Sermons, Sermon 3
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 witholds 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 other 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 draws many to the ordinary places of publick Worship, and fills too much of the Room. And somtimes Novelty and Curiosity to places not ordinary, has 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 it strengthning their weak Faith, and weakning their strong Corruptious; 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 dwells? 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 intreat the Lord, that at this time, he would not send us away empty, for how weak so ever the means be, if he put 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 ablessing 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 sittest in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battel 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 …roud 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 sometimes 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 foretells 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 grosly corrupted as the other were, he stays them with this promise: In that day, saith be, 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. He shall be a crown, &c. But first, a word of the Circumstance of time, In that day.
That Sovereign Lord, who at first set up the Lights of Heaven to distinguish times and seasons, by their constant motion, and likewise, by his Supream Providence, ruling the World, hath fixed the periods of States and Kingdoms, and decreed their Revolutions, their rising, ascending, and their height, with their decline and setting; hath by a special Providence determined those changes and vicissitudes that befall his Church. That which the Psalmist speaks, in his own particular, Psal. 31. 15. holds of each Believer, and of the Church, which they make up in all ages and places: I said thou art my God, my times are in thy hand; a sure and steady hand indeed, and therefore he builds his confidence upon it. ver. 13. They took counsel against me, but I trusted in thee. And upon this, he prays in faith That the face of God may shine upon him, and the Wicked may be ashamed.
Thus then, as many as are looking after a day of Mercy, to the Church of God, Pray and Believe upon this ground, That the time of it is neither in the frail hands of those that favour and seek it, nor in the hands of those that oppose it, how strong and subtile soever they be, but in that Almighty Hand, that doth in Heaven and Earth what pleaseth him. If he have said, now, and here, will I give a day of refreshment to my people that have long groaned for it, a day of the purity, and power of Religion. If, I say, this be his purpose, they must have somewhat more than Omnipotence that can hinder it, when his appointed time comes, to make a day of deliverance dawn upon his Church, after their long Night, either of affliction, or of defection, or both; they that contrive against that day-spring, are as vain, as if they would sit down to Plot how to hinder the Sun from rising in the Morning: And they that let go their hopes of it, because of great apparent difficulties, that interpose betwixt their eye, and the accomplishment of that work, they are as weak as if they should imagine, when mists and thick vapours appear about the Horizon in the morning, that these could hinder the rising of the Sun, which is so far out of their reach, and comes forth as a bridegroom, and rejoyces as a mighty man to run his race, says David. Those mists may, indeed, hinder his clear appearance, and keep it from the eye for a time; but Reason tells us, even then, that they cannot stop his course. And Faith assures us no less in the other, That no difficulties can hold back God's day, and work of mercy, to his people. But you'll say, All the difficulty is to know whether the appointed time be near or not: 'Tis true, we have no particular Prophecies to assure us, but certainly when God awakes his Children, and makes them rise, this is a probable sign that it is near day: I mean, when he stirs them up to more than usual Hopes, and Prayers, and Endeavours, it is very likely that he intends them some special good; but yet more when he himself is arisen (as it pleaseth him to speak) that is, when he is begun to appear, in a more than ordinary manner, of working by singular and wonderful footsteps of Providence. This is, no doubt, a sign that he will go on to shew remarkable mercy to Sion, and that the time to favour her, yea, the set time is come, Ps. 102. 13.
Howsoever then, let the wonderful workings of the Lord move those of you, that have any power and opportunity, to be now (if ever) activ… for the greatest good, both of the present Age, and of Posterity; and you that can be no other way useful, yet you shall be no small helpers if you be much in Prayer; let both your hopes and your fears serve to sharpen your Prayers▪ Be not too much dejected with any discouragement, neither be ye carnally lift up with outward oppearances, for the heart of him that is lifted up, is not upright in him, Hab. 2. 3. But live, as the just do, by your faith, and if the deferring of your hopes should sicken your hearts (as Solomon speaks) yet stay and comfort them with the Cordial of the Promises. This you are sure of, you have God's own word engaged for it, that in those latter days Babylon shall be brought to the dust, and the true Church of Christ shall flourish and increase; and this Vision is for appointed time (as Habak. says of his) at the end it shall speak, and not lie; though it tarry, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not tarry.
