Impenitents 2. So our thanks-givings are but the sacrifices of fools 3. We cannot heare with profit for good seed must be sowne in good ground 4. We cannot receive the holy Sacrament for pearls must not be given to swine So we are unfit for all acts and exercises of Religion And especially upon our death-beds when we should part with this life Our iniquities shew us quite out of heavens way and we have no warrant to commend our spirits into the hands of God for he receiveth no such souls as turn aside to crooked wayes he leadeth them forth with workers of iniquitie There is none so unhappie as the impenitent sinner For the world cannot be friend him and God will not Who shall then have pity upon thee O Iesus David feels the burthen of sinne importable There is no rest in my bones because of my sinne For mine iniquities are gone over my head as an heavy burthen they are too heavy for me My wounds stinke and are corrupt because of my foolishnesse I am troubled I am bowed down greatly I go mourning all the day long S. Augustine very judiciously looketh beyond David in this Psalme and maketh the whole Psalme the complaint of Christ Who though he were free from the infection of sinne yet was he over-laden with the burthen thereof for God layed on him the iniquities of us all So the point is more prest to the conscience of a sinner for if my sinnes could make the soul of Christ heavy to death if my sinnes could make him sweat water and bloud and pray with strong cryes and supplications how blinde must my reason be if I see them not How insensible and dull must I be if I feele not the stench and annoyance the weight and burthen of them For these iniquities do move God to anger and it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of God in his displeasure for even our God is a consuming fire Now we see in Davids example how combersome a few sinnes are and what feare what agony of heart what griefe what shame they bring We have cause to lay this to our hearts for when we shall see our many crying bold presumptuous sinnes together in order before us when our conscience shall tell us not onely that we have received the grace of God in vain but that we have turned the grace of God into wantonnesse and have abused his best â—avours and despised his threatnings At once carrying in our faces Cains frowns and in our heart Cains malice against our brother having Esaâ—s prophanenesse Achans theft Ahabs oppression out-sinning those who are in the holy story the spots and blemishes of their times How doth Sathan benight us if we discerne not our fault and our danger How doth he harden our hearts if we feele not the burthen How doth he benumme and dead the conscience if the lash of our iniquities do not smart upon us We have cause to think upon it now if our Land after so great blessings of God swarme at this day with impious sinnes if Religion hath suffered symonie and oppression pride and drunkennesse Sodome and Gomorrah were modest sinners in comparison of us It will be easier for them one day for we live in the light we have more knowledge of our Masters will then our fathers had Pulpit and Presse have filled the eare and eye with the wayes of life And we are filii tenebrarum sonnes of darknesse still and walk in the paths of death We are hearers onely deceiving our own selves and the more we know of our Masters will the more stripes it will cost us that we have done so little of it we have gathered such drosse to our gold that it will ask an hot fire to refine us God in favour yet forbeareth us expecting our repentance and there is no hope of his love but in that way To fast and mourne for a day to ask God forgivenesse to promise amendment is no more then Ahab may do and it may spinne out the time and put off judgement for a while But plangere commissa to bewail sinnes committed is but a part of repentance and it hath lost the labour and our tears shall never be put into the bottle if after we do committere plangenda commit sinnes to be bewailed Transgressions iniquities sinnes these are our disease and that which threatneth it mortall is our dangerous impenitencie 2. What remedie Mercie this is the soveraigne remedy this heals all diseases but some few drops of this balme will not do it here David knows that God hath sundry vessels of this wine some stronger then other he desireth to draw of the strongest and for quantity he desireth the multitude a great measure and that running over for qualitie his tenderest and dearest compassions Those that are extracted and distilled to the height of strength sinnes of ignorance sinnes of infirmitie and weaknesse sinnes committed with reluctation and resistance the Fathers have called veniall because a small measure of Gods mercy will remove them and their punishment but studied sinnes acted after deliberation and practised upon advise and used to hide and shelter other sinnes have a more provoking qualitie in them to kindle the wrath of God a worse deserving condition to draw that wrath upon us David needs the most the best and strongest of these mercies for his transgressions Saint Augustine Attendis contemptores ut corrigas nescientes ut doceâ—â— confitentes ut ignoscas Thou observest the despisers to correct them the ignorant to teach them the confessours of sinne to pardon them Zacharie calleth these mercies that he beggeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bowels of the mercy of our God Sicut pater miseretur as a father takes pity Christ hath given us a full example of such a Father in the parable of the prodigall Look how high the heaven is above the earth so high is the mercie of God to them that feare him that is nothing in comparison for mercie cannot be numbred This is that which boundeth the waters of the Sea that they do not return to drown the earth This keepeth his fire and brimstone bound up that it falleth not upon our Cities and Towns our persons and cattell to consume them This locketh up the earth underneath us that it doth not open the mouth to swallow us up quick This keepeth the key of his treasures of judgements that they cannot come abroad to destroy and consume the world as Jeremy saith It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions faile not They are new every morning Though he cause griefe yet he will have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies for he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men They that love lying vanities forsake their own mercy The mercy of God is called our mercy for God hath no occasion to use his mercy any where else but among the sonnes of men The Angels
that sinned are not capable of it The Angels that stand in their first estate never came to miserie and they stand by the providence and love of God But sinfull man maketh God called mercifull and he putteth him to his multitude of tender compassions This is the rock of our refuge our strong Citie of refuge against the pursuer it is our hiding place In nothing doth God comfort us more Therefore be ye merciful with this sicut Sicut pater vester coelestis as your heavenly Father There is nothing that flattereth sinne more and that giveth it growth and vegetation amongst us then the overweening of this mercie Every wicked man can say God hath multitude of tender compassions and his mercies are more then my sinnes it is true But what interest such a one may have in those mercies he little considereth For with the Lord is mercie that he may be feared and that a sinner may apply himself not to continue in his finne presuming upon it but for sake it beleeving it for he that confesseth and for saketh his sinne shall have this mercie Let us therefore begin with David at Confitebor contra me I will confesse against my self and say Peccavi contra Dominum I have sinned against the Lord with a conscience of our sinnes and a sense both of the pollution of them within our selues and of the provocation of Gods due displeasure against us for them Then it will be in season to call for mercie But if we over-weene our own integritie as some justiciaries do Sani non egent medico the whole need no Physitian or if we sinne on in confidence of mercy at last We shall finde that God sitteth in his throne and judgeth uprightly and that the ungodly shall not stand in judgement nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous For the Lord knoweth the way of the just but the way of the ungodly shall perish 3. What effect he desireth of these mercies This is varied in phrase for he is passionate and exceeding earnest with God and plieth him with strong cries and supplications 1. To blot out his transgressions 2. To wash him throughly 3. To cleanse him 1. The blotting out of his transgressions hath reference to the books of God wherein all our transgressions are recorded 1. The