The Purifying of Unclean Hearts and Hands, Sermon

The Purifying of Unclean Hearts and Hands · Sermon

p. 1A 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, ye 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. C…t 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 p. 2which 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,Luk. 15. 20.Luke 15:20 and his father ran and fell on his neck and kiſſed him. The 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, ye 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 it is ſaid, Pſal. 18. 26. with the pure thou wilt ſhew thy ſelfe pure, and with the froward thou wilt ſhew thy ſelfe froward: Plato ſaw this truthPlato in Phaedane. foreign (ſaith he) foreign, the law of contrariety forbids puritie 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 p. 3to him, why he hateth our new Moons and appointed feaſts, why he will not hear our multiplied prayers, is the uncleaneſſe of our hands, Iſa. 1. from the 11. to the end of the 15. verſe; Thou art of purereyes then to behold evil, and canſt not look on iniquity, ſaith the Prophet, Hab. 1. 13. that is,See the word foreign explicated in M. Gataker his learned Treatiſe, called, Gods eye on his Iſrael 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 doe evil, learn to doe well, ſeeke judgement, relieve the oppreſſed, judge the fatherleſſe, plead for the widow: (And then it follows) Come now and let us reaſon together, ſaith the Lord. Our diſſimilitude and unlikeneſſe 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 holineſſe is no more contrary to our wickedneſſe, 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 uncleaneſſe, which …s 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 p. 4which immediately 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.

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 p. 5man, 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) divided hearts, it anſwers the Hebrew expreſſion: foreigna heart and a heart, which the ſeptuagint doe interpret word for word,1 Chron. 12. 33. Pſal. 12. 2.1 Chr 12:33Ps 12:2 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 p. 6ſteerage 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 vvindings and turnings of heart, which are called,foreign Pſalm. 145. 4, 5. crooked wayes, that are like a vvinding vvay, or vvinding brooke, that runs in and out; or, like a vvinding ſtayre caſe, where a man goes but three or four ſtepps, 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 vvorldly luſts, policies or ends.

Like the heart of an Adulterer, or Adultereſse (ſo theſe double minded ones are alſo called, verſ 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 waies. The word is, foreign, vvhichwhich ſignifies that he is at no ſetledneſſe 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 ſelfe by reaſonings, ſelf-intereſts, luſts, cannot be conſtant in attendance upon God. It is but by accident that the p. 7weather cock points towards the Sun, namely, becauſe the winde and Sun are both in one corner. If the winde turn, it turns away alſo.

2. Cleanſe and purifie, foreign, theſe words are promiſcuouſly, and indifferently uſed by the Septuagint, to interpret the Hebrew vvords that ſignifie to cleanſe and purifie; foreignand 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 uncleaneneſſe: ſo thoſe that will draw nigh to God, or would have God draw nigh to them, muſt cleanſe their hands, and purifie their hearts. Eo lavatum, ut ſacrificem, nunc lavabo ut rem divinā faciam. Plaut. in aulul. foreign. Plutarch. in M…io.The Heathens had their ceremonious waſhings, and purifyings, as preparative to their ſacrifices and prayers; and this heart-purifying, and hand-cleanſing, is that purgatory thorow vvhichwhich vve muſt go, if we will draw nigh to God in vvorſhip and communion; God will be ſerved with cleane 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 unrighteouſneſſe unto ſin: In ſhort, the outward and inward man being filthy and unclean, muſt be purified from corruption of heart and life. For he that hath cleane hands, and a pure heart; p. 8Pſal, 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 meer ſceptick, 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,

p. 91. 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 cleanſe their hands.

A corrupt and wicked life argues a man to be a ſtranger to God, and God him;Doct. 1. 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 drawes a man into acquaintance with God, doth proportionably kill ſinne. That power which flowes from God in acquaintance with a man, kills ſinne too: whether I goe out to the ſunne, or the ſunne come in to me, the darkneſſe is expeld: ſinne 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 he before ſerved, ye 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, ver. 4. like a cutpurſe in a Church, who comes not thither to ſeek God, but his prey.

