Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 8 · Lecture 119
Lecture CXIX. On Psalme 51.7. May 26. 1619.
IT followeth now that we proceed unto the uses that this Doctrine serveth unto; and those are three principally. 1. For instrustion. 2. For exhortation. 3. For comfort.
For the first.Vse 1. This Doctrine will teach us to judge rightly of sinne, and to esteeme of it as it doth deserve. Foure points there are to be observed in this Doctrine, that do notably set forth the odiousnesse and hainousnesse of sinne.
First, no creature in heaven or earth can cleanse thee from the least of all thy sinnes, nor procure thee a pardon for it. Christ Iesus onelyonly was able to doe it. He is the propitiation for our sinnes, saith the Apostle, 1 Iohn 2.2. and he alone. In Popery men are taught that many will doe it. Pardons may be bought of the Pope we know; and the larger summ a man is content to disburse for it, the larger shall his pardon be. They teach also that men may by their almsdeeds and good works (specially by doing good to the Church) redeem and buy out their iniquities, and make satisfaction to the justice of God, for the temporall punishment that is due to them for sin; so that the more bountifull a man is that way, the lesse he shall need to feare the fire of Purgatory, or any other temporall punishment whatsoever. And this hath certainly been a most profitable and gainfull Doctrine to the Church of Rome. But a most blasphemous Doctrine it is, and such as m…keth the Crosse of Christ of none effect; a Doctrine directly contrary to the holy Scriptures, and to that which the Apostle Peter (whom they make the rock upon which their Church is built) did teach. Ye know (saith he, 1 Pet. 1.18.) that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as siluer and gold from your vaine conversation received by tradition from your fethers. No silver and gold (though we had never so many thousands to give unto pious uses) can redeeme and buy out the least of our sinnes no not our vaine conversation, our unprofitable walking, our sinnes of omission, or any part of the punishment that is due to us for it. And this ye know, saith the Apostle, this was a truth clearely knowne to all Gods people then. The Churches that were planted by the Apostles were fully perswaded of it. And if the present Church of Rome had beene of the Apostle Peters founding (as they pretend) certainly silver and gold could not be of such use and worth there for procuring pardons for sinne, as all the world knoweth that now it is. But what speak we of silver and gold? Not all the Angels or Saints in heaven or earth were ever able by all their holinesse and good works, by all their prayers and intercessions to merit of God for any man, the pardon of the least sin. And in this also, Popery doth miserably and damnably deceive the world. We know they teach men to trust, and expect mercy from God in the pardon of their sin, by the merits and intercession of the Saints, specially of the blessed Virgin. And it is notorious to the world, that their whole Church in their publique Liturgie doe oft beg of God the pardon of sinne and deliverance from his wrath, for the merits and intercession of such and such Saints. Miserable comforters are they, that teach poore soules in this case, to leane upon the staffe of this bruised reed. Of all the Saints that have beene most rich in grace and good workes, that may truly bee said which David speaketh of the worldly rich men. Psal. 49.7, 8. None of them can by any meanes redeeme his brother, nor give unto God a ransome for him; for the redemption of the soule is precious. No Saint was ever able with all his holinesse and good works, to pay a price sufficient to satisfie the justice of God, for one soule. Nay (I say more) no Saint or Angel durst ever so farre mediate with God, as to intreat him for his sake, to pardon any one sin to any soule. If one man sin against another (saith old Ely to his sons, 1 Sam. 2.25.) the judge shall judge him: (satisfaction may bee made for the offence, by the authority of the magistrate) but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall intreat for him? As if he had said, No Saint or Angel dare presume to be so much as a mediatour of intercession unto God, for any that hath sinned against him. Call now (saith Eliphaz to Iob 5.1.) if there be any that will answer, or speake for thee, and to which of the Saints wilt thou turne? No, none but Christ onelyonly durst ever doe so much for any poore sinner. And this is the first point in this Doctrine, that doth discover to us how heavy and heinous a thing sin is.
