Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 5 · Lecture 68
Lecture LXVIII. On Psalme 51.5. Septemb 11. 1627.
Vse 4.THe fourth and last use that the third and last Doctrine that we have learned out of these words touching the heinousnesse and danger of originall sinne serveth unto, is, To breed thankfullnesse in us, and so to comfort us in the acknowledgement and admiration of the goodnesse and mercy of God. For the Doctrine of originall sinne, and the true consideration of this, how vile, and corrupt we are even by nature, doth notably set forth the goodnesse of God towards us, and hath great force to make us thankfull for it, and cause us to admire and take comfort in it. This use we find the Apostle made of this Doctrine, Rom. 7. For having meditated seriously of the strength of corruption that was still in his nature, and being deepely affected, and humbled with it, as appeareth by that exclamation of his, verse 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Presently hee bursteth forth into this voice of joy and thanksgiving, verse 25. I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord. As if he should say, O how much am I bound to God, for his mercy towards me in Iesus Christ. Certainely we can never be truly thankfull to God for his mercies, we cannot value them aright nor relish the sweetnesse of them till we do apprehend, and can feelingly acknowledge how unworthy we are, that God should shew any respect unto us, and can say with Iacob, Gen. 32.10. I am unworthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant. The blessed Virgin in her song, Luk. 1.48. giveth this for the reason why her soule did magnifie the Lord, and her spirit did rejoyce in God her Saviour; because the Lord had regarded the low estate of his handmaid, had so farre regarded one that was in so low, and base an estate as shee was. And surely if we knew our owne vilenesse well (as it hath beene discovered to us, by this Doctrine of originall sinne) and could also have grace seriously to thinke of it, our soules would also magnifie the Lord and our spirits would rejoyce in God our Saviour, Gods mercies would be sweeter to us then they are, we could not choose but wonder, that the Lord should be so gracious and good to us, that are even by nature so alienated from him, and enemies in our minds unto him, as the Apostle speaketh, Col. 1.21. Every imagination of the thoughts of whose hearts, are onelyonly evill continually, Gen. 6.5. That he I say, should neverthelesse be so good and gracious unto us, as he is, It would make every one of us say oft unto the Lord as Mephibosheth once did to David, 2 Sam. 9.8. What is thy servant that thou shouldst looke upon such a dead dog as I am?
But (to speake more distinctly of this point) there be foure things especially wherein the knowledge of the vilenesse and corruption of our nature, may cause us to admire the mercy and goodnesse of God. 1. That there being such a world of wickednesse in every mans nature as there is, the Lord is pleased so farre forth to keepe it under, by his restraining grace that it breaketh forth no more then it doth. 2. That the nature of man being in all the parts of it so extreamely corrupted, any of Gods people, should have any goodnesse at all in them. 3. That there being so strong corruptions remaining in the very best of us, any of us should be able to hold out in a Christian course. 4, and lastly, That the corruption of our nature being so great as it is, it should do us no more hart, but that we should bee so fully and perfectly freed from the danger of it.
And for the first of these.1Restraining grace Certainely when we rightly consider, what the nature of man is, we shall see just cause to admire the mercy of God towards us, even in his restraining grace, and to blame our selves, that we have not taken better notice of it, and beene more thankfull unto God for it, hitherto. Let us consider the worke and power of it, first in others, secondly in our selves, and wee shall see that wee receive great benefit by it both waies.
