Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 2 · Lecture 21
Lecture XXI. On Psalme 51.1, 2. Aprill 4. 1626.
NOw it followeth,Vse 2. that wee proceed unto two other uses, that this Doctrine serveth unto; whereof the first is for exhortation, the other for comfort.
For this Doctrine, if it be rightly understood and beleeved, hath great force to stirre us up, 1. To sundry duties that we owe unto men, with whom wee live, 2. And chief…ly to sundry other duties, that we owe unto the Lord himselfe.
Two duties there be, which we cannot choose but performe unto men, if we doe rightly understand, and beleeve this Doctrine; the one consisteth in forgiving of them that have wronged us, the other, in giving to them that stand in need of us.
For the first.1Duty Nothing hath that force to make a Christian willing to forgive and to live in charity with all men, as the knowledge, and true consideration of the Lords marvellous mercy and goodnesse towards us, Ephes. 4.32. Be yee kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you. Colos. 3.…3. Forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrell against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do yee. 1. Whatsoever the wrong be, for so God doth forgive us, Exod. 34.7. He forgiveth iniqui…y, and transgression, and sin. 2. Whatsoever the party bee that hath wronged us; for so doth God forgive the unworthyest of all, Rom. 10.21. All the day long he stretcheth forth his hands to a disobedient, and gain-saying people; such as hee sought reconciliation with, and they scorned it, and despised it. 3. How oft soever wee have forgiven him already. Matth. 18.12. I say not untill seven times, but untill seventy times seven times. For so doth God forgive, as our Saviour sheweth, by inferring that parable, verse 23 Therefore is the Kingdome of heaven likened unto a certaine King, &c. If any man shall object, it is impossible we should forgive,Object. as God forgiveth? can there be that mercy and goodnesse in us, that is in the Lord? Would I could forgive wrongs but as some men that I know can, to forgive as God forgiveth, I shall never be able. I answer. Indeed thou canst not.Answ. But this is that that thou must aime at, and strive unto, this is the patterne that God hath given thee to worke by. Our Saviour therefore having spoken of this very point of forgiving wrongs, inferreth. Mat. 5.48. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. As if hee had said, Never thinke thou hast forgiven as thou shouldest, till thou hast forgiven as God forgiveth. And the force of the argument from this example lyeth in foure points.
First. That it is the example of our Father, whom we ought, whom wee cannot choose but resemble, Ephes. 5.1. Be ye therefore followers of God (in this he meaneth, as appeareth by the words immediatly going before) as deare children.
Secondly. That our Father hath in his word reveiled, and spoken so much of his mercy this way, of purpose to make himselfe an example to us, and to provoke us to follow him. Iohn 13.15. I have given you an example (saith our Saviour) that ye should doe even as I have done unto you. This is evident in the whole drift of that parable, Mat. 18.23—35.
Thirdly. There is no proportion betweene that which the Lord forgiveth to us, and that which wee are to forgive unto men, no more then betweene a debt of an hundred pence, and one of ten thousand talents, Mat. 18.29, 28. all that we have to forgive, is nothing in comparison of that.
