Tim. 4. 1. 2. by like reason the people are obliged to hear doe not think we are hardly dealt with straitned in our time abridged of our liberty to labour and do all that we have to doe on the six dayes seeing our own profit is propounded and such profit as has been mentioned to induce us thereunto If a company of poor indigent people should be ordered by some great Person to wait at his Gate two hours on such a day in the week there to receive a liberal Dole from his bountiful Hand they would account themselves bountifully dealt with while they had so much more given them than they could have gotten by their own industry in the mean Time And that is the Case before us 3. This also Informs us how much we stand Debtors in God's Account for every day's Liberty in his House he sets down a Thousand for One and after that Rate will reckon with us and therefore we should reckon so also and hold our selves engaged to make an Answerable improvement of them that we may render proportionably This is the choice the Cream the Quintessence of all our Time for this especially are wee bound to lift up our eyes and souls and bless the name of the bountiful God and that a Thousand times more than for any other Time Thanks are to bâ—â—â—â— proportion to the quantity of the Kindness received As they that have much forgiven will love much so they that have much given should thank much praise much which they will do if they love much We should bless God heartily every morning we rise for bringing us to the Light of another day but we should bless him a Thousand times more for a day in his Courts because it is a Thousand times better It was an exceeding great and precious Promise that the Lord gave to his People Isa 30. 20. a rich high Cordial fitted on purpose for an evil day that tho their meat should be bread of Adversity and drink water of Affliction yet their eyes shall set their Teachers they shall have Preaching and Ordinances among them Alas how many have bread of Adversity and their Teachers removed too How should the scarcity of that Best of all Commodities serve to enhaunce the price of it All our Time is precious but this part of our Time much more precious than the rest Many account Sabbath-dayes lost-dayes and Lecture-dayes broken dayes no they are good dayes and full dayes dayes full of Blessing one of them has the Good of a Thousand daies in it Some had rather sickness or Foul-weather should fall out an a Sabbath-day or on a Lecture-day than any other secretly think it is so much Time saved not â—onsidering how much the Wisdom and kindness of God is thereby Reflected upon and themselves prejudiced 4. Hence we may learn what is the best Course to redeem Time which is a duty incumbent upon all Christians Ephes 〈◊〉 16 The spending as much of it as you may i◠〈◊〉 House of God is the best way of Redeeming 〈◊〉 If men were good Husbands of their Time it were an easie matter to save ever and anon a Day for the Service of God and yet not strike one stroak the less about their other ordinary Occasions and one day thus Redeemed provided it be rightly improved so as to become a good day to them is more than a Thousand dayes 5. From hence also it followes that it is a greater Blessing to a People to have the Liberties of God's House than to have a Confluence of all this World 's Good flowing in upon them They are better that enjoy the House of God among them tho' they are straitened in other outward Things than they which have the greatest outward Enlargements without it God so orders it that the Richest places in the World as to Things of the World are very poor upon this account while 〈◊〉 People tho' dwelling in a Barren Land have the Riches of Earth and Heaven both in having the House of God among them Thesâ— Gleâ—â—ings of Ephraim are better than the 〈◊〉 of Abiezer Suppose a Place in â— Temperate Zone that is an healthy Climate has a sweet Air pleasant Situation fertile Soyl Havens for Ships a place of great Trade and much Resort so that what they have not of their own they may bring home tho' from far out of other places Imagine an Eden of all manner of pleasures and Delights yet under all these Considerations and Circumstances it is a miserable place if the House of God be wanting That poor solitary Pilgrim Jacob lying in the open Air having the cold Earth for his Bed and a stone for his Pillow yet the place being turned into a Bethel an House of God he fared better than if he had been acommodated with all the Entertainment that a Princes Palace could have afforded him Israel in the Wilderness tho' dwelling in Tents â—ed with bread and Water without the Flesh-pots of Egypt and other good things they so much longed for yet being the Church in the Wilderness and having God's Tabernacle in the midst of them were in a far happier Condition than the Canaanites who dwelt in a land flowing with Milk and Honey but no House of God near them Our Fathers coming into this Wilderness and bringing Christ and the Ordinances of his House along with them never repented them of the Exchange they had made nor were so mindful of the pleasant Land from whence they came as to return thither again tho' they had opportunities of so doing See Heb. 11. 