book of Gods remembrance 2. The book of our conscience 1. The book of Gods remembrance God is a Seer and there is nothing hid from his eye and he doth consider the sonnes of men his eyes are upon all his wayes There is not a thought in our hearts but he knoweth it long before we our selues know it As he seeth so he remembreth and that we call his book of accounts wherein he recordeth all that is said done or thought that he may judge us according to all that is registred in that book whether it be good or evill He is said to blot us out of that book when our true repentance and his free pardon hath removed our iniquity from us Two Doctrines arise from hence 1. One of terrour all our sinnes are booked and kept upon record 2. Another of comfort they may be blotted out thence 1. Doctr. Knowing the terrour of the Lord we must be wariehow we sinne against him for though we love sinne he hateth it He is a God that loveth not wickednesse neither shall any evill dwell with him Though we sleight sinne and passe it over gainsomely and pleasantly yet he taketh it to heart and recordeth it that he may be able to set all our sinnes in order before us when time comes This is a black book and it will be a fearfull and shamefull thing to behold all our sinnes inventoried together All our idle words vain lascivious malitious false slanderous speeches all our loose thoughts all our vast and unlawfull desires all our ungodly works done all the good duties omitted all the evils we would have done all the imaginations of the thoughts of our hearts are not all these things written in his book We may conceive it by this David hath the honourable memory of walking in all the wayes of God alwayes save onely in the matter of Uriah the Hittite That matter is recorded in this living book of holy Scripture so are many of the infirmities of his holy ones chiefly for terrour of his children that they might feare to sinne against him who keepeth so exact a score of all our transgressions These are called debts and God our creditour keeps his debt-book very perfect The Steward in the parable called his Masters debtors they could tell every man what he owed but who knoweth how often he hath offended We have no hope to pay these debts and therefore we desire mercy to blot them out of the book And if we look back upon the transgressions of our whole life we shall see need not onely of the loving kindnesse of the Lord but of the multitude of his tenderest compassions 2. Another book is the book of our Conscience this also keepeth a record against us It was called of old our inwit for though our appetite and witbe so corrupt that the deceivable lusts of the flesh do often transport us to Gods offence yet our understanding and reason and memorie informe our conscience of our sinnes and that booketh them This book is not so exactly kept as the other because 1. Many sinnes passe us which we are not aware of 2. Many thoughts words and works escape us which we think to be no sinnes our consciences not being rightly informed 3. Many sinnes our memory doth not retein which should give in evidence to our conscience against us 4. The conscience it self may be corrupted benummed seared and so many foule deeds may escape unrecorded Yet for all this if we had no other book opened against us to convince us of sinne but this This alone would call us guilty and expose us to wrath David sueth to have his transgressions blotted out of both these books For if the tender mercies of God should blot his book and the book of our conscience remaine against us we should live upon the rack in a perpetuall torture our spirit wounded within us It is well observed of Cardinall Bellarmine Sciebat David ex actione peccati relinqui in animâ— reatum mortis aeternae David knew that by the acting of sinne in his soul was left the guilt deserving eternall death You may discerne the convulsions and strong cramps of the soul for sinne in David There is no rest in my bones because of my sinne So long as we live in sinne we feele not the pain of it David for ten moneths found no great need of these mercies of God For a sinner during his impenitencie is as a man besides himself but reversus ad se returning to himself then he bethinketh in what case he stands before God Demersus in profundo drowned in the deep the Sea above him seems not heavy Elementa in loco non
adventure them upon the eye of God Yet he is privy to the first suggestion to the first consent elelight procuration action c. all the circumstances of our sinne Never was sinne conveyed so closely as to be concealed from him this David did know and teach and discovereth their vanity that thought they could hide their errour from him Yet they say the Lord shall not see neither shall the God of Jacob regard it Vnderstand ye brutish among the people and ye fools when will you be wise He that formed the eye shall not he see c. Achans close theft Rahels stolne gods Laban found them not God revealed to Moses where she hid them Gehezies secret lye and covetousnesse Judahs secret incest all in sight Flatter not thy sinne with hope of secrecie and remember nothing is so bold and facing as sinne Thou doest it in the sight of God his eye is open upon it to discerne and hate it to detect and punish it darknesse hideth not from him VERSE 4. That thou mayest be justified when thou speakest and cleare when thou judgest 2. HE cleareth almighty God for having freely and fully confessed his sinnes in generall and in particular this late eminent notorious scandalous and provoking sinne he addeth this Ut justificeris in sormonibus c. That thou mayest be justified in thy sayings Which place is cited by the Apostle and by him we are directed to a right understanding of it What if some did not beleeve Shall their unbeleefe make the faith of God without effect God forbid yea let God be true but every man a ly ar as it is written That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and mightest overcome when thou art judged The Apostle urgeth these words to this purpose to shew that the sinnes of those who return by repentance can no way hinder but do rather advance the justice of God God declareth this justice in two things 1 In accomplishing his threatnings of punishment to correct them with the roddes of men and so these words of David have reference to that threatning of Nathan Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house He confesseth that God is by his open and offensive sinne just in those his words of commination and all the world may see that God is no favourer of sinne in any of his chosen but he hath ready rods to chasten it to which justice he submitteth God hath occasion given him by his confession fession of his sinne to declare his justice in the well deserved punishment of it so farre that when he shall execute that judgement upon him and his house he shall be found cleare from any crueltie 2 But this is not all for David had received many gracious promises of mercie from God to his own person and government and to his posteritie And there might be a feare that this crying sinne of David might reverse these promises and call in those favours of God from him Here David openly confesseth his sinne and declareth his strong faith in those sure promises of God beleeving that though he have sinned against him and done this great evill in his sight yet he will gratiously accept of his true repentance and pardon him his sinne and make good his former promises to him So shall he be declared just in his sayings and promises of mercie and shall be cleare when he judgeth him of violating his truth Whereby it appeares that the elect of God when they fall into any grievous sinne do put God to it to declare his justice both wayes for it is justice in God 1 To performe what he hath threatned and promised 2 To carrie an even hand in the trespasses of his children that neither his justice suffer in bearing with sinne nor his mercie in over-chastening the sinner The Text now thus cleared 1 We have in God two things in his carriage toward his elect in their fals and transgressions 1 His justice in chastening them 2 His mercie in pardoning 2 We have in David two things 1 His humble patience submitting himself to the punishment 2 His strong faith apprehending Gods gratious pardon 1 Of the justice of God It will do well in our reading the stories of the fals and trespasses of Gods Saints if we do withall observe the proceâ—â— of Gods judgements following them He soone taught us what we should trust to in the fall of our first parents For when they had sinned in the forbidden fruit he left them awhile to the mercie of their own accusing consciences and to the scourge of shame and the scorpions of their own feares to cruciate and anguish them Then in the coole of the day he came