(2.) The second head of preparation on our own part is self-abase- ment, out of a deep sense of the infinite distance that is between God and us, whom we go to meet. " I have taken upon myself to speak to the great possessor of heaven and earth, who am but dust and ashes." Nothing brings God and man so near together as a due sense of our
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infinite distance. Isa. lvii. 15, " Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Hply; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit."
(3.) A heart filled with love to ordinances is a great preparation for an ordinance. How doth David, in the 84th Psalm, pant and long and breathe after the ordinances of God ! To love prayer, to love the word, is a great preparation for both. To love the presence of Christ in the supper, is a great preparation for it, — to keep an habitual frame of love in the heart for ordinanoes.
I would not load your memories with particulars. I mention plain practical things unto those for whose spiritual welfare I am more par- ticularly concerned ; that we may retain them for our use, and know them for ourselves : and they are such as I know, more or less (though, perhaps, not so distinctly), all our hearts work after: and in these things our souls do live.
3. Our preparation in reference unto any ordinance itself; which consists in two things : —
(1.) A satisfactory persuasion of the institution of the ordinance it- self, that it is that which God hath appointed. If God should meet us, and say, "Who hath required these things at your hand?" and Christ should come and tell us, " Every plant that my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be plucked up;" or, "In vain do ye worship me; teaching for doctrines the commandments of men;" — how would such words fill the hearts of poor creatures with confusion, if engaged in such ways that God hath not required ! We must be careful, then, that, for the substance of the duty, it be appointed of God.
(2.) That it be performed in a due manner. One failure herein, what a disturbance did it bring upon poor David ! It is observed by many, that, search the whole course of David's life, that which he was most eminent in, which God did so bless him for and own him in, was his love to the ordinances of God. And I cannot but think with what a full heart David went to bring home the ark ; with what long- ings after God; with what rejoicings in him; with what promises to himself, what glorious things there would be after he had the ark of God to be with him; — and yet, when he went to do this, you know what a breach God made upon him, — dashed all his hopes and all the good frame in him. God made a breach upon Uzzah ; and it is said the thing God did displeased David, — it quite unframed him, and threw a damp on his joy and delight for the present. But he after- ward gathers it up, 1 Chron. xv. 12, 13, "He spake to the Levites: Sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel unto the place that I have pre- pared for it. For because ye did it not at the first, the Lord our
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God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order." We sought him, saith he, but " not after the due order." And what that due order was he shows in the next verses, where he declares that the Levites earned the ark upon their own shoulders, with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded, according to the word of the Lord ; whereas, before, they earned it in a cart, which was not for that service. It is a great thing to have the administration of an ordinance in the due order. God lays great weight upon it, and we ought to take care that the order be observed.
This is what we have to offer to you concerning the two general propositions : — that there is a preparation required of us for the ob- servance of all solemn ordinances; and that this preparation consists in a due regard to God, to ourselves, and to the ordinance, whatever it be; — to God, as the author, as the object, and as the end of ordi- nances; to ourselves, to remove that which would hinder, — not to regard iniquity, — to be self-abased in our hearts with respect to the infinite distance that there is between God and us, and with a love unto ordinances ; with respect unto the ordinance itself, that it be of God's appointment for the matter and manner. These things may help us to a due consideration whether we have failed in any of them or not.
I have mentioned nothing but what is plain and evident from the Scripture, and what is practicable; nothing but what is really re- quired of us ; such things as we ought not to esteem a burden, but an advantage : and wherein soever we have been wanting, we should do well to labour to have our hearts affected with it ; for it hath been one cause why so many of us have laboured in the fire under ordi- nances, and have had no profit nor benefit by them. As I said before, conviction is the foundation. Custom is the building of most in their observation of ordinances. Some grow weary of them ; some wear them on their necks as a burden ; some seek relief from them, and do not find it ; — and is it any wonder if this great duty be wanting, having neither considered God nor ourselves in what we go about? And, above all things, take heed of that deceit I mentioned (which is certainly very apt to impose itself upon us), that where there is a disposition in the person there needs no preparation for the duty. There was a preparation in those whom God broke out upon be- cause they were not prepared according to the preparation of the sanctuary; that is, in that way and manner of preparation, — they had not gone through those cleansings which were instituted under the law.