to Angels and to man And to make them complete creatures images of himselfe he gave them free will to continue their own happy condition for their own good or to forsake it to their ruine They both by their owne fault forfeited their present estate and by affecting more of the glory of God than hee had communicated them lost that which they had and so this good spirit did forsake them But it is replyed if they had this good spirit why did it not confirme them in their estate that they might not fall I answer man had not beene led by this spirit but forced and necessitated if this spirit had limited him it had beene a spirit of compulsion not of confirmation Man was not content with the state of his creation the Angels were not content they resisted they grieved this spirit The Angels therefore having sinned never found a Mediatour to relieve them because it is plaine that their trespasse was against the holy Ghost For man he had this spirit also but he hearkened to the voyce of his wife against this spirit Let me adde also that after the fall of man Christ was promised Where God giveth or offereth his Sonne he offereth his spirit also these are tendred to all universally Grace is offered Christ promised the Holy Ghost to teach to leade to comfort to confirme we have all the meanes of grace that may be to put this talent to use and we may charge our perdition upon our selves if we miscarry For in the creation when we were yet but in matter rudis indigestaque moles unfashioned formelesse if God had made us crooked lame deformed disproportioned or any way ill featured we had suffered no shame of it for he made us and not we our selves Thy hands have made mee and fashioned me But God doth not now worke upon us as hee then did upon earth a dead and â—ensâ—lâ—sse element We haue vitall animall intellectuall parts and faculties we doâ— know the want â—â— tâ—is spirit we know where it may be had it is spiritus Dei the spirit of God we know how potentâ—â—â— to them that aske shall be given wee know how he must be used not grieved and if we have it not or be not confirmed it is our fault We see in the story of the Bible and in continuall experience in others and feele it in ourselves how many defections in us and desâ—rtions of God doe â—ollow the want of this confirming spirit to establish us For what is it that maketh the often relapsâ—â— into the sâ—â—e sinnes for which wee have so often cryed God mercy â—â— wanton against defiling his body after repentance thâ— drunkard like a dogge returning againe to his vomit the covetous like a swine to his mire for so basely and contemptibly are such relapses resembled by the spirit of God Many whose consciences within them convince them touched with the sword of Gods spirit the word of God and with the reproofe of their friends and the shame of the world are heartily sorry for these sinnes and bewaile them with teares and aske God forgivenesse for them and purpose and promise never to returne to them yet for want of this spirit to confirm them relapse and make their latter end worse than their beginning 2 On the contrary those who have this spirit are proofe against temptations all the sinnes in example all the evill counsels of the old world cannot infect or corrupt Noah all Sodome cannot taint Lot Josephs Mistresse cannot allure Joseph Daniel cannot be tempted to â—ate of the Kings delicates yet at some other time this spirit may leave even some of these to themselves and then they shew by what strength they were kept from falling and knowing their owne weakenesse they doe more earnestly desire as David here â—c tollas spiritum take not away thy spirit and confirma me strengthen me We see Davids good example praying to him that is able to keepe us that wee fall not and desiring him who hath begun a good worke in us to perfect it to the end This spirit is oyle in our lampes to keepe them light against the bridegroome commeth It is a wedding garment to admit us guests to his bridall feast They that truely and unfainedly repent will more desire this spirit for it is but halfe a repentance plangere commissa to bewaile sinnes committed this accomplisheth it in keeping us â—â— committamus plangenda that we commit not sinnes to be bewailed VERSE 13. 3 PRomittit he promiseth Then will I teach transgressors thy wayes and sinners shall be converted unto thee This was Peters charge tâ— cum conversus fueris confirma fratres when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren In this verse first promittit he promises secondly prophetat he prophecies or I promittit Deo quid pro eo facturus est he promiseth to God what hee will doe for him secondly promittit vicino quod â—i he promises to his neighbour what he will doe for him thirdly promittit sibi successum he promises successe to himselfe 1 Promittit Deo hee promises to God David had done God wrong to scandalize religion and by his evill example to corrupt many for great and eminent persons sinne infectiously their iniquities are catching He now promiseth that he will make amends to God in becomming a teacher to convert others to righteousnesse exemplo consilio authoritate regia prophetica by example counsell authority royall propheticall For as we are accountable to God for such sinnes as are done in others by our occasion so we doe owe God a dutie of endeavour to keepe others as neare him and draw as many to him as we may 2 Promittit vicino he promiseth to his neighbour He is sensible how farre his corrupt life hath extended to corrupt others he oweth them an amends also and promiseth himselfe a teacher of them This is one of the fullest expressions of pious charity that we can make one to another to communicate to each other the knowledge of salvation and the way to it and to put one another in that way and to put them on with cheerefulnesse to runne in it 3 Promittit sibi he promiseth to himselfe He is confident that he shall have good successe in this way and holy course and that sinners shall turne for the example of repentance in so potent a King cannot but worke strongly upon such as he shall undertake to teach Our lesson from this example is in sight for when God hath wrought a good worke upon us in turning us from sinne to true repentance it is our duty to labour the conversion of other sinners to God A perfect convert is the best teacher of the wayes of God that can be for he knowes these three things which will most move to conversion 1 He knowes the foulenesse the foolishnesse the burthen and vexation of sinne he hath seene the danger of it and hath by wofull experience found how uncomfortable a
