THese words are part of the answer which the Pro­phet gives to a question, that the people returned out of captivity, had by their messengers propo­sed to the Priests, and (as it should seem) in case they could not resolve them, to the Prophet, con­cerning which wee read in the third verse of this Chapter. For the better understanding both the Question and the Answer; wee must observe, that after the destruction of Jerusalem, and their being carried captive by the King of Babylon, they ap­pointed certain fasts to bee kept at some set times of the year, which were sad commemorations of that ruine which by de­grees God had brought upon them. In the Law of Moses wee read but of one Fast (that I remember) commanded by God to this people, which was in the same month with one of these, viz. the tenth day of the seventh month, and it is mentioned, Levit. 16.29.31. Levit. 23.27, &c. The neglect, or rather hypocritical observance of which Sabbath, or day of rest (for so there it is called) is reproved very sharply in the 58. of Isa. through the whole chapter; where by Sabbath, vers. 13. is to bee under­stood this fasting day on the tenth of the seventh month, and not the seventh day of the week. But as there were many occasional Fasts appointed (as is clear in the history of the Bible) by the supream magistrate; so upon the carrying of the Nation cap­tive, their Rulers (it is most like) did appoint four Fasts to be ob­served every year; which are mentioned altogether, Zach. 8.19. [Page 2] and were in remembrance (as both ancient and modern, Christian, and Jewish Interpreters conjecture) of so many se­veral remarkables in their ruine. The Fast of the fourth month was in memory of the first breach made in the wall of Hierusa­lem by the Chaldeans, of which wee read, Jer. 52.6, &c. The Fast of the fifth, in memory of the burning of the Temple, which in that month happened, ( Jer. 52.12.) as the burning of the se­cond by Titus also did. That of the seventh, was in memory of the slaughter of Gedaliah, by Ishmael, of which wee read, Jer. 41. That of the tenth month, in memory of the beginning of that fiedge which proved so fatal to them, which fell out to bee in that month 2 King. 25.1. Jer. 52.3.

But they being now returned to their own Land, and the Temple being begun to bee rebuilt by Zerubbabel, it comes into their minde to enquire of the Lord, whether they should keep that Fast any longer, which was in memory of its destruction, (for concerning that only their scruple is moved, verse 3.) The Prophet before hee comes to determine the case, and to tell them that the day should still bee observed, only with a change of the solemnity, that from a Fast it should bee turned (together with the rest) into a Feast, as it is in the 8 chap. 19. I say before this hee gives them to understand what a true Fast is (lest afterward their daies of mirth should bee to no better purpose, than their daies of sorrow) and tells them plainly, that they were much mistaken, if they thought that they had observed a true Fast to God all this while, in the fifth or the seventh month either, or had served God better than their Fore-Fathers did, whose fast­ing is by God in the forementioned place ( Isa. 58.) undervalued and sleighted as unworthy of his least respect. And this hee doth here in the words of my Text, and those that follow, by way of question. When you fasted in the fifth, &c. did you at all fast unto mee, even to mee? or as it is in the Hebrew, [...] did you fast your fast to mee, I say to mee? which is a phrase like that, in Hag. 1.4. [...] is it a time for you, I say, for you who are newly delivered by mee, to dwell in your seiled houses, &c. So, did you fast to mee? I say, to mee, who have often declared to you, that I care not for these outward performances, but love the hearty forsaking of sin? or was it [...] or [...] (as Aben-Ezra interprets it) because of mee, [Page 3] for my sake, for my glory, or to do any thing really pleasing unto mee? or the word [...] may bee supposed to bee under­stood after [...] Did I command any such Fast as this unto you? who bid you fast on this fashion? when you eat and drink, v. 6. did not you eat? i. e. upon your own pleasure, or did you any thing but eat and drink? just such a thing is your fasting. I am no more pleased with it, than with your eating and drinking. It is indifferent unto mee, if barely considered, whether you fast, or not. If you had kept no such daies, you had pleased mee as well, unlesse you had kept them better. This is the summe of the words. The Fast which they observed, was but as the exercise of any ordinary day; if they had taken their repast, fol­lowed their calling, anointed their heads, done as they used at other times, they had found as much acceptance with God, and equally given him content, who looked for other kinde of fasting, as the Prophet tells us, in the 9, 10.11. verses of this Chapter.

The words then are a sharp expostulation with them about their Hypocritical fasting, or a tart answer to their scruple or doubt (wherein they was very pious, and of a tender conscience) whether they should cease to fast or no. And in them these things are obvious to bee noted.

1 The parties to whom the Answer is directed, to the Priests and the people of the Land, which was either because that both of them were guilty, or that both of them came with this inquiry; the people seeking to the Priests, and they not being able to re­solve them, comming with the people to the Prophet, as the manner was in difficult cases.

2 The matter of the Answer, wherein there is 1 A Concessi­on, that indeed they had fasted many years, and yet, 2 An Absolute denial, that they had observed any true Fast all this time; which being propounded to them by way of question, and appeal to their own consciences, making them judges in their own cases, doth put the answer out of all doubt, and leaves it as a matter clear, evident, and without any the least contra­diction, true, that they had not fasted at all. Do you your selves now tell mee (saith the Prophet) in your sober thoughts, whether you can think, that not eating, weeping, howling, &c. is Gods fast? No, you have been told often enough of this; are [Page 4] not these the words which the Lord hath cried by the former Pro­phets, when Jerusalem was inhabited, and in prosperity, &c. (so these words are best rendred in the 7. vers. [...], &c.) have not I told your Fathers by all my servants while you was in this land, before your captivity, that this was not the Fast that I have chosen? And yet you their children are in the same mistake, and come confidently to mee, and tell mee of your performing, that which I alwaies upbraided them withall. Mee thinks your own hearts should reprove you, and spare mee a labour of giving you any other answer.

I will speak only to the matter of these words, and endea­vour to assert the truth of one or both of these observa­tions.

1 That there is a serious, devout, and laborious humbling of a mans self, which is not the true fasting and humiliation that God will accept of.

2 That if there bee not that which is the true, there will bee but little difference between the other, and none at all. The second will bee a consequent of the first, and therefore in the clearing of that, it will sufficiently bee spoken unto.

The former lies open enough before our eyes in the Text, and hee must bee very carelesse that doth not observe this people to have been very contrite in some instances, and to have expressed a great deal of sorrow, much afflicted themselves, and that in so serious a manner, that they thought they had very well pleased God, and could not in conscience leave off these exercises, till they knew his minde about it, and yet, that they were but idlely imploied all this time, and had as good have been doing the quite contrary thing. They themselves durst confidently avouch the truth of the first part of what I affirm, and God hee as peremptorily asserts the other, and makes their consciences return as much to themselves, while hee saith, did you fast unto mee, &c. though this was not the first time neither, that hee had told them so, and they might have known so much before; another as convincing a question following upon this 7. verse. Nunquid non sunt verba quae locutus est Domi­nus, &c. (so the Vulgar reads them agreeable to the Hebrew) are not these the words which the Lord cryed by the former Pro­phets, &c. There is no doubt of it, and I need not go far for [Page 5] proof, for God himself directs us to it, if wee will but look in­to the words of all his Prophets, which are as so many com­ments upon the Text, and as so many witnesses to the truth of what from it I have undertaken to make good; some of which I shall have occasion to call in, to attest what I affirm, in the se­quel of this discourse.

That wee may not therefore put a cheat upon our selves, and think wee do God good service upon such a day as this, while wee are an abomination to him, and the hated of his soul, be­cause of our Hypocrisie; I shall shew you

1 What is not Gods Fast which this people did observe. What this humiliation is that God will not accept?

2 What is Gods Fast which this people did not, but should have observed? Or what more is required to the pleasing God, and being accepted of him.

While I speak of the former of these two, I will not quite ex­clude all notice of the latter, nor keep it altogether from your view, till this be dispatched, but shall reflect some light upon it, as I am opening of this, and so make fewer words necessary for the clearing of it, when my discourse is descended to it, and get a liberty thereby, to croud into the narrow compasse of this hour, some material considerations concerning the state of this people, which will conduce very much to the illustrating of the whole businesse.

1 Gods Fast is not meer abstinence from food, from either the de­licacies, or the ordinary refreshments of nature, which this people did most punctually and nicely observe, and also tell us that to the afflicting of the soul of a man (by which phrase the great Fast is expressed, Levit. 16.) there are four things required be­side not tasting any food, viz. abstaining from, or laying aside their bathes, their ointments, their wives, and their shooes, i. e. every thing that might bee a pleasure and delight to their bodies. And these may seem to bee included in that phrase, ver. 3. of this chapter, Shall I weep in the fifth month ( [...]) separating my self as I have done these many years? but alas! these severi­ties amounted to a labour about nothing, because while they would not for a world touch a bit of bread, they drunk in ini­quity like water, and was filled with it, even to an excesse, and it broke out like a sore disease; while they pined their body, [Page 6] their lusts, the body of sin was fat, and well liking; while they took down their flesh, and made their faces look thin, that which the Scripture calls flesh, was lusty, strong, pampered, and high fed. Their proud and big thoughts were not taken down, their inordinate covetous desires were not impaired, their luxurious appetites were not retrenched, nothing that was unreasonable in them was paired off, moderated, or abated. And so their Fast was to no more purpose (not being thus de­signed) than if they had been feeding themselves with more plentiful than ordinary chear. And if wee intend no more to day, than what they performed, wee had as good have gone and made a feast, invited our neighbours, and passed away that time merrily, which wee are now spending only upon a sad ceremony. If wee consider the simple act, either of the one, or the other of these things, neither of them are good in them­selves; but as they are designed by us to certain purposes which are good, so they come to bee acts of religion. And fasting then from food is good and profitable.

1 When in respect of the time past, it is an act of sorrow and grief, of anger and displeasure against, and of revenge upon our selves, for the abuse of those good things which God hath given us leave to feed upon to our refreshment, but which wee have fatted our selves withall to an excessive fulnesse and wantonnesse. When it is an expression of our repentance, and disclaiming of our former courses, an acknowledgement that wee deserve nothing at all, but to have our daily food taken away from our tables, and not so much as the scraps left behinde of that plenteous provision which God blesses us withall.

