that is meat and drinke and clothes doe the Gentiles that are borne to no better hope seeke that is onely or chiefely but seeke ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse And certainely if wee bee borne of God wee shall not bee so base minded as other men are but find in our selves such high and generous spirits as nothing but the reward of the inheritance as the Apostle calleth it Colos. 3.24 nothing but the kingdome of heaven will content us And thus are all they that shall bee saved described Rom. 2.7 They seeke for glory and honour and immortality And this is that Holy ambition that I desire to stirre up in my selfe and in every one of you that wee would strive to bring our hearts to this that wee may bee able to say life is sweete and a good blessing of God and so is health and so is peace and so is a plentifull estate and so is credite and so is mirth but all these things are nothing unto mee without the assurance of Gods speciall love unto mee in Christ. Rejoyce not in this that the spirits are subject unto you saith our Saviour to his Disciples Luke 10.20 and yet that was a great and a rare gift of God but rather rejoyce because your names are written in heaven That even as Absalom 2 Sam. 14.32 thought it nothing to bee restored from his banishment and to bee admitted to live in Ierusalem unlesse hee might see the Kings face so should we esteeme all other comforts and contentments whatsoever as nothing unlesse wee may see the light of Gods countenance see him looke cheerefully upon us and shew himselfe to bee reconciled unto us This is that that David preferred before all the World Psalm 4.6 Many say who will shew us any good who will shew us how wee may get wealth and credite and pleasure and such things but As if hee should say but I am not of their mind Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon us upon mee and upon thy people this is all in all unto mee This this is that I desire to perswade you unto to get assurance that God loveth you with this speciall love Get assurance of it I say unto your selves Make your casting and election sure saith the Apostle 2 Peter 1.10 Content not your selves with an uncertaine hope in this case but seeke to bee sure of this Yea hee that is most sure of this let him seeke to bee more sure still as the Church doth Canticles 1.2 Let him kisse mee with the kisses of his mouth as if shee had sayd Let him still give mee more evidences of his love for thy love is better then wine Now for the better enforcing of this exhortation 1. I will give you some motives that may provoke you to seeke this assurance of the speciall love of God 2. I will shew you the meanes how you may attaine unto it Wee have all need of motives yea of strong motives to perswade us a strange thing to consider of to seeke Gods favour to seeke assurance that hee loveth us For 1. The most men are like the prodigall of whom wee read Luke 15.16 17. who so long as hee could have enough to fill his belly though it were but the huskes that the swine fed on never thought of his father nor sought for his favour And like profane Esau that despised his birthright Genesis 25.34 If God will but love them so farre as to let them live in wealth and peace and credit and mirth heere his speciall love that reacheth to the forgivenesse of their sinnes and life everlasting they care not for they seeke not after 2. Many that are possessed with the spirit of bondage and often vexed with terrible doubts and feares about this matter yet never seeke for this certainty 3. Many that thinke they have faith content themselves with an uncertaine opinion and wavering hope of Gods favour and never seeke to make this certaine unto themselves Hearken therefore unto sixe Motives I will give you out of Gods word to stirre you up to this First This love of God is an everlasting love I have loved thee saith God to his people to his elect in Christ Ier. 31.3 with an everlasting love And of Christs love the Evangelist saith Ioh. 13.1 Having loved his owne that is such as his father gave him such as beleeved in him unto the end he loved them I am perswaded saith the Apostle Rom. 8.38 39. that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Then get once the assurance of this love of God in Christ and thou maist bee certaine thou shalt never loose it Thy assurance of it I grant thou mayest loose for a time through thy owne folly but this love of God canst thou never loose if ever thou hadst it The Moone is subject to change and so are all things that are under it but the Sunne though through the interposition of somewhat betweene it and us it doe not alwayes shine upon us yet doth it never change So though our sinnes may raise up a thicke cloud as the Prophet speaketh Esay 44 22. betweene the Lord and us that keepeth the light of his countenance from shining upon us yet is there in this father of lights as the Apostle saith Iames 1.17 no variablenesse at all nor so much as a shadow of turning or changing his affection towards us This is a love therefore worth the having worth the seeking even the seeking to bee sure of it This property of Gods love hath made Gods people highly to esteeme of it O give thanks to the Lord saith David Psalm 118.1 for he is good because his mercy endureth for ever Yea see how the Prophet followeth this and insisteth upon it verse 2.4 This speciall love of God to us in Christ is called Esa. 55.3 The sure mercies of David All the other mercies of God and fruits of his love without Christ which yet men so much dote upon are transitory and such as wee can have no certainty of these only are sure mercies this only is an everlasting and unchangeable love Secondly This would free the heart from those feares that doe so vex and torment us if wee were once sure of this speciall love of God to us That even as when Christ was come into the ship where his Disciples were Marke 6 5â— the wind ceased presently and there was a â—alme so will it bee with thy heart get Christ once into it and it will bee quiet So David professeth that when he had seene the light of Gods countenance and rejoyced in it Psalme 4 8. I will both lay mee downe in peace and sleepe saith he And indeed what need wee to feare if wee have Gods favour If God bee for
subject matter of it was the grace of God it ascribed nothing to man but all to God and to his free grace and mercy onely Ephes. 2.5 By grace yee are saved and againe verse 8. For by grace yee are saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God A surer note to try the true religion and the true teacher by you can never have When our Saviour would teach them to know whether his Doctrine were of God hee giveth them this note Iohn 7.18 He that speaketh of himselfe seeketh his owne glory humane Doctrines doe all tend one way or other to the glory of man and advancing of him but he that seeketh his glory that sent him the same is true and no unrighteousnesse is in him In this religion be resolute I pray you 1 Cor. 16.13 Watch yee stand fast in the faith quit you like men be strong Make straight paths to your feete as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 12.13 goe steadily goe strongly waver not lest that that is halting be turned out of the way If you will suffer your selves to bee drawne to stagger and doubt of your religion you will bee in danger to be perverted and drawne from it I will therefore give you for a preservative that which the Apostle speaketh Gal. 1.9 If any man preach any other Gospell unto you then that ye have received let him be accursed Whatsoever Doctrine is brought unto you that doth derogate in the least point from the glory of Gods grace and ascribe any thing unto man detest it abhorre it whither it bee old Pelagianisme or new Popery and Semipelagianisme detest it abhorre it for they are all adversaries to the grace of God that teach as these men doe First that a man is justified by works and that inherent grace which God by his spirit worketh in him is directly contrary to the Word If by grace saith the Apostle Rom. 11.6 then it is no more of works that we are justified otherwise grace is no more grace But if it be of workes then it is no more grace otherwise worke is no more worke And Gal. 5.4 Christ is become of none effect unto you whosoever of you are justified by the Law ye are fallen from grace Secondly That the works of those that are true beleevers doe merit eternall life contrary to the Word Esa. 64.6 All our righteousnesses are as filthy raggs Luke 17.10 When ye have done all those things which are commanded you say Wee are unprofitable servants we haue done that which was our duty to doe and the like might be shewed in all other points of Doctrine that derogate from Gods Grace and glory and therefore to bee abhorred as contrary to the word of God Lecture XXI On Psalme 51.1 2. Aprill 4. 1626. NOw it followeth that wee proceed unto two other uses that this Doctrine serveth unto whereof the first is for exhortation the other for comfort For this Doctrine if it be rightly understood and beleeved hath great force to stirre us up 1. To sundry duties that we owe unto men with whom wee live 2. And chiefâ—ly to sundry other duties that we owe unto the Lord himselfe Two duties there be which we cannot choose but performe unto men if we doe rightly understand and beleeve this Doctrine the one consisteth in forgiving of them that have wronged us the other in giving to them that stand in need of us For the first Nothing hath that force to make a Christian willing to forgive and to live in charity with all men as the knowledge and true consideration of the Lords marvellous mercy and goodnesse towards us Ephes. 4.32 Be yee kind one to another tender-hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you Colos. 3. â—3 Forgiving one another if any man have a quarrell against any even as Christ forgave you so also do yee 1. Whatsoever the wrong be for so God doth forgive us Exod. 34.7 He forgiveth iniquiâ—y and transgression and sin 2. Whatsoever the party bee that hath wronged us for so doth God forgive the unworthyest of all Rom. 10.21 All the day long he stretcheth forth his hands to a disobedient and gain-saying people such as hee sought reconciliation with and they scorned it and despised it 3. How oft soever wee have forgiven him already Matth. 18.12 I say not untill seven times but untill seventy times seven times For so doth God forgive as our Saviour sheweth by inferring that parable verse 23 Therefore is the Kingdome of heaven likened unto a certaine King c. If any man shall object it is impossible we should forgive as God forgiveth can there be that mercy and goodnesse in us that is in the Lord Would I could forgive wrongs but as some men that I know can to forgive as God forgiveth I shall never be able I answer Indeed thou canst not But this is that that thou must aime at and strive unto this is the patterne that God hath given thee to worke by Our Saviour therefore having spoken of this very point of forgiving wrongs inferreth Mat. 5.48 Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect As if hee had said Never thinke thou hast forgiven as thou shouldest till thou hast forgiven as God forgiveth And the force of the argument from this example lyeth in foure points First That it is the example of our Father whom we ought whom wee cannot choose but resemble Ephes. 5.1 Be ye therefore followers of God in this he meaneth as appeareth by the words immediatly going before as deare children Secondly That our Father hath in his word reveiled and spoken so much of his mercy this way of purpose to make himselfe an example to us and to provoke us to follow him Iohn 13.15 I have given you an example saith our Saviour that ye should doe even as I have done unto you This is evident in the whole drift of that parable Mat. 18.23 35. Thirdly There is no proportion betweene that which the Lord forgiveth to us and that which wee are to forgive unto men no more then betweene a debt of an hundred pence and one of ten thousand talents Mat. 18.29 28. all that we have to forgive is nothing in comparison of that Fourthly That the Lord hath thus farre tyed his mercy in forgiving us to this condition that wee can forgive them that have wronged us that no man can know or hope that his sins are pardoned that findeth not himselfe able to forgive men whomsoever he forgiveth he maketh them also able and willing to forgive Matth. 6.14 15. If ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you but if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses This point I will the rather stand upon a while because it is so seasonable for this time And I doe acknowledge Gods good providence in directing my ministery so as
as in comparison of these he maketh no reckoning of like a little over-measure that is given you when you have bought any thing like to the browne paper and pack-thrid that the mercers give you for nothing Mat. 6.33 these things shall be added to you But theâ—e mercies he maketh precious account of these are his jewells wherein he setteth forth the riches and glory of his mercy and bounty As Ahashuerus the King of the Medes and Persians shewed the riches of his glorious kingdome and the honour of his excellent majesty in that feast he made to his princes and servants Est. 1.4 so doth God much more set forth the riches and glory of his mercy in bestowing these precious mercies upon any For as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 14.17 The kingdome of God is not meat and drink but righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost These mercies therefore are called Ephes. 1.7 8. the riches of his grace wherein he hath abounded towards us Therefore when Paul speaketh of the mercy of God toward him in the pardon of his sinne he saith 1 Tim. 1.14 that the grace of God was exceeding abundant towards him This is a marvellous mercy of God that he should pardon any of us our sinnes and give us eternall life such a mercy as we can never sufficiently admire and wonder at Shew thy marvellous loving kindnesse ô thou that savest by thy right hand them that put their trust in thâ—e saith David Psal. 17.7 And Paul 2 Thess. 1.10 God shall be admired in all them that beleeve in that day Thirdly Those mercies are but of a short continuance they last no longer then this short and momentany life they are called therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things of this life 1 Cor. 6.4 But these are everlasting mercies and will out-last this life and endure unto eternity Psal. 103.17 The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that feare him Fourthly Those mercies are uncertaine even in this life 1 Tim. 6 17. Trust not in uncertaine riches But these are sure mercies not flitting or uncertaine if they be once gotten they can never be lost and are therefore called Esa. 55.3 the sure mercies of David Davids mercies the mercies he begged heere the mercies he made such reckoning of the mercies peculiar to him and the elect of God are sure mercies and can never be lost Fiftly and lastly Those mercies a man may have and have them in abundance and be made never a whit the better man never a whit more acceptable to God never a whit the neerer unto eternall happinesse Nay for the most part they make men that enjoy them most abundantly the worse men a great deale they estrange their hearts from God and deprive them of his kingdome There is a sore evill which I have seene under the sunne saith Solomon Eccl. 5.13 namely riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt Luke 18.24 How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdome of God vers 25. It is easier for a Camell to go through a needles eye then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God But these mercies of David never did any man receive but they made him a better man then he was before No man ever obtained this mercy to have his sinnes pardoned but his heart was changed and he became a new man presently Acts 5 3â— Christ giveth repentance unto Israel and forgivenesse of sinnes So Ezek. 36.25 26. I will sprinkle cleane water upon you and ye shall be cleane a new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you Labour therefore to make this thine owne to get assurance that these mercies of David do belong to thee that in the time of thy need thou maist have the benefit and comfort of these mercies Els will this one daylie heavie upon thy heart that there being so much mercy in the Lord such a fountaine yea such a sea of mercy yea thou knowing so much and having seene in the ministery of the Gospell this fountaine opened unto thee as the Prophet speaketh Zach. 13.1 yet thou art not washed in it thou art not cleansed from thy sinnes thou art never the better for it That there is mercy enough in the Lord to pardon Davids sinnes and Manasses sinnes and Peters sinnes and Mary Magdalens sinnes yea all manner of sinne and blasphemy as our Saviour speaketh Mat. 12.31 yet thy sin remaineth still unpardoned And all because thou hast despised these riches of the goodnesse of God as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 2.4 Thou hast esteemed much more of those common mercies of God then of these like the Prodigall who so long as he could get enough to fill his belly though it were but hogs-meate never thought of returning to his father and seeking for his favour Luk. 15.16 17. O this is it this despising of the Lords speciall mercies is that that will treasure and heape up wrath to a man against the day of wrath as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 2.5 Now if any man shall say I would faine know that this mercy of God belongeth to me but how may I come to be assured of it To that man I answer there be five things which may be both as signes and notes whereby thou mayst know it belongeth to thee and as meanes also to bring thee unto this assurance that thou desirest First If thou canst seeke and sue to him for this mercy with all thine heart that is more then for any other things prizing this mercy above all other mercies thou needest not doubt but it belongeth to thee thou shalt be sure to have thy part in it Marke the promises made to such as are in this case Ieremy 29.13 Ye shall seeke me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart Psalme 69.32 Your heart shall live that seeke God Other mercies thou mayst long for and sue earnestly for and never obtaine them but these spirituall mercies without which thou canst not be saved thou maist bee sure to obtaine if thou canst thus desire and seeke for them Luke 11.13 How much more shall your heavenly father give the holy spirit to them that aske him Psal. 105.3 Let the heart of them rejoyce that seeke the Lord. So that if thou want these the fault is in thy selfe Ye have not saith the Apostle Iam 4.2 because ye aske not Secondly If thou canst be miserable and dejected enough in thine owne eyes thou shalt not need to doubt but this mercy belongeth unto thee Misery we know is the object of mercy and chiefe motive to compassion If thou canst therfore unfainedly lay open unto God thy misery thy spirituall misery I meane the wounds sores of thy soule as poore creeples do their sores to meÌ„ whom they would move to pity them thou needest not doubt to find mercy with the Lord. Thus doth David seeke for mercy heere as you
