Burroughs and Preparation

This week I have thoroughly enjoyed reading Burroughs’s thoughts about preparing for worship. Please note that the page numbers are from the older edition of the text.  

Pg. 53: Burroughs explains the importance of drawing near to God. He quotes David in Ps. 73:28, “It is good for me to draw near to God.” Burroughs cites verse 27 as the reason why it is good to draw near, “For lo, they that are far from Thee shall perish.” When I first read this paragraph, I began to wonder if those he was speaking of were believers or unbelievers. However, I think I answered my own question when I read Burroughs’s statement:

There are some who seemed to be near to Thee heretofore, who were as the wife to the husband, but they are gone a-whoring from Thee. Base hypocrites, base apostates, they are gone a-whoring from Thee. Their hearts are carnal; they did not find that contentment and satisfaction in Thy worship as Thy saints do. Therefore, they are gone a-whoring from Thee; but it is good for me to draw near to Thee.

So often, my own heart is prone to wander, but may I always remember the beauty of the truth that it is good for me to draw near to God.

Pg. 57: When Burroughs mentions that God is coming, therefore we must prepare for worship, is he referring to God’s presence with us in worship, or is he making a reference to the second coming? Or Both?

Pg. 59: A beautiful, convicting truth I thought I’d share. Burroughs on preparing for worship:

“There must be preparation because our hearts are naturally, exceedingly unprepared for every good work. We are all naturally reprobate to every good work. The duties of God’s worship are high and spiritual and holy things, but by nature our hearts grovel in the dirt and we are carnal, sensual, drossy, dead, slight, sottish, and vain, altogether unfit to come into the presence of God. Oh, that we were but apprehensive and sensible of the unfitness of our hearts to come into God’s presence!