Twenty-Five Sermons, Sermon 3
A SERMON ON
PSAL. lxxviii. 34, 35, 36, 37.
When he slew them, then they sought him, and they returned and enquired early after God.
And they remembred that God was their Rock; and the high God, their Redeemer.
Nevertheless they did flatter him with their month, and they lyed unto him with their tongues.
For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his Covenant.
THis Psalm, we may term it a Psalm of Record, or a Psalm to bring to Remembrance. It is an holy Panegyrick, or Song, for the whole Nation, and people of the Jews; a solemn recital of the many memorable passages in that Common-wealth, from their first settlement. And it hath been the wisdome of Kingdoms and Common-wealths, to have their Chronographos, those who should Record, and Register the several passages, and affairs of their State; to keep upon Record their beginnings and foundations; their Acts and Monuments, the good and ill events that have betided them. And accordingly the wisdom of God hath authorised, and employ'd his Sacred Pen-men, and Secretaries, to Enroll and Register up the several passages of his Church, and to transmit them to posterity.
In particular, besides those sacred annals of his Church, contained in the Historical books of Scriptures, the Holy Ghost hath purposely framed some more summary and compendlous, but yet full, and perfect relations of the affairs of his Church; and those likewise composed and framed into Songs, and Psalms, to make them more fit carriage for memory; and that, by the pleasantness of them, they might sink more deeply into their hearts, and more strongly affect them.
Thus Moses, after all his Sermons and Commemorations, made to the people in Deuteron…my, of Gods dealings with them, and their cariage towards him, at last he composes a Song, and sings it to the people, and commends it to posterity, as a lasting Monument for all generations, Deut▪ xxxii. Thus the Poets' among the Heathen, whom, in Titus, Paul calls their Prophets, had their Carmina saecularia, their State-songs, comprising the affairs of their Common-wealth. Answerably, that Sweet-Singer of Israel, the Prophet David, is studious to frame such sacred Songs: As, first, this present Psalm; so again, the eighty ninth; then the hundred and fifth, the hundred and sixth, the hundred and seventh; all Songs and Psalms of publick Commemoration. David doth that which the Prophet Esay speaks of, Chap. v. I will sing to my Well-beloved, a song of my Well-beloved, touching his Vineyard.
I termed it a Psalm of Record, or of Commemoration; and so it is, if we respect the materials of which it consists. It is a recital of Gods gracious dealings towards his people; and of their ungracious dealings towards him again. But yet I find another name given it by the Psalmist. It is called Maschil in the title of the Psalm. And that name respects the end, and purpose of it. Maschil, is a Psalm to give Instruction. It is not only Historical, but Doctrinal. Even these Historical parts of Scripture, are not onelyonly Gods Day-book, to tell us what hath passed afore; but they must be to us as a Law-book, to teach …s what we must do; not onelyonly Reports, but Presidents, …. It is not onelyonly a Psalm to bring to Remembrance, which is …he …le of the thirty eighth, and seventieth Psalms; but …, a Psalm for Instruction.
1. When he commemorates his ancient Mercies to their Forefathers, that's Maschil, a Psalm of Instruction. We have heard with our ears, O Lord, and our fathers have told us what works thou didst in their days, in the times of old. What's the Instruction of that? It should teach us confidence in God, That they might set their hope in God, vers. 7.
2. When he commemorates their ancient Deliverances from persecutions, and enemies, that is Maschil, a Psalm for Instruction, to look for the like deliverances from him in our dangers, and distresses. Psal. cvi. Many a time did he deliver them. Vers. 47. Deliver us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the Heathen.
3. When he commemorates the wicked and ungracious courses of their Forefathers, that is Maschil, a Psalm of Instruction, to avoid their fathers sins: Vers. 8. Not to be as their forefathers, a stubborn, and rebellious generation, that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.
And this Instruction was not only for them, that the after-ages of the Jews should make a profitable use of the former times; but it reacheth to us Christians. S. Paul tells us, that the time of the Jews concerns us Christians: Rom. xv. 4. Whatsoever things were written before-time, were written for our learning. And again, 1 Cor. x. there he acquaints them what befell the Jews; then adds, vers. 6. These things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust, as they also lusted: And then, vers. 11. telling them of the judgement that befell the Jews, he saith, These things happen'd to them for examples, and they were written for our admonition.
So then, this Psalm sets forth the great disobedience and stubbornness of the people of Israel under Gods government.
1. It upbraids them with forgetfulness of his Mercies.
2. It objects to them their unproficiency and unteachableness, even by miracles.
3. It reminds them of the profane abuse of his patience.
4. It reproves them for their incorrigibleness by his chastisements.
5. It shames them with the falsness, and unsoundness of their hypocritical repentance.
The Text, it contains this last; and so take the purpose of it to be Gods censure, and reproof of the Jews unworthy repentance. And in it observe these two particulars;
1. Is the several Acts of their repentance; then,
2. The many defects and faults of their repentance.
The first will shew us how far they went in the practice of repentance.
