Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 8 · Lecture 128
Lecture CXXVIII. On Psalme 51.7. Septemb. 15. 1629.
WE have already heard that this verse consisteth of two parts. The first is an earnest petition, wherein David beggeth of God to be purged and washed from his sins by the bloud of Christ, and to have that sprinkled upon him, and applyed to him by the spirit of God. The second is the reason that moved him to beg this of God so earnestly; which is taken from the fruit and benefit he knew he should receive by it, and that is double. 1. He knew that (being thus purged) he should be cleane, no filthinesse should remaine upon him, no sin that ever he committed should be imputed to him. 2. He knew that (if he were thus washed) he should be whiter then the snow, he should have so perfect righteousnesse imputed to him, as should make him beautifull and glorious in the sight of God. The petition we finished the last day; and now it followeth that we do proceed to the reason of it.
And herein we are to observe how confidently David speaketh heere of the blessed estate of them whom God hath washed and sprinkled with the bloud of Christ;Nota. yea of the blessed estate that he knew himselfe should be in so soone as God should have vouchsafed that mercy unto him; notwithstanding the foulnes and odiousnesse of his sins was more then ordinary, yet he knew that when once God should have washed him with, and applyed to him the bloud of Christ, he should have no spot of his sins remaining upon him, yea he should be whiter in Gods eye then the very snow. And from this point thus observed in the words of David, this Doctrine doth arise for our instruction,
That all such as have their soules washed, and sprinkled with Christs bloud (that is, Doct. 28all that truly beleeve in him) are perfectly cleansed from all their sins, and are as pure and white in Gods sight, as any snow.
Now the best and plainest way I can think of for confirming this Doctrine unto you will be by answering of a doubt and Question which every one of your hearts will be apt to move against it.Quest. For who is there among us all that marketh and considereth this Doctrine well that will not see cause to bee amazed at it, as it is said, Matth. 19.25. that the Disciples of our Saviour once were at the hearing of a certaine Doctrine that he taught? Which of us will not be ready to say of this Doctrine as they did of that, Who can then be saved? Who then can be said to be a true beleever? Is no soule washed or sprinkled with the bloud of Christ, doth no man truly beleeve in him that is not so white, so perfectly cleansed as he hath no filthinesse at all, no one spot of sin remaining on him? Who then can say hee doth truly beleeve in Christ, that ever hee was washed or sprinkled with his bloud? Or if others can say so surely (wilt thou say) I cannot say so, For I know and feele there is still a great deale of filthinesse, many a foule and blacke spot remaining in my soule.
For answer unto this,Answ. we must understand that all true beleevers are cleansed and washed from their sins two waies. As you shall find the Apostle teacheth us, 1 Cor. 6.11. Such were some of you (saith he) but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the name of our Lord Iesus, and by the spirit of our God. He speaketh this for the comfort of such as before their conversion had been guilty of those foule crimes he had spoken of in the 9. & 10. verses. Some of them had been idolaters, some adulterers, some Sodomites & buggerers, some theeves, some drunkards, some extortioners. No marvell though such persons were apt oft to call in question their owne estate, though they were subject to many doubts and feares in themselves. And therfore two things are remarkable in this manner of speech, which he useth of purpose that he might speake the more effectually to their comfort. The first is his so often repeating of his words, But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified. As if he had said, Though some of you were guilty of such foule sins, I say unto you, and (for your better assurance) I say it to you againe and againe, you are now fully acquitted of all those sinnes, no one of them shall ever be laid to your charge againe. The second is this, that he nameth their sanctification in the first place, which (as the effect and fruit) did in order of nature come after; and their justification in the second place, which (as the cause and root of it) did go before, of purpose (as I said) to increase their comfort; As if he should say, Ye are sanctified by the spirit of our God; yea and more then that (for your sanctification you will be apt to say is but poore and weake) ye are justified also from all these your sinnes in the name of the Lord Iesus. So that you see heere that the Apostle speaketh of a twofold washing that the faithfull have received from all their sinnes. 1. They are washed from their sinnes in the name of the Lord Iesus; that is in Christ, and through the merit of his bloud, which hee calleth there justification. 2. They are washed from their sinnes by the spirit of God which he calleth there sanctification. Now although these two goe alwaies together, Christ justifieth no man by the merit of his bloud but he sanctifieth him also by his holy spirit; the Lord accounteth no man righteous by imputing Christs righteousnesse unto him, but he maketh him also righteous by a righteousnesse inherent in himselfe. And the surest way for a man to know himselfe to be one of those that are justified by the bloud of Christ, is to find himselfe to be one of th…se that are sanctified by the spirit of Christ. Let no man deceive you (saith the Apostle, 1 Iohn 3.7.) hee that doth righteousnesse, is righteous, even as hee is righteous. As if he had said thus, He that hath inherent righteousnesse and he onelyonly is the man that is righteous by imputation; he that is sanctified is justified and none but he. And therefore also the Apostle calleth all them that receive benefit by Christ the sanctified ones, Heb. 2.11. Both hee that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one nature. And 10.14. By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Though this (I say) be so, yet betweene these two kinds of washing there be foure notable differences to be observed, which it is profitable for us all to be acquainted with.
