need haue they to put in magnam great as though the multitude which followeth did not include the greatnesse O God The person to whom he prayeth Obiect Against inuocation of Saints is God But in regard of his basenesse and vn worthinesse why doth he not make suite to Abraham Moses Samuel Iob or some other holy men onely contenting himselfe with God For I thinke the sinners of old time had as much need of the suppliment of the old Patriarkes and Fathers of the Church as we haue now of the helpe of our Apostles and Saints If they had not mind of such Mediators but fled onely to God I thinke we should follow their footsteps When God is deficient then let vs go to them and when the Sunne of righteousnes doth not shine it is time to light our halfeâ— pennie candles Paul saith O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you Gal. 4.3.1 and I say O foolish Papists when will you leaue off your folly If Christs intercession being God who knoweth all our necessities and pitieth them were not perfect then we might claime some subsidies but it is vaine to seeke others when he hath all for that doth greatly derogate to his glorie as I haue spoken in another place He vseth the word Elohim representing the holy Trinitie He inuocateth the. whole Trinitie of which some of the ancients haue this coniecture because he failed against he Fathers omnipotencie when he abused his regal power in slaying Vriah against the Sonne being the wisedome of the Father vsing deceitfulnesse and fraud in this murder against the Spirit when he by his filthinesse abused his holinesse who is the Spirit of sanctification Therefore say they he now prayeth to Elohim Iudge of this nomination as ye please Elchim representeth the Trinitie as Iehouah the vnitie of both which Saint Augustine in his Confessions admonisheth vs We should saith he neuer remember the vnitie of the essence but we should as soone remember and dissolue our mind vpon the trinitie of the persons and not so soone thinke vpon the trinitie of the persons but to gather in our minds the vnitie of the nature which albeit they be vnspeakable and incomprehensible to vs it is enough that we speake with the Scriptures beleeue with the Scriptures and pray at the direction of the Scriptures whose direction if we follow we cannot erre in whose paths as being the vndoubted writs of God if we walke we cannot fall According to thy louing kindnesse The thing which he reposeth and resteth vpon Against merits is not his owne deserts but Gods good wil. Iudge ye if this ouerthroweth merit or no. For if any man might haue preteÌ„ded goodworks it was he I giue saith he my goodnesse to the Saints Psal 16. I am companion to all them that feare thee I wash my hands in innocencie and compasse thine altar Looke the 101. Psalme concerning the gouernment of his family and his owne person Of his vpright life he saith Iudge me according to my righteousnes While he hath to do with men there was no man more pure in life and religion but when he hath to do with God he renounceth all and taketh him to Gods kindnes and fauour While we looke downe to the earth Simil. our sight is sharp enough and we may see far and cleerly but when we looke to the Sunne then our sight is dazled and blinded so before men we may brag of our vprightnesse and honestie but when we looke vp to God we are ashamed of our selues yea of the least thought of our harts The Lord of his mercie keep vs from presumption that we presume not in any good thing we do seeing that it is Gods worke in vs let him take the honour of his owne worke and let vs say with Dauid Shame belongeth to vs but glorie to thee Our best actions are contaminate with such imperfections and spots that we haue cause to stop our mouthes and blush and be ashamed of them we are conscious of the manifold faults and defects which are in them According to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities He exaggeâ—ateth the weight of his sin in that it hath need of many mercies whereby he testifieth that his sinnes were many passing the number of the heires of his head and like waters that had gone ouer his head So Gods mercies are more then mans miseries many sinnes require many mercies Men are greatly terrified at the multitude of their sinnes but here is a comfort our God hath multitude of mercies If our sinnes be in number as the heires of our head Gods mercies are as the starres of heauen and as he is an infinite God so his mercies are infinite yea so far are his mercies aboue our sinnes as he himselfe is aboue vs poore sinners By this that he seeketh for multitude of mercies The godly account one sin to be many he would shew how deeply he was wounded with his manifold sinnes that one seemed a hundred where by the contrary so long as we are vnder Satans guiding a thousand seeme but one but if we betake our selues to Gods seruice one will seeme a thousand Againe we may admire the wonderfull largenesse of the mercies of God the bredth whereof extends ouer all the world the height to place vs in heauen the depth to draw vs from the lower hell the length betwixt hell and heauen O the bredth length deepnesse and height of the mercies of our God Admire the mercies of God the multitude of whose compassions neither man nor Angell is able to comprehend Why then doest thou despaire thereof O man though thy sins were neuer so many his mercies exceed them and although thou sinnest seuentie seuen times a day Mat. 7. he can pardon and forgiue thee Thy compassions the word in the original signifieth an ardent and earnest affection of the heart compassionating that which it pitieth as it were the commotion of the bowels as I noted before that his very bowels are moued toward his children as Paul writeth to Philemon Philem. 