The second will discover their faultrings, and failings, how much they came short of a true, spiritual, saving repentance.
First, the Acts of repentance, which here they performed, they are five;
1. Seeking; They sought him.
2. Returning; They returned.
3. Inquiring; They enquired early after God.
4. Remembring; They remembred that God was their rock, and the high God their Redeemer.
5. Renewing their Covenant with God, that's implyed in vers. 37. They were not stedfast in his Covenant.
Secondly, The Text sets out the defects of their repentance, how much they failed in it: These are four; The
1rst. Defect and fault of their repentance, It was untimely; a fore-slowed, and delay'd repentance: that's implyed in this word, When; not till such a time; then, not till then. The
2d. Defect and fault of their repentance, is▪ that it was enforced repentance, not ingenuous and voluntarily undertaken; it was extorted by plagues: They repented when they were under the rod, nay, under the sword; it was, When he slew them. The
3d. Defect and fault in their repentance, That it was an unsound repentance; not true, and sincere, but fained and acted onelyonly: It was a flattering, and lying repentance; They flattered him with their mouth, and they lyed unto him with their tongues. The
4th. Defect and fault of their repentance was, That it was a momentary, transitory, unsettled, unconstant repentance, not firm and lasting; Their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant.
These four faults;
1. Untimely, and backward;
2. Enforced, and extorted;
3. Unsound, and dissembling;
4. Vanishing, and unconstant.
And these four are usually linck'd together, one draws on the other. These four twists, make up Esay's Cart-rope of sin.
1. He that puts off, and procrastinates, and delays his repentance, he will never bethink himself of it, or set himself to it, till some judgement awakens him, and constrains him to it.
2. He that repents not, but by constraint, and when he is under the lash, usually, if he look not well to it, it will be but a shew of repentance, some outward humiliation, and no better: And then,
3. Unsound repentance, will never prove lasting repentance; he will be soon weary of it, and return to his former ways again.
Come we to the
First, and here briefly take a view of the Acts, and Exercises of their repentance; Seeking, returning, enquiring after God, remembring of him, and covenanting with him. Actions, all of them, in their own nature good; all of them, if rightly performed, penitential acts, good ingredients into repentance.
Put them together, they are such acts as accompany Repentance, and they will afford us a double Meditation.
The first Meditation arises by way of Supposition.
The second, by direct Position.
I. By way of Supposition; these actions of Seeking, Returning, Enquiring, &c. acts, and duties, and exercises of Repentance, they all suppose the quite contrary actions that accompany our sinning. As thus;
1. When we repent, then we set our selves to seek God; therefore when we commit sin, then we part with God. Repentance, that's a seeking, therefore sin and wickedness, that's a losing of God.
2. In Repentance, there is a returning to God; 'tis a work of conversion; therefore in our sinning, there is a departing from God, and a forsaking of God, that's more; Forsaking is more then losing.
3. In Repentance, there is an enquiring after God; therefore in a course of sin, and before we repent, we never think of him, but slight and neglect him.
4. In Repentance, there is a remembring of God, and of his mercies; therefore by sin, we do not onelyonly not actually think of him, but we grow into a forgetfulness of God, we have no remembrance of him.
5. In Repentance, we renew our Covenant with him; therefore by sinning, we break and forfeit, and, as much as lies in us, we disannull our Covenant with him.
These five evil effects of Sin, take notice of them; By sinning against God, we lose him, we never so much as think of him, nay, we remove him out of our memory, we utterly forget him, nay, we break our Covenant with him.
Here is the condition of a stubborn and a wilfull Sinner. A man that lives, and lies in sin, he doth wretchedly cast off all communion with God, rejects and abandons him. Though he may have some vanishing notions of God, yet to all good purposes he is an arrant Atheist, without God in the world; no interest in him, no effectual cogitation of him.
This estimate the Scripture puts upon a wicked people;
1. It calls them Forsakers of God, Isai. i. 4. Ah sinfull nation, they have forsaken the Lord. So Ierem. xvi. 11. Your fathers have forsaken me. Saints are a generation of Seekers, so these are a generation of Forsakers.
2. It cals them Departers from God, Eze. vi. 9. They have departed from me with an whorish heart. So David describes a wicked man, Psal. xviii. 21. I have not wickedly departed from my God. There is a wicked departure. The Apostle forewarns them of it, Heb. iii. 12. Take heed of an evil heart; to depart from the living God.
3. It calls them Revolters, Isai. xxxi. 6. The children of Israel have deeply revolted; and Ier. vi. 26. They are all grievous revolters.
