Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 6 · Lecture 92
Lecture XCII. On Psalme 51.6. Iune 24. 1628.
IT followeth now that we proceed to the third and last point which I propounded to handle in this first part of the application, which concerneth those that refuse to serve God, and to be religious, and it is to shew the dangerous estate that they are in that doe so, to reprove and terrifie all wicked men, specially such as live in the Church, and under the meanes of grace. We have heard in the handling of this third and last note of an upright heart, That if there be in a man but an unfeigned desire to be saved and to please God, he is accepted of God, he hath certainely truth of saving grace in him. That no man is rejected of God, no man shall perish, that hath in him a true desire to be saved and to please God. This point if it be well considered, is of great force to humble all naturall men, to take all excuse from them, and to make them ashamed of themselves. For what goodnesse can there be in that man that hath not in him so much as a desire to be good? What can that man pretend why he should not be most justly condemned and cast into hell, that never had in him a true desire to be saved and to flie from the wrath to come? And surely thus it is with every wicked man that liveth in the Church, and under the meanes of grace; to that man I may boldly say, thou canst not repent nor leave thy sinnes, because thou dost not desire to repent and forsake thy sinnes; thou hast no grace because thou dost not desire grace; thou canst not beleeve, because thou dost not desire to beleeve; thou shalt perish everlastingly, because thou hast no true desire nor will to be saved. Wicked men are apt and ever have beene blasphemously to impute all this wholly unto the Lord, and his will, to cast all upon God, and to say of their future estate, I shall doe as it pleaseth God, if it be the will of God, and he have so decreed, I shall be saved, if it be otherwise how can I helpe it? And of their present estate, if God would give me the grace, I should be better then I am, and till then how should I mend? Thus did our first father plead for himselfe so soone as ever he was fallen from God. The woman (saith he, Gen. 3.12.) which thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eate. As if he had said, I may thanke thee for that that I have done, If thou hadst not given me this woman, I had never sinned. And thus did the unprofitable servant pleade for himselfe, Matth. 25.14. I know thou art an hard ma…, reaping where thou never sowedst. As though he had said, Exacting fruit of holinesse and obedience where thou didst never bestow the seed of grace. And thus the Apostle bringeth in wicked men objecting against the Lord, Rom. 9 19. Why doth he yet find fault? for who hath resisted his will? As if he had said, How can I justly be blamed or punished for being as I am, if it be the will of God I shall be no better? How can I be said to be the cause of mine owne damnation, when it is the decree and will of God that I should perish? But (as I told you) these are but the pleas and pretences of wicked men. These pleas will not hold. Certainely as God is not the cause of any mans sinne, but himselfe as the Apostle teacheth us, Iam. 1.13, 14. Let no man say (As if he had said, I know men are apt to say so, but it is folly and sinne for a man to say) when he is tempted (or moved to any sinne) I am tempted of God, for God cannot be tempted of evill, neither tempteth he any man; but every man is tempted when he is drawne away of his owne lust, and enticed. So neither is God the cause of mans destruction but himselfe. It is the fruit of his owne way, as the Holy Ghost speaketh, Pro. 1.31. And as of every temporall crosse that befalleth a man in this life (of what kind soever it be) a man may justly smite himselfe upon the breast, and say to his owne heart as the Lord speaketh, Ier. 2.17. Hast thou not procured this to thy selfe? He may truly say, Whatsoever hand, God, or man had in this evill that is befa…len me, I am sure I was the chiefe cause of it my selfe; so may it truly be said to every wicked man of his spirituall and eternall death and destruction, as the Lord speaketh to Israel, Hos. 13.9. O Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe, but in mee is thy helpe; that is, though thou canst not save thy selfe nor worke any goodnesse in thy selfe, that must come wholly from my meere grace (By grace are ye saved, through faith (saith the Apostle, Ephes. 2.8) and that not of your selves; it is the gift of God) yet thou hast destroyed thy selfe, thou art thy selfe the cause why thou hast no grace, why thou canst not repent, nor leave thy grosse sinnes, why thou canst not beleeve nor take any comfort in Christ, why thou shalt be damned and perish everlastingly. Yea how apt soever men are now to plead thus for themselves and to impute all unto God, there will come a day when (as the Apostle speaketh, Rom. 3.19.) every mouth shall be stopped, and all the world shall become guilty before God; No man shall have any such thing to say for himselfe, but shall cleare the Lord, he shall cry guilty and acknowledge himselfe to have beene the onelyonly cause of his owne destruction. The bookes shall be opened (as the Apostle speaketh, Revel. 20.12. the bookes of every mans conscience) and men shall bee judged according to the things that are written in those bookes, according to their workes. Every mans owne booke, his owne conscience will plead for God against himselfe, at that day. At that day it will appeare that not the Lord but every wicked man himselfe is the onelyonly cause of his owne destruction; that he is not saved, because he had no desire nor will to bee saved, hee did not his endeavour nor what lay in him, to come to grace and salvation; that the Lord was not wanting to him this way but he was wanting to himselfe. In that day the Lord will say to every wicked man as hee saith to Ierusalem, Matth. 22.37. O wretched man and woman how oft would I have gathered thee, but thou wouldst not? How oft would I have converted thee; what meanes of grace did I give unto thee; how often have I shewed my selfe willing by such and such a Sermon, by such and such an affliction to have changed thy heart, but thou wouldst not? Certainely all wicked men perish wilfully, they perish because they will perish, they have no desire to be saved. Why will ye die O house of Israel, saith the Lord, Ezek. 33.11? As if he had said Ye die because ye will die. Now that men do perish thus wilfully, that they have no true desire nor will to be saved, appeareth evidently by these foure things that may be observed in them.
