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THE SUM OF PRACTICAL RELIGION
IN human judicatories, offenders are arraigned, witnesses examined, sentence passed, in order to the punishment of crimes. But God has raised a tribunal, to which he summons his offending creatures, in order that when their mouths are stopped, and they plead guilty before him, he may pardon their iniquity, and restore them to his favour.
We have, in the chapter before us, God bringing a charge against his people, and calling upon the hills and mountains to judge between them. He first challenges them to allege any thing against him that can in any respect excuse their disobedience, or extenuate their guilt: and, when they are unable to do it, he proceeds to set forth his conduct towards them as the greatest aggravation of their guilt. He instances this in two particulars; in his exertions for them when he brought them out of Egypt into the wilderness; and in his kindness to them just when he was bringing them out of the wilderness into Canaan; when he overruled the evil purposes of Balaam, and constrained him to bless those whom he had been hired to curse. This having produced on some the desired effect, a repenting Jew is introduced, anxiously inquiring how he may be reconciled to his Maker, and serve him acceptably in future? and God, instead of inexorably consigning him over to the punishment he has deserved, prescribes to him the way wherein he must walk, and wherein he shall obtain the favour he desires.
Some have understood these words as proceeding from Balak and Balaam: but Balak had no such wish to please God: on the contrary, he wanted nothing so much as to destroy his people: and Balaam expressed no such solicitude to lead Balak to a holy life; but, on the contrary, taught him how to ruin the souls of God’s people, by tempting them to an illicit intercourse with the daughters of Midian.
The view before given seems to be the more just: and agreeably to it we shall consider,
I. The inquiries of an awakened soul—
A person convinced of his lost estate, cannot but desire to obtain peace with God—
[The most abandoned sinner, previous to the illumination of his mind by the Spirit of God, will be regardless of his state, and unconcerned about the account which he must give of himself at the judgment-seat of Christ. But, when once his eyes are opened to see his guilt and danger, he can no longer be indifferent about his eternal interests: he feels that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of God; and, however hardened he may have before been, he will cry out with agony of mind, “What shall I do to be saved [Note: Act_2:37; Act_16:30.]?” — — —]
But the ways he devises for his restoration to the Divine favour are invariably erroneous and absurd—
[The Jew, like all others of his own nation, first proposes a compliance with the ordinances of the ceremonial law; then, if that will not suffice, he will multiply them, so us to offer, if possible, thousands of rams instead of one, and “ten thousands of rivers of oil,” instead of about one or three pints, prescribed for the meat-offerings [Note: Lev_14:10; Lev_14:21. Exo_29:40.]. If this be not of sufficient value, he is ready to offer even his first-born son; determined, that neither the heathen deities shall be more honoured than Jehovah [Note: 2Ki_17:16-17.], nor Abraham himself perform a more self-denying act of obedience than he [Note: This idea will account for such a proposal in the mouth of a penitent Jew. Gen_22:2; Gen_22:16.].
Such are the means whereby men still hope to recommend themselves to the Divine favour. They will multiply rites and observances far beyond what God himself has required: they will very readily submit to penances, and mortifications, and all manner of painful discipline: but to part with their bosom lusts, and to obtain a thorough renovation of their souls, they have no wish: they rest in external services; and substitute them in the place of an inward change of heart, and a thorough conversion unto God. And though we are not shocked at such views, as we are at the proposals of the Jew, yet are they, in fact, as derogatory from the Divine honour, and as unsuitable to the end proposed, as the grosser conceptions that are expressed in the text. The inquiries may be considered as twofold; first, How shall I obtain reconciliation with God? and next, How shall I walk so as to please him? Now is there any thing in external ceremonies, of whatever kind they be, calculated to answer either of these ends? Can superficial penitence, and ritual observances, worthless as they are in themselves, and still further debased by a presumptuous affiance in them, stand in the place of deep contrition, humble faith, and universal obedience? — — —]
Their futility will appear from,
II. The answer of God to them—
God “has shewn to every person what is good”—
[It is true that God did require offerings and sacrifices under the law: but he did not require them in lieu of obedience [Note: Isa_1:10-17.]; nor in preference to obedience [Note: 1Sa_15:22.]; nor at all for their own sake [Note: Psa_50:4-14. (Here is the same controversy as in the text,) and Psa_51:16-17.]: when used in any of these views, they were even hateful in his sight [Note: Amo_5:21-24. Isa_66:3.]: and on account of the abuse made of them, he calls them “statutes which were not good [Note: Eze_20:25.].” He had declared by Moses, that the thing which alone he required, and to which all the ceremonial ordinances were subservient, was, the obedience of a humble and devoted heart [Note: Deu_10:12-13.].]
And the things specified in the text have an exclusive title to that character—
[Our blessed Lord, apparently referring to these words, throws the true light upon them [Note: Mat_21:23.]. He shews that the Pharisees substituted ceremonial in the place of moral obedience: and that, while punctilious and exact in outward observances, they neglected those things which God principally required, “judgment, mercy, and faith.” These are the very things mentioned in the text: for the “walking humbly with God” evidently implies a humble and believing dependence on him.
