Sermons, Sermon 7 – Title page 7
A SERMON PREACHED before the Honourable Houſe of COMMONS, upon the day of the Monethly-Faſt, January 28. 1645.
JAMES 4. 8.
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you: Cleanſe your hands, you ſinners, and purifie your hearts, ye double-minded.
MY worke at this time (by agreement) is to bring up the rere of this text,See M. Caryl his Sermon upon the former part of this text. that it may appear to you in a full body; you received (in the fore-noon) the invitation to that, which is not only the main duty, but alſo the chief good of man. To draw nigh to God: And you have (I hope) taſted of the ſweetneſſe of that promiſe which God doth make, or the entertainment which he gives to ſuch; God will draw nigh to you; ſo the prodigall ſon aroſe and came to his father, and his father ran and fell on his neck and kiſſed him. The Luk. 15. 20.loſt ſon comes, the compaſsionate father runs. God anſwers his people in a way of retaliation: if they draw nigh to him, he will draw nigh to them: and this drawing nigh of God to us, is like the neerer approaches of the ſun, which by his heat and prolificall influences, gives life and beauty to thoſe things that before lay dead and buried, ſhrowded in the winding ſheet of the winter ſnow.
That part of the text which comes under my hand (Cleanſe your hands, you ſinners, and purifie your hearts, ye double minded) contains in it,
1. The prohibens, or impediment prohibiting this mutuall drawing nigh of you to God, of God to you; and that is, the pollution of your hands, the uncleanneſſe or corruption of your hearts; for it is not poſſible there ſhould be coalition or communion between God and wicked men; therefore its ſaid, Pſal 18. 26. with the pure thou wilt ſhew thy ſelf pure, and with the froward thou wilt ſhew thy ſelf froward; Plato ſaw this truth,Plato in Plae…o….…. foreign (ſaith he) foreign, the law of contrariety forbids purity and filthineſſe to touch, that is, to have fellowſhip or communion, foreign, touch not the unclean thing, 2 Cor. 6. 17. God is ſo farre from drawing nigh unto, that he will hide his eyes from unclean hands. The reaſon why he delighteth not in our fatteſt ſacrifices, why our incenſe is an abomination to him, why he hateth our new Moons and appointed feaſts, why he will not hear our multiplied prayers, is the uncleanneſſe of our hands, Iſa. 1. from the 11. to the end of the 15th verſe; Thou art of purer eyes then to behold evil, and canſt not look on iniquity, ſaith the Prophet, Hab. 1. 13. thatSee the word foreign explicated in M. Gattaker his learned Treatiſe, called. Go…s eye … b… Iſrael. is, thou canſt not countenance the violence and oppreſſions of thy people, the grievance and vexation done unto them by wicked men, much leſſe. draw nigh to men of ſuch unclean hands.
2. The removens prohibens, or the removall of that impediment, and that is cleanſing of hands, and purifying of your hearts, for ſaith the Prophet, Iſa. 1. 16. Waſh ye, make ye clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; ceaſe to do evil, learn to doe well, ſeek judgement, relieve the oppreſſed, judge the fatherles, plead for the widow: (And then it followes) Come now and let us reaſon together, ſaith the Lord. Our diſſimilitude and unlikenes to God, is a barre to this mutuall acquaintance and communion, for a man unlike to God, cannot but diſlike him. As white is no more contrary to black, then black to white: ſo Gods holines is no more contrary to our wickednes, then our wickednes is to his holines: and therefore there can be no drawing nigh together, unles either God recede from his holines, (which cannot be) or we be cleanſed and purified from our uncleanneſſe, which is the onelyonly way to make this communion cloſe, ſweet, and firm.
That the Text is proper and ſeaſonable for this day of our Humiliation is plain, not only by that which immediatly followes in the 9. and 10. ver. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: humble your ſelves in the ſight of the Lord. But by the Text it ſelf, for what is the foreign, the main buſines of a Faſt, but to ſearch for the Lord with all our heart, to lament after him, to draw nigh unto, and meet our God? and what is the foreign, or main buſines of them that faſt, but to bring forth the wickednes that is in their hands, and the predominant corruptions that are in their hearts, and as witneſſes againſt them, to caſt upon them the ſtone of execution that they may die. A Faſt is not meerly a ſermon and a prayer, there is a propriety in that ordinance or duty. The ſermon ſhould ſpread your ſinnes before you, and your confeſſions and prayer ſhould ſpread them before the Lord. The ſermon puts the aſhes on your heads, and dreſſes your ſouls in that ſackcloth, which you are to wear as mourning garments, in your prayer and humiliation. I wiſh our Faſts may not loſe their property, like phyſick, which by often taking, becomes at length a diet, rather then a medicine.
There is in the words triplex foreign, a three-fold conjunction.
Sinners and double-minded cleanſe and purifie your Hands.
Sinners and double-minded cleanſe and purifie your Hearts.
I ſhall firſt break the ſhell, by explication of the termes.
The word [foreign] ſinners, as it ſignifies in generall any ſinner, in oppoſition to a righteous man, Rom. 5. 19. As by one mans diſobedience, many were made [foreign] ſinners, ſo by the obedience of one, ſhall many be made [foreign] righteous: ſo in ſpeciall it alſo ſignifies a wicked man, one of flagitious life, a ſinner foreign, therefore its often ſaid [foreign] Publicans and ſinners, and Luk. 7. 37. a woman in that City which was [foreign] a ſinner, that is an adultereſſe, or a harlot, as it is generally expounded; and if we ſurvey the beginning of this chapter, what brawlings, envyings, luſts, ſelf-ſeeking, did raigne amongſt this people, we ſhall ſee good reaſon to take the word ſinners, for ſuch as did lie in more open and ſcandalous ſinnes, men of unclean hands.
