doeth not now The humilitie of a penitent thinks not his name worth to be named as at other times expresse his name as when hee said Lord remember Dauid c. neither takes hee here to himselfe the name of Gods seruant as customably he doth in other places but concealeth his name ashamed of himselfe not vnlike that forlorne child I haue sinned against heauen and against Luke 15. thee and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne According to thy louing kindnesse Dauid depends on Gods mercy not on his owne merit We haue heard Dauid his petition in generall Now the reason whereby he will moue the Lord to grant it is not from any merit in himselfe hee vtterly disclaimes that but only from God his louing kindnesse and commiseration vpon these two doth hee now fasten his gripes and by the meditation of them hee conceiues some hope of fauour in the Lord euen when in himselfe hee had receiued a condemnatorie sentence of death by reason of his sinne Two things are requisite in The two eyes of a penitent sinner and what losse it is to want either of them a sinner that would haue mercie first an eye to know his sinnes that being ashamed of himselfe he may resolue there can be no life for him if he rest in himselfe And next an eye to see Gods mercie many haue not the first therefore thinke that either without a Sacrifice or with a small sacrifice God will bee pleased they cannot mourne for sinne esteeming their sinnes so small that they neede no great mourning Others againe haue not the other eye whereby to see Gods mercie in Christ they see their own sinne but see not God his mercie and therefore are carried either to a temporall desperation which may befal the godly that for a time they seeme to themselues vtterly vndone or then to a finall us all the reprobates doe examples wherof wee haue in Cain Saul and Iudas from whose miserable condition the Lord preserue vs. Now Dauid finding nothing Two things in God Dauid grounds vpon in himselfe to comfort him when he lookes vp to God hee sees two things as I said that sustaine him first the kindnesse 1 His benignitie or kindnesse this is either generall of God next the manifold compassions of God the word expressing his kindnesse is Chesed the benignitie of God and this is either general wher by hee loues his creatures conseruing them as he made them and delights to doe good vnto them in so farre as they are the works of his hands Thou Lord Math. 5. 45 sauest man and beast he makes his Sunne to arise on the euill and the good and sendeth raine on the iust and vniust And this howsoeuer it rendred some comfort yet could it not giue full comfort to DAVID considering that sinne the poison of the Serpent in him made him iustly Or speciall abhominable to God And therefore hee casts his eye further vnto that speciall benignitie of God which in effect is his mercie whereby hee loues his owne in Christ redeemes them from their sinnes and saues them by his grace when they haue lost themselues by their iniquitie And this is euident by the other word immediatly he adioynes The speciall is in effect Gods mercy and tender compassion of God his compassion which is the other ground whereupon the faith of Dauid reposed for the word Racham signifies to loue from the verie bowells and inward affection being deduced from the name Rêchêm which signifies the What great comfort wee haue into it wombe or matrice that with most kindly and tender affection compasse and nourish the Infant within it suppose it cannot bee thankefull for the present nor doe the duetie wherein it is bound but rather be offensiue to the mother that carries it Dauid knew that the like tender affection was in God toward his owne poore children yea and much more greater then the heauēs are higher 〈…〉 from the earth so farre are the thoughts of God his loue and compassion aboue all that can bee in vs it is possible the mother may forget the birth of her wombe but the LORD cannot forget them who are his Therefore doth he not only Compassiōs in the plurall number are ascribed to God ascribe vnto God compassions but great cōpassions or a multitude of them so he speakes for two causes first because where God shewes mercies he 1 Because where he shewes mercie he shews many mercies together shewes many mercies together a heape and a verie masse of mercies The royall heart of Alexander thought it not honorable for him to giue a small thing what then shall we think of our God The ods is so great that there can bee no comparison But sure where hee giues any of his chief blessings there hee giues such a treasure forth of his infinite riches of mercie as we are not able to speake of Yet for our comfort in our Sixe ranks of mercie meditation his mercies shewed vnto vs since wee could 1 Preuenting mercie know what mercie was wee may reduce them to six rankes the first I call preuenting mercies whereby the Lord did vs good when wee knew him not and kept vs from many sinnes which otherwaies wee would haue committed O quanta dignatio Bern. de Euang 7. Panum Ser. 1. pietatis quod ingratum sic gratia conseruabat Many sinnes haue we done against him but farre moe should we haue done if his mercie had not preuented vs Agnosce ergo gratiam eius cui debes etiam quod non admisisti Augu. Mihi debet iste quod factum est dimissum vidisti mihi debes tu quod non fecisti Acknowledge therefore Gods mercie toward thee euen in these sinnes which thou hast not done If thou seest one who is debitor to mee for a sin which hee did and I forgaue him vnderstand also that thou art debitor to me for keeping thee that thou didst not the like for there is no sinne which any man hath done but an other man would doe the like if God by grace did not preserue him from it The second ranke hath in it his sparing mercies or the mercies Sparing mercies of his patience though we haue beene kept from the doing of many sinnes yet haue we done enough to condemne vs. There is an other sort of mercie Peccabam tu dissimulabas non continebam a sceleribus tu a verberibus abstinebas I sinned and thou heldst thy tongue I transgressed thou sparedst and killedst mee not when wee looke to Zimri and Cosbi slaine in the act of harlotrie to Ananias and Saphira striken to death in their sinne what shall wee say but it is a great mercie of God that hitherto wee haue not beene taken away in the middest of our sinnes In the third ranke wee place his pardoning mercies for a 3 Pardoning mercies man may thinke what
benefit is it to mee to bee long spared seeing at the last iudgment will come quo diutius expectat eo districtius iudicabit but this fear is taken away from the godly by God his pardoning mercies he forgiues their sins in Christ he will neuer impute their iniquitie vnto them but taketh them vtterly away Peccatum non imputatum est quasi nunquam fuerit commissum But with these is also giuen 4 Renewing mercies vs the fourth sort that is his renewing mercies There are many quorum infructuosa est poenitentia who repent of their sinnes but are not renewed by amendment of life in whom nouissimus error peior est priori their returning like Dogges to their vomit is worse then their first transgression but the Lord when hee giues to his owne children the grace of remissiō doth also giue with it the grace of renouation whereby hee makes them new creatures abounding in the fruits of righteousnesse to Gods glorie the edification of their brethren and the comfort of their owne consciences in Christ And yet all these were nothing if it were not that the fift 5. Corroborating and continuing mercie ranke of mercies were also heaped vpon vs which I call continuing mercies whereby wee perseuer in that estate of grace whereunto we are once called Adam in his best estate of innocencie continued not would wee stand in grace if perseuerance which hee wanted were not communicated vnto vs. As mercie brought vs to this state of grace so it is by mercie also that we are kept in it And the last ranke is of Gods crowning mercies whereby he 6. Crowning mercies shall perfect his owne worke finish that which hee hath begunne in vs hee shall performe to vs his promised Kingdome feare of euill shall be farre from vs in that Paradise no tempter shall bee to snare vs mercie shall compasse vs no good shall be lacking to vs the Lord shall bee all in all vnto vs and from that blessed fellowship and cōmunion with him shall wee neuer be diuided againe And as this way Gods mercies Compassions in the plurall number are ascribed to God because the proofe and practise of them is manifold are manifold so likewise are the prayses of them in respect of innumerable persons on whom they haue beene declared for miserationes Dei sunt opera processus misericordiae eius and so his meditation is O Lord thou hast shewed compassion to many a penitent sinner since the beginning of the world thou neuer reiectedst any that sought thee with a penitent heart for number they cannot bee told to whom thou hast beene mercifull quot enim iusti tot miserationes let them al be gathered that are in heauen and earth if it be demanded of them how is it they haue been saued they will all answere Not vnto vs O Lord but vnto thy name be the praise And therefore seeing thou O Lord art the same And no shadow of change is with thee I beseech thee close not that dore of mercie on me which hath opened to receiue so many sinners before me and these Riuers of cōpassion which haue flowed so abundantly toward others let them not bee dryed vp to mee This earnestnesse of Dauids Feeling of our wants make earnest Prayer praier flowes from the feeling of his great sinnes he knew his sinnes were great and therfore craues he great mercies magna siquidem vulnera paribus indigēt Basil Pharmacis yea that in this one transgression manifold sinnes were included and that therefore hee needed not one but a multitude of diuine commiserations Vniuer sam in se Dei gratiam effundi totum miserationum fontem in peccati sui vlcera euacuari orat But how soeuer the mercies The mercies of God are plentifull yet not extended to all and why of God bee plentifull yet are they not extended vnto all they are free indeede I haue mercie saith the Lord on whom I will haue mercie but so that if there be any man to whō they flow not he may alwaies finde the cause in himself in his hard heart that cannot repent it holds true in all the reprobate which the Apostle speakes of the rebellious Iewes Yee put it from you meaning the word of the Gospell wherein mercie and grace is offered and iudge your selues vnworthie of euerlasting life therefore that mercie which is here craued by Dauid Act. 13. 46. by a most fearefull decree was denied vnto them God gaue that people a name Lo-Ruchamah I will no more haue pitie Hos 1. 6. on them whereupon followed another name expressing their Such as will not be Gods people shall not find Gods mercy miserie after that once God for their sins had cast them away Lo-Ammi that is to say they are not my people and I will not bee theirs No tongue can expresse the miserie of that man who for his proud continuance in sinne and contempt of grace offered vnto him receiues most iustly from the Lord that decree of Lo-Ruchamah I will haue no mercie on him where the Fountayne is stopped the Springs of necessitie must drie vp where mercie is denied all good things flowing from it must decay This will be the cursed condition of the damned All fat and excellent Reuel 18. 14. things shall depart from them from which the Lord deliuer vs. Put away mine iniquities Hitherto Dauid enters to his particular petitions we haue heard Dauid his generall petition for mercie now followes his three particular petitiōs expressing what mercie it is hee craued as wee shewed in the beginning of the Verse His first particular petition Whereof the first is a petition for the remission of his sinnes is for forgiuenesse of his sinne the fact was past but the gilt remained the pleasure of it was soone done but the terror of it still vexed him all the comfort of his Kingdome could not make him merry the torment of an accusing conscience for sin was more strong to deiect him then all the pleasures of Canaan were to sustaine him yea it is most sure that externall comforts are so far from comforting a troubled conscience that by the contrarie they encrease the trouble thereof and the more worldly comforts be presented the greater is the heauinesse of that soule which is afflicted for sinne and therefore now when hee comes to The griefe of sinne can not be asswaged by any worldly comfort the point hee tels where his sore was what grieued him most iniquitie iniquitie hee cryes out for this in the 32. Psalme Blessed is the man whose wickednesse is forgiuen whose sinne is couered and to whom the Lord imputes not iniquitie As if he would say hee that hath not this hath no blessing all comforts without this are comfortlesse Where wee haue to take vp What a fear full euill sinne is what a cursed and miserable thing sinne is a sparkle of fire come from hell that burnes vp all
