Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 6 · Lecture 81
Lecture LXXXI. On Psalme 51.6. Febru. 19. 1627.
LET us now apply this that wee have heard to our selves.Applic. And that that I will say for the application of this point shall bee by way of exhortation onelyonly; even to stirre up, and perswade my selfe, and every one of you, not to rest contented with the fruits of Gods common and generall love, bee not satisfied in thy selfe, till thou be assured by faith, that God loveth thee with his speciall and particular love, that thou art one of the world of Gods Elect, whom God so loved, that hee gave his onelyonly begotten sonne for thee, that thou beleeving in him, mightest not perish, but have life everlasting; as our Saviour speaketh, Iohn 3.16. That God so loveth thee, that hee spared not his owne sonne, but delivered him up for thee; as Rom. 8.32. Till thou canst say with Paul, Gal. 2.20. Christ Iesus the Sonne of God loved mee, and gave himselfe for mee. And with Iohn, Revel. 1.5. Hee loved us, and washed us from our sinnes in his owne blood. Till thou bee assured that God loveth thee, with this more then common, with this marvellous love, nothing should content thee, but thou shouldst still cry with David, Psal. 17.7. Shew me thy marvellous loving kindnesse; make mee able to see and know that thou lovest me with this marvellous love. And 106.4. Remember me ô Lord, with the favour that thou bearest to thy people; ò visit mee with thy salvation. To bee beloved of God with that love that hee beareth to strangers, or to his hired servants, should not content us, but that love onelyonly that hee beareth to his owne people, to his deare children. None of his gifts should satisfie us without his salvation, those good things that accompany salvation, but wee should still cry, ô visit mee with thy salvation; as if hee had sayd, give mee a comfortable sense and assurance of that. It is said of the faithfull Bereans, Acts 17.11. that they were foreign better borne and bred, more noble then others. And as those that are nobly borne, aspire after higher estates, and conditions of life then other men doe, they scorne to live upon a base, and mechanicall trade. So saith our Saviour, Matth. 6.31—33. that all wee that are his Disciples should doe. After all these things (saith hee, that is meat, and drinke, and clothes) doe the Gentiles (that are borne to no better hope) seeke (that is, onelyonly or chiefely) but seeke ye first the kingdome of God, and his righteousnesse. And certainely, if wee bee borne of God, wee shall not bee so base minded as other men are; but find in our selves, such high and generous spirits, as nothing but the reward of the inheritance, as the Apostle calleth it, Colos. 3.24. nothing but the kingdome of heaven will content us. And thus are all they that shall bee saved described, Rom. 2.7. They seeke for glory, and honour, and immortality. And this is that Holy ambition, that I desire to stirre up in my selfe, and in every one of you, that wee would strive to bring our hearts to this; that wee may bee able to say, life is sweete, and a good blessing of God, and so is health, and so is peace, and so is a plentifull estate, and so is credite, and so is mirth; but all these things are nothing unto mee, without the assurance of Gods speciall love unto mee in Christ. Rejoyce not in this, that the spirits are subject unto you (saith our Saviour to his Disciples, Luke 10.20. and yet that was a great and a rare gift of God) but rather rejoyce, because your names are written in heaven. That even as Absalom 2 Sam. 14.32. thought it nothing to bee restored from his banishment, and to bee admitted to live in Ierusalem, unlesse hee might see the Kings face; so should we esteeme all other comforts and contentments whatsoever, as nothing, unlesse wee may see the light of Gods countenance, see him looke cheerefully upon us, and shew himselfe to bee reconciled unto us. This is that, that David preferred before all the World. Psalm 4.6. Many say, who will shew us any good (who will shew us how wee may get wealth, and credite, and pleasure, and such things) but (As if hee should say, but I am not of their mind) Lord, lift up the light of thy countenance upon us; upon mee, and upon thy people, this is all in all unto mee. This, this is that I desire, to perswade you unto, to get assurance that God loveth you with this speciall love. Get assurance of it I say unto your selves, Make your casting and election sure, saith the Apostle, 2 Peter 1.10. Content not your selves with an uncertaine hope in this case, but seeke to bee sure of this. Yea, hee that is most sure of this, let him seeke to bee more sure still, as the Church doth, Canticles 1.2. Let him kisse mee with the kisses of his mouth; as if shee had sayd, Let him still give mee more evidences of his love; for thy love is better then wine.
