Lectures Upon John 4, Part 22
THE HVNDRED AND SIXTH LECTVRE, ON OCTOBER XXII. MDCXI.
IOHN IIII. L.
And the man belieued the word that Iesus had spoken vntounto him, and he went his way.
WE hauehave already heard, that from the beginning of the 46. Verse, to the end of this Chapter, the Euangelist doth set downe the History of the second miracle that our Sauiour wrought in Galile, in curing the sonne of a certaine Ruler: And that the History stands vponupon foure parts: First, the occasion that was offered to Christ to do this miracle, Uers. 46, 47. Secondly, the manner how Christ wrought this miracle, Uerse 48, 49. and the beginning of this Uerse. Thirdly, the fruit and effect of this miracle. Fourthly and lastly, the conclusion of the story. The two first parts we hauehave already finished, and are now to proceed to the third; namely, to the fruit and effect of this miracle, which beginneth in the words I hauehave now read vntounto you, and lasteth to the end of the 53. Verse.
And in this part there be three principall things to be considered: First, the beginning of the faith and conuersion of this Ruler, in these words of the 50 Verse, And the man belieued the words that Iesus had spoken vntounto him, and went his way. Secondly, the meanes whereby this faith that was begun in him, was confirmed and increased, in Verse 51, 52. and part of 53. Thirdly, the confirmation and stablishment which he receiued in his faith by these means, and the fruit whereby he declared it, in the latter end of the 53 Verse.
Now for the first, it is said, that the man belieued the word that Iesus had spoken vntounto him: and to declare, that he did so indeed, he gaue ouer importuning him any more, and went his way. It may seeme somewhat strange (if we mark it well) to see so great and sudden a change wrought in this great man. Euen now he was of that mind, that he would not belieue, vnlesse he might see signes and wonders; now he belieues Christs bare word, though he did see nothing at all done. Before he thought Christ could do his sonne no good, vnlesse he would go downe to him to see him, and pray ouer him, or touch him, and vse some solemne ceremony about him; now he belieueth his sonne is recouered, though Christ did none of all these, but onelyonly spake the word. And if we enquire into the causes of it, we shall find them to be principally two; the first in the Lord, the other in himselfe.
First, the Lords gracious pleasure was the cause of this, who worketh mans conuersion, when and by what means it pleaseth him (Ioh. 3. 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth) and who had appointed this to be the time of this Noblemans conuersion; and this word of Christ to be the means whereby it should be wrought. This should make vsus carefull to be constant hearers of the Word. For, first, some point of great importance may be taught in one Sermon, which (haply) we shall not heare againe in an hundred. Secondly, though at all times Gods Elect may profit by their hearing, yet hath God his times and moments (determined with himselfe) wherein he will work with his Word, more mightily than at other times. And who can tell which is the Sermon that God hath appointed to do him most good by? We should therfore frequent Sermons, as good husbands do their faires and markets; and prouident Merchants the times of the Royall Exchange, that no opportunity of a good bargaine may escape them.
Secondly, his heart was well prepared to receiue good by Christ; both by that hand of God that was vponupon him in the sicknesse of his sonne, and also by that reuerend and good opinion he had conceiued of Christ, by that that he had heard, or seene of him before; he esteemed him to be a great Prophet, one that was able and willing to do him good. And this reuerend opinion he had conceiued of him, made him willing (as great as he was) to come himselfe to him so great a way. Now by these meanes his heart was much better prepared, and made fit to giuegive credit vntounto that that Christ should say vntounto him, than otherwise it would hauehave been. From this first point then we hauehave this Doctrine to learne, That
It is a matter of great vse and necessity for our profiting by the Word, to Doct. 1.come to it with a heart that is rightly prepared. The man that brings to the Word a prepared heart, shall receiue more good by once hearing of it, than another shall do at many times. True it is, that many a man hath receiued some good by the Word, & felt himself much moued by it, that yet hath come to it without a due preparation: as not only Agrippa that was almost caught, Act. 26. 28. but euen Foelix also: Pauls ministry wrought mightily vponupon his heart, it made him to quake and tremble, Act. 24. 26. and Herod (though doubtles his heart was neuer well prepared when he came to heare Iohn) yet can it not be denied, but he receiued much good by hearing him, he heard him gladly, and reformed his life in many things by hearing of him, Mar. 6. 