mens Projects are cast beyond that time that is measured out in Gods Counsel And what a ridiculous thing must that be to him if it be not done with submissive and humble dependence on him In a word Time is with Child of innumerable things conceived by the Eternal Counsel of God Infinite and inconceiveably Various are these Conceptions which the Womb of Time shall at length bring forth to Light Every Day every Hour every Minute is travelling in pain as it were and is delivered of some one Birth or another and no Creature can open its Womb sooner or shut it longer then the appointed and prefixed Season There is no miscarying as to him whose Decrees do properly conceive them tâ—ough to us they seem often Abortive Now joyn unto this to make the Allusion full as long as they are carried in the Womb of Time they are hid from all the World The Womb is a dark Lodging and no Understanding nor Eye can pierce into it to tell what is in it till it break forth And therefore Children born are said to come to the Light for till then they are to us in a Cloud of darknesse that we cannot tell what they are So then every Day every Hour every Moment is about to bring forth that which all the World is ignorant of till they see it And Oh that then they understood it We know not whether the Morrows or next Hours Birth may be a proportioned Child or a Monster whether it will answer the Figure and Mould that is in our mind or be mishapen and deformed to our Sense Mans desires and designes may be said to conceive for they form an inward Image and Idea within themselves to which they labour to make the Product and Birth of Time conformable And when it answers our preconceived form then we rejoyce as for a Man-child But for the most part it is a Monster as to our Conception it is an Aberration from our Rule It is either mutilate and defective of what we desire or superfluous or deformed which turns our expectation into vexation and our boasting into lamentation But the truth is Time brings forth no Monsters as to the Lords Decrees which are the only just measures of all things It may be said of every thing under the Sun as David speaks of himself in the Womb My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret and curiously formed in the lowest parts of the Earth c. Psal 139. 15. His Eyes see all their substance Yet being imperfect and in his everlasting Book all their Members are written The Portraicture of every thing is drawn there to the Life and these in continuance are fashioned just as they were written and drawn and so they exactly correspond to his pre-conception of them whatever deformity they may have as to us yet they are perfect Works and beautiful to him SERMON VIII Isaiah 1. 10 11. c. Hear the Word of the Lord ye Rulers of Sodom give ear unto the Word of the Lord ye People of Gomorrah IT is strange to think what Mercy is mixed with the most Wrath-like Stroaks and Threatnings There is no Prophet whose Office and Commission is only for Judgment Nay to speak the truth it is Mercy that premises Threatnings The entering of the Law both in the Commands and Curses is to make sin abound that Grace may superabound So that both Rods and Threatnings are the Messengers of Jesus Christ to bring sinners to him for Salvation Every thing should be measured and named by its end So call Threatnings Promises call Rods and Judgements Mercies Name all good and good to you if so be ye understand the purpose of God in these The shortest Preaching in the Bible useth to expresse it self what it means though it be never so terrible This is a sad and lamentable beginning of a Prophets Ministery The first word is to the Heavens and to the Earth A weighty and horrible regrate of this People as if none of them were to hear as if the Earth could be more easily affected then they The Creatures are taken witnesses by God of their ingratitude and then who shall speak for them If Heaven and Earth be against them who shall speak good of them Will their own Conscience No certainly it will in the day of Witnessing and Judging precipitate its sentence and spare the Judge the labour of probation A mans enemy shall be within his own house though now your Consciences agree with you Nay why doth the Lord speak to them Because the People consider not because Consciences have given over speaking to them Therefore the Lord directs his Word to the dumb Earth Yet how gracious is he as to direct a second word even to the People though a sad word Iâ— is a complaint of iniquity and backsliding and such as cannot be uttered Yet it is Mercy to challenge them yea to chasten them If the Lord would threaten a man with pure and unmixed Judgements if he would frame a threatning of a Rod of pure Justice I think it should be this I will no more reprove thee nor chasten thee And he is not far from it when he sayes why shall ye be stricken any more c. vers 5. As if he would say it is in vain now to send a Rod ye receive no correction I sent the Rod that it might open your hearts and eares to the Word and seal your instruction but to what purpose is it Ye grow worse and worse Well the Prophet campares here Sin and Judgement and the one far surmounts the other Ye would think a desolate Countrey burnt Cities Desolation made by Strangers a sufficient recompense of their corruption and misorders of their forsaking and backsliding Ye would think now if your present condition and the Lands pressed you to utter Jeremiahs Lamentation a sadder then which is not almost imaginable ye would think I say that you had received double for all your sins And yet alas how are your iniquities of infinite more desert All that were Mercy which is behind infinite and eternal punishment that there is room left for complaint it is Mercy that there is a remnant left it is Mercy Now to proclaim unto this People and to convince them that their Judgement was not severe He gives them one word from God And indeed it is strange that when the Rod is sent because of the despising of the Word that after the despising of both Word and Rod another word should come Alwayes this word is a Convincing Word a Directing Word and a Comforting Word These use to be conjoyned and if they be not alwayes expressed we may lawfully understand them We may joyn a Consolation to a Conviction and close a Threatning with a Promise if we take with a Threatning Jonahs Preaching expressed no more but a Threatning and Denounciation of Judgement but the people undeâ—stood it according to Gods meaning and made it a Rule of
in this thought in your heart that he hath done all well let not your secret thoughts so much as call them in question if once ye question ye will quickly censure them hold this perswasion that nothing can be better then what he doth nothing can be added and nothing diminished from them he doth all in number weight and measure it s so exactly correspondent to his purpose and designe as if it were weighed out and measured out for that end Let this secretly reprove your hearts the perfection of his Works stains our works O how imperfect are they And which is worse how impudent and bold are we to censure his and absolve our own If he have a hand in our work yet these imperfect works are perfect in regard of him as we have a hand in his perfect Works yet his perfect Works are imperfect in regard of us SERMON II. Deut. 32. 4. 5. He is the rock his work is perfect for all his ways are Judgement a God of truth and without iniquity Just and right is he 5. They have corrupted themselves their spot is not the spot of his Children c. THere are none can behold their own vilenesse as it is but in the sight of Gods glorious holinesse Sin is darknesse and neither sees it self nor any thing else therefore must his light shine to discover this darknesse If we abide within our selves and men like our selves we cannot wisely judge our selves our dim sparkle will not make all the imperfections and spots appear but if men would come forth in the presence of his Majesty who turns darkness into light and before whom hell is naked O how base and vile would they appear in their own eyes Is it any wonder that the multitude of you see not your selves when holy Esay and Job had this lesson to learn Esay gets a discovery of his own uncleannesse in the sight of Gods glorious holinesse Ch. 6. 5. which I think made all his former light darknesse He cryes out unclean as if he had never known it before And so Job since I saw thee I abhored my self in dust and ashes Ye hear much of him and it doeth not abase you but if ye saw him ye would not abide your selves you would prefer the dust you trade on to your selves Ye who know most there is a mystery of iniquity in your hearts that is not yet discerned ye are but yet in the coast of that bottomlesse Sea of abomination and vilenesse Among all the aggravations of sin nothing doth so demonstrate the folly yea the madnesse of it as the perfection goodnesse and absolute unspottednesse of God It s this that takes away all pretence of excuse and leaves the famine nothing no place to hide its confusion and nakednesse and shame into And therefore is it that Moses when he would convince this people of their ways and make them inexcusable he draws the paralel of Gods ways and their ways declares what God is how absolutly perfect in himself and in his works had given no cause of provocation to them to depart from him And then how odious must their departing be When both are painted on a brod before their eyes it makes sin become exceeding sinful When the Lord would pierce the hearts of his people and ingrave a challenge with the point of an Diamond he uses this as his pen Have I been a wilderness to Israel a Land of darkness why say my people we are Lords we will come no more to thee Jer. 2. 31. What iniquity have your Fathers found in me that they are gone from me and walked after vanity Jer. 2. 