Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 8 · Lecture 123
Lecture CXXIII. On Psalme 51.7. Iuly 21. 1629.
Signe 3.THE third and last signe whereby we may judge of our assurance, and discerne whether God by his holy spirit hath sprinkled upon our hearts the bloud of his sonne, and certified us that it was shed for us, whether that assurance we seeme to have, be of God or no, is to be taken from the effects, that this assurance hath wrought in us. It is not possible for any man (that knew before his owne wretchednesse by nature) to be assured by Gods spirit, that God hath so dearely loved him, as to send his owne sonne to shed his bloud for him, but this must needes worke a great change and alteration in him. It must needs kindle in his heart, an unfeined love to God. Faith worketh by love, saith the Apostle, Galat. 5▪6. As if he should say, It cannot be idle, but it is operative, and full of vertue, and the hand and instrument it worketh by, is love. It must needes make him that hath it, desirous and studious to expresse his love to God by all meanes he can; and to say with David, Psalme 116.12. What shall I render unto the Lord? Yea, the deeper sense a man hath had of his owne sinne and wretchednesse before, the more will his heart be inflamed with love to God; when once hee feeleth the bloud of Christ sprinkled upon his heart by Gods spirit, the more studious will he be to expresse his love by any duty hee is able to performe. Mary had had many sins forgiven unto her, and therefore she loved much, as our Saviour saith, Luke 7, 47. she thought no service too base, too much for her to doe unto Christ, who had so dearely loved her. Shee wa…hed his feet with her teares, and wiped them with the haires of her head, as you may see, verse 38. of that chapter.
The Papists blaspheme our Doctrine touching this certainty a man may have of Gods favour, and say it tendeth to loosenesse of life, and liberty. But they speake of it by heare-say, as strangers doe of a thing that they never knew, or had experience of in themselves. For the true assurance of salvation, which the spirit of God hath wrought in any heart, hath that force to restraine him from loosenesse of life, and to knit his heart in love and obedience to God, as nothing else hath in all the world. It is certainly either the want of faith and assurance of Gods love, or a false and carnall assurance of it, that is the true cause of all that licentiousnesse and lewdnesse that raigneth in the world.
But to speake distinctly (yet briefly) of this point, you shall see the effects that true assurance will worke both in the inward and outward man.
First. True faith (whereby wee receive and apply Christ unto our selves) will purifie the heart, as the Apostle speaketh, Actes 15.9. It will worke a thorow change and reformation even in the hidden part. This difference the Apostle observeth, Hebr. 9.13, 74. betweene the sprinkling of the bloud of the sacrifices upon the people, by the Priest under the law, and the sprinkling of Christs blood upon the heart by the spirit of God, that sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, saith he; that is, that made a man legally in the judgement of men cleane from all outward pollutions; but Christs bloud being sprinkled by the spirit of God upon any heart, will purge the conscience from dead works (that is, from all sins, which as they deserve, so will they certainly bring death eternall upon all that are not purged from them) this (saith he) will purge the conscience from dead works, to serve the living God. There is certainly an admirable vertue in the bloud of Christ, when it is once by the spirit of God sprinkled and applyed to the heart of any man, it will purge and heale it from all the corruptions that were in it before. VntoUnto you that feare my name (saith the Lord, Malachi 4.2.) shall the sunne of righteousnesse arise, with healing in his wings. This sunne did never arise and shine upon any heart, but it brought an healing vertue with it. See the proofes of this, in foure particulars.
First. This will soften the heart more, and make it apter to mourne for sin then any other thing is able to doe. I will powre upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Ierusalem (saith the Lord, Zach. 12.10.) the spirit of grace, and of supplications, and they shall looke upon mee whom they have pierced, and they shall mourne for him, as one mourneth for his only sonne. As if hee had said thus, When the spirit of grace hath made a man able to see that his sins pierced Christ, that Christs bloud was shed for his sins, this will breake his heart, and make him mourne, and grieve more for his sins, then for any other thing in the world.
