Twenty-Four Sermons, Sermon 4
SERMON IV.
July 30. 1695.
PSALM XXVI. iii.
For thy Loving Kindneſs is before mine Eyes: And I have walked in thy Truth.
3. THE Promiſes which Declare and Confirm the Love of God to us, are ſpecial means of working Holineſs in us. As they aſſure our Deliverance from Wrath, ſo they promote our Salvation from Sin. Divine Promiſes do not only tend to beget us to a lively Hope, but they help to produce and maintain the Life of every Grace; they are the ſpiritual Food of Souls, which does both nouriſh our Faith, and ſtrengthen us to Obedience. We do not obtain any Goſpel Priviledge by the Performance of Duty, but Duty is effectually enforc't by the Enjoyment of Goſpel Priviledges. God brings us to take hold of hsi gracious Covenant, and thereby fortifie us againſt turning from the Holy Commandment. This is plainly ſet forth as the Way and Method in which he firſt Works upon us, and enables us to Work, 2 Cor. 7.1. Having therefore theſe Promiſes, let us cleanſe our ſelves from all filthineſs both of Fleſh and Spirit, &c. The Promiſe of God's being a Father to us (which is mention'd in the laſt verſe of the foregoing Chapter) is a ſtronger Inducement to purifie our ſelves and be Followers of him, than any threatening of God's being a Revenger. So 2 Pet. 1.4. Exceeding great and precious Promiſes are given unto us, that by theſe you might be Partakers of the Dikvine Nature, &c. As the chief Thing communicated from God is the Divine Nature, whereby we are made to reſemble him, ſo the Promiſes of God ſet home upon the Soul, are the means of Communication; they are to Milk and Honey of the Scripture, which do not cheriſh the Old Man, but ſupport the New; they are not Pillows for ſinful Sloth, but ſpurs to Holy Diligence. The Promiſes of Grace animate the Soul to Duty; and when we thus ſee the goodneſs of the Lord, it encourages our Subjection to his Government.
4. A Senſe of the Love of God will create in us a more perfect hatred of Sin; Divine Reconciliation to our Perſons, breeds the moſt implacable Enmity againſt our Luſts; when we know that God is pacified towards us, it makes us loath and abhor our ſelves the more, in remembrance of the Evils we have done. If he paſſes by Tranſgreſſion, the pardoned Tranſgreſſor ſixes his Eye upon it with greater Indignation; as David's Sin was ever before him, though Nathan had told him from God, that his Sin was put away, Pſalm 51.3. compar'd with 2 Sam. 12.13. For the Title of that Pſalm informs us, that it was penn'd after Nathan the Prophet had come to David. A Sinner is never ſo odious in his own ſight, as when he is perſuaded of his being precious in the ſight of God. How does Paul repeat and aggravate the foul Abominations of his natural Phariſaical State, when he knew himſelf to be belov'd of God, and eſtabli ſhed in Chriſt; he ſpeaks of his perſecuting and waſting the Church of God beyond meaſure, Gal. 1.13. So with Holy Confuſikon he bewails what he once was, after he had obtained Mercy, and after the Grace of our Lord Jeſus had exceedingly abounded towards him, 1 Tim. 1.13, 14. Though God had made him whiter than Snow in the Lamb's Blood, yet he ſtill ſets out himſelf in his own black and filthy Colours. We do not loſe the Proſpect of our own vileneſs, by having the Kindneſs and Love of God before our Fyes, but we ſee it the better. His gracious Abſolution kindles the moſt flaming Zeal and Revenge in us againſt the Sins from which we are abſolved; conſequently is a mighty furtherance of our Obedience.
5. A Senſe of the Love of God is moſt apt to beget an awful fear of Falling under his diſpleaſure. That I may not be miſtaken, let it be conſider'd,
1. That this awful Fear is not only diſtinct from dreadful Horrour, but oppoſite unto it. The trembling of a Devil, and the trembling of a Child are real Contraries. Godly jealouſie of our ſelves, and ſinful Diſtruſt of God, are two things of moſt different Kinds. The fear of Caution (which I would recommend) keeps us walking cloſely with God, the fear of Deſperation (which I would warn againſt) hurries us violently away from God.
