AN HELP TO BETTER HEARTS, FOR BETTER TIMES: Endeavoured in several Sermons. WHEREIN, The zeal and fervency required in God's service is declared, several hindrances discovered, and suitable helps provided: all out of God's treasury, brought forth at this time, with earnest desire, and in hope to revive the memory, and reinforce the practise of the people to whom they were presented, and for more public use, if the Lord please. By John Angier, Pastor at Denton-Chappel in Lancashire. Imprimatur, Edm. Calamy PSAL. 11●. 2 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power. Psal. 40.8. I delight to do thy will O my God. Isa. 64.5. Thou meetest him that rejoiceth, and worketh righteousness. joh 4.34. My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. Act 20 24. Neither count I my life dear to myself, so that I might finish my course with joy. joh. 2.17. The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. LONDON, Printed by A. M. for Christopher Meredith, at the Sign of the Crane in Paul's Churchyard, 1647. TO MY BELOVED PEOPLE, THE Inhabitants of Denton, and Haughton, and the places adjacent. Beloved, THere wanted not strength of discouragement to stifle this weak birth, but the thoughts of my heart, thorough divine assistance, gave strength of encouragement to bring forth; My heart told me, how much the Saints have blessed God, for the pious, and plain books of the godly, which were more hearty, and less specious, breathing Christ crucified, and hearts crucified, and what a power my soul hath found, in that plainness and simplicity, wherein they have sent abroad their pious, practical discourses, as in their native dress. An over-bearing flood of thoughts followed, speaking out the cause I have to set up, some such pillar of thankfulness to my God, who carried the work of my Ministry, thorough inhibitions, suspension, excommunications, in time of the height of the power, and persecution of the Bishops; Though I might not run the race of one year at Ringly-Chappel, whether I was first called: and in that imperfect year was twice inhibited: though in nine or ten years at Denton Chappel, I preached not above two separated years, (to my best remembrance) without interruption, and in that time was twice excommunicated; Though Sabbath-Assemblies were sundry times distractedly, and sorrowfully broken up, and my departure f●●m habitation and people, often forced, no means left in sight of return, yet thorough the fervent prayers of the Church, (whereto these hard afflictions were apparently serviceable,) God was graciously and effectually moved, continually to renew liberty, as they continually interrupted it, they shut, and God opened, they shut, and God opened, till God would no more be troubled with them, but took the keys of power, out of the hands of upstart proud Shebna, to give them to outed, despised, faithful El●akim. And no less cause have I to set a star of observation (to advantage God's pra se,) upon divine providence, preserving to admiration my * The like mercy God shown me, when the Parley of Derbey lay about Manchester almost a we●k, though the plundering Soldiers went as f●rre some other ways, yet God turned them from us, and gave us leave to keep the Nationall ●ast in ●●blique, t●● very w●●. house, study, and papers, when some of Prince rupert's plundering forces passed nigh the door, in the year of our heavy visitation, when his whole Army entered Stockport, within three miles of us, and no opportunity left for removing any thing, nor any durst stay in the house; to him we committed all by prayer, and at our return we found nothing wanting, not a door opened, not a window broken; Though in times past, scarce a year passed but I was driven from home, yet in these troubles I have rested at home, thorough the multitude of his mercies all the time, save one Month, when the Prince's forces ranged and reigned in our Country; My soul shall make her boast in the Lord, the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together, Psal. 34.2, 3. For your sakes also, having found help from God, to labour so long and suffer so much, I was willing to combat with mine own discouragements unto victory. God hath kept you hitherto, blessed, blessed be his name, in truth, piety, love and peace, to my great comfort and encouragement, in all my troubles and straightness, in outward, and earthly respects: but I am afraid, out of the abundance of my love to you, and care for you, in these dangerous times, (wherein many evil spirits are let lose, for * I lo●k upon the distempers of these times, as a sharp correction to godly Ministers, for their humiliation, and better preparation for some other work, as an effectual temptation to the people, to discover those corruptions: that being covered with the cloak of profession, have lived and grown under powerful Ordinances, and as a sign and means of the removing of the Gospel, at le●st by such instruments to desolate places, the work of his servants fa●●●●g, God will provide new, and when wanton people are we●r ed with their own ways, the ways of God will be the more precious. affliction to godly painful Preachers, and for temptation to their hearers) lest you being led away by the error of the wicked, should fall from your own steadfastness; and do therefore pray, and endeavour, that you may grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ. If the quickening spirit shall quicken your affections and graces, unto duties of communion with Christ, the fountain of life (the matter laboured in preaching and printing these Sermons,) he will quicken those duties to be condu●●-pip s of life: whereas, in ordinary experience, dead hearts are suited with dead and unfruitful Ordinances, the sad and dangerous experience of the present times. I have sadly observed, after the beginning of these unexpested, glorious, joyful times of liberty, after some more lively springings, and workings, both of hearts and Ordinances, when the light broke out of darkness, and liberty out of bondage, great deadness hath fallen, continued, and increased, upon both hearts and Ordinances; A main reason I take to be this, the sharpening, and whetting afflictions of the Church, which forced their graces, unto frequent and fervent exercise, in holy duties, being removed, they have remitted their fervency, not improving their liberties, to that end, that God improved their afflictions, and God hath remitted his Spirit in Ordinances, they have not stirred up their h●arts to take hold of God, they have not rejoiced to work righteousness, as sometimes: and God hath not offered himself in Ordinances, sent his Spirit to meet them, nor given them his loves, as sometimes. To pass by the evidence of this sad r●p●rt, found in the unhumblednesse, and unaffectednesse of the godly, in midst of so many pressing causes, and under so great helps, and the general ineffica y of the Ordinances for conversion, stay yourselves, and wonder, fear and tremble, at the evidence given in, by the abounding of errors, desertion of God's public w●rship, contempt of that Ministry God hath so highly honoured, and so richly blessed, even by those that have been engrafted into Christ, and nourished up in h●m thereby, with much tenderness, pains, and patience, the exchange of duties of piety, expressing and increasing the power of godliness, for hot and wrangling d●sputes about strange doctrines and governments, and the bitter fruits of these disputes and differences, the separation of hearts, and communion amongst the truly godly: th● fearful out-breaking of wrath, envy, evil speakings, the uncharitable, unchristian provoking censures of estates and actions, the almost incredible propensity to fall out with, and fall upon our loving and faithful brethren of Scotland, together with deceitful, dangerous, overweening, and bold confidences of excelling light, grace, spirit, inlargements, comforts, etc. Here is room enough for a large heart to pour out bitter soul-breaking expostulations. O where is the spirit of the Lord, that was wont to possess the hearts of the godly, to strengthen grace there, to keep good order in the soul, to keep in and under, these masters of misrule? O where is that spirit that was wont to fill the Ordinances, and in them clearly to discover to the godly, the distempers of their hearts, and disorders of their ways, and powerfully to break their hearts for sin, and from it? Is it possible the spirit should be in the hearts of God's people, and in his own Ordinances, in as plentiful a measure as sometimes, and so much of the flesh, and so little of the spirit appear in these times of so many, and great, unlooked for, unthought of, amazing, astonishing, Nationall mercies, Gospel-inlargement, wonders of providence, Humiliations, Thankesgiving, Covenants, and endeavours for thorough Reformation? Sure it cannot be. O where is the wisdom, love, humility, meekness, tenderness of conscience, compassion, patience, forbearance, long suffering, that was wont to triumph in the godly, and to be the glory of Religion, even in the eyes of the irreligious? My dearly beloved sadly think of these things, and let such sad considerations work unto serious search, whether some of you also, have not lost your first love, that you may remember from whence you are fall●n, repent, and do your first work: or, unto an wholesome preserving fear, lest you should departed by degrees from God, in the lively expressions of love, and he should by the same degrees, depart from you in the life of Ordinances: you were never in so much danger since your profession began as now: That of our Saviour is abundantly verified: Matthew 12.43. The unclean spirits that were gone out of men, finding the rooms empty, swept and garnished, are returned with seven spirits more wicked than themselves, and they dwelled there: And that of Paul, Acts 20.30. In many parts of the Kingdom is acted over again: Of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away Disciples after them. Therefore watch and remember 〈…〉 have formerly preac● 〈…〉, not without tempta● 〈…〉 d tears, and what I 〈…〉 now written to you, that ye lose not those things that ye have wrought, but that ye may receive a full reward. It is in the desire of my heart, that I may not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things: yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this Tabernacle, to stir you up, by putting you in remembrance, knowing that shortly I must put off this my Tabernacle: And in this work I have endeavoured, that you may be able after my decease, to have these things always in remembrance, 2 Pet. 1.12, 13, 14, 15. If the Lord shall keep you from despising 〈◊〉 Ordinances, which I ta●● 〈…〉 very beginning of 〈…〉 ●pers of the times, and 〈◊〉 ●eep up in you an honourable esteem of God's Ordinances, (and particularly of those Orthodox, godly, painful Ministers, that have brought home your own souls, or the souls of others, and led on the people of God towards perfection for many years, bearing the burden and heat of the day, and not be bewitched, as the foolish Galathians and Corinthians, with flourishing high-flown, flashing men, whose piety lies in parts, whose power lies in novelties, and whose baits lie in gilded words, and dissembled carriages, who vapour for a little while, and then extinguish for want of substance) that will keep you in a prepared, attentive, profitable attendance upon them, in which way God will converse familiarly with you, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you. All that I now desire in recompense of my renewed pains for your good, in a time when my body was not very fit for it, is your purposed fervent prayers, to him that hath the seven spirits of God, that he would pour out his spirit upon his people, that they may discover how woefully their own hearts, and Satan have deceived them, clearly discern Gods bitter anger in their strange affections, expressions, and carriages one to another, that with joseph and his brethren, they may meet and weep one in another's bosom, humble their souls before God together, seek of God together the ways of communion, being troubled at, and weary of the ways of separation, from their approved beloved brethren, and not rest till they have recovered their love to God, and reunited their affections and societies, that their humiliations and supplications, recovering their former vigour, they may prevail mightily with God, to pour out his spirit upon his Ordinances in greater measure than ever, to the enlightening of the ignorant, converting of the profane, clearing of doubts, reconciling of differences, increasing of the power of godliness, perfecting of Reformation, and edification of the body of Christ. In joyful expectation of your ready, and unanimous concurrence in this desire: I do hearty take leave and remain, whilst the chief shepherd shall continue my commission, and work amongst you, Your loving Pastor, covetous to preserve the heat, and strength of your love to the Lord Jesus, that I may present you a chaste Virgin, and may rejoice in that day, that I have not run in vain. JOHN ANGIER. TO THE Christian Reader. READER, WE will not, we need not, say much of this book: only this we dare promise thee, that if the title like thee, the Treatise is, like the man that made it, no whit less than it speaks. And truly it is such a theme that we have need to study; For in vain do we expect better times, unless we get better hearts: alas what should impure hearts do with pure Ordinances? we tremble to hear so many cry Reformation, Reformation: and yet see so few reforming themselves or their families. We are bold to say, that unless our hearts and lives were better, Episcopacy were too good for us. The truth is, God is mocked to his very face: and one of these two evils we may expect, either that we shall die in the wilderness, and never go over Jordane to see the good land of Reformation, or (which is worse) that Reformation itself should undo us. For of Christ's coming in a way of Reformation, it is asked. Mal. 3.2. But who may abide the day of his coming, and who shall stand when he appeareth? A sad effect it had surely on the Scribes and Pharisees in the days of his flesh, whilst his doctrine and miracles ripened their sins, and blasted their Souls in stead of their Lusts. For the preventing of such an incomparable mischief, in this great expectation of his coming amongst us, as a Refiners fire, and fullers soap; Let us commend the reading of this book to thee, and do thou seriously commend it to God for his blessing, wherein thou shalt have the best wishes of Thine in Christ, to serve thee. Tho. Case. Edm. Calamy. Errata. PAge 1. l. 10. for guide, read gird, p. 6. l. 9 for words, r. word. l. 15. for these, r. they. p. 13. l. 23. for where, r. when. p 14. l. 11. for nor, r. not p. 36. for Isa. 36. r. 56. p. 42. l. 22. for fear, r. care. p 43. l. 6. for weal, r. wealth. p. 45. l. 9 for raising, r. raging. p. 51. l. 12. for Lord, r. head. p. 53. l. 3. for Prophets, r. worship. p. 54. for their, r. Gods. p. 55. l 23. for your, r. their. p. 58. l. 23. deal A p. 59 l. 1. for lawful, r. careful, p. 64. l. 5. r. Eccles. 5. p. 69. l. 4. r. Psal. 84. p. 70. l 22. for regarded, r. worshipped. p. 85. l. 9 for our, r or. p. 89. l. 10. r. Isa. 58. p. 101. l. 2. r. 1 Thes. 5. p 103. l. ● r. Ps. 5. l. 9 r. Isa. 66. p. 110. l. 15. for use, r. thee. p. 123. l. 24. for stirred, r. stirring. p. 1●8. l. 17. r. Mat. 25. p. 150. l. 19 for immediately, r. in mediately, p. 151. l. 9 for snared, r. snares. p. 154. l. 9 add in. p. 163. l. ●0. r. Mat. 5. p. 166. l. 19 r. Psal. 139.1, 2, 23. p. 1●0. l. 4. for furthest, r. further. p. 211. l 11. for fastened, r. softened. p. 212. l. 1●. r. 1 Cor. 11. p. 220 l. 8. deal more. p. 208. l. 15. add day, after marriage. p. 229 l 13. r. job 42 5, 6. p. 235. l. 20. r. Exod. 12. p. 239. l. 1. for one, r no. p. 240. l. 4. for orb, r. oil. p. 245. l. 86. for perfect, r. present p. 289. l. 1. for unpreparedness, r. preparedness. p. 290. l. 5 for his, r. her. p. 304. r. Luk 5. p. 317. l. 8. for him, r. thine. p. 327. l. 5. r. Amos 8. p. 329. l. 21. for the latter and, r. as. p. 357. l. 9 for hand, r. handle. p. 363. l. 14 for faulse, r. false p. 364. l. 10. for know, r. knowledge p. 372. l. 4. for man, r. men. p 380. l. 19 God can command but, r. God can command nothing but. p. 451 l. 16. for when, r. where. p. 455. l 6. for seemeth, r. serveth. p. 47●. l. 7. for our, r. one. l. 8. for soul, r. soil. p. 489. l. 7. for cheer, r. clear. p. 499. for prevent. r. pervert. l. 24. for sullen, r. fallen. p. 532. l. 2●. for sleep, r. asleep. p. 53●. l. 24. for warring. r routing. p. 534 l. 19 for curse, r. course. p. 541. l 2●. for rest, r. ●est. p. 545. l. 15. deal If p. 593. l. 22. for free, r. feel. p. 598. l. 19 for one, r. our. p. 603. l. 2. for heart, r. heat. p. 612. for sin, r. him. AN HELP TO BETTER HEARTS for Better Times. CHAP. I. Of instant worshipping of God. [ACTS 26. part of the 7. Instantly serving God.] THe word here translated [instantly] properly signifieth to extend, and stretch out, and is frequently used for stretching out, and putting forth the hand, john. 21.18. When thou art old thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall guide thee. The word stretch forth in the translation, is the same in the original with this that here is translated, instantly. When this word is referred to God's worship, or to the affections of the soul, or the graces thereof, it doth, by similitude taken from the body, signify the stretching out of them, the measure of them, the earnestness and fervency of them, and so is translated either, instantly, as in this place, or fervently, as 1 Pet. 1.22. earnestly, as Luke. 22.44. He prayed more earnestly, without ceasing, Act. 12.5. Some interpret this word in this place, perpetually, but you see it is translated here, instantly, and in other places of Scripture, when it is applied to God's worship: and they that translate it, perpetually, do imply this fervency of affection, for whence comes perpetuity, length and continuance in any action, but from length of inward affection, the stretching out of that: as the length of the motion of a stone thrown with the hand, depends upon the strength of the hand throwing the same. I take it, hereby is meant that gracious affection of zeal so much called for, and commended in Scripture, which is not a mixed affection of love, and anger but the intention and measure of all the affections, for there is zeal in grief, Psal. 119.139. My zeal hath consumed me: because mine enemies have forgotten thy words. The term being thus explained, the truth to be handled is. God's worship is to be performed with intention of affection, not only the truth, but the strength of affection is to be looked after and laboured for in God's service. The twelve tribes are here said to serve the Lord instantly or earnestly. I will show more particularly, what is meant by, instantly, and then produce proof. By instantly, is meant the measure and degree of the affections we express in God's service, whether love, or desire, or fear, or grief, or joy, or anger, or care, that there be much thereof. So what graces we express, faith, or repentance, or humility, we take care that there be measure as well as truth, called Luk. 10.27. all the mind, and all the soul, all the heart, all, hath special respect unto the measure and degree of the faculties of the soul; as all the might of the body doth mean all degrees, and measures of strength, the utmost strength, so in like manner, all the mind, all the heart, all the soul, means all degrees and measures of understanding, will and affections the utmost, and furthest of them, else our Saviour's compendium of the first table should not comprehend the third Commandment. I will for clearer evidence sake, show it by instances in the several parts of God's worship. 1. Hearing the word, Luk. 4.20.21. when our Saviour had read his text, the eyes of all were fastened upon him, asigne of an earnest desire to hear him, they they did not look about them one at another, or at them that came in, but their eyes were fastened upon him, and they wondered at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth, a sign they were much affected and moved, and did not sit as stones senseless. The men of Berea, Act. 17. 1●. did receive the word with all readiness of mind, they did in the greatest measure put forth their hearts unto the words of the Apostle, to meet with it in the way, and to take it up so soon as it was let fall by him, Luk. 24.32. Did not our hearts burn within us when he opened to us the Scripture? burn these did and were in a flame, with indignation against themselves for their ignorance, with desire of, and joy in, the good and glad tidings of Christ's death and resurrection. 2. Receiving the Sacraments the Passeover, 2 Chron. 35.18. There was no Passeover like to that kept in Israel since the days of Samuel the Prophet. They exceeded in this Passeover, all the Passovers of a long time, a sign they kept it with a great measure of affection, for would God only have commended the outward action? Luk. 22.15. With desire I have desired to eat this Passeover with you before I suffer, i with earnest and vehement desire, earnest desire to the ordinance doth imply earnest desire in the ordinances. The duty of examination required of the communicant, 1 Cor. 11.28. doth carry as much; examination is the bellows of affection. The like we find in the Eunuch in regard of baptism, Act. 8.36. See, here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptised? He had a forward desire, the Evangelist should have stirred up and provoked him, but he prevents him, is more forward to receive it then he to offer it. 3. Prayer, Psal. 119.145. I cried with my whole heart, he employed all the affections of his heart in prayer, and that with earnestness, he cries, Psal. 142.2. I poured out my complaint before him, David empties his soul in prayer, leaves nothing behind, a sign of earnestness, Psal. 143.6. I stretch forth my hands unto thee, the instancy here spoken of, he fears lest his prayers should fall short of God, therefore sends them forth with as great earnestness as may be. 4. Singing of psalms, Ps. 149.5, 6. Let them sing aloud, let the high praises of God be in their mouths, in singing psalms our hearts must be extended and stretched out, as the extending of the voice implies, our hearts must be wide open and filled with gracious affections. When God would express great Joy, he bids the mountains break forth into singing, Esai. 49.13. Ephes. 5.18.19. Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the spirit, speaking to yourselves in Psalms, etc. we should labour to drink deep of the spirit, and express it in singing and making melody in our hearts to the Lord, there must be a sweet and loud sounding joy in our hearts when we sing psalms. For proof of this truth may be brought in, the testimony of Scripture, examples commended, and reproofs of the contrary. The Scripture calls for this affection, Rom. 12.11. Fervent in spirit, serving the Lord: if we should be cold in our own occasions, which we are not, yet when we come to serve God our spirits should burn within us, with desire and delight, Gal. 4.18. It is good to be Zealously affected always in a good thing, good, because agreeable to God's will, to God's nature, to the nature of the good we are zealous about, zealous affection in good, is always good, other good things have their proper season, this is always in season in every good action. 2. The servants of God have thus practised, Nehemiah was zealous for the service and worship of God, so that he had his conscience on his side to embolden him, to desire mercy of God according to his forward affection that way, Nehem. 13.14. Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and the offices thereof. David, Psal. 69.9. The Zeal of thy house hath eaten me up. Such was his affection to God's Worship and Service, that partly out of desire thereafter, and partly out of grief for the neglect, contempt and reproach thereof, he was even a devoured consumed man, so great was his affection that way, that he seemed careless every other way. And herein he was a type of the best of patterns, the Lord Jesus Christ, who being a Priest, though not after the order of Aaron, did express an ardent affection in purging the Temple from the corruption of those times, in so much that his Disciples thought he was an apparent accomplisher of that place of prophetical Scripture, The Zeal of thy house hath eaten me up. John. 2.17. Who but a man in the power, and possession of zeal to God's house would have made a whip, and therewith driven out the polluters of the Temple, and have overthrown their Tables and Seats, and that with Scripture-chiding, Math. 21.13. Another remarkable instance concerning our Saviour we have, John. 4.32.33.34. Whilst his Disciples were gone into the City to buy meat, he falls into parley with a woman of Samaria about her soul; when his Disciples come again, they pray him to eat; he tells them he is provided, he had meat to eat they knew not of; his Disciples say one to another, Hath any man brought him meat to eat? our Saviour answereth, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. No meat could be more sweet unto him, or refreshing, than the doing of Gods will, a sign he was dearly affected thereto, that he could make food of it. The like we read of Apollo's, Acts 18.25. being fervent in Spirit he spoke and taught diligently the things of the Lord; he did not only preach the things of the Lord, but with fervency of spirit, with a burning heart. Thus unless we will be irregular in our serving of God, and unlike the approved Saints and servants of God in Scripture, yea, unlike Christ our pattern, who was sent from Heaven to set us a copy, we must perform God's service with earnestness of affection. 3. God hath reproved the want of this fervency of affection in his service, a sign it is a transgression. Where the Apostle saith, Gal. 4.18. It is good to be Zealous always in a good matter; he doth convey a secret reproof of them who were dearly affected to the false Apostles, who were but counterfeit Ordinances of God, but were abated in their love to him a true Apostle, and so a true Ordinance of God, If it be good to be zealous in a good thing, than it is evil nor to be zealous. The lukewarm temper of Laodicca, the Lord reckons to be worse than key cold. I would thou wert hot or cold, downright, and sensibly good or evil; no temper so evil as lukewarm, he threatens to spew them out of his mouth; showing, that the ●ord will have no communio●●●●h, but doth detest, and will 〈◊〉 ●ove far from him, the p●●●ons and services that are luke●a●● God tells the Church 〈◊〉 aphesis, he had somewhat against her, because she had left her first love; her love was not utterly gone, but her first love and her first works, she neither did so much, nor so well for God as sometimes, and this God hath against them, a fault it is in them, and makes against them. Thus where God finds this fervency of spirit wanting, he speaks ill of it; a signe his service cannot well be performed without it, for he cannot be pleased with it without this fervency. For further proof. I will make use of the Lords own reasons laid down, Commandment third, to which command this duty doth belong, and so I shall open that command, so far as concerns my purpose. What better, more weighty, more persuading argument than Gods own; God is all truth, and all understanding, he knows us better than we know ourselves, and he is all wisdom, that knows what arguments will best take with us upon several occasions. The first Commandment taketh care that we make choice of the true God, and no other; the second, that we embrace his commanded worship, and reject all others; the third, that we use his Name, all that whereby God is made known to us, reverently and respectively as becometh the same. The Commandment is this, Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain; every word of the command is as well a reason as a command. The thing forbidden, is the taking of God's name in vain. Before I speak of the grounds of this prohibition, I must show how this truth (of performing God's worship with earnestness of affection) is implied in this Commandment, and the contrary sin forbidden; that will appear if we consider two things: 1. Part of the meaning of God's name is the worship of God, Word, Sacraments, prayer, 1 Tim. 6.1. That the name of God and his doctrine be not evil spoken of, where the name of God and his doctrine are all one. Mal. 1.6. the name of God is put for his worship. 2. Part of the meaning of taking God's name in vain, is this want of fervent performance of God's worship: are not light and empty things, vain things? and is not dead cold service of God, light service and empty service, that wants that weight and substance it should have? Are not unuseful and unprofitable things vain things? and is not careless service of God, unuseful and unprofitable service? it doth neither honour God, nor please God, nor profit us. Mal. 1.8. If ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye off●r th● lame and the sick, is it no evi? o●●●r it now to thy Governor, will he be pleased with thee? As if God had said, If ye offer you care not what, so it be a sacrifice, it will serve the turn, can it be well? Would an earthly Governor accept you care not what? much less will I. In like manner, if men hear the Word, receive the Sacrament, pray they care not how, so the duties be done, can God be pleased herewith? and if he be not pleased he is not honoured, for were he honoured he would be pleased, and if God be not honoured, the doers cannot beprofited, for our good is wrapped up in God's glory, and that service which doth neither honour God nor profit the performers is vain service. Having thus made it clear, that ardent service of God is implied, and careless serving of God prohibited in this third Commandment; Let us now consider the reasons why we must not rest in careless performance of worship, but on the contrary, must earnestly worship him; they are 5. in number. 1. God's worship is his name. 2. The name of the Lord. 3. The name of thy God. 4. His Name is taken in vain by careless worship. 5. He will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain. 1. God's worship is his Name; that whereby God is made known to us, that whereby he is distinguished from others, and whereby he is made glorious: to be careless of God's worship, is to obscure the knowledge of the Lord, to confound him with Idols, to hinder his glory, to be careless whether God be known to us or others, be distinguished from others, be famous and glorious: and to be earnest in the worship of God, is to make the Lord better known to us and others, to difference him from other Gods, and to make him glorious. And shall not our best affections be busied about God's worship, which is his Name? God hath betrusted us with his Name, that it lies in our power in ordinary course and for a time, to make him less or more known, less or more glorious; and shall we betray this trust? Man's name is precious, and the name of one man committed to the keeping of another, to bear false witness is a sin, much more is God's name precious, which is the chief Governor, and much more committed to our trust, and bearing false witness to that is much more a sin, which we shall do, if we be careless of his worship. Is not the knowledge of God the ground of our faith, hope, comfort? If God be not good, wise, powerful, true, what ground have we to believe or hope for any good in this or another world? and if we know not the goodness, wisdom and power of God, what ground of comfort can we have? To sleight God's worship, is to slight the knowledge of God, and so the ground of our faith, and hope, and comfort therein: and to take care of God's worship, is to take care of the knowledge of God, and so the ground of our faith, hope and comfort. Is not care of God's glory the way unto, and evidence of our glory? To be earnest in God's worship, is to take care of God's glory, therefore the way unto, and evidence of our glory. 2. God's worship is the name of the Lord, the name of Jehovah, therefore carefully and fervently to be performed. His name it is who is the fountain of being, therefore the first being, and so of due the first and best service belongs to him, because none is before him, therefore none is to be served before him; our Saviour when he duly ranketh and ordereth the Commandments, saith, Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy heart, this is the first and great Commandment, and the second, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; Why is the love of God, and so the service of God, the first and great Commandment, before and greater than the love of ourselves? but because he is the first and greatest before ourselves, and greater than ourselves; It had been sin in Moses and Paul, to wish themselves out of Heaven for his glory, and in hell, had not this been true, that God is before us, and so above us, of due to be honoured by us, though by our utter dishonour? None should go to hell, were not this true, that there is an honour due to God from the creature, above the salvation of the creature; and could men be willing to go to hell that God might have glory, hell should be no hell unto them; that which makes the torment of hell, is this, that God takes his glory, because men will not give it him. All the godly, though they do not think so, do seek God's glory above their own salvation, as they should do, for they desire their salvation as a way unto God's glory; now the way that serves unto the end is less desired, than the end whereto it serves. The worship we perform is the worship of Jehovah, the fountain of being, therefore the author of our being, from him we have all, unto him therefore we must give all; all is his, we have nothing of our own, our most lively affections are his own, he is not beholding to us for them, we cannot without injustice and robbery withhold them; will we withhold that which is Gods? will we dispose of that which is Gods? Not only doth David acknowledge the outward wealth, liberally given to the Temple, to be Gods own, but the willingness, and joy of their hearts, whereby and wherewith they gave so liberally, to come from God, also 1 Chron. 29.18. in that he prays God to keep this frame in them, and to prepare their hearts towards him: he that must keep that willing and cheerful frame of heart in him, hath surely made the same, and he that must prepare their hearts at other times, hath prepared them now. The worship we perform is the worship of Jehovah, his name who hath promised this fervency unto his people, Psal. 110.3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, i in the day of the powerful preaching of the Gospel, these shall with earnest affection attend upon God's ordinances, God having promised fervent affections in his service, by labouring after the same, and expressing the same, we shall confirm and establish the truth of God, and on the contrary, as the Apostle saith, 1 John. 5.10. He that believeth not maketh God a liar,, so he that doth not fervently worship God, doth what lies in him to falsify the word of God, to make him a liar, for God hath said, his people shallbe fervent. 3. God's worship is the worship of the Lord thy God, therefore to be performed with earnestness. His name it is, who is not only the Lord, but our God, a God in Covenant with us, he hath promised to be wholly ours, all that he is, or can do, shall be for us, and we have promised to be wholly his, to be all that we are, or can do for him. If we bestow the utmost of our affection upon him in his service, we do no more than he hath done for us: and what can we give to him, if we give all we have, in comparison of what he gives to us? Not only doth he give to us that strength of affection, in comparison of which all ours is nothing, but he gins to us, he gives first, he gives not only more than we can give, but before us, we may well follow him with less: what though others serve God they know not how? they have less reason to show strength of affection to God than we; though they have reason enough, for God hath not bestowed himself wholly upon them as upon us. Beside, being our God, the service that is done to him, redounds upon us, be it well or ill done, because the Covenant doth not only imply relation, but union, it is a marriage-Covenant, God becomes ours, and we become his. A man loves his wife, not because she is a friend, and loves him, but because she is himself, they are no more twain, but one, in loving her he loveth himself, and so much as he doth not love her, (though she do not deserve) he doth not love himself, for she is one with himself. A man doth not love himself, because of desert, but because he is nearest to himself, he is his own: so a m●n loves his wife because his own, nearest unto him. So God is our own, he is by the humane nature of Christ, one with us, and we with him; did not God therefore deserve our best affections (which he infinitely doth) yet we were bound to bestow the same upon him in his service, because he is our own, we have made him as our own souls, by entering into a marriage-Covenant with him; so much as we fall short in affection to him, we fall short in affection to ourselves. Furthermore having promised the best of our affections unto him in his service, truth doth bind us, do we not hate to be liars? false, Covenant-breakers? men and women of no truth? do we not glory in our truth, that if we have said it, we will do it, our word shall be as good as our band? then must we bestow our best affections upon God in his service, for so we have promised. 4. Careless worship is a taking of God's Name in vain, vain worship. What an evil it is to take God's Name in vain, it will appear if we consider, 1. It is an holy Name, Psal. 111.9. Holy is his Name. Holiness is so lively an image of God, that it commandeth respect from the light of nature, and holy things are carefully handled. God's worship is an holy worship, free from all impurity and pollution, take we heed that we do not profane it by careless use of it. 2. A great Name, Psal. 76.1. His Name is great in Israel. A Name above all names, no worship like God's worship, because no person like him, no laws of worship like his, no subject like the subject of God's worship, the whole man, soul and body the strength of both, the whole earth and heaven, none too great to worship God; to take in vain a small name, a poor● mean worship, is an evil, but to take in vain agreat Name, a powerful worship, is more evil. 3. A Glorious Name, Deut. 28.58. a worship of eminent worth, breaking out and manifesting itself to all that have seeing eyes, for man to pray to the God of heaven to open all his heart to him, for man to deliver the mind and counsel of God, for man to seal a Covenant with the God of heaven, these are glorious things, of great worth even at first sight. Here, by the way, in a word, and under correction, I must needs acknowledge, that since I had any glimpse of light to discern the glorious worship of God, I could never get over that unsuitableness that is between these obscure additaments to God's worship amongst us, and his glorious worship. What is the vestment to prayer? what the Crossing of the fingers to baptism. Indeed sprinkling of water in baptism, or dipping the child therein, bread and wine in the supper, are but small things in appearance, but when we consider the glorious God hath commanded and appointed these, and doth produce glorious effects by them, that puts a glorious lustre and brightness upon them; but when nothing can be showed, but man's command, obscure and dark man in Divine things, his command cannot put glory upon Divine Ordinances, wherefrom he borroweth light, but can add none thereto, nor can he put any glorious effect into such his commanded means, that they shall bear weight with the Judgement, or help the affections, and so they remain obscure and dark, as man himself is in heavenly things, and so unsuitable to God's glorious worship. To be careless in obscure, dark, hidden good, is a small matter; but to be careless about eminent good, as God's worship, is eminent and apparent sin. 4. A reverend or fearful Name, Deut. 28.58. Psal. 111.9. God's Name is such a name, as considered of, doth strike with reverence and fear, the holiness of it, the greatness of it: things holy and great have a Majesty in them. God's worship is a holy worship and a great worship, therefore a fearful worship. Now to take in vain, light and trivial matters, is a small thing but to take in vain a reverend and fearful worship, argues senselessnes. 5. God will not hold him guiltless that doth take his Name in vain, as a man doth his worship by carelessness. 1. How ever men performing Gods worship only outwardly with the outward man, may go for innocent with men, none will say that they have sinned, yet God will not count them innocent, unless they have performed the same carefully: which is a weighty consideration. When men have been at the Sacrament, or word, or prayer, they think all now is well, but God accounts them sinners, if they have not performed the same with their best affections, he holds them guilty, they are sinners in his account, and if sinners, he will so de●le with them, and so he profes●●●●, M●l. 1.14. Cursed b● the deceiver, that hath a male in his flock, etc. He is a deceiver, there is his sin; his guiltiness, cursed be the deceiver, there is Gods dealing with him as guilty. A deceiver, as if God should say, I observe such men, all the week about their own occasions, they are up early and down late, they sweat hard, but when they come to serve me on my day, they are heavy and careless, they are deceivers, they have better affections to bestow, than they do bestow upon me. Cursed be the deceiver, what's that? evil shall befall him, evil of punishment. Loss of good. Presence of evil. Loss of good: what? God's acceptance. God's recompense. God's acceptance promised, Ezek. 20, 41. I will accept you with your sweet savour. God's recompense promised, Isai. 36.7. I will make you joyful in my house of prayer. Isai. 58.14. Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord. i increase their delight, more and more delight: enlargement of heart in duty is an evidence of God's acceptance, what God prepares he will accept, joy in duty, fitness for, and forwardness unto duty is God's recompense, when the more we pray, read, hear, or receive, the more we joy therein, and are forward thereunto. They that are careless in God's worship, shall neither find God's assistance, nor joy therein, nor willingness thereunto, but shall be bound up and backward unto the same. Positive evil shall befall careless worshippers, Jer. 17.5, 6. Cursed be the man whose heart departeth from God, and pitcheth elsewhere: why? he shall inhabit the parched places of the wilderness, the sun of God's wrath shall light upon him, and parch soul, and body and estate, dry up graces and affections, and if body and estate prosper, yet the soul and the good thereof shall be much more parched: so experience shows, Careless worshippers of God are barren of spiritual good. Use. Information. 1. The perfection of the law of God, it reacheth to the inward and spiritual part of man, yea to the utmost of that. As it is said of the sun, Psal. 19.6. Nothing is hid from the heat thereof, the beams pierce into the bowels of the earth: so not the heart, not the extent of the heart, which is most spiritual, and comes nearest God, is hid from the command of the law; a sign the author thereof is above man, in knowledge in power. 2. The dignity of God's worship, the best part of man, yea the best of the soul, the utmost of it is but meet for it: if any thing in the soul be better than other, it must be drawn forth. This was shadowed out in the sacrifices of the law, God's sacrifices were to be without blemish, and the fat, the best of the beast was specially his. If civil worship have the body, the outward man, it is sufficient, because it is done unto men that can look no further, are capable to receive no more; this is as much as will be honour to them before men: but religious worship requires the soul, and the best of the soul, because it is done to that God that searcheth the hearts and trieth the reins, is capable of the best, and most honoured thereby. 3. All performance of worship is ●●t equally good, and equally pleasing unto God, he requires fervency; God is life, and the more lively worship, the more suitable, and delightful unto him. 2. To reprove, 1. Neglect of God's worship: this is a contrary extreme unto instant worshipping of God, when men pray not at all, go not to the assembly on the Lord's day, sanctify no Sabbath, but their whole soul, and body, and strength of both, are taken up about the world, or about their lusts, this is fervency, and strength, either of ignorance, or of disobedience. Do not men know that God is to be worshipped? that some time is appointed for his worship? that is gross ignorance: what? God have no worship who is your King? your maker? works of creation and providence do cry aloud against this ignorance, Act. 17.26, 27, 28. And if we know God is to be worshipped, and time is sanctified for that end, and yet neglect, do we not manifest strength of disobedience, great forwardness of heart? 2. Our inconstancy and partiality in the worship and service of God, our inconstancy: sometimes we take it up, at other times we lay it down; some will pray, and be very religious in affliction, or on the Sabbath-day, or at least against they go to the Sacrament, but not ordinarily; others will ordinarily worship God for a time, but they have their interruptions and break off, one while they will pray, and another while they will be unpraied, these have their cold fits, the fire of love (were that in their hearts,) would consume these interruptious. Others are partial in God's worship, they will come to the word, not to the Sacraments, some will come to both, these, yet do not strive to join with the Congregation in prayer, these have but half hearts to God's worship, the rule of their worshipping of God, is not love to God, for than they would be found in all his worship, and express their love in all. 3. Our constant carelessness in Gods ordinary worship, though we observe part, and are observant of appointed times with God's people, yet we make it not matter of fear, we do not stir up our affections thereunto, or therein: we are not of David's spirit, who would not offer that which cost him nothing. The worship of God should cost us something in careful preparation and serious observation, the weal of our minds and affections s●ould be laid out thereabouts. Our carelessness ●oth either cha goe God with ignorance, th' 〈◊〉 knows not what we offer ●or with neglect of his own glory, that he regards not how we worship him. 3. To persuade us unto this instant worshipping of God, to press forward unto a further degree of affection, a greater measure of life and fervency in every holy performance; I will use the Lords own arguments to press hereunto, they are two, Rev. 3.19, 20. Drawn from, 1. The danger. 2. The benefit. 1. The danger, as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten, be Zealous therefore. However God deal with others, if he find his beloved lukewarm, he will make them smart, he will correct them, as a father doth his son, and the rather, if his words of conviction will do no good. God will first rebuke, and then chasten; first correct by words, and then by deeds. Better any chide then God, his words have in them more wisdom and power then any other, and therefore carry a greater strength of love, or anger: one word of love will lift the heart to heaven, though never so heavy, and one word of anger will make it sink to hell. What is the effect of Gods chiding words, see, Hab. 3.16. they will make the body tremble, yea rottenness to seize upon it. And what mean those burning fevers that are abroad, that are excessive in heat, but to check our coldness in God's service? What those fiery darts of Satan thrown against the godly, fears of hell, and feeling of God's wrath in some, and raising lusts of anger and uncleanness in others, but cold service of God? What means the plague, that raging hand of God, that zealous messenger, that makes quick dispatch of persons and families, but our careless worshipping of God? What rumours of wars, threaten of the sword, the instrument of God's zeal and fury, but our coldness? If we would escape these fierce fiery afflictions, take we heed of cold service, get we burning, flaming hearts, God will fire out this coldness, by one 〈…〉 o● other. 2. The benefit, 1. Christ's presence. 2. Communion with Christ. 1. Christ's presence, If any man open the door, if the heart be enlarged with love, desire, Christ will come in, he will come in as a King of glory, gloriously manifest himself. What is the reason that Christ is so fare from the soul in holy duties? but because our hearts are shut, there is no room for him, no desire after him, no delight in him. We should have more sense of Christ with us, were our hearts more lively. Though Christ hide himself whilst he reproved the ignorance and unbelief of the two Disciples, yet when their hearts burnt within them at his Doctrine, he made himself known unto them, Luk. 24.16, 25, 31. 2. Communion with Christ, 1. In comforts. 2. In glory. 1. In comforts. 1. He will sup with us. 2. We shall sup with him. 1. He will sup with us, the affections, and graces we express in holy duties, shall be as food unto the Lord, refreshing and comfortable, contentful and satisfying: we then feast God, as it were, when our hearts are enlarged in love, when our hearts are opened in holy performances to entertain him. When the warmth of our hearts is in our duties, God will readily accept them, take great delight in them, we make him a supper of savoury meat, such as his soul loveth. How should God accept our duties, take any contentment in them, when we have better affections in our recreations, businesses? If a servant should mind his own occasions more than ours, would we accept such service? 2. We shall sup with him. No dainties can be wanting where God is the feast-maker. He makes a feast of fat things, the best things that heaven can afford, yea that the God of heaven can afford, Isai. 25.6. Sense of his love, peace that passeth all understanding, joy unspeakable and glorious, Psal. 16.3. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup, not only is God ours in the general, to live upon as an inheritance, but he is the portion of our cup, he is in every particular mercy, that is measured out to us, he is the comfort, and strength of it. They that feast with God, shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of his house, and drink of the river of his pleasures, for with him is a fountain, Psal. 36.8, 9 And that we may not miss of these benefits, the Lord doth urge them upon us, from consideration of his patience and pains to make us fit. I stand at the door and knock. He useth the force of ordinances, and afflictions, with the rod of his mouth and hand he strikes to get the door of the heart open, that he might feast with us, and we with him. 2. Communion in glory. Rev. 3.21. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne. Such as conquer their coldness, their remissness, and carelessness in God's worship, shall partake of Christ's Kingly office, to subdue corruptions, to overcome Temptations. Why are corruptions so lively, but because we are cold in ordinances the means of deading them? Why are corruptions, and Temptations strong and above us, but to keep us lively in God's worship? Ease breeds security: troubles do provoke, and stir up graces. The overcoming soul shall find a mighty power in ordinances, and providences. The power of a King, is a commanding, conquering power. And that we might be assured of this fellowship with Christ in his throne, he adds, as I overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne, which doth imply, 1. That it is matter of striving, warring, will not be had with ease, will cost somewhat. 2. When we have met with most difficulty, then shall we most partake in Christ's glory, so Christ first overcame, and then sat down. 3. This is God's way, and wont course his servants must win the crown, ere they wear it: so God hath dealt with Christ the Lord, and so will he deal with his members. CHAP. II. The first hindrance of instant worshipping of God, Despising of his worship. [MAL. 1. part of the 6. Despise my Name.] HAving lately handled the point of instant worshipping of God, and considering the great need of it in these careless days, I purposed with myself not to leave it thus, but to show you the hindrances of God's servant worship, and the helps thereto, and both together, the contrary to any hindrance being an help. The first I will pitch upon is in this text, despising of God's prophets, a fault here expressly charged upon the priests, but implicitly, and inclusively upon the people: as our Saviour in his letter to the Church doth address himself, in the beginning, to the Angel of the Church, but in the conclusion showeth that he intended the whole Church; He that hath cares, l●t him hear wh●t the spirit saith unto the Church, not to the Angel only, but also to the Church. I shall make way to this text, and then open the same. God being abo●t to reprove the sins of his people, doth lay a contrary foundation of his love, to manifest that there was no cause of such their injury in him, but all in themselves. I have loved you, saith the Lord. vers. 2. They believe no such matter, saying will not serve them, they put God to proof. He proves it by the equal condition of Jacob and Esau by nature, but unequal condition, by their love. Jacob was Esau's brother, neither of them better than other, yet I loved Jacob, and hated Esau, and laid his habitation waste and desolate; and though Esau may think to be rebuilt as Jacob, and to have his captivity returned, yet it shall not be so, if they build, God will pull down; and whereas he was angry with Jacob, but for a moment, he will be angry with them for ever, and that jacob's posterity shall see, and speak of to God's glory, as magnifying himself in the midst of, and for the sake of jacob's posterity. But because it is the nature of sin to dim the eyes of the soul, and the more sin the more dimness, and according to the measure of dimness must be the measure of the palpablenes and plainness of the thing seen, therefore God doth u●● a most palpable sensible argument to convince them of their sin, despising, and contemning of his worship. A son honoureth his father, etc. The argument is this, Fathers and Masters are to be honoured. I am your Father and Master. Ergo, I am to be honoured. This argument common sense will yield to. That a father and Master are to be honoured, they cannot deny, they themselves daily expect it, and receive it, in that relation. That God is your Father and Master, they cannot deny, he chose them out of all the world to be his adopted children, and brought them out of the house of servants, broke the yoke of the oppressing Master. The conclusion, for greater force sake, is put interrogatively, where is my honour? where is my fear? you cannot deny but I am your Master and Father, and am therefore to be honoured: but where is that honour you confess to be due to me? let me see it, I cannot find it; O ye priests, yea and people too, (for ye are included) that despise my Name. Nay, I have dishonour from you, in that ye slight my worship, the way and means of my honour. The argument, they cannot deny, but that God being a Father and Master is to be honoured, and consequently they that despise his worship do sin, but they deny the applicaon of the argument, they are not the persons; for let that be proved. Wherein have we despised thy Name? ye have offered polluted bread upon mine Altar. Polluted is here opposed to such as God had appointed to be holy, to be set apart, i. e. of the best they offered polluted bread, i. e. the worst, and basest sacrifices, as vers. 8. If ye offer the blind, and lame, and sick. But grant they do not offer so good as God requireth, yet they will not yield that they have polluted God's worship, for it may be they offered such as they had ordinarily, they had no better. It appears they have polluted the Lords worship in such offerings, for they say, The Table of the Lord is contemptible, if they say it not in words, yet in deeds they do, i. e. the mean and base offerings they brought, were not so much out of poverty, and want of better (for, vers. 14. they had a male in their flock, and brought the Lord a corrupt thing:) but their base offerings did spring from a base opinion of the worship of God, they thought any thing was good enough, they said, The Table of the Lord was contemptible, if not in their words, yet in their thoughts, manifested in their do. The thing faulted here, is despising, contemning of the Name of God's worship, offering polluted bread upon his Altar, saying, His Table is contemptible, and that by his children and servants, which ca●sed them to bring base sacrifices. A Despising of God's worship, is an hindrance to the earnest and lawful performance of it. God complains of unworthy sacrifices, such as an earthly governor would not accept, and declares the cause to be, despising of his worship. Ezek. 22.8. despising of holy things is attended with profanation of them: the holy using of holy things ceaseth, when despising gins. 1 Thes. 5.19, 20. to despise prophesyings is the way to quench the spirit, which makes us fervent in spirit in God's worship. Qu. What is it to despise the worship of God? Ans. Despising is an act of the judgement, passing a mean and low account of a thing, as having little or no worth to commend it. Scripture-expressions do manifest what this despising is, Ps. 119.141. I am small, and despised, Psal. 22.6. I am a worm, and no man, despised of the people, 1 Cor. 4.10. ye are honourable, we are despised. The language of despising doth lay open the nature of it. Gen. 25.32. What profit shall this birthright do to me? He did not apprehend the worth that was in his birthright, not worth enough in it, not profitable enough unto earthly provision, he speaks of it as worth nothing, 2 Sam. 6.20. with 1 Chr. 15.29. How glorious was the King of Israel to day, who uncovered himself, as one of the vain fellows shamefully uncovereth himself? To despise God's worship is to have low thoughts of the same, as of small, or no worth, no worth in prayer, in sermons, in the sacraments. Expressions hereof are sound in scripture, Job. 21.14, 1●. Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. What is the Almighty that we should serve him, and what profit should we have if we pray unto him? Mal. 3.14. It is vain to serve God, and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts? there is no profit at all, they may serve him that will, but they shall make no profit of it. Qu. What are the causes of despising the worship of God? Ans. Not, because there is a want of worth in it, but from a threefold cause of despising found in the subject, when yet the object is precious, and honourable. 1. Ignorance of the worth and excellency, when a man descernes no worth, how should he esteem? 2. Want of attending to known worth, when men either forget what they know, or do not consider it. 3. Want of affection to the thing despised: let a man be never so precious, yet if love be wanting, some cause will be found of obscuring all his worth, to spread a cloud upon his shining glory. These are the causes of despising God's worship. 1. They are ignorant of the worth of it: the worship of God is spiritual, the worth of it spiritual, the knowledge of the worth spiritual, therefore above the reach of nature, 1 Cor. 2.14.15 spiritual things are spiritually discerned, therefore only by spiritual men, John 4.23. The true worshippers. There are different apprehensions of God's worship, because different worshippers, some true, some false, some in true light, others in darkness, some left in the darkness of nature, others called into light, 1 Cor. 1.23, 24. The preaching of the Gospel, to the Jews a stumbling block, to the Greeks foolishness, but to them that are called, the wisdom of God, and the power of God, to them that are called out of darkness into marvellous light, such as have a manifesting, differencing, discerning knowledge: the godly know thus but in measure, therefore esteem but in measure. 2. Where there is some knowledge of the worth of God's worship, yet there wants attendance to that light, 2 Pet. 1.19. Ye do well to take heed as to a light that shineth in a dark place, it is one thing to have light, another thing to attend to it, to heed it, men forget, they consider not the weight, and worth of God's worship, Eccles. 3.1. Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, be more ready to hear; there is an inconsiderateness in us in God's worship, we do not deliberate about it, because we are too thoughtful about other things. 3. The worship of God is contrary to nature, because holy, spiritual, self-humbling, and emptying, this includes a defect of love to it; and where love is wanting, something will be imagined to work disrespect. That despising of God's worship is an hindrance of fervency, and how it is an hindrance, appears. 1. From consideration of the dependence of affections, and endeavours upon the judgement, if the thoughts be but low, the affections and endeavours will be but low, and on the contrary, if the thoughts be high, they will carry up affection, and endeavours 2. It is against the nature of wisdom, and therefore folly to bestow much affection and endeavour about things of small worth, wisdom doth proportion affection, and endeavours to the worth of things. 3. The motive of the will is good, the more or less good is apprehended, the more or less the will is moved, and so less, or more fervency of desire and endeavour. If Gods worship be despised, little good is apprehended, and so little to move the will and affections, if it be of little, or no benefit, as despisers apprehend, why should we earnestly choose it, desire it, take pains about it, it will yield small delight, and satisfaction. Desp si●g sometimes prev●●●●● to a total neglect of duty, much more to measure of neglect. Use 1. To convince of sin the body of our people. 1. Such as neglect Gods private worship, reading and prayer in their families, catechising and calling over the word which they have heard: the fountain of this neglect is despising: they think it more honourable to be unpraid, unread, to leave children untaught, the word unrepeated, they think meanly of good duties, that the practice of them comes out of simplicity, and weakness of judgement. The greatness of their sin in the effect and cause, will the better appear, if we consider God's opinion of them, and dealing with them. 1. God thinks no better of them then of dogs, & swine, Mat. 7.6. who trample under foot pearls, brutish unreasonable creatures, they are not base that pray, but they that despise prayer: God makes account none will despise prayer but dogs and swine, such as are deprived of reason, as fare below themselves, as their thoughts are below God's worship, as if he should say, Never take them for men and women again, that tread under foot holy things, that speak ill of reading, conference, prayer; God calls them dogs and swine, so must we, who can skill of nothing but the bones, and acorns of the world. 2. God will reject them, when they would be most esteemed, Heb. 12.16, 17. Esau was rejected, his suit was not regarded, he despised the birthright, and was himself despised, when he would have had the blessing, and though men prevail by earnest desires and tears, to change the minds of men, yet he could not move the mind of God, though he sought diligently with tears; So men that despise prayer or other parts of God's worship, when afterwards they would pray themselves, or have others pray for them, when they greatly need, and earnestly desire the benefit of that worship they have despised, they shall be rejected, Prov. 1.24, 25, 28. Zech. 7.13. 2. Such as come to the public worship of God's Word, Sacraments, Prayer, but care not with what affections they come, have no desire, no delight there to be busied, they bring their bodies, but leave their hearts behind them, they trim and adorn their bodies, but not their hearts. They are fare from David, spirit, Psal. 83.10. who esteemed one day in God's house better than a thousand: and again, Psal. 26.6. I will wash my hands in innocency, and so will I compass thine altar: he will not come carelessly, but with painful preparation, such as washing in the laver of repentance is: clean hands become clean work: these had rather be any where else, then at God's Ordinances, any trivial occasion, or idle company will keep them away: they say, Such as o●● 〈◊〉 despising do neglect private, may d●spis●n lie perform public worship. they can spend the time as well at home, in reading some good book, or in discoursing about some profitable subject, as in the ordinances used in public Assemblies. Did not authority command, and general example forcibly persuade, and desire to avoid shame constrain, they would not afford their company at all; and when they do come, they bring the same affections where with they go about other occasions; And why so? They see no good in preaching, prayer, sacraments, What profit is in them? What good comes by them? these have too low thoughts of God's worship, as if it were only outward, and did only deserve the worst part, the presence of the body, which is their sin. And how should they do otherwise, who make their own blindness the judge of the worth of God's ordinances, not the word of command, not the person regarded, not the promise annexed to the worship, not the the presence therein manifested? judge you, is it not a despising of God's worship, to think that any affections are good enough? if a man do but get out of his bed, and have but so much time as to get him ready, he is fit to go to the Assembly, though he have no spiritual thoughts, no sense of his unfitness, by reason of the sins of the week past, no prayer to God for preparedness of heart? doth not such a man think meanly of God? he would set his thoughts and affections more in order, were he to go into the presence of a King, or to do some public action: these sinful low thoughts, are fruitful in low affections and actions, these weak expressions do manifest such men to be weak mindeed men in reference to God's service. 3. Sundry carriages about, and in the public worship of God that do express despising of it. 1. Coming too late, and going away too soon: some come not till the worship of God is begun, till the Word be read, and Psalms be sung, yea, some not till prayer be ended, and some go away before Sermon, or prayer, or at least the blessing be finished: I would know of these, whether they do not think, that that which is passed when they come, and behind when they go away, is part of God's worship as well as that whereat they are present? and whether their presence at that part, doth not manifest their respect? they cannot deny but what they neglect in the beginning or ending of public Assemblies, coming too late, or going away too soon, is God's worship, and their presence would show their respect, therefore their absence doth express disrespect, despising, if it be not necessary, and so is sin. And I do not call that necessary absence from the beginning, which is caused by men's oversleeping themselves, or not minding how the morning passeth, or having more business to do on the Sabbath-day morning, then can well be done in due time, or spending that time in private duties, which should be spent in public. N●r do I call that necessary absence from the ending, which is caused, not by ordinary infirmity of body, or unusual faintness, and weakness, but from spiritual fullness, (the usual cause) the affection is cloyed, why should they tarry any longer, they have preaching enough, and prayer enough? or from vanity of mind that cannot endure to be fixed long in any way, be it never so good, they must have change, though they change from the better to the worse, from God's house to the alehouse, from the assembly of Saints, to the society of sinners, from the special presence of God, to the special presence of Satan, for in the ordinances God is specially present, and to go from them is specially to transgress, therefore specially to go into Satan's presence, for he hath most to do where God hath least. When men therefore are walking and talking in the Church, or Chappell-yard, or lying along in the grass, or going homeward, when the Word of God is in hand, they sin in despising the worship of God, and little know that they go into the midst of the Devil's Kingdom and power. 2. Kneeling down, or putting the hat and hand before the face to pray, when the Word is in reading, or Psalms are in singing, or the Word in preaching, a thing much used in some places, and held to be a point of great devotion. This private praying is a sin, for it is a despising of the worship of God in hand. That such private praying is a despising of God's public worship in hand, is evident from the open and manifest neglect of it, not only is the mind withdrawn in the sight of God, but the body also in the sight of men, disrespect is cast upon the worship of God in the sight of men. It will be answered, that we do indeed not attend unto the worship in present use for a time, but it is not out of purpose or desire to neglect God's worship, but out of respect to, and desire of better preparation for the same hereby. To this I say, of the intention alone I will not speak, (which I conceive to be very good in many that use it) unless that good intention could make a good action; but that the action performed with this good intention is a despising of God's worship I prove, for it doth thrust public worship out of its season, and puts private in the room, when public and private worship stand in choice, it takes to private, it puts more virtue and efficacy into private for heart preparation, then into public. It is an error, and too much slighting of God's public worship, to think that singing with the Congregation (if they be singing when we come in) will not fit us to sing, and reading the Word with them, will not fit us to read, and hearing the Word preache●, will not fit us to hear, better than private prayer, for shall they be judged to be instruments of all other spiritual good, and not of preparing the h●●●t, if unprepared? 3. Sitting, elected and chosen without any necessity, in ti●e of public prayer: we have example's of kneeling, and standing in publiken prayer, but not of sitting, Nehem. 9.2. They stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers, and ver. 5. the Levites bid the people stand up. Standing is the reverence that a servant expresseth to his Master, kneeling the reverence and worship that a subject expresseth to his Prince, but sitting is a gesture of familiarity and honour. I remember not that any of the godly in solemn private prayer did sit, but they kneeled, or lay along, or stood. That of David, 2 Sam. 7.18. Divines interpret continuing before the Lord. See Tremel. upon the place, and Piscator. Indeed our Saviour and his company being set down on the grass to eat meat, did crave a blessing sitting, which doth warrant the like custom in this Country, where they usually sit down to meat, before they crave a blessing: but 1. That was no solemn prayer, as that in God's public worship i●, but a short blessing of the creatures, (which yet our Saviour did reverently perform, for he lift up his eyes to Heaven.) 2. It is one thing to pray shortly, being s●t, without change of the gesture, and another thing to make choice of that as a praier-gesture in Gods solemn worship, i. e. when others do choose to kneel or stand, for a man to choose to sit, in this case it shows a slighting of God's worship, because a man chooseth a gesture of familiarity in prayer, wherein a man comes nearer God then in any ordinance, and in public prayer, wherein for examples sake we should be more reverend. Lest any should take advantage, or be unsatisfied about sitting at the Sacrament, becau e I say, sitting is a gesture that doth not express that reverence, let me answer in a word and by the way. 1. Had we not the example of Christ and his Apostles in the first institution, for some kind of sitting, it were more considerable. 2. It sufficeth that it is a gesture of freedom and honour, such as parents admit their children unto, and friends their friends, though fare under them. It is meet we should go to God humbly; he may with his honour, allow us more freedom when he comes to us. 3. Though sitting in itself be not a gesture of reverence, yet they that sit, may sit reverently. And it is an ordinary phrase to our children sitting before their betters, that they should sit reverently, that is fitly composing all the parts of their bodies, as those that had an awe of their betters, and would express their respect of them. If sitting therefore doth express the freedom and honour which God allows us, as children and friends, we may express our reverence otherwise, by uncovering the head, by gravity of countenance, and behaviour in all the actions thereto appertaining. 4. Neglect of singing Psalms wit● the Congregation: a fault in many: indeed some through age, or weakness of body, or want of voi●e, cannot, and are to be excused, for will, wh●n power is wanting, is accepted of God. But not to sing, where we have no such impediment, the case of very many, is to despise that ordinance of God, and so to sin: for what doth hinder them, but a mean and low esteem of this ordinance? they want not strength or body nor voice. What then? Nothing but respect, and esteem of the duty. Indeed they are to be blamed, who give occasion of this disrespect, by altering the tune, or singing, before or after others, but it doth not excuse them who are drawn hereby to disrespect God's ordinance, they should rather increase their esteem. 5. Whispering one to another in time of prayer, singing, reading, or preaching. Needles whispering in civil societies, is a disrespect thereto, for so the company and occasions in hand, are neglected; much more needlessly to whisper in holy Assemblies (though no public action be in hand) is disrespective of them, because more reverence is due thereto. When we meet for public ends, private actions are unsuitable, some to be talking in one place, and some in another, a public expectation of public exercises were more meet, and a general composing of our affections and behaviour fit for the same. We should come into such places with a respect of those holy ends we come for, and all our carriage, till we depart thence, should express to much. Most of all doth it express disrespect to whisper to one another, whilst the service of God is in hand; when we are speaking to him, or of him, or he speaking unto us, to turn aside, and speak one to another, doth not suit with that reverence we own to God. Nay if we speak one to another of that which is in hand (which is the fairest excuse that can be made) yet if it take away our ear, and affection from that which follows, it doth show a disesteem of God's ordinance, and so is sin. Nay, whatsoever doth but weaken our affection, and attention to God's worship, (as this must needs do at the least) doth therein weaken our esteem, and so make us sin. 6. Smiling and laughing in time of God's worship. Judge you what Assembly more grave, than an Assembly met at God's command to worship him. And would not smiling or laughing of some particular persons in a most grave Assembly, argue a disrespect of the same? doth it not argue a lightness, or inconsiderateness of the person, or the lightness of the matter? both which do carry a disesteem of God's worship: God hath promised, Zech, 8.4. that the streets of Jerusalem shall be full of boys and girls playing therein, but for men and women, our boys and girls, to be toying, laughing and smiling when they are worshipping, is a sleighty carriage, arguing sleighty thoughts of God's worship. God may send such a sudden, full and forcible joy into the heart, that it may change the sadness of the countenance into smiling; but to laugh and smile, though the ordinance gives no such occasion, b●t from some vain thought that comes to the min●e, or some ●olly a man seethe in others, is a despising of God's holy things, and so sin. The presence of betters might command more respect, much more of Saints and Angels, and most of all the presence of God himself. 7. Standing up to gaze about. We read that all the people stood up when Ezra opened the book of the law in the sight of them all, Nehemiah 8.5. and when our Saviour had read his text, the eyes of the people were fastened on him, Luk. 4.20. but to stand up to gaze about us, to see whom of our friends we can espy, or who comes in, or what apparel others wear, and that in time of singing of Psalms, or reading the word, or preaching the word, doth show a disesteem of God's Ordinances. Can we find something more to be attended to then God's worship? a sign we think but meanly of that. 8. Sleeping in time of God's worship, a thing which our neighbours equal to us, would count a slighting of them, much more may God. Suppose a man should be speaking to his neighbour, or speaking some good of him in his presence, or harkening to his speech, and he should fall asleep, would he not look at it as a sleighty carriage? how much more if a man should thus behave himself before his betters, and especially before his Prince, and chief govenrour? so is the case in public worship, either we are speaking unto God, as in prayer, or speaking of God, as in reading the word, and singing of Psalms, or hearing God speak to us, as in the preaching of the word: if we sleep in all, or any of these, do we not show that we lightly esteem them? that we do but little respect what we say unto God, or of God, or what he saith unto us? which how great a sin it is I leave to you to judge. Not but that some by reason of age, or weakness of body, or want sometimes of convenient rest, or constitution of body, may be subject to heaviness, who yet do highly esteem God's worship: but where there is a giving way unto this, and it is not borne as a burden, which for the present a man would shake off, and after is humbled for, it shows a great disesteem and disrespect of God's worship. 2. To humble God's people in regard of the guiltiness of this sin, mean and low thoughts of God's worship. In this sense we need Peter's exhortation, 1 Pet. 1.13. to gird up the loins of our minds, our thoughts of God's worship hang too lose, and low, and had need be girt up closer, and higher. We should call the sabbath, the honourable of the Lord, Isai. 38.13. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God, Ps. 87.3. of the Church and Ordinances. We should look to our foot when we go into the house of God, Eccles. 5.1. but our late coming, our heaviness, our whisper, do show that our thoughts are too low; for were our thoughts higher, our carriages would be more reverend. This is our sin, and should be our shame. And to humble us the more, consider, either there is much ignorance in us of the worth of God's worship, or much carelessness of that worth we know, or much corruption, and but little grace, much of the old man, and but little of the new. 3. To fortify them that respect God's worship, against the speeches and carriages of them that disrespect them. Many have a good esteem of reading and prayer, of private and Church ordinances; but when they see and hear others slight the same, they pray not, they read not, they come not to the assembly, but they speak ill of others that use them; hereupon they draw in, and are afraid to show their respect. But let such consider what they do. They that think meanly of good duties, do sin, and wilt thou be beaten from thy duty by the sin of others? because others do ill, wilt thou do ill also? The sins of others should warn us from sin, not draw or drive us unto sin: because others despise Gods ordinances, wilt thou despise them also? there is most need now to honour them, to recover that esteem which they lose by others, for that is one reason why God's people are called his portion, because he makes up, by means of them, the losses of glory, that he sustains from the world, Isai. 43.21. This people have I form for myself, they shall show forth my praise: though other people are for themselves and their own praise, yet his people shall be for his ends, and his praise: though prayer was cried down in Babylon for thirty days, to make a snare for Daniel, yet the disrespective law against it could not make Daniel neglect his course of praying. Though David was mocked by his own wife for dancing before the Ark, he answered, it was before the Lord, and if that were to be vile, he would be more vile; so say thou, if to read and pray be to be vile, thou wilt make thyself more vile. 4. To provoke us to take heed of despising Gods holy things. Two arguments are at hand to dissuade us. 1. It is sin, a sin that is obvious to every eye, an unnatural sin. Will not all judge it a sin for a child to despise his father, or a servant to despise his Master? Is it not an unnatural sin? Nature binds them to the contrary. Is not God our Father, our Master, the best Father, the best Master, like whom is none, and is it not much more a sin, an unnatural sin, a sin cried down by all to despise God? yet so we do when we despise his worship, which is his name. What is worse than sin? who would not avoid sin, specially manifest, and unnatural sin, such is this despising of God's worship, for we return disrespect for respect. The Psalmist admires at God's respect to man, Psal. 8.4. What is man? Though there be no worth in man, yet God shows that respect to man, that men are wont to do to them that have great place, and worth; to disrespect him therefore is great sin. 2. Despising of God's worship will hinder our earnest worshipping of God, doth not God deserve our best affections in his worship: and do we not desire to bestow our best affections upon God in his worship? God will return them to us better again. This we cannot do if we despise God's worship. Will we bestow much affection upon that which we think is not worthy much? Let me add one more argument to dissuade us from despising God's worship, drawn from the ill consequence hereof, and this argument hath three several branches, I pray take notice of them. 1. Our despising of God's worship will redound to our dishonour: if we expose them to slighting, by our slightly use of them, God will cause us to be despised. To despise God's worship is to sin against God's honour, therefore God's punishment shall be directed against our honour, Malipiero 2.9. Therefore have I also made you base and contemptible before all the people. God made the priests generally and of all hands base and contemptible, and he did it also, i. e. in relation and with respect unto that reproach and dishonour they had put upon him, as it followeth in the verse, According as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law: they dishonour God by obeying but where they listed, and God poured contempt upon them. Ever observe it, ministers that have but low thoughts of God's worship, and mean behaviour in the same, God makes them contemptible. Not only is it so with ministers, who being public persons, do put more dishonour upon God, but also with private persons, whose dishonour of God is less. Esau despised his birthright, and therein the Covenant of God, and God cast such dishonour upon him as can never be wiped away. An instance whereof is, Heb. 12.16. when the spirit of God had occasion to speak of him, and that act, he calls him by way of reproach, profane Esau, and that thousands of years after the action, when one would have thought it had been forgotten, but God doth not so easily forget dishonour done to him. Michal she despiseth David worshipping of God, and what was her punishment.? Not only that which was an affliction, but that which was over and besides a special reproach, 2 Sam. 6.23. Therefore she had no child to the day of her death. A woman whose name should be buried with herself, but her reproach should live, she had no child, because she despised David worshipping of God. If therefore we have any respect to our honour, as we have, if we be not destitute of the spirit of men and women: for what is a man's life without respect, but a living in the grave, a being buried whilst a man lives? let us take heed of despising God's worship. 2. Our despising of God's Ordinances doth not rest, or is limited in them, but passeth through them unto God, doth not stay till it cometh unto him, Luk. 10.16. He that heareth you heareth me, and he that despiseth you despiseth me, and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me. The Apostles were but ignorant and unlearned men, fishermen, in themselves considered, but when they became vessels to carry the word of God unto the world, than what respect was showed to them, was done to God, and what disrespect was done to them, did not rest till it came to the highest Majesty: for they are the Ordinances of his command and of his glory. His Name is called upon them, his commission is with them, nay his presence is with them, Math. 18.20. Where two or three are met in my Name, I am in the midst of them. A notable proof hereof we find in Elisha, 2 Kings 2.23, 24. when little children mocked him, he cursed them in the Name of the Lord, i. e. in the Lord's authority, command and commission. Had not their mocking of Elisha been God's cause, he had sinfully used God's Name and authority. If a Master send his servant about some errand, and give him power to use his Name in it, may he also use his Name about his own business? Nor had his curse been effectual, for he could not have sent the bears to have destroyed them, which is one of God's sore judgements, Ezek. 14.21. and God would not have sent them had not the cause been his own. Let us now consider. Men that despise the word and prayer, yet do not think God is to be despised, but rather think him not worthy to live that doth despise God, for God is of infinite worth and goodness, yet in despising these they do depise God, for it is prayer unto God, and reading God's word, the means are his means, under his authority, and for his glory, you cannot separate God and them: when men speak ill of professors for praying, reading, they think they speak ill of men, and that not for goodness, but niceness and overstrictnes: but they speak ill of God in men, they speak ill of godly men, who do read and pray, not because it is their own mind, but God's mind: and shall we run into such horrible profannes to speak ill of God? 3. Despising of God's worship is the way to quench the spirit in our hearts, and in the ordinances. These two are put together, as depending one upon another, 1 Thes. 3.19, 20. Quench not the spirit: Despise not prophesying, implying, that to despise prophesying, is the way to quench the spirit. It is observable, when the Apostle speaketh of other sins, Ephes. 4. 2●. as lying, sinful anger, stealing, corrupt communication, he saith, Grieve not the holy spirit: but when he comes to speak of despising prophesying, he saith, Quench not the holy spirit, showing us, that any sin, if it be but corrupt speech, will grieve the spirit, make it sad in our hearts, withdraw its lively and comfortable working, but despising or prophesying doth quench the spirit, it doth take a course quite to put out the fire of the spirit, for it takes away the sewel of the spirit, that which should nourish and increase its flame. If a man despise God's ordinances, either he will not make use of them at all, or never the better, and then the nourishment of the fire of the spirit is taken away, and so it is quenched. As therefore we would have the spirit flame in our hearts, and in the ordinances, let us take heed of despising the ordinances. Do we not find a damp of God's spirit in our hearts, and in the ordinances, the cause is here, we have taken away the fuel, by slighting the ordinances. It may be said, How may we be helped against this despising of God's worship? Answer. By the contrary reverence, a f●ame of mind called much for in the book of God: Psal. 2.11. Serve the Lord with fear, rejoice with trembling. Psal. 3.7. In thy fear will I worship towards thy holy Temple. Prov. 13.13. Fear is opposed to despising, who so despiseth the Word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded, the way not to despise the Word is to fear it, Psal. 66.2. To him will I look that trembleth at my word: trembling i● 〈◊〉 ●●●t of the bo●y, spring●●● f●o●●●●●●rence or 〈◊〉, ●n act of the mind, apprehending an excellency and worth an excelling, overpowering worth and excellency. How shall we get this reverence? Answ. For obtaining the truth and beginning of reverence, there is no way but one, chan●e of heart, for that brings both ●ight and love: which two make reverence: light, to discern worth, and love, to affect it, to be willing it should be there, and to acknowledge it to be there. If a man receive light from the spirit to see an excellency in God's worship, in preaching, in prayer, yet if there be not love, a man will at one time or other shut out that light, and so despise the ordinances, notwithstanding them. No wonder if unregenerate men be careless of the Word, Sacraments, Prayer, yea after many years preaching it will not be helped, nor can it be expected otherwise, till the heart be changed. For the help of the measure, and increase of our reverence, and so our earnest worshipping of God, it will be useful. 1. To labour to increase our knowledge of the worth of God's ordinances, which we shall do two ways. 1. By considering that God's ordinances are means of conveying glory to God, yea the greatest glory and good to us, yea the greatest good. They are means of conveying honour to God, therefore they are called God's worship, because they do defer and carry worship and honour to God, yea the greatest honour, more than the works of God, for they do declare God's worth more than his works, more clearly, more abundantly, and they do work more deep and constant expressions of God's honour in our thoughts, affections, words and actions, than the works of God. That which conveys honour to God as appointed means is honourable, that which conveys most honour to God is most honourable, so do the ordinances of God, therefore they are most honourable. As the ordinances do convey the greatest honour to God, so they convey the greatest good to us. In God's providence we have many sweet mercies which we could not want, as health, estate, friends, guidance, protection, but in the ordinances we find God, and Christ, and eternal life, Prov. 8.34.35. They that wait at the gates of wisdom, and attend at the posts of her doors, are blessed, for they find Christ, and with him life and savour at God's hands. Is not that of great worth and greatly to be respected, that brings unto us the greatest good, good incomparable, and invaluable? so do Gods Ordinances. And that we may have the knowledge of this worth ready at hand for use, we are to call it often to mind, and to consider of it, for what a man hath forgotten, it is all one to him as if he had never known it, and especially when we are to come to them, let us consider of their worth, make present our knowledge by meditation. 2. To increase our knowledge of the worth of God's Ordinances, let us observe and remember the effects and workings of God's Ordinances, sometimes in one, sometim s in another, our hearts are humbled, quickened, comforted, satisfied, yea sometimes when our hearts have been at a low ●bb, when we have despaired of help and thought all ●●ans in vain, when much hearing and use of private means would do no good, these are sensible arguments of the worth of God's Ordinances, we know they have done us good when no other means could. 2. Consider the examples of the servants of God. This is their description, and hereby they differ from others, they tremble at God's Word, Ezra 9.4. David will worship God with fear, Psal. 3.7. Josiahs' heart melted at the hearing of the word, 2 King. 22.11. Habakkuk trembled, Hab. 3.16. these were deep expressions, a sign they had deep thoughts. Wilt not thou be like God's people? what? and call God father? Wilt not thou express the image of his children? 3. Consider this frame of mind hath the promise of special favour, Isai. 66.2. God will have an eye to them that tremble at his word. Josiah should not see the evil God would bring. Habakkuk should rest in the evil day. 4. Endeavour after a reverend carriage of body, there is that nearnes between soul and body, that they are helps, or hindrances one to another. An irreverent behaviour will, 1. Increase the irreverence of the mind, provoke and procure sleighty thoughts. 2. Beget the like irreverent behaviour in others, which will reflect upon our hurt. 3. Give advantage to satan to suggest and move unto vanity, when he seethe us that way disposed. 4. Grieve the spirit of God, to see his Temple in that guise and dress. On the contrary, a reverend behaviour of body that will. 1. Beget respective thoughts in our minds. 2. Effect the like reverend carriage in others, which will be helpful to us. 3. Take advantage from Satan when he seethe no opportunity. 4. Content the spirit of God, when he seethe his Temple in a comely habit, and he will delight to be more there. 5. Look up to the Lord Jesus to make these considerations useful, and to effect more of this reverence in use. He shown the greatest respect that ever was showed to God's Ordinances, when he whipped out the profaners of the Temple, and he, as head of the Church hath full●es to bestow. Ob. Th● Ordinances ●●eme to be weak and foolish ●hin●▪ and not to deserve such reverence, for men to speak to God, and God to speak his mind unto us, by men, a poor thing. Ans. The Apostle hath answered this to my hand, 1 Cor. 1. ●5. The foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God stronger than men. What though they may seem foolishness, and weakness? grant them so to be, yet they are God's foolishness, and weakness; God can make that a strong way which is in itself weak, and that a wise way which is in itself foolish: that which hath the wisdom of God and the strength of God with it, cannot be foolish, cann●t be weak, however it may seem abstracted therefrom. God's wisdom is an infinite and hidden wisd●●e, all of God is not thereto 〈◊〉 ●ke and foolish, because we see not the strength and wisdom of it. Let us conclude our blindness, folly and weakness, rather than charge God's means of folly and weakness. CHAP. III. Of the second hindrance of instant worshipping of God, wand'ring thoughts. ISA. 29.13. Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and do honour me with their lips, but have removed their hearts fare from me. HAving finished the first hindrance of our instant worshipping of God, despising of God's worship, we come to a second, seated in the same faculty of the soul, the mind, and it is, wand'ring or roving thoughts in God's worship. For the handling whereof, I have made choice of this text: wherein the Lord doth blame it in the Israelitish worshippers of him. By heart, here, we are to understand the whole inward man, the mind, will, affections, for i● stands opposed to the whole o●t●ard man, included in a pa●t expressed, the mouth, and lips. In the like sense, heart, put alone is taken, Mat. 15. ●9. out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, i. e. out of the whole inward man, part whereof is the heart, proceeds evil thoughts, the work of the mind, and murders, adulteries, the work of the will and a●●●tions, manifested in the outward man. I am particularly to speak of the absence of one power of the mind from God, the thoughts. N. The absence of our thoughts in God's worship doth weaken our worshipping of God. Wand'ring thoughts in God's worship, do hinder our earnest worshipping of God. God complains here, that his people drew near him with their mouths, but their hearts were gone from him: if the absence of the heart, and particularly of the mind, and more particularly of the thoughts of the mind did not weaken and hinder their worship, why should the Lord complain of the absence? Nay, why should he punish the absence's so admirably as here he threatneth to do? Mat. 15.7. our Saviour calleth them that worship God with their bodies, and their heart fare from him, hypocrites: such worship therefore hath hypocrisy in it, and the more wand'ring of mind, the more hypocrisy, and if so, it is but weak worship. The Lord by the Prophet doth particularly discommend the hearing of the wicked, Ezek. 33.31. that so fare as concerned the outward man, they did hear as well as a people could, they came duly, and sat respectively: and attended, and were somewhat affected with the Word, as men are with pleasant music, but their hearts walked after their covetousness, their bodies were in one place, but their thoughts and affections in another; their bodies were fised, but their souls were roving, and this made their hearing to become sin, and God to threaten, that the day should come when they should know, by lamentable experience, that they had a Prophet, and the Word amongst them, and were hearers of it, but sinned by the wand'ring of their hearts. When David, Psal. 103.1. calls upon his soul to be exercised in the duty of praise, he explaineth in the later end of the verse what he meaneth by, soul, all that is within me praise his holy Name. If the duty of praise (and so other duties) have not all that within us, and consequently our thoughts, it hath not its due, and so God's praise is short. To this agrees that of our Saviour, summing up all Commandments of the first Table in this one, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. One branch of this love of God is the manner of worshipping God, which must be with all the mind, as well as all the heart and soul, and if with all the mind, then with all the thoughts of the mind, and so much as the thoughts are absent in God's worship, so much love to God is absent, therefore the worship of God is hindered. Two things we must consider of for our understanding of this point. 1. What wand'ring thoughts in God's worship are. 2. How wand'ring thoughts do hinder our earnest worshipping of God. 1. What are wand'ring thoughts in God's worship? Ans. We may know the nature of them by the description of the holy ghost in this place, and in Ezekiel, Isaiah describeth them by their place, they are far from God, there is a distance betwixt God and them, and that in opposition to the nearnes of the body to him: those thoughts that are further from God in his worship, than the body, that are not busied about the same action that the body is, are wand'ring thoughts, and do hinder God's worship. Ezekiel describeth them by their motion and wand'ring, their heart goeth, or walketh after their covetousness; when the body is set, and fised, the 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 and thoughts, are up and walking, not about the service in hand, but about other things. These wand'ring thoughts, according to the objects they are conversant about, may be reduced to two heads. Thoughts about evil things, and thoughts about good things. 1. Wand'ring thoughts about things evil in themselves, thoughts simply and materially evil, Amos 8.5, 6. Thus the jews are brought in, Saying, When will the new moon be gone, and the sabbath? why? that they may sell corn, and set forth wheat. Is that all? No there is a worse matter beside, making the Ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit: That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes, and sell the refuse of the wheat. It was not likely that they were so profane as to say so, but they said so in their thoughts, which whispering the Lord heard, and so reports them, these were wand'ring thoughts, evil in themselves, thoughts of deceit, of falsehood, of oppression, of injustice, and that in the Sabbaths. Thus wicked Jezebel, 1 King. 21.8, 9, 10. calls upon the Elders of jesreel to proclaim a fast, and in it to busy their thoughts about false witness, and murder, two men must come in and witness that Naboth blasphemed God and the King, and then he must be carried out and stoned, these things their thoughts must be busied about as the main end of their fasting. Our Saviour chargeth the Pharisees that they did devour widows houses, and for a pretence, or cloak, to hid it, make long prayers, in their prayers their thoughts did busy themselves about hiding their oppression and cruelty, the main end of their praying. Thoughts in themselves evil, in time of God's worship, are most evil. 1. Because they argue deep hypocrisy, for they are directly contrary to God, & yet covered over with show of love to God. To colour over great hatred of God with show of love, is great hypocrisy. 2. Great injury is done to God, for in the very time that we should do service to him in a special manner, we do special service to the devil. 3. Deep dishonour is put upon holy duties, as if they had fellowship with sin, and could comply with it, which doth indeed destroy their nature, why else are these thoughts, evil in themselves, admitted when holy duties are in hand? 4. Our spirits are specially poisoned hereby, more than if we had them at another time, because a greater curse goeth with them in that they abuse a time of blessing. The devil is therefore the worst creature, being corrupted, because he was the best creature in creation; and times of greatest blessing perverted, are times of greatest curse. Let a man abuse the sabbath, time of prayer, time of hearing, with unclean, drunken, oppressing thoughts, he shall be more accursed from God then if he had the same unclean, drunken, oppressing thoughts at another time, and in other occasions, for the sin is aggravated from the time & occasion, and so the curse increased, which well considered of, would make us take heed how we spend the sabbath, how we carry ourselves in holy duties, lest suffering sin to be stirred we become deeply accursed. 2. A second sort of wand'ring thoughts in God's worship, are taken up about things lawful and good in themselves, and they are either. Earthly good things. Or spiritual good things. 1. Wand'ring thoughts about earthly good things in God's worship, are such thoughts as are employed about our particular callings, or provision for ourselves and children, or about our pleasures and recreations, thoughts warrantable and lawful, yea necessary at other times, but now wand'ring thoughts, because the mind is in other employment. God peremptorily saith, that on the sabbath day we shall do no manner of work, Exod. 20.10. If our hands rest and our thoughts be working, is that no work? Thoughts are as properly the labour and work of the mind, as actions and do are the work of the body, Isa. 58.13. God forbids us to find our own pleasure on his holy day: and do we not find our pleasure by our thoughts? Thoughts will frame the acting and enjoying of any pleasure, or recreation. If thoughts about earthly good things holden in time, set apart for God, are wand'ring, and so sinful, then in like manner such thoughts had in duties set apart for God, are wand'ring, and therefore sinful. When God complains of the Jews by the Prophet, that their hearts went after their covetousness in time of hearing the Word, what doth he mean, b●t that they were busy in thoughts and affections about worldly things, which they so much desired, though their bodies were absent from them. 2. Wand'ring thoughts in God's worship about spiritual good things, are either such spiritual things as are impertinent, and of a divers kind from the duties in hand, or such spiritual things as are pertinent, of the same kind, and agreeable to the duty in hand. Wand'ring thoughts in duty impertinent, and of divers kind, are such as these. When a man in time of hearing the Word, hath thoughts of prayer, or of some Sermon th●t he heard at such a time, in such a place, how good it was, and useful unto him, when a man in prayer hath thoughts of preparation unto prayer, thoughts of meditation, thoughts of hearing the Word. Spiritual thoughts pertinent, and of the same kind with the worship in hand, are not always to be accounted wand'ring and sinful thoughts: As for example, a man is hearing the Word of God, and some thoughts come into his mind suitable to what is spoken, some place of Scripture to the purpose, or some place of Scripture enlightened to a man, beyond what light the Minister giveth to it, or something come to mind a man hath heard before to the same purpose. A man also joins in prayer with others, and besides the thoughts of what is prayed, he hath other like thoughts of his own; if these like thoughts do clear the duty in hand to the understanding do increase attention, and affection to what is in doing, they are not wand'ring thoughts, but they are conserving thoughts, thoughts that keep up and keep close the attention and affection to God's worship, and do prevent the weakening and wasting of the same, and they are the work of the enlarging and establishing spirit, which can at the same time suggest new thoughts, and make them helpful to us. But if these pertinent and like thoughts do carry away the attention, and take it wholly up, that what is in hand, is neglected, and the thoughts lo●e the present duty, and are long before they can recall themselves, and find the duty, then ordinarily they are the work of Satan and corruption, working as an Angel of light, doing evil, but in such a way as may not be discovered, for who would suspect good thoughts in duty of the very same kind, to come from Satan and corruption? I say, if these like thoughts do carry away the attention, they are ordinarily evil, for God may, and sometimes doth, (as experience proves) so take up the thoughts and affections with something in the Word and prayer, that is suitable to the necessity of the soul, that it can mind nothing else for the present, but as the soul hath dwelled upon some matter of sorrow, and been deeply humbled thereby, so God will have a man dwell upon some matter of comfort, till the heart be greatly refreshed thereby: but this is more than ordinary, we may not neglect any part of worship, but God may employ us about some part if he will, this act is not voluntary or deliberate, but the soul is carried thereto by the power of the spirit of God. These wand'ring thoughts in God's worship, employed about things good in themselves, earthly good, or spiritual good things, are therefore sinful, because wand'ring, and therefore: 1. Impertinent, and so a part of disorder and confusion, which God is not the author of, they are out of their place and rank, they should not come in when other occasions and duties take place, they have no due place now, they do but usurp. 2. Being wand'ring, they are unseasonable, out of their time, and therefore undecent, uncomely, for time doth give a beauty to things. 3. Being wand'ring they are distracting, they go from the duty in hand, take away part of the souls strength, and thereby weaken the performance of duty: and thus pertinent thoughts sometimes gain the name of wand'ring thoughts, from the effect, because they make the soul to wander. Having seen the nature and kinds of wand'ring thoughts in God's worship; Let us now consider how they do hinder our earnest worshipping of God. Ans. Two ways, 1. As they weaken the inward power of the soul to worship God. 2. As they weaken the assisting power of the spirit of God. 1. Wand'ring thoughts do weaken the inward power of the soul to worship God, and so hinder our fervent and affectionate worshipping of God. First, As they take up part of the mind, so that God's worship hath not the whole mind, as it should have. Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy mind. A man doth not pray with all his mind, nor hear with all his mind, part is bestowed elsewhere: let a river be parted into two streams, and it cannot run so full in both, as it would in one. No finite mind can be so strong about many objects at same time, as about one. Wand'ring thoughts make God to be worshipped with a divided, parted mind, with a piece of the mind, therefore weakly. 2. Wand'ring thoughts in worship do not only take up part of the mind, and so weaken the power of the soul to worship God, but they do take off the mind from the worship in hand, so God saith, the heart is removed fare from me, and their hearts goeth after their covetousness: that is, the mind is much nearer such thoughts, and more taken up with them, then with the Word or prayer, the mind is wholly with them, or at least chief with them. As it is often seen when dogs are following an hare, if a new one be started, they follow that, and leave the other: so when we are praying, reading, hearing, if new thoughts arise in our hearts, we let go our thoughts of the duty, and follow them, and so God hath scarce a part of our mind in his worship, if any, it is the least part. 3. Wand'ring thoughts do weaken the power of the soul to worship God, not only because they take up part of the mind, and take off the mind from God's worship, but also because in so doing, they take up and take off the affections and endeavours, the desires and delights of the soul, and the actions of the body. What a man doth not think of, he cannot desire or delight in, and what he doth but little think of, he will but little desire and delight in, and consequently will take little pains about. Thus wand'ring thoughts carrying away the mind from God's worship, do also carry away the affections and outward man: and if God hath neither mind, nor affections, nor body, or but little of them, than he hath but weak service. 2. Wand'ring thoughts do hinder our thorough worshipping of God, as they do weaken the power of the assisting spirit in our hearts; and that they do three ways. 1. As they draw us from present spiritual thoughts about the worship in hand, which are the work of God's spirit, concurring with grace in the heart. We cannot think a good thought in a duty, without the assistance of God's spirit, All our sufficiency (saith Paul, 2 Cor. 3.5.) is of God, and he instanceth in the smallest power of the soul, thoughts; we cannot think any thing of ourselves: when therefore wand'ring thoughts do take us from such thoughts, as the assisting spirit hath wrought in us, doth it not weaken the power of the assisting spirit? 2. Wand'ring thoughts being evil, and sinful do grieve the spirit of God, and so weaken the assisting power of the spirit: when a man is grieved he will have no mind to show his love and power, Ephes. 4.30. Grieve not (saith the Apostle) the holy spirit of God, unholiness is contrary to the nature of the spirit, therefore doth grieve it, and wand'ring thoughts in holy duties are unholiness, because they separate the soul from God, when the body comes near him, they are therefore contrary and grievous to God's spirit, and makes it unwilling to show itself. 3. Wand'ring thoughts do weaken the power of the assisting spirit of God. Because they hinder us in the way of the spirit, the Word, Prayer, Sacraments, wherein the spirit is wont to convey himself more unto us. Wand'ring thoughts do prevent our careful use of the ordinances, and so a greater measure of the spirits assistance, which we should have in those Ordinances, were wand'ring thoughts absent. If wand'ring thoughts do weaken the power of Gods assisting spirit in our hearts, they must needs hinder our fervent worshipping of God, for the exercise of the strength of our souls depends upon the assistance of the spirit. But it may be demanded further, what are the causes of these wand'ring thoughts? and how comes it to pass that the godly are troubled with them in good duties, that do so hinder them in the due worshipping of God? Ans. There is a threefold cause of them. 1. Ourselves. 2. Satan. 3. God. 1. We ourselves are the causes of wand'ring thoughts in God's worship. How? Surely many ways. 1. As we have a remnant of original corruption, a root and stock, yet living and fruit bearing, and one fruit is evil thoughts, Matth. 13.19. out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, i. e. the heart being an evil tree. It is the happiness of a good tree to bring forth fruit in season, Psal. 1.3. good, and seasonable good, and it is the curse of corruption, a bad tree, to bring forth fruit out of season, good thoughts, but out of season. More particularly, sin hath brought a vanity upon our minds, Ephes. 4.17. and there is yet a remnant of it in us, i e. the more worth, and weight, and excellency is in a●y thing, the less we in our mind's suit with it, and the more light and empty any thing is, the more our minds agree thereto: now thoughts on the by, have not that worth and excellency in holy duties, that pertinent thoughts enlarging our affections. Besides, the more any thing requires the fixing, settling, and holding close of the thoughts, as good duties do, the less do our mind's suit therewith, our minds are vain, & inconstancy, variety, change, and alteration of thoughts, do best please them. Experience tells us, that it is painful to keep our minds close to a duty, and to let them rove and wander, is an ease to us, a sign of their vanity. 2. Want of inuring and accustoming ourselves unto good thoughts in ordinary course, and to settledness therein, and accustoming our minds to rove and wander, to take their lawless, and boundless liberty, whereby their averseness unto good thoughts is not weakened, but their forwardness unto vanity, and wand'ring of thoughts strengthened: custom is a second nature, what we use ourselves to, will be ready and easy to us. If we ordinarily disuse good thoughts, we do not raise up our minds to heaven in our callings, upon sight of the creatures, we do not parley, and commune with our hearts, in some holy spiritual conference, when we lie down, and when we rise up, when we sit in our houses, and when we walk by the way, we shall find that when we come to holy duties, holy thoughts will be tedious and painful, for we strive against two natures: one that sin hath brought, and another that custom hath brought. And suppose we have a new nature, a little grace, yet what will a little grace do against two natures? on the other side, if we use ourselves to sinful thoughts, or to roving and wand'ring of mind; we shall come to an art and trade of sinful and vain thoughts, they will easily come into our minds in holy duties, without any pains, any study or devising, there will be swarms and treasures there, the mind by continual use, will have gotten a more perfect faculty and ability in such thoughts. 