Spiritual Refining, Religious treatise · Section 2 · Sermon 12
SERMON XII.
Handling Obedience as a Sign of Grace.
1 JOHN 2. 3.
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his Commandments.
I Have at large diſcuſſed the Doctrine and Uſefulneſſe of Signs, I ſhall now propound in ſo many diſtinct Sermons, ſeveral choice and ſelect Signs, by which you may know how it is with you in reference to God. For if the Heathens did ſo much admire that ſaying as an Oracle, Noſce teipſum, Know and be acquainted with thy own ſelf, when yet they had neither true eyes, nor light to diſcover themſelves by, how much rather doth this duty lie upon us, when by Gods grace we may have the ſeeing eye, and a ſure light of Gods Word to guide us therein? And the firſt Sign ſhall be, An univerſal reſpect unto, and obſervation of Gods Commandments, out of the words read unto you, whereof the coherence is as followeth, The Apoſtle in the verſes before, having comforted the children of God againſt their daily ſins of infirmity, which cannot be avoided, he returneth again to his ſcope, which is to preſſe holineſſe of life; and certainly our faith ought to be as buſie in embracing the precepts for holineſſe, as the promiſes for comfort. The Argument for ſanctity preſſed by the Apoſtle, is from the profitable effect thereof, it will be a ſure and comfortable ſign to confirm us that we are in Chriſt: for to know God, to love him, to be in him, to dwell in him, to have Communion with him, are all one with this Apoſtle.
So that in the words you have two Propoſitions,
Firſt, That the knowledge of God makes us to keep Gods Commandments.
Secondly, That this obſervation of Gods Commandments is a ſign by way of an effect, to aſſure us that we know God, which is the cauſe.
In the firſt Propoſition you have the Antecedent and the Conſequent. The Antecedent is knowing of God; howſoever according to the Hebrew rule this word Knowing ſignifieth Affectus & effectus conſequentes: the affections and effects flowing from it, and ſo includeth love of God, and the like; yet it doth more properly ſignifie faith, according to that, This is eternal life, to know thee the only true God, and Jeſus Chriſt whom thou haſt ſent; for faith having ſeveral acts, knowledge, aſſent, fiducial application, the Scripture doth by a Synecdocke expreſſe the whole nature of faith by one act of it. Now becauſe there is a three-fold knowledge, A three-fold Knowledge.The firſt perfect, which is only in Heaven; The ſecond imperfect, but true and ſaving, which the godly only have; Hence Regeneration, Jer. 31. is expreſſed by this, They ſhall all know God, and be mught of God: A third knowledge which is imperfect and inſincere, is that common gift of Gods Spirit upon temporary believers, whereby though they know the ſenſe and meaning of divine truths, yet have not the ſaving effect and power of them upon their hearts, in which ſenſe our Saviour making that open confeſſion, and celebrating Gods power and ſoveraignty, ſaith, The things of God were hidden from the wiſe and prudent, Matth. 11. 25, 26. That is, the Scribes, Prieſts and Phariſees, who though very intelligent of the meaning of the Scripture, yet having not their eyes in a gracious manner enlightned, therefore had thoſe divine things hid from them. A notable thing it is, and worthy all your conſideration, and trembling at it, that the very things you know in Religion by parts and abilities, may yet be hid from you, in reſpect of any ſaving knowledge; Therefore to declare what kinde of Knowledge this is, obſerve the conſequent, it is that which is operative and quickens us up to the Commandments of God; for that proper and ſpecifical difference, whereby ſaving faith is diſtinguiſhed from the hypocrites, is in the cleanſing and purifying nature of it, whereby it works by love; ſo that love is not the form of true faith, but to be operative and effective of love. Now according to the three-fold knowledge ſpoken of, Zanchy doth well obſerve, there is a three-fold keeping of the Commandments; A three-fold keeping the Commandments.for as our knowledge is, ſo is our holineſſe. The firſt is, Perfect and compleat, as Chriſt did, and the Saints in heaven do perfectly love God. The ſecond is imperfect, but ſincere, though the Scripture cals it perfect, becauſe of the eſſential perfection, though it hath not a gradual. The third is external, with ſome internal affections, but altogether unſound. The Apoſtle as he meaneth the ſecond kinde of knowledge, ſo the ſecond kinde of obſervance of the Commandments, and howſoever the tranſlation be in the preſent tenſe, We know that we know him, yet in the original it is, We have known him, whereby it's plain, That good works doe not go before Faith or Juſtification, but follow it. The ſecond Propoſition is, that the keeping of Gods Commandments is a ſign that we do know him, foreign, by which he doth not mean a conjectural knowledge, as the Papiſts would put it off, but a ſure and certain knowledge. Now although the Apoſtle ſpeaks indefinitely, when he ſaith, Keeping the Commandments of God, yet becauſe it is in a neceſſary matter, the Aſſertion is equivalent to an univerſal.