2. That this diſpleaſure of God, which Believers are lyable to fall under, is exercis'd only in this World, and not in the next. That Wrath which God occaſionally lets out againſt his own, is not the ſame with that which comes upon the Children of diſobedience, Eph. 5.6. We muſt not confound the temporary hidings of God's Face, with Everlaſting Deſtruction from God's Preſence. He that believes, is ſecur'd from ſinal Condemnation, but nevertheleſs he is ſtill incident to ſad Deſertion. Now for the Soul to be kept under the awe of this, is a great help to our Obedience; and where the Love of God is perceived by the Soul, this awe will certainly prevail. God's ſanctified ones can ſay it from Experience, Pſalm 130.4. There is forgiveneſs with thee, that thou mayſt be feared. Not only a readineſs to forgive, but actual forgiveneſs is with God; and as our Fear of God is the end of his granting it, ſo 'tis the effect and iſſue of our receiving it.
Two Things will make this more evident,
1. This joyful Senſe of the Love of God, ſuppoſes a ſorrowful Senſe of his diſpleaſure going before it. Ordinarily God does not thus ſet Men up on high, till he hath firſt brought them into the Depths; the does not make them glad with his Countenance, till he had laid them (more or leſs) in the loweſt Pit, Pſalm 88.6. How few are admitted to take the Cup of Salvation, without Drinking for ſome time of the Cup of God's Fury! How few are call'd into this pleaſant Light, without paſſing through a ſcorching Fire? Sore Conflicts prepare the way, for the moſt part, to raviſhing Comforts; and the Heart knows a great deal of bitterneſs, before it comes to taſte how good the Lord is.
2. They that have been ſenſible of God's diſpleaſure, and are ſenſible of his Love, will take Care to avoid the one, and continue in the other. Who ſo likely to be afraid of receiving a Spirit of Bondage again, as they that have felt it? Who ſo far from provoking God to carry them back into an howling Wilderneſs, as they who have been there before? Who ſo cautious of interrupting their ſweet Communion with God, as they that have enjoy'd it? Who ſo capable of rightly valuing that Priviledge, as they that are poſſeſt of it, and therefore who ſo ready to endeavour the preſerving of it by a circumſpect Walk? Souls that are thus favoured of God, are moſt ſeriouſly convinc't, That in his Favour is Life, Pſalm 30.5. Therefore when the Spirit of God hath carried them up to this Pinnacle, this heighth of Conſolation, they are the more afraid of doing any Thing to occaſion their caſting down.
6. The commoneſt and ſtrongeſt Temptations to departing from God are beſt overcome by a Senſe of his Love; viz. The Temptations which ariſe both from the flatteries and frowns of the World, the Love of Life, and Fears of Death. He that hath the Loving Kindneſs of God before his Eyes, is moſt able to make a reſolute and ſucceſsful Reſiſtance to all theſe. As particularly,
1. The Flatteries of the World do too often allure Men from their Obedience to God; but they that have a Senſe of God's Love upon their Hearts, are beſt armed againſt this Temptation. Hereby the World, with all its gaudy Vanities, is Crucified to us, and we unto the World; hereby all theſe Things are ſtript of their ſeeming Glory, as the Sun puts out the leſſer Lights, and as the Works of Nature ſpoil the Reputation of the Works of Art, Pſalm 4.7. Thou haſt put gladneſs in my Heart, more than in the Time when their Corn and Wine increaſed. If we had more ſpiritual Delight in God, carnal Fruitions muſt needs be a leſs powerful bait. 'Tis in vain for the Devil to entice that Soul with a few drops of Pleaſure that run through broken Ciſterns, which partakes of ſatisfying Refreſhments from the Fountain of Life; theſe Things are only ſuited to the Palates of thoſe that never know the Joy of the Lord. Heaven's Favourites cannot fall in Love with Earths, 'tis natural for a Believer that's cloathed with the Sun, to have the Moon under his Feet, Rev. 12.1.
