commodity pleasure delight and sweetnesse of sinne that so shewing them onely the golden baite of sinne and hiding the poisoned hooke he might moue men to runne headlong into all sinne But when Sathan gets his purpose and men be in his snare and fallen into sinne Oh how will hee then presse their poore consciences then he wil loade them and set out their sinnes to the full in a most vgly manner nothing then but hell fire damnation and the curse of God that so if it be possible he may draw them into the gulfe of dispaire O that men could consider this in time how sinne wil one day change her countenance howsoeuer it commeth at first in a flattering manner pretending nothing but friendship but in the end will leaue a sting behinde it euen a guiltie conscience terrour of minde and anguish of spirite Wherefore let vs flie from sin as from the biting of a Serpent that we be not stung therewith vnto eternall death Knowing that the wages of sinne is death Rom. An accusing conscience the meanes to bring me to repentance 6.23 Doctr. 1 Whereas Dauids sinnes being alwayes before him did vrge him to confesse them yea to repent and beg the pardon of them wee learne that the remembrance of our sinnes and the calling them to minde together with conscience accusing for them is the way and meanes to come to true repentance to make a man confesse them and begge the pardon of them whereas if they slippe out of our mindes or we know them not nor wee finde not our Consciences to accuse vs of them Alas we can neither confesse them nor truely be humbled and begge the pardon of them And therefore Dauid confesseth heere that by reason his sinnes were euer before him he was continually vexed tormented with the horrour of them his conscience still accused and annoied him and therfore hee is constrained and vrged humbly to confesse them and to begge the pardon of them at Gods hands Whereas the wrath of God doth euer follow such as haue sleepie and drowsie consciences giuing them ouer to a reprobate sence to a slumbering spirit and to hardnesse of the heart that they fall to be past feeling and can not repent Rom. 1.28 Such as regarded not to know God hee gaue them vp to their hearts lusts vnto all vncleanenesse and punished one sinne with another And surely it is iust with God that hee should forsake vs with his grace that haue forsaken him by our sinnes According to that of the Prophet Psalme 81.11 My people would not heare my voyce And Israel would none of mee So I gaue them vp vnto the hardnesse of their heart and they haue walked in their owne Councels Sight of sinne first step to repentance So then hence wee learne that a man will neuer repent truely of his sinnes seeke to God for pardon neither is there any other way or means to be reconciled to God but this to feele the weight and burthen of his sinnes and feeling his conscience to accuse him to vexe and to wound him till he finde God to be mercifull and reconciled vnto him for the pardon of them and the appeasing and quieting of his conscience Vse 1 Seeing till such time as the conscience be wounded for sinne and vexed and tormented with it a man will neuer seeke for pardon Then wee learne hence that no man can taste of the sweetenesse of GODS mercie in CHRIST for his saluation till hee haue tasted of the bitter fruite of sinne and of a wounded and distressed conscience Looke on Dauid on the Iews Psal 6.32.77 Actes 2.37 and as for those that would taste of GODS mercie and yet are loathe to feele the smart of sinne they deceiue themselues we see that ere the body be purged men must taste of bitter pilles of bitter potions Such may suspect their repentance who feele nor sinne to wound their consciences And as for those who neuer felt anie such griefe nor wound of Conscience no such astonishment for their sins they may iustly feare their repentance is not sound that they haue not as yet beene truely humbled for it is certaine that before wee can truely repent and be reconciled to GOD we must haue the feeling of the smart of sinne and find our hearts troubled and our consciences wounded Vse 2 This confutes that fond and foolish Opinion of many in the world who if they fee any one wounded for sinne distressed in soule crying out of his misery and feeles his conscience exceedingly wounded and begins euen to dispaire of Gods mercy what do men iudge of such a man surely that it is nothing but melancholy and dumpishnesse and therefore they counsell him to bee merry to go to merry company to put away such odde conceits such vaine and foolish fancies but alas poore soules they consider not that it is the speciall worke of GOD wounding the conscience for sinne that they feele the anger of God for sinne and are troubled and vexed for that and till God giue mercy and reconciliation be had in CHRIST there can be no peace Vse 3 We learne hence that it is better to haue an accusing conscience for sin then to haue a dead conscience Dead conscience heauie Iudgemēt a benummed conscience a sleepy and slumbering conscience a seared and frozen conscience for if a mans conscience doe daily bring his sinnes to his minde so that hee sees them before his eies then he will be grieued for them hee will confesse them and begge the pardon of them but when a man hath a slumbering conscience that is benummed then hee goes on in sinne from day to day neuer feeleth any smart of it nor euer desires the pardon of it as the poore Iewes who seeing their fearefull estate crie out Actes 2.37 What must wee doe so doe all wounded consciences seeing their fearefull sinnes and damnable estate crie out for mercie and seeke for pardon Oh it is a fearefull Iudgement of GOD to haue a sleepie or a drowsie Conscience It is like a wilde beast which so long as it lies asleepe seemeth very tame gentle but when he is rowzed flies into a mans face Euen so howsoeuer a mans conscience may seeme for a time to bee quiet and men may thinke they haue a good conscience indeede yet being awaked by the hand of GOD it will rent out euen the very throat of their soule Doctr. 