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 Flame to increase his Indignation The most part of Christians are guilty here We come to the Ordinances as it were to discharge a Custome and perform a Ceremony that we may have it to say to our Conscience that it is done and there is no more intent and purpose We do not seek to have Soul communion with God We come to Sermon to hear some new thing or new truth or new fashion of it To learn a Notional Experience of Cases But alas this is not the great purpose and use of these things It is to have some new sense of these things we know We know already but we should come to get the Truth mâ—re received in our Love to serve God in our Spirits and to return to him our selves in a Sacrifice acceptable This is the greater half if not the whole of Religion Love to Jesus Christ who loved us and living to him because he died for us and livihg to him because we love him Now all our Ordinances and Duties should be Channels to cary our Love to him and occasions of venting our Affections Thirdly the Lord rejected this peoples services because they were exact and punctual in them and neglected other parts of his Commandments And this is clearly expressed here I will not hear your prayers though there be many of them Why Your hands are full of blood Ye come to worship me and pray to me and yet there are many Abominations in your Conversation which you continue in and do not challenge in your selves Ye have unclean hands and shall your prayer be accepted which should come up with pure Hands They took his Covenant in their mouth and offered many Sacrifices but what have ye to do with these things sayeth the Lord since ye hate to be reformed since ye hate personal Reformation of your Lives and in your Families what have ye to do to profess to be my people Psal 50 19 17 The Lord requires an universality if ye would prove sincerity If ye have respect to any of his Commands as his Commands then will ye respect all If ye be partial and choose one Duty that is easy and refuse another harder ye will come to the Church and hear but ye will not pray at home Ye will fast in publck but not in private Then sayes the Lord ye do not at all obey me but your own humour ye do not at all fast unto me but unto your selves As much as your interest lyes in a Duty so much are ye carried to it And I take this to be the reason why many are so Eager in pursuing publick Ordinances following Communions and Conferences with Gods people ready to Pray in publick rather then alone If ye would follow them into their secret Chamber how much indifferency is there how great infrequency how little fervency VVell sayes the Lord did ye pray to me when ye prayed among others No ye prayed either to your selves or the company or both Did ye seek me in a Communion No sayeth the Lord ye sought not me but your selves If ye sought me indeed with others ye would be al 's earnest if not more to seek me alone Zech. 7. 6. And again the Lord especially requires the weightier matters of the Law to be considered As it was among the Jews their Ceremonies were commanded and so good but they were not so much good in themselves as because they were means appointed for another end and use But the Moral Law was binding in it self and good in it self without relation to another thing And therefore Christ lays this heavy Charge to the Pharisees Ye tithe mint and anise Mat. 23. 23. Woe unto you for ye neglect the weightier matters of the Law Judgement Mercy and Faith these ye ought to have done and not left the other undone Are there not many who would think it a great fault to stay away from the Church on the Sabbath or Week day and yet will not stick to swear to drink often VVoe unto you for ye strain at a gnat and swallow a camel Therefore are the Prophets full of these Expostulations The people seemed to make Conscience of Ceremonies and External Ordinances but they did not order their Conversation aright They did not execute Judgment and relieve the oppressed did not walk soberly did not mortify sinful lusts c. Alas we deceive our selves with the noise of a Covenant and a Cause of God we cry it up as an Antidot against all evils use it as a charm even as the Jews did their Temple and in the mean time we do not care how we walk before God or with our Neighbours Well thus saith the Lord Trust ye not in lying words Jer. 7. 4 5 6. If drunkenness reign among you if filthiness swearing oppression cruelty reign among you your Covenant is but a ly all your professions are but lying words and shall never keep you in your Inheritances and Dwellings The Lord tells you what he requires of you Is it not to do justly and walk humbly with God Mic. 6. 7. This is that which the grace of God teaches To deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly towards your God your neighbour and your self Tit. 2. 11 12. And this he prefers to your publick Ordinances your Fasting Covenanting Preaching and such like Is not this to know me saith the Lord Jer. 22. 15. 16. You think you know God when you can discourse well of Religion and intertain conferences of practical Cases You think it is knowledge to understand Preachings and Scripture But thus saith the Lord To do justly to all men to walk humbly towards God to walk soberly in your selves is more real knowledge of God then all the Volumes of Doctors contain or the heads of Professors Is this knowledge of God to have a long flowrishing discourse containing much Religion in it Alas no to do justly to oppress none to pray more in secret to walk humbly and soberly this is to know the Lord practice is real knowledge indeed it argues that what a man knows he receives in love that the Truth hath a deep impression on the heart that the Light shines into the heart to inflame it What is knowledge before God As much as principles Affection and Action as much as hath Influence on your Conversations If you do not and love not what you know is that to know the Lord Shall not your knowledge be a Testimony against your practice and no more SERMON X. Isai 1. 16. Wash ye make you clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evil c. IF we would have a sum of pure and undefiled Religion here it is set down in opposition to this peopleâ— shadow of Religion that consisted in External Ordinances and Rites We think that God should be al 's well pleased with our service as we our selves therefore we choose his commands which our humour hath no