And first for the worke of it in other men. It must needs be acknowledged as a great favour of God, that any of us live in such safety and peace as we doe, when we go abroad, when we are at home, by night, or by day, if we did rightly consider what times these are, what kind of people they be that wee live by, even such as are by nature strongly inclined not to malice onelyonly, but to all kind of mischiefe besides. Such as whose naturall disposition the Apostle describeth, Rom. 3.14—17. Their mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse, their feet are swift to shed bloud, destruction and misery are in their waies; that is to say, a desire to bring others to misery and destruction; and the way of peace (how to live peaceably) they have not knowne. This being so▪ how commeth it to passe that wee receive no hurt at all by such kind of persons as these are? Sanctifying grace they have none to change their natures. For as the Apostle saith of them in the next words, verse 18. There is no feare of God before their eyes. Besides wee heare daily of other lewd men that in such and, such places have committed strange outrages upon men in the high waies, as they have beene travelling, and in their houses while they have beene asleepe on their beds. How falleth it out then that wee have lived in such safety hitherto? You will say, because the Lord hath beene our keeper, Psal. 121.5. he hath kept watch and ward about us; He hath made a hedge about us, and our houses, as Satan said of Iob 1.10. This is true indeed; but a principall meanes whereby the Lord hath so kept us, is this restraining grace of his, in the hearts even of the most wicked men. Observe (I pray you) the worke of it, and the benefit we receive by it in three degrees.
First, Whereas there is no corruption that a naturall man is more strongly inclined unto, then to hate all such as feare God; according to that of Pro. 29.27. He that is upright in his waies (be he otherwise never so harmelesse or peaceable) is an abomination to the wicked. How commeth it to passe that in many naturall, yea otherwise lewd men wee live by, we could never yet discerne the least malice against us, that ever they desired, that ever it came into their thought, to doe us any hurt? Shall wee impute this to any goodnesse of nature that is in them? No no, this is to be ascribed to the powerfull restraining grace of that God, who made this promise to his servants that were compassed about with most wicked people on every side, Exod. 34.24. No man shall desire thy land, when thou shalt go up to appeare before the Lord thy God, thrice in a yeere.
Secondly, Whereas we know there be many lewd men amongst us, not Papists onelyonly but others, to whom we are an extreame eye-sore, that do with all their hearts desire to do us a mischiefe, and have even in their words oft bewraied as much; Of whom we may say with David, Psal. 57.4. My soule is among lions, and I lie even among them that are set on fire. How commeth it to passe that they have yet done us no hurt, nor so much as attempted any thing against us? Surely that God that restrained Laban from hurting Iacob, though hee had pursued him sixe dayes journey with a great power and full purpose to bee revenged on him, and continued in this purpose, till the very night before hee overtooke him as you shall find, Gen. 31.23.29. that God I say is he that hath kept all these lewd men from doing us that hurt, that they have desired, and purposed to doe. Hee that when the Sunne ariseth (Psal. 104.22, 23.) maketh the Lyons to gather themselves together and lay them downe in their dens, that man may goe forth to his worke, and to his labour untill the evening. Hee that shut the mouthes of the Lyons from hurting Daniel 6.22. doth curbe and muzzle these men from hurting us; and let him have the glory of all that safety wee live in.
Thirdly and lastly. Whereas every wicked man doth naturally hate us, according to that sentence of God. Genes. 3.15. I will put enmity betweene thee and the woman, and betweene thy seed and her seed. How commeth it to passe, that many wicked men we live by, are not onelyonly harmelesse, and void of malice towards us, but neighbourly and courteous, and kind unto us? Surely of this wee may say as the Prophet doth in another case. Psalme 118.23. This is the Lords doing, and it should seeme marvellous in our eyes. Hee that made Esau run to meet Iacob, and to embrace him, and fall on his necke, and kisse him. Gen. 23 4. Hee that gave his people such favour in the sight of the Egyptians, Exod. 11.3. that they thought nothing too good for them, is the only cause of all this. And certainely if the Lord should not thus restraine wicked men, if hee should set their hearts at liberty, and let loose all that wickednesse that is in them, wee might with much more safety live among Lyons, and Beares, then among them. When our Saviour had told his disciples, Matth. 10.16. Behold, I send you forth, as sheepe into the midst of wolves; hee addeth presently, verse 17. but beware of men. As if he had said. What speake I of wolves, you have more cause to feare danger from men, then from wolves, or from any other creature whatsoever.