15. Nay the Lord prevented them by turning the Wilderness into a fruitful Land and the House of God set up and attended will make any place so After the large Description of that great City given by the Prophet Ezekiel we find its real Glory contained in the name by which it was called viz. Jehovah shâ—mma The Temple of the Lord and his presence in the Temple renders a place glorious Never complain of Hardships and Difficulties the Consideration of the Transcendent Goodness of God to be enjoyed in his House should swallow up all Difficulties whatsoever Dwelling in Tents of wickedness nay in the Palaces of the World is to be despised in Comparison of dwelling here He that for Elbow-room in the World removes from under Word Ordinances makes a very imprudent Choice It s Religion not any nor all other things that makes a place It was the Presence House and Worship of God in the Land of Canaan principally that made it the Glory of all Lands the Land of Glory or the glorious Land as it is called Ezek. 20. 6. Dan. 11. 16 41. It s therefore glorious because it is Immanuel's land Isa 8. 8. This Mount Sion so beautiful a place because out of Sion the perfection of beauty God hath shined Psal 50. â— Prize Gospel-Ordinances and Christ's presence in them as the chiefest Glory of our Land and evermore pray that such Glory may
and strenuously endeavoured by every one that comes thither This was Mary's Case Joh. 20. 1 16. she got up early and her business was not to see the Sepulchre where Jesus was laid or the linnen Clothes and Napkins in which he was wrapt but to see Jesus himself her Lord was in her heart and to see Him was her Errand hence when others went away with no other sight than the Grave and linnen she waits and weeps and looking into the Grave there sees Angels unto whom she gives this reason of her weeping because her Lord was carried away and turning about enquired of the supposed Gardener for her Lord and being thus earnest and unsatisfied in her Enquiries at last she found him Thus should every one behave himself having realized to himself that the Ordinances of God's House are wayes of Communion with Christ and that there lies the good of them he should make that his busines and be contented with nothing unless he attains his end It should not satisfie him that he hath been at the place where Christ is wont to appear and that he hath been at the place where Christ is wont to appear and that he hath been under Ordinances in which Jesus Christ is wont to be conveied but he must goe and wait with an heart fixt for Christ himself and sadly bemoan himself under a disappointment there and unto such the Lord will make good that word Isa 45. 19. I said not to the seed of Jacob seek ye my face in vain In no Duties is the Word of God more solemn than about those of his House See the dreadful charge to him that preaches 1. Tim. 6. 13. I give thâ—e charge in the sight of God who quickeneth all things and before Jesus Christ c. So again 2. Tim. 4. 1 2. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom Preach the Word be instant in season and out of season c. In obedience to which Command are Lectures set up and can you think that you which hear are not under a like Charge Shall they that preach be so charged to preach so preach as in the sight of him that will judge them for their preaching and may you that are to hear think to scape the Judgement of God if you hear without Seriousness and Profit Does not his Strictness with them that preach more than intimate that he will also be exact with them that hear If they must take heed to themselves and their Doctrine you must take heed to your selves and your Hearing If they must speak so for matter and manner and end as they that look to answer it at the great and dreadful Day you must hear upon the like peril There is no serious preacher of the Gospel but goes with an akeing heart about his work and when he has preached is ready to condemn himself for fear lest he hath not so spoken as he ought to have spoken and I believe that there is no serious Hearer but will see cause to ask himself and have I so heard as I ought to have heard Let us pray for David spirit Affection and Experience of which there is but little now a dayes to be found Take a few Directions 1. Be well acquainted with the Being Nature Worth and Need of your souls Know that you have souls how many live as if they had none Consider also they are immortal Existences and must live for ever Then acquaint your selves with their Needs listen to their Cravings and think of what a necessity they