Sermons, Sermon 18
SERMON, XVIII.
Isaiah LIX. 1, 2.
Behold, the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot save, neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear,
But your iniquities have separated between you and your God▪ and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
OUR vain minds are naturally fruitful in nothing more than in mistakes of God; for the most part we think not on him, and when we do it, we fancy him according to our own affections, which are wholly perverse and crooked.
Men commonly judg it a vain thing to spend much pains and time in Worshipping him, and if they are convinc'd in this, and tied to it by the profession of his Name, then they think all Religion is a Shell of external diligences and observances, and count it strange if this be not accepted. In the former Chapter we find this, in the Prophets contest with the people, about their Fasting, and their opinion of it; he cuts up their Sacrifices, and lets them see what was within, the skin was sound and look'd well, but being opened, the entrails were found rotten. And here he enters into another contest, against the Latent Atheism of their hearts; who after their manner of seeking God, not finding him, and not being delivered, are ready to think that he either cannot, or will not help, and rather rest on that gross mistake, than enquire into themselves for the true cause of their continuing Calamities; they incline rather to think 'tis some Indisposition in God to help, than what it truly is, a want of Reformation in themselves that hinder it. It is not likely that they would say thus, not speak it out in plain terms, no, nor possibly not speak it formally and distinctly within, not so much as in their thoughts, and yet they might have a confus'd dark conceit of this. And much of the Atheism of mans heart is of this fashion, not formed into resolv'd Propositions, but Latent*Ezek. 8. Behind the Wall., in confus'd Notions of it, scarce discernable by himself, at least, not search'd out and discerned in his own Breast; there they are, and he sees them not. Not written assertions, but flying fumes, filling the Soul, and hindering it to read the Characters of God that are writ upon the Conscience.
Impenitency of men, in any condition, and particularly under distress, is from the want of clear apprehensions, and deep perswasions of God, of his Just Anger provok'd by their Sin, and of his sweetness and readiness to forgive, and embrace a returning Sinner, his Soveraign power, able to rid them out of the greatest trouble, his Ear quick enough to hear the cries, yea, the least whispering of a humbled heart in the lowest deep of his sorrow, and his Arm long enough to reach them▪ and strong enough to draw them forth. He that comes unto God must believe that he is, says the Apostle. So certainly, he that believes that, must come; it will sweetly constrain him, he cannot but come that is so perswaded. Were mens hearts much imprest with that belief in all their troubles, they would eye men less, and God more, and without delay they would fasten upon the Churches resolution, Hosea 6. 1. Come and let us return unto the Lord, for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up, &c. And this is the very thing that the Prophet would here perswade to by this present Doctrin; and having impleaded them guilty, he sets them a Copy of humble Confession, ver. 12. &c. Hence the frequent complaints in the Psalm, Why hidest thou thy self? So Psal. 22. 2. I cry, but no hearing.
In the words of these two Verses, these two things appear: A sad condition, and the true cause of it.
The condition, I think, I have reason to call sad; 'tis God hiding his face that he will not hear. This may be the personal estate of his Children, or the publick estate of his Church. From a Soul he hides his face, not so much in the withdrawing of sensible Comforts, and sweet tastes of Joy, which to many are scarce known, and to such as do know them, commonly do not continue very long, but it is a suspension of that lively influence of his Divine power, for raising the mind to the Contemplation of him, and Communion with him in Prayer and Meditation, which yet may be, were those relishes and senses of Joy are not, and the returns of it appear in beating down the power of Sin, or abating and subduing it, making the heart more pure and heavenly, more to live by Faith in Christ, to be often at the Throne of Grace, and to receive gracious answers, supplies of wants, and assistances against tentations. Now when there is a cessation and obstruction of these, and such like workings, the face of God is hid, the Soul is at a loss, seeks still and cannot find him whom it loveth. And in this condition, it cannot take comfort in other things, they are too low, 'tis a higher and nobler desire than to be satisfy'd, or diverted, with the Childish things, that even men delight in, that know not God, 'tis a Love sickness which nothing can cure, but the presence and love of the party loved; yea, nothing can so much as allay the pain, and give an interval of ease, or recover a fainting Fit, but some good word or look, or at least some kind message from him. Set thee in a Palace, and all delights about thee, and a Crown on thy Head, yet if his love has ceas'd on thy heart, these are all nothing without him. It was after David was advanc'd to his Kingdom, Psal. 30. And is in the Psalm of the Dedication of his Royal House, that he said, Thou hidst thy face, and I was troubled. All is dark, all the shining Marble, and the Gold, and Azure, lose their lustre, when thou a…t not here dwelling with me.
