to the worship of God and reservation of the afternoon by some which is a clipping of the Kings coin of heaven for the Sabbath is the Lords day in a speciall respect all the dayes of the week are Gods in respect of creation and end but the Sabbath is the Lords as the Kings coin is his it bears the Lords image of holines it is an holy day set apart from common use unto Gods worship to take away the afternoon of that therefore is to clip the Kings coin yea though a man should spend so much time in private reading as he is wont to spend in publike worship seeing therefore there is such variety of Gods Ordinances such convenient time of rest and refreshing between the forenoon and afternoon exercise and due and timely finishing of the afternoon exercise what but wearines doth keep men from it Nay many do take so liberally of Gods good creatures on that day which most will have on that day more then any other though it be fit for very few bodies that their bodies are made unfit to performe Gods service Suppose the day be cold or rainy as it doth sometimes fall out on that day and it may be to try whether that will keep men away would not delight break thorow will not men do the like for their callings and recreations 3. That hasty hearty and full speech of the world and worldly occasions on the Lords day in some when the service of God is finished morning and evening as if the Sabbath were a market day a day of bargening paying receiving rather then of worshipping of God or seeking the good of the souls of men If the Sabbath be holy then nothing must be spoken or done that day but what is directly holy or done directly for an holy end to further Gods worship to helpe our hearts Were not men weary of holy duties would they so soon be gotten to earthly occasions would they be so hot and fervent in the same would there not be some remembrance of the duties newly past but that men lay aside a burden when they finish them 4. The neglect of all private duties by some on the Lords day If they were not tired with and weary of Gods publike worship would they not pray in their families speak something of the word they have heard though it were the lesse the Sabbath being appointed only for holy duties But if a man should go from family to family how few should he finde that pray on the Lords day night or speak any thing of the word preached but spend the time in idle talking a signe they have enough of Gods service are tired therewith 5. The haste that some make out of the house of God into the alehouse wherein they can sit longer then at the worship of God All these things which fall upon the most some or other of them do shew what weary service God hath generally performed and consequently weak service 2. The weak service God hath done him by his own people for it is weary service as appeares 1. In that they are not so willing of the approach of the Sabbath that light is not so pleasant unto them they think it comes too soon could wish it would stay a little longer 2. Their hearts are not so chearfull in Gods service nay many times the Lords day is the saddest day in the week they are more merry before it comes and when it is gone then in it 3. They give too much way to wandring thoughts and affections in holy duties they are not so unpleasant and burdensome to them they do not strive against them 4. Secret wishings and desires that the Sabbath were gone to the end they might go about other occasions 5. Too much gladnes of the end of the Sabbath too much ease and rest in their hearts these things shew how weak service God hath because so weary 3. Their sin that take course to weary soul and body so as to make them unfit for Gods worship for they take course to weaken his worship they that overcharge their bodies with surfeting and drunkennes that overtire them with labour that suffer their affections to run at their will upon earthly things do take course that God might have but poore service to do God but poore service is a sin but to take course that God may have but poore service is a double sinnne that argues we are willing he should have but weak service or at least are carelesse of the strength of his worship 2. To reprove 1. Our generall wearines of Gods worship If we consider it it may shame us 1. A signe we have lost Gods creation Is it likely that God would make creatures on purpose for his service and make them so that it should be a burden to them when it was in his power to make them otherwise Thou art weary of the word of prayer canst rest no where dost continually wish the minister had done oh be ashamed God did not make thee thus thou hast lost his image wiped off his spot should a father take paines and be at cost with a childe to learn him the skill of some trade and he should have lost it when he should come to exercise it would he not be ashamed thou hast lost the skill of serving of God which God gave thee wherein he was at more paines and cost then in making the rest of his creatures Me thinks this should make men hang down their heads for shame when they finde themselves weary of Gods worship they were sometimes fit to do Gods service but now unfit 2. There is no matter of wearines in Gods worship for it
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
vanity when he seeth us that way disposed 4. Greive the spirit of God to see his Temple in that guise and dresse On the contrary a reverent behaviour of body that will 1. Beget respective thoughts in our mindes 2. Effect the like reverent carriage in others which will be helpefull to us 3. Take advantage from Satan when he seeth no opportunity 4. Content the spirit of God when he seeth his Temple in a comely habit and he will delight to be more there 5. Looke up to the Lord Jesus to make these considerations usefull and to effect more of this reverence in use He shewed the greatest respect that ever was shewed to Gods Ordinances when he whipped out the profaners of the Temple and he as head of the Church hath fullâ—es to bestow Ob. Thâ— Ordinances â—â—eme to be weake and foolish â—hinâ— and not to deserve such reverence for men to speake to God and God to speake his minde unto us by men a poore thing Ans The Apostle hath answered this to my hand 1 Cor. 1. â—5 The foolishnes of God is wiser then men and the weaknes of God stronger then men What though they may seeme foolishnes and weaknes grant them so to be yet they are Gods foolishnes and weaknes God can make that a strong way which is in it self weake and that a wise way which is in it self foolish that which hath the wisedome of God and the strength of God with it cannot be foolish cannâ—t be weake however it may seeme abstracted therefrom Gods wisdome is an infinite and hidden wisdâ—â—e all of God is not thereâ—o 〈◊〉 â—ke and foolish because we see not the strength and wisdome of it Let us conclude our blindnes folly and weaknes rather then charge Gods means of folly and weaknes CHAP. III. Of the second hinderance of instant worshipping of God wandring thoughts ISA. 29.13 Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth and do honour me with their lips but have removed their hearts farre from me HAving finished the first hindrance of our instant worshipping of God despising of Gods worship we come to a second seated in the same faculty of the soul the minde and it is wandring or roving thoughts in Gods worship For the handling whereof I have made choice of this text wherein the Lord doth blame it in the Israelitish worshipers of him By heart here we are to understand the whole inward man the minde will affections for iâ— stands opposed to the whole oâ—tâ—ard man included in a paâ—t expressed the mouth and lips In the like sense heart put alone is taken Mat. 15. â—9 out of the heart proceed evil thoughts murthers adulteries i. e. out of the whole inward man part whereof is the heart proceeds evil thoughts the work of the minde and murthers adultâ—riâ—s the work of the will and aâ—â—â—tions manifested in the outward man I am particularly to speak of the absence of one power of the minde from God the thoughts N. The absence of our thoughts in Gods worship doth weaken our worshiping of God Wandring thoughts in Gods worship do hinder our earnest worshipping of God God complains here that his people drew near him with their mouths but their hearts were gone from him if the absence of the heart and particularly of the minde and more particularly of the thoughts of the minde did not weaken and hinder their worship why should the Lord complain of the absence Nay why should he punish the absâ—nce so admirably as here he threatneth to do Mat. 15.7 our Saviour calleth them that worship God with their bodies and their heart farre from him hypocrites such worship therefore hath hypocrisy in it and the more wandring of minde the more hypocrisy and if so it is but weak worship The Lord by the Prophet doth particularly discommend the hearing of the wicked Ezek. 33.31 that so farre as concerned the outward man they did hear as well as a people could they came duly and sate respectively and attended and were somewhat affected with the Word as men are with pleasant musick but their hearts walked after their covetousnes their bodies were in one place but their thoughts and affections in another their bodies were sixed but their souls were roving and this made their hearing to become sinne and God to threaten that the day should come when they should know by lamentable experience that they had a Prophet and the Word amongst them and were hearers of it but sinned by the wandring of their hearts When David Psal 103.1 calls upon his soul to be exercised in the duty of praise he explaineth in the later end of the verse what he meaneth by soul all that is within me praise his holy Name If the duty of praise and so other duties have not all that within us and consequently our thoughts it hath not its due and so Gods praise is short To this agrees that of our Saviour summing up all Commandements of the first Table in this one Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy minde One branch of this love of God is the manner of worshipping God which must be with all the minde as well as all the heart and soul and if with all the minde then with all the thoughts of the minde and so much as the thoughts are absent in Gods worship so much love to God is absent therefore the worship of God is hindred Two things we must consider of for our understanding of this point 1. What wandring thoughts in Gods worship are 2. How wandring thoughts do hinder our earnest worshipping of God 1. What are wandring thoughts in Gods worship Ans We may know the nature of them by the description of the holy ghost in this place and in Ezekiel Isaiah describeth them by their place they are farr from God there is a distance betwixt God and them and that in opposition to the nearnes of the body to him those thoughts that are further from God in his worship then the body that are not busied about the same action that the body is are wandring thoughts and do hinder Gods worship Ezekiel describeth them by their motion and wandring their heart goeth or walketh after their coveteousnes when the body is set and sixed the 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 and thoughts are up and walking not about the service in hand but about other things These wandring thoughts according to the objects they are conversant about may be reduced to two heads Thoughts about evil things and thoughts about good things 1. Wandring thoughts about things evil in themselves thoughts simply and materially evil Amos 8.5 6. Thus the Iews are brought in Saying When will the new moone be gone and the sabbath why that they may sell corne and set forth wheat Is that all No there is a worse matter beside making the Ephah small and the shekel great and falsifying the balances by deceit That we may buy the poor
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
the blinde lame sick torn manifest but wearines of Gâ—ds worship that it was a burden the actions of the weary and tired are blinde sicke lame divided and distracted actions When the Apostle Gal. 6.9 2 Thes 3.13 doth call upon the people of God not to be weary of well doing doth he not give them to understand that wearines will be an hinderance to them in well doing and therefore they must not give way unto it though the way of God be laborious and painfull When God would direct his people how they might be kept from doing their own minde on the Sabbath Isai 58.13 and so might thorowly sanctifie it he adviseth them to call the Sabbath a delight i. e. not only inwardly to delight in it but to grow to such a measure of delight to call it so openly professe and make it manifest that it is our delight let that be the name we give it as God termeth his people Isai 62.4 my delight is in her let others see by our speeches and actions that it is the day of our delight otherwise if we be weary of it and it be a burden unto us we will not be kept from doing our own pleasure What is it to be weary of Gods worship Ans There is a wearines of the soul that reflects upon the body and a wearines of the body that reflects upon the soul The wearines of the soul stands in the absence of two affections which are the strength of the soul desire and delight and the presence of two which are the weaknes of the soul unwillingnes no desire no delight uncheerfulnes backwardnes greif When God in Scripture commendeth the fervencie and strength of any action he commendeth it from these two affections willingnes and delight 1. Willingnes or desire makes any action strongly to be performed when there is a sutablenes or agreement betwixt the will and the action a man doth chuse to do it and that rather then any other such an action must needs have the power of the soul for the will commands the whole soul 1 Chron. 