First, The cleansing from sinne that is wrought by the spirit of God in our sanctification as it is a grace inherent and a worke done within us. I will put my spirit within you (saith the Lord, Ezek. 36.27.) and the kingdome of God is within you, saith our Saviour, Luke 17 21. So are we by the spirit of God made agents in it our selves. Let us cleanse our selves (saith the Apostle, 2 Cor. 7.1.) from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit, and finish our sanctification in the feare of God. But that cleansing from sinne which is wrought by the bloud of Christ in our justification, as it is a worke done without us, and for us by Christ with his father, he by the merit of his bloud wipeth all our sinnes out of his fathers debt-booke, so as none of them shall ever be imputed to us, nor wee called to account for them; so are wee no agents in it at all our selves, but this worke is wholly ascribed unto Christ alone. Hee washed us from our sinnes (saith the Apostle, Rev. 15.) in his owne bloud. And though we be oft said in Scripture to be justified by faith, which is a grace inherent in us, and an act of our understanding and will, yet is not that to be understood so as if our faith had any hand at all in the washing from our sinnes or procuring our pardon of God, but because faith receiveth and accepteth this our pardon, which Christ onelyonly hath purchased, applyeth it unto us, and resteth in it; therefore (and for no other cause) is our faith said to justifie us in the sight of God.
Secondly, The cleansing from sinne which is wrought by the spirit of God in our sanctification, is not wrought in the same measure and degree in all true beleevers. A man may be a true beleever and truly sanctified too, and yet come farre short of some other of Gods people that he knoweth in the measure and degree of knowledge, faith, patience, mortification and such like graces of Gods holy spirit. Nehemiah saith of his brother Hanani, Neb. 7.2. that hee feared God above many. And of Iob the Lord himselfe saith, Iob 1.8. that there was none like him upon earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feared God, and eschewed evill. His three friends that came to visit him Eliphaz, Zophar, and Bildad were all good men doubtlesse (and so was Elih… especially) they all feared God and eschewed evill, they were upright hearted men; but they came all farre short of Iob in grace and piety. Yea it is strange to see, what a distance God putteth betweene his faithfull servants this way, how great a measure of sanctifying grace he giveth to some of them, and how little unto other some. Some of Gods good ground (as our Saviour teacheth us, Mat. 13.23.) bringeth forth an hundred fold, and some but sixty, and some but thirty fold, and yet all good ground too. A point which if it were well understood would much abate that veine of bitter censuring which so much aboundeth in these daies. But on the other side, The cleansing from sin that is wrought by the bloud of Christ in our justification is equally vouchsafed unto every true beleever, without any difference at all. Every one hath as free and large a pardon, and is as fully discharged from all his sins as any other; every one is as perfectly righteous in the sight of God, as any other is. So saith the Apostle, Rom. 3.22. The righteousnesse of God which is by faith of Iesus Christ (that is, by that faith which is reposed in Iesus Christ) is unto all, and upon all that beleeve; for there is no difference. Mary Magdalen that had beene a notorious harlot, after that once she had truly repented and became a true beleever▪ had all her sinnes as fully forgiven her and was as righteous every whit in Gods sight as the greatest Saint; and the penitent theefe that died with Christ upon the Crosse as either Peter or any other of the elect Apostles was. In which respect the Apostle saith of all the faithfull to whom he wrote, 2 Pet. 1.1. that they had obtained the like precious saith with himselfe and the rest of the Apostles. His meaning is not that every true beleever had obtained the like measure and degree of faith, that he and his fellow Apostles had; but that that faith they had, being true how weake soever it was, was every whit as precious, as much worth to them, would do them as much good in respect of the perfect righteousnesse which it did apprehend and apply unto them (in which respect only he calleth their faith precious as appeareth plainly in his next words, Through the righteousnesse of God (saith he) and of our Saviour Iesus Christ) in this respect (I say) he saith the faith of the poorest and weakest Christian was every whit as precious as his own or any other mans could be.