12 Luk. 15.20 2. Sa. 18.33 Psal 103. This compassion was demonstrate in the father of the prodigall sonne and in Dauid to Absolom much more in God toward his deare children Looke what pitie parents haue to their children greater hath God towards vs. Are not parents touched at the very heart when they behold the miseries of their children yea would they not hazard their liues and estates as many times they doe to deliuer them and will not God be moued towards vs if we considering his compassion and meeknesse would but pitie our selues by confessing our iniquities vnto him Put away He borroweth a similitude from Merchants who haue their debts written in their account-booke and at the paiment thereof they score out that which before they haue written Therefore since our sinnes are written with a pen of iron and a point of a diamond we must pray
A GODLY AND FRVITFVLL EXPOSITION ON THE TWENTY FIVE PSALME THE SECOND OF THE PENTENTIALS Seruing especially for the Direction and comfort of all persons who are either troubled in minde diseased in bodie or persecuted by the wicked By Mr. A. SYMSON Pastor of the Church at DALKEITH in Scotland LONDON Printed by W. I. for Iohn Bellamie and are to be sold at his Shop at the two Greyhounds in Cornehill neare the Royall-Exchange 1622. TO THE TRVLY RELIGIOVS NOBLE AND VERTVOVS LADY MARY COVNTESSE OF Marre prosperitie in this life and eternall happines in the life to come MAdame seeing your sinceritie in religion is such that it makes euery one to admire you and your loue to such as are truely religious is so great that it makes them to honour and respect you and seeing my brother M. Patrik Simson of good memorie was that happie instrument of God as a spirituall father to beget your Ladyship in Christ Iesus and hath dedicated all his labours to your Ladyship as the chiefest seale of his ministrie I could find none so fit as your Ladiship to whom I might dedicate this ensueing treatease on the fiue and twentith Psalme and therefore as a testimonie of my seruice and duty which I owe vnto your Ladyship I am bold to present the same to your Ladyships view beseeching God that it may redowne to the aduancement of his glorie and the good of the Church in generall and of your Ladyship in particular Thus praying for the increase of your faith and continuance of your daies together with outward and inward blessings to your Ladiship your noble husband and hopefull posteritie I rest Your Ladiships seruant A. SIMSON A GODLY AND FRVITFVLL EXPOSItion on the twenty fifth Psalme the second of the PENITENTIALS The substance of this Psalm DAVID being oppressed by his enemies in this Psalme desires that God would deliuer him from shame and sinne the cause of all his euils that he would direct him to walke in his wayes as also confirmes himselfe by many arguments in the assurance of Gods goodnesse and finally praies for deliuery to himselfe and to the Church This Ode of Dauids is set downe in 22. Sections or Verses after the number and order of the Hebrew Alphabet at least very neerâ— as are the 34.111.112.119 as also the Lamentations of Ieremiah and the 31. of the Prouerbes Those who seeke a reason of this let them reade S. Ierome Epist 155. in Lament Ieremiae and Euseb de praepar Euang. For he alludeth to the signification of euery Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet which hath a spirituall meaning But in my iudgment these Psalmes are so framed for our memory that keeping in minde the Letters wee may the more easily remember the matter Man hath need of many helps For wee haue need of many helps to confirme our memory in goodnesse These Verses are called Acrosticki as were Sibyllaes verses of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a Fish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sedullius in like manner made an Hymne A Solis ortus cardine Beatus auctor seculi Castae parentis viscera c. As also Nazianzen I would not wish men to be too curious in the searching of the causes hereof but rather be diligent in the confirmation of their memories by these 22. Alphabeticall Letters The Diuision of the Psalme THis Psalme containeth a Prayer to the eight Verse a Confirmation to the eighteenth and a Conclusion petitory to the end In the first seuen Verses hee craueth three things at God First that hee may not be ashamed Secondly that hee may learne Gods wayes and be taught by him Thirdly that he may be deliuered from sinne Then there is contained a deprecation against sinne and shame and the meane by which he may escape them both that is by the word of God which may direct him in such a way wherein hee may not fall vnder shame and sinne Shame proceedeth of sinne There are two things which we may lawfully craue of God to eschew sinne shame sinne as the mother and cause shame as the daughter and effect And as we desire to flye them so especially wee should craue of God that onely meane by which wee may shunne them euen that we submit our selues to be gouerned by his word The word of God freeth man both of sinne and shame and frame all our actions therto by which we may perswade our selues that we shall escape both All pray Lord keepe vs from shame and sinne when as many contemne the meane by which they should bee preserued euen that blessed word of God VERSE 1. Vnto thee O Lord lift I vp my soule To whom God is Iehouah hee is also Elohim THe names which he giues God are Iehouah and Eloim the first taken from his nature the other from his power and he applyeth them to himselfe My strong Gods including the persons of the Trinitie He leadeth vs to God in our praiers Psal 73.23 Whom haue I in heauen but thee Heb. 11.6 Hee that commeth