A SERMON Preached at Westminster Abby March the 25th 1691. By THOMAS ASTON M. A. The 2d of Timothy the 4th and the 3d. For the time will come when they will not endure sound Doctrine c. LONDON Printed ANNO 1691. A SERMON Preached at Westminster-Abby March the 25th 1691. Psalms LI. ver 6. But lo Thou requirest Truth in the inward Parts TO that Question Micha 6 8. O Man what does the Lord require of thee My Text gives a direct Answer God requires truth in the inward parts But what he requires he must first bestow so that in all our performances we may truly say with Holy David Of thine own Lord have we given thee This Truth is a Conformity of Man to his most Holy Creator God made Man in his own Image perfectly upright but he continued not in that Honour Rebelling against the VVorlds Monarch was disinherited lost himself and all his Posterity depraved their Nature disenabling them to perform that good some are inclin'd to Now though he cannot reach it in performance God requires that Man in his heart and affection should be according to what he was in his first Creation This Truth is four-fould 1st Of Judgment 2d Of Heart 3d. Of Speech and 4th Of Action First Truth of Judgment is a Conformity to the Word of God the Rule and Proof of Truth viz. when a Man informed by the Sacred Scriptures and enlightned by the Holy Spirit remaineth stedfast in that Doctrine the word of God teacheth then there is Truth in Judgment 'T is for this that St. Peter commends the scattered Tribes 2. Epistle 1.12 I will not be negligent to put you in remembrance of these things though you know them and are established in the present Truth And unto this settled Judgment St. Paul exhorts the Ephesians 4 14 15. Be not like Children tossed too and froâ— with every wind of Doctrine but speak the Truth in Love Error and Unstableness is contrary to this Truth Secondly Truth of Heart is Godly Simplicity and Sincerity Mel Sine cera In 1 Pet. 2.2 We have this Expression The Sincere Milk of the Word Milk not mixed with Water And in 1 Cor. 5.8 Sincerity and Truth are conjoyned Let us keep the Feast with the unleavened Bread of Sincerity and Truth Contrary to this Truth is Hypocricy or Pretence Thirdly Truth in Speech is when the Tongue becomes a direct Interpreter of the Heart when a Man plainly speaks the Truth from his Heart Contrary to this is Lying speaking one thing and thinking another which St. Paul positively protests against I speak the Truth I Lye not VVe are dehorted from the one and earnestly advised to the other by the Apostle Eph. 4.25 Put away Lying and speak every Man Truth to his Neighbour Fourthly Truth in Action is a just and plain Dealing both with God and Man an honest rendering to every one what of right belongs to him Contrary to this Truth is Perfidiousness Collusion and ungodly encroaching upon the Right and Property of others Our Lord and Saviour not out of Complement but as he really deserv'd honoured Nathaniel with the Character of a Just Dealer An Isralite in truth in whom there is no guile These are the four Branches of Truth and we dare not to exclude any of them the whole lump of Man must be leavened with Truth His Judgment and Opinion must be sound His Affections Sincere his Speech Verity And his Coversation so plain that it cannot be blamed And that which Stears all is a true Judgment For though the Heart be sincere the Speech true the Actions never so just yet if the Judgment be missed there is no Truth in any An Error in the Uâ—â—â—rstanding begets an Error in the Will in the Affections and Actions An instance hereof we have in St. Paul before his Miraculous Conversion He had a kind of Truth in Heart For he was Zealous towards God And for his Speech and Actions he was unblamable concerning the Righteousness of the Law anrebukeable He had no double Tongue nor unjust Hand At that time when he persecuted the Church He was very confident that that action was good and warrantable He wanted nothing but Truth in Judgment and upon the account of that Want notwithstanding all his Honour and Proficiency in the Law when he arrived at a true Judgment he despised them all Yea doubtless saith he I account all things loss for the Excellency of the Knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord. But though this Truth be the prime and absolutely necessary yet alone 't is not sufficient Religion doth not consist in Speculation A Man may acquire a right Judgment of things and yet be wanting in the practice of his Duty The Head may be well furnished with Knowledge and the Heart rotten and deceitful Judas whose very Name is odious for his unparrallel'd Treachery knew much and doubtless Preached the Truth and possibly did as much good thereby as another Disciple but he had a hollow false Heart he wanted this second Branch of Truth in the inward Parts viz. Truth in Affection and so got nothing by his outward Profession but a Sting of Conscience But if there be Truth in Judgment and Truth in Heart then the Speech will be true and the Actions just For