Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 4 · Lecture 52
Lecture LII. On Psal. 51.4. March 20. 1626.
IT followeth now, that we proceed unto the meanes that God in his Word hath directed us to use, for the obtaining of this grace to beare the crosse patiently to beare all kinde of affliction patiently and comfortably, whensoever God shall be pleased to exercise us by it. And those I find to be eight principally.
First, He that would beare trouble, and affliction patiently, and comfortably when it commeth must oft thinke upon it, and expect it, and prepare for it before it come. Thus did Iob 14.14. All the daies of my warfare (for so I render it with Arias Montanus) will I wait, till my change come. He thought of, and looked for a change continually. Neither did he thus onelyonly in the time of his misery, looke for a change and alteration of his estate into the better, but when he was in greatest prosperity he lived in continuall expectation of trouble, and of a change of his estate; as he professeth, Iob 3.25. The thing which I greatly feared in come upon me, and that which I was afraid of, is come unto me. Gods people should in the time of their best health thinke oft of death, in the time of their greatest peace and prosperity thinke oft of trouble. O that they were wise, (saith the Lord of his people, Deut. 32.29.) that they would understand this, that they would consider their latter end. This is an high point of wisdome. To this purpose tendeth that counsell of Solomon, Eccle. 11.8. If a man live many yeares, and rejoyce in them all, yet let him remember the daies of darknesse (the time that he must spend in the grave, and in the state of the dead) for they shall be many. A longer time by farre then he hath spent in this life (in which respect we call our grave, our long home) and therefore it is fit wee should oft thinke of our future estate. True it is these thoughts of death, and of trouble will breed feare, and heavinesse in the hearts of men, as you heard they did in Iob 3.25. But the feare and heavinesse that these thoughts breed is very wholsome and profitable for us. In which respect Solomon saith, Eccl. 7.2, 3, 4. It is better to go into the house of mourning, then to go to the house of feasting; for that is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to his heart. Sorrow is better then laughter: (this sorrow he meaneth that groweth from the thought of our death) for by the sadnesse of the countenance, the heart is made better. And thereupon he inferreth, The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning (even when his body cannot be with them, that mourne for the sicknesse or the death of their friends, for the miseries they are subject to through persecution, banishment, imprisonment, warre, yet his heart is with them, he thinketh oft of them) but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth.
Three notable benefits we may receive by thinking oft of our death, and of the times of trouble, and affliction, that we have cause to looke for. 1. It would season all our pleasures, and earthly contentments, so as we should not surfet, nor take hurt by them, so much as usually we do. Our Saviour being at a great feast in Bethany (a great feast I say for there was such costly ointment bestowed at it, for the anointing of his feet, as a pound of it cost above three hundred Romane pence, which amounteth to above nine pound seven shillings, and sixe pence of our money, insomuch as not Iudas onelyonly but the rest of the Disciples were much troubled, for to see such wast, and superfluity, Mat 26.8. Mar. 14.4, 5.) at this great, and sumptuous feast I say our Saviour fell into a meditation, and speech of his death and buriall, Iob. 12.7, 8. to teach us, that thoughts of our death, thoughts of the troubles, and miseries that Christ in his members doth endure, thoughts of our owne dangers, and of the troubles our selves have cause to looke for, are very seasonable, even at our greatest feasts. In which respect the Prophet noteth this for a great sin in his time, Amos 6.6. that at their feasts they drunke wine in bowles, and anointed themselves with the chiefe ointments, but had no thoughts of the miseries of Gods Church, they were not grieved for the affliction of Ioseph. This benefit it appeareth Ioseph of Arimathea made of the meditation, and remembrance of his death. The Sepulcher that our blessed Saviour was buried in, was his (as you know) he had newly made it for himselfe as you may read, Matth. 27.60. But where made Ioseph this honourable man his tombe? Even in his garden the place of his delight, and pleasure, and refreshing as you shall find Iohn 19.41. And so had other great men done before him, 2 King 21.18. And why in their gardens? Surely that when they were taking their pleasure, delighting and refreshing themselves, they might be put in mind of their death, and so kept from exceeding in that kind.
