The Truly Blessed Man, Part 8 · Section 1 – Section 2
The Words Opened.
IN theſe words the Pſalmiſt backs his caution or direction with motives, and that is fetcht from a double Topick, viz. The infelicity which waits on the diſobedient, and the great felicity which waits on thoſe that hearken to God: Where obſerve,
1. The Character he gives to each of them; the former he brands with the title of Wicked: The words ſignifies one that is unquiet in himſelf, and always diſturbing of others, and is uſed for one that is under the Guilt and Dominion of Sin; the latter he calls thoſe that truſt in the Lord, therein pointing us to the root of Obedience; the word, implies, ſuch a confidence as makes one hold, and to purſue ones work with greateſt reſolution.
2. The different ſtate or condition of theſe anſwerable to their Character; viz.
1. The miſery that waits on Wicked men; Many Sorrows: Sorrows; the word is applied to griefs both of body and mind, and ſignifies the intenſeneſs of them; many; the word is applied both to quantity and quality, and ſignifies both magnitude and multitude, and may be read, many and great.
2. The felicity of the Believer; mercy; ſhall compaſs him about. Here obſerve,
1. What it is that makes him happy; Mercy: it is here put Metonimically, for the fruits or effects of mercy. The word ſignifieth a ſacred affection … …uty, pity, benignity, or good, will, without any … ſpect to merit.
2. The large extent of this mercy, it ſhall compoſs him round: ſometimes it ſignifieth a ſucceſſive compaſſing a thing: and ſo the mercy of God is always walking the rounds about a believer, to ſee …at he wants, & confer it upon him: ſometimes the compaſſing a thing at once: and then it ſaith, that mercy is a guard to the believer, and he go… through the world in the midſt of it. Hence …
Untractableneſs under means, a character of a wicked man.
DOCTRINE. I.
UNtractableneſs under the means, belongs to the Character of wicked men. Thoſe whom before he compared to the horſe and mule, here he calls the wicked. This Doctrine is not ſo to be underſtood, as if every act of contumacy, did declare a man to be really wicked; i. e. Unregenerate. There have been ſuch unhappy inſtances in the particular carriage of thoſe that have the root of the matter in them, through the prevalency of the … Iſa… in their members. That then we may rightly take up this truth, obſerve theſe Concluſions.
1. That all diſobedience to Gods Commands proceeds from the corruption in mans nature. This is the proper fountain to which it is to be referred: and this will be evident, from the conſideration of theſe things.
2. That man was made at firſt for the Service of … I do not ſay that it was the end of Gods inten…ion that all men ſhould actually ſerve him, for then they ſhould certainly have ſo done; for that end of his is never truſtrated: but it was mans end unto which he was appointed by the reyealed will of God. God intended that it ſhould be mans duty to ſerve him, and that this ſhould be his way to happineſs, and his coming ſhort of it, his miſery: and accordingly made him capable of this ſervice, gave him a Rule for his direction in it, and …aid him under the ſtrongeſt obllgations of conformity to this Rule.
2. That mans concreated Grace both enabled and enclined him to this Service. God not only made all for his glory, but he ſuited every thing to glorify him in the order wherein he placed it, and according to the way wherein he would have glory from it. It was an active, free, voluntary Service that he expected of man; and it was an holy Service, and ſo required a principle of holineſs in him, accordingly he made him a Reaſonable Creature, having an Underſtanding capable of diſcerning his Rule, and judging of it; and a Will fitted to make choice of it, and Affections ſuited to proſecute it and manage his outward man therein: but this is not all; for he Imprinted his Image on him, gave him Holineſs and Righteouſneſs, Eccleſ. 7. 29. And in Sanctifying, he both impowred, and diſpoſed him to Serve him in a right manner.
3. It was by ſin that man revolted from that Service. It was a tranſgreſſion of the Law of God in which mans Apoſtaſy did conſiſt: the very act of it was an act of Rebellion; this is the very nature of ſin, 1 Joh. 3. 4. By that act of Diſobediance that our Firſt Parents committed, ſin was Introduced into the world, Rom. 5. 12. If ſin had not gotten into mans heart, he had never violated the Command.
