The New Covenant, Part 1 · Sermon 8
THE EIGHTH SERMON.
G…NESIS 17. 1.
Walke before mee, and be thou perferct.
WEe now proceed to the rest of the properties of this perfection, that you may try your selues by them; And wee will hold the same course we did, in opening to you the nature of this perfection: that is; wee will open to you those places of Scripture, wherein the Scripture expresseth the proper effects of a perfect heart: And therefore, to that second we will adde this as a third that will keepe you from mis-vnderstanding it:3. Property, He purifieth himselfe. that is; we must be perfect, as our heauenly Father is perfect; that property of perfection you shall finde,1 Ioh. 3. 3. 1 Ioh. 3. 3. He that hath this hope in him, purifieth himselfe, euen as hee is pure. 2 Cor. 7. 1.So likewise 2 Cor. 7. Since we… hauehave such promises, let vsus cleanse our selues from all pollution of flesh and spirit. That is; those that hauehave these promises, and beleeue them, will be still cleansing of themselues: Contrary to which is that generation spoken of Prou. 30. 12. Pro. 30. 12.There is a generation that are pure in their owne Eyes, but yet they cleanse not themselues from their filthinesse. So that, my beloued, to hauehave a purified disposition, to hauehave a heart and a spirit ready to cleanse it selfe, this is to hauehave a perfect heart: So that a Godly man, he may be many times defiled with sinne and vncleannesse, he may hauehave his heart many times muddy and imp…re, hee may hauehave it clouded and ouercast with passions and vnruly affections, but yet it cleeres vp againe, and hee comes out of them all with more brightnesse, and with more cleerenesse and purenesse of heart. The substance of it is this▪ wee deny not that a godly man may fall into many sinnes, into many impurities, into many defilements▪ but yet he riseth out of them againe by an assiduous and daily repentance, and still he growes vp dayly to more and more perfection, as Dauid, and Hezekias, and the rest; whereas, on the other side, a man that hath an imperfect and vnsound heart, though hee bee recouered out of a sinne againe, and againe, yet hee returnes to it, as it is said, 2. Pet. 2. 14.… Pet. 2. 14. men that hauehave eyes full of adultery, that cannot cease to sinne: that which is said of that sinne there, they cannot cease to sinne, that is, though they make many Couenants with God to leaue their sinne of vncleannesse, yet they hauehave eyes full of adultery, that cannot cease to sinne, I say, it is true of any other sinne, to which an vnsound-hearted man is giuen vp, he cannot cease to sin, as Pro. 19. 19. A man of much anger shall suffer punishment, though he be deliuered, his anger shall come againe: that is, though hee bee often punished with his anger, for his distempered anger and passion, though he finde many euill effects of it, and so be deliuered from it by many purposes to returne to it no more, yet, saith he, his anger will come againe and againe; So that it is true which is said in the generall, Let the foole be beaten in a morter, yet he will returne aga…e to his folly & wickednes, it cannot be beaten out of him: it is the nature of an vnsound hearted man, though he be often deliuered, he will returne againe, and againe. Ieroboam, though he were admonished, yet still hee will returne: the Israelites, though they were often quieted, and satisfied, yet being a stiffe-necked people, they still rebelled and murmured against God; so did Phoroah: so that you may take this for a sure r…le, that, take a man whose heart is not sound, and all the miracles in the world, all the preaching, all the admoni…ions, all the mercies, all the afflictions, all the experience that he can gai…e by all the passages of Gods prouidence towards him, and about him, will no… keepe him from returning to his si…ne, but still he fals backe to it againe and againe, it gets strength still; but with a man that ha…h a sound heart, that is perfect, it is not so, hee doth not easily returne againe, but though he doe fall for a time, (as I deny not but hee is many times ouertaken with the same infirmity) yet he still cleanseth himselfe,
But,4. Obiect. you will obiect, take the holiest man, may he not relapse many times into sinne, may he not fall into the same sinne againe and againe, yea, euen into grosse and great transgressions?
Beloued,Ans. I cannot deny but he may, (for we must not take away the right…ousnes from those that are perfect, whilest wee seeke to exclude those that are hypocrites and vnsound-hearted, and therefore I say) I deny not that there may be many relapses into the same sinne, though the heart be perfect and sincere; and therefore to shew you cleerely the difference, wee must spend a little time in this point.4. Differences betweene the relapses of sound and vnsound-hearted men. There are these foure differences between the turning againe of a man whose heart is vnsound, and betweene the relapses that are incident to a man whose heart is perfect with God.
