Forty-Five Sermons Upon Psalm 130, Sermon 37
SERMON XXXVII.
Pſalm 130. Verſe 7, 8. Let Iſrael hope in the Lord, for, &c.
YOU heard that theſe two Verſes do contain the ſecond part of the Pſalm, wherein, after that the Pſalmiſt in the firſt 6 Verſes, hath been wreſtling, partly with plunging perplexities, repreſented under the notion of Depths, verſ. 1.2. Partly with the Conſcience of guilt, verſes 3.4. And partly with the delays of comfort and an outgate, verſes 5.6. After that, I ſay, the Pſalmiſt comes to get ſome iſſue and outgate, whereof he giveth not a direct and expreſs account, but any good he hath gotten, he preſently makes it appear in good news to Iſrael, he hath an exhortation to them, to hope in the Lord, and hath Motives and Arguments preſſing his Exhortation, which are taken partly from what is in God, to the behove of his Iſrael, For with the Lord there is mercy, &c. And partly from what he will let forth of this for their good and behove; not only is mercy and plenteous redemption with him, but he ſhall redeem Iſrael from all his iniquities. For the Exhortation, I ſpoke to it at length. And at the laſt occaſion I brake in upon the Motives. The Inſtructions to be gathered from which, I reduced to two general Heads. 1. Something ſuppoſed concerning them that are put to hope, and allowed to hope in God. And 2. Something propoſed concerning ſuch as are called and allowed to hope, and as a ground to their hope. For the firſt, That which is ſuppoſed in the Words, it may again be reduced to theſe two Heads of Doctrine; 1. That the man called and allowed to hope in God, is one that is acquainted with miſery in himſelf, and is put to look out to what is in God, or with him to do his turn: For with the Lord there is mercy. That there is mercy with God, implys, That the man that is called, and allowed to hope in God, is in himſelf miſerable, and put to look out to God for mercy; and ſo it is one of the bleſſed and ſure characters of a perſon that is called, and allowed to hope in God, that he is kept humble, not conceity, nor dreaming of any good in himſelf, and the nearer he be to the duſt, he hath the more warrand to hope; for the man that ſpears the right gate to hope, is he that Lam. 3.29. Puts his mouth in the duſt, if ſo be there may be hope; he creeps low in the duſt to ſeek encouragement to hope; and the man that is called to live by Faith, is oppoſed to the man whoſe ſoul is lifted up in him, and conſequently to the man whoſe heart is not upright in him, Hab. 2.4. And further, the man that is called to hope, and allowed to hope, in the humbling ſenſe of his miſery; he is put to look without himſelf, to what is in God, or with God for him; he is called to hope on the account of mercy, in relation to his miſery. It intimats, that the humble ſenſible man, the Iſrael of God, can never be undone, ſo long as God is to the fore, and there is enough in him to do his turn, though he be miſerable, and wants that he ſtands in need of; yet if it be in God, he ſhall not want: If mercy be in, and with God, he is made up in the midſt of his miſery. To this I have ſpoken already, and ſhall not repeat.
I proceed to the ſecond Obſervation, implyed in that which is ſuppoſed, concerning the man that is put to hope, and warranted to hope in God, That not only is he ſimply miſerable, and needing mercy, but he is under ſuch a bondage of ſin and miſery, as he cannot extricat himſelf out of it, except God interpoſe; He needs not only mercy in God, but redemption, and plenteous redemption in God, to rid him out of theſe bonds, wherein he is fettered and bound, and out of which he is not able to deliver himſelf; Although the conſideration of ſin will come in to be ſpoken to on the next Obſervation by it ſelf, yet I ſhall on this touch a little in general, both on the bondage of ſin and miſery, under which the Iſrael of God are ſupponed to be lying. As for ſin, all men by nature are bound ſlaves to it, they are hurried away with every impetuous blaſt of temptation, that blows upon their corruption; but it is the Iſrael of God that are called and allowed to hope in God, that feel this bondage. Hence the Apoſtle, (Rom. 7.19.) ſaith, The good that I would, I do not; but the evil that I would not, that I do: And he finds a law in his members warring againſt the law of his mind, leading him captive to the law of ſin; on which account, he crys out, O wretched man that I am! who ſhall deliver me from this body of death? There is a captivity indeed under ſin, and he tells the Galatians, Chap. 5.17. That the fleſh luſteth againſt the ſpirit, and the ſpirit againſt the fleſh, and theſe two are contrary, one to another, ſo that they cannot do the things they would. So the Iſrael of God are under a bondage of ſin, when they would do good (as the ſame Apoſtle hath it) ill is preſent with them. And for the bondage of their miſery, the Scripture is ſo full anent it, and the experience of the Saints ſo amply confirms it, that it is needleſs to ſtand on particular proofs and inſtances of it: How often are they put to that, Pſal. 107.11. Becauſe they rebelled, therefore he brought down their heart with ſorrow and labour, they fell and there was none to help.
