The Imperfection of the Creature, Part 2 · Sermon 8
SERMON VIII.
PSALM CXIX. 96.
I have seen an End of all Perfection; but thy Commandment is exceeding broad.
THE last Opportunity of discoursing upon this Subject, I entred upon the Improvement of the second Doctrine from the Words, viz. The Commandment of GOD is exceeding broad; and I inferred from it,
1. The wonderful Goodness, Mercy and Compassion of GOD to a miserable World, in making a clear Revelation of his Mind and Will, in such important Affairs, wherein our own Reason would not have been sufficient to have directed us, and all with the blessed Design of recovering of us to Rectitude, and Happiness; which special Advantage demands of us our grateful Tribute of Thankfulness, and Praise.
I have also inferred,
2. The indispensible Obligations we lie under to keep the Commandment of GOD; that is, to believe all that GOD has told us, and perform all that he requireth of us. 'Tis the Commandment of the GOD that made us, who is our supream Ruler, and to whom we must be accountable; 'tis a most excellent Commandment in itself, and respecting Society, and particular Persons; and therefore as ever we would act reasonably, possess the Peace of our own Minds, and be happy in the Favour of our GOD, we are indispensibly obliged to obey it, and that every Part thereof, as the Will of GOD concerning us, and be constant and persevering in our Obedience to the End, without allowing any Interruptions therein.
And I now shall go on to a Third Inference from this Doctrine; viz.
3. This Doctrine teaches us, That Religion is our truest Wisdom. For what is Religion, but our keeping the Commandments of GOD? Religion indeed includes in it, that we believe that there is a GOD, and that we believe the Commandments, as the Rule of our Duty, is from GOD, and that the Way, in which GOD hath signified to us that he is willing to be reconciled unto us, and admit us to his Favour, namely, in and by his Son JESUS CHRIST, is the only Way of our obtaining Mercy with him: but yet all our Faith in GOD, and in his Son JESUS CHRIST, all our Fear of GOD, and Love to him, all terminates in this, as the Sum of true Religion, and what includes all the Rest, that we readily obey this GOD, in whatsoever he commands us; Therefore the Preacher said, (i)Eccl. xii. 13.Fear GOD, and keep his Commandments; for this is the whole of Man. His whole Duty is included in this, and his whole Happiness is laid up in it. Since therefore the Commandment of GOD is so exceeding broad, as to reach to us in all our Capacities, and Relations, and Designs to better us, as rational Creatures, to render our Lives comfortable to us here, and to make us compleatly happy hereafter, then it must needs be the truest Wisdom in us, thus to be religious. And, indeed, what Wisdom is there equal to this? (k)Job. xxviii. 28.Unto Man, he said, Behold, the Fear of the Lord, that is Wisdom, and to depart from Evil is Understanding. Let a Man be ever so worldly wise, though he should understand all the Secrets of Nature, and of Art, and be deeply read in the most refined Politicks, yet, without Religion, he has not the Wisdom, and Understanding, of a Man; and his whole Life will be but an ill concerted Design, which will come far short of his true End, and all his fine Schemes, his Labour, and Toil, will be in vain, and to no god Purpose: when a Storm gathers thick and dark about him, and the Waves of Adversity beat heavy upon him, he will be destitute of every thing that can afford him any solid Comfort; and when the gloomy Prospect of Death, and the Grave, appears, with all its Terrors, before him, he will not be able to look, with Calmness, into the future World, and comfort his Heart with the refreshing View of a State of compleat, and endless, Happiness reserved for him. For his inquisitive Search, and clearest Discoveries, his closest Thought, and greatest Labour, have been about those things which are of the least, and most temporary, Concernment to him, while he has contented himself to remain a Stranger to that which is his main Interest, and of everlasting Consequence unto him: the Folly of which is apparently much greater than that, of him, who should spend all his Thoughts, and Time, about catching of Butterflies, to the Neglect of the necessary Provision for the Support of his Body. Whereas, he that is truly religious takes a prudent Course to secure his main Interest, to enjoy the Favour of his GOD, and possess everlasting Peace and Joy; and let the World frown upon him, and all things about him be thrown into Confusion, and his whole Life, here, be filled up with various Afflictions, and Sorrows, yet, in the midst of all, he can look within himself with Calmness and Pleasure, at the Thought of his having done his Duty; and can look forward with a joyful Prospect of an happy Issue to all his Afflictions, secured to him in the Promise of that GOD, who is faithful, and will do it: Nay, though he should be forced for the Sake of this his main Interest, to suffer in lesser, and more trifling Matters; yet, so long as his greatest Concerns are safe, he has evidently acted the Part of a Wise Man, in making a lesser Interest stoop, and give Place, to the greater. So, like the wise Merchant, having found one Pearl of great Price, he readily sells all that he has, parts with things of lesser Value, and buys it (l)Math. xiii. 45..
