Influences of the Life of Grace, Part 3 · Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
Of fixedneſs of heart. 2. Prayer begets an heavenly diſpoſition, and an heavenly diſpoſition again begetteth prayer. 3. Holy acts beget holy acts, and an heavenly diſpoſition begets an holy diſpoſition. 4. The Lord ſo frames his precepts and his promiſes, as our actings are ſuitably required to his influences. 5. Theſe three are to be differenced. 1. The ſpiritual ſtate. 2. The ſpiritual temper or conſtitution. 3. The ſpiritual condition. 6. The reaſon of doubling of ſentences and words.
Pſal. 57. v. 7.
My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed; I will ſing and give praiſe. 8. Awake up my glory, awake pſaltery and harp: I my ſelf will awake early.
MY heart is fixed. Gen. My heart is prepared, my heart is confirmed, eſtabliſhed. The doubling of the word, my heart is confirmed, noteth the vehemency of affection.
2. As alſo the ſpeaking of it to God, O God my heart is fixed, declares the ſincerity of it.
3. The ſpeaking to his tongue to awake it, his calling it his glory, as Pſal. 16. 9. My glory rejoyceth, that is, my tongue expreſſeth joy, is an elegant fiction of a perſon, as ſpeaking to his ſoul, Pſal. 103. 1. Pſal. 116. 7. Pſal. 42. 11. and noteth ſome dulneſs in tongue and heart to praiſe God: his bidding his pſaltery and harp awake, is alſo an elegant proſopopeia; as if the harp could ſleep and wake. And there is another figure; the inſtrument of muſick is put for the gift of muſick; he tacitely prayer God to waken up his gift and his grace of muſick to praiſe, and that God would awake himſelf to praiſe, being under the ſenſe of the Lords deliverance of him, when he fled into the cave for fear of Saul, and the Lord delivered him out of the hand of Saul, and put Sauls life in his reverence.
The words contain
1. The diſpoſition of fixedneſs of heart.
2. His vehemency of affection in doubling the expreſſion.
3. His ſpeaking of it prayer-wiſe, O God, my heart is fixed. His ſincerity.
4. What the diſpoſition wrought in him, a fixed reſolution to praiſe; and a waking up of his gift of muſick, awake pſaltery; and of himſelf, I my ſelf will awake early.
The word, my heart is fixed, is rendred by Amſworth, my heart is firmly prepared; Diodati, my heart is re-confirmed, or re-aſſured; Calvin in the French, my heart is well diſpoſed; Geneva, prepared.
Q. How got David this heavenly diſpoſition?
1. The occaſion was 1 Sam. 24. as the title of the Pſalm bears, Saul with three thouſand men-perſons, David in the rocks of the wild goats in the wilderneſs of Engedi; Saul went into the cave to cover his feet, and David and his men remained in the ſides of the cave; and David went in and cut the lap of Sauls garment, and had in his power to kill Saul, and his men counſelled him ſo to doe; but in ſtead of arfrighting Saul and his army, the Lord ſuggeſts the fear and awe of God, he durſt not kill him.
2. He truſted in God for deliverance another way then to put hands on the Prince, as Pſal. 112. 7. A good man is not afraid of evil tidings, his heart is fixed truſting in the Lord. This is the fixedneſs of faith, oppoſite to fear and unbelief, when another man would tremble, being compaſſed with three thouſand inſtruments of death, as many men, as many deaths; yet his heart is fixed on God, both to believe and to pray. David by prayer, Be merciful to me, O God, and by faith gets this confident diſpoſition, and this confident diſpoſition brings forth acts of believing in ſtead of trembling, and reſolutions to praiſe and to ſing, and give thanks. But if the queſtion be moved how gets David grace to believe, and grace to pray? Certainly by influences of grace upon the occaſion of the delivery: So that here acts of praying bring forth holy diſpoſitions to pray and to praiſe, as is clear, Be merciful unto me, O God: and God both delivered him, and gives him fixedneſs of heart to pray and praiſe, when a natural man would tremble at the ſight and fear of ſo many deaths. And again, a diſpoſition and fixedneſs of heart brings forth a reſolution to praiſe and give thanks. And 2. a ſtirring up of himſelf and his muſick to praiſe, yea and actual praiſing, v. 11. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens, let thy glory be above all the earth. Prayer begets heavenly diſpoſitions to pray, and heaven…y diſpoſitions to pray beget prayer and faith, &c.As the herb brings forth the ſeed, and the ſeed again brings forth the herb, and ſo the herb brings forth the herb, and the ſeed the ſeed; and the apple brings forth the tree, and the grape the vine tree; and again the tree brings forth the apple, and the vine-tree the grape; the water is the maker of ice, and ice is diſſolved into water; and again that water is turned into ice.
Q. What ſhall beget a holy diſpoſition to pray?
A. Praying begets a holy diſpoſition to pray. When David goes up the mount of Olives, fleeing from Abſolom, he weeps and prayes, Pſal. 3. and that praying begets a fixedneſs to believe, and a diſpoſition to pray, v. 6. I ſhall not be afraid of ten thouſand of the people, that have ſet themſelves round about me. Pſal. 6. he prayes, Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath, have mercy on me; return again, O Lord, deliver my ſoul. That prayer is heard, and the reſult is an heavenly diſpoſition to part with wicked men, 6. Depart from me ye workers of iniquity, and a new diſpoſition of aſſurance, The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping. And aſſurance that God heard the man, is a new ſeed of praying to him again, Pſal. 116. 3, 4, 5, 6. Pſal. 18. 3, 4, 5, 6. So Pſal. 31. after complaints and heavenly petitions, v. 4. Pull me out of the net. Holy acts beget holy acts, and holy diſpoſitions beget holy diſpoſitions.9. Have mercy upon me, O Lord—make thy face to ſhine upon thy ſervant, &c. follow heavenly diſpoſitions.