And thus for the Church, God is the proper light, the beauty, the life of it, deck it with all this Worlds splendour, with all the dresses of pompous Worship, these are not its genuine beauty, and they provoke him, who is its ornament, (as is Jer. 2. 32.) to depart; but give it the native purity and beauty of holy Ministers, and Ordinan…es well regulated, yet even that is but a dead comeliness, proportion, and feature, without life, when God is absent.
And for matter of deliverances and working for her, which is here the thing in hand, none can do any thing in that, not the wisest, nor the best of men, with all their combined Wit and Strength, when he retires and comes not forth, doth not shew himself on the behalf of his people, and work their works for them.
These have, it may be, some kind of Prayer possibly, they offer at extraordinaries, and yet obtain nothing, are not heard, the sadest note in all the Song of Lament. 3. 43, 44. Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us; thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied. Thou hast …overed thy self with a Cloud, that our Prayer should not pass through. Still, while that Door stands open, there is hope and remedy for other evils, but that being shut, what can a People, or a Soul expect, but growing troubles, one sorrow upon the back of another; yea, that is the great trouble, the hiding of his face, and refusing to hear. Observe Job 34. 29. When he giveth peace, who then can make trouble? Now the other in the same terms would have been, when he makes trouble who can give peace? But instead, 'tis, when he hides his face who then can behold him? No peace but in beholding him; and nothing but trouble, that is the grand trouble, when he hides his face, and it is express'd, in both cases, whether it be Personal or National, whether against a Nation or a man only.
This is the thing wherein the strength of other troubles lie, that gives them weight, when they impart and signifie thus much, that the face of God is hid from a Soul or a People. We ought to enquire if this be not our condition at this time, hath he not hid his face from us? Are we not left in the dark, that we know not which way to turn us? Either we must sit still and do nothing, for if we stir we do but rush one upon another, as in darkness, contesting each to have the way, and yet when we have it given us, we know not well which way to go. And we think to be cleared, but it fails us, as in this Chapter, ver. 9. We wait for light but behold obscurity, for brightness, but we walk in darkness, we grope for the Wall as blind, and stumble at Noon day as in the Night, our Counsels strangely darkened, and no right understanding one of another. By all debates little or no clearing of things attained, but our passions are more enflamed, and parties are further off, the light of sound Judgment gone, and with it the heat of Love, instead of which that miserable Infernal heat, heat without light, mutual hatreds and revilings, both sides (verbally at least) agreeing in the general terms both of their desires and designs, and yet falling out about modes and fashions of them. And to say no more of Parties, the Enemies of Religion on both hands, right and left, in action and in power, and only those that love that, we conceive is the way of truth, standing as a naked prey to whether of the two shall prevail. Desires and Prayers we have presented, and see as yet no appearance of an issue, but further confusions, even fasting to strife and debate. And where are there any that look like persons to stand in the gap, lifting up holy hands, without wrath or doubting? Hearts are still as unhumbled, and lives as unreformed as ever, new intestine troubles are most likely to arise, few or none laying it to heart, and with calm lowly Spirits mourning before God for it, Ephraim against Manasseth, and Manasseth against Ephraim, and they both against Judah, and for all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
But generally men ought to be less in descanting one on another, and more in searching and enquiring each into himself, even where it may seem Zeal, yet Nature and Passion may more easily let in the other, but this Self-search and Self-censure, is an uneasie task, the most unpleasant of all things to our Carnal Self-loving hearts; but the heavy hand of God shall never turn from us, nor his gracious face turn towards us, till there is more of this amongst us. Most say their Prayers, and as they are little worth, they look little after them, enquire not what becomes of them. But M. B. would we continue to call, and find favourable answers, we must be more within, the heart made a Temple to God, wherein Sacrifices do ascend, but that they may be accepted, it must be purged of Idols, nothing left in any corner, though never so secret, to stir the Jealousie of our God, who sees through all. O happy that heart, that is as Jacob's House purg'd, in which no more Idols are to be found, but the holy God dwelling there alone as in his holy Temple.