to God must beleeue that God is and that he is able to saue such as come to him God appeared in sundry names to others Exod. 6.3 but to Moses in his essentiall name Iehouah Claime first to his nature and next to his power First he must be thy God Iehouah Note and then thy strong God First he must loue thee and then hee will defend thee Ps 144.15 Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord. Those are foolish who seeke his protection not first hauing assurance of his loue If hee be to thee Iehouah then shall he also be to thee Eloim Three arguments to moue God to heare him The arguments by which he would moue God to heare him are taken from three persons First from his owne person Secondly from the person of his aduersaries Thirdly from the person of the godly 1. From his owne person because hee beleeues in him In his owne person first his prayer is signified by this circumscription I lift vp my soule to thee and his faith I trust in thee What is prayer but a lifting vp of the heart to God for the heart must first be affected and then it will frame all the members of the body and draw them vp with it Simil. As the Magnes drawes the Iron after it so will the soule draw the cold and lumpish flesh where it is where the â—oule is there is the body also and where the soule is there is the man Whereby it appeareth that there is no praier or spirituall seruice acceptable to God Doct. No spirituall seruice but that which proceeds from the heart Pro. 23. â—6 Isay 29.13 but that which comes and is deriued from the heart My sonne giue me thy heart This people seeke mee with their lips but their heart is farre from me Yee are praying but your heart is as the eye of the foole euery where Sometime
But herein is our comfort that he is an immutable God on who wee depend and in whom we trust then as long as God stands our saluation cannot faile Woe to them who put their trust in any other following lying vanities and forsaking mercies Ionah 2.8 Psal 119. I haue seene an end of all perfection sayes Dauid but thy word is very large VERSE 7. Remember not the sinnes of my youth nor my rebellions but according to thy kendnesse remember thou me euen for thy goodnesse sake O Lord. HE conioynes these two Doct. memorie of mercies WheÌ„ God remembers mercies he forgets sin and forgetfulnesse of sinnes the one destroyes the other when God remembers mercy hee forgets sinne when he remembers sinne he forgets mercy when God will plague the Whoore of Babel it is said He will remember her sinnes and in Hosea Now will hee remember their iniquity and visit their sinnes Hos 8.13 they shall returne to Aegypt He craued mercy before at God Doctr. If sin had not beene Gods mercies had not beene knowne Rom. 8.28 now hee lets vs see the obiect of Gods mercy euen sin and here appeares the great wisedome of God who can turne all things to the best to those that loue him so that hee doth make their sinne which they did commit to manifest his glory and work their owne saluation All the properties of God his iustice and mercy excepred might haue beene knowne to the world by the creation his wisedome in framing the world so artificially his power in maintaining it his goodnesse in making man so excellent a creature but if sinne had not beene neither Gods mercy would haue been manifested in pardoning it neither his iustice in punishing it For where sinne abounded Rom. 5.20 there mercy superabounds Remember not the sinnes of my youth Hee makes mention of his sinnes for when hee speakes to God who is most iust and righteous that he should remember his owne vnrighteousnesse as the brethren of Ioseph when they sought fauour of him they remembred the wrong they did to him as if one seeking the helpe of his friend he would confesse the faults he did against him Luk. 15.21 as the forlorne son did to his father So seeing sinne is the principall wall which druides vs from God so that he doth not heare our prayers Dauid here taketh away this impediment Doct. Therefore if wee would haue our prayers acceptable to God We must confesse our sinne if we would be heard let vs begin at an humble begging of pardon and remission at which allour praâ—ers should begin that hauing assurance of Gods fauour we may boldly sute what we please But if wee begin not our prayers at crauing pardon Simil. we become like foolish Physitians who neglect the causes of the disease and onely study to mitigate the present dolour and apply outward somentations for the curing thereof Obiect But how is it that Dauid specially nominates the transgressions of his youth did hee not commit other sinnes and are the sinnes of his age of no moment Answ I answer He doth not extenuate his presen sinne by remembring the sinnes of his youth but rather aggrauates and aggredges the same while he repeats from his childhood how many wayes hee had kindled Gods wrath against him Confessing that he had heaped sinne vpon sinne and so by processe of time was loadned and ouercharged with it Next if God should deale with him by extreame rigour hee should not onely call to mind the faults which he did yesterday but whatsoeuer sinnes hee did from his youth The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 includes all the faults either of commission or omission which hee did Note Therefore so oft as the Lord terrifies vs with his iudgements let vs not onely remember our last oftence but let our former transgressions make vs bee ashamed and bring new sobs and sighes in our heart Let old men call to minde their former offences which they did commit in their youth Saint Augustine in his confessions reckoneth out all the follies which he committed in his childhood infancy youth and age calling them to minde