alienated from good men as whom he might suppose to be offended at his sins whereupon haply he might raise persecution against them 2 Chron. 16.10 and thereby such as had not already entred into a godly course of life might be kept back and such as had might apostatise or fall back from it Or suppose Davids sinnes could have been concealed from the vulgars notice yet it would have been very probable that a king conscious to himself of such sinnes would not have been very severe in punishing others whereby sin upon hope of impunity would have spread far and wide and have overflowed the whole land The internall causes are different according to the diversity of sinnes But the principall and direct cause perse consilio was the will determining the power or faculty to an undue object or an undue manner The previous or antecedent causes which made way for that determination were negligence in using the means to avoid sin viz. watchfulnesse prayer attention to Gods word c. and the entertaining and harbouring wicked thoughts so long till they had driven away the Spirit of grace captivated right reason and obtained the consent of the will Uses Hereby we learne 1 That even the best men are not in this life free from possibility of sinning Instr and therefore that Christianity is not a state of security but of watchfulnesse wherein we ought to work out our salvation with feare and trembling 2 That even the greatest and mightiest of men for who greater then a king or who can challenge any exemption or prerogative above him are yet subject to the law of God For sin is a transgression of the law now no man can transgresse the law but he that is subject to the law The sinnes therefore of great men are sins and seeing He that is higher then the highest observes them Eccles 5.8 they must without repentance render an account to Him of them and that so much the heavier by how much their sinfull example hath been more dangerous to others and their sins in themselves so much the more hainous as they being obliged to God by more benefits have broken more bonds of duty This reproves Repr 1 Libertines c. who think they are come to that height of perfection that they can not by any temptation be drawn into sin yea that the acts which they commit though sins in other men as drunkennesse theft whoredome c. yet in them are no sins neither can defile them seeing to the pure all things are pure But against this opinion so absurd that it is a wonder the devil himself is not ashamed to perswade any man to it there needs no more to be said for the present but that David another manner of man for holinesse and perfection then the best of them had his iniquities and so called and accounted of them 2 Carnall Gospellers who have little or no care of hearing the word or performing other duties of religion who know not what belongs to the girdle of sincerity the helmet of hope c. yea who dare adventure upon any occasions of sin and yet think they have so good command of themselves that they can keep within compasse well enough What 's the matter I wonder Is sin grown lesse dangerous or men more skilfull to avoid it now then heretofore Sin was wont to be very watchfull and crafty to catch men Gal. 6.1 Eph. 4.22 Heb. 3.13 2 It was wont to be so strong that none but Christ Who hath power to subdue all things unto Himself was able to deliver any that once came within the reach of it 3 It was wont to be so cruell that look who were not pluck'd out of its jawes by Christ it would use them most unmercifully All the miseries of this life proceed from sin and yet all doe not satisfy the cruelty of it but at last it brings to death Rom. 5.12 Nor is it yet satisfied for it drawes the soul also to the place of torment and at last the body also united to it and so drowns the whole man in wofull perdition Nor is it yet fully satisfied for being committed against an infinite justice it requires that the sinner should likewise undergoe an infinite punishment But because the creature being finite can not undergoe a punishment infinite in measure therefore it rests though hardly content with a punishment infinite in duration Such was sin wont to be And is it now grown to some better terms of moderation No surely it is as ready to intrap men now as ever which appears by the abounding of it every where and daily ensnaring such as would think much not to be accounted very wise men And 2ly it holds those it once seises upon as fast now as ever for still that stands good that there is no Name under heaven whereby men can be saved but onely the Name of Jesus it is onely He that can save His people from their sinnes Lastly the rigor in binding over to punishment is nothing abated the same law being broken and the same infinite justice offended Well then sin being the same it was wont to be why are not we so watchfull against it as the servants of God have been in former times who were so wary that in some things they would not doe all they might but used to make railes on either side their way to heaven lest unawares they should fall into sinne as never thinking themselves far enough out of the reach of it till they should get to heaven But oh the piercing wit the undaunted courage the firm faith of our age All foregoing generations were but babes to us the world had never any men to shew till we came in play We know so exactly how far we may goe in every thing and can so accurately to the very cleaving of a haire distinguish between the use and abuse of things that we scorn to lose any jote of our privileges Yea many times we make a sport of it to shew how nigh the pits brink we can goe and yet not fall in Nay we mock and sometimes deadly hate such as dare not goe so far as we think they might Those proverbs of not touching pitch or not putting coals into the bosome c. befitted those simple souls in time of yore but are now out of date Simple Job why wouldst thou so restrain thy self as to make a covenant with thine eyes not to look upon a maid Job 31.1 we have such as can dally with them and dance with them and court them whole nights together yet look to the main chance well enough who much delight in lascivious songs wanton plaies and such like frothy execrable filth yet never any infection once comes neare them nay they can pick as good lessons out of these as others doe out of sermons David what a silly weakling wast thou to think thou couldst not keep Gods commandements unlesse thou didst first proclaim Away from
necessity upon us and this Attribute abundantly encourages us 2 See the fountain of all good whence both what we have is received and what we want is to be sought 3 If God be so plenteous in loving kindnesse even towards all how much more towards His children 4 If any man do not abound with good things let him know that the cause is not in God Who is plenteous in loving kindnesse but in himself This reproves 1 Such as seek the good things they desire Repr from any other then from God These are like unto them Jer. 2.13 they commit two evils c. For whereas every transgression of the law is sinne they transgresse two waies at once Which their transgression as all sinnes are not equall see 1 how impious it is 2 how unprofitable and foolish 1 For the impiety the degree of it which for the substance is to be estimated by the Commandement which is violated is very great because it is against a commandement of the first Table which immediately respects God Himself and so the violation of it caeteris paribus is worse then the violation of any of the commandements of the 2d Table which respect our neighbour And whereas the first Commandement of the first Table concerns the having of the true God as the rest the true manner of worshipping Him therefore the breach of that is most hainous See the story of the Samaritanes 2 King 17. God sent lions against them that did not at all acknowledge Him ver 25. but with-held them from those that worshipped Him though after Jeroboams manner Now whereas the first commandement enjoines the having of the Lord for our God and forbids other gods these men violate both parts of it the affirmative by forsaking the Lord the negative by digging themselves other cisternes For Trust is an act eminently due onely to God and not to be placed in any thing else but with subordination unto Him And therefore in what thing soever a man principally trusts that he makes his god 2 How unprofitable and foolish this is appeares by the description of God and these cisternes God is the fountain of living waters The cisternes which they dig as being but cisternes not fountaines they have no water of themselves so being but broken cisternes they can not hold the water that is put into them to supply those that dig them For all creatures as they are from God so they depend upon Him for their operation yea and for the continuance of their being and therefore unlesse they be preserved by God and enabled by Him it is impossible they should help us Now He will be so farre from blessing the creatures wherein men idolatrously trust that He curses those that trust in them Isa 31.1 Jer. 17.5 and many times takes away and destroyes the creatures themselves Isa 31.3 2 Such as are unlike to God 1 Privatively such as either through their own fault have not spirituall or temporall good things wherewith to profit others or who having them are not ready to communicate them 2 Positively such as are plenteous in mischievousnesse who are so much worse then the former by how much commission of ill is worse then omission of good which it includes in it self and superadds to it On the other side this serves to comfort 1 Sinners if truly penitent Consol Benhadad having lost the day and being in great feare of losing not onely his kingdome but his life his servants comforted him with the fame that they had heard that the Kings of Israel were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mercifull Kings 1 King 20.31 but we know most certainly that the God of Israel is a mercifull God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plenteous in mercy or loving kindnesse as here 2 Much more the godly For if God be so plenteous in loving kindnesse to men whilest they are yet His enemies how much more when they are reconciled to Him and become His friends and His children whom He tenders as the apple of His eye more then a mother her sucking child Can we think that Jacob feared the famine after he knew there was come enough in Egypt and the disposall thereof in the power of his son Joseph Yet among men love descends so that the love of a sonne toward his father is not equall to that of a father toward his children and the love of any earthly father whatsoever is nothing to the love of our heavenly Father whether we consider the tendernesse or the constancy or the efficacy of it Of how little faith therefore are we if so great kindnesse of so loving a Father can not comfort us against any grief or feare whatsoever Let this also exhort us 1 For the good things we yet have not Exhort to expect and seek them of Gods loving kindnesse 2 For those we have already received to be thankfull to Him 3 To imitate God in this Attribute also as in the former Motiv 1 The dignity of man consists in being like unto God Some courtiers have imitated even the imperfections of their princes And shall not we much more imitate our God every way most perfect And particularly in His bounty or loving kindnesse seeing as it is more honourable in the eies of men so it is a more blessed thing before God to give then to receive Act. 20.35 to be a help rather then a burden to others 2 The good things we have whether spirituall or temporall are not our own but are onely to be dispensed by us according to Gods prescription And He hath prescribed us this duty Gal. 6.10 3 We are all brethren in our first parents of the same flesh and blood Isa 58.7 Act. 17.26 partakers of the same naturall capable of the same gracious and glorious image of God 4 Hereby God shall be glorified His doctrine adorned we shall give good example to the good winne them who are yet enemies or else stop their mouths we shall get and keep the peace of conscience other men will be moved to help us when we shall need or if men be ingratefull and inhumane God will most amply recompense us here and minister unto us abundantly an entrance into His heavenly kingdome hereafter Vers 9. He will not alwaies chide neither will He keep His anger for ever In the precedent verse we had the foundation of all Gods benefits which He bestowes upon them that feare Him in those foure Attributes of His. The benefit upon which the Psalmist principally insists is the moderation of His anger Which moderation is illustrated from the proëgumenall or internall moving cause vers 11 12 13. and from the procatarcticall or externall cause or occasion vers 14. to the 19. In which illustration other notable benefits of God are also mentioned This moderation of Gods anger is either in respect of the duration of it vers 9. measure of it whilest it endures vers 10. Of this 9th verse both the parts are almost coincident but the
the devil Jam. 4.7 2 Doctrine The LORD pardoned all Davids iniquities 1 The object of this forgivenesse was all Davids iniquities that is Explic. both Adams sinne imputed and the actuall sins committed by himself as whereof he had actually repented 2 The pardoning of sin is all one with not imputing it to condemnation or the freeing a man from the guilt of it and consequently from the punishment due upon the guilt 3 The LORD that is the whole Trinity seeing it is opus ad extra a work or act of God terminated upon a thing without Himself Yet as in the Persons there is an internall naturall order of being one from another so also there is an order of working from and by one another even in externall and voluntary actions For as the Father is from none the Sonne from the Father by generation the Holy Ghost from both by procession so the Father creates of Himself by the Sonne and the Holy Ghost the Sonne from the Father by the Holy Ghost the Holy Ghost from both So here the Holy Ghost making men conformable to the stipulation of the covenant immediately applies the remission of sins the Sonne taking our flesh upon him merited and procured it but primarily and in a more speciall manner this act is ascribed to the Father Who dwels in the light that no man can approch to sitting continually in the throne of his Majesty and keeping his authority whole and entire to Himself without any condescension of his Person and therefore the power and right either of justly punishing or graciously remitting sinnes doth after a more principall manner belong to him Quest Here a Question may be moved Whether all a mans sins even those which are to come be at once remitted when he is first converted Answ I answer No by no meanes For if so then a man once converted and so perswaded could not otherwise then frivolously pray daily Forgive us our trespasses as which he knowes are all forgiven already David was converted long before the businesse of Urijah If therefore this opinion stand good see to what purpose all that earnestnesse was Psal 51. and what answer had befitted his petitions Have mercy upon me Answ It is not now to doe I had mercy on thee long agoe yea before thou stoodest in need of it for those very sins Blot out my trangressions Answ They were never upon record but pardoned before they were committed Wash me purge me cleanse me Answ No such need thy sins being forgiven aforehand have not defiled thee Deliver me from blood-guiltinesse Answ It was never imputed to thee c. See Rom. 3.25 This opinion tends directly to take away all care of avoiding sin and all repentance for sin committed For why should any that is thus perswaded be afraid to commit any sin whatsoever or repent of any that he hath committed Lest he fall into condemnation There can be no such feare but very foolish if a man be sure that all his sins are pardoned aforehand Neither can he in common sense fear lest God should be displeased For if clearly foreseeing all his sinnes in their nature kind and degree with all their circumstances He fully forgave them all before they were committed how is it possible that without manifest change of mind He should be displeased when any of them are conmmitted But to returne to the Doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Davids sins were forgiven by God see also Psal 32.5 The principall cause of this forgivenesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Mercy of God whereby He appointed His Son to be the Mediatour and made a covenant with Him the Stipulation whereof see Psal 40.6 7. the Promise Isa 53.10 11. Then also the Justice of God which Christ having exactly performed the stipulation requires the performance of the promise though made freely and of mere grace The Apostle seems to comprehend both together Rom. 3.24 25 26. Uses Here then 1 we see that though we all have our sinnes as the former Doctrine put us in mind yet the case is not desperate Instr There is hope in Israel concerning this thing It is an Article of our Creed I beleeve the remission of sinnes But then 2 we see also to whom this remission belongeth namely not to such as go on in their sinnes without repentance but to such as David was 3 Behold the greatnesse of Gods mercy For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all notes the generality of the object and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the participle of the present tense notes the continuation of the act and that it is ever present as need shall require This may be a ground of comfort 1 Against the terrours of conscience Consolation Thy sinnes are many but Gods compassions are farre more those great but these infinitely greater 2 Against death whose onely sting is sin 1 Cor. 15.56 which being taken away there is nothing in death that can hurt and a Christian is so far from fearing it that he desires and longs for it as rest from his labours and the way to heaven 3 Against all the afflictions of this world positive or privative which forgivenesse of sinnes supposed all work together for our good Rom. 8.28 c. Quest But how shall I know my self to be of the number of them whose sins are forgiven Answ I answer seeing remission of sinnes is the act of God alone according to His good pleasure therefore we must not judge of it according to our own imaginations which may easily deceive us either on the one side through presumption or on the other through scrupulousnesse but according to Gods word wherein He hath revealed his will so farre as it concerns us to know Now from the word of God we may gather two Notes of the forgivenesse of sinnes One and that a most evident one is taken à priore from that which goes before forgivenesse thus It is most certaine that God will doe whatsoever he hath promised Num. 23.19 For as being most faithfull and simply immutable He neither will nor can change His mind so being omniscient He knowes and being omnipotent He is able abundantly to performe His word If therefore we would know whether our sinnes be forgiven we must see whether our spirit can witnesse that we by the grace of God are of the number of them to whom God hath in Scripture testified the promise of forgivenesse Prov. 28.13 Isa 1.16 17 18. Mat. 6.14 15. 11.28 Act. 2.38 10.43 The other Note is taken à posteriore from that which followes forgivenesse For as there is a great difference in man before and after the forgivenesse of his sinnes so the providence of God concerning him is farre different In temporall goods there is a wide difference seeing to a sinner they are given onely out of Gods first or generall love whereof a man may tast deeply and yet never come neare the kingdome of heaven yea the more of this
our life whilest we are at home in the body creeping as wormes upon the ground Let us not therefore say of this world as S. Peter of the mount in another respect It is good to be here but let us so live whilest we are here that we may be admitted into heaven after this life that is let us doe the will of our Father Which is in heaven and then with the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.8 desire rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. 2 Doctrine As the heaven is high above the earth so is Gods mercy great toward them that feare Him 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mercy Expl. or loving-kindnesse Of this Vers 4. Doctr. 4. and Vers 8. Doctr. 4. Here it is taken largely for propensity both to remove evil from us and to bestow and continue good to us and that notwithstanding the demerit of our sinnes 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them that feare Him The feare of God here notes the whole worship or service of God For that was the phrase of the Old Testament whilest the heire being yet a child had indeed the Spirit of adoption but tempered with the spirit of bondage The same thing that is the observation of the condition of the covenant in the New Testament is called Faith or Trust 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 toward This preposition according to the nature of the speech wherein it is used is diversly rendred Most commonly over of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to ascend Now a thing may be over another either as being farre above it as the heaven is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over or above the earth or as contiguous to it and so upon it And whereas a thing may be so upon a man either for evil Judg. 16.30 or for good Psal 133.2 hence it sometimes signifies against 2 Sam. 11.23 Psalm 2.2 sometimes towards Psalm 4.6 that is Be favourable to us or manifest Thy love towards us So here 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 usually signifies to prevaile Now one thing may prevaile over another either in strength and so it is commonly taken or amongst other things in height as Gen. 7.19 20. where the LXX render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And feeing height commonly imports greatnesse therefore our Translatours here render it not amisse is great 5 The particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here signifies not exact parity but similitude For the greatnesse of Gods mercy or loving-kindnesse see Psalm 108.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where it is sayd to be above the heavens as here the heavens above the earth See also the places before quoted vers 8. where God is sayd to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great or plenteous in mercy Now the Mercy or loving-kindnesse of God in it self or in acta primo as was sayd before vers 8. is His essence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without cause But in actu secundo that is in the exercise or effects of it as here towards them that feare Him it hath a cause viz. 1 His mercy in actu primo that is His pronenesse to doe good from whence in Christ Who hath satisfyed His Justice offended by our sinnes He hath graciously promised to shew mercy or loving-kindnesse to them that feare Him 2 His Justice Truth or Fidelity which require the performance of His promise though graciously made Uses Here then 1 we see there is in God infinite mercy or loving-kindnes Instr whereby men may be invited to fear Him 2 Seeing the subject or object of this mercy is limited to a certaine qualification we may learn that God is so mercifull that He also doth not neglect His justice whereby he hates sinne 3 Seeing this qualification is the fear of God we see to whom and to whom onely this mercy belongs 4 It appeares how naturally miserable the condition of men even of them that fear God is to need such mercy and how happy in obtaining it The least degree of Gods mercy shewed to such is excellent because it proceeds from His second love is a pledge of greater following But the greatnesse of it we have here illustrated by a comparison not fully but as the nature of the world will afford wherein the greatest height is that of the heaven above the earth that being the highest part of the world this the lowest The limitation of Gods mercy to them that fear Him reproves them who Repre though they fear Him not yet presume of His mercy On the other side it affords singular comfort to them who truely fear Him Consol Whatsoever good they lose or whatsoever evil they suffer for this cause it is all nothing to this Mercy It comforts them also against the greatnesse of their former sinnes if they now truely repent and fear God For how great soever they were they can not be so great as Gods mercy Likewise against whatever calamities or afflictions they can suffer For though they have not alwaies the sense of Gods mercy He sometimes for a while hiding His face from them either to try them as in the history of Job or to make them before haply not sufficiently esteeming it desire and seek it more earnestly being absent and love and delight themselves in it the more being recovered c yet it is most certaine that Gods mercy is exceeding great towards them and wil so appeare to them in due time Lastly this should exhort us 1 To feare God Exhort that we may be qualified to be partakers of His mercy 2 To imitate our heavenly Father that as He is kind to all Psal 145.9 Mat. 5.45 but more exceedingly to them that feare Him so should we study to doe good unto all but especially to them which are of the houshold of faith to them that feare God Vers 12. As farre as the east is from the west so farre hath He removed our transgressions from us We have seen the greatnes of Gods mercy The effects follow The former in this verse viz. the removing of our sinnes or transgressions from us which in respect of the space is illustrated by the distance of the east from the west 1 Doctrine The east is farre distant from the west This Axiome seems litle to belong to Divinitie and therefore shall be the more briefly handled By the East and West as the notation of the words import 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to arise Explic. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the evening are signified the places of the rising and setting of the sunne and so the two termes à quo and ad quem of the motion of it above our Horizon These the sunne being in the Aequator are points diametrically opposit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so as farre distant one from the other as any can be in the same globe whether of the
