seâ—teth down a necessary effect of the same teaching an infallible rule to discernâ—â— betuixt a presumptuous false opinioâ— of remission and a certaine persuasioâ— of the same that is if there be no guyâ—â— in the spirite whereby it is vnderstooâ— such a sanctification following forgiuenes and joyned to true repentance thaâ— there remaineth no more couert dealinâ— to cloake our sins in whole or in part for â—eare of worldly shame or to seeke starâ—ing holes to runne from God but that â—he mind wel perswaded of Gods loue â—ndued with an honorable opinion of â—he Church thinketh it no discredit at â—â—l to make knowen to the vttermost all â—heir infirmities offences to God in â—ecret to the church publikly so far as the rule of edificatioÌ„ Gods discipline â—equire as wee see two notable examâ—les in this Prophet and his Son wherof the one hath left to the churh the 51 Psal The other the booke called Ecclesiâ—â—â—es as publik monuments and rememâ—rances of their falls liberal confession of the same to remaine as it were on â—he file euen to all posterities shewing â—herby their zealiousnes in repentance their sincerity in that they were not â—ender ouer their credites in respect of â—he edificatioÌ„ of the church This then is the effect of that grace which forgiueth â—ndeed neuer to seperate the gift of forgiuenes from the gift of sanctification and the speciall poynts thereof which here is inforced is through guyle of Spirite to keepe back nothing vn-confessed which the nature of true repentance would discouer But this is not al for generall sanctification is here shewed to be the foot-step of the holy Ghost by the printe whereof we may knowe whether wee haue our portion in this grace of remission of sinnes or whether the fearefull signes of the wrath of God abide vpon vs still or no. Saint PAVâ—â— in the eight to the Romanes setteth downe the same doctrine saying Thaâ— calling justification sanctification are so inseperable that who-so-euer hath the one hath the other also And to TIMOTHIE he sayeth If any man call on thâ— name of the Lord let him depart from iniquitie Wherefore it is the perfection oâ— madnes for a man that remayneth dissolute to dreame of forgiuenesse and when an hypocrite is pure in his ownâ— conceipt yet is not washed from hiâ— sinnes It is to true that in those that are regenerate and are indeede forgiuen there shal remaine such a waste and vnsauorie taste as shall much annoy them and huâ—t the rellish or gift euen of their most sanctified actions so that the Lord had neede to looke with a mercifull and for bearing eye vppon the highest vertues of his children yea they shall not be freed from the foule sinne of hypocrisie but shall feele with much vexation themselues to be pestered with such thinges how-be-it in substance and in the chiefest drift of their life they are true-harted to God slipping into these former faultes by infirmitie or by reason of scanter measure of mortification then they ought to haue laboured vnto so that the ods is in the thing which is propounded to a mans desire for if his chiefest care in the loue and feare of God be to seeke his saluation what-soeuer his hypocrisie be it is not his guilt of spirit But if he propound to himself some other thing that his hart doth rather labour for then for saluation it is certayne that hee is false-hearted to GOD and that such an hypocrisie is ane authentick recorde of a man that abideth in his sinnes and such a man as this hath neyther faith to ouer-come the worlde nor grace to resist temptation and though he say that hee is perswaded of remission and extoll the mercie of GOD aboue the skyes yet that guile that remayneth in his spirite tormenteth his conscience euery daye conuincing him by this that because hee is not sanctified therefore he is not pardoned For in this worke there is neyther water onely nor bloud onely but both water and bloud as Saint IOHN witnesseth It standeth vs therefore in hande not to satisfie our selues with a deuotion momentanie but let our mindes stande bent in holy woâ—kes not to bragge of the death of CHRIST that it hath purged our olde sinnes But to feele how mightie it is to subdue the newe that the sinewes of vngodlinesse in our hartes and vnrighteousnesse and vnsober behauiour in the out-warde man may bee cutte off For it is the confirmation of our election if this sinceritie bee in vs Neyther doth the sinne more certainelie discerne the day from the night then this Spirite doth discerne him which is accepted with GOD from