In the Application of this, I ſhall ſpeak a word, firſt to the wicked and ungodly, and then to Gods Iſrael, who are called and allowed to hope in him, notwithſtanding this bondage they are under: For the firſt, to wit, the wicked, They would from this look on it as a ſad character, to know little, and be as little ſenſible of their bondage through ſin and miſery. They look on a licentious way of living in ſin, when they have eyes full of adultery, and that cannot ceaſe from ſin, as it is, 2 Pet. 2.14. When ſin reigns in their mortal bodies, and they obey it in the luſts thereof, and they yield their members as inſtruments of unrighteouſneſs unto ſin, Rom. 6.12. When they give themſelves up to work all uncleanneſs with greedineſs, Epheſ. 4.19. They look upon that as their liberty, and they are never out of bonds, except when they are glutting themſelves with ſin, they ſl…ep not except they do ill. O! that ſuch knew what a madneſ, and diſtraction they are under, while they glory in their chains, as if a madman ſhould glory in his fetters; look to it, aſſure thy ſelf thou ſhalt find ſin to be a bondage, and need of looking to God for Redemption from it, ere thou have a warrand to hope in God. And for the other Branch of this Bondage, Miſery and Trouble, I cannot tell you how many ways wicked men wander in, ere they ſtand in need of Redemption out of it from God, Only I would lead you in a few ſteps of their ill improvement of the miſery they are under through ſin. In one or mo of which, the generality may read their Portraict. And 1. It is the wickeds firſt ſe… hand to ſecure themſelves againſt all apprehenſions of trouble or miſery; the ſong they would fain eſſay to ſing, is that, Pſal. 10.6. They have ſaid in their heart, they ſhall not be moved; for they ſhall never be in adverſity, and for that end they foſter their atheiſm, and deny a Providence: Would ye have a character of wicked mens firſt eſſay, ye will find it, Ezek. 8.12. and 9.9. The Lord ſeeth not, the Lord hath forſaken the earth; When they would commit all abominations, this is their cordial againſt miſery, Zeph. 1.12. They are ſettled on their lies, they ſay in their heart, the Lord will neither do good nor evil. They neither fear him nor his Providence.
