illustrate each other It s true that his Grace super-abounds and his goodnesse is more then the creatures sinfulness yet I say you shall not find any thing that cometh nearer the infinitnesse and degrees of his goodnesse then the sinfulness of men How much the more glorious he appeares so much the more vile and base doth it appear If ye did indeed ponder and weigh these two Verses in the ballance of the Sanctuary would not your heart secretly ask this question within you do I thus require the Lord O foolish and unwise yea would ye not account your selves mad to forsake the fountain of living waters and dig broken cisternes to your selves O! of how great moment were this to humble your souls to day This day ye are called to mourning and afflicting your souls Now I know not a more sutable exercise for a day of humiliation or a principle that may more humble and abase your souls then the serious and deep consideration of these two what God is and hath been to us and what we are and have proved to him what hath made so many formal humiliations that have provoked him to anger certainly we do not either seriously think on any of these or if on one of them yet not on both the most part of you know no more in such a day but a name and ceremony of a little abstinence Is this to sanctifie a day to the Lord when ye do not so much as the people who bowed down rheir head for a day and spread sackloth under them I wonder how ye think to pacifie his Wrath and are not rather afraid of adding fewel and oyl to the flame of his indignation Ye come here and sit as in former times and what do ye more either here or at home There is no soul-affliction no not for a day the most part of you are no more affected with your sins and his judgements then if none of these things were Now I pray you what shall the Lord say to us when he speaks to the Jews in such termes Isai 58. 5. Is it such a fast that I have chosen a man for a day to afflict his soul And do ye so much as afflict it for a day or at all Is this then the Fast thaâ— he will chose to abstain from your breakfast iâ— the morning and at night to compense the want of it and no more Is this an acceptable day to the Lord the Lord upbraides the Jews will thou call this a fast and what reason have we to ask you is it possible ye think ye do indeed fast to the Lord I cannot think that the most part of you dare say that ever ye fasted or afflicted your souls Always here is the way if we consider it to spend a day acceptably to the Lord enter in a serious consideration of his Majesty and your selves study on these two till ye find your hearts bear the stamp of them enlarge your hearts in the thoughts of them both are infinite his goodnesse and power and mercy and your sin and misery no end of them what ever ye find good in God write up answerably to it so much evil and sin in your selves and the land and what evil ye find in your selves and the land write up so much goodnesse and mercy in his account All the names of his praise would be so many grounds of your confusion in your selves and would imprint so many notes of reproach and disgrace upon the Creature found so contrary to Him This is even the exercise God calls us to this day to consider his wayes to us and our wayes to him how he hath walked and how we have walked because ye lose the sight of these two he sends affliction because in our prosperity and peace we forget God and so our selves as ye find this people did when ihey waxed fat they kicked against him and forgat that he was their rock we are so much taken up with our own ease and peace that we do not observe him in his dealings therefore doth the Lord trouble our Peace removes these things we are taken up with makes a publick proclamation of affliction and blessed be his Name whose end is gracious he means this it is the proclamation of all his Judgments turn your eyes off your present ease here consider what I am and what your selves are No Nation so soon buries the memory of his Mercies O how soon are they drowned in oblivion and we forget our own provocations as suddenly therefore must he write our iniquities upon a rod that we may read them in great Letters and he writes his former goodness in the change of his Dispensations when his way to us changes that we may know what is past This is the great design that God hath in the World to declare himself and his own Name that it may be wondered and admired at by men and this cannot be but by our ruine a basing us in the dust He therefore uses to stain the pride of all glory that his alone may appear without spot This is then the great controversie of God with men and nations in all generations they will not see him alone exalted and will not bow before him and see their own vilenesse Why doth he overturn Kingdomes and Thrones why doth he shake Nationes so often here it is Gods controversie will never cease till all men acknowledge him in his highnesse and holinesse as the sole Fountain of all Life and find themselves vile lesse then nothing nay worse then nothing and emptinesse If ye would then have God at peace with the land and your selves here is the compendious way set him up a Throne of eminency in your hearts and put your selves in the dust take with your own guiltiness and naughtinesse and impossibility to help your selves in your selves hold these two still in your eyes that he may be alone exalted Look how unequal a match Ver. 4. 