Besides, the Wisdom of Religion appears in this, that a Man does nothing herein that he will afterwards have any Reason to be ashamed, and repent of; whereas he that leads an irreligious Life, in Disobedience to the Divine Commandment, will certainly, as he has just Cause for it, be ashamed, and heartily sorry for his Folly, sooner, or later: If he ever see his Error, while he has Opportunity to correct it, his past Folly will cost him many an uneasy Thought, and make him very restless; and his Repentance, though it be the best thing he can possibly do, will be attended with inward Shame, and Regret, and he will bitterly reflect upon himself, and most sadly condemn himself, as a vile, wretched, loathsome Creature, who by his Rebellions against his Sovereign, and Ingratitude to his best Friend, has deserved Hell a Thousand Times over. But if he should go on in his Irreligion, until Death, and Judgment, overtake him, how severely, then, will he reproach, and condemn himself? What pointed Stings will pierce deep into his very Soul, at the Reflection on his past Folly? What inexpressible Horror will take hold upon him, at the Thought of his former mad Course of Life? How dreadfully will he become his own Tormentor, and that throughout an endless Eternity? Whereas, he that lives religiously, in Obedience to the divine Commands, is always doing what he ought to do, what becomes him as a rational Creature, what greatly improves and betters him, and therefore what will forever set easy and comfortably about him, and what will afford him unspeakable Satisfaction in the Review of it.
Nay; if the religious Man should have deluded himself, with the pleasing Hopes, of living happily forever, in an other World, after he has acted his Part in this, and, instead of his partaking of that Joy and Satisfaction he lived in Expectation of, should, at last, die, and perish, like the Beast, yet has he acted the wise Part: because he has denied himself of nothing that was fitting for a wise Man to allow himself in, he has had the Pleasure, and Satisfaction, as he went along, to carry himself regularly, and behave decently, and to do nothing but what was worthy of him, as a Man; and all this he did upon, at least, the probable, Hopes of a happy Eternity, as the full Reward of all: and, if after all, he should miss of what he hoped for, by ceasing to have any Being beyond the Grave, yet he will truly have lost nothing, by his Religion, but what he could very well spare, without any real Damage to himself, and he will then be in no Capacity to receive any Uneasiness, at his Disappointment, or to feel any Degree of Misery. But he that lives irreligiously truly gains nothing, by his Irreligion, but what he had better be without, namely, an indecent, misbecoming, and unmanly Conduct, which exposes him to the Censure, and Disesteem, of the thinking Part of Mankind, and uneasy Reflections within himself, which he cannot, at Times, be without; and all the Liberty he has taken to gratify the irregular Appetites of Flesh and Sense, besides it's reducing him upon a Level with the Brute, has been with a View to some probable Hope, (for no Man is, or can be sure of it,) that he shall have no Being in an other World; which Hope if he should find himself, at last, mistaken in, he would be unavoidably miserable, and that forever. So that, upon Supposition, that the future State is only probable, and that there were equal Reason to conclude, that it will, or will not, be, the religious Man is, by far, the wiser of the two; because he has provided for that which possibly may happen, and that with no real Disadvantage to himself in his present State, while the irreligious has made no real Gain to himself, by a Life of Disobedience, and is utterly unprovided for the fatal Chance, which, for ought he can possibly know, may, at last, happen to him.
But then, whatever profane Men may think of it, there is no such Chance, whether we shall have a Being in an other World; no, my Brethren, it is an undoubted Certainty, founded upon solid Principles of Reason, and evidenced by the clear Light of indisputable Revelation, that we shall exist after we leave this World, that Death does not make a final and full End of us, but we pass, from h…e, into an other World, where we shall have assigned unto us a Portion answerable to our Conduct in this: and then who will be found to be the wise Man? He that has aforehand been thoughtful about that State he is passing into, and done all he can to render it a comfortable and happy State to him; or, he that has cast off all Thoughts of Futurity, and has been doing all he can to render it a State of endless Misery, and insupportable Torment to him? Verily, when all things are duely considered, it will certainly be found, that Religion is our truest Wisdom. Well then might Solomon, the wisest of Men, say, (m)Prov. xxviii. 7.Whose keepeth the Law is a wise Son; and, (n)ch. xix. 8.He that geteth Wisdom loveth his own Soul, and be that keepeth Understanding shall find good.
