Sermon 7
Psalm 119:6. Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect to all your commandments.
The Psalmist had prayed for direction to keep God's commandments: here he shows the fruit and benefit of that direction.
In the words two things are observable: 1. The description of sincere obedience, respect to all the commandments. 2. The fruit of it, Then shall I not be ashamed.
1. Observe a sincere heart aims at universal obedience to God's law. Here are to be illustrated,
1. All your commandments. 2. Having respect to them. The object and the act of the soul.
1. All the commandments must be taken notice of, small and great. 1. Small, we cannot dispense with ourselves in the least: (Matthew 5:19) Whoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. We are apt to say it is but a little one, and my soul shall live. No sin can be little that is committed against the great God. It argues the more wickedness and corruption to break with God upon every trifling occasion. A little force will make a heavy body move downward. As small so great. The ceremonialist is apt to stand much upon lesser things: (John 18:28) the Jews would not enter into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled, yet they sought the life of the Lord of Glory. Hypocrites make a great business about small matters, and in the mean time reject weighty duties, (Matthew 23:23) You pay tithe of mint, and anise, and cumin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy and faith; these ought you to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Like one that comes into a shop to buy a penny's worth and steals a pound's worth, or is punctual in paying a small debt that he may get deeper into our books, and cheat us of a greater sum, comply in circumstances and terms, which yet have their place, but make no conscience of greater.
2. Commandments that require public, and commandments that require private duties: (2 Corinthians 7:1) Having therefore these promises (dearly beloved) let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. In times of trouble men content themselves that their hearts are right, as the Libertines in Corinth, and think it is no matter whether they own God publicly yes or no. Then for private duties some make a fair show to the world, but in their family converse are loose and careless: David says, (Psalm 101:2) I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. If a man be truly holy he will show it at home as well as abroad in his family, where his constant converse is, indeed in his closet, and secret retirements. A Christian is alike everywhere, because God is alike everywhere. We strain ourselves to put forth our gifts in public, God will be served with our uttermost in secret also.
3. There are commandments that concern the inward as well as the outward man; we must make conscience of both: (Isaiah 55:7) Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return to the Lord, and he will have mercy, etc. We must not only make conscience of our way, or outward actions, but also of our thoughts; as we must not do evil before man, so not think evil before God. Thoughts fall under a law as well as our actions: (James 4:8) Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you, cleanse your hands you sinners, and purify your hearts you double-minded.
4. There are commands that concern God, and commands that concern man: There is a first Table and a second; some are very punctual in dealing with men, but neglectful of God: (Romans 1:18) The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness. Both the Tables are owned from Heaven. Some there are that will not wrong their neighbor of a farthing, yet stick not to rob God of that fear, faith and love that is due to him. Many will not defile their bodies with promiscuous copulation, but are adulterers and adulteresses, (James 4:4) running a whoring from their spiritual Husband, and doting on the creature. Many there are who condemn the rebellion of Absalom, but rise up against their Heavenly Father; are no murderers, but strike at the being of God. Some there are who are very tender of wronging the reputation of men, yet dishonor God, and are never troubled for it. Others there are who are much in worship, but in their dealings with men are very unconscionable: they will not swear an oath, yet are very uncharitable, censuring their brethren, without any pity or remorse. This is the fashion of the world to be in with one duty, and out with another. The commandments are ushered in with this preface, God spoke all these words; he that has enjoined one has enjoined another. But now as the echo renders but part of the speech, so do we in our return of obedience. God spoke all, and we return but part.
2. Having respect to the commandments, that needs illustration also: Though we cannot keep all, or any one of them as we should, yet we must have regard to all, and that equally without any distinction.
When have we an equal respect to all? I answer, three ways.
