Vse 1 Seeing the Lords mercy is as a bottomlesse sea that can not bee drawne drie Lament 3 His compassions faile not Hence is matter of great comfort to all true penitent sinners for thy sins cannot be so many nor so great but if thou haue grace to repent God is able and willing to pardon them all If thou say Oh! my sins are great grieuous monstrous vnspeakeable well the mercy of God is greater as may appeare in the pardon of Lots sinnes Genes 19.2 Sam. 12. Acts 9. Ioshua 2. Dauids Peters Paules Rahabs c. If thou canst repent and truely turne to God If thou say O! they are more then the starres in number remember that Gods mercy is as a botomlesse sea hee hath a multitude of Compassions and can pardon them though neuer so many and grieuous If thou say Oh! I haue liued a long time in them twentie thirtie fortie yeares looke on Gods mercie shewed to Rahab Paul others that had liued long in sinne so that if a man haue grace to repent neyther the greatnesse nor the multitude nor the continuance of his sinnes none of all these can hinder Gods mercy but here is all that men must repent otherwise if men doe not repent the least sinne is damnable and if men repent no sinne is so great but is pardonable The mercies of god beloÌ„g not to all Yet notwithstanding men must take heede that they take not occasision to liue in sinne because God is mercifull for these things are noted as a comfort for those that sigh and groane vnder the burthen of their sinnes to comfort them and to keep them from dispaire that if they bee truely humbled for their sinnes there is yet with the Lord mercy in store whereby they may be saued Vse 2 Seeing all Gods gifts come from him to vs of grace and mercie euen because he is full of mercie and hath euen a multitude of mercies for poore penitent sinners that sue to him for mercie We learne aboue all things in the world to desire mercie and the pardon of our sinnes This we see in the Prophet Dauid Psal 6.6 My soule is sore trouble But Lord how long wilt thou delay Psal 63.3 Returne O Lord deliuer my Soule Saue me for thy mercies sake this is likewise practised by the Church It is the Lords mercies that wee are not consumed Lament 3. because his compassions faile not Thus the godly when they desire any blessing they aske it of fauor If they craue to haue any iudgement remoued they craue it of mercie esteeming his mercie aboue all the world or aught else they can desire labour therfore aboue all things in the world for the mercie of GOD in Iesus Christ vse all good meanes to obtaine it employ thy selfe diligently to keepe it and to continue it towardes thee that in thy life it may be with thee in death it may not depart from thee Lastly where the Prophet Dauid saith According to the multitude of thy compassions blot out mine offences Marke that the word blot out it is a metaphore taken from Writing-tables when a man shall wipe out with a spunge all that is written or from crossing of bookes of Records and Bookes of Debts And it is all one as if Dauid should haue said O Lord I haue runne far in thy score I haue euen filled thy Booke nor with small but great summes of Debt pay I am not able no not one farthing Now Lord I beseech thee therfore deface crosse and blot out altogether the Debt of my sinnes Doctr. 1 Hence we learne The Lord keeps a Booke of our sinnes that all our sins are recorded in the Lords Booke he keepes a Bill of Account all our verie thoughts words and deedes are knowne vnto him he keepes them in minde and memory and hath them written downe And vnlesse we repent of them and they be blotted out with the bloud of Christ laied hold on by faith the Lord will call them all to account at the day of iudgement Reu. 20.12 The Bookes shall then be opened and euery sinne olde new secret open against God and men shall be brought to light for they bee rocorded in Gods Booke Now by these Bookes wee may not conceiue materiall bookes in which men write downe such things as they would haue remembred for God can not be said to stand in need of any such helpes But because all things are as certaine and manifest to him as if hee had his Registers in Heauen to keepe account thereof Psalme 139.16 Dan. 7.10 Philip. 