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 CXL. On Psalme 51.7. February 16. 1629.

* 1.1IT followeth now that we proceed unto the fourth and last of those Motives which I promised to give you to perswade you to seeke without delay to know that you are through Christ justified in Gods sight. And that is this, That when a man is once justified then he shall be sure to be sanctified and never till then. If any man desire to get strength against any lust or corruption that trou∣bleth him most, or to obtaine any grace that he standeth most in need of, let him first labour to know that he is justified and that his sinnes are forgiven him. That is the onely sure way to attaine unto both; till a man know him∣selfe to be justified, let him use never so many meanes, to attaine either of them he shall but loose his labour. I will give you the proofe of this; first in the gene∣rall by shewing you that all true sanctification proceedeth from justification; secondly in both the parts of sanctification; that is to say, mortification of the old man, and vivification of the new.

[ 1] For the first, Doe any of you desire to have a better heart and to lead a better life; which wee all ought, and every good heart doe desire more then any thing els in the world, then labour to get assurance that Christ is thine, that thy sinnes are forgiven thee, that thou art through him re∣conciled unto God, this is the onely sure way to amend both thy heart and life. This will doe it and nothing but this will ever bee able to do it. Two

sorts of proofes I will give you for this. 1. The inward instrument whereby the spirit of God worketh sanctification in the heart of man, the inward prin∣ciple and root of all grace, is faith that justifieth a man, and maketh knowne the love of God to him in Christ. 2. The outward instrument whereby the spirit of God worketh sanctification in the heart of man is the preaching of the glad tidings of the Gospell unto him.

For the first. I will give you foure plaine places of Scripture for the proofe of it.

The first is that speech of our Saviour unto Paul, Acts 26.18. where spea∣king [ 1] of them that shall inherit eternall life he calleth them such as are sancti∣fied by faith in him. As if he had said, It is faith in Christ, such a faith as assu∣reth a man that Christ is his, and that God is through Christ reconciled unto him, that sanctifyeth a man and nothing but that.

The second place is Heb. 9.14. Where the Apostle comparing the bloud of Christ with the bloud of the legall sacrifices, and having shewed in the former verse that the sprinkling even of that upon the people did worke a kinde of externall and legall sanctification in them. How much more (saith he) shall the bloud of Christ being sprinkled upon you and applyed to your hearts by the spirit of God, purge your consciences from dead workes to serve the living God. As if he should say, so soone as the bloud of Christ is sprinkled upon the con∣science, so soone as ever the spirit of God hath by faith assured a man that the pardon which Christ by his bloud hath purchased doth belong unto him, this will certainly follow of it, his heart and conscience will be purged and clean∣sed from dead workes, from those workes which while he was a naturall man dead in trespasses and sinnes he lived in, and he shall be enabled to serve God in newnesse of life.

The third place for the proofe of this is in 2 Pet. 1.4. Where the Apostle saith that by the knowledge of Christ are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature ha∣ving escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Two things are to bee observed in these words of the Apostle. 1. How come Gods people to escape the corruption that is in the world through lust? How come they to forsake and be preserved from those sinnes, that both them∣selves in times past, and the whole world still (through the strength of our na∣turall concupiscence) liveth in? How come they to be partakers of the divine nature? How come they to have the Image of God which consisteth in true holinesse and righteousnesse renewed in them? Why saith the Apostle we at∣taine unto all this, this change is wrought in us by the exceeding great and pre∣cious promises of God which are given unto us; not by any thing we were able to doe, by any endeavour wee could use; by any penance we could put our selves unto; no nor by the law or judgements of God: but by receiving and beleeving the exceeding great and precious promises that God hath given us of pardon and mercy, was this blessed change wrought in us. But then. 2. How came wee to have interest in these exceeding great and precious promises of God? Surely saith the Apostle (Verse 3. And in the very first words of this verse) through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and Vertue; that is, through the knowledge of Christ. By knowing Christ to be ours (In whom all the promises of God are yea and Amen, as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 1.20.) wee come to have Title to all the exceeding great and precious promises of God.

