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
as a preseruatiue to keepe Gods children from the like sinnes in time to come And thirdly it teacheth vs to haue compassion on others when they fall in the like sinnes and to restore them with the spirit of meekenes considering also our selues VERSE 4. Against thee against thee onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight that thou maiest be iust when thou speakest and pure when thou iudgest NOw Dauid breks forth and giues Confession of sinne most needfull glorie to God by an open and plain Cōfession of his sins he knew it was needfull for him to doe so Because remission of sinnes is promised vpon a condition of the confession of them He that hideth his Prouerb sinnes shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsake them shall haue mercie And againe If we confesse our sinnes God is faithfull 1. Iohn 1. 9. to forgiue them But here we haue first to consider Before men confession defileth before God it cleanseth why is it that God requires confession is it to get knowledge of that which wee haue done Or to get out of our owne mouth a point of Dittie against our selues Nouit omnia Deus sed expectat vocem Amb. de paenitent li. 2. cap. 7. tuam non vt puniat sed vt ignoscat He knowes all things when thou committedst thy sinne in secret hee saw thee what then craueth he nothing but that thou in thy heart mayest know thy sinne In thy mouth maiest confesse it to the end that he may forgiue it Optat soluere confitentes ne contumaces punire cogatur The best Augu. medicine for a sinne is not to hide or excuse or extenuate it but humbly to confesse it Quēadmodum nobis peccatorum vulnera nunquam desunt sic confessionis medicamenta deesse non debent For it is not with the Lord as it is with men before earthly Tribunales confession of sinne defileth the confessor makes him guiltie and culpable but before the heauenly it absolues him And this is the cause why the Lord requires confession of a sin from man Now we haue to see what Priuate sins in what case should they be publikely confessed sort of confession pleaseth God seeing it is certaine confession of sinne hath beene made by many which the Lord hath not accepted here first wee must distinguish the sinnes to be confessed publicke sinnes whereby God is openly dishonoured and his Church slandered out of all doubt required a publike confession to God and before men In priuate sins the confession is required to God only Plerumque non expedit Ber. m. Cant. ser 42. innotescere omnibus omnia quae nos scimus de nobis atque ipsa charitatis veritate veritatis charitate vetamur palam fieri velle quod noceat agnoscenti yet with this exception that when the priuate sin is done in such a maner as that the euill thereof redounds to the hurt of many and that for this cause also God persewes it to bring it to light in this case priuate sinnes committed by thee knowen to none but to thy selfe should be publikly confessed that thou mayest giue glory to God and doe good to his Church as is euident in the example of Achan and Dauid Next wee must take heed to Three things required in the trew confession of sinne Ber. the manner of the confession if it be trew it must haue these three properties First it must proceed from contrition of the spirit for sinne Primum opus fidei 1. Contrition per dilectionem operantis compunctio cordis est è quo sine dubio eij ciuntur daemonia cum eradicantur è corde peccata confession of sin in the mouth which proceedes not from contrition for sinne in the heart will neuer draw downe mercy to thee more then it did to Saule whose mouth said I haue sinned but his heart was not grieued for sin Secondly true confession 2. Faith proceedes from faith in Christ Iesus for there is a confession which is the daughter of desperation and can not profit thee An example wherof we haue in Iudas I haue sinned in betraying of innocent blood but wanting faith he got no remission of his sinne And thirdly true confession hath alway 3. Correction with it an amendment of life otherwise Confessio sine emendatione vitae est professio peccati confession of sinne without amendment is a profession of sinne thou that euery day confessest sin and yet walkest on in the same sinnes art no other but a plaine professor of sinne A threefold happy fruit of true confession Now confession of sin with these properties brings downe to the penitent sinner a threefold fruit first vnion and reconciliation with God ensewes for sin the cause of diuision betweene God and man is now remoued quasi duaeres sunt homo Augu. in Ioan. Tract 12. peccator quod audis homo deus fecit quod audis peccator homo ipse fecit dele quid fecisti vt saluet deus quod fecit Man and sinne are two sundry things destroy sinne which is man his 1. It reconciles thee with God worke and God can not but loue and embrace man as his owne worke So long as man keepes his sinne he workes directlie against the Lord hyding that which God will discouer and harbouring within him the rebel whom God is persewing but when man turnes against sin confessing it bringing it to light that it may be destroyed then works he with Ibid. God qui Confitetur peccata sua et accusat iam cum deo facit accusat deus peccata tua si tu accusas iam coniungeris deo Yea he that in humble manner confesseth giueth to the Lord the praise of iustice that knowes if hee did continew in these sinnes the Lord ought to punish him he giues him also the praise of wisdome that no secret thing can be hid from the Lord and the praise of power hee knowes there is no way to flee from the Lord and therefore in time he flies to him and at last he giues him the praise of mercy that hee is gracious and readie to forgiue Bis deum laudamus vbi pie nos accusamus The second fruit of it is confusion 2. It brings Confusion to Satan to Sathan it is a chiefe point of his labour to accuse vs night and day for in one of these three he is alway exercised either to tempt or to accuse or to torment when hee tempts let vs resist him that we sinne not if we haue sinned let vs preuent the accuser and bee the first accusers of our selues so shall we stop the mouth of our aduersarie that hee shall haue nothing to say Non circumueniet te ante iudicem cum enim tui ipse fueris accusator dominus liberator quid erit ille nisi calumniator The third is that true confession which brings comfort It brings peace and quietnesse to
