Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 4 · Lecture 50
Lecture L. On Psalme 51.4. Febru. 27. 1626.
IT followeth now that we proceed unto the second use that this Doctrine serveth unto.Vse 2. And that is to stirre up every one of us, that we should strive, and labour for this grace to be able to do as David doth heere, when it shall come to be our owne case; to yeeld this passive obedience unto God in all the degrees of it that we have heard of, whensoever, or howsoever the Lord shall be pleased to judge, and correct us. The necessity of this exhortation will appeare to us in three things.
First, There is never a one of us can assure our selves for any one day that we shall be exempted from crosses, and afflictions in one kinde or other, in one degree or other. God judgeth the righteous, (saith the Prophet, Psal. 7.11.) and is angry with the wicked every day. And our Saviour, Mat. 6.34. Sufficient for the day is the evill thereof. Every day (for the most part) bringeth with it some evill, and affliction, some crosse, and occasion of griefe or other. Specially this falleth out to be so, with them that live in the Church of God, and professe his truth. The just God (saith the Prophet, Zeph. 3.5.) is in the midst thereof; every morning doth he bring his judgement to light; he faileth not. Yea the better proceedings that any of us have made in Christs Schoole, the more grace is in us, the more sure shall we be to meet with crosses every day. All the day long (saith David, Psal. 73.14) have I beene plagued, and chastened every morning. So that in this respect, you see this exhortation unto patience, and submitting our selves humbly to the will of God, in all his corrections, is of daily use for every one of us.
Secondly, Admit we were for the present never so free from troubles, and crosses, yet have we all cause to looke for troublesome, and evill times; We (I say) even we in this land, if ever people in the world had cause so to doe. We have enjoyed a long summers day of light, of peace, and prosperity; but if we consider our great sinnes, to us may now be applyed that speech of the Prophet Ier. 6.4. Wo unto us, for the day goeth away for the shadowes of the evening are stretched out. Many signes there be that our day will not last long, that our night approacheth apace. In the morning (saith our Saviour, Mat. 16.3) ye say it will be soule weather, for the skie is red, and louring; O ye hypocrites ye can discerne the face of the skie, but can ye not discerne the signes of the times? Certainly our skie is now red, and louring, and he is a senslesse, and secure hypocrite that doth not expect some great storme, and tempest. In this respect therefore wee have also need of this exhortation every one of us. It is wisdome in summer to provide for winter; as the Lord teacheth us by the example of the Pismire, Pro. 6.8. She provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest; and to get our weapons in a readinesse, and skill also to use them well, before the time of warre do come, as the Apostle teacheth, Ephes. 6.13. Take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may bee able to withstand in the evill day.
Thirdly, and lastly, The necessity of this exhortation will appeare, if wee consider well how hard a lesson this is to learne, how prone the best of us all are to impatiency and murmuring against the corrections of God. Affliction is in its owne nature as bitter as any gall to flesh, and bloud; our nature abhorreth nothing more. No chastening (saith the Apostle Heb. 12.1.) for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous. It is no easie thing, when we shall feele Gods stripes to smart indeed, to keepe downe our unruly passions, and to beare them without some repining, and murmuring against God. Our afflictions are called our infirmities, 2 Cor. 11.30. the best are apt to bewray weakenesse in them. Even where the spirit is most ready, the flesh will shew it …elfe to be weake, as our Saviour speaketh, Mat. 26.41. Specially it will be hard for such as we are, that have enjoyed so long peace, and ease, and prosperity to endure any sharpe affliction, such as our poore brethren in the Palatinate, Bohemia, Germany, and France have done. This made the crosse a great deale heavier to the Church then otherwise it would have beene, as she complaineth unto God, Psal. 102.10, Thou hast lifted me up, and cast me downe. As if she had said, If thou hadst not lifted me up so high, with many favours, and blessings of thine that I did enjoy, my fall would not have beene halfe so painefull unto me as now it is. We have therefore all need of this exhortation to patience under Gods corrections, of what kind soever they shall be, in these three respects as you have heard; yea we have need to have it pressed upon us in the most forcible, and effectuall manner that may be.
And to this end I will endeavour to force it upon my selfe, and you all. 1. By shewing the notes, and properties of true patience whereby it may be discerned from that, that is counterfait. 2. By giving you certaine motives that may stirre us up, and perswade us to seeke for this grace. 3. By directing you to the meanes that are to be used for the attaining to it. For the first then, I must give you seven notes, whereby we may know what true patience is and whether we have yet obtained this grace.