The word foreign, double minded, is once before uſed in this Epiſtle, chap. 1. 8. and ſignifies ſuch as have double, (or as the Syriack expreſſeth it) dividedforeign 1 Chron. 12. 33. Pſal. 12 …. hearts, it anſwers the Hebrew expreſſion: a heart and a heart, which the ſeptuagint doe interpret word for word, foreign, and Symachus (whom Chryſoſtom on, Pſal. 12. 2. calls foreign) renders it, foreign, we ſhall beſt underſtand the ſenſe of the word, by comparing it with the oppoſite thereunto, and that is foreign, Epheſ. 6. 5. Col. 3. 22. Simplicity, or ſinglenes of heart, it is a grace recommended to ſervants, in ſinglenes of heart as unto Christ, not with eye-ſervice as unto men; And again its ſaid, In ſinglenes of heart fearing God: doing whatſoever you doe from your heart, as to the Lord, and not to man; where you have ſinglenes of heart deſcribed, to be the ſteerage of the heart, by the fear of God in a right line, to intend and aim at him and his glory, in all you doe; for thoſe crooked, ſerpentine, and ſubtill windings and turnings of heart, which are called, foreignPſal. 145. 4, 5. crooked wayes, that are like a winding way, or winding brook, that runnes in and out; or like a winding ſtayre caſe, where a man goes but three or four ſteps, and then turnes to another point, are ſet in oppoſition to uprightnes of heart; ſuch off and on, ſuch in and out hearts cannot be upright, they then are double minded.
1. Whoſe hearts are not ſingle and entire with God, but divided between God and ſelf, being biaſſed with carnall and worldly luſts, policies or ends.
Like the heart of an Adulterer, or Adultereſse, (ſo theſe double minded ones are alſo called, ver. 4.) which is divided between husband or wife, and ſome other ſtrange love.
2. Whoſe hearts are not fixed upon one center, but uncertain, moveable, and inconſtant with God, cap. 1. ver. 8. A double minded man is unſetled in all his wayes, The word is foreign, which ſignifies that he is at no ſetlednes within himſelf, but off and on, by reaſon of luſts that mutiny within him, and carry him away from chuſing, and reſting upon God alone: and this inconſtancie riſes from the former, namely, the diviſion of the heart, for it being divided in it ſelf by reaſonings, ſelf-intereſts, luſts, cannot be conſtant in attendance upon God. It is but by accident that the weather-cock points towards the ſunne, namely, becauſe the winde and ſun are both in one corner. If the winde turn, it turnes away alſo.
2. Cleanſe and purifie, foreign, theſeforeign words are promiſcuouſly, and indifferently uſed by the Septuagint, to interpret the Hebrew words that ſignify to cleanſe and purify; and there is in theſe words an alluſion to legall uncleanneſſes, and the purifying of them; for as in the law, before an unclean perſon might draw nigh to God, he muſt be purified from his uncleanneſſe, ſo thoſe that will draw nigh to God or would have God draw nigh to them, muſt cleanſe their hands, and purify their hearts. TheEo lavatum, ut ſacrificem, num la…abo ut rem d…vinam facia… Plant. in au…ul. foreign. …lutarch in Mario. Heathens had their ceremonious waſhings, and purifyings, as preparative to their ſacrifices and prayers, and this heart-purifying, and hand-cleanſſing, is that purgatory thorow which we muſt goe, if we will draw nigh to God in worſhip and communion; God will be ſerved with clean creatures.
3. Hands and hearts. The heart is the womb, vvhere luſt is vvarmed and conceived; the ſhop, where the forge, anvill, bellowes, fire are for the forming of luſt, and making of it ready. The hands are put for the executive and inſtrumentall powers, that bring it forth to light and act it, foreign, Rom. 6. 13. the vveapons of unrighteouſnes unto ſinne; In ſhort, the outward and inward man being filthy and unclean, muſt be purified from corruption of heart and life. For he that hath clean hands and a pure heart, Pſal, 24. 4. 5. ſhall receive the bleſſing from the Lord; and righteouſnes from the God of his ſalvation.
I ſhall now come to the matter of the Text which I will handle.
1. In the two parts of it diſtinctly. Cleanſe your hands, purifie your hearts.
2. As theſe two parts are in connexion one with the other: cleanſe your hands, and purify your hearts.
3. As they ſtand both together, in reference to our drawing nigh to God, and his drawing nigh to us. Draw nigh to God, and he vvill draw nigh to you. Cleanſe your hands, &c.
You may eaſily ſee that here is very little ſpeculative, or notionall matter, but practicall, and ſuch as will fall moſt properly into uſe, and into matter of application. We have now to deal vvith your hearts and hands, and not your brain. Here vvill be no fine thin wafers which vvill melt upon your tongue, and vaniſh in a little ſweetnes; and yet ſuch novelties and running banquets are all for the palate of theſe queaſy times; ô Religion! how art thou turned into a kinde of Philoſophy of opinions, in danger to be a mere ſcepticke, or terra incognita, an every thing, a nothing, a thing for a vvanton fancy to play withall, a ſmooth tongue to talk of, made up of a brain and a mouth, without heart and hands. How can it be otherwiſe when the tree of knowledge is ſo much preferd before the tree of life?
