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I. THAT MEN OFTEN MAKE WHAT OUGHT TO BE THE MOST SOLEMN TRANSACTIONS WITH THE LORD ABOUT THEIR SOUL'S CONCERNS BUT SOLEMN TRIFLING WITH HIM.

1. Show how far a man may go in engaging himself to the Lord, and yet after all he may be but trifling.

2. Shew wherein this trifling and slight work in such a weighty business doth appear.

(1) It appears in persons engaging themselves to the Lord, without being at pains to prepare themselves, and bring up their hearts to the duty.

(2) When people engage themselves to the service of the Lord, but do not give their hearts to Him.

(3) When people have any secret reserves in their closing with Christ, as is the case when the heart is not well content to take Christ with whatsoever may follow this choice (Luke 14:26).

(4) When people overlook the Mediator in their covenant of peace with God, but transact with God for peace and pardon without respect to the atoning blood of Christ.

(5) This is turned into solemn trifling with God by people's not taking Christ for all, but only for making up that of which they may come short; thus endeavouring to patch up a garment of their own righteousness and of His together.

(6) By persons making a covenant of works with Christ; the tenor thereof is, that if Christ will save their souls they shall serve Him as long as they live.

(7) Persons lay hold on Christ with a faith of which the mighty power of God was not the forming principle (Ephesians 1:19); but is merely the product of a person's natural faculties.

3. Point out how people come to turn such solemn work into mere trifling,

(1) Because they have no due consideration of the worth and preciousness of their souls, they do not suitably value the great salvation (Matthew 22:5).

(2) Because they know not their own hearts and their deceits (Jeremiah 17:9).

(3) Because sin has never been made bitter enough to them.

(4) Because they are hasty and indeliberate in their engaging. They fall a-building ere they count the cost (Matthew 14:25); what is rashly done is but slightly done in this matter.

(5) Because they have never got a sufficient discovery of their own utter weakness and insufficiency.

4. We make some application. This doctrine may help us to see the reason why so many return with the dog to his vomit. There is an error in the first concoction. That you may beware of this we would exhort you to make sure work in your transacting with the Lord. Oh, do not trifle in so important a concern! To guard you effectually against this consider the following things —

(1) Consider, this is to put, so far as you can, a solemn cheat on the great God (Galatians 6:7).

(2) It is to put a solemn cheat on your own souls; you thus deceive your own souls. If you trifle with God you will find at length a sad disappointment (Isaiah 50:11).

(3) Consider the weight of the matter; the salvation or damnation of the soul is no small business; if you manage it right you may get your salvation sealed; if not, see Luke 14:24.

(4) Consider, if you thus trifle with God in this matter, you will be discovered.

(5) Consider that you have a deceitful heart.

(6) If you make sure work you will find the eternal advantage of it.

II. THAT A HEART SINCERELY AND SUITABLY CORRESPONDING WITH THE PROFESSION OF A COVENANTING PEOPLE IS A MOST VALUABLE AND EXCELLENT THING.

1. We are to show what such a heart is; and on this head the particulars shall be mostly taken out of the context. We observe —

(1) That it has a view of the majesty and glorious perfections of that God with whom we have to do (Deuteronomy 5:24).

(2) It is filled with the fear of God.

(3) It is a humble heart.

(4) It is a heart full of wonder at the goodness of God, His condescension and patience towards sinners (vers. 24 and 26).

(5) It is a heart convinced of the need of a Mediator, and resolved to employ Him in all causes betwixt God and them (ver. 27).

(6) It is a heart taking the Lord only for their God. They professed they would have no more to do with idols, though it was not long ere their hearts turned to their old bias (Exodus 32:8).

(7) It is a heart for the Lord's work (ver. 27). It is a heart which inclines the man who has taken Christ's enlisting money to fight His battles; which willingly stoops to the yoke of Christ's commandments, and is set to walk in the way of obedience. It is a heart reconciled to the law of God.

(8) It is a heart that has high and honourable thoughts of God (ver. 24).

(9) It is a heart which the voice of God has reached (ver. 24).

(10) It is a heart which takes up with the Lord for its God, even when He appears in the glorious robes of His perfect holiness.

(11) It is a heart sensible of that vast distance which sin has made betwixt God and the soul, which has got such a sight of its own sinfulness, and God's holiness, that it sees there is no transacting with God but by a Mediator (ver. 27).

