as if he should say, keep as many days of Thanksgiving as you will, I care for none of them, except Judgment run down ⟨p. 374⟩as water, and Righteousness as a mighty stream: Mark here the expression of the holy Ghost, Judgment and Righteousness is compared to a River, that is, it should be common for all, that the poorest might come and take of it as well as the richest,1 it must not be like a Pond, or Well, enclosed for a mans private use; but saith he, Let Judgment run down as Water, and Righteousness as a River; it must be as a River: now you know the Thames every poor body may come and fetch water there for their relief: so Justice should be like the Water in the Thames that the poorest of all may have it for the very fetching of it: But till then saith he, I regard none of your days of thanksgiving. And so in Isa. 58. 2there's one special reason why the days of Fasting were not regarded, it was, because of their oppression of the poor, and their uncharitableness, and their Injuriousness in the Courts of Justice. We have now many days of Fasting and Thanksgiving more than ever yet England knew, & we may think that God will smell a sweet savour, but Oh! this Hemlock coming up in the furrow of the field will embitter all, for if ever God did look for Righteousness and Judgment from a people, then certainly he looks for Righteousness and Judgment from us at this day; Oh! for us now, that stand in need of so much mercy, that cry for mercy, and be oppressing at such a time as this is, it is a most dreadful thing: What, is all the cost that God hath bestowed upon us come to this, that there should be no other fruit but Hemlock to come up in the furrows in the field; all the cost of God and man, all the Works of God towards us, doth it come but to this issue, only to bring forth Hemlock? Was there ever more cries, was there ever more bitter moans and complaints because of Injustice than of late hath been in this Land? Never were People so frustrated in their expectations. When indeed such as were notoriously wicked were in place, then we expected nothing but Hemlock: But now they are cast out of place, and others are come in, we hoped that there ⟨p. 375⟩had been such a preparation that nothing but fruits of Righteousness would have come up. But now to be oppressed by them that are in places of former oppressors, this is grievous. Lord, what is man? In Isa. 59. 9.
as if he should say, keep as many daies of Thanksgiving as you will, I care for none of them, except Judgment run down ⟨p. 374⟩as water, and Righteousness as a mighty stream: Mark here the expression of the holy Ghost, Judgment and Righteousness is compared to a River, that is, it should be common for all, that the poorest might come and take of it as well as the richest,1 it must not be like a Pond, or Well, inclosed for a mans private use; but saith he, Let Judgment run down as Water, and Righteousness as a River; it must be as a River: now you know the Thames every poor body may come and fetch water there for their relief: so Justice should be like the Water in the Thames that the poorest of all may have it for the very fetching of it: But till then saith he, I regard none of your daies of thanksgiving. And so in Isa. 58. 2there's one special reason why the daies of Fasting were not regarded, it was, because of their oppression of the poor, and their uncharitableness, and their Injuriousness in the Courts of Justice. We have now many daies of Fasting and Thanksgiving more than ever yet England knew, & we may think that God wil smel a sweet savor, but Oh! this Hemlock coming up in the furrow of the field will imbitter all, for if ever God did look for Righteousness and Judgment from a people, then certainly he looks for Righteousness and Judgment from us at this day; Oh! for us now, that stand in need of so much mercy, that cry for mercy, and be oppressing at such a time as this is, it is a most dreadful thing: What, is all the cost that God hath bestowed upon us come to this, that there should be no other fruit but Hemlock to come up in the furrows in the field; all the cost of God and man, all the Works of God towards us, doth it come but to this issue, only to bring forth Hemlock? Was there ever more cries, was there ever more bitter moans and complaints because of Injustice than of late hath been in this Land? Never were People so frustrated in their expectations. When indeed such as were notoriously wicked were in place, then we expected nothing but Hemlock: But now they are cast out of place, and others are come in, we hoped that there ⟨p. 375⟩had been such a preparation that nothing but fruits of Righteousness would have come up. But now to be oppressed by them that are in places of former oppressors, this is grievous. Lord, what is man? In
- 1explained.
- 2Isa. 58.
