BERM. XIIL] HERE AND. HEREAFTER. 239 do something for his service, this awakens our zeal. Now, is our faith active? Is our zeal lively in this mat- ter? Some christians have one of these, some the other most in exercise: Some look most at honouring God in a public profession, some at obtaining some sensible be- nefit and delight to their own souls : But it is best when both of these invite us to the sanctuary, and make us long after the presence of God. (Some of us, it may be, have found the work of grace and salvation begun on our souls at public worship; there we were first awakened and convincedof sin, there we were first led to the knowledge and faith of Christ, and pardoning grace was revealed with power by the mi- nistryof the word; therefore we long after the sincere -milk of the word, in the same public dispensation of it, that we may grow thereby. Others have been favoured, it may be, with the presence of God more abundantly in secret; and reading, and meditation, and secret pray- er, have been the. chief sensible instruments of their conversion, sanctification, and peace; these therefore, sometimes have not the same earnest longing after public preaching as others have; yet they do continually attend on the ordinances of Christ in public, to maintain reli- gion, in the profession of it, among men ; and they ought to do it. But these persons are most in danger of grow- ing cold and indifferent') I grant it is a glorius and self denying temper, to maintain a warm zeal to do much for thehonour of God in the world, even though we enjoy but little of him; but this is not so frequent among men : For we are usually drawn to God by the blessings we hope to re- ceive ; and we should consider, that an utter neglect of all those enjoyments of God in the sensible increase of grace and joy, which are to be found'in public worship, is a sign that our faith runs too low : We do not expect to receive much from God, even in his own appointed methods ; and therefore we grow negligent whether we worship him in public or no. O let the soul who feels nothing of this negligence, but maintains a warm desire of ordinances under long restraint, rejoice and bless the Lord ! However, while any of us are confined, our desires 'after God ought to appear in this, that we often seek
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