5. There are two things in sin that exceedingly abuse the creature the iniquity of it and folly and madness of it It s contrare to all equity and reason to depart from him that hath made us and given us a Law to whom we are by so many obligations tyed But what is the folly and madness of it to depart from the fountain of living waters and dig broken Cisterns that can hold none Ver. 13. This is a thing that the heavens may be astonished at and if the earth had sense to understand such a thing the whole fabrick of it would tremble for horrour at such a madnesse and folly of reasonable souls And this evil hath two evils in it we forsake life and love death go from him and choose vanity It 's great iniquity to depart without an offence on his part He may appeal all our consciences and let them sit down and examine his way most narrowly what iniquity have ye found in me what cause have ye to leave me But when withall he is a living fountain he is our glory he is a fruitful land a land of light our ornament and attire in a word our life and our consolation our happiness and our beauty what word shall be found to express the extream madness of men to depart from such an one change their glory into that which doth not profit If either he were not a fountain of living waters or if there were any fountain beside that could yield water to satisfie the unsatiabledesires of men it were more excusable but what shadow shall be found to cover such an iniquity that is both infinite sin and incomparable loss It s the Scriptures stile given to natural men fools and simple all sin hath folly in it but the people of Gods departing from him hath extremity of folly in it beside iniquity because they do embrace a dung-hill in instead of a Throne they make the madest exchange that can be imagined glory for shame life for death at least consolation and peace for vanity and vexation and anguish of spirit If ye would be duely affected with the sight of your own evils look upon them in this consideration and in the view of God your large portion ye will be forced to confess your selves beasts in his sight Psal 73. 22. Oh that men would consider how good and blessed the Lord is how he is alone and nothing beside him in heaven and earth all broken cisterns all dung and unprofitable all vanity and vexation he only self-sufficient all others insufficient and therefore a proportioned good for our necessity desires and I am sure ye would be constrained to cry out with David Whom have I in heaven with thee or in earth beside thee It is good for me to draw near to God Ye would look on drawing near and walking with him and before him not only as the most reasonable thing but the best thing most beautiful for you most profitable for you and all other wayes would be looked on as the wayes of death His work is perfect The Lord looked and behold all was good that was made so it was at first the fabrick of this world was an exquisite and perfect work a suitable demonstration of his infinite wisdom wonderful in all the parts of it and in the unity and harmony of the
come up to the Ears of the Lord of Hosts Nay it hath the cry of Murther and another beside He that is greedy of gain is said to take away the life of the owners thereof Pro. 1. 19. So he is a Murtherer before God and the poor mans blood crieth for vengeance and then himself seconds it either by prayer or crying out for misery Job 35. 9. All mens prayers and professions will not outcry these two The people 's many prayers could not be heard Isai 1. 15. because their hands were full of blood which had a louder cry then their prayers The poor also oppressing the poor is like a sweeping rain that leaves nothing behind it It is read in the Margin that they are not his Children this is their blot And indeed it is so It is a great blot and stain in the face of any man whoever he be that he is not born of God that he can reckon kindred to none but Adam But what indignity is it and disgrace for a people â—rofessing his Name yet to have no other Geâ—eration to reckon no higher then the Earth â—d the Earthly What is now the great blot â— our visible Church Here it is the most â—rt are not Gods Children but called so And is the greater blot that they are called so and â—e not O poor Saints esteem your honour and high priviledge ye have received this to be the sons of God It is no blot to you that ye are poor and despised in the World But it is and shall be an eternal blot to the great and rich and wise in the World that they are not the Children of God Christianity is noâ— blot though it be in reproach among men buâ— it is really the glory and excellency of a man but the want of it alas how doth it abase many high and noble empoverish many rich anâ— infatuat many wise Ye think all of you aâ— the Children of God because ye are in thâ— Church and partake of the Ordinances and Sacraments and so did this people But Moses did not flatter these Jews but told boâ— Princes and People in their face that they weâ— not Children of God because only Israel in thâ— letter they had not childrens manners Oh that it might not be said of the most part of yoâ— that ye are not children of God and that that your blot and shame It is the shame of Ruâ—ers not to be the Children of God They aâ— Wise they are Active they are Noble bâ— one Spot disgraceth all one fly maketh the Oyntment stink they are not gracious maâ— of them but sons of men at the farthest reckoâ—ing are not begotten again to a lively Hopâ— Not many Wise not many Noble not many Riâ— The scantnesse of gracious men is the Spotâ— Judicatories that there are many Children the World but few Children of Light in theâ— O! how beautiful and glorious would Judiâ—tories be if all the Members were Children Light What glory would there be if all them did shine and enlightened one anotheâ— But what beauty or comelinesse what Majesty can be in Rulers or Judicatories when the Image of God is not in them This is also the Spot of Assemblies Synods Presbytries that there are few godly Ministers Alas that this complaint should be even among those whose Office it is to beget many Children to God how few of them are begotten or hath the Image of their Father And thus Church-Assemblies have no beauty such as the Courts of Jesus Christ should have O! that we were in love with Christianity and Grace that it were our grand question how shall I be put among the Children The Lord seems to wonder at it and make a question of it How can such as we be put among the Children Jer. 3. 19. But he answers it himself thou shalt call me my Father and shalt not turn away from me There is no more but take with your wanderings and wrongs done to God Imbrace him in Jesus Christ and he becomes your Father and if ye be Children sure ye will resolve to abide in your Fathers house and turn no more to a present world or your former lusts They are a perverse and crooked generation What pleasure hath the Lord in speaking thus when he upbraids none Certainly in a manner it is drawn out of him Would he obâ—ect our faults if we did not defend them by obstinacy Perversnesse and crookednesse is obstinacy and incorrigiblenesse against Mercies â—nd Judgements That which is crooked cannot â—e made straight saith Solomon Then doth the Lord take notice of sins when men refuse to return and so maintain their sins It is thiâ— which hightens provocations and makes ouâ— the controversy perversnesse in sin It is noâ— ordinary common infirmities that the Lord punisheth either in a Land or Person buâ— when infirmities are discovered by the Light oâ— the Word when the Lord useth means to reclaim men in his Providence and yet no meanâ— prevail then are they reckoned perverse Now perversnesse is not the spot of his Children The Child of God daily bowes anâ— folds to him receives challenges from him taks with iniquity and yields unto God Oâ— that this Title might not be written above thâ— head of this generation deservedly This is perverse and crooked generation SERMON V. Psal 73. 28. But it is good for me to draâ— near to God I have put my trust in tâ— Lord God that I may declare all tâ— Works AFter mans first transgression he was shut oâ— from the Tree of Life and cast out of tâ— Garden by which was signified his secluâ— on and sequestration from the presence of Goâ— and communion with him And this was a manner the extermination of all mankind one when Adam was driven out of Paradâ— Now this had been an eternal separation for any thing that we could do for we can do nothing but depart by a perpetual backsliding and make the distance every day wider except it had pleased the Lord of his infinite Grace to condescend to draw near to us in gracious Promises and offers of a Redeemer If he had not made the first journey from Heaven to Earth by sending his only Son we should have given over the hope of returning from Earth to Heaven But he hath taken away the greatest part of that distance in drawing near to our Nature yea in assuming our Flesh into the fellowship of his glorious Divinity He hath stooped so low to meet with us and offered himself the trysting place between God and us a fit meeting place where there is an conjunction of the interests of both Parties And now there is no more to do but to draw near to God in Jesus Christ since he hath made the great journey to come down to us We have not that infinite gulfe of satisfaction to Justice to passe over we have not the height of Divine Majesty as he is infinitely above us and offended with us to climb up unto Certainly we could not
the ruines of other mens disadvantages as if it were any point of praise in us that they are worse like men that stand upon a height and measure their own Altitude not from their just intrinsick quantity but taking the advantage of the bottom whereby we deceive our own selveâ— I remember a word of Solomons that impoâ— how dangerous a thing it is for a man to refleâ— upon or search into his own Glory Prov. 2â— 27. It is not good to eat much honey So for me to search their own glory is not glory To suâ—fet in the excesse of Honey or Sweet thingâ— drives to vomite and cloyes the Stomach verâ— 16. Though it be sweet there is great need yea the more need of Caution and Moderation about it So for a man either to searcâ— into his own breast and reflect upon hiâ— owâ— excellencies to find matter of Gloriation or studiously to affect it among other and enquire into other mens accompt and steem of him it is no Glory it is a dangâ—rous and shamful Folly Now this is not only incident to Natural Spirits upon their coâ—siderations of their own advantages but â—ven to the most gracious upon the review â—â— Spirituall Endowments and Prerogatives It is such a subtil and insinuating Poyson thâ—â— it spreads universally and infects the moâ—â— Precious Oyntments of the Soul and as were Poysons the very Antidot and Couâ—terpoyson So forcible is this that was first dropped into mans Nature by Satans envy that it diffuses it self even into Humility and Humiliation it self and makes a man proud because of Humility The Apostle found need to caveat this Rom. 11. 18 19 20. Boast not be not high minded but fear thou standest by faith And Chap. 12. 16. Mind not high things Be not wise in your own conceits And 1. Cor. 8. 