The City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.

A SERMON Preach'd before THE RIGHT HONOURABLE The LORD MAYOR and Aldermer AND Citizens of LONDON

AT St. LAWRENCE JEWRY, on Saturday September the 28th, 1700. 

At the Election of the Lord Mayor, for the Year Ensuing. 

By SAMUEL BRADFORD, Rector of St. Mary le Bow and Chaplain in Ordinary to His Majesty. LONDON.

Printed for Matt. Wotton at the Three Daggers near the Inner-Temple-Gate in Fleetstreet. 1700. 

ISAIAH I. 26. I will restore, thy Judges as at the first, and thy Counselors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called The City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.

THESE Words contain in them a Promise of God's special Favour to the City of Jerusalem, the Metropolis of Judea, and were spoken by the Prophet Isaiah, for the comfort and support of the Pious and Good Men therein, whilst they heard of the Judgments which were at that time denounced against the Impious and Wicked.

It was, as appears by the preceding part of this Chapter, a time of very great Corruption and Degeneracy among that Peoples for which they had already suffer'd many and great Calamities, as a just Punishment for their Transgressions; but were hitherto far from being reclaim'd. They did indeed keep up a pretence and show of Religion; but were at the same time very faulty in their Morals. Sacrifices and Burnt-offerings they did not spare; the New Moons and the anointed Festivals they constantly observed; but they were notoriously guilty of Falsehood, Injustice, Unmercifulness and Oppression. A little before the Text, their Character is given in very Emphatical Terms. How is the Faithful City become an Harlot? It was full of Judgment, Righteousness lodged in it; but now Murderers. Thy Silver is become dross, thy Wine mixt with Water. That is, They were become false to God, and unjust one towards another, and were Corrupted to that degree, that there was hardly any thing sincere and genuine, any thing true and honest among them.

Nor was this Corruption only among the Common People; but it had tainted Men of higher Rank also, even their Governors and Magistrates, as we find in the next Words.

Ver.23. Thy Princes are Rebellious, and Companions of Thieves; every one loveth Gifts, and followeth after Rewards. They judge not the Fatherless, neither doth the cause of the Widow come unto them. 

Now this being their Case, it pleas'd God once again severely to Rebuke and Threaten them, letting them know, that he would yet make one Trial more of them, using greater Severity than hitherto he had done, but not wholly abandoning them, designing by his Judgments to cut off the Incorrigible, but to preserve to himself a Remnant, who should be prevail'd upon by what they should see and feel, to amend what was amiss. So it follows; Therefore saith the Lord, the Lord of Hosts, the mighty one of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine Adversaries, and avenge me of mine Enemies. And I will turn my Hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy Dross, and take away all thy Tin. And in order to the bringing about this thorough Reformation, God promiseth to bless them with good Governors, who should be his Instruments in accomplishing what he intended. So we read in the Words of our Text; And I will restore thy Judges as at the first.

It is indeed observable by Experience, that Governors do commonly partake of the Virtues or Vices of the People over whom they are placed. If a general Corruption have overspread any Community or Body of Men, their Rulers also are usually tainted; and God in his Providence justly punisheth the Transgressions of the People, by permitting them to fall into bad Hands; and 'tis part of their Punishment, and a terrible Effect of the Divine Displeasure toward them, that these Governors still increase and propagate the Corruption of which they partake. As on the other hand, both by the Inclination of a Virtuous People, and the Blessing of God upon them, the management of their Affairs is usually committed to Wise and Just Rulers; and when God out of his Infinite Goodness and Mercy, designs either to reward a Virtuous Body of Men, or to amend a Vicious, He doth by his over-ruling Providence raise up such to Govern them, as shall be careful to promote his Honour, and their Welfare. But to come to the Words themselves.

By Judges, may be understood properly, those who have the Authority and Power to make, or to execute Laws; and by Counselors, those whom they call in to their advice and assistance: Or, without nicely distinguishing, we may comprehend under these two Words, all that are in Authority, or have the Management of Public Affairs, whether Supreme Governors, or Subordinate Magistrates. By restoring to them such as were at the first, or at the beginnings is meant, the raising up for them such as that People were blest with, when they were brought out of Egypt, and conducted into the Land of Canaan, who were acknowledged to have been Worthy Men, every way qualified for their Trust, and to have discharged it faithfully to the Honour of God, and the Public Good, encouraging and promoting Piety and Virtue, and keeping the Community in Peace and good Order. And after this should come to pass, Jerusalem should then be called, that is, should be fitly or properly called, forasmuch as it should really be, The City of Righteousness, the Faithful City; that is, it should become thence-forward, eminent for its Virtue and Piety, it should be Remarkably, and by way of Emphasis, so as to be taken notice of, and esteem'd as such, The City Faithful to God, and Righteous toward Men.