From the firſt part, Cleanſe your hands, ye ſinners, I obſerve,
1 A corrupt and wicked life argues a man to be a ſtranger to God, and God to him.
2 They that will draw nigh to God, muſt clenſe their hands.
Doct. 1 A corrupt and wicked life argues a man to be a ſtranger to God, and God him; for otherwiſe a man might draw nigh to God, and have unclean hands too, which the Text ſuppoſes that it cannot be. That power which draws a man into acquaintance with God, doth proportionably kill ſin. That power which flows from God in acquaintance with a man, kils ſin too: whether I go out to the Sun, or the Sun come in to mee, the darkneſſe is expeld: ſin hath not dominion over them that are under grace, Rom. 6. 14. the knowledge of God ſets a man looſe from his bondage to the enſlaving luſts hee before ſerved, yee ſhall know the truth, and the truth ſhall make you free, John 8. 32. draw nigh to God, and be unclean if you can. That faith which is uniting to Chriſt, is a purifying faith; rebellion againſt the Commandements of God, is inconſiſtent with communion with God; you may faſt, and pray, and ask, that you may conſume upon your luſts, Verſ. 4. like a Cut purſe in a Church, who comes not thither to ſeek God, but his prey.
Doct. 2 They that draw nigh to God, muſt clenſe their hands; I will waſh mine hands in innocency, ſo will I compaſſe thine Altar, O Lord, Pſal. 26. 6. Where you may obſerve, that thankſgivings and prayſes, which the Pſalmiſt calls ſacrifices of ſhouting, or loud muſick, Pſal. 27. 6. and whereinforeign Lorinus in Pſal. 26. 6. they uſed (as one ſaith) choros agere circum altare; are to be performed with waſhen hands: ſo in your prayers, the Lord requires that you ſhould lift up pure hands, 1 Tim. 2. 8. and what a ſweet reflection may you make upon your deliverances which are wonderfull, when you can ſay, I was upright with God, and I kept my ſelf from mine iniquity? Therefore hath the Lord recompenſed me according to my righteouſnes, according to the cleannes of my hands in his eye-ſight, Pſal. 18. 23, 24. If ye fall into ſtraits, and be plunged into depths of miſery; If your face be foule with weeping, and on your eye-lids be the ſhadow of death; what a lifting up of the head will it be unto you, to be able to ſay, Not for any injuſtice in my hands? Job 16. 17. If the Lord ſhall deliver this Iſland from the oppreſſion and injuſtice under which it hath groaned; what a crown and comfort will it be to you, that it is delivered by the purenes of your hands? Job 22. 30. To conclude. If there be a fruſtration of our counſels, and our endevours bring forth nothing but wind; You ſhal find the reaſon why God makes all void and ineffectuall, Iſa. 59. 6. Their webs ſhall not become garments, neither ſhall they cover themſelves with their works; Their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands.
That nothing may be loſt, let us pick up the particulars that are offered unto us in this point.
1 That God invites foreign great ſinners to draw nigh to him, and promiſeth to draw nigh to them, O yee ſinners, no ſuch ſtrangers to God, but they may come into favour, intimacy, and communion with him; Great ſinners are oftentimes made great Saints: God engraves his image in untoward wood, that the churliſhneſſe of the matter may the more commend the workman; hee calls them to him, being yet overwhelmed with ſin, and in their drawing nigh to him they are clenſed; as Chriſt ſent the Lepers to the Prieſt, but foreign, as they were going they were clenſed, Luke 17. 14.
2 He bids theſe ſinners clenſe and purifie, their hands and hearts? but how can corruption clenſe it ſelfe? can unſavoury ſalt ſeaſon it ſelfe? No. God purifieth the heart by faith, Acts 15. 9. and every man that hath this hope, purifieth himſelf, 1 John 3. 3. Chriſt is he that comes by water and blood, 1 John 5. 6. that is, by all manner of purifying, typified by legall purifications. This is (ſayth a learned man) one of the myſteries of this Law (of purifying) that a clean perſon was himſelfe made uncleane, by touching the holy water, Ainſworth in Numb. 19.or ſprinkling it upon the unclean: and this is the great myſtery of the Goſpel, that hee whoſe bloud clenſeth us from all ſin, 1 John 1. 7. and in whom being a cleane perſon is no ſinne, ſhould yet be made ſinne for us, and for our clenſing. And as an uncleane perſon is ſaid to purifie himſelfe, Numb. 19. 12, & 20. becauſe that (though there was a peculiar water for that purpoſe, and that alſo to be ſprinkled on him by another) it was his duty to come unto that purifying water, and make uſe of it: ſo are you to purifie your hearts, and clenſe your hands, by comming unto that bloud of ſprinkling, Heb. 12. 22, 24. Faith will bring you to this purifying bloud: one touch of CHRIST by faith, draws vertue out of him, which will dry up your running iſſues. Humillation, though it doe not properly clenſe your hands, yet it plucks off the gloves, and makes them bare for waſhing: and godly ſorrow with its ſeven daughters as they are expreſſed, 2 Cor. 7. 11. are clenſing things. This is the way of your clenſing and purifying, this is your duty, and this through grace is your ability; for the regerate being principled, doth act; being purified, doth purifie himſelf; and being kept by the power of God, doth alſo keep himſelf, as it is ſaid, 1 John 5. 18.
