Sermons on Psalm 119, Sermons · Sermon 129
SERMON CXXIX.
PSAL. CXIX. VER. 118.
Thou hast trodden down all them that erre from thy Statutes; for their deceit is falshood.
IN the former Verse, the man of God had begged establishment in the ways of God; and now, as an help to what he had prayed for, he observe Gods Judgments on those that erre from them. It is a special means to preserve us from sin, to observe how mischievous it hath been to those that close with it. So the Prophet here, I will have respect to thy Statutes: Why? Thou hast trodden down them that erre from thy Statutes. By this means we learn to be wise at other mens costs, and are whipt upon others backs, Zeph. 3. 6, 7. I have cut off the Nations: their Towers are made desolate, their Cities are destroyed, there is none inhabitant; I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, &c. God is very much disappointed, if we be not bettered and improved by his Judgments. Exemplo qui peccat, bis peccat. He that would plunge himself into a Quagmire where others have miscarried before, sins doubly; because he neither fears threatnings, nor would take warning by their example. God looks to be the more reverenced for every warning he gives us in his Providence; because then what was before matter of Faith, is made matter of sense, and needs only a little application. Thus it will be with me if I should straggle from God, and go contrary to his direction, Isai. 26. 9. When thy Iudgments are in the Earth, the Inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. We need not doubt any more, whether God will punish the disobedient, when we see his threatnings made good; only we should reflect upon our hearts, And will not God visit my transgression if I should go on breaking his Laws? And what should hinder making such application? Are not all sinners alike to God? Christ tells us, Ye shall all likewise perish except ye repent, Luke 13. 5. they contented themselves to censure those on whom the Tower of Siloam fell. The desert of sin is the same, and Gods Justice as exact as ever; therefore if others are punished, why not we? We are strangely stupid if we do not walk more exactly with God. This use David maketh of it. Whether it were a Judgment past, or a Judgment expected in Faith, this deterred him from doing as they did, Thou hast trodden down them that erre from thy Statutes. In the words observe,
I. An account of Gods Judgments upon wicked men, Thou hast trodden down them that erre from thy Statutes.
II. The reason given of that dispensation, For their deceit is falshood.
I. In the first place observe, 1. The Notion by which the Judgment is express'd, Thou hast trodden down. 2. The persons described upon whom this Judgment hath lighted, or shall light, Them that erre from thy Statutes. 3. The Note of universality, All, of what estate or condition soever they be. From the first of these observe,
Doctr. Those that proudly erre from Gods Statutes, God can, hath and will soon pull them down with ignominy and contempt.
This Point will be made good, if we consider,
1. The persons described.
2. The Notion by which Judgment is exprest.
3. Something concerning the certainty of this Judgment.
1. The persons described, Them that erre from thy Statutes. Some erre out of weakness, and some out of pride and obstinacy. First, To erre out of weakness, to wander in by-paths of our own, is not safe, Psal. 125. 2. As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity. Men that do not sin out of malice, but are discouraged by the rod of the wicked, resting upon the lot of the righteous, verse 3. therefore think to shift for themselves by their own compliances, counsels, and crooked courses; God will deal with them as with his open enemies. Secondly, Proudly to exalt our selves against God, and trample his interest under foot, will bring sure Judgment, Psal. 119. 21. Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do erre from thy Commandments. Of such the Text speaks, those that oppose themselves against God, and bear themselves high in sinful Courses, upon the account of their prosperity.
2. The Notion by which the Judgment is express'd, Thou hast trodden down. The Septuagint, foreign, ad nihil deduxisti, thou hast brought to nothing; Aquila, .........., confixisti, thou hast stricken through; Symmachus, foreign, reprobasti, thou hast disproved; the Vulgar, sprevisti, thou hast contemned; Apollinarius, foreign, parvi pependisti, thou hast little esteemed: all to the same purpose. The Phrase of treading under foot, used by us, implies, First, A full punishment; Secondly, A disgraceful one.