euen from the beginning Psal 51.5 for we are conceiued in sinne and a child of one day is not cleane before God As we grow in yeares ye grow in sinne as a Lyons whelpe is borne with a sauage nature and as it growes in age so the cruelty thereof increaseth so does man Solomon in the Prouerbs saith It is hard to know the way of a young man with a maid Pro 30.19 So young men haue need of sure custody that their parents masters and Preachers should take heed diligently to them Saint Ambrose in a Sermon at the Funerall of the Emperour Valentinian the younger bringeth in that place of the Lamentations Blessed is the man who beares his yoake in his youth Lam. 3.27 God is mercifull to that youth whom he corrects Dauid he deplores the sinnes of his youth which were secret from the world and perchance to himselfe yet hee craues pardon for them Now the smallest sinnes trouble him which before were but sports to him and so it will befall to vs those offences now which we accompt no offences after we will esteem them great sinnes Prou. 5.3 now they are honey in the mouth but after in the belly they will be bitter as gall There is no time of mans age which is free from sinne â—worldâ— time of â—â—ns life â—â—â—t of sin â—2 â—â—d 22. but the youth is not onely first but most subiect thereunto for a youth is like an vntamed Calfe like a wilde Asse which will be taken in her moneth â—â—il The first borne should bee sacrificed to God the first fruits should be offered to him yea the beast if it had not beene redeemed 〈◊〉 3.10 the necke of it behoued to haue beene broken Thinke yee not that God hath more respect of the first fruits of our life then he hath of the first fruits of Bullocks Thou shalt consecrate thy beginnings to God with Iosias 2 King 22.1 who in the morning of his life euen early began to seeke the Lord. We should in our life keepe such dyets as did Dauid in his prayers Morning Psal 55.17 noone-tide and at euen he sought the Lord. Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth Eccles 12.1 before the yeeres come wherein ye shall say I haue no pleasure Eccles 11.9 Iob 20.11 Be assured O young man yee shall come to iudgement yea thy old bones shall inherit the sinnes of thy youth To what sins youth is most inclined The sinnes of youth whereto they are most inclined are first pride and a contempt of their elders the vile doe contemne the honourable and youth despise age Such was the pride of Absolom 2 Sam. 18.9 whose punishment should terrifie all youths Next lust is naturall to them as the Prodigall
way to destruction Nos 13.9 Thy perdition is of thee O Israel thy saluation of me VERSE 13. His soule shall dwell at ease and his seede shall inherite the Land What the peace of conscience 〈◊〉 HIs soule shall dwell at ease The second promise and spirituall blessing the peace of conscience which is the tranquility of the soule flowing from the assurance of Gods fauour in Christ wrought by the holy Spirit This is that white stone in the Reuelation wherein a name is written Reuel 2.17 which none can read but hee that hath it Thy good life may bee a marke to others of thy saluation but thy inward peace is a token to thy selfe that howsoeuer thy outward man bee afflicted yet thy inward man hath that peace which passeth all naturall vnderstanding of which Christ saith My peace I giue you Ioh. 20 1◠not as the world and hee commanded the Apostles to giue their peace The giuer of this peace is called the Prince of peace the wicked cry peace Ier. 8.11 when as sudden destruction is approaching as the trauell of a woman But there is no peace to the wicked Esa 48.22 saith my God they may sometimes lye in carelesse security not wakened by the sight of Gods iudgements but sleeping in the bottome of the Sea hauing no true rest for the worldlings haue three wormes which eare them vp care feare and dolour Care feare and griefe are three wormes which eate the worldlings care to conquest the things of this world so excessiuely that they are eaten vp by it feare lest it be taken from them and commonly God as hee threateneth by his word the thing they feare shall come on them and then followeth an excessiue sorrow for the losse of them they despaire and oftentimes are the cause of their owne death but the godly cast their care vpon the Lord they haue a reasonable care of their Familie but with measure they feare nothing but the offence of God all other feares are swallowed vp in the gulfe of that feare for they assure themselues that God will maintaine their Lot and finally at the losse of any creature the godly haue a naturall sorrow albeit not out of measure Iob. 1.21 but with Iob saying The Lord hath giuen and taken The third benefite And his seede shall inherit the Land The third blessing temporall he promiseth wealth to the posterity of the righteous that their daies shall be long in the Land that God hath giuen them First in this promise yee see the constancie of Gods fauor towards them that feare him their death doth not withdraw Gods loue from their posterity 2 Sam. 19.38 as Dauid after Barzillai went home remembred his kindnesse in intertaining Chimham and on Mephibosheth hee shewed the mercy of God for Ionathans sake 2 Sam. 9.3 so Gods loue dies not with the Parents Doctr. but reuiueth in their posterity Gods loue dieth not with the Parents but reuiues in their posterity A note for Parents as the Lord promised to Dauid 2 Sam. 7.12 Here is a promise to the godly who feare him of a sure and perpetuall maintenance to their posterity The consideration hereof should abate that excessiue care that Parents haue of their children whereas the best care they can haue of them is that they feare God themselues and labour to bring them