Spiritual Refining, Religious treatise · Section 2 · Sermon 15
SERMON XV.
That for a man to be willing to have his Soul ſearched by God, is a ſign of Grace.
PSAL. 26. 2.
Examine me (O Lord) and prove me; try my reins and heart.
DAvid in the firſt verſe of this Pſalm, Prayeth for Gods preſervation and defence of him in the midſt of all his adverſaries, which he preſſeth from a two-fold conſideration,
Firſt, His Integrity and Sincerity, which is not to be limited unto the righteouſneſs of his cauſe onelyonly, but the innoceny alſo of his whole life, as the Pſalm evidenceth.
Secondly, His confidence and truſt in God; for this is an ingaging argument with God, as it is with men.
Now as verſe 3. He makes Gods Loving kindneſs the ground of his truſt, ſo he manifeſteth his ſincerity,
Firſt, By appealing unto God in my text. Examine me, and try me. And
Secondly, By the ſeveral effects of it, verſe 4, 5, 6.
I ſhall conſider that ſign of his ſincerity, wherein he deſireth God would Try him, and ſearch him: So that if there were any Hypocriſie, any falſe way, any unſound or imperfect principles he walked in, it was his hearty deſire to have all diſcovered. And certainly there cannot be a greater argument of the truth of Grace, then a willingneſs to come to the light, and a readineſs to be weighed in the balance; as on the other ſide you have not a ſurer character of an hypocrite, and an unſound Chriſtian, then fear of the light, and unwillingneſs to be ranſaked and ſearched into the very bowles by the word of God: But Davids hearty willingneſs in this particular appeareth, 1. In the ſeveral words he heaps up together in his Petition, Examine me; as Artificers doe, whether their gold be weight or no: try me by diſcovering whether I am inwardly ſound or no: Prove me, (as the word ſignifieth) as when the Artificer melteth his ſilver in the fire, that ſeparateth the droſs. 2. This doth appear in the object matter which he would have thus proved, and that is, His heart, his reins, which are the moſt inward and ſecret motions of his ſoul, he would have a deeper ſearching into, and winnowing of him then the world can do. Certainly David in this Petition doth diſcover great honeſty, and faithfulneſs of Spirit. Now, here may be two doubts. 1. How God can be ſaid to tempt, or try any man, ſeeing James 1. 13. God is ſaid to tempt no man; and the divel is called foreign, as if it were his work only. There is a double temptation.The Anſwer is obvious, That there is a double Temptation: one evil, which is defective either in the principle, or means, or end of the Temptation. And thus the Divel and our own fleſh Tempt. The other is a good Temptation, ariſing from a good principle, in a lawful way, to a good end; and thus God doth Tempt, that is, doth make a diſcovery what is in man; not as if he were ignorant of it, but that hereby the perſon truſted may be better known to himſelf, and to others.
In the ſecond place, we may doubt how David could lawfully pray to be Tempted, ſeeing our Saviours rule is to pray, That God would not lead us (or caſt us, for ne infer as, doth better Anſwer foreign then ne inducas) into temptation; But that is to be underſtood of the evil of temptation: ſo as God ſhould withdraw his grace either, internal, ſubduing our corruptions, or external, repreſſing Satan and all outward power againſt us.
Theſe things thus explained, obſerve, That it is a ſure and comfortable ſign of grace, when a man is willing to have his ſoul and all within ſearched by God. That which here David prayeth for, Pſal. 17. 3. he there acknowledgeth what God had done, Thou haſt proved my heart, thou hast tryed me, and haſt found nothing; which is not to be underſtood as if David had no Droſs in him, (for thoſe words are taken from the Artificers that melt their gold and ſilver) ſeeing Pſal. 19. He cryeth out, Who can underſtand his errors: cleanſe me from ſecret ſins. But of total and univerſal hypocriſie; neither doth David ſpeak this arrogantly, as preſuming of himſelf, but takes comfort from this in his grievous troubles, as a teſtimony that he belongs to God.
Job alſo in his cala mities hath his face and heart anſwering Davids, Job 23. 10. When he hath tryed me, I ſhall come out like Gold; ſo that from hence we may ſee, that a love and willingneſs to have our hearts ſearched by God, is ſuch a teſtimony of the truth of Grace, that it is a great bulwark in times of ſad afflictions: It is therefore worth the enquiry into the nature of this ſign; for if the wiſeman ſaid even of theſe petty outward things, Falſe weights are an abomination unto the Lord, how much more abominable muſt thoſe falſe ballances be wherein men through blindneſs and ſelf flatterry weigh themſelves.
