the world is but like that knowledge of sinne which Dauid had in time of his security they confesse they are sinners they know that blasphemy drunkennesse fornication and such like are sinnes but their conscience being sleeping they walke still on in their sinnes and thinkes it is Christianity good enough if euery morning they say God be merciful to mee for I am a poore sinner but alas poore art thou indeed and pittifully deceiued this knowledge will but make thee inexcusable because in thy words confessing and condemning sinne in thy workes thou practisest it but there is an other knowledge of sin which the Lord shall once discouer vnto thee either in mercy for thy amendment as hee doth heere to Dauid or in wrath as he did to Iudas Pray vnto the Lord that this knowledge of sinne may be giuen you in his mercy for your conuersion and not in his wrath for your consusion And my sinne is euer before me What meanes Dauid by How sinne lookes not alway with one face this was not sinne before him ere now It was indeede ere he committed it it stood before alluring him and hee liked it and sought occasion to commit it when he had committed it was before him also But it looked with so ill fauoured a face that hee sought to hide it and now when his conscience is wakened it stood before him directly to accuse him and it troubles him so that hee would faine be quit of the sight therof Oh that men could consider this in time how sinne will change her countenance before the action sinne comes like a laughing enemy purposing to slay but in flattering manner pretending friendship In the action like sweet poyson deadly and yet delights the sense but after the action a stinging Scorpion leauing no other fruit behinde it but guiltinesse in the conscience terror in the minde anguish in the spirit Si cupis peccati cognoscere Chrys in Ioan. 8. hom 51. turpitudinem commissum considera cum liber non amplius eius perturbaris affectibus If men could thinke of this in time they would not bee much moued with the beautifull face of sinne at the first comming to them because it is certaine that sinne which at the first is before a man to tempt him and will not let him to rest till he doe it that same sinne at the next time shal stand before him to torment him and not let him rest because hee hath doe it And this he further amplifies The action of sinne is momentarie the effects of it remaines when he saies it is euer before him both night and day sleeping and waking go where I will it goes with mee no change of place changes my trouble Sine intermissione video Basil malorum meorum imagines and it is so before me that it is against mee Semper coram me Saua opponens se mihi ne ad te transeat oratio mea Sinne is soone committed in a moment passeth the pleasure of it but the gilt and terror is not so soone done Paruum est ad horam peccatum Cyrill Catechis 12. longaeua autem est ex eo aeterna verecundia That for which a man sinnes shall not abide with him try when yee will yee shall finde it so wilt thou slay Naboth for his Vineycard thou must go from it wilt thou incurre the curse with Achan for a wedge of gold thou shalt not keepe it the curse bides with thee the gilt of sinne remaines but that for which thou didst sin shall bee taken from thee and thou from it The remembrance of this were a singular preseruatiue against sinne It is an opinion of carnall men blinded with the deceit of sinne that when sinne is committed Sin is not alwaies done when it is ended as the foolish thinke they thinke it done and away and so casts it behinde their backe as a thing neuer any more to be remembred but truth shall teach them by experience when they are iudged that it is before them It is now nine moneths since Dauid sinned yet he finds his sinne before him the cruelty of Iacobs sonnes against their brother Ioseph which they committed in Canaan mette them twenty yeeres after that in Aegypt though for a long time they beleeued it had been done and forgotten No No length of time takes away sinne without repentance length of time can we are sinne away if it be not taken away by repentance the sinnes wee haue done many yeeres since if we mourne not for them till we get mercy shall stand vp as fresh and young against vs when we come to bee iudged as they were the first houre that we committed them The Lord make vs wise to thinke vpon it our selues waxe old our bodies are declyning to the graue our yeeres are neere an end and will wee take no paines to weare away our sins to make them as if they had neuer beene or shall wee let them stand in their strength and vigour against vs this were a pittifull folly which will not faile to trouble vs at the last happy are they who are iudged in this world that they be not condemned in the world to come Further we note heere the The folly of sinners they redeeme a perishing pleasure with an enduring paine folly of sinners and iust manner of the Lords dealing with them their folly is heere that that they redeeme a perishing pleasure with an enduring paine Gods iustice is here that he punisheth the wicked with their owne sinfull deedes and lets them eat the fruit of their owne labours This he threatneth by Ezechiel I shall turne your waies vpon your owne heads and truely it were a punishment greater then men are able to beare if the Lord should set their iniquities before them and let them see them as they are Let wicked Psalm 50. men consider this that while they are multiplying sinnes they are but pletting coardes wherewith they shall be whipped the next day with their owne hands they are heaping vp wrath to themselues No place of complaining against the Lords iustice shall bee left Rom. 2. vnto them when they shall clearely see it is their owne iniquitie that vexeth and torments them But now seeing Nathan the Remembrance of sinne remaines after remission in the godly and why Prophet had proclaimed to Dauid the remission of his sin how is it that yet it is before him I answere in his deerest children after remission of sin he will haue the remembrance of sinne to remaine First to keepe them in minde of God his great mercie who slewe them not in their sinnes as hee hath done many that so hee may make them the more thankfull Vt gratior sit misericordia dei vt sentias quid tibi Chrysost concesserit Si enim semper memor fuer is cumuli peccatorum tuorum eris etiam memor magnitudinis beneficentiae dei Next the memorie of sinne past serues
potuit humana natura adhuc integra quanto minus poterit per seipsam resurgere iam corrupta as it was with him so is it with vs all perditio tua ex te ô Israel thy destruction is of thy selfe O Israel but our saluation is of the Lord and from the Lambe that sits with him vpon the throne Thirdly wee see this difference Reprobate men sinne and repent not not so the godly betweene the godly and the wicked the one falles and riseth not Iudas betrayed Christ Peter forsware him the one goes on in his sinnes and perisheth the other is renewed by repentance The difference then is not in sinne wherein wee are also as deepe as they but in this that the Lord hath had mercie vpon vs. O how are wee obliged to blesse him who hath put a difference by grace betweene vs and them where there was no difference by nature And this is to bee marked for them who haue an eye to see how Dauid sinned euen as they haue sinned and therefore account the lesse of their sinnes but haue not an eye to see that they haue repented as Dauid repented and that therefore being farre vnlike him in Repentance they can haue no comfort that hee was like them in sinne The third point of the inscription The order of singing Leuites vnder the law Leuiticall is in these words To him that excelleth A Psalme of Dauid Wherein wee see how he dedicateth this Psalme as the first fruite and testimonie of his Repentance to bee sung publikely in the Church for vnderstanding whereof wee must know how Dauid ordained some of the Leuites skilled in Musicke to praise the Lord by singing and playing vpon Instruments these were in number foure thousand who 1. Chron. 23. 5. by course serued the Lord in his Sanctuarie They were diuided in seuerall classes and ouer euery one of them some that were Masters of Musicke Precentors who in singing and playing excelled the rest such as Asaph Heman Idithun c. and to these it is that Dauid dedicateth this Psalme to bee sung publikely for the word Natseah in Piel signifieth one that is an ouerseer or president ouer others for his excellencie in strength or skill or otherwayes and so here and in other Psalmes Dauid vseth it to signifie a master of Musicke The instruments they vsed in praysing the Lord are most Two sortes of musicall Instruments vsed in the Leuiticall Law of them reckoned vp in the last Psalme all of them may be reduced to two sorts whereof the one are called Neginoth such as made a sound by touching from the word Nagan pulsauit the other called Nechiloth such as being hollow made a sound by breathing from the word Halal Sometime the musicall Instrument was premitted and the singing voice followed and then the Song was called Canticum Psalmi for Psalterium properly is a kind of musicall Instrument called of the Hebrewes Naula but is translated to signifie the Psalmes Sometime againe the Song was first sung with the voice and the musicall Instrument followed and then it is called Psalmus cantici What vpon this is to be obserued see our notes vpon the one hundred and nineteene Psalme Onely now we marke how The godly are content to shame themselues by Confession of sinne that they may giue glorie vnto God Dauid careth not to take shame to himselfe by confessing his Murther and Adultrie publikely in the Church that hee may giue glorie vnto God So is it with all Gods childrē who hath felt the terror of an accusing conscience for sinne who are grieued in themselues for displeasing the Lord and are earnestly seeking to be reconciled with God they refuse not to manifest their owne shame yea and as it were with that filthy Leper vnder the Law with his clothes rent with his head bare with a couering vpon his lips to crie out before all the world I am vncleane I am vncleane Leuit. 