The fourth and last place of Scripture which I promised to give you for con∣firmation of this first point, is that speech of the Apostle Eph. 3.19. Where the Apostle praying for the Ephesians that God would make them able to know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge which was so infinitely great unto every

poore sinner that beleeveth in him as no heart of man is able fully to know and comprehend it, he giveth this for the reason of that prayer that he made for them, that yee might be filled (saith he) with all the fulnesse of God. As if he had said, the more knowledge you shall have of the wonderfull love that Christ hath borne unto you, the more that you shall be assured of it, the more you look into it and meditate of it; the more you shall bee filled with all the fulnesse of God, the more shall you abound in sanctification and in every saving grace.

[ 2] Now for the second sort of proofes I spake of, the outward instrument wher∣by the spirit of God useth to worke sanctification and holinesse in the heart of man, is the preaching of the glad tydings of the Gospell, the opening and ap∣plying to him the new Testament and covenant of God, the covenant of grace, the promises of Gods free grace and mercy in Christ. True it is the Lord some∣times by his judgements and plagues, but more usually by the Ministery of the law useth to prepare men unto grace, and worke a kinde of repentance and change in the heart of man. But the meanes whereby he useth to sanctifie a man indeed, to mortifie and kill sin in the root, to worke a saving change and true grace in his heart, is by preaching the Gospell and making knowne to him his mercy in Christ. Two plaine testimonies I will give you for this, and trouble you with no more. The first is that in 2 Cor. 3.6, 8. where the Apostle having spoken of the fruit of his Ministery in the hearts of the Corinthians, he telleth them; God had made him and his fellow Apostles able Ministers of the New Testament, not of the letter, but of the spirit. As if he had said, by my preaching of the new testament, the new covenant, the covenant of grace, you were con∣verted, the spirit of God was conveied into your hearts. And making a compa∣rison betweene the Ministery of the law and of the Gospell in the next verses, he calleth the preaching of the Gospell in the new Testament, the ministration of the spirit, that ministery whereby the spirit of grace is infused into the hearts of men. The other testimony which I will bring you for this is that of the Apostle Gal. 3.2. where appealing unto their owne consciences, he asketh them how and by what meanes they first received the spirit of God, This only would I learne of you (saith he) received ye the spirit by the works of the law or by the hea∣ring of faith? that is, by the hearing of the doctrine of faith, the doctrine of the Gospell which teacheth justification by faith only. And thus have I confirmed this fourth Motive unto you in the generall, that we can never be sanctified till we be justified first; that the man that desireth to amend his heart and life, must first seeke to know that his sins are forgiven, that he is reconciled unto God in Christ

[ 2] Followeth now that we shew you this likewise in both the parts of sanctifi∣cation more plainly and particularly.

[ 1] And first, for mortification of the old man, the best way that any man can take to mortifie and subdue any lust and corruption, that is strongest in him, and that troubleth him most, is to get assurance by faith that Christ is his, that his sinnes are forgiven him, and God is reconciled unto him in Christ, and when he hath once got this assurance to make use of his faith in this worke, to stirre it up and exercise it by thinking and meditating oft of the marvellous love of God to him in Christ; and by making claime to the promises of God which through Christ he hath just title unto. Faith purifieth the heart; saith the Apostle Acts 15.9. It purgeth out the corruption that it findeth in it, it killeth sinne wheresoever it commeth. Not all at once indeed, but by little and little; so soone as ever it entreth into the heart, it giveth sinne the deathes wound so as it shall languish ever after, and never recover the strength and vi∣gour againe that it had before. Every faithfull man hath this promise given him of God Rom. 6.14. Sin shall not have dominion over you, for yee are not under

the Law, but under grace. So that the man that knoweth himselfe to bee in Christ, and so within the covenant of grace, may goe boldly to the throne of grace when he findeth himselfe unable to subdue any strong lust, and corrupti∣on and even ready to be mastered and overcome of it, nay he ought then to ex∣ercise and make use of his faith by challenging and making claime to this pro∣mise of God, and say, Lord thou hast promised that no sinne shall have do∣minion over them that are not under the law but under grace; and I know that thou art faithfull that hast promised this, and able to performe what thou hast promised; Lord make good this promise of thine now unto me, let not this lust and corruption have dominion over me. But I shall make this plai∣ner to you, and shew you what force there is in justifying faith that assureth us of Gods favour in Christ to mortifie sinne, by instancing in foure of the stron∣gest lusts and corruptions, that the faithfull are wont to bee cumbred with all.