20. Yea many hauehave felt a diuine power in the Ministry of the Word, as hauehave come to it with very bad hearts; such were those officers that were sent to apprehend our Sauiour, Iohn 7. 46. Yea sometimes God hath so farre forth glorified his power in this his owne ordinance, as he hath wrought thereby euen the effectuall conuersion of some that hauehave come to it without all good preparation of heart: as the Athenians which heard Paul, Act. 17. first, with what hearts they came to heare him, it is plaine, Ver. 18. Some said, what will this babler say? and the best of them heard him onelyonly out of a desire to heare newes, Vers. 21. and yet see how God wrought by that Sermon in the hearts of sundry of them, Vers. 34. Howbeit certaine men claue to Paul, and belieued, among whom also was Denis Areopagita, and a woman named Damaris, and other with them. And (vponupon these experiments) it were much to be wished, that all men, euen the wickedest, would be brought to heare, yea though they came but by occasion, or as intending some other thing; yea, though they came euen with an euill intent to carp, or to mock, yet I would they would come. Possibly they might be caught, though they came euen with such hearts. Yea, it were to be wished, that such as can by no other meanes be drawne to heare, might euen be compelled, and forced to it by Authority. Iosiah is commended for this, 2 Chro. 34. 33. That he compelled all that were found in Israel, to serue the Lord; and if you looke into Ieremy, and others that prophecied in Iosiahs time, you shall find there was many a notorious lewd man in Israel in those dayes. And if there be any part of Gods seruice that men may and ought to be compelled vntounto, certainly it is rather this than any other; therefore euen the excommunicate persons (by the ancient Canons of the Church) were allowed to come to the Sermon. It is therefore a great errour in any to imagine, that it is to no purpose to vrge such and such to come to Church, because they think they are either so sottish, or so lewd, that they can receiue no good by comming: and therefore it matters not whether they come or no.
But though all this be so as you hauehave heard, yet first, this is a singular helpe and furtherance to our profiting by the Word, to come to it with a prepared heart: secondly, and where God meanes his Word shall prosper to worke sauing grace, there he prepares the hearts of men to receiue it: thirdly, neither doth it ordinarily preuaile to worke true faith, and sound conuersion, but in a prepared heart. The former examples are very rare. Marke this therefore in the course God hath beene wont to keepe in the conuersion of men; either by his miracles and strange works, or by his corrections, or by the terrours of the Law, he hath been wont to fit the hearts of his elect to receiue the Gospell. Acts 5. 14. The number of them that belieued in the Lord, both of men and women, grew more and more. Marke the reason, Verse 11, 12. By his fearfull iudgements on Ananias and Saphira, and sundry other strange miracles wrought by the Apostles, God had prepared the hearts of men notably, to the receiuing of the Gospell. Acts 12. 24. The Word of God grew and multiplied. Mark the reason, Ver. 23. By a strange iudgement on proud Herod, God had prepared mens hearts. Act. 19. 10. The Word of God grew mightily, and preuailed. See the reason, Ver. 11. 17. By the wonderfull miracles Paul wrought, and the strange iudgements that befell the sonnes of Sceua for counterfeiting of them, a maruellous feare came vponupon them all in those parts; and thus were they prepared to receiue the Word.
For the second, we hauehave Iob 33. 23. If there be then an Interpreter. As if he should say, Then there will be great hope of doing good. And for the third, we hauehave Act. 2. 41. The same day there were added to them about three thousand soules. Marke the reason, Ver. 37. They were pricked in their heart with that which Peter had said. And this is Gods vsuall course: he sends Iohn Baptist before Christ to preach the Law. Why? Mar. 1. 2, 3. To prepare the hearts of men to receiue Christ.
And as the Word seldome preuailes at first, to the conuersion of men, till the heart be prepared to receiue it: so it is certaine that it seldome preuailes to confirme and increase grace, vnlesse men come to it with prepared hearts. As in prayer it makes much to a mans comfort, to prepare himselfe to it: so is it also in this duty. When the people of God were to receiue the Law, God commanded they should prepare themselues to receiue it. Exod. 19. 10. Goe to the People, and sanctifie them to day, and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes, and be ready on the third day. Yea when Samuel offered a sacrifice vntounto the Lord at Bethlehem, 1 Sam. 16. 5. He sanctified lesse and his sonnes before he called them to it. And it is noted as the best thing that was in Iehoshaphat, 2 Chron. 19. 3. That he prepared his heart to seeke God.