himself and convented the offenders and in a judiciall session he examined the parties by the evidence of fact And finding them guiltie he pronounced against them a sentence of mortalitie he accursed the earth under them he adjudged the man to labour and sweating for his bread The woman to subjection to her husband and to great anguish in her child-birth That all posteritie might by their example feare the justice of God and refraine from sinne which brought so much evill upon the committer thereof Yet we doubt not of their salvation Noah was drunk once and lay uncovered in his tent his own sonne discovered his shame Noah deserved punishment but his sonne should not have punished him but God used the unnaturall evill affection of his sonne as his rod to punish the sinne of the father I could be full in examples for this proofe that God doth not leave sinne in his Saints unpunished I onely produce these two great examples 1 In the beginners of the first world 2 Another in the repairer of it The first man made in the image of God in holinesse and righteousnesse The second the onely righteous man whom God found in that age I produce them as cleare examples of the justice of God in punishing sinne even in persons most in favour And the rather for the condemnation of their sinnes which now are afoot in the world and are scarcely confest to be sinne 1 The forbidden fruit is desired before any fruit of the garden stolne bread is sweet The name of God which by a speciall law must not be taken in vaine what name so blasphemed Is it not a shame to Religion that after the word had beene freely preached about 60. yeares in the free libertie of the Gospell and the Law of God in Pulpits and in print so learnedly expounded that there should be need of a speciall statute law for conservation of this name from prophanation and to set a corporal punishment or a pecuniarie mulct upon swearers But neither Gods Law nor Acts of Parliament can save that name of God harmlesse I will presse no further instances tell me by this taste whether the forbidden fruit be not most desired 2 For Noahs sinne it was but once drunkennesse and God left it not unpunished with
The Broken Heart OR DAVIDS PENANCE Fully exprest in holy Meditations upon the 51 PSALME BY That late Reverend Pastor SAM PAGE Doctour in Divinity and Vicar of Deptford Strond in the Countie of Kent Published since his death BY NATHANAEL SNAPE of Grayes Inne Esquire LONDON Printed by Thomas Harper 1637. TO THE HONORABLE Sir ROBERT AYTON Principall Secretary to the Queenes most excellent Majestie and Master of Saint Katherines neere the Tower of LONDON Sir MY intentions had fastened the patronage of this Booke upon that pious and Right Honorable Gentleman Sir Iulius Caesar your predecessour in the Mastership of St Katherines whose dedication of himselfe to that great Master and maker of the world renders you the Successour of his place and my service Therefore and because all that know you rightly speak you to be a friend to Learning and Philagathus in abstracto a true Religion Lover I thought fit to present these devouâ— Meditations to your judicious acceptation These royall Penitentials deduced and exemplified unto us from the sacred person of a King conclude all persons and degrees from an exemption in the practise And the command of that excellent duty is more especially incumbent on us in these particular times of humiliation when that formidable pestilentiall sword hath so smitten us and hangs still so perpendicularly over our heads The profit of Repentance it removes our sinne in reatu poena it blunts that weapons point whose thirst is sooner quencht with â—ear then bloud and it preferreth the miserable delinquent from the shamefull Barre to the most glorious Bench. Let the Reverend Authors pen declare his worth and let the worke commend it selfe to the world Onely Sir be you pleased to give it countenance and protection which I am confident will improve it to a more generall and publique approbation and make it the more redundant in the Churches benefit Health honour and Heaven at last I wish you from the heart of Your humble Servant N. S. MEDITATIONS upon the 51. PSALME VERSE I. Have mercie upon me O God according to thy loving kindnesse according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions IN this Psalme David is 1. For himself ad fin v. 17. 2. Then for the Church 18. 19. In the first part 1. He is all crying God mercie and supplication v 1 2. 2. Confession of sinnes 3 4 5 6. 3. Supplication against 7. ad fin 17. 1. In the first consider 1. What ailes him where is his griefe his transgressions his iniquitie his sinne 2. What remedie loving kindnesse multitude of tender mercies 3. What effect of these to blot out to wash throughly and cleanse away all this uncleannesse 3. What he ailes He varieth the phrase and calleth his disease transgressions Arias Mont. rendreth it praevaricationes to our sence For the Law setteth us bounds thus farre we may go and no further every sinne is a transgression an over-reaching of our bounds Peshang signifieth the same to forsake the commandment and it answereth Gods challenge of him by Nathan Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord Vers 2. He calleth his griefe his iniquities these also are against the Law which S. Paâ—l calleth holy and just He calleth it sinne which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is privatio legis This shewethus the danger of all our sinnes They put us out of the way for our way is the way of Gods commandments all other are called false wayes It is Uia legis the way of the Law which guideth our thoughts words and actions It is Via veritatis the way of truth which guideth our understandings and judgements It is via pacis the way of peace which guideth our heart and the affections thereof Sinne putteth us out of all these wayes Into those false wayes which David doth utterly abhorre Yet he is fallen into them by a strong temptation It is our wisedome to know and consider the nature of sinne that every sinne is transgression of Gods Law So Joseph answered his wanton Mistresse How shall I do this great wickednesse and sinne against God And now David hath bethought him he saith to Nathan I have sinned against the Lord. We must not think that any of our sinnes do hurt God or take from him any thing to empaire him For when we live in his obedience we give him occasion to exercise his holinesse in our sanctification his goodnesse in our conservation his bounty in donation of all good to us But if we transgresse he exerciseth his wisedome in his detection of us his holinesse in abhorring of us his justice in punishing of us So that the going out of our way which he hath set us in his Law is the hinderance of our owne journey and the danger of our own souls and bodies It is our great blindnesse of judgement and hardnesse of heart that we should delight in sinne against the Law of God The Law of God is an undefiled law The Law is holy and the commandment holy just and good This was ordained of God to be a bridle to restraine sinne yet our corruption hath made it a spurre to provoke and put on sinne So the Apostle found it For sinne that it might appeare sinne working death in us by that which is good that sinne by the commandment might be exceeding sinfull For corrupt nature is impatient of restraint and no fruit seemes so faire to the eye or taste so sweet to the palate as the forbidden fruit doth Every man above all things in the world affecteth his own will and desireth libertie to do what seemeth good in his own eyes The Law doth restrain us of this and it is 1. Holy in directing us a way wherein we may wâ—lk in all pleasing to God 2. Iust in declaring the danger of going astray from it 3. Good in rewarding our obedience for godlinesse hath the promises of this life c. David hath professed great love to this Law great delight in it all his Psalmes over He hath confessed great benefits received from it yet here he confesseth transgression and iniquitie and sinne he hath not kept this Law and hath sinned against God Now we see in this example how heavy sinne is when the conscience groweth sensible of it Nothing so pleasant as our sinne for the time but Citò praeterit quod delectat It soone passes away which delighteth now David gronesunder the burthen of it he hath the whole weight of the law upon him for it and he hath found that he hath walked contrary to God We have great use of this recollection of ourselues 1. We have need of God every moment for his help and comfort and counsell So long as our sinnes are upon our conscience unrepented unpardoned we cannot pray to God for any favour 2. We cannot give thanks as our prayers are turned into sinne if we regard wickednesse in our hearts for God heareth not sinners 1.
