iy4 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. XXVI.
wonderful works;' and yet Christ saith, 'I know you not; depart from me, ye that work iniquity,' ver. 123. A man may spend his strength and his spirits in the ministry ; yet after all this may be a castaway. Christ will not take acquaintance with them that are in such a near- ness of ofi&ce and ministration — ' I know you not.' It is strange that Christ should not know them, when they can challenge acquaintance with him by such a good token ; We had such gifts and such offices. Some men have only gifts for others ; and after they have wasted them- selves and swaled away like a candle in the work of the ministry, they may go out in a snutf. Gifts and employments are for the body. No doubt, in Noah's time, some that built an ark for others perished in the waters , so after we have built an ark fur others, and represented Christ to them, if we do not get an interest in him ourselves, we are cast away ; or like the clouds that moisten the earth, but are themselves scattered by the winds, we may moisten and convey the influences of heaven to others, but are scattered, as those that Christ refuselh, by the breath and fury of the Lord ; or like the water of purification, under the law, that cleansed the leper, but was itself unclean, so men that are employed as instruments in the cleansing of others, may themselves be unclean and disallowed by God. They may deserve well of the church, and yet be unthankful to God and unl'aithful to their own souls ; nay, you may be orthodox, and side with the better part, and yet all this will not render you acceptable to God : Gal. v, G, ' In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith that works by love.' That was the controversy among the believers of that time, whether circumcision were to be kept up. Christ doth not love men for their opinion, but for their obedience. Some that are orthodox may go down to hell. The devils themselves have great skill in many points of faith ; nay, which is more, men may suffer for religion for that which they call their conscience, yet all this in vain : 1 Cor. xiii. 2, 'If I give my body to be burnt, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing ; ' without faith all this is nothing. The suffering of a wicked man, it is but like the cutting off a swine's head, or ofl'ering of a dog in sacrifice : as, under the law, the priest was to make inquiry if the sacrifice were sound, if it were not scabby or lame. God doth not love a scabby sacrifice ; and when men are tainted with enormous lives and conversations, their sufferings will not endear them to God ; nay, whatever you do in your lawful employment, in your calling, it is all sin. The whole trade and course of a wicked man's life is nothing but sin, because all those actions are not elevated by grace to a supernatural intention : Prov. xxi. 4, ' The ploughing of the wicked is sin :' what- ever they do — their speaking, eating, drinking, trading — all is sin, because there is no grace. How shoulil this take us off from our vain confidences ! I have nothing but sin, I can do nothing but sin ; and how should this bring the soul to lie at God's foot for mercy !
2. Consider the opposite happiness of the children of God, this will aggravate your misery. The smallest works of a man that is recon- ciled to God in Christ are rewaided. A cup of cold water shall not want its reward. Mat. x. 42. If a carnal man offers rivers of oil, ten thousands of sacrifices, yet they are nothing ; whereas the weakest and poorest services on the other side are accepted. They that are in a state of grace have liberty of constant access to God, and God hath
VeK. 6.] SEEMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. 95
promised to take notice of tlieir persons and prayers : Ps. xxxiv. 15, ' The eyes of the Lord are iipon the rii::hteoiis, and his ears are open to their cry ; ' God is ready to receive and entertain them whenever they come to the throne of grace, but. as it follows in the next verse, ' The face of the Lord is against them that do evil ; ' as by a frown we dis- courage a supplicant. Certainly, it is a great mercy that we have an access to God, and the liberty to stand before him daily ; nay, the weak- ness of their duties shall be dispensed withal. A child of God is guilty of many failings, Partus seqiiitur ventrem, the birth hath more of the mother in it than of the father ; so, thougli the Spirit of God help them in their services, yet there is much of their own weaknesses mixed with it ; yet God will accept it: Cant. v. 1, ' I have eaten my honey-comb with my honey ; ' the honeycomb is bitter, but Christ will eat it for the honey's sake. We serve Christ in our duties as he was served on the cross, we offer him wine mingled with myrrh, but he will dispense with imperfections ; then their sins of life shall be pardoned. It is true , the children of God have not a dispensation to sin : yet God will handle them with much indidgence when they are through the prevaleucy of corruption and infirmity drawn to sin. A hireling is soon dismissed when he doth not give content ; but a child is not cast out of doors for every offence ; saith God, ' I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him,' Mai. iii. 17.