Lectures Upon John 4, Part 21 · Lecture 94
Lecture the ninetie fourth. Iuly 23. 1611. IOHN IIII. XLIX, L.
THe last day we began to speake of the answer, that this Ruler returned vntounto Christ, when he had beene rebuked of him, and charged with infidelity: which answer is set downe in this verse I hauehave now read vntounto you. And in it we obserued, that he neither denies, nor acknowledgeth the fault Christ charged him and his Nation with. Secondly, he neither shewes himselfe troubled with it, by confessing his infidelity and seeking pardon, nor doth he excuse or lessen it any way. Thirdly, though he esteemed highly of Christ, and counted him a Prophet, yet seemes he not at all to regard, or be moued one whit with this sharpe reproofe he had receiued from him. Fourthly, no other cause can be imagined of his senslesnesse and stupidity, but onelyonly this, That his griefe and care for his sonne was so very extreme, that it tooke vp all his thoughts and affections; it did so oppresse him, that he could minde nothing else, nothing else could affect him. And from hence we receiued this Doctrine; That extremity of worldly griefe, will make the minde and heart of man vncapable of heauenly things. It makes a man vnfit to receiue benefit by the Word, and it makes a man also vnapt to pray with comfort. For the Word, though the heart of man be neuer so apt to profit by it, neuer so teachable, as it is in the time of affliction and heauinesse, if it be moderate; yet when it is in extremity, it so oppresseth the heart, that neither the threats of the Law, though they be pressed vponupon it by a sonne of thunder; nor the sweet promises of the Gospell, though they be applyed by such an one as Barnabas, a sonne of consolation, will be able to moue it, or doe it good. And as for prayer, though we are neuer so fit for it, as in time of affliction and heauinesse, if it be moderate; and secondly, the spirit of prayer is such a grace, and of that immortall nature, as no affliction, be it neuer so extreme, is able vtterly to quench it, or to depriue a man of it, that did euer truely enioy it: yet if affliction and sorrow be extreme, it will make the best of Gods children vnfit to pray with that comfort they were wont.
And the reason of this, I shewed you, is the great weakenesse and impotency of mans nature. Then came we to make our Vse of the Doctrine. And the first Vse was to perswade eueryevery Christian, to learne the right way how to preuent and keepe his owne heart from immoderate sorrow, specially for worldly things.
But because most men are apt to stumble at this exhortation, and this age is so secure, and so set vponupon iollity and carnall mirth, that it may seeme more needfull for vsus to vse all our skill to humble men, and bring them to remorse of conscience, than to teach them to striue against sorrow: I did therefore propound vntounto my selfe this order, in handling of this first Vse of the Doctrine. First, to shew you how far forth sorrow is fit and necessary for Christians. Secondly, that yet they must take heede of excessiue sorrow. Thirdly, how, and by what meanes a man may best preserue and confirme his heart against it. And of these three points, I finished the two first the last day; but the time would permit me to goe no further. It now remaines, that we proceed to the third and last, and so come to the second Vse of the Doctrine. All men esteeme it a miserable thing, to hauehave a heart oppressed with griefe, and seeke to shun it by all meanes. And on the other side, all men esteeme it an happy thing, to hauehave a chearefull and merry heart: but most men are miserably deceiued in the meanes, whereby the heart may be preserued from excessiue sorrow, and brought vntounto true ioy. But we must know, that true peace is the peace of God, as the Apostle cals it, Phil. 4. 7. and true ioy is the gift of God. And eueryevery Christian should be able to call the Lord, the God of his ioy and gladnesse, as Dauid doth, Psal. 43. 4. and make no reckoning of that peace and ioy, whereof God is not the author. So that if we would attaine to true peace and ioy indeed, we must seeke it by such meanes as God hath directed vsus to vse, and not by any other. Now I finde foure things especially, which God hath in his Word directed vsus to vse, as remedies and preseruatiues against excessiue griefe, and meanes to bring vsus to true ioy:
The first is, to get a true iustifying faith, and good assurance of our 1.saluation. This is a sure way to keepe the heart from excessiue griefe, and make it chearefull: no ioy comparable to this, Lord lift vp the light of thy countenance vponupon vsus; thou hast put gladnesse in my heart more then in the time that their corne and their wine increased, Psal. 4. 6, 7. The ioy that growes from this ground, is vnspeakeable and glorious, 1. Pet. 1. 8. This is able to make a man reioyce, when he hath neuer so many meanes to make him heauie, being iustified by faith we glory in tribulations, Rom. 5. 1. 3. this made Paul and Silas sing so merily euen in the stockes at midnight, Acts 16. 25. For true faith giues a man many grounds and reasons of sound comfort: First, it assures him of the pardon of his sinne; and when he knowes that, no affliction neede trouble him. Matth. 9. 2. Sonne, be of good comfort, thy sinnes are forgiuen thee: for sin is the very sting of death, and of all affliction, 1. Cor. 15. 56. Secondly, he knowes he shall neuer lose the fauour of God, after he hath once obtained it, how many signes of Gods anger soeuer may be vponupon him. Rom. 8. 38, 39. I am perswaded, that neither life, nor death, nor principalities, nor powers, &c. shall bee able to separate vsus from the louelove of God, which is in Christ our Lord. Thirdly, he knowes God will hauehave tender respect to his weakenesse, in whatsoeuer affliction he shall lay vponupon him, that it shall not exceede his strength: God will by the strength of his Spirit support and enable him to beare it, the spirit it selfe will helpe his infirmities, Rom. 8. 26. 1. Cor. 10. 13. God is faithfull, that will not suffer you to bee tempted aboue that you be able. Fourthly, he is assured, that whatsoeuer affliction God layeth vponupon him, it shall in the end tend to his good, and to the furtherance of his saluation, Rom. 8. 28. Fifthly, he knowes the end will pay for all; and that after a while, all teares shall be wiped from his eyes, and he shall enioy vnspeakeable comfort. Psal. 27. 13. I should hauehave fainted, except I had beleeued to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the liuing. Now on the other side, the man that wants this assurance of his saluation, though he hauehave all the meanes in the world to secure and quiet his heart, and to make it merry, yet can he neuer attaine vntounto true ioy and comfort, nor keepe off extremity of griefe, when the euill day shall come vponupon him.
If any shall obiect against this, that many of Gods children (that are Obiect.assured of their saluation) are yet much oppressed with heauinesse, and their liues are very vncomfortable: and on the other side, that many who want this assurance, are knowne to hauehave the lightest and merriest hearts of all other men.
I answer. For the faithfull, first, That they hauehave much inward ioy, though they shew it not as other men; yea oft times when their life seemes most Answ.vncomfortable to the worldly man, and most full of misery. Yea, as Salomon saith of wicked mens ioy, Pro. 13. 14. Euen in laughter the heart is sorrowfull: so of the heauinesse of the godly it may be said oft times, that euen in weeping their heart is full of comfort. 2 Cor. 6. 10. As sorrowing, yet alwayes reioycing. That as Christ said, Vers. 32. of this Chapter, I hauehave meat that ye know not of: so hauehave the godly much comfort, which worldlings hauehave no skill of. Pro. 14. 10. The stranger shall not meddle with his ioy.
2 Though they be sometime in great heauinesse indeed, yet it is not possible they should be ouercome of it; but they shall certainly recouer themselues: as 2 Cor. 4. 8. We are afflicted on eueryevery side, yet are we not in distresse; in pouertie, yet not ouercome of pouertie; we are persecuted, but not forsaken; cast downe, but perish not. Because they hauehave euer in them the seed and root of true ioy. Psal. 97. 11. Light is sowne for the righteous, and gladnesse for the vpright in heart. So that, as it is not possible for him that is once truly regenerate, to sinne as other men do, because the seed of God, and Spirit of Sanctification abideth in him, 1 Ioh. 3. 9. So it is not possible for him, that hath once attained to true assurance of his saluation, to sorrow as other men do, or to perish in despaire; because the seed of God, the Spirit of Adoption (which is called the oyle of gladnesse, Psal. 45. 7.) abideth in him. For this is that that Christ saith of this ioy, Ioh. 16. 22. Your hearts shall reioyce, and your ioy shall no man take from you. And that makes Dauid say so confidently, Psal. 37. 37. Marke the vpright man and behold the iust: for the end of that man is peace. And as for that which is obiected concerning the ioy of them, that hauehave no assurance of their saluation, I answer: First, that many times their mirth is but forced and counterfeit; and when outwardly they make shew of much mirth, their hearts within them are as heauy as lead. 2 Cor. 5. 1…. They reioyce in the face, and not in the heart. Pro. 14. 13. Euen in laughing the heart is sorrowfull. And secondly, though they seem very secure and pleasant in the time of prosperity (while like drunken, or mad men, they hauehave no apprehension, nor sense of their own estate) yet in the euill day, when their conscience shall be awakened, their ioy will faile them, and stand them in no stead. That which is said of riches, Pro. 11. 4. may be said likewise of merry company, good cheare, pastimes, and musick; They will not auaile in the day of wrath. While they are out of Gods presence, and forget him, and their owne estate, they are quiet and merry; but when Gods glory shines but a little in their soules, they are troubled out of measure: as we see in the example of Balthazar, Dan. 5. 6.