MotivesNow for the better enforcing of this exhortation. 1. I will give you some motives that may provoke you to seeke this assurance of the speciall love of God. 2. I will shew you the meanes how you may attaine unto it.
Wee have all need of motives, yea of strong motives, to perswade us (a strange thing to consider of) to seeke Gods favour, to seeke assurance that hee loveth us. For, 1. The most men are like the prodigall, of whom wee read, Luke 15.16, 17. who so long as hee could have enough to fill his belly, though it were but the huskes that the swine fed on, never thought of his father, nor sought for his favour. And like profane Esau that despised his birthright. Genesis 25.34. If God will but love them so farre, as to let them live in wealth, and peace, and credit, and mirth heere, his speciall love, that reacheth to the forgivenesse of their sinnes, and life everlasting, they care not for, they seeke not after. 2. Many that are possessed with the spirit of bondage, and often vexed with terrible doubts and feares, about this matter, yet never seeke for this certainty, 3. Many that thinke they have faith, content themselves with an uncertaine opinion, and wavering hope of Gods favour and never seeke to make this certaine unto themselves.
Hearken therefore unto sixe Motives I will give you out of Gods word to stirre you up to this.
First.Motive 1 This love of God, is an everlasting love, I have loved thee (saith God to his people, to his elect in Christ, Ier. 31.3) with an everlasting love. And of Christs love, the Evangelist saith, Ioh. 13.1. Having loved his owne (that is, such as his father gave him, such as beleeved in him) unto the end he loved them, I am perswaded (saith the Apostle, Rom. 8.38, 39.) that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Then get once the assurance of this love of God in Christ, and thou maist bee certaine thou shalt never loose it. Thy assurance of it, I grant thou mayest loose for a time, through thy owne folly, but this love of God canst thou never loose, if ever thou hadst it. The Moone is subject to change, and so are all things that are under it; but the Sunne (though through the interposition of somewhat betweene it and us, it doe not alwayes shine upon us) yet doth it never change. So though our sinnes may raise up a thicke cloud (as the Prophet speaketh, Esay 44 22.) betweene the Lord and us, that keepeth the light of his countenance from shining upon us, yet is there in this father of lights (as the Apostle saith, Iames 1.17.) no variablenesse at all, nor so much as a shadow of turning, or changing his affection towards us. This is a love therefore worth the having, worth the seeking, even the seeking to bee sure of it. This property of Gods love, hath made Gods people highly to esteeme of it. O give thanks to the Lord (saith David, Psalm. 118.1) for he is good; because his mercy endureth for ever. Yea, see how the Prophet followeth this, and insisteth upon it, verse 2.4. This speciall love of God to us in Christ, is called, Esa. 55.3. The sure mercies of David. All the other mercies of God, and fruits of his love without Christ (which yet men so much dote upon) are transitory, and such as wee can have no certainty of; these only are sure mercies, this only is an everlasting and unchangeable love.
Secondly.Motive 2 This would free the heart from those feares that doe so vex and torment us, if wee were once sure of this speciall love of God to us. That even as when Christ was come into the ship, where his Disciples were, Marke 6 5…. the wind ceased presently, and there was a …alme; so will it bee with thy heart, get Christ once into it, and it will bee quiet. So David professeth, that when he had seene the light of Gods countenance, and rejoyced in it, Psalme 4 8. I will both lay mee downe in peace, and sleepe, saith he. And indeed, what need wee to feare, if wee have Gods favour? If God bee for us, (saith Paul, Rom. 8.31.) who can bee against us? To hurt us hee meaneth. The Lord is my light and my salvation (saith David, Psalme 27.1.) whom shall I feare? And 49.5. Wherefore should I feare in the dayes of evill: when the iniquitie of my heeles shall compasse mee about? Why David what maketh thee so secure in the midst of danger? Hee telleth you verse 15. God will redeeme my soule from the power of the grave, for hee shall receive mee. On the other side, hee that doubteth of Gods love to him in Christ, must needes bee vexed with continuall feares, feare of death, and feare of troubles. It is Christ only (saith the Apostle, Heb. 2.15.) that delivereth them, who through the feare of death, were all their life time subject to bondage.