13. 45. that so they may get peace from God and may giue him glory by their repentance as they dishonoured him by their sinne I speake not this This is not to be vnder stood of priuate sinnes of priuate sinnes the example wherof hath not offended thy neighbour Such sinnes I rather wish to be buried as Israel with their paddles buried their filth without the Campe vnder the earth nor laied open to the eyes of others but of publike sinnes it is not our shame to confesse these for remouing of the slander but double sinne and shame to conceale them how so euer it bee currant now as an vndoubted axiome among carnall men that no man is bound to sweare to his owne shame sure wee are it is not warranted by any Diuine authoritie for so Achan might haue excused himself when Ioshua willed him by confessing of theft to giue glorie to God and so Dauid here might haue shifted himselfe from this publicke confession where the conscience is sleeping any warrant A sleeping Conscience excuseth sinne is thought sufficient to excuse a sinne and man feares not to defraude the Lord of that glorie hee should haue by confession of it but where the Lord wakens the conscience all excuses are set aside and man is glad to disburden himselfe by confessing his sinne vnto the Lord. This the Lord will haue of all flesh at the length for so hath hee sworne As I liue saith the Lord euerie tongue shall confesse to me he shall then force them to giue him glorie by confessing who now wickedly defraude him of it by concealing But happie and wise is he who doth it in time when Mercie is to be found with the LORD PSALME 51. VERSE 1. Haue mercie vpon me O God according to thy louing kindnesse according to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquitie HItherto the inscription The summe and order of this Psalme or preface of the PSALME Nowe followes the PSALME wherein Dauid first praieth for himselfe to the 18. Verse Next for the Church of GOD Verse 18. In the praier for himselfe he hath first a generall petition haue mercie on me O God Verse 1. then three particular petitions first the remission of his sinne which he expresseth by putting away washing purging to the Verse 8. Next the restitution of peace and ioy to his conscience which by his sinne he had sore empaired Verse 89. Thirdly the renouation of his Heart and Spirit within him which most fearefully hee had altered from the loue of God to the loue of iniquitie Verse 10. 11. c. This Psalme is frequently They cānot rightly vse the words of this Psalme who want Dauids disposition sung in the mouthes of many men but sure it is these words which were true when Dauid spake them are but lies when they are pronounced by many men for so they pray O Lord consider my distresse when as in very deede they had neuer such a thing as a distressed soule for sinne Is not this
doeth not now The humilitie of a penitent thinks not his name worth to be named as at other times expresse his name as when hee said Lord remember Dauid c. neither takes hee here to himselfe the name of Gods seruant as customably he doth in other places but concealeth his name ashamed of himselfe not vnlike that forlorne child I haue sinned against heauen and against Luke 15. thee and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne According to thy louing kindnesse Dauid depends on Gods mercy not on his owne merit We haue heard Dauid his petition in generall Now the reason whereby he will moue the Lord to grant it is not from any merit in himselfe hee vtterly disclaimes that but only from God his louing kindnesse and commiseration vpon these two doth hee now fasten his gripes and by the meditation of them hee conceiues some hope of fauour in the Lord euen when in himselfe hee had receiued a condemnatorie sentence of death by reason of his sinne Two things are requisite in The two eyes of a penitent sinner and what losse it is to want either of them a sinner that would haue mercie first an eye to know his sinnes that being ashamed of himselfe he may resolue there can be no life for him if he rest in himselfe And next an eye to see Gods mercie many haue not the first therefore thinke that either without a Sacrifice or with a small sacrifice God will bee pleased they cannot mourne for sinne esteeming their sinnes so small that they neede no great mourning Others againe haue not the other eye whereby to see Gods mercie in Christ they see their own sinne but see not God his mercie and therefore are carried either to a temporall desperation which may befal the godly that for a time they seeme to themselues vtterly vndone or then to a finall us all the reprobates doe examples wherof wee haue in Cain Saul and Iudas from whose miserable condition the Lord preserue vs. Now Dauid finding nothing Two things in God Dauid grounds vpon in himselfe to comfort him when he lookes vp to God hee sees two things as I said that sustaine him first the kindnesse 1 His benignitie or kindnesse this is either generall of God next the manifold compassions of God the word expressing his kindnesse is Chesed the benignitie of God and this is either general wher by hee loues his creatures conseruing them as he made them and delights to doe good vnto them in so farre as they are the works of his hands Thou Lord Math. 5. 45 sauest man and beast he makes his Sunne to arise on the euill and the good and sendeth raine on the iust and vniust And this howsoeuer it rendred some comfort yet could it not giue full comfort to DAVID considering that sinne the poison of the Serpent in him made him iustly Or speciall abhominable to God And therefore hee casts his eye further vnto that speciall benignitie of God which in effect is his mercie whereby hee loues his owne in Christ redeemes them from their sinnes and saues them by his grace when they haue lost themselues by their iniquitie And this is euident by the other word immediatly he adioynes The speciall is in effect Gods mercy and tender compassion of God his compassion which is the other ground whereupon the faith of Dauid reposed for the word Racham signifies to loue from the verie bowells and inward affection being deduced from the name Rêchêm which signifies the What great comfort wee haue into it wombe or matrice that with most kindly and tender affection compasse and nourish the Infant within it suppose it cannot bee thankefull for the present nor doe the duetie wherein it is bound but rather be offensiue to the mother that carries it Dauid knew that the like tender affection was in God toward his owne poore children yea and much more greater then the heauēs are higher 〈…〉 from the earth so farre are the thoughts of God his loue and compassion aboue all that can bee in vs it is possible the mother may forget the birth of her wombe but the LORD cannot forget them who are his Therefore doth he not only Compassiōs in the plurall number are ascribed to God ascribe vnto God compassions but great cōpassions or a multitude of them so he speakes for two causes first because where God shewes mercies he 1 Because where he shewes mercie he shews many mercies together shewes many mercies together a heape and a verie masse of mercies The royall heart of Alexander thought it not honorable for him to giue a small thing what then shall we think of our God The ods is so great that there can bee no comparison But sure where hee giues any of his chief blessings there hee giues such a treasure forth of his infinite riches of mercie as we are not able to speake of Yet for our comfort in our Sixe ranks of mercie meditation his mercies shewed vnto vs since wee could 1 Preuenting mercie know what mercie was wee may reduce them to six rankes the first I call preuenting mercies whereby the Lord did vs good when wee knew him not and kept vs from many sinnes which otherwaies wee would haue committed O quanta dignatio Bern. de Euang 7. Panum Ser. 1. pietatis quod ingratum sic gratia conseruabat Many sinnes haue we done against him but farre moe should we haue done if his mercie had not preuented vs Agnosce ergo gratiam eius cui debes etiam quod non admisisti Augu. Mihi debet iste quod factum est dimissum vidisti mihi debes tu quod non fecisti Acknowledge therefore Gods mercie toward thee euen in these sinnes which thou hast not done If thou seest one who is debitor to mee for a sin which hee did and I forgaue him vnderstand also that thou art debitor to me for keeping thee that thou didst not the like for there is no sinne which any man hath done but an other man would doe the like if God by grace did not preserue him from it The second ranke hath in it his sparing mercies or the mercies Sparing mercies of his patience though we haue beene kept from the doing of many sinnes yet haue we done enough to condemne vs. There is an other sort of mercie Peccabam tu dissimulabas non continebam a sceleribus tu a verberibus abstinebas I sinned and thou heldst thy tongue I transgressed thou sparedst and killedst mee not when wee looke to Zimri and Cosbi slaine in the act of harlotrie to Ananias and Saphira striken to death in their sinne what shall wee say but it is a great mercie of God that hitherto wee haue not beene taken away in the middest of our sinnes In the third ranke wee place his pardoning mercies for a 3 Pardoning mercies man may thinke what