29.14 17. the people of God did offer willingly and therefore abundantly to the building of the temple that David admires and joyes at the offering The fervent worshipping of God prophesied of in the daies of the Gospel is comprehended in this affection of desire or willingnes Psal 110.3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power in the day of the powerfull preaching of the Gospel the worship of Gods people should be willing free-hearted worship not constrained The Bereans hearing of the word was hearing indeed commended above that of Thessalonica Act. 17.11 they received the word with all readinesse of minde they had a forward affection a forth-putting desire to heare and embrace the word Act. 16.14 God opened the heart of Lydia to attend to the word her ear was open and ready to hear and that open ear came from an open heart a desire to heare 2. Ioy or chearfullnes makes an action strongly to be performed when the soul is cheared and comforted in the doing of it then will it do it in the best manner and measure because it 's comfort and delight is the greater Psal 19.5 when the psalmist would expresse how strongly the sun doth run his course he saith It rejoyceth as a strong man to run his race 2 Cor. 8.2 The Apostle saith of the Macedonians that the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded to the riches of their liberality though their poverty was abundant and so unfit for liberality yet their joy being abundant in that Christian action made their liberality to abound so that according to their power yea and beyond their power they ministred to the necessity of the Saints their joy in the action carried them to forget themselves in measure They prayed Paul and his companions with much intreaty to take the gift such was their comfort in the action that if Paul would not take their gift they should misse of their comfort Psal 100.2 we are commanded to serve the Lord with gladnes the joy and mirth of our hearts in Gods service doth better the service performed But on the contrary when desire and joy are wanting the strength and vigour of the soul is gon and it is weary of such actions as it performeth unwillingly and sadly 1. What a man doth unwillingly backwardly he doth as a burden and therefore weakly because wearily Thus the wicked expresse their wearines of Gods waies Job 21.13 we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes they have no desire to be acquainted with the worship of God therefore will but poorly performe it if they performe any 1 Pet. 5.2 feed the flock of God not by constraint but willingly 2 Cor. 9.7 as every man hath purposed so let him give not grudgingly or of necessity whatever dutie a man performeth if he have no minde no desire no will unto it if somewhat without move him to it and not somewhat within if he had rather not do it or rather do somewhat else he doth it without strength therefore wearily it is a burden unto him Exod. 25.2 God willed Moses to take an offering of every one whose heart was willing towards the service of the Tabernacle Ex. 35.21 They came every one whose heart stirred him up and every one whom his spirit made willing to offer God would accept none but from the willing heart there would have been no strength in their offerings had the will been wanting 2. That which a man doth sadly and unchearfully with inward greif of heart he doth without strength of his soul and therefore wearily for such a man doth but bear a burden and carry a load all the while he doth the action and therefore will not care how soon it be done Not but tâ—at a man may be sad in Gods worship David saith Psal 6.8 God heard the voice of his weeping as if his teares did prevail more with God then his prayers We are also commanded to serve the Lord with trembling Psal 2.11 and we know that trembling proceeds from the affection of fear which is of a sadding nature But when our greif is pitched not upon our sinnes which are just matter of acceptable greif yea when we come to joy before God but upon the duty we are sad because we must pray or heare or keepe the Sabbath because we must fall to that imployment and may not go to any other or when sorrow for other causes become a floud so great that it over-whelmes and drownes our joy then the duty is a wearisome duty the soul doth it with no joy with no comfort therefore with no strength In this case when the people wept sore upon that day of thanksgiving Nehem. 8.10 they are commanded not to weepe nor to be sorry for the joy of the Lord is your strength so to weepe and to be sorrowfull as to drown or eclipse their joy on that day was to
continueth wearines doth continue and increase 2. It makes a man desire to change the present service for some other imployment a weary man would have new work to take away his wearines and to bring him contrary comfort and delight Can that be fervent service which a man thinks to be evil the end whereof he more desireth then the doing of it which he would change for any other imployment such service doth wearines make Quest It may be said you told us lately what some causes are of the wearines of the body in Gods service tell us now what the causes of the wearines of the soul are in the same service of God Answ 1. Remnants of corruption which do alwaies strive to draw the strength of the minde and affections another way and sometimes do prevail by our carelessenes and Satans watchfullnes Thus David when he was acted by corruption having looked too much upon the worlds prosperity and his own affliction without reflecting upon the end of both he was ready to throw off all the service of God Ps 73.13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed mine hands in innocency if all the fruit of his piety be affliction and all the fruit of the worlds prophanenes be prosperity then hath David spent a deal of labour in vain and it is time to make an end but this was the faulse suggestion of corruption so Jer. 28.8 9. When he was mocked and reproached daily for his ministery he said he would make mention of the Lords name no more he grew weary of his ministery if he could see no better fruit of his labour but reproach he would give it over but then he was acted by corruption as appears by his bitter cursing the day of his birth Thus the godly have sometimes their spirituall sick sits and so are spiritually weary of spirituall things More particularly 1. Ignorance of the inward worth and excellency of Gods worship and service So much know so much desire and delight and no more we cannot desire and delight in what we know not for so we might desire and delight in evil as soon and as much as in good which cannot be we do but little know the good of Gods worship and so can but little delight in it and where is but little delight will be wearines 2. Imperfect suitablenes of soul to Gods worship suitablenes and agreement is the cause of desire and delight Amos 3.3 Can two walk together except they be agreed Can they desire and delight in one anothers company unlesse they suit and agree in disposition Prov. 27.19 As in water face answereth to face so doth the heart of man to man Why doth a man love some particular man with a more inward free strong love because as in water face answereth to face a man may see the image of his face in water the represented face hath the likenes of the true face So a man sees the image and representation of his own affections and dispositions in some more then in others he sees himself in him and every man loves himself more then others and consequently such men in whom he sees himself more then in others Psal 40.8 The more suitablenes and agreement the more desire and delight we are but in a small measure suitable to the worship of God because the Image of God is but in part renewed in us and if there be but a measure of likenes in us to Gods worship there will be but a measure of delight and therefore wearines present likenes alone doth exclude wearines beside there will be a measure of unlikenes and that naturally causeth wearines 3. Immoderate desire and delight in other things even lawfull callings occasions and comforts so in my text Why are they weary of the new Moon and of the Sabbath the reason is rendred That we may sell corne and set forth wheat and why should they sell corn that they might gather riches When they were in the midst of Gods worship they had a greater desire and delight to their callings and worldly busines the strength of their souls went that way therefore they were weary of Gods worship 4. So much earthly converse with our callings and earthly occasions I say earthly converse after the manner of men who are altogether earthly for it is not the use of our callings that draw our hearts from heaven to earth but the manner of our use of them when we do not set awork grace in them do not use them as an appointed way to fit us for Gods worship and therefore watch our hearts that they be not drawn too much unto the things we have to do with We do not use them with fear lest there be a snare in them we do not use them with dependance upon God with strife against our naturall earthly mindednes therefore they steal away our hearts 5. Over-length of duties there is but a measure of desire and delight in us therefore duties should have but a set time in heaven when our affections shall be perfect there shall be no time to measure duties by but they shall be immeasurable The measure of the affections is regulated by judgement and discretion when therefore duties are drawn out beyond discretion they are burdensom or indiscretion beside the soul hath other occasions to attend beside Gods worship even on the Lords day works of mercy and necessity if therefore time be taken up so that convenient time is not reserved for these the soul growes weary because it cannot do all its work so in a family duties are then wearisom when they do not consist with our particular callings 6. Absence of the all-filling and quickning spirit It is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speak unto you they are spirit and life Joh. 6.63 As the body is dead without the spirit so the Ordinances without Gods quickning spirit it must both quicken our desire and delight and stirre up the good of the Ordinances Psal 84.10 11. David exceedingly prizeth a door in Gods house why the Lord is a sunne when there is such a presence of God that is both light and heat to discover the good in the Ordinances and to warm our hearts therewith then are they delightfull 2 Cor. 3.18 When the spirit shews us the face of God peace comfort grace in the glasse of the promise and so reflects the sunne upon us that whilst we behold Gods favour we are at peace with him whilst we behold his grace we are made gracious whilst we behold his comfort we are made comfortable then are the Ordinances delightfull but if the spirit be absent there is no affection stirring Vse This Doctrine doth manifest First that God hath but weak service at the hands of the most weak praying weak hearing because but weary service But because all will say they come willingly and cheerfully to Gods worship I will shew by severall instances as so many
and pains-taking in the same doth chear and awaken both soul and body 2. A present senselesnesse of the necessity of watching both to attain good and prevent evil A sleepy conscience makes a sleepy body when that doth not its office as a monitour to warn and presse unto duty the conscience is made thus sleepy and so senselesse of good to be found or evil to be prevented by watchfull performance of duties two waies 1. By some false opinion and errour of minde some false representation of things some false conclusion drawn sometimes from some truth whereby the conscience is deceived and so cast asleep Matth. 25.5 Whilst the bridegroom tarried the Virgins slumbred and slept from this false opinion that it was no matter if they slept in time of the bridegrooms tarrying and no good was to be gotten by waking and watching unlesse the bridegroom had been at hand which was false contrary to that of our Saviour Luk. 12.35 36 37. Let your loins be girded about and your lamps burning And ye your selves like unto men that wait for their Lord when he will return from the wedding that when he commeth and knocketh they may open to him immediatly Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he commeth shall finde watching Verily I say unto you that he shall gird himself and make them to sit down to meat and will come forth and serve them Something is to be done when the Lord delayeth his comming unto us according to his promise and our expectation we are then to wait for him and it is not in vain so to do for by that means we shall be ready to entertain him speedily when he commeth and shall receive more honourable acknowledgement from him So ver 45. If that servant shall say in his heart My Lord delaieth his comming and shall begin to beat the men-servants and maidens and to eat and drink and to be drunken Why doth the evil servant miscarry himself thus in the delay of his Masters comming but from a false opinion that there was no danger in his misbehaviours unlesse his Master were comming and at hand contrary to what our Saviour addeth v. 46. The Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an houre when he is not aware and will cut him in sunder and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers Though God come not presently unto misbehaving men yet that will not take away their danger he will come soon enough and too soon for them and bring recompence enough though he delay and that they may resolve upon as sure and certain In like manner had men true and present apprehensions of the benefit of watching in time of Gods worship and the danger of sleeping they would leave sleeping and fal to waking but they are deceived by a false opinion that there is no good to begotten by waking nor evil to be found in sleeping and so they are senselesse not at all affected with the good of the one or evil of the other 2. The conscience is made sleep and so senselesse of good to be obtained or evil to be prevented by waking in the time when God is to be worshipped by some sin committed but not repented of whereby grace is dulled and the awaking quickning spirit of God grieved and withdrawn This was Ionahs case when he had fled from Gods work against his knowledge and conscience the grace of God was so dulled and his conscience made so sleepy that whereas he should have spent his time in confessing his sin and humbling his soul and seeking peace with God he settles himself to sleep Ionah 1.5 yea in time of the storm when the naturall consciences of the heathen did call upon them to pray and would not let them rest Ionahs conscience was so sleepy that it suffered him to continue his sleep which had it been waking and restlesse it would not have done Not Ionahs conscience but the ship-master doth awaken him and that with upbraiding his sleepinesse What meanest thou ô sleeper arise call upon thy God Thus the conscience of a godly man after sin committed may be more sleepy anâ— more hardly awaked then the conscience of a naturall man Ionah having sinned his conscience was sleepy and he not sensible of the good of waking and praying and returning into the way out of the which he was gon nor of the danger of sleeping in sin the way to pull down the awaking judgements of God as it fell out So when men even good men come to the house of God in their speciall sins unrepented of they come with sleepy consciences not sensible of the good found in watchfull attendance upon the Ordinances nor of the danger of drousines and sleepinesse and a sleepy soul makes a sleepy body yea they sleep fast whom sin rocks asleep 3. A third cause of sleep in time of Gods worship is wearinesse when the spirit and body is tired and so made fitter to rest then to labour This wearines that brings on sleep comes 1. From toiling and over-working the body in other occasions Iudges 4.21 Sisera being weary falls fast asleep to the losse of his life When men come to family duties with overwearied bodies or to the house of God having overtoiled their bodies in the week or allowing themselves too little sleep on the Saturday night they are fitter to sleep then to perform duties 2. This wearines that fits the body for sleep doth also come from the length of good duties we are imperfect creatures and can endure but a measure in the best actions though they be most comfortable Act. 20.9 The spirit of God speaking of Eutychus sleeping at the Word doth adde that Paul was long in preaching thereby intimating that it was some cause of his sleep through the weaknes of nature 4. There is something also sometimes in the season of the time when duties are performed in the night So in the forenamed place Act. 20. where Eutychus is founâ— slâ—â—ping at Pauls sermon it is also recorded that Paul continued his speech untill midnight being to depart on the morrow Now it was grown to a slâ—eping season The bodies of men are more dull and heavy in the night then in the day because of the absence of the warm and reviving beams of the sunne the coldnes and darknes of the night It is not good therefore to chuse the night to spend in holy duties unlesse there be some necessity or speciall occasion on the next day Necessity and speciall occasion will make sleep depart from our eies Iacobs care of his sheep and feare of their danger kept him from sleeping in the night Gen. 31.40 The same man afraid of his brother Esau whom he was to meet the next day spent the night in prayers and teares Gen. 32.24 there wrestled with him a man till the breaking of the day Luk. 6.12 13. our Saviour spent the whole night in prayer when he was
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.
