Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 6 · Lecture 88
Lecture LXXXVIII. On Psalme 51.6. April 29. 1628.
THe fourth and last property of true obedience,The …ourth property of true goodnesse, and righteousnesse. of true righteousnesse and goodnesse, which will give us a comfortable assurance of the uprightnesse of our hearts, is the manner how it is performed, with what affection we doe it, what ends we aime at in it. He that would approve the uprightnesse of his heart by the unblameablenesse and godlinesse of his life, must not content himselfe with this, that he escheweth evill and doth good, he abstaineth from all knowne sinnes, that God hath forbidden, and performeth all good duties that God hath commanded him to doe, unlesse he be carefull also to doe this in that manner as God requireth. This I will 1 confirme unto you; and then 2 I will give you some directions, how to performe good duties in a good and right manner.
And for the first, We shall find that the Lord in requiring obedience of us, standeth not so much upon this that we doe good duties, as that we doe them in the right manner. It shall be our righteousnesse, (saith Moses, Deut. 6.25.) if we observe to doe all these commandements before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us. As if he had said, Say we should doe all he hath commanded us, yet if wee doe it not as hee hath commanded us, it is no righteousnesse in Gods account. You shall see this also confirmed more particularly by instancing in duties of all sorts, 1 In those that are to bee performed to men, 2 In those that, are done directly, and immediatly unto God. No good thing we doe, is of any account with God, unlesse it be done in a good manner. In the duty of servants toward their masters, this is the chiefe thing God requireth; he standeth not so much upon what they doe as how and in what manner they doe it; that is to say, with feare and trembling, (as the Apostle speaketh, Ephes. 6.5, 6.) in singlenesse of heart, as unto Christ, not with eye-service as men-pleasers but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. So in other duties of governement and care of others duties the Apostle standeth upon this principally, Rom. 12.8. he that giveth let him do it with simplicity, he that ruleth with diligence, he that sheweth mercy with cheerefullnesse. So though it were an excellent worke of mercy of bounty and kindnesse that Gajus shewed to the godly, of whom the Apostle saith, Rom. 16.23. that he was not his host onelyonly, but the host of the whole Church. Yet the thing that graced this excellent good worke of his so much in the sight of God, was this that he did it in so good a manner and with so good an heart, Beloved (saith the Apostle to him, 3 Iohn 5.) thou dost faithfully whatsoever thou dost both to the brethren, and to strangers. See this also confirmed in the duties of Gods owne worship, which are greater then the other. Even in them also the manner of doing them is all in all. 1. For prayer if a man pray never so constantly, it is to no purpose, unlesse he pray in the right manner, Iames. 4.3. Ye aske and receive not, because ye aske amisse. 2. Neither will the receiving of the Sacraments do us any good, unlesse we receive them in that manner as we ought to doe. The Apostle speaking of the hypocrites that perished in the wildernesse saith of them, 1 Cor. 10. —4. They were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud, and in the sea, and did all eate the same spirituall meate, (that wee doe in the Lords Supper) and did drinke the same spirituall drinke—yet with many of them God was not well pleased. 3. Of hearing the Word ye know what our Saviour saith, Luke 8.18. Take heed how you heare, not onelyonly that you heare, and what you heare, but even how and in what manner you heare also. 4 Lastly, T…e preaching of the Word though it be the greatest worke of all other; in respect whereof the Apostle saith, 2 Cor. 2.15. We are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved and in them that perish. As if he had said, whether the people receive good by us or no; and of which worke the best of us may say as the Apostle doth, 2 Cor. 2.16. Who is sufficient for these things? Yet if this worke bee not done in the right manner, all the preaching, all the paines wee take in our ministery, is nothing in Gods account. If any man speake (saith the Apostle, 1 Pet. 4.11.) let him speake, at the Oracles of God. As if hee had said, with that feare and reverence, with that preparation, with that judgement and discretion, with that zeale and affection, as it becommeth the Oracles of God to be spoken with. See what a patterne we have for this, in our Lord Iesus who is the chiefe Pastour (as the Apostle calleth him, 1 Pet. 5.4.) Whatsoever I speake (saith he, Iohn 12.50.) even as the father said unto me, so I speake. As if he had said, Not for the matter onelyonly that I teach, but for the manner also of my teaching, I follow precisely the direction of my father. And see (I pray you) what account is to be made of preaching in the right manner. It is said of Paul and Barnabas preaching in the Synagogue at Iconium, Acts 14.1. that they so spake that a great multitude both of the Iewes and also of Greekes beleeved. The successe and fruitfullnesse of their ministery, is ascribed even to their manner of preaching. And the Apostle Paul who tooke more paines in his ministery then all the rest of the Apostles did as hee saith of himselfe, 1 Corinthians 15.10. yet professeth, 1 Corinthians 9.16, 17. that all the paines …ee tooke in preaching, did not yeeld him so much comfort, as this did, that his care was in preaching, to doe it with that heart, and in that manner that he ought to do it. Though I preach the Gospell (saith he) I have nothing to glory of, if I doe this thing willingly I have a reward. This, this is that that will give comfort both to us and you all, and that will give us all assurance of the uprightnesse of our heart, when in doing good duties, we rest not in this, that we doe the deed, (for in that an hypocrite may match and excell the best of us all) but our care is to do it in the right manner, to doe it so as we may please God in doing it. Let us have grace, (saith the Apostle, Heb. 12.28.) whereby wee may so serve God as we may please him. That grace we should all labour for. Els if wee doe not good duties so, as we may please God in doing them, we loose all our labour. And God is so farre from being pleased with the good duties we doe, if our care be not to do them in the right manner, as we may offend and provoke him as much by doing good duties, as by any other sinne we can commit against him. Incense is an abomination unto me (saith the Lord, Esa. 1 13.) the new Moones and Sabbaths the calling of assemblies I cannot away with, it is iniquity, even the solemne meeting upon publique fasts and such like occasions.
