Lectures Upon John 4, Part 5 · Lecture 16
Lecture the sixteenth, Iune 13. 1609.
IT followeth now; that wee come to the Vses, that are to bee made of the Doctrine we hauehave heard, touching the hainousnesse of the sinne of Fornication; which the last day (being preuented by the time) wee could not deliuer.
And this Doctrine serues:Vse. 1.
To conuince the iudgement, and conscience, of them that liue in this sinne without feare. For it is euident (and all honest men complaine of it) that this sin abounds eueryevery where; Yea many, that esteeme themselues Christians, reade the Word, heare it, come to such assemblies as this, sit before vsus, and looke vsus in the face, when we speake against this sinne: doe yet liue in this sin, and liue securely in it; as if all that is said out of Gods Word against it, were but a Fable. And what is the cause of this? Surely, somewhat there is that deceiues them, that they cannot perceiue, it is so dangerous a matter to liue in this sin, as indeed it is.
It may truely be said of all sin, that Sathan drawes a man to it, and hardeneth him in it by some errour of his minde or other, whereby he deceiueth him. How drew he our first Parents first to sin, 1. Tim. 2. 14. The woman was deceiued, and found in the transgression, 2. Pet. 3. 17. Beware least ye be plucked away with the errour of the wicked, and fall from your owne stedfastnesse. What is that that hardens a mans heart in sin? The Apostle will tell vsus, Heb. 3. 13. Least any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sin. What are those strong holds, that keepe the Word, and grace of God, from entring into, and conquering the heart of man? The Apostle will tell vsus that there are certaine imaginations, and thoughts, which Sathan puts into the minde, which till they be cast downe, we can neuer be brought to the obedience of Christ, 2. Cor. 10. 4, 5. And as this may be said of all sin, so specially of this; Sathan puts many erroneous conceits, and imaginations into the minds of men, whereby he deceiues them, and makes them thinke, it can be no matter of great danger to liue in this sinne. Therefore the Apostle speaking of the danger of this sinne, saith, 1. Cor. 6. 9. be not deceiued, neither Fornicators, nor Adulterers, nor Wantons, &c. and Ephes. 5. 5, 6. When hee had said this, Ye know that no whoremonger nor vncleane person hath any inheritance in the Kingdome of Christ, and of God, he addeth, Let no man deceiue you with vaine words. And thus Salomon describes the man that is drawne to it; Pro. 7. 22. 23. Hee goeth after her straight-way, as an oxe goeth to the slaughter, or a foole to the correction of the stocks, till a dart strike thorow his liuer. As a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life. If his vnderstanding were not blinded, if he knew well what he did, if he were not a foole, and as void of the true vse of his reason, as the bruit beast is, he could not doe as he doth.
I will therefore endeauour by the weapons of our warr-fare, such as I hauehave receiued from the Lords Armory (the holy Scriptures) to cast downe those thoughts and Imaginations, whereby Sathan deceiues men in this case, and hardens them in this sinne. And these weapons, if you will receiue them, and learne to vse them, you shall finde will be mighty through God to cast downe strong holds, as the Apostle speakes, 2. Cor. 10. 4. This is the soueraigne Preseruatiue to keepe vsus from all Sathans Temptations. By the words of thy lips (saith Dauid, Psal. 17. 4.) I hauehave kept me from the paths of the destroyer.
Now the meanes whereby Sathan deceiues men, and drawes so many into this sinne, I finde to bee principally foure. 1. The generality of this sinne. 2. The hope of secrecy. 3. The hope of impunity. 4. The hope of repentance, and so of pardon.
1. The generality of this sinne deceiueth many: How can this bee so great a sinne (thinke they) that is so common in all places, and among all 1.sorts and conditions of men? How vsuall is this among such as are of chiefe credit, yea, are not many professors faulty in this? yea, are there not Preachers, and good Preachers too, that will doe as bad as this commeth vntounto, and worse too?
This errour hath of old deceiued many: The example of some persons doth strangely comfort and harden men in sinne. The Prophet saith, Ezek. 16. 54. that the Iewes by their Iewdnesse and euill example, were a comfort vntounto them, of Sodome and Samaria. When a sinne is become common, and growne into fashion, it is presently counted no sinne, or no great sinne at least. See how this hardned them, Ier. 44. 17. Wee will burne incense to the Queene of heauen. And why, we hauehave done it, and not we onelyonly, but our Fathers, our Kings, and our Princes in the Cities of Iudea, and in the streets of Ierusalem. And surely these times are such, and this sinne is growne so common, as men shall hauehave much adoe to preserue themselues, and their families from it. As when the Plague is in a towne, if but some one or two houses be infected, a man may without danger goe to the towne, and liue in it: but if the infection grow generall, all men are afraid of it: so is it in this case. This made the Prophet complaine so, Esay 6. 5. Woe is me for I am vndone, because I am a man of vncleane lips (apt to offend in my speech, and how can I chuse, but be so? For) I dwell in the midst of a people of vncleane lips.