3 Sinners are to clenſe their hands: but what are thoſe ſins? they are generally thoſe outward ſins, or wayes of wickedneſſe wherein men uſe to walk, and which do denominate a man foreign a ſinner of deeper dye; but in ſpeciall wee finde ſome more eminently called ſins of the hands, as oppreſſion and violence, Jonah 3. 8. blood, Iſa. 1. 15. bribes, Iſa. 33. 15. injuſtice, Job 16. 17. as there are alſo eye-ſins, ear-ſins, tongue-ſins, &c.
4 Why is clenſing the hands ſet before purifying of the heart? for the rule is, make the tree good, and his fruit good: in vain, do we go about to ſweeten the ſtream when the fountain ſtil ſends forth bitter water: To this I anſwer, that though it be but a ſollicitous trifling to vex every prius and poſterius, which we meet with in Scripture, and is but a curioſity to take pains to ſay nothing, leſt we might ſeem to leave any thing unſaid, yet there may ſome account be given of this tranſpoſition: as 1 The Scripture ſometimes puts that firſt, which is viſibly firſt, the ſigne before the cauſe, as when it is ſaid, Calling and Election. 2 Becauſe conviction begins at ſome groſſer ſin, there the conſcience begins to take fire: and God who hath the ordering of ſin, makes ſome great ſin very ſerviceable and uſefull, to be, as it were, an entring wedge to breake the knotty heart all to pieces. 3 Becauſe grace having once got footing in the heart, preſently enters the field againſt this kinde of ſins, as having greater guilt, and by their bulk making the greateſt interception of the light of Gods countenance, and more inconſiſtent with a ſtate of ſalvation, then thoſe rebelling and moleſting corruptions which are within.
Reaſon. For the reaſon of this point, That they who draw nigh to God, muſt clenſe their hands. I ſhall offer onelyonly this. That theſe ſins of our hands, doe keepe us at diſtance from God, and God at diſtance from us; your iniquities have ſeparated between you and your God, and your ſins have hid his face from you, Iſa. 59. 2. This is the worſt effect and fruit of ſin; that it is privative of our union with, and fruition of God: Depart from mee, is as terrible a word as everlaſting fire; It is foreign. Jude 13. the blackneſſe of darkneſſe, the luſtings of corruption which are in the regenerate, are (as I may call them) tranſparent ſins, they obſtruct not our communion with God; like the motes which are infinite, but hinder not the Suns bright beams from us; but theſe hand-ſins or wickedneſſe of life, are opacous, and put us into the ſhade, by their interpoſition between God and us, and doubtleſſe while wee are in love with ſin God is as unpleaſing to us as wee are unpleaſing to him, nor would wee any more draw nigh to him then hee to us. Give mee leave thus to convey the notion that I have upon this point, Commerce is one thing, Communion is another: As a man will have commerce or trade with an enemy, a ſtranger, any body, to trade with him for profit, and to gain ſome commodity which he hath in his hands; but Communion, which is in way of love, friendſhip or acquaintance, hee cares not for, nor would by any means admit of; ſo a man, whoſe hands and life are full of ſin, and his heart full of enmity to God, may yet have ſome cōmerce with God in duties or ordinances, to ſerve his turn upon God, uti Deo ut fruatur mundo, and to make uſe of him for his own ends; as it is ſaid, Verſ. 4. You aske, that you may conſume upon your luſts; but communion in way of league and friendſhip with God, and fruition of him in way of ſpeciall love and favour, hee neither can have, nor will, except hee alſo give a bill of Divorce to his beſt beloved luſts.
Generall Vſe. I come now to make application of this Point to you, and the Uſe is in the Text, Clenſe your hands, ye ſinners. It's unacceptable work to be ſet upon, for a ſinner to clenſe & purifie, and to clenſe his hands too, which are ful of profitable ſins, Turn ye enery one from your evil way, and from the violence that is in your hands, Jonah 3. 8. It is a wonder that the Ship wherein wee are, ſo laden with ſins of all ranks and ſubordinations of men, King, Princes, Judges Lawyers, Gentry, Miniſters, people (eſpecially in ſuch growne Seas as we have been in) ſhould live to this day; for you know we entered into this wilderneſſe, wherein we yet wander, with our former Egypt-ſins upon our backs, and we alas did not firſt make even before we went upon a new ſcore; we faſt, we pray, we Covenant, and yet we are as double minded, as foul handed as before; ungodlineſſe, unrighteouſneſſe, ſelf-ſeekings, hypocriſie, religiouſneſſe for our ends abound amongſt us, and contempt of the Miniſtery more then ever, ſo that preaching of the word by the Miniſters of this Kingdom, which for ſoundneſſe, ſpiritualneſſe and ſucceſſe, hath not been (I was going to ſay) paralelled, (I may truly ſay) exceld in any part of the World, is by very many now judged to have beene a Monopoly, and fit among other Monopolies to goe downe and to be made a common trade. Not many years agoe, when it was both danger and diſgrace to hold forth the profeſſion of the Name of Chriſt in truth, what appetite had Chriſtians to the ſincere doctrine of Chriſt, and of regeneration and mortification of ſin? How did they in their private meetings, lay ſiege to the throne of grace with united ſtrength, and antidote themſelves againſt the infectious ayre of thoſe times? whoſe eyes were thought too deare for thoſe faithfull meſſengers