The Cure of Distractions, Text (1 of 4)

The Cure of Distractions · Text (1 of 4)

p. 1THE CURE OF DISTRACTIONS IN ATTENDING upon GOD.

1 Cor. 7. 35. lat. part. That you may Attend upon the Lord without Diſtraction.

THE Apoſtle Paul had a great and fervent zeal for the honour of God, that he might have ſuch attendance as he Commands; and which moſt rightfully appertains to a Lord ſo great, and good; unto whom, both Heaven and Earth do owe all Service p. 2and Obedience. The Apoſtle alſo manifeſts an extraordinary care of the Souls of Men; that they might not fail to give that Attendance which is enjoyned them as their Duty: and is alſo their advantage, honour, and ſecurity. The thoughts, the hearts, the endeavours of all, ſhould run this way; as to a matter of the mightieſt importance and concernment. Here if we are undiſtractedly ſerious and ſincere, all is ſafe; and that both throughout time, and to Eternity. But if Attendance upon God be either neglected, or negligently given, though we are never ſo intent and induſtrious about other things, our Souls and all our labour will be loſt together.

In this Chapter a little before the Text, the Apoſtle admoniſhes the Corinthian Saints of the ſhortneſs of time, of the tranſitorineſs of this preſent World; and then informs them, what kind of Attendance upon himſelf, God required, and expected from them.

1. His Admonition concerning Time is ſtartling, foreign, Time is contracted to a little ſpace. An alluſion here is to Sails, which are no longer ſpread, but bound up when the Ship is juſt come to the Harbour. The word foreign alſo ſignifies to wind up a Body in Grave clothes, p. 3that it may be fit for the Sepulchre. Time is thus ready to be wound up continually, and to be buried as it were in Eternity: compared with this, 'tis but as a drop to the whole Ocean: and this very drop is ever wasting. Time is a ſhort thing; in a continual Flux; and every moment growing ſhorter. Other things are of the leſs value, becauſe they can be enjoyed but a little while: the Epithet Temporal, or laſting only for a ſeaſon, being added to the greateſt Wealth, the higheſt Pleaſures, nay, to Diadems and Kingdoms, makes them fall in the eſteem of a diſcerning Judgment. But the worth of Time is enhanced by the brevity of it. The day of Salvation, the accepted time in which we, and our attendance upon God, may be accepted of, cannot extend beyond the limits of the time of life. Now we muſt make Peace with God, work out our own Salvation, and provide for Eternity; this muſt be done now or never: There is not a moment of time but is too good to be lost; there is Service and work enough to do in it: and to loſe all our time, is everlaſtingly to loſe our ſelves.

2. The Apoſtle ſpeaks of the Worlds tranſitorineſs, foreign, the faſhion of the World paſſes away. Mammon is p. 4but a ſorry Maſter; and really is unworthy of that numerous attendance, and mighty reſpect which is given to him. Sin has made man fooliſh, and the world vain. And 'tis an undeniable argument of Man's Folly that a vain World is ſo much minded; which is ſo apt to fade and change. As Scenes in a Comedy or Tragedy alter, and quicklyI borrow a ſimilitude from what I am far from approving. the laſt Act comes; and the Play is at an end: ſo this World is continually varying. Now there appears one, and a little after, quite and clean another Face of things. The Face of the Sky is not more mutable, than the ſtate of humane Affairs. And thus 'tis likely to be to the World's End, when the Earth, and the works that are therein, ſhall be burnt up.

That God whom Chriſtians attend upon is unchangeable, and ſo is his love to them; and the inheritance they expect hereafter is incorruptible, and fadeth not away. But they themſelves are Strangers and Pilgrims in this World; and ſhould behave themſelves as Paſſengers that are travelling towards a better World. And as for their Enjoyments by the way, they ſhould love them, as being about to leave them. Joy ſhould be moderate in the fruition of p. 5them; and when they are taken away, Sorrow ſhould not be exceſſive, nor tranſgreſs the Bounds of Grace and Reaſon.

3. The Apoſtle, as a Man well acquainted with the Court of Heaven, directs Believers Attendance upon the Lord, who dwells and reigns there. He is very careful not to caſt a Snare upon the Corinthians; nor to impoſe upon Conſcience what God does not. Papal Authority is Audacious and Antichriſtian, and makes bold to Command, and that upon the higheſt Penalty, what the Lord never required. But the Apoſtle abhors ſpiritual Ʋſurpation: He would have all obſerve what God called them to; and in every condition to abide with God, and to attend upon the Lord without Diſtraction.

In the words take notice,

1. Of the Lord with whom we have to do. The Eyes of Servants are to their Maſters; and the Eyes of Worſhippers ſhould be to the Lord whom they adore; and if they had a greater reſpect to this holy One, what an influence would it have upon their Lives and Services! The word foreign Lord, in the New Teſtament, is put for Jehovah in the Old. The God whom Chriſtians acknowledge, is the Lord Jehovah, p. 6who has his Being of himſelf, and has Dominion over all.

2. Obſerve what this Lord requires and calls for, and that is attendance upon him. The Greek word which the Holy Ghoſt uſes is very ſignificant and emphatical, foreign, implies, acceſs unto God, and abiding with him; and being ſit for, and well-pleaſed with, both the one and the other.

3. Who are to attend upon the Lord? All Men do owe Homage and Service to him; which is their Honour and Intereſt to pay: But thoſe who are his own Children and People, are by ſpecial obligations and favour called to this duty and priviledge of attending upon their God; and they have a new Principle and Nature which inclines them to it.

4. Here is a direction as to the manner of attending on the Lord, it muſt be foreign, without diſtraction. Plutarch calls that Studium ſapientiae, foreign, the ſtudy of Wiſdom without Diſtraction, when nothing is able to call away the Mind, and make it ceaſe that ſtudy. In attending upon God, there muſt be intention in the mind, a full bent of the heart; with ſtrength of affection and deſire; not to be diverted, much leſs to be extinguiſhed. p. 7All other buſineſs, comparatively, muſt be lookt upon as trivial; attendance upon the Lord muſt be with the greateſt ſeriouſneſs.

I raiſe three Doctrines from the words.

Firſt, The Children of Men ought to attend upon God; this the Text plainly ſuppoſes.

Secondly, In attending upon God we ſhould look upon him as the Lord; and ſerve him accordingly.

Thirdly, Attendance upon the Lord ſhould be without Diſtraction.

Doct. I. I begin with the firſt of theſe Doctrines: The Children of Men ought to attend upon God. The Heaven of Heavens is his Throne; and he is attended on by thouſands and ten thouſands of glorious and holy Ones, who miniſter unto him, and ſtand before him. And yet upon Earth, which is his Footſtool, he calls for Attendance too; for he rejoices in the habitable parts of the Earth, and his delights are with the Sons of Men; who underſtand him and themſelves ſo well, as to ſeek after him. He requires continually to be waited on, Hoſ. 12. 6. Therefore turn thou to thy God, keep Mercy and Judgment, and wait on thy God continually. p. 8Injunctions to wait are reiterated, with the encouraging promiſe of Divine Aid and ſtrengthning Grace, Pſal. 27. 14. Wait on the Lord, be of good Courage, he ſhall ſtrengthen thy Heart; wait I ſay on the Lord. Pſal. 37. 34. Wait on the Lord, and keep his way; this way is true; walking in it, is holy and ſafe; and the end is Peace.

In the handling of this Doctrine I ſhall

Firſt, Shew you what is ſuppoſed in Man's Attendance upon God.

Secondly, I ſhall tell you what is implied in this Attendance.

Thirdly, I ſhall ſpeak of ſeveral ſorts of Attending upon the Lord.

Fourthly, I ſhall aſſign the Reaſons why the Children of Men ought to give their Attendance upon God.

Fifthly, Make Application.

In the firſt place, I am am to ſhew you what is ſuppoſed in Man's Attendance upon God. There are ſeveral pre-requiſites unto this; for Man is not eaſily perſwaded to this Duty; though the performance of it prove never ſo beneficial to him. Now that there may be this Attendance:

p. 91. Man muſt firmly believe that there is a God, Heb. 11. 6. But without Faith 'tis impoſſible to pleaſe him; for he that cometh unto God must believe that He is. As God is to everlaſting, ſo he is from everlasting. If he had not ever been, and that of himſelf, he would never have been; neither could any thing elſe ever have had a Being. Creatures Exiſtence ſuppoſes there is a Creator; and Attendance upon God ſuppoſes there is a God to be attended on. The ſtronger the Aſſent to this, is, the greater will be the care to underſtand how the Attendance may be acceptable. The Being of a God, there are few that deny in words; but there are abundance who deny him in their works; even among them who profeſs to know him, Tit. 1. 16. And being ſo fooliſh as to ſay in their Hearts there is no God: No wonder that with their hearts they refuſe to ſeek him.

Man ſhould look upward, and ſee how the Heavens declare the Glory of God, and the Firmament ſheweth his handy-work, Pſal. 19. 1. The Viſible Creation is not more obvious to the Eye, than the Eternal Power and Godhead of him who made all things, is clearly to be ſeen by the Mind of Man, Rom. 1. 20. And ifforeign. Man will but look into his own p. 10Heart, he may find this Truth deeply ingraven there, that God is; therefore the Apoſtle ſpeaks thus of the Gentiles, who had only the Light of Nature, Rom. 1. 19. for that which may be known of God, is manifest in them; for God hath ſhewed it unto them. Let not any go about to obliterate this Truth concerning the Being of a God, but undoubtingly credit it; for 'tis the first Stone in the Foundation of all truly Religious Service and Obedience.

2. Man muſt have a ſenſe that he had his Being from God, and was made for him; and truly he is made ſuch a Creature, that he will never be quite unmade, ſo as to become nothing. He is capable of knowing and ſerving his Maker; and enjoying him for ever; God has made all Men for himſelf; and ſome way or other he will ſecure his own Honour, and have Glory from the very worst. But as for his own People, he has formed, bought, and new made them for himſelf, that they might ſhew forth his Praiſe, Iſa. 43. 21. Man ſhould Eye the Hand that made him, and the End for which he was made. Our Bodies will be found a curious piece of Divine Workmanſhip, if the contexture, variety, and uſe of their parts are conſidered: But though our Fleſh is of God's Forming, yet p. 11in a more immediate manner, he is called the Father of our Spirits. And wherefore have our Souls a thinking Faculty, but that God may be thought of? Wherefore have we Memories, but that our Creator from our Youth may be remembred? And if we live to Gray-hairs, he in no wiſe is to be forgotten. Wherefore are we capable of loving, deſiring, and taking delight; but that God may be the chief Object of theſe Affections? In him we live, and move, and have our Being, Acts 17. 28. that we might live to him, move according to his Will, and be indeed his Servants.