4. The Grace that is renewed in the Children of God, is a new Principle of Obedience in them. Sanctifying Grace is put into us by the renewing of the Spirit, Eph. 4. 23. Which ſuppoſeth that man once had it, and loſt it: it is therefore the ſame Grace for kind that man had at firſt; it muſt then have the ſame influence upon him, and be given him for the ſame uſe, which is to enable and diſpoſe him to Serve God: It is therefore called life, becauſe by it we are are enabled to live to God; and being a principle of Holineſs, it can have no other tendency than to put us upon living holily.
5. Hence all diſobedience muſt needs flow from that e…mity that is in us, which is not, nor can be ſub…ect to the law of God. It is the very diſpoſition of the fleſh or corrupt nature in us, Rom. 8 7. From it then muſt proceed all that Oppoſition that is made by us to the revealed will of God. If man had not ſin in him, he would not diſobey, if then he do ſo at any time, it is Sin that leads him to it. All ſins are charged to be the fruits of the fleſh, Gal. 5 19. &c. Hence every act of obſtinacy is a manifeſt d…ſcovery of Original Sin in men.
2. Hence all the diſobedience that the Children of God at any time are guilty of, proceeds from, and diſcovers the corruption in their nature. That they have perpetrated ſuch acts, yea, and continued in them, there are divers inſtances of it in the Word of God; and there muſt be ſome principle in them from which it derives: it cannot be their grace, and ſo it muſt flow from their ſinful nature; for,
1. The grace in them prompts them to the Service of God. A Child of God, ſo far as he is gracious, is cordially bound for God and his glory; and engaged in univerſal Obedience: the new nature puts into him a reſpect to all Gods Commands, Pſal. 119. 6. It fills him with a love to God, and delight in his Precepts, Rom. 7. 22. 1 delight in the law of God, according to the inward man. i. e The new nature which is born from above. Grace in the Child of God is the Image of God on him and it puts him upon imitating of God, in all his imitable perfections: ſo that if he had nothi… but grace in him, he would never do any thin… but what is pleaſing to God.
2. But they have in them another party, which Fleſh. The Scripture frequently uſeth this wo… to expreſs the ſinfulneſs of mans nature, by reaſon of carnal luſts dwelling in it, in oppoſition to which, it calls Grace, Spirit, Gal. 5. 17. Now Gods Children have of this Fleſh in them: they were once all fleſh, but in Converſion, when Chriſt ſat up his Kingdom in their Souls, he put his Spirit upon them: but he doth not at once take away all the corruption of their natures, but there are the relicks of it abiding in them, Paul complains of it, Rom. 7. 23, 24. And there is none that can pretend to be free from it, 1 Joh. 1. 8.
3. This Fleſh in them is ever drawing them from their Obedience. Though the Dominion of it be broken, the remains of it are ſtrong, active and politick, and it always reſiſts the motions of grace, Gal. 5. 17. And is many times too hard for it in us, and ſo Captivates us ſorcibly, Rom. 7. 2…. We ſhall never be rid of it, ſo long as we live; and as long as that lives, it will give us trouble, it will have its cravings, arguings, & forcible motions; its importunities are urgent, and it hath a thouſand cheats to put upon us; we are therefore warned to beware of being deceived by it.
4. Hence, when they are-at any time drawn aſide, it is by this. Satan indeed waits for opportunity, and inſtigates the corruption in us, and ſo far he may be charged with it, but not ſo as to excuſe our Concupiſcence from the …lame and guilt. See Acts 5. 3. Why hath Satan impted thee; If a Believer is precipitated into any ſin, and breakes his bones, his luſt muſt be charged with it, Jam. 1. 14. If there be any grace ſtirring, that will reſiſt, it therefore had no hand in it, Rom. 7. 20. It is no more I.