at all or with those 9 Lepers Luke 17.12 c. are altogether upon petition for what they want but never return to give God the glory by blessing praising thanking Him for what they have received 3 Such as bestow this act upon objects most unworthy of it who blesse wicked men and that in and for their wickednesse Psal 10.3 1 Sam. 23.21 themselves in their sins Deut. 29.19 idols Judg. 16.24 Dan. 5.4 which is paralleled with killing a man cutting off a dogs neck and offering swines blood Isa 66.3 4 Such as in stead of blessing blaspheme God by denying those Attributes which of due belong to Him and attributing to Him that which is most contrary to His nature and ascribing to others that which is proper onely to Him Lastly Exhortation Davids example may serve as a ground of exhortation to us to imitate him in thus exciting our souls to blesse God And the considerations before mentioned as Reasons of the Doctrine may likewise serve as Motives to enforce this Exhortation and also as Means to dispose us to the performance of this duty 2 Doctrine The LORDS Name is holy 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Name Expl. The Name of the LORD is here as often elswhere in Scripture put for the LORD Himself Hence that saying of the Hebrews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God Himself is His Name and His Name is Himselfe 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy Gods holinesse is the same with His universall justice or righteousnesse And as in other things so much more in God by Whom all other things are sanctified or made holy it imports a separation as of that which is pure and excellent from that which is either unclean and vile or at the best common and vulgar Hence Gods Holinesse and His Glory are near akin and Hallowing Gods Name is all one with Glorifying it Ezek. 36.20 c. 38.23 28.22 Levit. 10.3 Isa 6.3 Exod. 29.43 it shall be sanctified by My glory This Attribute is frequently in Scripture given both to the Name of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Psal 33.21 99.3 105.3 106.47 145.21 c. and which is all one to God Himself as Psal 22.3 99.5 9. Jos 24.19 Yea 1 Sam. 2.2 There is none holy as the LORD The faithfull in this life are holy but imperfectly and both they and the Angels in the life to come though perfectly in their kinde yet finitely and derivatively God onely is holy infinitely originally essentially Hence He is called as by His proper Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is more emphaticall then if it were with the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Holy one Isa 40.25 Iob 6.10 Hos 11.9 Habak 3.3 And Isa 6.3 it is three times repeated Holy Holy Holy or the Holy one the Holy one the Holy one the LORD of hosts So Revel 4.8 where according to some Greek copies it is nine times that is thrice three times repeated In relation to His people also He is called their Holy one Isa 43.15 49.7 and the Holy one of Jacob Isa 29.23 and above 30 times the Holy one of Israel Reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why God is holy none other can be given but because He is God this as all the rest of His Attributes being essentiall to Him yea His very essence Uses This affords us divers instructions Instr 1 Hereby we in part understand the nature of God Whom to know is so behoofefull unto us that therein consists eternall life Joh. 17.3 so necessary that vengeance in flaming fire is taken on all them that know Him not 2 Thess 1.8 For the summe of religion consists in a right understanding of God and a due observance of Him which affective knowledge includes The knowledge therefore of this Attribute of God doth not a little promote piety and further our salvation as will appeare in that which followes In the mean time this should beget in us humility and holy feare chiefly when we draw near unto God Isa 6.2 5. 1 Sam. 6.20 Luk. 5.8 So also godly sincerity especially in matter of religion 2 If God be holy then whatsoever proceeds from Him is holy Holinesse in mortall men is imperfect as was said before and the most holy of them working according to the reliques of corruption bring forth something that is evil In which regard both al men ought to pray Forgive us our trespasses and every one ought to take heed that he doe not follow others further then they are followers of Christ Yea even Adam in his innocence though he had no corruption yet was mutably holy and so by the abuse of his free will might commit evill which also he did But God being perfectly and essentially holy all his works are necessarily holy And so all His lawes or commandements Rom. 7.12 Psal 19.7 8 9. Therefore we must not murmur against God when He afflicts us or our friends or suffers us to be unjustly afflicted by men or when He spares or does good to our enemies Neither must we doubt or delay to obey any of His commandements seeing if it appeare to be a command proceeding from God there is no question to be made but it is most holy and just and good 3. If God be holy then also He loves holinesse and righteousnesse in men and hates iniquity Psal 5.4 5. 11.7 Habak 1.13 Wouldst thou therefore know whether thou beeft in the favour of God or no say not Who shall ascend into heaven to search the secrets of God and certifie me of mine election Neither consider the affluence of temporall things But descend into thy self and consider whether thou beest truly and sincerely holy If so thou needest not doubt of Gods love and favour 4. Hereby we see how necessary Christ is for them that would come unto God For as we are altogether polluted and unclean till we be sprinkled and washed with the blood of Christ so the best works that can proceed from us in our best estate in this life would stink in the nostrils of the most holy God if they were not accepted in and for Christ This also reproves divers sorts of men Repr as offending against Gods holinesse 1. Them that make so holy a God the author of sin It is true indeed there is scarce any to be found that dares averre this in direct terms The Manichees themselves would rather feigne another principle an evil god then make the good and holy God the authour of sinne But neither can they be excused from this blasphemy who embrace and stifly maintain such opinions from whence this followes by necessary consequence 2. All that live impurely whether they do it openly as profane persons or closely as hypocrites These surely are either atheists denying God or His omniscience or His hatred of sin or else they are notoriously hardened that they dare commit such things before His most holy eyes which they would be
20.11 Psal 7.4 and in the 10th verse of this 103. Psalme In both 1 Sam. 24.17 But in all these places it might as well have been translated simply and absolutely to doe or deal with as for example in the 10th verse of this Psalm where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the latter part of the verse is but exegeticall to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the former part and in divers of them much better as wherein it may at least be doubted whether there be any reference at all to any precedent cause or occasion In like manner the nown 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 primely and properly signifies a deed or thing done to another whether good or evill a good or ill turn a kind or unkind office a benefit or a hurt Thus it is taken in the good part Judg. 9.16 2 Chron. 32.25 Prov. 19.17 In the bad Psal 137.8 28.4 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is but exegeticall to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And wheresoever in our English it is translated recompense or reward which is commonly in the bad part it rather signifies the deed or thing rewarded then the reward it selfe Or if it doe signifie the reward it is by a Metonymie as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 often doe So Prov. 12.14 Isa 3.11 Which may be translated The work of a mans hands Obad. v. 15. Thy deed or That which thou hast done But here in the Text it is taken in the good part and therefore it is rightly translated according to the prime absolute signification benefits so by Symmachus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 better then by the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or by the Vulgar Latine which in the Psalmes followes the LXX retributiones So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 116.12 Neither doth this exclude but rather include Gods retributions or rewards which are the fruits of His second love For these also are benefits and so matter of blessing God not onely by way of praise but also by way of thanksgiving too as being not of debt but of grace Rom. 4.4 5. I have insisted the longer upon the explication of this word because both the verb and the nowns derived of it are usually mistaken and restrained to retribution as if that were the principall signification of them whereas indeed it is scarce any signification at all but by a trope and that but seldome 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forget not As a man may be said to remember 2 wayes viz. either notionally or affectively so in like manner he may be said to forget 1 Notionally when the notions of things formerly known are either altogether or in part vanished away Psal 59.11 Jam. 1.24 2 Affectively when though he still retains the notions yet he is not answerably affected neither doth act according thereunto Gen. 40.23 compared with chap. 41.9 c. Psal 106.21 And thus God is said not to remember the sins of them that repent Jer. 31.34 Ezek. 33.16 likewise the righteousnesse or righteous acts of him that apostatises Ezek. 33.13 to forget the affliction of his people Psal 44.24 13.1 And so indeed it is alwayes taken when it it spoken of God In this place both are to be understood Forget not notionally Forget not affectively 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all In this manner of speaking the negation is sometimes referred to the nown and so denies but in part as Numb 23.13 Mat. 7.21 Sometimes to the verb and so it denies the whole as Exod. 12.43 Ezek. 12.28 Gal. 2.16 And thus it is taken in this place Forget not all His benefits that is Forget none of His benefits or Remember all His benefits To bring any proof of David's care in this particular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is needlesse it being generally throughout this whole book of Psalmes his chief work to commemorate Gods benefits and to excite both himself and others to a thankfull commemoration of them many whole Psalms being spent in nothing else For 1 he knew that ingratitude especially towards God is alwayes a hamous finne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and much more would it have been so in him a man that made such profession of religion and whom God had loaden with so many so great benefits 2 He knew also that he that is forgetfull of benefits can not be gratefull For whatsoever gratitude doth it looks at the benefits as the ground thereof and the requitall or recompensing of them is the onely end it aimes at Therefore the keeping them in memory is the first work of gratitude upon which all that follow are founded and without which they all fall to the ground If the memory retain them not neither can the mind worthily esteem them nor the heart love the benefactour for them nor the tongue praise him or them nor the deeds recompense them He knew moreover that to remember Gods benefits onely notionally and not affectively was worse ingratitude then utterly to forget them as being more voluntary Uses In that David excites himselfe to remember Instr or not to forget Gods benefits it is presupposed 1 That he had observed or taken notice of Gods benefits toward him For that which was never taken notice of can not be the object either of remembrance or forgetfulnesse 2 That unlesse the memory be ever and anon rubbed up there is danger that forgetfulnesse of benefits received may creep upon us For such is the perversnesse of our nature that those things which we should forget viz. our benefits bestowed upon others and their injuries done to us we engrave in our memories as in a marble table with a pen of iron and the point of a diamond but those things which we should most remember the benefits which we have received from others even from God Himself obliging us to gratitude we write in the water or dust 3 That we must in no wise forget any benefits received especially from God This reproves 1 Such as doe not remember Gods benefits affectively Repr that is who are not so affected neither so carry themselvs towards God as becometh them who are so infinitely obliged to Him The goodnesse of God ought to lead men to repentance Rom. 2.4 His loving us first ought to stir us up to love him againe 1 Joh. 4.19 2 Such as never take notice of or never acknowledge Gods benefits at least not as benefits that is not as freely bestowed but ascribe the good things they have received either to their own power wisdome industry c. or at least to their own merit or desert This was a sin which it seems the old Israelites were very prone to And therefore Moses diligently admonishes them to beware of both the branches of it Of the former Deut. 8.17 18. Of the latter Deut. 9.4 5 6 c. The Psalmist disclaims both Psal 30.7 Thou LORD of Thy goodnesse or in Thy favour or good pleasure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 hast made my hill so strong Upon which words Saint Augustine Non in viribus nostris non in meritis nostris c. Not by our own power for it is Thou LORD not for our own merits for it is of thy goodnesse See also Psal 44.3 They who offend in either of these kindes can not possibly be thankfull unto God Such as attribute Gods blessings to their own merit howsoever they may seem to acknowledge His justice yet they deny His liberality grace and favour accounting the things they receive to be paid them as debts not given or bestowed upon them as benefits But such as attribute them to their own strength wisdome industry c. deny not onely Gods liberality but also His justice providence and all setting themselves in the place of God Habak 1.15 16. Dan. 4.30 And in like manner doe they offend who attribute Gods benefits to any other but Him as to idoles Judg. 16.23 24. Hos 2.5 8. 3 Such as remember Gods benefits but so as to vilifie them and set them at nought yea to account them as ill turns or injuries to hate and murmur against Him for them as if they proceeded from His hatred not from His love toward them Deut. 1.27 In this height of ingratitude doe all they offend who hate the word or messengers of God just reproofe c. Thus Ahab hated Micaiah 1 King 22.8 and accounted Elijah his enemy Chap. 21.20 who yet was the charet of Israel and the horsemen thereof 2 King 2.12 But let David's example exhort us to imitate him in ever thankfully remembring and exciting our selves to remember Exh. and not forget all Gods benefits Motives See the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beside the remembrance of these may and ought to stir us up to divers other duties viz. 1 To beware of sin which is a rendring unto God evill for good And the more good we have received from God the greater is the evil of the sin So David's sin is aggravated by Nathan 2 Sam. 12.7 8 9. and Hezekiah's pride 2 Chron. 32.25 Therefore as Joseph fortifies himself against his mistresses temptation Gen. 39.8 9. Behold my master c. How then can I doe this great wickednesse and sin against God! So when we are tempted to any sin we should say to our selves or to our tempters Behold God hath done these and these great things for me hath bestowed these and these blessings these and these deliverances upon me How then can I doe this great wickednesse and sin against God! When the Proconsul moved Bishop Polycarpus to blaspheme Christ These 86 yeares saith that holy man have I served Him and He never yet did me any hurt How then can I blaspheme or speak evill of my King which hath bestowed salvation upon me Euseb lib. 4. cap. 15. 2 To serve God cheerfully Who is so kinde and bountifull a Master Who prevents us with His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or benefits before we have done Him any service much lesse will He be slack or behinde-hand with us in rewarding us when our work is done It was true which the devil said though he said it with a diabolicall that is a slanderous intent Job 1.9 Job did not serve God for nought And hee proves it in the next verse from Gods protection and blessing upon Job and all that he had So let any of us consider how many waies both positively privatively God hath been good to him and he must needs acknowledge that he hath not doth not shall not serve God either for nought or in vain either without cause or without hope either without desert or without reward Therefore as the Apostle exhorts us 1 Cor. 15.58 Let us be stedfast unmoveable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as we know that our labour is not in vain in the Lord. 3 To trust in God for the future So David 1 Sam. 17.37 The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine So S. Paul 2 Tim. 4.17 18. 2 Cor. 1.10 On the contrary Mat. 16.8 9 c. 4 To be patient in afflictions Iob 2.10 Shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evill 5 To be free and bountifull in contributing to any work which concerns Gods immediate honour and service Though indeed this cannot be accounted an act of bounty or liberality but of justice gratitude duty seeing we doe but render unto God his owne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the things which He hath formerly bestowed upon us which as they proceeded from Him to us were truly benefits as they return from us to Him are but due debts And therefore whensoever Gods occasions call upon us in this kinde we must contribute thereunto as on the one side readily and cheerfully and which will follow thereupon richly and plentifully according to our ability so on the other side humbly and modestly without pride or boasting or thinking that we thereby make God a debter to us or merit any thing at His hand An admirable example of both we have in David 1 Chro. 29. 6 To be beneficiall unto our brethren both that we may be the children of our heavenly Father by imitation of His goodnesse Mat. 5.45 and also that we may thereby shew our gratitude to Him Who takes what we doe to our brethren His children Christs brethren as done to Himself Prov. 19.17 Mat. 25.40 All these duties will be the fruits of remembring Gods benefits and therefore may be as so many Motives to excite us to it Means Direct Means Removing impediments Direct 1. Take diligent notice of all Gods benefits both in themselves and with respect to the Author that is both that such and such good things we enjoy and that we have received them from God This means is the ground of all the rest and is absolutely necessary not onely to affective but even to bare notionall remembrance which can have no object if notice or apprehension goe not before 2 Make a due that is a high estimate or valuation of them For what we most esteem we best remember Even old men whose memories most fail yet what they greatly regard they seldome forget as where they have laid their treasure Cic. de senect Now Gods benefits are highly estimable or rather inestimable whether we consider them in themselves their greatnesse multitude variety conveniency c. or in respect of God the Authour and Donour of them Whose greatnesse and majesty illustrates and amplifies His benefits and Whose goodnesse commends and endears them to us as proceeding not onely from His love or good will but also from His grace or free will 3 Adde to Estimation Admiration for that also will adde to the keeping Gods benefits in memory For as what we esteem as great so what we admire as strange we doe not easily forget Which is one