3. Man muſt be perſwaded that God is rightfully his Ruler, and has given him a Law and Commandments, by which he is to be governed. Mammon and Satan are meer Ʋſurpers, and where they reign they ruin. The evil One is to be reſisted, not obeyed; and Man was made to have Dominion over the Creatures, not to be enſlaved by them. But God is Man's Sovereign by Right, and may lay upon Man what Commands he pleaſes, but has given them none but what are holy, just and good, Rom. 7. 12. And the better theſe are obeyed, Man becomes more holy, juſt, and good himſelf, and partakes more of the Divine Nature. Would we attend upon God? We muſt have reſpect p. 12unto his Commands. David plainly intimates the gain of Obedience; when he ſays, more are they to be eſteemed than Gold, yea, than much fine Gold. He ſignifies the pleaſure of Obedience, when he adds, ſweeter alſo than the hony, and the hony comb, Pſal. 19. 10.

4. Man muſt be convinced, that by ſin he has departed from God, and has juſtly incurred his diſpleaſure. The natural diſtance between God and Man as a Creature, muſt ever remain: God is, and will be for ever, infinitely above, and ſuperiour even to thoſe that are in Heaven: he humbles himſelf to behold the things that are there, Pſal. 113. 6. But the moral diſtance that is between God and Man, or the enmity that Sin is the cauſe of, may be made to ceaſe. When Man attends upon God, he ſhould come with deep ſenſe how he has provoked him: that he is by Nature a Child of Wrath, Eph. 2. 3. and in his practiſe a Rebel; and as he has acted like one, ſo he deſerves to be dealt with as an Enemy. When the Syrians came to the King of Iſrael, they had Sackcloth on their Loins, and Ropes on their Heads, 1 Kings 20. 32. They had newly been in Arms againſt him; and now they declare how ill they deſerved to be treated by him. For offenders to approach unto p. 13God without any trouble for their offences, 'tis not to Attend upon him, but to Affront him. Thoſe are his own words, Wo to them for they have fled from me; destruction unto them, becauſe they have tranſgreſſed against me, Hoſ. 7. 13. And hear the Language of the penitent Church, Lam. 5. 16. The Crown is fallen from our Head; wo to us that we have ſinned. When we come for Mercy, we muſt be ſenſible that Mercy is undeſerved, and that confuſion of Face belongs to us, Dan. 9. 8. A penitential Acknowledgment there ſhould be, that we have been fooliſh, diſobedient, decei…ed; that we have ſerved divers Luſts and Pleaſures; and in our ſelves are ſo hateful to God, that we are unworthy to be admitted into the number of his Attendants.

5. Man muſt hear the Call of God; to return to him; and to Obedience and Duty. The Angels that ſinned were not ſpared, nor called to attend upon God in order to their recovery after their Apoſtaſie. Indeed we find Satan an Intruder among the Sons of God, who came to preſent themſelves before the Lord, Job 1. 6. but it was not to beg Grace for himſelf; his Chains of Darkneſs hindered his Hope of finding any; he comes as an Accuſer of Job, and with a deſire of a Permiſſion to do him a Miſchief. p. 14But Man, though departed from God, is called to come backagain, Hoſ. 14. 1. O Iſrael, return to the Lord thy God, for thou haſt fallen by thy Iniquity. Man is ſought after as well as ſaved, or ſought that he may be ſaved: And if the Lord did not ſeek him, but leave him to his own Imagination and Inclination, his Imaginations are ſo vain, his Inclinations ſo perverſe and wicked, he would never ceaſe going aſtray, till he died without Wiſdom. The Call of God is loud and earneſt, that Man would turn from his Diſobedience, and do his Duty, Prov. 8. 4. Ʋnto you, O Men, I call, and my voice is to the Sons of Man. Prov. 1. 23. Turn you at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. Prov. 8. 34. Bleſſed is the Man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

6. Man muſt look upon God as acceſſible in Chriſt. When Adam fell into the firſt Tranſgreſſion, ſhewing a Contempt of God, and of his Covenant, and the Life that was there promiſed; he was turned out of Paradiſe, and a flaming Sword was placed to hinder his re-entring, and acceſs to the Tree of Life. Life was impoſſible to be had by the firſt Covenant; therefore he and his Faith were directed to the promiſed p. 15Seed, who ſhould bruiſe the Serpents head; and in time would be manifeſted to deſtroy the Works of the Devil, 1 John 3. 8. This Work of the Devil was Sin, whereby Man had departed from his Maker: Now Chriſt the ſecond Adam, ſuffered once for Sins, the Juſt for the Ʋnjust, that he might bring Man to God, and make up the Breach that Sin had made between them, 1 Pet. 3. 18. As God is but One, ſo there is but One Mediator between God and Men, the Man Chriſt Jeſus; Who gave himſelf a Ranſom for all, 1 Tim. 2. 5, 6. no acceſs to God by any other: But ſays the Apoſtle, In Chriſt Jeſus our Lord we have boldneſs, and acceſs with confidence by the Faith of him, Eph. 3. 12. Under the Old Teſtament there was but one Temple, one Altar for Burnt▪ offering and Sin▪ offering to make an Atonement: An Heathen thought it a diſhonour to the Lord Jehovah; that Hezekiah had taken away his high Places and his Altars, and had commanded Judah and Jeruſalem to Worſhip before one Altar, 2 Chron. 32. 12. But the myſtery and meaning of this was, that Jeſus Chriſt alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; and that no Man cometh to the Father but by him.

p. 167. Man muſt plainly diſcern his Ignorance and Impotence to give a right Attendance upon God, without the Direction and Aid of his Word and Spirit. Nay, as Man does want both Skill and Strength to ſerve the Lord, ſo he has no Will to it; there is an Indiſpoſition and an Ill diſpoſition in him; which plainly ſhews that the Light and Grace of the Word and Spirit is of abſolute neceſſity, unto an Attendance upon God that is acceptable to him. When Man is off from God, and betakes himſelf to himſelf in Matters of Religion, he rangeth infinitely, like a Sea-faring Man who has loſt his Compaſs in a Miſt, moving ſwiftly but to no purpoſe. Now there ſhall be more words than that which is written, more Articles than what God has put into our Creed, more Commands than the Law-giver ever gave; nay, more Gods and more Mediators than One: Mans Invention will be fruitleſly Fruitful, and himſelf reſtleſs and endleſs in his own ways. We ſhould ſee our need of Inſtruction and Help from the Spirit of the Lord: Both Light and Liberty, Strength and Livelineſs in all Holy Duties, is from Him.

'Tis through the Son as Mediator, and 'tis by the Spirit as our Helper, that we have p. 17acceſs to the Father, Eph. 2. 18. The Apoſtle acknowledges, We know not what we ſhould pray for as we ought; but the Spirit helps our infirmities; the holy and gracious deſires of the Saints, are the breathings of this ſpirit in them; acceptable Petitions that will find Audience, are of his drawing up, and enditing. He maketh interceſſion for the Saints according to the Will of God, Rom. 8. 26, 27. He is the inſtructer of all thoſe who are taught to profit. Ordinances, Gifts, Adminiſtrations which are ſo uſeful, are from the Spirit, and the benefit and ſucceſs of them is owing to him; his Aid is earneſtly to be implored, and thankfully to be accepted. Preparation to Attendance upon God is neceſſary, Pſal. 10. 17. Thou wilt prepare their Heart, thou wilt cauſe thine Ear to hear; and this preparation is the work of the Spirit.

8. Man muſt not doubt, but be thoroughly perſwaded that God is ready to be found of ſuch as attend upon him, and is a rewarder of them that diligently ſeek him, Heb. 11. 6. Satan affects to be the Repreſenter of God to Man; and he repreſents him contrary ways; and both are falſe, and indeed miſrepreſentations; from ſecure Souls, he does endeavour to hide the Wrath of God, his Holineſs, Juſtice and Jealouſie, that he may p. 18heighten preſumption; from awakened and humble Hearts, he does endeavour to conceal his Mercy and Grace in Chriſt, that he may kill their Hope, and diſcourage them from engaging in the work of God. But 'tis Wiſdom in Man to hear what the Lord ſpeaks of himſelf; for he beſt knows himſelf, and the Revelations he makes of himſelf are moſt certainly true. Now as he has told us, that he will wound the Head of his Enemies; and be accounts thoſe Enemies who go on ſtill in their treſpaſſes, Pſal. 68. 21. ſo he has aſſured us that he is good and ready to forgive thoſe who are troubled becauſe they have offended, and ſee their need of pardon; and he is plenteous in Mercy unto all that in Truth do call upon him, Pſal. 68. 5.

'Tis a mighty encouragement to attend upon God, when we ſee the door of Hope ſtanding open, and that the Lord takes pleaſure in thoſe who fear his diſpleaſure, and hope in his mercy together. Pſal. 147. 11. The Tables of the Law were put into the Ark, and the mercy-ſeat was above it; a plain intimation, that the Lord who ſits upon this mercy-ſeat, will not enter into Judgment with his Servants, nor mark the iniquities; but be merciful to the unrighteouſneſs of them that turn to him; this p. 19ſhould raiſe Hope in dejected Spirits, and cauſe it to abound. Pſal. 130. 7, 8. Let Iſrael hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is Mercy, and with him is plenteous Redempption, and he ſhall redeem Iſrael from all his Iniquities.

9. Man muſt not think to divide his Service between God and Mammon. Our Lord himſelf tells us, that no Man can ſerve two Maſters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or elſe he will hold to the one, and deſpiſe the other; ye cannot ſerve God and Mammon. To mind the World as if it were the moſt deſirable thing, and to ſerve the Lord, only for the World's ſake; this is hateful earthlimindedneſs, and Hypocriſie. When the Children of Iſrael aſſembled themſelves before God, only for Corn and Wine; their Cries were but howlings in his Ears. Hoſ. 7. 14. If we would attend upon God, we muſt come out from the World. Conformity to the World, and walking after the courſe of it, muſt ceaſe. The moſt deſirable good things of it muſt be contemned in compariſon with God, and the better and enduring ſubſtance. We ſhall never look and aim at, ſo as to obtain the things that are unſeen and eternal; unleſs the Eye be ſhut againſt the things that are ſeen and temporal, 2 Cor. 4. 18.

p. 20Not but that Attenders upon God may and ought to mind their ſecular buſineſs which their particular Callings lead them to. Chriſtians are cautioned againſt idleneſs as great diſorderlineſs; and are commanded and exhorted by our Lord Jeſus Christ with quietneſs to work, and to Eat their own Bread, 2 Theſ. 3. 11, 12. This notwithſtanding muſt ever be remembred; that the things of this World are to be regarded ſo far as God has commanded, that they muſt be begg'd of him, they muſt be kept, uſed, and improved for him; they muſt not be liked for themſelves, but ſo far as God is enjoyed with them, and in them. And in the greateſt abundance of them, this ſhould be the Heart's Language, which came from the Heart and Mouth of Luther; Noli his ſatiari; Lord I will not be put off with ſuch things as theſe! The Lord is my Portion ſaith my Soul; and I have looked and longed, and wait for thy Salvation!