the Heart dictates to the Tongue and prepares the Hands Out of the abundance of the Heart the Tongue speaks and the Hands act When the Heart Indites a good matter the Tongue will be like the Pen of a ready Writer to express it then the Bowels will be enlarged the Hands open to the necessities of the Saints the Feet will move to the place where his Honour dwelleth in brief all the Members of the Body will become Instruments of Righteousness unto Holiness Therefore King Solomon gives this excellent advice Keep thine heart with all diligence for out of it proceeds the Ishews of Life and of Death Prov. 4.23 Thus you see what God requires a sound Judgment without Error a sincere Heart without Hypocricy the speaking the Truth without a Lye and Just Dealing without Deceit Some render the words Thou delightest in Truth in the inward parts which is according to wise King Solomons Affirmation Such as are upright in their way are his Delight Prov. 11.2 This we may readily assent too when we remember that it is his own Image I am the Truth Truth hath made you free There is nothing Counterfeit in him or from him He is perfectly sincere in all his Proposals and will exactly perform his Promises and Threats He is not a Man that he should Lye his Veracity is Essential to him And the Truth that is in him is the Foundation of all the Truth that is in us Our Faith could have no ground without his Truth in promising Our Hope no ground without his Truth in performing Our Charity no ground without his Truth in Loving Our Repentance no ground without his Truth in Pardoning And what is in him
he loves in his Creatures And he is resembled in nothing more than this Virtue which Metaphorically is said to yield a sweet Savor The Vulgar Translation expresseth it thus Thou desirest Truth c. This desire intimates a want none desires what he has desire terminates an Enjoyment 'T is much to be lamented Men are extreamly deficient in it God made Man upright but he sought out many Inventions The Children of Men are deceitful upon the Weights Deceit and Falshood commonly lurk undiscernably under the most specious shews of Reality The Sons of Men are become Vanity the Sons of Noble-Men are become a Lye Now God seeing that wanting in Man which in his Creation he bestowed upon him desires that it might be recovered And we can never sufficiently admire the exceeding great love of our Lord and Master he deals with us as a Father whereas he might deal with us as a Judge as a Judge he might punish the want as a Father he desires the supply and takes more delight to see us recovered of our Miscarriages by Repentance that he may mercifully Pardon than to see us perish in them according to the severity of his Justice And as God delights in Truth where it is desires it where it is wanting so he rewards it All his promises are made to it He will do good to them that are good and to them thaâ— aâ—e true of Heart He will give Grace and Glory and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly Grace and Glory What can there be wanting where the Almighty is pleas'd to dispence these Grace here and Glory hereafter but to satisfie the most extensive and unlimitted expectation if there be any thing that can be called good that is not included in these two He will give that also No good thing will he with-hold c. Plal. 84.11 But as God Loves Desires and Rewards Sincerity so he Hates Loaths and will punish Hypocricy He despâ—seth the performance of those very Duties which himself Commanded if smutted and stained with Dissimulation Bring no more vain Oblations Incense is an Abomination to me I hate your Burnt Offerings my Soul nautiates your Solemn Assemblies If. 1 14 15 Doubtless all these were of Divine Institution and though they were performed with the greatest seeming Veneration and Devotion yet because they were meerly superficial and in appearance without any Reality and Truth in the inward parts The God of Purity and Truth is so far from acceptance that he pronounceth them abominable To little purpose then 't is to be present at Prayers in an unknown Tongue or to perform any outward Ceremonious Adoration wherein some Persons Religion consists This is not a serving God with Truth in the inward parts as he requires It is Pardon the Comparison a kind of Complementing the Almighty and saying they are his Servants which is a transcient formal Expression in the Mouths of Men without Intention When they have performed the outward Act can they imagine they have done enough Alas this cannot please the true God this can no more benefit their Souls than the Picture of Ripe Fruit can satisfie their Appetites Such unthinking Devotion though never so Rompous and Splendid in Appearance is odious in the sight of the Omnisicent God while a few unpolished broken Expressions proceeding from a contrite heart are Rethorical Pleasing and Effectual A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Jehu did many Galant things he destroyed the Worshippers of Baal and carefully preserved the Servants