which cost him nothing The worship of God should cost us something in carefull preparation and serious observation the weale of our mindes and affections sâ—ould be laid out thereabouts Our carelesnesse â—oth either cha ge God with ignorance th 〈◊〉 knows not what we offer â—or with neglect of his own glory that he regards not how we worship him 3. To perswade us unto this instant worshipping of God to presse forward unto a further degree of affection a greater measure of life and fervency in every holy performance I will use the Lords own arguments to presse hereunto they are two Rev. 3.19 20. Drawn from 1. The danger 2. The benefit 1. The danger as many as I love I rebuke and chasten be Zealous therefore However God deal with others if he finde his beloved luke-warme he will make them smart he will correct them as a father doth his sonne and the rather if his words of conviction will do no good God will first rebuke and then chasten first correct by words and then by deeds Better any chide then God his words have in theÌ„ more wisdom and power then any other and therefore carry a greater strength of love or anger one word of love will lift the heart to heaven though never so heavy and one word of anger will make it sinke to hell What is the effâ—ct of Gods chiding words see Hab. 3.16 they will make the body tremble yea rottennes to seize upon it And what meane those burning feavers that are abroad that are excessive in heat but to check our coldnes in Gods service What those fiery darts of Satan thrown against the godly feares of hell and feeling of Gods wrath in some and raising lusts of anger and uncleannes in others but cold service of God What meanes the plague that raging hand of God that zealous messenger that makes quick dispatch of persons and families but our carelesse worshipping of God What rumors of wars threatnings of the sword the instrument of Gods zeale and fury but our coldnes If we would escape these feirce fiery afflictions take we heed of cold service get we burning flaming hearts God will fire out this coldnes by one 〈…〉 oâ— other 2. The benefit 1. Christs presence 2. Communion with Christ 1. Christs presence If any man open the doore if the heart be inlarged with love desire Christ will come in he will come in as a King of glory gloriously manifest himself What is the reason that Christ is so farre from the soul in holy duties but because our hearts are shut there is no roome for him no desire after him no delight in him Wee should have more sense of Christ with us were our hearts more lively Though Christ hid himself whilst he reproved the ignorance and unbeleife of the two Disciples yet when their hearts burnt within them at his Doctrine he made himselfe known unto them Luk. 24.16 25 31. 2. Communion with Christ 1. In comforts 2. In glory 1. In comforts 1. He will sup with us 2. We shall sup with him 1. He will sup with us the affections and graces we expresse in holy duties shall be as food unto the Lord refreshing and comfortable contentfull and satisfying we then feast God as it were when our hearts are inlarged in love when our hearts are opened in holy performances to entertaine him When the warmth of our hearts is in our duties God will readily accept them take great delight in them we make him a supper of savoury meat such as his soule loveth How should God accept our duties take any contentment in them when we have better affections in our recreations businesses If a servant should minde his own occasions more then ours would we accept such service 2. We shall sup with him No dainties can be wanting where God is the feast-maker He makes a feast of fat things the best things that heaven can afford yea that the God of heaven can afford Isai 25.6 Sense of his love peace that passeth all understanding joy unspeakable and glorious Psal 16.3 The Lord is the portion of mine inâ—â—râ—â—â—nce and of my cup not onely is God ours in the generall to live upon as an inheritance but he is the portion of our cup he is in every particular mercy that is measured out to us he is the comfort and strength of it They that feast with God shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatnes of his house and drinke of the river of his pleasures for with him is a fountain Psal 36.8 9. And that we may not misse of these benefits the Lord doth urge them upon us from consideration of his patience and paines to make us fit I stand at the doore and knock He useth the force of ordinances and afflictions with the rod of his mouth and hand he strikes to get the doore of the heart open that he might feast with us and we with him 2. Communion in glory Rev. 3.21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne Such as conquer their coldnes their remissnes and carelessnes in Gods worship shall partake of Christs Kingly office to subdue corruptions to overcome Temptations Why are corruptions so lively but because we are cold in ordinances the meanes of deading them Why are corruptions and Temptations strong and above us but to keepe us lively in Gods worship Ease breeds security troubles do provoke and stir up graces The overcoming soul shall finde a mighty power in ordinances and providences The power of a King is a commanding conquering power And that we might be assured of this fellowship with Christ in his throne he adds as I overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne which doth imply 1. That it is matter of striving warring will not be had with ease will cost somewhat 2. When we have met with most difficulty then shall we most partake in Christs glory so Christ first overcame and then sate downe 3. This is Gods way and wonted course his servants must winne the crowne ere they weare it so God hath dealt with Christ the Lord and so will he deale with his members CHAP. II. The first hinderance of instant worshiping of God Despising of his worship MAL. 1. part of the 6. Despise my Name HAving lately handled the point of instant worshiping of God and considering the great need of it in these carelesse dayes I purposed with my selfe not to leave it thus but to shew you the hinderances of Gods servent worship and the helpes thereto and both together the contrary to any hinderance being an helpe The first I will pitch upon is in this text despising of Gods prophets a fault here expresly charged upon the priests but implicitly and inclusively upon the people as our Saviour in his letter to the Church doth addresse himselfe in the beginning to the Angel of the Church but in the conclusion sheweth that he intended the whole Church He that hath cares lâ—t him heare
mindeed men in reference to Gods service 3. Sundry carriages about and in the publike worship of God that do expresse despising of it 1. Comming too late and going away too soon some come not till the worship of God is begun till the Word be read and Psalms be sung yea some not till praier be ended and some go away before Sermon or praier or at least the blessing be finished I would know of these whether they do not think that that which is past when they come and behinde when they go away is part of Gods worship as well as that whereat they are present and whether their presence at that part doth not manifest their respect they cannot deny but what they neglect in the beginning or ending of publike Assemblies comming too late or going away too soon is Gods worship and their presence would shew their respect therefore their absence doth expresse disrespect despising if it be not necessary and so is sin And I do not call that necessary absence from the beginning which is caused by mens oversleeping themselves or not minding how the morning passeth or having more busines to do on the sabbath-Sabbath-day morning then can well be done in due time or spending that time in private duties which should be spent in publike Nâ—r do I call that necessary absence from the ending which is caused not by ordinary infirmity of body or unusuall faintnes and weaknes but from spirituall fulnes the usuall cause the aâ—fection is cloied why should they tarry any longer they have preaching enough and praier enough or from vanity of minde that cannot endure to be fixed long in any way be it never so good they must have change though they change from the better to the worse from Gods house to the ale-house from the assembly of Saints to the society of sinners from the speciall presence of God to the speciall presence of Satan for in the ordinances God is specially present and to go from them is specially to transgresse therefore specially to go into Satans presence for he hath most to do where God hath least When men therefore are walking and talking in the Church or Chappell-yard or lying along in the grasse or going homeward when the Word of God is in hand they sin in despising the worship of God and little know that they go into the midst of the Devils Kingdom and power 2. Kneeling down or putting the hat and hand before the face to pray when the Word is in reading or Psalms are in singing or the Word in preaching a thing much used in some places and held to be a point of great devotion This private praying is a sin for it is a despising of the worship of God in hand That such private praying is a despising of Gods publike worship in hand is evident from the open and manifest neglect of it not onely is the minde withdrawn in the sight of God but the body also in the sight of men disrespect is cast upon the worship of God in the sight of men It will be answered that we do indeed not attend unto the worship in present use for a time but it is not out of purpose or desire to neglect Gods worship but out of respect to and desire of better preparation for the same hereby To this I say of the intention alone I will not speak which I conceive to be very good in many that use it unlesse that good intention could make a good action but that the action performed with this good intention is a despising of Gods worship I prove for it doth thrust publike worship out of its season and puts private in the room when publike and private worship stand in choice it takes to private it puts more vertue and efficacy into private for heart preparation then into pâ—blike It is an errour and too much sleighting of Gods publike worship to think that singing with the Congregation if they be singing when we come in will not fit us to sing and reading the Word with them will not fit us to read and hearing the Word preacheâ— will not fit us to hear better then private praier for shall they be judged to be instruments of all other spirituall good and not of preparing the hâ—â—â—t if unprepared 3. Sitting elected and chosen without any necessity in tiâ—e of publike praier we have exaâ—ples of kneeling and standing in publikeÌ„ praier but not of sitting Nehem. 9.2 They stood and confessed their sinnes and the iniquities of their fathers and ver 5. the Levites bid the people stand up Standing is the reverence that a servant expresseth to his Master kneeling the reverence and worship that a subject expresseth to his Prince but sitting is a gesture of familiarity and honour I remember not that any of the godly in solemn private praier did sit but they kneeled or lay along or stood That of David 2 Sam. 7.18 Divines interpret continuing before the Lord. See Tremel upon the place and Piscator Indeed our Saviour and his company being set down on the grasse to eat meat did crave a blessing sitting which doth warrant the like custom in this Countrey where they usually sit down to meat before they crave a blessing but 1. That was no solemn praier as that in Gods publike worship iâ— but a short blessing of the creatures which yet our Saviour did reverently perform for he lift up his eies to Heaven 2. It is one thing to pray shortly being sâ—t without change of the gesture and another thing to make choice of that as a praier-gesture in Gods solemn worship i. e. when others do chuse to kneel or stand for a man to chuse to sit in this case it shews a sleighting of Gods worship because a man chuseth a gesture of familiarity in praier wherein a man comes neerer God then in any ordinance and in publike praier wherein for examples sake we should be more reverent Lest any should take advantage or be unsatisfied about sitting at the Sacrament becau e I say sitting is a gesture that doth not expresse that reverence let me answer in a word and by the way 1. Had we not the example of Christ and his Apostles in the first institution for some kinde of sitting it were more considerable 2. It sufficeth that it is a gesture of freedom and honour such as parents admit their children unto and friends their friends though farre under them It is meet we should goe to God humbly he may with his honour allow us more freedom when he comes to us 3. Though sitting in it self be not a gesture of reverence yet they that sit may sit reverently And it is an ordinary phrase to our children sitting before their betters that they should sit reverently that is fitly composing all the parts of their bodies as those that had an awe of their betters and would expresse their respect of them If sitting therefore doth expresse the freedom and honour which God allows