2 Seeing Dauid doth acknowledge heere that his sinnes being euer before him awaked him Necessary duety to call our sinnes to account and vrged him instantly and earnestly to seeke for pardon Wee learne that it is a good thing for vs to call our sinnes to accompt to haue them often in minde to set them before our eies the greatnesse number and heinousnesse of them First it is a good meanes to prepare vs to true repentance and humiliation for them Lam. 3.40 Secondly it is a speciall means to
my sinnes not speaking of his great fin of Adulterie alone but of many sins wrapped vp together for hee did not onely commit adultery with Bethshaba the wife of Vrias but shead his guiltlesse and innocent bloud yea with him caused as it is like many of his good subiects and loyall souldiers to be slaine hee sought to couer his sin closely and cunningly by bidding Vrias to goe home to his wife that so the childe might be thought to be his And to all these he added this that hee layed the whole Church of GOD open to the enemy to the anger of God Sin neuer goes alone Hence then note for our instruction that Dauid confessing that one sin will neuer goe alone but sin goes by couples by heapes one in the necke of an other as hee that taketh a chaine by the end and pulleth but one lincke all the rest doe follow so if a man let liberty to one sin that sin will not goe alone but draw another adultery will often bring murther with it swearing lying with it so drunkennesse whooredome c. The Apostle biddeth vs Rom. 13.13 Not to walke as children of darkenesse in surfetting and drunkennesse not in chambering and wantonnesse not in strife and enuying shewing vnto vs that sinnes goe by couples and one draws on an other and will hardly goe alone It is like the Gangrene or Canker it fretteth and eateth further and further the hand infecteth the arme and the foote the legge and so one member an other till it hath diffused it selfe ouer the whole body if the part that is infected be not cut off at the beginning This doth the Apostle teach 2. Tim. 2.16 Stay prophane and vaine bablings for they increase vnto more vngodlinesse And their word will frette as a Canker Saint Iames also sheweth the fruitfulnesse of sinne saying When lust hath conceiued it brings forth sinne and sinne when it is finished it brings forth death And as sin doth increase so doe GODS iudgements Leuiticus 26.22 23. If yee walke stubbornely against mee and will not obey me I will then bring seuen times moe plagues vpon you according to your siâ—â—es yet if by these yee will not be reformed by me but walke stubbornely against mee then will I also walke stubbornely against you And I will yet smite you seuen times for your sinnes And thus we see againe how God will keepe a proportion betwixt our sins and his punishments Vse 3 Seeing this is the cursed nature of sin that it will neuer go alone but one will draw on an other who oredome murther hypocrisie c. it stands vs all in hand to take heede wee giue liberty to no sinne liue in none delight in none for if we do we shall finde that one sin will neuer goe alone but let vs abhorre all hate euery sin and striue against all wee see this common in the world that if a man shall yeelde to one sin by and by it will draw him to an other Note and often as it was in Dauid whoredome will bring murther with it sometimes of the husband sometimes of the childe sometimes of two or three And therefore let vs be carefull to shunne and auoyde euery sinne liue in none for though one sinne be enough to carry a man to the gulfe of hell yet one will neuer goe alone Wee see this in the example of Caine Genes 4.8 he was reprooued of God for his malice conceiued against his brother But hee hear kened not to the voyce of the Lord but hardned his heart and shead innocent bloud euen the bloud of his brother This appeares in Iudas Math. 26. hauing once entertained Couetousnesse in his heart fell from Couetousnesse to Treason and at last became a verie diuell incarnate The like wee may beholde in Saul 1. Samuel 16.1 who fell away from GOD steppe by steppe vntill the Spirit of GOD had vtterly forsaken him and hee brake out in open rebellion against Almighty GOD For as amongest all the blessings which the Lord doth bestow vpon the sonnes of men in this world a soft and tender heart is one of the greatest which is checked and controuled and soone made bleede so there can bee no greater curse laide vpon man then to haue a rebellous heart which hoordeth vp euery day vengeance against it selfe VERSE 4. 