ISA. LIII. 6.] THE FIFTY-THIRD CHAPTER OF ISAIAH. 313
(3dly.) We have a base, paltry heart, and are loth to serve him as far as we know. It is said, Kom. i. 28, ' They did not like to retain Ood in their knowledge.' They do not approve or make such precious account of the ways of God as they should do. Carnal men are loth to go contrary to their desires. They like the knowledge that they have, and are better content with ignorance, — as it is said, 2 Peter iii. 5 : the apostle Peter saith, ' They are willingly ignorant ' of what might make against them. This they are angry at, that they know so much, and are willing to practise so little ; and, therefore, what is chosen and followed with full consent by such hearts must needs be a wrong way. You may Avell suspect whatever nature deviseth so will- ingly, and practiseth so cheerfully. This is the first reason : Our own way is not the right way, because we can never please God in it.
2. Our own way is not the right way to do ourselves good. The more we please the flesh, the more we wrong our own souls : passions and corrupt affections do but blind the heart to its own destruction. As the fishes that play down the pleasant streams of Jordan devolve themselves into the Dead Sea, so ways that are altogether suitable to our nature do but end in destruction : Prov. xvi. 25, ' There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.' Mark, it is the plural, luays, — it is multiplex. A man ruineth himself many ways, by one sin or another ; some their way is adultery, that wasteth the strength, blasteth the beauty, bringeth infamy, poverty, reproach, horror of conscience, death, and eternal destruction. Another drunkenness, which besots the brain, wasteth the estate, be- tray eth a man to reproach, brawneth the heart, and bringeth death and destruction. I will not stand longer upon the reasons, but apply it.
Use 1. Is caution to you not to go in your own ways, neither in worship nor conversation ; that is the sin of men in their natural con- dition. Now, that you may not do so —
1. I shall give you some cautionary j^ropositions.
2. A few directions.
The cautionary propositions I shall spread before you for the greater quickening and incitement of you.
[1.] God may not like what men like : Prov. xvi. 2, * All the ways •of a man are clean in his own eyes, but the Lord weigheth the spirit.' A man that doth not weigh his service in the balance of the sanctuary is not sensible of the defects of it God weigheth and can look be- neath the veil of pretences : so Luke xvi. 15, ' For that which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God.' You may please yourselves in your ways, and yet you may very much displease God. The rule holdeth in duties. You may pass it off as if it were a seemly beast for an offering, whereas God looketh upon it as a poor, sick sacrifice, a corrupt thing, Mai. i. 14. This rule likewise holds good in conversation. Men please themselves in an easy moral way, but God can find a great deal of evil in it. We look upon sins as they are odious abroad, but God considereth inward guilt. Now, when men live in an easy, voluptuous, sensual way, they do not check themselves for it because others do not, but God may hate them for it.
[2.j Nay, the more thy way pleaseth thee, the more thou shouldest suspect it doth not please God. Whence cometh all this vigilance ?
314 A TRACTICAL EXPOSITION UPON [ISA. LIII. 6.
Either the thing is carnal, or, if it be spiritual, thou art set on by the concernments of the flesh. Certainly, thy carnal heart is set on by something that is suitable. David did not dare touch the waters of Bethlehem, because he longed for them: 2 Sam. xxiii. 15, 16, 'Oh that one would give me of the water of Bethlehem ! ' He would not drink of it, because they went in jeopardy of their lives that fetched it, but poured it out before the Lord. I say, in doubtful things, when thou art so vehement, suspect thy heart ; and the more thy lite pleaseth thee, fear it is the less acceptable to God. Consider not what thou art willing to do, but what God alloweth. Nature would not be so strongly bent upon a thing, if there were not corruption in it. These are the two quickening ]-)ropositions. The rules or directions are three : —
[1.] Lead your life by a divine rule ; have respect to the command- ment. See how heartily David prayeth, Ps. cxix. 10, ' With my whole heart have I sought thee ; let me not wander from thy commandments.* That is the rule — the law a man should go by. Advise with the word. ' Bind it continually about thine heart, and tie it about thy neck.' The commandment is a lamp, and the law is light. * When thou goest it shall lead thee, when thou sleepest it shall keep thee, and when thou wakest it shall talk with thee,' Prov. vi. 21-23. He would not deviate into his own path : Gal. vi. 16, 'As many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God ;' — they that walk by this rule, that is, according to the word of God. The law is the expression of God's will to us creatures, there- fore conform to that. If Christians had oftener recourse to the rule,^ they would have a better sight of duty.