In that day] In the day of Ephraims or Israels Calamity, denounced in the former verses; which, as most do conceive, was when the Assyrian opprest them, and in the end, led them Captive, in the Reign of Hosea, as you have the History of it, 2 Kings, 17. At which time Hezekiah was King of Judah, as you find in the following Chapter; and in that notable Reformation wrought by him, with those blessings that followed upon it, is found the accomplishment of this promise to Judah, In that day, &c. The parallel of God's different dealing with these two Kingdoms, at the time there specified (in that day) does afford divers Lessons, which might be here not impertinently taken notice of. Only this,
Though Judah also had its own corruptions, when Hezekiah came to the Crown, yet it pleased the Lord to spare them, and work a peaceable Reformation, making Israels punishment their warning. Truly, that Nation with whom the Lord deals thus graciously, is vilely ingrate if they observe it not with much humility and thankfulness, and with profit too. If the Lord should answer your desires and hopes with a Reformation, in a peaceable way, and should yet lengthen out your long continued peace, and should make this little past shaking of it, cause it to take root the faster; if he should▪ I say, do this, where would ye find fit praises for such a wonder of Mercy, especially considering, that in the mean while, he hath made other Reformed-Churches Fields of Blood, and made, as it were, the sound of their stripes preach Repentance to us? But certainly, if the hearing the voice of the Rod prevail not, we shall feel the smart of it, as this people of Judah did afterwards, because they were not so wise as to become wiser and better by Israels Folly and Calamity. We are expecting great things at our Lord's hands, and our provocations and sins against him are great; yet there is none of them all puts us in so much danger of disappointment, as Impenitency, Were there more Repentance, and personal Reformation amongst us, we might take it as a hopeful fore-runner of that publick Reformation which so many seem now to desire.
The Lord of hosts] This stile of his, you know is frequent in the Prophets, in their Predictions of Mercy and Judgment, intimating both his Greatness and Majesty, and his Supream Power, for accomplishing his Word. No created Power can resist him; yea, all must serve him. The most excellent Creatures can have no greater honour: The greatest are not exempted, nor the meanest excluded from serving him. In the 12. of the Acts, 23. you find one of the noblest Creatures, and a number of the Vilest, made use of at the same time, in the same service. Because Herod did accept of the Sacriledge of the People, and gave not back to this Lord of Hosts his own glory; The Angel of the Lord smote him, and the Vermine devoured him. And in Egypt, you know, the employing of the destroying Angel, and what variety of Hosts, this Lord of Hosts, did employ to plague them. What madness then is it, to oppose and encounter this great General; even in doubtful cases, to run on blindly, without examining, lest peradventure a Man should be found a fighter against God? And on the other side, it's great weakness to admit any fear under his Banner. If a Man could say, when he was told of the multitude of the Ships the Enemy had, against foreign.how many do you reckon me, how much more justly may we reckon, this Lord of Hosts, against multitudes of Enemies, how great soever? They are to him as the drop of a bucket, and the smallest dust of the ballance; 'tis ignorance and mean thoughts, of this mighty Lord, that makes his enemies so confident; and it is the same evil, in some degree, or at the best, forgetfulness of his Power, that causeth diffidence in his followers, Isa. 51. 12, 13. Now the same Lord of Hosts, you know, is likewise called the God of Peace; he is, indeed, & pace & bello insignis. The blessing of Peace, and the success of War, are both from him; and to him alone is due the praise of both.
Shall be a Crown, &c.] He shall dignifie and adorn them by his special presence; to wit, In the purity of his Ordinances, and Religion, amongst them; the profession, and flourishing of that, shall be their special glory and beauty. For as the other two benefits concern their civil good, Justice flourishing within, and Wealth, and Opulency from without, so doubtless, this first, this glory and beauty, is Religion▪ as the chiefest of the three, and the other two are its attendants. In the 26 Ps. ver. 8. The Sanctuary, the place of their solemn Worship, is called The place where God's honour dwelleth, or the Tabernacle of his honour. And Psalm 96. 9. The glorious Sanctuary, or the beauty of holiness. And the Ark of God, you know, was called the glory. The glory is departed from Israel, (said the Wife of Phineas) for the ark of God is taken. Pure Religion, and a pure Worship, is the glory of God amongst his People, and consequently, their glory. Now referring this Prophesie to Hezekiah's time, the accomplishment of it is evident, in that work of Reformation, whereof you have the full History, 2 Chron. 29. 30, 31, &c.