of God at whoſe feet they ſate? what contending was there for the faith once delivered to the Saints? what burning love had they each to other? what onenes of heart and mind? Now alas, ſome of thoſe good ears of corn are mildewd, and many run all up into ſtraw, and do not ear ſo well; Religion vapours it ſelf out into notions and diſputes of no value, breaks into parties, and is broken in pieces by mutuall animoſities;Ammianus Marcell. lib. 21 de Conſtantio. Grotius de veritate, lib. 1. in initio. ſo it is obſerved, that that ſincere & true godlines, which flouriſht and was warm in Chriſtians under the perſecuting Emperours, poſt Conſtantinum caepit refrigeſcere, after Conſtantine, when it was both ſafe and honorable, it began to cool, and to break out into ambition, pride, contention, &c. If you will not own your ſins, we that are Miniſters muſt cry aloud, Iſa. 58. 1. Cry aloud, ſpare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and ſhew my people their tranſgreſsions, and the houſe of Jacob their ſins: and obſerve, I pray you, to whom the Prophet is commanded to cry aloud, namely, to ſuch as ſought the Lord daily, and delighted to know his wayes, as a Nation that did righteouſnes, and forſook not the Ordinance of their God; ſuch as did aske of God the Ordinances of juſtice, and took delight in approching to God, that faſted and afflicted their ſouls, Verſe 2, 3. ſuch as made religious duties the panders to their luſts, and the covert of their injuſtice and oppreſſion, hiding their filthy ſores under a velvet Playſter; Sin lyes faſt aſleep and moſt ſecure in ſuch men, the forme of religion is a Buff-coat to their ſins; and therefore cry aloud, and cry impartially againſt the ſins of all ſorts of men, ſo, as not to lick the ſores of great ones, and byte the ſores of poore ones, for that is rather to upbraid men with their poverty, then reprove them for their ſins. You know that Phyſicians, Chyrurgians (and ſo Miniſters) are ſometimes allowed to be cruell; and the truth is, I fear wee have lapt up the pills of reproof in ſo much pap and ſugar, that by allaying the bitterneſſe wee have fruſtrated the operation. Oh that you were all of you too generous to be flatterd, and that you would ſearch out particularly your own perſonall and boſome ſins, ſwearing, drunkenneſſe, whoredom, injuſtice, oppreſſion: for whiles wee ſpeake generals, no man thinks that the Cocke crows to him, and ſo goes not forth to weep bitterly; upon a generall Indictment of a man to be a Felon or Thief, there can be no proceeding to ſentence, except the fact in particular be expreſt; ſo while you ſay only a generall, We are ſinners, and doe not arraigne y…ur ſelves upon particulars, ſaying, This is my int…ity, you can never judge and condemne your ſelves as you ought. So much for the generall.
Particular Vſe Now particularly to you (Honoured and Worthy) that are Members of the Honourable Houſe of Commons, as you are ſingle perſons, ſearch your ſelves, conſider your ways; Is there any thing in your hands to be clenſed? You are to purge the corrupt leaven out of your owne houſes, your ſelves, your families, your places of office and truſt are the proper ſphere of your activity; you are for Eccleſiaſticall reformation, and the ſweeping out of corruptions out of the houſe of God: but are you as intent upon perſonall reformation of your own ways? do your own houſes lye clean? have you reall principles of godlineſſe in your owne hearts? or are you carried meerly by the Parliamentary genius or ſtream, by a rapt motion? In one word are you not afraid of holines? Theſe are things ſadly to be cōſidered. For cā you think that in good earneſt one Blackmore ſhould go about to waſh another? would you not ſay, Why doth not he firſt make himſelfe white, that the other may thereby be perſwaded he can make him ſo too? If any of you ſhould lie in knowne fins or luſts, can you comfortably, conſcientiouſly, and zealouſly contribute to the reformation of others? you may indeed do that which is right in the ſight of God, but where is your comfort, if it be not done with a perfect heart? Hee muſt needs be afraid to hedge in the Sacrament, and to make it inacceſſible to the ſcandalous and prophane, or to ſettlea ſaithfull and ſearching Miniſtery in the place hee lives in, that knows hee ſhall but thereby make a rod for himſelfe. I beſeech you therefore to ſearch your ſelves, that you may not be Carpenters to build an Ark for others, and your ſelves be loſt. It is a great honour to be a Member of this Parliament, but it is as great a burthen too, as ever Engliſhmen underwent: and I ſhall crave leave to tell you further, that you may become the greateſt ſinners in the world by it, for now the ſins of the Kingdome may become yours; the hereſies, blaſphemies, and crying wickedneſſes of oppreſſion and injuſtice may become yours; they are other mens ſins by commiſſion; they are your other mens ſins by your omiſſion of that opportunity, and duty of your place to provide for remedies preventive and removent of them, ſo far as they may come within your knowledge, and the reach of your power. That which Scripture cals partaking in other mens ſins, adds more guilt to men of all ſorts, eſpecially Miniſters and Magiſtrates, then is generally thought of. Take heed of making your ſelves partakers of thoſe ſins and abominations, which you hate the thought of: and the Lord keepe alive your zeale by this quickning conſideration.