wayes There are many profane men in the world who think it not enough to commit sinne with greedinesse but will boast of their sinnes when they haue done them teaching and alluring others to commit the like iniquitie these are but like vnto These are like beasts dogges and other such brutish beasts who when they haue auoyded their dongue turne about their face vnto it delighting in the scent therof and yet blinded man will glorie in such a beastlie quality But what are these wayes Some wayes of God are vnsearcheable these a man should not learne Leuit. of God which Dauid sayth hee wil teach Som of Gods waies are vnsearchable of these wee should beware neyther to teach nor learne that which God first hath not taught vs. But there are other of his wayes which hee hath manifested as the way of iudgement whereby he walkes stubbornly against them that walke stubbornly against him going farre from them that depart from him and the way of mercie wherin he shewes himselfe vpright Psal 18. But the way of iudgement and mercy we should both teach it to others and learn it our selues with the vpright man comes neere vnto them who with a humble contrite spirit draw neer vnto him These are thy wayes O Lord which I shall teach saith Dauid when I shall learne them I haue learned the way of thy iudgment I haue felt thou art terrible to sinners and that it is a fearefull thing to fall into thine hands let me also feel thy sweet mercie forgiuing my sin then shall I teach the way of thy mercy to sinners also shall let them know how gratious thou art how ready to forgiue what they must doe if they would be receiued into thy fauour All the wayes of GOD are vnknowne to men by nature The way of Gods mercy naturally is vnknown but especially the way of his mercie Nature could neuer haue dreamed of that way of mercy which God hath discouered it surpasseth all light that is in nature if God had not reuealed it man should neuer haue knowne it Experience may confirme this for we see it is an easie thing to instruct a man in the knowledge of Gods power prouidence iustice and all but to bring a sinner to the knowledge and assurance of Gods mercy is a difficult thing It is easie to preach iudgement by the Lawe not so to perswade mercy by the Gospell this is the highest and most difficult point of a Pastors calling And sinners shall be conuerted vnto thee Marke the wordes Conuersion of a sinner is Gods worke of Dauid I saith he shal teach and they shall bee conuerted When the conuersion of a sinner is ascribed to man we must vnderstand hee is not the worker but the instrument of it He shall not want his owne recompence For they who conuert many to righteousnesse shall shine like the starres in the Firmament But the glory of the conuersion is proper to the Lord men may plant and water but God giues the increase Paul preached at Philippi but God opened the heart of Lydia Peter preached to Cornelius and his kinsmen but the Holy Ghost brought downe the vnction which made them Christians Repentance is a worke full of miracles it makes the dead to rise the blinde to see the dumb to speake and who can worke these but the Lord Vera Sanitas Macar hom 44. Repentance a worke full of miracles à Domino solo proficiscitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As one sheep cannot heale another but their health commeth from their shepheard so the true health of our soules cometh from the great Pastor and Shepheard of Israel Qui Leones mansuefecit igni vim adurendi ademit c. Hee that tamed the Lions restrained the fire from burning hee it is that must tame our wilde affections and moderate the fire of our desires Let Preachers when they goe to any such worke require the helping hand of the Lord to work with them and let people answer and pray with Ieremie Conuert vs Lord and we shal be conuerted As sinne averts man from God so it peruerts him repentance An vnpenitent sinner is a peruers and monstrous creature and how by the contrary turnes a man to God againe and rectifieth all that is in him An vnpenitent sinner is a peruerted or monstrous creature for in him that part is vndermost which should be aboue The soule that came from heauen cleaueth to the dust by his body which was made of the earth he can looke vp to heauen but in regard of his soule he is but earthly minded Againe hee hath his face where his back should be and by the contrary the world which should be behinde him is euer before him the price of the high calling of God euen the riches of that glorious inheritance which should bee before him he casteth it behinde his backe and hath no thought of it And where a wise man hath alway his heart at his right hand Eccles 10. That is set vpon best and most necessary things this foole by the contrary hath his heart at his left hand busie about vaine vnprofitable things neglecting that one thing which onely is needfull And lastly hee hath that without which should be within for he should be more beautifull within then without But the best sight