A Help to Better Hearts for Better Times, Chapter 5

A Help to Better Hearts for Better Times · Chapter 5

p. 327CHAP. III. Of the fourth hinderance of inſtant worſhipping of God, Wearines.

AMOS …. Part of the 5 verſ.

When will the new moone be gon, 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 gon, laid down interrogatively, to ſhew the greater vehemency and earneſtnes of it, When will the new moon be gon, and the ſabbath? p. 328they thought the time long that they continued, their ſtay was a burden unto them: when a mans d…ſire meets with hinderance, his greife takes place, ſo the new moon, and ſabbaths were matter of greif and burden unto them, and they were weary of them, becauſe they hindred, for preſent, their civill commerce. The reaſon of their deſire that the new moon and ſabbath were gon, is, that they might ſell corne, that they might follow their worldly occaſions wherein they would oppreſſe.

We have to do with the firſt particular. Their deſire that the new moon were gon, and the ſabbath ended. Why, what was the matter that they had enough, and too much of the new moon, and ſabbath? p. 329Why did they ſtand in their way for buying and ſelling?

Anſ. At every new moon, or in the beginning of every monethmonth they had a great ſolemnity, ſpeciall ſacrificing to God, Numb. 28.11. a ſolemne feaſt day, Pſal. 81.3. wherein they were wont to heare from God by the prophets: for when the Shunammitiſh woman would go to the prophet for her dead ſon, her husband diſſwaded her, from the ordinary unſeaſonablenes of the time, Wherefore wilt thou go to day? it is neither new moon, nor ſabbath, 2 Kings 4.23. A ſigne the people did communicate with the prophets in the counſels of God, in the new moons and ſabbaths, and ſpeciall ſeaſons and times appointed for that purpoſe. And whether here be meant the weekly p. 330Sabbath, or by this generall name be intended all the Sabbaths, or dayes 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 worke, Levit. 23.3.28. and on the other Sabbaths, or dayes of reſt, feaſt dayes, they might do no ſervile worke, Levit. 23.7. which is expounded in caſe of the paſſeover, which was one of the feaſts, Exod. 12.16. no manner of worke ſhall be done, ſave about that which every man muſt eat, no worke might be done but about providing meat for the feaſt, they might not do any worke of ſervice, or labour about their callings, as plowing and ſowing, buying and ſelling. They therefore wiſh the p. 331new moon, and Sabbath gon, that they might ſell corne, becauſe that was forbidden worke in thoſe times and ſeaſons, they are therefore weary of them, and gladly would be ſhut of them; could they ſanctifie theſe holy daies, or performe fervent and hearty worſhip to God in the ſame, when all their deſire was that they were gon? whence we have juſt occaſion to lay ground for handling a fourth hindrance of our earneſt worſhipping of God.

N. Wearines hinders our earneſt worſhipping of God.

When the worſhip we performe is a burden to us, we do but weakly performe the ſame. This people being weary of the new moon and Sabbath, inſtead of ſetting their hearts upon ſolemne worſhip of God therein p. 332performed, 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 gon? no daies ſo long as thoſe daies of ſolemne worſhip, in them the ſunne ſeemes to ſtand ſtill, or to go back, they paſſe not away faſt enough, and if the end of theſe ſolemne ſervices have all the heart, what ſhall God have in the performance of them? This God complains of, both in preiſts and people, Mal. 1.13. That they had ſaid of his worſhip, What a wearines is it? and that worſhip is poorely performed, which is but a weary worſhip. Though ſome take this place otherwiſe, yet this ſenſe ſuits well with that deſpiſing of Gods name, blamed, p. 333verſ. 6.7. for what a man thinks meanly of, he will be weary of: and what did their offering of the blinde, lame, ſick, torn, manifeſt, but wearines of G…ds worſhip, that it was a burden? the actions of the weary and tired, are blinde, ſicke, lame, divided and diſtracted actions. When the Apoſtle, Gal. 6.9. 2 Theſ. 3.13. doth call upon the people of God not to be weary of well doing, doth he not give them to underſtand, that wearines will be an hinderance to them in well doing? and therefore they muſt not give way unto it, though the way of God be laborious and painfull. When God would direct his people how they might be kept from doing their own minde on the Sabbath, Iſai. 58.13. and ſo might thorowly ſanctifie it, p. 334he adviſeth them to call the Sabbath a delight, i. e. not only inwardly to delight in it, but to grow to ſuch a meaſure of delight, to call it ſo, openly profeſſe, and make it manifeſt that it is our delight, let that be the name we give it, as God termeth his people, Iſai. 62.4. my delight is in her; let others ſee by our ſpeeches and actions, that it is the day of our delight; otherwiſe if we be weary of it, and it be a burden unto us, we will not be kept from doing our own pleaſure.

What is it to be weary of Gods worſhip?

Anſ. There is a wearines of the ſoul that reflects upon the body, and a wearines of the body that reflects upon the ſoul.

The wearines of the ſoul ſtands in the abſence of two p. 335affections, which are the ſtrength of the ſoul, deſire, and delight, and the preſence of two, which are the weaknes of the ſoul, unwillingnes, no deſire, no delight, uncheerfulnes, backwardnes, greif. When God in Scripture commendeth the fervencie and ſtrength of any action, he commendeth it from theſe two affections, willingnes, and delight.

1. Willingnes, or deſire, makes any action ſtrongly to be performed, when there is a ſutablenes or agreement betwixt the will and the action, a man doth chuſe to do it, and that rather then any other, ſuch an action muſt needs have the power of the ſoul, for the will commands the whole ſoul, 1 Chron. 29.14, 17. the people of God did offer willingly, and therefore p. 336abundantly to the building of the temple, that David admires and joyes at the offering. The fervent worſhipping of God, propheſied of in the daies of the Goſpel, is comprehended in this affection of deſire or willingnes, Pſal. 110.3. Thy people ſhall be willing in the day of thy power, in the day of the powerfull preaching of the Goſpel; the worſhip of Gods people ſhould be willing, 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 readineſse of minde, they had a forward affection, a forth-putting deſire to heare, and embrace the word, Act. 16.14. God opened the heart of Lydia to attend p. 337to the word, her ear was open, and ready to hear, and that open ear came from an open heart, a deſire to heare.

2. Ioy or chearfullnes makes an action ſtrongly to be performed, when the ſoul is cheared and comforted in the doing of it, then will it do it in the beſt manner and meaſure, becauſe it's comfort and delight is the greater, Pſal. 19.5. when the pſalmiſt would expreſſe how ſtrongly the ſun doth run his courſe, he ſaith, It rejoyceth as a ſtrong man to run his race, 2 Cor. 8.2. The Apoſtle ſaith of the Macedonians, that the abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty, abounded to the riches of their liberality: though their poverty was abundant, and ſo unfit for liberality, yet their joy being abundant p. 338in that Chriſtian action, made their liberality to abound, ſo that according to their power, yea, and beyond their power they miniſtred to the neceſſity of the Saints, their joy in the action carried them to forget themſelves in meaſure. They prayed Paul and his companions, with much intreaty, to take the gift; ſuch was their comfort in the action, that if Paul would not take their gift, they ſhould miſſe of their comfort, Pſal. 100.2. we are commanded to ſerve the Lord with gladnes, the joy, and mirth of our hearts, in Gods ſervice, doth better the ſervice performed.

But on the contrary, when deſire and joy are wanting, the ſtrength and vigour of the ſoul is gon, and it is weary of ſuch p. 339actions as it performeth unwillingly and ſadly.