2. The Frowns of the World too often ſcare Men from their Obedience, but a due Apprehenſion of the Love of God, is a good Security againſt this Temptation alſo. The belief of God's reconciled Heart, and view of his pleaſed Countenance is enough to make us Triumph over the fierceſt malignity of Men and Devils. It Matters not who they be that are againſt us, nor what they can do againſt us, ſo long as we know that God is for us. This will make us Glory in Infirmities, Neceſſities, Diſtreſſes and Afflictions of all ſorts: For he that can encourage himſelf, with David, 1 Sam. 30.6. In the Lord his God, will not be diſmayed by any of theſe Things. Bitter Herbs will go down very well, when a Man hath ſuch delicious Meats which the World knows not of. The Senſe of our Father's Love is like Honey at the end of every Rod; it turns Stones into bread, and Water into Wine; and the Valley … Trouble into a Door of Hope; it makes the biggeſt Evils ſeem as if they were none, or better than none; for it makes our Deſarts like the Garden of the Lord, and when we are upon the Croſs for Chriſt, as if we were in Paradice with Chriſt. Who would quit his Duty, for the ſake of Suffering, that hath ſuch relief under it? Who would not rather walk in Truth, when he hath ſuch a Cordial to ſupport him, than by the Conduct of fleſhly Wiſdom, to take any indirect or irregular Methods for his own Deliverance?
3. The Love of Life is a very frequent and pernicious Snare, which a Senſe of God's Love muſt deliver us from being entangled by. What ſo deſirable as Life, if a Man have no Place in the Heart of God? This is the greateſt Temporal Bleſſing, and nothing can out do it, but the Favour of the God of our Life. And this excels indeed; Pſalm 63.3. Thy Loving Kindneſs is better than Life. What Compariſon is there between the Breath in our Noſtrils, and the Favour of an Eternal God? Any more than there is between an Everlaſting Light, and a poor vaniſhing Vapour, compare Iſa. 60.19. with Jam. 4.14. Who would not therefore hate his own Life, which hangs in doubt continually before him, and of which he can have no Aſſurance, when he knows that the Living God is his certain Portion? Who would not freely yield up and part with Ten Thouſand ſuch Lives one after another (if he had ſo many) rather than the Wrath of God ſhould be kindled but a little?
4. The Fear of Death is a very uſual and hurtful Snare too, which can hardly be broken without a Senſe of the Love of God. Death which will rend and tear the Soul from the Body, is the Lion in the way, which diſcourages and affrights many from hazardous Duties; thouſands through ſinful Cowardize have rather choſen to ſhipwrack their Faith, and proſtitute their Conſcience then mingle their Blood with their Sacrifices. But now they that have the Comforts of God to delight their Souls, are more willingly brought to this King of Terrors; if God cauſe his Face to ſhine, what ſhould hinder our chearful deſcent into the Valley of the ſhadow of Death? Love is ſtrong as Death, and a great deal ſtronger; one would dare to Dye for a good Man, whoſe Love and Friendſhip hath endear'd him to us; how much more for a God whoſe kindneſs hath been ſo exceeding? This hath made ſo many Martyrs glorifie God in the midſt of the Fires; when they have been kill'd for Chriſt's ſake all the day long, and counted as Sheep for the ſlaughter, they have been more than Conquerours through him that lov'd them, and through the lively Impreſſion of that Love upon them, Rom. 8.36, 37.