2. If any man think that he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing as he ought to know All which gives us a plain demonstration of this that self gloriation and complacency in reflection upon our selves is both the greatest Ignorance and the worst Sacriledge It is an Argument of greater ignorance for a man to think he knows then not to know indeed It is the worst and most dangerous Ignorance to have such an opinion of our Knowledge Gifts and Graces For that puffes up swells with empty Wind and makes a vain tumor And then it is great Sacriledge a robbing of the Honour that is due to God For what hast thou that thou hast not received That appropriating of these things to our selves as ours is an impropriating of them from their right Owner that is God 1 Cor. 4. 7. For if thou did apprehend that thou receivedst it where then is glorying I would desire then that whenever you happen to reflect upon your selves and observe any advantage either natural or spiritual in your selves that you may think this word sounds from Heaven Let him that glorieth glory in the Lord. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom And so not the Learned man in his Learning nor the Eloquent man in his Speaking nor the Ingenious man in his Quicknesse nor the Good man in his Goodnesse All these things though sweet yet will surfeit Gloriation in them is neither Glory nor Gain neither Honourable nor Profitable Then the Stream of Gloriation flows in the Channel of Bodily Gifts as Might Strength of Body Beauty and Comlinesse of Parts and other such Endowments which besides that it is as Irrational as the former in Sacrilegious Impropriation of the most free and Arbitrary Gifts of God to our selves It is with all absurd in that it is not so truely our selves These bodily Ornaments and Indowments do not perfite or better a man as a man They are but the alterable qualities of the Vessel or Tabernacle of a man in which other-baser Creatures may far excell him How many comely and beautiful Souls are lodged within obscure and ugly Cottages of Bodies of Clay which will be taken down And the great advantage is that the Soul of a man which is a man cannot be defiled from without that is from the Body though never so loathsome or deformed The vilest Body cannot marre the Soules beauty But then on the other hand the most beautiful Body is defiled and deformed by the filthinesse of sin in the Soul And O! how many deformed and ugly Souls dwell into beautiful and comely Bodies which truely is no other thing then a Divel in an Image well carved and painted Christians you had need to correct this within you even a self-complacency joyned with despiseing of others in the consideration of these external Gifts God hath given you What an abominable thing is it to cast up in reproach or in your hearts to despise any other for natural Imperfections Such as Blindnesse Lamenesse Deformity or such like Let that word sound alwayes in your Eares Who made thee to differ from another Boast not thy self c. But there is as strong a Stream runs in the third Channel as in any Gloriation arising from these outward and extrinsick differences that the Providence of God makes among men such as Riches Honour Gain c. You find such men Psal 49. 6. Prov. 18. 11. And 10. 15. That which a godly man makes the Name of the Lord that is the ground and foundation of his confidence for present and future times that the most part of men make their Riches That is their strong City and their high Wall their Hope and Expectation is reposed within it This is the Tower or Wall of Defence against the Injuries and Calamities of the Times which most part of men are building and if it go up quickly if they can get these several Stones or peeces of gain scraped together into a heap they straight way imagine themselves safe as under a high Wall But there is no truth in it it is all but in their imagination and therefore it comes often down about their Eares and offends them instead of being a Defence Let a man câ—eep as it were from of the ground where the poor lie and get some advantage of ground above them or be exalted to some Dignity or Office and so set by the shoulders higher then the rest of the People or â—et grow in some more aboundance of the things of this life and strange it is what a vanity or tumour of mind instantly follows He presently thinks himself some body and forgeting either who is above him to whom all are Worms creeping and crauling on the Foot-stool Or what a sandy Foundation he stands upon himself He begins to take some secret complacency in himself and to look down upon others below him He applauds as it were unto himself and takes it in evil part to want the approbation and plaudite of others Then he cannot so well endure effronts and injuries as before He is not so Meek and condescending to his Equals or Inferiours While he was poor he used intreaties but now
take thy rest thou hast enough laid up for many years Charge them sayes he c. 1 Tim. 6. 16 17 18 19. O! a Charge worthy to be engraven on the Tables of our hearts worthy to be written on the Ports of all Cities and the Gates of all Palaces You would all have a Foundation of lasting Joy sayes he But why seek you lasting Joy in fadeing things And certain Joy in uncertain Riches and solid Contentment in empty things and not rather in the Living God who is the inexhausted Spring of all Good things Therefore if you would truely boast of to Morrow or sing a solide Requiem to your own hearts There is another Treasure to be laid up in store against the time to come The Time only worthy to be called Time that is Eternity And that is study to do good and be rich in good Works in VVorks of Piety of Mercy of Equity of Sobriety This is a better Foundation for the Time to come Or rather receive and embrace the Promise of eternal Life made to such that free and gracious promise of Life in the Gospel And so you may supply all the wants and indigencies of your present enjoyments with the precious hope of eternal Life which cannot make ashamed But what is the way that the most part of men take to mitigate and sweeten their present hardships Even like that of the fools in the Parable Luke 12. They either have something laid up for many years or else their projects and designes reach to many years The truth is they have more pleasure in the expectation of such things nor in the real possession but that pleasure is but imaginary either How many thoughts and designes are continually turning in the heart of man how to be rich how to get greater gain or more credit Men build Castles in the Air and fancy to themselves as it were new VVorlds of meer possible beings and in such an imployment of the heart there is some poor deceiving of present sorrows but at length they recurre with greater violence Every man makes Romanses for himself pretty fancies of his own Fortune as if he had the disposing of it himself He sits down as it were and writes an Almanack and Prognostication in his own secret thoughts and designes his own Prosperity Gain and Advantage and Pleasures or Joyes And when we have thus ranked our Hopes and Expectations then we begin to take complacency in them and boast our selves in the confidence of them as if there were not a Supream Lord who gives a Law to our Affairs al 's immediatly as to the VVinds and Raines Now that you may know the folly of this Consider the Reason which is subjoyned For thou knowest not what a day may bring forth There is a concurrence of inconstancy in all things and ignorance in us which might be sufficient to check our folly of confident and presumptuous expectation from them and gloriation in them So that whether we look about us to the things themselves or within us to our selves all things proclaim the folly and madnesse of that which the heart of man is set upon And this double consideration the Apostle James opposes to the vain hopes and confident undertakings of men Chap. 4. 13. c Which place is a perfect Commentary upon this Text He brings in an instance of the resolutions and purposes of rich men for the compassing of Gain by Merchandise whereby you may understand all the several designes and plots of men that are contrived and ordered and laid down in the hearts of men either for more Gain or more Glory or more Pleasure and Ease Now the Grand Evil that is here reproved is not simply mens Care and Diligence in useing Lawful means for their accomodation in this life or yet their Wise and Prudent foresight in ordering of their Affairs for attaining that end for both these are frequently recommended and commended by the VVise Man Prov. 6. 6. and 24. 27. But here is the great Iniquity that men in all these contrivings and actings carry themselves as if they were absolute Independents without consideration of the Soveraign Universal Dominion of God No man almost reflects upon that Glorious Being which alone hath the Negative and Definitive Sentence in all the Motions and Affairs of the sons of men or considers that it is not in man that walks to direct his paths that when all our thoughts and designs are Marshalled and Ordered and the compleatest preparation made for reaching our intended ends that yet the way of man is not in himself That all these things are under a higher and more absolute Dominion of the most High God VVhose heart doth that often sound unto A mans heart deviseth his way but the Lord directs his steps And so is not bound by any rule to conform his Executions to our Intentions For he works all according to the Counsel of his own VVill and not ours And therefore no wonder that the product of our Actions do not answer our intentions and devices because the Supream Rule and Measure of them is above our Power and without our Knowledge And therefore though there were never so many devices in the heart of man never so wisely or lawfully Contrived and Ordered Though the Mine be never so well prepared and all ready for the fireing of it Yet the Counsel of the Lord that shall stand Prov. 19. 21. 16 9. That higher determination may blow up our best consultations or drown them for mans goings is of the Lord how then can a man understand his Paths Prov. 20. 24. And yet the most part of men in all these things losse the remembrance of this fatal and invincible Subordination to God and propose their own Affairs and Actions as if themselves were to dispose of them And when their own resolutions and projects seem probable they begin to please themselves in them in the fore-thought of what they will do or what they may have or enjoy to morrow afterward There is a present secret Complacency and Gloriation without any serious reminding the absolute dependence of all things upon the VVill of God and their independence upon our Counsels without fore-casting and often ruminating upon the perpetual fluctuation and constant inconstancy of humane Affairs but as if we were the Supream Moderators in Heaven and Earth so we Act and Transact our own businesse in a deep forgetfulnesse of him who sits in Heaven and laughs at all our Projects and Practices And therefore the Holy Ghost would have this secret but serious thought to season all our other Purposes and Consultations If the Lord will c. Whereas we ought to say and think this it is scarce minded And then we know not what shal be to Morrow for our Life it self is a Vapour Herein is a strong Argument you lay your designes for to Morrow for a Year for many Years and yet ye know not if ye shall be to Morrow How many
