Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 4 · Lecture 47
Lecture XLVII. On Psalme 51.4. Ianu. 30. 1626.
FOlloweth the third use that this Doctrine serveth unto;Vse 3. And that is for exhortation to perswade every one of us, that forasmuch as every sin is an offence against the Majesty of almighty God, a contempt done unto him, and a despising, and sleighting of his commandement, that therfore we would take heed how wee give our selves liberty, either to commit the smallest sin that wee are tempted unto, or to make light account of any sin that we have committed upon this conceit, that it is but a small one. Certainly we are bound to take notice of, to be humbled for, and to strive against the very least of our corruptions; the very least transgression of the law of God; even our passionatnes, & aptnes to be angry without cause, and to exceed therein; even of our mispending of our time, and trifling it out, both when we are alone, and in company, yea, even on the Sabbath day, and our formality in Gods worship, and of our unprofitablenes, that we do so little good, and of that delight we take to heare, and speake of the faults of others, and of the unsanctifiednesse of our thoughts, yea, even of our very dreames that savour of corruption, as it may appeare by the equity of that law we read of, Deut. 23.10, 11.
Three speciall motives there be (besides the reasons you have heard of the last day in the use of instruction) that may be effectuall to perswade us unto this.
First. He that giveth liberty to himselfe in the smallest sins, will be in danger by little and litle, to grow careles of, and to fall into greater sins, and so in the end to loose all grace, all conscience of sin. A little leaven (saith the Apostle, Gal. 5.9.) leaveneth the whole lampe. And this is that that our Saviour teacheth us, Mat. 5.19. Whosoever shall breake one of the least commandements, and shall teach men so (that is, justifie, defend, and allow himselfe or others in it) he shall be called the least in the kingdome of heaven; that is, he shall be of no worth, of no reckoning for grace among the people of God. Dead flyes (saith Solomon. Eccle. 10.1.) cause the oyntment of the Apothecary to send forth a stinking savour; so doth a little folly, him that is in reputation for wisedome, and honour.
And this must needs be so, 1. Because in giving our selves liberty in the least thing that we know God hath forbidden, we break the bond & cord that should restraine us from any sin, namely the conscience of the commandement of the Lord against it. If this yoke be once shaken off, if once this bond be of no force with us, but we grow in the least thing to say, as Psal. 2.3. Let us breake their hands asunder, and cast their cords from us, what can be of force to hold us fast to the Lord, or to bind or restraine us from the foulest, and grossest sins? 2. Because it is the naturall effect of sin (specially being wittingly committed) to make a man apter to sin, to go further in sin. Rom. 6.19. You have yeelded your members servants to uncleannes, and to iniquity unto iniquity. 3. Because God in his just judgement is wont to punish sin by sin, to punish mens carelesnes, and loosenes, and security in smaller sins, by leaving them to themselves, & giving them up to grosser sins, 2 Thess. 2.10, 11. Because men received not the love of the truth (professed it formally, but joyed not, tooke no comfort in it; a common sin (God knoweth in these dayes, and such as most men count a very small sin (if any sin at all) for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should beleeve a lie; For this God giveth men up to popery: The surest way then for a man to keepe himselfe from falling into grosse sins, is to be afraid of, and make conscience of the smallest sins. This is plaine in that prayer of David, Psal. 19.12, 13. Cleanse thou me from secret faults, keepe back thy servant also from presumptuous sins, let them not have dominion over me, then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. So Iob to preserve himselfe from fornication, and adultery, made a covenant with his eye, and with his thought also, bound them to the good abearing, Iob 31.1. resolved with himselfe to make conscience of, and to abstaine from all wanton lookes, and thoughts also; and so long as he did so, hee was safe enough from falling into those grosse sins. On the contrary David giving himselfe liberty in idlenesse, and wanton lookes, 2. Sam. 11.1, 2. was left to himselfe to fall to those foule sins, he so much bewaileth and complaineth of in this psalme. This is then the first motive to perswade us to make conscience even of the smallest sins, because else we shall bee in danger to fall into grosse and most hainous sins.
The second motive unto it is this, that by these small sins we bring our selves into greater danger (in some respects) then by committing of those that we do account greater. For great sins are more easily discerned, and felt, and repented of, and consequently pardoned, then these smaller sins are. These without great circumspection and watchfulnesse, we shall hardly take notice of, or be troubled at all for them, but go on in them without repentance, and consequently without any assurance of the forgivenesse of them. In this respect, we find that the civill, honest, and morall man that hath lived unblamably in respct of any grosse sin all his life time, is in farre worse case then many a one that hath bin a notorious evil liver, as our Saviour telleth the Pharisees, Mat. 21.31. Verily I say unto you, that the Publicans and the harlots go into the kingdome of God before you.