4. We may from hence infer the very great Evil of wilfully making light of, and contemning, the divine Commandment. Is the Commandment, a Revelation from GOD, partaking of the Purity of his Nature, with the Stamp of his royal Authority upon it? Is it exceeding broad, as it reaches to every one of us, and every Part of us, includes our whole Duty, and consults our truest Interest, in this World, and the next? What an high Crime, and misdemeanor, must it then be, for any to make Light of it, and pour their Contempt upon it, as though it were mean, and despicable, and not worthy to be treated with Decency, and good Manners: What is this but to pour Contempt upon GOD himself, who speaks to us in his Word? Surely the Oracles of the great GOD ought to be forever sacred with us, and to be thought, and spoken, of, with the greatest Reverence. One would be ready to think, that the Purity of its Morals, the Sublimity, and Majesty, of its Sentiments, and the Nobleness, and Gravity, as well as Familiarity, and Plainness, of its Diction, besides the Remembrance that Life, or Death, turns upon our Regards to it, should secure it our greatest Veneration, beyond that of any other Writings whatever; because no other Writings, whatever, can pretend to come near the Sanctity, and Majesty, of the sacred Scriptures; nor so nearly concern us, in our best, and lasting Interest. And yet, as if it were not enough to live, and act, contrary to the Documents of this sacred Word, are there not a Generation, (O how lofty are they in their own Eyes!) who add to all their other Crimes the prodigious Guilt, of pleasing themselves in breaking their scurrilous Jests upon the holy Writings, and scruple not to turn the divine Oracles into Burlesque? What can be more contrary to that Reverence and Esteem which is due to a Revelation from GOD, than for Persons to account themselves witty in their profane Drollery upon it? And yet, for ought all that the wittiest of them can say, it may possible be a Revelation from GOD, and no other than GOD himself speaking in that Word which they contemn. Nor is it any Argument of the Meanness of the sacred Scriptures, or their want of a divine Original, that Persons of but little real Wit, though of a great Deal of Profaneness, and Malice, can play their silly Squibs, upon the Doctrines, or Precepts, contained in them, any more than it is an Argument of the Meanness of a noble Man's Character, that a contemptible Buffoon wears the Title of my Lord: Though with some, it may be thought a sufficient Confutation of the divine Original of the Scriptures, that they can strain a low Banter, or break a homely Jest upon them. But, let such Men know, that Bantering, and Jesting, are not Reasoning; and they must give us other Proofs of their supposed masterly Way of thinking, before we can yield up our Understandings, and Consciences, to their Direction: yea, they must give us other Evidences, than they do, of their being Friends to Reason, whatever Shape they appear in, before they are fit to be hearkened to. A Man is never the less valuable for a Monkey's ridiculous Representation of him. What is there so sacred, and true, so beneficent, and serviceable, which a very low, but a very licentious, Wit, may not turn into Ridicule? But of all Wit this is the most foolish, and the most dangerous: This is to sport, in the Dark, with edge Fools, and to act the Part of Solomon's mad Fool, (o)Prov. xxvi. 18.who casteth Firebrands, Arrows, and Death, and crieth, am I not in Sport? because it is to play the Fool in a Matter of the greatest Consequence that can be, in which, if a Man be mistaken in his Jest, and for ought he knows he may be mistaken, he does himself the greatest possible Injury, as well as to many about him: he runs on inconsiderately, with a broad Laugh, and hideous Grin, and hurries many unthinking Fools, with the empty Noise, into everlasting Burning. Nor, know I any Sin, that, in our Day, may be supposed to come nearer to the Sin against the Holy Ghost, (if it be not the very same,) which shall never be forgiven, neither in this World, nor in that which is to come, than for a Man designedly to ridicule the Scriptures, and the Miracles recorded in it, as little Tricks of Juggling, and Legerdemain; because such a Man Evidently discovers himself to be under the Power of Malice, and Rage, against our holy Religion, and it's Author, who can, for the Sake of his Enmity to them, become so great an Enemy to Reason; by which Means he stands absolutely Self-condemned. And whatever the profane Droll may think of himself, and however he may gain the Laugh, of the vain World on his Side, he will find, in the Conclusion, that he has been all the while sporting himself to his own undoing, by passing the Flout, and Jeer, upon his Maker, and his Judge, and has Jested away his Soul, and his Happiness forever. Of all Persons, such should be had in the greatest Contempt, and Abhorrence, by us, because of their scurrilous spitting in the Face of our heavenly Father, and their bold Attempt to undermine, by the most unmanly, and sordid, Methods, the very Foundations of our most holy Religion, and bury the noblest Structure in the contemptible Ruins.