having though it cost dear So on the contrary wandring thoughts being a curse are worthy preventing though it cost us tears to God yea many tears and much pains with our own hearts 3. The Lord hath threatned to punish these wandring thoughts which carry away the heart in his worship and make it only a bodily exercise without spirit and life with a secret but sure blasting of inward spirituall good that as God hath but a shadow and outside of worship so they shall have but a shadow and shew of spirituall wisdom and prudence Isa 29.14 Therefore the wisdom of the wise shall perish and the understanding of the prudent shall be hid Therefore why Because they have drawn neer to God with their mouths and have removed their hearts farre from him They gave God a body without an heart therefore he will give them a body without an heart the shape of wise men without wisdom and prudence a suitable judgement What is the reason that Christians are so much shadows and shews of Christians rather then substance and truth when they should come to bear injuries and wrongs to forget and forgive they can do it no more then other men when they should expresse their dependance upon God and submission unto God in willing and chearfull parting with comforts and friends when God will have it so they can no more do it then other men they hold comforts fast as if they should part with God and all when they part with them and they hold friends fast and will not let them go as if friends were made more to serve one another then to serve God and when friends and comforts are gon they grieve as if all their joy were gone When they should bear quietly the crosse and grieving passages of Gods providence as those who have learned in whatsoever state they are to be content knowing they are in heavines if need be they cannot bear but carry themselves as untamed heifers that would rather shake off the yoke then bear it they have the shew of these graces in their profession but they want that measure of substance the reason is because their service of God is more in shew then substance therefore they are Christians more in shew then substance As we spend our Sabbaths so will our week daies be spent and as we perform holy duties so will our conversation be Is it not a heavy judgement to be inwardly worse then we think our selves or others think us to be to be unable to use grace when we have most need to exercise it yet thus hath God threatned to afflict us and he will make his Word good if we suffer our thoughts to wander in his service Quest By what means may we prevent wandrings in Gods worship Answ First labour the increase of grace Heb. 13.9 It is good that the heart be established with grace i. e. with gâ—acious knowledge of old and well known truths which the Apostle opposeth to new and strange doctrine And when the Apostle would direct the people of God to keep their own stedfastnes yea though the errour of the wicked took course to draw them away He gives them counsell to grow in grace 2 Pet. 3.17 18. Which places do shew that grace is of an establishing setling nature and so indeed it is for 1. It is contrary to vanity and inconstancy being the nature of God who is stable and firm alwaies one and the same 2. It sets the soul in order puts every faculty into its place and sets it about its own proper office and so it doth establish 3. It doth establish as it is the work of the free or liberall spirit Psal 51.12 David praieth that God would establish him with his free spirit grace doth establish a man as it is the work of the free spirit because it maketh a mans spirit free and liberall like to the spirit of God to sleight earthly things in comparison and to minde heaven and heavenly things earthly things do unsettle they are themselves changeable and do change the thoughts and affections pitched upon them Let a man pitch his thoughts and heart upon his nearest friends he hath in the world to whom nature society interchange of love Christianity hath bound him yet his thoughts and affections placed upon these nearest friends shall change and not alwaies contitinue one and the same because they change and are not alwaies the same therefore the thoughts pitched upon them do change also spirituall and heavenly things are of the nature of the spirit and heaven steady and stable immoveable unchangeable therefore will establish the affections pitched upon them Now the more grace we have the more we shall minde heavenly things and so be the more established 2. Labour the increase of thy reverence and high esteem of the worship of God According to thy thoughts of the worship of God so much-what will thy thoughts be in it Psal 48.9 We have thought of thy loving kindnes oh God in the midst of thy Temple They professe their thoughts were busied about Gods loving kindnes in his Ordinances why so because of their high thoughts thereof ver 2 3. beautifull for situation the joy of the whole earth is mount Sion God is known in her palaces for a refuge And herein were they helped by the report of their fathers ver 8. as we have heard so have we seen in the City of the Lord of hosts they had seen Gods mighty presence and protection in and about his own Ordinances but they had also heard so and that before they had seen it To help our reverence of Gods worship it is good to talk with ancient Christians that have lived long before us to hear what they will say we may be helped by their experience when we have none or but little of our own and if we have experience of the worth of the Ordinances we may be further helped by their experience 3. Prepare our selves aforehand Prov. 18.1 Through desire a man having separated himself intermedleth with all wisdom if a man have a desire to meddle with matters of wisdom and would do it as becomes such occasions and as may be for profit he will first separate himself not passe immediately from common and triviall matters to matters of wisdom but he will have some time betwixt the leaving off of the one and taking to the other If we passe from our callings to Gods worship without separating our selves how is it ordinarily possible but that we should have the same thoughts in Gods worship that we bad in our callings There are some separating duties that do prepare unto others as examination meditation praier and they do prepare by stirring up the grace of God and providing an heavenly assistance to begin with us in the duty If thou canst not alwaies have separating time betwixt other occasions and Gods worship Yet have some separating thoughts ere thou enter upon the duty thou art not fit else to meddle
the fore-kin was a superfluitie therefore to be cut off so sin is a superfluity wee may well spare it and it must be cut off when wee come to heare the word if wee would be clean 2. The heart is then unâ—lean and prophaâ—e when it come to worship God not having laide aside earthly thoughts and affections these thoughts and affections are common not set apart untâ—o Gods worship therefore do defile the heart in Gods worship because they make it common when it should be set apaâ—t for God Common is as well opposed to holy as sinfull 1. Sam. 21.4 There is no common bread under my hand but hallowed common or ordinary bread in comparison of hallowed bread is unholy and so common ordinary thoughts and affections inreference to holy worship are prophane and unholy and make the heart a prophane vessel Nehe. 13.17 Nehemiah did contend with the Nobles because they did prophane the sabbath How did they prophane the sabbath viz. in suffering wares to be sold and tradesmen to be imploied in their trades on the sabbath-sabbath-day much more did they that were imploied in them prophane the sabbath and especially their hearts by intermedling with such occasions Isa 58. â—3 Thou shalt not do thine owne wayes nor finde thine own pleasure on my holy day the day and duties are Gods therefore the workes and word yea and thoughts and affections too must in a speciall manner tend to God upon that day This was shadowed by Gods command to Moses when he drew nigh to the bush where God did manifest himselfe in glory setting the bush on fire yet keeping it from being consumed put off thy shoes from thy feet Exod. 3 5. why For the place whereon thou standest is holy â—round Those shoes those affections whereby wee tread upon the earth converse with men and with earthly occasiâ—ns must be put off when wee come to Worship God else they will make our hearts unholy and uncleane because common 3. A third part of the unpreparednes of the heart is unaptnes or indisposednes suppose a man lie under one sin unrepented of and lay aside wordly thoughts and affections yet experience proves a man may be unwilling and backward to the Worship of God or may have an indifferencie or carlesnes of spirit that he could as well let it alone as do it a spirit of luke-warmenes that doth neither strongly incline to the Worship of God nor from it but stands in a middle way This unaptnes is not only a want of Grace without which a man wants a will for God works the will till God worke a will in a man to that which is good he hath none but also a want of readines in grace to be put in exercise in Gods worship by reason of spirituall sloth the case of the wise virgins who by reason of their slumbring had their lamps to trim when the bridegroom was comming ere they could be prepared the orbe of grace grew low and so their lampes of profession did burne obscurely they awaking and using the meanes got supplye of oyl from Christ and so their lamps recovered their brightnes and the want of that which Paul calls upon Timoâ—hy for 2. Tim. 1.6 Stir up the gift of God there are gifts and graces but they are like fire in the ash-heaps not fit to kindle and flame the ordinances of God being put to them because the ashes of security lye between grace and the ordinances of God unblowne away This we finde in Iacobs preparing of his family Gen. 35.2 First put away the strange gods that was all manifest and open sinne Secondly be ye clean i. e. from all ceremoniall pollutions Thirdly change your garments not onely put off those they had on but put on others The garments of the soule are the dispositions of the soule Isai 61.3 a garment of praise is opposed to a spirit of heavines a spirit of heavines is a sad or mournfull disposition a garment of praise on the contrary is a ioyfull and thankfull disposition We must change our garments put off our earthly and worldly dispositions thoughts desires cares about the world and not there rest but we must be clothed with heavenly thoughts affections graces have them in a readines to expresse themselves in the worship of God This is the wedding garment spoken of Matth. 22.2 for by the marriage feast there is meant all the ordinances of God word sacraments prayer for in all doth God give our soules liberall and honourable entertainment doth set all his dainties before us with great solemnity the wedding garment is our fitnes and disposednes unto the ordinances by reason of certain heavenly sutable dispositions in a readines in our soules appearing to Almighty God and in measure to the godly by our outward carriage and behaviour If we take Christ for the wedding garment as some do how doth he fit us for the ordinances but by imputing his righteousnes unto us which is our worth and communicating to us heavenly dispositions to make us meet They that put on wedding garments do first put off their ordinary common apparel and then put on comely pleasant apparel meet for such an occasion so when we come to the feast of Gods ordinances where God is the feast-maker and Christ the feast and Angels entertainers and attenders we must not onely put off our ordinary and common affections but we must put on such affections as are meet for the ordinances of God sanctified and holy affections for holy duties as reverence humility love repentance faith these in a readines do make the heart apt and disposed and these not put on by new care and diligence in use of meanes and dependencie upon Christ do make us unapt and indisposed and so unprepared If a man take not care to stirre up holy thoughts and holy affections when he cometh to the ordinances of God he hath an unprepared heart because his heart having no holy affections ready to meet and close with holy dueties hath no fitnes unto them because no present ready suitablenesse unto them It is one thing to have grace in the heart another thing to have it ready for exercise and so it is one thing to have a generall fitnes for the ordinances another thing to have a particular and present fitnes at this and that time for this and that ordinance A childe of God that hath grace in his heart hath a generall fitnes for the ordinances because the same holines that is in the ordinances is in his heart and they must needs fit one another but the same childe of God if his grace be not fit for exercise through some impediment at a particular time and in a particular ordinance may want a perfect and particular fitnes for that ordinance If this were not so a childe of God could never performe any duety unworthyly as to bring speciall judgements of siâ—knes â—eaknes and death upon them as the Corinthians did 1 Cor. 11 3â— for a
