increasing till it issue in glory John 4. 14. But the water that I shall give him shall be in him a Well of water springing up into everlasting Life And as all sorts of Life are from God so all sorts of Death he has power to inflict All Afflictions and Plagues when this Lord sends them do say Here we are The King of Terrors Death is God's subject and says I am ready to strike young or old high or low few or many as the Lord of all does give me Commission and Command And the second Death at God's righteous pleasure opens its everlasting doors to receive and eternally to swallow up all that he sentences thither Isa 5. 14. Therefore Hell hath enlarged her self and opened her mouth without measure and their glory and their multitude and their pomp and he that rejoyceth shall descend into it Such a Lord the effects of whose love and anger are felt not only in this World but also in the other and indeed run parallel with Eternity should certainly be attended on with a great dread of offending him with the exactest care in every thing to please him 7. God is a Lord obeyed by the whole Creation but only Men on earth and Devils and damned Spirits in Hell These greater lights the Sun and Moon that rule the day and night are perfectly ruled by their Maker and rise and set at his command And to shew that he can stop the Sun in its swift motion at Joshua's intreaty he commanded it to stand still in Gibeon and the Moon in the Valley of Ajalon Josh 10. 12. Nay in the days of Hezekiah he makes the Sun to move backward and to return no less than ten degrees by which it had gone down Isa 38. 8. All the Stars of Heaven he calls by their names and they observe their courses according to his Ordinances The Sea does ebb and flow according to his appointment and keep within the bounds that he has set it when it roars and is most tempestuous The Storms and Winds fulfil his word and if he do but say to them Peace be still presently there is a great calm He calls for the Thunder and the Lightning and how terrible is the Voice of the one and the flashing of the other The Thunder is silenced and the Lightning extinguished at his pleasure All Creatures that glide through the Air or slide through the Ocean that feed and grow upon the Earth in their way and manner obey their Maker and Preserver's Will Fye Oh Fye upon Apostate Angels and Men that they should be the only Rebels Look upward downward on the right hand and on the left and the many Thousands of Creatures which your Eyes behold are so many instances of Obedience to God Why Oh why should not all we be ready to yield our utmost Service 8. God is a Lord who over-rules them that rebel against him though they break his Commands they cannot get from under his power but he can check restrain disappoint and destroy them at his pleasure The Seed of the Woman has been hated by the Serpents brood and they that have been born only after the Flesh have been strongly inclined to persecute such as have been born after the Spirit Gal. 4. 28 29. Now we Brethren as Isaac was are the Children of Promise But as then he that was born after the Flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit even so it is now And so 't is likely to be still When Heathen Emperors and Kings were Converts to the Christian Faith the Prince of Darkness did not turn and change He always was and is and will be full of Malice against Christ the Head and against his true Members And those who are of their Father the Devil the Lusts of their Father they will do and they that are Saints must expect find their Hearts set against them and as far as they can their hands too But that Lord who is with his People is greater infinitely than the evil one 1 John 4. 4. Ye are of God little Children and have overcome them because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the World As Satan's Subtlety is nothing to God's Wisdom as his Power is small to God's Almightiness so his Wrath though never so great is a little and contemptible thing when the Love which God bears to his People is believingly considered The mightiest Men whom Satan employs to run down the Church of the living God shall never affect their wicked purpose the Church triumphs over her most surious Enemies looking unto her Mighty Helper Psal 46. 5 6 7. God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved God shall help her and that right early The Heathen raged the Kingdoms were moved They stirred up themselves with their united force and in their rage they would have devoured the Israel of God but He uttered his Voice and the Earth melted All these Enemies were dispirited and came to nothing and no wonder for it follows The Lord of Hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our refuge Selah Well may the voluntary Subjects of such a Lord attend upon him with forwardness and Faith since he has such an absolute uncontrolable Dominion over all his and their Enemies 9. God is a Lord infinitely above and better than any other Lords whatsoever As he is infinitely superior to all in Majesty and Greatness so also in Mercy and Goodness The whole Earth is full of Divine Goodness Psal 145. 9. The Lord is good to all and his tender Mercies are over all his works It is special and peculiar Kindness which is shewn to his Saints Psal 103. 11. As the Heaven is high above the Earth so great is his Mercy towards them that fear him What are other Lords if compared with God As for Mammon who has most of Mankind to be his Vassals his delights are low his Riches uncertain his all is Vanity Satan is a cruel Lord he is a Lyar who deceives a Murtherer who destroys all whom he can keep under his Power and Dominion And the Wages which Sin does give to them that serve it is eternal Death and the more diligent they have been in the Service of Sin and the more laborious Workers of Iniquity Hell will be so much the hotter their Sorrow and Misery so much the greater Are such Lords as these comparable to the Lord Jehovah whose Strength whose Love is everlasting What care does he take of all that are truly his Servants How mild and gentle is his Government His Kingdom is Righteousness and Peace and Joy It was a Pious Ejaculation of one of the Ancients Da Domine quod jubes O Lord give that which thou commandest His Servants are by himself created in Christ Jesus unto the good works in which he has commanded them to walk He teaches them by his own Spirit to do his Will Psal 143. 10. Teach me to do thy Will for
him and to Obedience and Duty The Angels that sinned were not spared nor called to attend upon God in order to their recovery after their Apostasie Indeed we find Satan an Intruder among the Sons of God who came to present themselves before the Lord Job 1. 6. but it was not to beg Grace for himself his Chains of Darkness hindered his Hope of finding any he comes as an Accuser of Job and with a desire of a Permission to do him a Mischief But Man though departed from God is called to come backagain Hos 14. 1. O Israel return to the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thy Iniquity Man is sought after as well as saved or sought that he may be saved And if the Lord did not seek him but leave him to his own Imagination and Inclination his Imaginations are so vain his Inclinations so perverse and wicked he would never cease going astray till he died without Wisdom The Call of God is loud and earnest that Man would turn from his Disobedience and do his Duty Prov. 8. 4. Vnto you O Men I call and my voice is to the Sons of Man Prov. 1. 23. Turn you at my reproof behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you I will make known my words unto you Prov. 8. 34. Blessed is the Man that heareth me watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors 6. Man must look upon God as accessible in Christ When Adam fell into the first Transgression shewing a Contempt of God and of his Covenant and the Life that was there promised he was turned out of Paradise and a flaming Sword was placed to hinder his re-entring and access to the Tree of Life Life was impossible to be had by the first Covenant therefore he and his Faith were directed to the promised Seed who should bruise the Serpents head and in time would be manifested to destroy the Works of the Devil 1 John 3. 