Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 6 · Lecture 77
Lecture LXXVII. On Psalme 51.6. Ianuary 8. 1627.
IT followeth now that we proceed to speake particularly of those foure properties of true righteousnesse and goodnesse, which I onelyonly propounded unto you the last day. And in the handling of them you shall better understand my meaning in them; and find that a good life is a certaine and infallible signe of an upright heart.
The first property of obedience, and true righteousnesse.The first of these properties then is this; True righteousnesse and goodnesse must be materially good, it must have a right ground, it must be done according to the right rule. And in handling of this first property I must shew you two things. 1. What that right rule and ground of all true righteousnesse is. 2. That the following of that rule in all the good things we doe, is a good note of an upright heart.
Now the onelyonly rule of true righteousnesse is the Word of God. As nothing is a sin (how great a shew of evill soever it beareth) but that which swerveth from the direction of Gods Word, 1 Iohn 3.4. Sin is a swerving from the law. So is nothing a good worke (how great a shew of goodnesse soever it carry) but onelyonly that, which God in his Word hath directed us to doe. Thus the Apostle defineth good workes, Ephes. 2.10. to be such as God hath ordained that wee should walke in them. And so doth Moses define true righteousnesse, Deut. 6.25. It shall be our righteousnesse if we observe to doe all these commandements before the Lord our God as hee hath commanded us. When Gods materiall house was to bee built, God gave to Moses for the Tabernacle, Exod. 25.9. and to David for the Temple, 1 Chron. 28.12. a patterne according to which hee would have every thing made and done. And of this patterne that God gave to David for the Temple it is expressely said, 1 Chron. 28.19. that God gave it him in writing. Nothing might bee done either by Moses or by Solomon (though they were two of the wisest men that ever lived) about the Tabernacle or Temple, nor about the whole service of God that was used in them, but according to that patterne that God had given them. And this charge the Lord did repeate unto Moses (to shew the importance and necessity of observing it) foure severall times, Exodus 25.9.40.26.30.27.8. And so the Apostle also mentioneth it, Hebrews 8.5. See saith hee, that thou make all things according to the patterne that was shewed thee in the mount. And even thus hath the Lord done in the building of his spirituall house; hee hath given us a patterne according to which hee would have all our good workes done; and he hath given it us in writing, in the holy Scriptures; and he hath given it us with this charge that whatsoever wee do we doe it according to this patterne. See this charge expressely given, Deut. 5.32. You shall observe to doe as the Lord your God hath commanded you, yee shall not turne aside to the right hand nor to the left. As if hee should say, ye shall neither doe more nor lesse then that. When one asked our Saviour this question. Master what shall I doe to inherit eternall life? He answereth him thus, Luke 10.25, 26. How is it written in the law? How readest thou? As if he had said, In the written law of God (and there only) thou shalt find what those good workes are, that God will reward in heaven.
And that you may the better see what a perfect, and absolute patterne and rule this is that God hath given us, in his written Word, and what necessity there is that we should follow the direction of it, in every thing wherein wee desire to please God. I will manifest it unto you in six points which I must desire you to attend unto.
First, There is no good worke any man can doe, no good thing at all that any man can take in hand to please God with, whether it concerne the worship of God or his conversation with men, or the carriage of himselfe any manner of way; no duty either of holinesse towards God or righteousnesse towards men, or sobriety towards himself but he may have cleere direction for it in the Word of God. I grant that this cleere direction in every thing is not easily found in the Word, (much diligence in reading and studying of the Word, in attending upon Gods ordinance in the Ministery of his servants, and in humble, and fervent prayer is required hereunto) yet may we certainely (if the fault be not in our selves) find cleare, and certaine direction in the Word for all these things. As there was nothing to be done about the Tabernacle, not so much as the snuffers or curtaines, or rings, or pins that were to be used about it, but they were all set downe in the patterne that God gave to Moses in the mount. See this plainely proved, Pro. 2.1.9. My son if thou wilt receive my words (saith the wisedome of God) and hide my commandements with thee, then shalt thou understand righteousnesse and judgement, & equity; yea, every good path. And indeed how els could the holy Scripture be …o profitable and sufficient not only to teach and convince (in all matters of Doctrine) but also to correct, and instruct in righteousnes that by it the man of God may become perfect, throughly furnished unto every good work (as the Apostle saith it is, 2 Tim. 3.16, 17.) if there were any one good duty which the Minister of God might not be able out of the holy Scripture to give Gods people cleere direction in? Therefore the Lord giveth this testimony of David, 1 King. 14.8. that he kept his commandements, and followed him with all his heart, to do that only that was right in Gods eyes. As we do that which is right in Gods eyes then only, when we keepe his commandements and follow the direction of his Word; so then only do we follow the Lord with all our hearts (we serve him with honest, & upright hearts) when we do that only that is right in his eyes, that only that we have the direction of his Word for.
