A Pattern of Free Grace, Verse 40
VERSE 40.
Doeſt thou not feare God, ſeeing thou art in the ſame condemnation?
HItherto wee hauehave heard the Reprehenſion, of the Penitent Thiefe in generall. He rebuked him.
Now the Euangeliſt comes to ſet downe the particulars of his reprehenſion, with thoſe ſeuerall arguments and reaſons to make the ſame the more effectuall: for he that is to deale with rebellious and obſtinate ſinners, had need to bring with him very mouing and effectuall arguments to diſſwade from ſinne.
Now his arguments are:
1. A perſona: From the nature of the perſon againſt whom he rayled. God.
2. A timore Dei: From the feare of God, the want whereof was the cauſe of his blaſphemy.
3. A praeſente miſeria: From his preſent miſerie, Knowing thou art in the ſame condemnation.
4. A iuſto, iudicio: From the equitie of his puniſhment, We are inſtly puniſhed.
5. Ab innocentia Chriſti: From Chriſts innocencie, This man hath done nothing amiſſe.
All which being duely conſiclered, are very powerfull motiues and arguments, to ſet on his reprehenſion, and to make the ſame the more effectuall.
And thus doth this Penitent manifeſt the truth of his conuerſion by many bleſſed fruites and effects thereof: The particulars whereof follow.
Feareſt thou not God? Text.
q. d. O wretched man that now ſuffering the due reward of thy ſinne, ſhouldeſt thus blaſpheme an Innocent, euen the Lord Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe, from whom ſaluation commeth. Euen him before whom thou art ſhortly to appeare, to giuegive an account of all thy euill deeds; is there no feare of God at all with thee, that thou ſo malitiouſly blaſphemeſt? Thus he takes him vp roundly, and lets him ſee who it was that he blaſphemed, and whence it was that he brake out in this wiſe againſt Chriſt; The want of Gods feare.
Feareſt thou not God?
He doth not ſay, Doeſt thou mocke; But, Feareſt thou not God? Becauſe he would giuegive him to vnderſtand, againſt whom his ſinne did extend and reach it ſelf, namely, God himſelfe.
For no doubt the Impenitent Thiefe was of the ſame opinion with the common people, Argument A perſona.that Chriſt was a meere man, and that his reproachfull ſpeeches reached not ſo high as God. And therefore this was his firſt argument he taketh vp to make his reprehenſion ſo much the more effectuall, that in rayling againſt Chriſt, hee rayled againſt God; his ſinne did reach vp to God himſelfe. Note we hence, Doct. 1
That the mockings, reproches, The afflictions of the godly reach vntounto Chriſt.and perſecutions done againſt the godly, reach vntounto God himſelfe. Whoſoeuer mocketh a ſeruant of God, mocketh God himſelfe. When Saul being a Phariſee perſecuted the Church, the voice from heauen was, Act. 9.Saul, Saul, why perſecuteſt thou me? Let no man put mee to buſineſſe (ſaith Paul) for I beare in my body the markes of the Lord Ieſus. Euen ſo all thoſe raylings of Sennacherib, Whom haſt thou reproached and blaſphemed? 2. Kin. 19.22.and againſt whom haſt thou exalted thy voyce? and lifted vp thine eyes on high, euen againſt the holy one of Iſrael. And our Sauiour ſhewes that hee takes whatſoeuer is done vntounto his members, Mat. 25.as done vntounto himſelfe, whether good or euill, and accordingly rewardeth the one, and puniſheth the other. So that whoſoeuer mocketh or reproacheth a ſeruant of Chriſt, mocketh Chriſt himſelfe in them. Of this before. Now the reaſons are.
Firſt, Reaſ. 1 in regard of the heare coniunction and ſpirituall vnion, that is betwixt Chriſt and eueryevery true beleeuer; hee is their head, they his members. Now what member doth not ſympathize with the other member, in eueryevery naturall body, either in weale or woe? If one member ſuffer (ſaith the Apoſtle) all the members ſuffer with it. Thus is it in the myſticall body.