reason why the things which we observe when we are children are better retained in memory then those which we observe in riper years Now we may justly admire Gods benefits bestowed upon us if beside their excellent value in themselves and the infinite greatnesse and goodnesse of God the Author we consider our own meanness and vileness that we being but worms and worms meat dust and ashes so great a God should vouchsafe to bestow such great things upon us This made David stand amazed and cry out LORD what is man c. Psal 8.4 144.3 But much more may we be astonished with admiration if beside our meannesse we consider also our sinfulnesse how often how grievously we have offended God and provoked the eies of His glory how justly we have deserved not onely to be deprived of all good things but to be overwhelmed with all evils and punishments and yet how God still renews His mercies to us every morning Lam. 3.23 4 Meditate frequently of Gods benefits when thou art by thy self when in fit company be telling them to others especially to them who have near relation to thee and together with thee are partakers of them and obliged to remember them as thy wife children c. This means God Himself prescribes as for the keeping His words in remembrance Deut. 6.6 7 8 9. 11.18 19 20. so for the keeping His works or benefits in remembrance Deut. 4.9 c. By way of removing impediments Beware of such things as may hinder any of the direct means viz. either the Apprehension or Estimation or Admiration or Meditation and narration and consequently the remembrance it self of Gods benefits I shall instance onely in two 1 Earthly-mindednesse which makes a man not value not regard not relish the chiefest of Gods benefits that is His spirituall blessings and for temporall so look at that which is before that he forgets that which is behind think all that he hath received little or nothing whilest he greedily gapes and thirsts after more At least it so drowns him in the care of keeping or in the pleasure of enjoying and using the benefits themselves that he never looks up to the Author and Giver of them As swine under an oak 2 Pride which is yet more unreasonable making the chief of Gods benefits a mans strength wisdome vertues c. the ground of forgetting both them and all the rest to be Gods benefits whilest he ascribes these to himself and the rest to these either as to the effecting or at least as to the meriting causes and so neither of both to God or if to His power yet not to His bounty or grace And by how much the more it makes a man magnifie himself in the opinion of his own worth and deserts so much the more it makes him slight and vilifie Gods other benefits as all too little for him Verse 3. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities Who healeth all thy diseases That he may blesse God by way of thanksgiving he recounts Gods benefits bestowed upon himself v. 3 4 5. which are either privative deliverance from the evil of sin ver 3. punishment v. 4. in the beginning positive conferring of good things in generall v. 4 latter part temporall v. 5. others also v. 6. to the 19. His deliverance from the evil of sin he mentions in this verse And it hath two branches viz. being either from the guilt of sin by forgivenesse or remission of it which is Justification viz. being either from the corruption and dominion of sin signified by healing his diseases which is the former part of Sanctification In the former branch are 3 Axiomes or Doctrines 1. Doctrine David had his iniquities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thine iniquity Expl. or iniquities The verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies properly to be crooked Eccles 1.15 7.13 Lam. 3.9 And whereas a man may either voluntarily make himself crooked by writhing or distorting his body or be made crooked by a disease Luke 13.11 by a heavy burden c. hence by a Metaphor it signifies sometimes to sinne specially of crooked manners perversly deliberately 1 King 8.47 and more generally any way whatsoever every sinne being a deflexion from the right way or rule sometimes to be pressed by calamities Psal 38.6 Hence also the nown 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the same Metaphor signifies most commonly sin whether of perversnesse or otherwise but sometimes affliction or punishment 1 Sam. 28.10 And so that speech of Cain Gen. 4.13 may be interpreted either way Here it is taken for all Davids sins whether of perversnesse as in the matter of Urijah or otherwise That David had his iniquities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is here necessarily implied in the pronown affixed to it thine iniquities that is the iniquities of Davids soule or of David himself and in the act of God exercised thereabout viz. forgivenesse for that which is not can not be forgiven so he elsewhere confesses it more expressely and at large As 2 Sam. 12.13 24.17 Psal 40.12 51.1 c. Now sinne being most hatefull to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Whom we owe whatsoever we have or are and beside other discommodities most pernicious to him that commits it in respect of the punishment both of losse and sense and bringing no good at all with it which may in any wise recompense or countervaile these evils therefore to sin is contrary to all reason and consequently it can not be expected that any just reason should be given why David had his iniquities Yet how or by what means this came to passe it will not be amisse to enquire that so we for whose sakes this and all things else are written may the more diligently beware lest the same things which were able to overthrow so valiant a champion doe much more get the victory over us The causes then of these iniquities were externall The causes then of these iniquities were internall The externall cause was the devil the common cause of sin 1 Job 3.8 whose hatred and envy against God and all mankind is such that he leaves no man at all untempted But especially and above others he would labour to draw such a man as David into sinne in a double respect viz. of his profession and authority For the former the devil knew full well that the sins of David who had made so great a progresse in the profession and practise of religion would give great occasion both of scandall to the weak and of blasphemy to the wicked and profane 2 Sam. 12.14 For the latter the subtill serpent knew that most men would frame themselves after the kings example and therefore that such who had before kept themselves at least within the bounds of outward civility for feare of displeasing the king when they should know how greatly he had sinned would break out into all impiety He might hope also that by that means the kings mind might be
me ye wicked Psal 119.115 And Solomon thou the wisest of men hadst no more wit but to forbid ill company and that six times together with a breath Prov 4.14 15. He is no body now adaies that is not for all companies We have them that care not if the devil himselfe came into their company if he would not hurt their bodies and would not fear a straw what he could doe to their souls No their knowledge is so sound their faith so strong and their hearts so good to God that they scorn any company should doe hurt on them And Paul why wouldst thou be so strict as to keep under thy body c. 1 Cor. 9.27 as though a man may not pamper himself with all variety of delicates and yet be far enough from reprobation Not to bring any more instances we have some tast of the marvellous wit of our happy age But if it be well compared with the wisdome of those forenamed Saints of God we shall find that they out of a deep desire of Gods glory and their own salvation and a suspicious feare of the strength of sin and their own weaknesse bent their whole endeavour to keep as far from sin as possibly they could and our men out of a love of their lusts and a tickling desire to give them some satisfaction labour to come as near to sin as possibly they can without falling into it Whereas we may well imagine it is not for nothing that the onely wise God hath forbidden the occasions so expressely in Scripture See for the occasions of drunkennesse Prov. 23.20 31. Of whoredome Prov. 5.8 6.25 c. 7.6 c. On the other side here is comfort for an humble broken hearted Christian Consolation who is so possessed with the horrour of his sinnes that he makes question whether they can be pardoned or no. Consider well of this Doctrine David haed his iniquities And were not they as ill as thine But say that for the matter or outward act and number thine be worse then his yet weigh the circumstances He was more bound to God by outward blessings then thou art and I suppose thou that thinkest so meanly of thy self wilt not say but he had more strength of grace to have resisted his sins then ever thou hadst But yet suppose that both for substance and circumstances thy sins be every way worse then his yet dost thou think that he tasted the very utmost of Gods mercy Is there no further degree of it then was shewed on him Yes surely Gods mercy reacheth unto the clouds yea is infinite as Himself But it must be remembred all this while to whom I speak to the humble broken-hearted sinner for him alone is this comfort provided If any of you had a dish of dainty meat provided for some speciall friend ill at ease or weary with travell c. and a licorous boy should begin to finger it before it came at the table I suppose you would rap him over the knuckles and tell him Hands off it was not provided for him Even so must I deale with any wicked profane man that shall offer to catch at Davids example Thou must know that this serves to refresh such as are weary and heavy laden with their sins and not to pamper thine unruly lusts Oh but thou wilt say I do not meane to lose my hold so this is the best refuge that I have against censorious precise fellowes When they check me for my faults I can tell them I am not the first nor shall be the last I have my faults as who hath not I hope David himself was not without And thus I can beare out the matter in some good fashion But take this plea from me and then all is gone Well then if thou wilt needs stick so close to Davids example let us make some brief comparison between him and thee and see how far ye run parallel David had his faults so hast thou he repented of them so dost not thou he upon his repentance obtained pardon and salvation so shalt not thou in thine impenitence And what good now will Davids example doe thee But for such an one as I spake of before let not the horrour of thy sins drive thee to despaire but stir thee up to godly sorrow working repentance unto salvation not to be repented of Lastly Exh. seeing sin so prevailed against David it behoves us much more warily to arme our selves against the assaults of it To this purpose we have need both of Diligence and Confidence That without this soon languishes and vanishes into Desperation This without that growes up into Presumption and fool-hardinesse and consequently into idlenesse and carelesnesse Both therefore must be equally nourished 1 Diligence For the whetting whereof consider 1 How terrible an adversary the devil is who tempts us to sin 1 In respect of his power Eph. 6.12 for which he is compared to a lion to a strong man armed c. 2 In respect of his subtilty both naturall and acquired This is signified by divers words in Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 6.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 2.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Revel 2.24 For this he is called The old serpent Revel 12.9 a serpent for the subtilty of his nature and an old serpent for his so many yeares experience 3 In respect of his vigilancy and indefatigablenesse Job 1.7 2.2 1 Pet. 5.8 To whom eminently agrees that which Hannibal said of Marcellus Sive vincat sive vincatur semper instaurat pugnam Whether he give or take the foile he ever reinforces the fight 4 In respect of his cruelty for which he is compared to a red dragon a roaring lion c. 2 Consider how easily if we take not the more diligent heed we may fall into sin 1 In respect of the weaknes of our understanding 2 In respect of the perversnesse of our affections Our understanding is so weak that 1 it may be ignorant of many things necessary to be known 1 Cor. 13.12 2 It may know something in generall and yet faile in the particular application 3 Both in generall and particular it may know habitually and yet not actually consider as being hindred by multitude of businesse bodily distemper c. Our affections also are so addicted to be led by sense rather then by right reason that there is many times great danger lest seeing and approving that which is better yet we embrace and follow that which is worse contrary to our knowledge and conscience 3 Consider how prone we are to negligence to put off our arms and to be lulled asleep with the pleasures of the flesh 2 To diligence we must add Confidence Which we must not put in our selves or in any earthly helps Jer. 17.5 but we must ex-spectare look out of our selves and lift up our eyes to God and His promises whereby He hath given assurance of victory to them who manfully resist
is afforded to him if he be not thereby brought to repentance the greater shall his condemnation be but to him that hath obtained remission of sins they are given out of Gods second or speciall love in Christ unto salvation Yet can not any Note be taken from hence Eccles 9.1 2. because these things are given indifferently to the good and bad yea for the most part wicked men have herein the greatest share And for the manner and intent of giving them wherein the whole difference is it can not be known by us unlesse we first know that our sinnes are forgiven But in spiritualls the very actions themselves in the substance of them differ For sinners by the just judgement of God have their minds daily more and more blinded and their hearts hardened the assistance of Gods Holy Spirit whereby infirmities should be helped and temptations repressed after long resisting and quenching the motions of it is more withdrawn yea they going on still in notorious sins are at last delivered over to a reprobate mind and strong delusion to the lusts of their owne hearts and the power of Satan But they who have their sinnes forgiven though they may have their relapses sometimes as David and others had yet for the generall course of their life they grow in grace perhaps not sensibly every houre day c. Mar. 4.27 yet so as considering how it is with them now and how it was some while agoe it will appeare that they are grown The Holy Spirit more and more enlightens their eyes purges their hearts and makes them fit for every good work comforts them in adversity helps them in temptations c. Hence also we have a ground of a double exhortation Exhort 1 To seek forgivenesse of our sins at Gods hands Motive 1 Without this a man is in a most miserable condition worse then never to have been born as being liable to the wrath of God to the dominion of sin and the devil to all kinds of punishments 2 On the other side the forgivenesse of sins hath blessednesse annexed to it Psal 32.1 which imports the removall of all evil and the obtaining of all good 3 None can forgive sins but God onely Meanes 1 Christ the principall as Who hath satisfied the justice of God and so merited and procured forgivenesse for such as seek it through Him His blood is the fountain of all remission 2 That we may obtain forgivenesse by Christ there is required of us 1 Repentance Mar. 1.4 Luke 3.3 24.47 Act. 2.38 3.19 5.31 On the contrary they that remain in their sins without repentance have no portion in the remission of sinnes 2 Faith Act. 10.43 For true repentance is never separated from true faith in Christ Hence the Apostle so often beats upon Justification by faith 3 New obedience and amendment of life Isa 1.16 17 18. For this cannot be separated either from true repentance Mat. 3.8 Act. 3.19 or from true faith Jam. 2.14 2 When we have obtained forgivenesse 1 To be thankfull to God Who hath most freely and graciously bestowed so excellent a benefit upon us Now thankfulnesse or thanksgiving is partly internall partly externall 1 Cor. 6.20 The internall proceeds from the understanding acknowledging this infinite benefit and the heart fervently loving the Authour of it The externall consists 1 In words when we seasonably and sincerely praise the benefit and the Benefactors as in this Psalme and Revel 5.8 c. 2 In deeds namely seeing we are not able to render any thing to God which He any way needs or which if good proceeds not first from Him the Authour and giver of all good things in referring this benefit to its due end Luk. 1.74 75. Tit. 2.14 2 To forgive our brethren as God hath forgiven us Mat. 18.33 Ephes 4.32 Coloss 3.13 Motiv The argument holds from the greater to the lesse in many respects 1 In respect of the object of the forgiveness our offenses against God and our brethrens against us a between which there is no comparison either for number or weight 1 For number the offenses even of the best men are innumerable For whereas the Scripture calls some men just upright perfect c. it speaks of perfection of parts not degrees comparatively in reference to men not converted or newly converted not simply in respect of some particular action not of their whole conversation evangelically not legally c. Which appeares plainly by other evident places of Scripture 2 Chron. 6.36 Eccle. 7.20 Jam. 3.2 1 Joh. 1.8 10. Psal 40.12 And if this be our condition when we are at the best in this life what is it whilest we are yet carnall sold under sinne Rom. 7. See Gen. 6.5 Job 15.16 Isa 5.18 Rom. 3.10 to the 19. How few therefore are the offenses of our brethren against us if compared with the numberlesse number of ours against God! 2 For the weight or greatnesse of an offense seeing evil strictly taken is a mere privation not a being it is estimated according to the greatnesse of the good to which it is opposite Our offenses then being against the infinite Majesty of God our brethrens against us but against dust and ashes like themselves what are these in comparison of those Surely lighter then vanity lesse then nothing Which will yet more appear if we take in all aggravating circumstances especially the ingratitude of our sinnes against God more then can be imagined in any offense of one man against another Our Saviour in His Parable Mat. 18. sets forth this comparison between our sinnes against God and our brethrens or fellow-servants offenses against us both in the number and greatnesse under the similitude of 10000 talents v. 24. and 100 pence ver 28. For greatnesse Talents to pence one talent containing 6000 pence For number 10000 to 100. that is a hundred to one Put both together the proportion of the one above the other is six hundred thousand fold Which though it be a vast disparity yet is but a shadow of the truth in the reddition and comes infinitely short of it Now if our offenses against God so far exceed our brethrens offenses against us both for number and weight and yet God so graciously forgives us how much more reason is it that we should forgive our brethren 2 As great a disparity also there is between God and us in respect of power God is Omnipotent able at pleasure to take vengeance upon sinners without resistance without any hurt or danger to Himself either by in the precedent Doctrine 2 The conveniency of it both in that we all need it our sins presupposed there being no other way to be freed from them and in that it abundantly satisfies our need taking away our sins as clearly as if they had never been committed Whereof see more v. 12. Doctrin 2. 3 The fountain from whence it proceeds Gods infinite love to us and that of His free grace both which are signified by
those two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mercifull and gracious in the 8th verse of this Psalme Quest If it be questioned how our forgivenesse is free seeing it is merited by Christ Answ I answer 1 Christs merit is it self most free both on the part of God the Father freely sending Christ Joh. 3.16 and on the part of Christ Himself freely taking this office upon Him 2 Whereas in regard both of Gods Justice and of our behoof and benefit it was requisite that there should be such an expiation of sin made by Christ and that being perfectly made without any help of ours God might now most freely without violation of His Justice or Truth pardon our sinnes this pardon upon that expiation is so farre from derogating from the Grace of God or the freenesse of this benefit that it much more illustrates and amplifies it Uses For our instruction 1 Here we see to which of all Gods benefits David gives the precedency viz. to remission of sins Instr For till a mans sinnes be forgiven he is liable to all kinds of miseries and as that which fills up the measure of all to eternall death And whatsoever good things or blessings he receives from God though such indeed in themselves they are turned into curses Mal. 2.2 unlesse leading him to repentance they become means of his obtaining forgivenesse of sinnes On the other side forgivenesse obtained as it makes way for all other blessings so it makes us beare all kind of afflictions patiently as knowing them to be none other then fatherly chastisements or trialls and which shall all work together for our good 2 In that David blesseth God for the forgivenesse of all his sins we see there is no sin so small or light but that it both needs forgivenesse and being forgiven deserves and requires that we should blesse God for it Hence are reproved 1 Such as never regard or look after forgivenesse of sinnes Repr this great and prime benefit for which David gives thanks in the first place Nay who are so far from seeking forgivenesse of sins past that they daily heap up new sins and wait for occasions and opportunities of sinning Job 24.15 Psal 10.8 9 10. Prov. 1.11 Jer. 20.10 Luke 11.54 2 Such as haply desire forgivenesse of sins but not upon those terms or conditions upon which God hath promised it thinking they may obtain it though they walk in the stubbornnesse of their hearts Such men the Lord threatens that He will not pardon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He will not yeeld or consent to pardon though desired for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is commonly used but His anger and His jealousy shall smoke against them Deut. 29.20 3 Such who though they nothing doubt but think themselves surer then David of the forgivenesse of their sins yet doe not with David shew themselves thankfull to God for it In words haply they will sometimes give Him thanks But how little they either value the benefit in their minds or love the Benefactour in their hearts appeares by their conversation and secure continuance in their sinnes Which shewes that they either never truly repented of their sinnes at all for true repentance begets the fear of God Psal 130.4 by which men depart from evil Pro. 16.6 and carefulnesse to avoid sin for the future 2 Cor. 7.11 or that they are again returned with the dog to their vomit and with the sow to their wallowing in the mire whose latter end unlesse they timely beware will be worse then their beginning But let us imitate David in a true hearty Exhort and reall thankfulnesse to God for the forgivenesse of our sins and to that end enlarge our meditations upon the reasons before mentioned which will be strong Motives to excite us hereunto We have seen the first part of Davids spirituall deliverance namely from the guilt of sin by Justification or remission Who forgiveth all thy sinnes The 2d followes Who healeth all thy diseases Wherein also three things are in like manner to be considered in the three following Axiomes or Doctrines 4. Doctrine David had his diseases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy diseases This word Expl. as also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof they come properly signifie the diseases of the body but by Metaphor they are transferred sometimes to the body politique Isa 1.5 sometimes to the soule signifying the distempers of it either penall Prov. 13.12 or sinfull Eccle. 6.2 where he speaks of sordid covetousnesse or tenaciousnesse In this place the word seems to be taken not in the proper sense for the diseases of the body which are rather intimated in the beginning of the next verse among the causes of bodily death or destruction but in the metaphoricall for the diseases of the soule namely sinfull corruptions whether inclinations or habits For the healing of these being a great benefit of God and indeed greater then forgivenesse as sinne is worse then damnation therefore it is not probable that David reckoning up particularly the causes of his thankfulnesse would passe this over in silence and insist twice upon another far lesse then it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Davids soule had such diseases appeares in the Text in like manner as was said of his actuall sinnes in the 1 Doctrine of this verse both by the pronown affixt and by the act of God exercised about them So Psalm 41.4 And it is further evident by the history of his life by his own confessions and complaints in this book of Psalmes and by those very actuall iniquities before mentioned which are the effects of these diseases So for the generall Prov. 20.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For 1 Adams sin is according to the tenour of the first covenant imputed to all that are naturally propagated from him whereupon being deprived of originall justice and wisedome we become blind in our minds and perverse in our hearts and so sold under sinne that till we be in some measure freed by the grace of God we cannot but do viciously and daily contract strengthen ill habits Joh. 15.5 2 Cor. 3.5 2 Although beleevers having the Sonne Joh. 8.36 and the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.17 are freed as from the guilt of sins past so also from the dominion of sin yet the flesh still lusts against the Spirit and there remain still in them to be further mortified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those earthly members Coloss 3.5 Uses Here then we see 1 How miserable our condition is in this life Instr How many troubles and dangers our bodies are subject to by diseases c. we are not ignorant The soule also hath her diseases too and those sinfull diseases the tympany of pride the burning feaver of filthy lust the dropsy of covetousnesse the consumption of envy c. which as they are in number not inferiour to those of the body so in their