10. Man muſt conſent to caſt away whatever may ſeparate between the Lord and him. And what that is, the Prophet plainly tells us, Iſa. 59. 1, 2. Behold the Lord's Hand is not ſhortned, that it cannot ſave; neither his Ear heavy that it cannot hear; but your Iniquities have ſeparated between you and your God; and your Sins have hid his Face from p. 21you, that he will not hear. Separation from God is the Hell of Hell; and this Hell upon Earth, Sin is the cauſe of. Sin is that which provokes the Lord to be angry with Man, and with his Soul to hate him; to behold him afar off: ſo that he is not admitted unto his Favour, or unto Fellowſhip and Communion with him. To talk of Fellowſhip with God, and to walk in this darkneſs of Sin, is to lie to others, and to deceive our ſelves. This middle Wall of Partition muſt be thrown down, elſe there can be no drawing nigh to God▪ Jam. 4. 8. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you: Cleanſe your hands ye ſinners, purifie your hearts ye double-minded. The Hand muſt not practiſe and work wickedneſs; the Heart muſt not regard and like it. The more the Heart is deſirous of Purity, the fitter it is to attend upon the Lord, to ſerve him and to ſee him. Therefore you read Mat. 5. 8. Bleſſed are the pure in heart, for they ſhall ſee God; and 2 Cor. 6. 17, 18. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye ſeparate, ſaith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you; and will be a Father unto you, and ye ſhall be my Sons and Daughters, ſaith the Lord Almighty.

p. 22In the ſecond place, I am to tell you what is implied in Man's Attendance upon God. This Attendance is of large extent, and takes in all the Service he Commands: In Scripture 'tis expreſſed ſometimes by following of God, ſometimes by waiting upon the Lord; and in the Text by Attending. I ſhall explain what this is in ſeveral particulars.

1. Attending upon God implies enquiring of God. He is foreign, only Wiſe, the Father of Lights, from whom all true Wiſdom, and every good and perfect gift comes down, Jam. 1. 17. The Wiſdom of this World, and of the Princes of this World, however 'tis magnified as the moſt profound Policy, cannot ſecure them that are moſt excellent this way, but they and their Wiſdom come to nought, and periſh together; but ſpiritual Wiſdom which is hidden from the prudent of the World, and is the eſpecial gift of God, is ordained to the Glory of them that have it, 1 Cor. 2. 6, 7. Wiſdom to Salvation and everlaſting Glory; deſerves the name of Wiſdom, ſound Wiſdom it may well be called. Prov. 2. 6, 7. For the Lord giveth Wiſdom, out of his mouth cometh knowledge and underſtanding, he layeth up ſound Wiſdom for the Righteous, he is p. 23a Buckler to them that walk uprightly.

Our inquiry muſt be of God for Wiſdom of this Nature. He gives it to all that deſire and ask it, and that liberally without upbraiding, Jam. 1. 5. He upbraids not any with their former hatred of knowledge, or contempt of Wiſdom; neither does he upbraid them with their natural dulneſs and unaptneſs to learn, but both inſtruction, and alſo the very heart and ability to receive it, are from him, Prov. 20. 12. The hearing Ear and the ſeeing Eye, the Lord hath made even both of them. The Pſalmiſt thus; deſired to attend upon God, all the days of his life, that he might enquire in his Temple, Pſal. 27. 4. They are well counſelled, and are led ſafe to Glory; who have God to be their guide even unto death, and ſtill follow on to know the Lord.

2. Attending upon God implies hearkning, and heeding what God ſpeaks. Pſal. 85. 8. I will hear what God the Lord will ſpeak; and what Attention does ſuch a ſpeaker deſerve, who ſpeaks from Heaven; and whoſe Word ſhews the way to Heaven! who ſpeaks peace, and publiſhes glad-tidings of great Salvation! When Lydia her heart was opened, that ſhe attended unto thoſe things which were ſpoken of Paul, Acts 16. 14. She heard Paul's Voice, but believed the Lord p. 24ſpake by him to her; and ſhe regarded the meſſage accordingly. We attend upon God in the Miniſtry of the Word, when our Eye looks beyond the Miniſtry unto the Lord himſelf; and our Ear is attentive that we may underſtand his Truths which are to be believed, his Precepts that are to be obeyed. Now the Word comes with a Divine Power and Efficacy, when God is heard ſpeaking in the Word, 1 Theſ. 2. 13. For this cauſe alſo thank we God without ceaſing; becauſe when ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of Men, but, as it is in truth the Word of God; which effectually worketh alſo in you that believe. It concerns us to take heed what we hear, and how. We ſhould be forward to be made acquainted with God's Truth and Will; and neither ſhould be held in unrighteouſneſs; for to hear what God ſpeaks, and not to mind it, but to act quite contrary, is diſobedience with an high aggravation.

3. Attending upon God implies returning and yielding our ſelves unto God. Man is naturally Contentious, and ſtruggles hard about this point; and will not yield that God ſhould direct and rule; and that 'tis reaſonable, that he in all things ſhould ſubmit and obey. Man till he is inſtructed p. 25and enlightned from above, will be ſtill murmuring and diſputing againſt his Duty, and will not come to God, though God is Light, and can ſhine into his Mind; though Divine Goodneſs can ſatiate Man's Soul, though the Lord has ſupream and ſufficient Authority to Command the Conſcience, and to lay the whole Man under obligation to Obedience. But when we attend upon God indeed, we hearken to his Call to return, and we return at his Call.

There cannot be a right Attendance without ſincere Converſion; and this Converſion is Man's yielding of himſelf to his Lord. Rom. 6. 12, 13. Let not ſin reign in your mortal Bodies, that ye ſhould obey it in the Luſts thereof, neither yield ye your Members as instruments of unrighteouſneſs unto Sin; but yield ye your ſelves unto God, as thoſe that are alive from the Dead, and your Members as inſtruments of Righteouſneſs unto God. The Body muſt be yielded, that the Holy Ghoſt may Conſecrate it to the Lord's Service; that Eyes and Mouth, and Hands and Feet, and all may be at God's Beck, and ready to fulfill his Pleaſure. And eſpecially the Heart muſt be yielded, nay, the whole heart, elſe returning is but feigned. Jer. 3. 10. Her treacherous Siſter Judah, hath not returned to me with p. 26her whole heart, but feignedly ſaith the Lord. The Soul muſt conſent to have all its powers renewed and ſanctified, that with them all it may give Attendance upon God; the Heart without any reſervation muſt yield, that God ſhould work out of it whatever is offenſive, that he ſhould work in it that which is pleaſing in his ſight.

4. Attending upon God implies ſeeking and deſiring after God. Iſa. 26. 9. With my Soul have I deſired thee in the Night, yea with my Spirit will I ſeek thee early. The bent of the very Soul was towards God, and the deſires are kept up in vehemency both Night and Day. The Lord humbles himſelf to behold things done in Heaven; yet he looks down upon the Children of Men upon Earth, to ſee if there be any that understand and ſeek him. And if he ſeeks after theſe ſeekers, how ready is he to be found of them! The Command is, that we ſhould ſeek the Lord and his ſtrength, and his Face evermore, Pſal. 105. 4. God is to be ſought unto for himſelf, when the all-ſufficient Jehovah gives himſelf to any; he gives infinitely more than if he gave them many thouſand ſuch Worlds as this is. His ſtrength is of abſolute neceſſity, to ſecure us from evil, and to aſſiſt us in the doing of good; and the ſhining of his Face makes our work p. 27eaſie and pleaſant, it makes our Life, and even Death it ſelf comfortable. No wonder therefore, when God ſaid, Seek ye my Face; one of his Attendants heard preſently, as the Eccho anſwers the Voice, ſaid, Thy Face Lord will I ſeek, Pſal. 27. 8. To ſeek to any elſe is vain; 'tis ſeeking for Water in a broken Ciſtern that can hold none. Men of low degree, though never ſo great a multitude, are vanity; and Men of highest degree are a ly, Pſal. 62. 9. But God's Power, Mercy and Truth are an evident proof that he is forward and ſufficient to ſatiate the Souls of all, that charge their Souls to wait only upon him, and to have their expectations from him.

5. Attending upon God implies waiting upon him in his own Houſe and Sanctuary. Every Chriſtian's Houſe ſhould be an Houſe of Prayer; but the place of publick aſſembling to Worſhip ſhould be highly prized, and frequented for the work ſake that is performed there. The living, the true, the eternal God is here publickly owned and acknowledged, and ſo is the only Mediator Jeſus, as alſo the Holy▪ Ghoſt; whoſe Aid and Grace is all in all, as to the efficacy and ſucceſs of thoſe Ordinances which are adminiſtred. Saints that have ſeen God's Power and Glory in his Sanctuary; it is no p. 28marvel that their Souls thirſt for God, for the living God; and that's the Language of their Hearts, When ſhall we come and appear before God, Pſal. 42. 2. As the Sanctuary was next to the holieſt of all, ſo the Houſe of God on Earth, is as it were, the Suburbs of the City of God in Heaven. The Sanctuary is the place where the Light of holy and heavenly Doctrine ſhines. Here the Pſalmiſt understood the end of the ungodly, and that all their proſperity was but a Dream and Image, being abuſed by themſelves, to further and haſten their deſtruction; for they are quickly caſt down from their greatest height, and brought into Deſolation as in a moment, and utterly conſumed with Terrors, Pſal. 73. 17, 18, 19▪ Here alſo he underſtood how good God is to Iſraelites indeed; when he does afflict them; his Rod guides them▪ purges their Hearts; he upholds them with one hand, when he corrects them with another; he makes earthly things more contemptible in their Eyes, and ſets their Affections more upon himſelf, who is their Portion for ever. In the Sanctuary Believers are quickned, ſtrengthened, comforted and ſettled: And this one thing they deſire▪ of the Lord, and that they ſeek after, that they may dwell in the Houſe of the Lord all the days of their life, p. 29that they may behold the Beauty of the Lord, his Holineſs and Grace in Chriſt, with the admirable Harmony of all his Attributes; and that they may perpetually be enquiring in his Temple; until being guided unto Death, and brought ſafe to Glory, they are paſt all danger, Pſal. 27. 4.