Secondly, God hath vndertaken for his children, yea he hath indented, ſealed, and ſworne, their ſafetie and protection: Zach 2.Hee that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of my eye, ſaith God. He is therefore called their Father, their Rocke, their Yower, and their ſtrong Refuge.
Which ſerues to diſcouer vntounto vsus, Vſe 1 the miſerable condition of the wicked, whoſe daily ſinnes doe reach vntounto God himſelfe, and therefore muſt needs bee prouoked at laſt to bring downe iudgements vponupon them.
Secondly, to ſhew the happie condition of the faithfull, though thoſe that trouble and moleſt them are many and mightie, Yet he that dwelleth on high is mightier: who partaketh with them in all their ſufferings.
And laſt of all, it may be an excellent motiue to prouoke men to become his children by grace and adoption, to whom all theſe excellent priuiledges belong and appertaine.
Feareſt thou not God? Text.
As before this Penitent hath reproued the horrible blaſphemy of his fellow: Argument A timore Dei.ſo in theſe words he goeth on to ſhew and to diſcouer vntounto him from what a filthy and ſtinking fountaine the ſame proceeded, namely, from the want of Gods feare in his heart.
So that he leades him from the ſtreame to the fountaine, and from the fruit ſhewes him the bitter root from whence thoſe blaſphemies ſprang, namely, this, the want of the feare of God in his heart. And herein will teach vsus,
That the want of the feare of God is the cauſe of all ſinne. Doct. 2 The want of the fear of God the cauſe of all ſinne. 2. Kin. 17.34.From this euill fountaine doth flow all the euill that is in the world; They feare not me, ſaith the Lord. Such men muſt needs runne headlong into all kinde of wickedneſſe, for what ſhould reſtraine them, when the feare of God is wanting? By a Proſopopeia the Prophet Dauid bringeth in the tranſgreſſions of the wicked, ſpeaking thus: Pſal. 36.1.The tranſgreſsion of the wicked ſaith within my heart, that there is no feare of God before their eyes. The open prophaneneſſe of wicked men ſeemed to proclaime this openly in the eares of the Prophet, that ſuch bade defiance to al godlineſſe, and wanting the feare of God, we may ſee the further behauiour of ſuch in the latter part of that Pſalme. So Paul hauing reckoned vp a bedroll of many horrible ſinnes, he addeth this as the cauſe of all, The feare of God is not before their eyes.Rom. 3.18.
Abraham knew this full well, when he cauſed Sarah to ſay ſhe was his ſiſter, Gen. 20.11that the men of Gerar would not care to commit any ſinne: Why? Becauſe the feare of God was not in that place. And what may bee the reaſon that at this day men breake out, Hoſ. 4.2.as the Prophet ſpeaketh, into lying, killing, whoring, &c. The reaſon is plaine, the feare of God is wanting.
On the contrary, where the true feare of God is, it will fence a man from ſinne. Ioſeph confirmed the timorous hearts of his brethren, that they ſhould feare no euill at his hands, why? Gen. 42.18I feare God, ſaith hee: this was it that fenced the heart of Ioſeph againſt the allurements of his adulterous Miſtreſſe. Gen. 39.10This kept the Midwines of Egypt from laying hands vponupon the Infants of the Hebrewes, the Text ſaith, The Midwiues feared God. Exod. 1.17And The feare of God (ſaith Solomon) is to depart from euill. This maketh a man to liue alwayes in Gods preſence, to be the ſame before God that he is before men; and to be the ſame before all men that he is before ſome; to be the ſame in the darkneſſe, that he is in the light; and to be the ſame in the night that he is in the day.
And hence is it that the Lord himſelfe doth ſo earneſtly wiſh for this thing in his people: O that there were ſuch an heart in them, Deut. 5.29.that they would feare mee alwayes, &c. as the onelyonly thing that keepeth the heart vpright with him, and fenceth the ſame againſt all ſinne. Whereas when this feare of God is wanting, ſuch a one is fit for any ſinne, lyes open to eueryevery aſſault of Sathan, and cannot eſcape cuill.