First, A full punishment. God will pull them down from their altitudes, even to the dust, though never so high and proudly exalting themselves against God. A full Conquest of Enemies is thus often exprest in Scripture, Isai. 10. 6. the Assyrian is said to take the prey, and to tread them down like mire in the streets. So Mic. 7. 10. the same expression, when an adversary is laid even with the Ground, that he may be crush'd and trampl'd upon, as Iehu trod Iezebel under foot, 2 Kings 9. 32. and Isai. 26. 6. The feet of the poor shall tread it down, even the steps of the needy. So the utter and final overthrow of Satan is exprest, Rom. 16. 20. He shall tread Satan under his feet.
Secondly, It implies a disgraceful punishment, Psal. 110. 1. Until I make thine enemies thy footstool; an expression used to shew the ignominy and contempt God will put upon them. Christ keeps his sheep in his hands, Iohn 10. 28. his Lambs in his bosome, Isai. 40. 11. and his enemies under his feet, Iosh. 10. 24. When he vanquished the Canaanitish Kings, Come near, saith he to his Captains, put your feet upon the necks of these Kings. Thus Sapores the King of Persia trampled upon Valentinian the Emperour, and Tamberlain made Bajazet his Footstool. The meaning is, God will not only bring them under, but reduce them to an abject and contemptible Condition. So Chrysostome on the Text expoundeth this Phrase, That God will make them foreign, ignominious and contemptible. They shall not go off honourably, but with scorn and confusion of face, miserably broken.
3. The certainty of this Judgment, that he can, hath and will do so.
First, He can do so; though they befortified with never so many advantages, for what is too hard for God who made all things? It is easier we know to destroy than to build up things. Things long a building may be destroyed in a moment, and therefore God that made them can destroy them, Isai. 27. 4. Who would set the briers and thorns against me in battel? I would go through them, I would burn them together. Briers and thorns are matter to feed the fire, not to quench it. We want Faith in the power of God, and therefore we are dismay'd when we see wicked men great and high.
Secondly, He hath done so, notwithstanding their greatness and proud attempts. That's the Psalmist's expression here, God hath already trodden down many such persons, and hath decreed to tread down all. Of that sort the Prophet speaks, as a thing already done, either in way of Faith, or in part of sense, as begun to be executed, Amos 2. 9. I destroyed the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the Cedars, and he was strong as the Oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath. Potent and mighty enemies, if they stand in the way of his peoples mercies, God can pluck them up root and branch. When Pharaoh advanced himself against the people of God, God trod him down, and flung him into the bottom of the Sea. So the Psalmist tells us, Psal. 135. 10. He smote great Nations, and slew mighty Kings for their sakes, all the Kingdoms of Canaan, and gave their land for an heritage unto Israel his people. God will shew what respect he hath to his people, therefore when he ariseth to avenge their quarrel, nothing shall be able to stand before him,
Thirdly, He will do so, tread them down all.
1. Because of his invariable Justice, God is but one, Gal. 3. 20. that is, one always consonant unto himself, what he hath done, he will do, his Justice is the same that ever it was, and his power the same; and therefore in all his dispensations he is one; that is, ever like himself, is as ready to take vengeance of the insolencies of men now as before, and keepeth a proportion in his proceedings: he is of one mind, and who can turn him?
2. Because of the suitableness between Judgment and sin. They trample all that is holy and sacred under their feet, therefore God treadeth them under foot; they despise God, therefore are despised, 1 Sam. 2. 30. they trample upon the Grace of God in Christ, therefore are said, Heb. 10. 29. to tread the bloud of the Covenant under foot; they trample upon the Law of God, Amos. 2. 4. I will not turn away the punishment thereof, because they have despised my Law; they trample upon all godly admonitions and reproofs, Mat. 7. 6. Cast not your pearls before Swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rent you; and they trample the servants of God under foot, and make his Saints bow down for them to go over, Isai. 51. 23. and therefore are they themselves trodden under foot. They despise God, and therefore he despiseth them, and poureth contempt upon them; and the more they esteem themselves, of the less reckoning are they with God.
