Heart Humiliation, Sermon 4
SERMON IV.
Deut. 32. 5.
They have corrupted themſelves, their ſpot is not the ſpot of his Children, &c.
WE doubt this people would take well with ſuch a deſcription of themſelves, as Moſes gives: It might ſeem ſtrange to us, that God ſhould have choſen ſuch a people out of all the nations of the earth, and they to be ſo rebellious and perverſe, if our own experience did not teach us, how free his choiſe is, and how long-ſuffering he is, and conſtant in his choiſe. His people are called to a conformity with himſelf. Be ye holy, for I am holy. Lev. ch. 19. and 20. and to a difformity and ſeparation from the reſt of the world in their converſation from whom God had ſeparated them in profeſſion and priviledges: Lev. 18. 24 But behold what unlikeneſſe there is between God and his people. If ye were to paint out to the life a heathen people, you needed no other image or patern to coppy at but this ſame deſcription of this people. It is this that makes Moſes in the preface turn to the heavens and earth, and call them to hear his ſong: And Iſaiah beginneth his Preaching thus, Hear O Heavens, and give ear, O Earth &c. A ſtrange thing it muſt be, that ſenſeleſſe creatures are called to wonder at. It muſt ſurpaſſe all the wonders and prodigies of nature and art: And what is that? I have nouriſhed and brought up children, and they have rebelled againſt me, &c. If we conſider what this people ſeemed once to be, and thought themſelves to be, we may eaſily know how they corrupted themſelves. If ye look on them at one time. Exod. 19. 8. and Deut. 5. 27. Ye would call them Children. There was never a fairer undertaking of obedience then this, All that the Lord hath ſpoken, we will do. So that the Lord commends them for ſpeaking well. v. 28. They have well ſaid all that they have ſpoken. v. 29. O that there were ſuch an heart in them. But compare all this peoples practice with this profeſſion, and you ſhall find it exceeding contrary; they indeed corrupted themſelves, though they got warning to take heed of it: Take ye therefore good heed unto your ſelves leſt ye corrupt your ſelves, Deut. 4. 15. 16. But alas, it was within them that deſtroyed them; there was not ſuch a heart in them, as to hear & obey; but they undertake, being ignorant of their own deceitful hearts, which were deſperatly wicked. And therefore behold what corruption enſued and followed upon ſuch a profeſſed reſolution, They never ſooner promiſed obedience, but they diſobeyed, they did abominable works, and did no good, and this is to corrupt their way, Pſa. 14. 1, &c. we need not inſtance this longer in this people, we our ſelves are a ſufficient proof of it. We may make this ſong our own, we have corrupted our ſelves. Once we had a fair ſhew of zeal for God, of love and deſire of reformation of life, many ſolemn undertakings were that we ſhould amend our wayes and doings. But what is the fruit of all? Alas, we have corrupted our ſelves more nor they. Iſrael promiſed, but we vowed and ſwore to the moſt high, Reformation and amendment of life in our converſations and callings. Lay this Rule to our practiſes, and are we not a perverſe and crooked generation. Oh that we were more affected with our corruptions, and were more ſenſible of them, then we could not chooſe out mourn for our own and the lands departing from God. Did not every man vow and ſwear to the moſt high God to endeavour reformation of his life, even a perſonal reformation? But alas, where is it? He that is filthy is filthy ſtill, nay, which is worſe, the evil man waxeth worſe and worſe; There is a great noiſe of a publick reformation of ordinances and worſhip, but alas, the deformation of life and practice outcryes all that noiſe. Nay, certainly all that is don… in the publick, muſt come to no accomp… before God, ſince our practices outcry it. Publick reformation is abomination where pe…onal …orruptions do not ceaſe: This made the Je…s ſo…emn dayes hateful, their hands were full of blood. Iſai. 1. all that ye have ſpent on the publick will never be reckoned, ſince ye will not conſecrat your lives to God, will not give your luſts up to him. Ye are his enemies in the mean time, though you accompt your ſelves Religions friends. I beſeech you conſider your wayes; would any of us have thought to have ſeen ſuch proſanity, mocking of Godlineſs and ignorance in Scotland in ſo ſhort a time; Nay, it is to be feared that the day is not far off, when ye will corrupt your ſelves and do abominable things, yea, defile your ſelves as ill as the nations that know not God.