4. It represents them as thrusting God from them; Isai. xxx. 11. Cause the holy One of Israel, to cease from before us.
5. And for matter of Enquiry, or Thought, or Remembrance of God, the Scripture makes this the mark and guise, and character of a wicked man, to lay aside all thoughts of God. The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God, God is not in all his thoughts, Psal. x. 4. God is far above out of his thought; he tushes at the name of him. Pharaoh said that which every wicked man thinks, Who is the Lord? I know not the Lord. Ye that forget God; a wicked mans description, Psal. xl. All the nations that forget God, Psal. ix. 17.
It should beget some sad thoughts in us. Were there nothing else in Sin, no after mischievous consequences following upon it, it should strike upon the heart of obstinate sinners; What? while I live in sin, am I no better then an Atheist? Is this the fruit of all my courses? do they utterly estrange me from God? I lose him, and the thought of him, and the remembrance of him. Yes, that thou doest. Thou mayst go for a Christian, and be reckon'd amongst the people of God, and seem to own him, and to be acquainted with him, but while thou livest in thine impenitency, thou art wholly estranged from him.
Even the children of God in their failings, and infirmities, they find these sad effects partially, and in some degrees. Not a fault that they commit, but it sets them off some degrees from God. It weakens their hold of him, they lose him in part, it abates their union with him; they forsake him in part; it dims their thought of him, it dulls their remembrance of him. But a wicked man in an impenitent course, hath all these mischiefs in extremity.
That is the first Meditation, the Supposition. The next is, II. By direct Inference, and Position. And this is the Meditation; That true Repentance will enforce upon us, a seeking of God, whom by sin we have lost; a returning to God, whom we have forsaken; an enquiring after God, whom we have neglected; a remembring of God, whom we have forgotten; a renewing our Covenants with him, which we have broken.
1. It will puts us to a Seeking; and that is,
1. An act of estimation; it values that which it seeks. If we count it as good lost as found, no great matter whether we hit, or miss, there will be no seeking; if we meet with it by chance, well and good; but lightly valued is but slightly sought for. It must be a precious Pearl that the Merchant seeks for, Matt. xiii. 45. When we come to this resolution; If I miss of Gods favour, I am undone; if I find it again, I am made for ever; then we seek as we should, because we value it as we should. Thy favour is better then life it self, Psal. lxiii. 3. See how David valued it, Psal. xxviii. 1. Be not silent to me, lest if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit. 'Tis death to miss him; better then life to find him. It will put us to a seeking, and that is,
2. An act of diligence. Search implies labour and anxiety, and all possible endeavour. Such are the seekings of repentance; not a few sluggish wishes, but it will be active and industrious; it lights up the Candle, and sweeps the House, Luke xv. A penitent soul will give no rest to it self, till it hath recovered God and his Favour. That's the seeking God will accept. Ier. xxix. 13. Ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart; not like the lazie seekings of the Spouse; in my bed by night I sought him; I sought him, but I did not find him: but when she gets up into the streets among the watchmen, then at last he finds him. That's the first.
2. Repentance, it will put us to a returning; it will make us tread over all our stops, and strayings, and wanderings from God with sorrow, and regret, undo what we have done afore, do the quite contrary. It will make us resolve with the Church in Hosea ii. 7. I will go and return to my first husband, for then was it better with me than now. So again, Hos. vi. 1. Come, let us return unto the Lord. 'Tis called a Conversion; a full and pregnant word.
1. Not a meer Aversion from some sin. Repentance, 'tis not a meer cessation, and giving over what we did before, and there rest. A man that is out of his way, recovers not himself by a meer step, and stay; no▪ he must go back again.
2. 'Tis not a meer Diversion; give over this sinfull course, and turn into another; I will be no more prodigal, but I will fall to some other carnal, or sensual practice. Here is alia semita, sed eadem via; a keeping of the same rode still, though you change the track. But,
3. 'Tis a full Conversion; that brings him to the first point, from which he strayed. This Ieremie directs, Chap. iv. 1. If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the Lord, return unto me. It brings a man round about, makes him quite another man.
3. Repentance will put us to Enquiring. That is a buisie word. Inquiring, and searching diligently, S. Peter puts them together, I Pet. i. 10. Our Saviour calls it Seeking, and asking, and knocking. 'Tis a consulting with others, who can direct as. Thus the Penitents in the Acts of the Apostles, Chap. ii. 37. enquired of Peter, and Iohn, Men and brethren, what shall▪ we do? help, and direct us. So the Penitent Jaylor, Acts xvi. Sirs, what must I do to be saved? The Prophet Ieremiah shews them this duty; Stand in the paths, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way? And Isaiah quickens them to this enquiry, Gh. xxi. 12. bids them enquire of the Watchmen; and what say they? If ye will enquire, enquire ye, that is, do it, and do it again, do it to some purpose.
1. Enquire of the Guldes that God hath set up.
2. Enquire of those that have strayed; and wandered, and lost him, and now have found him; what course took they? And,
3. It must be early; Take the wings of the morning. Early begingings may do much. Isaiah gives us this Item; The Watchman saith, The morning comes and also the night, if ye will enquire, enquire; Return, come. The days are short, the morning spends, the night hastens. Early seekers, seldom miss. Late beginnings most-what fall short.