In the firſt place. Let us conſider how God doth try, that ſo we may perceive How many ways God tries men.our willingneſs therein. And the firſt way is by his word, Eph. 5. 13. Whatſoever doth manifest, and ſo reprove evil, is light. Now the Scriptures are like the Sun, into which God put all light, and other things ſhine with light borrowed from thence. David commends Gods word for a light and lanthorn to his feet; and that by which he was forewarned from ſin; and for this profit coming by them, he commends them for preciouſneſs and ſweetneſs above fine Gold, and the hony combe: See here a true touchſtone of Grace; thou loveſt the word of God above any treaſures in the world, not onelyonly for the promiſſary part of it, but the diſcovering part of it: It acquainteth thee with all the evil of thy heart, and thy wayes: It ſpeaks bitter things againſt pride, luſts, laſineſs, immoderate love of the world: It makes me an undone man; it will give me no comfort in any evil way, and therefore I can read it, and meditate on it with hearty delight, Heb. 4. The word of God is quick, and powerful, diſcerning the Intima, and the Minima, moſt deep things of man, and the leaſt ſins in him.
As by the light of the Sun beams we ſee the little motes, and flyes in the air, ſo by Gods word ſhining into our hearts, we come to ſee many things ſinful and unlawful, which we did not perceive before: Oh then conſider your ſelves herein; do you love the word of God becauſe it finds out thy ſins, never ſpeaks any good to thy corrupt wayes? doſt thou pray, O Lord, let thy word ſtill enter with more light and power upon me? this is a comfortable ſign; but on the other ſide, if thou art in a continual fear of the light, dareſt not look into the Bible becauſe it ſpeaks againſt ſuch and ſuch ſins thou art guilty of, be afraid thou art not right. Tertullian called Hereticks Lucifugae Scripturarum, they were like Bats and Owls, they could not endure the light of the Sun: And our Saviour ſaith, The theif hates the light, becauſe his deeds are evil. Oh then take heed you who have a leproſie of ſin plainly appearing upon you: doth not the word of God meet thy drunkenneſs, thy luſts, thy oaths, thy pride, as a Bear robbed of her whelps: Oh thy ſoul muſt needs hate the word of God, becauſe it is ſo contrary to thee.
A ſecond Way whereby God proveth, (and the ſincere rejoyce therein) is a 2.powerfull and ſoul ſearching Miniſtry, which like thunder and lightening, makes the mountains to melt like wax, and the Hindes to calve in the fields, I mean the ſtouteſt and obſtinateſt ſinner, to finde his ſoul thereby in a ſpiritual travel and agonie longing to be delivered. A gracious heart loveth that Miniſtry which like the word of God is a two edged ſword in his heart, of which he can ſay as the woman, of Chriſt, It hath told me all that ever I did. That ſhaking of heaven and earth which the Prophet Haggai ſpeaketh of, is the Miniſtry of the Apoſtles, and in the Hebrew is the word, from whence Bonarges cometh. Then are ye like the Eagles young ones, foreign, when ye can look upon the ſun beams: when light is not offenſive to your ſore eyes. It was a ſpeech infallible betraying Ahabs rotten heart, when he ſaid of the Prophet Michaiah, I hate him, becauſe he alwaies speaks evil to me. You have juſt cauſe to ſuſpect the ſoundneſs of your hearts, when you delight onelyonly in a lazy, formal, general, and dull miniſtry: when you would have Prophets that ſhould ſing onelyonly Pleaſant ſongs, daub with untempered morter; encourage you, notwithſtanding your ſins you are in. And if this be a ſymptome of an unſound heart, may we not ſay Hypocriſie hath fallen upon the hearts of moſt in England, who rejoyce not in thoſe Miniſters and Prophets that rouſe their conſciencies, that trouble them for their ſins, that would reform them from their ſuperſtitions and prophanies? do not the faithful Miniſters of God meet with the ſame hatred and oppoſition as the prophets did by Jeruſalem? and why is all this? That of our Saviour will anſwer it, The thief hates the light, becauſe his deeds are evil. Therefore is thy heart afraid, and unwilling to have a Miniſtry that ſhall diſcover thy ſins, becauſe thy Conſcience is full of Ulcers and ſores: whereas now if thou dideſt love to be reformed, how wouldeſt thou rejoyce in the light of the Miniſtry. The more ſpiritual, powerful, operative, thou dideſt finde it in thy heart, thou wouldeſt bleſs God the more: thou wouldeſt cry out with thankfulneſs, O Lord I bleſs thee that light ſhineth in every dark corner of my heart: Oh let it ſtill be a miniſtry, as if to me onelyonly, to mind me of my ſins, to bring my iniquites to remembrance. O Lord, my heart doth not rage, nor riſe againſt this light; it doth not hate, or rebel againſt it, but I ſet open the Gates of my ſoul to receive more in.