Secondly, Nothing that God hath commanded or approved in his Word can be a sin, but must needs be lawfull, and good, how unreasonable, or inconvenient, or void of good successe soever it may seeme unto flesh and bloud. Every creature of God is good (saith the Apostle, 1 Tim. 4.4, 5.) for it is sanctified by the Word and prayer. As if he should say, Whatsoever God hath allowed and sanctified in his Word, that must needs bee good. Nay to account any thing evill, or to make scruple of doing any thing that God in his Word hath approved, is (doubtlesse) a great errour and sinne. Be not righteous overmuch (saith the Holy Ghost. Eccl. 7.16.) neither make thy selfe over wise. As if he had said, Be not holier then God; make no more sins then God hath made. Our Saviour calleth the Ruler of the Synagogue hypocrite, Luke 13.14, 15. for holding it unlawfull to doe workes of mercy on the Sabbath day. Why? Was it not a good thing in him to be so zealous for the observation of the Sabbath; or was it a good thing to doe such cures upon the Sabbath? Yes verily, because God had not in his Word forbidden but allowed and commanded works of mercy to be done then, & at all times; & this man in being so hot & zealous against it, shewed himselfe to be no better then an hypocrite. See in a notable example what the danger of this is, 1 King. 20.35, 36. A Prophet said to his neighbour in the word of the Lord (and his neighbour knew him to be a Prophet and that it was the word and commandement of the Lord which hee spake) smite mee I pray thee, and the man refused to smite him; hee made scruple to doe it, because hee thought it unjust and unreasonable to doe it. But what saith the Prophet to him? Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the Lord (but wilt be more righteous and mercifull then God would have thee) as soone as thou art departed from mee, a lion shall slay thee. And so it fell out. Hee had not sinned in smiting and wounding the Prophet (as verse 37. you shall find another upon the same warrant, and commandement did) yea hee sinned in not doing it in making a scruple of it, when he had Gods Word and commandement for it. So it was no sinne in the Disciples that were eye-witnesses of Christs transfiguration to bee so silent as they were. They kept it close (saith the Text, Luk. 9.36.) and told no man in those daies any of those things which they had seene. Was this well done, to conceale such things as might have tended so much to the glory of God and to the confirming of the faith of Gods people? To say nothing of that glory they saw Christs body in, of the voice they heard from heaven, of Moses and Elias appearing and conferring with him? Yes verily this silence was lawfull, they did well to say nothing then of those things because Christ had commanded them to bee silent, Matth. 17.9. Iesus charged them, saying, tell the vision to no man, untill the sonne of man be risen againe from the dead. Wee may not take upon us to judge what is spiritually good and what may tend to Gods glory, the Word of God onelyonly must bee judge of that. You see then we may account nothing unlawfull or unfit to bee done, that God in his Word hath commanded or allowed us to do.
