more Sweetness in one hour's Fellowship with God in his House than in all the pleasures of sin for a whole Life-time See what plentiful Provision the Lord makes and invites us to there Isa 25. â— fat and marrowed things and wine upon the lees No Cook dresses such meat no Tavern sells such drink The Lord in his House makes such provision as abundantly exceeds what is to be found in any other and those that seriously attend there do find abundant satisfaction therein Psal 36. 8. And as for matter of Honour none like that which God puts â—pon them who honour him as all diligent conscientious waiters upon him in his House eminently do It is their glory to come near him and behold his Glory and there as in the Context ver 11. he gives glory and that is true Honour indeed It is the Honour and Glory of Angels to be waiting upon God in his upper House of Glory of Men to wait upon him in his lower house of the vissble Church where we may both see speak of and partake in his Glory To be admitted unto near approaches to God in his House is a greater Honour dignity than to be admitted to stand before converse with the greatest Potentates upon earth If then account themselvs much honour'd by the Company of great men much more Honour is it to be in the Company and dwell in the House of the Great God And that which commends the good things of God's House to â—â— above all other is that they are soul-Blessings soul-profit soul-pleasures c. Now as much as the Soul is better than all the world so much does soul-profit exceed all other profits whatsoever A little soul-good is infinitly better than a great deal of worldly good and consequently soul-loss is the worst loss Suppose you should gain a little worldly profit or pleasure while you might have been at a Sermon yet you lose soul-profit pleasure the while then your loss exceeds your gain Suppose you should be filling your purse by the one you are thinning your souls by the other you get bodily refreshment comfort c but you lose soul-benefit and souls-pining will not be recompensed by your estates-thriveing Isa 55. 3. hear and your souls shall live work toyl labour and your bodies may live tho' possibly they mayn't neither but hear and your souls shall certainly assuredly everlastingly live If men would but consider that they have souls and thereupon study the worth of them til they find the preference of their souls to their bodies they would then prefer soul-enrichments in God's House above all worldly profit or pleasure in their own but while men are carnal sensual and bruitish minding only their bodies and those things that do concern their bodies this Argument will neither be understood by them nor be prevalent with them Oh pray the Father of spirits the God that hath made us these souls that he would also make us to know what our souls be and what is the Concernment of our souls above all other Considerations in the world then we should realize that the enlightning of the soul converting of the soul restoring of the soul Satisfying the hungerings and thristings of the soul strengthening us with strength in our soul communion with the dearly beloved of our souls and making our souls to rejoyce in Him the universal prosperity of our souls and Salvation of our souls at last all which good things are to be attained in God's House are the Best of all blessings and consequently the attending on God there the most profitable and delightful of all duties and by many Thousand degrees eligible before all other Imployment whatsoever More particularly these that follow are some of those things to be gotten in the House of God that are a Thousand times better than what are to be had else where e. g. 1. Here is the word of God the powerful enlightening converting sanctifying saving word of God to be heard and the efficacy of it to be felt and experienced the Word preached which is the wisdome of God and the power of God to salvation Rom 1. 16. 1. Cor. 1. 18. 24. The Word by which blind eies are enlightened deaf ears opened dead souls quickned unconverted ones converted unbelievers brought to the Faith of Christ Act. 26 18 Dayes of being in the House of God are dayes of power in which God is wont by his Word to speak to the Hearts of poor needy waiters upon him and makes sinners a willing people Psal 110. 3. Here David met with that Word which was more worth to him thaâ— Thousands of silver and Gold and more sweet than the Honey and the Honey comb Psal 19. 10. with 119. 103. He that brings his Heart not his body only as many do to the House of God and laies it under the droppings of God's Word there he by so doing laies himself in the way of Light and Life and puts his soul under the Influence of an Ordinance appointed by God for the conveying of all spiritual good to him it being the Lord's way to do all by his Word If any of you come to the House of God on a Sabbath day and there God meet with you and bring your souls within the Net of the Gospel and save you then you will say it was the best way of spending Time that ever you met with If the Lord shall please to draw you off from your worldly Occasions and allure you into his House upon a Lecture-day and there speak to your Hearts and by his Spirit work upon you for your souls everlasting Good you will then be as so many living Monuments of the Truth of this Doctrine you will have the Witness in your selves and be able to set your seals to the experienced verity thereof 2. Here is the best Company to be had and such as is a Thousand Times better than what you will meet with else where And Company is a very attracting thing for the sake of good-fellowship falsly so called is many an hour and many a good day in God's House lost whereas here is that which is truly and deservedly called Good-fellowship Here God Father Son and Spirit are to be seen and Conversed with the Vision of and Fellowship with God are the great things here to be enjoyed It s â—â—ue God may be seen and conversed with elswhere but not in that manner and measure as here nor at all savingly by those that may but will not wait upon him here They have seen his goings in the Sanctuary Psal 68. 24. and so may we the sight of that Beauty which David there desired Psal 27. 4. is free for us also This is eminently a Place of drawing near to God and if you engage your hearts to draw â—ear to him there he will there meet you and bless you Exod. 20. 24. Now if you can fare so well in the House of God as to get a light of him