1. Of commending the ſeeking of God, v. 19. O bow great is thy goodneſs which thou haſt laid up for them that fear thee. A diſpoſition to encourage others to ſeek God, v. 23. O love the Lord all ye his Saints, &c. A diſpoſition to encourage fainters, v. 24. Be of good courage, and he ſhall ſtrengthen your heart. How ſhall I get praying? Praying helps to praying. How ſhall I get holy diſpoſitions? Holy diſpoſitions beget holy diſpoſitions? How ſhall I get courage and ſpiritual ſtrength? Pſal. 31. 24. Be of good courage, and he ſhall ſtrengthen your heart; that is, be ſtrong in the Lord, and he ſhall make you ſtrong in him. So Pſal. 27. 14. Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he ſhall ſtrengthen thy heart; wait I ſay on the Lord. The courage of faith is commanded, and the argument is, God ſhall ſtrengthen thy heart, and give thee courage. As if we were the beginners of the good work: ſo does the Lord frame his precepts & promiſes to ſhake us out of our lazineſs, that we abuſe not his grace and gracious influences to wanton idleneſs. So the Apoſtle,The Lord ſo frames his precepts and promiſes as our actings are ſuitably required to his influences. Be ſtrong in the faith, and couragious, and God ſhall ſtrengthen your heart, and furniſh you. So the Father ſpeaks to his child, lift at this burden, I will lift your arms, and ſtrengthen them to lift the burden, and to bear it.
2. They are refuted hence who ſay, The Lord bids us be of good courage, and he knows courage and ſtrength is from himſelf; yea, but ſo as you are to goe about acts of courage. He bids us pray, and he knows prayer is his own gift, and the work of his Spirit. It's ſo here; but he bids you pray, that you may pray; believe, that you may believe. So he commands heavenly diſpoſitions, and he only can give them. So he commands heavenly habits, and heavenly diſpoſitions; but yet ſo as ye act. When a Phyſician enjoyns one for ſuch a diſeaſe, ſtrive to have your body and cloathes to caſt a good ſavour: does he not enjoyn alſo that this ſick man ſhould carry about roſes, precious oyntments? Would we act more in God, and pray more, and haunt more in heaven, we ſhould ſavour more of heaven: And when men complaines of deadneſs, it is with reflection on God; he quickens me not, and therefore I am dead; his Son is the reſurrection and the life, and he ſends no inflnences of life on me. That is the phyſical cauſe, and the Lord is free of your ſinful deadneſs and unſavourineſs in ſo doing: Why? complain of the moral faulty cauſe, that is, complain of your ſelf; complain that ye lie not among the roſes; ye are not much meditating and drawing life out of the precious promiſes; ye are not often in wiſedomes houſe; ye are not much with the King at his banquet; ye draw not near to his houſe of wine: habits and heavenly diſpoſitions grow from multiplyed ſpiritual acts; and ſpiritual acts come kindly from heavenly diſpoſitions.
My heart is fixed.
What is the particular diſpoſition here aimed at: For clearing of this, know a diſpoſition in general (of which I ſpake above) is one thing, and this diſpoſition is another.
Theſe three muſt be differenced.
1. The ſtate.
2. The temper and conſtitution.
3. The diſpoſition.
The ſtate is to be renewed in Chriſt, or in nature born of the ſpirit, or yet remaining and walking in the fleſh, acted by the prince of the air, that rules in the children of diſobedience: the birth and ſtate of living is neither up nor down to the temper and conſtitution, which is either ſtrong and vigorous, or weakly and ſickly; or betwixt theſe, the ſtate of living or birth conſiſts in indiviſibili; The differences of the 1 Spiritual ſtate. 2 Of the temper 3 Of the condition.if the man breath and live in nature, or in Chriſt, being now a tranſlated perſon, he hath a natural or a ſpiritual life: but howbeit ſome be born again; ſome are fathers and experienced, radicated, and confirmed Chriſtians; others are young men ſtrong in the faith, and both theſe are of a good ſpiritual temper and conſtitution. But there are a third ſort that are babes in Chriſt, and though born again, yet weakly and ſickly, frequent out-breakings, much doubting, liable to ſtrong unmortified paſſions, 1 John 2. 12, 13, 14. And to be born of God is common to all the three ſorts, and the eſſence and nature of the new birth agrees equally and univocally to them all: all have their own influences finiſhed to them from Chriſt; but the ſpiritual tempers may differ, as weak and ſtrong, healthy or ſickly, good or bad, at leaſt leſſe good.
But as for diſpoſitions of the regenerate, they are qualities that go and come, now & anon. I judge you will ſay the new-birth and the heavenly diſpoſition are all one; For David was born of God, while he was under a wicked diſpoſition to deflour Bathſheba, to kill Ʋriah, to be avenged no Nabal; all which were bad diſpoſitions, when the new-birth is the new-birth and ſaving work of the ſpirit.
And again, the ſpiritual diſpoſition differs not a little from the ſpiritual temper.
1. The ſpiritual temper is permanent; as one is a weak man until he come out of his childhood; for ſo many years or months he is Infant, ſo long a child, ſo long a youth: So one is ſo long a babe in Chriſt, and grows to be ſtronger in the faith, and at length comes to be a father in Chriſt; but even while the ſame babes age in Chriſt continues, and the ſame weakly and ſickly temper and inclination to yield to temptations; in David new born and a babe, good diſpoſitions may be on to pray, to praiſe, to commit his life to God in extream dangers, to make Pſalms, and yet Davids ſpiritual temper and conſtitution is and may be bad and ſickly; as Peter before our Saviours death is born again, and a believer, Matth. 16. 16, 17. and by his much ignorance and frequent ſlips, as acting Satans part in diſſwading Chriſt from the neceſſary work of redemption, his carnal confidence in himſelf, in ſaying, he ſhould never deny Chriſt, his ſmiting off Malchus ea…, his denial of Chriſt with an oath, it appears that the ſpiritual temper was weak and much carnal: nor can it be denied all that time when Peters temper was weak; but when he gave a confeſſion of Chriſt, Matth. 16. he was under a gracious diſpoſition; and Peters continuing with Chriſt in his temptations did ſuppoſe a gracious diſpo…tion in theſe acts of his, and the reſt of the believing Diſciples, Luke 22. 29, 30. 3. The Lords Diſciples are all born again (Judas excepted) but it were hard to ſay that John, the beloved Diſciple, was of the ſame temper, before the death of Chriſt, with Peter, who proved more ſinfully raſh in many things then John.
