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GOD’S CONDESCENSION TO THE UPRIGHT
HERE is the fruit of holy zeal. Not a month had Hezekiah been invested with royal authority, before he set himself to repair the evils which had been committed by his father Ahaz. Almost incredible were the abominations which had been wrought by that wicked prince, “destroying the vessels of the sanctuary, and shutting up the very doors of the temple, and erecting altars in every corner of Jerusalem [Note: 2Ch_28:2-4; 2Ch_28:24.]:” and now Hezekiah, his son, gave orders for the re-opening of the temple, and sanctifying it afresh in all its parts: and in the short space of eight days it was accomplished. He then determined to keep the passover, which had been neglected and suspended for many years: and, not content with summoning his own subjects to observe that blessed ordinance, he sent messengers to all the ten tribes of Israel, to invite them to unite with him in the observance of it. The greater part of that apostate nation poured contempt upon his message: but a large number yielded to his entreaties, and came to join in that divine service. God had appointed, that, if any, by being on a journey, or sick, were incapacitated to attend that ordinance on the fourteenth day of the first month, he might come with the same acceptance on the fourteenth day of the second month. Of this concession Hezekiah availed himself, to bring together as many as possible from amongst the ten tribes, as well as of his own subjects. But multitudes from amongst the ten tribes, being called so suddenly, had not time to sanctify themselves from the pollutions which they had contracted: and no alternative was left them, but to serve God in a less acceptable manner, or to neglect his service altogether. To the former they were encouraged by King Hezekiah: but, perceiving God was offended with them for coming in so unfit a way, he prayed to God for them, that his judgments might be removed from them, and that they might be restored to the divine favour. This prayer was heard and answered; and the answer given to it will afford me a fit occasion to consider,
I. The leading features of this history—
They are two:
1. The jealousy of God respecting his own ordinances and appointments—
[It was ordained by God that none who were, by whatever means, in a state of ceremonial uncleanness, should eat of the paschal feast. But from the suddenness of the invitation given to those of the ten tribes, it happened that many were ceremonially unclean. This was ascertained after they had come up to Jerusalem: and, as this was the second month, no other opportunity would be afforded them to celebrate that ordinance for nearly a whole year; so that they must either be sent back to their own country, under a state of grievous disappointment, or be admitted without a suitable preparation. The latter was the alternative adopted: and God, in some way not known to us, but fully known to Hezekiah and the people themselves, expressed his displeasure against them on account of it [Note: God executed judgment on the Philistines who had taken captive the ark (1Sa_5:6-12.): and similar judgments were inflicted on the Church at Corinth, for an irreverent attendance on the Lord’s Supper (1Co_11:30).]. And this he did, in order to shew, that no man can be justified in the commission of presumptuous sin; and that no ordinance of his should ever be wilfully violated by any man with impunity. (I apprehend that Hezekiah erred in not consulting Jehovah, as Moses and others had done, to obtain specific directions in this emergency.) It was no excuse to say, that this was a mere ceremonial enactment: it was ordained of God; and that was sufficient: for the history of all former ages had proved, beyond a possibility of doubt, that it was at the peril of man to violate, knowingly, any, even the least, of God’s commandments. It was but a positive injunction (not a moral one) that Adam in Paradise [Note: Gen_2:17.], and that the Sabbath-breaker (who was stoned for his offence) [Note: Num_15:32-36.], transgressed; and that Uzzah also, who was struck dead upon the spot, presumed to violate [Note: 1Ch_15:13.]. These instances abundantly demonstrated the evil and danger of departing from any ordinance of God, however trifling that ordinance might be thought. And we have the very same intimation given to us under the Christian dispensation: for our blessed Lord has left it as his unalterable determination, that “whosoever shall break one of the least of God’s commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven [Note: Mat_5:19.],” that is, be accounted the furthest from it. We must never, therefore, consider any commandment of God as small: for, whatever it may be, his authority is vested in it; and it must be obeyed at the peril of our souls [Note: Jam_2:10-11.]. If ever there was an occasion on which an ordinance of God might be overlooked, methinks, it was that very occasion to which my text refers: but if that could not be, without bringing on the transgressors the divine displeasure, much less can any be overlooked at this day, when only two ordinances, together with the Sabbath, are left for our observance.]
2. The condescension of God towards the upright, under their manifold short-comings and defects—
[The persons had really “set their hearts to seek God, the Lord God of their fathers, though they were not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.” Though, therefore, God shewed that this was no excuse for their transgression, he heard the prayer of Hezekiah in their behalf, and healed them, precisely as he healed Abimelech and his domestics, when the general integrity of the offender was made known [Note: Gen_20:17-18.]. Thus does God shew, that he is “not extreme to mark what is done amiss;” for, if he were, “who could ever stand before him?” Our blessed Lord apologized for his disciples at the very time that they were guilty of most criminal neglect: “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak!” And the same tender regard he will shew to us also, under our manifold infirmities. He knows, that, though “the spirit lusteth against the flesh, the flesh still continues to lust against the spirit, so that we cannot do the things that we would [Note: Gal_5:17.]:” and that, even when “we delight in the Law of God after our inward man,” there is yet a law in our members warring against the law in our minds, and bringing us into captivity to the law of sin which is in our members; so that even the best of men are often constrained to cry, “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me [Note: Rom_7:22-24.]?” Were we “to regard iniquity in our hearts, no prayer, whether of others or of our own, would be accepted by the Lord [Note: Psa_66:18.].” “The retaining of even a right hand or a right eye,” with deliberate determination, would exclude us from all hope of his favour [Note: Mar_9:43-48.]: but, if we be really upright before him, and with sincerity of heart bemoan our defects, “he will be our Advocate with the Father, and approve himself to us as the propitiation for our sins [Note: 1Jn_2:1.].” He is appointed of God to “bear the iniquity of our holy things [Note: Exo_28:38.];” and he will so bear it, that, if mourned over and resisted, it shall never prevent our ultimate acceptance before God.]