1. What a man doth unwillingly, backwardly, he doth as a burden, and therefore weakly, becauſe wearily. Thus the wicked expreſſe their wearines of Gods waies, Job 21.13. we deſire not the knowledge of thy wayes, they have no deſire to be acquainted with the worſhip of God, therefore will but poorly performe it if they performe any, 1 Pet. 5.2. feed the flock of God, not by conſtraint, but willingly, 2 Cor. 9.7. as every man hath purpoſed, ſo let him give, not grudgingly or of neceſſity; whatever dutie a man performeth, if he have no minde, no deſire, no will unto it, if ſomewhat without move him to it, and not ſomewhat within, if he had rather not do it, or rather do p. 340ſomewhat elſe, he doth it without ſtrength, therefore wearily, it is a burden unto him, Exod. 25.2. God willed Moſes to take an offering of every one whoſe heart was willing towards the ſervice of the Tabernacle, Ex. 35.21. They came every one whoſe heart ſtirred him up, and every one whom his ſpirit made willing to offer, God would accept none but from the willing heart; there would have been no ſtrength in their offerings had the will been wanting.

2. That which a man doth ſadly and unchearfully, with inward greif of heart, he doth without ſtrength of his ſoul, and therefore wearily, for ſuch a man doth but bear a burden and carry a load all the while he doth the action, and therefore will not care how ſoon it be p. 341done. Not but t…at a man may be ſad in Gods worſhip, David ſaith, Pſal. 6.8. God heard the voice of his weeping, as if his teares did prevail more with God then his prayers. We are alſo commanded to ſerve the Lord with trembling, Pſal. 2.11. and we know that trembling proceeds from the affection of fear, which is of a ſadding nature. But when our greif is pitched not upon our ſinnes (which are juſt matter of acceptable greif, yea, when we come to joy before God) but upon the duty, we are ſad, becauſe we muſt pray, or heare, or keepe the Sabbath, becauſe we muſt fall to that imployment, and may not go to any other, or when ſorrow for other cauſes become a floud ſo great, that it over-whelmes and drownes p. 342our joy, then the duty is a weariſome duty, the ſoul doth it with no joy, with no comfort, therefore with no ſtrength. In this caſe when the people wept ſore upon that day of thankſgiving, Nehem. 8.10. they are commanded not to weepe, nor to be ſorry, for the joy of the Lord is your ſtrength; ſo to weepe, and to be ſorrowfull as to drown or eclipſe their joy on that day, was to make their ſoules weake, and ſo weary of the duty. When Moſes chod with Aaron and his ſonnes Levit. 10.17. to the end, becauſe they had not eaten the ſacrifice in the holy place, that day his ſonnes were deſtroyed, his anſwer was, Had I eaten it, would it have been accepted? Why not? oh he could not have done it with any chear, p. 343and comfort, ſo heavy a hand of God having lately befallen him, and therefore he ſhould have been weary of the ſervice, and then God would not have accepted it: if thus the heart be weary, having no deſire or delight, the body will be weary, for that followes the diſpoſition of the ſoul, the ſoul carrieth the body with it which way ſo ever it goeth.

There is a wearines proper to the body, when the ſtrength thereof is ſpent and the ſpirits exhauſted, and ſo the body is left weak and feeble, and ſo weary of any further action, becauſe it hath no ſtrength.

There is a foure fold cauſe of exhauſting the ſtrength of the body, and ſo making it weary of Gods ſervice.

1. The or…ginall corrupt diſpoſition p. 344of the body by reaſon of ſinne, whereby it withholdeth and dryeth up it's ſtrength from that which is good, but freely expendeth it upon that which is evil. Thus naturally the eyes had rather looke upon a company of ſinners, then a company of Saints, ſee a company in the ale-houſe rather then in Gods houſe, prophaning the Lords day, then ſerving him, the eare had rather hear evil, then good, the feet had rather walke to any ſinnefull meeting on the Lords day, then to the houſe of God, Rom. 6.19, 20. The Apoſtle ſaith, We naturally give our members, inſtruments of unrighteouſnes, there is no unwillingnes in us, but we readily part with them all at ſinnes motion, nay, we are free from holines, will have nothing p. 345to do with that, not any part of our bodies, but we are ſervants of ſinne, all for ſinne: And this diſpoſednes to withhold the ſtrength of our bodies from Gods ſervice, and to give it unto ſinne remains in part in the godly.

2. The ſtrength of the body is ſpent in ſinnefull actions ſometimes, Jer. 9.3. They weary themſelves to commit iniquity. Particularly the ſins of uncleannes and drunkennes do waſt the ſtrength of the body, Prov. 5.11. The holy ghoſt tells what ſhall be the end of the unclean perſon, a mournfull end, thou mourne at the laſt, when thy fleſh, and thy body are conſumed. And doth not experience tell that men are forced to ly in their beds, or keep their houſes, on the Lords day, becauſe p. 346they have drunk ſo hard in the week, or on ſaturday, that their bodies are weak and tired. The ſinne of idlenes doth weaken the body: ſtrength uſed doth encreaſe, and not uſed doth decay, beſide the nouriſhment taken for want of exerciſe doth turne to corruption, and ſo rather weaken the body then nouriſh it; none more weary of any imployment and of the ſervice of God, then idle perſons.

3. The ſtrength of the body is exhauſted, ſometimes by naturall diſtempers, ſickneſſes, diſeaſes, either ſuch as are continually with men, which is the caſe of ſome, or ſuch as lie upon the body at particular times onelyonly, the caſe of others.

4. Sometimes foregoing recreations and buſineſſes of mens p. 347callings, do ſo ſpend the body, that it hath no ſtrength leſt for Gods ſervice.

The body thus wearied, will reflect upon the ſoul.

1. In regard of ſympathy, agreement, and like affection between ſoul and body: what the body delights in, the ſoul doth in meaſure delight in, and what the body is weary of, the ſoul will in meaſure be weary of.

2. As it doth expreſſe, and act the wearines of the ſoul by reaſon of ſin, for ſo the wearines of the ſoul is increaſed, and the contrary ſtrength of the ſoul, deſire and delight, weakned.

3. As it is an unfit inſtrument to expreſſe the deſire and delight of the ſoul, if thoſe affections may not be expreſſed, they p. 348will decay and weaken.

4. As by the eies and ears it doth let in new objects of delight: the ſoul by ſin is new fangled, will entertain them, and ſo grow weary of former delights.

The ſoul doth expreſſe its wearines.

1. By letting looſe thoughts and affections, it will not keep them bound, but ſuffers them to wander about for refreſhment.

2. In thinking the ſervice hard, painfull, grievous.

3. In thinking the time long that is ſpent therein, wiſhing the ſame at an end.

The body doth expreſſe its wearines.

1. By reſtleſneſſe, it cannot reſt in any poſition or geſture of it, but as a door upon the hinges, p. 349turns firſt one way, and then another.

2. By letting the eies and ears looſe to all objects, to chuſe their delights where they pleaſe.

3. By ſpeeches too, if occaſion ſerve, as here they are brought in, ſaying, when will the new moon be gon? If they did onelyonly ſay ſo in their hearts, yet God ſaw they would ſay ſo with their tongues, if occaſion were offered, therefore he ſets it down ſo.

How doth wearines weaken our worſhipping of God?

1. Wearines in the very nature of it is weaknes, a deniall, an abſence of ſtrength, and actions performed in weaknes, muſt needs be weak: wearines denies the ſtrength of the minde. Can a man think well of what he is p. 350weary? It denies the ſtrength of the will. Can a man be willing of that he is weary of? What, be willing of a burden? It denies the ſtrength of the affections: a man will neither deſire, nor joy in what he is weary of: and if the ſtrength of the ſoul be denied, the ſtrength of the body alſo will be denied, and that ſervice which hath neither ſtrength of ſoul, nor ſtrength of body, muſt needs be weak ſervice.

2. As it is contrary to the ſpirit:

1. To the nature of it, which is a ſpirit of liberty and freedom, a ſpirit of deſire and delight, a ſpirit of Adoption, oppoſed to a ſpirit of bondage, Rom. 8.15. The ſpirit of a childe, which a ſpirit of love: a childe doth his fathers commands p. 351with deſire and delight, he loves his father, joyes in him, therefore in his commands: 2 Cor. 9.7. God loves a cheerfull giver; wearines being contrary to the ſpirit, muſt needs damp that, hinder the aſſiſtance of it in worſhip.

