Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 6 · Lecture 83
Lecture LXXXIII. on Psalme 51.6. March. 4. 1627.
THE fourth thing that they must doe,Means 4. that desire to get and preserve in themselves a comfortable assurance of Gods favour, is this, They must nourish in their hearts a constant care to please God in all their wayes, and a feare to offend him in anything. For 1. None but such can possibly get or keepe any true assurance of Gods favour. 2. All such shall certainely attaine unto it.
For the first. You may heare some wicked men glory much in the assurance they have of their owne salvation, and pronounce peremptorily of many a servant of God, that all their profession is no better then hypocrisie, because they are so full of feares, and so doubtfull of their salvation. A wise man feareth (saith Solomon Prov. 14.16,) and departeth from evill (the godly mans doubts and feares keepe him from many a sin, that otherwise he should fall into) but the foole rageth▪ and confident, hee sinneth outragiously, and yet is confident. But this is but a vaine presumption, this can be no true assurance certainely. It is not possible for any man that wittingly liveth in any knowne sinne, to have any true assurance of his salvation, or of the favour of God. Let us draw neer… (saith the Apostle, Heb. 10.22. with a true heart in full assurance of faith (But how may a sinfull man attaine to this high priviledge to bee able to draw neere to God, with that boldnesse and full assurance of faith, that God beareth a fatherly love unto him? He telleth us that in the next words, alluding in his speech to the manner of such as did draw neere to God under the ceremoniall law) having our hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. As if hee had said, without a man be both justified and delivered from the guilt of his sinnes by the bloud of Christ, and sanctified and delivered from the dominion of sinne by the spirit of Christ, it is not possible for him to draw neere unto God, in full assurance of faith. Let the man that hath the strongest faith, and the most comfortable assurance of Gods love, once give himselfe liberty to commit any grosse sinne, and hee must needes loose his comfort and assurance of Gods love. Certainely our iniquities (as the Prophet speaketh, Esay 59.2) will separate betweene us and our God, and our sins will cause him to hide his face from us. See the proofe of this in David. Who ever had more comfortable assurance of Gods favour, then hee sometimes had? The Lord is my light and my salvation (saith he, Psal. 27.1.) whom shall I feare? But when hee had once given liberty to himselfe to sinne against his conscience in the matter of Vriah, see how all his comfort in the assurance of his salvation and of Gods favour was quite lost. Restore to mee (saith hee, Psal. 51.1….) the joy of thy salvation. But what speake I of grosse sinnes? Let a Christian but grow worldly and secure, let him but remit any thing of that watchfulnesse and care that was wont to bee in him to take heed to his wayes, of that feare to offend God in any thing, of his diligence to serve, and please the Lord, and his comfortable assurance of Gods favour will bee lost. See an example of this in the Church, the spouse of Christ. Cant. 5.2.6. It is said, verse 6. her beloved had withdrawne himselfe, and was gone; shee lost the comfortable assurance of his love. How lost she it? Not by any grosse sin, but meerely by her lazinesse, and wordly security, by that answer she gave him, verse 3. I have put off my …at, how shall I put it on? I have washed my feete, how shall I defile them? As if she had said, I am now at ease and quiet, and by opening unto thee, by hearkning and yeelding unto thee in every thing, I should put my selfe to a great deale of trouble and labour, that I am now eased of. Thus lost shee her sweete assurance of Gods love then, and thus doth many a soule loose it at this day. That exhortation therefore that the Apostle giveth to the Hebrewes, 6.11. is necessary for every one of us. Wee desire that every one of you (saith he) shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end. As if he had said, ye have good things in you now, & such as accompany salvation, you have now much labour of love, yee have ministred unto the Saints, and yet do minister, but if you would have full assurance of your salvation, be diligent to doe so still, even unto the end; if you grow negligent and carelesse in these duties hereafter, this full assurance of salvation, you will certainly loose? A full and well grounded assurance of our salvation and of the favour of God, will not bee gotten in a day or two; without good proofe and experience wee have had of the worke of Gods grace in us, it will never be gotten; And when we have gotten it, we may easily loose it againe, if either wee give liberty to our selves in knowne sinnes, or grow secure and carelesse in taking heed to our hearts and wayes.