The third difference betweene that cleansing we have from sin by our sanctification and that we have by our justification is this. The first is wrought in us by the spirit of God not all at once, but by degrees. In which respect our sanctification is compared to the light (Pro. 4.18.) that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. And Eph. 4.16. to the body of a man which groweth and increaseth in stature and strength till it be come to the full foreign and perfection of it. So the Apostle saith, 2 Cor. 3.18. that we are changed into the image of God from glory to glory (that is, from one degree of holinesse to another) even as by the spirit of the Lord. Insomuch as the man that standeth at a stay and groweth not in grace hath just cause to suspect, that the spirit of God hath not yet sanctified him, nor wrought any truth of grace in him. The righteous shall grow (saith the Prophet, Psal. 92.12.) like a Cedar in Lebanon. And he that hath cleane hands (whom the spirit of God doth cleanse and sanctifie (saith Iob 17.9.) shall be stronger and stronger. But on the other side, The cleansing that is wrought by the bloud of Christ in our justification, is all done at once, it never groweth and increaseth at all, but is every whit as much at our first ingrafting into Christ by faith, as it is ever after. Our faith indeed whereby wee doe apprehend it, our sense and assurance of it likewise, is not perfected at once, but groweth and increaseth as our sanctification doth. The righteousnesse of God (that whereby wee stand just and righteous in the sight of God, saith the Apostle, Romanes 1.17.) is revealed (and made knowne to our hearts) from faith to faith; that is, by such a faith as groweth and increaseth, from one degree unto another. But the worke of our justification is done all at once. Therefore Baptisme is said to seale unto us the forgivenesse and washing away of all our sinnes, not originall onelyonly, but actuall also. Arise and bee baptized (saith Ananias to Paul, Acts 22.16.) and wash away thy sinnes; that is, all thy sinnes, as Paul himselfe expoundeth it, Col. 2.12, 13. Which is also a chiefe cause why it is but once administred to us, in all our life time. Then washed I thee with water (saith the Lord to his Church, Ezek. 16.9.) yea I throughly washed away thy bloud from thee. When was that that God did thus throughly wash his people from all their bloud, from all their filthinesse? That he telleth her, ver. 8. When I entred into covenant with thee, and thou becamest mine. At that very time when first we received grace truly to beleeve in Christ, when God first entred into covenant with us and made us his people, then did he throughly wash us from all our sins.
Fourthly and lastly, That cleansing from sinne which is wrought in us by the spirit of God in our sanctification is never perfected in this life. The holyest man that ever lived in this world (Christ onelyonly excepted) was not so fully and perfectly sanctified but he had some foule spots and blemishes remaining in him, Who can say (saith Salomon, Proverbes 20.9.) I have made my heart cleane, I am pure from my sinne? Iohn Baptist himselfe who was sanctified in his mothers wombe Cryed unto Christ, Mat. 3.14. I have need to bee baptized of thee, As if he had said, I have need to be better washed and cleansed from my sinnes by thy spirit, then yet I am. Paul he complaineth, Rom. 7.24. O wretched man that I am: who shall deliver mee from the body of this death? It is the peculiar priviledge of the Saints in heaven, Hebrewes 12.23. they are just men made perfect. They and they onelyonly are so. But that cleansing that is wrought by the bloud of Christ in our justification is so perfect that it leaveth no filth no spot at all upon the soule. Thou art all faire my love (saith Christ to his Church, Canticles 4.7.) there is no spot in thee. And in this respect it is that David saith heere that if the Lord would once purge and wash him with that bloud of Christ, hee knew then hee should bee cleane, perfectly and throughly cleane, yea he should be whiter then any snow. Though in respect of our sanctification we be not througly cleansed from all our sins, yet in respect of our justification we are; though the pollution of many sins doth remaine in us and is not by the spirit of God quite done away; yet the bloud of Christ cleanseth us from all sin (saith the Apostle, 1 Ioh. 3.7.) so as no pollution of any sin shall ever be imputed to us. So soone as we doe truly beleeve in Christ, and are by his bloud reconciled to God, and have our pardon, we are in his account as if we had no sinne in us, as if we had never offended him in all our lives.
See the proofe of this, and how large a pardon every true believer hath, how fully he is acquitted and discharged of all his sinnes, see it (I say) in five points.
