appear to be in it there are indeavours to put them out of it and to discourage them in it Satan and his Instruments are ready presently to do all they can to this purpose by their Inchantments and Seducements and Inticements Well but see here now how God orders it to his People Thou shalt hear a word behind thee c. There is none which are in any good way but as they had a word behind them which first brought them into it so there 's none which are in that way neither but they have a word behind them to continue them in it if they would hearken and listen unto it And if at any time they swerve from it it is because they are either wilful or negligent in this particular not attending to the Gracious strivings of Gods spirit in their Hearts as we shall have occasion to shew more hereafter For as God himself he does not neglect to speak unto them and that daily this word it is still sounding in their Eares And this God does as a part of his Covenant with them which is to perfect what he begins and to preserve that work of Grace in them which he has in part bestowed upon them Psal 1.6 And so now I have done also with the Second general part of the Text which is the matter of the Admonition it self This is the way walk ye in it as a word of Correction as a word of Direction as a word of Incouragement or Confirmation The Third and Last is the Occasion of it that we have Exprest in those words When ye hear c. This at the first hearing may seem to carry some difficulty in it Forasmuch as Moses when he is to instruct the people of Israel which way they should go he wishes them to turn neither to the right hand nor to the left Deut. 5.32 And Deut. 17.20 What then is the meaning of the Prophet here in this place that the word of God shall incourage them saying This is the way walk in it when they turn to either hand To this I answer that he means thus much That the word of God does reclaim and reform them in either of these alterrations when they turn to the right hand and so go out of the way in that then he shews them this is the way and orders them aright So again when they turn to the left hand and go out of the way so then he shews them this is the way and orders them aright so so that in whatsoever Errour they are whether upon the right hand or upon the left is he pleased graciously to reduce them This is the meaning of the Prophet Esay here in these words When ye turn to the right hand c. And that 's this which is here mainly Considerable Observe us here somewhat by the way that there are Errours on both hands upon the right as well as upon the left That 's here implied while 's the Prophet tells us that there is a Word behind us Correcting and Reforming us in Each And so indeed there is Virtue it consists in the middle betwixt two Extreams but partakes of neither It is not medium Particepationis but Negationis as we use to distinguish it This is that which is Considerable in it Now an Errour on the right hand is properly such an Errour as does least of all depart from the right Yea does resemble it and appear like unto it As to instance in a particular by way of Explication The doing of any thing which we have a mind to though never so Unlawful without any scruple that 's an Errour on the left hand Again the scrupling of the doing of some things which are indifferent and may be Lawfully done by us That 's an Errour on the right hand The just and direct way is betwixt them both which is to obstain from that which is sinfully and prudently to use our Liberty in things Indifferent Now here we have the word of God both in the Ministry and the Dictates of the Spirit guiding and directing of us that we fall into neither of these Extreams but walk in that path and way which is to be trodden by us when we turn either to the right hand or to the left Those which waite and depend upon him and are careful to lesten to him he will take care that they may be upright and sincere in each Particular This is the Blessing which God promises in this place and it is to be observ'd and regarded by us It is a great favour and mercy to be kept from the Extreams of any thing that we fall not into them Thus it is upon this account namely in regard of the hazard and danger of them for that there is There 's danger in every Errour whether it be on the left hand or on the right and so to be made account of by us Danger as to all those particulars wherein Sin it self is dangerous As First To the dishonour of God God may as truly though not as much be dishonoured by a Sinner on the right hand as on the left and that because even that also is a Breach and Transgression of his Law who in the places before used in Deuterenomie has commanded us to turn aside unto neither The Holy Law and Commandment of God it does not only proceed against sins of Presumption but as well also against sins of Infirmity not only against sins of knowledge but against sins of ignorance not only against errors on the left hand but on the right And where the Law of God is any where broken the honor of God is there dishonoured There 's danger in it therefore in that Secondly As to our own prejudice we may hurt and disaccommodate our selves by sins on one hand as well as on t'other contract a guilt to our own Souls and deprive our selves of many comforts which otherwise we might be partakers of whether temporal or spiritual Thirdly Wrong our Neighbours There may be injury done also to them in such cases as these are by Errors on the right hand as well as on the left And if left hand errors are more dangerous than when they are fallen into Yet right-hand errors are thus far here dangerous as that we easier fall into them and for want of heed are become the sooner guilty of them That which lies upon us is as much as may be to avoid them both And to this purpose to listen to the word behind us speaking to us Otherwise we shall hardly of our selves be able to do it In vitium ducit culpe fuga si caret arte as the Heathen man observed The avoiding of Error if there be not art and skill in it leads into more And again Stulti dum vitant vita in contra corruit Fools whiles they avoid one sin they commonly run into another But here the Word and Spirit of God does arm and prepare us with wisdom in this particular in that it speaks
