The Cure of Distractions, Text (2 of 4)

The Cure of Distractions · Text (2 of 4)

p. 757. They are to be reproved, who reſt in the bare formality of attending upon God; but 'tis not their deſire or aim to reap any Spiritual Benefit thereby. Education, Cuſtom, and a regard to their Reputation, makes them to go in a road and round of Duties; and hereby an ignorant natural Conſcience has ſome kind of Peace: But in all they do they have no eye on God, nor any ſincere deſires after him. So ignorant they are of p. 76themſelves, that they are unſenſible of any Spiritual Neceſſities to be ſupplied; they are unſenſible of any Luſts and Paſſions to be mortified; of any Plagues in their Hearts to be healed. In attending upon God, His Approbation is principally to be minded; He is a Jew that is one inwardly, whoſe praiſe is not of Man but of God, Rom. 2. 29. And God himſelf is chiefly to be longed after, Pſal. 42. 1. As the heart panteth after the water-brooks, ſo panteth my Soul after thee O God. But theſe formal Attendants mind not God's approving of them, neither do they deſire Communion with him. So the Work be but done, they care not how, nor how little themſelves are Spiritually advantaged. The Door turns upon the Hinges too and fro; but ſtill is where it was many years ago. So theſe Profeſſors come to Ordinances, and from them, no better than they were: They were many years ago, proud, worldly, ſelfiſh, paſſionate, ſenſual, ſlothful; and oh their Sin and Shame! that ſo they are ſtill, or more ſo than ever; notwithſtanding all their Religious Services!

8. The very beſt are to be reproved, That there are ſo many ſins in their holieſt things, and when they give their beſt attendance upon God. Though they are new Creatures, yet there is much of the old man p. 77remaining; though they are born of the Spirit, yet in part they are ſtill carnal. And this fleſh luſteth againſt the Spirit, ſo that they cannot do the things that they would, Gal. 5. 17. and what they do, they cannot do ſo well as they deſire to do it. They are to be pitied indeed under their groaning, becauſe of indwelling Sin. And the Apoſtle calls himſelf wretched becauſe of this, who was joyful under the heavieſt Croſs he ever bore. And yet Saints are to be reproved too; becauſe were it not their own fault, they might ſtill do and be better. They might have more Grace from Chriſt, Life more abundantly from him; they might have more Aid from the Spirit; they might be more enlarged in Ordinances, and with greater Swiftneſs run the ways of God's Commandments. Tho' when they have done all, all is ſo defective, they have need of the perfect Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, to cover their Failings and Imperfections.

USE II. Of Exhortation to you all to attend upon God. Let not the World, and the God of this World, have you at command; the things that their attendants take up withall, are a meer ſhew, and are gone preſently. The Pſalmiſt ſpeaking of thoſe who only mind ſuch things as theſe, with p. 78great Aſſeveration tells us, Pſal 39. 6. Surely every Man walketh in a vain ſhew; ſurely they are diſquieted in vain; and then adds, v. 7. And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in thee. Expectation from the Creature, he knew would be fruſtrated; but hope in God, he was well aſſured, would never make him aſhamed.

The Arguments to perſwade to attend upon God, are theſe.

1. 'Tis wonderful Condeſcenſion and Compaſſion in God, that he will admit of attendance by ſuch as you are. Whoſe Eye, but Gods, ſees the whole of Sins evil? The Lord alone does fully underſtand his own goodneſs, and glorious Perfections and Excellencies, therefore he alone fully underſtands Sins ſinfulneſs, which is ſo contrary to him. The Pſalmiſt tells us, He is not a God that hath pleaſure in wickedneſs, neither ſhall evil dwell with him, Pſal. 5. 4. When he prohibits Sin, he ſpeaks with great concernedneſs, Jer. 44. 4. Oh do not this abominable thing which I hate. You may perceive by his words, that his very Soul does abhor Iniquity; 'tis therefore matter of Aſtoniſhment, that God ſhould have any thing to do in a way of Mercy with Man who is ſo abominably guilty and defiled. What is there in Man by Nature to commend him p. 79to God? The Apoſtle charges the whole World as guilty before God, and proves Heart and Tongue, and Hands and Feet of Man to be corrupt; and that the way of Peace he knows not, Rom. 3. 17. Why ſhould ſuch a Wretch be look'd upon, and graciouſly called upon to return? Here is indeed Eternal Miſery that Man is in danger of, for Divine Mercy to prevent? Here is a great deal of Sin for the juſtifying Righteouſneſs of a Mediator to cover: Here are Heart-Plagues for Christ the Phyſician of Souls to heal: Here is Stubbornneſs and Obſtinacy in evil, for the Spirit of Grace to overcome: Here are innumerable wants, for the All-ſufficient God to ſupply: But not the leaſt jot of meritorious Worthineſs. Will the Lord admit ſuch as we are, indigent, worthleſs, vile? Let us wonder that he will do it, and keep no longer at a diſtance from him.

2. Remember God refuſes to be attended upon by multitudes of fallen Creatures, which at firſt were better than Man. We read that Man was made a little lower than the Angels, Pſal. 8. 5. ſo that the Angels were in degree higher than Man in their firſt Creation: Now a great Hoſt of theſe Angels ſinned, and when they ſinned they were not ſpared, 2 Pet. 2 4. as ſoon as they fell p. 80into Sin, they were thrown down and fell into Hell. The Lord calls not to the Apoſtate Angels to repent of ſin and return to himſelf: There is no Throne of Grace for them to come to, no Mercy offered, the door of hope is lock'd up and fast barr'd againſt them for ever. Our Lord took not on him the Nature of Angels, Heb. 2. 16. The good Angels were indeed confirmed in their good State, in their original Integrity, by the Son of God, who is the Head of all Principality and Power, Col. 2. 10. But the Son of God redeemed and recovered not ſo much as one of the bad Angels, but they are all in Chains of darkneſs reſerved unto Judgment. Theſe reprobate Angels are of very great Capacity, they excel in ſtrength, yet the Lord will accept of no ſervice at their hands: He forces them againſt their wills to be ſubſervient to his purpoſes and pleaſure, but Worſhip and Obedience from them he admits not of. But he calls after Man to return, though fallen by his iniquity, Hoſ. 14. 1. He puts words into Man's Mouth, and tells him what he ſhould ſay, and what he himſelf is ready to hearken to and grant, Hoſ. 14. 2. Take with you words, and turn to the Lord, ſay unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciouſly: So will we render the calves of p. 81our lips. This great difference which Grace does make between fallen Man, and fallen Angels, ſhould be a mighty Inducement and Encouragement to Man, to give moſt ready attendance upon God.

3. 'Tis the great endeavour of your Spiritual Enemies to hinder your attendance upon God, or to diſturb you in it: Which ſhews they are well aware how beneficial this attendance, if ſerious, would be; and they envy you the benefit of it. 'Tis Wiſdom [ab horte doceri] well to mark, and to receive ſome inſtruction from an Enemy. What Satan urges you to purſue, you may conclude is of little worth; his Malignity is ſuch, that he will not truly conſult your intereſt. And ſince he uſes ſo many Methods, and ſo much Subtlety, to stave you off from God, you may reaſonably argue, that in coming to God, lies your Duty and your Bleſſedneſs. The Enemy of our Salvation has falſe glaſſes, through which he miſrepreſents the Lord and his Service to us. Sometimes he repreſents him as ſo High, that he minds not what we do, whether it be good or evil: Sometimes he ſets him forth as ſo indulgent, that any careleſs Duties will pleaſe him; and neglect of his Service will not much, if at all, provoke him. Sometimes he ſets before Man's Eyes God's p. 82Wrath and Jealouſie, and ſays, that delays to ſerve him, have rendred him unintreatable; and that to ſeek him, is now too late and in vain. Thus he would obſtruct Man's attendance on his Maker, for he knows that the Lord is good to them that wait for him, to the Soul that ſeeketh him, Lam. 3. 25. and thoſe that are far from God ſhall periſh, Pſal. 73. 27.

But if by all theſe ways he cannot hinder attendance upon God, he will endeavour to diſturb them that do attend, Zach. 3. 1. And he ſhewed me Joſhua the high Priest ſtanding before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan ſtanding at his right hand to reſist him. How buſie is Satan about us, when we come to appear before God! He endeavours to fill the Mind with vain Imaginations; to thrust violently the World into the Heart; to make indwelling ſin active; to hinder the actings of Grace; He endeavours to batter Faith, to beat down Hope, and to damp holy and ſpiritual Affections: He cannot endure the Soul ſhould meet with God in Duties, he is troubled at its Communion with God, and being bleſs'd with Spiritual Bleſſings. But all this ſhould but quicken your deſires and diligence in ſeeking; for what you ſeek after, you may conclude is highly worth finding.

p. 834. How empty are all things that are apt to draw you away from attending upon God! The Egyptians of old were derided by the Poet, becauſe they made Gods of every thing.

O Sanctas Gentes, quibus hoc naſcuntur in hortis. Numina.

The very Herbs and Plants that grew in their Gardens were deified. And truly among many that are called Chriſtians, a multitude of things that are very mean and low are idolized: Some make Idols of their Garbs, by affecting and being proud of them: Some idolize their earthly Treaſures, and ſenſual Pleaſures, by loving thoſe more than God, 2 Tim. 3. 4. Some make their Belly their God, and how many Meatofferings, and Drink-offerings are ſacrificed to this baſe Deity by the Wine-bibbers and riotous eaters of fleſh! How low is Man fallen! How has he loſt his Dominion over the Creature! They make him not only their Slave, but their Worſhipper. But pray bethink your ſelves, and take notice what things they are that thus captivate, and draw you away from God. Such is the immenſity of God, that the whole World compared with him, is not ſo much as the p. 84ſmallest Duſt to the Globe of Earth, not ſo much as a drop of Water to the whole Ocean. And as the Being of God tranſcends all other Beings, ſo his goodneſs excels all created goodneſs. So that our Lord ſpeaking in the higheſt ſenſe, affirms, That there is none good but one, that is God, Matt. 19. 17. What then are the good things of this World, which Sin has brought a Vanity, nay a Curſe upon? and which are uſed by Satan as his great Baits to catch inconſiderate Souls, that they may be loſt and ruin'd?

