Lectures Upon John 4, Part 21 · Lecture 101
Lecture the hundred and one. Septemb. 17. 1611. IOHN IIII. L.
IT remaineth, that we now proceed to that which the last day the time would not permit me to speake of: namely, to shew how, and by what notes a man may certainly discerne the vprightnesse of his owne heart, and put a true difference betweene grace and nature, betweene the good things that are proper to the regenerate, and those good things that may be found in the hypocrite and carnall man. For to exhort you (as I hauehave done) carefully to examine, whether there be truth of grace in your inward affections, may doe you much more hurt than good, vnlesse I shall also direct you, how that may be done, how you may come to know that. For our encouragement then (to make entrance into so profitable and necessary a matter) we must first vnderstand this, that though it be difficult and hard, yet it is not impossible for a man that hath grace, to know assuredly that he hath it, to be vndoubtedly perswaded of the truth and soundnesse of his owne heart. It is true indeed, that it is a farre more easie thing for a regenerate man, to discerne that corruption that is in him, than that grace that is in him. When the Apostle speakes of the fruits of the flesh, Gal. 5. 19. he saith of them, That the workes of the flesh are manifest: But when he comes to speake of the fruits of the Spirit, he saith not so of them, Uerse 22. The grace of Gods Spirit is a hidden and secret thing; and is called (therefore) the hidden man of the heart, 1 Peter 3. 4. and will not certainly be discerned, vnlesse a man take great heed to obserue and marke it well, to trie and examine it. It is said of the good Merchant, that when he had found the hidden treasure (before he could be so certaine, that it was the true treasure, as to be willing to sell all that euer he had to buy it) he was faine to with-draw himselfe (as Merchants vse to doe, that hauehave great accounts to make) that he might trie whether it was the true treasure or no, Matthew 13. 44. Yet is this also certaine, that a regenerate man, that will take the paines to examine his owne heart, may be vndoubtedly assured, that he hath grace; that he hath more in him, than euer naturall man or hypocrite could attaine vntounto: els had the Apostles exhortation been in vaine, that we should Use diligence to make our calling and election sure, 2 Peter 1. 10. if it were not possible for a man to be certaine and assured, that he is effectually called. Paul was assured, that he had a good conscience in all things, and was willing to liue honestly, Hebr. 13. 18. and Peter knew well (euen then when he was so humbled for his fearefull fault) that he did vnfainedly louelove Christ aboue all, Iohn 21. 17. And Hezekiah, in the time of his great affliction, knew assuredly (and was able to call God for a witnesse to his conscience in it) that he had walked before God in truth, and with a perfect heart, Esay 38. 3. And the Apostle (speaking in the person, not of himselfe onelyonly, or some rare and extraordinary persons, but) of all the regenerate, saith, Iohn 5. 19. We know that we are of God; that is, borne of God: as is plaine by the former Verse. This then being so, that a regenerate man may certainly know he hath soundnesse of grace in him; let vsus consider how, and by what notes we may know it. And because if a man hauehave any one grace in him in truth and soundnesse, he may be certaine, that his heart is vpright, and that he is truly regenerate; I will therefore insist onelyonly vponupon foure graces, by which we may make triall of the soundnesse of our owne hearts sufficiently; and those foure are these: 1. Knowledge. 2. Repentance, and forsaking of sinne. 3. Obedience, and practice of good duties. 4. Faith, and confidence in the mercy of God.
First then, eueryevery regenerate man hath a sanctified knowledge and vnderstanding Knowledge.of the will of God reuealed in his Word; and the man that hath any measure of sanctified knowledge, doubtlesse, hath a good heart. This is the first worke of grace, and the foundation of all the rest. The new man is renewed in knowledge, saith the Apostle, Col. 3. 10. without that there is no vprightnes nor grace in the heart. When the Wise-man had said, Pro. 19. 1. Better is the poore man that walks in his vprightnesse, than the foole that abuseth his lips: he adds, Ver. 2. For without knowledge the mind is not good, or is destitute of goodnes. And this is said to be the first and chief work of the ministry of the Word, to open the eys of men, and to bring them from darknes vntounto light, from the power of Sathan vntounto God: till mine eyes be opened, and they be turned from darknesse to light, they remaine still vnderunder the power of Sathan, Acts 26. 18. and Psal. 36. 10. Extend thy louing kindnesse to them that know thee, and thy righteousnesse to them that are vpright in heart. He that saith he hath a good heart towards God, and hath no knowledge, cares not for it; or he that praiseth such and such men for good men, that hauehave no knowledge of the Word; is a lyar, and the truth is not in him.