First, He that truly believeth in Christ hath all his sinnes pardoned; his pardon is generall, no one sinne that ever he committed (how hainous soever it hath been) is excepted out of his pardon. I will cleanse them (saith the Lord, Ier. 32.8.) from all their iniquity whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me. Though your … he as scarlet (saith he againe Esa. 1.18.) they shall be as white as snow. Davids sinnes certainly were as scarlet, of a most deepe dye, and yet he knew here that if he were once washed in Christs bloud, if that were imputed unto him, he should be whiter than the snow. True it is, there is one sinne (the sinne against the Holy Ghost) that is unpardonable, as our Saviour affirmeth, Mat. 12.32. but that is such a sinne as none that doth truly believe in Christ, or doth desire unfainedly to believe in him, did ever commit. And of all other sinnes whatsoever they be, our Saviour saith, Mar. 3.28. Verily I say unto you; all sinnes shall be forgiven unto the sonnes of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme; that is, they are pardonable, and shall certainly be pardoned unto them that repent and believe in Christ.
Secondly, Whom once God pardoneth in Christ, he is said to pardon them so fully, as hee will never remember nor thinke of their sinnes any more, Thou hast cast all my sinnes behind thy backe, saith Hezekiah, Esa 38.17. that thou maist never see nor looke on them againe. I will forgive their iniquity (saith the Lord of his people that are in covenant with him, Ier. 31.34) and I will remember their sinne no more; he will forgive their sinnes, and forget them too.
Thirdly, Such as of all other have beene the most hainous sinners, yet after once they have beene reconciled to him, and obtained their pardon, the Lord thinketh never the worse of them for their former sinnes. Of all the women and Disciples that had followed Christ, we shall not finde that ever hee shewed so much respect unto any, as hee did unto Mary Magdalen that had beene a most infamous and notorious sinner. For, 1. He accepted of that kindnesse from her as he never did from any other woman, Luke 7.38. Hee let her wash his feet with her teares, and wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kisse them, and annoint them. And 2. After his resurrection it is said Mar. 16.9. that he appeared first unto her of all persons in the world. So of all the elect Apostles we shall not find that he shewed so much respect unto any as he did unto Peter, who had sinned more shamefully than they all had done. He was seene of Cephas (saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.5.) then of the twelve. He shewed himselfe after his resvrrection first unto Peter, before all the rest.
Fourthly, Though there be much corruption remaining in the faithfull after they be reconciled unto God, and have obtained their pardon, yea so much, as when he casteth his eyes upon them, he cannot looke off on it. All our righteousnesses (saith the Church Esa. 64.6.) are as filthy (menstruous, plaguy, lothsome) raggs; and his eyes are so pure (as the Prophet speaketh Hab. 1.13.) that he cannot behold sinne; but he loatheth it more than the daintiest eye in the world can do the most filthy thing that is; yet is his love so deare unto all them whom he hath once pardoned and is reconciled unto, that he seeth not any of their sinnes which he hath pardoned, so as to loath them for it. And so is that speech to be understood, Numb. 23.21. He hath not beheld iniquity in Iacob, neither hath he seene perversenesse in Israel. He seeth it onelyonly as a tender mother seeth the filthinesse and deformity of her little child, to cleanse it, and cure it, and shew the more compassion unto it. Yea, the Lord seeth the corruptions and blemishes of such as he hath once pardoned and received into favour, with a farre more tender eye, and a heart much further off from loathing them for it, than ever could be in the tenderest hearted mother in the world. Can a woman (saith the Lord, Esa. 49.15.) forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the sonne of her wombe? Yea they m…y forget, yet will not I forget thee. Yea he not onelyonly loatheth them not for that sin that remaineth in them, but delighteth and taketh pleasure in them neverthelesse for all that. The Lord taketh pleasure (saith David, Psal. 147.11.) in them that feare him, in those that hope in his mercy.