7. The New Nature is ingenuous, and therefore will be wrought up to Obedience by the Love of God. After we have taſted that the Lord is gracious, we readily ſavour all the Things of God. Humaue Nature indeed in our lapſed, depraved State, may Reward Evil for Good, and Hatred for Love (as David's Enemies did to him, Pſalm 109.5.) before a ſaving Change is accompliſh'd on the Soul; but it neither is nor can be ſo, when God gives Men another Heart, as he does at their New-birth. Then nothing eies us ſo faſt to our Duty, as thoſe bands of Love; nothing is ſo ſweetly, and yet ſo ſtrongly attractive, Jer. 31.3. With Loving Kindneſs have I drawn thee; they that are only haled and drag'd by legal Terror, will be ſtriving to break away again, and looſe themſelves from the Yoke of Chriſt, but Love ſubdues all Things to it ſelf; it conſtrains to ſuch Acts of Duty, as make the mad World think us beſide our ſelves; 2 Cor. 5.13, 14. The Soul is compell'd to come in to Chriſt, and yet it walks at Liberty; 'tis ſo ſwayed by a Principle of Holy Gratitude, as that it is always ſtudying that Point, What ſhall I render? For this is a Principle that never fails to operate, where the Root of thankfulneſs is, the Fruit of Service cannot be wanting. Therefore the Apoſtle beſeeches by the Mercies of God, that we preſent our Bodies, &c. Rom. 12.1. Love hath a mighty prevalency in the obtaining of all that is deſir'd; Herod would do any Thing at the Requeſt of his beloved Herodias: Eſther choſe that Time to perfer her Petition, when ſhe was expreſſing her Love to the King in a Banquet; ſo when Chriſt is feaſting a Believer with his Fat Things, with his Love which is better than Wine, the raviſht Believer can deny or grudge him nothing.
8. That Love to God which a due Senſe of the Love of God does produce in us, is virtually all Obedience. This Conſideration conſiſts of two Branches, which (to give it the greater Evidence and Force) may be diſtincty open'd.
1. A due Senſe of the Love of God to us produces Love in us to God, 1 John 4.19. We Love him, becauſe he firſt loved us. Sic res accendunt lumina rebus. Sanctified Affections are blown up in us, by the believing Perſuaſions of Divine good Will towards us. As there is ſomething like an exchange of Souls between Boſom Friends, ſo there are returns and reboundings of Love betwixt God and thoſe, whoſe Hearts are knit to him. The Spouſe of Chriſt proclaims their mutural Endearments in one Breath, and alſo in the right Order. Song 2.16. My Beloved is mine, and I am his. God is the Ocean from which Love firſt flows out, and to which it always ſtreams back. Love, when it hath deſcended from Heaven to Earth, hath finiſhed but half its Courſe, but when it aſcends from Earth to Heaven, the Circle is compleated.
2. This Love which is the Product of God's, is virtually all Obedience; both as it inclines and diſpoſes unto all, and as it comprehends all in it.
1. It diſpoſes and inclines to all Obedience. When the Heart is melted by his Fire within, 'tis eaſily caſt into the mould of any Precept whatſoever. As it puts us upon keeping the Commandments of God, ſo it keeps them from being grievous, 1 John 5.3. Obedience can neither be partial nor burdenſome, where-ever this Love of God dwells; but it fulſils the Charge which David gave to Solomon, of ſerving God with a perfect Heart, and a willing Mind, 1 Chron. 28.9.
2. It comprehends all Obedience in it ſelf. The end of the Commandment, is Charity, &c. 1 Tim. 1.5. Both Tables are reduc'd by Chriſt to two Commandments, and Love is the grand Inſcription of them both. Therefore Love is ſtyled the fulfilling of the Law, Rom. 13.10. All the Duty which we owe to God and to our Neighbour is included in Love to each. And indeed we cannot walk in God's Truth, unleſs we walk in Love to one another, as well as to him. Our Alienations from our Brethren ſpeak our diſtance from Chriſt the Center of our Union. The nearer any Lines in a Circle come to the Center, the nearer they are one to another; but the further they go from the Center, the more they run out one from another.
III. To Apply this, What are we to be inform'd of, and exhorted to?
I. Ʋſe, Information.
1. If our Obedience be excited by the Love of God, then the Love of God prevents our Obedinence. If we did firſt give to God, he is able infinitely to recompence it again, above what we can think; but who is it that hath firſt given unto him? Rom. 11.35. There is not one whoſe Heart God hath touched, that will dare to pretend it. We do not commend our ſelves to God, but God manifeſts himſelf to us. The Love of God was not purchas'd even by the Obedience of Chriſt, much leſs by ours, 1 John 4.10. Herein is Love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and ſent his Son to be the Propitiation for our Sins. The ſending of the Son was the Effect of the Father's Love; and therefore the Son's coming could not be the Cauſe of it. How then can we procure what Chriſt did not? His Love is not beſtow'd upon us for our Service, but is the incentive to it.