Soul If he be one and the same in Peace and Trouble Prosperity and Adversity do not lament him in the one more then the other It is the Mind that maketh your Condition good or bad But yet I say the Beleever hath likewise peace with all the Creatures which the world hath not and even in this he is a priviledged man He is in league with the stones of the field and in peace in his tabernacle Job 5. 23. All things are his because he is Christs and all are Christs who is the possessor of Heaven and Earth at least the Righteous Heir of both 1 Cor. 3. 21. The Unbeliever hath no right to the Creature Though there be a Cessation for a time between them and him yet that is no peace for they will at length be armed against him they are witnesses already against him and groan to God for the corruption that mans sin hath subjected them unto His Table is it may be full yet it is a snare unto him He getteth ease and quietnesse outwardly Nay but it slayeth the fool and destroyeth him But the godly man is at peace thorow Christs Blood with all Crosses and Comforts The Sting and Enimity of all evils is taken away by Christ Poverty is made a friend because Chrisâ— was poor Hunger and Thirst is become a friend because Christ was hungry and thirsty Reproach and Contempt is at peace with him because Christ was despised Afflictions and Sorrows are reconciled to him because Christ was a man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs In a word Death it self is become a friend since Christ subdued it by tasting of it I may say the worst things to a Natural man are bâ—come best friends to the Believer The Grave keepeth his Body and dust in Hope Death is a better friend then Life for it ministers an entry into Glory It is the Door of Eternall Life it taketh down the Tabernacle of Mortality that we may be Cloathed upon with immortality In Summe whatever it be Christ hath stamped a new quality on it it cometh through his hand and so if it be not good in it self yet it is good in the use and in his appointment Rom. 8. 21. If it be not good yet it worketh together for our good It contributeth to our good because it is in his Skilfull Hand who can bring good out of evill peace out of trouble Oh that ye were perswaded to be Christians indeed to love his Law and trust in him â—reat peace have all such This were more to you nor peace in the world Your peace should be as a River for abundance and perpetuity no drought could dry it up it should run in time as a large River and when time is done it would embosome it self in Eternity in that Ocean of eternall peace and joy which the Saints are drowned in above Other mens peace is but like a Brook that dries up in Summer SERMON XIII Isai 26. 3. Thou shalt keep him in perfeâ— Peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee CHrist hath left us his peace as the great aâ— comprehensive Legacy My peace I leaâ— you Joh. 14. 27. And this was not peace in thâ— world that he injoyed you know what his liâ— was a continual warfare but a peace above the world that passeth understanding In the world you shall have trouble but in me yâ— shall have peace saith Christ a peace that shaâ— make trouble no trouble You must lay you accompts to have such a life as the Forerunner had But withall as he hath left us hiâ— trouble so hath he left us his peace Thâ— trouble will have an end but the joy can nâ— man take from you We have this sure Promise to rest upon in behalf of the Church peaâ— shall be on Israel A peace that the worlâ— knoweth not and so cannot assault it or takâ— it away Oh that you would hearken to thiâ— word That you would trust in the Lord and staâ— upon your God then should your peace be as a River Isai 48. 18. There is nothing more desired in time of trouble then peace but all peacâ— is not better then warr Some necessary warr is better then evil grounded peace The Kingdomes have been long in pain labouring to bring forth a safe and well-grounded peace But alas we have been in pain and brought forth wind when we looked for peace no good came and for healing behold trouble But how shall we arrive at our desired Haven Certainly if peace be well grounded it must have Truth for its Foundation and Righteousnesse for its Companion Truth must spring out of the earth and righteousness look down from heaven This were the compendious way for publick peace if every man would make his own peace with God There are controversies with God between King Nobles and People and therefore God Fomenteth the warrs in the Kingdoms If you would have these ended make peace with God in Christ by flying in unto him and resting on him more trusting in God would dispatch our warrs Trusting in the arm of flesh continueth them Allways what ever be peace or warr here is the businesse that more concerns you your eternal peace and safty And if ye were more careful of this to save your own Souls you would help the publick more If you could be once perswaded to be Christians indeed we needed not presse many duties in reference to the publick and untill you be once perswaded to save your selves by flying from the wrath to come it is in vain to speak of pub lick Duties to you We do therefore declare unto you the way of obtaining perfect peace peace as a River if you will quite all self-confidences fly from your selves as your greatest enemies and trust your Souls unto the Promise in Jesus Christ and lean all your weight on him we assure you your peace shall run abundantly and perpetually Whoever trusteth in Creatures in uncertain Riches in worldly peace in whatsoever thing beside the only living and glorious Lord we perswade him that his peace shall fail as a Brook All things in this world shall deal deceitfully with you as a Brook which is blackish by reason of Ice what time it waxeth warm it shall evanish you â—hat looked and waited for water in it shall be confounded because you hoped and are ashamed because of your expectation Job 6. 15. c. The Summer shall dry up your peace and what will you do But if you pour ouâ— your Souls on him and trust in the Fountain of Living Waters you shall not be ashamed for your peace shall be as a River The Elephant is said to trust that he can drink out a River but he is deceived for he may drink again it runs and shall run for ever If any thing would essay to take your peace from you it is a vain attempt for it runs like a River it may be shallower and deeper but it cannot run dry because oâ—
Binnings Miscellany Sermons August 23. 1670. IT is Ordered by the Lords of His Majesties most Honourable Privy Council That none shall Re-print or Import this Book of Miscellany Sermons by Mr. Hugh Binning nor any other of the said Authors Books for the space of 19. years to come without licence of the Printers hereof A. G. HEART-HUMILIATION OR Miscellany Sermons Preached upon some choice Texts at several Solemn occasions Never before Printed By that eminent Preacher of the Gospel Mr. Hugh Binning late Minister at Govan Jer. 4. 14. O Jerusalem wash thine heart from wickedness that thou mayest be saved c. EDINBURGH Printed by James Glen Anno DOM. 1676. Christian Reader THis holy Preacher of the Gospel had so many convictions upon his spirit of the necessity of the duties of humiliation and mourning and of peoples securing the eternal interest of their souls for the life to come by fleeing in to Jesus Christ for remission of sins in his blood that he made these the very scope of his Sermons in many publick Humiliations as if it had been the one thing which he conceived the Lord was calling for in his dayes A clear evidence whereof thou shalt find manifested in these following Sermons upon choice Texts wherein the Author endeavoureth not only to lay before thee the necessity of these duties of soul-humiliation but also sheweth thee the Gospel-manner of performing them the many soul-advantages flowing from the serious exercise of them and the many soul-destroying prejudices following upon the neglect of them But above all thou shalt find him so fully setting forth the sinfulness of sin and the utter emptiness of self as may convince the most Pharisaically elated spirits and make them cry out with Ezra Chap. 9. 6. O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God for our iniquities are increased over our head and our trespass is grown up unto the Heavens Here thou mayst read such pregnant demonstrations of the righteousness and equity of the Lords dealing even in his severest punishments inflicted upon the children of men as may silence every whisperer against providence and make them say as Lam. 3. 22. It is of the Lords mercies we are not consumed even because his compassions sail not And lastly thou shalt perceive the inconceivable fitness and fulness of Christ as a Saviour and his never enough to be admired tenderness and condescending willingness to accept of humble heart-broken and heart-panting sinners after him with such plainness of speech demonstrat as may enable the most bruised reed to quench all the fiery darts of the devil whereby he laboureth to affright them from making application to Jesus for salvation Now that the Lord would make those and such like labours of his faithful servants useful and advantagious to thy soul Christian Reader is the prayer of Thy Servant in the Gospel of our dearest Lord and Saviour A. S. At a publick Fast in July first Sabbath 1650. SERMON I. Deut. 32. 