it self will prove the burthen of the conscience the feare of a deadly blow the trembling of our hearts the shame of our faces the disquieting of the whole man This sheweth us what a body of sinne we beare about us for as the proverbe is Wickednesse proceedeth from the wicked this calleth the heart uncleane and the conscience defiled Cease therefore to do evill and learne to do well This is the way of life to escape the paths of death Evils are a shamed of themselves and Sathan dare not be so open in his temptations as to tender them to us bare-faced but he putteth either some matter of vertue upon them to hide them out of sight or some pretence of great pleasure or profit to sweeten them that they may go down with us without distaste Let us but take so much leasure as to take off this disguise and behold evill in it own proper colours and we shall see such a loathed deformitie we shall feele such an abhorred complection of stench and commistion of filthinesse as will discourage us from it We shall discerne danger in the touch of it and death in the committing of it Libera nos à malo Deliver us from evill 4 The particularity This sinne Here Davids repentance doth come home to his present disease this great exemplarie teeming and pregnant this parturient sinne which brought forth so many so horrible sinnes Lust when it conceiveth bringeth forth sinne Lust was Davids sinne see the present issue and encrease of it it broughtforth adultery Two bodies defiled Matrimony Gods ordinance polluted Gods good creatures abused to drunkennesse Joab corrupted Uriah murthered This sinne cherished veiled with a marriage and for ten moneths unrepented I have done this evill all this beside all the other sinnes of my life I have added this also No doubt but he did consider this sinne also in the punishment of it 1 With vexation in his conscience 2 With shame in the world 3 With the griefe of the Church 4 With the joy of Gods enemies 5 With the anger of God 6 With the chiding of Nathan 7 With the death of the childe 8 With a continuall incumbent punishment in his own house Non discedet gladius c. The sword shall not depart c. Before he craved mercy against his transgressions and iniquitie and sinnes Now he comes to this eminent and notorious sinne I have done evill this evill Which teacheth us when we come to repaire the decayes of our spirituall man by repentance to have speciall care of those particular sinnes which have especially corrupted us and provoked God against us A generall peccavi iniquè egi I have sinned and done wickedly will not serve without we come to this evill As the people of Israel did when the Lord affrighted them with thunder and raine in their wheat-harvest they confessed and said to Samuel Pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God that we dye not for we have added unto all our sinnes this evill in asking us a King We say of some man he is a very true hearted honest man but he will sometimes over-drink or he will sometimes sweare in his passion or he will over-shoot himself in his anger or he is somewhat covetous or prodigall or wanton c. Let every man so account with God for his sinnes as to confesse with griefe shame and fear this evill to which either some corruption of nature or some continuance of custome or some temptation of pleasure profit or some present occasion for want of grace by some sudden surprize hath prevailed with him to give him a fall Opportunitie doth often tempt and prevaile against a great measure of knowledge and grace and God sometimes leaveth us to our selves to try our strength how we can resist Sathan If we prove too weake for him and that he do over-beare us we have no remedie but this particular repentance All sinnes foule us therefore David prayeth to be washed some sinnes steine us and an ordinarie washing will not cleare us therefore he prayeth Wash me throughly and make me cleane It is our wisedome to discerne this difference of our sinnes and consider which be dyed in crimsin which in scarlet and to bring them to the washing especially So shall we be purged from our great offence Here is Noahs drunkennesse and Lots drunkennesse and incest Pauls persecution of the Church Peters denyall of his Master In multis offendimus omnes in many things we sinne all But if we survey our consciences carefully and inquisitively we shall finde this evill some especiall sinne that we have either much accustomed our selves to or that we have once committed overtaken with some sudden strong temptation which we may call this evill How evill this evill tasted in the end we see his appetite desired it before as a chiefe pleasure and now it is become his griefe and greatest paine He was very warie after of falling into this sinne Yet another temptation put him into new sinne of numbring his people when he had done this evill also he fell to this remedy of particular repentance And David said unto God I have sinned greatly because I have done this thing but now I beseech thee do away the iniquity of thy servant for I have done very foolishly He that hath many of these grosse and high-growne sinnes blasphemies prophanations of the Lords-day adulterie drunkennesse c. to account for is in heavy case If one at once smart so shâ—rply and weigh so heavily what will many do Aperiantur ut operiantur sanemus ut sanemus Let them be shewn that they may becovered let us reveal them that we may heal them 5 The daring of this sinne In thy sight He had conveied this sinne as closely and warily as he could God took notice of that also Thou diddest it secretly Bathsheba was secretly sent for and entised and defiled Vriah dyed in a just warre But now David seeeth that all this was done in the sight of God he seeth what the hand doth and what heart setteth it awork David could not be ignorant of this but we willingly embrace temptations to evill which we can keep out of the worlds eye The searching eye of God cannot be benighted it is over all the world and discerneth both good and evill Will any man steale whilest the owner looketh on Dare any man trespasse a King when his eye is upon him A king sitting on the throne of judgement driveth away all evill with his eye He was a foole that said in his heart Non est Deus there is no God he saith so that denyeth him a sight of all things There is no power like the power of God there is no strength to execute power like the strength of God There is no fire so hot as the fire of his furie There is no threatning so surely accomplished as his menaces Yet when we are afraid of every eye of man in our secret sinnes we dare
foule shame In the Apostles time it was a modest sinne he saith They that are drunke are drunke in the night Now day and night are both guilty of it it is a sinne in fashion meetings of purpose called and intended for it The farewels of friends parting the welcomes of friends returning the celebration of great Festivals as if Bacchus had washt us in the bloud of the grape from our sinnes But God will be justified in his sayings he will declare his justice in his severe punishment of this sinne here and if it be not sincerely repented he hath told us home what he will do No drunkard shall enter into the kingdome of heaven I should lay your sinne to my own charge if I should not let you know the terrour of the Lord in this case The defence of it by the societie of sinners aggravateth the sinne God hateth it so much the more Malum quo communius Sinne the more common the worse 2 He declareth his justice in the performance of his mercie to his elect For even in these examples in my text alledged 1 To Adam he shewed mercy who sinned having onely a Law for his obedience with a penalty threatned in case of disobedience but there was no promise a foot if he should trespasse that Commandment And that made Adam when he had sinned hide himself from the presence of God ashamed and afraid to come in