The second benefit we may receive, by thinking oft of our death, and of the change, and alteration of our estate, that we have cause to looke for, is this, that it would have great force to restraine from sinne, and breed in us a care to please the Lord in all our waies. This is plaine in that prayer of Moses, Psal. 90.12. Teach us so to number our daies (that is to consider how few they are) that we may apply our hearts unto wisdome. And on the other side, Nothing hath more force to corrupt our hearts, and lives, then the putting out of our mind, all thoughts of our death, and of the evill day. When David discribeth the most wicked man, of whom he saith God is not in all his thoughts, he is a very Atheist towards God, his waies are alwaies grievous, he is an oppressour, and tyrant towards men, Psal. 10.4, 5. He giveth this for the reason of it, verse 5, 6. Thy judgements are farre above, out of his sight. He never discerneth nor thinketh of any judgements of God that are approaching. He hath said in his heart I shall never be moved, I shall never be in adversity. And thus speaketh the Prophet also, Amos 6.3. The putting farre away the evill day was the cause why they approached to the seate of violence.
The third, and last benefit we may receive, by thinking oft of our change of the evill day, and of the troublesome times we have cause to looke for, is this, that it will make our afflictions, and trialls, yea death it selfe lesse bitter, and terrible unto us, it will make us better able with comfort, and patience to beare them, when they shall come. For the suddennesse, and unexpectednesse of any judgement, maketh it farre more grievous, and intollerable, then otherwise it would be. And so it is oft threatned as a circumstance, that doth greatly aggravate Gods judgements upon wicked men, Pro. 6.15. His calamity shall come suddenly, suddenly shall he be broken, without remedy. And 1 Thess. 5.3. When they shall say peace and safety: then sudden destruction commeth upon them. So our Saviour having foretold the destruction of Ierusalem, and of the Temple, charged his Disciples (of whom he did foresee some should live unto that day) to take heed Luk. 21.34. that that day came not upon them at unawares. Therefore also he so oft foretelleth them of his death, and of the heavie times and troubles they were to looke for. Matth. 24.25. Behold, (saith he) I have told you before. And why did he foretell them? Surely that this knowing, and thinking of them before, might make them the lesse grievous unto them when they should come. Iohn 16.4. These things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them.
And surely this is to be acknowledged as a great mercy of God,Applic. that he striketh us not suddenly with our deadly stroke; but hath given us many warnings, he hath threatned us oft, and shaken his rod at us fearefully; hee hath long given us, and doth daily give us so palpable signes of a desolation approaching, as every naturall man that hath any braines in his head, can take notice of it himselfe, and speake of it to others. But what is the use that we should make of all these warnings, and of all these signes that God giveth us? Surely, wee should so thinke of the evill times that are at hand, that wee may prepare our selves for them, and fit our selves to beare them with patience, and comfort when they shall come. According to the speech of the Holy Ghost, Pro. 22.3. A prudent man forseeth the evill, and hideth himselfe; provideth for his owne safety, and comfort in the evill day. And how that may be done you shall heare in those seven directions that follow.
Secondly, He that would beare great troubles, and afflictions patiently, and comfortably when they shall come, must before hand labour to weane his heart from the love of all earthly things, and inure himselfe to beare patiently those ordinary losses, and crosses that he is subject to in them. If any man will come after me, (saith our blessed Saviour, Luk. 9.23. and the Text saith, he said these words to them all) let him deny himselfe, and take up his crosse daily, and follow me. The denying of our selves, and taking up of our daily crosses will make us fit to follow Christ through thick, and thin, and even to endure the fiery triall for his sake. It is good for a man (saith the Church in their miserable captivity, Lam. 3.27.) that he beare the yoke in his youth; that he have beene accustomed before great troubles come, to beare small crosses, to crosse, and denie himselfe in his earthly contentments. The holy Apostle professeth of himselfe, 1 Cor. 15.31. that he did die daily; by the daily crosses he did endure and willing forsaking of the comforts of this life, he did learne to die, and to part with them all willingly. And he counselleth Timothy, 2 Tim. 2.3. To endure hardnesse, as a good souldier of Iesus Christ. Nothing maketh us so unwilling to die, or to suffer any thing for Christs sake, or to endure any great affliction, as the overmuch love that we do beare, unto these earthly things. Therefore we shall find that our blessed Saviour, when hee would prepare his Disciples for those heavie times that should come upon them after his death, did beat upon no point so much, in all his Sermons as this, Mat. 10.37. He that loveth father or mother more then me, is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more then me, is not worthy of me. And Luk. 14.26. If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, & children, and brethren, and sisters, yea and his own life also (that is love them not lesse then me, or carry himselfe not towards them, when they prove draw-backs from me, as he would doe towards the thing he most hateth) he cannot be my Disciple. True it is we cannot be without these earthly comforts. Your heavenly father knoweth that ye have need of all these things, saith our Saviour, Mat. 6.32. The Lord alloweth us the use yea the liberall use of them, 1 Tim. 6.17. He giveth us richly all things to enjoy. But the love of these things, is a deadly enemy to grace, specially to this grace of Christian patience. The love of money (saith the Apostle, 1 Tim. 6.10. and that which he speaketh of the love of money, may be said likewise of the love of any worldly thing, as appeareth by comparing with this place that of 1 Iohn 2.15. The love of peace, of ease, of pleasure, of credit, of friends, of good cheere, and good cloathes) is the root of all evill, which while some have coveted after, they have erred from the faith, fallen quite from religion, rather then they would suffer any thing for it.