8. This Work of the Devil was Sin whereby Man had departed from his Maker Now Christ the second Adam suffered once for Sins the Just for the Vnjust that he might bring Man to God and make up the Breach that Sin had made between them 1 Pet. 3. 18. As God is but One so there is but One Mediator between God and Men the Man Christ Jesus Who gave himself a Ransom for all 1 Tim. 2. 5 6. no access to God by any other But says the Apostle In Christ Jesus our Lord we have boldness and access with confidence by the Faith of him Eph. 3. 12. Under the Old Testament there was but one Temple one Altar for Burnt offering and Sin offering to make an Atonement An Heathen thought it a dishonour to the Lord Jehovah that Hezekiah had taken away his high Places and his Altars and had commanded Judah and Jerusalem to Worship before one Altar 2 Chron. 32. 12. But the mystery and meaning of this was that Jesus Christ alone is the Way the Truth and the Life and that no Man cometh to the Father but by him 7. Man must plainly discern his Ignorance and Impotence to give a right Attendance upon God without the Direction and Aid of his Word and Spirit Nay as Man does want both Skill and Strength to serve the Lord so he has no Will to it there is an Indisposition and an Ill disposition in him which plainly shews that the Light and Grace of the Word and Spirit is of absolute necessity unto an Attendance upon God that is acceptable to him When Man is off from God and betakes himself to himself in Matters of Religion he rangeth infinitely like a Sea-faring Man who has lost his Compass in a Mist moving swiftly but to no purpose Now there shall be more words than that which is written more Articles than what God has put into our Creed more Commands than the Law-giver ever gave nay more Gods and more Mediators than One Mans Invention will be fruitlesly Fruitful and himself restless and endless in his own ways We should see our need of Instruction and Help from the Spirit of the Lord Both Light and Liberty Strength and Liveliness in all Holy Duties is from Him 'T is through the Son as Mediator and 't is by the Spirit as our Helper that we have access to the Father Eph. 2. 18. The Apostle acknowledges We know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit helps our infirmities the holy and gracious desires of the Saints are the breathings of this spirit in them acceptable Petitions that will find Audience are of his drawing up and enditing He maketh intercession for the Saints according to the Will of God Rom. 8. 26 27. He is the instructer of all those who are taught to profit Ordinances Gifts Administrations which are so useful are from the Spirit and the benefit and success of them is owing to him his Aid is earnestly to be implored and thankfully to be accepted Preparation to Attendance upon God is necessary Psal 10. 17. Thou wilt prepare their Heart thou wilt cause thine Ear to hear and this preparation is the work of the Spirit 8. Man must not doubt but be thoroughly perswaded that God is ready to be found of such as attend upon him and is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. Satan affects to be the Representer of God to Man and he represents him contrary ways and both are false and indeed misrepresentations from secure Souls he does endeavour to hide the Wrath of God his Holiness Justice and Jealousie that he may heighten presumption from awakened and humble Hearts he does endeavour to conceal his Mercy and Grace in Christ that he may kill their Hope and discourage them from engaging in the work of God But 't is Wisdom in Man to hear what the Lord speaks of himself for he best knows himself and the Revelations he makes of himself are most certainly true Now as he has told us that he will wound the Head of his Enemies and be accounts those Enemies who go on still in their trespasses Psal 68. 21. so he has assured us that he is good and ready to forgive those who are troubled because they have offended and see their need of pardon and he is plenteous in Mercy unto all that in Truth do call upon him Psal 68. 5. 'T is a mighty encouragement to attend upon God when we see the door of Hope standing open and that the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear his displeasure and hope in his mercy together Psal 147. 11. The Tables of the Law were put into the Ark and the mercy-seat was above it a plain intimation that the Lord who sits upon this mercy-seat will not enter into Judgment with his Servants nor mark the iniquities but be merciful to the unrighteousness of them that turn to him this should raise Hope in dejected Spirits and cause it to abound Psal 130. 7 8. Let Israel hope
Anger and a reward in the bosom strong wrath Prov. 21. 14. so secret confession of sin bitter mourning for it and begging forgiveness in the Name of Jesus will prevail for the pacifying of God's fiercest displeasure and the obtaining of his Love and Grace 2. There is an Attendance upon God that is Private in the Family This has been wofully sinfully shamefully neglected not only by the prophane but by them that call themselves Professors though hardly worthy of that Name Family Worship has been much press'd from the Pulpit Oh when shall it once be that every ones practise will be answerable I read not only of a Dedication of the Tabernacle and Temple but also of the Houses of the Israelites Deut. 20. 5. Psal 30. was composed at the Dedication of the House of David The Israelites justly called their Houses God's Houses And those tumultuous combined and insulting Enemies of theirs in Pride Scorn and Derision said Let us take to our selves the Houses of God in possession Psal 83. 12. Houses were dedicated to the Lord's Service Joshua says I and my House we will serve the Lord and all Israel promise the same Josh 24. 15 21. David says he will walk within his House with a perfect Heart Psal 101. 2. there be Songs of Mercy and of Judgment Indeed the voice of rejoycing and Salvation is in the Tabernacle of the Righteous Psal 118. 15. The Lord is adored and praised in the Tabernacles of them to whom he has shewed himself a God of Salvation Cornelius one of the first-fruits of the Gentiles was a devout Man and he feared God with all his House and prayed to God alway Act. 10. 2. And fearing of God implies calling upon his Name as casting off fear and restraining of Prayer are joyned together Job 15. 4. so that he prayed unto God with all his House and there is not the least reason to think that they did not pray altogether unless such kind of praying had been any where forbidden We read of a Curse and a Blessing not only upon Persons but upon Families Prov. 3. 33. The Curse of the Lord is in the House of the wicked but he blesseth the Habitation of the Just. Surely Families have reason to Pray against the one and that the other may rest on them And truly our Lord Jesus in that Prayer of his own making which is the great Directory for Prayer when he does instruct us to say Give us this day our daily Bread very plainly signifies that those in Families that daily Eat together ought also daily to pray together And are they only to pray together for daily Bread no they are also to Pray for the hallowing of God's Name the coming of his Kingdom and that his Will might be done on Earth as 't is done in Heaven They are to pray for the forgiveness of past trespasses and that Grace may prevent their being led into Temptation and may deliver them from Evil. You see here is ground enough for Families to give their Attendance upon God Families are the Seminaries from which both Church and State are furnished and if there were more of Devotion and Instruction and Discipline there the Church in all probability would be more pure and the State more righteously and better ordered Whereas if Families live without God in the World the Governours the Children and Servants are all usually wicked and likely to become worse and worse and the Churches Face is foul'd with odious spots and stains and the State grows more corrupt till at length 't is ripe for ruine 3. There is an Attendance upon God that is publick in the Congregation In publick Assemblies the true God is owned and honoured in the Face of the Sun and the Lord Christ is glorified Christians Assembling in his Name depending upon his Promise to be in the midst of them and to bless them He walks in the midst of the Golden Candlesticks Rev. 1. 