3. The work of Conſcience within us, that alſo doth prove us. God hath ſet up a light within us, and when this is enlightened by the word, then it makes a mans 3.breſt full of light. Now a faithful godly man, he loveth this ſhould be tender, active, ſpeaking out of Gods word for every duty, and againſt every ſin. You ſee the quickneſs of it in David, when it's ſaid, His heart ſmote him: and 1 John 3. If thy heart condemn thee, God is greater then thy heart. Alas, if thou within thy own ſelf judgeſt thy ſelf to ſin thus and thus, God doth much more. Try thy integrity: art thou willing to have a tender conſcience, and an informed conſcience? Doſt thou love to hear what that ſpeaks out of Gods word? whether peace or Duty, this is comfortable. But on the other ſide, if thou art a man that rebeleſt againſt the light of it; wouldſt ſain put out the ſting of it; wouldſt be glad to feel no ſuch living thing in thy breaſt, then thou haſt cauſe to ſuſpect thy ſelf: Oh it is to be feared that there are many that give themſelves to luſts, and carnal pleaſures, that ſo they may put a foggy miſt between this ſin and them. Others digg into the world, labouring to become ſenceleſs, that ſo there may be an eclipſe of this light by the interpoſition of the earth. Others run to damnable Hereſies, denying Scriptures, God, Heaven, Hell; pleading for an univerſal ſalvation of all: What are theſe but refuges of guilty conſciences. It is true, we muſt diſtinguiſh between our carnal concupiſence, and conſcience; between deluded imaginations, and conſcience; between an erronious, and ſcrupulous conſcience, and a well grounded, and truly informed conſcience; and when we have done ſo, we muſt follow conſcience as far as that follows the word.
4. God tryeth us by the illuminations of his Spirit, and ſtrong convictions thereby. Thus God proveth us, and makes us to know what we are, and wherein we fail. John 16. The ſpirit of God convinceth of ſin, and of righteouſneſs; and we are forbidden to quench the ſpirit: a metaphor (as ſome ſay) from the fire in the Temple that was not to be put out. And again it is the character of the ſtiffnecked Jewes, as fitted for deſtruction, that they alwaies reſiſted the ſpirit of God. If therefore thou wouldeſt have comfort from this ſign, conſider how the illuminations and motions of Gods Spirit are cheriſhed, and nouriſhed by thee. As ſoon as the cock croweth, doest thou go out and weep bitterly? Is not the Spirit of God grieved, and imbittered by thee? Oh, though they be dear, and pleaſant, or profitable ſins, yet the Spirit of God convinceth thee of them, makes thee forſake them: and doeſt thou rejoyce under this work of Gods Spirit upon thee? Doeſt not thou reſiſt and riſe up againſt it? Oh, (beloved) deeply weigh this. Though it may be there are ſome ſo ſwiniſh and beaſtly, that the ſpirit of God never moveth or worketh in them: Yet there are others who are not yet forſaken by God, but in the miniſtrie he ſtands at the dore, and knocks; he beckens unto thee to come unto him. Oh, now is God proving thee, examining thee. Now is he trying thee, if truth be in thee thou wilt be glad in this work of God upon thee, and deſire ſtill more and more burning, and ſhining light within thee.
5. God tryeth, when by his Providence we are put upon many duties and commands, which it may be at other times did not concern us. Thus God examined Abraham by a command to offer up his onelyonly ſon Iſaak. Thus God tryed the young man, who had great confidence in himſelf, by that perſonal command, to go and ſell all he had and to follow him. Now times of perſecution, are commonly ſuch times of tryal: Whether then we love Father or mother, houſes or children, or lives themſelves, better then him? Thus the ſecond kind of Ground, that had an hopeful ſprouting, was quickly diſcerned to have no root when the ſun aroſe.