may sin no more but break off their sins It is indeed impossible for a man to amend his ways till he be pardoned for his sin stands betwixt him and God God is a consuming fire the guilt of it hinders all meeting of the Soul with God at least all influence from him But when an open Door is made in Christ that men may come and Treat with God notwithstanding of rebellions and have the Curse relaxed O now he may go about his Duty comfortably Am I escaped from Hell why should I any more walk in the way to it And now he hath the Spiriâ— given for the asking There are some Cessations from sin that are not real forsakings of it and ceasings from it You know men will abstain from Eating for a season that they may be made ripe for it another time Some do not cease from sin but delayes it only they put it not away but put it off only for another time till a fitter occasion and opportunity And this is so far from ceasing from it that it is rather an deliberat choice of it and Election of conveniency for it There may be some pure and simple ceasings from sin meer abstinence or rather meer absence of sin for a season that is not ceasing from doing evil The Christians ceasing hath much Action in it It is such a ceasing from doing evil that it is a putting away of evil It hath the Soul and Spirit joyned in that Cessation Sin requires violence to put it out where it hath haunted it is an intruding Guest and an usurping Guest It comes in first as a supplicant and beggar prays for a little lodging for a night and promises to be gone the temptation speaks but for a little time even the present time for a little one it seeks but litle at first least it be denyed but if once it be received into the Soul it presently becomes Master and can command its own time and its abode Then ye will not so easily put it out as ye could hold it out for it is now joyned with that wicked desperat party within you the heart and these united Forces are too strong for you According as a lust is one with a mans heart or hath nearer connexion with his heart and Soul it is the worse to put away for will ye drive a man from himself it is the cuting off an right hand or plucking out of an right eye To make a man cease from such evils it requirs that a stronger power be within him then is in the world Men may cease for a time for want of occasions or temptations to sin when there is no active principle in them restraining or keeping their Soul from such sins as appears after when no sonner occasion is offered but they run as the Horse to his course or the Stone falleth downward they conceive Fire as easily as dry Stubble That is not Christian ceasing which is that which the Soul argues it self to from grounds of the Gospel Should I who am dead to sin live any longer therein This is a principle of Cessation and this is true liberty when the Soul can abstain from present temptations upon such grounds and perswasions of the Gospel then it is really above it self and above the world then hath it that true victory Many men cease only from sin because sin ceases from them they have not left it but it hath left them The old man thinks himself a changed man because he wallows not in the lusts of the flesh as in his youth But alas no thanks to him for that he hath not ceased from his lusts but temptations to him or power and ability in him to follow them hath ceased there is no change in his Spirit within for he can talk of his former sins with pleasure he continues in other evils as bad but more suitable to his age In a word he is so inwardly that if he were in his body and occasions offering as before he would be just the same Some again cease from some evils from some principles but alas they are no Christian principles VVhat restrains the multitude of Civilians from grosse scandals Is it any thing but affectation of a good Name and report in the world Is it not fear of reproach or censure Is it not because possibly they have no particular inclination to sueh evils And yet there are many other evils of the heart al 's evil though more subtill that they please themselves in as Pride Covetousnesse Malice Envie Ambition c. VVhat shall all your abstinence be accompted of when it is not love to Jesus Christ or hatred of sin that principles it It is not the outward abstinence that will commend you Such it is as the principles of it are And these only are the true Christian principles of Mortification love of Jesus Christ which constrains men to live no more to themselves but to be new Creatures 1 Cor. 5. 14 15. And hatred of sin in its Nature as sin A Christian should have a mortal hatred at it as his mortal enemy It is not Christianity to abstain from some fleshly lusts if ye consider them noâ— as your Souls enemies 1 Pet. 2. 11. Ye that love the Lord hate evil Psal 97. 10. These are chained together Davids hatred was a Soul hatred an abhorency Psal 119. 163. I hate and abhore lying it is like the natural Antipathies that are among Creatures The Soul hates not only the person of it but the nature of it also Men often hate sin only as it is circumstantiate but Christian hatred is a hatred of the Nature like the deadly feuds which are enimities against the kind and name I will put enimity between thy seed c. It is a perfect hatred Psal 139. 22. And so it cannot endure any sin because all is contrary to Gods Holinesse and offensive to his Spirit I would think it easier to forsake all evil and cease from doing any evil I mean presumptuously with a willing minâ— and endeavour then indeed to forsake one for as long as ye entertain so many lusts like it they shall make way for it It were easier to keep the whole Commandments in an Evangelical sense then indeed to keep any one for all of theâ— help another and subsist they cannot one with out another so that ye take a foolish course whâ— go about particular reformations Ye scandalous sinners professe that ye will amend the particular fault ye are guilty of and in the meaâ— time ye take no head to your Souls and Lives Therefore it shall be either in vain or not acceptable How pleasant a life would Christians have if they would indeed be perswaded to be altogether Christians The halfing of it neither pleaseth God nor delights you Iâ— keeps you but in continual torment between God and Baal your own lusts usurpe over you and that of Christ in you challenges the Supremacy so ye are as-men under two Masters