The first is covetousnesse and the love of the world. And for the force that [ 1] is in justifying faith to mortifie this corruption wee have an example first in Abraham and Sarah and some others of whom the Apostle speaketh Heb. 11.8, 14, 15. of whom the Apostle saith that they willingly forsooke their owne country, and all the comforts that they had there, and went willingly (upon the Lords call) they knew not whither, and had no desire to returne to their owne country againe, nor were so much as mindefull of it, they never thought of it nor looked backe as Lots Wife did, and he telleth us plainly it was nothing but faith, that did thus weane their hearts from the world, and made them so wil∣ling to part with it. See an example of this in Zach••us like wise Luke 19. Of him we reade Verse 2. That he was the chiefe among the Publicans, and Verse 7. That he was a sinner, a noted and infamous man. And for what sinne? Surely for covetousnesse, for getting his wealth by extortion and such like un∣just meanes. And yet so soone as this man had received Christ not into his house only, but much more into his heart; when he considered and weighed with himselfe the wonderfull love and goodnesse of Christ towards him, that was so vile and unworthy a wretch, how Christ tooke particular notice of him, and called him by his name, how he offered himselfe unsought to, to bee his guest to abide in his house (which was no more then he hath done for every poore soule amongst us that truly beleeveth in him) when Zacheus (I say) saw and considered this wonderfull love of Christ towards him, see what a change it wrought in him, how it mortified that lust that had so raigned in him before; he became presently a most liberall man, as you may see Verse 8. both by his bounty towards the poore, and by his readinesse to make restitution to all such as had beene wronged by him. And thus doth the Apostle teach us to mortifie this corruption Heb. 13.5, 6. Let your conversation be without covetousnesse; and be content with such things as you have, for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee; so that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper and I will not feare what man shall doe unto me. As if he should say, If thou wouldest purge thy heart from covetousnesse and get strength against it, make use of thy faith, remember the promises that thou being in Christ, hast title unto. If thou hadst no body to take care for thee, but thy selfe thou hadst some reason to toile and moile, to carke and care for this world, as thou dost, but being in Christ and having these promises, it is madnesse for thee to doe it.

A second strong corruption and lust that Gods people are troubled with, is [ 2] uncharitablenesse towards them that have done them wrong. How may a Christian best mortifie and get strength against this corruption? Surely by get∣ting assurance to his heart of Gods love in Christ, and making use of his faith. This is evident by that speech of the Apostles unto Christ, Luk. 17.5. where when they had heard our Saviour teach if a brother trespasse against us seven

times in one day (and what hope will you say can a man have of such a one?) yet upon profession of his repentance wee must forgive him, and when they heard him presse this with such earnestnesse as Verse 3. he did take heed to your selves: As if he should say, I know well how heard and difficult a thing it is to flesh and bloud, that I shall now require of you, but take heed you doe so, your case is wofull if you doe not this; the Apostles all of them with one voice cry unto Christ, Lord increase our faith; As if they had said, he had need have a great deale of faith, that should be able to doe this, and yet Lord if thou wilt be pleased to increase our faith we shall be able to doe it. Why? How can a mans faith helpe him in this case? Surely two wayes. First, if a man would stirre up and exercise his faith by considering what the Lord for Christs sake hath done for him, how he hath forgiven him a debt of tenne thousand ta∣lents and how apt he is still upon his repentance to forgive him though he tres∣passe against him more then seven times every day, this will make a man able and willing to forgive his brother upon his repentance, any wrongs whatso∣ever; which are but as a debt of an hundred pence in comparison of that which God hath forgiven him: and make him say to his owne heart as wee reade Matth. 18.33. the wicked servant should have said, Should not I have com∣passion of my fellow servant, even as the Lord hath had pitty on me? There∣fore the consideration of that which God for Christs sake hath done for us, is also used by the Apostle, Col. 3.13. as the strongest motive to make us willing to forgive wrongs. Secondly, if a man would make claime to that promise that hee being in Christ hath just title to, which we finde made, Esa. 11.6—9. to all the subjects of Christs kingdome, The Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe, &c. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountaine. The effect of which promise is this, that all that belong to Christs kingdome shall have the spirit of meekenesse given unto them, and though they were by nature like Wolves and Leopards and Lions and Beares and Aspes and Cockatrices; that is, fierce and cruell apt to doe hurt and mischiefe, when once they beleeve in Christ their natures shall be quite changed, all bitternesse of spirit shall be taken from them, they shall have no desire to hurt, to be revenged of any that have done them wrong. If I say a Christian that findeth himselfe troubled with malici∣ousnesse and bitternesse of spirit, would in humble and faithfull prayer make claime to this promise and challeng it at Gods hands doubtlesse hee might have more power over that corruption then he hath.

