Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 6 · Lecture 84
Lecture LXXXIV. On Psalme 51.6. March 18. 1627.
The third property of true goodnesse and righteousnesse.THe third note to try our goodnesse and righteousnesse by, is the extent of it. True goodnesse and grace is of a large extent. 1. In respect of the subject of it, it reacheth unto and goeth thorow the whole man, 2. In respect of the object of it, it sheweth it selfe, in a conscionable respect unto all the commandements of God, 3. In respect of the time, it sheweth this conscionable care to please God in all things, at one time as well as at another.
1The subject of sanc…fying grace.For the first, If that grace and goodnesse that seemeth to be in any man, be true and unseigned it worketh a totall change, a reformation in the whole man; in the inward man and in the outward man too; in the minde and understanding, in the conscience, in the memory, in the will, in the affections, in the outward senses and parts of the body, in the words and in the actions of a man. This was typified by the burnt offerings under the law. The whole sacrifice (as you may read, Levit. 1.8, 9, 13.) not the foure quarters onelyonly but the head and the fat and the inwards and the legs must be offered unto God, and burnt upon the altar. Which was not onelyonly a type of Christ who (as a propitiatory sacrifice) was wholly offered up and endured the fiery wrath of God for us, not in his body onelyonly but in his soule too, and in every power and faculty of it; but it was also a type of the obedience of the faithfull which are the members of Christ, as appeareth plainely by the allusion that is made unto it both by the Apostle, Rom. 12.1. and by our Saviour himselfe, Mar. 12.33. And thus you see a totall obedience and sanctification, of the whole man is required of us; but I say more then so, this totall change not onelyonly ought to be in every Christian, but it is wrought in every one that hath any truth of grace in him. In this respect our Saviour compareth it Matth. 13.33. unto leaven, which will leaven the whole lumpe of dough that it is put into. Thus the Apostle describeth true sanctifying grace in that prayer he maketh for the Thessalonians, 1 Thes 5.23. The very God of peace sanctifie you wholly (that is true may you say, this is to be desired and prayed for, yea this is to be aimed at, and we should endeavour to attaine unto it, but this is not possible to bee attained unto in this life; marke therefore what followeth in the next words) and I pray God (saith hee) that your whole spirit, and soule, and body, may bee preserved blamelesse unto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. As if hee had said, Now your whole spirit and soule, and body is sanctified, you are sanctified throughout, and my prayer is, that this good worke that is begunne, may bee increased, and that you may bee preserved in this estate unto the end. Of the soule and spirit men will easily grant that they are capable of grace; yea, that the whole spirit and soule of the regenerate man may bee sanctified; but marke that the Apostle a…firmeth this of the body also, yea of the whole body that it is capable of sanctifying grace. And therfore also hee calleth the very bodies of the faithfull, the members of Christ. 1 Cor. 6.15. And verse 19. the temples of the holy Ghost. And saith of himselfe & the rest of his brethren, 2 Corinth. 4.10, 11. that the life of the Lord Iesus (that is, his quickning grace) was mad: manifest in their bodies. In this respect also, hee calleth the regenerate part Colos. 3.10. (not a new mind, nor a new will, nor a new heart only, but) the new man; Ye have put on (saith hee) the new man; it is a compleat man, it hath all the faculties and powers of a perfect man in it. So speaketh hee againe. 2 Corinth. 5.17. If any man bee in Christ (in the state of grace) hee is a new creature, old things are past away, behold, all things are become new. Every one that is in Christ, is become a new man, every faculty, every part of him is renewed. In this respect also every upright-hearted man is called a perfect man (Marke the perfect man, and behold the upright, saith David, Psalme 37.37.) because they have this perfection of parts, they are sanctified throughout, in all their parts. And as the children that wee beget, are perfect men and women, so soone as ever they are borne, because they have the soules and bodies, and all the parts of men and women, though in great weakenesse; so is it with all the children of God much more. Men may beget children that are defective, and want some of their parts, wee reade of some that have beene borne blind, Iohn 9.1. and of some that have beene creeples from their mothers wombe, Acts 14.8. and of some that have beene borne fooles. But our heavenly father begets no such children, all his children are perfect, and have no such defect of parts in them.
Now before I make application of this point, I must first give you three cautions to prevent the children of God from taking occasion of much feare▪ and discomfort by the mistaking and misunderstanding of this point.
The first caution is this.Caution 1… As the goodliest child that ever was borne, is defective when it is an infant and new borne; not onelyonly in the stature and strength of every member of his body, but even in the measure of his understanding also; even so is it with the new man. They that are sanctified in the best measure, are yet in every part, in every faculty of their soule in every sense and member of their body defective in the measure and degree of grace. Paul telleth those worthy Christians the Thessalonians, 1 Thess. 3.10. that hee desired to come to them to perfect that that was lacking in their faith. Yea of himselfe hee saith, Phil. 3.12. that hee was not perfect. And if that great Apostle could say of himselfe, and such as he was, 1 Cor. 13.9. we know but in part, then how great cause have the best of every one of us to complaine, alas, how little spirituall light and knowledge have I in my understanding, how little sanctifying grace and goodnesse have I in my thoughts, in my memory, in my conscience, in my will, in my desires and affections? How little inclination to any thing that is good in my eye, or in my eare, or in any other of my senses, or parts of my body?