But secondly. On the other side, A constant care to please God in all our wayes, and a feare to offend him, will certainly bring to us a comfortable assurance of Gods favour sooner or later, in one measure, and degree or other. See by how many promises the Lord hath bound himselfe to this. To him that ordereth his conversation aright (saith the Lord, Psalm. 50.13.) I will shew the salvation of God. As if the Lord should say, I will cause him to see and know that hee shall bee saved. So when David had said, Psalm. 85 8. God will speak peace unto his people, and to his Saints; God will speake peace to the heart of every godly man; hee addeth verse 9. Surely his salvation is nigh unto them that feare him. As if hee had said, Certainely it will not bee long before God give to every soule that truly feareth him, a comfortable assurance of his salvation, though he doe delay it for a time, he will not doe it long. To you that feare my name (saith the Lord to his people, Matth 4.2) shall the sunne of righteousnesse arise, with healing in his wings. So that to every soule among you, that truly feareth God, I may boldly say; Though it bee night with thee yet, thou seest no light nor comfort, thou art continually disquieted with feares and doubts of thy salvation, yet certainly, the sunne of righteousnesse will arise upon thee with healing in his wings, thou shalt see the comfortable light of Gods countenance, and have a sweete and full assurance of his favour. Light is sowne for the righteous (as the Prophet speaketh, Psalme 97.11) and gladnesse for the upright in heart. Thou hast in thee the seed of comfort and assurance, and thou shalt surely see it spring, and tast of the fruit of it.
Means. 5Fifthly, and lastly. If by all these meanes wee cannot get or recover the comfortable assurance of Gods favour, there is yet one thing more to bee done, one helpe more to bee used, that hath more force to doe us good this way then all the rest. Wee must by faith rest upon Christ, and cleave unto him.
Object.But some may object and say, this is an absurd direction, to bid us rest upon Christ by faith, that so we may get assurance, For if I had faith, I know I should have assurance of Gods favour. For what is faith else, but a full perswasion, and stedfast assurance that Christ and all his merits belong to me, and my sins through him are pardoned. But alas, by this I know I have no faith, because I have no assurance of these things.
Answ.To such as object thus I answer. That they are much deceived in defining faith thus; and that this is a dangerous mistake, and such as hath bred much needlesse feare and trouble of mind in many a good soule. For the better understanding therefore of this fift and last point three things must bee distinctly considered. 1. That assurance of Gods favour is not of the essence, and being of true faith. 2. Wherein then the nature and essence of true faith consisteth. 3. That though true faith may be without this assurance, yet if it be put forth and exercised, it will certainely breed assurance sooner or later, in one degree or other.
For the first, That there may bee true saith where there is no assurance, is evident in two examples to omit many more, that might bee produced. When David cryed out unto God, Psalme 22.1. Why hast thou forsaken mee? Why art thou so farre from helping mee, and from the words of my roaring? Doubtlesse hee wanted the assurance of Gods love and of his salvation. And yet even at that time, hee had true faith, or els hee could not have prayed as hee did and said My God, my God. So when the Prophet cryed, Psalme 88.14. Why castest thou off my soule? Why hidest thou thy face from me? his assurance was gone; yet if hee had not had true faith at that time, hee could not have prayed as hee did, verse 1. O God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee. So that assurance of Gods favour, and of the pardon of our sinnes is not faith it selfe, but onelyonly a fruit of it, and such a fruit of this tree it is, as is not to bee found on it at all seasons. It is I say a fruit of faith, and such as none can attaine unto till first hee have faith. For 1. It is the spirit of adoption witnessing with our spirits that wee are the sonnes of God, Romanes 8.16. that breedeth this assurance in us; and that spirit wee cannot have, till first wee have faith, Galathians 4 6. Because yee are sonnes, God hath sent forth the spirit of his sonne, into your hearts. First wee must bee sonnes before wee can have this spirit; and wee must first have faith, before wee can bee the sonnes of God, Galathians 3.26. Yee are all the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus. And Iohn 1.12. So many as received him (even to them that beleeve on his name) to them hee gave power to become the sonnes of God. So Paul telleth the Ephesians 1.13. that they were sealed with the holy spirit of promise after they had beleeved in Christ. 2. Assurance of salvation is ever accompanied with peace of conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost. Now neither of these can bee in any heart till first it have true faith, they are the fruits and consequents of faith. Being justified by faith (saith the Apostle, Romanes 5.1—3.) wee have peace towards God, and rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God. And 15.13. The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in beleeving.
Secondly, If you would know wherein then the essence and being of true justifying faith consisteth, I answer, In foure acts of the soule; whereof the former two are acts of the understanding, the other two of the will.
