CLII lectures vpon Psalme LI preached at Ashby-Delazouch in Leicester-shire / by that late faithfull and worthy minister of Iesus Christ, Mr. Arthur Hildersam.

Lecture CXXXIX. On Psalme 51.7. Febr. 2. 1629.

IT followeth now we proceed unto the two last defects that the Holy Ghost noteth to have been in the goodnesse that hath been found in any hypocrite.

[ 4] The fourth is this, That though some of them have beene free from all grosse and scandalous sinnes, and have also seemed to be much reformed by the Word, and to have made conscience of practising and obeying that which they have beene taught by it, yet their obedience hath never beene universall, but partiall onely. In some things the Word hath seemed to have great power and authority in their hearts, in some other things none at all. Take a proofe of this in those Iewes whom the Apostle taxeth for their hypocrisie, Romans 2.22. Thou that abhorrest idols (saith hee) dost thou commit sa∣criledge? Who would not have taken these Iewes that did thus abhorre idols and were so zealous against idolatry for right good men? But see how they discovered the falshood of their hearts, they hated one sinne, but not ano∣ther; idolatry, but not sacriledge. And yet sacriledge was a grosse sinne as well as idolatry; and such a sinne as God straightly charged his people to take heed and make conscience of, as well as of the other. When the people were to bring their first fruits unto God, he commanded them to make this solemne protestation, Deut. 26.13, 14. I have brought away the hallowed thing out of my house. As if he should say, I durst not keep any part of that which is dedicated to God, & consecrated for the maintenance of his worship; I have not eaten therof in my mourning. As if he had said, what want soever I have been in, how wofull and distressed soever my state hath been that way, yet durst I never relieve my necessity by robbing God of his part, by appropriating to my selfe, or imploy∣ing to mine own private use, any thing that did belong unto him. And yet you see those Iewes that seemed so zealous against idolatry, they abhorred idols, had no zeale against sacriledge at all; they were so farre from abhorring it, that they lived in the daily practice of that sin; and thereby discovered the hypocrisie of their hearts. As alas many in our Church have also done, not onely in the be∣ginning of our reformation, but at this day; they seeme to be very zealous in

the hatred of Popery, but of sacriledge, of spoiling the Church and robbing God of his part of that that was given to him and dedicated to the mainte∣nance of his service, they make no scruple, no conscience at all. Take another example of this in Herod, Marke 6.20. Who would not have hoped well of him, and highly commended him too, when he saw him being a King; 1 Fre∣quent constantly such a Ministery as Iohn Baptists was; 2 Heare him so gladly with such delight and joy, as it is said there he did; nay 3 he feared Iohn and observed him, reverenced and highly esteemed of him, and that upon this ground too, because he knew him to be a righteous and a holy man. 4. He was much reformed also by Iohns Ministery, he did many things, left many sins, per∣formed many good duties in obedience unto Iohns Ministery, the Doctrine of Iohn had great power and authority in his heart and life; and yet the Holy Ghost hath detected him to have been no better than an hypocrite in all this. Why what was the thing that did discover the falshood and hypocrisie of his heart? Surely this, that though he went thus farre, and though he left many of his sins, yet there was one sin as grosse as any of those that he had left, which he could not forsake, he could not leave the incest he had lived in with his bro∣thers wife; nay in the end he could not indure (though a great while he did) that Iohn should speak against that sin. Onely one other example I will give you for this, that the living in any one sin though he forsake all the rest, and forsake them also out of conscience and obedience to the Word (as it may seem) though the sin he liveth in be nothing so great as those that he hath forsaken, yet even the living in any one sin is sufficient to prove a man to be no better than an hy∣pocrite. Take an example for this in Iohn, O how farre did he go? 1 He de∣stroyed the idolatry of Baal and rooted it quite out of Israel, as it is said of him, 2 King. 10.28. 2 He did it with a marvellous zeale, even with the zeale of God, Come with me (saith he to good Iehonadab, 2 King. 10.16.) and see my zeale for the Lord. 3 He did it (as it may seem) out of obedience to the Word which he bare a most reverent and religious respect unto, as you may see in sun∣dry passages of his story 2 King. 9.25, 26, 36, 37. & 10.13, 17. 4 He did it so, as God himself saith of him 2 King. 10.30. that he had done well in executing that that was right in his eyes, Thou hast done to the house of Ahab (saith the Lord there) according to all that was in mine heart. Yea the Lord promi∣seth there to reward him for it, Because of this (saith he) thy children of the fourth generation shall sit upon the throne of Israel. And yet of this man that went thus farre, the Holy Ghost saith expresly, 2 King. 10.31. that he did not take heed to walke in the law of the Lord with all his heart; that is, he was no better than an hypocrite. How did that appeare? What was it that did discover the falshood and hypocrisie of his heart? Surely this, there was one sinne that he could not leave; as zealous as he was against idolatry, there was one kind of idolatry he could not leave. He hated the idolatry of Ahab, but not the idolatry of Ieroboam. He departed not from the sinnes of Ieroboam (saith the text 2 King. 10.31.) which made Israel to sinne. Ieroboams idolatry was but a small sinne in comparison of Ahabs: so saith the Holy Ghost expresly in the story of Iehoram, 2 Kings 3.2, 3. Hee wrought evill in the sight of the Lord, but not like his father and his mother, for he put away the image of Baal which his father had made, neverthelesse he cleaved to the sinnes of Ieroboam. Ahab worshipped Baal a false God, Ieroboam the true God in a false manner. And yet for continuing in this one sinne, though it were nothing so great a sinne as that which he had with so great zeale and detesta∣tion forsaken and abolished (for it may appeare by many passages in the story that in the dayes of Ahab his master, hee had beene a worship∣per of Baal too) the Holy Ghost (you see) hath branded him for an hy∣pocrite.

