Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 8 · Lecture 138
Lecture CXXXVIII. On Psalme 51.7. Ianuary 19. 1629.
IT followeth now that wee proceed unto the second branch of the point (which is indeed the maine thing I aimed at in propounding it unto you) to shew you that though all these bee very good things in themselves, yet can no man that hath them, find any sound comfort in them, till hee bee in Christ. For a man may have these good things in him and yet be in a most wofull case, he may perish everlastingly for all that. Further proofe I need not bring for this, then that which you have already heard, that every one of these five good things have beene found in some that have beene no better then hypocrites. And every hypocrite certainely is in a most wofull case, he can have no sound joy nor comfort in him. The joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment, saith the Holy Ghost, Iob 20.5. and 8.13, 14. The hypocrites hope shall perish, his hope shall be cut off and his trust shall be a spiders web. As if he should say, He may for a time blesse himselfe in his estate by reason of these good things he findeth in himselfe, he may have some hope and confidence in himselfe that hee shall goe to heaven, and in this hope hee may find some comfort and joy; but if hee bee an hypocrite, if his heart bee unsound this hope and joy of his will not last, it will faile him, when he shall have most need of it. When the houre of tentation shall come fearefullnesse will surprise the hypocrite, as the Prophet speaketh, Esa. 33.14. And though in some respect the case of the open profane man be worse then his; he dishonoureth God more and sinneth with a higher hand and with more contempt of God, and doth also more hurt to men by his example then the hypocrite doth; in which respect God useth in a more exemplary manner to plague him in this life, then hee doth the hypocrite; and hath also prepared for him in hell a greater measure of confusion and torment then for the hypocrite. She set her bloud (and murders saith the Lord, Ezekiel 24.7, 8. and that that is said of murder may bee said of beastly filthinesse also, and of all other sinnes that are committed impudently and with a high hand) shee set her bloud (saith the Lord) upon the top of a rocke (and cared not how many were eye-witnesses of it) shee poured it not upon the ground to cover it with dust (shee did not desire to have it concealed and hidden from any) that it might cause fury to come up to take vengeance. As if hee should say, The sinnes of profane men so desperately and impudently committed, doe use to provoke God unto furious vengeance even in this life. And for their portion in hell, the Prophet speaking of such men, Esa. 5.11, 12. saith verse 14. that for them hell will enlarge her selfe, and op…n her mouth without measure. Although (I say) that in these respects the case of the profane man bee worse then the hypocrites; yet is the hypocrite also, and every thing that he doth most odious unto God. The …ncense which they offered was an abomination unto him (as the Lord speaketh, Esa. 1.13, 14.) their new moones and their sabbaths and their solemne assemblies (all good things in themselves & commanded of God) his soule hated, they were a trouble to him, he was weary to beare them. Yea the more good things the hypocrite doth the more odious he maketh himselfe unto God. The hypocrites in heart (saith Elihu, Iob 36.13. not the grosse hypocrites onelyonly and such as whose life discovereth them to be so, but the most close and secret ones if their hearts bee false and unsound) heape up wrath. Yea in some respects certainely his case is more wofull then the case of the most profane man both in this life, and in the life to come also.