that we can do nothing in our houses but we shall be sure to heare of it in the pulpit and who can take this well These tale-bearers are the odiousest people in the world say they and the onely make-bates betweene the Minister and his flocke as Solomon saith Pro. 26.20 Where there is no tale-bearer the strife ceaseth I answer First it were surely a great fault in the Minister if he should beleeve or if he should reprove you upon every light hearesay He that would goe to heaven must not take up or receive easily a reproach against his neighbour Psal. 15.3 Secondly this hath beene of old falsly laid to the charge of Gods servants as it was to Ieremiahs Ier. 43.3 Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us for to deliver us into the hand of the Caldeans that they might put us to death Thirdly it may fall out that we in our ministery may meet with such faults of yours particularly as we never heard you were guilty of nor ever suspected you of this hath oft fallen out and when you find it to be so you must therein acknowledge the divine and searching power of Gods Word and not imagine that some tale-bearer hath beene with us Heb. 4.12 the Word is said to be a discerner a discoverer and a judge of the thoughts and intents of the heart And the unlearned man and unbeleever that came to heare the Prophet finds himselfe reproved for such faults and such secrets of his met with all in their ministery as he knew well the Prophets themselves could never know none but the Lord could be acquainted with 1 Cor. 14.24 25. Fourthly it is not alwaies unlawfull to reproue your sins even upon heare-say So did Ely 1 Sam 2.23 Why doe you such things for I heare of your evill dealings And Paul 1 Cor. 11.18 I heare there be divisions among you and I partly beleeve it It is like some wicked men would be apt enough to say then to Ely and Paul what tale-bearer what pickthanke hath beene with you Do you know or see any such matter in us your selves Yet do they reprove them even upon that they had heard of them Fiftly we may lawfully reprove in our ministery the faults we heare to be in you though we be not certaine of it nay though we hope better of you Because the reproofe may do good to others that be guilty of them and to your selves also though you be not guilty to make you the more fearefull to fall into them So the Apostle speakes of the sin against the Holy Ghost and of universall Apostasy to the Hebrewes though he were fully perswaded they were not guilty of that sin as he saith Heb. 6.9 We are perswaded better things of you and things that accompany salvation Nay it were a benefit to you if we were so fully and particularly acquainted with all your waies that in every Sermon we might meet particularly with your errours sinnes weaknesses and tentations We could in nothing shew our love to you more then in this When Christ spake in the greatest assemblies he was wont to aime in his doctrine chiefly at them whom he loved best Luk. 12.1 LECTVRES ON PSAL. LI. 1 2. Lecture X. on Psalme LI. 1 2. December XXVII MDCXXV 1. Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindnesse according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions 2. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sinne THE last day we finished the Title of this Psalme it followeth now that we proceed to the Psalme it selfe Now the matter and substance of the Psalme is a prayer of David 1. For himselfe to the end of the 17. verse 2. For the Church the good estate whereof he had greatly hazarded and endangered by his sin in the two last verses The prayer he makes for himselfe consisteth of two petitions whereof the 1 concernes his justification consisting in the forgivenesse of his sinnes and the imputation of Christs righteousnesse unto him and the 2 his sanctification consisting in the mortifying of his corruption and the renewing of his heart by the spirit of God both which are amplified by certaine arguments whereby he doth confirme his faith in both these petitions These two verses which containe the summe and effect of his first petition have two principall things to be observed in them 1. The ground of his faith and hope in this his request what gave him hope to obtaine the pardon of his sin Surely the knowledge he had of the mercy of God he pleads nothing but mercy Have mercy upon me O God Why but what ground of hope could he have that ever God would have mercy upon such a wretch as he was that had sinned in so hainous and odious a manner and had hardned his heart so long in his sin Surely none other but the knowledge he had of the Lords gracious disposition 1. Of his loving kindnesse wherby he was apt to shew mercy to his people of his owne free grace without all respect to any desert that may be in them 2. Of the tendernesse of his mercies and those bowells of compassion that are in him whereby he is apt to be affected and grieved with the misery of his people and moved even thereby without any other respect to shew mercy to them 3. Of the multitude and infinitenesse of Gods mercies whereby he is apt to pardon the sinnes of his people though they bee never so many though hee hath forgiven them never so oft already The knowledge I say that David had of these three things in the Lords gracious disposition gave him hope to find mercy with God for the pardon of his sin though it were so great and hainous Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindnesse according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies The second thing to be observed in these two verses is the vehement and earnest manner of propounding and expressing this his request to God for the pardon of his sinnes which appeareth 1. In the aggravating of his sinnes 1. He was guilty of offences of all sorts and kinds transgressions iniquities and sinnes 2. His sinnes were debts written and recorded in Gods debt-booke and such things as made him filthy and loathsome in Gods eyes and his owne so as he was utterly undone if God shewed not mercy on him 2. By iterating his request so often blot out wash mee cleanse mee 3. By the extent and measure of this mercy he craved Wash mee throughly or multiply thy washings and rinsings and scourings of me As if he had said I am so filthy that once washing a little washing will not serve to cleanse me Now the words being thus opened we have this first to observe in them that David being now in extreame anguish of soule his sinnes were ever before him verse 3. sleeping and waking wheresoever he was whatsoever he was doing
and their back-slidings are increased As the sand being the least thing that is yet by number is made extreamely heavy My griefe saith Iob 6.3 would be heavier then the sand of the sea 2. David continued not in the filthy puddle of his sinne above one yeare and thou hast lyen snorting in such and such sins of thine a great many yeares How long is it since thou first began to be a blasphemer a drunkard an uncleane person and given to such other sins and in all this time thou wert never soundly humbled for them never madest thy peace with God I tell thee continuance in sinne unrepented of is a great aggravater of sinne the longer that sinne lyeth upon a man the fouler and more loathsome it will make him in Gods sight the deeper staine and die it will set upon his soule Ier. 4.14 O Ierusalem how long shall thy vaine thoughts lodge within thee Hos. 8.5 How long will it be ere they attaine to innocency 3. So that 1 If David became so filthy by these sinnes but once committed if his sins were so heavy upon his conscience what will thine appeare to be when God shall open thine eyes and restore to thee thy sight that hast made sin thy trade and practise all thy life long 2 If there must be so much a do to make David cleane who had been cleane many yeares before and now lay scarce one yeare in these sins if the Lord must bestow so much washing and rubbing and wringing upon him to get him cleane verse 2. Wash me throughly or multiply thy washings of me wilt thou thinke it a matter of no difficulty a matter not worth the troubling of thy mind about to be cleansed from all thy sinnes 3 If David cryed so earnestly and was so fervent and importunate in this suit and desired nothing but that his sinnes might be pardoned wilt thou be so mad to thinke that a cold cry God mercy and God forgive me will serve thy turne and that thou canst so easily get thy pardon when thou wilt thy selfe Thou wilt say againe Though my sinnes be many and great yet there is no cause I should be so troubled with them nor keepe such a doe for the pardon of them as you speake of for God is mercifull and very ready to forgive To this I answer that touching Gods mercy thou canst not say more then thou shalt heare mee acknowledge when I shall come to the next that is the third and last part of this Text. But for the present this I say First It is true indeed that Gods mercy is infinite When David had spoken of the goodnesse and mercy of God Psal. 106.1 he adds verse 2. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord Who can shew forth all his praise And there is a mercy of God that extendeth it selfe to all his creatures Psal. 145 9. The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works And so I cannot denie but the leudest man that is may tast and doth daily tast of the mercy of God Iob 25.3 Vpon whom doth not his light arise and Luk 6.35 He is kind to the unthankefull and to the evill But this mercy that we now speake of the mercy of God that reacheth to the pardon of mens sinnes is not common to all this is restrained and limited to a certaine number It is peculiar to the Catholike Church as we are taught in our Creede and as the Prophet speaketh Esa. 33.24 The people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity It is restrained to them that feare God Luk. 1.50 His mercy is on them that feare him from generation to generation And Psal. 103.11 As the heaven is high above the earth so great is his mercy to them that feare him And verse 17 18. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that feare him to such as keepe his covenant and remember his commandements to doe them This mercy is restrained unto such sinners as are humbled and afflicted in heart for their sinnes Psal. 25.16 Turne thee unto me and have mercy upon me for I am desolate and afflicted This mercy God hath threatned to deny to some kinde of men that is 1. To the brutish ignorant Esa. 27.11 It is a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour 2. To them that despise and scorne the meanes of grace Pro. 1.27 28. When your feare commeth as a desolation then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seeke me early but they shall not finde me Why what was the reason that is given verse 29 30. For they hated knowledge they would none of my counsell they despised all my reproofe 3. To him that sinneth presumptuously and upon hope of mercy and doth blesse himselfe in his heart saying I shall have peace though I doe walke in the stubbornesse of my heart to add drunkennesse to thirst that is sinne unto sinne or unsatiablenesse in sinne the Lord will not be mercifull unto him Deut 29.19 20. Now then thou that alleadgest this for the reason why thy sinnes shall not trouble thee because God is so mercifull consider with thy selfe how small cause thou hast to trust to that 1. Thou art not a member of the Catholike Church for that is holy and is a communion of Saints 2. Thou art none of them that feare to offend God 3. Thou keepest no covenant with him 4. Thou never remembrest his commandements to doe them 5. Thou art not humbled nor afflicted in heart for thy sinnes 6. Thou art void of understanding 7. Thou art a despiser and scorner of the meanes of grace 8. Thou incouragest and blessest thy selfe in thy sins upon hope of mercy And therefore as Iehu said to Amazias servants 2 King 9.18 19. What hast thou to doe with peace turne thee behind me So doth the Lord say unto thee what hast thou to doe with my mercy Iona 2.8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their owne mercy And this is the first answer I give to the second plea of these men Secondly I answer That the knowledge of the infinitenesse of Gods mercy will make no mans sin the lighter but cause it to lye much the heavier upon the conscience When he shall rightly consider that he hath despised and made so light account of offending so mercifull a God The knowledge of Gods goodnesse should lead men unto repentance it should breake their hearts and make them to mourne for their sins the more and this will heape up wrath unto a man against the day of wrath when a man shall despise the riches of Gods goodnesse and forbearance and long suffering Rom. 2.4 5. It is therefore said Revel 6.16 that wicked men shall cry to mountaines and rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth upon the
us in his eternall counsell to be of that small number that should receive benefit by him Iohn 17.6 Thine they were and thou gavest them me and vers 9. I pray not for the world but for them that thou hast given me for they are thine Thirdly It was the wonderfull mercy of God to us and nothing else that moved him to give any of us the grace to receive Christ by faith being offered to us in the ministery of the Gospell and to obey him Iohn 6.44 No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Fourthly It was the wonderfull mercy of God and nothing else that moved him to accept of the satisfaction which Christ our surety hath made for us and not to exact it at our owne hands For nothing bound him to it but his owne free promise In which respect all the Elect that shall have benefite by Christ are called heires of promise Hebr. 6.17 And therefore the Apostle saith Ephesians 1.6 It was to the praise of the glory of his Grace that he hath made us accepted in his beloved As though he should say the glory of his grace is wonderfully set forth in this that hee will accept of Christs satisfaction for us Fiftly and lastly It is his wonderfull mercy and nothing else that moveth him to performe this promise and to keepe covenant with us considering how weake and staggering our faith and obedience is and how oft we breake covenant with him And this made Solomon to fall into that admiration 1 Kin. 8.23 O Lord God of Israel there is no God like unto thee in heaven above or in earth beneath who keepeth covenant and mercy with thy servants that walke before thee with all their heart As if hee had said It is the mercy of God that he keepeth Covenant even with such And thus have I finished the answer to the first objection and shewed you that it doth no whit derogate from the mercy and free grace of God but amplifieth and advanceth it greatly that wee obtaine pardon of our sins by the merit of Christs bloud and no other way The second objection is How can it bee said that wee have no ground of hope to find favour with God and the pardon of our sins but onely in Gods meere mercy and free grace Will a mans good workes do him no good in this case Is there no ground of hope and comfort for us in that goodnesse and grace that God hath wrought in our hearts by his holy spirit The Scripture teacheth us that there bee sundry graces and good workes that may give us much comfort in this case and bee good grounds of hope unto us that wee shall finde favour with God As 1. If a man can find hee doth truly feare God Proverbs 14.26 In the feare of the Lord is strong confidence and his children shall have a place of refuge 2. If a man can find hee hath bin of conscience towards God given unto works of mercy Psal. 18. â—5 With the mercifull thou wilt shew thy selfe mercifull and 41 1. Blessed is hee that considereth the poore the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble and Iam. 2.13 Mercy rejoyceth against judgement 3. If a man can find that of conscience towards God he can forgive his enemies Matth. 6.14 If yee forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father also will forgive you 4. If a man can find that he is able with an upright heart to confesse his sin unto God even that is a good ground of hope that God will forgive it For thus David reasoneth here verse 2 3. Cleanse me from my sinne for I acknowledge my transgressions 5. and lastly If a man can but humble himselfe and mourne before God for his sin even that will give him good hope of comfort For Christ saith Mat 5.4 Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted And the Publican doing so went home justified Luke 18.14 My answer to this objection shall consist of two parts 1. I will shew you how much is to bee ascribed unto good works and to that goodnesse and grace that Gods children may find in themselves 2. I will let you see that this doth nothing derogate from the truth of my Doctrine concerning the reposing all our hope in the mercy of God only For the first I say first of all that these good works and graces we find in our selves though they bee not the causes why God pardoneth our sins yet are they certaine and infallible signes that wee have found mercy with God and that our sins are pardoned For thus runneth the covenant of God Ezek. 36.25 I will sprinkle cleane water upon you and ye shall be cleane and then followeth verse 26. A new heart also will I give unto you and a new spirit will I put within you And thus speaketh our Saviour of Mary Lu. 7.47 Her sins which are many are forgiven her for she hath loved much As if he had said shee could not have had this grace to love me as she doth if her sins had not bin forgiven Secondly This grace and goodnesse which a man findeth in himselfe may bee a ground of hope unto him that God will respect his prayers Iohn 9 3. Weâ— know that God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshipper of God and doth his will him he heareth Iohn 3.22 Whatsoever wee aske we receive of him because we keepe his commandements and doe those things that are pleasing in his sight The Angell telleth Cornelius Acts 10.4 thy prayers and thine almes are come up for a memoriall before God Certainely his almes made his prayers more effectuall with God Thirdly The goodnesse and grace which a man findeth in himselfe may bee a sound ground of comfort unto him even in greatest affliction So was it to Paul 2 Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is this even the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity wee have had our conversation in the world So was it to Iob the testimony that his owne heart gave him of the conscience hee had made of all uncleannesse of dealing equally with his servants of his mercifulnesse to the poore of his freedome from covetousnesse and maliciousnesse Iob 31. And of his hearts love to the Word and pure worship of God Iob 23.12 susteined and yeelded him great comfort in his extreame affliction as you may see Iob 31.35 36. If mine adversarie man or Satan had written a booke against mee surely I should take it upon my shoulder and bind it as a crowne to mee So was it to Hezechiah when he had received from God the message of death Esay 38.3 Remember ô Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Fourthly These good works this goodnesse and grace that a man findeth in himselfe are foundations upon which a man may confidently ground and build