2 When in respect of the time to come, it is an act of mortifica­tion, designed to the starving and pining of our lusts, to the cut­ting off their provision, and withdrawing of their nourishment, to the learning of sobriety, and temperate living, to the practi­sing denial of our own appetites, and crossing our own desires. And so it is not a businesse for a day, or whose efficacie reach­es but till night, but hath a design upon the whole life, wherein wee are to abstain as carefully from all excesse, yea, from all sin, as wee do to day from all our food. To which that of the Fathers doth most truly accord, who calls fasting ( [...]) a symbole of death, it being that which tends to the [Page 7] destruction of the body, and the taking away its life. It should not only signifie that wee are dying to all earthly things, but should bee an instrument of death, to take away the life of our lusts, and when it is so used, as not to bee a whetstone, to sharp­en our stomacks against the next meal, but to bee a knife, to cut and slash off all the immoderation of our appetites; and in general, to wound and kill our sins, it is a thing acceptable to God, and hugely serviceable to our souls. But let us here note two things. 1 It is to bee used, not only to the mortifying of some, but of all our lusts and carnal affections. Wee must with­draw the food of our appetites after vain glory, and the praise of men, riches and great honours in the world. Wee must make it an instrument to dull and blunt the edge of all our inordinate longings, and to the fixing such deadning considerations in us, as may take us quite off from pleasing our selves. So Clemens Alex. observes that a Christian knows very well the secret meaning and aenigmatical sense of fasting upon the fourth, and sixth dayes of the week, which are called by the names of Mer­cury and Venus, viz. Wednesday and Friday, [...], [ Strom. lib. 7.] he there­upon learns to fast through his whole life, from covetousness and voluptuousness. The choice of those daies was to give him a secret document and remembrance that hee should pine, and waste away his covetous and voluptuous desires, from whence spring all manner of evil. And a Christian, saith hee, fasts not only according to the Law, [...], from all evil actions, but according to the perfection of the Gospel, [...], from all wicked thoughts and imagi­nations. These daies give him notice what hee is to do in eve­ry day of his life, and the Gospel Fast is so strict, that it will not let an evil thought or affection have its daily food, though they never grow so strong as to beget any evil actions, but sub­stracts their nourishment, and intends their mortification, putting the soul upon cutting off all those luxuriances, and world­ly adherencies which no body observes. 2 It must bee observed also to the learning our appetites to feed upon spiritual things, upon God, and all his holy truths. When the soul is at liberty from its attendance upon the necessities of the body, it should stirre up its own hunger, and satisfie its self with its proper nutriment, [Page 8] and labour so to taste and rellish its sweetnesse, that ever after it may have a longing for it, and observe set times for its own re­past. And so the bodies fast, should bee the souls festival, where­in, it not only relieves and refreshes it self for that present, but affects its palate also with such a delicious favour of Gods holy commands, that they seem sweeter than the hony, and the ho­ny-comb, and make the soul break for the longing that it hath unto those judgements at all times.

3 When in respect of the time present, it is a help to self-examina­tion, prayer, and holy meditation, by freeing the minde from clouds, and obscure vapours, and setting it at liberty from bodily mixtures, and interposals, that it may altogether attend upon its own businesse. [...], saith the fore­mentioned Clemens, [in Eclog.] Fasting voids and discharges the soul of that matter which clogs its spirits, and makes it pure, light, and chearful, together with the body in heavenly em­ployments. Wee cannot at the same time eat, and drink, and taste pleasant things, [...], and bee conver­sant with things separate from all matter, and that are with­in the knowledge only of the minde, as a Philosopher could de­termine. [ Porphyr. lib. 1. [...].] And therefore it may bee to very good purpose, to abstain from our daily food, that thereby our souls being lightened and exonerated of that dull heavy matter which oppresses them, they may more freely and clearly minde their own proper objects which are perfect­ly spiritual. When there is this universal intendment in our fasting, it becomes of excellent use, and singular advantage un­to us; but when wee understand no more by it, than the Phari­sees did, who fasted indeed twice every week, but were still full of covetousnesse, rapine, and excesse; wee shall bee loathsome things with all this religion unto God. For this is not the Fast which God hath chosen, to pinch and use our bodies unkindly for a day.

2 It is not weeping, wailing, and making lamentation added to our fasting, though this bee done with a great deal of sadnesse, and doleful complaints, as the word [...] in the Text gives us to un­derstand. Their Planctus used to bee with howling, beating of their heads, or knocking of their breasts, and sometimes tear­ing of their hair, with such like expressions of inward grief [Page 9] Now they ask the question, vers. 3. [...] Shall I weep: God answers here in the Text, to what purpose in your weeping? yet when you make a pittiful moan, a lamentable deal of do, most bit­ter complaints, beside your weeping, it was nothing unto mee. For that word in the third verse, is altered here into: [...], weep­ing is changed into mourning; God grants more than they spoke of, and saith, when you fasted and wept with wailing and lamentation, &c. you did it not unto mee. And there was as lit­tle in all the appendices of this weeping which here wee may conceive not to have been excluded, viz. rending of the gar­ments, putting on of sackcloth, strowing ashes on their heads, lying upon the ground (a thing in fashion among Heathens themselves, as Plutarch tells us of the Athenian women, [...]) sitting in silence, and hanging down their heads, &c. [L de Isid. & Osir.] For alas the deep and hearty sorrow for sin, the mourning of their souls after God, the rending and tearing of their hearts, the doffing off all the fine gay clothing, wherein their souls secretly prided themselves, the uncaseing and stripping of their souls of all their coverings, wherein they hid and kept warm many beloved sins, the laying close some grating considerations to their hearts, the powring such shame and reproach upon themselves, that they should never look God in the face with any confidence, till they were peremptorily resolved (against all impediments) to bee better; these things I say, they were meer strangers un­to, And therefore the Prophet cries out, Isa. 58.4, 5. Is this the Fast that I have chosen, to bow down his heard as a Bulrush, &c? Wilt thou call this a Fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord? &c. No, rend your hearts, and not your garments, saith the Prophet Joel, turn unto the Lord with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Then tears are good, when they are the companions of a re­lenting and a returning heart, when they run out of a soul that is running towards God, 1 Sam. 7.2, 3. All the house of Israel la­mented after the Lord, and Samuel spake unto them, saying, if you return unto the Lord with all your heart, then put away the strange Gods, and prepare your heart to the Lord, and serve him only, and hee will deliver you, i. e. If you bee in good earnest, let us see something beside your weeping and lamentation, and if these bee the outward expressions of the inward relenting of your, [Page 10] hearts, then put away all those displeasing things that have created you so much mischief, and cost you now so many tears, &c. This people here in the Text might mourn and weep, if it had but been to think of the great calamities that had be­faln them, the ruine of their City, the burning of their Temple, the captivity of their Nation, the pouring out their blood like water, and sundry doleful circumstances in all these, which might make them wish with Jeremiah, that their head was waters, and their eyes fountains of tears, that they might weep day and night for the slain, of the daughter of their people, Jer. 9.1. But what is all this to a sense of sin and a groaning under the intollerable burden of their iniquity! to what purpose are all these tears, if inward anguish and grief for sin, do not give them all their acrimony and smartnesse, if they wash and cleanse not the soul from its filth and nastiness? Or suppose there was some present sense of sin, which expressed these briny tears; alas! they were but like a sudden dash of rain, which is soon passed over, and then all is clear again. At the next meeting they entertained their sins with as great a friendship and fami­liarity, as if there had been never any falling out, nor any un­kindnesses past between them. Such are the tears of many a one, that cozens himself into a conceit that hee is a penitent; they are the issue of a natural tendernesse, or the product of some sharp affliction, or the overflow of some sudden passion, which are but like to those which flow from the eyes of a young man, who being in love with one hugely below him, and therefore chidden by his Father, weeps like a little childe, and seems as though hee would drown himself in the flood of his tears, but upon the very next sight is as hot in his love, and as eager in his pursuit, as though there had been no such cooler. Tears are no further liked of God, than as they are expressions of a serious inward grief and sorrow, and then only are they expected from us, when wee use to weep in other cases of sad­nesse, and upon doleful accidents. If that bee our temper to weep bitterly, when some mournful object presents it self to us, wherein wee are concerned; it is a sad sign to see our eyes drye, when the deplorable condition of our souls do lye before us; but if our sorrow use to expresse it self some other way in such cases, then that is all the outward token that God requires [Page 11] in this. Yet let it bee what it will, God will not accept of it unlesse it amount to a great displeasure against our selves, base thoughts of our selves, that have committed such acts, a huge trouble in our mind for what is past, hearty wishes all were undone, sense of our obnoxiousnesse to Gods judgements, fear of his displeasure, humble and earnest requests to bee re­ceived into his favour, which last thing if it bee true, is in­consistent with our remaining in a state of sin; and therefore this sorrow goes a great deal further, and includes in it, a ha­tred of sin, a resolution never more to have to do with it, a chusing rather to dye, than willingly attempt such another act; an actual declining of it, a setting our selves to resist the next temptation, a placing of a watch over our selves, and in every thing such a temper as cannot bee quiet in the conditi­on it is, but must bee better. If wee finde not our selves in this posture, there is not so much as the beginning of that work in us, which God looks for, when wee fast, and mourn, and seek unto him, viz. of that through reformation without which wee do not fast unto him.

3 Large confessions of our sins and prayers to God for the pardon of them, and turning away of his wrath, will not make the Fast of God.