Applic.Let us therefore (beloved) 1. Among other mercies of God, take notice of this, and bee thankefull for it, that in so wicked a world, wee live in such peace and safety as wee doe. 2. Let us in these dangerous times, wherein wee see cause of so great feare on every side, by reason of the multitude, and cruelty, and strength of our enemies, both at home and abroad, learne to secure and quiet our hearts in the providence of this mighty God, that can thus command and rule the hearts of the vilest men upon earth, yea, though they were the mightiest Princes, that can turne them whether soever he will, as Solomon speaketh, Prov. 21.1. Let us seriously meditate of that which the Prophet speaketh. Psal. 76.10. Surely the rage of man shall turne to thy praise, the remnant of the rage thou wilt restraine. 1. God can and will in his time restraine the remnant of the rage that the bloudy enemies of his Gospel, are apt to shew still against his people. 2. And surely the rage that they have already shewed, shall in the end tend to his praise, or else it should not have proceeded so farre as it hath done. That wee may bee able thus to quiet, and secure our hearts, in the providence of this mighty God. 1. Let us never give our selves rest till wee be able (through a lively faith) to say with Gods people, Psal. 48.14. This God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide, (and shepheard) even unto death. 2. Let us live in his feare, and labour to please him in all our wayes. For when a mans wayes please the Lord (as the holy Ghost saith, Prov. 16.7.) hee maketh even his enemies to bee at peace with him. Then may wee bee secure and void of feare, though the times were much worse, and our enemies many more, and stronger then they are; then may we say as David doth, when his heart was made glad with the light of Gods countenance, Psal 4.8. I will both lay me downe in peace, and sleepe also, for thou Lord only makest mee to dwell in safety. And so much shall suffice to bee spoken of the benefit wee receive by the worke of Gods restraining grace, in the hearts of other men.
But yet in the worke of Gods restraining grace in our owne selves, we have much more cause to admire the goodnes of God towards us. By the former he hath provided for our outward security and safety in the world, but by this hee doth procure and maintain the inward peace & tranquilitie of our consciences. For seeing (as wee have heard) wee are all of us by nature as bad as any other. Wee are all by nature the children of wrath even as others, as the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 2.3. Wee have all of us still even after our regeneration, the whole body of sin, not one member of it wanting in us, the seeds of all sins, as appeareth plainly by that complaint of the Apostle, Rom. 7 24. Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? How commeth it to passe, that wee are not in our lives, as well as in our natures, as bad as any others? Surely the Lord by his restraining grace, suffereth not all the corruption that is in our nature, to breake forth in us; as hee said to Abimelech, Genesis 20.6. so may hee-say to every one of us, I have kept thee that thou shouldst not sin against mee in these and these kinds.
Why but will you say,Object. this is true indeed of heathens and naturall men, they are kept from sin by restraining grace, but there is more in us that are regenerate then so, we have sanctifying grace also.
I answere. This is true, and of that I shall speake in the next place; but yet the best of Gods servants are much bound to him also even for his restraining grace. See three notable benefits we doe receive even by that.
First. Though wee have in our nature the seeds of all sinne, yet there are many foule sinnes wee never felt in our selves, the least inclination unto. The Lord hath so kept them under, as they never yet shewed themselves to bee in us; but as it is said of Saul, and other of Davids enemies that were with Saul, 1 Samuel 26.12. so it may bee said of many noisome lusts that are in our nature, the Lord hath sent a dead sleepe upon them, that they never stirre in us.
Thinke not,Applic. thinke not (beloved) that thou art made of a better mould, that thou art better by nature (I say, not then Lot, or David, or Peter, but even) then the Sodomites, or Cain was, or then any of the most monstrous sinners that ever thou hast knowne or heard of, because thou hast not felt thy selfe inclined to such foule sinnes as they fell into; thinke not that thou hast not any inclinations in thine heart to such sinnes, because thou hast not felt them stirring in thee at any time; but ascribe that to this grace of God, and consider who it is that hath made thee to differ from another, from any other man, as the Apostle speaketh in another case 1 Cor. 4.7. that thou mayest be humbled in thy selfe, and give the glory of it unto God. Learne thou to be thankfull unto God, as well for keeping thee from these sins, that thou never feltest thy selfe given unto, as for the pardon of those that thou hast most offended in.