4. Repentance, it will quicken our memories; They remembred that God was their Rock, and the high God their Redeemer. It will make us re-call to mind all the good ways of God towards us. Thus the revolting Church of Israel, when she bethinks her self of returning to God, she recounts how well it was with her, when she kept her self to him. Hos. ii. 7. So the returning Prodigal, Luke xv. he remembred the plenty of his fathers house. This remembring of Gods gracious dealings with us, hath great force in the work of Repentance.
1 It will upbraid us of our base unthankfulness, Deut. xxxii. 6. Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people, and unwise? Is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and establisht thee?
2. It melts our hearts into remorse, and sorrow. …! the love of Christ constrains us.
3. It encourages, and puts heart into our repentance; I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High.
5. Repentance will cause us to renew our Covenant with God; that's implied in Vers. 37. They were not stedfast in his Covenant. That's the true and principal work of Repentance, it makes us enter into new Covenants with God. Initial repentance, that first enters us into the Covenant with God; we engage, and bind our selves over, by solemn Covenant, to become his servants: Then, our renewed repentance, that bewayls the breaches of our first Covenants, and binds us to him by new Engagements. A sinner is a Covenant-breaker with God; and a true penitent makes up those breaches, and puts upon himself new bonds of obedience.
Here is the right method of Repentance; Not onelyonly bewail thy particular sin, into which thou hast fallen; but remember, thou hast in thy Baptism entred Covenant with God. Mourn for the violations of that, recal to mind that great and solemn Engagement.
Thus, when the people of Israel rebelled in the wilderness, God commanded them to return to the Red-Sea again. They were Baptized in the Red-Sea, as S. Paul speaks: Now that they had fallen from God, God recalls them thither again, to bewail the breach of Covenant, that there they made with him. The remembrance of that Covenant, must work us to Repentance. Renew that again, not in the Ceremony, and Sacrament, but by thy new purposes, and promises of better Obedience. In this sense, a Christian must be an Hemero-baptist, wash himself every day in that holy Laver.
We have seen the Several Acts, in which their Repentance consisted;
Now follows, the
Second thing observable; that's the failings, and defects of their repentance, that made it unacceptable. And they were four;
1. It was fore-slowed, and untimely;
2. It was extorted, and enforced;
3. It was false, and hypocritical;
4. It was momentary, and inconstant, and …ickle.
I. It was untimely, a delayed repentance. First they sinned; vers. 10. They kept not his Covenant: again, vers. 17. They sinned yet more: still they went on. Yet again, vers. 32. For all this they sinned still: whiled off, and delay'd, and set back their repentance. Even this is a malignant circumstance, breeds a great flaw, and blemish in our repentance, the late date it bears. Oh! repentance should be a timely, a speedy, and an early work.
1. 'Tis presently due, as soon as we have sinned. So, Ratione officii, by the law of right Reason, a man is bound to be sorry as soon as he hath done evil. It is Gods Due, and he demands it presently. Even in Lending, Solomon bids us not put off till to morrow; much more in paying thy debts.
2. 'Tis good repenting betimes, Ratione in…erti. Do it while thou mayst do it, while we have time: In the morning sow thy seed, Eccles. xi. 6. Thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. Hereafter, Repentance may be hid from thine eyes. We all pretend, our resolutions are to repentance; we grant we must repent; and resolve to repent before we dye. Be it so. Be sure thou repent before thou dye, and then thou must repent speedily; for, time to come, is a most hazardous uncertainty. The Jews have a rule, He who vows to do any thing before he dyes, he must do it speedily out of hand, because he is not certain whether he shall live till to morrow; and then his Vow is broken, and he must answer for it.
3. 'Tis good repenting betimes, Ratione facilitatis. Timely repentance is the most kindly, and gentle, and easie repentance. A wound is best taken, when it is green; deferr to dress it, and it will rankle, and fester. A bone is best put into joynt, as soon as it is out; neglect it any time, it will hardly keep in. Repentance, 'tis the physick of the soul; and physick, you know, is best taken in a morning. Thus Peter went out presently. When I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh, Isa. xxxi. 19.
Ey, this is the failing of these mens repentance; 'tis all dilatory, posted off as long as may be: It shews,
1. They took little pleasure in it.
2. They came unwillingly to it; as a Bear to the stake, who must be fetch'd about, with a ring in his nose; they were not led to it by any inward principle of grace, but upon other inducements, or enforcements rather.
But yet there is one word in the Text, that seems to set a timelier date upon their repentance; 'Tis said, They enquired early after God. How can this stand with this procrastinating When? Manè properabant; so Calvin; In the morning they hastned; Diluculò veniebant; so others, By day-break.
True, true; All this takes not off the charge and imputation of late repentance:
1. Is't not a Sarcasm, an holy scorn, and derision, of their slow, and sluggish returning unto God? Yes, yes; after so much time wasted, and mercies abused, and provocations multiplied, now you bestir your selves; Is this your early return to God? So shaming their backwardness in this needful duty.
