Micah 6

The heavens call to us to behold God's glory (Psalm 19:1). Conscience calls to us, God's judgments call to us — Repent (Micah 6:9). Hear the rod.

He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand. Can they be holy which are not just (Micah 6:11)? Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances?

Quest. But what profit is in affliction? Answ. 1. Afflictions are disciplinary, they teach us Schola Crucis, Schola Lucis: many Psalms have this inscription Maschil, a Psalm giving instruction: affliction may have this inscription upon it Maschil, an affliction giving instructio…

Or they run to a formal performance of duties, as poor souls under popery when stung by the friars' sermons were set penances and good works to be done, which stilled them for a while, and for these they thought they should have pardon. So men run now to holy duties, but with th…

The word for alms in the Syriac, signifies justice; to show that Alms must be of that which is justly gotten. The Scripture puts them together, Micah 6. 8. To do justice, to love mercy, we must not make ex rapina holocaustum, a sacrifice of sacrilege. Isaiah 61. 8. For I the Lor…

And this should awe and humble the vainest heart that ever was in the breast of a saint. Know for certain that the Lord records all the mercies that ever he gave you, from the beginning to the end of your life (Micah 6:5): 'Remember, O my people, from Shittim to Gilgal.' Indeed,…

Where he is not esteemed of, he is not taken up to be real, in good earnest, and faithful in what he says; his offers are looked upon as having neither solidity nor reality in them, therefore (Revelation 19) these two are put together, first it's said, "Blessed are they that are…

The blood of bulls and of goats could not take away sin, neither is, as it is (Acts 4:12), there any other name under heaven given to sinners whereby they can be saved, but the name of Jesus. I shall not speak here of the nature of Christ's offering and sacrifice; but sure, thou…

Or, who are now before the throne that ever made the keeping up of this secret from them, a bar or impediment to their believing? God's eternal purpose or decree is not the rule of our duty, nor the warrant of our faith, but his revealed will in his Word; let us seek to come to…

Judgments speak in the dark, but we hear not: the Lord fattens some slaughter-oxen for hell, and death is on some men's faces, even the second death on their person, but they see not. To hear the Lord's rods, and who has appointed it, is the man of wisdom's part (Micah 6:9). The…

Verse 27: "But these my enemies that would not that I should reign over them, bring here and slay them before me" [illegible]. These to me seem to be allusions to Israel's wearying of the Lord of old (Isaiah 43:23): "I have not wearied you with incense" (Jeremiah 2:5); "What ini…

1. The sins and guilty fears of mankind needs such a remedy; we are naturally sensible that the punishment of death is deserved and due to us by the law of God (Romans 1:32): They which commit such things are worthy of death. Now these fears are not easily appeased (Micah 6:6-7)…

Hebrews 9:14: How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God. The carnal offer thousands of rams, and rivers of oil, and the fruit of the body for the sin of…

"If you restore the pledge, and repay that which you have robbed, you shall live, and not die." The Lord says, "Are the treasures of wickedness yet in the house of the wicked?" and he adds, that he will not justify the false balance (Micah 6:10-11). Zacchaeus, in his conversion…

And he calls that which is bestowed upon the ministers of the word, seed, which being sown, does recompense the cost, thirty, sixty, a hundred fold: that so they might not think their labor lost, nor their cost bestowed in vain, seeing they were to receive, that which they laid…

Also Micah: Does the Lord delight in thousands of rams, or in ten thousands of fat beasts of the valleys? By and by after he adds: I will show you, O man, what is good: and what it is the Lord your God requires of you, to wit, To do judgment, to love mercy, and to humble yoursel…

Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of Mint, and Anise, and Cummin, and have omitted the weightier Matters of the Law, Judgment, Mercy, and Faith. To the like Purpose is that, Micah 6. 8. He hath showed thee, O Man, what is good; And what doth the Lo…

Isaiah 66:1, 2. Thus saith the Lord, the Heaven is my Throne, and the Earth is my footstool:—But to this Man will I look, even to him that is poor, and of a contrite Spirit, and trembleth at my Word. Micah 6:8. He hath shown thee, O Man, what is good; and what doth the Lord thy…

God requires nothing of us to make atonement for sin — the Gospel declares and tenders to sinners an absolute free pardon of all their sins without any satisfaction or compensation made on their part, on account of the atonement made by Jesus Christ; all attempts at works or dut…

How confounding a thing were it, if he should say, as sometimes to others in a case resembling yours (and why should you not take it as equally belonging to you)? O my people, What have I done to you? and wherein have I wearied you? testify against me: (Micah 6:3). And while the…

When David languished under a disease, and his Enemies began to triumph in the hopes of his downfall; he prays, Psalm 41:10 that God would be merciful to him, and raise him up; and by that, he says, he knew the Lord favoured him, because his Enemy did not triumph over him, ver.…

Sometimes the Lord manifests his displeasure and anger against the sins of his people in correcting and rebuking Providences. His rods have a chiding voice, Micah 6:9 Hear the rod and who has appointed it. This discovery of Gods anger kindly melts and thaws a gracious soul, and…

As there are various affections planted in your souls, so are there several graces planted in those affections, and several Providences appointed to draw forth, and exercise these graces. When the Providences of God are sad, and afflictive either upon the Church in general, or y…

See Isaiah 46. 3, 4. Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are born by me from the belly, which are carryed from the Womb: and even to your old age I am he, and even to hoar hairs will I carry. you: I have made, and I will bear, eve…