3. Hence when a Child of God reſiſts the means uſed with him, he wofully reſembleth the Wicked. He is not indeed a wicked perſon, becauſe God looks upon men, and denominates them according to the reigning principle in them: now Sin hath not the Dominion in a Child of God, but Grace, how ſar ſoever corruption may prevail at ſome times; nevertheleſs by ſuch a behaviour he looks too much like ſuch men; ſor;
1. He doth like them. His carriage is ſuch as theirs is, he imitates the Ungodly. Sin is their trade, and it flows naturally from them; and he is now gotten into their ſhop, and uſing of their tools. If we look upon a Child of God, when he is drawn into ſuch actions, and know nothing elſe by him, we ſhould be ready to judge him to be no other. What difference was there between Aſa, when he perſecured the Prophet for reproving of him, 2 Chron. 16. 10. And Amaziab; when he did like him, in Chap. 25. 16. But that Aſa was more furious than the other?
2. He is acted by the ſame principle. Wicked men are ſtimulated and ruled by their luſts which have the whole command over them; and when Godly men are drawn into ſin, and ly in it, and defend it, they are the ſame luſts in them, that do all this by their force: nor are ſuch thing… leſs ſins becauſe done by them; for they ariſ… from the inward enmity againſt the Law, the rebellion of the fleſh: Paul therefore chargeth it to ſin, Rom. 7. 20. And David fully and freely takes the blame of it to him, aoknowledging of his tranſgreſſion in it, Pſal. 51.
3. And ſo he contradicts the new nature that is in him. Every ſin in a believer is contrary to his Grace, and ſhews that he is two men: but when he not only falls into ſin, but is ſtupid; and juſtifieth himſelf, and cannot bear a reproof; this is a contradiction to Grace, he ſets himſelf directly againſt it, he hereby wounds his new nature; and were not God more merciful to him, he would deſtroy it with his own hands: by the temptation he fell into ſin, but by hardning his heart he wallows in the ſin, and makes his wound the more dangerous. David thus brought himſelf to ſuch a paſs, that he needed a New Creation, as it were to paſs upon him, Pſal. 51. 10.
4. Hence where this principle is predominant and re…gning, it is a certain note of a wicked man. It may rage and be violent in a Godly man, & drag him away after it as a Captive; it may be too hard for him, and bear him down, but it hath not the Throne in his heart; but where it hath, it is a certain evidence that ſuch a man is wicked; i. e. that he is in his natural ſtate, and altogether a ſtranger to the Grace of God, that then which is a ſign of its reign, will alſo diſcover the mans ſtate: and this will give light into the difference between a Godly man under the ſurprize of ſin, and an Ungodly man under the Dominion of it: …ere only three things:
1. When it is always ſo A Godly man is now and then brought into ſuch a condition, but it is not the conſtant guize of his life; at one time ſin is too hard for him, but at another he is too hard for that; at one time he is obſtinate, and proveked when reproved, but at another he takes it kindly & well: and the reaſon is, becauſe where there is no grace, nothing better is to be expected; but where there is, there is a new principle which will be luſting againſt the fleſh; and it is abetted by the Spirit of God, who will preſerve and perfect it, and ſo cannot fail of reviving it again.
2. When it is followed with Impenitency. Though Gods Children may fall far, and get grievous bruiſes, yea, and ſtupify themſelves for the preſent, yet he will recover them again by Repentance, he will make it evil and bitter to them, they ſhall ſee, bewail, and turn from theſe ſins with their whole heart; ſo did David, although it were ſome while before he ſo did, 2 Sam. 12. And this is from Gods Covenant faithfulneſs, who hath ſaid that … will not ſuffer them utterly to fall: whereas Ungodly men are left under the power of impenitency, to harden their hearts as an Adamant, and refuſe to return, Jer. 8. 5. And the more they are warned, the more perverſe they are.