4 Against thee against thee onlie haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight That thou mayest be iust when thou speakest and pure when thou iudgest In this verse Dauid knowledgeth his special sinnes IN this verse and the two that follow Dauid proceedeth in the humble acknowledgement and confession of his sinnes first his actuall sinnes secondly from them he commeth to the fountaine and beginning of all sinne namely his naturall corruption wherein hee was conceiued and borne and this originall sin hee speaketh of in the next verse following Two parts This fourth Verse containeth in it two parts first a free acknowledgement of his particular speciall and actuall sinnes in the second he doth cleare the Lord of all cruelty and iniustice that howsoeuer the Lord had not onely sharpely reproued him by the ministerie of Nathan but also punished him and grieuously afflicted him for his sinnes in taking away the childe that was borne in Adultery yet hee doth acknowledge the Lord to be iust and righteous in all his waies In the first part of the Verse Two parts consider first the partie to whom he confesseth Against thee Against thee onely where he sheweth the great dolour and extreame griefe of his minde for his sinne against GOD in that hee doubleth the words Against thee Against thee secondly wee are to obserue how he doth acknowledge his speciall and particular sinner namely adultery murther and sheding of innocent bloud I haue sinned and done this euill in thy sight Against thee These words are expounded diuersly First that it is as much as if Dauid should haue said O Lord howsoeuer I haue grieuously murther yet I haue so hidde my sinne from man that there is none that knew it but thou alone so that he acknowledgeth all the sinne was against GOD because no mortall man was priuie to his sins Others expound it thus That although Dauid had offended against man yet he was especially wounded and grieued for that hee had broken the Lawe of God So that though it be true that he had done great wroÌ„g to his faithfull seruant and most loy-all subiect Vrias yet here was that that killed his heart and wounded him to the quicke namely because he had offended his most mercifull and louing God as if he should haue said O Lord my God although the whole world should cleare me and no man liuing should accuse me yet it grieueth me at the heart because I haue offended thee my most mercifull God Doctr. 1 Hence first I note that howsoeuer a man may hide his sinne from men and Angells A mans sinnes are open
the best insight into the Lawe of GOD hath the greatest sight of his sinne and of his misery and is most humbled and most stirred vp to seeke to God for mercy And they which haue least knowledge of the Lawe know least of their sinnes and miserie and are most prowd and least humbled neither can they truely repent For as a sicke man is then most dangerously sicke when hee hath no feeling of his sickenesse so a sinner is then in greatest misery when hee thinketh himselfe to bee no sinner Such a one is farre off from mourning and sorrowing for sinne from turning from them and returning to God Seeing he taketh himselfe to be in good case and to stand in need of no repentance And such were the Pharises in the dayes of CHRIST whom he reprooued Matth. 9.12 The whole neede not the Physition but those that are sicke I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance And done this euill in thy sight SInne may well be called an euill because it is the cause of all euill both in soule and body for al iudgement plague and punishmnnts be but the fruits that come of sinne sicknesse pouerty plague pestilence shame warre all iudgements be the fruits of sinne Secondly because sin doth displease God and offendeth his Maiestie therefore it is called an Euill of all euills Thirdly because this euill of sin infects heauen and earth and brings euill to all the creatures of God vnder heauen Vse Well seeing sin is an euil it displeaseth God it brings all euill and all manner of plagues and punishment yea eternall death in the world to come and seeing it infects heauen and earth with the poyson of it how should we hate abhorre sin quake at it be afraid to commit that which is the cause of all other euilles But alas though sin be a fearefull euill yea the cause of all euill yet we see men are not affaid of sin they quake not at it they shun it not yea they which doe feare fire and water the plague and pestilence yet dare bee doing and tampering with sin as if there were no euill nor danger in it but if we be wise let vs flie sin aboue all other euils whatsoeuer and in so doing if we flie this euill of sin we shal preuent many other iudgements and euills which are the fruits of sin In thy sight or before thine eyes As if Dauid should haue saide O Lord my God though I did commit adultery neuer so closely and caused Vrias secretly to be slaine yet alas I see all I did was manifest before thine eies and could not be hidden from thy sight Doctrine Men sinne before God Howsoeuer men and women sin neuer so closely secretly yet they sin before the face of the Lord euen in his eyes and vnder his nose the Lord standing by and looking on them neither distance of place nor secret corner neither darkenesse of the night nor any deuice and shift of man whatsoeuer is able to couer our sins from Gods eies Psal 139. Hebr. 4.13 there is no creature which is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open before his eyes with whom wee haue to do It is true indeed it is an casie matter to bleare the eyes of man to sin so closely and cunningly that no man shall know it in some secret corner in some darke night to steale lie commit adultery but although all men and Angels be ignorant yet our most secret euilles and sinnes are all naked vnto the Lords eies Vse 1 Oh that all men could be perswaded of this doctrine that we euer sin in the Lords sight when wee lie steale commit adultery then doth the Lord sees vs his fiery eies behold vs and the Lord euen then stands at our elbowes and lookes vpon vs How would this be a blessed meanes to bridle men and to restraine them from many secret and hidden sinnes What man durst be so bold and desperate to cut a purse when hee sees the Iudges eye set on him and beholdeth him And what man is so desperate that durst steale lie commit adultery if he knew that the all-seeing and piercing eyes of Almightie GOD did beholde him and looke on him This doth the Lord GOD tell the seuen Churches of Asia in euery Epistle Philip. 