the pleasures of the Paradise of a good Conscience a seede of Sathan a peece of leauen that sowreth and infecteth all it comes among turning sweetest things into bitter It is but a small thing to looke to soone done in the twinckling of an eye but hath an enduring sting and produceth manifold and great euill effects it perturbeth all being but one and spoyle man of the comfort of all God his creatures miserable men bewitched with the deceipt of sinne drunken with the present false pleasures therof cannot beleeue this it is but a pastime to them to doe wickedly but let them know it shall turne to bitternesse in the end But of this more in the third verse where hee complaines that his sinne was euer before him The word that in this petition God hath his accompt Booke wherein the debts of men that is their sinnes are Registred Dauid vseth is Machah signifiing a scraping a blotting out hee alludes as it seemes to the maner of them who haue their accompt Bookes wherein they write vp their debts whereof they purpose to haue paiment although they spare for a time wherupō Dauid sayeth I know Lord thou hast thine owne accompt Booke wherein thou writest the transgressions of them with whom thou mindest to enter in iudgement according to that The sinne of Iuda is written with a Penne of yron and Iere. 17. the point of a Diamond Let not O Lord my debt stand Registred there but of thy mercie put it and blot it out I haue done enough for my part to put my owne name out of the Booke of life and insert it in the Roll of them that must come to iudgement I know there is a standing decree in thy Booke That death is the wages of sinne If my sinne stand in thy Register I am but a dead man Lord quicken me forgiue me my trespasse and put away the Colos 2. 13. hand-writing of thy ordinance which is contrarie to me But here let vs marke how The bookes are two the booke of his Science and the booke of our Conscience it is that the Lord putteth sinne out of his two-fold Register First out of the booke of his owne science hee putteth the sinnes of his children vtterly both the gilt and the memorie of them hee putteth away so that out of his accompt booke hee scrapes our debt cleane away that it appeares not againe according to his promise I will remember their sinnes no more But out of the Register of our conscience hee putteth the gilt the accusing and tormenting power of it but abolisheth not vtterly the remembrance of it He reserues some monument of our sinnes in our memorie after that they are forgiuen partly to humble vs when wee looke backe vnto them and partly to preserue vs from committing the like in time to come And further we see how Dauid Blind are they who thinke they can make satisfaction to God for their debts acknowledgeth his debt was more then hee was able to pay and therefore disclaiming his owne sufficiencie hee appeales to Gods mercy beseeching the L. to blot it out for he had not to pay it It is a pitiful blindnesse in the aduersaries of the truth that teacheth poore people to leane vnto mans satisfactions which they must make to God for their sinnes either here or in Purgatorie how wilt thou satisfie that infifinite maiestie of God for thy manifold sinnes Ille figulus tu Ber. Scr. de quadrup debito figmentum When thou hast giuen vnto him all that thou art able either by doing or suffering Nonneistud est sicut stella ad solem gutta ad fluuium What is it but as if one should compare a Starre with the Sunne or a drop with a riuer Nemo est qui millesimae imo nec minimae parte debitorum suorum valeat respondere I see it was blindnes and so it is whatsoeuer shew of learning bee in them who maintaine it if they knew how great is the debt that man oweth vnto God they would say with Bernard There is none in the world able to answere the thousand part nay not the smallest part of that Debt which man oweth vnto God Away therefore with that blasphemous word of humaine satisfaction for except the Lord haue compassion on vs and for Mattb. 18. 27. giue the debt there remaines nothing for vs but to be pined in prison for euer And this also is to bee obserued By three words Dauid expresseth his sin to shew the greatnesse thereof how Dauid making mention of his sinne contents him not with one word but changes there sundrie words to expresse it whereof the one Pashang signifieth defection and rebellion the other Gnauah signifieth peruersuesse or crooked doing the third Chatta signifieth to erre or wander from the marke Men who do weigh sinne in the balance of consuetude can neuer knowe the weight of it they esteeme it but a light thing but godly men who weigh it in the balance of the Sanctuarie and examine it according to the rule of the word find it such a horrible euill as wherein manifold euils doe concurre VERSE 2. Wash me throughly from mine iniquitie and cleanse me from my sinne DAuid insists and Three things which make feruent Prayer in other termes hee repeates his former petition There are three things which make earnestnes and feruencie in prayer First Conscience of sinne Secondly feare or sense of wrath Thirdly ardent desire of mercie these three were at this time strong in Dauid and therfore sends hee vp feruent and strong petitions to God More particularly we learne Sinne a vile vncleannesse here that Sinne is a filthynesse which defiles a man there is no vncleannesse can make vs so vile and abhominable in the eyes of man as sinne maketh vs in the eyes of God what more vile thing in the world then a Menstruous cloth If euen our righteousnesse bee like vnto it as Esay witnesseth I pray you whereunto shall our vnrighteousnesse be compared or what similitude can be gotten sufficiently to expresse it Now as it is an vncleannes indeed would to God we could so esteeme of it we can suffer no vncleannes in our bodies but incontinent we wash it away Neither can abide it in our garments but without delay wee remedie it yea the smallest vncleannesse in the vessels that serue vs for meate and drinke makes our very foode lothsome vnto vs But alas wee haue not halfe of that care to keepe our Soules and Consciences cleane from the filthy pollution of sinne nor yet to wash them in that Fountaine opened to DAVIDS house for sinne and for vncleannesse when we haue defiled them And yet a great necessitie to doe so lies vpon vs for we are No part can we haue with Christ if he wash vs not warned that no vncleane thing can enter into heauenly Ierusalem That answere giuen by the Lord Iesus vnto Peter Ioh. 13. 8. stands
for a warning to vs all If I wash thee not thou shalt haue no part with me Oh that it moued vs as it mooued him that wee might also pray with him O Lord rather then my vncleannes banish me from thy fellowship wash I beseech thee not my feete onely but my hands and my head also Wash my feete that is my vncleane affections Wash my head that is my vncleane imaginations and senses And wash also my hands that is the vncleannesse of mine actions But the word that Dauid vseth A cōfort able meditation of Gods manifold mercies imports much washing hee knew his sinne was a deepe spot not easily rubbed away and therefore craues he much washing so then his meaning is Many sinnes hast thou Lord forgiuen me now I pray thee yet further wash me from this sinne also Are thy mercies numbred or are they so narrow that they cannot couer this transgression among the rest how great so euer it bee So that heere Dauid doth still depend vpon the greatnesse of Gods compassion and by it is he sustained that the greatnes of his transgression driueth him not to despare when the Apostle Saint Peter enquired at the Lord Iesus how oft shall I forgiue my brother in Since hee will haue vs to forgiue an other seuen times in the day what will he doe himselfe the day if he offend me shall I forgiue him seuen times Our Sauiour answered not seuen times only but seuenty times seuen times also O word full of consolation how doth it animate vs to repose on the the Lords mercy Nonne maior Deus homine nonne melior homine Is not the Lord greater then man is he not better then man If he will haue so great compassion in a man to forgiue his brother so often in a day what compassion is in himselfe to forgiue his owne poore penitent creature that prostrates himselfe for mercy before him VERSE 3 For I know mine iniquity and my sinne is euer before me HEere is subjoined a reason of his Confession from a penitent hart obtaines mercy former petition O Lord I doe not hide conceale the iniquitie of my bosome I seeke not now to couer it as I did before but now I acknowledge it and I confesse it to thee against my selfe therefore Lord haue mercy vpon me and forgiue it this is a good reason for it is grounded on the Lords promise He that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper Prou. 28. but hee that confesseth and forsaketh them shall haue mercy And againe If wee confesse our sinnes 1. Ioh. 1. 