Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 8 · Lecture 129
Lecture CXXIX. On Psalme 51.7. Septem. 29. 1629.
IT followeth now that we proceed unto the uses that this Doctrine serveth unto. And they are of two sorts. First, Such as tend to the informing and establishing of our judgements in this most weighty and fundamentall article of our faith; and that is for confutation of errour that is maintained against it. Secondly, Such as tend to the working upon our hearts, and directing us how we should be affected with it; and of this sort there are two; First for comfort, and for exhortation secondly.
The use of the first sort,Vse 1. that is to say, the use of confutation, though it be not so plausible and delightsome to you in hearing as the other, (And even unto that I confesse we must have respect in our preaching, that both the matter we teach, and our manner of handling it, be such as you may heare with delight and affection, The preacher sought and studied (saith Salomon Eccles. 12.10.) to fi…d out acceptable words; words of delight, as your margin readeth in that Place) yet of the handling of them, I may say to you as the Apostle doth to the Philippians (Phil. 3.1.) of his teaching them the same things that he had taught them before. To me it is not grievous (though I could with more delight to my selfe speake of other things than of matters in controversie) and for you it is safe. It is very profitable and necessary for you to have your judgements well informed and setled in the truth. For,
First, Knowledge is the ground and foundation of all true piety, and you can never constantly hold and professe, nor conscionably practise, nor find sound comfort in any point of religion, till your judgements bee well grounded and established in it. This I pray (saith the Apostle Philip. 1.9.) that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement.
Secondly, The most of you though you have good affections, you love the present truth that is professed amongst us, and hate Popery: yet you do it not out of knowledge and judgement. If you were well examined, you could give no good reason out of Gods Word, for any thing that you hold and professe with such shew of zeale and affection; but it may be said of you as the Apostle speaketh of the Hebrewes, Hebrewes 5.12. Whereas for the time (and meanes you have enjoyed) ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again, Applic.which be the first principles of the oracles of God. O the need that most of you have (notwithstanding all the time you have spent in hearing and in the profession of the true Religion of Christ) to be soundly and substantially catechised in the grounds of Religion.
Thirdly and lastly, The controversie I am to handle, is no idle and intricate speculation of the Schooles, none of those foolish and unlearned questions that the Apostle forbids Timothy, 1 Tim. 1.4. and 2 Tim. 2.23. to meddle with; but about a matter that tendeth to godly edifying which is by faith, as the Apostle there speaketh. About a truth that is most usefull and profitable, that toucheth (as we say) the free hold of every one of you; about the Doctrine of your justification before God; about the way and means how you may be discharged of all your sinnes, and become righteous in his sight.
To begin therefore with the use of Confutation (which I will handle with asmuch plainnesse and brevity as I can) the Doctrine which I taught you the last day, doth evidently convince the Papists of three fowle and dangerous errours. The first is against the first branch of the Doctrine; the other two against the second branch of it. The first is against the first part of our justification, which consisteth in making of us cleane in the remission of our sinnes by the merit of Christs bloud; the other two against the second part of our justification which consisteth in the making of us whiter than the snow, in the imputing of Christs perfect righteousnesse unto us.
Errour 1First, They deny that Christ by his bloud hath made any believer so cleane, hath purchased for him so full and absolute a pardon of his sinnes, as we hold he did. He hath indeed answered for, and so obtained for us the remission and pardon of the fault (say they) and of the eternall punishment that is due to us for any sinne that ever we committed, but he hath not answerd for, nor obtained for us the remission of the whole punishment, not of the temporall punishment that is due to us for sinne, but that we must answer and satisfie Gods justice for our selves, either in this life, or in Purgatory after we are dead.
For convincing of this errour, I will 1 give you evident testimonies and grounds of Scripture against it. 2 I will answer some of the chiefe reasons that are alledged for the defence of it.