They that draw nigh to God, muſt cleanſe their hands;Doct. 2. 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 praiſes, which the Pſalmiſt calls ſacrifices of ſhouting, p. 10or loud muſick, Pſal. 27. 6. and wherein they uſed (as one ſaith) th… agere circum altare, foreign Lori…ut … Pſa…. 16. 6.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 cleanneſse 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 foul 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 counſells, and our endeavours bring forth nothing but winde; You ſhall finde 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.

N="1"1. That God invites foreign, great ſinners to draw nigh to him, and promiſeth to draw nigh to p. 11them, O ye 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 churliſhnes of the matter may the more commend the workman; he calls them to him, being yet overwhelmed with ſinne, and in their drawing nigh to him they are cleanſed; as Chriſt ſent the Lepers to the Prieſts, but foreign, as they were going they were cleanſed, Luk. 17. 14.

2. He bids theſe ſinners cleanſe and purify, their hands and hearts? but how can corruption cleanſe it ſelf? can unſavoury ſalt ſeaſon it ſelf? No. God purifieth the heart by faith, Act. 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 Joh. 5. 6. that is, by all manner of purifying, typified by legall purifications. This is (ſaith a learned man) one of the myſteries of this law (of purifying) that a clean perſon was himſelf made unclean,Ainſworth in Numb. 19.Num 19 by touching the holy water, ſprinkling it upon the unclean: and this is the great myſtery of the Goſpel, that he whoſe blood cleanſeth us from all ſinne, 1 John 1. 7. and in whom being a clean perſon is no ſinne, ſhould yet be made ſinne for us, and for our cleanſing. And as an unclean perſon is ſaid to purify himſelf, 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 p. 12water, and make uſe of it: ſo are you to purify your hearts, and cleanſe your hands, by comming unto that blood of ſprinkling, Heb. 12. 22, 24. Faith will bring you to this purifying blood: one touch of Chriſt by faith, drawes vertue out of him, which will drie up your running iſſues. Humiliation, though it doe not properly cleanſe 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 cleanſing things. This is the way of your cleanſing and purifying, this is your duty, and this through grace is your ability; for the regenerate being principled, doth act; being purified, doth purify 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 cleanſe their hands: but what are thoſe ſinnes? they are generally thoſe outward ſinnes, or waies of wickedneſſe wherein men uſe to walk, and which doe denominate a man foreign, a ſinner of deeper die; but in ſpeciall we finde ſome more eminently called ſinnes of the hands, as oppreſſion and violence, Ionah 3. 8. blood, Iſa. 1. 15. bribes, Iſa. 33. 15. injuſtice, Iob. 16. 17. as there are alſo eye-ſinnes, ear-ſinnes, tongue-ſinnes, &c.

4. Why is cleanſing the hands ſet before purifying of the heart? for the rule is, make the tree good, and his fruit good: in vain, doe we goe about to ſweeten the ſtream, when the p. 13fountain ſtill ſends forth bitter water? To this I anſwer, that though it be but a ſollicitous trifling, to vex every prius and posterius which vve meet vvith 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 ſinne, there the conſcience begins to take fire: and God vvho hath the ordering of ſin, makes ſome great ſin very ſerviceable and uſefull, to be, as it vvere, an entring wedge to break 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 vvith a ſtate of ſalvation, then thoſe rebelling and moleſting corruptions vvhichwhich are vvithin.