6. Attending upon God implies not only keeping the way of his Ordinances and Inſtitutions, but minding his Diſpenſations, and the manner of his dealing with us. The Ordinances of the Goſpel are from Heaven, and not of Men. Men have no right to inſtitute, who have no power to bleſs. Mens Inventions in Religion, though often followed with great eagerneſs, are found unprofitable and vain to them that have been Zealous for them▪ But the Ordinances which the Lord himſelf has appointed, he is ready to own and make effectual to them that attend upon him in the uſe of them: ſo that they ſhall have reaſon to ſay, they have ſought the Lord and have found him; and have taſted and ſeen that he is gracious: Ordinances are Feaſts with which Saints are entertained, called by the Prophet, Feasts of fat things full of Marrow, and of Wine on the Lees-well refined, Iſa. 25. 6. And the People of God are ſo ſtrengthned, revived and delighted, and have ſuch ſenſible p. 30Communion with him, as that they ſpeak out their Joy and Satisfaction, v. 9. Lo this is our God, and we have waited for him, he will ſave us; this is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his Salvation. Thoſe are dangerouſly pufft up with Pride and Self-conceit, that think themſelves above Ordinances; and 'tis not a commendable Humility for them that deſire the ſpiritual Benefit of Ordinances, to imagine that Ordinances are above them. They are in no wiſe to be neglected; for they are the golden Pipes, Zach. 4. 12. which convey the Grace of the Spirit, compared to Oyl, into the Hearts of Men.

And as Attenders upon God are found in the way of his Ordinances, ſo they obſerved diligently God's dealing with them. They take notice how he looks upon them, whether there are Smiles, or Frowns in his Face; they regard what God ſpeaks, whether it be by way of Counſel, Caution, Rebuke, or Comfort; they heed what the Spirit ſays to them, and what Communications of Grace are vouchſafed. They are attentive to regard the works of the Lord, and to conſider the operation of his hands. Does he afflict? they turn to him that ſmites them, and deſire to be more p. 31fully inſtructed, and more thorowly purged, Iſa. 27. 9. Does he load them with Benefits? they are affected with his lovingkindneſs, and ſenſible how obligations grow ſtronger to praiſe and pleaſe him.

7. Attending upon God implies expecting all from him. From this one Fountain flow the Streams of all ſorts of Bleſſings. In our Father's Houſe there is Bread enough, and to ſpare; and how many ſoever are received and attend there, there is room for more; and not only room, but Entertainment. The Apoſtle though he was as having nothing, yet had ſuch a confident expectation from God, as if he had all things in poſſeſſion. 2 Cor. 6. 10. as having nothing and yet poſſeſſing all things. He aſſures the believing Philippians, that God would ſupply all their needs according to his Riches in Glory by Chriſt Jeſus, Phil. 4. 19. The Pſalmiſt in danger and calamity, betakes himſelf to the mercy of God, and the ſhadow of his Wings for refuge, and cries unto him as the most High, who performed all things for him, Pſal. 57. 1, 2. Who queſtions whether the Sun be full of Light? whether the Ocean abound with Water? Much leſs reaſon is there to queſtion God's Power and Will to anſwer the expectations of his People that attend upon him. It is his p. 32pleaſure that they ſhould wait upon him for every thing; and knock at his door, whatever they have to ask. Abounding in hope is acceptable to God, and will not iſſue in diſappointment. Therefore ſays David, Pſal. 71. 14. But I will hope continually, and will yet praiſe thee more and more.

8. Attending upon God implies readineſs to do whatever he Commands; and to engage at his bidding in any Service. Nominal Attendants will cry Lord, Lord; but real ones will do the things which he ſays. There are an innumerable company of Angels who excel in ſtrength, who wait on God, and thoſe do his Commandments, hearkning to the Voice of his Word, Pſal. 103. 20. That they may fulfill their Maker's Pleaſure, they miniſter to them that ſhall be Heirs of Salvation, Heb. 1. 14. Attendance includes a diſpoſition to yield Obedience. 'Tis thus expreſſed Pſal. 119. 48. My Hands will I lift up to thy Commandments which I have loved. The lifting up the Hands, ſhews a forwardneſs to receive whatever Command God ſhall give; and a readineſs to ſet about the doing whatever he requires. That's becoming Language, Speak Lord, for thy Servant heareth; and he that is truly a Servant, will act according to what he hears his Lord ſpeaking; p. 33and he will not give back, though he is put upon the hardeſt and hottest Service. Abraham roſe early in the Morning to obey God's Command, to offer up his Son Iſaac. And the Lord ſware to him by himſelf, becauſe he had not with-held his Son, his only Son from him; that in bleſſing he would bleſs him, Gen. 22. 16, 17. 'Tis a temper of Mind in which God delights, when his Attendants reſolve to Obey without any exception, 1 Sam. 15. 22. Hath the Lord as great delight in Burnt-offering and Sacrifices; as in obeying the Voice of the Lord? Behold to Obey is better than Sacrifice; and to hearken, than the Fat of Rams.

9. Attending upon God implies giving Glory to his Name, and acknowledging that his is the Kingdom and the Power. Though the Offerings and Sacrifices enjoyned by the Law are to be offered no more; Chriſt who was typified by thoſe Sacrifices, having offered up himſelf once for all, and put away Sin by the Sacrifice of himſelf; yet under the New Teſtament Diſpenſation, Attendants upon God have their Sacrifices to offer: they muſt preſent themſelves a living Sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is their reaſonable Service, Rom. 12. 1. and ſays the Apoſtle, Heb. 13. 15. By Him therefore, by Chriſt Jeſus, let us offer the Sacrifice of Praiſe p. 34to God continually; that is the fruit of our Lips, giving thanks to his Name. Thoſe glorious Spirits which attend above, and ſurround the Throne in the Heavenly Kingdom, Praiſe is their perpetual employment: and to their Eternal Joy and Delight, they find perpetual reaſon for it. Worthy is the Lord to receive Glory and Honour, and Power; for he has created all things, and for his Pleaſure they are and were created. Worthy alſo is the Lamb that was ſlain, to receive the ſame; and therefore Bleſſing, and Honour, and Glory, and Power, be unto him that ſits upon the Throne, and to the Lamb for ever, Rev. 4. 11. & 5. 13.

This Service of Thanksgiving, the Lord much inſiſts on, is well-pleaſed with, and accounts himſelf glorified by. Pſal. 113. 1, 2, 3. Praiſe ye the Lord; Praiſe, O ye Servants of the Lord: Praiſe the Name of the Lord: Bleſſed be the Name of the Lord from this time forth, and for evermore; from the riſing of the Sun to the going down of the ſame, the Lord's Name is to be praiſed. Behold alſo, how acceptable thankful Attendants are. Pſal. 69. 30, 31. I will praiſe the Name of God with a Song, and will magnifie him with Thanksgiving; this alſo ſhall pleaſe the Lord better than an Ox or Bullock that hath Horns and Hoofs. And this is our way p. 35of Glorifying God, who is ſo infinitely Glorious, that to his Glory no addition can be made, but only a Declaration and Acknowledgment made of it: and when theſe Acknowledgments are largeſt, it muſt be confeſſed, that he is exalted above all Bleſſings and Praiſe.

10. Attendance upon God implies a continuing to follow him. Holy David ſays, his Ears were opened, or boared, to hearken to God's Voice, Pſal. 40. 6. Here is an Alluſion unto the Iſraelitiſh Servant, who was ſo well in his Maſter's Houſe, that he refuſed to go out free at the year of releaſe; and had his Ear boared with an Awl to the Poſt of the Door, to ſignifie his reſolution to ſerve his Maſter continually. To profeſs Service to the Lord, and then to depart from him, is highly to reproach and diſhonour him, and in effect to ſay, that fleſhly and worldly Lusts are better Lords than He; 'tis more notoriouſly to deſpiſe him, and to harden others in their contempt of him, and of his Word and Commandments. Attenders upon God give not over following him in all thoſe ways he has commanded them to walk in. They follow on to know him, they follow him fully, and being upheld with the right hand of his Righteouſneſs, their Souls follow hard after him, Pſal. 63. 8. p. 36And whom ſhould they follow? to whom elſe ſhould they go? The Lord has the words of Eternal Life, He alone has Grace, and Honour, and Glory, and all good things elſe to give; and to go away from him is to loſe all this, and to tread the path which leads to Eternal Death. Attenders upon God cannot change their Lord, but they muſt change for the worſe; nay, the very beſt for the very worſt of all: therefore they are unchangeably his, ſtedfaſt and unmovable, always abiding, and abounding in his Work and Service.

In the third place, I am to ſpeak of ſeveral ſorts of Attending upon God. It will be needful to inſiſt particularly on theſe, that you may have a more diſtinct underſtanding of your Duty in the Extent and Latitude of it. The Scripture makes a great difference between Attendance, and Attendance upon God; ſo that there are diverſe kinds of it, as ſhall be manifeſted in theſe following Distinctions.

I. There is an Attendance upon God which is with the lips and body only; and that which is with the Heart alſo. I begin with this diſtinction to prevent Hypocriſie and Formality in Religious Duties, whereby p. 37the Jealous God is ſo much provoked, and Profeſſors deceive others, but principally cheat and ruine their own Souls.

1. An Attendance which is with the lips and body only. God by the Prophet ſpake againſt this, and by his own Son ſhews the vanity of it, and how diſpleaſing 'tis to him, Mat. 15. 7, 8. Ye Hypocrites, well did Eſaias propheſie of you, ſaying, This People draweth near unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. The body indeed is to give Attendance, as being the Temple of the Spirit. The Tongue is then moſt Angelical, and Man's Glory, when moſt enlargedly it does confeſs to God, call upon, and praiſe and magnifie his Name. But if when the eyes are lift up towards Heaven, the hands are stretched forth with great eagerneſs, the knees bowe with ſeeming Humility and Devotion, and the words of the mouth are ſerious and holy, and with appearing fervency; all this while the heart keeps aloof, and at a distance from God; values not his love, his grace, or Communion with him; but goes after its pleaſures, luſts and covetouſneſs: Alas! Here is only a dead and rotten carcaſs of a Duty without a Soul; and 'tis very loathſom and abominable. In all Religious Performances, if the heart p. 36duplicate page p. 37duplicate page p. 38does not at all care to draw near; 'tis certain the Lord will not draw near neither as to his gracious preſence: And if God be not found in the Duty, nor the Heart of the performer found there, how unprofitable muſt the performance needs be!