First, True patience is a fruit, and effect of repentance, and humiliation for sinne. So it was heere in David. If then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, (saith the Lord, Levit. 26.41,) and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity. It is not a signe of true patience to be unsensible under Gods judgements; though many please themselves greatly in this, they have had such, and such crosses, and they never murmured (they thanke God) nor were disquieted with them. This is a great sinne not to take notice of Gods judgements when they light upon us. Esa. 42.25. He hath poured upon Iacob the fury of his anger, and the strength of battell, and it set him on fire round about, yet he knew it not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart. When God sheweth himselfe to be angry with us by smiting, and correcting us, shall we thinke this a vertue in us, not to be affected with it. Oh no, this is a grievous sinne. Ier. 5.3. Thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved. If our mortall parents should shew themselves displeased and angry with us, would it not trouble and humble us? Num. 12.14. how much more when God sheweth himselfe so? This is an extreame height of rebellion, to despise Gods judgements, Esa. 22.12—14. The man that is truly patient is very sensible of Gods strokes, and of his sinnes that made God to strike him, and yet he beareth them patiently; and therefore he beareth them patiently, because he knoweth his sin is the cause of them. See an example of this in the mirrour of true patience, blessed Iob, even when he shewed his patience most, and could say Iob 1.21. Naked came I out of my mothers wombe, and naked shall I returne thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord; Yet was hee deepely humbled with the strange judgements of God; verse 20. He rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell downe upon the ground, and worshipped God.
Secondly, True patience is a fruit of faith. 2 Thess. 1.4. Paul gloried of the Thessalonians in the Churches of God, for their patience, and faith in all their persecutions, and tribulations that they did endure. And he desireth the Hebrewes, Heb. 6.12. that they would be followers of them that through faith, and patience inherit the promises. And Iam. 1.3. The trying of your faith, worketh patience. True patience riseth out of this perswasion that the crosse that befalleth us, is from God, that he hath a speciall hand and providence in it. This was the root of Davids patience, 2 Sam. 16.10. The Lord hath said to him, curse David. Yea that this God that sendeth the crosse, is our God, and loving father in Christ, and that maketh the child of God beare it patiently. Iohn 18.11. The cup which my father hath given me, shall I not drinke? The man that wanteth this faith though he be never so quiet under any crosse, yet if his quietnesse grow from this conceit it is but his ill fortune, and destiny, as the Philistines said, 1 Sam. 6.9. It was a chance that happened to us, hee cannot bee said to bee truly patient.
Thirdly, True patience is a fruit of our obedience unto God, and of an heart subdued, and made able to yeeld unto God in all things; yea it is indeed a chiefe part of our obedience unto him. So speaketh the Apostle, of the patience our blessed Saviour shewed in all his sufferings. Phil. 2.8. He humbled himselfe, and became obedient unto the death. Because he knew it was the will of God he should suffer those things, though he were deepely sensible of them, how grievous, and intollerable they were, therefore he did so patiently endure them. His patience was a willing subjecting of his owne will, to the will of his father, Mat. 26.39. O my father, if it be possible, let this cup passe from me; neverthelesse, not as I will, but as thou wilt. So then, that quietnesse, and temper that many shew in great afflictions which riseth onelyonly out of a naturall courage, and stoutnesse of heart, and out of this manly resolution I see no way to avoid this crosse; sorrowing and fretting at it is but a childish, and womanish thing, and will do no good at all, and therfore I must, and will endure it (as the Iewes are said to speake, Ier. 10.19. Truly this is a griefe, and I must beare it) this hardning of a mans selfe in sorrow as Iob speaketh, Iob 6.10. this patience perforce as we use to call it, without all reference to the will of God, and respect of their obedience unto him, deserveth not the name of true patience.
Fourthly, True patience consisteth not in bearing of some crosses, and afflictions but of those that the will of God is to exercise us by, whatsoever they be. We have a proverbe that beggers must be no choosers. If we be truly patient we must learne to beare our owne crosse. If any man will come after me (saith our Saviour, Luk. 9.23.) let him denie himselfe, and take up his crosse daily. I have learned (saith the Apostle, Phil. 4.11) in whatsoever estate I am, therewith to be content. They therefore that will be their owne carvers, and can say if my crosse were but as such or such a ones is, I could well beare it, but alas no man is in my case, none could endure that that I do, are farre from true patience. He that is truly patient, will do the Lord that honour, as to judge that the fittest, and best crosse for him, which he thinketh good to lay upon him. And resolve with Moses, Deut 32 4. His worke is perfect (it could not have beene better done) for all his waies are judgement.