Applic.If we would therefore make our selves fit, either to die willingly, or to endure persecution, and trouble patiently and comfortably, we must take heed of setting our hearts upon any earthly comfort, of admiring and affecting it much, and labour to bring our hearts to a more meane conceit of these things, to bee more indifferently affected towards them. If riches increase, set not your heart upon them, saith David, Psal. 62.10. And describing the man that shall go to heauen, he saith, Ps. 24.4 he is such a one as hath not lift up his soule to vanity. No man that warreth (saith the Apostle, 2 Tim. 2.4.) entangleth himselfe with the affaires of this life. And 1 Cor. 7.31. They that use this world must take heed of over-using it, they must not be foreign for the fashion of this world passeth away. We must part with all these things, and the faster our hearts do cleave, and are glued to them, the more painefull will it be unto us to part with them. In which respect certainely, as it may be said of our whole land that if the Lord should bring these miseries upon us, which the Palatinate, and Bohemia, and Germany have long endured, we should be farre worse able to beare them, then they or any other nation under heaven, because we are so tender and delicate by the long peace, and aboundance of all things we have enjoyed. So may I say to every one of you that are rich, and to you that are given to ease and to pleasure, that the crosse, and persecution, the troubles, and afflictions we have cause to looke for, will be more heavie and intollerable to you, then to others of Gods people. If Moses had not learned to make light account of riches, and of pleasures, hee could never have so willingly, and patiently endured to suffer affliction with the people of God, as the Apostle observeth, Heb. 11.25, 26.
Thirdly, He that would be able patiently, and Christianly to endure troubles, and afflictions of what kind soever they be; must before hand acquaint himselfe well with the Word of God, he must be well seene, and exercised in it. And indeed, this is one principall cause why the Lord hath given us his holy Word in wri…ing that by it he might prepare us for affliction, and breed true patience, and comfort in us. Whatsoever things were written asore time (saith the Apostle, Rom. 15.4.) were written for our learning (what learning may you say? What is it that God would have us learne by them?) that we through patience, and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Many of the Philosophers have given in their writings excellent rules, and grounds of patience, but that foreign and patience that was wrought in men by their precepts, and rules was stupidity, and senslessenesse rather then true patience; the patience, and comfort of the holy Scripture is the onelyonly true, and Christian patience. In which respect our Saviour giveth this title to his holy Word, he calleth it the Word of his patience, because (saith he, Rev. 3.10.) thou hast kept the Word of my patience, I will also keepe thee from the houre of temptation. The holy Scriptures are fitly resembled, and typified by that tower of David (mentioned, Cant. 4.4.) builded for an armoury, wherein there hang a thousand bucklers (under which a man may without feare, and with great safety encounter with the strongest, and fiercest temptation, and affliction that can assault him) all shields of mighty men; all armour of proofe, such as all the Lords Worthies (Iob, and David, and Paul, and the rest) have had good proofe, and triall of in all their afflictions. Heare what Iob saith of this armour, Iob 23.12. I have esteemed the words of his mouth, more then my necessary food. As if he should say, No food (no not my necessary food) did ever so susteine, and strengthen me, so refresh, and revive my fainting body, as the Word of God, hath my soule in all my afflictions. Heare what David saith of this (who was also a man of sorrowes, one that was much exercised with afflictions of all kinds) Psal. 119.50. This (that is to say, the Word of God of which he had spoken in the former verse) is my comfort in my affliction, for thy Word hath quickned me. And verse 92. Vnlesse thy law had beene my delights: (he speaketh in the plurall number, As if he had said instar omnium in stead of all manner of delights unto me) I should then have perished in mine affliction. And verse 143. Trouble, and anguish have taken hold on me, yet thy commandements are my delights. As if he should say, In my greatest trouble in the extreamest anguish of my soule, thy Word yeelded comfort unto me. Therefore also you shall find he cryeth for nothing so earnestly in all his affliction, as for understanding, and knowledge in the Word. Psal. 119. When hee had spoken verse 143. of the trouble, and anguish he was in he cryeth in the next verse, Give me understanding (in thy testimonies he meaneth) and I shall live. And verse 169. Let my cry come neere before thee, O Lord; give me understanding according to thy Word. And verse 171. My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes. See also the proofe that Paul had of this armour, of the patience, and comfort of the Scriptures in all his afflictions. For speaking 2 Cor. 6.4, 5. that he, and all the rest of the Apostles did in all things approve themselves as the Ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumules; he telleth how, and by what meanes he attained unto this grace to endure so much misery with so great patience, he reckoneth verse 6, and 7. this for a principall, by knowledge (saith he) and by the word of truth.