2. A diſpoſition is a tranſient impreſſion that may be left upon the ſpirit by an occurrence of providence, which though it ſometime continue long, is not neceſſarily alway ſo. Upon the ſuppoſed death of Joſeph, Jacob refuſed to be comforted; upon the departure of the Ark, Phineas daughter in law is diſpoſed to die for ſorrow; which in a great part was a gracious diſpoſition: its like this great deliverance left a ſtrong impreſſion on Davids ſpirit, and brought out praiſing of God.
But to the particular: this diſpoſition is a fixedneſs of reſolution to believe,What Davids preſent diſpoſition was. pray, praiſe, having its riſe from this preſent merciful deliverance, its oppoſed to the trepidation and doubting of unbelief, which made him ſay elſewhere, One day or other I ſhall periſh by the hand of Saul; which alſo ſaith, that this was not ever Davids condition; but being deſerted of God, he was under a contrary diſpoſition: but good it were alway to keep the heart under ſuch a fixedneſs. Ah, but we are up and down, out and in, as touching ſtedfaſtneſs and unmoveableneſs in the work of the Lord; the Galatians did run well a while; the balaſting of ſaving grace is moſt neceſſary: it was a ſad word, 2 Tim. 1. 15. This thou knoweſt, that all they which are in Aſia are turned away from me. John 6. 66. from that time, many 2. of his diſciples, 3. foreign took them to things behind, went backward, and 4. walked no more with him: they left both Chriſt and the profeſſion of Chriſt. It was a ſad ſuſpending of influences when all the Diſciples forſooke him and fled, Matth. 26.
My heart is fixed, my heart is fixed.
The ſecond particular is the doubling of the words. In this and in the following words we have divers conſiderable characters and properties of heavenly diſpoſitions.
1. The doubling noteth the heat and fervour of affection in David, as that My God, my God, notes the heat of faith; two gripes of faith is better then one: ſo ſaith the tripling of that prayer,The doubling of words or ſentences noteth certainty, 2. Addition of aſſurance, 3. Freeneſs of affection. O my Father, O my Father, remove this cup, Matth. 26. There is fire in the deſire Pſalm 57. 1. Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me: and twice in this Pſalm, v. 5. Be thou exalted, O God, &c. and again v. 11. Be thou exalted, O God, Pſalm 46. that is doubled, the Lord of hoſts is with us, v. 7, 11. for his mercy endureth for ever, is repeated twenty ſix times in one Pſalm.
1. In ſinners (in Chriſt it could not be) it notes a ſort of diſtruſting of the Spirit; they will not believe the heart at the firſt word: Not unto us, O Lord; that is not enough, the heart is ready to ſteal the Lord's glory; therefore he addeth, not unto us, but unto thy name give the glory: therefore the doubling of it ſpeaks the certainty, Gen. 41. 32.
2. It notes that we are to make an eik to our aſſurance; my heart is fixed, O God; therefore two witneſſes are better then one, he ſays it over again, my heart is fixed; for we ſhall deny that any ſuch heavenly diſpoſition was in the hour of temptation, and ſay all is but falſe work; in ſo doing he blows the coal when he finds it ſmoaking, and blows twice, and ſtrikes the iron again and again when he finds it hot. So he awakes up tongue and voice, muſick and harp, gift and grace, to praiſe the Lord; as when he finds his heart in a praiſing diſpoſition, he deſires an eik of all creatures in heaven and earth, Pſalm 103. all the Angels, all his hoſts, all his works in all places of his dominion to joyne with his ſoule to bleſſe the Lord, v. 20, 21, 22.
3. It notes a fierceneſſe and a ſtrong flaming of the affection, and a ſort of violence of aſſenting to the influences of grace which brought on that holy diſpoſition; which teacheth us when holy diſpoſitions offer a divine violence to the ſoul to joyn our violence to his violence: we will run, that is our violence; Draw me, that is his violence. Pſalm 119. 32. I will run the way of thy commandments, and preſs my ſelf to willing and hot obedience if thou ſhall, or when thou ſhall, enlarge my heart.
2. To this purpoſe we are to meet his actings of love, Cant. 1. 4. The King brought me into his chambers, with extolling and praiſing his love: we will be glad and rejoyce in thee; we will remember thy love more then wine; the upright love thee.
3.It's fit to make an eike to the holineſs of influences which the Lord offer… to us. Let us intend and enlarge the acting of our heart to him. Chriſt puts in his hand by the hole of the door, which was a ſtrong inward ſtirring of the Spirit of Jeſus; and the Spouſe meets this with bended and mighty acts of loving obedience. As
1. My bowels were moved for him. For whom? for him, my Beloved, who did ſtand and knock, while his head was full of dew, and his locks (wet) with the drops of the night, v. 2.
2. I roſe up to open to my Beloved, and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with ſweet ſmelling myrrh upon the handles of the lock. Here are both repentance in riſing to open, whereas ſhe excuſed and ſhifted the buſineſs before, and ſenſe of the ſavourineſs and heavenly feeling as of a ſweet ſmell of myrrh, joy, ſenſe of joy and delight in obedience to him.