Spirit of God Who is therefore called Holy because He sanctifies the faithfull and this work of healing is a part of sanctification But the Spirit doth not effect this without us Rom. 8.13 That therefore we may be fitted for this work the Spirit useth the word which is compared to a medicine Prov. 4.20 21 22. 1 Tim. 6.3 The Spirit therfore by the word and with the word 1 shewes us our diseases 2 moves the will to seek to be healed by disswasives from remaining under the dominion of sin and perswasives to holinesse 3 directs the action It useth also the Sacraments by which we are united unto Christ Baptism for initiation the Eucharist for progresse and so we are gathered as sometimes He would have gathered the children of Jerusalem under his wings wherein is healing Mal. 4.2 Yea the Sacraments sealing the great benefits of God to us and our duty toward Him do both encourage us to seek healing and afford most effectuall arguments to move us to it 3 How farre In all that truly repent and beleeve God heales all diseases but not straightway perfectly nor in all equally but by different degrees For the Scripture makes 3 distinct degrees of beleevers 1 Beginners who are called Children using milk Hebr. 5.12 13. 2 Proficients Ephes 4.14 15. 3 Perfect or strong men Rom. 15.1 But in all true beleevers this healing is so farre made as to take away the dominion of sinne and that it may not hinder their salvation and in none perfectly or in every point in this life The word in the Text is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who is healing God so heales the diseases of our soules here that He is still healing them more and more Perfect health is not to be enjoyed but in heaven In this sense God is said to heale his people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Chron. 30.20 And in the same sense in proper termes he is often called The Sanctifier of his people For God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and God onely hath 1 perfect knowledge of all our diseases 2 Power or ability to cure them as being Omnipotent and so nothing hard to Him 3 Liberty and authority His justice saved which Christ by His obedience and death hath so farre satisfyed that it not onely permits but upon the Covenant between Him and the Father requires that all that beleeve in Him should be healed 4 Will as in this particular of David desiring his cheerfull obedience in his generall calling and specially in the administration of the Kingdome and thereupon Davids salvation His owne glory So in every man according to his calling Uses We see then 1 That the diseases of the soul Instr though dangerous yet are not incurable 2 That they who are qualifyed as David was have their diseases healed For there never are nor can be any such but that God alwaies Omnipotent is able to heale them and there is no respect of persons with Him 3 That this healing is to be sought of God This reproves 1 Such who enjoying greater means then David had Repr yet are not healed 1 Not of all their diseases Of some perhaps they are willing to be cured as Herod it may be out of some kind of conscience towards God But this they doe onely for feare of punishment or that they may have something wherewith to stop the mouth of their conscience that so they may the more sweetly sleep in their other sinnes or because they are not so addicted to these sinnes and therefore better contented to part with them c. But whatever the cause be it is evident they doe it not out of a sincere conscience for then they would endeavour to have all healed and those most especially whereof they are most sick 2 Not of grosse and foule diseases 3 Not of any at all 4 Who are so farre from being healed that they grow every day more and more diseased 2 Such as doe not seek healing of God in due manner that is not diligently using the meanes by God thereunto appointed 2 Not at all but passing Him by rely upon other meanes which cannot help them 3 Who are so farre from seeking to be healed of God that they daily more and more provoke Him 3 Such as are herein altogether unlike to God 1 Negatively who regard not to heale their brethrens diseases but say as the Priests and Elders to Judas Mat. 27.4 What is that to us See thou to it 2 Positively who hinder their healing or also increase their diseases Let this exhort us to seek the healing of our diseases and to seek it at Gods hands Exhort Motiv For the thing it self 1 These diseases are deadly to the soul Rom. 8.13 give strength and sting to the diseases and death of the body and to all afflictions and whilest they continue in their vigour make us unfit for any good prone to sinne c. 2 They being healed we become temples of the Holy Ghost fit and cheerfull to serve God to work out our own salvation to help others c. For the seeking it onely at Gods hands 1 There are some diseases of the soul which none but God no not the sick man himself can discover or find out Psal 19.12 2 None but He can cure any disease of the soule at all 3 He can sufficiently cure all As before in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meanes See Explicat 2. 6 Doctrine David mentions this as an argument of blessing God So Psal 30.1 2 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For 1 He knew 1 That this was a benefit worthy of all gratitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 That it was from God 3 That it was a part of his duty to which he was bound necessitate praecepti to blesse God for it 4 That it would be a meanes both to continue and perfect the cure in himself and to encourage others to seek it where he had found it 2 As he knew all this so being a good man desirous to perform his duty and to promote the spirituall good both of himself and others he would not detein the truth in unrighteousnesse but act according to his knowledge Uses Here we see 1 That a man may with David know that his diseases are healed Instr namely if with him he valiantly resist sinne and diligently work that which is good 2 That a good man is of a gratefull disposition ever mindfull of and thankfull for benefits received 3 See Doctr. 3. Instr 2. This reproves 1 Scrupulous men Repr who though the word of God teach them that their diseases are healed yet will not beleeve it and so vex themselves without cause and are wanting to this duty of being thankfull to God for it 2 Such as are too negligent of this duty Some haply for fashions sake will give shanks for their meat and drink but scarce for any other blessing or deliverance Some perhaps for temporall but not for spirituall
eternall welfare of their own soules But will neither the remembrance of all their ancestors dead before them nor the daily examples of mortality nor so many clear testimonies of Scripture that all must die nor that Statute of the immutable and omnipotent God Heb. 9.27 any thing at all move them The reason sure is that which the Philosopher toucheth Rhet. lib. 2. cap. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All men know they must die but because it is not near they regard it not Or that which Thomas saith Plerique non timent mortem quia apprehendunt sub remotâ distantiâ Most men feare not death because they apprehend it as at a remote distance And for the same reason they much lesse feare what may come after death But let us make it our continuall meditation Exhort 1 Of bodily death to which we are so lyable that there is no possibility of avoiding it and for the time as we know it cannot be farre off so we know not how near it may be This meditation will be of excellent use 1 For the taking down of our pride the worst of evils what ever the ground of it be whether we be proud of the goods of the mind Psal 146.4 or of the goods of the body strength beauty c. Job 21.23 24 25 26. or of our kindred Job 17.14 or of outward things riches honours c. Psal 49.16 17. 2 For the moderating our desires of earthly things as which can neither keep off death nor continue with us after death 3 For the bridling our unruly passions anger envy impatience whether at our own or our friends sufferings or at the prosperity of Gods and our enemies Psalm 37. 73. 2 Of eternall death which though it be farre worse yet is avoidable And the meditation of it will be both a Motive and a Meanes to us to avoyd it by hastening our repentance and taking heed of sinne for the future To this purpose is that redoubled admonition of our Saviour to His friends Luke 12.5 Feare Him Who after He hath killed hath power to cast into hell yea I say unto you Feare Him 2 Doctrine The Lord redeemed Davids life from destruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who redeemeth Expl. This word signifies 1 To preserve a thing which otherwise would be lost Levit. 27.27 Lam. 3.58 2 To recover a thing that is lost and that either by price Levit. 25.25 power Ex. 6.6 Psalm 77.15 Here understand it the first way viz. the preserving Davids life which otherwise would have been lost This David often acknowledges In generall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 19.14 In speciall for temporall death 2 Sam. 4.9 for eternall death Psal 71.23 So Nathan tells him 2 Sam. 12.13 For the Reason hereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though the first cause of all Gods benefits be that which is mentioned in the latter part of this verse His own loving-kindnesse and tender-mercies and the last end His own glory yet among the benefits themselves also there may be a subordination so that one benefit may be the cause or end of another So here God out of His free love to David and to His people Israel and for His own glory and their good had decreed from all eternity to set him as king over them and for a testimony thereof had commanded Samuel to anoint him 1 Sam. 16. In order therefore hereunto and that the immutability of His counsell and the truth of His promise might appeare He redeemed or preserved Davids life from temporall death both whilest he was yet a private man that He might bring him to the kingdome and after hee was king that he might goe through with the administration of it to the ends before mentioned For eternall death his preservation from it necessarily follows upon his deliverance from the guilt and dominion of sinne vers 3. And therefore that deliverance is the immediate cause of this and the causes of that do mediately and by necessary consequence inferre this Uses Our instructions from hence may be 1 Concerning temporall death Instr 1 We see what it is to walk under Divine protection How many and how great dangers Davids life was lyable to we heard before yet out of them all the Lord delivered him Of this David was throughly sensible Psal 23.4 and could say experimentally of himself in particular what he saith of the righteous in generall Psal 34.19 2 We see also who they are that may expect this protection from Almighty God viz. not such as wander in the by-paths of sinne provoking God continually to His face Such men indeed God sometimes delivers from many dangers but 1 they have no promise from God whereupon they may rely to expect it 2 Though such deliverance be in it self good and by God intended for their good yet if they go on in their sinnes it will through their own fault prove very ill to them as giving them time to heap up more sinnes and so more wrath against the day of wrath but such as are like unto David who serve God and trust in Him who though they have not such speciall promises for this as David had yet they have Gods generall promises Psal 84.11 33.18 19. c. Whereupon they may expect protection from temporall death so farre as is expedient for them that is so farre as that death would be truly hurtfull to them 2 Concerning eternall death we see 1 The great mercy of God not willing to deale with mankind fallen into sinne according to the rigour of His justice but finding out a way whereby we may be delivered from it 2 To whom this deliverance belongs viz. to David and by the like reason to all that observe the condition of the covenant For in this David had no speciall promise nor any other then what all true beleevers in like manner have Here are reproved 1 In respect of bodily death 1 Such as presume to be delivered from it Repr when yet by their own deeds they call it unto themselves as by immoderate worldly sorrow 2 Cor. 7.10 by envy Job 5.2 Prov. 14.30 by drunkennesse Prov. 23.29 c. In like manner by gluttony idlenesse quarrelling unwarrantable venturing upon dangers c. 2 Such as doe not trust or seek to God for deliverance from it but to secondary meanes whether in themselves lawfull as Asa 2 Chron. 16.12 or unlawfull 2 In respect of eternall death 1 Such as expect of God deliverance from it but presumptuously as being nothing lesse then such as David here was 2 Such as expect it otherwise then from God Two things we are here to be exhorted to Exhort 1 In respect of our selves To flee unto God for protection from both kinds of death Motiv 1 In respect of the objectum quod the deliverance it self which we seek 1 We stand in great need of it in regard of the many dangers both bodily and spirituall to which we are
lyable 2 The good or benefit of it is as great whereof something shall be said in the Reason of the next Doctrine 2 In respect of the objectum per quod the means whereby we must be delivered 1 No creature can do it but as Gods instrument 2 God even without the help of any creature is able to do it 3 If we rightly seek to Him He will most readily deliver us both from temporall death so farre as shall be expedient and from eternall death simply and absolutely Meanes That we may rightly expect any thing from God it is required of us 1 That we be such as by the tenour of the covenant have part in Gods promises 2 That we diligently doe those things which on our part are to be done in order thereunto viz. dispose our affairs providently Gen. 32.7 recommend our selves to God by prayer fasting c. 3 That we seek Gods deliverances as all His other benefits in their due manner and order that is spirituall and eternall things chiefly and absolutely temporall things moderately and with submission to Gods will 2 In respect of others To procure their deliverance as much as in us lies that so we may be like unto God and according to our ability promote his work Not that He Who is omnipotent stands in need of our help but that He requires of us to love our brethren and by this means to testifie our love We must therefore endeavour to deliver them 1 From bodily or temporall death For if he who is in danger of it be a good man he is deare to God Mal. 3.17 1 Pet. 2.9 and God tenders him as the apple of His own eye Therefore our concurrence herein will be acceptable to God and honourable to our selves also profitable unto others whom a good man whilest he lives here is continually exciting to glorifie God both by his example Mat. 5.16 and by his godly exhortations c. and besides is beneficiall to them in temporall things also by his prayers other endeavours keeping off evils and procuring good things Gen. 18.23 c. 19.21 29. Jer. 5.1 2 King 3.14 15 16 17 18. Psal 106.23 But if he be a wicked man his losse of this life is the losse of eternall life whereas if his life here were longer continued he might haply come to repentance and so to eternall life See Eccle. 9.4 To omit the good which such a man being converted might doe before his death as S. Paul c. 2 From eternal death Motiv 1 From the horriblenesse of it and irrecoverablenesse from it 2 From the danger of falling into it in regard of the multitude of sinnes and enemies 3 From the possibility and comparatively the facility of the means of preventing it 3 Doctrine David mentions this as an argument of blessing God So he doth his deliverance from bodily death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 18. the whole Psalme being composed for that purpose as appeares by the Title So Hezekiah blesseth God for delivering him from his sicknesse which was the messenger of death Isa 38.9 c. David also exhorts others to do the like Psal 107. where mentioning divers deliverances from hunger thirst imprisonment sicknesse shipwrack at the end of every member he adds these words Oh that men would therefore praise the LORD c. For his deliverance from eternall death he doth it Psal 51.14 15. 71.23 So Saint Paul 1 Tim. 1. whereas he had been a blasphemer a persecuter and injurious by which sinnes he had deserved eternall death and yet had obtained mercy ver 13 14 15 16. he praises God for it ver 17. So he exhorts the Colossians chap. 1. vers 12 13. The Reasons mentioned in the former benefits may be applied to this also viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 He knew 1 That this redemption was fit matter of gratitude 1 For the greatnesse of the benefit Deliverance from untimely death of the body is of great moment whether a man be godly or wicked Gods promise of it Exod. 20.12 23.26 Zech. 8.4 and elswhere proves it to be a great blessing to the godly God hath set the mark of honour upon old age Levit. 19.32 Prov. 16.31 20.29 Hence Saint Paul to Philemon stiles himselfe Paul the aged vers 9. And when ancient men are dishonoured especially by young men it is noted as a great ataxie or disorder Isa 3.5 Lam. 5.12 Lastly with the ancient is wisdome and in length of dayes is understanding Job 12.12 Hence old men are wont to be taken into counsell The seventy that were joined in assistance to Moses were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Elders of Israel Num. 11.16 So amongst the Egyptians Psal 105.22 So the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Lacedemonians and the Senatus of the Romanes And we know what happened to Rehoboam when forsaking the old mens counsell he followed that of the yong men 1 Kin. 12. The reason why old men get wisdome is because their long life both affords them much time to learne and hath experience as a most certaine guide And that their wisdome may not be idle speculative onely they are freed from many lusts and passions wherewith yong men are usually troubled whence David Psal 25.7 mentions the sinnes of his youth and Saint Paul admonishes Timothy to flee youthfull lusts 2 Tim. 2.22 and so may the more easily apply themselves to the practise of wisdome for the glory of God the adorning their profession and the furthering their own accompts Psal 92.13 14. On the other side if a man be yet wicked and in the state of sin a speedy death throwes him headlong into hell whereas long life affords him time to repent Whether therefore a man be godly or wicked deliverance from untimely death is in it self a great blessing But deliverance from eternall death is so great an one as can not be expressed or imagined whether we consider the greatnesse of the evil escaped or of the good obtained 2 For the conveniency yea necessity How obnoxious David was both to temporall and eternall destruction was shewed before in the first Doctrine of this verse whereupon in respect of himself he stood in need of redemption from both But besides the state of the Kingdome and Church miserably afflicted under the wicked and unhappy government of Saul greatly needed the prolonging of Davids life to restore it again 2 He knew also that his redemption from both these destructions was from God and that of His love free grace 3 That to be gratefull to God for it was his duty and a duty both in it self most excellent and to God most acceptable 2 Being a man according to Gods heart he would not detaine the truth in unrighteousnesse but cheerfully perform that which he knew for so many and so great causes ought to be performed Uses Here beside the generall instructions touched before Instr vers 3. mutatis mutandis 1 we see what