3. An overfullnesse of earthly occasions, or a fullness of thoughts, desires and cares about a few occasions hindering, or instead of dependence upon God. When a man's hands are so full of occasions, that his mind hath hardly room enough for the thoughts thereof, at least in due time, or when all a man's thoughts, morning, evening, all the day long, are taken up about that business he hath in hand, that no spiritual thoughts can get place in the mind, they will not be shut out in good duties, those thoughts that have all place at other times, will have some place in God's worship. Beside, too much to do with the world, or too much thought about the world, will make all the faculties of the soul more ready and observant that way. Some occasion amongst many will be neglected, or an occasion might have been dispatched some other way, and the memory will not be wanting to suggest it, no not in midst of good duties. Multitude of occasions or solicitude about them, have a power to pull the mind apieces, to divide it into parts, that if the worship of God have any of the mind, it shall have but a part. When Martha was so solicitous about providing for our Saviour's entertainment, he chides her, Martha, Martha, thou carest, and he useth a word that signifieth to cut into parts, her soul was all apieces with it, and therefore unfit to hear till that care should be gone, and her soul return unto itself. Immoderacie of affection will breed immoderacie of thoughts, if there be not a greater dependence. If a man be solicitous about good duties, how he shall perform them, how he shall pray, how he shall hear, and do not look up to God as able and willing to help him, those thoughts will not rest, nor lie still, when the duty is in hand, for a man seethe nothing to quiet his thoughts. In like manner, if a man's thoughts be taken up with his earthly occasions, and he do not think, and that much, that God taketh care for him, if he doth not often call to mind the promises of God, the providence of God, his preventing and succeeding providence, what experiences he hath had of the same, his careful thoughts will not be quiet in holy duties, for only two things can give any quiet to the mind. 1. A man's own employment about them. 2. Assurance and remembrance of God's care. If a man's thoughts be full of his occasions, he will forget God's care, therefore his thoughts will be ranging in duties, for he hath nothing to quiet him, but employment about them; his body cannot be employed, for that is about good duties, he must let his mind therefore be casting, and thinking about them in holy duties, or else he will have no quiet of mind. 4. Want of reverence: did we look upon God's worship respectively as a matter of that worth and weight that indeed it hath, we would take heed that our thoughts be weighty. 5. Want of preparation: When we come with earthly thoughts, with wand'ring minds, do not wind them up, nor set them in tune by some spiritual thoughts, by prayer, how should they but work after their natural frames, when we do not stir up the spiritualness of our minds? We must not think that we have good thoughts at command, and always ready, unless our minds were perfectly regenerate: what we get now must be by the lusting of the spirit against the flesh, Gal. 5.17. by struggling and striving. 6. Want of watchfulness in duties. 1. We do not watch our minds that they do not wander, but keep close to the duty. 2. We do not watch our affections, that they be affected and moved with the duty: if they were affected, they would keep the thoughts close. 3. We do not watch our eyes, that they do not rove from one object to another, for than they will minister matter of wand'ring to the mind. And on the Lord's day we do not watch our tongues, that they speak not of the world, and our ears that they hear not others speak of the world; for if our tongue may have liberty to speak of the world, and our ears to hear matters of the world spoken of, (save in case of some spiritual ends or use made thereof) our minds will be thinking of them. 2. Satan hath his hand in wand'ring thoughts. He comes to Church with us, Zech. 3.1. He stood at josuas' right hand to resist him, he watcheth the best opportunity to hinder us. The highway side ground hearers have the word taken from them by the Devil. How? they understand it not: when the Word is delivering, the Devil fills their minds with other thoughts, that they do not attend to the Word, nor know what is spoken: some wand'ring thoughts he immediately casts in without any help of our corruption: he is a spiritual wickedness, therefore can convey himself into our spirits, have communion and converse with them. Such as come immediately from Satan, discover themselves thus. 1. By their suddainnes, they are with us ere we are ware, we cannot discern the rise of them, other thoughts, wherein our corruption hath an hand, do come more leisurely and by degrees, upon occasion of some object, or some thing remembered, or some thing represented to the mind, we see their rise. 2. By their sinfulness ordinarily, for coming immediately from Satan, and being his children only, they must needs more lively express his nature and image (save when he doth transform himself into an Angel of light, as sometimes he doth) and Satan is worse, more sinful than our hearts, therefore the thoughts that come from him, will ordinarily be more sinful, like their p●●●●● then those in which our hearts have an hand. 2. By the measure of the opposition of the gracious heart, it doth more forcibly repel them with greater strength of detestation, for grace not being weakened by them, having no hand in them, doth more easily discern them, and is more able to detest them, whereas when the so●l is a party in them, they being his own, having affection to them, and having given some countenance to them in their rising, cannot so easily see their sinfulness, nor so ably resist the same. Some wand'ring thoughts he casts immediately, by means of the corruption of our hearts. 1. By occasion of some object to our eye or ear. 2. Joining with our memories, to remember somewhat forgotten. 3. Representing some fancy to our minds. 3. God so disposeth that his people shall have wand'ring thoughts, by withdrawing his preventing spirit, by leaving them in the hands of Satan and corruption, by casting in occasions to be snared and distractions unto them: and that he doth for many wise ends. 1. To chastise them for a double sin. First neglect of good motions: they that have slighted good thoughts, and the comfort of them, it is just they should feel the sorrow of evil thoughts. Secondly, too much favouring of wand'ring thoughts: what hath been the sin, God often makes the rod of his; wand'ring thoughts have been their sin, therefore shall be their rod. 2. To keep their hearts under and humble: the ground of pride is some good thing, some worth, some excellency real, or imagined: what greater good than communion with God in holy duties, the exercise of graces, the pouring out of the spirit upon us? nothing therefore so fit to be matter of pride: but when the godly look into their hearts, and see such wand'ring thoughts, they are kept from exalting themselves. 3. Still to convince them thoroughly, and to put them in mind what need they have of a Saviour: they see matter of damnation, desert of hell in their best duties. If their prayers, hear, receivings of the Sacrament will not save them, what will? Nothing in themselves: they must have a Jesus, a daies-man betwixt God and them, one that hath perfect holiness, that hath perfectly obeyed God. 4. To quicken and increase their care of preparation before they come, and of watchfulness in duty; for they see in experience, what need they have, they dare not come without meditation, without prayer for the spirits assistance; when they are there, they dare not sleep, or give way to drowsiness, as others, nor look about them, lest thus they set their minds a wand'ring. Use 1. Hence we may take notice. 1. Of the evil nature of sin, it stands in direct opposition to the good God, to his service and glory, for this doctrine doth manifest, that though sin be never so secret, never so small if but in thought, yet it doth weaken the worship of God, and therefore hinder his glory. Men may, to the eye of men, worship and honour God as much as any, the outward carriage of their bodies may be such, but if sin be but within the thought, it will divide the soul from the body, carry away the best part of man from the worship of God. 2. The exactness and strictness of the worship of God. It requires the whole man, and every part thereof, even to the least thought of the mind. It will not abate a thought, it will not suffer one thought to wander, but will complain that its due is wanting, that it is weakened and wronged. 3. The mistake of the world, who being very lose themselves, do condemn the godly of too much strictness and preciseness, but they know not what they say: can they be more strict than God requires? No not possible. Nay they cannot possibly be so strict, as they should be, therefore it is less possible that they should be too strict, too precise. The worship of God requires that all our thoughts should be kept close unto it, that not one should wander. This is not possible, nor will it be possible when the godly have attained the greatest measure of grace that is attainable in this world, so long as corruption remains, there will be ●●andring thoughts: if then 〈◊〉 ●●dly cannot be so str●ct●●● 〈◊〉 should be, though they 〈◊〉 and endeavour it, much 〈…〉 can they be too strict. That which makes men think the godly too strict, is partly ignorance of that strictness God requireth, partly love 〈◊〉 ●o●enes, they neither prac●●●●, nor love strictness in themselves, therefore they condemn it in others, that they might justify themselves. 4. God hath much bad service done him, that the world knoweth not of, no body is privy thereto but God, and the consciences of men, wand'ring thoughts, worldly thoughts, sinful thoughts, impertinent good thoughts do hinder God's worship; yet how full are all men's minds of these? some let their minds go lose all Sermon while, all Prayer while, they think not at all of what is in hand; and they that do keep their mind in measure, have not fast hold of them, but soon let them go. Oh what strange hearing and praying will be discovered, and brought into judgement at the last day for Eccles. 12.14. God will bring into judgement every secret thing, and Rom. 2.16. God will judge the secrets of men! some shall be brought in hearing and praying with their bodies, but thinking of their whoring, gaming, drinking, and the like; others busy about their recreations: others buying and selling, and making bargains; others ploughing, and sowing and reaping. Herein shall be discovered the meeting of profaneness, hypocrisy and idolatry in the hearts of men. Profaneness, in that they have suffered unholy, common thoughts to come into their minds in holy time and holy worship, a thing that the soul, if perfectly sanctified, would not do. Hypocrisy, in that they make show of what they do not, they make show of true and earnest worshipping of God, by the presence of their bodies, but they do nothing less. Idolatry, in that they give leave to their souls, because their operations are hidden and secret, to do that which they will not give leave to their bodies to do in the eye of man. What is this but to make an Idol of God, as if he did not see the souls actions, as well as men see the actions of the body: and if he doth see them, why do men give more liberty to their thoughts, which are in God's eye, then to their actionsi which are in man's eye? 2. To reprove. 1. An opinion planted by Satan in the minds of men, contrary to this truth I have in hand; That thoughts are not to be mattered, thoughts are free, we need not be troubled at them: If thoughts be free, than they are not to be regarded in the worship of God. But they are to be regarded in God's worship, for they make it better or worse; therefore they are not free. And do we think the law of God doth take hold of thoughts only in God's worship? No, it is not so partial, it is more complete and perfect then so. What should make men think thoughts are not to be regarded? Surely such grounds as will not hold. 1. The secrecy of them, they are unknown, hidden, secret in the soul. To whom are thoughts unknown? to men. And is man's knowledge the only or chief rule of our care about our thoughts, that if he know them not, we need not regard them? Hath man given us a command? Or must man be our judge? Our thoughts are sufficiently known to God, and our consciences do know them, and if these could be ignorant, it were better, though all the world did know them; and though they be hid from men for a time, yet they shall know them at the day of judgement: if therefore the knowledge of men would make us regard them, we must regard them, for though they do not know them at present, yet they shall know them. 2. The multitude of them, they are numberless, who can count or tell them: Therefore they are not to be regarded? The more our thoughts are, the less free they are, the more to be regarded, for were all our thoughts good, as in innocency they were, and in heaven they shall be, what a world of good were there? And if they be evil, the more they are the more evil. 3. The impossibility of ruling them: would a man put to all his care, the mind will not be kept in compass: passions are unruly, but not so unruly as thoughts: the most passionate man in the world doth not offend so much in passion, as in thoughts: If passions at any time break out, if we look back, we shall see many passionate thoughts have gone before, those passions that have broken out, have been acted over in our thoughts, our thoughts have been very angry, when our tongues have been silent. There is indeed an impossibility of ruling our thoughts altogether, but was this planted in us by God? Then indeed it would be an excuse, did not sin bring it upon us? And shall we think to make that want an excuse, which we have brought upon ourselves? And because we cannot perfectly govern our thoughts, shall we let lose the reins unto them? because we cannot do all we should do, shall we do nothing at all? Not go to the furthest we can? That thoughts are to be regarded will appear, if we consider, 1. There are abominations in the thoughts, we think that lying, swearing, drunkenness, uncleanness, are abominations, and so they are, but there are abominations in the thoughts, though we think not so, 1 Chron. 29.9. he understandeth the abominations of the thought; there are then abominations in our thoughts, Matth. 15.28. Our Saviour saith, that he who looketh upon a woman to ●ust after, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart, adultery may be committed in the heart, and so any other gross sin. The betraying of our Saviour was first in Judas thoughts, before it was in his tongue or actions, john 13.2. Simons simony, his desire to buy the gifts of the Holy Ghost, was first in his thoughts, Act. 8.20, 22. Thou hast thought that the gifts of God may be purchased with money, pray God, if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee. And this thought is called wickedness. 2. God as well knows our thoughts as our actions: this is one of God's peculiar abilities, Amos 4.13. He declareth unto man what is his thought. An instance whereof we have in Nebuchadnezars dream, he dreamt, and forgot his dream, the Devil could not tell it, for then the Magicians, and Soothsayers, and Astrologers should have known it, but God discovered it to Daniel, when he and his companions joined in prayer unto Heaven in this regard, Dan. 2.17, 18. In this respect Daniel saith, ver. 22. That God revealeth deep and secret things, he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him, i. e. he is as well acquainted with the night and the actions thereof, as with the day. If our thoughts be secret and hidden, yet God searcheth all hearts, Jer. 17.10. The heart is deceitful above all things, who can know it? I the Lord. How should God know it, and it be deceitful above all things? He doth search the hearts and try the reins. By how much the heart is more deceitful than other things, by so much the Lord doth more narrowly look into it, then into other things. This is made the reason, why the Word of ●od is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, Heb. 4.12, 13. because all things are naked and opened before him, with whom we have to do: what though the heart have many cover and garments to hid it from the eye of man? yet when God comes to look upon it, they are taken away, the heart is naked. What though there be many curious in-works in the heart, one thought wrapped within another: as in the body of man is a curious unknown workmanship, and one part more inward and hidden then another, yet when God comes to look upon it, it is a body anatomised, all the most inward enwrapped thoughts, may be seen distinctly and fully, Psal. 13.9. 2. God knows our thoughts a fare off, what we will think before we think it, his infinite eye will see all things at the same time, much more therefore doth he know our thoughts, when we ourselves know them. 3. According to our thoughts, so will conscience, God's vicegerent, acquit and condemn us; our thoughts are evidence sufficient, whether we shall go to heaven or to hell therefore they are to be regarded, Rom. 2. 1●. their thoughts accusing or excusing one another. If some thoughts be evil, other thoughts will accuse them, and if some thoughts be good, other thoughts will excuse them, and as our consciences enlightened do accuse or excuse, so will God do, 1 joh. 3.20, 2. If our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and knoweth all things: our hearts know but somethings to condemn us for, but God knoweth all things amiss in us, but if our hearts condemn us not, then have we boldness towards God. It is so fare from being a truth, that thoughts are not to be regarded, that if we seriously consider it, they are in the first place, and chief to be regarded. 1. Because they are the first step and beginning of our communion with God, in any ordinance public or private, for they are the very first expressions of the first and leading faculty of the soul, the mind. They that would have any thing furthered, must especially have an eye to the beginning, for a little help in the beginning will help much, and a little hindrance in the beginning will hinder much: if therefore we would have that which is good, go forward, and would have our communion with God in holy duties furthered, we must look to our thoughts, for they are the beginning. 2. Our thoughts are the rise and wellspring of all evil. No evil is at any time in tongue or life, but was first in thought. Such break out in tongue, as men are ashamed of, did first make a gap in the thoughts. Actual sins in Scripture are called inventions, Eccles. 7.9. God made man upright, but he hath found out many inventions: the first apostasy and fall of our parents, was a finding out of many inventions, Psal. 99.8. He took vengeance of their inventions. Actual sins, the sins of the outward man, are therefore called inventions, because f you follow any sin to the fountain and spring, you shall find it was an invention, it began in a device, an imagination. Art thou ware that the furthest sin goeth, the worse, and wouldst thou stop it in the beginning? then look to thy thoughts, regard them, if any anger, swearing, lying, come into thy tongue, they will be first in thy thoughts, and if thou wouldst keep them out of thy tongue, thou must regard thy thoughts. 3. Little dost thou, or any man know, to what one thought may grow, be it good or evil: behold, saith the Apostle, jam. 3.5. how much a little fire kindleth, a thought is but a spark, yet a spark of fire that will kindle wonderful much, if not quenched there. To see the stream and spring of some river, a man would hardly believe that so great a stream came from so small a fountain. The greatest good and evil that ever was in the world, was at first but a little thought. Thoughts therefore are to be regarded, yea chief to be regarded. If a good thought come into thy heart, and thou cherish it, and the spirit of God move upon it, thou canst not tell what may proceed from it. If an evil motion come into thy heart, and thou let it go without control, and the Devil be suffered to hatch it, it will grow to a monster of sin. 4. Thou mayest sin in thought, and not sin in word or deed, but thou canst not sin in word or deed, but thou must first sin in thought. Sin in thought is more easily and suddenly committed, and more independently then in word or deed, therefore thoughts are chief to be looked unto. Many will bless themselves from such and such sins in life, which others run into, and they look carefully to their steps, not considering they may commit the same sin in their thoughts, (which they give liberty unto) though not in life, and therefore they should look first to their thoughts. 2. General and common carelessness of thoughts in God's worship is to be reproved. Is it not a fault for men to be careless how they worship God? who is so great and so good, so great that none is like him, so good that he gives us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness, yea giveth us his statutes and ordinances? he hath not so dealt with all his people. Is it not carelessness in God's worship to be careless what we think therein, whether good or evil, whether impertinent good, or pertinent? Thus they rob God of a part of their soul, who hath made all, requires all, and deserves all, That there is a common carelessness in men of thoughts, appears in that they do not set their thoughts in order when they come to God's worship, but rather bring that with them, which may distract them, viz. thoughts of meeting with such and such, and speaking with them about some worldly business: and when they are there, suffer their eyes to wander and rove, and to delight themselves with variety of objects. They that take no care of their eyes, take no care of their thoughts, for the eyes do feed the thoughts, the thoughts depend upon the eyes. God out of his care of his glory and our good, spiritual, temporal and eternal, hath appointed his worship: is it not our great sin to be careless of it? Our own thoughts will in time accuse us, and pass this reproof upon us, when it shall be an evil day of affliction with us, or when the word shall be a light in our minds, and a terror in our hearts. Time of sickness is a time of thoughts, than our hands and feet are bound, only our thoughts are at liberty, which will then toil and busy themselves about our wand'ring in good duties, and thereby vex and torment us. The more careless we have been of our thoughts in God's worship, the more careful will our thoughts be to disquiet us, for conscience must, and shall do its office, and there is more matter of disquiet. 3. The particular carelessness of God's people, of their thoughts in God's worship, is particularly to be reproved, their minds are in part sanctified, they know the weight of God's worship, the worth of good thoughts, the evil of wand'ring thoughts, how comfortable the one leaves the heart, and how sad the other, yet they take but little care to keep their mind close to God's worship. I speak not of that infirmity which doth follow necessarily upon the remainings of corruption, and is common to all the godly, some wand'ring thoughts in good duties, but I speak of their carelessness and negligence to prevent wand'ring thoughts, whereupon follows store, and abundance of them. The former is their sin, because unavoidable; wand'ring thoughts are the fruits of our sin, our first voluntary Apostasy from God, but this is an addition of sin to sin, an increase of sin, not only a neglect of God's worship, but also a neglect of our first injuring of God and his worship by our fall. For were we sensible of our sinful frame of mind, that doth as necessarily and naturally send out wand'ring thoughts, as the fire doth heat, were we troubled that we have brought upon ourselves a necessity of wand'ring and roving from God in his worship, we would take care that this original corruption should not be fruitful. I appeal to the consciences of the godly: do not your thoughts accuse you for carelessness of your thoughts in God's worship? Were there nothing else to convince the godly of the carelessness of their thoughts in God's worship, and their fault therein, this were sufficient, the fruit of their wand'ring thoughts. What makes Sabbaths so wearisome to the godly, but this, that they cannot keep their thoughts to God? the more the day and our thoughts suit, the more contentment and delight therein, and the less out thoughts and the day suit, the more wearisome the day will be. What makes the ordinances so unprofitable? the hearts of the godly are not affected in the word, in prayer, because of these wand'ring thoughts, as the thoughts are taken up about any thing, so the affections do work; if the thoughts be but sleighty, the affections will be but slightly moved; if the thoughts be deeply possessed with a thing, the affections are strongly moved. Nay, what is the cause of God's absence in his worship, that the godly cannot see him, feel him, have communion with him? Surely wand'ring thoughts are the cause, if not all the cause, yet one cause, and a first cause, they carry away the soul from God's worship, and leave only the body, and God is a spirit, and doth converse with our spirits; if they be absent, God also will be absent, for there is no suitableness between him and our bodies, a mere bodily worship is sit only for idol Gods, that are all body, God is a spirit, and spiritual worship only doth agree unto him. 3. To teach the godly, and to press them. 1. In their soul-searching and examinations, to find out their sins, to remember their wand'ring thoughts in God's worship, which are no small part of the sin of their souls, especially when we come to look over the manner of the performance of holy duties, forget not our wand'ring thoughts, but consider them, and look into them: these do as well rob and spoil the worship of God of its due, as other sins, these neglected in our hearts, may make God angry with us, and we not ware of the cause. The more these are removed from the sight of others, the more need we have to look after them, because they are the more easily overskipped and forgotten, they have the excuse of secrecy. 2. In their humiliations, to humble their souls for their wand'ring thoughts, these are part of their sin, an offence and injury to God, therefore should be part of their humiliation. Four things considered may help our humiliation in this respect. 1. We sin by wand'ring thoughts in all the ordinances of God, none excepted, in prayer, wherein we come nearest to God, when we speak unto the highest majesty of some things, our thought are busy about other things, yea in extraordinary prayer, when we specially separate ourselves unto communion with God, and have nothing, or little to do with the creatures, lest they should hinder us in the worship of God, yet we cannot separate ourselves from wand'ring thoughts: nor in the word, when God speaks unto us: nor in the Sacraments, when we come to bind ourselves from wand'ring thoughts. 2. We sin much by wand'ring thoughts in all parts of God's worship. If our wand'ring and pertinent thoughts were compared, for the most part, it were hard to say, which would be the most: so often do our hearts run out in duty, and sometimes long stay out ere they return, especially in such duties wherein we join with others, to be sure our wand'ring thoughts would be found to be very many. 3. We continually & at all times do much offend, by wand'ring thoughts in all parts of God's worship, though sometimes more than at other, yet all times much, not one time excepted. 4. Though we offend so much in all the ordinances of God, and so continually, yet we are but little sensible of our sin this way. We complain of our other sins in public, private and secret, but little do we complain of this sin, though we offend more and more continually by it, then by words ordeeds. 3. To labour in the use of all appointed and sanctified means to prevent wand'ring thoughts in God's worship. Though we cannot altogether prevent them, yet let us do what we can: though we cannot attain to what we desire, yet it will be our comfort that we have done our duty. Is not my doctrine argument sufficient, that they weaken God's worship, i. e. make our prayers, hearing, cracked vessels that they cannot hold and carry that measure of glory to God, that otherwise they would, nor that good to us? The very best thing we do, or can do, is to worship God. We do well when for God's sake we do right unto our neighbour, but we do best when we worship God, for we do that which is most his command, the other is the second command, but this is the first and great Commandment; We do that which is most for God's glory, we do that which is nearest our work in heaven, for there we shall worship God, even when we shall have no outward works of justice or mercy to do one to another. Should we not be careful to do our best work, the worship of God, in the best manner? and if in the best manner, then with as much of our hearts as may be, for they are the best part, then take we heed our thoughts do not wander. But beside, let me use some other arguments to press us to take heed of wand'ring thoughts in holy duties. 1. They make a Christian to play the part of an hypocrite in God's worship: what is it to be an hypocrite, but to seem to be that which he is not? When we bring our bodies to the worship of God, we seem to worship him earnestly, but when our thoughts wander, we do nothing less, we seem to do that we do not, and therefore play the part of an hypocrite: so much as our thoughts wander in good duties, so much do we as hypocrites do, though our hearts be sincere, yet herein we play the part of hypocrites. This is contrary to the nature of grace, which desires a man may have truth, though he have never so little, and may do what he doth in truth, though he do never so little, now the less our hearts wander, the more truth we express in God's worship, and the more truth, the more acceptable to God's grace. 2. Wand'ring thoughts considered in themselves and their own nature, are a curse. God may, and certainly doth sanctify them to his own people, to be means of humiliation, of watchfulness, of more dependence upon Christ, but in themselves they are a curse. For what is a curse but separation from God, the fountain of blessing, the fountain of good, in whose presence is all good, nothing but good, and out of whose presence is all evil, nothing but evil? Matth. 25.41. Depart, ye cursed, therefore cursed, because they must departed from God, never to come near him again. Wand'ring thoughts they do carry the heart from God. God comes near to his people in his worship, wand'ring thoughts do carry the heart fare from the worship of God, therefore fare from God. So saith God, they draw near me with their mouths, and honour me with their lips, but their hearts are removed fare from me: and the first instrument of removing of the heart, is the wand'ring of the thoughts. Will not the name of a curse prevail with us, to persuade us to take heed of wand'ring thoughts? Oh consider when wand'ring thoughts come to us in holy duties, the curse comes, and when they stay with us, the curse stays with us. We come to the Ordinances of God for a blessing, and to have a curse instead of a blessing in time of blessing, is a double curse. Profane ignorant Esau, when the blessing was denied him, he lift up his voice and wept, he had so much understanding, that he thought the blessing was worthy having, though it cost dear. So on the contrary, wand'ring thoughts being a curse, are worthy preventing, though it cost us tears to God, yea many tears, and much pains with our own hearts. 3. The Lord hath threatened to punish these wand'ring thoughts, which carry away the heart in his worship, and make it only a bodily exercise without spirit and life, with a secret but sure blasting of inward spiritual good, that as God hath but a shadow and outside of worship; so they shall have but a shadow, and show of spiritual wisdom and prudence, Isa. 29.14. Therefore the wisdom of the wise shall perish, and the understanding of the prudent shall be hid. Therefore, why? Because they have drawn near to God with their mouths, and have removed their hearts fare from him. They gave God a body without an heart, therefore he will give them a body without an heart, the shape of wise men without wisdom and prudence, a suitable judgement. What is the reason that Christians are so much shadows and shows of Christians, rather than substance and truth? when they should come to bear injuries and wrongs, to forget and forgive, they can do it no more than other men: when they should express their dependence upon God, and submission unto God, in willing and cheerful parting with comforts and friends, when God will have it so, they can no more do it then other men, they hold comforts fast, as if they should part with God and all, when they part with them, and they hold friends fast, and will not let them go, as if friends were made more to serve one another, then to serve God, and when friends and comforts are gone, they grieve as if all their joy were gone. When they should bear quietly the cross and grieving passages of God's providence, as those who have learned in whatsoever state they are to be content, knowing they are in heaviness if need be, they cannot bear, but carry themselves as untamed heifers, that would rather shake off the yoke, then bear it: they have the show of these graces in their profession, but they want that measure of substance, the reason is, because their service of God is more in show then substance, therefore they are Christians more in show then substance. As we spend our Sabbaths, so will our week days be spent, and as we perform holy duties, so will our conversation be. Is it not a heavy judgement to be inwardly worse than we think ourselves, or others think us to be? to be unable to use grace, when we have most need to exercise it? yet thus hath God threatened to afflict us, and he will make his Word good, if we suffer our thoughts to wander in his service. Quest. By what means may we prevent wander in God's worship? Answ. First labour the increase of grace: Heb. 13.9. It is good that the heart be established with grace, i. e. with g●acious knowledge of old and well known truths, which the Apostle opposeth to new and strange doctrine. And when the Apostle would direct the people of God to keep their own steadfastness, yea though the error of the wicked took course to draw them away. He gives them counsel to grow in grace, 2 Pet. 3.17, 18. Which places do show, that grace is of an establishing, settling nature, and so indeed it is, for 1. It is contrary to vanity and inconstancy, being the nature of God, who is stable and firm, always one and the same. 2. It sets the soul in order, puts every faculty into its place, and sets it about its own proper office, and so it doth establish. 3. It doth establish, as it is the work of the free or liberal spirit, Psal. 51.12. David prayeth that God would establish him with his free spirit: grace doth establish a man as it is the work of the free spirit, because it maketh a man's spirit free and liberal, like to the spirit of God, to slight earthly things in comparison, and to mind heaven and heavenly things: earthly things do unsettle, they are themselves changeable, and do change the thoughts and affections pitched upon them. Let a man pitch his thoughts and heart upon his nearest friends he hath in the world, to whom nature, society, interchange of love, Christianity hath bound him, yet his thoughts and affections placed upon these nearest friends, shall change, and not always contitinue one and the same; because they change, and are not always the same, therefore the thoughts pitched upon them, do change also; spiritual and heavenly things are of the nature of the spirit and heaven, steady and stable, , unchangeable, therefore will establish the affections pitched upon them. Now the more grace we have, the more we shall mind heavenly things, and so be the more established. 2. Labour the increase of thy reverence and high esteem of the worship of God. According to thy thoughts of the worship of God, so much-what will thy thoughts be in it, Psal. 48.9. We have thought of thy loving kindness, oh God, in the midst of thy Temple. They profess their thoughts were busied about God's loving kindness in his Ordinances: why so? because of their high thoughts thereof, ver. 2, 3. beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth is mount Zion: God is known in her palaces for a refuge. And herein were they helped by the report of their fathers, ver. 8. as we have heard, so have we seen in the City of the Lord of hosts: they had seen Gods mighty presence and protection, in and about his own Ordinances, but they had also heard so, and that before they had seen it. To help our reverence of God's worship, it is good to talk with ancient Christians, that have lived long before us, to hear what they will say; we may be helped by their experience, when we have none, or but little of our own, and if we have experience of the worth of the Ordinances, we may be further helped by their experience. 3. Prepare ourselves aforehand, Prov. 18.1. Through desire a man having separated himself, intermeddleth with all wisdom, if a man have a desire to meddle with matters of wisdom, and would do it as becomes such occasions, and as may be for profit, he will first separate himself, not pass immediately from common and trivial matters, to matters of wisdom, but he will have some time betwixt the leaving off of the one, and taking to the other. If we pass from our callings to God's worship without separating ourselves, how is it ordinarily possible, but that we should have the same thoughts in God's worship, that we bade in our callings? There are some separating duties that do prepare unto others, as examination, meditation, prayer, and they do prepare, by stirring up the grace of God, and providing an heavenly assistance to begin with us in the duty. If thou canst not always have separating time, betwixt other occasions and God's worship; Yet have some separating thoughts ere thou enter upon the duty, thou art not fit else to meddle with wisdom. 4. Accustom ourselves to meditation, so we shall get a skill of thinking well. Meditation in its nature, is the composing, settling, and congealing of our thoughts. It is to our roving sluent minds, as a dam to running water: when much water is gathered together, the dam makes it there to stand: So when many thoughts are gathered together in the soul, meditation makes them there to stand, keeps them from running out again. The nature of it being a settling of the mind: the effect of it must needs be so, and the use of it frequently must needs perfect the effect, more and more settle our minds. When Paul desired to have a good conscience always, the means he used, was to exercise himself therein, so Paul to Timothy, 1 Tim. 4.7. Exercise thyself unto godliness: the way to gain the trade and skill of godliness, is to exercise ourselves therein: ver. 15. Meditate on these things, give thyself wholly unto them, that thy profiting may appear unto all. If Timothy would be busied wholly in stirring up the gift of God, all should see his profiting. So if we would give ourselves to meditation, be much in it, it would apparently settle our minds. It is made the property of a blessed meditating man, to bring forth fruit in season, Psal. 1.3. Why so? because he is as a tree planted by the rivers of waters. As a tree planted by the rivers of waters, cannot want fitness to bring forth fruit in season, b●cause it hath abundance of nourishment: So the meditating soul cannot want fitness to bring forth fruit in season, good thoughts in holy duties, because it is planted amongst God's springs, the fullness of the assisting spirit. 5. Add to these watchfulness: wand'ring thoughts will not be prevented without watching. Watch 1. Thy mind; it needs watching, for it is nimble, therefore will soon be gone, and go far in a little time. 2. Watch thine eye: a rolling eye, a wand'ring heart: if thou give liberty to thy eye, that will set the mind at liberty, Job. 31.1. I have made a Covenant with mine eyes, why should I think on a maid? the eye depends on the mind, else why should he make one Covenant to bind them both? So he argues, I have made a covenant with mine eyes, why should I think? It might be said, though the eye be bound by covenant, yet the mind is at liberty. The answer is, that the eye is the servant of the mind, made to help that, therefore in binding the eye, the mind is bound, for if it cannot have the help and service of the eye, it hath not full liberty: if the mind should not be bound, why should the eye to which it serves? 3. Watch thy ears: when thou art hearing or praying, the Devil will cause some sound or other to draw away thy ear, he is that cunning charmer that labours to inchant our ears, he will make us think that we hear some pleasant melody, of our profit, or pleasure, or honour, if we keep not our ears stopped with attention, thickened with watchfulness. 4. Watch thy affections, 1. That they be affected and moved with the duty in hand; dead affections make a wand'ring mind: if what is thought on do not affect, the mind will think of something else that may affect: this is one reason of wand'ring thoughts, because present thoughts do not affect: the mind doth naturally serve the affections, the more they are delighted, the more content the mind hath, for it hath its end, if duties in hand delight not, the mind will wander till it hath found matter of delight. 2. Watch thy affections, that they continue as they begin, if they be affected. A bow continuing bend, doth carry the arrow level to the mark, but if it slip, the arrow wanders: So if our affections continue in that vigour and life wherein they begin, they will keep our minds steady, but if our affections tyre, and wax weary, our minds will rove. Though by watchfulness we cannot wholly prevent wand'ring thoughts, yet we shall in part prevent them: hereby we shall more easily discern them, and resist them: this is a way of command, therefore a sure way. Ob. But when we have used all means, still we shall be troubled with wand'ring thoughts. Answ. True, therefore when we have done God the best service in his Ordinances that is attainable, these three things must always follow. 1. Sense of our failings. 2. Recourse unto the Lord Jesus, for renewment of repentance, and pardon, and increase of power. 3. Confidence of God's acceptance, in and through Christ, of what he enableth us unto. CHAP. FOUR Of the third hindrance of instant worshipping of God, unpreparedness. PSAL. 57.7. My heart is fixed, oh God, my heart is fixed, I will sing and give praise. THis verse doth afford us an help, and means to the better praising of God, i. e. fixednes, firmness, or preparation of heart and soul: which gives us just ground to speak of another hindrance of our earnest worshipping of God, viz. unsetlednes, looseness, and unpreparedness of heart. N. God cannot so well be worshipped, without a fixed or prepared heart: unpreparedness of heart doth weaken our worshipping of God. What is said of thanksgiving, which is one part of God's worship, is true of all, for there is the same reason of one, and of all. Preparation of heart doth commend all thanksgiving even unto God himself, and in like manner doth it commend all other parts of worship, and the want of it doth discommend the worship performed, and therefore discommend it, because it doth weaken it, for had the worship its full and due strength, and worth without it, how should the want thereof discommend? But this is clear in the Text, ver. 8. That worship that is performed with a sleepy drowsy body, is a weak worship, but the Psalmist here makes the awaking of the body, to be the fruit, and effect of the preparation of the heart, awake my glory, awake lute and harp, I myself will awake early: why so? My heart is prepared: the heart prepared and thereby awaked, will awake the body. To worship God therefore without a prepared heart, is to worship him with a drowsy body, because with a drowsy heart, and therefore weakly. Three things will fully manifest the truth of this point. 1. The command of God for preparation, see it both in ordinary, and in extraordinary worship. God requires preparation unto ordinary worship. A general command that reacheth unto all parts of ordinary worship, expressly is the fourth Commandment. There are four things in that, which do call for preparation. 1. Remember the Sabbath day, and he that setteth down no particular time when we should remember it, means all time, a sign there is, somewhat more in that day then in other days, that we must remember it more than any other, yea then all other, surely for some end we must remember it. 2. Keep it holy, and ver. 11. The Lord sanctified it: there is a difference between this and other days: we may and must spend them in our own occasions, but we must keep it holy, as a day set a part for his glory, and how shall we keep the day holy, if we ourselves be unholy? 3. It is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, as in Revel. 1.10. The Lord's day, he hath reserved it for himself: the six days are our days, allowed us for our occasions, and shall we make no difference between God's day and our own? If the King will have the coronation day, kept as his day? If a Landlord will have his marriage be kept as his day? we difference the same by change of apparel: and shall we not difference God's day from other days by change of spirit? 4. Six days thou shalt labour and do all thou hast to do, and ver. 11. In it thou shalt do no manner of work; What is this but a charge to prepare, when we are commanded to get all our earthly occasions dispatched, ere that day come? And if it be a difficulty so to do, yet we must labour, and take pains for that end, and if we must have none of our occasions to do on the Lord's day, which are lawful all the six days, much less must we have our sinful occasions to do on that day, which are never lawful. Another general place is, Eccl. 5.1. Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God. It is spiritual worship chief that is performed in God's house, therefore it is a spiritual foot that is here chief meant, and the foot of the soul, is the inclination or disposition of the soul, for all the faculties of the soul do move, and work by the dispositions thereof, good or evil, by them we walk towards God, and converse with God, Phil. 3.19, 20. The Apostle speaking of the wicked, saith, they mind earthly things, but of the godly he saith, their conversation is in heaven, i. e. as men by the help of their feet, carrying them from place to place, do converse amongst men; so the godly by means of their understanding do walk to heaven, though they live here upon earth, do converse with God. The feet of the soul must be kept, when we go into the house of God, than our mind, will and affections, must be in special compass, and under special command: and that will not be without preparation, we have them not at a beck. As the Scripture doth plainly command in general, that we prepare unto all the worship of God, so doth it plainly command preparation, in particular parts of God's worship. For hearing the Word of God, Jer. 4.3. Break up the fallow ground of your hearts, and sow not among thorns: The ground, the heart, must be prepared by the plough of repentance, the very inwards of the heart must be fastened and opened thereby, and the weeds plucked up by the roots, Luke 8.18. Take heed how you hear, it must be done with caution, not with carelessness, he doth not say, you need not heed how you hear, but take heed how you hear. For prayer, Eccles. 5.2. Be not rash with thy mouth, nor let thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God, we must not rush upon prayer, nor rashly pour out words in that duty, but be well advised and ponder well what we say. For singing psalms: be filled with the spirit, and then sing, Ephes. 5.18, 19 For the passover: the paschal lamb was not to be killed till the fourteenth day of the month: Exod. 12.6. but it was to be taken up on the tenth day, ver. 3. What was this but to prepare them? The paschal lamb was set apart four days before the celebration of the . So in regard of the Lords supper, 1 Cor. 21.28. Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat, not first eat, and then examine himself. The like command we may find for extraordinary parts of God's worship. When the people were to hear the Word from Gods own mouth, he commanded, Exod. 19.10, 11. That they should be sanctified two days together, Go sanctify the people to day and to morrow, and be ready against the third day: Joel 2.15, 16. Sanctify a Fast: and how shall the people be fitted? Sanctify the Congregation. When God was about to bring inexpressible evil upon his people, and would set them an effectual way to prevent it, he bids them prepare to meet him, meet him, but not without preparation, Amos 4.12. The like command lies upon vows, which are the companions of extraordinary special prayer, Eccles. 5.4, 5, 6. The sum of this first argument, to prove, that the want of preparation doth weaken the worship of God, is this▪ To want that which God hath commanded as an help to his worship, ordinary and extraordinary, is to weaken that worship. But to want preparation, is to want that which God hath appointed as an help to his worship ordinary, and extraordinary: therefore to want preparation, is to weaken that worship. 2. The examples of the servants of God agreeable to this command, Psal. 26.6. I will wash mine hands in innocency, so will I compass thine Altar, oh God: David alludeth to a command enjoined to the Priests, who served at the Altar, viz. to wash their hands and their feet, when they went to do the service of the Tabernacle, Exod. 30.18, 19, 20. This no doubt was exemplary to the people, to teach them with what preparation they should worship God, and David saith, he will wash his hands in innocency, i. e. put away the evil of his do, and then come to worship God, as Isa. 1.15, 16. God excepted against their duties, because their hands were full of blood, cruel hands, and must be washed, 2 Chron. 35.6. It was josiahs' command, that the Priests should prepare themselves, and sanctify their brethren against the : what a pithy letter did Hezekiah write to his Subjects, to fit them for the , 2 Chron. 30. A letter of instruction, showing them how they should prepare themselves, a letter of exhortation, pressing them thereto, a letter of consolation, showing the benefits that would thence flow, and when he perceived the people's hearts were prepared, yet they wanted some ceremonial preparation, he was not satisfied, but prayed to the Lord to heal them. Notable was jacob's care to fit his family for a day of extraordinary thanksgiving, Gen. 35.1, 2. and if he were so careful to prepare many, surely he was not careless of one, of himself: He said to his household, Put away the strange Gods that are amongst you, and be clean, and change your garments; put away the strange Gods, more open and gross sins; be clean from more secret sins, change your garments, the frame of their hearts from earthly to heavenly. Jehosaphat, 2 Chron. 20.3. When he was in danger, set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a Fast, turned his face from other occasions, and set it towards that great occasion. From this argument we may reason thus. To neglect that which the servants of God have practised, as a way of due worshipping of God, is to weaken that worship. But to neglect preparation, is to neglect that which the servants of God have practised, as a way of due worshipping God. Therefore to neglect preparation, is to weaken that worship. 3. God hath generally put it into the minds of men, as a point of wisdom, to make preparation for matters of less moment, Prov. 24. 2●. prepare thy work without, and make it ready for thyself in the field, and afterwards build thine house. When men build an house, they first bring materials to the hill, (as we say) and then fit and prepare those materials, that they may sit the work intended, and then they build, they do not build without preparation, Pro. 21.31. The horse is prepared against the day of battle; the horse is not used in battle out of hand, nor will any ordinary common horse serve for that end, but the horse is prepared against the day of battle, by exercising unto warlike skill, by fit keeping, by harnessing. Men prepare their ground by mannuring and ploughing, ere they cast in the seed, Isa. 28.24, 25, 26. Doth the ploughman blow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground? when he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the sirches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat, and the appointed barley and the rye in their place? And why doth he thus prepare the ground, ere he sow? ver. 26. for his God doth instruct him unto discretion, and doth teach him. Is it wisdom to prepare, ere we build a material house for man to dwell in? And is it not much more wisdom to prepare for that house, that it want nothing, which must entertain the God of heaven? Isa. 66.1, 2. Heaven and earth are Gods, he hath made them, and they are ready prepared: but what house will they make for God? The Lord tells them what house he chooseth more than heaven and earth. To him will I look, that is poor and contrite, and that trembleth at my word: a prepared heart to worship God, is God's ho●se: a poor heart sensible of its emptiness of grace, a contrite heart, that is ground to dust and powder in regard of sin, and a heart that trembles at God's word, that is deeply affected therewith, and wrought upon thereby. Let me add one instance more, which comes a little more nearer to the matter in hand. When we are to come to the house of God, we prepare our bodies, in regard of the company we come unto, we wash ourselves, and change our apparel, and see that it be clean, we put on some clothes that were not worn since they were washed, but are prepared in the week for that day, and we should condemn a man of uncomelines & rudeness, of rashness & indiscretion that should come unprepared in body. Nay, many that go abroad all the week, yet will not come to Church on the Lord's day, and all the reason is, because they have no better clothes: had they n●w clothes they would come as well as any, and the reason why this doth hinder them, is, beca●●● a●l m●● t●ke ●●re to come i●●●●●l● 〈◊〉 th●s to the C●●r●h, ●n● they should be 〈…〉 b●dy. Nay more, t●●● t●●●●●●t comely clo●●●● o● 〈◊〉 own, do count it a less matter to humble themselves to borrow clothes, then to come unhansom●ly. Nay, y●t a little further, many when they come to the Sacrament, rather t●●n th●y will not have their bodi●s prep●●ed, as they think, they will deprive themselves of food, necessary to the comfort of their bodies, they will come fasting, though our bl●ss●d Saviour and his Apostles did celebrate the Lords supper after they had eaten the , which (I suppose) was a competent meal, for they were to be no more at it, than could well make an end of the paschal lamb. If the body cannot come well into the presence of man without preparation, can the soul come well into the presence of God without preparation to worship him? The body comes to meet men, the soul to meet God: the body men count unfit till it be prepared, and is the soul sit without preparation? shall we make the presence of men of greater consequence, than the presence of God? Beside, the principal end why the body comes to Church, is, that the soul might meet with God, and we trim the handmaid, but not the mistress, that which hath least use in the present occasion, not that which hath most, just as if you should trim the ho●se you ride upon to Church, but not yourselves, which were a ridiculous thing. This argument therefore doth conclude strongly and sensibly. If matters of a less moment cannot be so well done without preparation, than not the worship of God. But less matters cannot so well be done without preparation, as appears by instance. Therefore not the worship of God. God will at last day bring out me●s ploughing, to witness against them, and condemn them: and this shall be so sensible and plain an argument, that men shall have nothing to say. As when the Lord said to the man that wanted the wedding garment, Friend, how camest thou hither, not having a wedding garment? What? come a wedding and not have on a wedding garment? The argument was so sensible and plain, that he was speechless. So when God shall say to us, as he will do at the last day, ●●i●nd, didst not thou prepare thy ground for thy seed? What? and not thy heart for my worship? This shall be so sensible and manifest an argument, as men shall n t be a●le to say any thing against it, but be speechless. What is unpreparedness of heart to worship God? It stands in three things. 1. Rash●●s. 2. Profaneness. 3. Unaptnes or indisposednes. 1. Rashness, a rash heart is an unprepared heart, and gins the unpreparedness of the heart at the highest faculty of the soul, the mind: Eccles. 