4. There is a formal holy violence offered to him, the Angel Chriſt wreſtles with Jacob, which is a ſort of fighting and oppoſing his ſtrength to Jacobs ſtrength, and he oppoſeth trying and tempting reaſon to Jacob, Let me go, for its dawning; and Jacob oppoſeth his violence on the contrary, I will not let thee go until thou bleſs me. And the Beloved is wreſtling to win away, after long abſence and much painful ſeeking, Cant. 3. 1, 2, 3. but the Spouſe offers violence on the contrary with all her ſtrength, I held him, and would not let him go, until I brought him to my mothers houſe, and unto the chambers of her that conceived me.
5. Its ſit to meet a thirſt of the Lords Spirit in a flowing of feeling with a thirſt of faith; when Chriſt ſaith to Thomas, John 20. 27. Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hand; and reach hither thy hand and thruſt it into my ſide; this was a great condeſcenſion of Chriſt in beſtowing on him a flowing of feeling; and Thomas anſwers it with a ſtrong act of the application of faith, My Lord, and my God.
6. When ſtrong convictions come upon the ſpirit we are to yield our hearty aſſent to him. Matth. 27. 54. the Centurion and the watchers of Chriſt ſeeing the earth-quake and other wonders from heaven, ſay, foreign Luke 23. 47. foreign true, certainly, undoubtedly this was the Son of God: this was a righteous man: but ah, he calls and we anſwer not; we love to be wrought on as ſtones and blocks, and could wiſh to be carried ſleeping to heaven in Chriſts boſome.
2. We often ſuffer the heart to cool and obey not the Spirit in his heavenly diſpoſition, and let the fire die out, and the furnace cool.
3. It were good if we did not counter-work heavenly diſpoſitions by refuſing and ſhifting Cant. 5. 3. of God, and the actings of his Spirit, Cant. 5. 2. open to me; nay, (ſaith the Spouſe) how can I open?
The third particular is, that David ſpeaketh this prayer-ways to God: there may be ſo heavenly a diſpoſition upon the child of God, as he dare lay it before God in point of ſincerity, that it is not rotten. David prayer-ways lays before God the fervor of his deſire of God, Pſalm 42. 1. As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, ſo panteth my ſoul after thee, O God. Pſalm 63. 1. My ſoul thirſteth for thee, my fleſh longeth for thee. Pſalm 73. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? Pſalm 119. 103. How ſweet are thy words unto my mouth! v. 97. O how love I thy law. Pſalm 139. 17. How precious are thy thoughts to me. And the Church ſaith, Iſa. 26. 8. Yea, in the way of thy judgements we have waited for thee, O Lord, the deſire of our ſoul is to thy name. Jer. 15. 16. Thy words were found, and I did eat them, and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of my heart; for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hoſts.
Q. We may ſpeak to God, and profeſs in prayer the ſincerity of our heart to God, and the cauſes why.1. May we not lay out rotten and unclean hearts before God?
A. No doubt the pained man may lay out his boils before the Phyſitian: and confeſſion of ſins and of the evil of our ways make way to making of a new creation in us, Pſalm 51. 5, 10.
Q. To what end ſhould we ſpeak to God of the ſincerity of heavenly diſpoſitions and fixedneſs of heart?
A. 1. Becauſe neither David nor any of the Saints can order their own hearts under heavenly diſpoſitions, therefore the telling of this to God is a ſeeking help from him to improve theſe diſpoſitions. Peter cannot make uſe of the glory of Chriſts transfiguration which he ſaw, except grace help (in a manner) glory, and the Lord inable Peter to make the right uſe of it, as he doth 2 Pet. 1. 16, 17. and not as he doth Mark 9. 5, 6, 7.It's hard to guide well grace and glory ſo long as ſin dwells in us. The Spouſe banqueting with Chriſt in his garden, eating honey and the honeycomb, is in greater danger to miſcarry, and turn ſleepy and carnally ſecure, as it fell out Cant. 1. 2, 3. then when ſhe wants his preſence Cant. 3. 1, 2, 3. Its not eaſie to guide a new heart, or to guide and uſe well the heaven of a fixed heart and ſuch heavenly diſpoſition at the Kings banquet of wine, when he gives the hidden manna and the white ſtone; when Chriſts banner over you is love, and his left hand under the head, and the right embracing you, there is then, if ever, need to pray; and Chriſt is our precedent in this when he was transfigured, and in that heaven, ſo as he ſeemed to be beyond praying, in a ſtate of praiſing, yet he prays Luke 9. 29. and then there is need of watching; yea, a believer is to pray, in a good ſenſe, to be delivered from the evil of our prayers, and from the ſinful abuſing of ſpiritual acts of a renewed heart from the evil of the flowings of free grace and heavenly diſpoſitions, ſo to ſpeak, and therefore ſhould we tremble for fear that our ſinful abuſe of the impreſſions of the Spirit and heavenly diſpoſitions move not the Lord to hide his face from his own ſhinings of grace, and darken his own Sun, and overcloud his noon-day beams, and rays of light and love; and who knows that God may mar his own feaſt, and remove the table before the believer eat, becauſe he was ſinfully wanton at the ſight of dainties, and prayed not humbly that Chriſt would bleſs his coming down to his garden, and his banqueting with his Spouſe. Pſalm 141. David prays for his own prayers: its a great art to carry equally the running over cup of conſolation, or to guide the comforts of the Spirit: when the man is high, the head is giddy. Pſalm 77. 6, 7. I will offer in his tabernacle ſacrifices of praiſe, I will ſing, yea I will ſing praiſes to the Lord: this hath been a warmly condition of his ſpirit, therefore he follows it with prayer, v. 7. Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice. The body being warm and ſweating, there's need to take heed that cold get not into the heart.
