the petition froÌ„ a simple plaine confession of sin as if he should say O God I confesse that I haue made defectioÌ„ from thee al those waies which thou hast manifested to me by Nathan thy Prophet I confesse I say before thy Prophet Finally before thy whole Church not only that which is present but which shall bee in times comming to the ende of the Worlde That is by writing of this Psalme and declared to the whole posteritie and ages to come Vppon this followeth the Petition Therefore bee mercifull vnto mee O GOD Of this appeareth that ther is no place for grace and mercy except a simple and plaine confession goe before proceeding from the earnest repentance of the mind Which is the same thing which David testifieth Psal 32. 3. and thereafter that which hee also learned by his owne experience When I helde my tongue sayeth he and confessed not my sinne my bones consumed c. And then he addeth Psal 〈◊〉 I will make my sin knowen vnto thee I will not hide my back-slydings I will confesse mine iniquitie to Iehova This indeede is the confession But what followeth vpon it Thou hast taken away sayeth hee the punishment of my sinne that is sin and the punishment The summe of those thinges tende to this where there is not a confession there no grace is where confession is there is grace And my sinne This is the efficient cause of the repentance confession an evill conscience without the conscience of sinne as if hee should saye The conscience of my sin vrgeth me day and night and continually layeth murther adultery other hainous sinnes conjoyned with these before mine eies Wee are prepared therefore to faith and repentance by a conscience accusing vs and striking a terrour into our hearts From thence it is that wee haue our recourse vnto the grace of Christ and embraceth the same by faith from faith againe and the feling of grace the dolour aryseth which is according to God that is because God is offended of that dolour againe proceedeth that chaunge of the minde which wee call the turning of the mind or repentance For as the Apostle witnesseth 2. Co. â— The sorrow which is after God causeth repentance vnto saluation Finally from repentance changing of the mind a ryseth the confessiof the mouth This thing is clearelie seene of the preparation to grace that no man attayneth to that grace which is in christ Iesus by sluggishnes and sleeping But by horrours of the conscience they passe to that heavenly joy For although life in Christ be frely given vnto vs notwithstanding we must suffer some notable alteration wee must be cast downe yer we be lifted vp befor life be gotten Moreover we learne that thing of this example of David how graciously they are handled who haue a conscience somewhat more watchfull for first they are bridled that they commit not many haynous sins which otherwaies they wold coÌ„mit Then the self same conscience if there be any evil thing done by theÌ„ they are admonished thereof thereafter they ar thrust forward to repentance But contrariwise their estate is most miserable whose consciencelyeth in a dead sleepe For of necessitie they must rush forwarde nothing hindring them into all kinde of sinne And then after any grieuous sin is coÌ„mitted of necessitie they must securely sleep therein nothing calling them back to repentaÌ„ce wherfore the estate of that man is happie which is touched with a conscience of his deeds although it seeme very oft vnpleasant vnto vs that the conscience either holdeth vs back from the coÌ„mitting of sin or that we ar called back to a confession of sin committed Against thee against He aggregeth his sin from that first that it is against God then that it is against God only As coÌ„cerning the first Against thee only saith he I haue sinned Then for the greater surety of the mater Against thee against thee I haue sinned the same word being doubled Dauid seeketh not any starting-hole neither denieth he that he hath offended against God which thing we here the reprobat shal do at the latter day who being acused of sin yea even coÌ„mitted against God himself Math. 2â— 44. shal answer when saw we thee a stranger naked or an hungred thirstie caste in prison c. But Christ shall then aunswere them presentlie in their owne wordes and shall take this excuse awaie from them saying Verely verely I say vnto you in so far as ye haue not done it to one of those little ones ye haue not done it to me David I say goeth not about this way to excuse the matter by lessening of his sinne as if it were not committed against God For hee cannot more expressely speake that that sinne was committed against God himself Against thee against thee sayeth hee I haue sinned Then hee aggregeth his sinne when he sayeth That he hath sinned against God alone If wee will speake properly whatsoever sorte of sinne which is committed against God and respecteth him either immediatly as when men sinne against the first Table of the laweâ— or immediatly as when they sinne against the seconde Table For sin is the transgression of the lawe of GOD and the person offended is God properly For except Gods commandement interveened not first either forbidding or commanding any thing surely there shuld be no offence against any creature except God had said thou shalt not commit adulttrie there should be none offence neither of VRIAH neither of any other in committing Adulterie Except God had saide Thou shalt not slay There should bee no offense in slaying neither against VRIAH nor against any other Wherefore if wee will speake properly all sinne is committed against God alone Of this two things do follow the priviledge of forgiving of sinne or remission of sin perteineth to GOD alone for God alone if wee will speake properlie forgiveth our sins The other the revenging of sin belongeth to God alone Vengeance is mine