Lectures Upon John 4, Part 21 · Lecture 105
Lecture the hundred and fiue. October 15. 1611. IOHN IIII. L.
IT remaineth …ow, that we come to the fourth and last note of difference, that may be obserued betweene the obedience of the regenerate and naturall man, in the manner of performing good duties: And that is this, Note 4.The regenerate man is constant in his obedience to God. This we shall finde is a chiefe, and one of the most certaine and sensible notes of an vpright heart. For there is scarce any one good thing that is in Gods childe, but it may seeme to be in the hypocrite, saue onelyonly this. We will therefore shew, first, that in eueryevery regenerate man this may be found: secondly, that it can be found in none other. The first is plaine, Pro. 10. 25. The righteous is an euerlasting foundation: he is no changling. You shall see this constancy of his estate: first, in the grace of regeneration it selfe; for the nature and essentiall property of it, is to be constant: and thus it may be discerned and knowne. The spirit of regeneration is like vntounto that holy fire, that came downe from Heauen, and was kept in the Sanctuary, that neuer went out, Leuit. 6. 12, 13. If euer a man had grace, he can neuer lose it. It is called therefore an immortall seede, 1. Pet. 1. 23. The good part that shall neuer be taken away from him that hath once receiued it, Luke 10. 42. An euerlasting name, that shall not be put out, Esay 56. 5. Secondly, in the fruits and effects of it. Psal. 92. 13, 14. Such as be planted in the house of the Lord, shall bring forth fruit in their age. And thus shall those good duties, which are the fruits of true grace, be discerned from such as proceed from some other root. If a man doe truely louelove the Word, and the profession of it, he will perseuere in his louelove, and profession, and neuer forsake it, Matth. 13. 20, 21. of that hearer that heard the Word, and incontinently with ioy receiued it, and endured but for a season; our Sauiour saith the cause was, because he had no roote in himselfe: He neuer had sound heart. And 1. Iohn. 2. 19. They went out from vsus, but they were not of vsus; for if they had beene of vsus, they would hauehave continued with vsus. So is it likewise in all other good duties which any man hath beene giuen to: if they were the fruits of grace, if euer a man did vse to doe them with a good heart, he will doe them still. I cannot stand vponupon all good duties in particular; I will instance but in one, whereby we may iudge of all the rest, for there is the like reason for all. If euer a man were wont to be mercifull and liberall in relieuing Gods poore seruants out of a good heart, he will be so still. You shall see this, Esay 32. 8. The liberall man will deuise of liberall things (that is, he will studie and thinke with himselfe which of Gods seruants stand in neede, and how he may shew himselfe mercifull to them) and he will continue his liberalitie. Another notable place there is for this, Heb. 6. The Apostle saith of the Hebrewes, verse 9. He was perswaded there were better things in them (than in such hypocrites as he had spoken of before) and such as accompanied saluation. And verse 10. he giues this for the reason: in that (saith he) yee hauehave ministred to the Saints, and yet minister, and he adds, verse 11. We desire that eueryevery one of you shew the same diligence to the end. And why so? To the full assurance of hope, saith he. As if he should hauehave said, There is no full assurance of hope, no not in so excellent a fruit of faith, as this is, vnlesse yee continue to the end.
Two obiections you may (haply) make against this, which I must giuegive you to answer to.
That in many that hauehave beene truely regenerate, great intermissions, Obiect. 1.and giuing ouer of good duties hauehave beene found, the fruits of grace hauehave beene strangely interrupted, and broken off in them. He that had come to Dauid at that time when after his adultery, hee practised the death of Uriah; or to Peter when he forsware his Master, and with such direfull curses denied that he knew him; would hauehave beene able to discerne no more fruits of grace, nor conscience of their dutie to God in them, than in Saul, or Iudas. A man therefore, you will say, may be Gods childe, and hauehave a sound heart, though he be not thus constant in his obedience as you hauehave said.