3. When there is not a withſtanding of this corr… tion by Grace. A wicked man may have reluctancies in him, againſt ſome motions of ſin, and ſcu… fles too: Conſcience may be touched, and ſet terrors before him, and reluct againſt the carriage… of Concupiſcence, but this is not a gracious reluctance; one luſt may withſtand another, or Conſcience & Concupiſcence may bicker: whereas in a Child of God it is his grace that ſtirs; love to God, ſenſe of the affront offered him hatred of ſin: thus Joſeph reſiſted, Gen. 39. 9. Thus David confeſſed, Pſal. 51. 4.
USE I. For INFORMATION in a few particulars.
1. Hence no wonder if Godly men are ſometimes in the dark about their ſpiritual ſtate. It is ſo with ſome, of whom we have reaſon in Charity, to think them pious, and though God acts much of his Soveraignty here, yet too often the ground of it is laid in this, and if they would make a thorough ſearch, they ſhould find that the leading cauſe of their trouble, was their falling into ſome ſin, and neglecting to receive the warnings given them; and though they lived under the means, yet they continued under this ſin: No doubt, if Gods Children at any time begin to do like the wicked, God is diſpleaſed, and will ſome way let them know it; and one way is by withdrawing … Teſtimony, and leaving them to the accuſ…tions of their own Conſciences; and when they cannot read their Evidences, and their ſin ſtares them in the face, and they look to themſelves like the Ungodly, they muſt needs be at a fearful loſs. David ſeems to have been thus, by divers paſſages in, Pſal. 51. And God doth it to humble them, and make them more careful.
2. Hence good men ought not to think it much, if ſometimes they meet with hard cenſures from others. To ſuffer reproach from a wicked world for welldoing, is a matter of glorying; but to ſuffer reflections as evil doers, is a ground of ſhame. True; if it be ſlanderous, yet though troubleſome, a good Conſeience will bear us out, When things are laid to our charge that we know not: and yet then it is good to ask; if there be nothing that hath been provoking to God, for which he hath righteouſly leſt us to ſuch calumnies; but if we have by our ſin and unmortified carriage under it, and refuſing conviction, laid a ſtumbling block before others; we ought not only to Juſtify God in it, but to take it as a proper penalty, to be cenſured hard up … on this account: and though it may be a ſin in them, yet it is righteous for us: if we will carry… ſo much of the Character of the wicked upon us, think it not ſtrange if God ſuffer good men to loſe their Charity, and be ready to put us among the Ungodly.
3. We may hence learn a reaſon why God ſometimes deals with his Children in this life, as if they were ſtrangers and enemies. We have them ever and anon complaining of it, Job, David, the Church in the Lamentations. God brings ſore outward troubles, and ſpiritual Deſertions upon them, & when they ſeek him, they cannot find him, they call upon him, but he gives them no anſwers, but ſeems as if he had leſt & forſaken them. God may do… this ſometimes to try their faith and love, but moſt commonly it is to chaſtize their folly. This …hen may be one reaſon why all things fall out a…ke to good and bad, becauſe the good too often …et among the bad, I do not mean in Civil Commerce, but in Converſation. It is a fearful threat…ing, Ezek. 21. 3. I will out off the righteous and the …ncked; and ſure the reaſon was, becauſe, though they were good men, yet they too awfully complied with the ſins of the times, did as others did, not endeavouring to keep their garments unſpotted and it is Gods rich mercy that he only puts them together in this life.
… We have a Rule here by which we may make a ſhewd judgment of men. We ought indeed to beware of being too raſh in it, eſpecially when it comes to judging of their ſtate, ſince ſuch as are in a ſtate of Grace, may when left by God, do a… like the deeds of the wicked: though of the actions themſelves we may more ſafely judge unleſs they be ſuch about which the liberty of Chriſtians is concerned. However, if we ſee it to be conſtant courſe of men to drive a trade of any ſin, that hath the ſpot of unrighteouſneſs on it and to live in it obſtinately, notwithſtanding publick reproofs and private endeavours, it is no breach of Charity to ſay, theſe are yet in their natural ſtate; and it would be a wrong to the Souls of others, as well as theirs, and an encouragement of Sin, to paſs a more charitable verdict.