the world is but like that knowledge of sinne which Dauid had in time of his security they confesse they are sinners they know that blasphemy drunkennesse fornication and such like are sinnes but their conscience being sleeping they walke still on in their sinnes and thinkes it is Christianity good enough if euery morning they say God be merciful to mee for I am a poore sinner but alas poore art thou indeed and pittifully deceiued this knowledge will but make thee inexcusable because in thy words confessing and condemning sinne in thy workes thou practisest it but there is an other knowledge of sin which the Lord shall once discouer vnto thee either in mercy for thy amendment as hee doth heere to Dauid or in wrath as he did to Iudas Pray vnto the Lord that this knowledge of sinne may be giuen you in his mercy for your conuersion and not in his wrath for your consusion And my sinne is euer before me What meanes Dauid by How sinne lookes not alway with one face this was not sinne before him ere now It was indeede ere he committed it it stood before alluring him and hee liked it and sought occasion to commit it when he had committed it was before him also But it looked with so ill fauoured a face that hee sought to hide it and now when his conscience is wakened it stood before him directly to accuse him and it troubles him so that hee would faine be quit of the sight therof Oh that men could consider this in time how sinne will change her countenance before the action sinne comes like a laughing enemy purposing to slay but in flattering manner pretending friendship In the action like sweet poyson deadly and yet delights the sense but after the action a stinging Scorpion leauing no other fruit behinde it but guiltinesse in the conscience terror in the minde anguish in the spirit Si cupis peccati cognoscere Chrys in Ioan. 8. hom 51. turpitudinem commissum considera cum liber non amplius eius perturbaris affectibus If men could thinke of this in time they would not bee much moued with the beautifull face of sinne at the first comming to them because it is certaine that sinne which at the first is before a man to tempt him and will not let him to rest till he doe it that same sinne at the next time shal stand before him to torment him and not let him rest because hee hath doe it And this he further amplifies The action of sinne is momentarie the effects of it remaines when he saies it is euer before him both night and day sleeping and waking go where I will it goes with mee no change of place changes my trouble Sine intermissione video Basil malorum meorum imagines and it is so before me that it is against mee Semper coram me Saua opponens se mihi ne ad te transeat oratio mea Sinne is soone committed in a moment passeth the pleasure of it but the gilt and terror is not so soone done Paruum est ad horam peccatum Cyrill Catechis 12. longaeua autem est ex eo aeterna verecundia That for which a man sinnes shall not abide with him try when yee will yee shall finde it so wilt thou slay Naboth for his Vineycard thou must go from it wilt thou incurre the curse with Achan for a wedge of gold thou shalt not keepe it the curse bides with thee the gilt of sinne remaines but that for which thou didst sin shall bee taken from thee and thou from it The remembrance of this were a singular preseruatiue against sinne It is an opinion of carnall men blinded with the deceit of sinne that when sinne is committed Sin is not alwaies done when it is ended as the foolish thinke they thinke it done and away and so casts it behinde their backe as a thing neuer any more to be remembred but truth shall teach them by experience when they are iudged that it is before them It is now nine moneths since Dauid sinned yet he finds his sinne before him the cruelty of Iacobs sonnes against their brother Ioseph which they committed in Canaan mette them twenty yeeres after that in Aegypt though for a long time they beleeued it had been done and forgotten No No length of time takes away sinne without repentance length of time can we are sinne away if it be not taken away by repentance the sinnes wee haue done many yeeres since if we mourne not for them till we get mercy shall stand vp as fresh and young against vs when we come to bee iudged as they were the first houre that we committed them The Lord make vs wise to thinke vpon it our selues waxe old our bodies are declyning to the graue our yeeres are neere an end and will wee take no paines to weare away our sins to make them as if they had neuer beene or shall wee let them stand in their strength and vigour against vs this were a pittifull folly which will not faile to trouble vs at the last happy are they who are iudged in this world that they be not condemned in the world to come Further we note heere the The folly of sinners they redeeme a perishing pleasure with an enduring paine folly of sinners and iust manner of the Lords dealing with them their folly is heere that that they redeeme a perishing pleasure with an enduring paine Gods iustice is here that he punisheth the wicked with their owne sinfull deedes and lets them eat the fruit of their owne labours This he threatneth by Ezechiel I shall turne your waies vpon your owne heads and truely it were a punishment greater then men are able to beare if the Lord should set their iniquities before them and let them see them as they are Let wicked Psalm 50. men consider this that while they are multiplying sinnes they are but pletting coardes wherewith they shall be whipped the next day with their owne hands they are heaping vp wrath to themselues No place of complaining against the Lords iustice shall bee left Rom. 2. vnto them when they shall clearely see it is their owne iniquitie that vexeth and torments them But now seeing Nathan the Remembrance of sinne remaines after remission in the godly and why Prophet had proclaimed to Dauid the remission of his sin how is it that yet it is before him I answere in his deerest children after remission of sin he will haue the remembrance of sinne to remaine First to keepe them in minde of God his great mercie who slewe them not in their sinnes as hee hath done many that so hee may make them the more thankfull Vt gratior sit misericordia dei vt sentias quid tibi Chrysost concesserit Si enim semper memor fuer is cumuli peccatorum tuorum eris etiam memor magnitudinis beneficentiae dei Next the memorie of sinne past serues
wayes There are many profane men in the world who think it not enough to commit sinne with greedinesse but will boast of their sinnes when they haue done them teaching and alluring others to commit the like iniquitie these are but like vnto These are like beasts dogges and other such brutish beasts who when they haue auoyded their dongue turne about their face vnto it delighting in the scent therof and yet blinded man will glorie in such a beastlie quality But what are these wayes Some wayes of God are vnsearcheable these a man should not learne Leuit. of God which Dauid sayth hee wil teach Som of Gods waies are vnsearchable of these wee should beware neyther to teach nor learne that which God first hath not taught vs. But there are other of his wayes which hee hath manifested as the way of iudgement whereby he walkes stubbornly against them that walke stubbornly against him going farre from them that depart from him and the way of mercie wherin he shewes himselfe vpright Psal 18. But the way of iudgement and mercy we should both teach it to others and learn it our selues with the vpright man comes neere vnto them who with a humble contrite spirit draw neer vnto him These are thy wayes O Lord which I shall teach saith Dauid when I shall learne them I haue learned the way of thy iudgment I haue felt thou art terrible to sinners and that it is a fearefull thing to fall into thine hands let me also feel thy sweet mercie forgiuing my sin then shall I teach the way of thy mercy to sinners also shall let them know how gratious thou art how ready to forgiue what they must doe if they would be receiued into thy fauour All the wayes of GOD are vnknowne to men by nature The way of Gods mercy naturally is vnknown but especially the way of his mercie Nature could neuer haue dreamed of that way of mercy which God hath discouered it surpasseth all light that is in nature if God had not reuealed it man should neuer haue knowne it Experience may confirme this for we see it is an easie thing to instruct a man in the knowledge of Gods power prouidence iustice and all but to bring a sinner to the knowledge and assurance of Gods mercy is a difficult thing It is easie to preach iudgement by the Lawe not so to perswade mercy by the Gospell this is the highest and most difficult point of a Pastors calling And sinners shall be conuerted vnto thee Marke the wordes Conuersion of a sinner is Gods worke of Dauid I saith he shal teach and they shall bee conuerted When the conuersion of a sinner is ascribed to man we must vnderstand hee is not the worker but the instrument of it He shall not want his owne recompence For they who conuert many to righteousnesse shall shine like the starres in the Firmament But the glory of the conuersion is proper to the Lord men may plant and water but God giues the increase Paul preached at Philippi but God opened the heart of Lydia Peter preached to Cornelius and his kinsmen but the Holy Ghost brought downe the vnction which made them Christians Repentance is a worke full of miracles it makes the dead to rise the blinde to see the dumb to speake and who can worke these but the Lord Vera Sanitas Macar hom 44. Repentance a worke full of miracles à Domino solo proficiscitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As one sheep cannot heale another but their health commeth from their shepheard so the true health of our soules cometh from the great Pastor and Shepheard of Israel Qui Leones mansuefecit igni vim adurendi ademit c. Hee that tamed the Lions restrained the fire from burning hee it is that must tame our wilde affections and moderate the fire of our desires Let Preachers when they goe to any such worke require the helping hand of the Lord to work with them and let people answer and pray with Ieremie Conuert vs Lord and we shal be conuerted As sinne averts man from God so it peruerts him repentance An vnpenitent sinner is a peruers and monstrous creature and how by the contrary turnes a man to God againe and rectifieth all that is in him An vnpenitent sinner is a peruerted or monstrous creature for in him that part is vndermost which should be aboue The soule that came from heauen cleaueth to the dust by his body which was made of the earth he can looke vp to heauen but in regard of his soule he is but earthly minded Againe hee hath his face where his back should be and by the contrary the world which should be behinde him is euer before him the price of the high calling of God euen the riches of that glorious inheritance which should bee before him he casteth it behinde his backe and hath no thought of it And where a wise man hath alway his heart at his right hand Eccles 10. That is set vpon best and most necessary things this foole by the contrary hath his heart at his left hand busie about vaine vnprofitable things neglecting that one thing which onely is needfull And lastly hee hath that without which should be within for he should be more beautifull within then without But the best sight ye will see in him is that which is outmost there hee lookes like a painted sepulchre but within is full of rottennesse So confused a creature is miserable man in his sinnes all is disordered in him he is Tartarus a little hell on earth a terror to himselfe a trouble vnto others euer vexed with restlesse and fruitlesse perturbations But from this time by the But by grace he is rectified and renewed grace of repentance hee conuerteth turneth to the Lord his God then a comfortable change and comely order is wrought in him then the body becomes subiect vnto the soule then the affections begin to follow reason and order restored makes him a quiet and peaceable heart by the which he begins his heauen vpon earth VERSE 14. Deliuer mee from blood O God of my saluation and my tongue shall sing ioyfully of thy righteousnesse IN the middest of Dauid can not satisfie himselfe in seeking mercie for his sinnes his promises wee see how he interlaces a new petition for mercie for still he found his conscience pressed with the greatnesse of his sinne and therefore so oft as hee feeles it so oft cals hee for mercy sin is soone committed as I said but the gilt the terror and the secret accusing voice therof not so easily discharged And that now hee discends A generall confession of sinne is not sufficient in particular it is to teach vs that a generall confession of sin is not sufficient we must come to a particular for it may truly be said that he hates no sinne who hates not one aboue the rest the
falles most fearfully this should waken vs to take heede vnto that warning of the Apostle He that 1. Cor. 10. stands let him take heede that hee fall not In him let vs consider our selues shall we presume of our strength when wee see a stronger then wee ouercome Nay rather let vs feare our weaknesse and worke out our owne saluation in feare and trembling Sit lapsus maiorum tremor minorum Let the fall of Aug. the greater ones make the weaker afraid Ille hodie ego cras Bern. Hee hath sinned this day and we may sinne to morrow let others as they list drawe on sinne by examples But let vs learne it is a great point of wisdome to become wise by example of others rather then by experience in our selues Gregor moral lib. 2. thus Si maiorum casus ad humilitatem nos accingat wee shall not readily fall in the like snare of the diuell As for the sins hee commits 2. Dauids sins are adulterie murther carelesse securitie they are very heinous first Adulterie next Murther by the one thinking to couer the other And thirdly with them both he fals into no small contempt of GOD that for the space of nine monethes hee keepes close his sinne frequenting the externall sacrifices of Gods worship but not touched in his conscience with a sense or remorse for his sinne for hee was so farre from being troubled for it that when hee wrote to Ioab to expose Vriah to the sword of the enemie he willed him not to be troubled for the matter Thus wee see from one sinne he goes to another Erranti enim nullus terminus and so for any thing wee can perceiue in him had still walked on in his sinnes till hee had fallen in the bottome of hell if the Lord by grace had not recalled and recouered him There is such a fellowship Of the fellowship and combination that is among sinnes among sinfull affections they are so combined together that if we giue place to any one of them many moe perforce shal enter vpon vs they are like the seruants of a Tyrant who finding one that hath beene fugitiue from their Lord do ioyne themselues together to bring him backe againe And euery one of them helpes an other to keepe him vnder bondage hauing once subdued him Sic ope vicaria fugitiuum suum vitia Gregor moral lib. 7. retinent vbi semel amissum sub dominij sui iure recipiunt sibi vicissim ad vindictam tradunt Thus is it a great worke of Gods mercie and power when any of his Saints are deliuered from their seruitude As to the third the time 3. The time when Dauid sinned warnes vs how perillous is prosperitie when Dauid falles into these sinnes it is noted 2. Sam. 11. being at peace and quietnesse at home himselfe new arisen from his after-noones sleepe walking vpon the rooffe of his Palace he sees Bathsheba washing her selfe in the Garden and by vnsanctified looking vnto her is snared His people are fighting against Ammon himself is sleeping at home pampering his body and Bathsheha forgetting her husband in the battell falles too her pleasure and bathes her selfe and that not secretly at home but euen in prospect of the Kings palace In all the persecutions which Dauid suffered by Saul in all his troubles by Absalom he receiued not such a wound As a man the stronger the Winde bloweth holds his garmēts the faster about him whereas the beating heate of the Sunne makes him to