Foure arguments the Lord in his Word hath given us against this errour, which though they will not stop the mouth of an obstinate Papist, (for there be some men that will never be convinced, but as Iannes and Iambres withstood Moses, so they will still resist the truth being reprobate concerning the faith, as the Apostle speaketh, 2 Tim. 3.8. that is, such as can never bee brought to beleeve the truth) yet are these arguments such as may make the wilfull folly of any Papist in maintaining this errour manifest unto all men, and fully satisfie the conscience of any Christian in the falshood of it.
First, The Apostle expresly teacheth Rom. 8.1. that there is no condemnation (no kind of condemnation eternall nor temporall) to them that are in Christ Iesus, that is, to the true beleever; or as the vulgar Latin (which the Papist most absurdly holdeth to bee more authenticall then the sacred originall is) readeth it, Nihil damnationis, not one jot of condemnation. And if there bee no condemnation reserved for the true beleever, then is the whole punishment due to his sinne remitted. For what is condemnation but the adjudging of a man to punishment? And so is the word used every where in the Scripture. Mat. 20.18. They shall condemne him to death. Mar. 14.64. They all condemned him to be guilty of death. So that if no condemnation at all belong to them, or is due to them that are in Christ, and have their sinne forgiven, then no manner of punishment belongeth to them, or is to be endured by them, neither eternall nor temporall neither.
Secondly. Christ hath redeemed the faithfull from the whole curse of the law that was due to them for their sin. Christ hath redeemed us (saith the Apostle, Gal. 3.13) from the curse of the law, and he giveth this for the reason of it, because he was made a curse for us; that is, he bare it for us himselfe, and so fully answered and satisfied the justice of God for it. Surely (saith the Prophet, Esay 53.4 he hath borne our griefes, and carried our sorrowes Now the temporall punishments that are due to us for sinne, are part of the curse of the law, as it is plaine by Deu… 28.16—22. where among the curses that the law threatneth against sin, a number of temporall judgements are threatned. And our Saviour did beare and endure for us, not that part onelyonly of the curse and punishment due to our sins, that should have bin eternall, but that part also of the curse & punishment due to our sin which is temporall. As 1. Poverty, he for our sake… became poore (saith the Apostle, 2 Corinthi. 8.9. that wee through his poverty might bee rich. And 2. reproch and contempt, such as no man ever endured. I gave my backe to the smiters (saith he, Esay 50.6.) and my cheekes to them that plucked off the haire, I hid not my face from shame and spitting. 3. Hee endured all sorts of temptations, that any of the faithfull can be subject unto. He was in all points (saith the Apostle, Heb. 4.15) tempted like as wee are, yet without sinne. And why did hee beare these temp…rall curses and punishments? Certainely to deliver us from them, that n…ne of these things might become curses and punishments unto us. And therefore it is evident, that Christ hath redeemed us, not only from the eternall, but even from all the temporall judgements also that were due to us for sin.
Thirdly. Whose sins soever the Lord doth for Christs sake forgive, he forgiveth them so fully, as he will never remember them any more. I, even I am hee (saith the Lord, Esa. 43.25) that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine owne sake, and will not remember thy sinnes. And I will forgive their iniquity ▪ (saith he againe, Ier. 31.34.) and I will remember their sin no more. And if he will never remember them, then will he certainly never punish them for them. For in the Scripture phrase, to remember mens sinnes, signifieth nothing else but to punish them He will now remember their iniquity (saith the Prophet Iere. 1….10) and visit their sinne. And againe▪ Now will hee remember their iniquity (saith the Prophet Hosea 8.13.) and visit their sins, they shall returne into Egypt.
Fourthly and lastly, The Lord doth so (and much more fully) forgive the sins of the faithfull, as he would have them to forgive one another, and maketh that the very patterne we should worke by, so to forgive one another, as hee forgiveth us. Forgiving one another (saith the Apostle, Ephes. 4.32.) even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you. But he requireth of us, that in forgiving one another, we should remit, not the fault onelyonly, but the punishment also; not in rendring evill for evill, nor railing for railing (saith the Apostle, 1 Pet. 3.9.) but contrariwise, blessing.
