Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 8 · Lecture 126
Lecture CXXVI. On Psalme 51.7. August 18. 1629.
A Third helpe that he must use that would get assurance of the favour of God in Christ, that would preserve it when hee hath it, and recover it when he hath lost it, is carefully to observe and call to mind the experiments he hath had of Gods speciall favour and love formerly. This course Gods people have taken in this case and found great successe in it. Take the Psalmist for an example of this, Psal. 77. who when he had so farre lost his assurance that it was a trouble to him to remember God and his spirit was overwhelmed in him as he complaineth, ver. 3. and that he cryed out, ver. 7, 8, 9. Will the Lord cast off for ever, and Will he be favourable no more? Is his mercy cleane gone for ever? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? He had strong tentations to doubt he should never recover Gods favour againe. Now to raise himselfe out of this wofull estate, he resolveth thus with himselfe, ver. 10. But I will remember the yeares of the right hand of the most high; that is, the yeares and times of my life wherein I had sweet experience of Gods mercy and love, For so is this phrase interpreted, Psal. 17.7. Shew thy marvellous kindnesse ô thou that savest with thy right hand them that put their trust in thee. And 80.17. Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand. This course also David tooke at another time, Psal. 143.5, 6. When his spirit was overwhelmed within him, and his heart within him was desolate, then I remember (saith he) the daies of old, I meditate on all thy workes, I muse on the workes of thy hands. Hee called to mind and seriously thought upon the passages of Gods providence toward other of his people, but specially toward himselfe in former times, and sought to recover his comfort and assurance this way. And see what successe Gods servants have found in this case, how they have grounded their assurance upon this. I will cry unto thee (saith David, Psal. 61.2, 3.) when my heart is overwhelmed for thou hast beene a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. Because thou hast beene my helpe (saith he, Psal. 63.7.) therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoyce. And 71.20. Thou which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me and shalt bring me up againe from the depthes of the earth. And whereupon grounded hee this assurance and confidence? That he had expressed before, ver. 5, 6. Thou art my hope, ô Lord God, thou art my trust from my youth; by thee have I beene holden up from the wombe, thou art he that tooke me out of my mothers bowells my praise shall be continually of thee.
Object.But you will (haply) object and say, Can any man ground true assurance of Gods love upon the experience he hath had of Gods goodnesse towards him in these temporall and common favours? Such experiments of Gods love as these are I could record a great many. But (alas) these are poore grounds for any man to build his assurance and comfort upon. 1. No man can say because God hath formerly beene good to him in this kind, therefore he will be good to me againe. God repented that he had made Saul King, 1 Sam. 15.35. God giveth such gifts as these unto many and taketh them quite away againe, and so seemeth to repent the bestowing of them. Nay 2 no man can judge of Gods love or hatred by such things though he were sure to enjoy them alwaies, as the Holy Ghost teacheth us plainely, Eccl. 9.1, Many castawayes (and Esau by name) have had abundant experience of Gods goodnesse in such things, and yet the Scripture saith expressely that God hated him for all that, Mal. 1.3.
But to this I have two things to answer.Answ.
First, Though these outward blessings bee to reprobate men no arguments of Gods speciall and unchangable love yet to the elect they be; though a man to whom these blessings come single and alone, cannot ground any good assurance of Gods speciall love upon them; yet the elect of God and such as find them sanctified unto them, and themselves bettered by them, have beene able to raise good assurance of Gods love even from them and have beene greatly confirmed in their faith and confidence in God by them. By this I know (saith David, Psal. 41.11.) that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me. Even by a temporall deliverance he had received from the practises of Saul, he gathered assurance that the Lord loved him. And Psal. 18.19. He delivered me, because he delighted in me. So Iacob telleth his brother, Gen. 33.10. that in the strange alteration he found in him and in the great kindnesse hee received from him he saw the face of God; that is, the loving countenance of God towards him. Thou that fearest God maist certainely confirme thy selfe much in the assurance of Gods love, even by calling to mind the manifold experiments thou hast had of Gods goodnesse towards thee even in these outward things, from thy youth up hitherto. Nay I will say more, The observation of the common goodnesse that God sheweth unto all men, yea even unto all his creatures▪ may help thee much (that desirest to feare God) to grow assured and confident of his speciall love unto thee. Your heavenly father (saith our Saviour to his Disciples, Mat…h. 6.26.) feedeth the foules of the aire; and are not ye much better then they? Thus David, from the consideration of this common goodnesse of God to all the creatures, falleth into an admiration of his goodnesse to his people, Psal. 36.6, 7. Thou preservest both man and beast. How excellent is thy loving kindnesse ô God? Therefore the children of men, put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. As if he had said, Therefore the children of men (poore sinners) are apt to put their trust in thee, and grow confident of thy speciall love towards them; because they, seeing how good thou art to all thy creatures, conclude thereupon that thy loving kindnesse towards such as desire to feare thee, must needs bee excellent. So having spoken at large, Psal. 107. of the providence and goodnesse of God towards all men; he inferreth, verse 42, 43. The righteous shall see it and rejoyce, they shall take comfort even in this. And hee giveth the reason in the next words. Who so is wise and will observe these things (that is, the goodnesse of God that appeareth in the ordinary passages of his providence towards all men) even they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord; that is to say, towards righteous men, towards such as feare his name.