Secondly, this will make a man more afraid to sin, & to offend God, then any other thing is able to do. The children of Israel shall returne and seek the Lord their God, and David (that is, Christ the sonne of David) their King, and they shall feare the Lord and his goodnesse in the latter dayes, that is, in the dayes under the Gospel, saith the Prophet, Hos. 3.5. As though he should say, When Gods people have once by seeking, found the Lord their God, and Christ their King, know him to be their God, and their King, and tasted of his marvellous goodnesse and love unto them, this will make them ever after, more fearefull to offend him then any other thing can possibly doe.
Thirdly. This will breed in a man a greater delight in the word, and meanes of grace, a greater desire and appetite unto them, then any other thing is able to doe. As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word, that yee may grow thereby (saith the Apostle, 1 Peter 2.2, 3.) if so bee that yee have tasted that the Lord is gracious. As if hee should have said, The man that knoweth the Lord is gracious, and gracious to him, and that hath also tasted the sweetnesse of this assurance of Gods speciall love to himselfe, must needs desire, and long after Gods word, as much as ever babe did after the mothers breast.
Fourthly and lastly. This will make a man more carefull in all his wayes to please God, then any other thing is able to doe. I have walked in thy truth, (saith David, Psalme 26.3. and made conscience to doe, and practise what thou teachest me in thy word, and he had given this for the reason of it in the beginning of the verse) For thy loving kindnesse is before mine eyes. As if hee should say, I know and am fully assured (as if I saw it with mine eyes) of thy loving kindnes and speciall favour towards me, and that maketh me walke in thy truth. And these are the effects that the true assurance will worke in the heart, and inward man.
But secondly. It will not rest there, hee that hath it, cannot content himselfe with the reformation of his owne heart and life, hee cannot but declare openly, and professe himselfe to bee Gods servant, hee cannot but put forth himselfe to doe him all the service and honour that hee is possibly able to doe. 1. For profession, it is to be observed, that those whom Gods spirit sprinkleth the blood of Christ upon, whom he setteth this marke and seale upon, he setteth it not upon their hearts only, but upon their fore-heads also, as you may read, Ezek. 9.4. Rev. 7.3. so as those among whom they live, may discerne and take notice that they are Gods people. When once God hath said to any mans heart by his spirit, as he doth to his people, Esa 43.1. I have called thee by name, thou art mine; that man cannot choose but say to him againe, as David doth, Psal. 116.16. O Lord, truly I am thy servant, I am thy servant. Nay what he hath heard in the eare (as our Saviour speaketh in another case, Matth 10.27. he cannot but preach on the house tops. He cannot but declare, and professe himselfe openly to bee Gods servant, and one of his people. Thus the Prophet Esa. 44.5. bringeth in the faithfull, glorying in this open profession of their homage. One shall say, I am the Lords, another shall call himselfe by the name of Iacob, and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord. As if he had said, Every one shall be ready upon all occasions, and by all meanes to declare himselfe, to be one of Gods people, of his Church and houshold. And 2. for that care that all such have to doe God all the honour that possibly they can, in the places and callings that God hath set them in, wee have three notable examples. The first is of Ioshuah, as hee was the master of a family. Who as he was a man that had obtained this particular assurance, that God was his God, God had said unto him, Iosh 1.15. As I was with Moses, so will I be with thee, I will not faile thee, nor forsake thee. So doth hee professe, not onelyonly that hee would be Gods servant, and at his command, but that his whole family should be so too. As for me and mine house (saith he, Iosh 24▪15.) we will serve the Lord. The second example is of Paul, a minister and preacher of the Gospel. Who when he had spoken of his marvellous diligence and faithfulnes in his ministery giveth this for the reason of it, 2 Cor. 5.14.15. For the love of Christ constraineth us (saith he) because we thus judge, that one dyed for all, then were all dead, (we were all by nature dead and damned men) and that hee dyed for all, that they which live, should not henceforth live to themselves, but unto him which dyed for them, and rose againe. As if hee had said, I that know I was a dead and damned man, and that Christ dyed for mee, to save and deliver mee out of that estate, hold my selfe bound to doe him all the honour and service that I can, by enlarging his kingdome, and know, I can never doe enough for him, that hath done so much for mee as hee hath done. The third and last example is of David, a magistrate, of whose noble resolution you may read, Psal 1 18.28. Thou art my God, and I will praise thee (saith he) thou art my God, and I will exalt thee. As hee was confidently assured that God was his God (out of the aboundance of his heart, his mouth speaketh thus once, and againe) so was he resolutely determined to improve his power and authority to the uttermost in standing for God and advancing of his honour.