Thirdly, Whatsoever God in his Word hath commanded or appointed us to doe (although the thing may seeme unto us never so small a trifle) yet the doing of it is a good worke in Gods account, and our precisenesse in making conscience of it is a thing highly pleasing unto God. The Church in Ezraes time is commended, Ezra 3.4. because they kept the feast of the tabernacles, as it is written. And Moses is praised for this by the Holy Ghost, Heb. 3.2. that hee was faithfull in all Gods house, because in the least thing that was done about the making of Gods house, he precisely followed the direction that God had given him, as it is expressely noted of him, Exod. 40.16.19.21.23.25.27.29.32. Yea we read, Exod. 39.43. that when Bezaleel and Aholiab and the rest had finished the making of the Tabernacle, Moses did looke upon all the worke; and when he saw they had done every thing just as the Lord had commanded; then he blessed them. Why? What if they had missed in a cord, or a pin, or in some other such like trifle? Surely hee blessed them for making every thing, even these small trifles, according to their patterne. So the Holy Ghost praiseth Daniel for this as for a thing wherein his piety and the uprightnesse of his heart did greatly appeare, and wherein he highly pleased God, Dan. 1.8. that he purposed in his heart, that hee would not defile himselfe with the portion of the Kings meat, nor with the wine which he dranke; nay though this his strictnesse was likely to endanger the life of the prince of the Eunuches his noble friend, verse 10. Why how could this have defiled him? Surely either for this cause because the portion of the Kings meat was of such things as God in his law had forbidden his people, to eat of Levit. 11. or rather (for it is not likely that all the Kings meat was of such creatures as were by that law prohibited; and if all the meat were, yet the Kings wine certainely was not) because they were things offered unto Idolls, and used to the honour of them, as we may see, Dan. 5.4. Certainely if flesh and bloud might have had the censuring of this fact of Daniel, they would have counted him a precise foole for standing upon such a trifle as this (specially in a case of so great danger) yet doth the Lord (you see) commend him for it.
Fourthly, No worship we can doe unto God (though it carry never so great a shew of devotion and zeale) no good worke we can do (though it seeme to tend never so much to the profit and benefit of men) can be acceptable unto God, unlesse it be done by the direction of the Word. See this confirmed by the direction the Apostle giveth the Corinthians touching the esteeme they should have the Ministers of the Gospell in, 1 Cor. 4.6. Learne (saith he) not to thinke of men, above that which is written. As if he should say. Though this carry a great shew of zeale in it yet know that even in this point you must follow your rule, or you may sinne dangerously. See one notable instance for this which may serve in stead of many. The building of a Temple, for God to be solemnly worshipped in, was as good a worke (one would have thought) as it was possible for any man to doe. David (it appeareth by the vow hee made in his affliction, Psalme 132, 1—5. and by his speech to Nathan, 2 Sam. 7.2.) thought he could not do a better worke then this, nor honour God any way more. Nay Nathan himselfe thought so too, as appeareth by the incouragement he gave to David in it, 2 Sam. 7.3. And yet if any of the Iudges or if David himselfe should have done it, this had not beene a good worke, they had not pleased God in it. Shalt thou build me a house (saith the Lord to David, 2 Sam. 7.5.) for me to dwell in? And why had not this beene a good worke? Why would God have rejected it? Surely because they had no Word of God, that required or directed them to doe it, and the Temple was to be built by speciall warrant. For this reason the Lord himselfe giveth for it, 1 Chron. 17.6. Spake I one word to any one of the Iudges, saying, Why have yee not built me an house?
Fiftly, Admit the worke it selfe be such as God hath commanded, and wee doe it also with a good mind, yet if in the least circumstance of it, we swerve from this patterne, the worke is not good in Gods strict account, nor fully acceptable unto him. See a plaine instance of this, 2 Chron. 30.18-…0. because they did eate the Passeover otherwise then it was written (though they did for the substance of it do an excellent service unto God, and such as he had commanded yet) was God not pleased with them nor their service, for it is said Hezekiah prayed earnestly to God to pardon them, and that upon his prayer God healed the people.
Sixtly and lastly, God is so farre from accounting any thing we doe a good worke (though we have never so good a meaning and intent in it) if it bee not done by direction of his Word, that he is highly provoked by it, and cannot endure it. If a subject should lend or give to his Prince a great summe of money, yet if either all, or any part of it did appeare to his prince, to be of his owne coining, he would be so farre from thanking him, that he would rather araigne him as a Traitor for it. And even so it is with the Lord, he cannot abide, but is highly provoked with our will worship, and when we thinke to please him by doing of that which is good in our owne eyes, without direction of his Word. Take two notable examples for this, The one in Nadab and Abihu who because they offered incense unto God with strange fire that God had not commanded were suddenly consumed with fire from heaven, Levit. 10.1, 2. The other is in Vzzah who because (in a right good intent) hee put forth his hand to stay the arke from falling (which hee had no calling nor warrant from Gods Word to do) the anger of the Lord was kindled against him and strucke him dead suddenly, 2 Sam 6.6.7.