Fourthly. That the Lord hath thus farre tyed his mercy in forgiving us to this condition, that wee can forgive them that have wronged us; that no man can know or hope that his sins are pardoned, that findeth not himselfe able to forgive men; whomsoever he forgiveth, he maketh them also able, and willing to forgive. Matth. 6.14, 15. If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. This point I will the rather stand upon a while, because it is so seasonable for this time. And I doe acknowledge Gods good providence in directing my ministery so, as (in handling of mine ordinary text) I should have so just occasion given mee to fall upon this point at this time. Looke to it therefore you that intend now to Communicate, or have lately Communicated at the Lords Table. When our Saviour was to presse upon his Disciples this point of forgivenesse, hee useth a strange preface, Luk 17.3. Take heed to your selves. As if he had sayd 1. It is a matter of great moment that I am to speake of, you cannot possibly bee saved, unlesse you can forgive. 2. It is a matter of great difficultie, and such as you will bee apt to deceive your selves in; Take heede to your selves. But to you that meane to Communicate, I may much more justly say, take heed to your selves, take heed you come to it in Charity: bee sure you purge out the old leaven, before you come to eate Christ our Passeover, that was sacrificed for us, as the Apostle speaketh, 1 Cor. 5.7. And what meant he by the old leaven? he telleth you in the next verse, it is the leaven of malice, especially, that wee must bee carefull to purge out. For certainely the blessed Sacrament will bee your Bane, if you come to it in malice. Nay, I dare confidently affirme, it were a matter of lesse danger to you, to eate a morsell of Rats-bane, then to eate that Holy Bread; to drinke a cup of poyson, then to drinke of that Blessed Cuppe, if you come to it in malice. I speake this upon good warrant, 1 Cor. 11.29. He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh (foreign saith the Originall, which the old vulgar Latin translateth, judgement, but Master Beza, and the Geneva, and our new translation) damnation to himselfe. Damnation, if he be a reprobate, & impenitent hypocrite, judgment though he be regenerate, and a true beleever. We read a notable example and experiment of this in Iudas, of whom it is sayd, Ioh. 13.2…. that after he had received the Passeover, Satan entred into him. How came this to passe? Hee had given place to the Devill before, he came in malice to the Sacrament, as you may see, Iohn 13.2. Satan had put in his heart to betray Christ. And by malice (specially) men give place to the Devill. Ephesians 4 26, 27. Let not the Sunne go downe upon your wrath; neither give place to the Devill. The meaning then is, that after the receiving of the Passeover, Satan got further power over him, hee became two-fold more the child of hell then before. I pray you therefore let us take heed to our selves by this fearefull example. Certainly, somewhat hath beene amisse in us, that many of us have so often received, and found so little good by it; many of our people are fitly resembled. Esay 29.8. It shall even bee as when an hungry man dreameth, and behold, hee eateth, but hee awaketh, and his soule is empty. Many dreame they have in the Sacrament eaten the body of Christ, and drunke his blood, but when their consciences shall bee awakened, they will find they were but in a dreame. Is it possible to eate the flesh of Christ, and drinke his bloud, and be never the better for it, receive no increase of grace by it? Hee that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my bloud (saith our Saviour, Iohn 6.56, 57.) dwelleth in me, and I in him; he that eateth me, shall even live by me. Happy are they that discerne, and can mourne for this, that they receive no more good by the Sacrament; for 1. certainely, they are not in a dreame, the spirit of slumber is not upon them; 2. certainely, they doe receive good by the Sacrament, though they feele it not, and they shall feele it in Gods good time. But it is much to be feared many have in the Sacrament, eaten, and drunke judgement (if not damnation) to themselves, for they grow as Iudas did, worse, and worse after it, more profane, or more senselesse and sottish then before. And without doubt, one chiefe cause of all this is, that men come hand over head to the Sacrament, and have no care to purge out the old leaven out of their hearts, before they come thither. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reape, saith the Apostle, Galat. 6.7. If you did sow better in your care to prepare your selves before, you would reape better in the fruit, and comfort of the Sacrament afterward. And the chiefe part of the old leaven, as you have heard that sowreth the Sacrament to us, is malice and uncharitablenesse that we bring with us to it.
Two sorts of men there be, to whom I will apply this Doctrine.