2. The Scripture, even in the same place where it upbraids sinners with delayes, yet then uses this term of early seeking. Prov. i. 24. Because when I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; therefore, vers. 28. they, then shall call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me. Here are two extremities; very late, nay, too late; and yet early. Such conversions then have an Early, and a Late; or rather, a late, and an early; an evening, and a morning.
1. They have Vespertinum culpae; Look at the time of their sinning; oh! 'tis very late e're they repent; all the day long, and they never thought of it. But then,
2. There is Matutinum poenae, The morning of their punishments. When Gods judgements break in upon them, then they bestir themselves. Take their time of sinning, so it is Vesperi: Take their day of suffering, so it is Manè. Serò quoad culpam, Citò quoad poenam.
3. Or, they seek and enquire early, and yet very late. That's early, or manè, when a man awakens. The Sluggards morning, when he breaks off sleep, that may be at noon, or night, in true computation. Security layes a sinner in a deep sleep; when Gods hand awakens him, that's his morning; till then, he was asleep. That's the first fault, Untimely.
II. A second defect of their repentance, is, That it was enforced: Cum occideret, When he slew them, and his judgements fell upon them, then they bethought themselves and turned to him. That's a second malignant circumstance, that marrs their repentance. Till then they never thought of him. Many other times there were, that would have better become their repentance; much better then this, When he slew them, and fell upon them with a destroying judgement:
1. Quando peccarunt; As soon as they had sinned, had they any grace, they should have repented. I told you before, Repentance is presently due, as soon as we have sinned. God calls all delayers, fools. O ye fools, how long will ye love foolishness? Prov. i. 22. As Tertullian, God Dedicavit poenitentiam in Paradiso: So the time as soon as ever Adam had sinned, God summon'd him to repentance. Wisdom and Grace would have us do so. Thus it was with David, when he numbred the people, presently his heart smote him; he saw his fault, and sorrowed for it. Well, suppose they took not that first time; there are more intermediate times before he came to slay them:
2. Quando benefecit eis; When he did good to them; that should reclaim them.
1. They sinned, and yet he ceased not from blessing them.
2. They murmured, and yet he blessed them.
3. They tempted him, and yet he fed them.
4. They would pose his Power, whether he could fetch water out of the rock, and he did it for them. Oh! that's high time for repentance, when Gods goodness wrestles, and strives with our wickedness, and would overcome us. Luther tells us of a man, wicked and yet prosperous. Vicisti me, Domine, nimia bonitate tua. He overcame him with love. S. Paul charges it deeply upon impenitent sinners, tells them, It makes them inexcusable, Rom. ii. 4. Despisest thou the riches of his goodness, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? There is another time, when they should have repented;
3. Quando invitavit; When by the Ministery of Moses, and Aaron, he found fault with their sins, and called them to repentance. That sure is a just time for us to repent, when Gods Word calls us to repentance. 'Tis that which Christ commends in the Ninevites, Matth. xii. 41. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this Generation, they repented at the preaching of Ionah; No sooner did God dispatch a Prophet to them, to call them to Repentance, but they yielded presently, in auditu auris. One look of Christ made Peter weep bitterly. It was that, which S. Paul takes comfort in, in the matter of his Conversion, I was not disobedient to the heavenly Vision, Acts xxvi. 19. It was that also that commended the Conversion of those Penitents, Acts ii. When they heard this, they were pricked at the heart. One Sermon of S. Peter, reclaims them presently. The Ministery of Gods Word is the great sanctified Instrument to work us to Repentance. Yet there were other Opportunities, that in all reason they should have taken to repent, though they slighted the former; That's
4. Quando castigavit; When he did visit their sins with more moderate, and fatherly chastisements. We know, God had his Ferulaes, and Rods, and Fatherly Corrections, with which he did visit them; Hunger, and Drought, want of bread and water. The Wilderness in which he led them was a School of Afflictions. And therefore in allusion to that, Afflictions are called a Carrying into the Wilderness, Hos. ii. 14. I will bring her into the wilderness, and there speak unto her heart.
'Tis the usual way God takes with us; when his word alone will do us no good, to write our lessons on our backs with his Rod. Prosperity makes us wanton, Affliction often times hunts us in, and brings us before him. Sickness, and Poverty, and Losses, and other uncomfortable Events, they are usual means to reclaim us. Hosea, chap. ii. 6. compares afflictions to an hedg of thorns; Behold, I will hedg up thy way with th…rns, so that you shall have little list to break out. Thus was Manasseh converted; Captivity and Imprisonment wrought him to repentance, 2 Chr. xxxiii. 12. When he was in affliction he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his Fathers. It was Luther's speech, Schola Crucis, Schola Lucis. And it is the great aggravation of wicked King Ahaz, 2 Chron. xxviii. 22. In the time of his distress, did he trespass yet more and more against the Lord; this is that King Ahaz; that's his brand: as if he should say, Here is a sinner, whom Affliction will not tame. 'Tis to great purpose that Solomon advises us, Prov. iii. II. My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord. Gentle Corrections must not be despised, nor slighted. And David his father counted it an happy thing to get good by such chastening, Psal. xciv. 12. Blessed is the man, whom thou chastisest, and teachest him out of thy Law. He shews it will prevent this same Occideret, That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked, verse 13. Happy chastisements, that prevent slaying! To do as Isaiah speaks, chap. xxvi. 16. Lord, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer, when thy chastning was upon them. No, this wrought not with them, Quando castigavit.