But a 2d. ſtep is this, if they pretend to owne a Deity, and acknowledge a Providence, they will admit of no intimation of any diſpleaſure from God againſt them, or their way, do what they will: If ye would waken a quarrel, and make them your enemy, tell them God is angry with them for their ſins, and will be about with them, they will be about with you; they dow not endure to be told of their faults, or of God's wrath and anger; I cannot give you this ſtep more diſtinctly, than in that, Jer. 5.12. When the Prophets ſpoke to them the word of the Lord, they would not let it light, that it was God's minde; They have belied the Lord (ſaith he) and ſaid, it was not he, neither ſhall evil come on us, neither ſhall we ſee ſword or famine; What will ye then do with the Prophets, that ſay the contrary? verſe 13. The Prophets ſhall become wind, and the word is not in them: Thus ſhall it be done to them, they will be in their tops, as wronging God, that tell them of Judgement for their ſins. A 3d ſtep of their wandring, if all this do not the turn, if God fulfil the words of his Servant, they have yet another fend, and it is to grow as ſtupid and ſenſeleſs, as they can make themſelves under vengeance; this ye find deduced, Iſai. 42.25. The Lord hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the ſtrength of battel, and it hath ſet him on fire round about, yet he knew it not; it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart: And Hoſ. 7.9. As the reſult of many a debauſht rant, from the beginning of the Chapter, Ephraim is ſmitten with ſtupidity, ſtrangers have devoured his ſtrength, and he knows it not; yea, gray hairs are here and there on him, yet he knows not: When vengeance cannot be holden off, the next ſanctuary is ſtupidity. But 4 If ſtupidity will not do the turn, but God will ſmite, and they muſt find it, they will put on a hight and greatneſs of ſpirit, that if any breach come, they will repair it, Iſai. 9.9. There is a generation that ſay in the pride and ſtoutneſs of their heart, the bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewen ſtones; The ſycamores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars, when they cannot avoid the feeling of Gods ſtroke, they will ſet to it to make it up. A 5th ſtep of their abuſing, or woful improvement of their miſery and bondage is, if they find that what God hath built, God will throw down, (as it is, Mal. 1.4. They will run away to their carnal dreams and confidence, that God will owne them, as Jer. 12.4. When great calamity comes upon them, on this very account, they ſay, He may well ſhore, he will not lay on, or if he lay on, he will not ſee us ruined, he will not ſee our laſt …nd. There is yet a 6th ſtep, when all their eſſays miſgive upon their hand; inſtead of taking themſelves to the waiting mans poſture, to look up to God in the ſenſe of their miſery for redemption, they turn deſperat and hopeleſs, their high flowen carnal expectations, reſolves in deſperation, Jer. 2.25. Thou ſaid there is no hope, no, for I have loved ſtrangers, and after them will I go. And Jer. 18.12. They ſaid there is no hope, but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart; Their hopes that God will ſpare, reſolves in deſperat hopeleſneſs in the iſſue, like theſe whom Iſai. 22.12. The Lord calls to weeping and mourning, to baldneſs and girding with ſackcloth; They give themſelves to joy and gladneſs, ſlaying oxen, &c. ſaying, Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we ſhall die. All theſe ſteps of the wickeds wandring, I have laid before you, that in a brief view, ye may ſee the ſinful byaſſes of folks hearts in their woful way of improving the bondage and miſery they are under, that any of you who are delivered from it, may bleſs God and be thankful to him, and may mourn over them that are walking in any of their rods, or over their precipieces.
But I ſaid, I had alſo ſomewhat to ſay to the Iſrael of God, that are called to hope in God, and allowed and warranted to hope in him, and ſhall briefly touch three or four ſhort words to them.
1. When an Iſraelite of God is broght under bondage, from which by no means he can extricat himſelf, but needs redemption from God, he is bound to conſider and reflect on the way how he came there: This is the firſt thing he would think on, how he has ſold himſelf into that bondage, Iſai. 50.1. Thus ſaith the Lord, where is the bill of your mothers divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to which I have ſold you? Behold for your iniquities have ye ſold your ſelves, and for your tranſgreſſions is your mother put away. It is a very uſeful and profitable meditation for them, that find the yoke of their tranſgreſſions wreathed about their neck, to ſit down and conſider how they came thither, how, either by giving way to temptation, preſenting baits to them, have taught it to be their captain, and given it the maſtery over them? or how by their folly and provocations, they have wreathed that yoke on themſelves, from which they cannot rid themſelves, nor get leave to walk haughtily.
2. An Iſraelite is then called to conſider the holy hand of God, in making him feel the bitter fruit of his folly, in this his bondage. Many not only give way to temptations of ſin, but delight in it, and God leaves them under the power of it till they lament that their folly; and therefore when we are under bonds, we would reflect, not only on the bringing of our ſelves in that bondage; but on our delighting in theſe ſins that procured it.