2. To the work of it: 2 Cor. 3.17. Where the ſpirit of the Lord is, there is liberty: ſin is compared to cords: Prov. 5.22. to a ſnare, 2 Tim. 2.26. becauſe it takes away a mans liberty and free will unto that which is good; when God calls a man to any duty, his will is not in his own power, he is not able to move thereto, no not in deſire, God therefore is ſaid to work the will: Phil. 2.13. there is no will till God work it. But when the ſpirit of God comes into the heart, it breaks the p. 352cords 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 paſſe? ver. 1. We do you to wit of the grace of God beſtowed upon the Churches of Macedonia: their outward bounty proceeded from abundance of grace within: 1 Cor. 15.10. I laboured mort abundantly then they all; yet not I, but the grace of God in me: abundant labour and wearines are contrary, but the grace of the ſpirit makes a man labour abundantly; wearines therefore being contrary to the work of the ſpirit, muſt needs weaken the work of it, and ſo the ſervice of God.

3. To the teſtimony of it: p. 353the Word of God is the teſtimony of the ſpirit, for holy men ſpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoſt: what the word ſaith in this caſe, is the teſtimony of the ſpirit: the word ſaith,

1. That forwardnes unto good duties is our duty, when it ſaith, Christ hath purified unto himſelf a people Zealous of good works, Tit. 2.14. Hath Chriſt been at coſt and pains to make us pure for that end, and are we not bound to endeavour unto that end? he hath laid it as a duty upon Miniſters, to put their people in minde that they be ready unto every good work, Tit. 3.1. That they charge ſuch as have ability, to be ready to communicate, willing to diſtribute, 1 Tim. 6.17, 18. a ſigne, that not onelyonly the duties themſelves p. 354are our duties, but readines and willingnes therein alſo.

2. The word ſaith, that cheerfullnes in duty is Gods delight; 2 Cor. 9.7. He loveth a cheerfull giver: Iſa. 64.5. The Lord cannot as it were contain himſelf, till the ſoul come to him, that worketh righteouſnes with joy, but he will go to meet him; as we out of joy cannot contain our ſelves, but we muſt runne to meet them we delight in, when we eſpy them comming towards us.

3. The word ſaith, that the waies of wiſdom are waies of pleaſantnes, and all her paths are peace, …rov. 3.17. Chriſts yoke is eaſy, his burden is light, Matth. 11.30. The Commandements of God are not grievous, 1 Joh. 5.3.

p. 3554. The word ſaith, that forwardnes and delight in good actions, is beneficiall: 2 Cor. ….6. He that ſoweth bountifully, ſhall reap bountifully, full handed works ſhall have full handed reward: 1 Cor. 15.58. alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour ſhall not be in vain in the Lord: If the Lord be the rewarder, the moſt abundant ſervice ſhall not want a reward; wearines doth contrary the ſeverall branches of this teſtimony of the ſpirit. Is willing and cheerfull ſervice our duty? wearines denies it. If it be our duty to be willing and obedient, why are we weary? Where is our obedience? Is God delighted with cheerfull ſervice? wearines denies it. Who would be weary of that, which is Gods delight? of that which p. 356is ſo good, that it joys God himſelf? Is the way of God an eaſy pleaſant way? wearines denies it. Who is weary of eaſe nd pleaſantnes? Is the way of God a beneficiall way? wearines ſaith to the contrary. Who is weary of benefit? wearines therefore doth make the ſpirit of God a liar, which unworthy dealing muſt needs hinder the ſpirit in the heart.

4. To the honour of the ſpirit of God: wearines doth caſt reproach and diſhonour upon the ſpirit in two things.

1. As if it did not diſpoſe and fit them inwardly whom it ſets awork, as if it did not work the will in them, by whom it requires the work to be wrought: for what is the ground of wearines in the perſon, but unfitnes, unſuitablenes unto p. 357the work: and is it not a diſhonour to the ſpirit, to ſet unfit perſons to work? Are we not his workmanſhip unto good works? he doth inwardly faſhion us thereunto; ſhould a man go to work with an inſtrument, and not firſt fit it with hand and edge? ſhould it not ſhame him? wearines ſaith, that God takes up unhandled, unedged inſtruments to do his work; which is a diſhonour to him.

2. Wearines of good duties doth caſt diſhonour upon the ſpirit, as if his work had wearying properties, and ſo were worſe then Satans work, or our own work, which do not ſo weary. Wearying properties are theſe three; Hardnes, Harſhnes, Hurtfullnes. Why doth a work weary, but becauſe it is p. 358hard and difficult, doth coſt much pains and labour, more then can well be afforded, or is harſh, unpleaſant, uncomfortable, or is hurtfull, no profit, no benefit in the ſame, but the contrary? Thus wearines ſaith of the work the ſpirit of God doth ſet us about, which muſt needs be a diſhonour to the ſpirit of God, who is the beſt maſter, therefore appointeth the beſt wo…k, contrary to his wiſdom, goodnes, juſtice: Will it ſtand with his wiſdom, to ſet us about work too hard for us? Will it ſtand with his goodnes, to ſet us about evil work? No work but evil work is wholly uncomfortable: Will it ſtand with his juſtice, to make us labour in vain, and to no profit? Hath he not promiſed to the contrary? And is he not righteous p. 359to make good his promiſe? yet wearines doth at ſame time caſt diſhonour upon the wiſdom, goodnes, and juſtice of the ſpirit: and muſt not ſuch diſhonour hinder the work of the ſpirit in the heart?

3. Wearines doth weaken our fervent worſhipping of God, as it doth diſpoſe and fit us for the work of ſin and Satan in Gods worſhip, which will weaken the worſhip we perform. Wearines doth diſpoſe us for the work of corruption: a weary ſoul is fit for wandring thoughts, and wandring affections: a weary body is fit for change of objects, fot new ſights and ſounds, it is naturall to man to ſeek refreſhment elſewhere when he is weary. Corruption doth alwaies work in holy duties to hinder us in the p. 360ſame, but when the man is weary, it works with advantage, he is in a corrupt temper, fit for corruption, now it may prevail more then at another time. Wearines fits us for Satans work, for his inward ſuggeſtions, for his preſenting of objects to withdraw us; the heart is weary, therefore fit for new work; there is ſmall ability to reſiſt him, and he walketh to and fro, ſeeking whom he may devoure, a great part of his work is to watch advantage againſt us. When we are at beſt he will hinder us, much more when we are ſo fit to be hindred.

4. Wearines doth weaken our fervent worſhipping of God, as it produceth certain other effects, both in opinion and affection.

p. 3611. In opinion, it makes a man think the worſhip of God evil, if not in it ſelf, yet to him, at leaſt at this particular time: what a man is weary of, he apprehends to be an evil to him, for no man is weary of good and ſuitable good, for ſuitable good is delightſome, therefore not weariſom.

2. In affection.

1. Wearines makes a man deſire the end of the work, rather then the work: what a man is weary of, he would have finiſhed, that his wearines might be at an end; for whilſt the work continueth, wearines doth continue, and increaſe.

2. It makes a man deſire to change the preſent ſervice for ſome other imployment, a weary man would have new work to take away his wearines, and p. 362to bring him contrary comfort and delight. Can that be fervent ſervice, which a man thinks to be evil? the end whereof he more deſireth then the doing of it? which he would change for any other imployment? ſuch ſervice doth wearines make.

Queſt. It may be ſaid you told us lately, what ſome cauſes are of the wearines of the body in Gods ſervice: tell us now what the cauſes of the wearines of the ſoul are in the ſame ſervice of God?