Applic.And surely 1 if there were nothing els to breed in our hearts an high esteeme of the Word of God, to cause us to seeke the knowledge of it, to exercise our selves with delight in the reading and hearing, and meditation of it, this were sufficient to do it, even the patience & comfort it will yeeld us in all our afflictions. The remembrance of one sentence of holy Scripture, will be more effectuall to yeeld us comfort in the evill day, in the houre of temptation, will have more force to repell Satan in his fiercest assaults, then is in all the wisdome of the world, in all the counsell of our friends, that shall be then about us. For it is the sword of Gods spirit; as the Apostle calleth it, Ephes. 6.17. It is the onelyonly weapon whereby Christ our Saviour, the Captaine of our Salvation, did overcome the divell, and drive him away as you may see in the story of his temptations, Matth. 4.4, 7, 10. Therefore also our Saviour when he promiseth his Disciples to send them the Comforter, after his departure from them, he telleth them how, and by what meanes he should comfort them, Iohn 14.26. He shall teach you all things, and bring all things unto your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. By giving them understanding in the Scriptures, and bringing the Word unto their remembrance, he should be their Comforter. 2. And for a conclusion of my speech touching this third meanes of patience, let me say to such as are despisers of the Word, that have not so much as a Bible in their houses; or if they have, take no delight in the reading or hearing of it, but say unto God in their hearts with the Atheist in Iob 21.14. Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy waies; if persecution should come, and the sword of the enemy, with what patience, and comfort will you suffer that have no grounded knowledge out of the Word, whether the religion you professe be the truth or no? No man can with comfort suffer for the truth, that is not certaine it is the truth. When Paul prayeth for the Colossians that their hearts might be comforted, Col. 2.2. he prayeth that God would give them all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledging of the mystery of God. He that is fully assured, with understanding that that is the truth of God that he suffereth for, he may suffer with comfort, and none but he. Nay I will say more unto you, what patience or comfort can such as you, that make no more reckoning of the Word, have on your death beds whensoever that houre shall come? Certainely none at all, for (as you have heard) there is no true patience, nor comfort, nor hope to be found, but in the knowledge of the Scriptures. And therefore it is spoken of as the very upshot of the misery of a wicked man, Pro. 5.23. He shall die without instruction. O they are in a miserable case that die without instruction; and (alasse) how many thousands are miserable this way? Let me therefore say to every one of you, as Solomon doth, Pro. 19.20. Heare counsell, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. If nothing else will cause you to esteeme of the Word, yet let this do it, that you may die with comfort, that you may finish your course with joy.