water to wash these wounds and they are tender and this must be done often Beloved let me tell you that Sathan befooleth us with many false pleasures of vanitie which make these wounds in our souls We pay deare for them when we come to this washing And he that considers it well will know the terrour of the Lord and be afraid to give way to temptations that may put him to the pain of repentance It is true that nothing in this world is so painfull as true repentance It is called mortification killing the old man not every kinde of death crucifie the flesh Mors lâ—ntâ— violenta dedecorosa a death slow violent disgracefull It is called the breaking of the heart the renting and tâ—aring of it in peeces It is sackcloth for clothing baldnesse for beauty it is Amaritudo animae the bitter nessâ— of soul Yet for all this Multiplica lavare multiply to wash Iâ— drosse be mingled with our gold it will ask an hot fire to purge it out and that is repentance Behold Niniveh doing penance for her sinnes The King arose from his throne he layed his roabe from him and covered him with sackcloth and sat in ashes proclaimed Let neither man nor beast taste any thing let them not feed nor drink water But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth Here is a Citie washt throughly in a bath of repentant and true tears Ecce Rex tâ—ns venit tibi mansuetus Behold thy King comes to thee meek the true and living picture of mortification He that sate on a throne of majestie and honour a glorious King arose from his throne as if his throne trembled under him in a we of the supreme throne which is set for justice upon all the world He layeth down his glory and casteth his Crown at the footstool of the most high All the ensignes of honour and principalitie above men he putteth off and puts himself into the number and rank of common men He puts off his royall garments the habite of glory He puts on sackcloth the dresse and trimme of repentance and humility He casteth himself on the ground there he sitteth in an heap of ashes He depriveth himself of his food and then Regis ad exemplum according to the Kings example all do so What can be added to this unworthying of himself He thought himself neither worthy of honour nor rayment nor ease nor food Not made onely a common man but as one of the beasts of the earth they were also clad in sackcloth Job in cinere in ashes dust to dust Thus the sinne of pride doth penance in coming down and abusing themselves The sinne of vanitie in apparrell doth penance in sackcloth The sinne of delicacie and nicenesse in a seat of ashes The sinne of drunkennesse and gluttony in fasting not bread not water The sinne of contempt and scorne of one another doth penance in an equality of like condition behold and see which is the King which is the Subject nay which is the man which is the beast all in one Liverie of sorrow and shame all in sackcloth Yet let me use the words of our Saviour of this sight Solomon in all his glorious royalty was not apparreled like one of these Never did Niniveh shew fairer in the eyes of heaven then this day never was Nineveh so throughly washt never so cleane Me thinks I heare the voyce of God saying as of Ahab so much rather so of Niniveh Seest thou how Niniveh humbleth it self before me It was a day of Ninivehs purification and God was appeased the doome of her destruction gratiously reversed David himself in this storie feeling the hand of God upon him in the visitation of his childe refused his bed laid him down on the earth would not wash or anoint or change garments refused to eat his bread We visit the Courts of Princes in our bravest trimme We finde the face and favour of God soonest in our worst clothes and meanest accoutrements All this is thought nothing the Penitent saith I will yet be more vile When Benhadad the proud provoker of King Ahab was down the winde his Servants had this hope onely left to propound to him Behold now we have heard that the Kings of Israel are mercifull Kings let us therefore I pray thee put sackcloth upon our loyns and rops upon our heads and go out to the King of Israel c. They did so Thus must they do that will have a guilt of sinne washed away thorowly and so our God being a mercifull God our life may be spared 3 David desireth God to wash him for the truth is he may say to us all as once to Peter Nisi ego te lavero non habebis partem mecum Except I wash thee thou shalt have no part in me David saith I will wash my hands in innocencie and Isaiah biddeth Wash you make you clean The work of our purification is not performed throughly but in the concurrence of both these we wash our selves in our true repentance God washeth us in his gratious pardon Yet even in our repentance God doth wash us too for he giveth both the grace and power of repentance he worketh all his works in us our spirits and faculties work together with him we are not meerly passives in our own washing but we give our affections and desires of heart to it we offer the service of our sighs and groans and tears and bring our bodies in subjection The Spirit of God doth not all it self but it helpeth our infirmities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is of strong signification for here is a burthen too heavy for us to beare the Spirit of God comes to our help and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alone were a carriage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is over against us as when a burthen is born betweene two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 decompoundeth the word and joyneth him in the burthen with us So he leaves not all the burthen upon us whose weaknesse cannot undergo it He takes not all the burthen upon him and from us but he beareth with us and as it ever falleth out between two that beare the same burthen the weaker doth ease himself upon the stronger so it is here the most of our burthen in this act of repentance lyeth upon God therefore Lava tu Domine wash thou Lord. Many would faine cast all the care upon God of their washing David doth his best and craveth here but Gods assistance For we must not sit out in our burthens and duties we cannot exonerate our selves so The manner how God worketh this lotion in us is 1 By his word so Christ Uos mundi est is propter sermonem quem ego locutus sum vobis You are clean by the word which I have spoken unto you Saint Augustine sheweth how the word doth cleanse us for it is Verbum fidei docens gignens alens fidem the word of faith teaching begetting nourishing faith And