O consider this, ye that forget God; esteeme not of the ioy of worldly men, giuegive no rest to your selues, till you hauehave gotten good assurance of Application.your saluation, and of the fauour of God in Christ: For without this, nothing will be able to giuegive you content and comfort in the houre of death, and in the euill day. Let this be thy desire, and daily prayer to God, that was Dauids, Psalme 106. 4, 5. Remember me, O Lord, with the fauour of thy people; visit me with thy saluation, that I may see the felicity of thy chosen, and reioyce with their ioy.
The second preseruatiue against excessiue sorrow, is the care of a good conscience. That man that in all things is carefull to please God, and to keep 2.his conscience pure, that he fall not into any knowne and grieuous sinne, shall euer hauehave a quiet and chearefull heart. 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our reioycing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly purenesse, we hauehave had our conuersation in the world. Yea, this will make a man chearefull at all times, and preserue him from sorrow; not in prosperity only, but euen in aduersity, he that is of a merry heart (he meanes, whose heart is made merry this way, euen with the testimony of a good conscience) hath a continuall feast, Pro. 15. 15. And in this respect, the Apostle, Ephes. 6. 14. cals righteousnesse the Brest-plate, that will defend the heart euen in the euill day. But on the other side, the man that hath no care of a good conscience, but giues himselfe liberty to liue in any one knowne sinne, can neuer hauehave any sound ioy in his heart; but must needs be ouer-come of sorrow, and swallowed vp with heauinesse, when affliction shall come vponupon him. For sinne certainly will bring sorrow, sooner or later, not onelyonly in the life to come, There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, Mat. 8. 12. but euen in this life sinne will bring sorrow: it is the proper and naturall effect of sinne, and cannot be auoided, Pro. 29. 6. In the transgression of an euill man there is a snare: that is, matter of sorrow and teares, as appeares by the other part of the Verse: But the righteous doth sing and reioyce. They that hauehave multiplied their sinnes, shall hauehave their sorrowes multiplied; yea, great sinnes will bring great sorrowes: as we see in the example of Iudas, Mat. 27. 3, 5. And many such examples God giues men in eueryevery age. Neither hath it beene so with such as Iudas onelyonly, but euen with Gods deare children, when they hauehave neglected the care of a good conscience, and fallen into grosse sinnes: great sinnes hauehave brought them into great sorrowes. The sinnes that hauehave been committed with most iollity and pleasure, did of all other bring them to the most sorrow of heart in the end. This Iob felt when God caused him to possesse the sinnes of his youth, he saith, Iob 13. 26. that he did write bitter things against him. He found much bitternesse in the remembrance of those sinnes. And Dauid, though he were of a sanguine constitution, 1 Sam. 16. 12. and consequently, chearfull naturally; though he were likewise an excellent Musitian, and a King also, that had all outward helps to keep sorrow from his heart; yet when he had giuen liberty to himself to commit that sweet sin (as the world cals it) he lost his chearefulnes, and grew to that inward anguish of spirit, that he cries out in Psal. 51. 8. Make me to heare ioy and gladnesse, that the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce. And Ps. 31. 10. My life is wasted with heauines, and my years with mourning.
1 O think vponupon this, you Belly-gods and Wantons, that can find no pleasure but in offending God. As pleasant as you be now, you will hauehave the heauiest Application.hearts one day of any people vnderunder the Sun, Woe be to you that laugh now, for ye shall mourne and weepe, Luke 6. 25. 2 And you, Beloued, Would you hauehave a chearfull heart, and be comfortable euen in affliction, in the time of your sicknesse, and at the houre of your death? hauehave care then of a good conscience, take heed of knowne sinnes. Do you feele your hearts at any time begin to be oppressed with heauinesse? Examine your liues, find out your chiefe sinnes, purge your selues from them by repentance, and so shall ye keep your selues from being ouercome with griefe.
