Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 8 · Lecture 133
Lecture CXXXIII. On Psalme 51.7. Novemb. 24. 1629.
THe third Motive that may perswade us to seeke without delay and labour to find that wee are in Christ,Motive▪ that we are fully and perfectly justified in Gods sight through him, is this, That we can have no true comfort in any goodnesse that seemeth to be in us, till we know our selves to bee in Christ. This Motive is in this respect necessary to bee insisted upon, because nothing hath more force to dull our appetite unto Christ, and keepe us from seeking comfort in him, then that contentment and comfort we find in some goodnesse that wee thinke is in our selves. Great is the contentment that men find in the outward and common blessings of God, and great force there is even in that (as we heard the last day) to keepe men from hungring and thirsting after Christ. But the comfort and content a man taketh in the least goodnesse that he findeth in himselfe is farre greater; and he is apt to blesse himselfe more in that, then in any outward blessing that he doth enjoy. Not of works (saith the Apostle, Ephes. 2.9. good works he meaneth) least any man should boast. As if he should say, A man is exceeding apt to boast of his good workes, though not outwardly in words, yet inwardly in heart, he blesseth himselfe and secureth his heart in nothing so much as in his good workes, in any good worke he knoweth by himselfe, And when he had said, 1 Cor. 1.30. that Christ is made unto us of God wisedome, and righteousnesse, and sanctification and redemption. As if he had said, We have all in him; he giveth this for the reason of it, verse 31. that hee that gloryeth, might glory in the Lord. As if he should have said, If we had any of this without Christ, we would be apt to glory in it and care but a little for him. And therefore it is so oft said that the poore and such as find themselves to be utterly destitute of all goodnesse, are the onelyonly men that are fit to seeke and receive comfort by Christ. The Lord hath anointed me (saith our Saviour, Luk. 4.18.) to preach the Gospell to the poore. As if he should say, Small hope there is, that any but they will receive it. Ho every one that thirsteth, (saith he, Esa. 55.1.) come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money. Where it is to bee observed that hee maketh the man that thirsteth, and the man that hath no money all one. As if he had said, None will thirst after Christ but only those poore wretches that have no money, nothing of their owne to take unto. So he saith likewise, Zach. 11.11. that they were the poore of the flocke that waited on him. And who are meant by these poore ones in all these places? Surely not such as lived in the want of bodily and worldly wealth, but such as are poore in spirit and feele an utter want of all goodnesse in themselves, these are the onelyonly men that will thirst after Christ, and are fit to receive him. And so the Apostle interpreteth that metaphor when he saith, Romanes 4.5. to him that worketh not (that hath no worke no goodnesse at all to trust unto) but beleeveth in him that justifieth the ungodly (knoweth himselfe to be void of all goodnesse full of ungodlinesse and therefore flieth to Christ and beleeveth in him) to him his faith is counted for righteousnesse. Yee see then how apt we are to be kept from Christ, from prising him and desiring him as we ought even by those good things that are in us This impediment will easily be remooved if we consider well the force of this third Motive, wee can have no true comfort of any good thing that is in us, till we bee in Christ. To speake distinctly of this point, you shall see the truth of it 1 In those good things that are in many a naturall man. 2 In those good things that are in many an hypocrite. 3 Lastly, In those good things that are in the regenerate man himselfe. And in handling these three I will observe this method. 1. I will shew you that there are in every one of these some good things. 2 That there is no true comfort to be found in any of this goodnesse till we be in Christ.
For the first, It cannot be denied but there are many good things in some naturall men. That that we call civill and morall honesty is certainely in it selfe a good thing. That many men live so unblameably free from any open or knowne offence, specially against the second table. The care that many naturall men have to keepe their word, to deale justly with all men, to bee helpfull and mercifull to such as stand in need of them, and many such like things, that may bee discerned in them are doubtlesse very good things. The conscience that Abimele…h the King of Gerar made of adultery, and that integrity of heart that was in him that way, of which wee read, Genesis 20.5. was a very good thing. Yea those are good things not onelyonly in the esteeme of men but even in the account of the Lord himselfe. We read Marke 10.20, 21. when our Saviour heard the young man say that he had observed all the commandements of the second table from his youth, and knew well that (in respect of the outward observation of them) be had spoken the truth, that beholding him he loved him for this. Certainely God loveth and liketh well of these moralities and civill vertues that are in naturall men; Yea and he useth to reward them also. Let me shew you the proofe of this in three degrees.