Anſw. 1. Remnants of corruption, which do alwaies ſtrive to draw the ſtrength of the minde and affections another way, and ſometimes do prevail by our careleſſenes, and Satans watchfullnes. Thus David, when he was acted by corruption, having looked too much p. 363upon the worlds proſperity, and his own affliction, without reflecting upon the end of both, he was ready to throw off all the ſervice of God, Pſ. 73.13. Verily I have cleanſed my heart in vain, and waſhed mine hands in innocency: if all the fruit of his piety be affliction, and all the fruit of the worlds prophanenes be proſperity, then hath David ſpent a deal of labour in vain, and it is time to make an end: but this was the faulſe ſuggeſtion of corruption: ſo Jer. 28.8, 9. When he was mocked and reproached daily for his miniſtery, he ſaid, he would make mention of the Lords name no more, he grew weary of his miniſtery, if he could ſee no better fruit of his labour, but reproach, he would give it over but then he was acted by corruption, as appears p. 364by his bitter curſing the day of his birth Thus the godly have ſometimes their ſpirituall ſick ſits, and ſo are ſpiritually weary of ſpirituall things.

More particularly.

1. Ignorance of the inward worth and excellency of Gods worſhip and ſervice. So much know; ſo much deſire and delight, and no more; we cannot deſire and delight in what we know not, for ſo we might deſire and delight in evil as ſoon, and as much as in good, which cannot be: we do but little know the good of Gods worſhip, and ſo can but little delight in it, and where is but little delight, will be wearines.

2. Imperfect ſuitablenes of ſoul to Gods worſhip: ſuitablenes and agreement is the cauſe p. 365of deſire and delight: Amos 3.3. Can two walk together except they be agreed? Can they deſire and delight in one anothers company, unleſſe they ſuit and agree in diſpoſition? Prov. 27.19. As in water face anſwereth to face, ſo doth the heart of man to man. Why doth a man love ſome particular man with a more inward, free, ſtrong love? becauſe, (as in water face anſwereth to face) a man may ſee the image of his face in water: the repreſented face hath the likenes of the true face; So a man ſees the image and repreſentation of his own affections and diſpoſitions in ſome more then in others, he ſees himſelf in him, and every man loves himſelf more then others, and conſequently ſuch men, in whom he ſees himſelf more then in others: Pſal. 40.8. p. 366The more ſuitablenes and agreement, the more deſire and delight: we are but in a ſmall meaſure ſuitable to the worſhip of God, becauſe the Image of God is but in part renewed in us, and if there be but a meaſure of likenes in us to Gods worſhip, there will be but a meaſure of delight, and therefore wearines preſent; likenes alone doth exclude wearines: beſide there will be a meaſure of unlikenes, and that naturally cauſeth wearines.

3. Immoderate deſire and delight in other things, even lawfull callings, occaſions, and comforts, ſo in my text. Why are they weary of the new Moon and of the Sabbath? the reaſon is rendred, That we may ſell corne, and ſet forth wheat: and why ſhould they ſell corn? p. 367that they might gather riches. When they were in the midſt of Gods worſhip, they had a greater deſire and delight to their callings and worldly buſines, the ſtrength of their ſouls went that way, therefore they were weary of Gods worſhip.

4. So much earthly converſe with our callings and earthly occaſions, I ſay earthly converſe, after the manner of men, who are altogether earthly, for it is not the uſe of our callings that draw our hearts from heaven to earth, but the manner of our uſe of them, when we do not ſet awork grace in them, do not uſe them as an appointed way, to fit us for Gods worſhip, and therefore watch our hearts, that they be not drawn too much unto the things we p. 368have to do with. We do not uſe them with fear, leſt there be a ſnare in them, we do not uſe them with dependance upon God, with ſtrife againſt our naturall earthly mindednes, therefore they ſteal away our hearts.

5. Over-length of duties: there is but a meaſure of deſire, and delight in us, therefore duties ſhould have but a ſet time: in heaven, when our affections ſhall be perfect, there ſhall be no time to meaſure duties by, but they ſhall be immeaſurable. The meaſure of the affections is regulated by judgement and diſcretion, when therefore duties are drawn out beyond diſcretion, they are burdenſom or indiſcretion: beſide, the ſoul hath other occaſions to attend beſide Gods worſhip, even on the p. 369Lords day, works of mercy and neceſſity: if therefore time be taken up, ſo that convenient time is not reſerved for theſe, the ſoul growes weary, becauſe it cannot do all its work: ſo in a family, duties are then weariſom, when they do not conſiſt with our particular callings.

6. Abſence of the all-filling and quickning ſpirit. It is the ſpirit that quickneth, the fleſh profiteth nothing, the words that I ſpeak unto you, they are ſpirit and life, Joh. 6.63. As the body is dead without the ſpirit, ſo the Ordinances without Gods quickning ſpirit, it muſt both quicken our deſire and delight, and ſtirre up the good of the Ordinances, Pſal. 84.10, 11. David exceedingly prizeth a door in Gods houſe: why? p. 370the Lord is a ſunne: when there is ſuch a preſence of God that is both light and heat to diſcover the good in the Ordinances, and to warm our hearts therewith, then are they delightfull, 2 Cor. 3.18. When the ſpirit ſhews us the face of God, peace, comfort, grace, in the glaſſe of the promiſe, and ſo reflects the ſunne upon us, that whilſt we behold Gods favour, we are at peace with him; whilſt we behold his grace, we are made gracious; whilſt we behold his comfort, we are made comfortable, then are the Ordinances delightfull, but if the ſpirit be abſent, there is no affection ſtirring.

Vſe. This Doctrine doth manifeſt, Firſt, that God hath but weak ſervice at the hands of the moſt, weak praying, weak p. 371hearing, becauſe but weary ſervice. But becauſe all will ſay they come willingly and cheerfully to Gods worſhip: I will ſhew by ſeverall inſtances, as ſo many arguments, that the moſt are weary of Gods ſervice, ſome whereof will fall upon ſome, and others upon others, and one or other upon the moſt.

1. That comming after the beginning of Gods worſhip, and going away before the end of it, which I blamed heretofore, as an act of deſpiſing of Gods worſhip, will prove wearines in this place. Were it matter of delight, Gods worſhip, then the more of it, the more delight, the ſooner men come, the longer they ſtay, the more delight, if men come with the firſt, and ſtay with the p. 372laſt, they ſhall have more delight: but if it be a burden, the leſſe of it, the more delight. Were man to go to a delightfull recreation, they would be there with the firſt, and ſtay with the laſt, upon this ground, leſt they ſhould loſe part of their delight; let not men ſay, they have many hinderances when they ſhould come, and they have many things to haſten them when they ſhould go home, for delight would break thorow hinderances, and make a man forget what would take him off. Do not men forget their meat and ſleep, when they are about pleaſant occaſions? And were the worſhip of God delighfull, men would forget their occaſions at home, till the worſhip of God be ended.

p. 3732. That allowance of the forenoon only on the Lords day to the worſhip of God, and reſervation of the afternoon, by ſome, which is a clipping of the Kings coin of heaven, for the Sabbath is the Lords day, in a ſpeciall reſpect: all the dayes of the week are Gods, in reſpect of creation, and end, but the Sabbath is the Lords, as the Kings coin is his, it bears the Lords image of holines, it is an holy day, ſet apart from common uſe unto Gods worſhip, to take away the afternoon of that therefore, is to clip the Kings coin, yea though a man ſhould ſpend ſo much time in private reading, as he is wont to ſpend in publike worſhip: ſeeing therefore there is ſuch variety of Gods Ordinances, ſuch convenient time of reſt and refreſhing between p. 374the forenoon and afternoon exerciſe, and due and timely finiſhing of the afternoon exerciſe, what but wearines doth keep men from it? Nay, many do take ſo liberally of Gods good creatures on that day (which moſt will have on that day, more then any other, though it be fit for very few bodies) that their bodies are made unfit to performe Gods ſervice. Suppoſe the day be cold, or rainy, as it doth ſometimes fall out on that day, and it may be to try whether that will keep men away: would not delight break thorow? will not men do the like for their callings and recreations?