a wretch whome he reproueth as Saint PAVLL plainelie sayeth If any man hath not the Spirite of Christ the same is not of Christ 3 When I held my tongue my bones consumed whilest I waited all the day long 4 For thine hand is heauy vpon me day and night my moysture is turned into the drought of sommer Selah Hitherto the prophet hath declared that there is no true felicity where ther is no sanctified feeling of remission Now it remaineth that hee prooue the same which he doth by his owne example declaring the greate anguish and torment which he felt in his conscience even to the wasting soaking out of the strength of his body so long as God hid his face from him left him destitute of the hope of saluation the cause wherof he declareth in the first wordes of the verse to haue bin because he held his peace that is denied to make a liberall confession of his sins refusing no shame not other abasement what-so-euer belonging thereto whereinto the holy Ghoste reacheth vs that cloking of sin howsoeuer it serueth for an excuse in the world and saueth our credite amoungst men Yet it keepeth his conscience vpon the racke and maketh the arrowhead of dispaire to ranckle in his bowels whereto the saying of SALOMON agreeth in that 2â— of PROVERBS That he vvhich hideth his sinne shall not prosper but hee vvhich confesseth them and leaueth them shall finde mercie But this sentence before we proceede further if it respecteth confession to be made to God onely and not to the Church hath neede of exposition For if DAVID might haue bin released from the torments which hee heere speaketh of with a secret confession vnto God all other witnesses being remoued so that no discredit might redound â—o him thereby it seemeth strange that he would abide such troubles the space of an houre and would not rather gette him into some secret place in moste ample manner confesse all the wickednes that he could remember that he had committed euer in his life The holie Ghost therfore in this place by DAVID his silence intendeth some greater crime â—gainst him then that he was dainty of his words refused with his tongue to make confessioÌ„ vnto God for it is certain that a domme man may make as acceptable a confession
coÌ„sider these things how truly may we say that the children of God spiritually considered are so many Kinges and Emperours Queenes Empresses enriched with such vnspeakâ—ble blessings that if all the harts of the world were one hart it could not conâ—eine them And as for them which coÌ„â—inue in sin harden their harts by cloâ—ing of wickednes doe twist a roape for their own necks how miserable is their estate when they behold this happines â—n others whereto they cannot atteyne â—o pine away perish in the beholding of other menes saluation And thus much of the effect which the feeling of remissione of sinnes worketh That which followeth of lifting vp from sinnes and not imputing them and couering them commendeth vnto vs the grace of God in bestowing this pardon and sealing the assurance of the same in our hearts as the cause of the foresaid effect described figuratiuelie by the metaphors of lifting imputation and couering Al which haue their speciall weight and importance in this sentence Lifting vp from defection argueth plainely a contrarietie in the estatâ— of man before considering him lyeinâ— a long in the contagious filth of his owâ— sinne so weakned soaked cleane ouâ— of heart with the execrable leprosie oâ— vngodlinesse that he is neyther able tâ— stirre hand or foote till God lift him vâ— from his apostasie The word imputatâ—on is borrowed from accomptes inâ—â—nuating that we are run so farre in aâ—rerages with God that we can haue 〈◊〉 securitie of consciences till wee haue gotten such a release as may deliuer vs â—rom all feare of imputation of our â—ebtes least payment should be requiâ—ed of vs to the vtter-most farthing as it â—s in the Gospel Finally the translation â—f couering or hiding of sinne is taken â—rom a generall custome of dispatching â—hose thinges out of the way whereof a man cannot susteine the sight without greevance oâ— molestation thereby declaring that sinne is such an eye-sore to God that he cannot behold it and spare â—t but at once but that the deuil wil preâ—ent it to God and prouoke him to puâ—ish it except it be hid buried in the â—ottome of the Sea and except the ofâ—ender be couered with the righteousnesse of Christ So that in sum these words doe set downe the feeblenesse â—he pouertie and nakednes of sin which doth so discomfort