First, Many a naturall man by the care hee hath to deale justly with men, and by his good workes, the workes of charity that hee doth avoideth many temporall judgements of God that doe fall upon other men. That is the reason why the Prophet having threatned desolation against the Moabites, Esa. 16.3. adviseth them that by executing judgement and shewing mercy to the oppressed, they would labour to prevent it. And the Prophet Daniel, Daniel 4.27. giveth hope unto Nebuchadnezzar himselfe that by righteousnesse and shewing mercy to the poore, he might obtaine a lengthening of his tranquillity.
Secondly, It is not to bee doubted but that many naturall men prosper much the better both they and their posterity, in their outward estate even for the morall parts that are in them. It is said Exodus 1.20, 21. that God dealt well with the midwives of Egypt and made them houses because of the mercy they shewed to the Hebrew infants, they feared God so farre that they durst not make them away though the King so straitly commanded them to do it.
Thirdly and lastly, The Lord hath been wont to reward these civill vertues and morall parts that are in some naturall men, even with spirituall blessings also in some sort. For even for this cause by his restraining grace he keepeth them from some sinnes that otherwise they were in danger to fall into. I know (saith the Lord to Abimilech, Gen. 20.6.) that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me, therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.
Two evident reasons there are why the Lord must needs love and reward these morall parts, these civill vertues that are in many naturall men.
First, Because of the good they doe to others thereby, even the service they doe to his good providence in preserving society and peace among men. This civill honesty and these good morall parts that are in many naturall men, (where there is no religion) are the very sinewes and bonds of humane society, and there were no living or conversing among men without them. This reason the Lord giveth why hee would reward Nebuchadnezzar and his army for the service they did against Tyrus, Ezekiel 29.20, Because they wrought for me saith the Lord God. As if he had said, They were instruments of my good providence in the just rui…e and destruction of that wicked people. And if God doe reward them oft that serve his providence in his justice for the ruine and destruction of men, though they have no goodnesse in them at all; it is no marvell though he reward them much more who by some goodnesse that is in them doe serve his providence in the preservation and welfare of men.
Secondly, These civill vertues must needs be good things and such as God doth love and will reward, because they are such things as God hath in his law commanded. The Gentiles (saith the Apostle, Romanes 2.14, 15.) doe by nature the things contained in the law; and shew the worke of the law written in their hearts. As if hee should say, These things doe evidently shew and declare that the law of God is written in their hearts. You see then (Beloved) wee doe not discommend civill honesty; wee doe not discourage naturall men from doing good workes; wee doe not condemne all the workes of naturall men; nor say that whatsoever they doe that are not religious is abominable and naught. Nay wee heartily wish there were much more civill honesty in the world then there is. Hee that is truly religious would bee ashamed that any naturall man should bee more honest then hee. True religion is no enemy to civill and morall honesty nay it is a great nourisher and increaser of it. It is a dangerous errour that most men are growne now unto, to thinke it indiscretion and want of learning and judgement in a Minister to stand much in pressing of points of morality in his Sermon; or in particular reproofe of such faults as are committed by men in their buying, and selling, and such like passages of their ordinary conversation and dealings one with another. It is thought now adayes there is no divinity in this, they goe besides their Text when they deale in these things. No no beloved, bee not deceived, Those points that God in his Word standeth most upon, wee must presse most in our ministery; and those are these matters of your common practise. It is a strange thing to observe how plentifull and particular and precise the Holy Ghost is in pressing men to deale justly in all their dealings with men even in weights and measures of all sorts. You shall doe no unrighteousnesse in judgement (saith the Lord, Levit. 19.35, 36) in m…eyard, in weight, or in measure. Iust ballances, just weight, a just Ephah and a just Hi… shall ye have. I am the Lord your God that brought you out of the land of Egypt. And againe, Deut. 25.13—16. Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights (of one kind hee meaneth) a great and a small. Thou shalt not have in thine house diverse measures, a great and a small, one to buy by, another to sell by. But thou shalt have a perfect and a just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have, that thy daies may bee lengthened in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. For all that doe such things, and all that doe unrighteously (marke it I pray you, all that doe unrighteously in what kind soever) are an abomination unto the Lord thy God. Marke also (I pray you) how much the Apostles in the New Testament doe presse upon Gods people in their exhortations, that they would bee carefull to walke honestly. Walke honestly, towards them that are without, saith the Apostle Paul, 1 Thess. 4.12. And the Apostle Peter, 1 Pet. 2.12. Have your conversation honest among the Gentiles. And the Apostle Paul againe, Phil. 4.8. Whatsoever things are honest, think on these things. As if he had said, Be not forgetfull or carelesse of such things. And Rom. 13.13. Let us walke honestly as in the day. And in the following words he instanceth in some speciall points of dishonesty he would have them to take heed of It is dishonesty to be drunke, yea to use rioting, idle-company-keeping, haunting and sitting at the ale-house to drinke or to game, though a man bee never drunke foreign, saith he. It is dishonesty to use chambering and wantonnesse, secret familiarity and dalliance with a woman, lascivious speeches and gestures though a man never commit whordome; Yea it is dishonesty (saith the Apostle) for a man to live in strife and envying to be a contentious person, unpeaceable, unquiet, though he never oppresse or defraud or wrong his neighbour any other way. Provide things honest (saith he againe, Rom. 12.17.) In the sight of all men. The word he useth there is worth the observing foreign, As if he had said, Cast for this before hand, take care of this, that you do nothing that is dishonest, that you faile not in any point of honesty by no meanes. And he professeth, Heb. 13.18. that this was a thing himselfe tooke much comfort in that he had a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly. And what meaneth he by honesty? Surely such duties of the second table which the light of nature teacheth men, to make conscience of. And why (I pray you) doe the Apostles stand so much upon commending honesty unto Gods people? Surely for two causes.
First, Because they knew that nothing would grace religion so much and win it credit in the eyes of all men, as this would doe: when they see that they that professe it are of honest conversation, just men and faithfull, and courteous, and meeke and patient, and humble, and kind, and mercifull men▪ This reason the Apostle giveth, 1 Pet 2.12. Having your conversation (saith he) honest among the Gentiles, that where as they speake against you as evill doers they may by your good workes which they shall behold (that is, by your honesty, such workes as they by the light of nature know to be good workes) glorifie God in the day of visitation.
Secondly, Because they knew that on the other side nothing doth make religion so odious and contemptible in the world, nor so much harden the hearts of men against it, as the want of honesty in such as doe professe it, that they are guilty of such things as even by the light of nature all men may discerne to bee grosse and vile. When the Canaanites and Perizzites had seene what the sonnes of Iacob had done to the Shechemites how they had broken their promise and covenant with them, how cruelly and barbarously they had used them, and all under a colour of zeale for their owne religion, this made Iacob and his religion (though alas he was farre from approving or consenting to this that they had done) stink among the inhabitants of the land, as himselfe saith, Gen. 34.…0.
Applic.You see (beloved) what moved the Apostles to commend honesty so much unto Gods people in their times; and surely the same reasons have moved mee to speake so much in the commendation of it unto you at this time. Never was it more neglected by some professours of religion then now it is; never did the Gospell receive more dishonour and reproach through the neglect of it then now it doth. I beseech you (beloved) so many of you as have given your names unto Christ looke unto this. Count it a foule shame for thee that art a Christian when a naturall man, or one that thou takest to bee farre short of thee in religion shall justly taxe thee with dishonesty in any kind. When Abimelech had told Sarah of her fault in dissembling her husband, thus was shee reproved saith Moses, Genesis 20.16. As if hee should have said, That was a shamefull reproofe indeed for a woman of her note, to bee taught her duty and upbraided with her fault by an heathen man. Surely it cannot but grieve every good heart to heare that which is too truly spoken to the shame and reproach of the Gospell that there is more truth and fidelity, more just dealing, more care of their word, more good neighbour-hood and kindnesse, more charity and mercifullnesse among a number of meere naturall men, nay among Papists, nay among Turks and infidels then among a great many that are of chief note for the profession of the gospell. O that God would be pleased to open the eyes of such professors to see how great their sinne and danger is. To this end consider with thy selfe these three things.