Thirdly,Motive 3 This bringeth with it unto us all good things. Seeke ye first the kingdome of God, and his righteousnesse (saith our Saviour, Matth. 6.33. As if he had said, Make your salvation sure, make this sure unto your selves that God is reconciled unto you, that you are in his favour) and all these things, shall be added unto you. O that men could beleeve Christ in this, that this is the best way to be certaine of all earthly comforts, so farre as they shall bee good for us. He that spared not his own son (saith the Apostle, Rom. 8.32.) but delivered him up for us all; how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Yea this sweetneth all Gods blessings to us, and giveth a pleasant relish unto them, when we can tast in them, Gods love unto us in Christ. When Iob speaketh, Iob 29.1—7. of the comfort he tooke in all Gods blessings, in the time of his prosperity, in his children and riches, in that honour and esteeme God gave him among all men; he giveth this for the reason of it, verse 3. His candle (his light, the comfortable assurance of his savour) shined upon my head. Yea this will not onelyonly susteine and keepe us from fainting in times of common trouble and calamity as Iob saith there, Iob 29.3. By his light I walked through darknesse; While the light of his countenance shined upon me I could walke cheerefully in the darkest, and saddest times; But it will also sweeten the bitterest afflictions that can befall our selves in particular, when we know they are but the chastisements of our father, that loveth us dearely though hee thus correct us. The cup which my father hath given me (saith our Saviour, Iohn 18.11.) shall I not drinke it? All hope of deliverance and comfort in danger and distresse groweth from the assurance of Gods favour. VponUpon this David grounded his hope, Psal. 42.5. Why art thou cast downe ô my soule? &c. Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him, for the helpe of his countenance. To this he ascribeth all the deliverances the Church had received from the Lords right hand, Psalme 44.3. They got not the land in possession by their owne sword, neither did their own arme save them, but thy right hand and thine arme, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them. The sting of death (saith the Apostle, 1 Cor. 15.56. and if of death, then of all other afflictions sure) is sin; and if the sting of them be once gone, certainely there can be no deadly paine in them. And thus Christ comforteth a poore man that was sicke of a dead palsy (a disease that dulleth the spirits and maketh the heart as heavie, as any disease can) Matth. 9.2. Sonne be of good cheere thy sinnes be forgiven thee. On the other side he that doubteth of Gods love to him in Christ, what comfort can hee have in life or in death, in prosperity or in adversity, specially if God shall be pleased to awaken his conscience? What sweetnesse can a man find in all his wealth or pleasure, or good cheere when it hath this bitter tang, and loose with it, that his heart shall say to him, I may be a vessell of wrath for all that. Alas Cain had as much as all this commeth to, and Esau and Dives who are all now firebrands in hell. Must not the joy that all such men seeme to take in their prosperity be such as the Apostle speaketh of, 2 Cor. 5.12. in the face onelyonly, and not in the heart. And if this be their condition in their greatest prosperity, then what comfort can they have in their affliction, and in their death thinke you? What is the hope of the hypocrite (saith Iob 27.8.) though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soule?