4 5 6 7. He is the Rock his Work is perfect for all his wayes are judgement c. THere are two things may comprehend all Religion the knowledge of God and of our selves these are the principles of Religion and are so nearly conjoyned together that the one cannot be truely without the other much lesse savingly It is no wonder that Moses crave attention and to the end he may attain it from an hard hearted deaf People that he turns to the Heavens and to the Earth as it were to make them the more inexcuseable The matter of his Song is both divine and necessary throughout it all he insists upon these two to discover what they were to themselves and what God was to them he paralels their way with his way that they finding the infinite distance might have other thoughts of themselves and of him both It is a Song it is true but a sad Song The people of Gods mourning should be of this nature mixed not pure sorrow It s hard to determine whither there be more matter of Consolation or Lamentation when such a comparison is made to the life when God's goodness and our evils are set before our eyes which may most work the heart to such affections Nay I think it is possible they may both contribute to both these Is there any more abasing and humbling principle then Love How shall the sinner loath it self in his glorious presence will not so much kindnesse and mercy so often repeated as oft as it is mentioned wound the heart in which there is any tendernesse And again when a soul beholds its own ingratitude and evil requital of the Lords kindness how vile and how perverse it is how must it loath it self in dust and ashes yet is not all ground of hope removed such a sad fight may make mixed affections if we be so perverse and evil then he is infinitely good and his mercy and goodnesse is above our evils if we have dealt so with him yet is he the Rock that changes not he is a God of Truth and will not fail in his Promise Nay though it be sad to be so evil void of all goodness yet may the soul blesse him for evermore that hath chosen this way to glorifie his Name to build up his praise upon our ruine May not a soul thus glory in sad infirmities because his strength is perfected iâ— them and made manifest May not a souâ— choose emptinesse in it self that it may be behold en to his Fulnesse How refreshing a view might the sadest look on our misery and emptiness be if we did behold his purpose of manifesting his Glory in it Ye see here a comparisâ— instituted between two very unequal partieâ— God and Man there is no likenesse let be equality in it yet there is almost an equality in unliknesse The one is infinitely good and perfect well what shall we compare to him who is like thee O God among the gods Angels goodnesse their perfection and innocency hath not such a name and appearance in his sight so then there can be no comparison made this way let no flesh glory in his sight in any thing but let him that glorieth glory in the Lord for in the sight of the glorious Lord all things do disappear and evanish But surely nothing though most perfect can once come within termes of reckoning beside him for any worth Moses sees nothing to set beside God that will appear in its own greatnesse and native colours but the Creatures evil and sin and if this be not infinite absolutely or equal to his goodnesse yet it comes nearest the borders of infinitenesse so then is God most perfect is he infinite in Goodness in Truth in Righteousnesse c And so infinite that before him nothing appeares good none good save one that is God Yet we may find another infinite and it is in evil sinful man and these two contraries set beside other do much
and doing what his Mouth hath spoken And this is established in the very Heavens Psal 89. 2. His everlasting purpose is in Heaven where he dwells And if any man can ascend up to Heaven if any creature can break through the Clouds then may his Truth be shaken His Word comes down among men Nay but the foundation of it is in Heaven and there is his Purpose established and therefore there is nothing done in time can impare or hinder it Ye think this World very sure the Earth hangs unmoveable though it hang upon nothing All the tumults confusions and reels hath been in the World have never moved it to the one side Heaven goeth about in one Tenure perpetually keeping still the same distance Nay but his Truth is more established then so Heaven and Earth depends but upon a word of Command he hath said let it be so and so it is Nay but his Word is more established of it saith Christ One jot or title of it cannot fail though Heaven and earth should fail He may change his Commands as he pleases but he may not change his Promise this puts an obligation on him as he is Faithful and true to perform it and when an Oath is superadded O! how immutable are these two When he promises in his Truth and swears in his Holinesse Is there any power in Heaven and Earth can break that double cord Matth. 5. 18. Heb. 6 18. There is no name of God but it is comfortable to some and as terrible to others What comfort is it to a godly man that trusts in his Word He is a God of truth An honest mans word is much his oath is more What shall his Word be who is a God of Truth Who though all men should be liars yet God is true Ye who have ventured your Souls on his Word ye have an unspeakable advantage his truth endures for ever and it is established in the Heavens the ground of it is without beginning the end of it without end Ye are more sure then the frame of Heaven and Earth for all these shall wax old as a garment We speak of a naked word of truth Indeed it is no naked word that is Gods Word His Works of Providence and his Dispensation to yow is a naked and bare foundation nay a sandy foundation and ye who lean so much to them is it any wonder ye so often shak and waver All other grounds beside the Word are uncertain unstable this only endures for ever The creatures goodnesse and perfection is but as the Grasse and the Flour of the Field Venture not much on your dispositions and frames thou knows not what a day may bring forth but his Truth is to all generations and it is well tryed as Gold seven times all generations have tryed it and found it better then pure Gold His Dispensations are arbitrary no rule to you he loveth to declare his Soveraignty here and to expatiat in the creatures sight beyond its conceiving but he hath limited himself in his Word and come down to us and laid bonds on himself Will he then unty them for us Give him liberty where he loves it take him bound where he binds himself How may God expostulate with this generation as these of little faith How long shall I be with you saith Christ How long will Christians tempt the Lord in seeking signs And will not rest upon his only Word and Promises O Adulterous generation how long shall I be with you and ye will not believe Is it not righteousnesse in him either to give you no signe at all or to give you a signe darker then the thing it self as he did to the Pharisees Ye will give credit to a mans word and will ye not believe Gods An honest man will get more trust of us then the True and Living God Shall he not be offended with this We declare it unto you that he is Truth it self and will not fail in his promise let that be your Castle and Refuge to enter into Mercy and Truth are two sweet companions to go along with you in your pilgrimage David prayed for them Psal 61. 7. O prepare thy mercy and truth to preserve me Who will not ly safe within these everlasting Arms what power can break through And this he promised to himself Psal 57. 3. God shall send them out c. Mercy made so many precious Promises and Truth keeps them Mercy is the Fountain and Sourse of all our Consolation and Truth and Faithfulnesse conveighs it to us and keeps it for us It is these two that go before his Face when he sits on a Throne of Majesty and makes himself accessible to sinners Psal 89. 14. and so they are the path way he walks in towards those who seek him Psal 25. 10. But this sweet and Precious Name that is as Oyntment poured forth to these who love him how doth it smell of death to those who walk contrair to him He is a God of Truth to execute his Threatnings on those who dispise his Commands and though ye flatter your selves in your own eyes and cry peace peace even though ye walk in the imagination â—â— your heart yet certainly he is a God of Truth I pray you read that sad and weighty word that will be like a Milstone about many mens necks to sink them in Hell Deut. 29. 20 21 Ye who add drunkenness to thrist whose rule of walking is your own lust and whatsoever pleaseth you without respect of his Commands and yet flatter your selves with a dream of peace know this for a truth the Lord will not spare thee he that made thee will not have mercy on thee his jealousie will smoak against thee and all the eurses written in this Book shall ly upon thee and thy name shall be blotted out from under Heaven It was unbelief of Gods Threatning that first ruined man â—â— is this still that keeps so many from the remedy and makes their misery irrecoverable The Serpent brought them to this question Hath God said ye shall die And then presently the question intertained becometh a conclusion ye shall not surely die Thus ye see how the lyar from the beginning was contrair to the God of Truth And he murdered us by lying of that God of Truth And it is the same that shuts out all hope of remedy Ye do not as yet believe and consider that curse that was pronounced against Adam but is now also inflicted upon us Therefore there is no solid belief can be of the promises of the Gospel And ye who think ye believe the Gospel do but indeed fancy it except ye have considered the true curse of God on all flesh But if any man have set to his seal that God is true in his Threatning and subscribed unto the Law Then I beseech you add not the unbelief of the Gospel unto your former disobedience He is a God of truth in Promises and Threatnings It is