First, that for thee to faile in these duties which are cleare not by the light of the Word onelyonly, but even by the light of nature also, is a greater sinne than for thee to faile in those duties onelyonly that are cleare unto thee by the light of the Word onelyonly. I know well that the sinnes against the first Table are in some respects greater than the sinnes against the second are. But in this respect it is certaine that some sinnes against the second Table, these sinnes against common honestly, are more hainous than the most sinnes against the first, that they are committed against greater and clearer light than the other are. And the greater the light is against which any man offendeth, the greater is his sinne. To him that knoweth to do well and doth it not, to him it is sinne, saith the Apostle, Iames 4.17.
Secondly, Consider that these faults of thine will be imputed by the world not to thy self only, but to all that professe that religion that thou dost; they will be ready to say, these are your professours, they are all such. Remember what Iacob said Gen. 34.30. to Simeon and Levi, Ye make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land. And should not this trouble thee much? Let not them that wait on thee O Lord God of Israel (saith David Ps. 69.6. be ashamed for my sake, Let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel. See how earnest he was with God to keep him from doing any thing that might bring reproach upon Gods servants, or make the professours of his name odious to the world. And so wouldst thou be too, if thy heart were truly religious as Davids was.
Thirdly and lastly, Consider that the shame of thy sinnes resteth not upon thy selfe, nor upon all men that professe as thou dost, but it reacheth unto the Lord himselfe, and to his holy religion which thou dost professe, and causeth men to say, Lo this is their religion, this they learne by going to Sermons, Is not this a goodly profession? The name of God is blasphemed through you, saith the Apostle, Rom. 2.24. And doth this seeme a small thing in thine eyes? Will ye pollute me among my people (saith the Lord, Ezek. 13.19.) for handfuls of barley, and for peeces of bread? As if he should say thus: Will ye for the gaining of a trifle make my name and religion odious and loathsome to the people? When Iacobs sonnes had given that occasion to the Canaanites to reproach religion, he cryeth out unto them, Gen. 34.30. Ye have troubled me. It was a great trouble of mind to the good man, that any occasion should be given to wicked men to hate or speake evill of religion, specially by him or any of his. And certainly, if the glory of God, and the credit of his gospell be not dearer to thee than any thing in the world, if thou hadst not rather die than bring reproach upon the Gospell, thou canst have no comfort in thine estate. If thou canst not say with David Psal. 69.9▪ The reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me. As if he had said, The words that are spoken against thee, and thy holy religion are a greater burden to me, and trouble me more than any thing that can be said against my selfe doth; certainly thou hast no zeale of God in thee at all.
Now though all this be true that you have heard; though the civill virtues and morall parts that are in thee be good things in themselves and pleasing unto God; yet cannot all thy civility, thy just dealing, thy care thou hast of thy word, thy kindnesse and good nature, thy mercifulnesse and readinesse to helpe them that have need, yeeld thee any true comfort at all, till thou be in Christ; and knowest that through him thy sinnes are pardoned, and thou art in favour with God. For this we have evident proofe in the example of sundry, who though they had these civill vertues in them, yet are branded by the Holy Ghost for most unhappy men, and such as none of us would be in their case for all the world. The Pharisee could boast, Luke 18.11. that he was neither extortioner, nor unjust in his dealings with men, that he was no adulterer nor filthy person. How dutifull a child was Esau to his father, how carefull to please him, how fearefull to offend him? As you may read, Gen. 27.31, 41. and 28.8. Of how bountifull a disposition and free from covetousnesse? When Iacob brought him a royall present, he refused it and said Gen. 33.9. I have enough my brother, keep that thou hast unto thy selfe. And where shall we read of such an example of kind-heartednesse and pitifulnesse and aptnesse to forgive an insolent, and proud, and inveterate enemy as we have in Ahab towards Benhadad 1 King. 20.31.34? And what man in the world could ever live a more unblameable and honest life, than that rich man Mat. 19.20. that had kept all the commandements of the second Table from his very youth to that day? Of whom yet our Saviour giveth us just cause to judge (by that fearfull sentence he giveth upon that occasion of