So then, here is the unworthy servile baseness of their Repentance; no time would serve but quando occidit; when he slew them; never till their heads were on the block. Yes, this is Pharoah's Repentance; he stood out many a stroke; but when it came to a destruction, then he seeks to Moses, O I have sinned, save me from this death onelyonly. We condemn it in Pharoah, and wonder at it here in the Israelites; and yet upon examination, we shall find, it is the case of many of us. Take it,
1. Either more collectively and largely, for our national Repentance; Or,
2. More privately and personally for each mans particular.
1. Let us look abroad; not to censure and descant upon other mens estate, but yet we may soberly consider the sins of the times, and lay them to heart. Have we not passed all the former Quandoes, the Seasons of Repentance with small Amendment?
1. Not when we sinned; God knows many sins stand upon the Score, uncancelled by Repentance.
2. Not when he blessed us with Deliverances, with Peace, Plenty, Freedom from Annoyances; yet small fruits upon it. Evidentibus Beneficiis ingrati.
3. Not when he hath by his word invited to Repentance; Nay, that Mannah comes out at our Nostrils, we begin to loath it. Ye begin to question whether God speaks by us.
4. Not when he hath chastised us in measure, shot off warning Pieces, rather then murdring Cannons; Commotions, and Plagues, and unnatural Discontents: we despise those Chastisements.
5. When he comes to slay us, then we will bethink our selves: When the Kingdom is on a light fire, and Invasions of Enemies, or intestine Rebellions begin to destroy us; then it is to be hoped we will repent.
2. Let us take it more privately, and personally; and then ask your hearts what time you set for your Repentance? It is, cum occidet, when we are on our Death-beds, and no hope of life; when God sends his last Executioner, to cut us off from the land of the living, then we resolve to repent. Well, 'tis possible, you may do so; De nemine desperandum, quem patientia Dei sinit vivere: Yet consider,
1. It is Infamis Poenitentia; here is a brand set upon it by the Holy Ghost.
2. It is Incerta; There is small encouragement the Scripture gives to it, rather rejects it. See what entertainment such Seekers are promis'd to find at God's hand, Prov. 1. 26. Because I have called and ye refused, I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded, verse 26. I will also laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your fear comes—when distress and anguish comes upon you, verse 28. then they shall call upon me, but I will not answer. See what encouragement such early Seekers have.
3. It is Suspiciosa Poenitentia; there is great cause to suspect the goodness of such Repentance, which is forced from us, cum occideret, when the fear of death surprises us. A man may deceive himself in judging his Repentance. In great affliction, he may promise fairly, and think he hath good and honest purposes to forsake his sin, that he is mortified to it; because,
1. That lust which reigned in him is nipp'd, and forc'd back by his affliction: 'tis like the sap of a tree in Winter, all shrunk to the Root. Sorrow, and sickness, and any great affliction, is like Winter-Weather, it nips the Branches, hinders our Corruption from sprouting; and so we think 'tis dead; but the Root holds life and sap: Warm Weather of Prosperity will make it spring again; like Iob's tree, chap. xiv. 8, 9. Through the sent of waters it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.
2. In the fear of death, or any sore affliction, we may take our selves to be mortified, because afflictions will justle out temptations of sinful pleasures; he hath lost the relish of them for a time: As sick men can find no sweetness in meats, which otherwise they delight in; because their taste is for a time embittered. Let them recover health, and they will fall to again.
3. In sickness many take themselves mortified, not because sin is weakened in them, but nature is infeebled; that withdraws her strength by which sin was active: recover nature, and sin will recover. As a … in a tree, let the tree spring, and that will spring too. 'Tis not the body of sin that is mortified, but the body of nature is infeebled. Put not thy Conversion then upon such hazardous adventures; stay not till he comes to slay thee by death. It is an infamous, 'tis an uncertain, 'tis a suspicious Repentance; thou mayest be mistaken in it.