Learne therefore (beloved) by these three examples, that as you can have no more sure and sensible a signe of the uprightnesse of your hearts than this, when you can finde you make conscience of every commandement of God, of one as well as of another; you make conscience of every sinne, of one as well as of another; you make conscience of every duty God requireth of you, of one as well as of another; there was never hypocrite in the world that went thus farre; Then shall I not be ashamed (saith David, Psalme 119.6) when I have respect unto all thy commandements; So is this also certainely a note of a false and hypocriticall heart, when a man (in mat∣ters that God hath in his Word commanded or forbidden) will take and leave at his owne pleasure; some commandements and doctrines of God seeme to have divine authority in his heart, but others none at all; some sinnes hee hateth and dares not commit them, others hee cannot leave, but saith of some one sinne as Naaman did in another sense, 2 Kings 5.18. In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant; some duties God requireth of him hee will constantly performe and practise, but some other hee doth wholly neglect. This man certainely cannot have an upright and sound heart. Nay, that man that doth not make conscience of every knowne sinne, and of every duty that hee knoweth God requireth of him, did never abstaine from any one sinne, nor performe any one duty of conscience towards God. Whosoever shall keepe the whole law (saith the Apostle, Iames 2.10.) and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. He hath not kept any one commandement, he hath not done any duty with an honest heart, and so as God accepteth of, if he wittingly give himselfe liberty to offend in any one point, be it never so small a point of Gods law. So saith the Lord when he had reckoned up many sinnes, Ezek. 18.10. He that doth the like to any of these things, that man (saith he Vers. 11.) doth not any of these duties. As if he had said, He doth not any duty that God hath commanded of conscience towards God, that giveth himselfe liberty to live in any one sinne.

Lay this to your own hearts (beloved) every one of you; and labour to find this one note, that there is more in you than can be in any hypocrite. I do not say he is an hypocrite that committeth any one sinne, or that faileth in a∣ny one duty that God hath commanded. For, Who can say I have made my heart cleane, I am pure from my sinne? saith the Holy Ghost, Prov. 20.9. and In many things wee offend all, saith the Apostle, Iames 3.2. But if thou wittingly give thy selfe liberty to live in any one sinne, be it great, or be it small, certainly thy heart is not upright within thee. When David had said, Psalme 119.1. Blessed are those that are upright in their way; hee addeth Verse 3. Surely they worke no iniquity. As if hee had said, They commit no sinne wittingly and willingly. If thou wouldst know that thou art up∣right in the way, and so in a blessed and comfortable estate, try thy selfe by this, Is there no sinne that thou allowest thy selfe in that thou art a work∣er of? If thou bee afraid to live in any sinne, and canst desire of God as David did, Psalme 139.24. Lord see if there be any wicked way, and lead me in the way; As if hee should say, If I doe any thing to offend thee, if I live in any sinne, Lord discover it unto me that I may leave it: If thou canst say of every sinne that thou knowest to bee a sinne, as David doth Psalme 119.101. I have refrained my feet from every evill way; As if hee had said, I strive and endeavour to eschue every knowne sinne. If thou canst say specially of that sinne which by nature or custome thou hast beene most inclined to, as hee doth likewise, Psal. 18.23. I kept my selfe from mine iniquity; As if he should have said, I am most watchfull over my selfe against that sinne specially, I complaine most unto God, and beg strength of him against that sinne (as I doubt not but many a soule here can say all this of himselfe) then I dare boldly say unto