sayth the Lord and I will repay Rom. 12 19. Wherfore when any wrong is done to any man the injury is not so much to be thoght to be done against man as it is done against GOD and to him it should be left freelie God if we will speak properlie is the person hurt and offended for so much as his commandement is broken which verely if it were not broken the creature should haue no cause to complaine of the injurie wherefore vengeance first is to be committed vnto GOD then next to that person to whom he hath committed his place vppon the earth Notwithstanding men so handle their own cause so they revenge the wrongs done vnto them as if sin were committed against them selues alone and that the wrong nothing perteined vnto God Of which it coÌ„meth to passe divers times that while they wil revenge the wrong done against themselues God revengeth himself vpon them maketh theÌ„ to incur the second sâ—aith to speak so
example Also the third that we in this place learne by his example that that desertion is exceeding doleful whereby he who is once left of God yea that by his most just judgâ—ment God to witte leaving him because of his sinne and being now forsaken left he remayneth in the paines which by his owne sinne he hath deserved Yet notwithstanding in the meane time neither is his minde enlightened by Gods Spirit nor his hart reformed But the more he leaneth thereto the more is he blinded and hardned For to such a man extreame destruction is appoynted vnlesse at last he repente Of this sorte of men that threatning of Iohn Baptist is to be vnderstood The axe is layde to the roote of the trees Math. 3. 10 Also that saying of PAVLE When they shall say peace 1 Thes 5 5 and all things quiet then suddaine destruction shall come vpon them Moreover it appeareth out of this example of DAVID that GOD leaveth not his owne by so sorrowfull a desertion For Dauid repented very soone at the threatning of Nathan For God when he afflicteth his owne he therewith illuminateth and changeth them also by his holy Spirite that repenting they may obteine remission of sinnes and may be restored to life Restore to me the ioy Yet he persisteth in the petition of the holy Spirite or of the presence of God by his Spirite as if hee should saye surely I haue felt O my GOD an exceeding great joy of thy salvation that is since the time thou becammest my salvation protectour and defender But now through mine own default that whole joy is broken off in the middest Therefore O God restore to me that wonted joy proceeding from thy presence The onelie comforte and solide joye of man aswell in life as in death is that hee is not in his owne power and left to himselfe but that hee is the Lordes and that hee hath him to be as it were his protectour and defender David when hee felt in experience Psal 2â— â— that God was no otherwaies his keeper then the sheepheard was to his sheep it cannot be spoken how great a ioye he conceived thereof which also bursted forth in these wordes Thy rode and thy sheep-crooke they haue comforted me This spirituall reioycing which commeth of the presence of God whosoever hath once tasted it this man wil not be content with the whole ioy of this world vnlesse surely he be therewith participant in some measure of that heavenly ioye also David verely had refused the whole comfort of this world and would haue nothing esteemed that his kingdome royall dignitie if that old and wonted ioye had not bene restored vnto him which arose from the presence of God by his owne holie Spirite But if wee would not provoke to wrath God present with vs neither yet would grieue his holy Spirit surely wee should haue that joy of the Spirite more solide and constant For from whence commeth that interruption thereof because we make defection from God Dauid had God present with him hee had the Spirite the comforter But after he had forsaken God by committing adultery and murther together he spoyled himselfe both of that presence of God and likewise of that solide comforte of his presence Men commonly with all the strength they haue provoke that holy Majesty of God to anger But it commeth to passe I cannot tell howe that in the meane time they appeare to themselues to liue at reste and with sufficient pleasure and delight themselues with a vaine dreame For as the Lorde saith there is no peace for the wicked I speak of the true peace for I would not call this stupidity a peace whereby it commeth to passe that neither they feele their own sinne nor yet the wrath of GOD which thing they in wofull experience shal learn some day when suddainly being awakned out of this dead drowsie sleepe they shall be forced to beholde that angry face terrible countenance And vphold me The self-same is the meaning of these words of the words preceeding for so at last wee feele God present his salvatioÌ„ gladnes arising thereof if we be vp-holden by his Spirite David is afraid of the affections of his mind least he be over-whelmed with them as by a certaine deluge He craveth therfore that GOD would susteine him by his Spirit For as if a great bosse be cast into the water presently the water running in into it it is drowned but if first it be blowen vp with wind the aire being inclosed before it be cast into the water it swimmeth in the superfice of the water So our mind if it remaine voyde of the Spirit of God it is drowned incontinent in the middest of the waues of our affections But if it bee replenished with the Spirite of God it is not possible that it can bee overcommed of the affectiones Let everie man take heede what minde hee hath whither it bee voyde and tume or rather full and replenished with the Spirit He calleth the Spirit the Spirite of freedomâ— or of liberty To the ende we may vnderstande the reason of the word it is to bee learned out of the 