presumption thus to impose upon God to fight against him with our Lies to cover his Face and ask who smote him 5. It is folly in the very Exaltation of it such formal Services are Fools services Solomon calls rash sudden hasty unprepared Sacrifices the Sacrifices of Fools Eccl. 5. 1. I am sure lying ones are such It 's folly for any thus to go about to impose on the Omniscient God the height of folly once to dream of deceiving him and worse than madness it self to do so by him if they did not think they could deceive him 6. It disposes to a vain unprofitable Atheistical Conversation in our whole Deportment As we are in our Worship so we are in all our Walk He that is Formal and Atheistical there will be so elsewhere 2. The soreness of the punishment And you may well imagine that God will in Justice provide a strange punishment for such workers of Iniquity were it only that one Text it were very dreadful Mala. 1. 14. Cursed be the Deceiver If doing the work of the Lord deceitfully does then much more the doing of the worship of the Lord decitfully will bring a Curse Jer. 48. 10. Particularly 1. All such lying worshippers will lose all that they have wrought 2. Joh. 8. all our deceitful Hearing Praying Sabbath-keeping c. will be utterly lost as to any real profit that shall ever come to us by them Oh the many costly laborious services that many Ignorant zealots have lost the painful performances of the Papists that are Lies are all lost the fair out-side shews of the Hypocrite are all lost Those that are least or nothing in the Inside are most in the out-side and they all whose Services are a lye not having the Heart in them use to lye most splendidly of any but they shall get nothing by their lying nothing from God nothing of his Company or Blessing a little Reputation from men they may get but what does that signify They do but worship him in vain Mat. â—5 9. and therefore God bids such deceitful Offerers to bring no more such vain oblation Isa 1. 13. They were utterly in vain as to the great end of them Communion with God by them There were a company of Professing Believers Joh. 2. 23 25 unto whom Christ could not commit himself they seemed to trust him but he would not betrust himself with them because he knew their hearts he knew they were Lyars and Deceivers in their hearts and their outward profession without inward sincerity could obtain nothing with Christ Lying spoils all conversation among men and hinders converse with Christ Pro. 19. 22. The poor man is better than the lyar He that serves God with his Heart though his poverty allows him to offer no more than two mites shall be accepted of God while the more liberal Contributions of heartless and therefore deceitful men shall be rejected The want of the Heart makes it a lye and every lye is lost to the Maker 2. Nay more than so such worship is not only lost to them but very provoking to God they cannot anger a jealous God more than by such Deceitful Services his Anger smokes against lying Prayers and the more of such prayers the more Anger Hence in the first Chapter following on the Text it 's said They increased Lies and Desolation what Lies did they increase sure those lies in worship for which they were blamed in my Text they continued in their formal worship multiplied their Sacrifices and did the while but multiply lies their new Sacrifices were but Compassing God about with new Lies and what did they further increase thereby why they increased Desolation Increase of such Services was increase of Lies increase of Lies was increase of Provocation unto God and consequently of Desolation unto them It 's hard to say whether people do more provoke God by their sins or by their Prayers and Confessions performed with so much Guile and Hypocrisie especially when by those Duties they think to expiate their sins While they are compassing God about with Lies he is compassing them about with Threatnings which like a storm of Hail shall sweep away their Refuge of Lies Outward Judgments are often sent by God upon a Professing People as a Testimony from Heaven against such Falshood and Dissimulation Is not this one main cause of Gods Severity towards us at this day viz our prevaricating with him in his Worship either the total neglect of it in many the deceitful performances in some or the unanswerable walking in all has had a deep share in procuring these Calamities under which we are now labouring Does not the Lord render his Rebukes in flames of Fire for our coldness or false Fire in his Worship The sudden stroke on Nadab and Abâ—hu was for their offering up of strange Fire and Lies is strange Fire The Arrow shot out of such a deceitful Bow flies back to the damage of him that shoots it Hos 7. 16. Thus Paul tells us that for the abusing of that Ordinance sickness and death were sent among them 1 Cor. 11. 