and what he may do to please and honour him Nothing hath that force to worke in a man an appetite to the Word as this hath 1 Pet. 2.2 3. As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the Word that ye may grow thereby if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious As if he had said els you cannot and then you cannot choose but do it So Psal. 119.64 The earth ô Lord is full of thy mercy teach me thy statutes and verse 68. Thou art good and dost good teach me thy statutes As if he had said Who would not seeke to know the will of so mercifull of so bountifull a God as thou art and what may best please thee Fiftly and lastly He must needs be desirous to please him and to doe his will when he knoweth it Nothing hath that force to worke in a man a care of his wayes a care to obey the Lord in all things even in those duties that are most painefull and wherein hee is most to deny and crosse himselfe yea though it were to the laying downe of his life as the true knowledge and consideration of the Lords marvellous goodnesse and mercy hath Thy loving kindnesse is before mine eyes and I have walked in thy truth saith David Psal. 26.3 And the Apostle Rom. 12.1 I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God to present your bodies as a living sacrifice unto God As if he should say if this will not move you to it nothing will The love of Christ constraineth us saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.14 because we thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead and who can doe too much for him that hath so dearely loved him The goodnesse and mercifulnesse and bountifull disposition wee discerne in some men ô what force hath it to draw and knit our hearts unto them For a good man some will even dare to die saith the Apostle Rom. 5.7 And what is the goodnesse and mercifullnesse of any man if it be compared to the goodnesse and mercy of the Lord Surely not so much as one drop of water compared to the maine Ocean And thus have I finished this use of exhortation and shewed you what the duties are both towards men and towards the Lord himselfe that this Doctrine doth most effectually stirre us up unto It followeth now that we proceed to the third and last use of this Doctrine which is for comfort For this Doctrine serveth most effectually for the comfort 1 of all men how wicked soever they have beene if now they desire to repent 2 and chiefly of Gods own people that have already repented For the first there is not the vilest sinner in the world if he now feele his sins and desire to be reconciled unto God but he may receive comfort and encouragement from this Doctrine to turne unto God and seeke to him for mercy Nothing hath that force to keepe a poore sinner from repentance as this when he doth despaire of finding mercy with God if he should turne and seeke unto him When a sinner doth resolve upon this as Cain did Gen. 4.13 My sinne is greater then can be pardoned This was the maine thing that made those wicked Iewes to resolve that they would walke after their owne devises and every one doe after the imagination of his evill heart as the Prophet saith Ieremy 18.12 because they said there was no hope And on the other side Nothing hath that force to encourage a man to repent and turne unto God as if he can be perswaded of this that how vile a sinner soever he hath beene yet he may hope to find mercy with him if he can seeke unto him for it The Rebell or Pyrat that knoweth there is a proclamation out against him will never come in but if he once heare and can beleeve that there is a Proclamation of pardon yea and of some great advancement if he will yeeld himselfe and come in this and nothing else will cause him to come in and change his course become a faithfull and legall subject This is that which the Apostle teacheth Rom. 2.4 The goodnes of the Lord if it were rightly knowne and beleeved not driveth and draweth as his terrours doe but leadeth men willingly unto repentance Insomuch that as Benhadads servants perswaded him by this argument to seeke peace and reconciliation with Ahab when he had highly provoked him 1. King 20. â—1 Behold we have heard that the Kings of the house of Israel are mercifull Kings So have Gods Prophets and servants sought to perswade the most hainous sinners to seeke peace with God and to turne unto him by this argument because he is so mercifull a God Foure notable proofes I will give you for this and no more First thus doth the Prophet Esay perswade all sorts of sinners Esay 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his wayes and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will aboundantly pardon Secondly thus doth Hezechiah perswade the ten tribes that had deepely revolted unto repentance 2 Cor. 30.9 For the Lord your God saith he is gracious and mercifull and will not turne away his face from you if yee returne unto him Thirdly thus also speaketh the Lord to Israel even after their captivity when their case seemed most desperate and irrecoverable Ierem. 3.12 Goe and proclaime these words toward the North and say returne thou backsliding Israel saith the Lord for I am mercifull saith the Lord. And fourthly thus doth the Apostle Peter perswade with those Iewes that had beene the betrayers and murderers of the Lord of life when they were even almost in despaire and knew not what to doe Acts 2.38 â—9 Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins and yee shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost for the promise is to you and to your children and to them that are afarre off even as many as the Lord our God shall call So that I may boldly say to him amongst you all that hath beene the most notorious sinner if God have now given thee a heart desirous to forsake thy sins and to turne unto him be not discouraged thou needst not doubt of finding mercy with him if thou canst seeke unto him Two maine objections there be whereby some kind of men are kept from turning unto God and seeking to him for mercy specially at such times as they stand most in need of mercy First Though God be mercifull yet he is also just yea a most severe and terrible judge to take vengeance on such wicked men as I have bin Exod 34.7 He will by no meanes cleare the guilty and Psal. 5.5 He hateth and abhorreth all the workers of iniquity I answer This is not meant of such as feele their sins and desire to repent as thou dost but of
our Saviour to his elect disciples Mat. 6.26 Behold the foules of the aire and ver 18. Consider the lillies of the field Yea one chiefe cause of that patience and goodnes that God sheweth to all his creatures and to the vilest men is that his owne people might have visible and palpable demonstrations of his speciall love and goodnes toward themselves 2 Cor. 4.15 all things are for your sakes And therefore David thus concludeth that 107. Psalme wherein he had at large discoursed of the goodnesse of God towards all sorts of men that are in distresse verse 43. Whoso is wise and observeth these things even they shall vnderstand the loving kindnes of the Lord. And from thence Gods child that is in distrest of conscience may confidently conclude thus If God be so good to them then sure he will bee much more good to mee and respect me that through his mercy have obtained grace to feare him and to desire to please him Thus our Saviour teacheth his Disciples to reason Matth. 6.26.30 Are not ye much better then they Shall he not much more cloath you ô ye of litle faith And 10.31 Feare ye not therefore ye are of more value then many sparrowes So when David had spoken of the generall goodnesse of the Lord extended to all men Psal. 145.14 16. The Lord upholdeth all that fall and raiseth up all that bee bowed downe the eyes of all wait upon thee thou satisfiest the desire of every living thing Hee inferreeth from thence verse 18.20 The Lord is nigh to all that cast upon him he will fulfill the desire of them that feare him the Lord preserveth all them that love him Secondly consider the goodnesse of God towards thy selfe in thy first conversion when there was no goodnesse in thee at all nothing but ignorance and profanesse when thou wert in thy blood the Lord said unto thee live as hee speaketh Ezek. 16.6 When thou hadst no mind at all to looke towards God but carriedst thy selfe toward him as an enemy hee cast a gracious eye upon thee and changed thy heart as he did upon Peter when hee was renouncing and forswearing him Luke 22.61 when thou soughtest not to him at all nor hadst any care of thy salvation hee did seeke thee with great earnestnesse and patience as he speaketh Rom. 10.21 All the day long have I stretched out my hands unto a disobedient and gaine-saying people Yea when thou wert running away from God in the broad way that leadeth unto destruction he ranne after thee and cryed to thee with great affection and love as Cant. 6.13 Returne returne ô Shulamite returne returne And from this consideration thou mayest thus reason with thine owne soule did the Lord so love mee when there was no goodnesse in me and shall I thinke hee hateth me now that by his grace hee hath wrought some desires in me to feare him and to make conscience of my wayes That cannot bee for certainely the righteous Lord loveth righteousnesse Psalme 11.7 Did the Lord so seeke after me when I ran as fast as I could from him and was he found of me when I sought him not as he speaketh Esa. 65.1 and will he now reject me and not bee found of me when he hath given me a heart to seek him That cannot be For for that I had promise but for this I have 2. Chron. 15.2 If ye seeke him he will be found of you Thirdly and lastly Observe and marke well the testimonies of Gods speciall love and goodnesse towards thee even now in this thy grievous affliction of mind and spirituall disertion and thou shalt find that now hee seemeth to bee most angry with thee he loveth thee dearely in his wrath he remembreth mercy toward thee For how falleth it out that thou art not overcome of this so dangerous a tentation thou still seekest to God and art afraid to offend him thou hast bin oft brought to the very brinke of desperation yet thou art not fallen into the gulfe Thou art perplexed but not in despaire cast downe but not destroyed as the Apostle speaketh 2. Corinth 4.8 9. Thou hast beene as the bush that Moses saw Exod. 3.2 3. that burned with fire and yet was not consumed What hath kept thee from falling into that gulfe from being overcome of Satan from sinking utterly under this intollerable burden of a wounded spirit Certainely certainely thou art kept by the power of God as the Apostle speaketh 1 Peter 1.5 the Lord doth uphold thee This is that that David saith speaking of such a one as thou art Psalme 37.24 Though he fall he shall not be utterly cast downe for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand And as Moses speaketh Deut. 3◠27 The everlasting armes have beene under thee Certainely God never shewed more love to thee in all thy life then thee doth now Hee letteth thee see and feele thine owne weakenesse and readinesse to sin that thou mightest have the better proofe of his marvellous power and love in upholding thee Thus dealt hee with blessed Paul 2 Corinth 12.9 My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakenesse As wee see sometimes a tender father that perceiving his child loveth to bee too neere the fire or water will make as though hee would fling him in but then taketh hee fast hold on him least he should fall in indeed even so dealeth the Lord oft with his dearest children hee never holdeth them faster then when hee seemeth even ready to cast them into hell and into the gulfe of desperation So as to conclude if thou couldest observe the Lords dealing with thee now thou wouldest find cause to cry unto him with David Psalme 73.22 23. O how foolish have I bin and ignorant to doubt so of thy love to hearken so much unto Satan I have beene as a beast before thee neverthelesse though I am apt to thinke thou hast quite forsaken me yet I find I am continually with thee thou hast holden mee by my right hand LECTVRES ON PSAL. LI. 3 Lecture XXXI on Psalme LI. 3 Iuly XI MDCXXVI For I acknowledge my transgressions and my sinne is ever before mee WEE have already heard that in the first part of Davids prayer in this Psalme which is for the pardon of his sins two principall things were to be observed 1. The manner of expressing this his suit and request 2. The arguments whereby hee doth confirme his faith and upon which hee doth ground his hope to speed well and obtaine this his suit at the hands of God And the first of these grounds and arguments we have heard was the knowledge he had of the Lords mercy and goodnesse in the two former verses It followeth now that wee proceed unto the second and that is the grace that God had wrought in him that he was able to confesse and acknowledge his sin and this is set downe 1. more generally in this verse that I have now read and 2. more
sin even without words is a more effectuall confession in the sight of God then all the most excellent words in the world without an humble heart Such as was Mary Magdalens of whom it is plaine by Christs answer to her Luke 7.48 He said unto her thy sins are forgiven that she had confessed and complained of her sins yet spake she never a word but wept and sobbed aboundantly verse 38 And on the other side this is that that maketh the confessions the hypocrite doth make of his sins odious unto God yea that maketh the confessions most of us make utterly fruitlesse and uncomfortable unto us that they are verball onely and from the teeth outward our hearts are not at all affected with that we say We declare our iniquities often unto God as David said he would doe Psal. 38.18 but wee leave out the other and I will bee sorry for my sin And what man would not thinke himselfe mocked and scorned by him that had done him wrong and will pretend a desire of reconciliation and confesse the wrong he had done him but without all shew of sorrow for it Fourthly The sincere confession is holy and honest joyned alwayes with an unfeigned hatred of sin and resolution to forsake it The true confessour doth as heartily desire to be disburdened and delivered from the power and dominion of his sins as from the sting and punishment of them Marke this in the confession that good Shecaniah maketh Ezra 10.2 3. Wee have trespassed against our God and taken strange wives now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these strange wives See this also noted by Elihu in the description that he maketh of a true confessour that humbleth himselfe before God Iob 34.31 32. Surely it is meet to bee said unto God I have borne chastisement I will not offend any more that which I see not teach thou mee if I have done iniquity I will doe no more This is also very observable in that antithesis that Solomon maketh Pro. 28.13 The covering of sin and not confessing it is enough he saith to bring Gods curse upon a man he that covereth his sin shall not prosper but the confessing of sin is not enough to obtaine mercy from God hee that confesseth and forsaketh them shall finde mercy And on the other side this doth greatly discover the hypocrisie of most men in the confessions they make of their sins to God 1. They confesse them but they forsake them not they returne with the dog as the Apostle speaketh 2 Pet. 2.22 greedily to those very sins which they seemed to loath and cast up Thus did Saul he confesseth his sin against David sundry times and that with teares 1 Sam. 24.16 17. and yet Chap. 26.2 he pursueth him againe as eagerly as ever he did 2. Yea many a man emboldneth himselfe to sin the more freely even by this because he is perswaded that by confessing his sin as the drunkard by his vomiting he shall be eased of all and freed from the burden of his sin This is the confidence that the dissolute Papist putteth in his confession and I would that none did so but they Surely the Lord in his justice doth use to punish an hypocriticall confession of sin this way even by giving men up to sin with more greedinesse after it then they did before See an example of this in Pharaoh Ye read of an ample confession he made of his sin Exod. 9.27 but verse 34. of the same Chapter you shall finde he became worse after that confession then ever he was before he sinned yet more saith the text and hardened his heart he and his servants Fiftly and lastly The sincere confession is filiall and groweth not from slavish feare but from love to God and hope of his mercy He goeth to God in confession of his sin not as the felon to the Iustice who knoweth if he confesse he shall die for it but as the sicke man to the Physitian who by laying open his griefe unto him looketh for health and comfort by it Thus did Daniel in that large confession he maketh Dan. 9.9 To thee O God belongeth mercy and forgivenesse though we have rebelled against thee Thus did Shecaniah Ezr. 10.2 We have transgressed against our God and have taken strange wives yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing So the prodigall though he had so despised and provoked and forsaken his father as he had done yet goeth in this manner and with this affection of heart unto him Luke 15.18 I will arise and goe to my father and will say to him Father I have sinned And indeed it is the spirit of grace onely that maketh us able to supplicate and confesse and humble our selves in a right and kindly manner As you may see Zach. 12.10 I will powre upon them the spirit of grace and of supplications and they shall looke upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourne On the other side If a man never confesseth his sins but when it is extorted from him by some judgement of God by feare of death and damnation like the traitor that will confesse nothing but upon the racke though he crye never so much out of his sin then as you shall heare some on their death beds doe it is a shrewd signe that it is but counterfeit Thus did Pharaoh as wee have heard Thus did cursed Baalam when he saw the Angell stand before him with a drawne sword Num. 22.34 cry out I have sinned 2. If a man confesse never so much against himselfe and aggravate his sin yet if hee conceive not of God as of his father if he have not hope of mercy his confession is counterfeit So was Cains Gen. 4.13 And so was that of Iudas Mat. 27.4 Lecture XLI On Psalme 51.3 Novemb. 28. 1626. NOw followeth the second part of the verse the thing that moved David thus to confesse his sin to make supplication to God for the pardon of it My sin saith he is ever before me Where we must observe 1. That his sin was ever in his eye hee could not avoid the thinking of it nor put it out of his mind night and day at home and abroad at all times and in all places it was ever before him 2. That it represented it selfe unto him now not as it had done before but in the true proportion in that shape as it troubled disquieted his heart and gave him no rest till he had got further assurance of the pardon of it This he expresseth thus in another place Psal. 38.17 My sorrow is continually before me It was before him as a matter of sorrow And Ps. 38.3 There is no rest in my bones because of my sin And as a thorne in a mans joynt will force him to seeke to some that may get it on t so did his sin here by vexing and disquieting his heart drive him to God to