First,1. Difference. you shall finde this difference between them, that a man whose heart is perfect with God, though he doe relapse into sinne, yet still he gets ground of his sinne, euen by eueryevery relapse; marke it; I say, he gets ground of sinne, and grace gathers strength by it; whereas, on the other side, an vnsound-hearted man, the oftner he fals, the more sinne gathers strength, and euen the goodnesse, he seemed to hauehave had, is lessened more and more, till, at length, it bee quite abolished. This is a point much to be obserued, and the ground of it is this; because any grace, where it is a proper grace, where it is a right grace, let it be wounded by any relapse, by any transgression, I say, it gathers …trength, euen by that relapse, it is the nature of true grace so to doe; It gathers strength euen from the contrary, as fire doth when it is compassed about with coldnesse, by an Antiperistasis, so it is with grace: It is a common saying that you hauehave, and true, as you commonly vnderstand it, that Vertue growes stronger when a man fals into affliction: but more true, if thus taken, that grace gathers strength, when it selfe hath receiued a wound, when the grace it selfe is weakned, as thou thinkest, it gathers more strength: As for example, let a sound-hearted man, whose grace is true and right, and genuine, and not counterfeit, let him fall into any transgression that giues a wound to his graces, say he fall into an act of intemperance of anger and passion, he gathers more strength by it; euen these graces they grow brighter by it: It is not so with other men, the more they fall; the weaker they grow; Dauid, when once he had committed the sinne of cutting off the lap of Sauls garment; none was more carefull then he was afterward, he would not offer him the least violence: And so Peter, when that grace of Courage and boldnesse for the Truth, had once receiued a wound by his denying of Christ, you see what strength hee gathered by it, hee grew af…e…wards …he boldest of all the Apostles, as you see Acts 4. Acts 4. 12.So it is generally with all the Saints; euen those wo…ds, by which it is expres…sed in the Scripture, discouer as much vntounto vsus; Hezekiah, when hee was falne into the sinne of pride and boasting of his Treasure, saith the Text, hee humbled himselfe; you shall fi…de, 2. Chron. 32. 25.2 Chro. 32. 25. the words there vsed, are, the Lord tryed Hezekiah, the Lord left him, that he might … him, and know all that was in his heart: The like phrase is vsed of Peters falling, Satan desires to winnow thee, but I hauehave prayed for thee, that thy faith doe not faile: And, now marke it, when they doe fall into any sinne, it is to them as a tryall to the Gold, and as a winnowing to the Corne; eueryevery sinne, eueryevery temptation, eueryevery fall, though Satan intend to burne out the good mettall, yet the issue still is this, they lose nothing by their fals, but their drosse, the chaffe is still winnowed out; eueryevery sinne, they fall into, discouers that corruption that before they tooke no nocice of; as Hezehiah knew not the pride, before, that was in his heart, but that action discouered it to him, so it was thereby cleansed and emptied forth: So likewise Peters cowardlinesse and fearefulnesse was discouered by that act, hee knew it more, and therefore he was more watchfull against it, hee gathered more strength against it: so that this is the nature of the relapses of the Godly, that still they empty their hearts more and more of those sinnes that they fall into: againe; …he graces, to which they giuegive a wound, still gather more strength; but with others it is not so, still they are weakned by their relapses, the good things, they seemed to hauehave, are still lessened, and suffer diminution, till at length they be quite abolished, that is one difference.
The second is;2. Difference. though a godly man fall backe to sinne againe and againe, yet hee neuer fals backe to the allowance of any sinne: there is a great difference, my beloued, betweene these two, betweene returning to the act of a sinne, and the allowance of it: Another man doth not onelyonly returne to the sinne, but hee returnes likewise to the continuance in it, he is ready, in the end, either to excuse the sinne, to finde out some deuice and excuse for it, or else hee is ready to say, I see it is impossible for me to ouercome it, I see there is no remedy, I must giuegive vp my selfe to it: This you shall see in the relapses of Saul; Saul tooke a resolution more …hen once, that he would pe…secute Dauid no more; and no doubt this resolution was exceeding hearty for the time; but, you see, hee did not onelyonly returne to the act, but to a continuance in it, and an allowance of himselfe in it. So likewise did Pharoah, hee resolued many times that hee would let the People goe, and made that promise to Mos…s and to …he Lord, that he would let them goe; but, you see, hee returned againe, not onelyonly to the sinne, but to such an allowance of it, that hee excused himselfe in it, hee thought rather, hee had erred in his purpose of letting them goe, and so continued still to retaine them. This you shall finde in all the falles of Hypocrites, in all their relapses, that in the end (howsoeuer for a time they may resume their purposes againe) they weare them out, and they step backe to a resolution to continue in that sinne; they thinke thus with themselues, I see it is a sinne that preuailes against me, I am not able to resist it, it is too strong for me, and therefore I will goe no more about it.
Thirdly;3. Difference. as there is a difference in this; so there is a difference in their manner of ouercomming, and in their manner of returning, when they arise out of a sinne, when they preserue themselues from it after a relapse, by which you may iudge likewise; for you may iudge the one by the other: A man whose heart is vnsound, may take to himselfe a strong and fixed resolution, by which hee may resist the sinne, and yet this banke may bee borne downe by the violence of Temptation: But, in a godly man the resistance is otherwise, and accordingly the relapse is of a different nature: for the resistance is after this manner, it is as when you see one streame resist another, as you see in Riuers that are subiect to ebbing and flowing, there runnes a contrary streame that ouer-beares it; so it is in those that are sound-hearted, there is a strong inclination, that carries them another way, such as that expressed, Gal. 5. 17. the spirit lusteth against the flesh: so that, if you marke the manner of their ouercomming, the manner of their rising out of their relapses, you shall finde them to bee in this manner; put the case the flesh, for some brunt, for some fit, hauehave gotten the better, notwithstanding, saith he, the spirit lusts against it, and suffers not the flesh to doe what it would; that is, there is a contrary streame within him, which resists those desires of the flesh, that binds them againe, and leades them captiue, as, before, the spirit was led captiue: In others it is not so; there may be a certaine fixed resolution, which may resist a strong temptation, as a Banke or a Rocke resist a strong billow: but there is a great deale of difference betweene this and those risings out of relapses that are done by a contrary streame, by the lusting of the spirit: for they hauehave no such spirit in them, to lust against the flesh, and so to binde it, as it were, to ouercome it, that they returne no more to those sinnes to which before they were giuen vp.
