Lectures Upon John 4, Part 21 · Lecture 104
Lecture the hundred and fourth. October 8. 1611. IOHN IIII. L.
LEt vsus now come to the second note of difference, that is to be obserued in the manner of doing good duties.
The regenerate man performes the good duties he doth with his heart. This we shall finde made a property of true obedience, and the note of a sound conuersion. Rom. 6. 17. God bee thanked, that yee hauehave beene the seruants of sin, but yee hauehave obeyed from the heart the forme of Doctrine, whereinto yee hauehave beene deliuered. He is the same inwardly, and in his heart, which he maketh shew of; yea, he hath more goodnesse within him, than he can make shew of, out of the good treasure of his heart he bringeth forth good things, Matth. 12. 35. For the chiefe and most proper seate of grace is the heart; and therefore the regenerate part is called the inner man, Rom. 7. 22. In his dealings with men, a man may know the soundnesse of his regeneration, by this note, Psalme 15. 2. He walketh vprightly and worketh righteousnesse, and speaketh the truth from his heart. Colos. 3. 23. Whatsoeuer ye doe, doe it from the heart, as to the Lord, and not to men: as if he should say, Else ye serue not God in any thing ye doe. So in the workes of mercy, Esay 58. 18. If thou draw out thy soule to the hungry, and satisfie the afflicted soule; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkenesse be as the noone day. But specially, in the duties of Gods worship, a man may know the soundnesse of his regeneration, by this note, when he hath a care to doe that which he doth from the heart: he makes outward profession of good things, but his chiefe care is to be religious within. He makes conscience also of … thoughts, cleanse me from my secret faults, Psalme 19. 14. He is most troubled with his inward corruptions, as Paul was, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliuer me from the body of this death? Rom. 7. 24. Psal. 84. 5. Blessed is the man, in whose heart are thy waies. He knowes well, that if the heart be reformed, it will be easie to reforme the words and workes. Matthew 23. 26. Thou blinde Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup and platter, that the outside of them may bee cleane also. Mal. 2. 16. Keepe your selues in your spirit, and transgresse not. So also in the particular duties of Gods worship, it may giuegive a man assurance of his regeneration, when a mans care is to performe them with his heart. EueryEvery one of vsus in preaching, must be able to say with Paul, Romanes 1. 9. I serue God in my spirit, in the Gospell of his Sonne: And eueryevery one of you in hearing, must feele that in you that Lidia did, Acts 16. 14. The Lord opened her heart, that shee attended to the things that Paul speake. And wee all, when wee pray, must bee able to pray as Paul speakes, Ephesians 6. 18. With all manner of prayer, and supplication in the spirit. And when wee sing Psalmes, Wee must make m…lody to the Lord in our hearts, Colossians 3. 16. As if hee should say, The Lord regards no melody but that. True it is, there is many a regenerate man, that findes much want of this inward truth of heart, in the profession and practice of Religion; and there is much hypocrisie in the heart of the best man that liues. That which the Apostle speakes of Christ, 1. Peter 2. 22. Who did no sinne, neither was there guile found in his mouth: is proper to Christ, and could neuer truely be spoken of any meere man; Let God bee true, and eueryevery man a lyar, Romanes. 3. 4. But yet this eueryevery regenerate man shall finde in himselfe, and may comfort himselfe in it: First, that this is a matter of griefe and humbling to him, when at any time he hath felt this hypocrisie in himselfe, and hath had his heart away in any outward seruice he hath done vntounto God. Secondly, that ordinarily his care and vnfained desire hath beene, in eueryevery duty he hath done to God, to doe it with his heart: and so could neuer hypocrite nor naturall man say. No hypocrite or naturall man hath his care, to serue God with his heart, eyther, first, in duties to men; they doe as the Prophet speakes, with flattering lips and with a double heart doe they speake, Psalme 12. 2. secondly, and in duties to God; they are as they are described, thou art neere in their mouth, but farre from their reines, Ieremie 12. 2. they draw neere to God with their mouth, and with their lips they doe honour him, but hauehave remoued their hearts far from him, Esay 29. 13.
The third note of difference is this, That the regenerate man performes the duties that he doth out of louelove to God; yea, out of such a Note 3.louelove as growes from Faith, euen from the assurance he hath of Gods louelove to him in Christ. True it is, he feareth Gods iudgements, passe the time of your soiourning heere with feare, 1. Pet. 1. 17. and hee is partly mooued vntounto obedience, by the feare of Gods iudgements, and ought so to be. Eccles. 12. 13. Feare God, and keepe his commandements. And we finde by experience, that many a good heart is subiect euen to this feare. Psal. 119. 120. My flesh trembleth for feare of thee, and I am affraid of thy iudgements. Yea, the Lord sees it very profitable and necessary for them, that they should thus bee made acquainted with his terrours: the flesh and vnregenerate part, would hardly bee kept in any obedience without this curbe, nor would bee forward to any good duties without this spurre. 2. Corinthians 7. 1. Finish your sanctification in the feare of God. Yet is this a sure note of difference betweene eueryevery hypocrite or naturall man, and him that is truely regenerate. The regenerate mans obedience growes chiefly from a louelove to God: yea, from such a louelove as growes from Faith. You shall see cleare proofe for both these branches.