If it be thus, that the purity of Religion, and Worship, is the Crown and Glory of a People; and therefore, on the other side, that their deepest stain of Dishonour and Vileness, is the vitiating of Religion with humane Devices; then to contend for the Preservation, or the Reformation of it, is noble, and worthy of a Christian. 'Tis for the Crown of Jesus Christ, which is likewise a Crown of Glory, and Diadem of Beauty to them, he being their Head; it is indeed, the true glory both of Kings and their Kingdoms. Labour then for constancy in this work; let no man take your Crown from you; you know how busie the Emissaries of the Church of Rome have been to take it from us, or, at least, to pick the Diamonds out of it, and put in false counterfeit ones in their places, I mean, they stole away the power of Religion, and fill'd up the room with shadows and fopperies of their own devising. 'Tis the Vanity of that Church, to think they adorn the Worship of God when they dress it up with splendor in her service, which some magnifie so much, yet may most truly be called a glistering Slavery and Captivity. Then is she truly free, and wears her Crown, when the Ordinances of God are conformable to his own appointment. It is Vanity in Man, I say, when they dress it up with multitude of gaudy Ceremonies, and make it the smallest part of it self, whereas, indeed, its true glory consists not in pomp, but in purity and simplici…y. Apoc. 12. We find the Church, under the name of a Woman, richly attired indeed, but her ornaments be all heavenly, the Sun her cloathing, and her Crown of twelve Stars; needs she then borrow sublunary glory? No, she treads upon it, the Moon is under her feet. There is another Woman, indeed, in that same Book, arrayed in Purple and Scarlet, deckt with Gold and precious Stones, and having a Golden Cup in her Hand, but that Golden Cup is full of Abominations and Filthiness, and she her self the Mother of Abominations, Apoc. 17. 4. The Natural Man judges according to his reach, but to a Spiritual Eye there is a most genuine beauty in the Service of God, and Government of his House, and when they are nearest to the Rule, the Word of God, then is it, that the Lord himself is the Crown and Diadem of his Church.
A Crown, &c.] Again we consider this personally, as belonging in particular to every Believer. They are all made Kings and Priests unto God the Father, Revel 1. 6. They are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, 1 Pet. 2. 9. how despicable soever to the World. This is their dignity: The Lord is their crown and diadem; he subdues their Lust, and makes them Kings over their own Affections, and more than …onquerors over all Troubles and Persecutions, whereas carnal Men are continually hurried like Slaves, unto base employments, still kept toyling in the ignoble service of their own Lusts. They think, indeed, it is their Liberty, but that's a baseness of Spirit, that complies so well with so Vile and Servile a condition. And whereas they judge the godly to be the refuse and dross of the Earth, and the proper objects of Contempt, this is because this their Crown, though most glorious, is invisible to the Eye of Nature. The Lord is a Crown: If they knew what this is, they would see enough in it to countervail their outward meanness, and the reproaches the World casts on them, as the Apostle St. Peter hath it, 1 Ep. cap. 4. 14. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye, for the spirit of Glory and of God resteth on you: He is their Crown.
And observe, how this Crown is opposed to that blasted glory, and fading Crown of pride, spoken of in the former verses.
Who is there that sees not, in daily Experience, the Vanity and Inconstancy of worldly glory, and yet how few are there that wean themselves from it, and learn to disdain it? Still men dote upon that which is not, upon a shadow, a nothing. But would you have a Glory that fadeth not, a Garland that cannot wither, make the Lord your Crown and your Glory, and if he be so, glory in him and in nothing else; Let not the wise man glory, &c. but let, &c. Jer. 9. 23.