him if his conscience be awake that till he haue founde remedie for each of them hee thinketh himselfe not out of the compas where fire and brimstone shall fall nor can be deliuered from a fearefull expectation of Gods curse And on the contrarie part when hee feeleth himselfe comforted by Godâ— right hande and lifted vppe out of the quag-mire of contagious pollutions hiâ— soule beginneth to taste how sweete thâ— Lord is and when he feeleth the specialitie of his debtes which was grauen in his conscience cancelled and so riueteâ— to CHRISTS crosse that they shal neuer be imputed he drinketh a more hartie draught of the waters of life but most oâ— all when hee is assured that his wickednesse is so hidde that it cannot presse to Gods throne for vengeance nor rise vppe in judgement against him in the daye of his visitation hee is then indeede and perfectlie blessed and wanteth nothing that can bee added in this life to the absoluing of most perfitâ— felicitie This forcible propounding thereforâ— of this cause of blessednesse hath in iâ— an exclusiue nature secretly affirming that there is no other cause of justifying and so of true blessednesse But this grace onely to the end that men might be stirred vp to take this course whereof the Holie Ghost is the guide All men agree in this that they woulde faine bee blessed But there is no consent amongst men neyther in the causes nor in the thing it selfe The Philosophers for want of judgement euerie one shotte his Bolt diuerslie and euerie one wyde of the marke as appeareth in the collection which CICERO hath made of their opinions in his Tusculane questions The carnall christan hath a true contemplation judgment what is that Summum bonum that is chiefe happinesse but by the halting of an euill conscience hee is turned out of the waye so although he saye it is in Heauen yet hee seeketh it in Hell though hee ascribe it to the Spirite yet hee laboureth for it in the fleshe it is fearefull that I will speak though he acknowledge that it is the gift of God yet he runneth after the deuill to obteyne it which is then committed when men thinke themselues happie and blessed if they can get riches beautie authoritie strength life such others which are common to the Reprobates What can be so ridiculous as to heare the continual declamations of worldly men against these vanities And on the contrarie part to behold the homage and frailtie yea the slauerie in which they abandoned to serue such vile thinges If Dauid be well considered it will not be easie to finde out many Peeres to him in worldly respectes His strength is commended by the conquest of a Lyon his courage in quailing of Goliath his beautie is set forth with the praise of a sanguine complexion and amiable countenance the passing ripenesse of his witte is manifest in all his storie touching his aduancement God tooke his shep-hooke from him and deliuered a Scepter and after his banishment set him in the throne of his maister which he possessed not by â—surpation but as it were by a general election that the heauens wrought with the applause of the people His subjects were the onely men of the world for the rare parts wherewith they were for â—he most quallified his Lande flowing with milk and honie the temperature of the aire incomparable withall other benefites belonging eyther to health profite or delectation with so large a hand as if God had deuised to pleasure him and nature had mean't to emptie â—ll her riches into his bosome and to continue the same by the plentiful hope of his posteritie Right truelie might I â—aye that this was a perfect picture of worldlie felicitie and yet we see that DAVID leaueth all this and seeketh anâ—â—her cause of blessednesse for the finding whereof these thinges before did not help at all teaching vs that the same â—are ought to possesse our hearts least they be fore-stalled with a fond assiance of finding honie in a hiue where therâ— is nothing but waspes of imagining our selues to haue attayned to blessednes when indeed we are as vnhappie aâ— infelicity because we lye along not lifâ—ted vp from our sins which one day shaâ—â— be imputed to vs nor hauing our wickednes couered that it should not infecâ— the ayre nor offende Gods senses as â— dead carcase aboue the ground Hytherto hath bin spoken of the causâ— of blessednes which is the free grace oâ— God in remitting our sins the circumstances wherof haue also bene touched The last member of this verse which remaineth In whose spirit ther is no guyle