How can this be?Object. (will you say) can the profane mans case be worse then the hypocrites both in this life and the life to come also (as you have taught us now) and yet the hypocrites case be worse then his, both in this life and in the life to come? Are not these propositions directly contradictory, and therefore impossible that both of them should be true?Answ. I answer, No. But as the sinnes of the one are in one respect greater and in another lesser then the sinnes of the other are; so the Lord in the infinitenesse of his wisedome and power can and will make this possible which to our shallow understandings seemeth to bee most impossible. And this wee are sure of that both these propositions that seeme so contradictory are undoubtedly true because God hath in his word taught us both. What he hath said touching the open prophane man you have heard before; and that the hypocrites case is in some respects worse then the state of the most prophane man both in this life and in the life to come is evident by these two proofes. First, in this life he is hardlier brought to the sight of his sinne and to repentance for it, without which there is no possibility of salvation then the prophane man is. The Publicans and Harlots goe into the kingdome of God before you; saith our Saviour to the Pharisaicall hypocrites, Matth. 21.31. See an example of this also in Iudas. And secondly. In the life to come because they have sinned against greater meanes and against greater light, they shall receive the greater damnation, as our Saviour speaketh, Mat. 23.14. It shall be more tollerable for the land of Sodom (a farre more prophane people then they were) in the day of judgement then for thee, saith our Saviour unto Capernaum, Matth. 11.24. In which respect we shall finde, there is no one sinne that our Saviour did more bitterly inveigh nor denounce more woes against, then he did against hypocrisie; and though the Pharisees were guilty of many other foule sinnes, as appeareth by that which our Saviour saith of them, Matth. 23.3. Yet he taxeth them for no sinne so much as for their hypocrisie, Matth. 23.13. and in many other places. So that (to conclude this point) I must say unto you all as our Saviour spake unto his Disciples first of all in a mighty audience Luk. 12.1. Beware yee of the leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisie. As if he had said, yee that are the Disciples of Christ and professe Religion above all other men, and above all other sinnes beware yee of hypocrisie; content not your selves with any good things that bee in you, with any good things that yee doe, that you love the word, that you use to pray, that you observe the Sabbath, that you hate popery and all will worship, that you are strict in the smallest things; but take heed that you doe these things in truth and soundnesse of heart; remember that hypocrisie is the leaven of the Pharisyes, it will make all that you doe sowre and unpleasing unto God.
Alas (will you say) wee know this is most true;Object. but how shall wee know whither wee be hypocrites or no? If the hypocrite may goe so farre, as you have taught us out of Gods word he may; we see just cause to feare we are no better then hypocrites. And I know well that some of you that are freest from hypocrisie, ever since you heard me prove how farre the hypocrite may goe, have longed much to heare this, how the true Christian may be distinguished and knowne from the hypocrite in these things; and what it is wherein he goeth further then any hypocrite in the world can goe.
Now to give satisfaction to these good soules.Answ. 1. First of all I say that this is a good signe thou art no hypocrite because thou art so fearefull least thou shouldst be one, because thou art so desirous to get good evidence to thy selfe, that thou hast more in thee then an hypocrite can have. To feare our selves least our hearts should be unsound is part of that poverty of spirit of which our Saviour saith Matth. 5.3. that they are blessed that have it in them. David suspected his heart to be unsound when he prayed as he did Verse 10. Create in m…e a cleane heart ô Lord and renew a right spirit within me. And so did all the elect Apostles when Christ having told them, that one of them should betray him there was a false hypocrite among them, every one of them was exceeding sorrowfull and cryed to him Matth. 26.21, 22. Lord is it I?
But secondly I will (for your further satisfaction) give you some notes whereby you may discerne whither you be hypocrites or noe. And I will go no further for them, then to these very examples I instanced in, for the five good things which I told you have beene found in some hypocrites. I will shew you plainly what the things were wherein they (though they went so far) were defective and did bewray the falshood and hypocrisie of their hearts. And when in the hearing of them you shall finde your selves, and that goodnesse that is in you free from these defects from these notes of hypocrisie which the Holy Ghost hath observed to have beene in them, (not from one or two of them, but from them all) you may be able confidently to conclude unto your comfort that certainly you are no hypocrites; you shall be easily able to judge of the soundnesse or unsoundnesse of your owne hearts. The defects that were in the goodnesse of these men whereby their hypocrisie was discovered were five principally.
First, some of them when they seemed to have most goodnesse in them and made greatest shew of it, they lived in grosse sinnes neverthelesse. Take a proofe of this in the example of those hypocrites that I told you were so given to prayer. They made many prayers (as the Prophet speaketh of them Esay 1.15.) they used to pray often yea they did spread forth their hands in prayer, and seemed to pray with great zeale and fervency of spirit; but their hands were full of bloud. As if he should say, they were savadge bloud-suckers, and most cruell oppressours of poore men. So speaketh the Lord likewise of them, Esa. 58.3.4. that used much, not ordinary prayer only, but extraordinary fasting, and prayer, yea seemed in their fasts to afflict their soules, and to be much humbled; but even then when they seemed so devout and holy, they lived in strife and debate, they used to smite with the fist of wickednesse. Though they seemed to be very religious yet were they most malicious men. Now they that live in grosse and notorious sinnes (oppression malice uncleannesse, drunkennesse, cousenage, and such like) though they make never so good a profession (as in all ages the Church hath had many such) are most palpable and grosse hypocrites. Neither ought they to be ever a whit the better thought on for their good profession. Let such either leave their grosse sinnes, or forsake their good profession; or else the better profession and shew of goodnesse they make, the more odious they will make themselves both to God and man.
