re rational, and
do nothing of moment without some end and purpose. But, alas! in this
matter of greatest moment, our going about divine ordinances, we have
scarce any distinct or deliberate thought of the end and rise of them.
Sure I am, we must all confess this, that all other businesses in our life
are almost impertinent to the great end, the salvation of our souls, in
respect of these, in which God in a manner trysts with men, and comes to
dwell with them. These have the nearest and most immediate connection with
God's glory and our happiness; and yet so wretched and unhappy are we,
that we study and endeavour a kind of wisdom and diligence in other petty
things, which are to perish with the using, and have no great reach to
make our condition either better or worse; and yet we have no wisdom, nor
consideration, or attention to this great and momentous matter--the
salvation of our souls. Is it not high time we were shaken out of our
empty, vain, and unreasonable custom, in going about such solemn duties,
when the wrath of God is already kindled, and his mighty arm is shaking
terribly the earth, and shaking us out of all our nests of quietness and
consolation, which we did build in the creature? God calls for a
reasonable service: but I must say, the service of the most is an
unreasonable and brutish kind of work,--little or no consideration of what
we are about, little or no purpose or aim at any real soul advantage.
Consider, my beloved, what you are doing, undoing yourselves with
ignorance of your own estate, and unacquaintedness with a better; whence
it comes, that you live contented in your misery, and have no lively
stirrings after this blessed remedy. That for which we meet together is to
learn these two things, and always to be learning them,--to know sensibly
our own wretched misery and that blessed remedy which God hath provided.
It is the sum of the Scriptures, and we desire daily to lay it out before
you, if at length it may please the Lord to awake you out of your dream,
and give you the light of his salvation.

You hear of a weakness of the flesh; but if you would understand it
aright, it is not properly and simply a weakness. That supposeth always
some life, and some strength remaining. It is not like an infirmity, that
only indisposeth to wonted action in the wonted vigour; but it is such a
weakness, as the apostle elsewhere, (Eph. ii. 1,) calls deadness. It is
such a weakness, as may be called wickedn