1 Not large confessions of sin, which were usual upon daies of fasting, as appears from Neh. 9. and sundry other places; and perhaps were not wanting in those Fasts which my Text speaks of. They brought, its most likely, before God long ca­talogues of their own sins, and of the provocations of their Fore-Fathers, of their Kings, Princes, Prophets, and Priests, and they might condemn themselves, and acknowledge the righ­teous judgements of God; and yet all this was nothing but their hypocritical dealing with God, while they were in love with those sins which they did so earnestly confesse, and was not in a state of irreconciliation to those iniquities which they cryed out so vehemently against. This kinde of devotion was far from finding any kinde entertainment with God, and was rather like to meet with a frown and this angry sentence; out of your own mouthes shall you bee condemned, and perish, you your selves being judges. This confession signifies nothing more (if any thing at all) but that men desire that they may do still as they [Page 12] were wont to do, and that the acknowledgements of their faults may procure leave to practice the same again with no greater trouble, but only to make a new acknowledgement; it speaks only that they are Sinners, and that they desire they may so still bee, and they will not stick to make an open confession of it. Yea, whatsoever men may mean by it, this confession signi­fies nothing at all unto God; for the sins that men reherse are known unto God before, and are all present before him; if that bee all they have to say, viz. that they are Sinners, and have committed such and such acts against God, they may as well let their tongues bee quiet, there is nothing new in all this. Then confession is significant, when it is an act of shame and reproach to our selves, an act of grief and hatred, a disavow­ing and disclaiming such practises. Now wee say something unto God; this is a new business, and the case is quite altered; there is forgivenesse with God for such persons, Prov. 28.13. 1 John 1.7. and what Solomon prayes for in the behalf of such Supplicants, 1 King. 8.47, 48. God himself promiseth unto them, 2 Chron. 7.14. True confession signifies that wee are ashamed, that wee have nothing to say for our selves, that we cannot but cry out against our own baseness and falseness to God; that wee would rather not bee, than do one such vile act again; that wee are grieved and pained at the very heart, and cannot but vent our selves in sighs and groans, that wee cannot with patience think upon our selves, and cannot hold from proclaiming our own guiltinesse, that wee remember nothing with so much sadnesse, as that wee have been sinners, and that wee resolve by Gods assistance and our utmost indeavours, to bee better, may wee but bee pardoned such offences. God loves such a pungent sorrow as pricks to the very heart, and gives a deadly wound to our sins, such a grief as strikes through the ve­ry life of our lusts, and nails them to the cross. Hee loves, when wee look upon him whom wee have peirced, and mourn bitterly; so that our hearts are struck through with an incure­able wound to the flesh, and all the affections and desires there­of; and hee loves such a confession as expresses this sorrow, this pain, and this torment of our hearts, which will bee mixed with a vehement displeasure and hatred, both against our selves, and our sins, and then hee willingly imbraces us; this is part of [Page 13] the Fast which hee hath chosen; but whatsoever volumes wee bring in against our selves without this, they are but hypocriti­cal talk before God, and will not avail us, yea will harm us, because wee lye under this dangerous deceit, that some one good action will commend us to God, without all the rest, and so even our seriousnesse in some one thing, will bee our undo­ing, and keep us from the practise of all other necessary duties.

2 As for Prayer, it is plain, the Jews neglected not that in their Fasts, but it was commonly to no other purpose, but that God would pardon them, turn again unto them, and save them from the hands of their enemies, while they thought not of turn­ing unto him, and putting all his enemies out of their souls; and therefore hee tells them that which I assert as the second branch of this particular, that this is not the Fast which hee hath chosen, to cause their voice to bee heard on high, viz. either in mournful howlings, or in clamorous petitions, Isa. 58.4. and that when they fast, hee will not hear their cry, &c. Jer. 14.12. For hee that turns away his ear from hearing of the Law, even his prayer shall bee an abomination, Prov. 28.9. If men will not hear God, hee will not hear them: I had almost said hee cannot give ear to them, there being some things, that either in them­selves, or in the method of Gods proceedings in the government of the world, are altogether inconsistent with the blessings which wee desire, or are the causes of those evils which wee groan under; and therefore unlesse wee heartily renounce to all those things, and throughly discharge them, our prayers for mercies, and for removal of miseries, are a peece of non­sense, incoherent, ignorant stuffe, which will bee thrown as dung in our faces.

When men bear a love to those sins which they pray may not ruine them, and the evil consequents of which they desire may bee prevented or remedied, they are as ridiculous and un­successeful, as if a man should begge health, while hee continues in his riotous, and intemperate course of living. Let a man raise his confidence by what arts hee please, and speak with a boldnesse in his prayers, as though hee could command hea­ven, and have what hee would of God, yet hee cannot have any [Page 14] true faith that hee shall bee heard, unlesse hee utterly abandon in heart and resolution, whatsoever is incompatible, and can­not stand with the things that hee desires. Wee may call our Fasts by the name of daies of prayer (as wee commonly do) but though wee should pray from morning until night, though the whole Nation should cry to God, that hee would bow the heavens, and come to save us, and that with a voice that would rend the clouds, and seem to make way for him, to come down to us; yet if wee bee in love with the causes of our trouble, wee have put in such a strong caveat, such a barre to our suits and petitions in the Court of Heaven, that wee can have no audi­ence. Yea further, though wee should bee distasted against our sins, though wee should resolve amendment, and therefore begge divine grace to destroy our iniquities; yet this will not compleat Gods Fast, neither if wee resolve to bee at no trouble, nor pains about this businesse, but leave all to the care of God, whom wee would have so farre to concern himself in our businesse, as not to expect that wee should bee such creatures as hee made us. Such prayers will have a perfect likenesse to the requests of the man in the fable, to Hercules, when his Cart stuck in the mire, who would neither prick forward the Oxen, nor lay his own shoulders to the wheels, but cast all upon the strength of his God, expecting that hee should come and draw them out; and such an answer will bee most fitly returned to such petitions as was to him,

Learn good Sir, that God is not moved by lazy desires, and sluggish wishes, and that thou shalt then finde God present when thou thy self art busy about thy work.

I may adde further, that the case may so bee, that though there bee some good men in a Nation, that do most seriously and heartily pray for it, they may not bee able to help them, and that not bee the Fast of God, unto which truth I might call in the Testimony of the Prophet Jeremiah, in cap. 11.14. and 14.11. where God bids him not pray for that people, &c. and Lam. 3. [Page 15] v. 8.44. where hee saith, that when hee did cry and shout, God shut out his prayers, and covered himself with a cloud, that their prayer could not passe through.

The like testimony Ezekiel would afford us, who tells us more than once, Chap. 14. that in some cases three such pre­valent persons as Noah, Job, and Daniel, shall obtain no more than their own security.

And I might have all their suffrages to this, that some­times nothing lesse than an universal reformation (in the great Officers, Magistrates, and Governours especially) will pro­cure Gods favour, but I have already staid so long upon this head, that the time calls mee to hasten to a conclusion of it. Then therefore Prayers are to good purpose for our selves, or the Nation, when wee or the Nation come to God with a holy dispo­sition of heart to forsake our sins, and with a readinesse of heart to make use of that divine grace which wee beg at his hands, with a resolution to do that our selves which wee desire God should do for us; When they are instruments to Piety and Godlinesse, and put our hearts into such a holy frame, that even by our acti­ons wee may pray and pull down the blessings of heaven up­on us.

For as Clemens Alex. speaks of a spiritual heavenly per­son, [...], his whole life is a Prayer to God, and a familiar converse with him. Hee prays all day long in some sort, viz. as to the effect and issue of Prayer, the holynesse of his life, speaking power­fully and effectually in his behalf to God, if not more preva­lently, because it is the use and the improvement of that grace, which we have received, and so directly intitles us to the bles­sings that are in that promise, To him that hath shall be giv­en.

But yet wee must take notice of this, that when wee pray thus to the reforming and amending of our hearts and lives, the blessings wee are most confidently to expect, are those of a spiritual and eter­nal nature; such as are forgiveness of sin, acceptance with God to life, and that we cannot bee certain sometimes, that by all our Reformation wee shall avert temporal judgements, upon our own persons, or our Nation.

[Page 16]And so I am ascended one step higher than I was before. Perhaps the Decree may bee irrevocably gone forth, the ruine of a people, or person may bee absolutely determi­ned, or at least some very sharp punishment, without any pos­sibility of reversing the sentence, may bee resolved upon, and though the sin may bee forgiven to some (and those the chief­est) purposes, yet not unto all. Who can tell whether God will return and repent, was all that could bee said in the Ni­nivites case; and in the case of Jerusalem, it was at last decree­ed that their City and Temple should bee destroyed, without a­ny hopes of prevention of such a calamity, though they had space given them to repent in, that their souls might find mercy with God. And this is our satisfaction that when wee fast and pray aright, wee shall partake of the principal benefits that at­tend upon them, though not alwaies of all the fruits and bles­sings which have thereby been procured.

4 I might adde, that to bee good a while after wee have fasted, confessed our sins, and prayed, is not the fast of God, which will quite turn away his wrath from us. That which God expects is an eternal divorce between us and our sins, and that wee seek him with our whole heart, so as to continue in well doing; else with our return again to folly; the stripes which are for the back of fools, will return also. And commonly the case is more dangerous, and the disease harder to cure, when wee do relapse after wee were well recovered. The holy story is so clear in this, that hee must bee much unacquainted with the condition of these people in all those times, that doth not see it, and therefore knowing every one can furnish himself with proofs enough if hee do but read any one book of their History, I shall herein spare my further labor.

5 And lastly, Though all this bee done out of conscience, and wee would not for any good omit these performances, but in the honesty of our heart observe daies of fasting, times of confession, and constant prayer, and have very pious intentions in the businesse, yet it will not make up the fast which God require; Such was the Temper of this people, as I noted in the beginning of this discourse. They was scrupulous in their consciences, very loath to displease God by neglecting good duties; but [Page 17] alas! poor souls, this was the Hypocrysy which the Scripture so much speaks of, the finer sort of Hypocrisy, I say, that carries so many to Hel, in a pleasing beleef that they are going to heaven, while they are serious and zealous in some things, but not in all. They fasted severely, they mourned very bitterly, knocked their breasts very heartily, confessed very devoutly, and prayed very earnestly, but yet they did not search and try their ways, to turn again unto the Lord, they did not every one put away the evil of their doings, and so all their zeal in the former things, instead of doing them good, wrought their great­er mischief, by making them confidently to account them­selves religious persons, and to bee angry with the Pro­phets, who would perswade them to the contrary.

The Prophet Isaiah will fully inform us how God valu­ed their diligence and forwardness in such services. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices? I am full of burnt offerings &c. (I even nauseat the plenty of these devotions) when you come to appear before mee, who hath required this at your hands? &c. The Sabbaths, The calling of Assemblies, I can­not away with, it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting, your new Moons, &c. are a trouble to me, I am weary to bear them, &c. Isa. 1.11, 12, 13. &c. This is worse than all the rest, that men can see so much reason to do all these things, and yet will see no reason to be good; that they will have God to be plea­sed with what pleases them, and gives no great distaste to their natures, but will not part with any thing that they dearly love, though it be the greatest offence to him.