If it be asked, When this Prophecy, was to be fulfill'd; Some make answer; At their return from Babylon. And those who are of this Opinion, suppose the Threatening denounced in the preceding Words, to relate to the Babylonish Captivity, and consequently, that the Promise in the Text was to be made good, when they should be restor'd to their own Country, and the City of Jerusalem should be new Built. And if so; it was actually fulfill'd, when Joshua and Zerubbabel, Ezra and Nehemiah had the Direction of their Public Affairs, concerning whom, we have in the Sacred Story a very good Character, as of Wise and Good Men, and Excellent Governors. But others, (and I think, with greater probability) carry the matter farther, referring this Prophecy to the Times of the Gospel. These reckon, That the Judgment here threatn'd, was the great desolation of Judea and Jerusalem by the Romans; and that the Promise of purging away their Dross, and taking away all their Tin, was to be fulfill'd under the Reign of the Messiah, and that, as Jerusalem which then was, was a Type and Figure of the Christian Church; so the Promise which was made to that City, and in some measure fulfill'd at the end of the Babylonish Captivity, was yet to have a more complete accomplishment in the Anti-type. And if so, then by restoring Judges as at the first, and Counselors as at the beginning, must be understood, That as the Christian Church should abound with Men of reformed Tempers and Practices, so there should be Christian Governors and Magistrates, who should prove eminent Instruments in this Reformation. And such, no doubt, there have been in most Ages of Christianity. Tho', I think, whosoever takes a view of the Christian World, and well considers, what the state of Things has been, and still is therein, will judge it reasonable to hope, that this Promise is yet to have a more eminent Accomplishment, than it has had hitherto. But to let that pass; I proceed to consider the Words so as may be most proper, with respect to the present Occasion, and this I shall do in the following Method.

First, I shall inquire into the Character of those Governors with which the People of Israel were blest at the beginning, who are here made the Patterns of those which should be restored to them.

Secondly, I shall shew, how such Governors are a Public Blessing to the People over whom they are placed, insomuch that a City in which they Rule, may from them be called, The City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.

Thirdly, I shall briefly apply what shall be delivered on this Argument, to our own Use.

First, To inquire into the Character of those Governors, with which the People of Israel were blest at the beginning, who are here made the Patterns of those which should be restored to them.

By those which they had at the beginning, I have already observed, is to be understood, those who rul'd over them, in the beginning of their Common-wealth, when they were brought out of Egypt and conducted into Canaan. Such were a great part of the Judges whom God gave them, as St. Paul speaks, from the time of their being settled in Canaan, unto the days of Samuel, for about the space of four hundred and fifty years; these being Men rais'd up by Providence from time to time, as there was occasion, for delivering them from their Enemies, and preserving Peace and good Order amongst them at Home. But more especially, Moses himself, who was their Conductor from Egypt thro' the Wilderness; and after him Joshua, who led them into the Land of Rest; and at the conclusion of their Common-wealth, Samuel the Prophet; may be suppos'd to be referr'd to in this passage of our Text. These were Persons, who, by all the account which we have of them, appear to have had a sincere and awful regard to God and to his Laws, with a fervent desire to promote his Honor, and do his Will. They were Men likewise of a Public Spirit, possess'd with an hearty Love to their Country, and a great Zeal for asserting its Liberties, and promoting its Welfare. They made it the business of their Lives, that to which they devoted themselves, and which they preferr'd muchbefore any of their Private Concernments or Interests, to guard and defend their People from their Enemies, and to propagate Piety and Virtue, Truth and Righteousness and Peace amongst them. 

And as this was the just Character of those who were under God, their Chief Governors, (for such all those whom I have now mention'd were) so their inferior Magistrates also were, at the first Persons of the same Stamp, as we may be assur'd by reflecting upon two Passages, in the Books of Exodus and Deuteronomy,very full and plain to our present purpose, where we have an account how those Persons were qualified, who were by Moses first appointed to rule the People under him. The former Passage is that which contains the Advice of Jethro, Moses's Father-in-law, when he observ'd, how much too heavy a burden it was for one Man to Judge all that People by himself. Upon this he Counsels Moses to appoint others,who would be subordinate to him, and assist him in that great Work; and what sort of Persons they should be, he tells him in those remarkable Words, Thou shalt provide, says he, out of all the People, able Men, such as fear God, Men of Truth, hating Covetousness, and place such over them. And we find, that Moses did accordingly, in the other Passage which I am to produce, viz. where he thus declares to the People, I spake unto you, says he, at that time, (namely, when he put Jethro's Advice in execution) saying, Take ye wise Men and understanding, and known among your Tribes, and I wilt make them Rulers over you, And ye answered me and said, The thing which thou hast spoken is good for us to do. So I took, the chief of your Tribes, wise Men and known, and made them Heads over you. Now by reflecting upon these two Passages, we may clearly discern the Character of those Magistrates, with which that People were blest at the beginning.