4. Reuel 3. I know thy workes O then let the remembrance of this make vs watchfull and wary to looke vnto all our wayes to liue as euer in Gods presence Vse 2 Here is matter of comfort and incouragement vnto the children of GOD for as the Lord sees and beholdeth all the euills and sins of men and women to iudge and to punish them al is naked to his piercing and all-seeing eyes so likewise all our good deeds and vertues are knowne and seene of God I know thy workes all thou dost both good and bad I know all Now then if the Lord do take knowledge of all our workes and sees them yea there is nothing we doe but it is manifest in his eies we know he is a bountifull God and plentifully rewards all that loue and feare him yea he will not leaue a cup of colde water without a reward O then let vs proceede and abound in good workes in knowledge faith repentance patience obedience humilitie zeale loue c. for the Lord knowes and sees all and will not let any one good work go vnrewarded Now followes the second part of the Verse containing a reason why the Prophet Dauid did thus acknowledge and confesse his sins and humbled himselfe for them namely that by this meanes hee might cleare the Lord of all iniustice and hard dealing in word or deede as if hee should haue said O Lord I confesse that seeing I haue so grieuously sinned against thee and so fowly committed euill in thy sight there is no cause why I should so much as accuse thee of the least cruelty iniustice or hard dealing with me either in thy terrible threatnings by thy seruant Nathan or thy righteous iudgement in taking away the childe conceiued in adultery for I acknowledge that I haue deserued farre more grieuous plagues and punishments for this my vile and grieuous sin And therefore by this my confession I doe cleere thee O Lord of all iniustice and cruell dealing condemne my selfe to be worthy of farre more grieuous iudgements and punishments for my sins so as all the world may see and know that thou art most iust in al thy threatnings denounced against sin and most pure and righteous in al thy iudgemēts fatherly chasticements That thou maiest be iust That is that thou maist be known iust in thy workes and all the world may see and know that there is great and iust cause of thy threatnings against sin and sinners Now what these speeches were and the iudgements threatned against Dauid looke in the second of Samuel chapter 12. verse 10. First that the Sword should neuer depart
to life eternal but liuing and dying a naturall man he must needs be damned and die eternally Except a man be borne anew Iohn 3. Luke 13.5 hee can not see the kingdome of GOD Againe Except yee repent yee shall all perish And therefore so long as wee continue in the state of nature being conceiued and borne in sinne we are in a most miserable and damnable estate For the poyson of our nature is the same in vs that is in the wicked And by nature wee are prone to all manner of sinne and howsoeuer by the speciall mercie of God wee haue escaped many horrible and grieuous sinnes which we finde that the wicked of God haue fallen into It is not for that wee are of a purer Nature then they for it is alike with the Reprobate but because the poysoned corruption thereof hath not yet discouered it selfe in vs which wee haue iust cause euery day to feare Oh then let vs labour to get out of this cursed state of nature and get into the state of grace to be borne a new to become new creatures in Christ Iesus to repent to seeke to Iesus Christ for mercy for if we liue and die in the state of nature it is impossible wee should be saued And therefore the state of all carnall men and women which are meerely natural howsoeuer ciuill honest is a fearfull state and condition for all this while they doe nothing but sinne all the actions of a naturall man be so many sins vnto him as prayer hearing the Word receiuing the Sacraments Genesis 4. and the like for before anie of these sacrifices can be accepted of God their persons must first bee approued Vse 2 Seeing that all of vs be conceiued in sinne and stained wich originall vncleanenesse and therefore are not onely subiect to the curse of GOD but euen polluted in soule and body blind in our minds rebellious in our wils and affections Then those men who stand vpon their owne wit and wisedome and care not for the word of God preached shew that they be in a miscrable case all the knowledge wit and strength of nature cannot bring a man to heauen and to life eternall and the reason is The naturall man perceiueth not the things that are of God Againe 1. Cor 1 10 1. Cor. 1.21 Rom. 8.8 Gen 8.21 When as the world could not know God in the wisedome of God it pleaseth God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue and therefore let vs renounce our selues our naturall wisedome strength and goodnesse and become fooles in our selues that we may be wise in God abhorre our selues and our owne goodnesse and labour to be found righteous in Christs righteousnesse Paul confesseth Rom. 7.18 That in me there dwelleth no good thing wee cannot thinke a good thought much lesse doe any good till we be illuminated by the word and spirit inlightned and sanctified Vse 3 Then we see that Doctrine of the Papistes that man hath naturally free-will and by vertue of that can doe some good to please God and can keepe the Lawe and merite life eternall that it is most false for all men be conceiued in sinne starke dead in sinne haue no power to will good things but are prone to all euill and corruption Man hath no free-will in anything that