Hence the Doctrine is,
That an univerſal respect to, and keeping of Gods Commandments, is a ſure ſigne Obſerv. Obedience to God a ſign of Grace.and infallible of our being in the ſtate of Grace.
Thus Chap. 3. 22. he makes this to aſſure us in our prayer, becauſe we keep his Commandment, and do that which is well-pleaſing in his ſight.
The Doctrine is to be opened in many particulars:
Firſt, There are ſome conſiderations in which it is impoſſible to keep the Commandments Wherein it is impoſſible to keep Gods Commandments.of God, not abſolutely and inſe, as it is for a man to flie, for ſo it would be blaſphemy to ſay, He commands impoſſible things, to do ſo cannot ſtand with his Juſtice, Wiſdom and holineſſe: but only it's impoſſible by accident through our corruption, who as the Saints in heaven have Felix neceſſitas, as Auguſtin called it an happy neceſſity of obeying God alway, ſo have we infelix neceſſitas an unhappy neceſſity of diſobedience continually. Now this impoſſibility is two wayes.
Firſt, In respect of every unregenerate man, who is dead in ſinne, not ſick or diſeaſed, but dead in ſinne, and God juſtly doth require of us under pain of condemnation to obey his Law, though we have loſt the power. Neither is this as the Arminians ſay, as if a Judge ſhould ſentence a mans eyes to be put out for a former fault, and then afterwards hang him, becauſe he cannot ſee, for it lieth not as a mortal duty upon a man to ſee; nor hath any Magiſtrate ſuch ſupream power over a man, as God hath over us. And by theſe commands of God is demonſtrated our duty only, not our ability: hence God makes it his Promiſe, To give us a new heart, and to make us to walk in all his ſtatutes; and although Arminians think it an abſurdity to make the ſame thing Requiſitum and Promiſſum, a condition required and yet a gift promiſed; there is nothing more ordinary in Scripture.
A ſecond impoſſibility of keeping the Commandments is, In reſpect of the Regenerate, 2.to whom God giveth not ſuch a meaſure of grace, as that they are able to keep them according to the perfect obligation of it. Rom. 8. 3, 4. We keep Gods Commandments in truth, not in perfection, not but that God is able to give us perfect grace, but he hath thought good to exalt imputed righteouſneſſe, rather then inherent in this life.
A third impoſſibility of keeping the Commandments of God, is not only Collectively, 3.that we are not able to keep them all, but fail in ſome, but diſtributively, there being not one Commandment we are at any time able to keep in any duty perfectly. And although it be eaſier to bring Arguments to prove we ſin ſometimes, and do not keep all the Commandments we ſhould, then to prove we ſin in every good duty, yet Rom. 7. 19. Gal. 5. 17. do ſtrongly confirm, that becauſe of the innate corruption ſtill abiding in us, we are not able to do any thing ſo perfectly as the Law requireth: in the moſt holy men there are both Defectus privantes, and Affectus obſtantes, defects depriving us of the inward purity that ought to be in us, and affections contrarily withſtanding the obligation of the Law.
In the next place we will ſhew the poſſibility of it, and that is, firſt, By a ſincere How it is poſſible to keep the Law. 1.inchoate Obedience, whereby we know God in part, love him in part, though not to ſuch a full degree. This is affirmed of the godly, therefore it is poſſible, Luk. 1. 6. Thus Zachary and Elizabeth are ſaid to be Righteous before God, walking in all his Commandments. David ſaith, Pſal. 119. He ſhall not be confounded when he hath respect to all his Commandments. As the people of God have done this, ſo God hath promiſed this, I will circumciſe their hearts to love me with all their heart and min…. So Jer. 31. and this is the univerſal keeping of Gods Commandments ſpoken of in the Text, and much preſſed in ſeveral places; for there is the truth of all Obedience, though not the gradual perfection. It is no wonder that the people of God are ſaid to keep the Law of God, ſeeing they endeavour after it, and it's uſual in Philoſophy to call motions from the terminus to which they tend: Regeneration is the writing of the Law in their inward parts, whereby the Law is not a burden, but pleaſing and matter of delight to them, as Paul profeſſeth it was to him, Rom. 7. And by this means the Apoſtle ſaith, We do not aboliſh the Law, but eſtabliſh it, becauſe the grace of God giveth ſuch ability and ſtrength, that in ſome meaſure we are able to obey it: So that the act of Faith ad intra, which is receiving of Chriſt, muſt not be oppoſed to, but conjoyned with that act of faith ad extra, whereby we walk in all the Commandments of God.