Applic.Let us now make some application of this, and examine our selves by this third and last signe, and we shall find that the assurance of their salvation, that most men glory in, is vaine and counterfeite, such as Satan or their owne deceitfull hearts, not the holy spirit of God hath wrought in them; Because they are so barren and unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ, as the Apostle speaketh, 2 Pet. 1.8. They say they know him to be their Lord and Saviour, but this knowledge is no way effectuall in them, to the reformation either of their hearts or lives. Nay, this their assurance hath wrought in them quite contrary effects, unto those that I have proved unto you to be the kindly fruits of that assurance, which the spirit of God worketh in the heart of any man. Nothing doth so evidently discover the falshood of this their assurance, as the fruits that it doth produce in them. In which respects, a man may fitly say of them as our Saviour doth of the false Prophets, Matth. 7.20. By their fruits yee shall know them. This will the better appeare, if the confidence of these men be examined particularly, according to those six severall effects of true assurance which we have heard of.
First. Though they say they are assured that Christ so dearely loved them, as that he shed his most precious bloud for their sinnes, yet the knowledge of this love of God to them, never made them to mourne or bee troubled in themselves ever a whit the more for their sinnes. Nay, this very thing maketh them go merrily away with them all, and keepeth them from being grieved or troubled for any sinne that ever they committed, because they say, they know that Christ shed his bloud for their sins, & hath made their peace with God. Seeing Christs soule was heavy (Mat. 26.38.) to the death, for my sins saith he, what need I be heavy for them my selfe? Thus turning the grace of God into lasciviousnes, as the Apostle speaketh Iude 4. As if he should say, The very knowledge of this marvellous grace and mercy of God, maketh them so lascivious as they are, maketh them so joviall in their sins, so void of all remorse and sorrow for sin as they are.
Secondly. They are not the more fearefull to offend God in any thing because of his goodnesse towards them, which they say they are so sure of; nay, this very thing maketh them bold to commit any sinne, because the devill hath perswaded them as he would faine have perswaded our blessed Saviour. Mat. 4.6. that though they do cast themselves headlong into any sin, yet Gods mercy and love to them is such, as hee will never suffer them to perish by it. Tush (saith hee) I know God will give mee grace to repent of it before I dye, and therefore what need I be so scrupulous or fearefull to enjoy the pleasure or profit of this sinne. Hee besseth himselfe in his owne heart (as Moses speaketh, Deut. 29.19.) saying, I shall have peace, though I walke in the imagination of my heart.
Thirdly. They say, they have tasted that the Lord is gracious, and that they would not loose the sweetnesse and comfort of the assurance they have of Gods love and of their salvation, for all the world; and yet they love the word never the better for this. Nay, this is the very cause why they care not for the word, have no desire to it, no delight in it, because they are sure enough already of their salvation, and that Christ dyed for their sins. They are like unto that faction in Corinth, of whom the Apostle speaketh, 1 Cor. 1.12. that gloried they were neither followers of Paul, nor of Apollo, nor of Cephas, but of Christ onelyonly. They did so depend upon Christ, that they cared for never a preacher in the world, nor regarded to heare them.
Fourthly. Though they speake and glory much of the Lords mercy, and loving kindnes, and though they be such as seeme to beare some love to his word & to heare it gladly, yet they practise nothing that they heare, the assurance they have of Gods love, maketh them never a whit the more carefull to walke in his truth. Yea, this very thing maketh them carelesse of doing or practising any thing they heare, because they know that they are not under the law, but under grace, as Paul bringeth in wicked men, objecting, Rom. 6.15. Because they know Christ dyed for their sins, and that we must not be saved by our works, but by faith in him onelyonly, therefore they thinke it folly in them to be precise in their practise, or to doe any good works at all.