First, They will use no meanes nor take any paines to escape damnation, to obtaine grace and to get to heaven, as they would doe to escape any great danger they desire to avoid; or to obtaine any good thing they desire to have. Salvation is farre from the wicked (saith David, Psal. 119.155. how should they come by it?) for they kept not thy statutes. As if he had said, They will not use the meanes, nor labour to get it.
Secondly, When they may have the meanes to bring them to grace and salvation without any labour or charge to them, they fl…ight and neglect them, they account them rather a burden and trouble then any benefit or blessing unto them, they shew no desire to them, but say in their hearts to God as those wretches did of whom we reade, Iob 21.24. Depart from me, for wee desire not the knowledge of thy waies.
Thirdly, When the Lord doth sometimes by his Word, sometimes by his judgements force them to have some thoughts of heaven, some good motions and desires, they resist the spirit of God therein, as Stephen saith the Iewes did, Acts 7.51. They hold the truth in unrighteousnesse, as the Apostle speaketh, Rom. 1.18. They violently withstand and oppose these good motions and will not yeeld to them.
Fourthly and lastly, (which is the root of all the rest) They doe in their hearts basely esteeme of, and despise grace and salvation, and the meanes thereof, and preferre any trifle before them. And as it is said of Gallio the profane deputy, Act. 8.17. he cared for none of those things; so may it be said of them, the matter of religion and of their salvation is the least of their care; when they have nothing els to doe or thinke of, then they will thinke of heaven. So that as it is said of Esau that he despised his birth-right, Gen 25.34. because he sold it for one morsell of meat, for one meales meat, as the Apostle speaketh, Heb. 12.16. so may it be truly said of all wicked, that they despise grace and salvation because there be so many trifles that they preferre before it. And so the Holy Ghost expressely speaketh, Pro. 11.33. He that refuseth instruction despiseth his owne soule. So that it is evident you see, that every wicked man is utterly inexcusable: he perisheth justly, because he perisheth wilfully; he hath no desire at all, no will to be saved, but an utter aversnesse and unwillingnesse to go to heaven, or to walke in the way that leadeth thither.
Now if any man shall object against this and say, How can this be? seeing the spirit speaketh expressely in the holy Scriptures. 1. That man hath by nature no freedome of will to any thing that is good but is dead in trespasses and sinnes as the Apostle speaketh, Ephes. 2.1. He cannot desire to have grace or to be saved, no more then a dead man can desire to live; nay he cannot accept of Gods grace when it is offered, 1 Cor. 2.14. The naturall man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him; he cannot choose but be unwilling and averse from good things. 2. That the matter of mans salvation dependeth wholly, not upon the will of man but upon the will and free grace of God; as the Apostle speaketh, Rom. 9.16. It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth (this matter dependeth neither upon the desire of man, nor upon any endeavour neither that he can use) but of God that sheweth mercy. And verse 18. He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will, he hardeneth. And he worketh all things according to the counsell of his owne will, saith the Apostle, Ephes. 1.11. 3. Gods grace is irresistible and able to overcome and subdue this unwillingnesse and aversenesse that is in our nature. God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham, as Iohn Baptist speaketh, Matth. 3.9. And that in these three respects it should seeme that the wicked man is not the cause of his own destruction, but the Lord rather.