First.Applic. I know some have ever beene apt to abuse this Doctrine, and will keepe themselves from the Sacrament a yeere, or two, or three, and all because forsooth, they are not in charity, But this wisedome is not from above, but is earthly, sensuall, and devilish, as the Apostle speaketh, Iames 3.15. For, 1. these men shew manifest contempt to Christ, and his blessed ordinance, and that they never found any sweetnesse in it, that rather then they will forsake their malice, and seeke reconciliation, they will want it. To them I will say, as Esay 7.13. Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? That which the Apostle saith. 1. Pet. 2.2, 3. of the word may be applyed also to the Sacrament, which is well called Visibile Verbum, hee that hath tasted how sweet and gracious the Lord is, cannot choose but as a new borne babe desire it. They that put Christ, and his ordinances from themselves in this sort, they doe even give judgement against themselves, that they are unworthy of everlasting life, as the Apostle speaketh to the Iewes. Acts 13.46. 2. These men professe they will live still in malice, and have no desire to bee reconciled. Esay 3.9. They declare their sinne as Sodome, they hide it not, woe unto their soule, for they have rewarded evill unto themselves. For if they had an unfeined desire to bee reconciled, they need not refuse to receive the Sacrament. 2. Corinth. 8.12. If there bee first a willing mind it is accepted. Object.Thou wilt object. I have a purpose to bee reconciled,Answ. but I cannot yet. I answer. If the letting of the Sunne once goe downe upon thy wrath, bee a giving place to the Devill, Ephesians 4.26, 27. What place hast thou given to the Devill, that hast let so many Sunnes goe downe upon thy wrath, and resolvest there shall go more downe upon it yet? 3. Why commest thou to Church to joyne with Gods people in prayer, and in the word, yea, how darest thou pray or read it in private? For as thy malice would poyson the Sacrament unto thee, so will it the Word also; as is plaine by the earnest charge the Apostle giveth them that would receive comfort by the Word, to lay away all malice first, Iames 1.2…. Receive with meekenesse the engrafted word. 1. Peter 2.1, 2. laying aside all malice, as new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the Word. And so will it thy prayers, as is plaine by that speech of our Saviour, Mar. 11.25. When yee stand praying, forgive, if yee have ought against any. Yea, when thou sayest the Lords prayer, thou prayest God would stand affected to thee, as thou standest affected to thine enemies. Mat. 6.12. Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespas against us.
But to leave these; there is a second sort (and those the greater number by farre) that will never absent themselves from the Sacrament for this; they thanke God they beare malice to none in the World, they are in charity with all men. They know they are but beasts that will presume to come to the Sacrament, and be out of charity, they thanke God they are none of those. To these men I will say as the Apostle doth, Gal. 6.7. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. Know you have not to deale with men in this case, whom you may easily deceive, but with God that cannot be mocked. Take heed Satan fill not your hearts to lye unto the Holy Ghost; as Peter speaketh to Ananias, Acts 5.3. It is good for you therefore to try your hearts well in this point; and for your helpe herein I will give you some notes whereby you may know, whether you have indeed forgiven them that have wronged you or no.
First, he that hath truly forgiven him that did him wrong hath cast of all purpose, and desire of revenge, so as he dares not doe him hurt though it lay in his power. Rom. 12.19. Dearely beloved, avenge not your selves. Nay hee dares not give himselfe liberty to wish evill unto him, as Iob professeth of himselfe, Iob 31.30. Nay he dares not rejoyce in his hurt though himselfe have had no hand in it, Pro. 24.17, 18. Rejoyce not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth, lest the Lord see it, and it displease him. Hast thou thus forgiven?
Secondly, he that hath truly forgiven his enemy will be willing to doe him good when he needs him, and glad of such an opportunity. Rom. 12.27. If thine enemy hunger, feed him, if he thirst give him drinke. Looke to thy patterne, thus doth thy father forgive. Luk. 6.35. Love ye your enemies, and doe good, and ye shall be the children of the highest, for he is kinde to the unthankefull, and to the evill; and Ephes. 4.32. Be ye kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you. Wilt thou say thou hast forgiven all the world, thou malicest no body, and yet there bee neighbours of thine that wronged thee (as thou thinkest) three, foure, five, or sixe yeeres agoe, and thou hast beene strange to them ever since, thou shewest them no kindnesse, but even in such ordinary courtesies as thou dost to the rest of thy neighbours thou balkest them alwaies, and leavest them out; so as all thy neighbours can witnesse thou art not friends with them? Acts 5.3. Why hast Satan filled thy heart to lie unto the Holy Ghost?
