Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 4 · Lecture 45
Lecture XLV. On Psalme 51.4. Ianuary 9. 1626.
Attribute 4FOlloweth now the fourth, and last attribute of God, that setteth forth the hainousnes of our sins, and that is the infinite goodnes, and bounty of the Lord. This the Lord expresseth dayly towards all his creatures, and we can looke no way, but we must needs behold evident proofes, and demonstrations of it, Psal. 145 9. The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works. And the consideration even of this bounty of the Lord, toward all his creatures, though it did not extend it selfe towards us more particularly should much affect us. So it did David, Psal. 119.68. Thou art good, and dost good, teach me thy statutes. If wee know, or heare of a man that is a good house-keeper, a bountifull man, ready to doe all men good, we all esteeme highly of such a one, and speake well of him, and would be ready to doe him any kindnesse or service, though we never drunke of his cup our selves, nor received any benefit by him; nay, though we never saw his face: so amiable a thing is this property of goodnes and bounty in our eyes, wheresoever we behold it. For a good man (saith the Apostle, Rom. 5.7,) peradventure some would even dare to die. But alas, such is the vile corruption of our nature, that the common mercies of the Lord, whereby he doth expresse the goodnes, and bountifulnes of his nature, do little affect us. Let therfore every one of us consider how he hath expressed his goodnes and bounty to our selves in particular. And of this before I begin to set it before your eyes, and put you in mind of it, I may say with the Prophet, Ps. 40.5 Many ô Lord my God, are the wonderfull works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward, they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee, if I would declare and speake of them, they are moe then can be numbred. Yet let us consider (I pray you) as we are able, the marvellous goodnesse, and bounty the Lord hath shewed towards every one of us in particular. 1. In the things that concerne our bodies, and this mortall life. 2. In the things that concerne our soules, and our everlasting happinesse.
For the first. 1. It is the Lord from whom we have our life, and being, and without whom we could not consist one moment. Act. 17.28. In him we live, & move, and have our being. In his hand is our breath, and all our wayes. Dan. 5.23. 2. It is he alone that maintaineth us in this health, & strength, and vigor of body, and mind, that we do enjoy in that soundnes of limbs and senses, and keepeth us from those weaknesses, and pains, and diseases of body, and from that impotency of mind, that we see many others subject unto. The Lord is the strength of my life saith David, Psal. 27.1. & Exo. 23.25. He shall blesse thy bread, and thy water, and I will take sicknes away from the midst of thee. 3. It is he alone that while we see many others to beg their bread, & to feed upon scraps, provideth so plentifully for us, maketh us to be able to be helpfull unto others, to entertaine at this time our friends, & neighbors, maketh us able to make merry together, and furnisheth our table with such variety, & plenty of all good things. Thou preparest a table before me (saith David, Ps. 23.5.) in the presence of mine enemies, thou anointest my head with oyle, my cup runneth over. & Act. 14.17. He left not himselfe without witnes, in that he did good, & gave us raine, and fruitful seasons filling our hearts with food & gladnes. And it is our extreame blindnes and sottishnes, if we ascribe this our plenty and prosperity unto any thing els, but the Lords goodnes alone. Hos. 2.8. She did not know that I gave her corne and wine, and oile, & multiplied her silver and gold. 4. Wheras we see and heare of many others that are undone some by fire, and some by theeves, and some by witchcraft, how commeth it to passe that we and our children, and our cattell, & goods are kept in such safety by day & by night, at home and abroad. Surely the Lord hath made an hedge about us, and about our houses, and about all that we have, as Satan confesseth of Iob, 1.10. The Lord is thy keeper saith David, Psal. 121.5. If he did not continually watch