swept of grosse and foule sinnes and garnished with common gilts and performances of dueties The scribes and Pharisees made a cloke of their long prayers to cover their oppression The devil himself will sometimes put on the forme of an Angel of light and herein doe his instruments imitate him as a way of more effectuall deceiving 2 Cor. 11.13 14 15. so that duties performed unpreparedly do more advantage Satan then otherwise But that we may see more fully how unpreparednes of heart doth give advantage unto Satan let us enter into some particulars 1. The heart unprepared is indisposed unto good duties hath no readines unto them but disposed unto other things unto sinne or unto worldly occasions the soul is ever working because it is sometimes indisposed to good duties it is not therefore indisposed to every thing else but it stands inclined to other things Now no disposition of the soul is so contrary to Satan as a disposition unto that which is good for that is Gods image and the devil can make least advantage of it for though he make great advantage of good duties yet for the most part it is when the heart is indisposed but when the heart is unprepared and so hath no readines unto that which is good but rather unto other things it doth come nearer the devils disposition and so gives more advantage to Satan it is more fit to close with his suggestions and unfit to resist them 2. When the heart is unprepared the spirit of God is withdrawne for that is the principall cause of the unpreparednes of the heart the absence of the spirit and if the spirit be absent in any measure the greatest enemy and opposite of Satan is absent the light and power of the soul is absent light to discerne Temptations and power to resist them and if Satan hath the advantage of the darknes and weaknes of the soul hath he not great advantage 3. Unpreparednes of heart doth weaken the grace of faith whereby we should draw strength from Christ both to perform duty and to resist Satans temptations in duty The ground of faith is the promise unpreparednes of heart doth take the soul out of the way of the promise therefore takes away the ground of saith and faith being weakned Satans temptations are strengthened for faith is the shield that quencheth the fiery darts of the Devil Ephes 6.16 The lesse use of faith in the heart the more fire in Satans temptations 4. As unpreparednes of heart doth weaken faith so at the same time it doth weaken the comfort of the soul and bring in doubts in the room thereof so much want of faith in the heart so much want of comfort if the soul be out of the way of assistance in duty as in unpreparednes it is what comfort or chear can it have to go about the worship of God It will be full of doubts and fears and that will be Satans advantage for as the joy of the Lord is our strength Neh. 8.10 so the sorrow of the heart and doubt of the heart is the weaknes of the heart and that is Satans advantage The heart allready doubting is sit to have doubts multiplied by Satan the doubts of the soul do darken the soul and so Satan may with lesse notice and discerning scatter his temptations in the heart Vse This doctrine doth prove foure things 1. The fall The worship of God cannot be so well performed by the servants of God without preparation a signe they are not alwaies fit to worship God a signe of their imperfection and imperfection is a signe of their fall Did God send us out of his hand imperfect If we were perfect we had no unpreparednes unto that which is good God made us in his image and likenes and Gods image is ready and free unto that which is good we are not therefore as we were made Hence the Apostle saith we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works Ephes 2.10 our first creation unto good works was not in Christ Jesus but before we can have any disposednes unto that which is good we must be created again through the power of the Lord Jesus we are not therefore the same cretion we were at first but have lost it and the signe hereof we carry continually about us an unreadines to that which is good 2. The evil of the fall What greater evil then to be allwaies out of frame to what is good any further then the heart is set in temper All evils of punishment do spring from the distemper of the heart and are appointed to punish that therefore that is greater then them all It is the Lords greatest good and so his greatest glory to be allwaies disposed unto good and never unto evil And it is the greatest evil that the fall hath brought upon us that naturally we are allwaies disposed unto evil but never unto good and when we are regenerate we are allwaies more ready unto evil then unto good 3. The miserable estate of unregenerate persons such as are in the same estate wherein they were borne If Gods people that are new creatures that have Gods image renewed in them cannot be fit to worship God till they have prepared their hearts and stirred up grace unto particular act and exercise how should they be sit to worship God that have no grace at all no generall reddines Unregenerate men may read pray hear the word receive the Sacraments but they can never be fit for those duties whilst they remain in an unregenerate estate And what a misery is it to be unfit for Gods service which is the best work we can do a work we shall never repent of a work that tends to Gods glory and to our best good And the misery is the greater if we consider unregenerate men are fit for any thing else but to serve God fit for their own occasions fit to sin against God they are wise to do evil but to do well they have no understanding Jer. 4.12 put the case that a subject should finde himself fit to do any busines of his own yea also fit to warre against his Prince but unfit to do him any service would he not think himself in a miserable temper Nay suppose a man should finde himself unfit to do for the best friend he hath in the world that which he would have him to do and what might pleasure and honour him but fit to do the minde of his greatest enemy would he not think himself in an evil and lamentable temper So it is with unregenerate men they are fit to do their own occasions fit to do against Gods minde and against Gods honour but unfit to do for him yea fit to do for their greatest enemy Satan but unfit to do for God their greatest friend and is not this an evil temper who would rest in this condition 4. The necessity of regeneration unto glory If Gods worship cannot be so well performed without
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
their power yea and beyond their power How came that to passe ver 1. We do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed upon the Churches of Macedonia their outward bounty proceeded from abundance of grace within 1 Cor. 15.10 I laboured mort abundantly then they all yet not I but the grace of God in me abundant labour and wearines are contrary but the grace of the spirit makes a man labour abundantly wearines therefore being contrary to the work of the spirit must needs weaken the work of it and so the service of God 3. To the testimony of it the Word of God is the testimony of the spirit for holy men spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost what the word saith in this case is the testimony of the spirit the word saith 1. That forwardnes unto good duties is our duty when it saith Christ hath purified unto himself a people Zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 Hath Christ been at cost and pains to make us pure for that end and are we not bound to endeavour unto that end he hath laid it as a duty upon Ministers to put their people in minde that they be ready unto every good work Tit. 3.1 That they charge such as have ability to be ready to communicate willing to distribute 1 Tim. 6.17 18. a signe that not onely the duties themselves are our duties but readines and willingnes therein also 2. The word saith that cheerfullnes in duty is Gods delight 2 Cor. 9.7 He loveth a cheerfull giver Isa 64.5 The Lord cannot as it were contain himself till the soul come to him that worketh righteousnes with joy but he will go to meet him as we out of joy cannot contain our selves but we must runne to meet them we delight in when we espy them comming towards us 3. The word saith that the waies of wisdom are waies of pleasantnes and all her paths are peace â—rov 3.17 Christs yoke is easy his burden is light Matth. 11.30 The Commandements of God are not grievous 1 Joh. 5.3 4. The word saith that forwardnes and delight in good actions is beneficiall 2 Cor. â— 6 He that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully full handed works shall have full handed reward 1 Cor. 15.58 alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord knowing that your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord If the Lord be the rewarder the most abundant service shall not want a reward wearines doth contrary the severall branches of this testimony of the spirit Is willing and cheerfull service our duty wearines denies it If it be our duty to be willing and obedient why are we weary Where is our obedience Is God delighted with cheerfull service wearines denies it Who would be weary of that which is Gods delight of that which is so good that it joys God himself Is the way of God an easy pleasant way wearines denies it Who is weary of ease nd pleasantnes Is the way of God a beneficiall way wearines saith to the contrary Who is weary of benefit wearines therefore doth make the spirit of God a liar which unworthy dealing must needs hinder the spirit in the heart 4. To the honour of the spirit of God wearines doth cast reproach and dishonour upon the spirit in two things 1. As if it did not dispose and fit them inwardly whom it sets awork as if it did not work the will in them by whom it requires the work to be wrought for what is the ground of wearines in the person but unfitnes unsuitablenes unto the work and is it not a dishonour to the spirit to set unfit persons to work Are we not his workmanship unto good works he doth inwardly fashion us thereunto should a man go to work with an instrument and not first fit it with hand and edge should it not shame him wearines saith that God takes up unhandled unedged instruments to do his work which is a dishonour to him 2. Wearines of good duties doth cast dishonour upon the spirit as if his work had wearying properties and so were worse then Satans work or our own work which do not so weary Wearying properties are these three Hardnes Harshnes Hurtfullnes Why doth a work weary but because it is hard and difficult doth cost much pains and labour more then can well be afforded or is harsh unpleasant uncomfortable or is hurtfull no profit no benefit in the same but the contrary Thus wearines saith of the work the spirit of God doth set us about which must needs be a dishonour to the spirit of God who is the best master therefore appointeth the best woâ—k contrary to his wisdom goodnes justice Will it stand with his wisdom to set us about work too hard for us Will it stand with his goodnes to set us about evil work No work but evil work is wholly uncomfortable Will it stand with his justice to make us labour in vain and to no profit Hath he not promised to the contrary And is he not righteous to make good his promise yet wearines doth at same time cast dishonour upon the wisdom goodnes and justice of the spirit and must not such dishonour hinder the work of the spirit in the heart 3. Wearines doth weaken our fervent worshipping of God as it doth dispose and fit us for the work of sin and Satan in Gods worship which will weaken the worship we perform Wearines doth dispose us for the work of corruption a weary soul is fit for wandring thoughts and wandring affections a weary body is fit for change of objects fot new sights and sounds it is naturall to man to seek refreshment elsewhere when he is weary Corruption doth alwaies work in holy duties to hinder us in the same but when the man is weary it works with advantage he is in a corrupt temper fit for corruption now it may prevail more then at another time Wearines fits us for Satans work for his inward suggestions for his presenting of objects to withdraw us the heart is weary therefore fit for new work there is small ability to resist him and he walketh to and fro seeking whom he may devoure a great part of his work is to watch advantage against us When we are at best he will hinder us much more when we are so fit to be hindred 4. Wearines doth weaken our fervent worshipping of God as it produceth certain other effects both in opinion and affection 1. In opinion it makes a man think the worship of God evil if not in it self yet to him at least at this particular time what a man is weary of he apprehends to be an evil to him for no man is weary of good and suitable good for suitable good is delightsome therefore not wearisom 2. In affection 1. Wearines makes a man desire the end of the work rather then the work what a man is weary of he would have finished that his wearines might be at an end for whilst the work
especially sinne the greatest affliction when sinne must be the souls cure the cure will be found but smarting But this may be some comfort to us when we do desire the good of our people and they walk in a contrary way better they should smart then perish If thine eye offend thee 〈◊〉 thy â—â—â—t saith Châ—ist plâ—â—k â—â—t the one â—ut off the othâ—â—â—â—tter go to heaven 〈◊〉 th◠〈◊〉 eye and halting 〈…〉 eyes and 〈…〉 â—inâ—ll and deâ—r 〈…〉 better thou perish◠〈…〉 comfort and â—â—â—â—ure a little trouble for a time then misse the comfort of the whole and endure the trouble of the whole for ever Hearers that profit not by carefull attention may and shall profit if they belong to God by the sinne and smart of their carelesnesse and that which is their good may be our comfort so far as it is their good 2. To comfort them to whom sleeping is a burden It cannot be denied but it doth him erour worshipping of God but there is comfort in tâ—at case if it be a burden Let us try that first 1. Thou wilt lay in against it before thou go to the house of God in thy prayer thou wilt 〈◊〉 in of it and desire helpe against it 2. In the Ordinances thou wilt stâ—ive against it stirre up thy selfe disease thy self desire others to awake thee be thankfull when they do it 3. After duties thy heavy head will be turned into an heavy heart when thou goest to God in prayer when thou goest to thy meat and to thy rest thy heart will be weary If thuâ— thou finde thy sleeping a burden there is comfort 1. The obedience of Christ for the sake whereof thy obedience is accepted was a wakefull lively obedience what was wanting in thine was â—â—â—und in his obedience for theâ— 2. Thy obedience is presented to Goâ— by the intercession of Christ without any defect as it is in thy will not in performance 3. For Christs sake God will make thy sinne thy physicke both to discover thy self to thy self and to humble thy heart 3. For information 1. God hath but weak service at the hands of very many for sleeping is very generall To speak first of Gods publique worship How many sorts of sleepers are found some sleep from the beginning to the end as if they come for no other purpose but to sleep as if the Sabbath were made onely to recover that sleep they have lost in the week for love of their own occasions as if Gods Ordinances were rather a cradle to rock them asleep then the office of the watchmen of God to awaken sleepers Some sleep from the beginning of the Ordinance till praier or Sermon begin as if they came to the house of God not well awaked or wanted part of their morning sleep Some after some time of waking and watching do fall asleep as if the service of God were the onely unpleasant tiresom work Some their serving of God consists of short sleeps and short wakings as if they met with a continuall intercourse of startling and quieting in Gods service Some have a continuall heavines and lumpishnes in Gods service as if it were night rather then day their heads are so leaden and weighty that they cannot hold them up and their eies so heavy that they cannot hold them open And if we set aside these sleepers the severall sorts of them how many waking watchfull worshippers of God shall we finde If there be so many and such variety