3. For the undeceiving the world, who usually look to sensible things. While their ways are prosperous, we make another manner of Judgment upon them, than we do when they are under contempt and disgrace, Mal. 3. 15. We call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up, and they that tempt God are even delivered. We dote too much upon outward things, insomuch that things wicked, if prosperous, seem good and holy. Our affections bribe our judgments, and those things that we would otherwise loath, have a fair gloss and varnish put upon them. 'Tis a mighty temptation, even to good men, and they begin to have other thoughts of things, when to appearance they are befriended by Gods Providence, and succeed beyond expectation. Therefore God will tread them down.
4. To undeceive Sinners themselves, that are hardened by their own prosperity and success, and make Gods Providence and forbearing punishment, to be an approbation of their actions against his Law. So Psal. 50. 21. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence, thou thoughtest I was altogether such an one as thy self, but I will reprove thee. God may for a long time endure very horrible provocationss without any act or mark of vengeance, till sinners flatter themselves that the things they do are pleasing to God; but they shall find they have erred, when they read their sins in their punishment, Mal. 2. 9. Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the Law. The great God aims at the repentance of men, both in his forbearance and his punishment: In his forbearance, Rom. 2. 4. Not knowing that the forbearance of God leadeth to repentance. He is pleased to suffer them that offend him grievously, to taste the goodness of his Providence, and have their turn in this worlds felicity, to see if that will better them; if not, then he poureth contempt and shame upon them, that by his frowns he may further their Conviction. When prosperity is a temptation, God will change the dispensation, and instead of general favour and respect, they meet with shame and disestimation and disgrace. This is the punishment of those that are partial in his Law. It is true, this is not to be taken singly without the foregoing provocation. It was the lot of Christ and his Prophets and Apostles to be disrespected in a wicked world, and such a tryal may befal his faithful messengers. Yet when this is the fruit of foregoing unfaithfulness, and men that had nothing to commend them to the world, but their height and grandeur, that only had a testimony in mens carnal affections, because of their greatness; and not a testimony in mens consciences, because of their purity and holiness and good fruits, (as good men have been in the consciences of those that hate them) it is to them a Judgment. But however, when those that in the main are faithful, are by a righteous Providence exposed to ignominy and contempt; they ought the more to search their Wayes, and to see whether they have been throughout with God in the Conscience of their Duty to him, and whether some neglect and partiality of theirs hath not brought this Judgment upon them.
5. To give a check to the insolency of men who abuse their power, and think they may do what they please when they have no hindrance and rub in the way, Mic. 2. 1. They do evil because it is in the power of their hands. Restraints of Conscience prevail not with many, but only restraints of Providence. 'Tis no thanks to them if they are not worse than they are; it is not because they want will, but because they want power. Therefore God cuts them short, and treads them down like mire.
Use 1. A warning to them that are in prosperity, that they do not carry it proudly against God, his ways and people. God hath unhorsed many that have held their heads very high; therefore let none presume to do evil because they are high and exalted. There is a foolish and mad confidence which wicked men have in their prosperity, as if they were above the reach of Providence, and therefore abuse their greatness to contempt and oppression. When men are up they know nothing moderate. Former Judgments upon the proud and disobedient, that contemn God, his people and ways, should a little check them: God that hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts, Luke 1. 51. can do it again, and will, when men will not take warning. As Nazianzen, when his heart was like to be corrupted and grow wanton with ease and prosperity, I thought (saith he) of reading the Lamentations of Ieremiah, and of the doleful condition of the Church in former times. This means he took to reduce himself to a holy sobriety. This is the thing God aimed at in the Ceremonial Law: In the Thank-offerings, Levened Bread was required, which was allowed in no other Sacrifice; thereby shewing, We should not so surfeit and run riot with our mercies, as to forget the bitterness of former afflictions, together with the causes of them.