First, I must know Christ aright, and that which the Gospell revealeth to us concerning him. And that consisteth in three points principally. 1. That Christ is an all sufficient Saviour, both to deliver me from the wrath of God due to my sinnes, and to bring me to eternall life. For this the Gospell plainely revealeth to us, Iohn 3.16. God so loved the world, &c. 2. That Christ, and all his merits are offered by the Lord to me as well as to any other: For Gods servants and Ministers are commanded by him to proclaime in his name a generall pardon, and to make this generall offer of him unto all, to whom they preach without excluding any, Mar. 16.15. Preach the Gospell to every creature. And what is it to preach the Gospell unto them, but to say unto them as the Angell did to the shepheards, Luke 2.10, 11. I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is borne this day in the city of David, a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. And as Peter to the Iewes, Acts 2.39. The promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are a farre off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Yea that Christ is offered so unto me, as I am commanded to beleeve that he belongeth unto me. Come unto me (saith our Saviour, Matth. 11.28. that is, beleeve in mee for so is that phrase expounded by himselfe, Iohn 6 35.) all ye that labour, and are heavie laden, and I will give you rest. 3. I must know how and upon what termes and conditions, Christ is offered unto me in the Gospell; that is to say, If I will receive him as in a matrimoniall covenant. For so is the covenant of the Gospell oft called in the holy Scripture, Hos. 2.19, 20. I wish betroth thee unto me for ever, yea I will betr…th thee unto me in righteousnesse, and in judgement, and in loving kindnesse, and in mercies; I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfullnesse. In this respect also the preachers of the Gospell are called the friends of the Bridegroome, Iohn 3.29. such as woo for him, and whose whole endeavour is, to make this match betweene Christ, and his people. I have espoused you (saith the Apostle, 2 Cor. 11.2.) to one husband, that I may present you as a chast virgin to Christ. Now in the matrimoniall covenant we know the spouse. 1. Taketh her husband so, as she bindeth her selfe to forsake all others, and to keepe her selfe onelyonly to him so long as they both shall live; and so must we take and receive Christ, Psal. 45.10. Matth. 10.37. Luke 14.2…. 2. She taketh him not onelyonly to receive protection and wealth and credit by him, but as her head and guide to be governed and ruled by him, and he bindeth her selfe to serve, honour, and obey him, Gen. 3.16. 1 Cor. 11.3. Ephes. 5.22, 23. And so must Christ be taken and received by us, not onelyonly for our Saviour, but our Prophet, yea our Lord and King, Psal. 45.11. Iohn 20.28. and 3.35. Heb. 5.9. 3. She taketh him for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sicknesse and in health, and bindeth her selfe to cleave to him, in every estate, Gen. 2.24. 1 Cor. 7.10. And so must Christ be taken and received by us, Luke 9 23. This knowledge of the Gospell is (as I told you) the first thing wherein the nature and essence of true faith consisteth. In which respect faith is called the knowledge of Christ, Esa. 53.11. Iohn 17.3. Ephes. 4.13.
The second act of the soule wherein the nature of true faith consisteth, is the assent, and credit that the mind giveth unto all this, that the Gospell hath revealed concerning Christ as to an undoubted truth; that Christ is indeed an all sufficient Saviour; and that God offereth him u…to me, and commandeth me to receive him; and that in this his gracious offer he meaneth as he saith, and that he and all his merits do certainely belong to me, if I will receive him, upon those termes that the Lord offereth him on. When I can say with Paul, 1 Tim. 1.15. This is a faithfull saying. So is the faith of the old fathers described, Heb. 11.13. They saw the promises a farre off, and were perswaded of them. In respect of this second property faith is called a beleeving of Christ, Iohn 3.36. And a beleeving of God, 1 Ioh. 5.10. Rom 4.3. Till Naaman could thus beleeve he could not be healed, 2 King. 5.11, 12.
The third act of the soule wherein the essence of a true and justifying faith consisteth, is the consent that the will giveth to this blessed offer of Christ, in the Gospell, not onelyonly for the undoubted truth, but for the incomparable goodnesse and excellencie of it. When the heart accepteth of, and embraceth it, and saith with Paul, 1 Tim. 1.15. this is not onelyonly a faithfull saying but worthy of all acceptation. So is the faith of the fathers described, Heb 11.13. At the least (though the beleever find in respect of the sense he hath of his owne unworthinesse, much reluctancy and doubting, which hindreth this act of faith, yet) his soule unfeignedly desireth and longeth to receive and take Christ, in this matrimoniall covenant, and saith with the blessed Virgin, Luke 1.38 Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy word. In respect of this property faith is called sometimes a receiving of Christ, Ioh. 1.12. somtimes a t…isting after him, Rev. 21.6. Where that promise is made to him that thirsteth, which none can possibly be partakers of but hee onelyonly that truly beleeveth.