Caution, 2,Secondly. Though they that have truth of grace in them, have every faculty and power of their soule, and every sense and member of their body seasoned in some measure, with the new leaven of sanctifying grace; yet have they also much of the old leaven of their corrupt nature remaining still in every facultie of their soule, and in every sense and member of their body. Purge out therefore the old leaven saith the Apostle, 1 Cor 5.7. As if hee had said, This is a worke wherein we must alwayes be doing, and which we shall never make an end of while we live here. In which respect the regenerate man may fitly bee compared unto the ayre in the twilight, in which there is no part but it hath some light in it, neither is there any part of it, but it hath some darkenesse in it also; and unto the water that is luke-warme, there is no part of it, but it hath some heate in it, nor any part but it hath some coldnesse in it too. Therefore as the spirit, the regenerate part in us is called (as we have heard) the new man, so is the flesh and the unregenerate part in us called the old man likewise, Eph. 4.22. because it goeth through the whole man as the other doth. And this maketh many a good soule thinke there is no truth of grace in them, because that throughout in their whole spirit and soule, and body, they discerne still so much corruption. From the sole of the foot (say they, as Esa. 1.6.) even to the head there is no soundnes in me. This maketh them complaine with Iob 40.4. Behold, I am vile. What a deale of ignorance and blindnes have I in my understanding? how vaine & wicked are my thoughts for the most part? how hardly can I forget any small wrong that hath bin done me, and how apt am I to forget any good thing? how hard a heart have I, and unable to mourne for any of my sins, how apt to be overwhelmed with griefe for the smallest crosse that befalleth me? With what delight doe mine eares listen to any evill I can heare of my neighbour, & how dull of hearing is it towards any thing that is good? how apt is mine eye to wander and to steale away my heart, when I should attend to the word, and how hardly can I keepe it fixed upon any thing that might bring good to my soule? These we know are the complaints of the best soules. And yet all this may be where there is truth of heart.
Caution 3.Thirdly and lastly. Though where truth of grace is, it diffuseth, and sheddeth it selfe abroad throughout the whole man, every faculty of the soule is sanctified, and every part of the body also, yet is not the worke of grace therein so sensible and manifest, as is the corruption of our nature. The workes of the flesh are manifest, saith the Apostle, Galathians 5.19. more manifest then the worke of grace is. I cannot perceive (saith many a good Christian) any worke of Gods sanctifying grace at all in my memory, in sundry of my affections in my joy, and my anger, much lesse in the members of my body; and how can I say then, that there is any truth of grace in mee? To such I say, there may bee some sanctifying grace in thee, yea in every faculty of thy soule and member of thy body, though thou perceive it not. The little infant hath all the parts of a mans body, though there bee sundry of them, thou canst discerne no use he hath of them in any action; yea hee hath a reasonable soule, and all the faculties of it, though it appeare not in any operation at all.
Three things thou hast in thee, that shew thou hast sanctifying grace, even there where thou perceivest it least. 1. As thou hast in thy whole man, in every faculty and part, both flesh and spirit, so hast thou in thy whole man, a conflict between them. The flesh lusteth against the spirit (saith the Apostle Gal. 5.17.) and the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other. Thou heartily dislikest, and checkest thy selfe for the corruption thou findest in thy thoughts, in thy memory, in thy affections, in thine eye and eare, and in every other part. And whence commeth this, but from sanctifying grace. 2. Thou mournest and art unfeinedly grieved for any corruption, any untowardnesse to that that is good which thou findest in any part, and canst say with Paul, Rom. 7.24. O wretched man that I am, who can deliver me from the body of this death? 3. Thou dost unfeinedly desire & endevour to be rid of that corruption that is in any faculty of thy soule, and part of thy body, to offer thy selfe unto God as an holocaust, a whole burnt sacrifice to be sanctified throughout, and canst say with David, Psal. 103.1. Blesse the Lord, ô my soule, and all that is within me (understanding, memory, conscience, will, affections) blesse his holy name. And certainly that man that can thus unfeinedly desire and endeavour to have better thoughts, a better memory, a better conscience, a better will, better affections, a better tongue, a better eye, and a better eare, hath grace in all these parts, and is in some measure sanctified in them all.
Let us now make some application of this point,Applic. for the tryall of our owne hearts, whither they be upright or no, whether there be any truth of saving grace in them, that truth in the inward parts that David here speaketh of, and which the Lord taketh so great delight in. And certainely it will appeare by this doctrine, that many that glory much in the uprightnesse of their owne hearts, have no truth of grace in them, because the grace they pretend to have, is not totall, but partiall, it goeth not through the whole man.