8. chap. to the Romanes that there is a two fold spirit or rather that there is a twofold effect of that one selfe same spirit of GOD. The Apostle calleth the former the Spirite of bondage to feare that is which at the preaching of the law toucheth vs with a sense of our sin misery for vnles the Spirite of God were effectuall in our hearts with the preaching of the law surely by the preching of the law alone wee should never be touched with an earnest sense of sin of our own misery this spirit ther fore maketh vs to know our sin misery and holdeth vs vnder feare of the wrath of God death coÌ„demnation and therefore it redacteth vs as it were vtterly to a servile estate For this was of old proper vnto servantes continually to feare punishment and vengeance at their maisters hands The Apostle calleth that other spirit the Spirit of adoption It is he who while the Gospel is preached maketh vs to know our deliverance from sinne and misery For we should never be so touched with the preaching of the Gospel vnlesse in the meane time the Spirite of God were powerfull in vs which maketh vs to know our deliverance from sinne and misery and that we feele in our heart that fatherlie affection of God toward vs and consequently leaveth a testimonie within vs that wee are the sonnes of God And if wee be sonnes that we are also delivered from sinne wrath and damnaton From thence it is called the Spirite of freedome or libertie because it witnesseth that in Christ wee are delivered from sinne and death There is also another cause why it is called so to witte because renewing our minde according to the image of GOD it maketh vs in the meane time freelie to serue God and
by a comparison of this present faith The meaning is when I partly thus gloryed in my owne soule partly before GOD faith triumphed in my soule Paule applyed to himselfe these words of the Prophet and after this manner he recited them I beleeued sayeth hee for that cause I speak vnto you O Corinthians 1. Cor. â— 1â— of that spiritual and eternal life leaning to this faith or confidence that I myselfe at sometime hereafter should aryse from death For the things which anie man speaketh vnto others of God of Christ of his benefites first of all they must be beleeved of him that is they are to be applyed to the soule of the speaker For so it shall come to passe that as the Apostle speaketh we shal 〈◊〉 a greater libertie and evidence in speaking When he said in that place let vs haue such an hope that is confidence of so glorious a ministery we vse great freedome in speaking I had spoken This much concerning his faith for the present here followeth the infidelitie and weaknes which was sometime in him and which hee illustrateth by his present faith First in these words is conteined a proposition of thâ—se speeches which proceeded from infirmity they went beyond measure I had said The exposition of the proposition As if he should say being rent away through a suddaine perturbation of the flesh I had said So he spak Psal 31. I had saide in my hast every man These are the words which proceeded from a troubled mind As if he should say Now I see that no faith is to bee given vnto men no not to very Prophets indeed For Samuel sheweth vnto mee that I should come vnto the Kingdome of Israel But nowe in very deede I finde in experience that hee spake not prophetically by the Spirite of God but that he hath spoken of his owne fleshly mind lyinglie so David through infirmitie accused not GOD openly but Samuel of a lie as if he had not sufficiently tryed out the will of GOD but had transgressed the bounds of his calling So Psal 31. 23. through a troubled minde hee buâ—sted foorth into this speech I am cut off frâ—m the sight of thine eies Ye see therefore in what estate the affaires of the faithfull are so long as they liue here Now indeede through weaknesse they are thruste down even to the helles Then again they are lifted vp by faith vnto the heavens but at length the victorie is faiths David after that through weaknes he had almost blasphemed Then next through faith againe hee triumphed It may come to passe indeede that the flesh in the first combat haue the maistery as it were as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 7. The law of the members maketh the man captiue to the law of sin which is in the members Notwithstanding the faithfull perpetually feele this in themselues that the laste victory is of the holy Spirit which surely is an evident that the flesh at length shall be vtterly vanquished that the full and perfite victory shal belong vnto the Spirite This is not in the meane time to be passed by here that David in glorying vttereth a notable confidence to wit because there was before a great weaknesse For in the combat of the flesh and the Spirite the more that any man is cast downe through a feeling of his infirmitie in that respect he is the more lifted vp through faith The greater the sorow be in the wrastling in that respect the joy and gladnes through the holy Spirite is greater after the fight Finally this is to be considdered that he sayth that hastening those thinges which were spoken by him that is he was mooved through a certaine suddaine motion of the flesh Of the which mark the difference betuixt that infidelity into the which the godly at sometime fal the infidelity of the wicked rebellious The godly at sometime distrust through a certain suddain motioÌ„ of the â—lesh weaknes So Peter through infirmitie denied the Lord in the very misbeleefe it self they feele some dolor they distrust not so securly but burst forth sometimes into those speeches O miserable man that I am who shal deliuer me from the body of this death Contrariwise the vngodly they misbeleeue God not of any suddaine motioÌ„ of the flesh but of an obstinate malice as those did who ascribed the works of Christ vnto the divell all Heretickes who after they are convict by the testimonies of the Scripture notwithstanding they maliciouslie resist the trueth And from this it proceedeth that the vngodlie who distrust through malice seldome attayne they to mercy the godly who misbeleeue through the weaknesse of the flesh they repente and finde mercie Heretickes are seldome converted Peter was converted David obteined mercy as in this Psalme and Psal 31. 