The Practical Sabbatarian, Chapter 29
CHAP. XXIX. Other Evils to be avoided in our outward behaviour, when we come to the Publick Aſſembly.
WE muſt not rove in Ordinances. As the eye muſt not ſleep, ſo it muſt not wander, when the eternal Goſpel is preaching, or we are pouring out our ſouls in holy prayer, to an infinite God. It is recorded of Chriſts Auditors, that they did faſten their eyes upon him, Luke 4. 20. Luke 4. 20.We muſt bring a double eye to every Sermon:Triplex eſt aſpectus Chriſti. 1. Ʋnus corporalis qui ſit oculis carnis, et hic per ſe non bea…. 2. Spiritualis, qui ſit oculis fidei, et hic ſolus beat. 3. Viſio, et corporalis, et ſpiritualis, qui beatitudinem in homine auget, et quaſi conduplicat. Chemnit.
1. The eye of our body, and this muſt be faſtened on the perſon of the Miniſter.
2. The eye of our underſtanding, and this muſt be faſtened on the Doctrine of the Miniſter. And as Solomon ſaith, Eccleſ. 2. 14. The wiſe mans eyes are in his head, eſpecially when he approacheth to holy Ordinances; then as he is to look to his feet, Eccleſ. 5. 1. ſo likewiſe to his eye. Our Saviour tells his hearers, Luke 10. 23. Bleſſed are the eyes, which ſee the things which ye ſee; as if properly the Goſpel did belong to the eye, rather then to the ear; and the wandring eye in Goſpel Ordinances, was the greater crime. Indeed when the eye is fixt, the heart will be compoſed; and the more we view the Preacher, the more we ſhall mind the preaching. We muſt take heed to the eye in Ordinances; a captivated eye will eaſily affect, and ſeduce the heart; and when all is withdrawn, what ſhall the Word work upon? The eye is the window of the ſoul; let us ſee that this window open towards Jeruſalem, that it ſparkle in zeal, be Dan. 6. 10.fixt in love to Chriſt, that it be compoſed to reverence, when we come to ſpiritual opportunities. It is the juſt reproach of the Papiſts, that they bring wanton and luſtfull eyes to their Oriſons and devotions, and more look after a Gen. 34. 2.curtizan then a Chriſt. But when we meet in the aſſemblies Luke 11. 34. Pſal. 123. …. Iſa. 51. 6.of the Saints, let our eye be lift up to God in holy admiration, let it be fixed on his Ambaſſadour to behold his zeal and devotion, let it be viewing and turning over the Scriptures in a Berean noble examination, Acts 17. 11. ſearching what is quoted and delivered, and let our eye melt in tears, and tenderneſs in humble and broken compunction, 2 Chron. 34. 27. The eye hath its work and offices in Goſpel opportunities. In which we muſt ſeeIſa. 66. 2.
Firſt, That our eye be fixed.Heb. 11. 6.
Secondly, That our ear be attentive.
Thirdly, That our grace be active.Acts 16. 14.
Fourthly, That our heart be receptive, to entertain the word of life and ſalvation.
We muſt not talk or diſcourſe in the time of Ordinances. The wiſe man ſaith, Eccleſ. 5. 2. In praying our words muſt be few, but in our hearing all words muſt be forborn, foreign, a little to invert the Philoſopher. The Apoſtle ſaith, 1 Cor. 14. 33. God is the Author, not of Confuſion, but of Peace. Now private whiſperings and vain chat in holy Ordinances, they are the confuſion and diſorder of holy aſſemblies; have we not tables to talk at, or houſes to diſcourſe in? Muſt the Sanctuary of God be our Change to tell of news, our Shop to talk of Commodities, our Parlour to prate of family affairs, or whatever our ſlight hearts will froth out? When Proclamations are made, all keep Iſa 61. 1, 2.ſilent; and ſurely ſilence doth not leſs become us when the Ambaſſadour of Chriſt proclaims liberty to the Captives, and the acceptable year of the Lord. We read of a ſilence Silentium caeli quietem, & tranquillitatem notat. Ribe….in heaven, Rev. 8. 1. When ſomething important was preparing for the world, and much more muſt this heavenly order be kept in the aſſemblies of Gods people, when the importances of our ſouls are in their diſcovery; in this caſe, men as well as women muſt be ſilent in the Church, that God may come in the ſtill voice to ſpeak peace unto us; and Pſal. 85. 8.that we may return no more unto folly, Pſal. 85. 8. Paul would not preach his Sermon before ſilence was made, Acts 21. 40. Confuſed noiſe becomes Babell better then the Temple, the workmen of that prodigious ſtructure, rather then Gods people when orderly congregated together, and yet how many are guilty of this offence, they will be full of their ſalutes and complements, telling their tales, producing their intelligence, venting their vanities, even when the heart of God is opening in ſweet and ſacred diſpenſations; Ezek. 19. 14.this is a Lamentation, and ſhall be for a lamentation. When we come to holy Ordinances, we ſhould take up Davids reſolution to keep our tongue; that we offend not with our lips, Pſal. 39. 1. And follow the injunction of the Apoſtle James, James 1. 18. to bridle our tongues: For Jam. 3. 6.ſurely if ever an unbridled tongue was the character and ſign of irreligion, it is then when it breaks out in the time of holy Ordinances.
Our outward behaviour muſt not be vain and looſe, but grave and ſerious in the publick aſſemblies. The Turkiſh Heyl. Geograph.Baſhaws ſit ſilent, and are very compoſed in the preſence of their Sultan, and ſhall a pedantique worm more over-awe thoſe pieces of gravity, then the preſence of an infinite God ſtake us down to a reverential behaviour? Gods preſence makes every place a Sanctuary, as the preſence of the King Domus dei dicitur, ubi deus ſe viatoribus patefacit, ubi locus eſt opportunus precibus, & deus ſingulari praeſentiâ adeſt, et invocantes exaudit. Par.makes the Court, and therefore where ever we come to give him a meeting, let his eye reine us in, and draw us to a becoming veneration: When we read of a Jacob full of awe and dread in the apprehenſions of the preſence of God, and hear of a Solomon lifting up his trembling hands to ſeek the face of God, and obſerve holy Joſiah weeping and melting at the hearing of the Law of God, 2 Chron. 34. 27. we muſt conclude theſe things were written for our inſtructions, 1 Cor. 10. 11. to ſhew us how we muſt behave our Gen. 28. 17.ſelves in Goſpel ſolemnities. The Bride dreſſeth her ſelf in her choiceſt attire to meet with her Bridegroom. In every 1 Kings 8. 22.ry ordinance the believing ſoul meets with her beloved; ſhall there be no dreſs, no compoſing the behaviour to love and reverence, that Chriſt may not ſuſpend his ſalvifical 2 Chr. 34 27.embraces? As God ſhewed infinite wiſdom in forming a beautiful body out of a little ſcattered duſt; ſo man ſhews great wiſdom in compoſing this heavy piece of clay to reverence, when he comes to God in Ordinances.