Applic.Let every one of us thinke this is spoken to our selves, and bee humbled for our loose performing of holy duties, and be afraid of formality in Gods service; and take heed of that naturall popery that is in every one of our hearts, I meane of resting in opere operato; and therefore also attend to the direction I shall now give you out of Gods Word, how good duties are to be performed in a good manner, and so as they may be pleasing unto God. There be then three things principally required to the performing of good duties in a right manner, (besides that that they must be done in faith and in love to God which I have already shewed to bee rather the roots from whence all true obedience doth spring, then properties required in the manner of our obedience) 1 That wee doe them to a right end, 2 That wee performe them not with the outward man onelyonly but with the heart, 3 That wee doe them in humilitie.
For the first, Though a bad action cannot bee justified by a good intent (for the Iewes that opposed and persecuted the Apostles had the zeale of God, as the Apostle saith, Rom. 10.2. yea even in that vile action they had a good intent▪ they thought they did God good service in it, saith our Saviour, Ioh. 16.2.) yet the best action that wee can do is spoiled and made nothing worth, if the intent and aime of our heart in doing it be not right. That is the chiefe thing God looketh after, in any good thing we doe what heart we doe it with; As the Lord himselfe told Samuel, 1 Sam. 16.7. The Lord looketh on the heart. When the counsels of the heart shall bee made manifest (saith the Apostle, 1 Cor. 4.5. with what intent, and purpose of heart men have done that which they did) then (and not before) shall every man have praise with God. Now the intent and purpose of our heart in doing good duties, is then onelyonly right when wee doe them chiefely to this end, that thereby wee may please and honour God, and shew our obedience and love to him. This is a maine note of difference twixt the hypocrite and upright hearted man. The hypocrite, and naturall man (even in the best services he seemeth to doe unto God) serveth not the Lord at all but himselfe. Hee either respecteth 1 the applause of men in doing that good he doth, as our Saviour saith, Matth. 6. the Pharisee in his prayers and fasts and almesdeeds did; Or 2 he hopeth to merit somewhat of God, and to bind him thereby to beare with him the rather in other things as those hypocrites did, Esa. 58.3. Or 3 at the best he doth it to avoid Gods wrath, as those did the Prophet speaketh of, Psal. 78.34. In seeming to serve the Lord he still seeketh himselfe onelyonly and not the Lord, in seeming to looke directly upon the Lord he hath a squint eye upon some what els. When yee fa…ed and mourned in the fift and seventh monethmonth even those seventy yeares (saith the Lord to the hypocrites, Zach. 7 5, 6.) did ye at all fast to me? even unto me (did ye it to please me, did ye it in obedience and love to me?) and when ye did eate and when yee did drinke, did ye not eat for your selves and drinke for your selves? As if he had said, Did you not in your fasting as well as in your feasting, seeke your selves onelyonly and not mee? On the other side, The man whose heart is upright, whatsoever good thing hee doth, hee doth it to the Lord. And he that doth so, certainely he is no hypocrite, but hath a good and upright heart. Thus the Apostle proveth, that Christians might not despise nor judge one another to be hypocrites, and void of truth of grace because of their difference in judgement, and practise from them, about indifferent things, Rom. 14.6. He that regardeth a day, regardeth it unto the Lord, and he that regardeth not a day, unto the Lord he regardeth it not. As if hee had said, He doth it in obedience unto God, and out of a care to please him therefore he is no hypocrite. Thus may a man get a comfortable assurance to himselfe of the uprightnesse of his owne heart, in every good thing he doth, if he doe it to the Lord, if he serve God in that, that he doth, if he doe it in obedience unto him, the intent of his heart be in it, to please God. If we did thus when we preach and heare, when we receive the Sacrament, when we pray, or sing Psalmes there is never a one of these duties but would yeeld as much more comfort then they doe. Thus did Paul in preaching. As we were allowed of God (saith he, 1 Thess. 