his hope he hath no reason to change his hope The Lord hath often done things we looked not for but we never looked for any thing according to the grounds of the word but it was done or a better then it He doth not always answer our limitations but if he give Gold when we sought Silver are we not answered Are we disappoynted There are three things that use most to disquiet and toss mens spirits sin and wrath future events and present calamities Faith establisheth the Soul on God in all these and suffereth it not to be driven to and fro with these winds It finds a harbour and refuge in God from all these If he be pursued by the avenger of blood Gods Wrath and Justice here is an open City of Refuge that he may run to and be safe If iniquities compass me about yet I will not fear but oppose unto that great company the many sufferings and obedience of Jesus Christ My coâ—science challengeth and writteth bitter things against me yet I have an answer in that blood that speaketh better things nor Abels If sinns prevail he will purge them away His Mercy is above all my â—â—n and his Vertue and Power is above my sin He hath promised and will he not do it Oftimes mens Souls are perplexed and tossed about future Events careful for to morrow this is a great torment of spirit it cutteth and divideth it putteth a man to his own providence as if there were no God But he that trusteth in God is established in this his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord he hath commited his Soul to him and why may he not his body He hath nothing but his promise for eternal Salvation and may not that same suffice for temporal He careth for me saith Faith why then should we both care about one thing He hath given his Son for me the most precious gift which the world cannot match and will he not with him give all these lesser things And thus the Believer incloseth himself within the fathers love and providence and iâ— fixed not fearing evil tidings For what tydings can be evil seing our Father hath the Soveraign disposing of all Affairs and knoweth what is best for us Present dispensations often shake men and driveth them to and fro their feet slip and are not established thou bid thy face and I was troubled But if you trusted in God and considered what is in him to oppose to all difficulties and calamities you would say I shall not be moved though the floods lift up their voice If you believed his love would not this sweetten all his dealing He maketh all work together for good Soveraignty Righteousness and Mercy are sure and firm ground to stand upon in all storms You may cast Anchor at any of those and ly secure It is the Lord let him do what be pleaseth This was enough to quiet the saints in old times Should he give account of his matters to us Sball the clay say to the potter why is it thus His absolute right by Creation maketh him beyond all exception do what he please But beside this he is pleased and condescendeth to reason with us and give account of his matters to testify to our Conscience that he is righteous in all his ways It was the ground of Jeremiahs setling Lam. 3. It is of the Lords mercy that we are not consumed It should have allayed and stayed Job know this thou art punished lesse then thy iniquities deserve who will set a time to plead with him Shall any be found righteous before him And this might stop all mens mouths and put them in the dust to keep silence seing he hath Law to do infinitely more then he doth why should not we rather proclaim his Clemency then argue him so very hard If to both those you shall add the consideration of his Mercy that all his pathâ— are Mercy and Truth unto you even when he correcteth most severely so that you may blesse him as well for Rods as for Meat and Cloathing and count your self blessed when you are taught by the Rod and the Word the one speaking to the other aâ— the other sealing its instruction If you believâ— that it were a fruit of his Love He chasteneth â—very son whom he loveth that because he will nâ— let you depart from him will not let you settâ— upon a present world and forget your Countreâ— above therefore he compasseth you about witâ— Hedges of Thorns to keep in your way And therefore he maketh this world bitter and unpleasant that you may have no continuing City If all this were believed would not the soul triumph with Paul What can separat me from thâ— love of God not past things for all my sins are blotted out and shall be remembered no more not present things for they work to good and are a fruit of his Love not things to come for that is to come which shall more declare his love then what is past Would not a Soul sleep securely within the compass of this Power this Love and Faithfulness of God without fear of dashing or sinking Now judge whither a perfect peace may not flow from all this may it not be a perfect calm when the Mountains that inviron go up to Heaven Not only doth the Soul trust in God but God keepeth the trusting Soul in peace He is the creator of peace and the preservator of it I creat peace I keep him in peace The same power and vertue is required to the preserving of a thing and the first beeing of it Our Faith and Hope in God is too weak an Anchor to abide all storms Our cords would break our hands faint and weary but he is the everlasting God who failâ—â—â— not and â—â—arieth not he holdeth an invisible grip of us we are kept by his power to salvation and we are kept by his power in peace Thy right band holdeth me saith David and this helpeth me to pursue thee What maketh believers inexpugnable impregnable is it their strength No indeed but salvation will God appoynt for walls and bulwarks Almighty Power is a strong wall though invisible this power worketh in us and about us Now Believers pity the world about you that knoweth not this peace when they ly secure and cry peace peace Alas they are a City open without walls as the plain field there is no keeper there nothing to hold off destruction Entertain your own peace do not grieve the Spirit who hath sealed it If you return to folly after he hath spoken peace to you I perswade you you shall not maintain this peace there may be peace with God but no peace in thy Conscience as long as the whoredoms of thy heart are to the fore Thou may be secure but security is worse then fear Know this that continuing in a course of sin entertaining any known sin shall trouble thy peace If God have spoken peace to thee thou shalt not lodge that enemy