3. The ſcope of the Point leads me to preſs this, that when an Iſraelite is in miſery, and finds the hand of God purſuing him, he would take another look of things, than to look upon them as inſuperable, though he cannot expede himſelf; yet with God there is redemption, when thou haſt eſſayed to ſhake off the yoke of thy tranſgreſſions, that thou haſt wreathed on thy own neck, and haſt laboured in the very fire, and wearied thy ſelf for very vanity, as the word is, Hab. 2.13. Sit not down hopeleſs, look not on thy caſe, as not only deplorable, but deſperat, call not thy wound grievous, and thy bruiſe incurable, for with God there is plenteous redemption to break theſe bonds, that to thee are inſuperable. Only remember in the 4th place, that thou take the right way to an out-gate; thy bonds will ſit faſt by thee, not only till thou reſent thy folly, in drawing them on, but till thou run to him to ſet thee at liberty; the language of all thy bondage, and the bonds wherewith thou haſt bound thy ſelf, thou may take up in that, Pſal. 107.13. when he brought down their heart with labour, and there was none to help; then they cryed to the Lord in their trouble, and he ſaved them out of their diſtreſſes; Thou art brought in bondage through thy folly, thou uſes means to be out of it, but thy difficulties continue inſuperable, every eſſay thou makes to be quit of them, miſcarries; but ſee that it be not becauſe thou art not at the right door with them, no marvail they continue till thou come to him, with whom is plenteous redemption. So much for the 2d Point, That the man put and allowed to hope in God, is under ſuch a bondage of ſin and miſery, as he cannot extricat himſelf out of it, till God interpoſe and redeem him.
The 3d Obſervation implyed in that which is ſuppoſed here, anent hopers in God, is that of all bondage and ſlavery, the bondage of ſin is the greateſt to the Iſrael of God, to the man that is called and allowed to hope in God. On this account it is, that the Pſalmiſt doth not content himſelf, to ſay, There is plenteous redemption with God in the general; but there muſt be a particular Promiſe ſubjoined, That he ſhall redeem Iſrael from all his Iniquities. That there be redemption in and with God, will not content an Iſraelite, except there be in it a redemption from ſin; becauſe redemption from ſin is Iſrael's great buſineſs and affair, I ſhall not need to confirm the truth of this, either from Scripture proofs or inſtances, where we find the Saints eſpecially troubled with ſin; amongſt the croud of their exerciſes, ſin hath been their great exerciſe. Nor ſhall I need to ſtand to give reaſons of the Point, as that ſin is the greateſt evil, the fountain whence all our miſery and bondage flows; and they that ſeek relief from their bondage, without ſeeking redemption from ſin, are like theſe that ſeek to dry up the ſtream, miskenning the fountain. But paſſing theſe, I ſhall ſpeak a word, firſt in general, and then in particular, to the Iſrael of God, how ſin is taken up by an Iſraelite, in a right frame, as the greateſt bondage and ſlavery.
In general, I recommend more conſcience making of ſin, and more exerciſe about ſin, a thing, I fear, little in practice amongſt the generality; ye will get men in times of difficulty, with their hands on their loins, having pangs, and crying out, as a woman in travail, by reaſon of affliction, who will have very few thoughts of ſin, and leſs exerciſe about it; there is oft times much trembling of mind, where there is little trouble of conſcience, or none, and ye would beware of confounding theſe two. A mans mind may be troubled and confounded, and put through other, when he hath the anſwer of a good Conſcience, as being at peace with God through the blood of Chriſt, and a mans mind may be troubled, when his conſcience is aſleep, and hath no exerciſe for ſin; and therefore in times when there may be much anxiety and vexation in folks mind, about diſpenſations of Providence, let not the great buſineſs be trouble, but ſin, and whatever ye meet with, take that along with you, Iſai. 27.9. By this therefore ſhall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit to take away his ſin; The conſcience of ſin, and exerciſe about it, would take away the clamour & di… that's about trouble, a conſcience troubled about ſin, will ſoon juſtifie God, in inflicting any trouble on body or mind, and will ſay as Ezra 9.13. Thou haſt puniſhed us leſs than our iniquities deſerve. And a man at peace with God, though he have tribulation in the world, and exerciſe of Conſcience for ſin, yet in Chriſt he ſhall have peace; but a vexed and diſcontented mind about trouble, without any exerciſe or trouble of conſcience for ſin, may make a man evil company to himſelf, & bad enough company to others whom he hath to do with in the world.