30. And no way is an Ordinance more abused than by this way of lying Spiritual Judgments though more secret and not so much taken notice of are yet more dreadful and no less certain As evil men and seducers in point of Doctrine so evil men and deceivers in point of Worship wax worse and worse 2 Tim. 3. 13. deceiving and being deceived they deal Deceitfully with God do deceive others as has been already noted and do most lamentably deceive themselves into a false peace till at length they find themselves irrecoverably lost Their worshippâ—ng imholdens them to sinning They sin and then bring their Peace-offering and so pay the old score and then begin upon a new Prov. 7. 14. As if by their Duties they â—ad made amends for their past sins and obtained a Dispensation for the committing of more Thus the Prophet brings them in Jer. 7. 9 10. As Stealing and committing Adultery c. and then by Standing i. e. Worshipping or Sacrificing in Gods House think themselves delivered to do all those Abominations i e. delivered from the wickedness already done and licensed to hold on the same Trade still Thus as some turn the Grace of God into Lasciviousness Jude 4 so these turn the Worship of God into Lasciviousness and what greater Spiritual Judgment than to be given up of God to this It is rendered there as a mark of men of old ordained unto Condemnation Nothing more fatal than by vain Services to to be left to vain Confidences till unexpected Ruine at last overtake them And that is the last thing here to be considered viz. 3. The final destruction of such Deceitâ—â—â— Worshipâ—â—rs whose Plagues will be most wonderful Hypocrites have the forest punishment allotted them Every piece of Deceitful Worship will be an Article in the Indictment They make themselves Twofold more the Children of Damnation than the poor
all Grace takes away all occasion of boasting There are some actings of pride in the best to their shame and confusion of face when they reflect thereupon but usually or mostly they are false in their Worship that trust to it and of them it may be said they trust to a Refuge of Lies and under falshood do they hide themselves Isa 28. 15. Because all their Worship is so Were our Services never so good yet if trusted in when we have done them we make a lye an Idol of them and shall find them to be a lye to us much more when there is so much dâ—ceit attending the best of our doings and so much lameness leanness and deformity in the chiefest of our Sacrifices 3. Hence see also the reason why God is angry oft times at the Prayers of his People viz. because he haâ—es lying of which he finds so much in them Psal 80. 4 And hence there is so little success in praying so few Answers of their Prayers Those that are lying Services to God will be lying Services to us also nothing will come of them but Provocation and Punishment We know that God heareth not Sinners Joh. 9. 31. Lyars and Deceiters as they shall not dwell with him Psal 101. 7. so neither shall their Services come before him with Acceptance Let none of us that are conscious to our selves of a great deal of that Guilt in our Services quarrel with God and say Wherefore have we fasted and thou seest not Isa 58. 3. That Context will answer them and us and this Text will stop our mouths It 's said Hab. 3. 7. The labour of the Olive fails it is in the Hebrew lies i. e. their labour about the Olive in planting pruning dressing from which they expect some fruit produces nothing nothing comes of it so will the labour of such a Worshipper prove his Prayer was a lye to God and it is very just it should be â—ound a lye to him USE II. Of Conviction Let this Doctrine also be improved unto Conviction and upon due serious and strict Examination Conviction will follow Is there not too too much of this lying Worship to be found among us Here is a great deal of worship and many Worshippers And those Worshippers that seek God daily and approach into his presence frequently are either Regenerate or Unregenerate for we may not believe that all outward Worshippers are inwardly sincere Now as to the Vnregenerate especially if they are so knowingly and continue so contentedly all their worship is a meer lye all their devotion is a meer cheat and so an abomination unto God they do nothing else but beleagure and beset him with lies are always fighting God with their lies and many perhaps the Body of Israel whom the Lord thus treats in the Text were such As to the Regenerate they are not wholly freed from this way of lying there are some Remains of Guile and Hypocrisie which like dead flies are dropping into and corrupting the Oyntment or Incense of their best Performances And for our Conviction let us look back on the particular Instances given in the several parts of Worship besides what further Reflections every diligent curious self-examiner may make upon himself Think with our selves what a Trade of lying we have driven with God how many of those Abominations we have wrought in his