warie how we walk in the way of that roaring Lyon which goeth about continually seeking whom he may devoure But here remaineth a great scruple Was not David circumcised and hath not that Sacrament according to the intention of Gods holy ordinance this proper effect to remove and purge originall sinne And now in the time of the Gospell is not Baptisme the laver of our new birth doth it not wash away originall sinne Why then doth David yet complaine of it or why do we who are baptised stand daily yet in jeopardie of it To cleare this point we resolve that since the fall of man his infirmitie hath ever beene such as all the meanes of grace ordained by God have fallen short of working their full and perfect effect upon us in this life The word teacheth us and yet so long as we live here we know but in part The word begetteth faith yet so weak and so imperfect is our faith that Christ biddeth us to pray to God to encrease our faith The word of the Gospell is the power of God to salvation yet he doth magnifie his power in our weaknesse Our hope is imperfect for it is mingled with feare Our joy is not complete for we rejoyce in trembling The Sacraments of Circumcision and Baptisme were ordained against originall sinne yet for want not of efficacie in the gift but of capacity in the receivers thereof they fall short of the full effect here It is therefore farre from us to limit God by his ordinances to binde him to passe his graces no way but by them As farre is it from us to extend the force of his ordinance to that latitude that which way so ever his outward ordinance goeth his grace must necessarily follow the same We go in a middle way betweene these two extremes affirming that according to the good pleasure of his will so the Sacraments of our regeneration do work their effect more or lesse in his Church For my own judgement I have beleeved and taught that Baptisme doth so purge away original sinne as it doth regenerate us It worketh the same work at once the killing of sinne and the life of Christ in us As we perceive our regeneration imperfect so we must confesse our mortification imperfect Therefore after Baptisme there remaineth yet a â—ome of our originall sinne because Christ hath not the intire possession of us And yet there is a seed of grace because Christ dwelleth in us Both these seeds grow in us till the harvest Yet as Jacob and Esau they strive in the same wombe for the flesh lusteth the spirit sigheth and groaneth the flesh striveth against the spirit the spirit is contrary to the flesh From the seed of the flesh which we call originall sinne all our evill thoughts words and works do proceed From the seed of the spirit arise all good motions whereby we resist the flesh And if any of Gods people be overtaken with offence he is not straitway as a limbe cut off from the body but as a bone out of joynt for the time It is not a laxation from the bodie but a laxation in the body It is the Apostles word you that are spirituall restore such a one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put him in joynt againe So we denie not the grace of Circumcision or Baptisme we do not weaken the power of Gods ordinance but we allow it the efficacie of congruitie with the subject For it filleth secundum capacitatem vasis according to the capability of the vessell when God enlargeth our heart we shall receive his gifts more fully You now see how much cause David had to complain of his originall sinne as the seed remaining in him from whence these great offences grow I conceive the proper use of this point to be this To stirre us up by Davids example upon all occasions by our fallings into any sinne to look back upon this root of sinne in us that we may put the strength of our measure of grace to it to grubbe it It is such as that if there remain but a threed of it in our ground by the sent of water it will take in sap and gather strength and put forth and grow up as a plant as Job saith Therefore we know our spirituall growth in grace by the withering of this old man and the vegetation of the new man in us The Prophet here in the from of this confession setteth an Ecce Behold which may be directed two wayes 1 For he may divert his speech from God to whom his addresse is to the Church and to his fellow-members of that body as partners with him of the same nature of the same infirmitie See whence these â—oule evils came even from the sinne that came with me Peccatum oriens from the sinne that abideth in me Peccatum habitans from the sinne that encircleth me Peccatum circumstans from the sinne that defileth me Peccatum commâ—culans That every one of us may look to that breeder and keep it from teeming in us or if lust do conceive and bring forth sinne then to take the little ones and dash them against the stones We do not enough study this point we do not behold and see into it as we should to look for no good out of this Nazareth to confesse our weake and wicked beginnings of nature to amend by culture and industry our barren soyle impregnant of any good fruits To plough up the fallow grounds of our hearts with discipline and mortification to sowe them with the precious seed of the Word Leaving them to the clouds of grace to raine upon them and to the Sonne of righteousnes to shine on them Eliâ—hs faith will open heaven for that raine Joshuahs prayer will make that Sonne stand still 2 Behold to God he may desire him to consider in his mercie that this mother-sinne came with him it was a corruption of his nature before he had either appetite or sense or will to embrace it yea that corrupted all these and reason it selfe and the conscience that defiled all I deny not but that it was sinne at first in the conception but David doth not say Formatus sum iniquus or Conceptus iniquus but In iniquitate I am not formed or conceived wicked but in wickednesse The matter that I was made of was unsound and unholy for David was not David till his reasonable soul was infused then was he sinfull So that I conceive this behold urged to God to move compassion in him that seeing he could not help it that he was so framed and surely God is mercifull to that sinne in us therefore David saith of him Like as a father pittieth his children so the Lord pittieth them that feare him For he knoweth our frame he remembreth that we are dust Therefore this Ecce behold to God doth move him to compassion of his most miserable condition in regard of the corruption and frailty of his frame and composition But
our fault is that we do not husband our talent of Gods grace and of Christs merits to our amendment of nature and to the expurgation of our sinne Yet for Infants that have no sinne but that to answer for in the ordinary way of Gods favour I make no question of their salvation by Baptisme for so the Apostle Baptisme saveth us Yet the want of the outward Sacrament which cannot be charged upon little Infants doth not deprive them of the favour of God because the covenant is not limited by the signe of it The promise which is the soul and life of the Sacrament is past to you and to your children The Church of Rome denyeth unbaptised infants a place in heaven and they have built them a Limbus an upper-roome above hell where they place them but they cannot agree upon their estate there Some of their learned depriving them of the fruition of heaven but allowing them life everlasting without paine and with some measure of happinesse Others allow them an earthly paradise of naturall felicity for ever Thomas and others that they are deprived of the sight of God and have no poenam sensus paine of sense inward or outward Driedo and others affirme both poenam damni sensus paine of losse and sense But Saint Augustine saith he could never reade in Scripture of more then two places heaven for the saved and hell from that distanced very farre off for the damned Locum tertium non reperio I finde no third place We confesse that originall sinne without Christ is mortall but Christ became man and was born of a Virgin and became an Infant for Infants to preserve them from hell and we beleeve charitably and comfortably of them that he receiveth such to himself The conclusion of this point is that seeing we are thus born filii ira the children of wrath we should make it the exercise of our whole life to strive against this naturall corruption and to weaken the force of the flesh all we can by mortifying the deeds thereof and to grow daily in wisedome and knowledge and faith and obedience perfect throughly perfect to all good works making our election and calling sure in our owne consciences to the establishing of our hearts till we grow up to be perfect men in Christ Iesus for if we mortifie the deedes of the flesh by the spirit we shall live VERSE 6. Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts and in the hidden part thou shalt make mee to know wisedome 5. TO aggravate his owne digression hee compareth himselfe in this state of transgression with that condition which God exacteth of us and which he will hereafter worke in him In which words we have 1 Davids feare 2 Davids faith 1 Davids feare He confesseth his transgressions and iniquities and sinnes and would very faine be quit of them because he findeth them so contrary to the holinesse and pure perfection of the divine nature for David had lived in the open profession and practise of religion he had established both religion and Courts of Iustice in Ierusalem yet secretly his corrupt heart had embraced a temptation to sinne and he had effected it whereby he had displeased God for God is not pleased with an out-side and semblance of religion which may passe currant with men who see no deeper than the shew he is a searcher of hearts and desireth not a seeming and shew but truth and that not in a face of holinesse in an outward profession but in the inward parts 2 Davids faith that notwithstanding this his grievous declination from the wayes of God yet God in his mercy will repaire him againe and make him to know wisedome in his hidden part that is in his understanding and in his heart Thus we must understand this text following our new translation but former translations doe alter the sense and change the matter of this verse The vulgar Latine the Spanish the Italian the French the old English the Geneva reading Junius Pagnine Calvine and generally all the translations that I have read and Comments Saint Augustine Lâ—dolphus Saint Ambrose Saint Gregory Cardinall Bellarmine c. doe all reade one way Thou hast made me to understand wisedome secretly Which doth also adde weight to the burthen of his sinne for seeing God requireth truth in the inward parts and had secretly informed him with wisedome to know so much and to direct him in the way of obedience This maketh Davids sinne greater who not onely transgressed Gods Commandement but sinned against the knowledge and wisedome which God gave him against it onely Montanus his interlineare readeth it in the future whom our translators of the Kings Bible have followed the originall doth beare it well and I choose rather to see David in faith then in feare and therefore I embrace our reading wherein David beleeves that God will make him wiser hereafter 1 Concerning his feare he had cause to mistrust himselfe when his conscience accused him of hypocrisie for having maintained an outward expressure of religion his heart proved false to God and his eye walked in wrong waies and misguided his heart God who looketh not onely upon our outward man but upon the heart soone found him out and saw the abhominations there for he is searcher of hearts and reines There is not a better rule to manage either our conversation or our faith or our repentance by then this to consider what God requireth of us and wherein he delighteth Micah the Lords Prophet saith He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord doth require of thee Hee is our Lord and it is fit that we take notice of his will and what he requireth he will shew us nothing but good the old way the good way that walking in it we may finde rest for our soules He desireth our eares to his word Let him that hath eares to heare heare what the spirit speaketh c. He desireth the eyes of our body that we keepe them from beholding vanity that we liâ—t them up to the hils unde auxilium whence commeth our helpe He requireth the lifting up of our hands in prayer the stretching out of our hands in almes in good workes in labour in our callings in subvention and supportation of the weake in taking up such as are fallen He requireth our tongues in voce laudiâ— in the voyce of thankesgiving wee must make his praise to be heard In prayers and supplications with strong cries He requireth our feete to tread in his Courts to stand in the gates of Ierusalem and cave pedi take heed to thy foot He requireth our knee for he hath sworne in holinesse â—gressum est verbum c. the word is gone forth Every knee shall bow to me O come let us worship and fall downe and kneele before the Lord but all these are formes which an hypocrite may put on and personate and act and who can say but he is religious and feareth
hostility wherin he proclaims open war against the Church of God hath his secret insinuations by which he windeth himselfe into the hearts of men So he entred into the heart of Iudas and Saint Peter saith to Simon Magus Thy heart is not right in the sight of God Sathan had beene secretly working upon his heart into which he had infused some gall of bitternesse Against this Davids receipt was Absconds in corde sermonem tuum ut non peccarem contra te I have hid thy word in my heart that I might not sinne against thee When he let that word goe Sathan came in and sowed the seeds of lust Intravit mors per feâ—esâ—ras Death came in at the windowes he let it in by his eyes for no sooner did his eye looke but his heart did lust and then all his parts proved instruments of sinne and traitours to the spirit of God that was in him This setteth us a worke to furnish our secret part with wisedome for so it will be a fortification against open warre and a privy coat against a sudden stabbe of temptation This wisedome though thus secretly stored cannot be concealed but it will speake in the tongue the language of Canaan For ext of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh It will be seene in the face for the wise doe set their faces toward Ierusalem and you may see by their lookes which way they are bound all their workes and whole conversation will taste of it The greatest hinderance to good conversation to good workes and to repentance of our evill waies is the unsoundnesse and rottennesse of our secret part that is 1 Vanity in our understanding when wee busie our thoughts and exercise our wits either onely in the things which concerne this life what we shall eat what we shall drinke where with we shall be cloathed for which the heathens take care who know no God to take that care for them or when we spend our braines in impertinent disquisitions studying genealogies