They were able men. The word in the Original, like that in our English Tongue, is of a large signification, denoting the several kinds of Abilities, which are proper in this case. So that by able men may be understood, either men endued with a competency of bodily Health and Strength; or men of Substance, Wealthy men; or Men of Natural Courage and Fortitude; or lastly, Men of Judgment and Prudence. There is no question, but that each of these may be esteem'd able men, in some degree qualified for the discharge of Public Offices. A competent measure of Health and Strength enables Men to undergo the fatigue of Public Business, and to dispatch it with ease and pleasure to themselves and others. A plentiful Estate qualifies the Owner of it to bear the Charges which usually attend Honor and Public Employments, and to maintain the Post, which is highly expedient, if not necessary for such Persons. Besides that where an Estate is either descended from Ancestors, or acquir'd by honest Ingenuity and Industry, it usually procures regard; and which is yet more, puts the Possessor of it into a capacity of laying more Obligations upon others, and consequently of procuring greater Respect from them. And above all, it does, or should, raise Men above the temptation of doing an ill, an unjust, an unfair, or so much as a mean Action. Riches are the Materials and Instruments of Virtue, where those who have them know how to use them aright. So again, Natural Courage or Fortitude of Mind qualifies him that is endued with it, to encounter Difficulties, to bear up against Contradiction, to do that which is fit, in spite of all Discouragement, and to maintain a just Authority against all Opposition; all which are excellent Dispositions in a Magistrate. And for Judgment and Prudence, it will, I take it for granted, be readily allow'd, that these are at least as necessary and useful Qualifications, as any of the former, and therefore these seem more particularly to be meant by the word able, according to the exposition of Moses himself, where instead of able men, he orders the People to present to him wise men and understanding. And this is the first part of the Character of those Magistrates, which they had at the beginning: but this is not all; there is a more considerable part or their Character yet behind.

They fill up the Character which St. Paul gives of a good Ruler, that he is not a terror to good works, but to the evil, so that those who do that which is good shall have praise (not only verbal, but real praise, that is reward) of the same. For he is the Minister of God for good, and he  beareth not the sword in vain, but is a revenger, to execute wrath upon him that doth evil. And this is his constant business; he is God's minister, attending continually upon this very thing.

Thus the Magistrate who fears God, remembers that he is deputed by Him, that he derives his Authority from Him, and that he must be accountable to Him for the exercise of that Power wherewith he is entrusted, and therefore will from a principle of Conscience, which is the only sure tie and bond of a reasonable Creature, discharge his whole Duty, to the best of his skill and power. And forasmuch as he is sensible, that the Happiness of the Public depends upon the Blessing of the Almighty, and that the way so secure his favour, is to have his Precepts observ'd, he will not suffer any of those Laws to be openly violated, which relate immediately to his Service and Honor, any more then those which relate to Justice among men. He cannot indeed change the Hearts of men; but he can in a great measure- restrain and regulate their Words and Actions:, and therefore will think himself obliged to see, that no public affront be offer'd to the Divine Majesty, in word or deed, without executing the Sentence which the Law passes upon the Offender.

In like manner a Magistrate who is a Man of Truth, will make it his constant care to maintain Truth and Justice,those great Bands of Human Society; he will according to the Precept of Moses, hear the cause between his brethren, and judgeth righteously between every man and his brother, he will not respect persons in judgment: but hear the small as well as the great, and not be afraid of the face of man, as considering that the judgment is God's. He will not be bias'd by Flattery or Fear, by Interest or Favor, by Party or Faction, but will ever, be on that side, on which Truth and Justice are to be found.

And lastly a Magistrate who hates Covetousness, will not be drawn into any unworthy Action, by the hope of Gain; nor decline the doing a just or an handsome thing, for fear of the Charge of it. He will need no Gift to encourage him to do right; much less will he accept of any, to prevail with him to do wrong. He will upon all occasions testify his detestation of Corruption and Bribery, that bane of Human Society, that source of all manner of Unrighteousness, so that no man of sense will dare to attempt him that way, for fear of being not only disappointed, but expos'd. He will not for his own private advantage dispense his Favours, or dispose of any Places of public Trust, to unfit & unworthy men. He will not think it fair, to increase his own Estate by injuring the Public: so far from that, that looking upon himself as design'd for a Public Benefactor, he will lay out his Time, his Strength, and his Estate, if occasion be, to the Public Benefit; he will be always ready to every good work, whetherof Piety,Charity,or true Generosity,whereby God may be honour'd, and the Society to which he is related may receive advantage. He will rejoice in an opportunity of being useful to his Country or City, as much as the covetous man can do in increasing his private Estate. In fine, he will think himself abundantly recompens'd for all his pains and trouble and charge, in the Execution of his Offices having serv'd his Generation faithfully in his place, and kept a good Conscience in the discharge of his Duty, he may leave a good Name behind him, and die with the expectation of a future Reward.

And certainly where any number of such Men as these bear rule, their City may well be call'd the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.

All that now remains is in the third and last place, to apply what has been said to our own Use, with respect to the occasion of our present assembling, and this I shall do in a few words.

I have with all sincerity and plainness laid before you in short the Character of good Magistrates, and such as God in our Text promis'd, as a Blessing to the City of Jerusalem, probably meaning thereby, as I before observ'd, that there should be such Magistrates in the time of the Gospel. I am sure the Precepts of the Gospel would make all Christian Magistrates such, if duly attended to; nay we have the concurrence of Reason as well as Revelation in this case. For, as you have heard, it was the advice of Jethro, a Prince and Priest of Midian, not an Israelite, that such should then be chosen; which advice as he gave by the light of Natural Reason, so it was approv'd and confirm'd by God, and lest upon Record by Moses in Holy Writ, as a standing Character of a good Magistrate, and consequently it always was and will be so to the end of the World. All therefore that we have to infer is in these two Particulars.