are in of a Supply Your souls are a Thousand times better than your bodies and therefore Providing for them of a Thousand times more Concernment Oh an immortal Soul eternal Estate and endless Life are momentous Considerations and should be attended accordingly 2. This being supposed it will necessarily follow that you are indispensibly bound to attend all meanes that God has appointed for the Salvation of your Souls Neglecting means for outward Subsistence or bodily Maintenance will bring you to Penury then neglecting meanes for your soul's maintenance will issue in Ruin and Misery 3. Press on your souls the stamp of Divine Authority that is upon the Ordinances of his House Here God will be found if you slight these wayes of his appointing he will not be found elsewhere And be assured that God will not deceive you Here he hath recorded his Name and â—â— you wait here you wait under a Promise of a blessing and shall not wait for nothing Then come to the House of God out of Conscience not out of Custom nor for any by-Ends and if you come conscientiously you will come constantly I mean as often as God gives you an opportunity To omit one Duty does but make way for our omitting another Once give way to Hindrances and you will never be without them but they will come in upon you like 2 â—â—od Make but a Gap once and you will scarce know how or when to stop it And who can tel but that season which you lose might have been for your Everlasting Advantage The diseased persons not knowing when the Angel would come down and move the waters â—ay there alwayes waiting to prevent the loss of an opportunity and so should we A pious soul if providentially detained from God's House growes the more hungry after it the want of one meal sharpens his stomach and increases his Appetite for the next but a carâ—al heart who out of sloth and slightiness neglects it will grow every day more carless and unconcern'd than other like a weak stomach the more it fasts the more it may 4. Get suitable preparations for such a Solemnity When 〈◊〉 was commanded by God to goe to 〈◊〉 to worship he advises his people to put away the strange Gods wash their 〈◊〉 and be 〈◊〉 Gen. 35. 1. â— 3. Every â—usines of moment and Importance bespeaks â—reparation A Journy by land a Voyage by â—ea Entertainment of a great friend call for â—reparation much more then when our work to meet with and entertain the Lord of Gloâ—â— at his House which is appointed for a place of meeting with God Exod. 20. 23. Hence that charge Eccl. 5. 1. Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God and be more ready to hear c. When there we must be ready then there must be some time taken to make ready and that on penalty of offering the sacrifices of fools He that has so great a work to do and does not prepare for it does egregiously play the fool They that observe their own Hearts will find that they are not ordinarily so ready for so great a work of drawing near to God as they ought to be then either we must prepare or rush in without preparation and what ill musick must that needs be in God's ear where the Instrument is out of tune the danger of which we
and Meanes appointed unto the End proposed which by their Encomiums of Joyfulness in and Thankfulness for while they have had the liberty of enjoying the same together with vehement Pantings and insatiable Longings-after when bereaved of them they have plentifully discovered Insomuch that true Love and hearty unfeigned Devotion towards the House of God has been look'd at as a Mark of Sincerity where it hath been found Thus David when making his appeal to God about his Integrity Psal 26. 8. brings this for one Argument viz. his Love to the habitation of His House and place where his Honour dwells And on the other hand the decay of love to God's House appearing either in a total neglect thereof or Slightiness and Indifferency thereabout among the Professors of Religion hath been accounted a sad Symptome of the decay of the power of Godliness a sign of great Degeneracy and an Introduction of Apostacy as also an awful Prognostick of great Judgements if not ruinatinâ—â—amity hastning on such a People This of the most bitter provocations of the Lord's Sons and Daughters when they have lost their Affection to their Fathers house and either care not to come there or if they do it is with such coldness formality and Slightiness and with so little heart and hungring after Fellowship with Himself there that he accounts himself rather Mock'd than honour'd by such Spiritless and Truthless Performances this kindles such a fire in his Anger that nothing but the bloud of Christ in a way of unfeigned Repentance and Reformation can put out If I mistake not in mine Observation there seems to be a great falling short in that Love and Zeal for the Worship of God and that Labour and Frequency of waiting upon Him in his House both on Sabbath