sight But God in free favour did seek him out and before he called him to his answer for his sinne he reveiled mercie in the promised seed When he laid his curse upon the Serpent that tempted him and therefore ever since his time sinners have a way of grace opened in that promise and no sinnes if sorrowed for can evacuate the force of that promise it standeth good to all that truly and sincerely repent So as David saith In judgement he remembreth mercie There he did so in the very sentence of judgement upon the Serpent was the first revelation of mercie to man He had no Obligation of a former promise to binde him to it but it was a free and voluntarie tender of favour growing out of his own perfect and absolute goodnesse In the tender whereof he hath given us strong assurance that if in free favour he would do so much much rather when he had put us in securitie thereof by promise 2 The example of favour to Noah doth justifie God in his sayings for he shewed him much favour after his fatherly correction of his fault 1 In verifying his blessing upon his two sonnes Sem of whom Abraham came and the twelve Patriarches and David and Christ Iesus And to whose tents in the fulnesse of time he invited Japhet and brought in the fulnesse of the Gentiles 2 In accomplishing his curse upon his yongest sonne many yeares after by giving away their Land from them and rooting them out with a violent destruction This performed upon the repentance of Noah which thought it be not in expresse and full termes set forth in the storie yet we may take it so signified when Moses saith And Noah awoke from his wine that is not onely recovered after sleep to sober judgement but to a penitent recognition of his sinne And by the spirit of prophecie he was enlightned to looke into times to come and to foresee the future estate of his posteritie and by the spirit of supplication to desire God for his eldest sonne and by the spirit of faith to beleeve in the resolved goodnesse of God to his second sonne And in all the story of holy Scripture we finde that the sinnes of repentant men though chastened with some temporall roddes of affliction yet never failing of mercie Davids children that transgressed were threatned with the roddes of men but with reservation of favour not to take his mercie utterly from them as from Saul 2 We shall now see how David did beare himself in the wise consideration of these two things 1 When he confest his sinne whereby God was justified in his threatnings of judgement He declareth his own humble patience submitting himself to the holy hand of God q. d. I confesse all my sinnes this my horrible and crying sinne that the world may see thy justice in punishing me and my patience in bearing it Stripes were ordained of purpose for the backs of fools I am one of them and I put my self under thy punishing hand He is content that as he hath made himself an example of a grievous sinner so God should declare in and upon him an example of his severe justice and so be justified in his sayings If God did forbeare all other punishments of our sinne in our own persons in our house and familie in our goods in the necessaries of life in which kindes he ordinarily avengeth himself upon offenders yet if the sinner shall but truly repent him of his sinne repentance it self is a greater punishment then all these There is more in it when it is said of Peter that he went forth and wept bitterly then in the disciples Reliquimus omnia We have left all And Saint Paul felt more smart in the thorne in his flesh and the Angell of the Lord bufferring of him then in all his dangers by Sea and Land his stripes shipwracke imprisonment When our own consciences are upon torture our souls upon the rack when we judge and take vengeance upon our selves it is judgement without mercy We ever feare we underdo Therefore the conscience of his sinne doth beare witnesse to the justice of God and he findeth no fault with his punishment Surely murmurers that repine at the punishing hand of God and think much of his judgements enflame the anger of God more by their resisting his right hand which hath found them out If they went in Davids way to take a just dimension of their sinne and did confesse it contritely to God they would be content that he should declare his justice in their punishment and they would see that he would overcome if he came to be judged Speak thy conscience when thou abusest thy drink to drunkennesse if God punish thee with thirst hast not thou well deserved it If thy meat to surfet if thy strength to wantonnesse c. 2 He sheweth faith For notwithstanding these many and this foule great sinne he beleeveth that God will be justified in his sayings that is declared just in his gracious promises of mercie The sinnes of the elect cannot outgrow the mercies of God nor our offences make his truth faile David is so full of this faith that as he spendeth part of this Psalme in a deploration of his sinnes so he bestoweth also part of it in supplications whereby he declareth his faith VERSE 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquitie and in sinne did my mother conceive me 4. HE recounteth his originall sinne the corrupt fountaine of all his impurities he makes way to it with an Ecce for now he is at the
cut saile But to stemme the tyde of nature asketh more it comes to Hic labor hoc opus est This is pains-taking with a witnesse and requireth Multa tulit fecitque even to sudavit alsit Hee suffered much and sweat endured cold and heat Me thinks I heare the Master of the Vineyard say to us Quid statis hîc otiosi Why stand you here idle How easily did God make man and a paradise for man But for his Vineyard we read of digging and fencing and building and weeding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thinke on it A fourth impediment our tendernesse of our selves Every man is his own Satan and saith parce tibi spare thy selfe No man ever hated his own flesh All the work of mortification which belongeth to the breaking of the heart is very grievous to flesh and bloud For behold this thing that ye have been godly sorrie 1 What carefulnesse it hath wrought in you 2 Yea what cleering of your selves 3 Yea what indignation 4 Yea what feare 5 What vehement desire 6 What zeale 7 What revenge Here is a great burthen to be born and here is a crosse that flesh and bloud hath no heart to take up 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 study this word doth comprehend 1 Great inward carefulnesse to please God in absteining from sin 2 Earnest endevour to doe that which may be acceptable in Gods sight 3 Speed and cheerfull expedition to accomplish this We need go no further in this duty then that care that we take for our temporali good let our soules be as precious in our sight as our bodies are and let us do as much for God as for the World So the Apostle As you have given your members servants to unrighteousnesse c. 