First, That those who have the right of Electing Magistrates, or Investing them with their Authority, should as near as may be choose Persons to whom this Character agrees. So Moses and the People of Israel did, the latter by electing and presenting such Men, and the former by accepting them, and conferring Authority upon them; and these Magistrates are by our Text made Precedents for future Times.

I hope I need not urge this with many words. It is the happiness of this City to be always furnish'd with a considerable number of Men, to whom all the parts of this Character may be justly ascribed; and 'tis to be charitably presum'd, that since it is your Custom, upon such Occasions as these, first to come to the House of God, and make your Acknowledgments of him, you also come with Minds dispos'd to follow the Directions of his Word.

Nor would I have what I have said applied merely to the Business of this Day; but more especially to those Elections, by which you fill up the Vacancies of the Magistracy in this City. Your particular Business on this Day is only to take One out of that Honorable Court, to every Member of which you have already given a reasonable expectation of the Chief Magistracy, by your first Electing them into that Body. And I believe you will allow me to say without offence, That nothing but a very great, and weighty, and plain Reason should at any time move you to break through that Order, which is most regular and natural in such Cases. And I cannot forbear wishing, that for Order and Peace sake, and the restoring of Love and Union among the Inhabitants of this City, we might in this respect, as well as in others, have Judges again as at the first, and Counselors as at the beginning; I mean Men chosen for their Abilities and their Virtues, without any regard to those Parties which have been form'd, and those Names of Distinction which have been invented of late years.

Suffer me therefore, I beseech you, seriously to admonish you, that you would lay aside all Prejudice and Passion, all Animosities and unreasonable Jealousies; that you would exercise your Charity, by forgetting all former Provocations and Resentments; and that you would shew your Wisdom, both by rectifying whatever has been amiss on any side for the time past, and by resolving to join henceforward unanimously in promoting the Common Good.

I make no doubt to affirm, what is certainly true, both in Reason and by Experience, That in Times of Division and Contention in any Society, they are usually the best Men, who are least engaged in any Party; and as the Zealots of all Parties are seldom good Friends to the whole Body, so they very often fail that very Party which most of all confides in them: whereas an able and an honest Man, one who fears God, is a Man of Truth, and, a hater of Covetousness, can never be really injurious to any side, and will always prove a true and a sure Friend to the whole.

In a word; In this and all other your Elections, you may safely trust a Man of Virtue, a Lover of God and his Country, and a hearty Friend to the Establishment of this Kingdom both in Church and State, whatever other Denomination may be given him by the contending Parties.

Secondly, That which I would close with is, an earnest Exhortation to all those who are or shall be honour'd with any Public Trust, to approve themselves such as I have described, that so they may be a Public Blessing to their Country.

It is undoubtedly the Duty of every private Man, to fear God, to be a Man of Truth, and to hate Covetousness: but when you are called from a private to a public Station, your Obligation is still greater. You are set in open view; and as your demeanor will be more observ'd, so it will have its influence much farther, than before. Your Reputation is highly concern'd in the matter; but what is more considerable, your Interest, I mean your Spiritual and Eternal interest is concern'd likewise. What might pass for a Virtue in a private Man, may not always be worthy of that name in a Magistrate and what was a Fault in the former, may be a Crime in the latter. Your Country, and those who have thought you worthy of advancement among them, have a right in you, and a just and reasonable expectation From you; and Almighty God, who expects an account of all the Talents which he hath given to Men, will reckon with you very strictly for the use of your Authority and Power. He expects, that those who represent him, should do it becomingly, and he will either reward them more liberally, or punish them more severely in proportion to their behaviour, at the great Day of Account.

You who are Magistrates Of this City have an opportunity put into your hands of bringing great Glory to Almighty God, by doing much good to the Whole Nation, which is apt to take Example, and to receive Influence from hence. You 'may at the same time establish to yourselves a just and lasting fame in this World, and lay Up a very glorious Reward in the World to come.

To conclude all; You may according to the declaration of the Text, to be both a Blessing and a Glory to the City to which you are patrons, rendering it truly honourable by your good management. For if you are Judges as at the first, and Counselors as at the beginning, after that your City also shall be call'd the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.

FINIS

Old Shoes Clouted

"And old shoes and clouted upon their feet." JOSH. ix. 5.

If we had seen these men of Gibeon, with these old mended shoes on their feet, we should have said, "They have come so far that they have worn out their shoes on the road, and had to mend — clout — them!" And that is just the impression they wanted to make on Joshua and his people. The story is a very funny one.

Joshua had just begun his march into the Promised Land. He had taken two large cities and been most victorious. When the kings beyond Jordan heard of Joshua's successes, they gathered themselves together to fight. There were six kings with their armies. But the men of Gibeon thought they would try another plan. Rather than fight, they would get Joshua to make a covenant with them. To do this they must make him believe that they lived a long way off. And so they put old sacks on their asses, took wine-skins old and rent, old clothes, dry and mouldy bread, and old shoes and clouted.

Joshua was very suspicious of them, and said, But perhaps you dwell among us; how shall we make a covenant with you?

And then they said all kinds of plausible things, and, pointing to their condition, said that they had taken their bread hot, and now it was dry and mouldy; their wine-skins were new, but now rent; and "our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey."