2. 'Tis blaſphemy againſt the Love of God to reproach is with being the Parent or Nurſe of carnal Security. They that have the Kingdneſs of God in their Eye, can take no Encouragement from thence to ſet any wicked Thing before them; for Sin tends to Cloud that Light, wherein we rejoyce. If God be well pleaſed with us, it lays the greater Engagement upon us to walk worthy of him. How abſurd is it to ſay, that when God communicates his Thoughts of Peace, the Soul is embolden'd to new Acts of Treaſon? As if Men ſhould lay aſide the Fear of God, becauſe the Secret of the Lord is with them that fear him? Pſalm 25.14. Or as if the Spirit of Adoption took Men off from Obedience to God, when they are call'd to be Followers of him as dear Children, Eph. 5.1.
3. They that by looſe and diſorderly Practices give any occaſion to ſuch Blaſphemers, have a great deal of Sin to anſwer for, beſides their own. If any of us Cauſe this way of Truth, to be evil ſpoken of, we bring the guilt of thoſe Calumnies upon our ſelves. It will be an heavy load to a tender Conſcience, if ſound Doctrine is arraign'd through our unmortified Corruption. How do we wrong the Purity of the Goſpel, when we turn the Grace of our God into laſciviouſneſs! For the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation, teacheth us the contrary, Tis. 2.11, 12. What is this, but to change the Glory of God into an Image made like to unclean Spirits! Wo to thoſe Libertines, by whom this offence cometh! What Jealouſie and Rage does that Adultereſs deſerve, who impudently abuſes her Huſband's Love?
4. The Grace of God in us is a comforting Evidence of his Love to us. Though Holy Walking is no Foundation for Truſt, we may reflect upon it as a Token for good. 'Tis ſaid of the way of Holineſs, that the redeemed ſhall walk there, Iſa. 35.8, 9. as Mary Magdalen's Pardon is concluded from her Affection, ſo if God enables us to make ſtraight Paths for our Feet, 'tis a ſign that he hath ſet his Heart upon us. As all Obedience iſſues from the Spirit, ſo the Gift of that Spirit is a Teſtimony of peculiar Favour, Ezek. 39.29. Neither will I hide my Face any more from them, for I have poured out my Spirit, &c.
5. A denial of the poſſibility of Aſſurance is injurious to Holineſs. The firſt and beſt Chriſtians were ſuch as could ſay, we have known and believed the Love which God hath to us, 1 John 4.16. And they that have had the ſame Spirit of Faith, have always approved themſelves the greateſt Saints in all ſucceeding Times; but to ſay, that this their belief was a Deluſion, is in effect to ſay that all their Religion was a Cheat too, which in this more degenerate Age is hardly to be matcht. To ſtake Men down to uncertain ſuſpended waverings about their Intereſt in the Love of God, is to deſtroy the moſt quickening Motive to Obedience.
6. The Chriſtian Life is as far from being uncomfortable, as from being irregular. What greater Pleaſure can there be, than to be conſtantly influenc'd by the Love of God to the Service of God? A dull and ſowre Complexion does not belong to real Chriſtianity, Pſalm 97.11. Light is ſown for the Righteous, and Gladneſs for the upright in Heart. Though Cain's Countenance fall, Abel's Race may lift up their Heads. If there be any Conſolation in Chriſt, they that are his, have reaſon to rejoyce; and what more ſure, than that there is all in him, and none out of him? He hath a Chariet of Gold paved with Love, for the Daughters of Jeruſalem, Song 3.10. What ſo delightful, as to go up and fit with him in that Chariot?