5. Be prevailed with to attend upon God, who is the ſtrongeſt Rock, the ſurest Refuge. Safety is deſirable, conſidering what precious Souls all are intruſted with; and how full of Enemies and Snares this World is, in which we live: But the Lord alone is he, of whom Safety is, Pſal. 18. 31. Who is God ſave the Lord? and who is a Rock ſave our God? Sincere attenders upon God are very dear to him, they are called his peculiar Treaſure, Exod. 19. 5. Now therefore if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my Covenant, then ſhall ye be unto me a peculiar Treaſure above all People. They are called his Jewels, Mal. 3. 17. They ſhall be mine ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, in that day when I make up my Jewels, and I will ſpare them, as a Man ſpareth his own Son that ſerveth him. p. 85Nay, he that toucheth them, toucheth the apple of his Eye, Zech. 2. 8. Therefore he will keep them as the apple of the Eye, he will hide them under the ſhadow of his wings, Pſal. 17. 8. When you attend upon God, you repair to a Rock of Salvation, to an high Tower of defence: With his favour he will compaſs you as with a Shield, Pſal. 5. 12. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you may ſecurely trust; for his truth ſhall be your buckler, Pſal. 91. 4. In the hollow of his hand you ſhall be hid; and the ſame hand ſhall beat down all your Enemies that deſign your Deſtruction: You ſhall dwell on high, your place ſhall be the munitions of Rocks, Iſa. 33. 16. No Rock ſo high, ſo firm as God; no Munition ſo ſafe, the Refuge is eternal. When David ſays, Ʋnto thee will I cry, O Lord my rock, be not ſilent to me, Pſal. 28. 1. 'Tis ſignified that this Rock can hear, and anſwer, and help abundantly, and afford abundant matter for thankſgiving, Pſal. 18. 46. The Lord liveth, and bleſſed be my Rock, and let the God of my Salvation be exalted.

6. That God whom you attend upon, can abundantly ſatisfie the very Soul of Man. When the Soul has wearied it ſelf with ſeeking ſatisfaction from the Creature, and is ſorrowful becauſe its labour has been in p. 86vain. God can ſay and do what Creatures cannot. Jer. 31. I have ſatiated the weary Soul, and I have repleniſhed every ſorrowful Soul. The Negative Happineſs is conſiderable, in being ſecured from Evil and Miſery; but poſitive Bleſſedneſs is more, in being ſatisfied and delighted with Divine Goodneſs, Pſal. 65. 4. Bleſſed is the Man whom thou chooſeſt, and cauſeſt to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy Courts: we ſhall be ſatisfied with the goodneſs of thy Houſe, even of thy holy Temple. That rich Man in the Goſpel, ſpeaks as if he had, like Nebuchadnezzar, the Heart of a Beaſt, rather than the Soul of a Man: When he ſays, Soul thou hast Goods laid up for many years, take thine eaſe, eat and drink and be merry, Luke 12. 19. This was but ſorry proviſion for an immortal Soul, that was juſt ready to be required at his hand; to leave all theſe things behind it, and to go into Eternity. Attenders upon God find that in him, with which their Souls are ſatisfied indeed: They are ſatisfied with his Mercy and Love in Chriſt: They are ſatisfied in Chriſt's Sacrifice, and the Satisfaction he has made for Iniquity: They are ſatisfied when they perceive themſelves changed more and more into the Image of God; and what a Satisfaction is it to converſe p. 87above, and to ſit in heavenly places! Eph. 2. 6. And hath raiſed us up together, and hath made us ſit together in heavenly places in Chriſt Jeſus. And what a Satisfaction is it at preſent, to be aſſured of a far fuller Satisfaction hereafter! Pſal. 17. 15. As for me I ſhall behold thy face in righteouſneſs, I ſhall be ſatisfied when I awake with thy likeneſs.

7. Attend upon God, for he has long waited that he might be gracious to you. How has that Scripture been fulfilled, Iſa. 13. 18. And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you; and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you. He has ſtood at the door, and has knock'd for entrance, and though that has been denied him, he has not gone away as he might, in juſt Anger, but behold he ſtands at the door ſtill, Rev. 3. 20. If you hear his voice, and open the door, he will enter and dwell with you, and he and his Benefits ſhall be yours. It is well for ſinful Man, that God is Patient and Long-ſuffering, he does not ceaſe calling at Man's firſt Deafneſs to his call; he does not ceaſe offering Grace, Mercy and Life, upon Man's first refuſing to accept what is offered. He told the old World, that his Spirit ſhould not always strive with Man, Gen. 6. 3. yet 'tis added, his days ſhall be an hundred and twenty years. p. 88All that time the Long-ſuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the Ark was a preparing, 1 Pet. 3. 20. to ſee if the Diſobedient would return to him. The Lord comes year after year to the barren Fig-tree ſeeking Fruit, but he found none; whereupon he ſays, Cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground? Yet upon Interceſſion made, he is prevailed with to ſpare it longer, to ſee if means that were uſed, might be effectual to make it fruitful, Luke 13. 6, 9▪ The Apoſtle tells, that the Lord is long▪ſuffering to us-ward, not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to repentance, 2 Pet. 3. 9. Oh repent of your forgetting God, and your duty towards him days without number, attend and ſeek unto him in Sincerity, who has had many a long look for you, and has waited ſo great a while for your return.

8. Conſider ſeriouſly how God is attended upon in Heaven, and what an Honour it is to you to wait upon him. He has thouſand thouſands that miniſter unto him, ten thouſand times ten thouſand that ſtand before him, Dan. 7. 10. He has Angels that excel in strength, who ſurround his Throne, that are ready to do his Commandments, hearkening to the voice of his word, Pſal. 103. 20. The Seraphims worſhip him with covered faces, to ſhew their great reverence of God, p. 89and how they are raviſhingly overcome with the brightneſs of his Majeſty; and they cry out one to another, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of Hoſts, the whole Earth, as well as Heaven, is full of his Glory, Iſa. 6. 2, 3. Theſe Angels are Spirits, theſe Miniſters likened to a flame of fire, Pſal. 104. 4. How Sublime and Spiritual are their Praiſes! How ardent their Love to the Lord whom they praiſe and ſerve! And yet the Lord is ſaid to humble himſelf, when he takes notice of ſuch Attendants as theſe. 'Tis certainly an high Honour that is done you, when you are admitted into the preſence of ſuch a glorious Majeſty; he that ſits upon a Throne of Grace, and is ſo ready to pitty, pardon, heal, help and ſave, is the bleſſed and only Potentate, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, who only hath Immortality, dwelling in that light which no Man can approach unto, whom no Man hath ſeen, nor can ſee; to whom be Honour and Power everlasting, Amen, 1 Tim. 6. 15, 16. If this glorious God will accept of Service from ſuch as you, how readily ſhould you give it! How highly are you favoured when you come into his Preſence, and have Communion with him!

9. Lay this to Heart, that Not to attend upon God, is wickedly to contemn him, p. 90and to rebel againſt him. 'Tis in effect to ſay, He is not worthy of your Service; and that the Service of your Lusts, and of the World, is more beneficial. Thus God was deſpiſed by thoſe wicked Men that were infatuated by Proſperity in an evil way. They ſaid Job 21. 15. What is the Almighty that we ſhould ſerve him? And what Profit ſhould we have if we pray to him? When Saul refuſed to obey the Command of God, Samuel rejects his Sacrifices, and charges him with Rebellion, which is as Witchcraft, 1 Sam. 15. 22, 23. Behold, to obey is better than Sacrifice; and to hearken, than the fat of Rams; for Rebellion is as the Sin of Witchcraft, and Stubbornneſs is as Iniquity and Idolatry. When thou caſteſt off the Service of God, thou caſtest off his Fear, and diſownest God himſelf: This is Rebellion, and this Rebellion is thy Witchcraft, thy Confederacy with the Devil; thou makeſt a Covenant with Death, and with Hell thou art at an Agreement.

USE III. Shall be of Direction, How God ſhould be attended upon. There muſt not be only a ſeeking of God, but a due Order in ſeeking him; if this be wanting, inſtead of receiving Benefits from his hand that hand may make a breach upon p. 91us, 1 Chron. 15. 13. The Lord our God made a breach upon us, becauſe we ſought him not after the due order. If we have no care, as to the manner of our Services, the Lord will care as little for the matter of them. Now the right manner of attending upon God, is to be declared in theſe particulars.

1. Our attendance upon God muſt be preſent; our living without God ſo long, and contemptuous neglect of our required Duty towards him, ſhould be matter of deep Humiliation; and 'tis but reaſonable to judge our ſelves worthy of Frowns and Rejection, becauſe we ſought his face no ſooner. But now immediately we muſt gird up the loynes of our Minds to his Work. The Holy Ghoſt bids us hear his voice to day; he tells us, that the accepted time is now. The Pſalmiſt is a Pattern worthy of Imitation, for his preſent harkening to the Voice of God, and his ſpeedineſs in yielding Obedience, Pſal. 119. 60. I made haſte and delayed not to keep thy Commandments. Delays are diſpleaſing to God, for they argue the Heart not ſo well reconciled to Him and to his Precepts, and that ſome other buſineſs is liked and preferred before his work. And theſe delays are dangerous, conſidering the uncertainty of our lifes continuance, and p. 92how ſoon and ſuddenly the Spirit of the Lord being grieved by our deferring to obey his motions, and accept of his gracious Aid, may totally and finally withdraw from us.

2. Our Attendance upon God muſt be inſtant, Rom. 12. 12. continuing inſtant in prayer. So Act. 26. 7. Ʋnto which promiſe our twelve Tribes inſtantly ſerving God day and night, hope to come. When we are thus inſtant in our attending, it implies a ſenſe of the great importance of thoſe things we come to God about; and that we are very urgent with him, that we may not miſcarry in our everlasting concernments. Matters of Life and Death temporal, are managed with great ſeriouſneſs. But when we attend upon God, Eternal Life is before us, to be laid hold on; and Eternal Death is before us to eſcape. Our intenſeneſs and urgency here, ſhould if it were poſſible, as far exceed our ſeriouſneſs in other matters; as Time in length is exceeded by Eternity. As the loudeſt Thunder drowns a whiſper, ſo ſhould the grand concerns of the unſeen Eternal World, when we come before God, be carefully regarded before the petty matters of this preſent Life, which are but for a moment.

p. 933. Our Attendance upon God muſt be constant. Paroxiſms and Fits in Religion argue an unhealthy Soul; to be ſometimes hot, and ſometimes cold, is a bad temper. They that grow weary of God and of his Service, God is weary of them and their Duties. The Lord ſpeaks to Ephraim and Judah, as one wearied, becauſe all the means and methods he had uſed, had been ineffectual unto any lasting Reformation; if at any time they ſeemed inclinable to what was good, the inclination was very ſhort-lived, and they ſoon returned to their natural bent and inclination to Evil, Hoſ. 6. 4. O Ephraim what ſhall I do unto thee? O Judah what ſhall I do unto thee? for your goodneſs is as a morning Cloud, and as the early Dew it goeth away. 'Tis not enough to begin well. The ſame argument that perſwaded you to begin, will become ſtronger for your holding on. It were better not to have known the way of Righteouſneſs, than having known it, to turn from the holy Commandment delivered to you, 2 Pet. 2. 21. All that come to God ſhould cleave unto him; all that embrace his Teſtimonies, ſhould ſtick unto thoſe Teſtimonies: I have ſtuck unto thy Teſtimonies, ſays the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 119. 31. and ver. 112. I have inclined my Heart to perform thy Statutes always, even unto the end.