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this signifieth defence to plead our cause with God not in the Court of justice for our merits will not justifie us but in the Court of mercy for our true Repentance will exonerate us 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sorrow of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valdè greatly and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onus We must groan under the burthen of sin for Repentance doth not satisfie of it self and our excuse and defence of our selves doth not take away our just vexation of our selves for our sins Considering 1 Who we are 2 Against whom we sin 3 How much and long 4 For how small gain 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 feare this extendeth both to 1 The judgment following our sins committed 2 The conscience of our fraile condition and propension to sin which must make us fearful of Relapses and temptations to new sins 5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vehement desire the indignation before mentioned and the feare serve to pluck us back this desire is a spur to put us on Lord all my desire is before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee Here sin beginneth at a vehement desire of evill and this must be changed the same earnestnesse reteined onely the object therof better chosen 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 zeale this is that fire from heaven which consumeth the light crash of our vanities and enflameth the desire before named this carries up our prayers and almes and all our good affections and operations as high as heaven This breedeth in us an holy emulation of our brethren whereby we strive to exceed one another in the duties of Religion The Apostle would have us servent in spirit 7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 selfe-revenge this is judging and punishing our selves that we may escape the hand of God Castâ—gâ— corpus â—ncum I chasten my body This is done by watching fasting and depriving our selves of the pleasures of sinne God who cannot endure us to revenge our owne quarrell against others likes our revenge taken against our selves The true penitent doth afflict his soule and is all bitternesse of heart for sinne he taketh up his crosse and followeth Christ This amounteth to a great deale more then Lord have mercy upon us And it is so much that when we come to examine whether our hearts be truly broken we shall very few of us finde this worke done for feare of the griefe and paine that are in true repentance For it is truth that there is no such affliction in the world as a true breaking of the heart is 5 Impediment the cares of life These breake the heart the wrong way for we have many feares which much disquieâ—us 1 From our selves lest our own improvidence should undo us if we should take so much time from our necessarie businesses as the duties of Religion do exact this makes many keepe home when they should be at Church and the world will not give them leave to serve God 2. From our brethren for every man commonly is so much for himselfe as abateth the help we should have one from another And so many lye in secret await to mend their owne heaps by lessening and impairing their neighbours that a curious warmesse is necessarie And this it is that maketh our life a continuall watch to save our owne from the injury of men of Christians There is a contentious sort of men that are ever vexing their brethren with molestation of suits There be base people that are prying what they may pilfer And there are cunning cheaters that practise upon their brethren by frauds The truth is here is enough for us all for the earth God hath given to the children of men If they that have most of it would know that their full cups should overflow to the use of their brethren and would so dispose the over-measure there could be no want God is much displeased 1. Because we generally do want the faith of his providence not caring for him onely and casting all our other cares upon him 2. Because we walk inordinately for we should first seeke the kingdome of God and then all these things 3 Because we distract our hearts with immoderate care as if God had set us here to feed our selves Christ disswadeth and forbiddeth this 4. Because often enough doth not content us we do love to have to look upon 5 Because in the use of these outward things many take more then their share wasting and consuming more then needs There may be found for use enough which waste will soone consume Christ chose a poore condition of life such as required other mens charitie to relieve it The bagge that Judas bore was not of rents but of almes he sent to a fish in the sea for money to pay tribute He fed many by his miraculous power he shewed his power upon himselfe rather in fasting then in feasting himselfe Yet having nothing his followers could confesse they wanted nothing 1 I confesse that too much love of the world and the iches thereof 2 And too many wayes for expense pride gluttonie drunkennesse ambition contention luxurie spend apace 3 But the poore do harden the hearts of the rich against them 1 By their
with great anguish and remorse that our soules grone under the heavy burthen of them These would not be foulded up in a generall confession but offered in particular and single presentation to the throne of mercy For the better satisfaction of the divine Majestie who is pleased with a broken and contrite heart as it after followeth for the better quieting of the conscience at home within us which hath no other way to exonerate itselfe but by a penitentiall and remorsefull selfe accusation and this I before taught from Davids former confession I have done this evill in thy sight as before in his confession he did particularly acknowledge this â—inne so here in his supplication for pardon he mentioneth it by name and cryes God mercy for it Some sinnes doe but hang on and these are easily shaken off but some cleave so close and sticke so fast that they aske more care and labour and paine to remove them And generally the sinnes that most please flesh and bloud doe most offend God It seemeth that David fell into the recovering of it And for some sinnes he desired onely that they might be blotted out which alludeth to the dash of a penne and soone dâ—ne But some fouled him so that they needed washing throughly Some must be washed with bysope a lather of bloud to fetch out the steines which they left in the conscience sinnes of a deepe scarlet tincture of a crimson dye There is a great difference to be put betweene our common infirmities of nature from our ordinarie temptations and some speciall sinne into which we fall by a sudden surprize of Sathan The Apostle seemeth to referre to some such sinne saying Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be prevented before he could advise wisely with the word or the spirit of God And many of us are so caught ere we were aware in sinnes which our christian and religious hearts doe abhorre Thus many that abhorre drunkennesse are sometimes in over-merry company overtaken to their great after-griefe Observe it the first example in all the Booke of God of drunkennesse was Noah whom God onely found righteous in the old world It was the first sinne that we doe reade of after the floud the world hath beene sicke of it ever since The first sinne that Lot fell into after his deliverie from Sodome in both sharpely punished for Vinegar is the daughter of Wine the end of it is sharpe In such a case when a profest sober man is so overtaken with wine when an opportunity hath corrupted any mans conscience and defiled his soule for gaine or pleasure or revenge to commit evill Let him in his suit for his pardon crave a speciall quictus est against that sinne Let him not esteeme it the lesse because he never but once committed it rather let him take dimension of the magnitude of it and the danger attending it and in especiall make his peace with God for that Here I save my selfe a labour which you reflecting your eyes upon your own hearts for disquisition and scrutiny to search if there have beene in any of you any such overtakings of sinne to seeke your peace with God for them in especiall Despise not neglect not this necessary exhortation to make use of it in time to make your peace with God for the more offensive sinnes for if you neglect them and have not the pardon of them under seale you will finde them like some ill dyet to thanke you hereafter and upbraid you Sathan knowes his seasons for it and husbands them to our greatest vexation two seasons specially I When any extraordinary trouble commeth upon us otherwise per adventure undeserved of us for some sinnes escape a present vengeance and are reserved for a future judgement as Joseyhs brethren sold him abused their father with a cunning collusion and