ye will see in him is that which is outmost there hee lookes like a painted sepulchre but within is full of rottennesse So confused a creature is miserable man in his sinnes all is disordered in him he is Tartarus a little hell on earth a terror to himselfe a trouble vnto others euer vexed with restlesse and fruitlesse perturbations But from this time by the But by grace he is rectified and renewed grace of repentance hee conuerteth turneth to the Lord his God then a comfortable change and comely order is wrought in him then the body becomes subiect vnto the soule then the affections begin to follow reason and order restored makes him a quiet and peaceable heart by the which he begins his heauen vpon earth VERSE 14. Deliuer mee from blood O God of my saluation and my tongue shall sing ioyfully of thy righteousnesse IN the middest of Dauid can not satisfie himselfe in seeking mercie for his sinnes his promises wee see how he interlaces a new petition for mercie for still he found his conscience pressed with the greatnesse of his sinne and therefore so oft as hee feeles it so oft cals hee for mercy sin is soone committed as I said but the gilt the terror and the secret accusing voice therof not so easily discharged And that now hee discends A generall confession of sinne is not sufficient in particular it is to teach vs that a generall confession of sin is not sufficient we must come to a particular for it may truly be said that he hates no sinne who hates not one aboue the rest the
a mocking of God to pray him to looke vpon that which is not in thee to pray him consider that which thou neuer consideredst thy selfe learne therefore when yee sing this Psalme of Dauid to take on so neare as yee may Dauid his disposition though yee haue not sinned as he did yet looke vnto your other sinnes and be ye humbled for them otherwaies your confession of sinnes shall be but a profession of sinne to say with Dauid against thee only haue I sinned and then either to haue no remorse for sin or no confidence in Gods mercie shall profit thee no more then the confession of Saul or Iudas I haue sinned said the one I haue sinned in betraying innocent bloud said the other their confession was somewhat like Dauids their heart no way like Dauids And it is certaine that the Lord Radicem attendit non florem Haue mercie on me What Wher Sinne persues no refuge but to mercie was Dauid his estate when hee brake out in these words yee may see out of the 32. Psalme his conscience being wakned by the ministrie of Nathan hee is so terrified with the liuely sense of his sinne and sight of that wrath which by it he had deserued that his bones were consumed and the moisture of his body turned in the drogth of Sommer In this perplexed estate the first comfort that he findes is by looking vp to the mercie of God Naturall men may maruell No external comfort can sustaine a man troubled for sinne what is this that should haue troubled Dauid so sore was he not King of Canaan his sinnes were murther and adulterie but was there any in the Land to put him to an Assize was there any to punish him what needed hee to feare But hee himselfe tells thee what ailed him the hand of God was heauie vpon him night and day the Lord had erected a Tribunall in his owne conscience and did there sit and iudge him wher no man might iudge him there the Lord conuicted him of sinne and threatned him with terrours for sure it is all the comforts of the world if thou hadst them in one cannot sustaine thee when God in thy own cōscience persecutes thee for sinne examples are Balthasar and Dauid The spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmitie but a wounded spirit who can beare it And therefore Dauid sore Dauids appellation from God to God straitned with the iudgement of God turnes him to the mercie of God hee findes no other thing whereupon to relie his faith he can get no other gripe whereby to hold him that hee fall not in the pit of desperation but this mercie O Lord in regard of thy power thou art inuincible who can resist thee who can indure the stroke of thine hand In regard of thy wisedome thou art all-seeing nothing can be hid from thee In regard of thy iustice thou art most holy canst not bee corrupted in none of these can I finde comfort the only hope of mine heart is in thy goodnesse and mercie so that now hee flees ad cōmunem peccantium Chrysost portum to the common harbor of all poore penitent sinners who are tost too and fro with the tumbling thoughts of an accusing conscience threatning more fearefull death then the raging waues of the Sea to Ionas neuer can settle nor rest til they come within the Port of God his mercie euen so here doth Dauid terrified with Gods iudgement before which hee could not stand he appeales to Gods mercie tanquam ab inferiori sede ad superiorem as the higher bench wherein the glorie of God shineth most eminently for mercie reioyses against iudgement Iam. 2. 13. When we heare that Dauid Nothing in the world to be esteemed miserie but only iniquitie and others of Gods Saints crie for mercie we must remember that this includes a humble cōfession of their miserie and what was Dauids miserie which he craues to bee cured by God his mercie hee tells you in the end of the Verse no other but the miserie of sinne Nathan 2. Sam. 12. 