was considerable in that and that as it may be drawn out by us into these branches First A speculative knowledge of the Truths and Doctrines of Religion This was the Righteousness especially of the Scribes which were famous as I hinted before in this respect They were men of great knowledge and understanding in Divine matters And this I call Righteousness in them by taking this word in the Text with Chrysostom in the greatest latitude for the whole compass and extent of Vertue whether in reference to Judgment or Practice But yet such as will not serve the turn to bring a man to Heaven A man may have a great deal of Illumination and yet never be partaker of Salvation He may know very much of the Scriptures Word of God and of the Theory of Religion and yet for all tha go to Hell We shall find if we look into Rom. 2.17 how the Apostle takes up such a person as this is Behold thouart called a Jew and restest in the Law and makest thy boast of God and knowest his will and approvest the things that are more excellent being instructed out of the Law and art confident that thou thy self art a guide of the blind a light of them which are in darkness an instructor of the foolish a teacher of babes which hast the form of knowledge and of the Truth in the Law See here what a company of expressions are here joyned and gathered together for the description of such a kind of person whereof we now speak but yet still with a disparagement upon him where there is nothing else besides which accordingly is observable of us And so the Apostle James he argues after the like manner against those who preended to Faith and Knowledge without the fruit of it in good works is a vanity and conceit in them and wherein they went no further than even the Devil and evil Angels themselves who had more knowledge than any men in the world and that also even in the things of Religion yet not having hearts answerable to their knowledge nor wills or affections suitable and agreeable to their understandings but rather fighting and rebelling against them are from hence damned Creatures And that 's one branch of this Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees to us viz. a speculative knowledge of Religion and the Truths of the Scripture Secondly This Pharisaical Righteousness it consists in a freedom from gross and notorious sins such as are Whoredom Theft Drunkenness Murther and such like This we may see in the account which that Pharisee there in the Gospel gives of himself as a ground of his Justification Luk. 18.11 God I thank thee that I am not as other men are extorioners unjust adulterers or even as this Publican And so it is with many others besides They glory and rest themselves in this that they keep themselves free from greater and more scandalous sins and think that from hence they have a very good title to Heaven but they are mistaken in so thinking It is not this which will serve the turn to bring them thither Though it is their duty to keep from such sins and commendable in them whenever they do so yet this is not enough for them nor all which is required of them they must have somewhat more in them than so as ever they desire to come and enter into that holy place Thirdly In Acts of Devotion and the external part and practice of Religion Those Pharisees they were very famons for this and it was a great part of their Righteousness to conform hereunte Prayers and Fasting and Reading and Hearing and the ceremonious observation of the Sabbath they were very strict and exact in such things as these are and more than any others besides and yet all this was very short and defective in their being nothing else with it and is likewise in any others whatsoever Though such duties as these are to be performed and they are accountable which are neglective of them yet if men have nothing to say for themselves but only these they may for all that be but in a sad condition and still liable to eternal condemnation as these Pharisees were Men may be very diligent in publick and in private prayers in hearing and conversing and repeating of Sermons in keeping up family-duties and the performance of all the exercises of Religion in all kinds whatsoever which I do by no means speak against or detract from but rather incourage and think them to be highly guilty and obnoxious who are careless and omitting of them and yet for all that they may never know what belongs to salvation but may perish eternally in the midst of all these Religious Performances Fourthly In Acts of Justice and Equity betwixt man and man and the duties of the Second Table of the Law The Pharisees they were also observant of these in paying of debts in giving of alms in yielding to every one that which was his due and it was commendable in them to be so There was no fault to be found in them for it but rather the contrary God required and expected this from them as he does also from others with them But this was that which undid them that they took care of nothing else besides that the weightier matters of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were but little regarded by them and especially that their hearts in all these things were not right in them And so much may be spoken of the Righteousness of these Pharisees as to the matter and substance of it The second is as to the manner and circumstances which was also very remarkable For they carried this their Righteousness in a very great and high strain in the frequency and multitudes of their performances in the accurateness and exactness in the transcendency and supererrogation doing a reat deal more than was indeed required of them for so did they as we have it recorded to us both in Scripture and other writings of them They were as I may say excessive in their Righteousness and yet for all that were defective And this Righteousness was such as is to be exceeded by all that will be saved Though it carried a great speciousness and shew of excellency with it yet it was such as did not render them who were the subjects of it acceptable or well-pleasing to God No more does any other Righteousness of the like nature or condition with it the Righteousness of meer civil and moral persons it is not that which will do the deed or serve the turn at God's Tribunal so that any should rest themselves in it and that the first thing that I here propounded to be considered now of us what this Pharisaical Righteousness is and wherein it consists both for matter and manner The second is the Defectiveness or Insufficiency of it in order to Eternal Salvation and that which makes it to be so Now this we may likewise take notice of in these