drieth vp my youthfull humours with pensiuenes as it haâ— beene with olde age which he repeateth in the next verse in other wordes saying That the hand of God vvas so he 〈◊〉 vpon him day and night that it spent his nâ—ture and turned the best moysture vvithin 〈◊〉 into the drought of sommer as if it had beene entering into the most incurable consumption of all otheres when that which is called humidum radicale beginneth to spende These speeches are vsed â—o teach vs into what plight concealing of sinne bringeth men and we are the rather inforced that we should not thinke that these clowdes would bee so easilie ouer-blowne as those miseries which proceed of worldly causes Marke then what wee haue to learne in this place what is the estate of them which be not in league with God if wee looke vpon them with a worldly eye I confesse wee shal see many of them with their breasts full of milke their bones full of marrowe yea they haue collopes in their flankes as IOB saieth but if we look vpon their conditione with a spirituall eye wee shal wel perceaue that their conscience as often as their presumptione is intermitted is nothing-els but an hell and themselues so terified with the horrible stiching thereof that it worketh theâ— more woe nor all their worldlie peace iâ— worth for such is the estate of men noâ— reconciled to God That the sound of fearâ— is neuer out of their eares as wee reade iâ— IOB and this is the cause why these men cannot sustaine to heare the judgement of God against sin because they thinke themselues all the while to be arrained at Gods barre for where there iâ— no truce with God the law goareth thâ— conscience and the soule thinketh iâ— selfe tormented before the time and iâ— this be so how greate is the hardnes oâ— those mens heartes and how monsterous is their cruelty to their own soules which can shake of the care of reconcilement can rejoyce with a Sardinian laughter in sinne when the Lordâ— bendeth his browes against them Furthermore we haue here an ample testimonie of the frowardnes of our nature which will not be reclamed without extreame dealing for DAVID himselfâ— you see is layde vpon the racke and almost streached a sunder euerie ioynte one from another before hee can bee brought to a sincere confession such a work hath the Lord with vs before hee can make anie grace to growe in our â—eartes which ought to teache vs these â—wo thinges First that we enter into an â—eartie mislike of our selues and to bee â—rieuously displeased with our vntractaâ—lenes which compelleth God to heare vs vp and cast vs downe against the ground As DAVID elles where saieth and to â—fflict many so sore that God his secret grace excepted they seeme otherwise â—n respect of the maruelous afflictions which God is driuen to lay vpon them â—o be shackled foote to foote with reâ—robate and desperate persons all this I say proceeding not of cruelty or fuâ—â— in the Lorde but of our owne vnâ—ractablenes who otherwise coulde not â—ossibly be saued should make vs to be 〈◊〉 perpetual warre with our affections â—nd to conceaue a present hatred as it â—ere even of our selues for if the Lorde might espie that in vs that wee woulde Iudge our selues hee woulde not bee our judge but our comforter in such a conflict The next thinge that wee haue to learne is to judge wisely of the afflicted soule to beware how wee condemnâ— anie because the hand of God is terrible vpon them for the text saith that euen DAVID himselfe who had conscience of some former sincerity and waâ— able to subdue manie assaultes and tentations in knowledge yet was he eveâ— brought to the brinke of dispaire anâ— was tormented with an horrible fearâ— of damnation euen as it is vsuall with God to exercise his children with those tryalls no otherwise nor if he whippeâ— them with Scorpions The worldlyâ— men which neuer were translated from death to life being ignorant of Godâ— spirituall miracles in calling mortifying regenerating and chastening oâ— his children when they see a man in thiâ— perplexitie they say hee is madde melancholious desperat increasing thâ— griefes of the afflicted with bitter tantes mockes which is to be feared many one day wil rue it It standeth vs therefore in hand to expel such vncharitable conceipts knowing that the dearest children of God may be wonderfullie perplexed and racked with exceeding and long torments of conscience yea many times their sayle is rent in peeces their tackles and all their tackling burst their bruised bark left to the wilde waters the winde and yet for al that