And thus you see how cleare the holy Scripture is against this first errour of the Papists, how full and absolute the pardon is, that Christ hath purchased for any soule, it dischargeth and acquitteth him fully, not only from all his sins, but from the whole punishment that is due unto them.
Two maine objections there be which every mans heart is apt to make against this truth, touching the ful…es of that pardon which Christ hath purchased by his bloud for every one that truly beleeve in him.
Object.First. If this be so (may you say) how falleth it out that God inflicteth so many punishments in this life upon the faithfull? What are all the miseries that the best of Gods servants are subject unto, but punishments for their sins? Wherefore doth a living man complaine? (saith the Prophet, Lam. 3.39.) a man for the punishment of his sinnes. Of many of Gods people that dyed in the wildernesse, David expressly saith, Psalme 99.8. Thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou didst take vengeance of their inventions. Though Moses and Aaron did (doubtlesse) obtaine of God the pardon of that unbeliefe they shewed at the waters of Meribah, yet they dyed for it in the wildernesse, and for that very sinne God would not suffer them to enter into the promised land, as wee may see plainely, Numbers 27.13.14. And though God did pardon Davids foule sinnes upon his repentance, and gave him assurance of it also by the Prophet, 2 Samuel 12.13. yet did all those plagues (neverthelesse) light upon him which God threatned against him for those sinnes, before hee had his pardon. His pardon (it seemeth) exempted him not from the temporall punishments that were due to his sinnes.
Answ.To all this I answer. That though all the miseries and afflictions of this life be in their owne nature punishments for sin, because they are all fruits of sin, sin first brought them into the world; and therefore also be oft in the Scripture called punishments, Levit. 26.41, 43. Amos 3.2. yet are they not punishments to all men.
Two evident demonstrations there be for this.
First. God inflicteth no punishment upon any man, but for sinne. But there bee many great judgements and afflictions that the Lord hath laid upon the faithfull, wherein he hath had no respect at all to their sins, as to the cause of it, he did not therein intend as a judge in a vindictive manner, to correct them for any sin. The disciples seeing the man that was borne blind, Iohn 9.2.3. thought it to bee a punishment of some sinne that either himselfe or his parents had beene guilty of; but our Saviour disalloweth their judgement in that point, and saith, neither hath this man sinned nor his father. As if hee should say; Neither this mans sinnes nor his parents, were the cause why the Lord smote this man with blindnesse; But that the works of God might bee made manifest in him. So Iobs friends judged his grievous afflictions to have beene punishments of some grievous sinnes hee had beene guiltie of; but the Lord sharpely reprooveth them for this rash censure, Iob 42.7. Yea, hee telleth Satan, Iob 2.3. that hee had mooved him to destroy him without cause. Why (may you say) had not Iob in him sin enough to deserve asmuch as he endured? Yes verily, for the wages and due desert of every sin is death, as the Apostle teacheth, Rom. 6.23. And Iob was not without sin, as himselfe confesseth, Iob. 7.20. I have sinned, what shall I do, ô thou preserver of men? Yea he imputeth all his afflictions to his sins, & thought them to be the cause of them all. Thou writest bitter things against me (saith he Iob 13.26.) and makest me to possesse the iniquities of my youth. He thought the sins of his youth had brought all this upon him. Therefore also he f…ll to a diligent search and examination of his owne heart and wayes (as the best of Gods servants should do in the like case) that he might find out the speciall sin that moved God thus to afflict him. Yea, he craveth Gods helpe in this. Shew me (saith hee Iob 10.2.) wherefore thou contendest with me. And 13.23. How many are min… iniquities and sins? Make me to know my transgression and my sin. As if hee should say, I know I have many wayes offended thee, but shew me the speciall sin that hath thus provoked thee to afflict me. Why then doth the Lord say, that Satan moved him to afflict Iob without cause? Surely his meaning is, that there was nothing in him that was the cause whereby God was mooved thus to afflict him; he did not therein punish his sin; there were other causes of it, even that by this tryall of his, hee might make him a patterne and example of faith and patience to his Church for ever. So when our Saviour telleth his Apostles of the manifold miseries that they should endure. They shall put you out of the Synagogues (saith he, Iohn 16.2.) and whosoever killeth you, will thinke he doth God service. And unto Peter he saith, Iohn 21.18. When thou shalt bee old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldst not. Shall wee thinke his meaning was this, Thus and thus will God correct and punish you for your sins? Or were any sinnes that ever they committed, the cause whereby God was moved to bring them to these afflictions? No verily, for hee telleth them all, Matth. 10.…2. that these things should befall them, not for their sins, but for his names sake. And in speaking so to Peter, hee signified to him, by what d…ath hee should glorifie God, as the Evangelist saith, Iohn 21.19. The cause why Peter dyed so violent and shamefull a death, was not any sinne of his, but that hee might so glorifie God.