Use 2. Not to be dismayed at the prosperity of the wicked, so as to be troubled either about your own persons, or about the cause of God, or to cry up a confederacy with them that erre from Gods Statutes when uppermost. Wicked men are here supposed to be in power, height and pride of Spirit; but God treadeth them down. And to be full of craft and subtilty, but their deceit is falshood; that is, for all their might and subtilty, they are not able to resist God. David was shaken with this tryal, when evil men were great and flourished in Wealth and Authority, Psal. 73. 17. but how doth he settle his heart? I went into the Sanctuary, and there I understood their end. When we look to the end of things, that will settle us; but when we see Gods work by halves, we miscarry: we make another judgment when we see Gods work brought to perfection, than we did when we only saw the beginning of it. Therefore let us not be altogether dismayed, a little faith will help us against the temptations from sense. When the Lord shall have tryed and humbled his people, then the Cup is put into the hand of the wicked, and God will throw them down from the seat of their arrogancy, and trample upon them like dust. What should hinder? Cannot God do it? or will he not? Cannot he do it? Yes, very easily; poor earthen Vessels that oppose him, they do but dash themselves against a Rock, they do but break themselves in pieces, all attempts are nothing, God will laugh them to scorn. Or else will he not do it? Doth not he hate sin as much as before? or love his people as much as ever? What God punisheth in one, he punisheth in all, if repentance prevent not; he oweth them a shame, therefore will pour contempt and disgrace upon those that dishonour him, Psal. 53. 5. It might soon be known what will become of them, if you would but awaken Faith, you may look upon it as a thing accomplished already, he shall tread down all iniquity under his feet, Mal. 4…3.
Use 3. Observe the Judgments upon those that erre from Gods Statutes, that we may fear before the Lord, and believe in him, and learn to obey his Statutes. David trembled to see Uzzah smitten, 2 Sam. 6. 7, 8. so should we, when God revenges the quarrel of any Commandment. Examples of Judgments are lively instances, and are apt to strike deep upon the heart. Therefore when we read or hear or see any of these, we should look upon it as a warning Piece let off from Heaven to warn us not to sin after the similitude of their transgression. God comes to speak to us in the language of sense; when we cannot understand by faith, he makes good his threatnings. The unbelieving Israelites were destroyed, Iude 5. Aaron's sons, for offering strange fire, were consumed, Levit. 10. Uzzah for touching the Ark; Lot's Wife, for looking back, turned into a Pillar of Salt; therefore it is said, Remember Lot's Wife, Luke 17. 32. So in every Age there are remarkable Judgments, how God treads down those that erre from his Statutes: Which should be observed not to censure others, but for our own caution.
But now, because men are apt to misapply Providence by a malicious interpretation, and to make perverse judgments of the sins of others, I shall give you some rules how you may avoid censure on the one hand, yet not hinder profit on the other.
1. It is certain Gods Judgments upon others must be observed, Ier. 7. 12. Go unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it, for the wickedness of my people Israel. Amos 6. 2. Pass ye to Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath the great; then go down to Gath of the Philistines: be they better than these Kingdoms? It is stupidness not to take notice of Gods hand. Providence is a Comment upon the Word of God, written many times in blood, and those that will not observe it shall feel it. Remember Lot's Wife: One observeth upon those words, Lege Historiam, ne fias Historia, observe the instances of Gods wrath upon others, lest thou be made an instance thy self. Sometimes God meets with this sinner, sometimes that, any that will go on in a way of sin and disobedience against God.