2. To tell the Lord of our fixedneſs of heart is a ſort of in aging of him to perfect his own new building, and to ſend rain and ſummer warmneſs on his own ſowing, and to perfect what he hath begun; and its a ſecret praying that God would make an eik to his own work, that he would give influences of grace, and would be pleaſed to milk out holy actings, willing and doing out of holy diſpoſitions. Pſalm 119.The Lords giving of grace laies bands on him to give more grace and to add new influences to old. 35. Make me to go in the path of thy precepts, for therein do I delight. If the Lord give freely of grace a diſpoſition to delight in his precepts, he will alſo give grace to walk in his paths: he that made the plant, creates the tree and the fruit; he who made the vine-tree, makes the Summer-ſun to nouriſh it. v. 159. Conſider how I love thy precepts; quicken me, O Lord, according to thy loving kindneſs. The Lord who gives the life of love, and a warmly diſpoſition of heart to the precepts of God, muſt alſo give more quickning to that life: he that brings the ſown corn to a blade, brings it to an ear of corn, and to be bread: the ſaving work of grace is one piece, one building, foundation, walls, and covering; its one growing tree, root, bulk and branch, one compleat new man: Doth the Lord of free grace create half a new man, or rear up half a new building? No; grace is grace is grace going on and advancing, till it be reaped grace, and ſo glory.
3. He tells the Lord of his fixed heart by way of thankſgiving and praiſe, as Pſalm 131. Lord, my heart is not haughty: he lays before the Lord the depth of the mercy of heavenly diſpoſitions, and of a fixed and prepared heart, though he was at the mouth and entry of death; the cave was like to be his burial place, being chaſed for his life into it, yet he tells the Lord he feared no evil in the valley of death.
Hence 1. Try the diſpoſition of the heart, ſee what hearts ye can bring out before the Lord; its true, the repenting thief could not, as Hezekiah, ſay, Lord, I have walked before thee with a perfect heart; or as Paul 2 Tim. 4. 7, 8. I have fought the good fight, I have finiſhed my courſe, I have kept the faith; yet the crown is laid for love, and ſuch as love his appearance, though all cannot wind up to be ſuch fighting ſouldiers as Paul was:What a heart the repenting thief, and what an heart Hezekiah brought out before the Lord in his dying. the repenting thiefs flock was ſmall, his race ſhort, yet what he wanted of inherent grace that Hezekiah and Paul had, he had it of free righteouſneſs, and Chriſt crucified was the gloriation of both. David brings not out his fixed heart in his extream danger, as building his peace on it; the influence of works on juſtification and peace is not cauſative, no more then the poor bride can ſay ſhe hath put a debt upon the bride-groom to love her with marriage love becauſe ſhe wears his golden chains, his bracelets and jewels; its the bridegrooms comlineſs that he puts upon her: nor can roſes and lillies ſay, our Creator is our debtor, oweth us love becauſe we are ſubjects bearing his colours, ſmell, vertue, and beauty of the Creator: What would the roſe be if the Creator ſhould take all from it he gave to it? We know ſuch a rock to be covered with water, therefore its full ſea; here is ſmoke, therefore here is fire: And ah! what a heart in death can the unrenewed man bring forth before the Lord? except he ſay, Lord, I was never in Chriſt; Lord, I never wept for ſin; Lord, I never did a good work for Chriſt, but all for my ſelf; Lord, I propheſied in thy name, but I was never born again, but hated all thoſe that were born again.
2. How ſtrongly may the believer argue who hath any heavenly fixedneſs of heart, or any thing of Chriſt in him? Its a ſort of holy obligation (with reverence) that he ſhall bring forth to acting all his own holy diſpoſitions; it ſpeaks an ingaging of holy unchangeableneſs, that he ſhall perfect the good work he hath begun; but be not ye lazy, and do not ye ſleep, and ſay, God ſhall do of all his grace; that is a ſtrong argument that the man who habitually uſes ſuch logick hath nothing to do with Chriſt: Ah, the Spirit will do whether I will or not; and in the mean time thou liveſt a ſenſual beaſt; know that thou but foments lies of the holy Ghoſt. Jude puts theſe two together, v. 19. ſenſual, not having the Spirit: and before, v. 8. Likewiſe all theſe filthy dreamers defile the fleſh: dreaming and filthineſs are conjoyned. Men dream the influences of grace ſhall go along with their diſpoſitions for good, and they are but natural diſpoſitions at the beſt; and the Lord never ſaid he would perfect nature, and finiſh works of nature that are begun in ſwiniſh dreamers: woful ſecure dreaming deſtroys external profeſſors; men will not awake, neither are they afraid of that condition, but a trembling profeſſor is the ſureſt and ſafeſt profeſſor.
—Verſe 7. I will ſing and give praiſe.
V. 8. Awake my glory, awake pſaltery.
The fourth point in the text tells us what this fixedneſs of heart produced in David, I will ſing; ſo we are led to the reſt of the characters and properties of the heavenly diſpoſition of fixedneſs, for it brought forth holy actings, as ſinging of praiſe, and awaking of his gift and grace, which flow from holy diſpoſitions: hence the ſecond property of holy diſpoſitions.
1.2. Property of holy diſpoſitions Once grace brings forth another, and ſo holy diſpoſitions holy actings; faith and truſting in God brings forth claiming of God as the mans own. Pſalm 16. 1. In thee do I put my truſt: Hence v. 2. O my ſoul, thou haſt ſaid unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord. The diſpoſition of believing brings forth ſpeaking; Pſalm 116. 10. I believed, therefore I ſpake.
2. A diſpoſition of loving God brings forth praying; Pſalm 18. 1. I will love thee, O Lord, my ſtrength. 3. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praiſed. Hannah, Jonah, Hezekiah, David the afflicted ſoul, Pſalm 102. graciouſly ſad and heavy, pray and call on God in that caſe.