and intricating our thoughts in vaine questions which are not worthy our study 2 Our inward part is mortally diseassed by corruption of our will when wee live in a perpetuall pursuit of our owne desires and goe in the way that seemeth good in our owne eyes for so the strength of sinne is the law and the more we are restrained the more we strive both against the Commandement that biddeth and forbiddeth and against the word of exhortation that putteth the Commandement upon the conscience And against those good motions of the spirit of God and of his good Angels which continually labour to compose us to obedience The way to heale all this is by wisedome in this secret part for that will teach 1 For the world there is no cause to care for the Lord careth for us and for impertinent studies the word will shew us unum necessarium the one thing needfull against the vanity of minde 2 For our will this wisedome will correct it and teach it subjection to the will of God whose will is our best friend for by that we were chosen created redeemed saved fiat voluntas tua thy will be done 3 Davids faith Thou wilt make me to know The naturall man doth not perceive the things of the spirit of God neither can he They that are born sinners are born fooles darkened in their understandings and hardened in their hearts the light that is in them is darkenesse and therefore quâ—ntâ— tenebrâ— how great darknesse Therefore they must be made to know wisedome and none but God can doe it he teacheth man knowledge and David beleeveth that he will doe it Christ saith All shall be taught of God for he offereth himselfe a teacher to all Wisedome cryeth in the streets and uttereth her voyce in the high wayes and calleth the simple and ignorant to her schoole to be taught Wisedome hath many auditors few proficients many truants that come not to schoole many dull and indocile that learne little but David beleeveth two things 1 That God will teach him 2 That he will make him know our apprehensions are often more quicke to conceive wisedome then either our memories to retaine it or our affections to embrace it We are never said truely to know wisedome till wee know the want of it the giver of it the value of it and the right use of it Seneca could teach his schollars that the inquisition and posing of students in Philosophy is Non quantum in philosophia sed quantum in vita profecerint Not what profit they have received in philosophy but how much in their lives The way of furnishing us with this wisedome is 1 By the Word working upon our understandings for that giveth light to the simple 2 By the spirit stirring up our spirits and setting them aworke If any man love God he is taught of God David now repenting and returning to himselfe hath faith in the goodnesse of God that he will give him this wisedome to repaire him which sheweth that our wisedome may for a time be lost for David had it before and guided all his former waies with discretion but being overtaken with this temptation he committed folly wisedome for a time departed from him his understanding was darkened his heart was hardened sinne had possessed his inward and secret part the hid man of the heart So that he is now to learne wisedome againe and so is cast much behind hand And make him to know it in his hidden part Great comfort here is given to the true penitent for his sincere repentance removeth both sinne and punishment and quickeneth the graces of God in him so that though he stumble he cannot fall quia Dominus supponis manum because the Lord putteth under his hand his faith layeth hold upon that hand and keeps him upright VERSE 7. Purge me with hysope and I shall be cleane wash mee and I shall be whiter than snow 3. HE returneth againe to supplications and he hath many suits to God 1 For his purgation from the pollution of his sinne Verse 7. 2 For comfort against his sinnes and the punishment of them Verse 8. 3 For pardon of them Verse 9. 4 For newnesse of life Verse 10. 5 For a constant course of the grace and favour of God Verse 11. 12. 13. 6 For particular pardon of his last great sinne Verse 14. 7 For ability to performe the service of Gods holy worship Verse 15. 16. 17. 1 For purgation from sinne hee doubleth his request here as in an important businesse dearely concerning him for 1 He findeth himselfe so foule with his sinnes as he needeth washing and purging and he needeth Gods washing 2 To shew yet his pollution more he presseth to bee washt with hysope 3 To shew what innocency and purity he affecteth he first desireth to be made cleane he resumeth the suit and expresseth his desires in full measure he would be whiter than snow 1 His importunity to be washt
the latter end it will not be a luxation of our bones putting them out of joynt but a breaking literally this must not be understood of the breaking of bones neither the contrary spoken also by David Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him our of them all He keepeth all his bones so that not one of them is broken for wee know that not onely alive but dead the bones of the Lords servants have beene violated their dead bones lye scattered like chippes of wood at the mouth of the grave By bones the strength of the body the inward strength and vigour of the soule is meant And the conscience of sinne and the terrour of judgement doth breake the heart of a true penitent so long as he beholdeth his sinne deserving his death his judge ready to pronounce the sentence of it hell open to receive him for it and the evill Angels Gods executioners at hand to hurry him to it Here is extremity of anguish even anima doloris dolor animae the soule of sorrow the sorrow of the soule enough to make a man goe weeping all the day long I beseech you lay this example to heart David that walked with an upright heart and the holy Ghost hath testified him unblameable save onely in this matter of Vriah the Hittite Yet see how he afflicteth himselfe for all his other transgressions which were not laid to his charge his conscience forgiveth him nothing No question but David had many infirmities and many other aberrations some upon record yet they were all by his repentance and the favour of God past over yet they upbrayd him now all of them come upon him like a breach of waters with so fierce irruption and so deluging inundation that they steepe him in deepe waters and cover him all over with affliction The reason is as in sinne the fault he that breaketh the least Commandement and repaireth not himselfe by repentance is guilty of the whole law so in transgressions he that repenteth of all the sinnes he hath done and hath his pardon under seale by the next offence is lyable to all the evidence againe of his former sinnes he cancelleth and forfeiteth his pardon for pardon ever bindeth to good behaviour This breakes the bones of David to have all this weight upon him 2 The author of this Thou hast broken God in favour to his children doth afflict them for sinne and the very phrase of breaking his bones though it expresse extremity of misery and