The third and last motive is this, that hee that giveth liberty to himselfe in the least sin, doth not abstaine from the grossest out of conscience towards God, because God forbiddeth it, and is offended with it, but out of some hie respects. Thus the Apostle proveth, that he that giveth himselfe liberty to offend against any one point of the law, though he seeme to keepe all the rest, is guilty of all, and doth not indeed with any uprightnes of heart, keep any one of the commandements of God, Iam. 2.10, 11. Because he that said, do not commit adultery; said also, do not kill. He that said, Levit. 24.16. Hee that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall surely be put to death, sweare not great oathes, hath said also, Matt. 5.34. Sweare not at all. He that hath said, Levit. 19.17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart; hath said also, Col. 3.8. Put away anger, yeeld not unto, please not thy selfe in this, that thou art so apt to be angry. He that hath said, Exo. 20.10. on the Sabbath thou shalt doe no manner of worke, hath said also, Esay. 58.13. Thou mayest not follow thy pleasures on my holy day—nor speake thine owne words. He that hath said, we must use to pray, and God will powre out his wrath upon the families that call not on his name, Ieremy 10.25. hath said also, Iohn 4.24. God is a spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit, and in truth and Exodus 20.17. The Lord will not hold him guiltlesse, that taketh his name in vaine. He that hath sayd, Esay 1.16. Cease to do evill, do nothing that is evill, do no hurt to any, hath said also in the next verse, Esay 1.17. Learne to do well, and Matthew 25.30. Cast the unprofitable servant (him that hath done no good, whose life hath beene no way usefull nor profitable unto others) into utter darkenesse, and Ephes. 5.16. Redeeme the time, make conscience of spending it unfruitfully. Lastly, He that hath said, 1 Pet▪ 1.15. Bee ye holy in all manner of conversation; that is, in all outward actions and words, hath said also, Prov. 2.23. Keepe thy heart with all diligence. So that if a man make no conscience of his thoughts, how vaine, wanton, malicious, worldly they bee, that never troubleth him, certainly he is not restrained from any wicked speeches, or actions out of conscience to Gods commandement, but out of some other respects, and consequently there is no truth of heart in him.
Object.One thing there is that our foolsh hearts art apt to object against this exhortation. We are apt to thinke that this precisenesse, this strictnesse to watch, and take heed to our selves, that wee offend not in the least thing, putteth such a yoke upon a Christians necke, as no man is able to beare, maketh the life of a Christian, a meere drudgery, a most painfull, and uncomfortable life. Wee have an old proverb, Qui medicè vivit miserè vivit If a man have so crazy a stomack, that if in eating or drinking, he swerve never so little from the rules of Physicke, or from his ordinary dyet, hee will straight be much out of temper, surely that mans life must needs be very uncomfortable unto him. And so many men thinke it is with them whose consciences are so tender, and nice, that the least sin will trouble them.Answ.
To this I answer. 1. That a Christian life is certainly very painfull to flesh and blood, and if we will admit of no duty to be enjoyned us, but that which is easie, we must never looke to come to heaven. Wee know who it was that said, Matth. 7.14. Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that finde it. And though it be an evill temper and constitution of the body, to be too tender; yet cannot the conscience be too tender: the best temper and constitution of the conscience, is to be sensible of the least sin. Keepe my law (saith the Lord, Proverbs 7.2.) as the apple of thine eye. The conscience of Gods child towards Gods commandements, is as tender a thing as the apple of the eye, the least thing will offend it. 2. This precisenes in making conscience of the least sin, will not make a Christian life wearisome and uncomfortable unto him; nay, it is the onelyonly way to make our lives comfortable unto us indeed, if we could bring our hearts to this, to make conscience of the least sin. It is a certaine truth which Solomon speaketh of all the wayes of true piety, Prov. 3.17. Her wayes are wayes of pleasantnesse, and all her pathes are peace. Certainly, every yoke of Christ is easie, and every burden that he layeth upon us is light; as he telleth us that cannot deceive us, Matth. 11.30. His commandements are not grievous, saith the Apostle, 1 Iohn 5.3. The strictnesse, and precisenesse of obedience that the Lord requireth of us in this case, is not a legall strictnesse, and precisenesse of obedience, but an Evangelicall, 2 Cor. 8.12. If there be first a willing mind, it is accepted. God requireth no more of us, but that we wittingly give not our selves liberty in the least sin, but that we doe our unfeined endeavour to keepe our selves from the least sin, and not to suffer the least of our corruptions to passe without a censure, no not a thought, no not a dreame that favoureth of corruption, as it appeareth by the equitie of that law which wee find. Deuteron. 23.10, 11. This precisenesse (and nothing without this) will give us assurance of the uprightnesse of our hearts, and this assurance will breed that peace, and soundnesse of joy in us, as nothing in the world besides is able to doe. So it is said of the people in Davids time, 1 Chron. 29.9 The people rejoyced, for that they had offered willingly, because with a perfect heart they had offered willingly. This is that that worketh true confidence, and security in the conscience of a Christian, as David speaketh, Psal. 119.6. Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandements. Such need not feare their sins, nor the curse of the law due to sin; For against such there is no law, as the Apostle speaketh, Gal. 5.23.