It were well now if every one would examine his own heart, and give himself an account, whether hee have done thus much as the people of the Jews here mentioned did, and then whether hee have done any more. There are not many it is like that have thus fasted, and wept, and prayed, but I doubt they are rarely to bee found (one perhaps of a thou­sand) that make a conscience not to sin, and to keep a fast every day to God, by the constant practice of mortifica­tion, and holy living.

I leave it to the private scrutiny of every mans consci­ence [Page 18] to finde whether or no hee bee in the number of those that observe the fast of God, and I think I have said e­nough to let him know the state of his soul, if hee will impartially ransack his heart, and have no minde to co­zen himself. If it bee necessary further to assist him, the explication of the second truth which I proposed to bee considered, will I hope, contribute some further help to his sincere search, both into his own condition, and of the whole Nation, unto which I shall now betake my self, and show

2 What the true fast of God is which this people did not, but should have observed, and so what is further required to the rendring us acceptable to God. This hath been so much touched upon in the former argument, that lesse re­mains now due to the unfolding of it, except it bee what most particularly belongs to the opening of this portion of Scripture, and the laying before us the condition of this people, which may bee applicable unto us, as farre as wee are parallel unto them, in which our own obser­vation will best inform us.

Gods Fast then is, as you cannot but already acknow­ledge, a thorow amending of our ways and doings, and commonly it is a general, universal reformation, if it bee a general good for which God is solicited by us, to which I may adde, especially in the Rulers, Governours, and Leaders of the People, who have a manifest influence upon all the rest, whose fashion ordinarily they will be in, and whose sins therefore are sometimes alone name­ed in holy writ, as procuring Gods judgements, because by their neglect, and ill example, the rest run more pronely into all wickednesse.

Now because there is but a little time more remaining which I can hope your patience will allow mee; I shall addresse my self to treat particularly of that which God required of this People, who came to bee enfor­ced by him in relation to their fasting, and wee may bring it home to our own condition, according as we shall find just cause and reason so to do.

[Page 19] God you have heard upbraides them here in the Text with their hypocritical, partial fasting, and therefore proceeds in the 9. and 10. verses, to acquaint them what fast it was that hee alwayes called for, and expected, which he doth again in the 8. Chap. 16, 17. which places I desire you will take the pains to consult.

And then I doubt not but you will see reason for this observation, that the sins they were chiefly guilty of more than others, were neglects of the duties of the second Table, (as wee speak) not performing of those offices which one man owes unto another; but violent breaking all those bonds whereby men are tyed by God together, and therefore that these things were carefully to bee reformed by their fasting and prayer. They may be reduced to these three heads.

1 Ʋnjust dealing and defrauding one another, by lying, false swearing, devising to over-reach and ruite their brethren. Speak every man the truth to his Neighbour, execute the judgement of truth, imagine not evil, love not a false oath, ch. 7.9, 10. cap. 8 16, 17.

2 Want of mercy and compassion, cruelty, hard, and rigid dealing with their neighbours, and this is as bad as down-right unjustice, chap. 7.9. shew mercy, &c.

3 Oppression of the poor, and those that could not right them­selves against the mighty, ch. 7.10. oppress not the widdow, &c.

And this was chiefly the fault of the great ones, of the rich, the rulers and governours.

Concerning all these and such like sins, wee must fur­ther observe that they were the iniquities of their fore­fathers, and so hard it seems it was to cure these dis­tempers (either because they are so dearly beloved, or else so little regarded, while men have a conceit of their purity in religion) that these persons, their Children, re­main guilty of the very same faults.

God here tells them, what words hee had spoken to their Fathers by the Prophets of old (as I have noted before) vers. 7. who for these, together with two other sins; viz. Sabbath breaking and idolatry, were turned out of the pro­mised [Page 20] land; there are indeed other sins mentioned by the Prophets, but none so much insisted upon as these, to bee the cause of their expulsion out of the good land, and banishment into a strange Country, as you shall discern before I have gone much further.

Now it seems that their posterity (these men in the cap­tivity) was grown more observant of the Sabbath, and greater haters of Idolatry, and because of their religious services which were more pure, took themselves for ve­ry good men, though they retained their Fathers injustice and fraud, cruelty, and numercifulnesse, oppression and violent dealing. Which was plainly the case of the Pharisees (the posterity of these persons) in our Saviours time, before this their last and long captivity; they were notoriously guilty of these sins, more than of any other, while they could not bee challenged with any idolatrous practises, or with neglect of the Sabbath day, no nor with lesse strictnesse in any other religious performances. Under their Religion they cloaked their unrighteousnesse, and made all their piety good for nothing, being stained with covetousnesse, oppression of the widdows, and those that had no helpers, with such like wickednesse.

From all which, wee may bee bold to affirm still, that God proceeds in such a manner with Nations, that where these sins do remain; it is in vain to fast, and pray, and cry to God for mercy, yea to reform in other matters which concern Gods worship and service; about which commonly most of the noise is made, out of hopes that their prayers, and their preaching, and other religious of­fices, together with the asserting of these from supersti­tion and impurities, will drown the cry of injustice, cru­elty, blood, oppression, and such like sins, of the which, that wee may bee the more sensible; I shall digest what remains into these particular considerations; and make appear,

1 That this of old, was the Fast which God required of their Fathers by the Prophets, viz. that they should forsake these sins which I have mentioned. And that hee every [Page 21] where urges, even in the most reforming times, their growing more just, merciful, &c. in their dealings, and their practising those duties which arise from the respect that one man hath to another.

2 That after their return from the captivity of Babylon, still these things, more than any else are insisted upon, as those they were deficient in, and should amend.

3 That these are noted as the wasting and destroying sins, though there should bee no other.

4 That where men expect peace, settlement, quiet, and removeal of judgements in a Nation, they must have an espe­cial care to reform in these particulars. And above other things these are to be minded in our humiliation, because commonly in these, Nations are most guilty, and men are apt to imagine, that some religious duties are the great matters that God expects.

1 That these, of old, were the things the Prophets insisted upon, is the first thing to bee cleared. And the Prophet Isaiah offers himself a witnesse in the very first chapter of his vision, where hee findes no fault for their Idolatry, nor questions the legality of their sacrifices, nor charges them with praying to strange Gods, nor blames for with-holding his due oblations from him; no, on the contrary, hee acknowledges a multitude of sacrifices, that hee was full of burnt offerings, that they observed their ap­pointed Feasts, and solemn meetings, and made many prayers, but hee tells them, ver. 15. that hee could not indure to look upon them, when they spread their hands towards heaven, because those hands were full of blood, and therefore the thing hee calls for, is, that they would wash and cleanse their hands of that blood which had be smeared them, that they would put away their injustice, oppression, unmercifulness, &c. and then if they came and prayed, hee would speak friendly to them, and have a parly with them, and do away those bloody crimson sins, and restore them by their repentance and a­mendment to a Snow-like whitenesse, as if they had been as innocent as Lambs, and not so ravenous as Lions, read vers. 16, 17, 18. and observe to whom it is that hee speaks, viz. [Page 22] to the rulers first (who were like Sodom) and then to the people (who were not far distant from them in this wickednesse, being like to Gomorrah) ver. 9. I say of the Rulers first, who had the deepest share in this guilt, and were the ring-leaders in these sins, as will appear to him that shall but cast his eye upon the 21, 22, 23, 26. verses. I will not yet dismisse this witnesse, who speaks so fully and close­ly to the businesse. Bee pleased seriously to read the 58. chap. ver. 4, 6, 7. and then tell mee what Fast it was that God called for in those times.

And likewise those woes against them that decree un­righteous decrees, and that write grievousnesse which they have prescribed to turn aside the needy from judge­ment, and to take away the right from the poor, &c. cap. 10. 1, 2. cap. 30. 12, 13. and then tell mee what sins they were much guilty of.

Hee that will take the pains duly to consider these pla­ces, will finde so many other bordering upon them, to the same purpose, that hee will bee more sensible of the truth of that which I affirm, and I shall have occasion to call in the assistance of many of them before I con­clude.

I shall next desire you to hear what the Prophet Micah informs us concerning this matter, who lived in the same time with Isaiah: And mee thinks hee speaks still more plainly (if it bee possible so to do) crying out a­gainst these sins more than against others, especially in their rulers. The woes in the 2. chap. 1, 2. (which I be­seech you read) are against those, who because they had power in their hands, contrived how to greaten themselves, though with the ruine of others; and if they saw but a fair field, or a house which they had a minde unto, would by violence take it away, though it was the mans inheritance, and tended to his undoing. And in the 3. chap. 1, 2, 3. hee speaks of most cruel and butcherly actions; the flaying and peiling of the people to the very bones; yea, and after one would think that they had brought them low enough, yet they would have no pitty upon these poor Skeleton's, but [Page 23] broke their very bones, and chopt them in peeces, as one doth when hee puts flesh in the pot; i. e. they utterly devoured them, and eat them up; and it is observeable, that at the very same time they built up Zion and Jerusalem with this blood, ver. 9, 10, 11. i. e. they beautified the Temple, and repair­ed or enlarged the City, and was reformers of things a­misse or decayed in Gods worship at the cost and charges of many a poor innocent, that they had rent in peeces, and shared amongst them. What is all this but that which the Prophet Isaiah told us, chap. 1.10, 21, 23. and a­gain, chap. 3, 13, 14.15. where hee reproves the Elders and great ones for their beating his people to peeces, and grinding the faces of the poor, for which hee was come to call them to a reckoning, ver. 13. The Rulers then be­ing so bad, there is little reason to expect much justice or mercy among the people, who also oppressed and offered violence one to another, as far as their power would reach, for proof of which spare not to read, Micah 6.10, 11, 12. and likewise the six first verses of the seventh chap­ter, which tells us largely of the general cruelty, covetous­nesse, treachery, &c. both of the Princes and all the people, though never so nearly related one to another; so that it was as hard to finde a merciful and a just man, as to finde a bunch of Grapes after the Vintage. And therefore in the sixth chapter, vers. 6. &c. God by the same Prophet calls not for their sacrifices and religious services (which it seems they were frank enough in, and could have been content to have been at any expence about, so they might but quietly keep their covetous, griping, and devouring lusts and desires) but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God.