their hearts did not once smite them for it that we reade Twenty three yeares after when the famine forced them to seeke bread in Egypt and their brother Ioseph then to them unknowne being the Vicâ—roy of Egypt received them very harsâ—ly heare the story And they said one to another we are verilâ— guilty concerning our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soule when he besought us and we would not heare therefore is this distresse come upon us Observe the brethren of Ioseph now in trouble innocent and cleare from the crime charged upon them of comming as spies yet knowing that God never punisheth but where he findeth sin their consciences accuse them of an old sinne yet owing for to God At one time God touched all their hearts with remorse of that sinne They were all in distresse pares in poena alike in punishment and therefore they remember the transgression wherein they were pares in culpa alike in fault Observe also how they frâ—me the enditement against themselves for if all the Prophets whom God did ever send to tell the house of Jacob their sinnes had laid the inditement against them if Sathan the great accuser of the Brethren â—ad put in the information against them none of them all giving their best diligence or the worst of malice could have prest or exprest their fault to a more full accusation than the voyce of their own guilty consciences enforced it against themselves for without extenuation or excuse they plead all guilty with a strong asseveration We are verily guilty not one or more but we all we not as accessaries but all principals all we guiltie The person wronged aggravateth the fault it was not concerning a stranger in bloud or nation whom yet the communion of charity did binde to entreat justly and friendly nor concerning a countryman of ours whom the law of compatriots doth bid us â—ender nor concerning an enemy whom religion commandeth to use favourably and it is the exaltation of charity to requite his evill with goodnesse But concerning a brother one that called every one of them brother the sonne of the same Jacob the father of them all Would not this have served no they declare they aggravate and engrieve the trespasse 1 He was a brother in anguish enemies recover tendernesse and softnesse to enemies in anguish cruelty resumes humanity in distresse 2 Here was anguish of the soule amaritudo animae that is the soule of anguish for Ioseph had many vexations for them that wronged him who unthankefully requited his painefull and loving search for them to see how they did and what they wanted For their unnaturall unkindenesse to himselfe and their loving father who sent him to them for the danger he was in of his life death is fearefull 3 We saw it to heare of anguish any where moves compassion to heare of a brothers anguish akes an heart of flesh but to see it present and in the strength of the fit this were enough to soften an hard heart to thaw a froâ—en heart to melt an heart of brasse or iron A
he shall raigne snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest 1 Snares to hold them then if they be not delivered follow fire and brimstone and they cannot escape This is the case of a sinner if he repent not if God pardon not hee is in the snare of Sathans temptation he is in the snare of divine vengeance let him therefore cry aloud for his deliverance that he may have his feet in a large roome The wicked lay snares for the righteous but God either preventeth them that their soules ever escape them or else he subventeth them The snares are broken and we are delivered No snares hold us so fast as those of our owne sinnes they keepe downe our heads and stoope us that wee cannot looke up a very little ease they are to him that hath not a seared conscience 2 A quo petit from whom he askes Christ directeth us to say Pater noster qui es in coelis Our Father which art in heaven libera nos à malo deliver us from evill David directeth his prayer to God the God of his salvation This prayer is like to speed 1 Oratio plana an open prayer It is confession and prayer for in that he prayeth to be delivered from bloud-guiltinesse he pleadeth guilty to the evidence of bloud Confession hath a great efficacie to induce mercy prayer of great force to obtaine it Here they are in composition and they shew that the two punishments of sinne shame and feare are upon him Confession sheweth his shame prayer sheweth his feare of Gods anger and just vengeance so it is oratio plana an open prayer 2 Legitima lawfull It is an honest lawfull request his soule is Gods for he saith all soules are mine hee desireth deliverance of their soule 3 Plena full He desireth two things herein to be delivered from the sinne of bloud ne relabatur lest he relapse into it from the vengeance due to that sinne ne corruat lest he perish by it so it is oratio plena 4 Recta right Hee knowes that this is a sinne which none but God can pardon he hath not left the dispensation of pardon of this sinne to any subordinate Magistrate on earth he hath deputed under him an avenger of bloud no pardoner therefore he directeth this prayer onely to God so it is oratio recta it goes the right way as he saith I will direct my prayer to God and will looke up 5 Fidelis faithfull It is full of confidence for he calleth God to whom he addresseth himself the God of his salvation My Saviour my King my God challenging a propriety and interest in him so it is oratio fidelis 6 Fervens earnest It is full of zeale and holy earnestnesse and importunitie as appeareth in the â—ngemination here used O God he resumeth it and taketh better hold of him Thou God of my salvation 1 O God is a good invocation for hee heareth prayers 2 Yet to distinguish him from all false Gods hee is so particular as to single him from all other thou God 3 And to magnifie him and to reenforce his Petition he calleth him Deum salutis the God of Salvation which expresseth him able to deliver him for it is his nature and his love and his glory to be a preserver of men 4 And to bring home this joy and comfort into his own heart he addeth salutis meae of my salvation So it is oratio fervens and the Apostle telleth us that such a prayer prevaileth much with God For God may be a Saviour and a deliverer and yet we may escape his saving hand his right hand may skip us Wee can have no comfort in the favours of God except we can apply them at home rather we may thinke on God and be troubled I finde that in David himselfe My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Why art thou so farre from helping me and from the words of my roaring 2 O God I cry in the day time but thou hearest not and in the night season and am not silent This would never have troubled him if he had seene that all had fared alike if he had heard none complaine but it followeth Our Fathers trusted in thee they trusted in thee and thou diddest deliver them They cryed unto thee and were delivered But I am a worme and no man despised c. His enemies upbraided him he trusted in the Lord that he would deliver Let him deliver him c. But a stedfast faith laying hold on God as my salvation the decreer the worker the giver of my salvation that armeth me against all the malice of the world against all the sinnes of my soule against all the divels of hell Why art thou so sad c. Confidam in Domino ipse mihi salus I will trust in the Lord he is my salvation But here is a Quaere why David doth in particular desire to be delivered from the sinne of bloud and mentioneth not his great sinne of adultery for which hee did commit that murder That that sin was the fulnes and height of his transgression as the Apostle saith when sin is finished it bringeth forth death so that is the comprehension of the whole transgression If he be freed from that he is câ—â—ere of all When Judas made confession of his sinne hee saith no more but I have finned in betraying innocent bloud