The third preseruatiue and meanes to keep a mans heart from excessiue griefe, (specially for any worldly occasion) is to make the Lord his treasure, 3.and not any earthly thing. If a man do not ouer-value these earthly comforts (husbands, wiues, friends, children, health, wealth, liberty, peace, &c.) nor count them his chiefe treasure, but esteeme them, as they are indeed, transitory comforts; and count the Lord his fauour and grace, his chiefe treasure: If a man set not his heart on these things, but louelove them only in the Lord, then shall he not be oppressed with immoderate sorrow for them, when God shall take them away. What a notable help it is against excessiue sorrow, when a man can keep his heart from the ouer-much louelove of these things, we shall find, 1 Cor. 7. …0 where (when the Apostle had said, Let them that weepe be as though they wept not) he adds presently, And they that reioyce, as though they reioyced not: as if he should say, Wouldst thou keep thy selfe from weeping and mourning too much for these things, when thou shalt lose them? then reioyce not too much in them, when thou doest possesse them. And for the other point, what force there is in this, to stay the heart from immoderate griefe for worldly things, when a man can make the Lord (his fauour and grace) his chiefe treasure, you shall find, Esa. 33. 6. There shall be stability of thy times, strength saluation wisdome, and knowledge: for the feare of the Lord shall be his treasure: As if he should say, In all times, the man that hath made the feare of the Lord his treasure, shall hauehave stability, and strength, and saluation, wisdome, and knowledge. And our Sauiour, when he dehorts his Disciples from that care for earthly things, as will bring griefe and vexation to the heart, prescribes this for a remedy against it, Mat. 6. 33. But seeke ye first the Kingdome of God, and the righteousnesse thereof, &c. On the other side, the man that makes these worldly things his chief treasure, and sets his heart vponupon them, cannot choose but be oppressed with sorrow, when he shall be depriued of them: as we see in the example of Ahab, 1 King. 21. 5, 6. When he could not get Naboths Vineyard, his spirit was exceeding sad, and he could not eat his meat. And why so? His pleasure was his treasure; he loued Naboths vineyard too well, and it was a death to him to be kept from it.
Then may I say to eueryevery one of you, that hauehave no felicity but in earthly Application.things; in your wealth, your belly-cheere, your merry company, your pastimes and sports, your braue apparell, your credit and fauour with men, you louelove them more than God, you affect them, and care for them more than for God: as our Sauiour in another case said, Luke 21. 6. Are these the things that ye looke vponupon? HaueHave you no better comforts than these? Alas, how wofull will your case be, when you must part with these things? Consider what is said, Iob 27. 8. What hope hath the hypocrite, when he hath heaped vp riches, if God take away his soule? Can he hope that God will heare his cry, when trouble commeth vponupon him? Will he set his delight on the Almighty, and call vponupon God at all times? Follow therefore the counsaile of our blessed Sauiour, Mat. 6. 19. Lay not vp treasures for your selues vponupon earth; but lay vp treasure for your selues in heauen. And marke well the reason of our Sauiour, which he giues, Verse 21. For where your treasure is, there will your hearts be also: q. d. If you make earthly things your treasure, you will immoderately ioy in them, when you hauehave them; and grieue for them, when you shall want them.
Consider first, that these things are not our proper goods; but cast more 1.plentifully on reprobates, than on Gods children, If ye hauehave not been faithfull in that which is another mans, who shall giuegive you that which is your owne? Luke 16. 12. But Gods fauour and grace is our peculiar portion.
These things are not durable, neither can we hauehave any certaintie in them, Trust not in vncertain riches, 1 Timothie 6. 17. But Gods fauour and 2.grace is euerlasting, The feare of the Lord is cleane, enduring for euer, Psal. 19. 9.
These things are vaine, and can yeeld vsus no helpe, no comfort, when we shall most stand in need, Riches profit not in the day of wrath, Prouerb. 11. 3.4. Whereas the sense of Gods fauour and grace will yeeld vsus comfort, euen in the greatest affliction, it will make vsus euen to glory in the greatest tribulation, Rom. 5. 3.