just ground we have to pray as we do in our publique Letany against sudden death That a long life whereby death comes upon us not suddenly and unexpectedly but maturely and according to the ordinary course of nature may lawfully with submission to Gods will be desired abundantly appeares by what hath been said in the Reason of this Doctrine and sufficiently by this act of David here For thanksgiving rightly ordered as we must suppose it here to be alwaies implies the cause of it to be some benefit or good thing which therefore being absent may lawfully at least be desired 2 It is cleare that our deliverance from eternall destruction much more our eternall happinesse in heaven is of Gods free grace not of the merit of our works which is opposed to grace Rom. 11.6 for there is no thanks due but for a benefit freely bestowed Luk. 17.9 Here are reproved 1 They that are unthankfull to God for their redemption or reprive from bodily death Repr Such must they needs be who doe not acknowledge it to be received from God for the first degree of gratitude is to acknowledge the benefactour But much more unthankfull are they who when God hath delivered them from any sicknesse employ their recovered health and strength to sinne against Him Such men shew plainly that they think their life serves onely for the satisfying of their lusts as if they were born for none other end but to sinne and therefore having been hindred in their businesse by sicknesse as soon as they are recovered they double their diligence for the regaining that time And this is still so much the worse when done after promises and vowes of amendment Oh what saints do some men seeme upon their sick beds when they think themselves in danger of death How do they blame their former courses What promises do they make for the future if God shall restore them to health But being recovered no such matter appears With the dog they return to their vomit the courses which they so disliked in their sicknesse they rush into again as the horse into the battell Against the amendment then promised they beare an aversation in respect of their lusts anew urging them to their old courses and of their companions who would hate them if reformed Such persons little consider with Whom they have to doe having never heard or not regarded that Galat. 6.7 God is not mocked He knowes whether people be like those Hos 7.14 who cryed not unto God with their hearts when they howled upon their beds c. High time it is then for such to recount what vowes they have made in their distresse and speedily to go about the performance of them Otherwise let them make account to beare the punishment not only of unthankfulnesse as the former but moreover of breaking vowes and those not of things indifferent which yet God will strictly require but either the same with or branches of their vowes formerly made in Baptisme When thou vowest a vow unto God defer not to pay it Dent. 23.21 Eccles 5.4 Not onely Deny not or Forget not or Omit not but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Defer not Slack not Put not off till afterwards For if thou dost remember that God can every moment bring thee into the like or greater danger And then with what faee canst thou look up unto Him again with Whom thou hast before dealt so perfidiously See Job 27.8 9 10. 2 They who so live that they can not give thanks to God for redeeming them from eternall destruction seeing they will not be redeemed from it But are there any such Answ It is incredible indeed that any man if so be he beleeve there is any such destruction should simply be unwilling to be redeemed from it But we must distinguish of the act of willing which is either efficacious inefficacious Essicaciously to will redemption from eternall destruction they onely can be said who diligently frame themselves according to the prescript of the Gospell truly repenting of their sinnes fleeing to Christ the Redeemer by true faith and for the time to come ceasing to do evil and learning to do well Thus wicked men are not willing to be redeemed and therefore not efficaciously It remaines therefore that if they will it at all it is but inefficaciously which kind of willing is called velleity or woulding rather then true willing Which as it is alwayes vaine so here it is also foolish and impious For seeing that impenitent sinning and eternal destruction are inseparably linked together by God as the Scripture every where testifies how foolishly do impenitent sinners wil to be redeemed from eternall destruction Yea how impiously For what else do they wil but that God Who is infinitely and necessarily faithfull should break the new covenant established in the blood of his Sonne and confirmed in the promises and threatnings thereof by his oath and so should become not onely a liar but perjured Such kind of willing God so makes no account of that judging not according to mens foolish thoughts but according to the truth of the thing he plainly saith that such men will to dy Ezek. 18.31 Doubtlesse according to their own opinion they do not will eternall death but yet continuing in their sinnes they do by consequence in the causes altogether necessarie most truly will it See Prov. 8.36 21.6 18.6 17.19 But let us imitate David Exhort Motives see the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have seen the privative benefits viz. Deliverances from evil both of sin and punishment Come we now to the positive The conferring of good things And first in generall both spirituall and temporall are comprehended in the latter part of this 4th verse 4 Doctrine The LORD crowned David with loving-kindnesse and tender-mercies 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loving-kindnesse Explic. This word properly signifies goodnesse or an affection of doing good any way and so is often joined with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By a Metonymie of the Efficient it is put for the effect thereof viz. the benefit it self or the good deed done as Gen. 20.13 2 Sam. 2.5 6. and so often joined with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the plurall number almost perpetually as 2 Chron. 32.32 Nehem. 13.14 Gen. 32.10 Psal 106.7 Now these effects have reference to all kinds of good as well privative in deliverance from evil whether of sinne or punishment as positive as may appear by the severall places where the word is used But one may suffice for all viz. Psal 136. where this word is 26 times used in reference sometimes to positive sometimes to privative benefits Now though David in this Psalme gives thanks to God for both sorts of benefits yet having spoken of the privative particularly vors 3. and in the former part of this verse this lanter seems rather specially to intend the positive and so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here to be restrained to them 2
at least to be weary and impatient as thinking it too long in coming and so to say with him 2 King 6.33 What should I wait for the LORD any longer which is contrary to that act or effect of faith and hope that is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the patient abiding or expectance of the thing beleeved and hoped for Heb. 11.1 Rom. 8.24 25. as the LXX often translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is comfort against that also God Who hath undertaken the thing best knows His own time and His time is the best time for executing both righteousnesse and judgement and beyond that time He will not defer it As the vision Habak 2.3 so here the righteousnesse judgement of God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a set or appointed time but at the end it shall speake and not lie Therefore though it tarry wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry Though it tarry it will not tarry that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it linger and stay some while before it comes yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non posterior abit as I may say it will not come tardy it will not come after the appointed time nor after the due and fit time And he that beleeveth will not make hast Isa 28.16 Lastly here is a ground of Exhortation to all men in generall Exhort that every man in his place and calling would imitate God in executing righteousnesse and judgement for all that are oppressed Chiefly it concernes magistrates as being Gods deputies and ministers for this purpose especially But it extends also to masters of families within their bounds of domesticall government Yea to private men also in such acts hereunto conducing as belong to them as by way of testimony solicitation or other assistance to the party oppressed or as the magistrates instruments for execution of his office herein 2 Doctrine David mentions this as an argument of blessing God So Psal 99. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where declaring this act of God vers 4. he exhorts to this duty vers 3 5. And Psalm 107. vers 10 13 14 15 16. In like manner Moses and the Israelites being freed from the Egyptian oppression sing a song of thanksgiving Exod. 15. So Deborah and Barak Judg. 5. The grounds or reasons hereof are in generall the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in other benefits before mentioned vers 3 4 5. Which therefore may in like manner be hereunto fitted and applyed Uses Here we learne 1 That we are not to regard our selves alone Instr or to be sensible onely of our own oppressions and deliverances but to be alike affected in those which concern others also as David here gives thanks for Gods executing righteousnesse and judgement for all that are oppressed 2 We may lawfully rejoice for Gods judgements upon oppressours To rejoice for them out of malice as they are hurtfull comes to be executed upon themselves for such as they have oppressed But let us imitate David Exhort Motives See the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers 7. He made known His waies unto Moses His acts unto the children of Israel Now follow Gods benefits bestowed upon the Israelites And first upon all in this verse Where we have a double benefit according to a double act of Gods notification viz. Of His waies unto Moses acts unto the children of Israel Which yet we must not so divide as if Gods waies were made known onely to Moses and His acts onely to the children of Israel for both were made known to both Onely with this difference that God made known His waies first and immediately to Moses and by him mediately to the children of Israel but His acts He shewed immediately to all as being of themselves so conspicuous that the very doing them was making them known so that no man could open his eies but he must see them 1 Doctrine The LORD made known His waies unto Moses What a Way is in the proper acception Expl. all men know Metaphorically being attributed to God it is taken especially in a double acception 1 For the way wherein He Himself walketh that is for his counsels and actions Deut. 32.4 Psalm 145.17 2 For the way wherein He will have us to walk that is His Commandements prescribing us our duty Psalm 119.1 3 14 15 27 32 33. and frequently in that psalme and other So Isa 2.3 30.21 Both these are here meant but the latter especially That God shewed His waies unto Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that after a more eminent manner then to any other see Num. 12.6 7 8. That He shewed them to the children of Israel and that more peculiarly then to any other nation see Psalm 147.19 20. That He shewed them to Israel by Moses is plaine throughout all the books of Moses and Malac. 4.4 Whereupon Moses is called the mediatour of the Old Testament Gal. 3.19 Now this God did out of His love to Moses and Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so to us also to whom the partition-wall being broken down by Christ belongeth whatsoever Moses wrote so farre as it may stand with the New Testament The immediate end was that the Doctrine of God might not be as a candle put under a bushell but set on a candlestick that it might enlighten the whole house of Israel yea the whole Church throughout all succeeding generations The end to which this was subordinate was the leading and uniting men unto God for their salvation and His glory Uses The instructions Instr which hence may be gathered are these 1 If there need a way to lead us unto God then we are absent from God God is indeed in Himself infinite and therefore alwaies every where necessarily present after a generall manner Psal 139.7 8 9 10. Act. 17.27 28. More specially also He is sayd many waies to be present as in courts of judicature 2 Chron. 19.6 Psalm 82.1 Also to come neare to the wicked to judgement Mal. 3.5 c. But according to our purpose here He is specially present by the manifestation of grace and glory Now in respect of His glorious presence in heaven whilest we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord 2 Cor. 5.6 Grace He manifests in the fruits either of His first love and so He is present to all men especially in the visible Church or of His second love and so he is farre from the wicked Prov. 15.29 and is present onely to the godly 2 Chron. 15.2 Seeing then we are by nature the children of wrath dead in sinnes before our regeneration so we are absent from God And seeing there is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not Eccles 7.20 Jam. 3.2 and how much we sinne so much we are absent from the God of pure eies therefore whilest we are in this world
be reduced to His works of mercy toward the Israelites and of justice against the Egyptians the rebellious Israelites the Midianites Amalek and the Canaanites The particulars every where occurre 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the children of Israel Children by a Synecd spec familiar to the Hebrews are put for posterity Why they should be denominated as here and generally they are of Israel rather then of Abraham or Isaac the reason may seem to be because these had children of deferent religions Abraham had Isaac and Ishmael Isaac had Jacob and Esau but Jacobs children though many were all of one faith and religion Why of Israel rather then of Jacob the reason may be because the name of Israel was given him by God Himself and that of honourable signification A prince with God and bestowed upon him for his great and pertinacious piety Gen. 32. That God had before Davids time made known His acts to the children of Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abundantly appeares in all the books of Moses Josuah Judges and Samuel See Deut. 11.2 3 4 5 6 7. Reasons 1 For the impulsive cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods acts of mercy viz. His delivering the Israelites out of Egypt leading them to the land of Canaan bringing them into it placing them in it and so the acts tending thereunto proceeded from Gods truth and fidelity which required the performance of His promises made unto their fathers His acts of justice proceeded from His hatred of sinne And all from His love to that nation even those acts of justice which He shewed on the rebellious Israelites for so he pluckt up the ill weeds that the corn might grow the better and punished some exemplarily that others fearing might be kept in their duty See Deut. 17.13 2 The end in generall was that they so many as were not taken away by his judgements and their posterity to whom they were often commanded to declare His acts might the more diligently keep His commandements Who had done so great things for them to their own salvation and His glory So Deut. 11.7 8. Your eies have seen all the great acts of the LORD which He did Therefore shall ye keep all the Commandements c. So chap. 6.20 c. 10.12 So Psal 105. Where beginning from Abraham verse 9. and briefly reckoning up the acts of God he concludes with the end of all vers 45. That they might observe His statutes and keep His Lawes Hence Psal 78. Not to forget Gods works and to keep His commandements vers 7. and on the other side to forget those and not to keep these vers 10 11. are joined together as causes and effects In speciall for his works of mercy that they and their posterity in all their dangers and necessities might put their trust in God Who had shewed such great power and love toward them Deut. 7.17 18 19. Psal 77.10 11 12. 78.7 For want of which duty Moses reproves them Deut. 1.29 c. as Samuel those of his time who for feare of Nahash asked a King when God who had formerly so many waies delivered them was their King 1 Sam. 12. Also that they might alwaies have matter of praising and giving thanks to God Psal 9.1 26.6 7. So Psal 105. 106. 136. where earnestly exhorting to praise and give thanks to God he takes his argument from these works of God For His works of punitive justice that beholding therein His power and hatred of sinne they might feare to offend Him by committing it Numb 16.40 Levit. 18.24 25 c. 20.22 23. Uses Hence we may observe 1 That God rests not in desires Instr purposes c. of doing good to the godly and punishing the wicked but in due time proceeds to acts of mercy and justice Many men think they have done a great matter if they inwardly wish well to the godly and ill to the wicked desire to doe good to those and punish these though when they have power authority and opportunity they will not doe it Or if their love to those proceed as farre as to word or tongue in praising promising c. and their hatred to the sinnes of these expresse it self by dispraising threatning c. they think they have almost obliged God to them by it But this is not to imitate God Who hath His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His acts both of mercy to the godly and of punishment against the rebellious And such affections and words shall be so farre from doing them any good that they plainly convince them to be wicked servants who knowing their Lords will yet doe it not 2 Though God have some secret things belonging to Himself Deut. 29.29 some judgements unsearchable and waies past finding out Rom. 11.33 yet His acts which it behoves men to know He hath made known unto them that His mercy and justice might be manifest to the ends abovesaid and the like And herein He is to be imitated by us but with caution that is so as it be not done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the dispraise of others or boasting of our selves but to the good of others and our own necessary defence and that modestly 3 Behold here that God is no respecter of persons For there were many nations at that time far superiour to the Israelites in all earthly respects yea of Esau's progeny there were many Dukes Gen. 36.15 c. when the Israelites lived miserably and despicably in Egypt Yet God out of all nations chose these children of promise to whom He would make known His acts Here we may see the reason why God was more angry at the Israelites sinnng against Him then at any others Though He left not Himself without witnesse amongst other nations and therefore might justly punish them also for their sinnes and so many times did yet that witnesse if compared with the manifestation of His wayes in the former Doctrine and of His acts in this to the children of Israel was but litle And therefore of them to whom He had committed much He might justly require more and for want of it more often and more severely punish them By Gods thus manifesting His acts Repr are reproved 1 Such as will not observe or take notice of them Psal 28.5 Isa 5.11 12. And now more especially among us to whom God hath made known those acts not onely in the writings of Moses but also in the Psalmes and often elswhere in the Old Testament and likewise in the New And not those onely but many other acts of God also beyond all admiration especially the miracles wrought by our Saviour Christ and in His Name Yet how few of us set our hearts upon them so as thereby to learne to keep Gods commandements to hope in Him to fear Him to glorify Him c But let us assure our selves if we neglect Gods acts of mercy towards others we shall not enjoy
the like our selves and if we slight the acts of His punishing justice upon others we shall feel them in our selves and be made examples unto others because we would not be warned by other mens examples And if they deserve reproof who do not mark the things which were done of old to others much more they who neglect Gods acts done unto themselves Yet thus do many men who not acknowledging Gods hand in those things which befall them attribute their good things either to other men or wholly to themselves and impute their evil things either to the instruments which God useth or to fate fortune c. But worst of all are they who think and speak ill of these acts who through covetousnesse ambition c despise the callings wherein God hath set them and the estates He hath bestowed upon them though herein He hath been much more liberall to them not worthy to breath the common aire then to many of his deare children murmur at their afflictions as undeserved when indeed they are farre short of what they have deserved How far are such men from salvation who make those acts of God an occasion of departing further from Him whereby according to His intention they ought to be moved daily to draw nearer to Him 2 Such as do not manifest their own acts beseeming those to whom God hath thus made known His acts Many draw neare to God with their mouths and honour Him with their lips bring forth plentifully the leaves of profession but few abound in the fruits of obedience Others by hypocrisie labour to hide their acts from God Of these the Scriptures often speak and alwayes with detestation It is in vain for them to attempt it Jer. 23.24 Luk. 12.1 2. For how can He Who most clearly sees the darkest secretest corners of their hearts be ignorant of their acts Or how can any act be hidden from Him in Whom the agent lives moves and hath his being Yea Woe is denounced against such Isa 29.15 And no marveli seeing such a thought smels rank of atheisme But most impudent are they who openly commit iniquity Isa ◠9 which is yet worse in respect of the place the visible Church Isa 26.10 the Temple Ezek. 8.16 17. the manner when a man glories in it c. This should exhort us Exhort 1 Diligently and affectively to consider these and the like acts of God which He hath or shall make known unto us Motiv 1. To this end He hath revealed them Rom. 15.4 1 Cor. 10.11 2 The consideration of them is profitable for those further ends intended by God mentioned in the 2d Reason of this Doctrine 3 If we doe it not Rahab the harlot and the Gibeonites will rise up against us in judgement for they were moved upon a lesser and lesse certain report of some few of Gods acts 2 To declare and make known Gods acts unto others Motiv 1. The example of God Whom in so doing we shall imitate 2 His precept for it often inculcated by Moses in the institution of the Passeover Exod 12. 3 The example of holy men Psal 78.4 5 6. 4 It is profitable to others as to us in the former Exhortation 5 Many have great need of it as children who by reason of their age and some though of riper years who by reason of their naturall dulnesse or want of education can not of themselves consider the acts of God others through negligence c will not 3 Doctr. David mentions this manifestation of Gods waies acts as an argument of blessing God So for His waies Psal 119.62 164. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 147.19 20. For His acts David both doth it himself Psal 92.4 5. and exhorts others Psal 150.2 and both every where throughout this book For according to the heads of Reasons mentioned in the former benefits ver 3 4 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 David knew 1 The greatnesse conveniency of this benefit as which directly looks at mans chiefest good For by the manifestation of Gods waies and acts we are brought to the fruition of eternall happinesse Act. 20.32 Jam. 1.21 But without this we can not avoid eternall misery Prov. 29.18 2 Thess 1.8 2 The good will and free grace of the Benefactour which in this above many other of His benefits is conspicuous by His writing His word at the first in the heart of Adam and manifesting unto him His works of creation and afterwards notwithstanding sinne by divers revelations and works of providence before the time of Moses in the time of Moses by writing His law in the Tables and inspiring Moses to write more as also by many mighty works in delivering them out of Egypt c. Lastly by continuing them unto Davids time yea and adding to them notwithstanding the great and often repeated apostasies of the Israelites 2 As he knew c so being c he would act accordingly Uses Here we see Instr to Whom our thanks is due for whatsoever benefits we receive by the manifestation of Gods waies and acts To Gods ministers indeed we owe much Gal. 4.15 1 Tim. 5.17 Phile. ver 19. But the principall thanks belong to God Who hath given His Word and confirmed it by so many miracles Who hath fitted and called men to preach it Who opens the hearts of the hearers c. Repr Hence also severall sorts of unthankfull men are reproved 1 They that do not give reall thanks by learning their duty out of Gods word and acts and practising accordingly and so referring this benefit to the ends intended by God 2 They who do not praise God for this benefit yea who are not afraid to slander and rail at His word when it crosses their beloved waies and actions So they who abuse it to scurrilous jests c. 3 They who are not inwardly and heartily thankful For such men also either are not outwardly thankfull at all or if they be it is but in hypocrisie Who these be God and their own hearts best know Men can judge no further then by the fruits 4 They who are so far from being thankfull for this benefit that they will not receive it as neither hearkening to Gods word nor observing His acts But let us imitate David here Exhort in blessing God for the manifestation of His wayes and acts Motiv 1 The benefit is farre greater to us now under the Gospell then it was in Davids time 2 It is no lesse freely and graciously on Gods part bestowed upon us yea much more by how much both the benefit is greater and we more unworthy of it Vers 8. The LORD is mercifull and gracious slow to anger and plenteous in loving-kindnesse The common benefit bestowed upon all the Israelites we had in the former verse viz. Gods affording them the means of salvation Now follow those which are more speciall and peculiar to some onely The subject whereof or the persons to whom they are given that wicked