2. There is an Attendance upon God not with the Body only, but with the Heart alſo. He ſpeaketh unto us as unto Children, and ſaith, My Son give me thy heart, Prov. 23. 26. Give him never ſo much without this, you give him nothing that he cares for. The Heart does the chief part in the pure and acceptable Worſhip of God. The Heart muſt keep his Commandments, elſe they are not kept. Prov. 3. 1. My Son forget not my Law, but let thy Heart keep my Commandments. The Pſalmiſt lifted up his very Soul to God, Pſal. 25. 1. this the Lord look'd at, and liked. Thoſe Graces which are to be acted in Attendance upon God, as Faith and holy Reverence, Love, Deſire, and Hope, and ſuch like, the Heart is the Seat of them; and 'tis by the Heart that they are exerciſed. And when the Heart being cleanſed from its Defilements, and weaned from the Allurements of this World, draws very near to God; and God alſo draws very near; theſe his nearer approaches, how reviving, how healing p. 39and confirming are they! When the Spirit of a Saint does before the time, in a ſenſe return to God who gave it, and converſe with him in the heavenly places, that converſe how high, and joyful, and beneficial is it found! When Moſes came down from the Mount where he had been with God, his Face did ſhine; and when the Heart has been above in Heaven, a clearer light does ſhine into it, and 'tis more gloriouſly tranſformed into the Divine Image and Nature.

II. There is an Attendance upon God which is voluntary, and which is through conſtraint and forced.

1. An Attendance which is voluntary; When God by his powerful Grace inclines and determines the Will to himſelf; ſo that He is choſen, and his ſpecial Favour and Bleſſings are valued above all things. A mighty ſtrength is put forth, and yet without coaction, in bending the Will of Man towards God, and to his Will, which naturally is ſo perverſe and obſtinate in Evil, that 'tis fitly compared to an Iron Sinew. What a Power is it which makes it pliable! Pſal. 110. 3. Thy People ſhall be willing in the day of thy Power. And when to will is thus wrought, the Heart is then enlarged, and at liberty to come to p. 40God, and to do its Duty. There is a renewed Nature, which is principium motus, a principle of ſpiritual Motion. This is notably expreſſed. Zach. 8. 21. And the Inhabitants of one City ſhall go to another, ſaying, let us go ſpeedily to pray before the Lord, and to ſeek the Lord of Hosts. I will go alſo. The like temper we find, Jer. 50. 5. They ſhall ask the way to Zion with their Faces thitherward, ſaying, come and let us joyn our ſelves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that ſhall not be forgotten.

2. There is an Attendance which is through conſtraint, and forced. The Heart is not right with God, nor taken with himſelf at all. But preſſing neceſſity drives the Soul to him, for ſome benefit which none but he can beſtow. Or there are ſome indications of God's Anger and Diſpleaſure. The effects of which, they which attend upon him, feel or fear; whereupon they are forced to cry for mercy. Such kind of Attenders were thoſe, Pſal. 78. 34, 35, 36, 37. When he ſlew them then they ſought him, they returned and enquired early after God; they remembered that God was their Rock, and the high God their Redeemer. Nevertheleſs they did flatter him with their Mouth, and lyed unto him with their Tongues; for their Heart was not right with him, neither p. 41were they ſtedfaſt in his Covenant. Had they not felt God's Hand, he had not heard their Voice; had not peril been extream, they would not have run to this Rock for refuge: had not enemies preſt hard upon them, they would not have cryed to this high Redeemer for deliverance. But their cries were lies and flatteries. As ſoon as the danger was in their apprehenſion over, their naughty Hearts ſtarted aſide like deceitful bowes, and they ſoon returned to their corrupt way. In Attending upon God let not Affliction, Conviction, and fear of puniſhment, be the only cords that hale you to your Duty. The more there is of God's Servants wills in his work, the more acceptable and well-pleaſing is the Service.

III. There is an Attendance upon God which is ordinary, and extraordinary.

1. An Attendance upon God which is ordinary. As we are ordinarily to be employed in the works of our particular Callings, ſo the works of our general Calling as we are Chriſtians, muſt in no wiſe be neglected. As we have Bodies to feed and to cloath, and ſome buſineſs about the World to mind and manage. So we have Souls to look after, and a God to ſerve; and this is the main buſineſs of all. p. 42To work out our Salvation with fear and trembling, is that which ſhould always be upon our Hearts. That Man may truly ſay, Diem perdidi, I have loſt a day, if a day is gone, and nothing at all of this work done. Mary is commended who heard and heeded Chriſt's word, and according to the direction of it, minded the one thing needful, and choſe the good part which could not be taken away from her. Whereas Martha is taxed and reproved, for being careful, and troubled about many things, Luke 10. 41, 42. All the Lord's Servants are to be Attendants in ordinary. Religion is to be the conſtant buſineſs of their lives, as being of greateſt concern, and moſt worthy of their time and labour.

2. There is an Attendance upon God which is extraordinary. When he goes out of the common way and courſe of his Providence; his Servants ought to follow him; and as He acts extraordinarily in a way of Judgment, or of Mercy. They are to do ſomething extraordinary in the Duties they have ſuch a ſignal and loud Call to.

Acts of ſeverity are ſtyled, God's ſtrange Acts, Iſa. 28. 21. The Lord will riſe up as in Mount Perazim, that he may do his work, his ſtrange work; and bring to paſs his act, p. 43his strange act. Affliction is ſaid to be ſtrange, either becauſe his ordinary courſe is otherwiſe: Kindneſs and Mercy is that which he delights in ſhewing; or it may denote Judgments that are unuſual, and that have ſomething more than ordinary of terror and inſtruction. When the Lord is thus raiſed up out of his holy Habitation, and comes forth to viſit and puniſh Iniquity, there ſhould be great preparation to meet him, Amos 4. 12. Becauſe I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God O Iſrael. There ſhould be deep Humiliation before him. 1 Pet. 5. 6. Humble your ſelves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. There muſt be ſtrong cries unto him for pitty, favour, and a ſpirit ſuited to his dealings. Pſal. 18. 6. In my diſtreſs I called upon the Lord, and cryed unto my God, he heard my Voice out of his holy Temple; and my cry came before him, even into his Ears. Sin muſt be forſaken with more than ordinary ſorrow and hatred; as that which has provoked the Lord to be ſo very angry; and Righteouſneſs muſt be followed after with greater zeal and diligence. Iſa. 26. 9. When thy Judgments are in the Earth, the Inhabitants of the World will learn Righteouſneſs.

p. 44On the other ſide, when God does act extraordinarily in deliverance and ſalvation, Songs ſuitable to Deliverance ſhould be loud; the Heart ſhould be exceedingly well tuned to praiſe his Name. His Attendants ſhould call upon their Souls, and all that is within them, to bleſs him, Pſal. 103. 1. Love ſhould be extraordinarily ardent unto God the deliverer, when extraordinary deliverance has been wrought. And he that is ſo mighty to ſave, ſhould be both feared and believed in together. Exod. 14. 31. And Iſrael ſaw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians, and the People feared the Lord, and believed the Lord and his Servant Moſes.

I might alſo add, that when Falls have been foul, and ſcandalous ſins have been committed, then there ſhould be extraordinary contrition and ſupplication unto God for Pardon, Healing, for Establiſhment by his Spirit, and for the Joy of his Salvation. When David an eminent Saint and Prophet, was of a ſudden turned black as Hell, and become a Monſter of Ingratitude, Impurity and Cruelty, he comes unto God being awakened by Nathan's Miniſtry, with great ſhame and brokenneſs of Heart, Pſal. 51. 16, 17. he implores mercy, begs Eaſe, and the healing of his p. 45wounded Conſcience: He cries for a clean Heart, and a right Spirit: and being ſenſible of his own weakneſs, nay, treacherouſneſs and unfaithfulneſs to himſelf, he intreats that the Lord would undertake for him, and by his own free Spirit continually uphold him.

IV. There is an Attendance upon God which is Secret in the Cloſet, Private in the Family, and Publick in the Congregation.

1. An Attendance upon God that is Secret in the Cloſet. Our Lord was much in Prayer alone by himſelf; ſometime a great while before Day; and ſometime he continued in it all Night. He commands and urges ſecret Prayer, upon every one of his Diſciples, Mat. 6. 6. But thou when thou prayeſt enter into thy Cloſet; and when thou hast ſhut thy Door, pray to thy Father which is in ſecret; and thy Father which ſeeth in ſecret ſhall reward thee openly. God ſees in ſecret, and hears even whiſper'd Confeſſions and Petitions. And when 'tis ſaid that He is in ſecret, it ſeems to intimate a ſpecial gracious preſence, that is vouchſafed to them that are often alone with him. In this ſecret Attendance upon God, we may uſe a greater foreign freedom of Speech, and tell him all that we fear and feel, and ayle p. 46and deſire. Secret Duties which Man can take no notice of, have not thoſe motives which are very prevalent with Hypocrites; who lov'd to Pray ſtanding in the Synagogues, and in the Corners of the Streets; where two Streets met, that thoſe in the one Street and in the other, might behold their Devotions, and applaud them. God is pleaſed to liſten and hearken after Prayer, and there is not the cloſest homelieſt Corner, where there is a ſincere Supplicant, but God is really there to fulfil and grant the deſire; and to ſupport the burthen'd, if not to remove the burthens that are groaned under, Pſal. 38. 9. All my deſire is before thee, and my groaning is not hid from thee. As according to Solomon, A gift in ſecret pacifieth Anger; and a reward in the boſom ſtrong wrath, Prov. 21. 14. ſo ſecret confeſſion of ſin, bitter mourning for it, and begging forgiveneſs in the Name of Jeſus will prevail for the pacifying of God's fiercest diſpleaſure; and the obtaining of his Love and Grace.

2. There is an Attendance upon God that is Private in the Family. This has been wofully, ſinfully, ſhamefully neglected not only by the prophane, but by them that call themſelves Profeſſors, though hardly worthy of that Name. Family Worſhip has been much preſs'd from the Pulpit; p. 47Oh when ſhall it once be, that every ones practiſe will be anſwerable! I read not only of a Dedication of the Tabernacle and Temple; but alſo of the Houſes of the Iſraelites, Deut. 20. 5. Pſal. 30. was compoſed at the Dedication of the Houſe of David. The Iſraelites juſtly called their Houſes God's Houſes. And thoſe tumultuous combined, and inſulting Enemies of theirs in Pride, Scorn and Deriſion ſaid, Let us take to our ſelves the Houſes of God in poſſeſſion, Pſal. 83. 12. Houſes were dedicated to the Lord's Service. Joſhua ſays, I and my Houſe we will ſerve the Lord; and all Iſrael promiſe the ſame, Joſh. 24. 15, 21. David ſays, he will walk within his Houſe with a perfect Heart, Pſal. 101. 2. there be Songs of Mercy and of Judgment. Indeed the voice of rejoycing and Salvation is in the Tabernacle of the Righteous, Pſal. 118. 15. The Lord is adored and praiſed in the Tabernacles of them to whom he has ſhewed himſelf a God of Salvation.