10. had threatned him with the sword that he should make his Sonne who came out of his bowels a scourge vnto him but Dauid counts none of these his miserie for which hee craues mercie his miserie is his iniquitie and the mercie he craues is the putting away of his iniquitie This blinde age counts bodily infirmities want of temporall things miserie but sinne they count no miserie blinder then the Egyptians of old who esteemed sheepe-heards abhominable but Idolaters not abhominable but indeede it is farre otherwaies wert thou so poore as Lazarus filled with biles in thy bodie from head to foot as Iob was yet if thou bee freed from sin thou art freed from miserie and bee the contrarie wert thou so rich as that glutton clad in purple and faring delicately euery day 〈◊〉 thou health and honor and all the comforts of the world after the desire of thine owne heart if yet thou bee in thy sinnes the end shall declare thou art a miserable creature This will be manifest at the Euen the wicked at the last shal feare finde more then death length in all the wicked that their miserie is not in sicknesse nay not in death it selfe but in an euill conscience guiltie of sinne though now they abhor nothing but death esteeme sinne but a pastime the day is cōming wherin they shal seeke death not find it saying hills and mountaines fall vpon vs and couer vs they shall be glad to be smothered to the death and to suffer the greatest miserie that can come to their bodies vpon condition they were freed from the miserie of an euill conscience which sinne hath brought vpon them But howsoeuer this miserie A comfortable meditation of Gods mercie of Dauid was exceeding great he espies in God by the eye of faith a greater mercie to cure it and therefore cries hee for mercie according to the multitude of his commiserations O Lord I know that whatsoeuer is in thee is thy selfe thy mercie is no lesse then thy selfe Cum sis misericors quid es nisi ipsa misericordia Hieron Sauanarola seeing thou art mercifull what art thou but mercie it selfe and what can mercie doe but thine owne worke canst thou denie thy selfe canst thou depart from thine owne nature what is the worke of mercie but to take away miserie here am I Lord before thee a miserable man and my greatest miserie is my sinne doe thy owne worke O Lord cure my miserie with thy mercie shew the vertue of thy mercies vpon mee abyssus abyssum inuocat abyssus miseriae inuocat abyssum misericor diae one deepe calls vpon an other the deepe of miserie calls vpon the deepe of mercie greater is the deepe of mercie then the deepe of miserie let therefore the deepe of thy mercie swallow vp the deepe of my miserie and put thou away mine iniquitie On me Dauid
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
benefit is it to mee to bee long spared seeing at the last iudgment will come quo diutius expectat eo districtius iudicabit but this fear is taken away from the godly by God his pardoning mercies he forgiues their sins in Christ he will neuer impute their iniquitie vnto them but taketh them vtterly away Peccatum non imputatum est quasi nunquam fuerit commissum But with these is also giuen 4 Renewing mercies vs the fourth sort that is his renewing mercies There are many quorum infructuosa est poenitentia who repent of their sinnes but are not renewed by amendment of life in whom nouissimus error peior est priori their returning like Dogges to their vomit is worse then their first transgression but the Lord when hee giues to his owne children the grace of remissiō doth also giue with it the grace of renouation whereby hee makes them new creatures abounding in the fruits of righteousnesse to Gods glorie the edification of their brethren and the comfort of their owne consciences in Christ And yet all these were nothing if it were not that the fift 5. Corroborating and continuing mercie ranke of mercies were also heaped vpon vs which I call continuing mercies whereby wee perseuer in that estate of grace whereunto we are once called Adam in his best estate of innocencie continued not would wee stand in grace if perseuerance which hee wanted were not communicated vnto vs. As mercie brought vs to this state of grace so it is by mercie also that we are kept in it And the last ranke is of Gods crowning mercies whereby he 6. Crowning mercies shall perfect his owne worke finish that which hee hath begunne in vs hee shall performe to vs his promised Kingdome feare of euill shall be farre from vs in that Paradise no tempter shall bee to snare vs mercie shall compasse vs no good shall be lacking to vs the Lord shall bee all in all vnto vs and from that blessed fellowship and cōmunion with him shall wee neuer be diuided againe And as this way Gods mercies Compassions in the plurall number are ascribed to God because the proofe and practise of them is manifold are manifold so likewise are the prayses of them in respect of innumerable persons on whom they haue beene declared for miserationes Dei sunt opera processus misericordiae eius and so his meditation is O Lord thou hast shewed compassion to many a penitent sinner since the beginning of the world thou neuer reiectedst any that sought thee with a penitent heart for number they cannot bee told to whom thou hast beene mercifull quot enim iusti tot miserationes let them al be gathered that are in heauen and earth if it be demanded of them how is it they haue been saued they will all answere Not vnto vs O Lord but vnto thy name be the praise And therefore seeing thou O Lord art the same And no shadow of change is with thee I beseech thee close not that dore of mercie on me which hath opened to receiue so many sinners before me and these Riuers of cōpassion which haue flowed so abundantly toward others let them not bee dryed vp to mee This earnestnesse of Dauids Feeling of our wants make earnest Prayer praier flowes from the feeling of his great sinnes he knew his sinnes were great and therfore craues he great mercies magna siquidem vulnera paribus indigēt Basil Pharmacis yea that in this one transgression manifold sinnes were included and that therefore hee needed not one but a multitude of diuine commiserations Vniuer sam in se Dei gratiam effundi totum miserationum fontem in peccati sui vlcera euacuari orat But how soeuer the mercies The mercies of God are plentifull yet not extended to all and why of God bee plentifull yet are they not extended vnto all they are free indeede I haue mercie saith the Lord on whom I will haue mercie but so that if there be any man to whō they flow not he may alwaies finde the cause in himself in his hard heart that cannot repent it holds true in all the reprobate which the Apostle speakes of the rebellious Iewes Yee put it from you meaning the word of the Gospell wherein mercie and grace is offered and iudge your selues vnworthie of euerlasting life therefore that mercie which is here craued by Dauid Act. 13. 