paine yet it hath hope in it for broken bones by acunning hand may be set againe and returne to their former use and strength so that a conscience distrest for sinnes is not out of hope yet upon that hope no wise man will adventure upon sinne saying though I am wounded yet I may be healed againe though I am broken I may be repaired for let him consider 1 Who breakes his bones Thou he that made us our bones and put them in their severall places and tyed them together with ligaments and covered them with flesh he that keepeth all our bones from breaking it must be a great matter that must move him to breake the bones of any of us The God of all consolation that comforteth us in all our distresses when he commeth to distresse us this makes affliction weigh heavy It was Iobs vexation The arrowes of the Almighty are within me the poyson whereof drinketh up my spirit the terrors of God doe set themselves in array against mee He will not suffer me to take my breath but filleth mee with bitternesse What greater sorrow can be then to have God in opposition 2 The paine of the affliction exprest so feelingly in the breaking of bones which as is said is the anguish of the soule for sinne and feare of the consuming fire of Gods wrath and the tempest as Iob cals it of anger 3. The paine of setting these bones againe for though bones dislocate may be put in joynt and though bones broken may be set againe yet this is not done without paine and great extremity to the Patient Repentance setteth all our broken pained bones it recovereth the soule from the anguish thereof but hee that once feeleth the smart of a true repentance will say the pleasures of sinne which are but for a season are as hard a bargaine as ever he made and as deare bought they cost teares which are sanguis vulner aticordis the bloud of a wounded heart they cost sighes and grones which cannot be exprest they cost watching fasting taming of the body to bring it in subjection even to the crucifying of the flesh with the lusts thereof Therefore let no man adventure his bones in hope of setting them againe But how did God breake the bones of David here 1 Outwardly by his word sent in the ministerie of Nathan the Prophet for the word and voyce of God is a two edged sword This was all the strength by which Jeremie was sent forth by God on that great businesse over nations and over kingdomes to root out to pull downe and to destroy and to throw downe Behold I have put my words in thy mouth This is the sword of the spirit and though our doctrine drop as the raine gently and easily if we drinke it in and become fruitfull by it yet when our sinnes doe overgrow we shall finde it a sharpe Conlter to rend the fallow grounds of our hearts we shall finde it a rod of iron to breake our soules in pieces and this word runneth very swiftly it is gladius versatilis a sword that turneth every way 2 But it is a dead letter and draweth no bloud till it come to the conscience for so long as it beateth the eare and ayre onely and worketh no further than the understanding there is no great cumber with it as wee see in those who daily heare their swearing and drunkennesse reproved in the house of God and threatned with losse and deprivation of the kingdome of God it worketh not upon them but when Nathan comes home to their consciences tu es homo thou art the man God hath sent mee to thee to charge thee with this sinne and to tell thee hee is angry and is whetting his sword to cut thee off for it this breaketh and shattereth the bones and though our publike ministery doe not descend to such particulars as tu es homo thou art the man and our private reproofes are subject to ill constructiou yet a plaine dealing death bed will roare it in our eares of our inward man Tu es homo thou art the man thou hast lived a blasphemer of the name of God a glutton a drunkard c. This fils the soules of many dying persons with so much bitternesse that when the sorrowes of death are upon them and the judgement of their whole life in sight the conscience of their sinnes doth make their soules much sicker then their bodies One of
that the purse hath saved the life yet that is but the price of intercession But the Kings pardon onely saveth life It is so in the state of our soules sinne is a capitall fault and the wages of it death and no way of escape from this just judgement but by Gods gratious and free pardon We cannot purchase a mediation at any rate to availe us without true and unfained repentance and then we have but one Mediatour to the Father and he must purchase our pardon with his bloud he must be wounded for our transgressions and we must be healed by his stripes and hee must dye for us that we may live in and by him Let Papists seeke heaven by their righteousnesse at their owne perill For my selfe I am so farre from trusting to any merits of our owne workes that I dare resolve that if the salvation of all mankinde had beene put to the plunge that Sodome was at with the other Cities to finde tenne righteous from Adam to the last man that shall stand upon the earth all mankinde must have perished for want of tenne such I dare adventure further in resolution that if the bringing one good worke before God done in all the generations of men performed without any tast or taint of sinne might save all mankinde I except none but Iesus Christ I doe beleeve that he that searched Jerusalem with candle and lanterne even his seven eyes which tunne to and fro through the whole earth cannot finde out one such good and perfect worke the caske distasteth the liquour who is he that doth good and sinneth not who doth good and sinneth not in the very good he hath done To make a worke perfectly holy is one thing to make it meritorious is another If no good work we doe can come from us holy it is not possible it should aske wages Our corruption of nature sprinckles every word worke and thought of ours with some graines more or lesse of our old Adam for as we consist of flesh and spirit ever conflicting there is of both in all we are or have it cannot bee otherwise for the imaginations of the thoughts of our heart are onely evill continually and from that neast these birds doe flye Adultery Fornication Strife c. But if wee could doe any worke holy and pure â—â—oâ—n blame yet there goeth more to it then holinesse to make it meritorious 1 It is required that we be able to doe it of our selves for no thankes to us for any good we doe if he land us the faculties and abilities of doing it 2 It is required that hee which deserveth should doe something for the benefit of him of whom he deserveth but our well-doing extendeth not to God 3 It is required that hee which meriteth doe his good worke out of his owne free will ex mero motu non ex debito meerely by his owne mooving not as of due debt For what we doe of duty we pay we doe not give 4 It is required that the reward bee proportionable to the worke for else whatsoever is more is gift not wages They that wrought all day deserved their penny they that came late had more gift then wages eternall life is too much reward for any service wee doe This putteth workes of supererogation quite out of countenance to name them is to shame them Micah 6. 