For the reaſon of this point,Reaſons. That they who draw nigh to God, must cleanſe their hands. I ſhall offer onelyonly this. That theſe ſins of our hands, do keep 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 p. 14from me, is as terrible a word as everlasting fire: It is foreign. Jude 13. the blackneſſe of darkeneſſe, 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 we are in love with ſin, God is as unpleaſing to us as we are unpleaſing to him, nor would we any more draw nigh to him then he to us. Give me 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, he 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 commerce with God in duties or ordinances, to ſerve his turne upon God, uti Deo at fruatur mundo, and to make uſe of him for his own ends; as its ſaid, ver. 4. You aske, that you may confame upon your luſts; but communion in way of league and friendſhip with God, and fruition of him in way of ſpeciall love and favour, he neither can have, nor will, except he alſo give a bill of divorce to his beſt beloved luſts.

p. 15I come now to make application of this Point to you,Generall Uſe. and the Uſe is in the text, Cleanſe your hands, ye ſinners. It's unacceptable worke to be ſet upon, for a ſinner to cleanſe and purifie, and to cleanſe his hands too, which are full of profitable ſins, Turne ye every 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 we are, ſo laden with ſins of all rankes and ſubordinations of men, King, Princes, Judges, Lawyers, Gentry, Miniſters, people (eſpecially in ſuch grown ſeas as we have been in) ſhould live to this day; for you know we enterd 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 been a Monopoly, and fit among other Monopolies to go down and to be made a common trade. Not many years ago, when it was both danger and diſgrace to hold forth the profeſſion of the name of Chriſt in truth, what appetite p. 16had 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 air of thoſe times? whoſe eyes were thought too dear 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 minde? Now alas, ſome of thoſe good ears of come are mildewd, and many run all up into ſtraw, and do not eat ſo well; Religion vapours it ſelf out into notions and diſputes of no value, breaks into parties, and is broken in peeces by mutuall animoſities;Ammianus Marcell. lib. 21 de Conſtant o Grotius de veritate, lib 1. in initto. ſo it is obſerved, that that ſincere and true godlineſſe, which flouriſht and was warme in Chriſtians under the perſecuting Emperours, poſt Conſtantinum caepit refrigeſcere, after Conſtantine, when it vvas both ſafe and honourable, 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 p. 17took delight in approaching to God, that faſted and afflicted their ſouls, ver. 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 plaiſter; Sin lies faſt aſleep and moſt ſecure in ſuch men, the forme of religion is a buffe-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 bite the ſores of poor 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 we have lapt up the pills of reproof in ſo much pap and ſugar, that by allaying the bitterneſſe we 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, whoredome, injuſtice, oppreſſion: for whiles we ſpeak generals, no man thinks that the Cock crows to him, and ſo goes not forth to weep bitterly; upon a generall inditement 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 in generall, We are ſinners, and do not arraign your ſelves upon particulars, ſaying, This is my iniquity, you can never judge and condemne your ſelves as you ought. So much for the generall.

Now particularly to you (Honoured and Worthy) p. 18Particular Uſe.that are Members of the Honourable Houſe of Commons, as you are ſingle perſons, ſearch your ſelves, conſider your wayes; Is there any thing in your hands to be cleanſed? You are to purge the corrupt leaven out of your own 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 waies? do your own houſes lye clean? have you reall principles of godlines in your own 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 conſidered. For can you think that in good earneſt one black-more ſhould goe about to waſh another? would you not ſay, Why doth not he firſt make himſelf white, that the other may thereby be perſwaded he can make him ſo too? If any of you ſhould lie in known ſinnes or luſts, can you comfortably, conſcientiouſly, and zealouſly contribute to the reformation of others? you may indeed doe that which is right in the ſight of God, but where is your comfort, if it be not done with a perfect heart? He muſt needs be afraid to hedge in the Sacrament, and to make it inaceſſible to the ſcandalous and prophane, or to ſettle a faithfull and ſearching miniſtery in the place he lives in, that knowes he ſhal but thereby make a rod for himſelf. p. 19I 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 Engliſh men 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 ſinnes of the Kingdom: 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 ſinnes by your omiſſion of that opportunity, and duty of your place to provide for remedies preventive and removent of them, ſo farre as they may come within your knowledge, and the reach of your power. That which Scripture calls partaking in other mens ſins, addes 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 ſinnes and abominations, which you hate the thought of: and the Lord keep alive your zeal by this quickening conſideration.