The reason of the doctrine is, That our hearts are ordinarily profane, and Reas. 1.vnfit to deale with holy things; naturally they are so, and (by dealing with worldly things) they are made so more and more. Act. 10. 14. Common and vncleane are made all one. Mar. 7. 2 Common hands are vncleane hands: and certainly of our thoughts and affections it may more truly be said, take them as they are commonly, and they are vncleane and profane. We must striue to hauehave other than our ordinary and common thoughts and affections, when we are to deale with God, or els we shall go about to sow good seed among thornes, Ier. 4. 8. Yea worse than so; for it is not onelyonly the losse of the seed, but the losse of our selues also. There must be a proportion kept betweene the vessell and the wine, or els both will be lost: Luke 5. 37, 38. New wine must be put into new vessels, so both are preserued. Men vse to wash the cups that are to receiue their drinke, and the dishes that are to receiue their meat: but they hauehave more need to cleanse and sanctifie their hearts, that are to receiue the Word. For, first, the heart is fowler than any cup or vessell can be, The heart of man is desperately wicked, Ier. 17. 9. Secondly, put a cleane thing into an vncleane vessell, and it will receiue pollution by it. If one that is vncleane touch any of these, shall it be vncleane? and the Priest answered and said, it shall be vncleane, Hag. 2. 13. Thirdly, the honesty and vprightnesse of the heart giues the price and worth to eueryevery good duty we performe, and accordingly God doth esteeme of it. Our hearts are (like Instruments) euer out of tune; we must either eueryevery time that we go to serue God, take some paines to set them in tune, or we shall neuer make good musicke in the eares of God. That made Dauid say, Psal. 57. 7, 8. Mine heart is prepared, O Lord, mine heart is prepared, I will sing and giuegive praise: awake my tongue, awake violl and harpe, I will awake early.
The first vse of this Doctrine, is, to exhort vsus not to despise, or neglect the Lords preparations. When God hath (by any meanes) fitted after a speciall Vse 1.manner, and prepared thy heart vntounto his seruice; take the time, neglect not the opportunity, for then shalt thou be able to serue God with more fruit and comfort, than at another time: strike while the Iron is hot, Iames 5. 13. Is any afflicted? let him pray: Is any merrie? let him sing. So when God by his corrections hath softned and humbled thy heart, then giuegive thy selfe to reading and meditation of the Word, thou shalt profit more by it then, a great deale, than at another time. Psal. 119. 92. Except thy Law had beene my delight, I should hauehave perished in mine affliction. He found (doubtlesse) more sweetnesse in it then, than at another time.
The second vse of the Doctrine, is, to shew to vsus the true cause why we profit so little by the Word, and find so small comfort in it, surely we seldome Vse. 2.or neuer come rightly prepared to it. We find great comfort and profit in our prayers when the heart is prepared before: this is therefore spoken of a condition required in all those prayers that God will giuegive gracious answer vntounto. If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands towards him, Iob 11. 13. Thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine eare to heare, Psal. 10. 17. So is it with the Word; men vse to come to it with common hearts; nay, oft with worse than common hearts. If we had care of this, we should find more power and sweetnesse in one Sermon, than we are wont to do in an hundred. And because we must not serue God onelyonly at such times, as he by affliction, or such like means hath prepared vsus after a speciall manner; but as we must pray eueryevery day, Pray without ceasing, 1 Thes. 5. 17. so must we exercise our selues in Gods word eueryevery day, euen of the King it is said, He shall read therein all the dayes of his life, Deut. 17. 19. and if we come not rightly prepared to it, we shall receiue little good by it, nay we shall be in danger to receiue much hurt by it. As we cannot do the work of our Ministry well vnlesse we sanctifie our selues: Sanctifie your selues, and prepare your brethren, said good Iosia to the Priests, 2 Chro. 35. 6. so neither can you do the duty of hearers well, vnlesse you sanctifie your selues before you come. I will therefore shew you how a mans heart should come prepared to the hearing of the Word, that desires to receiue comfort by it; what affection and disposition of heart we should bring with vsus.