is good and leadeth to life eternall but all to euill And in sinne hath my mother conceiued me HEereby we may note the greatnesse of Adams fall And the sinne of our first Parents who did not onely bring the curse of GOD vpon themselues but vpon all their posterity and did not onely defile themselues but all that should come of them for Adam did not fall as a priuate man but as the maine roote and stocke of all mankinde and wee all fell in him because we were all in his loynes and therefore seeing such is the greatnesse of Adams fall wee ought to be humbled for it and daily to bewaile it because if hee had not sinned then we should not haue beene conceiued in sinne nor lost the Image of GOD wherein wee were at first created in holinesse and righteousnesse and withall wee must labor to be renewed daily and to haue the Image of Almightie God restored by dying to sinne and liuing to righteousnesse that wee may be holie as GOD is holie and righteous as GOD is righteous Doctr. 3 We see that Parents Godly parents beget sinfull children though they be holie and such as beleeue yet they beget children in sinne and vncleanenes and doe conuey originall sin vnto their children they warme them with vncleane bloud and so by that meanes doe make them children of wrath and heires of Gods anger and in state of damnation for beleeuing parents beget not beleeuing children but children like vnto themselues as they be sinnefull men and women Adam begate a childe in his owne likenesse that is Genes 5.3 a sinfull man like himselfe Now we know that Gods Image was defaced in Adam hee begate a sonne therefore corrupt according to his owne corrupt Image as Iob speaketh Iob 14.4 Who can bring a cleane thing out of that which is vncleane And this is the reason Gen. 4.3 That the corrupt nature of Cain led him to that for the which he had no example And so this is true of all men else though they might neuer see any thing that were euill yet of themselues of their owne disposition they would doe euill being by nature men haled thereunto Vse 1 Well seeing parents now by the fall of Adam Parents duetie get sinnefull children and they be bred and borne in sinne and they be meanes to beget them and to bring them into the world and to conuey originall sinne vnto them and make them in a fearefull and damnable estate oh how should Parents labour to bring them out of the state of Nature and Damnation into Grace and Saluation if thou shouldest doe any thing to bring thy childe into danger of death Note this well how would it grieue thee that thou by thy folly shouldest bring thy childe to vntimely death how much more bringing them in danger of eternall death And therefore pity thy poore childe seeke to make him the childe of God vse all good meanes to haue him made the childe of God repent thy self pray for him admonish him bring him to the Word and publique meanes call vpon him to repent to begge the pardon of his sin to feare God giue him good example lest for want of this thou doe thrust his poore soule into hell Oh how can parents be too carefull for their children seeing they haue beene the meanes to bring them into so wofull estate Vse 2 Seeing that Dauid doth acknowledge his naturall corruption to this end euen to aggrauate the grieuousnesse of his sinne and not to lessen it or to excuse himselfe but rather to confesse that hee was nothing else but a masse of sinne and all
to betray his Master but how he digested the same in the end Mat. 26.27 the Euangelist declareth when hee saw that Christ was condemned hee brought againe the thirtie peeces of siluer to the high Priests and Elders saying I haue sinned betraying the innocent bloud And this shall all men one day be sure to finde that the perishing pleasures of sin shall haue sorrow in the end that if they haue not truth in the inward affections of the heart there must needes raigne sinne and sin is but a lying vanitie and will deceiue them in the end Indeed all sin to a naturall man is delightfull and pleasant he findeth it sweete to his taste but it is as sweet meate that hath poyson mingled with it Hebr. 3.3 That howsoeuer it is sweet in the taste yet in the end bringeth death So is it with sin it doth delight in the committing thereof but in the end it turneth to the destruction of the whole man Vse 1 Heere then we may see the wofull fruit of sin which naâ—urall men make their chiefe hâ—ppinesse and felicitie They may indeed delight for a time and please the carnall desires of Naturall men but Oh alas they bring an heauy accompt and reckoning in the end So that wee may say to all naturall and carnall men whose portion is in this life as Abner said in an other case 2. Sa. 2.26 Knowest thou not that it will be bitternesse in the latter end This wee may see in Cain in Esau in Ahab in Iudas c. That hauing tasted of the bread of deceit haue had their mouthes filled with the grauell in the end For the Motions of sinne are like those locusts of the bottomlesse pit hauing faces like men Reuel 9. and their haire like the haire of women but a taile like a Scorpion which stingeth to death Vse 2 Wee learne hence what must bee the christian practise of a godly man namely to walke plainely and sincerely to be a true Israelite indeed in whom is no guile This is that which Salomon teacheth He that walketh vprighâ—ly walketh boldely but he that peruerteth his wayes shall be knowne Oh it is a gracious thing for a mâ—n Prou. 10.9 in all things to labour to keepe faith and a good conscience such a man may assure himselfe that the Lord loueth him For he loueth trueth in the inward affections But such as commit wickednesse without care or conscience shall be sure