13. He blesses the Ordinances himself has instituted to the enlightning purifying and Consolation of sincere Attendants on him In these Publick Assemblies Saints unite their spiritual strength in wrestling with God the Faith and holy Desires of a great many Believers together being conjunct are likely to be the more prevailing These Assemblies ought to be valued and frequented to forsake them is ill to the forsaker Hence that caution Heb. 10. 25. Not forsaking the Assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as ye see the day approaching The breaking of solemn publick Assemblies should be an Heart-breaking thing to us and the Lord has promised to gather those that are sorrowful upon this score Zeph. 3. 18 I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn Assembly who are of thee to whom the reproach of it was a burthen V. There is an Attendance upon God on his own day and upon other days 1. An Attendance upon God on his own day A seventh part of our time is hallowed by the fourth Commandment Six days are for Labour a seventh for Rest from that Labour and that we may have leisure with greater seriousness to attend upon God The great Creator having made the World in six days rested on the seventh and appointed it for a Sabbath and blessed it And the Apostle tells us that our Lord Jesus Christ the great Redeemer is entred into his Rest having ceased his own works as God did from his and therefore there remains a rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a keeping of a Sabbath to the People of God Heb. 4. 9 10. As the Jewish Sabbath was kept in Commemoration of the Lord 's resting from Creation so the Christian Sabbath is to be observed in Commemoration of Christ who is over all God blessed for ever his resting from the work of Redemption it is in him that we have rest by Faith at present and hope for a blessed glorious and everlasting Rest in Heaven The day that Christ rose was the day on which he rested for his lying in the Grave was not his rest but part of his Humiliation and that was the first day of the Week On this Christian Churches assembled for Worship Acts 20. 6 7. The Apostle was at Troas seven days We read not a word being among Christians that he solemnly Worshipt on the seventh day but upon the first day of the Week the Disciples came together to break Bread Upon this day Christians being assembled together Collections were made for good Uses at Corinth and in the Churches of Galatia 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. Nay this is called the Lord's Day Rev. 1. 10. Now as the Lord's Supper is a Supper of the Lord's Institution so the Lord's Day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a day of the Lord 's appointing and ordaining The prophanation of this Christian Sabbath has been punished with remarkable Judgments The Ordinances administred thereon have been owned and blessed to the Conversion and Confirmation of
by no means entertain an Imagination that at your own Pleasure you can work in your selves to will and to do but always acknowledge the necessity and Efficacy of the Grace of Christ and glorifie that Grace saying when you obey and labour it is not I but the Grace of God that is with me 4. Earnestly desire that your Hearts may be circumcised to love both the Lord himself and his Service likewise It is a Promise worth more and if made good to us will enrich us more than the Wealth of both the Indies Deut. 30. 6. The Lord thy God will circumcise thy Heart and the Heart of thy Seed to love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul that thou mayst live An Heart to love him is his own Gift and the Heart must be circumcised by himself before it will be brought to love him The Prophet speaks of the Foreskin of the Heart that must be taken away Now this Foreskin of the Heart is Carnal and Worldly Love together with Enmity against God and his Law Cry to the Lord according to his good Word of Promise to mortifie the one and to subdue the other And that he would give you a new Heart and Nature cause a new Light to shine that may manifest his glorious Goodness in the Face of Christ and so direct your Hearts into the Love of himself If he be truly loved he will be the more willingly obeyed and truly his Precepts are worthy to be loved too the better they are kept the more truly excellent are those that keep them And themselves are kept in more perfect Peace The Psalmist says My Soul hath kept thy Testimonies and I love them exceedingly Psal 119. 167. and no wonder for he had said before v. 165. Great Peace have they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them Such a Lord such a Law deserves Love and Love will sweeten Service it will not count this Service tedious but mightily incline the Heart to Perseverance in its Duty 5. Let your Fear and Awe of the Lord's Majesty when you attend upon him be joyn'd with an Hope in his Mercy If Fear and Hope are thus joyned together as you will be the more encouraged in God so God will take the more Pleasure in you For the Lord takes Pleasure in them that fear him and in those that hope in his Mercy Psal â—47 11. The Mercy of God is magnified in his Word on purpose that Hope may be raised and rise still higher and higher This Lord on whom you ought to attend is rich in Mercy His merciful Kindness is great Psal 117. 2. He has Mercy not upon the account of Merit in Man but because he will have Mercy Rom. 9. 18. And how often is it said Psal 136. that his Mercy endures for ever Here is a large and firm Foundation for Hope to build on And if your Hope be not presumptuous but of a purifying Nature you may from such a merciful Lord confidently expect that Grace and those good things you need in time And when your short time is at an end the best things of all unto eternity I have done with the second Doctrine Doct. III. I come now to the third and last Doctrine which I principally design to insist on That Attendance upon the Lord should be without Distractien 'T is not only Apostacy from the Faith and the Practice of Religion which the Apostle bids us to take heed of which is a more gross departing away from God but he cautions against any Withdrawings of Heart from that Lord with whom we have to do Therefore in a time of Distress and Persecution he prefers a single State before Wedlock not that Marriage in it self considered has any thing of Sin in it for 't is honourable in all not that a single State in it self has any thing of Holiness but because the Cares that attend Marriage are apt to distract the Mind and to hinder the things that belong to the Lord from being cared for as they ought and might be Indeed in the Context there is a plain Intimation that 't is a great part of Christian Prudence so to order our secular Affairs and to make choice of such a Condition of Life as may be most subservient to our spiritual Designs and may least interfere with our main Business which is the Lord's Service that that may be done without Distraction They are pronounced to be the blessed ones who keep God's Testimonies and that seek him with the whole Heart Psal 119. 2. And since the whole Heart must seek him the Thoughts the Affections the all of the Heart must attend upon him nothing of the Soul must be absent or withdrawn The Prophet speaks of the Hearts engaging to approach unto God Jer. 30. 21. For who is this that engageth his Heart to approach unto me Saith the Lord. That the Heart may be thus engaged for God it must be disengaged from other things and all that is within it too must be engaged to approach to him When Moses and the Children of Israel were to go into the Wilderness to serve the Lord They went with their young and old with their Flocks and their herds there was not an Hoof left behind Exod. 10. 