Every man uſeth to impute his faults to ſomething beſide himſelf; ere men take with their own iniquity, they will charge God that gave no more grace: But if men knew themſelves, they would deduce their corruption and deſtruction both, from one fountain, that is from themſelves. Ignorance of our ſelves maketh us oft undertake fair, and promiſe ſo well on our own head. What was the fountain of this peoples corruption, and apoſtarizing from their profeſſions? The Lord hints at it, Deut. 5. 25, &c. Oh that they bad ſuch a heart. Alas, poor people, ye know not your ſelves, that ſpeak ſo well, I know thee better then thou doeſt thy ſelf; I will declare unto thee thy own thought, thou haſt not ſuch a heart as to do what thou ſayeſt, there is a deſperat wicked heart within thee, that will deſtroy thee by lying unto thee. If thou kneweſt this fountain of orig…al corruption, thou would deſpair of doing, and ſay, I cannot ſerve the Lord. Now here is the fountain of the Lands corruption this day: why is our way corrupted? becauſe our hearts within were not cleanſed, and becauſe they were not known. If we had dryed up the fountain, the ſtreams had ceaſed: but we did only damn it up, and cut off ſome ſtreams for a ſeaſon: we ſet up our reſolutions and purpoſe… as an hedge to hold it in; but the ſea of the heart… iniquity, that is above all things, hath overflowed it, and defiled our way more then in former times. Ye thought upon no other thing but that preſently ye would be all changed people, and would reform without more adoe. And thus it is with you in all your publick repentances. But alas, you know not your ſelves; it i… ſtill within you, which will yet corrupt you▪ and it was within us that hath undone us. W… were too confident of our ſelves, and it is n… wonder that the Lord ſuffer us to prove our ſelves that we may know what is in our heart Now therefore ſince ye have ſo often tryed it, I beſeech you, follow not ſuch a way again. Ye are called to deny your ſelves, and to follow Chriſt; and this is a great part of it, that ye may never expect for any good within your ſelves, or the helping of any evil. In me is thy help found. Look to the fountain of Life Jeſus Chriſt, and deſpair of your own hearts, for they are deſperatly wicked, ſo wicked, that if ye knew them, ye would deſpair of them, and give them over to another hand, who can crea… a new heart within you. Ye uſe to impute you… back-ſlidings to the times, to temptations, t… company and ſuch like. This is the way tha… men ſhift the challenges of ſin: The drunkar… puts it on his companion, the ſervant on his maſter that led him wrong, ye people put Rulers in the fault, and abſolve themſelves, and Rulers put one another in the wrong, and abſolve themſelves. But alas! all of us are ignorant of our ſelves: It is not times nor temptations that corrupt us, but our ſelves. No man is tempted (ſayeth James) of God, but every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own luſt and enticed, James. 1. 14. Temptation were no temptation, if our hearts were not wicked hearts. Nay, many of us are ready to tempt temptations, to provoke the devil to temptations: we caſt our ſelves open to temptations. Temptation finds luſt within, and luſt within is the Mother to conceive ſin, if temptation be the father. Times do not bring evils along with them, they do but diſcover what was hid before: all the evils and corruptions you ſee now among us, where were they in the day of our firſt love, when we were as a loving and beloved child? have all theſe riſen up of late. No certainly, all that you have ſeen and found were before, though they did not appear: before they were in the root, now you ſee the fruit. All the Apoſtacy, and profanity that hath been vented in theſe dayes, it was all ſhut up within the corners of mens hearts at the beginning: time and temptation hath but uncovered the heart and made the inſide out; hath but opened a ſluce to let out this ſea of corruption, Its not bred ſince, but ſeen ſince.