Quest. But may a man conclude thus, I hauehave knowledge; therefore I hauehave grace, and an vpright heart?
Answ. No; for, many a naturall man and hypocrite hauehave attained to a great measure of knowledge: the Apostle saith of the hypocriticall Iews, Rom. 2. 18. Thou knowest his will and allowest the things that are excellent, in that thou art instructed by the Law. And v. 20. Which hast the forme of knowledge, and of the truth in the Law. As if he should say, thou art exercised in, and acquainted with the whole body of Religion set down in the Law. And He. 6. 4. of such hypocrites as may fall into the impardonable sin, he saith, They may be enlightened. But the knowledge of the naturall man, and of the regenerate, do differ in these points:
First, the man that hath sauing knowledge, is willing and desirous to know the whole will of God reuealed in his Word; as Act. 10. 33. We are present here before God, to heare all things that are commanded thee of God: yet chiefly those things that are most necessary and profitable, and that do most concerne his own practice, he is most desirous to heare and learne. As it is noted as a speciall fruit of grace in the poore Publicans and Souldiers, that came to heare Iohn; eueryevery one desired to heare what they should do, Luk. 3. 10, 12, 14. Yea, he is willing to heare that part of the Word, that makes most against him: he likes that Preacher best, that (with most plainnesse and power) discouereth and rebuketh his sinnes, so he do it by the Word of the Lord. As it is said of Eli, that (though he saw iust cause to think, that the message Samuel had to deliuer, was much against him, yet) he chargeth him, 1 Sam. 3. 17. God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me, of all that the Lord hath said vntounto thee. On the contrary side, the naturall man (though he may busie himself in seeking the knowledge of some points that minister questions rather than godly edifying which is in saith, as the Apostle speaketh, 1 Tim. 1. 4.) is vnwilling and affraid to know some parts of Gods truth; such as he hath conceiued a preiudice against, such as touch himself in particular: at such he winks with his eyes, as our Sauiour saith, Mat. 13. 15. Esa. 30. 10. He saith vntounto the Seer, See not, (such truths as these, though they offer themselues neuer so clearely in thy Text) and to the Prophets, Prophesie not vntounto vsus right things. I may not stand to apply eueryevery particular note vntounto you, do it your selues: if ye desire to know the vprightnes of your own harts, examine your knowledge by this first note.
Secondly, the regenerate man seeks the knowledge of God with no other intent, but that he may practice that he knowes, and direct his life by it. Psal. 119. 34. GiueGive me vnderstanding, and I will keepe thy Law: yea, I will keepe it with my whole heart. 1 Peter 2. 2. As new borne babes, desire the sincere milke of the Word, that ye may grow thereby. On the other side, the naturall man seekes knowledge, onelyonly for knowledge and speculation sake, or that he may maintaine talk with it, as occasion shall serue. Ezek. 33. 31. My people sit before thee, and heare thy words, but they will not do them.
Thirdly, the regenerate man is apt to approue of Gods truth, when it is reuealed vntounto him, and to belieue and receiue it. Indeed he may be ignorant of many truths, and may oppose them for a time, euen when the meanes are vsed to reueale them vntounto him: but he is able to discerne the truth from erour, when both are laid before him, how soeuer he did not see it before. Ioh. 10. 4, 5. The sheepe follow him, for they know his voice, and they will not follow a stranger: but they flie from him, for they know not the voice of a stranger. And of the Noble Bereans it is said, Acts 17 11. That they receiued the word with all readinesse. And in this respect the Apostle saith, that the Lords intent in suffering heresies to spring vp in his Church, was, That they that were approued among them, and had sound hearts, might be knowne, 1 Cor. 11. 19. Therefore the Apostle speakes so fearefully of the Iewes for not receiuing the truth when it was clearely manifested vntounto them, Hearing ye shall heare, and shall not vnderstand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceiue; for the heart of this people is waxed grosse, and their eares are dull of hearing, and their eyes hauehave they closed, lest they should see with their eyes, and heare with their eares, and vnderstand with their hearts, and I should heale them, Acts 28. 26, 27. On the other side, the naturall man, though he hauehave much knowledge and excellent gifts, yet is he of a corrupt mind, and vnsound iudgement in some cleare and manifest truths or other, full of reasoning, and oppositions against it, (1 Tim. 6. 5.) If any consent not to the wholsome words of the Lord Iesus Christ, and vseth vaine disputations, he knoweth nothing, (saith the Apostle) his mind is corrupt, and destitute of truth.