lay them aside so Dauid vnder temptation was the more feruent in prayer the more he was troubled by men the faster did hee cleaue to the Lord his God but now being freed from trouble and liuing in prosperitie what a great aduantage doth Sathan get ouer him Sure it is a man hath neuer A man hath most cause of feare when he is least crossed more cause to feare then when he findes his estate most quiet It is a most dangerous thing to liue without some crosse or temptation that may chase a man to God As an idle man readily fals asleepe and being asleepe any Iewell he hath in his hand doth easily fall from him so carnall prosperitie casts men in carelesse securitie whereby spirituall graces are greatly weakened into them Facilior cautio vbi manifesta formido Cyprian de simplicitate praelat ad certamen animus ante praestruitur quando se aduersarius confitetur When our aduersarie shewes himselfe most plainely then is it most easie for vs to beware of him Plus metuendus est inimicus cum latenter obrepit cum per pacis imaginem fallens occultis accessibus serpit vnde etiam illi nomen serpentis But then haue wee most cause to feare him when beguiling vs by the shew and Image of peace he creeps in by secret wayes insinuating himselfe craftily to get vantage ouer vs for the which cause also the name of a Serpent is attributed vnto him The second thing to be considered Nathan visits Dauid like a whole Phisitian comming to cure a sicke Phisitian in the inscription is how Nathan comes to Dauid and raiseth him vp Astat post peccatum propheta prophetae veluti medicus medico agrotanti Here one Prophet comes vnto an other like one Phisitian visiting an other Phisitian in his disease This is the duetie of Christians since they are of one communion to edifie one another in the most holy faith to exhort one another Hee that is stronger in the faith ought to confirme the weaker and hee that stands should raise vp with the spirit of meeknesse him that hath fallen considering Euery Christian should edifie another also himselfe It was the voice of Cain am I my brothers keeper and it should bee farre from Christians That Lawe pertaines to vs all Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine Leui. 19. 17 heart but thou shalt plainely rebuke him and suffer him not to sinne for it is no loue but hatred to know thy brother in a sinne and not to rebuke him And truely it is no small blessing of GOD when among Christians such instrumentes of grace as Nathan was doe a bound who being endewed with grace from aboue are able by grace to comfort the feeble minded to strengthen the weake and to raise them vp that haue fallen Againe that Dauid hauing Man sinnes by nature but cannot rise without grace sinned riseth not till the Lord sent Nathan to raise him learns vs a lesson which should humble vs all and binde vs to acknowledge the great mercie of God toward vs he fals by him selfe he riseth not by himselfe Nine monethes lies hee as it were dead in that graue of sin till the Lord who called vpon Lazarus called vpon him also and made him come out of it It is easie for any man to fall into a pit but not so easie for him to come out of it Si stare Bern. non
potuit humana natura adhuc integra quanto minus poterit per seipsam resurgere iam corrupta as it was with him so is it with vs all perditio tua ex te ô Israel thy destruction is of thy selfe O Israel but our saluation is of the Lord and from the Lambe that sits with him vpon the throne Thirdly wee see this difference Reprobate men sinne and repent not not so the godly betweene the godly and the wicked the one falles and riseth not Iudas betrayed Christ Peter forsware him the one goes on in his sinnes and perisheth the other is renewed by repentance The difference then is not in sinne wherein wee are also as deepe as they but in this that the Lord hath had mercie vpon vs. O how are wee obliged to blesse him who hath put a difference by grace betweene vs and them where there was no difference by nature And this is to bee marked for them who haue an eye to see how Dauid sinned euen as they haue sinned and therefore account the lesse of their sinnes but haue not an eye to see that they haue repented as Dauid repented and that therefore being farre vnlike him in Repentance they can haue no comfort that hee was like them in sinne The third point of the inscription The order of singing Leuites vnder the law Leuiticall is in these words To him that excelleth A Psalme of Dauid Wherein wee see how he dedicateth this Psalme as the first fruite and testimonie of his Repentance to bee sung publikely in the Church for vnderstanding whereof wee must know how Dauid ordained some of the Leuites skilled in Musicke to praise the Lord by singing and playing vpon Instruments these were in number foure thousand who 1. Chron. 23. 5. by course serued the Lord in his Sanctuarie They were diuided in seuerall classes and ouer euery one of them some that were Masters of Musicke Precentors who in singing and playing excelled the rest such as Asaph Heman Idithun c. and to these it is that Dauid dedicateth this Psalme to bee sung publikely for the word Natseah in Piel signifieth one that is an ouerseer or president ouer others for his excellencie in strength or skill or otherwayes and so here and in other Psalmes Dauid vseth it to signifie a master of Musicke The instruments they vsed in praysing the Lord are most Two sortes of musicall Instruments vsed in the Leuiticall Law of them reckoned vp in the last Psalme all of them may be reduced to two sorts whereof the one are called Neginoth such as made a sound by touching from the word Nagan pulsauit the other called Nechiloth such as being hollow made a sound by breathing from the word Halal Sometime the musicall Instrument was premitted and the singing voice followed and then the Song was called Canticum Psalmi for Psalterium properly is a kind of musicall Instrument called of the Hebrewes Naula but is translated to signifie the Psalmes Sometime againe the Song was first sung with the voice and the musicall Instrument followed and then it is called Psalmus cantici What vpon this is to be obserued see our notes vpon the one hundred and nineteene Psalme Onely now we marke how The godly are content to shame themselues by Confession of sinne that they may giue glorie vnto God Dauid careth not to take shame to himselfe by confessing his Murther and Adultrie publikely in the Church that hee may giue glorie vnto God So is it with all Gods childrē who hath felt the terror of an accusing conscience for sinne who are grieued in themselues for displeasing the Lord and are earnestly seeking to be reconciled with God they refuse not to manifest their owne shame yea and as it were with that filthy Leper vnder the Law with his clothes rent with his head bare with a couering vpon his lips to crie out before all the world I am vncleane I am vncleane Leuit. 13. 45. that so they may get peace from God and may giue him glory by their repentance as they dishonoured him by their sinne I speake not this This is not to be vnder stood of priuate sinnes of priuate sinnes the example wherof hath not offended thy neighbour Such sinnes I rather wish to be buried as Israel with their paddles buried their filth without the Campe vnder the earth nor laied open to the eyes of others but of publike sinnes it is not our shame to confesse these for remouing of the slander but double sinne and shame to conceale them how so euer it bee currant now as an vndoubted axiome among carnall men that no man is bound to sweare to his owne shame sure wee are it is not warranted by any Diuine authoritie for so Achan might haue excused himself when Ioshua willed him by confessing of theft to giue glorie to God and so Dauid here might haue shifted himselfe from this publicke confession where the conscience is sleeping any warrant A sleeping Conscience excuseth sinne is thought sufficient to excuse a sinne and man feares not to defraude the Lord of that glorie hee should haue by confession of it but where the Lord wakens the conscience all excuses are set aside and man is glad to disburden himselfe by confessing his sinne vnto the Lord. This the Lord will haue of all flesh at the length for so hath hee sworne As I liue saith the Lord euerie tongue shall confesse to me he shall then force them to giue him glorie by confessing who now wickedly defraude him of it by concealing But happie and wise is he who doth it in time when Mercie is to be found with the LORD PSALME 51. VERSE 1. Haue mercie vpon me O God according to thy louing kindnesse according to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquitie HItherto the inscription The summe and order of this Psalme or preface of the PSALME Nowe followes the PSALME wherein Dauid first praieth for himselfe to the 18. Verse Next for the Church of GOD Verse 18. In the praier for himselfe he hath first a generall petition haue mercie on me O God Verse 1. then three particular petitions first the remission of his sinne which he expresseth by putting away washing purging to the Verse 8. Next the restitution of peace and ioy to his conscience which by his sinne he had sore empaired Verse 89. Thirdly the renouation of his Heart and Spirit within him which most fearefully hee had altered from the loue of God to the loue of iniquitie Verse 10. 11. c. This Psalme is frequently They cānot rightly vse the words of this Psalme who want Dauids disposition sung in the mouthes of many men but sure it is these words which were true when Dauid spake them are but lies when they are pronounced by many men for so they pray O Lord consider my distresse when as in very deede they had neuer such a thing as a distressed soule for sinne Is not this
a mocking of God to pray him to looke vpon that which is not in thee to pray him consider that which thou neuer consideredst thy selfe learne therefore when yee sing this Psalme of Dauid to take on so neare as yee may Dauid his disposition though yee haue not sinned as he did yet looke vnto your other sinnes and be ye humbled for them otherwaies your confession of sinnes shall be but a profession of sinne to say with Dauid against thee only haue I sinned and then either to haue no remorse for sin or no confidence in Gods mercie shall profit thee no more then the confession of Saul or Iudas I haue sinned said the one I haue sinned in betraying innocent bloud said the other their confession was somewhat like Dauids their heart no way like Dauids And it is certaine that the Lord Radicem attendit non florem Haue mercie on me What Wher Sinne persues no refuge but to mercie was Dauid his estate when hee brake out in these words yee may see out of the 32. Psalme his conscience being wakned by the ministrie of Nathan hee is so terrified with the liuely sense of his sinne and sight of that wrath which by it he had deserued that his bones were consumed and the moisture of his body turned in the drogth of Sommer In this perplexed estate the first comfort that he findes is by looking vp to the mercie of God Naturall men may maruell No external comfort can sustaine a man troubled for sinne what is this that should haue troubled Dauid so sore was he not King of Canaan his sinnes were murther and adulterie but was there any in the Land to put him to an Assize was there any to punish him what needed hee to feare But hee himselfe tells thee what ailed him the hand of God was heauie vpon him night and day the Lord had erected a Tribunall in his owne conscience and did there sit and iudge him wher no man might iudge him there the Lord conuicted him of sinne and threatned him with terrours for sure it is all the comforts of the world if thou hadst them in one cannot sustaine thee when God in thy own cōscience persecutes thee for sinne examples are Balthasar and Dauid The spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmitie but a wounded spirit who can beare it And therefore Dauid sore Dauids appellation from God to God straitned with the iudgement of God turnes him to the mercie of God hee findes no other thing whereupon to relie his faith he can get no other gripe whereby to hold him that hee fall not in the pit of desperation but this mercie O Lord in regard of thy power thou art inuincible who can resist thee who can indure the stroke of thine hand In regard of thy wisedome thou art all-seeing nothing can be hid from thee In regard of thy iustice thou art most holy canst not bee corrupted in none of these can I finde comfort the only hope of mine heart is in thy goodnesse and mercie so that now hee flees ad cōmunem peccantium Chrysost portum to the common harbor of all poore penitent sinners who are tost too and fro with the tumbling thoughts of an accusing conscience threatning more fearefull death then the raging waues of the Sea to Ionas neuer can settle nor rest til they come within the Port of God his mercie euen so here doth Dauid terrified with Gods iudgement before which hee could not stand he appeales to Gods mercie tanquam ab inferiori sede ad superiorem as the higher bench wherein the glorie of God shineth most eminently for mercie reioyses against iudgement Iam. 2. 13. When we heare that Dauid Nothing in the world to be esteemed miserie but only iniquitie and others of Gods Saints crie for mercie we must remember that this includes a humble cōfession of their miserie and what was Dauids miserie which he craues to bee cured by God his mercie hee tells you in the end of the Verse no other but the miserie of sinne Nathan 2. Sam. 12. 10. had threatned him with the sword that he should make his Sonne who came out of his bowels a scourge vnto him but Dauid counts none of these his miserie for which hee craues mercie his miserie is his iniquitie and the mercie he craues is the putting away of his iniquitie This blinde age counts bodily infirmities want of temporall things miserie but sinne they count no miserie blinder then the Egyptians of old who esteemed sheepe-heards abhominable but Idolaters not abhominable but indeede it is farre otherwaies wert thou so poore as Lazarus filled with biles in thy bodie from head to foot as Iob was yet if thou bee freed from sin thou art freed from miserie and bee the contrarie wert thou so rich as that glutton clad in purple and faring delicately euery day 〈◊〉 thou health and honor and all the comforts of the world after the desire of thine owne heart if yet thou bee in thy sinnes the end shall declare thou art a miserable creature This will be manifest at the Euen the wicked at the last shal feare finde more then death length in all the wicked that their miserie is not in sicknesse nay not in death it selfe but in an euill conscience guiltie of sinne though now they abhor nothing but death esteeme sinne but a pastime the day is cōming wherin they shal seeke death not find it saying hills and mountaines fall vpon vs and couer vs they shall be glad to be smothered to the death and to suffer the greatest miserie that can come to their bodies vpon condition they were freed from the miserie of an euill conscience which sinne hath brought vpon them But howsoeuer this miserie A comfortable meditation of Gods mercie of Dauid was exceeding great he espies in God by the eye of faith a greater mercie to cure it and therefore cries hee for mercie according to the multitude of his commiserations O Lord I know that whatsoeuer is in thee is thy selfe thy mercie is no lesse then thy selfe Cum sis misericors quid es nisi ipsa misericordia Hieron Sauanarola seeing thou art mercifull what art thou but mercie it selfe and what can mercie doe but thine owne worke canst thou denie thy selfe canst thou depart from thine owne nature what is the worke of mercie but to take away miserie here am I Lord before thee a miserable man and my greatest miserie is my sinne doe thy owne worke O Lord cure my miserie with thy mercie shew the vertue of thy mercies vpon mee abyssus abyssum inuocat abyssus miseriae inuocat abyssum misericor diae one deepe calls vpon an other the deepe of miserie calls vpon the deepe of mercie greater is the deepe of mercie then the deepe of miserie let therefore the deepe of thy mercie swallow vp the deepe of my miserie and put thou away mine iniquitie On me Dauid