This is our duty, because God has expresly commanded it, and called his people to make the most serious reflections, and animadversions upon his works, whether of mercy or judgement. So when that dreadfullest of all Judgements was executed upon his professing people for their Ap…

They are not such, as a cursed guilty sinner might justly expect, but such as are meet for an infinitely Good and Gracious God to propose; not suited to the wisdom of man, but full of the wisdom of God, 2 Corinthians 2:6, 7. The poor convinced wretch, thinking of dealing with Go…

God's providing mercies, God's preventing mercies, God's preserving mercies, God's delivering mercies, the number of God's mercies which cannot be reckoned, the order and strange method of God's mercies, which cannot be declared, the greatness of God's mercies in the kinds and s…

Ephraim is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand. And both their sin and God's anger are set forth (Micah 6:10-13): Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the houses of the wicked, and the scant measure which is abominable? Shall I count them pure with the wic…

By speaking such terrible things in the City of London? The Lord has not only spoken but cried and shouted, he has lifted up his voice like a Trumpet; and his voice has not been inarticulate and insignificant; but has had a meaning; and they that have an ear to hear, may underst…

By T. V. Micah 6:9. The voice of the Lord cries to the city, and the man of wisdom shall see your name: Hear you the rod, and who has appointed it.

How many of the precious Sons and Daughters of Sion, lie in Tears abroad, while I have been Nourishing my heart, as in a day of slaughter? The voice of God has cried to the City, and Men of understanding have heard its voice, Micah 6:9. But I have been deaf to that cry. How loth…

Many inquiries have the sons of men made after an atonement, many ways have they entered into to accomplish it. After this they inquire, as Micah 6:6-7: will any manner of sacrifices — though appointed of God, as burnt offerings and calves of a year old; though very costly, thou…

There is an affected pride of spirit in some men, instead of patience, suitable to the doctrine of the Stoics (as it is usually taken) they strive not to feel at all the afflictions that are on them, but this is to despise the correction of the Lord, which is alike forbidden, as…

As here follows in the text, even in the time when the other sacrifices were in request, yet those spiritual offerings, had ever the precedence in God's account, and without them, he hated, and despised all burnt offerings, and the largest sacrifices, though they were then confo…

3. A humble heart that may present its suits always, the court is constantly there, even within it, the Great King loves to make his abode and residence in it (Isaiah 57:15). This is the thing that the Lord so delights in and requires, he will not fail to accept of it, it is his…

The whole world is become obnoxious to God, and held under the awe of Divine Justice. This bondage is natural, and the great inquiry is how his anger shall be appeased (Micah 6:6-7): "Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? Shall I come before…

He has given us his testimony, he has told us his mind what he approves, and what he disallows, and upon what terms he will accept of sinners in Christ. It is a blessed thing that we are not left to the uncertainty of our own thoughts (Micah 6:8): He has showed you, O man, what…

We would have comfort, but not duty. 3. We must constantly cherish a humble frame of spirit, if we would maintain communion with God (Micah 6:8). Not only walk with God, but humble yourself to walk with God; why?

And Venus the patroness of love and wantonness. But now God has shown us his will, he has shown us what is good, and what he does require of us (Micah 6:8). Now that the Gospel is a revelation from God, it appears by the matter, which is so suitable to the nature of God; it has…

Therefore the honor of God is mightily concerned and lies at stake, when you fall off after you have seemed to begin with him with a great deal of care: and God pleads for himself, and stands for his credit, which seems to be wronged by this apostasy (Jeremiah 2:5), casting off…

2. We can never find it of ourselves till God reveal it to us. He has shown you, O man, what is good (Micah 6:8). It is well for man that he has God for his teacher, who has given him a stated rule by which good and evil may be determined.

Indeed, then God would not act like the true God, who accepts not the person of princes, nor regards the rich more than the poor, for they are all the work of his hands (Job 34:19). Say not (Micah 6:6-8) With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the High God?…

And that's the reason why God stands upon his credit, and pleads with apostates (Jeremiah 2:5): What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me? And (Micah 6:3): O my people, what have I done to you, and where have I wearied you? Testify against me.

Surely to know God, to love him, and fear him, and trust and repose our souls on him, and to worship him at the time, in the way, and manner appointed, is a delightful thing, and should be more delightful to us than our necessary and appointed food. To man, justice, charity (Mic…

1. There is folly in it, as it is a deviation from the best rule which the divine wisdom has set to us. If we should look upon the law of God as a bare direction or counsel given us, by one that is wiser than we, it is a contempt of the wisdom of God, as if he knew not how to go…

I shall first premise some distinctions. 1. There is a general direction, and a particular direction: (1) The general direction is in the word, there God has declared his mind in his statutes: He has shown you, O man, what is good (Micah 6:8). (2) A particular direction by his S…

2. These are manifested in the whole structure of his Word: his power in the histories and prophecies, which declare what God has and shall do; his wisdom in the precepts and counsels, and discovery of such mysteries; his goodness in promises, institutions, and provisional helps…

3. Consider, he never gives his people any discouragement or just cause to complain of him. Micah 6:3. Oh my people what have I done to you, or wherein have I wearied you, testify against me. Jeremiah 2:5. Thus says the Lord, what iniquity have your fathers found in me, that the…

1. That we may begin with God, to yield up our wills absolutely to his will; it is upon a belief that this is his will concerning us: for his will concerning our duty is revealed in his precepts. He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but…

Adversity makes men serious; the prodigal came to himself when he began to be in want (Luke 15:17). Sad objects make a deep impression upon our souls; they help us to consider our own ways, and God's righteous dealings, that we may behave ourselves wisely and suitably to the dis…