The fourth and last use that this doctrine serveth unto,Vse 4. is for reproofe of such as blame many of Gods servāts, for nothing more then this, that they are so precise in trifles, in matters of very small moment. This they taxe them for, as for a very foule fault. They love (say they) to be singular, and to shew themselves more holy then all other men in matters of nothing. Forsooth they will not do as other men do. Nay, they will not speake as other men speake. O, they may not sweare, no not by faith & troth. This ridiculous precisenes in toyes & trifles (say they) we cannot abide. And this is certainly one chiefe ground of all the contempt & hatred that most men do beare unto the servants of God, they esteem us all to be no better then hypocrites because of this. Now unto these men, I have three things to say, 1. That there is a kind of precisenes in smal matters, that is indeed to be blamed as a certain note of hypocrisie. 2 That all precisenes is not so. 3. How men should carry themselves towards such as they so much mislike.
And for the first, I will give you two notes to try it by. 1. Why men are strict, and precise, and place religion and holinesse in such things as God hath given no such commandement nor direction for in his word. The strictnesse, and precisenesse of the Pharisees in observing their purifications our Saviour calleth hypocrisie; because they had no ground for their conscience therein, but onelyonly the commandement and traditions of men, Matth. 7.6, 7. The precisenesse of the Papists in keeping their Lent, and abstaining from meat, upon opinion of holinesse, the Apostle calleth hypocrisie, because there is no warrant for it in the Word. For every creature of God is sanctified, (and the use of it allowed unto us) by the Word, 1 Timothy 4.2.5. And certainly there are a world of such Popish hypocrites, that are exceedingly scrupulous, and precise, and zealous in observing the traditions of men; that doe observe sundry rites, and customes of the Church, not onelyonly out of obedience to the authority, whereby they are enjoyned, but even out of conscience, to the things themselves, and perswasion that neither of the Sacraments would doe them or their children good, if they should be received without those ceremonies that the Church hath enjoyned; their feare towards God, is taught by the precepts of men, as the Prophet speaketh, Esa. 29.13. that will urge and presse their ministers much more for the observation of these things, then either for preaching, or any other dutie of his ministery, that God hath enjoyned him. These precisians are grosse hypocrites certainely. 2. Admit we have a commandement of God against these things that we are so scrupulous, and precise in, yet if we make more conscience of the commandements of God, touching these smaller things, then we doe of the greatest and weightiest of them, this is also a certaine note of an hypocrite. For so our Saviour proveth the Pharisees to be hypocrites, because they were so precise in tithing of Mint, and Annise, and Cummin (which yet they had a commandement from God to doe) and yet omitted the weightier matters of the law, as judgement, and mercy, and fidelity; they strained at a gnat, and swallowed a camell. Mat. 23.23, 24. And this is the first thing I have to say unto these men; there is a kind of precisenesse in small matters that is no better then hypocrisie.