the rest of the world in their conversation from whom God had separated them in profession and priviledges Lev. 18. 24 But behold what unlikenesse there is between God and his people If ye were to paint out to the life a heathen people you needed no other image or patern to coppy at but this same description of this people It is this that makes Moses in the preface turn to the heavens and earth and call them to hear his song And Isaiah beginneth his Preaching thus Hear O Heavens and give ear O Earth c. A strange thing it must be that senselesse creatures are called to wonder at It must surpasse all the wonders and prodigies of nature and art And what is that I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me c. If we consider what this people seemed once to be and thought themselves to be we may easily know how they corrupted themselves If ye look on them at one time Exod. 19. 8. and Deut. 5. 27. Ye would call them Children There was never a fairer undertaking of obedience then this All that the Lord hath spoken we will do So that the Lord commends them for speaking well v. 28. They have well said all that they have spoken v. 29. O that there were such an heart in them But compare all this peoples practice with this profession and you shall find it exceeding contrary they indeed corrupted themselves though they got warning to take heed of it Take ye therefore good heed unto your selves lest ye corrupt your selves Deut. 4. 15. 16. But alas it was within them that destroyed them there was not such a heart in them as to hear obey but they undertake being ignorant of their own deceitful hearts which were desperatly wicked And therefore behold what corruption ensued and followed upon such a professed resolution They never sooner promised obedience but they disobeyed they did abominable works and did no good and this is to corrupt their way Psa 14. 1 c. we need not instance this longer in this people we our selves are a sufficient proof of it We may make this song our own we have corrupted our selves Once we had a fair shew of zeal for God of love and desire of reformation of life many solemn undertakings were that we should amend our wayes and doings But what is the fruit of all Alas we have corrupted our selves more nor they Israel promised but we vowed and swore to the most high Reformation and amendment of life in our conversations and callings Lay this Rule to our practises and are we not a perverse and crooked generation Oh that we were more affected with our corruptions and were more sensible of them then we could not choose out mourn for our own and the lands departing from God Did not every man vow and swear to the most high God to endeavour reformation of his life even a personal reformation But alas where is it He that is filthy is filthy still nay which is worse the evil man waxeth worse and worse There is a great noise of a publick reformation of ordinances and worship but alas the deformation of life and practice outcryes all that noise Nay certainly all that is donâ— in the publick must come to no accompâ— before God since our practices outcry it Publick reformation is abomination where peâ—â—onal â—orruptions do not cease This made the Jeâ—â—s soâ—emn dayes hateful their hands were full of blood Isai 1. all that ye have spent on the publick will never be reckoned since ye will not consecrat your lives to God will not give your lusts up to him Ye are his enemies in the mean time though you accompt your selves Religions friends I beseech you consider your wayes would any of us have thought to have seen such prosanity mocking of Godliness and ignorance in Scotland in so short a time Nay it is to be feared that the day is not far off when ye will corrupt your selves and do abominable things yea defile your selves as ill as the nations that know not God Every man useth to impute his faults to something beside himself ere men take with their own iniquity they will charge God that gave no more grace But if men knew themselves they would deduce their corruption and destruction both from one fountain that is from themselves Ignorance of our selves maketh us oft undertake fair and promise so well on our own head What was the fountain of this peoples corruption and apostarizing from their professions The Lord hints at it Deut. 5. 25 c. Oh that they bad such a heart Alas poor people ye know not your selves that speak so well I know thee better then thou doest thy self I will declare unto thee thy own thought thou hast not such a heart as to do what thou sayest there is a desperat wicked heart within thee that will destroy thee by lying unto thee If thou knewest this fountain of origâ—â—al corruption thou would despair of doing and say I cannot serve the Lord. Now here is the fountain of the Lands corruption this day why is our way corrupted because our hearts within were not cleansed and because they were not known If we had dryed up the fountain the streams had ceased but we did only damn it up and cut off some streams for a season we set up our resolutions and purposeâ— as an hedge to hold it in but the sea of the heartâ— iniquity that is above all things hath overflowed it and defiled our way more then in former times Ye thought upon no other thing but that presently ye would be all changed people and would reform without more adoe And thus it is with you in all your publick repentances But alas you know not your selves it iâ— still within you which will yet corrupt you and it was within us that hath undone us Wâ— were too confident of our selves and it is nâ— wonder that the Lord suffer us to prove our selves that we may know what is in our heart Now therefore since ye have so often tryed it I beseech you follow not such a way again Ye are called to deny your selves and to follow Christ and this is a great part of it that ye may never expect for any good within your selves or the helping of any evil In me is thy help found Look to the fountain of Life Jesus Christ and despair of your own hearts for they are desperatly wicked so wicked that if ye knew them ye would despair of them and give them over to another hand who can creaâ— a new heart within you Ye use to impute youâ— back-slidings to the times to temptations tâ— company and such like This is the way thaâ— men shift the challenges of sin The drunkarâ— puts it on his companion the servant on his master that led him wrong ye people put Rulers in the fault and absolve themselves and Rulers put one another in the wrong and absolve themselves But
ingredient in thy Cup of Judgment for it is the greatest Aggravation of thy sin for through it Gods Name is Blasphemed If they had not known they had not had sin Pagans sin is no sin in respect of Christians If ye consider Christs Sermon Matth. 11. Ye will say Isaiah is a meak and moderate man in regard of him Isaiah calls them people of Gomorrah but Christ will have them worse and their Judgment more intolerable then theirs And that not only the profane of them but the civil and Religious like who believed not in him VVell then here is the advantage ye get of your Name of Christianity of your priviledge of hearing his VVord dayly Ye who never ponder it to tremble at it or to rejoyce in it who cannot be moved either to joy or grief for Spiritual things Neither Law nor Gospel moves the most part of you I say here is all your gain ye shall receive a reward with Gentiles and Pagans Yea ye shall be in a worse case nor they in the Day of the Lord. The civil Christian shall be worse then the profane Turke and ye shall not then boast that ye were Christians but shall desire that ye had dwelt in the place where the Gospel had never been preached It is a Character of the Nations that they call not on God and of Heathen Families that they pray not to him Jer. 10. 25. And wrath must be poured on them VVhat then are the most part of you Ye neither bow a Knee in secret nor in your Families to God your time is otherwayes employed ye have no leisure to pray twice or thrice a day alone except when ye put on your Cloathes ye utter some ordinary bâ—blings Ye cannot be driven to Family worship shall not God rank you in Judgement with these Heathen Families Or shall it not be more tolerable for them nor for you And are not the most part of you every one given to Covetousnesse your heart and eye after it seeking Gain and Advantage more then the Kingdome of Heaven Doth not every one of you as you have power in your hand oppresse one another wrong one another Now our end in speaking thus to you is not to drive you to desparation No indeed but as there was a word of the Lord sent to such by Isaiah so we bring a word unto you That which ruines you is your carnal confidence Ye are presumptuous as this people and cryes the Temple of the Lord the VVork of the Lord c. as if these would save you Know therefore that all these will never cover you in the day of wrath Know there is a necessity to make peace with God and your righteousnesse must exceed the righteousnesse of a profession and external priviledges and duties or else ye shall be as far from the Kingdome of Heaven as Sodom and Gomorrah VVe speak of Rulers sins that ye may mourn for them lest ye be Judged with them If ye do not mourn for them in secret know that they are your sins Ye are Companions with them Many fret grudge and cry out against Oppression but who weeps in secret Who prayes and deprecats Gods wrath least it come upon them And while it is so The Oppression of Rulelers becomes the sin of the oppressed themselves Hear the Word of the Lord It were a suitable preparation for any Word that is spoken to make it take imprâ—ssion if it were looked on as the Word of the Lord and Law of our God And truely no man can hâ—ar aright unlesse he hear it so Why doth not this Word of the Lord return with more Fruit Why doth not men tremble or rejoyce at it Certainly because it is not received as Gods Word There is a practical Heresie in our hearts which rather may be called Atheism VVe do not believe the Scriptures I do not say men call it in question but I say ye believe them not It is one thing to believe with the heart another thing not to doubt of it Ye doubt not of it not because ye do indeed believe it but because ye do not at all consider it It is one thing to confesse with the Mouth and another thing to believe with the Heart For ye confesse the Scriptures to be Gods VVord not because ye believe them but because ye have received such a Tradition from your Fathers have heard it from the womb unquestioned Oh that this were engraven on your Heart thaâ— these Commands these Curses these Promises are Divine Truthes the VVords and thâ— Oath of the Holy One. If every word oâ— Truth came stamped with his Authority and were received in the Name of God himself what influence would it have on the Spirits and the practices of men This would be a great Reformer would Reform more in a Moneth then Church and Staâ—e hath done these many Years VVhy are Rulers and People not Converted and Healed for all that is spoken Here it is Who believes our report VVho believes that our report is thy own Testimony O Lord When Ministers threaten you in Gods Name if his Authority were stamped on the Threatning if men did seriously apprehend it were Gods own Voice would they not tremble When the Gospel and the joyful Sound comes forth if ye apprehended that same Authority upon it which ye who are Convinced believes in the Law would ye not be comforted Finally I may fay it is this point of Atheisme of Inconsideration and Brutishnesse that destroys the multitude makes all Means Ineffectual to them and retards the progresse of Christians Men do not consider that this word is the word of the Eternal and True and Faithful God and that not one Jot of it will faill Here is a Poynt of Reformation I would put you to If ye mind indeed to Reform let this enter into your Hearts and sink down that the Law and Gospel is the Word of God and resolve to come and hear Preachings so as the Voice of Jesus Christ the true and faithful witnesse If ye do not take it so now yet God will Judge you so at the end He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that hears not you heares not me If ye thought ye had to do with God every Sabbath would ye come so carelesly and be so stupid and inconsiderate before the Judge of all the Earth But ye will find in the end that it was God whom ye knew not SERMON IX Isai 1. 11. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to me saith the Lord c. THis is the Word he calls them to hear and a strange Word Isaiah asks what means your sacrifices God will not have them I think the people would say in their own hearts what means the Prophet What would the Lord be at Do we any thing but what he Commanded us Is he angry at us for Obeying him What means this Word Is he not repealing the Statute and Ordinance he had made in Israel If
Journey Christ took to meet with us and it is downward below himself but his Love hath chosen it to be like us though he should be unlike himself How Divinely doth the Divine Apostle speak of it and the word was made flâ—sh and he dwelt among us Jo. 1. 14. And therefore the Children of Adam may in verity say of him what the Holy Trinity in a Holy Irony spake of man Lo he is become as one of us It was a singular and eminent Priviledge conferred upon man in his first Creation that the Trinity in a manner consulted about him let us make man after our image But now when man hath lost that Image to have such a result of the Counsel of the Trinity about it let one of us be made Man to make up the distance between man and us O what Soul can rightly conceive it without Ravishment and Wonder without an Extasy of Admiration and Affection that the Lord should become a Servant The Heir of all Things be stript naked of all The Brightnesse of the Fathers Glory be thus Ecclipsed and Darkened And in a word that whiâ— comprehendeth all Wonders in the Creatioâ— who made all things he himself made of Woman And God became a man and aâ— this out of his Infinite Love to give a Dâ—monstration of Love to the world So higâ— a Person abased to exalt so base and low â— we are There is a Mystery in this a greâ— Mystery a Mystery of Wisdom to swalloâ— up the Understanding with Wonder And Mystery of Love to ravish the hearts of meâ— with Affection Depths of both in the Emptâ—ness of the Son of God The Prophet doubâ—ing what was commanded to seek a Sigâ— whither in Heaven above or in the Depth beneath but what he would not ask Goâ— gave in his great Mercy Behold a Virgâ— shall conceive a son and they shall call his naâ— Immanuel A sign indeed from Heaven at the height of Heaven because he is God and sign from the Depth beneath too because he â— man God with us and so composed to uâ—â— Heaven and Earth together God with us thâ— he might at length bring us to be with God He became Immanuel that he might mak us Immelanu If that was given as Tidings of greâ— Joy and as the highest and deepest sign of Lovâ— and Favour at that time to uphold the fainting Church O how much more may it now comfort us when it is not a Virgin shall conceive but a Virgin hath conceived Maâ— not the Joy be increased that the Redeemer not to come but come already and hath made up that wide separation which was between us and him by his low condescendency to his Union with our Nature This is one step of Advancement towards that happy Marriage that the whole creation seems to groan and travel for Rom. 8. 22. But yet there is a great Difficulty in the way We are in a state of Captivity we are prisoners of Justice have sold our selves and our happiness And now our Natural Inhâ—â—itance lies in the Lake of Fire and Brimstone heirs of Wrath concluded under the Curse of God And indeed this was insuperable to all flesh Neather Men nor Angels could ransom us from this The Redemption of the Soul of man is so precious and the Redemption of the Inheritance of man that is Heaven is so precious too that none in Heaven or Earth can be found that can pay the price of them so that it would have ceased for ever And here the great Design of Christs Union with sinners would have marred and miscaried if himself had not undertaken to overcome this too And indeed as there could none be found to open the Seals of the Book of Gods Decrees concerning his Church none worthy in Heaven or Earth but the Lamb the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah He prevailed to open it and loose the Seals thereof Rev. 5. 3 4 5. So there could none be found in Heaven or Earth neither under the Earth worthy to undertake or accomplish this work or able to open the Seals of the Book of Gods Curses or to blot out the hand-writting of Ordinances that was against us or to open the prison of Death into which-man was shut up None I say hath been found worthy â— prevailed but the Lamb of God and Lyon â— the Tribe of Judah And therefore the foâ— and twenty Elders that sit round about tâ— Throne and the four Beasts or innumerabâ— company of Angels and Spirits of just mâ— made perfect fell down before the Lamb evâ—ry one of them with Harps and they sung new Song worthy is the Lamb that was slain receive power and riches and wisdom and strengâ— and honour and glory and blessing For thou hâ— redeemed us to God by thy blood And every Creâ—ture says Amen to this and consents to this â— do him homage To him who alone wâ— worthy and al 's willing to it as worthy so it I think the 16. Vers of this Chapter givâ— us a sensible representation of this The prâ—ceeding Discourse from the beginning holdinâ— out the sinful and deplorable condition of thâ— people and in them as a Type of the desperâ— wickednesse of all mankind and withal their dâ—sperat misery for Paul Rom. 3. maketh the Application for us and from this concludeth aâ— under sin and so all under wrath all guiltâ— that every mouth may be stopt Men waiâ—ing for Light and behold Obscurity for Brighâ—nesse but walking in Darknesse groping foâ— the Wall like the blind stumbling at noon day as in the night and in desolate places as dead men all roaring like Beasts and mourniâ— like Doves when ever the apprehension of thâ— Terror of God entereth Now it is subjoyneâ— Vers 16 And he saw that there was no man c as if he had waited and looked through all thâ— world if any would appear either to speak or â—o for man if any would offer themselves and â—nterpose themselves for his Salvation Therefore his own arm brought Salvation and his righteousness it sustained him Therefore the Son of God steps in and offers himself as if God had first assayed all others and when Heaven is full of wonder and silence he breaks out in this â—o I come to do thy will Psa 40. Since I have gotten a Body to be like sinners I will also come in their place and I will give my Life a Ransome for them And therefore it is subâ—oyned The Redeemer shall come to Sion He â—hall come Cloathed with Vengeance and Indignation as a Garment against the enemies of his Church Sin and Satan in Zeall and burnâ—ng Love to his designed Spouse He shall strengthen himself and stirr up his Might and Fury against all that detain her Capâ—ive Now indeed he is the only fittest Person for â—his Businesse in Heaven or Earth for he hath â—oth right to do it and he hath only Might and Power to accomplish it He hath right to the Redemption of sinners because
he is our kinsman nearest of blood to us Now you know â—he right of Redemption belonged to the kinsâ—an Lev. 25. 25. And therefore when the nearest kinsman â—ould not redeem Naomi and Ruths parcel of â—and Booz he did it as being next And â—uitable to this our Lord Jesus when others as â—ear could not and were not able He hath â—one it and taken Men and Angels to witnesse that he hath first Redeemed us that he miâ— Marry us as Eph. 5. That he hath purchâ—ed us to be his Wife And indeed the vâ— word imports this Goel a Redeemer â— Kinsman passing under one word So Iâ— I know that my redeemer or my kins-man live And because our Kins-man therefore nâ— interested in our Redemption For for end he became partaker of flash and blood with children that be might destroy our greatest enâ— Satan and redeem us Heb. 2. 14. And besiâ— he hath right to Redemption as the Churcâ— Husband because he must mediat between and all others none can reach her except please or prosecure a plea against her as in case of the Wifes making a vow if her â—band consented not it was void Num. â— But if he heard of it and held his peace it â— confirmed Now the Lord Jesus hath knâ— this Deplorable Estate we are Captives iâ— And he hath testified his utter dislike of binding over our selves to Death and reâ—ing our selves to Satan And therefore â— bondage in which we are detained is not â—firmed and ratified but he hath right remâ—ing to Redeem us from the hand of all our â—mies But then he alone hath Might â— Power to do it for God hath laid help on â— and made him able and mighty to save â— the uttermost It was not Gold or Silver â— Corruptible things Suppose the whole â—â— were turned into Gold or precious Stones â— must give person for person and one persoâ— quivalent to all his own Life his own Blâ— for us And the value of this was infinitely raised by thâ— stamp of his Divinity put upon it the King for the Servant one that knew no sin for sinners yea God for man This superads infinit Worth and makes it an over-ransom and over-purchase a ransom to buy our persons from Hell a purchase to redeem us to our Inheritance Heaven that we had lost and these two stiles it gets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now you see the great Difficulty is overcome and taken out of the way Christ being made a Curse hath purchased a redemption from the Curse of the Law Gal. 4. 