vp in that feare Kings haue not such surety of the continuance of their crownes to their succession neither Noble-men of their Lands as a godly man hath of Gods prouision I was young saith Dauid and now am old Psal 37.25 yet I neuer saw the iust man nor his seed to beg Moreouer we see that Lands are at the disposition of God Doct. who wil giue them to whom he pleaseth and altereth Dominions All changes come of sinne as the Monarchie of the Babylonians Perfians Grecians and Romanes the cause of this alteration was their sin and doe we not see amongst our selues within these thirty yeares Example of our time many and strange alterations of Lands and houses translated from the right owners thereof to others neither of their name nor any way belonging to them Should not this teach vs all to feare God and make our houses as Sanctuaries to him lest he be forced as he extirped the Canaanites for their sinnes to root vs out and sweepe vs away as with a besom VERSE 14. The secret of the Lord is reuealed to them that feare him and his couenant to giue them vnderstanding 4. Benefit and promise reuelation of his secrets THe fourth benefit which the Lord will bestow vpon the godly men he will if they feare him reueale to them his secrets First Doct. ye see the word of God is called a secret Gods word is a secret Reu. 5.5 a mystery and hid treasure a closed booke which none is able to loose but the Lambe For all the naturall wit of man is not able to attaine to the vnderstanding of the meanest Article of faith All things which we beleeue are aboue the compasse of reason or flat against it The Gospell comes by reuelation Mat. 16.17 The Gospell commeth by reuelation Blessed art thou Simon the Sonne of Ionah flesh and bloud hath not reuealed this to thee but my Father where he manifestly testifieth that the confession of Christ is a hid matter which must bee reuealed to vs by himselfe The wit of man can search the profundities of nature albeit it is not able to attaine to the hundreth part thereof as of Physicke Astronomy Geometry c. but it cannot scanse vpon Diuinity without inspiration which must come from aboue It is no maruaile therefore that so few beleeue the word for faith is not of all men it is the gift of God as it is a secret so are they called his secret ones to whom he reuealeth it But men may thinke Obiect that it being a secret why should it be made common to all and God hath closed that booke I answer vvith Augustine Answer it is a flood on vvhich a Lambe may swimme and an Elephant may walke Mat. 3.11 To the children of God it is plaine to those it is giuen to vnderstand but to others they are parable Esay 6.9 That seeing they should not perceiue But to vvhom doth he reueale it Doct. To them that feare him No true seruice without conscience and to these he giueth vnderstanding as in the 15. and 119. Psalme hee testifies By which I see there is no true seruice vvithout conscience and none can profit in the knowledge of the Scripture but such as feare God and the more they feare him the more they grow in knowledge True piety and godlinesse is the nourisher of knowledge for the feare of God is the beginning growth and perfection of all wisedome And therefore Athiests and prophane persons haue not learned Christ aright they are
good they remember it continually The godly by the contrary forget their good and remember their sins and the euill which they haue done as the Apostle Paul saith I am the least of all the Apostles and not meete to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church And againe When before I was a blasphemer a persecuter and oppressor but I was receiued to mercie And againe Christ died for sinners among whom I am the chiefe They account themselues the least among the godly the greatest among sinners So it is good to vs to nourish a continuall remembrance of our owne sins that it may humble vs before God make God so much the more pitie vs that he seeth vs vnfainedly displeased with our selues that we haue offended him by our many many sins For I know my sinne The knowledge of his sin doubtlesse came by Gods word out of the mouth of Nathan For albeit by a generall notice hee knew hee had done wrong and the particular punctions of his conscience forced him to thinke so yet the true knowledge came neuer vnto him vntil God said by his Prophet Thou art the man So the word of God serueth vs to this vse that it openeth our blinde eyes to see what is euill in vs. And therefore wo to that people who haue not the word and faithfull Preachers who may let them see their sins For when they know not sin to be sin they die in their sins By the law saith the Apostle is the knowledge of sin Rom 7.7 for if the law had not said Thou shalt not lust I would not think concupiscence to be sin Ye may see how great an euill is ignorance when mens eyes are blinded whom the god of this world hath blinded in so great a light The most part of the world couers their sin by translating the cause ouer vnto others as Adam vpon Euah Euah vpon the Serpent But the Scripture saith Gen. 3. Pro. 28.13 He that hideth his sin shall not prosper Non mediocre est saith Ambrose vt agnoscat peccatum suum vnusquisque It is not a small thing to euery one to know and acknowledge his sin So saith Dauid Delicta quis intelligit Who vnderstandeth his sin He who knoweth them may the sooner auoide them If any knew a danger he could easily flie from it and go by it Our Sauiour wept because they knew not the day of their visitation That a man may know his sin it is necessary he be admonished and rebuked and he who desireth to attaine this knowledge must be content to receiue rebukes kindly How to attaine to an acknowledgement of sinne He must