3. The diſpoſition of felt mercy brings forth praiſes; Pſal. 30. 5. O Lord, thou haſt brought up my soul from the grave— v. 3. Hence that, Sing unto the Lord, O ye Saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holineſs.
4. David's joyful diſpoſition to glory in the Lord brings forth his dancing before the Ark with all his might, and his conſtancy therein to be yet more vile before the Lord, what ever Michol ſaid to the contrary;Diſpoſitions ſpiritual are ſeeds of holy actings. and this is moſt ſutable to the nature of heavenly diſpoſitions: motion comes kindly from the wheels, when they are oyled; the heavenly diſpoſitions oyles and anoints the ſoul, and renders the powers more active, as they anointed wreſtlers of old to make them more nimble and active in wreſtling.
2. The very intention & apointment of God ſpeaks ſo much: God hath ordained heavenly diſpoſitions for heavenly actings as he hath appointed the plant to be a tree, the ſeed to be growing corn & bread; the Lord ſends a praying diſpoſition on David, as a ſeed of praying; & a praiſing diſpoſition that he muſt riſe at midnight and praiſe, Pſalm 119. 62. and prevent the dawning and the night-watches to cry and pray, v. 147, 148. And an hoping diſpoſition on Job, that when he is dead bones lying in a bed, he muſt profeſs his perſwaſion to ſee his living Redeemer ſtand the laſt man on the earth, and deſires his words were printed in a book, and graven with a pen of iron and lead in the rock for ever, Job 19. 24, 25, 26, 27. And diſpoſitions on Elihu to plead for the Lords Soveraignty, ſo as if he ſhould hold his tongue, he ſhould give up the ghoſt, his belly ſhould burſt like new wine-bottles, Job 32. 19. And Job muſt plead for God, and for his own integrity, that he was not an hypocrite, as his friends ſlanderouſly ſaid, his diſpoſition preſſing him, ſo as he ſaith, Job 13. 19. Who is he that will plead with me? for now if I hold my tongue, Zeal bringeth forth holy actings.I ſhall give up the ghoſt. And the Lord gives ſuch a diſpoſition of zeal for God to Moſes, though he was a man of a meek diſpoſition, that he breaks the two Tables of ſtone containing the written law, when he heard of the peoples worſhipping of the golden calfe; and ſuch a heavenly ſelf-denying diſpoſition to prophecie on Jacob that in his teſtament he curſes his two ſons Simeon and Levi, for their unjuſt anger againſt the Sichemites; and there is ſuch an impreſſion of zeal, and a feaver againſt Idolatry on Pauls ſpirit at Athens, Acts 17. that he muſt diſpute againſt their falſe gods. Nor are we to think that holy diſpoſitions are but as ſailes to the ſhip, and wings to the bird,Heavenly diſpoſitions are real helps to holy actings. which adde no ſtrength to the ſhip or bird: for they are ſuch principles as doe actively render the ſoul able for works of grace; and in nothing doe we fail more then in not ſtriking on the flint to bring out fire. We improve not heavenly diſpoſitions, as the Prophet complaines, Iſa. 64. 7. There is none that ſtirs up himſelf to take hold on thee.
Qu. But to act when the ſoul is under an indiſpoſition, is as if the bird ſhould fly without wings?
Anſw. Properties of heavenly diſpoſitions: to act under indiſpoſitions.If we ſpeak of the renewed ones that are in Chriſt, when diſpoſitions heavenly ſeem to be a fire quenched out, and turned to cold aſhes, we are to ſtir up and awake the habit of grace, and act thereby; for the inſtinct and nature of the new man hath in it virtually gracious acts, and we are to improve the habit of grace.
2. When one diſpoſition is ſmothered with the downcaſting of unbelief; yet is there an half of a contrary ſpiritual diſpoſition alive, working contrary to unbelief, by reaſon whereof David chides his own ſoul, Pſal. 42. 5. Why art thou caſt down, O my ſoul, and why art thou diſquieted within me? hope thou in God, I ſhall yet praiſe him for the help of his countenance. Whether Davids ſoul pleads againſt Davids ſoul by the habit of grace, or by an heavenly diſpoſition, or by both, it ſayes ſomething to this, that all diſpoſitions ſpiritual are never ſo removed, but there is a ſeed of God which may be wakened up.
2. When the diſpoſition is ſmoared with heavineſs, there is another counterworking heavenly diſpoſition, Pſal. 119. 28.A diſpoſition counter-working a diſpoſition. My ſoul melteth for heavineſs. Then there hath been ſome diſpoſition of deadneſſe on, yet behold a diſpoſition to pray counterworking that diſpoſition, Strengthen me according to thy word. v. 81. My ſoul fainteth for thy ſalvation. Fainting ſpeaks ſome weakneſſe, yet there is a diſpoſition to hope, which counter-acts fainting, But I hope in thy word. v. 83. I am become like a bottle in the ſmoke; which is ſome diſpoſition to deadneſſe on the ſpirit; but ſee the counter-working diſpoſition, but I do not forget thy ſtatutes.
3.The Spirit in a heavenly diſpoſition at length prevaileth. As the Spirit at length in the renewed prevailes over the fleſh, Rom. 7. 23, 24. ſo the gracious diſpoſition is victorious over, and hath the better of the ſinful diſpoſition: So whatſoever was Davids doubting diſpoſition at another time, or now, when he is forced to flee to the cave, and part with his few Souldiers, his faith and believing diſpoſition prevailes over his fears and doubting, as is clear v. 1. My ſoul truſteth in thee. 3. He ſhall ſend from heaven and ſave me. 7. My heart is fixed, I will ſing and give praiſe. Elſe could a ſlain man buried in the cave ſing and give praiſe? And let this be conſidered as the third property and character of heavenly diſpoſitions.3. Property.