the pleasures of the Paradise of a good Conscience a seede of Sathan a peece of leauen that sowreth and infecteth all it comes among turning sweetest things into bitter It is but a small thing to looke to soone done in the twinckling of an eye but hath an enduring sting and produceth manifold and great euill effects it perturbeth all being but one and spoyle man of the comfort of all God his creatures miserable men bewitched with the deceipt of sinne drunken with the present false pleasures therof cannot beleeue this it is but a pastime to them to doe wickedly but let them know it shall turne to bitternesse in the end But of this more in the third verse where hee complaines that his sinne was euer before him The word that in this petition God hath his accompt Booke wherein the debts of men that is their sinnes are Registred Dauid vseth is Machah signifiing a scraping a blotting out hee alludes as it seemes to the maner of them who haue their accompt Bookes wherein they write vp their debts whereof they purpose to haue paiment although they spare for a time wherupō Dauid sayeth I know Lord thou hast thine owne accompt Booke wherein thou writest the transgressions of them with whom thou mindest to enter in iudgement according to that The sinne of Iuda is written with a Penne of yron and Iere. 17. the point of a Diamond Let not O Lord my debt stand Registred there but of thy mercie put it and blot it out I haue done enough for my part to put my owne name out of the Booke of life and insert it in the Roll of them that must come to iudgement I know there is a standing decree in thy Booke That death is the wages of sinne If my sinne stand in thy Register I am but a dead man Lord quicken me forgiue me my trespasse and put away the Colos 2. 13. hand-writing of thy ordinance which is contrarie to me But here let vs marke how The bookes are two the booke of his Science and the booke of our Conscience it is that the Lord putteth sinne out of his two-fold Register First out of the booke of his owne science hee putteth the sinnes of his children vtterly both the gilt and the memorie of them hee putteth away so that out of his accompt booke hee scrapes our debt cleane away that it appeares not againe according to his promise I will remember their sinnes no more But out of the Register of our conscience hee putteth the gilt the accusing and tormenting power of it but abolisheth not vtterly the remembrance of it He reserues some monument of our sinnes in our memorie after that they are forgiuen partly to humble vs when wee looke backe vnto them and partly to preserue vs from committing the like in time to come And further we see how Dauid Blind are they who thinke they can make satisfaction to God for their debts acknowledgeth his debt was more then hee was able to pay and therefore disclaiming his owne sufficiencie hee appeales to Gods mercy beseeching the L. to blot it out for he had not to pay it It is a pitiful blindnesse in the aduersaries of the truth that teacheth poore people to leane vnto mans satisfactions which they must make to God for their sinnes either here or in Purgatorie how wilt thou satisfie that infifinite maiestie of God for thy manifold sinnes Ille figulus tu Ber. Scr. de quadrup debito figmentum When thou hast giuen vnto him all that thou art able either by doing or suffering Nonneistud est sicut stella ad solem gutta ad fluuium What is it but as if one should compare a Starre with the Sunne or a drop with a riuer Nemo est qui millesimae imo nec minimae parte debitorum suorum valeat respondere I see it was blindnes and so it is whatsoeuer shew of learning bee in them who maintaine it if they knew how great is the debt that man oweth vnto God they would say with Bernard There is none in the world able to answere the thousand part nay not the smallest part of that Debt which man oweth vnto God Away therefore with that blasphemous word of humaine satisfaction for except the Lord haue compassion on vs and for Mattb. 18. 27. giue the debt there remaines nothing for vs but to be pined in prison for euer And this also is to bee obserued By three words Dauid expresseth his sin to shew the greatnesse thereof how Dauid making mention of his sinne contents him not with one word but changes there sundrie words to expresse it whereof the one Pashang signifieth defection and rebellion the other Gnauah signifieth peruersuesse or crooked doing the third Chatta signifieth to erre or wander from the marke Men who do weigh sinne in the balance of consuetude can neuer knowe the weight of it they esteeme it but a light thing but godly men who weigh it in the balance of the Sanctuarie and examine it according to the rule of the word find it such a horrible euill as wherein manifold euils doe concurre VERSE 2. Wash me throughly from mine iniquitie and cleanse me from my sinne DAuid insists and Three things which make feruent Prayer in other termes hee repeates his former petition There are three things which make earnestnes and feruencie in prayer First Conscience of sinne Secondly feare or sense of wrath Thirdly ardent desire of mercie these three were at this time strong in Dauid and therfore sends hee vp feruent and strong petitions to God More particularly we learne Sinne a vile vncleannesse here that Sinne is a filthynesse which defiles a man there is no vncleannesse can make vs so vile and abhominable in the eyes of man as sinne maketh vs in the eyes of God what more vile thing in the world then a Menstruous cloth If euen our righteousnesse bee like vnto it as Esay witnesseth I pray you whereunto shall our vnrighteousnesse be compared or what similitude can be gotten sufficiently to expresse it Now as it is an vncleannes indeed would to God we could so esteeme of it we can suffer no vncleannes in our bodies but incontinent we wash it away Neither can abide it in our garments but without delay wee remedie it yea the smallest vncleannesse in the vessels that serue vs for meate and drinke makes our very foode lothsome vnto vs But alas wee haue not halfe of that care to keepe our Soules and Consciences cleane from the filthy pollution of sinne nor yet to wash them in that Fountaine opened to DAVIDS house for sinne and for vncleannesse when we haue defiled them And yet a great necessitie to doe so lies vpon vs for we are No part can we haue with Christ if he wash vs not warned that no vncleane thing can enter into heauenly Ierusalem That answere giuen by the Lord Iesus vnto Peter Ioh. 13. 8. stands
for a warning to vs all If I wash thee not thou shalt haue no part with me Oh that it moued vs as it mooued him that wee might also pray with him O Lord rather then my vncleannes banish me from thy fellowship wash I beseech thee not my feete onely but my hands and my head also Wash my feete that is my vncleane affections Wash my head that is my vncleane imaginations and senses And wash also my hands that is the vncleannesse of mine actions But the word that Dauid vseth A cōfort able meditation of Gods manifold mercies imports much washing hee knew his sinne was a deepe spot not easily rubbed away and therefore craues he much washing so then his meaning is Many sinnes hast thou Lord forgiuen me now I pray thee yet further wash me from this sinne also Are thy mercies numbred or are they so narrow that they cannot couer this transgression among the rest how great so euer it bee So that heere Dauid doth still depend vpon the greatnesse of Gods compassion and by it is he sustained that the greatnes of his transgression driueth him not to despare when the Apostle Saint Peter enquired at the Lord Iesus how oft shall I forgiue my brother in Since hee will haue vs to forgiue an other seuen times in the day what will he doe himselfe the day if he offend me shall I forgiue him seuen times Our Sauiour answered not seuen times only but seuenty times seuen times also O word full of consolation how doth it animate vs to repose on the the Lords mercy Nonne maior Deus homine nonne melior homine Is not the Lord greater then man is he not better then man If he will haue so great compassion in a man to forgiue his brother so often in a day what compassion is in himselfe to forgiue his owne poore penitent creature that prostrates himselfe for mercy before him VERSE 3 For I know mine iniquity and my sinne is euer before me HEere is subjoined a reason of his Confession from a penitent hart obtaines mercy former petition O Lord I doe not hide conceale the iniquitie of my bosome I seeke not now to couer it as I did before but now I acknowledge it and I confesse it to thee against my selfe therefore Lord haue mercy vpon me and forgiue it this is a good reason for it is grounded on the Lords promise He that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper Prou. 28. but hee that confesseth and forsaketh them shall haue mercy And againe If wee confesse our sinnes 1. Ioh. 1. 9. God is faithfull and iust to forgiue them Or otherwaies we may take vp these words as Vatablus doth Lord thou knowest that I seeke not mercy from thee dissemblingly or for fashion as the manner of hypocrites is who make supplication for mercy of custome rather then of contrition nay Lord I feele my sinne a burden which troubles me the very sight of it terrifies and afraies me therefore Lord take it away from thee So long as sinne is in a mans So long as sinne is in the affection that a man loues it there is no remission of it affection that hee likes it and hath pleasure in it it is but a mocking of God to desire him to forgiue it shall hee forgiue that which thou wilt not forgoe shall he pardon thine offences so long as thou hast pleasure to offend No no vnlesse thou put thine iniquity from thee out of thine affection vnlesse thou find it a burden vnto thee whereof thou art weary goe not to him to seeke mercy for so his promise is Come vnto mee all yee that are weary and laden and I will refresh you But alas it is farre otherwise with many who vse in babbling manner these words of Dauid O Lord consider my distresse when as they had neuer such a thing as a distressed soule for sinne and cannot say with Dauid I know mine iniquity and my sinne is euer before me But when is this that Dauid An example of that deepe security wherein Gods children may fall comes to know his sinne after that Nathan had reproued him without and God had wakned his owne conscience within to accuse him and this was nine moneths after the committing of the sin al this time he slept in a carelesse security albeit he haunted the exercises of religion and had some general knowledge of his sinnes yet it moued him not till now God lets him see an other sight of his sinnes then hee had before In him wee see an image of To sinne is of our selfe to repent is of grace our corrupt disposition wee fall easily into sinne and when we haue fallen we can doe nothing but lye still in sinne except the Lord put vnder his mercifull hand and raise vs vp As Adam when he had sinned ran away from the Lord so is it the manner of Adams children after sinne insteede of running to the Lord to runne away alwaies the longer and the further from him if the Lord doe not follow and recouer them For this is a peece of Satans pollicy that as hee is subtill in Satans policie first drawes a man to sin then keepes him vnto it alluring man to commit sinne so when he hath done it he labours to blind the minde that man should neuer come to the knowledge of his sinne till hee be past remedy a fearefull example whereof wee haue in Iudas And therefore it is a great mercy of God towards his owne that he opens their eies in time to see their sinne so long as he sits vpon his mercy-seat to pardon and forgiue them Satan knows he hath no vantage by sinne when true repentance followeth it For wher sinne hath abounded there grace hath much more super abounded It is not sinne so much which condemnes men as impenitency that despises mercy and therefore Satan contents not to draw his miserable captiues into sinne but when hee hath done it hides the sight of it from them alwaies till the time of grace bee expired and they bee past recouery then lets he them see the vglinesse of their sin and with restlesse torments disquiets their soules for it Further wee see heere that ther are two sorts of the knowledge A twofold knowledge of sinne of sin one which is but general idle works no reformation and an other which is effectuall to worke conuersion Dauid as I said before that Nathan came to him he knew that One that is idle and workes no remorse another that breeds repentance murther adultery were sins but that troubled him not But now God works another know ledge of sin in him hee sees his sins in another maner he feeles now the iust weight of them he tastes now the bitter fruits of them his spirit is filled with anguish for them and his soule abhors them It is to be lamented that the knoweledge of sin which now is in most part of