Secondly. Christ himselfe could not cleanse thee from thy sins, nor procure thee the pardon of the least of them, any other way but by dying for thee. The holinesse of his life, and that exact obedience he yeelded to the law of God, in all points fulfilling all righteousnesse as himselfe speaketh, Matth. 3.15.) was (doubtlesse) of great merit, and wee received much benefit by it. As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners (saith the Apostle, Rom. 5.19.) so by the obedience of one, shall many be made righteous. We are justified in part, even by his active obedience, for by it we obtaine the imputation of that perfect righteousnesse, that giveth us title to the kingdome of heaven. For seeing it was not possible for us to enter into life, till wee had kept the commandements of God, Matth. 19.17. and wee were not able to keepe them our selves, it was necessary our surety should keepe them for us. And hee by performing to the full for us, not for himselfe; for he being God and not man only, and his manhood having no personall substistance without the Godhead, was not bound to keep the law for himselfe) he (I say) by fulfilling the whole law of God, did thereby purchase heaven for us, and merit that God should account us righteous, and perfect fulfillers of his law. By this means he brought in everlasting righteousnesse, as the Prophet speaketh, Dan. 9.24. In which respect also the Apostle saith, Rom. 10.4. that Christ is the end of the law for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth. As if he should say, The end of the law is to justifie them that fulfill it, and this Christ hath done for every one that beleveth in him, and so hath made him righteous before God. And for this cause the Apostle saith also, Rom. 3.31. Doe we then make void the law through faith? God forbid. Yea we establish the law. As though hee had said. The Doctrine of justification by faith in Christ, doth no way derogate from the law, for it acknowledgeth a necessity, not only of satisfaction for the penalty that is due to the transgression of it, but also of a full and perfect observation of it, in all points, by them that would enter into life. But though this be so, yet Christs active obedience, his good works and holy life, could never have bin meritorious for us, could never have justified us, nor brought us to heaven, if he had not dyed for us. And therefore both our justification, and our obtaining of heaven, is ascribed to his bloud, as if that alone had done both. Being justified by his bloud (saith the Apostle, Rom. 5.9 we shall be saved from wrath through him. And we have boldnes to enter into the holiest (that is, into heaven, Heb. 10.19.) by the bloud of Iesus. So the scripture ascribeth much to the intercession that our Saviour daily maketh for us in heaven, & much comfort (doubtlesse) we may receive by this, that we have such a friend in the court, such an advocate to speake and plead and pray for us unto his father He is able (saith the Apostle, Heb. 7.25.) to save them to the uttermost, that come to God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. But his intercession could never have bin meritorious for us, it could never have prevailed with God for us, to the procuring for us the pardon of the least sin, if he had not by his death given full satisfaction to the justice of God for us. When Christ is described unto Iohn, Rev. 5.8, 9. as the only mediatour of intercession, for his Church, (unto whom the foure and twenty Elders representing the whole Catholike Church, and company of all Gods Saints, do bring their golden viols full of odours which are the prayers of the Saints, to be presented by him unto his father) he is represented to him in the likenes of a lambe that was slaine, ver. 6.11. And the foure and twenty Elders, ver. 9. give this for the reason why they bring their prayers unto him, and make him their only mediatour of intercession, aswell as their only Prophet & interpreter of his fathers will. Thou art worthy (say they) to take the booke, and to open the seales thereof, for thou wast slaine, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood. Hee could not have beene our Prophet, neither could his intercession and prayers have ever beene meritorious for us, if hee had not dyed for us. It is the death of Christ that giveth vertue and merit to his intercession and prayers for us. It is the blood of sprinkli…g, that speaketh better things then that of Abel, saith the Apostle, Hebrewes 12.…4. It is that that speaketh for us, and pleadeth with God continually for mercy, as the other did for vengeance.