6. Where withall shall I come before the Lord burnt offerings Calves of a yeare old Will the Lord bee pleased with thousands of rammes or with tenne thousand rivers of oyle shall I give my first borne for my transgressions the fruit of my body for the sinne of my soule Hee hath shewed thee c. To doe justly to love mercy to walke humbly before thy God The way of repentance and crying God mercy is the way of humility we cannot pay our debt we cannot buy out our fault we have nothing to give our plea is miserere have mercy we can finde no way out of our sinnes but by Gods gratious and free pardon This is not so easie a favour obtained as many thinke for suppose the pardon were obtained and sealed for God have mercy yet there is no moment of our life in which we doe not forfeit it and therefore we must renew it continually When you pray say Pater noster dimitte nobis Our Father forgive us and semper orate pray alwayes Be sure to renew your pardon by repentance and prayer continually especially at such times when we come to the house of God to the Table of God now wash us throughly O Lord now O Lord have mercy upon us now purge us with hysope now hide thy face from our sinnes and blot on t all our iniquities Now make us heare joy and gladnesse which thou impartest to us in the Sacrament of thy sons passion Our Church service is holily accommodated to this for we beginne at the words wherein God maketh us heare of joy and we humble our selves to God in a contrite deploration of our sins O Lord heare us from heaven and when thou hearest shew mercy VERSE 10. Create in me a cleane heart O God and renew a right spirit within me 4. HE prayeth for newnesse of life Here also he doubleth his petition and changeth the phrase 1 For his heart the seat of his affections 2 For the holy Ghost to sanctifie him throughout in his body soule and minde In the first observe 1 His suit is for the heart 2 He desireth that cleane 3 He wisheth it so by creation In the second 1 His suit is for the spirit 2 He would have that right 3 He would have it by renovation 1 For the heart there breed adulteries murthers and all other sinnes as Christ hath taught us and that was the neast of all his sinnes The message of God by Nathan descended into the secrets of his heart there he hid the word he saith before Thou requirest truth in the inward parts he found his heart no fit habitation for truth as it was It is our chiefest care to looke to the heart because Christ asketh that of us for himselfe My sonne give me thy heart The Church of the Iewes in tender care for the Church of the Gentiles complaineth We have a little sister and she hath no breasts what shall we doe for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for that is how shall wee doe for her when Christ shall be speake her for a Spouse for himselfe That should be our care every one for his heart wee have a foule and uncleane heart what shall we doe for it or how shall we answer when Christ saith My sonne give me thy heart Our care therefore must be for it to prepare it so that we may neither be ashamed nor afraid when Christ calleth for it to present him with it Here Salomon adviseth well Keep thy heart above all keeping for out of it are the issues of life This heart of ours hath many
enemies etiaÌ„ domestici ejus inimiciejus the enemies be homebred Iob amongst many other aberrations of men wherof he acquitteth himselfe saith if mine heart walked after mine eyes for when our eyes behold beauty as David did to lust we lose our heart by it Dinah is deflowred if she gad If our heart walk after our eare we may entertain wanton lascivious words which corrupt good manners calumnious and slandercus reports which deprave our neighbours dicterious and satanicall invectives which hurt their good name prophane and blasphemous words which dishonour the name of God If our heart walke after ouâ— tast wee may defile our bodies and soules with surfetting and drunkennesse to the distemper of our bodies the corruption of our soules the displeasing of God the defiling of our consciences the abuse of Gods good creatures unthankfully and the corrupting of others by our evill example So when Christ shall say to thee My sonne give me thy heart thou hast no heart to give him for whoredome wine and new wine take away the heart It is good for us to take into our consideration what is good and what the Lord requireth of us We see the fruit of it in David for having before considered that God requireth truth in the inward part he now becomes carefull of his inward parts and is an humble suter to God for his heart they that meditate not on these things lose their hearts 2 He desireth a cleane heart so he interpreteth his former petitions wash me cleanse me purge me with hysop me that is my heart there is a deepe steine in it of originall sinne there is a foule issue from thence of all other sins these make the conscience sicke of an infectious leprosie even to the second death these make our words and workes and our whole conversation noxious to our brethren obnoxious to the wrath of God The purging of the heart is the cleansing of the whole man for out of the abundance of the heart the tongue speaketh the eare heareth the eye seeth the foot walketh The heart ruleth and guideth all the rest of the man if the fountaine be cleare the streames that flow thence will bee pure and the waters sweet else they will be like the waters of Marab bitter waters Saint Augustine wonders at the folly of man be desireth every thing for himselfe good and of the best he loves cleane cloathing upon him he loves cleane feeding cleane lodging he is next to a bruit beast that is a sloven and yet few desire to have cleane hearts Cleane garners for your graine cleane warehouses for your commodities are desired Your heart is the granary for the pure seed of the word the warehouse for the rich commodity of Gods spirituall favours and graces if that be nastie and noysome stenched with our abominable sinnes tenanted by uncleane spirits Non est loâ—us in diversorio there is no roome in the Inne Though the Saviour of the world was borne in a Stable for want of a fitter roome his good spirit will not house it selfe in hearts that like Stables are fitter for bruit beasts than for the Sonne of God to be entertained there Beati mundi corde blessed are the pure in heart saith Christ S. Gr. upon that saith Si illum qui ab omni peccato mundus est in cordis nostri hospitio habere volumus oportet primò ut cor ab omni vitiorum sorde purgemus If we will have him in the Inne of our hearts which is pure from all sinne wee must first purge our hearts from the foulenesse of vices Our bodies be the temples of the holy Ghost our hearts the Chancell of the Church the Sanctum Sanctorum where the Arke of God is to be placed and where God should sit betweene the Cherubins He that defileth the house of God