If wee draw nearer to the time of the first captivity in­to Babylon, wee shall hear no new Sermons, but the very same sins still reproved, and laid before them to bee re­pented of. Zephaniah will bee our informer in this mat­ter, who lived in the daies of Josiah, who was a reformer, and with whom it is plain, the Princes joyned (though wee may guesse from chap. 1, 4, 5. that many of the [Page 24] people did not affect their proceedings) to purge the land from Idolatry, and yet read but the five first verses of the third chapter, and you will easily discern what still was lacking, and how easily they would part with any thing (even their Idols) rather than these sins of which I am speaking. And therefore the Prophet exhorts those that had any of these rare vertues in them, any merciful­nesse, and righteousnesse, that they would go on to practise them, and in these waies to seek the Lord, and saith, it is probable (but not certain) they may bee secured in that deluge of misery, that was like to overflow the whole land, chap. 2. ver. 3. And afterward hee prophesies that they should bee the poor, and the afflicted (those that had been oppressed, and stript naked by the great, and the rich) who should escape, and bee left in the land, when all those mens possessions were taken from them, and that they should bee such a remnant, as should not do iniquity, nor speak lies, nor have a deceitful tongue in their mouth, but shall trust in God, and not in these evill arts, chap. 3.12, 13. Jeremiah also who prophesied in the daies of the same Josiah, and also of Jehoiakim, and Zedekiah, in the time of both the first and second captivity into Babylon, and also after, hee I say, speaks the very same words, as will bee very plain to those who will do themselves so much right for the understanding of this truth, as to con­sult, chap. 7.4, 5, 6, 7. where though, vers. 9. hee speak of their offering incense to Baal; yet I suppose it was the sin only of some of them, who also came into the house of God in this time of reformation by Josiah, and worshipped him, though privately it should seem they had an Altar for Baal; and hee speaks not half so much of this Idolatry, as of these other sins; complaining again, ver. 11. that his house was a denne of Robbers, a meer nest of Theeves, where a crew of oppressors met together, thinking to expiate all by their devotions, and chap. 9. from the second verse, to the ninth, hee bewails these sins, and these alone with a sad and compassionate heart, they being the very sins that undid them, as hee notes, vers. 6. (through deceit [Page 25] they refuse to know mee, saith the Lord;) and as I shall ere long come to demonstrate.

Ezekiel likewise will witnesse largely to this truth, who tells us how little they were amended after the first captivity in the daies of Jehoiakim (when hee prophecied, as appears from chap. 1.1.2.) while hee lets us know who the persons were that God would account righteous, and that should live, and who the wicked persons were that should bee destroyed, chap. 18. from the 3. verse to the 19th. and chap. 33.14, 15, 25, 26. where though hee mention their Idolatry, yet hee enlarges far more upon these other sins, and the contrary vertues, and notes it as remarkable in them, vers. 26. of 33. chap. that they stood upon their sword, i. e. did commit violence and oppres­sion, of which the sword was the instrument, and by which they thought to defend and protect themselves in such practi­ses; and this they did, even after they saw Gods Judge­ments upon part of their Nation, not above twelve years before, and the Chaldeans were just now ready to take their City again, and destroy them utterly, as wee may note from vers. 21. These things they were so setled in, that it seems they made but a mock of those that came to re­prove them, and to threaten Gods Judgements, and did but laugh when the Prophets said, that for these sins they should bee destroyed, and sodden in their City like flesh in a pot, (as they themselves phrased it in a jeering way, against them that would talk of such an unlikely thing) chap. 11.3. And therefore the Prophet applies it to another pur­pose, and then gives them leave what to think of his threatning, telling them that they had multiplied their slain in that City, and filled the streets with them, and hee was sure that those slain might well bee compared to flesh, and their City to the cauldron, where it had soaked, and been sodden in its own blood, and that their saying did better set forth their own wickednesse, than their punishment which they would not beleeve should come, for because of their bloodinesse they should be slain not in the City (where then they hoped for security) but in the [Page 26] border of the Land of Israel, whether they fled, hoping that way to save themselves when the City was taken, ve. 6, 7, 10, 11.

I should bee too tedious should I let you hear all that may bee said in this Argument, and lead you also to the ten Tribes, and show you how guilty they were in these Matters, and how the Prophets threaten them as well as Judah (for which I refer you to the Prophet Micah, whose Vision was concerning Samaria and Jerusalem, chap. 1.1. and the Prophet Amos, whose vision was chief­ly concerning Israel, and saw what was comming upon the Kine of Bashan, who did oppresse the poor, and crush the needy, chap 4.1.) and therefore I will onely observe 3 things, which it will bee useful to take into our conside­ration, and will more illustrate all this discourse, & so pass to the second thing which I propounded to be spoken unto.

1 Wee cannot but take notice from what hath been said, that even when they were reformed in their divine worship and ser­vice, when idolatry and superstition were cast out of the Church, yet these great abuses, these crying sins remained among them.

The Temple was purged, the Levites were sancti­fied, sacrifices according to the Law offered, the Passeo­ver celebrated in such a manner, that scarce ever was the like seen, from its first institution, the brazen Serpent was broken; and all this, by the consent of the Princes & Rulers who yet continued thus unjust, cruel, and devouring, as both Isaiah, and Micah (who lived in Hezekiahs time) and Zephaniah (who lived in Josiahs) have infor­med us very largely; do but consult the 2 Chron. 29.30. and you will finde that Hezekiah the King, and the Princes, ordered the worship of God, and chap. 35. where you will behold the Princes in Josiahs time, giving at the Passeover, an offering of two thousand six hundred small Cattle, and three hundred Oxen, when notwith­standing these were the men who like Lyons and Wolves tore the people in peeces, and gnawed the very bones, after they had done with the flesh (as Zephaniah hath told us) making them as bare and poor as ever they could.

[Page 27]2 Herein consisted a main ground of their hypocrisy and deceiving of themselves, and so of their ruine. A man must wink very hard that doth not see the duties of justice and mercifulnesse, of pitty and favourable dealing, &c. writ­ten in capital letters, both upon his own heart, and in the book of God; and one would not think it possible that a man should have such strange arts of abusing himself, as to make himself beleeve hee is a good man, and in a safe condition, while hee violates all these known princi­ples.

There must bee some notable blind, some very plausi­ble trick, that can cast such a mist before his eyes, and jug­gle him into such a conceited beleef, which here (I think) wee have discovered. They had high thoughts of their divine worship, and looked upon their religious services as hugely pleasing to God, and they knew themselves to be very real, it is like, in this peece of reformation, and so they thought themselves Gods people, the right worship being restored, the altar of God being cleansed, and the Tem­ple repaired by their means.

Now their great zeal in these matters, and their for­wardnesse to introduce the true Religion, made them overlook these little trifling things of justice and equity; of mercy and compassion; and to hope that God would do so also, and not bee angry with such a reformed peo­ple. What? will not God give leave to a people that hate Idols, and observe diligently his Sabbaths, and of­fer him his constant sacrifices in the right prescribed man­ner, to bee a little unjust, and to get what they can by any arts for themselves in the world? cannot hee bee pleased that they give him his due, and defraud him of none of his right, though they bee not so exact in their justice one to another? Must hee needs take notice what they do among themselves, when they hope hee hath no reason to complain, that he is in any peece of his wor­ship neglected?

Will it not satisfye him that they are so zealous in those great and weighty concernments of his, which had [Page 28] been so long dis-regarded, and for which they had been so often threatned? Yes surely thought they, wee are in a safe condition, God is well apayed, wee need not trouble our selves any further, but confidently wait upon him, that hee will bee with us and save us. Thus the Prophet tells us, they found a way to deceive themselves, as you may read, Mic. 3.11. The heads thereof judge for reward, and the Priests thereof teach for hire, and the Prophets thereof di­vine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us? They would needs be Gods favourites, and thrust themselves up­on him, and bee confident of his goodnesse to them, though they were conscious of all this wickedness. They cryed the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, as long as those of Ephesus cryed, great is Diana of the E­phesians, and in this Temple-worship and religion they trusted ( Jer. 7.4.) thinking that God was fixed to that place, and that the Temple would secure them, as certain­ly as the Trojans thought themselves out of all danger, while they could keep their Palladium. They dreamt that as long they kept their holy place pure, they need not fear the taking of their City; Just as the Heathens thought their fortresses could never bee won, while they could keep the good Genius of the place from being charmed away from it. They came and stood before God in his house, and said, Wee are delivered, and that made them do all those fore-mentioned abominations, with the greater boldnesse, vers, 10. Yea, knowing them­selves to bee zealous in their worship, they have the con­fidence to come and challenge God as though they had wrong done them, and had hard measure at his hands in not being saved by him from their enemies; Wherefore have wee fasted say they, and thou seest not? &c, Isa. 58.2, 3. do wee not seek thee daily? do we not delight to know thy waies, and take pleasure in approaching to thee? why then dost thou take no knowledge of us? This, this was the very thing that immediately ruined them; this was it that would not let them see the mischief that was comming upon them for [Page 29] their oppression, violence, and such like sins. They held fast this deceit, and so refused to return, Jer. 8.5. This made them interpret all the instances of Gods displeasure against others, to the incouragement of themselves in their wickednesse, rather than to the awakning of their hearts, to repentance. Ahaz, the Predecessor of their good King Hezekiah, was delivered into the hand of the King of Syria, who smote him, and carried a great multitude captive unto Damascus, and into the hand of the King of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter, destroying an hundred and twenty thousand valiant men in one day, and carrying cap­tive two hundred thousand, men, women, and children (which indeed were afterwards returned to see if they would a­mend) 2 Chron. 28.4, 5, 8. The Edomites also, and the Philistims came and laid them waste, and brought them ve­ry low; The King of Assyria likewise, who was hired to releeve him, did but more distresse, and not at all strengthen him, v. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20.

But they could easily impute all this mischief which befell their fathers, unto their Idolatry, their offering in­cense to other gods, and forsaking the God of their fathers, vers. 25. As for themselves they were returned to him, and hated the strange worship with all their hearts, and therefore could bee in no such peril of being destroyed; now they amended those very faults, for which their fa­thers were scourged. This justice, and righteousnesse were but the vertues of the Heathen, that was round a­bout them.