But then secondly I answer, That though the observation of Gods goodnesse to us in outward things may helpe us much this way, yet the experiments wee have had of his goodnsse to us formerly in spirituall things will doe it much better. If thou hast had experience formerly that God hath beene gracious to thee, in thy spirituall desertions and tentations by delivering thee out of them and giving thee victory over them, by giving thee much comfort in prayer and in the Word, thou mayst from thence gather a comfortable assurance of his speciall love much better, then by any outward blessing that ever thou receivedst from God. See how David did ground his assurance and confidence upon this. Heare me when I call (saith he, Psal. 4.1.) ô God of my righteousnesse; thou hast enlarged me when I was in distresse, have mercy upon me, and heare my prayer; and thereupon inforceth, verse 3. The Lord wi… heare me when I call upon him. He was confident God would returne to him againe, and give a gracious answer unto his prayer, because he had had experience that God had formerly when he was in like distresse enlarged his heart and given him much comfort in prayer. So Psal. 22.21. Save me from the Lyons mouth, for thou hast heard me from the hornes of the Vnicornes; The experience he had had of Gods power and goodnes formerly in the like tentation, giveth him assurance of help in this also. So Ps. 27.9, 10. Hide not thy face from me (saith he) put not thy servant away in anger, Thou hast beene my helpe (in such like distresses as I am now in) leave me not neither forsake me ô God of my salvation. And see in the next verse the confidence he grew unto upon this experience, When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.
Applic.Let us learne therefore (beloved) to take notice of and observe all the speciall favours of God and experiments we receive of his love from time to time; Yea let us labour to remember them, to keepe a register of them; and to repeate them oft to our owne soules. Consider how great things God hath done for you, saith Samuel to the people, 1 Sam. 12.24. Yea wee should call upon our hearts as David doth, Psal. 103.2. Blesse the Lord ô my soule; and forget not all his benefits. Gods people have beene so carefull to keepe in remembrance Gods speciall favours, that they have used to give names to persons, and places, and times of purpose to helpe their memories in this case. Hannah called her sonne whom she had obtained by prayer Samuel begged of God, 1 Samuel 1.20. that so oft as she heard him named, she might be put in remembrance of the respect God had had to her prayer. Abraham called the place where God had spared Isaak, and provided another sacrifice in his roome Iehovah-jireh God will provide, Gen. 22.14. that he might never forget that experiment he had had of Gods gracious providence. Iacob changed the name of Luz into Bethel the house of God, Gen. 28.19. that he might ever remember how graciously and comfortably God had revealed himselfe to him in that place. Iehosaphat and Gods people (that they might never forget the marvellous comfort they had received from God after a generall fast, in a strange deliverance from an invincible army of the Ammonites, and Moabites, and Edomites, 2 Chron. 20.26.) called the place where they met together to praise God for this mercy the valley of Berachah; that is, the valley of blessing. So Mordecai and Gods people to keepe in perpetuall remembrance another marvellous deliverance which they had obtained by fasting and prayer from the conspiracy of Haman, did not only keep those daies which he (according to the counsell of his judiciall astrologers and magicians) found to be the most lucky and fit daies for to put the decree against the Iewes in execution, as daies of rejoycing every yeare; but called them also the daies of Purim as you may read, Est. 9.26. They would have the Lords defeating of Hamans lottery and magicke, never to be forgotten. Certainely these examples are written to teach us that we who have received the like blessings from God; who have had experience 1 of Gods marvellous providence in sundry extreamities, as Abraham had; 2 of Gods gracious presence revealed to us in his house, and in the use of his ordinances as Iacob had; 3 of the comfortable answer that God hath given to our prayers, as hee did to Hannah; 4 specially of the fruit & happy successe we have found in our fasts & the great deliverances we have received by them, as Gods people in the daies of Iehosaphat and Mordecai did; that we should likewise take heed of forgetting these experiments & use all the meanes we can to keepe them in remembrance for ever. And that for this very cause, because (as the Apostle saith Rom. 5.4.) Experience worketh hope. And that upon this ground, because though we be variable, the Lord is constant in his love; Whom he loveth he loveth to the end, Iohn 13.1. In him is no uariablenesse, or shadow of turning, Iames 1.17.
