Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 8 · Lecture 137
Lecture CXXXVII. On Psalme 51.7. Ian. 5. 1629.
IT followeth now that we proceed to prove that the two last points of goodnesse that I told you are to be found in some hypocrites, are likewise in themselves very good things, and never a whit the more to be misliked, because they are found in some such men.
And for the fourth of them. To love the sincerity and purity of Gods holy religion and worship; and to hate idolatry with all false worship, is certainly a good thing, and highly pleasing unto God.
For the first of these. No man is to be blamed for desiring to see warrant in the Word for whatsoever hee doth as a worship and service of God especially; or for being afraid to do that which hee can see no warrant for in the Word of God. In nothing are wee so precisely tied to the direction of the Word, as in the matters of the worship of God. The charge that is given us Deut. 12.32. What thing soever I command you observe to doe it, thou shalt not adde thereto, nor diminish from it; that is, neither doe more nor lesse than I have commanded; that charge (I say) concerneth the matters of Gods worship principally. And how highly this pleaseth God when we doe nothing to worship him by, but that onelyonly that he hath given us direction for in his Word, is evident by the reason of the second commandement, Exodus 20.5, 6. Where the Lord calleth them that will observe that commandement, and will worship him onelyonly according to his owne direction, and not after the will and inventions of men, (which is indeed the very summe of all that that God requireth of us in that commandement) he calleth them (I say) such as love him; and promiseth to shew mercy unto them even unto the thousand generation. And on the other side, he calleth the transgressours of that commandement, such as dote on will-worship, and on that service that is done unto him according to the inventions of men; he calleth them (I say) such as hate him, and threatneth to visit that sinne of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation. Yea the Lord hath so farre forth liked this sticking to the purity of his worship, and refusing to admit any mixture of humane corruptions with it, in any man where he hath seene it, that he hath beene wont to reward it even in them that have beene no better than hypocrites. For this we have a plaine proofe in two notable examples, first of Rehoboam, and then in his sonne Abijah after him. Of Rehoboam we read 2 Chronicles 11.17. that so long as hee walked in the wayes of David and Salomon (that is, maintained the purity of Gods worship, and received no mixture of idolatry with it) he was strong and prospered. And of Abijah it is said, 2 Chron. 13.9—1…. that in the great battell hee fought against Ieroboam, hee grounded his hope of victory on nothing so much as this, that Ieroboam had corrupted Gods worship, so had not be, but he had maintained the pure worship of God which he had in his Word prescribed, without any mixture or corruption at all. And accordingly God gave him a wonderfull victory, and the kingdome prospered under him all his dayes, as you shall find from Vers. 17. to the end of that Chapter. And yet if you look into 1 King. 15.3. you shall see that neither of these two men was any better than an hypocrite.
And on the other side, for a man to hate all idolatry and every thing that belongeth to it or proceedeth from it, is not to be blamed as a fault in any man, nay it is a very good thing and highly pleasing unto God. You shall see this made evident unto you out of Gods Word in foure particulars.
First, Sundry worthy men are highly commended of God for it. Three onelyonly I will name unto you of whom no doubt can bee made but they were all most worthy and holy men. The first is Moses, of whom wee read Exodus 32.20. that hee tooke the golden calfe which Aaron and the people had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the Israelites to drinke it. The second is of Iosiah, of whom we read 2 King. 23.4, 6. that he burnt the very vessels that were made for Baal and the grove, and stamped it to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the idolaters. And this zealous hatred he shewed not against the monuments of that idolatry onelyonly that had beene committed in the worship of false gods, but even against the monuments also of Ieroboams idolatry which was committed in the false worship of the true God; as you shall see Ver. 15. Moreover the altar that was at Bethel, &c. And thirdly, of Hezekiah we read 2 King. 18.4. that he did more than so, and is highly commended of God for it. For he did not only remove the high places, and break the images, and cut down the groves, but he brake also in peeces the brazen serpent which Moses had made, and called it (in scorne and contempt) Nehushtan, a piece of brasse; and all because the people had burnt incense unto it, they had abused it unto idolatry.