And the reaſon hereof is taken from the nature of Gods feare, Reaſ. it is the moſt excellent Antidote againſt ſinne, and cauſeth Gods children to be loath to offend, not ſo much for feare of puniſhment, as for louelove they beare vntounto God.
But what manner of feare is this, Queſt. 1 that is ſo vſefull in the life of a Chriſtian, to keepe the heart vpright with God?
There is, I confeſſe, Anſ. a twofold feare, the filiall, and ſonne-like feare, which is found onelyonly in the godly; and the ſeruile and ſlauiſh feare, to feare God onelyonly for his iudgements: and this is moſt vſually ſeene in the wicked; It is that ſonne-like feare that we here ſpeake of, whereby Gods children feare God, as a louing and dutifull childe his father; not ſo much for feare of the rodde, and puniſhmēt if he offend, as of louelove, as being fearfull to offend ſo good and ſo louing a father.
Whereas that ſeruile and ſlauiſh feare that is in wicked men, lookes onelyonly to the puniſhment, as the gally-ſlaue to the whip, and that many times doth terrifie him; as for ſinne it ſelfe, it doth no whit trouble him; nay, as Solomon ſaith, It is a paſtime to the foole to do wickedly.
But may not Gods children abſtaine from ſinne for feare of Gods wrath, Queſt. 2 and for puniſhment ſake?
I anſwer, Anſw. the ſpirit of bondage and of feare hath its worke in the hearts of all the godly, eſpecially at the firſt, when they begin to conuert and to turne vntounto God: And this is compared to a needle, that maketh way for the threed to follow. And thus hauehave the godly at firſt feared God, euen for his iudgements ſake, as Paul teſtifieth when he ſaith, Rom. 8.15.Ye hauehave not receiued the ſpirit of bondage to feare againe. Wherein is implyed, that there is a time wherein the children of God feare God for his iudgements: but now, ſaith he, Ye hauehave receiued the ſpirit of Adoption, whereby ye cry, Abba, Father: and that is the ſpirit of freedome and of boldneſſe. So that the child of God is not alwayes held vnderunder that ſlauiſh feare, but commeth at laſt to feare God out of louelove to him, and abſtaineth from ſinne not ſo much for puniſhment ſake, as for the deteſtation hee beareth to it, and becauſe it offendeth ſo good and ſo gratious a God. Yea though there were no hell at all to puniſh ſinne, yet would hee not willingly commit ſin out of that awfull reſpect hee beareth to ſo good a God and louing Father in Ieſus Chriſt.
Now becauſe this louelove is not perfect in the childe of God, neither any other grace whileſt wee liue here, there will be ſtill a remnant of ſeruile feare remaining euen in the beſt, as Iob ſaith, Puniſhment was fearefull vntounto him. Iob 31.23.Neither are they exempted from all feare of Gods iudgements, in as much as the remembrance hereof is an excellent preſeruatiue againſt ſinne. Pſal. 119.120.So Dauid, My fleſh trembleth for feare of thee, and I am afraid of thy iudgements. Dauid had in him a ſonne-like feare of God, fearing him out of louelove; yet in the ſecond place, he ſtood in awe of his iudgements.
This ſerues then firſt of al to diſcouer vntounto vsus in what a wretched and miſerable eſtate and condition ſuch men are in, Vſe 1 that hauehave not the feare of God before their eies; behold we the ſtate of ſuch in this impenitent Thiefe, ſuch men muſt needs runne headlong into all manner of abhominations; for, alas, what ſhould reſtraine them, when the feare of God is wanting? Rom. 3.12, 13, 14, 15.Marke the Apoſtle, Their throat is an open ſepulchre, with their tongues they hauehave vſed deceit, the poyſon of Aſpes is vnderunder their lips: whoſe mouth is full of curſing and bitterneſſe, their feet are ſwift to ſhed bloud, deſtruction and miſery is in their wayes, and the way of peace they hauehave not knowne. But what might bee the reaſon of all theſe vile and filthy abhominations? the Apoſtle ſubioynes, There is no feare of God before their eyes. Abraham knew this when hee cauſed Sarah his wife to diſſemble, and to ſay ſhee was his Siſter, and therefore wofull and miſerable is the eſtate and condition of ſuch, whom the Lord hath thus giuen ouer to themſelues and to their owne hearts luſt, and want this holy feare to preſerue them.