The fourth and last act of the soule wherein the nature of true faith consisteth, is a resting and relying upon Christ and him alone for the obtaining of the favour of God and of eternall life. And indeed this is of all other the chiefe act of the soule in true faith, and that wherein the being and essence of it doth chiefly consist. In respect of this property it is so oft called a beleeving in or on Christ, and his name, Iohn 3.16.18 36. 1 Iohn 5.10. a trusting in Christ, Ephes. 1.12. a resting upon God, 2 Chron. 14.11. a resting upon his promise, 2 Chron. 32.8. a relying upon God, 2 Chron 16 8. a staying our selves upon him, Esa. 50.10. a cleaving and sticking close unto him, Acts 11.23. beleeving in him and trusting in him are made all one, Psalme 78.22. He that findeth these properties of faith in him hath certainely true faith, though he want yet the assurance of Gods favour.
Followeth now the third and last point which I propounded, That though there may be true faith, where there is not this assurance, yet certainely true faith if it be exercised, and put forth, will breed this comfortable assurance of Gods savour in the end. That man, that with an humbled and penitent soule can cast himselfe upon Christ, trust unto him alone, and rely upon him for favour with God, for pardon of his sins, and for eternall salvation shall certainely obtaine assurance and comfort in the end.
Alas (may some man say) how can I thus trust in Christ,Object. and relie upon him when I have no assurance, but so much doubting in mee of the favour of God?
To such I answer, Yes this is very possible. Iob did so. Though he slay me, (saith he, Iob 13.15.) yet will I trust in him. David did so, Psal 13. For though he thought God had long forgotten him, and hid his face from him, verse 1. yet saith he, verse 5. But I have trusted in thy mercy. So Psal. 143. when he cryeth thus, verse 7. My spirit faileth, hide not thy face from me, he addeth, verse 8. Cause me to heare thy loving kindnesse in the morning, for in thee doe I trust. He trusted in God and looked for comfort, even then. So did the woman of Canaan, Matth. 15.22—28. For though she had received three fearefull repulses from Christ, and therefore could have no assurance of his favour, yet trusted she still in him, for mercy and would not give over, importuning him for it. So must every one of us, learne to doe in the like case; though wee have no assurance of Gods favour, yet let us trust confidently in Christ through him to obtaine it. For this is a thing highly pleasing unto God. The Lord taketh pleasure (saith David, Psal. 147.11.) in them that hope in his mercy. And 1 Chron. 5.20. God was intreated of them, because they put their trust in him. And they that can do so need not doubt but that God will certainely lift up the light of his countenance upon them, and give them comfort in the assurance of his favour. For
First, Thou hast true faith and consequently thou hast Christ, he is thine owne though thou perceive it not. They that beleeve on the name of Christ (trust to him, rely upon him) have received him, hee is their owne as the Holy Ghost speaketh, Iohn 1.12.
Secondly, Having received Christ certainely thou hast Gods favour, all thy sinnes are pardoned, thou hast just title to eternall life, though thou perceive it not; yea thou hast in thee the root of comfortable assurance of all this. Ye are all the children of God (saith the Apostle, Gal. 3.26.) By faith in Christ Iesus. He that beleeveth on the sonne of God (saith the Apostle, 1 Iohn 5.10.) hath the witnesse in himselfe; He hath that in himselfe that will witnesse for him, that hee is in Gods favour. And Iohn 3.36.
Thirdly and lastly, If thou canst wait upon God for assurance and looke for it, it will certainely come. Doe as David did, when he had lost his assurance of Gods favour, Psal. 13.1. How long wilt thou forget me ô Lord for ever I how long wilt thou bide thy face from me? What did he then to recover his assurance? That you shall see, verse 5. But I have trusted in thy mercy, my heart shall rejoyce in thy salvation. As if he had said, My comfortable assurance of thy savour, and of my salvation will returne againe. And Psal. 42.5. Why art thou cast downe ô my soule and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him for the helpe of his countenance. As if hee had said, I shall for all this, see the light of his countenance againe, and rejoyce in it.
Applic.So that (to conclude) I may say to every soule here (1 that desireth assurance of Gods favour; and 2 seeketh it in a diligent, and conscionable use of Gods ordinance; and 3 with an humbled heart; and 4 by a conscionable care to please God in all his waies; and 5 by faith hath received Christ, and resteth upon him) concerning this promise of restoring a comfortable assurance as the Prophet doth of his vision, Hab. 2.2. The vision is yet for an appointed time (God hath set the time in his own counsell when he will give thee the comfort of this promise) but in the end it shall speake, and not lie, though it …a…ry wait for i…, because it will surely come, and not …arry one moment longer then God shall see it to be for thy good, and advantage. And whereas thou doubtest thine owne strength, and fearest thou shalt never be able to hold out, and endure resting and waiting upon God till comfort doe come; and cryest with David, Psalme 69.3. Mine eyes faile while I wait for my God. Let me say to thee as David doth, Psal. 27 14. Wait on the Lord, …e of good courage, and he shall strengthen thy heart: (he will keepe thee from fainting, and make thee able to hold out) waite I say, on the Lord.