Secondly. Many of us have felt in our selves some motions and inclinations unto many foule sinnes that others have fallen into, but they have not put forth themselves in us, in their full strength, nor set upon us with that force and violence as they have upon others, they have not bin furthered in us with such tentations, as they have bin in others, if they had, we certainly had fallen as shamefully as others have done. And what hath beene the cause that wee have not hatched these cockatrice eggs, as the Prophet calleth them? Esa. 59.5. It may bee thou wilt say, that by the sactifying spirit of God, thou hast resisted thy corruption when thou didst feele it arise, thou hast prayed against it, and so by the spirit hast mortified it. And this I doubt not but every child of God may truly say, of many a corruption they have found in themselves. But that is not all. If these sins that we have beene preserved from, had set upon us with that strength and violence as they have done upon others, or as many other of our sins have done upon our selves, if they had beene set forward by the like tentations, we had (doubtlesse) beene overcome by them as well as others. And whereunto is this to bee ascribed, that they have not done so? surely to this mighty power of Gods restraining grace in us. That whereas in other men (yea in some of his owne people, as wee may see, Psalm 81.12.) the Lord lets goe his hand, and suffereth their lusts to have the sway, giveth them up to their owne hearts lusts; and saith to their corruptions, as hee did to the deceiving spirits, 1 Kings 22.22. Goe and prevaile. Hee hath dealt more graciously with us; and though to humble us hee hath let us see what monsters wee lodge in our breasts, what abominable corruptions we have in our hearts, yet he holdeth them in a chaine, and letteth them not loose upon us, but pulleth them in againe, that they may not prevaile against us. He that hath set barres and doores to the raging sea (as hee speaketh, Iob 38.10, 11.) and said, hitherto shalt thou come and no further, and here shall thy proud waves be stayed; is hee only that stinteth and gageth the corruptions of our hearts, that sets such limits and bounds unto them.
Applic.Let us also (beloved) take notice of this mercy of God, and be thankfull for it. When thou seest or hearest of the outragious sins that many fall into, drunkenesse, adultery, murder, blasphemy, and such like sins, pity thou their case; and lift up thy heart in thankfulnesse unto God, that hath kept thee from being thy selfe as bad as they are. That speech of the Pharisee, Luke 18.11. if it had come from an humbled heart, had beene a good speech, and such as beseemeth every one of us to use unto God. Lord I thanke thee I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust adulterers. Consider thus with thy selfe. I am by nature, as bad as the worst man I know, yea, I find my selfe sometimes enclined, and ready even to fall into those very sinnes, that have brought others to so much shame. And then thinke upon, and blesse that hand that hath kept thee from falling, and say in thankefulnesse of heart with the Prophet, Psal. 94.18. When I sayd my foot slippeth, thy mercy ô Lord did hold me up.
The third and last benefit we receive by this restraining grace of God, in our selves, is this, that the Lord letteth us not know all the vilenesse and wickednesse, that is in us, but concealeth and hideth a great part of it from us.
Object.But you will say to mee. Is it a benefit to bee kept from the knowledge of our sinnes?