Motive 4.Fourthly, If we were once assured of Gods speciall love to us in Christ this would make us yeeld obedience unto God, and do his service, not grudgingly or as of necessity, but as out of love and willingly, and cheerefully. For a good man (a bountifull, a kind man, saith the Apostle, Rom. 5.7.) some will even dare to die. And if the goodnesse and bounty of a man have such force with us, that we thinke we can never do too much for him; will not the assurance of this marvellous bounty and goodnesse of God to us in Christ make us to say with David, Psal. 116.12. What shall I render unto the Lord, for all his benefits towards me; what might I doe to please and honour him, that hath so dearely loved me? This will make us pray with boldnesse and zeale. O God thou art my God (saith David, Psal. 63.1.) early will I seeke thee. When our Saviour taught his Disciples (and in them us all) to pray, Matth. 6.9. he biddeth us begin thus, Our father which art in heaven; Till our hearts doe thus conceive of God, that he is our father, that he loveth us with a fatherly love, we can never pray aright. We may say a prayer (and that is all that the most of us doe) but we can never pray with our hearts, till then. Therefore also the Apostle teacheth us, Rom. 8.15, 16. that the spirit that maketh us able to cry in our prayers unto God; that is, to pray fervently and earnestly is the spirit of adoption, that spirit which witnesseth with our spirits, that wee are the sonnes and daughters of God; that assureth us God is our father and maketh us able to call him father, yea to cry to him Abba father. And as this will make us able to pray with comfort; so will this also make us able to heare and reade and meditate in the Word with cheerefullnesse, and a good appetite. As new borne babes (saith the Apostle, 1 Pet. 2.2, 3.) desire the sincere milke of the Word; if so be that yee have tasted, that the Lord is gracious. This will make us keepe the Sabbaths even whole Sabbaths without wearisomenesse. Yee shall keepe every man my Sabbaths (saith the Lord, Levit. 19.3.) Why so? What may move us to doe this willingly and cheerefully? I am the Lord your God, saith he. In a word this will make us walke cheerefully in every duty of obedience, in every way of God. Thy loving kindnesse is before mine eyes (saith David, Psal. 26.3.) therefore have I walked in thy truth. If wee would set that oftner before our eyes, meditate more seriously of that, certainely it would make all Gods waies more easie and pleasant to us, then they are. On the other side he that hath no assurance of Gods love in Christ, can never pray, or heare, or receive with any delight or comfort. Wouldst thou know the true cause why it is so irksome a thing for thee to pray, or to reade, or to heare, or to keepe the Sabbath, that thou sayest of all these duties in thy heart as they did, Mal. 1.13. O what a wearinesse is it? Certainely thou hast in thee an evill heart of unbeliefe; as the Apostle calleth it, Heb. 3.12. Thou art not assured of Gods fatherly love to thee in Christ. Nor thou seekest not to be sure of it. Get more faith, and more assurance of Gods love, and it will seeme no bondage to thee to serve God, thou wilt finde ease and pleasure it.
Fiftly,Motive 5. This and this only will cure us of that stone that is in our hearts, and make them soft and fleshy, make us able kindly to mourne for offending God, by our sinnes. When God once maketh thee able by the spirit of grace, to see that Christ endured so much for thee, that thy sinnes pierced Christ so, then wilt thou bee able to mourne for thy sinnes (saith the Prophet, Zach. 12.10.) as a man would mourne for the losse of his onelyonly sonne. When Mary was once assured by faith that her sinnes were forgiven, yea how many sinnes God had forgiven unto her, Luke 7.38.47. ô how she wept for her sinnes? If thou wert indeed assured of the forgivenesse of thy sinnes, and of Gods favour in Christ, thou couldst never thinke of thy sinnes, without griefe of heart. And if thou desirest to grow more soft hearted, labour to increase thy faith, and to get more assurance of this speciall love of God to thee in Christ.
Sixtly and lastly,Motive 6. As no grace can grow in thy heart till thou have faith; so as the measure of thy assurance of Gods love shall increase in thee, so shall every saving grace increase and abound in thy soule. Therefore the Apostle praying for the Ephesians, Ephes. 3.19. that God would make them able to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge; he giveth this for the reason of it, that ye might be filled (saith he) with all the fullnesse of God.
And these are Motives strong enough (if God be pleased to work with them) to perswade our hearts to seek to be assured of Gods love in Christ, to make our calling and election sure. It followeth now I should shew you the Meanes how this may be attained; but those I must (I see) leave till the next day.