[ 3] A third corruption that troubleth much the people of God is slavish feare which is indeed one of the greatest tormenters of the heart that can be. Feare hath torment, saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.18. And there is scarce any one cor∣ruption that the dearest of Gods servants are more subject to then to this sla∣vish and distrustfull feare. In which respect the Lord Esa. 35.4. calleth them such as are of a fearefull heart. And upbraideth them with this as with a great sinne, Esa. 51.13. Thou hast feared continually every day, because of the fury of the oppressour, as if hee were even ready to destroy. If they heare of any troubles approaching, of any practises of the enemy either at home or abroad, their hearts are surprised with strange feares continually every day, as if the enemy were already entred into their houses and ready to cut their throates. Alas my weakenesse is such (saith this poore soule) as I shall never bee able to abide such a triall, I shall be apt to deny God or doe any thing when such a day commeth. This is too true, and this is my very case will many a one of you say; and I know it is my great sinne to be so fearefull as I am, but how should I helpe it? How may I bee able to mortifie and subdue this corruption? I answer, get assurance by faith that thou art reconciled to God in Christ, that thy sinnes are forgiven thee; and that will free thee from thy feares and make thee strong against them. See an experiment of this in them that endured as great

tryalls as thou shalt ever indure, and felt themselves before their tryall as fearefull and weake every whit as thou art; I meane them that the Apostle speaketh of Hebr. 11.33—37. Observe these foure things distinctly in that example. First, How great their tryals were, Verse 37. They were stoned, sawne asunder, tempted, they were slaine with the sword, they wandred about in sheep-skins and goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted; tormented. Is it possible that thou canst ever be brought to greater tryals than they were? Secondly, How strong and resolute, how void of feare they were even in this fiery tryall, Vers. 35. not accepting deliverance; they had deliverance, and peace, and freedome from all these miseries offred them, upon condition that they would yeeld a little and forsake their Religion, but they would not accept of it. Thirdly, Consider how weake and fearefull they had beene before the very time that they came to this tryall, Vers. 34. Out of weakenesse they were made strong. Fourthly, Lastly, What it was that made them thus strong, Vers. 33. Through faith they attained to this strength. The assurance they had of their reconcilia∣tion with God in Christ, and of the forgivenesse of their sinnes, was that that made them overcome their fearefulnesse, and become so strong. And no marvell for all the faithfull in this case have these promises of God to rest up∣on. 1. That God will certainly have an eye to them, and a care of them in the worst times that can come. When he maketh inquisition for bloud (saith Da∣vid, Psal. 9.12. when he commeth to visit a land for the murders and other horrible sinnes committed in it) he remembreth them. And 116.15. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints. He maketh precious account of them. The haires of their head are numbred, as our Saviour speaketh, Matth. 10.30. and therefore much more their lives. They shall not lose their lives, unlesse God shall see that will be most for his glory and their good. 2. The Lord will certainly proportion their tryals to their strength, and as their tryals shall increase, so shall their strength increase to beare and get through with them. The Lord will give strength unto his people, saith the Prophet, Psal. 29.11. Feare thou not, for I am with thee (saith the Lord, Esa. 41.10.) be not dismayed, for I am thy God, I will strengthen thee, yea I will helpe thee, yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousnesse. And Vers. 14. Feare not thou worme Iacob (thou that art so base and contemptible in thine owne eye) I will helpe thee, saith the Lord. Yea of all the faithfull, those that are now before-hand so fearfull and weake, have most promises of God that he will give them strength sufficient when the time of tryall shall come; Out of weakenesse they were made strong, as you heard H••b. 11.34. My grace is sufficient for thee (saith the Lord to Paul 2 Cor. 12.9.) for my strength is made perfect in weaknesse. He giveth power to the saint (saith the Prophet Esa. ••0.29.) and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Certainly if Gods people would make use of their faith, in making claim to these promises of God, and challenging of him in humble prayer, the performance of them unto themselves, they could not be so tormented with slavish feares as they are.