resolue before God to shun the occasions of sin and such euill companie as allureth him to folly that he do call to mind what a gracious God he hath offended what good things he hath lost how many he hath offended by his example and to addresse himselfe henceforth to leade a holy and religious life according to Gods word The Philosophers thought it most necessary for euery man to know himselfe and in their precepts had this euer He who knoweth not himselfe can neuer know God Nosce teipsum Know thy selfe Then much more it becometh a Christian to know himselfe for otherwise he can neuer know God in any of his properties For if we know not our sin how shall we either know Gods iustice pursuing vs or his mercie pardoning vs. Oh that we knew our selues But Satan doth with vs as the Rauen doth with the Lambe Simil. it first pulleth forth the eyes then deuoureth it first he blinâ—eth vs then we follow him Therefore we should labour vpon our soules that the darkned eye thereof may be cleare the dimnesse remoued Acts 9. the scales which lie vpon them as vpon Saint Paul may fall to the ground that seeing our selues and our nakednesse we may craue to be couered seeing our wounds we may desire to be cured As also it is the principall part and duty of Pastors to deale in their Sermons with people that they may see their sins Sonne of man saith the Lord to Ezekiel make knowne to Ierusalem their abhominations Pastors ought to exhort the people to a sight of their sin We flatter the people in their sin and vse conniuence to their wickednesse We are afraid and belike dare not light the candle of the word and bring it to them being lying in darknesse lest they put forth the candle or smite vs who by the light thereof let them see their misbehauiour And my sinne is euer before me When Satan doth present his baited hooke of sin to vs Satans policy in presenting the greatnes of our sins after we haue sinned to vs he neuer letteth vs see the hooke of Gods iudgements but euer the bait of pleasure but when we haue swallowed the baite he neuer letteth vs see any comfort of Godâ— mercies but proposeth to vs a troubled conscience the flames of Godâ— wrath and the terrors of his iudgements as the Prophet saith Our iniquities are multiplied before vs. And yet we must take heed of the diuels craft who obscureth from many their sin so that they can neuer repent for that which they neuer see or feele And yet on the other hand he letteth some see the mountains of their sins and hugenesse of them that they see nothing else in God but his iustice thereby to leade them to despaire as he did with Iudas But we must not looke with such fixed eyes vpon our sins that we lift not vp our eyes to Gods mercie which is ready to pardon and to apply to our heart all the sweete promises which we reade in the Scriptures so that as feare beareth vs downe faith may vphold vs that we fall not They must euer be before vs in this world and be purged by vnfained repentance not that our repentance can expiate them or pacifie Gods wrath or as the foolish Papists thinke that we can do penance for them For what satisfaction can thy humiliation do which is imperfect to satisfie the wrath of an infinite God Vnlesse his Son had intervened by hiâ— satisfactioâ—â— Gods wrath could not haue bin appeased The more we repent for sin the more we are eased The more we remember our sin and lament for the same the more ease get we to our afflicted minds and consciences and the more sensibly shall we feele the mercie of God pardoning our offences Therefore we cannot be better exercised then in an humble confession of our sin and by bitter teares with Peter weepe for our offences which I pray God the Lord may worke in our hearts that we may find that blessing vpon vs which Christ pronounced Math. 5. Blessed are they who now mourne for they shall be comforted Verse 4. Against thee against thee only haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight that thou maist be iust when thou speakest and pure when thou iudgest THe ancients
â—nd Apostles And it is no maruell though â—t this time in the triall of the Church Nota. maâ—y be found to be but men God is not to be blamed he is pure when he trieth And seeing triall is prophecied to be not onely the Church of Philadelphia Reu. 3.10 1. Pet. 1.7 but also in all the earth which is called the houre of tentation or a time of fiery triall either by heresies schismes or defection from the â—ruth of God or by bloodie persecutions of Gods Saints and his Church as all Europe hath experience this day what shall we do but keepe Gods word Nota. possesse our soules in patience suffering the reproches calumnies cruell dealings yea all that the diuell and his children can do to vs. If we be tried by fire let vs be found gold if by water let vs abide in the Arke and in the Apostles boate let vs be found sure builders vpon the foundation which the Apostles laid euen Christ 1. Pet. 2. if by the aire and winds let vs be as wheate and not chaffe If finally by the earth and earthly allurements let vs be fouÌ„d to haue our conuersatioÌ„ aboue the time of trial is come already We learne also out of this that in all our trials whether inward in our conscience or externall in our bodies yea though our bodies were giuen to the beasts and foules of heauen In all our trials externall or internall God is pure yet God is pure and without fault In the best of vs all there is cause why we should be tried Verse 5. Behold I was borne in iniquitie and in sin hath my mother conceiued me THis is the fourth reason by which he would moue God to forgiue him That our nature from the very originall is corrupted from the seminarie and fountain of our conception For from our