So that there is small hope, I shall any more preuaile in speaking against this sinne now, then Lot did when he sought to oppose himselfe to the multitude in the like case, Gen. 19. 4. All the men of Sodome from the young to the old, euen all from all quarters had compassed his house, and he verse 7. sought to perswade with them, but verse 9. see their answer, He is come alone as a stranger, and shall he iudge and rule?
Yet because Gods sheepe will heare his voice, Ioh. 10. 27. I will giuegive you out of Gods Word, some soueraigne preseruatiues against this temptation.Resp.
No mans example should be the rule of our conscience, that were to preferre Preser. 1.man before God. And it is a poore excuse, a poore comfort, for any to say, such a mans example drew me to this. What helpe found Adam in this excuse, when he said, Gen. 3. 12. The woman gaue mee of the tree, and I did cate? Nay it is a token of Gods wrath vponupon thee to lay such stumbling blocks before thee, Matth. 18. 7. Woe be to the world, because of offences. And it is a certaine signe of reprobation in thee, that thou stumblest, and takest occasion to fall by such examples. Those whom God hath ordained to destruction, he will lay stumbling blocks before them, that they may perish: as he threatneth, Ier. 6. 21. Behold I will lay stu…bling blocks before this people, and the fathers, and the sonnes together shall fall vponupon them, the neighbour, and his friend shall perish.
No sinne is the lesse odious, nor the danger of it the lesse, because it is common: for as it is certaine, the greatest part shall be damned, Matth. 7. 21…. Broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which goe in thereat. God hath made Tophet wide and large, as the Prophet speaketh, Esay 30. 33. So (though with men many times it be a meanes of immunitie from punishment to a lewd man, that hee hath many that ioyne with him in that sinne, yet) with God it is not: Though hand ioyne in hand (saith Salomon, Pro. 11. 21.) the wicked shall not be vnpunished, Nay the more common a sinne is, the more odious it is to God: and the more dangerous for them that liue in it. For nothing will hasten Gods vengeance so much as that. It was the generality of sinne in the old world that brought destruction vponupon it, Ge…. 6. 12. And vponupon Sodome likewise, Gen. 19. 4. See a notable proofe of this, Ier. 5. 7. How should I spare thee for this? and verse 9. Shall I not visit for these things? Shall not my soule bee auenged on such a nation as this? And marke the reason why the Lord must needs be auenged, vers. 7, 8. They committed adultery; and assembled themselues by companies in Harlots houses: eueryevery man neyed after his neighbours wife. And yet (though the generality of sinne doe hasten and increase Gods vengeance vponupon men in this life) if it would be any mitigation to the torments they should endure in hell, that they shall there hauehave so many good fellowes to beare them company, the matter were the lesse: but this shall also increase their torment there. As may appeare by that suit the rich man makes to Abraham, Luke 16. 28. that no…e of his brethren might come to him, into that place of torment.
So that (if we hauehave grace) this should not cause vsus to make the lesse account of this sinne, that it is now growne so generall; but this should cause vsus to hate it the more, and be the more afraid of it, and take so much the more heed to preserue our selues, and our families from it. So the wickednesse of the time, and place that Lot liued in, affected him. His righteous soule was vexed with it, 2. Pet. 2. 8. So speaketh Dauid of himselfe, Psal. 119. 53. Horror hath taken hold vponupon mee, because of the wicked that forsake thy law.
The second deceit whereby Sathan drawes men to this sinne, and hardens them in it, is hope of secrecy. That they may commit it, and liue in it, and yet it shall neuer be descryed or knowne; or if they cannot bee so close (if they accustome themselues to it long) but men will surmise somewhat, and iudge the worst, yet so long as none can conuince them, what need they care. They see many that would cry out vponupon, and thrust away out of their house, any that should bee euidently conuinced of the fact; that yet thinke neuer the worse of any for surmises, and presumptions, bee they neuer so strong. Nay it is certaine, many are the better liked for this: as if it were an argument of great wit, and sufficiency in any to be able to take their pleasure in this sin, and yet so to saue their owne credit, and the credit of the family that they liue in. And this is the cause of the monstrous, and vnnaturall practises that many vse to couer, and hide this sinne by. That this is a principall thing that deceiues many, is euident not onelyonly by experience, but by that that the Scripture speaketh, Iob 24. 15. The eye of the Adulterer waiteth for the twilight, and saith none eye shall see mee, and disguiseth his face. And indeed they that liue in this vile and abominable sinne, are vsually marueilous close and secret, and subtill to conceale it. The Harlot is said (Pro. 7. 10.) to bee subtile of heart. See also the subtiltie of these sinners noted and described, Pro. 30. 19, 20. The Prophet Agur reckoneth the way of a man with a maid, and the way of an adulterous woman, (the cunning and secret practises of filthy persons of both sexes for the hiding of their sinne) among these things which neither himselfe nor any other man was possibly able to discouer and finde out, and compares it vntounto the way of three things, which no wit or industry of man is able to descrie.