5.2. Be not rash w●th thy mouth, nor let thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God. God hath given a man a power to deliberate, and consult with himself about matters, what is fit to be done, and what not fit: how matters may best be done, and how not, and hereby the mould and pattern of things is made in the mind, according to which the outward man doth them, and without this a man is not fit to do any thing, (much less the worship of God) for he doth the same in great part without the soul, is carried thereunto by the force of sense and blind affection, and herein represe●t●th the br●te beasts. It is called, Prov. 22.2. A devouring of holy things. It is a snare to a man that devoureth holy things, and after vows to make enquiry. When a man devours holy duties, performs them at all adventures, considers not time, nor place, nor manner, nor end, such a man is in a snare, the food he hath devoured is within a net, and hath an hook within it, evil will befall him after such duties, anguish in heart, and outward trouble. And after vows to make enquiry is a snare; When a man hath vowed, to inquire whether he hath done well or no, and to wish he had his vow in again, were it to do again he would not do it, this is rash vowing, and brings a man into a snare, he should have better considered aforehand: Eccles. 5.6. Say not thou before the Angel, It was an error, why should God be angry at thy voice? do not so vow, as that afterward thou shouldst have cause to say, thou wert mistaken, that were to make God angry with thee. To worship God rashly, is not to consider of six things before we go about any part of God's solemn worship. 1. The persons worshipping. 2. The person worshipped. 3. The worship itself. 4. The means of assistance and acceptance. 5. The manner. 6. The end. 1. We must consider the persons that do worship, Eccles. 5.2. By this argument the spirit of God dissuades from rashness in prayer or vows. We are on earth, dust and a●hes, base and vile, that considered, would make us more serious and weighty. So Abraham, when he was further to speak unto God, doth consider he was but dust and ashes, Gen. 18.27. Job also, chap. 40.40. When he was to converse with God, acknowledgeth his own vileness, Behold, I am vile, this consideration doth stir up our humility, yea and our repentance, for we cannot think of our vileness, but we must be put in mind of our sin, which hath had the chief hand in it? 2. We must consider the person worshipped: Eccles. 5.2. Be not ●ash with thy mouth, Why? God is in heaven, thou hast to do with an high, holy, powerful God; thou canst not be too serious and deliberat●. So Ab●●ham, Gen. 18.27. I have taken upon me to speak to the Lord, who am but dust and ashes: God is the Lord, a person of greatest place and authority, Abraham bust dust and ashes, great difference between dust and ashes, and the Lord: this consideration will further our reverence, and respect of God, yea and our repentance; the geater God is, the greater is our sin against him: when jobs eye did see God, chap. 41.16. i e. he had a clear knowledge of God, he abhorred himself in dust and ashes. It will help our faith also; God having a power above us and others, can do that for us, which neither we nor others can do. 3. We must consider the worship itself, whether it be ordinary or extraordinary, more or less solemn, for ●ore i● required in the one, then in the other, and what part of ordinary worship it is, we must consider; for beside the heart, which must be employed in all, we have more special use of the ear in hearing the Word, and the hand, and eye in the supper of the Lord: and by the well using of them, our hearts are helped; the worship of God is a separate way, an holy way, a way above an high way, Prov. 15.24. a way of converse and communion with God. 4. We must consider the means of assistance and acceptance, the Lord Jesus Christ; we have no ability of our own to worship God, nor have we any worth to commend our duties unto God, when we have done them: this consideration will stir up our humility and faith; ou● humility, for we have no strength of ourselves to do any good, nor is there any thing in us that can procure savour and acceptance of God's hands of what we do, and they that have no strength nor worth, had need by faith depend upon him that hath perfection, Heb. 11.4. Faith, depending upon Christ for assistance and acceptance, did make Abel's sacrifice excel cain's, which, it may be, did not exceed in matter. 5. We must consider the manner of God's worship, how God will be worshipped, with inward affections and the life of them, with willingness and chieerfulness, with reverence, love, humility, repentance, faith, Eccles. 5.1. be more ready to hear, then to offer the sacrifice of fools, i. e. do not satisfy thyself with an outward performance of duty, or with some other service beside that in hand, which thyself dost fancy, which a fool may do, one that hath no spiritual understanding, but be more ready to hear, attend and give thine ear unto the present ordinance, which doth argue inward reverence and affection. 6. We must consider the end of God's worship, which is double, His glory. Our good. His glory more immediately, fully then in other works, which yet honour God. Our good, the good of our souls more immediately, fully th●n in other occasions wherein yet is a blessing. If we consider not of these things before we worship God, we are rash and not prepared, and the more serious, solemn and set any worship is at any time, the more must we consider of them. 2. The second part of an unprepared heart, is profaneness or unholiness of heart. Profaneness and unholiness are all one, Ezek. 22.26. They put no difference between the holy and profane: the holy and profane are contrary, therefore these two, unholy and profane, are all one, and unsanctified and unprepared are all one, for prepared and sanctified are all one. 2 Ch●o. 29. ●9. An heart is profane, common or polluted two ways, in relation to the worship or God. 1. When it lies under an act of sin unrepented of. Sin doth pollute and defile, ● Cor. ●. 17. touch no unclean thing. cap 7.1. Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit: sin is the unclean thing, and doth defile, for it takes the soul from God, which was set apart for him, and from the holy way, and nothing but repentance will wash away this defilement. jer. 4.14. O jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee? To come therefore to worship God with sin unrepented of, is to come with a defiled heart, Ezek. 23.38. they have defiled my sanctuary, and profaned my sabbaths: and how doth he prove it? ver. 39 for w●en they had slain their children to their Idols, than they came into my sanctuary to profane it: they came from their Idolatry unto the sanctuary of God without repentance, and so they profaned it, by making no difference between it and an unholy place, and especially did they first defile their hearts, by making no difference between an holy & unclean heart. Numb. 9.7. We are defiled by the dead body of a man: why are we kept from offering an offering to the Lord in his season amongst the children of Israel? that uncleanness was a sinful uncleanness, though ceremonial, hindering them from preparedness unto the till they were washed: shadowing out that defilement we get by touching sin and sinners, which are dead things; Exod. 2.48. No uncircumcised person shall eat thereof, uncircumcision was a sinful uncleanness, that did unfit them for the , and to this the Apostle alludes when he speaks of preparedness to bear the word, jam. 1.21 Lay aside all superfluity of naughtiness: the fore-kin was a superfluity, therefore to be cut off: so sin is a superfluity: we may well spare it, and it must be cut off when we come to hear the word, if we would be clean. 2. The heart is then unclean and profane, when it come to worship God, not having laid aside earthly thoughts, and affections, these thoughts and affections are common, not set apart unt●o God's worship, therefore do defile the heart in God's worship, because they make it common, when it should be set apart for God. Common is as well opposed to holy, as sinful, 1. Sam. 21.4. There is no common bread under my hand, but hallowed, common or ordinary bread in comparison of hallowed bread, is unholy, and so common ordinary thoughts and affections, inreference to holy worship, are profane and unholy, and make the heart a profane vessel. Nehe. 13.17. Nehemiah did contend with the Nobles, because they did profane the sabbath: How did they profane the sabbath? viz. in suffering wares to be sold, and tradesmen to be employed in their trades on the sabbath-day, much more did they that were employed in them profane the sabbath, and especially their hearts, by intermeddling with such occasions. Isa 58. ●3. Thou shalt not do thine own ways, nor find thine own pleasure on my holy day; the day and duties are Gods, therefore the works and word, yea and thoughts and affections too, must in a special manner tend to God upon that day. This was shadowed by God's command to Moses, when he drew nigh to the bush, where God did manifest himself in glory (setting the bush on fire, yet keeping it from being consumed) put off thy shoes from thy feet, Exod. 3 5. why? For the place whereon thou standest is holy ●round. Those shoes, those affections whereby we tread upon the earth, converse with men, and with earthly occasions, must be put off when we come to Worship God, else they will make our hearts unholy and unclean, because common. 3. A third part of the unpreparedness of the heart, is, unaptnes or indisposednes: suppose a man lie under one sin unrepented of, and lay aside worldly thoughts and affections, yet experience proves a man may be unwilling and backward to the Worship of God, or may have an indifferency, or carelessness of spirit, that he could as well let it alone as do it, a spirit of lukewarmness, that doth neither strongly incline to the Worship of God, nor from it, but stands in a middle way. This unaptnes is not only a want of Grace (without which a man wants a will, for God works the will: till God work a will in a man to that which is good, he hath none) but also a want of readiness in grace to be put in exercise in God's worship, by reason of spiritual sloth: the case of the wise virgins, who by reason of their slumbering, had their lamps to trim when the bridegroom was coming, ere they could be prepared, the orb of grace grew low, and so their lamps of profession did burn obscurely, they awaking and using the means, got supply of oil from Christ, and so their lamps recovered their brightness; and the want of that which Paul calls upon Timo●hy for, 2. Tim. 1.6. Stir up the gift of God, there are gifts and graces, but they are like fire in the ash-heaps, not fit to kindle and flame the ordinances of God being put to them, because the ashes of security lie between grace and the ordinances of God, unblown away. This we find in jacobs' preparing of his family, Gen. 35.2. First, put away the strange gods, that was all manifest and open sin. Secondly, be ye clean, i. e. from all ceremonial pollutions. Thirdly, change your garments, not only put off those they had on, but put on others. The garments of the soul are the dispositions of the soul, Isai. 61.3. a garment of praise is opposed to a spirit of heaviness; a spirit of heaviness is a sad or mournful disposition, a garment of praise on the contrary is a joyful and thankful disposition. We must change our garments, put off our earthly and worldly dispositions, thoughts, desires, cares about the world, and not there rest, but we must be clothed with heavenly thoughts, affections, graces, have them in a readiness to express themselves in the worship of God. This is the wedding garment, spoken of, Matth. 22.2. for by the marriage feast there, is meant all the ordinances of God, word, sacraments, prayer, for in all doth God give our souls liberal and honourable entertainment, doth set all his dainties before us, with great solemnity; the wedding garment is our fitness and disposedness unto the ordinances, by reason of certain heavenly suitable dispositions in a readiness in our souls, appearing to Almighty God, and in measure to the godly, by our outward carriage and behaviour. If we take Christ for the wedding garment, as some do, how doth he fit us for the ordinances, but by imputing his righteousness unto us? which is our worth, and communicating to us heavenly dispositions to make us meet. They that put on wedding garments, do first put off their ordinary common apparel, and then put on comely pleasant apparel meet for such an occasion: so when we come to the feast of God's ordinances, where God is the feast-maker, and Christ the feast, and Angels entertainers, and attenders; we must not only put off our ordinary and common affections, but we must put on such affections as are meet for the ordinances of God, sanctified and holy affections for holy duties, as reverence, humility, love, repentance, faith, these in a readiness do make the heart apt and disposed, and these not put on by new care and diligence in use of means and dependency upon Christ, do make us unapt and indisposed, and so unprepared. If a man take not care to stir up holy thoughts and holy affections, when he cometh to the ordinances of God, he hath an unprepared heart, because his heart having no holy affections ready to meet and close with holy duties, hath no fitness unto them, because no present ready suitableness unto them. It is one thing to have grace in the heart, another thing to have it ready for exercise, and so it is one thing to have a general fitness for the ordinances, another thing to have a particular and present fitness at this and that time, for this and that ordinance. A child of God that hath grace in his heart, hath a general fitness for the ordinances, because the same holiness that is in the ordinances, is in his heart, and they must needs fit one another but the same child of God, if his grace be not fit for exercise through some impediment, at a particular time and in a particular ordinance, may want a perfect and particular fitness for that ordinance. If this were not so, a child of God could never perform any duty unworthily, as to bring special judgements of sickness, weakness and death upon them, as the Corinthians did, 1 Cor. 11. 3●. for a particular act of unworthy receiving; for God doth not so correct for unavoidable infirmities, but for carelessness, for God did not so afflict them at other times, there was some diffenrence therefore between them at that time, and at other times, the difference was not in the frame and habit of grace, for than they had not been truly godly, therefore in the exercise of grace: see it in an example. There is a general affection in fire always to burn, but suppose fire be covered over with ashes, it is not fit to burn in that present state, because it hath a present particular hindrance, but when that is removed it will actually burn: so God's grace in our hearts hath a general fitness to worship God, but when a spirit of security and sloth lies upon the soul, if ye bring the soul to the word, to prayer, it hath not a present fitness for grace, is not ready at this time to be exercised, because hindered by security and sloth, and therefore unprepared till that be removed. Let us recollect what hath been said. An unprepared heart to worship God, is, 1. A rash heart, that doth not consider what a poor creature it is that doth worship, what an high and holy God he is that is worshipped, what an holy and high way God's worship is, that Christ is our strength and acceptance, that God will be worshipped inwardly and spiritually, th●t God's glory and our souls good must be our special aims in God's worship. 2. An unprepared heart, is a profane heart, that comes to worship God in sin unrepented of, or in worldly thoughts and affections. 3. An unprepared heart, is an heart indisposed to exercise grace, to put forth holy and gracious affections in the worship of God. Quest. It follows in the next place, that we make enquiry after the reason, why unpreparedness of heart doth weaken our worshipping of God, or the manner how it doth it? Ans. An unprepared heart doth weaken the worship we perform, three ways. 1. As it makes the soul an unmeet instrument to worship God. If the soul cannot be sit to worship God without preparation, than unpreparedness makes it unfit. But the soul cannot be fit to worship God without preparation. That I shall make manifest many ways. 1. Take the soul in the best preparation, when the soul hath walked in all the preparing w●y of God, and taken all the pains that humane frailty allow, it will be but in measure fit, because there will be but a measure of grace and readiness to exercise grace in the heart, perfection of these alone will bring perfection of fitness to worship God. We on earth pray that we may do Gods will as it is done in heaven; only they that are in heaven are a perfect pattern of worshipping God. Nay I appeal to the experience of the people of God, when they have endeavoured to renew their repentance, to pitch their thoughts and affections upon heavenly things, to stir up their graces, and do look upon the r preparation with eyes awaked and clear fighted in measure, do they not see but little preparation? rather what they want then what they have, there is such difference between the one and the other. If the soul prepared hath but a measure of fitness, yea but a small measure, than a soul without preparation cannot be fit at all. 2. We cannot be fit to worship God without preparation, because we continually disfit ourselves between time and time of God's service. In the general, the flesh doth lust against the spirit uncessantly, Gal. 5.17. As grace doth make a man willing to worship God, and desirous to be employed about that; so corruption, on the contrary, doth make a man backward thereto, nay forward to sin, this is that Paul saith, Rom. 7.21. When I would do good, evil is present with me. When his regenerate will chooseth good, his unregenerate will out of hand chooseth evil. And the effect of this lusting of the flesh against the spirit, is this, (saith the Apostle) ye cannot do what ye would, though there be a will to be prepared for duty, yet the corrupt will, will hinder the act of the regenerate will, or at least weaken it. More particularly, we do continually unfit ourselves for the worship of God two ways. 1. We sin continually in all our actions, and every act of sin doth strengthen the habit, and weaken the contrary habit of grace. Not only we do sin necessarily and unavoidably, but through carelessness, for want of watching to avoid occasions, and to take hold of advantages against sin. And the more of the will in sin, the less opposition it meeteth with all, the more doth it gather strength, and weaken grace, because grace is less exercised, Isa. 59.2. Your iniquities have separated between you and your God: Sin doth not only separate us from God, as a fountain of comfort, but as a fountain of grace, so that the more we sin, the less communion we have with God in grace, and the less communion we have with God in grace, the more unfit to worship him. It fares with us in this case, as with Samson, when he had given way that the hair of his head should be cut, which was to break his covenant, (a sin rather of carelessness, then of presumption) he thought to have risen up, and gone from the Philistines as at other times, but he knew not that God was departed from him: sin had bereft him of his strength: So when we have been careless of our watch, as we generally are, and have let lose our thoughts, affections, speeches, we think to pray, hear, meditate, with the same spiritual life and strength, that we have formerly done, but we know not that God is absent from our hearts, and so our strength is absent. 2. We do specially unfit ourselves for God's worship by the use of our callings, and the comforts of this life. Neither our callings nor outward good things do of themselves unfit us to worship God, for God would not then have given man a calling, and set him in midst of outward comforts in innocency. But we abuse our callings and comforts, to make us unfit for God's worship, and that we do three ways. 1. We spend too much affection upon them. 2. Too much time. 3. Too much labour. 1. We bestow the strength of our affections upon our callings and outward comforts, contrary to that of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 7.30, 31. and they that buy, as if they possessed not: and they that use the world, as not abusing it: teaching us a weaned affection from them; we should be in regard of setting our hearts upon them, when we are in the midst of them, as if we wanted them. But we not only use them, but let our hearts go into them, we too much care about them, when we want them, which made our Saviour take so much pains with his Disciples, Matth. 6. from ver. 25. to the end, to prevent this: did not care make Martha unfit to hear our Saviour, yea so change her into care, that she would have hindered Mary also, yea and charged it as a neglect upon our Saviour himself, that he did not relieve her in this immoderate care? Luk. 10.40. Master, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me; her immoderate care made her think that Mary had too little care, and our Saviour also. Is not the reason rendered, why cares immoderate do unfit us for God's worship? Luk. 21.34. Take heed that your hearts be not overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and cares of this life. Immoderate cares are to the soul, as a surfeit of drink, too much drink unto the body, the body is overcharged with it, and so unfit for occasions: so the soul is over-burdened with immoderate cares, therefore unfit for a farther weight of God's worship. Why do cares choke the seed of the Wo●d, Matth. 13.22. but because they choke the soil, draw away the strength of the heart and affections? When we are about our callings, and enjoy the comforts of this life, we lose our hearts in love and delight, and if they have the strength of our joy and desire, God cannot have it also. No man (saith our Saviour) can serve two master's, for he will love th● one, and hate the other, Matth. 6.24. Ye cannot serve God and mammon: If these worldly good things have the best of our love, God cannot also have it. If we be at any time busied about the worship of God, our hearts will go after our covetousness, the good things we have coveted will have our thoughts and affections, when God should have them. 2. We bestow too much time upon our callings: Psal. 127.2. It is vain for you to rise early, to sit up late, showing that ordinarily our care is to gain all time for our callings and occasions, hardly can we spare time daily for the worship of God, and when the Sabbath doth approach, all the time that we can any way get, we lay hold of, lest God should have too much, no time will be allowed for preparation, not only so long as light will permit men, will they be labouring about their callings on saturday night, but so long as sleep will suffer them: when we are counselled, Ephes. 5.16. to redeem the time, part of the meaning is, out of the hands of our callings, unless we can prove that they do not take up too much time, Luk. 14.18, 19 The foundation of their refusing to come to the supper, the ordinances of God, was this, they could not spare time from their callings. We bestow too much pains and labour about our callings, too much spend the vigour and strength of our bodies, that they become unfit to serve our souls in the worship of God. What means our sleepy prayers every night in our families, but the over-wearying of our bodies? What means our sleepy Sabbaths, but the overtiring of our bodies on the week days? 3. We cannot be fit to worship God without preparation, because of Satan's continual main endeavour to make us unfit for God's worship; Satan is more God's enemy than ours, because God stands more directly opposite unto him than we do. God is the greatest good: Satan is the greatest evil. What is more opposite to the greatest good, than the greatest evil? We have somewhat like Satan, therefore he is not so great an enemy unto us: God is altogether unlike him, and contrary to him, therefore he is an utter enemy to him; so that though Satan will endeavour to unfit us for our own callings, yet chief for God's worship, for that doth most concern God's glory, and in that he doth more immediately and fully oppose God. When did Satan put that thought into Judas heart of betraying Christ, but when the did approach? And experience tells the godly, that they have never more confusion of thoughts, then when they desire to meditate and to fit themselves thereby for prayer. 4. unpreparedness of heart doth weaken the worship of God performed by us, as it doth hinder the breathing and working of the spirit in our hearts. If the spirit assist us not, we shall but weakly worship God, therefore it is said to help our infirmities in prayer, and so in other duties, Rom. 8.26. Whereas the burden of duty is too heavy, the spirit of God doth help to lift the burden. If the soul come unpreparedly, the spirit of God will not ordinarily assist. 1. Because a lesser breathing of the spirit is neglected: and will the spirit lay out more, when lesser is not prized and improved? The spirit of God doth always move and provoke the soul unto all the will of God, and therefore unto preparation, if men therefore come without preparation, they come w●th neglect of the spirits motion unto preparation; and if less of the spirit be not improved, will he be lavish of more assistance? 2. The spirit will not ordinarily assist the unprepared heart, because it is out of the way and road of the spirit: the spirit of God is a spirit of promise, Eph. 1.13. and is therefore conveyed to the soul in a way o● promise, but the unprepared heart is out of the way of promise, and therefore out of the way of the spirit. Indeed the spirit of God will sometimes meet an unprepared heart in a duty, but it goeth out of the ordinary way at such a time, as it must do when we are out of the way; the spirit of God must first come out of its ordinary way to us, ere we can get into our way; but the effect of the spirit meeting a soul unprepared, is to make it ashamed of unpreparedness, and more watchful thereunto for time to come. 3. unpreparedness of heart doth weaken our worshipping of God, as it doth give advantage to Satan to interrupt and hinder us in the same. To what end serves preparation? is not this a main end to prevent impediments in worship, and Satan the master of them? When the Apostle, 1 Pet. 5.8. would have us be vigilant, upon this ground, that Satan walketh about, seeking whom he may devour, doth he not give us to understand, that the more careless we are, the more advantage Satan hath against us, and the more watchful we are, the less harm can he do us? This was our Saviour's counsel to his three disciples in the garden in the very hour of temptation, watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation, implying, that it is not sufficient for the preventing of Satan's temptations to perform duties, unless we add watching, that we be fit to perform them. It is not duties that weaken Satan, but duties performed in the power of the spirit, Gal 5.16. walk in the spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh: so much as we express the spirit, we oppose sin and Satan. The devil makes great advantage of duties, of men's hearing, reading, praying. Into whom doth he enter with the unclean spirit, but into the house that is swept of gross and foul sins, and garnished with common guilts and performances of duties? The scribes and Pharisees made a cloak of their long prayers to cover their oppression. The devil himself will sometimes put on the form of an Angel of light: and herein do his instruments imitate him, as a way of more effectual deceiving, 2 Cor. 11.13, 14, 15. so that duties performed unpreparedly do more advantage Satan then otherwise. But that we may see more fully how unpreparedness of heart doth give advantage unto Satan, let us enter into some particulars. 1. The heart unprepared is indisposed unto good duties, hath no readiness unto them, but disposed unto other things, unto sin, or unto worldly occasions: the soul is ever working, because it is sometimes indisposed to good duties, it is not therefore indisposed to every thing else, but it stands inclined to other things. Now no disposition of the soul is so contrary to Satan, as a disposition unto that which is good, for that is God's image, and the devil can make least advantage of it, for though he make great advantage of good duties, yet for the most part it is when the heart is indisposed; but when the heart is unprepared, and so hath no readiness unto that which is good, but rather unto other things, it doth come nearer the devil's disposition, and so gives more advantage to Satan; it is more fit to close with his suggestions, and unfit to resist them. 2. When the heart is unprepared, the spirit of God is withdrawn, for that is the principal cause of the unpreparedness of the heart, the absence of the spirit, and if the spirit be absent in any measure, the greatest enemy and opposite of Satan is absent, the light and power of the soul is absent, light to discern Temptations, and power to resist them; and if Satan hath the advantage of the darkness and weakness of the soul, hath he not great advantage? 3. unpreparedness of heart doth weaken the grace of faith, whereby we should draw strength from Christ, both to perform duty, and to resist Satan's temptations in duty. The ground of faith is the promise: unpreparedness of heart doth take the soul out of the way of the promise, therefore takes away the ground of saith; and faith being weakened, Satan's temptations are strengthened, for faith is the shield that quencheth the fiery darts of the Devil, Ephes. 6.16. The less use of faith in the heart, the more fire in Satan's temptations. 4. As unpreparedness of heart doth weaken faith, so at the same time it doth weaken the comfort of the soul, and bring in doubts in the room thereof: so much want of faith in the heart, so much want of comfort: if the soul be out of the way of assistance in duty, as in unpreparedness it is, what comfort or cheer can it have to go about the worship of God? It will be full of doubts and fears, and that will be Satan's advantage, for as the joy of the Lord is our strength, Neh. 8.10. so the sorrow of the heart, and doubt of the heart, is the weakness of the heart, and that is Satan's advantage. The heart already doubting, is sit to have doubts multiplied by Satan, the doubts of the soul do darken the soul, and so Satan may with less notice and discerning scatter his temptations in the heart. Use. This doctrine doth prove four things. 1. The fall; The worship of God cannot be so well performed by the servants of God without preparation, a sign they are not always fit to worship God, a sign of their imperfection: and imperfection is a sign of their fall. Did God send us out of his hand imperfect? If we were perfect, we had no unpreparedness unto that which is good. God made us in his image and likeness, and God's image is ready and free unto that which is good: we are not therefore as we were made. Hence the Apostle saith, we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, Ephes. 2.10. our first creation unto good works, was not in Christ Jesus: but before we can have any disposedness unto that which is good, we must be created again through the power of the Lord Jesus: we are not therefore the same cretion we were at first, but have lost it: and the sign hereof we carry continually about us, an unreadines to that which is good. 2. The evil of the fall. What greater evil, then to be always out of frame to what is good, any further than the heart is set in temper? All evils of punishment do spring from the distemper of the heart, and are appointed to punish that, therefore that is greater than them all. It is the Lords greatest good, and so his greatest glory to be always disposed unto good, and never unto evil. And it is the greatest evil that the fall hath brought upon us, that naturally we are always disposed unto evil, but never unto good, and when we are regenerate, we are always more ready unto evil then unto good. 3. The miserable estate of unregenerate persons, such as are in the same estate wherein they were borne. If God's people that are new creatures, that have God's image renewed in them, cannot be fit to worship God, till they have prepared their hearts, and stirred up grace unto particular act and exercise, how should they be sit to worship God that have no grace at all, no general readiness? Unregenerate men may read, pray, hear the word, receive the Sacraments, but they can never be fit for those duties, whilst they remain in an unregenerate estate. And what a misery is it to be unfit for God's service, which is the best work we can do, a work we shall never repent of, a work that tends to God's glory, and to our best good? And the misery is the greater, if we consider, unregenerate men are fit for any thing else, but to serve God: fit for their own occasions, fit to sin against God, they are wise to do evil, but to do well they have no understanding, Jer. 4.12. put the case that a subject should find himself fit to do any business of his own, yea also fit to war against his Prince, but unfit to do him any service: would he not think himself in a miserable temper? Nay, suppose a man should find himself unfit to do for the best friend he hath in the world, that which he would have him to do, and what might pleasure and honour him, but fit to do the mind of his greatest enemy, would he not think himself in an evil and lamentable temper? So it is with unregenerate men, they are fit to do their own occasions, fit to do against God's mind, and against God's honour, but unfit to do for him, yea fit to do for their greatest enemy, Satan, but unfit to do for God their greatest friend: and is not this an evil temper? who would rest in this condition? 4. The necessity of regeneration unto glory. If God's worship cannot be so well performed without particular preparation, than it cannot be performed well at all, where there is no preparation, as in the unregenerate there is not. And can they be fit for heaven, that are not fit for God's service? What? fit for wages, and not fit for work? They that partake in the inheritance of heaven, have it among them that are sanctified, Act. 26.18. and what is it to be sanctified by faith in Christ Jesus, but to be set apart unto God and his service, to be purified for Christ, zealous of good works? Tit. 2.14. Change of place will not change the disposition of the soul, no not heaven itself, could an unregenerate man come thither, no more than a man coming from hell, and relating his experimental knowledge of the torments there, would change the soul, Luk. 16.31. If therefore men be unfit for the service of God here, they will be much more unfit for the service of God in heaven, where more perfection, and continual worshipping of God is required. 2. To reprove the usual and ordinary, general and common unpreparedness of God's people unto God's worship. It is not the fault of some particular Christians only, but of all the people of God generally, and their fault it is not, at some particular times only, but ordinarily. No one thing, I am persuaded, the godly are more failing in, then in preparing themselves for God's worship. They cannot be ignorant that it is a way of God's command, and a way of promise, therefore of advantage and benefit unto them, therefore in neglecting it, they sin against God's sovereignty, and their own good. Do not the practices of Gods several servants in Scripture cast shame upon them? Nay, do not their own consciences reprove them, when they are out of temper in holy duties, and cannot find God? Do not their consciences whisper to them, and tell them that they may thank their unpreparedness? Nay, doth not the thing itself deeply reprove them, and take away all excuse? what, come unprepared to God's worship? Suppose that God would not at all hid himself, when his people come unprepared to his worship, and they were sure of so much; yet were it their fault to come unprepared: should not they suit themselves according to the presence they come unto, and the work they go about? Doth not reason teach as much? Can we without fault less prepare for eternal ways, for ways that concern God's glory, and our good most, then for other matters? God's worship is an eternal way: though this and that particular worship of God be not eternal, yet some worship of God is eternal, and shall remain with us for ever in heaven, and all the worship of God doth tend more to God's glory and our good, than any thing else; yet we prepare more for any thing else. More particularly we are to be reproved for sundry things that tend to our unfitting to the worship of God. 1. The godly do not remember the sabbath in the week day. That remember, which the Lord hath prefixed before that commandment, rather than any other, doth imply, as a necessity of special remembrance of that, so an easiness to forget that, a difficulty to remember it, or else the Lord would not have set this remember before it. And if the godly consider, they shall find, that the Sabbath comes seldom into their minds the week thorough, though it be the most solemn day in the week, and of more weight than all the days in the week. 2. The godly do not ordinarily keep up their watch, and so advantages for grace are overslipped, and sin is committed through carelessness, which doth exceedingly unfit the heart for God's worship: sin makes grace unto the performance of duty as a knife to cut without an edge. 3. They do not spiritualise their callings and earthly businesses, by going about them in the strength and wisdom of the spirit of God, and propounding God's glory as their aim and end, and making some spiritual use of passages therein by meditation, often raising up their thoughts and desires to heaven, so that they grow earthly and carnal, like the occasions they meddle with, and so unfit for heavenly and spiritual worship. 4. The times of their vacancy from their callings, and of liberty, they spend in empty and unprofitable ways, letting lose their thoughts and speeches unto vain and empty things, which tend to no profit, and so the heart is more empty: whereas if the people of God would but season the times of their repast and recreation, with some sprinklings of good discourse, as salt, or wind up the same with some good discourse, or with prayer, or with some heavenly thoughts, their bodies would be more fit for God's worship, and their spirits not the more unfit. 5. The people of God do their worldly occasions unto the utmost period of time, on the Saturday night, that sleep will allow them to take, and do not improve their time that day, that they might get their occasions dispatched, and have some time to prepare their hearts. Herein, I persuade myself, the godly that use our Saturday markets, do exceedingly fail, in that they do come home so late, not through necessity of business, but carelessness, much time is spent on that day which they can give no good account of, when they come to recollect themselves. Nothing but sleep doth part the Lords day and their days with them, beside ordinary duties. Will sleep change the frame? No surely, but as they left with the world last when they went to sleep, so they shall meet with that first when they awake in the morning. That which may the more reprove the godly, is the consideration of a triple cause of this unpreparedness. 1. The difficulty of it: it is an harder matter to prepare the heart, then to perform a duty, for the godly do not ordinarily neglect duties, but they ordinarily neglect to prepare their hearts: were it as easy to prepare the heart, as to perform duty, they would do that as well. And if difficulty hinder, is not spiritual sloth the cause? and what more loathsome, then to neglect that which might exceedingly tend to God's glory and their good, for want of taking a little pains? 2. A second cause, why the godly do no more prepare themselves, is, an opinion that a little preparation will serve: for if they did not think a little would serve, if they were persuaded that God would not take a little well, they would prepare more. And if this opinion did spring from mere ignorance, because they know no better, it were less matter; but it doth spring from heedlessenes, and carelessness, because they do not attend to, and consider of the light they have, for did they but consider the command of God, the practice of the servants of God, and their own practice in other matters, they cannot but know that a little preparation will not serve. 3. A third cause, is, confidence in duties done: did they think duties would do them no good without preparation, they would more prepare: but they think, if they pray, hear, read, receive the Sacrament with any hearts, these duties will help their hearts. What is this but to make idols of the ordinances, to make gods of them, to think they can help our hearts without any further help? only God can help the heart without any other help, no ordinance can help our hearts without the help of other ordinances. As the godly are to be reproved for their unpreparedness in ordinary ordinances, so especially in extraordinary, a frequent fault with the godly, and, if seen in nothing else, yet in the fruitlessenes of such duties. It is a sin to come unprepared unto ordinary ordinances, but a double sin to come unprepared unto extraordinary ordinances. It is a taking of God's name in vain to come unprepared to ordinary worship, but it is a taking of God's name in vain, in an high degree, to come unprepared to extraordinary worship. Hence God doth often make them to be of contrary effect, straitning, hardening burdensome, wearisome. 3. To provoke the godly to take heed of unprepared worshipping of God, my doctrine is argument sufficient. It will weaken the worship we perform, and we cannot serve a better master, nor do better work, and therefore no where better bestow the strength of soul and body. I know if thou have the spirit of a child in thee, the spirit of reverence, and the spirit of love, and thou know aforehand what would help or hinder thee in the worship of thy heavenly father, thou wilt avoid the one, and use the other. But because the wise man saith, Eccles. 12.11. that the words of the wise are as nails fastened by the masters of the assemblies, and consequently the more lose any nail of wisdom sticks in the heart of the godly, the more and harder blows must be given, and because it will be confessed that this word of wisdom (preparation for holy duties) hangs lose in the hearts of the godly, therefore by force of argument I shall endeavour to fasten it: I will use a double motive, one from the evil of unpreparedness, another from the benefit of preparedness. 1. Consider the evil of unpreparedness. 1. It is a tempting of God. What is it to tempt God, but to move him to go out of his own ordinary way? Math. 4.6, 7. when Satan willed our Saviour to cast himself from the pinnacle of the temple, upon this ground, that God would give his Angels charge over him, our Saviour answered him, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Wherein should our Saviour have tempted the Lord by casting himself down? because that was not the ordinary way to go down, and therefore not the ordinary way of preservation, we may gather that from the devils leaving out part of the scripture [in all thy ways] without which it would not have served his turn. The like is here, thou comest to an ordinance to find God, to get good to thy soul, with an unprepared heart, thou now putst God to go out of his way, or at lest temptest and triest the Lord, whether he will go out of his way or no, for if he meet with thee, and do thy soul good at this time, he must go out of his ordinary way, for his ordinary way of meeting the soul, is preparation. It is a grievous sin to tempt God. 1. It is a presuming of God's mercy and goodness, that he will be good above all he hath revealed, which doth imply a secret unthankfullnes for God's mercy revealed, as if that were not enough; for if it be enough, why should we presume of more? 2. It is a lording it over God, instead of subjecting ourselves unto him: when thou preparest, thou subjectest thyself to Gods will; but when thou comest for God's blessing in unpreparedness, thou desirest and expectest that God should let go his own will, and stoop to thine: God saith, thou shalt have it in unpreparedness, thou sayst in unpreparedness; his will is thou shouldst prepare thyself, thy will is to be unprepared, and thou lookest that God should stoop to thy will, for thou comest for his blessing in a way of thine own will. 3. It is a falsifying of God's truth. God saith, he will bow his ear to the prepared heart, Psal. 10.17. We say, God will draw near to us, though unprepared, and this we profess when we come unpreparedly to seek God: we might as well say, God indeed hath said, he will bow his ear to the prepared, but he will not stick to his word, he will go from it. 2. The god y complain they cannot meet God in ordinances, they do not affect, move, work upon them: here is the cause we are not prepared, and so we are like the deaf adder, (Psal. 58.4, 5.) upon whom the charmer cannot prevail, charm he never so wisely, because his ears are stopped. A man finds no sweetness in his meat, the reason is, not because his meat is unsavoury, but because his taste is distempered: the Ordinances are sometimes sweet, and would always be so, were the souls palate always in the same temper. 3. The godly complain they cannot profit, they get no strength by Ordinances, corruptions are still strong, and grace unready for exercise: Let me ask a question, Why doth not meat nourish some bodies? Because they do not digest it. Why do they not digest it? Because their stomaches are not prepared, though the meat may please the appetite well: so the heart may be affected with the Word, may purpose, and resolve upon obedience: but some sin in the heart, or some immoderate affection may keep off the heart that it cannot so meditate upon the Word, or pray over it, and so it comes to no perfection. 4. If thou come unpreparedly, and meet God, a great part of thy comfort will be abated before and after; before, thou canst not have the comfort of thy faith that God will meet thee, because thou art out of the way of the promise, thou canst find no promise to suit with thy unpreparedness; afterward, thy heart will be grieved, God's comforts are not heat and warmth, comfort and refreshment only, but light also, to discover the sinfulness of the soul. When David found help in the sanctuary, Psal. 73.17. his comfort was abated from sight of his former distemper, vers. 22. otherwise he had had his comfort without that mixture of sorrow: so if we find God in unpreparedness, our comfort will be more mixed comfort. 2. The benefit of preparation. ●. The more we prepare ourselves, the more in ordinary course we find God. Indeed, God doth sometimes hid himself when his people are prepared, because he will not have them make an idol of preparation, to think that therefore God will draw near to them, as if that deserved so much. No, he will have them know that it is of mere mercy if he be found of them, though in preparation, he is not bound in justice (s●tting aside his promise) to reward their preparation, it's but their duty, and he can ●spy in it matter of displeasure. But ordinarily the godly find God according to their preparations hereto the curr●●t of ● r p●●●●e ●oth b●are witness (they that seek the Lord shall praise him, Psal. ●2. 26. open your g●●es, and the king of glory shall come in, Psal. 24. ●●. If any man open to me, I will come in to him, Revel. 3.20.) and the experience of the godly doth second it. 2. Some of the godly complain of difficulty of understanding, and weakness of memory, but if they prepare, God will clear and open their understandings. Preparation also will empty their memories, and so strengthen them, it may be they are too full: If they say their momories are weak also for other things, yet preparation will strengthen them, for so they shall stir up, and improve the good in their memories, and bring in the assistance of the holy spirit. 3. Others of the godly complain they cannot find peace and sweet communion with God, they have prayed, heard the Word, received the Sacrament, yet cannot find peace. Let them be persuaded to try this one way more, prepare unto prayer, prepare unto the Word, prepare unto the Sacraments. There is a promise, Job 11.13, 14, 15. If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands towards him, etc. Then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot. It may be thou hast stretched out thine hands, thou hast prayed earnestly; but now prepare thy heart, see if there be not somewhat amiss in thy hand or family, that might hinder, than thou shalt have comfort in thy heart, and boldness in thy countenance: guilt of heart makes a man hang down the head, as spots make a man to hid his face. 4. If God do not meet with thee, yet thou shalt not have this increase of thy burden, that thou wert unprepared, but on the contrary, thou shalt have assurance that God, who hath prepared thy heart, will bea●e witness to it, and hath some good for thee in store, which he will prepare thee for, in a further measure, by present withdrawings. Quest. How should we help ourselves unto preparedness for God's worship? There are three helps, Examination. Meditation. Prayer. 1. Examination. This is made an help unto p air, Lam. 3.40, 41. Let us search and try our ways, let us lift up our hearts with our hands, so, Psal. 4.4.5. Commune with your own hearts, offer to God the sacrifices of righteousness: thou must be a soul-searcher. Examine 1. What the general frame and temper of thy heart is, whether in a better or worse temper then formerly. 2. What particular failings have lately escaped thee, that m●ght specially indispose thy soul. 3. What graces are specially to be exercised in the worship we go about. 4. What are the special occasions for which our souls desire to meet God. 2. Meditation, Psal. 119.59. David will look over his way●s on every si●e, ere he will set his feet into God's ways. Meditation is of a separating and settling nature, it separateth heavenly thought and affections from earthly; and settleth the heart in heavenly thoughts and affections, for it often goeth over with thoughts. It is as the bellows of the soul, that doth kindle and inflame holy affections, and by renewed and more forcible thought, as by renewed and stronger blasts, doth renew and increase the flame. 3. Prayer. David prays to God to prepare the heart of the people, 1 Chron. 29.18. God prepared the people, 2 Chron. 29. ult. pray therefore to him. 1. To pardon our original indisposednes, and particular failings. 2. To give success to examination, and meditation. 3. To supply his spirit unto the heart, which hath put grace into the heart, therefore can revive and bring out the same. Ob. I cannot get time thus to prepare. Ans. In diligence in thy calling thou servest God; but if thou be so employed in it, as to shut out preparation, thou servest Satan more than God, because thou dost more his mind and for his advantage, than Gods. Ob. I am a child or servant, under government, and cannot get time, having not my time at mine own dispose. Ans. 1. Thy governor's ought to allow thee time for God's service, thou art more God's servant than theirs. If they will not, yet 1. By diligence gain time. 2. If thou canst not do that, take it from thy meat, or sleep. If neither father, nor mother, nor master, will take care of thy soul, yet do thou take care of it. Before I leave this point of preparation, the want whereof doth weaken that worship of God which we perform, I will take occasion to answer some cases of conscience, which may fall in the way of the people of God, and trouble them for want of light. 1. Quest. Whether are we bound to prepare more for the Sacrament then for the word? I will premise four things, and then answer to the question. 1. The Sacrament is an ordinary ordinance of God, and so stands in the same rank of ordinances with the word: that it is an ordinary ordinance, appears, in that it is oft to be celebrated, and that without the condition of special and extraordinary occasions, 1 Cor. 11.25.26. do this as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me, for as oft as ye eat this bread, etc. It is an ordinance often to be used, without special occasion, and and for an ordinary end, the remembrance of Christ's death. 2. The question is not between the whole word and the Sacrament, but between a particular Sermon, and the Sacrament, whether we be bound more to prepare for the Sacrament than a particular Sermon, going before the Sacrament. 3. The question is of those, who in regard of grace received, are generally, and habitually prepared, both for the word and supper; for of the unregenerate more preparation is required to admit them to the supper then to the wo●d. 4. The Sacrament in some respect hath its place below the word, in that the word is the covenant, yea a particular Sermon doth contain part of the Covenant, and the Sacrament is the seal, now the seal doth receive necessary force from the covenant, but not the covenant from the seal, the seal is of no force without the covenant, but the covenant is of force without the seal, therefore the promise is called an immutable thing, Heb. 6.18. the seal doth but increase the validity and force of the covenant, add a further degree and measure. The seal follows the covenant and serves unto it. To the question than I answer, That it should seem there is not more preparation required unto the Sacrament then unto the Word. This truth will more plainly appear, if the objections be cleared, which are brought to the contrary. Ob. Of a Sermon it can but be said, This is my Word: but of the Sacrament it is said, This is my body, and more reverence is due to the body of the Lord, then to the word of the Lord, and so more preparation to be made for the Sacrament, then for the Word. Ans. 1. If it be said, that Christ's body is present at the Sacrament only in the Word, the word of promise, than this objection doth fall to the ground, as of no force, for we must prepare to receive the word in a Sermon, and the word in the Sacrament, but diversely dispensed, to the ear in a sermon, to the eye and hand, mouth and stomach in the Sacrament, these senses are appointed to help faith to embrace the promise. That Christ is not otherway present in the Sacrament but by his Word and promise, appears by our Creed, which saith, he ascended up into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, and from thence shall come to judge the quick and the dead: If he sit at God's right hand in Heaven, than he is not bodily present in the Sacrament. 2. Suppose Christ's body were present in the Sacrament, was it not so at the and supper? yet we do not read, that in those Ordinances they did show more reverence to his bodily presence, then to his Word, though at other times they did so▪ therefore did not prepare more for his bodily presence and for the Sacrament, then for his Word. And whereas they were bound continually to worship his bodily presence, in regard of the union of his humane nature to the divine, and our Saviour did sometimes manifest his divine nature, to ●n●o●ce from them bodily worship, as Luk. 13.8. Matth. 14.33. Why did he hid it now at this time? and rather show himself most humble in washing their feet, Joh. 13.4. But that he would not in this Ordinance have them to worship his bodily presence? but intended to admit them unto familiar and honourable converse with him. 3. I● the Sacrament be but a sign and representation of the body and blood of Christ, as it must needs be granted, than the word will require more reverence, for the Word, so fare as by Scripture it can be proved to be the Word of Christ, is not a sign or representation of his Word, but his very Word, Luk. 10.16. He that hears you, heareth me: not an Image of me, but me speaking in you, as he speaketh in a special case, Mat. 10.20. It is not you that speak, but the spirit of your Father that speaketh in you. 2. Object. Of the Sacrament the Apostle saith precisely, Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat; he doth not say so much of hearing the Word; therefore we are bound to prepare more for the Sacrament. Answ. Though so much be not expressed concerning the word, in any place that I remember, yet so much is implied, jer. 4.3. When it is said, break up the fallow ground, and sow not among thorns: the meaning of that is, the rooting out of sins out of the heart, which are as thorns piercing the soul, and choking that which is good. How shall they be rooted out, unless they be known to be there? And how shall they be known to be there, but by examination? Lam. 3.40. Let us search and try our ways, and turn unto the Lord. Examination must go before repentance, and repentance must break up the fallow ground ere the seed of the word be sown: 1 Pet. 2.1, 2. When it is said, Lay aside all malice, and guile, and hypocrisies, and then desire the sincere milk of the Word, is not examination employed? How can they lay aside these sins, unless they know them to be in their hearts? And how shall they know them to be there, unless they do examine.? 