3. That haſty, hearty and full ſpeech of the world and worldly occaſions on the Lords day, in ſome, when the ſervice p. 375of God is finiſhed morning and evening, as if the Sabbath were a market day, a day of bargening, paying, receiving, rather then of worſhipping of God or ſeeking the good of the ſouls of men. If the Sabbath be holy, then nothing muſt be ſpoken or done that day but what is directly holy, or done directly for an holy end, to further Gods worſhip, to helpe our hearts. Were not men weary of holy duties, would they ſo ſoon be gotten to earthly occaſions? would they be ſo hot and fervent in the ſame? would there not be ſome remembrance of the duties newly paſt, but that men lay aſide a burden when they finiſh them?

4. The neglect of all private duties by ſome on the Lords day. If they were not tired p. 376with, and weary of Gods publike worſhip, would they not pray in their families? ſpeak ſomething of the word they have heard, though it were the leſſe, the Sabbath being appointed only for holy duties? But if a man ſhould go from family to family, how few ſhould he finde that pray on the Lords day night, or ſpeak any thing of the word preached, but ſpend the time in idle talking? a ſigne they have enough of Gods ſervice, are tired therewith.

5. The haſte that ſome make out of the houſe of God into the alehouſe, wherein they can ſit longer then at the worſhip of God. All theſe things which fall upon the moſt, ſome or other of them, do ſhew what weary ſervice. God hath generally p. 377performed, and conſequently weak ſervice.

2. The weak ſervice God hath done him by his own people, for it is weary ſervice, as appeares.

1. In that they are not ſo willing of the approach of the Sabbath, that light is not ſo pleaſant unto them, they think it comes too ſoon, could wiſh it would ſtay a little longer.

2. Their hearts are not ſo chearfull in Gods ſervice, nay, many times the Lords day is the ſaddeſt day in the week, they are more merry before it comes, and when it is gone, then in it.

3. They give too much way to wandring thoughts and affections in holy duties, they are not ſo unpleaſant and burdenſome to them, they do not ſtrive againſt them.

p. 3784. Secret wiſhings and deſires that the Sabbath were gone, to the end they might go about other occaſions.

5. Too much gladnes of the end of the Sabbath, too much eaſe and reſt in their hearts, theſe things ſhew how weak ſervice God hath, becauſe ſo weary.

3. Their ſin that take courſe to weary ſoul and body, ſo as to make them unfit for Gods worſhip, for they take courſe to weaken his worſhip: they that overcharge their bodies with ſurfeting and drunkennes, that overtire them with labour, that ſuffer their affections to run at their will upon earthly things, do take courſe that God might have but poore ſervice: to do God but poore ſervice, is a ſin: but to take courſe that God may have but poore ſervice, is a double p. 379ſinnne, that argues we are willing he ſhould have but weak ſervice, or at leaſt are careleſſe of the ſtrength of his worſhip.

2. To reprove 1. Our generall wearines of Gods worſhip. If we conſider it, it may ſhame us.

1. A ſigne we have loſt Gods creation. Is it likely that God would make creatures on purpoſe for his ſervice, and make them ſo that it ſhould be a burden to them, when it was in his power to make them otherwiſe? Thou art weary of the word, of prayer, canſt reſt no where, doſt continually wiſh the miniſter had done; oh be aſhamed, God did not make thee thus, thou haſt loſt his image, wiped off his ſpot: ſhould a father take paines and be at coſt with a childe, to learn him p. 380the skill of ſome trade, and he ſhould have loſt it when he ſhould come to exerciſe it, would he not be aſhamed? thou haſt loſt the skill of ſerving of God, which God gave thee, wherein he was at more paines and coſt, then in making the reſt of his creatures. Me thinks this ſhould make men hang down their heads for ſhame, when they finde themſelves weary of Gods worſhip, they were ſometimes fit to do Gods ſervice, but now unfit.

2. There is no matter of wearines in Gods worſhip, for it is Gods work, therefore all good, God can command but what is good, and in that which is all good is no matter of wearines, Eſai. 43.23. I have not made thee to ſerve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incenſe, p. 381theſe God commanded, but there was no matter of wearines in them, as appeares by the contrary, Thou haſt made me to ſerve with thy ſinnes and wearied me with thine iniquities, in ſinne is matter of wearines. If thou be weary of that which is good, thou haſt Satans image upon thee in meaſure, for that is his image, to be weary of good as good, John 8.44. when he ſpeaketh a lye he ſpeaketh of his own: the Devil can call nothing his own but ſinne and falſhood, 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 wearines in good is the road way unto wearines in, and by evil and affliction; for temporall tiring evil the word of God is expreſſe, Deut. 28.47. p. 38248. becauſe thou ſerveſt not the Lord thy God with joyfullnes and gladnes of heart, for the abundance of all things, thou ſhalt ſerve thine enemies in hunger, and thirſt, and nakednes, and want of all things, and he ſhall put a yoke of iron about thy neck, untill he have deſtroyed thee: they that ſerve God with a weary heart, inſtead of being in the hands of God, a freind, 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, &c. they ſhall have hunger, but no meat to eat, thirſt, but no drink to drink, nakednes, but no clothing to put on, no though they ſerve for it, and ſo deſerve it, a weary condition; p. 383yet if they might have any liberty, it were leſſe matter, but they ſhall put a yoke of iron about thy neck, untill they have deſtroyed thee, a yoak ſhews reſtraint, but an iron yoak ſhews weariſome reſtraint, yea ſo weariſome, as it ſhall bring on death. They that are weary of Gods ſervice, the way of life, muſt make account of weariſome bondage, the way to death. No joy of Gods ſervice who is the God of thy life, no joy of life? Look into the conditions of men that are much weary of Gods worſhip, and ſee if they have not ſome wearying, tiring affliction, like an iron yoak, that they can neither break nor chearfully beare, if God would open their eyes they might ſee herein wearines in Gods worſhip. p. 384A notable example ſee, 2 Chron. 12.1. when Rehoboam was ſtrengthned in his kingdome, 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 Iudah, and to make towards Ieruſalem, 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 Lords 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 kingdomes of the countries. They might have ſerved God, and none elſe, but they would p. 385not, 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 Gods worſhip is the more eaſie yoke, and by ſuch experience be made to delight in it. And for heaven they that are naturally weary of Gods ſervice, muſt never looke to come there, unleſſe their natures be changed, for we pray that we may do Gods will on earth, as they do in heaven, a ſigne all that are in heaven do Gods will chearfully, for were they weary of it, we might not, we need not pray to do it like them, we might not, it were ſinne, we need not, for we can do it wearily of our ſelves, a ſigne alſo, that as we looke to come to heaven to be hereafter as they p. 386are already that are in heaven, we muſt do Gods will chearfully 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, then 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 aske 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 goe to heaven. But your wearines p. 387of Gods worſhip doth ſay to the contrary, heaven ſhall never have you till you be altered, for heaven could not keepe you, if it had you, for you would take no contentment there, for the delights there would increaſe your diſcontent and wearines. The moſt curious and exquiſite muſicke doth incre…ſe the ſadnes 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 p. 388ſervant into utter darkenes, 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 worke a weary worke, therefore he would not meddle with it. Therefore his wages is weariſome, no light, no comfort, utter darknes, weeping, and gnaſhing of teeth.

2. To reprove the godly in ſpeciall, as more blame worthy, in regard of their wearineſſe. Nor doe I mean that wearineſſe which proceeds from infirmitie, which yet may ſhame us, becauſe it is our ſinne, and the fruit of our ſinne, but I mean that wearines which doth proceed p. 389from careleſſenes, 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 ſoules, whilſt they content themſelves with the outward performance of good duties, this is the ſpeciall 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 poorely, 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 p. 390continue 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 groſſe ſumme, as inexpreſſible, ſo God loved the world, John 3.16. He gave his Son, his begotten Son, therefore his own Son, a naturall ſon, his onelyonly 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 Gods wayes of willingnes and delight towards us.