Answ. 1.To this I answer, First. That the Lord is not the cause why man is by nature dead in trespasses and sinnes, but himselfe onelyonly: he killed himselfe, and deprived himselfe of this spirituall life, the Lord did it not; God requireth nothing of man, (for not doing whereof the condemneth him) but he made him well able to doe it. God made man upright, saith the Holy Ghost, Eccl. 7.29. not the first man, but man indefinitely, mankind, God made man upright. And as in Adam all men were made upright, so in Adam all men voluntarily and unconstrainedly sinned, as the Apostle saith, Rom. 5.12. killed themselves, lost this spirituall life; So that even in this respect, that standeth good which you heard out of Hos. 13.9. O man, thou hast destroyed thy selfe.
Secondly,2. Though God be able to restore to every wicked man this spirituall life againe, and to quicken him by his grace, yet is he not bound to do it, he doth no man wrong if he doe it not. Is it not lawfull for me (saith the Lord, Mat. 20.15.) to doe what I will with mine owne? Who hath first given to him (saith the Apostle, Rom. 11.35. who hath made God a debter to him) and it shall be recompensed to him againe?
Thirdly,3. Though every naturall man be dead in trespasses and sinnes so as he can doe nothing that is spiritually good and pleasing unto God, nothing that hee can save himselfe by. Yet may every naturall man doe much more then he doth, to further his owne salvation. He is not so dead but there is enough left in him to make him without excuse as the Apostle plainely teacheth, Rom. 1.20. He may doe more then he doth to avoid damnation, he may doe more then he doth to further his owne salvation, and because he will not doe what he may therefore he is inexcusable, therefore he is the cause of his owne destruction. Why what can he do,Quest. will you say?
I answer,Answ. 1. First, He hath power enough left in him by nature to curbe and restraine himselfe from all grosse sinnes, from drunkennesse, and whoredome, and such like sinnes, yea and from haunting of lewd company that may draw him to such sinnes; he may forbeare these things if he will; he hath enough left in him to make him able to live a civill and unblameable life. There is many a man that even by the strength of nature can truly say, as he said, Luk. 18.11. I thanke God I am no extortioner, nor unjust (in my dealings with men) nor an adulterer.
Secondly,2. He hath enough left in him to make him able to doe many good workes, I meane workes that are materially and morally good. He can (if he will) make restitution of that that he hath gotten unjustly, and doe workes of mercy also to the poore. Els would not Daniel 4.27. have spoken thus to such a man as Nebuchadnezzar was, Breake off thy sinnes by righteousnesse, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poore. And that which the young man saith of the outward observation of all the commandements of the second table, Matth. 19 20. All these things have I kept from my youth up; that the Apostle speaketh even of many a Gentile, Rom. 2.14. The Gentiles do by nature the things contained in the law. And in the Church, many a man is even by the strength of nature able to say, not of the second table onelyonly but of the three latter commandements of the first table also (so farre forth as the letter and externall observation of them) all these have I kept.
Thirdly,3. He can (if he will) frequent the ministery of the Word, the plainest, and most powerfull ministery and that constantly. When thou wert young (saith our Saviour to Peter, Iohn 21.18.) thou girdest thy selfe, and walkedst whither thou wouldest. So much freedome of will every man hath by nature, so much power (even by that generall and common grace and assistance that God communicateth unto all men) that he may goe to Church if he will; yea he may (if he will) ride or goe many miles to a Sermon ordinarily as well as he may to an market so farre. The Lord speaking of such as were no better then naturall men telleth the Prophet, Ezek. 33.31. They come to thee as the people commeth, and they sit before thee as my people, and they heare thy words.
4.Fourthly, He may (if he will) so seriously marke and observe the Word that is preached unto him, and the judgements of God which he seeth and feeleth, as he may bring himselfe thereby unto legall repentance; even to such a sight and sense of his sinne and of the wrath of God as may make his heart to quake and judge himselfe to be in a most miserable estate. Of them that were no more then naturall men we do read, Esa. 58.3. that they did use in the time of Gods judgements upon them, to fast and afflict their owne soules. And of Ahab and Felix we read how by hearing the Word and observing what they heard they were wrought upon. Ahab 1 King. 21.27.29. rent his clothes, put sackcloth upon his flesh, fasted and humbled himselfe before God. And Felix (Acts 24.25.) trembled exceedingly.