2. This Observation must be to a good end, not to censure others, for that is malice, to speak even to the grief of those whom God hath wounded, this is condemned, as enemies did of the people of God in their affliction, Ier. 50. 7. Neither must we do it to justifie our selves, that's pride and self-conceit, condemned Luke 13. 5. Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish; but for instruction, that we may fear for our selves, Zeph. 3. 7. Surely now thou shalt fear me. And that we may be cautioned against the like sins, that we may see what an evil and bitter thing it is to forsake the Lord, Ier. 2. 19. and that we may admire the Lords mercy to us, that we are not set out as marks of his vengeance, that we are not in their condition, Amos 6. 2. that we may give to the Lord the glory of his Mercy, Justice and Truth. Take one place for all, Rom. 11. 22. there the Apostle doth summe up all these three, that we might not boast our selves over others, that we may admire the Justice of God, and mercy to us ward, and may learn to fear him, and walk cautiously and humbly with him, lest we contract the like Judgment upon our selves.
3. In making the observation, there must be care that we do not make Providence speak a language which it owneth not, the language of our fancies, and pry into Gods Counsels without warrant.
First, When you come to observe Judgment, there must be a due reasoning from the provocation to the Judgment, but not è contra, not judge of the wickedness of the person by the affliction of the person. The Barbarians shewed little reason, and less charity, in misconstruing the passage of the Viper fastning upon St. Paul's hand, Act. 28. 4. The foregoing provocation must be evident before we interpret the Judgment. The dispensations of Gods Providence are common, and fall alike to good and bad, Eccl. 9. 2. God by a sudden stroke may take off the godly as well as the wicked. Good Eli broke his neck, 1 Sam. 4. 18. and Iosiah died in the Army in the same manner that Ahab did, by an Arrow in battel after he disguised himself, 1 Chron. 35. 23. therefore do not reason from the stroke of God. Shimei misinterpreted David's afflictions, 2 Sam. 16. 7, 8. Come out thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial; the Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the Lord hath delivered the Kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy Son. Iob's friends thought him an Hypocrite because God smote him with Boils and Sores. The best of Gods Children may suffer greatly from his hand; but the Judgment must not make you conclude a sin, but the foregoing sin must make you interpret it to be a Judgment.
2. When the sin is written upon the Judgment, and there are some remarkable circumstances wherein the sin and the Judgment meet, as Iud. 1. 7. Adonibezek, as he served his vanquished enemies, so was he served himself, his thumbs and toes cut off. Gods retaliation is very notable. Many Judgments have a signature upon them, as many Herbs in Nature have a signature to shew for what use they serve, Obad. 15. As thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee; thy reward shall return upon thine own head. When God payeth men home in their own Coin, Gen. 9. 6. Whoso sheddeth mans blood, by man shall his blood be shed: it is not only a Law, what ought to be done in Justice; but a Rule of Providence, what shall be done. Pharaoh was the Authour of the execution in drowning the Israelites Children, so Pharaoh and all his Host, his Nobility and Men of War, were drowned in the Sea. Ahab's blood was licked up with Dogs in the place where they licked up the blood of Naboth. Iezebel was more guilty than he, Ahab permitted it, but Iezebel contrived it; Ahab humbled himself, therefore his Body was buried, but Iezebel was intombed in the Bellies of Gods. Haman was hanged on the Gallows set up for Mordecai. Henry III. of France was killed in the same Chamber where the Massacre was contrived. Charles IX. flowed with blood in his bed. Thus God will requite men in the same kind. His own people meet with this, Iacob supplanted his Elder Brother, and therefore the Elder is brought to him instead of the Younger. Asa put the Prophet in the Stocks, and he is diseased in his feet. Ioseph's Brethren were not flexible to his request, afterwards when they were in extremity Ioseph proves inexorable to them, Gen. 42. 21. We are verily guilty concerning our Brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us. How comes this into their minds, this was many years after the Fact was committed, some twenty years as they compute? So God deals with his Children in like manner as they dealt with others, that their Consciences may work the more kindly. The same is observed concerning David and Absolom, 2 Sam. 12. 10, 11, 12. He took the Wife of Uriah to be his Wife, and Absalom took his Wives before his eyes. St. Paul consented to the stoning of Steven, and assisted in the execution, They laid down their Garments at his feet; therefore afterwards Paul himself for preaching the Gospel is stoned, and left for dead, Acts 14. 19, 20. Barnabas was not stoned that assisted Paul; both were alike offensive to the men of Iconium in preaching the Gospel. Paul was sensible of this as a great part of his guilt, Acts 22. 20. and his Conscience works upon that. Many other instances might be given, but this enough.