1. When we have wearied him with our ſinnes 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 ſigne p. 391of delight, at that time when our hearts are weary and heavy l…den with our ſinnes, he will pardon and give us reſt, Matth. 1….…8. His abundant willingnes appeares in that,

1. He invit…th us to come to him in our weary condition.

2. He chargeth his Miniſters to urge and preſſe comfort upon us, to take no deniall, Iſai. 40.1.2. Comfort ye, Comfort ye, ſpeake comf…r…ably, ſpeake till they heare, till they be comforted.

3. He giveth his Miniſters the tongue of the learned, to ſpeake 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 ſpeakes peace, he creates peace by his Almighty p. 392power he makes the fruit of the lips of his ſervants, to be peace to the troubled ſoul, as when Eli bid troubled Hannah, Goe in peace, and the Lord grant her petition, ſhe had peace to goe 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 ſatisfie us with the fatnes of his houſe, and make us to drinke of the river of his pleaſures. He gives us the choiſeſt, 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, drinke, p. 393yea drinke abundantly, o beloved! Iſai. 55.3. eat ye that which is good, and let your ſoul delight it ſelfe in fatnes.

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 dwelt 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 greived, Jer. 31.20. His bowels were troubled.

He gives them refreſhing delightfull comforts in their weary conditions, Pſal. 119.92. Gods law was Davids delight, Pſal. 94.19.

p. 394Pſal. 41.3. God doth ſtrengthen them upon the bed of languiſhing, and turne their bed to make it eaſie in ſicknes.

He turnes our mourning into dancing, takes away our ſackcloth, and girdeth us with gladnes, 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 troubl…s and ſorrows, Job 11.16.

4. Theſe wayes of Gods willingnes and delight towards us, are not limited to ſome times of our life, and ſome ſpeciall 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 goodneſſe and mercy ſhall follow me all the dayes of my life, they are therefore ſtiled p. 395ſure mercies, an everlaſting coven…nt, Iſai. 55.3.

Theſe refreſhings 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 wellcome 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 Gods willingnes towards us, with our wearines in his ſervice, that we may the better ſee our ſin, and be filled with ſhame. No work hath that delight, that aſſiſtance, that incouragement, that reward, p. 396yet we are weary. Look back to the daies of our youth, and ſee what delightfull work ſin was, what time, pains ſpent therein. We could finde 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 redreſſe of this wearines in Gods 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 p. 397pleaſe God, I might prevaile 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 our ſelves, be weary of our ſelves, 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 cheerfull 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 Gods ſervice, and chear in it, and it will not, nay cannot yeild it, Rom. 8.7. The carnall minde is enmity p. 398againſt 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 paſſe? their hearts will not ſuffer them, they have no minde, they have no p. 399delight therein; It may be they will ſay they are unable, and that hinders them, but that is but a pretence put upon their unwillingnes, 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 skil, they would firſt pray betwixt God and their own ſouls, they would begge 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 praier out of a book, & after pray of themſelves; what is it that will will not do? Have not men p. 400juſt cauſe to be out of love with themſelves, who naturally have no will unto Gods ſervice. They are willing to do their own works: as here, When will the New moon be gon, that we may ſell corn? they have more minde of ſelling corn then of Gods ſervice, they are willing to do ſins work, Prov. 2.13, 14. evil men do not onelyonly leave the paths of uprightnes, to walk in the waies of darknes, but they rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardnes of the wicked. Are theſe not bad hearts that can delight in any thing but what is beſt? More then thus, our hearts do not onelyonly make us unfit to go to heaven, becauſe they make Gods worſhip a burthen to us, but they make us unwilling to go to Heaven. No unregenerate man can be willing p. 401to 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 Gods ſervice as parted, then they may be willing of Heaven, and not of Gods ſervice: but if you conſider Heaven and Gods ſervice inſeparably knit together, then if he be unwilling of Gods ſervice, he is unwilling of Heaven, becauſe he cannot poſſibly have heaven, but in a way of Gods ſervice: Ruth 4.3, &c. Boaz tells Elimelechs next kinſman, that Naomi ſelleth a parcell of land, that was Elimelechs, and he is p. 402next 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, then 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 Gods 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 witneſſe, that unregenerate men have delighted in the worſhip of God: Iſa. 58.2. They ſeek p. 403me daily, and delight to know my waies, they take delight in approaching to God: Herod heard John Baptiſt gladly, Mark 6.20. The ſtony ground heare the Word with joy, Matth. 13.20.

Anſw. Unregenerate men may have ſome willingnes unto, and delight in the ſervice of God in three caſes.

1. When Gods ſervice is a leading way unto ſome end, that ſuits with corrupt nature, and ſo it is not Gods pure worſhip that they love, but their corrupt end, for they love Gods worſhip no further then ſerves to that corrupt end. Thus Iohn ſhewed 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 p. 404get 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 Gods ſervice, onelyonly 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 p. 405the ſins of Iero…oam, who made Iſrael to ſin, had he deſtroied Baals Idolat…y, becauſe it was Gods will, he would alſo have deſtroied Ieroboams Idolatry, becauſe that alſo was Gods 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. Ieroboam ſaid in his heart, that if the people ſhould go up to the houſe of God to worſhip in Ieruſalem, then their hearts would turne again to the King of Iudah, and then his Kingdom were gon, therefore he made two calves, and put this pretence upon it, It is too much for you to go up to Ieruſalem, but his intent was, to preſerve the Kingdom to himſelf, and ſo it is likely, that p. 406Iehu let them alone, in the ſame policy, for he ſpared them out of the unſoundnes 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 meeknes may delight in a Sermon of peace, peace, may be refreſhed with ſmooth, ſoft, milde, quiet preaching. A temperate man may joy in a Sermon that is tart and bitter againſt drunkenneſſe, uncleannes: the liberall man may delight in ſevere preaching againſt covetouſnes: a man muſically affected, may delight in ſinging Pſalms, becauſe theſe things p. 407ſuit with their diſpoſitions. The gifts of Miniſters may have an affecting pleaſingnes, they may expreſſe their mindes 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, &c. Ezek. 33.32. So many, no doubt, may be very forward to Gods 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 ſigne they made account of that, and aimed p. 408chiefly 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 doe not onelyonly 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 Gods 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

p. 4091. A work of illumination, giving ſome clear diſcerning of that good is in Gods worſhip, more then in any other imployment, and the apprehenſion of ſuch good, whileſt it laſteth, will ſomewhat ſtirre the affection.