9. God is faithfull and iust to forgiue them Or otherwaies we may take vp these words as Vatablus doth Lord thou knowest that I seeke not mercy from thee dissemblingly or for fashion as the manner of hypocrites is who make supplication for mercy of custome rather then of contrition nay Lord I feele my sinne a burden which troubles me the very sight of it terrifies and afraies me therefore Lord take it away from thee So long as sinne is in a mans So long as sinne is in the affection that a man loues it there is no remission of it affection that hee likes it and hath pleasure in it it is but a mocking of God to desire him to forgiue it shall hee forgiue that which thou wilt not forgoe shall he pardon thine offences so long as thou hast pleasure to offend No no vnlesse thou put thine iniquity from thee out of thine affection vnlesse thou find it a burden vnto thee whereof thou art weary goe not to him to seeke mercy for so his promise is Come vnto mee all yee that are weary and laden and I will refresh you But alas it is farre otherwise with many who vse in babbling manner these words of Dauid O Lord consider my distresse when as they had neuer such a thing as a distressed soule for sinne and cannot say with Dauid I know mine iniquity and my sinne is euer before me But when is this that Dauid An example of that deepe security wherein Gods children may fall comes to know his sinne after that Nathan had reproued him without and God had wakned his owne conscience within to accuse him and this was nine moneths after the committing of the sin al this time he slept in a carelesse security albeit he haunted the exercises of religion and had some general knowledge of his sinnes yet it moued him not till now God lets him see an other sight of his sinnes then hee had before In him wee see an image of To sinne is of our selfe to repent is of grace our corrupt disposition wee fall easily into sinne and when we haue fallen we can doe nothing but lye still in sinne except the Lord put vnder his mercifull hand and raise vs vp As Adam when he had sinned ran away from the Lord so is it the manner of Adams children after sinne insteede of running to the Lord to runne away alwaies the longer and the further from him if the Lord doe not follow and recouer them For this is a peece of Satans pollicy that as hee is subtill in Satans policie first drawes a man to sin then keepes him vnto it alluring man to commit sinne so when he hath done it he labours to blind the minde that man should neuer come to the knowledge of his sinne till hee be past remedy a fearefull example whereof wee haue in Iudas And therefore it is a great mercy of God towards his owne that he opens their eies in time to see their sinne so long as he sits vpon his mercy-seat to pardon and forgiue them Satan knows he hath no vantage by sinne when true repentance followeth it For wher sinne hath abounded there grace hath much more super abounded It is not sinne so much which condemnes men as impenitency that despises mercy and therefore Satan contents not to draw his miserable captiues into sinne but when hee hath done it hides the sight of it from them alwaies till the time of grace bee expired and they bee past recouery then lets he them see the vglinesse of their sin and with restlesse torments disquiets their soules for it Further wee see heere that ther are two sorts of the knowledge A twofold knowledge of sinne of sin one which is but general idle works no reformation and an other which is effectuall to worke conuersion Dauid as I said before that Nathan came to him he knew that One that is idle and workes no remorse another that breeds repentance murther adultery were sins but that troubled him not But now God works another know ledge of sin in him hee sees his sins in another maner he feeles now the iust weight of them he tastes now the bitter fruits of them his spirit is filled with anguish for them and his soule abhors them It is to be lamented that the knoweledge of sin which now is in most part of
a mans owne heart peace and quietnesse to a mans owne heart As a sicke stomack is eased by vomiting so a guilty conscience by confession They who will not sow how can they reape we must sow in teares the humble confession of sinne if we looke to reap the sweet consolation of the spirit let vs not do the one sparingly if wee hope to enioy the other abundantly Modica Sementis Ber. de tractio non modicum messis est detrimentum So long as wee keepe in the heart the pleasures of sinne we can not taste of the ioyes of God Vis vt intret mel Aug. vnde acetum nondum fudisti funde quod habes vt capias quod non habes no more then it is possible to powre sweet hony into that vessel which is filled with sowre Vineger already but as after great showres of raine the aire becomes more calme and cleare so after that sinne is powred out with confession and teares the heart is pacified and freed from her former perturbations Furthermore wee perceiue Publike sins would haue publike repentance here how Dauid contents not himselfe with a secret confession of his sinne to the Lord and to Nathan the Prophet but wil haue his repentance declared in publike and a memoriall of it extant for benefite of the Church of God No doubt many impediments had Dauid to hinder him from so cleare a confession but such is the force of true repentance that it ouercomes all impediments and maketh the penitent man hartily well content to giue glory to God although it were with neuer so great shame to himselfe Such as had fallen in publike offenses were not receiued The forme and order of publike repentance in the primitiue church Ambros de paenitent li. 1. c. 16. but vpon their publike repentance yea and their supplication made to all the assembly of Gods people Petat veniam reus cum lachrym is petat gemitibus petat populi totius fletibus vt ignoscatur obsecret cum secundo aut tertio fuerit dilata eius communio credat seremissius supplicasse fletus augeat Let him that is guilty seeke pardon with teares seeke it with grones let him seeke that all the people may mourne for him and if twice or thrice his receiuing to the communion be delaied let him thinke he hath praied but slackly and hath neede to augment his teares and because many then thought shame to doe this he giues them a notable admonition Si homini satisfacien dum Lib. 2. c. 10. esset multos obsecrares vt dignentur interuenire hoc in ecclesia facere fastidis vt deo supplices vt patrocinium tibi ad deum obsecrandum sanctae plebis requiras if thou hadest to doe with men thou wouldest request many to sue for thee thinkest thou euill to doe that in the Church to make there supplication to God and to seeke the helpe of the Saints of God Vbi nihil est quod pudari esse debeat nisi non fateri cum omnes simus peccatores vbi ille laudabilior qui humilior iustior qui abiectior fleat itaque pro te Mater ecclesia where there is nothing wherof we should thinke shame except not to confesse our sins seeing wee are all sinners and he is most worthy of praise who is most abiect Let therefore thy mother the Church mourne vnto God for thee It is a common policie of Sathan takes away shamewhere it should be and brings it in where it should not be Sathan to take away shame where it should bee namely in the committing of it and to bring it in where it should not be to wit in the confessing of sinne But if men bee mooued with shame I would wish they were mooued with the greatest shame for it is a greater shame to confesse sin before the Angels and the whole world God sitting in his iudgement seate to condemne it then to confesse it before his Church God sitting in his mercie seate readie to forgiue it Concealed can it not be for the word of God hath confirmed it with a solemne oath As I liue sayeth the Lord euery tongue shall confesse vnto me Two wayes in this verse By two arguments Dauid amplifieth his sin doth Dauid amplifie his sinne first that it was done against God Next in the sight of God To sin against a King his commandement lawfull is a great sinne but to sinne against him in his owne face is a double rebellion Sin is counted a light thing among men because they commonly weigh it in Statera suarum consuetudinum Aug. cont Parmen lib 3. Cap. 2. dolosa The deceitfull balance of custome but if we come and weigh it in the balance of Gods word wee shall finde it heauie which otherwayes wee thinke light This first circumstance that That it was done against God it was against God doth greatly aggrauate his sinne Whether ye looke to the goodnesse or to the greatnesse of God The Lord was good many waies to Dauid of a Sheepheard he made him a King and did in euery state of life so blesse him that as hee himsefe confesseth hee was loaded with the benefits of God Now it cannot bee but a great ingratitude to offend so louing and gracious a God who daily delights to doe good vnto vs. Or otherwise if we consider his greatnesse wee must say it What a fearfull thing it is to fight against God is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the Lord. Are we stronger then hee why then doe wee prouoke him to anger This is a great argument of his power that hee turnes against vs those things which wee doe against him and punisheth vs with our owne deedes Thine own wickednesse shall correct thee Ierem. 2. 19 and thy turnings backe shall reprooue thee and thou shall know that it is an euill thing and a bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God and procured this Vers 17. vnto thy selfe The Sidonians sought peace from Herode when hee entended warre against them and all because they were nourished by Herods lands and might not want his fauour and foolish man thinkes it nothing to fight against God who is offring him peace which is so great a good that he is able to driue backe mans weapons vpon his owne face and confound him with his owne thoughts But heere it is to be demanded How saies Dauid hee sinned against God onlie seeing hee slew Vriah and defiled Bathshebath how saies he that hee sinned against God onely seeing he sinned against Bathsheba entising her to the snare of Satan he sinned against Vriah whom he slew with the sword of the Ammonite and he sinned against the whole Army casting them into danger for Vriah his sake and lastly against the whole Church in his kingdome by his euill example The answer 1 In all sinne God properly is the party offended is that to speake properly In all sinne