p. 944. Our Attendance upon God muſt be cordial and hearty, 1 Chron. 22. 19. Now ſet your Heart and your Soul to ſeek the Lord your God. The full bent of the Mind muſt be this way. The Lord will not be found, unleſs the Heart and Soul be ſet to ſeek him. Naturally the Heart of Man is ſet another way, being of a corrupt Original, from the Womb 'tis eſtranged from God, and ſtill 'tis farther alienating and eſtranging it ſelf: 'tis not eaſie to have ſuch a Heart reconciled to God, and to the Will of God: But when the Heart is renewed, the enmity is in a great meaſure cured; the Heart is now willing to come into the Lord's Preſence; for when the Heart ſerves him, 'tis in the way to be ſatiated by him. The Heartſearcher cannot bear the Heart's abſence; for if He has not the Heart, ſomething elſe has it, which provokes him unto Jealouſie. But the more there is of the Heart in Duties, God is the better pleaſed with them, and the performers find them in a ſpiritual ſenſe more advantageous. When Hearts knock at Heaven gate, the Gate ſhall certainly be open. When Souls Thirſt for God they ſhall not fail of ſatisfaction, Pſal. 63. 5. My Soul ſhall be ſatisfied as with Marrow and Fulneſs, my Mouth ſhall praiſe thee with joyful Lips.

p. 955. Our Attendance upon God muſt be with clean Hands and a pure Heart. 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. So Pſal. 24. 3, 4. Who ſhall aſcend into the Hill of the Lord? and who ſhall ſtand in his holy place? He that hath clean Hands, and a pure Heart. The Goſpel ſtrictly commands good works, without theſe Faith is dead and vain, and Love is only a ſeeming Fire. The Apoſtle ſpeaks with great vehemency, Tit. 3. 8. This is a faithful ſaying, and theſe things I will that thou affirm conſtantly; that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. Our Lord owns them for his near and dear kindred, who are doers of his Father's Work and Will, Mat. 12. 50. He ſtretched forth his Hand towards his Diſciples, and ſaid, behold my Mother and my Brethren. For whoſoever ſhall do the Will of my Father which is in Heaven, the ſame is my Brother, and Siſter, and Mother. Attenders upon God muſt not allow themſelves in the doing of Evil: Fellowſhip with the unfruitful works of Darkneſs, and Fellowſhip with God, are inconſiſtent, 1 Joh. 1. 6. If we ſay we have Fellowſhip with him, and walk in Darkneſs, we ly, and do not the truth. Unleſs there be a living to God, ſerving of p. 96him in Ordinances is of no account with him.

And as Hands muſt be cleanſed, ſo the Hearts of Attenders on God muſt be pure. The Heart muſt not defile it ſelf by regarding any iniquity, ſo as to be unwilling to have it ſubdued. Pſal. 66. 18. If I regard iniquity in my Heart, the Lord will not hear me. Regarded iniquity will cry ſo loud for a denial, that Prayer will find no Audience. The Heart muſt not pollute it ſelf by love to the World; for if this love prevail, there can neither be any true love to the Father, nor any Intereſt in the Father's love, 1 Joh. 2. 15, Love not the World, neither the things that are in the World; if any Man love the World, the love of the Father is not in him. The Heart muſt conſent to the crucifixion of all the affections and luſts of the Fleſh. It muſt not be foreign, double-minded, on and off with God; but ſteddy and right with him. Its reſolution muſt be to be holy still, and its deſire to be still holy more and more, to have holineſs perfected in the ſear of God.

6. Our Attendance upon God muſt be with Humility, Fear, and Faith, without wrath and doubting. Humility becomes the very Angels, for all their excellency is derived; and they are charged with poſſible p. 97folly, Job 4. 18. 'tis owing to the Election and confirming Grace of God, that ſome Angels ſtood, when others being left to the freedom of their own Will, apoſtatized. How humble ſhould the Children of Men be, who are fallen by their Iniquity! The beſt of Saints have reaſon to be low in their own Eyes, conſidering how many Talents they owed before they were ſatisfied for, and paid by their Surety; and how apt they are ſtill to treſpaſs. It may be ſaid of the ſtrongeſt Chriſtian, stand he could not, stand he would not, were he not upheld by the Lord's free and mighty Spirit.

But an humble Senſe of our Worthleſneſs and ill-deſerving, ſhould not hinder the acting of our Faith in Jeſus when we come before the Lord. Our great Redeemer has bought us with a Price, and he has bought all things for us: We our ſelves are his Purchaſe, and ſo is all that Grace we need, and all that Glory we hope▪ for. God has made a Covenant with Chriſt, and has promiſed to give us to him for his Inheritance and Poſſeſſion. Pſal. 2. 8. Ask of me, and I ſhall give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the Earth for thy Poſſeſſion. And to be Chriſt's Inheritance and Poſſeſſion, implies our being ſeparated from the World, our being ſecured, p. 98our being made fruitful, and our eternal continuing to be enjoyed by him, and to enjoy him. Promiſes of all, and eſpecially of the beſt Bleſſings, are made to us for Chriſt's ſake, and he will ſee to the making of them good; becauſe the accompliſhment of them, is ſo much for the Father's Glory▪ as well as our trueſt Welfare. All this may exceedingly ſtrengthen and raiſe our Confidence and Hope when we attend on God.

Doubts concerning our ſpeeding ſhould be look'd upon as unreaſonable, when we come in ſuch a prevailing Name as Chriſt's, unto his Father and our Father, his God and our God, and we ask only for things agreeable to his Will, 1 John 5. 14, 15. And this is the confidence we have in him, that if we ask any thing according to his Will, he heareth us; and if we know that he heareth us, we know that we have the Petition we deſired of him.

And as Faith is oppoſed to doubting, ſo to wavering, James 1. 6, 7. But let him ask in Faith nothing wavering, for he that wavereth is like a Wave of the Sea driven with the Wind and toſſed: For let not that Man think that he ſhall receive any thing of the Lord. He is the wavering Man, whoſe Mind hangs doubtful and unreſolved, between God and the World, Chriſt and p. 99Satan, Sin and Holineſs: Such an Attender upon God, who is more inclined to ſerve other Lords, ſhall certainly be rejected.

Finally, The Apoſtle forbids not only Doubting but Wrath alſo, 1 Tim 2. 8. I will therefore that Men pray every where, lifting up holy hands without Wrath or Doubting. The Wrath of Man worketh not the Righteouſneſs of God; nay, it cauſes an abounding in Tranſgreſſion. The Leaven of Anger and Malice is diligently to be ſearched for, and purged out, as that, which if it remains, will prove us carnal, 1 Cor. 3. 3. For whereas there is among you Envying and Strife, and Diviſions, Are ye not carnal and walk as Men? Civil Diſcords, Church-Diviſions, unruly Paſſions, ſhould be avoided with Care and Fear; we ſhould be full of Holy Love to all our Brethren; ready to forgive the greateſt Injuries and Enemies; forward to purſue and promote Ʋnity and Peace, whenever we attend upon Him who has called himſelf the God of Love and Peace.

7. Our Attendance upon God ſhould be with Gladneſs and Delight, and a ſenſe how good 'tis for us to approach▪ his preſence. Where the Will of God is beſt done, and that is in Heaven, there is the greateſt Joy in the doing of it. The chearful joyful Servant p. 100is a Credit to his Work, honours his Lord, and is a great Eye-ſore to the evil one; for Satan is very much afraid, leſt the Attenders upon God being full of Gladneſs, others ſhould be induced to try that Work and Service, which theſe find ſo exceeding comfortable. Hypocrites, that go no further than the out-ſide of Religion, count it weariſome becauſe they do not underſtand it. But as God takes pleaſure in the Ʋpright, ſo the Upright find the trueſt Pleaſure in God, and in his Ways. The Pſalmiſt ſpeaks upon very good ground, Pſal. 32. 11. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoyce ye Righteous, and ſhout for joy all ye that are upright in heart. The Man after God's own Heart ſaid, that the Meditations of God are ſweet, Pſal. 104. 34. He was glad when they ſaid to him, let us go into the Houſe of the Lord, Pſal. 122. 1. He tells us who is the Man that may have what he will, all his deſire granted; 'tis he whoſe delight is in God, Pſal. 37. 4. Delight thy ſelf in the Lord, and he ſhall give thee the deſire of thy Heart. He is the bleſſed Man who takes no pleaſure in the counſel, way, or ſeemingly eaſeſt Seat of the Wicked; but his delight is in the Law of the Lord, Pſal. 1. 1, 2. And why ſhould he not with delight be ſerved at preſent? ſince in his Kingdom, by all he will be praiſed with the higheſt Rapture of Joy for ever!

p. 1018. Our Attendance upon God, ſhould be in all Ordinances. It is produced as an Argument, that that excellent couple mentioned Luke 1. 6. were both righteous before God, becauſe they walked in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameleſs. Under the Old Teſtament there was an Ordinance of God that was to be adminiſtred betimes, even to the Infants, and that was Circumciſion; and though Abraham, at the firſt Inſtitution of this Ordinance, believed and was circumciſed at Age, as alſo were the Men of his Houſhold; and though Circumciſion is called a Seal of the Righteouſneſs of Faith, Rom. 4. 11. Yet Infants alſo were circumciſed, theſe little ones are ſaid to enter into Covenant with the Lord their God, Deut. 29. 11, 12. Under the New Teſtament our Lord Jeſus does not caſt theſe Infants out of his Church and Covenant, but ſays, Suffer little Children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of ſuch is the Kingdom of God, Mark 10. 14. The Apoſtle Peter, after he had exhorted to Baptiſm, ſays, The Promiſe is unto you and to your Children, Acts 2. 39. And the Apoſtle Paul affirms, That the Children of Believing Parents are Holy, 1 Cor. 7. 14. they are therefore Members of the Body of Chriſt. Now 'tis plainly ſignified, that Baptiſm is p. 102the Privilege of all in that Body, 1 Cor. 12. 13. We are all baptized into one Body.