2. Awaking and exciting the conſcience to do its office, which by promiſes of good, on the one hand, and threatnings 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 Gods worſhip, and to be willing unto it, a duty which God will reward, the contrary p. 410whereto God will puniſh, it may forcibly compell, 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 liquour, and taſteth the ſweetnes 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 ſweetnes of his worſhip, doth ſo make their affections, and the good of the Ordinances to meet, that they feel and taſte a ſweetnes, 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 p. 411of Heaven. But this work of the ſpirit, making unregenerate men willing to, and cheerfull in the worſhip of God, is rather a work upon them, then in them, a forced work, not naturall, rather a flaſh, then a fire of affection. The affections are lifted up, not altered and changed, acted onelyonly 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 ſuitablenes of the affection to that which is good, as in the godly. If this were well conſidered, that mens 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 p. 412them from pride in beauty, and trimming their bodies, conſidering there is no part of the body but gives it ſelf away to ſin, and is wholly unwilling to beſtow it ſelf 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 onelyonly can affect their hearts with Gods worſhip, for Gods 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 fulfill all my will. David was therefore fit to fulfill all Gods will, becauſe his heart was after Gods own heart: and what this is to be after Gods own p. 413heart, we ſhall know, if we conſider David expreſſing his willingnes 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 Gods heart, an heart adorned with the good law of God? Till thou have this heart, thou canſt not from within taſte ſweetnes in, and readily come unto the worſhip of God. Oh therefore thou that findeſt thy ſelf in an unregenerate condition, and the worſhip of God a burden to thee, go to God, tell him that indeed it was his goodnes to make thee after his image in Adam, when thou couldeſt willingly and p. 414cheerfully 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 perſwade them to grow out of love with themſelves, and in love with the Image of God, as the way to grow in love with Gods worſhip, and ſo to remedy their wearines; let me now turn my ſpeech to the people of God, who are ſenſible of wearines, bear it as a burden, and would gladly be rid of it, and that upon p. 415this ground, which they are well aware of, becauſe it hinders them in Gods worſhip. Let me firſt exhort, and then direct them to get rid of this wearines 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, Wearineſſe makes us perform weak ſervice unto God, which every childe 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 minde, that before God brought us home to him, we did the work of ſin both willingly and cheerfully, Eph. 2.3. The Apoſtle p. 416ſaith 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 our ſelves were ſometimes fooliſh, diſobedient, deceived, ſerving divers luſts and pleaſures, not onelyonly had we to do with ſinfull 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 cheerfull ſervice as ever ſervant did his Maſter. The Holy Ghoſt ſpeaking in the language p. 417of young men, that will not be reclaimed from their ſinfull waies, ſaith, Let thine heart chear thee in the daies of thy youth, and walk in the waies of thine heart; not onelyonly doe young men and others walk in the waies 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 ſhewed our ſelves fools by making a ſport of ſin, of Sabbath breaking, of filthy ſpeaking, of cruell exerciſes, as bear-baiting, cock-fighting, men quarrelling, and the like? Have we not gon merrily from the Church on the Lords day, unto ſome unlawfull p. 418meeting, and ſinfull recreation?

2. Adde hereto, that we had no deſire or delight in any good, ſin had not ſome of our will and joy onelyonly, but all of both: Gods ſervice had none at all, no not a ſmall meaſure. It may be we forced our ſelves 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 ſigne what our will was to ſuch courſes. It was that lay heavy upon Paul after his converſion, that he perſecuted the Church, ſpake ill of them, and did ill to them, and that for p. 419well doing, and that with zeal, abundance of willingnes 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 onelyonly perſecute them for well doing, but he did it with zeal, with an ardent affection. This is the deſcription of all unregener…te men: Tit. 1.16. They are unto every good work reprobate, not onelyonly doth God reject them, and make no account of them, when they come to doe any religious work, but they alſo in their own natures are ſit to reject and to caſt away, rather then to embrace, and to do what is good, and not ſome good works onelyonly, that are moſt difficult and ſpirituall, but every good work … Amos 3.10. p. 420They know not to do right (ſaith the Lord) they have neither skill nor will to do right.

3. Adde to both, the time ſpent in willing and cheerfull ſervice of ſin: moſt of us have ſpent more time then we have to ſpend in the ſervice of God: vve know vvhat is paſt, and that much is paſt, but vve know not hovv little is to come. Put all together. Have vve vvillingly and cheerfully ſerved ſin, vvhen vve had no vvill at all to good, and that longer time, for ought vve knovv, then vve have to ſpend in Gods ſervice: and ſhall vve doe God vveak ſervice? What? after vve have ſerved ſin vvith our ſtrength, ſhall vve allovv our ſelves in ſuch poor ſervice unto God, as vve vvould not put off ſinne vvith? What? conſidering that p. 421the time of ſinnes ſervice is paſt, and therefore ſure, but the time of Gods ſervice is uncertain, becauſe to come, ſhall we proclaim to all the world that ſinne was a better maſter then God, by our more weariſome ſervice of God then ſin?

2. Let us conſider time preſent, and therein two things.

1. God hath put into us a principle of willingnes and cheerfullnes in his ſervice, a new nature, which wants nothing but ſtirring up, and improving, and we ſhould be more affectionate and lively in Gods ſervice; this appeares in that the Apoſtle calls upon Timothy, 2 Tim. 1.6. to ſtirre 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 p. 422would flame, Heb. 12.1. He calls upon the godly to lay aſide every weight, and the ſinne that doth ſo eaſily beſet them, and runne with patience the race ſet before them; there is in them an active and cheerfull diſpoſition, a joyfull running in the race of godlineſſe, were the cloggs of ſinne 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 cheerfull therefore in Gods ſervice, is careleſſenes, want of taking paines: and doth not that make our ſinne much greater?

2. We do expect that God p. 423ſhould willingly and cheerfully meet us, and do us good in his ordinances, if we want counſell, comfort, grace, proviſion, ſafety. The godly have not onelyonly prayed to God in caſe of their neceſſity, but they have added their deſire, that God would not keepe ſilence, but when they have ſpoken to him in prayer, that he would ſpeake again to them by his ſpirit, word, and providence; when they have ſpoken their troubles, that he would ſpeake comfort; when they have ſpoken their doubts, that he would ſpeake counſell; when they have ſpoken their wants of grace, that he would ſpeake ſupply. When God hath withdrawn himſelf from his people, though ſeeking him in his Ordinances, they have been exceedingly p. 424troubled, Cant. 5.6. did not the ſpouſe faint becauſe ſhee could not finde her beloved when ſhee ſought him? Pſal. 44.24. doth not the Church thinke that God forgets her oppreſſion and affliction? forgets how ill matters goe 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 ſhews they deſired that what God did for them, he would do it cheerfully and willingly, for ſlacknes is uſually a ſigne of unwillingnes. Nay, when the occaſion of their praying hath been ſome temporall outward affliction preſent, they have begged p. 425the favour of God, as if that had been the onelyonly thing wanted, Pſal. 80.3. It was ſalvation from enemies that the Church deſired, but ſhee 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 hide his face, that God would cauſe him to heare his loving kindnes in the morning, which ſhews whatſoever God ſhould do for them, whether preventing of evil, or removing of evil, they deſire God would do it lovingly and heartily, and the love wherewith he doth it, doth them more good then the mercy it ſelf. It is the frame of the heart of the p. 426godly 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 then the mercy; and ſhall we come off heavily with the ſervices we perform to him? What equity is in this, God muſt do our mindes and deſires cheerfully, and we his minde, wearily? do we more deſire and value the Lords love then his mercies, and will not the Lord looke 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 heartily, but to let all go from us to God grudgingly.

3. Conſider the time to come, and therein alſo 2. things.

1. We looke for heaven p. 427hereafter, and for heaven as wages and recompence: Moſes had reſpect to the recompence 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 unwillingnes. Work done unwi…lingly we wiſh undone, rather then 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 fowles of heaven that pick up the ſeed ſown by the high way ſide; the Devil prays, ye ſhall finde him at prayers upon his knees in the goſpels; it is the will that makes the difference. p. 428The 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, &c. 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 minde, though p. 429it be done for by ends, yet God will recompenſe it with temporall ſavours. Iehu 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 kingdome ſure to him for after time, yet becauſe he did it heartily, God promiſed his children ſhould ſit upon the throne to the fourth generation, 2 Kings 10.30. Nebuchadnezzar did accompliſh Gods 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 loſſe, 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 p. 430their 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, almes, but our willing and cheerfull performance of the ſame, for we do no more any work then 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 willingnes and heartines, ſo much bounty; and ſo much p. 431as men give conſtrainedly, and grudgingly, ſo much ſparing and covetouſnes. We may therefore increaſe, or diminiſh, make more, or make leſſe our reward in heaven, by our cheerfull 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 awork in any action, is the worke 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 p. 432action, 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 our ſelves; 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 joyn 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 willingnes unto the duty, it doth ſet awork the body, the body only doth the work, it doth not ſet awork the ſoul; indeed in it's working it may encreaſe the willingnes of the ſoul, but cannot begin the duty, lead p. 433the ſoul, ſet awork 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 then according to the will, then 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 p. 434the rich men, caſting in their gifts into the treaſury, this widow hath caſt in more then they all, not more in quantity in the outward work, but more in the will: if therefore the outward work of the poor be leſſe then that of the rich, yet if the will be more, the work is more, and ſo the recompence ſhall be more.