Hence under indiſpoſitions we would doe as thoſe who would be over the water, if one foord be too deep, try another, and try every foord; there is an indiſpoſition to believe, there may be a ſpiritual diſpoſition to pray beſide it ſet to praying; there is a deadneſſe that hinders praying, that the Church cannot ſpeak,What we are to doe under diſpoſitions ſpiritual. Pſal. 77. 4. yet there is in the Church a diſpoſition to praiſe in the ſame Pſalm, v. 14. Thou art the God that doſt wonders, thou haſt declared thy ſtrength among the people. 15. Thou haſt with thine arm redeemed thy people the ſons of Jacob and Joſeph. Then ſet about praiſing; there is nothing left but the habit of grace, diſpoſitions, motions, experiences are all gone; turn over the promiſes, and act upon the habit, and blow upon the live coal, and ſtrengthen that which remaines: when one inſtrument is broken, the tradeſman makes uſe of another.
2. Though ſinful diſpoſitions for a while and the fleſh have the better, wait on the Lord, and truſt to his ſtrength, and act, the heavenly flamings of God at length ſhall prevail. The Spouſe is drowſie for a while, and refuſes to open, and ſhifts Chriſt of lodging, Cant. 5. 2. yet at length when Chriſt puts in his hand by the hole of the door,Spiritual diſpoſitions are at length victorious. faith and heavenly diſpoſitions are victorious, and ſhe riſes and opens, and miſſeth, and ſeeks, and prayes, and becomes ſick of love for him, v. 6, 7, 8. and burſts out in a high ſong of extolling her beloved, v. 10, 11, 12. Job is under much ſadneſſe of unbelief and dumpiſhneſs of ſpirit, Job 19. 6. Know that God hath overthrown me, and hath compaſſed me with his net. 7. Behold I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard; I cry aloud, but there is no judgment. Hard words! if there be no judgment for an oppreſſed man crying to God, there is no providence, no governing God who rules the world; yet v. 25. I know that my Redeemer lives, I know I ſhall ſee him. Get any of the habit of grace and ſpiritual diſpoſitions, and act with them, and ye ſhall not want victorious influences upon this ground, becauſe greater is he that is in you, then he that is in the world, 1 John 4. 4.
3.How to get heavenly diſpoſitions. Get heavenly diſpoſitions, and God ſhall act upon his own work, and bring forth all his own actings out of his own ſeed. Now the way to get heavenly diſpoſitions is 1. to be much in peruſing the word and promiſes: Davids meditating. 2. Learning. 3. Obſerving, loving the teſtimonies of God, prove that David was a heavenly diſpoſed man, Pſal. 119.
2. Keep communion with God in praying, hearing, reading, conferring. He who is much and daily among the oyntments of the Apothecaries, ſmels ſhall cleave to him whether he will or not, Luke 24. 34. John 7. 45, 46. Cant. 2. 4, 5, 6. 7.
3. Mind much, ſeek much the things that are above, Col. 3. 1, 2, 3.
4. Cheriſh the Spirit, obey him, grieve him not, work with him, be inſtrumental under his breathings, follow ſweetly and willingly his drawings. See Epheſ. 4. 29, 30. 1 Theſſ. 5. 19, 20. Cant. 3. 4. Cant. 5. 8, 9, 10. 11, 12, &c.
5. Beware of frequent ſmoaring divine light; deal tenderly with the light of the natural conſcience, and tenderly with convictions and warnings; if ſo, you can hardly want divine diſpoſitions and ſuitable influences, 1 Sam. 24. 4, 5, 6. My heart is fixed, I will ſing. Awake up my glory. See, the touch of the Spirit in his heavenly diſpoſitions ſet afloat the tongue. 2. The Pſaltery and Harp. 3. David. 4. Davids heart to ſing and praiſe: and though they were all ſleeping, they are all awakened out of their ſleep: As a great high Spring-tide ſet all the ſhips afloat though there were many hundreds of them. And this is the Fourth Character of heavenly diſpoſitions, in which theſe are conſiderable.
1. Such as are the diſpoſitions, ſuch are the acts in their nature.
2. Strong and mighty diſpoſitions have ſtrong and mighty actings.
3. Smaller actings of diſpoſitions waken up the ſoul to ſtrong actings.
Sinful diſpoſitions to the love of the world, to vain-glory, empty pleaſures, bring forth ſinful actings; the thorn-tree brings forth a thorn-tree, and the thiſtle-ſeed a thiſtle; it's clear in Cain, the Phariſees: So gracious diſpoſitions produce acts of love, faith, hope, godly ſorrow, works of righteouſneſſe and mercy. As wine-grapes grow out of the vinetree, and the Lord fits influences of grace for ſuch diſpoſitions: like ſowing, like harveſt; and here alſo men gather not figs of thiſtles: the veſſel ſmells of good or ſour wine: Some muſt foam out their own ſhame, and all wonder at the gracious words that proceed out of Chriſts mouth. For diſpoſitions in Chriſt were ſtrong habits of grace; and the running-over fountain and fulneſſe of the holy Ghoſt, the ſavour of the breath of the anointing, and the diſpoſitions that accompany the fulneſſe of the holy Ghoſt, is a very garden and a heaven: and here there is ſome truth in that, Cant. 2. 13. The vines with the tender grapes give a good ſmell. Cant. 5. 8, 9, 10, 11. Pſal. 45. 1, 2, 3, 4.