5. He is the Rock a Rock indeed if we speak of strength lo he is strong if of stability he is the Lord and changes not the ancient of dayes Hath not thou heard and considered this that the Almighty faints not and wearies not He holds forth himself in such a name to his people a ready all-sufficient perpetual and enduring refuge to all that trust in him and flie unto him as a Rock higher then they and this is the foundation that the Church is builded on against which the gates of hell shall not prevail Gods Omnipotency for defence his eternity faithfulnesse and unchangeablenesse to make that sure his mercy and goodnesse makes a hole in that Rock to enter in a ready accesse for poor shipwrakt and broken men who have no other refuge This is our Rock on which the Church is builded Jesus Christ I Cor. 10. 4. Matth. 16. 18. God were inaccessible in himself an impregnable Rock how would sinners overcome him and enter into him to be saved from Wrath Nay but
he vvill do next vvait till the due time and vvhen ye see a better piece of workmanship on that ground ye shall absolve him Though God often change his work do not think he changes his Counsel and Purposes as men do No he is in one mind and who can turn him therefore he had that change in his mind when he made the work when he erected such a throne he had this in his mind to cast it down within such a space and so his change his throwing down is as perfect in his mind as his building up Ye have large and big apprehensions of temporal Kingdoms and Crowns of Government and such like as if they were great yea only things but they are not so to him all this world and its standing all the Kingdoms and their affairs are not his great work and businesse he hath an great work the bringing of many sons to Glory and compleating of Jesus Christ building of that glorious mystical building the holy Temple made up of living stones of which Christ is the foundation and chief corner stone both and it s this that he attends to most other works among men though they have more noise they are lesse concerned all these are but in the by and subservient to his great designe and like the Scaffolds of a building that are it may be sometime very needful Nay but when the building is compleated he shall remove all these he hath no more use of them Kings shall he thy nurse-fathers Kings shall bow to thee He is not much concerned in government nor in Governours but for his little flocks sake and if these were gathered all these shall have an end and the flock alone abide for ever And all his ways are Judgement This is to the same purpose his ways and his works are one and this is the perfection of his work that it is all right and equal whether they be in Justice or mercy they are all righteous and holy no iniquity in them his ways are straight and equal exact as if they were measured by an exact even rule but because we make application of a crooked rule to them we do imagine that they are crooked as the blind man judges no light to be because he sees it not How may the Lord contend and plead with us as with that people Ezek. 18. 25. Is it possible that any can challeâ—ge him and clear themselves Who will be Justified of all when he is judged and before whom no flesh can be Justified and yet behold the iniquity of mens hearts there is a secret reflection of our spirits upon his majesty as if his ways were not equal when ever we repine against them and when we do not take with our iniquity and stop our mouth with dust Behold the Lord will assert his own wayes and plead with all flesh this controversie that all his proceedings are full of equity he walks according to a rule though he be not tyed to a rule he walks according to the rules of Wisdom Justice and Mercy though his illimited soveraignty might be a sufficient ground of clearing of all his proceedings But we walk not according to a rule though we be bound to a rule and a rule full of equity Here is the equity and justnesse of his ways the Gospel holds it forth in a twofold consideration First If any man turn from his iniquity and flie unto my Son as the City of refuge he shall live he hath eternal life iniquity shall not be his ruine although he hath done iniquity O who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity Is not this compleat mercy whatever iniquity hath been aggravat it as ye can though it could have ruined a world yet it could not have ruined thee that turns in to Jesus Christ from iniquity What exception can all the world have against this or his walking according to it And on the other hand whosoever continueth in sin though he appear to himself and others never so righteous if he entertain and love any known sin and will not part with it for Jesus Christ shall not he dye in his iniquity Is there any iniquity in this that he receive the wages of his works his reward that he eat of the fruit of his own wayes and drink of his own devices But how many hearts censure this way as a rigid and strick severe dealing the multitude think it cruelty to condemne any Christened soul to put so many in hell the civil man will think it 's too hard measure that he should be ranked in hell with the prophane But certainly all