The fourth and last corruption that much troubleth the best of Gods people, is the hardnesse of their hearts; they cannot mourne (they say) nor weep [ 4] for their sinnes, they are not sensible either of the judgements, or mer∣cies of God, they cannot pray, nor heare, nor read, nor receive with any feeling or affection at all. See how Gods people complaine and were afflicted with this, Esa 63.17. Why hast thou hardened our heart from thy fe••r••? Now the best way that any soule can take to cure this stoninesse of the heart, to make it soft and tender, able to mourne kindly for sinne, and to serve God with feeling and affection, is to get assurance by a lively faith of Gods love to him in Christ, and of the forgivenesse of his sinnes. Foure notable experiments we have for this, two in the old Testament, and two in the new. The first is that of

Gods people mentioned in Ezek. 36.28—31. after that they were become Gods people, and God was become their God, and he had saved them from all their un∣cleannesses, as you read Vers. 28, 29. that is, after that they were entred into the covenant of grace, assured of Gods favour, and of the forgivenesse of their sinnes; then shall ye remember (saith the Lord of them Vers. 31.) your owne evill wayes and your doings that were not good, and shall loath your selves in your owne sight for your iniquity and for your abominations. Nothing hath that force to make a man loath himselfe for his sinnes, as the knowledge and consideration of Gods love in the pardoning of his sinnes, and the receiving of him into a covenant of grace and mercy, that hath beene so extreamely unworthy of it. The second experiment of this force of faith to soften the heart, is that of Gods people whom the Prophet speaketh of, Zach. 12.10. that they should mourne as one mourneth for his onely sonne, and be in bitternesse as one that is in bitter∣nesse for his first borne. And the Prophet alledgeth two causes of this. 1. The Spirit of grace that God had powred upon them; that is, the Spirit of adoption whereby God had assured their hearts of his favour and love in Christ. 2. The looking upon Christ whom they had pierced; that is, the weighing with them∣selves seriously what Christ had done and suffred for them. And therfore also it is said they mourned for him, they were in bitternesse for him. It is the Spirit of grace and adoption assuring us of Gods fatherly love to us in Christ, it is the weighing with our selves seriously how dearely Christ hath loved us, that will make us mourne for sinne more than for any thing in the world, all the terrours of the law, all the judgements of God are of no force to soften the heart, in comparison of this. The third experiment of this is in Mary Magdalen, Luke 7. Of her we read Ver. 38. that she had a very soft heart, she was able to weep abundantly for her sinnes, so abundantly as she could wash Christs feet with her teares. And what was it that made her heart so soft? Surely, the knowledge and assurance she had of Christs marvellous love to her in pardoning her sinnes, her so many and so hainous sinnes, was that that did it, as our Saviour plainely telleth us, Vers. 43 & 48. The fourth and last example is that of Peter, of whom we read Luke 22.62. that he had a most soft heart, he was able to weepe bitterly for his sinnes. And what was it that wrought so upon his heart? That the Holy Ghost telleth us Vers. 61. The Lord turned and looked upon Peter; and Peter remembred the Word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, before the cocke crow thou shalt deny me thrice. When he considered the marvellous love of Christ to him, that though he had so shamefully denied and forsaken him, yet he was pleased still in the midst of all his troubles to think upon him, to have care of him, to turn himself about, and cast a gracious eye upon him, this brought Pe∣ter to remember what he had done, this even broke his heart, and made him weep abundantly. And surely look what force a true and lively faith had in all these examples, the same it would have in us, if we did stir it up and make use of it as they did. The true cause why our hearts are so hard, is this, that either we have no faith, no assurance of Gods love to us in Christ; or if we have it, we make not use of it unto this work of softning our hearts. For all that are in the covenant of grace, reconciled to God in Christ, have this promise given them of God, Ezek. 11.19. which is also repeated 36.26. I will take (saith the Lord) the stony heart out of their flesh, and I will give them an heart of flesh. And if any of the faithfull when they are most troubled with the hardnesse of their hearts, could make claime unto this promise, and presse the Lord with it (as he loveth to be importuned, as you may see Luke 18.1, 7) certainely they might have helpe against it. And so much for the force that faith hath in the first part of our sanctification for the mortifying of sinne. The second part I must leave till the next day.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Motive 4