at the last they obteyne a safe aryval to the shore Let vs then for the conclusion of this poynt if any such thing be fall vs beware to lay any vn-reasonable thing to Gods charge yea rather let vs acknowledge his mercie who when he might haue punished our long and tedious hypocrisie with hardnesse of heart choose rather to put himselfe to all that payne to reclayme vs by correction that wee might take heede to our sores how wee suffer them to runne long cured on the out-side but festering within knowing that by these meanes we shall put our selues to greater paynes at the last before they can bee cured how-be-it for that which is past and cannot be reuoked let vs not be dismayed with this example from submitting our selues to the mightie hande of GOD For hee is a faithfull keeper of soules and will not suffer them to bee tempted aboue measure or their power Thus hauing considered the effect of DAVID his silence we are to giue heed to a special circumstance which he setteth downe in these words that He roared all the day long Signifying thereby that his praiers so long as they were not mixed with faith nor seasoned with true repentance were no better then roaring That is then the crying or bellowing of some bruitish vn-reasonable creature For this is a metaphore taken from Lyons taken in a snare or being in some other distresse as appeareth in the third chapter of Amos and in other places where the worde is vsed in his proper signification whereby we learne what difference there is betwixt the prayers of the faithfull and of them which nowrish fraud deceit â—n their spirit The sacrifice of the one is â—indled from heauen when he hath â—oured out his spirite he hath eased his hearte hauing cast his burthen and care â—herof vpon the shoulders of CHRIST â—ut the hypocrite in the day of visitation fareth like a beast that is sticked or â—aled with ropes wanting all reason fore-cast to helpe it selfe and therefore vseth no meeknesse nor entreatie but with roaring and strugling strayneth it selfe and tangleth it selfe more with bruitish raging doubleth the pain There â—s no doubt but where great afflictions â—ight vppon men that are taynted with hypocrisie the aire is beaten with manie such roaringes
bar of his judge becommeth his Advocat to pleade foâ— him taking away the punishment of hiâ— sinne which being so who is he whâ— wil be affrayd to deale seuerlie with hiâ— selfe to call his conscience to a reckoâ—ing that he might repent him seriousâ—â—e of his sinne Who shall blaspheme his way any more calling it the waye â—f desperation since we see the contrararie in the example of DAVID who â—â—so telleth vs else where That with God is â—ercie that he might be feared Whereto â—aint IOHN also agreeth denying that â—â—ee haue anie such cause to dread disâ—aire For if wee acknowledge our sinnes sayth he he will not take vs at the vanâ—ge and condemne vs out of our owne â—outhes but hee is faithfull and iust to â—â—rgiue vs our sinnes and cleanse vs from â—â—l vnrighteousnesse Yea many times â—od chideth and comforteth both at â—ne instant as we may see in the examâ—le of the woman of Syrophenisse who if hee had bene terrified with the sharpe â—â—buke of CHRIST she had lost her â—â—bour and the commendation of her â—ith At the end of this verse the former â—â—e setteth this word Selah which is a note of attention staying the meditatioâ— longer vpon these two sentences theâ— vpon the rest declaring therby his judgment that both these his contrarie conditions are worthie of observing because they afflicted his heart exceedinglie Whereout we learne that we oughâ— not to passe by Gods proceedings with a conscience blinde-fold nor careleslie to passe-ouer the strange things that wâ— reade in the secret book of our conscience but when-so-euer wee hitte vpon such notable experiences to turne in a leafe there to marke it with a Selah and to peruse it ouer againe and againe that we might get some holie experiences in matters of conscience for this is thâ— manner of Gods seruants to bee cunning in the estate of their owne conscience that they may knowe what kinde of Phisick will beste agree with them For default whereof wee see manie mens consciences by their owne confession to haue surfeted often of the same thinges and to haue escaped the frute of many heauenly motions which â—f they had bene receiued might haue â—urnished them with much riches of â—odlie meditations And indeed this is â—he cause why the Psalter is more diuine â—or all the rest of the Bible