mothers wombe we bring nothing but sinne And surely we cannot throughly acknowledge our sins vnlesse we condemne our whole naturall powers and faculties of vncleannesse So the knowledge of this one sinne bringeth him to the examination of his whole life Actuall sins are as streames which proceed from original sin which is the fountaine till he find nothing in himselfe but sin For if the fountaine be poisoned what will the streames be that flow from it If we would looke backe to our originall sin we might haue cause the more to lament our actual sins as poisonable streames flowing from such a fountaine So soone therefore as our conscience accuseth vs of any one sin we should call to remembrance the whole course of our life Let the remembraÌ„ce of one sin put vs in mind of all the sins we haue committed Simil. that it hath bin nothing else but a continuall sinning against God that thus the last putting vs in mind of the first we may not be content to repent and aske pardon for one but for all A sick man hauing obtained health doth remember how long be was sicke whereby for the present he both considereth his own frailtie and Gods mercie in deliuering him as also encourageth and inanimateth him in time to come by remembrance of former mercies obtained Happie were we if we would begin to remember our miseries and Gods mercies Lorinus the Iesuite to ecce addeth enim which he confesseth is not in the Hebrew veritie and that Saint Ierome hath forgot it yet maintaineth that it is rightly put in to giue force to the words of his sin See the Sophist who granteth the Scriptures and yet would empaire their credit as though Gods Spirit were not wise enough and the sense could not hold without enim The like do they in these words Hoe est corpus meum they adde enim and say Hoc est enim which is not in the Scriptures and were altogether vngrammaticall In a word they alter and change the Scriptures as they please bringing in their enim as a particle of reason which carieth with it no reason Ye see then what the miserable corruption of our nature is so soone as we take life Man no soouer beginneth to liue but he beginneth to sinne Gen. 6.5 we begin to sin An infant of one day is not cleane before God The masse whereof we be formed is filthy and sinfull and so much the more filthy seeing it is possessed with a soule vncleane and polluted The cogitation of mans heart is only euill continually God knoweth our mold Psa 103.14 We erre froÌ„ the womb And albeit mariage be a bed vndefiled Heb. 13.4 by reason of the institution yet the concupiscence and lust polluteth the ordinance which is most holy Children haue of iginall sin Then children are not free of original sin for then why should they be baptized and why should they die as many do daily But it may seeme wonderfull strange Obiect that châ—ldren who can neither doe thinke or speake euill should be culpable I answer by another question what is the reason that a yong fox new whelped Solut. Simil. doth not slay a lamb is it not because it lacketh strength and is not come to that maturitie to execute their inclination which is naturally cruell So are infants naturally inclined to sin and therefore so soone as they can think any thing speake or do any thing it is euill as daily experience teacheth vs. Parents should take care to amend by good education that which is deficient in their children by nature Simil. Originall sin is sin And therefore it becometh Christian parents to take paines to amend that which is deficient and imperfect by nature in their children by art instruction and correction That as wilde beasts are tamed by the industrie of men and barren grounds haue become fruitfull by labouring and manuring so euil natures may be corrected by good education Ye see also out of this that originall sin is sin and offensiue to the law of God and the roote of all others that the most secret thought of our heart is sufficient to condemne vs if God would deale extreamely Which impugneth that diuellish and erronious doctrine of some who think that the first intentions and thoughts are veniall if consent come not with them Our Lord saieth that whosoeuer seeth a woman and lusteth after her committeth adulterie Mat. 5 28. and is as culpable before God as if he had sinned with her But that concludeth not that the motion is not sinfull to which such a wicked consent is added the greater sin cannot excuse the lesser Therefore we must go with Elizeus to the countaine and cast in salt in those rotten and stinking waters 2 Kin. 2.20 that they being purified all the streames flowing therefrom may be also cured This parentall sin hereditarie radicall the leuen of the primitiue corruption the law of the members naturall and generall to all mankind Nota. cannot be taken away but by the conception and natiuitie of Christ But here ariseth a question how
that is that the sacrifices of old could not worke by themselues remission of sinnes but onely did represent and prefigure the onely sacrificâ— of our Redeemer Then as he saith truly their sacrifices ex opere operato by the external working of them cannot giue remissioâ— of sins What reason then hath he to affirm that the Sacrament of the new Testamen conferreth grace by the very externall giuing thereof Lorinus against himselfe seeing that same thing waâ— prefigureted by their sacrifices which is represented by our Sacraments that is Christâ— blood both in Baptisme and in the Lords Supper Verse 17. The sacrifices of the Lord are 〈◊〉 contrite spirit a contrite and broken heart O God thou wilt noâ— despise WHen he hath remoued that which God misliked and refused now he placeth that which God liketh and receiueth that is the sacrifice of a contrite