Answ,I answer. No not from all knowledge of our sins. For it is a great benefit to have our sins discovered to us, 1. So farre forth as is necessary to drive us unto Christ, to shew us how wretched wee are without him. For this maketh us capable of benefit by Christ. 1 Timothy 1.15. this maketh us able to prize him, and thirst after him, Numbers 21.9. this maketh us able to relish and find sweetnesse in him, Matth. 11.28. 2. So farre forth as is necessary to bring us unto repentance for them, and to keepe us from living and continuing in them. Iere. 8.6. No man repented him of his wickednesse, saying, what have I done? So farre forth we should labour to find out our sins by diligent search, Psal. 4.4. and should be content that others should acquaint us with them. Psal. 141.5. 3. So farre forth as is necessary for the pacifying of Gods wrath, in any speciall judgements that are upon us. For in this case, as the Lord restifieth by his judgements, that hee hath matter against us, Ruth 1.21. so it is our duty and the way for us to appease the Lords anger, by a diligent search and examination of our selves to find out the speciall sin whereby we have thus provoked God, Lam. 3.39.40. Yea in this case we are bound to beg of God, that he would discover those speciall sins unto us, as Iob did, Iob 13.23. 4. So farre forth as it is necessary to keepe us from pride, and to humble us. For to this end, God commanded his people to remember, and oft to call to their minds, their old sinne, and the most hainous of them all. Deut 9.7. Remember, and forget not how thou provokedst the Lord thy God to wrath in the wildernesse. And to this end, Moses spendeth a whole chapter, Deut. 9. in calling to the peoples minds, and bringing into their remembrance, their old sins; which he would never have done, if he had not knowne this profitable, and needfull for them, that their repentance for them might bee oft renewed.
But further then the knowledge of our sins serveth for one of these foure ends, it is no benefit, it is a judgement, and correction of God upon us. Therefore it is threatned as a judgement to wicked men, Psal. 50.21. I will reproove thee, and set thy sins in order before thee. Therefore Iob complaineth of it as of a judgement, Iob 13.26. Thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possesse the sins of my youth. And Paul prayeth against it, 2 Cor. 12.8. I grant indeed it is such a judgement, and correction, as God useth most to exercise them by, that are dearest to him, and seeth it to bee most necessary for them, as is plaine by the example of Iob 13.26. and of Paul. 2 Cor. 12.7. But herein his mercy appeareth, that as it is said of all other corrections upon his Church, Esa 27.8. In measure thou wilt debate with it; so it is in this. 1. The Lord doth not let any of us see all our sins, but so many of them as he seeth will be sufficicient for us to see for our saving humiliation, and repentance. Dealing with us in this case, as Balak did with Balaam, Num. 23.13. Thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, thou shalt not see them all. And 2. those that he is pleased to discover to us, he doth not let us feele the full weight of them, nor let us fully see the loathsomnesse of them. Oh, if the Lord should breake up the sinke that is in every one of our hearts, and let us fully discerne, and feele how much filth is in them, we were never able to abide our selves, but should every one of us become a Magormissahib (as Ieremy calleth Pashur, Ier. 20.3, 4.) a terrour to our selves. If the Lord should let us feele the full weight of our sins, certainely we were never able to beare it, but should be overwhelmed by it. See this not only in the sin of Cain and Iudas, that were castawayes, Gen. 4.13. Mat. 27.5. but in the sins also of Gods own people. Heare what David saith of his sin, Ps. 38.4. It is a heavy burden, too heavy for me to beare. And heare what Paul saith of the incestuous person, 2 Cor 2.7. he was in danger to bee swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
1. Thinke of this thou wretched man,Applic. to whom many foule sins seeme as light as a feather, drunkennesse, swearing, whoring, &c. when the Lord shall but let thee throughly to see what thou hast done, when he shall lay but any one of these sins unto thy charge, and cause thee to feele the full weight of it, hee shall need to inflict no other punishment upon thee, but even to let thee see & feele what thou hast done. Ier. 2 19. Thine owne wickednes shall correct thee, and thy back-slidings shall reprove thee. Wickednes will burne like the fire, Esa. 9.18. Hell it selfe hath no greater torment then that. And this thou hast cause to looke for, and knowest not how soone, Num. 32.23. Thou hast sinned against the Lord, and be thou sure thy sin will find thee out. 2. Let us therfore (beloved) acknowledge it for a mercy of God, that he doth give us the sight, and sense of our sins so farre forth as is necessary to our saving humiliation and repentance; but let us acknowledge it for as great a mercy, that hee doth not let us see, and feele our sins to the full, so as we should be overwhelmed by it.