2 So much being ſpoken to any of you reſpectively, as ſingle Members: Give me leave to addreſſe my ſelfe in a word or two, to you the Honourable, and for ever to be renowmed Body. Is there any thing in your hands, the clenſing away whereof may cauſe you to draw nigher to God, or God to draw neerer to you? you have had a miraculous hand with you this laſt yeare; and there is with you as a token of Gods drawing nigh to you, ſuch a chain of ſucceſſes and victories; conſiſting of ſo many links, without any flaw or breaking off between them, as very few people have to ſhow in the World again; I beſeech you watch the doore againſt the entrance of that which uſually attends either great parts, or great benefits received, and that is pride: as wee eaſilyer take cold when we are warm: ſo its naturall to man to be puft up with ſucceſſe. I ſhall offer to you this humbling conſideration; when Iſrael was in the act of leading two hundred thouſand of Judah in triumph, having gotten a mighty victory over them; there was a Prophet that preſt upon the Conquerours a ſeaſonable argument, that tooke very much with them, and wrought them into a more equall temper, and it was this, 2 Chron. 28. 10. but are there not with you, even with you, ſins against the Lord your God? So ſay I to you: are there not ſins with you, even with you? reflect upon, and examine your ſelves. There are very many hard caſes in the Kingdom. I am not ſo out of my ſelf as to lay them at your doore, as you are a body, becauſe indeed I cannot, (and yet if I could, I durſt doe it) but I moſt humbly give caution to you, who are the ſhields, the healers. There are many forlorne and deſolate perſons, that follow you with cryes for the price of their husbands and fathers lives or limbes. It is not charity, but juſtice to refreſh their bowels: many have given down their milk freely, and yet after all have their breaſts bitten untill they bleed, by unlawful plundering, ſpoyl and violence: many inſtruments imployed, are very ſharp bitten and prey for themſelves. The intention of the Phyſician and of the Leech is not the ſame. He intends to draw out the bloud in due proportion, as his patient can beare: Shee hath no other gage of her ſucking, then till ſhee be full as ſhee can hold. It were juſtice to ſqueeze theſe Spunges that have ſuckt themſelves full, and to leave them as dry as they were at firſt. Let difference be made of mens faults in their puniſhments: there is no reaſon, that Peter who denied his Maſter of infirmity, and Judas that betrayed him deliberately, ſhould be both in one praedicament. Let not juſtice be byaſſed by partiality. A Judge ought to look with no other eye, but the eye of the Law, which looks at things, and is blinde to perſons. Let juſtice be ſpeeded, thatforeign, Ariſt. Ethic. lib. 5. c. 7. expenſes and attendance eat not out the principall in queſtion, Amos 5. 24. Let judgment run down like water, and righteouſneſſe like a mighty ſtream; and above all, ſhake your hands from bribes: whether bribes by preſents, or by kinred, friendſhip, favour, one puts out the eye as well as another, and there may be quid pro quo bribes, when a man will lend his vote to one, to have it paid him again, in a cauſe when he will call for it, and opinion-bribes, (as I may call them) when a man will endeavour to carry another thorow, becauſe he is of his opinion and judgment in other things; Oh let juſtice dwell in your Tents, and in your hands. And if in this ataxie, or confuſion of things it be impoſſible to prevent, or remedy many miſcarriages, as I think it is, (conſidering that many who run in to the common ſcathe-fire, doe not intend the quenching of it, but the ſeeking of an opportunity, in that confuſion, to rob them that are in miſery, and to fiſh for themſelves) then my prayer ſhall be that of Hezekiah, 2 Chron. 30. 18, 19, The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to ſeek God, though he be not clenſed according to the purification of the Sanctuary.
And ſo I paſſe on to the ſecond paricular in the Text, Purifie your hearts, ye double minded; whence I take up theſe two points.
1 Double minded men have corrupt hearts.
2 This double mindedneſſe hinders both our drawing nigh to God, and his drawing nigh to us.
Doct. 1 Double minded men have corrupt hearts: for its ſaid, purifie your hearts, ye double minded. Doublemindednes is a diviſion of heart between God and ſome other preponderating luſt, or ſelfintereſt; and ſo where there ſhould be no diviſion, but ſingleneſſe and integrity, there is diviſion; For all the heart, all the minde, all the ſoul, and all the ſtrength, is that which God calls for. There are ſome that have no heart, they have no thoughts of God, no relliſh of him, no byaſſe towards him; it was an ill omen in ſacrifices, quando cor defeciſſet, when there wanted a heart; there can be no expectation of any returne of heartles Prayer, heartles performance of duties; and this is the common poſture of ſpirit of the ignorant, and ſecure worldlings. There are ſome that have double hearts, they pretend to have a zeale of God, and they profeſſe the Name of Chriſt, and hang out the Chriſtian colours: but through hypocriſie and partiality to their own ends, and ſelf-reſpects they halt between God and Baal, or endevour to comply with two maſters, or they part friendſhip and love between God and the World, as Verſe 4. Ye adulerers and adultreſſes, know ye not that the friendſhip of the World is enmity with God? There are ſome that have one heart, and this is that which God promiſeth to his Covenant people, and wherein he delights, when the heart is totum homogeneum, whole and undivided from him, then is it a perfect heart, and of a happy temper or conſtitution, being of chaſt love, affection and faithfulnes to God, not vitiated or deflowred by carnal copulation with other baſe luſts or ends; do but obſerve our Saviour in that ſaying of his, Matth. 6. 22, 23. how he oppoſeth unto a ſingle eye, an evill one; If, ſaith he, Thine eye be ſingle, and then when you would have expected that double ſhould have bin oppoſed to ſingle, he ſaith, But if thy eye be evill, thereby ſignifying, that if it be not fingle, it is naught and evill; and wheras one might think, that a double eie hath more light then a ſingle: our Saviour tels us the plain contrary, that a ſingle eye makes the body full of light, but a double eye fils it full of darknes; Its true, there is in a double minded man, ſome eye to God, that is, ſo as to uſe his name to ſerve ſelf-ends, or to colour and cover his ſiniſter ayms and intentions. As a harlot whoſe heart goes after unchaſt loves, will yet have a huſband too, (that is) to colour and hide her lewdneſſe; ſuch are theſe which are double-hearted: they have a Sabbath for God, and ſix days for their luſts: they retain to God, and wear his cloth, and ſomtimes wait and attend, but they are their own men for the moſt part, and work for themſelves; Religion unto them is but the ſtalking horſe, under the ſides whereof they creep, to get a ſhoot at their own game; how often doth God in Scripture finde fault with this kinde of Profeſſours? When ye faſted, ſaith he, Zech. 7. 5. did ye at all faſt unto me, even unto me? and againe, when they howled upon their beds, they have not cryed unto me with their heart, they aſſemble themſelves for Corn and Wine, and they rebell againſt me, Hoſ. 7. 14. An Iſraelite that is without guile, that hath but one heart, is a rare man, and worthy of an Ecce. Behold, indeed an Iſraelite.
