Lectures Upon John 4, Part 21 · Lecture 103
Lecture the hundred and three. October 1. 1611. IOHN IIII. L.
IT followeth, that we come now to shew you the difference, betwixt the good works of the regenerate and naturall man, in the manner of their doing, and performing of them.
And indeed, this is a principall thing we must hauehave respect vntounto, if we desire to know, whether the good duties we do, proceed from true grace, yea, or no. See this in that direction the Apostle giues, he that giueth, let him doe it with simplicity, he that ruleth with diligence, he that sheweth mercy with cheerefulnesse, Rom. 12. 8. For the Lord hath oft noted the false and counterfeit obedience of the hypocrite, by this property, that (though he hauehave done such workes, as for the matter of them hauehave beene right and good, yet) he hath neuer done them in a right manner, not with a right affection: as it is said of Amazia, 2. Chron. 25. 2. He did vprightly in the eyes of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart. And on the other side, it is noted for a property of true and sauing obedience, when there is care, not only to doe the thing God commandeth, but to doe it also in that manner, and with that affection of heart, that God hath commanded: as we shall see in the example of the children of Israel, Exod. 39. 42, 43. According to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the worke. And Moses looked vponupon all the worke, and behold, they had done it as the Lord had commanded. And in the speech and example of our Sauiour, Iohn. 14. 31. That the world may know, that I louelove the Father, as the Father hath commanded me so I doe: not onelyonly what the Father hath commanded, that I do; but I do as he hath commanded. I finde therefore in Gods Word foure euident notes of difference betweene the good duties that are performed by the naturall man, and by him that hath a sound and sanctified heart, euen in the manner of doing of them.
The regenerate man intends, and the end he aimes at in doing good duties, is to please, and honour God; he hath a single and sincere respect to God, Note 1.and nothing else: he doth that which he doth, because he knowes God hath commanded it; he is pleased with, he is honoured by that which he doth. The notice he knowes God will take of it, his allowance, and reward, contents him, and he seeke no more. The regenerate man serues God, euen in those duties he performes to men, euen in the duties of his calling. Rom. 12. 11. Not sloathfull to doe seruice (he meanes one to another, as is plaine, verse 10.) feruent in spirit seruing the Lord. And exhorting Seruants to their duties to Infidell Masters, he saith, Colos. 3. 24. Yee serue the Lord Christ. True it is, an intent and desire to please God in that we doe, is not sufficient to argue a sound and sanctified heart, vnlesse it be guided by knowledge: the wretched Iewes (euen in contradicting and persecuting Christ and his Gospell) had the zeale of God, Rom. 10. 2. and without knowledge the minde, and intent of a mans heart cannot bee good, Pro. 19. 2. But yet this is a singular and certaine note of an vpright heart, when in doing the duties which he knowes God in his Word hath commanded, the intent of his heart is onelyonly to please and honour God thereby, and nothing else. This is made the touch-stone to trie the sincerity and vprightnesse of the Magistrates heart by, Psal. 101. 1. I will sing mercy and iudgement, to thee O Lord will I sing. As if he should say, That shall be the marke that I will aime at in all that I do both in my works of mercy, and of iustice also. So Christ makes this the touch-stone to trie the vprightnesse of the Ministers heart by, Iohn 7. 18. He that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and there is no vnrighteousnesse in him. So Paul, labouring to restraine the faithfull from condemning their brethren that differed from them in practise about indifferent things, giues this reason: Iudge them not, for they do that they doe with an vpright heart. How proues he that? Why (saith he, Rom. 14. 6.) he that obserueth the day, obserueth it to the Lord, and he that obserueth not the day, obserueth it not to the Lord. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giueth God thankes, and he that eateth not, eateth not to the Lord, and giueth God thankes. Why but (may some say) how could he that obserued the day, and abstained from eating, do it to the Lord, viz. to please and obey the Lord: when the Lord, now (since the death of Christ) required no such thing of him? I answer, he knew God had in his law required him to doe so, and he knew not that God had abrogated that law; This ignorance God passed by, and had respect to this vprightnesse of his heart notwithstanding it. In this respect, of all workes, those will yeeld a man greatest comfort and assurance of the vprightnesse of his heart, wherein there is least danger of hauing any other respect but onelyonly to the Lord: as first, of all liberality that which is shewed to the poore, Eccles. 