Thus also, it argues a Slight cast upon the divine Commandment, for any to form new Notions, and Schemes of Religion, and Ways of Worship, not enjoyned, or warranted, by the Word of GOD. For, as GOD himself knows best, what Worship, and religious Service, is most agreeable to his Nature, and Perfections, and consonant to his grand Design of the Salvation of Sinners, through the Merits of his Son; so he has been pleased to reveal to us, in his holy Word, what that Worship is, which is acceptable and pleasing to him; and his Commands, therein, extend not only, to every one of us, but, to the whole of our Duty, relating to GOD, and his Worship, as well as to our whole Duty to our Fellow Creatures. It must therefore be looked upon as no less than, a reproaching the exceeding broad Commandment with Imperfection, for us to interpolate it with Inventions of our own; and an Impeaching the Wisdom of GOD, for us to set up Modes of Worship which he hath not enjoyned; and an arrogating to ourselves the Authority of GOD, and his Dominion in his own House, for us to impose our own Schemes upon others, and make our new found Services the Terms of Communion in the Church of GOD; and, at the same Time, such pernicious Principles do but give the Scope to vain conceited Minds, full of themselves, and contemning all beside, when once they have gotten sufficient Power on their Side, to impose upon us what new Religion they please, when ever they shall think it fitting to do so. If, therefore, we would approve ourselves unto GOD, and not make light of his Commandment, we ought to be careful, in all Parts of our religious Worship, to conform ourselves, not to the Dictates of Men, but, to the Rules laid down in the Word of GOD. (p)Isa. viii. 20.To the Law, and to the Testimony; if they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no Light in them.
Furthermore; It is a Slight and Contempt cast upon the Word of GOD, for Persons to neglect to make that due Improvement of it, which it is designed for, to instruct them in the Way of Righteousness. The great Design of GOD'S holy Word is, to convert the Soul, to make wise the simple, to rejoice the Heart, and enlighten the Eyes, and to guide us in the Path of our Duty, and the Way to true and endless Felicity. Now, in order to have this blessed End promoted, 'tis necessary that Persons act the rational Part, in a diligent Application of the Means to the End, by a due Improvement of the divine Commandment, so as that it may be a Lamp to their Feet, and a Light unto their Path. But if they refuse to make a wise Improvement of it, to this great and good End, 'tis because, either, they contemn the End, as not worth their regarding, or, slight the Means, as not well adapted to the End: either of which is to make light of the Word of GOD, by which only we have the great End, the Purity, and Happiness of Man assertained, and the best Way to attain this End pointed out to us.
This therefore is their Sin, and Folly, who live without reading the Word of GOD, daily, with close Application of Mind to what they read; for 'tis plain they neglect, and slight, the best Means to promote the highest End; and it may be said to them, in the Language of the wise Man, (q)Prov. xvii. 16.wherefore is there a Price, in the Hand of a Foot, to get Wisdom, seeing he hath no Heart to it? The greatest of Men, as well as the least, owe this to the sacred Bible, carefully to inform themselves in the Nature, and Importance of it, what it discovers to them, and what it requires of them; this their own Interest demandeth of them; this the great GOD commands them. (r)Deut. xvii. 18, 19.When he (the King) sitteth upon the Throne of his Kingdom, he shall write (have) a Copy of this Law;—and it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the Days of his Life; that he may learn to fear the LORD his GOD, to keep all the Words of this Law, and these Statutes to do them. And how can any Man hope to fear GOD, and keep his Commandments? who, so despiseth the divine Commandment, as to cast it behind his Back, and is the Fool that hateth Instruction.