Secondly, I say that all precisenes even in small matters is not hypocrisie. It is no folly nor fault in a Christian, to be precise in avoiding, and making conscience of the least thing, that God hath forbidden us. Nay it is certainly the fault of the best of us, that we are not so strict, and precise that way, as we ought to be. This I will make plaine unto you, both by examples, and by precepts. The examples are three. Daniel was precise even in a matter of ceremony, Dan. 1.8. H… purposed in his heart, that he would not defile himselfe, with the portion of the Kings meate. Our Saviour was so precise, even in a matter of circumstance in Gods worship, as that because God had commanded the passeover should bee celebrated upon the fourteenth day of the first monethmonth, Numb. 9.3. he was content to be singular, and to differ in his judgement, and practise from the whole Church, rather then he would swerve from Gods commandement even in so small a matter. And for this cause, though the whole Church did put of the passeover that yeare, from the fourteenth, to the sixteenth day of the first monethmonth, because that was the Sabbath (and by a tradition of the Elders, they were forbidden to keepe two such festivities so neere together) yet durst not our Saviour doe so, but kept his passeover two dayes before them, as appeareth, Ioh. 19.14. the day that hee was crucified on (which was you know the day after his passeover) was the day before theirs, the day of the preparation of the passeover. The last example is Mordecayes, of whom we read, that he durst not do the smallest thing, no not so much as yeeld a formall complementall curtesie to Haman (being forbidden of God) no not to prevent the destruction of the whole Church, that was likely to have ensued upon it, as you may see Ester 3.2.6.
The precepts, and rules we have in Gods word to guide us in this case, are likewise three. 1. We may not commit the least sin for the preventing of the greatest danger that may possibly ensue, if we doe it not. We may not do evill, that good may come of it. Rom. 3.8. 2. We may not wittingly commit, or consent to the least sin, no not for the preventing of a farre greater and fouler sin. Neither can Lot be excused, who to keepe the Sodomites from committing the sin against nature, offered them his two daughters to commit adultery withall. Genes. 19.8. There can bee no such necessitie layd upon Gods child at any time, that hee must needs doe either the smaller sins or the greater. But in these two cases of exigency, when there seemeth a necessity of sinning for the preventing of danger, or for the preventing of greater sin, we must follow the counsell of the Prophet, Psal. 37.5. Commit thy way to the Lord, trust also in him, and he shall bring it to passe. Rest upon the power, and promises of God, who can deliver us out of these perplexities, without the helpe of any of our sins. As Peter perswading Christian women from vanity, and pride in their attire, answereth a secret objection they might make against this; Alas▪ our husbands being infidels will hate us, and misuse us, yea, and bee ready to fall to a liking of other women, if we do not platt our haire, and make our selves as brave as we can, and paint us, and follow every fashion: to this he answereth by propounding to them the example of holy women of old time, and telleth them how they armed themselves against this; they trusted in God, and were not afraid of any amazement, and so doe you, 1 Pet. 3.5, 6. Thirdly, and lastly. Wee may not dare to doe any thing that we see cause to doubt that God hath forbidden it to be done, Rom. 14.23. He that doubteth is damned if he eate. As if the Apostle had said; even this is sufficient to condemne a man (if he repent not of it) that he hath given liberty to himselfe, to doe that that he doubted was unlawfull, and forbidden of God.
The third and last thing I have to say unto these men, is to advise, and warne them to take heed how they hate, and scorne any (whom otherwise they can take no exception unto) for their precisenesse in such things, as themselves account trifles, and toves. But first enquire into their grounds and reasons, why they doe so. And if you find they have good warrant in the word, to doe as they doe, commend them, encourage them, imitate them, and say with David, Psal. 119.63. I am a companion of all them that feare thee, and of them that keepe thy precepts. But if you shall find, that through their weakenesse and ignorance, they mistake their grounds, and have no good warrant for that they doe, but are more scupulous, and doubtfull in these things, then they have just cause to be; yet pity them, instruct them with meeknesse, and shew them their errour; persecute them not, nor hate them for the errour of their judgement, but beare with them, till they may be better informed. We that are strong (saith the Apostle, Rom. 15.1.) ought to beare with the infirmities of the weake, and not to ple…se our selves. And though they be in errour, yet love them for this, that they dare not do anything, that they doubt would offend God. Certainly this is a thing not to be derided and scorned, but to bee beloved, and commended, whersoever we see it. For this the Apostle loved the Iewes in his time, and professeth Rom. 10.1, 2. that his hearts desire, and prayer to God for them, was that they might be saved: because he saw, and hare them record, that they had the zeale of God, though it w…re not according to knowledge. Take heed of hating any for this, for this is a part of the image of God, and worke of his spirit, and therefore to hate this in any (though I dare not say it is the sin against the holy Ghost) yet do I confidently affirme, that it is a neere neighbour unto it; and though it be not impossible, yet will certainly be found a very difficult and rare thing, for any to be renewed by repentance that shall fall so farre.