12 What shal I recompense Iehova with al his benefites overcome me 13 I will giue openly the received cup of all salvation and I will prayse the name of Iehova 14 Rendring my vowes vnto Iehova even now before all his people saying 15 The threatned death is precious in the eies of Iehova to them whom hee himselfe beareth at good will 16 I beseech thee O Iehova seeing I am thy servant let me be thy seruant the sonne of thine hand maid seeing thou hast lowsed my bands let my life be precious 17 I will sacrifice vnto thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving and I will prayse the Name of Iehova 18 I will paye my vowes vnto Iehova presently before his whole people 19 In the courts of Iehova his house in the midst of thee O Ierusalem Halelu Iah WHat shall I The first parte of the Psalme in which hee taketh advise concerning rendring of thankes vnto God In consulting he signifieth and professeth that hee is not able to recompense so many his great and manifold benefites as if he should saye It lyeth not in my power to recompense Iehova his benefites are greater then that they are able to be recompensed by mee Hee proposeth therefore first that hee is not able to recompense Iehova that is to recompense his benefites toward him Then he rendreth a reason from the greatnesse of the benefites of God For the vnequal or surpassing greatnesse of the benefites of God For the vnequall or surpassing greatnesse of the benefites of God being considdered vppon the one parte and his vnhability weaknesse being considered vpon the other part being overcome by the incomparable greatnes of the benefites of God not knowing what to do he asketh and in a maner he cryeth out What shal I recompense Iehova with As if he should say It lyeth not in my power to recompense so many and so greate benefites of God Then the argument is taken not onely from the greatnesse of the benefites of GOD but also from his owne inhabilitie weaknesse and littlenesse to speake so In one worde the mater is thus the reasoÌ„ is from thence that there is no correspondence and proportioÌ„
followeth the confirmation thereof from his owne experience Also that experience is two fold The first is of the miserie at what time to wit he held his tongue and confessed not his sinne The second is of deliverance and forgiuenes of sin that is to wit at that time when he confessed his sin Then hee sayeth first When I held my tongue my bones waxed old That is when I conteined my sinne within mee when I dissembled the same and confessed not My bones waxed olde That is mine whole bodie was consumed there was nothing so firme in me no not indeede so much as my bones which was not worne away with the hand of God Marke the Prophetes words for he speaketh not so becaus I haue sinned my bones consumed awaye But he sayeth thus When I helde my peace Or when I confessed not my sin Why the godly are afflicted of God My bones wore away Of the which we learne that the godly are not for that cause afflicted of God that they are punished because of their sinnes which are all forgiven in that alone satisfaction of Christe but to the ende they may be raysed vppe out of that sluggishnesse and extreame deadlie securitie and may be broght to repentance I obserue this because of the enemies who defende that afflictions yea even of the godlie are so manie temporall punishmentes and satisfactiones for sinne when there is but one satisfaction of Christ yea and that all sufficiente and punishmente which he suffered for all our sinnes so that whosoever would conjoyne any other satisfaction whatsoever with this satisfaction of Christ of force he must take away some thing from that most perfect satisfying Much rather therefore we must hold and learne out of this experience of DAVID that whatsoever afflictiones of the godly are not ay by reasō of their sinnes to wit that any punishment should bee taken of them albeit otherwise the originall and efficient cause of them be sinne For the wages of sinne is death the same judgmēt is to be taken of al temporal afflictiones whatsoever But GOD who out of light bringeth foorth darknesse hee so changeth these afflictiones which are of the owne nature the fruites and effectes of sinne that nowe they become certaine exercises of the godly for their weill Then as I haue said afflictions come not for sinne as the ende that it may be punished but that repentance mortification and conversion may be wrought Secondly marke in this place how deepe the deadly sopour yea of the godly is at some time that those who now and then sleep so in sinne that they cannot be wakened vnlesse it bee with most grieuous afflictiones as DAVID speaketh yea except their bones be consumed that also which is a wounderfull thinge falleth out after that they haue now oft had experience of the mercy of GOD in Christ are touched with that sense of the passing sweete loue of GOD which surely ought to haue easilie without anie trouble alured their mind vnto God For he who once hath felt how gracious the Lord is he must of necessitie continually seeke the presence of God Notwithstanding they are so obdured whiles and cast vp into a deepe sleepe that they would never turne themselues vnto God vnlesse it were they were drawen with the violence of afflictiones This security is wounderful this sleepe is