mouths shall be stopped one day and he shall be justified when he judges Ye that will not justifie him in his sayings and set to your seal to the truth of the word you shall be constrained to justify him when he executs that sentence ye shall precipitat your own sentence and rather wonder at his clemency in suffering you so long This way of the Lord is equal and right in it self but it is not so to every one the just man shall walk in it and not stumble as in an even way nothing shall offend him Hosea 14. last V. Yet for as equal and straight as it is many other transgressors shall fall therein they stumble even in the noon day and high way where no offence is It 's true often his own people stumble in it as David Psal 73. and 94. Davids foot was slipping yet a secret hold was by mercy It often requires a wise and prudent man to understand it because his footsteps are in the deep waters Psa 77. 19. his way is in the depths of the sea his paths in great waters so that men must wait till the Lord expound his own wayes till he come out of the waters and make them a dry plain and this is our advantage the word sayes he is near thee in thy mouth and neither above nor beneath in the depths that thou needs neither descend nor ascend to know it Deut. 30. 11 12 13 14. But his way is in the depths and his footsteps are not known so that we ought to hold us by the word till he expound his vvork his vvord vvill teach us our duty and vve may commit unto him his ovvn vvay the vvord is a commentary to expound his vvays David lost the sight of Gods footsteps and vvas like to wander till he came to the Sanctuary and this shined as a Candle in a dark place he learned there to know the unknown footsteps and to follow them By all means embrace the Word and be satisfied with it when ye do not comprehend his Work it teaches as much in general as may put us to quietnesse all his wayes are Judgement Just and True in all his Wayes is the King of Saints If I do not comprehend how it is no wonder for he makes darknesse his covering he spreads over his most curious Engines and Pieces of
Workmanship a vail of darknesse for a season and who can behold him when he hides himself sayes Job and though he withdraw the Covering yet what am I Who can by searching find out God If I shall examine his way what rule shall I take to try it by If I measure by my shallow capacity or by my crooked way shall I have any just account of it will my Arm measure the Heavens as his doth If I examine it or try it by himself He is high as Heaven and unsearchable Therefore it becomes us to hearken to his Word and believe its sentence of his Work when reason cannot comprehend it One thing if it were deeply engraven on our hearts would be a principle of setling our spirits in all the mysteries and riddles of providence the knowledge and faith of his Soveraignty of his Highnesse and of his Wisdome should he give account of his Matters to us He is wise and knowes his Works but is he bound to make us know them His wayes are above our thoughts and wayes as Heaven above the Earth Is 55. And therefore O Grashopper in the Earth that dwells in Tabernacles of Clay do not presume to model his ways according to thy conceptions One thing is certain this is enough for Faith all his wayes are mercy and truth to these that keep his Covenant and his Testimonies Psal 25. 10. And there is no Way or Path of God so far above our reach and unsearchable as his Mercy in pardoning sin and this is only the satisfying answer to all your objections and scruples in these ye do but vent your own thoughts but sayes the Lord my thoughts are above youâ— thoughts as Heaven above Earth Ye but speak of your own wayes but my wayes are far above yours they are not measured by your iniquity and therefore David subjoyns Psal 25. Verse 11. pardon my iniquity for it is great SERMON III. Deuter. 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 they are a perverse and crooked generation ALL his wayes are Judgement both the wayes of his Commandments and the ways of his Providence both his Word which he hath given as a Lanthorn to mens paths and his Works among men And this were the blessednesse of men to be found both walking in his wayes and waiting on him in his wayes having respect to all his Commandments and respect to himself in all his Works We all know in general that he doth all well â—nd that all his Comandments are Holy and Just â—ay but our practice and affections belie our knowledge and for the most part we stand crosse in our humours and affections and conversation both to his Word and Providence and this is our misery Great peace have they that love thy Law VVhat peace then can keep that heart and mind that is dayly at variance with his Statuts and Judgements when the heart would wish such a Command were not when it is an eye sore to look upon it Blessed are the meek it is good for a man both quietly to wait and hope and keep silence How then must that spirit be miserable that stands crosse unto Gods Dispensations and would limit the Holy One Do not often our hearts say I do well to be angry why is it thus with me But who hath hardened himself against him and prospered his counsel must stand and you may vex your self and disquiet your soul in the mean time by impatience but you cannot by your