frequent acts the habit may be gotten and confirmed 3 To give unto God the glory of His mercy Motiv 1 God working all things for Himself hath revealed this as all the rest of His Attributes to us in His word and works that we may glorifie Him 2 Holy men in Scripture every where shew us example David especially in this book of Psalmes 3 It is most just seeing the mercy of God is the fountain of all the good we have or hope for That eternall glory and happinesse is prepared for us that Christ was sent to merit and procure it the Spirit to apply it the word and other ordinances which the Spirit useth to this end c. is all the work of mercy Meanes 1 Meditate of the excellency of Gods mercy as it is described in the word 2 Observe the sweet operations thereof in thy self and others 2 Doctrine The LORD is gracious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gracious Expl. The grace of God is often by a Metonym effic put for a double effect of it noting 1 holy habits begotten in the mind and heart as saving knowledge of God faith hope charity c. 1 Cor. 1.4 5. 1 Pet. 4.10 2 The continuall assistance of the Holy Spirit 2 Cor. 12.9 But here it is taken in the proper signification and so it imports the manner according to which God out of His goodnesse love mercy delivers the creature from evils and enriches it with good things namely gratis or freely For deliverance from evil Psal 51.1 For bestowing of good Gen. 33.5 11. When therefore God is sayd to be gracious the meaning is that He is ready to remove evil from His creature and to bestow good upon it not upon any precedent merit or debt or yet out of hope of recompense whereby any thing may accrew to Himself but onely that it may be well with the creature For the Proof and Reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See the former Doctrine Object If it be objected that God doth not give salvation but according to His covenant prescribing conditions without performance whereof He hath threatned and sworne that no man shall enter into His rest Answ I answer that Grace and Faith doe very well agree Whereupon the Scripture ascribing our Justification to Grace doth also often teach that we are justifyed by Faith And so for salvation Ephes 2.8 By grace ye are saved through faith c. Yea Rom. 4.16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace c. For it is of the mere grace of God that He would make a new covenant that omitting the rigour of the Law He would require Faith for the condition of it that we are either able or willing to beleeve Philip. 2.13 These two therefore may very well stand together That all who are justifyed and saved are justifyed and saved of the mere grace of God and yet That no man is justifyed or saved but by Faith God doth not enter covenant with us as needing any thing that we can do unto Him Who is in Himself All-sufficient and Blessed from everlasting to everlasting He doth not enter covenant with us as thereby to cut off that absolute right of creation and redemption in regard of which He might require of us whatsoever we could performe without making any promise to us or covenanting thereby for our obedience His covenant is so framed that He commands what we are to doe and adds a terrible threatning of death if we doe it not and promises a reward as of grace and free gift if we doe it we tender the condition to Him from His own power as our duty and seek the reward by humble intreaty that He would remember His holy covenant So that he enters into covenant to excite us the more willingly and cheerfully to doe Him service not to imply that He needs to us or that we can merit any thing at His hands Obj. 2 Yea but He doth not give salvation but for the merit of Christ Answ For answer see Vers 3. Doctr. 3. Uses For our instruction Instr 1 Here we see whence it is that God often plentifully bestowes upon wicked men the good things whereof they are most unworthy and averts the evils which they have most justly deserved though out of His Omnisciency He most certainly foresees their obstinacy to be such that they will not by these riches of His goodnesse be led to repentance Hereupon some of the heathen denyed Gods providence and sometimes holy men envy the wicked But we may easily resist these temptations The former of the heathen if we think of the grace of God which looks at neither antecedent merit nor subsequent recompense in the bestowing of good or averting of evil and out of which He will doe good even to bad men that He may satisfie His love to His creature though He certainly foresee that by reason of their contumacy He shall not obteine his prime end of bringing them to repentance which He seriously intends and for which He useth sufficient meanes The other temptation of the saints we may also resist 1 If we consider the same grace of God whereby He may doe with His own what He will For is it not lawfull for Him so to doe Is our eye evil because He is good 2 If we consider how long He so deales with the wicked of His grace Not for ever but onely so long as He thinks fit to expect their conversion But if they will not be converted but turne His grace into wantonnesse the Spirit of grace to which they doe such despite will not alwaies strive with them but there will be a time when stripping them of all good God will cast them into eternall misery so that it shall be manifest to all that they are nothing lesse then the object of envy 2 See here a just and effectuall cause of patience when either good things are wanting or evils ly upon us If we could deserve or God did any way ow us the bestowing of those good things or the averting of those evils it were another matter But seeing He is gracious dispensing all His benefits freely why do we yet complaine as if He dealt injuriously with us Yea rather let us set in order before our selves our many and great sinnes and amongst the rest our abusing of Gods benefits and then I dare boldly say we are very blind if we do not see most just cause of acknowledging the great grace of God toward us that any good at all even our life and breath is still continued to us and that we are not at this very houre in hell And further we must consider that Gods withholding temporall good things or His sending temporall evils do not alwaies proceed from an intention of revenge neither are as it were forerunners of condemnation but that He often even of the same grace fatherly chastises us for our good yea many times onely proves us that His graces may be exercised
and increased in us that so He may enlarge His blessings upon us in this life and in the life to come set a more shining crown of glory upon our heads Seeing then that the afflictions of both these kinds proceed from the grace of God and are unspeakably profitable for us shall we be so mad as to be vexed at our own great good and to be impatient against God for being gracious unto us 3 See also a soveraigne remedy against pride and boasting of any good thing we have For what have we that we have not received not onely without but contrary to our merit of the mere grace of God And if we have so received it why should we boast our selves as if we had not received it Psal 75.4 5 6 7. 4 See a just reason why the Scripture so often requires of us thankfulnesse to God for all His benefits If we did deserve them there were no thanks due to God as doing but that which in justice He were bound to doe But seeing He is gracious dispensing His benefits freely without any desert on our part our thanks which would be due even to a man that should bestow any benefit upon us must needs be most due unto Him This reproves 1 Such as abuse the grace of God Repr God indeed is gracious But will He so give all things to all men Indeed He is willing and ready to give unto all according to such conditions as are agreeable to the honour of His justice and He doth often give plentifully the things of this life and the meanes of salvation to wicked men But eternall salvation He will not give to any I speak of them who are adulti and have the use of reason but onely to true beleevers as appeares manifestly every where in Scripture 2 Them that will not reward such as by taking paines for the good of their soules bodies or estates deserve it in the strict rigour of justice How unlike are these to God Who gives His rewards to those that no way deserve them And with what face can they expect such a reward of grace who will not give a reward of debt 3 Much more those who unjustly by fraud or violence take away a mans own from him or requite evil for good On the other side here is again a further ground of Comfort for them who grone under the burden of their sinnes Consol doubting of obtaining forgivenesse and salvation If there were no remission to be had without works of satisfaction done either plenarily or in respect of temporall punishments which latter the papists affirme in the Councell of Trent Sess 4. cap. 8 9. we might well indeed doubt of it confidering on the one part the enormity of sinne and the infinitenesse of Gods Majesty offended thereby and on the other part our own weaknesse But God is gracious and forgives sinnes if truly repented of according to the prescript of His Gospell freely And though He may in respect of some sinnes retaine the temporall punishment as in Moses Deut. 32.48 c. and in David 2 Sam. 12.13 14. this is not that satisfaction might be made Him Whom Christ hath fully satisfyed but to humble them with whom He so deales and make them beware for the time to come and to admonish others by their example c. So for salvation if it depended upon our own merits we might cast away all hopes and thoughts of it But God is gracious and by grace we are saved Eph. 2.8 as many as are saved Therefore if we frame our selves carefully after the rule of the Gospell our salvation according to the covenant of grace is most certain Let this exhort us 1 To come to the throne of grace Exhort Motiv 1. We need many things 2 With God is all sufficiency 3. From God sitting upon the throne of Justice as it is contradistinguished to Grace nothing can be expected by us but the wages of sinne 4 At the throne of grace all things which are truly good for us may easily be obteined where neither merit is prerequired nor recompense looked for at our hands but God as a debtour to no man and standing in need of nothing gives all things freely 5 God not onely admits them that come but of his own accord invites them that are slack Heb. 4.16 Isa 55.1 Meanes That is simply necessary and abundantly sufficient whereupon the Apostle grounds this exhortation in the place now quoted Hebr. 4.16 viz. that as it is ver 14 15. we have Jesus Christ for our High Priest to make intercession for us in the Holy of Holies To this end we must attend to Him as a Prophet teaching us and obey Him as a King commanding us to repent and beleeve and to bring forth fruits meet for repentance shewing the truth of our faith by a serious and constant endeavour of denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts c. Tit. 2. This meanes is absolutely necessary because God according to the prescript of His wisdome for preserving the honour of His justice hath peremptorily decreed not to give the grace of salvation unto any but such as are engraffed into Christ And it is abundantly sufficient because Christ hath so satisfyed Gods Justice that nothing hinders but that He may according to the naturall inclination of His Grace most tenderly love all those who are partakers of Him and doe good to them in all things whereof they stand in need which that He will also doe His promises every where oath seales c. doe assure us 2 Freely to doe good to others To imitate God here in all points we are neither bound nor able To some men we are debtours as to our parents creditours benefactours c. Many things also we our selves have need of and therefore if we should doe all things freely without expectation of recompense we should be destitute of necessary meanes of life In which respect God commands that the labourer should have his wages and that they who preach the Gospell should live of the Gospell and in like manner that all who exercise any lawfull calling should be maintained thereby which could not be if a labourer should have nothing for his paines and a tradesman should give away his commodities c. But so farre as other mens necessities require and our own abilities will beare we ought to doe it Motiv 1 To requite them that have given to us or to give to them who are like to requite us is a small matter publicanes and sinners doe so Mat. 5.46 47. Luke 6.32 c. 2 By doing good freely viz. to them who have not deserved it or who have deserved the contrary we shall be the children of our Father which is in heaven Mat. 5.44 45. 3 How freely soever we study to doe good to others yet we shall not doe it freely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gratis in respect of God as Who both hath already abundantly deserved of us and will
also plentifully recompense unto us whatsoever we doe for His sake Mat. 10.42 Luke 6.35 14.12 13 14. 3 Doctrine The Lord is slow to anger or long-suffring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 long of anger Explic. Which is meant not in respect of the continuance of His anger for so he is quite contrary as we shall see in the next verse and Psal 30.5 Isa 54.8 but in respect of the beginning of it that is He is long ere He will be angry For thus is the phrase every where taken whether spoken of God or man And so also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 19.11 The discretion of a man deferres his anger or makes him slow to anger So Isa 48.9 In like manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eccles 7.8 To which are contrary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 short of anger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 short of spirit that is soon angry or hasty of spirit Prov. 14.17 29. And this also as the former Attribute is here to be understood in actu primo as noting a propension in God to refraine His anger in the effects of it viz. revenge or punishments notwithstanding the greatnesse continuance or frequent iteration of mens sinnes For the Proof and Reason see Doctr. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Uses For our instruction 1 This Attribute of long-suffring presupposes in God a naturall hatred of sinne Instr His refraining for a time the effects of His displeasure implies that He is displeased at it And both these presuppose Gods omnisciency whereby He knowes all sinnes 2 See here the true cause why sinners many times goe so long unpunished Not their desert nor that God either sees not or hates not their sinnes or is not able to punish them but His long-suffring or slownesse to anger 3 Hence also it appeares that the sinnes of impenitent persons are not at all remitted by Gods long-suffring Quod differtur non aufertur Forbearance is no quittance Their punishment is onely put off not taken off Gods suffring is long but not for ever If men will find no end of sinning God will find an end of suffring and a beginning of punishing This reproves 1 Such as are unlike to God Repr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 14.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that are soon angry hasty of spirit who like tindar or gun-powder take fire presently at the least spark of any offense yea sometimes where there is none at all but onely in their misapprehension 2 Such as abuse the long-suffring of God to quite contrary ends viz. to pride luxury oppression c. to foster impious conceits of God that He is such an one as themselves Psal 50.21 to set their hearts fully to doe evill Eccles 8.11 3 Such as envy Gods long-suffring towards others yea pray for speedy vengeance upon them It exhorts us 1 To hasten our repentance Exhort lest that come upon us Rom. 2.4 5. c. 2 Patiently to suffer afflictions though they seem very long to us Motiv 1 Let us consider how long God hath suffred our sinnes most unjustly committed against Him and be ashamed not to suffer patiently His chastisements most justly inflicted upon us yea farre below our desert 2 They are sent by God to purge and take away our sinnes Isa 27.9 that we should not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11.32 but be made partakers of His holinesse Hebr. 12.10 and consequently of eternall happinesse Shall not we then patiently beare afflictions which are sent for our great good when God patiently beares our sinnes which are good for nothing Rom. 6.21 Ephes 5.11 yea which are directly contrary to the greatest good Gods glory and our salvation 3 How long soever the time of our suffrings seems to us certainly it shall last no longer then is requisite to the ends before mentioned Lam. 3.33 And shall not we so long endure the hand of God Who hath with so much patience endured us pressing Him with our sinnes as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves Amos 2.13 3 To imitate God in being long-suffring or slow to anger patiently enduring the injuries offred to us by others though great though many though long continued and often repeated 4 Doctrine The Lord is plenteous in loving-kindnesse 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loving-kindnesse Explic. This we explained before Vers 4. Doctr. 4. Where we shewed that it extends both to deliverance from evil and to the bestowing of positive good But it is most commonly taken the latter way And so it is here the former being expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mercifull 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plenteous This signifies a large quantity either continued that is magnitude or greatnesse Psal 48.2 or discrete that is multitude Psal 3.1 2. But seeing Gods loving-kindnesse taken in actu primo as here it is is one and the same essentiall Attribute of God therefore the former signification is proper to this place He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is exceeding propense to communicate good And so Psal 145.8 in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Though in the effects this as the rest also of Gods Attributes is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many waies manifold as we shall see immediately in the proofe Beside the places quoted for the proof hereof in the first Doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the plenteousnesse of Gods loving kindnesse may be further demonstrated by the multitude and greatnesse of the effects of it The multitude will appeare if we consider 1 How many they are to whom God doth good even as many as there ever have been their sinne and the reprobate by their finall impenitence in their sinnes deprived themselves of it Uses Here 1 See what encouragement we have to pray unto God Instr Such is our need that though he by whom it were to be supplied were most tenacious we had cause to beat his eares continually by our uncessant clamours that if he would not for any other cause yet being wearied with our importunity he might grant us what we ask But God Who not onely admits but invites us to pray as He hath an inexhaust plenty of all good things so He is also as plenteous in kindnesse and ready to give But if He deferre His giving the reason is because that which we ask is not convenient for us or because we ask amisse or are not yet fit to receive or because it is expedient for us that our faith hope patience c be thereby exercised c. Otherwise it would come to passe as Isa 65.24 that before we should call God would answer and whilest we were yet speaking He would hear See Dan. 9.20 21 22 23. Let the papists therefore with their will worship goe to their he and she saints but let us goe to God with our prayers as both His commandement layes a
not to be understood generally of all things for then they should know the secrets of other mens hearts which is proper to God onely and all Divine mysteries which S. Paul though eminently spirituall and holy knew but in part but of things necessary to be known unto salvation But if these men erre not in thus thinking themselves free from errour surely David who acknowledges here for himself and the faithfull of his time amongst whom were Nathan Gad c. that they had their errours who also speaks generally Psal 19.12 had not the same spirit which these men have Haply they will object the difference between the Old and New Testament Ans Then they preferre themselves before the best under the Old Testament And indeed in respect of the objects or things revealed by the Spirit the least in the Kingdome of heaven that is under the Gospell is greater then John the Baptist as he then those which went before him But seeing the old Prophets in those things which they delivered to the Church had an infallible assistance of the Holy Spirit as appeares by their prophesies and S. Peter testifies 2 ep 1.21 it is great arrogancy in this respect to preferre before them any under the New Testament except the Apostles But suppose these men excell the old Prophets what shall we think of the primitive Christians or faithfull under the New Testament It is certain that these also not the Apostles themselves excepted had their sinnes 1 Joh. 1.8 yea many Jam. 3.2 and therefore also their errours Seeing then the best of Gods servants whilest they lived had their errours let us so much the more take heed lest either by relying upon our own understanding or by too much admiring of others we fall into errour But if we doe fall into it let us not despair seeing it is the common condition but be carefull we doe not persist in errour but return into the way againe And if others erre let us not be too rigid towards them 2 We see that sinnes though of ignorance in their own nature deserve Gods anger Otherwise David had not had cause to praise Gods goodnesse and clemency in this respect viz. for not doing unto us according to our errours 3 See the goodnesse and clemency of God in not doing unto us according to our errours Rept This reproves 1 Such as make no account of their errours whereas yet if God should doe unto us but according to our errours it would goe ill with us If He should not forgive us our daily trespasses we could not hope He would give us as a blessing our daily bread 2 Such as strictly take notice of every small offense of their brethren though but an errour but a sinne of ignorance or infirmity and doe to them according to it if not beyond it But let us 1 imitate David here in giving thanks to God that He hath not done to us according to our errours Exhort from which especially considering the number of them He might justly have taken occasion to have shewn the effects of His anger upon us not onely in depriving us of His benefits but also in inflicting positive punishments upon us 2 Imitate God in not dealing with our brethren according to their errours Motiv Beside Gods example Consider 1 Thine own infirmity who hast offended or at least mayst offend others yea those very men who have offended thee and yet wouldst be loth that they should deale with thee accordingly 2 What measure thou measurest unto thy brethren the same will God also measure unto thee He shall have judgement without mercy c. Jam. 2.13 3 If thou dealest with thy brother according to his errours thou wilt shew thy self to be voyd of charity the chief of all vertues for that hath contrary effects 1 Cor. 13. Prov. 10.12 without which all that thou hast or doest is nothing worth 1 Cor. 13.1 2 3. thy prayers are vaine Matth. 6. thy preaching or hearing of the Word receiving of the Sacraments c. are all vaine 2 Doctrine He hath not dealt with us according to our iniquities 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of this word in the beginning of this verse and Vers 3. Doctr. 1. Expl. 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of this at large Vers 2. Doctr. 2. The summe of the Doctrine is That God notwithstanding not onely our errours as in the former part of the verse but even our iniquities or sinnes perversly committed against Him yet moderates His anger towards us and not onely mitigates His positive punishments but bestowes also His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof vers 2. His benefits upon us and continues them unto us Thus for the mitigating His punishments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezra 9.13 Lam. 3.22 yea even the wicked in this life are not punished according to their iniquities No nor yet in hell shall any man or devil suffer so much punishment but that God could and might justly if He pleased make him capable of more and inflict it upon him For the bestowing and continuing His benefits notwithstanding mens iniquities see Mat. 5.45 Luke 6.35 The Reason see vers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 11. c. Uses Observe here 1 That even good men sometimes though not as such have their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their iniquities or sinnes perversly committed Instr As vers 3. 2 3 as in the former Doctrine mutatis mutandis 4 That God doth not punish of necessity He is indeed necessarily just and hence affected to punish sinners but He is also necessarily mercifull and hence affected to spare where He might punish If He should deale strictly according to Justice all sinners should perish and if altogether according to Mercy all should be saved Wherefore His Wisdome dictates and His Free will determines how and how farre both these Attributes are to be exercised Amongst men justice requires that we doe injury to no man either by deteining from him the good due or by inflicting upon him the evil not due but it requires not that we should not doe him more good or inflict upon him lesse evil then is due He that withholds either totally or in part the good that is due is unjust but he that gives over and above what is due is not unjust but bountifull He that punisheth an innocent man at all or a nocent man beyond his merit is unjust but he that either punisheth below the desert or totally remits an offense committed against himself is not unjust but clement and mercifull And if this be so amongst men much lesse may this liberty be denyed to God the supreme Lord of all His justice requires that He should not give lesse then He hath promised for having promised He becomes a debtour though not to the creature yet to Himself Heb. 6.10 but it is His bounty not injustice to give more then He hath promised Again His justice suffers Him not to punish them that are innocent nor