46. by a most fearefull decree was denied vnto them God gaue that people a name Lo-Ruchamah I will no more haue pitie Hos 1. 6. on them whereupon followed another name expressing their Such as will not be Gods people shall not find Gods mercy miserie after that once God for their sins had cast them away Lo-Ammi that is to say they are not my people and I will not bee theirs No tongue can expresse the miserie of that man who for his proud continuance in sinne and contempt of grace offered vnto him receiues most iustly from the Lord that decree of Lo-Ruchamah I will haue no mercie on him where the Fountayne is stopped the Springs of necessitie must drie vp where mercie is denied all good things flowing from it must decay This will be the cursed condition of the damned All fat and excellent Reuel 18. 14. things shall depart from them from which the Lord deliuer vs. Put away mine iniquities Hitherto Dauid enters to his particular petitions we haue heard Dauid his generall petition for mercie now followes his three particular petitiōs expressing what mercie it is hee craued as wee shewed in the beginning of the Verse His first particular petition Whereof the first is a petition for the remission of his sinnes is for forgiuenesse of his sinne the fact was past but the gilt remained the pleasure of it was soone done but the terror of it still vexed him all the comfort of his Kingdome could not make him merry the torment of an accusing conscience for sin was more strong to deiect him then all the pleasures of Canaan were to sustaine him yea it is most sure that externall comforts are so far from comforting a troubled conscience that by the contrarie they encrease the trouble thereof and the more worldly comforts be presented the greater is the heauinesse of that soule which is afflicted for sinne and therefore now when hee comes to The griefe of sinne can not be asswaged by any worldly comfort the point hee tels where his sore was what grieued him most iniquitie iniquitie hee cryes out for this in the 32. Psalme Blessed is the man whose wickednesse is forgiuen whose sinne is couered and to whom the Lord imputes not iniquitie As if he would say hee that hath not this hath no blessing all comforts without this are comfortlesse Where wee haue to take vp What a fear full euill sinne is what a cursed and miserable thing sinne is a sparkle of fire come from hell that burnes vp all
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
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
the conscience of their sinne In the primitiue Church The maner of publike repentance in the primitiue Church such as had giuen publike offences were not receiued without publike repentance and humiliation yea they made supplication to all the assembly Volo veniam reus speret petat Ambr. de paeniten li. 1. ca. 16. cum lachymis petat populi totius fletibus vt ignoscatur obsercret cum secundo vel tertio fuerit dilata eius communo credat remissius se supplicasse I will that he that is guilty hope for mercy that he seeketh it with teares and mourning of the whole people and if twice or thrice his receiuing to the communoin be refused to him let him thinke that hee hath praied more slackly then he should and so humble himselfe more intirely then hee hath done And againe to the same purpose he saies If thou hadst a doe to satisfie a man whom How foolish are they who hauing committed publicke sinnes refuse to make publike repentance thou hadst offended how many wouldest thou request to sue for thee at his hands Now seeing thou hast to seeke reconciliation with God why imploiest thou not the praiers of all his his people Vbi nihil est quod pudori esse debeat nisi non fateri cum omnes simus peccatores For among vs nothing should be a matter of shame seeing wee are all sinners but not to confesse our sinnes Vbi ille laudabilior qui humilior iustior qui abiectior Heere hee is most worthy praise who is most humble and hee is most iust who is most contrite and deiected for sinne Fleat itaque pro te mater Ecclesia let therefore thy mother the Church mourne for thee But if men who haue offended This is because they are not touched with the sense of sinne were touched with the sense of sinne as Dauid was they would not be ashamed as publikly to confesse it and seeke mercy as he did For as I said hee found himselfe straited with his own sinnes Infernus quidam animae rea est Conscientia a guilty conscience is a hell to the soule and a sore prison not like other prisons for wheresoeuer the guilty man goes he carries his prison with him and this is the equity of Gods iudgements who inwraps sinners in their sinnes and bindes them with the coardes of their own trangressions whereof they cannot complaine And this appeareth out of How sinne binds and captiues a man his owne words when he saies Deliuer me His speech tels he found himselfe captiued Two manner of waies doth