Indeed ſome that mind the Sound of Scripture more than the Senſe of it, when they read, Repent and be baptized, Believe and be baptized, conclude that none but thoſe that are at Age, and capable of profeſſing their Faith and Repentance, ought to partake of this Ordinance. But they would do well to conſider, who theſe were that in Scripture repented, believed, and were baptized, they were either **Under the Name of Jews, I take in all Proſelytes to the Jewiſh Religion.Jews or Heathens that were converted to the Chriſtian Faith at Age; and if thouſands of ſuch ſhould be converted now, now alſo at Age Baptiſm ought to be adminiſtred to them, upon their repenting and believing. But in the whole New Teſtament we do not find any baptized at Age, whoſe Parents were Chriſtians at their Birth: Yet ſeveral without Scripture warrant are thus baptized at this day.

Oh that there were leſs diſputing about Infant-Baptiſm, and more care to improve it! All Infants that go to Heaven, are baptized with the Blood and Spirit of Chriſt, they are juſtified and ſanctified thereby. This Juſtification and Sanctification, all that have been baptized, ſhould deſire to partake of.

p. 103Other Ordinances alſo ſhould be engaged in, for the Lord who has inſtituted them, is ready to own and bleſs them, and himſelf to be found in them. Who that is wiſe, would neglect any one of them, ſince none of them are appointed in vain; nay, every one of them to ſerious engagers has been experienced abundantly Beneficial? The Lord is to be atte…ed upon, how and in what way ſoever he pleaſes; in the Cloſet, in the Family, in the Sanctuary, at the Table, or any other way that he has ordained; Bleſſed are all they that wait for him.

9. Every Attendance upon God ſhould make every Attender better. 'Tis thought by ſome, that Creatures in the Waters, as long as they live, they grow ſtill greater; Saints, as long as they live, ſhould ſtill be growing in Grace, and be more full of all Goodneſs; They ſhould grow as the Lilly, caſt forth their roots as Lebanon, their branches ſhould ſpread, and their beauty be as the Olive-tree, Hoſ. 14. 5, 6. God is ready to be as the dew to them, that from Him their Fruit may be found. It is really a fault in Believers, if every time they wait upon the Lord, they come not away from him with more Wiſdom, Strength, and Grace, and Peace, than they had, ſince he is ready to impart ſuch Bleſſings as p. 104theſe, and gives them Liberally without upbraiding.

USE IV. Shall be of Conſolation to them, that thus, as I have directed, do attend apon God, Iſa. 40. 1. Comfort ye, Comfort ye my People, ſaith your God; with Joy you may come and draw moſt pure and refreſhing Waters out of the Wells of Salvation: You are the Children of Peace, and the Peace of God is to reſt upon you. For your Comfort take notice of theſe things following.

1. God puts an high value upon his ſincere Attendants. He had a ſpecial reſpect to Abel, and that excellent Sacrifice that he offered. Though the Heaven be his Throne, and the Earth his Foot-ſtool; yet to that Man will he look, as being well pleaſed with him, that is, Poor, and of a contrite Spirit, and that trembles at his Word, Iſa. 56. 1, 2. He remembers the kindneſs of their Youth, the love of their Eſpouſals, Jer. 2. 2. and their willing Conſecration of themſelves to be Holineſs to the Lord. He has taken notice of all their Deſires and Groans, and their Cries to himſelf, and their frequent ſpeaking one to another, that they might confirm and encourage one another in the worſt of Times and Trials, to continue his Attendants p. 105ſtill. Mal. 3. 16. Then they that feared the Lord, ſpake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard, and did ſo well approve them, that a Book of Remembrance was written before him, for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his Name.

2. God delights over his ſincere Attendants to do them good. He takes pleaſure in the Proſperity of his Servants, they are in Heavineſs by Affliction, only when there is need of it; he delights eſpecially to ſee their Souls proſper: As he opens his Armory, and brings forth the Weapons of his Indignation againſt the Wicked; ſo he opens his Treaſures of Bounty and Goodneſs to his Servants, that they may be ſupplied abundantly. He does them good with a good Will, his whole Heart and Soul is with them, Jer. 32. 41. when his hand is open to them. He is ready to fulfil their Deſires, to grant their Requeſts: Nay, when their Thoughts are moſt Comprehenſive, and they crave never ſo much; he is able and ready to do for them foreign, exceeding abundantly more, Eph. 3. 20. Who can conceive how beneficial waiting upon God is! That paſſage is both encouraging and amazing, Iſa 64. 4. For ſince the beginning of the World, Men have not heard, nor perceived by the Ear, neither hath the Eye ſeen, O God, beſides thee, p. 106what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

3. God is ready to cover a multitude of Infirmities in them that ſincerely attend upon him. He mercifully obſerves how willing their Spirits are, when their Fleſh is weak, and cannot keep pace with their renewed Minds. When our Lord was in an Agony, his Diſciples could not watch with him one hour, but were fallen aſleep; yet he himſelf graciouſly excuſes it, Matt. 26. 41. The Spirit indeed is willing, but the Fleſh is weak, and paſſes it by. He takes notice of the Luſtings of the Spirit againſt the Fleſh, the Strivings of Grace againſt Sin and Corruption; and paſſes by the Luſting of the Fleſh againſt the Spirit, the Strivings of Sin againſt Grace. The Lord does not enter into Judgment with his Servants, nor deal in Rigour with them; but he expreſſes Fatherly Tenderneſs and Compaſſion towards them, Pſal. 103. 13. Like as a Father pittieth his Children, ſo the Lord pittieth them that fear him. We are directed to beg for the Forgiveneſs of Treſpaſſes daily, which ſhews, that as the Diſciples of Chriſt daily offend, ſo their Heavenly Father is ready to grant forgiveneſs daily to them: Nay, Iniquity cleaves unto our holieſt things; our beſt D…ties ſhould and might be done p. 107a great deal better. Theſe Infirmities then are much to be lamented, more and more ſtriven againſt; and ſeeing our ſelves compaſſed about with them, we ſhould baniſh all Self-confidence, and look into Jeſus, that in him we may find acceptance; and certainly the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt the Son of God, and the Father's love in him, will cover the greateſt multitude of bewailed Infirmities and Offences.

4. It may be alſo Comfort to Attenders upon God, to think whom they have attending upon them. Saints on Earth have the Angels in Heaven to be their Guardians. Chriſt is ſignified by Jacob's Ladder; the Angels of God are ſaid to aſcend and deſcend upon the Son of Man, John 1. 51. 'Tis owing to our Lord Jeſus, that Believers have the Benefit of the Angels Miniſtry; and the Apoſtle ſignifies, that all of them are thus employed for the Saints Protection and Security, Heb. 1. 14. Are they not all miniſtring Spirits, ſent forth to minister for them that ſhall be heirs of Salvation? The reprobate and evil Angels reſist Attenders upon God; but the elect and good Angels are their Friends: Theſe Angels that excel in ſtrength, How do they rejoyce when any repent and are converted! And they have a Charge over Converts to keep them in all p. 108their ways, Pſal. 91. 11. and when 'tis added v. 13. Thou ſhalt tread upon the Lion and the Adder; the young Lion and the Dragon thou ſhalt trample under feet. It may be intimated, that Satan's Force, and Fury, and Subtlety, ſhall be ineffectual, and that by his Temptations he ſhall not prevail. But though Angels attend the Servants of God, they are not wholly truſted to the Angelical Care. The Lord himſelf is their Keeper: The Father and the Son come to them and make their abode in them, and will ſecure their own Manſions, till they are out of the reach of Enemies, and paſt all danger.

5. Sincere Attendance upon God, ſhall attend upon him after another and better manner, in another World. They ſhall be ſitted for, and admitted into the preſence Chamber of the King of Glory. In Heaven there will be no need of the Sun or of the Moon to ſhine in it, for the Glory of the Lord does lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof, Rev. 21. 23. and Rev. 22. 3. And there ſhall be no more Curſe, but the Throne of God, and of the Lamb, ſhall be in it, and his Servants ſhall ſerve him. They ſhall ſerve him, ſo as never in the leaſt to diſſerve him; they ſhall do his Will, and nothing at all contrary to it; there will be a Perfection of Delight, and Reſt, and Peace; p. 109in the Obedience they ſhall yield, when they reſt not day and night, ſaying, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come, Rev. 4. 8. and Rev. 5. 13. Bleſſing, and Honour, and Glory, and Power, be unto him that ſitteth upon the Throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever! All God's ſincere Attendants, are now advanced to Prieſtly, nay to Kingly Dignity; therefore they are called foreign, a Royal Prieſthood, 1 Pet. 2. 9. Chriſt has loved them and waſhed them from their ſins in his own Blood, and has made them Kings and Prieſts unto God and his Father, Rev. 1. 5, 6. But hereafter they ſhall inherit and poſſeſs the Kingdom prepared for them, they ſhall all of them be actually crown'd with a Crown of Life and Righteouſneſs. And Oh what a joyful ſight will it be to behold the Lord, and all his Saints glorified together with him, Col. 3. 4. When Christ who is our Life, ſhall appear, then ſhall ye alſo appear with him in Glory. Thus of the firſt Doctrine.

Doct. II. The ſecond Doctrine is this. In attending upon God, we ſhould look upon him as the Lord, and ſerve him accordingly. When God pronounced his own Laws with his own Mouth upon Mount Sinai, He thus begins, I am the Lord, Exod. 20 2. and this p. 110was to awe Iſrael into Obedience. We read Deut 6. 4. Hear O Iſrael, the Lord our God is one Lord. No other Lord is his equal; no Commands to be regarded like his Commands. None ſo worthy of ſervice as He; He muſt have attendance, who, or whatever is neglected, Pſal. 89. 6, 7. Who in Heaven can be compared to the Lord? who among the Sons of the Mighty can be likened unto the Lord? The mightieſt Monarchs upon Earth, the higheſt Angels in Heaven, are infinitely below him; therefore it follows, God is greatly to be feared in the aſſembly of his Saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him. Holy David cries out, Pſal. 8. 1. O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy Name in all the Earth! who haſt ſet thy Glory above the Heavens! He worſhipped and praiſed him, as the highest Sovereign, who excelled all things on Earth; and whoſe Glory the Heaven, though full of it, was not able to contain; and when he ſays our Lord, 'tis intimated that he was truly his Servant and Subject, and that he gloried in ſubjection to him.

In the handling of this Doctrine I ſhall

Firſt, Shew you how God is the Lord.

Secondly, Manifeſt what influence and effect the apprehenſion of his being Lord, p. 111ſhould have upon us when we attend upon him.

Thirdly and Laſtly, make Application.

