Thus I have opened unto you the fountain and rise of all Righteousness and Equity between man and man.
Now let us consider, what are the grounds why converted persons are tender3 to do what is just and righteous; yea, the Doctrine may be heightned, They are not onely tender about righteous things, but they are very conscionable to do them, though to their external loss. The Psalmist describing who shall ascend into the holy hill of Sion, a type of Heaven, giveth such Characters, most of which relate to duties of honesty and righteousness, Psal. 15. 2. 3, 4. Verity in words of assertion, and veracity in Promises and Oathes. Our Saviour is large Mat. 5. in convincing and heightning those duties against Murther, Adultery, Perjury, condemning all the subtil distinctions the Pharisees had invented to palliate their guilt. And you may read of Zacheus, when converted, the first thing that works upon his conscience is, to restore fourfold where he had wronged any: He went above the command of God, that required not so much; but a godly man is so tender in matters of wrong and injustice, that he had rather do above then under his duty.
Well, Let us see what is the cause of tenderness herein: And
First, Because this new heart promised in the Text, is nothing but that which in4 other places is called the image of God: Now the Apostle saith, The image of God, which is renewed in all converted persons, consists partly in righteousness, and partly in true holiness, Ephes. 4. 24. Holiness, that lieth properly in the things that belong to God. Righteousness, in the matters that belong to others: So that wheresoever the image of God is, there is Righteousness as well as Holiness; so that as we are called upon To be holy, as God is holy; so to be righteous is our duty, as God is righteous. The Scripture doth much celebrate this attribute of Gods righteousness, that his nature is righteous, his judgements, his word, his actions, yea all his ways: And now every converted man, labors to write after this copy: If then you see a man unjust, unconscionable and false in his ways, say, How is the image of God in this man? how is God the father of such an unrighteous man? Oh its not thy prayers, thy parts, thy abilities, all thy spiritual inlargements, can witness thee to have Gods image on thy soul, unless this also be accompanying thy conversion.
Secondly, A converted person cannot but keep the judgements of God, and do them,5 because God doth expressly reject all his worship, though performed never so zealously and fervently, if we do not also the things of Justice and Equity: Shouldst thou walk in the Statutes of God, the Ordinances of his Worship, and not keep his Judgements, God will not own thee, Jer. 7. Will ye lie, and steal, and swear falsly, and come into my house, and say, The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord? See with what indignation God rejects such hypocrites, Will you come to my Worship, to my Temple, and yet live in those sins of fraud and injustice? Oh then think God speaks to thee, if such guile and falshood may be found in thy life: Wilt thou cozen, lye, deal falsly, overreach others? and yet pray, repeat sermons, speak of God and Christ? Oh thou vain man, know, God is not mocked. The Jews who were more forward in outward Worship then others, they profered ten thousand Rams, and Rivers of Oyl, yea, the first born of the womb; But what saith the Prophet Micah, Cap. 6. 8. He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good, and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly? Oh notable place! worthy all your considerations that profess Religion in a strict manner: Its not parts, opinions; no, though thou hadst revelations, and the high admirable points of Religion, that will advance thee, unless thou do justly also; and verse 11. Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and the bags of deceitful weights: See, God accounts no such pure, or to have purity, that use any fraud or deceit in their dealings.
