Lectures Upon John 4, Part 21 · Lecture 95
Lecture the ninetie fifth. Iuly 10. 1611. IOHN IIII. XLIX, L.
WE hauehave already obserued in the speech of this Ruler which is set downe, Ver. 49 that his heart was so oppressed with care, and feare, and griefe for his sonne, as he could not mind what Christ said vntounto him; he could not be troubled or moued at all with the sharpe reproofe he receiued from him; though he esteemed highly of him, yet doth he not regard what he said vntounto him. And from hence we hauehave receiued this Doctrine, That worldly griefe and affliction, if it be extreme and violent, is wont to make the mind and heart vncapable of heauenly things; vnable to receiue any benefit by the Word, and vnfit also to pray with comfort. And the first Vse I told you was to be made of this Doctrine, is, to perswade eueryevery Christian to learne the right way, how to preuent and keepe his owne heart from immoderate sorrow, specially from worldly things. And thus farre we proceeded the last day. It remaineth now, that we come to another Vse, that is to be made of this Doctrine, and so we will proceed vntounto that that followeth. The second and last Vse of the former Doctrine, is, to disswade all men from putting off the care of their soules, and prouiding for the welfare and saluation of them vntill the euill day. It is wisdome for a man to seeke reconciliation with God, and assurance of it, presently and without delay, while he is in his best health. And to make his best benefit of all good means of grace, and to get good grounds of assurance of his saluation, before affliction come; while his mind and memory is free, and his heart chearefull. This we know is the exhortation of Salomon, Eccl. 12. 1. Remember now thy Creator in the daies of thy youth, while the euill daeies come not, nor the yeares of affliction, wherein you shall say, I hauehave no pleasure in them: q. d. Thou shouldst think of thy Creator, and make thy peace with him, serue and feare him now presently, euen in the dayes of thy youth: for the euill day will certainly come vponupon eueryevery man (he speakes properly there of age and sicknesse, but the same may be said likewise of all times of bitter affliction) for at that time thou shalt hauehave no lust or pleasure, to think or do any thing. And this is that also which the Apostle meaneth, Ephes. 6. 13. Take vntounto you the whole armour of God, that you may be able to resist in the euill day. When should they thus prouide themselues of armour? Why, now before the euill day commeth. What means he by the euill day? Certainly, the day of affliction and temptation, which eueryevery man must looke for. What man will hauehave his armour to seek, when he is to go into the field, and buckle with his enemy? This is the wisdome we are taught to learne of the silly Pismire, Pro. 6. 7. She prepareth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in haruest. And indeed, there is not one of a thousand, but he is thus wise for his body. He makes prouision for his corne, and fodder, and fewell, now in summer and harnest, and layes it vp against winter. Who is so mad, as to hauehave his prouision to make in winter, or his seed to sow in haruest, when he should reape? And thus wise should we be for our soules. Prou. 10. 14. Wise men lay vp knowledge beforehand: he treasures vp such grounds of comfort through the knowledge of the Word, as he may not be to seeke in time of need. What man will hauehave his cuidence to seeke, when his cause is to be tried? And what man is there that hath not need of this exhortation? What man is there that playes the good husband for his soule? that labours and takes paines to prouide for it in the summer time, when the weather is faire: I meane, in the dayes of his youth, and health, and peace, and chearefulnesse? that doth not fully purpose and resolue with himselfe, to goe about his businesse farre more seriously and carefully, when he shall be old, or when he shall be sicke on his last sicknesse, than euer he did yet? Nay, it is certaine, there is many a man, that would not for all the world die in that state that now he is in, hauing no better assurance of his saluation, than yet he hath, hauing no better repented than yet he hath done; and yet he neuer takes any course to better his estate, because he is perswaded in his heart, he may do that soone enough hereafter; and that the fittest time of all for this businesse, will be the time of sicknesse and affliction. And (quite contrary to Salomons counsaile) he saith this to his owne heart, I will not remember my Creatour in the dayes of my youth, before the euill day come, and the yeares approach, wherein I shall say, I hauehave no pleasure in them. But then, loe, will I prepare my selfe for God, and make my peace with him; then will I send for the Preacher, and he shall giuegive me good counsaile out of Gods Word, and pray for me; then will I repent me of all my sinnes, and take order by my Will, for restitution of all that I hauehave vniustly gotten; then will I become a new man. I will therefore giuegive you some reasons out of Gods Word, that may enforce this exhortation vponupon the conscience of eueryevery man.