should be clothed had forgotten all their secular business enjoyments their Company and Comforts their Friends Families nay they took no care for so much as a place where to lay there Heads did not once speak of a Tabernacle for themselves only for Christ and each of the glorious company these would build a Tabernacle and as for themselves they accounted Christ meat and drink and Tabernacle too so were they transported and filled with that ineffable Glory of Christ who is all in all Thus in the Mountain of the House of God doth the Lord Jesus reveal and Communicate himself as the soul-satisfying all-filling Good Hence in the close of that Psalm where you have a Record of the Glorious things spoken of in God's House Psal 87. 8. there is this Epiphonema added All my springs are in thee They are either the words of the Spirit of God speaking in his own Name to shew us that in his House are lay'd up and in the Word and Ordinances of the same are held forth and conveyed the waters of Life all the springs of Grace Peace Comfort yea of all Good whatsoever are there to be had All is there Or they are the words of a gracious Heart spoken by the same Spirit implying thus much that all the springs of his Edification and Consolation as well as of his Regeneration are there Or that he hath no Gift or Grace Joy or Comfort or any Good worthy of his notice or mention saâ—â— what he has there and are conveyed to him from thence Other men have other Comforts and in other wayes they have other Cisterns and Wells I cannot call them springs at least not living springs because they often fail will utterly fail in their greatest need but here the sincere believing soul finds all his Springs such as yield him all desireable Good Of this same spirit was devout old Simeon Luk. 2. 25 30. who when by the Spirit 's conduct he was brought to the Temple and there met with Jesus Christ he took him in his Arms and and blest God and said now let me depart in peace c. As if he had said with Jacob when he heard of Joseph It is enough now let me die I am satisfied farewell vain world with all the seeming splendor and pretended glory of the same let me now close mine eies after this sight I care for nothing else nor is there any other object that I can now be willing to lend so much as a look unto this Glory of the people Israel as he calls him ver 32. hath eclipsed the lustre and stained the beauty of all other glory I am abundantly replenished with this Sight so that my full soul loathes all other sweets whatsoever the whole world yea life it self is now nothing to me let me now go immediatly to the place of perfect Vision Fruition where I shall everlastingly uninterruptedly be satisfied with his likeness Here also may you enjoy the Communion of Saints Psa 122. 4. and you will meet with no such Company else where 3. Here is Grace to be gotten first-Grace after-Grace more Grace renewed Grace restoring Grace all manner of Grace and such measure thereof as the Lord hath in his Infinite Wisdom and Counsel appointed the Subjects of Grace to attain to The Ordinances of this House of God are ordained and blessed by him both for the gathering in or bringing home of the Elect and also for the perfecting of the Saints and edifying the mystical body of Christ Ephes 4. 12 13. Here Faith is infused by the word of Faith precious Faith as it is called 2. Pet. 1. 1. by the same meanes nourished strengthened and increased the like we might say of Love Hope and the rest Now Grace is the best good one drop of Grace better than an Ocean of Wealth and consequently a day where Grace is going better than a Thousand dayes in the Midst of the Confluence of all other Good things Here are those born that are new-born Psal 87. 5. Jerusalem is called the Mother Gal. 4. 26. and there God doth the part of a Father to beget souls to Himself there the Spirit who breathes where it lists lists to breathe unto Regeneration Joh. 3. 5 8. and the place of a man's New-birth is to be preferred before the place of his Birth men naturally love their Native Soyl but much more doth the spiritual man affect delight in the place and meanes of his Conversion God values the Gates of Sioâ— beyond all Comparison more than he doth any or all other places See Psal 76. 2. with 87. 2. 132. 12 13. and not without just cause it being dignified with his Presence beautified with his Grace and filled with his Glory above all other places Now the Saints bearing the Image of their Heavenly Father by whom they are there of his own Will by the word of his Truth begotten Jam. 1. 18. have like Affection for and set like price upon the same And being begotten here they are maintained here also All the good of the world is no better than Husks to the Prodigal Soul-bread is only to be had in the Father's house As the Breast is the life of the new born child and by a natural Instinct he hunts and winds and cries after it so Word and Ordinances in God's House are the nourishment the food the life of the New Creature which he therefore prizes and desires after 1. Pet. 2. 2 sets his Heart unto and deservedly because they are his very life Deut 23. 47. And indeed could we but realize that the Word of God is as most certainly it is our Life we need no other conviction of the worth of it above all other things consequently that being in the House of God where that is despensed is many a Thousand times better and more advantagious than to be any where else The world finds us variety of Business Avocations but if the Word preached be seen to be of such Concernment we have a ready Answer to to give here is this and that may be done but we must live Life is better than food and â—aiment and Estates Tell an hungry or a thirsty man that 's ready to perish never so many fair stories set off with the highest Rhetorical flourishes embellished with oratorical Elegancies sweetned with the most pleasing strains of Wit play him a fitt of Musick sing him the most pleasant song you can think of hee 'll tell you the Belly has no eares all this is not meat I must eat and drink or dye The right understanding of the worth of God's Word in his House as it is our appointed food so our life would make us deaâ— to all the Syren-songs that the world or the Devil the prince of it could sing us whose design is only to delude and destroy us we should despise and with indignation turn away from that business that would draw â—s away from
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