over us, it could not bee with us as it is. 5. Whereas wee have every one of us, oft times beene in sundry great adversities, and dangers, aswell as other men, what hath beene the cause that we have comen off so well, when others by the very same diseases, by the same afflictions, have beene swallowed up and destroyed? Surely this is to bee ascribed to the goodnesse, and mercy of the Lord alone. And wee have all cause to say with David, Psal. 18.2. The Lord is my deliverer, and verse 16. He sent from above, he tooke me, he drew me out of many waters. And 68.20. Hee that is our God, is the God of salvation, and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death. 6. and lastly, Whereas we must all looke for a change, and expect trouble and affliction, Iob 5.7. Man is borne unto trouble, what refuge have any of us to flye unto in any distresse, for helpe and comfort, but to the Lord only? Psal. 20.7. Some trust in charets, and some in horses, but wee will remember the name of the Lord our God. And 62.8. Trust in him at all times, yee people, powre out your hearts before him, God is a refuge for us. Gods people have no other refuge to flye unto in all their distresses, but him alone. Yea, nature hath taught this to all men; as wee may see both in Scripture, Ion. 1.5. and in dayly experience, how the worst will looke towards God in their extreame sicknesse, and send for the minister then to pray for them. For that which Solomon saith of riches, Prov. 11.4. may bee said of pleasures, and friends, and all other things wee have most set our hearts on, they will not availe us in the day of wrath. Loe, thus good and gracious the Lord hath beene to every one of us, even in the things that concerne this mortall life, but 2. he hath shewed much more goodnesse to our soules, then all this commeth to. For as our soules are farre more excellent then our bodies, so the Lord hath much more care of them, then of our bodies. Hee is in a speciall manner called the father of spirits, Heb. 12.9. and hath doubtlesse a fatherly care of them in a speciall manner. Let me therefore say to you as the Prophet doth, Ps. 6….…6. Come and heare, all ye that feare God, & I will declare what hee hath done (not for my soule onelyonly, but) for every one of your soules. Neither will I speake of those bounties of the Lord, that are peculiar to some choice servants of his, but of those that are common to all that doe unfeinedly feare him, even to the meanest of them. Nor of all them neither, but of three of them only, which may sufficiently serve to demonstrate this point.
First. When wee had lost our selves by the voluntary transgression of our first parents, and made our selves the children of his wrath, and slaves of the Devill: hee bought us againe with no meaner a ransome, then the bloud of his only Sonne, Iohn 3.16. So God loved the world, that he gave his onelyonly begotten Sonne: that whosoever beleeveth in him, might not perish, but have life everlasting. And how did he give him? The Apostle telleth us, Rom. 8.32. Hee spared not his owne sonne, but delivered him up for us all. He did not remit unto him the least jot of those torments that were due in his justice to our sins, but made him a curse for us, as the Apostle speaketh, Gal. 3.13. Hee dranke at the hand of the Lord, the cup of his fury (as the Prophet speaketh in another case, Esa. 51.17.) He drunke the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out. This amplifyeth greatly the goodnesse, and bounty of the Lord to his people, that this ransome was paid for them, in a speciall manner, Esa. 53.5. Hee was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, and verse 12. He hare the sins of many. He prayed not for the world, Iohn 17.9. Oh what a goodnesse of God was this to us, that passing by, and neglecting the greatest part of the world, he should thinke upon us in a speciall manner, to pay such a ransome for us. Oh what cause have every one of us to admire this mercy of the Lord, and to say with Iob 7.17. What is man that thou shouldest magnifie him, and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him? What was I, that thou shouldest make so precious account of me, that thou shouldest pay such a ransome to redeeme my soule?
