any spots
that testified to their face that they were no children. They waxed worse
and worse, neither mercies nor judgments amended them. "When he slew
them," it may be, "they sought him, and flattered him with their mouth,
but their hearts were not right with him, neither were they steadfast in
his covenant," Psal. lxxviii. 34. Ye would have thought them a godly
people, while under the rod for a season, but all that was but extorted
and pressed out by violence of affliction, as the groans of a beast under
a burden. But a little time declared that it was but flattery, though they
thought themselves ingenuous, and therefore they returned to their old
provocations, as a sow to the puddle, or a dog to his vomit. And is not
this our spot, even the spot of great and small? If any would look upon us
in our engagements and vows under trouble, we appear like his people, a
praying, repenting, and believing people,(269) but how quickly doth all
this prove flattery? Do we not still return to our old ways that we have
been exemplarily punished for, and which we so solemnly engaged against?
The heat of the furnace dieth out, and they wax colder and harder, a
little time wears away all their tenderness. Every man seeks his own
things, and no man seeks the things of Jesus Christ. This was this
people's sin and spot. "Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked, and lightly
esteemed the Rock of his salvation." When their heads were lifted up to
government, when they were raised out of the waters of affliction and
poverty, then they forgat God, they oppressed the poor and needy, eat up
his people as bread, and could not abide to have their faults told them,
they said to the seers, "See not, and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto
us right things," &c. Isa. xxx. 10. I think likewise, that oppression is
not the spot of his children, whoever uses it. And covetousness presses
men to it, when power is in their hand to compass it. This is a vile spot,
unworthy of any ruler, let be(270) a Christian. It was abhorred among
Pagans. O but it cries to heaven, saith the Scripture, it hath a double
cry when other sins cry once! The heinousness of it crieth once, and the
poor people cry again, and both these come up to the ears of the Lord of
hosts, nay, it hath the cry of murder, and another beside. He that is
greedy of gain, is said to take away the life of the owners thereof, Prov.
i, 19. So he is a murderer before God, and the poor man's blood crieth for
vengeanc