In the opening of this point, I ſhall follow the threed of that explication of this word (double minded) which I gave in the beginning.
1 This double mindednes is an uncertainty of the heart with God, not fixed upon a Centre, but off and on, as times, occaſions, and intereſts doe lead on, or draw off, ſo farre you will goe with God, as your way and his doe fall out to hold: together: and untill you muſt pull downe Jeroboams Calves, as well as Ahabs Baal; and then you part with him when it comes to ſuch a pinch; ſo alſo in adverſity or affliction, wee make nautarum vota, Mariners vowes (as they doe in a ſtorme) and when wee are on ſhore, and landed out of danger, wee eat the Covenant wee made before, Pſal. 78. 24. &c. When he ſlue 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 but flatter and lye unto him, for their heart was not right with him, nor were they ſtedfaſt in his Covenant. If the heart was right with God, it would be certaine and ſtedfaſt with him. Conſtancie is but the daughter of Synceritie. Its a hatefull thing to ſet ſail to every winde, and to change colour ſo often, being no faſter tyed to God in the tempeſt, then we can be looſened in the calme; Be what you were in the ſtorme: in your affliction you will abide to be ſpurred without kicking, and are very tame under reproofs: but when you are lifted up and are at ſhort, then to put you in minde of your Vowes and Covenants in the day of your trouble, is as an unpleaſing a thing, as to put a Mariner at ſhore in minde of his Vowes or promiſes made at Sea. Its no great danger to reprove men ſharply when they are low, any coward may ſtrike a man that is down, but (believe it) when men are aloft and high, and may more ſafelyer he dealt withall by ſtroaking, then by the ſpurre, then it is ſomwhat to come nigh the heels of truth, for it may haply ſtrike out his teeth.
2. This double mindedneſſe is a diviſion of the heart from God. 1. It is divided between the promiſes of God, and the difficulties oppoſite, when a man laies his dead body, and the dead womb of Sara in the skales, againſt the promiſe of having Iſaac, this is ſenſe fighting againſt faith. 2. Between conſcience and luſt, conſcience dictates, luſt byaſſes, the inferiour appetite mutinies againſt the ſuperiour light, and leades it captive, video melior a prob…que, deteriora ſequor. 3. Between Religion and policie: and then Religion commonly goes by the worſe, Jeroboam and the King of Iſrael, to comply with their politick reſpects, ſet up, and continued a ſelfe-deviſed worſhip, 4. Between God and the world, or God and our own ends, as they here in the Text: when we make God a meere ſervant to our ſelves, and move upon a private centre of our own: the heart is cunning & ſubtile in ſquinting towards its own ends: viſibly we will be for God: under hand we ſeeke ourſelves: ſo the planets in their daily motion from Eaſt to Weſt, move as the fixed ſtars, but they have another motion of their own, which is creepingly by ſtealth, and more unperceiveable then the other.
Uſe. For the uſe of this point, let me turn the words of the Text once more upon you, by way of exhortation; Purifie your hearts, ye double minded, caſt out thoſe dividing luſts, policies, ends, which draw you away from God; and pluck off thoſe falſe byaſſes of ſelf-intereſt, and ſelf-ſeeking, which cauſe you to wheele off from the true mark or ſcope of all your deſires and endeavours: you will be found faulty, if your hearts be divided, Hoſ. 10. 2. ſimplicity of heart is of great account with God; there is aſinina ſimplicitas, & columbina, the ſimplicity of the aſſe, and of the dove; the former is a defect in the underſtanding, the later is the grace of an honeſt heart; and this ſure is that which is of eſteeme with God. In matters of judgement and juſtice between man and man, you are to have two eyes, to looke both wayes but as they that take aime ſhut one of their eyes, leſt the ſight ſhould be diſtracted; ſo in your aims and ends, your eye is to be ſingle, in intending God, and not ſelf: let Chriſt increaſe, though you decreaſe.