2. The Apostle had just occasion, at that time more punctually and precisely, both to declare the institution and manner of preparation, that he might root out the disorders and unworthy receivings, that were deeply and strongly fastened amongst the Corinthians, and brought down from heaven eminent expressions of wrath and displeasure. And this will the rather appear, if we consider, that setting asi●e what is here said upon special occasion, so much is no where else spoken of the Sacrament, no more then of the Word. Object. In the Sacrament we do renew our Covenant with God, therefore we should prepare more for it, then for the Word. Answ. So we do renew our Covenant in every Sermon, for God declareth what ●e will be unto us, and what he requireth of us back again, and if we consent, and obey, as we do, if we hear well, we do renew our Covenant with God. Ob. In the Sacrament we do more fully renew our Covenant with God: the Sacrament hath relation to the whole Covenant, a Sermon doth but treat of a part of the Covenant, therefore we must prepare more for the Sacrament then for the Word. Answ. If a Sermon do treat but of a part of the Covenant, but a branch of it, yet of an essential part, so including the whole; for if every part of the Covenant be not kept, all is void, nay the substance and sum of the Covenant is in every Sermon, viz. that God will be ours, and we his, or if one part be only expressed, the other is employed, for the Covenant is mutual, and one part inseparably depends upon the other. Quest. Why then do Ministers many times take more care that their people be prepared for the Sacrament, and people take more care to prepare themselves? Answ. I deny not but there may be an opinion rooted in the minds, both of Ministers and people, that more preparation is required unto the Sacrament, then unto the Word, which may now be taken away by what hath been said: The causes of this opinion may be two. 1. The more solemn gesture used, yea and commanded at the Sacrament, a gesture not only of reverence, but adoration, a gesture of worship, as the Papists themselves acknowledge, who profess they kneel, in regard of the real presence, and wonder that we deny the real presence, and yet kneel. And indeed, if there be no more in the supper, then in the word, why do we use a gesture in the Sacrament that signifieth more? If opinion of greater preparation due to the Sacrament, then to the Word, did not breed kneeling, yet no doubt, kneelling hath bred and nourished this opinion in many. 2. The seldom, and so more solemn use of this Ordinance, monthly, or quarterly, or yearly, more like an extraordinary than an ordinary Ordinance of God, which might lawfully be used every Lord's day, hath furthered this opinion, for were it used as often as the Word on the Lord's day, as it lawfully might, men would not think it of more weight and consequence, than the Word preached. 2. Considering this Ordinance so seldom used, there may be some reason rendered of the Ministers special care to prepare the people before the Sacrament. 1. There is a preparation of separation, belonging to the Sacrament, which doth not belong to the Word; all may partake in the Word, Mark. 16.15. Go, preach the Gospel to every creature, no creature is excepted from hearing: some think the excommunicate should not be kept from hea●ing the Word, for they are to be but as the Publican and the Heathen, and the Publican and Heathen may hear the Word. But all may not receive the Sacrament, for that is the seal of the Covenant, and the seal doth belong to none but them, who by the Word are brought into the Covenant. 2. Where there is a meeting of more Ordinances, more preparation is required; but where the Sacrament is administered together with the Word, is a meeting of more Ordinances, therefore more preparation is required: were this Ordinance more frequently used, men would better be acquainted with the preparation due thereto. Quest. Suppose a man come to Church on the Lord's day, and the Sacrament be administered there, beyond his expectation, whether may he receive, not knowing of that aforehand, to prepare himself for it? Answ. 1. If a man doubt whether he may receive lawfully or no, he shall do best to forbear, for in this case holds that of the Apostle: Rom. 14.23. Whatsoever is not of faith, is sin: if a man do an action, and knoweth not whether he shall do well or no, he sinneth in that action, for the rule of our obedience is the Word of God: if therefore I do not know that such an action is according to the Word, I do not obey in it, and therefore sin. 2. If thou be prepared for the Word, thou art in measure prepared for the Sacrament, for those duties of examination, meditation, prayer, which do prepare us for the Word, do not only stir up those affections and graces, that are more properly requisite unto the Word, but those also that more peculiarly belong to the Sacrament. 3. God may increase the beginnings of thy preparation by the Word, further provoking and stirring up thy graces, especially thy faith and repentance. 4. Though there be some defect in thy preparation before thou didst come, yet if thy hearts desire be set to seek and find the Lord, he will have such respect to the prayers of the Congregation, that he will pardon thy unpreparedness, and convey to thee the blessing: so 2 Chron. 30.18, 19, 20. Many of the people, whose hearts were prepared, yet were ceremonially unclean, did eat the , contrary to the law, but Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary, and God harkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people. Quest. Suppose there be a day of fasting kept, and I know not of it till the morning of it, whether may I go unto it, it being an extraordinary duty, and requiring extraordinary preparation, and I unprepared, not knowing of it? Answ. A day of fasting aught to be kept from even to even, Levit. 23.32. therefore to be known before the morning, and they that hinder such knowledge of it, are like to bear their sin. 2. If thy soul be earnestly desirous to seek God in that Ordinance, unwilling to miss the opportunity, and sensible of thy unpreparedness, the bare want of extraordinary preparation need not hinder thee, if thou do not lie under the guilt of some sin unrepented of, for thy unpreparedness is not through any neglect of him: It is not bare want of such a measure of preparation that doth displease God, so as to disrespect our duties, but neglect and slighting of it. God requires no more than he gives: had God given thee time of extraordinary preparation by foreknowledge of the duty, he would have required the same; but having not given thee that time, he will not require that. Nay, it may be God will specially prepare thy soul by want of special preparation, humble and soften thy heart. Ob. But the scrupulous heart, as the most conscientious are, will be ready to say, If God would have had them to partake in the duty, he would have given them time of preparation. Answ. Not so, God may give thee the substance of preparation, disposedness of heart, but deny the circumstances of preparation, viz. time and performance of preparing duties. Preparation serves unto the worship of God, the measure and time thereof cannot strictly be set down, but the rule thereof, is the measure of the souls unpreparedness. God hath commanded extraordinary preparation for extraordinary duties, because the heart usually is extraordinarily unfit: but suppose by affliction, or some other way, the heart be more then ordinarily prepared, then extraordinary preparation is not required, for it is already done some other way; so if thy soul be much humbled and quickened by want of preparing time and means, it is all one as if thou hadst them. True it is, God requires preparation, as well as duty, but preparation is the lesser part of God's mind, though a necessary part: when therefore thou mayest do a greater part of God's mind, thou art not to neglect it, though thou canst not do a lesser, when that not doing of the less, doth not proceed from any known and willing neglect of thine, which altars the case. For if a man have time, and do not prepare, he doth presumptuously, not believingly, perform holy duties. To be sure, this case may put the godly in mind, what need they have to keep their hearts continually in a good frame, that so they may have a continual preparedness unto every good work. Quest. Suppose I labour in the use of means to prepare my heart, and cannot find it prepared, what should I then do? Answ. 1. Thy soul may be prepared, and thou not sensible of it: it is the measure of preparation, and evidence of the spirit in the heart, that makes a man sensible of his preparation. 2. Sense of preparation is a separable fruit of the use of the means, part of the success it is, but may be separated from the use of the means: when thou therefore hast prepared thyself, thou hast done part of thy duty, thou must not now stay from going about the Ordinances, which is a further part of thy duty, till thou be sensible of thy preparedness, which is part of the success, and so God's part: thy duty is to prepare thy heart, and when thou hast prepared, to go about the worship, though God, for reasons best known to himself, doth withdraw his part, the sense and feeling of preparation. Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat, not forbear, when he hath examined himself, because he finds not matters as he would. Quest. Suppose I find God helping my heart in preparation, and withdrawing himself in the worship prepared unto, there my heart is dead, careless, what should I then do? Answ. 1. The godly are apt in experience to run upon extremes, if their heart be not assisted, in preparation, they are discouraged, if they be much assisted, they grow proud and confident, therefore God withdraws himself sometimes in one way, and sometimes in another, that they might not be discouraged, nor be confident: Not be discouraged, if they do not find God in one way of promise, yet they may find him in another; Not be confident or proud, for though they have found God much in an Ordinance, yet they may miss him in the next. Where they least expect to find God, there many times, they find him most, therefore not be discouraged: and on the other side, where they are most confident to find God, they many times miss him: trust not Ordinances therefore, but the God of Ordinances in all. 2. Set a-work thy faith in the promise, the condition whereof thou hast in thy heart: Psal. 10.17. Thou wilt prepare the heart, thou wilt bow thine ear: these two go together, if God do prepare the heart, he will bow the ear, he will do thee good, thou mayest believe it, thy preparation is an earnest, a pledge, thou mayest thereby help thy faith. Thus did Manoahs' wife comfort him, when he was afraid they should die, because they had seen an Angel of God: Judg. 13.22, 23. If the Lord were pleased to kill us, he would not have accepted a sacrifice at our hands, nor have showed us such things as these so if God had not intended thee good in his worship, he would not have accepted thy preparation. 3. Thou must difference the different effects of God's presence, or else thou mayest wrong God as well as thyself, to say he was not with thee, when yet he was. Not only are there more manifest and evident fruits of God's presence in duties, as much liberty of spirit, much joy, peace, assurance of faith, but also there are more inward, and reserved fruits of his presence, as sense of want, sorrow for want, desire of enjoyment, willingness unto further duties, to find that which we want in some: in the former, God is with us, and we know he is with us, in the later, God is with us, but we know not so much: an instance of the later we have in the two Disciples going to Emaus, Luk. 24.16. Their eyes were holden that they could not know him, yet afterward, when they did know him, they remembered that they had sufficient evidence of his presence, even when they knew him not, ver. 32. did not our hearts burn within us, when he talked with us by the way, and opened to us the Scriptures? Whence was that fire in their hearts, but from the spirit of Christ conveyed in his word? Yet till they knew him, they made no account of this. The godly cannot see God in Ordinances, though present: because sometimes their eyes are altogether pitched upon those more evident fruits of his presence, sometimes also they stumble upon the presence of God, sleight, make no account of such fruits as are put forth, sense of many failings in duties, makes them think God was not there, whereas that sense is from God in the Ordinances, who is the father of lights. CHAP. III. Of the fourth hindrance of instant worshipping of God, Weariness. AMOS ●. Part of the 5 vers. When will the new moon be gone, and the sabbath? TWo things are in the verse, whereof the words read are a part. 1. A desire. 2. The reason. Their desire is, that the new moon, and sabbath were gone, laid down interrogatively, to show the greater vehemency and earnestness of it, When will the new moon be gone, and the sabbath? they thought the time long that they continued, their stay was a burden unto them: when a man's desire meets with hindrance, his grief takes place, so the new moon, and sabbaths were matter of grief and burden unto them, and they were weary of them, because they hindered, for present, their civil commerce. The reason of their desire that the new moon and sabbath were gone, is, that they might sell corn, that they might follow their worldly occasions wherein they would oppress. We have to do with the first particular. Their desire that the new moon were gone, and the sabbath ended. Why, what was the matter that they had enough, and too much of the new moon, and sabbath? Why did they stand in their way for buying and selling? Ans. At every new moon, or in the beginning of every month they had a great solemnity, special sacrificing to God, Numb. 28.11. a solemn feast day, Psal. 81.3. wherein they were wont to hear from God by the prophets: for when the Shunammitish woman would go to the prophet for her dead son, her husband dissuaded her, from the ordinary unseasonableness of the time, Wherefore wilt thou go to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath, 2 Kings 4.23. A sign the people did communicate with the prophets in the counsels of God, in the new moons and sabbaths, and special seasons and times appointed for that purpose. And whether here be meant the weekly Sabbath, or by this general name be intended all the Sabbaths, or days of rest mentioned, Levit. 23. it comes all to a reckoning, in regard of their exception, for in the weekly Sabbath and day of atonement or humiliation, they might do no work, Levit. 23.3.28. and on the other Sabbaths, or days of rest, feast days, they might do no servile work, Levit. 23.7. which is expounded in case of the , which was one of the feasts, Exod. 12.16. no manner of work shall be done, save about that which every man must eat, no work might be done but about providing meat for the feast, they might not do any work of service, or labour about their callings, as ploughing and sowing, buying and selling. They therefore wish the new moon, and Sabbath gone, that they might sell corn, because that was forbidden work in those times and seasons, they are therefore weary of them, and gladly would be shut of them; could they sanctify these holy days, or perform fervent and hearty worship to God in the same, when all their desire was that they were gone? whence we have just occasion to lay ground for handling a fourth hindrance of our earnest worshipping of God. N. Weariness hinders our earnest worshipping of God. When the worship we perform is a burden to us, we do but weakly perform the same. This people being weary of the new moon and Sabbath, instead of setting their hearts upon solemn worship of God therein performed, they set their hearts upon the end of the same, they do not say, O when will the new moon and Sabbath come? or, O that they would stay long; but when will they be gone? no days so long as those days of solemn worship, in them the sun seems to stand still, or to go back, they pass not away fast enough, and if the end of these solemn services have all the heart, what shall God have in the performance of them? This God complains of, both in priests and people, Mal. 1.13. That they had said of his worship, What a weariness is it? and that worship is poorly performed, which is but a weary worship. Though some take this place otherwise, yet this sense suits well with that despising of God's name, blamed, vers. 6.7. for what a man thinks meanly of, he will be weary of: and what did their offering of the blind, lame, sick, torn, manifest, but weariness of G●ds worship, that it was a burden? the actions of the weary and tired, are blind, sick, lame, divided and distracted actions. When the Apostle, Gal. 6.9. 2 Thes. 3.13. doth call upon the people of God not to be weary of well doing, doth he not give them to understand, that weariness will be an hindrance to them in well doing? and therefore they must not give way unto it, though the way of God be laborious and painful. When God would direct his people how they might be kept from doing their own mind on the Sabbath, Isai. 58.13. and so might thoroughly sanctify it, he adviseth them to call the Sabbath a delight, i. e. not only inwardly to delight in it, but to grow to such a measure of delight, to call it so, openly profess, and make it manifest that it is our delight, let that be the name we give it, as God termeth his people, Isai. 62.4. my delight is in her; let others see by our speeches and actions, that it is the day of our delight; otherwise if we be weary of it, and it be a burden unto us, we will not be kept from doing our own pleasure. What is it to be weary of God's worship? Ans. There is a weariness of the soul that reflects upon the body, and a weariness of the body that reflects upon the soul. The weariness of the soul stands in the absence of two affections, which are the strength of the soul, desire, and delight, and the presence of two, which are the weakness of the soul, unwillingness, no desire, no delight, uncheerfulnes, backwardness, grief. When God in Scripture commendeth the fervency and strength of any action, he commendeth it from these two affections, willingness, and delight. 1. Willingness, or desire, makes any action strongly to be performed, when there is a suitableness or agreement betwixt the will and the action, a man doth choose to do it, and that rather than any other, such an action must needs have the power of the soul, for the will commands the whole soul, 1 Chron. 29.14, 17. the people of God did offer willingly, and therefore abundantly to the building of the temple, that David admires and joys at the offering. The fervent worshipping of God, prophesied of in the days of the Gospel, is comprehended in this affection of desire or willingness, Psal. 110.3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the day of the powerful preaching of the Gospel; the worship of God's people should be willing, freehearted worship, not constrained. The Bereans hearing of the word was hearing indeed, commended above that of Thessalonica, Act. 17.11. they received the word with all readiness of mind, they had a forward affection, a forth-putting desire to hear, and embrace the word, Act. 16.14. God opened the heart of Lydia to attend to the word, her ear was open, and ready to hear, and that open ear came from an open heart, a desire to hear. 2. joy or cheerfulness makes an action strongly to be performed, when the soul is cheered and comforted in the doing of it, then will it do it in the best manner and measure, because it's comfort and delight is the greater, Psal. 19.5. when the psalmist would express how strongly the sun doth run his course, he saith, It rejoiceth as a strong man to run his race, 2 Cor. 8.2. The Apostle saith of the Macedonians, that the abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty, abounded to the riches of their liberality: though their poverty was abundant, and so unfit for liberality, yet their joy being abundant in that Christian action, made their liberality to abound, so that according to their power, yea, and beyond their power they ministered to the necessity of the Saints, their joy in the action carried them to forget themselves in measure. They prayed Paul and his companions, with much entreaty, to take the gift; such was their comfort in the action, that if Paul would not take their gift, they should miss of their comfort, Psal. 100.2. we are commanded to serve the Lord with gladness, the joy, and mirth of our hearts, in God's service, doth better the service performed. But on the contrary, when desire and joy are wanting, the strength and vigour of the soul is gone, and it is weary of such actions as it performeth unwillingly and sadly. 1. What a man doth unwillingly, backwardly, he doth as a burden, and therefore weakly, because wearily. Thus the wicked express their weariness of God's ways, Job 21.13. we desire not the knowledge of thy ways, they have no desire to be acquainted with the worship of God, therefore will but poorly perform it if they perform any, 1 Pet. 5.2. feed the flock of God, not by constraint, but willingly, 2 Cor. 9.7. as every man hath purposed, so let him give, not grudgingly or of necessity; whatever duty a man performeth, if he have no mind, no desire, no will unto it, if somewhat without move him to it, and not somewhat within, if he had rather not do it, or rather do somewhat else, he doth it without strength, therefore wearily, it is a burden unto him, Exod. 25.2. God willed Moses to take an offering of every one whose heart was willing towards the service of the Tabernacle, Ex. 35.21. They came every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing to offer, God would accept none but from the willing heart; there would have been no strength in their offerings had the will been wanting. 2. That which a man doth sadly and unchearfully, with inward grief of heart, he doth without strength of his soul, and therefore wearily, for such a man doth but bear a burden and carry a load all the while he doth the action, and therefore will not care how soon it be done. Not but t●at a man may be sad in God's worship, David saith, Psal. 6.8. God heard the voice of his weeping, as if his tears did prevail more with God then his prayers. We are also commanded to serve the Lord with trembling, Psal. 2.11. and we know that trembling proceeds from the affection of fear, which is of a sadding nature. But when our grief is pitched not upon our sins (which are just matter of acceptable grief, yea, when we come to joy before God) but upon the duty, we are sad, because we must pray, or hear, or keep the Sabbath, because we must fall to that employment, and may not go to any other, or when sorrow for other causes become a flood so great, that it overwhelms and drowns our joy, than the duty is a wearisome duty, the soul doth it with no joy, with no comfort, therefore with no strength. In this case when the people wept sore upon that day of thanksgiving, Nehem. 8.10. they are commanded not to weep, nor to be sorry, for the joy of the Lord is your strength; so to weep, and to be sorrowful as to drown or eclipse their joy on that day, was to make their souls weak, and so weary of the duty. When Moses chod with Aaron and his son's Levit. 10.17. to the end, because they had not eaten the sacrifice in the holy place, that day his sons were destroyed, his answer was, Had I eaten it, would it have been accepted? Why not? oh he could not have done it with any cheer, and comfort, so heavy a hand of God having lately befallen him, and therefore he should have been weary of the service, and then God would not have accepted it: if thus the heart be weary, having no desire or delight, the body will be weary, for that follows the disposition of the soul, the soul carrieth the body with it which way so ever it goeth. There is a weariness proper to the body, when the strength thereof is spent and the spirits exhausted, and so the body is left weak and feeble, and so weary of any further action, because it hath no strength. There is a four fold cause of exhausting the strength of the body, and so making it weary of God's service. 1. The original corrupt disposition of the body by reason of sin, whereby it withholdeth and drieth up its strength from that which is good, but freely expendeth it upon that which is evil. Thus naturally the eyes had rather look upon a company of sinners, than a company of Saints, see a company in the alehouse rather than in God's house, profaning the Lord's day, then serving him, the ear had rather hear evil, then good, the feet had rather walk to any sinful meeting on the Lord's day, then to the house of God, Rom. 6.19, 20. The Apostle saith, We naturally give our members, instruments of unrighteousness, there is no unwillingness in us, but we readily part with them all at sin's motion, nay, we are free from holiness, will have nothing to do with that, not any part of our bodies, but we are servants of sin, all for sin: And this disposedness to withhold the strength of our bodies from God's service, and to give it unto sin remains in part in the godly. 2. The strength of the body is spent in sinful actions sometimes, Jer. 9.3. They weary themselves to commit iniquity. Particularly the sins of uncleanness and drunkenness do waste the strength of the body, Prov. 5.11. The holy ghost tells what shall be the end of the unclean person, a mournful end, thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh, and thy body are consumed. And doth not experience tell that men are forced to lie in their beds, or keep their houses, on the Lord's day, because they have drunk so hard in the week, or on saturday, that their bodies are weak and tired. The sin of idleness doth weaken the body: strength used doth increase, and not used doth decay, beside the nourishment taken for want of exercise doth turn to corruption, and so rather weaken the body then nourish it; none more weary of any employment and of the service of God, then idle persons. 3. The strength of the body is exhausted, sometimes by natural distempers, sicknesses, diseases, either such as are continually with men, which is the case of some, or such as lie upon the body at particular times only, the case of others. 4. Sometimes foregoing recreations and businesses of men's callings, do so spend the body, that it hath no strength lest for God's service. The body thus wearied, will reflect upon the soul. 1. In regard of sympathy, agreement, and like affection between soul and body: what the body delights in, the soul doth in measure delight in, and what the body is weary of, the soul will in measure be weary of. 2. As it doth express, and act the weariness of the soul by reason of sin, for so the weariness of the soul is increased, and the contrary strength of the soul, desire and delight, weakened. 3. As it is an unfit instrument to express the desire and delight of the soul, if those affections may not be expressed, they will decay and weaken. 4. As by the eyes and ears it doth let in new objects of delight: the soul by sin is new fangled, will entertain them, and so grow weary of former delights. The soul doth express its weariness. 1. By letting lose thoughts and affections, it will not keep them bound, but suffers them to wander about for refreshment. 2. In thinking the service hard, painful, grievous. 3. In thinking the time long that is spent therein, wishing the same at an end. The body doth express its weariness. 1. By restlessness, it cannot rest in any position or gesture of it, but as a door upon the hinges, turns first one way, and then another. 2. By letting the eyes and ears lose to all objects, to choose their delights where they please. 3. By speeches too, if occasion serve, as here they are brought in, saying, when will the new moon be gone? If they did only say so in their hearts, yet God saw they would say so with their tongues, if occasion were offered, therefore he sets it down so. How doth weariness weaken our worshipping of God? 1. Weariness in the very nature of it is weakness, a denial, an absence of strength, and actions performed in weakness, must needs be weak: weariness denies the strength of the mind. Can a man think well of what he is weary? It denies the strength of the will. Can a man be willing of that he is weary of? What, be willing of a burden? It denies the strength of the affections: a man will neither desire, nor joy in what he is weary of: and if the strength of the soul be denied, the strength of the body also will be denied, and that service which hath neither strength of soul, nor strength of body, must needs be weak service. 2. As it is contrary to the spirit: 1. To the nature of it, which is a spirit of liberty and freedom, a spirit of desire and delight, a spirit of Adoption, opposed to a spirit of bondage, Rom. 8.15. The spirit of a child, which a spirit of love: a child doth his father's commands with desire and delight, he loves his father, joys in him, therefore in his commands: 2 Cor. 9.7. God loves a cheerful giver; weariness being contrary to the spirit, must needs damp that, hinder the assistance of it in worship. 2. To the work of it: 2 Cor. 3.17. Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty: sin is compared to cords: Prov. 5.22. to a snare, 2 Tim. 2.26. because it takes away a man's liberty and free will unto that which is good; when God calls a man to any duty, his will is not in his own power, he is not able to move thereto, no not in desire, God therefore is said to work the will: Phil. 2.13. there is no will till God work it. But when the spirit of God comes into the heart, it breaks the cords and snares, sets the will at liberty unto God: 2 Cor. 8.3. The Churches of Macedonia were willing of themselves to minister to the Saints, to their power, yea and beyond their power. How came that to pass? ver. 1. We do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed upon the Churches of Macedonia: their outward bounty proceeded from abundance of grace within: 1 Cor. 15.10. I laboured mort abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God in me: abundant labour and weariness are contrary, but the grace of the spirit makes a man labour abundantly; weariness therefore being contrary to the work of the spirit, must needs weaken the work of it, and so the service of God. 3. To the testimony of it: the Word of God is the testimony of the spirit, for holy men spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost: what the word saith in this case, is the testimony of the spirit: the word saith, 1. That forwardness unto good duties is our duty, when it saith, Christ hath purified unto himself a people Zealous of good works, Tit. 2.14. Hath Christ been at cost and pains to make us pure for that end, and are we not bound to endeavour unto that end? he hath laid it as a duty upon Ministers, to put their people in mind that they be ready unto every good work, Tit. 3.1. That they charge such as have ability, to be ready to communicate, willing to distribute, 1 Tim. 6.17, 18. a sign, that not only the duties themselves are our duties, but readiness and willingness therein also. 2. The word saith, that cheerfulness in duty is God's delight; 2 Cor. 9.7. He loveth a cheerful giver: Isa. 64.5. The Lord cannot as it were contain himself, till the soul come to him, that worketh righteousness with joy, but he will go to meet him; as we out of joy cannot contain ourselves, but we must run to meet them we delight in, when we espy them coming towards us. 3. The word saith, that the ways of wisdom are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace, ●rov. 3.17. Christ's yoke is easy, his burden is light, Matth. 11.30. The Commandments of God are not grievous, 1 Joh. 5.3. 4. The word saith, that forwardness and delight in good actions, is beneficial: 2 Cor. ●. 6. He that soweth bountifully, shall reap bountifully, full handed works shall have full handed reward: 1 Cor. 15.58. always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord: If the Lord be the rewarder, the most abundant service shall not want a reward; weariness doth contrary the several branches of this testimony of the spirit. Is willing and cheerful service our duty? weariness denies it. If it be our duty to be willing and obedient, why are we weary? Where is our obedience? Is God delighted with cheerful service? weariness denies it. Who would be weary of that, which is God's delight? of that which is so good, that it joys God himself? Is the way of God an easy pleasant way? weariness denies it. Who is weary of ease and pleasantness? Is the way of God a beneficial way? weariness saith to the contrary. Who is weary of benefit? weariness therefore doth make the spirit of God a liar, which unworthy dealing must needs hinder the spirit in the heart. 4. To the honour of the spirit of God: weariness doth cast reproach and dishonour upon the spirit in two things. 1. As if it did not dispose and fit them inwardly whom it sets a-work, as if it did not work the will in them, by whom it requires the work to be wrought: for what is the ground of weariness in the person, but unfitness, unsuitablenes unto the work: and is it not a dishonour to the spirit, to set unfit persons to work? Are we not his workmanship unto good works? he doth inwardly fashion us thereunto; should a man go to work with an instrument, and not first fit it with hand and edge? should it not shame him? weariness saith, that God takes up unhandled, unedged instruments to do his work; which is a dishonour to him. 2. Weariness of good duties doth cast dishonour upon the spirit, as if his work had wearying properties, and so were worse than Satan's work, or our own work, which do not so weary. Wearying properties are these three; Hardness, Harshness, Hurtfullnes. Why doth a work weary, but because it is hard and difficult, doth cost much pains and labour, more than can well be afforded, or is harsh, unpleasant, uncomfortable, or is hurtful, no profit, no benefit in the same, but the contrary? Thus weariness saith of the work the spirit of God doth set us about, which must needs be a dishonour to the spirit of God, who is the best master, therefore appointeth the best wo●k, contrary to his wisdom, goodness, justice: Will it stand with his wisdom, to set us about work too hard for us? Will it stand with his goodness, to set us about evil work? No work but evil work is wholly uncomfortable: Will it stand with his justice, to make us labour in vain, and to no profit? Hath he not promised to the contrary? And is he not righteous to make good his promise? yet weariness doth at same time cast dishonour upon the wisdom, goodness, and justice of the spirit: and must not such dishonour hinder the work of the spirit in the heart? 3. Weariness doth weaken our fervent worshipping of God, as it doth dispose and fit us for the work of sin and Satan in God's worship, which will weaken the worship we perform. Weariness doth dispose us for the work of corruption: a weary soul is fit for wand'ring thoughts, and wand'ring affections: a weary body is fit for change of objects, for new sights and sounds, it is natural to man to seek refreshment elsewhere when he is weary. Corruption doth always work in holy duties to hinder us in the same, but when the man is weary, it works with advantage, he is in a corrupt temper, fit for corruption, now it may prevail more then at another time. Weariness fits us for Satan's work, for his inward suggestions, for his presenting of objects to withdraw us; the heart is weary, therefore fit for new work; there is small ability to resist him, and he walketh to and fro, seeking whom he may devour, a great part of his work is to watch advantage against us. When we are at best he will hinder us, much more when we are so fit to be hindered. 4. Weariness doth weaken our fervent worshipping of God, as it produceth certain other effects, both in opinion and affection. 1. In opinion, it makes a man think the worship of God evil, if not in itself, yet to him, at least at this particular time: what a man is weary of, he apprehends to be an evil to him, for no man is weary of good and suitable good, for suitable good is delightsome, therefore not wearisome. 2. In affection. 1. Weariness makes a man desire the end of the work, rather than the work: what a man is weary of, he would have finished, that his weariness might be at an end; for whilst the work continueth, weariness doth continue, and increase. 2. It makes a man desire to change the present service for some other employment, a weary man would have new work to take away his weariness, and to bring him contrary comfort and delight. Can that be fervent service, which a man thinks to be evil? the end whereof he more desireth then the doing of it? which he would change for any other employment? such service doth weariness make. Quest. It may be said you told us lately, what some causes are of the weariness of the body in God's service: tell us now what the causes of the weariness of the soul are in the same service of God? Answ. 1. Remnants of corruption, which do always strive to draw the strength of the mind and affections another way, and sometimes do prevail by our carelessness, and Satan's watchfulness. Thus David, when he was acted by corruption, having looked too much upon the world's prosperity, and his own affliction, without reflecting upon the end of both, he was ready to throw off all the service of God, Ps. 73.13. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed mine hands in innocency: if all the fruit of his piety be affliction, and all the fruit of the world's profaneness be prosperity, then hath David spent a deal of labour in vain, and it is time to make an end: but this was the faulse suggestion of corruption: so Jer. 28.8, 9 When he was mocked and reproached daily for his ministry, he said, he would make mention of the Lords name no more, he grew weary of his ministry, if he could see no better fruit of his labour, but reproach, he would give it over but then he was acted by corruption, as appears by his bitter cursing the day of his birth Thus the godly have sometimes their spiritual sick sits, and so are spiritually weary of spiritual things. More particularly. 1. Ignorance of the inward worth and excellency of God's worship and service. So much know; so much desire and delight, and no more; we cannot desire and delight in what we know not, for so we might desire and delight in evil as soon, and as much as in good, which cannot be: we do but little know the good of God's worship, and so can but little delight in it, and where is but little delight, will be weariness. 2. Imperfect suitableness of soul to God's worship: suitableness and agreement is the cause of desire and delight: Amos 3.3. Can two walk together except they be agreed? Can they desire and delight in one another's company, unless they suit and agree in disposition? Prov. 27.19. As in water face answereth to face, so doth the heart of man to man. Why doth a man love some particular man with a more inward, free, strong love? because, (as in water face answereth to face) a man may see the image of his face in water: the represented face hath the likeness of the true face; So a man sees the image and representation of his own affections and dispositions in some more than in others, he sees himself in him, and every man loves himself more than others, and consequently such men, in whom he sees himself more than in others: Psal. 40.8. The more suitableness and agreement, the more desire and delight: we are but in a small measure suitable to the worship of God, because the Image of God is but in part renewed in us, and if there be but a measure of likeness in us to God's worship, there will be but a measure of delight, and therefore weariness present; likeness alone doth exclude weariness: beside there will be a measure of unlikenes, and that naturally causeth weariness. 3. Immoderate desire and delight in other things, even lawful callings, occasions, and comforts, so in my text. Why are they weary of the new Moon and of the Sabbath? the reason is rendered, That we may sell corn, and set forth wheat: and why should they sell corn? that they might gather riches. When they were in the midst of God's worship, they had a greater desire and delight to their callings and worldly business, the strength of their souls went that way, therefore they were weary of God's worship. 4. So much earthly converse with our callings and earthly occasions, I say earthly converse, after the manner of men, who are altogether earthly, for it is not the use of our callings that draw our hearts from heaven to earth, but the manner of our use of them, when we do not set a-work grace in them, do not use them as an appointed way, to fit us for God's worship, and therefore watch our hearts, that they be not drawn too much unto the things we have to do with. We do not use them with fear, lest there be a snare in them, we do not use them with dependence upon God, with strife against our natural earthly mindedness, therefore they steal away our hearts. 5. Over-length of duties: there is but a measure of desire, and delight in us, therefore duties should have but a set time: in heaven, when our affections shall be perfect, there shall be no time to measure duties by, but they shall be immeasurable. The measure of the affections is regulated by judgement and discretion, when therefore duties are drawn out beyond discretion, they are burdensome or indiscretion: beside, the soul hath other occasions to attend beside God's worship, even on the Lord's day, works of mercy and necessity: if therefore time be taken up, so that convenient time is not reserved for these, the soul grows weary, because it cannot do all its work: so in a family, duties are then wearisome, when they do not consist with our particular callings. 6. Absence of the all-filling and quickening spirit. It is the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing, the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and life, Joh. 6.63. As the body is dead without the spirit, so the Ordinances without God's quickening spirit, it must both quicken our desire and delight, and stir up the good of the Ordinances, Psal. 84.10, 11. David exceedingly prizeth a door in God's house: why? the Lord is a sun: when there is such a presence of God that is both light and heat to discover the good in the Ordinances, and to warm our hearts therewith, then are they delightful, 2 Cor. 3.18. When the spirit shows us the face of God, peace, comfort, grace, in the glass of the promise, and so reflects the sun upon us, that whilst we behold God's favour, we are at peace with him; whilst we behold his grace, we are made gracious; whilst we behold his comfort, we are made comfortable, then are the Ordinances delightful, but if the spirit be absent, there is no affection stirring. Use. This Doctrine doth manifest, First, that God hath but weak service at the hands of the most, weak praying, weak hearing, because but weary service. But because all will say they come willingly and cheerfully to God's worship: I will show by several instances, as so many arguments, that the most are weary of God's service, some whereof will fall upon some, and others upon others, and one or other upon the most. 1. That coming after the beginning of God's worship, and going away before the end of it, which I blamed heretofore, as an act of despising of God's worship, will prove weariness in this place. Were it matter of delight, God's worship, than the more of it, the more delight, the sooner men come, the longer they stay, the more delight, if men come with the first, and stay with the last, they shall have more delight: but if it be a burden, the less of it, the more delight. Were man to go to a delightful recreation, they would be there with the first, and stay with the last, upon this ground, lest they should lose part of their delight; let not men say, they have many hindrances when they should come, and they have many things to hasten them when they should go home, for delight would break thorough hindrances, and make a man forget what would take him off. Do not men forget their meat and sleep, when they are about pleasant occasions? And were the worship of God delighfull, men would forget their occasions at home, till the worship of God be ended. 2. That allowance of the forenoon only on the Lord's day to the worship of God, and reservation of the afternoon, by some, which is a clipping of the King's coin of heaven, for the Sabbath is the Lords day, in a special respect: all the days of the week are Gods, in respect of creation, and end, but the Sabbath is the Lords, as the King's coin is his, it bears the Lords image of holiness, it is an holy day, set apart from common use unto God's worship, to take away the afternoon of that therefore, is to clip the King's coin, yea though a man should spend so much time in private reading, as he is wont to spend in public worship: seeing therefore there is such variety of God's Ordinances, such convenient time of rest and refreshing between the forenoon and afternoon exercise, and due and timely finishing of the afternoon exercise, what but weariness doth keep men from it? Nay, many do take so liberally of God's good creatures on that day (which most will have on that day, more than any other, though it be fit for very few bodies) that their bodies are made unfit to perform God's service. Suppose the day be cold, or rainy, as it doth sometimes fall out on that day, and it may be to try whether that will keep men away: would not delight break thorough? will not men do the like for their callings and recreations? 3. That hasty, hearty and full speech of the world and worldly occasions on the Lord's day, in some, when the service of God is finished morning and evening, as if the Sabbath were a market day, a day of bargaining, paying, receiving, rather than of worshipping of God or seeking the good of the souls of men. If the Sabbath be holy, than nothing must be spoken or done that day but what is directly holy, or done directly for an holy end, to further Gods worship, to help our hearts. Were not men weary of holy duties, would they so soon be gotten to earthly occasions? would they be so hot and fervent in the same? would there not be some remembrance of the duties newly passed, but that men lay aside a burden when they finish them? 4. The neglect of all private duties by some on the Lords day. If they were not tired with, and weary of God's public worship, would they not pray in their families? speak something of the word they have heard, though it were the less, the Sabbath being appointed only for holy duties? But if a man should go from family to family, how few should he find that pray on the Lord's day night, or speak any thing of the word preached, but spend the time in idle talking? a sign they have enough of God's service, are tired therewith. 5. The haste that some make out of the house of God into the alehouse, wherein they can sit longer then at the worship of God. All these things which fall upon the most, some or other of them, do show what weary service. God hath generally performed, and consequently weak service. 2. The weak service God hath done him by his own people, for it is weary service, as appears. 1. In that they are not so willing of the approach of the Sabbath, that light is not so pleasant unto them, they think it comes too soon, could wish it would stay a little longer. 2. Their hearts are not so cheerful in God's service, nay, many times the Lords day is the saddest day in the week, they are more merry before it comes, and when it is gone, then in it. 3. They give too much way to wand'ring thoughts and affections in holy duties, they are not so unpleasant and burdensome to them, they do not strive against them. 4. Secret wish and desires that the Sabbath were gone, to the end they might go about other occasions. 5. Too much gladness of the end of the Sabbath, too much ease and rest in their hearts, these things show how weak service God hath, because so weary. 3. Their sin that take course to weary soul and body, so as to make them unfit for God's worship, for they take course to weaken his worship: they that overcharge their bodies with surfeiting and drunkenness, that overtire them with labour, that suffer their affections to run at their will upon earthly things, do take course that God might have but poor service: to do God but poor service, is a sin: but to take course that God may have but poor service, is a double sin, that argues we are willing he should have but weak service, or at least are careless of the strength of his worship. 2. To reprove 1. Our general weariness of God's worship. If we consider it, it may shame us. 1. A sign we have lost God's creation. Is it likely that God would make creatures on purpose for his service, and make them so that it should be a burden to them, when it was in his power to make them otherwise? Thou art weary of the word, of prayer, canst rest no where, dost continually wish the minister had done; oh be ashamed, God did not make thee thus, thou hast lost his image, wiped off his spot: should a father take pains and be at cost with a child, to learn him the skill of some trade, and he should have lost it when he should come to exercise it, would he not be ashamed? thou hast lost the skill of serving of God, which God gave thee, wherein he was at more pains and cost, then in making the rest of his creatures. Me thinks this should make men hang down their heads for shame, when they find themselves weary of God's worship, they were sometimes fit to do God's service, but now unfit. 2. There is no matter of weariness in God's worship, for it is God's work, therefore all good, God can command but what is good, and in that which is all good is no matter of weariness, Esai. 43.23. I have not made thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense, these God commanded, but there was no matter of weariness in them, as appears by the contrary, Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins and wearied me with thine iniquities, in sin is matter of weariness. If thou be weary of that which is good, thou hast Satan's image upon thee in measure, for that is his image, to be weary of good as good, John 8.44. when he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own: the Devil can call nothing his own but sin and falsehood, for there is no truth in him, he hath no disposition unto truth: and will not this shame thee, to be like the Devil? 3. This weariness in good is the road way unto weariness in, and by evil and affliction; for temporal tiring evil the word of God is express, Deut. 28.47. 48. because thou servest not the Lord thy God with joyfullnes and gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things, thou shalt serve thine enemies in hunger, and thirst, and nakedness, and want of all things, and he shall put a yoke of iron about thy neck, until he have destroyed thee: they that serve God with a weary heart, instead of being in the hands of God, a friend, they shall be in the hands of enemies, a weary condition, instead of serving God they shall serve their enemies, those whom they do not love, those who will not recompense their labour, for they shall serve them in hunger, etc. they shall have hunger, but no meat to eat, thirst, but no drink to drink, nakedness, but no clothing to put on, no though they serve for it, and so deserve it, a weary condition; yet if they might have any liberty, it were less matter, but they shall put a yoke of iron about thy neck, until they have destroyed thee, a yoke shows restraint, but an iron yoke shows wearisome restraint, yea so wearisome, as it shall bring on death. They that are weary of God's service, the way of life, must make account of wearisome bondage, the way to death. No joy of God's service who is the God of thy life, no joy of life? Look into the conditions of men that are much weary of God's worship, and see if they have not some wearying, tiring affliction, like an iron yoke, that they can neither break nor cheerfully bear, if God would open their eyes they might see herein weariness in God's worship. A notable example see, 2 Chron. 12.1. when Rehoboam was strengthened in his kingdom, he forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him, they grew weary of the Lords worship, whereupon he sent the King of Egypt to take the fenced cities of judah, and to make towards jerusalem, the Lord sends a prophet to tell them that he had left them in the hands of their enemies, because they had forsaken him, this word seconding the Lord's work did draw them to humiliation, yet the Lord would not wholly deliver them, and he renders the reason. vers. 8. they shall be his servants, that they may know the difference between my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries. They might have served God, and none else, but they would not, his service, was a bondage and burden unto them, therefore they shall serve their enemies, whom they would not, till they know by experience that God's worship is the more easy yoke, and by such experience be made to delight in it. And for heaven they that are naturally weary of God's service, must never look to come there, unless their natures be changed, for we pray that we may do Gods will on earth, as they do in heaven, a sign all that are in heaven do Gods will cheerfully, for were they weary of it, we might not, we need not pray to do it like them, we might not, it were sin, we need not, for we can do it wearily of ourselves, a sign also, that as we look to come to heaven to be hereafter as they are already that are in heaven, we must do Gods will cheerfully in measure upon earth, as they do it in heaven. Though God suffer to come into the earth, and to tarry upon the earth, such as worship him but wearily, yet he will not suffer them to come into heaven: earth is a place of change, in heaven is no change: Nay, heaven would more weary such a man, than he is wearied here, for there is the same work for substance, but more of it, more earnestly, more constantly done, and if a little weary men, more will weary them much more. Should I ask you one after another, what you hope will be your condition in another world? you would say, you desire to go to heaven, and you hope to go to heaven. But your weariness of God's worship doth say to the contrary, heaven shall never have you till you be altered, for heaven could not keep you, if it had you, for you would take no contentment there, for the delights there would increase your discontent and weariness. The most curious and exquisite music doth increase the sadness of a sad heart. The godly have experience, that when their hearts are out of temper, the worship of God, good duties, are an increase of their burden, and when their hearts are very uncomfortable, the very comforts of God do increase their discomforts. And if weary services of God cannot come to heaven, they must to hell, which every body judge to be a weary condition, Math. 25.30. and cast ye the unprofitable servant into utter darkness, there shallbe weeping and gnashing of teeth. Why was this servant unprofitable who must be cast into this weary con●ition? the reason is found, vers. 24. I knew thee that thou wert an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sowed, he thought God an hard master, and his work a weary work, therefore he would not meddle with it. Therefore his wages is wearisome, no light, no comfort, utter darkness, weeping, and gnashing of teeth. 2. To reprove the godly in special, as more blame worthy, in regard of their weariness. Nor do I mean that weariness which proceeds from infirmity, which yet may shame us, because it is our sin, and the fruit of our sin, but I mean that weariness which doth proceed from carelessness, the godly not bearing the same a their burden, not using means to remedy it, but rather neglecting it, and suffering it to increase in their souls, whilst they content themselves with the outward performance of good duties, this is the special fault of the godly, and for this they deserve specially to be blamed, and that upon my doctrine, as a sufficient reason, it weakens the worship of God, make their prayer, hearing, reading lean sacrifices: let them but consider whom they serve so poorly, because wearily, that God who is not, hath not been, nor will be weary of doing them good, the beginning of his mercy was in everlasting, and the end of it shall be in everlasting, it began before time, and shall continue after time is ended without end, Psal. 103.17. He gave them the best gift he had to give, the measure of which love cannot be expressed, but is set down in a gross sum, as inexpressible, so God loved the world, John 3.16. He gave his Son, his begotten Son, therefore his own Son, a natural son, his only begotten son, he had no other, so he loved his people, if any can tell the measure of that love. To fasten this reproof upon us, let us consider God's ways of willingness and delight towards us. 1. When we have wearied him with our sins he is willing to pardon them, Isai. 43.24.25. yea, he delighteth in this mercy, Micah 7.18. he will abundantly pardon, Isai. 55.7. a sign of delight, at that time when our hearts are weary and heavy l●●den with our sins, he will pardon and give us rest, Matth. 