The pure worship of God was that which distingui­shed them from all others, and would secure them with­out any of that admired Pagan morality.

Well, Israel afterwards is carried captive in the dayes of Hezekiah by the King of Assyria, 2 King 17. But the answer was ready, they worshipped the calves in Bethel, the remnant of them laughed the messengers of Hezekiah to scorn, and mocked them who were sent to invite them to joyn in the Reformation (2 Chron. 30.6. &c.) and there­fore God cast them out of their land, and continued their [Page 30] captivity; but how any such evil should betide those that were the reformed, they could not tell how to imagine; no, they were (as the Prophet Zeph. speaks, chap. 3.11.) haughty, because of his holy mountain, they bragged of Gods presence with them, and of the care they had to keep his house clean from all heathenish impurities; and by this means flattered themselves into such a conceit of their acceptance with God, and security under him, that even after the captivity of Judah; those in the land of Babylon would not bee perswaded that any more was re­quired to the pleasing of God, or that there was any o­ther cause of their expulsion, but the prophaning of Gods worship; let the Prophet Ezekiel bee called in again to bear witnesse unto this, chap. 33.31, 32, 33. They came and sate before him, as though they took a great deal of de­light in hearing Gods word, when as their heart run after their covetousnesse; which words, by the whole story, ap­pear to bee spoken to them of the first captivity; yea, af­ter the taking of the City the second time, vers. 21.

And can you think that the Israelites were not helped forward also to their ruine by this deceit? No question, but they thought their religion, as bad as it was, would preserve them, and were so confident of it, that with the very spoil of the poor they would serve their gods, Amos 2.6.8. They sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shooes, they were very corrupt in judgement, and they lay down upon cloaths which they had in pledge by every altar, and they drank the Wine of the condemned in the house of their God; i. e. they served God with those things which they had so unjustly and violently gotten, and could bee content to spend something upon him, so hee would but wink at these unlawful cruel waies of getting. This iniquity would, it is like, have stared them in the face, had it not been for this fine deceit, this Hypocrisy which I speak of, that their serving of God, and keeping up his worship (such as it was) would bee accepted of God in stead of all things else wherein they might be faul­ty.

[Page 31]And how farre this peece of self-cousenage prevailed in after times, when the Pharisees were in their greatest height; I leave to those to judge, who read but those pas­sages, of their making long prayers, fasting twice a week, strict observance of the Sabbath, and boasting of God, while they were the most grosse transgressours of the Law, and dishonourers of God.

3 Observe that this Hypocrisy and partial dealing was cherished by the generality of the Prophets and Priests, who were exceedingly corrupted, and cared for no more, but that the worship of God might bee maintained, that it might main­tain them; that there were a multitude of offerings and sacri­fices, whereby their fees might bee the more plentiful. They would say any thing to please their rulers, to get their favour, or avert their displeasure, and would preach smooth things, that should never grate upon their con­science, lest they should lose their gain, or diminish their worldly advantages, and would make them beleeve they were religious and godly enough, though they did all those abominations which I have been speaking of: in Micah 3.5. the Prophet saith, that they made Gods people to erre, and when any one had put any thing into their mouthes, then they would cry Peace, but if they put nothing into them, then against that man they would at an adventure proclaim warre; hee must bee Gods enemy that was not a friend to their belly and purse; and God could do him no harm, who would bee kinde to them. Unto which adde what is said, vers. 11. of the same chapter, and what the Prophet Ezekiel charges upon them, chap. 22.25, 28, 29, &c. who tells us there of the defection which both Priests, Prophets, Princes and people had made from God; so that there was not so much as a man to make up the hedge, and to stand in the gap against the wrath of God, which had made a breach upon them, and particularly of the Prophets and Priests, that they were like ravening Lions, had devoured souls, made many widdows, daubed with untempered Morter, seen vanity and divined lies. Let mee intreat you to read the whole thirteenth chapter, where hee tells us how the [Page 32] Prophets and Prophetesses seduced the people, preaching peace, when there was no peace, and strengthening the hands of the wicked, that hee should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life. Jeremiah also, Lam. 4.13. Lets us know that even they were guilty of shedding the blood of the just, and loved, it should seem, oppression and cruelty, as much as the rest of the Nation. They cryed up, it is like, the purity of their Church, the holinesse of their ordi­nances, the devotion of their rulers, and the forwardnesse of the people to divine worship, and concluded, that God could not destroy such a people as they were, and that the King of Babylon should not come into their City; even unto those that despised the Lord, they said, you shall have peace, and unto every one that walked after the imagination of his own heart, no evil shall come upon you, Jer. 23.17. Every one from the least, even unto the greatest, was given unto covetousnesse, from the Prophet, even unto the Priest, every one dealt falsely, for they healed the Daughter of Gods people sleightly, saying peace, when there was no peace. Were they at all ashamed, when they had committed all these abominations, no, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush, Jer. 8.10, 11, 12. And what was the reason of this confidence, but that they thought their Temple-worship made amends for all, vers. 8. wee are wise, say they, and the Law of the Lord is with us; which whether they bee the words of the Prophets, or the people, do sig­nifie that they laid the greatest weight of their hopes up­on that peace of Religion which respects God, though they had no respect at all in their actions towards one another.

I shall not make bold to detain you any longer upon these observeables, but leaving them to your private con­sideration. I come to the second thing to bee briefly illu­strated, which is this, that

2 These were the very sins which the Prophets note this people to have been guilty of, after they were returned out of their captivity, and when any one would have ex­pected an amendment. Very devout they were, for [Page 33] ought that wee can read; no complaints are brought in a­gainst them, for not keeping the Sabbath, not praying, fasting, offering sacrifice, &c. nay, they knew themselves punctual enough in these things, and so slided into the same deceit, wherein their Fathers were caught and perished. For in the very beginning of this Prophecie of Zachariah, hee cries out, turn you, turn you unto mee, saith the Lord, bee not as your Fathers, unto whom the former Prophets cried the very same words, chap. 1. vers. 2.3, 4, &c. And this was when the captivity was expired, that hee made this proclamation unto them, who as the 5. chap. 2.3. teaches us, were still guilty of robbery and perjury with such like sins, and yet they said they were innocent, so Junius and Tremel. read those words, verse 3. This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth, for every one that steals of this people, saith as it, (i. e. as the rest of the earth) that hee is innocent; and whosoever sweareth of this people, as it, saith that hee is innocent; they were no more sensible of these sins, than Heathen people, who knew but little of God, and might more easily for­get what was only taught them by themselves.

And therefore hee goes on to threaten them for such wickednesse, and speaking of the woman, vers. 7. which sate in the midst of the Ephah, by whom was shadowed that people, hee saith, this is [...] wickednesse, iniquity it self, the Mother of all deceit, theft, and perjuries. And afterward most plainly, chap. 8. having told them how the case stood with their Fathers, hee tells them that now hee was returned to Zion, vers. 3. and that hee would blesse them now, as hee had cursed them before, vers. 13. but then hee saith, these are the things that they must do. Speak yee every man the truth, execute the judgement of truth and peace, &c. vers. 16, 17.

If wee look back to Haggai, who prophecied but two years before these words, in the 8. Zach. were spoken, (one being in the second, the other in the fourth year of Darius) hee will tell us no better newes of this people, chap. 2.11, 12, 13, 14. every thing that they did was as bad as [Page 34] those illegal offerings, and impure sacrifices; and hee seems to intimate that they had not with a holy minde, composed to all obedience, hitherto offered sacrifice to God, and there­fore hee could not accept them.

Now I think if wee compare this passage with what wee before gathered out of Zachary (who as I said was his contemporary) wee shall easily discern what the mat­ter was that God was offended at in their doings.

At the first they neglected the worship of God, and let the Temple lie waste, building their own houses before it; and when they were awakened by these Prophets to that work, then they thought that all was well, and that there needed no care of any other thing, so the building of the Temple were but carried on unto perfection; and thereupon continued in a world of wickednesse, making their zeal for Temple-work, eat up all their love to justice and mercy.

If wee should trace their foot-steps further, wee should soon finde, that when the Temple was compleated and finished, they were but little better. For Malachy (who is called by them, [...] the seal of the Pro­phets, because hee was the last, and shuts up all) com­plaining of the iniquity both of Priest and people, sets down these sins as famous among the rest, chap. 3.5. false swearing, oppression of the hireling in his wages, of the wid­dow and fatherlesse, and turning aside the stranger from his right; which together with other sins made way for that long captivity which indures to this day, as those acquaint us, upon whom the spirit of Prophesy was a­gain poured forth. For Christ comming and reproving the chief of them, for devouring widdows houses, for extorti­on, rapine and blood, for covetousnesse and oppression, while they made long prayers, and pretended a great deal of sanctity and religion; he declaring also that faith, judgement, mercy, and the love of God were more to bee regarded, than their strict observance of daies and sacrifices, &c. They out of a great zeal for their religion, which they thought hee did not speak honourably enough concerning, most shamefully [Page 35] put him to death. And I beleeve they thought them­selves very religious persons, and were serious in what they did, only their great and unequally dispensed zeal, for these few things, made them beleeve themselves so good, as not to see themselves sinners while they commit­ted all manner of wickedness, and easily to slide into the usual Hypocrisy, i. e. partiality in obedience.

Their great zeal for those things made them take themselves for pious and devout persons, but the partiality and particularity of it, made them really to be such as our Saviour calls Hypocrites, which appellation they took in such disdain, that they conspired his death, who would not let such as they passe for godly men.

I should be too tedious, should I prosecute this through all the story. This truth shines clear enough without bor­rowing any more light from other Scriptures, that these have been often the wasting and destroying sins, because commonly not observed in the midst of a blaze of religi­ous duties, which dazle mens eyes, and make these sins seem either none at all, or very little and contemptible; which leads mee unto the third thing which I am to make proof of.

3 That these are sins which pull down ruine, and destru­ction upon a Nation, and indeed are oft the chiefest cause of it. The Poet never spoke truer word, than when hee said, Pindar. [...], (that is as the Scholiast well notes, [...]) there is scarce such a tall and impreg­nable bulwark, such a safe defence to a Nation as justice; and then I am sure it is like to bee laid waste, when there is a breach made in this wall, for oppression, violence and wrong to enter in, which I have as good as already clear­ed, while I have brought in the Prophets every where cry­ing out upon these sins, as the cause of their desolation, and being carried captive out of their own land.