26. And when we go to serve our God we should go with our all No Power of our Souls should be exempted not so much as a Thought should be left behind In the handling of this Doctrine I shall First tell you what Distraction in attending upon God is Secondly What it is to attend upon the Lord without Distraction Thirdly Assign the Reasons why with such Care we should take heed of Distraction in serving him Answer in the fourth place some Cases of Conscience about these Distractions Fifthly make Application In the first place I am to tell you what Distraction in attending upon God is 'T is the first Step to the Cure to know our Disease and to have a right Sense of it Several things are here to be premised 1. Distraction is the Fault of the Heart That deceitful and wicked thing how many Faults has it And how often does it withdraw when we have to do with God flying as Jonah from his Presence and being any where but where it should be Indeed sometimes this Distraction does but too visibly and scandalously appear by unnecessary Whisperings by Salutations when Persons are in God's Sanctuary and Service by the wandring of the Eye and other irreverent Carriage and Behaviour in the time of Worship These when ordinarily allowed are plain Indications that the Heart is not in God's Work and which is worse cares not to be engaged therein And how blameworthy then is it It is the Heart which foolishly departs from the Lord. It is not so right and stedfast with him as it should be Psal 78. 8. A Generation that set not their Heart aright and whose Spirit was not stedfast with God has a Brand set
that crawl upon the ground How should you look to the frame of your Spirits when you are before him The Passion of fear calls in the Blood to the Heart that the Vitals may be fortified and truly the Grace of fear will call in the Thoughts of the Heart that Duties performed to so great a Majesty may not be an heedless trifling with him 2. Sequester your selves from other business to intend Prayer the more you are disentangled from your Secular Affairs the more free and fit your Hearts will be to be poured out before the Lord in your supplications The further you step out and off from the World when you come to knock at Heaven Gates the more certainly will the Door be opened to you If Mammon has your Thoughts and Desires when you are praying to God you have a jealousie provoking Idol in your Hearts while in his Presence and how offensive must this needs be to him to see an Idol there where he chuses to dwell One thing says the Psalmist have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after Psal 27. 4. Other things were esteemed worthless comparatively Let not other matters distract you when you are calling upon God that you may pray in Prayer and do nothing else but pray Remember distracted Confessions increase Guilt and Wrath distracted Petitions ask for a denial and distracted Praises will tend very much unto the stopping of the Current of Mercies 3. Be perswaded that the Lord will attentively mind what you pray if you intently mind what you pray for your selves He takes pleasure in uprightness and this Heart-searcher well knows who are sincere and not so much as a Sigh or Groan from a sincere Soul shall be disregarded If you from your Heart cry for Mercy Mercy shall compass you about Psal 32. 10. The Prophet tells us That the Lord hearkned and heard Jer. 8. 6. Indeed most speak not aright they repent not of their wickedness saying what have we done But those who do speak aright and being truly sensible of the evil of their doings fervently pray to have their sins covered and all their defilements purged away The Lord who hearkens so attentively will surely hear all such Cries and in no wise deny what is cryed for Believe the mighty efficacy of fervent Prayer and what rich returns this Trading to Heaven brings in and what Treasures Prayer is a Key to unlock that you may be enriched thereby A sacred coveting these unsearchable Riches will make you mind what you are doing when you are praying to partake of them and the Apostle tells you for your encouragement Rom. 10. 12. There is no difference between the Jew and the Greek for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him 4. Cry earnestly for the holy Spirit of Promise You will never pray aright or to any purpose without his aid The Holy Ghost is called the Spirit of Grace because all true Grace is from him and so are all gracious desires and actings He is also called the Spirit of Supplication all acceptable Confessions Petitions and Thanksgivings are of his enditing And this Spirit is promised and how ready is our heavenly Father to give the Spirit to any that ask him Now we read that he which searcheth the heart knoweth what is the Mind of the Spirit for he maketh intercession for the Saints accorning to the Will of God Rom. 8. 27. Saints Prayers are called the Mind of the Spirit he makes them to be according to the Will of God and that not only as to the matter of them but also as to the manner The Spirit of God at first moved upon the face of the Waters and how many useful Creatures did he produce out of a Chaos of Confusion And if that Spirit move upon your Hearts in Prayer he can keep your Thoughts that they stir not from God and cause Faith and godly Sorrow and Hope Humility and Love to be in actual exercise and the more Grace is exercised Prayer will be the less distracted and more successful 5. Let Vigilancy and watching go before keep pace with Prayer and follow after it Why has a Christian new Eyes and Light but that he might watch with the one and by the other Our Lord joyned watching and praying together Prayer without watching will be heartless watching without Prayer will be insufficient for your security Watching with Prayer makes it more serious and to succeed the better The Apostle says The end of all things is at hand be ye therefore sober and watch unto Prayer 1 Pet. 4. 7. Watching unto Prayer summons the whole Soul with all its Faculties to attend upon God and to prepare to meet him We also read Col. 4. 2. Continue in Prayer and watch in the same with Thanksgiving Watching in Prayer is a mighty help against the Heart's straggling This straggling is the sooner observed and the straggling Thoughts presently reduced And he that watches after Prayer diligently and with all thankfulness observes the Answers of Prayer And thus to do will strongly induce you to give your selves more to Prayer in good earnest and to wrestle with him with whom you do so often prevail The fourth and last Duty I shall mention is Communicating at the Lord's Table and that this may be done with less distraction 1. Let there be more serious self-examination before you engage in that holy Ordinance 1 Cor. 11. 28. But let a Man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. Look into the State of your Souls and your State is good if you know the true God so as to love him and prefer him in your choice before all things besides and if you know Christ so as to rely upon him with consent to be ruled by him as your Lord and Saviour Joh. 17. 3. This is life eternal thus to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he has sent Take great notice also of Remember that Christ himself is really present at his Table and his Eye which is as a flame of fire observes the frame of every heart Fix your Eye upon your own Hearts since Christ's Eye is upon them the present frame of your Hearts that you may know in what Graces they are weakest and what kind of Lustings of the Flesh are aptest to prevail and what things they are which are most likely to distract your Minds and draw away your Hearts when at the Table your watch hereupon will be the stricter and your thoughts will run the more upon the particular Graces that are to be strengthened and upon the sins too which are to be struck more dead by the power of the Death and Crucifixion of Christ Jesus 2. Let the Death of Christ put you in mind what you were and would have been still if he had not died for you you would have been dead in Law under the damnatory Sentence of it and you would have been dead in