earth or heavens And the Psalmist instances in these rather then in the North and South or any other points because to that part of the earth to which they relate their opposition and distance is more visible and remarkable in regard of the sunnes daily accesse to it in the one and recesse from it in the other And thus is this phrase often used in Scripture to signify the greatest space and distance that can be imagined So Psalm 50.1 113.3 Isa 45.6 59.19 Mal. 1.11 And the like Deut. 4.32 Uses And this even in the Protasis may be of some use As first to reprove the sluggard Repr Solomon sends him to the ant Prov. 6.6 But this perhaps is too much labour for him or it may be dangerous A lion in the way I will set him an easyer task Let him whilest he stands or sits still or lies along upon his bed or couch look upon the sunne which in the day time moves from East to West though so farre distant and in the night from West to East and so daily Eccles 1.5 And then let him but take the pains to think what a shame it is that the sunne being continually in so swift motion he should ly tossing and tumbling in his bed after nature is satisfyed with sleep as a doore turneth upon the hinges Prov. 26.14 or sit lazily folding his hands together when the sunne since its setting is come so many 100000 miles to give him light to goe about some honest labour according to Gods appointment Psal 104.22 23. This should also excite us to praise God Exhort Who though the distance from the cast to the west be so great yet makes the sun in 24 houres to runne from east to west and so on from west to east again so that taking the whole yeare together every part of the earth hath as much day as night and all parts equall day and night one to another Motive 1 Davids example Psal 19.4 5 6. 136.7 8. 2 The greatnesse of the benefit from the light and heat of the sunne by day yea and from the vicissitude also of darknesse and coolnesse through the absence of it by night 2 Doctrine So farre hath He removed our transgressions from us That we may understand how our sinnes are removed from us Explic. we must know in what sense they may be sayd to remain or be present with us after the commission viz. not in themselves but in the effects which are especially two 1 The guilt whereby a man stands charged with the fault and obliged to the punishment denounced by God against it 2 A disposition or propension to sinne for the future by strengthening the lusts from which sinnes proceed In both these respects God removes our sinnes farre from us but in the latter respect not but by degrees and never totally in this life and therefore that seemes lesse agreeable to this place Here then by sinnes understand metonymically the guilt thereof And seeing guilt is an accident whose being is to be in the subject therefore neither can it properly be sayd to be at such distance removed from us but as soon as we are absolved from it it quite vanishes The speech therefore is metaphoricall Guilt is compared to a hurtfull creature lion serpent c. from which if present or near we are in great danger but if it be farre off we are safe And the sense is that God wholly remits the sinnes of his people And so this Doctrine is for substance the same with the 2d in the 3d verse But seeing remission was there mentioned as applied to David onely here as extended to all the faithfull and the forme of speaking also is more emphaticall something may be added And for proof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those places may serve where by the like metaphors God is sayd to blot out and not remember our transgressions Isa 43.25 to cast them behind His back Isa 38.17 to subdue our iniquities and cast them into the depths or bottome of the sea Mica 7.19 See also Isa 1.18 44.22 Jer. 31.34 33.8 Ezek. 33.16 Object But it may be objected that some men who have truly repented of their sinnes are notwithstanding afterwards punished Zeph. 3.7 So Moses and Aaron for their sins at the waters of Meribah David c. and therefore that God doth not so wholly remit the sinnes of His people or remove the guilt thereof so farre from them I answer â—â—sw 1 The guilt of sinne consists primarily and principally in the imputation of the fault secondarily and lesse principally in the obligation to punishment Now in respect of the imputation of the fault the guilt of sinne is clearly and wholly at once taken away by the remission that is the non-imputation of it 2 For the obligation to punishment or absolution from it these depend upon the sanction and promise annexed to the â—ovenant Concerning which we must know that although godlinesse and so repentance hath the promises sinne and impenitence the threatnings of this life as well as of the life to come yet not in the same tenour The eternall promises and threatnings being of things simply and absolutely good and ill are therefore absolute and peremptory so that no man who truly repents of his sinnes and lives godly can ever faile of the eternall promises nor any man who continues in his sinnes without repentance can ever escape the eternall threatnings But the temporall promises and threatnings being of things not simply good and ill are not therefore so absolute but reserved by God in His own power to be dispensed according to His wisdome and good pleasure in reference and subordination to the eternall And therefore as a man even whilest he goes on impenitently in his sinnes and so lies under the heavy guilt of them may yet be free from temporall punishment yea enjoy all prosperity in this world all his life long even to the envy of Gods children Psal 73. Jer. 12.1 2. Job 21.6 to the 16. so on the other side he that hath truely repented of his sinnes and by the mercy of God obteined full remission whereby he is clearly freed from the guilt of them as to the fault and to the eternall punishment may yet for some time after ly under the temporall punishment for the reasons before mentioned vers 8. Doctr. 2. Consol and the like But 1 it is but for a time and that a short time the time of this life at the longest which ended and sooner if God see it expedient that also shall have an end 2 In the mean time the good which God brings out of it and the other comforts wherewith He sweetens it doe in a manner take from it the nature of punishment Uses For the Instructions Instr which hence arise see Vers 3. Doctr. 2. And for the last the greatnesse of Gods mercy was there shewed from the universality of the object here from the act
c. but of the field which lies open to all inconveniences Psal 39.5 Not some man but every man is not vaine but vanity not in some measure but altogether not in his childhood or decrepit age but in his best estate Neither is this spoken as a thing doubtfull or probable onely but as most certaine Verily Lastly it is not spoken by some simple man of no experience but by David enlightened by Gods Spirit and having experience in himself what the endowments of mind and body and outward privileges could doe 3 At length sooner or later something like a blasting wind will passe over them which will take away this life how flourishing soever 4 Being once taken away there is no returning to it againe in this world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denies it once for all as not onely the places of Scripture before quoted plainly testify but experience taught the heathen themselves Hor. lib. 4. car 7. Cùm semeleccideris de te splendida Mines Fecerit arbitria Non Torquate genus non te facundia non te Restituet pietas The life once lost God will not restore the creatures cannot 5 Together with their life their appearance also in this world must needs vanish never to returne Even in their own place where they lived they cease to be known and by degrees their very names also to be remembred This reproves 1 Such as trust in the goods of this life Repr Trust is a part of the honour due unto God by the prescript of the first Commandement Whence it is manifest that it can not be put in the creatures except onely in a remisse degree and with subordination to God without idolatry and horrible injury to the Creatour But let us see what kind of cisterns these men dig for themselves Certaine it is that what ever they be none of them can in this case hold any water For they cannot make men to be other then like unto flowers and those of the field too and therefore can not defend them from death Yea as the flower is many times blasted with the wind or cropt by the hand of him that passeth by when the grasse remaines untouched so these things many times expose those that have them to greater dangers To omit other for brevities sake Let us see concerning riches which men are most prone to trust in Prov. 18.11 1 Tim. 6.17 because they may thereby procure other men and Vis unita fortior to use their skill strength care and what not for their help But he that possesseth these seeing he flourisheth but as a flower of the field which when the wind passeth over it is not therefore I can not by these preserve himself from death Psal 49.6 7 8 9 10. yea 2 is by reason of them exposed to many dangers Eccles 5.13 Isa 39.5 6 7. 2 Such as are proud of any endowments of the body And whereas of all temporall things beauty makes a man most like unto a flower they who are proud of it may be more particularly here reproved For what is the most beautifull face but a peece of red and white clay mixt together And therefore beauty even whilest it remaines is not much to be esteemed Prov. 31.30 is many times found in them that are none of the best as in Cains posterity Gen. 6.2 harlots Prov. 6.25 c. Yea the more beautifull men or women are the more they are in danger unlesse they take the more heed and the grace of God restraine them to defile themselves with uncleannesse both in regard of their sanguine constitution and in regard of mutuall temptations and allurements Which if it happen their beauty will be but litle praise to them Prov. 11.22 Beside the beauty which is for the present how long doth it continue A fit of sicknesse may take it away Psal 39.11 But if sicknesse spare it so will not old age 1 Pet. 1.24 Lastly Exhort this should exhort us 1 To labour that we may flourish in the graces of the Holy Spirit Motive 1 From the beautifulnesse of grace in the eies of God and all good men yea and sometimes even of wicked men also so that by seeing it in others they are converted unto God 2 From the profitablenesse of it as having the promise of glory and enabling us to glorify God and to work out our own salvation 3 From the necessity of having it as without which we are unable to doe any good without God and Christ and the Holy Ghost dead in sinnes c. 4 From the durablenesse of it Psal 92.12 13 14. Meanes God is the fountaine of all grace 1 Pet. 5.10 And in Christ He would have all the fulnesse thereof to dwell John 1.14 16. Christ communicates grace by the Spirit Heb. 10.29 The Spirit by the word Act. 20.32 Wherefore diligently using the word and not quenching but cherishing the motions of the Holy Spirit come to the throne of grace through the mediation of Christ that thou mayst of God obteine mercy and find grace to help in time of need Hebr. 4.16 2 To use the things of this life well whilest we have them Motive 1. So may great benefit arise thereby as appeares by those ends before mentioned Instr 1. to which they are given by God and fit by His grace 2 If we neglect the present time we know not how soon the wind may come which passing over us we are gone And then though we would never so faine we can not use them but must be judged according to all that we have done in the body Vers 17 18. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting and to everlasting upon them that feare Him and His righteousnesse unto childrens children To such as keep His covenant and to those that remember His commandements to doe them We have heard how like we are to grasse and a flower in regard of the frailty and shortnesse of our life Now the Psalmist shews how unlike we are to Gods mercy or loving kindnesse whereof wee have here the adjunct Eternity object them that feare God their childrens children Some would have the 18 verse to expound who they are that truely feare God And indeed it is most true that all they and onely they truely feare God who keep His covenant c. But it is more probable that David intended another thing viz. to propound the condition upon which Gods righteousnesse shall be extended to the childrens children of them that feare Him namely if those childrens children keep His covenant and think upon His commandements to doe them This I say is more probable 1 Because he doth not say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 The Scripture in promises made to the posterity of good men uses to adde this condition as Psal 132.12 2 Chron. 6.16 And how necessary this limitation is appeares by the pronenesse of men to
any doing His Commandements that will serve the turne neither doth it suffice to perform the substance of the acts but among other circumstances which belong to the manner of doing we must doe them out of remembrance presupposing knowledge 4 We may know whether we keep Gods covenant or no. For hither belongs Davids explication here which aiming onely at this to teach who they are that keep Gods covenant were altogether in vaine if this could not be known which we can not imagine without injury to the Holy Ghost by Whom he spake And it may be otherwise also most firmely proved For 1 The Scripture every where most plainly shewes what God in His covenant requires to be done of us and in what manner 2 God hath given us conscience both to observe what we doe and how 1 Cor. 2.11 and to compare our actions with the rule that is with His stipulation 2 Cor. 1.12 For this was not peculiar to S. Paul onely or such as he but all who are not seared have the testimony of conscience even the heathen themselves Rom. 2.14 15. When therefore the understanding looking at Gods stipulation truly apprehends what it is and by reflexion observes how a man carries himself the conscience comparing the one with the other the conversation of man with the stipulation of God easily and certainely observes and testifies either their agreement and so the keeping of the covenant or their disagreement and so the violating of it If this be the nature of Gods covenant Confur this refutes 1 Such as feigne the Covenant of grace to be altogether without condition and wherein God stipulates or requires nothing but onely promises all Certainly the Covenant whereof David here speaks is the Covenant of grace and yet it requires that we keep it remembring the Commandements of God to doe them Object 1 Yea but we read of an absolute Covenant Isa 54.8 9 10. Answ I answer 1 If this be the Covenant of eternall life and without condition then there are three covenants one requiring strict obedience a second requiring repentance c. and a third requiring nothing but promising all 2 If there be any such covenant then it is false that God commands all men every where to repent and that all who do not repent shall perish it is false that all who are saved are saved by faith and that they who beleeve not shall not enter into His rest shall not see life but have the wrath of God abiding on them it is false that without holinesse no man shall see the Lord. 3 If it be absolute how seeing no man is named can any man tell without speciall revelation that this covenant having no conditions according to which he may examine himself belongs unto him 4 That I may come to the meaning of the place the Prophet having foretold chap. 53.10 11. the event of Christs death in the conversion of many both of the Jewes and gentiles in this 54th chapter speaks of the nationall conversion of the Jewes yet to come That he here speaks of the Jewes is plaine vers 3 4. for to them for their crucifying of Christ and rejecting the gospell had God given a bill of divorce whereas the gentiles being strangers from the faith could not properly be called a widow 6 7 11. This covenant therefore seemes proper and peculiar to the Israelites that they being once converted unto Christ God will no more be angry with them but give them mercy and peace But this is not to be understood of particular persons but of the nation with which God will not so be any more angry as to expose them to captivity and destruction as before though with the impenitent unbeleevers and wicked livers He will be angry See Isa 65.18 19 20. 2 Whosoever they be with whom this covenant is made it is not absolute but requires a certain qualification as appears by the conclusion of the chapter vers 17. God therefore compares this covenant with that made with Noah in the firmnesse of it and so the covenant of grace also is like unto it but not in the manner of promising For that covenant of Noah God made not onely with men but with every living creature Gen. 9.12 absolutely but this onely with men not simply but such as are His servants retaining and exercising the righteousnesse He bestowes upon them Object 2 But so men will have something in themselves whereof they may glory Answ I answer this indeed followes but is not absurd for that it should be so is not onely fit but necessary Jer. 9.23 24. Rom. 5.3 2 Cor. 10.8 17. 12.5 and elswhere He that glories of any thing which he hath Of himself doth wickedly For seeing every good thing comes down from the Father of lights a man hath nothing of himself but sinne and he that glories in this glories in his own shame Also to glory of any good thing as if he had not received it is ungratefull arrogance or not in subordination to Gods glory 1 Cor. 1.13 is sacrilegious But to glory of spirituall good things which a man hath indeed in himself but given of God and to glory in them to Gods glory is so farre from being unlawfull that it is a part of religious gratitude Object 3 But be it so that Gods covenant requires somethings to be done by us yet we should not give them the name of Conditions Answ I answer In all speech when one promises any good or threatens any ill not simply but upon covenant that is if the thing required be performed or the thing forbidden be committed we call the performance of the thing required the condition of the promise and the doing the thing forbidden the condition of the threatning In a bond a man ties himself his heires to pay a summe double to that he owes but the meaning is that if he pay the due debt at the day appointed he shall be free from the forfeiture but if he faile therein it shall lie upon him And this by all without contradiction is called the condition of the obligation Again when the Lord saith to Israel If thou obey thou shalt be blessed if thou disobey thou shalt be cursed c all grammarians and logicians speaking agreeably to the rules of their art will call these conditionall propositions obedience being the condition of the promise disobedience of the threatning See the use of the word in Scripture 1 Sam. 11.1 2. where the men of Jabesh desiring life promise servitude Nahash promises life but beside servitude requires the thrusting out all their right eyes and this postulation is called there a condition See also Luk. 14.32 Consider then whether according to this sense and acception of the word those duties which God requires of us in His covenant may not rightly be called conditions For He so requires them that if they be performed He will graciously give what He hath promised otherwise not See concerning Repentance