11. 1. Cast thy bread vponupon the waters: for thou shalt finde it after many daies. Luke 14. 13, 14. When thou makest a feast call the poore, maimed, lame, blinde, and thou shalt be blessed, because they cannot recompense thee, for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the iust. So secondly, of all louelove and kindnesse, that is the surest signe of grace which we shew to our enemies, and to such Christians as are poore, and in whom we see sundry infirmities, Matth. 5. 44, 45. I say vntounto you louelove your enemies, blesse them that curse you, doe good to them that hate you, and pray for them that hurt you, and persecute you; that you may bee (that is, may be knowne to be) the children of your father which is in heauen: and Mat. 10. 42. Whosoeuer shall giuegive to one of these little ones to drinke a cup of cold water only in the name of a Disciple; verily I say vntounto you he shall not lose his reward. So thirdly, of all duties of piety, domesticall duties will yeeld a man more assurance of his sincerity, than publique. Psal. 101. 2. I will walke in my house with a perfect heart: and secret more than domesticall, Matth. 6. 6. But when thou prayest, enter into thy chamber, and when thou hast shut thy doore, pray vntounto thy father which seeth in secret, and thy father that seeth in secret shall reward thee openly, Zac. 12. 12, 13. The land shall bewaile eueryevery family apart; the family of the house of Dauid, Nathan, Leui, Shimei apart, and their wiues apart. O that the time would permit me to stand vponupon the application of this point; but I cannot doe it, you must doe it your selues. By this note trie thine own heart, in all the duties thou performest to men, in all the duties of thy calling, but specially in the duties of Gods seruice, aske thine owne heart that question which Christ asked Andrew, and his fellow when they first followed him, Iohn 1. 38. What seeke yee? Dost thou that which thou dost in obedience to him? is the intent and purpose of thy heart to please and honour him? Surely the least duty thou dost so, will yeeld thee both comfort and reward also. Col. 3. 24. knowing that of the Lord yee shall receiue the reward of inheritance (foreign) for yee serue the Lord Christ. A man may doe the thing God would hauehave him doe, and yet be plagued for it, because he doth not serue the Lord in it. Baasha is threatned for killing Ieroboam, 1. Kings 16. 7. and yet it is said, 1. Kings 14. 14. the Lord stirred him vp to do it; he did execute and fulfill the Lords will. And certainly so shall it be with many a Preacher and hearer, they do the duties God would hauehave them do, but they serue not God in them. No naturall man can serue God in any good thing he doth; his eye is not directed toward the Lord, but he looks asquint, & hath by-respects to his credit, or profit, or pleasure, or merit: he seekes himselfe in eueryevery thing he doth, euen in the most religious duties. Thus God chargeth the hypocrites, Zach. 7. 5. When yee fasted, and mourned in the fifth and seuenth monethmonth, euen those seuenty yeares, did yee fast vntounto me, euen vntounto me? He repeates this: as if he should say, This was that that was wanting in your Fasts.
Yea, but (you will say) cannot a man hauehave any soundnesse of grace in his heart, vnlesse he hauehave this sincere and single respect to God in eueryevery thing that he doth? This is a hard saying, will many a poore Christian thinke.
I answer, that the best cannot wholly free himselfe from selfe-louelove, and ouermuch respect to himselfe, not onelyonly in the duties of his calling, but euen in Gods worship. Yet this he hath; First, though in sundry particular actions he faile, yet ordinarily, and in the course of his life, he hath this respect to God: and this is a blessed signe of grace, when our walking and our course of life and conuersation is not after the flesh, but after the spirit, Rom. 8. 1. Secondly, in his minde he consents to this, that he should thus doe, and his conscience checks him, if he do it not: and euen in this Paul himselfe found great comfort, that in his minde he serued the law of God, Rom. 7. 25. Thirdly, the desire and endeauour of his heart, is thus to respect the Lord in eueryevery thing; he grieues, and striues against his corruption: and this with God is accepted for the deed, if there be first a willing minde it is accepted, 2. Cor. 8. 12.