as a preseruatiue to keepe Gods children from the like sinnes in time to come And thirdly it teacheth vs to haue compassion on others when they fall in the like sinnes and to restore them with the spirit of meekenes considering also our selues VERSE 4. Against thee against thee onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight that thou maiest be iust when thou speakest and pure when thou iudgest NOw Dauid breks forth and giues Confession of sinne most needfull glorie to God by an open and plain Cōfession of his sins he knew it was needfull for him to doe so Because remission of sinnes is promised vpon a condition of the confession of them He that hideth his Prouerb sinnes shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsake them shall haue mercie And againe If we confesse our sinnes God is faithfull 1. Iohn 1. 9. to forgiue them But here we haue first to consider Before men confession defileth before God it cleanseth why is it that God requires confession is it to get knowledge of that which wee haue done Or to get out of our owne mouth a point of Dittie against our selues Nouit omnia Deus sed expectat vocem Amb. de paenitent li. 2. cap. 7. tuam non vt puniat sed vt ignoscat He knowes all things when thou committedst thy sinne in secret hee saw thee what then craueth he nothing but that thou in thy heart mayest know thy sinne In thy mouth maiest confesse it to the end that he may forgiue it Optat soluere confitentes ne contumaces punire cogatur The best Augu. medicine for a sinne is not to hide or excuse or extenuate it but humbly to confesse it Quēadmodum nobis peccatorum vulnera nunquam desunt sic confessionis medicamenta deesse non debent For it is not with the Lord as it is with men before earthly Tribunales confession of sinne defileth the confessor makes him guiltie and culpable but before the heauenly it absolues him And this is the cause why the Lord requires confession of a sin from man Now we haue to see what Priuate sins in what case should they be publikely confessed sort of confession pleaseth God seeing it is certaine confession of sinne hath beene made by many which the Lord hath not accepted here first wee must distinguish the sinnes to be confessed publicke sinnes whereby God is openly dishonoured and his Church slandered out of all doubt required a publike confession to God and before men In priuate sins the confession is required to God only Plerumque non expedit Ber. m. Cant. ser 42. innotescere omnibus omnia quae nos scimus de nobis atque ipsa charitatis veritate veritatis charitate vetamur palam fieri velle quod noceat agnoscenti yet with this exception that when the priuate sin is done in such a maner as that the euill thereof redounds to the hurt of many and that for this cause also God persewes it to bring it to light in this case priuate sinnes committed by thee knowen to none but to thy selfe should be publikly confessed that thou mayest giue glory to God and doe good to his Church as is euident in the example of Achan and Dauid Next wee must take heed to Three things required in the trew confession of sinne Ber. the manner of the confession if it be trew it must haue these three properties First it must proceed from contrition of the spirit for sinne Primum opus fidei 1. Contrition per dilectionem operantis compunctio cordis est è quo sine dubio eij ciuntur daemonia cum eradicantur è corde peccata confession of sin in the mouth which proceedes not from contrition for sinne in the heart will neuer draw downe mercy to thee more then it did to Saule whose mouth said I haue sinned but his heart was not grieued for sin Secondly true confession 2. Faith proceedes from faith in Christ Iesus for there is a confession which is the daughter of desperation and can not profit thee An example wherof we haue in Iudas I haue sinned in betraying of innocent blood but wanting faith he got no remission of his sinne And thirdly true confession hath alway 3. Correction with it an amendment of life otherwise Confessio sine emendatione vitae est professio peccati confession of sinne without amendment is a profession of sinne thou that euery day confessest sin and yet walkest on in the same sinnes art no other but a plaine professor of sinne A threefold happy fruit of true confession Now confession of sin with these properties brings downe to the penitent sinner a threefold fruit first vnion and reconciliation with God ensewes for sin the cause of diuision betweene God and man is now remoued quasi duaeres sunt homo Augu. in Ioan. Tract 12. peccator quod audis homo deus fecit quod audis peccator homo ipse fecit dele quid fecisti vt saluet deus quod fecit Man and sinne are two sundry things destroy sinne which is man his 1. It reconciles thee with God worke and God can not but loue and embrace man as his owne worke So long as man keepes his sinne he workes directlie against the Lord hyding that which God will discouer and harbouring within him the rebel whom God is persewing but when man turnes against sin confessing it bringing it to light that it may be destroyed then works he with Ibid. God qui Confitetur peccata sua et accusat iam cum deo facit accusat deus peccata tua si tu accusas iam coniungeris deo Yea he that in humble manner confesseth giueth to the Lord the praise of iustice that knowes if hee did continew in these sinnes the Lord ought to punish him he giues him also the praise of wisdome that no secret thing can be hid from the Lord and the praise of power hee knowes there is no way to flee from the Lord and therefore in time he flies to him and at last he giues him the praise of mercy that hee is gracious and readie to forgiue Bis deum laudamus vbi pie nos accusamus The second fruit of it is confusion 2. It brings Confusion to Satan to Sathan it is a chiefe point of his labour to accuse vs night and day for in one of these three he is alway exercised either to tempt or to accuse or to torment when hee tempts let vs resist him that we sinne not if we haue sinned let vs preuent the accuser and bee the first accusers of our selues so shall we stop the mouth of our aduersarie that hee shall haue nothing to say Non circumueniet te ante iudicem cum enim tui ipse fueris accusator dominus liberator quid erit ille nisi calumniator The third is that true confession which brings comfort It brings peace and quietnesse to
glorie to God by confessing the sinne thou hast done that all the people may knowe that the Lord is not angrie without cause It is a dangerous thing to hide our sinnes where the hiding of them may hide and obscure the glorie of God as the maner of hypocrites is who grudge and murmure when God strikes them with his rods as if either they were punished without a cause or then worse handled then they had deserued Againe let vs marke here Happie are they whom God iudges now in such sort that he corrects them the manner of God his dealing with his own he iudgeth them in this life that they should not be condemned hereafter This he doth partly by his word reproouing them of sinne partly by his rods correcting them Happie are they who now are so iudged for they who profit not neither by his rebukes nor his rods what else doe they but reserue them selues to a sharper iudgment VERSE 5. Behold I was borne in iniquitie and in sinne hath my mother conceiued me HE still proceedes Dauid serches out the first originall of his sinne in the amplification of his sin and now he rippeth it vp from the verie foutaine and first original thereof entring in a deep consideration of the vniuersall corruption of his Nature It is not in this fact onely will hee say that I am culpable I confesse my whole Nature to bee so corrupt from the verie wombe through sinne as most iustly making me odious abhominable in the eyes of God yea now when by occasion of this one sinne which hath broken out in externall action I looke to my inward disposition and consider the originall corruption of my nature con-containing all sorts of sin within it proceeding from the want and priuation of originall righteousnesse I am ashamed of my selfe in the sight of God To expresse this he vses two wordes the first Cholel signifying How originall sinne is expressed by Dauid to creat or forme whereby he will declare that euen in his forming in the wombe he was infected with sinne the other is Iacham signifying to warme thereby declaring that while hee was warmed fostered and nourishedde in his mothers wombe hee was defiled with sin originall At the beginning hee was but an vncleane Creature Where we are not to thinke Mariage is not blamed when it is said that man was conceiued and borne in sinne that hee accuses the formation or fostering of a birth in the mothers wombe these are the great and maruailous workes of God Neither yet that hee reiects the blame on his parents or condemnes mariage or vse of the mariage-bed these are the ordinances of God Non Aug. cont Pelag. lib. 3. cap. 21. De nupt et concupiscen est malum quod natus es sed cum quo natuses And againe Natura humana quae de coniugio nascitur opus est Dei And to this same purpose said Basil non accusat Basil hic nuptias sicut quidam stulte sunt suspicati Sed praeuaricationem quae ab initio mundi a progenitoribus nostris est commissa in medium producit hanc fontem esse factam ipsorum fluentorum dicit Hee doth not here accuse mariage as some haue foolishly suspected but the transgression commited by our first Progenitors he brings out as the foūtain of al these flouds of iniquitie that since sinne haue broken out in our nature Here first we may perceiue The rhetoricke by which godly men moue the Lord to mercie what is the Rhetoricke which godly men vse whereby they would mooue the Lord to bee mercifull vnto them namely to present to the eies of his cōpassion their heauy diseases and the deep wide and inueterate wounds which they haue receiued from their deadly enemie let vs learne by their example not to couer nor hide our sinnes if wee would haue mercie A wise man desires his wound to be ripped vp and not to bee ouerplaistred albeit the Physitian would forget it hee wil remember and request him to doe it How much more should we lay open our woūds to Christ that hee may cure them he is that sweet Samaritan who at the first sight of the wounds of that poore Traueller betwene Iericho and Ierusalem was moued to compassion and powred wine and oyle into his wounds when Priest nor Leuit had pitie vpon him what mercie here he preached in that parable he hath it ready to practise vpon all that frō a penitent and beleeuing heart present their miseries vnto him Secondly wee see heere how Particular sinnes moue the godly to a detestation of the whole corruption of Nature these particular sinnes of Dauid leades him to a narrower inquisition and greater detestation of the whole corruption of his nature thus the children of God are moued by some particular sinnes wherein they are fallen to grow in the hatred of all sinnes whatsoeuer Whereas by the contrary carnall men excuse their particular sinnes by the common corruption of mans nature as if their sinnes were the lesse because all men by nature are sinners but they deceiue themselues for the lesse they thinke of their sinnes the more shall God thinke of them when he shall visit them let vs not sparingly iudge our selues if wee would haue the Lord merciful vnto vs. And lastly since this is true in What great neede man hath to be changed out of Natures estate vs all that we were conceiued and borne in sinne what great need haue we of regeneration for vnlesse a man be borne again hee can not see the kingdome of God Let natural parents who haue been instruments to their children of a naturall generation whereby they are borne heires of the wrath of God do what lies in them by prayer and good education to make them pertakers of regeneration otherwaies they will curse the loines that got them and the wombe that bare them and children againe who glorie in the external priuiledges of blood and heritage which they haue gotten from their parents let them remember vnlesse they be borne againe it had beene better for them neuer to haue beene borne VERSE 6. Behold thou louest truth in the inward affections and haste taught me wisedome in the secret of mine heart HE proceedes still The vilenesse of sin appeares in this that it is contrary to Gods holy disposition to amplifie his sinne by consideration of that contrary holie disposition which is in God the Lord is holy his eye is so pure that it cannot behold iniquity he loueth truth and delights in the holinesse and cleannesse of the heart but alas I am vncleane and therefore so much the more miserable that my disposition is contrarie to his Of this wee learne that the The true knowledge of God workes true humility best way to humble vs in regard of that sinfull corruption which is in vs is the knowledge of God when Esay in a vision saw the maiesty of God as it