13. But yet there is another poynt of vast distance I may say con trariety and enmity between us and him he is Holy and undefiled all fair and no spot in him We are wholly defiled and depraved by sin our Souls are become the habitation of Devils and a Cage of every unclean and hateful Bird In a word he hath not only our Enemies to overcome but our own hearts to conquer and our Enmity to take away This makes the widest separation from him Now he filled up much of the Distance with his taking our flesh and he removed the great Difficulty by dying in our flesh his Humiliation to be a Man brought him nearer us And his further Humiliation to be a Dying Crucified and Buried Man brought him yet a step nearer us But nearer he cannot come for lower he cannot be except he were a sinner which would marr the whole design and take away all the Comfort of his liknesse to us Therefore since he hath come so low down to us it is suitable we be raised up one step to meet him And so the Exaltation of sinners shall make up all the Distance and bring the two parties to that long since designed and long desired meeting Now for this end and purpose the Son undertakes the Redemption of his Church from sin and ungodliness al 's well as wrath And therefore you have that which is expressed as the Character of the redeemed in this Vers It is exponed as the great point or part of the Redemption it self by the Apostle Rom. 11. The Redeemer shall come to Sion to turn all ungodliness from Jacob. And so his end was not only to be partaker of our Nature but to make us partakers of the Divine Nature And therefore the Father out of his Love to this businesse he promiseth to send his Spirit to dwell in our hearts to make the Word sound in our Mouths and Ears and the Spirit to work in our hearts and this Exaltation of sinners to the participation of the Holy Spirit together with Christs Humiliation to partake of our Flesh makes up the full Distance and bringeth Christ and his Church to that holy patient Impatience and longing for the day when it shall be Solemnized in Heaven The Spirit within us sayes come and the bride sayes come even so come Lord Jesus And he waits for nothing but the Compleating and Adorning of all the rest that there may be one Jubilee for all and for ever Now I wish we could understand the Absolute and free Tenor of Gods Covenant There is much controversy speculative about the Condition of the Covenant about the Promises whither Absolute or Conditional And there is too much practical Debate in perplexed Consciences about this how to find something in themselvs to fit and fashion them for the Redemption But truely if we would not disjoyn and dismember the Truth of God but take it all intirely as one great design of Love and Metcy revealed to sinners and so conjoyn the Promises of the Covenant into one bundle we would certainly find that it hath the Voice of Jacob though it seem to have the Hand of Esau we find an absolute most free and inconditioned sense when there is a conditional strain and shadow of words in some places The truth is the turning of souls from ungodliness is not properly a Condition exacted from us as a Promise to be performed in us and the chiefest part of Christs Redemption And though some abuse the grace of God and turn it into wantonness and liberty Yet certainly this Doctrine that makes the greatest part of the glad news of the Gospel to be Redemption from sin and the pouring out of the Spirit is the greatest perswasive to a godly Conversation and the most deadly enemy to all ungodliness I thought to have spoken more of that third thing I proponed but take it in a word This was always proponed to the Church as the strongest Cordial it was given here as the greatest Consolation in all their long Captivity that this Redeemer was after wards to come whose Vertue was then living and present to the quickning and comforting of souls It was thought enough to uphold in a most desperat strait To us a child is born Isai 8. I wish we could take it so Certainly it was the Character of a Believer before Christs coming that he was one that was looking and waiting for the Salvation
even read â—rom mens Conversation that they are not the Children of God Though the blood of Christ wash from all yet the child of God ordinarily is kept from some kind of spots so that if a man shall be spotted with them it s no marvel he question if he be a child or not There are two which I think so gross and unclean spots that I cannot conceive how a soul washen by Jesus Christ can be defiled with them one is a course of profanity the common walk of the multitude is so grosse and profane so void of God and godlinesse that it witnesseth to their face that they are not the sons of God He that is born of God sinneth not he maketh not sin his way and trade to walk into and please himself into What are the most part of you I pray you Is your spot like the spot of his children Do not ye declare your sin as Sodom ye drunkards who wallow in it daily and though ye professe repentance yet never amend Ye who have a custome of swearing and blasphâ—ming his holy Name do not ye carry in your fore-head a spot that is not like his children The child of God may fall in many particulars but it is not the spot of a child to continue in them to add drunkennesse to â—hirst and yet to dream of escaping wrath I pray you consider it for it is of great moment Do ye carry such a black mark the devils mark O! do not think your selves safe May not this perswade you Do but compare your selveâ— in your converse and walk with an heathen without the Church set aside your publick profession of coming to the Church and hearing thâ— word and Church priviledges And is there difference visible between you and them Many oâ— you pray no more in secret or in your familieâ— nor they ye curse and swear as they ye are covetous and worldly as they And if ye can do bâ— draw a line of difference and if ye cannot then I ask what are ye Is not this the spot oâ— Bastards Another spot is hatred of Godlinesâ— and the Godly this is indeed the most livelâ— image of the Devil who hates his brother is of thâ— Devil He that hats the Son can he love the Father He that hats him that is begotten hats also him that begat him And he that loves him that begat loves him that is begotten Now hovv caâ— he be begotten of God who hates that nature hâ— is said to partake of who hats him that is begotten I wonder that many of your conscience are not touched vvith this how can ye imagine ye are children of God when there is nonâ— of your neighbours that your heart riseth moâ— against that ye can least abide nor those whâ— seek God most diligently whose conversation different from the worlds Do not flatter you selves as if it vvere Hypocrisie ye hated No no ye can agree vvith profanity and hovv caâ— ye hate Hypocrisie ye can agree vvith a prâ—fane hypocrite vvith a profane man thâ— feigns and dissembles repentance but if once were so throughly changed as to hate his foâ—mer way and forsake it then your antipathy beginneth What a ridiculous thing is it for profanity to take upon it to censure hypocrisie Certainly if profanity cast out with hypocrisie it must be because it hath a form of godlinesse which it so much detesteth It is a strange hatred at godlinesse that a profane man hath that he cannot abide the very shadow of it I beseech you who love not holinesse in your own persons who hate to be reformed your selves do not add this hight of sin to it as to hate it in others also If ye be not godly your selves do not add this declared manifest character of a child of the devil to it to hate godlinesse in others There were some hope of you if ye held it in reverence and estimation where ye saw it There are many other spots not incident to his children as this that men will not take with their sin and the curse it is a great difficulty to convince the most part of men how miserable they are how void of God all the world will not put them out of a good opinion of themselves And I think this hath been the spot of this people they would not take with their guiltinesse a stubborn-hearted people whole-hearted There needs no more to declare a number of you not to be Gods children but this ye have lived all your time in the opinion and belief that ye were Gods children that ye believed in him ye never saw your selves lost and miserable This was the spot of this people that they esteemed themselves children though they had many spots that testified to their face that they were no children they waxed worse and worse neither mercies nor judgements amended them when be slew them it may be they sought him and flattered him with their mouth but their hearts were noâ— right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant Psal 78 34. Ye would have thought them a godly people while under the rod for a season but all that was but extorted and pressed out by violence of affliction as the groans of a beast under a burden but a little time declared that iâ— was but flattery though they thought themselveâ— ingenuous and therefore they returned to theiâ— old provocations as a sow to the puddle or â— dog to his vomit And is not this our spot eveâ— the spot of great and small If any would looâ— upon us in our ingadgements and vows undeâ— trouble we appear like his people a praying repenting and believing people But how quickly doth all this prove flattery Do we not still return to our old wayes that we have been examplarly punished for and which we so solemnly ingaged against The â—eat of the furnace dieth out and they waxe colder and harder a little time wears away all their tendernesse every man to his own things and no man seeks the things of Jesus Christ This was this peoples sin and spot Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked and lightly esteemed the Rock of their Salvation VVheâ— their heads were lifted up to Government wheâ— they were raised out of the waters of afflictioâ— and poverty Then they forgat God they oppressed the poor and needy eat up his people a bread and could not abide to have their faulâ— told them they said to the Seers see not and â— the Prophets prophesie not unto us right things c Isai 30. 10. I think likewise that oppressioâ— is not the spot of his Children whoever use it And covetousnâ—sse presses men to it when power is in their hand to compasse it This is a vile spot unworthy of any Ruler let be a Christian It was abhored among Pagans O! but it cries to heaven sayeth the Scripture it hath a double cry when other sins cry once The heinousnesse of it cryeth once and the poor people cry again and both these