5.Fiftly and lastly, He may be able (out of this sense he hath of his owne miserable estate) not onelyonly to desire the prayers of others, as Pharaoh did, Exod. 10.17. and Ieroboam, 1 King. 13.6. but even himselfe also to cry importunately and pray to God for mercy. So it is said of the mariners, Ionah 1. that in the extreame feare they were in through the apprehension of Gods wrath they cried not onelyonly every man unto his God, verse 5. but unto the Lord also unto Iehovah, verse 14. So it is likewise said of Saul, Acts 9.11. Behold, hee prayeth. When our Saviour exhorteth the hypocriticall Iewes in an allegoricall speech, to make their peace with God in time, while this life and the day of grace lasteth, Luke 12.58, 59. he maketh this preface to that exhortation, verse 57. Yea, and why even of your selves judge ye not what is right? As if he had said, You have so much light and judgement in your selves, even by nature, as to discerne that that is fit and necessary to be done. Even by the light of nature a man may be able (out of the apprehension and sense of his owne fearefull condition) to desire reconciliation with God, and to cry earnestly for it.
Quest.Now if any man shall aske me; and what is all to the purpose that you say a naturall man is able to doe, seeing none of all this, is any thing worth in the sight of God, or pleasing unto him? seeing there is no true goodnesse in any of this, that a naturall man doth; Without faith it is impossible to please God, Hebrewes 11.6.
Answ. 1.I answer, First, That though this be so, yet I may say to the naturall man that doth these things, that doth thus what in him lyeth, as our Saviour said to the Scribe, Marke 12.34. Thou art not farre from the kingdome of God; such a man is nearer to heaven then any other naturall man in the world is.
2.Secondly, That though by doing all this that lyeth in his power 1 he cannot deserve (neither ex condigno, nor ex congruo as the Papists speake) that God should save him or give him his grace (for Gods grace is free, he worketh in men both to will and to doe, of his owne good pleasure, as the Apostle speaketh, Phil. 2.13.) 2 He can have no certaine assurance when he hath done all this, that lyeth in him to doe that he shall find mercy with God (for there is no promise made to these things, All the promises of God are in Christ yea and Amen, as the Apostle speaketh, 2 Cor. 1.20. till a man be in Christ he hath no promise from God) yet may the naturall man be greatly incouraged to doe thus what lyeth in him, to flie from the wrath to come, and to please God; and may conceive hope that by doing these things as well as he is able, God will be pleased (out of his infinite goodnesse) to shew mercy on him. And these grounds he hath out of Gods Word for his encouragement therein. 1. Because the Lord hath revealed himselfe in his Word to be so infinite in mercy and goodnesse, Exod. 34.7. and hath sworne, Ezek. 33.11. that hee hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked. 2. Because God seeketh to the vilest sinner in the ministery of his word, 2 Cor. 5.…0. and beseecheth him by us, that hee would bee reconciled unto God. Commandeth us to offer Christ to every wicked man that heareth us (upon condition that he will beleeve, and obey) and to proclaime a generall pardon without excluding any. Preach the Gospell (saith hee Marke 16.15.) to every creature. And what cause then hath such a man that hath gone thus farre to doubt of finding mercy? 3. Because God hath bin pleased (out of his infinite goodnesse) to shew respect even to such poore stuffe as naturall men out of the strength of nature, have beene able to doe. Christ loved the young man, of whom we read, Marke 1….21. even for that morality that was in him. And God shewed much respect even unto Ahab… humiliation. 1 Kings 21.29. and to Iehoahaz prayer, that in the sense of his misery he made, Iehoahaz besought the Lord (saith the story, 2 Kings 12.4.) and the Lord hearkened unto him; and to that prayer which Saul out of his legall humiliation before his conversion did make unto him. Acts 9.11.
Thirdly and lastly.3. I may confidently affirme of all such, as doe not their endeavour thus, and what in them lyeth to escape damnation, and to be saved these three things. 1. That they are hereby made more inexcusable, and do more evidently declare themselves to be the causes of their owne damnation. 2. That they make themselves worse and worse thereby, and more unable to repent. As the Apostle plainely reacheth, Rom 1. that the Gentiles by not making use of that light and freedom of will, and of that power that was in them by nature; because as he saith, verse 18. they held the truth in unrighteousnesse, and verse 21. when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankefull, but became vaine in their imaginations, therefore verse 4. God gave them up to uncleannes through the lusts of th…ir owne hearts. 3. That their damnation shall even for this, be farre greater in hell, they shall become two-fold more the children of hell, as our Saviour speaketh, Matthew 23.15. This is plaine by that Christ saith of Capernaum. Matthew 11.…4. It shall be more tollerable for the land of S…dom, in the day of judgement, then for thee.