2. Pſal. 119. 136. Rivers of teares run down mine eyes, becauſe they keep not thy Law. Some fountaines that are leſſe have ſmall ſtreams and ebb-brooks;Heavenly diſpoſitions connaturally caſt out acts ſuitable. other large fountains have mighty rivers and floods iſſuing from them: we may judg what a fountain both of habits & diſpoſitions are within, where there comes out joy unſpeakable and full of glory, leaping for joy, fulneſs of aſſurance, like a ſhip with full ſails and full wind. As fulneſſe of love and of all ſpiritual diſpoſitions of tenderneſſe muſt be in the bowels and heart of Chriſt, who ſends out acts of enduring pain, blood, ſhame, death, horrour of wrath, and the curſe of a revenging God for ſin. The love of Chriſt needs no exhortation to acts of love; nor is there need of earneſt requeſt and intreaties to the fire to caſt out heat, and the Sun to give light: need you exhort an extreme pined-away ſick man to be pained and weak, or requeſt the Sunne to ſhine? How mighty and ſtrong are the acts of longing and languiſhing after Chriſt that flow from love-ſickneſſe? and then what ſuitable influences of grace muſt goe along with theſe actings? what pullings of ſtrength to pluck up mighty cedars? what an influence of love in God to bear up all things, and ſo to bear mountaines, to bear torments, to bear new deaths? O what a mighty arm of omnipotent grace, Col. 1. 11. Strengthened with all might according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-ſuffering with joyfulneſs. A power above all that we think or ask. Thoughts even of men can goe far, and far in apprehending of power and ſtrength, ever that can remove out of their place as many millions of mountains and whole earths, as Angels and men can write on the outmoſt and higheſt heavens, Eaſt, Weſt, South, and North. Suppoſe they were all paper, and double, and treble, and multiply them again to millions of millions of heavens, and writ new figures of ſignes and excellencies on them; yet the power of grace, furniſhing influences, is above theſe acts of thinking and counting; and yet the ſhort thinkings of unbelief are at this, can he help me to ſpit at fame, glory, riches, and a whole earth of pleaſures? know ye his ſtrength and his mighty puls that have tranſlated many?
3. When the diſpoſition of grace is on, a ſmall object brings forth ſuitable actings; Chriſt lets out one caſt of his eye upon Peter, and he went out and wept bitterly; a ſmall ſhake of the tree brings down ripe apples, they fall of their own accord: a gentle quiet gale of wind will cauſe a light ſwift veſſel to make twice as much way as a huge ſhip: a rent in the garment of a deadly enemy ſeemes a ſmall tranſgreſſion; but to David it hath a mighty ſmiting of heart. We are afraid to come under the pull of Chriſts arm, as if it were pain and death to be loved and tranſlated by Chriſt, John 5. 40. Iſa. 30. 10. Jer. 51. 9. Ezek. 24. 13. Some will not be cured, and are averſe from being drawn to come to Chriſt and be ſaved; and an hating of meanes is a virtual hating of the ſweet and ſpecial alluring attractions of grace; and we value actings of grace at ſo low a rate, as if we could doe all our alone by pure nature.
I my ſelf will awake early.
What,5. Prop. was David ſleeping, or his tongue ſleeping, or his harp ſleeping? yea even when the heart is prepared and ſtrongly fixed to praiſe, there is ſome ſleepineſſe on the man. I inſiſt not on this, that none run ſo ſwiftly for the price and wager of glory, but a cramp or a ſtitch may come on, ſo as they need a ſpur, and turn dull and ſlow.
But the 5th Property of a heavenly diſpoſition is to cauſe the man reflect upon himſelf and his own ſleepineſſe.Heavenly diſpoſitions cauſe a man act upo… himſelf. 8—my ſelf will awake early. What if tongue and voice awake? what if harp and the gift of muſick wake, if mans heart ſleep? 1. Grace hath an immanent working, and a reflect acting on it ſelf and the mans own heart as well as a tranſient, and a direct acting: the veſſel of honour, or the choſen man purgeth himſelf, 2 Tim. 2. 21. And every man that hath this hope purifies himſelf, even as he alſo is pure. 1 John 3. 3. Jude exhorts ſo v. 10. Building up your ſelves on your moſt holy faith, praying in the holy Ghoſt. Some think if the holy Ghoſt act, pray, ſigh, believe, praiſe in them, they need to doe nothing, the holy Ghoſt prayes in me, and in my ſtead. Nay but Jude wills you to edifie your ſelf: the actings and influences of the holy Ghoſt are not given to this end, that we ſhould ſleep, and ſport, and play. 21. Keep your ſelves in the love of God. Will not the love of God keep the man in the love of God? Shall not Chriſt in you the hope of glory keep Chriſt himſelf in you? nay what need were there then of watching? Watch thou in all things, 1 Tim. 4. 16. Take heed to thy ſelf and to thy doctrine. Then may one take heed to reading, and not take heed to himſelf, Acts 20. 28. Paul to the Elders of Epheſus, Take heed to your ſelves and to the flock. They ſhall not heedfully watch over the flock, who doe not carefully watch over themſelves. Is this right, that men ſhould doubt of the influences of God, and fear that God forgets himſelf and his own begun work of grace, and never fear their own lazy back-drawing? Why but we ſhould be on our wings, and waken our ſelves, and crow more loudly. It's a gracious complaint, Cant. 1. 6. My mothers children were angry with me, they made me the keeper of the vineyards, but mine own vineyard have I not kept. Ask hourly what your own heart does, how the husbandry at home thrives. The Spirit of the Lord was in Jehoſhaphat without doubt; but 2 Chro. 20. 3. When he heard of the hoſt coming againſt him, he feared, and ſet himſelf to ſeek the Lord. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel, but he was not idle, but propheſied and ſtirred up himſelf to believe. Often it's ſaid the Spirit of the Lord came upon Sampſon, yet ſo as Sampſon rouſed up himſelf, and ſhook himſelf, Judg. 16. 20. Spirit-raptures, wherein we lie from duties, are but deluſions: all the viſions, raptures, and high actings of the Spirit ſet men on to duties of hearing, prophecying, praying. See all the Scripture for this.