sinne strait and bind any man first by the commanding power of it for then it oppresseth a man in such a sort that hee can neither eate nor sleepe till he obey it An example of which tyranny we haue in Ammon many mo Next by the controlling or accusing power thereof whereby in such sort sinne committed so straites a man that it suffers him not to heare nor thinke of any other thing but of her accusations onely whereby the soule of man is filled with restlesse feares and horrible perturbations Now at this time Dauid was not troubled with the commanding power of sin but onely with the tormenting accusing power thereof and from it heere hee praies the Lord to deliuer him From blouds The word is plural from blouds Noting vnto vs how Dauid found euery Innocent blood when it is shed fals not to the ground but biaes on the head of him that shed it drop of Vriah his bloud a burden vnto him By the phrase of holy Scripture the bloud of him that is shedde is said to lie vpon his head that shed it It seemeth vnto men that the bloud of the man slaine is spilt on the ground but the spirit of God saith that it lieth on the man slayer A fearefull thing the bloud which before was in the body of thy neighbour to conserue his life thou hast now taken it vpon thy head to procure thy death and to crie vnto God for a vengance against thee If this were considered it might serue for an awe-band to keepe murtherers from hasting as they do to shedde innocent bloud And albeit Dauid was farre Many waies may men be guilty of sinne albeit by their own hands they doe it not from Vriah when he was slain for the one was in Ierusalem the other in Rabbah of the Ammonites yet the burden of that bloud lieth heauy on him because hee was the man who counselled Ioab how to slay him with the sworne of the Ammonites Many waies haue men whereby to excuse themselues in their sinne specially if they did not euill with their owne hands if they were farre off when the turne was done but you see how little all these auaile where the conscience cannot excuse a man O God of my saluation So the godly stile the Lord not onely Praise of our saluation properly belongs to God because he is the author of the beginning but of the progresse also and perfiting of our saluation he not onely gaue life to our soules when we were dead in sin but he keepes our soules in life we fall and he raiseth vs vp we wander and he recalls vs we sinne daily and he forgiueth vs. And it is for these renewing mercies wherby the Lord euery day saues vs from a thousand deaths in which otherwise we should perish that we praise the Lord as the God of our saluation giuing him this glorie with the Apostle The Lord hath deliuered vs from so great a death he doth deliuer 2. Cor. 1. vs in whom also we trust that yet hereafter he will deliuer vs. For the time past he hath deliuer'd for the time present hee doth deliuer and for the time to come he will deliuer vs In all these respects wee reioyce in him as in the God of our saluation Againe hee acknowledges Many great deliuerances receiue the godly but the greatest is deliuerance from sinne that the deliuerance of a man from his sinnes is not a worke of mans Power No it requires the powerful hand and sauing health of the mighty God of our saluation Many great deliuerances hath the Lord giuen to his annointed hee saued Noah from the deluge of waters Lot from burning in Sodome he saued Israel in the Red sea and Ionas in the Whales belly he saued Daniel from the Lyons and Peter that he did not sinke when he walked in the water but the deliuerance of a man from the hands of Satan and sinne is a greater work then any of these let vs be thankefull to our God for it So shall I sing a soule oppressed God hath fitted the exercises of his worship for our state and borne downe with the terrors of sinne cannot sing to the praise of God a Christian in that estate answers al that find fault with him as the Israelites of old did the Caldees How can Psal 97. wee sing a song
of the Lord in a strange land and how can I saies the Christian sing ioyfullie so long as the Comforter that should refresh my soule is away But blessed be the Lord who in euery state hath prouided a remedy for vs that when we are not disposed for one exercise of Gods worship the Lord should licence vs to go vnto an other Are we so afflicted Iam. that we cannot sing at least let vs pray that wee may be comforted And in that he saies hee will In singing psalmes our affection should be conformable to the word wee sing sing ioyfully it learnes vs how we should alway conforme our affections to the words which God puts either in our eares or in our mouthes If the word of the L. when we heare it or sing it haue a promise of mercy or a song of thanksgiuing should wee not receiue it and vtter it with ioy and if on the other hand it containe a threatning or a confession of sinne should we not heare it with griefe and contrition this is it which is taught vs in that parable if the Lord Pipe we should dance if he mourne we should sorrow And as his word is so should we conform our affections But this discouers the Atheisme of this age whether they heare the word or reade it no change of the Scripture changes their heart one Chapter or Psalme makes them not to reioice and another to bee sorrowfull because they heare all they sing all after one manner that is for fashion sake without any sense or feeling Of thy righteousnesse But A two-fold righteousnes in God worthy prayses how is this that Gods righteousnesse is the matter of our thankse-giuing Are not his righteous iudgements fearefull and terrible to sinners But we must knowe the sortes of Gods righteousnesse there is one wherby he punisheth the