The greateſt matter above-board, and which all mens expectations and mouthes are full of, is the ſetling of Religion and of the Church. Religion is, (rerum-publicarum quoddam quaſi coagulum)Cunaeus lib. 1. cap. 15. that which caements Common-wealths together, though now it be made the ball of contention, and the great divider of us into parties; we divide it, and are divided, being far more then double minded there about. Oh that God was firſt ſet into poſſeſſion of his right, and that his Tabernacle was pitcht, before any of the lots, for our own liberties or intereſts were drawn. This was the oath that David ſwore in his afflictions, Pſal. 132. 2, 3. He ſware unto the LOrd, and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob. Surely I will not come unto the Tabernacle of mine houſe, nor go up into my bed. I will not give ſleep to my eyes, or ſlumber to my eye-lids, untill I finde out a place for the Lord, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob; and this is the firſt Article in our Vow and Covenant. What the reall impediments are, doth not fall within my way: but the ſelf-intereſts are to be ſearched out. Not yet, ſay ſome, and their reaſon is the ſame, with that of the common ſort of people, againſt Incloſures in former times: If every mans own ſhould be incloſed, they ſhould loſe their freedom of Common, and that liberty they uſurped all the field over, or (as others hope) that after wee have turned round a while, wee may haply returne to the ſame poſture wee were in before, and having loſt our way in the myſt, may come backe againe to the ſame place whence wee ſet out at firſt. If any, (ſay others) let it be a George on horsback that ſtands at doore with a wooden dagger, but keeps no body from going in, the thiefe paſſes under his noſe into the houſe, as well as the true-man. Not this, ſay ſome of thoſe that are toward the law, for then haply many contentions might be quencht at the bottome of the chimney before they flame out at the top: and ſuch may be the want of griſt, as it may tend much to the hinderance of their Mill. Nothing thats one, ſay the Libertines; for we have gon looſe ſo long, that now we cannot go ſtrait laced. Its irkſome to wild birds to be coopt up in a cage under Diſcipline.
Thoſe that have beene ſuch Proficients, in the ſchool of liberty in a few years, as to commence Teachers and Preachers of the Word, or have grown to be ſuch illuminates, as they pretend, will no more re joyce in, or accept of a Government which may degrade them … reſolve them into the firſt matter o… elements of their compoſition, then Souldiers of fortune (as they are called) can rejoyce in a Peace concluded and ſetled. There might be … ſuch like end and …, which carry … with men, and are the cauſes of our diviſion, which would in great … quenched, if the game was plaid on all … of heart: let … ſelf-respects which die cloſe … that wee may find the head of that Nilus which thus overflows the banks. That double mindednes which keeps us at diſtance from God, doth alſo keep us at diſtance from one another, and therefore that we may be foreign, Phil. 2. 2. of one accord, I do for my own part conceive it much …cing, that whatſoever touching … of the Church, ſhall, paſſe your hands … may but … thereof go forth into the world, …ded with the reaſons and grounds of it: for doubtles, the reaſon which induced you to ſet the ſtamp of authority upon it, will a …le much … it paſſe currently with others. You know, the Gorgons head which ſtrock all men dumb in former times. The Church, the Church, is not likely to have the ſame operation now, in this ſeeing and ſearching age: though men will willingly be ſubjects to your authority, yet alſo, as they are men, they will be ſlaves to reaſon. There is in your hands already (Renowned and Honourable) ſomething which was printed by your appointment, for your ſatisfaction, in one main propoſition, which if it might ſee the publike light, might give light to many who are yet in a cloud or miſt.
So much for this point. There is yet a ſecond, ariſing from theſe words: Purifie your, hearts, ye double minded. And that is,
Doct. 2 A double-minded man through the uncleanneſs of his heart, keeps at diſtance from God, and God keepes at diſtance from him. He that is byaſſed with ſome predominant luſt, cannot cloſe with God ſincerely, univerſally, neither will God impart himſelfe to ſuch a man; For let not that man thinke that he ſhall receive any thing of the Lord, James 1. 7. would any of you ſettle an acquaintance or friendſhip with a known Vertumnus, that will bee a paraſite at one time, and a Judas at another: God it choice of his friends, he owns not ſuch as ſerve their luſts, and are in heart divided from him. I have no time left me for this point as neither for the conſideration of both parts of this Text in connexion together: clean hands, and pure hearts: nor laſtly, for the conſideration of them both, with reference to our drawing nigh to God, and his drawing nigh to us; wherein I might have ſhown you how communion with God, and the power of godlineſſe are linked together; Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you: cleanſe your hands, ye ſinners, and purifie your hearts, ye double-minded.
FINIS.
THE HEARSE OF THE Renowned, THE RIGHT HONOURABLE ROBERT EARLE OF ESSEX and Ewe, Viſcount Hereford, Lord Ferrers of Chartley, Bourchier and Lovaine, ſometime Captaine Lord Generall of the Armies raiſed for the defence of King and Parliament.
As it was repreſented in a Sermon, preached in the Abbey Church at Weſtminſter, at the Magnificent Solemnity of his Funerall, Octob. 22. 1646.
By RICHARD VINES.
Eccleſ. 12. 5. Man goeth to his long home, and the mourners goe about the ſtreets.
Publiſhed by Order of the Houſe of Peeres.
LONDON, Printed by T. R. and E. M. for Abel Roper at the Sign of the Sun againſt Dunſtans Church in Fleet-ſtreet. 1646.