The first reason is the vncertainty of this life. There is no man but he may die suddenly. And it is certaine, that no man can be assured when he laies him downe at night, that he shall rise in the morning; when he riseth in the morning, that he shall euer go to bed againe. Therefore remember thy Creatour now: presently, without delay, repent and seeke assurance of his fauour, put it not off, no not for a day; for no man knowes what may befall him before to morrow. Iames 4. 13, 14. Go to now (saith the Apostle) ye that say, to day or to morrow we will goe into such a City, and continue there a yeare, and buy, and sell, and get gaine, and yet ye cannot tell what shall be to morrow. For, what is your life? it is euen a vapour. Confider with thy selfe that thou maist die suddenly. For, first, what yeare is there wherein thou hast not heard of sundry good men, and bad, of all sorts, whom God hath taken away suddenly, and not giuen them one dayes, nor one houres respit to prepare themselues for him? And what assurance hast thou that he will deale better with thee? This Salomon speaks as of a thing that hath fallen out in all ages, and whereunto all sorts of men (as well good as bad) hauehave been subiect. Eccl. 9. 12. For neither doth man know his time; but as the fishes which are taken in an euill net, and as the birds that are caught in a snare; so are the children of men snared in the euill time when it falls vponupon them suddenly. But as eueryevery man (euen the best) may die suddenly; so the carnall and wicked man (that presumptuously puts off his repentance, vponupon this hope, that God will not take him away so suddenly, but he will giuegive him space and time of visitation before his death, as he doth to most men) hath iust cause to feare, he shall die suddenly. For God hath oft smitten many such men in the act of their sinne, he did so to Zimri and Cozby, Num. 25. 8. and with Elah the king of Israel, 1 King. 16. 9, 10. and with king Herod also, Acts 12. 23. and hath oft threatned this vntounto vngodly men, Psal. 64 7. God will shoot an arrow at them suddenly, their strokes shall be at once. and 73. 19. How suddenly are they destroyed, perished and vtterly consumed. 1 Thes. 5. 3. When they shall say, Peace and safetie, then shall come vponupon them sudden destruction. If any shall obiect, that if this were so, then most men should die suddenly, whereas experience shewes, that not one of an hundred doth so. I answer, that as no godly man may be said to die suddenly (that feareth alwayes, and is at peace with God, and euer prepared for death) so there is not one wicked man of an hundred, but he dies suddenly: for though the Lord giues him a great space, and he be neuer so long sicke before his death; yet he is still ready to think he shall liue a little longer: and so death comes vponupon him before he looked or prepared for it. This is that the Apostle teacheth, 1 Thes. 5. 4. But ye brethren, are not in darknesse, that that day should come vponupon you as it were a thiefe. q. d. To no true belieuer it comes as a thiefe, but to eueryevery one that is in darknesse, it doth.
The second Reason that may iustly make a man affraid to put off the care of prouiding for the saluation of his soule, till the euill day, is, That no man 2.can tell how long he shall enioy the meanes of grace, no man can meet the Bride-groome, vnlesse he hauehave oyle in his lampe; and that he cannot hauehave but of them that sell it, Mat. 25. 9. No affliction or sicknesse is able to saue a soule without the Word, that made the Prophet say, Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord, and teachest him out of thy Law, Psal. 94. 12. Nay eueryevery Preacher will not serue the turne, but he had need to be a rare man that should do good in such a case, Iob 33. 23. If there be then a messenger, an interpreter, one of a thousand, he had need hauehave the tongue of the learned, that should know to minister a word in time to him that is wearie, Esa 50. 4. And who can assure himself to hauehave such a man to be with him in his last sicknes? They only that hauehave esteemed the Word in their health, may assure themselues to hauehave it for their comforter in sicknesse. But the wicked man, that hath despised the ministry of the Word, in the dayes of his health and prosperity, hath iust cause to feare, God will depriue him of the comfort of it in his sicknesse and affliction. For so God hath threatned such contemners of his Word, Amos 8. 12. They shall wander from sea to sea, and fr… the North euen to the East shall they run to and fro to seeke the Word of the Lord, and shall not find it: and Ezek. 7. 25, 26 When destruction commeth, they shall seeke peace and shall not hauehave it. Calamity shall come vponupon calamitie, then shall they seek a vision of the Prophet; but the law shall perish from the Priest, and counsell from the ancient: q. d. O then let eueryevery man make his benefit of the means of grace, now while he doth enioy them; while Gods merchant men are among you make you prouision of oyl for your lamps. No man can be sure to hauehave the like means, when he would himselfe. 2 Cor. 6. 2 Behold now the accepted time, behold now the day of saluation.