Thirdly. Christ himselfe could not by dying for thee, have cleansed thee from thy sins, nor procured the pardon of the least of them, if he had not dyed for thee the death of the Crosse, that cursed death, if he had not beene made a curse for thee. Christ both redeemed us (saith the Apostle, Gal. 3.13.) from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, for it is written. Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree. The scripture indeed seemeth to ascribe our redemption wholy to his bodily death, and to the bloud that he shed for us. We have redemption through his bloud, even the forgivenesse of our sins, saith the Apostle, Eph. 1 7. And Revel. 5.…. Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy bloud. But wee must understand, that in these and such like places, the holy Ghost useth a Synechdoche; that is▪ putteth one part of Christs passion for the whole. And two reasons there are, why his whole passion is expressed by this part of it, rather then by the other. 1. Because the shedding of his bloud, was the most apparant and sensible signe and evidence that hee did indeed lay downe his life, and dye for us, yea, that hee dyed a violent death. For the life of the flesh, is in the bloud, saith the Lord, Levit. 17.11. 2. This did best declare him to bee the true propitiatory sacrifice, that was figured by all the sacrifices under the law, that lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world, as Iohn Baptist calleth him, Ioh. 1.…9. But it was not that alone that could have done the deed, all the pains and torments he endured in his body for us, could not have obtained for us the pardon of any one sin. He suffered much more in his soule for us, then he did in his body. He made his soule an offering for sin, as the Prophet speaketh, Esa. 53.10. His soule was exceeding sorrowfull, even to the death. Mat 26.38. He endured the torments of the soule aswell as of the body for us. Yea the curse of God, and those unspeakeable and unconceivable torments that were due to all the sinnes of all Gods Elect, both in body and soule he endured to the uttermost. The Lord spared him not, as the Apostle saith, Rom. 8.32. nor abated him one farthing of our debt, but made him pay it all. The Lord laid upon him (saith the Prophet Esa. 53.6.) the iniquity of us all; that is, the punishment due unto all our iniquities. And verse 4. Surely hee hath borne our griefes, and carried our sorrowes, the sorow and anguish that was due to us for our sinnes, hee hath borne it all, and every jot of it, and so he made full satisfaction to the justice of God for us, and unlesse he had so done, he could never have redeemed us from our sins. He made our peace through the bloud of his crosse, saith the Apostle, Col. 1.20. by no death but by that cursed death, hee could have made our peace with God.
Fourthly and lastly. Christ himselfe by dying for us the death of the Crosse, and by enduring in body and soule the torments due to our sins, could not have made our peace with God, if hee had not beene more then a man▪ more then a creature (admit it had beene possible for a creature to have borne Gods curse) if hee had not beene God. All his sufferings could not have bin a price sufficient to redeeme one soule, to purchase the pardon of one sin, if they had not bin the sufferings of God himselfe. The infinite wrath of God due unto sinne which no creature is able to beare at once, and therefore must be enduring of it everlastingly. (Their worme shall never dye (saith the Prophet Esay 66.24.) their fire shall never be quenched) Christ being God, mighty in strength, as Iob speaketh, Iob 9.4. was able to beare altogether, and at once, in that short time that he was upon the Crosse. The Apostle calleth the bloud of Christ wherby we are redeemed, a precious bloud, 1 Pet. 1.19. And indeed it must needs bee precious, of infinite price and merit, able to countervaile and answer for the everlasting torments that were due to the sins of all Gods elect, because it was the bloud of God himselfe. God purchased his Church with his owne bloud saith the Apostle, Actes 20.28. God laid downe his life for us, saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 3.16. The Lord of glory was crucified, saith holy Paul, 1 Cor. 2.8. Nothing but the infinite suffering of such a person, could have procured us the pardon of the least of our sins.