Secondly, when we lay snorting in our sins without all regard either to our owne wretched condition, or to the ransome that was paid for us, he awakened us, and called us to the knowledge of our selves, and of Christ. Hee cryed to us, as Cantic 6.13. Returne returne ô Shulamite, returne returne, that wee may looke upon thee; He besought us to bee reconciled to him, as the Apostle speaketh, 2 Cor. 5.20. stood long at our doore, and knocked, Rev. 3.20 waited long and endured many a repulse from us, as he saith, Rom. 10.21. All the day I have stretched out my hands unto a rebellious and a gaine saying people; and at last overcame us with his kindnesse, changed and converted our hearts, and made us new creatures. When the Apostle had said, Ephes. 2.5. Even when wee were dead in sins he quickned us; he addeth, by grace yee are saved. Nothing but grace, nothing but the goodnesse of God was the cause of it. He wrought such a change in us, as is mentioned, Esay 11.6. The wolfe shall dwell with the lambe, and the leopard shall lye downe with the kid, and the calfe and the young lyon and the fatling together, and a little child shall leade them. And this also doth greatly amplifie the goodnesse of God towards us in our conversion, if we shall consider how rare a merciemercy it is. 1. How the Lord vouchsafeth not so much as the outward calling in particular to the greatest part of the world by farre. He sheweth his word unto Iacob (saith the Psalmist Psal. 147.19, 20.) his statutes and his judgements unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation, and as for his judgements, they have not knowne them. 2. How few of those that the Lord vouchsafeth the outward calling unto, receive grace to believe, and obey the truth; as our Saviour speaketh, Mat. 22.14. Many are called, but few are chosen. How many our selves may observe of our owne kindred, of our owne neighbours, of them that have as long as we obtained the same meanes, of our betters every way, of them whose lives have beene far more civill and unblameable then ours, whom yet God vouchsafeth no such grace unto. So that I may say to you as the Apostle doth, 1 Cor. 1.26. You see your calling brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. This consideration was the thing that bred such zealous love in Davids heart toward the Lord, 2 Sam. 6.21. It was before the Lord (saith he to scoffing Michall) which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint mee ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel, therefore will I play before the Lord. This was that that moved our blessed Saviour to rejoyce so in his spirit, in the behalfe of the faithfull in his time and ascribe it all meerely to the free grace and goodnesse of the Lord. Luke 10.21. Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
Thirdly, When after he had thus converted and called us, wee have beene apt through our frailty and corruption ever and anon to fall away from him againe; we are kept by the power of God unto salvation, as the Apostle speaketh, 1 Pet. 1.5. he will not suffer his to take such falls as shall breake their neckes, or to fall into such pits, as we should never get out of againe. Hee will keepe the feet of his Saints from such falls, as Hannah speaketh, 1 Sam 2.9. Hee hath beat us for falling, and haply for our carelesnesse, left us to take such falls as have bruised us fore, or broken an arme or a leg of us, but he hath taken us up againe, and set us on our feete. Nay though wee have given him just cause a thousand times to cast us off, and dishinherit us, to leave us to our selves, and Satan, yet hath his love beene so unchangeable towards us, that nothing could move him to cast us off. Nay he hath given us assurance by his spirit, Rom. 8 38, 39. that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall bee able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Iesus our Lord. So that we have just cause to say as the Prophet Mic. 7.18. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquitie, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage, that ret…ineth not his anger for ever, because hee delighteth in mercy. And this is also that that greatly amplifieth the goodnesse of God in this point, that it is so rare. If we would consider how many have fallen, some to Popery and other heresies, some to profanesse, some to the utter hatred of Religion, some to worldlinesse, that were once farre before us in knowledge and in profession, how many that were first are become last, Mat. 19.30. How many there are, whom we may dayly looke upon, that are like those the Apostle speaketh of, 2 Pet. 2.18.22. that once were cleane escaped from them that live in errour but now with the dog are turned to their owne vomit againe, and as the sow that was washed to their wallowing in the mire. Many that are like unto Saul, who though he had received excellent gifts of Gods spirit, even another heart 1 Sam. 10.6.9. and never in his life fell into so grosse sins as David did, yet he fell away quite from God, and lost all grace, and was quite forsaken of God 1 Sam. 16.14. and 28.15. whereas many of us that like David have had far stronger corruptions, yet are still kept in the state of grace, be it that none of those that have thus quite fallen away, were ever truly regenerate, and we may say of them as 1 Iohn 2.19. They went out from us but they were not of us, for if they had beene of us, they would no doubt have continued with us. But what is it that hath made us to stand when so many that seemed much stronger then wee have fallen quite away? Surely nothing but the meere grace and goodnesse of the Lord. It is not of him that willeth (saith the Apostle, Rom. 9.16.) nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. And thus have I (in some measure) put you in minde of the infinite goodnesse and bounty the Lord hath shewed to every one of us that are his people.