4.3 So then we may see that the Lord doth keepe a note of all our sinnes and chalkes them as it were vpon a score vntill payment come It is not with God as it is with Princes who are ignorant of the Treasons plotted against them but all things both past present to come are knowne to him aswel our rebellious thoghts as sinne fâ—ll acts committed And although we doe forget and carelesly minde what we haue done yet God forgets nothing euery part and parcell of our debt being noted exactly in his Booke of Remembrance Vse 1 Seeing all our sinnes be knowne to God he notes them downe in his booke of Account and not one sinne can passe him but he writes it down how should this make vs all carefull vnto our liues that wee commit no sin for if we do the Lord knowes it 2. Cor. 5.10 and notes it in his Booke and vnlesse he blot them out they shall all come to account A wicked man and an vnchaste woman how many thousand vile filthy thoughts haue they in their mindes night and day their hearts burne in lust and vncleanenesse and these they passe ouer regarding theÌ„ not making little or no account of them But alas the Lord hath them all written in the Booke of his Remembrance and if thou repent not of them and leaue them O woe to thy soule when this Booke comes to be opened and read ouer and when thou shalt receiue According to thy workes Iob saith Thou hast sealed vp our sinnes in a bag To seale vp a thing doth note an exact kinde of keeping it So then the bagge and bundle of our sinnes being sealed vp and that by God himselfe let vs not imagine that any one can droppe out but all shall come to Iudgement Vse 2 Seeing all our sinnes are so many debts set downe in GODS Booke and we must come to reckoning one day how should wee labour all the dayes of our life to haue them blotted out to haue this Booke cancelled and crossed euen by the finger of God for indeed we may runne on still in Gods debt and set on apace vpon his score but we cannot so fast wipe them out againe nay we can neuer of our selues pay one farthing or satisfie the least of our debts wee owe vnto him It is God that hath written downe that must freely forgiue and cancell as
repentance yet if wee finde that such hath beene our security and exceeding carelesnes that GOD leauing vs in his iust Iudgement wee haue sinned and laine in sinne a long time a yeare or two or ten yet if we can repent and truely turne to God as Dauid did we need not doubt but hee will shew vs mercy as to Dauid At what time soeuer The Lord limites no time if men doe repent truly yet if men shall deferre their repentance in hope of this that they may repent hereafter then let them take heede lest the Lord cut them off ere they be aware or else leaue them to hardnesse of heart and impenitency And there is a great difference betweene this when a man hath laine in sin and the time is past and when a man commits sinne and deferres in hope of time to come Vse 2 Heere we may see the difference betweene this life and the Life to come Here in this life the remnants of sinne as so many spots and staines in the flesh remaine euen in those which are cleansed by the bloud of CHRIST But when as the faithfull shall be glorified they shall then be vnblameable without spotte or wrinckle If wee shall now cast our eyes euen vpon the best of Gods seruants as Noah Abraham Lot Dauid Peter c. wee may easily see shame in glorie darkenesse in light follie in wifedome infidelitie in faith But when CHRIST shall appeare and we likewise appeare with him in glory wee shall be made like vnto him Here we cease not to prouoke God by reason of our sinnes which continually wee do fall into which should be vnto vs as bitter as gall or wormewood But when this corruptible shall haue put on incorruption and this mortall shall put on immortality and Death shall bee swallowed vp into victory then we shall cease to sinne and shall be as the blessed Angels in heauen Vse 3 We see that repentance is not in mans power Repentance is not in mans power but it is the speciall gift of God for if the Lord had not sent Nathan to him to awake his benummed conscience alas hee had runne on still in sinne he had laine and rotted in his sins but the Lord sends his seruant Nathan to admonish him to awake him And so the people of God acknowledge in many places of the word Conuert thou vs O Lord and we shal be conuerted Iere 31.18 2 Tim. 2. 25. Againe Instruct them with meekenes proouing if God will at any time giue them repentance that they may be saued Oh then seeing repentance is not in mans power but it is the speciall gift of God neither could Dauid turne of himselfe thogh he turned himselfe from God of himselfe What madnes then is it for men and women to deferre all till the last gaspe Saying If they may haue but three houres before death they do care for no more as though they had repeÌ„tance at command Man sins by nature â—ut caÌ„ not â—ise without grace But O thou vaine man see Dauid he fell by his owne power but could not rise by his owne power art thou better then Dauid No no vnlesse the Lord giue thee repentance thou canst neuer repent Oh then seeke at Gods hands and repent while the Lord calls and offers thee the meanes Doctr. 