of the Lord. He executed that which was right to Ahabs house But his heart was not right inclining to the sins of Jeroboam c. and by reason of the want of his hearts sincerity all his Glorious Actions did lose their Grace in Gods sight There are many Inducements which may move Men to a seeming honest Deportment Some for the Applause of Men as the Scribes and Pharesies Some for Profit as the Shecamits Some for Honour and Reputation as King Saul Some to avoid trouble and the danger of the Law as in Queen Hesters days many Heathens pretended they were Jews And in King Charles the Second's Reign many Scismaticks came to Church and counterfeited true Members of the Church of England Some for Company sake as Ananias and Zaphira they would do as the rest though deceitfully which was their Ruine Some seem to do good that they may be the more capeable to do evil and with Saint-like Actions palliate their Wickedness As Absolâ—m and Jezabel And indeed a Hypocrite may make a great Progress in outward Performances He may be Baptized so Magus He may Fast and Pray so the Pharesie He may Preach and Repent so Judas Nay more he may take Root and bring fourth Fruit and yet but a Hypocrite Jerem. 12.2 3. Thou hast Planted them yea they have taken Root they grow yea they bring forth Fruit thou art neer in their Mouth but far from their Reins Now as our Inward Affections should have their true Stamp from God so should they make a true Impression upon our Outward Actions The increase above ground whether Wheat or Tares is the same with the Seed under ground The Fruit is like the Tree whether good or corrupâ— And we in our Morals should not sustain one person in our Bosom and another in our Countenance When a Mean Contemptible Mecannick personates an Emperor King or Prince we call him an Actor * Histrio personam aliquam in Fabula sustiners the word in the Language our Saviour spake is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one in a Vizard or Counterfeit Face * Qui aliud pectore clausum habet aliud ore promit A Heathen observed that the World was like a Stage and that the persons that acted upon it had scarce a true Visage They give good words saith the Royal Prophet with their Mouths but Curse with their Hearts The Jewish Hypocrites described Ez. 33.31 with their Religious out-sides did appear to be Gods peculiar Servants but the Lord saith They come as my People viz. in outward formality but not his people in Sincerity and Truth Apes that did imitate his People in some good things they did resemble them Their Beauty was but Painted and Meritriceous Like Sepulchers Curiously Wrought and richly Guilded on the outside having nothing but Rottenness and Putrifaction within So wicked Affections are covered with Saint-like Actions Religion is not only courted by the Virtuous there are many who make pretentions to her who never will be brought to Espouse and Cleave to her for Better and Worse and yet would be thought her Admirers 'T is much to be lamented that Religion should be made a Sanctuary to Fraud and Azilum to Villanous and Destructive purposes Former Ages supply us with Instances of such Counterfeits Jezabel designing Murder caused a Fast to be proclamed Micha under the disguise of a Levite acts Idolatry Judas under pretence of making Provision for the Poor
indulged his own Covetous Temper The Pharesies with their long Prayers commit horrid Wickedness devour Widdows Houses Absolom under colour of distributing Justice would Usurp Dominion Thus you see the most Bloody Mischievous Barbarous and Trayterous Actions have been committed under the specious shews of Religion and Piety 'T is an unacceptable Office I am very unwilling to tax this present Age Discourses of that Nature are frequent publick Evils are in every ones view and few so patient as not to complain We may innocently Mourn in private and earnestly Pray that he who is the Way the Truth and the Life would by his Holy Spirit guide us into all Truth I shall content my self at present humbly to advise you in King Solomons words Prov. 23.23 Buy the Truth and sell it not viz. use all possible means for the gaining and retaining of it to pursue the Metaphor First the Scripture is the Field where Truth grows Secondly the place where Gods Word is Devoutly Read or sincerly and powerfully Preached is the Market where you may be furnished therewith The first is easily manifested For that the Scriptures are the ground of Truth St. James assures us Of his own wâ—ll begat he us by the Word of Truth 't is the Voyce of God who is Truth in the Abstract 't is the Breath of God All Scripture is given by Inspiâ—ation c. But the second is more difficult For every Profession how distant soever from it pretend to Truth And if you be not wary you may be strangely deluded and let that pass currant for Truth which is indeed a Lye Really I pitty that sort of Ignorant and I have Charity to believe well meaning poor Souls who so inordinally admire the Persons of their Factious Teachers having gained upon their