The fourth and last meanes that they must use, who desire to obtaine assurance of Gods favour in Christ, to preserve it when they have it, and to recover it when it is lost, is this, They must renounce themselves, and looke for it onelyonly through the free grace and mercy of God in Iesus Christ. When a man can neither 1 by diligent examination find any goodnesse in himselfe for the present; 2 nor call to mind any goodnesse that hath beene in him formerly; 3 nor can remember any such speciall mercy or fruit of Gods love that he hath received in times past, upon which he can ground any assurance; yet if he can then with an humbled soule, despairing to get it any other way, cast himselfe upon the free grace and mercy of God in Christ, and cry with Gods people, 2 Chron. 20.12. We know not what to doe, but our eyes are upon thee; he may obtaine assurance and comfort by this meanes, when he cannot doe it by any other. By this means David looked to receive his comfort and assurance, as you may find by that speech he useth to his owne soule, Psalme 42.5. which he repeateth againe verse 12. Why art thou cast downe O my soule, and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him for the helpe of his countenance. He looked verily to recover the comfortable assurance of Gods favour. How looked he to recover it? Surely by hoping in God, and resting in his mercy. So by this meanes the faithfull professe they looked to obtaine the comfortable assurance of Gods love, Psal. 33.20—22. Our soule waiteth for the Lord, for our heart shall rejoyce in him, because we have trusted in his holy name, Let thy mercy O Lord be upon us according as we hope in thee.
Why but you will say,Object. 1 can any man hope for mercy from God that can find no goodnesse in himselfe at all? The righteous God loveth righteousnesse, as we have heard out of Psal. 11.7. Ye that feare the Lord trust in the Lord, saith David, Psal. 115.11. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting (saith David, Psal. 103.17.) upon them that feare him. But on the other side; Such as have no goodnesse in them, but are wicked men, his soule hateth, as David teacheth us, Psal. 11.5.
To this I answer, That though no impenitent sinner can expect mercy from God,Answ. neither would I have any such snatch at any thing that I shall say, they have nothing to do with it, yet the humbled and penitent sinner may, as may appeare by examples. Sundry that could find no goodnesse in themselves at all, and therefore judged themselves utterly unworthy of mercy, have yet relyed upon God, trusted and looked to receive mercy from him, neverthelesse for that. Such a one was the Centurion Matth. 8.8. who though he judged himselfe unworthy that Christ should come under his roofe, yet did trust to receive mercy from Christ for all that. And the woman of Canaan, who though she knew no goodnesse in her selfe, but counted her selfe no better than a dog, Mat. 15.27. yet trusted confidently in Christ for all that. And two plain reasons there be for this. First, because they knew Gods mercy is free, and not grounded upon any goodnesse that is in us. I will love them freely, saith the Lord, Hos. 14.4. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious (saith the Lord Exod. 33.19.) and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. Secondly, Because they have trusted to receive mercy from God onelyonly through Christ. In him (they knew) there was goodnesse enough, though there were none in them; Looke upon the face of thine annointed, saith David, Psal. 84.9. As if he should have said, Though thou canst see no goodnesse in me for which thou shouldst shew me mercy, yet thou maist see enough in him to content thee. Cause thy face to shine upon thy Sanctuary that is desolate (saith Daniel 9.57.) for the Lords sake. Christ hath deserued that God should be mercifull to all the belieue in him. And whatsoever goodnesse is in him is theirs. He is made to us of God (saith the Apostle, 1 Corinth. 1.30.) wisdome, righteousnesse, sanctification and redemption. So that an humbled sinner may rely upon, and expect mercy of God through Christ, though he can discerne no goodnesse at all in himselfe. Nay, I say more, that because thou findest in thy selfe no goodnesse at all, therefore art thou of all men the fittest to receive mercy from God through Christ. H…e every one that thirsteth (saith the Lord, Esa. 55.1.) come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money. As if he had said, He that hath no goodnesse in him, nothing whereby he may hope to purchase and deserve mercy, is neverthelesse capable of mercy for that; nay he is the more capable of it, because of that, that he finds himselfe so. As, the emptier a glasse is, the fitter it is to receive any precious liquor that should be put into it. Blessed are the poore in spirit, saith our Saviour, Matth. 5.3. And, To him that worketh not, but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly (saith the Apostle, Rom. 4.5. To him that hath not any goodnesse, not one good work to trust unto, but can do God that honour as to believe in him, expect and rest upon him for mercy, though he know himselfe to be an ungodly man, and void of all goodnesse) to him his faith is imputed for righteousnesse. As if he should say, O that is a justifying, that is an excellent faith indeed.