wicked and impenitent another whereby he pardoneth the beleeuing penitent And of this spake Abraham God forbid that the Iudge of all the world shold do vnrighteously He meant in condemning godly Lot with the vngodly Sodomites And this is greatly for our comfort that the Lord when hee pardoneth our sinnes he is a righteous God both because hee hath so promised as also that our sinnes are already punished in Christ Iesus so that the mercie which we get doth no way violate his righteousnesse And we whom he hath receyued into mercie are in such sort to praise him for his mercy that we may also sing ioyfully of his righteousnesse VERSE 15. Open thou my lippes O Lord and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise THis Verse containeth a new petition The tongue to speake a great benefit of God wherein he craues that God would open his tongue which his sinnes had closed that hee might praise God as hee was wont to doe The naturall vse of the tongue is Gods great benefit yea and a miraculous worke that a member of flesh should bee an interpreter of a heauēly mind and as it were a Trenchman whereby the spirit of one man knowes what is the meaning of another But as Consuetude drawes Gods most excellent workes in Dis-esteemd now because it is common contempt so among the rest this is thought nothing to speake with a tongue only because it is common yet Gods children acknowledge it to be Gods benefite and the Lord glories in it as in his own work When Moses complayned that hee was not meete to bee the Lords Embassadour because he was not cloquent but slow of speech he receiued this answere Who hath giuen the mouth to man or who hath made the Exod. dumbe or the deafe or him that seeth or the blinde Is it not I the Lord When he will he makes the dumbe to speake and the cloquent to be silent Out of the mouths of babes hath hee ordained Psal strength hee openeth the mouths of children to confesse his name closes the mouthes of ancient men as we see in Zachary and all to teach that the benefit of the tongue is from the Lord. This benefit sin tooke away from man that now naturally Sin takes away the vse of the tongue that man cannot speake as be he should when he opens his mouth and moues his tongue he speaks to the offence and dishonour of God who made him the benefit to speake he hath it giuen of God but abuseth it so through the corruption of his nature that he speak's not as he should like vnto a man sicke of the palsie who by natural strength moues his hand but through his corrupt humours moues it inordinatly and as this way the It had been good for many men that they could neuer haue spokē mouing of the hand is a pain to the one so is the mouing of the tongue without order both a sinne and punishment to the other Of these it may be said that Satan opens their mouths and not God and good had it beene for them to haue beene stricken with naturall dumbnesse all their daies for so should their sinnes haue beene the fewer and their punishment the lesse And this is the losse of the The manifold euill effects of sinne tongue whereof now Dauid complaines and which he craueth to be redressed Where we haue to marke how manie fearful euils his sin had brought vpon him it had stolne away his heart peruerted his spirit stopped his eares and closed his mouth that hee could not thinke nor will nor heare nor speake as he was wont to doe therefore prayes he against all these in seuerall petitions that God would create a clean hart in him renue a right spirit in him that God would make him heare ioy gladnesse and open his mouth to speak again the prayses of God Such are the miserable effects Sinne takes away sense of misery duety and all Eph. 4. of sin it takes from man all senses both inward and outward and leaues him without feeling so that he is no more moued when hee doth euill then if it were good yea not touched with fear of the iudgment due to sinne but as Lots kinsmen made a mock of Gods iudgements when they heard it so doe they make a mocke of sinne of all that may follow it but one day they shall feele the bitter fruits thereof Men in their sins are like vnto fooles or young children when their parents or friends perish they mourne not for they know not the losse and they care not to exchange the charters of their inheritance with trifles but when they come to the yeares of discretion and feele the losse then they mourne and lament for that which in their ignorance they little regarded It is euen so with men who as long as their sinne blinds them cannot mourne but when God shall waken them and they see the euil of it then they take vp a bitter lamentation for it and can get no rest night nor day til God of his mercy pardon and forgiue it Againe ye
striken that his people may be spared and they againe repayed him with the like louing affection for when he would haue gone out to battel against Absalom they would not let him hazard himselfe Thou art said they more worth then ten thousand of vs. A happy harmonie where a King with tender affection embraceth his people as his owne children and they again esteeme and reuerence him as their father For thy good pleasure He neyther The Church is preserued by Gods mercy not their merit pretends his merits nor his peoples innocency but appeales to Gods mercie the good pleasure of his owne will mou'd him to chuse a Church and it is the same that moues him to conserue it Euen when the sins of his people procure that he shold destroy it if there were no more to preserue the Church but hir owne deseruings or the fauour fidelity and constancie of Kings protectors thereof it could not continue long but God is the builder of Ierusalem his fauour is the wall thereof and therefore is