Secondly, The Poſſibility of keeping them is in an evangelical ſenſe, that is, when 2.whatſoever we fail in, is pardoned unto us, for ſo it is through the Covenant of grace, that when we have ſincerely applied our ſelves to the obedience of the whole Law, and falling ſhort of our duty in many reſpects. God through Chriſt doth forgive us, and ſo our righteouſneſſe conſiſts more in the remiſſion of what is imperfect, then in doing what is perfect. In this ſenſe Rom. 8. 3, 4. Chriſt is ſaid to come in the fleſh, that the righteouſneſſe of the Law may be fulfilled in us: and Rom. 10. Chriſt is the end of the Law for righteouſneſſe to the believer, not to the worker, ſo that in all exerciſes of ſanctification we are to have a greater reſpect to what God doth forgive, then what we do, which hath made ſome ſay, Our perfection is to acknowledge our imperfection.
Thirdly, We may be ſaid to fulfill the Law, when although through daily infirmities we fail of the ſtrict obligation, yet we do not by any groſſe ſin break it. In this ſenſe 3.we keep it ſine crimine, though not ſine vitio, as Augustine ſometimes, that is, without a crime, though not without ſin. And although they are but few that do ſo, yet ſometimes God gives ſome of his children to walk in ſuch harmleſſe and ſpotleſſe lives. Thus Luk. 1. 6. Zachary and Elizabeth are ſaid to be blameleſſe. Phil. 2. 15. That ye may be blameleſſe and harmleſſe, the ſons of God in the midſt of a crooked generatiou: So it's required in a Biſhop that he be blameleſſe, that is, not without ſinne, but without crime, for which he may juſtly be cenſured, in which ſenſe the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 13. praieth, that the Corinthians may do no evil, that is, no ſuch crime, for which the Apoſtle ſhould inflict a Church-cenſure, as formerly we aſſerted. Thus you have heard in what ſenſe we are ſaid to keep the Commandments, the former and the later being pertinent to our ſcope.
In the next place, let us conſider how it is a ſign, for even when ſigns are agreed on, yet there may be much deceit about the explication of the ſign, cutting it too ſhort, or ſtretching it out too long.
Therefore in the firſt place, This univerſal obſervance is ſeen, when our Obedience How obedience to Gods Commandments is a ſign of grace. 1.is internal and ſpiritual as well as external. Could a man anſwer all the affirmative and negative precepts in the outward converſation, yet if not ſpiritual in all theſe, they were as a body without a ſoul. And herein the Phariſees hypocriſie was diſcovered, they reſted wholly upon the outward obedience of the Law, when their hearts were Dens of thieviſh luſts; Hence our Saviour did ſo often preſſe them to make clean and waſh the inward man: The Law is ſpiritual, ſaith Paul, and God is a Spirit, ſaith our Saviour, ſeeking them that worſhip in spirit and truth. Hence Matth. 5. our Saviour ſpends many words to convince the Phariſees that they were horrible violaters of Gods Law, wretched Adulterers and Murderers, though guilty of no ſuch outward crimes. Oh what a piercing and diſcovering ſigne muſt this be. This makes the moral, yea and religious man, whoſe piety is only in the outward exerciſes of grace, to be without any hope. Alas all theſe externals are nothing if there be not an inward ſpiritual rectitude of the whole man. Hence Paul excellently, Rom. 7. I delight in the Law of God, in the inward man.
The Antinomian pleads, That this univerſal Obedience cannot be a ſign of grace, becauſe Paul while unregenerated performed it, as appeareth Act. 13. 1. Act. 24. 16. Object.where Paul ſaith, He lived with a good conſcience void of offence both towards God and man; Here (ſay they) Paul lived in an univerſal Obedience unblameably, and kept entirely to his conſcience, yet was not in Christ.