These being the principal features of the history, I proceed to notice,
II. The leading instructions to be derived from it—
I will here confine myself to two:
1. That we are not to confide in duties, because we perform them as well as we can—
[The Israelites on this occasion did what they could: but this did not justify them before God. And, for argument sake, I will suppose that we also, in our respective spheres, have done the same. Still I must say, that, if this were the case, “we are only unprofitable servants,” and have nothing to boast of in the sight of our Divine Master. But who, I would ask, has done as well as he could? The paschal feast, which commemorated the redemption of Israel from Egypt, typified our redemption from a far sorer bondage, by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: as the Apostle says, “Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth [Note: 1Co_5:7-8. If this were a Sacrament Sermon, or for Easter-day, the appropriate hint here given should be somewhat amplified.].” Inquire then, I pray you, whether, in remembering this stupendous mercy, at the Lord’s Supper, or at the period of our annual commemoration of it, or in the daily habit of your minds, you have been so careful to purge out all the old leaven of your corrupt nature, that, when inspected by the eye of the heart-searching God, you will be found “cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.” Who must not shrink back from such an examination as this? Who can ever stand such a test as this? And, if we cannot, what remains for us, but shame and confusion of face in the presence of an holy God? If even holy Job could not endure such a scrutiny, if not even he could answer God for “one action of a thousand,” and was constrained to acknowledge, that, “if he were to justify himself, his own mouth would condemn him [Note: Job_9:2; Job_9:20.],” assuredly nothing is left for us but, with the convicted leper, to put our hands on our mouths, and our mouths in the dust, crying, “Unclean, unclean [Note: Lev_13:45.].” Let me, then, affectionately guard you, my Brethren, against “trusting in yourselves as righteous,” because of your diligence in any duties whatsoever. Do not mistake me; I would not decry diligence in duties: on the contrary, I would that every one amongst us were as diligent and abundant in them as ever the Apostle Paul was: but if we place any dependence on them before God, we totally destroy all their value, and render our very obedience a stumbling-block, over which we shall fall to our eternal condemnation. If we possessed all the righteousness of the Apostle Paul, we must renounce it all in point of dependence, and “seek to be found in Christ, not having our own righteousness, but his [Note: Php_3:9.].”]
2. Not to be discouraged from duties, because we cannot perform them so well as we would—
[A truly pious man can be satisfied with nothing short of absolute perfection. But this is no reason that he should be discouraged in, and still less be diverted from, the path of duty. If God himself “do not despise the day of small things,” much less should we [Note: Zec_4:10.]. Under the Law, it was forbidden to offer to the Lord, honey, or leaven, or any beast that was mutilated: yet, as a votive-offering, every one of them might be presented with acceptance [Note: See Lev_7:13; Lev_22:23; Lev_23:17.]. This shews how God will condescend to the infirmities of those who endeavour to honour him according to their power. A burnt-offering, of whatever kind it were, must be perfect; because it could not otherwise atone for sin, or shadow forth the Saviour, who was to die for the sins of the whole world: but, as a voluntary offering, its imperfections were overlooked; and the offerer was accepted of the Lord. Know ye, then, Brethren, that, as where persons had not a lamb to offer, God accepted “two turtle-doves or young pigeons,” and even a small portion of meal [Note: Lev_5:7; Lev_5:11.], so will he receive at your hands the imperfect services you present, “accepting them according to what you have, and not according to what you have not [Note: 2Co_8:12.].” A clear distinction is to be made by you between the sins of infirmity, which still cleave to the most pious soul, and those which were committed in an unregenerate state with the full consent of his will. Respecting a person under the influence of the latter, Christ says, “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me:” but respecting one that, in despite of all his exertions, is overtaken with the former, he says, “He that is washed, needeth not, save to wash his feet; but is clean every whit:” that is, a man who has been bathing, does not need again the same total immersion which he has just recently experienced; but, however few his steps have been from the bath, he has contracted some defilement, from which he requires a fresh ablution. Thus a saint, that has been washed in “the Fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness,” is cleansed, in a general view, from all his guilt: but, from his remaining infirmities, every step he takes in this corrupt world will more or less defile him: and if he habitually apply to himself the blood of Christ for that end, and cry to God for pardon in the Saviour’s name, he shall be regarded as pure in the sight of God, and shall to all eternity be accepted of him.]
Application—
[Thus, then, you see, Brethren, the just medium between presumption and despondency. You are no more to trifle with sin than if there were no mercy attainable by transgressors; and, on the other hand, you are no more to despair of mercy than if no judgment whatever had been at any time denounced against transgressors. Your faith must never so prevail as to exclude fear; nor is your fear ever to reign so as to prevent the exercise of faith. In the whole of your deportment, you are ever to keep in combined exercise, confidence with humility, and vigilance with composure.]