known The knowledge of God by Christ is not onely in Christ himself but from him imported to us for our information There is neither envy in Christ nor neglect nor affectation of reservedness in this particular but free and open dealing with a great deal of alacrity indeed His declaration is not answerable and proportionable to his apprehension we may not imagine so for that is incongruous Christ does not declare so much of the Father as he knows because we are incapable of it but so much as is fitting for us and that we can receive he does discover He declares God himself and all such Truthes as lead us to further fellowship and communion with him Thirdly He hath declared him it is a word of Perspicuity He hath not onely barely and simply propounded him in a dark and obscure manner but he hath explicated him and revealed him unto us This is emphatically signified in the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is an expression of manifestation and does imply a bringing of things to light which before were more hard and difficult to be understood And as the Criticks and Grammarians observe of it it is properly applied to Divine and Excellent matters whereas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does more properly belong and appertain to things vulgar and obvious This is that which Christ hath done for us as Philip sometime desired of him he hath shewn to us the Father he hath cleared to us the great Mysteries of our Salvation which were unknown unto us or which before were propounded but in a dark and enigmatical manner and with much obscurity This is the great excellency of the New Testament above the Old and of the time of the Gospel above the Law that the Vail is now taken away and we have things more clearly revealed unto us than were to them in former days There is the light of the knowledge of God now shining out unto us Christ hath cleared both the things themselves as also our minds and understandings for the conception of them and exhibited these things in reality which Moses gave an hint of but in Types and Legal adumbrations The consideration of this point makes much for our heed and attention to such things as these are and closing with them See that ye refuse not him that speaketh as it is Heb. 12.23 seeing Christ declares them let not us turn away from them we ought to give the more earnest heed unto them lest at any time we let them slip else we shall not escape if we neglect so great salvation as it is again Heb. 2.3 There is nothing which we can here plead by way of excuse and tergiversation but all the Arguments that may be to engage us Here is the knowledge of our Teacher himself here is his willingness to impart his knowledge to us and also his skill and ability for it that we may be partakers of it And so much may be spoken of this passage in its first notion to wit in its simple Proposition The second is in its Emphatical Appropriation He hath declared him that is upon the matter He alone This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text it is not demonstrative onely but restrictive This declaring of the Father it is restrained and appropriated to the Son as more peculiarly belonging unto him to be done by him He has declared him that is he onely has declared him Therefore it is that he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word not onely upon the account of his Nature or Person but upon the account of his Office he is called so upon the account of the former in regard of His Eternal Generation because as Speech is the birth of the mind so is the Son of the Father And he is called so upon account of the latter in regard of His Ministerial Dispensation because as a man remembers the meaning of his heart by the words of his mouth so God revealeth his Word by his Son He is the Interpreter of the will of his Father and the Prophet and Teacher of his Church And both of the Titles whereby Christ is here in the Text described unto us do seem especially to qualifie him for this purpose Therefore he is fittest to declare God because he is His onely-begotten Son and therefore also he is fittest to declare him because he is in the bosom of the Father Thus Heb. 1.1 2. God c. hath now spoken to us by his Son That which is our business at this time is to consider how far forth this Action is here appropriated to Christ which we may take according to this ensuing explication First it is He Primarily and by His own Authority that does declare him others have been used as Instruments but they have done it by delegation from Him who has instituted them and appointed them hereunto they have done it by his appointment and they have done it by his ennablement who has directed them and assisted them in it The Son of God first made known to his Apostles all those things that he heard of his Father as we have it in Joh. 15.15 All things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you And the same Son sent his Spirit to instruct them and to bring all those things to their remembrance which he had formerly taught them as we have it also in Joh. 14.26 And so Acts 1.7 8. Ye shall have power after that the holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be witnesses unto me c. So is Christ Primarily though it be others Ministerially that do declare him Christ does it in his own Name but the Apostles and other Ministers in the Name of Christ Secondly It is he Perfectly and Infallibly Others unless such as were immediately inspired by him they were subject to human error and infirmity and they have now and then somewhat of themselves mixt in their declarations but Christ does it without all exception and so as there is no doubt or scruple or question at all to be made of it he does it so exactly Thirdly It is he that declares it effectually and with the best success He declares the Father and perswades our hearts to the receiving of him shews us the Truth and leads us and perswades us into it inlightens our understandings and inclines our wills opens our eyes and over-powers our consciences reveals God not onely to us but reveals him in us As God does likewise his Son according to the phrase which is there used to this purpose in Gal. 2.16 Thus we see how it is He and he alone that declares the Father unto us The sum of all may be drawn up to these Heads First from hence to take notice how much we are beholding to Christ We have heard of late of many singular benefits and advantages which we have by him let us now take in this to the rest in that by him we come to have a further