2 The word preached the means to beget faith and repentaÌ„ce Seeing that Dauid repented not till he was waked and rouzed vp by Nathan the Lords Prophet and Minister hence I gather that the word of God preached is the means both to beget Faith and Repentance and to increase and reuiue the same for how had Dauid gone on stil in sinne if Nathan had not humbled him by the word of God it is able to break a stony heart it is able to wound a heart of steele for what heart could be more obstinate rebellious stubborne stony and steely then was the hearts of the cruell Iewes yet by Peters Sermon Acts 2.37 they were pricked and throughly wounded and humbled Ier. 23.29 Is not the word IEHOVAH like vnto fire and like a hammer that breaketh the stone It is able to breake a stony hart which is as hard as flint I am not ashamed of the Gospel of God because I know it is the power of God to saluation to all that beleeue â—om 1.16 It is compared to a sharpe two-edged sword It is mighty in operation Hebr. 4.12 and sharper then a two-edged sword Eph. 2.1 2. It is able to giue life to those that are dead in trespasses and sinnes So then wee must acknowledge a perpetuall necessitie of the Word to beget as also to encrease in vs the graces of Faith and Sanctification which without the vse of the Word preached are subiect if not to dying yet to decreasing if not to perishing yet to diminishing And from hence it is that the Lord saith of his Vineyard his Church Esay the twenty seuen chapter and third vers I the Lord doe keepe it I will water it euery moment lest any assaile it I will keepe it night and day We see by daily experience that after our repentance and the renewing of our mindes we are subiect to stumble and to fall into sin and ready to lie long in it as men cast into a deepe and long sleepe if wee bee not awaked with the Lords Trumpet as wee may see by this present example of Dauid who was by the subtilty of Satan surprised drawne to commit two horrible sinnes Adultery and Murther and lay a long space securely in them vntill he was by the Prophet Nathan rowzed vp and recouered 2. Sam. 12. Wherefore as there is a continuall vse and exercise of repentance so is there a continuall vse of the preaching of the word that wee should not stand at a stay but increase more and more till we come to the fulnesse of the perfect age of Christ Iesus Vse 1 This serues to commend vnto vs the power of the Word of GOD which is both able to kill sinners and to make them aliue againe Gods word only conuerts and puts a manifest difference betweene the word of man and the word of God all the Wisedome Learning Eloquence and wit of man is not able to saue a soule to conuert a sinner only the word of God can doe it euen the plaine and simple preaching of the word can doe it 1. Cor. 1.21 Psal 19.7 Rom. 10.14 The Law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the Soule Though nothing be more contrarie to our nature then the word of God yet it doth by Gods blessing conuert vs. Vse 2 Well then seeing Nathan is the messenger Despisers of the word must needes perish and the meanes that God vses to reclaime Dauid thus sleeping and snorting in sinne whereas the Lord could haue conuerted him without Nathans helpe we see then that those men who doe despise Nathan and the Lords Prophets and
before God yet it is impossible to hide it from the al-seeing eyes of the Almighty Dauid had committed adultery closly hee had laboured to hide it couer it by marrying Bethshaba the wise of Vrias but yet alas all his shiftes and cunning fetches could not hide it from GOD he saw it and obserued it and now Dauid confesseth the same Against thee Against thee The like wee shall see in Iosephs brethren when they solde him into Egypt Genes 37.1 Reg. 21. Reu. 2.18 Psal 139. Be as thou seemest so in Iesabel in putting Nahaoth to death so in these dayes men be cunning to commit adultery closly in the twi-light in the darke corner in close and secret maner to lie steale deceiue commit adultery fornication all vncleannesse But poore soules they doe deceiue themselues Or seeme as thou art for thou canst not hide thy sinnes from GODS all-seeing eies night and day is all one to him Yea the Lord doth search the very heart and reines Vnderstanding our very thoughts long before 1. Reg. 8.39 The Lord sercheth al bearts and vnderstandeth euery worke of the minde Againe Psalme 139.2 Thou knowest my sitting downe and my rising vp Thou vnderstandest my thoughts long before There is not a word in my tongue but thou O Lord knowest it altogether And surely when this perswasion taketh place that the Lord is present euerie where and sees all things there doth religion conscience and obedience beginne in that man for hee that hath the Lord alwayes before him will not greatly fall Psalme 16.8 Hebr. 4.13 For the Lord will find out euery transgression though neuer so secretly concealed which may teach vs in all things to keepe faith and a good conscience for although we may delude men yet we cannot deceiue the Almightie Vse 1 This condemns the extreame folly and madnesse of men and women Follie of sinners described who if they can hide their sins from men they