Forty-Five Sermons Upon Psalm 130, Sermon 35
SERMON XXXV.
Pſalm 130. Verſe 7. Let Iſrael hope in the Lord, for, &c.
THE Pſalmiſt, as ye have heard, when he ſees through his own wreſtling, he cannot, will not be but publick-minded to the Lord's Iſrael; and if he hath gotten any good in wreſtling with God under difficulties, guilt and delays of comfort or iſſue, the very good he hath gotten, enlargeth his heart, and makes him publick-minded towards others; and what ever be the hight of his own enlargement, he doth not forget, that Faith and Hope will be ſtill neceſſary; neither doth he forget, that there is a conſtant warrand for Faith and Hope in God, and that they are of ſo univerſal and conſtant uſe; and what-ever others may think of that exerciſe, or whatever it might be he himſelf thought of it, when he was in the midſt of the trial, yet he now in his practice makes it out, that theſe who try Faith and Hope moſt, will eſteem them moſt, and will be moſt confident in recommending them to all others of the Lords people.
That which now I am upon, is the conſideration of the perſons to whom hope in God is recommended, it is to Iſrael, whether we take them Collectively or Diſtributively, one by one; ye have heard that hope in God is the common allowance of all the people of God: Not only is Iſrael a ſociety, that may ſtill hope, however matters go, or what-ever their caſe be, but hope in God, according to the nature and tenor of the promiſes, is the common allowance of all and every one of them; and in purſuance of this, I broke in upon that great point, and our duty, that ſeing however hope be the cōmon allowance of all & every one of Iſrael, yet it is their allowance only who are Iſraelites indeed. Therefore theſe that would claim to that allowance of hope in God, they would make it ſure that they are Iſraelites indeed, that though they be not all Iſrael that are of Iſrael, yet that they are Iſraelites in the ſpirit, though not in the letter, whoſe praiſe is not of men, but of God. And forbearing to ſpeak abſtractly of the marks of regeneration, I offered two things to be ſpoken to, for clearing up who they are who are Iſraelites indeed, and may claim to this allowance. One is, the occaſion of Jacob's getting this name of Iſrael, when he was with God in Prayer; to which I have ſpoken, and led you through ſome Characters of Iſraelites indeed, who have ground of hope in God, which I gathered from his Prayers.
Now I am to touch a little upon that other thing I propoſed to be ſpoken unto, to find out theſe Iſraelites, to whom hope in God belongs, and that is the Character given to them by way of Explication, who they are, Pſal. 73.1. Truly God is good to Iſrael, and who are there? Even ſuch as are of a clean heart. I ſhall not offer to make any common place of this, but in reference to my ſcope in following forth this point, as ye heard the laſt day, that the Iſraelite indeed is a praying man; ſo ye would take a look here of an Iſraelite indeed: Firſt, as a ſelf-purifying man, one that purifies his heart. An Iſraelite indeed, his great work is about his heart, he is one that deſires to look as God doth, 1 Sam. 16.7. Man looketh on the outward appearance, but God looketh on the heart; and ſo doth the Iſraelite indeed, he deſires to have that Character, Rom. 2.28.— Not to be a Jew outwardly, or to have that circumciſion or baptiſm which is outward in the fleſh; but to be a Jew or Chriſtian inwardly, and to have that circumciſion and baptiſm of the heart, to be one in the spirit, and not in the letter, to be one, whoſe praiſe is not of men, but of God. An Iſraelite indeed, is one whoſe great ſtudy is, to keep the heart with all diligence, as Solomon enjoyns, Prov. 4.33. for out of it are the iſsues of life.
2. A true Iſraelite in looking after his heart, is a man that finds very much pollution there, and that needs to be cleanſed and purged. He is a man that the further he goes in ſearching after himſelf, he finds ſtill the greater and the greater abominations. He is a man, that though he bleſs God (as he hath reaſon) that he is kept from outward out-breakings; yet when he looks within himſelf, he never wants that which makes him humble, and to carry a low Sail, ſo long as he finds his heart a Cage of unclean Birds. He is a man in whoſe ears doth ſound aloud that word which ye have Jer. 4.14. O Jeruſalem, waſh thine heart from wickedneſs, that thou mayest be ſaved, how long ſhall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee? He is one that abom…nats, and is ſenſible of the manifold pollutions of his heart, not only upon the account of the many and groſs evils that he finds there, of the ſuſpitions of hypocriſie and formality in the performance of duties, that he is afraid he pleaſe himſelf with; or on this account, that his heart ſhould be Gods Throne, and kept at the Brides Chamber for the Beloved, and he finds it no ſuch thing; but further upon this account and conſideration, that he finds his heart can act more wickedneſs in a ſhort time, than many bodies could commit for a long time.