The fourth and last preseruatiue against immoderate sorrow, is, for a man to be rightly perswaded of his liberty in the vse of the outward comforts 4.of this life, as a good diet and good company, and following our worldly callings, and recreations, and such like. Let no man say this preseruatiue might well be spared, as beseeming the Physitian, much better than the Diuine; for first, many a good soule hauehave great need of this preseruatiue, and giuegive great aduantage to Satan in the anguish of their conscience, by perswading themselues they should much offend God, if they should giuegive liberty to themselues to enioy the creatures of God for their delight; if they should keepe company, or follow their callings, or be merrie at any time, or vse recreations. Secondly, in speaking of this Point I will keepe my selfe in mine owne element, and speake that which I hauehave receiued, not from the Physitian, but from the Lord. Yet hauehave I reserued this preseruatiue for the last place; because that which you hauehave heard in the three former, will much helpe you to receiue this with profit, and not with hurt. For, first, that which I hauehave to say in this point, belongs onelyonly to such as know themselues to be reconciled to God in Christ Iesus; the rest must go to the Physitian for comfort in this case: I hauehave none for them. To such I say, as delight is not seemly for a foole, it is an vnseemly and absurd thing in the eye of eueryevery wise man, to see an vngracious man so merry and iocund. Pro. 19. 10. God hath created all the comforts of this life to be receiued with thanksgiuing of them that belieue and know the truth, and of none els, 1 Tim. 4. 3. Secondly, If a man vse things without sobriety, and affect them too much, as if he had no better comforts than these, he shall neuer receiue good by them. It is made the note of a man that shall neuer go to Heauen, Psal. 24. 4. To lift vp his mind vntounto vanitie. It is easie for a man to surfeit, and take too much of these things, Prou. 25. 16. If you hauehave found hony (saith Salomon) eat that that is sufficient for thee, lest thou be ouer full, and vomit it. Of the comfort and refreshing that many take in these things, it may be said, as Prou. 14. 13. The end of that mirth is heauinesse: yet certainly, there is great force in these things, being rightly vsed, to keep the heart from being ouercome with sadnesse, and to make it chearefull. This appeareth plainly by the contrary, euen by the restraint God hath enioyned vntounto his seruants, in the vse of these things, at such times as he cals them to mourning. On the day of the Fast, because it was to be a day of humiliation, Leuit. 23. 27. and 29. 32. men might not enioy the liberall vse of Gods creatures. In those dayes I Daniel was mourning three whole weekes: I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I annoint my selfe at all till three whole weeks were fulfilled, Dan. 10. 2, 3. Nor follow the works of their lawfull callings, Whatsoeuer soule it be that doth any work in that same day, that same soule will I destroy from among his people, Leuit. 23. 30. Nor allow to themselues the comfort of society, Let the bride-groome go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her bed-chamber, Ioel 2. 16. In it men separated themselues from their wiues, Zach. 7. 3. The husbands kept it (in a secret fast) apart, and their wiues apart, Zach. 12. 12. Nor vse recreation, nor the meanes of mirth; Gods people in the time of their mourning for Ierusalem when they were in captiuity, did forbeare their singing, and all other meanes of mirth, preferring Ierusalem before their chiefe ioy, Psalme 137. 4, 6. And indeed, it is very euident, that these are good meanes appointed of God, to refresh and comfort the heart of man.
First, for a liberall diet, we know what is said, Pro. 31. 6, 7. GiueGive ye strong drink to him that is ready to perish. And 1 Tim. 4. 4. EueryEvery creature of God is good, and nothing ought to be refused (specially, not vponupon conscience, and conceit of vnlawfulnesse) if it be receiued with thanksgiuing.
Secondly, for society; what a comfort it is we may find by this, that Sathans best aduantage to tempt Christ, was, when he was all alone in the wildernesse, and vtterly barred from all societie of men, Matth. 4. 1.
Thirdly, for following our callings, the many promises of comfort and ioy that are made vntounto them that walke diligently in their callings, proue it plainly, When thou eatest the labours of thy hands, thou shalt be blessed, and it shalbe well with thee, Psal. 128. …. Ye shall reioyce in all that ye put your hand vntounto, Deut. 2. 7. The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, Eccl. 5. 12.
And for them all, that a Christian, vponupon no pretence of humiliation for sinne, or for too long a time, may altogether depriue himselfe of these outward comforts, may hauehave a notable example of Dauid, euen then when he had as great cause to be humbled, as any poore sinner can hauehave, 2 Sam. 12. 20. 4. 29. 31. When the child was dead (though the remembrance and sense of his sinne died not with the child) he arose from the earth, and washed, and annointed himselfe; yea he vsed againe the lawfull comfort of the mariage bed, he exercised himselfe againe in the works of his calling, and fought the Lords battels, and shewed great seuerity against the enemies of the Lord.