Last of all,4. Difference. there is this difference betweene them, that hee that hath a perfect heart, hee that is sound-hearted, while hee is himselfe, he neuer relapseth into any sinne; marke it, while hee is himselfe, which note I take out of Romanes 7.Rom. 7. 20. a place which you know: It is no longer I, but sinne that dwelleth in mee: that is, as if hee should say, I, while I am my selfe, neuer fall into any sinne; but when I am distempered, when I am ouercome, and ouerruled by sinne, that dwelleth in me, then I sinne and fall backe: But, otherwise, I say, a godly man, while he is himselfe, neuer relapseth into any sinne, he cannot sinne, because he is borne of God, he keepes himselfe that the euill one touch him not; the ground of which is, because, while he is himselfe, Hee that is in him is stronger then all the world:1 Ioh. 4. 4. 1 Ioh. 4. 4. He that is in you, is stronger, &c. that is, if hee bee vponupon euen termes, still he gets the victory. But, my beloued, now let there be an inaequality, let him not be himselfe, let there be some violent transportation from the flesh, so that he is led Cap…iue b… it, now he is ouercome: for hee is not himselfe in s…ch a case; i… is, as Paul saith of …imselfe, the good I would doe, that doe I not; and the euill that I would not doe, that doe I: tha…, as you see in a combate betweene two, suppose that one that were the stronger, were it vponupon aequall termes, would carry the victory; notwithstanding, when his adue…sary gets the hill, and hath the wind on him, he ouercomes him, and leades him captiue: So it is in this case; …he Spiri…, the regenerate part, though it might and would alway get the better, were it vponupon aequall term…s with the …sh; yet, when the flesh shall get the hill, as it were, get vponupon the hill of temptation, and shall hauehave wind to driue …he smoke vponupon the eyes and face of the Combatant, that is, to blinde him; in such a case, vponupon such a disaduantage, he is ouercome, and fals into sinne: And therefore you see how the Apostle expresseth it,Rom. 7. 22. Rom. 7. 22. I delight (saith he) in the Law of God, according to the inward man: as if he should say, That is my constant course; might I doe what I would, That would I alwayes be doing; That is my inclination, there is my delight; b…t ye… (saith he) I see a law of my members, rebelling against the law of my minde, leading me capti…e to the law of sinne; that is, there is a strong power within me, that sometimes distempers me, and puts me out of my selfe: that he cals a law; because it is commanding and powerfull like a law; and the law of my members, (whereas the other is called the law of my minde) because, though it be through the whole soule, yet principally the force and vigour of it is seene in the me…bers, that is, in the inferiour parts of the soule: saith the Apostle, when I am thus distempered and put besides my selfe, when there is such a law rebelling against the law of my minde, in such a case, I am ouercome, and led captiue; but, when I am my selfe, I sinne not, it is the sinne that dwels in me. So much shall serue, to hauehave shewed you the differences betweene those relapses which godly men are subiect to, and those turnings and fallings backe into a continuance in sinne, to which other men are subiect: For, my beloued, it must not seeme strange to vsus; for both are alike subiect to infirmities, both are subiect to returne, as you see, a sheepe may fall into the myre as soone as a swine, for the commission of sin, and so likewise for the omission of duties: an Appletree may hauehave a fit of barrennes & vnfruitfulnes, as well as a Crabtree, or any other; but the difference is great in the manner of them, as we shewed: But still the maine difference is to be remembred, that hee that hath a perfect heart, is still clensing and purifying himselfe; the other doe not that, but so fall backe to sinne, that they wallow in it, as a Swine doth in the myre. So much shall serue for this.
A fourth property of a perfect heart you shall finde expressed Phil. 3. 4 Property, He pres…eth to the marke that is before him.if you take the words together, from the 12 Verse to the 15: (for, I say, the course we will hold, shall be, to open to you those places where the Scripture sets downe,Phil. 3. 12. 15. the Characters and properties of A perf…ct heart) not as though I had already attained it, or were already perfect, but I follow after, if I may comprehend that, for which I am also comprehended by Iesus Christ, &c. I presse hard to the ma…ke, for the price of the high Calling of God, in Christ Iesus; Let therefore as many as be perfect, be thus minded; the meaning of it is this, saith the Apostle, this is my course: I am not yet attained to perfection, but, saith he, this I doe, I ayme at the vtmost, euen at the price of the high Calling of God in Iesus Christ: I ayme at the vtmost, euen at the toppe of perfection, and againe, saith he, I follow hard to it: And, saith he, not onelyonly I, but as many as are perfect, let them be thus minded, where, by the perfect, he meanes, you see, not one that hath already a perfect holinesse, but one that is sound hearted: for, hee had said before, not as if I were already perfect; and yet here he saith, Let vsus, as many as bee perfect, be thus minded: so you shall finde heere these two property of a perfect man,Which cōnsists of one whose heart is perfect with God.