care for no more And therefore doe they labour to commit them closely and cunningly but vse all thy skill cunning and pollicy yet thou canst by no means hide thy sins from the cleare sight of God Thou maiest lie Note dissemble and deceiue so closely that no Man nor Angell can detect thee thou mayest commit Adultery in the darke and vnder a Canopie so as no man liuing shal be priuie to it thou maiest steale when none can see thee but all this while Hebr. 4.13 remember that thou standest naked before GOD hee sees thee his all-seeing eyes like a flame of fire pierceth into thy heart and intrailes many men like Gehezi when they haue sinned can wipe their mouthes smoothely and demurely say Thy seruant went no whither But let them remember euer that it is impossible to hide their sinnes from God though they may couer them from men But of this heere-after Vse 2 This Doctrine may serne for an excellent preseruatiue against all secret sinnes for this is the cursed nature of man to abstaine many times from actuall sinnes onely for shame or feare of punishment which otherwise would make conscience of no sinne Oh that such men would remember that though they be out of the sight of men yet they bee in the presence of the Almightie hee sees them and beholdes them euen in the darkest night and in the secretest corner his eyes are like to a flame of fire Reuelat. 2.18 And although men may bleare the eyes of men yet they cannot bleare the eies of the Almightie It would bee an excellent meanes to bridle them and to keepe them from many horrible sinnes which otherwise they would commit For the Lord looketh narrowly vpon vs and searcheth very strictly into vs wee can not haue the least vncleane thought within vs but hee which is most pure doth see and beholde vs hee could discouer Iudas his hypocrisie and therefore called him a diuell He sees againe Nathanael his sinceritie and therefore pronounceth him a true Israelite in whom there was no guile So that they that commit sinne in secret hee that sees in secret will one day reward them openly When Cain Gen. 4.5 brought vnto GOD an Oblation of the fruit of the ground hee had no regarde to him nor to his offering because that the Lord saw the secret hypocrisie of his heart And this is the reason that Dauid vseth to perswade Solomon his sonne to haue a care to learne and to practise the will of God 1. Chron. 28.8 And thou Solomon my sonne know thou the God of thy Fathers and serue him with a perfect heart and with a willing minde for the Lord searcheth all hearts Doctr. 2 When as the Prophet Dauid repeateth the words What sorrow it is that accoÌ„panies repentance The person whom he had offended Against thee Against thee heere marke the extreame sorrow and griefe of Dauids heart that he had sinned against his merciful God what was it that so grieued his soule The shame of his sinne could not for that was not knowne but to GOD onely neither feare of punishment for what man durst be so bolde as to call him to account but that hee had beene so vile and wretched to sinne against his most louing God Dauids sin aggrauated this was the thing that made his heart to bleed which must teach vs all this lesson that whensoeuer we fall into any sin this consideration aboue all other should sinke deepest into our hearts namely the consideration of the person whome we haue offended and that not simply against man but against GOD himselfe And this sin of Dauid is aggrauated in diuers respects First Nathan telleth him that Almightie GOD had giuen him that Kingdome 2. Sam. 12. and the Wiues of his Lord and if that had beene too little hee would haue giuen more 2. Sam. 12. Secondly that Dauid man whom God had so honoured that had taken him from a sheepe-folde and gaue him a Scepter which by his mightie power made him escape the hands of all his enemies and had graced him with the gift of his Spirit Who had made so great proceedings in Religion and the worship of GOD it could not but cut him and wound him at the very heart that he should so fowly fall Thirdly in that his example should bring a great slaunder to the Church of God and open the mouthes of the vncircumcised Philistims to reproach them and reuile them as we see in Shemei Fourthly in that he had by his sins laid open the Church and people of GOD to his iudgements to plague and punish them True note or â—penâ—ance Now from this practise of Dauid we learn that which I taught before namely that the children of God are grieued for sinne because it offends and displeases their mercifull GOD Dauid needed not to haue beene so much troubled for his sin eyther for shame for it was not knowne but to God alone or punishment for none could call him to account but that â—ee