Two sorts there be especially that are discovered to be void of truth in their hearts, by this Doctrine.
First. Many there bee that perswade themselves they have good hearts, and truth of grace in them, and yet no such thing appeareth in their outward man, such liberty they give to themselves in their speech, and in all their outward behaviour, that all men that see them, must needes judge them voyd of grace. 2. Yea they perswade themselves, it is utterly needlesse to restraine themselves of any liberty that way, or to regard what they are in the view and judgement of men. Did not the Apostle (say they) professe 1 Corinth. 4.3. hee passed very little for the judgement and censure of men? God saith 1. Sam. 16.7. hee looketh not to the outward appearance men make, but to the heart. 3. Nay they shun all outward shewes of goodnes, specially of strictnes in religion, and purposely desire to carry themselves so in their company, and speech, and attire, and behaviour every way, that they may not be thought to bee too religious, because they see that is so odious a thing in the world, Concerning this sect (say the Iewes to Paul, Act. 28.22.) wee know that every where it is spoken against. 4. Yea they hate those that are of any nore, for more forwardnesse in religion then is in other men, and confidently pronounce of them (as their father the devill did of Iob 1.9, 10.) that they are all hypocrites, they cannot abide to make shew of more goodnes then is in them indeed, they hate hypocrisie with all their hearts.
To these men, I have two things to say.
First. If it were possible for such a one as thou art to have a good heart, yet is it not possible that that should save thee. For 1. Thou art bound to reforme thy outward man as well as thy inward. To clense thy selfe from all filthinesse of the flesh, as well as of the spirit, 2 Cor 7.1. To glorifie God in thy body, as well as in thy spirit, for both are the Lords, and both are bought with a price, as the Apostle speaketh, 1 Cor. 6.20. Yea thou shalt be iudged at the last day, not so much according to that that hath bin in thy heart, as according to that that thou hast done in thy body. For so the Apostle teacheth plainly, 2 Cor 5.10. We must all appeare before the judgement seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body. Yea God hath prepared torments in hell for every member of thy body whereby thou hast dishonoured him. The rich gluttons tongue (the member that none abuse more then your drunkards and gluttons, we read Luke 16.24) was tormented in hell fire. And 2. whereas thou gloriest that thou art no hyprocite; I assure thee that as thy sin is greater then the hyprocrites, and God more dishonoured by it, so shall thy portion be more deeper in hell then his. They declare their sin as Sodom (saith the Prophet, Esay 3 9. they care not who heare them blaspheme and scorne religion, they care not who knoweth they are drunke) they hide it not▪ woe unto their soule. 3. If ever thou wilt be saved, thou must live so, as men may be witnesses of thy goodnesse. And those places that thou alleadgest out of 1 Sam. 16.7. and 1 Cor 4.3. are not to be understood simply, but comparatively onelyonly. Let your light so shine before men (saith our Saviour, Matth. 5.16.) that they may see your good workes. With the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse (saith the Apostle, Rom. 10.10.) and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. No hope of salvation, without an open profession of religion. And thus the faithfull are brought in by the Prophet, Esay 44.5. glorying in the open profession of their religion. One shall say, I am the Lords, another shall call himselfe by the name of Iacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himselfe by the name of Israel. And hee that is ashamed to professe religion, even in the strictest manner (so that the strictnesse bee no other then such as is grounded upon the word of God▪ not upon the fancies of men) certainely can have no hope to be saved. For so saith our blessed Saviour (that Amen, that faithfull and true witnes, Rev. 3.14.) Mar. 8.38. Whosoever shall bee ashamed of mee, and of my words, in this adulterous, and sinfull generation, of him also shall the sonne of man bee ashamed, when hee commeth in the glory of his father, and of the holy Angels
And this is the first thing I have to say to these kind of men, if it were possible for such as they are to have good hearts, yet were it not possible for them to bee saved for all that.
But the second thing I have to say to them, is this, that it is not possible there should bee any truth of grace, any religion in thy heart, when thy outward man, thy words and works are so unreformed, and irreligious as they be. But for this, I shall need to say no more then I have already said in the proofe of the Doctrine.
The second sort of men that are by this Doctrine discerned to bee void of all truth of heart, are such as contenting themselves with this, that they are reformed in the outward man (thou shalt never heare them sweare, or lye, or talke either filthily or maliciously, thou shalt never see them drunke, or haunt evill company, they constantly performe religious duties, both publikely and privatly) yet are they carelesse of the reforming and sanctifying of the inward man; 1. their understanding is blind, and blockish, and full of errour; 2. their thoughts are most vaine and wicked; 3. their memories are like brasse, for the reteining of that that is naught, and like water for that that is good; 4. Their affections are altogether worldly and disordered; yet do these inward corruptions not trouble them at all, neither doe they strive against them But to these men the time will not permit mee to say any more then this, remember what you have now heard, if that grace that seemeth to bee in us, bee true and unfeined, it will worke a totall change in us, a reformation of the whole man, at least in the unfeined desire and endeavour of the heart.