Saviour mentioneth as a naturall effect and consequent of that poverty of spirit and mourning for it that is in his people Mat. 5.3 6. This was that doubtlesse that made Paul set such a price upon Christ to count all things but dung that hee might win Christ that he might be found in him that he might know him and the power of his resurrection as he professeth of himselfe Phil. 3.8 10. This was that that made David to thirst and long after Gods Sanctuary and ordinances as hee did Psal. 27.4 he made this his onely suit and 42.1 2. he cryeth out my soule panteth after thee O God my soule thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appeare before God These men as you have heard were much exercised with the sight and thought of their sins and corruptions and this is certainely an inestimable benefit to have our stomacke and appetite to this food preserved in us For so our Saviour saith of such Mat. 5.6 that they are in a happy case and giveth such a reason of it as may put all out of doubt for they shall be satisfied Fourthly By this meanes God maketh his people heartily and unfainedly thankefull for his mercy in Christ able to relish the sweetnesse that is in it which none can doe but they that have a sound sight and sence of their owne sins and corruptions This made Christ so deare and sweet to that poore woman Lu. 7.38 Shee washed his feet with her teares she wiped them with her haire she kissed them she annointed them surely she loved Christ so dearely because many sins were forgiven her ver 47. her sins were still fresh in her remembrance This we may also see in the holy Apostle who when he had mentioned at large the knowledge and sense he had of his own corruptions Rom. 7. â—5 he suddenly breaketh forth in these words I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord. As if he had said O wretched man that I am so full of sin corruption what would become of me were it not for Christ What cause have I to praise God for his mercy in Christ for shewing any respect unto me for preserving and upholding of me So when he calleth to mind his old sin 1 Tim. 1. see how he taketh occasion thereby to magnifie the mercy of God towards him 1. In the beginning of his speech verse 12 13. I thanke Christ Iesus our Lord for putting mee into the ministery who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor 2 In the conclusion of his speech ver 17. Now unto the King eternall immortall invisible the only wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen Fiftly By this meanes God keepeth his children in awe and maketh them fearefull to sin by setting their sins they have formerly committed before them and giving them an effectuall sight and sense of them The Apostle maketh this a fruit and effect of godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7.11 This very thing that ye have bin sorrowfull after a godly sort see what care it hath wrought in you Certainly the man that hath a true knowledge and sense of his sins will be afraid to sin againe the burnt child will dread the fire On the other side a man that is past feeling hath no sense of sin will be ready to give himselfe over unto lasciviousnesse to worke all uncleannes even with gredines as the Apostle speaketh Eph. 4.19 Sixtly and lastly The Lord by this meanes maketh his people charitable and pitifull towards their brethren that do offend and keepeth them from cruelty and rigour in censuring of others He that is well acquainted with the corruption of his own heart will be far from judging any one to be an hypocrite or void of grace because he seeth many frailties and faylings in him Speake evill of no men saith the Apostle Tit. 3.2 â— but shew all meekenesse to all men for we our selves were sometimes foolish and disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures And our Saviour telleth us Mat. 1.5.3 that the cause why hypocrites are so apt to judge and censure others even for-motes they spie in them is because they discerne not the beames that is in their owne eyes Lecture XLII On Psalme 51.3 Decemb. 5. 1626. IT followeth now that we proceed to the uses that this Doctrine serveth unto And they are principally two 1. For exhortation and 2 For reproofe And for the first The use of exhortation It serveth to perswade us that we would be afraid of sin and take heed of it This is certainly a duty that wee all neede oft to bee put in mind of and exhorted unto It would be a matter of unspeakeable use and benefit unto us if we could be afraid of sin We shall never be able to keepe our selves from the danger of any sin till we can esteeme of sin as of a mortall enemy and bee afraid of it The godly man is described by this property Eccle 9.2 that he feareth an oath he is afraid of sin Now there is great force in this Doctrine to perswade us to bee afraid of sin and to take heed of it Even the consideration of the after-thoughts we shall one day have of our sins and the trouble that our owne consciences will put us unto for them The force that there is in this Doctrine to perswade us unto this duty will appeare to us in foure points First Our conscience will be apt to bring our sin into our remembrance to set it before us and to accuse us for it Though we sin never so secretly could be most certaine that it should never bring us to any shame or punishment in this world yet can we not be secure from the accusation of our own conscience we cannot be certaine we shall never heare of it againe When we have done with our sin it will not have done with us but when the pleasure of it is quite gone we know not how soone nor how oft our conscience will be apt to bring it into our remembrance to lay it in our dish upbraid us with it Thus we see it did with David here his sin he saith was ever before him Thus it did as we heard the last day with Iosephs brethren twenty yeares after their sin was committed Genesis 42.21 Thus it did with Iob 13.26 he possessed the sinnes of his youth Secondly Our conscience will bee apt not onely to bring our sin into our remembrance but also to smite us and wound us for it So it is divers times said of David 1 Samuel 24.5 and 2 Samuel 24.10 that his heart did smite him When our sin is thus brought into our remembrance and set before us by our conscience it will appeare unto us in another fashion and shape then it did before when we first knew it When it first came unto us to tempt and allure us it came like a friend and did looke amiably and pleasantly upon us It promised us
see in the same chapter Exod. 21.18.22 this is that that maketh all sin so hainous as it is and worthy of infinite eternall punishment because it is committed against and is a contempt done unto a person that is of infinite and eternall majesty That any of us poore mortall wretches wormes rather then men of whom the Prophet saith Ps. 39.5 Verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity and who are counted to him lesse then nothing and vanity as the Prophet speaketh Esa. 40.17 should be so desperatly mad as to provoke despise this glorious God to make light account of any of his commandments in whose hand is our breath and all our wayes as Daniel telleth a great King Dan 5.23 whose glorious greatnes is such as the Angels cover their faces before him Esa. 6.2 In whose sight no creature can stand when he is angry Ps. 76.7 This this is that that doth greatly aggravate our sins Wo unto him that striveth with his maker let the potsheard strive with the potsheards of the earth saith the Lord. Esa. 45.9 Do we provoke the Lord unto wrath saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.22 are we stronger then he And yet thus have we done every one of us the consideration of this ought to lye heavy upon our hearts as it did upon Davids when he cryed against thee thee only have I sinned Lecture XLV On Psalme 51.4 Ianuary 9. 1626. FOlloweth now the fourth and last attribute of God that setteth forth the hainousnes of our sins and that is the infinite goodnes and bounty of the Lord. This the Lord expresseth dayly towards all his creatures and we can looke no way but we must needs behold evident proofes and demonstrations of it Psal. 145 9. The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works And the consideration even of this bounty of the Lord toward all his creatures though it did not extend it selfe towards us more particularly should much affect us So it did David Psal. 119.68 Thou art good and dost good teach me thy statutes If wee know or heare of a man that is a good house-keeper a bountifull man ready to doe all men good we all esteeme highly of such a one and speake well of him and would be ready to doe him any kindnesse or service though we never drunke of his cup our selves nor received any benefit by him nay though we never saw his face so amiable a thing is this property of goodnes and bounty in our eyes wheresoever we behold it For a good man saith the Apostle Rom. 5.7 peradventure some would even dare to die But alas such is the vile corruption of our nature that the common mercies of the Lord whereby he doth expresse the goodnes and bountifulnes of his nature do little affect us Let therfore every one of us consider how he hath expressed his goodnes and bounty to our selves in particular And of this before I begin to set it before your eyes and put you in mind of it I may say with the Prophet Ps. 40.5 Many ô Lord my God are the wonderfull works which thou hast done and thy thoughts which are to us-ward they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee if I would declare and speake of them they are moe then can be numbred Yet let us consider I pray you as we are able the marvellous goodnesse and bounty the Lord hath shewed towards every one of us in particular 1. In the things that concerne our bodies and this mortall life 2. In the things that concerne our soules and our everlasting happinesse For the first 1. It is the Lord from whom we have our life and being and without whom we could not consist one moment Act. 17.28 In him we live move and have our being In his hand is our breath and all our wayes Dan. 5.23 2. It is he alone that maintaineth us in this health strength and vigor of body and mind that we do enjoy in that soundnes of limbs and senses and keepeth us from those weaknesses and pains and diseases of body and from that impotency of mind that we see many others subject unto The Lord is the strength of my life saith David Psal. 27.1 Exo. 23.25 He shall blesse thy bread and thy water and I will take sicknes away from the midst of thee 3. It is he alone that while we see many others to beg their bread to feed upon scraps provideth so plentifully for us maketh us to be able to be helpfull unto others to entertaine at this time our friends neighbors maketh us able to make merry together and furnisheth our table with such variety plenty of all good things Thou preparest a table before me saith David Ps. 23.5 in the presence of mine enemies thou anointest my head with oyle my cup runneth over Act. 14.17 He left not himselfe without witnes in that he did good gave us raine and fruitful seasons filling our hearts with food gladnes And it is our extreame blindnes and sottishnes if we ascribe this our plenty and prosperity unto any thing els but the Lords goodnes alone Hos. 2.8 She did not know that I gave her corne and wine and oile multiplied her silver and gold 4. Wheras we see and heare of many others that are undone some by fire and some by theeves and some by witchcraft how commeth it to passe that we and our children and our cattell goods are kept in such safety by day by night at home and abroad Surely the Lord hath made an hedge about us and about our houses and about all that we have as Satan confesseth of Iob 1.10 The Lord is thy keeper saith David Psal. 121.5 If he did not continually watch over us it could not bee with us as it is 5. Whereas wee have every one of us oft times beene in sundry great adversities and dangers aswell as other men what hath beene the cause that we have comen off so well when others by the very same diseases by the same afflictions have beene swallowed up and destroyed Surely this is to bee ascribed to the goodnesse and mercy of the Lord alone And wee have all cause to say with David Psal. 18.2 The Lord is my deliverer and verse 16. He sent from above he tooke me he drew me out of many waters And 68.20 Hee that is our God is the God of salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death 6. and lastly Whereas we must all looke for a change and expect trouble and affliction Iob 5.7 Man is borne unto trouble what refuge have any of us to flye unto in any distresse for helpe and comfort but to the Lord only Psal. 20.7 Some trust in charets and some in horses but wee will remember the name of the Lord our God And 62.8 Trust in him at all times yee people powre out your hearts before him God is a
principalities and powers and against the rulers of the darknesse of this world against spirituall wickednesse in high places Nothing but a divine power could keepe grace alive in such hearts as ours are Wee are kept saith the Apostle 1 Peter 1.5 by the power of God unto salvation Secondly His admirable goodnesse is the cause of this and the unchangablenesse of his love to them whom he hath once effectually called called according to his purpose and eternall counsell as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.28 Hee never loved any thus farre as to call them effectually and to worke truth of grace in their hearts but he loved them to the end Having loved his owne which were in the world saith the Evangelist of our blessed Saviour Iohn 13.1 he loved them to the end I have loved thee saith the Lord to his Church Ier. 31.3 with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindnesse have I drawne thee Them whom he hath shewed such loving kindnesse unto as to draw them to himselfe by an effectuall calling he loveth with an everlasting love The Lord advanced Saul to be King over his people and gave him his spirit that is such gifts of his spirit as might fit him for that calling As soone as Samuel had anointed him the spirit of the Lord came upon him as the Text saith 1 Sam. 10.6 9 and he was turned into another man God gave him another heart But this favour and love God shewed to Saul was not an unchangable and everlasting love It repenteth me saith the Lord 1 Sam. 15.11 that I have set up Saul to be King And 1 Sam. 16.14 The spirit of the Lord departed from Saul hee had received excellent gifts of Gods spirit and lost them quite againe But if God have advanced any of us to this dignity to be a true Convert to be effectually called Ioh. 1.12 he never repenteth him of it this favour and love of God is unchangable and everlasting The gifts and calling of God are without repentance as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 11.29 In respect of this good and perfect gift the Apostle calleth the Lord Iam. 1.17 the father of lights in whom is no variablenesse neither shadow of turning And were it not for this that Gods love to such as he hath once regenerated and given saving grace to is constant and everlasting if any thing could have changed or altered him alas there is none of us all but we have done enough a thousand times to have lost him for ever and to have caused him to depart quite from us and to have stripped us of all grace long ago Before we passe from this point let us apply it to our selves in a few words that is in five First Seeing sanctifying grace is of such constancie and a fruit of Gods everlasting and unchangable love ô how carefull should we be to get grace if wee want it and to get assurance that we have it in truth if we thinke we have it 1. All other blessings and good things wealth and pleasure and honour and health are of no continuance And that that Paul saith of Riches 1 Tim 6.17 may be said of them all they are uncertaine riches uncertaine good things But true grace is durable riches as Solomon calleth it Pro. 8.18 These are the sure mercies of David as the Holy Ghost calleth them Esa. 55.3 2. No other good thing we can enjoy is any certaine argument of Gods speciall love and favour No man knoweth either love or hatred by any thing that is before him saith Solomon Eccle. 9.1 Esau of whom it is said God hated him Mal. 1.3 yet did enjoy all worldly blessings in greater measure then Iacob did as is plaine by that speech of Moses Gen. 36.31 But true grace is a certaine argument of Gods love yea of his speciall and everlasting love According to that speech of the Lord Ier. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindnesse have I drawne thee Secondly So many of us as have by the mercy of God beene preserved any time in the state of grace let us blesse God for it let us admire and magnifie the power and goodnesse of God towards us in this behalfe It hath ever beene esteemed in Gods Church a great honour to a man to be an old Disciple The Holy Ghost maketh an honourable mention of Mnason of Cyprus for this Act. 21.16 And Paul saith of Andronicus and Iunia Rom. 16.7 that they were of note among the Apostles and honoureth them for this that they were in Christ before him If any of us have found mercy with God to be old Disciples Nay if we be of any standing in Christianity and keepe our standing let us give God the glory of it thinke of it often and never thinke we can be sufficiently thankfull to God for it O blesse our God ye people saith David Psal. 66.8 9. and make the voice of his praise to be heard which holdeth our soule in life and suffreth not our feet to be moved Praise God for keeping and preserving the life of grace in thy soule all this while Say with David Psal. 116.7 8. The Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee for thou hast delivered my soule from death mine eyes from teares and my feet from falling Praise God for keeping thee fom deadly and irrecoverable falls Yea take thou up that thanksgiving which of all the formes of thanksgiving that we read of in Scripture hath been most in use with Gods Saints as if it were not for spending of time I could give you many instances of I meane that Psal. 106.1 Praise ye the Lord ô give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever God is more to be praised by us for the unchangeablenesse and constancy of his love to such wretches as wee are then for any other of his mercies how great so ever they bee Thirdly Let none of us be proud of our standing in the state of grace but let us give God all the glory of it Let us all say with the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.10 By the grace of God I am that I am And that which the Apostle there speaketh of his labours we must say in this case It is not I that have held out all this while not I but the grace of God which was with me It is the Lord as Annah speaketh 1 Sam. 2.9 that keepeth the â—eet of his Saints for in his owne might shall no man be strong It is not by any strength of our owne that we have stood all this while but by the strength and free grace of God onely Fourthly Seeing our perseverance in grace dependeth wholly upon the power and goodnesse of God let none of us be secure but watchfull and wary and fearfull to offend God who if he do but let go his hold and withdraw his hand we cannot stand one moment longer no more then a child of a yeare old or the staffe ye walke