The veſſels ſoundneſs is tryed in the fire: The Mariners skill in a ſtorm: The trees in a windy tempeſt. In winnowing all the chaff flyeth a way. There is a comfortable place to the Godly, Zach. 13. 9. God promiſeth he will refine them as Gold by their afflictions, they ſhall only loſe their droſs.
6. And this is the ſixt way of Tryal, viz. When God brings us under his chaſtiſements. This manifeſteth what mettal we are of. 1 Pet. 1. 7. The tryal of the Godly by thoſe troubles, is ſaid to be more excellent then that of the gold in the fire, becauſe that is periſhing, and this abideth for ever. Hence afflictions are onelyonly called Temptations, and not Mercies, though they many times diſcover what we are. Now indeed, we are not to pray to God that God would afflict us, that he would bring us into the fire; but when he doth it, we are to make this advantage, The Lord doth it to humble us, and try us, to ſee what is in our hearts; whether we will remain conſtant and faithful unto him: Therefore we do not deſpiſe the affliction, or murmur againſt God; but rejoyce that this purging of us, makes us to bring forth more fruit.
As God uſeth theſe ſeveral waies to prove us, and the ſoul of a Godly man is ready A godly man gives up him ſelf to be examined, proved, Eſpecially, 1.herein, ſo in theſe three caſes eſpecially doth a Godly man give up himſelf to be examined.
Firſt, In matters of Doctrine: Although Hereſie may be meerly in matter of Conſcience and Opinion, yet for the moſt part, carnal principles and motives are interwoven therewith: now a Godly man having a right underſtanding how obnoxious he is to E…rors, and ſubject to blindneſs in every thing; and how deceiptfull his heart alſo is, pretending for God, when indeed it is for nothing but ſelf, is therefore more ready to hearken to all light and reproof: As the ſpirit of God doth lead into Truth, ſo it doth alſo at the ſame time affect with much modeſty and humility. It is good to obſerve the excellent temperament of Paul, 1 Cor. 7. in determining that caſe of conſcience about marriage to the Corinthians: His expreſſions are, Yet not I, but the Lord; and I think I have the spirit of God. The ſame candor and ingenuity doth he work in his children: If therefore a Godly man doth err any dangerous error, it is with him as in other ſins; he doth not flatter himſelf; his heart is apt to ſmite him. Errare poſſum Haereticus eſſe nolo, he will not be obſtinate; he is earneſt to have all things ſearched and tryed; whereas it is the nature of Hypocriſie to maintain thoſe poſitions which are for profit, and ſelf-intereſt, againſt all light. Are not the Phariſees a ſad inſtance for this, who though they had no juſt ground to oppoſe our Saviour, yet becauſe Chriſts way was deſtructive to their applauſe and credit; when they could not fairly anſwer, they would fouly blaſpheme: Whereupon our Saviour chargeth them with blaſphemy againſt the Holy Ghoſt.
2. In matter of received worſhip, and traditional ſervice of God. Although it be worſhip that can plead cuſtom from preſcription many years, commendation of the univerſality of learned men; yet an heart truly ſincere, deſireth to have all things examined and proved out of Gods word: Chriſt ſaid he was truth, not cuſtome, as the Father obſerved well; and Chriſt dyed not onelyonly to deliver us from our ſinful waies, but the Tradition of our Fathers, John 4. You may obſerve the carnal diſpoſition of all men about an accuſtomed way in ſerving of God, in that woman of Samaria; ſhe preſſeth the argument that all ſilly and ignorant people do now for any Superſtition, Our fathers worſhipped, &c. but our Saviour inſtructeth her of a Worſhipping God in ſpirit and truth, which ſhe before was wholy ignorant of. Therefore in this matter a man may diſcover much integrity of his heart, whereas if any be thus affected, I care not what Scriptures you bring, I hearken not to what Arguments are fetched out of Gods word, it is plain this man carnally adhereth to his own imagination, and is not willing to be ſearched: As that Papiſt, Cornelius Maſſus ſaid, If a thouſand Austins and Chryſoſtomes ſaid thus and thus, he cared not, he would believe what the Pope ſaid.
