Thirdly, I shall get forth the great evil of this neglect and
contempt of preaching, and discover the real causes whence it
proceedeth.

Lastly, I shall offer some remedies against this great and spreading
evil.

First, I shall produce certain instances to show the great neglect
of preaching now among us.

These may be reduced under two heads. First, men's absence from the
service of the church; and secondly, their misbehaviour when they
are here.

The first instance of men's neglect is in their frequent absence
from the church.

There is no excuse so trivial that will not pass upon some men's
consciences to excuse their attendance at the public worship of God.
Some are so unfortunate as to be always indisposed on the Lord's
day, and think nothing so unwholesome as the air of a church.
Others have their affairs so oddly contrived as to be always
unluckily prevented by business. With some it is a great mark of
wit and deep understanding to stay at home on Sundays. Others again
discover strange fits of laziness, that seize them particularly on
that day, and confine them to their beds. Others are absent out of
mere contempt of religion. And lastly, there are not a few who look
upon it as a day of rest, and therefore claim the privilege of their
cattle, to keep the Sabbath by eating, drinking, and sleeping, after