1. Proposito. 2. Affectu. 3. Conatu.
1. Proposito: In vow and purpose we must approve of all, and choose all for our rule without reservation and indulgence. Some commands are more contrary than others to our lusts and interests, and are less in our power to perform. Now a sanctified judgment must approve all, and a sanctified will accept and choose all as equally good, necessary, and profitable for us (Romans 7:12): The law is holy, and the commandment holy, just and good. The law in general, nay that commandment which had wrought such tragic effects in his heart. It is holy, as being the copy of God's purity. Just, as doing us no wrong, being no infringement of our just freedom. Good, as being very profitable to direct and perfect our operations, and to make us happy here and hereafter. But this approbation is not enough, there must be consent (verse 16): I consent to the law that it is good; though it is contrary to my natural inclinations. It is a good law, the heart must be engaged: I will write my laws upon their hearts, and put them into their minds. God does not only give us a knowledge, or a single approbation of his will, but a will to choose it as our rule to live by. The heart is suited and inclined to it, and a man gives up himself faithfully and entirely to serve God according to the direction of his Word.
2. Affectu: There must be a sincere affection to all, or a care to keep them. We must not entertain affection to any known sin (Psalm 66:18): If I regard iniquity in my heart, God will not hear me. A man may have a great deal of sin in his heart, but if he cherish and dandle it, and have a regard to it, he is one whom God will not accept. His desire is not to offend God, and it is his trouble when corruption gets the start of grace. If a king warns a city of traitors, and calls upon them to search them out, and send them away, and they never regard the message, but willingly give them harbor and entertainment, then it is a sign they are disaffected to him. To cherish a sin after warning is an open rebellion against God.
3. Conatu: In endeavor. We must keep all, Conatu, licet non eventu, it is our labor, though not our success. Those that dispense with any commandment voluntarily and willingly, have never yet learned the way of true obedience to God (2 Kings 5:17-18): In this thing the Lord pardon your servant, that when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon — when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon your servant in this thing. This is to set up a toleration in our hearts, and to make Satan some allowance, to part stakes between God and the devil. There is something wherein we would be excused, and expect favor in fashions, customs, ways of profit and advantage. The endeavor must be to keep all, though the success be not answerable. A mariner that is beaten back by the winds, yet strives to hold on his course to make his port. A man that would sit warm shuts the door and windows, yet the wind will creep in, though he does not leave any open passage for it.
Now the reasons why we are to have respect to all the commandments are these following:
1. Because they are all ratified by the same authority: There is a connection between them, as there is between links in a chain, take away one and all falls to pieces (James 2:10): For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. The authority of the law is lost if men may pick and choose as they please: He that said, You shall do no murder, has also said, You shall keep my Sabbaths. A quatenus ad omne, the argument holds. Do one thing as a duty, and that will enforce the practice of all duties that we are convinced of (Colossians 1:10): Walk worthy of God in all well-pleasing. He that does not seek to please God in all things, does not seek to please God in anything.
2. Because in conversion grace is given to observe all; there is a universal principle to incline the heart impartially to all: God infuses all grace together, not one particular only in the hearts of his children, but the whole law. There is a form of grace introduced into the soul, that suits with every point of the law. The heart is framed to resist every sin, to observe all that God has commanded. A new-born infant has all the parts of a man, though not the strength and bulk; so every Christian in regeneration. Men may be born without hands or feet, but the new creature never comes out maimed and imperfect. It is small and weak at first, but it grows and gathers strength. There is no commandment to which it is not suited. Well then; not to have respect to all were to hide our talent in a napkin, and to receive one of God's best gifts in vain. The apostle infers it out of their calling (1 Peter 1:15): But as he which has called you is holy, so be holy [illegible], in all manner of conversation; at home and abroad, among infidels, and with their fellow Christians, in prosperity, and in adversity, walk worthy of your calling. As the sun is placed in heaven, and spreads his beams everywhere, nothing is hidden from his light; or as the lines run from the center to every part of the circumference, so does grace distill itself in a uniform obedience.
3. A Christian can never be perfect in degrees if he be not perfect in parts: What is defective in the parts cannot be made up by any growth. If a man should be born without an arm or a leg, this cannot be supplied by future growth, he is a maimed man still; so if a man be not perfect in parts, has not respect to all the commandments, he can never be perfect in heaven. You cannot be presented as perfect in Christ Jesus (Colossians 1:28).