Cornelius one of the first-fruits of the Gentiles, was a devout Man, and he feared God with all his Houſe, and prayed to God alway, Act. 10. 2. And fearing of God implies calling upon his Name, as caſting off fear, and reſtraining of Prayer are joyned together, Job 15. 4. ſo that he prayed unto God p. 48with all his Houſe; and there is not the leaſt reaſon to think that they did not pray altogether, unleſs ſuch kind of praying had been any where forbidden. We read of a Curſe and a Bleſſing not only upon Perſons, but upon Families. Prov. 3. 33. The Curſe of the Lord is in the Houſe of the wicked, but he bleſſeth the Habitation of the Just. Surely Families have reaſon to Pray againſt the one; and that the other may reſt on them. And truly our Lord Jeſus in that Prayer of his own making, which is the great Directory for Prayer; when he does inſtruct us to ſay, Give us this day our daily Bread, very plainly ſignifies, that thoſe in Families that daily Eat together, ought alſo daily to pray together. And are they only to pray together for daily Bread? no; they are alſo to Pray for the hallowing of God's Name, the coming of his Kingdom; and that his Will might be done on Earth as 'tis done in Heaven. They are to pray for the forgiveneſs of paſt treſpaſſes; and that Grace may prevent their being led into Temptation, and may deliver them from Evil.

You ſee here is ground enough for Families to give their Attendance upon God. Families are the Seminaries from which both Church and State are furniſhed; and p. 49if there were more of Devotion and Inſtruction, and Diſcipline there, the Church in all probability would be more pure; and the State more righteouſly and better ordered. Whereas, if Families live without God in the World; the Governours, the Children and Servants are all uſually wicked, and likely to become worſe and worſe: and the Churches Face is foul'd with odious ſpots and ſtains; and the State grows more corrupt, till at length 'tis ripe for ruine.

3. There is an Attendance upon God that is publick in the Congregation. In publick Aſſemblies the true God is owned and honoured in the Face of the Sun; and the Lord Chriſt is glorified; Chriſtians Aſſembling in his Name, depending upon his Promiſe to be in the midſt of them, and to bleſs them. He walks in the midst of the Golden Candleſticks, Rev. 1. 13. He bleſſes the Ordinances himſelf has inſtituted, to the enlightning, purifying, and Conſolation of ſincere Attendants on him. In theſe Publick Aſſemblies, Saints unite their ſpiritual ſtrength in wreſtling with God; the Faith and holy Deſires of a great many Believers together being conjunct, are likely to be the more prevailing. Theſe Aſſemblies ought to be valued and frequented; to forſake them, is ill to the forſaker: p. 50Hence that caution, Heb. 10. 25. Not forſaking the Aſſembling of our ſelves together, as the manner of ſome is; but exhorting one another, and ſo much the more as ye ſee the day approaching. The breaking of ſolemn publick Aſſemblies, ſhould be an Heartbreaking thing to us; and the Lord has promiſed to gather thoſe that are ſorrowful upon this ſcore. Zeph. 3. 18 I will gather them that are ſorrowful for the ſolemn Aſſembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burthen.

V. There is an Attendance upon God on his own day, and upon other days.

1. An Attendance upon God on his own day. A ſeventh part of our time is hallowed by the fourth Commandment. Six days are for Labour, a ſeventh for Reſt from that Labour; and that we may have leiſure, with greater ſeriouſneſs to attend upon God. The great Creator having made the World in ſix days, reſted on the ſeventh, and appointed it for a Sabbath, and bleſſed it. And the Apoſtle tells us that our Lord Jeſus Chriſt the great Redeemer, is entred into his Reſt, having ceaſed his own works, as God did from his; and therefore there remains a rest foreign, a keeping of a Sabbath to the People of God, p. 51Heb. 4. 9, 10. As the Jewiſh Sabbath was kept in Commemoration of the Lord's reſting from Creation, ſo the Chriſtian Sabbath is to be obſerved in Commemoration of Chriſt, who is over all God bleſſed for ever, his resting from the work of Redemption; it is in him that we have reſt by Faith at preſent, and hope for a bleſſed, glorious, and everlaſting Reſt in Heaven. The day that Chriſt roſe, was the day on which he reſted; for his lying in the Grave was not his rest, but part of his Humiliation; and that was the firſt day of the Week. On this Chriſtian Churches aſſembled for Worſhip, Acts 20. 6, 7. The Apoſtle was at Troas ſeven days. We read not a word, being among Chriſtians, that he ſolemnly Worſhipt on the ſeventh day, but upon the firſt day of the Week the Diſciples came together to break Bread. Upon this day Chriſtians being aſſembled together, Collections were made for good Uſes at Corinth, and in the Churches of Galatia, 1 Cor. 16. 1, 2. Nay, this is called the▪ Lord's Day, Rev. 1. 10. Now as the Lord's Supper is a Supper of the Lord's Inſtitution; ſo the Lord's Day, foreign, is a day of the Lord's appointing and ordaining. The prophanation of this Chriſtian Sabbath has been puniſhed with remarkable Judgments; The p. 52Ordinances adminiſtred thereon have been owned and bleſſed to the Converſion and Confirmation of Thouſands and Millions of Souls.

On this Chriſtian Sabbath, what kind of Attendance on God ſhould ours be! Before the day comes it ſhould be longed for; and when 'tis come, it ſhould be moſt welcom. Aſſoon as our Senſes are unlock't in the Morning, our Souls ſhould be as it were, caught up to the third Heaven, and there continue until Night. Our Lord is riſen indeed, and we ſhould riſe with him, and ſeek thoſe things which are above, where he ſits at the right hand of God, Col. 3. 1. Things on Earth will be intruding into our Hearts and Thoughts; but no Entertainment muſt be given them. A Deſire or Wiſh muſt not be allowed them, unleſs it be, that we may not be diſtracted with them. When Abraham was juſt come to Mount Moriah, he ſays to his Servants, Abide you here, and I and the Lad will go yonder and Worſhip, Gen. 22. 5. So when the Lord's Day comes, we ſhould ſay to all our Worldly Buſineſſes and Concerns, Abide as you are; ceaſe from our Care and Thoughts, whilſt we and our Hearts aſcend unto the Hill of the Lord and Worſhip. This day is appointed for our more ſolemn approaches unto God, and that we may p. 53have more intimate Fellowſhip with him; and if Communion with him be enjoyed, we ſhall find ſo much Grace and Strength, and Peace therein, that we ſhall be perfectly of the Pſalmiſt's mind, That a day in God's Courts is better than a Thouſand, Pſal. 84. 10. The very Palaces of the wicked are contemptible. No place under Heaven is ſo deſirable as the Sanctuary.

2. There is an Attendance upon God on other days. He is the Lord of our time, and therefore every day, he ſhould have ſome part of it. We ſhould be careful to know how he would have us to employ that time which himſelf gives, and will call us to account for. We ſhould live the rest of our time in the Fleſh, to the Will of God, not to the Luſts of other Men, or our own, 1 Pet. 4. 2. and we ſhould grieve, that ſo much has been waſted to his Diſpleaſure and Diſhonour. David was glad to go up to the Houſe of God on the Sabbath; but he was alſo a daily Attender on him. Pſal. 86. 3. Be merciful unto me, O Lord, for I cry unto thee daily. So Heman, Pſal. 88. 9. Lord, I have called daily upon thee, I have ſtretched out my Hands unto thee. And Daniel rather than omit praying daily unto God, ventured to be caſt into the Lion's Den; and God miraculouſly appears for p. 54him, his Mouth having been open ſo often in fervent Supplication; God ſhuts the Lions Mouths, that though in the Den among them, they did not make a Prey of him. Every day we ſhould be in the Fear of God, and have Faith in him; and if in the midſt of our Worldly Buſineſs, our Hearts frequently ſtep aſide to attend on God in mental Applications to him; that attendance will be both acceptable and profitable. But ſome times every day we ſhould ſequeſter our ſelves from other buſineſs; that this greateſt and beſt buſineſs may be minded; which is to draw near to God.

6. There is an attendance upon God in a time of Liberty and a Calm, and an attending upon him in a time of Perſecution and a Storm. In a time of Liberty the Lord has many Followers, who leave him when a Storm of Perſecution beats in their Faces. When the King of Navarre was about to Apoſtatize to Popery, and Beza came to confirm him in the Truth, he made this Anſwer, That he would never go ſo far to Sea as not to be able to put to Shore when he pleaſed; He ſhewed plainly, that he could turn Papiſt to get the Kingdom of France; but he was reſolved not to go through much Tribulation p. 55to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. The Hearers compared to ſtony ground heard the Goſpel with forwardneſs and joy, while the Goſpel and Proſperity were conjoyned; but when Perſecution and Tribulation aroſe becauſe of the Word, they were offended, they kept not their ſtanding, but in that time of Temptation fell away, Mat. 13. 20, 21. We ſhould be other kind of attendants than ſo. Let us count the coſt of being Diſciples, and conclude that Grace and Glory will quit the coſt. Our Lord was offended at nothing that was to be done or ſuffered for our Redemption; ſurely neither his Commands nor his Croſs ſhould be matter of offence to us, but ſtill we ſhould remain his followers.

I might alſo add another distinction: There is an attendance upon God in Earth and in Heaven; the one is Duty, the other is Reward; the one is ſhort, the other is endleſs; and yet in that Service there ſhall not be the leaſt wearineſs; nay, ſo far from that, that there will be fulneſs of Joy and everlaſting Pleaſure. Thus I have ſpoken of the ſeveral ſorts of attending upon God.

In the fourth place I am to aſſign the reaſons why the Children of Men ought to give their attendance upon God.

p. 561. The Command to attend upon God is written on the Heart of Man by Nature. There is both the Creed, and the Law of Nature. There are ſeveral Truths that are apparent without a ſupernatural Revelation; as that there is a God; that he rules the World; that he ſees all the works of the Children of Men; and that he will call them to an account for all that they have done. There are alſo Commands which are written in the Hearts of Men. Rom. 2. 14. For when the Gentiles which have not the Law do by Nature the things contained in the Law, theſe having not the Law, are a Law unto themſelves; which ſhew the work of the Law written in their Hearts; and among theſe Commands, this is as plain as any, That God is to be worſhipped. The Gentiles therefore are blamed becauſe this Command was not obſerved, Rom. 1. 21. Becauſe that when they knew God they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful: but became vain in their imaginations, and their fooliſh heart was darkned. Now as ſins have their peculiar aggravations that are committed againſt the Light of Nature, ſo neglect of Duty is highly aggravated, when 'tis evident by the Light of Nature, that ſuch Duty ought to be performed.

p. 572. Attendance upon God is frequently called for and urged in the Scripture. The Lord ſpake this with his own Voice from Heaven, and afterwards wrote it with his own Hand upon the Tables of Stone, that we ſhould have no other Gods before him, that we ſhould not Worſhip Idols, that we ſhould not take his Name in vain, Exod. 20. Our Lord repeats what was enjoyned long before, Mat. 4. 10. It is written, thou ſhalt Worſhip the Lord thy God, and him only ſhalt thou ſerve; and he ſays Joh. 4. 24. God is a Spirit, and they that Worſhip him, must Worſhip him in Spirit and in Truth. So Pſal. 22. 23. Ye that fear the Lord praiſe him; all ye the Seed of Jacob glorifie him; and fear him all ye the Seed of Iſrael. See alſo Pſal. 105. 3, 4. Glory ye in his holy Name, let the Heart of them rejoyce that ſeek the Lord: Seek the Lord and his Strength, ſeek his Face evermore. And as the word of God calls for this, ſo the Providence of God ſeconds his Precepts. The diſpenſing of mercies calls upon us to attend the Father of them with our Praiſes. And afflictions ſhould quicken us in our ſeeking God; he requires this, Pſal. 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou ſhalt glorifie me. And he reckons upon it that he ſhould hear from his People, when his p. 58chaſtning was upon them, Hoſ. 5. 15. I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and ſeek my Face; in their affliction they will ſeek me early.