pleased him to shew it then he cried out woe is me I am a man of polluted lippes he knew before that he was a sinfull man but a new sight of God his holinesse discouers to him a deeper sight of his owne corruption the spots of the face not perceiued in darknesse are manifested in the day and then doe men thinke shame of them when they are discouered by the light So long as the eye lookes to the earth and creatures which are in it it seemes to be quicke enough but turne it vpward toward the sunne the weaknesse of it is soone perceiued when wee looke to our selues and compare our selues with our selues and with men like our selues we seeme to be some thing but if our eyes were open to see the Lord and that most excellent purity and holinesse which is in him then would we cry out with Iob. Now mine eies hath seene the Lord therefore I abhor my selfe The holy Angels couer their faces at the brightnesse of his glory what shall man doe who is dust and dwelles in lodgings of clay Againe seeing God loues Sin is but a lying vanity truth in the inward affections let vs also study to loue it for in a conformity with God standeth mans felicity By truth heere wee vnderstand two things holinesse and sinceritie opposite to sinne and hypocrisie sinne is in very deede but a lie a falshood and a vanitie and therefore so named by the spirit of God It seemes to be an other thing then it is indeed al that to this day haue beene inamoured with it haue found it in the end to be but a lying vanitie and yet vaine man cannot learne to despise the deceit thereof And this euill becomes so Then is it worst when it is couered with hypocrisie much the worse when it lurketh vnder a shew of holinesse hypocrisie is a generall lie of the whole man In a common lie the tongue lies against the heart onely but in hypocrisie not the tongue onely but the eye the hand the feet lie also when the hand is lifted vp to heauen and eye lookes vp but the heart followes them not when the knee is bowed but the heart is not bowed before the Lord. Nothing distinguishes a true The proper difference of a true Christian from a counterfeit christiā from a counterfeit but this truth and sincerity in the inward affections the bastard Christian can counterfeit the true Christians behauiour in al things but he cannot follow him in this one the sincerity of his heart As a Painter can paint the cullour of the fire and the forme of the flame thereof but cannot paint the heate of it so a hypocrite can resemble a Christian in any thing but not in his heart Esau can mourne and weep bitterly like Ezechia Ahab can put on sack cloth like Mordecai Saul can confesse in word I haue sinned like Dauid but none of their hearts were vpright in the sight of God Thirdly when wee heare If the Lord require truth in vs how much more is he true himselfe that God loues truth we may consider that hee is true or rather truth it selfe what hee loues in his creature is but a sparkle of that goodnes which is in himself we haue here then strong consolation against our naturall doubtings and distrusts if we consider how God is verity Of his nature he can not breake his promise if he require such constant truth in his Psal 15. creature that when he sweares he wil not haue him to change but to performe the good which he promises how much more may wee looke to finde this truth in himselfe Therefore thou hast taught me wisedome This is the last argument An other amplification of Dauids sinne it was against knowledge wherby Dauid amplifies his sinne that hee had done against that knowledge wherewith God had indewed him for the Lord had delt fauourablie with him and had taught him the knowledge of his will but he like a beast suffered that light to be suffocated by the fury of his owne affections Of this we see that the light A fearefull thing to sin against knowledge which God giues men if they do against it is a great augmentation of their sin The seruant that knoweth his masters will and doth it not is worthy of double stripes If I had not come and spoken to you ye should haue had no sinne the Gentiles who had no more but the light of nature are cōuinced because that when they knew God they Rom. 1. glorified him not as God what then shall become of vs who beside the light of nature haue also the light of the gospell if still we walke in darknesse it shall certainly aggrauate our sinne and make our condemnation more fearefull then that of Sodome and Gomorrha From which the Lord of his great mercy preserue vs. VERSE 7. Purge me with Hyssop and I shall be cleane wash mee and I shall be whiter then snow AFter that DAVID After confession the godly ioine petition for mercy not so the wicked had made a confession of his sin and that not coldlie or for fashion as they doe whose consciences are not wakened with the sight of their sinnes but had by all circumstances aggrauated his sinne now hee returnes to his petition of mercy This hyssop wherewith The hyssop by which Dauid craues to be purged Dauid craueth to be purged it is as Basil cals it Alterius reioenigma Naturall hyssop is an hearb humilis calida odorifera of excellent vertue in medicine Est enim in hyssopo vis purgatoria Aug. de doct christ lib. 2. maxime pulmonum The typicall vse of it in the ceremoniall Law was threefold first the Israelites sprinkled the posts of their dores with a bunch of hyssop dipped in the bloud of the Paschall Lambe Exod. 12. secondly a bunch of hyssoppe dipped in bloud was vsed in the besprinkling and cleansing of the Leper and thirdly in the Sacrifice for sinne Numbers Leuit. 14. 19. All these were typicall and did signifie no other but that All typicall purgations figure the blood of Christ all his people should looke for purgation from all their leprosie and vncleannesse in the blood of the Lambe Christ Iesus who takes away the sinnes of the world and his blood clenseth from all sinne Dauid knew that these were types and figures instituted for signification of better things and therefore did hee not neglect them yet on the other part he would not leane vnto them as if remission of sinnes were to be gotten by these Legall purgations but by them he ascended to the spirituall thing signified by them hee had enough of the typicall hyssop at his commandement and the Priest ready to spinkle him with it when it pleased him but he knew this would not serue his turne he lookes to the Spirituall hyssop and hee praies that God would purge him without which no Leuiticall washing
sinnes are forgiuen thee as heere Nathan doth vnto Dauid and yet thou not feele that it is so wee must not therefore bee so discouraged as to thinke wee want that grace alwaie which we cannot Therefore Dauid craues not onely mercy but sense of mercy feele It is now cleare what is the benefit which DAVID here craues To wit not mercie only that he hath sought before but the sense of mercie also make me to heare ioy so that I may feele it For all the inward senses of the soule are in feeling to heare the Lord to see him to tast how good he is is no other but to enioy him and to feele his consolations It is thy praise ô Lord that thou speak'st peace to thy Saints among the rest speake peace vnto mine heart also O what a ioy was it to that man sicke of the palsie when he heard that voice thy sinnes are forgiuen thee And such like to that sinfull woman when shee heard goe in peace thy faith hath saued thee And how was the soule of that conuerted sinner comforted in the middes of the dolors of death when he hard that voice This night thou shalt be with me in paradise This is the exceeding great Great comfort that God not only forgiues our sinnes but telles vs they are forgiuen loue of the Lord toward his children that he hath not only prouided a sure saluation for them through the remission of their sinnes in Christ Iesus but also seales vp in their heart the testimony thereof by his Holy Spirit of adoption and that for their present consolation least they should bee swallowed vp of heauinesse through continuall temptations Though he speake not to all his children as hee did to Daniel by an Angell O man greatly beloued of God nor as he did to the blessed Virgin Marie haile Marie freely beloued yet doth hee witnesse the same to the hearts of his children by an inward testimonie when they heare it they are aliue when they want it they are but dead their soule refuses all other comfort whatsoeuer That the hones which thou hath A troubled mind sore weakneth the bodie broken may reioyce By these Basil vnderstands Ossa animae spiritualia that is as saith Sauanarola and others Vires animae rationalis but as this agrees not with this sense so there is no reason why it should be enforced Dauid his words Psalme 32. serues for a commentarie to this there hee complaines that through extremitie of the anguish of his Spirit the moisture of his body was turned into the drought of Sommer now the marrow we know is the strength of the bones these being so extenuate no maruell his flesh consumed his skinne was parched his face withered his sight dimmed his knees enfeebled and the whole externall man greatly weakned the Spirit of a man sayes Salomon will sustaine his infirmitie but a wounded spirit who can beare it Of this let vs learne that if The miserable state of the wicked who must beare the burden of their owne sinnes the sight of sinne presented to the godly from a iust accusing conscience doe so terrifie them and breede them such excessiue trouble as for a time doth sorely torment them In what state shall the wicked be when the Lord shall present their sins to them wake their conscience vpon them not in mercie as he doth to his owne but in wrath not for a time but for euer O what anguish and remedilesse tribulation shall be vnto them the dayes of wicked mens sinning are compared to the time of a womans conceiuing but the daies of their punishment are compared to the time of her trauelling they conceiue their sinnes with wantonnesse and pleasure but shall beare them with dolor vnspeakeable their dolors shall exceede the dolor of a woman for shee knowes once to bee deliuered of her paine either by life or death but the wicked shall neuer bee lighter of their sinnes nor bee deliuered from the anguish of their accusing conscience from which most miserable condition the Lord deliuer vs for Christ Iesus sake VERSE 9. Hide thy face from my sinnes and put away all mine iniquities DAVID yet from Guiltinesse of sin soone contracted not so soone put away God the fourth time seekes the remission of his sinnes the gilt of sinne is soone contracted but not so soone gotten away wee are happie if the examples of other men may learne vs to be wise he was a man deerely beloued of God and yet how manie requests makes hee before he can get his heart assured of mercy but the presumption Foolish are they who thinke they may get mercy for a word of this age is so great that men feare not to offend the Lord because they thinke mercie may be gotten for a word But let men remember that fearful sentence which the L. pronounc't vpon the people of the Iewes for the abuse of his mercy When they fast I will not heare their crie And againe Thougb Moses and Samuel stood before me yet mine affection could not be toward this people that so our hearts may be humbled with holy feare which may restraine He that seekes not to hide his sinnes prouokes the Lord to inquire it vs from offending our God vpon presumption of mercy Hide thy face All Dauid his care when hee had committed his sin was to hide it from the Lord for this cause he committed murther and slew Vriah thinking if he were not aliue to perceiue it his iniquity should neuer come to light Now he sees it with a vaine labor Vriah is dead but the angry countenance of God looking vpon his sinne troubles him As the fish called Sepia casting forth a black liquor out of hir mouth of purpose to lurke vnder it doth therby giue notice to the fisher of the place wherin they shall finde hir so foolish man while he thinks to hide one sin by another doth but cast himself the more opē to the eye of God who then looks most narrowly to a sin when man most craftily labours to conceale it Euery sinner in sinning takes frō God the praise of righteousnes as if the Lord were like him were not a God that loues righteousnesse and hates iniquity But he that thinkes to hide Hee that seekes to hide his sin from the Lord makes an idole of him his sinne from the Lord when he hath done it takes also from him the praise of wisedome and makes the Lord so far as he may like an Idoll of the Nations that hath eyes and sees not And therefore the Lord as he will be auenged of euery one that offends so principally vpon them who scorne him by hiding their sinnes from him Woe be to them that seeke in deepe We to such to hide their Councell from the Lord their workes are in secret and they say who sees it At this time Dauids sin was vnknowen to the world no lyuing No man knew Dauids
an alsufficient good the Lord is the all-sufficiencie of the Lord our God and his great power appeares in this It is punishment enough to a man suppose he were Monarch of the world and had all comforts earthly to vphold him to want the countenance of God O It is life to see his fauorable face and death to want it what an infinite good what an all-sufficient Maiestie is hee in himselfe a looke of whose countenance refreshes his creature no comfort can comfort him that wants it as yee may see in Beltasar how did he tremble in the midst of all his pleasures at the sight of Gods anger and here in Dauid who once debarred from the sight of Gods ioyful face for his sins could neuer rest till he got it againe All the sports and delights of his Kingdome could not refresh him Doubtlesse he is an all-sufficient God who liues by himselfe whose onely countenance comforts his creatures and without whose fauour life yea the most honourable life that can be deuised on earth is worse then death But what moued him to The godly feare when they remember Gods iudgements on others fear casting out from Gods presence who had so many both externall and internall testimonies of Gods fauour toward him Out of question the examples of Caine cast out for murthering his brother the example of his predecessor Saul iustly reiected of God did terrifie him left hee for mercilesse murthering his owne seruant and fearfull back-slyding from the Lord should also be reiected He remembred well the example of Gods iudgements on others for their sinnes and his conscience told him within hee was guilty of the like or greater this made him afraid Yet was not his feare without hope susteyned by consideration Yet their feare is neuer without hope if they feare God as a Iudge they hope in him as a Sauiour of God his vnchangeable loue but by the inward consciēce of his own vnfeyned repentance and by the manifold examples of Gods mercie shewed to penitent sinners If Caine was cast out from thy face it was because he sought not thy fauour and Saul was reiected because hee repented not But Lord I haue opened my heart to thee thou seest what griefe is in my soule for grieuing thee by my sinnes thou neuer reiectedst any that from a penitent heart sought thy mercie Quis vnquam venit Sauan ad te confusus abijt Who euer came to thee and went away ashamed Shall I be the first that sought thy face and was reiected Nay Lord Cast me not I beseech thee out of thy presence Thus we see how Dauid at one time Et timet à iudice Bernard sperat à saluatore is both affraid of God as his Iudge and hath hope in God as his Sauiour somtime feare oppresseth his hope but at the length hope ouercometh feare Felix conscientia in qua eiusmodi luctamen And take not thy holy Spirit The vncleanenesse of sinne grieues Gods Spirit from me The Spirit of GOD will not dwell in a polluted soule Euery vncleanenesse diminisheth his presence The Apostle warneth vs heereof when hee saith Grieue not the Spirit And againe Quench not the Spirit Dauid felt it by his own experience and therefore makes he this prayer to God that the grace of his Spirit which was weakened by his sinne should not vtterly be taken from him This is a petition necessary alway to bee vsed vnto God Without the Spirit no fellowship with God Rom. 8. for without this Spirit we can haue no fellowship with God If any man haue not the Spirit of Christ the same is not his this Spirit hee is knowne by his fruits which are Loue Peace Ioy long Suffering Gentlenesse Gal. 5. 