Because thou didest trust in thy way, and the multitude of mighty men

Because you didest trust in your way, and the multitude of mighty men.

Israel (the ten tribes) had two great confidences that are expressed in this latter part of the 13th verse.

1. The confidence of their way.

2. And the confidence of their mighty men.

Now the way in which they did trust was, the way of religion that they chose to themselves, that way that was distinct from the way of Judah, from the true worship of God.

And the mighty men was, the power they had in their state.

These are two great confidences of people.

First, you didest trust in your way; they were confident that was right, they were not willing to hear any thing to the contrary: and if they did, yet their hearts were so biassed by their false worship, that any thing that was said to the contrary was nothing to them, they were very confident that there was no man able to say any thing to purpose against them, no, we have so many understanding learned men for this way, no question it is right, there's none but a company of silly, weak men that are in any other way.

Thus they trusted in their way, they please themselves, and one another, and did seek to harden themselves, and one another in their way, they have got the day, no question they have laid all upon their backs that have opposed them, there's a great deal more reason for this way than for any other. There's no way of peace to the state, to the kingdom, but this, that which others would have, namely to go to Jerusalem to worship, it's a most unreasonable way. Yes, they think that God is well pleased with their way, and they do good service in opposing and persecuting those that are not of their way; thus they trust in their way.

From where the note and point is, that which is a man's own way he is very ready to trust in, to make much of; whatever is a man's own way: we have for this a notable scripture in the Book of Judges (2:19). Oh the strength of spirit that there is in men when the way is their own, says the text there, They cease not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way. I beseech you observe it, 'tis but a several expression, own doings, and own way, the doings were their own, such things as they had contrived to themselves, their own way; and then they ceased not from, they would stick to their own way, they were stubborn in their way because their way was their own (Proverbs 12:15). The way of a fool is right in his own eyes; but he that hearkeneth to counsel, is wise. A fool, one that understands little, yet if the way be his own, he will not hearken to counsel, he thinks he is sure, he needs not counsel with any, he is so strong in it because it is his own way. It's a hard thing to get men out of that way that they have contrived to themselves in matters of religion: and therefore it's observable what God says of all the heathen in Jeremiah 2:10, 11. Have any of the nations changed their gods? but my people has (says he). No nation would change their gods whom they had chose, only God's people they were peculiar in this to make change of their God: why? because the gods of the nations were of their own making. What ways are of men's own that they stick exceeding much to, they trusted in their own way; as when an object is too near the eye, the eye is not able to see it, to see any evil in it; if a foul thing be put too near the eye, the eye cannot see it: so the evil that is near one's self, very near, that is one's own, that is very hard to see; and yet what great difference is it between one's being defiled by one's own dung, and by the dung of another? If a man's heart be engaged in a way of his own, he will be ready to father it upon God himself, and say, it is God's way, and he will be ready to think that all other ways different from his are men's own.

No men are more ready to charge others of pride than proud men; and no men more ready to charge others of going to their own way, than those that do most stick to their own ways; it's one fruit of a man's heart sticking to his own ways and conceits, to think that whoever differs from him, does stick to his own conceits and his own ways.

It's a hard thing to make a man or woman that sticks much to their own ways, to own it that it is their own; but however men will not own what is theirs, but put it upon God many times, yet the Lord he will one day discover all the ways of men, discover all the ways of men and women and show how much is their own in it. It's a notable text for that in (Proverbs 21:2): Every way of man is right in his own eyes; but the Lord ponders the heart, (or the Lord weighs the heart) for pondering and weighing is all one. Mark, every way of man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord ponders the heart; that is, Though we choose ways to ourselves, and think they are right, and we are ready to think that our ways are God's, that we might justify ourselves so much the more, but says the text, God ponders the heart; that is, God weighs exactly how much there is of his own, and how much there is of our own in it. Oh! it were a happy thing if we were able to do so, it's a great part of the skill of a Christian to be able so to ponder his own ways as to know how much of God and how much of himself is in a thing. There's very few in the world knows this, there's scarce any action that the best of us do but there is somewhat of self in it, there is somewhat of God, and somewhat of self; but now here's the skill, to be able to weigh how much of God, and how much of ourselves is in an action. It's a great skill that your goldsmiths have, they can presently tell you how much gold and silver is in a vessel; an unskilful man looks upon it and thinks it's all gold, but your refiners will tell you even how much to a drachm is mixed with it. Oh! it were an excellent skill to be able in all our actions thus to ponder all our ways, to know how much of God, and how much of ourselves is in our ways, for want of this it is that we do miscarry so much in our ways as we do; every way of man is right in his own eyes, but God ponders, God weighs men's actions to see how much of himself, and how much of us there is in our actions.

But now then, is it so, that it is in the hearts of men to trust so much in their own way, because it is their own? Oh! what a shame is it then that we should not have our hearts close with, and trust in God's way! Let a way be never so base and vile, yet if it be a man's own, his heart does close, and trust, and is strong in it: Oh then! when the way is apparently God's, why should we be so fickle and unsteady as we are almost always in the way of God? Make but the way of religion to be your own, and then you will be strong enough in it, but till that time is, till we have given up our wills to the will of God, and we have made God's will to be our own will, we are never like to be strong in the ways of God. When there is but one will between God and us, that God's will is our will then we are strong, when God's interest is our interest, when God's glory is our glory then we come to be strong. Oh! happy are they that have so given up themselves to God, as that they look upon their own good to be more in God than themselves, this is the work of grace to look upon one's own good, and will, and comforts of our hearts and happiness of our lives, to be more in God than in ourselves, that's the way to persevere in godliness; as thus, as it is between man and wife; when the wife comes to make the will of her husband her own, then she loves him strongly, and constantly: so when God's will is made to be our own, then we will follow God's will strongly, and shall persevere in it. It follows;