Thirdly, he that hath truly forgiven, and is in charity will strive to forget, and will not willingly thinke of the wrongs have beene done him by any, …he would faine learne the art of oblivion for such things; because he knoweth the corruption of our nature is such, that the thinking of wrongs will make the heart boile, with desire of revenge. Levit. 19.18. Thou shalt not avenge, nor beare any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe. Shemei knew this, and therefore prayeth David 2 Sam. 19.19. that he would not remember what he had done. In this manner doth thy father forgive. Ier. 31.34. I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sinne no more.
Fourthly, he that hath truly forgiven, and is void of all malice doth unfainedly desire to be at peace with him, that hath done him most wrong, and to love him, and is therefore willing to seeke peace, and use all meanes of reconciliation that he can. Psal. 34.14. Seeke peace, and ensue it. Rom. 12.18. If it be possible as much as in you is, have peace with all men. 1 Thess. 4.11. Study to be quiet, cast about for it, strive earnestly for it foreign. Yea 1 though he did the wrong, not himselfe, Mar. 11.25. Forgive if ye have ought against any. 2 Though he be inferiour to himselfe. Gen. 13.8. Abraham said to Lot, &c. For so doth our father, he seeketh to his enemies for peace. 2. Cor. 5.20. God beseecheth you by us to be reconciled. Now what meanes hast thou used? What desire hast thou shewed this way?
Fiftly, he that hath truly forgiven, & is in charity indeed, though he have some enemies that are so lewd as that he cannot thinke well of them, nor dares shew kindnesse to them, nor ought, till he see them repent. 2. Thess. 3.14. Note such, and keepe no company with them that they may be ashamed; and we have our fathers example for this, Exod. 34.7. as mercifull as he is he will by no meanes cleare the guilty. Yet doth he that hath truly forgiven unfainedly desire that the worst man that is would mend, that he might thinke well of him. He can therefore pray for such. Mat. 5.44. I say unto you love your enemies pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you. 2 Thess. 3.15. Count him not as an enemy but admonish him. So doth thy father, he unfainedly desireth the amendment of the worst of his enemies. Ezek. 33.11. As I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that he turne from his way, and live; turne ye, turne ye from your evill waies, for why will ye die O house of Israel? Hast thou this charity? I know thou pretendest against such as thou hatest he is a bad man, &c. And dost thou dislike him for his badnesse onelyonly. 1. Likest thou none that are as bad? 2. Can thy heart witnesse thou hast unfainedly desired his amendment? Gal. 6.7. Be not deceived God is not mocked. Looke to thy patterne, love as thy father loveth.
Sixtly, and lastly, He that hath forgiven, and is void of malice, if the party that hath wronged him, and hee thinketh ill of will not be reconciled, reclaimed, reformed, will grieve for it, it is a trouble to his mind to thinke ill of any man, to be at ods and variance, to be strange to any man (though this cannot be avoided, yet) it is a trouble to him, Psal. 120.6, 7. My soule hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace, I am for peace, but when I speake, they are for warre. But see how this troubled him, verse 5. Woe is me that I sojourne in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar. For as there is great comfort in love, Phil. 2.1. so is there great vexation in variance to a good mind. Looke to thy patterne therefore, and thou shalt find, thy Saviour loved thus, hee was grieved that his enemies would not be reclaimed, Mar. 3.5. He mourned for the hardnesse of their hearts, and 8.12. He sighed deepely in his spirit for them. And of our heavenly Father we read, that he loved his enemies thus, Psal. 95.10. Fourty yeeres long was I grieved with this generation.
Canst thou say, thou hast loved thus? O happy thou then.
If any man shall object as Iohn 6.60. this is an hard saying, who can heare it? Object.who can endure such Doctrine?Answ. flesh and bloud can never doe this. I answer, 1. flesh and bloud indeed cannot, nor flesh and bloud can never inherite the kingdome of God, 1. Cor. 15.50. If thou be not regenerate, and borne againe, thou canst not see the kingdome of God. Ioh. 3.3. 2. Pray with the Apostle Lu. 17.5. Lord increase our faith. If thou wert well perswaded, how great the Lords love hath bin to thee: thou wouldst easily doe it,