of sleepers on the Lords day in the day time having rested the night before and resting from their labours in the day how much more will these be found in family duties performed late at night and after weary labour which makes it manifest that God hath but weak service in publique or private from the most 2. The effect of sin it doth prevent the course and frame of nature and grace both sleep was appointed of God for the refreshing of the weary body that so it might wake and be the more cheerfull in Gods service but siâ— makes the body sleep when it is not weary when it should especially wake and makes a man unfit for Gods worship Were there no other evidence of our sullen estate and condition this were sufficient Would men made according to the Image of God sleep in his service who made them fit to wake in it And if there were nothing else to bring us out of love with sinne this were enough it doth unfit us to serve God 3. The coldnes of their hearts in Gods worship who fall asleep in it especially that give way to sleeping It hinders them in Gods worship therefore were their hearts fervently bent to the worship of God they would hinder that It is not onely the motion of the body in mens callings nor chiefly that which keeps them awake but the intention of their thoughts and fervency of their affections and though there be not the like stirring of body in Gods service yet if the soul were so bent upon it as upon other occasions that would keep the body awake 4. For reproof 1. Generally of them that sleep in Gods worship We are commanded to love the Lord with all our strength as well as with all our soul but we by sleeping deny the strength of our bodies and thereby the strength of our souls also God reproveth some for drawing neer to him with their lips when their hearts were absent but sleeping sets the body farre from God as well as the soul But that we may be more ashamed of this sin of sleeping let us consider the aggravations of it 1. It is a needlesse or at least a carelesse sinne We except against swearing in ordinary speech because it is a needlesse sin men are not put upon any necessity it doth not grace their speech nor bring credit to their speech so sleeping in Gods service is hereby aggravated that it is a needlesse sinne Have not men houses and beds and time allowed them to sleep in they have no need to sleep in Gods worship God hath suffered his own commands to be transgressed in case of necessity Matth. 12.3 4. David might rather eat holy bread then his body should come to any hâ—rm by hunger which yet might not have been done had not God given allowancâ— and câ—mmand but to transgresse the command of Gâ—â— when there is no neâ—essity upon us how great a sin is that What is this but a despising of the command of God a setting light by it as if a man should say Indeed it is a command of God we should not sleep but it is no matter whether we keep it or no it it not worthy observation It was the aggravation of Davids adultery 2 Sam. 12.9 His despising of the command of God how did that appear because no necessity lay upon him to commit that sin he had wives of his own had he not sleighted the command of God he would not have done it So men have no
their sleeping when they should not and an intimation of punishment by present disquiet Sleep on now what could they now sleep No if you mark the following words behold the houre is at hand and the sonne of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners rise let us be going behold he is at hand that doth betray me How could they both sleep and rise and be going A signe our Saviour did intend to speak ironically i. e. to mock at their restlesse condition so bidding them to sleep that they might well perceive he intended no such matter which is the bitterest kinde of reproof jestingly to bid a man to doe a thing when he knowes he cannot doe it to make a rest of a mans trouble So when God shall cast men into restlesse coâ—ditions and they shall apprehend God bids them sleep now when yet they cannot sleep i. e. doth not pity their want of rest but rather mock at their misery as Prov. 1.26 how heavy will it be before Christ did thus bitterly reprove them their sleeping brought a confusion upon their hearts Mark 14.40 They knew not what to answer they had no excuse for themselves How much more when the godly are in affliction will it trouble and God shall then lay it home to their hearts 2. Consider that proverb of Solomon Chap. 23.21 Drousines shall cloath a man with raggs Is it not true spiritually as well as bodily Were not the Disciples ragged and uncomely when they fled from their Master and Peter especially a man of a poor torne and distracted soul when he denied his Master with swearing and cursing In like manner drousy Christians are ragged Christians of distracted spirits of uncomely conversations How can it be otherwise when they sleep out those Ordinances wherein they should put on the Lord Jesus How did Dalilah get God from Sampson but by getting him asleep and in his sleep causing him to break his Covenant with God by cutting off his locks So whilst men sleep in holy duties God goes from them and they are not awaâ—e for thus the way of intercourse between God and them is shut up 3. Hath not the spirit of God some respect to this sleeping in that Scripture-phrase which the godly have occasion to make use of in their afflictions finding somewhat suitable thereto in the providence of God Psal 44.23 Awake why sleepest thou oh Lord God sometimes doth no more for his people in affliction in their apprehension then a man asleep we call and cry desire others to call and cry for us times and daies doe passe over our heads yet God sleeps still he doth nothing for us our afflictions doe continue Doth not this suit our dealing with God we sle p in his service therefore he sleeps in our occasions When we are in affliction and none can help us but God and we cannot perceive that God doth take any course for us Now in Scripture God is said to sleep and when we finde it so have we not just cause to consider whether we have not slept in Gods service And if so God will not awake till we be humâ—led for that sin As therefore â—e would have God wake and â—tirre about in our troubles when no body else can doe us good let us take heed of sleepâ—ng Prov. 28.9 He that turneth â—way his ear from hearing the Law â—ven his praier shall be abominaâ—ion doe not men turne away their ear from hearing the Law when they sleep in time of the preaching of the Word If God therefore will not come neer their praiers he will sleep as it were in their afflictions when they pray to him Quest How may we be helpâ—d against sleeping in time of Gods worship Answ Somewhat must be done Before In time of the worship of God After The things to be done before are these â— Allow thy self conveni nt sleep the night before the Lords day doe not then abâ—iâ—ge thy self that thy body should have cause to complain thou hast done it wrong therefore it must make bold with God Nor take too much that also will make thee lumpish 2. Moderation in diet feeblenes and faintnes thorow want of food will cause sleep so also will fullnes therefore doe thou so order thy fasting or feeding as experience tells thee will best conduce to thy waking 3. Moderation in weekly labour i. e. when we manage them with dependance upon God for wisedom strength and blessing Psal 127.2 So the burden somnesse in measure is â—aken away and our bodies have not that vexatious toil whereas if we think to carry our occasions with the strength of our own abilities the whole burden will lie upon us so shall we be overwearied and unfit to wake on the Lords day 4. Pray before thou come for Gods quickning spirit to thy soul that quickned will quicken thy body 5. Love not sleep It is a phrase the holy Ghost useth Prov. 20.13 It is one thing to take our naturall rest in time convenient another thing to have an affection to drouse and slumber when we should otherwise be imployed so we shall bring our selves to an habit and custom of droâ—sinesse which will not be shaken off on the Lords day The things to be done in time of Gods worship are 1. Intention of soul and attention of body intend thy thoughts and affections to the Ordinance in hand and attend with eies and eaâ—s carelesnesse is the mother of drousinesse Prov. 19.15 2. Disease thy body If thou finde thy self drousy and shalt soule thy self to ease thou shalt increase thy drousines 3. Desire them that wake to watch over thee and chase away thy heavines by their freequent stirring of thee 4. Lift up an ejaculation to heaven in midst of thy heavines â—rom the bitternes of thy heart â—nd inward opposition of thy â—ullnes that help may come â—rom heaven though there be â—one upon earth The things to be done after Gods worship are 1. Family repetition of the word so should men discern how they wrong God his worship themselves and theirs when they finde all lost by sleep 2. Secret calling of our selves â—o account how we have spent â—he Sabbath so it would appear how ill sleeping becomes that day and the duties of it 3. Renew our godly sorrow for this sinne It worketh repentance change both in heart and life 2 Cor. 7.10 It is a work of the new man therefore doth mortify the deeds of the old man it is a fruit of the death of Christ therefore will dead this sinne of sleeping 4. Burden thy thoughts and affections with it the week thorow so shalt thou be weary of it on the Lords day but if it lie light the week thorow it will be no burden on the Lords day Object Here come old age in the last place to plead its infirmity Answ 1. Nature is infirm by age and so is corruption 2. There are promises of bringing forth fruit in age Psal 92.14 of renewing the youth as the
Eagle Psal 103.5 shee in age breaking off her beak and renewing her feeding doth renew her youth If old men did live by promise and feed as savourily and fully â—pon the Ordinances as in â—outh their affections would â—e as lively as then and their â—odies waking Directions to prevent sleeping in night family-exercises 1. Put them not off too long get to them as soon as may â—e 2. If they cannot well be â—one till it be late dispatch â—hem before supper we say in â—ur proverb When the belly is â—ull the bones would be at rest which is specially true after â—abour Eccles 5.12 3. If that cannot be then â—e short in them a thing which many will greedily take hold of thinking all praier time to be lost but if it be observed out of conscience will be found usefull We are so to perform good duties that they may have all our strength for present and our honourable esteem afterward which will not be if we be long in them we or ours will fall asleep so our strength will be denied and if we sin in duty we shall lesse love and esteem duty one sin draws on another CHAP. VII Of the sixth and last hinderance of instant worshipping of God Slothfullnesse ROM 12.11 Not slothfull in businesse fervent in spirit serving the Lord. HAving finished the fift hinderance of our earnest worshipping of God sleep I now come to the sixth and last slothfullnesse which the Apostle here delivers as an opposite to fervency of spirit and therefore an hinderance to it In this verse the Apostle doth direct in the manner and end of all our service to God and man for the manner it must be with fervency fervent in spirit for the end it must be to serve God not our selves or others but in the first place and chiefly to serve God for his use and advantage That they might not be hindred in this fervency he discovers the impediment of it which he diswadeth them from viz. slothfullnes Though this verse may seem to be restrained to the duties of charity because they immediately goe before yet as much may be said for the duties of piety for they immediately follow after ver 13. rejoycing in hope patient in tribulation continuing instant in praier Being therefore set in the middle between both the duties of piety and charity it may most fitly be applied to both nay we shall do wrong if we take it from either Beside the object whereabout fervency is to be exercised and sloth avoided is generall propounded without restraint or limitation Not slothfull in businesse he doth not say in love in giving honour in hospitality in distributing to the necessity of the Saints but in businesse any serious labour or exercise as the word signifieth whether it concern God or man I shall apply it to my purpose in hand spirituall businesse and imployment whereof the Apostle treateth in the chapter as well as of civill and outward offices of love to our neighbour The Apostle exhorteth to fervency of spirit in such imployments and to help that way dehorteth from slothfullnesse implying that it is an opposite and enemy to fervency they cannot consist and stand together sloth will hinder fervency and fervency will hinder sloth N. Sloth is an hinderance to fervency in spirituall businesse Not slothfull but fervent take away sloth or there will be no fervency a slothfull spirit brings forth cold service What was the reason the fervant that had but one tallent did hide it and not imploy it some increase he might have gotten though not so much as the rest Our Saviour renders the reason Matth. 