encouraging promise of Divine Aid and strengthning Grace Psal 27. 14. Wait on the Lord be of good Courage he shall strengthen thy Heart wait I say on the Lord. Psal 37. 34. Wait on the Lord and keep his way this way is true walking in it is holy and safe and the end is Peace In the handling of this Doctrine I shall First Shew you what is supposed in Man's Attendance upon God Secondly I shall tell you what is implied in this Attendance Thirdly I shall speak of several sorts of Attending upon the Lord. Fourthly I shall assign the Reasons why the Children of Men ought to give their Attendance upon God Fifthly Make Application In the first place I am am to shew you what is supposed in Man's Attendance upon God There are several pre-requisites unto this for Man is not easily perswaded to this Duty though the performance of it prove never so beneficial to him Now that there may be this Attendance 1. Man must firmly believe that there is a God Heb. 11. 6. But without Faith 't is impossible to please him for he that cometh unto God must believe that He is As God is to everlasting so he is from everlasting If he had not ever been and that of himself he would never have been neither could any thing else ever have had a Being Creatures Existence supposes there is a Creator and Attendance upon God supposes there is a God to be attended on The stronger the Assent to this is the greater will be the care to understand how the Attendance may be acceptable The Being of a God there are few that deny in words but there are abundance who deny him in their works even among them who profess to know him Tit. 1. 16. And being so foolish as to say in their Hearts there is no God No wonder that with their hearts they refuse to seek him Man should look upward and see how the Heavens declare the Glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy-work Psal 19. 1. The Visible Creation is not more obvious to the Eye than the Eternal Power and Godhead of him who made all things is clearly to be seen by the Mind of Man Rom. 1. 20. And if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Man will but look into his own Heart he may find this Truth deeply ingraven there that God is therefore the Apostle speaks thus of the Gentiles who had only the Light of Nature Rom. 1. 19. for that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them Let not any go about to obliterate this Truth concerning the Being of a God but undoubtingly credit it for 't is the first Stone in the Foundation of all truly Religious Service and Obedience 2. Man must have a sense that he had his Being from God and was made for him and truly he is made such a Creature that he will never be quite unmade so as to become nothing He is capable of knowing and serving his Maker and enjoying him for ever God has made all Men for himself and some way or other he will secure his own Honour and have Glory from the very worst But as for his own People he has formed bought and new made them for himself that they might shew forth his Praise Isa 43. 21. Man should Eye the Hand that made him and the End for which he was made Our Bodies will be found a curious piece of Divine Workmanship if the contexture variety and use of their parts are considered But though our Flesh is of God's Forming yet in a more immediate manner he is called the Father of our Spirits And wherefore have our Souls a thinking Faculty but that God may be thought of Wherefore have we Memories but that our Creator from our Youth may be remembred And if we live to Gray-hairs he in no wise is to be forgotten Wherefore are we capable of loving desiring and taking delight but that God may be the chief Object of these Affections In him we live and move and have our Being Acts 17. 28. that we might live to him move according to his Will and be indeed his Servants 3. Man must be perswaded that God is rightfully his Ruler and has given him a Law and Commandments by which he is to be governed Mammon and Satan are meer Vsurpers and where they reign they ruin The evil One is to be resisted not obeyed and Man was made to have Dominion over the Creatures not to be enslaved by them But God is Man's Sovereign by Right and may lay upon Man what Commands he pleases but has given them none but what are holy just and good Rom. 7. 12. And the better these are obeyed Man becomes more holy just and good himself and partakes more of the Divine Nature Would we attend upon God We must have respect unto his Commands David plainly intimates the gain of Obedience when he says more are they to be esteemed than Gold yea than much fine Gold He signifies the pleasure of Obedience when he adds sweeter also than the hony and the hony comb Psal 19. 10. 4. Man must be convinced that by sin he has departed from God and has justly incurred his displeasure The natural distance between God and Man as a Creature must ever remain God is and will be for ever infinitely above and superiour even to those that are in Heaven he humbles himself to behold the things that are there Psal 113. 6. But the moral distance that is between God and Man or the enmity that Sin is the cause of may be made to cease When Man attends upon God he should come with deep sense how he has provoked him that he is by Nature a Child of Wrath Eph. 2. 3. and in his practise a Rebel and as he has acted like one so he deserves to be dealt with as an Enemy When the Syrians came to the King of Israel they had Sackcloth on their Loins and Ropes on their Heads 1 Kings 20. 32. They had newly been in Arms against him and now they declare how ill they deserved to be treated by him For offenders to approach unto God without any trouble for their offences 't is not to Attend upon him but to Affront him Those are his own words Wo to them for they have fled from me destruction unto them because they have transgressed against me Hos 7. 13. And hear the Language of the penitent Church Lam. 5. 16. The Crown is fallen from our Head wo to us that we have sinned When we come for Mercy we must be sensible that Mercy is undeserved and that confusion of Face belongs to us Dan. 9. 8. A penitential Acknowledgment there should be that we have been foolish disobedient deceiâ—ed that we have served divers Lusts and Pleasures and in our selves are so hateful to God that we are unworthy to be admitted into the number of his Attendants 5. Man must hear the Call of God to return to
6. And the People of God are so strengthned revived and delighted and have such sensible Communion with him as that they speak out their Joy and Satisfaction v. 9. Lo this is our God and we have waited for him he will save us this is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoice in his Salvation Those are dangerously pufft up with Pride and Self-conceit that think themselves above Ordinances and 't is not a commendable Humility for them that desire the spiritual Benefit of Ordinances to imagine that Ordinances are above them They are in no wise to be neglected for they are the golden Pipes Zach. 4. 12. which convey the Grace of the Spirit compared to Oyl into the Hearts of Men. And as Attenders upon God are found in the way of his Ordinances so they observed diligently God's dealing with them They take notice how he looks upon them whether there are Smiles or Frowns in his Face they regard what God speaks whether it be by way of Counsel Caution Rebuke or Comfort they heed what the Spirit says to them and what Communications of Grace are vouchsafed They are attentive to regard the works of the Lord and to consider the operation of his hands Does he afflict they turn to him that smites them and desire to be more fully instructed and more thorowly purged Isa 27. 9. Does he load them with Benefits they are affected with his loving-kindness and sensible how obligations grow stronger to praise and please him 7. Attending upon God implies expecting all from him From this one Fountain flow the Streams of all sorts of Blessings In our Father's House there is Bread enough and to spare and how many soever are received and attend there there is room for more and not only room but Entertainment The Apostle though he was as having nothing yet had such a confident expectation from God as if he had all things in possession 2 Cor. 6. 