But to anſwer this, A good conſcience may be called good in a two-fold reſpect, Anſw. A diſtinction about a good conſcience.either when a man liveth not againſt the dictates of his conſcience, or doth any thing againſt that as thoſe Chriſtians did, whom Paul compelled through fear of death to blaſpheme: and thus Paul had a good conſcience, becauſe he verily thought he was bound to do as he did: in this ſenſe a Papiſt, a Jew, any Heretick may be ſaid to have a good conſcience. Or elſe a conſcience is ſaid good, when renewed by Gods Spirit, and rightly informed and regulated by Gods word; and thus Paul had a very evil conſcience, in which reſpect he called himſelf a Perſecutor, and the greatest of all ſinners, and ſo by the way you may ſee it's no argument of comfort for thoſe who broach any damnable hereſies, to excuſe the matter, ſaying, Are they not conſcientious men? Are they not to be pitied rather then puniſhed? Is it not according to their light? All this might have been ſaid for Paul, yet for all this his conſcience was a very evil and wicked conſcience, partly becauſe it was not renewed, partly becauſe it was not informed out of Gods word.
Secondly, Though Paul walked with a good Conſcience, and that towards God as well as man, yet that was for externals only, he was not acquainted with all the ſinfull motions of his heart, how much diffidence, ignorance, lukewarmneſſe, love to the world, his credit and glory was in him more then of God, he did not perceive. Now Gods Law requireth that internal good frame above all. That Paul was thus at that time, appeareth evidently Rom. 7. where the Apoſtle mentioning that former time of his life, ſaid, He knew not luſt to be ſinne till the Law ſaid thus againſt it, and that he was alive till then, had good confidence and perſwaſion in himſelf, but afterwards he died, he was quite out of love with himſelf, and loathed all that was in him: ſo that by this you ſee, how unblameable ſoever his liſe appeared, yet it was farre from being in a right way. Oh therefore be perſwaded to conſider your ſelves you that live unblameable lives, diligent in the duties that relate to God and man, though thy outſide be thus painted, thy inwards may be a noiſome ſepulchre! how uncomely is it for a man to have his porch and out-rooms very clean, but his chambers and in-rooms full of noiſome filth? This is thy caſe, look in thy life, no irreligion or impiety to God, no injuſtice or oppreſſion to men, yet thou art deſtitute of the Spirit, and void of all ſupernatural life.
2. As our obedience muſt be thus internal, as well as external; ſo it muſt be external 2.as well as internal; We muſt not pleaſe our ſelves with contemplative Meditations or pretended Revelations, neglecting an active induſtrious life for God in our places and relations. In Popery there is the contemplative life, and the active life; the one they compare to Mary, the other to Martha; and they ſay, that contemplative life, like Mary hath choſen the better part, but this is to hide our talents in a napkin; and as Tacitus ſpeaks of ſome men, That they were Solâ ſocordiâ innocentes, becauſe of their ſloathfulneſſe, they did not come in harmsway, as others did. It was not wiſdom or juſtice, but meer ſluggiſhneſſe kept them from medling in dangerous matters; ſo we may ſay theſe are Solâ ſocordiâ pii, godly only by ſloathfulneſſe; To theſe we may adde ſome that pretend now adaies to live upon immediate Revelation, crying down all the Ordinances, Miniſtry, Sacraments and Sabbath, as empty forms: But how doth this ſtand with that univerſall Obedience unto all the injunctions of God made to his Church?
3. Univerſal Obedience is a ſign when it doth carry us out equally to the duties of 3.the firſt table concerning God, and the ſecond our neighbour. To pretend much devotion in matters of God, and to ſhew no conſcience or equity in matters with man, is horrible hypocriſie. The Phariſees were notorious in this, who had their long prayers, and yet devoured widows houſes, who taught that neither father or mother might be relieved by their children of any thing they had, if it were Corban, that is, a gift conſecrated to God. Thoſe that are skilfull in the Jewiſh cuſtoms tell us, That the Phariſees taught any man might vow the goods he hath to God, abſolutely, or only in reſpect of this or that ſingular perſon, ſo that he ſhall have no benefit by it, and then when this vow was made they thought they might relieve no body, no though their Parents, and that in extream neceſſity; but notwithſtanding all this ſeeming Religion to God, how corrupt and carnal in their carriages to men? Fides eſt copulativa, and ſo muſt our Obedience be copulative. Thy Religion to God is no ſign of grace, if there be unconſcionable dealing towards men. Again, if thou beeſt carefull in duties to men, and negligent in the religious ſervice of God, hence thy rottenneſſe of heart is manifeſted, thou doſt with all thy heart love a civil, juſt and righteous man, but thou canſt not abide a forward religious man, thou loveſt not ſtrict keeping of the Sabbath, diligent and powerful Family-duties, Oh, what little hope is here of true grace in ſuch a mans heart! It is ordinary with Scripture to deſcribe all Religion and Piety by one duty ſometimes, and ſometimes by another, ſometimes by praying to God, ſometimes by keeping his Sabbaths, ſometimes by fearing of an oath, becauſe where one duty is graciouſly performed, there all the others will be alſo.