25.26 Thou wicked and slothfull servant He was a wicked servant of an ill spirit fitter to think hardly of his master then to doe his duty and a slothfull servant that had no minde to take pains shewing us â—hat slothfullnesse is an enemy â—nto use and increase of talents â—or Gods advantage Heb. 6.12 When the Apostle desired to â—inde up the Hebrews to an â—igher pitch of knowledge v. 1. Of love ver 10. Of hope ver 11. of faith and patience ver 12. Which if thâ—y were in them and did abound they should not be â—arren and unfruitfull 2 Pet. 1.8 He did not onely presse them â—ereunto from the danger of Apostacy from the recomâ—ence of reward and the example of the Saints but also direct to the use of means viz. diligence ver 11. The contrary whereto is sloth which he dehorteth from viz. That ye be â—ot slothfull but followers of â—hem implying that sloth will â—â—and in the way of forwardnesse and zeal in holy waies Let us enquire three things 1. What this sloth is 2. Whence it comes 3. How it hinders our fervency in spirituall duties Quest What is this sloth Answ It is an evil disposition of soul and body whereby a man is addicted to ease and avoideth disquieting actions This discription of sloth hath three things in it 1. The generall nature of sloth what it hath common with other things it is a disposition an inclination and affection not an act but a fountain of actions It is an evil not a good disposition a branch of Originall depravation contrary to the Image of God of whom Christ saith John 5.17 My father worketh hitherto thereâ—ore the image of Satan 2. The subject of it it is not â—he soul alone or body alone â—ut soul and body both soul â—nd body are capable of labour â—herefore of sloth which is contrary to labour In this place â—â—othfullnesse is opposed to ferâ—ency of spirit implying there â—s a sloth in the spirit that damps tâ—e fervency and Prov. 21.25 The spirit of God saith of the loathfull man that his hands â—â—suse to labour there is thereâ—ore a sloth of the body and â—hap 10.26 He speaketh of a â—luggish messenger one that goes and comes slowly is slow â—n dispatch of businesse leadenâ—â—eel'd as we say 3. The particular nature of it that whereby it differeth from other things it is an affection to ease and stands in oppositition to disquieting actions This appears by the gestures and speeches whereby slothfullnesse doth expresse it self The gestures of slothfullnesse are these He foldeth his hands together Eccles 4.5 The fool foldeth his hands together whil'st others open their hands spread them abroad and stretch them out to labour he foldeth them together maketh one to embrace another for ease He hideth his hand in his bosome and will not bring it again to his mouth Prov. 19.24 The warmth of his bosome pleaseth him for that end he puts his hand there and thence he will not remove it Prov. 26.14 As the door turneth upon the hinges so doth the slothfull upon his bed A door upon the hinges easily turneth to open and shut on one side and on another but doth not turne off the hinges So the â—lothfull man doth roll from side to side on his bed for ease â—ake when he is weary on one side he turneth to another
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
the lesse labour about them the more worth the more labour Thus our Saviour doth expresse things Matth. 6.33 speaking of earthly good things he saith they shall be added to us cast in as an over-plus but speaking of heavenly things he bids us seek the kingdom of God take pains about that diligently imploy our selves we must take no pains about earthly things in comparison of the pains we take about spirituall things 3. It will help to our prizing of the spirits assistance and consequently to our thankfulnesse for it not to attain it without pains our knowledge of the worth of heavenly things is but little it is increased by experience of the difficulty in attaining them evil things come easily good things hardly and the more we know the worth of the spirits assistance the more we shall value and prize it Beside if the spirits assistance should not be so precious in it self as it is yet it is of worth to us if we attain it by diligence for it costeth us much and what we pay much for we set store by And according as we prize the spirits assistance we shall be thankfull for it the greater good it is the greater mercy from God to us and the more cause of thanksgiving If thus it be that fervency in Gods worship will not be had without diligence because of the weaknesse of grace the strong opposition against it and the necessity the supply of the spirit then sloth will hinder our servent worshipping of God for that is clean contrary to diligence and doth destroy that where it prevails 2. Sloth hinders our fervent worshipping of God as it gives advantage to Satan the enemy thereof Satan hath alway a ready minde to hinder us in Gods service but he hath not alwaies the same advantage therefore he walks to and fro seeking advantage Sloth gives him advantage not onely as it is a corruption contrary to fervent worshipping of God and suitable to the Devils dispositition whereby he worketh but also as it is a fit corruption whereby to screw into the soul the Devils temptations against the fervency of Gods worship as the difficulty uncomfortablenesse needlesnesse unprofitablenesse thereof all these sloth stands ready to entertain and is increased thereby If lesse will serve what needs more If it be so hard a thing to serve God with earnestnesse if there be no profit nor comfort in it who would take the pains though he had a love to pains Much lesse where there is no love as in sloth The diligent man hath much adoe to withstand these temptations they cause often waverings and staggerings in them and present abatements of diligence they make their hearts cold within them much more must they take hold of the slothfull who are prepared and ready for such temptations Beside sloth doth give advantage to Satan as it doth make no use of appointed strength against him Duties of preparation unto more solemn worship are means of strength against Satan labouring to hinder our fervency in Gods worship thereby we shake off sloth stirre up diligence procure the presence and power of the spirit But sloth will either neglect duties of preparation or carelesly perform them and so the soul is stripped of that strength against Satan Watchfulnesse in duty is a means of strength against Satan but watchfulnesse is too painfull for sloth resisting of stirrings of corruption and temptations of Satan in duties is a means of strength against Satan Jam. 4.7 Resist the devil and he will flee from you He is a most impatient discontented creature and cannot indure to be resisted he will not there abide but resistance of Satan is too painfull for sloth it will not be done without a detestation of his temptations and an increase of attention to Ordinances in hand 3. Sloth hinders our fervent worshipping of God as it doth grieve the holy spirit and make it withdraw his working and assistance it grieves the Spirit of God 1. As it is contrary to its nature which is all life and action compared to things most stirring and active as the fire the winde 2. To its command to be fervent in spirit to be zealous to be diligent not to be slothfull 3. To its title when it is called a spirit of promise Eph. 4.30 for sloth is not the condition and way of the promise but diligence 4. To its operation and working which is to baptize with fire Matth. 3.11 The spirit doth besprinkle the soul with inflamed affections toward God and his service Sloth being thus contrary to the spirit must needs grieve the spirit and the spirit grieved will reserve its assistance without which we cannot fervently worship God Vse To inform us 1. That God hath but little fervent worship For 1. All unregenerate men are overwhelmed and drowned in sloth there is not so much as a seed or principle of diligence till grace come into the foul all the service therefore of men destitute of grace is cold and heartlesse whatsoever it may seem such onely as sloth will afford and how full are our Congregations of unregenerate men and women 2. There are many lazy and slothfull Christians that do indeed perform duties in publike and private but they make no labour of them they take no pains to prepare and fit their hearts they are not diligent to get the assistance of the spirit they say not with David 2 Sam. 24.24 I will not offer to the Lord a sacrifice of that which cost me nothing they do not offer the Lord costly services but cheap such as cost them nothing all their preparation to the duties of the Sabbath is family duties and it were well if they did perform them so much the more carefully No wonder that they are thus idle in Gods service grace for want of ordinary exercise is sluggish they do not use their faith love and spirituall wisdom in their callings and how should they be diligent in Gods worship Their diligence is taken up other wayes in some about some lust they savour It was their case Iames 4.2 3. Ye fight and warre yet ye have not because ye aske not ye aske and receive not because ye ask amisse that you may consume it upon your lusts They were so busie about their contentions and wranglings amongst themselves that they could not pray at all or if they did pray it was for their lusts sake to get advantage unto them Thus a man may be conversant about good duties and his end not be Gods worship but his own corruptions that they may not be discovered that the ragings of conscience may be quieted that he may the more easily compasse his corrupt and sinfull ends The diligence of others is taken up aboâ—t matters of the world meat drink apparell riches This was their case Iohn 6. they seem to take much pains to enjoy Christ his ministry and miracles they compasse land and sea after they had enjoyed him at land they take ship and follow
more prepare but they thinke if they pray heare read receive the Sacrament with any hearts these duties will helpe their hearts What is this but to make idols of the ordinances to make gods of them to thinke they can helpe our hearts without any further helpe onely God can helpe the heart without any other helpe no ordinance can helpe our hearts without the helpe of other ordinances As the godly are to be reproved for their unpreparednes in ordinary ordinances so especially in extraordinary a frequent fault with the godly and if seene in nothing else yet in the fruitlessenes of such duties It is a sin to come unprepared unto ordinary ordinances but a double sin to come unprepared unto extraordinary ordinances It is a taking of Gods name in vain to come unprepared to ordinary worship but it is a taking of Gods name in vain in an high degree to come unprepared to extraordinary worship Hence God doth often make them to be of contrary effect straitning hardning burdensome wearisome 3. To provoke the godly to take heed of unprepared worshipping of God my doctrine is argument sufficient It will weaken the worship we performe and we cannot serve a better master nor do better worke and therefore no where better bestow the strength of soul and body I know if thou have the spirit of a childe in thee the spirit of reverence and the spirit of love and thou know aforehand what would helpe or hinder thee in the worship of thy heavenly father thou wilt avoid the one and use the other But because the wise man saith Eccles 12.11 that the words of the wise are as nailes fastned by the masters of the assemblies and consequently the more loose any naile of wisdome sticks in the heart of the godly the more and harder blowes must be given and because it will be confessed that this word of wisdome preparation for holy duties hangs loose in the hearts of the godly therefore by force of argument I shall endeavour to fasten it I will use a double motive one from the evil of unpreparednes another from the benefit of preparednes 1. Consider the evil of unpreparednes 1. It is a tempting of God What is it to tempt God but to move him to go out of his own ordinary way Math. 4.6 7. when Satan willed our Saviour to cast himself from the pinacle of the temple upon this ground that God would give his Angels charge over him our Saviour answered him Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God Wherein should our Saviour have tempted the Lord by casting himself down because that was not the ordinary way to go down and therefore not the ordinary way of preservation we may gather that from the devils leaving out part of the scripture in all thy wayes without which it would not have served his turne The like is here thou comest to an ordinance to finde God to get good to thy soul with an unprepared heart thou now putst God to go out of his way or at least temptest and triest the Lord whether he will go out of his way or no for if he meet with thee and do thy soul good at this time he must go out of his ordinary way for his ordinary way of meeting the soul is preparation It is a greivous sin to tempt God 1. It is a presuming of Gods mercy and goodnes that he will be good above all he hath revealed which doth imply a secret unthankfullnes for Gods mercy revealed as if that were not enough for if it be enough why should we presume of more 2. It is a lording it over God instead of subjecting our selves unto him when thou preparest thou subjectest thy self to Gods will but when thou commest for Gods blessing in unpreparednes thou desirest and expectest that God should let go his own will and stoop to thine God saith thou shalt have it in unpreparednes thou sai'st in unpreparednes his will is thou shouldst prepare thy self thy will is to be unprepared and thou lookest that God should stoop to thy will for thou commest for his blessing in a way of thine own will 3. It is a falsifying of Gods truth God saith he will bow his ear to the prepared heart Psal 10.17 We say God will draw near to us though unprepared and this we professe when we come unpreparedly to seek God we might as well say God indeed hath said he will bow his ear to the prepared but he will not stick to his word he will go from it 2. The god y complain they cannot meet God in ordinances they do not affect move work upon them here is the cause we are not prepared and so we are like the deaf adder Psal 58.4 5. upon whom the charmer cannot prevail charm he never so wisely because his ears are stopped A man findes no sweetnes in his meat the reason is not because his meat is unsavoury but because his taste is distempered the Ordinances are sometimes sweet and would allwaies be so were the souls palate allwaies in the same temper 3. The godly complain they cannot profit they get no strength by Ordinances corruptions are still strong and grace unready for exercise Let me ask a question Why doth not meat nourish some bodies Because they do not digest it Why do they not digest it Because their stomacks are not prepared though the meat may please the appetite well so the heart may be affected with the Word may purpose and resolve upon obedience but some sin in the heart or some immoderate affection may keep off the heart that it cannot so meditate upon the Word or pray over it and so it comes to no perfection 4. If thou come unpreparedly and meet God a great part of thy comfort will be abated before and after before thou canst not have the comfort of thy faith that God will meet thee because thou art out of the way of the promise thou canst finde no promise to suit with thy unpreparednes afterward thy heart will be grieved Gods comforts are not heat and warmth comfort and refreshment onely but light allso to discover the sinfullnes of the soul When David found help in the sanctuary Psal 73.17 his comfort was abated from sight of his former distemper vers 22. otherwise he had had his comfort without that mixture of sorrow so if we finde God in unpreparednes our comfort will be more mixt comfâ—rt 2. The benefit of preparation â— The more we prepare our selves the more in ordinary course we finde God Indeed God doth sometimes hide himself when his people are prepared because he will not have them make an idol of preparation to think that therefore God will draw neare to them as if that deserved so much No he will have them know that it is of meer mercy if he be found of them though in preparation he is not bound in justice sâ—tting aside his promise to reward their preparation it 's but their duty and he can