In the firſt place, I am to ſhew you how God is the Lord. His Majeſty may amaze us; when we think or ſpeak of his Dominion, we ſhould be ſtruck with godly Fear: Thus was the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 104. 1. O Lord my God, thou art very great, thou art cloathed with Honour and Majeſty, who covereſt thy ſelf with light as with a Garment, Pſal. 96. 4, 6, 9. For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praiſed; he is to be feared above all Gods. Honour and Majeſty are before him, Strength and Beauty are in his Sanctuary. O worſhip the Lord in the Beauty of Holineſs, fear before him all the Earth. Now that you may the better underſtand with whom you have to do when you attend upon God. You muſt know,

1. God is Lord Creator; of whom are all things. The Man of God, Moſes, with wonder and adoration cries out, Pſal. 90. 2. Before the Mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the Earth or the World, even from everlaſting to everlasting thou art God. The Lord was before all, and he was all▪ of, and in, and to himſelf from Eternity. The Father is of himſelf alone, the Son is neceſſarily p. 112and eternally of the Father; and the Holy Ghoſt as neceſſarily and eternally from both the Father and the Son. And theſe Three are that one living and true God whom Chriſtians believe in, and in whoſe Name they are baptized. But though God neceſſarily is, yet Creatures are not ſo; but have their being at his pleaſure, Rev. 4. 11. Thou art worthy O Lord, to receive Glory and Honour, and Power, for thou haſt created all things, and for thy pleaſure they are and were created.

It is the Lord, whoſe Word of Power and Command brought all things out of nothing at firſt, Heb. 11. 3. Through Faith we understand that the Worlds were framed by the Word of God. Though ſome have imagined that Angels were created, and many of them fell, long before this viſible World was made; in Scripture there is not ſufficient ground for ſuch an Imagination. It is probable thoſe excellent Creatures were made the firſt day; when 'tis ſaid Gen. 1. 1. In the beginning God created the Heaven: The Heaven may take in the higheſt Heaven, and the Host of Angels there. Oh what a powerful Word was that which commanded Angels to be, which before were nothing, and gave them Spiritual and Immortal Natures, indued with ſuch mighty p. 113Strength and Underſtanding? And when the Lord laid the Foundations of the Earth, and ſtretched the line upon it; theſe glorious Angels, called Morning Stars, ſang together, and all theſe Sons of God ſhouted for joy, Job 38. 4, 5, 7.

This Lord Creator did but ſay, Let there be Light, and there was Light: The Sun, the Moon, the Stars, the Earth and Seas, and all their Hoſts, were what his Word made them. And Man, who was to have Dominion over this lower World, God did make in his own Image, his Body indeed was formed of the Duſt of the ground; but to ſhew that his Soul was not of earthly Original, God is called the Father of Man's Spirit, he breathed into his Noſtrils the Breath of Life, and Man became a living Soul, Gen. 2. 7. This great Creator whom we attend upon, made all things very good, Gen. …. 31. and though Sin entring into the World, ſpoiled much of his Workmanſhip; he can eaſily new make what Sin has marred, and he can eaſily, and will certainly deſtroy thoſe who are finally unwilling to be made new Creatures.

2. God is Lord, Preſerver of what himſelf has made. The word of his power ſuſtains all things, Heb. 1. 3. it continues things in thoſe beings into which at firſt it brought them, Pſal. 148. 5, 6. Let them praiſe the name of the Lord, for he commanded, and they were created. He hath alſo eſtabliſhed them for ever and ever: He hath made a Decree which ſhall not paſs. The ſame Lord who called things out of nothing by his word, hinders their returning into nothing by the ſame word of command, Pſal. 33. 9. For he p. 114ſpake and it was done, he commanded and it ſtood faſt. There is ſo much power exerted in upholding the Creation, that the Preſervation of the Univerſe is rightly called a continued Creation of it. If God ſhould totally draw back his ſupporting hand, all the Luminaries in Heaven would preſently loſe their Light, the Earth and Seas would become a Chaos of Confuſion; nay, Men and Angels, and all things elſe would immediately loſe their beings and become nothing.

As the Creation, ſo the Preſervation of all things is of the Lord alone, Neh. 9. 6. Thou, even thou art Lord alone, thou haſt made Heaven the Heaven of Heavens with all their Hoſt, the Earth and all things that are therein, the Seas and all that is therein, and thou preſerveſt them all. How worthy is he to be worſhipped by the Hoſt of Heaven, and by the Sons of Men the Inhabitants of the Earth! God is called foreign Almighty or All-ſufficient, and foreign ſignifies Mamma, a Pap or Breaſt; all Creatures, from the mightieſt to the very meaneſt, do hang and depend upon God, as Children do upon the Breaſts, that he may nouriſh and ſuſtain them. And if God thus upholds all things, ſurely he will not fail to preſerve his Church and Saints, they may with Confidence attend upon him for defence, no Humane nor Helliſh Force ſhall prevail againſt them.

3. God is Lord Proprietor and Poſſeſſor of Heaven and Earth. So Melchizedek called the moſt high God, when he bleſſed Abram the Father of the Faithful, Gen. 14. 19. Bleſſed p. 115be Abram of the moſt high God, the Poſſeſſor of Heaven and Earth. Pſal. 24. 1. we read, The Earth is the Lord's, and the fullneſs thereof; the World, and they that dwell therein. All Perſons and things are properly God's own, and he may do with them what he pleaſes. By Creation the Lord began, and by Preſervation he continues to be the Proprietor of all things. Propriety is the ground of Power, and Power of Government; now a moſt abſolute and univerſal Propriety and Power, the Lord does rightly challenge to himſelf; he is accountable to none, not to be reſiſted by any; none can ſtay his hand, or ſay to him, What doeſt thou? It was a good anſwer that Elihu made to Job, Ch. 33. 12, 13. God is greater than Man, Why doſt thou ſtrive againſt him? For he giveth not an account of any of his matters.

It is a wiſe part to attend upon God, who has a Propriety in us and in all things beſides, and all things are really in his Hands and Poſſeſſion; ſo that he can with-hold or beſtow them according to his own Will. If God be for us, he can make all things for us; if he be againſt us, nothing ſhall be for our help and benefit. There is nothing which we need, but a ſuperabundance of it, is in God's hand. The Poſſeſſor of Heaven and Earth has the Bleſſings of Heaven and Earth to give forth. Every Beaſt of the Foreſt is his, and the Cattle upon a thouſand Hills, Pſal. 50. 10. All Sheep and Oxen, yea, and the Beaſts of the Field, the Fowl of the Air, and the Fiſh of the Sea, and whatever paſſeth through the paths of the Seas. How eaſie is it for him to p. 116provide things of this nature, who has ſo much, who has all of them in his own keeping? But far better Bleſſings than theſe he has in his hand to beſtow; and of the beſt Bleſſings he is moſt liberal: When we knock at his door, we ſhould remember how rich he is, whoſe all things are; and that this Lord over all, is rich unto all that call upon him, Rom. 10. 12.

4. God is Lord Redeemer of his People, and a mighty Lord indeed he ſhews himſelf in the Redemption of them, Jer. 50. 34. Their Redeemer is ſtrong, the Lord of Hoſts is his Name, he ſhall thorowly plead their cauſe, that he may give reſt to them. Redemption ſuppoſes that redeemed ones were enſlaved, loſt, and under a Curſe: To redeem muſt needs be granted an high act of Mercy and Grace, and of force and might likewiſe: The Lord is a Redeemer by Power and Conqueſt, he throws down the Dominion of Sin, demoliſhes its ſtrongeſt holds, he thruſts Mammon out of the Throne of the heart, he treads Satan under his Peoples feet; in a Senſe alſo he is a Redeemer by Commutation, God became Man, that he might ſtand in Man's room, ſuffer in Man's nature; and be Man's Surety and Saviour: And he redeems by paying a price, and that the Price might be of infinite value, he gave no leſs than himſelf for thoſe whom he has redeemed, 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ye are not your own, for yea are bought with a price, therefore glorifie God which bought you, in your Body and in your Spirit which are Gods. And in Gal. 2. 20. He loved me, ſays the Apoſtle, and gave himſelf for me. The Prey and the Captives p. 117are delivered out of the hands of that terrible Enemy the Prince of Darkneſs. Believers are redeemed from the Curſe of the Law by him who was made Fleſh, Sin, and a Curſe for them. They may triumph indeed, becauſe the firſt death is unſtung, the Grave has loſt its Victory, and none of them ſhall be ſeized and hurt by the ſecond death. This Lord Redeemer, How ſhould he be attended upon! How ſhould ſinful and loſt Souls, before they are loſt paſt recovery, being ſenſible of their danger, come flocking to him in great numbers, flying as a Cloud, and as Doves to their Windows!

5. God is Lord and Law-giver, and all are bound to obey thoſe Laws he gives them. His Laws are the beſt that ever were given. In the keeping of theſe Laws lies true Goodneſs, and Sin, which is incomparably the fouleſt, and moſt pernicious, and worſt of all Evils, is a Tranſgreſſion of theſe Laws which God has delivered to us. How often in the New Teſtament do we read of the Kingdom of God! And Kingdom implies a King and Laws; and that there are Subjects who muſt obey the one and the other: The Croſs of Chriſt excludes not Chriſtians Sufferings, but their Sufferings are not expiatory of Sin, as his were; and the Obedience of Chriſt excludes not Chriſtians Obedience; but his was meritorious, theirs is not. How ſtrictly ſoever ſome may take the Goſpel, and ſay 'tis all Promiſes; I am ſure the Goſpel, as it repreſents it ſelf, takes in Commands. Chriſt is a King to be obeyed, as well as a Propitiatory Sacrifice to be reſted on; and he is the Author of p. 118Salvation to all them that obey him; and they that obey not the Goſpel, which ſhews it has Laws to be obeyed, ſhall be puniſhed with everlaſting Deſtruction, from the preſence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power, Heb. 5. 9. 2 Theſſ. 1. 8, 9.

Faith in Chriſt does not make Believers lawleſs; nay, the Apoſtle ſpeaks with ſome vehemency, Do we then make void the Law through Faith? God forbid; yea, we eſtabliſh the Law, Rom. 3. 31. Indeed we are not under the Law, i. e. under the Curſe of the Law, if we are true Believers; nor under it as a Covenant, Do this and live; we are not to hope for Juſtification, nor to fear Condemnation by it. But the Law is a Rule which we are bound to act and walk according to; and unto this Rule our Hearts and Lives, with great Care and Conſcience, ſhould be conformed. And that theſe Laws may be the better obſerved, the Lord and Law-giver muſt be more eyed. He takes notice whether we yield Obedience, and is moſt ready to aſſiſt us to obey: And he ſhould always be ſet before us, both as our Obſerver and our Helper too. Pſal. 16. 8. I have ſet the Lord always before me, becauſe he is at my right hand, I ſhall not be moved.