22. Goodnesse Faith Meekenesse Temperance Where wee finde the presence of this Spirit by his fruits wee are to cherish him where we find a want or decay of them wee are to pray for them but many prophane men in this age are like these who know not whether there bee such a thing as the Holy Yet prophane men cannot discerne his presence from his absence Ghost or not they neuer felt his presence neyther had they euer experience of his renuing and comforting grace therfore feele no losse by his absence Let them enioy such things as they loue they care not for him because they know him not most like vnto brute beasts to whom pearles and most excellent jewels are What an excellent guest and worthy intertainement the Spirit of God is of no price onely such things as affect their sensuall appetite are pleasant vnto them But how excellent a guest this Spirit is and how worthy to be harboured in our hearts may be gather'd from this proper Epithet which alway is attributed to him A holy Spirit both because in himselfe he is so and dooth also make them holy in whom he dwels What notable effects hee workes in his own children is summarily comprised by Bernard in three Bern. in fest Pentecost Ser. 5. wordes he is Pignus Salutis the pledge of saluation all speaking of saluation without him is but babling hee is Robur vitae the strength of our life without him we haue no ability to any spirituall action and he is Scientiae lumē the light of knowledge for without his sanctifying grace all knowledge whatsoeuer is but darknesse But heere it is demaunded May the spirit of God once giuen Whether Gods Spirit once giuen may be taken from his children or not to Gods children be taken from them I answer there are some of his gifts which may be giuen and taken away againe these are secondary and common such as God giues indifferently to good men and euil So Achitophels wisedome and Saul his gift of Kingly gouernmēt were at length taken from them but there are other gifts which once giuen are neuer taken away againe These are principall and proper communicated only to Gods elect as the grace of regeneration adoption sanctification these graces are crowned with that great grace of Perseuerance The reason whereof is not in vs nor in our stabilitie but in the vnchangable counsell and will of him who loued vs for whom he loues he loues to the end his gifts and calling are without repentance Wee may fall after grace receiued but the Lord puts vnder his hand and raises vs vp againe Because I am not changed therefore ye are not consumed saith the Lord And truely euen at this same time when Dauid makes this praier it is euident hee wanted not this spirit of grace restoring him by repentance after hee had fallen and making him thirst for mercy Nullum enim certius praesentiae spiritus testimonium quam desiderium amplioris gratiae VERSE 12. Restore to me the ioy of thy saluation and stablish mee with thy free spirit THree great euils Three great euils Dauids sinne brought vpon him did Dauid bring vpon himself by
Rulers of people could euer remember this what shall purchase them reuerence of their subiects is it not the image of God what shall make them able to gouerne others is it not the spirit of God gouerning themselues This was Pharao his reason why he made choise of Ioseph Where can we finde so meet a man as this to rule in whom the Spirit of God is And therefore aboue al other men should they bee most instant to pray that God would establish their hearts by his spirit making their affections seruants to their reason that so themselues being ruled by God they may the better rule his people Alway wee see it is not a small thing which Dauid heere seeketh from God but hee seeketh It is an honouring of God when we seeke great things from him Sauan the greatest gifts that God giueth on earth to his children Rem magnam a te peto domine quia tu es Deus magnus Dominus iniuriam tibi facit qui a te parua petit O Lord I seeke great things from thee because thou art a great God they dishonor the Lord who seeke small things from him and they are most welcome to him who seeke greatest things from him as is euident by Salomons petition hee offers himselfe to be our Father his Sonne to bee our Sauiour his Spirit to be our comforter to confirme and establish our hearts These are his most excellent giftes let vs couet these VERSE 13. Then shall I teach thy way vnto the wicked and Sinners shall be conuerted to thee HItherto we haue With petitions Dauid ioynes promises heard DAVIDS petitions now followes promises which are of two sorts in the first hee promises to bee a good instrument to conuert others vnto the Lord in the next that hee shall publish the praises of his God There is a dutie that goeth Before remission of sinne goes repentance before remission of sinne and that is a godly sorrow for sin which causes repentance to saluation for how shall the Lord remit the sinne whereof man wil not repent And there is an other dutie that followes it and that is thankefulnesse to God and a louing care of the saluation of others Our Sauiour collected well that many sinnes were forgiuen to that And after followes thankefulnesse penitent woman that did wash his feete with her teares because shee loued him much But alas if it bee considered how small is our loue towards God how little is our regard of the saluation of our brethren It may be said of many in this age they haue but small or no warrant that there sinnes are forgiuen them who haue so little or no loue toward God and their brethren for the argument holds sure they cannot but loue the Lord greatly to whom great and many sinnes are pardoned and forgiuen Then Marke his words He is not meete to speake of peace and pardon to to others who is vnder the power of his owne sinne when will Dauid teach others when God hath deliuered him from his sinnes A man vnder the power and gultinesse of his owne sinne is not meet to speake of peace and pardon vnto others Obmutescit facundia si aegra sit conscientia Eloquence is silent where the conscience is sicke and diseased A pittifull Nicephor lib. 5. cap. 32. proofe whereof wee haue in Origen who being compelled either to suffer the abusing of his body by an Ethiopian or to sacrifice vnto Idols made choise of the last and offered incense vnto Idols wherewith his conscience was so troubled that afterward comming to Ierusalem and there being first requested and then vpon his refusall forced to teach hee went to the Pulpit and read there these words of the 50. Psalme What hast thou to doe to take my ordinances in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed when thou seest a thiefe thou runnest with him and art pertaker with the adulterers When hee had so done hee closed the booke and because hee found his mouth closed by the guilt of his conscience he fel to weeping and mourning whereby he prouokt all the congregation to mourne with him but was not able to teach any whereof all preachers haue A warning to Preachers their warning that with great care they should keepe their conscience cleane if they would speake to the conscience of others and if at any time they haue hurt their conscience without delay should they heale it by repentance Cum eradicantur ex corde peccata Bern. in ascens dom Ser. 1. exinde qui in Christum credunt linguis loquuntur nouis Then do they who beleeue in Christ speak with new tongues when old sinnes are rooted out of The talent of mercie we haue receiued because it is greatest should bee most vsed to the edificatiō of others their hearts Againe wee see our duty craues that when wee haue receiued mercy from God for our selues wee should make vantage of it for the edification of others Euery talent receiued from God should bee put to profit but specially the talent of mercy as it is greatest so the Lord requires greater fruit of it both for his owne glory and for the edification of our brethren Seeing wee are the vessels of mercy should not the sent and sweet odour of mercy go from vs to others This duty Christ craued from Peter and thou when thou art conuerted confirme thy brethen And this duty as Dauid heere promises so we may reade how he did performe it Come vnto mee all yee that feare God and I will tell you what God hath done to my soule The propetie of a Christian Basil is fides per dilectionem efficax faith working by loue How we are bound to haue a care of the saluation of our brethren What auiles it to pretend faith toward God where there is no loue toward thy neighbour and wherein can thy loue bee declared more then in this to draw thy neighbour to the participation of that same merit whereunto God hath called thee By the Law a man was bound to bring home his neighbours wandring beast if he had mette with it before how much more then to turne againe his neighbour himselfe when hee wanders from the Lord his God If two men walking on the way should both fall into one pit and the one beeing releeued out of it should goe his way and forget his neighbour might it not iustly be called a barbarous inhumane cruelty Wee haue all fallen into one and the same myre of iniquity sith the Lord hath put out his mercifull hand to draw vs out of this prison of sinne shall we refuse to put out our hand to see if possibly we may draw vp our brethren with vs Thy wayes He saith not that Prophane men not only commit sinne but teach the way of sin to others he wil teach sinners his wayes the wayes of sinne can bee learned without a teacher but he will teach them Gods
of the Lord in a strange land and how can I saies the Christian sing ioyfullie so long as the Comforter that should refresh my soule is away But blessed be the Lord who in euery state hath prouided a remedy for vs that when we are not disposed for one exercise of Gods worship the Lord should licence vs to go vnto an other Are we so afflicted Iam. that we cannot sing at least let vs pray that wee may be comforted And in that he saies hee will In singing psalmes our affection should be conformable to the word wee sing sing ioyfully it learnes vs how we should alway conforme our affections to the words which God puts either in our eares or in our mouthes If the word of the L. when we heare it or sing it haue a promise of mercy or a song of thanksgiuing should wee not receiue it and vtter it with ioy and if on the other hand it containe a threatning or a confession of sinne should we not heare it with griefe and contrition this is it which is taught vs in that parable if the Lord Pipe we should dance if he mourne we should sorrow And as his word is so should we conform our affections But this discouers the Atheisme of this age whether they heare the word or reade it no change of the Scripture changes their heart one Chapter or Psalme makes them not to reioice and another to bee sorrowfull because they heare all they sing all after one manner that is for fashion sake without any sense or feeling Of thy righteousnesse But A two-fold righteousnes in God worthy prayses how is this that Gods righteousnesse is the matter of our thankse-giuing Are not his righteous iudgements fearefull and terrible to sinners But we must knowe the sortes of Gods righteousnesse there is one wherby he punisheth the wicked and impenitent another whereby he pardoneth the beleeuing penitent And of this spake Abraham God forbid that the Iudge of all the world shold do vnrighteously He meant in condemning godly Lot with the vngodly Sodomites And this is greatly for our comfort that the Lord when hee pardoneth our sinnes he is a righteous God both because hee hath so promised as also that our sinnes are already punished in Christ Iesus so that the mercie which we get doth no way violate his righteousnesse And we whom he hath receyued into mercie are in such sort to praise him for his mercy that we may also sing ioyfully of his righteousnesse VERSE 15. Open thou my lippes O Lord and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise THis Verse containeth a new petition The tongue to speake a great benefit of God wherein he craues that God would open his tongue which his sinnes had closed that hee might praise God as hee was wont to doe The naturall vse of the tongue is Gods great benefit yea and a miraculous worke that a member of flesh should bee an interpreter of a heauēly mind and as it were a Trenchman whereby the spirit of one man knowes what is the meaning of another But as Consuetude drawes Gods most excellent workes in Dis-esteemd now because it is common contempt so among the rest this is thought nothing to speake with a tongue only because it is common yet Gods children acknowledge it to be Gods benefite and the Lord glories in it as in his own work When Moses complayned that hee was not meete to bee the Lords Embassadour because he was not cloquent but slow of speech he receiued this answere Who hath giuen the mouth to man or who hath made the Exod. dumbe or the deafe or him that seeth or the blinde Is it not I the Lord When he will he makes the dumbe to speake and the cloquent to be silent Out of the mouths of babes hath hee ordained Psal strength hee openeth the mouths of children to confesse his name closes the mouthes of ancient men as we see in Zachary and all to teach that the benefit of the tongue is from the Lord. This benefit sin tooke away from man that now naturally Sin takes away the vse of the tongue that man cannot speake as be he should when he opens his mouth and moues his tongue he speaks to the offence and dishonour of God who made him the benefit to speake he hath it giuen of God but abuseth it so through the corruption of his nature that he speak's not as he should like vnto a man sicke of the palsie who by natural strength moues his hand but through his corrupt humours moues it inordinatly and as this way the It had been good for many men that they could neuer haue spokē mouing of the hand is a pain to the one so is the mouing of the tongue without order both a sinne and punishment to the other Of these it may be said that Satan opens their mouths and not God and good had it beene for them to haue beene stricken with naturall dumbnesse all their daies for so should their sinnes haue beene the fewer and their punishment the lesse And this is the losse of the The manifold euill effects of sinne tongue whereof now Dauid complaines and which he craueth to be redressed Where we haue to marke how manie fearful euils his sin had brought vpon him it had stolne away his heart peruerted his spirit stopped his eares and closed his mouth that hee could not thinke nor will nor heare nor speake as he was wont to doe therefore prayes he against all these in seuerall petitions that God would create a clean hart in him renue a right spirit in him that God would make him heare ioy gladnesse and open his mouth to speak again the prayses of God Such are the miserable effects Sinne takes away sense of misery duety and all Eph. 4. of sin it takes from man all senses both inward and outward and leaues him without feeling so that he is no more moued when hee doth euill then if it were good yea not touched with fear of the iudgment due to sinne but as Lots kinsmen made a mock of Gods iudgements when they heard it so doe they make a mocke of sinne of all that may follow it but one day they shall feele the bitter fruits thereof Men in their sins are like vnto fooles or young children when their parents or friends perish they mourne not for they know not the losse and they care not to exchange the charters of their inheritance with trifles but when they come to the yeares of discretion and feele the losse then they mourne and lament for that which in their ignorance they little regarded It is euen so with men who as long as their sinne blinds them cannot mourne but when God shall waken them and they see the euil of it then they take vp a bitter lamentation for it and can get no rest night nor day til God of his mercy pardon and forgiue it Againe ye