Fourthly, the knowledge of a regenerate man may be discerned by this, It hath power to reforme and rule his heart, and workes in him a care of practice and obedience. Luke 8. 15. They that with an honest and good heart beare the word, keepe it, and bring forth fruits with patience. 1 Iohn 2. 3, 4. Hereby we are sure we know him, if we keepe his commandements: he that saith, I know him, and keepes not his commandements, is a lyar. Esa. 2. 3. He shall teach vsus his wayes, and we will walke in his paths. Yea, sanctified knowledge makes a man strong, to resist and stand against tentation, The feare of the Lord, that is wisdome, and to depart from euill is vnderstanding, Iob 28, 28. Prou. 24. 5. A wise man is strong; for a man of vnderstanding increaseth his strength: He that can say, as Psal. 17. 4. By the word of thy lips, I hauehave kept me from the path of the destroyer, is a happy man, he knowes the truth with a sauing knowledge. On the contrary side, the naturall mans knowledge swimmeth in his braine, and hath no power in his heart. It is said of the sonnes of Eli, They were wicked men, and knew not the Lord, 1 Sam. 2. 12. They had no iot of sanctified knowledge in them.
Fiftly and lastly, the regenerate man, though he find himselfe wanting sometimes in these properties of sanctified knowledge, yet feeles he this ignorance, and bewailes it; and what measure of knowledge soeuer he hath attained to, he satisfieth not himselfe in it, but the more he knowes, the more he desires to increase in knowledge. This you shall see in Dauid, Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law; teach me thy statutes, make me to vnderstand the way of thy precepts, Psalme 119. 18, 26, 27. On the other side, the naturall man is well perswaded of his owne knowledge, thinkes he knowes enough, and is full, Woe be to you that are full, Luke 6. 25.
The second grace, wherein I told you, we were to make triall of the Repentance.soundnesse of our hearts, is Repentance; by which I mean (in this place) onelyonly the forsaking of sinne. Now there is no one grace in soundnesse and vprightnesse in that mans heart, that hath not vnfainedly repented and forsaken his sinnes. Acts 11. 18. Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance vntounto life. Vnlesse we can be able to say, These and these sinnes I know I hauehave left, surely, we hauehave not repented: Wee were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceiued, seruing diuers lusts and pleasures, liuing in malice and enuy, hatefull and hating one another, Tit. 3. 3. And the man that hath vnfainedly repented and forsaken his sins, doubtlesse, hath an vpright heart. Thus saith Dauid of himselfe, Psal. 18. 23. I was vpright before him, and kept my selfe from mine iniquity: for he that hath repented, is iustified and hath his sins forgiuen him. Act. 5. 31. Christ is called a Prince and Sauiour, to giuegive repentance and forgiuenes of sins. If yan man shall aske, May not some naturall men forsake, and leaue the sins they hauehave liued in? I answer, Yes; Peter speakes of some temporaries and hypocrites, that had escaped the filthinesse of the world, 2. Pet. 2. 20. and our Sauiour of one that had the vncleane spirit cast out of him, and his house swept and garnished, Matth. 12. 44.
But these differences there be, betwixt the repentance of the regenerate and naturall man.
1. The regenerate man forsakes sin of conscience to God, euen because he knoweth God hath forbidden it, is offended and dishonoured by it, as his sorrow for sin is according to God, 2. Cor. 79. so is his forsaking of sin also, 2. Cor. 7. 10. Yea, his forsaking of his sin growes (though not only, yet) chiefly from the knowledge he hath of Gods mercy, and from the louelove he beares to God for his goodnesse, he forsakes his euill way, and returnes to the Lord out of this hope and perswasion that he will hauehave mercy vponupon him, and that our God will abundantly pardon, Esay 55. 7. He feares the Lord and his goodnesse, Hos. 3. 5. The grace of God that bringeth saluation (the Gospell which makes knowne to vsus Gods louelove in Christ) hath taught him to denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts, Tit. 2. 11, 12. On the other side, the hypocrite forsakes his sins or rather seemes so to do, first, for that he wants meanes to follow them, as of old: or, secondly, no occasion is offered to shew his corruption in: thirdly, or out of respect he hath to his credit with men: fourthly, or out of the apprehension of Gods wrath only.