properly God is the party offended whether it be done imediatly as in sinnes against the first Table or mediatly as in sinnes against the second table and so the wrong done to the creature is not for the hurt of such a creture but for the interceding command of God which is broken for sinne is the transgression of the Law and were it not for that no wrong were 2. Dauid speaks this acording to his sense for at this time he had no party but God done to the creature Next Dauid speakes this according to his owne sense and feeling at this time he had no partie that troubled him but the Lord for as to him that got the wrong Non timebam Chrysost eum miles meus erat non poterat me iudicare He was my seruant he could not iudge mee As for others Rex sum caeterorum omnium Dominus te solum commissorum â—uthym a me scelerum iudicem habeo I am their King and Lord and finde nothing in them to trouble me but thou O Lord art hee to whom all creatures must render an account thou art higher then the highest and iudgest the King and the subiect alike What peace then can bee to mee so long as thou art against mee pursuing mee for my sinnes Heereof first arises a lesson to men of power in the world let them not thinke the lesse of Let not men thinke the lesse of their sinnes because they are done against weak men their sinnes because they haue to doe with a weake partie that hath neither power nor meanes to redresse their wrongs let them remember that God is their party who will iudge the cause of the poore the widowe and the fatherlesse this should restrain them from doing wrong to any albeit they might doe it vncontrouled of men this was a meanes of awe to Ioseph he might haue reuenged the wrong in Egypt which his brethren had done him in Canaan but hee would not because hee feared God and considered that hee himselfe was also vnder God Secondly wee learne of this that seeing in all sinne God is No discharge of sinne is sufficient but the Lords the party offended the remission and discharge of the sinne should bee sought from him This is for these carnall Atheists who if they can obtaine pardon from the earthly Iudge or a discharge of the partie care nothing for the Lords part but hee will stand to his own part and make thee finde by experience that albeit all the world would forgiue thy sinne yet if the Lord forgiue thee not it shal nothing auaile thee Men of meane estate should haue patieÌ„ce when they are wronged because the offence is done vnto God Last of all let this learne them of meane estate patience for no wrong can be done vnto them which first of all is not done to the Lord he is the principal party offended If men could as I haue said before ponder this it might learne them with patience to commit their cause to the Lord and not rashly to step in into his roome either by imprecations or raylings or any other such carnall meane but to reserue vnto the Lord his owne honour Vengeance is mine and I will repay it saith the Lord. And done euell in thy sight 2 The other argument whereby he amplifies his sinne is that it was done in Gods sight The other circumstance wherby hee amplifies his sinne is that it was done in the sight of God when hee did the sinne God saw him but hee forgot then that God was looking vpon him but now when his conscience is wakened and hee lookes backe againe to his former iniquity he sees now that he did it in the sight of God This is also one of Satan his Satans deceit is to make man conceiue that God seeth him not customable policies whereby he drawes men vnto sinne to couer their minds with a vaile to darken their vnderstanding to steale out of their hearts the remembrance at least the reuerence of the diuine Maiesty so that he is brought to thinke for a time that either God sees it not or then doth not regard it But this is a pittifull blindenesse like the folly of children who when their owne eies are closed that they cannot see do therefore conceit that none other seeth them so is it I say with them whose affections are captiued by a sin they are blinded and haue not an eye to looke vp to God and therefore thinke that hee is not looking down vpon them The best remedy for this is to sanctifie the Lord alwaies in The remeÌ„brance of God is a new band to sinne our hearts let vs set the Lord alwaies in our sight esteeming of euery place as Iacob did of Bethel The Lord is in this place and I was not aware that so his countenance may bee an newe band to keepe vs from sinne otherwise it cannot bee but a deepe contempt of God when in our estimation wee set him inferiour to his creature not ashamed to doe that vnder the eye of GOD which wee would be ashamed to doe vnder the eie of man That thou maiest be iust His The Lord strikes not without a cause meaning is not that he sinned for this ende that God might be iustified quod dicit vt iustificeris non habet causae significationem non eam ob causam peccauit Dauid vt Deus iustificaretur No but that for this end hee confessed his sinne that the iustice of God iudging reprouing and threatning him by Nathan might bee manifested to others It is not Lord without cause that thou hast denounced so sharpe punishments against mee by thy seruant Nathan Ego haec mihi mala conciliaui I haue deserued them all and giuen thee iust cause to speake and iudge against mee as thou hast done and now I humbly confesse it before the world that thou maiest haue the praise of righteousnes in all thy speaking iudging The children of God humbled Men visited with his rods should giue him the prayse of righteousnes with a sense of their sins spare not to shame themselues that they may glorifie God So Daniel ascribeth shame and confusion to himselfe and his people but giues tho praise of righteousnesse to the Lord. Where the Lord strikes with his rods which men may see and hee that is striken will not acknowledge his sinnes in effect hee blames the Lord as if hee did strike without a cause therefore Iosua when Achan was taken by Lot for his sinne and the wrath of God on Israel was manifest but the cause procuring the wrath was hidden from them exhorted him to giue glory to God thou seest doth he say that God is angrie with Israel he hath suffered his people to fall before their enemies this cannot be without a cause seeing the lot is fallen vpon thee and the finger of God points at thee that thou hast procured this euill I pray thee giue
pleased him to shew it then he cried out woe is me I am a man of polluted lippes he knew before that he was a sinfull man but a new sight of God his holinesse discouers to him a deeper sight of his owne corruption the spots of the face not perceiued in darknesse are manifested in the day and then doe men thinke shame of them when they are discouered by the light So long as the eye lookes to the earth and creatures which are in it it seemes to be quicke enough but turne it vpward toward the sunne the weaknesse of it is soone perceiued when wee looke to our selues and compare our selues with our selues and with men like our selues we seeme to be some thing but if our eyes were open to see the Lord and that most excellent purity and holinesse which is in him then would we cry out with Iob. Now mine eies hath seene the Lord therefore I abhor my selfe The holy Angels couer their faces at the brightnesse of his glory what shall man doe who is dust and dwelles in lodgings of clay Againe seeing God loues Sin is but a lying vanity truth in the inward affections let vs also study to loue it for in a conformity with God standeth mans felicity By truth heere wee vnderstand two things holinesse and sinceritie opposite to sinne and hypocrisie sinne is in very deede but a lie a falshood and a vanitie and therefore so named by the spirit of God It seemes to be an other thing then it is indeed al that to this day haue beene inamoured with it haue found it in the end to be but a lying vanitie and yet vaine man cannot learne to despise the deceit thereof And this euill becomes so Then is it worst when it is couered with hypocrisie much the worse when it lurketh vnder a shew of holinesse hypocrisie is a generall lie of the whole man In a common lie the tongue lies against the heart onely but in hypocrisie not the tongue onely but the eye the hand the feet lie also when the hand is lifted vp to heauen and eye lookes vp but the heart followes them not when the knee is bowed but the heart is not bowed before the Lord. Nothing distinguishes a true The proper difference of a true Christian from a counterfeit christiā from a counterfeit but this truth and sincerity in the inward affections the bastard Christian can counterfeit the true Christians behauiour in al things but he cannot follow him in this one the sincerity of his heart As a Painter can paint the cullour of the fire and the forme of the flame thereof but cannot paint the heate of it so a hypocrite can resemble a Christian in any thing but not in his heart Esau can mourne and weep bitterly like Ezechia Ahab can put on sack cloth like Mordecai Saul can confesse in word I haue sinned like Dauid but none of their hearts were vpright in the sight of God Thirdly when wee heare If the Lord require truth in vs how much more is he true himselfe that God loues truth we may consider that hee is true or rather truth it selfe what hee loues in his creature is but a sparkle of that goodnes which is in himself we haue here then strong consolation against our naturall doubtings and distrusts if we consider how God is verity Of his nature he can not breake his promise if he require such constant truth in his Psal 15. creature that when he sweares he wil not haue him to change but to performe the good which