USE II. Let us try our ſtate by this Rule. It is doubtleſs a matter of infinite concernment for eve… one to know what ſtate he is in, and the Rule before us will give us light: obſerve then,
1. A Godly man may be too often drawn aſide t… that which is evil. As long as there is fleſh in us and a ſubtile and potent adverſary without us, an… ſo many ſnares in the world to allure us, we ar… not out of this danger; we ſhould not therefore too raſhly judge of our ſelves; though this ſhould humble us, and put us upon ſelf examination.
2. And we may be won ſuddenly to ſhew our prevailing corruption, in ſlighting of counſels and reproofs. So long as we are under the captivity of the law in … members, it will draw out our luſts to act themſelves, ſometimes in ſtupidity, as it was with … ſometimes, by breaking forth into unruly paſſions at them that rebuke us, as it was with Aſa; which is a ſad ſign of an ill frame that we are in, which may well ſtumble us, and if we now queſtion ou… ſincerity, it is no wonder; yet we may not henc… poſitively conclude.
3. But if this be our conſtant guize, it ſpeaks ſadly againſt us. This is a bad ſymptom that we are … down in the ſeat of the ſcornful; it looks like a … that is not of Gods Children. Where there is Grace, there will be a warfare maintained between tha… and corruption in us; and though corruption would of it ſelf, be alwayes too ſtrong for us, yet God wil… not deſert his own work in his Children, ſo as to ſuffer it always to be worſted; but for the moſt part to reſiſt and conquer; for he hath planted his Grace in us for this end.
4 And if we are left in this frame without Repen…ance, it is yet more ſignal: for, as God deſerts … people to try them, and to let them know them ſelves, ſo he fails not to give them Repentance in the time: he will bring them back again, and recover them to their Duty; ſo he did by David, and Peter: and though the Repentance of ſome …ood men, be not recorded in the Scriptures, whoſe …alls are there mentioned, yet doubtleſs God gave it them, becauſe it belongs to his Covenant.
USE III. Let it Exhort us, as we would approve our ſelves not to be wicked, to have a care how we carry our ſelves in this reſpect; for this end conſider.
1. You will elſe darken your evidence, and this will …ery uncomfortable. All our conſolation ariſeth … our apprehenſion of Gods love, and of our … Godly: there is then nothing more neceſſary … them that would live a comfortable life, than … take heed of doing any thing that may obſcure … which ſuch a neglect of our ſelves will certain…, both becauſe it will grieve, the Spirit, and …oke him to withdraw, and will put a black … upon us.
2. You are taken out of the world, and therefore … be as unlike them as may be. Rom. 12. 2. It … ill becomes you to have the guize of the …icked upon you, as you always have, when you …ow your ſelves to ſin as they do, and juſtify your …elves in it, as they do.
3. If you thus allow your ſelves, you muſt not think it …h, if here you ſuffer with the wicked. If when …d brings his Judgments on the land, and there … any ſignal monuments of his diſpleaſure, you be hung up in chains with the worſt of men. Remember Moſes and Aaron dyed in the wilderneſs, becauſ… they diſhonoured God at Merihah. For help;
1. Be ſure to maintain a ſpiritual Watch. Loo… carefully to your ſelves; you have the ſame luſts i… you that wicked men have, and if not watched againſt, they will be too hard for you, and draw you into preſumptuous ſins, David was aware of this, when he ſaid, I will look to my ways, that I ſin not with my tongue, Pſal. 39. 1. And if he had done ſo alwayes, it had been better for him.
2. Maintain a tender heart. Have a care o… growing ſecure and ſenceleſs: ſuch an heart was in Joſiah, which was affected with but reading of the law: this will readily receive impreſſions, and afford you great ſafety.
3. Be always ſtrengthening your love of Holineſ… and hatred of Sin. Theſe are the ſpring of obed… ence in us, and the more active they are, the leſ… danger we ſhall be in. This guarded Joſeph whe… tempted, and it will guard us; and if we improve the means to this end, it will both prevent our falling into ſin, and our being ſenceleſs of it, when overtaken with it.