marveylous which now and then even creepeth-on vpon the godly and shaketh off so from them the taist of that loue of God in Christ for a time in which otherwaies it became them to be allured continually to seeke God that except they were judged of GOD they shuld perish miserably with the rest of the world Moreover we haue here to mark out of the word Of keeping silence whereby indeede somewhat obscurely is meant some conscience of sinne and that oppressed with silence and vnrighteously with holden as the Apostle speaketh For there is no man so voyde of conscience which is not some time as it were rounded with into the eare admonished of his sinne And from thence it proceedeth that men being warned by their conscience of sinne whereof in the meane time they delight very greatly and they indevour to nourish the same in their bosome as it were they travel by all meanes to dissemble and cover their sinne so that if it were possible it should not be marked with Gods eies to that end especially that they might enjoy sin without the brode of conscience and disquietting of the minde which thing indeed they cannot attayne vnto if they knowe that their sinne is before the sight and eies of God Of which it commeth to passe that some pretend one excuse some another yea some pretending religion and externall worship for their sins But al those things are done in vayne For it is not possible that sinnes can be covered as it was said before vnlesse they be hid with the onely obedience of Christ In my roaring As if he should say I in the meane time not acknowledging my sinne was touched indeed with a present sense of my afflictions all the daye I roared like a Lyon I vttered very beastly noyses Of the which we learne yea that the very Hecte and godly at what time being delivered over into their owne hande they begunne to waxe beastlie and to sleepe in sinne while by afflictions they be awakened out of that sleep they vse to vtter voyces as of beastes rather then of men yea many times they murmure and fret against God For if you will considder common nature there is no difference betuixte the Elect and the Reprobat the godly and the vngodly Which surely if there bee any it is from God alone who only puts the difference betuixt vs who at last allureth the godly vnto himselfe by some sense of his loue yea and by his holy Spirite boweth their harts But he leaveth the vngodly for ever being left it is so far a way that they are softned by afflictions and calamities that contrariwise they are judged and become worse and worse For day and Hitherto hath the most grievous affliction bin set downe here followeth the cause thereof as if he should saye no man hath cause to woūder that my bones are worne awaye and that I in the meane time haue roared like a Lion For the hand of God day and night oppressed me Thy hand was heavy vpon me saith he day night That is continually without intermission and from thence it commeth to pas that My most excellent iuyce was turned into the sommers droughts That is that juyce whereby the body was fresh did dry-vp yea and the whole body was dryed vp became withered For it is the amplifying of so grievous an oppression from the owne effect because the hand of God oppressing him it wrong out all the sap of the bodie Marke here the principall cause of DAVIDS afflictions not onely did the afflictiones so much mooue him as God
afflicting whom in the meane while he felt to be his judge Thine hand saith he was heavie vpon me Wherefore chiefely he respecteth the person of the afflicter â—or the afflictions themselues mooue men not somuch as the conscience of God the judge For if there bee some feeling of the loue of God in the middest of afflictiones they appeare now to be lighter because then we feele that those afflictions are not inflicted by God as a just judge now but as by a most gratious father But if in afflictions there be no feeling of the mercy of GOD otherwise the most light now appear to be the most grievous vnto vs not so much because of the afflictions themselues as in respecte of the conscience of the Iudge For it is a terrible thing to fall in to the hands of the living God And of â—l enemies the terriblest is the wrathfull God chiefely Many there are I confesse who being manie waies miserably afflicted notwithstanding in the meane time are either nothing or at least very little commoved For no other cause then that they see not that their afflictions are of God and from thence it is that no regarde being had of GOD they turne themselues vnto the seconde causes and they powre out their wrath vppon them thinking with themselues that then at length they shall be blessed if they can be rigorous against them But if they vnderstoode that GOD were the author of all those thinges which shall vppon them and in the mean time wil not be touched with any sense of his loue mercy in christ surely they would bee more viuilie touched with those calamities and they would meditat with themselues one time or other concerning the asswaging of the wrath and justice of God and they would not be altogither violentlie with their whole force carried awaye against the second causes as they call them Surely such blindnes be nummednes of men is miserable The heâ—uinesse of gods 〈◊〉 whom when God exerciseth with his own hand never theles they neither see nor feele the same Then we haue to marke that which he saith that that hand of â—od was grievous vppon him continually First there is the heavines of the hand and wrath of God Thereafter ther is a heavines without iâ—termissioÌ„ when the sinner remayneth obstinat against faith and repentance then as it were God is hardned in his wrath Also afflictions and calamities make manifest verie oft vnto the worlde that perpetuall anger which God so continueth that as one waue followeth vppon an other so one affliction commeth vpon the neck of another and the greater continually followeth vpon the smaller So the Apostle speaking of the obstinate Iewes The wrath of God saieth he is come vppon them to the full The Iewes an â—xample If at any time wee see the wicked to swimme out of afflictiones 1. Thes 2. 