commodity pleasure delight and sweetnesse of sinne that so shewing them onely the golden baite of sinne and hiding the poisoned hooke he might moue men to runne headlong into all sinne But when Sathan gets his purpose and men be in his snare and fallen into sinne Oh how will hee then presse their poore consciences then he wil loade them and set out their sinnes to the full in a most vgly manner nothing then but hell fire damnation and the curse of God that so if it be possible he may draw them into the gulfe of dispaire O that men could consider this in time how sinne wil one day change her countenance howsoeuer it commeth at first in a flattering manner pretending nothing but friendship but in the end will leaue a sting behinde it euen a guiltie conscience terrour of minde and anguish of spirite Wherefore let vs flie from sin as from the biting of a Serpent that we be not stung therewith vnto eternall death Knowing that the wages of sinne is death Rom. An accusing conscience the meanes to bring me to repentance 6.23 Doctr. 1 Whereas Dauids sinnes being alwayes before him did vrge him to confesse them yea to repent and beg the pardon of them wee learne that the remembrance of our sinnes and the calling them to minde together with conscience accusing for them is the way and meanes to come to true repentance to make a man confesse them and begge the pardon of them whereas if they slippe out of our mindes or we know them not nor wee finde not our Consciences to accuse vs of them Alas we can neither confesse them nor truely be humbled and begge the pardon of them And therefore Dauid confesseth heere that by reason his sinnes were euer before him he was continually vexed tormented with the horrour of them his conscience still accused and annoied him and therfore hee is constrained and vrged humbly to confesse them and to begge the pardon of them at Gods hands Whereas the wrath of God doth euer follow such as haue sleepie and drowsie consciences giuing them ouer to a reprobate sence to a slumbering spirit and to hardnesse of the heart that they fall to be past feeling and can not repent Rom. 1.28 Such as regarded not to know God hee gaue them vp to their hearts lusts vnto all vncleanenesse and punished one sinne with another And surely it is iust with God that hee should forsake vs with his grace that haue forsaken him by our sinnes According to that of the Prophet Psalme 81.11 My people would not heare my voyce And Israel would none of mee So I gaue them vp vnto the hardnesse of their heart and they haue walked in their owne Councels Sight of sinne first step to repentance So then hence wee learne that a man will neuer repent truely of his sinnes seeke to God for pardon neither is there any other way or means to be reconciled to God but this to feele the weight and burthen of his sinnes and feeling his conscience to accuse him to vexe and to wound him till he finde God to be mercifull and reconciled vnto him for the pardon of them and the appeasing and quieting of his conscience Vse 1 Seeing till such time as the conscience be wounded for sinne and vexed and tormented with it a man will neuer seeke for pardon Then wee learne hence that no man can taste of the sweetenesse of GODS mercie in CHRIST for his saluation till hee haue tasted of the bitter fruite of sinne and of a wounded and distressed conscience Looke on Dauid on the Iews Psal 6.32.77 Actes 2.37 and as for those that would taste of GODS mercie and yet are loathe to feele the smart of sinne they deceiue themselues we see that ere the body be purged men must taste of bitter pilles of bitter potions Such may suspect their repentance who feele nor sinne to wound their consciences And as for those who neuer felt anie such griefe nor wound of Conscience no such astonishment for their sins they may iustly feare their repentance is not sound that they haue not as yet beene truely humbled for it is certaine that before wee can truely repent and be reconciled to GOD we must haue the feeling of the smart of sinne and find our hearts troubled and our consciences wounded Vse 2 This confutes that fond and foolish Opinion of many in the world who if they fee any one wounded for sinne distressed in soule crying out of his misery and feeles his conscience exceedingly wounded and begins euen to dispaire of Gods mercy what do men iudge of such a man surely that it is nothing but melancholy and dumpishnesse and therefore they counsell him to bee merry to go to merry company to put away such odde conceits such vaine and foolish fancies but alas poore soules they consider not that it is the speciall worke of GOD wounding the conscience for sinne that they feele the anger of God for sinne and are troubled and vexed for that and till God giue mercy and reconciliation be had in CHRIST there can be no peace Vse 3 We learne hence that it is better to haue an accusing conscience for sin then to haue a dead conscience Dead conscience heauie Iudgemēt a benummed conscience a sleepy