And why did they thus? Might not these goodly images have beene retained still for the adorning and beautifying of the Temple? Might not the matter of them, and of the vessels that were used in the service of idols (being doubtlesse many of them of gold and silver, as is plaine, Deut. 7.25.) and the wood and timber of the groves have beene reserved and put to some good use, must they needs thus be burnt and stamped into powder? Alas what hurt was there (would a naturall man say) in the images or groves; specially in the gold or silver, or wood of them? All the hurt was in them that did abuse them to idolatry, in the things themselves there was no hurt at all. But specially what reason had Hezechiah to use the brasen Serpent so, that was first of divine institution, and might have beene profitably retained (one would have thought) for historicall use to keepe in remembrance the better that wonderfull worke of God in curing his people that had been stung with fiery Serpents by looking up unto it?
Surely,Answ. besides other reasons that concerned them especially, both Moses, Iosiah, and Hezekiah did this to shew their detestation to idolatry, and thought they could never have shewed their detestation to it sufficiently if they had not done thus. And see how highly the Holy Ghost commendeth Hezekiah upon this very occasion, and for this thing, Vers. 5 & 6 of that Chapter.
Why but (you will say) may things that are of divine institution (as the brazen Serpent was) be rejected by us,Object. because Idolaters have abused them?
I answer,Answ. No, if by divine institution they be to continue and remaine. We may like never the worse of the Word or Sacraments, because Popish Idolaters do abuse them both. While that divine cure was to be done upon. Gods people that were stung with fiery serpents, the brazen serpent was by divine institution a holy and sacred thing. After that time there was not by divine institution any holinesse in it at all. If God had after that ordained that it should be kept, though but for historicall use, as he did for the pot of Mannah, Exodus 16.33. and for Aarons rod, Numbers 17.10. Hezekiah would not have broken it to peeces, though the people had abused it to superstition and idolatry never so much, he would have shewed his detestation to their Idolatry some other way. It had beene indeed long retained in the Church (even from the dayes of Moses untill Hezekia…s time) as a monument of Gods mercy to his people, but without any such commandement of God as the other were, and therefore when it became a stumbling block and occasion of idolatry, it was lawfully removed.
Secondly, God hath in his Word commanded his people to shew this detestation unto idolatry. This commandement we have Deut. 7.25, 26. where the Lord not onelyonly commandeth his people to burne the silver and golden images of their gods, and chargeth them to take heed of desiring any of that silver, or of that gold, or of bringing any of it into their houses; but he giveth this for the reason, Thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhorre it, for it is a cursed thing. As if he should say, any idoll set up by idolaters, we must utterly detest and abhorre it, for it is a cursed thing; and if any of Gods people receive it, it will make him a cursed thing like unto it, as the Lord speaketh in that place. Ye see what a strange precisenesse this way God requireth of his people; he would not have us so much as to name an idoll without expressing our detestation to it. Make no mention of the name of other gods (saith the Lord Exodus 23.13.) neither let it be heard out of thy mouth. He would have us doe what lieth in us, that the very names, the termes and phrases that idolaters have used might bee utterly abolished and remembred no more. Thou shalt destroy the names of them out of that place, saith the Lord, Deut. 12.3. And the Lord promiseth this as a great mercy to his Church, Hos. 2.17. I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall be no more remembred by their names. And according to this commandement we read that when the children of Reuben came to take possession of certaine cities of the Amorites that had borne the names of their idols, it is twice said of them in one verse, Numb. 32.38. that they changed the names of those cities and gave other names unto them.
Thirdly, Wee shall find this oft noted by the Holy Ghost for a property of one that is truly converted and woone unto God that hee hateth idolatry. Yea this is mentioned for one of the first and chiefe signes wherein the truth of his conversion hath manifested it selfe. Through thy precepts (saith David, Psalme 119.104.) I have gotten understanding, therefore I hate every false way. As if hee should say, So soone as ever Gods people have gotten any saving knowledge of the truth, they grow to a dislike and hatred of Idolatry and false worship presently. Two places onelyonly I will name for this though I might do many. The first is that Esa. 30.22. Where after the Lord had spoken of the effectuall calling and conversion of his people in the two former verses, he mentioneth this as the first fruit and worke whereby it should shew and declare it selfe. Ye shall defile also (saith the Lord) the covering of thy graven images of silver, and the ornament of thy molten images of gold, thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth, thou shalt say unto it, get thee hence. As if he had said, Thou shalt loath them and shew utter detestation unto them. The other place is Ezek. 11.18. where when the Lord had promised that hee would gather his people againe into Israel and give them a new spirit and a new heart, And they shall come thither, saith he; And what is the first thing they shall doe when they come thither? They shall take away all the detestable things thereof, and all the abominations thereof from thence. And what meaneth he by these detestable things and abominations (the abolishing whereof should be the first thing they would doe after their second conversion?) Surely their idols as you shall find the same Prophet interpreteth himselfe, Chap. 7.20. 37.23.