The preseruatiue against this temptation is the meditation of these three Preseru.points.
1. That God is present with thee at all times, and in all places, and beholdeth 1.the secretest of all thy actions, yea in such places, and in such company as no good man dare goe into, in which thou mayest be sure to be free enough from the censuring eye and tongue of those precise fellowes whom thou fearest and hatest so much; yet will the Lord be with thee euen there. If I make my bed in hell (saith Dauid, Psal. 149. 8. as indeed the places where such companions often vse to lodge, are little better) behold thou art there. This God alledgeth as a forcible reason against this sinne, Ier. 13. 27. I hauehave seene the lewdnesse of thy whoredomes. And Ier. 29. 23. Euen I know, and am a witnesse faith Lord. This meditation did Iob great good in this case, Iob 31. 4 Doth not be behold all my waies and tell my steppes? O if thou couldst remember that he seeth thee, and set thy selfe in his presence, and bring thy heart to that passe, that thou couldst euen desire euer to hauehave his company, and that he would euer take notice of thy waies, this would preserue thee from this, and all other sins. Why wilt thou my son (saith the wisedome of God, Pro. 5. 20, 2….) Embrace the bosome of a stranger? For the waies of man are before the eyes of the Lord; and he pondereth all his goings.
Thou wouldst not commit this sinne, if thou wert sure thy pastor, thy neighbour, thy seruant, thy childe should know of it: thou wouldest seeme to them to be another manner of person. And that is the cause why you shall hauehave the most notorious Harlots, that will seeme very religious, I hauehave peace offerings with mee (saith the Harlot, Pro. 7. 14) this day hauehave I paid my vowes. O the Atheisme of thy heart, take notice of it, mourne for it, striue against it, pray against it. Thou fearest the eye of a mortall man, and fearest not the presence of the eternall God: who (according to that which he threatneth, Mal. 3. 5.) will be a swift witnesse against the adulterers. Yea the Lord hath oft brought vncleane persons (sometimes by terror of conscience, sometimes by frenzie) to that passe, that themselues hauehave beene the blazers and proclaimers of their own secret filthines. He hath constrained many of them to cry out of themselues as the Leper, Leuit. 13. 45. I am vncleane, I am vncleane. Or rather as Iudas did, Matth. 27. 4. who in extreame desperation, and hauing receiued in himselfe the sentence of his eternall damnation, cryed out openly and cared not who heard, saying I hauehave sinned. And what knowest thou (that art so confident in the secrecy of thy sinne) but either thy selfe or the party with whom thou committest this lewdnesse, may be brought to this passe before thou die? The meditation of this point is prescribed by our Sauiour, for a preseruatiue against hypocrisie, and this conceit of sinning secretly and closely in any kind, Luk. 12. 1, 2. Beware of the leuen of the Pharisees which is hypocrisie: for there is nothing couered, that shall not be reuealed, nor hid that shall not be made knowne.
2. The more cunning thou hast beene in keeping thy sinne secret, the more doth God abhorre thee, 2. King. 17. 9. The children of Israel had done things secretly, that were not vpright before the Lord, saith the Holy Ghost, when hee would aggrauate their sinne, and shew the cause why God destroyed them. The more wit, and cunning any man sheweth in contriuing of sin, the more culpable he is before God. Thus God aggrauateth their sin, Ier. 4. 22. They are wise to doe euill, Rom. 16. 19. I would hauehave you wise to that that is good, and simple, concerning euill.
3. No vncleane person can hauehave any assurance of hope, that his sinne shall alwaies be kept secret. In the day of the Lord all mens secrets shall be discouered to all the world, 1. Cor. 4. 5. He will then lighten all things that are hid in darkenesse. Then shall eueryevery vncleane person be made a gazing stocke to the world, and to Angels, and to men, as the Apostle speaketh, 1. Cor. 4. 5. in another case. And euen in this life God doth strangely discouer many vncleane persons that hauehave liued long in secret. Salomon brings in the fornicator complaining and bewailing his misery, euen in this respect, Pro. 5. 14. I was almost brought into the extreamity of misery in the midst of the congregation and assembly. And obserue this in them that are the cunningest in this sinne, that (though no body peraduenture can conuince them euidently of the fact) yet eueryevery body (through this iust iudgement of God) condemnes them for it. As the Lord seeth their secretest villanies, so euen in this life, oft times hee vseth to testifie against them.