see that if we be They who can not speakc to the prise of God are stricken with a sore plague gouerned by the spirit of God we will account that wee are stricken with dumnesse when we cannot speake to the praise of God Many are such in this age who haue a tongue for euery purpose but none for the praises of God they are stricken with a sore plague and yet they feele it not their heart is bound by Satan with the cords of their sinnes and so their tongues cannot be loosed to glorifie God from this most miserable estate the Lord deliuer vs. VERSE 16. For thou desirest no sacrifice though I would giue it thou delightest not in burnt offerings IN this verse Dauid Ioy for Gods mercy and sorrow for our own sinnes agree well in the godly giues a reason why hee promised no other duety of thankefullnesse to the Lord but to praise him as hee protested hee would doe in the former verse the reason is because the sacrifice in man or from man which God likes best is the sacrifice of a contrite spirit Then ye see that Dauid when he sacrificed praise sacrificed also a contrite spirit what is it to giue thankes for Gods mercies if all the same time we be not sorrowfull that we should haue offended so mercifull a God The thankes giuen by many is tastles to God because when they are touched with some sense of that God hath done to them they feele no remorse of that euill they haue done against him happy is the soule wherein these two meete together a ioy for Gods mercies toward vs and a sorrow for our sinnes against God And againe ye see that if a What praise is acceptable to God man praise God truely he offers with praises himselfe and all that he may doe My soule praise thou the Lord and all that Psal 103. is within mee praise thou his holy name As he shewes in the subsequent verse The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit Wherein he declares that in thankesgiuing to God hee offered a thankefull heart for bee-gone mercies a sorrowfull heart for bee-gone sins a resolute heart in time to come to amend And this is the praise wherein God delightes But heere arises a threefold A threefold doubt moued doubt first seeing the legall sacrifices commanded by God how can it be said the Lord desires not that which he commanded secondly is not the Apostles praecept To doe good Heb. 13. and distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is pleased And thirdly are not wee commanded to offer vp our bodies a liuing Rom. 12. sacrifice holy and acceptable to God how is it then that heere Dauid speakes that God desireth no sacrifice To these it is answered that The first is answered Dauid doth not simply reiect legal sacrifices Dauid speakes not simply but by way of compariso these external sacrifices if they be alone wanting the internall sacrifices of a contrite spirit are not acceptable to God and of this for the first doubt we learne that if vnder the law externall worship without the inward pleased not the Lord far lesse will it now please him vnder the gospell Cursed said Malachie is the man who hath a male in his flocke and vowes an sacrifices a corrupt thing to the Lord And this curse is now double vpon them who giue not the best they haue to the Lord drawing neere him with their lips but far from him in their hearts As to the second externall The second answered almes and such sacrifices are accepted of God if they flow from faith sacrifices of almes and such like now commanded please the Lord out of all doubt if they proceed from faith in Christ offered out of a contrite spirit not puft vp with conceit of merit the humble heart makes a small gift to be great an example whereof we haue in the widowes mite it was a smal thing but because it proceeded from a great affection Christ accounted it the greatest gift was offered that day And the want of a good heart on the contraty makes a great gift to be small an example whereof we haue in Cain his sacrifice in it selfe rich enough but because it proceeded from a poore affection it was not acceptable to God Ten thousand riuers of oile and all the beasts on thousand mountaines yea in all the Forest of Lebanon are nothing to the Lord if the heart be not rightly set that offers them And as to the third we are The third answered wee are bound to offer our bodies but euery offering of the body is not acceptable to God bound to offer vp our bodies vnto him but remember euery offering of the bodie pleases him not some of a blinde zeale becomes the buriers of their owne bodies like Baal his Priests Turkish Derbies and Popish Penitentiaries cutting lancing and renting their flesh or else defrauding their bodies of that due which they owe vnto him prodigall of them in their blind zeale not moderatly subdueing them by disciplin If euery such sacrifice had pleased God the Apostle would not haue said though I feede the 1. Cor. 13. poore with all my goods and though I giue my body to be burned if I haue no loue it is nothing we must first see that the heart be sacrificed to the Lord and then the body in the resonable seruice thereof for no vnreasonable suduing of the body pleases God But what shall be said of many Atheists conuinced who do not so much as offer externall sacrifice to the Lord. profane Atheists who now doe not offer so much as externall sactifices they will not resort to the assemblies of Gods saints to giue God in his house external praier and praises neither offer they to the poore externall almes nor to God the externall seruice of their bodies they bow not the knee they lift not their hand they vse not the members of their body as weapons of righteousnesse and how then shal we thinke they make conscience of Gods internal worship But now to the words in particular VERSE 17. The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit a contrite and a broken heart o God thou wilt not despise WE first learne that Some offer to the Lord that which is theirs but not themselues Sauan if any man would offer a sacrifice conuenient for the Lord let him prepare the spirit and the minde God himselfe is a spirit and will be worshipped in spirit hee loueth truth in the inward affection Corpora fecit propter spiritus ideoque etiam spiritualia non corporea quaerit hee made also the bodies for the spirits and therefore seekes he not bodily without spirituall seruice Some there are qui sua dant non seipsos who offer to him not themselues but that which is theirs but it is a blinde folly to thinke thou canst please him with gifts when thou wilt not giue the seruice of thine
striken that his people may be spared and they againe repayed him with the like louing affection for when he would haue gone out to battel against Absalom they would not let him hazard himselfe Thou art said they more worth then ten thousand of vs. A happy harmonie where a King with tender affection embraceth his people as his owne children and they again esteeme and reuerence him as their father For thy good pleasure He neyther The Church is preserued by Gods mercy not their merit pretends his merits nor his peoples innocency but appeales to Gods mercie the good pleasure of his owne will mou'd him to chuse a Church and it is the same that moues him to conserue it Euen when the sins of his people procure that he shold destroy it if there were no more to preserue the Church but hir owne deseruings or the fauour fidelity and constancie of Kings protectors thereof it could not continue long but God is the builder of Ierusalem his fauour is the wall thereof and therefore is it that neither the sinnes of them who are within nor malice of them who are without it can ouercome it Build vp the wales He praies Ierusalems materiall walles were foure both for the materiall and spirituall wals of Ierusalem In regard of materiall wals Ierusalem was a strong City of foure quarters euery one of them by walles deuided from another The first highest was mount Sion in it was the City of Dauid called by Iosephus the superiour city exceeding strong in regard of the naturall situation thereof the second was called the daughter of Sion because it seemed to come out as it were of the bosome of the other in this was the mount Moriah whereupon the Temple stood this City was compassed with a strong wal wherin stood threescore of strong Towres The third was beautified with many ample streets pleasant ports and compassed with a wall whereupon were fourteene Towers The fourth was inhabited by all sorts of Artificers compassed with the third wall which was twenty and fiue cubits high and had in it fourescore and ten Towers strong high and foure cornered And albeit in Dauids daies Externall state of a citie depends on Gods blessing Psal 127. the city was not as yet brought to this perfection but was rather in the building yet Dauid knew except the Lord build the house they labour in vaine that build it and except the Lord keepe the Citie the keeper watches in vaine and that many flourishing Cities and strong Castles haue beene made desolat for the sinnes of them that dwell in them and therefore fearing least his sinne had procured a curse in Ierusalem like the curse of Iericho hee praies euen for the externall state thereof But much more may wee think he had regard to the spiritual Ierusalems spirituall walles wals therof which his sin had demolished and he praies God to repaire againe The first innermost and strongest 1 Gods protection wall of Ierusalem is the Lords fauourable protection this is called by Zacharie a wall of fire compassing Hierusalem which wil burne and consume the enemies that inuade it the 2 Holines and vnitie secondarie walles are holines and vnitie for an vnholy people are naked like the idolatrous Israelites after their worshipping of the golden Calfe and this breach of holinesse euer procures breach in vnitie among people makes a rupture in the wall whereby the aduersarie may easily get vantage Now Dauid knew that by his sinne hee had procured to be depriued of Gods fauour and that his sons and seruants should rebell against him as he had rebelled against the Lord his God and therefore he craues that these euils may bee remoued his filthie sinne pardoned the fauourable protection of God continued and vnity betweene him and his people preserued And this for Ierusalems wailes Wherof let vs learne what No enemies can destroy the walles of Ierusalem only the sins of inhabitants it is that makes the Church a prey to her enemies what destroyes the wals of Ierusalem No force no multitude no policie nor engine of the enemy only the sinnes of them who dwell within it God make vs wise to take this to heart lest our sinnes make a breach in Ierusalems walles VERSE 19. Then shalt thou accept the sacrifices of righteousnesse euen the burnt offering and oblation then shall they offer Calues vpon thine Altar HIs petitions are An heart to offer praise and prayer to the Lord is an argument of mercie concluded with a promise of thankes-giuing Whē thou shalt be fauourable to vs then shall we offer and thou shalt accept Multiplicatiō then of sacrifices is an effect of Gods fauour to haue a heart rightly set to pray to the Lord or praise him is an argument of mercie When God was angrie with Israel he sent vpō thē the Caldeans who tooke away the daily sacrifice but it is an effect of a farre more fearefull wrath when God deliuers vp men to the hardnes of their own hart suffering them so to be captiued by Satan that they can neither repēt of their sins nor pray for graces which they want nor yet giue thanks for benefits that they haue receiued where the heauens become brasse and send downe no dew what maruell the earth be like iron and can render no fruit but if the Lord looke on vs in mercie as he did on Peter then shall we mourne for our sinnes and if hee be fauourable vnto vs as heere Dauid prayes then shall we be willing sacrificers of praise and thankes vnto him The order of his wordes If our persons be not first in fauour with God our actions cannot please him makes this cleare vnto vs. When thou shalt bee fauourable to vs then shalt thou accept our offerings Except first our persons be in fauour with God our actions were they neuer so good in shew will not bee acceptable to him Examples hereof wee haue in Abel and Cain God looked first to Abel and then had respect to his sacrifice Let vs therefore aboue all things haue a care that we may be in fauour with our God reconciled with him in Christ otherwise all our prayers and oblations whatsoeuer are but an abomination to the Lord. And last of all we see heere Thankesgiuing an eternall duetie we must discharge to the Lord. how the greatest and most enduring duetie wee owe vnto God for all his benefites is thankesgiuing hee is content the profit of them all be ours hee craues no more but praise Wee want not matter for which wee should praise him onely we want affection and therefore haue we to pray that the Lord among all the rest of his great goodnesse wherein he is daily abundant toward vs would also blesse vs with a thankfull heart that in this dutie also wee may abound toward the Lord our God To whom be praise glorie and honour for euer Now vnto the King Immortall Euerlasting Inuisible Vnto God onely wise be honour and glorie for euer Amen FINIS