But if you desire more particular satisfaction, be plea­sed to observe,

1 That the captivity of Israel is in a great part charged upon the account of these sins, and take the pains to consult [Page 36] but these two places in a Prophet, whose vision was con­cerning the ten Tribes, Amos 2.6, 7, 8. Amos 4.1, 2, 3.

2 The captivity of Judah, both first and last is most mani­festly ascribed to them (these being the iniquities which even in their reformations they spared from being de­stroyed) and I must again put you to the pains of conside­ring these places (which the time will not give mee leave to inlarge upon, Isa. 10.1, 2, 3. Isa. 30.12, 13, 14. Micah 3.12. and especially that remarkable one, Jer. 34. where hee calls upon them to let the Bondmen of the Hebrew Nation go free, according to the Law, which be­cause after their promise they refused, and kept them still in their service; see what is threatned, vers. 17, 18, 19, &c. And to this that passage (I am apt to think) relates, which wee meet withall in the very beginning of Jeremi­ahs Lamentations Judah is gone into captivity, because of affliction, and because of great servitude, chap. 1.3.

3 Babylon her self who destroyed Judah, was destroyed for these sins (which I note, lest you should think that these things concerned only that particular people, and do not bode so sadly to other Nations, where they are found) in Isa. 10.5, 6▪ 7, it is said that God sent the Assyrian a­gainst the Hypocritical Nation that I have been describing, and gave him charge to take the spoil, &c. but hee thought of nothing but destroying and cutting off Nations; and therefore hee threatens to destroy him utterly, and to take off his burdens and yoaks from his people, vers, 26, 27. and more fully, chap. 14.3, 4, 5, 6. hee notes the hard bon­dage wherewith they made the conquered serve, and their op­pression, and ruling the Nations in anger, as causes of their de­struction. To which may bee added that most evident place, Isa. 47.5, 6. where plainly hee saith, that cruelty and oppression toward those whom shee had overcome, brought the Lady and Mistresse of the World down to sit in the dust in perpetual silence and darknesse. And take notice that one reason why this mischief was not prevented, and this de­struction came upon them while they thought not of it, [Page 37] was the same with that which wee met withal in the case of Judah, viz. The base flattering humor of their sooth­sayers, the men-pleasing prophecyes of her diviners, and those watchmen they had (though pittiful ones they were) who had told them lyes, just as the watchmen of Gods people, had to them, which the latter part of that chapter doth give us reason to take for a truth.

I will refer you but to one place more, which most largely treats of the Chaldeans ruine, Habak. 2. from the fifth verse to the eighteen, which whosoever reads must cast his eyes very carelesly upon it, who doth not see that unsatiable covetousnesse, cruelty, bloudinesse, violence, spoiling, aad such like sinnes; are made to have a greater hand than their idols, in reaching the cup of the Lords right hand unto them, and making them so drunken, and full gorged, that shameful spuing should bee upon all their glory

How long should I detain you, if I should multiply more particulars from Nineveh, Nahum. 3.1. from Da­mascus, Gaza, Edom, Ammon, and all the rest mentioned in the first and second Chapters of Amos, who were all threatned for their oppression and cruelty, to bee puni­shed without any mercy.

I will onely desire you to consider as you read those chapters, whether you can refuse to assent to this as a true observation, that one great destroying (if not the chiefest) sin of those people there mentioned was this, their unmercifulnesse and cruel dealing with those whom they had conquered, and got into their power; I am sure that Edoms four transgressions are so neer of kin to this, that wee can scarce make them any more then four degrees of this one sin, viz. want of kindnesse, compassion, and mer­cy, to those whom it was natural for him to pitty, especially when hee had the better of them, vers. 11. Hee did pur­sue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pitty, and his anger did tear perpetually, and kept his wrath for ever.

[Page 38]And I think there is another whole Chapter which ren­ders no other cause of the perishing of those Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites, and Philistims also, but this, that they either rejoyced and clapped their hands at the ruine of their Neighbour Judah, or else with an implacable, and ir­reconcilable hatred, prosecuted their victories over them, intending their total deletion and final destruction. Ezek. 25. But as I said, I will not now make so bold as to prolong this discourse, till a particular narrative bee given you of all these things. Nor will I do any more than suggest to your meditation that Ammon is again threatned, for insulting upon the necks of the slain, i. e. of a faln and feeble enemy, Ez. 21.29. v. Jun. and Pharoah for deceiving and cozening the expectation of Israel who leaned upon his promise, Ezek. 29.6, 7. And the Israelites themselves for slaying their brethren of Judah, with a rage that reached up to heaven, and without any pitty, intending to make them bondmen, 2 Chron. 28.9, 10. and that in general it is de­nounced that the robbery of the wicked shall destroy them, be­cause they refuse to do judgement, &c. Prov. 21.7, 15. and that God hath stiled himself the avenger of the poor, and needy, and hee that will plead the cause of those that have no helper, that are crushed by the mighty, and cannot right themselves, nor have any other to do them right; and that these are such unnatural sins, and so contrary to all the dealings of God with men (who is merciful, kinde, and compassionate, as well as just and righteous) that God will not let them go unpunished, especially in the Ru­lers, whose office it is to see right, equity, and mercy, take place among men.

The Jews you have seen are a notable example of this, and by often experience, it seems they were so sensible of it, that there grew to bee a common saying, among their wisemen of this signification, That when Gods ears are shut against all mens prayers, he will hear the cry of the poor, needy, and oppressed.

Quando vastata fuit domus sanctuarii, omnes porta clausa fuerunt ( [...]) excepta porta oppressionis, i. e. [Page 39] when the Temple was destroyed, there was no gate open for the Prayers and Petitions of any to enter, but onely the gate for the Petitions of the oppressed, which they say is never shut.

This they prove (as Buxtorfius hath noted) out of the 7th of Amos vers. 7. And hee showed, and behold the Lord stood upon the wall made by a Plumb-line; the words in the Original are [...] which they interpret; upon the wall of defraudation or oppression; [...] and in his hand were defraudations, i. e. Prayers against Defrauders, Pe­titions of those who complained of Oppression and un­just dealing (of which wee have heard enough to have been in those times.) Even in Israell (if this interpretati­on bee true,) where they had faln from God, hee would not exclude the suites of such persons, but take their re­quest into his hands, and let them have a favourable au­dience. See Ecclesi. 21.5. & 35. v. 13, 14, 15, 17, &c.

But I am not much concerned to dispute the truth of this Glosse, seeing the thing which it asserts, is already put out of all doubt; and this very Prophet presently af­ter, saith, that these are such works as God cannot forget to punish, Amos 8.4, 5, 6, 7, 8. and there is such particular no­tice taken of the shedding innocent bloud, 1 King. 24.3, 4. as an iniquity that hee will not pardon. And therefore leaving it to obtain what credit it can get with those who are skil­led in that language, I shall descend to the fourth and last thing, which I am engaged to treat of.

4 That where peace, setlement and safety it expected by men, they are to have a great care to see whether they bee guilty of such things as these, and if they bee, deeply to bee humbled, and speedily to reform.

And these should bee the more minded upon such a day as this, because as you have heard all along, many have cozened themselves by the willing performance of some religious dutys, into a most dangerous security, and vain confidence in God, while by reason of these sins (which are counted by such persons but small petty matters, in comparison with their glittering piety) they [Page 40] have been working their own ruine.

These things were proposed to the people before their captivity, as matters to bee reformed, if they hoped for any favour from God; as we may see in Amos his words to Israel, who had been much wasted and spoiled (chap. 4.) from the seventh verse of the fifth chapter to the six­teenth verse, and again repeated with abundance of ear­nestnesse, vers. 21, 22, 23, 24. Do not make a noise in my ears with good words and flattering devotions, away with those offerings, and sacrifices, in which you are so forward, but let me see judgement and righteousnesse like a mighty torrent carry all before it.

To whom consents the Prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah concerning Judah; as you shall instantly understand? if you will bee at no more labour but to cast your eyes upon, Isa. 1.16, 17, 18, 19, 20. Isa. 33.14, 15, 16, &c. Isa. 58.8, 9, 10, &c. Jer. 7.5, 6, 7. Jer. 22.2, 3, 4, 5. which very thing they might have learnt from the experience of their fathers, v. 15, 16, 17. who judged the cause of the poor, &c. and was not this to know mee saith the Lord? Yes, This is the businesse, though you would fain make the world be­leeve you know mee, while you are Covetous, Unjust, Bloudy, Cruel, and unmerciful, &c. and would perswade your selves, that you are a Religious People, and shall bee in safety, yet there is no such matter, do not deceive your selves, it went well with your fathers onely when they did judgement and justice, and then they truely had the knowledge of God.

And therfore when they are returned from Babylons sla­very, this is the means proposed to them for a settlement here presently after my Text, v. 9, 10. this is the businesse of such a fasting day, as will turn away Gods wrath. The Jews say, that merces jejunii est eleemosyna, the best thing in a fast is an act of mercy, and there is some truth in the saying, for the righteous Lord loveth righteousnesse, his countenance doth behold the upright, and with the merciful, he will shew himself merciful. The instruments of the churh are evil, hee deviseth wicked devises to destroy the poor [Page 41] with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right, but the liberal deviseth liberal things, and by liberal things shall hee stand, Psal. 11.7, 18, 25. Isa. 32.7, 8. And when judgement shall dwell in the Wildernesse, and righteousnesse remains in the fruitful field, then we finde it follow, that the work of righteousnesse shall bee peace, and the effect of righte­ousnesse quietnesse, and assurance for ever, and that his peo­ple shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in a quiet resting place, as wee read in the same 32. of Isaiah, 16, 17, 18.

Two words of caution to prevent all mistakes, shall shut up this discourse, because I see that I should beyond all reason try your patience, if I should adventure to ap­ply so much of this as belongs to our case, unto your hearts, and that I should too much suspect your judge­ments, if I should go about to tell you how to improve eve­ry of these considerations.