16. wee should not thinke for this cause that this deliverance shall bee perpetuall All the wicked but that they are thus prepared for some more grieuous trouble I grant God giveth vnto them a breathing time and some well long distance of time between afflictions which hee layeth on such is his long suffering but these as the Apostle sayeth According to their hardnes and heart that cannot repent make that those distances of time Rom. 2. 5. which are otherwise granted vnto them for repentance to bee no other thing but so manie preparations to the more grievous wrath But to speake of the godlie this they by experience feele in themselues that while their faith in Christ languisheth and they some times turne themselues awaie from God incontinent surelie they feele in experience some signes of the wrathfull God And if they also persever in their back-sliding they feele that God continueth in his anger to the ende to wit that it may appear to be most manifest vnto them that there is nothing without Christ but wrath And if there were no other evident of this matter extante then those horrours which otherwaies the faithful feele in themselues while they either neglecte Christe or his blood or apprehend it not firmelie ynough in their soule surely by that and it were no more it is sufficiently declared that men are not in safetie without Christ that there is no true peace and quietnesse of mind without Christ seeing that in him alone the wrath of God himself doth quiet the selfe I will make my sinne Hitherto hath bene declared DAVIDS first experience to wit of his misery now followeth the seconde that is of his deliverance The summe is When I confessed my sin thou forgavest me both the sinne and the punishment of the sin But wee must take heed to the wordes I said that is I purposed and deliberat in my mind to confesse my sinne Now he vttereth this three manner of waies First sayeth he I will make my sinne knowen vnto thee Then I will not cover mine iniquitie Last I will confesse my defections vnto Iehova These three speeches fall all into one And this threefold repetition of one thing either sheweth how earnestlie he had confessed his sinne or surelie manifesteth that in the advisement taking there was some wrastling or combat with the flesh drawing the man back from afree and good confession He wrastleth out therefore hee multiplieth the confession of his sinne And thou tooke away That is thou forgavest me my sinne For then is the forgiuenesse of sin when the guiltinesse I saie and whole paine and not some part onelie of the paine whether the same be more or lesse Is taken away For Christs satisfaction for sin is perfite from the which verelie so much is taken awaie 1. 〈◊〉 as wee giue vnto our satisfactiones But concerning this matter looke before Obserue here first that DAVID confesseth not firste his sin before the same be forgiven neither tooke he sooner a purpose to confesse his sinne but the punishmeÌ„t of sinne was as soone taken awaie which certainelie is ane evidente token that sin is not so much the cause of the guyltines and punishment as hardnesse and as the Apostle speaketh the heart that cannot repente I grant indeed that sin procureth the wrath of God but obstinacie in sin continueth and hoordeth vppe that wrath For if any man would confes his sinne he should haue GOD no more angrie against him But by reason of his hardnes he confesseth not sinne therefore the wrath remaineth and not only it remayneth but it increaseth Therefore PAVLE speaketh But thou ô man Rom. 2. 5. after thine hardnes and hearte that cannot repente heapest vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iuste iudgement of God For what shall we thinke to be the cause why that anger that is to come in that daye shall be so grievous The cause of so greate a wrath surely shall not bee so much sinne it selfe as an obdured heart in sinne and the contempt of
heart which notwithstanding decreed with his owne mind to suffer all kinde of injuries This is the verie beastlie fearcenes of our country men not any courage of mind Thirdly it is to be observed that DAVIDs affection at last boyled-vp and that he himselfe spake at length For such is the force of our affectiones that violently they draw the regenerate hither and thither Of which it is that you yet perceiue some remanēts of sinne still to remaine in every one of the best men and that this perfect regeneration of the Papistes is but a dreame Surely I beleeue that these men never yet sufficiētly went down into themselues and haue never seen that vyle corruption that lyeth far ben in the heart I know sayeth the Apostle being now regenerate that in me 〈◊〉 7. 