Joshua said nothing to God about it, and made a covenant with them. Then at the end of three days he discovered the deception, and made them slaves for ever, to hew wood and to draw water for the house of God.

Boys and girls, never wear old shoes and clouted, to make believe.

All the lies do not come from the tongue: we may act a lie just as surely and easily as tell one, and we are as really liars when we do.

I knew a wood-seller who always carried two bundles of sticks, and said when he came to the door, " These are the last I have." But all the time he had a big sackful at the end of the street. That was "old shoes and clouted."

A boy asked a friend of mine for a penny, the exact sum he needed to buy a bat. So it was when he left home, but he asked twenty people for that penny, and got it.

A boy smoking sees his father coming: out comes the pipe, and into his pocket, and he meets his father as if he loved him, and were really the boy the father thinks him to be.

All this is like old shoes and clouted on our feet. Whenever we are pretending to be what we are not, or to be doing what we are not really doing, we are acting like these men of Gibeon.

Let me give four reasons why we should not make believe.

1. It is mean.

The schoolboy does not like to be called a sneak. He would far rather suffer a thrashing, or bear false blame. To make believe is sneaking. It is degrading both to ourselves and in the sight of others, and very unfair. If we are once found out, no one will trust us.

Aristotle, one of the great philosophers, was once asked what a man could gain by telling a lie, and he replied, "Never to be credited when he speaks the truth."

You may be sure that Joshua and his people would be pretty wary about the men of Gibeon, after their trick.

One of the saddest things that can befall us is to get the character of a deceiver, and therefore not to be trusted.

2. It will out.

Only three days, and their deception was discovered. Just a chance report came to Joshua that they had not come from a long distance, but were his neighbours and dwelt near to him. They had managed everything cleverly thus far, and then some person, unknown and unsuspected, "tells."

Yes, we can't hide much. In most strange and unexpected ways people find out when our old shoes are not genuine. Remember Gehazi. The wealthy Syrian captain was cured of his leprosy through Elisha, and pressed the man of God to receive a present. This he stoutly declined. Gehazi saw the Syrian go away with his treasures and chariots, and was greatly disappointed.

So, on the pretense that two young men had unexpectedly come from the hills, and his master would be glad of something for them, he ran after the "rich stranger" and asked for a talent of silver, and two changes of raiment.

Naaman gave him one talent more than he asked, and sent two servants to carry the present. This very much increased Gehazi's difficulty, lest his master should see these servants. So when they got to the hill, just before the house came into view he let them go, and he hid the present in some secret place; then he went over the brow of the hill, into the house, and stood before his master as if nothing had happened. How great his surprise when he found that all was known! Even the hill and his cleverness had not prevented the master knowing. "And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow."

We shall be found out sooner or later.

3. We know, if no one else does.

A little girl in her Sunday school repeated the 23rd Psalm. A visitor who was present was so pleased with the way in which she did it, that he gave her a shilling. Great was the child's joy over the shilling, all her own. The visitor noticed this, and, guessing that she would spend it as soon as she could, said to her, " I see a great many shops open, though it is God's day. You must on no account spend that coin in any of them to-day, but keep it till to-morrow. You understand, I won't be present to see you, but there is One who will see you, and find out at once if you break the Sabbath day." The child was silent, her dark, thoughtful eye was turned up to the speaker's face as if she knew what he meant, and had taken it all in.

"Who will see you?" he asked, thinking he knew quite well what she would answer. "Myself Will See Me," was her unexpected, but splendid reply. "Myself will see me." Do you think that would matter? Yes, very much indeed. It is terrible to hate oneself, to despise oneself, because—though no one else knows —we know that we have done mean and wicked things.

And, boys and girls, it comes to that sooner or later. We can bear the hate of others, if we know that we have done right, but the very love of our friends becomes a burden to us when we know that we have done wrong. The good opinion other people form of us is like a poisoned arrow when we know that we have deceived them. Don't make an enemy of yourself by wearing old shoes and clouted to make believe.

4. God knows.

When these men were getting together their old clothes, their rent bottles, their mouldy bread, and their old shoes, hoping, thinking, saying, "No one will know,"—someone knew.

When they inspected one another in their strange guise, and felt pleased with the effective display (for they looked just like men who had come off a very long journey), they did not remember that other eyes were there.

When they thought within themselves, "Surely we shall succeed; Joshua and his people won't find out," they forgot there was One who is "not mocked."

Brother and sister were carrying a basket of cakes to their grandmother. Nearly all children love cakes, and these two did. Presently they peeped through the half-open lid, to see what they were like. Then they opened it wide. Then they wondered what they would taste like, and they counted them carefully. "So many, we might eat one, just one, and no one will know. Perhaps mother didn't count them, and surely grandmother won't."

I rather think they would have eaten one, had not the sister asked a very awkward question—"Can't God count?" Down went the lid, and away the little folk ran to grandmother's.

Yes, that is it. God counts, and though no one else may know, and we "don't care," God knows, and to Him "lying lips are abomination," and so are lying feet.

When, then, you are tempted to act like these men with their old shoes, remember them and their fate, and be straight.

~Frederick B. Cowl, Digging Ditches: And Other Sermons to Boys and Girls

Thomas Manton on False Christians

Whole, pure Christianity is not loved by false Christians; therefore, when religion crosseth their interests and the bent of their lusts, they seek to bring religion to their hearts, not their hearts to religion.