(12) It is a heart reconciled to the whole law of God (ver. 27). It is not every heart which is such. They only have it "who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit" (Romans 8:1).

(13) It is a heart which is for taking the law only out of Christ's hand as Mediator (ver. 27). The Mediator first makes the peace between God and the sinner, then bids the man work.

(14) It is a heart ready for obedience (ver. 27).

2. Show that such a heart is a most valuable thing. It must be so; for —

(1) Such a heart is God's delight: "O that there were such an heart in them!" This would give content to the heart of Christ.

(2) It is that heart without which the largest profession, and the most express covenanting with God, is little worth. Without this heart men do but as the Lord's enemies, they lie unto Him.

(3) The want of this heart is very grievous to the Spirit of Christ.

(4) God accepts of the duty, and is well pleased with the bargain, where there is such a heart: "O that there were such an heart in them!" There wants no more to complete the bargain betwixt them and Me. Then, as they call Me their God, so would I call them My people by a saving relation. But where such is not, the contract betwixt Christ and the soul is written indeed, but it is not signed.

(5) Where there is such a heart God will be well pleased with the person, and accept the duty, though it have many defects; albeit He be not pleased with these defects, yet in mercy He will overlook them: "O that there were such an heart in them!" As if He had said, O if they were but honest in the main, I would not be severe on them for every escape. The Lord will use the indulgence of a father for such infirmities.

(6) They will never prove steadfast in the Lord's covenant without such a heart: "O that there were such an heart in them!" They have spoke fair, but they will never keep a word they say, for they have not such a heart. "For their heart was not right with Him, neither were they steadfast in His covenant" (Psalm 78:37). The heart is the principle of actions; such a heart is the principle of perseverance; and there can be no steadfastness without a principle (Matthew 13:6).

(7) Such a heart enriches the man who has it. Christ is yours; all is yours — pardon, peace, and every blessing.

III. THAT THE WORK OF COVENANTING WITH THE LORD IS SLIGHT WORK, WHEN IT IS NOT HEART WORK; OR, THAT SOLEMN COVENANTING WITH THE LORD IS BUT SOLEMN TRIFLING WITH HIM, WHEN THE WORK OF COVENANTING IS NOT HEART WORK.

1. To produce some evidences, that solemn covenanting is often nothing but solemn trifling, and not heart work. It is of importance that you may be stirred up to take heed to the deceits which we may discover in this weighty business. With this view, we observe —

(1) That apostasy and defection from the good ways of the Lord, persons returning again openly to the. same courses which they pursued before. This is an evidence (2 Peter 2:19-22; Matthew 12:45).

(2) When some lusts are maintained in Christ's room.

(3) Persons making their covenant with the Lord a cover to their sloth and a pander to their lusts.

(4) The barrenness of the lives of professors, nothing of the fruits of holiness appearing in their lives.

(5) The having no communication of the life of grace from Christ to the soul (John 14:19). If the soul be truly united to Christ, it will partake of the root and sap of the vine (John 6:57).

(6) The having no contentment in Christ alone.

2. Show when covenanting is not heart work, but a trifling business. It is so —

(1) When the soul is not divorced from sin. The heart is naturally glued to sin, and it is impossible that the heart can at once be both for the Lord and lusts (Matthew 6:24). The first marriage must be made void before a second can be made sure.

(2) When the soul is not divorced from the law (Romans 8:4).

(3) When the soul comes not heartily and freely to the Lord in His covenant (Psalm 78:34-37). The Lord will not meet that soul. He cares not for persons giving the hand, when they do not give Him their hearts.

(4) When the soul comes to the Lord in His covenant for peace to their consciences, but not for victory over their lusts.

(5) When the soul accepts of conditional promises, but does not accept of and receive the Lord Himself in absolute promises.

(6) When there is not an absolute resignation of will to God.

3. Show the danger of trifling, and not making heart work of this weighty business. This will appear if we consider —

(1) That the Lord rejects the work (Malachi 1:13).

(2) That it puts men more securely in Satan's grips than before. In this sense that holds true which you have in Isaiah 28:22.

(3) That it exposes men to spiritual strokes (Jeremiah 48:10).

(4) That however quietly people may get it carried in life, it will bring them a sad disappointment at death.

(T. Boston, D. D.)

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KJV: And the LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the LORD said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken.

WEB: Yahweh heard the voice of your words, when you spoke to me; and Yahweh said to me, "I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken to you: they have well said all that they have spoken.