and slumbering conscience a seared and frozen conscience for if a mans conscience doe daily bring his sinnes to his minde so that hee sees them before his eies then he will be grieued for them hee will confesse them and begge the pardon of them but when a man hath a slumbering conscience that is benummed then hee goes on in sinne from day to day neuer feeleth any smart of it nor euer desires the pardon of it as the poore Iewes who seeing their fearefull estate crie out Actes 2.37 What must wee doe so doe all wounded consciences seeing their fearefull sinnes and damnable estate crie out for mercie and seeke for pardon Oh it is a fearefull Iudgement of GOD to haue a sleepie or a drowsie Conscience It is like a wilde beast which so long as it lies asleepe seemeth very tame gentle but when he is rowzed flies into a mans face Euen so howsoeuer a mans conscience may seeme for a time to bee quiet and men may thinke they haue a good conscience indeede yet being awaked by the hand of GOD it will rent out euen the very throat of their soule Doctr. 2 Seeing Dauid doth acknowledge heere that his sinnes being euer before him awaked him Necessary duety to call our sinnes to account and vrged him instantly and earnestly to seeke for pardon Wee learne that it is a good thing for vs to call our sinnes to accompt to haue them often in minde to set them before our eies the greatnesse number and heinousnesse of them First it is a good meanes to prepare vs to true repentance and humiliation for them Lam. 3.40 Secondly it is a speciall means to
worke of grace a renued heart faith repentance obedience and a sanctified life was euer wanting they were but hypocrites They went out from vs but they were not of vs Mat. 7.21 22. for if they had beene of vs they would haue continued with vs. And therefore it behoueth vs all to take heed that we content not our selues with the common giftes and graces of the holy Ghost which a reprobate may haue for it is certaine most excellent gifts will not auaile a man to saluation vnlesse there be the true worke of grace sauing faith sound repentance and heartie obedience VERSE 12.13 12. Restore me to the ioy of thy saluation and stablish mee with thy free Spirit 13. Then shall I teach thy wayes vnto the wicked and the sinners shal be conuerted vnto thee Partes of the verses THese words contain in themselues and earnest prayer of Dauid vnto GOD for the renuing Of GODS mercy and feeling of his loue againe in the 12. verse In the 13. verse he vses a reason to moue the Lord thereunto namely that if the Lord shall receiue him into fauor againe and testifie his loue vnto him in the pardon of his sins then he wil not be vnmindful of Gods dealing with him but become a Preacher and proclaimer of Gods mercy vnto others to draw them to GOD in shewing what GOD hath done for his soule and so that by the example of Gods mercy to him others should be wonne In the 12. verse he makes a twofold petition vnto God First for the former feeling and assurance of Gods loue and mercy for the pardon of his sinnes Secondly that God would vphold him with his free spirit so as now being deliuered out of the cursed thraldome and slauery of sinne hee might frankely and freely serue the Lord and runne the way of his Commandements Restore me to the ioy of thy saluation No ioy can comfort mans soule but the ioy of Gods saluation AS if he should haue said O Lord my GOD I acknowledge and confesse that all the while I serued thee and liued in thy feare ledde a holy and godly life and kept an vpright heart that I found wonderfull and exceeding ioy in the assurance of thy loue and mercy in Christ for my saluation but since I rebelled against thee and wilfully brake thy holy Commandements I haue depriued my soule of that heauenlie comfort and consolation and felt errours and griefe feares and cares and exceeding vexation Now mercifull GOD I humbly intreate thee to restore me againe to that ioy and comfort to assure me of thy loue and fauour that thou art graciously reconciled vnto me that I may receiue my former comfort And not onelie that but because I see how weake I am haue no power to stand without thy help and grace I humbly intreat thee to stay and strengthen me to stablish thy grace in me and so to vphold me in thy obedience that I may freely and heartily obey thee all my dayes Doctr. 