The third reason to perswade men to reconcile themselues to God, and to get assurance of their saluation, presently in their youth, and in their best health 3.is this, that though a man were sure he should hauehave as good means for his instruction, and conuersion, and comfort, in his last sicknesse as he hath now; yet he shall find himselfe most vnfit at that time, to make his benefit of them. Sicknesse and extreme affliction will so dull the mind, and make the heart so heauy: yea, a man shall then hauehave so many meanes to trouble and distract him, as he shall not be able to relish any sweetnesse in the best counsaile that is giuen him, in the holiest praiers that are made by him. These are the daies which Salomon speakes of, Eccl, 12. 1. Wherein a man shall say, I hauehave no pleasure in them. Remember what case the best of Gods seruants hauehave beene in, in their extreme affliction. They hauehave been vnable to pray; they hauehave been astonied and could not speake, Psal. 77. 4. yet thou saist, thou wilt then pray. They hauehave beene vnable to relish or profit by the best meanes, They harkened not vntounto Moses for anguish of spirit, Exod. 6. 9. Yea, their soules hauehave refused comfort, Psal. 77. 2. and thou saist, then thou wilt send for the Preacher, and take his counsaile. They hauehave beene oppressed with the burden of their sinnes; Dauid saith of himselfe at such a time that his iniquities had taken such hold vponupon him, as he was not able to looke vp, that they were more in number then the haires of his head, and that therefore his heart failed him, Psal. 40. 12. and thou saiest, then thou wilt cast off all thy sins, and get assurance of the pardon of them. They hauehave been faine to spend vponupon the old stock, and to comfort themselues (not with that which they hauehave found in themselues for the present, but) by calling to mind the good things they knew were in them in former times, Iob seeks to recouer his comfort this way, as is plaine, Chap. 29. & 30. & 31. and so did Dauid likewise when his spirit was ouerwhelmed within him, his heart within him was desolate, then he remembred the dayes of old, Psal. 143. 4, 5. They hauehave sowne before vntounto themselues in righteousnesse, as the Prophet speaketh, Hos. 10. 12. And all thy hope is in the comfort you shall find then: Thou deferrest to sow till that time when thou shouldst reape. O foolish man, deceiue not thine owne heart any longer; do not imagine thou shalt be in better case, when sicknesse and extreme affliction shall come, than the best of Gods children hauehave been.
Whilst thou art now in health, get assurance of thy saluation; for thou wilt be then vnfit to do it. Seeke and lay vp knowledge now; for that will be a time of spending thy stock that thou hast gotten, not of increasing it. GiueGive thy selfe much to prayer now, and get assurance that thou hast the spirit of prayer; for then thou wilt be hardly able to do it.
The fourth Reason to disswade a man from putting off his repentance till sicknesse, is this, That though he were sure to hauehave neuer so good meanes of 4.repentance, and though sicknesse and griefe it selfe had no force to hinder him from profiting by them; yet shall he be vnable to receiue good by them, vnlesse the Lord be pleased to worke with them, O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himselfe; It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps, Ier. 10. 23. And eueryevery man that hath wilfully deferred and put off the time of his repentance, hath iust cause to feare, that God will not then worke with the meanes to doe him good. For first, as God hath in his counsell set and determined the day of eueryevery mans visitation, the iust time and moment of eueryevery mans conuersion, which, if he passe, he shall neuer be conuerted: So is eueryevery man to account, not the time to come, but the present time, when God by his Word and Spirit moues him to repent, to be his day, the time of grace and repentance to him. Therefore Heb. 3. & 4. this is foure times repeated, To day if you will heare his voice. Secondly, the nature of sinne, is, to harden the heart, and the longer that any sinne is continued in, the harder it will make the heart, and the more vnable to repent. No man that once giues libertie to himselfe in any sinne, is able to say, Thus far will I go, and then I will stay my selfe; thus long will I continue in it, and then I will repent. The longer a man continues in this net and snare, the more he shall be intangled in it, and with the more difficultie get out: the deceitfulnesse of sinne will harden the heart, Heb. 3. 13. Thirdly, the Lord hath threatned to punish the presumptuous sinner with hardnesse of heart. Ezek. 24. 13. Because I would hauehave purged thee from thy filthinesse, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthinesse, till I hauehave caused my wrath to light vponupon thee.
The fifth and last Reason, to disswade from this putting off our repentance, is this, That though a man were sure, God would both giuegive him as 5.good meanes of grace, as euer he had in his age or last sicknesse; and also worke effectually with them to his vnfained conuersion, yet can he not (ordinarily) hauehave that comfort in it, as he might hauehave had, if he had been conuerted sooner.
First, in respect of the cause and fountaine, from whence this change of his doth spring: For he shall hauehave cause to doubt and feare, that his repentance proceeds rather from a seruile feare of Gods iudgements, than a sincere louelove of God himselfe Many (we know) hauehave seemed in affliction very penitent, whose hearts hauehave proued very vnsound, When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned, and enquired early after God: neuerthelesse, they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied vntounto him with their tongue; for their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his couenant, Psal. 78. 34, 37.
Secondly, in respect of the fruits of repentance; which are a singular testimonie and euidence of the sinceritie thereof; and consequently, a principall means of comfort, Bring forth fruits meet for repentance, saith Iohn Baptist to his hearers, Mat. 3. 8. This was Pauls great comfort, Our reioycing is this, euen the testimonie of our conscience, that in simplicitie and godly sinceritie, not with fleshly wisdome, but by the grace of God we hauehave had our conuersation in the world, 2 Cor. 1. 12. And this he saith will be a great comfort to eueryevery man, when he can approue the truth of his repentance by his works and conuersation: Let eueryevery man proue his owne worke, and then shall he hauehave reioycing in himselfe alone, and not in another, Gal. 6. 4. A great part of this comfort they are depriued of, that die so soone as they hauehave begun to repent.
Thirdly, in respect of the Lords acceptance: for he shall hauehave cause to doubt and fear, lest when he hath bestowed on Sin and Satan all the best of his time, the Lord should refuse to accept of the dregs, and refuse of it, according to that, If ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not euill? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not euill? ye brought that which was torne, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offring: should I accept this of your hand, saith the Lord, Mal. 1. 8, 13.