To this I answer, first, That though in the time of temptation, or of some spirituall desertion, the case may be thus with Gods childe for a Answ.time, yet he cannot continue so, but he shall recouer himselfe, and doe his first workes againe: according to that, Psal. 55. 22. Hee will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer. Secondly, that during the time of this his fall, and giuing ouer the practise of those good duties hee was wont to performe, the childe of God hath lost the assurance of his hope, and of the soundnesse and vprightnesse of his owne heart; neither can any other man, or himselfe, say that any good thing he did before, was done in truth now he hath giuen it ouer. And indeed if thou obserue it, thou shalt finde that none such take any comfort at all to heare, or thinke of any good thing he did in times past. Heerein I may appeale to the consciences of eueryevery one of you (if any such be here) that were in times past diligent, zealous, and conscionable Preachers, or such as vsed conscionably and carefully to pray in priuate, or such as were carefull to hauehave the exercises of Religion in your families, and hauehave now quite giuen ouer these things; is it any comfort to you that you were such kinde of people in times past? Nay is it not rather a vexation to your mindes to thinke of those times, because your hearts are apt to tell you all that was done but in hypocrisie? Certainely, till you recouer your selues, and doe your first workes againe, you cannot hauehave any assurance, that there was euer any truth or soundnesse in your hearts.
Yea, but (will you say) though they that are quite falne from the good duties they were wont to performe, can hauehave no assurance of the truth of Obiect. 2.their hearts, yet there is many a one that hath a good heart, that yet findes great inconstancy in himselfe, and that he oft omits the good duties he should performe, and hath not at all times that aptnesse and alacrity in prayer, and such like holy exercises, as he hath at some times. Can such a one hauehave no assurance of the vprightnesse and soundnesse of his heart?
I answer: First, that it is certaine, that many a good man may decay in the Answ.measure of his practice, and doing of good duties, euen through a naturall decay of his spirits; by age, or sicknesse. Secondly, he may also lose that heate and feruency of spirit that sometimes he had. This is plaine in the Angel of the Church of Ephesus, Apoc. 2. 4. He had left his first louelove. and yet had much grace in him still. verse 2. I know how thou canst not forbeare them that are euill. And verse 6. Thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. Yea, without daily watchfulnesse, and stirring vp of our selues, it will not be possible to keep our selues from this decaying in our first louelove, and feruency in good duties, if we do not exhort and stir vp our selues daily, we shall be in danger to be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin, Heb. 3. 13. But yet this you shall finde in eueryevery regenerate man ordinarily, vnlesse it be in that case of tentation and spirituall desertion, that I spake of in the former obiection: First, he doth still performe good duties of conscience toward God, though not with that chearefulnesse and aptnesse, as at other times. He keeps his way still, and goes on, though not so fast and comfortably as he was wont; grieuing for his decaies, and striuing against his dulnesse, and this God greatly delighteth in euen in this Labour of louelove, as the Apostle calls it, Heb. 6. 10. Secondly, he rests not in any thing he hath done, but is carefull to perseuere, and continue to the end. For this we hauehave two notable examples: First, in Dauid, Psal. 146. 2. I will praise the Lord during my life, as long as I hauehave any being, I will sing vntounto my God. And 101. 2. I will do wisely in the perfect way, till thou commest to me. And Psal. 119. 11…. I hauehave applied my heart to fulfill thy statutes alway, euen vntounto the end. The second is in Paul, Phil. 3. 12. One thing I doe (as if he should say, this is the chiefe thing I hauehave to comfort my selfe in) I forget that that is behind, & endeuour my selfe to that which is before. Thirdly, he liues in feare, lest he should fall away before his death, and hauing begun in the spirit, should end in the flesh. Ier. 32. 40. I will put my feare in their hearts, that they shall not depart from mee. Fourthly, he desires to continue vnderunder the meanes of grace. Psal. 27. 4. One thing I hauehave desired of the Lord, and that I will require, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life. And whosoeuer is thus constant, and carefull to perseuere, may be certaine of the soundnesse and vprightnesse of his heart. No naturall man euer was so. Iohn 8. 31. If ye continue in my Word, ye are verily my Disciples. Psal. 106. 3. Blessed are they that keepe iudgement, and doe righteousnesse at all times. Pro. 28. 14. Happy is the man that feareth alway. It is said of Caleb, he had another spirit than the rest of the spies, Num. 14. 24. and the reason is there giuen, but more plainely, Iosh. 14 9. because he followed the Lord constantly. He that serues God constantly, certainely hath another spirit in him, than euer any naturall man could attaine vntounto.