Secondly, this may ſerue to admoniſh vsus eueryevery one, that as wee deſire to be free from thoſe groſſe and grieuous inormities of the times, that wee labour to get our hearts ſeaſoned with the feare of God, that we may truely ſay, The Lord is our feare, Eſay 8.13.our dread. This will fence vsus from ſinne, and arme vsus againſt eueryevery euill way, ſuch are freed from thoſe vile abhominations wherewith the liues of all wicked men for the moſt part are tainted withall. Yea, the feare of God is ſuch an excellent thing, that all the duties wee owe vntounto God, Eccl. 12.13are comprehended therein; Let vsus heare the end of all (ſaith Salomon) feare God, and keepe his Commandements, for this is the whole duty of man.
Yea, The priuiledges that belong to them that truely fear God.to ſuch belong all theſe excellent priuiledges and prerogatiues.
Firſt, they ſhall not want any temporall good thing, O feare the Lord O yee his Saints, Pſal. 34.9. Pſal. 112.3for there is no want to them that feare him.
Secondly, ſuch hath the Lord promiſed to acquaint with his ſecrets. The ſecrets of the Lord are with them that feare him.Pſal. 25.14.
Thirdly, ſuch onelyonly are vnderunder the Angels protection, Pſal 34.7.The Angels of the Lord encampe round about them that feare him.
Fourthly, God takes ſpeciall notice of ſuch▪ Mal. 3.16.A booke of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord.
And laſt of all, for the life to come, no man is able to expreſſe the excellent priuiledges of ſuch: Pſal. 31.19.O how great is the goodneſſe which God hath laid vp for them that feare him!
All which may be ſo many moti…es to ſtir vsus vp to get this feare of God, which hath the promiſe of this life, and the life to come, and to whom alone ſo many excullent priuiledges belong and appertaine.
Seeing thou art in the ſame condemnation. Text.
In theſe words wee hauehave his third Argument, 3Argument.to diſſwade his fellow from that his rayling on Chriſt, and this is taken from his owne preſent miſery; A preſenti miſeria.Thou art (ſaith he) in the ſame condemnation, q.d. Fye vponupon thee moſt deſperate wretch! Is this the behauiour meete for him that is now going to giuegive vp his laſt account before the great Tribunall, and that Iudge of all the world, before whom thou art ſhortly to appeare to giuegive account of all the actions of thy life paſt, eſpecially of this thy blaſphemy againſt the Lord Ieſus the innocent? And herein as before, this penitent Thiefe ſheweth an excellent fruit of his owne repentance, preſſing his fellow with this Argument, the conſideration of his preſent miſery, and puniſhment that was now vponupon him, Thou art in the ſame condemnation: Note we hence,
That puniſhments and afflictions, Doct: Afflictions that ſummon to death, ſhould in a ſpeciall manner cauſe men to looke home.eſpecially ſuch as ſummon to death, ſhould in a ſpeciall manner cauſe vsus to looke home, humble vsus, and cauſe vsus to breake off our ſinnes by repentance, and when they produce not this effect, eſpecially when death approaches, and we are to come to appeare before the Lords Tribunall, it is a ſigne indeed that the heart is deſperately wretched and ſinfull. It is the maine end wherefore the Lord doth ſend afflictions to bring men home by repentance; thus confeſſeth the Church, Lam. 3.39.40.Man ſuffereth for his ſinne, let vsus ſearch and try our wayes, and turne vntounto the Lord; and againe, Come let vsus returne vntounto the Lord, Hoſ. 6.1.for he hath wounded vsus, and he will heale vsus, he hath ſmitten vsus, and hee will binde vsus vp. The happy fruit thereof, Dauid confeſſeth by that comfortable experience he had in himſelfe, Pſal. 119.71ſaying, It is good for me that I hauehave beene in trouble, that I may learne thy commandements. When we are iudged, (ſaith the Apoſtle) wee are chaſtened of the Lord, 1 Cor. 11.32.that wee ſhould not be condemned with the world. The Rod makes the childe to ſtand in awe of the Father, and the Scholler of the Maſter, and the Blewneſſe of the wound, Pro. 20.30(ſaith Salomon) ſerueth to purge the euill. 