4. They that do not obey all, will not long obey any; but where profit or lust requires it, they will break all, as (Mark 6:20). Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man, and holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. But one command stuck with him; being pleased with Herodias, and the dancing damsel, that brought him to murder, etc. Keep but your passion afoot, or your lust afoot, or your worldliness afoot, and it will carry you further. One sin keeps possession for Satan; allow but one lust and corruption in the heart, and that will undermine all, and become your eternal ruin; as one leak may sink a ship. A bird tied by the leg may make some show of escape. You never totally renounced Satan's government, and wholly gave up yourselves to God. By keeping a part, the whole falls to his share.
Use 1. It reproves those that make one duty excuse another. Two sorts there are, some that go from sins to duties; and others from duties to sins; that antedate or post-date indulgences. 1. Those that antedate, that hope to make amends for their evil course by their duties; as when men allow themselves in a present carnal practice, upon the purpose of an after-repentance. It is as if men should distemper the body by excess, and then hope to amend all by giving themselves a vomit; or contract a sickness voluntarily, because they will take physic. Certainly men would not sin so freely, if they were not buoyed up by promises of future reformation. 2. Those that post-date. They go from duties to sins, (Ezekiel 33:13): When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trusts to his own righteousness, and commits iniquity, all his righteousness shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he has committed, he shall die for it. If he shall commit a sin upon that confidence of his own righteousness. Josiah's breach with God was after the preparing of the Temple (2 Chronicles 35:20); even God's children take the more carnal liberty because of their duties.
2nd Use is Trial. Have we this sincere respect to all the commandments? This may be known,
1. By a constant desire, resolution, and endeavor to be informed of God's will, (Romans 12:2): And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, that acceptable and perfect will of God. And (Ephesians 5:17): Therefore be not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. A man that desires to follow God fully would fain know the whole latitude and breadth of his duty. A child of God is inquisitive. He that desires to keep all, does also desire to know all. It is his business to study the mind of God in all things; gross negligence shows we are afraid of understanding our duty.
2. By often searching and trying his own heart, that he may find where the matter sticks, (Lamentations 3:40): Let us search and try our ways, that we may turn to the Lord. Complete reformation is grounded on a serious search. A chief cause of our going wrong is because we do not bring our hearts and ways together.
3. Desire God to show it if there be anything in the heart allowed contrary to the Word: (Job 34:32): That which I see not, teach me; if I have done iniquity, I will do no more. And (Psalm 139:23-24): Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked thing in me; and lead me in the way everlasting. He would not hold on in any evil course. There is no sin so dear and near to him which he is not willing to see and judge in himself.
4. When they fail through human infirmity, or imprudence, they seek to renew their peace with God: (1 John 2:1): My little children, these things I write to you that you sin not; and if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. They sue out their discharge in Christ's name. If a man were unclean under the Law, he was to wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water before evening, and not rest in his uncleanness. Now if we still abide in our filthiness, and do not fly to our Advocate, and sue out our pardon in Christ's name, it argues that we have not a respect to the Commandment.
5. They diligently use all holy means which are appointed by God for growth in faith and obedience: (2 Corinthians 7:1): Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, and coming up to a greater conformity.
6. A care of their bosom-sin to get that weakened: (Psalm 18:23): I was also upright before him; and I kept myself from my iniquity. Such as are most incident to us by temper of nature, course of life, or posture of interests; the right hand must be cut off, the right eye plucked out, (Matthew 5:29-30). If you seek to cross that sin that is most pleasing to your own heart, seek to dry up that unclean issue that runs upon you, by that and the other signs may we determine whether we have a sincere respect to all God's Commandments.
2. The next circumstance in the Text is the fruit and benefit: They that have an entire respect to God's Laws shall not be ashamed.
There is a twofold shame: the shame of a guilty conscience; and the shame of a tender conscience.
The one is the merit and fruit of sin; the other is an act of grace. This here spoken of is to be understood not of a holy self-loathing, but a confounding shame.
This shame may be considered either with respect to their own hearts, or the world, or before God at the day of Judgment.