children and posterity for their sakes 2 Sam. 7.19 2 See how good a thing it is to be borne of good parents 3 See the best way of providing for thy children which consists not in heaping up wealth honour c. for them but in being thy self such an one as feares God and teaching them also to keep His covenant 4 The mercy of God at least in bestowing eternall happinesse is not promiscuously to all the posterity of those that feare Him Here are reproved 1 Parents who feare not God Repr such stopping the way to Gods mercy from descending upon their children and posterity or at least not opening or making way for it 2 Children 1 Relying too much upon the piety of their parents as if for their sakes it should be well with them though they follow not their stepps but work iniquity And it may be so indeed in temporalls but not so in eternalls as was sayd before Yea they shall be so much the more grievously tormented in hell by how much the greater temporall mercy God hath for their fathers sakes bestowed upon them for to winne them and by how much the greater meanes their parents have used to bring them to salvation which notwithstanding they have gone on in their wickednesse See what Christ answered to the Jewes boasting of their father Abraham Joh. 8. and Abraham to the rich man Luk. 16. 2 Who hate or contemne their parents for this very thing because they feare God Such an one seems Cham to have been Gen. 9.22 For that his deriding his father in his drunkennesse seemes to have proceeded from his hatred of him for his piety 3 Any who so hate them that feare God that for their sakes they extend their hatred to their children also Here also is comfort for them that are poore Consol and have litle or nothing to leave to their children If they feare God they shall leave them for an inheritance Gods first love and a greater measure of it together with His second love also unto eternity if they teach them to keep Gods covenant Lastly Exhort this should exhort 1 Parents to feare God as for Gods sake and their own so here for their childrens sake also 2 Children to keep Gods covenant that upon them may come the blessing promised to their parents Gen. 18.19 1 King 2.3 4. 8.25 1 Chron. 28.7 9. Psal 132.12 4 Doctrine Not as our life so the mercy of God to them that feare Him So Isa 51.7 8. The immediate reason of the dissimilitude is expressed in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. in that our life is like unto the grasse and a flower but Gods mercy is from everlasting and to everlasting The cause why our life is such is sinne why Gods mercy is such is His eternity His constant love to them that feare Him and His omnipotency Uses We see then that they who feare God Instr have not their whole portion in this life Here indeed they have the unspeakable riches of grace and so much of outward things as is sufficient and fit for them which things also as proceeding from Gods second love are very pretious to them But celestiall happinesse which belongs peculiarly to them as it was prepared for them from all eternity so after this life ended it shall continue to them unto all eternity This dissimilitude they very ill consider Repr 1 who preferre this life of a spanne long before the eternall mercy of God for the preservation of this life which yet they can not long preserve using meanes unlawfull and displeasing unto God getting or keeping unjustly the things of this life c. In so doing they plainly cast away the feare of God without which His mercy can not be obteined 2 Who preferre the favour of men whose life is as grasse and a flower before the favour of God whose mercy is from everlasting and to everlasting So they who feare men more then God But for them who truely feare God here is comfort against the shortnesse of this life Consol and feare of death Job 19.25 26 27. 2 Cor. 5 1. And no marvell if walking not by sight but by faith they have great consolation against the terrour of death seeing the mercy of God which faith apprehends is extended beyond the terme of this life even unto eternity For the farre greatest fruits of it are layd up for us in heaven out of all danger of ever losing them nor can we attaine to them but by death 1 Cor. 15.50 Compare this life whilest it lasts with that in heaven and see whether death be not a gaine as it is called Philip. 1.21 23. Lastly Exhort this should againe exhort us to the feare of God the keeping of His covenant and the remembring of His commandements to doe them Motives here 1. This life is very short and fraile as we have heard and the Scripture beside the aforesaid similitudes many waies expresses Job 7.6 9.25 26. Psal 90.9 10. 102.11 144.4 39.5 Jam. 4.14 2 So we shall obtein Gods mercy which toward them that are such is from everlasting and to everlasting and after this life is so immense that they who are dead in the Lord as they have cause so no doubt they do rejoice that this temporall life endured no longer 3. Whereas God out of His hatred of sinne hath His anger no lesse lasting against them who are voyd of His feare then His mercy toward them that feare Him unlesse we doe as we are here exhorted eternall wrath abides for us after this life 5 Doctrine Because God knowes this therefore He mitigates His anger Hitherto our misery in soule and body hath been considered absolutely vers 14 15 16 17 18. Now it is to be considered relatively as it is a reason why God mitigates His anger vers 9 10. That it is so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see for spirituall misery Gen. 8.21 for corporall Psal 78.38 39. Hence Job uses this as an argument to God Chap. 7.7 10.20 21. 14 5 6. So David Psal 39.12 13. 89.46 47. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The force of this reason from our misery is not by any meanes as if it deserved the mitigation of Gods anger as is evident to any man nor as if God needed the help of men justifyed and saved but of His own most free and gracious love to men which is such and so great that from our malignity deserving eternall damnation He takes occasion of doing us good Rom. 5.20 Yea here Gods mercy is so much the more conspicuous in that all this misery of soule and body hath most justly befallen us for sinne Uses Here then 1 No man can want an argument to urge for imploring the mitigation of Gods anger Instr But it is to be urged rightly Namely come groning under the burden of thy sinnes desiring above all things absolution from them and to be
be deadly to them Job 9.4 Isa 27.4 c. 45.9 Jer. 7.19 Some reasons may be gathered from hence that they can not prevaile seeing Gods throne is established in the heavens Job 35.5 6. Psal 2.4 For 1 Enemies may hide themselves from men but He Who hath His throne in heaven sees all things wherefore David connects these two The LORDS throne is in heaven and His eies behold His ey-lids try the children of men Psal 11.4 2 Enemies may overcome men but He Who hath His throne in heaven as Himself is omnipotent so He hath all the hosts of heaven most obedient to Him And what can silly men doe against so many myriades of them whereof one in one night destroyed 185000 of the chief of the Assyrians 3 Enemies may defend themselves against men in fenced cities as the Jebusites But fortifications are of no force against Him Who hath His throne in the heavens from whence He can raine fire and brimstone upon them Beside in those very fenced cities though God hath not His throne there as in heaven yet He is truely present as He is every where and therefore fortifications which are to keep out the enemy are vaine against Him 4 Enemies if they be too weak may flee as Hadad into Egypt but from Him Who hath His throne in heaven and His footstoole upon earth how can any man flee Psal 139.7 c. This reproves them who feare and obey men invested with earthly power Repr more then Him Who hath His throne in heaven On the other side it comforts and encourages the people of God Consol Confidence in men even in princes whose thrones are upon earth is slippery and unsafe Psal 146.3 4. But He Who hath His throne in heaven hath all power and authority to deliver His from all evils and to enrich them with all good things If therefore our enemies ask us as the heathen did the Israelites Psal 115.2 Where is your God our answer may be with Israel vers 3. Our God is in heaven He hath done doth and will doe whatsoever pleaseth Him Lastly Exhort this should exhort us 1 To seek those things which are above where Gods throne is where Christ now is sitting at His right hand Colos 3.1 2 In the meane time to endeavour that God may be here with us by His gracious presence Motiv 1. Even this presence of God is unspeakably good and pleasant in it self 2 It certainly leads to His glorious presence Meanes 1. By removing the impediment Flee sinne which separates from God by which man forsakes God and for which God forsakes man 2 Direct 1 Be in the Sonne of His love 2 Stirre up the gift of God which is in thee and in humility have respect unto all His commandements 2 Doctrine His kingdome ruleth over all 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His kingdome Expl. This word as it belongs to men may be taken two waies 1 for the kingly power it self 1 Sam. 13.13 2 for the object of this power that is the countrey Ester 3.8 together with the inhabitants Psal 79.6 So is the kingdome of God also taken 1 for the power Psal 145.11 13. 2 for the place Galat. 5.21 Here it is taken the former way as appeares by the following effect of ruling which is not an effect of the place but of the power 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over all This word comprehends all creatures actually existent Yea further Gods kingdome extends to all things possible to be which with His word He can make either to be or not to be to be after this or any other manner Nay lastly even sinnes also are subject to Gods power He can at His pleasure either hinder or permit them direct them to their object Ezek. 21.21 and end determine them for the time when they shall be and how long they shall continue and for the greatnesse to what height they shall grow and finally either remit or punish them That Gods kingdome is over all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see 1 Chron. 29.11 12. 2 Chron. 20.6 Psal 135.6 This Nebuchadnezzar learnt by experience Dan. 4.34 35. And it appeares also in that God gave unto Christ the Mediatour all power in heaven and in earth Mat. 28.18 He hath given also unto all men all the power they have Rom. 13.1 It appeares also in that He is sayd to be a great King above all gods Psal 95.3 Now there are called gods to omit idoles Angels Hebr. 1.6 out of Psal 97.7 Kings judges and magistrates Psal 82.1 6. If therefore God be King above all these most potent creatures then doubtlesse above all other also The Reason of Gods dominion 1 in respect of all things actually existent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is founded 1 in the creation of all Psal 24.1 2. Neither did He create them of any matter prepared by another but of mere nothing for He created them onely by His word and created them wholly And therefore He hath the first and chief right over all creatures having no partner with Him in His dominion and this dominion is over all creatures and over the whole creature and all that is in it 2 In the preservation of them which is as it were a second creation or the continuation of their essence by an univocall influx of the same every moment of their duration Act. 17.28 Hebr. 1.3 Hence all creatures so long as they are in being are necessarily subject to His dominion nor can by any meanes be withdrawn from it Both these Reasons or foundations of Gods dominion over all things existent are joined Nehem. 9.6 2 In respect of things possible in as much as all that possibility is founded in His power whereby He can at His pleasure either produce them into act or leave them still in the wombe of nothing Rom. 4.17 1 Cor. 1.28 3 In respect of sinnes because He is Lord over the creatures of which by which they are committed and because He Himself onely is the Lawgiver against Whom they are committed Psal 51.4 Jam. 4.12 Object But it may be objected that God often complaines of men being rebellious and casting away His yoke c. Isa 1.2 65.2 3. c. Jer. 5.5 whence it may seem that howsoever He hath right yet de facto His kingdome doth not rule over all Answ I answer Gods dominion being founded as was shewed before in the creatures perpetuall dependence upon Him both for essence and operation it is no more possible that any creature should withdraw it self from under Gods dominion then that it should be able to act or subsist of it self without dependence upon Him The rebellion therefore of wicked men and angels against God though it violate the rule which He hath prescribed them to walk by yet doth not diminish His dominion over them For as Anselme elegantly illustrates it Gods will and so His dominion compasses man about as the heaven compasses about the earth that
of doing this duty and partly of being exhorted to it then upon the Angels For 1 the Angels in heaven need not any incitement to blesse God but are willing and ready of themselves to doe it But the best of mortall men are not so forward to this duty but that they need to be excited by the exhortation and example of others 2 The excellency of God is clearly known to the Angels but amongst men many litle understand it none sufficiently And therefore God distributing His gifts diversly whilest every man utters what God gives him to understand of the Divine perfections and beneficence all may be mutually instructed one by another And hereupon seemes to have been grounded that which David divers times in the Psalmes and Hezekiah Isa 38.18 speaks concerning the dead not praising God that is they can not doe it so profitably in respect of other men as the living may 3 We have greater cause of blessing God then the Angels have Thomas 22z. qu. 106.2.0 moving the question Whether an innocent or a penitent man be more bound to thank God answers that an innocent man is more bound in respect of the greatnesse of the benefit caeteris paribus and the continuance of it but a penitent man in respect of the freenesse or graciousnesse of it So here the graciousnesse or freenesse of Gods beneficence at which gratitude looks more then at the greatnesse of the benefit is much more conspicuous towards men seeing God was indeed wonderfully good and bountifull to the Angels creating them of nothing enduing them with many excellent gifts upholding and strengthening them with His grace and all this without their merit but to man He was good and gracious notwithstanding the demerit of his sinnes Whilest we were His enemies He so loved us that whereas His Justice being offended by sinne put a barre to our salvation He spared not His onely beloved Sonne but delivered Him up to an ignominious and cursed death whereby His Justice might be satisfyed and our salvation obteined that He sends His Spirit to apply what His Sonne hath impetrated that He shewes forth and exercises His Mercy Patience Meeknesse Clemency Facility to pardon lastly that He hath prepared for us a condition in some respect superiour to the Angels Uses Here 1 we must diligently observe what the Scripture speakes of the Angels Instr viz. of the wickednesse and misery of the evil angels that we may be deterred from sinne of the constancy and happinesse of the good Angels that we may be incited to obedience 2 Seeing beside so many precepts and commendations of this duty of blessing God and so many examples of pious men we have also the example of the Angels who have indeed many reasons of blessing God but yet fewer and in some respects lesse then we here and elswhere propounded to us to imitate we may see how earnestly God desires we should diligently and cheerfully performe this duty how sluggish we are to need so many incitements how inexcusable if we still neglect it Reproof 1 Repr 2 3 4. See Vers 1. Doct. 1. This should exhort us to imitate the Angels Exhort Motives and Meanes See the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers 22. Blesse the LORD all His works in all places of His dominion blesse the LORD O my soule In the former part of the Apostrophe David turned his speech to the Angels In this latter part he turnes it to the other works of God that is to the creatures without reason sense and life for men are excluded as being they whom he intends by both parts to excite to blesse God Between the parts there is this difference that the Angels to whom he converts his speech Vers 20 21. doe properly and eminently blesse God and therefore Davids intention was by propounding their example to exhort us to blesse Him but the inanimate and unreasonable creatures having neither speech to utter praises and thanks nor understanding to apprehend the excellency and bounty of God cannot properly blesse God but blesse Him onely objectively in as much as unto us seriously considering them they afford arguments of blessing Him The sense therefore is that men ought by these arguments to be excited to blesse God 1 Doctrine All the works of God in all places of His dominion afford arguments of blessing Him 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His works Explic. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies both motum rem motu factam the action and the effect or work thereby produced The former Psal 19.1 The firmament sheweth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the work of His hands that is the excellency of the workmanship whereby it was made the latter Psal 102.25 The heavens are the work of thy hands Here understand it the latter way 2 In all places of His dominion Gods dominion extends over all the world as we heard vers 19. Wherefore here understand the whole frame of the world that is the heaven earth and sea together with all creatures therein conteined except the Angels of whom particularly vers 20 21. and men whom both there and here he intends to exhort That all these afford arguments of blessing God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see Psal 19.1 to the end of vers 6. So Psal 145.10 All Thy works praise Thee O LORD that is afford matter of praising Thee as the same phrase is used Prov. 31.31 See also Psal 104. where the Psalmist exciting himself to blesse God drawes plenty of arguments from the creatures So the 24 Elders Revel 4.10 11. The Reason or ground of these arguments may be shewed distinctly in praise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be shewed distinctly in thanks 1 Of blessing God by way of Praise the creatures afford arguments because in them the excellency of the Creatour wonderfully shines forth and namely His Goodnesse Wisdome and Power 1 His Goodnesse in that being infinitely perfect in Himself from all eternity and so not needing any thing yet He took the creatures out of nothing which therefore also could merit nothing and communicated His goodnesse to them and continues it so farre and so long as He sees good Psal 145.9 2 His Wisdome whereby He made the whole frame of the world and all the creatures therein to the best end that is ultimately to His own glory and in such manner and order that they might be most fit to attain that end Psal 104.24 3 His Power which most clearly appeares 1 in the innumerable multitude of the creatures and vast magnitude of some of them 2 in the matter or rather terme from whence they were produced mere nothing Some men can and often doe raise lies and slanders out of nothing but in substantiall things the most cunning artist cannot exercise his art or make his work without some matter to work upon that of the Philosopher being here most true Nothing is made of nothing But such is Gods power that He could and did make all things out
of mere nothing 3 in the meanes which He used or rather in the manner of working which was without any meanes by His bare word Psal 33.6 9. Gen. 1.3 c. In these the eternall power of God was clearly seen even of the heathen Rom. 1.20 Now joine all these together Such Goodnesse such Wisdome such Power afford infinite arguments of praising God 2 Of blessing God also by way of Thanksgiving all the creatures afford arguments unto man as all serving to His use and benefit The inferiour parts of the world viz. the earth and waters and all things created of them not onely serve for his use but are also subjected to His dominion Gen. 1.28 29. 9.1 2 3. Psal 8.6 7 8. The superiour parts also that is the heavens though in respect of the dominion reserved to God alone Psal 115.16 yet in like manner serve for the use and benefit of man the lowest heaven affording him breath winds raine c. the second heaven light heat c. and the third if he rightly serve God an eternall and most blessed habitation Object Yea but there are some creatures hurtfull to man viz. either immediately to his person as poisons or unwholesome meates wild beasts serpents c. or mediately as hurtfull to those things which are needfull or usefull to him as weeds to corne moths to garments fores wolves c. to sheep c. Answ I answer 1 Blessing God consists not onely in giving Him thanks but also in praising Him And therefore if there were any such creatures for which we were not to thank God yet even for those also Hee were to be praised if they make for His praise And that even those creatures before mentioned with the like doe so is evident in that the Goodnesse Wisdome and Power of God are declared in the creation of them His Power without doubt His Goodnesse also at least in communicating good to them beeing life motion c. and continuing it to His good pleasure and lastly His Wisdome at least in making them so various and all in their severall kinds so fit for the punishing mens sinnes to the glory of His Justice But 2 God also in wrath remembers mercy neither hath He made any creatures which are not some waies profitable unto men and so contein arguments of gratitude also All those mentioned and the like make for the exercise of carefulnesse industry c. and to keep us from idlenesse to which we are so prone since the fall and which is a vice so foule in it self and the mother of many more They make also for the humbling us for our sinnes the causes of those annoyances from the creatures for weaning us from this world where we are subject to so many dangers and calamities and to enflame us with a desire of heaven where is perfect happinesse In speciall That some creatures assault our persons it may admonish us how by the just judgement of God for our rebellion against Him these creatures also rebell against us and may warne us to take heed of sinne for the future lest these prove but the beginning of sorrowes The dangers also to which our life is by these meanes liable may put us in mind of the uncertainty thereof and so prepare us for death that whensoever it shall happen we may live eternally in the world to come Job 5.17 to the end of the Chapter That other creatures also are hurtfull to the things we possesse it may serve to draw us from the immoderate love of those things and to excite us to lay up treasures for our selves in heaven where neither moth c. Mat. 6.19 20. Lastly all the aforesayd creatures if men knew rightly how to use them are perhaps beside the morall use before specifyed naturally more profitable then hurtfull unto man Of many it is plaine Nettles poppy and other weeds though hurtfull to corne yet are helpfull in physick for preserving life which is more then meat So are antidotes made of poisons Uses For our instruction Instr 1 If all Gods works afford matter of blessing Him then they are all good for otherwise they could not be arguments either of thanks or praise God indeed inflicts the evil of punishment Isa 45.7 Amos 3.6 But this is not evil simply but onely in respect of us and that unlesse we our selves be the causes onely to the outward man and for a litle time For it is very good as it illustrates the glory of Gods justice and good to us also if we make a right use of it Psal 119.71 And if some of the creatures be now morally evil as the devils and wicked men the cause is their own sinne whereby they have cotrupted and marred Gods workmanship Eccle. 7.29 So Aug. de Civ Dei lib. 13. cap. 14. Deus creavit hominem rectum naturarum Author non utique vitiorum sed sponte depravatus justéque damnatus depravatos damnatósque generavit 2 If all Gods works then much more those which are more excellent the heavens sunne moone starres c. Also if the creatures without reason sense or life then much more man to say nothing of the Angels His body is fearfully and wonderfully made Psal 139.14 in the finding out the structure whereof Anatomists after the dissections of so many bodies have still enough to exercise their industry But the fabrick of the soule exceeds all admiration 3 If the works of Creation then much more the work of Redemption as being farre more noble In the Creation appeared wonderfull Goodnesse Wisdome and Power but to the work of Redemption all these three Attributes are required in a greater degree and others also beside whereof in the creation there was no need And the reason is from the different condition of the object The object of Creation was pure Nothing wherein as there was no help so there was no hindrance to Gods working But in the object of Redemption was sinne not onely bringing death but vehemently hindring Redemption Here therefore was required 1 Greater Goodnesse viz. not onely simply free communicating good to them that deserved it not but also mercifull doing good to them that deserved ill 2 Greater Wisdome which might find out a way how Gods Justice offended by mens sinnes and His Mercy which had pity on them might so meet together and kisse each other that both Justice might have fitting satisfaction for mens sinnes and yet Mercy might have full content in procuring their salvation 3 Greater Power seeing the termes were more distant and the way more difficult 1 The termes were more distant In the Creation man the most noble creature next to the Angels was taken out of the earth formed after the image of God and placed in a happy condition But when he was redeemed he was taken out of a condition worse then the earth Job 30.8 and then nothing Mat. 26.24 and brought at last to an estate better and more worthy then Adam either had or by