6. God is Lord, who has power to ſave and to deſtroy. James 4. 12. There is one Law-giver who is able to ſave and to deſtroy: Who art thou that judgeſt another? He has the power of Life and Death; Death that is eternal, Life that is everlaſting: He is the Lord of Hoſts; all Creatures are at his command and beck, and are p. 119ready either to be the Executioners of his Wrath, or to ſerve him in his gracious purpoſes and pleaſure: He is that mighty God who lifts up his hand to Heaven, and ſays, I live for ever. I kill, and I make alive; I wound and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand, Deut. 32. 39, 40.

All ſorts of Life are from God, that of Nature, Grace and Glory: He can raiſe thoſe that attend upon him from the brink of the Grave, and reſcue them out of the very jaws of Death, Pſal. 30. 2, 3. O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou haſt healed me. O Lord thou haſt brought up my Soul from the Grace, thou haſt kept me alive that I ſhould not go down into the Pit. 2 Cor. 1. 9, 10. We had the Sentence of Death in our ſelves, that we ſhould not truſt in our ſelves, but in God who raiſeth the Dead; who delivered us from ſo great a death, and doth deliver; in whom we truſt, that he will yet deliver us. God is he who quickens and makes thoſe Spiritually alive, that were dead in ſins and treſpaſſes. He reverſes the Sentence of Death which the Law had paſſed upon them; gives them a new Life and Nature, and inables them to walk in newneſs of Life. 'Tis a mighty Voice, attended with his powerful Spirit which raiſes the Dead in ſin, and makes them live to God, John 5. 25. Verily, verily, I ſay unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the Dead ſhall hear the Voice of the Son of God, and they that hear ſhall live. And when this Spiritual Life is wrought, 'tis really eternal Life in the Seed and Bloſſom; and into eternal Life at p. 120length it ſhall be ripened and perfected. The ſanctifying Grace of the Spirit is likened unto water, becauſe 'tis of a cleanſing, refreſhing, and fructifying nature; and this Grace ſhall ſtill be acting and increaſing, till it iſſue in glory, John 4. 14. But the water that I ſhall give him, ſhall be in him a Well of water ſpringing up into everlaſting Life.

And as all ſorts of Life are from God, ſo all ſorts of Death he has power to inflict: All Afflictions and Plagues, when this Lord ſends them, do ſay, Here we are: The King of Terrors, Death, is God's ſubject, and ſays, I am ready to ſtrike, young or old, high or low, few or many, as the Lord of all, does give me Commiſſion and Command. And the ſecond Death at God's righteous pleaſure opens its everlaſting doors, to receive and eternally to ſwallow up all that he ſentences thither, Iſa. 5. 14. Therefore Hell hath enlarged her ſelf, and opened her mouth without meaſure, and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoyceth ſhall deſcend into it. Such a Lord, the effects of whoſe love and anger are felt not only in this World, but alſo in the other, and indeed run parallel with Eternity, ſhould certainly be attended on with a great dread of offending him, with the exacteſt care in every thing to pleaſe him.

7. God is a Lord, obeyed by the whole Creation, but only Men on earth, and Devils and damned Spirits in Hell. Theſe greater lights, the Sun and Moon, that rule the day and night, are perfectly ruled by their Maker, and riſe p. 121and ſet at his command: And to ſhew that he can ſtop the Sun in its ſwift motion, at Joſhua's intreaty, he commanded it to ſtand ſtill in Gibeon, and the Moon in the Valley of Ajalon, Joſh. 10. 12. Nay, in the days of Hezekiah, he makes the Sun to move backward, and to return no leſs than ten degrees by which it had gone down, Iſa. 38. 8. All the Stars of Heaven he calls by their names, and they obſerve their courſes according to his Ordinances. The Sea does ebb and flow according to his appointment, and keep within the bounds that he has ſet it when it roars and is moſt tempeſtuous: The Storms and Winds fulfil his word, and if he do but ſay to them, Peace be ſtill, preſently there is a great calm. He calls for the Thunder and the Lightning, and how terrible is the Voice of the one, and the flaſhing of the other! The Thunder is ſilenced, and the Lightning extinguiſhed at his pleaſure. All Creatures that glide through the Air, or ſlide through the Ocean, that feed and grow upon the Earth, in their way and manner obey their Maker and Preſerver's Will. Fye, Oh Fye upon Apoſtate Angels and Men, that they ſhould be the only Rebels! Look upward, downward, on the right hand and on the left, and the many Thouſands of Creatures which your Eyes behold, are ſo many inſtances of Obedience to God. Why, Oh why ſhould not all we be ready to yield our utmoſt Service?

8. God is a Lord who over-rules them that rebel againſt him, though they break his Commands; they cannot get from under his power, but he can check, reſtrain, diſappoint, and deſtroy p. 122them at his pleaſure. The Seed of the Woman has been hated by the Serpents brood, and they that have been born only after the Fleſh, have been ſtrongly inclined to perſecute ſuch as have been born after the Spirit, Gal. 4. 28, 29. Now we, Brethren, as Iſaac was, are the Children of Promiſe. But as then he that was born after the Fleſh, perſecuted him that was born after the Spirit: even ſo it is now: And ſo 'tis likely to be ſtill. When Heathen Emperors and Kings were Converts to the Chriſtian Faith, the Prince of Darkneſs did not turn and change. He always was, and is, and will be full of Malice againſt Chriſt the Head, and againſt his true Members. And thoſe who are of their Father the Devil, the Luſts of their Father they will do; and they that are Saints muſt expect find their Hearts ſet againſt them, and as far as they can, their hands too.

But that Lord who is with his People, is greater infinitely than the evil one, 1 John 4. 4. Ye are of God, little Children, and have overcome them, becauſe greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the World. As Satan's Subtlety is nothing to God's Wiſdom; as his Power is ſmall to God's Almightineſs, ſo his Wrath, though never ſo great, is a little and contemptible thing, when the Love which God bears to his People is believingly conſidered. The mightieſt Men whom Satan employs to run down the Church of the living God, ſhall never affect their wicked purpoſe; the Church triumphs over her moſt ſurious Enemies, looking unto her Mighty Helper, Pſal. 46. 5, 6, 7. p. 123God is in the midſt of her, ſhe ſhall not be moved: God ſhall help her, and that right early. The Heathen raged, the Kingdoms were moved. They ſtirred up themſelves with their united force, and in their rage they would have devoured the Iſrael of God; but He uttered his Voice, and the Earth melted: All theſe Enemies were diſpirited and came to nothing, and no wonder, for it follows, The Lord of Hoſts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. Well may the voluntary Subjects of ſuch a Lord attend upon him with forwardneſs and Faith, ſince he has ſuch an abſolute uncontrolable Dominion over all his and their Enemies!

9. God is a Lord infinitely above and better than any other Lords whatſoever. As he is infinitely ſuperior to all in Majeſty and Greatneſs, ſo alſo in Mercy and Goodneſs: The whole Earth is full of Divine Goodneſs, Pſal. 145. 9. The Lord is good to all and his tender Mercies are over all his works: It is ſpecial and peculiar Kindneſs which is ſhewn to his Saints, Pſal. 103. 11. As the Heaven is high above the Earth, ſo great is his Mercy towards them that fear him. What are other Lords if compared with God? As for Mammon, who has moſt of Mankind to be his Vaſſals, his delights are low, his Riches uncertain, his all is Vanity. Satan is a cruel Lord, he is a Lyar who deceives, a Murtherer who deſtroys all whom he can keep under his Power and Dominion. And the Wages which Sin does give to them that ſerve it, is eternal Death; and the more diligent they have been in the Service of Sin, p. 124and the more laborious Workers of Iniquity, Hell will be ſo much the hotter, their Sorrow and Miſery ſo much the greater.

Are ſuch Lords as theſe, comparable to the Lord Jehovah, whoſe Strength, whoſe Love is everlaſting? What care does he take of all that are truly his Servants! How mild and gentle is his Government! His Kingdom is Righteouſneſs, and Peace, and Joy▪ It was a Pious Ejaculation of one of the Ancients, Da Domine quod jubes, O Lord give that which thou commandeſt. His Servants are by himſelf created in Chriſt Jeſus unto the good works in which he has commanded them to walk. He teaches them by his own Spirit to do his Will, Pſal. 143. 10. Teach me to do thy Will, for thou art my God, thy Spirit is good, lead me into the Land of Uprightneſs. He works in them to Will, inclining their Hearts unto his Teſtimonies; and he works in them to do of his own good pleaſure, Phil. 2. 13. And directs their ways to keep his Statutes All the good, that good Men do, God is the doer of: his Preventing and Aſſiſting Grace, is, and does all in all And after all Dona ſua coronat, he crowns that Grace which himſelf has wrought, and made active with an eternal weight of Glory. Well may his attendants Glory in ſuch a Lord as peerleſs! Pſal. 34. 2, 3. My ſoul ſhall make her boaſt in the Lord: the humble ſhall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnifie the Lord with me: and let us exalt his name together.

10. God is the Lord and Judge of all, at whoſe Barr Angels and Men, the Quick and p. 125the dead muſt at laſt ſtand. Apoſtate Angels believe and tremble at the foreſight of future Judgment. Satan's time is ſhort, his Wrath great; but his Dread is greater of that great day of reckoning and retribution. And as for the Children of Men, all muſt be judged; the Day is appointed, and is haſtning: Every one of us, ſays the Apoſtle, muſt give account of himſelf to God, Rom. 14. 12. And an account will be taken of all that has been done while we were in the Body, Eccleſ. 12. 14 For God will bring every work into Judgment, with every ſecret thing; whether it be good, or whether it be evil. How ſhould this Lord and Judge be feared! With what diligence ſhould his Commandments be kept! Since this is foreign the whole of Man. Man's Duty, Safety, grand Concern and Intereſt lies here. He that will Judge all at laſt, with his own Eyes obſerves and ſees all at preſent, Pſal. 11. 4. The Lord's Throne is in Heaven, his Eyes behold, his Eye-lids try the Children of Men, Job 31. 4. Doth not he ſee my ways, and count all my ſteps? And when all the Children of Men, that ever were or ſhall be do appear before him, his faithful Attendants he will own and put great Honour upon; and will ſay, Well done good and faithful Servants; you have been faithful in a few things, I will make you Rulers over many things, enter you into the Joy of your Lord: But how ſhall the Children of Diſobedience ſtand before him! who lived and died in their Rebellion and Wickedneſs, and did nothing but treaſure up wrath againſt the day of wrath, and the revelation of the righteous Judgment of God!

p. 126In the ſecond place I am to manifeſt what influence and effect the apprehenſion of God's being the Lord, ſhould have upon us when we attend upon him.