3. Univerſal Obedience is a ſign, when we are carried thereby to receive the Credenda, 3.as well as the Agenda, the things to be believed, as well as to be practiſed. Hence it's called, The obedience of faith; and this Apoſtle, 1 Joh. 3. 23. divideth the Commandments of God in two parts, 1. Thoſe things that concern faith in Chriſt. 2. Thoſe things that relate to our love of others; therefore Gods Commandments muſt not only be limited to the prohibition of wicked lives, but muſt alſo be extended to falſe doctrines; therefore obſerve the Apoſtles in all their Epiſtles, they are as vehement and zealous againſt falſe teachers, as wicked livers, and therefore preſſe with an equal neceſſity true faith, and a good conſcience; Therefore thy heart is then ſincere, when its ſet againſt hereſies, as well as prophaneneſs, and prophaneneſs as well as hereſies: If you have a man hot and vehement againſt ungodlineſs, but indifferent about falſe doctrines, that man may juſtly ſuſpect his heart. Again, if a man cry out of hereſies and the tolleration of them, yet can abide prophaneneſs, can tolerate that in his family, or elſe where, this man alſo ought to fear himſelf. Whatſoever the Scripture ſpeaks of impiety as deſtructive to ſalvation, the ſame it alſo applieth to falſe doctrine. Is that the fruit or work of the fleſh? ſo are hereſies: Is that damnable? ſo are hereſies: Is that to be caſt out of the Church? ſo is falſe doctrine: Are wicked men prepared of old to deſtruction? ſo are falſe doctors: Are the ſheep of Chriſt meek and innocent in their converſation? ſo they will flee from a ſtranger, and not hear the voice of a ſtranger. So that if thou wouldſt try thy ſincerity, mark whether thou deſireſt more liberty in matters of faith, then in matters of life. No doctrine revealed in Scripture to be believed, may be any more diſpenſed with, then the precepts declared in Gods word for practice.
4. Univerſal Obedience is a ſign, when it comprehends not only general Duties, but 4.particulars of relation, not as a Chriſtian abſolutely only, but as a Magiſtrate, Miniſter, Husband, Wife, Childe or Servant; if a man diſcharge not the commands of theſe Relations, though his general converſation as a Chriſtian be never ſo admirable, yet he hath cauſe to ſuſpect himſelf; relative and domeſtical graces do more demonſtrate piety and true godlineſs then publick, general duties; for a mans pride, ſelf-ends, may put him upon theſe, as we ſee in the Phariſees, according to that rule, Ambitio ſcenam deſiderat, but it argueth truth of grace, to be diligent in fulfilling of thoſe relations we are ingaged in. Hence it is obſervable, how diligent the Apoſtle is in the cloſe of his Epiſtles to declare the duties of relations, and to be large in the motives for them.
The Uſe is of Exhortation, to judge your ſelves by this ſign. Art thou univerſal in thy Obedience, for all the waies and duties required by God, then thou Uſe.maieſt take comfort; otherwiſe know, if thou haſt not reſpect to all theſe, thou wilt be confounded, though with Ahab, Herod, ye do many things, yet if not all things, confuſion will be upon thee. Oh then how few are they, who may claim a right to grace! Many men have an external Obedience only, and no internal, but moſt have a partial and not entire compleat Obedience, therefore it is, That many are called and few are choſen. Conſider that terrible expreſſion of James, Jam. 2. 10, 11. where the Apoſtle informeth believers, that if they be guilty but of that one ſin, viz. Accepting of perſons, they are tranſgreſſors of the Law in the general, which he further urgeth by this Aſſertion, He that keepeth all, and offends in one, is guilty of all, not diſtributively with a guilt of every particular ſinne, but in reſpect of the authority of the Law-giver, and the obligation of the Law, according to that, Curſed is every one that continueth not in every thing commanded by the Law; ſeeing therefore God in regeneration doth write his Law in our hearts, which doth ſeminally contain the exerciſe of all holy actions; ſo that there cannot be an inſtance of any godly duty, of which God doth not infuſe a principle in us; and ſeeing that glorification will be univerſal of ſoul and body, in all parts and faculties, how neceſſary is it that Sanctification ſhould be univerſal. Take heed therefore that the works of grace in thee be not abortive, or monſtrous, wanting eſſentiall and neceſſary parts. Let not thy ſhip be drowned by any one leak, dwell upon this, univerſality is a ſure rule of ſincerity.