And so, when Persons refuse to come to the place of Publick Worship, that they may hear the Word of GOD preached, his Commands explained, and enforced, 'tis evident they make light of this holy Word, because they neglect to improve it, as they ought to do. It has pleased GOD in his great Wisdom, and Goodness, to make Use of the Word of Reconciliation, by the Ministry of Men, appointed for this End, to bring the Soul of the poor Sinner home to GOD in CHRIST, by a hearty Belief of all Gospel Truths, and sincere Practice of all Gospel Duties; in this Way our blessed LORD, and his Apostles, after him, converted Sinners, and saved their Souls from Death. But now, when any wilfully absent themselves from the Publick Worship, and refuse to hear the Word preached, whatever Pretence they may have therefor, from their Conceit of their own Knowledge, or low Esteem of the Preacher, 'tis evident they despise Prophesying, and contemn the Word of Life; which, if they truly valued, they would embrace all proper Opportunities to receive their Portion of, as they do the returning Seasons to entertain the Food of their Bodies. GOD therefore charges it against his rebellious People, of old, (s)Isa. v. 24.That, they cast away the Law of the LORD of Host, (they put it from them, and desired to have nothing to do with it,) and despised the Word of the Holy One of Israel. And verily, when Fools thus despise Wisdom, and the Means leading to it, their Sin is greatly aggravated thereby, and their Condemnation will be sadly increased; because they despise GOD, who speaketh to them in his Word, and despise their own Souls, which the Word is the designed Means to promote the Salvation of: and therefore, unto such Sinners, that awful Warning belongeth, (t)Act. xiii. 41.Behold, ye Despisers, and wonder, and perish.
5. From hence we learn, how short we all come of the Rule in our Obedience, and what need the very best of us all have, humbly and earnestly, to implore the pardoning Mercy of GOD, through the Merits of JESUS CHRIST, that we may find Acceptance with him. Is the Commandment of GOD thus exceeding broad? Doth it extend to every Duty, and require an exact Obedience of us, in Heart, and Life, and that without any, the least, allowed and wilful Defects? Then, upon an Examination of ourselves, we cannot but see, that, after all our Care to perform our Duty, and preserve ourselves pure, and untainted with any Error, we have come greatly short of the Rule, and that even in the very best of our Performances. Alas, for us; we daily sin in Thought, in Word, and in Deed; and though any of us should not have allowed ourselves in any of the greater, and more heinous, Transgressions of the divine Law, as in swearing and Drunkenness, Uncleanness, Falshood, Malice, or the like atrocious Crimes, yet there is enough of Obliquity, cleaving to all we do, to justify the holy and righteous GOD if He should condemn us. For he that would hope to escape the righteous Condemnation of the great Judge, upon the Account of his own Performances, must be able to lay claim to a perfect sinless Obedience of his own; because, whatever the Grace of GOD, according to the Dispensation of the Gospel, might do, in abating the utmost exactness of the Law, in it's Demands upon us, for the Sake of a Mediator interposing on our Behalf, yet, the Law itself, which is the Rule to us, allows of no Failure, in our Obedience, without our falling under the condemning Power of it; nor will the Honour of the Sovereign, separate from the Grace of the Gospel, admit of any Repugnancy in us to his rightful Authority, without his proper Animadversions upon us for it. And where is the Man, (the Man JESUS only excepted,) that can pretend to a perfectly sinless Obedience to the divine Law? For in Order to any Man's being perfectly righteous before GOD, by Vertue of his own Obedience, it is absolutely necessary, that there be the most exact Agreement between the divine Will, made known to him; and his Obedience, without the least Failure, or Defection from the right Line of his Duty: for if he should, in the least Degree, go off from the Rule, his Obedience would not then be perfectly agreeable to it. It is therefore but a vain Pretention for any to imagine themselves altogether perfect, and sinless. For so, there is not a just Man upon Earth, that doth good, and finneth not (a)Eccl. vii. 20.: and, if we say we have no Sin, we deceive ourselves, and the Truth is not in us. (b)I Joh. 1. 8.And yet, possibly, we may find many carnal Professors, who, like the Publican, we very ready to Justifie themselves, saying, GOD, I thank thee, I am not like this, and the other Man; I do this, and that; they are morally honest, and do no Injury to any Man, (they say,) and it may be they are charitably disposed, and so not only do no Hurt to any, but they do, (they think,) what good they can. But is this to be perfect, and sinless? Let no man flatter himself with a vain Delusion. Come to the Word of GOD, view thy self in that clear Glass, and, doubtless, thou will then plainly see, that there are many Blemishes upon thee, many Defects which attend thee daily in all thou doest.