can do it no better wil be ready to helpe us and make that easie to us by his helpe which was full of difficulty and impossibility before Arise and be doing saith David to Solomon 1 Chron. 22.16 and the Lord will be with thee If we draw neare to God do our best endeavour God will draw neare unto us as the Apostle speaketh Iames 4.8 LECTVRES ON PSAL. LI. 6. Lecture LXXIV On Psalme LI. 6. Novemb. 6. MDCXXVII Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts and in the hidden part thou hadst made me to know wisedome WEE have already heard out of the former verses of this Psalme that David in seeking to God for mercy in the pardon of his grievous sins doth make confession of his sinne and accuse himselfe before God and that not only in grosse and generall verse 3. but more fully in these three verses following For 1. Hee acknowledgeth his sin in particular that very sin that Nathan charged him with verse 4. I have done this evill in thy sight 2. The fountaine and root from whence this his sin did grow even his vile and cursed nature verse 5 Behold I was borne in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me 3. From the consideration of that uprightnesse and truth of heart which the Lord so much desireth and which he found his corrupt heart so farre from specially in the committing of this soule sin For oh what a deale of fraud and cunning did he use in this matter to hide and cloake his sin 1. Hee sent for Vriah home and perswaded him to goe and lodge at his owne house 2. Sam. 11.6 2. When perswasion would not serve hee made him drunke in hope that that would provoke him to lust verse 13. 3. When all this would not serve nor hee could get Vriah to father the child hee procureth him to bee made away that so by marrying of his wife he might cloke his sin the better ver 15. in the beginning of this sixt verse Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts 4. From the consideration of that measure of saving knowledge and grace which hee had received from God before hee fell into this sin in the last words of this verse And in the hidden part thou hadst made me for so I read it and not thou shalt make me to know wisedome And thus you see the scope and drift of this verse and what coherence and dependance it hath on that which went before The words divide themselves naturally into two parts as they doe containe two arguments and considerations whereby David doth amplifie and aggravate his sin 1. What a one God would have David and all his children to bee that is to say Vpright in heart 2. What a one David was before hee fell into these foule sins that is God had wrought soundnesse of grace in his heart In the hidden part thou hadst made me to know wisedome In the former part three points are to bee observed 1. The thing the grace that God desired that God would have to bee in David and all his children Truth thou desirest truth that is sincerity and uprightnesse which is opposed to guile and hypocrisie So is truth taken Iosh. 24.14 Feare the Lord and serve him insincerity and in truth And 1 Cor. 5.8 Let us keepe the feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth And Iohn 1.47 Behold saith our Saviour of Nathanael an Israelite in truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whom is no guile 2. The subject the place where God would have this grace to be in the inward parts that is in the heart For so wee find this place interpreted by Iob 38.36 Who hath put wisedome in the inward parts or who hath given understanding to the heart And by our Saviour Marke 7.21 From within out of the heart of men proceed evill thoughts And by the Apostle Ephes. 3. who when hee had prayed for them verse 16. that they might be strengthened by Gods spirit in the inner man He expoundeth himselfe thus verse 17. that Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith The heart is the proper seat of this truth and sincerity For then a thing is said to be spoken or done in truth 1. When that which is said or done agreeth with the heart and proceedeth from it As a good man is said Psal. 15.2 To speake the truth in his heart He speaketh the truth in his heart because he speaketh as hee thinketh 2. When the purpose and intent of the heart is upright in that which a man speaketh or doth My father saith Solomon in his prayer 1 Kings 3.6 walked before thee in truth and uprightnesse of heart therefore in truth because in uprightnesse of heart Therfore also is this sincerity called singlenesse of heart Acts 2.46 When a man in that which he saith and doth hath but one heart not a heart and a heart a double heart Psalm 12.2 one heart for that which hee pretendeth and another for that which he intendeth It is said that the Zebulonites that came to make David King 1 Chron. 12.33 were not of a double heart And that is expounded verse 38 that they came with a perfect or an upright heart A true heart is called a whole heart also Psal. 119.10 a false heart is called a divided heart Hosea 10.2 3. and lastly The note of observation that David prefixeth before this Behold As if he should say this this is that which I cannot but take notice of and thinke much upon that whereas I am by nature so filthy and corrupt and have so much falshood and hypocrisie in my heart which hath beene the maine cause of this my fearefull fall thou art a God that lookest for and requirest yea desirest above all things and delightest in the truth and uprightnesse of the heart and where that is wanting all that a man can doe is nothing in thy sight Now all this cunning and falshood he had used doth greatly augment his griefe and shame when he considereth how much the Lord delighteth in truth and abhorreth hypocrisie Then the Doctrine that wee are to learne from the first part of the verse is this That truth and uprightnesse of heart is that which God highly esteemeth of and desireth and delighteth in above all things Observe the proofe of this Doctrine in five points and degrees First The Lord would have all his servants upright in heart hee would have that obedience and service that is done unto him to bee done in truth and sincerity that is that that hee looketh for at our hands which hee greatly desireth and longeth for Hee cannot abide hypocrisie that wee should counterfeit and halt with him My son saith the Lord Prov. 23.26 give me thine heart that is it that I looke for So Ioshua 24.14 calleth upon the people Now therefore feare the Lord and serve him in sincerity and truth Are not thine eyes upon the truth saith Iere. 5.3 As if he should say Is
The promise is unto you and to your children and to all that are a farre off even as many as the Lord our God shall call Yea that Christ is offered so unto me as I am commanded to beleeve that he belongeth unto me Come unto me saith our Saviour Matth. 11.28 that is beleeve in mee for so is that phrase expounded by himselfe Iohn 6 35. all ye that labour and are heavie laden and I will give you rest 3. I must know how and upon what termes and conditions Christ is offered unto me in the Gospell that is to say If I will receive him as in a matrimoniall covenant For so is the covenant of the Gospell oft called in the holy Scripture Hos. 2.19 20. I wish betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betrâ—th thee unto me in righteousnesse and in judgement and in loving kindnesse and in mercies I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfullnesse In this respect also the preachers of the Gospell are called the friends of the Bridegroome Iohn 3.29 such as woo for him and whose whole endeavour is to make this match betweene Christ and his people I have espoused you saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 11.2 to one husband that I may present you as a chast virgin to Christ. Now in the matrimoniall covenant we know the spouse 1. Taketh her husband so as she bindeth her selfe to forsake all others and to keepe her selfe onely to him so long as they both shall live and so must we take and receive Christ Psal. 45.10 Matth. 10.37 Luke 14 2â— 2. She taketh him not onely to receive protection and wealth and credit by him but as her head and guide to be governed and ruled by him and he bindeth her selfe to serve honour and obey him Gen. 3.16 1 Cor. 11.3 Ephes. 5.22 23. And so must Christ be taken and received by us not onely for our Saviour but our Prophet yea our Lord and King Psal. 45.11 Iohn 20.28 and 3.35 Heb. 5.9 3. She taketh him for better for worse for richer for poorer in sicknesse and in health and bindeth her selfe to cleave to him in every estate Gen. 2.24 1 Cor. 7.10 And so must Christ be taken and received by us Luke 9 23. This knowledge of the Gospell is as I told you the first thing wherein the nature and essence of true faith consisteth In which respect faith is called the knowledge of Christ Esa. 53.11 Iohn 17.3 Ephes. 4.13 The second act of the soule wherein the nature of true faith consisteth is the assent and credit that the mind giveth unto all this that the Gospell hath revealed concerning Christ as to an undoubted truth that Christ is indeed an all sufficient Saviour and that God offereth him uâ—to me and commandeth me to receive him and that in this his gracious offer he meaneth as he saith and that he and all his merits do certainely belong to me if I will receive him upon those termes that the Lord offereth him on When I can say with Paul 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithfull saying So is the faith of the old fathers described Heb. 11.13 They saw the promises a farre off and were perswaded of them In respect of this second property faith is called a beleeving of Christ Iohn 3.36 And a beleeving of God 1 Ioh. 5.10 Rom 4.3 Till Naaman could thus beleeve he could not be healed 2 King 5.11 12. The third act of the soule wherein the essence of a true and justifying faith consisteth is the consent that the will giveth to this blessed offer of Christ in the Gospell not onely for the undoubted truth but for the incomparable goodnesse and excellencie of it When the heart accepteth of and embraceth it and saith with Paul 1 Tim. 1.15 this is not onely a faithfull saying but worthy of all acceptation So is the faith of the fathers described Heb 11.13 At the least though the beleever find in respect of the sense he hath of his owne unworthinesse much reluctancy and doubting which hindreth this act of faith yet his soule unfeignedly desireth and longeth to receive and take Christ in this matrimoniall covenant and saith with the blessed Virgin Luke 1.38 Behold the handmaid of the Lord be it unto me according to thy word In respect of this property faith is called sometimes a receiving of Christ Ioh. 1.12 somtimes a tâ—â—isting after him Rev. 21.6 Where that promise is made to him that thirsteth which none can possibly be partakers of but hee onely that truly beleeveth The fourth and last act of the soule wherein the nature of true faith consisteth is a resting and relying upon Christ and him alone for the obtaining of the favour of God and of eternall life And indeed this is of all other the chiefe act of the soule in true faith and that wherein the being and essence of it doth chiefly consist In respect of this property it is so oft called a beleeving in or on Christ and his name Iohn 3.16.18 36. 1 Iohn 5.10 a trusting in Christ Ephes. 1.12 a resting upon God 2 Chron. 14.11 a resting upon his promise 2 Chron. 32.8 a relying upon God 2 Chron 16 8. a staying our selves upon him Esa. 50.10 a cleaving and sticking close unto him Acts 11.23 beleeving in him and trusting in him are made all one Psalme 78.22 He that findeth these properties of faith in him hath certainely true faith though he want yet the assurance of Gods favour Followeth now the third and last point which I propounded That though there may be true faith where there is not this assurance yet certainely true faith if it be exercised and put forth will breed this comfortable assurance of Gods savour in the end That man that with an humbled and penitent soule can cast himselfe upon Christ trust unto him alone and rely upon him for favour with God for pardon of his sins and for eternall salvation shall certainely obtaine assurance and comfort in the end Alas may some man say how can I thus trust in Christ and relie upon him when I have no assurance but so much doubting in mee of the favour of God To such I answer Yes this is very possible Iob did so Though he slay me saith he Iob 13.15 yet will I trust in him David did so Psal 13. For though he thought God had long forgotten him and hid his face from him verse 1. yet saith he verse 5. But I have trusted in thy mercy So Psal. 143. when he cryeth thus verse 7. My spirit faileth hide not thy face from me he addeth verse 8. Cause me to heare thy loving kindnesse in the morning for in thee doe I trust He trusted in God and looked for comfort even then So did the woman of Canaan Matth. 15.22 28. For though she had received three fearefull repulses from Christ and therefore could have no assurance of his favour yet trusted she still in him for mercy and would not give over importuning him for it
every mans conscience and men shall bee judged according to the things that are written in those bookes according to their workes Every mans owne booke his owne conscience will plead for God against himselfe at that day At that day it will appeare that not the Lord but every wicked man himselfe is the onely cause of his owne destruction that he is not saved because he had no desire nor will to bee saved hee did not his endeavour nor what lay in him to come to grace and salvation that the Lord was not wanting to him this way but he was wanting to himselfe In that day the Lord will say to every wicked man as hee saith to Ierusalem Matth. 22.37 O wretched man and woman how oft would I have gathered thee but thou wouldst not How oft would I have converted thee what meanes of grace did I give unto thee how often have I shewed my selfe willing by such and such a Sermon by such and such an affliction to have changed thy heart but thou wouldst not Certainely all wicked men perish wilfully they perish because they will perish they have no desire to be saved Why will ye die O house of Israel saith the Lord Ezek. 33.11 As if he had said Ye die because ye will die Now that men do perish thus wilfully that they have no true desire nor will to be saved appeareth evidently by these foure things that may be observed in them First They will use no meanes nor take any paines to escape damnation to obtaine grace and to get to heaven as they would doe to escape any great danger they desire to avoid or to obtaine any good thing they desire to have Salvation is farre from the wicked saith David Psal. 119.155 how should they come by it for they kept not thy statutes As if he had said They will not use the meanes nor labour to get it Secondly When they may have the meanes to bring them to grace and salvation without any labour or charge to them they flâ—ight and neglect them they account them rather a burden and trouble then any benefit or blessing unto them they shew no desire to them but say in their hearts to God as those wretches did of whom we reade Iob 21.24 Depart from me for wee desire not the knowledge of thy waies Thirdly When the Lord doth sometimes by his Word sometimes by his judgements force them to have some thoughts of heaven some good motions and desires they resist the spirit of God therein as Stephen saith the Iewes did Acts 7.51 They hold the truth in unrighteousnesse as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 1.18 They violently withstand and oppose these good motions and will not yeeld to them Fourthly and lastly which is the root of all the rest They doe in their hearts basely esteeme of and despise grace and salvation and the meanes thereof and preferre any trifle before them And as it is said of Gallio the profane deputy Act. 8.17 he cared for none of those things so may it be said of them the matter of religion and of their salvation is the least of their care when they have nothing els to doe or thinke of then they will thinke of heaven So that as it is said of Esau that he despised his birth-right Gen 25.34 because he sold it for one morsell of meat for one meales meat as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 12.16 so may it be truly said of all wicked that they despise grace and salvation because there be so many trifles that they preferre before it And so the Holy Ghost expressely speaketh Pro. 11.33 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his owne soule So that it is evident you see that every wicked man is utterly inexcusable he perisheth justly because he perisheth wilfully he hath no desire at all no will to be saved but an utter aversnesse and unwillingnesse to go to heaven or to walke in the way that leadeth thither Now if any man shall object against this and say How can this be seeing the spirit speaketh expressely in the holy Scriptures 1. That man hath by nature no freedome of will to any thing that is good but is dead in trespasses and sinnes as the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 2.1 He cannot desire to have grace or to be saved no more then a dead man can desire to live nay he cannot accept of Gods grace when it is offered 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him he cannot choose but be unwilling and averse from good things 2. That the matter of mans salvation dependeth wholly not upon the will of man but upon the will and free grace of God as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 9.16 It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth this matter dependeth neither upon the desire of man nor upon any endeavour neither that he can use but of God that sheweth mercy And verse 18. He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth And he worketh all things according to the counsell of his owne will saith the Apostle Ephes. 1.11 3. Gods grace is irresistible and able to overcome and subdue this unwillingnesse and aversenesse that is in our nature God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham as Iohn Baptist speaketh Matth. 3.9 And that in these three respects it should seeme that the wicked man is not the cause of his own destruction but the Lord rather To this I answer First That the Lord is not the cause why man is by nature dead in trespasses and sinnes but himselfe onely he killed himselfe and deprived himselfe of this spirituall life the Lord did it not God requireth nothing of man for not doing whereof the condemneth him but he made him well able to doe it God made man upright saith the Holy Ghost Eccl. 7.29 not the first man but man indefinitely mankind God made man upright And as in Adam all men were made upright so in Adam all men voluntarily and unconstrainedly sinned as the Apostle saith Rom. 5.12 killed themselves lost this spirituall life So that even in this respect that standeth good which you heard out of Hos. 13.9 O man thou hast destroyed thy selfe Secondly Though God be able to restore to every wicked man this spirituall life againe and to quicken him by his grace yet is he not bound to do it he doth no man wrong if he doe it not Is it not lawfull for me saith the Lord Mat. 20.15 to doe what I will with mine owne Who hath first given to him saith the Apostle Rom. 11.35 who hath made God a debter to him and it shall be recompensed to him againe Thirdly Though every naturall man be dead in trespasses and sinnes so as he can doe nothing that is spiritually good and pleasing unto God nothing that hee can save himselfe by Yet may every naturall man doe much more then he doth to