First,1. In ayming at the highest degree of holinesse. he aymes at the highest degree of holinesse, he lookes at the very marke it selfe, hee lookes at the toppe, at the standard, at the vtmost exact line of holinesse, and hee labours to square himselfe to it, though hee cannot reach it, yet it is his endeuour, he propounds not to himselfe a shorter iournies end then hee should doe, but his ayme is euen at the very toppe of perfection, at a perfect conformity to the Image of Christ; for that is it the Apostle heere speakes of, that wee may be conformable to the Death and resurrection of Iesus Christ, this was his ayme:An vnsound heart aymes not at perfect holinesse. whereas, on the other side, another doth not so, but he sets a certaine compasse, a certaine limit to himselfe, there hee fixeth his staffe, hee doth not intend to goe any further, he doth not intend to grow vp to full holinesse, as it is expressed,2 Cor. 7. 1. 2 Cor. 7. 1. hee doth not intend to be holy, as the Lord is holy, in all manner of conuersation, this is not his intent, this is not the thing he aymes at. So herein they differ; hee that hath a perfect heart, hee followes hard after the marke, hee aymes at the very toppe of perfection; and the ground of this difference is, partly, because a man that is vnsound-hearted, will not be at so much cost and paines for heauen,He will not be at the cost. as to ayme at the top of perfection; he thinkes th…s with himselfe, that to bee so strait laced, that he must be exact in eueryevery thing; to obserue all his speeches, that hee may not speake freely; and to giuegive an account of all his time, and of all his actions, that hee may not walke in many things according to his owne phantasies, according to his owne delight and pleasure, he thinkes, if he must be tyed to this, that he may not, at any time, giuegive the bridle to his humour, and to his inordinate appetite, but still he must be so restrained and fe…tered, and pinioned, as it were, to walke by an exact r…le, that all his actions, and all his steps may bee pondered; he thinkes with himselfe, it is more then euer he shall be able to doe; hee doth not indeede prize Christ and Heauen at such a rate, …hat he will be thus exact and perfect; and therfore he aymes not at it, he neuer goes about it: And partly againe;2. He aymes not at God. because God indeed is not his ayme, but his owne safety, his owne happinesse and security, his owne escaping of Hell and Iudgement: therefore hee doth not seeke simply to please GOD, and keepe his Commandements, but he seekes so much perfection as will ser…e his owne turne; and therefore he doth with it, euen as a lazie scholler doth, that intends not simply to excell in learning, but would hauehave as much learning as should passe through examination, and get a Degree; or as a man that labours not simply to get an excellencie in the Art of Arithmeticke, but would hauehave so much only as would keepe a Merchants booke; or as a Lawyer that would hauehave so much Law onelyonly as will serue his turne, as will serue his practice: I say, when a man aymes at this, you doe not say knowledge is his ayme; for were it so, he would desire to know whatsoeuer is knowable, hee would set no limits to himselfe, were knowledge his ayme simply: but we may truly say of such a man, it is not learning, but it is his trade, his degree, or some such particular thing, that is his ayme: So it is with a man whose heart is vnsound, and not perfect with God: God himselfe is not his ayme, and therefore he doth not desire to keepe his Commandements perfectly and exactly; for did he so, he would set no limits to himselfe; he would doe as Paul doth here, he would ayme at the vtmost degree of perfection; but such mens ayme is their owne profit, their owne aduantage, their security and deliuerance from Hell and from Iudgements: that is, they doe not care for holinesse simply considered, but so far as it may serue such a turne, as it may deliuer them from such a Iudgement, as it is a bridge to lead theem ouer to such a benefit to themselues.
And the last ground of this difference betweene them,3. He wants light. that they ayme not at the vtmost degree, is, because an vnsound-hearted man ha…h not so much light in him, as to discouer to him, to shew to him the vtmost degree of perfection. A man that hath but a morall light, a naturall, common light, is able to see g…osse Euils, and common duties that are contrary to …hem; but exactnesse of perfection that is required, he sees not; or, if hee doe discerne it practised by others, yet in his iudgement hee disallowes it, hee thinkes it a thing more then needs: Whereas a man that is sound-hearted, one that is perfect, hee approues it, hee sees an excellency in it, hee admires it in others, and would faine imitate it himselfe: and hence is the difference, that they ayme not at perfection; it is not their scope, they desire not the vtmost, the highest degree of holinesse; whereas a man that hath a sound heart, still he labours to adde to that which is wanting, in his faith, in his louelove, in his obedience: and this is one diffe…ence, that he …hat is perfect, saith hee, is thus minded.