1. When we look upon God as Lord, we ſhould be ſenſible of our diſtance, and how we are infinitely below him. What a ſenſe was there of the Divine Majeſty, and of his own meanneſs, in the Patriarch Abraham when he ſpoke thoſe words, Gen. 18 27. Behold now I have taken upon me to ſpeak unto the Lord, who am but Duſt and Aſhes. We read that Dominion and Fear are with him, that the brighteſt Stars are not pure in his ſight; how much leſs Man that is a Worm, and the Son of Man that is a Worm? Job 25. 2, 5, 6. The Grace of the Goſpel does not exclude an holy Awe and Reverence of God, but include it. And the more there is of grace, the more there is alſo of this godly fear, and the Service is the more acceptable, Heb. 12. 28, 29. Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom that cannot be moved, let us have Grace whereby we may ſerve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear; for our God is a conſuming Fire. We are indeed encouraged to come with boldneſs; but that boldneſs is upon the account of our great High Prieſt and Mediator; but though we are the Members of Chriſt, we muſt remember, that God is unconceivably above us. The Man Chriſt Jeſus himſelf when he prayed, fell on his face before his heavenly Father, Mat. 26. 39. Nay, he calls himſelf a worm too, Pſal. 22. 6. But I am a worm and no man, a reproach of men, and deſpiſed of the People.

p. 1272. When we look upon God as Lord, we ſhould be deeply humbled and abaſed for our Affronts Offences, and Rebellions againſt him. 'Tis the Law of the Lord Almighty which ſin breaks; and 'tis the Lord himſelf that ſin cauſes to be deſpiſed. When David was truly penitent and contrite, he cries out, Againſt thee only have I ſinned, and done this evil in thy ſight, Pſal. 51. 4. His ſin had been an injury, and indeed a deadly one to Uriah his Subject; but it was a groſs and foul breach of the Law of God, and ſo was committed againſt him. And as his ſin was ever before him, ſo was that Lord againſt whom he had ſinned. This lays him very low, and makes him readily condemn himſelf, and ready to juſtifie God, how ſevere a Sentence ſoever ſhould be paſt; how ſore a puniſhment ſoever ſhould be inflicted upon him; that thou mighteſt, ſays he, be juſtified when thou ſpeakeſt, and be clear when thou judgeſt. Job had not been ſo careful of God's Honour, as he had been to vindicate his own innocency; at length the Lord himſelf does manifeſt his Glory to him: he confounds him with that queſtion, Job 40. 8. Wilt thou diſannul my Judgment? Wilt thou condemn me that thou mayeſt be Righteous? Job at length has a clearer view of the Greatneſs and Soveraignty of that God with whom he had to do; and ſays, I have heard of thee by the hearing of the Ear, but now mine Eye ſeeth thee, wherefore I abhor my ſelf, and repent in Duſt and Aſhes, Job 42. 5, 6.

3. When we look upon God as Lord, we ſhould admire his concernedneſs for the Salvation p. 128and Happineſs of ſuch as we are. It was the expreſſion of one who was an eminent Saint, and a great King, O my Soul, thou haſt ſaid unto the Lord thou art my Lord, my goodneſs extendeth not to thee, Pſal 16. 2. He is a Lord ſo high, ſo glorious in himſelf, ſo far exalted above all, that the goodneſs of the beſt cannot in the leaſt degree be beneficial to him. He ſtands not then in need of Man, therefore his good will which he bears towards Men is the more to be admired. If the whole humane Race after the firſt defection from God, had periſhed, and every one of them had been miſerable for ever; the bleſſedneſs of God would have been no more impaired, than it was by the loſs and miſery of thoſe Spirits that firſt ſinned, and left their own Habitation; none of which ever was recovered, or ſhall be. Oh, whence is it that the Lord of Glory ſhould ſhew ſuch diſcriminating Grace to the Sons of Men! Lord! what is Man, that thou who art ſo much above him, ſhould be ſo mindful of him, as to viſit him with thy Salvation, who was unable to ſave himſelf, unworthy to be ſaved; nay, unwilling to be ſaved, till thou didſt make him willing in the day of thy Power!

4. When we look upon God as Lord, we ſhould exceedingly dread his Wrath, and value his Loving-kindneſs. The Rebukes of ſuch a mighty Lord, when provoked, muſt needs be terrible, Pſal. 18. 7. Then the Earth ſhook and trembled, the foundations alſo of the Hills moved and were ſhaken, becauſe he was wrath. Exod 15. 6, 7. Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious p. 129in Power; thy right hand, O Lord, hath daſhed in pieces the Enemy, and in the greatneſs of thine excellency thou haſt overthrown them that roſe up againſt thee, thou ſenteſt forth thy wrath, which conſumed them as Stubble. And as the Anger of God has all evils in its power to inflict on thoſe who are ſo fool-hardy to provoke it, ſo his loving-kindneſs is ready to open the treaſures of his goodneſs. How bountiful is his love to his beloved ones! The Pſalmiſt having meditated on it, juſtly ſtands amazed at it, and cries out, How excellent is thy loving kindneſs, O God! Pſal. 36. 7. It tranſcends all created love: if all the love that is in Men and Angels were united together, it would not be ſo much, compared with the love of God; as the light of a Gloworm is to the Sun, ſhining forth in its Noon-day Glory. And as the love of God is ſo excellent in it ſelf, tranſcendently excellent alſo are the acts and beneficial effects of it.

If the wrath of a King be as the meſſengers of death, Prov. 16. 14. what is the wrath of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! If in the light of the King's Countenance is life, and his favour is as the Cloud of the later Rain, Prov. 16. 15. the favour of the bleſſed and only Potentate muſt needs be infinitely more refreſhing, and better than life it ſelf. It is from this Lord that every Man's Judgment comes. He miniſters Judgment at preſent; good and evil is diſpenced by his hand; and 'tis he that will paſs upon all the final Sentence of Abſolution or Condemnation at the laſt day. What care then ſhould there be to have his Wrath appeaſed by p. 130a Mediator! what fervency of Spirit in ſueing for peace and reconciliation! Solomon tells, that many ſeek the Rulers Favour; but certainly Divine Favour is much more deſirable, becauſe every man's Judgment is from the Lord, Prov. 29. 26.

5. When we look upon God as Lord, we ſhould truſt in him for deliverance from other Lords who have had the Dominion over us. He can work whatſoever, and in whomſoever he pleaſes, and none ſhall be able to hinder. The Pſalmiſt was ſenſible of ſins force and power; he was weary of ſins Dominion; he cries unto God to deliver him from the Reign of all the ſins he knew: and thoſe ſins which were ſecret and concealed from his view, he begs that he might be convinced of them, and throughly cleanſed from them, Pſal. 19. 12, 13. The Lord can turn the Heart perfectly to hate the ſin that was moſt of all beloved; and the ſtrength of ſin is gone when once 'tis hated; and as the hatred grows ſtronger and ſtronger, ſin becomes weaker and weaker daily. Saul was a proud ſelf-confident Phariſee, a furious Perſecutor; the Lord meets him, and ſtops him in his perſecuting Rage; he humbles him, works in his Heart Faith in Chriſt, againſt whom he had ſuch a mighty and ſeemingly invincible prejudice; of a Wolf he turns him into one of the Sheep of Chriſt; nay, into a zealous and careful Shepherd of the Flock; ſo that he preached that Faith which once he endeavoured to deſtroy, Gal 3. 23.

The Lord can ſubdue Iniquity where it has born the greateſt ſway. If he ſpeaks the word p. 131of power, down go all ſtrong-holds; reaſonings that before were thought ſtrong, are ſeen to be abſurd, imaginations vain, high things and thoughts are brought into Captivity and Obedience, 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of ſtrong holds, caſting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth it ſelf againſt the knowledge of God, and bringing into Captivity every thought to the Obedience of Chriſt.

The very Prince of the Devils, Beelzebub himſelf, the Lord can eaſily diſpoſſeſs. He caſt him out of Heaven, and ſurely he can caſt him out of the Heart alſo. If the Lord ſpeak the Word, Satan falls like Lightning: How ſudden and remarkable is his Downfall! If he charge this unclean Spirit to come out, he muſt preſently quit his Habitation; and if he command him to keep out, he muſt enter no more, Mark 9. 25. He rebuked the foul Spirit, ſaying unto him; I charge thee to come out of him, and to enter no more into him.

When the Lord by the preaching of the Goſpel, made himſelf known in the World, how were Heathen Idols deſtroyed? 1 Theſ. 1. 9. Ye turned to God from Idols, to ſerve the living and true God. And whatever Worldly Enjoyments have been idolzied, he can ſhew the Vanity of them, and mortifie inordinate Affection to them. He is jealous of his Honour, likes not to have his Throne uſurped; we are to truſt in this Lord, and to deſire he would take unto this his great Power, and Reign in us; and p. 132that no oppoſite Lords may be any longer ſerved.

6. When we look upon God as Lord, we ſhould be careful to know his Will, and always forward to do it. That is one of the firſt Inquiries of a true Convert. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Acts 9. 6. Man's Will, till renewed by Grace, is fooliſh, perverſe, wicked, and perniciouſly inclined. He wills that which is to his own Woe. 'Tis but reaſon that ſuch a Will ſhould yield to the Will of God▪ who is wiſe, holy, and good Who ever acted according to the Will of God, and ſaw cauſe to repent of it? And ſure I am, that they who do contrary to the Will of God, muſt repent of it in this World, or too late in the next. We find that Wiſdom is very much placed in knowing the Will of God: Eph. 5. 17. Wherefore be ye not unwiſe, but underſtanding what the Will of the Lord is: And Happineſs is placed in the doing of it. Joh. 13. 17. If ye know theſe things happy are ye if ye do them. We ſhould approve our ſelves better Servants, if we did but mind more our Lord and Maſter's Will. In Temptation we ſhould conſider what is the Will of God, and then the Tempter would be withſtood: When earthly Treaſure is laid before us, to draw our Hearts to covet it; we ſhould remember, 'tis the Will of the Lord, that our Heart and Treaſure ſhould be in Heaven. Whatever Duty we are ſetting about, towards God or Man; we ſhould inquire how would God have this Duty to be done? What acceptable Service then would God have from p. 133us! And what Bleſſings ſhould we be to thoſe, whom we are related to, and converſe with! Lord, ſhew me thy Will; and let my Will, in all things, and at all times, be determined by thine! This is becoming Language, and every Soul ſhould ſincerely ſpeak it. He is the moſt eminent and perfect Chriſtian, who ſtands moſt perfect and compleat in all the Will of God.