Does the divine Commandment extend to every Duty? who is there of us then can Say, there has ever a Day passed him, wherein he has not been guilty of some sinful Omission or other? Have you got all the good you might, by hearing, or reading, the Word of GOD, by Conferences, and Meditation, and Prayer? Or have you done all the good you could unto others; to their Bodies, and to their Souls, by your charitable Assistance, by your Exhortations, Admonitions, and Counsels? Nay, if we thoroughly search our Ways, may we not find, that there is not a Day we have lived which has been wholly free from the Commission of many Evils, which were in our Power to have prevented; Can we say, that our Carriage to GOD, and to our Fellow Creature, has been with that Reverence, and Devotion, with that Exactness, Circumspection, and Goodness, which it might, and ought to have been? Or, have we suffered no evil Communication to proceed out of our Mouths, no Words that have been hasty, and rash, indecent, or censorious, or that favoured too much of Levity, and Profaneness? Or, have our Hearts been in suitable Frames all the Day long? Has there been no Degree of forbidden Anger, Malice, Hatred, or Revenge, lurking there? Or, has there been no Lust of Concupiscence, Covetousness, or Pride, harboured there? Have we suffered no vain Thoughts to lodge within us? It is to be feared that there is a great Deal of Guilt chargeable upon every one of us, upon these Accounts.
Besides; it must be remembred, that as the Commandment reaches to the Heart, so it Means to govern us in our Principles, and Ends, and the Manner of our Performing of our Duty, as well as in the Matter of it. Possibly, there may be many, who pass for good People, that have no Regard to the Principle, and End, of their Actions, nor to the Manner of their Performance of their Duty, any further than the external Form; and so they do but attend to the doing of the Thing required of them, as to the Matter of it, they are easy, and contented, and look no further. But, say now, does not the Commandment require us to do all that we do with a sincere aim to the Glory of GOD? (c)1. Cor. x. 31.Does not the Commandment, require us to Worship GOD in Spirit, and in truth, (d)Joh. iv. 24. Ps. cxix. 2, and 69.and to seek him, and keep his Precepts, with our whole Heart? Well then; do we find, upon Examination, that, even in the Religious Duties we have been imployed about, we have always come up to what the Commandment requireth of us, and sincerely aimed at the Glory of GOD, and the shewing forth our Makers Praise? Has our whole Heart been engaged therein, and have they always been performed by us with that Life, and Vigor, that Spirituality, and Purity, of Mind, that Delight, and Satisfaction of Soul, which the Rule demands of us? Or, are we not often carnal, cold, dull, slothful, and perfunctory, in our very Acts of Devotion, or backward to them, or soon weary of them? Have we allowed no evil Thoughts, no Stirring and Workings of Corruption in us, while we have been praying, reading, or hearing the Word of GOD? Have no worldly Views, and Concerns, crowded into our Minds, and been tolerated there, while we have been attending upon the holy Supper of our Lord, one of the sacred Rites of our holy Religion? Has no Temptation taken hold of us, and influenced us in our Duties; no sinister and worldly Principles, of making a Gain of Godliness; no carnal Ends, of being seen of Men, of pleasing our Superiors, and of being applauded, ever been proposed by us in our religious Performances? And if we have been Defective in our holy things, how many more, may we well suppose, have been the Errors we have committed, in the common Affairs of Life, where we are most off from our Guard, and are apt to be less critical and exact in our observing the Rule? Alas! who can say, I have made my Heart clean, I am pure from my Sin?(e)Prov. xx. 9.
O! how hard and difficult do the very best of us find it, to live in such a constant conscientious Obedience to the Divine Commandment, as the Rule requires, without allowing ourselves, at any Time, in the Neglect of any known Duty, or committing any wilful Error in our Conduct? The constant keeping of our End in our Eye, and the diligent Application of ourselves to our Master's Business, without any such Remissness as will bring us under the Character of the slothful Servant; the perpetual striving against the corrupt Bent, and Inclination, of our own depraved Hearts, and the prevailing Force of the vicious Custom of the Place, and Age, we live in and the powerful Suggestions of a busy and malicious Devil; and the keeping of our Hearts true to GOD; and stedfast in his Covenant, amidst all the Snares and Temptations that surround us; are much more hard and difficult Things, than many carnal Professors imagine; who are ready to conclude, that an open Profession of Religion, and a Round of external Duties, are sufficient to denominate a Man a good Christian, and entitle him unto the Favour of GOD, Alas; there are many that seek, who shall not be able to enter into the Kingdom of GOD, as our blessed Lord informs us; (f)Luk. xiii. 24.because it is a much more laborious. Task than they imagine to be universally obedient; and they will not be at the Pains with themselves, to strive for the Mastery over every Corruption, and subdue every Lust, and perform all that they do in Singleness of Heart unto the Lord, with those holy Views, and in that spiritual Manner which the Commandment prescribes. How exceeding difficult is it, for a Man to preserve himself Steady in his Obedience unto his GOD, when he is perpetually in danger, from his Company, his Business, his natural Temper and Constitution, of being turned aside from the holy Commandment? How hard a Matter is it, (said the excellent Dr. Tillotson, †Vol. ii. p. 262.) to be much in Company, and free in Conversation, and not to be infected by it? to live in the midst of a wicked World, and yet to keep ourselves free from the Vices of it? And, then how hard is it to be chearful, without being vain? and grave and serious, without being morose? How difficult is it to have a Mind equal to every Condition, and to be content with mean and moderate Things? to be patient in Adversity, and humble in Prosperity, and meek upon sudden and violent Provocations? So that we may sadly conclude, that the best of Men have their Weaknesses and Imperfections, and come greatly short of that Exactness, which is necessary to render their Hearts and Action conformable to the Rule.