3. This is eminently diſcovered in matter of practiſe. Although a man hath been addicted to ſinful waies of pleaſure, profit, or any advantage whatſoever, yet all thoſe things that he accounted gain, afterwards he will judge loſs for Chriſts ſake. Paul though much engaged in a way againſt Chriſtianitie, yet when once wrought upon, He conſulteth not with fleſh and blood, Gal. 1. He conſiders not any carnal reaſoning, but applieth immediately, and that without any limitation, to Gods commands, Lord what wilt thou have me to do? (ſaith he:) He giveth up his heart as a blank, let God write down what he pleaſeth. Thus Elihu, ſuppoſing upon a falſe ground Job to be an Hypocrite, doth give him excellent counſel, Job 34. 31, 32. Surely it is meet to be ſaid unto God, I have born chaſtiſement, I will offend no more. That which I ſee not, teach thou me; and if I have done iniquity, I will do ſo no more. Therefore herein mayſt thou ſee the truth of thine heart: canſt thou heartily ſay, that which I ſee not, teach thou me, Neither profit, pleaſure, or any conſultation with fleſh and blood ſhall hinder me from my dutie. Whereas if you obſerve the half-converſions of any to God, the Iſraelites, Jehu, many in the New Teſtament, you ſhall find they all flew back upon this ground, They conſulted with fleſh and blood.
In the next place let us conſider what are the effects of ſuch a gracious temper in the heart. And
1. Where this is, it doth not excuſe or mitigate ſin, but takes in with God againſt its own ſelf. The Apoſtle ſpeaking of the Corinthians repentance, acknowledgeth their zeal, fear, and indignation, and revenge againſt them ſelves. See 1 Cor. 11. If we would judge our ſelves, we ſhould not be judged of the Lord.
2. Not reſting upon generals, but particularly applying matters of Duty. The Prophet Jeremiah complaineth, no man ſaith? What have I done? The young man comforted himſelf well enough in the general, till our Saviour in particular tryed him, and then he went away ſorrowful: particular applications and diſcharge of duty, will try, as the jealouſie water did the ſuſpected woman. A man may ſpeak and preach for godlineſs in the general, but when it comes to particulars, he cannot abide it. The Phariſees, they commended the Prophets that lived before them; but Chriſt, and thoſe that lived at that time who reproved them for their ſins, they could not abide. Therefore it is a good rule of the Ancient, When, ſaith he, you hear a man commending thoſe ancient doctors that went before: ſee how he is affected to his preſent Teachers. That oppoſition which wicked men ſhew to thoſe preſent men alive that diſcover God to them, they would do to Peter and Paul; to Auſtin and Chryſoſtom, if they were alive. But when a thing is general, or afar off, it doth not move at all: particular preſent things, do diſcover what men are, and a ſincere heart loveth thoſe beſt.
3. A ſincere heart loveth a Godly reproof, and thoſe that give it. See it in David; Let the righteous ſmite me, and it ſhall be better then oyl: Whereas a man of a falſe and Hypocritical heart, he rageth and flyeth in the face of thoſe that reprove him, though it be done with all prudence and compaſſion. Therefore try how thou canſt bear a reproof. Doth it work Humilitie, Love, Reformation in thee? this is good.
To all this which hath been delivered, this caution muſt be remembred, which holdeth alſo in all other ſigns. We muſt not expect a punctual perfection herein, for even thoſe who are truely ſanctified, have yet diſcovered much falſhood and hypocriſie. Take David for an inſtance in that groſs guilfull way of the Murther of Uriah: could he then ſay, Examine mee, prove me? Was not there droſs enough to be found in him? Therefore though David deſired ſuch an inward ſearching of him, yet that he had no confidence in himſelf, appeareth by that univerſal principle he layeth down in another place: If thou (O Lord) be ſtrict to mark what is done amiſs, no fleſh ſhall be juſtified in thy ſight. Thus Aſa, though he was a godly man, yet when reproved by the Prophet for his ſin, how did corruption ſtirre within him, in ſo much that he threw the good Prophet into priſon for doing his duty!
Uſe of Examination: Here is a touchſtone and trial for your ſelves. Is there love of the Light, or fear of the Light: are you afraid of the word of God, a ſoul-ſearching Miniſtrie, cloſe and particular applications? then ſuſpect all is not ſound within thee. But if thou rejoiceſt in that thy ſores are diſcovered, thou art glad when thy Hypocriſie is made known to thy ſelf, and thou crieſt out, More Light, Lord, more ſearching of my inward man, here is a good comfortable ſign. Hence David, Pſal. 19. when he had ſaid, Who can underſtand his Errors? he prayeth, Cleanſe me from ſecret ſins. Doeſt thou ſo? Lord I fear much ſecret, and unknown corruption in me: I know not how bad I am; a great deal of filthineſs lieth undiſcovered in me; Oh let me be tried and proved by thee.