he promises how much more may wee looke to finde this truth in himselfe Therefore thou hast taught me wisedome This is the last argument An other amplification of Dauids sinne it was against knowledge wherby Dauid amplifies his sinne that hee had done against that knowledge wherewith God had indewed him for the Lord had delt fauourablie with him and had taught him the knowledge of his will but he like a beast suffered that light to be suffocated by the fury of his owne affections Of this we see that the light A fearefull thing to sin against knowledge which God giues men if they do against it is a great augmentation of their sin The seruant that knoweth his masters will and doth it not is worthy of double stripes If I had not come and spoken to you ye should haue had no sinne the Gentiles who had no more but the light of nature are cōuinced because that when they knew God they Rom. 1. glorified him not as God what then shall become of vs who beside the light of nature haue also the light of the gospell if still we walke in darknesse it shall certainly aggrauate our sinne and make our condemnation more fearefull then that of Sodome and Gomorrha From which the Lord of his great mercy preserue vs. VERSE 7. Purge me with Hyssop and I shall be cleane wash mee and I shall be whiter then snow AFter that DAVID After confession the godly ioine petition for mercy not so the wicked had made a confession of his sin and that not coldlie or for fashion as they doe whose consciences are not wakened with the sight of their sinnes but had by all circumstances aggrauated his sinne now hee returnes to his petition of mercy This hyssop wherewith The hyssop by which Dauid craues to be purged Dauid craueth to be purged it is as Basil cals it Alterius reioenigma Naturall hyssop is an hearb humilis calida odorifera of excellent vertue in medicine Est enim in hyssopo vis purgatoria Aug. de doct christ lib. 2. maxime pulmonum The typicall vse of it in the ceremoniall Law was threefold first the Israelites sprinkled the posts of their dores with a bunch of hyssop dipped in the bloud of the Paschall Lambe Exod. 12. secondly a bunch of hyssoppe dipped in bloud was vsed in the besprinkling and cleansing of the Leper and thirdly in the Sacrifice for sinne Numbers Leuit. 14. 19. All these were typicall and did signifie no other but that All typicall purgations figure the blood of Christ all his people should looke for purgation from all their leprosie and vncleannesse in the blood of the Lambe Christ Iesus who takes away the sinnes of the world and his blood clenseth from all sinne Dauid knew that these were types and figures instituted for signification of better things and therefore did hee not neglect them yet on the other part he would not leane vnto them as if remission of sinnes were to be gotten by these Legall purgations but by them he ascended to the spirituall thing signified by them hee had enough of the typicall hyssop at his commandement and the Priest ready to spinkle him with it when it pleased him but he knew this would not serue his turne he lookes to the Spirituall hyssop and hee praies that God would purge him without which no Leuiticall washing
sinnes are forgiuen thee as heere Nathan doth vnto Dauid and yet thou not feele that it is so wee must not therefore bee so discouraged as to thinke wee want that grace alwaie which we cannot Therefore Dauid craues not onely mercy but sense of mercy feele It is now cleare what is the benefit which DAVID here craues To wit not mercie only that he hath sought before but the sense of mercie also make me to heare ioy so that I may feele it For all the inward senses of the soule are in feeling to heare the Lord to see him to tast how good he is is no other but to enioy him and to feele his consolations It is thy praise ô Lord that thou speak'st peace to thy Saints among the rest speake peace vnto mine heart also O what a ioy was it to that man sicke of the palsie when he heard that voice thy sinnes are forgiuen thee And such like to that sinfull woman when shee heard goe in peace thy faith hath saued thee And how was the soule of that conuerted sinner comforted in the middes of the dolors of death when he hard that voice This night thou shalt be with me in paradise This is the exceeding great Great comfort that God not only forgiues our sinnes but telles vs they are forgiuen loue of the Lord toward his children that he hath not only prouided a sure saluation for them through the remission of their sinnes in Christ Iesus but also seales vp in their heart the testimony thereof by his Holy Spirit of adoption and that for their present consolation least they should bee swallowed vp of heauinesse through continuall temptations Though he speake not to all his children as hee did to Daniel by an Angell O man greatly beloued of God nor as he did to the blessed Virgin Marie haile Marie freely beloued yet doth hee witnesse the same to the hearts of his children by an inward testimonie when they heare it they are aliue when they want it they are but dead their soule refuses all other comfort whatsoeuer That the hones which thou hath A troubled mind sore weakneth the bodie broken may reioyce By these Basil vnderstands Ossa animae spiritualia that is as saith Sauanarola and others Vires animae rationalis but as this agrees not with this sense so there is no reason why it should be enforced Dauid his words Psalme 32. serues for a commentarie to this there hee complaines that through extremitie of the anguish of his Spirit the moisture of his body was turned into the drought of Sommer now the marrow we know is the strength of the bones these being so extenuate no maruell his flesh consumed his skinne was parched his face withered his sight dimmed his knees enfeebled and the whole externall man greatly weakned the Spirit of a man sayes Salomon will sustaine his infirmitie but a wounded spirit who can beare it Of this let vs learne that if The miserable state of the wicked who must beare the burden of their owne sinnes the sight of sinne presented to the godly from a iust accusing conscience doe so terrifie them and breede them such excessiue trouble as for a time doth sorely torment them In what state shall the wicked be when the Lord shall present their sins to them wake their conscience vpon them not in mercie as he doth to his owne but in wrath not for a time but for euer O what anguish and remedilesse tribulation shall be vnto them the dayes of wicked mens sinning are compared to the time of a womans conceiuing but the daies of their punishment are compared to the time of her trauelling they conceiue their sinnes with wantonnesse and pleasure but shall beare them with dolor vnspeakeable their dolors shall exceede the dolor of a woman for shee knowes once to bee deliuered of her paine either by life or death but the wicked shall neuer bee lighter of their sinnes nor bee deliuered from the anguish of their accusing conscience from which most miserable condition the Lord deliuer vs for Christ Iesus sake VERSE 9. Hide thy face from my sinnes and put away all mine iniquities DAVID yet from Guiltinesse of sin soone contracted not so soone put away God the fourth time seekes the remission of his sinnes the gilt of sinne is soone contracted but not so soone gotten away wee are happie if the examples of other men may learne vs to be wise he was a man deerely beloued of God and yet how manie requests makes hee before he can get his heart assured of mercy but the presumption Foolish are they who thinke they may get mercy for a word of this age is so great that men feare not to offend the Lord because they thinke mercie may be gotten for a word But let men remember that fearful sentence which the L. pronounc't vpon the people of the Iewes for the abuse of his mercy When they fast I will not heare their crie And againe Thougb Moses and Samuel stood before me yet mine affection could not be toward this people that so our hearts may be humbled with holy feare which may restraine He that seekes not to hide his sinnes prouokes the Lord to inquire it vs from offending our God vpon presumption of mercy Hide thy face All Dauid his care when hee had committed his sin was to hide it from the Lord for this cause he committed murther and slew Vriah thinking if he were not aliue to perceiue it his iniquity should neuer come to light Now he sees it with a vaine labor Vriah is dead but the angry countenance of God looking vpon his sinne troubles him As the fish called Sepia casting forth a black liquor out of hir mouth of purpose to lurke vnder it doth therby giue notice to the fisher of the place wherin they shall finde hir so foolish man while he thinks to hide one sin by another doth but cast himself the more opē to the eye of God who then looks most narrowly to a sin when man most craftily labours to conceale it Euery sinner in sinning takes frō God the praise of righteousnes as if the Lord were like him were not a God that loues righteousnesse and hates iniquity But he that thinkes to hide Hee that seekes to hide his sin from the Lord makes an idole of him his sinne from the Lord when he hath done it takes also from him the praise of wisedome and makes the Lord so far as he may like an Idoll of the Nations that hath eyes and sees not And therefore the Lord as he will be auenged of euery one that offends so principally vpon them who scorne him by hiding their sinnes from him Woe be to them that seeke in deepe We to such to hide their Councell from the Lord their workes are in secret and they say who sees it At this time Dauids sin was vnknowen to the world no lyuing No man knew Dauids