10. as having nothing and yet possessing all things He assures the believing Philippians that God would supply all their needs according to his Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus Phil. 4. 19. The Psalmist in danger and calamity betakes himself to the mercy of God and the shadow of his Wings for refuge and cries unto him as the most High who performed all things for him Psal 57. 1 2. Who questions whether the Sun be full of Light whether the Ocean abound with Water Much less reason is there to question God's Power and Will to answer the expectations of his People that attend upon him It is his pleasure that they should wait upon him for every thing and knock at his door whatever they have to ask Abounding in hope is acceptable to God and will not issue in disappointment Therefore says David Psal 71. 14. But I will hope continually and will yet praise thee more and more 8. Attending upon God implies readiness to do whatever he Commands and to engage at his bidding in any Service Nominal Attendants will cry Lord Lord but real ones will do the things which he says There are an innumerable company of Angels who excel in strength who wait on God and those do his Commandments hearkning to the Voice of his Word Psal 103. 20. That they may fulfill their Maker's Pleasure they minister to them that shall be Heirs of Salvation Heb. 1. 14. Attendance includes a disposition to yield Obedience 'T is thus expressed Psal 119. 48. My Hands will I lift up to thy Commandments which I have loved The lifting up the Hands shews a forwardness to receive whatever Command God shall give and a readiness to set about the doing whatever he requires That 's becoming Language Speak Lord for thy Servant heareth and he that is truly a Servant will act according to what he hears his Lord speaking and he will not give back though he is put upon the hardest and hottest Service Abraham rose early in the Morning to obey God's Command to offer up his Son Isaac And the Lord sware to him by himself because he had not with-held his Son his only Son from him that in blessing he would bless him Gen. 22. 16 17. 'T is a temper of Mind in which God delights when his Attendants resolve to Obey without any exception 1 Sam. 15. 22. Hath the Lord as great delight in Burnt-offering and Sacrifices as in obeying the Voice of the Lord Behold to Obey is better than Sacrifice and to hearken than the Fat of Rams 9. Attending upon God implies giving Glory to his Name and acknowledging that his is the Kingdom and the Power Though the Offerings and Sacrifices enjoyned by the Law are to be offered no more Christ who was typified by those Sacrifices having offered up himself once for all and put away Sin by the Sacrifice of himself yet under the New Testament Dispensation Attendants upon God have their Sacrifices to offer they must present themselves a living Sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is their reasonable Service Rom. 12. 1. and says the Apostle Heb. 13. 15. By Him therefore by Christ Jesus let us offer the Sacrifice of Praise to God continually that is the fruit of our Lips giving thanks to his Name Those glorious Spirits which attend above and surround the Throne in the Heavenly Kingdom Praise is their perpetual employment and to their Eternal Joy and Delight they find perpetual reason for it Worthy is the Lord to receive Glory and Honour and Power for he has created all things and for his Pleasure they are and were created Worthy also is the Lamb that was slain to receive the same and therefore Blessing and Honour and Glory and Power be unto him that sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb for ever Rev. 4. 11. 5. 13. This Service of Thanksgiving the Lord much insists on is well-pleased with and accounts himself glorified by Psal 113. 1 2 3. Praise ye the Lord Praise O ye Servants of the Lord Praise the Name of the Lord Blessed be the Name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore from the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same the Lord's Name is to be praised Behold also how acceptable thankful Attendants are Psal 69. 30 31. I will praise the Name of God with a Song and will magnifie him with Thanksgiving this also shall please the Lord better than an Ox or Bullock that hath Horns and Hoofs And this is our way of Glorifying God who is so infinitely Glorious that to his Glory no addition can be made but only a Declaration and Acknowledgment made of it and when these Acknowledgments are largest it must be confessed that he is exalted above all Blessings and Praise 10. Attendance upon God implies a continuing to follow him Holy David says his Ears were opened or boared to hearken to God's Voice Psal 40. 6. Here is an Allusion unto the Israelitish Servant who was so well in his Master's House that
he refused to go out free at the year of release and had his Ear boared with an Awl to the Post of the Door to signifie his resolution to serve his Master continually To profess Service to the Lord and then to depart from him is highly to reproach and dishonour him and in effect to say that fleshly and worldly Lusts are better Lords than He 't is more notoriously to despise him and to harden others in their contempt of him and of his Word and Commandments Attenders upon God give not over following him in all those ways he has commanded them to walk in They follow on to know him they follow him fully and being upheld with the right hand of his Righteousness their Souls follow hard after him Psal 63. 8. And whom should they follow to whom else should they go The Lord has the words of Eternal Life He alone has Grace and Honour and Glory and all good things else to give and to go away from him is to lose all this and to tread the path which leads to Eternal Death Attenders upon God cannot change their Lord but they must change for the worse nay the very best for the very worst of all therefore they are unchangeably his stedfast and unmovable always abiding and abounding in his Work and Service In the third place I am to speak of several sorts of Attending upon God It will be needful to insist particularly on these that you may have a more distinct understanding of your Duty in the Extent and Latitude of it The Scripture makes a great difference between Attendance and Attendance upon God so that there are diverse kinds of it as shall be manifested in these following Distinctions I. There is an Attendance upon God which is with the lips and body only and that which is with the Heart also I begin with this distinction to prevent Hypocrisie and Formality in Religious Duties whereby the Jealous God is so much provoked and Professors deceive others but principally cheat and ruine their own Souls 1. An Attendance which is with the lips and body only God by the Prophet spake against this and by his own Son shews the vanity of it and how displeasing 't is to him Mat. 15. 7 8. Ye Hypocrites well did Esaias prophesie of you saying This People draweth near unto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their heart is far from me The body indeed is to give Attendance as being the Temple of the Spirit The Tongue is then most Angelical and Man's Glory when most enlargedly it does confess to God call upon and praise and magnifie his Name But if when the eyes are lift up towards Heaven the hands are stretched forth with great eagerness the knees bowe with seeming Humility and Devotion and the words of the mouth are serious and holy and with appearing fervency all this while the heart keeps aloof and at a distance from God values not his love his grace or Communion with him but goes after its pleasures lusts and covetousness Alas Here is only a dead and rotten carcass of a Duty without a Soul and 't is very loathsom and abominable In all Religious Performances if the heart does not at all care to draw near 't is certain the Lord will not draw near neither as to his gracious presence And if God be not found in the Duty nor the Heart of the performer found there how unprofitable must the performance needs be 2. There is an Attendance upon God not with the Body only but with the Heart also He speaketh unto us as unto Children and saith My Son give me thy heart Prov. 23. 