And thus hauehave we finished the examination of the three first graces which I propounded, and wherein I said I would obserue the difference betwixt the good things that are in the regenerate man, and those that seeme to be in the naturall man. I hauehave shewed you the difference betweene them in their knowledge, in their repentance, and in their obedience vntounto God. It followeth now, that we proceed to the fourth and last: namely, to the faith and confidence that they hauehave in the mercy of God. First then, eueryevery regenerate man hath saith. No one grace, no goodnesse at all can be in that mans heart in soundnesse and vprightnesse, that wants a liuely faith, that is not in some measure truly assured of Gods fauour to him in Christ. For that is the roote of all sauing graces, Acts 5. 9. It purifieth the heart: and 26, 18. it sanctifieth him that hath it.
And on the other side, the man that hath any measure of true faith, though it be very weake, doubtlesse, hath a sound and vpright heart. This is plaine in the words of Hanani the Prophet to Asa, 2. Chron. 16. 9. The eyes of the Lord behold all the earth, to shew himselfe strong with them that are of a perfect heart towards him. But whom meanes he by them that are of a perfect heart? Surely, such as rest vponupon him, as you shall see in the former verse.
But herein also many a naturall man and hypocrite seemes to match the childe of God; yea to exceed him much. He saith, he hath a strong faith, and is as fully perswaded of Gods fauour, as any other man. Ier. 3. 4. Didst thou not still cry vntounto me (saith the Lord to the wicked hypocrite) Thou art my father, and the guide of my youth. And Micah. 3. 11. Yet they will leane vponupon God, and say, Is not the Lord amongst vsus? no euill can come to vsus. Yea, he may liue and dye in a strong perswasion, that he is in Gods fauour. How then shall we be able (will you say) to distinguish betweene the true faith of the regenerate, and the false and vaine presumption of the naturall man? Foure sensible and plaine notes of difference I will giuegive you out of Gods Word, betweene the true faith of the regenerate man, and the seeming faith of him that hath no grace in his heart.
The first is from the meanes, whereby it is wrought in a man For the faith of the regenerate, is wrought in him by the Ministry of the Word of God, and is increased and nourished by it, and by the other good meanes of grace which God hath ordained: First, by the preaching of the Law his heart is humbled and prepared, Iohn Baptist by his ministry was to prepare the way for Christ, Marke 1. 2. Secondly, by the preaching of the Gospell his heart is comforted. Rom. 10. 17. Faith comes by hearing. Esay 57. 19. I create the fruit of the lips to be peace. Art thou then able to say, thy faith was wrought in thee by the Ministry of the Word? it wrought in thee first the spirit of bondage, and then the spirit of adoption, Rom. 8. 15. and thou findest it cherished, and made more liuely and strong, when thou doest diligently and conscionably attend vponupon Gods ordinance, in hearing, reading, praying, and receiuing of the Lords Supper; then hast thou cause to iudge, that thy assurance is indeed the faith of Gods Elect, against which, the gates of hell shall neuer be able to preuaile. On the other side, if thou neuer foundest any such power or comfort in the Word, but thy assurance hath growne with thee euen from the womb, thou wert neuer of other mind thou thankest God: neither the ministry of the law did euer work in thy heart any sound and lasting humiliation, nor the ministry of the Gospell any great comfort: thou carest not for the ministry of the Word, nor findest any relish in any religious exercise, but wonderest at their folly, that make such reckoning of them; then be thou assured, that thy confidence is but presumption, and not faith.
The second difference is in the grounds, on which their faith is founded. The third in the measure and degrees of it. The fourth and last, in the fruits and effects of it. But for these three last notes, I must referre the Reader to the 76 Lecture, where I hauehave handled them at large.