1●. ●8. His abundant willingness appears in that, 1. He invit●th us to come to him in our weary condition. 2. He chargeth his Ministers to urge and press comfort upon us, to take no denial, Isai. 40.1.2. Comfort ye, Comfort ye, speak comfortably, speak till they hear, till they be comforted. 3. He giveth his Ministers the tongue of the learned, to speak a w●rd in sea on, in the fittest time, to the weary soul, Isai. 50.1. 4. He creates the fruit of the lips peace, Isai. 57.19. whilst the Minister speaks peace, he creates peace by his Almighty power he makes the fruit of the lips of his servants, to be peace to the troubled soul, as when Eli bid troubled Hannah, Go in peace, and the Lord grant her petition, she had peace to go with, for she did eat, and her countenance was no more sad. 2. He gives us refreshing comforts, in that very worship of his, in which we are weary, Psal. 36.8. abundantly satisfy us with the fatness of his house, and make us to drink of the river of his pleasures. He gives us the choicest, most excellent delights, Isai. 25.6. fat things full of marrow, wines on the lees well refined. He invites us unto these places of delights, that there he might give us his loves, Cant. 7.11.12. and when we are there, he gives us rich welcome, Cant. 5.1. eat, o friends, drink, yea drink abundantly, o beloved! Isai. 55.3. eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. 3. He accompanieth us in our afflicted weary conditions: when Israel was a burning bush in Egypt, the Angel of the Lord appeared in a flame of fire, in the midst of the bush, Exod. 3.2. He dwelled in the midst of the bush with good will, to preserve them, as he did the three children, Dan. 3.24, 25, 28. He is as it were wearied in their weary condition, Isai. 63.9. He was afflicted, Judg. 10.16. His soul was grieved, Jer. 31.20. His bowels were troubled. He gives them refreshing delightful comforts in their weary conditions, Psal. 119.92. God's law was David's delight, Psal. 94.19. Psal. 41.3. God doth strengthen them upon the bed of languishing, and turn their bed to make it easy in sickness. He turns our mourning into dancing, takes away our sackcloth, and girdeth us with gladness, Psal. 30.11. turneth our fasts into feasts, Zech. 8.19. makes sorrow and sighing flee away, Isai. 51.11. makes us to forget our trouble's and sorrows, Job 11.16. 4. These ways of God's willingness and delight towards us, are not limited to some times of our life, and some special conditions and occasions, but carried along the whole race of our life, and that we may be confident of with David, Psal. 23.6. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, they are therefore styled sure mercies, an everlasting covenant, Isai. 55.3. These refresh are renewed as his Ordinances, and our afflictions are renewed. And if so much refreshment be given out on this side heaven, in time of our absence from God, in time of our pilgrimage, what is in heaven reserved in the presence of God, as our welcome home, as the wages of all our weary work and affliction, especially as the perfection of our communion with Christ our head, in heavenly delights, who drunk the dregs of sorrow for our sake? Compare God's willingness towards us, with our weariness in his service, that we may the better see our sin, and be filled with shame. No work hath that delight, that assistance, that encouragement, that reward, yet we are weary. Look back to the days of our youth, and see what delightful work sin was, what time, pains spent therein. We could find meat, drink, sleep, work, rest, and recreation in sin, yea so great was our delight in sin, that it is very hard not to think with delight, of what delight we formerly found in sin. This considered, we may break out with Paul: Rom. 7.24. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? This heavy tiring body of death? 3. To exhort us to labour the redress of this weariness in God's worship, which causeth us to put off God with so unworthy, unwellcome, unacceptable service. And let me first speak to them, who are in an unregenerate condition, if so be it might please God, I might prevail with them in two things. 1. To grow out of love with themselves. 2. To grow in love with the Image of God. 1. There is great cause we should grow out of love with ourselves, be weary of ourselves, if we consider our natures will not, nay cannot suffer us to do God any good service, for they cannot be willing unto it, or cheerful in it: should I ask any man that believes there is a God, and that God made him, and bestowed upon him all he hath, he would say he were to be worshipped in the best manner: but then come to the heart for a will unto God's service, and cheer in it, and it will not, nay cannot yield it, Rom. 8.7. The carnal mind is enmity against God: and he proves it by the affection it hath to his will, for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be, it neither doth, nor can come under the command of God, subject and submit unto it, that what it requireth shall be done willingly and cheerfully. See it in an instance, the little family, religion, that is (I say not amongst heathens, but) amongst them that have lived long under the preaching of the Word, and even in this place. Men cannot but be convinced that it is a duty to read the Word, and to pray in their families, and they cannot but think it is good, sometimes at least, yet it is not done, they cannot fall to it. How comes that to pass? their hearts will not suffer them, they have no mind, they have no delight therein; It may be they will say they are unable, and that hinders them, but that is but a pretence put upon their unwillingness, for what a man is willing of, he will get some skill in, he will try what he can do; when he hath no skill, he will inquire of others, and by exercise gain skill: so had men a will to be religious in their families, they would get skill, they would first pray betwixt God and their own souls, they would beg skill of God to pray in their own families, they would get some body to pray for them in their families, their wives, if they be able, or children, or servants, or some friend, they would first learn a prayer out of a book, & after pray of themselves; what is it that will will not do? Have not men just cause to be out of love with themselves, who naturally have no will unto God's service. They are willing to do their own works: as here, When will the New moon be gone, that we may sell corn? they have more mind of selling corn then of God's service, they are willing to do sins work, Prov. 2.13, 14. evil men do not only leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, but they rejoice to do evil, and delight in the forwardness of the wicked. Are these not bad hearts that can delight in any thing but what is best? More than thus, our hearts do not only make us unfit to go to heaven, because they make God's worship a burden to us, but they make us unwilling to go to Heaven. No unregenerate man can be willing to go to Heaven, as he is unregenerate. You will say, every unregenerate man desires and is willing to go to Heaven: I answer no, you are deceived, no unregenerate man is willing to go to Heaven, for he is not willing unto the worship of God, the necessary way to Heaven. Indeed, if you consider Heaven, and God's service as parted, than they may be willing of Heaven, and not of God's service: but if you consider Heaven and God's service inseparably knit together, then if he be unwilling of God's service, he is unwilling of Heaven, because he cannot possibly have heaven, but in a way of God's service: Ruth 4.3, etc. Boaz tells Elimeleches next kinsman, that Naomi selleth a parcel of land, that was Elimeleches, and he is next to redeem it, he saith he will redeem it. Boaz tells him, that what time he redeem the inheritance, he must take Ruth the wi●e of the dead, than he saith, he cannot redeem it, though he were willing to redeem the inheritance, yet because he was not willing to redeem it, in that way wherein it was to be redeemed, he was not willing to redeem it at all, so he plainly saith, I cannot redeem it. In like manner, because unregenerate men cannot be willing of God's service, the way to heaven, they cannot be willing of heaven: are not those natures to be loathed that love not heaven? Object. The Scripture doth bear witness, that unregenerate men have delighted in the worship of God: Isa. 58.2. They seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, they take delight in approaching to God: Herod heard John Baptist gladly, Mark 6.20. The stony ground hear the Word with joy, Matth. 13.20. Answ. Unregenerate men may have some willingness unto, and delight in the service of God in three cases. 1. When God's service is a leading way unto some end, that suits with corrupt nature, and so it is not God's pure worship that they love, but their corrupt end, for they love God's worship no further than serves to that corrupt end. Thus john shown abundance of zeal in destroying the house of Ahab, and the idolatry of Baal, that thereby he might establish the Kingdom to his posterity, and get himself a great name: ● King. 10.16. Come with me, and see my Zeal for the Lord: he was so full of vain glory herein, that he cannot hold in, but is forced to break out. And that he was forward unto God's service, only for a corrupt end, appears plainly by the testimony of the Holy ghost concerning him, ver. 31. He took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart, he did walk in some part of the law, but not with all his heart: the service of God had but a piece of his heart, he was no further willing unto it, and forward in it then served his corrupt ends, that he did not walk in the law of God with all his heart, the spirit of God makes it plain, in the later end of the verse, for he departed not from the sins of jeroboam, who made Israel to sin, had he destroyed Baal's Idolatry, because it was Gods will, he would also have destroyed jeroboam Idolatry, because that also was God's will, but that in worldly policy would have been against his own ends, for that Idolatry was set up in policy, as a means to establish the Kingdom, 1 King. 12 26. jeroboam said in his heart, that if the people should go up to the house of God to worship in jerusalem, than their hearts would turn again to the King of judah, and then his Kingdom were gone, therefore he made two calves, and put this pretence upon it, It is too much for you to go up to jerusalem, but his intent was, to preserve the Kingdom to himself, and so it is likely, that jehu let them alone, in the same policy, for he spared them out of the unsoundness of his heart. 2. When the matter of worship, or manner of dispensation, doth suit with his disposition. An understanding judicious man may love preaching that is judicious and understanding, fit to increase knowledge, and to perfect his understa ding. A man of meekness may delight in a Sermon of peace, peace, may be refreshed with smooth, soft, mild, quiet preaching. A temperate man may joy in a Sermon that is tart and bitter against drunkenness, uncleanness: the liberal man may delight in severe preaching against covetousness: a man musically affected, may delight in singing Psalms, because these things suit with their dispositions. The gifts of Ministers may have an affecting pleasingness, they may express their minds in such sit terms, or so pathetically, or they may have such a grace in utterance, so ready, so smooth, so distinct, with such comely carriage of body as may affect, etc. Ezek. 33.32. So many, no doubt, may be very forward to God's Ordinances, ordinary and extraordinary, as a way unto their credit and good name: Isa. 58.3. Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our souls, and thou takest no knowledge? they thought they deserved to be regarded highly for their fasting, even of God himself, and expostulate with God for disregarding them, a sign they made account of that, and aimed chief at that in doing the duty, otherwise they would rather have complained of the sins found in those duties, a God doth: Matth. 6.5. Our Saviour speaking of hypocrites, saith, they love to pray standing in the Synagogues, and in the corners of the streets: they do not only pray in the Synagogues, and in the corners of the streets, but they love to pray there, they have an affection thereto, a delight therein; why? not in regard of the duties themselves, or God's glory, but their own ends, that they may be seen of men, get praise and glory to themselves. 3. Unregenerate men may have some affection to, and delight in the service of God, by reason of some work of the spirit of God upon them for the time. As 1. A work of illumination, giving some clear discerning of that good is in God's worship, more than in any other employment, and the apprehension of such good, whilst it lasteth, will somewhat stir the affection. 2. Awaking and exciting the conscience to do its office, which by promises of good, on the one hand, and threaten of evil, on the other, assisted by the spirit of God, hath a power to command the desire and delight of the soul to work. Felix his conscience awaked by the preaching of Paul, stirred his affection of fear. And when the conscience doth charge it upon the affections, as a duty to joy in God's worship, and to be willing unto it, a duty which God will reward, the contrary whereto God will punish, it may forcibly compel, and draw out the affections. 3. Lifting up the affections of desire and delight, by an heavenly power of experience. As a man which dips his finger in some sweet liquor, and tasteth the sweetness of it, doth afterward desire and delight therein; So God doth by the work of his spirit, sometimes drench the affections of unregenerate men in the sweetness of his worship, doth so make their affections, and the good of the Ordinances to meet, that they feel and taste a sweetness, which make them affected afterward to the means thereof: Heb. 6.4, 5. Such as afterward fall away, may taste of the powers of the world to come, may dip their finger in the rivers of the pleasures of Heaven. But this work of the spirit, making unregenerate men willing to, and cheerful in the worship of God, is rather a work upon them, then in them, a forced work, not natural, rather a flash, than a fire of affection. The affections are lifted up, not altered and changed, acted only by an outward principle, the work of the spirit, the experience the spirit hath forcibly and powerfully wrought, not by an outward and inward principle, both the spirit of God, and the suitableness of the affection to that which is good, as in the godly. If this were well considered, that men's natures have no affection to that which is good, it would keep them from priding themselves in their knowledge, wisdom, wit, gifts, it would keep them from pride in beauty, and trimming their bodies, considering there is no part of the body but gives itself away to sin, and is wholly unwilling to bestow itself in the service of God. 2. As there is great cause that unregenerate men should grow out of love with themselves, on the one hand, so in love with the image of God, on the other hand, that, and that only can affect their hearts with God's worship, for God's Image is that in the heart, which the law of God is in the book of God: Act. 13.22. I have found a man after my own heart, saith God of David, which shall fulfil all my will. David was therefore fit to fulfil all Gods will, because his heart was after Gods own heart: and what this is to be after Gods own heart, we shall know, if we consider David expressing his willingness to do the will of God in other terms: Psal. 40.8. I delight to do thy will, oh my God, yea, thy law is within my heart: David therefore delighted to do Gods will outwardly, because he had the law of God within in his heart. Who would not have an heart like God's heart, an heart adorned with the good law of God? Till thou have this heart, thou canst not from within taste sweetness in, and readily come unto the worship of God. Oh therefore thou that findest thyself in an unregenerate condition, and the worship of God a burden to thee, go to God, tell him that indeed it was his goodness to make thee after his image in Adam, when thou couldst willingly and cheerfully have served him, but it was thy sin in Adam, to make away that image which now thou perceivest the want of, tell him, he hath promised to wri e his law in the hearts of his people a second time, pray him to make good that promise to thee, thou canst not else serve him with thy heart; as the good will be thine, so the glory will especially be his. 2. Having thus spoken to the unregenerate, to persuade them to grow out of love with themselves, and in love with the Image of God, as the way to grow in love with God's worship, and so to remedy their weariness; let me now turn my speech to the people of God, who are sensible of weariness, bear it as a burden, and would gladly be rid of it, and that upon this ground, which they are well ware of, because it hinders them in God's worship. Let me first exhort, and then direct them to get rid of this weariness in a greater measure. First let me exhort them, and for that end I will use a double argument. 1. The first shall be my Doctrine, Weariness makes us perform weak service unto God, which every child of God hath great reason to remedy. The weight of this first argument will appear, if we consider Time Past, Present, Future, or to come. 1. Time past: we may call to mind, that before God brought us home to him, we did the work of sin both willingly and cheerfully, Eph. 2.3. The Apostle saith of the converted Ephesians, that in times past they had their conversation in the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh, they were willing to do whatsoever corruption desired, would deny it nothing, if that did but desire, it must be done, Tit. 3.3. Paul puts in himself, and Titus, and the rest of the godly, and saith, We ourselves were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, not only had we to do with sinful lusts and desires, but pleasures, sweet sins, that did bring us delight and joy, and these we served, were commanded by them, they were our masters, and we did them as willing and cheerful service as ever servant did his Master. The Holy Ghost speaking in the language of young men, that will not be reclaimed from their sinful ways, saith, Let thine heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart; not only do young men and others walk in the ways of their hearts, but their hearts are cheered therein, Prov. 10.23. It is a sport to a fool to do mischief, and all unregenerate men are fools: Paul saith of himself, Titus and the godly, before conversion they were foolish. And cannot we remember, that we shown ourselves fools by making a sport of sin, of Sabbath breaking, of filthy speaking, of cruel exercises, as bearbaiting, , men quarrelling, and the like? Have we not gone merrily from the Church on the Lord's day, unto some unlawful meeting, and sinful recreation? 2. Add hereto, that we had no desire or delight in any good, sin had not some of our will and joy only, but all of both: God's service had none at all, no not a small measure. It may be we forced ourselves to pray, to hear the Word, and to do other good duties, because our parents would have us, or law did call upon us, or we were ashamed to neglect the same, but no will had we thereto. Nay have we not spoken ill of praying, going to Sermons, making profession, living strictly? a sign what our will was to such courses. It was that lay heavy upon Paul after his conversion, that he persecuted the Church, spoke ill of them, and did ill to them, and that for well doing, and that with zeal, abundance of willingness and delight: 1 Cor. 15.9. I am not meet to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God: Phil. 3.6. Concerning Zeal, persecuting the Church: he did not only persecute them for well doing, but he did it with zeal, with an ardent affection. This is the description of all unregenerate men: Tit. 1.16. They are unto every good work reprobate, not only doth God reject them, and make no account of them, when they come to do any religious work, but they also in their own natures are sit to reject and to cast away, rather than to embrace, and to do what is good, and not some good works only, that are most difficult and spiritual, but every good work 〈◊〉 Amos 3.10. They know not to do right (saith the Lord) they have neither skill nor will to do right. 3. Add to both, the time spent in willing and cheerful service of sin: most of us have spent more time than we have to spend in the service of God: we know what is past, and that much is past, but we know not how little is to come. Put all together. Have we willingly and cheerfully served sin, when we had no will at all to good, and that longer time, for aught we know, than we have to spend in God's service: and shall we do God weak service? What? after we have served sin with our strength, shall we allow ourselves in such poor service unto God, as we would not put off sin with? What? considering that the time of sin's service is past, and therefore sure, but the time of God's service is uncertain, because to come, shall we proclaim to all the world that sin was a better master than God, by our more wearisome service of God than sin? 2. Let us consider time present, and therein two things. 1. God hath put into us a principle of willingness and cheerfulness in his service, a new nature, which wants nothing but stirring up, and improving, and we should be more affectionate and lively in God's service; this appears in that the Apostle calls upon Timothy, 2 Tim. 1.6. to stir up the gift of God, there was an holy fire of grace in him, which did but need stirring up, were the ashes but blown from it, it would flame, Heb. 12.1. He calls upon the godly to lay aside every weight, and the sin that doth so easily beset them, and run with patience the race set before them; there is in them an active and cheerful disposition, a joyful running in the race of godliness, were the clogs of sin and earthly cares and comforts removed, Heb. 10.24. He calls upon them to provoke unto love and good works every one his Neighbour, and every one his brother: there is love in the godly, which is a fountain of good works, which needs only provoking and spurring on. That the godly are no more cheerful therefore in God's service, is carelessness, want of taking pains: and doth not that make our sin much greater? 2. We do expect that God should willingly and cheerfully meet us, and do us good in his ordinances, if we want counsel, comfort, grace, provision, safety. The godly have not only prayed to God in case of their necessity, but they have added their desire, that God would not keep silence, but when they have spoken to him in prayer, that he would speak again to them by his spirit, word, and providence; when they have spoken their troubles, that he would speak comfort; when they have spoken their doubts, that he would speak counsel; when they have spoken their wants of grace, that he would speak supply. When God hath withdrawn himself from his people, though seeking him in his Ordinances, they have been exceedingly troubled, Cant. 5.6. did not the spouse faint because she could not find her beloved when she sought him? Psal. 44.24. doth not the Church think that God forgets her oppression and affliction? forgets how ill matters go with her, because he doth not hear her prayers? Nay have not the godly desired a speedy answer without delay? Psal. 143.7. Hear me speedily. They have desired God to make haste and not to tarry, Psal. 70.5. make haste unto me, make no tarrying, which shows they desired that what God did for them, he would do it cheerfully and willingly, for slackness is usually a sign of unwillingness. Nay, when the occasion of their praying hath been some temporal outward affliction present, they have begged the favour of God, as if that had been the only thing wanted, Psal. 80.3. It was salvation from enemies that the Church desired, but she especially prays again and again for the face of God to shine upon her, cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved, Psal. 143. was penned by David in regard of the persecution of his enemies, vers. 3.12. yet he earnestly prays, vers. 6.7. that God would not hid his face, that God would cause him to hear his loving kindness in the morning, which shows whatsoever God should do for them, whether preventing of evil, or removing of evil, they desire God would do it lovingly and hearty, and the love wherewith he doth it, doth them more good than the mercy itself. It is the frame of the heart of the godly thus to desire God cheerfully to meet with them in ordinances, God must come off with every mercy cheerfully, and give us his love, more than the mercy; and shall we come off heavily with the services we perform to him? What equity is in this, God must do our minds and desires cheerfully, and we his mind, wearily? do we more desire and value the Lords love then his mercies, and will not the Lord look more at our love then the duties we perform? It argues too much self love, too little love to God, to desire all may come from God to us hearty, but to let all go from us to God grudgingly. 3. Consider the time to come, and therein also 2. things. 1. We look for heaven hereafter, and for heaven as wages and recompense: Moses had respect to the recompense of reward. Will God reward unwilling work? do we recompense children for work unwillingly done? No, we make them do the work, and chide, and beat them for their unwillingness. Work done unwillingly we wish undone, rather than done, and will we recompense work we had rather were undone? There is no difference between the work of the godly, and wicked, the work of the Devil and the godly for matter; the Devil comes to Church, he is the fowls of heaven that pick up the seed sown by the high way side; the Devil prays, ye shall find him at prayers upon his knees in the gospels; it is the will that makes the difference. The Devil doth the will of God, and the wicked do the will of God, but God will reward neither in heaven, because they did not the same willingly, but by compulsion and constraint: God will recompense none but willing work, 1 Cor. 9.16.17. Though I preach the Gospel, etc. Though Paul be a preacher, yet he cannot glory of his pay and wages in heaven, for necessity is laid upon him, God hath given him a calling and gifts for that purpose, do it he must; but if he do it willingly he hath a reward; God rewards none but willing work, other work, that which is done unwillingly, is not worthy the name of work, so much affected is God to willing work, that which is done willingly, according to his mind, though it be done for by ends, yet God will recompense it with temporal savours. jehu executed all the will of God upon Ahabs' house, his intent was not to obey God, but to gain glory to himself for present, and to make the kingdom sure to him for after time, yet because he did it hearty, God promised his children should sit upon the throne to the fourth generation, 2 Kings 10.30. Nabuchadnezzar did accomplish God's whole work upon Tyrus; his intent was to serve himself of them, yet because he did it willingly and cheerfully, though he did undergo great loss, therefore God did recompense him, Ezek. 29.18, 19 And surely should not the godly be humbled for their weary serving of God, he would not reward their service in heaven. And so much as the godly give way to backward and uncheerfull service, so much they do blur and blot their evidence of heaven, for God doth not reward our praying, hearing, alms, but our willing and cheerful performance of the same, for we do no more any work than we do it willingly. 2. God will reward us according to our work, measure for measure, 2 Cor. 9.6. He that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly, and he that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully, and what the measure of their bounty must be, we may see in the next verse, as every man hath purposed in his heart, so let him give, not grudgingly, or of necessity, so much willingness and heartines, so much bounty; and so much as men give constrainedly, and grudgingly, so much sparing and covetousness. We may therefore increase, or diminish, make more, or make less our reward in heaven, by our cheerful or uncheerfull serving of God, for God will reward us according to our works, and that not so much according to the work of our body and outward man, as according to the work of our will. That this is so, appears hence. 1 The will that is set a-work in any action, is the work of the more noble part, the soul, and therefore is the more noble work, the better work, resembling Gods work more, and glorifying him more; surely God will most recompense the best work. 2. So much of the will in any action, so much and no more we alone do the action, without help of others, so much as we do it willingly, we do it from within, moved thereunto by ourselves; but so much as we do it unwillingly, so much we do it from something without us, and the more we do an action alone, the more will our reward be; if others join with us, and by ends set us on, part of our reward is due to them. 3. When any duty is performed the work of the body is but single, but the work of the will is double, for beside it own act of willingness unto the duty, it doth set a-work the body, the body only doth the work, it doth not set a-work the soul; indeed in its working it may increase the willingness of the soul, but cannot begin the duty, lead the soul, set a-work the soul, it may occasion the working of the will, but hath no command or power over the will, but the will doth set on the body, and where the most work is done, there the most wages is due. 4. Should God reward according to the outward work, rather than according to the will, than were it not possible for poor men to have so much glory in heaven as rich men, nor women as men, because they have not so much opportunity, to serve God, in regard of the outward work. Nor should ministers, that do but little good in their places, possibly have so much reward, as they that do much good, no though their will were better, which would contrary that of our Saviour concerning the widow, and the rich men, casting in their gifts into the treasury, this widow hath cast in more than they all, not more in quantity in the outward work, but more in the will: if therefore the outward work of the poor be less than that of the rich, yet if the will be more, the work is more, and so the recompense shall be more. The second argument to persuade the godly to remedy this weariness, is drawn from consideration of the evil of weariness, and the benefit of delight in God's service. The evil of weariness we may find in the chapter where my text is, the evil threatened to the sins of that chapter whereof this is one: see this evil laid down in three degrees. 1. Change of joy into sorrow, yea the greatest joy into sorrow, vers. 3. what greater joy than the joy of the Temple, under the old Testament, when there was such variety of instruments of Music, which, being commanded by God, were assisted to increase the joy of his people? to have these songs silent is a sadness, but to have them turned into howl, makes much more sorrow, vers. 10. To have the ordinary days of God's people turned into mourning, and their ordinary mirth into lamentation is heavy, but to have their seast-dayes, days of greatest mirth turned into mourning, and their songs, the greatest expressions of joy, into lamentation, is much more heavy, yet God will change the greatest joy of weary worshippers into greatest sorrow, as he saith, vers. 10. I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day, it shall be a mourning with a witness. 2. This change of greatest joy for greatest sorrow, shall be sudden and unexpected. The benefit of expectation of evil is this. 1. A man may possibly prevent evil expected. 2. Or at least he may labour to prepare for it, and so the evil will be mitigated, but sudden and unexpected evil hath this aggravation, a man can neither prevent it, nor is prepared to bear it, so it shall be here, vers. 9 I will make the sun to go down at noon, and darken the earth in the clear day: for the sun to go down at night is no strange thing, but to go down at noon, who expects that? to have the earth darkened in a clear day, who doth look for it? so here, when their sun shall be at the height, their joy at the greatest, when their day shall be most clear, and likely so to continue, yet than their sun shall set, and their day darken, their joy shall turn into sorrow. 3. The kind of evil that shall cause this sorrow shall aggravate it: were it some outward affliction, that, in it, the soul might be safe, though uncomfortable, it were less matter; but it shall be such an affliction, wherein the soul shall neither be comfortable nor safe, a famine of hearing the words of the Lord, a scarcity of that worship, they have been weary of, which evil is many ways aggravated. 1. By comparison, not a famine of bread, though the famine of the body be grievous, as experience doth prove, yet this shall be greater, that shall be nothing to this. 2. If God did take away spiritual hunger together with food, it were something, but they shall hunger and thirst, be pinched and pained spiritually, find, it may be, more emptiness and inward gnawings of spirit, then when they had the means. 3. Might they with little ado, do, and some small pains be supplied, it were less matter, but they shall take weary pains, wander from sea to sea, run to and fro: they were weary of going to a set place of God's worship, but now they shall wander to and fro, go to seek it they know not whither, places unlikely as well as likely, they were weary of going to God's worship, though had with ease, but now they shall run to and fro, weary themselves with taking pains. 4. Might they find what they seek with pains taking, they should find rest after pains taking, but they shall not find it, after their pains taking, they shall still be to seek, which makes the evil more heavy, because remediless. Let the godly fear and tremble lest their weariness of God's worship bring this evil, the change of greatest joy into greatest sorrow, and that when we least expect it, and which is most of all, by the irrecoverable loss of that worship of God we have been weary of. Touching the benefit of delight in God's worship, on the contrary, the 112. Psal. will inform us, where the man that feareth the Lord, and delighteth greatly in his commandments is pronounced a happy man. And because outward blessings do carry the greatest show of happiness to the eyes of men, therefore the holy ghost doth especially insist upon them, they may be ranked to three heads. 1. Enjoyment of outward good things, children, riches, honour, 2. 3, 9 He shall not have these mercies barely and nakedly as others, but with a threefold addition. 1. Inward dispositions of graciousness, mercy, righteousness, discretion to improve well his riches, giving unto some, lending unto others. 2. Establishment and firmness of estate, vers. 3.9. his rightness endureth for ever, he shall have ability to give and lend, not for a time only, but for ever, his outward condition shall not be a flourish only, but a settled condition. 3. Succession of these mercies to his seed and posterity, vers. 2. his children shall come into his place and mercies, be heirs of his blessings, that a man may see and say his seed is blessed, Psal. 37.26. 2. Change of darkness into light, vers. 4. He may be in darkness, in affliction, but that shall not always continue, light shall arise, and as when the morning is at the darkest, the light breaks out, so when they and others think the night will always continue, they shall perish in darkness, then shall light break out, Isa. 58.10. as cheer hath arisen in his heart in the difficulties of God's service, so light shall arise in the darkness of his condition. 3. Establishment of heart against sears of evil, vers. 6, 7, 8. tidings of evil may come to his ear, but his heart shall be armed against them, to keep its present temper, it shall be fixed, established, he shall be confident of God's preservation, in whose service he hath delighted, he shall rather see his desire upon his enemies, than they their desire upon him. His good shall be so great every way, that it shall be matter of great envy, even to the consuming of the wicked. Having thus exhorted the godly, now unto direction. 1. How may we remedy the weariness of the soul? Ans. Two things are this way useful. 1. Generally, labour to be more suitable to God's worship, get increase of grace, Prov. 21.15. It is joy to the just to do judgement, judgement is suitable to that inward justice is in him, therefore a joy unto him, Rom. 7.22. I delight in the law of God after the inward man, so much grace, so much delight in God's worship, were we more holy, spiritual, heavenly, as the worship of God, we should be more affected to it. More particularly. 1. Labour to increase love to God, 1 John 5.3. This is the love of God that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous: love to God makes the commandments of God good, pleasant, easy, love takes away the difficulty of an action, and makes it delightful. 2. Labour the increase of perfection of heart, these two go together 1 Chron. 28.9. serve him with a perfect heart and willing mind, the more perfect the heart is, in regard of God's service, the more willing. Why is the heart unwilling, but because parted and divided, set too much upon other things? 2 Chron. 15.15. they rejoiced at the oath, because they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire, 1 Chron. 29.9. 3. Labour the increase of uprightness of heart, these two go together, 1 Chron. 29.17. when we desire and delight in the worship of God, for by respects or affections will vary, be more or less, according to those respects, but when we desire and delight in the worship of God for right ends, the purity thereof, Psal. 119.140. God's command, God's glory, these will ever continue the same to draw our affections. 2. Frequently exercise God's worship, communion doth increase affection, hereby we shall see more the good of God's worship, and feel the sweetness of it. Use will take away difficulty, which doth hinder affection: what men disuse they are unwilling to, they will say it is out of their fingers: so if we neglect Gods worship it will grow out of our hearts. The more we worship God in secret, the fit shall we be for family worship, and the more we worship God in our families, the sitter we shall be for public worship? Quest. 2. How may we remedy the weariness of our bodies. Ans. By the exercise of Temperance governed by watchfulness, 1 Thes. 5.6. watch and be sober. This watchful, advised, observant Temperance, must be exercised about Sleep. Diet. Labour. Recreation. Some less sleep makes fit for God's worship, some more, some are more apt by less food some by more, some more labour makes fit, some less, we must carefully observe, and accordingly order ourselves, too much recreation will make the body altogether sensual, and so lose that it will not be fixed in any ordinance. Caution. Let the godly be advised not too easily to hearken to the complaints of the body, i. q. the soul may deceive us, thereby we may rather suspect the complaints of the body in God's worship, and trust them else where, for the soul is more apt to be weary in God's worship, and less weary in other works, and the body is more apt to be weary in other works, and less in God's worship; the soul is more weary of God's worship; because it hath less disposedness thereto, and it is more spiritual, and so lieth heavier upon the soul, it is less weary of other works, because it hath more disposedness unto them, and they are more bodily, and do not so lie upon the spirit, the body is more weary of other work, because they take more of the body, less weary of God's worship, because it is more spiritual, and doth not so press upon the body: suspect therefore the complaints of the body in God's worship, and do not easily hearken unto them. 2. There is time and place for the execution of an holy revenge upon the body. It hath spent the whole day, and it may be the night after that, in sin, therefore put it to, make it do somewhat more for the service of God, than it willingly would. This is not cruelty, but mercy to our bodies, to constrain them to God's ●ervice, and that in some proportion to their service of sin. 3. There is a necessity of beating down the body, if we mean it should be helpful to our souls, if we too much favour them, we do against our souls, 1 Cor. 9 ult. There is a danger, that Paul himself may be cast away, whilst he doth preach to save others, if he do not beat down his body. The occasions and comforts we daily converse with, do give a strength to the body, and the body gives a strength to sin. Hence the fruit of the godly is more mellow and gracious in old age, because the vigour of their bodies decaying, the strength of sin is wasted. CHAP. VI Of the fifth hindrance of instant worshipping of God, sleeping. MATTH. 26.40. And he cometh to his Disciples, and findeth them asleep. I Now come unto another hindrance of our fervent serving of God, which is sl●●p: a sin that doth not only hin●er our fervency in God's worship, but also at this time will hinder the means of redress, if not forborn. A sin not only dogs the careless, who regard only to have their bodies present at God's worship, but steals upon the godly, yea the godly of most lively inward affections, and therefore it may be of general use, to discover how it hinders our instant serving of God, and the remedy thereof. The coherence of my Text is this: our Saviour knowing that the place of his solace in communion with God, should be the place of his suffering: Joh. 18.2. He resorteth to that garden, which he was so accustomed to, when he knew Judas would look for him, rather than elsewhere, and he takes with him his Disciples, to the intent they should assist him in prayer, having lately received the strengthening , and Lords Supper: this appears by his speech unto them: v. 36. Sat ye here whilst I go and pray yonder. He that biddeth us when we pray privately, to enrer into our chamber, to shut the door, and to pray to our Father in secret, Matth. 6.6. would not have disclosed his secret praying, had it not been to provoke them unto praie●, for they might easily apprehend, if he had need to pray, much more they, for though he had more work to go thorough than they, yet he had incomparably more strength than they: his so difficult work was less to his strength, than their so easy wo●k, comparatively to their strength. Three of his Disciples he takes unto more intimate and retired sympathy with him in his troubles, these three, Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he took, rather than the rest, as we may conceive, because they had expressed most forward confident affection unto him, he will try them, that upon trial they might better know themselves and be humble. Peter, ver. 33, 34, 35. professeth that he will not be offended because of the evil shall befall Christ, though all be offended. And when Christ tells him that he shall deny him thrice that night, he believes himself rather then Christ, and affirmeth that he will sooner die with him then deny him. The two sons of Zebedee, Matth. 20.20, 21, 22. desire to sit the one at Christ's right hand, and the other at his left in his Kingdom, he asketh them whether they be able to drink of his cup, and to be baptised with his baptism: they say they are able, as little considering what they now answered, as what they before asked, when our Saviour had parted these three from the rest, he began to be sorrowful, and very heavy, he communicateth his sorrow to them, and the extremity thereof, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death, he had as much sorrow as life could hold, he exhorteth them, to whom he had thus specially unbosomed himself, that they would tarry in that place, and watch with him. As he was sensible of affliction, so of comfort, and the means thereof. It became him to fulfil all righteousness, therefore not only to pray himself, but to resort to the prayers of others. His suspended comfort, must be recovered in Gods own way. The weak Disciples may help their persect Saviour, whilst he suffered as a sinner, if they do but watch. But watching was not all that Christ aimed at, that is a duty no further useful, than it seemeth for some other end: Christ would have them watch, that they might pray with him, as ver. 41. Watch and pray, watching without prayer had been but a waking idleness. Our Saviour himself goes a little further from them and prays earnestly, that if it were possible the cup of his sufferings might be turned some other way; He returneth again to his Disciples, and findeth them asleep. Though they had professed great love to him, and great ability to express that love, though he singled them out, and told them his present great necessity, and called upon them to watch and pray, i. e. to pray, not drousily, but fervently, which in all these regards did press upon them as duty, yet they fell asleep, and were thereby hindered. Whence I note. N. Sleep is an hindrance to commanded fervency in God's worship. Sleep in time of God's worship, is an enemy to fervency therein. It was the duty of the Disciples in this place, to watch and pray, i. e. to pray fervently, to pray with the use of all helps unto the same. Christ gave them command so to do, he stood in need of their help, as an Ordinance of God, his command was to watch with him, and his reproof, that they did not watch with him, but they were hindered by sleep, they did not pray at all, that we read of, if they did, yet not so fervently and diligently as there was cause: for then our Saviour would not have reproved them. I remember but one only instance in this case in the book of God, a young man that fell a sleep at a Sermon in the night, and in his sleep fell down from a third loft, and was taken up dead, Act. 20.9. A passage in the Acts of the Apostles, which God would have recorded, to be a warning to all Sermon-sleepers. Where was that young man's attentive hearing, when he was fallen into a dead sleep? For our better instruction concerning this truth, let us inquire two things. 1. What may be the causes of sleep in time of God's worship? 2. How sleep doth hinder our earnest worshipping of God? Quest. What may be the causes of sleep in time of God's worship? Answ. We will begin with the causes of the Disciples sleeping in this place: they are two Instrumental. Principal. The Instrumental cause Luke reporteth and Matthew: there were two instrumental causes. 1. The weakness and infirmity of the body: Matth. 26.41. The spirit ind●d is willing, but the flesh is weak. Though the soul be not perfect, yet it hath a greater perfection than the body, the power of will in the soul goes beyond the power of performance in the body. The body is not always ready, when the soul is willing to do good. The spouse, Cant. 5.2. doth acknowledge that she did sleep, when her heart did wake, she had good affections inwardly, which yet wanted outward expressions: So here there was a waking heart in these Disciples, a will to watch with Christ, but the body was weak and infirm. It was now night, the time appointed for man's rest, Psal. 104.23. The body knows its time, is spent in the occasions of the day, cannot well work day and night both, therefore it falls asleep, when it should watch and pray at such time; the case of these Disciples. 2. The second instrumental cause of their sleeping, was sorrow of heart: Luk. 22.45. He found them sleeping for sorrow. We find our Saviour's own testimony concerning their sorrow: Joh. 16.6. Because I have said these things to you, sorrow hath filled your heart; Speech of his departure from them, did fill their hearts with sorrow; so no doubt when he told them of his grief, that his soul was exceeding sorrowful, unto the death, it did increase their grief, for they did exceedingly love him, as appears in that he spends four whole chapters, J●h. 14, 15, 16, 17. to comfort these with the rest against his leaving of them, and having communicated unto these, over and beside their known loss of him, his present extreme affliction, it bred in them a sympathy of sorrow, which filled their heads and eyes with moisture, and so with sleep. The principal cause of this their sleeping when they should have prayed fervently, was the withdrawing of divine assistance, which could and would have strengthened the infirmity of their bodies, and have kept their sorrow from excess. That this was so, appears, 1. By the consideration of the persons that did sleep, they were specially chosen to be with Christ, and had not long before expressed more confidence than the rest, and God is want to desert the confident. 2. By our Saviour's reproof of them, Matth. What, could ye not watch with me one hour? What, not so small a tim●? How then will ye drink of my cup? How will ye die with me? Where is the strength you boasted of? This he spoke specially to Peter, who had expressed more confidence than the rest, so Mark hath it, Mark 14.37. He saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldst not thou watch one hour? Where is thy ability not to be offended because of me, though all men be offended? surely it is gone. 3. By our Saviour's speech unto them, declaring the cause of their sleeping: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak: as if he had said, because you find some freedom and readiness of will, you think you can do any thing. Indeed your regenerate will stands bend to all the will of God, but little do you know what impediments and hindrances you have, and what help and assistance you need from heaven, to do that which you have a general will unto. God withdrew his assistance, and left them to their own weakness, that they might better know their weakness, who were confi●ent of strength, for their humiliation. This appears, 1. In that he suffered them thus to sail, not once only, but twice and thrice, not barely to sleep, but to sleep after exhortation unto watching, yea after reproof for sleep, yea after a second reproof. Here was weakness indeed, to add sin to sin, notwithstanding the use of means, after means to reform. 2. By our Saviours' putting them in mind of their weakness, upon occasion of their sleeping, a sign they did forget it, and these failings did put them in remembrance thereof. 3. By the effect, the sense of their second sleeping, after reproof, had in them, Mark 14.40. They witted not what to answer him, they were troubled, and confounded in themselves. This was a sit means to humble these self-confident Apostles: not to exercise grace in ordinary course, is matter of humiliation; but not to exercise grace, when we have most need to exercise the same, in the worship of God, for our own good and the good of others, is matter of greater humiliation. To sin at any time is matter of abasement; but to sin in time of time of special sorrow and affliction, yea to add sin unto sin, when we should add one expression of grace unto another, is more matter of abasement: to be worst when we should be best, how evil is it? To these we may add some other causes of sleeping in time of God's worship. 1. Slothfulness: Prov. 19.15. Sl●thfullnesse casteth into a deep sleep. It is the effect of slothfulness, and refusal of labour, to make a man heavy and ●●mpish. Labour doth dissolve and dispel vapours, doth refresh and lighten the body, and make it fit for action: but sloth and idleness doth fill the body with humours, particularly when a man doth not make a labour and pains or praying and hearing, doth not stir up, and put forth soul and body, but is careless in the same, he contracts an heaviness and dulness, whereas attention unto duties, and painstaking in the same, doth cheer, and awaken both soul and body. 2. A present senselessness of the necessity of watching, both to attain good and prevent evil. A sleepy conscience makes a sleepy body: when that doth not its office, as a monitour to warn and press unto duty, the conscience is made thus sleepy and so senseless of good to be found, or evil to be prevented by watchful performance of duties, two ways. 1. By some false opinion, and error of mind, some false representation of things, some false conclusion drawn sometimes from some truth, whereby the conscience is deceived, and so cast asleep: Matth. 25.5. Whilst the bridegroom tarried, the Virgins slumbered and slept: from this false opinion, that it was no matter if they slept in time of the bridegrooms tarrying, and no good was to be gotten by waking and watching, unless the bridegroom had been at hand, which was false, contrary to that of our Saviour: Luk. 12.35, 36, 37. Let your loins be girded about, and your lamps burning, And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord, when he will return from the wedding, that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord, when he cometh, shall find watching: Verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. Something is to be done, when the Lord delayeth his coming unto us, according to his promise, and our expectation, we are then to wait for him, and it is not in vain so to do, for by that means we shall be ready to entertain him speedily when he cometh, and shall receive more honourable acknowledgement from him. So ver. 45. If that servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delaieth his coming, and shall begin to beat the man-servants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken. Why doth the evil servant miscarry himself thus, in the delay of his Masters coming, but from a false opinion, that there was no danger in his misbehaviours, unless his Master were coming and at hand, contrary to what our Saviour addeth: v. 46. The Lord of that servant will come in a day, when he looketh not for him, and in an hour when he is not ware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. Though God come not presently unto misbehaving men, yet that will not take away their danger, he will come soon enough, and too soon for them, and bring recompense enough, though he delay, and that they may resolve upon, as sure and certain. In like manner, had men true and present apprehensions of the benefit of watching in time of God's worship, and the danger of sleeping, they would leave sleeping, and fall to waking; but they are deceived by a false opinion, that there is no good to begotten by waking, nor evil to be found in sleeping, and so they are senseless, not at all affected with the good of the one, or evil of the other. 2. The conscience is made sleep, and so senseless of good to be obtained, or evil to be prevented, by waking in the time when God is to be worshipped, by some sin committed, but not repent of, whereby grace is dulled, and the awaking quickening spirit of God grieved and withdrawn. This was jonahs' case, when he had fled from God's work, against his knowledge and conscience, the grace of God was so dulled, and his conscience made so sleepy, that whereas he should have spent his time in confessing his sin, and humbling his soul, and seeking peace with God, he settles himself to sleep: jonah 1.5. yea in time of the storm, when the natural consciences of the heathen, did call upon them to pray, and would not let them rest, jonahs' conscience was so sleepy, that it suffered him to continue his sleep, which had it been waking and restless, it would not have done; Not jonahs' conscience, but the shipmaster doth awaken him, and that with upbraiding his sleepiness. What meanest thou, o sleeper? arise, call upon thy God. Thus the conscience of a godly man after sin committed, may be more sleepy an● more hardly awaked, than the conscience of a natural man. jonah having sinned, his conscience was sleepy, and he not sensible of the good of waking and praying, and returning into the way out of the which he was gone, nor of the danger of sleeping in sin, the way to pull down the awaking judgements of God, as it fell out; So when men, even good men, come to the house of God in their special sins unrepented of, they come with sleepy consciences, not sensible of the good found in watchful attendance upon the Ordinances, nor of the danger of drowsiness and sleepiness, and a sleepy soul makes a sleepy body, yea they sleep fast whom sin rocks asleep. 3. A third cause of sleep in time of God's worship, is weariness, when the spirit and body is tired, and so made fit to rest then to labour. This weariness that brings on sleep, cometh, 1. From toiling and over-working the body in other occasions: judges 4.21. Sisera being weary, falls fast asleep, to the loss of his life. When men come to family duties with overwearied bodies, or to the house of God, having overtoiled their bodies in the week, or allowing themselves too little sleep on the Saturday night, they are fit to sleep, then to perform duties. 2. This weariness that fits the body for sleep, doth also come from the length of good duties, we are imperfect creatures, and can endure but a measure in the best actions, though they be most comfortable: Act. 20.9. The spirit of God speaking of Eutychus sleeping at the Word, doth add, that Paul was long in preaching, thereby intimating that it was some cause of his sleep, through the weakness of nature. 