Now the consideration of this marvellous goodnesse and bounty of God towards vsus doth greatly aggravate our sins, and make them out of measure sinfull. There is no sin we have committed, no commandement of God that we have transgressed, but we have thereby sleighted and despised, shewed contempt unto, grieved and dishonoured that God that hath beene so good and gracious a father unto us. Thus doth the Lord aggravate Davids sin, 2 Sam. 12.7.—9. I annointed thee King over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul, and I gave thee thy masters house &c. and if that had beene too little, I would mereover have given thee such and such things, wherefore hast thou despised the commandement of the Lord. Thus did God plead with Israel, Mic. 6.3.—5. O my people what have I done to thee, and wherein have I wearied thee? (that thou makest so slight account of offending me) testifie against me; and then in the two next verses he putteth them in minde of the great goodnesse hee had shewed toward them, that by that meanes he might bring them to a consideration and feeling of their sins. Thus doth the Lord aggravate the sins of his people, Deut. 32.6. Doe ye thus requite the Lord, ô foolish people and unwise? Is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee and established thee? This was that that made Mary Magdelene weepe so aboundantly, Luke 7.38. she had a deepe apprehension of Gods goodnesse towards her, verse 47. This was that that lay so heavy upon Davids heart heere, Against thee, thee onelyonly have I sinned. Nay, it is not possible that any should ever hauehave a true assurance and sence of Gods fatherly goodnes wrought in his heart by the spirit of God; but it will have this effect in him. Zach. 12.10. I will powre out upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace, and of supplications, and they shall looke upon mee whom they have pierced, and they shall mourne for him as one mourneth for his onelyonly son, and shall bee in bitternesse for him as one that is in bitternesse for his first borne. Why doe our sins trouble us no more? Surely we are not soundly perswaded of Gods fatherly goodnesse and love towards us, the spirit of grace was never powred upon us. I know 1. That the most men make the lesse account of sin, because they say they know the Lord is so gracious and mercifull, nothing doth so much keepe them from being troubled for their sinnes as this; they cannot thinke it possible God should like much the worse of them for any of their sins, because he is still so good and bountifull unto them; but are ready to say to their soules with the Epicure, Eccles. 9.7. Goe thy way, eate thy bread with joy, and drinke thy wine with a merry heart, for God now accepteth thy workes. 2. Yea they embolden themselves to sin by this more then by any thing, because they know and are peswaded the Lord is so infinite in goodnesse and mercy, they turne the very grace of God into wantonnesse, Iude 4. If a childe should thus resolve with himselfe; rush I know my father beareth that affection to me, that though I bee never so stubborne, and rebellious against him, though I grieve and dishonour him never so much, yet he will never cast me off, and therefore I care not for offending him: all men would say, that wretch had lost all naturall affection, and had not the nature or heart of a child in him. No more hath that man certainely any true or sound assurance of Gods fatherly love and goodnesse towards him, that doth not hate sin, that is not afraid of sin, that cannot mourne for sin, out of this respect above all others, that by his sin he hath offended and grieved and dishonoured, so good and gracious a father as the Lord hath beene unto him. Lay aside (saith the Apostle, 1 Pet. 2.1.3.) all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, enuies, and evill speakings, because (foreign) yee have tasted (knowne with feeling) that the Lord is gracious.