Now ſo it is with us, we have corrupted our ſelves, and ſo we corrupt our ſelves ſtill more. Backſliding cometh on as gray hairs, here and there, and is not perceived by beholders. Nemo repente fit turpiſſimus. No man becometh worſt at firſt; There are many ſteps between that and good. Corruption comes on men… way as in fruits, ſome one part beginneth to alter, and then it groweth worſe, and putrifieth, and corrupteth the reſt of the parts. An Apple rotes not all at once, ſo it is with us; men begin at leiſure, but they run poſt or all be done. In ſome one ſtep of our way we take liberty, and think to keep the reſt clean: But when that part is corrupted, a little leaven leaveneth the wholl lump, and all followeth; And then he that corrupted himſelf, is ready to corrupt others. Children that are corrupters, Iſa. 1. 4. Every one by his example corrupts another; and by corrupting others, they again corrupt themſelves more. O! how infectious an evil is ſin, of a peſtilentious nature; And truely our hearts are more ready to receive ſuch impreſſions, then either a World, or a Devil is to make them.
Their ſpot is not] Why doth the Lord take pleaſure to reckon their ſins, to deſcribe ſo abominable a People. Is not this Jacob in whom he ſaw no iniquity? Is not this Iſrael, whoſe tranſgreſſions are not known? Certainly if this people would have charged themſelves ſo, he would not have done it. He loves to forget, when we remember our ſins; But he muſt remember them, when we forget them. What is the Lords great controverſie with men, here it is, how can ye ſay or think that ye are not polluted? Or if ye take with ſuch a General; Yet, why is not the conviction of your ſin and miſery ſo deeply engraven, as to purſue you out of all hope of remedy in your ſelves, Jer. 2. 22, 23. And therefore is thine iniquity marked before me, ſaith the Lord. God hath determined not to wrong his Juſtice. If men ſhould go away unpuniſhed and unjudged both, where were his Righteouſnes? If there were no record of mens tranſgreſſions, were he a righteous Judge? Therefore, thoſe who do not judge themſelves, muſt leave judgement to him; For once the mouth of all fleſh muſt be ſtoped, and all become guilty before God. Why pleads the Lord with man? Becauſe man ſayes I am innocent, I have not ſinned, his anger will turn away, Jer. 2. 35. Will any ſpeak ſo in termes? No indeed, but the Lord conſtructs ſo of the moſt part; becauſe they do more conſider the wrongs done to them, nor their own wrongs done to God: All men confeſſe the general; that they are ſinners; but who ſearches and tryes his way to find out particulares, and in as far as ye do not charge your ſelves with particular guiltineſſe, until ye be afraid of his anger, as long as the conſideration of your ſins is ſo ſuperficial and ſhallow, that ye apprehend no danger of wrath, or immunity from it, certainly God will plead with you. Juſtice muſt ſo far be glorified, as once to conclude you under the ſentence of death; If ye do it not now, then ye leave God to be your Judge and Party. But if any man ſhall take with his guiltineſſe, till his mouth be ſtopped, and condemne himſelf in Gods ſight; I ſay Mercy and Grace in God muſt not be wronged, he that judges himſelf, ſhall not be judged of the Lord. VVhat a fair offer is this to you all? The Lord offers to you, if ye will in time be your own judges, I will reſigne my judgement to you; If ye will but in earneſt paſſe the ſentence, I will nathe… paſſe it nor execute it. If ye come to the Mediator Chriſt Jeſus, to eſcape from the wrath o… a Judge, you ſhall meet with a reconciled Father, and with ſuch love in him, as ſhall hide a multitude of offences. O! the depth and height, and breadth of that Love! VVell then, it ſhall be a Sea to caſt your offences into, that ſhall drown them. Had not his people many ſpots? Is there any man can ſay, I have cleanſed my heart from iniquity? No, not one. Ye… behold, he ſees no ſpots in his people: He doth not make them his people becauſe ſpotleſſe, but he ſeeth them ſpotleſſe, becauſe he makes them his people▪ There is no covering that can hide mens uncleanneſſe from his piercing eye, but one, even Jeſus Chriſt his Righteouſneſſe; And bleſt is he whoſe ſins are covered: If this covering were ſpread over the mouth of all Hell, then Hell ſhould have a covering from his Eyes. If ye therefore ſtrip your ſelves naked of your own pretences and leaves, and think not your ſelf ſecure under any created ſhelter; if ye hide not your iniquity, then it ſhall be hid indeed; Here is a covering that ſhall hide it from his Eyes. There is no ſpot ſo heinous, none ſo ingrained, but the Blood of Jeſus can waſh it as perfectly out, as if it had never been, Iſai. 16. 