Secondly. Neither are those afflictions that God inflicteth upon the faithfull for their sins, properly to be accounted, and called punishments, but fatherly chastisements, and corrections onelyonly. For all punishments (to speake properly) that God in…licteth upon any for sinne, are curses, and fruits of his wrath, wherein hee seeketh not the good of the party that is punished, but the glorifying of his owne justice upon him, and satisfying his most righteous law, as the judge doth in condemning, and executing of malefactors. In which respect also, all Gods punishments are called evill things. I make peace, and create evill, saith the Lord, Esay 45.7. And shall there be evill in a city (saith the Prophet, Amos, 3.6.) and the Lord hath not done it? But 1. all the afflictions of the faithfull are unto them blessings, and not curses. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest ô Lord, saith the Prophet, Psalme 94.1…. and Iames 1.12. Blessed is the man that endureth tentation. Blessed are yee when men shall revile you, and persecute you, rejoyce and be exceeding glad, saith our Saviour Mat. 5.11, 12. 2. They are fruits of his speciall love to them, and not o… his wrath. Whom the Lord loveth (saith the Apostle, Heb. 12.6.) he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. As many as I love, I rebuke & chasten ▪ saith our Saviour Rev. 3, …9. 3 He seeketh their good in it, and not their destruction or the satisfying of his law, and glorifying of his justice upon them. We know (saith the Apostle, Rom. 8.28. speaking there specially and purposely, of the afflictions of the faithfull) that all things worke together for good, to them that love God. When wee are judged (saith the Apostle, 1 Corinthians 11.32.) wee are chastened of the Lord, that wee should not be condemned with the world. Every father usually in correcting his child, seeketh nothing but his good in it. Thou shalt beat him with the rod (saith Salomon, Proverbes 23.14.) and shalt deliver his soule from hell. He would not beate him but to doe him good. But howsoever mortall parents faile oft in this, they correct their children sometimes in a rage without respect to their good, our heavenly father never doth. The fathers of our flesh (saith the Apostle, Hebrewes 12.10.) chastened us after their owne pleasure, but hee for our profit; that wee might bee partakers of his holinesse. Yea if hee could procure their good, their repentance, their holinesse, their keeping of them in awe and so from perishing any other way so well, he would never scourge nor afflict them at all. Behold I will melt them and try them (saith the Lord, Ieremy 9.7.) for how shall I doe for the daughter of my people? As if he had said, How should I else keepe them from perishing, how should I bring them to heaven, if I should not deale thus with them. And many of Gods people have beene able to say with David, Psalme 119.71. from their owne experience. It is good for me that I have beene afflicted. Perijssem nisi perijssem. I have received more good by my affliction then by any other thing in the world.