all that trust in their riches) that he could never get to heaven. But the example of the Apostle Paul may serve instead of a thousand for this point. Never did man live a more unblameable life, nor excell in all civill and morall righteousnesse, than he did when he was a naturall man. Insomuch as he saith of himselfe, Phil. 3.4. If any other man thinketh he hath whereof he may trust in the flesh, much more I. And Verse 6. he saith that touching the righteousnesse which is in the law, he had been blamelesse. But did he find any sound comfort in all this? No, no, when God opened his eyes, and let him see his owne estate, he found himselfe to be a most wretched man for all his morall righteousnesse. O saith he, there was not a viler wretch in the world than I was for all that. Of all the sinners in the world (saith he 1 Tim. 1.15.) I was the chiefe. He esteemed no better of all his civill righteousnesse than of dung, that he might win Christ, which he knew he could never do, so long as he put any confidence in that, till he renounced and loathed that. And so will it be with every one of you (beloved) when God shall be pleased to open your eyes as he did his servant Pauls; you will see then your case is most wretched for all your civill honesty; you will see that you that tooke your selves to be such honest and just men, are the chiefe of sinners; you will see that though (as you have heard) your just dealing with men, your fidelity, your kindnesse and mercifulnesse are in themselves good things and pleasing to God, yet God is never a whit the better pleased with you for them. They that are in the flesh (in their naturall estate, unregenerated, unconverted by the Word and Spirit saith the Apostle, Rom. 8.8.) cannot please God. Nothing that is in them, nothing that they do can please God. And Heb. 11.6. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Till by a lively faith thou knowest thy selfe to be in Christ, thou canst have no hope that any thing thou dost doth please God.
Two evident reasons there be for this.
First, because Christ is the onelyonly fountaine of all true goodnesse. As the branch (saith our Saviour himselfe Ioh. 15.4.) cannot heare fruit unlesse it abide in the vin…, no more can ye except ye abide in me. And Vers. 5. Without me ye can do nothing. Till by faith we are ingrafted into Christ, we can beare no good fruit.
Secondly, Because whatsoever the naturall man doth, though it be for the substance of the action good (as I have shewed you it is) because it is commanded of God, yet he doth it not well, that is, with a good heart, and therefore cannot please God in his doing of it. For the Lord is pleased with nothing that we do, unlesse it be done with a good heart. The Lord looketh to the heart, saith he, 1 Sam. 16.7. Give to every man (saith Salomon in his prayer at the dedication of the temple, 1 King. 8 39.) according to his wayes whose heart thou knowest (As if he had said, As thou seest his heart to be) for thou even thou onelyonly knowest the hearts of all the children of men. Now no naturall man, no man that is out of Christ, can possibly do any good thing with a good heart. For, it is faith that purifieth the heart, Acts 15.9. And nothing is done with a good heart, that is not done out of love to God and care to please him. By this we know (saith the Apostle, 1 Ioh. 5.2.) that we love the children of God, when we love God and keepe his commandements. Observe two things in these words. 1. That we can never love our neighbour aright unlesse we first love God; and the love we beare to our neighbour doth proceed and grow from the love we beare to God. 2. That we can never do any thing that God hath commanded us well and with a good heart, till we first love God, and do it out of love unto him. Now no naturall man can do that that he doth in love to God and care to please him, but out of selfe-love and by-respects. For if he did, he would love Gods Word; he would make conscience of one commandement of God aswell as of another, specially of the commandements of the first Table which are the greatest commandements, Mat. 21.38. Nay it is not possible for any man truly to love the Lord, till he be first by faith perswaded of Gods love to him in Christ. It is faith that worketh by love, saith the Apostle, Galat. 5.6. We love him (saith the Apostle, 1 Ioh. 4 19.) because he loved us first. And what love of God to us is it that breedeth in us a true love to him againe? Surely not his common love, but when we once know by faith that he so loved us that he gave his Sonne for us, then we shall truly love him, and out of love keepe his commandements, and never till then. Herein is love (saith the Apostle, 1 Iob. 4.10.) not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Sonne to be the propitiation for our sinnes.
And thus you see no naturall man can find sound comfort in any goodnesse that is in him, or done by him.