thee for thy comfort, thou art farre enough from hypocrisy; And though thou hast heard that many an hypocrite hath had much goodnesse in him, thou hast that in thee that never hypocrite had, and thou maist say as David said there, Psalme 18.23. I am upright before him. And so much shall suffice to have been said of this fourth note of hypocrisy, of this fourth defect that is to be found in the goodnesse that hath beene in the best hypocrite; his obedience is not universall.

The fift and last is this, Admit that some hypocrite might bee found [ 5] that giveth not liberty to himselfe in any knowne sinne, but seemeth to yeeld universall obedience to the will of God in one thing as well as in another, (as there is no doubt but there is many a one that thinketh so of himselfe, that is perswaded hee liveth in no knowne sinne, his life is in all respects such as it ought to bee, There is a generation that are pure in their owne eyes, saith Salomon, Proverbes 30.12. In all my labours (saith Ephraim, Hosea 12.8. they shall find no iniquity.) admit (I say) that this were so; yet is there this defect in the goodnesse of the best hypocrite in the world, hee doth nothing with a good heart. Every way of man (saith Salomon, Pro∣verbes 21.2.) is right in his owne eyes, but the Lord pondereth the hearts. As if hee should say, Man is apt to flatter himselfe and to thinke passing well of every thing hee doth, but the Lord in weighing, and valuing the actions of men, hath an eye alwaies to this, with what heart every thing is done. When the counsels of the hearts shall bee made manifest (saith the Apo∣stle, 1 Cor 4.5. As if he had said, With what intent and purpose of heart men have done that which they did) then (and not before) shall every man have praise with God. Now no hypocrite did ever any good thing with a good heart; hee abstaineth from no sinne nor performeth any good thing hee doth, out of obedience and love to God, but out of some by respect or other. Take a proofe for this in the example of those Iewes that we read of, Zachary 7. for seventy yeares together during the whole time of the captivity, they kept a solemne fast foure times in the yeare. Was not this a singular good thing? And yet the Lord plainely telleth them that the most of them in doing of this were no better then hypocrites. And why so? will you say. What defect was there in this goodnesse of theirs? What was it that did discover the falshood and hypocrisy of their hearts, in this holy and good action? Certainely no outward thing; nothing that the eye of man was able to discover (as in the foure former sorts that I have spoken of) the Lord that pondereth the hearts hee found that they had not done this with a good heart. As he telleth them, verse 5. When yee fasted and mourned (saith he) in the fift and seventh moneth, even these se∣venty yeares, did yee at all fast unto me, even unto me? Which interrogation hath the force of a vehement denyall, As if hee had said, Ye did not at all fast unto me. And hee enforceth this deniall with a most emphaticall re∣petition, appealing withall to their owne conscience, Did ye at all fast unto me, even unto me? No you did not and that your owne consciences doe know full well. To whom then did they keepe these fasts? Surely to themselves as it appeareth in the next verse. They kept them not to please the Lord, to shew their love and obedience unto him, to testifie their obedient submission unto his correcting hand, and their griefe for offending and provo∣king him, their unfained desire to recover his favour. But they kept them meere∣ly out of selfe-love, to please and give contentment to themselves. They grie∣ved for the destruction and burning of the Temple and City which was in the fift moneth as you may read, Ier. 52▪12, 13. and for the slaughter of Gedaliah, which was in the seventh moneth as you may read, Ier. 41.1, 2. upon whose death followed the utter dispersion of the remainder of the Iewes; they