Fiftly and lastly, This pardon shall never be cancelled and revoked, the Lord when he hath granted it, will never call it in againe. Of this mercy it is said, Hos. 13.14. Repentance is hid from mine eyes. Whom he hath once …ustified and received into his favour, he will never reckon with them againe, nor reverse his pardon. He fors…eth not his Saints (saith David, Psal. 37.28) they are preserved for ever. In which respect the Apostle (Heb. 13.20.) callet… Christs bloud the bloud of the everlasting covenant. The righteousnesse we have by Christ is an everlasting righteousnesse, Dan. 9.24. And from hence it is (even from the consideration of this largenesse and fulnesse of their pardon, and how perfect the worke of their justification is) that the faithfull have borne themselves, and rested much more upon their justificatio…, than upon their sanctification; as you may see in these three points. First, They have placed their happinesse in this, and not in any inherent grace that was in them; as the Apo…tle teac…eth, Rom. 4.6—8. David thus describeth (saith he) the blessednesse of the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities …e forgiven, &c. Secondly, They have also grounded their peace of conscience, their spirituall joy, their glorying and boasting in their owne estate, not so much upon their sanctification, or any goodnesse they found wrought in themselves (which they knew was weake and unperfect, subject to many changes and alterations) as upon their justification by the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to them, which they knew was most perfect and unreversible. Being justified by faith (saith the Apostle, Rom. 5.1—3.) we have peace with God, through our Lord Iesus Christ; ye… (we are not onelyonly at peace, but) we rejoyce also, and are chearefull and comfortable in hope of the glory of God; yea we glory also in our estate even in tribulations; as you know Paul did when he was in chaines, Acts 26.…9 Thirdly and lastly, They have so borne themselves upon the assurance and comfort of their justification and pardon, as they have been able to lift up their faces unto God, and to go to him in their prayers with a holy boldnesse; as it is strange to see what boldnesse and familiarity both David and other of Gods servants have expressed this way. By him we have boldnesse (saith the Apostle Eph. 3.12) and accesse with confidence, and boldnesse, through faith in him.
Now the reasons and grounds of this Doctrine are three principally.
Reason 1First, Why doth not the Lord impute unto the faithfull any of their sinnes? Why doth he not account, nor esteeme of them as sinners that are sinners indeed? Surely, because he fully imputed all their sinnes with all the foule circumstances of them unto Christ their Surety. The Lord laid upon him (saith the Prophet, Esa. 53.6.) the iniquities of us all. He made him to be sinne for us (saith the Apostle, 2 Cor. 5.31.) who knew no sinne, that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him.
Reason 2Secondly, How is it possible that the soule of any so foule a sinner as David was, should be made so cleane in Gods eye, as no one spot should remaine in it? Surely because the bloud of Christ was the bloud of such a person as was God aswell as man. God purchased us (saith the Apostle, Acts 20.28.) with his bloud. And therefore was of infinite merit and virtue, sufficient, and more than sufficient perfectly to cleanse the fowlest soule. It is therefore compared by the Prophet Zach. 13.1. not to a cisterne or poole that may be drawne dry, but to a fountain, opened to all Gods people for sinne and for uncleannesse. With him is plenteous redemption, saith the Prophet, Psal. 130.7. The ransome that hee paid was enough and enough againe to satisfie Gods justice for all our sinnes.
Thirdly and lastly,Reason 3. But how is it possible (will you say) that the soule of any so fowle a sinner as David here was, a filthy adulterer, a murderer should ever become in Gods sight not onelyonly cleane, but whiter than the snow, beautifull and glorious in the eyes of God? Surely because to whomsoever the Lord doth give for Christs sake the pardon of his sinnes, which is the first part of our justification, to him he doth also impute the righteousnesse of Christ, which is the second part of our justification before God. Thus David describeth (saith the Apostle, Rom. 4.6, 7.) the blessednesse of the man, to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sinnes are covered. To whom the Lord forgiveth his sinnes, to him he doth impute righteousnesse also. Take away the filthy garments from him (saith the Lord of Iehoshuah, Zach. 3.4) and be said unto him, behold, I have caused thine iniquity to passe from thee, and I will cloath thee with change of raiment. And what was that change of raiment? Surely the perfect and more than sufficiently meritorious obedience and righteousnesse of the Lord Iesus which God doth impute unto us. In which respect also we are said by justifying faith to put on the Lord Iesus, Rom. 13.14. Gal. 3.27. and to be cloathed with him as with a garment. And no marvell, if being so apparelled we appeare whiter than the snow, beautifull and glorious in the sight of God. To her (that is, to the Spouse and Church of Christ saith the Apostle, Rev. 19.8.) was graunted that she should be arrayed in fine linnen, cleane and white; for the fine linnen is the righteousnesse of Saints. This perfect righteousnesse of Christ which the Lord imputeth to us, and where with (as with a garment) he cloatheth us, is the onelyonly righteousnesse that any of Gods Saints have to stand before God with, and having that, they may stand with boldnesse even before the judgement seat of God.