1. With respect to their own hearts; and thus the upright and sincere shall not be ashamed. There is a generous confidence betrayed in duties, in troubles, and in death. In duties they can look God in the face; uprightness gives boldness; and the more respect we have to the commandments, the greater liberty have we in prayer (1 John 3:21). If our hearts condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God. But when men walk crookedly and loosely, they sin away the liberty of their hearts, and cannot come to God with such a free spirit. A man that has wronged another, and knows not how to pay, cannot endure to see him; so does sin work a shyness of God. 2. In troubles and afflictions. Nothing sooner abashed than a corrupt conscience; they cannot hold up their heads when crossed in the world; a burden sits very uneasy upon a galled back; their crosses revive their guilt, are parts of the curse; therefore they are soon blank. But now a godly man is bold and courageous. Two things make one bold: innocence, and independence, and both are found in him that has a sincere respect to God's commandments. Innocence, when the soul does not look pale under any secret guilt, and when we can live above the creatures, it puts a heroic spirit, or lion-like boldness into the children of God. 3. In death: to be able to look death in the face, it is a comfort in your greatest distresses. When Hezekiah was arrested with the sentence of death in the mouth of the Prophet, here was his comfort and support, O Lord, you know that I have walked before you with a perfect heart. And (Job 15:16), Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.
2. Before the world a man will be able to hold up his head, that is sincere. It is true, he may be reproached and scoffed at, and suffer disgrace for his strictness; yet he is not ashamed. Though we displease men, yet if we please God, it is enough, if we have his approbation (1 Corinthians 4:3). [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment. To depend on the words of man, is a foolish thing. There is more ground of rejoicing, than of shame. You have the approbation of their consciences, when not of their tongues. In the issue God will vindicate the righteousness of his faithful servants (Psalm 37:6). He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgment as the noon-day. There will be no cause in the issue for a Christian to repent of his strict observance of God's commands (Ephesians 3:18).
3. Before God at the day of judgment (1 John 2:28). And now little children abide in him, that when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. He is the brave man that can hold up his head in that day. Wicked men will then be ashamed: 1. Because their secret sins are then divulged and made public (1 Corinthians 4:5). Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the heart, and then shall every man have praise of God. 2. Because of the frustration of their hopes; disappointment brings shame. Some do many things, and make full account of their acceptance with God, and reception to glory; but when all is disappointed, how much are they confounded! (Romans 5:5) Hope makes not ashamed, because it is not frustrated. 3. By the contempt and dishonor God puts upon them, banishing them out of his presence; they become the scorn of saints and angels (Daniel 12:2). And many of them that sleep in the dust shall arise, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. But now the godly are bold and confident (Psalm 1:5). The ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. But the godly shall lift up their head with joy and rejoicing.
Now the reasons of this.
Where sin is not allowed, there is a threefold comfort. 1. Justification (1 John 1:7). But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin. It is an evidence that gives us the comfort. He has failings, but they are blotted out for Christ's sake. 2. It is an evidence of sanctification that a work of grace has passed upon us (2 Corinthians 1:12). For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you. (Hebrews 13:18) We trust that we have a good conscience, willing in all things to live honestly. A universal purpose, and an unfeigned respect, has the full room of an evidence. 3. A pledge of glory to ensue (Romans 5:5). And hope makes not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us.
Use. It informs us by the rule of contraries, that we deceive ourselves if we look for anything from sin but shame (Romans 6:21). For the wages of sin is death. Sin and shame entered into the world together. How were Adam and Eve confounded after the fall! Sin is odious to God, it grieves the Spirit; but the person that commits it, shall be filled with shame. In the greatest privacy, sin brings shame. Men are not solitary when they are by themselves; there is an eye and ear which sees and observes them; there is a law in our hearts which upbraids our sins to us as soon as we have committed them; a secret bosom-witness.
2. It informs us what hard hearts they have that have respect to no commandments, yet are not ashamed. They have outgrown all feelings of conscience, and so glory in their shame (Philippians 3:19). Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. Erubuit, salva res est. By how much less they are ashamed now, the more they shall be; their shamelessness will increase their shame (Jeremiah 3:3). You had a whore's forehead, you refused to be ashamed. The conscience of a sinner is like a clock; dull, calm, and at rest, when the weights are down; but wound up, it's full of motion.
3. Here is caution to God's children. The less respect you have to the commandments, the more shame will you have in yourselves. Partiality in obedience breaks your confidence, and overclouds your peace. Therefore that we may not blemish our profession, let us walk more exactly. So shall we not be ashamed when we have respect to all God's commandments.