Behold, the Lords hand is not shortned, &c.] Much of all knowledg lies in the knowledg of causes, and in practical things much of the right ordering them depends on it; the true cause of a disease found out is half the cure. Here we have the miseries of an afflicted people reduced to their real cause; that which is not the cause is first removed. Behold the Lords hand is not shortned, &c.
We are not only to be untaught this errour that we think not so, but to be taught to believe and think on that truth, that God is still the same in Power and Goodness, to keep up the notion of it in our hearts, so we may call in past experiences, and relations of Gods former workings for his people, and that with much use and comfort. He that brought forth his people out of Egypt with an outstretched arm, as still they are reminded of that Deliverance by the Prophets, and called to look on it, as the great instance and pledge of their restorement by the same hand, can again deliver his people when at the lowest, Isai. 50. 2. where the like words to these.
And in this belief we shall not faint in the time of deep distress, our own, or the Churches; knowing the unalterable, invincible, infinite power of our God, that all the strength of all enemies is nothing, and less than nothing to his, their devices knots of straw. What is it that is to be done for his Church, if her and his glory be interested in it? There remains no question in point of difficulty, that hath no place with him. The more difficult, yea impossible for us, or any humane strength, the more fit work for him; because it is hard for you, shall it also he hard for me? saith the Lord in the Prophet. And where Jeremy uses that argument in Prayer, he hath his answer returned in the same words, as the Eccho to the Prayer, resounding from Heaven, Jer. 32. 17, 27. and that in relation to the great reduction of the Jews from Babylon, as is expressly promis'd, ver. 36, 37, &c. And there the Prophet gives that first great example of Divine power, the forming of the World, ver. 17. Behold thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power.
Men think 'tis an easie common belief, and that none doubt of the Omnipotency of God. But oh! the undaunted confidence it would give to the heart, being indeed firmly believ'd, and wisely used and applied to particular exigencies. Men either doubt, or which upon the matter, for the use of it is all one, they forget who the Lord is, when their hearts misgive them, because of the Churches weakness, and the Enemies power. What is that upon the matter? Remember whose is the Church, Gods, and what his power is, and then see if thou canst find any cause of fear, Isai. 41. 14, Fear not, thou Worm Jacob, and ye men few, or weak men of Israel. So the word is, I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy Redeemer, the holy one of Israel. So Isai. 51. 12. I, even I am he, that comforteth you, (there is the strength of it) who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the Son of man, which shall be made as grass? And forgettest, ver. 13. the Lord thy Maker that stretched forth the Heavens, and laid the foundations of the Earth, &c. Do but think aright on him, and then see if it be possible for thee to fear. All thy little doubts and despondencies of mind will fly and vanish away before one clear thought of thy God. Though the World were turning upside down, it shall go well with them that fear him.
And as this apprehension of God strengthens Faith, so it quickens Prayer, it stirs thee up to seek to him for help, when thou knowest and remembrest that there it is; there is help in him, power enough, and no want of readiness and good will neither, if we apply our selves to seek him aright, his hand is as strong to save, and his ear as quick to hear as ever, and in this that his ear is not heavy, is both signify'd his speedy and certain knowledg of all Requests sent up to him, and his gracious Inclination to receive them. Now these perswasions do undoubtedly draw up the heart towards him.