Thirdly, A godly man must needs walk righteously, because such outward actions between man and man, are objects that work upon the conscience, or are matters6 wherein the conscience is concerned as well as in any thing else: Consider what Paul saith, Herein I exercise my self, to keep a good conscience both towards God, and towards man, Acts 24. 16. He exerciseth himself, that sheweth his diligence, his industry, his setting of himself apart with all his might to keep a good conscience, and then observe a good conscience towards God; for if I be never so just and righteous towards man, yet if I do not also perform all that Worship, and all those Duties that immediately belong to him, I have not a good conscience: And then towards man: see conscience is exercised in things towards man as well as towards God. A man of conscience is seen as well in humane affairs, as in religious; he abhorreth that speech, Quicquid libet, licet, What is pleasing to a mans desire, that is also lawful: Conscience is not onely seen in matters of Religion and matters of worship, but also in civil and worldly matters; yea how many cases of conscience do learned men handle, about the righteousness and unrighteousness of civil actions: De Jure, & Justitia, what exact disputes are there? do not then think, that Christ hath purchased any such freedom, as that thou needest not make conscience about civil things; its no matter for them, if thou keep the Doctrine and Worship of Christ: This is a sinful delusion; For the grace of God which bringeth salvation, hath appeared, teaching us to deny ungodly lusts, and to live righteously and soberly: So then, not onely the things of God are matter of conscience, but the things of man; yea, the things of man work more upon a natural conscience, because they are discerned by the natural principles of reason: Hence the sins of unrighteousness and injustice, do more trouble the conscience, if once awakened, then any other sins: The pardon of them, or the sense of the pardon, is difficultly obtained; and such sinners have much ado to get comforts, because they have sinned against the plain and clear light of Nature; and therefore for such sins that a natural conscience would condemn, a catalogue whereof the Apostle giveth in Rom, 1. 29, 30. 31. men have had more terrible wounds of conscience then for other sins: It must needs then be, that a converted person abounds in all righteousness, because his conscience is tender, Its An heart of flesh.
Fourthly, Therefore they walk righteously, because there are so many promises7 in Scripture made to righteousness: That must needs be a duty in an eminent manner, to which so many great and glorious promises are annexed: Now you shall scarce finde any action so incouraged by God, nor any men so much as righteous men: If a righteous man have but a little estate, yet that little is better then many riches of the wicked, Psal. 37. 16. To have great estates, to have large revenues in this world, and not by righteous ways, by fraud, oppression, violence, either by thy self or Ancestors, is like Ionahs gourd, that gave him some ease and shelter for a season, but presently there arose a worm within it that consumed it: So that a righteous man with his little Cottage, little morsel of bread, with his little cruise of drink, is better then rich Dives, that gets his wealth unjustly. The rich man may fare more deliciously every day; but the other fareth with more true joy. Lazarus may be glad of his crums, but Dives may be glad of the crums of his spiritual joy and contentation; yea, the righteous man hath that promise, which the greatest Potentate in the world (Prov. 10. 2, 3) hath not, Verse 22. The righteous shall never be forsaken, nor his seedbeg bread· Thus you see righteousness hath Gods spiritual bonds for his outward happiness; and then for outward calamities, if they overtake a Nation, who is looked upon but a righteous man? Noah, a righteous man, and a preacher of righteousness, 2 Pet. 3. 5. God makes an Ark to save him: And from Lots example, see what a comfortable conclusion Peter maketh, The Lord knoweth how to deliver the rightecus, 2 Pet. 2. 9. So that if thou art never so forward in any Religious parts and duties, if thou art not a righteous man, thou canst nor lay hold on any temporal mercies, neither mayest thou expect deliverance in time of publique calamities; yea, righteousness in evil times, is better then all policy, all wisdom: Men think if they take this side, or that side, then they are sure to do well; Oh! remember, righteousness is the surest wisdom, and the surest safety, Prov. 4. 18. The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day; yea, righteous men are the Saviours of a Land, of a Nation: For as injustice and violence destroy it, so righteousness exalteth a Nation.
Use 1. Use of Admonition, To all those who have a tender respect to Gods Worship; they long for a Reformation in the Church, they pray for godly order, they observe the Sabbath, they are diligent in family duties; Oh take this along with you also, Remember righteousness, let thy words be righteous words, void of lying, guile, falshood, let thy actions be righteous actions, without fraud, oppression, or overreaching thy brother, else God will cast all thy duties and Religion as dung upon thy face: Oh let the world blush, and be for ever ashamed, to take up such reproaches, As that those who will not swear, will lye, will overreach, will deal unjustly; Oh let all men be ready to say, They regard thy word, more then other mens oaths.
Use 2. Use of Instruction, How far most men are from this new frame of heart: May we not with the Prophet, go and search for a righteous man, and finde none: What lyings, falshoods, what fraud, what unjust trading and overreaching of other men! Oh that many men can sleep in the houses they are in, can walk in the fields alone, for horror of soul, for their unconscionable dealings, for their unjust bargains, for their secret fraud they have used to get wealth? Doest thou not hear the very timber in the wall groan against thee? Doth not the rust of thy money witness against thee? The crys and sighs, and groans of those whom thou hast wronged, cry aloud for vengeance.