thought add one cubit to your stature you may make your case worse nor Providence hath made it but you cannot make it better by so doing so that at length you must bow to him or be broken Oh then that this were engraven on our hearts with the point of a Diamond All his wayes are Judgement that ye might be overcome with the equity of his Command and Dispensation and your heart and tongue might not move against them It was enough of old with the Saints It is the Lord let him do what seems good in hâ—s eyes Gods Soveraignty alone pondered may stop our mouth but if ye withal consider it is perfect Equity that rules all it is Divinâ— Wisdome thaâ— is the square of his Works theâ— how ought we to stoop chearfully unto them One thing ye would remember his wayes and paths are Judgement and if ye judge aright of him ye must judge his Way and not his single Footsteps ye will not discern Equity and Judgement in one step or two but consider his Way joyn adversity with prosperity humbleing with exalting take along the Threed of his Providence and one part shall help you to understand another There is reason in all but the reason is not visible to us in so small parts of his Way and Work A God of Truth Strange it is that his Majesty is pleased to cloath himself with so many Titles and Names for us He considers what our necessity is and accordingly expresses his own Name I think nothing doth more hold forth the unbelief of men and Atheism of our hearts nor the many several Titles God takes in Scripture There is a necessity of a multitude of them to make us take up God because we staying upon a general notion of God rather frame in our imaginations an Idol then the true God As there is nothing doth more lively represent the unbelief of our hearts then the multitude of Promises Men that consider such frequent repetitions of one thing in Scripture so many diverse expressions of one God may retire into their own hearts and find the cause of it even the necessity of it But while we look so slightly on these we must judge it superfluous and vain Needed there any more to be said but I am your God I am God if our spirits were not so far degenerated unto Atheism and unbelief Certainly that word Jehovah holds forth more to Angels then all the inculcated Names and Titles of God to us because we are dull and slow of heart Therefore wonder at these two when ye read the Scriptures Gods Condescendency to us and our Atheism and Unbelief of him they are both mysteries and exceeding broad There is not a Name of God but it gives us a Name and that of reproach and dishonour so that for every one some evil may be written down and it is to this purpose Moses draws them out in length that in the Glasse of his glorious Name the people might behold their own ugly face This Name is clear He is a God of Truth not only a true God but Truth it self to note his Excellency and Eminency in it It is Christs Name I am the Truth the substantial Truth in whom all the Promises are Truth are Yea and Amen His Truth is his Faithfulnesse in performing his Promises
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
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
Angels could not reach this This Redemption and Cleansing was precious and would have ceased for ever But this Blood is the Ransome this Blood cleanseth and so perfectly that it shall not appear not only to mens eyes but also Gods peircing Eye Sinners quite your own righteousness why defile ye your selves more When your eyes are opened ye will find it so here is washing apply your selves to this Fountain And if ye do indeed so if ye expect cleansing from Jesus Christ I pray you return not to the puddle Ye are not washen from sin to sin more and defile your self more If ye think ye have liberty to do so ye have no part in this Blood SERMON XI Isai 1. 16. Wash ye make you clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evil c. THere are two evils in sin one is the Nature of it another the Fruit and sad Effect of it In it self it is filthiness and contrair to Gods Holiness and abasing of the immortal soul a spot in the face of the Lord of the Creatures that hath far debased him under them all Though it be so unnatural to us yet it is now in our fallen estate become as it were natural so that men agree with it as if it were sunk and drunk into the very soul of man The other is the guilt and desert of punishment and obligation to it All man hate this but they cannot hold it off They eat the Tree and Fruit of Death they must eat Death also They must have the wages of sin who have wrought for it Now the Gospel hath found a remedy for lost man in Jesus Christ He comes in the Gospel with a twofold blessing a twofold vertue a pardoning vertue and a sanctifying vertue VVater and Blood 1 Jo. 5. 6. He comes to forgive sin and to subdue sin To remove the guilt of it and then the self of it Gods appointment had inseparably joyned them And Christ came not to dissolve the Law but to establish it If he had taken away the punishment and left the sin in its being he had weakened the Law and the Prophets That conjunction of sin and wrath which is both by divine appointment and suitable also unto their own natures must stand that Divine Justice may be intire And therefore he that comes to redeem us from the curse of the Law hath also this Commission to redeem from sin and all transgressions of the Law Rom. 11. 