An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…

If a man be wicked, it is in vain for him to seek unto God, while he loveth wickedness and delighteth in it. Psal. 66.2 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear my prayer. He that is so wicked as to love wickedness, prays in vain, fasts and humbles his soul in vain. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, that is, the Lord abominates his sacrifice, but, The prayer of the upright is his delight. Solomon describes an hypocrite in the former words: he is one that will pray and offer sacrifice, and yet puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face (Ezek. 14.4.) So they (Jer. 7.4.) cried, The temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord are these; The Prophet discovers, who these zealous Templars were, vers. 9. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and then come and stand in this house, which is called by my Name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? Some mingle prayer and fasting with stealing and murdering: such praying and fasting, are as unacceptable to God, as stealing and murdering are: Such labouring to please the Lord, is displeasing to the Lord. What hast thou to do (saith God to the wicked) to take my Covenant into thy mouth (Psal. 50.16.) Doth God say to the wicked, What hast thou to do with my Covenant? For whom is the Covenant made, but for the wicked? If men were not wicked or sinful, what needed there a Covenant of grace? The Covenant is for the wicked. And the Covenant brings grace enough to pardon those who are most wicked; why then doth the Lord say to the wicked, What hast thou to do to take my Covenant into thy mouth? Observe what follows, and his meaning is expounded, Seeing thou hatest to be reformed; As if God had said, Thou wicked man, who protectest thy sin, and holdest it close, refusing to return, and hating to reform; what hast thou to do to meddle with my Covenant? Lay off thy defiled hands. He that is resolved to hold his sin, takes hold of the Covenant in vain, or rather he lets it go, while he seems to hold it. Woe unto those who sue for mercy, while they neglect duty. Thus a wicked man labours in vain.

If a man be wicked, it is in vain for him to seek unto God, while he loveth wickednesse and delighteth in it.