17. Though your ſpots were ſuch as are not incident to his Children, yet this Blood cleanſes from one and all, it is of an infinite nature. But though it be ſo, that the Blood of Chriſt cleanſeth from all ſin, that there is a fountain opened in the houſe of David for ſin and for uncleanneſs, for ſin and ſeparation, for ſuch hainous offences as may ſeparat people, even from the Congregation of the Lords people. Yet there are ſome ſins, ſome ſpots that ordinarly his people are not defiled with, and in this reſpect they may be called holy and undefiled in the way. There are ſome Ma…ks and Characters of unregenerated men, ſo legible and expreſſe, that we may even read …rom mens Converſation, that they are not the Children of God. Though the blood of Chriſt waſh from all, yet the child of God ordinarily is kept from ſome kind of ſpots, ſo that if a man ſhall be ſpotted with them, its no marvel he queſtion if he be a child or not. There are two, which I think ſo groſs and unclean ſpots, that I cannot conceive how a ſoul waſhen by Jeſus Chriſt, can be defiled with them; one is, a courſe of profanity; the common walk of the multitude is ſo groſſe and profane, ſo void of God and godlineſſe, that it witneſſeth to their face that they are not the ſons of God: He that is born of God ſinneth not; he maketh not ſin his way and trade to walk into, and pleaſe himſelf into. What are the moſt part of you, I pray you? Is your ſpot like the ſpot of his children? Do not ye declare your ſin as Sodom, ye drunkards, who wallow in it daily, and though ye profeſſe repentance, yet never amend? Ye who have a cuſtome of ſwearing and blaſph…ming his holy Name, do not ye carry in your fore-head a ſpot that is not like his children? The child of God may fall in many particulars, but it is not the ſpot of a child to continue in them, to add drunkenneſſe to …hirſt, and yet to dream of eſcaping wrath. I pray you conſider it; for it is of great moment. Do ye carry ſuch a black mark, the devils mark? O! do not think your ſelves ſafe. May not this perſwade you? Do but compare your ſelve… in your converſe and walk with an heathen without the Church, ſet aſide your publick profeſſion of coming to the Church and hearing th… word and Church priviledges: And is there difference viſible between you and them? Many o… you pray no more in ſecret, or in your familie… nor they; ye curſe and ſwear as they, ye are covetous and worldly as they; And if ye can, do b… draw a line of difference? and if ye cannot then I ask what are ye? Is not this the ſpot o… Baſtards? Another ſpot is, hatred of Godlineſ… and the Godly, this is indeed the moſt livel… image of the Devil; who hates his brother is of th… Devil. He that hats the Son can he love the Father He that hats him that is begotten, hats alſo him that begat him: And he that loves him that begat, loves him that is begotten. Now hovv ca… he be begotten of God, who hates that nature h… is ſaid to partake of, who hats him that is begotten? I wonder that many of your conſcience are not touched vvith this? how can ye imagine ye are children of God, when there is non… of your neighbours that your heart riſeth mo… againſt, that ye can leaſt abide, nor thoſe wh… ſeek God moſt diligently, whoſe converſation different from the worlds. Do not flatter you ſelves, as if it vvere Hypocriſie ye hated? No no, ye can agree vvith profanity, and hovv ca… ye hate Hypocriſie? ye can agree vvith a pr… fane hypocrite, vvith a profane man, th… feigns and diſſembles repentance, but if once were ſo throughly changed, as to hate his fo… mer way and forſake it, then your antipathy beginneth. What a ridiculous thing is it, for profanity to take upon it