Fiftly. They say they are the Lords, and have received his spirit, which witnesseth with their spirits, that they are his children, that the Lord hath set his seale, and marke upon them, though there is no such thing to be seene upon their foreheads, which is the place we have heard God setteth his seale upon. None that live by them, behold them daily, & converse with them, can discerne any grace in them at all. Nay men hold it now a dayes an high point of wisedome to conceale their love to religion, to shun carefully every thing that may cause them to be noted for it, They had rather bee counted any thing then a strict Christian, they hold it no advantage, no honour at all to have Gods seale on their foreheads but a matter of disgrace rather. And yet these men are confident for all that that Christs bloud was shed for them, that Gods spirit hath sprinkled it upon them; though he have not set Gods marke upon their foreheads, yet he hath set it upon their hearts certainly. But if no man be so unwise, as to light a candle and set it under a bushell; as our Saviour speaketh, Mat. 5.15. shall we thinke that the most wise God, will set the light of his grace so in any mans heart, as that none that are in the house with him are able to discerne it.
Sixtly and lastly. They say confidently, the Lord is their father, and they are his children, yet have they no care at all to honour God, or to advance his glory any way. If I be your father (saith the Lord, Malachi 1.6.) where is mine honour? Such as are by the spirit of adoption assured indeed, that God is their father, cannot but desire with all their hearts to honour him what they may. Ye are bought with a price (saith the Apostle, 1 Cor. 6.20.) therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit, which are Gods. And they that know indeed that they are not their own (as the Apostle there saith) but bought with such a price cannot choose but endeavour to do so. Whether we live (saith he, Rom. 14.8.) we live unto the Lord, or whether we die, we die unto the Lord, whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lords. He that liveth so as God hath honour by his life, and he that dyeth so as that God hath honour by his death, may be sure he is the Lords and none but he. And surely this proveth demonstratively that most men (whatsoever they pretend) have no true assurance that they are the Lords; because it is neither any trouble at all to them to see God dishonoured by others, neither have they any care at all to gaine any honour to God themselves. The Lord upbraideth the Iewes with this as with a great sin. Zach. 7.6. When ye did eat and when ye did drinke, did ye not eat for your selves, and drinke for your selves? Why what fault was that may you say? Whom should they eat and drinke for els, but for themselves? Yes the Apostle telleth you, 1 Cor. 10.31. that whether we eat or drink or whatsoever we do, we should do all to the glory of God; that is, eat and drink and sleep and recreate our selves that we may become the fitter, to do God some honour in our places. If we seek our selves only in all that we do, if we live to our selves and die to our selves, certainly we can never say that we are the Lords.
I might shew you heare how every Christian (even the meanest and poorest) may in this place gaine honour to God. But I will tie my selfe to the methode I have already followed, and instance onelyonly in those three callings which I have given you examples of; 1 the Master of the family; 2 the Minister; 3 the Magistrate and governour in the Common-wealth.
First, Such as are masters of families have a great opportunity to honour God by reforming their families and planting religion in them. Thus David vowed he would honour God and shew himselfe to be his servant, Psal. 101.6, 7. Mine eyes shall be upon the faithfull in the land, that they may dwell with me, (As if he should say, I will get me such servants as feare God if they be to be had in the whole land) he that walketh in a perfect way he shall serve me. He that worketh deceit (and beareth a false heart and secret hatred to religion though he be not openly profane, when I once know it) shall not dwell in mine house. Of this also Hezekiah speaketh, Esa. 38.19. The living, the living he shal praise thee as I do this day (and who among the living hath best opportunity to praise & honour God?) the father to the children shall make knowne thy truth. As though he had said, Parents by deriving religion unto their posterity, may greatly honour God above others. And therfore also we shal find this oft noted in the scripture that so soone as any became Gods people themselves, they shewed themselves carefull that their whole families might be so too. See an example of this in a meane man the Iailour of whom it is said, Acts 16.34. He rejoyced that he with all his houshold beleeved in God. Yea see an example of it in a weake woman, Acts 16.15. Lydia was baptized and her houshold too, Yea see an example of it in a souldier and