We must not come in our sins vntounto Gods house; but labour to cast off (by 1.vnfained repentance) all our knowne sinnes, before we come. In this respect the wisdome of the Church is to be commended, in beginning our publike worship with a holy and good confession of sins: it were to be wished, that men would make more conscience to ioyne with the congregation in it, and to do it with feeling and vnderstanding hearts, than the most do. This is that that was signified by putting off the shoes, and washing of the clothes, Exo. 3. 5 and 19. 10. and is more plainly taught, I am. 1. 21. Lay apart all filthinesse, and superfluitie of naughtinesse, and receiue with meeknesse the ingrafted word. In this respect it is worthy to be obserued, that (Ezek. 23. 38, 39.) the Lord notes this for a circumstance, that greatly aggrauated their whoredomes and murders, That they came the same day into Gods Sanctuary. And what maruell is it then, that so many receiue no profit, but hurt rather by the Word; being guilty of hainous sinnes, they come to Gods house, without the least motion of remorse for them, or purpose to forsake them? Yea, many come on the Lords day to Gods house, hauing spent the greatest part of the night before, some in drunkennesse, some in gaming, and other disorders.
We must labour to bring our hearts to a religious feare of the Maiesty of 2.God, with whom we hauehave to deale, and in whose presence we are to appeare in a speciall sort. Set thy selfe as in Gods presence, and that will keepe thy heart from wandring. Acts 10. 33. We are all here present before God (saith Cornelius) to heare all things that are commanded thee of God. That which Salomon vseth as a reason, to restraine men from rashnes, and irreuerence in prayer serues as fitly to restraine from rashnesse and irreuerence in hearing: for reuerence is as well required when God speakes to vsus, as when we speake to God. Eccl. 5. 1. Be not rash with thy mouth, nor let thy heart be hasty to vtter a thing before God: for God is in the heauens, and thou art on the earth. This feare of God (rising from the apprehension of his glorious presence) is a singular means to prepare the heart to heare well. Thus God prepared Abraham, Gen. 15. 12. A fearefull darknesse fell vponupon him first, and then the Lord deliuered to him the word of promise. Serue the Lord with feare, Psal. 2. 11. and 5. 7. I will come to thy house in the multitude of thy mercies, and in thy feare will I worship toward thy holy Temple. No maruell then, though many profit so little, both in their comming into Gods house, and sitting in it; The very triall of their countenance testifieth against them: as Esa. 3. 9. that there is no feare, nor reuerence of Gods presence in their hearts.
Thou must rid thy heart of all preiudice and hard conceit of him thou art to heare, and labour to be well perswaded of thy Teacher. This hath great 3.force to further our profiting by that we heare. This was that that made Herod himselfe not onelyonly to heare Iohn gladly, but also to practise many things he taught, Mar. 6. 20. This made Paul so earnest in protesting his louelove, and declaring his affection to them he wrote to, that he might winne them thereby to hauehave a good opinion of him, because he knew how much this would auaile to their profiting by his Doctrine: See how many words he vseth to perswade both the Romanes and Corinthians of this, in the beginning of his Epistles vntounto them, Rom. 1. 8, 15. 1 Cor. 1. 4, 8. This made him so earnest with the faithfull in that exhortation, And we beseech you brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are ouer you in the Lord, and admonish you; and esteeme them very highly in louelove for their works sake, 1 Thess. 5. 12, 13.
We must bring with vsus an appetite, euen an earnest desire to profit by that 4.we shall heare, As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the Word, 1 Pet. 2. 2. This will greatly further our profiting; for the Lord vseth to fill the hungry with good things, and to send the rich empty away, Luke 1. 53.
We must bring with vsus an honest heart, euen a sincere purpose and resolution, 5.to obey the Word in all things, and to learne to know the will of God, to no other end, but that we may direct our liues according to it: resoluing, as Esay 2. 3. Come ye, and let vsus go vp to the mountaine of the Lord, and he will teach vsus his wayes, and we will walke in his paths. And as Psal. 119. 34. I will obserue thy Law with my whole heart. Such shall be sure to profit, If any man will do his will, he shall know of the Doctrine, whether it be of God, Ioh. 7. 17. What man is he that feareth the Lord, him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose, Psal. 25. 12.
We must vse to pray before we come. We must (Pro. 2. 3.) call (vntounto 6.God) for knowledge, and cry for vnderstanding: Verse 5. Then shall we vnderstand the feare of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. And the reason is added, Uer. 6. For the Lord giueth wisdome, out of his mouth commeth knowledge and vnderstanding: As if he should say, it comes not out of the mouth of the excellentest man that thou canst heare, it comes from the Lord onelyonly; and therefore thou must seek to him for it.