2. So much being ſpoken to any of you reſpectively, as ſingle Members: Give me leave to addreſſe my ſelf in a word or two to you the Honourable, and for ever to be renowned body. Is there any thing in your hands, the cleanſing away whereof may cauſe you to draw nigher to God, or God to draw neerer to you? p. 20you have had a miraculous hand with you this laſt year; 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 door againſt the entrance of that which uſually attends either great parts, or great benefits received, and that is pride: as we 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 Iudah in triumph, having gotten a mighty victory over them; there was a Prophet that preſt upon the Conquerours a ſeaſonable argument, that took 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, ſinnes against the Lord your God? So ſay I to you: are there not ſinnes 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 door, 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 forlorn and deſolate perſons, that follow you with cryes for the price of their husbands and fathers lives or limbs. It is not charity, but juſtice p. 21to refreſh their bowels: many have given down their milk freely, and yet after all have their breaſts bitten untill they bleed, by unlawfull 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 blood in due proportion, as his patient can bear: Shee hath no other gage of her ſucking, then till ſhe be full as ſhe can hold. It were juſtice to ſqueeſe 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 denyed his Maſter of infirmity, and Iudas 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,foreign, Ariſt. Ethic. lib. 5. cap. 7. that expenſes and attendance eat not out the principall in queſtion, Amos 5. 24. Let judgement run down like water, and righteouſnes 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 p. 22is of his opinion and judgement 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 cleanſed according to the purification of the Sanctuary.

And ſo I paſſe on to the ſecond particular 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 mindednes hinders both our drawing nigh to God, and his drawing nigh to us.

Double minded men have corrupt hearts:Doct. 1. for its ſaid, purify your hearts, ye double minded. Doublemindednes is a diviſion of heart between God and ſome other preponderating luſt, or ſelf-intereſt; and ſo where there ſhould be no diviſion, but ſinglenes 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 reliſh of him, no byaſſe towards him▪ it was an ill omen in ſacrifices, quandocor deſeciſſet, when there wanted a heart; there p. 23can 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 zeal of God, and they profeſſe the name of Chriſt, and hang out the Chriſtian colours: but through hypocriſy and partiality to their own ends, and ſelf-reſpects they halt between God and Baal, or endeavour to comply with two maſters, or they part their friendſhip and love between God and the world, as ver. 4. Ye adulterers and adultereſſes, 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 carnall copulation with other baſe luſts or ends; do but obſerve our Saviour in that ſaying of his, Math. 6. 22, 23. how he oppoſeth unto a ſingle eye, an evil one; If, ſaith he, Thine eye be ſingle, and then when you would have expected that double ſhould have been oppoſed to ſingle, he ſaith, But if thy eye be evil, thereby ſignifying, that if it be not ſingle, it is naught and evil; and whereas one might think, that a double eye 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 p. 24fills 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 aims and intentions. As a harlot whoſe heart goes after unchaſt loves, will yet have a husband too, (that is) to colour and hide her lewdnes; ſuch are theſe which are double hearted: they have a Sabbath for God, and ſix dayes for their luſts: they retain to God, and wear his cloth, and ſometimes 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 again, 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 center, 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 p. 25together: and untill you muſt pull down 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, we make nautarum vota, mariners vowes (as they doe in a ſtorm) and when we are on ſhore, and landed out of danger, we eat the Covenant we made before, Pſal. 78. 24. &c. When he ſlew them, then they ſought him, and they returned and enquired early after God, and they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their Redeemer. Nevertheles, 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 certain and ſtedfaſt with him. Conſtancy is but the daughter of ſincerity. 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 calm; Be what you were in the storm: in your affliction you will abide to be ſpurred withoutkicking, and are very tame under reproofs: but when you are lifted up and are at ſhore, 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 be dealt withall by ſtroaking, then by p. 26the ſpurre, then it is ſomewhat to come nigh the heels of truth, for it may haply ſtrike out his teeth.

