Lectures Upon John 4, Part 21 · Lecture 100
Lecture the hundredth. Septemb. 10. 1611. IOHN IIII. L.
IT followeth now that we come to the third and last Vse that is to be made of the former Doctrine, and that is, to exhort eueryevery man, that for as much as the Lord hath such gracious respect to all his seruants, in whom he doth discerne truth and vprightnesse of heart: he will beare much with them, and accept of them and their seruices, notwithstanding all their infirmities; that therefore we would eueryevery one of vsus labour by diligent triall, and examination of our selues, to finde that there is this truth and vprightnesse in our hearts. Now to stirre vp my selfe and you all to this care; let vsus consider these three things. First, the blessed estate and condition of that man, who is sound and vpright in heart. Secondly, the dangerous estate of the man that is an hypocrite, and hath a false heart. Thirdly, the difficulty of discerning the vprightnesse of the heart, and putting a difference between him that is an hypocrite, and him that is vpright in heart. And for the first, the man that knoweth his heart void of hypocrisie, though he hauehave many 1.weaknesses and frailties, may be sure that he is Gods child, and may be out of doubt that he is in Gods fauour, and that nothing shall euer be able to separate him from the louelove of God. It is oft said, the Lord valueth and esteemeth of eueryevery mans actions, according to the heart they proceed from. Ier. 17. 10. I the Lord search the heart, and trie the reines, euen to giuegive eueryevery one according to his waies. 1 Reg. 8. 39. Be mercifull, and doe, and giuegive to eueryevery man according to all his waies, as thou knowest his heart. He accepteth Abels sacrifice, not Cains; Abrahams laughing, not Sarah's; Maries question, not Zacharies; esteemeth more of a cup of cold water that one giueth, than of many thousands that another giueth, of the widowes two mites, more than of all that the rich men cast into the treasurie, Luke 21. 3, 4. And when the Holy Ghost speaketh thus, his meaning is to say, God esteemeth eueryevery man according to that grace he discerneth in him; the man that hath any sauing grace in him, he acknowledgeth for his owne; and the words and actions that proceed from his grace and spirit, he will accept of. In this respect, they that hauehave receiued the Spirit of God, are said to hauehave the Lords marke, Ezek. 9. 4. and the Lords seale vponupon them, Eph. 4. 30. But why is this respect that God hath to the grace of his Spirit, called, the beholding of the heart, the respecting of the heart? Surely, because the heart is the chiefe and most proper seat of Gods grace, and of the spirit of regeneration in eueryevery man; the seed of God is sowne in the furrowes of the heart, 1 Ioh. 3. 9. Therefore also is the regenerate part called oft the inner man, Rom. 7. 22. 2 Cor. 4. 16. Eph. 3. 16. and the hid man of the heart, 1 Pet. 3. 4. Now as God esteemeth of eueryevery mans actions, according to that heart and inward grace it proceedeth from, so yet he esteemeth men, not so much according to the measure and quantity of grace they hauehave, as according to the truth and soundnesse of grace, that he discerneth in them: and this is a comfortable point, if it be well considered. If a man hauehave any one grace in him in truth and soundnes (though it be but one, though that one be exceeding small and weake, as that little spark in the smoking flaxe; and, you know a very little spark will make flaxe to smoke, Mat. 12. 20.) he may be sure he is the child of God. Mark therefore how oft this is spoken of, as the most infallible note of Gods child. Ioh. 1. 47. Behold indeed an Israelite (saith Christ of Nathaniel) in whom is no guile. Psal. 32. 2. Blessed is the man, to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity. (But how shall we know this happy man, whose sinnes are forgiuen? he addeth) and in whose spirit there is no guile. And Ver. 11. Be glad ye righteous, and reioyce in the Lord, (Yes, but who is righteous? If none may reioyce but those that are righteous, what are we the better? therefore he expounds himself in the next words) and be ioyfull all ye that are vpright in heart. Heare what a prayer the Prophet maketh, Psal. 125. 4. Do good vntounto those that be good, and to them that are vpright in heart. See the Lords answer to that prayer, Esa. 63. 8. He said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie. So I was their Sauiour. Marke what comfort the poore seruants of God hauehave found in this, Remember now O Lord I be seeth thee, how I hauehave walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, Esa. 38. 3.