26. and Gal. 3. 13. He that turns away the wrath of God from men turns also ungodliness from them which provoked his wrath And so he is a compleat Redeemer and a compleat Redeemer he had not been otherwayes If he had removed Wrath only and left us under the bondage of sin it had not been half redemption he that commits sin is the servant of sin But this is perfect freedom and liberty to be made free from sin for it was sin that subjected us to wrath and so was the first Tyrant and the greatest The Gospel then comes with a joyful sound unto you but many of you mistake it and apprehends it to be a Doctrine of Liberty and Peace and that unto sin But if it were so it were no joyful sound If there were proclaimed a liberty to all men to do as they list no punishment no wrath to be feared I would think that Doctrine no glade news it were but the perpetuating of the bondage of a reasonable soul But this is glade news a delivery and freedom proclaimed in the Gospel but what Not unto sin but from sin and this is to be free indeed We ought more to Jesus Christ for this then for redemption from Wrath because sin is a greater evil then wrath Yea wrath were not so if sin were not Therefore he exhorts to wash and wash so that they may make clean Take Jesus Christ for Justification and Sanctification imploy both the Water and the Blood that he hath come with But because all men pretend a willingness to have Christ their Saviour and their sins pardoned through his Blood who notwithstanding hate to be reformed and would seek no more of Christ Therefore he branches out that part of the Exhortation in several particulars All men have a general likeing of remission of sins but renouncing of it is to many a hard Doctrine they would be glade that God put their evils out of his sight by passing them by and forgetting them But they will not be at the pains of putting away their evils from his sight And therefore the Gospel which comprehends these two united is not really received by many who pretend to be followers of it This is his Command that ye believe Some pretend to obey this and yet hath no regard of that other part of his Will even their Sanctification And therefore their Faith is dead it is a fancy If ye did indeed believe and receive Christ for pardon of sin it were noâ— possible but your Souls would be ingaged and constrained to indeavour to walk in all well-pleasing But it is an evident token of one that is not washed from his sin and believes not in Christ if he conceive within his heart a greater latitude and liberty to walk after the flesh and be imboldened to continue in sin because of his Grace and Mercy And yet such are the most part of you Upon what ground do ye delay repentance Upon what presumption do ye continue in your sins and puts over the serious study of holiness till a more fit time Is it not from an apprehension of the Grace and Mercy of God that ye think ye may return any time and be accepted and so ye may in the mean time take as much pleasure in sin as ye can seing ye may get leave also for Gods Mercy I pray you consider that you have never apprehended Gods Mercy aright ye are yet in your sins and certainly as yet are not washed from them Put away the evil c. When the Spirit convinces a Soul he convinces a man not only of evil doings but of the evil of his doings Not only of sin but of the sinfulness of sin And not only of those actions which are in themselves sinful but also of the iniquity of Holy things I think no man will come to wash in Christs Blood till this be discovered If he see much wickedness many evil doings yet he will labour to wash away these by his own tears and repentance and well doing As long as he hath any good Actions as Prayers Fasting and such like he will cover his evil doings by them He will spread the skirts of such righteousness over his uncleannesse and when he hath hid it from his own eyes he apprehends that he hath hid it from Gods also He will wash his bloody hands with many Prayers and thinks they may be clean enough We see blasphemers of Gods Name use to joyn a prayer for forgivenesse
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
your prayers a delight be upright in the thing you seek and see that you intertain no known sin give it no heart allowance Thirdly There are many prayers not heard not known because the mouth outcryeth the heart It is the sacrifice of the contrite heart that God despiseth not The prayers of this people were such Isai 29. 13. They drew near with the mouth but the heaâ—t was far away It is worship in spirit and truth that God loveth Joh 4. 