3. The ſenſe that the Iſraelite indeed hath of his heart-pollutions, appears in his endeavours to be cleanſed from them, that he may have his heart waſhed from wickedneſs: He is a man that will not pay God with a ſighing and going backward; he is not ſatisfied, that his pollutions he knows them, and his uncleanneſſes are with him: No, no, he muſt be further benn, nothing but boſomewaſhing, heart-cleanſing will ſatisfy, and he muſt be ſet ſeriouſly on work to that; and whereas other folk take their Faith, their Hope and Confidence to play them with, all the ſtock that he hath of Faith, Hope and Confidence, or that he can win to, he puts it out to help to purge his heart, according to that word, Act. 19.5. Purifying their hearts by faith. It not only imports that the Iſraelite indeed finds, that there is no way of purging he heart, but by Faith in Chriſt. But further, if he get any Faith, he ſets it on work to purifie his heart. And 1 Joh. 3.3. He that hath this hope in him, purifieth himſelf, even as he is pure. If he get any hope of being made like Chriſt, his ſenſe of the pollution of his heart is ſuch, that it ſets him on work to purify the heart.
4. This endeavour of a true Iſraelite will not be altogether in vain, and without ſucceſs, but he may win, through grace, to be of a clean heart, as the Pſalmiſt ſuppones, although he win not to perfection, yet he may win to that commended in Nathanael, Joh. 1.7. Behold an Iſraelite indeed, in whom is no guile: Do not underſtand it, that there is any Iſraelite that hath not the ſeeds of hypocriſie and guile, But he is an Iſraelite indeed, that hath not approved of predomining, or reigning guile and hypocriſie, and that may be win at, which I ſpeak for their encouragment who are true Iſraelites.
And 5. This ſenſe of inward pollution, and endeavour to purify the heart, through the exerciſe of Faith in Chriſt, it will appear in the outward converſation; if a man be an Iſraelite indeed, in whom there is no approven guile, that muſt accompany him which ye have, Gal. 6.16. He muſt be a man that walks according to the Rule of the new Creature.
Now theſe are ſome brief hints, which I have given you of the Characters of an Iſraelite indeed; but when I have minted thus to decipher him, I have not done with this point, it's a concerning point indeed, to make it ſure that ye are true Iſraelites, who may lay claim to hope in God: And therefore I would preſs it a little further, in the doing of which, if I ſhould offer to you motives from what I ſaid before, of Iſraels having ſtill ground of hope in God, I ſhould run in a round, and come back upon that which ye have heard; and therefore to preſs it another way, I ſhall preſs you to conſider what is ſaid of the Iſrael of God, which may help to ſtir you up to make it ſure that ye are of that number, that have ground of hope in God. I find in that fore-cited place, Gal. 6.16. Mercy and peace to be to their allowance, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon all the Iſrael of God; mercy for their miſeries, and peace for their diſquiets and vexations. And I find it ſaid, Pſal. 73.1. That truly God is good to Iſraels It is beyond all peradventure, that he is good to them, which goodneſs is a ſolid ground of hope in all exigencies, that it ſhall be well with Iſrael. And to preſs this motive, if the Lord may pleaſe to bleſs it for your quickening and up-ſtirring, to make it ſure ye are of that number, and ſo have good ground to hope in God, I ſhall deduce this goodneſs of God to Iſrael in three or four ſteps only.