to feele the smart in the end Therefore hast thou taught me wisedome in the secret of my heart Dauids sin heinoâ—s why IN this last place the Prophet Dauid aggrauateth his sinne by that knowledge which God in mercy had bestowed vpon him namely that God had taught him heauenly wisedome by the Lawe of God whereby he knew very well what God required at his hands and how hee ought to serue and worship GOD nay that hee had taught him wisedome not after a common manner but euen by his holie Spirite had taught him wisdome in the secret of his heart in a speciall manner Because God had taught him wisedome secretly reuealing his will vnto him and therefore he confesseth that his sinne was the more hainous and grieuous for if hee had neuer beene sanctified nor truely called if he had beene ignorant and blinde in the word of God though it could not excuse him yet his sin had not beene so great but seeing he who had made so good proceeding in the seruice and worship of GOD who had taught others who was so insighted by the Spirit and beene taught in a speciall manner against knowlege against conscience and so fouly sinned against God this highly increaseth and aggrauateth his sinne Doctr. 1 Hence then learne that it is a fearfull and verie dangerous sin for anie man or woman to sinne against the knowne trueth of the word A feareful thing to sin against knowlege and Law of GOD against knowledge and conscience when as wee haue not onely knowne the will and word of GOD but beleeued it beene enlightned by the Spirit and being taught of GOD in our inward affections then against all these means to sinne and to commit iniquitie against knowledge and conscience it is a most dangerous thing this may heere appeare in Dauid who was grieuously wounded for this sinne aboue all other and felt the smart of it to humble him all the dayes of his life So Peters deniall of Christ Luke 23. chapter though it was of feare yet being against knowledge and also conscience oh it caused him to weepe bitterly and indeede sinnes of knowledge and against conscience are done with some presumption against God And therefore if euer a man be touched for them they will wound deepe and cause teares to follow Vse 1 Seeing it is so fearefull and dangerous to sin against knowledge and conscience because thereby we doe what lieth in vs to quench the Spirit to wound our consciences and it is a great steppe vnto the sin against the holy Ghost Oh then let vs in the feare of GOD take heede wee neuer giue that liberty to our owne lustes and liking as to sin against knowledge and conscience If the Diuell tempt thee to any sinne which thou knowest is condemned in the word of God as swearing lying stealing Note murther adultery c. and thy conscience telleth thee of it and checks thee for it do not commit it though thou mightest gaine a kingdome by it for that which followeth will be a farre greater losse for thou shalt lose peace of conscience and ioy in the Spirit feeling of GODS loue comfort in affliction and if GOD be not mercfull vnto thee thou shalt run on from sin to sin to a reprobate sense It is true ignorance shall excuse no man yet sinnes of ignorance are farre lesse then sins of knowledge and against conscience 1. Tim. 1.13 Paul persecuted the Church of God but it was by ignorance and therefore GOD shewed him mercy but if thou of spite and malice shalt persecute and against knowledge and the checke of thy conscience hurt and iniurie the seruants of GOD and members of Christ how canst thou euer look to finde mercy Thou knowest that GOD forbiddeth and condemneth lying swearing stealing murther adultery drunkennesse c. And if thou shalt wittingly and willingly rush into them though thou know they be forbidden thou maiest look for some fearefull iudgement of God vpon thee And therefore if thou be â—empted answer I will not yeelde It is written I may not steale lie commit adultery Matth. 4.2 c. as Christ answered the diuell Vse 2 We see that if God leaue his children they may fall dangerously into great sinnes yea against knowledge and conscience as Dauid Abraham Peter c. for of our selues we haue no power to resist the subtill temptations and assaults of the Diuell but euen as a staffe stands so long as it is stayed but when it is left
of them though thou maiest remember them and thy conscience accuse thee for them as Iob and Dauid Psalme 25 who were troubled for the sinnes of their youth yet I say though thou shouldest remember them God will neuer remember them any more to Iudgement or condemnation to plague or to punish thee for them hee casts them cleane out of his minde and turnes his face from them and therfore if hee once pardon sinne hee pardons it for euer For the decree and councell of God is vnchangeable Ro. 11.29 hee alters not and therefore if once hee giue pardon for sinne he neuer reuokes it but loues to the end The gifts of God are without repentance Seeing the Lord in pardoning of sinne doth turne his face from them Vse 2 forgets them and forgiues them and will neuer speake of them nor call them to minde any more we learne hence in pardoning of wrongs and iniuries done to vs to imitate the example of God our heauenly Father to pardon them so as wee neuer call them to minde againe that wee forgiue and forget all wrongs and iniuries trample them vnder our feete But it is a common speech of many vngodly men and women if men doe them any harme they will forgiue them but they will neuer forget them and accordingly so they deale though for a time they can shew a smooth countenance and giue faire wordes yet if euer they get them in their danger they will fetch them ouer they will shew their spleene and malice