Again, as they strengthen Faith and quicken Prayer, they teach us Repentance, direct us inward to Self-examination, to the searching, and finding out, and purging out of sin. When Deliverance is delayed, for we are sure it stops not upon either of these on Gods part, either shortness of his hand, or dulness of his ear. Whence is it then? Certainly it must be somewhat on our side that works against us, and prejudices our desires. So here, thus you see the clear aim of it, Behold the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot save, nor his ear heavy that it cannot hear: What is it then that hinders? Oh! it is this, out of all doubt, Your Iniquities separate.
Old sins unrepented of, and new sins still added, as all unrepentant Sinners do; now this separates between you and God, for he is a Holy God, a Just God, hates Inity, and between you and your God, that pleads no connivance at your sins, but rather nearer inspection, and sharper punishment, he will be sanctified in these that are near him, in them especially; their sin is greatned much by that relation, your God, to sin against him so grossly, so continuedly, with so high a hand, and so impenitent hearts, not reclaim'd by all his mercies, by the remembrance of his Covenant made with you, and mercies bestowed on you, nor by the fear of his Judgments threatned, nor by the feeling of them inflicted, no returning nor relenting, not of his own people to their God. Sure, you must be yet more punisht. You only have I known of all the families of the earth, therefore will I punish you for all your Iniquities. I let others escape with many things that I cannot pass in you; you fast and pray it may be, you howl and keep a noise, but you amend nothing, forsake not one sin, for all your sufferings, and for all your moanings and cries; you would be delivered, but do not part with one of your Lusts, or wicked Customs, even for a Deliverance, and so the quarrel remains still.
'Tis that that separates, is as a huge Wall betwixt us, betwixt me and your Prayers, and betwixt you and my helping hand, and though I do hear and could help, yet I will not till this Wall be down; you shall not see me, nor find by any gracious sign that I hear you. This hides his face that he will not hear.
This way God hath establish'd in his ordinary methods with his people, though sometimes he uses his own priviledg, yet usually he links Sin and Calamity together, and Repentance and Deliverance together.
Sin separates and hides his face, not only from a People that professes his Name, but even from a Soul that really bears his Name stampt upon it: Though it cannot fully, and for ever cut off such a Soul, yet in part, and for a time it may, yea to be sure, it will separate, and hide the face of God from them. Their daily inevitable frailties do not this, but either a course of careless walking, and many little unlawful liberties taken to themselves, that will rise and gather as a Cloud, and hide the face of God. Or some one gross sin, especially if often reiterated, will prove as a firm Stone Wall, or rather as a Brazen Wall, built up by their own hands betwixt them and Heaven, and will not be so easily dissolved or broke down; and yet till that be, the light of his Countenance, who is the life of the Soul, will be eclipsed, and withheld from it.