You that are Noble aspire to this Crown, as being so far above your perishing Honours and bounded Powers; and you that are outwardly meaner and lower, see how little cause you have to complain of your condition, seeing you are not debarred from this best and greatest honour. And that you may discern it aright what it is, know that it consists in the renovation of God's Image within you, which is in Holiness and Righteousness: So the Lord becomes your Crown in the Kingdom of Grace, and by this you may discover whether or no you have attained it, if you can yet delight to wallow in the puddle and pleasures of Sin, you are far from this royal condition; but if you find your Soul possessed with the love of Holiness, and that you are trampling upon prophane delights, this may perswade you that God hath enabled you, and crowned you with his Grace, and will crown you with Glory. Again, try it by this; if the Lord is become your Crown and your Glory, you will glory in him, and in nothing else. Though you be Wise, you will not glory in your Wisdom, nor in Strength, nor in Riches, nor Honours, though you had them all; but if you glory, you will glory; in the Lord. And withal, your highest joy will be to see the advancement of his Glory; and, if you can, to be any way serviceable to the advancing of it.
And a spirit of Judgment, &c.] Both to these that sit in Judgment, and to the People, for Justice is the strongest Base and Establishment of Authority; and withal, the influence of it is most sweet and comfortable to these that are under Authority, and where it is wanting, that order and relation of Superiours and Inferiours, which God hath appointed, in the Societies of Men, for their good, tends exceedingly to the damage of both. And therefore, where God intendeth to continue the Peace and Welfare of a People, he is liberal in pouring out much of this Spirit of Judgment, on these that sit in Judgment. On the contrary, it is for a heavy punishment when he withdraws his Spirit from Rulers, and leaves them wholly to the Corruption and Vanity of their own Spirits.
That sit in Judgment] To all that are in place of Authority and Judicature, from the Supream to the lowest Magistrate; for this concerns them all, for they be all raised in their Subordination, and several places above the people, for the benefit and good of the people as the Stars, that be set so high, yet are placed there to be useful and beneficial to the Inferiour World.
Now this Spirit of Judgment comprehends in it, both due Wisdom and Prudence, for the trial and right judging of affairs, and for the discerning betwixt sound and perverse Counsel; and withal a judgment practically good, that cannot be byass'd from the straight line of Equity and Justice by any sinister respect.
Now seeing the Spirit of Judgment is from the Lord, yea, he is this Spirit; it ought to perswade those that sit in Judgment, to entreat and pray for this, and to depend upon it, and beware of Self-confidence. Trust in the Lord, saith Solomon, and lean not to thine own understanding; if you do, it will prove but a broken Reed. And as they that sit in Judgment, should intreat his Spirit by Prayer, so generally, all must share with them in this duty, and make supplication for all that are in Authority over them, especially in extraordinary times. Truly, we have matter of thankfulness, that the Lord hath in some measure inclined the Royal Heart of our Sovereign to the desires of his People, and ought still to pray, That the Lord would give the King his Judgments. And then, as the Psalmist adds, The Mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little Hills, by righteousness, Psal. 72. 3. And for this end, let all that wish the publick, yea, their own good, pray much for abundance of this Spirit of Judgment to be conferred on them; your eyes and expectations are upon them. If you would enjoy the Lamp, you must pour in Oyl. This Spirit, indeed, you cannot pour upon them, but if you pour out many Prayers, you may draw it from above, he will give it, who here promises to be a Spirit of Judgment.
And strength] Observe, the way to be powerful and successful against Foreign Enemies, is, To have Religion and Justice flourishing at home; and truly, if it please our God, to answer the desires of his People, at this time, it may so unite the affection and strength of the two Kingdoms, (the Lord of Hosts being their strength) as to make them a Terror to their Enemies, whereas they were become a scorn and derision to them. For your particular, Labour to make the Lord your Glory, to have Christ made unto you, as the Apostle speaks, both wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, which are the glory and beauty of the Soul, and redemption from your Spiritual Enemies; draw strength from him, to fight and prevail against them, till after the short Combat of this life, you obtain the Crown, and dwell in his presence, where you shall fear no more assaults, neither of Sin nor Affliction, but shall be for ever happy in the blessed Vision of his Face. To him, be glory,
Amen.