is duty to God's glory? If you get
some flash of liberty, you have your desire; but who misseth God's
presence in duties, which a world will approve? Who go mourning as without
the sun, even when you have the sunshine of ordinances, and walk in the
light of them?

And, _Fourthly_, Though your performances had uprightness of heart going
along, and much affection in them, yet all are filthy, because of want of
faith in Jesus Christ. When you make your duties a covering of your sins,
and think to satisfy God's justice for the rest of your faults, by doing
some point of your duty, then it cannot choose but be polluted in his
sight. And this very thing was the cause of God's rejecting the Jews'
righteousness, even because they did not look to the end of the mystery,
Christ Jesus: did not pull by the vail of ceremonies, to see the
immaculate Lamb of God slain for sin; and therefore doth the Lord so
quarrel with them, as if he had never commanded them to do such things,
Isa. i. 12, 13, "Who hath required these things at your hands? Bring no
more vain oblations;" all is abomination. Even as God should say to you,
when you come to the church, Who required you to come? Who commanded you
to come to hear the preaching? What have you to do to pray? What warrant
have you to communicate? All your praying, hearing, communicating, is
abomination; who commanded you to do these things? Would you not think it
a foolish question? You would soon answer, that God himself commanded you,
and will he not let us do his bidding? Indeed this people, no doubt, have
said so in their heart, and wondered what it meant. Nay, but here is the
mystery,--you go about these commanded duties not in a commanded way, and
so the obedience is but rebellion. You bring offerings and incense, and
think that I am pacified when you bring alms,--you judge you have given me
a recompence; whereas, all that is mine, and what pleasure have I in these
things? I never appointed you sacrifices for this end, but to lead you
into the knowledge of my Son, which is to be slain in the fulness of time,
and by one offering to perfect all. I commanded you to look on Jesus
Christ slain, in the slain Lamb, and so to expect remission and salvation
in him; but you never looked to more nor the ceremony, and made that your
saviour and mediator; and therefore it is all abomination. When you slay a
lamb, and offer incense, it is all one thing as to cut off a dog's neck,
or kill a man. So may