4. There is something also, sometimes, in the season of the time, when duties are performed in the night. So in the forenamed place, Act. 20. where Eutychus is foun● sl●●ping at Paul's sermon, it is also recorded that Paul continued his speech until midnight, being to departed on the morrow. Now it was grown to a sleeping season. The bodies of men are more dull and heavy in the night, then in the day, because of the absence of the warm and reviving beams of the sun, the coldness and darkness of the night. It is not good therefore to choose the night to spend in holy duties, unless there be some necessity or special occasion on the next day. Necessity and special occasion will make sleep departed from our eyes. jacobs' care of his sheep and fear of their danger kept him from sleeping in the night, Gen. 31.40. The same man afraid of his brother Esau, whom he was to meet the next day, spent the night in prayers and tears, Gen. 32.24. there wrestled with him a man till the breaking of the day, Luk. 6.12, 13. our Saviour spent the whole night in prayer, when he was to choose his apostles the next day. And in the place where our text is, when he was presently to be betrayed by judas, and apprehended by the soldiers, he prayed, and prayed again, and had no sleep in his eyes, though his disciples were so sleepy that they could not hold open their eyes. When Paul was to departed on the morrow, and the disciples to see his face no more, he continued his speech until midnight without any drowsiness. If we will spend the night in holy duties, there must be something beside the bare duties to keep us awake, some awaking necessity or special occasion, it will not be sufficient that we are loath to spend the day, there must be some circumstance which will so stir the the affection, that it will stir and disease the body. Nor, is it good to put off family duties till late at night, unless we think God will be served with sleeping instead of praying. These instrumental causes I have been speaking of, are over ruled by the principal cause, God, to punish such sins as these. 1. Idleness in our particular callings. Is it not just with God, that they who are drowsy in the occasions that concern their bodies, should be drowsy in the matters that concern their souls? 2. Overmuch labour in their callings. Is it not just with God, that they who spend too much pains upon their own callings, should spend too little upon his service? too much upon their bodies, and too little upon their souls? 3. Heartless worship of God, when men bring God a body only, and take no care to bring the soul, it is just with God they should not give so much as a body, but rather sleep. 4. Pride in spiritual abilities. Is it not just with God, that they who are conceited of strength, should express weakness, as they do that sleep? and shall we think the Devil hath his hand out of this sleeping? It is sure we oppose him in God's service more than elsewhere, therefore he will oppose us most. He helps men to over-weary themselves, in the week, whereby they are unfit for the Sabbath. He helps them to choose the Saturday night to spend till late in trivial occasions, for ordinarily of all days in the week men choose Saturday night, and Sabbath night for occasions of least moment, the worst chosen time in t●e week (for Saturday night they should be preparing themselves, and Sabbath night considering how they have spent the Sabbath) a sign the Devil's hand is in the choice. He suggests unto men that there is no benefit in watching, no danger in sleeping, he helps men that are naturally heavy to settle themselves easily, to hang down their heads and shut their eyes, as furtherances. He can if God permit cast an heaviness upon a man. He is compared to the fowls that pick up the seed: and is not this our way? shutting up the soul by sleep, stopping the ear. Quest. How doth sleep hinder our earnest worshipping of God? Ans. We need not go fare to know that, sense and experience doth teach every man the nature of sleep, doth answer this question: why is death compared to sleep, but because they agree in somethings? a sleeping man hath no more use of his senses then a dead man, they are for the time bound up, and suspended from their use, if a man be in a fast sleep, so that he cannot worship God at all. For though the soul be able to worship God without the body, as appears by the working of the fancy in sleep, and the separation of the soul from the body in heaven, yet in those duties, wherein the soul must be helped by the body, as in all outward worship with others, it cannot worship God if the body be asleep, for herein the soul is directed by the eye, and by the ear, what part of worship to set about, when to begin and when to make an end, what order and decorum to keep; for in public duties, we are so to worship God, as not only God may be glorified by us, and we bettered in our souls, but also others may be edified in their worshipping of God, which they cannot be by the works of our souls, any farther than they appear, and break out in our bodies, the actions whereof do flow into the eyes and ears of others. If our sleep be not fast, but rather a slumbering, a drowsiness and heaviness, our service of God is marred, for our bodies are unto our souls in this case as an hollow trunk stopped in the midst, our eyes do but half see, and our ears but half hear, the sight dies in the eye, and sound in the ear, they come not to the soul, there is no distinct understanding of the worship in hand, much less any affection moved, but a man in respect of hearing, praying, singing, is like unto that man in a dream spoken of, Isa. 29.8. He dreameth he is eating, and behold he awaketh and is hungry, he dreameth he is drinking, and behold, he awaketh and is thirsty, so men think they pray, but when they a wake they know not what is prayed, they think they hear, but when they awake they know not what is spoken. Use. The application of this point shall be first to them whom God helpeth against this sin of sleeping in time of his worship, they are waking and watchful, lively and stirring in holy duties, sleep doth not then trouble them: their duty is, 1. To be thankful unto God, it is a mercy, and a mercy denied unto many others. Hereby we are kept from sin and from much sorrow of heart, which befalls others of the godly, hereby we have that advantage to worship God, and get good to our souls, that others want. It is not because thy heart is better, or thy body better by nature than others, nor because thou hast more grace, or hast better improved grace than others, but as Christ saith in case of knowledge, To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, so say I, to you it is given to wake and watch in holy duties, it is nothing of your own, but God's free gift, be thankful therefore. It is no small mercy to do God lively service: hereby our good is the more abundant the more sensible. 2. Take heed of despising, or hardly c●ns●ring them that a●e very heavy in God's worship: though they sin, yet do not thou sin also, rather mourn thou, that God should have such poor service, and pity them that lose, they know not what good: who knows what a man loseth when he sleepeth, a sermon while, or prayer while? If Peter had watched and prayed, he had not so denied his master, nor the disciples had fled, and left their master, for our Saviour bade them watch and pray, that they might not enter into temptation: had they watched and prayed they had not been so overcome of temptation: who knows what the young man might have gotten for his soul by Paul's last Sermon, had he not slept? 3. Improve your waking and watching in holy duties, let not your souls be like children, the more waking the more unsettled, whom therefore we wish asleep rather than awake: so the more waking our bodies are, the more wand'ring and roving our souls may be, and though God's worship be not hindered by our sleep, yet much more by our wander. Make we use therefore of our waking, by binding our souls close to God's worship, by the attention of our eyes and ears, and that for a double reason. 1. Some will always be drowsy and sleepy, others had need be more diligent in watching, that their defect might be supplied, and their sin pardoned. If Hezekiah be clean himself according to the purification of the Sanctuary, he may prevail for them which are impure, 2 Chron. 30.9. If job himself be humbled, he may prevail to turn away God's wrath from his friends unhumbled, job 42.6, 8. And if we be diligent in waking, soul as well as body, God may pardon them that sle●p, to be sure God will manifest more acceptance of the duty. 2. If we wake in duties and worship God no better, and get no more good to our souls then they that sleep, our sin is greater than theirs that sleep, because we abuse and take in vain more means and advantages: they that sleep in ordinances have no use of ordinances, are as without them: they that wake in ordinances, have the use of them, and to have the use of ordinances and not to make use of them is the greater sin. Beside sleeping is a continued act of sinning belonging to the body, and the soul may also sin, but a waking person not attending to the worship of God, will sinne more, for the body hath more power to sin itself, and to help the soul to sin being awake then asleep. 4. Take heed you provoke not God to change your wakefullnes into drowsiness, so will a great change be made in God's service, and no less in your souls. To this end, 1. Be not conceited of your livelynes of affection, and confident thereof, as if now you could do any thing, remember upon what foundation you are built, and upon what root you grow, you are indeed lively at present, and have been so, but consider you must be newly assisted by the quickening spirit every time you do any new duty. Thus were the disciples undone when they perceived themselves affected unto Christ, in a comfortable measure, they thought that would always continue and do any thing, not considering they should need Christ's help continually to renew it and increase it unto greater work. 2. Take heed of known sins, of going against light received, opposing the word of God, and the checks of conscience in our practice, especially take heed of continuing in sin unrepented of. If we be drawn to sin against knowledge, let us not be quiet till we have humbled our souls, recovered our peace with God, and the free passage of God's spirit in our hearts, sin against knowledge, especially sin continued in, will dead the quickening spirit in our hearts, will make dull and sleepy our consciences, and so our bodies. Experience shows both in ourselves and others, how sin unrepented of will r●ck the body as●●ep in God's service. 3. Maintain in our souls a cheer, and present apprehension of the benefit of waking and watching in holy duties, and the danger of sleeping; give not way to such delusions of Satan, that there is no good to be gotten by diligent hearing and praying, and that there is no danger in sleeping, nor come with our minds so filled with other things, that these thoughts should be fare from us when we come to worship God, then shall we neglect the way of God ●●d he will neglect us, withdraw himself from us, and leave us to our weak souls and bodies. 4. Look at God's worship as matter of pains, matter of difficulty, an hard thing to pray well, to sing well, to hear we l, no easy matter, harder far than thy other occasions, because thou hast less disposedness unto the same, more inward opposion against the same. Things easy we are careless of, things difficult we take more care about. If thou look at it as an hard thing to serve God well, thou wilt set thy soul and body to it, thou wilt c●ave God's help, and assistance unto wakefullnes and attention, and against drowsiness, and in a way of endeavour and prayer, God will assist. 2. To comfort 1. God's ministers against the grief and trouble of their souls at this sin of sleeping in God's worship and the effect of it, weakening of God's worship. It cannot but be a great grief to God's Ministers, to whom the care of the holy things and of the people of God is committed, that their people shoul● sleep when they come to worship God, especially if many sleep, and they sleep much, con●i●●ring what poor service God h●th, and what little good peop●●●●t, though God and his Minister's ta●● pains for both. How do they ●●ar, pray sing, when they s●●●p? How can God be w●ll ●●rved? How do they pro●●●e for their souls? How shall they walk well the week th●row? the M●●isters of God cannot but ●e tro●●led hea●at, if t●●y 〈◊〉 any a●●●ction to Go●● glo●y, ●nd the good of their people's so●ls: b●t that which ●●y ●●●●what com●ort them follows. 1. It is no new thing, it is not a sin peculiar to these times and congregations, it hath been found in the Church of God formerly: we cannot say that our people are worse than any people, and thereby vex ourselves. 2. There have been sleep found under better government and ministry than any now enjoyed, our Saviour charged his disciples to watch, and reproved them once and again, yet they slept still: whose authority and words like our Saviour's? Nay more, all his company slept, not o●e ●est to awake another. Paul was a man of stirring gifts, he excelled all the Apostles in ability, yet the young man slept at his Sermon: the fault therefore is not altogether in Ministers. 3. Though people get no good by God's Ordinances whilst they are sleeping, yet God will order and dispose of the sleeping of his own to do that good the Ordinances should do them, he will hereby experimentally acquaint them with their own weakness, and humble their hearts, though it cost them more trouble and smart, and an humble heart is a fit vessel to carry glory to God, and good to itself. Thus Christ taught his discipes their weakness, and humbled their hearts, more by their sleeping then his former preaching. So that whereas we think they that sleep at the Ordinances do lose God's glory and their own good, God will recover both, and that ●y means of their sleeping, that which hath been the means of their sin shallbe the means of their amendment, though with more smart, as they shall well perceive, it being easier to cure the body by diet then by physic, and so the soul by the ordinances, rather than by afflict on, especially sinne the greatest affliction, when sin must be the souls cure, the cure will be found but smarting. But this may be some comfort to us, when we do desire the good of our people, and they walk in a contrary way, better they should smart then perish. If thine eye offend thee 〈◊〉 thy ●●●t, saith Ch●ist, pl●●k ●●t the one, ●ut off the oth●●●●tter go to heaven 〈◊〉 th● 〈◊〉 eye and halting, 〈…〉 eyes and 〈…〉 ●in●ll and de●r 〈…〉 better thou perisho 〈…〉 comfort and ●●●●ure a little trouble for a time, then miss the comfort of the whole, and endure the trouble of the whole for ever. Hearers that profit not by careful attention, may and shall profit (if they belong to God) by the sin, and smart of their carelessness; and that which is their good, may be our comfort, so far as it is their good. 2. To comfort them to whom sleeping is a burden. It cannot be denied but it doth him erour worshipping of God, but there is comfort in t●at case, if it be a burden. Let us try that first. 1. Thou wilt lay in against it before thou go to the house of God, in thy prayer thou wilt 〈◊〉 in of it, and desire help against it. 2. In the Ordinances thou wilt st●ive against it, stir up thyself, disease thyself, desire others to awake thee, be thankful when they do it. 3. After duties, thy heavy head will be turned into an heavy heart, when thou goest to God in prayer, when thou goest to thy meat, and to thy rest, thy heart will be weary. If thu● thou find thy sleeping a burden, there is comfort. 1. The obedience of Christ, for the sake whereof thy obedience is accepted, was a wakeful lively obedience, what was wanting in thine, was ●●●und in his obedience for the●. 2. Thy obedience is presented to Go● by the intercession of Christ without any defect, as it is in thy will, not in performance. 3. For Christ's sake, God will make thy sin thy physic, both to discover thyself to thyself, and to humble thy heart. 3. For information. 1. God hath but weak service at the hands of very many, for sleeping is very general. To speak first of God's public worship; How many sorts of sleepers are found? some sleep from the beginning to the end, as if they come for no other purpose but to sleep, as if the Sabbath were made only to recover that sleep they have lost in the week, for love of their own occasions, as if God's Ordinances were rather a cradle to rock them asleep, than the office of the watchmen of God to awaken sleepers. Some sleep from the beginning of the Ordinance, till prayer or Sermon begin, as if they came to the house of God, not well awaked, or wanted part of their morning sleep. Some after some time of waking and watching, do fall asleep, as if the service of God were the only unpleasant tiresome work. Some their serving of God consists of short sleeps, and short wake, as if they met with a continual intercourse of startling, and quieting in God's service. Some have a continual heaviness and lumpishness in God's service, as if it were night rather than day, their heads are so leaden and weighty, that they cannot hold them up, and their eyes so heavy, that they cannot hold them open. And if we set aside these sleepers, the several sorts of them, how many waking watchful worshippers of God shall we find? If there be so many, and such variety of sleepers on the Lord's day, in the day time, having rested the night before, and resting from their labours in the day, how much more will these be found in family duties, performed late at night, and after weary labour? which makes it manifest, that God hath but weak service in public, or private from the most. 2. The effect of sin, it doth prevent the course, and frame of nature and grace both, sleep was appointed of God for the refreshing of the weary body, that so it might wake, and be the more cheerful in God's service: but si● makes the body sleep, when it is not weary, when it should especially wake: and makes a man unfit for God's worship. Were there no other evidence of our sullen estate and condition, this were sufficient. Would men, made according to the Image of God, sleep in his service, who made them fit to wake in it? And if there were nothing else to bring us out of love with sin, this were enough, it doth unfit us to serve God. 3. The coldness of their hearts in God's worship, who fall asleep in it, especially that give way to sleeping. It hinders them in God's worship, therefore, were their hearts fervently bend to the worship of God, they would hinder that. It is not only the motion of the body in men's callings, nor chief that which keeps them awake, but the intention of their thoughts, and fervency of their affections: and though there be not the like stirring of body in God's service, yet if the soul were so bend upon it, as upon other occasions, that would keep the body awake. 4. For reproof. 1. Generally of them that sleep in God's worship. We are commanded to love the Lord with all our strength, as well as with all our soul; but we by sleeping deny the strength of our bodies, and thereby the strength of our souls also. God reproveth some for drawing near to him with their lips, when their hearts were absent, but sleeping sets the body fare from God, as well as the soul. But that we may be more ashamed of this sin of sleeping, let us consider the aggravations of it. 1. It is a needless, or at least a careless sin. We except against swearing in ordinary speech, because it is a needless sin men are not put upon any necessity, it doth not grace their speech, nor bring credit to their speech: so sleeping in God's service is hereby aggravated, that it is a needless sin. Have not men houses and beds, and time allowed them to sleep in? they have no need to sleep in God's worship. God hath suffered his own commands to be transgressed in case of necessity: Matth. 12.3, 4. David might rather eat holy bread, than his body should come to any h●rm by hunger, which yet might not have been done, had not God given allowance and command: but to transgress the command of G●● when there is no necessity upon us, how great a sin is that? What is this but a despising of the command of God? a setting light by it, as if a man should say; Indeed it is a command of God, we should not sleep, but it is no matter whether we keep it or no, it it not worthy observation. It was the aggravation of David's adultery, 2 Sam. 12.9. His despising of the command of God: how did that appear? because no necessity lay upon him to commit that sin, he had wives of his own: had he not slighted the command of God, he would not have done it: So men have no necessity to sleep, or if they have necessity, it is through carelessness, because they will not take that time which God hath allowed, and so they make themselves a necessity o● sinning, which is a greater sin. 2. It is an unthankful sin, God in pity hath allowed man sleep to refresh the weary body, to further digestion, to repair the spirits: and we abuse this power to hinder God's service: he gives us sleep to strengthen our weak bodies: and we use it to weaken his service. 2. He gives us sleep after the labours of the six days, a night to sleep in, that we might be fresh and lively in his service, and we notwithstanding sleep on that day of his worship: do we not deal unkindly and unthankfully with him? When we rest and favour the creature, we make account it should be fit for service: but when God hath rested us, and we should serve him, we rest still. 3. It is an unreasonable sin. 1. It denies God the least we can give him in his service. Man consisteth but of two parts, soul and body, the body is the meanest part, yet sleeping denies the body. Reason tells us that God deserves both, for he hath made both, and doth maintain both, and if he have but one part, yet he should have the best part; but sleep will give him none, no, not the body, which God would not accept alone, were it given. 2. Sleeping in God's worship is unseasonable, a misplaced action, especially Lords day sleeping, and reason tells us, that things are to be done in season: sleeping in God's house is unseasonable. 1. If we consider the time, which is the day: the day is not the appointed time for sleep, but for labour: 1 Thes. 5.7. They that sleep, sleep in the night. That time which is appointed for the wild beasts labour, is appointed for man's rest: But the night is appointed for the wild beasts labour, Psal. 104.20. therefore for man's rest, for they cannot both labour together, they will hinder one another. 2. If we consider we are in employment, in action: employment is no season for sleep, but rest from employment: Ps. 104.23. Man goeth forth unto his work, and to his labour, until the evening: Man ceaseth his labour with the day, and then goes to rest: Eccles. 5.12. The sleep of a labouring man is sweet: They that sleep according to reason, do not sleep in labour, but after labour: but they that sleep in the house of God, do sleep in midst of labour. 3. If we consider what kind of employment it is that we sleep in, the service and worship of God: it is against reason to sleep in midst of any labour: how much more in God's service, which requires the most pains and labour? We are commanded to do whatsoever we find to do with all our might, do every thing thoroughly, and to purpose: how much more God's service, the best work? 4. If we consider the place and society: to sleep in a place appointed for waking, and in the midst of them that wake, is against reason. If then carelessness of sinning, or unthankfullnes in sinning, or unreasonableness in sinning will shame us, this sin of sleeping in God's house may shame us, for thereby we show, that we make b●t a light account of sinning, that we are unthankful, that we are unreasonable. 2. Particularly, the godly are to be reproved more than others, if they sleep in time of God's worship: will they suffer God's worship to be weakened and hindered, who are tied by special engagements to do him special service? From whom God doth expect it, and the rather, because others will sleep? God saith in this case to them, as to Judah in another case: Hos. 4.15. Though Israel play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend. So saith God to his people, Though others sleep out Word and prayer, yet do not you sleep. They have more cause to be ashamed than others, if we consider, 1. They set an ill example, and draw on others by the same, in as much as they have excuse, and shelter for their sleeping, from the example of such, because they profess more care of God's service. If they that profess more zeal for God's service, yet will ordinarily sleep, much more may they that profess less care. Thus, they not only sin themselves, but draw on the sins of others. Elies' sons sins in God's worship, made the people to sin, in abhorring the offerings of the Lord: so the sleeping of professors, doth make others more careless of God's worship, thinking sleeping to be but a small sin, else they that profess much, would not use 〈◊〉 so much. 2. The godly have more encouragement to awake then others, for the Ordinances are specially appointed for them, God's expectation is more of their service then others, they have promise of more special presence of God, communion with him, benefit from him: their sin therefore is against much encouragement that others want, therefore a greater sin in them, then in others, who have not that encouragement. 3. The godly have more means to keep them awake then others, they have the grace of God in their heart, assisted by the spirit of God, they have in their minds a more clear and thorough light to discern of the excellency and worth of God's worship above other things, they have in their consciences a more divine and strict observation of carriages, a more divine authority to command what is good, and forbidden what is evil, a more divine application of promises or threaten, as good or evil is practised, they have in their wills a special bent to that which is good, they choose that as the chief good, they have in their affections a love to it, and desire after it, so that they sin against more means and helps against sin, and then sin is the greater. 3. Them that suffer others to sleep by them, and do not wake them, they suffer God and his worship to be wronged, and might prevent it: Is it not their sin? Yes doubtless. Why was Meroz cursed, yea bitterly ●ursed? Not because they ●ought directly against the Lord, but because they came not out to help the Lord, Judg. 5.23. And our Saviour is express, that not to be for the Lord, is to be against him: he that is not with me is against me, he that doth not what he can for the Lord and his worship, is in that regard against the Lord and his worship: they that therefore do not waken sleepers, are not with the Lord therein, but against him, for they do not for him what they might. These do not that for the comfort and good of their neighbours, which God requireth to be done for our Neighbour's beast, though an enemy: Exod. 23.4. If thou meet thine enemy's Ox or Ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again: how much more a friends beast? When a man sleeps in time of the word and prayer, he is gone astray, for he should pray and hear: to wake him, is to bring him into the way: if he were an enemy, we were bound to do it, for God hath more care of men, then of Oxen, 1 Cor. 9.9, 10. Much more if he were a friend should we do it: Exod. 23.5. If thou see the Ass of him that hateth thee, lying under his burden, and wouldst forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him. A man was bound to help up his enemy's Ass lying under a burden, and in case new, and fresh thoughts of hatred came into his mind, and he should say in his heart, he is mine enemy, I have no good will unto him, I will not do to him that good turn, he was to lay aside all, and in any case to help him to lift it up: And is not a sleeping man in God's worship under his burden, even the heaviest burden, sin, which sinks the soul to hell: and doth not waking take off this burden? and doth not sleeping continue this burden on them? and they that suffer them to sleep, suffer them to lie under their burden, which shows a want of mercy, which God would not have us to show unto the beast that lies under the burden, no not the beast of an enemy, much less to the beast of a friend, and least of all, to our neighbour himself. This fault is the greater, if we shall inquire into the same, in the causes thereof. 1. It proceeds from want of love. Were there that affection to our neighbours good should be, we would not suffer them to lose that good they might get, nor to sin by sleeping: but as sin hath made man defective in love to himself, therefore he sleeps in God's worship: so much more hath it made him scant in love to his neighbour, and therefore he suffers him to sleep: Levit. 19.17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. Why must a man rebuke his neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him? The reason is rendered, thou shalt not hate thy brother: So when we suffer others in sin, and particularly in sleeping, and do not labour to help them, it is from want of love. To neglect a duty to our brother is a sin, but to neglect it for want of love, is a greater sin: not to awake a sleeping brother is a sin, but not to wake him for want of love to him, is a double sin: yet thus it is, we do not awake those that sleep, because we are wanting in love unto them. 2. Another cause why we do not wake sleepers, is a conceit, an ungrounded conceit that God hath not committed to us the care of our neighbours, but it is enough if we look unto ourselves: the common proverb, though ungodly, shows what is in men's minds: every man for himself, and every one look to one. That there is such a conceit in men's minds, as appears further, by cain's answer to the Lord, which was not put off for that time, but did spring, no doubt, from a principle, seated in his understanding. The Lord's question did import a care that lay upon Cain concerning his brother: Gen. 4.9. Where is Abel thy brother? cain's answer doth acknowledge no such duty of care belonging to him; I cannot tell: Am I my brother's keeper? he knew not where he was, nor did he conceive it to be his duty to know what became of him, he did not apprehend that the care of his brother did lie upon him; So surely men think it is not their duty to take care of their neighbours; contrary to the Commandments of the second table, which are summed up in this one word. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: what care we take of ourselves in the first place, we must take of our neighbour in a second place. To neglect our duty to our neighbour is a sin, but to neglect it upon this ground, because we think it is no duty, is a double sin, to deny both our duty, and the command of God. 3. A third cause why we do not waken sleepers, is a base and unchristian fear that we shall anger them, they will be displeased at us: grant it be so; Shall we run upon God's displeasure to avoid men's? If thou awake thy neighbour, he will be displeased; and if thou awake him not, God will be displeased; make thy choice of God's displeasure or man's, show thyself holy, and not corrupt, let holy fear of God's displeasure banish corrupt fear of man's displeasure. Wilt thou esteem thy affliction a greater evil than their sin, when they stand in competition? If thou do awake them, and they be angry, it is but thy affliction, which is thus sweetened, that it befalls thee in a way of obedience, thou dost endure it for doing thy duty: if thou suffer them to sleep, thou sufferest them to sin, nay thou sinnest thyself, in that thou dost not thy duty to keep them from sin. Not to awake them is a sin, but to forbear upon this ground, lest we should procure trouble to ourselves, is a greater sin, to prefer our comfort before the preventing of their sin, and our own. Many objections come to be answered in this case. 1. I see one sleep indeed, but I cannot reach him, he is so fare from me. Answ. If thou cannot reach him thyself, yet speak to some body else, if thine eye cannot make use of thy hand to wake him, yet let it make use of some other man's hand, if thou stir up and provoke another to do it, it is all one as if thou thyself didst it: beside, I have seen some lengthen their arm with a staff, to call others into their seats, and had they as much affection to the souls of their neighbours, as to express coursity, they would lengthen their arms with a staff also to waken them. 2. Object. They who are nearer than I will not do it, though I be within reach, and why should I do it, since they that might better will not? Answ. The question is not what they who are nearer do, but whether they do well or ill: if they do well in not waking them, do thou follow them: if they do ill, thy best way is not to follow them: Exod. 23.2. God saith, Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil: much less one man. What argument is this? others will not obey God's command, will not help their neighbours out of sin, will express hatred unto them, therefore I will do so to●: because others neglect, thou shouldest resolve the rather to do it: neglected obedience is the more obedience, because neglected, it will not be done at all unless thou do it. This is one reason why God's people are called his portion, because they make up that loss of service God sustaineth in the world. Object. 3. They are my betters that sleep, and it will be thought presumption and unmannerliness in me to awake them. Answ. 1. Thou mayest then desire those to do it, that are equal to them, or nearer equality than thou. 2. If thou canst not do so, know it is no unmannerliness nor presumption, to help thy betters against sin, and to do them a good turn: God did never forbid thee to help thy betters, to see their faults, and to help them against them, but hath commanded thee rather to do unto them as thou wouldst should be done to thyself. If thou have Gods command, thou dost not presume: and if thou help them against ill manners, such as sleeping is, thou dost express good manners. 3. Thy care must be to do it respectively unto thy betters, so as it may appear to them, and others, that it proceedeth out of love, and is carried with respect, do it in the least way of notice, with care to hid it from observation, 1 Tim. 5.1. rebuke not an elder, but exhort him as a father, that religion that teacheth duty to superiors, doth also teach a respective carriage in the same, that both the duty may be done to them to the utmost, and their honour at the same time maintained. Ob. 4. I am loath to awaken them that sleep, lest I should put them to shame whilst others thereby take notice of their sleeping? Ans. Wake them therefore as privately as thou canst, so it be done, if thou canst with the skirt of love cover their infirmity and help them out of it both, thou shalt do a double office of love. 2. But suppose tho● cannot waken them without notice, and so without shame, yet it is better shame show d rest upon them then sin, nay it may be shame (when they perceive it is taken notice of) may prevail much to keep them awake. 3. Where a public cause of shame is found in measure, as sleeping is in a public place and in public duties, if public shame follow no wrongs done, they may thank themselves. Nay there is a due place of putting them to open shame that sin openly, 1 Tim. 5.20. Them that sin, rebuke before all men, that others also may fear: this indeed belongs to public persons; but private persons may occasionally put others to shame in a public place, without any fault at all, or stepping out of their place. Ob. If I do awake them they will sleep again and again, and ●o it is to no purpose, I therefore ●eave, because I see it doth no good? Ans. 1. If they fail in their duty, yet do not thou fail in thine: our Saviour found his disciples asleep again after he wakened them, the first and second time, yet he did not leave them sleeping, but wakened them still. If thou must renew thy act of love in forgiving till ●eventy times seven times, Matth. 18.22. much more the act of love in awaking them that sleep, for that is a greater act of love. And where awake●ng will not keep awake, it may be useful to add admonition at some other time when they are awake, which may take more impression then continual shaking of a sleepy head. Ob. I waken them till they be angry with me, should I not then forbear? Ans. That anger must not cause thee to forbear, for it is not at the action, but the disquiet of it, as a patiented may be angry at the smarting of physic, and yet not at the physician nor the physic, it is therefore rather the anger of the drowsiness of the person, then of the person. 2. This anger is not an advised, deliberate act, but a sudden and violent motion, which will not only cease when a man better considers of it, but will turn unto love, Prov. 28.23. He that reproveth a man, shall find more favour in ●he latter end, than he that flattereth with his lips, this privilege 〈…〉 hath, the more it is looked into, the more worth and excellency ●here is in it, when they have considered both their sleeping ●nd thy waking of them, the carelessness of themselves, and ●hy care of them, they will ●eare good will unto thee, in●●ead of anger they will be an●ry at themselves, but favour ●hee, be disquiet with themselves, but quiet towards thee, when they have put off passion ●nd put on wisdom; when A●igail had talked to David, not ●nly wisely, but so long till his ●assion was gone, he acknowledged her a blessed woman. 5. The fifth and last use is, so persuade us all to take heed ●f sleeping in God's worship. If we have any care of the worship of God, this exhortation must prevail with us; for sleeping expresseth an utter carelessness of God's service, for it hinders both soul and body. Because this particular needeth urging, and I know not when I shall have the like occasion, therefore I will use three sorts of arguments. 1. To all in general. 2. To unregenerate men by themselves. 3. To the people of God by themselves. The arguments that concern all, are these. 1. That proverb of Solomon chap. 10.5. He that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame. All men bestir themselves in harvest, and if a man sleep then, all his friends are ashamed of him, for sleep now is most unseemly and uncomely, now men have most need to wake and work, there is most occasion, and most benefit. And is not every Lord's day an harvest day? a day of spiritual plenty? wherein men may store their souls? if therefore they sleep on that day, God's Ministers, and people will be ashamed of them: what sleep when there is most work to do, in the busiest season when most good is to be gotten? sleeping therefore is a shameful sin, and if we have any shame in us, unless we care not what we do, nor who see us in our uncomeliness, let us shake off sleeping. 2. It is a sorrowful disquieting sin: the end of sleeping in God's worship will be disquiet. There is a three fold time, even in this life, wherein such sleeping will disquiet. 1. Time of the want of those ordinances wherein we have slept, when men shall wish they had but those sermons and prayers they have slept out, how heavy will it be? when men shall think, that had they the ordinances now, they would wake in them, whereas when they enjoyed them, they slept, how heavy will it be? when men shall think the ordinances are not so much gone or taken away by force, but they have slept them away, it hath been their voluntary careless doing, had they waked, they still had enjoyed them? 2. A second time, is the time of their conscience awaking, upon some other occasion, the more sinful rest soul or body have had, the more miserable disquiet, when the conscience is awaked by divine light and power, to do its office: the soul may be arrested at God's suit specially for some one sin, but then will God take his advantage, to lay upon the soul other sins, for God stores up trouble, as men store up sin, that it comes by heaps when it comes. 3. Time of the want of sleep in sickness. Then as the bodies of men shall toss from side to side, so their minds shall roll from thought to thought, from Lord's day to Lords day, from Sermon to Sermon, then shall the ordinances they have slept in, accompany them, wake and watch with them. As they turned their seats into beds, their heads were so heavy, that they needed no place of ease: so now their beds shall be turned into seats, hard under them, that they shall take no rest. When men shall think the sleep they should have now in sickness to make the pain less, the night's short, their bodies more able to bear, they have had it long ago, they spent it prodigally, therefore must now pinch for it: how heavy will it be? 3. It puts God upon violent courses, to awaken men and make them lively in his service, when men do not awake of themselves, the vapours being dissolved and senses loosened, which is natural, we do by sound, or by shaking them force them to awake: so when the ordinances, Gods appointed natural way, will not awaken them, God forcibly breaks open the eyes and ears of men. Why did that young man sleep at Paul's Sermon, Act. 20. fall down dead? not only to punish him, but also to make the company 〈◊〉 wakeful, and to be a co●●●●●ll noise sounding in the ears of sleepers; for that 〈◊〉 vide●ce of God is a real ●oice continually and for ever sounding thus much, that death 〈◊〉 contained in ●ermon sleeping. Indeed it doth not always appear, but there it is enfolded and ●nwraped in sleeping: it did once appear, and may always appear ●or ought we know. Why did God send a storm after Jonah? not so much because ●e ran away from God's work, but because his conscience was sleepy and would not awaken with●●t violence. Why doth God and amongst a people the shrill ●ounding and eare-piercing ●rumpet, the thundering drums, ●he warring terrifying cannons? but to awaken them whom the silver trumpets of the Temple, the Ordinances of God, that joyful sound, Psal. 89.15. would not awaken. When a people have too much ●est, and are secure thereby, they must hear noise of war: God will have his people awakened, men are so settled in sleeping, that the word will not do it, no, not the word against sleeping, the Lord must therefore take some violent way. And I pray God from my heart that this ordinary Lords day sleeping which will not be reclaimed, be not a forerunner of some forcible curse, either the loss of the Ordinances, or some other judgement, if not the waking stirring sword. The sword hath long slept in this nation, and we mean while give ourselves to all rest: but when the Lord shall bid the sword, awake, as Zech. 13.7. our sleep shall be gone. The arguments that particularly con●e n the unregenerate, are these. 1. By sleep thou dost as much as in thee lies, to keep thy soul out of heaven, thou dost shut the door of life, the ear is the door of life, for fa● h comes by hearing. Rom. 10.17. no hearing no faith, no faith no salvation, Ephe. ●. 8. by grace ye are saved through faith. And whereas thou thinkest to awake another day, though thou sleepest this day, know and consider of it, in sleeping this day and this Sermon, thou dost sleep all thy time and all thy Sermons, for no time is thy time but the present, no Sermon is thy Sermon but the present Sermon. Why dost thou reckon upon another Lord's day, how canst thou tell thou shalt reach it? The man that made account of many days to come, was styled Fool by the Lord, Luke 12.20. Thou fool, this night shall they fetch away thy soul. Is it not a folly, for a man to reckon upon many days, that hath not a part of a day, one night in his power? In sleeping this day thou dost what thou canst to shut thy soul out of heaven for ever, for thou hast no time to labour for heaven, that thou knowest, but the time present: sleeping therefore in men unregenerate is a desperate action, they have but the time present to provide for eternity, they may be in hell for aught they know ere another Sermon, yet they sleep out this. Beside, there is a certain set particular time when God will call every man, which should make men be in expectation every Sermon, because they know not which is the time: to sleep is to do what we can to prevent the Lords ●all, and so our own salvation. 2. Hell was made for Sermon sleeprs: torment is the ●●st recompense of sinful ease: ●hey that sleep when they ●hould awake, must make accounted to wake with pain when ●hey would rest. And it may ●ot be unuseful here to relate the providence of God concerning a maid who was much given to sleep at Church. The ●ase was this. A certain maid went to Church with a purpose to sleep from day to day, as she confessed afterwards, thinking he could sleep more sweetly ●here then any where, it pleased God one night she fell into a dream, in her dream she imagined herself walking, two ways were presented to her, in the one way was a great fire, that way she would not go, the other way she took, it led her by the Church, she awaked with this application of her dream, she had been wont to sleep much at Church, and if she did not amend that fault, she must expect no other but hell fire. This dream thus applied made her leave sleeping, and fall to hearing, and from hearing to believing and repenting. The arguments that particularly concern the godly, are these. 1. Let them read with understanding, and ponder our Saviour's carriage to his sleeping disciples, Luke, chap. 22.46. brings him in, expressing himself in a sh●rt and sharp angry ●eprose, Why sleep ye? What ●eason have you to sleep? Have you no other business? Matthew, chap. 26.40. brings him in upbraiding them of unkindness, yea great unkindness, that denied him so small a matter, could you not watch with me one hour? What, not with me? not one hour? not so small a time? If ye cannot do so small a thing for me, how will you do more? If you cannot overcome a little sleep, deny yourselves of a little ●est, how will you endure persecution, and overcome death for my sake? 2. He tells them of the danger they had brought themselves into by sleep, Matth. 26.41. watch and pray, ●hat ye enter not into temptation, so much as you sleep now, you should watch and pray, so much you enter into temptation, give Satan advantage, will be overcome of sin and Satan in this hour of affliction. Their sleeping was a procuring cause of their flight, and of Peter's denial of his master: this was the reason that in his winnowing he discovered so much chaff, he slept when he should have prayed, therefore he sinned in trouble: he slept the time of his preparation, therefore sinned in time of temptation. 3. He bringeth them into a condition wherein they could not sleep, and yet bids them, Sleep on now, and take your rest, Matth. 26. 4●. Sleep now if they could, a bitter upbraiding of their sleeping when they should not, and an intimation of punishment by present disquiet. Sleep on now: what? could they now sleep? No, if you mark the following words, behold, the hour is at hand, and the son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners, rise, let us be going, behold, he is at hand that doth betray me. How could they both sleep, and rise, and be going? A sign our Saviour did intent to speak ironically, i. e. to mock at their restless condition, so bidding them to sleep, that they might well perceive he intended no such matter, which is the bitterest kind of reproof: jestingly to bid a man to do a thing, when he knows he cannot do it, to make a rest of a man's trouble. So when God shall cast men into restless co●ditions, and they shall apprehend God bids them sleep now, when yet they cannot sleep, i. e. doth not pity their want of rest, but rather mock at their misery, as Prov. 1.26. how heavy will it be? before Christ did thus bitterly reprove them, their sleeping brought a confusion upon their hearts: Mark. 14.40. They knew not what to answer, they had no excuse for themselves. How much more when the godly are in affliction will it trouble? and God shall then lay it home to their hearts. 2. Consider that proverb of Solomon, Chap. 23.21. Drowsiness shall a man with rags. Is it not true spiritually as well as bodily? Were not the Disciples ragged and uncomely when they fled from their Master? and Peter especially, a man of a poor torn and distracted soul, when he denied his Master with swearing and cursing? In like manner drowsy Christians are ragged Christians, of distracted spirits, of uncomely conversations. How can it be otherwise, when they sleep out those Ordinances, wherein they should put on the Lord Jesus? How did Dalilah get God from Samson, but by getting him asleep? and in his sleep causing him to break his Covenant with God, by cutting off his locks. So whilst men sleep in holy duties, God goes from them, and they are not awa●e, for thus the way of intercourse between God and them is shut up. 3. Hath not the spirit of God some respect to this sleeping in that Scripture-phrase, which the godly have occasion to make use of in their afflictions, finding somewhat suitable thereto in the providence of God: Psal. 44.23. Awake, why sleepest thou, oh Lord? God sometimes doth no more for his people in affliction, in their apprehension, than a man asleep; we call and cry, desire others to call and cry for us, times and days do pass over our heads, yet God sleeps still, he doth nothing for us, our afflictions do continue. Doth not this suit our dealing with God? we sle p in his service, therefore he sleeps in our occasions. When we are in affliction, and none can help us but God, and we cannot perceive that God doth take any course for us. Now in Scripture God is said to sleep, and when we find it so, have we not just cause to consider whether we have not slept in God's service? And if so, God will not awake till we be humbled for that sin. As therefore ●e would have God wake and stir about in our troubles, when no body else can do us good, let us take heed of sleeping: Prov. 28.9. He that turneth ●way his ear from hearing the Law, ●ven his prayer shall be abomination: do not men turn away their ear from hearing the Law, when they sleep in time of the preaching of the Word? If God therefore will not come near their prayers, he will sleep as it were in their afflictions, when they pray to him. Quest. How may we be helped against sleeping, in time of God's worship? Answ. Somewhat must be done Before, In time of the worship of God, After. The things to be done before, are these. ●. Allow thyself convenient sleep the night before the Lord's day: do not then abridge thyself, that thy body should have cause to complain thou hast done it wrong, therefore it must make bold with God: Nor take too much, that also will make thee lumpish. 2. Moderation in diet, feebleness and faintness, thorough want of food, will cause sleep, so also will fullness: therefore do thou so order thy fasting or feeding, as experience tells thee will best conduce to thy waking. 3. Moderation in weekly labour, i. e. when we manage them with dependence upon God, for wisdom, strength and blessing: Psal. 127.2. So the burden someness in measure, is ●aken away, and our bodies have not that vexatious toil, whereas if we think to carry our occasions with the strength of our own abilities, the whole burden will lie upon us: so shall we be overwearied, and unfit to wake on the Lord's day. 4. Pray before thou come for God's quickening spirit to thy soul, that quickened, will quicken thy body. 5. Love not sleep. It is a phrase the holy Ghost useth: Prov. 20.13. It is one thing to take our natural rest in time convenient, another thing to have an affection to drouse and slumber, when we should otherwise be employed, so we shall bring ourselves to an habit and custom of dro●sinesse, which will not be shaken off on the Lords day. The things to be done in time of God's worship are, 1. Intention of soul, and attention of body: intent thy thoughts and affections to the Ordinance in hand: and attend with eyes and ea●s: carelessness is the mother of drowsiness, Prov. 19.15. 2. Disease thy body. If thou find thyself drowsy, and shalt soul thyself to ease, thou shalt increase thy drowsiness. 3. Desire them that wake to watch over thee, and chase away thy heaviness, by their frequent stirring of thee. 4. Lift up an ejaculation to heaven in midst of thy heaviness, ●rom the bitterness of thy heart, ●nd inward opposition of thy ●ullnes, that help may come ●rom heaven, though there be ●one upon earth. The things to be done after God's worship, are, 1. Family repetition of the word, so should men discern how they wrong God, his worship, themselves and theirs, when they find all lost by sleep. 2. Secret calling of ourselves ●o account how we have spent ●he Sabbath: so it would appear how ill sleeping becomes that day, and the duties of it. 3. Renew our godly sorrow for this sin. It worketh repentance, change both in heart and life, 2 Cor. 7.10. It is a work of the new man, therefore doth mortify the deeds of the old man, it is a fruit of the death of Christ, therefore will dead this sin of sleeping. 4. Burden thy thoughts and affections with it the week thorough, so shalt thou be weary of it on the Lord's day: but if it lie light the week thorough, it will be no burden on the Lord's day. Object. Here come old age in the last place to plead its infirmity. Answ. 1. Nature is infirm by age, and so is corruption. 2. There are promises of bringing forth fruit in age: Psal. 92.14. of renewing the youth as the Eagle, Psal. 103.5. she in age breaking off her beak, and renewing her feeding, doth renew her youth. If old men did live by promise, and feed as savourily and fully ●pon the Ordinances, as in ●outh, their affections would ●e as lively as then, and their bodies waking. Directions to prevent sleeping in night family-exercises. 1. Put them not off too long, get to them as soon as may ●e. 2. If they cannot well be ●one till it be late, dispatch ●hem before supper: we say in ●ur proverb, When the belly is ●ull the bones would be at rest, which is specially true after ●abour, Eccles. 5.12. 3. If that cannot be, then ●e short in them, a thing which many will greedily take hold of, thinking all prayer time to be lost: but if it be observed, out of conscience, will be found useful. We are so to perform good duties that they may have all our strength for present, and our honourable esteem afterward, which will not be, if we be long in them, we or ours will fall asleep, so our strength will be denied: and if we sin in duty: we shall less love and esteem duty, one sin draws on another. CHAP. VII. Of the sixth and last hindrance of instant worshipping of God, slothfulness. ROM. 12.11. Not slothful in business, fervent in spirit serving the Lord. HAving finished the fift hindrance of our earnest worshipping of God, sleep. I now come to the sixth and last slothfulness, which the Apostle here delivers, as an opposite to fervency of spirit, and therefore an hindrance to it. In this verse the Apostle doth direct in the manner, and end of all our service to God and man: for the manner, it must be with fervency, fervent in spirit: for the end, it must be to serve God, not ourselves or others, but in the first place, and chief to serve God, for his use and advantage. That they might not be hindered in this fervency, he discovers the impediment of it, which he dissuadeth them from, viz. slothfullness. Though this verse may seem to be restrained to the duties of charity, because they immediately go before, yet as much may be said for the duties of piety, for they immediately follow after, ver. 13. rejoicing in hope, patiented in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer. Being therefore set in the middle between both the duties of piety and charity, it may most fitly be applied to both, nay we shall do wrong, if we take it from either. Beside, the object whereabout fervency is to be exercised, and sloth avoided is general, propounded without restraint or limitation. Not slothful in business; he doth not say in love, in giving honour, in hospitality, in distributing to the necessity of the Saints, but in business, any serious labour or exercise, (as the word signifieth) whether it concern God or man. I shall apply it to my purpose in hand, spiritual business and employment, whereof the Apostle treateth in the chapter, as well as of civil and outward offices of love to our neighbour. The Apostle exhorteth to fervency of spirit in such employments, and to help that way, dehorteth from slothfulness, implying that it is an opposite, and enemy to fervency, they cannot consist and stand together, sloth will hinder fervency, and fervency will hinder sloth. N. Sloth is an hindrance to fervency in spiritual business. Not slothful but fervent, take away sloth, or there will be no fervency: a slothful spirit brings forth cold service. What was the reason the fervant that had but one talent, did hid it, and not employ it, some increase he might have gotten, though not so much as the rest? Our Saviour renders the reason, Matth. 