it that neither the sinnes of them who are within nor malice of them who are without it can ouercome it Build vp the wales He praies Ierusalems materiall walles were foure both for the materiall and spirituall wals of Ierusalem In regard of materiall wals Ierusalem was a strong City of foure quarters euery one of them by walles deuided from another The first highest was mount Sion in it was the City of Dauid called by Iosephus the superiour city exceeding strong in regard of the naturall situation thereof the second was called the daughter of Sion because it seemed to come out as it were of the bosome of the other in this was the mount Moriah whereupon the Temple stood this City was compassed with a strong wal wherin stood threescore of strong Towres The third was beautified with many ample streets pleasant ports and compassed with a wall whereupon were fourteene Towers The fourth was inhabited by all sorts of Artificers compassed with the third wall which was twenty and fiue cubits high and had in it fourescore and ten Towers strong high and foure cornered And albeit in Dauids daies Externall state of a citie depends on Gods blessing Psal 127. the city was not as yet brought to this perfection but was rather in the building yet Dauid knew except the Lord build the house they labour in vaine that build it and except the Lord keepe the Citie the keeper watches in vaine and that many flourishing Cities and strong Castles haue beene made desolat for the sinnes of them that dwell in them and therefore fearing least his sinne had procured a curse in Ierusalem like the curse of Iericho hee praies euen for the externall state thereof But much more may wee think he had regard to the spiritual Ierusalems spirituall walles wals therof which his sin had demolished and he praies God to repaire againe The first innermost and strongest 1 Gods protection wall of Ierusalem is the Lords fauourable protection this is called by Zacharie a wall of fire compassing Hierusalem which wil burne and consume the enemies that inuade it the 2 Holines and vnitie secondarie walles are holines and vnitie for an vnholy people are naked like the idolatrous Israelites after their worshipping of the golden Calfe and this breach of holinesse euer procures breach in vnitie among people makes a rupture in the wall whereby the aduersarie may easily get vantage Now Dauid knew that by his sinne hee had procured to be depriued of Gods fauour and that his sons and seruants should rebell against him as he had rebelled against the Lord his God and therefore he craues that these euils may bee remoued his filthie sinne pardoned the fauourable protection of God continued and vnity betweene him and his people preserued And this for Ierusalems wailes Wherof let vs learne what No enemies can destroy the walles of Ierusalem only the sins of inhabitants it is that makes the Church a prey to her enemies what destroyes the wals of Ierusalem No force no multitude no policie nor engine of the enemy only the sinnes of them who dwell within it God make vs wise to take this to heart lest our sinnes make a breach in Ierusalems walles VERSE 19. Then shalt thou accept the sacrifices of righteousnesse euen the burnt offering and oblation then shall they offer Calues vpon thine Altar HIs petitions are An heart to offer praise and prayer to the Lord is an argument of mercie concluded with a promise of thankes-giuing Whē thou shalt be fauourable to vs then shall we offer and thou shalt accept Multiplicatiō then of sacrifices is an effect of Gods fauour to haue a heart rightly set to pray to the Lord or praise him is an argument of mercie When God was angrie with Israel he sent vpō thē the Caldeans who tooke away the daily sacrifice but it is an effect of a farre more fearefull wrath when God deliuers vp men to the hardnes of their own hart suffering them so to be captiued by Satan that they can neither repēt of their sins nor pray for graces which they want nor yet giue thanks for benefits that they haue receiued where the heauens become brasse and send downe no dew what maruell the earth be like iron and can render no fruit but if the Lord looke on vs in mercie as he did on Peter then shall we mourne for our sinnes and if hee be fauourable vnto vs as heere Dauid prayes then shall we be willing sacrificers of praise and thankes vnto him The order of his wordes If our persons be not first in fauour with God our actions cannot please him makes this cleare vnto vs. When thou shalt bee fauourable to vs then shalt thou accept our offerings Except first our persons be in fauour with God our actions were they neuer so good in shew will not bee acceptable to him Examples hereof wee haue in Abel and Cain God looked first to Abel and then had respect to his sacrifice Let vs therefore aboue all things haue a care that we may be in fauour with our God reconciled with him in Christ otherwise all our prayers and oblations whatsoeuer are but an abomination to the Lord. And last of all we see heere Thankesgiuing an eternall duetie we must discharge to the Lord. how the greatest and most enduring duetie wee owe vnto God for all his benefites is thankesgiuing hee is content the profit of them all be ours hee craues no more but praise Wee want not matter for which wee should praise him onely we want affection and therefore haue we to pray that the Lord among all the rest of his great goodnesse wherein he is daily abundant toward vs would also blesse vs with a thankfull heart that in this dutie also wee may abound toward the Lord our God To whom be praise glorie and honour for euer Now vnto the King Immortall Euerlasting Inuisible Vnto God onely wise be honour and glorie for euer Amen FINIS