~Thomas Manton

Temptations from the world should the less prevail with us, because it is the whole drift of religion to call us off from the world; so that if we be baptized into the spirit of our religion, we should be quite of another temper, not apt to be wrought upon by temptations of this kind. Do we profess to believe in our crucified Lord? and what is the great effect his death hath upon us? Gal i. 4. 'he gave himself', that he might deliver us from the present evil world.' Who have interest in him? 'They that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof,' Gal. v. 24. He doth not say they are Christ's that believe he was crucified, or that he died for sinners, but they that feel the power and efficacy of his death in mortifying their sins. What! a christian, and so worldly? a christian, and so vain and frothy? It is a contradiction. You that are carried out after the pomp and vanities of the world, do you believe in Christ, whose kingdom is not of this world? False christians are branded: 1 John iv. 5, 'They are of the world, and speak of the world, and the world heareth them;' they are engulfed in the world, and they would fain draw others to be as bad as themselves.

~Thomas Manton

We are bound to a profession, not in word only, but in deed; to a suitable walking or to glorify Christ. He is not a professor whose life is not a hymn to God. Actions are the best image of our thoughts. A man may destroy his profession by his conversation: Titus i. 16, 'They profess they know God, but in their works they deny him.' Experience teacheth us that a man may profess a religion which he doth abhor; though they know God, they do not love him, and live to him, and they are not really and seriously what they nominally profess to be. An unclean person is a votary to Priapus; a drunkard to Bacchus; not a disciple of Christ. An earthly sensual worldling cloth in his life say that the alcoran is better than the gospel; a merciless man is worse than an infidel, and hath denied the faith, 1 Tim. v. 8. Interpretative circumcision is turned into uncircumcision, Rom. ii. 25 ; and Jer. ix. 25, 26, 'I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised, &c. For all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart.' Uncircumcised in heart have a pagan heart. Certainly a man that is obliged to the profession is obliged to the duties which the profession calleth for. What! profess yourselves to be christians, and live loosely? This is to be called christians in opprobrium Christi, to the reproach of Christ. A christian and a worldling! a christian and a sensualist! it is as great a contradiction as to say a christian and an infidel. Profession includeth holy practice as well as verbal acknowledgment. There is a practical blasphemy: Rev. ii. 9, '-I know the blasphemy of them that say they are Jews, and are not.' You blaspheme when you worship, and you make Christ a patron of your sin: Ps. 1. 10, 17, 'But to the wicked, God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldst take my covenant into thy mouth, seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee?' Every sacrament is an aggravation of your unfaithfulness, and so doth not profit, but hurt you. Baptism, though not renounced, is forgotten, when we live as if we were in league with the devil, the world, and the flesh: 2 Peter i. 9, 'Hath forgotten that he was purged-from his old sins.' Better that scalding lead and oil had been poured upon them than the water of baptism. So for the Lord's supper: 1 Cor. xi. 27, 'Whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord;' and Heb. x. 29, 'Of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing?' Well, then, they are as bad as infidels, yea, worse than infidels, 1 Tim. v. viii. To be brought up in princes courts, and yet to be of clownish behaviour, aggravates the crime.

~Thomas Manton

Though they profess Christianity, carnal, worldly hypocrites, which never conquered the fleshly mind and interest, have the spirit of Antichrist; these obscure the light, and obstruct the life and love of the gospel—they that wholly affect a life of pomp and ease in the church. Now, this hath always been in all the ages. The false Christians forget their hopes are built upon a crucified Christ, and are to be derived to them from a glorified Christ in the other world—crucified in this world and glorified in the next,—which indeed are the two considerations that keep Christianity pure and lively; that all was purchased by a crucified Christ, and all is dispensed by a glorified Christ; and I wish you would oftener think of it.

~Thomas Manton 

'The king's daughter is glorious within,' rich in gifts and graces, Ps. xlv. 13; Ps. xciii. 5, 'Holiness becometh thy house, O Lord, for ever;' but the false church is known by pomp and external splendour. It is easy to discern the true ministers of Christ from the false; the true are known by being much in labours, much in afflictions: 2 Cor. vi. 4-6, 'In all things approving ourselves the ministers of God, in much patience, afflictions, necessities, distresses, in labours and watchings, and fastings; by pureness, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,' &c.; whereas the false ministers are known by the life of pomp and ease. The rule is plain, because self-denial is one of the great lessons of Christianity, and self-seeking the bane of it: therefore where men professedly seek the greatness of the world, they serve not the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own bellies.

~Thomas Manton 

"Regeneration is absolutely necessary to salvation."

Conversion is necessary to keep thee out of Hell, to keep thy Soul out of the hands of the Devil; this is more necessary than to have a being: Better thou hadst never been born, than at last to be damned.

~Thomas Gouge

 

Regeneration is absolutely necessary to salvation. It had been better for thee never to have been born, than not to be born again. It is as necessary, as heaven and happiness. For, saith our Saviour himself, Except a man be born again, he cannot see, much less enter into the kingdom of heaven. So that there is no hope of the salvation of any unregenerate man, or woman: but, if they live and die in that estate, their portion will be death and damnation with the devils and damned to all eternity. And, in regard of the uncertainty of their lives, they are not sure to be out of hell one day longer.