2.4.) to be put in trust with the Gospell, even so we speake, not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts. Thus did Gods people in receiving of the Sacrament, 2 Chron 30.19. They prepared their hearts to seeke God in that ordinance; and so did Iosiah, 2 Chron 35.1. He kept a Passeover to the Lord. So the Apostle requireth us to doe in singing of Psalmes, Ephes. 5.19. make melody in your hearts to the Lord. Yea even in the duties we performe unto men, (in our almesdeeds, in the labours of our ordinary callings) we may get comfortable assurance to our selves of the uprightnesse of our hearts, if we do them to the Lord, we respect and serve God in them, we doe them in obedience and care to please him. Be not slothfull to doe service (saith the Apostle, Rom. 12.11. he meaneth one to another as appeareth verse 10.) servent in spirit, serving the Lord. As if hee had said, even in the service ye doe to men, serve the Lord. So in almes-deeds, Pro. 3.9, 10. Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase; so shall thy barnes bee filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. And 19.17. Hee that hath pity on the poore lendeth unto the Lord. So speaketh the Apostle to comfort poore servants that had infidells unto their masters, Whatsoever ye doe (saith he, Col. 3.23, 24.) doe it as unto the Lord, and not unto men. As if he had said, looke to God in it, doe it in conscience and obedience unto him, content your selves with this, that he is pleased with that you do, Knowing that of the Lord you shall receive the reward of inheritance: for you serve the Lord Christ. As if hee had said, Whatsoever good thing any man doth as a service unto God, hee shall be sure to bee rewarded for it, God will pay his servants their wages certainely. And in this respect, of all good duties that a Christian can performe those will yeeld him greatest comfort, and assurance of the sincerity of his heart wherein there is least danger of having any other respect then unto the Lord onelyonly, I will instance in three sorts of those duties.
First, Of all kinds of liberality, that that is shewed to the poore, will give us most assurance of our sincerity. When thou makest a feast (saith our Saviour, Luk. 14.13, 14) call the poore, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and thou shalt be blessed; foe they cannot recompense thee; for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.
Secondly, Of all love and kindnesse, that is the surest signe of uprightnesse and truth of grace which we shew to our enemies, and to such Christians as are poore and in whom we see sundry infirmities. I say unto you (saith our Saviour, Mat. 5.44, 45.) love your enemies, blesse them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, & persecute you; that you may be (that is, manifest your selves to be) the children of your heavenly father. So Mat. 10.42. Whosoever shall give to drinke unto one of these little ones (contemptible for their poore estate, contemptible for their infirmities) a cup of cold water onelyonly, in the name of a Disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
Thirdly and lastly, Of all duties both of piety and charity those that are performed in secret will give a man more assurance of the uprightnesse of his heart, then those will doe that are performed in the sight and presence of others. When thou doest almes (saith our Saviour, Mat. 6.3.) let not thy left hand know, what thy right hand doth. And verse 6. When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy dore, pray to thy father which is in secret. The Prophet speaking of the sincerity and soundnesse of repentance that the Gospell should worke in the faithfull speaketh thus, Zach. 12.12. The land shall mourne every family apart, and their wives apart. True it is there be other respects for which it is not onelyonly lawfull but fit, and necessary also for a man both to pray and give almes, and to mourne for sinne so as others may take notice of it; but in this respect for giving us assurance of the uprightnesse of our hearts, they can never bee so well done as in secret; nay they cannot bee done in sincerity of heart, if they be done onelyonly openly, and not in secret also.