The second is;2. A perfect hea…t followes hard to the marke. hee followes hard, hee doth not onelyonly make the marke his vtmost ayme, but hee followes after it hard; that is, it is the property of a man that is perfect, that hee doth not loyter in the way, but hee followes hard after the marke; though he be subiect to many decayes, to many sweruings and declinings, yet, still he makes them vp againe, still hee repaires those breaches in his heart; and, though many times he step out of the way, still he recouers himselfe againe; so that his constant and ordinary worke is, eueryevery day to make his heart perf…ct; where he finds any crookedn…sse, to set it streight againe; where he finds any defect, that he labours to supply; this is …is ordinarie and constant course: So, beloued, you shall finde this difference betweene a man that is imperfect, and another that is sound hearted, that he still amends his heart, he still makes it vp, he still brings it to a good temper, that is his worke from day to day, that he sets it right and streight before God in all things: and you shall see,Ma…. 18. 1, 2, 3. Mat. 18. 1. such an expression; there the Disciples aske Christ this question; Master, (say they) who shall bee the greatest in the Kingdome of God? Our Sauio…r takes a little child, and sets him vp amongst them, and saith, except you bee conuerted as one of these little children, you shall not enter into the Kingdome of God. The meaning is this; I see there is pride arising in your hearts, you are looking after great things for your selues, that ariseth of a selfe-conceit you hauehave; I tell you, (saith hee) Except you conuert from this euill, except you turne your selues from it, except you become as this childe, and empty your selues of this pride, and become humble, as this childe, become little in your owne eyes, as this childe is, you shall not enter into the Kingdome of Heauen. So that the meaning of it is this; that a man who is sound-hearted, he is still following hard, he is still making his heart perfect from day to day, he is still turning to God againe and againe, as it is said,Lam. 3. 40. Lam. 3. 40. Let vsus search and try our wayes, and turne againe to the Lord: that is, it is his constant worke: My beloued▪ this is the nature of a mans heart, still there is something or other rising amisse in it, as you see weeds in a field.Simile. As it is in a Corne field, except you weede it, and till it, a…d plow it, and manure it, and neuer giuegive it ouer, it will bee ouer-growne with weeds, and waxe fallow againe, and not be fit to beare Corne with any constancy; so it is with our hearts; except wee still plow them, and weede them, and watch ouer them, they will be ready to grow fallow, they will be ready to be ouer-growne: therefore, I say, it is the property of a man that is perfect, he is still returning, and making vp the breaches, and defects; as we see, 2 Ioh. 8.2, Ioh. 8. Let vsus looke to our selues, that we lose not the things that we hauehave wrought, but that wee may receiue a full reward: Marke, let vsus looke to our selues, that we lose not the things wee hauehave wrought; as if he should say, euen those that are perfect, that are sound-hearted, there is this property in them, (though he deliuer it by way of Exhortation, yet is a property that neuer is seperate from them) they still looke to themselues, that they lose not the things they hauehave wrought: and see, my beloued, there is great reason for it: for a man may lose all that he hath wrought, he may lose his reward altogether, as you see, Reu. 3. 11.Reu. 3. 11. Take heed, hold that thou hast, lest another take thy Crowne. You know; Ioash went farre, and so did Iehu, and so did those Israelites in the Wildernesse; and yet they lost their reward, for not looking to themselues: but this is for those that may fall quite away: But for the Elect, that can neuer fall quite away, this diligence is required, and is proper to them; they still looke to themselues, lest they lose that which they hauehave wrought, lest they should not receiue a full reward: for, though they cannot lose their reward altogether, yet they may lose a part of their reward; as, you see, Dauid did, because he did not looke narrowly to himselfe, he did not follow hard to the marke, (for in some things they may faile, though it bee their property to looke to themselues; that I expresse to you by the way: I say, part of their reward they may lose, for) the Sword departed not from his house: if, like those builders 2 Cor. 3. 2 Cor. 3. 12.you build hay and stubble, then you shall bee saued, if your hearts be vpright, yet as by fire: that is, you shall be scorched by the fire, it shall hauehave some impression vponupon you, something or other vponupon your name, or some other iudgement; somewhat you shall hauehave; but this is their property, They looke to themselues, that they lose not the things they hauehave wrought, but that they may receiue a full reward: For still they are apt to fall backe from the degree they hauehave attained: And, againe, the sinfull lusts they thought they had mortified are ready to returne: now he that is perfect, is thus minded, hee not onelyonly aymes at the vtmost, but from day to day, hee makes vp the defects that he findes in his heart, and againe, labours to bring downe and to mortifie those lusts that are renewed, and begin to gather a new strength, and to bud forth againe; this is their property: so, I say, if thou wouldest k…ow it, marke what thy aime is, whether thou ayme at the vtm…st degree of holines, or whether thou set li…its to they selfe; and likewise, whether thy constant course be, to make thy heart perfect with GOD, from day to day, and to walke exactly with him; whether thou be carefull to husband thy time, that thou mayest hauehave leasure to doe it: for, my beloued, a man cannot doe a thing exactly, except hee hauehave time to doe it in: And therfore. Ephes. 5.Eph. 5. 15. 16. Walke exactly, not as foolish, b…t as wise, redeeming the time: As if hee should say, if you would walke exactly, redeeme the time, it is your wisdome; for else you lose all your labour: walke exactly, and not as fooles; for else you had as good doe nothing at all; be so farre wise, that you doe not lose the things you worke; and to doe this, redeeme the time, that you may hauehave leisure to doe it: I say, consider, whether yo… be willing so to husband time, to gaine so much leasure from your other calling and affaires, that you can spend time to search your hearts, in trying your wayes, in setting all things straight within you, that you may walke perfectly with GOD from day to day. So much for this property likewise; So many as are perfect, le… them be like minded.