sight how many plain lyes we have told him to his face and let us be vile in our own eyes in that we have so often done that which is so vile in his The Lord expects very deep Humiliation for our so great and frequent Dissimulation in his Worship whatever Infirmities God may bear withal in his Children he will not tolerate lying in them dealing falsely in his Worship we must very particularly repent of and reform USE III. Let this serve for a word of solemn Dehortation from this great and frequent sin that is so commonly found in the midst of us Oh all ye VVorshippers of God be perswaded to put away your lying and let your deceit no longer lodg with you Do not come to the House of God to tell him a pack of lies from day to day Trouble him with no more deceitful and vain oblations for shame leave off lying Paul charges them Eph 4. 25. with Col. 3. 9. to put away lying one to another But this Doctrine presents us with a more solemn and necessary charge and that which if taken notice of and complied with would curge the other Lye not to the God of Truth Eli was mistaken when he said to Hannae 1. Sam. 1. 14. How long wilt thou be drunk put away thy Wine But alass that there should be such just cause to say to many VVorshippers in the House of God How long will you tell 〈◊〉 in Gods VVorship put away your deceit from you so inforce this Disswasive Let us consider 1. The Greatness of the sin 2. The â—oreness of the punishment 3. The good of performing true Worship in a right and sincere manner 1. The greatness of the sin 1. It is Lying And I need say no more It 's a sin though so generally practised yet every where spoken against It is a sin which mans corrupt nature is dreadfully addicted to they go astray from the Womb speaking lies Psal 58. 3. And yet it is a sin condemned by the light of nature condemned by the verdict of every mans Conscience that is not blinded or bribed asleep or seared Men hate to be imposed upon with lies and will be more ready to forgive a very great fault than a little one when aggravated with lying It 's reckoned among the seven Abominations that the Lord hates Prov. 6 16. â—0 yea and accounted big enough to make two of the seven if not three of tâ—em though in a different sense 2. But more than so it 's lying to God and that sin cost Ananias and Sapphird their lives Act. 5 4 c. And it 's no small wonder of Patience and Long-suffering that the Lord makes no more such Examples among the great Troops of lying Worshippers that compass him every day especially considering what a jealous God he is in point of Worship To have a Company of Hypocrites come before God from time to time only to fill his ears with lies must needs be highly provoking and it is very strange that the Angel of the Lord is not sent forth to make them all dead Corpses Spiritual Judgments are doubtless secretly inflicted upon them which are the more dreadful because the less observable 3. It 's rank Atheism nor could men persist in such a course if they did realize the Being of God or had not in their own imaginations framed to themselves a God like themselves According to our sentiments of God in our Hearts so are our Carriages toward him in his Worship Deceitful Worshiping of him speaks us very much deceived in our Conceptions about him 4. It iâ— extream insolence daring boldness and
Heathen that never performed any duty of Worship to God in their lives While some Drink and Swear and Curse and Damn themselves to Hell others pray and â—ear themselves thither and into a deeper and hotter Hell too then others arrive at For men to-destroy themselves with a great deal of pains labour cost splendor and grandeur is the worst kind of Destruction Your Lying Deceitful Services and Performances are both the pretences that you Compass God with and the sparks that you Compass and comfort your selves with but the Reward you will receive at the hands of God will be to lye down in sorrow Isa 50. ult Such Worshippers of God are nevertheless counted forgotters of God and their Doom is To be Torn in Pieces without any to deliver them Psal 50 22. The Benefit of True and Sincere Worshipping of God This is a large Theam I shall but glance at a few hints What is said of keeping Gods Commandments in General Great is the Reward Psa 9. 11. is eminently true of the second Commandment which gives direction about Instituted Worship see Exod. 20. 6. And if you referr it to the Third Commandment where the Lord threatens the Breaker of it Not to â—old him guilâ—less it is a Meiosis and sorest wrath is intended therein and on the other-hand all manner of blessings are designed for the keeper of that Command If the Deceiver in Worship be Cursed Mala. 1 11. Then the sincere Worshiper is blessed Blessed with all spiritual blessings God accepts his Services remembers his Offerings will give him pardon peace joy the strength of his Right Hand c. see Psal 20. 