26. Give him never so much without this you give him nothing that he cares for The Heart does the chief part in the pure and acceptable Worship of God The Heart must keep his Commandments else they are not kept Prov. 3. 1. My Son forget not my Law but let thy Heart keep my Commandments The Psalmist lifted up his very Soul to God Psal 25. 1. this the Lord look'd at and liked Those Graces which are to be acted in Attendance upon God as Faith and holy Reverence Love Desire and Hope and such like the Heart is the Seat of them and 't is by the Heart that they are exercised And when the Heart being cleansed from its Defilements and weaned from the Allurements of this World draws very near to God and God also draws very near these his nearer approaches how reviving how healing and confirming are they When the Spirit of a Saint does before the time in a sense return to God who gave it and converse with him in the heavenly places that converse how high and joyful and beneficial is it found When Moses came down from the Mount where he had been with God his Face did shine and when the Heart has been above in Heaven a clearer light does shine into it and 't is more gloriously transformed into the Divine Image and Nature II. There is an Attendance upon God which is voluntary and which is through constraint and forced 1. An Attendance which is voluntary When God by his powerful Grace inclines and determines the Will to himself so that He is chosen and his special Favour and Blessings are valued above all things A mighty strength is put forth and yet without coaction in bending the Will of Man towards God and to his Will which naturally is so perverse and obstinate in Evil that 't is fitly compared to an Iron Sinew What a Power is it which makes it pliable Psal 110. 3. Thy People shall be willing in the day of thy Power And when to will is thus wrought the Heart is then enlarged and at liberty to come to God and to do its Duty There is a renewed Nature which is principium motus a principle of spiritual Motion This is notably expressed Zach. 8. 21. And the Inhabitants of one City shall go to another saying let us go speedily to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of Hosts I will go also The like temper we find Jer. 50. 5. They shall ask the way to Zion with their Faces thitherward saying come and let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that shall not be forgotten 2. There is an Attendance which is through constraint and forced The Heart is not right with God nor taken with himself at all But pressing necessity drives the Soul to him for some benefit which none but he can bestow Or there are some indications of God's Anger and Displeasure The effects of which they which attend upon him feel or fear whereupon they are forced to cry for mercy Such kind of Attenders were those Psal 78. 34 35 36 37. When he slew them then they sought him they returned and enquired early after God they remembered that God was their Rock and the high God their Redeemer Nevertheless they did flatter him with their Mouth and lyed unto him
fear him all ye the Seed of Israel See also Psal 105. 3 4. Glory ye in his holy Name let the Heart of them rejoyce that seek the Lord Seek the Lord and his Strength seek his Face evermore And as the word of God calls for this so the Providence of God seconds his Precepts The dispensing of mercies calls upon us to attend the Father of them with our Praises And afflictions should quicken us in our seeking God he requires this Psal 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me And he reckons upon it that he should hear from his People when his chastning was upon them Hos 5. 15. I will go and return to my place till they acknowledge their offence and seek my Face in their affliction they will seek me early 3. God sees whether there be an attendance upon himself and after what manner and that with a jealous eye And this is another strong reason for our attending on him The Lord looks down from Heaven upon the Children of Men to this very end that he may see if there be any that understand and seek God Psal 53. 2. so that he very strictly observes how Mens Hearts are affected towards him and his Service and he cannot but be very much displeased with the whole Race of fallen Man because Rom. 3. 10 11. There is none Righteous no not one there is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God The Lord takes notice how Days and Weeks and Months and Years go over Mens Heads and yet that God from whom they have their all they seek not to for any thing neither return they any thanks to him how much soever they receive from him And those who attend upon God he observes the manner how they do it and heartless Duties doing the work of the Lord deceitfully provokes and kindles the Fire of his Jealousie Mal. 1. 14. Cursed be the deceiver who having a Male in his Flock voweth and sacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing The second Commandment which directs us as to Divine Worship makes mention that the Lord is a jealous God He cannot endure to have his Service neglected as if there were no profit or reward in seeking him He cannot endure a negligent Service As if he were an Idol as if he had Eyes but did not see or take notice who they are that mock him God's Omniscience and all-seeing Eye struck a great awe upon the Apostle it made him draw near to God and it made him very serious when he had to do with him Heb. 4. 13. Neither is there any Creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and opened unto the Eyes of him with whom we have to do 4. Man's necessities should constrain him to attend upon God Sin has made the Children of Men in the worst sense poor and needy they fancy themselves rich and dream of fulness but behold 't is only a dream for they are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Now for the supply of their needs 't is in vain to have recourse to any but God The broken Cisterns can hold no Water and cannot furnish them with any that run to them but there is enough in the Fountain of living Waters for all that repair to it An experienced attender upon God knew how to be furnished with every thing Psal 57. 2. I will cry unto God most high unto God who performeth all things for me And the Apostle speaks with a most reasonable confidence Psal 4. 19. My God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus The one thing needful is alone from God and from him are all things else His Kingdom and Righteousness he bestows on them that seek him and all things else shall be added Matt. 6. 33. Man has beggar'd himself as to the true Riches he is a meer Bankrupt In him that is in his Flesh dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7. 18. and that which is born of the flesh is flesh wholly carnal till there be a regeneration by the Spirit How shall Man who is so very evil be made truly good All true Grace and Goodness is from God who is therefore called the God of all Grace 1 Pet. 5. 10. and 't is through Christ that 't is all communicated Therefore every good thing in Believers is said to be in them in Christ Jesus Philem. ver 6. Man has need to come to God for he has ruined himself and 't is the Lord alone to whom Salvation belongs Man has destroyed himself in God is his help found Hos 13. 9. Those whom the Lord saves not must needs perish 5. Man's Obligations to attend upon God are still increasing The Lord causes his Sun to arise upon the evil as well as the good upon the unrighteous as well as the righteous Matt. 5. 45. He is kind to the unthankful and the evil Luke 6. 