â—spy in it matter of displeasure But ordinarily the godly finde God according to their preparatiâ—nâ— hereto the currâ—â—t of â— r pâ—â—â—â—e â—oth bâ—are witnesse they that seeke the Lord shall praise him Psal â—2 26 open your gâ—â—es and the king of glory shall come in Psal 24. â—â— If any man open to me I will come in to him Revel 3.20 and the experience of the godly doth second it 2. Some of the godly complain of difficulty of understanding and weaknes of memory but if they prepare God will clear and open their understandings Preparation also will empty their memories and so strengthen them it may be they are too full If they say their momories are weak also for other things yet preparation will strengthen them for so they shall stirre up and improve the good in their memories and bring in the assistance of the holy spirit 3. Others of the godly complain they cannot finde peace and sweet communion with God they have prayd heard the Word received the Sacrament yet cannot finde peace Let them be perswaded to try this one way more prepare unto prayer prepare unto the Word prepare unto the Sacraments There is a promise Job 11.13 14 15. If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hands towards him c. Then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot It may be thou hast stretched out thine hands thou hast prayed earnestly but now prepare thy heart see if there be not somewhat amisse in thy hand or family that might hinder then thou shalt have comfort in thy heart and boldnes in thy countenance guilt of heart makes a man hang down the head as spots make a man to hide his face 4. If God do not meet with thee yet thou shalt not have this increase of thy burden that thou wert unprepared but on the contrary thou shalt have assurance that God who hath prepared thy heart will beaâ—e witnesse to it and hath some good for thee in store which he will prepare thee for in a further measure by present withdrawings Quest How should we helpe our selves unto preparednes for Gods worship There are three helps Examination Meditation Prayer 1. Examâ—nation This is made an helpe unto p ayer Lam. 3.40 41. Let us search and try our wayes let us lift up our hearts with our hands so Psal 4.4.5 Commune with your own hearts offer to God the sacrifices of righteousnes thou must be a soul-searcher Examine 1. What the generall frame and temper of thy heart is whether in a better or worse temper then formerly 2. What particular failings have lately escaped thee that mâ—ght specially indispose thy soul 3. What graces are specially to be exercised in the worship we go about 4. What are the speciall occasions for which our souls desire to meet God 2. Meditation Psal 119.59 David will looke over his wayâ—s on every siâ—e ere he will set his feet into Gods wayes Meditation is of a separating and settling nature it separateth heavenly thoâ—ghts and affections from earthly and setleth the heart in heavenly thoughts and affections for it often goeth over with thoughts It is as the bellows of the soul that doth kindle and inflame holy affections and by renewed and more forcible thouâ—hts as by renewed and stronger blasts doth renew and increase the slame 3. Prayer David prayes to God to prepare the heart of the people 1 Chron. 29.18 God prepared the people 2 Chron. 29. ult pray therefore to him 1. To pardon our originall indisposednes and particular failings 2. To give successe to examination and meditation 3. To supply his spirit unto the heart which hath put grace into the heart therefore can revive and bring out the same Ob. I cannot get time thus to prepare Ans In diligence in thy calling thou servest God but if thou be so imployed in it as to shut out preparation thou servest Satan more then God because thou dost more his minde and for his advantage then Gods Ob. I am a childe or servant under government and cannot get time having not my time at mine own dispose Ans 1. Thy governours ought to allow thee time for Gods service thou art more Gods servant then theirs If they will not yet 1. By diligence gain time 2. If thou canst not do that take it from thy meat or sleep If neither father nor mother nor master will take care of thy soul yet do thou take care of it Before I leave this point of preparation the want whereof doth weaken that worship of God which we performe I will take occasion to answer some cases of conscience which may fall in the way of the people of God and trouble them for want of light 1. Quest Whether are we bound to prepare more for the Sacrament then for the word I will premise foure things and then answer to the question 1. The Sacrament is an ordinary ordinance of God and so stands in the same ranke of ordinances with the word that it is an ordinary ordinance appeares in that it is oft to be celebrated and that without the condition of speciall and extraordinary occasions 1 Cor. 11.25.26 do this as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me for as oft as ye eat this bread c. It is an ordinance often to be used without speciall occasion and and for an ordinary end the remembrance of Christs death 2. The question is not between the whole word and the Sacrament but between a particular Sermon and the Sacrament whether we be bound more to prepaâ—e for the Sacrament then a particular Sermon going before the Sacrament 3. The question is of those who in regard of grace received are generally and habitually prepared both for the word and supper for of the unregenerate more preparation is required to admit them to the supper then to the woâ—d 4. The Sacrament in some respect hath it's place below the word in that the word is the covenant yea a particular Sermon doth contain part of the Covenant and the Sacrament is the seal now the seal doth receive necessary force from the covenant but not the covenant from the seal the seal is of no force without the covenant but the covenant is of force without the seal therefore the promise is called an immutable thing Heb. 6.18 the seal doth but increase the validity and force of the covenant add a further degree and measure The seal follows the covenant and serves unto it To the question then I answer That it should seem there is not more preparation required unto the Sacrament then unto the Word This truth will more plainly appear if the objections be cleared which are brought to the contrary Ob. Of a Sermon it can but be said This is my Word but of the Sacrament it is said This is my body and more reverence is due to the body of the Lord then to the word of the Lord and so more preparation to be made for the Sacrament then for the Word
make their soules weake and so weary of the duty When Moses chod with Aaron and his sonnes Levit. 10.17 to the end because they had not eaten the sacrifice in the holy place that day his sonnes were destroyed his answer was Had I eaten it would it have been accepted Why not oh he could not have done it with any chear and comfort so heavy a hand of God having lately befallen him and therefore he should have been weary of the service and then God would not have accepted it if thus the heart be weary having no desire or delight the body will be weary for that followes the disposition of the soul the soul carrieth the body with it which way so ever it goeth There is a wearines proper to the body when the strength thereof is spent and the spirits exhausted and so the body is left weak and feeble and so weary of any further action because it hath no strength There is a foure fold cause of exhausting the strength of the body and so making it weary of Gods service 1. The orâ—ginall corrupt disposition of the body by reason of sinne whereby it withholdeth and dryeth up it's strength from that which is good but freely expendeth it upon that which is evil Thus naturally the eyes had rather looke upon a company of sinners then a company of Saints see a company in the ale-house rather then in Gods house prophaning the Lords day then serving him the eare had rather hear evil then good the feet had rather walke to any sinnefull meeting on the Lords day then to the house of God Rom. 6.19 20. The Apostle saith We naturally give our members instruments of unrighteousnes there is no unwillingnes in us but we readily part with them all at sinnes motion nay we are free from holines will have nothing to do with that not any part of our bodies but we are servants of sinne all for sinne And this disposednes to withhold the strength of our bodies from Gods service and to give it unto sinne remains in part in the godly 2. The strength of the body is spent in sinnefull actions sometimes Jer. 9.3 They weary themselves to commit iniquity Particularly the sins of uncleannes and drunkennes do wast the strength of the body Prov. 5.11 The holy ghost tells what shall be the end of the unclean person a mournfull end thou mourne at the last when thy flesh and thy body are consumed And doth not experience tell that men are forced to ly in their beds or keep their houses on the Lords day because they have drunk so hard in the week or on saturday that their bodies are weak and tired The sinne of idlenes doth weaken the body strength used doth encrease and not used doth decay beside the nourishment taken for want of exercise doth turne to corruption and so rather weaken the body then nourish it none more weary of any imployment and of the service of God then idle persons 3. The strength of the body is exhausted sometimes by naturall distempers sicknesses diseases either such as are continually with men which is the case of some or such as lie upon the body at particular times onely the case of others 4. Sometimes foregoing recreations and businesses of mens callings do so spend the body that it hath no strength lest for Gods service The body thus wearied will reflect upon the soul 1. In regard of sympathy agreement and like affection between soul and body what the body delights in the soul doth in measure delight in and what the body is weary of the soul will in measure be weary of 2. As it doth expresse and act the wearines of the soul by reason of sin for so the wearines of the soul is increased and the contrary strength of the soul desire and delight weakned 3. As it is an unfit instrument to expresse the desire and delight of the soul if those affections may not be expressed they will decay and weaken 4. As by the eies and ears it doth let in new objects of delight the soul by sin is new fangled will entertain them and so grow weary of former delights The soul doth expresse its wearines 1. By letting loose thoughts and affections it will not keep them bound but suffers them to wander about for refreshment 2. In thinking the service hard painfull grievous 3. In thinking the time long that is spent therein wishing the same at an end The body doth expresse its wearines 1. By restlesnesse it cannot rest in any position or gesture of it but as a door upon the hinges turns first one way and then another 2. By letting the eies and ears loose to all objects to chuse their delights where they please 3. By speeches too if occasion serve as here they are brought in saying when will the new moon be gon If they did onely say so in their hearts yet God saw they would say so with their tongues if occasion were offered therefore he sets it down so How doth wearines weaken our worshipping of God 1. Wearines in the very nature of it is weaknes a deniall an absence of strength and actions performed in weaknes must needs be weak wearines denies the strength of the minde Can a man think well of what he is weary It denies the strength of the will Can a man be willing of that he is weary of What be willing of a burden It denies the strength of the affections a man will neither desire nor joy in what he is weary of and if the strength of the soul be denied the strength of the body also will be denied and that service which hath neither strength of soul nor strength of body must needs be weak service 2. As it is contrary to the spirit 1. To the nature of it which is a spirit of liberty and freedom a spirit of desire and delight a spirit of Adoption opposed to a spirit of bondage Rom. 8.15 The spirit of a childe which a spirit of love a childe doth his fathers commands with desire and delight he loves his father joyes in him therefore in his commands 2 Cor. 9.7 God loves a cheerfull giver wearines being contrary to the spirit must needs damp that hinder the assistance of it in worship 2. To the work of it 2 Cor. 3.17 Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty sin is compared to cords Prov. 5.22 to a snare 2 Tim. 2.26 because it takes away a mans liberty and free will unto that which is good when God calls a man to any duty his will is not in his own power he is not able to move thereto no not in desire God therefore is said to work the will Phil. 2.13 there is no will till God work it But when the spirit of God comes into the heart it breaks the cords and snares sets the will at liberty unto God 2 Cor. 8.3 The Churches of Macedonia were willing of themselves to minister to the Saints to