Secondly, some of those hypocrites that I told you of that seemed to have very good things in them, did not only live in grosse sinne while they made so good a profession; but they did make so good a profession for this cause principally, that they might thereby the better cloake and colour their foule sinnes. For this wee have a proofe in the example of that ruler of the Synagogue of whom we heard out of Luke 13.14, 15. he could not without great indignation see Christ heale, and the people come to be healed by him on the Sabbath day; and our Saviour calleth him hypocrite for this. Why? Because hee could not see the Sabbath broken without great indignation? Or because hee (out of his ignorance) tooke that to be which was not indeed any breach of the Sabbath day? No verily our blessed Saviour would never have passed so sharp a censure upon him for either of these causes. But Christ knew that not his zeale for the Sabbath, but his malice against him was the true cause of his indignation; and therefore the Evangelist Verse 17. Calleth him Christs adversary. This malice against Christ he durst not (for feare of the people) make open shew of. He findeth no fault with Christs healing but with the peoples travelling to be healed on the Sabbath day. He cloaketh his malice against Christ with this …aire pretence of his great zeale for the Sabbath day. This also is most grosse and palpable hypocrisie, yea the most odious kinde of hypocrisie that can be, when men shall use Religion as a cloake to hide sinne, when men shall professe goodnesse of purpose that they may the more safely and with the lesse suspition commit any sinne. And yet many such vile wretches have beene in all ages and are still to be found in the Church of God. One example only I will give you for this (though I might give many) which haply you may out of your owne knowledge paralell in these times. And that is that woman of whom we read Pro. 7. who though she were a most impudent Whore, yet could say to the foole whom she entised unto lewdnesse, Verse 14. I have peace offerings with me, this day have I paid my vowes. She did use to performe not the ordinary duties of Religion only, and such as God did enjoyne and require of all men (such as peace offerings were) but to shew more then ordinary zeale and love to piety she made vowes also unto God (which was a free and voluntary service whereunto by no expresse law she was tyed) nay and she duly paied her vowes too. How could her husband or any body else ever suspect this devout and religious woman to be a Whore? Nay, this was certainely one of the strongest arguments she used to allure the young man to folly, and to cloake, and hide from him her extreame filthinesse that she seemed so Religious and good a soule. For this was the effect of her speech unto him, though the love I beare to thee above all men in the world, make me desire to enjoy and take my pleasure with thee, yet I would not have thee thinke me to be a prophane and lewd, and common strumpet; No, I feare God, love Religion, and goodnesse, I thanke God, I have peace offerings with me, this day have I paid my vowes. Would any honest heart think it possible that one, that liveth so lewdly should seeme so Religious; yea that they should seeme so Religious for this purpose only, that they might live so lewdly? Yet you see so it hath beene, and so it is with too many in these dayes; they would not come so constantly to Church as they doe, but only for this cause that they might more freely and with lesse suspition continue the dishonesty and lewdnesse that they use at home. These persons certainly take Gods Name in vaine, in an high degree, and let them be sure The Lord will not hold them guiltlesse that take his Name in vaine, Exod. 10.7. specially in so foule and odious a manner as this is. To every such a one I may say as the Apostle doth in another case unto Ananias Acts 23.3. God shall smite thee thou whited wall that usest to cover thy rottennesse with this vernish. How soone he will smite thee, or in what manner or degree he will smite thee is knowne only to himselfe, but certainly God shall smite thee thou painted wall that makest Religion a cloak for any lewdnesse whatsoever it be. The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination (saith the Holy Ghost Pro. 21.27.) How much more when he bringeth it with a wicked minde? The hearing of the word, and receiving of the Sacrament, and prayer that any lewd man useth is abominable unto God; how much more the hearing and receiving and praying of these men that doe these things to this end that they may sin the more freely?