1 The childe of God truely called iustified Fruit of sinne described Note and sanctified by GOD spirit if he once fall against GOD and prouoke him to anger by wilfull disobedience doth feele exceeding griefe and sorrow of heart great griefe and trouble of minde feares and cares lest the Lord should reiect him so that there is an hell in his poore soule and wounded conscience till hee be againe reconciled to GOD by faith and true repentance So long as Dauid walked with God in vprightnesse of his heart hee had exceeding ioy and comfort in the Lord his GOD was assured of his loue for pardon of his sinnes and eternall saluation but when he fell to adultery and murder and so rebelled against God it is wonderfull to see into what a gulfe of misery he plunged himselfe what feares and cares what doubts and troubles did vex his soule and wounded conscience Euen so it is with all the godly while they liue in the feare of God serue and please him and keep an vpright heart before the Lord leade a godly and christian life they feele find in themselues exceeding ioy and wonderfull comfort with assurance of Gods loue in Christ for their saluation but if as any time they breake out to sinne and rebell against God by wilfull disobedience then they shall finde an hell in their consciences troubles feares and cares for the time Who can tell what feares and cares Peter felt Luke 23. in what griefe and sorrow of heart hee was in when cowardly he denied his Lord and Master It cost him many a bitter teare The reason of this doctrine is because all peace and comfort to a poore soule springs from the sence and comfortable feeling of Gods loue in CHRIST IESVS for the pardon of sinne and eternall saluation and therefore when that is lost alas what peace or comfort can they haue Secondly they do by such wilfull sin and disobedience grieue the spirit and make the holy-Ghost sad within them and so doe what they can to expell the Spirit of God in them Now where the Spirit of God is made sad and grieued how can there be any true ioy Vse Seeing there is such sweete comfort in a godlie and Christian life while we walke with GOD and serue and please him in spirit and truth and when men sinne and rebell against God they pull downe vpon their heads such wofull misery troubles and cares how should this make euery man exceeding carefull of sinne which brings such woefull miseries and iudgements vnto our own soules such torments feares and cares To the ioy of thy saluation AS if hee should haue said ô Lord my God when thou diddest assure mee of thy loue and fauour for the pardon of my sinnes and eternall saluation I had exceeding ioy therein Now I doe humbly intreate thee to restore it to mee againe Doctr. 2 Fauour of God is a Christians chiefest ioy Hence marke what is the thing the childe of God doth most desire and craue at Gods hands and wherein they do most reioyce namely in the fauour of GOD and assurance of Gods loue in Christ Iesus that they know that God is graciously reconciled vnto them that they be in his fauour and shall neuer perish but shall euerlastingly bee saued Dauid was a King and wanted no temporall commodity comfort or delight whatsoeuer wherein worldly men reioyce but Dauid now conceiued no kinde of ioy at all in these things to bee out of Gods fauour And therefore prayes vnto God for the feeling of the true ioy and that is of His Saluation and that will minister vnto him matter of true reioycing indeed But alas most men being carnall desire riches honour pleasure Psal 4.6.7 But Lord let me see thy louing countenance thy fauour and grace and that shall do me more good and comfort then all the things in the world The poore Publican begges for this Lord be mercifull to me a sinner So
that faile in the maner of doing of it to offer sacrifice was the Commandement of God but when the Iews thought by their sacrifices to appease Gods anger without the sacrifice of Christ they sinned and God abhorred them and cared not for them Againe to preach the word of God is his commandement but when Iudas shall preach the word to cloake his couetousnesse and treacherous heart it is a sinne in Iudas to giue almes it is a thing commanded and a sacrifice wherewith God is well pleased but if men shall giue to merite and to be seene of men the Lord careth not for it so as wee see a man may doe things which God commands men to do and yet be so farre from pleasing God that they shall sinne and prouoke him to anger because they doe them not in an holy manner Pro. 15.11 in faith repentance obedience and zeale of Gods glory Vse 1 This condemns almost the whole seruice of God amongst the Papists who do all to this end to merit and deserue at Gods hands pardon of sin and freedom from punishment but this is to a wrong end wee must doe good works not to merit but to honor God to giue good example to make our calling sure to our selues Vse 2 This must admonish vs all not only to doe that God commands as to preach the word heare pray receiue the sacrament c. but to do it as God commands or else he abhorres all we do vnlesse we do them in faith repentance and obedience all is in vaine Doctr. 