18. that is in my flesh no good dwelleth He indeed felt that bitternesse of sin cleauing fast to the ribbes and that law which he calleth The law of the members rebelling against the law of the Spirite which indeed those men haue never yet felte nor would not feele Fourthly it is to bee noted that DAVID gaue not place incontinēt vnto his affection for you see here that he bursted foorth into these voyces by certaine degrees For afflictions cōming vppon vs dailie first of all sorrow like a wounde waxeth greene then the hart groweth hoate thirdly the fyre kindleth vp and then indeede the tongue is lowsed Learne therefore that the affectiones of the renewed man burst not foorth without some wrastling whereby indeed the regenerat man differeth from the vnrenewed which easilie yea with any light motion is brought on to commit any thing and from hence proceedeth also another difference betuixt the renewed man the vnregenerate The regenerate man indeede suffereth greatly for a long time wronges and afflictiones IOB took in patience the los of his goods he suffereth also patiently the tinsell of his children but when it came to boyles in his owne bodie hee suffered not those with so patient a mind Notwithstanding that mans wounderfull patience is recommended to the whole posteritie But he which is not renewed suffereth nothing with a willing minde if he be not able to revenge wronges when hee woulde notwithstāding he reteineth with in himselfe an intention of vengeance Fiftly it is to be marked DAVID kindled vp first then he spake Iame. 3. ◠Iames in his Epistle He calleth the tongue a fyre also the same chap. 3. 6. Apostle calleth it a fyre inflamed of Hell Beholde in this place that hel which is no other thing then the fyre of malice burning vp in the hearte as it were and blowen vp and fed by Sathan Se therefore vnlesse there be first a flamme in the hart ther is no flamme in the tongue That thing which defyleth the man sayeth the Lord commeth out from within the man Then as oft as thou hearest those blasphemies reproches and rotten filthie speaches impute not those so much to the wickednesse of the tongue as to the vncleanesse of the heart For of the abundance of the hart the mouth speaketh We detest the mens tongues but if wee were able once to see those fowle and filthie hearts of men which God alone beholdeth howe greatly I praye you would we altogether abhorre them For there is nothing more detestable to the godlie man then is the soule and hearte of a man not regenerate by the holie Spirite Hitherto hath bene declared the first parte of the Psalme Cause me ô Iehova to prooue in He maketh mention of the prayer which he vsed in the falling backe whereof againe there are two parts Firste hee earnestly craveth death then he desireth a deliverance from sinne two parts of the petition and from the punishment of sinne To the ende this doctrine may be the easier these two thinges are to be distinguished in the first petition First the petition it selfe in the firste part of the fift verse The first part The second the reason of the petition in the nexte parte of the same verse The third is an amplification in the laste parte of the same verse and in the beginning of the next verse The fourth is an◠certaine acclamation in the seconde parte of the sixt verse the whole 7. verse through out Nowe as concerning the petition Cause me to proove in experience sayeth he mine ende He might haue comprehended this in one word make me to die but he vsed a circumlocution because of his passionat affection to shew the loathsomnes he had of life as if he should saye I haue long sinsine sought the end of life make me to feele it in experience at last Then the reason is adjoyned from the shortnes of this life What is the measure of my dayes sayeth he As if he should say it is nothing Then cōtinuing in the purpose and willing as it were to define more exactlie the time of his life First he maketh a preface that he wil diligentlie endevour that he may see and know how durable he is There after hee prescribeth the time of his life then clearelie hee sheweth as it were to God the author thereof the measure of his life Behold saith he thou haste appoynted my daies as handebreadths that is no longer then is the measure of an hand-breadth Then he proceedeth in the extenuating of his daies My time sayeth he is nothing before thee This much cōcerning the enlarging of the Argument Last followeth the publishing of a graue weightie sentence or acclamation Surly al men saith he is everie way vanitie although he bee never so well established That is firme and fixed in this life like as DAVID appeared to be in a noble pussant kingdome the enemies vppon all sides being overcome when this conspiracie arose Now hee repeateth this parte of the acclamation For in the same meaning he sayth Doubtlesse man passeth away by a shaddow That is by a certaine vanishing fashion 1. Cor. 〈◊〉 31. as PAVLL speaketh by a fashion or figure by which wordes it signifyeth not anie substantiall thinge but a certaine vanishing fashiō of a thing The same is the judgmēt of the Prophet of every wicked mā Psal 7◠60. although he appear to be never so well established The same also is the Apostles judgement concerning this whole presente whorlde The fashion of this worlde sayeth hee goeth away 1. Cor. 〈◊〉 31. And this much indeede hath bene spoken of both the partes of the acclamation Surely in vayne they make a noyse He sheweth the selfe same vanity to be of mens careful indevours which is of the men themselues as if hee should saye They labour runne sweat in vaine which thing he himselfe had before founde in experience who after he had purchased with so great travell the kingdome and so great riches he saw Abschalom his sonne to rage and he beleeveth that Mephibosheth would interprise some thing against the kingdome and therefore hee was