created in him he acknowledgeth that his sinne had not onely wounded him but slaine him and that he stood in neede not of any reparation but of an new creation wherein hee vtterlie And so aboue the power of nature distrusteth the power of his nature yea the ability of his owne free will notwithstanding grace once resumed hee findes it so oppressed by the power of his corruption that he is forced to craue from God the benefit of a new creation Vt cor eius tale fieret per gratiam Sauan quale non potuit esse per naturam Of our selues wee fall but of our selues wee rise not againe Not onely is our first conuersion a worke of Gods grace altogether and alone but the workes of our restitution by repentance after we haue fallen as it is in the Lords praise Hee quickened vs when we were dead So is it his praise that hee keepes Psal 100. As we created not our selues So we cannot renew our selues our soules in life The Lord made vs we made not our selues Wee are content to giue him the glory of our first creation let vs also giue him the glory of our second creation Yea so oft as we fall into sinne let vs consider that our rising againe is no lesse a worke of the great power and mercy of God then was the raysing of Lazarus out of the graue for otherwise wee should haue lien still with others rotting and perishing in our sinnes And so haue wee to praise the Lord not onely for our first and second creation but for the renewing of that benefit vnto vs as oft as we by our transgression haue lost that life which the Lord did once communicate vnto vs. And this that our sanctification A proper comparison of our first creation with the second or restitution by repentance after that wee haue sinned is called new creation renders yet vnto vs a profitable instruction if we compare our new creation with Adam his first creation When shall wee say that Adam was made a naturall man neuer till the Lord breathed the breath of life into him the Lord first formed his body of clay after the same shape and similitude that now yee see the body of man in all the porportion of the members thereof No image can be made by mans wit so liuely representing a man as did that portraiture of clay which the Lord at the first formed with his owne hand but al this time it lay vpon the ground hauing eyes that saw not eares that heard not a mouth that could not speake and feet that could not walke hee was then very like vnto that which now man Many professed Christians are but carkases of Christians is but as I said was not a naturall man til God breathed the breath of life vnto him Let vs consider the like in the new creation how many shall ye find verie like vnto christians baptized in the name of Iesus who haue a mouth to speake and an eye to looke vp vnto heauen and an care as a man would thinke to heare very reuerently the word of the Lord who when all is done what euer they seem in the eies of men are no other in Gods sight but as the carcases of christians So to speake destitute of that quickning spirit of grace which onely giues life to the actions of men Let vs take heede to our selues that we bee not of that number for then onely haue wee this comfort that we are Christians indeed when we finde that quickning spirit of grace which is in Christ Iesus communicating life vnto our spirits that what we doe in the workes of Christianity stand not in externall shew but may proceede from inward sense and feeling VERSE 11. Cast mee not away from thy presence and take not thine holy Spirit from me STill Dauid continues Dauids feruency in Supplication his supplications seeking a remedy of these manifold miseries which he found by experience his sinne had brought vpon him For wee must remember that all these petitions proceeded from a sense of a contrary euill which by his sinne hee had incurred and craues that God of his mercy would diuert it He lamemted before that sinne had slaine him and made him like a dead man wanting a heart or quickning spirit and now hee feares lest as the dead are abhorred by the liuing so the Lord should cast him out as a dead and abominable thing out of his presence Whereof wee learne this is The pleasures of sin are deare bought one of the iust punishments of sinne it procures the casting out of a man from the face of God and it may let vs see how deare bought are the pleasures of sinne when a man to enioy the face of the creature depriues himselfe of the comfortable face of the Creator as Dauid here for the carnall loue of the face of Bathsheba puts himselfe in danger to bee cast out for euer from the presence of the Lord his God If man could remember this in all Satans tentations what it is For Satan seekes frous man better then he can giue him that the deceiuer offers and what it is againe that hee seekes hee would be loth to buy the perishing pleasures of sinne vpon such a price as Satan selleth them but would answer him as the Apostle did Simon Magus Thy money with thy selfe goe into perdition thy gaine thy glory thy pleasure and what euer thou wouldest giue me to offend the Lord my God goe with thy selfe into perdition for what canst thou offer vnto mee comparable to that which thou wouldest steale from me But how is it that he praies A twofold presence of God Cast me not out from thy presence May a man bee cast any way from it saies hee not himselfe What way can I flee from thy presence This is soone answered by distinguishing his twofold presence one in mercy wherewith hee refresheth and comforteth his owne and this without intermission they enioy who are in heauen another in wrath whereby hee terrifies and torments without intermission the dāned in hell As to thē who are vpon earth certaine it is hee is displeased with many who because No casting out from the one they see not his angry face regard it not borne out with temporall recreations of the cteature which wil faile them and there are many againe to whom hee lookes as a louing father in Christ and yet they see not his mercifull face by reason of many interiected vailes but to them who once haue felt the sweetnesse of his fauourable face it is death to want it Absolom protested hee could not want the sight 2. Sam. 14. 32. of Dauid his Father hee spake it out of his hypocrisie but to such as are truely godly there can be no punishment so heauy as to debarre them and it were but for a short time from the comfortable face of their heauenly father Thirdly let vs learne how What
see that if we be They who can not speakc to the prise of God are stricken with a sore plague gouerned by the spirit of God we will account that wee are stricken with dumnesse when we cannot speake to the praise of God Many are such in this age who haue a tongue for euery purpose but none for the praises of God they are stricken with a sore plague and yet they feele it not their heart is bound by Satan with the cords of their sinnes and so their tongues cannot be loosed to glorifie God from this most miserable estate the Lord deliuer vs. VERSE 16. For thou desirest no sacrifice though I would giue it thou delightest not in burnt offerings IN this verse Dauid Ioy for Gods mercy and sorrow for our own sinnes agree well in the godly giues a reason why hee promised no other duety of thankefullnesse to the Lord but to praise him as hee protested hee would doe in the former verse the reason is because the sacrifice in man or from man which God likes best is the sacrifice of a contrite spirit Then ye see that Dauid when he sacrificed praise sacrificed also a contrite spirit what is it to giue thankes for Gods mercies if all the same time we be not sorrowfull that we should haue offended so mercifull a God The thankes giuen by many is tastles to God because when they are touched with some sense of that God hath done to them they feele no remorse of that euill they haue done against him happy is the soule wherein these two meete together a ioy for Gods mercies toward vs and a sorrow for our sinnes against God And againe ye see that if a What praise is acceptable to God man praise God truely he offers with praises himselfe and all that he may doe My soule praise thou the Lord and all that Psal 103. is within mee praise thou his holy name As he shewes in the subsequent verse The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit Wherein he declares that in thankesgiuing to God hee offered a thankefull heart for bee-gone mercies a sorrowfull heart for bee-gone sins a resolute heart in time to come to amend And this is the praise wherein God delightes But heere arises a threefold A threefold doubt moued doubt first seeing the legall sacrifices commanded by God how can it be said the Lord desires not that which he commanded secondly is not the Apostles praecept To doe good Heb. 13. and distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is pleased And thirdly are not wee commanded to offer vp our bodies a liuing Rom. 12. sacrifice holy and acceptable to God how is it then that heere Dauid speakes that God desireth no sacrifice To these it is answered that The first is answered Dauid doth not simply reiect legal sacrifices Dauid speakes not simply but by way of compariso these external sacrifices if they be alone wanting the internall sacrifices of a contrite spirit are not acceptable to God and of this for the first doubt we learne that if vnder the law externall worship without the inward pleased not the Lord far lesse will it now please him vnder the gospell Cursed said Malachie is the man who hath a male in his flocke and vowes an sacrifices a corrupt thing to the Lord And this curse is now double vpon them who giue not the best they haue to the Lord drawing neere him with their lips but far from him in their hearts As to the second