Now these two sorts that I have already named are so grosse and palpable hypocrites as many of you wil easily discerne your selves to be better then they. The other three are closer hypocrites a great deale, yet hypocrites too and odious unto God.
The third sort of those I told you of that had very good things in them and yet were no better then hypocrites, were such as though they lived not in grosse sins, yet the Religion and goodnesse they made profession of had no power in them to reforme their hearts and lives. Of this sort were they I told you of, out of Ezek. 33.30, 32. 1. They came constantly to the Ministery of the word. 2. Even to the Ministery of Ezekiel who did not use to preach Placentia unto them but was wont plainly and roundly to reprove their sinnes, they shunned him not, nor liked the worse of him for that. 3. They tooke great delight to heare him, his preaching was to them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument. 4. They professed great love to his person. 5. They used when they had heard him, to talke and conferre together (not against him as some translations readeth it, but) of him and of his Doctrine (as the most and best interpreters read it, and the context plainly sheweth it ought to be read so) 6. Lastly, they liked his Ministery so well that every one called upon and did what he could to draw his friends and kinsfolke to goe with him to it. Is it possible (will you say) that these could bee hypocrites that went thus farre? Yes verily they were no better then hypocrites for all this.
How may that appeare, will you say? By what note doth the Holy Ghost discover them to be so? Surely by this that he saith twice of them, They heare thy words (saith hee Verse 31.) but they will not doe them; and againe Verse 32. They heare thy words but they doe them not. They would not be ruled by the word, they would not obey nor practice what they heard, they would not reforme their hearts and lives by it. And the Lord instanceth in one particular corruption that they would not leave Their heart goeth after their covetousnesse still saith he. He chargeth them not with any grosse act or worke wherein they shewed their covetousnesse (neither Vsury, nor bribery, nor oppression, nor extortion) but with mentall covetousnesse only. Because they did not practise what they heard, nor reforme their lives according to it; because the word that was so faithfully preached unto them and which they did heare so constantly and with such delight, had not power to bridle and mortifie the very lusts and affections of their hearts, therefore they were hypocrites. Marke this (beloved) and take it to heart every one of you. In those sixe good things that the Holy Ghost hath noted in Ezekiels hearers none of you goe beyond them, most of you come farre short of them. 1. You frequent not the Ministery of the word so constantly as they did. Many of you that did constantly frequent our ministery at the first while it was somewhat new and fresh and strange unto you like those Athenians Acts 17.21. are growne weary of your diligence that way. Your goodnesse (as the Lord said of Ephraim Hos. 6.4) Was as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it is gone away. I speake not of such whom distance of place, or shortnesse of dayes, or foulnesse of weather and wayes, or infirmity of their bodyes doe keepe away; but of such only whom nothing but their decay of affection and love to the word hath made so slacke in comming to it. 2. You cannot so well brooke a faithfull ministery that will plainly reprove your sinnes as they would. 3. You heare us not with that delight and alacrity but more heavily then they did. 4. You shew not that love to our persons as they did to his. 5. You use not to conferre together of that you have heard as they did. 6. You labour not to draw and winne others to the love of the word as they did. But in that brand and character of an hypocrite that the Holy Ghost setteth upon them the most of you doe match them fully; You heare our words, but you will not doe them; our Ministery is of no power at all with you to reforme either your hearts or lives. Many of you have by hearing of us gotten store of that knowledge that the Apostle speaketh of 1 Cor. 8.1. of that knowledge that puffeth you up and maketh you proud censurers and contemners of other men, and even of your teachers too. You come still to our Ministery not as Disciples to learne and be guided by us, but only as judges to heare what we can say and passe your censure upon us. And that which the Apostle speaketh in another sense Iames 4.11. may fitly be applied to sundry of our hearers, Thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. None of us are good enough to teach you; but you will hold opinions and do things in your practice which no Minister of God that ever you heard doth approve of. Even such of you as heare us constantly, and praise our preaching, and seeme both to love us well and to admire and magnifie our Ministery, as Ezekiels hearers did, yet