3. When Judgments fall upon them in the very act of their provocation. Thus many are taken away by a violent death in the very heat of their drunkenness: Zimri and Cozbi lost their lives in the very instant when they were unloading their lusts, and many times we see punishment treads upon the heels of sin.
4. When they are Authours of their own destruction. Not only in such a sensible manner as Saul, Achitophel, and Iudas, that murthered themselves; but thus, when men are given up to their headlong Counsels, to break themselves, Prov. 5. 22. His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the Cords of his sins. Wicked men are often whipt with their own Rods. And Psal. 9. 15, 16. In the Net which they hid, is their own foot taken. The Lord is known by the Iudgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgajon, Selah. When by their own errours, mistakes and furious passions they undo themselves.
5. When evil men are brought down, wonderfully, suddenly, contrary to all apparent likelihood and the course of second Causes, Psal. 64. 7. God shall shoot at them with an Arrow, suddenly shall they be wounded, so they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves. And Psal. 58. 7. unto the 11th Verse, there's this Consolation given to the Church, That enemies shall be destroyed before the Pots feel the thorns. When they are contriving and boiling somewhat in their minds, before the Pots feel the thorns, God takes them away suddenly in an instant, and then men shall say, Verily there is a rewarder of evil.
6. When Gods Judgments are executed by unlikely means and instruments. Sisera, a great Captain, destroyed by Iael, Iudg. 4. 21. Adrian the Pope strangled by a Gnat, Arius voiding his Bowels in a Draught after his perjury; Cora, Dathan and Abiram, when the Earth clave to receive them that had made a rent in the Congregation; and Herod was eaten up with Lice.
7. When such accidents bring a great deal of Glory to God, and peace and tranquillity to his people; as hanging Haman with his Sons upon his own Gallows, Esth. 7. 9. and 8. 17.
8. When God supplies the defects of mans Justice, and their iniquity finds them out, when they think all is forgotten, and shall be no more heard of, Psal. 9. 12. When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembreth them; he forgetteth not the cry of the humble. There are many instances how God finds out men that seem to escape well enough from mans hands, when they could not be found out by man. Zeph. 3. 5. the Prophet tells us, Every morning he will bring his Iudgments to light. There is some sinner or other which God notably punisheth, that men may owne his Providence.
9. When the word foreign in the express letter is made good upon men, Hos. 7. 12. I will chastise them, as their Congregation hath heard. The word doth fully take effect, and what they would not believe, they are made to feel. By these rules we may observe Gods Judgments with profit. To quicken you to do so, consider,
First, It would be a mighty cure to Atheism. There are a sort of men setled on their lees; that say in their heart, The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil, Zeph. 1. 12. that think God is so shut up within the Curtain of the Heavens, that he takes no notice of what is done below. These vain conceits would soon vanish, if men would but turn Students in Gods Providence, they would soon cry out, Verily there is a reward for the righteous, verily there is a God that judgeth in the Earth; they would say there is a Ruler of the affairs of the world, and a righteous Judg that takes care of all things here below. Usually men think amiss of God, as if good and evil were of no respect with him, but all things were governed by chance, as Iob's wife said, Dost thou yet retain thy integrity? Curse God and dye. Mal. 2. 12. Ye have wearied the Lord with your words, yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment? We do notsee his Justice, and so have atheistical and evil conceits of God. When we fancy evil men are in esteem, and the good neglected and despised; it is a temptation to men to think there is no Providence, no God. So when the nocent are prosperous, and the good vexed with all manner of displeasure. As Claudian the Poet much doubted whether there were any such thing as Providence, that had a care of sublunary things; but at length when he saw Ruffinus was only lifted up that his fall might be the greater, then he no more calls in question Gods Providence, or taxes him of indifferency to good and evil.
