Evils of eflrangementfrom the gold/. 113 will at 1 ft fl ice ght theirprayers, who now fleight the voiceof his Minifters. As the Lord difpenfeth many Tweet and heavenly bief rings by his Minifl;ers, fo it fhould be 'our care and wife- dome, r. Not to eftrange our felves from their labours, not to withdraw our felves from Gods houfe, as the Pro- digall in the parable withdrew himfelfe from his fathers houfe : Forget not (faith the Apoftle) the; agemblingofyoesr felves together ; abfence from the facred affemblies , proves uncomfortable and perillota. The proffzr of Gods mercy is refuted, the tender of Gods'fweeteft love is rejetcd, the choifeft comforts of the foule are defpifed the eftate of the men of the old world defpifing the Arke, the only in- ftrument of prefervation from the waters, proved dange- "rous ; the eflate of fuch as refufe the Gofpell, themeanes of falvation proves ruinous, everlafting perdition proves their left portion : the Scholler eftranging himfelfe from the Schoole, remaines void of learning ; the tick® man eftranging himfelfe from the Phyfician continues difeafed ; the fouldier withdrawing himfelfe from the Artilleryhoufe, remaines unarmed ; the difeafed woman in the Gofpell could not get her bloudy Are cured, untill The came to C.hrift ; Man eftranging himfelfe from the houfe of God remaines ignorant, his foule unarmed, his whole man mor- tally difeafed! Sinne ever proves an incurable and mortall fickncfl to him that abfents himfelfe from Chrift in his ordinances, abfence from the houfe of God, f joyles the foulé of all gracious and comfortable communion and acquain- tance with God ; he that refraines the Kings tourt, lo- feth all communion with the King Gods 'bode is Gods Court, his Gofpell the voice by which he fpeaketh , the glaffe in which he fhineth and fhewes himfelfe ; theban- quetting houle wherein She communicates himfelfe, as the Matter of the feaft unto his guefls. He that neg'ieteth this , negleCs the medium of his foules communion with God; eftrangement from the houfe of God brings 'poverty upon the foule the Prodigall forfuking his fathers houfe, became very poore and bate, 'he made himfelfe a compa- M pion Corenot ro withdraw cur Celtes from Gods houle. gHeb.io.zç.
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