further his owne salvation He is not so dead but there is enough left in him to make him without excuse as the Apostle plainely teacheth Rom. 1.20 He may doe more then he doth to avoid damnation he may doe more then he doth to further his owne salvation and because he will not doe what he may therefore he is inexcusable therefore he is the cause of his owne destruction Why what can he do will you say I answer First He hath power enough left in him by nature to curbe and restraine himselfe from all grosse sinnes from drunkennesse and whoredome and such like sinnes yea and from haunting of lewd company that may draw him to such sinnes he may forbeare these things if he will he hath enough left in him to make him able to live a civill and unblameable life There is many a man that even by the strength of nature can truly say as he said Luk. 18.11 I thanke God I am no extortioner nor unjust in my dealings with men nor an adulterer Secondly He hath enough left in him to make him able to doe many good workes I meane workes that are materially and morally good He can if he will make restitution of that that he hath gotten unjustly and doe workes of mercy also to the poore Els would not Daniel 4.27 have spoken thus to such a man as Nebuchadnezzar was Breake off thy sinnes by righteousnesse and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poore And that which the young man saith of the outward observation of all the commandements of the second table Matth. 19 20. All these things have I kept from my youth up that the Apostle speaketh even of many a Gentile Rom. 2.14 The Gentiles do by nature the things contained in the law And in the Church many a man is even by the strength of nature able to say not of the second table onely but of the three latter commandements of the first table also so farre forth as the letter and externall observation of them all these have I kept Thirdly He can if he will frequent the ministery of the Word the plainest and most powerfull ministery and that constantly When thou wert young saith our Saviour to Peter Iohn 21.18 thou girdest thy selfe and walkedst whither thou wouldest So much freedome of will every man hath by nature so much power even by that generall and common grace and assistance that God communicateth unto all men that he may goe to Church if he will yea he may if he will ride or goe many miles to a Sermon ordinarily as well as he may to an market so farre The Lord speaking of such as were no better then naturall men telleth the Prophet Ezek. 33.31 They come to thee as the people commeth and they sit before thee as my people and they heare thy words Fourthly He may if he will so seriously marke and observe the Word that is preached unto him and the judgements of God which he seeth and feeleth as he may bring himselfe thereby unto legall repentance even to such a sight and sense of his sinne and of the wrath of God as may make his heart to quake and judge himselfe to be in a most miserable estate Of them that were no more then naturall men we do read Esa. 58.3 that they did use in the time of Gods judgements upon them to fast and afflict their owne soules And of Ahab and Felix we read how by hearing the Word and observing what they heard they were wrought upon Ahab 1 King 21.27.29 rent his clothes put sackcloth upon his flesh fasted and humbled himselfe before God And Felix Acts 24.25 trembled exceedingly Fiftly and lastly He may be able out of this sense he hath of his owne miserable estate not onely to desire the prayers of others as Pharaoh did Exod. 10.17 and Ieroboam 1 King 13.6 but even himselfe also to cry importunately and pray to God for mercy So it is said of the mariners Ionah 1. that in the extreame feare they were in through the apprehension of Gods wrath they cried not onely every man unto his God verse 5. but unto the Lord also unto Iehovah verse 14. So it is likewise said of Saul Acts 9.11 Behold hee prayeth When our Saviour exhorteth the hypocriticall Iewes in an allegoricall speech to make their peace with God in time while this life and the day of grace lasteth Luke 12.58 59. he maketh this preface to that exhortation verse 57. Yea and why even of your selves judge ye not what is right As if he had said You have so much light and judgement in your selves even by nature as to discerne that that is fit and necessary to be done Even by the light of nature a man may be able out of the apprehension and sense of his owne fearefull condition to desire reconciliation with God and to cry earnestly for it Now if any man shall aske me and what is all to the purpose that you say a naturall man is able to doe seeing none of all this is any thing worth in the sight of God or pleasing unto him seeing there is no true goodnesse in any of this that a naturall man doth Without faith it is impossible to please God Hebrewes 11.6 I answer First That though this be so yet I may say to the naturall man that doth these things that doth thus what in him lyeth as our Saviour said to the Scribe Marke 12.34 Thou art not farre from the kingdome of God such a man is nearer to heaven then any other naturall man in the world is Secondly That though by doing all this that lyeth in his power 1 he cannot deserve neither ex condigno nor ex congruo as the Papists speake that God should save him or give him his grace for Gods grace is free he worketh in men both to will and to doe of his owne good pleasure as the Apostle speaketh Phil. 2.13 2 He can have no certaine assurance when he hath done all this that lyeth in him to doe that he shall find mercy with God for there is no promise made to these things All the promises of God are in Christ yea and Amen as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 1.20 till a man be in Christ he hath no promise from God yet may the naturall man be greatly incouraged to doe thus what lyeth in him to flie from the wrath to come and to please God and may conceive hope that by doing these things as well as he is able God will be pleased out of his infinite goodnesse to shew mercy on him And these grounds he hath out of Gods Word for his encouragement therein 1. Because the Lord hath revealed himselfe in his Word to be so infinite in mercy and goodnesse Exod. 34.7 and hath sworne Ezek. 33.11 that hee hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked 2. Because God seeketh to the vilest sinner in the ministery of his word 2 Cor. 5. â—0
in our hearts is because we observe it no more nor take our selves with it we feele it no burden nor trouble to us we complaine not more to God of it nor cry more earnestly to him for helpe against it We have not because we aske not as the Apostle speaketh in another case Iam. 4.2 LECTVRES ON PSAL. LI. 6 Lecture XCV On Psalme LI. 6. August XIX MDCXXVIII And in the hidden part thou hadst made me to know wisedome WE have already heard that David suing unto God for mercy in the pardon of those heinous sinnes hee had falne into doth make humble confession of his sinne and accuse himselfe before God for it not onely in grosse and generall ver 3. but more fully in the three verses following For 1. He acknowledgeth his sin in particular that very sin that Nathan had charged him with ver 4. I have done this evill in thy sight 2. He aggravateth his sinne by foure arguments that is to say 1. From the consideration of the person against whom hee had sinned verse 4. Against thee thee onely have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight 2. From the consideration of the fountaine and root from whence this his sin did spring even his vile and cursed nature ver 5. Behold I was borne in iniquity and in sinne did my mother conceive me 3. From the consideration of that delight the Lord taketh in the truth and uprightnesse of the heart which hee found his corrupt heart so farre from specially in the committing of these foule sinnes in the beginning of this sixt verse Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts 4. Lastly From the consideration of that truth of saving grace which God had wrought in him before he fell into these sinnes in these last words of the sixt verse And in the hidden part thou hadst made me to know wisedome For so I read the words 1. Because the originall will beare this sense as well as the other as might be shewed by many other places of Scripture where words of the future tense are put for the preter-perfect tense and as appeareth by the judgement of the most and best interpreters that is to say the Septuagint the vulgar latine Pagin Vatablus Tremellius Calvin Bucer the Geneva translatours who all understand the words to be meant of the time past not of the present or future time 2. Because this sense doth best agree with the scope of the place for David doth yet continue in the aggravation of his sinne and in professing his humiliation and sorrow for it The summe then of these words is an aggravation of his foule sinnes from the consideration of that sound conversion and truth of grace that God had wrought in him before hee did thus fall And in the words there are these three principall things to bee observed 1. The description David maketh of his owne true conversion and regeneration In the hidden part he had knowne wisedome 2. The author and worker of this his conversion In the hidden part thou hadst made me to know wisedome 3. The end and purpose David had in mentioning the truth of his conversion in this place that is to say to aggravate and increase his sinne by the consideration of it And for the first of these three points before we can receive that instruction which the Holy Ghost intendeth to give us in them three questions must first be moved and answered for the opening of the words First What meaneth he here by Wisedome I answer By wisedome he meaneth true religion and piety the knowledge of the right way how to serve God and to save our owne soules This onely the Holy Ghost calleth true wisedome Vnto man he said saith Iob 28.28 the feare of the Lord that is wisdome Teach us so to number our daies to be so perswaded of and to thinke of the uncertainty of our lives saith Moses in his prayer Psal. 90 1â— as we may apply our hearts unto wisedome As if hee had said As we may seriously study and endeavour to please thee and provide for the salvation of our owne soules But wisedome is justified of her children saith our Saviour Matth. 11.19 As though he should say Though the right way of salvation which Iohn Baptist and I doe teach be despised and rejected by the world yet by all those that God hath appointed unto salvation it is approved of and received Secondly What meaneth he here by the hidden part I answer By it he meaneth the heart which he called before the inward parts Thus the Lord himselfe expoundeth it Iob 38.36 Who hath put wisedome in the inward parts or who hath given understanding to the heart So the Apostle calleth the regenerate part the hidden man of the heart 1 Pet. 3.4 because it is hidden and concealed from all men Who can know it Ier. 17.9 Thou even thou onely saith Solomon 1 King 8.39 knowest the hearts of all the children of men Thirdly And how is hee then said here to have knowne wisedome in the hidden part I answer He did not onely see and discerne in his judgement the right way of salvation but God had made him able also with his heart and in affection to approve and like of it to know it feelingly experimentally effectually And indeed this is the onely right and saving knowledge This was the knowledge of Christ that the Apostle made so high account of Doubtlesse saith he Phil. 3.8.10 I count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Iesus Christ that I mâ—y know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings that is experimentally and effectually And they that know not God and his waies thus in their heart but in their braine onely know him not aright As it is said of the Priests Elyes sonnes 1 Sam. 2.12 and may be too truly of many a Minister now even of such as can preach well that they knew not the Lord. The words then being thus opened we see this Doctrine doth naturally arise from them for our instruction That true and saving knowledge is the principall worke of Gods grace in the conversion of a man See the proofe of this Doctrine in three points First In every one whom God doth convert and regenerate hee worketh saving knowledge spirituall understanding This is the tenour of the new covenant Ier. 31 3â— 34. I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord For I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sinne no more Every one whom God receiveth into covenant and to favour whose sinnes he forgiveth even the least the weakest of them all
he that doth not heartily desire this did never yet know how to pray aright Now if any of us doe indeed pity the estate of wicked men and desire that they may bee saved let us then pray and procure for them so farre as in us lyeth that they may have the meanes of knowledge For this is the way yea this is the onely way to bring them unto salvation God will have all men saith the Apostle 1 Timothy 2.4 that is some of all sorts of men for that phrase cannot bee properly meant of any that shall perish God will have all men to bee saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth As if hee had said Looke whom God will have to bee saved them hee will bring to the knowledge of the truth So when the Church maketh so fervent a prayer unto God for the conversion of all nations Psalm 67 3 5. shee prefixeth this as the meanes whereby that was to be effected and brought to passe verse 1 2. God be mercifull unto us to the whole catholique Church to the whole number and company of his Elect for so that prayer is to bee understood God bee mercifull unto us and blesse us and cause his face to shine upon us that thy way may bee knowne upon earth and thy saving health among all nations As if shee had said This is the greatest mercy and blessing the greatest fruit of Gods speciall favour unto a people when hee giveth them the meanes whereby they may know his wayes how to serve and please him and his saving health how to attaine unto the eternall salvation of their owne soules and till this mercy bee vouchsafed to them as appeareth by the coherence of the third verse with these two men can never praise God nor worship him aright This is the greatest outward fruit of Gods mercy and goodnesse towards men of all others when hee giveth them able and faithfull teachers to bring them unto knowledge As the Apostle also teacheth us Ephes. 4.8 When Christ ascended up on high and led captivitie captive went up in his triumph after he had conquered Satan upon the crosse he gave gifts unto men And what were those gifts which that great King and conqerour at such a time when hee would expresse his bounty to the full did bestow upon men Surely they are expressed verse 11. He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and teachers As if he had said He gave able ministers unto his Church as the greatest outward gift that he had to bestow upon them And as this is the greatest outward worke of mercy and love in God towards man so is it certainly the greatest worke of mercy and charity in man towards man to provide for them the meanes of sound knowledge and instruction The Papists glory much of their good workes and thinke they have therein a great advantage against us And if their religion were indeed more fruitfull in good works then ours is they had a just and great advantage against us for you shall know them by their fruits saith our Saviour Mat. 7.16 But what are the workes whereby they teach men they may merit most at Gods hands Surely to give largely to the Church To what end Was it to provide thereby that the people might bee taught and instructed how to know God and to worship him aright No no the whole endeavour of their Church hath beene to take from men the key of knowledge as our Saviour speaketh Luk. 11.5 2. that is the meanes of knowledge whereby as by a key men are to have their entrance into the kingdome of heaven all that was given to their Church wherein as their fore-fathers the Pharisees did they teach men to put such confidence was to maintaine a sort of idle fellowes to say masses and sing dirges for their soules And what goodnesse I pray you was there in these workes No no blessed bee the Lord our God the Papists have no just cause of glorying against the Gospell in this behalfe For though we have too many amongst us whom the Lord hath greatly blessed with worldly wealth that neither in their life nor at their death doe honour God with their substance as the holy Ghost telleth us Prov. 3.9 they are bound to doe and that even with the first fruits of all their increase As if hee had said God should have the first part of all Though wee have many I say that are too strait-handed and hearted this way that being of great ability give nothing to God or at least nothing proportionable unto their estates that when they make their wills and find they have hundreds and thousands to dispose of yet never thinke of God give nothing to speake of unto pious uses all is too little they thinke for their children and kindred And shall their children and kindred prosper the better for this thinke you when God is robbed of his part No no the sentence of God shall stand which hee pronounceth of the man that is bountifull in the workes of charity Psalm 37.26 Hee is ever mercifull and lendeth and his seed is blessed his children shall bee never the poorer for that Though wee have I say too many such of our profession yet is not this the fault of our religion our religion teacheth the necessity of such good workes as much as Popery doth this is onely the fault of these carnall and worldly minded professours of our religion having a shew of godlinesse but denying the power of it as the Apostle speaketh 2 Tim. 3.5 these are spots in our Church as the Apostle speaketh Iude 12. they blemish and shame our religion But though wee have too many such yet is it thanks bee to God notorious to the world that the Gospell hath beene more fruitfull in all sorts of good workes that have beene good workes indeed then ever popery was More hath bin given in this land within these threescore yeeres to the building and increase of hospitals of Colledges and other schooles of good learning and to such like works as are truly charitable then were in any one hundred yeeres during all the time and reigne of popery But this is a good worke passing all other wherein the Gospell glorieth and triumpheth against popery that the Gospell hath made men carefull and liberall to provide for the soules of Gods people to provide meanes of knowledge and sound instruction for them That there have beene so many good Lectures founded of late That there hath bin such care taken and cost bestowed for the redeeming of Impropriations restoring of them to the Church That even in this last Session of Parliament there was so earnest endeavour used by the state and God be mercifull unto them that were the hinderers of so honourable and pious a worke that out of every impropriation in the land there should bee so much taken as might make a competent maintenance for an able teacher These these