23. Since Prayer is a communion of God with the Creature a meeting of one with God and speaking face to face God who is a Spirit and immortal must have a spirit to meet with a soul to speak to him Now do you not find your hearts gading abroad even in duty Is it not most about your Corns and Lands in the time of solemn worship Therefore God getteth no more but a carcasse to keep communion with He may have as much fellowship with the stones of the wall and timber of the house as he can have with your ears and mouths while you remove your hearts to attend other things And I would say more if your mind be present yet your heart is gone sometimes yea often both are gone abroad Sometimes the mind and thought stayeth but the affection and heart is not with it and so the minds residence is not constant Your thought may come in as a wayfaring man but tarrieth not all night dwelleth not Now speak to it even Christians may not your Prayers often have a contrary interpretation to what they pretend You pray so coldrifely and formally as God will interpret you have no mind to it we ask as we seemed indifferent whether our petition be granted or not Should the Lord be affected with your petitions when you your selves are not affected much Should his bowels of zeal sound within him when yours are silent It is fervent prayer availeth much Isai 5. 16. A heart sent out with the petition and gone up to Heaven cannot but bring back an answer If Prayer carry not the seal of the heart and soul in it God cannot own it or send it back with his seal of acceptation Fourthly Many Prayers are not calling on Gods Name And no wonder that when people pray yet the Spirit say None calleth on thy Name for Prayer is made as to an unknown God and God is not taken up according to his Name which are his glorious Attributes whereby he manifesteth himself in his Word To call on Gods Name is so to pray to God as to take him up as he hath revealed himself And what is the Lords Name Hear himself speak to Moses Exod. 33. 19. and 34. 6 7. The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin and that will by no means clear the guilty Now to call on this Name is for the soul in Prayer to have a suitable stamp on it every Attribute of God taking deep impression in the heart And so Gods Name to be written on the very petitions And shortly we may say the Spirit should have the impression of Gods greatnesse and Majesty of his goodnesse and mercy of his terriblenesse and justice This is the order that God proclaimeth his Name into In the entry the supplicant should behold the glorious Soveraignty and infinite distance between God and the Creature that he may have the stamp of reverence and abasement upon his spirit and may speak out of the dust as it becometh the dust of the ballance and footstool to do to him who sitteth on the circle of the Heaven as his Throne And this I must say there is little Religion and Godlinesse among us because every man is ignorant of God Even Gods children do more study themselves and their condition then Gods greatnesse and absolutenesse Who searches Gods infinitnesse in his Word and Works till he behold a wonder and be drowned in a mystery O but the Saints of old did take up God at a greater distance from the Creatures they waded far into this boundlesse Ocean of Gods Majesty till they were over head and ears and werâ— forced to cry out Who can find out the Almighty to perfection All these are but parts of him his back-parts There is more real Divinity and knowledge of God in one of Jobs friends discourses one of Davids prayerâ— then now in twenty Sermons of gracious men or many prayers or conferences of Saints But withal you must study his goodnesse and mercy and this maketh up the most part of his Name The definition of God hath most of this so that it may be said truly that mercy is his delight mercy as it were swelleth over the rest God were not accessible unlesse mercy did temper it Behold then greatnesse to humble and goodness to make bold that you may have accesse As greatness should leave the stamp of reverence on your petitions so should mercy and goodnesse imprint them with faith and confidence And that the rather because as Christ is said to be the Fathers Face and tâ— image of his Person 2 Cor. 4. 6. and Heb. 1. â— So may he be called the Fathers Name and â— doth God himself call him Exod. 23. 20 21. Tâ— Angel that went before them in the wilderness wâ—â— voice they ought to obey his Name is in him aâ— this Angel is Christ Jesus Acts 7. 37 38. â— then Christ Jesus is Gods Name God as â— revealeth himself in the Word is God in Châ— reconciling the world unto himself 2 Cor. 5. â— And therefore Christians you ought to prâ— alwayes in Christs Name and this is to call â— his Name Not only encourage your selves â— come to God because of a Mediator becaâ— he is God in Christ but also offer up all yoâ— prayers in Jesus his Name that his Name caâ—led on them may sanctifie them otherwise yoâ— affection at prayers cannot be acceptable â— God for he loveth nothing but what comâ— thorow the Son Prayer must have an evil sâ—vour when it is not put in the Golden Censâ— that this Angel hath to offâ—r up incense with tâ— prayers of the Saints And likewise you woâ— know Gods justice and wrath that you mâ— serve in fear and trembling And when treâ—bling is joyned with the rejoycing of faith thâ— is acceptable service You ought to fear to â—fend his holiness while you are before him Lâ— Gods terribleness have a deep impression â— your spirit both to make sin bitter and to maâ— mercy more sweet Thus should Prayer asceâ— with the seal of Gods Attributes and then is a calling on his Name Now is there any câ—ling on his Name among us Who maketh â—udy to take up God in his glorious Names â—herefore you call not on a known God and â—nnot name him Now all of you take this â—le to judge your prayers by Think you not â—at you make many prayers You both think and