First, He must acknowledge and bewail his dullness and sloth, make it hateful, and shame himself for it before God. O Lord, I cannot, I desire not to hide from thee mine indisposition, and unfitness to any holy duty; how dull, remiss, sleightie. I am in the practice of true piety and godliness. I find more life, diligence, cheerfulness in any worldly business, then in the wo•kes of holiness which thou requirest.1 Cursed is the man that doth the work of the Lord negligently, who hath a male in his flock, and offereth the halt or lame unto the Lord. What is my portion if I should be dealt with in justice, who have neglected my duty, and sacrificed that which is torn and sick unto the great King and Lord of hosts, whose name is dreadful among the Heathen? It is hateful in a servant to do his work by the halves: specially if he owe himself unto his Master for undeserved kindnesses: Whatsoever I am, I have received it of the Lord: all possible duty that can be performed of a reasonable creature, I owe unto him; he hath obliged me unto his highness by many great, undeserved, incomprehensible mercies, that I am never able to repay, or sufficiently to ⟨p. 395⟩acknowledge: and in me it is most abominable that I ha•e been halting and deceitful in what he commandeth. Can any man deserve that duty from another, that thou, O Lord, hast and dost deserve of me? Can he be in such dependence unto another, as I am unto thy Majesty, in whom I live, move, have my being; by whom I am preserved, redeemed, and called unto life? If the idle, untrusty, deceitful servant merit stripes: my sleightinesse and double dealing in the exercises of Godliness, is worthy shame and confusion of face for evermore. No marvel, if I find small comfort in life, feel no power and sweetness in the ordinances of grace, when I deal partially, hear perfunctorily, pray coldly, labour not to feed upon the word, and suck vigour out of it. The duties of courtesy lose their worth and esteem with men, when wrung from us by importunity, or followed with a slack hand: Lord, thou lovest a cheerful giver, delightest in willing and free-hearted offerings: with what face then can I present unto thy Majesty, or how shouldest thou take pleasure in that maimed, corrupt, uncheerful, superficial, dead service which I perform?
First, Hee must acknowledge and bewaile his dulnesse and sloath, make it hatefull, and shame himselfe for it before God. O Lord, I cannot, I desire not to hide from thee mine indisposition, and vnfitnesse to any holy dutie; how dull, remisse, sleightie. I am in the practice of true pietie and godlinesse. I find more life, diligence, chearefulnesse in any worldly businesse, then in the wo•kes of holinesse which thou requirest.1 Cursed is the man that doth the worke of the Lord negligently, who hath a male in his flocke, and offereth the halt or lame vnto the Lord. What is my portion if I should bee dealt with in iustice, who haue neglected my dutie, and sacrificed that which is torne and sicke vnto the great King and Lord of hosts, whose name is dreadfull among the Heathen? It is hatefull in a seruant to doe his worke by the halues: specially if he owe himselfe vnto his Master for vndeserued kindnesses: Whatsoeuer I am, I haue receiued it of the Lord: all possible dutie that can bee performed of a reasonable creature, I owe vnto him; he hath obliged mee vnto his highnesse by many great, vndeserued, incomprehensible mercies, that I am neuer able to repay, or sufficiently to ⟨p. 395⟩acknowledge: and in mee it is most abhominable that I ha•e beene halting and deceitfull in what hee commandeth. Can any man deserue that dutie from another, that thou, O Lord, hast and dost deserue of me? Can hee bee in such dependance vnto another, as I am vnto thy Maiestie, in whom I liue, moue, haue my being; by whom I am preserued, redeemed, and called vnto life? If the idle, vntrustie, deceitfull seruant merit stripes: my sleightinesse and double dealing in the exercises of Godlinesse, is worthy shame and confusion of face for euermore. No maruell, if I finde small comfort in life, feele no power and sweetnesse in the ordinances of grace, when I deale partially, heare perfunctorily, pray coldly, labour not to feed vpon the word, and sucke vigour out of it. The duties of courtesie lose their worth and esteeme with men, when wrung from vs by importunacie, or followed with a slacke hand: Lord, thou louest a chearefull giuer, delightest in willing and free-hearted offerings: with what face then can I present vnto thy Maiestie, or how shouldest thou take pleasure in that maimed, corrupt, vnchearefull, superficiall, dead seruice which I performe?
- 1Jer 48.•0. Mal. 1.14.Ier 48.•0. Mal. 1.14.