and powre our all their poison But let all such take heed for how can they say Forgiue vs our trespasses as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs and yet doe not forgiue and forget wrongs if the Lord should deale thus with vs hee should confound vs for God is prouoked of vs euery moment and we are indebted vnto him tenne thousand talents yet he is intreated of vs and he is reconciled vnto vs ought not we therefore to forgiue one another after his examle this is the reason vsed by the Apostle Paul Coloss 3.12 13. Now therefore as the Elect of God holy and beloued put on the bowels of mercy kindenesse humblenesse of mande meckenesse long suffering forbearing one an other and for giuing one another if any man haue a quarrell to another euen as Christ forgaue euen so doe yee It were wofull with vs if God were not ready to forgiue for we finde our selues ready to offend and our sinne vnpardoned is sufficient to make vs condemned The second branch of the Petition is in the end of the verse in these words And blot out all mine iniquities 2 Part of the verse THat is blot them out of thy Booke of Accompts and that Bill and Debt-booke wherein they seeme to bee written for so much the speech imports the Prophet alluding to men that keepe Bookes of Accompt wherein they write all their debts euen so the Lord hath as it were his Booke of Accompt wherein are registred all the sinnes of men women when and where and howsoeuer committed Then hence we learne that all our sinnes are knowne to God Doctr. 1 All our sinnes knowne to God he hath them all as it were written downe in a Booke of Accompt and vnlesse they be blotted out in this life they shall all one day be called ouer euen at the day of Iudgement Reuel 20. The bookes shall be opened and euery mans conscience shall bee as a Bill of Indictment to accuse and condemne him This is that which is tolde by the Prophet Ieremy chapt 17. The sinne of Iuda is written with a penne of yron and the point of a Diamond And Iob hath it Thou hast sealed vp our sinnes in a bagge By all which places it appeareth that all our sins are knowne to God as perfectly as if they were noted in a Booke and vnlesse wee repent they shall all one day bee called ouer and laide to our charge when our Bookes shall be opened Seeing all our sinnes are well knowne to GOD Vse 1 and the Lord hath them all as it were written downe in a Booke and this Booke shall one day be opened and if our sins be not blotted our before Death come and this debt be not cancelled then they shall be brought to light and wee shall be cast into prison till we haue paid the vttermost farthing Then we see it stands vs all in hand while we liue to labour to haue this Booke cancelled that our sins may be put out and all our debts crossed for if they be found vncancelled at death and the day of Iudgement if they be found then vpon Records surely then it is too late to looke for mercie and therefore it is a matter of endlesse moment which wee are all most carefully to thinke vpon that this Booke may be crosse and our sinnes cancelled that so wee be not in the great day of the Generall Iudgement called to an account for them But how might wee doe that we might haue our sinnes blotted out wee are not able to pay the debt Wee owe the Lord â—enne thousand tallents and cannot pay one penny what shall wee doe to haue the debt paied To this I answere The Lord is like a mercifull Creditour if his Debtour be not able to pay let him confesse the debt and hee will as ke him no more but will willingly pardon all So the Lord GOD seeing wee are by no meanes able of our selues to pay the debt yet if wee confesse it and desire pardon he will forgiue it And yet because he is iust as hee is mercifull therefore his Iustice should be satisfied and that is done by the meanes of Iesus CHRIST hee is become our surety he is content to take our debt on him to become pay-master and so when nothing else could doe it hee was content to suffer death euen the cursed death of the Crosse and to blot out our sinnes by his owne heart bloud So then wee see the meanes how our sinnes are blotted out namely when wee doe repent of them bewaile them be humbled for them leaue and forsake them lay hold on Iesus Christ and apply vnto vs his death and passion then by the bloud of Christ all our sinnes are done away VERSE 10 10. Create in me a cleane heart O GOD and renew a right spirit within me Dauids new Petition DAVID hauing hitherto creaued at the hands of God pardon of his sinnes doth here put vp a new petition to God namely for regeneration or the new birth that God would cast him in a new mould and make him a new man And that God would in mercie goe forward with that blessed worke of Sanctification begunne by his spirit and now interrupted by his sinnes Our reconciliation with GOD stands in two partes Namely pardon of sinne and regeneration And Dauid hauing in the former Verse prayed for grace and mercie that God would haue mercie vpon him pardon all his sinnes