Secondly, It will be a notable curb and awe upon us to keep us from sin; for all these things befal them for our learning: 'tis our stupid incogitancy when God puts these examples before our eyes, and we are not affected with them, and so are of little use to us, Iosh. 9. 3. When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Ioshua did to Iericho and to Ai, they were wiser than we, they did not expect the coming of Ioshua, but sent messengers to meet him and strike up a Covenant with him. Or as that Captain that came to Elijah, 1 King. 1. 13. when two Captains were destroyed with their fifties, he comes and desires the Prophet to spare his life, and that those he brought with him might be dear and precious in his eyes. As he did, so should we; God hath smitten this and that for sin, we should the more humble our selves, and desire terms of Grace; but our blindness and stupidness is such that we are not moved with Gods Judgments on others to look to the state of our Souls, Prov. 22. 3. The wise man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself, but the fool goeth on and is punished.
II. I come now to the Reason rendred, For their deceit is falshood. The Septuagint have foreign, thou hast despised all those that erre from thy Statutes, for their thought is unjust. But to open the words. These two Notions, deceit and falshood, sometimes are taken for the vanity of outward things, the disappointment of trust; for by an ill-built trust a man deceives himself, and his hopes prove false: and sometimes they are put for craft, guile and hypocrisie. Now according to these different acceptions of the word, divers sences are given. First, Some think these words relate to the disappointment of their trust. Thus their confidences wherein they trust will deceive them at last, and be found falshood. Certain it is, that carnal men have many imaginations and carnal confidences, wherein they flatter themselves, and hope to avoid their appointed Judgments, which prove in the conclusion but lying vanities. If this were the sense, that at length it shall appear how deceitful their trust is, then it concerns us to see to our trust, to see what in probability those confidences might be whereby they deceive their own souls. Is it their greatness and present height? This deceiveth them when they are brought down wonderfully, Isai. 14. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. Or is it meant of their devices, and witty Counsels wherein they trust? but their subtle devices fail, and they are often taken in the snares they laid for others, Isai. 29. 14. The wisdom of the wise men shall perish, and the understanding of the prudent shall be hidden. All their craft will do them no good, all their cunning and policy by which they hope to fortifie and defend themselves and prevent their ruine, shall come to nought. Or they do not get that by their deceit which they hope for; though they have many methods and stratagems to circumvent the people of God, yet they shall prove but vain. Secondly, Most simply it seemeth to be taken for hypocrisy and guile of spirit, manifested either in shews of piety or any guileful course, whereby they would undermine others; for this reason God will bring them down.
Doctr. All fraudulency and hypocrisy is hateful to God; therefore he will sooner or later discover and destroy those that practise it.
Fraudulency is twofold.
1. Either falshood in ordinary Commerce, lying or treacherous imposing on the simplicity of upright and honest men. Most mens wisedome and policy lies in their falshood and deceitfulness; but this shall be manifested, and whilst they think to deceive others, they shall be deceived themselves, Iob 5. 13. and be taken in their own snares; and whilst they seek to ruine and undermine others, they are ruined and undermined themselves. Or,
2. There's another sort of fraudulency, pretences of piety, whereby such men deceive the world. Now this deceit is threefold, either the deceit of the Heretick and erroneous person, or the Formalist and superstitious person, or the deceit of those that pretend to be truly religious. All these cheats put upon the world shall not long hold.
