3. Heartily establish a holy government in the church. Order and discipline is the fence of religion, and a church well-governed is ' terrible as an army with banners,' Cant. vi. 4 ; that is, full of beauty and strength. Armies ordered are comely and in a capacity to fight. The l^resent decays are by confusion. It is said, Ps. Ixviii. 35, ' Thou ai't terrible out of thy holy places.' In the order and beauty of the church, God is most terrible. When worship is pure and regular, it impresseth a dread and a reverence upon men.
4. Countenance godly persons. They are a kingdom's best security, Zech. xii. 5 ; ' And the governors of Judah shall say in their hearts, The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in the Lord of hosts,
^ Briglitmau in loc.
440 ENGLANT)'S SPIRITUAL LANGUISHING. [PiEY. III. 2.
their God.' Mark, you should call them your strength ; they engage a blessing. When Lot was in Sodom, Sodom was in lot. This is one of your chief duties, to see that godliness live peaceably. We are bound to pray for you upon this ground : ' Pray for them that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty,' 1 Tim. ii. 4. Oh ! look to it, then, that religion may have a quiet abode, or else you will not.
5. Honour and sweeten religion by some release of the people's burdens. Belly arguments do work much upon them : Jer. xliv. 17, ' We will barn incense to the queen of heaven, for then we had plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.' They measure religion by their outward concernments, and judge of ways by their burdens and troubles. The oppression of some Protestant princes in Germany was a scandal to the Reformation. Nothing stirreth up vulgar hatred and introduceth violent changes so much as this. The people are like the reed of Egypt ; if we lean too hard, they do not support, but pierce ; and oppression is like an iron in the fire, it will burn their fingers that hold it. I confess this is somewhat out of my way, there- fore I was the more loath to speak in it ; but it being lor religion's sake, I hope you will pardon a humble motion.
I shall but hint two motives to set on all, and conclude.
1. Is that in the 3d verse of this chapter : ' Lest I come as a thief.' Oh ! consider Christ may steal upon you. When he taketh off his restraint from a people, and they break out into tumults, it is a shrewd sign. You know what faction was ruined by tumults ; it is an unhappy presage.
2. The next is taken from the 4th verse : ' Thou hast a few names that have not defiled their garments.' God taketh notice of those few names that are zealous for him in dead times, that mind the advance- ment of piety whilst others debase it ; they ' shall walk with me in white.' Either God will provide an ark of safety for you for the present, or give you heaven, which shall make amends for all.
HOW MAY WE CURE DISTRACTIONS IN HOLY DUTIES?
HOW MAY WE CUBE DISTEACTIONS IN HOLY DUTIES ?
Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, TJiis people draioeth nigh unto me loWi their mouth, and honourefh me luith their lips ; hut their heart is far from me. — Mat. XV. 7, 8.
In this chapter yoii will find a contest between Christ and the Pharisees, about their traditions and old customs, which they valued above the commandments of God ; as it is usual with formal men to love chains of their own making, and to make conscience of a tradi- tion, when yet they can dispense with a commandment ; and thereby discovering themselves to be very hypocrites, who are more in exter- nals than in internals, in show than substance, minding the formality rather than the spirit and life of service to God. Our I^ord confirms his censure by the testimony of the prophet Isaiah, 'Ye hypocrites,' &c.
I shall not stand explaining the words. Draiving nigh is a phrase peculiar to worship, especially to invocation. Mouth and lips are put for all external gestures, and that bodily exercise which is necessary to the worship of God, especially for words. Bui their heart is far from me; it (;hiefly intendeth their habitual averseness from God, but may also comprise the wandering and roving of the mind in duty, which is a degree and spice of it : of that I shall treat at this time, and my note will be : —
That distraction of thoughts, or the removing of the heart from God in worship, is a great sin, and degree of hypocrisy.
The text speaketh of gross hypocrisy, or a zealous pretence of out- ward worship without any serious bent of heart towards God ; but any removal of the heart from him in times necessary to think of him is a degree of it ; for though distractions in worship are inci- dent to the people of God, yet they are culpable, and do so far argue the relics of hypocrisy in them. I shall show : —