Credulity by their affected Canting and Counterfeit Piety that they as readily imbrace their ill grounded Tenets as if they were as true as Gospel The over-weening Opinion of the Author rather than the Truth of the Matter procures their Affiance This alas has mouldred Protestants into many insignificant parcels while not only great Doctors as Paul Apollo Cephas but Ignorant Contemptible Prevaricating Praters are become the distinctive Characters of Sects and Separate Communions And there are another sort of Preachers who suffer their Judgments to stoop to their Temporal Advantage 't is much to be lamented that our Holy Mother the Church of England should be dishonoured by such undutiful Sons whose Consciences are so pliant that they make Religion a TRADE a meer Diana of the Ephesians And follow their Occupations because thereby no small gain is brought unto them Acts 19.24 They went out from us for they were not of us Every Division weakens these in effect strengthen the hands of our Common Enemy I mean Popery and if ever it prevail which God forbid this is the means Since such dangerous Consequences proceed from Error in Judgment and false Teachers are the Destructive Planters and Spreaders thereof Therefore Christians Try the Spirits whether they be of God prove all things but hold fast that which is good Be industrious in the search after Truth but humbly acquiess in that Sence which the Word of God rightly Interpreted affords viz. when one Scripture doth not contradict and dash against another Having obtained Truth in Judgment we must seek for Truth in Affection Our Theoretical Truth must be turned into Practical And of our Hearts Sincerity our Words and Actions are the Comments and Paraphrases A good Man out of the good Treasure of his Heart bringeth forth good things c. Luke 6.45 And if you desire to know how to pass a right Judgment upon your selves whether your Hearts are sincere or no This is a Sign 1. If when you have all oppertunity of privacy when without any Blemish of your Reputation you may Indulge Corrupt Nature If then with Joseph you have a desire to approve your self to God your Heart is sincere 2d If you prefer and imbrace what your Conscience assures you is True Just and Honest both before God and Man though in all probability the Profession thereof will expose you to Poverty and many unhappy Disquietudes and the contrary in all Humane Reason free you from Trouble and Danger and render your Condition Easy and Plentiful If at such a time as This neither Fear of Punishment nor Hope of Reward nor any other left hand Respects but meerly a regard to Gods Commandments and the Comfort in your own Bosom can influence you then your Heart is sincere This sincerity is a sort of Evangelical Perfection whereby a Man resembles God For he is the Lord God of Truth 'T is our Petition in that Heavenly Prayer our Saviour taught us Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven that is That we who are here below may imitate those Glorious Saints and Angels above in doing Gods Will in Sincerity Thus qualified you may approach Gods Holy place and say with good K. Hezekiah Remember now O Lord how I have walked before thee in Truth with a perfect Heart c. In regard of this quality though of no other we may Appeal to the Sentence of the Impartial Judge of Heaven and Earth as the Prophet David did Judge me O Lord for I have walked in mine Integrity Psal 26.1 But without Sncerity no Grace is of any use or worth therefore we find in the Sacred Oracles these Adjuncts Faith unfained Love without Dissimulation and Wisdom must be thus qualified St. James 3.17 The Wisdom that is from above is first Pure then Peaceable Gentle and easie to be intreated full of Mercy and good Works without Partiality and without Hypocricy If Faith be not unfained and so true Love without Dissimulation Wisdom without Hypocricy all 's Vain and Fruitless The Pharesies Fasted Prayed gave Alms paid Tythes Yet our Saviour who required Truth who knew and alone can punish secret Thoughts denounced a Woe against them A Hypocrite can expect nothing from the true God who requireth Truth in the inward parts But the just desert of his Hypocricy A Hypocrite indeed has one great Prerogative above other Sinners viz. that he can never be accused by Men. But withal 't is well worthy your Observation that in the Sacred Scâ—iptures we never find one single instance of a Hypocrites Repentance in order to be Pardoned by the Just God For whereas Conversion is left as a means to Recover all other Sinners What means remains to restore him who turneth even Conversion it self into a Sin On the other hand Happy is the Man that is Sincere for this makes every Action acceptable too and himself beloved of God If Faith be but True though it come short in parts and degrees 't is forceable and available Nothing is impossible to such Blessed is the Mâ—â— in whose Spirit there is no guile For the Lord will not impute to him sin He will guid â—â—m â—ich his Councel in this Life and afâ—â—◠〈◊〉