The ſecond argument to perſwade the godly to remedy this wearines, is drawn from conſideration of the evil of wearines, and the benefit of delight in Gods ſervice. The evil of wearines we may finde in the chapter where my text is, the evil threatned to the ſinnes of that chapter whereof this is one: ſee this evil laid down in three degrees.

1. Change of joy into ſorrow, p. 435yea the greateſt joy into ſorrow, verſ. 3. what greater joy then the joy of the Temple, under the old Teſtament, when there was ſuch variety of inſtruments of Muſick, which, being commanded by God, were aſſiſted to increaſe the joy of his people? to have theſe ſongs ſilent is a ſadnes, but to have them turned into howlings, makes much more ſorrow, verſ. 10. To have the ordinary dayes of Gods people turned into mourning, and their ordinary mirth into lamentation is heavy, but to have their ſeaſt-dayes, dayes 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, p. 436as he ſaith, verſ. 10. I will make it as the mourning of an onelyonly ſon, and the end thereof as a bitter day, it ſhall be a mourning with a witnes.

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 ſunne to go down at noon, and darken the earth in the clear day: for the ſunne to go down at night is no ſtrange thing, but to go down at noon, p. 437who expects that? to have the earth darkned in a clear day, vvho doth look for it? ſo here, vvhen their ſunne ſhall be at the height, their joy at the greateſt, vvhen their day ſhall be moſt clear, and likely ſo to continue, yet then their ſunne ſhall ſet, and their day darken, their joy ſhall turne into ſorrow.

3. The kinde of evil that ſhall cauſe this ſorrow ſhall aggravate it: vvere it ſome outward affliction, that, in it, the ſoul might be ſafe, though uncomfortable, it vvere leſſe matter; but it ſhall be ſuch an affliction, vvherein the ſoul ſhall neither be comfortable nor ſafe, a famine of hearing the vvords of the Lord, a ſcarcity of that vvorſhip, they have been vveary of, which evil is many wayes aggravated.

p. 4381. 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 ſpirituall hunger together vvith food, it vvere ſomething, but they ſhall hunger and thirſt, be pinched and pained ſpiritually, finde, it may be, more emptines and inward gnawings of ſpirit, then when they had the meanes.

3. Might they with little adoe, doe, and ſome ſmall paines be ſupplyed, it were leſſe matter, but they ſhall take weary paines, wander from ſea to ſea, runn to and fro: they were weary of going to a ſet place of Gods worſhip, but now they ſhall wander to and fro, go to ſeek it they know not whither, places p. 439unlikely as well as likely, they were weary of going to Gods worſhip, though had with eaſe, but now they ſhall runne to and fro, weary themſelves with taking paines.

4. Might they finde what they ſeek with paines taking, they ſhould finde reſt after paines t…king, but they ſhall not finde it, after their paines taking, they ſhall ſtill be to ſeek, which makes the evil more heavy, becauſe remediles. Let the godly feare and tremble leſt their wearines of Gods worſhip bring this evil, the change of greateſt joy into greateſt ſorrow, and that when we leaſt exp ct it, and which is moſt of all, by the irrecoverable loſſe of that worſhip of God we have been weary of.

Touching the benefit of delight p. 440in Gods worſhip, on the contrary, the 112. Pſal. will inform us, where the man that feareth the Lord, and delighteth greatly in his commandements is pronounced a happy man. And becauſe outward bleſſings do carry the greateſt ſhew of happines to the eyes of men, therefore the holy ghoſt doth eſpecially inſiſt upon them, they may be ranked to three heads.

1. Injoyment 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 graciouſneſſe, mercy, righteouſnes, diſcretion to improve well his riches, giving unto ſome, lending unto others.

2. Eſtabliſhment and firmnes p. 441of eſtate, verſ. 3.9. his righteneſſe 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 onelyonly, but a ſetled condition.

3. Succeſſion of theſe mercies to his ſeed and poſterity, verſ. 2. his children ſhall come into his place and mercies, be heires of his bleſſings, that a man may ſee and ſay his ſeed is bleſſed, Pſal. 37.26.

2. Change of darkenes into light, verſ. 4. He may be in darkenes, in affliction, but that ſhall not alwayes continue, light ſhall ariſe, and as vvhen the morning is at the darkeſt, the light breaks out, ſo vvhen they and others think the night vvill alwayes continue, they ſhall periſh in darknes, then ſhall light p. 442break out, Iſa. 58.10. as chear hath ariſen in his heart in the difficulties of Gods ſervice, ſo light ſhall ariſe in the darkneſſe of his condition.

3. Eſtabliſhment of heart againſt ſeares of evil, verſ. 6, 7, 8. tidings of evil may come to his eare, but his heart ſhall be armed againſt them, to keep it's preſent temper, it ſhall be fixed, eſtabliſhed, he ſhall be confident of Gods preſervation, in whoſe ſervice he hath delighted, he ſhall rather ſee his deſire upon his enemies, then 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 p. 443the wearineſſe of the ſoul?

Anſ. Two things are this way uſefull.

1. Generally, labour to be more ſuitable to Gods worſhip, get increaſe of grace, Prov. 21.15. It is joy to the juſt to do judgment, judgment 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 Gods worſhip, were we more holy, ſpirituall, 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 commandements, and his commandements are not greivous: love to God makes the commandements p. 444of God good, pleaſant, eaſie, love takes away the difficulty of an action, and makes it delightfull.

2. Labour the increaſe of perfection of heart, theſe two go together 1 Chron. 28.9. ſerve him with a perfect heart and willing minde, the more perfect the heart is, in regard of Gods 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 rejoyced 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 uprightnes of heart, theſe two go together, 1 Chron. 29.17. when we deſire and delight in the worſhip of God, for by reſpects p. 445or affections will vary, be more or leſſe, according to thoſe reſpects, but when we deſire and delight in the worſhip of God for right ends, the purity thereof, Pſal. 119.140. Gods command, Gods glory, theſe will ever continue the ſame to draw our affections.

2. Frequently exerciſe Gods worſhip, communion doth increaſe affection, hereby we ſhall ſee more the good of Gods worſhip, and feel the ſweetnes of it. Vſe 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 fitter ſhall we be for family worſhip, and the more we p. 446worſhip God in our families, the ſitter we ſhall be for publike worſhip?

Queſt. 2. How may we remedy the wearines of our bodies.

Anſ. By the exerciſe of Temperance governed by watchfulnes, 1 Theſ. 5.6. watch and be ſober. This watchfull, adviſed, obſervant Temperance, muſt be exerciſed about

Sleep.

Diet.

Labour.

Recreation.

Some leſſe ſleep makes fitter for Gods worſhip, ſome more, ſome are more apt by leſſe food ſome by more, ſome more labour makes fitter, ſome leſſe, we muſt carefully obſerve, and accordingly order our ſelves, too much recreation will make the body altogether ſenſuall, and ſo p. 447looſe 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 Gods worſhip, and truſt them elſe where, for the ſoul is more apt to be weary in Gods worſhip, and leſſe weary in other works, and the body is more apt to be weary in other works, and leſſe in Gods worſhip; the ſoul is more weary of Gods worſhip; becauſe it hath leſſe diſpoſednes thereto, and it is more ſpirituall, and ſo lieth heavier upon the ſoul, it is leſſe weary of other works, becauſe it hath more diſpoſednes unto them, and they are more bodily, and do not ſo lye upon the p. 448ſpirit, the body is more weary of other worke, becauſe they take more of the body, leſſe weary of Gods worſhip, becauſe it is more ſpirituall, and doth not ſo preſſe upon the body: ſuſpect therefore the complaints of the body in Gods 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, then it willingly would. This is not cruelty, but mercy to our bodies, to conſtrain them to Gods …ervice, and that in ſome proportion to their ſervice of ſin.

3. There is a neceſſity of beating down the body, if we p. 449mean it ſhould be helpfull 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.