Fourthly and lastly, This hatred of Idolatry doth so please the Lord wheresoever he seeth it, as he hath been wont to reward it even in such as have beene no better then hypocrites. And for this we have a notable example in Iehu unto whom the Lord promised, 2 King. 10.30. that his children should sit upon the throne of Israel to the fourth generation, because of that zealous detestation hee had shewed unto the Idolatry of Ahab; And yet it is evident both by the next verse 31. and by Hos. 1.4. that therein his heart was not upright in him.
You see then (beloved) that no man is to bee blamed for the hatred hee beareth unto popery, and to all kind of idolatry; no no, our generall coldnesse and luke-warmenesse this way is much to bee blamed rather. And if wee did zealously love the Lord and his Gospell indeed, we could not choose but hate all popery more then wee doe. And the world is fouly deceived in judging the precisenesse or strictnesse of any man in this kind, to be a certaine signe of hypocrisy in him.
We come now unto the fift and last of those good things that may be found in some that are hypocrites; that is to say, to that measure and degree of reformation of life that some of them have attained unto; not only to leave grosse and open sins but even the smallest also and such as most men account to be no sins at all. Wee must therefore know (beloved) that though you have observed great precisenesse and strictnesse this way in some that have discovered themselves to be no better then hypocrites (they would not sweare the least oath, they would not give that liberty to themselves for company and recreations that they might lawfully doe, &c) yet are they not hypocrites because of this; nay this is no fault in them; neither oughtest thou to blame them or hate them for this. For 1 it is a good thing and highly pleasing unto God to make conscience even of the least sin, and a man cannot be too precise in that case. In all things that I have said unto you (saith the Lord, Exodus 23.13.) bee circumspect and wary. And I say unto you sweare not at all, saith our Saviour, Matth. 5.34. Yea it is a good thing for a man to make conscience of that that hath but the appearance of evill. Abstaine from all appearance of evill, saith the Apostle, 1 Thess. 5.22. 2 Hee that maketh not conscience of the least thing that hee knoweth to be a sinne and forbidden of God, maketh not conscience of any sinne beause it is sinne, and forbidden of God. This is the Apostles reason, Iames 2.10, 11. Whosoever shall keepe the whole law and yet offend in one point; that is, wittingly and willingly give himselfe liberty to do so, he is guilty of all. For he that said, doe not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill.
That is true (will you say) every man must make conscience of the least thing that hee knoweth to be a sinne;Object. neither would any man blame them for doing so; But this is their odious hypocrisy that they make more sinnes then God hath made, they must be so precise and scrupulous (forsooth) in indifferent and lawfull things; in such things as wiser men and godlier men then they make no scruple of at all This singularity of theirs, this judging and condemning by their example the practise of other men, is the thing that proveth them to bee hypocrites, and maketh them so odious to all men as they be.
To this I have three things to answer.Answ. 1. First, The things that they are so scrupulous in, and which they dare not doe may bee in their owne nature not indifferent but unlawfull and sinfull, yea well knowne unto them to bee so, though both thy selfe, and others that are no whit inferiour unto them, but farre beyond them in knowledge and grace, doe think otherwise of them. There may be difference in judgement even betweene godly and good men; and one may see that to be a sinne which another man (every whit as good as he) cannot be perswaded to be so. The Apostle Paul and those that joined with him, Galathians 2.12, 13. knew it was a sinfull and unlawfull thing to withdraw and separate themselves from eating and conversing with the beleeving Gentiles in the presence of the Iewes and for feare of offending them; though neither Barnabas nor Peter (men no whit inferiour to them in knowledge and grace) could discerne it to be so. Christians may not condemne or judge one another to be hypocrites, for their difference in judgement in these smaller matters. Who art thou (saith the Apostle, Rom. 14.4.) that judgest another mans servant? To his owne master hee standeth or falleth.