And thus have I answered this first objection, that notwithstanding all the afflictions the faithfull endure in this life yet the pardon that Christ hath purchased for them by his bloud is most full and absolute, they are perfectly discharged by it not onelyonly from all their sins, but also from the whole punishment that was due to them for sin.
Object. 2.But then it may be objected secondly, If so soone as ever we be purged with hysope, so soone as ever the bloud of Christ is applied to us by the spirit of God, we be made perfectly cleane from all our sins as we have beene taught, what need we and why are we commanded to pray daily unto God for the forgivenesse of o…r sinnes as our Saviour teacheth us to do, Mat. 6.12? Have wee so full and absolute a pardon and yet must we sue and seeke for it all the daies of our life?
Answ.To this I answer, Yes verily though Christ hath by his bloud purchased for us a most full and generall pardon, yet must we sue to God for the forgivenesse of our sins every day.
First, In respect of our sinnes formerly committed. Remember not the sinnes of my youth, nor my transgressions, saith David, Psalme 25.7. And ô remember not against us (cryeth the Church, Psalme 79.8.) out former iniquities. Which though the Lord hath forgiven, and wee doe in some measure beleeve that they are forgiven, yet our faith is so weake that wee have need to pray daily, for increase of assurance of the forgivenesse of them. David upon his repentance obtained a full and generall pardon from God of all his sinnes, and hee did (doubtlesse) beleeve it to bee so, for it had beene strange infidelity for him not to beleeve that which the Prophet of the Lord in the Lords name did so expressely and directly pronounce unto him, 2 Sam. 12.13. The Lord hath put away thy sin, thou shalt not die; and yet because this faith of his concerning his pardon was but very weak, he prayeth oft in this Psalme for pardon most earnestly, ver. 2, 9, 14. So that in this first respect our daily prayer for forgivenesse is no other in effect then that which the Apostles make, Luk. 17.5. Lord increase our faith, our assurance of pardon.
Secondly, In respect of our present and daily sins. For the best man that is falleth every day and oft every day into new sins. And in respect of them (yea even of the least of them) we have need to renew our suit unto God for pardon every day. As David doth, Psal. 19.12. Clense thou me from secret faults.
Object.What needs that (will you say) seeing the bloud of Christ once applyed by faith cleanseth us from all our sinnes, as the Apostle speaketh, 1 Ioh. 1.7. past, and present, and future too; and when God pardoneth sin, he pardoneth all at once.
To this I answer,Answ. That though in respect of God and of the merit of Christs bloud so generall a pardon be purchased and given, yet in respect of us, in respect of the benefit of this pardon that commeth to us, no sinne is pardoned unto us actually, before it bee committed, nay before wee doe repent and beleeve in Christ. Christ commanded that repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached in his name, Luke 24.47. no actuall remission of sinnes without repentance. And Act. 10.43. To him give all the Prophets witnesse that through his name whosoever beleeveth in him, shall receive remission of sinnes. As if he had said, No man can receive remission of his sinnes, nor benefit of his pardon, till hee doth truly beleeve. So that in this respect, in respect of the new sinnes that wee fall into every day it is necessary that wee should in praying for pardon of them renew our repentance and faith every day.
Thirdly and lastly, In respect of the desert of our sinnes. For though all our sinnes bee never so freely and so fully pardoned, nay though wee have never so good assurance also in our selves of the same, yet it becommeth us by daily begging of forgivenesse to nourish in our selves the sense of the desert of our sinnes, how worthy wee are to perish everlastingly for them; how there is no way for us to escape and avoid it, but onelyonly through Gods free mercy in pardoning of them. And thus doth the Prodigall, Luke 15.20, 21. even after that his father had forgiven him and fully expressed also so much unto him by running to meet him, and falling on his necke and kissing him, yet hee still cryeth unto him. Father I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to bee called thy sonne. As if hee had said, Father forgive mee, though thou hast forgiven me yet I cannot choose but beg pardon still, because I know my selfe unworthy that thou shouldest forgive me.