Now on the other side, consider the dangerous and fearfull condition of eueryevery 2.hypocrite, of eueryevery man, who hath a false and vnsound heart; for let such a one liue neuer so ciuilly before men, yea, let him perform neuer so good duties, and such as God commandeth: yet, 1. He doth but lose his labour; God accepteth nothing that he doth: as it is said of Amazia, 2 Chro. 25. 2. He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a sound heart. 2. His state shal be fearfull in the life to come, as well as the state of the vilest liuer. Mat. 24. 51 God will cut him off, and giuegive him his portion with hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 3. When God doth by affliction awaken his conscience, and discouer to him the vnsoundnes of his heart, he hath vsually as little comfort, as hope in God, he is wont to be as much ouerwhelmed with terrors and anguish of heart, as the most prophane and lewd man in the world. Iob 27. 8. What hope hath the hypocrite when he hath heaped vp riches, if God take away his soule? and 36. 13, 14. Hypocrites in heart increase the wrath: for they call not when he bindeth them; their soule dieth in youth, and their life among the whore-mongers.
The third and last Reason, that may moue vsus to examine our hearts well, 3.and try whether there be any truth and soundnesse in them, is, in consideration of the great difficulty that there is in discerning the vprightnesse of the heart: for, first, the heart of man is exceeding deceitfull, Ier. 17. 9. There is indeed an hypocrisie and falsnesse of heart, which is not vnknowne; but all hypocrisie is not so grosse: a man may be an hypocrite, and hauehave a false heart, and himselfe not know it. Secondly, a man that hath no grace at all, nothing but nature, may hauehave many good things in him: First, he may be free from many sinnes, as the Pharisee gloried he was, Luke 18. 11. There was a kind of incest that was not heard of among the Gentiles, 1 Cor. 5. 1. Yea, more free than the child of God. Abimelech would neuer hauehave desired Sarah, if he had knowne she had been another mans wife, Gen. 20. 5. Secondly, he may doe many good things, The Gentiles which hauehave not the Law, do by nature the things contained in the Law, Rom. 2. 14. and therein go beyond many a child of God; he may shew much iustice in his dealings with men. The Pharisee could say, Luk. 18. 11. I giuegive tithes of all that I possesse: he may giuegive much to the poore, Mat. 6. 2. The hypocrite gaue almes in Synagogues and Streets, and had a trumpet blowne before him, which he would neuer hauehave done, if his almes had not been large and bountifull: he may be a good neighbour, and a kind and thankfull man to his friend, Mat. 5. 46. the Publicans were such; he may be apt enough to forgiue an enemy, Ahab was euen too apt to do so, 1 Reg. 20. 32. Thirdly, yea, he may hauehave great shewes in him of sanctification, he may feele in himselfe a check and remorse of conscience, when he hath done euill, by reason of the effect of the Law that is written in his heart, his conscience will sometimes be ready to witnesse against him, and his thoughts to accuse him, Rom. 2. 15. He may hauehave some care and conscience to pray, as euen the mariners had, Ion. 1. 5. Yea, to ioyne fasting with prayer, as the hypocrites professe they did, and glory in it, Esa. 58. 3. He may shew great louelove to Gods Word, and delight in it. Esa. 58. 2. They seeke me early, and will know my wayes, euen as a Nation that did righteously. Yea, he may do this, not in shew and pretence onelyonly, but vnfainedly: Mar. 6. 20. Herod heard Iohn gladly. Yea, the Word may cause him to leaue many sinnes he liued in before, and in many things to lead his life like a Christian. Mar. 6. 20. When Herod heard Iohn, he did many things. And 2 Pet. 2. 20. it is said of certaine hypocrites, That they had escaped from the filthinesse of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord, and of the Sauiour Iesus Christ. You see then, no man may conclude thus, I hauehave these and these good things in me; therefore I am Gods child: but eueryevery man (if he be wise, and desire to prouide for the sound comfort of his soule) had need to search and examine diligently, whether these things be the fruits of grace, and proceed from an vpright and sanctified heart, yea, or no. Satisfie not thy selfe with shewes and shadowes of goodnesse. To this purpose belongeth that exhortation of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selues, whether ye be in the Faith. Yea, we should pray to God to helpe vsus in this worke, as Dauid did, Search me O God, and know my heart, try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way euerlasting, Psal. 139. 23, 24. Thirdly, there is much euill and corruption in eueryevery regenerate man; the good things that are in him, are as a little fire in such a heap of ashes, as a little corne in such a deale of chaffe, mixed and intermingled with corruption, that it is hard for them to discern the work of grace in themselues, We all are as an vnclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags, Esa. 64. 6.