Secondly,Answ. 2. It may well bee that some men (even some good men) are (through want of knowledge, and weaknesse of judgement) righteous over much, and make scruple of those things which no law of God bindeth them to make scruple of. Els Salomon would never have said, Eccl. 7.16. Bee not righteous over much, neither make thy selfe over wise. Such a one was he of whom the Apostle speaketh, Rom. 14.2. Another that is weake eateth herbs. As if he should say, It was his ignorance and weaknesse of judgement, that made him so scrupulous and fearefull to eate any thing which by the ceremoniall law (which was now abrogated) had beene forbidden. But no man must be despised or judged to be an hypocrite because of this For that is directly against the Apostles rule, Rom. 14.3. Let not him that eateth, despise him that eateth not.
Thirdly,Answ. 3. There is no just cause why wee should judge or thinke the worse one of another either for using or not using our liberty in this case. Because the thing that is in it owne nature lawfull and lawfully also used by one man, it may be in another man a damnable sin to do it. And that upon these two grounds.
First, Because the one knoweth and is perswaded of the lawfullnesse of it, which the other is not but doubteth it to be a sin. I know and am perswaded by the Lord Iesus (saith the Apostle, Romanes 14.14.) that there is nothing (no creature of God) uncleane of it selfe: But to him that esteemeth any thing to bee uncleane to him it is uncleane. Why will you say, Can the opinion of man make any thing cleane or uncleane, lawfull or unlawfull? No, not in it owne nature, but to himselfe it may. For a man to doe any thing that hee doubteth to bee unlawfull is a damnable thing. Hee that doubteth (saith the Apostle, Rom. 14.23.) is damned if he eat, because hee eateth not of faith. For whatsoever is not of faith is sinne. The conscience of a man (though it bee deceived though it bee erroneous yet hath a binding power; and it is a matter of great danger for any man to goe against it. All men must seeke to informe their conscience aright by the Word of God which is the onelyonly true rule to guide our conscience by. Let every man bee fully perswaded in his owne mind, saith the Apostle, Romanes 14.5. But though it be a sin for a man not to seeke to have his conscience rightly informed and instructed by the Word; yet is it a double sin in him to do any thing against his conscience. If thou therefore see a man (who is otherwise conscionable in all his waies) scrupulous and fearefull to doe that which thou knowest and art fully perswaded hee may lawfully and ought to doe, pity him, informe him, instruct him, and labour to bring him out of his errour, but scorne him not, hate him not, maligne him not for it.
Secondly, The one is able to use or doe the thing that hee knoweth to bee lawfull lawfully and take no hurt by it; the other though he know the thing to be lawfull, yet findeth that (through his weaknesse) he is not able to use it, but he shall receive hurt by it. All things are lawfull for me (saith the Apostle, 1 Cor. 6.12) but all things are not expedient; all things are lawfull for mee, but I will not bee brought under the power of any. And certainely this is the thing that restraineth many a good man from the use of sundry recreations which he doth not doubt to be lawfull in themselves, because he findeth his owne weakenesse to bee such as he cannot use them without receiving much hurt by them. And this would restraine many more from them, if they had that care of their owne soules as they ought to have.