The next property of this perfectnesse of heart,5 Property, With a whole hea…t. you shall find in those two places compared together, Ier. 3. 10.Ier. 3. 10. They hauehave not returned to me with their whole heart, but feignedly; if you compare that with Hosea 7. 14.Hos. 7. 14. the Lord there complaines, though they did returne and sanctifie a Fast, and did seeke him very deuoutly, saith he, you returned not to the most high, but against me hauehave you rebelled. The meaning of both places is this; they hauehave not sought me… with their whole heart, but feignedly; the word feignedly shewes, that by whole heart, hee meanes there, a true heart: So that, as you would iudge now of an vnsound-hearted friend; you say, he is not perfect, he is not sound, he is not true, when his actions carry a shew and appearance of louelove, and his heart doth not answer it; there is a dissonancy betweene the appearance he makes, and his heart: his heart is knowne by this, he loues not the person of his friend; he may obserue him, for some othe… respects, but his person he doth not inwardly respect: So, if a man would know whether his heart be perfect with God, let him consider whether he do not as false-hearted men are wont to doe, that obserue other men out of respects, because they see those parties hauehave power to doe them good or hurt, therefore they are diligent to obserue them; as the Apostle saith, They hauehave the persons of men in admiration because of aduantage: that is, they hauehave them in admiration, they are very obsequio…s to them, ready to doe them offices of friendship; but it is for their owne aduantage, not because they louelove their friends, they are nor aff…cted to their persons. Contrary to this is singlenesse of heart; when wee louelove not in word onelyonly, in deed and in truth, when we louelove with a pure louelove, such a man, we say, comes to be perfect with his friend: and so it is in this case, when a man lookes on God, as one that hath power to doe him good and euill, as one that hath power to aduance him, or to cast him downe, and out of these respects he serues him, and obeyes him, and will doe many things for his sake; but yet he doth not serue him with a single heart; that is, he doth not inwardly louelove the person of God, he doth not looke on him as he is seperate from all punishments and rewards, as he is sequestred from all such respects, so as to be hearty to him. This was the fault of the Iewes; saith he▪ they returned againe; but to whom was it? to their corne, to their oyle, and not to the most high: they returned, and were very de…out to keepe the Fast, ready to heare, but against mee they rebelled. The meaning of it is this, the Iewes returned to the Lord, they were carefull to please him, but it was because they desired freedome from the Famine, and Warre, and oth…r Calamities▪ and therefore they serued the Lord, but they did not lay hold on God himselfe, vponupon the graces and comforts of the Spirit, vponupon aeternall life, these were not the things they did inwardly respect; and therefore, God himselfe they loued not, to him they did not returne, (as you shall see, because I will vse that exppession of laying hold vponupon God, and vponupon aeternall life, 1 Tim. 6.1 Tim. 6. 12.) when the Apostle Paul had spoken there of diuers men that were contentious, he puts these two properties together; they are exceeding contentious, and couetous, they reckon gaine godlinesse; but thou, saith he, doe not so; but fight the good fight of faith: doe not contend with such a kind of contention, and in such a manner as they doe: and againe, saith he, when they lay hold on wealth and preferment, and such aduantages, doe thou lay hold vponupon aeternall life. I say, this was the case of the Iewes, they laid hold of such benefits as a carnall man is capable of, such as indeed they conceiued to come from the Lords hand onelyonly, and therefore they returned vntounto him; but they did not lay hold vponupon God himselfe, vponupon aeternall life, vponupon the spirituall priuiledges and promises of grace, and therefore they returned to him but feignedly; that is, they did not seeke the face of God, that which is required,2 Chron. 7. 14. 2 Chron. 7. 14. If my People humble themselues, and seeke my face: that is, seeke my presence; this they did not: Now with those that hauehave sound hearts it is not so, but they seeke the Lord himselfe; they are thus minded, that if they may hauehave the Lord himselfe, though they be stripped of all things else, they doe not much heed it; though they passe through euill report, though they lose their estates, though they bee put in what condition they can be, yet they are content to hauehave the Lord aboue for their portion, for they looke on him as an exceeding great reward: as long as they may hauehave his louelove, as long as they may hauehave him, though alone, they care for nothing else: thus they are affected when God puts them to it, as you see, Naomi put Ruth and her other daughter to it, saith shee, Wilt thou goe with mee? I hauehave nothing for thee, Gods hand is gone out against me, I hauehave no more sonnes in my wombe; or, if I had, thou wouldest neuer stay vntill they were of age: when they were put to it thus, one daughter forsooke her, namely Orphah, and returned backe to her people; but Ruth gaue her this answer; Bee it so; …yet whither thou goest, I will goe, I will dwell where thou dwellest, I will neuer forsake thee: So it is with the Saints, they choose the Lord, though alone, they cleaue to him alone, they reckon it reward enough, if the… may hauehave him, as you see Abraham did, as GOD said to him, I my selfe will be thy exceeding great reward; he would not so much as take any thing from the King of Sodome, Why? because, saith he, it shall neuer be said that hee hath made Abraham rich: GOD alone shall make me rich, hee is reward enough, he is alsufficient, I will not take any of these things in with him: So all the Saints are thus minded, they are contented with GOD alone, because they looke on him as an alsufficient reward, they hauehave a good opinion of him, and therefore they forsake him not; whereas others hauehave beene in admiration of him, but for aduantage; when they hauehave gotten what they would hauehave, and are deliuered from what they feare, they start aside as a broken Bow,Hosea 7. 16. Hosea 7. the place before named, as you see Rehoboam, 2 Chro. 12. 1.2 Chron. 12. 1. Saith the Text, the Lord helped him till hee was strong, and when he was strong, hee and all Israel departed from following the Lord. 2 Chron. 26. 7. 15.And so Vzziah, 2 Chro. 26. It is said, the Lord helped him vntill hee was mighty, and what then? when hee had gotten what he would hauehave, his heart was listed vp to his destruction: that is, he serued GOD, as it were, a slippery tricke; then he departed from him, when hee had gotten what hee desired, which was a signe hee did not returne to the Lord, or that he did serue him with his whole heart, but feignedly; he did not seeke the Lord himselfe, he did not seeke his face and presence. And the ground of all this is, because they hauehave no constant fixed good opinion of GOD, but they thinke well of God for fits, and for times, as we see the Is…aelites did; they would …ollow GOD for such a time in the Wildernesse, after hee had refreshed them, and deliuered them; but as soone as new trouble came, when they wanted bread, and water, and flesh, presently they murmured againe, and grew discontented. And so Ioram, King of Israel, when he was pressed with famine, saith he, I will waite no longer vponupon the Lord, but he would needes take away Elisha's head, the man of GOD, that exho…ted him to wai…e on GOD. Thus it is with men, they hauehave no constant good opinion of GOD; but it is not so with the Saints; they hauehave knowne the LORD himselfe, hee hath shewed his owne selfe to them, that good opinion they hauehave of him, is fixed and established; it is the Lord himselfe that hath taught it …em; and that which they hauehave beene confirmed in by long experience, and therefore they will neuer forsake him, no… part from him; it is hee himselfe whom they hauehave chosen. And this is the next difference betweene an vnsound-hearted man, and he that hath a perfect heart, that hee seekes the Lord himselfe, his heart is perfect with him, when another returnes not to the most high, but returnes to serue him for other ends, and for other respects▪ but against the Lord himselfe, when he hath serued his turne, he is ready to rebell.