And thus have we seene what is the rule and patterne of all true righteousnesse, and that nothing can be a good worke, that is not done by the direction of Gods Word; which is the first generall poi…t I propounded in handling the first property of true goodnesse. Let us proceed now to the second of them. That the cleaving unto the word and following the direction of it in all that we doe, is a good note of an upright heart. To make Gods Word the onelyonly guide of our life, to make conscience of nothing as in it selfe sinfull or holy but onelyonly of that which God hath commanded or forbidden in his Word, is a singular note of an upright heart. See the proofe of this, first in the description the Holy Ghost maketh of the man that hath an upright heart, Psal. 119.1. Blessed are the undefiled (or the perfect and sincere) in the way. Yea but how shall we know who are such? Who walke in the law of the Lord, saith hee. As if hee should have said; that is the note to know them by. So verse 7. I will praise thee with uprightnesse of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgements. And Psal. 112.1. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord. Yea but how shall we know him? That delighteth greatly in his commandements. That is the way to know who truly feareth God. Secondly, See the proofe of this in foure notable examples. 1. Iob was an upright hearted man, Iob 1.1. Yea himselfe was very confident of the uprightnesse of his heart, as you may see, Iob 23.10. He knoweth the way that I take, when he hath tried me, I shall come forth like gold. And what made him so confident of this? That he telleth you in the next words, verse 11, 12. My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined, neither have I gone backe from the commandement of his lips, I have esteemed the words of his mouth, more then my necessary food. 2. Of David likewise God himselfe giveth testimony, 1 King. 9.4. that he had walked before him in integrity and uprightnesse of heart. But how did that appeare? That he telleth you in the next words, by doing according to all that I have commanded. 3. Of Iehoshaphat God giveth testimony, 2 Chron. 19.3. that he prepared his heart to seeke God; he had an upright heart. How did it appeare? Surely when he shewed most frailty in taking part first with Ahab, then with his sonne Ioram, yet even then the uprightnesse of his heart appeared in his dependance upon the direction of Gods Word, and the high account he made of it, 1 King, 22.5. Enquire I pray thee at the word of the Lord, saith he to Ahab. And verse 7. Is there not here a Prophet of the Lord, besides, that we may enquire of him? And the same you shall see noted of him also when he went with Ioram, 2 King. 3.11. Is there not here a Prophet of the Lord, that we may enquire of the Lord by him? And when he heard that Elisha was there. The word of the Lord is with him, (saith he, ver. 12.) so he (and by his meanes the other two Kings likewise, sent not for the Prophet, though that they might well have done but) went downe to him. The fourth and last example is Iosiah of whose goodnesse the Holy Ghost makes honourable mention even after his death, 2 Chron. 35.26. Now the rest of the acts of Iosiah, and his goodnesse. As if hee should say, There was goodnesse indeed and truth of grace in him. But how is that proved? According to all that is written in the Law of the Lord, saith the Text, As if he had said, His goodnesse appeared in making Gods written Word, the onelyonly rule of his life.
Applic.Now let us make some application of all this that wee have heard touching this first property of true goodnesse and righteousnesse; and that 1 by way of exhortation, 2 by way of tryall and examination of our owne hearts.
For the first, If this be so, that the written Word of God is the onelyonly rule of true righteousnesse, if it be so perfect a rule and patterne as we have heard; if the following of the direction of it in all things, be so sure a note of an upright heart, then what a necessity is there laid upon every one of us that desire to please God, to exercise our selves with all diligence in the reading and hearing and meditating of it? What marvell is it, though not onelyonly Kings and Magistrates, Deut. 17.18.19. Iosh. 1.8. be commanded daily to read, and meditate in it, but that the Holy Ghost describeth the blessed and good man, Psal. 1.2. by this that his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in it he doth meditate day and night. O with what certainty and security and comfort, might we walke in all our wayes, if we had that knowledge in the Word and were so well acquainted with it as in these daies wherein we live, and under such meanes as we enjoy we might be?