3. God ſees whether there be an attendance upon himſelf, and after what manner, and that with a jealous eye. And this is another ſtrong reaſon for our attending on him. The Lord looks down from Heaven upon the Children of Men, to this very end, that he may ſee if there be any that underſtand and ſeek God, Pſal. 53. 2. ſo that he very ſtrictly obſerves, how Mens Hearts are affected towards him and his Service; and he cannot but be very much diſpleaſed with the whole Race of fallen Man, becauſe Rom. 3. 10, 11. There is none Righteous, no not one; there is none that underſtandeth, there is none that ſeeketh after God The Lord takes notice how Days and Weeks, and Months and Years go over Mens Heads, and yet that God from whom they have their all, they ſeek not to for any thing; neither return they any thanks to him, how much ſoever they receive from him. And thoſe who attend upon God, he obſerves the manner how they do it; and heartleſs Duties, doing the work of the Lord deceitfully, provokes and kindles the Fire of his Jealouſie. Mal. 1. 14. Curſed be the p. 59deceiver, who having a Male in his Flock, voweth and ſacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing. The ſecond Commandment which directs us as to Divine Worſhip, makes mention that the Lord is a jealous God. He cannot endure to have his Service neglected, as if there were no profit or reward in ſeeking him: He cannot endure a negligent Service. As if he were an Idol, as if he had Eyes, but did not ſee or take notice who they are that mock him. God's Omniſcience and all-ſeeing Eye, ſtruck a great awe upon the Apoſtle, it made him draw near to God; and it made him very ſerious when he had to do with him. Heb. 4. 13. Neither is there any Creature that is not manifeſt in his ſight; but all things are naked and opened unto the Eyes of him with whom we have to do.

4. Man's neceſſities ſhould conſtrain him to attend upon God. Sin has made the Children of Men in the worſt ſenſe poor and needy; they fancy themſelves rich, and dream of fulneſs; but behold 'tis only a dream; for they are wretched, and miſerable, and poor, and blind, and naked. Now for the ſupply of their needs, 'tis in vain to have recourſe to any but God. The broken Ciſterns can hold no Water: and cannot furniſh them with any that run p. 60to them; but there is enough in the Fountain of living Waters for all that repair to it. An experienced attender upon God, knew how to be furniſhed with every thing, Pſal. 57. 2. I will cry unto God moſt high; unto God, who performeth all things for me. And the Apoſtle ſpeaks with a moſt reaſonable confidence, Pſal. 4. 19. My God ſhall ſupply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Chriſt Jeſus. The one thing needful is alone from God; and from him are all things elſe: His Kingdom and Righteouſneſs he beſtows on them that ſeek him; and all things elſe ſhall be added, Matt. 6. 33. Man has beggar'd himſelf; as to the true Riches he is a meer Bankrupt: In him, that is, in his Fleſh dwelleth no good thing, Rom. 7. 18. and that which is born of the fleſh is fleſh, wholly carnal, till there be a regeneration by the Spirit. How ſhall Man, who is ſo very evil, be made truly good? All true Grace and Goodneſs is from God, who is therefore called the God of all Grace, 1 Pet. 5. 10. and 'tis through Chriſt that 'tis all communicated: Therefore every good thing in Believers, is ſaid to be in them in Chriſt Jeſus, Philem. ver. 6. Man has need to come to God, for he has ruined himſelf, and 'tis the Lord alone to whom Salvation belongs. Man has deſtroyed himſelf, in God is p. 61his help found, Hoſ. 13. 9. Thoſe whom the Lord ſaves not, muſt needs periſh.

5. Man's Obligations to attend upon God, are ſtill increaſing. The Lord cauſes his Sun to ariſe upon the evil as well as the good, upon the unrighteous as well as the righteous, Matt. 5. 45. He is kind to the unthankful and the evil, Luke 6. 35. God's Bounty calls for a return of Duty, and ſhould quicken Man to ſeek the Lord who is ſo abundant in Goodneſs. In God's hand Man's breath is, and every time he breaths God ſaves his Life; from God's hand he receives whatever he has. How ſtrictly is Man engaged to acknowledge God in all! to ſerve him, and to glorifie his Name! Even thoſe that are bad, have experience of the riches of Divine Goodneſs, and Forbearance, and Long-ſuffering; and though this goodneſs is but common, yet offers are made to them of ſpecial Grace. All the day long the Lord ſtretches forth his hand to the diſobedient and gain-ſaying; and in that hand are no leſs than the good things of Time and of Eternity. The wickedeſt and worſt of Men, if they conſent to leave their wicked ways, and to have their wicked hearts changed, and come to God, they ſhall graciouſly be accepted, be abundantly pardoned, and have the beſt things beſtowed on them. God is ready p. 62to give Grace to them that have none; and to give more Grace where he has already wrought it.

6. Promiſes are precious that are made to attenders upon God, and threatnings are terrible againſt Contemners of God, who refuſe to attend upon him. Thus the Lord works upon thoſe two great commanding things in the Soul of Man, his Hope and his Fear, that he may have Service from him. If we draw near to God, he promiſes to draw nigh to us, James 4. 8. and his approaches to his People are the manifeſtations of his Pitty and Power for their help and ſupply; the communications of that Grace which may be ſuitable and ſufficient in the time of need: He ſays not to the Seed of Jacob, ſeek ye me in vain. Moſes ſuppoſes Iſrael apoſtatizing from their God by Idolatry, and his anger waxed hot againſt them, and themſelves ſcattered among the Nations: Yet ſays he, If from thence thou ſhalt ſeek the Lord thy God, thou ſhalt find him, if thou ſeek him with all thy heart and with all thy ſoul, Deut. 4. 29. Gracious words to the ſame purpoſe are ſent in a Letter to the Captives in Babylon, Jer. 29. 11, 12, 13. For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, ſaith the Lord; thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end; then ſhall p. 63ye call upon me, and ye ſhall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you; and ye ſhall ſeek me and find me, when ye ſhall ſearch for me with all your heart.

On the other hand, the God of truth and juſtice breathes out threatnings and wrath againſt them that deſpiſe him; that inſtead of ſeeking him, turn their backs upon him and forſake him. Iſa. 1. 24, 28. Thus ſaith the Lord, the Lord of Hoſts, the mighty one of Iſrael. Ah! I will eaſe me of my adverſaries. They were a burthen to him, which at laſt he grew weary to bear; and revenge me of my Enemies; and the deſtruction of the tranſgreſſors, and of the ſinners, ſhall be together; and they that forſake the Lord ſhall be conſumed. Sometimes God promiſes and threatens in the ſame breath, that he may prevail with Man to come to him, and make him afraid to refuſe. 1 Chron. 28. 9. The Lord ſearcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts, if thou ſeek him he will be found of thee; but if thou forſake him he will caſt thee off for ever. So Ezr. 8. 22. The hand of our God is upon all them for good that ſeek him, but his power and his wrath is against all them that forſake him. And the promiſed good, and the threatned evil, being thus preſented together to our view, our Hearts are the p. 64more likely to be affected with the dreadfulneſs of the one, and with the deſirableneſs of the other.

7. The time will not last much longer, in which God will be attended upon. Life is ſhort, and Death, which puts an end to Man's Life in this World, will bring the Seaſon of Mercy and Grace to a full period: There is no paſſing through that foreign great gulph which is fixed in the other World, Luke 16. 26. Prayers in Hell have no Audience, but a Denial, though but a drop of Water is asked: Nay, as the rich Man could not prevail for any eaſe for himſelf, ſo neither for a Meſſenger to be ſent to his ſurviving, ſecure, and ſinful Brethren, to prevent their coming into the place of Torment. Our Lord by his Spirit in the Patriarchs, went and preached to the Spirits in Priſon; but it was before they came to that Priſon; even when the long-ſuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, 1 Pet. 3. 19, 20. When we read that admonition, Seek the Lord while he may be found, and call ye upon him while he is near, Iſa. 55. 6. there is a plain Intimation, that quickly it may be impoſſible to find him; and that to call upon him, may be too late and to no purpoſe. Deſpair hereafter will ſtop Sinners Mouths, and utterly diſcourage their crying unto God: p. 65Then they will rather call to the Rocks and Mountains to fall upon them, and hide them from the Face of him that ſits upon the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.

8. If Man attend not upon God, how much evil will he do, and whither will he go! If God has no Service from him, Sin and Satan will have a great deal. Thoſe who are not well employed in holy Duties, are likely to be very ill employed in the unfruitful works of Darkneſs. The Nature of Man is ſo depraved, that it has a mighty propenſion to wickedneſs. And were it not for the Grace of God, which does either change corrupted Nature, or chain it, what a univerſal running out would there be into all Exceſs of Riot, and with what greedineſs would Iniquity be committed? But if God be not attended on and ſought unto, and proud ſcornful Sinners had rather he would keep his Grace to himſelf, than bestow any of it upon them; he may juſtly leave them to the perverſe bent of their own Nature: and how will Sin abound then? how will a wicked Heart be perpetually ſending forth polluted Streams? Jer. 6. 7. As a Fountain casteth out her Waters, ſo ſhe caſteth out her wickedneſs. The Lord puniſhes neglect of himſelf and of his Service, this way. He leaves Men to p. 66themſelves: and 'tis a very righteous and proper puniſhment, Pſal. 81. 11, 12. But my People would not hearken to my Voice, and Iſrael would none of me; ſo I gave them up to their own hearts luſts, and they walked in their own Counſels. And Man being thus left to follow the counſels of a Carnal Mind, and to fulfil the Lufts of a wicked Heart; what a Child of Hell may he quickly become; and what haſte may he make thither? he may ripen apace for ruine, and be ſuddenly deſtroy'd, and that without remedy.

