Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 2 · Lecture 29
Lecture XXIX. On Psalme 51.1, 2. Iune. 20. 1626.
FOlloweth, that we now come to the directions, I promised to give, and to shew you what Gods servants that are in this case of spirituall desertion, are to doe to receive their comfort. And these directions are six principally.
First. They must enquire into, and labour to find out in themselves, the cause of this affliction, that by unfained repentance they may remove it. Thou must examine what sin it is, that is in thee, or hath beene in thee, that hath thus provoked God to with-draw the comfort of his spirit from thee. This is the wisest course to be taken in any affliction. David took this course in a grievous famine. 2. Sam. 21.1. David enquired of the Lord. What he did enquire, may appeare by Gods answer, that is to say, what the speciall sinne was, that he or his people had committed, that provoked God to this. It is for Saul (saith the Lord) and his bloudy house, because he slew the Gibeonite. But in this kind of affliction of mind, this course is specially to bee taken. This course Saul (before hee fell away from that goodnesse, hee had learned by being brought up in Gods Church) tooke when hee had sought unto God, and could receive no answer from him. 1. Sam. 14.37, 38. Draw ye neare hither, all ye chiefe of the people, and know, and see wherein this sinne hath bin this day. As if hee should say, Certainly, some sin of ours is the cause, why the Lord refuseth to answer us, let us find it out, and remove it. Thus did Iob when he was in this case we now speake of when hee had lost the feeling of Gods favour (for that was doubtlesse his chiefe affliction) he beseecheth God to helpe him to find out the cause of it in himselfe. Iob 10.2. Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me. And 13.23. Make me to know my transgression and my sinne. For 1. though not alway, yet usually this is the cause even of this affliction; either some sin they have fallen into (as in this case of David) or some secret corruption they nourish in themselves, that choketh their peace and comfort, and like a thicke fog, or filthy vapour, rising up in their soules, keepeth the light of Gods countenance from shining on them; according to that Esay 59.2. Your iniquities have separated betweene you and your God, and your sinnes have hid his face from you. Now this, this speciall sin must be found out, Lam. 3.40. Let us search and try our waies, and turne againe unto the Lord. 2. This is a sure way to recover our comfort, when wee can mourne more for this, that by sin we have departed from God, then that God hath by this spirituall desertion departed from us, and so by repentance returne to him againe, hee will certainly returne then to us, and restore to us our comfort. For this is his promise▪ Mal. 3.7. Returne unto me, and I will returne unto you saith the Lord of hosts.
The second direction is this. Thou must call to mind the times that are past, how it hath bin with thee formerly; Hadst thou never any comfortable feeling of Gods favour, and of the worke of Gods grace in thy heart? Didst thou never heare in thy selfe, that sweete voice of the spirit of adoption, witnessing to thy heart, that thou wert Gods child, & enabling thee to cry Abba Father; of which the Apostle speaketh, Rom. 8.15, 16. Examine thy selfe well, rub thy memory, and call this to mind. This direction the Apostle giveth the faithfull Hebrewes, when hee would perswade them to hold fast their confidence, and not to cast it away, Hebrewes 10.35. Call to remembrance (saith hee verse 32.) the former dayes, in which after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great sight of affections, and what joy you found in your selves then, verse 34. Ye tooke joyfully the spoyling of your goods. This course David tooke in this very case, Psalme 77.5, 6. I have considered the dayes of old, the yeares of ancient times, I call to remembrance my songs in the night, I commune with mine owne heart, and my spirit made diligent search, and verse 10. And … said, this is mine infirmity, but I will remember the yeares of the right hand of the most High. By remembring the yeares of the right hand of the most High, that is, of the comforts hee had found in the assurance of Gods favour, hee came to perceive, that it was but his infirmitie to bee thus dejected now. This course hee also tooke at another time, when hee was in this case, Psalme 143.45. My spirit is overwhelmed within mee, my heart within mee is desolate, I remember the dayes of old. Observe (beloved) and take notice therefore I pray you, of the working of Gods grace in your selves, of the sweete comforts you finde at any time, in the light of Gods countenance and assurance of his favour, in the hearing or reading of his Word, in receiving the Sacrament, in your prayers, and specially in your afflictions. Yea, doe as David did. Psal. 85 8. I will hearken what the Lord God will speake, for hee will (certainely at one time or other) speake peace to his people and to his Saints. Keepe a Register of these times, because the remembrance of them may stand you in stead, when a change shall come. For you may write (as wee say) and build upon this; if ever thou wert in Gods favour, thou art still, if ever God by the spirit of adoption did say unto thy soule, I am thy salvation, thy God, thy father, Christ is thy Saviour, his body was broken for thee, his bloud was shed for thee, he is so still.