7. When we look upon God as Lord, we ſhould never quarrel or murmur at any thing he is pleaſed to do to us or with us. Arbitrary Power is very much affected by the Potentates of this World; though it would be much more truly great in them, to do as they ought, than to do as they pleaſe. Arbitrary Power is juſtly challenged by the Lord the univerſal Sovereign: He may do whatever he pleaſes; and it will pleaſe him to do nothing but what becomes his own Wiſdom, Goodneſs, and other glorious Excellencies. A mighty Monarch who had walked in Pride, at length was ſo abaſed, that he acknowledged and honoured this higheſt Lord of all; and he ſays, All the Inhabitants of the Earth are reputed as nothing, and he doth according to his Will in the Armies of Heaven, and among the Inhabitants of the Earth, Dan 4. 35. The Diſpenſations of Divine Providence muſt not fall under our Cenſure. He that reproveth God will ill anſwer for it. 'Tis ſinful Boldneſs to ſtrive with him, and ſay, What doſt thou? As if he had not done ſo well as he might: 'Tis more becoming, with obedient Patience and Submiſſion, to cry out: Oh the Depth of the p. 134Riches, both of the Wiſdom and Knowledge of God! How unſearchable are his Judgments, and his Ways paſt finding out! Rom. 11. 33. and Pſal. 145. 17. The Lord is righteous in all his Ways, and holy in all his Works. When under his ſeverer Dealings with us, we charge him with Rigour and want of Care; we do but charge God fooliſhly. His Underſtanding is infinite, Pſal 147. 5. therefore he is not liable to the leaſt Miſtake: His Bowels are tender, and he can never become Cruel 'Tis inconſiſtent with his Juſtice, to lay upon any Man more than is right, that he ſhould enter into Judgment with God, Job 34. 23. He is ſo gracious that he afflicts when his People need, and tis good for them to be afflicted. That Man ſpake very ill who ſaid I do well to be angry. Whatever the Lord does to his People, he does wiſely, juſtly, faithfully; how then can their Fretting and Impatience be juſtified! It would be far better for them to ceaſe their Contention and Diſputing, and to anſwer as Job at laſt did, Job 40 4, 5. Behold, I am vile, what ſhall I anſwer thee? I will lay my Hand upon my Mouth; once have I ſpoken, but I will not anwer, yea twice, but I will proceed no farther.

8. When we look upon God as Lord, we ſhould long to behold his Glory in his Kingdom. It was the Deſire of Moſes, Exod. 33. 18. I beſeech thee ſhew me thy Glory. It is but little that the Saints ſee of the King of Saints, in compariſon of what they ſhall ſee. They know but in part, and how ſhould they long that that which is perfect may come, and that p. 135which is in part may be done away, 1 Cor. 13. 10. The Earth is the Lord's Footſtool, and here we behold but ſome Footſteps and Shaddows, and have a darker Diſcovery of him; but the Heaven is his Throne, and when we come to ſtand before his Throne; how bright will be his Majeſty in our Eyes! How glorious his Holineſs! How will his Face be all Light and Love! And how raviſhing will the fulleſt Senſe of that Love be! It ſhould be our Care by a continual Increaſe of Purity in Heart, to be fitted for this beatifical Viſion of the Lord of Glory. Mat. 5. 8. Bleſſed are the pure in Heart, for they ſhall ſee God. And this Viſion ſhould the more longed for, becauſe it will be transforming. When we behold the Lord's Glory, we ſhall partake of it; when we ſee him, we ſhall, to our eternal Excellency and Satisfaction, be like him. 1 Joh. 3. 2. Beloved, now are we the Sons of God, but it doth not yet appear what we ſhall be; but we know when he ſhall appear, we ſhall be like him; for we ſhall ſee him as he is.

In the laſt place follows the Application.

USE I. ſhall be of Reproof. Well may the Mouth of his Meſſengers be full of Reproof, ſince the Lord that ſends them is ſo generally diſregarded. Several ſorts of Perſons are worthy Reprehenſion.

1. They are to be reproved, who ſay with Pharaoh, who is the Lord that we ſhould obey his Voice? How many are there who will not acknowledge they owe him any Service; or if they do acknowledge it; they are ſo wicked and unrighteous, that they will not render p. 136what they cannot but confeſs is due to him! How many ſay, Our Lips are our own, who is Lord over us? Pſal. 12. 4. who is he that would give laws to our Tongues; and put them under a Bridle? They ſay alſo, our Members are all our own, and therefore we will employ them as we pleaſe; though that employing is abuſing and abaſing of them, to be Inſtruments of Unrighteouſneſs unto Sin. Our Time alſo is our own, and therefore we will paſs it according to our own Pleaſure, as if Time were a thing of no Value, and to have it well or ill with them to Eternity, were a matter of meer Indifferency. They that now cry, Who is the Lord? When they ſtand, as they all muſt, before his Judgment Seat, he will make them know who he is. How terrifying will his Looks be! How heavy will his Hand be felt! They would not obey the Scepter of his Word; and he will break them with his Iron Rod, and daſh them in pieces like a Potter's Veſſel, Pſal. 2. 9.

2. They are to be reproved who have a greater Reverence for Man than for God, who is the ſovereign Lord of all. They dare not diſpleaſe great Men; but the great God they make bold to offend. Men whom they depend upon, they are careful to keep in with; but that God, in whoſe Hand their Breath is, and whoſe are all their Ways they do not glorifie, Dan. 5. 23. They depend upon this Lord for their Being and Bleſſedneſs, and all things. Their Life is continued only during his Pleaſure; all things that they have are of his beſtowing; and if ever they are bleſſed, 'tis God muſt p. 137make them ſo; and yet the Favour and Anger of this God, are contemned in Compariſon of the Love and Hatred of Man. How many will comply with the Luſts of Men that will not conform to the Will of God? Mens Inventions are regarded more than God's Inſtitutions. Thus the Statutes of Omri were kept, and all the Works of the Houſe of Ahab, and Iſrael did walk in their Counſels, Mic. 6. 16. when they rejected the Counſel of God againſt themſelves, and caſt the Laws of Jehovah behind their Backs. But how poor a thing is Man's Help againſt Divine Anger! Nay, here the mightieſt Man can be no Security. Job 9. 13. If God will not withdraw his Anger, the proud Helpers do ſtoop under him: And thoſe whom the Lord does undertake to comfort, why ſhould Man that ſhall dye diſmay them. Iſa. 51. 12, 13. I, even I am he that comforteth you. Who art thou that thou ſhouldſt be afraid of a Man that ſhall dye, and of the Son of Man which ſhall be as Graſs? And forgeteſt the Lord thy Maker, that ſtretched forth the Heavens, and laid the Foundations of the Earth? His Power may well make the Fury of Oppreſſors contemptible: But God's Power is irreſiſtable, as his Wrath is intolerable.

3. They are to be reproved who prefer the worſt Lords before the greateſt and the beſt of all. The true God is certainly the beſt Lord; and Sin and Satan are the worſt that can be ſerved; and yet how few has the former, how many Servants have the later! The Lord's Government is moſt gracious; the Paths he requires p. 138us to walk in are Pleaſantneſs and Peace, Prov. 3. 17. But the Ways of Sin are quite contrary. No Peace ſaith my God to the wicked, Iſa. 57. 21. Whatever, Sin in the beginning may ſeem, its End is bitter as Wormwood, ſharp as a two-edged Sword; and they that ſerve it, their Feet go down to Death, and their Steps will quickly take hold of Hell. Shall I ſhew you the manner of Sin and Satan's Reign? Their Vaſſals are put upon Cruel Hard Service, and they muſt ſtick at nothing. If the fulfilling of their Luſts call for it, the Eſtate muſt be waſted, Health muſt be endangered, Repute and good Name muſt be diſregarded, Poſterity muſt be beggared, Life it ſelf muſt be ſhortened, and the precious Soul loſt for ever, rather than ſin not be gratified and ſerved. Sin has a Law, and what Command does it impoſe upon thoſe that are ſubject to it? Its Injunctions are ſuch as theſe; Fight againſt God, and ſlight the Wrath of the Lord Almighty. Mind neither thy Duty, nor thy Safety. Purſue Vanity and Vexation of Spirit, but care not for the trueſt and eternal Bleſſedneſs. Be ſure to pleaſe thy Fleſh, and ſeek thy ſelf and mind thy Carnal Intereſt, though thou art in the worſt Senſe undone thereby. Go on impenitently and ſecurely in thy Wickedneſs, till thou fall into Hell Flames. Do all this and dye, and damn thy ſelf unto Eternity. What hard ſayings are theſe! Yet Thouſands and Millions hear and obey them! It is amazing that thoſe who have reaſonable Souls, ſhould act ſo void of all ſound Reaſon, as to refuſe his p. 139Service, who commands them to be wiſe, and ſafe, and good, and ſhould chuſe to be Fools, and to be miſerable!

4. They are to be reproved, who have begun to ſerve the Lord; and afterwards forſake his Service, and revolt from him. Theſe revolters ſhew a great Zeal and Forwardneſs in Religion, many of them, for a time; they ſeem to have eſcaped the pollutions of the World, and to have got the Victory over it, and to have overcome the evil One: but being again entangled and overcome themſelves by Mammon and Satan, they are a credit to theſe Maſters, and to their falſe and pernicious ways; but they are a great diſhonour to Religion, and to the Author of it the Lord of Glory. Theſe revolters diſcover an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God, which is ſo much caution'd againſt, Heb. 3. 12. and if without Faith 'tis impoſſible to pleaſe God, how much muſt he needs be provoked by infidelity! and with what Torments will their unbelief at laſt be confuted and puniſhed together! Theſe Revolters quench a great deal of Light which has ſhined into them, this aggravates the works of darkneſs unto which they return; though they have under Conviction felt the Terrors of the Lord, yet they venture more than ever to incenſe him; in a ſpecial manner they grieve the Spirit of God, and deeply wound their own Spirits: But theſe Wounds are not felt at preſent; their Conſciences are ſeared, Satan has fuller and faſter poſſeſſion of them; fulneſs of ſin quickly follows; and the laſt ſtate p. 140with them is worſe than the firſt, Mat. 12. 45.

USE II. Shall be of Advice in theſe particulars.

1. Hearken to the Lord inviting and calling you all to his Service. There is room in his Houſe for many Thouſands more than are there; and there is plentiful and abundant proviſion for their entertainment. In my Father's Houſe, ſays the Prodigal when he came to himſelf, there is Bread enough and to ſpare, Luke 15. 17. Chriſt's Sacrifice of himſelf can put away multitudes of ſins more than as yet have been pardon'd. And though Millions of empty and loſt Souls more come to him, out of his fulneſs they may be all repleniſhed, and ſecure under the ſhadow of his wings. His Meſſengers ſay to you Come, himſelf ſays Come, his Spirit ſays Come; your Wants which none but he can ſupply, ſpeak aloud to you to go to him; keep therefore no longer at a diſtance. He is moſt ready to receive you graciouſly, and to communicate grace of all ſorts to you.