mourned and tooke on for the ruine of their state and sighed under the burden of their present misery; they thought their fasting to bee a satisfactory worke, that would merit Gods favour. But for offending God by their sinnes they mourned not, they did not in their fasts by unfeigned repen∣tance and reformation of their lives seeke attonement and reconciliation with God; and therefore the Lord saith they did not at all fast unto him but unto themselves onely. Heere then you see is another note of diffe∣rence betweene that goodnesse that seemeth to be in the best and most glorious hypocrite; and that which is in the weakest and poorest Christian under hea∣ven. The hypocrite in the best duties that he performeth, serveth not the Lord at all, but himselfe only; in seeming to serve the Lord, hee still see∣keth himselfe onely and not the Lord. Thus God taxeth the hypocrisy of Israel, Hos 10.1. Israel is as an empty vine, hee bringeth forth fruit to him∣selfe. As if he had said, All good things that he doth, hee doth them out of selfe-love, hee seeketh himselfe onely in them. In doing of any good he seeketh. 1 Either the good opinion of men and the advantage that may grow to him thereby, as the hypocriticall Pharisies did, All their workes they doe to be seene of men, saith our Saviour, Matth. 23.5. Or 2 out of hope to merit somewhat of God and to bind him thereby the rather to beare with him in some other things, as those hypocrites did, Esa 58.3. Wherefore have wee fasted say they and thou seest it not; Or 3 at the best hee doth it to avoid Gods wrath which hee knoweth is revealed from heaven against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse of men, as those did which the Prophet speaketh of, Psal. 78.••4. When hee slew them then they sought him, and they returned and inquired early after God. On the other side the true hearted Christian, even the weakest and poorest soule amongst them; though in eschewing evill and doing good he have some respect to himselfe, the feare of hell and of the wrath of God due to sinne and the desire he hath to escape damnation hath great force to restraine him from sinne, Knowing the ter∣rours of the Lord (saith the Apostle, 2 Corinthians 5.11.) we perswade men; and the hope and desire of the reward that God hath promised to a godly life hath great force to perswade him unto godlinesse. Moses had respect unto the recompense of reward, as the Apostle teacheth us, Heb. 11.26. Yet the chiefe thing that moveth him to hate sinne and to love goodnesse, is the desire hee hath to please and honour the Lord. Every good thing he doth, he doth it to the Lord; he serveth God in that he doth; the maine intent of his heart in doing it, is that hee may be accepted of God and please him. It is said of Iosiah, 2 Chron. 35.1. that hee kept a passover unto the Lord; As if he had said his care was that it might be so administred and received, as God might bee pleased in it. And the Apostle professeth of himselfe, 1 Thess. 3.4 that in preaching his care was so to speake, not as pleasing men, but God which trieth our hearts. His maine care in preaching was not to doe his taske, to get the credit and reputation of a diligent preacher, or to obtaine a good applause among men, but to preach so as hee might please God and approve his heart unto him. Yea hee telleth us that even in singing of Psalmes we must looke to this, wee must sing unto the Lord, Ephesians 5.19. Wee must make a melody in our hearts to the Lord. As if hee had said, Wee seeke in that duty not to please our selves or others but the Lord. And that which hath beene said of the Sacrament and of preaching and of singing of Psalmes must bee understood likewise of hearing the Word, and of prayer, and of every other good duty wee performe either of the first or second table, if our hearts bee upright wee must doe it as unto the Lord, the maine intent and purpose of our heart in doing of it must bee, to please the Lord and approve our selves unto him. So the Apostle telleth servants that in doing their service