to cenſure hypocriſie? Certainly if profanity caſt out with hypocriſie, it muſt be becauſe it hath a form of godlineſſe, which it ſo much deteſteth. It is a ſtrange hatred at godlineſſe that a profane man hath, that he cannot abide the very ſhadow of it. I beſeech you who love not holineſſe in your own perſons, who hate to be reformed your ſelves, do not add this hight of ſin to it, as to hate it in others alſo. If ye be not godly your ſelves, do not add this declared manifeſt character of a child of the devil to it, to hate godlineſſe in others. There were ſome hope of you, if ye held it in reverence and eſtimation where ye ſaw it. There are many other ſpots not incident to his children, as this, that men will not take with their ſin and the curſe; it is a great difficulty to convince the moſt part of men how miſerable they are, how void of God: all the world will not put them out of a good opinion of themſelves: And I think this hath been the ſpot of this people; they would not take with their guiltineſſe, a ſtubborn-hearted people, whole-hearted. There needs no more to declare a number of you not to be Gods children, but this, ye have lived all your time in the opinion and belief that ye were Gods children, that ye believed in him; ye never ſaw your ſelves loſt and miſerable. This was the ſpot of this people, that they eſteemed themſelves children, though they had many ſpots that teſtified to their face that they were no children; they waxed worſe and worſe, neither mercies nor judgements amended them: when be ſlew them, it may be, they ſought him, and flattered him with their mouth, but their hearts were no… right with him, neither were they ſtedfaſt in his Covenant, Pſal. 78, 34. Ye would have thought them a godly people while under the rod for a ſeaſon, but all that was but extorted and preſſed out by violence of affliction, as the groans of a beaſt under a burden; but a little time declared that i… was but flattery, though they thought themſelve… ingenuous, and therefore they returned to thei… old provocations, as a ſow to the puddle, or … dog to his vomit. And is not this our ſpot, eve… the ſpot of great and ſmall; If any would loo… upon us in our ingadgements and vows unde… trouble, we appear like his people, a praying repenting, and believing people. But how quickly doth all this prove flattery? Do we not ſtill return to our old wayes, that we have been examplarly puniſhed for, and which we ſo ſolemnly ingaged againſt. The …eat of the furnace dieth out, and they waxe colder and harder, a little time wears away all their tenderneſſe: every man to his own things, and no man ſeeks the things of Jeſus Chriſt. This was this peoples ſin and ſpot. Jeſhurun waxed fat and kicked, and lightly eſteemed the Rock of their Salvation. VVhe… their heads were lifted up to Government, whe… they were raiſed out of the waters of afflictio… and poverty; Then they forgat God, they oppreſſed the poor and needy, eat up his people a bread, and could not abide to have their faul… told them, they ſaid to the Seers, ſee not, and … the Prophets propheſie not unto us right things, &c Iſai. 30. 10. I think likewiſe, that oppreſſio… is not the ſpot of his Children, whoever uſe it And covetouſn…ſſe preſſes men to it, when power is in their hand to compaſſe it: This is a vile ſpot, unworthy of any Ruler, let be a Chriſtian: It was abhored among Pagans. O! but it cries to heaven, (ſayeth the Scripture) it hath a double cry when other ſins cry once. The heinouſneſſe of it cryeth once, and the poor people cry again, and both theſe come up to the Ears of the Lord of Hoſts; Nay, it hath the cry of Murther and another beſide. He that is greedy of gain, is ſaid to take away the life of the owners thereof, Pro. 1. 19. So he is a Murtherer before God, and the poor mans blood crieth for vengeance, and then himſelf ſeconds it either by prayer, or crying out for miſery, Job. 35. 9. All mens prayers and profeſſions will not outcry theſe two. The peoples many prayers could not be heard, Iſai. 1. 15. becauſe their hands were full of blood, which had a louder cry then their prayers. The poor alſo oppreſſing the poor, is like a ſweeping rain that leaves nothing behind it.