Fourthly, He that would be able patiently and meekely to beare afflictions, and to submit himselfe obediently to the will of God in them, must labour to get a true knowledge and sense of his owne sinnes. Nothing hath more force to tame the heart of man, and to breed patience in it under the crosse, then this hath. I will beare the indignation of the Lord, (saith the Church, Mic. 7.9) Because I have sinned against him. This is also plaine in the order of the three first Beatitudes, Mat. 5.3—5. Blessed are the poore in spirit, and then blessed are they that mourne, and then blessed are the meeke. Poverty of spirit, sight, and sense of sin will cause mourning, and humiliation, and these two will make us as meek as lambs under the corrections of the Lord. It is the privie pride of our hearts, and the having too good a conceit of our selves, that is the chiefe cause of all our impatiency and murmuring under the crosses that lye upon us. If we knew our sins well, and were truly humbled for them, we would easily acknowledge, that that which we endure is nothing to that that we have deserved at Gods hands, we would say with David, Psal. 103.10. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. And with holy Ezra 10.13. Thou our God hast punished us lesse then our iniquities deserve. It was the sense that David had of his sins, that made him thus to cleare the Lord when he so sharply judge, and corrected him, and to beare it so patiently as we have heard he did. Let us all therefore when Gods judgements lie heavie upon us, hearken to that counsell which the Church in her extreame affliction from her owne experience doth give us. Lam. 3.39, 40. Wherefore doth a living man complaine, a man for the punishment of his sins? Let us search, and try our waies and turne againe to the Lord.
But some will object.Object. This is bad counsell certainely. If when the Lord hath cast me downe by any of his judgements I should also cast downe my selfe by calling my sins to remembrance, this were the way to bring me to despaire; to make me utterly unable to beare any thing, to make me to faint and to sinke under mine affliction. And from this conceit it groweth, that men cannot abide (no not upon their death beds) that either themselves or their friends, should be put in mind of their sins.
But to these I answer,Answ. that the sight of sin when it is joyned with true sorrow and humiliation of soule for it, is not the way to despaire, it is the onelyonly way to bring us unto true comfort. He is worthy to be beleeved that said so, Mat. 5.4. Blessed are they that mourne (for the poverty of their spirits he meaneth, for that want of grace, and aboundance of corruption they find in themselves) for they shall be comforted. God that comforteth those that are cast downe (saith the Apostle, 2 Cor. 7.6.) comforted us.
Let me apply this (in a word or two) to you al that are now shortly to go to the Lords Table.Applic. This holy Sacrament is a Feast wherein every Christian soule may receive more sound joy, and comfort then by any meanes that God hath given us under heaven besides. It is said that at the receiving of the Passeover in Hezekiahs time, 2 Chron. 30.25, 26. all the congregation rejoyced, and there was great joy in Ierusalem. And yet that Sacrament was not so effectuall a mean to breed joy and comfort in the hearts of Gods people, as ours is. It is also said of the noble Eunuch that he found great comfort in the Sacrament of Baptisme, Acts 8.39. He went away rejoycing. And yet there is not so much comfort to be received by that Sacrament neither as by this. This is the Supper of the Lord wherein the Body and Bloud of our blessed Saviour is represented, and exhibited by the elements of Bread, and Wine, creatures that God hath given (above all things) to strengthen and make glad the heart of man, Ps. 104 15. But (alasse) how few are there that receive any sound comfort by this holy Sacrament, or that go away rejoycing from it? Would you know the true cause of it? Certainely this it is, we go not to it with soules humbled and mourning for our sins, and how then should we go away comforted from it? Christ was anointed, and appointed of God to bind up the broken-hearted to comfort such as mourne, Esa. 61.2, 3. and not such senslesse creatures as we are. He biddeth such to come to him as labour, and are heavie laden, Matth. 11.28. and promiseth to give them rest. He never promised to give rest, and comfort to such as we are, that when we come to him never feele our sinnes, to be any burden unto us. In time of Popery at this time of the yeare all men held themselves bound in conscience to confesse all their sinnes to the Priest, and they had directions given them to helpe them in calling to mind their sins. I know God required no such thing at their hands, and it was but a counterfeit humiliation, and repentance that was wrought that way. But surely they did not so much offend in superstition then, as we do in profanesse now. No man holdeth himselfe bound now to call his sinnes to remembrance, and make a particular confession of them unto the Lord, before he goeth to the Sacrament, and that is the cause why we find no more comfort in it. I therefore heartily pray every one of you, that desire to receive Christ in the Sacrament to the comfort of your soules, that you would hearken unto and make conscience to do as the Apostle chargeth you to do, 1 Cor. 11.28. Let every man examine himselfe. And verse 31. If we would judge our selves, we should not be judged of the Lord. If you would receive comfort by it, you must examine your selves, and finde out your speciall sinnes; you must judge and afflict your owne soules for your sinnes; if you will not doe this, you shall be so farre from receiving comfort by the Sacrament, as you shall become the worse by it, God will judge and afflict you for comming unworthily unto it.