externall The second answered almes and such sacrifices are accepted of God if they flow from faith sacrifices of almes and such like now commanded please the Lord out of all doubt if they proceed from faith in Christ offered out of a contrite spirit not puft vp with conceit of merit the humble heart makes a small gift to be great an example whereof we haue in the widowes mite it was a smal thing but because it proceeded from a great affection Christ accounted it the greatest gift was offered that day And the want of a good heart on the contraty makes a great gift to be small an example whereof we haue in Cain his sacrifice in it selfe rich enough but because it proceeded from a poore affection it was not acceptable to God Ten thousand riuers of oile and all the beasts on thousand mountaines yea in all the Forest of Lebanon are nothing to the Lord if the heart be not rightly set that offers them And as to the third we are The third answered wee are bound to offer our bodies but euery offering of the body is not acceptable to God bound to offer vp our bodies vnto him but remember euery offering of the bodie pleases him not some of a blinde zeale becomes the buriers of their owne bodies like Baal his Priests Turkish Derbies and Popish Penitentiaries cutting lancing and renting their flesh or else defrauding their bodies of that due which they owe vnto him prodigall of them in their blind zeale not moderatly subdueing them by disciplin If euery such sacrifice had pleased God the Apostle would not haue said though I feede the 1. Cor. 13. poore with all my goods and though I giue my body to be burned if I haue no loue it is nothing we must first see that the heart be sacrificed to the Lord and then the body in the resonable seruice thereof for no vnreasonable suduing of the body pleases God But what shall be said of many Atheists conuinced who do not so much as offer externall sacrifice to the Lord. profane Atheists who now doe not offer so much as externall sactifices they will not resort to the assemblies of Gods saints to giue God in his house external praier and praises neither offer they to the poore externall almes nor to God the externall seruice of their bodies they bow not the knee they lift not their hand they vse not the members of their body as weapons of righteousnesse and how then shal we thinke they make conscience of Gods internal worship But now to the words in particular VERSE 17. The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit a contrite and a broken heart o God thou wilt not despise WE first learne that Some offer to the Lord that which is theirs but not themselues Sauan if any man would offer a sacrifice conuenient for the Lord let him prepare the spirit and the minde God himselfe is a spirit and will be worshipped in spirit hee loueth truth in the inward affection Corpora fecit propter spiritus ideoque etiam spiritualia non corporea quaerit hee made also the bodies for the spirits and therefore seekes he not bodily without spirituall seruice Some there are qui sua dant non seipsos who offer to him not themselues but that which is theirs but it is a blinde folly to thinke thou canst please him with gifts when thou wilt not giue the seruice of thine
to worship on Mount Moriah so doth hee not onely honour his children to be worshippers of his maiesty but also giues vs grace whereby we doe it that such wormes as we are haue place to stand before so great a maiesty as he is it is of his fauour that we haue hearts disposed to pray to him or praise him is of his grace and that hee answers vs is of his own vnspeakable mercie And in these respects is the sacrifice we offer called Gods sacrifice Hee is not like vnto other Earthly kings loue mirthbetter then mourning the Lord doth not so Kings for commonly they loue mirth better then mourning Ioseph mourning for Iacob his father might not come before Pharao Nehemiah with his sad countenance was afraid to stand before Artarxerxes Mordecai with his mourning weed entred not the courts of Ahasuerus but we are most welcom to the Lord when wee come with our mourning weedes Achabs sackcloth profited him something but Iezabel hir attiring and painting of hir face auailed nothing she was cast to the dunghill as a portion for dogges Our face is neuer so pleasant as when it is watered with the teares of a penitent heart My Doue that mourneth Cant. in the clefts of the rocke let me see thy face Now in this that wee haue spoken concerning the sacrifices The great sacrifice of Christians which maks al other acceptable is Christ of God let vs remember that there is one great principall sacrifice which for the valour of it selfe is acceptable to God that is the sacrifice of Christ once for all offered vpon the crosse all other only in this and for this are acceptable to him Thou wilt neuer dispise What The end of godly mourning is ioy Macar hom 15. fruite ariseth of a mourning heart for sin he now subioynes the Lord neuer dispiseth it at no time in no person It renders comfort not onely for the time to come but also for the time present ipsaelachrymae sunt vice delitiarum for euen teares are in steed of delights and Gods children finde more solid ioy in their present mourning then worldlings can in their mirth and greatest reioycings And as for the time to come we know that our mourning will be turned into ioy and all teares shall be wiped away from our eies sicut post vehementes Chrys in Math. hom 6. imbres aer purus efficitur ita lachrymarum pluuias serenitas mentis sequitur For as after the showers of raine the aire is clearer so after the teares of repentance the mind becomes calme perturbations cease and the soule is pacified Contrition of spirit an excellent grace and we should delight in it Since a contrite spirit is so excellent a grace as brings comfort presently and much more for the time to come for they that sow in teares shall reape in ioy Blessed are they that mourne for they shal be comforted What a folly is it that we cānot mourn how shall the Lord gather our teares which we scatter not or how shall he wipe those teares from our eies which we neuer shed or shal he comfort vs that mourne not No sacrifice is more acceptable to him none more pleasing to him none more profitable for our selues and why then are we not carefull to be more abundant in it Nemo potest in hac vita in Aug. futura gaudere Necesse est vnam amittat qui alteram vult possidere No man can haue pleasure here hereafter also He that receiues his consolation heere let him looke for desolation hereafter that answer giuen to on serues for all the wicked In thy life time thou receiuedst pleasures Esa 65. 13. and Lazarus paines now therefore is hee comforted and thou tormented And again My seruants shall eate and yee shall be hungry my seruants shall drinke and ye shall be thirsty my seruants shall reioyce and ye shal be ashamed my seruants shall sing for ioy of heart and ye shall cry for sorrow of heart and shall houle for vexation of minde God make vs wise that wee may make choise of the best to mourne now with Gods seruants and hereafter also be comforted with them VERSE 18. Be fauourable vnto Sion for thy good pleasure build vp the wals of Ierusalem NOw followes the The second part of the Psalme contayning a praier for the Church second part of the Psal wherein he praies for the Church of God after that he hath praied for himselfe His order is very good to haue done the second and neglected the first had beene vnprofitable for with what successe canst thou pray for others who art not reconciled with God thy selfe And again if he had contented him with the first and neglected the second he had beene vndutifull For all they who are liuely The gody prefer the welfare of the Church to their own priuate 〈◊〉 members of the Church prefer the good of the whole body vnto their own particular welfare as we see in good Nehemiah all his honor and preferment in the Court of Artahshast was not so pleasant vnto him as the desolation of Ierusalem was grieuous The wicked by the contrary like Tobiah and Sanhallat with the rest of these Samaritans are grieued when they heare that Ierusalems wals are a building and miserable Haman made a plain confession that all his honour wherunto he was aduanced did him not so much good as the welfare of Mordecai and of the people of the Iewes did him euill Wo be vnto all them that are of such a disposition not onely strangers but enemies to Israels Cōmon-wealth they shall neuer reioyce with the ioy of Gods children but wee will pray for Ierusalem That prosperity may be within her wals peace within her Palaces Dauid had hurt his people Repentance teacheth vs to repaire wrongs we haue done not onely by giuing them an euill example by wakening Gods wrath against them but by deliuering a number of them to the sword of the Ammonites for Vriah his sake and now he benefites them by his prayer This true repentance will teach vs first to restore the Lord to his glory and then to repaire the wrong wee haue done to any man so far as we may Againe we haue to marke An example of happie loue betweene a good King and his people Dauid his father loue to his people hee had hurt them twice once now by his adultery and murther and after by numbring the people for the which God diminished their number by pestilence And both the times his heart was sore grieued for them as he declares by his prayer that both heere and there he makes for them It is I said he that haue sinned and committed the euill but these poore sheepe what haue they done O Lord God let thine hand be on me and on my fathers house and not on thy people for their destruction What a loue is here he wisheth himselfe to be