First, The cheat of erroneous persons and heretical Seducers, who under a fair mask and plausible appearance, carry on such designs as prove troublesome and noxious to the Church of God. Though for a while they carry great sway under colour of a godly life, yet at length God will tread them to dust and nothing, and then all will be counted but deceit. The deceit of Heretical Seducers is often spoken of in Scripture, Rev. 2. 9. I know the blasphemy of them which say, They are Iews and are not; but are the Synagogue of Satan. And 1 Tim. 3. 5,—9. But they shall proceed no farther; for their folly shall be manifest unto all men. When, under a form of godliness, they carry on a horrible design unto the great disturbance of the Church, to the Kingdome and Commonwealth, the day shall declare it, 1 Cor. 3. 13. God will bring them down.
Secondly, There is the deceit of superstitious Persons and Formalists, who seem to be devout and have great zeal for outward things, not commanded by God; such make a fair shew in the flesh, Gal. 6. 12. by observing outward and carnal Rites, as Circumcision, difference of Meats, legal purifications; all their Religion is but a vain shew, to beguile a loose Conscience. This same sort of men are again described to be those that speak lies in hypocrisy, 1 Tim. 4. 7. These also do in time discover the folly of their way, manifested by some notable Judgment; for these things take not hold of mens Consciences, but only of their affections; and when publick Countenance is gone, they are of no more esteem.
Thirdly, There's the deceit of those that only pretend to be truly religious, and are not so; and because false and counterfeit, they are hateful and abominable to God. Now these God will not only punish in the other world, Matth. 24. 51. He shall appoint him his portion with the Hypocrites, Hell seems to be their Free-hold and Patrimony; but here, sooner or later, God will pluck off these Vizards, and bring disappointment and ruine upon these deceivers, Prov. 26. 26. The Hypocrite shall be discovered before the Congregation. Things that are counterfeit and false do not long hold out. God will discover them, either by some trying Judgment, as he that builds upon the Sand, when the winds blow and beat upon the House, down it falls. Earthen Vessels, when they come to be scowred, the varnish and paint wears off. Or by some scandalous fall, for that which is lame will soon be turned out of the way, Heb. 12. 13. This deceitfulness,
1. Is contrary to God, who is a God of truth, Psal. 31. 5. the Authour of truth, Ephes. 4. 24. Created after God in righteousness and true holiness; and a lover of truth, Psal. 51. 3. Thou desirest truth in the inward parts. So that it is a great affront to God, when men deal falsly, Ier. 5. 3. O Lord, are not thine eyes upon the truth? Is not that the thing thou lookest after in all the works of men? This is all in all with God.
2. It is contrary to Justice, Charity, and common ingenuity, it destroys the Commerce between man and man, Ephes. 4. 25. Put away lying, speak every man truth with his Neighbour; for ye are members one of another. It is unnatural and monstrous, by lying and deceit, to circumvent one another, it is as for one part of the Body to destroy another. It is a sin not only unseemly for a Christian, but it tends to the overthrow of all humane Society; fidelity and mutual trust being the ground of all commerce. Now God will pour out his Judgments upon them.
Use. Let this teach us to carry it sincerely both to God and men; for craft will not always succeed. The more real worth in any, the more openly and fairly they carry it. But for Motives.
1. You will never else have true solid comfort, until you are real without dissembling before God and men, 2 Cor. 1. 12. For our rejoycing is this, the testimony of our Conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with guile and fleshly wisdom we have had our conversation in the world. Truth breeds joy and comfort of heart when a man is sincere and acts according to his Conscience.
2. You will never hold out without it, your Mask will fall off, Iames 1. 8. The double minded man is unstable in all his ways, wavering, unconstant, up and down, off and on with God. A Hypocrite is compared to a Rush that grows in the mire, Iob 8. 12. pluck it up, it soon withers; they are like Reeds shaken with every wind. And you can have no approbation and acceptation with God; God likes those that are sincere, Behold an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile. Who are those who have pardon of sin sealed up to their Souls? O blessed is that man that can say his sins are forgiven him. Who is that man? In whose spirit there is no guile; that is, without dissimulation, fraudulency and guile: this man enjoys acceptance with God, pardon of sin, justification before God. And the contrary will certainly bring down an heavy Judgment.