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that Thy creature and workmanship begs of Thee? What is that which will complete my being, and make me do honour to my Maker? This is it,-Give me understanding that I may learn Thy commandments.

You that would be successful supplicants in this request, wean your hearts from that vanity of desire: such knowledge is as the cypress-tree, fair and tall, but fruitless and sapless. Apply all you know, to the purging out of sin, and intend all the further knowledge you desire, to that same end. ́ Seek to be acquainted with higher rules of mortification, and selfdenial, and charity, than as yet you have either practised, or possibly so much as thought on; that by these, your affections and actions may be advanced to greater degrees of purity, and conformity with the holiness of God. And for this end, beg of Him to teach you what you see not in the exactness of the law and rule; and withal, (which is the other thing in this word,) that, what you see not in the application of it and search of yourself, He would likewise shew you; for in that, we are commonly as undiscerning and dim-sighted as in the other. Even where men have some notion of the rule and their duty, yet they perceive not their own, even their gross recessions and declinings from it. Love is a blinding thing, and above all love, self-love; and every man is naturally his own flatterer: he deals not faithfully and sincerely with himself in the search of his own evils. Now this we are to entreat of God, to be led into ourselves, and to be applied to the work of self-searching, by His own hand; not only to have a right apprehension of the law given us, but a true sight of ourselves. Oh! how many hidden, undiscerned, yea, unsuspected impurities and follies are there in the hearts of those who are the most diligent in this inquiry, much more in the greater part, even of such as cannot absolutely be denied the name of good men! Some honest intentions and good desires there are in them; but they are slothful and unwilling to go into this painful business of trying and judging themselves, and when they set to it, many secret corners, and, in those, many latent

Therefore is it

The spirit of

corruptions do escape their search. Cleanse me from secret faults, says David; that is, not only those hidden from men, but even from myself, as is clearly his meaning, by the words preceding, Who knows the errors of his life? necessary that we should desire light of God. a man is the candle of the Lord, says Solomon, searching the innermost parts of the belly; but it is a candle unlighted, when He does not illuminate it for that search. O! what a deal of vanity and love of this world, envy and scret pride, lurks in many of our hearts, which we do not at al perceive, till God causeth us to see it, leading us in, as He dil the prophet Ezekiel in the vision, to see the idolatry of the Jews in His very temple, by which they had provoked Him v forsake it, and go far from his sanctuary; and having discovered one parcel, leads him in further, and makes him enter thrugh the wall, and adds often, Son of man, hast thou seen trse? I will cause thee to see yet more abominations, and yt more abominations. Thus is it within many of us who shuld be His temples, but we have a multitude of images of jalousy, one lying hid behind another, till He thus discovers hem to us. Oh, what need have we to entreat Him thus, Wht I see not, teach Thou me!

Now, in both these, both in the knowledge of our rle and of ourselves, though there may be some useful subservincy of the ministry of men, yet, the great Teacher of the trucknowledge of His law, and of Himself, and of ourselves, God. Men may speak to the ear, but His chair is in Heave who teaches hearts: cathedram habet in calo. Matchless Tacher! who teacheth more in one hour than men can do in a whie age, who can cure the invincible unteachableness of the dullest heart, give understanding to the simple, and open the yes of the blind! So then, would we be made wise, wise for ernity, learned in real, living divinity, let us sit down at His tet and make this our continual request, What I see not teach Thou me!

If I have done iniquity.] That is, any iniquity tht I yet know not of, any hidden sin, let me but once see it, and, I