But, perhaps, some will be ready to say, why these are but small Faults, meer Peccadilloes which GOD will not be so severe as to mark against us, and we doubt not but he will over-look such small Failings in us, seeing that, in the Main, we endeavour to be obedient to his Commandment. But why should you imagine that GOD will over-look them? Is your Obedience perfect, while it has so many Defects in it? and does not the Law insist upon a perfect Obedience? But GOD is merciful, (you say,) and, from the Goodness of his Nature, will readily pass by and forgive small Faults. Why, truly the Goodness of his Nature is sufficiently manifested, in making of thee a rational Agent, and not a Brute, and in giving to thee an holy, just, and good Law, in supporting of thee in Being, and continuing the Use of thy Reason to thee, and in so long … ing upon thee to be gracious to thee. But is not GOD just; as well as good? and shall there be no Room for the Manifestation of his Justice … in the more atrocious Crimes? Must the Goodness of GOD clash with his Holiness, and Justice, to give thee an Opportunity to sin with Impunity? And is not the least … from the Commandment a Sin? And will the holy GOD tolerate it, and the just GOD forbear to punish for it! The very Plea shews, that there has been a Defect, in your Obedience, which needs a Pardon; and that shews, that you have deserved to suffer. So the Scripture (the Law) concludes all (all Men, and all that they can do,) under Sin: (g)Gal. iii. 22.for whatsoever the Law saith, it saith unto them that are under the Law, that every Mouth may be stopped, and all the World may be guilty before GOD.(h)Rom. iii. 19.
Yes, so …eding broad in the divine Commandment that we cannot possibly reach to the utmost … of it, in our present imperfect State Though we ought to press after the highest Attainments in Grace, and Holiness, yet when we have arrived at the utmost Degrees it is possible for us, now, to reach unto, while we are cloathed with Flesh, and attended with our sinful Infirmities, there will still remain farther Degrees for us to labour after. Therefore the holiest of Men are commanded, (i)2 Pet. iii. 18.to grow in Grace, and in the Knowledge of our Land and Saviour JESUS CHRIST. So that if we bring, ourselves, and all our Actions, to the Rule, we may plainly see that we come vastly short of that Exactness which is our Duty, even in the very best that we do; and it is just Matter of Humiliation to us, that we are so very defective in all, that if GOD should enter into Judgment with us, and mark our Iniquity against us, we could not answer him for one of a Thousand; and it concerns us daily to renew our Repentance, because we daily offend.
What a Wonder of Mercy, then, is it, that the infinitely holy GOD will be pleased to accept of any of our imperfect Services? Truly, we serve the best of Masters; whose Mercy reaches us in our poor low infirm State, and pities us under all our Weaknesses, helps us under all our Infirmities, and accepteth of our sincere Desires, and Endeavours, after perfect Obedience, though there are innumerable Defects in us, and our Services, when we have done our best. We are beholden to a merciful GOD for every good Thing wrought in us, or done by us. *I Cor. iv. 7.Who maketh that to differ from another Man? and what best thou which thou didst not receive? Thy very Faith, and Repentance, and every Grace in thee, is the Gift of GOD to thee, without whom thou couldest do nothing. GOD oweth thee Nothing, but Thou owest thy Self, and all that thou canst do, to him: it is but thy due Debt to serve him, in the most exact, and steady, uninterrupted, Obedience to his Commands; a Debt which thou art to be always paying, and yet canst never fully pay; a Debt which thou comest so short in, that, when thou hast done all thou canst, thou wilt have no Room to boast and glory, as if thou deservedst any Thing, but must rely upon the infinite Mercy of GOD to accept thy poor Performances. We are all an unclean Thing, and all our Righteousnesses are but as filthy Rags; said the Prophet. †Isa. lxiv. 6.That after a Man has lived the most holy circumspect Life, that ever any mere Man in the World did, after all his fervent Prayers, and Devotions, and penitent Tears and Humiliations, and exemplary Probity, Justice, and Charity, if the great and holy GOD should deal with him according to the strict Demands of his holy Law and Commandment, he would be sent down to Hell, as the just Reward of the Iniquity of his holy Things. But by Grace ye are saved; and the Grace of GOD is superabundant towards us, in accepting, and rewarding of our Obedience, which, after all, is so very defective.