~Thomas Gouge 

 

A man is not really a Christian, because he hath been baptized, beareth the name, and frequenteth the ordinances of Christ; but, because he is regenerated by the Spirit of Christ, and thereby translated out of a state of sin and death, into a state of life and peace. For, as under the law, he was not a Jew, who was one outwardly, being circumcised in the flesh: but he was a Jew, who was one inwardly, being circumcised in his heart and spirit; in like manner, he is no true Christian, who is only outwardly baptized; but, he who is inwardly baptized by the Spirit, and whose heart is changed and renewed.

~Thomas Gouge

The danger we expose our selves to by not living answerably to our profession of Christianity.

Let us consider the danger we expose our selves to by not living answerably to our Religion. And this, I hope, may prevail upon such as are not moved by the former considerations. Hypocrites are instanced in Scripture, as a sort of sinners that shall have the sharpest torments and the fiercest damnation. When our Saviour would set forth the great severity of the Lord towards the evil servant he expresseth it thus, he shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with Hypocrites. So that the punishment of Hypocrites seems to be made in the measure and standard of the highest punishment. Thou professest to believe in Christ and to hope in him for salvation, but in the mean time thou livest a wicked and unholy life, thou dost not believe but presume on him, and wilt find at the great day that this thy confidence will be thy confusion, and he whom thou hopest will be thy Advocate and Saviour will prove thy Accuser and thy Judge. What our Saviour says to the Jews, 'There is one that accuseth you, even Moses in whom ye trust,' may very well be applied to false Christians, there is one that accuseth you and will condemn you, even Jesus in whom ye trust.

The profession of Christianity and mens having the name of Christ named upon them will be so, far from securing them from Hell, that it will sink them the deeper into it. Many are apt to pity the poor Heathens who never heard of the name of Christ, and sadly to condole their case, but as our Saviour said upon another occasion, 'Weep not for them, weep for yourselves.' There is no such miserable person in the world as a degenerate Christian, because he falls into the greatest misery from the greatest advantages and opportunities of being happy. Dost thou lament the condition of Socrates, and Cato, and Aristides, and doubt what shall become of them at the day of Judgment? and canst thou who art an impious and prophane Christian, think that thou shalt escape the damnation of Hell?

Dost thou believe that the moral Heathen shall be cast out? and canst thou who hast led a wicked life under the profession of Christianity have the impudence to hope that thou shalt sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God? No: those sins which are committed by Christians under the enjoyment of the Gospel are of deeper dye and cloathed with blacker aggravations than the sins of Heathens are capable of. A Pagan may live without God in the World, and be unjust towards men, at a cheaper rate and upon easier terms than thou who art a Christian. Better had it been thou hadst never known one syllable of the Gospel, never heard of the name of Christ, than that having taken it upon thee thou shouldest not depart from iniquity. Happy had it been for thee, that thou hadst been born a Jew, or a Turk, or a poor Indian, rather than that being bred among Christians, and professing thy self of that number, thou shouldst lead a vicious and unholy life.

I have insisted the longer upon these arguments, that I might, if possible, awaken men to a serious consideration of their lives, and persuade them to a real reformation of them; that I may oblige all those who call themselves Christians to live up to the essential and fundamental Laws of our Religion; to love God, and to love our Neighbour; to do to every man as we would have him to do to us; to mortify our lusts, and subdue our passions, and sincerely endeavour to grow in every grace and virtue, and to abound in all the fruits of, righteousness which are by Jesus Christ to the praise and glory of God.

This indeed would become our profession and be honourable to our Religion, and would remove one of the greatest obstacles to the progress of the Gospel. For how can we expect that the Doctrine of God our Saviour should gain any considerable ground in the world; so long as by the unworthy lives of so many Christians 'tis represented to the world at so great disadvantage? If ever we would have Christian Religion effectually recommended, it must be by the holy and unblameable lives of those who make profession of it. Then indeed it would look with so amiable a countenance as to invite many to it and carry so much majesty and authority in it as to command reverence from its greatest enemies, and make men to acknowledge that God is in us of a truth, and to glorify our Father which is in Heaven.

The good God grant that as we have taken upon us the profession of Christianity, so we may be careful so to live that we may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things; that the grace of God which bringeth salvation may teach us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost, &c.

~Isaac Barrow, a selection from his sermon Of the Obligation of Christians to a Holy Life

"He that did not spare his Son will spare no other."

When any man sins, he denies the holiness of God's law. When a man swears, or breaks the Sabbath, or dishonours his parents, or lies, or steals, he says in his heart: God will not see—God will not take notice—God will not cast me into hell for this. He does not believe the threatenings of God. He does not believe that the law is holy and just. If those of you who live in sin really believed that every sin you committed was to bring down another stripe for eternity, another wave of fire to roll over your bodies and souls in hell for ever, you could not sin as you do; and therefore you dishonour the law— you make it small and contemptible—you persuade yourselves that God's law will never be put in force. Thus every sin is done against God—"against thee, thee only." Now God sent his Son into the world to magnify the law, by dying under its curse. He took upon him the curse due to sinners, and bore it in his body on the tree, and thereby proved that God's law cannot be mocked.