1 6. He shall see the Lords goings in his Sanctuary And shall be able to attest to Davids Experience Psal 84. 10 One day in Gods House is worth a Thousand Blessed with all outward blessings also Seeking the Kingdom of God first of which no small part lies in a right performing the worship of the Kingdom has a promise of the Addition of all other things Mâ—â— 6. 33. God deâ—ls wiâ—h a professing people as they deal with him in his Worship If we Compass him with hearty sincere service he will Compasâ—â—â— with favour as with a Shield Psal â— 12 Mercy shall Compass us no good thing shall be waâ—â—ing to us While such kind of formal worshippers of whom we have been speaking say as they feel that it is in vain to serve God we shall speak as we find That it is good for us to draw near unto God Psal 23. 28. Directions for the Cure of this Malady 1. Be sure we fix upon the right and there is but one right Object of Worship Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Mat. 4. 10. The great God is the sole Object of Worship Let us not make our Bellies our God Gold our Hope the World our portion nor our own Righteousness Wisdom or Strength our Idol nor our selves our Saviours Sacrifice not to our own Net nor burn Incense to our own Drag Hab. 1. 16. 2. Be well acquainted with the Person whom we Worship and that will oblige us what we may to study a proportion between our Worship and the Object of our Worship The Knowledge of God will teach us that he is to be Worshipped and also how he is to be Worshipped will make us fear to neglect it and assist us in the due performance of it To cure the Deceiver that had a Male in his flock but offered a corrupt thing the Lord gives him to understand and wills him to consider that he was a Great King and had a Dreadful Name even the Lord of Hosts Mal. 1. 14. His being a Spirit will tell us that he is to be Worshipped in Spirit and Truth not after a carnal and lying manner Consider him as the first Being chiefest Good thence learn that the first best of our Hearts Abilities Time Spirits Souls are his due and that lame blind heartless lifeless Services are very much unbecoming him His Soveraignty as it commands Devotion so it will guard us from snuffing at his Service or sâ—ubbering over his Worship His Omnipresence will beget Reverence and promote Sincerity It 's no great matter how men carry it before an Idol that has no eyes but Reason much more Religion will direct us to look to our selves when we have such an eye upon us and will be useful to prevent that commonness of Heart and Carriage so unsuitable for his Presence His Omniscience will assure us that he will not be shamm'd nor imposed upon there 's no mocking him with shadows or pretences he is not to be treated after that manner He will say to every Hypocrite tho' under the greatest disguise why feignest thou thy self to be another person I have heavy Tidings for thee and a Curse upon the Deceiver is heavy Tidings His Omnipotence will represent him as a person that has in a readiness wherewith to avenge all Affronts and to assist all the Humble Souls that desire to serve him better His Holiness tells us that we must lift up holy hands and hearts before him and purge our selves in order to our being Vessels fitâ—ed for our Masters use His Justice will caution us from taking his Name in vain because he will not holâ— us Guiltless and when we take up his Worship without spirit heart life care labour seriousness we take his Name in vain His Bounty and Goodness will quicken us to serve him with Enlargedness of Heart who hath such a liberal hand to reward all his Servants His Truth and Faithfulness as they will put us beyond dispute about the certainty of the Reward if we serve him well so of the Punishment if trifling and slightly therein Thus right Conceptions of God will notably influence you into right Worship a due performance of it 3. Study well the right way in which God will be Worshipped and his own way is the only right way He hath plainly told us in his Word how he will be Worshipped if we bring him any other Worship than that of his own prescribing he will call it lying and deceit Beware therefore that none spoil you through vain deceit after the Traditions of men Col. 2. 8. A very good caution for Traditions of men in the Worship of God will spoil our Worship and spoil us also aand are rightly called deceitful and vain because they take us off from the only true acceptable and profitable Service of God Resolve upon it either Bible-Worship or none at all all other being as yea worse than none It 's lying worship if not warranted by God's Word whatever pretences it may make to Decency in it self or Authority from men Traditions from our Fore-fathers or the Commands of the Church God will say of it Bring no more vain oblations who has required these things at your hands Nor will God take it as an answer if we say that Ecclesiastical Authority enjoyned it