hope, Thou shalt see it no more within me; not willingly lodged and entertained. This speaks an entire, total giving up of all sn, and is a proclaiming of utter defiance and enmity against it; casting out what is already found out, without delay, and resolving that still in further search, as it shall be more discovered, it shall be forthwith dislodged, without a thought o' sparing or partial indulgence to any thing that is sin, or tha is like it, or that may any way befriend it, or be an occasion ad incentive of it. This is that absolute renouncing of sin, and surrender of the whole soul and our whole selves to God, whch whosoever do not heartily consent to and resolve on, theirreligion is in vain, and (which is here the point) their afflictioris in vain: whatsoever they have suffered, they have gained othing by all their sufferings, if their hearts remain still sel-willed, stubborn, untamed, and unpliable to God. And ths makes their miseries out of measure miserable, and their sis out of measure sinful; whereas, were it thus qualified, nd had it any operation this way towards the subjecting of thei hearts unto God, affliction were not to be called misery, but wuld go under the title of a blessedness: Blessed is the man hom Thou correctest and teachest him out of Thy law. That s suiting with this here desired, I have borne chastisement:what I see not, teach Thou me; and if have done iniquy, I will do it no more. Oh! were it thus with us, my and insert into our praises all

brethrn, how might we rejoice, that i come upon us, if it had wrought or advanced any thing of thi kind within us, this blessed compliance with the will of God; not entertaining any thing knowingly that displeases Him; finding a pleasure in the denial and destruction of our own lost beloved pleasures at His appointment and for His sake. Whatsoever is in us, and dearest to us, that would offendus, that would draw us to offend Him, were it the right hand,et it be cut off; or the right eye, let it be plucked out : or, tomake shorter work, let the whole man die at once, crucified with Jesus, that we may be henceforth dead to sin, dead to the vorld, dead to ourselves, and alive only to God.

SERMON III.

PREFACE.

THERE is no exercise so delightful to those that are truly godly, as the solemn worship of God, if they find His powerful and sensible presence in it; and indeed there is nothing on earth more like to Heaven than that is. But when He withdraws Himself, and withholds the influence and breathings of His Spirit in His service, then good souls find nothing more lifeless and uncomfortable. But there is this difference, even at such a time, betwixt them and those that have no spiritual life in them at all, that they find, and are sensible of this difference; whereas the others know not what it means. And for the most part, the greatest number of those that meet together with a profession to worship God, yet are such as do not understand this difference. Custom and formality draw many to the ordinary places of public worship, and fill too much of the room; and sometimes novelty and curiosity, drawing to places not ordinary, have a large share: but how few are there that come on purpose to meet with God in His worship, and to find His power in strengthening their weak faith, and weakening their strong corruptions, affording them provision of spiritual strength and comfort against times of trial, and, in a word, advancing them some steps forward in their journey towards Heaven, where happiness and perfection dwell! Certainly, these sweet effects are to be found in these ordinances, if we would look after them. Let it grieve us then, that we have so often lost our labour in the worship of God through our own neglect, and entreat the Lord, that at this time He would not send us away empty. For how weak soever the means be, if He put forth His strength, the work shall be done, in some measure, to His glory and our edification. Now that He may be pleased to do so, to leave a blessing behind Him, let us pray, &c.

ISAIAH XXviii. 5, 6.

In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty unto the residue of his people,

And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.

ALL the works of Divine providence are full of wisdom and justice, even every one severally considered; yet we observe them best to be such, when we take notice of their order and mutual aspect one to another, whether in the succession of times, or such passages as are contemporary and fall in together at one and the same time. As, when the Lord brings notable judgments upon the proud workers of iniquity, and at the same time confers special mercies on His own people, who is there that may not perceive justice and mercy illustrating and beautifying one another? It is true, the full reward and perfect rest of the godly is not here below; they would be sorry if it were: nor is this the place of plenary punishment for the ungodly; men may look for a judgment too. Yet, the Lord is pleased at some times to give some resemblances and pledges, as it were, of that great and last judgment in remarkable passages of justice and mercy, at one and the same time; and such a time it is that the Prophet foretels in this his sermon, which concerns the two sister kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Having denounced a heavy calamity to come upon Israel, under the name of Ephraim, he comforts those of Judah under the name of the residue of His people. They not being so grossly corrupted as the others were, he stays them with this promise: In that day, saith he, when the other shall be overwhelmed, as with a deluge, the Lord of Hosts shall be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty unto the residue of His people.

The promise is made up of three benefits, yet the three are but one; or rather, one is all the three to them: The Lord of Hosts, it is He that shall be their honour, wisdom, and strength;

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