And 1. In the general conſider, that the goodneſs of God to his people, is unqueſtionably ſo great, and ſo ſatisfying, that were it well known, it could not but rationally invite all to ſhare in it, by becoming true Iſraelites. I may ſay of Gods goodneſs to Iſrael, as Chriſt ſaid to that woman of Samaria, Joh. 4.10. If thou kneweſt the gift of God, and who it is that ſaith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldſt have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. If folk knew this goodneſs, they would need no other motive to excite them to be Iſraelites, that they might ſhare in it. That is remarkable which we find of it, Jer. 31.12. They ſhall come and ſing in the hight of Zion, and ſhall flow together to the goodneſs of the Lord, for wheat, and wine, and for oyl, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their ſoul ſhall be as a watered garden, and they ſhall not ſorrow any more at all. What a refreſhful ſatisfying thing muſt the goodneſs of God be, that hath ſuch effects: And verſ. 14. I will ſatiate the ſoul of the prieſts with fatneſs, and my people ſhall be ſatisfied with my goodneſs, ſaith the Lord. It's beyond all peradventure, that the goodneſs of God to his Iſrael, is ſo ſatisfying and ſatiating, that it hath not a ſlighter, but he that is ignorant of it; were it known, mens reaſon would tell them that they were irrational, if they ſhould not ſeek to ſhare in it.
But 2. For your exciting to enquire after it in general, ye would conſider, that it is a goodneſs whereof little account can be given, but by experience; there is no deſcribing of it, but by feeling of it. David when he is overcome with it, Pſal. 34.8. ſays, O taste and ſee that the Lord is good, bleſſed is the man that truſts in him. A man muſt experimentally taſte of, before he can ſee this goodneſs of God as it is: And we find, 1 Pet. 2.23. the Apoſtle lays a great ſtreſs on this, that no man as a new born babe can deſire the ſincere milk of the word, that he may grow thereby, but he that hath taſted that the Lord is gracious. If one ſhould enquire, what is all this goodneſs of God that ſhould invite me to make it ſure, that I am an Iſraelite, that I may ſhare in it? There is no anſwer comparable to this, Taſte and ſee that the Lord is good: Speak of it to a ſtranger to it, in experience he cannot take it up; Prov. 14.10. The heart knoweth its own bitterneſs, and a ſtranger doth not intermedle with his joy. The world knows not what is betwixt God and his people, either in their ups or downs: And if it be thought, that theſe who have taſted of this goodneſs, can give an account of it, ye will find them profeſs, that the hight of the account they can give of it, is to ſit down and wonder at it, to admire it, as being ſurcharged and overcome with it. What ſaith David of it, Pſal. 36.7, 8. How excellent is thy loving kindneſs, O Lord! therefore the children of men put their truſt under the ſhadow of thy wings. They ſhall be abundantly ſatiſfied with the fatneſs of thy houſe, and thou ſhalt make them drink of the river of thy pl…aſure. And Pſal. 31.19. O how great is thy goodneſs, which thou haſt laid up for them that fear thee! &c. He wonders at it, as being overcome with it, but he cannot well make language of that which he feels of Gods goodneſs to Iſrael; ſo that experience is the only ſit mean, to bring folk to know and take up how good God is.
But yet 3. The Scripture is not wanting to give ſuch hints of it, as we are capable of, and ſuch as may tell us, that it is a matchleſs goodneſs; I ſhall not offer to enter upon this deep, to ſpeak of all the goodneſs and kindneſs of God to Iſrael, from Election to Converſion, from Converſion to Glorification. To eſſay to find out or fathom this Ocean, were to loſe our ſelves in this Subject. There are three general words, which if we would ponder, might give ſome hints of this matchleſs goodneſs of God to his people: As 1. That in an appropriated and peculiar ſenſe, it is ſaid, That God is good to Iſrael: Is he good to none elſe? Yes, Pſal. 145.9 The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works, Pſal 104.24. The earth is full of his riches. Pſal. 33 5. The earth is full of his goodneſs; yet notwithſtanding all that goodneſs to all his creatures, it is ſaid in an appropriat and peculiar ſenſe, Truly God is good to Iſrael. It's a goodneſs indeed, a goodneſs by it ſelf; whence I infer, that if the common goodneſs of God to all (which being compared with his peculiar goodneſs to Iſrael, doth ſcarce deſerve that name) be ſo rich and full, how rich and full muſt that his appropriat and peculiar goodneſs to his choſen people be? If the crumbs caſt to the dogs, and caſt to them in wrath, be ſo plentiful, what muſt the covered Table of his goodneſs to his children be? If the common out-Paſture be ſo rank and fat, what muſt the Incloſure be? If his common communications be ſuch a goodneſs, what a goodneſs is that, and what are theſe ſpecial communications, that are reſerved for the Chambers? O! When thou ſees the men of this world glutting themſelves with Gods common goodneſs, and bleſſing themſelves in it, as being ſo rich and ſatisfying to them, wilt thou then conſider how much more rich and ſatisfying muſt his peculiar and Chamber-goodneſs be? that kindneſs muſt be a far other thing.