The spirit of God in the holy Scripture teacheth this expressely, Iohn 5.14. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and beleeveth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life; And Romans 11.29. The gifts and calling of God, are without repentance; that is, such gifts, and such a calling, as God vouchsafed to the fathers. Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, (for of those the Apostle had spoken) the gifts of Election, justification, santification, effectuall calling, God never repented him of. This the Apostle Iames also teacheth, Iames 1.17.18. that in those gifts of God that are good indeed, and perfect gifts, perfectly good, (such as hee instanceth in the next verse, the gift of regeneration, to bee) there is no variablenesse, nor shadow of turning in the Lord. Thus the Lord answereth his people that were in this very tentation, Ieremy 31.3. The Lord hath appeared to mee of old, say they (so it is to bee read, as in the Geneva; As if they had sayd, but now hee hideth himselfe, and hath forsaken mee) Yea, (saith the Lord) I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with loving kindnesse have I drawne thee. As if hee should have sayd, I would never have drawne, and effectually called thee to bee my people, If I had not loved thee with an everlasting love, If I had meant ever to cast thee off againe. So that 1. this should make us all in love with Grace. Wisedome is the principall thing (saith Solomon, Pro. 4.7.) therefore get wisedome, and with all thy getting, get understanding. For riches, and honor, are with her, yea, durable riches, and righteousnesse. Pro. 8.18. and 2. thou that hast ever felt the worke of grace, & comfort of Gods spirit in thy selfe, mayest boldly from thy former experience conclude as David doth. Psalme 23.…. Surely goodnes and mercy shall follow mee all the dayes of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Iohn 8.35. The servant abideth not in the house for ever, but the sonne doth. Though my love to God be changeable, yet Gods love to me is not. Esa. 64.5. In those is continuance, and we shall be saved. Though therefore the comforter have withdrawne himselfe from thee for a time, be sure he will returne againe, and therefore wait for him. And that which the Prophet saith of his vision, may fitly be applyed to this purpose. Hab. 2.3. Though it tarry, wait for it, for it will surely come, it will not tarry; hee meaneth, one moment longer then the appointed time, the fittest time. Resolve with thy selfe, as the Prophet doth, Esay 8.17. I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth his face from the house of Iacob (even from his owne chosen people sometimes) and I will looke for him. Certainely, of this sicknesse of thy soule I may say to thee, as Christ did of Lazarus, Iohn 11.4. this sicknesse is not unto death, thou shalt surely recover it, thy sorrow shall be turned into joy, as our Saviour hath promised. Iohn 16.20.
The third direction is this. Thou must well examine thy present estate, and thou shalt find, that though the spirit of adoption seeme to be gone, and thou canst not find that worke of the spirit in thy selfe, yet the spirit of sanctification abideth still in thee, and (if thou wilt well examine thy selfe) thou shalt find that worke of the spirit in thee. 1 Iohn 2.17. The annointing which ye h…ve received of him, abideth in you, and 3.9. Whosoever is borne of God, doth not commit sinne (that is, as other men doe, or as himselfe did before) for his seed remaineth in him. Examine thy heart well, and thou shalt find evident notes of this. First. Thou art afraid to doe anything that thou knowest would offend God, and whence commeth that? from flesh and bloud? No, no, of every naturall man, the Apostle pronounceth, Rom. 3.18. There is no feare of God before his eyes. Secondly▪ Thou lovest all that feare God, and this is a certaine signe Gods spirit abideth in thee. 1 Iohn 3.13, 14. Marve… not my …rethren, though the world hate you, wee know that wee have passed from death to life, because wee love the Brethren. Thirdly, even in this case, wherein now thou art, thou prayest still, and darest not neglect that duty, as David did, Psalme 31.22. I said in my hast, I am cut off from before thine eyes, neverthelesse, thou heardest the voice of my supplications, when I cryed unto thee. Even then I plyed thee with supplications, and 61.2. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed. And whence commeth this I pray you? Surely these prayers of all others, proceed from the spirit, as the Apostle teacheth. Romans 8.26. The spirit helpeth our infirmities, for wee know not what wee should pray for as wee ought; but the spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us, with groanings which cannot bee uttered. Fourthly, thou lovest God, though he doe hide his face, and frowne on thee, yea, this very sorrow, and anguish thou art in, is a certaine Symptome, and signe of thy love to God, that is the cause, that is the roote of it, thou couldest not bee troubled, as thou art with this, that thou wantest the sense of Gods love, if thou didst not dearely love him. Certainely, thou art sicke of love, as the Church was, Canticles 2.5. When Christ withdrew himselfe a while from her, and shee sought him so carefully, shee bewrayeth, and could not conceale this to be the cause of her griefe. Cant 3.1, 2, 3. I …ought him whom my soule loveth. I will go into the city, and seeke him whom my soule loveth. I said unto the watch-men, saw ye him whom my soule loveth? And whence came it that Mary wept so, Luke 7.47. She loved much. And whence commeth this I pray thee, that thou so lovest the Lord? From flesh and bloud? No, no, this can come from nothing, but from Gods spirit & saving grace; as is plaine by that question thrice moved to Peter. Ioh. 21.15—17. Dost thou love me? And by that of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 8.3. If any man love God, the same is knowne of him. Fiftly and lastly. Thou dost at the least unfainedly desire to feare God, and to love him, and to call upon him, and to love his children, and it is a great griefe, and trouble to thy heart, that thou canst not doe it better. To will, is present with thee, as the Apostle speaketh, Rom. 7.18. Certainely, this change that is wrought in thy will, these unfained desires of grace, doe prove evidently, that the spirit of God dwelleth in thee, Phil. 2.13. It is God that worketh in you, both to will, and to doe, of his good pleasure. And Nehe. 1.11. Nehemiah proveth himselfe to be Gods servant, even by this note, because hee desired to feare Gods name. Now from these five notes of Gods spirit dwelling in thee, thou mayest infallibly inferre these conclusions, for the recovering of thy comfort. 1. That thou hast faith, and art thereby united unto Christ. 1 Iohn 3.24. Hereby we know, that hee abideth in us, by the spirit which he hath given us. And 4.13. Hereby wee know that wee dwell in him, and he in us, because hee hath given us of his spirit. As the naturall spirit is in no member that is not united to the head; so can the spirit of sanctification bee in none, that is not by faith knit unto Christ our head; as the Apostle applyeth this comparison, Ephesians. 4.16. And our Saviour, Iohn 15.4. As the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe, unlesse it abide in the Vine, no more can yee, except ye abide in me. 2. That thou hast just cause to bee comfortable, thou hast the roote, and ground of sound comfort in thy selfe, Psalme 32.11. Bee glad in the Lord, and rejoyce ye righteous, and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart. 3. That it is thy great sin, for which thou hast just cause to checke, and blame thy selfe, that thou art not more thankefull, that thou rejoycest no more in thine estate. Is it thinkest thou … blessing, or a common blessing to have Christ, to have Gods spirit dwelling in thee? to have this blessed change wrought in thy soule? Paul giveth thankes for this, Romans 6.17. God bee thanked, that ye were the servants of sinne, but ye have obeyed from the heart, that forme of Doctrine, that was delivered unto you. And 1 Thessal. 3.9. What thankes can we render to God againe for you, for all the joy wherewith we rejoyce for your sakes before our God. Yea, hee professeth. 2. Thessalon. 1.3. that hee was bound to give thanks to God alwayes for them. And were not they (thinke you) much more bound to be thankefull to God themselves, and to rejoyce in their estate? Certainely, Christians offend God much in this, and hinder not onelyonly their owne comfort, but their growth in grace too, that they are alwayes poring, and musing upon, and mourning for their wants, and failings, and never cast an eye upon any grace God hath wrought in them, never joy in it, nor lift up their hearts to God in thankefulnesse for it. 4. and lastly. That seeing Gods spirit dwelleth in thee, certainely the comfort, and feeling of Gods favour, though it be gone for a time, will come againe. Psalme 37.37. Marke the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace. And Malac. 4 2. VntoUnto you that feare my name, shall the Sunne of righteousnesse arise, with …ealing in his wings. All your darkenesse, feares, discomforts, shall be dispelled, all the wounds, and sores of your soules, shall certainely bee healed one day. For it is the title, and most proper effect of the spirit, to be a comforter. Ioh. 14▪ 5, 16. and an oyle of gladnesse. Heb. 1.9.