It is read in the Margin, that they are not his Children, this is their blot. And indeed it is ſo; It is a great blot and ſtain in the face of any man whoever he be, that he is not born of God, that he can reckon kindred to none but Adam; But what indignity is it and diſgrace for a people …rofeſſing his Name, yet to have no other Ge…eration, to reckon no higher then the Earth …d the Earthly. What is now the great blot … our viſible Church? Here it is, the moſt …rt are not Gods Children, but called ſo; And is the greater blot that they are called ſo, and …e not. O poor Saints eſteem your honour and high priviledge, ye have received this to be the ſons of God. It is no blot to you, that ye are poor and deſpiſed in the World: But it is and ſhall be an eternal blot, to the great and rich and wiſe in the World, that they are not the Children of God. Chriſtianity is no… blot, though it be in reproach among men, bu… it is really the glory and excellency of a man but the want of it, alas, how doth it abaſe many high and noble, empoveriſh many rich, an… infatuat many wiſe? Ye think all of you a… the Children of God, becauſe ye are in th… Church, and partake of the Ordinances and Sacraments: and ſo did this people. But Moſes did not flatter theſe Jews, but told bo… Princes and People in their face, that they we… not Children of God, becauſe only Iſrael in th… letter, they had not childrens manners. Oh that it might not be ſaid of the moſt part of yo… that ye are not children of God, and that that your blot and ſhame. It is the ſhame of Ru… ers, not to be the Children of God. They a… Wiſe, they are Active, they are Noble, b… one Spot diſgraceth all, one fly maketh the Oyntment ſtink, they are not gracious, ma… of them but ſons of men at the fartheſt recko… ing, are not begotten again to a lively Hop… Not many Wiſe, not many Noble, not many Ri… The ſcantneſſe of gracious men, is the Spot… Judicatories, that there are many Children the World, but few Children of Light in the… O! how beautiful and glorious would Judi… tories be, if all the Members were Children Light? What glory would there be, if all them did ſhine and enlightened one anothe… But what beauty or comelineſſe, what Majeſty can be in Rulers, or Judicatories, when the Image of God is not in them? This is alſo the Spot of Aſſemblies, Synods, Preſbytries, that there are few godly Miniſters. Alas that this complaint ſhould be, even among thoſe, whoſe Office it is to beget many Children to God, how few of them are begotten, or hath the Image of their Father? And thus Church-Aſſemblies have no beauty, ſuch as the Courts of Jeſus Chriſt ſhould have. O! that we were in love with Chriſtianity and Grace, that it were our grand queſtion, how ſhall I be put among the Children? The Lord ſeems to wonder at it and make a queſtion of it, How can ſuch as we be put among the Children? Jer. 3. 19. But he anſwers it himſelf, thou ſhalt call me, my Father, and ſhalt not turn away from me. There is no more, but take with your wanderings, and wrongs done to God; Imbrace him in Jeſus Chriſt, and he becomes your Father, and if ye be Children, ſure ye will reſolve to abide in your Fathers houſe, and turn no more to a preſent world, or your former luſts.
They are a perverſe and crooked generation] What pleaſure hath the Lord in ſpeaking thus, when he upbraids none? Certainly, in a manner it is drawn out of him. Would he ob…ect our faults, if we did not defend them by obſtinacy. Perverſneſſe and crookedneſſe is obſtinacy and incorrigibleneſſe againſt Mercies …nd Judgements. That which is crooked, cannot …e made ſtraight, ſaith Solomon. Then doth the Lord take notice of ſins, when men refuſe to return, and ſo maintain their ſins. It is thi… which hightens provocations and makes ou… the controverſy, perverſneſſe in ſin. It is no… ordinary common infirmities that the Lord puniſheth, either in a Land or Perſon; bu… when infirmities are diſcovered by the Light o… the Word, when the Lord uſeth means to reclaim men in his Providence, and yet no mean… prevail; then are they reckoned perverſe Now perverſneſſe is not the ſpot of his Children: The Child of God daily bowes, an… folds to him, receives challenges from him taks with iniquity, and yields unto God. O… that this Title might not be written above th… head of this generation deſervedly. This is perverſe and crooked generation.