And this consider'd, (besides that Law of Love that will forbid so foul Ingratitude, yet I say, this consider'd, even our own interest) will make us wary to sin, though we were sure not to be yet altogether separated from the love of God by it; yet if thou that hast any perswasion of that love, darest thou venture upon any known sin? Thou art not hazardless and free from all damage by it, if thou hast need of that argument to restrain thee, then before thou run upon't, sit down and reckon the expence, see what it will cost thee if thou do commit it, thou knowest that once it cost the heart blood of thy Redeemer to exp…ate it, and is it a light matter to thee; and though that paid all that score, nothing thou canst suffer being able to do any thing that way, yet as an unavoidable present fruit of it, it will draw on this damage. Thou shalt be sure for a time, it may be for a long time, possibly most of thy time, near all thy days it may darken much that love of God to thee, which if thou doest but esteem of, think on it, it changes not in him, but a sad change will Sin bring on thee, as to thy sight and apprehension of it; many a sweet hour of blest communion with thy God shalt thou miss, and either be dead, and stupid in that want, and mourn after him, and yet find thy self, and sighs, and tears hold out, the Door shut, yea, a dead Wall rais'd betwixt thee and him, and at best much straightning and pains to take it down again; contrary to other Walls and Buildings, that are far more easily pull'd down than built up, but this a great deal easier built up than pull'd down. True, thy God could cast it down with a Word, and 'tis his free Grace that must do't otherwise, thou couldst never remove it, yet will he have thee feel thy own handy work, and know thy folly. Thou must be at pains to dig at it, and may be cost thee broken Bones in taking it down, pieces of it falling heavy and sad upon thy Conscience, and crushing thee, as David cry'd out at that work, Psal. 51. for a healing Word from a God, Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce; it will force thee to say, O fool that I was, what meant I? Oh! it is good keeping near God, and raising no divisions. What are Sins? False delights, but make ado, and have ado, a man to provide his own vexation. Now this distance from God, and all this turmoiling, and breaking, and crying e're he appear again, consider if any pleasure of sin can countervail this damage, sure when thou art not out of thy Wits, thou wilt never make such a bargain for all the pleasure thou must make out of any sin, to breed thy self all this pains, and all this grief, at once, to displease thy God, and displease thy self, and make a partition between him and thee. Oh! sweet and safe ways of Holiness, walking with God in his company and favour; he that orders his Conversation aright, he sees the loving kindness of the Lord, 'tis shewn to him, he lives in the sight of it.
But if any such separation is made, yet is it thy great desire to have it removed; why? there is hope. See to it, labour to break down, and pray to him to help thee, and he will put to his hand, and then it must fall, and in all thy sense of separation, look to him that brake down the middle wall, Eph. 2. There it is spoken of, as betwixt men, Jews and Gentiles, but so as it was also between the Gentiles, and God separated from his people, and from himself, ver. 16. to reconcile both to God in one Body. And ver. 18. Through him we have access by one Spirit to the Father. And then he adds, that they were no more strangers and foreigners, dwelling on the other side of the Wall, foreign as the Word is, but fellow Citizens, &c.
Oh! that we knew more what it were to live in this sweet Society, in undivided Fellowship with God. Alas! how little is understood this living in him, separated from Sin, and this World, which otherwise do separate from him; solacing our hearts in his love, and despising the base muddy delights that the World admires, hoping for that new Jerusalem, where none of these Walls of Sin, nor any one Stone of them are, and for that bright day wherein there is no Cloud nor Mist, to hid our Sun from us.
Now for the condition of the Church Know this to be the great obstructer of its peace, making him to withdraw his hand, and hide his face, and to turn away his ear from our Prayers, and loath our Fasts, Isai. 1. 15. Jer. 14. 12. The quarrel stands, sin not repented and removed, the Wall is still standing, Oaths, and Sabbath breaking, and Pride, and Oppression, and Heart burnings still remaining. Oh! what a noise of Religion and Reformation, all sides are for the Name of it, and how little of the thing? The Gospel it self is despised, grown stale as trivial Doctrine. Oh! my Beloved, if I could speak many hours, without intermission, all my cry would be, Repent and pray. Let us search and try our ways, and turn unto the Lord our God. Oh! what Walls of every ones Sin are set to't! Dig diligently to bring down thine own, and for these huge Walls of publick National guiltinesses; if thou canst do nothing to them more, compass them about as Jericho, and look up to Heaven for their downfal. Cry, Lord, these we our selves have reared, but without thee who can bring them down? Lord, throw them down for us, a touch of thy hand, a Word of thy mouth, will make them fall. Were we less busied in impertinencies, and more in this most needful work, it might do some good; who knows but the Lord might make his own way clear, and return and visit us, and make his face to shine that we might be saved.
FINIS.