3 If the Lord abhorre those sacrifices which hee commands for mans sinne Popish Sacrifices abhominable how much more those sinnefull sacrifices which haue beene inuented by man without any warrant from his word as the Idoll of the Masse Popish pilgrimages perpetuall chastity voluntary pouertie liuing in a cloister c. Vse 1 Wel then let vs take heed not only that we doe not abuse those sacrifices which the Lord commands by our euill doing and performing of them but much more that we be not so bold at any time to offer vnto the Lord such sacrifices as are condemned in the word of God to offer with strange fire as Nadab and Abihu and such as Paul calles Wil-worship and Christ calles The inuentions of men for these the Lord abhorres Vse 2 It condemns that bloody beastly sacrifice of the Papists who offer in Masse Christ daily for the quicke and dead an horrible abuse of Christ Iesus for Christ hath by his owne sufficient sacrifice of his bodie and bloud on the Crosse appeased his fathers anger for the sins of the world and put an end to all these sacrifices and if they offer vp CHRIST in the Masse for quicke and dead then Christs sacrifice was imperfect that must be patched vp with that abhominable Idoll Concerning these sacrifices which were Lambs Sheep Goats or Bullockes and were all slaine offered to God in fire let vs marke that they were all so many figures types and shapes of that euerlasting sacrifice of Iesus Christ which hee offered vpon the Crosse in his owne person Doctrine Christ an end of all other Sacrifices Then this doth commend vnto vs that blessed and most meritorious sacrifice of Christ the lambe of God seeing there was so many prophesies of it euen from the beginning of the world and so many shadowes and types of it as can not be numbered because there neuer passed one day amongst the Iewes from the time of the Law till Christs comming but they offered at least morning and euening sacrifice as shadowes of Christ Iesus to come and the people of God the beleeuing Iews and holy Fathers and Prophets did in them beholde Iesus Christ as slaine and crucified before their eyes And as Christ saith The holy Patriarkes and Prophets and famous Kings desired to see my dayes and would be glad to see and yet saw it not Vse Well seeing the sacrifice of Iesus Christ is so excellent meritorious of endlesse worth to procure Gods fauour to vs how should we often thinke vpon it neuer let it depart out of our mindes And to this end wee should be more willing to approch and come to the Supper of the Lord that so there as it were in a plaine Table and Picture and not painted on a woodden crosse as the Papists do we might behold Christ crucified and his bloud shed for our sins so often as we see the bread broken and the wine powred out So often as yee doe it 1. Cor. 11. doe it in remembrance of mee to shew foorth my death till I come For the remembrance of Christs sacrifices it is a sweete comfort to all wounded and distressed soules it is sacke and sugar to them all that truly beleeue in him it is an excellent means to kill sin and to humble our hard hearts that we should remember our sinnes were as the bloudie nailes and the speare which put him to death and a powerfull bridle to restraine vs from sinne because so often as wee sinne wee doe as it were pierce his heart afresh and as for those that care not for comming to the Sacrament nor yet for the word wherein Christ is liuely crucified they shew they haue no benefit by this sacrifice of Christ VERSE 17. 17. The Sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit a contrite and broken heart O God thou wilt not despise Dauid hauing shewed what be those Sacrifices wherein the Lord God hath no pleasure namely such as men shall offer with hope to merite or without faith and repentance Now he shewes what is that Sacrifice wherein the Lord takes great delight and is well pleased and that is in one word A broken spirit a heart truely wounded for sinne In this verse let vs first finde out what is the broken and contrite Spirit Secondly the commendations of it namely it is called the Sacrifice of God Thirdly that hee doth not despise By a broken and contrite spirit is meant such an heart as is truly humbled with sight of sinne wounded and pierced with feare of Gods anger grieued for offending so mercifull a God and louing Father and doth begge for mercie at his hands as for life and death besides the endlesse mercy of God in Christ which breaketh the heart of a poore sinner So then there be two things that wound and bruise the heart of sinners First the sight of sinne and knowledge of our misery by reason thereof Secondly the endlesse mercie of God in Christ so as it cuts vs at the heart to remember that wee haue offended so good and mercifull a Father Doctrine Broken hart most rare thing to be foūd Seeing this is that broken heart which is thus bruised with the sight of sinne and is humbled for them yea hath a most lowe conceit of it selfe as most vile and vnworthy wee shal see that it is a most rare thing to be found for generally men are so blinded