Come we to,
III. The third defect of their Repentance, that's falsness, and dissembling; it was a flattering, unsound, hypocritical Repentance. Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they ly…d unto him with their tongue. All their conversion and turning to God was but flattery and falshood. And this Flattery and falshood will appear,
1. In their Professions.
2. In their Promises; Flattering Professions and false Promises.
1. Flattery is seen in Professions;
1. A Flatterer will profess a great esteem of goodness and worth in the Person whom he applies himself to; ready to ascribe much unto him: So did these hollow Converts; In their Affliction, they acknowledged, God was their rock, and strength, and the high God their Redeemer, verse 35. Thus the Herodians flattered Christ, Matth. xxii. 16. Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, and regardest no mans person. Christ discovers them, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Such are the soothings of unsound repentance, when affliction presses us. Oh! then we will acknowledge God, and his goodness; As Benhadad did with the King of Israel, O the Kings of Israel are merciful Kings; but yet false and treacherous for all his profession: when he recovers his strength, he will renew his war with him.
2. Flattery is seen in profession of great love, and affection. Iudas his kiss, a testimony of great love, as if Christ were dear to him. Such Professions hypocritical repentance will make under Affliction. Such love Ziba shews to David; professed great love and loyalty to him. The Jews had such blandishments to God-ward, Isai. xxix. 13. They drew near him with their mouth, and with their lips did honour him. In our extremities, who but God, and Christ are in cur mouths? then we seem much to affect them.
3. Flattery is seen in profession of sorrow for any offence. A Dissembler to escape his due … will confess all, and profess great sorrow for former offences. Thus did railing Shimei to David; Oh, who so sorry for his offence, who so submiss in confessing it? 2 Sam. xix. 18. And such professions an hypocrite under the lash will make to God. The Israelites, when thunder and lightnings were about their ears, O we have sinned in asking a King, besides all our other sin…, 1 Sam. xii. 19. These are flattering Professions.
2. As they flatter'd in their Professions, so they were false in their Promises. Repentance will make Vows and Promises; and so will this false and counterfeit Repentance abound in Promises. Ask Pharaob, If God spare thee this time, wilt thou let Israel go? O yes, No longer stay. An Hypocrite will go about to bribe God with Promises; Spare me this one time, I will become a new man; yet all false. A double Falsness;
1. False in Intention; He sayes what he never means, his tongue contradicts his heart.
2. False in Performance; He never makes good what he saith. David calls it a lying, fained Obedience, Psal. lxvi. 3. Through the greatness of thy power, shall thine enemies yield fained obedience unto thee; False and Counterfeit.
So then, In that these Jews were thus false and fraudulent in their repentance; it will discover unto us the dangerous condition of this sin of Hypocrisy, in three strains of Hypocrisy:
1. See the guile of Hypocrisy; Rather then fail, it will counterfeit and act any duty, though never so unacceptable, as Repentance is. No duty in Religion goes down so hard with an Hypocrite, as Repentance. Repentance is a shaming duty; A penitent must confess, and acknowledge he hath sinned; take shame and confusion to himself; cry with the Leper, I am unclean. Now Hypocrites are, Animalia Gloriae, all for their Credit and Reputation. In matter of Opinion, they are in no Errour; Quod volumus sanctum est. What? Are we ignorant and blind also? Iob. ix. 40. In matter of Conversation, they are without spot or wrinkle; You are they which justifie themselves before men. Luke xvi. 14. It is hard to bring them to acknowledge either errour or fault; But yet, if it makes for their turn, they will even act a penitential part, and confess, and recant, and seem to be sorry for sin. So did Simon Magus, and King Saul.
2. See the pertinacy, and obstinacy of hypocrisie; It will act, and counterfeit, and not give over, no, not in the greatest affliction. Cum occideret, when Gods hand is slaying them, yet then they will counterfeit. Neither mercies, nor miracles, nor chastisements, nor plagues, will alter or change him. Let favour beshewed to him, yet he will not learn righteousness; Nay, Let Gods hand be lifted up, yet they will not see it. Isai. xxvi. 10. Of all other sinners, an Hypocrite is the most hopeless, and incorrigible. Afflictions have brought home prophane sinners; but an Hypocrite will stand out that too; either accuse God for afflicting him, or dissemblingly accuse himself; like some desperate Cutpurse, that will steal in the Sessions-house, or at the Gallows.
3. See the stupor, and brutish sottishness of Hypocrisie. It will not only undertake to deceive men, but God also; think to mock him with flatteries, and lyes. As Ah…z, how did he cover his infidelity? O he would not tempt God. What saith Isaiah? Isai. vii. 13. Is it a small thing to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? An Hypocrite will not onelyonly faulter with men, seek to delude the world but, they are lying children to God. Isai. xxx. 9. Thus S. Peter charges Ananias and Sapphira, that they lyed not to men, but to the Holy Ghost, Acts v. 4. Thus Isaiah brings in the Hypocrites of his time, boasting even to God, of their hypocritical service and devotion, Isai. lviii. 3. Wherefore have we fasted, and thou seest it not? Wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Indeed, Hypocrites are in truth, secret Atheists, They turn the glory of God into an Idol, so hoping to put him off with vizards, and counterfeits; worse than Iacob toward Isaac, God can neither see, nor feel, nor find out their mockeries.