will you not practise or do any thing that wee teach you. I will not speake of the unreformed lives of ordinary hearers. But is it not strange that some of our hearers of best note should bee implacable and irreconciliable? A property whereby the Apostle describeth them Romans 1.31. whom the Lord hath given up unto a reprobate minde. And implacable towards whom? Even towards their brethren that are of the same judgement and profession with themselves. I cannot stand upon this or any other particular wherein our hearers declare themselves to be like Ezekiels hearers, They heare our words, but they will not doe them. But this I affirme confidently unto you all, that you can never get assurance that you have upright hearts, that you are any better than hypocrites, till you can find that every truth that you heare in the Ministery of the Word hath a divine power and authority in your hearts; And though you bee not able in all things to doe as you are taught, but notwithstanding you have beene constant hearers of the Word a long time, yet there remaineth a deale of corruption still in you that you cannot mortifie and subdue; yet you dare not resist any truth that you heare; but you yeeld unto it, make conscience of it, desire and endeavour to obey it, and put it in practice. David comforted himselfe in this testimony of his uprightnesse, Psalme 119.161. His heart stood in awe of Gods Word, hee durst not doe any thing against it. And Paul commendeth the Thessalonians for this, 1 Thessalonians 1.5. that his Gospell and Ministerie came unto them, not in word onelyonly, but in power: And 1 Thessalonians 2.13. that it wrought effectually in them. And hee saith of them, 2 Thessalonians 3.4. That hee was confident in the Lord concerning them, that they both did and would doe the things that hee commanded them. Nay, hee saith expressely (2 Corinthians 2.9.) that herein standeth the tryall of a true Christian and sound-hearted hearer, To this end also (saith he) did I write (as I did, and reprooved you so sharply for your connivance toward the incestuous person) that I might know the proofe of you, whether you bee obedient in all things. As if he had said, He is no true-hearted hearer nor sound Christian, that will not bee obedient to his teacher in all things.
True (will you say) they whom the Prophets and Apostles did teach were bound to obey them in all things,Object. because they could not erre in their Ministery; but must we therefore obey you in all things, who we know may be miscarried in your Ministery, sometimes through want of judgement, sometimes through passion?
I answer,Answ. No verily, thou must not obey us any further than wee bring the Word of the Lord for every thing that wee teach you, to doe or to leave undone. As we must take heed what we teach Eccles. 12.9. and looke that wee have good ground in Gods Word for all that wee teach you, and performe the worke of our Ministery not without feare and trembling, 1 Corinthians 2.3. So you must take heed what you heare, Marke 4.24. You must prove all things that wee teach you, 1 Thessal. 5.20. Examine the proofes wee bring out of Gods Word, whether wee alledge them rightly or no, as they of Beraea did, Acts 17.11. We may none of us deny you liberty to come and question with us about any thing wee teach, if you understand it not, nor can conceive how it should be found, seeing our Saviour allowed that liberty even to his hearers, Matth. 13.36.19.10. Luke 18.26. Iohn 16.19. Provided alwaies you doe it in humility and reverence to the holy function of your faithfull Teachers; that you do it as disciples, not as judges and controllers of your Teachers. But whatsoever we teach you by good warrant of Gods Word, if you obey it not, if it be not of divine authority in your hearts, certainly you will be found to be no better than hypocrites. For, while we do thus, thou art charged to obey us as much as if we were Prophets or Apostles either. Obey them that have the rule or oversight of you (saith the Apostle, Heb. 13.17.) and submit your selves. And even of the Scribes and Pharises (while they sate in Moses chaire and taught nothing but the doctrine of Moses) our Saviour giveth a charge to his Disciples, Mat. 23 3. All whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do. And our Saviour saith of the meanest Minister that he sendeth while he doth thus, Luke 10.16. He that heareth you heareth me, and he that despiseth you despiseth me. And the Apostle 1 Thess. 4.8. He that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God. To conclude therefore this third note, By your care to obey and practise what you heare, take notice of the soundnesse of your own hearts. It is the note that our Saviour giveth us to trie uprightnesse and hypocrisie by, Mat. 7.24.26. Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doth them, is like the wise man that buildeth his house upon a rocke; and every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them not, is like the foolishman, that built his house upon the sand.