Fiftly, True patience will make a man more desirous to profit by his affliction then to be rid of it, it will keepe a man from desiring to shake it of till God have finished his worke, that he intended to do upon him by it. Let patience have her perfect worke saith the Apostle, Iam. 1.4. We should be of Iacobs mind, Gen. 32.26. we should be unwilling that God, when he hath beene wrestling, and striving with us by his corrections, should depart from us, till he have left a blessing behind him. No wise man will desire to get from under the Surgeons hand, till he be cured of his wound or past all danger. That which the Prophet saith Esa. 28.16. He that beleeveth, shall not make hast, may fitly be applyed even unto this case. This was Asas sinne, 2 Chron. 16.12. he sought to the Physicians to be cured of his disease, but not to the Lord to be cured of his sinne, which was the cause for which that disease was laid upon him.
Sixtly, True patience will make a man able, so to depend upon the will of God in all his afflictions, as he dares not ease himselfe of his crosse by any unlawfull meanes, by any other way then such as the Lord hath appointed, or permitted him to use. The Apostle speaking of the faithfull that endured most grievous persecution under Antiochus in the daies of the Maccabees, saith of them, Heb. 11.35. that they would not accept of deliverance (he meaneth upon unlawfull conditions) that they might obtaine a better resurrection. And we have a notable example of this in David, 1 Sam 26.8—11. who when God had delivered Saul his enemy into his hand, and Abishai offred him with one blow to have eased him of him, and all the extreame miseries he endured by his meanes, would by no meanes accept of it but answereth him thus, verse 10, 11. As the Lord liveth the Lord shall smite him, or his day shall come to die, or hee shall descend into battell, and perish; the Lord forbid, that I should stretch forth my hand against the Lords anointed. And what patience is there then in those men that (how quiet soever they seeme in their afflictions) will neglect no meanes that either themselves can thinke of or others shall suggest unto them (though it be by a witch or wizard, that is, by the devill himselfe) to helpe themselves by, as Saul did, who in the height of his impiety (as the greatest sin that ever hee committed) sought to the witch of Endors devill and familiar spirit for helpe and comfort, 1 Sam. 28.7.
Seventhly, and lastly. True patience whereby wee obediently submit our selves to the will of God in our afflictions, will moderate our passions, and make us more meeke spirited even towards men, yea towards such men as have had any hand, or beene any instrument in our afflictions. This property of Christian patience, is commended to us in the example of our blessed Saviour, 1 Peter 2.23. Who when he was reviled, reviled not againe, when he suffered, he threatned not, but committed himselfe to him that judgeth righteously. The Apostle perswading unto patience, hath these words, Iam. 5.9. Grudge not one against another brethren (he saith not rage not, raile not, revenge not) lest ye be condemned; behold, the Iudge standeth before the doore. See two notable examples of this in David; The one Psalm. 38.12, 13, 14. When they that sought after his life, laid snares for him, and they that sought his hurt, spake mischievous things, and imagined deceits all the day long: yet was hee as a deafe man that heard not, and as a dumb man that opened not his mouth; hee was as a man that heard not, and in whose month there was no reproofes. The other example of his, is that in Shemeies case, 2 Sam. 16.10, 11. O how meeke was hee towards that wretched man? hee would not be revenged of him, hee would not suffer him to be chidden or reproved for that hee did. And what was the cause of this his mildnesse of spirit towards such enemies? Certainly his patience, and humble submission of heart to the will of God in these judgements, was the only cause of it. They therefore that pretend they acknowledge God to be righteous in all their afflictions, and patiently submit themselves to his hand in them, but they can beare nothing at the hands of men, they are apt to breake out into choler and wrath, into rage, and fury against men, that shall doe them the least wrong, they give themselves liberty to nourish in themselves desire of revenge and implacable hatred towards them; these men (I say) doe miserably deceive their owne soules, if their hearts did indeed patiently submit themselves to the will of God, in any of the crosses that are upon them, they would then bee more patient towards men, who are but the Lords instruments, and rods, whereby hee afflicteth them. Thus spake David of the worst enemies he had, Psal. 17.13, 14. Deliver my soule from the wicked, which is thy sword, from men which are thy hand O Lord. Certainely it is the rebelliousnesse of our hearts towards God, that wee cannot stoupe to him, nor humble our selves under his mighty hand, in his judgements that are upon us, that maketh us so froward, and impatient towards men, so desirous to bee revenged of them that have done us any wrong. And these are the properties whereby true patience may be knowne, and discerned; these are the notes whereby we may try whether wee have yet obtained this grace, whether wee have yet learned to cleare the Lord, when hee judgeth us.