That's the third, the falsness of their Repentance. Come we to,
IV. The fourth defect of their Conversion and Repentance, It was momentary and unconstant, Vers. 37. Their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his Covenant.
And this clause comes in as a proof of the former; 'tis a Conviction of their unsound and hypocritical repentance. And here is a double Conviction, by which an Hypocrite may judg of himself. Their repentance was false and fained.
1. Because it was not hearty. True repentance is hearty repentance. If the heart be wanting, it is counterfeit, and hypocritical: Their heart was not right with him. Their repentance was false and fained.
2. Because it was not lasting and durable; They were not stedfast in his Covenant.
1. It was hypocritital, because it was not cordial and hearty. How was it not hearty? were they not in earnest? was it meer out-side, acted, pretended repentance? 'Tis likely not. There is a double Hypocrisie;
1. Formal, and express, when he that acts it, intends onelyonly to counterfeit, means nothing else. That's gross hypocrisie. Such were the Pharises in Christ's time, and the world is full of them. Hardly can we think a man in such a case as these Israelites were now in, at the point of death, would be so gross, as to mock God expresly.
2. There is hypocrisie of a finer thread, that's interpretative hypocrisie; Such an hypocrisie wherein we deal falsly with God, and our selves too: Such as God will judge hypocrisie. How's that? when a man rests in some acts of repentance, but yet fails, and falls short in the main, and is careless of that. As
1. There are some actions of repentance, as confession of Sin, calling for Mercy, promising Amendment; these are good, but yet more is required.
2. There are some affections, and passions of repentance; as sadness, and sorrow, and feat, and anxiety, dejection of mind, and other passionate motions; these also are good, but yet fall short.
3. What then is wanting? The main of all is, that the heart must be changed. I say, changed. It may be affected, dejected, and troubled, and yet remain as bad as ever. So it was with Pharaoh; the terrours of God deeply affected him. So Ahab was strangely cast down upon Elijah's threatnings; was sad in good earnest. And what think you of Iudas? was not he much affected? But yet, no true change was wrought in their hearts; they were the same men still; Pharaoh an oppressour in his heart, Ahab a persecutour. Here then is that which makes up repentance to be true and spiritual, and such as God will accept; when it puts a new heart into us, changes our natures from what we were before, begets in us new resolutions, that we chuse what we refused, love what we hated; frames the very heart a-new. In this case, hypocrisie works like Art, sincerity like Nature. How is that? Why Nature's work begins within, frames the inward of a man: first the heart, then shapes the outward members, so doth Sincerity; But Art, that works upon the outside, alters the figure and outward lineaments, goes no further, so doth Hypocrisie. Judge thy conversion by this trial; Art thou another man? a new frame put into thee? hath God taken away thy stony heart? so, thy profane, or covetous, or proud heart? and given thee an heart of flesh, &c?
2. A second Conviction of their unsoundness of repentance is, that it was a flitting, momentary, unconstant repentance; They were not stedfast in his Covenant. That's a second Conviction. True repentance will prove lasting repentance; Hypocritical repentance is slippery, and unconstant.
A true Convert hath an inward principle of repentance planted into him; Grace is a second Nature, and works constantly, as nature doth; but an Hypocrite in his actions of reformation and repentance, is moved, not by an inward principle of God, but by some outward motive. When that ceases, his conversion fails. The motions of Piety in a good Christian, are like natural motions; the motions of an Hypocrite, are as artificial motions. The motions of the Sun, and the motions of a Clock, keep time alike; and for a time; we will say, the Clock goes as true as the Sun. Ey, but here's the difference, the one moves out of an inward principle, naturally; the other, the Clock, is moved by an outward principle; the weight, and plummet makes it go; and when that is down, the Clock stands still: Or, as in waters, a natural Stream flows always, it is fed with a Spring; but a sudden Land-floud, though it runs strongly for a while, yet it will dry up, it hath no spring, or fountain to feed it.
A great difference 'twixt affectation that will tire; and affection, which will hold out: A great difference 'twixt passion, which is sudden, comes and goes; and fixt resolution, which is constant. An Hyocrite is like an unbroken Horse, he may strike a stroak or two right, but falls to his trot. Sudden flushings of heat are one thing, and the kindly warmth at the heart is another. A good Christian is the same out of affliction, that he is in affliction. An Hypocrite, Oh! he is a new man on his sick-bed; recover him, and ye discover him as covetous, as profane as ever. In affliction he vows, in prosperity he forgets his vows. What saith David? My heart is fixed, O Lord, my heart is fixed. Psal. lxvi. 13. I will pay thee my vows, which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble. In his repentance, he hath renewed his Covenants with God, and he will not break with him. Failings he may have, but yet he revoltes not; trip he may, but yet recovers. Davids resolution is his, I will never forget thy Commandments, for by them thou hast quickened me.