For it is the Spirite by whome wee crye as it were with a mouthe stretched out wide For howe oft wee double our crye so oft the feeling of the Spirite is doubted in our hearte The firste crye proceedeth from the firste feeling of the Spirite The second from the nexte The thirde from the thirde and so forth For no man calleth Iesus the Lorde but by the holie Spirite 1. Cor. 12. And we know not what to pray as it becommeth vs because it is the Spirite vvhich maketh intercession for vs with sighes that cannot bee expressed Rom. 8. For this cause I speak those things that the natural man may know that it lieth not in his power to pronounce one good word except first of a natural mā he be come a spiritual man But what is that that moveth him to cal◠so ernestly vpō God to this end that he would len his eare vnto his prayers Thought the that God was deafe These which are oppressed with Gods hande they thinke that God is so estranged from them that he nether seeth nor heareth them neither that hee remembreth them at all From whence arise those so lamentable voyces Heare ô Lord See ô Lord Remember ô Lord which occurre every where in the Psalmes But are they which call vpon God from their hart and earnestly desire his presence are those I saye in the meane time altogether destitute of the presence of God Would they I praye you bee able to seeke the presence of God vnles surely they had some presence of GOD through his own holy Spirite Are we able without God to thirst after God What require we therefore which we now haue For this cause we doe this that we may the more enjoy and possesse God For prayers bring that to passe that God draweth neere vnto vs and they are the increase of mercy grace for it is not possible that those sighes which are not so much oures as the holy Spirits in our heart and the cryes of that same Spirit in our mouth can passe away in vaine For GOD knoweth what the meaning of his Spirit is And blessed are those that hunger and thirst for righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied And we find that in experience in our selues that wee no sooner sigh vnto GOD but our soules are watered over with a certaine vnspeakable ioye so that we truely feele that thing to wit that the presence of God through the Spirit of heavines and invtterable sighes causeth the presence of God through the Spirit of ioy and vnspeaktble gladnes If thou shalt The preventing of an objection For this might haue bene objected either by God or by his own conscience Thou art a sinner Then how shall I heare thee Why doe I not rather consume thee in my wrath He answereth first by a concession If thou shalt straightly mark iniquities O God surely I grant that no mortall man can stande in thy sight but of necessitie he must be consumed be thy wrath Then next he answereth by an correction But vvith the is forgiuenesse As if hee should saye Thou markest not our iniquities according to thy justice but of thine infinite mercy thou forgavest them al in thy Son Iesus christ For the Fathers indeede and those auncient Prophets felt not at any time their sinnes to bee forgiven them through the mercie of GOD but by that mercy in Christe who hath promised vnto them whom they sawe as it were a farre off and in whome alone the wrath of God was pacified even since the beginning of the world to the ende that some place might be left for his mercy For vnles first his justice be satisfied surely there is no place for the mercy of God Also our estate in that respect is the more blessed then that estate of the Fathers becaus that sacrifice of Christ is presēt before our eies which they behold a far off in plain words may say God in christ is merciful hath forgiven al our sins which they no way ar able to say We learne also in this place this by the example of the Prophete that the conscience of sinne which wee call the trouble or evill of the conscience is an impedimēt that we pray not friely vnto God Yea we finde also the same in experience that an evil conscience vnles it be clensed vtterly stoppeth vp to vs al entry vnto God For that is the thing which the Apostle sayeth Let vs draw neere with our harts purged from an evill conscience Wherefore no entrie is patent vnto God except the heartes bee first purged from an evill conscience Also that thing which we spake concerning the conscience of sinne we affirme the same of sinne the selfe which if it be not altogether remooved out of the sight of GOD surelie God shal not so much indeed as count vs worthie of his sight And this is that which is spoken in this place If thou shalt straightly marke iniquities ô Iah Lord who can be able to stand Then to comprehēd in one word the things we haue spoken The conscience of sinne which forbiddeth vs to look vpon our God And that is sinne which hindreth God to looke and behold vs that are miserable And we learne the remedie of this evill out of the second part of the aunswere But with thee is forgiuenesse Wherefore this is the onely remedie that wee haue our refuge vnto the mercy of God yea and that by a simple and cleare confession of our sinne For no man ever yet compeared before God but as a certaine guiltie person craving the mercie of God earnestly with a confession of his sinnes But in this the whole difficultie consisteth how we may come to that throne of grace For seeing we cannot pearse but as it were through the middest of justice as it were through a certaine fire and slamming wall vnto the mercy of God and to that throne of grace surely it is requisite that he that would draw neere to that throne of grace bee enarmed and prepared against that wrath and righteousnesse of GOD which suffereth nothing which hath yea and it were never so little vncleannesse in it to approche neere to that inviolable majestie Now we cannot be armed against the heate of that fire with any other thing then with the alone righteousnesse and satisfaction of Iesus Christ Wherefore whosoever would draw neere to the throne of grace and breake through the middest of that justice and wrath of God of necessitie that man must be found to be in Iesus Christ and that he be purged by that bloud offered by his euerlasting spirit from his dead workes Heb. 9. Then after he is cōmed to the throne of grace by the faith of Christ then is that passing sweete voice of forgivenes and iustification heard That thou mayest This is the ende of the mercy and forgiuenesse of GOD his worship and reverence For no man ever at any time reverently worshipped God but he to whom his sinnes were forgiven