25.26. Thou wicked and slothful servant. He was a wicked servant of an ill spirit, fit to think hardly of his master, then to do his duty: and a slothful servant that had no mind to take pains: showing us ●hat slothfulness is an enemy ●nto use and increase of talents ●or God's advantage, Heb. 6.12. When the Apostle desired to ●inde up the Hebrews to an ●igher pitch of knowledge, v. 1. Of love, ver. 10. Of hope, ver. 11. of faith and patience, ver. 12. Which if th●y were in them and did abound, they should not be ●arren and unfruitful, 2 Pet. 1.8. He did not only press them hereunto from the danger of Apostasy, from the recom●ence of reward, and the example of the Saints, but also direct to the use of means, viz. diligence, ver. 11. The contrary whereto is sloth, which he dehorteth from, viz. That ye be ●ot slothful, but followers of ●hem, implying, that sloth will ●●and in the way of forwardness and zeal in holy ways. Let us inquire three things, 1. What this sloth is? 2. Whence it comes? 3. How it hinders our fervency in spiritual duties. Quest. What is this sloth? Answ. It is an evil disposition of soul and body, whereby a man is addicted to ease, and avoideth disquieting actions. This description of sloth hath three things in it. 1. The general nature of sloth what it hath common with other things: it is a disposition, an inclination and affection, not an act, but a fountain of actions. It is an evil, not a good disposition, a branch of Original depravation, contrary to the Image of God, of whom Christ saith, John 5.17. My father worketh hitherto, therefore the image of Satan. 2. The subject of it, it is not ●he soul alone, or body alone, ●ut soul and body both, soul ●nd body are capable of labour, ●herefore of sloth, which is contrary to labour. In this place ●●othfullnesse is opposed to fervency of spirit, implying there ●s a sloth in the spirit that damps t●e fervency, and Prov. 21.25. The spirit of God saith of the loathful man, that his hands ●●suse to labour: there is therefore a sloth of the body; and ●hap. 10.26. He speaketh of a sluggish messenger, one that goes and comes slowly, is slow ●n dispatch of business, leaden-heeled as we say. 3. The particular nature of it, that whereby it differeth from other things, it is an affection to ease, and stands in oppositition to disquieting actions. This appears by the gestures and speeches whereby slothfulness doth express itself: The gestures of slothfulness are these: He foldeth his hands together, Eccles. 4.5. The fool foldeth his hands together, whilst others open their hands, spread them abroad, and stretch them out to labour, he foldeth them together, maketh one to embrace another for ease; He hideth his hand in his bosom, and will not bring it again to his mouth, Prov. 19.24. The warmth of his bosom pleaseth him, for that end he puts his hand there, and thence he will not remove it: Prov. 26.14. As the door turneth upon the hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed. A door upon the hinges easily turneth, to open and shut, on one side, and on another, but doth not turn off the hinges; So the slothful man doth roll from side to side on his bed, for ease ●ake, when he is weary on one side, he turneth to another, but turneth not off his bed. The speeches of sloth are such as these; Eccles. 4.6. Better is a handful with quietness, then both the hands full with travel and vexation of spirit: what ever he hath or wanteth, he would have quiet; and his opinion is, that a little with ease, is better than as much again with trouble of mind and body: Prov. 22.13. The slothful man saith, there is a Lion without, I shall he slain in the streets; There is no safety in stirring out of doors, therefore he will keep within, all safety is in the house, but nothing but danger abroad, if he should stir about any business. His discouragement from labour, is difficulty and trouble: Pro. 15.19. The way of the slothful man is as a hedge of thorns: when he should go about any business, it seems as troublesome to him, as a man's way that must go thorough an hedge of thorns; no comfort, nothing but vexation to be found: Prov. 20.4. The sluggard will not blow by reason of the cold; He cannot endure the could though for profit, he is all for warmth and ease. The slothful man's work tends to ease, rather than to labour: is a cessation from painstaking, a life of rest, rather than of labour, as the holy Ghost declareth●: Prov. 6.9, 10. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? When wilt thou rise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep; A slothful man dwells upon ●ase, gives himself much to sleep, and will not be drawn to labour. Quest. Whence comes this sloth? Answ. It is the fruit of the fall, which hath brought about a double cause of sloth, one within us, and another without us. The cause of sloth within us is, 1. The loss of inward strength, activity and ability unto action, the native and natural strength of soul and body is gone, we are altogether weakness and insufficiency, and how should a man be willing unto that he is too weak for? Naturally we know not how to do things in the best way; we know not the benefit of labour; our will is perverse, refusing what we should choose, and our affections careless, so that we cannot set about any action without inward trouble and disquiet, in regard of our unfitness. 2. The contrariety that is in our nature to the law of God: if God would have us love labour, we love sleep, Prov. 20.13. and so abhor labour. The outward cause of sloth is the travel and toil, which sin hath made avoidable to accompany all actions, as a punishment and part of the curse which God hath threatened, and man deserved, (wherein he is separated from God, who is in a condition all of comfort, and works all his works with ease and comfort) whereas man in innocency should have laboured without trouble: Gen. 2.15. God set Adam to dress the garden of Eden, and to keep it, but speaks of no toil. Adam was made perfectly fit for all employment, and fitness for action causeth comfort therein. The blessing of God also was perfectly upon him, he dwelled in the midst of blessing: and Prov. 10.21. The blessing of God maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it; Where Gods blessing is, there sorrow cannot be, if it be in perfection and fullness as with Adam. But now that sin hath entered into the world, and the curse of God by sin, a man cannot use any power of soul, or part of body, without vexation and toil: the soul is vexed in its labour: Eccles. 1.13. I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom, concerning all things that are done under the heaven: this sore travel hath God given to the sons of men, to be exercised therewith; Let a man set a work his wisdom, to find out the secrets of actions, he shall find that travel sore and grievous, to exercise and humble him therewith, vers. 17, 18. I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow. The labours of the soul, the exercise of wisdom, and knowledge in the means thereof, is accompanied with grief, and sorrow, and vexation of mind. The body is toiled and wearied in its labour, sweat forced out, and strength weakened, Gen. 3.19. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, Gen. 5.29. This shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed. The curse of God upon the ground did not bring man labour, but toilsome, painful afflictive labour. This outward trouble which accompanieth all labour, meeting with an inward love of ease and averseness unto labour, must needs further and increase the same. When a man finds himself unfit for action, and therefore disquietness will arise from that unfitness, it will make him backward thereunto; but when he considereth disquietness from within, shall be met with outward trouble, that cleaves fast even by the bond and tie of God's truth unto all labour, it will make him more backward. Most of all are these causes of sloth found in spiritual actions, inward and outward disquiet. 1. Because our greatest weakness and insufficiency lies in spiritual actions, man's perfection in innocency was to be after God's Image, so that though he could perfectly dress and keep the garden, do the work of his particular calling, rule and govern all the creatures put under his feet: yet he could best do those works that come nearest to the works of God, spiritual and divine actions, love the chief good, and delight himself in communion with God: on the contrary now he hath lost the Image of God, he can do any thing better than spiritual actions; natural and civil actions he can do, but express no life of grace & holiness therein, no more than a dead man can express natural life. And when God hath bestowed grace upon men, yet that is but imperfect, the contrary sloth doth remain; spiritual actions are still above, and most contrary to the natural temper, so that the soul quickened by grace is most unfit for them, therefore most disquiet will thence arise to their souls, which will make them more backward to them then to other actions, any farther than faith assisted by the Spirit of God, doth apply and make use of the all-sufficiency of Christ: doth not experience tell us that the vexation which ariseth from sense of insufficience unto spiritual duties, doth keep back and is a continual clog unto them in the way to such performances. Beside our nature is enmity to the law of God, Rom. 8.7. therefore most enmity to that which is most God's law, as the commandments of the first table. 2. The curse lies heavier upon spiritual actions, the curse of sorrow that attends actions, for where the blessings of comfort did most appear, there the cause of sorrow will be most manifested, but the blessing of comfort was especially contained in spiritual actions, because a man in them did come nearest to God, and had most to do with him, the fountain of comfort therefore the curse of sorrow is most found in spiritual actions, because in them naturally a man is furthest from God, and doth ●east express him. And though the godly do find much sweetness and comfort in holy duties, more than in other actions, yet they taste of the curse here, more than elsewhere, they find more travill trouble and sorrow attending spiritual actions than any other; the sweat of their brows and weariness of their bodies is not so troublesome, as the pain of their hearts in holy duties; their general calling is more sorrowful and bitter than their particular; an harder matter to keep their thoughts close to good duties, then to their particular callings; their minds are more vexed and their bodies more tired in good performances then with so much labour any where else. If most disquiet from within and from without be found in spiritual actions, than there is most cause of spiritual sloth. This spiritual sloth that hinders our fervent performance of good duties is improved and increased sundry ways. 1. By ignorance of three things. 1. Our necessity and want of spiritual actions, we see not what need we have to pray much, and hear much, because we naturally want God's favour grace apart in heaven, and they that are renewed have but little grace, much to do with it and much opposition against it, yet know not what need they have of the increase of grace. When our Saviour commandeth his Disciples, Matth. 6.31, 33. to take no thought, saying, what shall we eat, or what shall we drink? or where withal shall we be clothed, But first seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness: doth he not give us to understand that they, and so we, are more sensible of wants for our bodies then for our souls, that we had need be called from the one unto the other. 2. Ignorance of the worth and excellency of holy duties, which have a worth above other actions, inasmuch as they are commanded in the first place, do require more expression of grace, do more immediately concern God, do bring more honour to him; we do duties on God's day and at other times, because God commandeth them, others do so, and we are wont so to do, but we look at them as mean work, as poor employment, we do not see the hidden worth and excellency of them; It is not in vain, that the Lord saith, Isa. 58.13. they should call the Sabbath honourable. It is one thing to keep the Sabbath and another thing to keep it as an high day, a day of honour, thinking our ordinary worldly thoughts, words and works, too mean and base for it: we perform good duties, but we know not the honour of them; if we did we should not be ashamed of good speeches and actions, as if they were matter of shame rather than honour. 3. Ignorance of the benefit and good that redounds unto us by the performance of good duties, as increase of our communion with God, increase of his Image in us, increase of peace and comfort, increase of all other good things. Why doth God so frequently use the argument from the benefit, to move us unto performance of them? but to declare our ignorance herein, as well as to declare his bounty, and to meet with our self-love and desire of our own good. If we know experimentally the trouble and toil of good duties, and not so well know our want, the worth and benefit of them, how should we but be backward unto them, as disquieting us without any great necessity, worth or benefit to countervail that disquiet. 2. Spiritual sloth is improved and increased by false reasonings in our minds. For instance, 1. Less frequency in performing good duties and fervency will serve the turn, and if less will do what needs more. Are not the hearts even of the godly apt to say, what need we be so often in prayer, and take so much pains with our hearts therein? surely God is not so strict, nor the way to heaven so straight? Why doth the Apostle call for all diligence in the adding of grace to grace, 2 Pet. 1.5. and in making our calling and election sure, verse. 10. but that we think a little will serve? Why doth our Saviour call the way to heaven a straight gate, and narrow way, Ma●th. 7.14. and command us to strive to enter in, Luke. 13.24. but that we are not easily possessed, that so much pains is required in good duties, as indeed there is? especially others do cry out of them as prodigals, that take much pains, in hearing, praying, and are not backward to say, that they hope to get to heaven with less ado, and if less will not serve, God help them; That there is no need of so much pains in good duties, they undertake to prove by experience; others (say they) have done well, others have done well in times past, and do well now, that take not so much pains, spend not so much time in good duties, labour not so much with their hearts, were not such and such honest men? were they not well thought of, of the Church of God? are they not gone to heaven? dare you think otherwise? yet they were not forward, strict, and precise as some, they went on fairly and made not so great a noise and stir in religion. Are not such and such now well thought of, you would be loath to think they do not fear God, that they shall not go to heaven, yet they do not so much as keep company with the godly, you can discern in them no great labour and painstaking for heaven, one may therefore do well, and get well to heaven, where nothing will be wanting, without so much ado; the labour than is well spared, so saith sloth, spare what one can; but reason grounded, upon experience saith, a man may do well without so much labour, therefore spare it. This reasoning is false, for suppose some have gotten to heaven, and shall get to heaven, that are not so diligent in good ways, and so shall do well in the end, yet they do not so well in the way. Who knows what smart their sloth costs them, in life, in time of sickness, in the hour of death? who knows what peace, comfort, grace, what heaven upon earth they deprive themselves of? who knows how God in Ordinances would raise them up to heaven, and come down from heaven unto them, were they more careful to take pains? Nor do they so well in the end, they shall have less grace, and glory in heaven, less of God, and so be less happy: They shall have a crown, but not be set with pearls; they shall sit in thrones, but not so near the King of Kings, as others; they shall be filled with the rivers of God's pleasures, but their vessels shall not be so able to contain as others. 2. There is no profit in performing good duties, we shall far no otherwise, no better, in performing them, then if we neglected them, Job 21.15. What profit should we have, if we pray unto him? We say in our proverb, as good sit for nought, as work for nought: this keeps men from the work and labour of prayer, a conceit there is no profit in it, they see no good come of it; they that pray much and spend much time in religious exercises, are as poor in the world, as much despised and afflicted as any, yea and more, Mal. 3.14. Ye have said, it is vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinances, and walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts? They are not ashamed to say, that it is vain to serve God, an unprofitable way, and they undertake to prove it by their own experience, they have kept God's Ordinances, and have mourned for their failings, yet have found no benefit, things have gone no better with them, Jer. 44.17.18. they speak their minds fully since they left off burning incense to the Queen of heaven, they wanted all things, and were consumed with famine and sword, but when they did burn incense to the Queen of heaven, they had plenty of victuals, were well and saw no evil: so the godly have times of temptation, wherein carnal reason, assisted by Satan, doth prevail to make them think and say, all their sincerity is in vain, and the pains they have taken in God's service, Psal. 73.13. Verily, I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed mine hands in innocency, he thought that neither the purity of his heart, nor innocency of his conversation was to any purpose, he should be never the better for it. Nay, because the more they pray and walk in the use of God's means, sometimes the worse matters are with them in providence; are they not ready to reason from sense, that there is no benefit in preciseness and strictness. This is a false reasoning, Psal. 19.11. There is reward and great reward. If so small a matter, as a cup of cold water, given for God's sake, shall not go unrewarded: how much less greater matters? God's righteousness is engaged, Heb. 6.10. He may as soon cease to be righteous, as leave unrewarded the labour of his people's love. 3. So much pains and care about good duties will hinder the particular calling, and so the benefits of this life, and bring poverty. And though the godly do not expressly say so, as others will, yet would they not take more pains about good duties, if they did think it would not hinder their particular calling and profit, which they are so sensible of. This is a false reasoning, for though careful and fervent performances of duties may take up more time, yet if it bring a double blessing what loss will there be? That it is thus, we may see in the case of the jews, Hag. 1.2. They did not refuse to build the Temple and therein to take care of the Lords worship, but they were careless of it, and for carelessness he doth reprove them. This people say, the time is not yet come, the time that the Lords house should be built, at present they wanted opportunity, and hoped they should have opportunity afterward, but would not try whether opportunity would serve. See how this carelessness of God's service did redound to the frustrating of all their care about their own occasions, vers. 6. ye have sown much and brought in little, he that earneth wages, earneth wages, to put it into a bag with holes, their labour did not prosper, they were not the richer for their sowing and labouring, they looked for much and it came to little, vers. 9 I did blow upon it, I called for a drought, Why? because my house is waste, and ye run every one to your own house. Their too much care of their own occasions and carelessness of God's service, got them nothing, but it lost them much: Chap. 2.16, 17. When one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were but ten; when one came to the press fat, to draw out fifty vessels, there were but twenty. When come doth not prove doth not fill, men do not consider that this is, because they take more care about their own matters, than God's service. It follows, I smote you with blasting and mildew, and with hail in all the labours of your hands, when men's corn is spoiled with blasting, and mildew, and hail, they do not consider it is, because they are careless of Sabbaths, and Ordinances of God, more careless of his service, than their own occasions: on the other side, see, how care of God's service brings a blessing upon our occasions, vers. 18, 19 Consider from this day, that the foundation of the Lords Temple was laid, consider it, from this day I will bless you. And that they may know that the Lord doth bless them because of their care of his worship, he addeth; Is the seed yet in the barn? Is it already past God's blessing? yea as yet the vine and the figtree, and the pomegranate, and the Olive tree hath not brought forth: Zach. 8.10.11. before this time there was no hire for man nor any for beast, but now I will not be as in the former days, for the seed shall be prosperous, etc. so that what time God's service takes up from our callings, it will abundantly make up in blessing; and it must needs be so, for all success is Gods, Psal. 127.1. Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it, and where God is best served, he will bestow the most blessing. 4. The comfort will not countervail the sorrow, the ease, the difficulty, the rest the labour. Thus much we may gather from the sluggards speech, Eccl. 4.6. Better is a handful with quietness, then both the hands full with travel and vexation of spirit: He thinks the filling of both hands will not be answerable to the pains taken therein, the less he hath, the less disquiet, and the more, the more disquiet, and that disquiet will not be exceeded by comfort and quiet, but the vexation seems to him more than the quiet, therefore one handful is rather to be chosen, then both▪ because the less he hath, the less disquiet. So much also is implied in the spouse, her answer to Christ, calling on her to awake out of the bed of security, arise and open to him: Cant. 5.3. I have put off my coat, how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them? Had she thought the benefit would have countervailed the trouble, she would not have made that exception. This is a false reasoning, for it saith; Christ hath not purchased so much as sin hath deserved. 5. As the difficulty, of good ways is unavoidable, so unconquerable, not possible to overcome it, the evil, and discomfort of good ways is destroying: Prov. 22.13. The slothful man saith, their is a Lion without: the difficulties of his way, are as unable to be overcome as a Lion, he shall be slain in the streets, nothing but death and destruction lies before him: So, many think that frequency and earnestness in good duties; much praying, hearing, reading, is the only way to bring melancholy distractions, and madness upon the soul, and diseases upon the body. Whereas it is the way of greatest promise, therefore of greatest blessing and good. The godly often think with David: 1 Sam. 27.1. They shall one day fall, never hold out, never go thorough the difficulty of holy ways, nor the danger of them, they shall never hold up their heads with comfort. Elijah desires he might die, 1 King. 19 he thinks he can never keep his life, and uprightness both: now jezabel is so incensed against him, whereas the ways of wisdom are ways of pleasantness, and all his paths are peace, no ways are peaceable and pleasant but the ways of wisdom, and all her ways are so; Prov. 8.9. All the words of wisdom are plain to him that understandeth, so are the ways of wisdom plain to grace, though obscure and dark to corrupt nature: Prov. 14.6. Knowledge is easy to him that understandeth: to the spiritual understanding, knowledge is easy. 3. Spiritual sloth is improved and increased by neglect of good duties, or careless performance of them. Neglect of good duties doth weaken diligence, for strength not exercised doth decrease, and doth increase sloth, because strength of opposition is removed, yea sloth is exercised. Careless performance doth increase sloth, because it is an act of it, and every act doth increase the habit. Let a man pray or hear carelessly, and he shall be fit to do so another time. Let a man spend one Sabbath carelessly, not minding whether he be at any public exercise, and he sha●l be fit to do so another day, and at length he shall come to think, that there is no difference between the Lord's day, and another day, and no matter how he spends it. 4. Spiritual sloth is improved and increased, by too much use of sensible comforts, or carnal sensual use of them. When we are much in recreation, given to our appetite, to please and content ourselves in sensible things, it will cherish a love of ease, and an abhorring of trouble: Amos 6.1. Woe to them that are at ease in Zion; How do they further themselves in ease? We find in the sequel of the chapter; On the one hand they put fare away the evil day, they will not suffer thoughts of trouble to come near them: on the other hand they eat the calves out of the stall, they drink wine in bowls, they invent to themselves instruments of music, they chant to the sound of the viol, they bring near them all things that might please and content nature, that it increaseth the love of that ease and delight, and averseness unto trouble: they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph; grief can get no place with them, be there never so great need. 2. If we do not exceed in the measure of sensible good things, if we miss it in the end of the use of them, we desire sensible comforts for themselves, only the comfort of them, and not to fit us for God's service: if ease be all our end, love, and desire of ease will be cherished by the use of them. Means do not only bring unto the end, but increase the desire of the end, by bringing the desire and the end together: good, the more enjoyed, the more desired, because by enjoyment we have experience of the good of it. If we desire outward good things for ease sake, and comfort sake, because we would be freed from trouble, than the more we enjoy them, the more we shall love ease, because we shall more free the sweetness and content of it unto nature, whereas if we did use outward mercies, and sensible comforts; that we might be sitter for God's service, we should find ourselves fitted by the use of them for his service, and find our affection thereto increased; Means used for a sanctified end, do increase ability, sanctified ability to attain that end. Quest. How doth sloth hinder our earnest worshipping of God? Answ. Three ways. 1. As it stands in opposition to fervency, and so fights against it. Sloth stands in opposition to fervency, because it opposeth diligence, without which, fervency in God's worship will not be attained. That fervency in God's worship, will not be had without diligence, and painstaking, appears by the command of God: to seek the Kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof, Matth. 6.33. To work out our salvation, Phil. 2.12. To stir up the gift of God, 2 Tim. 1.6. To contend for the faith, Judas 3. Which were in vain, if carelessness would serve the turn. It appears also by the different affectedness in God's worship in different Christians, the diligent and careless. May not they that observe it, see some more affected and taken up in the Ordinances? and they are not the idle, careless Christians, but such as take pains, and make a labour of God's service. It appears further by the experience of the most diligent Christians, who find a manifest difference in the hearts-warmth, and liberty of their hearts in holy duties, when they take pains with them, and when they are careless, ordinarily they find most presence, and life of the spirit in worship, when they have taken most pains, to cleanse and empty the vessel of their hearts, fit for the breathing of the spirit, and have laboured most to stir up grace in their hearts, fit to meet with God's Spirit. Though it appear to be a truth, that fervency in God's worship, will not be had without diligence, yet let us further see it in the causes thereof, which are, 1. The weakness of grace considered in itself. The weakness of grace is this; that it is imperfect, we have not that full measure of strength, which we should have, and which we had in innocency, we have but a part of it, but a little part as Job saith: job 26.14. These are part of God's ways, but how little a portion is heard of him? So could the godly look into their own hearts, they would admire what little grace they have, and that little they have is above, and contrary to that which is our nature since the fall, and is subject to be made less, to be weakened. To make weak grace, bring forth strong acts, such as fervent worshipping of God is, will need pains and labour: things very weak are hardly strengthened. Hence is that exhortation of the Apostle, Heb. 12.12. Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees: He compares grace to faint hands and feeble knees, which are not easily strengthened; Let a man lift up hands that are weak in the joints, they will presently fall down again, he must make a continual labour and work of it: Let a man lift up feeble knees, it will cost him some pains, and they will presently sink down again; So if we will fervently worship God, we do not lift up strong hands and knees, but feeble hands and knees which we shall find to be a labour. 2. The direct opposition that is found against fervent worshipping of God, both within us and without us. The opposition within us is corruption, a disposition contrary, not one only disposition of coldness in good duties, but many dispositions, many seeds of sin, all these are one nature, they have had longer time of groat in our hearts then grace, they lie at the very root of grace, as suckers at the root of a tree, to suck away the nourishment; some of them are ever working, every act doth weaken grace: Rom. 7.23. I find a law in my members, warring against the law of my mind. Not only doth corruption work in the parts of the body, which the Apostle calls the members, but it works in opposition to grace, as an adversary to it, on purpose to foil and overthrow it: 1 Pet. 2.11. Abstain from fleshly lusts; Why? they war against the soul, they do not only work in the soul, but war against the spiritualness of the soul, to make it wholly sensual and carnal. The opposition without us is, 1. Satan, who is our adversary, as gracious, because therein we are contrary to him. When we were perfectly fit to worship God, and he had less advantage against us, yet he was never quiet, till he had utterly made us unfit to worship God; how much more will he now endeavour to make us unfit, when we are in some measure fit again, and he hath more advantage against us? When the Apostle, Rom. 16.19, 20. had told the Romans of the commendation of their obedience every where, and had exhorted them to be wise unto that which is good, how seasonably doth he add? The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet short; for they might have objected, what an enemy Satan was to them, how he did blind and befool them, and oppose them in what they should show wisdom in, as indeed he did? Satan is God's enemy, he would have God to have no service at all, much less fervent service: the more service God hath, the less he hath, and the better service God hath, the worse he hath, for no man can service two masters. No finite being can bestow itself wholly two ways at the same time. Did not Satan himself set upon our Saviour, who was perfectly able to worship God, with desire that he would worship him, and promised to give him all the Kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, in way of recompense; which shown his enmity unto God's worship to be such, that he cared not what he gave, had he it in his power, so he could hinder God of his service? 2. Our particular callings and the comforts of this life, which are not in themselves opposite to God's service, for God hath made, and appointed nothing contrary unto himself, but subordinate to himself, and a furtherance in his service; our callings as God hath commanded them, and the comforts of this life, as they are Gods good creatures and blessings, have a fitness in them to help and further us in God's worship, but corruption doth make more advantage of them then grace, because of our carelessness in the use of them, and want of exercising the grace of God in the use of them, and so they rather hinder us, then further us. 3. The common and general sinfulness of the times and places in which we live, this is, as much cold water poured upon the fire of our love, Mat. 24.12. Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. A flood of iniquity, will a thousand to one, cool and abate the heart of the warm hearted: for in respect of men they have many hindrances, and but few helps. Example hath a great force in us, especially if it be general, for so it is the more example; particular and singular forwardness, and strictness is observed, reproved and reproached; Solitariness in any way is uncomfortable and so weakening; two are better than one, and more better than a few. This opposition within us and without us, is therefore strengthened, because it is not scattered and divided, but united. If Satan be divided against Satan, his kingdom cannot stand, Matth. 12.26. Satan and corruption do not work severally by themselves, in opposition to God's service, but jointly both together: Satan works in and by corruption: Matth. 16.22, 23. When Peter dissuaded our Saviour from going up to Jerusalem, there to suffer, saying, Master pity thyself, these things shall not be unto thee: our Saviour answereth, Get thee behind me, Satan, for thou savourest not those things which be of God, but those things which be of men. He did perceive Satan working in Peter's carnal disposition, which loves ease, but cannot endure trouble: Luk. 22.31, 32. Satan hath desired to winnow you as wheat: our Saviour saw that Satan would work with Peter's carnal worldly fear, to make him so shamefully deny his Lord and Master. So Satan doth work with our corruption, in the use of our callings, and outward comforts, to make us sin in them. Satan doth sometimes cast in temptations over, and besides, and without our corruption, but he doth ordinarily assist, and work with our corruption. 3. Fervency in God's worship will not be had without diligence, because to make grace fervent and lively, there must be assistance and influence from heaven; Rom. 8.26. The spirit helpeth our infirmity, for we know not how to pray as we ought: Judas 20. Praying in the Holy Ghost, we cannot pray without the assistance of God's Spirit: Cant. 4.16. Awake, O Northwind, and come thou South, blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow forth: our graces though the seed of them have taken root in our hearts, yet will not put forth, without the wind of heaven which bloweth where it listeth, without the Spirit of God doth breath upon them. The assistance of the spirit will not be had without diligence, these two go together, and depend one upon another, our diligence and God's assistance: Phil. 2.12, 13. Work out your salvation, for it is God that worketh both the will and the deed; God will not otherwise work in us, then as we work with him. The slothful man's talon was hid in a napkin, no use made of it. The spirit will not breathe in us, without our diligence and pains. 1. Because the spirit is at pains to assist and strengthen grace; will he take pains for us, and will he allow us to take no pains for ourselves? he is at pains in his Ordinances, at pains by afflictions, at pains to oppose corruption, to watch advantages, to help grace. Shall the spirit take pains for us, and we be idle? 2. It agrees and suits well to the worth and dignity of the spirits assistance to cost pains, Shall common matters, and matters of price, be had with one and the same labour? doth it not better agree to the worth of things, that different worth should challenge different labour, the less worth in things, the less labour about them, the more worth, the more labour? Thus our Saviour doth express things, Matth. 6.33. speaking of earthly good things, he saith, they shall be added to us, cast in as an overplus, but speaking of heavenly things, he bids us seek the kingdom of God take pains about that, diligently employ ourselves; we must take no pains about earthly things, in comparison of the pains we take about spiritual things. 3. It will help to our prising of the spirits assistance, and consequently to our thankfulness for it, not to attain it without pains, our knowledge of the worth of heavenly things is but little, it is increased by experience of the difficulty in attaining them; evil things come easily, good things hardly: and the more we know the worth of the spirits assistance, the more we shall value and prise it. Beside, if the spirits assistance should not be so precious in itself, as it is, yet it is of worth to us, if we attain it by diligence, for it costeth us much, and what we pay much for, we set store by. And according as we prise the spirits assistance, we shall be thankful for it: the greater good it is, the greater mercy from God to us, and the more cause of thanksgiving. If thus it be, that fervency in God's worship, will not be had without diligence, because of the weakness of grace, the strong opposition against it, and the necessity the supply of the spirit, than sloth will hinder our servant worshipping of God, for that is clean contrary to diligence, and doth destroy that where it prevails. 2. Sloth hinders our fervent worshipping of God, as it gives advantage to Satan, the enemy thereof. Satan hath always a ready mind to hinder us in God's service, but he hath not always the same advantage, therefore he walks to and fro, seeking advantage; Sloth gives him advantage, not only as it is a corruption, contrary to fervent worshipping of God, and suitable to the Devil's dispositition whereby he worketh, but also as it is a fit corruption, whereby to screw into the soul the Devils temptations against the fervency of God's worship, as the difficulty, uncomfortableness, needlessness, unprofitableness thereof, all these sloth stands ready to entertain, and is increased thereby. If less will serve, what needs more? If it be so hard a thing to serve God with earnestness, if there be no profit nor comfort in it, who would take the pains, though he had a love to pains? Much less where there is no love, as in sloth. The diligent man hath much ado to withstand these temptations, they cause often waver and staggerings in them, and present abatements of diligence, they make their hearts cold within them, much more must they take hold of the slothful, who are prepared and ready for such temptations. Beside, sloth doth give advantage to Satan, as it doth make no use of appointed strength against him. Duties of preparation unto more solemn worship, are means of strength against Satan, labouring to hinder our fervency in God's worship, thereby we shake off sloth, stir up diligence, procure the presence and power of the spirit. But sloth will either neglect duties of preparation, or carelessly perform them, and so the soul is stripped of that strength against Satan. Watchfulness in duty, is a means of strength against Satan, but watchfulness is too painful for sloth: resisting of stir of corruption, and temptations of Satan in duties, is a means of strength against Satan: Jam. 4.7. Resist the devil and he will flee from you: He is a most impatient discontented creature, and cannot endure to be resisted, he will not there abide; but resistance of Satan is too painful for sloth, it will not be done without a detestation of his temptations, and an increase of attention to Ordinances in hand. 3. Sloth hinders our fervent worshipping of God, as it doth grieve the holy spirit, and make it withdraw his working and assistance: it grieves the Spirit of God. 1. As it is contrary to its nature, which is all life and action, compared to things most stirring and active, as the fire, the wind. 2. To its command, to be fervent in spirit, to be zealous, to be diligent, not to be slothful. 3. To its title, when it is called a spirit of promise, Eph. 4.30. for sloth is not the condition and way of the promise, but diligence. 4. To its operation and working, which is to baptise with fire, Matth. 3.11. The spirit doth besprinkle the soul with inflamed affections toward God and his service. Sloth being thus contrary to the spirit, must needs grieve the spirit, and the spirit grieved, will reserve its assistance, without which we cannot fervently worship God. Use. To inform us, 1. That God hath but little fervent worship. For 1. All unregenerate men are overwhelmed and drowned in sloth: there is not so much as a seed or principle of diligence, till grace come into the foul; all the service therefore of men destitute of grace, is cold and heartless, whatsoever it may seem, such only as sloth will afford, and how full are our Congregations of unregenerate men and women. 2. There are many lazy and slothful Christians, that do indeed perform duties in public and private, but they make no labour of them, they take no pains to prepare and fit their hearts, they are not diligent to get the assistance of the spirit, they say not with David, 2 Sam. 24.24. I will not offer to the Lord a sacrifice of that which cost me nothing; they do not offer the Lord costly services, but cheap, such as cost them nothing; all their preparation to the duties of the Sabbath, is family duties, and it were well, if they did perform them, so much the more carefully. No wonder that they are thus idle in God's service: grace for want of ordinary exercise is sluggish, they do not use their faith, love, and spiritual wisdom in their callings, and how should they be diligent in God's worship. Their diligence is taken up other ways, in some about some lust they savour. It was their case, james 4.2, 3. Ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not, ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts. They were so busy about their contentions and wranglings amongst themselves, that they could not pray at all, or if they did pray, it was for their lust's sake, to get advantage unto them. Thus a man may be conversant about good duties, and his end not be God's worship, but his own corruptions, that they may not be discovered, that the ragings of conscience may be quieted, that he may the more easily compass his corrupt and sinful ends. The diligence of others is taken up abo●t matters of the world, meat, drink, apparel, riches. This was their case, john 6. they seem to take much pains to enjoy Christ his ministry, and miracles, they compass land and sea, after they had enjoyed him at land, they take ship, and follow him. But he that knew what was in man, did see that their diligence was not pitched upon spiritual things, because it was taken up other ways, vers. 26, 27. our Saviour peremptorily sets it down, as a most certain truth, Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye seek me not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled: their pains was not about their souls, but about their bellies. And again, Labour not for the meat that perisheth, but for the meat that endureth to everlasting life; they did take pains indeed, but not about everlasting food, wherein they might have honoured God much, Why so? their diligence was employed about perishing food. Others their hearts are over clouded with ignorance, and unacquaintance with their spiritual estate, that they see not the necessity of diligence in holy duties, so that they want a main motive and whetstone unto painstaking, knowledge of the necessity. Others through carelessness, so long neglect their hearts that at length sloth ends in discouragement, they think their hearts are past pains, all labour will do no good, Prov. 24.30, 31. I went by the field of the slothful, and lo it was grown over with thorns, and nettles covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down. So a slothful neglected heart will be so overgrown with lusts, that a man will be hopeless of any good springing there. 3. The best of God's servants, and the most diligent, how little pains do they take with their hearts unto God's service? how unstable and unconstant are they that way? how soon doth discouragement take hold of them, when they feel their life and fervency in good duties to come hardly? I appeal to the consciences of God's people, when we find our hearts dead, and unaffected in God's worship, do not our consciences smite us that we have been careless of preparation? Is not God forced to drive us unto careful and conscionable worshipping of him by afflictions, we need his direction in doubts, his comfort in sorrows, his deliverance out of troubles, else we would not pray so fervently, nor hear the word so attentively, do not our consciences thus witness? all these things do evidence that God hath but little fervent worship. 2. Who they are that do God the best service, spend the Sabbath best, and perform duties best, the labouring diligent Christian, they that think it no easy matter to serve God well. It is an ill thing for a soul to be troubled at the approach of the Sabbath, because of its own unfitness, but it is a good sign that the soul apprehends some difficulty in keeping a Sabbath well. 2. To condemn this slothfulness in spiritual employment, this argument is sufficient, it puts off God with cold service, which is the greater sin, if we consider our ordinary and general diligence in our own occasions. To take pains in earthly occasions, and to be careless in God's worship is a great evil, we shall fully see it in three things. 1. God's worship doth immediately concern God, our callings do immediately concern ourselves; shall we do more for ourselves then for God? set up ourselves more than him? are we not his and not our own? and therefore bound to respect him more than ourselves? Hear what our Saviour saith, Luk. 14.26. He that cometh to me, and hateth not father and mother, yea and his own life, cannot be my disciple, that is, as Matthew saith, chap. 10.37. He that loveth friends or himself, more than Christ, is not worthy of him, God is better than ourselves, therefore if we do not love him better than ourselves, we are not fit to enjoy him, but if we take more pains about our callings, than his service, we love ourselves more than sin. 2. God's service doth immediately concern our souls, our particular callings do immediately concern our bodies; if we take more pains about our callings then about God's worship, we show more care of our bodies then of our souls which is a folly; for our souls are the best part, our bodies are but dust, when our souls are absent, the worth of our bodies depends upon the indwelling of our souls, and not the worth of our souls upon our bodies. We may know where we ought to place our chiefest affection, by that of our Saviour, Matth. 10.28. fear not them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul, if they can kill but the body, no matter of fear, that must die though they kill it not, if the soul be alive the body is safe though dead; The body lies open to the violence of man, the soul is out of his reach; the body falls short of the soul in excellency and therefore less affection is due to it. 3. God's service doth concern our welfare, not only for the present, but also, and especially for eternity to come, our particular callings do concern only the time present? shall we take more pains about the time present, which may be we know not how short, to be sure, but a moment, then about eternity, this is our Saviour's argument, and it is full of weight, john 6.27. Labour not for the meat that perisheth, but for the meat that endureth to everlasting life. Ye will take pains and spend your labour, but do not misspend it, do not waste it, spend it not about perishing food, but about food that endureth everlastingly, earthly things have a time to be, and a time to perish; the wealth we have now, ere long we shall part with for ever; spiritual things have a time to be, and shall never cease to be, they therefore are worth your labour. Is not this spiritual sloth to be condemned, considering such are more diligent for themselves, then for God, for their bodies, then for their souls, for things perishing, then for things eternal? Will not the consciences of men condemn them for this sloth, in sickness? at the day of judgement? in hell, unto all eternity? doubtless it is so gross a miscarriage that it cannot but lie heavy upon men, when they shall come to cast up their accounts, and sadly consider of things, when their consciences shall tell them, that they have risen early, and gone to bed late, about their own occasions, but have been too lazy, to read God's word or to pray; they have endured hard labour before the Sabbath, and after the Sabbath; but on that day, they have been too sluggish to go to the house of God: the day appointed for spiritual labour, in God's worship, for God's glory, hath been the day of their rest to recover their strength spent in the week, it may be in sin, to be sure in their own occasions: surely this shall increase the torment of the damned in hell, when they shall think with themselves; that had they been as painful for their souls, as they were for their bodies, they had escaped that place of torment: Nay had they taken as much pains for their souls as for sin, had they taken as much pains to go to the house of God on the Lord's day, as they have done to go to the alehouse, in the week days, had they searched God's book, but as much as they have tossed the cards and tables, yea it may be on the Lord's day, they had been Saints in heaven. 3. To persuade the godly to shake off this sloth. If we prise the manner of God's worship, and affect it, we must do so, if we care not how we pray or hear, if we think any affections are meet for him we may continue our sloth. We find this commanded, Josh. 22.5. Take diligent heed to keep the commandment which Moses charged you, to love the Lord your God, to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul; take heed and diligent heed, Prov. 4.23. Keep thy heart with all diligence, we find it commended, Act. 18.25. Apollo being fervent in spirit, taught diligenly the things of the Lord. 2 Cor. 8.7. The Apostle makes it part of the commendation of the Corinthians, that they did abound in all diligence. Of our Saviour the head of the Church, that he went about doing good, Act. 10.38. he did not only do good, but was diligent therein. To discourage the more from sloth, and bring in love with diligence, consider how the wisdom of the holy Ghost doth compare them in Solomon's Proverbs; all which comparisons we may improve with advantage, against spiritual sloth, and for spiritual diligence, spiritual sloth being a greater sin, and lying under an heavier curse, and spiritual diligence being a greater grace, and attended with an happier blessing. 1. For wealth, Prov. 10.4. He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand, but the hand of the diligent maketh rich. It holdeth especially true in spiritual riches, the slothful Christian is poor in grace, the diligent Christian is rich, hath store and abundance of precious grace, Prov. 18.8. He that is slothful in his work, is brother to him that is a great waster, if a man have a good stock of grace, yet by slothfulness he will waste it, not labouring to increase it, he will diminish it, Prov. 20.4. the slugard shall beg in harvest and have nothing, they who have nothing of their own, nor no interest in them that have something are poor indeed, God will shut up the hearts of men towards slothful Christians, when they come to beg counsel and prayers, when they come to complain of their spiritual wants and poverty. 2. For honour, see how they are compared, Prov. 12.24. The hand of the diligent shall bear rule, but the slothful shall be under tribute; A diligent Christian shall be a King in his own soul, and amongst the people of God, God will set him up, give him authority, and rule in their hearts, they that can rule themselves, are fit to rule others, so do the diligent; but the slothful Christian shall be an underling in his own soul, and amongst the people of God, he shall be a slave and tributary to his lusts, Prov. 22.29. 3. For fruit of painstaking, see how they are compared, Prov. 12.27. The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting, but the substance of the diligent man is precious. When a slothful Christian hath taken some pains, for want of taking a little more he loseth that pains, as if an huntsman should take pains to kill an hare, and then through lazines should suffer the dogs, or some other to run away with it: for instance, a man is at pains to come to the house of God, to pray, in the word or prayer, his heart is much affected, he goes his way and thinks no more of it, that man doth in great measure lose his labour. but the substance of a diligent man is precious, what he getteth by labour he doth not easily part with, he makes precious account of it; that help of heart which a diligent Christian findeth in the Ordinances of God, he thinks oft of, he improves by prayer, by praise, by treasuring up the same: he can tell you what it cost him to get down such a corruption, to get to such a frame of heart, to obtain such a mercy, how oft he prayed, how long he waited, therefore he maketh a precious account thereof. Lastly, That which is not the least to discourage us from sloth, it is full of pride and conceitedness, Prov. 26.16. put the wisdom of seven men together, the sluggard conceits he goes beyond it, and no wonder, for he neither knows what he hath, nor what he wants, and ignorance is the mother and nurse of pride, If a man knew the thoughts of sluggish Christians, he should find that they think all is well with them, though a man may be able to convince them by reason, that things cannot be well with them. And the devil will not stick to tell them all is well to keep them from taking pains. It is a misery to have an heart empty of good, but to think an empty heart full, is a double misery, so is it with the slothful Christian. To help against sloth and unto diligence, it will be useful first, To ponder these weighty considerations. 1. Fervency in God's worship, and ease cannot possibly stand together, whilst so great opposition remains both within us, and without us. 2. The difficulty and toil found in God's service, is a bitter afflictive fruit of sin. Shall we not bear the burden we have brought upon ourselves willingly, though not cheerfully? It is a sign sin is pardoned, when we have patience to bear the chastisement of sin; it is a great favour when there is a will to bear, where there is no power to shake off. 3. The deceitful ease that proceeds from sloth, is both God's loss, and thine, and who would covet that ease whereby God, and himself, his best friends must lose? 4. The more painful the service of God is, the more sweet, for that sweetness comes out of the strong, it is the delightful fruit of a powerful conquest over corruption, of more honour done to God, of the condition of the promise performed with a greater measure of heavenly assistance. 5. If sloth prevail in thy soul, it will shut out diligence, but at the same time it shuts in more disquiet than ease, for sin is shut up in that ease; the disquiet of lawful labour is but affliction; the ease of sloth is sin, and sin is attended with more trouble than ease, it will prove more easy to taste the sour of affliction, than the sweet of sin. 2. It will be useful to inure ourselves to the serious and thorough examination of our hearts, and ways, of our spiritual estate, this will discover what need we have of diligence, and what hurt sloth hath done us. This cured David's lazines, Psalms 119.59, 60. Though he were slow-paced in his obedience in the neglect of this, yet when he was once past this difficult useful duty, he made haste, he lost no time, nor ground as formerly. 3. It will be useful, not to cherish our pride, by poring upon what we have atained, but to strengthen humility, by frequent, and serious meditation of what we want, and what is to be attained. This helped Paul, Phil. 3.13, 14. what he was come to was behind him, he could not so readily, and constantly look upon that, but what he was to come to, was before him in his eye, to allure and draw him forward. Look we also upon what is before us. Hast attained some measure of fervency? stay not gazing upon that, but look right forth, look onward; dost see what thou want'st? Look not so much upon thy work, as thy patter●; the affection not only of the best of creatures upon earth, but also and chief in heaven, the spirits of just men made perfect, yea the flaming Angels, yea the Lord Jesus Christ who had zeal enough to carry him through the flames of hell, to do his father's will, in whose breast alone that fire of heavenly love dwells, that hath inflamed Saints on earth, and Saints in heaven, which we shall find inflaming us more and more, as we draw near to look upon him as our pattern, with desire of imitation. The close of all, containing an help in all that hath gone before, (as prayer comes after the several pieces of the spiritual armour: to help our skill in all, and the usefulness of all, Ephe. 6.18.) may fitly be David's prayer, when the people were warm hearted, in their offering to the building of the Temple for the public solemn worship of God, 1 Chron. 29.18. O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee. Finis.