Applic.O then (beloved) let every one of us examine our selves oft in this point, and in every good duty we doe aske our owne hearts that question that our Saviour did Andrew and his fellow, Iohn 1.38. What seekest thou? What aimest thou at? What end dost thou propound to thy selfe in doing these things? Let us all strive in our preaching and hearing, in our praying, and every other good thing we doe, to doe it unto the Lord, as a service unto him, in obedience and care to please him. The Apostle telleth us, 2 Cor. 5.15. that Christ died for all, that they which live should not hence forth (that is to say, from the time that they have given their names unto Christ, and beleeve in him) live unto themselves but unto him which died for them. And speaking of all the faithfull he saith, Rom. 14.7, 8. None of us liveth to himselfe, nor dieth to himselfe; for whether we live, we live unto the Lord, and whether we die, we die unto the Lord. O that we could so say of our selves, that none of us liveth unto himselfe, but to the Lord, for then we might bee sure we should not die unto our selves, but to the Lord. But what hope is there that he that hath lived onelyonly to himselfe, hath sought himselfe onelyonly, and had no respect to God, no care to please or honour him all his life long, should die unto the Lord, should please the Lord in his death, or that the Lord should then have any respect unto him. Well, certainely of most mens best workes and duties that they have at any time performed, that may be said which the Prophet speaketh of Israel, Hos. 10.1. Israel is as an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit to himselfe. As if hee had said, In all good things he doth, as he doth them out of selfe-love so he seeketh himselfe onelyonly in them. The meanest worke we doe in our calling if we doe it to the Lord and serve him in it will yeeld us assured comfort, and reward also; the best Sermon we can preach or heare if we do it not to the Lord, but to our selves, will yeeld us no comfort or reward from God. Verily I say unto you (saith our Saviour, Mat. 6.2) they have their reward. And so much for the first property, that is required to the right manner of performing of all good duties, they must be done to the right end. In the other two I will be very briefe.
The second property required to the right manner of performing good duties is this, they must be performed not with the outward man onelyonly but with the heart. See this 1 in the generall, and 2 in some particular and speciall duties. No obedience or service pleaseth God unlesse it be done feelingly and with the affection of the heart. That is the thing God calleth for principally. My sonne, give me thy heart, saith he, Pro. 2….26. Ferv…nt in spirit serving the Lord, saith the Apostle, Rom. 12.11. As if he had said, No service pleaseth God, unlesse it be done with fervencie of spirit. This was the thing that God so much commendeth in the obedience of Iehoshaphat, 2 Chron. 17.6. that his heart was lift up in the waies of the Lord. As though he should say, Hee stirred up himselfe to walke in Gods waies with zeale and affection. This also the Lord praiseth Hezekiah for, 2 Chron. 31 21. In every worke that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandements to seeke his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered. See this also in sundry speciall parts of our obedience and service unto God.
First, No mans preaching pleaseth God unlesse hee preach with affection and zeale. I serve God (saith Paul, Rom. 1.9.) with my spirit, in the Gospell of his sonne.
Secondly, No mans hearing pleaseth God, or will doe him any good, unlesse he heare with affection. If God open not your hearts as he did Lydias, Act. 16.14. and make you able to heare with affection, though you had as good preachers as Paul was, your hearing would be to no purpose.
Thirdly, No mans praying pleaseth God or will doe himselfe any good, though his words be never so many or so good, unlesse he pray with his heart with feeling and affection of heart. The effectuall …ervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much, saith the Apostle, Iames 5.16. As if he should have said, The most righteous mans prayer that is, will not be effectuall, nor availe much with God, unlesse it be fervent.
Fourthly, Our singing of Psalmes pleaseth not God unlesse it be done with affection, and feeling. Our singing (saith the Apostle, Eph. 5.19.) must be a making of melody in our hearts to the Lord. As if he had said, The Lord regardeth no melody but that.
Fiftly, The duties we performe to men in our callings, please not God unlesse we doe them with affection of heart. Whatsoever ye doe (saith the Apostle to the servant, Col 3.23.) doe it heartily, as to the Lord. As if hee had said, Els you serve not God in any thing you do, nor must looke for any acceptance, or reward from him.
Sixtly and lastly, The workes of mercy that wee doe, though wee should give all wee have to the poore, please not God, unlesse they be done with affection and with a compassionat heart. Whosoever hath ability, and seeth his brother hath need, (saith the Apostle, 1 Ioh. 3.17.) and shutteth up his bowells of compassion from him, (though he open his purse and give him never so much) how dwelleth the love of God in him?
Applic.Let every one of us apply this to our selves for the time will not permit me to doe it.
The third and last property required in the manner of that obedience and service wee doe to God is this; if we desire to doe it in the right manner, we must doe it in humility. In the best duties wee doe wee must find cause of humbling in our selves, because wee have done them so poorely and so corruptly. When yee have done all those things that are commanded you (saith our Saviour, Luke 17.10.) say, wee are unprofitable servants. As if hee had said, Say this is nothing, to that that I should have done. Whatsoever ye doe in word or deed, (saith the Apostle, Col 3 17.) doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus As though he should say, Acknowledge and feele the need you have of Christ, to make the best things that you doe acceptable unto God. Thus did Nehemiah when he had done a better worke and service to God then any of us are ever like to doe while we live, yet see how he was humbled in himselfe, Neh. 13.22. Remember me, ô my God, concerning this also, and spare me (pardon me) according to the greatnesse of thy mercy. Without this there can be no uprightnesse of heart in us, how good duties soever we performe. Behold (saith the Prophet, Hab. 2.4.) his soule which is listed up, is not upright in him.