examine himselfe and ver 31. If we would judge our selves we should not be judged As if he had said We should escape all the judgments that the unworthy receiver hath cause to feare When David had invited Mephibosheth unto his table 2 Sam. 9.7 8. Mephibosheth bowed himselfe and said what is thy servant that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am And hath not every one of us much more cause to say thus in our preparatory prayers unto the Lord who inviteth us unto his table Foure singular benefits we should receive by it if we could be soundly humbled in the sense of our sins and which we cannot receive till we be so First This and nothing but this will breed in us an appetite unto Christ in this his ordinance a hungring and thirsting after him Till we be sicke of sin we can feele no need of this Physician nor can care much for him The whole have no need of a Physician saith he Mat. 9.12 but they that are sick When the fiery serpent had bitten and stung a man saith the holy story Numb 21.9 then hee would run and make use of the brasen serpent but never till then Secondly This and nothing but this will make a man able to prize Christ at his full valew and willing to part with any thing to purchase him You heare one protest Phil. 3.8 that he had suffered the losse of all things and did count them but dung that he might win Christ. But who was this that said so Surely Paul that had so deepe a sense of his own sin and unworthinesse that he counted himselfe the chiefe sinner in the world 1 Tim. 1.15 Thirdly This and nothing but this will make us fit to receive Christ by faith and make him our own Repent and beleeve the Gospell said our Saviour in his ministery Mar. 1.15 No man ordinarily can beleeve the Gospell till the law have wrought repentance a sound sense and sorrow for sinne in him And the Centurion of whom Christ saith Mat. 8.10 he had not found so great faith in all Israel as he did in him was a man that was deeply humbled in the sense of his owne unworthinesse as you may see ver 8 Lord I am not worthy saith he that thou shouldest come under my roofe A strange degree of humility as ever you heard or read of if you consider it well Fourthly and lastly This and nothing but this will make us able to rejoyce and take comfort in Christ to count him our treasure and our happinesse God forbid saith the Apostle Gal. 6.14 that I should glory or rejoyce in any thing save in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ. He meaneth the passion and sufferings of Christ. But who was this that did thus rejoyce in Christ and in his sufferings Surely it was Paul that was so deeply humbled in the sense of his unworthines that he calleth himselfe Ephes. 3.8 lesse then the least of all Saints See in all these foure points the benefit of sound humiliation for sin and be no longer afraid of it but strive and labour for it specially now that thou art in a speciall manner to appeare before God and to renew thy covenant with him LECTVRES ON PSAL. LI. 7. Lecture CXV On Psalme LI. 7. Aprill XIIII MDCXXIX Purge me with hysope and I shall be cleane wash me and I shall be whiter then snow WE have already heard that this whole Psalme being an humble prayer and supplication that David made unto God after that by the ministery of the Prophet Nathan the Lord had effectually discovered his foule sins unto him and called him unto repentance doth consist of two principall parts For 1 Hee prayeth for himselfe from the beginning of the Psalme to the end of the 17. verse And 2 for the Church of God which he had greatly endangered by his sinne in the two last verses of the Psalme And the prayer that he maketh for himselfe consisteth likewise of two parts the 1 concerneth his justification wherein he beggeth of God the pardon of his sinnes and recovery of his favour in the nine first verses the 2 concerneth his sanctification wherein he beggeth of God the mortifying of his corruption and the renewing of his heart by his holy spirit from the beginning of the tenth verse to the end of the 17. In the petition he maketh for the pardon of his sinnes two things are to be observed 1. The arguments whereupon hee doth ground his faith and hope to speed and obtaine this his suit 2. The oft repeating of this suit and petition to expresse the vehemency of his desire in it The arguments whereupon he groundeth his faith in this petition are two First The knowledge he had of the Lords goodnesse and of that multitude of tender mercies that were in him verse 1. Secondly The knowledge he had of his owne sinnes which he confesseth and layeth open before God not onely in a generall manner verse 3. but fully and particularly in the three verses following Aggravating them by the consideration 1. Of the the person against whom they had beene commited verse 4. Against thee thee onely have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight 2. Of the filthy fountaine and bitter root from which they did spring verse 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me 3. Lastly Of that knowledge and truth of saving grace which God had wrought in him before he fell into these sinnes verse 6. Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts and in the hidden part thou hadst made me to know wisedome And thus farre we have already proceeded Now in this verse and those two that follow David returneth to his first petition for the pardon of his sinne and out of the abundance of his heart repeateth it over and over againe But in this verse he doth not onely repeat and renew his suit for pardon but he doth also shew the meanes whereby he hoped to obtaine it that is to say by being purged with hysope and washed from the filthinesse of his sinnes Purge me with hysope saith he and I shall be cleane wash me and I shall be whiter then the snow For the better understanding of the words three questions are to bee moved and resolved First What is meant by this purging with hysope and by this washing that he speaketh of here For answer whereunto we must understand First That under the law of Moses as there were divers waies whereby the people of God might contract legal pollution and uncleannesse so there were also divers washings injoyned them to cleanse them from these pollutions as the Apostle teacheth us Heb 9.10 He that had the leprosy which is the soulest pollution that the law speaketh of after all the ceremonies performed by the priest for his cleansing was to be washed in water as you may see Levit. 14.8 He that is to be cleansed shall wash his cloathes and shave
us enjoy the blessings of this life specially that we enjoy them with any comfort as those that have just title and right unto them Every man to whom God hath given riches and wealth saith Solomon Eccl. 5.19 and hath given him power a mind to eat thereof and to take his portion and to rejoyce in his labour this is the gift of God But this mercy also the faithfull obtaine onely though Christ. Worthy is the lamb that was staine say the holy Angels Revel 5.12 to receive power and riches and wisedome As if they had said All riches as well as all power and wisedome are his and his onely Him God hath made heire of all things as the Apostle saith Heb. 1.2 All things are yours and ye are Christs saith he 1 Cor. 3.22 23. As though hee had said Nothing is ours wee have not a spirituall and comfortable title to any thing till we be Christs Fiftly The love and good will of God towards us which is the onely root and fountaine of all blessings and good things we receive from him is woon and procured to us onely by Christ. God cannot love or beare good will to any of us but onely through him and for his sake And therefore the Angels sing thus at his comming into the world Luke 2.14 Glory be to God in the highest and on earth peace good will towards men As if they should have said God could beare no good will towards men but only through Christ. Sixtly and lastly No man can have any true boldnesse to goe to God or to looke for any good or mercy from him but onely through Christ. No man commeth unto the father but by me saith our Saviour Ioh. 14 6. In him wee have boldnesse and accesse with confidence saith the Apostle Ephes 3.12 and in him onely Whatsoever good thing we want and would beg of God by prayer we must aske it in his name and looke to obtaine it onely through him and and for his sake Whatsoever ye shall aske the father in my name hee will give it unto you saith our Saviour Iohn 16.23 And whatsoever good thing we have received from God and would be truly thankfull to God for we must ascribe it onely to Christ and acknowledge we have received it for his sake alone Giving thankes to God and the father by him as the Apostle teacheth us Col. 3.17 And thus we have seene the first proofe of the Doctrine No mercy can be expected from God but through Christ alone The second followeth No mercy can bee expected from God by Christ but onely through his bloud if hee had not suffered and endured that for us which hee did both in his soule and body wee could never have found any mercy from God at all See the proofe of this also in three particulars First All the mercies of God that concerne our justification the acquitting us of our sinnes and setting us in Gods favour are obtained to us by the passions and sufferings of Christ. Being justified by his bloud saith the Apostle Rom. 5.9 wee shall bee saved from wrath through him In Christ we have redemption though his bloud saith he Ephes. 1.7 the forgivenesse of sinnes according to the riches of his grace As if he had said It is of the riches of Gods free grace that any of us obtaine the forgivenesse of our sins but the riches of Gods grace are procured to us by the bloud of Christ and by no other meanes Him hath God set forth saith he Rom. 3.25 to be a propitiation through faith in his bloud Three things are to be observed in these words 1. God hath made Christ the mercy-seat The mercy-seat under the law was but a type and figure of him They that would obtaine any mercy from God must seeke it in and through him onely 2. Whereas the mercy-seat under the law stood in the holy of holyes within the vaile and was hiden not onely from the people but from the priests also the High-Priest onely had accesse unto it and that but once a yeare the Lord hath now by the ministery of the Gospell set forth this mercy-seat openly to the view of all men all men may have accesse unto it 3. As the Hhigh-Priest who was a type of Christ came not to the mercy-seat could find no mercy with God nor make atonement betweene him and his people without the bloud of a sacrifice Levit. 16.14 so may no man come to the true mercy-seat nor hope to find mercy with God through Christ but onely by faith in his bloud Secondly All the mercies of God that concerne our sanctification the subduing of our corruptions and the renewing of our hearts are obtained to us by the passion and sufferings of Christ. Therefore doth the Apostle Rom. 6.6 ascribe our mortification to the death of Christ. Our old man saith he is crucified with him that the body of sinne might bee destroyed that hence forth wee should not serve sinne So that ability that is given us of God to lead a new life and to walke in his wayes is ascribed to the passion and sufferings of Christ. It is the bloud of Christ saith the Apostle Heb. 9.14 who through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot unto God that purgeth our conscience from dead workes to serve the living God And that strength that any child of God hath to resist tentation is to bee ascribed to the passion and sufferings of Christ. By Christ crucified saith the Apostle Gal. 6.14 the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world Thirdly and lastly All the mercies of God that concerne our glorification and the consummation of our happinesse in the kingdome of heaven are obtained to us by the passion and sufferings of Christ. We have boldnesse saith the Apostle Heb. 10.19 to enter into the Holyest into heaven whereof the holy of holyes in the temple was a figure by the bloud of Iesus As if hee should say There is nothing that can make a man die and goe to God with true boldnesse and expectation of a better life but onely faith in the bloud of Christ. And in this respect it is that the Apostle calleth his whole ministery the preaching of the crosse of Christ 1 Cor. 1.18 and we preach Christ crucified saith he verse 23. that was the whole matter and scope of his ministery to teach men to looke for all mercy and comfort from God onely through the passion and sufferings of Iesus Christ. Yea he telleth the Corinthians 1 Cor 2.2 that when he was among them where learning and eloquence did abound hee determined not to know any thing save Iesus Christ and him crucified he resolved with himselfe to shew no other learning but this to set forth to them in the best manner he could the sufferings of Christ and the benefit and fruit that commeth to Gods people by them Nay he professeth of himselfe Gal. 6.14 that the crosse of Christ his passion and sufferings
and unchangable love yet to the elect they be though a man to whom these blessings come single and alone cannot ground any good assurance of Gods speciall love upon them yet the elect of God and such as find them sanctified unto them and themselves bettered by them have beene able to raise good assurance of Gods love even from them and have beene greatly confirmed in their faith and confidence in God by them By this I know saith David Psal. 41.11 that thou favourest me because mine enemy doth not triumph over me Even by a temporall deliverance he had received from the practises of Saul he gathered assurance that the Lord loved him And Psal. 18.19 He delivered me because he delighted in me So Iacob telleth his brother Gen. 33.10 that in the strange alteration he found in him and in the great kindnesse hee received from him he saw the face of God that is the loving countenance of God towards him Thou that fearest God maist certainely confirme thy selfe much in the assurance of Gods love even by calling to mind the manifold experiments thou hast had of Gods goodnesse towards thee even in these outward things from thy youth up hitherto Nay I will say more The observation of the common goodnesse that God sheweth unto all men yea even unto all his creatures may help thee much that desirest to feare God to grow assured and confident of his speciall love unto thee Your heavenly father saith our Saviour to his Disciples Matâ—h 6.26 feedeth the foules of the aire and are not ye much better then they Thus David from the consideration of this common goodnesse of God to all the creatures falleth into an admiration of his goodnesse to his people Psal. 36.6 7. Thou preservest both man and beast How excellent is thy loving kindnesse ô God Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings As if he had said Therefore the children of men poore sinners are apt to put their trust in thee and grow confident of thy speciall love towards them because they seeing how good thou art to all thy creatures conclude thereupon that thy loving kindnesse towards such as desire to feare thee must needs bee excellent So having spoken at large Psal. 107. of the providence and goodnesse of God towards all men he inferreth verse 42 43. The righteous shall see it and rejoyce they shall take comfort even in this And hee giveth the reason in the next words Who so is wise and will observe these things that is the goodnesse of God that appeareth in the ordinary passages of his providence towards all men even they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord that is to say towards righteous men towards such as feare his name But then secondly I answer That though the observation of Gods goodnesse to us in outward things may helpe us much this way yet the experiments wee have had of his goodnsse to us formerly in spirituall things will doe it much better If thou hast had experience formerly that God hath beene gracious to thee in thy spirituall desertions and tentations by delivering thee out of them and giving thee victory over them by giving thee much comfort in prayer and in the Word thou mayst from thence gather a comfortable assurance of his speciall love much better then by any outward blessing that ever thou receivedst from God See how David did ground his assurance and confidence upon this Heare me when I call saith he Psal. 4.1 ô God of my righteousnesse thou hast enlarged me when I was in distresse have mercy upon me and heare my prayer and thereupon inforceth verse 3. The Lord wiâ—â— heare me when I call upon him He was confident God would returne to him againe and give a gracious answer unto his prayer because he had had experience that God had formerly when he was in like distresse enlarged his heart and given him much comfort in prayer So Psal. 22.21 Save me from the Lyons mouth for thou hast heard me from the hornes of the Vnicornes The experience he had had of Gods power and goodnes formerly in the like tentation giveth him assurance of help in this also So Ps. 27.9 10. Hide not thy face from me saith he put not thy servant away in anger Thou hast beene my helpe in such like distresses as I am now in leave me not neither forsake me ô God of my salvation And see in the next verse the confidence he grew unto upon this experience When my father and my mother forsake me then the Lord will take me up Let us learne therefore beloved to take notice of and observe all the speciall favours of God and experiments we receive of his love from time to time Yea let us labour to remember them to keepe a register of them and to repeate them oft to our owne soules Consider how great things God hath done for you saith Samuel to the people 1 Sam. 12.24 Yea wee should call upon our hearts as David doth Psal. 103.2 Blesse the Lord ô my soule and forget not all his benefits Gods people have beene so carefull to keepe in remembrance Gods speciall favours that they have used to give names to persons and places and times of purpose to helpe their memories in this case Hannah called her sonne whom she had obtained by prayer Samuel begged of God 1 Samuel 1.20 that so oft as she heard him named she might be put in remembrance of the respect God had had to her prayer Abraham called the place where God had spared Isaak and provided another sacrifice in his roome Iehovah-jireh God will provide Gen. 22.14 that he might never forget that experiment he had had of Gods gracious providence Iacob changed the name of Luz into Bethel the house of God Gen. 28.19 that he might ever remember how graciously and comfortably God had revealed himselfe to him in that place Iehosaphat and Gods people that they might never forget the marvellous comfort they had received from God after a generall fast in a strange deliverance from an invincible army of the Ammonites and Moabites and Edomites 2 Chron. 20.26 called the place where they met together to praise God for this mercy the valley of Berachah that is the valley of blessing So Mordecai and Gods people to keepe in perpetuall remembrance another marvellous deliverance which they had obtained by fasting and prayer from the conspiracy of Haman did not only keep those daies which he according to the counsell of his judiciall astrologers and magicians found to be the most lucky and fit daies for to put the decree against the Iewes in execution as daies of rejoycing every yeare but called them also the daies of Purim as you may read Est. 9.26 They would have the Lords defeating of Hamans lottery and magicke never to be forgotten Certainely these examples are written to teach us that we who have received the like blessings from God who have had