II. Exhortation.
1. Think not only on the Love of God in general, but on the moſt affecting Properties of it in Particular. Such as
1. Its Antiquity. God loved us from Eternity, before we were, and before the World was; and there have been Early diſcoveries of it; there is the Love of God to us in our Childhood, Hoſ. 11.1. And his Kindneſs in our Youth, Jer. 2.2. Which are both Seaſons of Vanity. The Loving Kindneſſes of God are not of Yeſterday, but of very ancient Date; They have been ever of Old, Pſalm 25.6.
2. Its Freeneſs, according to the Tenor of his Promiſe, Hoſ. 14.4. His Love is the Reaſon of it ſelf; He loves, becauſe he loves, Deut. 7.7, 8. And it muſt needs be ſo, if we conſider what unamiable Creatures we are. God bids us to love our Enemies, and he himſelf is the great Example of it. He loves our Perſons, when he hates our Enmity.
3. Its enlargedneſs. He ſhews Loving Kindneſs to Thouſands, Jer. 32.18. And he Crowns every one of thoſe Thouſands with it, Pſalm 103.4. He hath many Objects to let it out unto, and every one of theſe Objects ſtands in need of multiplied Acts; yet the Fountain of Mercy overflows to all, and remains ſtill full.
4. Its Stability. 'Tis unmovable and Everlaſting, Iſa. 54.8. No Creature can ſeparate us from it. The Anger of God is tranſient, Iſa. 12.1. But his Love is permanent. The Time will come, when God will be Angry no more; but the Time will never come, when he will be favourable no more. Let your Faith feed upon theſe Thing.
2. Beware of renouncing your ſhare in that Grace which God hath encourag'd you to claim. Refuſal of Divine Comforts is a Sin, as well as Diſobedience to Holy Motions.'Tis almoſt a fundamental Miſtake (ſays Dr. Sibbes) to think that God delights in ſlaviſh Fears. 'Tis a very unpleaſing Thing to him, to have his Kindneſs call'd into Queſtion, Mal. 1.2. I have loved you ſaith the Lord, yet you ſay, wherein haſt thou loved us? Therefore give not Place to the Devil, nor the unbelieving Suggeſtions of your own Hearts.
3. Attend to the Love-viſits of Chriſt, and thankfully receive them. The Spouſe ſmarted by grievous Doſertion, fro delaying to open to Chriſt when he knockt at her Door, Song 5.1, — 6. When our Beloved comes into his Garden, we muſt not neglect the holding of converſe with him. We may loſe him a great while, if we put by ſuch an Opportunity once.
4. Avoid all Confidence in the Fleſh, as a fatal hinderance to ſpiritual Joy. No wonder, if we hear God ſay, I have n delight in you, when we have fond Conceits of our own Performances. That Houſe which ſtands upon the weak Foundation of a perſonal Righteouſneſs muſt needs be ſhaken with perpetual Doubts, and the fall of it at laſt will be great. We might Fear every Day, the Heart of God being turned to hate his People, if their Hopes of abiding in Favour with him were built upon the beſt of their Duties.
5. Take heed of ſpotting your Garments with the Fleſh, after God hath been ſpreading his Skirt over you. Sinning againſt Love and Light at once, is a double Aggravation. It was a foul blot upon Solomon, That his Heart was turned from the Lord God of Iſrael, who had appeared unto him twice, 1 Kings 11.9. 'Tis reaſonable to expect that you ſhould not defile your ſelves any more with your deteſtable Things, Ezek. 37.23. If any part of your Walk be contrary to God, 'tis worſe, than if the whole Walk of other Men be ſo
6. As you deſire an increaſe of Comfort, make daily progreſs in a courſe of Obedience. If you covet a greater fulneſs of Joy, labour after an higher Exerciſe of Grace. God required more exactneſs in the Services of the Jews, when they were come to their reſt in Canaan, than when they were harraſs'd in the Wilderneſs, Deut. 12.8, 9. So you who look for extraordinary Love tokens from God, muſt remember, that he calls for great Improvements from you. An abundant entrance into the Kingdom of Chriſt is miniſtred to Believers in a way of unwearied Diligence, 2 Pet. 1.11, with 5. The more ground we get, and the further we advance, the greater likelihood there is of meeting with more of God.