that passeth for a full confession yet he sinned in covetousnes also for so one of our Ancients saith Auaritia Christum vendidit Covetousnesse sold Christ yet because his treason was the finishing and full growth and stature of his sin that comprehendeth all the rest The word blouds here used is by Saint Augustine Saint Gregory and others interpreted according to the frequent use of Scripture to contain our whole naturall corruption In multis sanguinibus tanquam in origine peccati multa peccata intelligi voluit In many blouds as in the originall of sin hee would have understood many sins Ad peccata respiciens looking to his sinnes plus dicit he saith more Caro sanguis non possidebunt regnum Dei Flesh and bloud shall not inherit the Kingdome of God Refert ad Vriae caedem referri dicit ad omnia ejus peccata mortaâ—iâ— Hee hath reference to the murder of Uriah and saith that all his mortall sinnes are to be referred to it So Saint Gregory and after them Master Calvine Both Davids sins were sins of hot bloud First bloud enflamed with lust Secondly bloud enflamed with anger and revenge Here was the right bloud of lawfull marriage extinct by murder a propagation of illegitimate bloud added by adultery Uxor a wife became mulier ahenea a brazen-fac'd woman a shamefull and hatefull title So both sins here contained 3 The greater sin is here named for murder is a more hainous sinne then adultery Adultery defileth the body that may be thoroughly washed and made clean but
for this life no â—arther then panâ—m quotidianum our daily bread And there is enough to suffice nature in the world without any mans want And our sentence in Adam was Vesâ—â—r is paâ—e thou shalt eate thy bread c. The sonne of Iakeâ— Give me not riches feed me with food convenient for mâ— This limitation may destroy in us all these corruptions of distrust of covetousnesse of pride of envie For that feare which undoeth charitie lest God should abate from us to supply the want of others we have great examples oâ— his â—ulnesse The poore widow payed her debt with oyle she was relieved and no body the worse for it Christ payed his tribute and no body had the lesse he sent to sea to a fish and had it He improved a short provision â—o the suffisance of many We need not feare to pray one for another God is rich to all that call upon him 2 Secondly we are here taught to pray God for the state of his Church she is our mother let us seeke her peace Here we were new borne of water and the holy Ghost At her breasts we sucke the sincere milke of the Word of God she feedeth us with strong meat and feasteth us with the body and bloud of our Redeemer We have great cause to ply God with our devoutest supplications and to give him no rest for his Church for his Lillie is ever among thornes And his Church complaineth Circâ—ndederunt me tanquam apes They have compassed me about like Bees Strepitus a noyse and stimulus a sting We see the bow of God bent against our brethren in other Lands we see the enemie prevaile and insult What are we or how have we setled the favour of God upon us that we should be spared in the day of his wrath or that a Passeover of mercie should skip our Cities and townes and houses We may in the inventorie of our sinnes reade our danger better then we can discerne an issue out of it in the course that we runne Let our prayers comfort the sorrows of the Church and establish our comfort And let our teares runne downe like a river day and night and let not the apple of our eye cease Let us poure forth our hearts like water before the face of the Lord and lift up our hands towards him for his favour to his poore distressed Church God seeth the corne yellow and ready for the sickle the day of the Lord is at hand it was hor a novissima the last houre in Saint Johns time now the last minute of that houâ—e approacheth he is comming to judge the world in righteousnesse And judgement beginneth at his owne house Turne thou us unto thee O Lord and we shall be turned renew our dayes as of old 3 The petition Do good Do good O Lord to the good and to them that are upright in their hearts Deale favourablie or bounteously Benignefac Do good Lâ—rgam benedictionem impende Bestow a great blessing Which may be done 1 Peccata diâ—â—ttendâ— by forgiving of sinnes 2 Graciam conferendo by giving of grace And this is the summe of Davids whole supplication for himselfe he knows that all the members of the Church have need of this favour The petition in the letter hath respect to Sion and Ierusalem and desireth the bountie of God to them For God hath promised to receive an house there builded to his name and to establish his holy Arke there the visible Sacrament of his reall presence This was also after performed and not onely the outward peace and strength and plentie and honour of Ierusalem is here desired but the establishing also of the holy worship of God and the seats of justice as after This is good for Ierusalem for any state when Religion and justice are cherished But this is not all he looketh prophetically into the state of the universall Church to the worlds end and prayeth for the welfare of it That God would do it good that he would be favourable to it in his bountie It is a short prayer Subita ejaculatio a sudden ejaculation but it is full of content for it may comprehend summam petendorum the summe of thing to be prayed for It is the Lord prayer in little for wherein may we desire or God shew us favour which may not be comprehended in this petition Do good Every good and perfect gift cometh from this Father of lights to whom David saith Thou art good and thou doest good This request of David Benefac do good doth begge the favour of God to Ierusalem For it is not peace nor strength nor plentie nor honour nor victory over enemies that can make a state happy except God be pleased to turne all these in bonum to good Therefore they have fared better that have fed on green herbs then they that have had their share of a stalled oxe Daniel thrived better of his pulse then others â—ed from the Kings trencher Riches have beene given to the owners of them for hurt The prosperitie of fooles destroyeth them Many carefull parents gather wealth for their children which proves their ruine therefore our prayer in all things must be Benefac c. Do good For neither prosperity shall corrupt our faith nor adversitie our patience If God do us good we shall finde as David Bonum est mihime affâ—igi It is good for me to be afflicted 4 The limitation of the petition In thy good pleasure We must take â—eed in all ouâ— suits to God that we submit our selves to the holy will of God And that we confine our desires to his good pleasure Not like unto Israel who turned backe and tempted God and limited the holy One of Israel God is many wayes limited by us in our petitions 1 If we â—â—â—â— his power by our infidelitie doubting whether he can performe to us what we desire As Israel Can God furnish a table in the wildernesse They remembred â—â—â— his hand 2 If we limit his goodnesse and mercy doubting whether he will do us good which is a great wrong to him from us after our full experience of his loving kindnesse to David was perplexed Hath God forgotten to be gracious â—â— his mercy cleane gone for evermore But he recovered and calleth this his own infirmity and remembred the yeares of Gods right hand 3 For the kinde of favour we may limit God if we hold him to this speciall favour and leave him not to his owne wisedome to do us good in what kinde he pleaseth The Lord hath copiosam redemptionem plentifull redemption and he will either give quod petimus what we aske or quod novit utilius what he knows to be more profitable Christ Take this cup from me but with reservation of the libertie of his Father Si vis If thou wilt 4 For the quantity of favour we limit God when we appoint him in what measure he shal relieve uâ— and how much good he