A 2d thing that may offer ſome account of this goodneſs, I take from the various names it gets in Scriptu;e; that one Attribute of the goodneſs of God, which ye have in your Catechiſm, comprehends ſeveral under it, or it may undergo ſeveral notions of this goodneſs of God, in reference to the ſeveral caſes of the children of men; conſider, it's called goodneſs, it's all good; and therefore all that thou an Iſraelite meets with in thy way homeward, thou may write upon it, This ſhall work together for my good, Rom. 8.28. We know, &c. Thou mayeſt ſay, as Pſal. 23.6. Surely goodneſs and mercy ſhall follow me all the days of my life. Thou may ſay, as Pſal. 119.68. Thou art good, and doſt good, and therefore he will do good to thee. Thou may ſay, It is good for me that I was afflicted. That is one bleſt hint of the goodneſs of God to Iſrael, that what ever an Iſraelite meets with, it is goodneſs, or it hath goodneſs written upon it. Again, this goodneſs is called his love, Jer, 31.3. I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with loving kindneſs have I drawn thee. It is called love, to make ſure the former, that he will do nothing to his people, but that which is good for them, becauſe his love cannot endure to hurt them. Who can expect any thing from love, but that which is good. And love, becauſe he will reſt in his love, Zeph. 3.17. Love, that when any thing would interpoſe to interrupt it to Iſrael, will not hear tell of it, he will reſt in his love: he hath loved them, and will love them ſtill. Again, becauſe an Iſraelite hath no price to purchaſe goodneſs, when he needs it, therefore goodneſs is called grace, upon the account of his freedom, that all the goodneſs he communicats to his Iſrael, it ſhall be without money, and without price: That if an Iſraelite has no price, and conſequently has nothing to give for it, he hath to do with one, that can take no price, but communicats his goodneſs freely. And further, if thou be one that art not only worthleſs, and haſt no price, but thou art ſuch an one, as art lying low in miſery, haſt none to have pity on thee, or bemoan thee, or to turn aſide to aſk how thou doſt? His goodneſs is mercy, with a relation to thy miſery, to conſider thy trouble, to know thy ſoul in adverſities, Pſal. 31.7. To remember thee in thy low eſtate, Pſal. 136.23. To ſit down beſide thee, and to ſtoop to the very duſt unto thee, that's his goodneſs. And I ſhall add further, for finding out of this goodneſs, that if thou who art an Iſraelite, be vexed with thy own waywardneſs, untractablneſs, what will then the goodneſs of God do unto thee in that caſe? The goodneſs of God to thee in that caſe, is patience & long-ſuffering, to wait long upon a peeviſh Iſraelite, to ſuffer his manners in the Wilderneſs, not to chide with thee continually, nor to retain anger for ever, but to ſee thy ways, and heal thee, Iſai. 57.17. in Further, if thou be one that is not only wayward, but hath provocked him to ſtrike thee with the rod, what will goodneſs do to thee then? I ſhall not reſume what I ſaid before, that Pſal. 119.71. It is good for thee that thou art afflicted; but in that caſe, the goodneſs of God ſhall be clemency and moderation to thee, to puniſh thee leſs than thy iniquities deſerve, Ezra 9.13. When thy luxuriant branches of corruption ſhoot forth, to debate with thee in meaſure, to ſtay his rough wind in the day of his eaſt-wind, Iſai. 27.8. He ſhall exerciſe ſuch clemency and moderation towards thee, that ſhall be admired and wondred at by thee, when thou gets a right look of it. Thus, as the common goodneſs of God to all, is one ſtep to lift thee up to the conſideration of his appropriat and peculiar goodneſs to his people, ſo the many notes put upon his peculiar goodneſs, or the many ſhapes (if I may ſo term it) wherein it turns it ſelf unto thee, of goodneſs, love, grace, mercy, patience, long-ſuffering, clemency, and moderation; how do theſe ſet forth how good God is to Iſrael, and to thee who art one of them. There is yet a 3d hint of this goodneſs, which may be taken up more particularly, in reference to Iſraels various caſes. And there's a 4th general word to be ſaid of it, that it is no complement, but a real goodneſs; both which I leave till the Afternoon. God bleſs what ye have heard, for Chriſts ſake.