2. This doublemindedneſſe 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 bypaſſes, the inferiour appetite mutinies againſt the ſuperiour light, and leades it captive, video melior a probòque, deteriora ſequor. 3. Between Religion and policy: and then Religion commonly goes by the worſe, Jeroboam and the Kings of Iſrael, to comply with their politick reſpects, ſet up, and continued a ſelf-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 meer ſervant to our ſelves, and move upon a private center of our own: the heart is cunning and ſubtile in ſquinting towards its own ends: viſibly we will be for God: under hand we ſeek our ſelves: ſo the planets in their daily motion from Eaſt to Weſt, move as the fixed ſtarres, but they have another motion of their own, which is creepingly by ſtealth, and more unperceivable then the other.

Vſe.For the uſe of this point, let me turne the words of the Text once more upon you, by way of exhortation; Parify your hearts, ye double-minded, caſt p. 27out 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 wheel 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 eſteem with God. In matters of judgement and juſtice between man and man, you are to have two eyes, to look both waies but as they that take aim 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) that which caements Common-wealths together,Cunaeus lib …. cap. 15. though now it be made the ball of contention, and the great divider of us into parties; we divide it, and are divided, being farre more then double-minded thereabout. 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. p. 28This 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 Iacob. Surely I will not come unto the Tabernacle of mine houſe, nor goe 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 Iacob; 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 owne 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 we have turned round awhile, we may haply returne to the ſame poſture we were in before, and having loſt our way in the miſt, may come back again to the ſame place whence we ſet out at firſt. If any, (ſay others) let it be a George on horſe-back that ſtands at door with a wooden dagger, but keeps no body from going in, the theef 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 bottom 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 p. 29ſo long, that now we cannot goe ſtrait laced. Its irkſome to wilde birds to be coopt up in a cage under diſcipline.

Thoſe that have been 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 rejoyce in, or accept of a Government which may degrade them, or reſolve them into the firſt matter or elements of their compoſition, then Souldiers of fortune (as they are called) can rejoyce in a peace concluded and ſetled. There might be named many other ſuch like ends and intereſts, which carry ſtroke with men, and are the cauſes of our diviſions; which would in great part be quenched, if the game was plaid on all hands, by conſcience and ſinglenes of heart: let us therefore ſearch out thoſe ſelf-reſpects which lie cloſe in us, that we may finde the head of that Nilus which thus overflowes 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 doe for my own part conceive it much conducing, that whatſoever touching the ſettlement of the Church, ſhall paſſe your hands, may (in the main parts thereof) goe forth into the world, ſeconded with the reaſons and grounds of it: for doubtles, the reaſon which induced you to ſet the ſtamp of authority upon it, will avail much to make it paſſe currently with others. p. 30You know, the Gorgons head which ſtruck 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: Purify your hearts, ye double-minded. And that is,

A double-minded man through the uncleannes of his heart,Doct. 2. keeps at diſtance from God, and God keeps at diſtance from him. He that is byaſſed with ſome predominant luſt, cannot cloſe with God ſincerely, univerſally, neither will God impart himſelf to ſuch a man; For let not that man think that he ſhall receive any thing of the Lord, Iames 1. 7. would any of you ſettle an acquaintance or friendſhip with a known Vertumnus, that will be a paraſite at one time, and a Iud…s at another? God is 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: p. 31nor 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 ſhewen you how communion with God, and the power of godlines are linked together; Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you: cleanſe your hands, ye ſinners, and purify your hearts, ye double-minded.

FINIS.

End of the text · Richard Vines, The Purifying of Unclean Hearts and Hands (1646)