dayes and Lecture dayes that hath been formerly observed in those that have professed Christianlty in Truth-Men do not make so great or Momentous and Necessary a business thereof as heretofore A dangerous condition â— both as it intimates a Decay in the very Vitals of Religion and as it makes way for God's Anger to come upon such a degenerate Generation Our Fathers have told us how precious the Word of God was in their dayes and proved their high Esteem thereof by the paines they were wont to take in travelling many a mile to a Sermon in there own Land as also by their Leaving All to follow the Lord some Thousands of Miles into a Wilderness that they might freely Enjoy the liberties of his House and obtain Communion with Him there With what an ill face then it does look that we should flagg in our Affections to and grow Cold in our Attendance on those high and valuable enjoyments that our Fathers purchased at so dear a Rate I leave to the sad and serious Consideration of all thinking Christians Sundry proffitable Lectures round about us quite â—aid down And some who keep up Lectures especially in Country-Towns where the Arguments of a Market and other secular Business do not induce People to afford their Attendance are ready to think whether they were not better lay them down also than preach to bare walls or at least to such thinn Congregations My Aym in choosing this Text at this Time and in this Place of general Resort is to bear my Testimony against this growing and dangerous Evil and to endeavour the reviveing oâ— the first Love and ancient Affection to the House and Word of God as not knowing where in I may do better service for our God and foâ— the People of our God than by raising the Reputation â—f the House of God among us And the words read furnish me with a suitable Medium unto such an end taken from the Topick of Gain and Profit that will redound unto the behoof of them that are serious therein An Argument which if it be Demonstratively urged and God shall please to set in therewith we shall not need doubt of some good Success Gain smells sweet in most mens Nostrils He that baits his hook with Profit may expect not to toyl in vain provided it be understood and realized So sweet and allureing a sound does Gain make that he who can harp well upon that string may hope for an attentive Auditory Therefore doth the Lord bait the net of his Gospel which he lets down in his House with a promise of a greâ—t Reward unto all that shall be drawn thereinto g Would men be convinced that there is no way of spending Time so much to advantage as in the House of God it is to be hoped that the end would be answered When matter of Gain was discoursed by Demetrius and the Craftsmen on the one hand and Danger of Losing their Religion tho' indeed it was no Religion on the other hand Act. 19. 34. it drew the whole City together and made them continue for two houres space in one constant Cry to proclaim their Devotion toward Diana of the Ephesians Mee-thinks the greater Gain to be gotten by waiting on God in his House with the danger of losing our Religion which by the neglect of that duty is eminently endangered should have a greater Influence and oblige us to attendance and that with all Seriousness and Joyfulness Why should not the whole City come together and spend the two hours allotted for this Exercise in the Worship of the true God with as great readiness and as little weariness as they did in the service of an Idol There needs not much to be said to the Context in order to the clearing of the Text. Briesly the Psalm seems plainly to have a Reference to some Time wherein the Psalmist was deprived of the Liberties of Gods House which he looks at as a sore Affliction and does very Pathetically and feelingly bewail the same adding vehement Soul-longings even unto fainting with reiterated and sundry wayes enforced Supplications that he might be repossess'd of those at present lost Priviledges Take the Text as related to the Context and it Contains one Reason of the above-mentioned Longings and Cryings after the House of God viz. because he saw it to be a place far more for his advantage to dwell in it was by many degrees better being there than elswhere And there to be where it is best to be should be every mans desire Take the words seperatly considered in themselvs and they are a comparison between a Day spent in the Courts of God's House and elswhere and the preference is given to a day there and that by the difference of a Thousand to One. A Day in thy Courts is better than a Thousand Or it may be read A Day is â—ood in thy Courts above a Thousand The Comparative degree better being so rendered good before Or I know not why it may not be as well read A good day in thy Courts is before a Thousand The House of God is a good place and all our dayes there are good daies in themselves and it s our own fault if