When God cast the devil and his angels into hell, this showed in a very dreadful manner the truth of his threatenings—the awful strictness of his law. If God had cast all men into hell, it would have shown the same thing. But much more when Christ bowed his head under the stroke of the law's curse. He was a person of infinite dignity and glory: "God over all, blessed for ever." He thought it no robbery to be equal with God. He was far exalted above all blessing and. praise. God-man—the only being who ever stood on this earth who was God and man. He was one who had no personal sin. He was perfect—knew no sin—did no sin—was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. He was infinitely dear to God. His own Son—his only begotten Son; one who was in the beginning with God, and was God; into whose bosom the love of the uncreated God had flowed from all eternity. It was he who came and bowed his neck to the stroke of the law. He was seen of angels. Angels desired to look into the awful scene. The eyes of millions of worlds were turned towards Calvary. When Jesus died, he redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; and now all worlds saw that God could not be mocked. He added lustre to the holy law. Angels and archangels saw, and trembled as they saw. He that did not spare his Son will spare no other.

Learn the certainty of hell for the Christless. Which of you that are Christless can hope to escape the curse of the law, since God did not spare his Son? If you have made up your mind to refuse Christ, then you must bear hell. You say you are a person of great mind—of great power—of great wealth; but, ah! you are not equal to the Son of God, and even he was not spared. You say your sins are not many—not gross—not so bad as those of other men; ah! but Christ knew no sin: he had no personal sin—all was imputed sin. How surely will you suffer! You say God has been kind to you—has given you many mercies; ah! remember, Christ was the Son of his love, and yet, when the law demanded it, God spared not his own Son. Though you were the signet on his right hand, yet would he pluck you thence—though you were a right eye, yet would he pluck you out.

Learn to fee from sin. Every sin will have its eternal punishment. The sin you are committing has either been suffered for in Christ, or will be suffered for by you in hell.

~Robert Murray M'Cheyne

The Severity of God's Justice to Jesus Christ

John Flavel

The Severity of God's Justice to Jesus Christ, informs us what a dreadful evil sin is, which so incenses the Wrath of God, even against his own Son, when he bare our sins, and stood before the Bar of God as our Surety.

Come hither hard hearts, (hard indeed, if this cannot break them) you complain you cannot see the evil of sin, so as to be deeply humbled for it; fix your eyes a while here, and intently consider the point in hand: Suppose you saw a tender and pitiful Father come into open Court with fury in his face, to charge his own, his only, and his most beloved Son; and prosecute him to death, and nothing able to satisfie him, but his blood; and be well pleased when he sees it shed: Would you not say, O, what horrid evil hath he done! it must be some deep wrong, some heinous crime that he is guilty of, else it could never be that his own Father could forget his bowels of pity and mercy; yet thus did the Wrath of God break forth against his dear Son, when he stood before the Bar charged as our Surety with the guilt of our sins.

Secondly: Learn hence what a fearful thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God. Well might Luther cry out, Nolo Deum absolutum, Let me have nothing to do with an absolute God. Woe to them that stand before God in their own persons, without Christ; how will Justice handle them! For if these things were done in the green Tree, what shall be done in the dry Tree? Luke 23.31. Did the Son of God fear, tremble, sweat clods of Blood? Did he stand amaz'd, and fall into such an Agony of soul when he drank that Cup, which he knew in a few hours he should drink up, and then never taste the bitterness of it more: How sad is their case, that must drink of that Cup for ever, a Cup that hath Eternity to the bottom!

Thirdly: How incomprehensible and ravishing is the love of God to men, that would rather be so severe to Jesus Christ, the darling of his soul, than make us the objects of his Wrath for ever! Which of you (though there be infinitely less tenderness in your hearts than in God's) would lay your hands upon a Child, the worst Child you have, and put him to death, for the sake of the best Friend you have in the world! But God, with his own hand, delivered his Son, his only Son, that from everlasting was the delight of his soul, who never offended him, to death, the most cursed and cruel death, and all this for Enemies; how unspeakable is this love, and past finding out!

Fourthly: Did not God spare his own Son? then let none of us spare our own sins. Sin was that Sword which pierced Christ: O let sorrow for sin pierce your hearts! if you spare sin, God will not spare you, Deut. 29. 20. We spare sin, when we faintly oppose it, when we excuse, cover, and defend it; when we are impatient under just rebukes and reproofs for it; but all kindness to sin, is cruelty to our own souls.

Fifthly and lastly: If God did not spare Christ, certainly he intends to spare Believers for his sake.

The Surety could not be spar'd, that the Principal might be spar'd for ever. If God had spared him, he could not have spared us; if he afflicts his People, it is not for satisfaction to himself, but profit to us, Heb. 12.10. Should God spare the Rod of Affliction, it would not be for our advantage. So many sanctified Afflictions as are spar'd or abated, so many mercies and spiritual advantages are with-held from us. But as for those strokes of Justice that are the effects of God's Vindictive Wrath, they shall never be felt by Believers for ever. All the Wrath, all the Curse, all the Gall and Wormwood was squeez'd into Christ's Cup, and not one dropt left to imbitter ours.

~John Flavel