EueryEvery regenerate man loues the Lord. This is oft made the title of Gods seruants, they are called such as louelove him, Psalme 5. 11. Let them 1.that louelove thy Name reioyce in thee: and 69. 32. The seede of his seruants shall inherit Zion, and they that louelove his Name shall dwell therein. And 119. 132. Looke vponupon me, and bee mercifull vntounto me, as thou vsest to doe to them that louelove thy Name. Rom. 8. 28. All things worke together for good to them that louelove him. 1. Corinthians 2. 9. Eye hath not seene, nor eare heard, neither hath it entred into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that louelove him. Iames 1. 12. When hee is tryed, hee shall receiue the Crowne of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that louelove him: and 2. 5. Hath not God chosen the poore of this world, rich in faith, and heires of the Kingdome, which hee hath promised to them that louelove him? Yea, the regenerate man loues the Lord, euen then when he correcteth and woundeth him; euen then would he not for any thing, doe ought that might offend God: he desires aboue all things to be reconciled to him, and to please him; hee bewailes the losse of his fauour. So that euen when he is in the greatest affliction of minde, hee may be said to bee sicke of louelove, Canticles 2. 5. his louelove to God is the chiefe cause of his sorrow and anguish. And his louelove appeares in this, he serues God willingly and desirously; yea, his will and desire is aboue his ability, 2. Cor. 8. 3. he loues Gods Word, he delights in the law of the Lord in his inner man, Rom. 7. 22. thy commandements are my delights, Psal. 119. 143. he loues his seruants, by this wee know we are translated from death to life, because wee louelove the brethren, 1. Iohn 3. 14. Yea, this louelove he beares to God, is the roote of all his obedience. His obedience proceeds rather and more from louelove, than from feare. Deut. 7. 9. He keepes couenant and mercy to them that louelove him, and keepe his commandements. Which sentence you shall find repeated twice in the very same words. Neh. 1. 5. Dan. 9. 4. his louelove to God is that that makes him carefull to keepe his commandements. His louelove to men also growes from this root. 1. Iohn 5. 2. By this we know, that wee louelove the children of God, when wee louelove God. Heb. 6. 10. God is not vnrighteous to forget your louelove, which yee hauehave shewed toward his Name, in that yee hauehave ministred to the Saints, and still doe minister. Yea, euen his feare of God proceeds of louelove. Hos. 3. 5. They shall seeke the Lord their God, and feare him, and his goodnesse.
And for the second branch, this louelove of the regenerate man growes 2.from faith, euen from the assurance he hath of Gods louelove to him in Christ. 1. Tim. 1. 5. The end of the commandement is charity, out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of Faith vnfained. 1. Ioh. 4. 19. We louelove him, because he loued vsus first But what louelove is that he speakes of? The naturall man may pretend he loues God, because God loued him first, as Acts 14. 17. He hath done vsus good, and giuen vsus raine from heauen, and fruitfull seasons, and filled our hearts with food and gladnesse. But if a man know no further louelove of God than that, hauehave no better fruit of Gods louelove than that, he can neuer be able soundly to louelove the Lord: till he know God hath loued him in Christ, he can neuer be soundly perswaded of Gods louelove, nor soundly louelove the Lord againe. This is the louelove that Iohn meanes in that place, when he saith, 1. Iohn 5. 19. We louelove him, because he loued vsus first: as is plaine, verse 10. Herein is louelove, not that we loued God, but that he loued vsus, and sent his Sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes. And 1. Iohn 3. 16. Hereby perceiue we the louelove of God, because he laid downe his life for vsus. So Luke 7. 47. Her sins which were many, are forgiuen: for shee loued much. And eueryevery one that can finde this louelove in him to God, and that the seruice he doth to God, he doth it of louelove, may be sure his heart is vpright in him. 1. Cor. 8. 3. If any man louelove God, the same is knowne of him. Thus our Sauiour seekes to recouer and comfort Peter, making knowne to him the vprightnesse of his heart by this, and to proue vntounto him, that though he fell fearefully, ye he fell not totally. Iohn 21. 15. Louest thou me? louest thou mee? as if he should say, Remember, that though thou seemedst euen to hate me by denying me, yet thou louest me still. On the other side, no hypocrite or naturall man, doth that he doth of louelove, specially not out of such a louelove as growes from Faith vnfained. It is euident, that for the most part all his obedience growes from feare. What good duety soeuer they doe, wherein they hauehave any respect to God, they vse to doe it of feare, and not of louelove. Psalme 78. 34. When hee slew them, they sought him, and they returned, and sought God early. And what things soeuer he seemes to doe of louelove to God, it is but a counterfeit and vnsound louelove: for, first, he loues not Gods Word, but hates it. Iohn 3. 19, 20. He loueth darkenesse rather than light, because his deeds are euill: eueryevery one that doth euill, hateth the light. 1. Iohn 2. 5. Hee that keepeth his word, in him is the louelove of God perfect indeed; hereby we know that we are in him. Secondly, he loues not Gods seruants, but hates them. Iohn 15. 19. Because yee are not of the world, but I hauehave chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Thirdly, he hath no faith, nor assurance of Gods louelove to him in Christ. Ephes. 2. 12. Yee were at that time without Christ, and were alienated from the common-wealth of Israel, and were strangers from the couenant of promise, and had no hope, and were without God in the world.