Secondly, Let us all examine the uprightnesse of our hearts by this note. 1. Certainly if we make no reckoning of the Word, delight not in it, desire not the knowledge of it. but have other rules to guide our lives and consciences by beside the Word, how much devotion so ever seemeth to be in us, how good so ever our lives are, there is no truth nor uprightnesse in our hearts. If either we make the commandements, and customes of men, or our own heart, and good meaning, the rule of our spirituall life; or if we make conscience of and be religiously strict in the observation of such things as God in his Word hath given us no direction for, we are no better then hypocrites. See how bitter our Saviour is against the Pharisees for the great conscience they made themselves, and for the great zeale they shewed, in pressing others to the observation of their purifyings as a point of holinesse which they had no other warrant for, but the tradition of their elders and the commandements of men, Mar. 7.6, and so forward. For this he calleth them hypocrites and saith they did worship God in vaine. And the Apostle likewise against such as did forbid marriage, and the eating of meates that Gods Word did allow, 1 Tim. 4.1—3. he saith this was a doctrine of divels, that they that taught it taught lies through hypocrisie, and had their consciences seared with a hot iron. Marke well I say the vehemency and bitternesse of them both against these men, and you will see cause to wonder at it. For (admit this was an errour and blind devotion in both these, yet) what great hurt was ther in them? Had they not a shew of holinesse and mortification? Surely if you weigh the matter well (for as much as you may bee sure that neither Christ nor the Apostle could be thus vehement without just cause) you will find that to be strict and precise in the observation of any thing as a part of Gods worship, that God in his Word hath given us no direction for though it seeme to tend never so much unto holinesse and mortification is a most heinous sinne. For 1 it is grosse Idolatry and high-Treason against God, to give to our selves or to any creature this divine authority as to make him a law-giver to our conscience. For this is the Lords royall prerogative in which he will endure no partner. There is one law-giver who is able to save and to destroy, saith the Apostle, Iam. 4.12. I am the Lord (saith he, Esa 42.8.) that is my name, and I will not give my glory to another. 2 This will quite steale and turne away the heart from God and his Word, and breed a light account of the Word, of the commandements and ordinances of God. This is one reason our Saviour giveth for his vehemency against the Pharisaicall purifyings, Mat. 15.6. Ye have made the commandement of God of none effect, by your traditions. And Mar. 7.9. Full well ye reject the commandement of God, that ye may keepe your owne tradition. Ahaz we know 1 brought his altar into Gods house, and offered on it, 2 King. 16.12, 13. 2 He set it cheeke by jowle (as we say) by the Lords owne altar, verse 14. 3 He brought it in further, and placed it above Gods altar, verse 14. 4 He used it onelyonly, in the ordinary offerings and sacrifices with neglect of Gods altar, verse 15. The more zealous any are for the religious observation of such things as God never commanded, the lesse conscience we shall find they make of any commandement of God, the lesse account they make of Gods Word. When Ephraim had multiplied altars (in a will worship being more abundant in sacrifices then God required, Hos. 8.11, 12.) the great things of Gods written law were counted by him as a strange thing, not belonging unto him. Yea this will-worship will breed in the heart a hatred of God, and his ordinances, which is the cause why the Lord calleth the transgressours of the second commandement such as hate him, Exod. …0.5. And the Apostle saith, Tit. 1.14. that the giving heed to the commandements of men (in this case) will turne men from the truth. This experience hath proved most true not only in the Papists, but in too many other fondly superstitious. 2 Can any of you find in your selves a high and reverend esteeme of Gods Word, doe you love it, and delight in it, do you depend upon it onelyonly for direction in all your waies, despising and rejecting all other rules besides it? Canst thou say with David, Psal. 119 113. I hate vaine inventions, but thy law doe I love? Certainely (how ever thou maist be slouted and hated for this in the world) this will one day (even when thou shalt have most need of it) yeeld a comfortable testimony to thee, that thy heart is upright with God. Remember as thou hast now heard what comfort Iob found in this, Iob 33.10-12. Remember how oft David calleth him a blessed man that can doe thus, Ps. 1.….112 1.128.1. Remember that our blessed Saviour accounteth such, Luke 8.21. (in respect of his deare and tender affection and respect unto them) as his brethren, and sisters and mother. And that for this cause he professeth of Mary, Luke 10.42. that she had chosen the good part, which should not bee taken away from her.