Object. 2But though a man that feeleth no goodnesse in himselfe, may yet expect to receive mercy and assurance of favour from God, if he can rest himselfe upon the free grace and mercy of God in Christ, and trust to receive it that way, and that way alone; yet how can such a one as I that am so full of feares, and doubts, and infidelity, ever be able to do that; my infidelity barreth me from all hope of mercy. If Christ could do no mighty worke in Nazareth because of their infidelity, as the Holy Ghost witnesseth, Mar. 6 5. how can I ever hope to obtaine mercy and assurance of favour from God this way?
Answ.To this I answer, First, Thou maist notwithstanding thine infidelity, so long as the infidelity that is in thee raigneth not, but thou discernest, bewailest, and strivest against it. David had doubting, and feare, and infidelity in him, when he cryed Psal. 13.1. How long wilt thou forget me O Lord? For ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? And yet even then he trusted in Gods mercy, and hoped to recover assurance of his favour that way, as appeareth by his words in the fift verse. And when I am afraid (saith he, Psal. 56▪ …. when I am disquieted with feares, and doubts of any kind) I will trust in thee. So Psal. 143.7, 8. he professeth that when his spirit fa…led, when his spirit was overwhelmed, and his heart within him was desolate, as he had said before Verse 4. (and consequently when he had much infidelity in him) yet even then he did trust in God, an… lifted up his soule unto him. And was not the poore woman that had the bloudy issue (Luke 8.47.) troubled much with doubts, and feares, and infidelity, when yet notwithstanding she did trust and looke to receive mercy and helpe through the free goodnesse of God in Christ. Secondly, Though thou feele thy selfe never so unable through thy infidelity to cast thy selfe upon the free grace and mercy of God in Christ; yet if thou can bewaile, and be soundly humbled for thy infidelity, God will make thee able to do it. For, he hath promised to give grace (even this as well as any other) to the humble, Iam. 4.6. He will keep thee from sinking under, and being overcome of thy infidelity. And Gods people have never found him readier to shew them mercy this way, that when they have felt most weakenesse and infidelity in themselves. When the Apostle had been pressed out of measure above his strength, (as he speaketh 2 Cor. 1.8, 9) and had the sentence of death in himselfe, God sustained and delivered him; and that for this very cause, as he saith, to teach us that we should not trust in our selves, but in God which raiseth the dead; which causeth him to professe, 2 Cor. 12.10. When I am weak, then am I strong. He never felt Gods strength more in supporting him and keeping him from sinking under the burden of any tentation, than when he found his own weaknesse and readinesse to sink most of all.
Now (to make some application of this) we shall find that many of Gods people do greatly offend in this point.Applic. For they make that inherent grace which they find in themselves the onelyonly ground of all their comfort and assurance of Gods favour; while they discerne that in themselves they are quiet and comfortable, when they cannot, they are utterly out of hope. Two evills they commit in this, one against themselves, another against the Lord.
First, resting upon that grace they find in themselves, and so trusting in their owne heart, they leane upon a bruised reed that may and will deceive them. Their owne spirit may faile them and be overwhelmed, as we have heard David complained that it was with him, Psal. 143.4, 7. Though that grace that is in them (if ever it were in them in truth) do not utterly faile, yet their heart and spirit, the knowledge and feeling of that grace they have, may quite faile them for a time. This made David say as he doth, Psal. 73.26. My flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. Make God himselfe thy rock and portion, the onelyonly ground of all thy hope and comfort, and he will never faile, though thine own flesh and heart do.
Secondly, In doing thus we make an idoll of that inherent grace that is in us; and putting that trust in it which we should repose in the Lord alone, we commit idolatry, we go a whoring after our owne hearts, as the Lord speaketh, Num. 15.39. For no inherent grace that is in us is God, but the gift of God only, and therefore cannot be fully trusted in without sinne.
Let us therefore learne to praise God for any grace he hath wrought in us by his holy Spirit; yea let us take comfort in it as in a fruit of his eternall and unchangeable love, but let us not so rest upon it, as to make it the onelyonly or chiefe ground of our hope and comfort, but learne to renounce our selves, and all confidence in any goodnesse that is in us, and with humbled soules cast our selves wholly upon the free grace and mercy of God in Christ; and say with the Apostle Phil. 3.3. We are the circumcision which — rejoyce in the Lord Iesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.