35. God's Bounty calls for a return of Duty and should quicken Man to seek the Lord who is so abundant in Goodness In God's hand Man's breath is and every time he breaths God saves his Life from God's hand he receives whatever he has How strictly is Man engaged to acknowledge God in all to serve him and to glorifie his Name Even those that are bad have experience of the riches of Divine Goodness and Forbearance and Long-suffering and though this goodness is but common yet offers are made to them of special Grace All the day long the Lord stretches forth his hand to the disobedient and gain-saying and in that hand are no less than the good things of Time and of Eternity The wickedest and worst of Men if they consent to leave their wicked ways and to have their wicked hearts changed and come to God they shall graciously be accepted be abundantly pardoned and have the best things bestowed on them God is ready to give Grace to them that have none and to give more Grace where he has already wrought it 6. Promises are precious that are made to attenders upon God and threatnings are terrible against Contemners of God who refuse to attend upon him Thus the Lord works upon those two great commanding things in the Soul of Man his Hope and his Fear that he may have Service from him If we draw near to God he promises to draw nigh to us James 4. 8. and his approaches to his People are the manifestations of his Pitty and Power for their help and supply the communications of that Grace which may be suitable and sufficient in the time of need He says not to the Seed of Jacob seek ye me in vain Moses supposes Israel apostatizing from their God by Idolatry and his anger waxed hot against them and themselves scattered among the Nations Yet says he If from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God thou shalt find him if thou seek him with all
all should run this way as to a matter of the mightiest importance and concernment Here if we are undistractedly serious and sincere all is safe and that both throughout time and to Eternity But if Attendance upon God be either neglected or negligently given though we are never so intent and industrious about other things our Souls and all our labour will be lost together In this Chapter a little before the Text the Apostle admonishes the Corinthian Saints of the shortness of time of the transitoriness of this present World and then informs them what kind of Attendance upon himself God required and expected from them 1. His Admonition concerning Time is startling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Time is contracted to a little space An allusion here is to Sails which are no longer spread but bound up when the Ship is just come to the Harbour The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also signifies to wind up a Body in Grave clothes that it may be fit for the Sepulchre Time is thus ready to be wound up continually and to be buried as it were in Eternity compared with this 't is but as a drop to the whole Ocean and this very drop is ever wasting Time is a short thing in a continual Flux and every moment growing shorter Other things are of the less value because they can be enjoyed but a little while the Epithet Temporal or lasting only for a season being added to the greatest Wealth the highest Pleasures nay to Diadems and Kingdoms makes them fall in the esteem of a discerning Judgment But the worth of Time is enhanced by the brevity of it The day of Salvation the accepted time in which we and our attendance upon God may be accepted of cannot extend beyond the limits of the time of life Now we must make Peace with God work out our own Salvation and provide for Eternity this must be done now or never There is not a moment of time but is too good to be lost there is Service and work enough to do in it and to lose all our time is everlastingly to lose our selves 2. The Apostle speaks of the Worlds transitoriness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fashion of the World passes away Mammon is but a sorry Master and really is unworthy of that numerous attendance and mighty respect which is given to him Sin has made man foolish and the world vain And 't is an undeniable argument of Man's Folly that a vain World is so much minded which is so apt to fade and change As Scenes in a Comedy or Tragedy alter and quickly I borrow a similitude from what I am far from approving the last Act comes and the Play is at an end so this World is continually varying Now there appears one and a little after quite and clean another Face of things The Face of the Sky is not more mutable than the state of humane Affairs And thus 't is likely to be to the World's End when the Earth and the works that are therein shall be burnt up That God whom Christians attend upon is unchangeable and so is his love to them and the inheritance they expect hereafter is incorruptible and fadeth not away But they themselves are Strangers and Pilgrims in this World and should behave themselves as Passengers that are travelling towards a better World And as for their Enjoyments by the way they should love them as being about to leave them Joy should be moderate in the fruition of them and when they are taken away Sorrow should not be excessive nor transgress the Bounds of Grace and Reason 3. The Apostle as a Man well acquainted with the Court of Heaven directs Believers Attendance upon the Lord who dwells and reigns there He is very careful not to cast a Snare upon the Corinthians nor to impose upon Conscience what God does not Papal Authority is Audacious and Antichristian and makes bold to Command and that upon the highest Penalty what the Lord never required But the Apostle abhors spiritual Vsurpation He would have all observe what God called them to and in every condition to abide with God and to attend upon the Lord without Distraction In the words take notice 1. Of the Lord with whom we have to do The Eyes of Servants are to their Masters and the Eyes of Worshippers should be to the Lord whom they adore and if they had a greater respect to this holy One what an influence would it have upon their Lives and Services The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord in the New Testament is put for Jehovah in the Old The God whom Christians acknowledge is the Lord Jehovah who has his Being of himself and has Dominion over all 2. Observe what this Lord requires and calls for and that is attendance upon him The Greek word which the Holy Ghost uses is very significant and emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implies access unto God and abiding with him and being sit for and well-pleased with both the one and the other 3. Who are to attend upon the Lord All Men do owe Homage and Service to him which is their Honour and Interest to pay But those who are his own Children and People are by special obligations and favour called to this duty and priviledge of attending upon their God and they have a new Principle and Nature which inclines them to it 4. Here is a direction as to the manner of attending on the Lord it must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without distraction Plutarch calls that Studium sapientiae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the study of Wisdom without Distraction when nothing is able to call away the Mind and make it cease that study In attending upon God there must be intention in the mind a full bent of the heart with strength of affection and desire not to be diverted much less to be extinguished All other business comparatively must be lookt upon as trivial attendance upon the Lord must be with the greatest seriousness I raise three Doctrines from the words First The Children of Men ought to attend upon God this the Text plainly supposes Secondly In attending upon God we should look upon him as the Lord and serve him accordingly Thirdly Attendance upon the Lord should be without Distraction Doct. I. I begin with the first of these Doctrines The Children of Men ought to attend upon God The Heaven of Heavens is his Throne and he is attended on by thousands and ten thousands of glorious and holy Ones who minister unto him and stand before him And yet upon Earth which is his Footstool he calls for Attendance too for he rejoices in the habitable parts of the Earth and his delights are with the Sons of Men who understand him and themselves so well as to seek after him He requires continually to be waited on Hos 12. 6. Therefore turn thou to thy God keep Mercy and Judgment and wait on thy God continually Injunctions to wait are reiterated with the