spirit In the plurall number called sacrifices that is this one for 〈◊〉 A broken heart is such a heart which is humbled through a sight and sense of sin What a broken hâ—arâ— is For it is needfull that as we haue worne our heart by finne so our heart should be worne againe by repentance and sorrow for sinne and that we should take paines to subdue our hearts and all the thoughts thereof and bring them captiue to Gods obedience That is that poore spirit of which Matthew speaketh Mat. 5.3 Esa 66.2 Isaias speaketh of the spirit that trembleth at Gods word Why sacrifices in the plurall number This caus d Dauid to put the word sacrifices in the plurall number that he might expresse the better that one contrite heart which is the sacrifice of repentance alone suffiseth for all legall sacrifices If he had said that a contrite heart is a sweet smelling sacrifice they might haue excepted that so are many others as the papists do mixe their works with the grace of God But Dauid excludeth purposlie all sacrifices and sheweth that what euer sacrifices God respecteth are comprehended vnder a penitent heart beleeuing in Christs bloud and seeking mercie for the same This sort of people are called mourners in Sion who mourne to God for their owne sinnes and the sinnes of the people who powre out their heart with their teares to God who doe lament for the affliction of Ioseph Oh what cause haue we to lament this day for our sinnes and to breake our hearts for the persecution of the Church in euery place Let our feasting be turned into fasting our laughter in teares Mourne with Ieremiah for the desolation of Sion Nota. A contrite and broken heart thou wilt not despise Here he encourageth the penitent sinner who may be affraied to appeare before the Tribunall of God in regard of the conscience of his sinne and be feared that God will not accept him howsoeuer he be humbled Him here he encourageth God will not despise a troubled heart yea rather he will like it and manifest his skill in healing and comforting it God liketh a troubled heart To which agree all those places in Isaias which comfort the Church those sweet inuitations of Christ to the laden and wearie to come vnto him and to those that were athirst and he that calleth vpon vs will not reiect and cast vs away The Lord is nigh to them that be of a contrite spirit Psal 144.8 Who speake to him in the bitternesse of their soule Iob. 10.1 Crying like the Dragon or Ostrich Mich. 1.8 Who cry wonderfull being ouercomed by the Elephants As Saint Ierome saieth who slay their affections and offer them as a sacrifice to God as the Magdalen Peter other Saints who forsake their former lusts and say with a certaine young man who being temped by an harlot and seeming to be ignorant who she was she said ego sum it is I he answered ego non sum it is not I for he was conuerted by repentance If thou would prevaile with God Pro. 23.26 giue him thine whole heart if thou doe any thing for God doe it with thine heart 2. Chro. 31 21 seeke him with thine whole heart loue him feare him pray to him turne to him obey him with thine whole heart Deut. 10 12. Rom. 6.17 Ier. 32.40 Ioel. 2 12. Psal 119.145 Their heart is deuided saith the Lord of hoste now shall they perish Hos 10. â— God is one and vndeuided and craueth an heart one and whole in affection and rent onely by deâ—ection nothing can breake God but a broken heart The string can bow the bowe the fire can temper and molifie the steele the goates bloud the adamant and the heart contrite can moue God saith Mantuan in these verses Virga recens Zephyris neruo curuabitur arcus Igne chalybs adamas sangnine corde Deus Finallie obserue that albeit repentance doth make a contrite heart and as I said before we should take such paine on our contrition that we should not let any thought of our heart escape vnrepented mourned for yet the onely hammer which must burst our soules is the word of God The word of God bruseth the heart which bruseth the rockes of a stonie heart Simil. and maketh an heart of flesh And as out of rags being brused is brought forth fine paper so is a troubled heart brused with sorrow for sin turned into a gratious subiect whereinto God may worke and write his law And as the poole of Bethsaida being troubled Ioh. 5.4 brought health to mens bodies so doth the conscience afflicted by God bring certaine health and saluation to soule and body Saint Ambrose sayeth that repentance is so difficult and hard a matter that he hath oftner found mo who liued innocently then who did truely repent It is written of Augustine that he caused the psalmes of repentance to be put on the wall ouer against him before he died and reaped aboundantly reading them ten daies at which time none came to him but either the phisitians or his refreshment Seeing therefore God liketh this sacrifice of a contrite heart without which none other thing will please him let vs take the bests of our affections seperate them from their olde pleasures to God bind them by the coards of the word lay them downe at his feete and slay them and that sacrifice shall please him offer thy selfe a liuing sacrifice and be assured God will accept of thee and neuer reiect thee not thine offering other sacrifices die being offered Nota. but we by offering our selues to God yet liue Verse 18. Be fauourable vnto Zion for thy good pleasure build the walles of Ierusalem HE hath prayed for mercie to himselfe now he praieth for the Church which he hath offended by his sinne and vpon which he had brought such euills that it would please God to be mercifull to her â—uild vp her walles and repaire her ruines No man can truely pray for himselfe vnles he pray for the church No man can truely pray for