great Captaine, Acts 10.2. Cornelius feared God with all his house. Yea see an example of it in a Magistrate and one that was in commission, Acts 18.8. Crispus the chiefe ruler of the Synagogue beleeved on the Lord with all his house. Lastly, See an example of it in a Nobleman, Ioh. 4.53▪ the Nobleman of Capernaum, himselfe beleeved and his whole house. And what shall wee say then of those men that professe confidently God is their God and they are his people and yet shew no care at all to honour God this way by reforming their families? Nay it is held a great disgrace to a man to shew any care at all or endeavour this way. If Ioshuah should have lived now and held that resolution which hee professed, Iosh. 24.15. certainely he would have beene counted a ranke puritan amongst our gallants. For a man of his place, a master of so great a family, to be so precise that he will keepe never a blasphemer, never a whoremaster, never a drunkard in his house, what a base and unworthy speech would this be accounted in these daies? Many professe themselves to be Gods servants, but whether they of their family serve God or the divell it is all one to them, so they serve their turne. They like never the worse of a servant for being a common drunkard, or whoremaster, or blasphemer, though hee dishonour God never so much, so hee have any one quality whereby hee may bee usefull unto them. That it may bee said now of the families of many a one that challenge as great interest in Christ as any of his people doe, as the Holy Ghost speaketh of Babylon, Revel. 18.2. (though in another sense) they are become cages of every uncleane and basefull bird.
Secondly, We that are Ministers may in our places greatly honour God above others and expresse our love to him. I am glorified in them, saith our Saviour, Ioh. 17.10. In which respect Paul calleth the messengers of the Churches (2 Cor. 8.23. who were preachers as appeareth, verse 18.) the glory of Christ. And our Saviour biddeth Peter thrice, Iob. 21.15—17. shew his love to him that way even by …eeding his lambs and sheepe. We can no way glorifie God so much as in winning soules unto him; wee can no way expresse our love to Christ so much as by feeding his people with knowledge and understanding. If it be the love of Christ that constraineth us to preach so diligently so painefully; if we shew our selves in our ministery to be the friends of the bride-groome (as Iohn speaketh, Ioh. 3.29.) we woo for him only and not for our selves, we seek his honour only and not our selves; we preach as we do, not because we thinke this kind of preaching will gaine us more applause with the people, but because we are perswaded this kind of preaching will feed them best and bee most effectuall to save their soules; then may we by every Sermon we preach get further assurance to our selves that we are the Lords. Otherwise if 1 either wee preach not; 2 or we preach so unprofitably as we gaine God no honour by our preaching, feed neither his sheep nor his lambs by our preaching; or 3 if we do preach profitably yet we do it out of selfe-love, we seek our selves in it not the Lord. Certainly we can have no assurance that Christ is ours, how well so ever we can speake of Christ; but when we have preached unto others (as the Apostle speaketh, 1 Cor. 9.27.) our selves shall become cast awayes.
Thirdly and lastly, Such as are Magistrates may in their places greatly honour God, and that in some respects) more then any other man. When a number of foule sins whereby God was greatly dishonoured, are mentioned; the cause is oft assigned (Iudg. 17.6. and elsewhere) to be this that there was in those daies no King in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his owne eyes. And a Magistrate may by this shew himselfe to be the Lords and one that hath true assurance of his favour, if he shew most zeale in executing justice upon such offences whereby God is most dishonoured. God gave to Phinehas his covenant of peace (that is an increase of comfortable assurance of his speciall favour, as we read, Num. 25.11, 12.) because he had shewed himselfe zealous for the Lord in punishing of filthy whordome. And Nehemiah knew that God was his God and would remember him in goodnesse (as is plaine by his prayer, Neh. 13.22.) because he had shewed such zeale in punishing the profanation of the Sabbath day. And what shall we say then of such Magistrates as having good law and authority to punish swearing, and whoring, and profanation of the Sabbath, have no zeale at all for the execution of such lawes but when any come to them for justice against such offences, they are ready to put them off as much as is possible, and to extenuate such faults, and to say with Gallio, Acts 18.15. I will be no judge of such matters; and verse 17. Gallio cared for none of those things. Certainly these men (whatsoever they say) have no true assurance that Christs bloud was shed for them, if they had, they would shew more love to God, and care of his honour.