2 Chro. 33.12.When did Manaſſes repent, was it not when he was in tribulation? When came the Prodigall ſonne to himſelfe, Luke 15.and got the happy reſolution to returne againe to his Father, was it not when he was pinched with the famine. It was in the time of aduerſitie, that the Iſraelites remembred GOD to bee their ſtrength, who in times of proſperity, rebelled againſt him. Iudg. 6.Ephraim may thanke the Lord for his corrections, that hee was reclaimed and brought to ſee his owne diſobedience and rebellion againſt God, Ier. 31.18.10. Eſa. 38.14.who was as an vntamed Hayfer. The like we may ſee in Hezechiah, in Iob, and in all Gods people: if there be any faith, any hope, any grace at all in the heart of man, now is the time for the exerciſe thereof, when afflictions, eſpecially ſuch as ſummon to death and iudgement; are vponupon vsus. It ſeemed vntounto this godly Penitent, a moſt hainous thing indeed in his fellow, yea, the height and top of all impietie, that now the hand of God was vponupon him, and hee ſo ſhortly to depart this life, and to make his laſt account before the Iudge of all the world, that he ſhould in this reprochfull manner blaſpheme an innocent, euen the Lord Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe, before whom he was ſhortly to appeare, and to giuegive account of all the things that he had done in the fleſh.
But what ſhall I ſay? There are ſome whom al the torments in the world cannot moue or make them better; ſickneſſe, pouertie, ſhame in the world, all the buffettings of Sathan, or miſeries that can bee thought vponupon, alas, moue them not, nor any whit affect them, to worke remorſe of conſcience, compunction or ſorrow for ſinne, to make them any whit the better. But what may be the reaſon? can any affliction preſſe out of the creature, that was neuer in it? If a whole mountaine were laid vponupon a dry or rotten ſticke, will it yeeld any ſappe? no, no, it will firſt be ground to powder. The impenitent Thiefe for all his miſery that he was in, or thoughts of death, or of iudgement, that now were vponupon him, is not brought to the leaſt remorſe of conſcience for ſin; but the Penitent Thiefe he being vnderunder the ſame affliction, yeelds the ſweet ſap and liquor of faith and repentance; he confeſſeth his ſinnes, pleads Chriſts cauſe, and compaſſionates the miſery of his fellow, and ſhewes moſt admirable fruits of repentance. Yea, if there bee any grace at all in the heart of man, now is the time for it to ſhew it ſelfe, otherwiſe wee periſh without hope.
Seeing then that afflictions ſhould thus make vsus to looke home, Vſe 1 and that then in a ſpeciall manner, the graces of the heart will manifeſtly appeare. This ſhewes the miſery of eueryevery wicked man, that as he hath been a ſtranger from the life of grace in life, ſo muſt needs want the comfort of grace in death; as they hauehave liued, ſo commonly they dye; and in them that is verified oftentimes that is ſaid of Nabal, their hearts dye like ſtones within them, like vntounto a beaſt: Or elſe as they hauehave minded the world, their luſts and pleaſures; of theſe things they ſpeake, and their mindes run after them euen to the laſt. Behold here in this impenitent Thiefe, a ſpectacle wherein eueryevery wicked man may behold himſelfe; as hee was graceleſſe and wretched liuing, hee ſpeakes nought but the language of hell dying, as his life; ſo was his death, wretched was hee lining, and curſed and miſerable is he dying.
Secondly, this may ſerue to admoniſh eueryevery one, that as wee would hauehave our laſt words gratious, and comfort in death, to learn to ſpeake the language of Canaan betimes; for when the euill day comes, all the wayte and burthen of iudgements and afflictions, will neuer preſſe out one drop of ſpirituall moyſture from vsus, no though they ſhould preſſe vsus downe to hell, vnl… wee hauehave faith and repentance, and other graces wrought in vsus before miſery comes.