1 Then bee pleased to take notice that I do not take upon mee to bee as one of those Prophets, nor to say that our Nation is guilty of all these sins, and that our case is exactly paralel to that of the Jewish people. I onely lay it down as a true position, that this was the condition of that people, and this the cause of their ruine, and that upon supposition, that the same things are found amongst any other, in all likelyhood they will bring down the same venge­ance.

All the Application I make to our own selves of these things is, that every man (would all both one and other in the Nation were told so much) ought to enter into his own heart, and to consider whether there bee any vio­lence in his hands, any of the bloud of the poor and op­pressed running about his fingers, while hee lifts up his hands to God, any unjust acquisitions that he is conscious to himself of, &c. if these things bee not found amongst us, wee may have good hope that God will not make us a desolation, but if they bee, wee ought deeply to bee hum­bled this day for our hypocritical fasting and humiliation, that while wee have mourned and prayed, and would [Page 42] needs lean upon God, and cry the Temple of the Lord, and called for the building up of Syon; wee have not minded so much as matters of common justice, equity and mercy, be­tween a man and his neighbour, and wee may fear that the Lord will make an utter end of us, unlesse we do speedily a­mend our wayes and doings. For the Hypocrital Nation is the people of Gods wrath, and hee will bee avenged of such e­nemies, Isa. 10.6 Isa. 1.24 and ease himself of his adversaries. When hee goes into his vineyard, Isa. 5.7. and looks for judgement, but be­hold oppression, for righteousnesse, but behold a cry▪ when men are grown to that condition, that they hope these matters of Justice are but a trifling businesse, and that the change of so small a thing as a Letter, the placing of [...] in the stead of [...], and of [...] in the room of [...] will make no great change in Gods affection to his peo­ple, and bee accounted but a petty oversight; Then im­mediately comes out a woe in the following verse, and an asseveration, that many houses shall bee desolate, even great and fair without an inhabitant, vers. 8, 9. and v. 20. unto 25.

If I may bee allowed to say any more, it should bee on­ly this, that the Rulers of the People ought carefully and impartially to inquire into themselves about these matters, they being more than others concerned in them (as many of these places which I have alledged will tell him that reads them) and having greater power and temptations to do these things than most of the people, or at least to come nearer in their sins to the height of Prophetical expressions than the ordinary sort of men, in regard of whom those phrases must bee interpreted with some diminution and abatement.

I am sure they every where note it, as a sad thing when the rulers cause the people to erre, but I shall mention now onely that single place, Isa. 9.14, 15, 16, 17. and re­member that I am now speaking in an auditory where there are no Rulers that have fearce power to do any body any wrong, but are far I am perswaded from having any will.

[Page 43]If any one have occasion to treat of these matters in a more publick Assembly, it might not perhaps bee intol­lerable in him to propose this Question, whether wee may not fear (though I have excluded all confi­dent assertion as to my own particular) that if a Pro­phet should now rise up in the Christian (yea in the re­formed) world, hee would thunder out against it, that men make little difference of fas and nefas, right and wrong, that they invade one anothers rights and pro­perties, wallow in bloud and cruelty, &c. and yet cry up the purity of Religion; the merits of Christ Jesus and such like things, with as loud a voice as they in the Prophet did, the Temple of the Lord, yea, whether it bee out of all doubt; that hee would not have any better lan­guage for those who are double refined from Popery, and have reformed even the reformation.

2 I do not say that these are the onely sins that undo a people, nor that sins more immediately against God, as denying of his being, and his truths, and blaspheming of his name, &c. (if they bee general) are not wasting sins, nor that these are the more hainous in themselves than those against God. All that I affirm, is, that these alone are (and have been) e­nough to destroy a Nation without the other, and that these commonly prove the most dangerous, and ruina­ting to a Nation of any else, because they are common­ly overlooked (whereas one would think the duties to­ward our brother whom wee see should bee most easily in our eye) and when men reform impieties against God, they think themselves to have done him such high service, and are so much in those upper speculations, that they take no notice of these things under their feet, and make no reckoning how they deal with men, so they bee but zealous and fierce for that which is due to God; or they can bee content to bee religious, so they but retain their unlawful gains, pleasures and ambitious ends; yea, per­haps their religion and forwardnesse for reformation in other things, may give them a better advantage, more colourably to practice these iniquities, and their unmor­tified [Page 44] affections, will easily put them in minde to make use of such opportunities.

Religious services in their greatest outward puritie, besides that the natures of men are not so averse unto, and abhorrent from them, but that they may bee very forward to do them; they also make a great sound and din in the world, and have such a glorious appearance, that by the doing of them hee may bee reputed, and also take himself for a Saint, and then bee so pleased with this fine perswasion, and so inwardly tickled with the delight of such thoughts, that hee is ingaged to minde with all his power the promoting of such matters as have gained him the credit of a holy person, without denying his worldly lusts, which may rather have a freer liberty under such a brave and splendid master, as stands not up­on punctilio's of honesty and equity between one man and another. But if wee turn our eyes the other way, wee shall finde, that justice and mercy, pitty and compassion, forgivenesse and doing of good to others (especially to those who have wronged us) will fall out sometimes with a mans worldly interests, and carnal desires, and will put him to learn that hard lesson of self-denyal; and be­side they make no such great noise in the world, but must bee content to passe with many men, for a peece of dull morality.

It was most truly said by a very wise man, Nulli fa­cilius ad magnam pietatis famam perveniunt, quam supersti­tiosi & hypocrytae. They that have nothing else to shew for their sanctity, but their religious performances, will bee most nice, exact, and even ceremonious about them, and do them with a greater pang of zeal, than many cordial Christians, which easily obtains for them the name of holy and devout persons among men, when honesty, mercy, and a sober religion and piety cannot prevail for so much credit. Whence is it that men are easily tempted to neglect these things while they minde the other, and so the sins of injustice, &c as I have been proving, oftner undo a Nation, than any other.

[Page 45]Hence I say again, it is that these things do more com­monly ruine a Nation, than corruption in Gods worship; not because that is not destructive, but because men will a great deal sooner reform the one than the other; a fair outward correspondence in all the outward worship of God, being a great deal more easy, than this denial of mens selves in their covetous, malitious, ambitious and other fleshly desires; and being apt to get a man a higher name, if it bee in any good measure of fervency and heat, and likewise to beget in himself a comfortable opinion that hee is truly pious. And seeing there is such Hypo­crisy and deceit in mens hearts, and they are so willing thus to cheat themselves; I hope it will not bee deemed unseasonable that I have treated of this matter, rather than the other.

It is observed you know by some, that no men can so securely commit all wicked actions, as they who have gained the repute of honest men; and therefore the Poet in Plutarch most cunningly adviseth,

Do all thou canst to bee accounted just, and spare to do nothing whereby thou mayest bee a gainer. But then, what may not, what will not he do that hath secured, not only other mens opinion, but his own also, of his honesty and piety. This is a farre worse cousenage, than the o­ther, for a man to deceive himself, as well as other folks, and will most inevitably bring him to ruine.

If it bee a great peece of that policy whereby the De­vil rules the world, for a man so notably to counterfeit piety, that even when hee doth most destroy it, hee shall bee counted pious, (as it was said of Tereus

[Page 46]Hee was cryed up for a Saint, even when hee was com­mitting the greatest villany) What a notable peece of the Devils craft, then is it so to perswade a zealous man in religious duties, and so to inflame him, that he shall passe in his own judgement for a Saint? How certainly will he ruine both himself and others? in what a ready way is hee to commit all injustice, when hee is out of all danger of having his own conscience secretly reprove him of Hy­pocrisy and simulation, which the other had not so secu­red? When a man makes a conscience of some things, and is very forward in them, they make such a noise, that they quite drown the voice of it in other matters, and with the greater safety, hee commits all other kinde of wickednesse, which are no lesse dangerous, than that which hee avoids.

But I shall not trespasse upon you much further. Whe­ther this bee assented unto which I have now discoursed, or not, this notwithstanding will remain good, that such sins are a cause sufficient of a peoples ruine, though there bee no other, and therefore for the Lords, our own, and the Lands sake, let us not look upon these things as lesser and inconsiderable, which need not bee so much pressed upon mens practise, nor the Pulpits so much sound of, lest by this means the Priest and the people should both perish together.

Let the Prophet Isaiah bee once more allowed to speak, and I will presently conclude, chap. 30.8, 9, 10, &c. Note it in a book, that it may bee for the time to come, for ever and ever; that this is a rebellious people, lying chil­dren, children that will not hear the Law of the Lord, which say to the seers, see not, and to the Prophets, prophecie not un­to us right things: speak unto us smooth things, prophecie deceits, get yee out of the way; turn aside out of the path; cause the holy one of Israel to cease from before us, &c. They would not have the Prophets speak to them of things that were right and honest, but desired some soft; sleek, flat­tering and deceitful doctrins ( i. e. such as would cer­tainly [Page 47] abuse them) that they should cry Peace, peace, [...] (as Kimchi there notes) do according to your hearts desire, and it shall bee well with you; they would not have them run in the old beaten way, and preach so much strictnesse of righteousnesse unto them; no, finde some new smooth path, wherin wee may go with­out any rub to our own lusts, cause the holy one of Israel to cease from before us, i. e. let us hear nothing of the holy one any more; presse not holinesse so earnestly and frequently upon us. But what saith God to such a people? The 12, 13, & 14. verse will tell us. Thus saith the holy one, be­cause you despise this word (because you like not to hear of the holy one) and trust in oppression and perversenesse, and stay thereon (hoping that you shall fare well enough) Therefore (mark what the holy one, the righteous God that hates iniquity saith) This iniquity shall bee to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, &c. just as a wall that swells, and often bursts on a sudden, falling down upon those who are under it, that dream of no such thing, and crumbles all into dust or little bits that can bee put to no use at all; such shall your ruine bee, i. e. totall and inevi­table, because unexpected, and not beleeved through the de­ceit of your hearts, and your false confidences in other things, while you remained guilty of those iniquities.

The Lord open every mans eyes, that he may see how farre he is concerned in any of these truths, that hee may passe sentence upon himself, and prevent the condemna­tion of the Lord, who hath set his throne for judgement, who will judge the world in Righteousnesse, and minister judgement to the people in uprightnesse. His eyes behold, his eye-lids try the children of men. The Lord tryeth the Righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence, his soul hateth.