as the Holy Ghost witnesseth Mar. 6 5. how can I ever hope to obtaine mercy and assurance of favour from God this way To this I answer First Thou maist notwithstanding thine infidelity so long as the infidelity that is in thee raigneth not but thou discernest bewailest and strivest against it David had doubting and feare and infidelity in him when he cryed Psal. 13.1 How long wilt thou forget me O Lord For ever How long wilt thou hide thy face from me And yet even then he trusted in Gods mercy and hoped to recover assurance of his favour that way as appeareth by his words in the fift verse And when I am afraid saith he Psal. 56 â— when I am disquieted with feares and doubts of any kind I will trust in thee So Psal. 143.7 8. he professeth that when his spirit faâ—led when his spirit was overwhelmed and his heart within him was desolate as he had said before Verse 4. and consequently when he had much infidelity in him yet even then he did trust in God anâ— lifted up his soule unto him And was not the poore woman that had the bloudy issue Luke 8.47 troubled much with doubts and feares and infidelity when yet notwithstanding she did trust and looke to receive mercy and helpe through the free goodnesse of God in Christ. Secondly Though thou feele thy selfe never so unable through thy infidelity to cast thy selfe upon the free grace and mercy of God in Christ yet if thou can bewaile and be soundly humbled for thy infidelity God will make thee able to do it For he hath promised to give grace even this as well as any other to the humble Iam. 4.6 He will keep thee from sinking under and being overcome of thy infidelity And Gods people have never found him readier to shew them mercy this way that when they have felt most weakenesse and infidelity in themselves When the Apostle had been pressed out of measure above his strength as he speaketh 2 Cor. 1.8 9 and had the sentence of death in himselfe God sustained and delivered him and that for this very cause as he saith to teach us that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead which causeth him to professe 2 Cor. 12.10 When I am weak then am I strong He never felt Gods strength more in supporting him and keeping him from sinking under the burden of any tentation than when he found his own weaknesse and readinesse to sink most of all Now to make some application of this we shall find that many of Gods people do greatly offend in this point For they make that inherent grace which they find in themselves the onely ground of all their comfort and assurance of Gods favour while they discerne that in themselves they are quiet and comfortable when they cannot they are utterly out of hope Two evills they commit in this one against themselves another against the Lord. First resting upon that grace they find in themselves and so trusting in their owne heart they leane upon a bruised reed that may and will deceive them Their owne spirit may faile them and be overwhelmed as we have heard David complained that it was with him Psal. 143.4 7. Though that grace that is in them if ever it were in them in truth do not utterly faile yet their heart and spirit the knowledge and feeling of that grace they have may quite faile them for a time This made David say as he doth Psal. 73.26 My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Make God himselfe thy rock and portion the onely ground of all thy hope and comfort and he will never faile though thine own flesh and heart do Secondly In doing thus we make an idoll of that inherent grace that is in us and putting that trust in it which we should repose in the Lord alone we commit idolatry we go a whoring after our owne hearts as the Lord speaketh Num. 15.39 For no inherent grace that is in us is God but the gift of God only and therefore cannot be fully trusted in without sinne Let us therefore learne to praise God for any grace he hath wrought in us by his holy Spirit yea let us take comfort in it as in a fruit of his eternall and unchangeable love but let us not so rest upon it as to make it the onely or chiefe ground of our hope and comfort but learne to renounce our selves and all confidence in any goodnesse that is in us and with humbled soules cast our selves wholly upon the free grace and mercy of God in Christ and say with the Apostle Phil. 3.3 We are the circumcision which rejoyce in the Lord Iesus and have no confidence in the flesh Lecture CXXVII On Psalme 51.7 Septem 1. 1629. NOw the third and last use that this Doctrine serveth unto is as I said for the comfort of such of Gods people as though they feare God unfainedly and are carefull in all their wayes to please him yet complaine greatly of this that they cannot feele that the bloud of Christ is by the Spirit of God sprinkled upon their hearts they cannot attaine unto this sensible assurance of the favour of God in Christ. And though 1 I know well that in this profane and loose age few have need of this use of comfort because most men are confident enough of their salvation they are not troubled at all with any doubts or feares his way and the whole have no need of a Physician Matth. 9.12 Doctrine of humiliation and terrour were fitter for most of our hearers than Doctrine of comfort The fat and strong among Gods sheepe should be fed with judgement as the Lord speaketh Ezek. 34.16 Yea 2 I know well that some will be more likely to receive hurt than good by that which you shall now heare For Christ and the Doctrine of Gods mercy in him is a stumbling stone and rock of offence to disobedient and wicked men as the Apostle teacheth us 1 Pet. 2.8 And 3. though in handling of the meanes whereby true assurance may be obtained I have spoken much already for the comfort of such persons Yet have I two reasons why I dare not omit this use of comfort First Because I doubt not but there are some of you that heare me have present need of it And if there were but two or three such among you all I am bound in my ministery to have more respect unto them then to all the rest For to such principally are we sent to preach Hee hath sent me saith our Saviour Esa. 61 1 2. and that which hee that is the great Shepheard of the sheepe said it becommeth us all that are under him tâ— say likewise hee hath sent mee saith he to bind up the broken hearted and to comfort all that mourne in Sion Secondly Because though there be many of you that have not present need
proceed unto the fourth and last of those Motives which I promised to give you to perswade you to seeke without delay to know that you are through Christ justified in Gods sight And that is this That when a man is once justified then he shall be sure to be sanctified and never till then If any man desire to get strength against any lust or corruption that troubleth him most or to obtaine any grace that he standeth most in need of let him first labour to know that he is justified and that his sinnes are forgiven him That is the onely sure way to attaine unto both till a man know himselfe to be justified let him use never so many meanes to attaine either of them he shall but loose his labour I will give you the proofe of this first in the generall by shewing you that all true sanctification proceedeth from justification secondly in both the parts of sanctification that is to say mortification of the old man and vivification of the new For the first Doe any of you desire to have a better heart and to lead a better life which wee all ought and every good heart doe desire more then any thing els in the world then labour to get assurance that Christ is thine that thy sinnes are forgiven thee that thou art through him reconciled unto God this is the onely sure way to amend both thy heart and life This will doe it and nothing but this will ever bee able to do it Two sorts of proofes I will give you for this 1. The inward instrument whereby the spirit of God worketh sanctification in the heart of man the inward principle and root of all grace is faith that justifieth a man and maketh knowne the love of God to him in Christ. 2. The outward instrument whereby the spirit of God worketh sanctification in the heart of man is the preaching of the glad tidings of the Gospell unto him For the first I will give you foure plaine places of Scripture for the proofe of it The first is that speech of our Saviour unto Paul Acts 26.18 where speaking of them that shall inherit eternall life he calleth them such as are sanctified by faith in him As if he had said It is faith in Christ such a faith as assureth a man that Christ is his and that God is through Christ reconciled unto him that sanctifyeth a man and nothing but that The second place is Heb. 9.14 Where the Apostle comparing the bloud of Christ with the bloud of the legall sacrifices and having shewed in the former verse that the sprinkling even of that upon the people did worke a kinde of externall and legall sanctification in them How much more saith he shall the bloud of Christ being sprinkled upon you and applyed to your hearts by the spirit of God purge your consciences from dead workes to serve the living God As if he should say so soone as the bloud of Christ is sprinkled upon the conscience so soone as ever the spirit of God hath by faith assured a man that the pardon which Christ by his bloud hath purchased doth belong unto him this will certainly follow of it his heart and conscience will be purged and cleansed from dead workes from those workes which while he was a naturall man dead in trespasses and sinnes he lived in and he shall be enabled to serve God in newnesse of life The third place for the proofe of this is in 2 Pet. 1.4 Where the Apostle saith that by the knowledge of Christ are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust Two things are to bee observed in these words of the Apostle 1. How come Gods people to escape the corruption that is in the world through lust How come they to forsake and be preserved from those sinnes that both themselves in times past and the whole world still through the strength of our naturall concupiscence liveth in How come they to be partakers of the divine nature How come they to have the Image of God which consisteth in true holinesse and righteousnesse renewed in them Why saith the Apostle we attaine unto all this this change is wrought in us by the exceeding great and precious promises of God which are given unto us not by any thing we were able to doe by any endeavour wee could use by any penance we could put our selves unto no nor by the law or judgements of God but by receiving and beleeving the exceeding great and precious promises that God hath given us of pardon and mercy was this blessed change wrought in us But then 2. How came wee to have interest in these exceeding great and precious promises of God Surely saith the Apostle Verse 3. And in the very first words of this verse through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and Vertue that is through the knowledge of Christ. By knowing Christ to be ours In whom all the promises of God are yea and Amen as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 1.20 wee come to have Title to all the exceeding great and precious promises of God The fourth and last place of Scripture which I promised to give you for confirmation of this first point is that speech of the Apostle Eph. 3.19 Where the Apostle praying for the Ephesians that God would make them able to know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge which was so infinitely great unto every poore sinner that beleeveth in him as no heart of man is able fully to know and comprehend it he giveth this for the reason of that prayer that he made for them that yee might be filled saith he with all the fulnesse of God As if he had said the more knowledge you shall have of the wonderfull love that Christ hath borne unto you the more that you shall be assured of it the more you look into it and meditate of it the more you shall bee filled with all the fulnesse of God the more shall you abound in sanctification and in every saving grace Now for the second sort of proofes I spake of the outward instrument wherby the spirit of God useth to worke sanctification and holinesse in the heart of man is the preaching of the glad tydings of the Gospell the opening and applying to him the new Testament and covenant of God the covenant of grace the promises of Gods free grace and mercy in Christ. True it is the Lord sometimes by his judgements and plagues but more usually by the Ministery of the law useth to prepare men unto grace and worke a kinde of repentance and change in the heart of man But the meanes whereby he useth to sanctifie a man indeed to mortifie and kill sin in the root to worke a saving change and true grace in his heart is by preaching the Gospell and making knowne to him his mercy in
may see verse 3 4 5. I acknowledge my transgression and my sin is ever before me Against thee thee onely have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me So doth he likewise Psal. 25.16 Turne thee unto me and have mercy upon me for I am desolate and afflicted They that seeke to God for mercy must judge themselves unworthy to find mercy as Benhadads servants did when they sued to Ahab for mercy they went with ropes on their heads and sackcloth about their loines 1 King 20.32 The Lord is plentifull in promising his mercy to such miserable humble and dejected soules Psal. 9.12 He forgetteth not the cry of the humble and 10.17 Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble Therefore is this title given to the Lord he is called a God that comforteth the abject 2 Cor. 7.6 Thirdly If thou be one that fearest to offend God in any thing thou needst not doubt of his mercy for thou hast his promise Luke 1.50 His mercy is on them that feare him from generation to generation Fourthly If thou canst trust in his mercy and rely and rest upon it certainly it belongeth to thee That maketh David pray thus Psal. 33.22 Let thy mercy ô Lord be upon us according as we do hope in thee and 147.11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that hope in his mercy Fiftly If Christ be the onely ground of thy hope and confidence to find mercy with God if thou trust to obtaine it onely through the merit of his bloud There is no comming before the mercy-seat of God but through him This was notably figured unto Gods people in the ceremoniall law 1. None might goe into the holy of holies where the mercy-seat stood to obtaine mercy for Gods people but the High-priest onely who was a figure of Christ Heb. 9.7 2. He might not upon paine of death presume to come before the mercy-seat to obtaine mercy for Gods people without incense which signifyed the intercession of Christ. Levit. 16.13 The cloud of the incense must cover the mercy-seat that he die not 3. He must not come before the mercy-seat without the bloud of the sacrifice which signified the bloud of Christ Heb. 9.7 Into the second Tabernacle went the High-priest alone not without bloud which he offered for himselfe and for the errours of the people Levit. 16.14 He shall take of the bloud of the bullocke and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy-seat No hope of comfort at Gods mercy-seat but onely through the merit of Christs bloud who is therefore called our hope 1 Tim. 1.1 But having him for our High-priest we may goe boldly to the throne of grace and may obtaine mercy and find grace to helpe in time of need as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 4.16 And so much shall serve to be spoken of the first dutie which concerneth the Lord himselfe Seeing the Lord is so infinite in mercy labour thou to know that hee is so unto thee Lecture XXV On Psal. 51.1 2. May 16. 1626. NOw for the second duty which concerneth the Lord himselfe it is that which the Prophet exhorteth us unto Psal. 29.2 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name that is carry your selves toward him accordingly give him his due If we know and beleeve indeed that God is so gracious and mercifull specially if we know and beleeve he is so unto us how can we choose but love him and feare to offend him and cry shame upon our selves that we are no more willing and desirous to serve and please him Therefore doth the Apostle pray for the Ephesians Ephes. 3.18 19. that God would make them able to comprehend with all Saints what is the length and breadth and deapth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that they might be filled with all the fullnesse of God as if he should say If once you fully knew this love that God hath borne to you in Christ it would even fill you with all the fullnesse of God that is with all the sanctifying and saving grace of God Many deceive themselves miserably in this point and challenge to themselves an interest in Gods speciall mercy without any ground at all I will therefore shew you five notable effects that the true knowledge of this marvellous mercy and goodnesse of the Lord must needs worke upon them that have it Whereby as by certaine notes you may try your selves whether you do indeed beleeve and know that this speciall mercy of the Lord doth belong unto you First It will make men afraid to offend him Nothing hath that force to work in a man the true feare of God as this hath Psal. 130.4 There is mercy with thee that thou maist be feared and Hos. 3.5 They shall feare the Lord and his goodnesse in those daies And that is the right feare of God which the knowledge of Gods mercy doth breed in us Secondly He must needs grieve and be troubled when he hath offended him Nothing hath that force to melt and breake the heart with godly sorrow for sinne as the true knowledge of the Lords marvellous mercy and loving kindnesse towards us Zach. 12.10 I will poure upon them the spirit of grace that is the spirit of adoption which shall perswade them of my fatherly love towards them as it is called Rom. 8.15 and they shall looke on him whom they have pierced and then they shall mourne for him as one mourneth for his onely son And what was it that made Mary Magdalen weepe so abundantly for her sinnes Luk 7.38 Our Saviour telleth us verse 47. it was her love that grew from the consideration of Gods marvellous mercy in pardoning her so many foule sinnes Thirdly He must needs take delight in the service and worship of God Nothing hath that force to make the worship of God sweet unto us as the true knowledge and consideration of the mercy and goodnesse of God As for me saith David Psal. 5.7 I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy That is that that shall draw me to thy house and make me love it and Ier. 31.12 They shall come and sing in the height of Zion and shall flow together to the goodnesse of the Lord. So David giveth this for the cause why he begged so earnestly of God that he might dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of his life Psal. 27.4 to behold the beauty of the Lord that is how amiable and gracious the Lord is As if he should say I can no where behold and see that so well as in his house and that is the thing that maketh me so farre in love with the house of God O if men knew the sweetnesse and infinitenesse of Gods mercy they would love his house and delight more in it then they doe Fourthly He must needs desire earnestly to know the will of God