Applic.Now to conclude this use of instruction, and to make some application of it, Learne by this that thou hast heard, to judge rightly of sin, of every sin, of thine owne sins especially. Labour to have a sound judgement in this point, to bee perswaded in thy judgement, that every sin is a most deadly and heinous thing. Know thou, and see (saith the Lord, Ier. 2.19.) that it is an evill thing, and bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my feare is not in thee. Iudge not according to the appearance (Ioh. 7.24. of this matter) but judge righteous judgement. Iudge not of sin according as the world judgeth of it, nor according to those colours that Sathan and thine owne foolish heart is apt to put upon it, but judge of sin, as God in his word judgeth of it, for his judgement will stand when all is done. Account it a point of extreame folly in thy selfe, and a signe that thou hast lost all judgement, & that thou art strangely blinded besotted and bewitched by the devill, even this I say, that thou canst thinke of any sin that it is but a small matter, that thou canst so sleight and make nothing of many sins that thou dost in thy heart so scorne and befoole them, whom thou seest so precise, and fearefull to do the least thing that might offend God. Fooles make a mocke of sin, saith Solomon, Prov. 149. They are fooles certainely, and starke fooles, that make so small a matter of any sin.
But for the better perswading you to hearken to my counsell in this, I will 1. give you two motives to seeke for soundnesse of judgement in this case. …. I will shew you the meanes whereby you may rectifie your judgements in this point.
And for the Motives, consider.
Motive 1First. That no man can truly repent of his sinne, nor bee affected with it, as he ought to be, till he can rightly judge of sin, & know how heinous and dangerous a thing it is. The will and affections of a man are swayed by his judgement. Be ye changed by the renewing of your mind, saith the Apostle, Rom. 12.2. All saving repentance, and change of the heart, beginneth in the renewing, and rectifying of the mind and judgement. This will the better appeare, if wee consider five things that are required in true repentance. 1. Wee must cast away with loathing, and detestation our sinnes, as a man would cast away a menstruous and filthy ragge, that by chance is fallen upon him, and say to it, get thee hence, Esay 30.22. 2. Wee must hate and abhorre sin. The Lord speaking of a small sin (in comparison) even of eating of meat, that hee had in his ceremoniall law forbidden, Levit. 11.10. saith, that it should bee an abomination unto them. And verse 43. hee giveth a good reason for it, for hee telleth them, that even a small sinne being wittingly committed, would make them abominable unto him. And have not we just cause to abhorre that that will cause the Lord to abhorre us? 3. Wee must grieve and bee more troubled in our selves for offending God, then for any worldly losse or affliction whatsoever. Th…y shall mourne for him (saith the Prophet, Zach. 1….10.) as one mourneth for his onelyonly sonne, and shall bee in bitternesse for him, as one that is in bitternesse for his first borne. 4. Wee must cry to him more earnestly, and hearrily, for pardon of our sinne, then for the averting of any judgement, or obtaining any other blessing whatsoever. As David doth in this Psalme, after Nathan had beene with him, and threatned such heavy judgements against him and his house. And Elihu reproveth Ioh. 36.…1. For choosing iniquity rather then affliction. A man that is wise and well advised, will choose rather to endure any affliction, then to commit any iniquity whatsoever. 5. Lastly. We must be more afraid of sin, of offending God in the least thing, then of any danger or evill in the world that can befall us. Feare not their feare (saith the Prophet, Esa. 8.12, 33.) nor be afraid, but let the Lord be you-feare, and let him …e your dread. And who can possibly thus repent him of his sin, that is not in his judgement fully perswaded how hainous and odious a thing every sin is.
Secondly.Motive 2 Consider, that till we can rightly judge of our sins, Christ can profit us nothing. He came to call none but sinners, yea, such as so know, and can judge of their owne sins, as that they are sicke at the heart with sorrow and trouble of mind for them. Mat. 9.12, 13. But of this point I shall have occasion to speake more in the next use.
Now the meanes whereby we may come to a right judgement of sin, are five principally.
First.Means 1 Consider with thy selfe seriously, that every sin is an offence, and a contempt done against the infinite Majesty of the eternall God. Against thee, thee only have I sinned, saith David here, verse 4. And therefore it must needs bee a thing infinitely evill and dangerous.