Certainly then, in vain do any expect Justification by any Performances of their own; for by the Deeds of the Law no Flesh shall be justifyed in his Sight. (k.)Rom. iii. 25.We are, after we have done our best, not only unprofitable Servants, but, so very defective, that we should not be able to stand a Trial before our Judge, and hold up our Heads in the great Day of Account. This therefore shews us what Reason we have to repair to the pardoning Mercy of GOD, through the Merits of JESUS CHRIST, that our Sins may be forgiven, and we may be accepted into His Favour. If the Commandment be so exceeding broad, as we have seen, then we need a more perfect Righteousness than any we are able to procure by our own Obedience, to justify us before GOD, and entitle us to the divine Acceptance. For, how can we imagine that GOD, who is of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity, will accept our imperfect Services, as they are in themselves, without any farther Considerations? Verily, the Justice, and Holiness of GOD will not admit of it. The holy, and righteous, wise, and good GOD can look upon no Righteousness, as sufficient to recommend any to his Favour, but what is every Way adequate, and correspondent to the Demand of his Law; the want of this is a Trespass upon his Authority, and Dominion, which was the Case of Apostate Angels, and fallen Man; and therefore, since, through the Defectiveness of our Obedience, we are not Owners of such a perfect Righteousness of our own, 'tis necessary that we be provided of such a sinless Righteousness from an other, as our Surety, in the Vertue of which GOD may accept us, and our Services, and confer the Blessing upon us. GOD smelleth a sweet Savour only in a perfect spotless Sacrifice. All of which shews us the Necessity there is of our being found in the Righteousness of JESUS CHRIST, our only Mediator, in the Merits of whose Sufferings GOD will graciously pardon all our Sins, and in the Virtue of whose perfect Obedience he will accept of our sincere, though imperfect Services, according to the Tenor of the Grace of the Gospel; and consequently the Necessity of our Faith in the Lord JESUS CHRIST, relying upon his infinite Merits alone for our Justification before GOD, that being justified by. Faith, through the Imputation of the Righteousness of CHRIST unto us, we may have Peace with GOD, and be accepted to his everlasting Mercy. For, blessed be GOD; if any Man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, JESUS CHRIST the righteous; who is a Propitiation for our Sin. (l)1 Joh. ii. 1, 2.If there had been a Law given which would have given Life, verily Righteousness should have been by the Law: (m)Gal. iii. 21.But what the Law could not do, in that it was weak through the Flesh, GOD sending his own Son, in the Likeness of sinful Flesh, and for Sin condemned Sin in the Flesh; that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit: (n)Rom. viii. 3, 4.whom (JESUS CHRIST) GOD hath set forth to be a Propitiation, through Faith in his Blood, to declare his Righteousness for the Remission of Sins that are past; through the Forbearance of GOD;—that He might be just, and the Justifier of him which believeth in JESUS. (o)Rom. iii. 25, 26.Our only Hope, and Plea, then, is the prevailing Merits of his Obedience, and Sufferings, who gave Himself for us, that He might wash away our Sins in his own Blood. (p)Rev. 1. 5.And need have we to renew our Closure with the Lord JESUS CHRIST, by a daily fresh Exercise of our Faith in Him, in the Virtue and Efficacy of his Obedience and Passion, that we may have our imperfect Services, perfumed with His sweet Incense, and, presented through His Hands, rendred acceptable to His eternal Father; and that we may obtain the Forgiveness of all our Sins, and short Comings in Duty, and may be received unto that eternal Life, which CHRIST has purchased, and GOD, that cannot lie, has promised before the World began.