VeR. 6.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XL 91
is more accepted with the Lord. And mark, he saith, ver. 6, ' The way of the wicked is an abomination,' not only their sacrifice or their exercises ©f religion, which may he counterfeited, but their way, their second-table duties, which, because of the benefit that men receive by them, are more pleasing and plausible ; yet their way, that is an abomination. They may do much , they may build colleges, promote learning, relieve the poor ; yet all is an abomination, because the person is wicked. Solomon doth not say their adultery is an abomination, but their charity, their civility. But saith he, ' They that follow after right- eousness,' that is, that make it their sincere aim, though they cannot always be masters of their own desires and perform their intentions, yet God loves them that follow after righteousness, their hearts are set right. But the wicked, those that are in an unjustified estate, do what- ever they will, they are an abomination to the Lord; they are punished for their sins, and are not accepted for their duties. Now, lest you should think that all this doth arise from some gross defect that is in the service itself, you shall see that it is from the hatred Grod bears to their persons, until they be reconciled to him in Christ. I shall prove that out of Prov. xxi. 27, ' The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination ; how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind ? ' Suppose a wicked man should do his best, yet the person is not recon- ciled to God ; and so at best it is but a wicked man's offering ; therefore till we change our copy this will be our case ; it will be an abomination to the Lord. Thus you see, from the interest and quality of the person, they are in an unjustified and unreconciled estate, there- fore nothing of theirs can please God.
2. Consider the defect of the .service. A natural man can never do or perionu an act of piure obedience. It is true, his works are materially good : but it is not the matter which makes a work good. Velvet is good matter to make a garment of, yet it may be marred in the cutting : pieces of timber are good matter for a house, but it must be judici- ously framed ; so these actions are for the matter good in themselves, yet they are not pleasing to God, because they are faulty in the most necessary circumstances. Whatsoever is well done must come from a principle of faith and love ; and it must be done to God's glory, other- wise it is not reckoned among duties, but sins. Now here a wicked man is always culpable ; he can neither act out of faith, which he hath not ; nor to God's glory, he cannot make that his aim, therefore still he sins. It is true, he sins more in things that are evil in themselves ; as in theft and in lying, than in sacrifice ; in adultery than in prayer, because the act itself is sinful : but in those duties that he doth |)er- form, the matter of them is conducible to the good of human society. But it is all one as to their acceptance with God ; for it is not enough that a thing be good in itself, but it must be done to a goo<l end ; that is a necessary circumstance, in which a wicked man is defective. Prov. xxi. 27, ' The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination : how much more (saith the Spirit of God) when he bringeth it with an evil mind ? ' Usually wicked men have an evil mind in all that they do ; they have a carnal, or a natural, or, at best but a legal end.
[1.] A carnal end. Usually they make a market of religion, and their righteousness is set to sale. Whatever they do, they do it to please men rather than God ; and how can they expect their reward of God ?
92 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. XXVI.
So our Saviour, when he speaks of the h3'pocrisy of those that pray, fast, and give alms, he saith, Mat. vi. 2 -16, ' They have their reward ; ' they give God an acquittance and a discharge, for all that they do is to please men and not to please God ; therefore they have their reward, iliat is, that they look after. By a vile submission, they make the service of God to stoop to their secular interests. Mat. xxiii. 14, the Pharisees ' made long prayers to devour widows' houses ; ' that is, to get a fame and a repute to themselves, that they might be entrusted with widow's estates. Thus the apostle speaks of some, Phil, i. 15, ' That preached Christ out of envy and strife, not of good will.' They may preach and pray to show their gifts ; and the end is carnal, to pro- vide for their secular interest. Now this is a vile scorn put upon God, when religion is made a cover for an unclean intent ; it is as if you should take a cup of gold, made for the king to drink in, and make it a vessel to hold dung and excrements. Or else —