Secondly.Means 2 Consider the onelyonly punishment that the Lord in his righteous judgement, hath appointed after this life, for every sin, is everlasting death, in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for evermore. The wages of sinne, (of every sin) is death, saith the Apostle, Rom. 6.2…. even eternall death, Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, (saith hee, Rom. 2.8, 9. shall bee on every soule that doth evill. And how great must that offence needes bee, that the righteous God hath appointed such a punishment unto, as no tongue can expresse, no heart can conceive, how great and how extreame it is?
Thirdly.Means 3 Thinke seriously of this, that all the miseries of this life, all the bitternesse we tast of, in all our bodily paines and diseases, in all the anguish and trouble of our minds, in all our outward wants and distresses, in the unseasonablenesse of the weather, in all publique calamities, come all from sinne. Let no man deceive you with vaine words, (saith the Apostle, Ephes. 5.6. or tell you, it is nothing to be merry and wanton a little (I would none did worse then so) or it is nothing to use a little craft and fraud in buying and selling, alas they that will live in the world must doe as the world doth) let no man deceive you with such vaine words; saith he, for because of these things commeth the wrath of God, upon the children of disobedience. All our woe and misery commeth from our sinne, so that there is no day passeth over our heads wherein the Lord doth not really teach us how to judge of sinne. The Lords voice cryeth unto the city (saith the Prophet, Mic. 6.9.) and the man of wisdome shall see thy name, heare the red and who hath appointed it. As if he had said, By his rods and corrections the Lords voice cryeth unto men. And though in some rare and extraordinary judgements God doth lift up his voice and cry lowder unto men then in others, yet in every one of his judgements and corrections that do befall us the Lord cryeth thus to every one of us, Tast and see in this what it is to sinne, what it is to offend God.
Means 4Fourthly, Consider of this that you have heard now in this Doctrine, what a price was paid by thy Saviour to redeeme thee from thy sins, even from the least of them. Never did God so fully declare his hatred of sinne and how heinous a thing it is in his sight, by all the judgements that he ever executed upon men or Angels, as he did in the crosse of Christ, and in that extreame abasement and humiliation that he did endure for us. No, if it were possible for us to see and feele the torments that the damned in hell doe endure, yet could not that be so effectuall a meanes to perswade us what the true desert of sin is, as the meditation of the crosse of Christ, if God would please to give us hearts to behold it, and meditate of it as we ought to doe. They shall looke upon me whom they have pierced (saith our Saviour, Zach. 12.10.) and then they shall mourne abundantly. O if we could looke well upon Christ crucified (but that can we never doe till the spirit of grace be powred upon us as the Prophet there speaketh) it would not be possible for us to esteeme lightly of any sinne, we could not choose, but bee deepely affected with our owne iniquities
Means 5Fiftly and lastly, Because (by reason of our naturall blindnesse and the marvellous cunning and power that the world and Satan have to bewitch us in this thing) all these considerations and meanes can never prevaile with us, till God open our eyes; it must be the mighty worke of God (specially in so profane an age as this is) that must perswade us to judge rightly of sin. Who hath beleeved our report? (say the Ministers of the Gospell, Esa. 53.1. which may be applyed to this as well as to any other Doctrine that we teach in our ministery) and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed? As if they had said, Why do so few beleeve any thing we teach out of Gods Word, touching the hainousnesse and danger of sin? Surely because there be few upon whom the Lord is pleased to shew his mighty power, in the opening of their eyes. Therfore in the use of these or any other meanes for the rectifying of our judgement in this case, we must cry unto God as Iob did, Iob 13.23. Make me to know my transgression and my sin. It is meet to be said unto God (saith Elihu to Iob, when he would perswade him to think and judge rightly of his sin, Iob 34.31, 32.) that which I know not teach thou me. It is fit and necessary we should cry unto God, that hee would open our eyes and not suffer us to be deluded by Satan, that he would by his holy spirit teach us to judge rightly of this matter, to know how hainous and dangerous a thing sinne is.