2. The regenerate man forsakes not one or two, but all knowne sins. Why then there is no man regenerate (will you say) For in many things we sinne all, Iames 2. 3. But my meaning is, though he cannot shake off eueryevery sin, yet there is no knowne sin, that willingly he giueth liberty to himselfe in, be it small or great, when once it is discouered to him to be a sin, he makes a conscience of it, as Daniel did of defiling himselfe with the Kings meat, Dan. 1. 8. he kept Gods law (and his conscience to obey it) as the apple of his eye, which the least more will offend, Pro. 7. 2. This is called precisenesse, and foolish nicenesse. I grant, that it is indeed a note of an hypocrite, to be precise and strict in small matters, and make no conscience of grosse sins, to tithe mi…t and cummin, and to neglect the weightyer points of the law, to streine at a gnat and to swallow a cammell, Mat. 23. 23, 24. yet he that shall say of the least sin, Tush, that is nothing; If I neuer do worse, I shall do well enough: doubtlesse, that man hath no soundnes in his heart. Iames 2. 10, 11. Whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Law, yet faile in one point, is guilty of all. For he that said, Thou shalt not commit adultery, said also, Thou shalt not kill. The least sin committed wilfully and presumptuously, becomes dangerous and damnable, the soule that d…th ought presumptuously, shall be cut off from among his people; as the man was by Gods expresse commandement that had (in that sort) but gathered a few sticks vponupon the Sabbath day, Num. 15. 30. 32. On the other side, no naturall man or hypocrite euer made conscience of all sin, but either he hath some one sin, that is, his beloued sin, which he will not part with, as Herod had, Mar. 6. 20. or of many sins, which he counts small, he makes no conscience at all, but euen despiseth his waies in them, as Salomon speaketh, Pro. 19. 16.
3. The regenerate man, though he slip often, yet the vnfained desire and purpose of his heart, is to forsake all his sins. This is a sure note of grace, in this Paul comforteth himselfe that he allowed not himselfe in any euill that he did, but hated it, that to will was present with him, Ro. 7. 15. 18. And Nehemia in this that he was one of these that did desire to feare Gods name, Neh. 1. 11. And Dauid in this, that the full purpose of his heart was that he would not offend no not so much as in word, Psal. 17. 3. And the vnfainednesse of his desire may be discerned, first, by his willingnesse to be admonished, and to hauehave his sins discouered to him, he can say with Dauid, Let the righteous smite, yea let him reproue me, Psal. 141. 3. yea he can heartily pray vntounto God with Iob, make me to know my transgression and my sin, Iob 13. 23. Secondly, by his carefull shunning of all meanes, that might draw him to sin, as Ioseph did, he shunned the company of his lewd mistrisse and would not be with her alone, Gen. 39. 10. Thirdly, by his earnest praying to God, for strength against his sins, as Dauid did, cleanse thou me from secret faults; keepe backe thy seruant also from presumptuous sins, let them not hauehave dominion ouer me, Psal. 19. 12, 13. Order my steps in thy word, and let not any iniquity hauehave dominion ouer me, Psal. 119. 133. Fourthly, by the continuall feare of his heart, lest he should at any time do that that might offend God, happy is the man that feareth alway, Pro. 28. 14. Fifthly, by the ability and strength he hath giuen him of God, not only to will, but to doe also in some measure, actually and indeed to forsake his sin, for God hath not giuen vsus the spirit of feare, but of power, and louelove and of a sound minde, 2. Tim. 1. 7. Though he may oft fall through frailty, yet ordinarily, and for the most part, grace preuailes aboue his corruption; he cannot walke after the flesh, Rom. 8. 1. He cannot continue in sin, the power of sin is daily weakned in him. Now such a desire and purpose to forsake sin, was neuer yet found in an hypocrite or naturall man.