Behold, then, what the Lord our God requires of us. First, we must “do justly.” It is in vain to think that we can ever please God, if we be not honest and just in all our dealings. Truth in our words, and integrity in our actions, are so essential, that a man may as well call himself an angel as a Christian, if he be allowedly defective in either. An adulterous Christian, or a murderous Christian, is not a greater contradiction in terms, than a lying Christian or a dishonest Christian. Hear this, ye professors of religion; and examine whether in your several trades and callings a dependence can be placed upon your word; and whether you are careful to “keep a conscience void of offence towards God and man:” and let it never be said of you, “They will talk about religion indeed, but they will lie and cheat as much, and perhaps more, than other people: a man of the world is more to be depended on than they.” O, if you give occasion for such a scandal as this, cast off your religion at once; or else get it purified from these base and damning defilements.
Next, We must “love mercy.” Justice admits of no degrees: we must be just or unjust; and therefore we are told to do justice. But mercy has gradations that are of an unlimited extent: and therefore we must love mercy; or we shall never attain such a measure of it as will adorn our holy profession. Mercy includes every act and office of love, at least as far as relates to the distressed, the indigent, or the offending. And this disposition must be cultivated in all its branches with assiduity and delight. This constitutes the image of God upon the soul: and therefore we are exhorted to “be merciful, even as our Father which is in heaven is merciful.” Indeed if we shut up our bowels of compassion from a needy brother, all pretences to the love of God are vain and hypocritical [Note: 1Jn_3:17.]. Hear then again, ye who profess godliness; and bring your experience to the touchstone. See whether you are filled with tenderness and compassion towards the bodies and souls of your fellow-creatures? See whether you not only do a kindness when called upon, but whether you “devise liberal things,” and deny yourselves with a view to the more extensive exercise of benevolence? Look at a professor that is hard-hearted, griping, covetous, vindictive; what a monster does he appear! How unlike to that adorable Jesus who laid down even his own life for his very enemies! Are there such people in the world? O “tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askclon.”
Finally, We must “walk humbly with God.” We have already shewn the construction which our Lord puts upon these words, and that without any force, they include the most essential doctrines of the Gospel. Indeed this requisition comprehends all our duty to God, as the two foregoing do our duty to our neighbour. Now our duty to God is, to “walk with” him, as Enoch and Noah did; and to walk “humbly” with him in a believing dependence on his grace to help us, and his mercy to pardon our defects. Without this, our attention to relative duties will be of no avail. This chiefly distinguishes the true Christian from a proud self-righteous Pharisee. There certainly are people of the world, who are eminent for their honour and integrity, their benevolence and liberality: but when we inquire into their secret walk with God, they are found miserably defective; and especially with respect to the humiliation of their souls, and their exercise of faith on Christ. It is in the relative duties, that the hypocrite fails; and in the duties to God, that the defects of the moralist appear. But both of them, though in different ways, are departed from God, and in the high road to destruction. Examine yourselves, therefore, ye decent and externally blameless characters; search and try how it is with you in your secret chambers; see whether you be not habitually and allowedly wanting in respect of brokenness of heart, and a steadfast cleaving unto Christ? And remember, that, while you cherish such pride and self-sufficiency in your hearts, you are as far from heaven as the most abandoned profligate; for “God will resist the proud, and give grace only to the humble [Note: Jam_4:6.].”]
We shall conclude with a word of caution,
1. To the careless and secure—
[We hear this passage quoted by many, with a view to subvert all the fundamental doctrines of Christianity: ‘Tell us not,’ say they, ‘about regeneration, or faith in Christ: this is my religion; “Do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.” ’ But can it be supposed that the prophet intended to contradict every other part of the inspired writings, and to tell us that morality was all, and Christ nothing? It has already appeared, from the words of Christ himself (wherein he seems to have referred to the very passage before us,) that “faith is one of the weightier matters of the law;” and that an acknowledging of ourselves to be lost sinners, and a believing in Christ for salvation, are absolutely essential to a humble walk with God. Let not then this mistaken confidence deceive you. Rest not in such an interpretation of the textas directly opposes the whole tenour of Scripture. But, if you will persist in this perversion of God’s word, inquire, Whether you have perfectly, and at all times, complied with these directions? and know, that if you have not, you shall be judged out of your own mouth, and be condemned by your own law.]
2. To those who are concerned about their souls—
[As you must shortly appear before God, it becomes you to inquire, “wherewith you shall come before him with acceptance?” and in answering this important question, there are two things against which you must guard with equal care, namely, a self-righteous dependence on your own works, and a presumptuous hope of salvation, while you live in any known sin, whether of commission or of omission. Nothing but Christ’s obedience unto death can form a proper ground of your hope: yet nothing but a life wholly devoted to God can evidence your interest in Christ. If your faith be productive of good works, it is lively, and saving; if not, it is dead, worthless, delusive. Seek then a humble faith in order to a holy life. If ye will offer sacrifices, let them be “those of a broken and contrite spirit:” if ye will “give a first-born for your transgression,” let it be God’s First-born, yea, his only-begotten Son. But never forget that your duties to God and to your neighbour are of equal and immutable obligation; and that according to your performance or neglect of them you will be acquitted or condemned at the last day.]