9. Attendance upon God is not profitable to God in the least, but Man has the benefit and advantage by it. He was a Man of eminent goodneſs, whoſe Soul ſaid unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord, my goodneſs extendeth not to thee, Pſal. 16. 2. But though David's goodneſs extended not to God, to draw near to God was good for David. Saints and Angels by their higheſt Services can add nothing to the Lord whom they ſerve. Their ſublimeſt praiſes are an acknowledgment that they have their all from him, and in him. The better we are, the better Obedience we yield; but the Lord is not bettered by our beſt Obedience. It is highly reaſonable we ſhould attend upon God; for though he can receive nothing p. 67from us; yet he is ready to give himſelf and all things to us, if we ſeek him diligently. He conſults our intereſt in his Commands to come, to fear, to love, and cleave to him, Deut. 10. 12, 13. And now Iſrael, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, and to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to ſerve the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, and with all thy Soul; to keep the Commandments of the Lord, and his Statutes which I command thee this day for thy good? Man's good you ſee, is aimed at; and that in fearing of God and keeping his Commandments, it may be well with Man for ever. Deut. 5. 29.

I come in the laſt place, to the Application of the Doctrine; the Uſes of it may be ſeveral.

USE I. Shall be of Reproof. Many ſorts of perſons deſerve reprehenſion, and need it.

1. They are to be reproved who are haters of God, and hate to attend upon him. 'Tis prodigiouſly unreaſonable, that the gracious God, who fills the Earth with his goodneſs, Pſal. 33. 5. and is moſt worthy of the Love of all, ſhould be hated by any: p. 68yet though ſtrange, 'tis too true, that God is hated by many, nay, by moſt of the Children of Men. Moſt are of their Father the Devil, and the luſts of their Father they will do: He is an hater of God, and ſo are they. All wicked Men are alienated from God, and Enemies in their Minds by wicked works: they diſlike him and his Service; they get out of his ways, and turn aſide out of his paths, and ſay, Cauſe the holy One of Iſrael to ceaſe from before us, Iſa. 30. 11. they care not to hear, to think of this holy One; they cannot abide to walk in his holy ways. Now if love to God be the first and great Command, how great a ſin muſt the hatred of God be called! and how unfit are they to be admitted hereafter into his glorious Preſence and Kingdom; who now ſay unto God depart from us! Moſt worthy they are to be ſent away from him with his Curſe, and to be ſentenced to that everlaſting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels, whom they reſemble in hating of God, and with whom they have joyned in rebelling againſt him.

2. They are to be reproved who account Attendance upon God needleſs. The Mind of Man appears to be foreign, void of Judgment, in determing what things are mainly to be minded. Things that are p. 69vanity and vexation of Spirit; what pains are taken to get them; what care is taken to keep them! The one thing needful is neglected, as if it were the only thing unneceſſary. The Heathen Poet cryed out,

O curas hominum! O quantum eſt in rebus inane!

The Care of Man about empty things, how injudicious is it? Time can be found for every thing, but the making proviſion for Eternity; and yet the providing for Eternity is the main thing to be done in time; and time was given chiefly for the doing of this. Are theſe to be our great enquiries, What ſhall we eat and drink, and wherewith ſhall we be cloathed and adorned? How ſhall we heap up wealth, and gratifie our ſelves with ſenſual pleaſures? How ſhall we live plentifully our ſelves, and leave abundant ſubſtance to Poſterity? Certainly there are matters of far greater importance and neceſſity to be regarded. The truly grand Enquiries are of another Nature. How ſhall ſin be pardoned, and the Wrath of God appeaſed? How ſhall the Heart be changed, and made a new one, and the Soul that is ſo precious ſaved? How ſhall God be attended on, and ſerved, and glorified, ſo as to be enjoyed, p. 70and eternal bleſſedneſs attained in the Enjoyment of him? Attendance upon God is no more to be accounted needleſs, than eternal happineſs is needleſs, than the loſs of a Soul more valuable than the whole World, is to be eſteemed a ſmall matter.

3. They are to be reproved who look upon attendance on God as a wearineſs, and grievous. In following and trudging after Mammon, they are unwearied. How ſwift and many are the ſteps in the way to Earthly Delights and Treaſure! They riſe up early, ſit up late, rack their Wits, grow Lean with Care for the things of the World; and they are not grudging at all this Toil and Labour. But when they come to wait upon God, time moves very ſlowly; a quarter ſeems longer than an hour. Duties are tedious to them; they are loth to begin; and aſſoon as they have begun, they do not wiſh for Communion with God, or that they themſelves might be better'd; but that their Duties were at an end. The Prophet is very ſharp againſt them who deſpiſed the Table of the Lord, and look'd upon the fruit and meat of it contemptible; and they ſaid, behold what a wearineſs it is! Mal. 1. 12, 13. God is weary of ſuch unwilling Services as yours are. Iſa. 1. 13, 14. Bring no more vain Oblations, they are a p. 71trouble to me, I am weary to bear them. And as he is weary of your ſervices, ſo he quickly may be weary to bear you; and he may count it a comfort to be rid of you. Ezek. 5. 13. Thus my anger ſhall be accompliſhed, and I will cauſe my Fury to reſt upon them, and I will be comforted, and they ſhall know that I the Lord have ſpoken it in my Zeal, when I have accompliſhed my Fury in them. We read of ſome that were weary of Sabbaths, the Ordinances then adminiſtred were to them no priviledges; and when will the Sabbath be gone? was their Language, Amos 8. 5. but ver. 7. the Lord ſwares he would not forget their works, and he threatens ver. 11. to ſend a Famine in the Land; not a Famine of Bread, nor athirſt for Water, but a Famine of hearing the words of the Lord: And how unlikely were they ever to be ſaved; from whom even the means of Salvation were taken away!

4. They are to be reproved who are ſinfully aſhamed, or afraid to attend upon God. Some Ages are ſo degenerate, that Religion grows exceedingly out of faſhion, and contempt of God and prophaneneſs, is the thing that is al-a-mode. When great Men think it below them to be good, and Policy contemns Piety; when the vilest Men are exalted, and wickedneſs grows into credit; p. 72when Judgment is turned away backward, and Juſtice ſtandeth afar off; when Truth is fallen in the Streets, and Equity cannot enter; and he that departeth from evil maketh himſelf a Prey, Iſa. 59 14, 15. then this fear and ſhame that I am ſpeaking againſt is apt to prevail. But why ſhould any be aſhamed to own themſelves Servants to the greateſt and beſt of Lords? Is not he glorious in Holineſs? Are not his Precepts concerning all things to be eſteemed right? Are not all thoſe ways falſe that lead from him? Has he not ſaid, Thoſe that honour me I will honour, and thoſe that deſpiſe me ſhall be lightly esteemed? 1 Sam. 2. 30. Chriſt will be aſhamed of them at the great day, who are aſhamed of him and of his Word, before a perverſe and wicked Generation. And why ſhould any be afraid to attend upon that mighty Lord, who does according to his Will in the Armies of Heaven, and among the Inhabitants of the Earth; and all the Inhabitants of the World are reputed as nothing before him? Dan. 4. 35. Attenders upon God ſhould baniſh the fear of Man, for God has evil Men and evil Angels in a Chain, and his ſincere Servants under his own keeping. Thoſe who are afraid of Man that ſhall dye, forget the living God, and their Duty towards him, and how able he p. 73is to protect them in the faithful diſcharge of it.

5. They are to be reproved who attend upon God, that they may cover and cloak their wicked and worldly, and ſelfiſh deſigns. They put on a form of Godlineſs, but 'tis the better to hide their wickedneſs. They are for external Worſhip; but when they ſeem to ſeek after God moſt of all, they are nothing at all but ſelf-ſeekers; and Religion is moſt unworthily made ſubſervient to ſecular Intereſt. Thus the Birds of Prey when they ſoar higheſt towards Heaven, have their Eyes ſtill downwards towards the Earth, to ſee what they may ſeize on there. But what abominable Hypocriſie is this, when love to the Father is pretended, but the thing intended is the gratifying the luſts of the fleſh, the luſts of the Eyes, or the pride of life; which are not of the Father, but are of the World! 1 Joh. 2. 16. A Cloak of Religion is a ſpecious, and goodly thing to look upon. Praying, Hearing, Profeſſing, Singing of Praiſes, Preſence at other Ordinances, looking upwards towards Heaven, and ſpeaking like Saints, make the outſide of this Cloak; and, Come ſee my Zeal for the Lord of Hoſts; and, The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord are theſe; make the Cloak look ſtill the p. 74better outwardly. But the inſide is moſt foul and filthy; there is Ambition, reprobate Concupiſcence, inſatiable Covetouſneſs; the Purſe muſt be filled; the Palate muſt be pleaſed; the Senſes muſt be delighted; and Pride gratified with Applauſe and Preferment: But certainly the Lord will not hold ſuch diſſemblers guiltleſs, who with ſuch carnal deſigns do take his Name in vain.

6. They are to be reproved, who are temporary Attenders upon God; but in time of trial and temptation, apostalize and depart from him. Some kind of faint wiſhes they have, that they might be ſaved; and with ſome kind of Joy they entertain the gladtydings of Salvation; but whatever becomes of their Souls, their reſolution is to ſleep in a whole Skin; and they will not hazard what they poſſeſs on Earth, for the ſake of a Treaſure in Heaven. The heat of Perſecution ſcorches ſuch Attenders as theſe, and cauſes all that is good in them to wither away, Mat. 13. 6. They can by no means be reconciled to the Croſs of Chriſt, though the Spirit of Glory and of God does reſt upon thoſe that take up this Croſs, and gives them a Mouth and Wiſdom to confound and ſilence the enemies of the Truth; and ſtrength to bear whatever wicked and unreaſonable p. 75Men can inflict: Nay, abundant Conſolation, when Sufferings moſt abound, 2 Cor. 1. 5. For as the Sufferings of Chriſt abound in us, ſo our Conſolation alſo aboundeth by Chriſt. When theſe temporary Followers of the Lord hear him ſay, If any Man come to me and hate not, i. e. leſs love, his Father and Mother, and Wife and Children, and Brethren and Siſters, and his own life alſo, he cannot be my Diſciple: Their anſwer is, This is an hard ſaying, who can hear it? And not enduring the Trial and Furnace, 'tis a ſign they are but reprobate Silver which the Lord rejects; and their utter Apoſtaſie in the time of Temptation, ſhews they never had root in themſelves, Matt. 13. 21. If they had been of us, ſays the Apoſtle, they would no doubt have continued with us, but they went out, that they might be made manifeſt that they were not all of us, 1 John 2. 19.