because â—hen the Lorde had spoken once DAâ—ID heard him twise and all the way â—s he marched he set downe the gestes â—nd circumstances of euerie dayes jourâ—ey in a Commentarie so that his exâ—erience committed to the godlie meâ—orie made him to excell in the sight â—oth of Angels and men 6 Therefore shall euerie one that is godlie â—ake his praier vnto thee in a time when â—â—ou maiest be founde surelie in the floud of â—ea waters they shall not come neare thee This farre reacheth the first part of â—â—e Psalme propounding that generall â—octrine that sincere confession to God necessary for the quieting of the conâ—ience without which it is impossible 〈◊〉 attayne the peace of God and the â—â—ling of forgiuenesse in the hearte as DAVID hath made it plaine by his owâ—â— experience on both the sides Now followeth the seconde parte of the Psalmâ— which is the application of the said doctrine conteining in it a declaration oâ— the deuties which men are to be styrred vp vnto thereby wherof the one is earnest and faithfull prayer and the other is quiet and peaceable obedience to thâ— calling of God and the said application beginneth thus Therefore shall euery oâ—â— that is godlie c. Here the Prophet DAVID inferretâ— a consequent vpon the mercie which God shewed him when he had shaken of all hypocrisie and had gone directly to the matter that eyther men should be prouoked to godlinesse by the consideration thereof for there is no other end why the infirmities of the Patriarckeâ— and Prophets are set downe in Scripture But for our comfort and instruction as Saint PAVLL sayeth It is sure that profane men as they peruert the vse oâ— all things so do they abuse all those examples as if it were some excuse to adulterers drunkards to mention the â—alles of DAVID and LOT whereas in â—hem the Lord hath declared the weakâ—es of the best when God with-draweth â—is spirite and that no such sinne is vnâ—ardonable if men will returne as they â—id as it must be a great incouragement â—o present our selues before God when we see how wel others haue speâ—de beâ—ore vs There is none example in al the Scriptures of any that euer sped euill â—y confessing his sinne to the Lorde what-so-euer the sinne were For there â—s not any sinne but some of Gods chilâ—ren haue fallen into it so it hath bene â—he case before and wee may be encouâ—aged by their example to wade out as â—hey did Yea we shall finde more case â—y their experience for euen as they â—hich first sayled in the Seas gaue proâ—â—er names to dangerous rockes and peâ—â—lous places where they hardlie escaâ—ed with their liues to the end that the â—osteritie by such marks might shunne ship-wrack and passe safelie away calling such places diuersly as the Sage-bed the Lavender-bed with other like names best knowne to Saylers and as Carters vse to set vp some bush or other like mark in that place wher their waine stack fast for a warning to them that come after so haue the godlie Fathers furthered vs by their experience and taught vs to eschew many encombrances which they because they break the Ice first themselues could not see and this obseruation in the storie of IOB commendeth his faith exceedinglie for he seemed to haue dwelt far from Gods people and to haue bene destitute in so great affliction of all these incouragementes so that if life and soule had not bin kept together by restoratiues of the holie Ghostes owne compounding he might haue despaired a thousand times It may bee hee had read the bookes of MOYSES but yet that was nothing in comparison of the comfortes which wee may haue Therefore let vs lay vp this lesson in our hearts that although God should carry vs away into Tartaria â—o that in sicknesse of our conscience wee could haue neyther Preacher nor friendes present with vs to minister spirituall comfort It should suffice vs that we haue the aduise and example of the Prophets Apostles though parents wiues children bee a thousande miles from vs and all other acquaintance for what a glorious visitation of the sick is that when wee haue Patriarches Prophets Apostles Martyrs Confessors yea and CHRIST himselfe standing rounde about the bed comforting and chearing vs vp If wee say wee be sick at the hearte because wee haue liued ryotouslie and venterouslie hee that was the prodigall childe taketh the taill by the ende and sheweth how he himselfe once labored of the same desease but now is cleane ridde of all the dregges of that sicknesse If the patient replie and say that his siknesse is a reciduation as