The next property you shall find,6 Property, He accounteth the Gospell wisdome. 1 Cor. 2. 6.1 Cor. 2. 6. Howbeit we speake wisdome to those that are perfect, not the wisdome of this world, or of the Princes of this world, but the wisdome of God in a mysterie, euen the hidden wisdome that GOD hath ordained before the World to our gl…rie: Heere is another property the Holy Ghost sets downe of a perfect-hearted man; the Apostle, when he had said, I come not among you with the excellency of wisdome, or the words of man, but my ayme is, my desire is, as to know Christ crucified alone, so to teach nothing else to you, and to preach to you in the plaine euidence of the Spirit, and of power; whereas it might bee obiected, I but Paul, eueryevery man thinkes not so, many men thinke you would doe better, if you would preach as other men doe, and bee curious and quaint of Oratory: saith hee, these things, as I deliuer them, whatsoeuer they may seeme to other men, yet to those that are perfect they seeme wisdome; though others may despise it, and reckon it foolishnesse, yet to the perfect it is wisdome. So that, I gather hence, A perfect man in this is distinguished from another that is not sound-hearted, that he hath eyes to see the wisdome of the Holy Ghost, he knowes wisdome. Now a perfect man is there so called, in opposition to him that is meerely animalis, that hath onelyonly a reasonable soule, and no more; for that is the word, the same word that is vsed in another place of this Chapter, the naturall man, it is translated, but the word in the Originall signifies a man that hath onelyonly naturall abilities and endowments, and naturall perfections, such a man is reckoned an imperfect man, a man that is not sound: But, saith the Apostle, to a man that is perfect, that is, to a man that hath, besides the strength of naturall gifts, the sanctifying Spirit that enlightneth him, that the Spirit of God possesseth and informes his soule, it ioynes with his soule, it is dwelling in him; such a one is a perfect man, saith hee, and you shall know him by this, hee discernes the wisdome of GOD, he iudgeth aright of it: so that, my beloued, the meaning of it is this, there is a certaine wisdome of God, there are certaine things, that no naturall man in the world reaches or relishes: take the hypocrite, that goes the furthest in the profession of holinesse, euen as farre as the second or third ground, euen as far as those Heb. 6. Heb. 6… 5.that were much enlightned, and had tasted of the power of the world to come, yet this wisdome that he speakes of here (we speake the wisdome of GOD) consists of such things as they neuer knew; certaine things that the most knowing man that liues in the Church of God, that is not regenerate, can neuer know them, as he saith, Verse 9. such as eye neuer saw, &…. signifying thus m…ch, the eye and the eare hauehave the sences by which knowledge is gathered; yet mans eye a…d his eare neuer saw, &c. and his heart, that is more actiue then eyther of …hem, neuer vnderstood them. You will say, what are these things? They are expressed by di…ers names in this Chapter; they are called the wisdome of God, they are called the wisdome of GOD hid in a mysterie, the deepe things of God, the things of the Spirit of God, the things that are giuen vsus of God for our glory: Beloued, these are things that no vnsound-hearted man did euer sound; and therefore I will bee bold to say to you, if euer you knew th…se things, if euer you reckoned these things wisdome, certainely your hearts are perfect, you are not meere naturall men, but you hauehave receiued the Spirit of …od, that is, the sanctifying and enlighning Spirit of God.
But you will say,Q…st. How can it be, that a naturall man should neuer know these things?
B…loued, A…s.I say, it may be very well: for they are things that no Minister in the world can teach you; we may propound them to you, and you may heare them seuen yeeres and seuen; you may reade the very same things in the Scriptures, and in other Bookes, a thousand times ouer, and yet, for all this, not vnderstand them: It is the wisdome of God in a mystery, and they are the deepe things of God: As a man may looke on a Trade, and neuer see the mystery of it, he may looke on artificiall things, pictures, or any thing else, and yet not see the Art by which they are made; as a man may looke on a Letter, and yet not vnderstand the sense, something there is that he sees, and something that he sees not, not it enters not into his heart; (and therefore it is said, seeing they see not; which argueth that there is something that they see.) Thus there are some things, there is a wisdome of GOD, that an vnsound-hearted man can neuer know, it can neuer enter into his heart: which wisdome therefore if thou hast, certainely thou art a perfect man.
You will say,2. Quest. How shall a man know whether he know this wisdome or no, whether hee thus iudge of the wayes of God?
I answer;Ans. You shall know whether the w…sdome you hauehave bee such as belongs to perfect men,Foure Markes whereby to know this wisdome. or no, by these foure things, which I will deliuer distinctly vntounto you.