unto their masters, Ephesians 6.5, 7. they must doe it as to Christ, as unto the Lord. And verse 9. hee telleth masters they must doe the same things unto their servants (a strange speech, but the meaning is that) they also in their carriage towards their servants in doing the duties of masters must doe it as unto the Lord; that is, both the servants and masters care in their mutuall duties one to another, must chiefly bee this, to please and approve themselves unto God. In a word, The Apostle speaking of himselfe and of all the faithfull, 2 Corinthians 5.9. Wherefore wee labour (saith he) that whether present or absent, wee may bee accepted of him. As if hee should say, This is our maine study and endeavour that while wee live, and when wee die wee may please and bee accepted of him. Hee that can find this in himselfe, may bee certaine that hee is no hypo∣crite, that his heart is upright within him. This is the reason the Apo¦stle giveth, Romanes 14.6. why the faithfull should not judge one ano∣ther, for indifferent things, Hee that regardeth a day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and hee that regardeth not a day, to the Lord hee doth not re∣gard it. As if hee should say, Both hee that observeth the ceremoniall law in that point and hee that observeth it not, doth it not out of any carnall or worldly respect, but out of a care hee hath to please God and feare to offend him, therefore you may not judge him to bee an hypocrite, therefore hee hath an upright heart. Hee that findeth this in himselfe may have comfort in his owne estate, and none but hee. Neither can any man find this in himselfe that the maine end hee aimeth at in every good thing hee doth, is to please God unlesse he doth that which hee doth out of love unto God. If any man love God (saith the Apostle, 1 Corinthians 8.3.) the same is knowne of him. As if hee had said, The Lord approveth and highly esteemeth of that man. No good thing that we doe, can please God unlesse it proceed from the love wee doe beare in our hearts unto him. He keepeth covenant and mercy (saith Moses, Deut. 7.9.) with them that love him, and keepe his commandements. First wee must love him, before wee can keepe any of his commandements so as wee may please him there∣in. Neither can any man truly love the Lord nor doe any good thing out of love to him, till hee first know that God loveth him in Christ. Herein is love (saith the Apostle, 1 Iohn 4.10.) not that wee loved God, but that hee loved us and sent his sonne to bee the propitiation for our sinnes.

And thus you have heard it sufficiently confirmed unto you that [ 3] though there bee many good things in some hypocrites, yet because they are not in Christ, they have no assurance of their reconciliation with God through his bloud, therefore they can have no true comfort in them.

Let us now come to the third part I instanced in; that is to say, the regene∣rate themselves. In every regenerate man there is true goodnesse indeed, and that that farre surpasseth any goodnesse that ever was found in any morall man, or in an hypocrite. Three notable differences you may observe betweene them.

First, Though they may do many good things in themselves, yet of them it [ 1] could never be said that they were good men. But of the regenerate (though they themselves be apt to think they are no better then hypocrites, and meere naturall men, nor so good neither as some of them, yet) the Holy Ghost giveth testimony of them that they are good men. Of Barnabas it is said, Act. 11.24. that he was a good man. Do good (saith David, Ps. 125.4.) ô Lord unto them that are good, and to them that are upright in their hearts. As if he had said, Every up∣right hearted man is a good man.

[ 2] Secondly, Though the other two may do such things as are good in themselves and such as God is pleased with, and oft rewardeth them for, yet is he never a whit the better pleased with them, for them. But the Lord is not onely well pleased with the goodnesse that is in the regenerate, but he is pleased with them and loveth them the better for it. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that feare him, Psal. 147.11. Such as are upright in their way, are his delight, saith Solomon, Pro. 11.20.

[ 3] Thirdly, Whereas the other two though they may doe many good things, yet can take no sound comfort in any of them, as wee have heard; the re∣generate may take much comfort in that goodnesse, that truth of grace that they find in themselves. So did Paul in his greatest afflictions. Our rejoycing is this (saith he, 2 Cor. 1.12.) even the testimony of our conscience. So did Hezekiah even then when he thought he should die, Esa. 38.3. Remember now ô Lord God I beseech thee (saith he) how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight.

But though all this be so, Yet could not the best of Gods servants take any comfort at all in any goodnesse that is in them, were it not for this that they know themselves to bee in Christ and reconciled unto God by his bloud. God forbid (saith the Apostle, Gal. 6.14.) that I should glory save in the crosse of the Lord Iesus Christ. Make this sure to thy selfe (beloved) that Christ is thine, and then maist thou find sound comfort in that goodnesse, that God hath wrought in thee. But it is but cold comfort thou canst have in any good thing that is in thee, or done by thee till thou know thy selfe to bee reconciled unto God by Christ, rest not in it, trust not to it. For (alas) all our righteousnesses are as filthy ragge, as the Prophet speaketh, Esa. 64.6. And if our high-priest did not beare the iniquity of our holy things (as Aaron did, Exodus 28.38.) our holyest duties could never bee accepted of God, but would be most loathsome unto him. All our most spirituall sacri∣fices are acceptable to God by Iesus Christ, as the Apostle speaketh, 1 Pet. 2.5. and through him alone.

Notes

• Applic.