thogh it cost them the losse of Gods fauour and the losse of their owne soules Let vs not deceiue our selues let vs trie our harts by this rule whether they be sanctified or not dost thou find a dislike of all sinne and an hatred of them hast thou a constant and resolute purpose no more to sin against thy God wittingly and willingly hast thou a resolute purpose by the grace of God to walke before him all thy dayes This is a signe of an vpright heart and that it is sanctified but dost thou finde no such resolution no such purpose but rather contrarie a purpose to runne on in thy olde sins thou wilt continue in them let God and men say and doe what they can in lying stealing drunkennes whordome ignorance contempt of the word c. say what thou wilt professe what thou wilt it is a cleare case thy heart is naught it is filthy not sanctified for it is impossible that a man should haue true repentance and an heart truly sanctified and to keepe a purpose to liue in his knowne sins And therefore it conuinceth all such to bee impenitent sinners and notorious hypocrites yea if they leaue many sins and yet purpose to liue in one it argueth the heart is not sanctified Marke 6. Matth. 28. Herod left many yet liued in couetousnesse Vse 2 This Doctrine may serue for the comfort of Gods children who are much grieued for their sins and infirmities when they faile come short of good duties and sometimes start aside as saith S. Iames In many things we sinne all and the iust man falls seuen times but if thou canst truly say it is against my purpose I hate the sinne I commit I condemne it I had no purpose to doe it my desire was to please GOD then thou maiest haue comfort thy heart is sound God wil not condemne thee for it Mal. 3.17 The Lord will spare his children as a father his only sonne A child is going to Schoole and his purpose is so to doe in the way he fals into some company and staies there too long and playes the truant but it is against his purpose euen so the childe of God purposeth to serue God and to please him in all things hath no purpose to sinne but by some temptation of the Diuell or allurement of the world hee is ouertaken I do the euil I would not Rom. 7. I cannot doe the good I would but I delight in the Law of God concerning the inner man This is Pauls comfort and this is the comfort of all Gods children if they can truly say I doe the euill I would not I delight in the law of God that GOD will accept the will for the deede Renue or refresh a right spirit in mee AS if the should haue said O Lord I haue by my sins dimmed thy graces in me yea euen quenched and extinguished them and almost put them cleane out but Lord I beseech thee renue thy graces in me Refresh them Euen as we see a lamp when all the oyle is spent it winkes and is almost extinguished till it bee renued and refreshed with oyle then it burneth againe and giues light Doctr. 5 Hence we learne what is the cursed nature of sin Sin quenches grace as water doth fire and the great power of it namely it is as a poole of water cast on the fire which if it do not quench and extinguish and put out all yet it greatly allayes the heat of it Euen so the graces of GODS spirit in his children alas they be but weake and small but sinne is as a poole of colde water to quench the heat and comfort of them Dauid was wont to delight in Gods seruice to be forward thereunto but sinne did so coole him that he could haue little ioy in it now Demas was forward a while but the world choked him so that he left Christ and Christ biddes the Church of Sardy to be awake and to strengthen the things that are ready to die in them and the Laodiceans grew neither hote nor cold by reason of their pride carnall securitie Reuel 3.3 Reuel 2. so is the church of Ephesus reprooued for that shee had lost her first loue So the Apostle S. Iames resembleth and compareth sin to Childe-bearing for the fruitefulnesse of it Iames 1.15 Lust when it hath conceiued it bringeth foorth sinne and sinne when it is finished it bringeth foarth death 1. Cor. 5.6 Likewise it is compared to leauen that leaueneth the whole lumpe and therefore no maruell though it proceed by little and little from one degree to an other Vse 1 When we see some men who haue been forward haue taken delight in good things now grow cold and lose their first loue this is a flat signe that some sin or other hath stole vpon them they either fall in loue with the world delights plesures profits preferments or else securitie possesse their soules pride idlenes slouth security couetousnes plesure some sin or other hath bewitched them and therfore let all such as find thēselues thus decaying in grace faith cōfort care and conscience let them suspect themselues and think all is not well let them search and find the cause of their decay and it is sinne some sin or other hath crept vpon them Vse 2 How should this make vs afraide of sin seeing it hath so woful effects which is to quench the comfort and graces of Gods holy Spirit in vs it blindes our eyes that we cannot see what is good and euill it hardeneth the heart that a man can not relent and mourne for his sins and bee moued with Gods iudgements it bringeth a decay eclipse of Gods graces men are afraid to doe any thing that might hinder their health or wealth how much more the health and happines of their soules Let vs therefore alwayes keepe a diligent watch ouer our soules let vs seeke to cut off all occasions to euill and indeuour to stop the first beginning for the more sin groweth to an head the more the spirit of God is quenched the worke of grace is diminished and the assurance of our comfort is weakened and lessened Vse 3 When we find any decay in loue zeale faith knowledge repentance obedience c. O then let vs labour to be renued to recouer our former estate againe Reuel 2.1 2. Tim. 1.5 Doe thy first workes againe awake and strengthen the things ready to die Stirre vp euen as a sparke of fire in ashes blow it vp so must we vse all means whereby we may haue the worke of grace renued in vs. Meanes for the increase of grace 1 We must attend vpon the word of God preached for as that is the meanes to beget faith so it is to encrease it and renue it 2 Wee must reade and meditate much call our liues to account and be sory for our decayes and labour to repaire them euen as a ship when it leakes