First,1. It humbleth him. you shall finde this, that, when this knowledge is discouered …o a man, it exceedingly humbles him, all other knowledge doth not so, it rather puffes him vp: But this brings a man exceedingly out of conceit with himselfe, it makes him to stand amazed at himselfe; that is the property of this wisdome, which shewes it selfe to the perfect: and the reason is, because it is a sanctified discouering wisdome; a wisdome, which that Spirit that giues it, enables him to make this vse of, that hee vseth it as a Lanthorue to his feet, as a light to discouer the crookednesse of his wayes, to finde out the defects, to which he is subiect, both in his heart and in his conuersation; therefore this wisdome discouers him, and opens him to himselfe; wheras all the knowledge of any naturall man, or that any hypocrite hath in `the World besides, opens him not to himselfe properly, but rather lifts him vp, he vseth it to reproue others, he vseth it for other purposes, he holds it as a light to other mens feet, he makes not this vse of it, to search the inside of his owne heart, he searcheth not eueryevery defect and crannie of his soule with it, and he findes not out himselfe what he is. Therefore, you see, assoone as they hauehave been enlightned with this wisdome, (Paul and others) how they were confounded in themselues, how vnworthily they thought of themselues: that is the property of this wisdome, first to humble.
Another property is,2. He knowes things as he ought▪ He that hath that wisdom reuealed to him, that is proper only to the perfect, those things that he knowes, he knowes them as he ought to know them; whereas another man, though hee know exceeding much, yet hee knowes nothing as hee ought to know, as we see,1 Cor. 8. 2. 1 Cor. 8. 2. He that thinkes he knowes any thing, knowes nothing yet as he ought to know it, saith the Apostle; he knowes not sinne as he ought to know it, he knowes not the promises of grace, hee knowes not aeternall life, hee knowes not these as he ought to know them: for, did hee; he would bee wrought vponupon by them; if he did know GOD as hee ought, hee would feare GOD with all his heart, and with all his soule, and with all his strength; so, if he did know sinne as he ought, he would make it his chiefest sorrow, he would abhorre it, hee would not come neere it, hee would cleanse himselfe from it, he would flye from it, as from a Serpent, vponupon all occasions: So, did he know remission of sinnes; hee would not esteeme so lightly of it as he doth, but hee would seeke it earnestly, euen as a condemned man doth his Pardon: So that is the difference; they know not these things as they ought to know them; for, beloued, this is to bee obserued, when any man is conuerted to God by the reuelation of this wisdome, he doth not alwaies know n…w things, hee hath not new things reuealed vntounto him, more then he knew before, but the same things he knowes now as hee ought to know; whereas before, though hee knew them, hee knew them not as he ought to know them; he neuer knew sinne what it was, he ne…er knew what grace was, all those promises and threatnings, all that wisdome of God, reuealed in the Booke of GOD, in the holy Scriptures, he neuer knew it as he ought, therefore, it is not profitable to him, to bring him home, and worke a change: that is the second difference.
Thirdly;3. He discerns things that differ. Wisdome to the perfect, is such a wisdome, as enables him to distinguish of things that differ, he is able to discerne between good and evill, as you shall see an expression of it, Heb. …. but strong meate belongs to those that are perfect; (for so it ought to bee translated, and so it is in the Originall) the old Translation, by reason of custome, and the new, by reason of vse, but neither is so full as the Originall, by reason of habit, in respect that they ha…e their sences exercised to dis…erne both good and euill: that is, hee that hath this true wisdome, he hath such a distinguishing faculty, that, as the taste discernes of meate, or as a man that is accustomed to taste Wine, can easily discerne between good and bad, so, (not by meere custome, as other men hauehave it, but) by a certaine wisdome that is infused into you, you are able to discerne betweene good and euill, euen as the sences doe; (for that is the scope of the place;)foreign As the sences discerne betweene colour and colour, betweene taste and taste, so there is an ability in those that are perfest, to discerne betweene good and euill: so that, take such a man to whom this wisdome is reuealed, you shall finde such an aptnesse in him to discerne betweene good and euill, that is, hee knowes the voyce of the shepheard, hee knowes and discernes betweene that which is good, and betweene that which is counterfeit; hee knowes morall goods and euils, what is to bee chosen, and what to be refused; this he knowes, such a distinguishing faculty he hath, this is proper to those that are perfect; the like you shall hauehave expressed,Rom. 12. 2. Rom. 12. be renewed in the Spirit of your minde, that you may discerne the good will of God: that is, that you may distinguish between the good will that is truly perfect, and that which is not his will: This property will follow a minde that is renewed, he will be able to discerne what another cannot.
Lastly;4. His iudgement is changed that I may conclude; He, to whom this wisdome is reuealed, he that is perfect, there is a wondrous change in his iudgement; that which before seemed foolishnesse to him, now he reckons it to be the true wisdome; and that which before was the greatest wisdome, now it appeares to be follishnesse; as a Child, when hee is growne to yeeres, and is perfect, the things that before he magnified, now he disregards them; and the things that before he made no account of, now they are prized and esteemed; such a difference there is, such a change in the iudgement, when once this wisdome is reuealed. So it is in other things: take a yong beginner in any thing, a young Scholler, hee indgeth otherwise of the exercise of what hee learnes, then when he is growne to maturity; as we see, a man that is vnacquainted with Musicke, that hath no skill in it, the common tunes like him best; but when hee growes a skilfull Musician, he cares not for them; those that hauehave more perfect Musicke in them, those he regards, when he hath a more skilfull eare: so, it is the meaning of the Apostle, we speake wisdome to those that are perfect, as if hee should say, they are able to discerne things, their iudgement is another kinde of iudgement then yours is, or then their owne was before; that which they could finde no relish in, no taste, when they are perfect once, they finde a more excellent vse in it then others: So that this change of iudgement, iudging otherwise both of the persons and of the things, argues they are perfect. And this is the last signe, that I will now name to you, of this property heere spoken of, We speake wisdome to those that are perfect: that is, it is the property of those that are perfect, to reckon that wisdome to be wisdome indeed.
So much shall serue for this time.
FINIS.