Applic.To conclude therefore this first branch of the point we have in hand. If thou seest any man that loveth the word; that useth constantly prayer in his family; that seemeth to bee a strict observer of the Sabbath day; that hateth popery, that is strict and precise even in the smallest things. If thou seest (I say) any such a one to bee a drunkard, or an uncleane person, or unjust in his dealings, or carelesse of his Word; or a busie body; or negligent in his calling; hate these things in him (in Gods name) nay hate them in him, more then in another man, because hee maketh so good a profession, and because his sinne bringeth more reproach upon the Gospell then another mans would doe. But take heed thou hate him not because of his profession, because of any of those good things thou discernest in him. For if thou dost, thou wilt be found to be a hater of God and of his grace, and neere unto that sinne that can never bee pardoned; which the Apostle calleth, Hebrewes 10.29. A doing of despite to the spirit of grace. And what comfort canst thou have either in life or death, if thou bee a hater of God, if thou doe despite unto the spirit of grace? What remaineth for thee when God shall open thine eyes and cause thee to see thine owne estate but a certaine fearfull looking for of judgement (as the Apostle speaketh there, ver. 27.) and of fiery indignation which shall devoure the adversaries, the adversaries of God, the haters of God. O it is a fearefull thing to hate any man for his goodnesse, take heed of it I beseech you. As we have no surer note that we are translated from death to life, that we are in the state of grace then this, if we love the brethren, as the Apostle teacheth us, 1 Iohn 3.14. If we can love a disciple in the name of a disciple, as our Saviour speaketh, Matth. 10.42. so can we have no certainer a signe that there is no grace in us but we are in the very gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquity, as the the Apostle speaketh, Acts 8.23. then this, when we hate the brethren, when we hate a disciple a professour in the name of a disciple and professour, even for this very cause because he professeth goodnes.
I know every man will say, hee hateth no professour for his profession nor for any good thing that is in him, but onelyonly for such faults as I named which they find to bee in them. And so the cursed Iewes could say for themselves, Iohn 10.33. For thy good workes wee stone thee not, but for thy blasphemy. Whereas indeed they hated him only for his good workes. And so it is certaine there have beene alwaies many in the world yea in the Church too, that have hated a disciple even in the name of a disciple. Cain hated Abel, because (saith the Apostle, 1 Ioh. 3.12.) his owne workes were evill and his brothers righteous. And David saith of himselfe, Psal. 38.20. that he had many adversaries for this very cause because he followed the thing that was good. And our Saviour telleth his Disciples, Iohn 15.19. that the world should hate them for this very cause because they are not of the world, but hee hath chosen them out of the world. Whereby it is plaine that the most that hate the professours of religion hate them not for any of their faults but onelyonly for the goodnesse that they make profession of. O take heed (beloved) that thou bee none of those. And I will give thee three notes to discerne this by.
First, If thou didst hate and dislike them onelyonly for their faults and not for their goodnesse thou wouldst be sure those faults were in them indeed, which thou so hatest them for. Wheras thou art apt to beleeve any slander against them and to imagine and charge them to bee guilty of such things as thou canst not prove, but they are most free from. They cast iniquity upon me (saith David, Psal. 55.3.) and in wrath they hate me. This casting of iniquity upon professours and aptnesse that is in men to surmise and report evill of them without cause, argueth a deadly hatred not to their faults, but to their persons and profession.
Secondly, If thou didst dislike or hate them for their faults onelyonly, then thou wouldst hate other men also in whom the same and greater faults doe abound more then in them. But that thou dost not; thou likest other men never the worse for these and grosser sins; thou hatest sin in none but in them only that professe goodnesse. Thou hatest them that are good, and lovest them well enough that are naught, as the Prophet speaketh of lewd men in his time, Mic. 3.2. And therfore it is evident thou hatest them not for their faults, but for their goodnesse only.
Thirdly and lastly, If thou didst hate them only for their faults, thou wouldst not rejoice to heare or speake evill of them, but it would grieve thee to heare and see that such as professe so well, should live so ill, that occasion should be given to wicked men to blaspheme and speake evill of religion through their sins. This is the nature of true zeale and hatred of sin, I beheld the transgressours and was grieved (saith David, Ps. 119.158.) because they kept not thy word. But thou hast no greater joy then to heare and speake of the faults of professours, and to blaze them abroad as far as thou canst; yea thou art apt to glory in the advantage thou hast gotten against religion by it, Like those that David complained of, Ps. 38.16. When my foot slippeth, then they magnifie themselves against me. And therfore it is evident thou hatest them not for their faults, but for the goodnesse that is in them.
And thus have I finished the first branch of that point that I instanced in touching the good things that may be found in many an hypocrite. I have shewed you that though all these five things may bee found in some that are no better then hypocrites, yet are they all very good things for all that, and such as God is highly pleased with.