him will God destroy David asketh the question who shall ascend to the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place he answereth He that hath cleane hands and a pure heart for no uncleane thing shall bee admitted to enter that holy place They that thinke well of this as much as they desire salvation with God in heaven so much will they strive with God by prayers to obtaine of him a cleane heart and an unstumbling conscience 3 He desireth this of God by way of creation crea in me create in me 1 He desireth this of God for hee onely is the purger of hearts who is the creator of them he takes it upon himselfe I will save you from all your uncleannesses we must goe out of our selves for this for so Ieremie confesseth O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himselfe it is not in man that walketh to direct his steppes therefore helpe O God as before doe thou wash and cleanse and purge me with thy hysope and I shall be cleane if wee be of his washing we shall be whiter than snow 2 He requesteth this by way of creation to create is to make something of nothing Our hearts are so foule and corrupt that there is no repairing of them we must have nâ—w ones made of purpose to serve God with which God in wisedome knowing and in mercy pittying saith A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh 2 Petition 1 He desireth of God his spirit this is the spirit of sanctification This Saint Paul praied for the Thessalonians And the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly or throughout The spirit of naturall life doth animate the body and maketh it fit for actions of life The spirit of God doth quicken us to actions thoughts and words which belong to holy life We are by nature dead in trespasses sins it is the good spirit of God by which we are new borne and without this we are the children of death for except ye be borne againe of water and the holy Ghost ye cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven he that is so borne of this spirit hath a seed remaining in him 2 He desireth a right spirit the margent of the K. B. doth more naturally expresse the originall calling it a constant spirit For David had received the good spirit of God which so enlightened his understanding and so sanctified his affections and governed his whole conversation that he was a man after the heart of God But when he embraced that mischievous temptation which carried him away from the Word and Commandement of God and opened his eare to the perswasions of flesh and bloud then that good spirit forsooke him for a time and hee lay like a dead man insensible of his fault of his danger Therefore now returning to God by repentance he petitioneth God for a constant spirit that may abide ever with him to guide him that he may never
fall againe for they that are led by the spirit of God are the sonnes of God therefore David petitioneth God here for a constant spirit such as may give him wisedome to resent a temptation and holinesse to hate it faith to resist and fortitude to overcome it 3 He desireth it by way of renovation the Apostles counsell is but be you transformed by the renewing of your minde Little or no externall difference doth appeare for the time betweene one elect and a reprobate David being guilty to himselfe of this desertion desireth the stirring up of the gift of the holy Ghost and renewing of the power thereof within him Vide ordinem primò cor munduns secundò spiritum rectum requirit prius enim omnis à corde vitiorum foeditas eliminanda est ut omne quod agitur aut dicitur expurae intentionis origine emanet consider the order first he desireth a cleane heart secondly a right spirit For first the foulenesse of sinne is to be taken from the heart that whatsoever is done or spoken may flow from the fountaine of a pure intention for the holy Ghost will not dwell in an uncleane heart but when wee have purged our consciences from dead workes he saith Here will I dwell for ever for I have a delight herein There be two faculties in the soule of man first understanding secondly will The understanding in a regenerate man may be darkened for a time and he falling into sinne may be beside himselfe for sinne is a kinde of madnesse the worst kinde It is said of the prodigall in his great famine reversus ad se returning to himselfe he said Ibo ad patremmeum I will goe to my Father The will may be corrupted by a strong temptation and so way made for the perpetration of sinne Sometimes the understanding breakes forth like lightening and discerneth the fault to convince the will of sinne This wee call the conscience which is awaked of purpose to detect and chide our sinfull aberrations But when God hath sufficiently expressed to us our weakenesse and pâ—one disposition to evill and his owne long suffering and patience he stirreth up his gift in us or in Saint Pauls phrase he revealeth Iesus Christ in us and this we call renewing of the spirit this cleareth our understanding and reformeth our will and mends all The petitions of David for holinesse of life thus opened 1 We observe the manner how David desireth to be repaired being by sinne so ruined 1 In his understanding in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisedome for repentance must beginne in intellectu recto in the understanding rightly informed this is our light and if we walke without this wee know not whither we goe The haughty policy of Rome to keep her children darke doth hinder both the finding of the good way and the going on in it so our ingression and progression both hindered we seek heaven darkelings God hath sent wisedome abroad to utter her voyce to call an audience to instruct men in the waies of life to escape the pathes of death Christ is made to us of God wisedome 2 He desireth of God the pardon of his sinnes which is no other but justification before him This is the washing and purging and blotting out of iniquities by him desired for wisedome to know our sinnes without justification by faith which apprehendeth the pardon of them were the broad way to despaire but being justified by faith we have peace with God and peace also in our owne consciences Christ is made unto us justification David leaves not here but 3 He desireth in this text the spirit of sanctification by which he may be renewed to holinesse to all pleasing of God And this is Christ also made to us for whom God justifieth them he sanctifieth Some have confounded these two graces of justification and sanctification and so commedled them as if they were all one and the same grace For the clearing whereof and to declare the difference betweene them understand 1 We are sinners and by faith in Christ we are justified and so the debt of our sinne discharged this is by the inherent righteousnesse of Christ imputed to us and it is the proper worke of the second person 2 By the holy Ghost applying this righteousnesse to us we are sanctified to rewnesse of life The first saveth us from hell the second seasoneth us for heaven David therefore addeth this suit for sanctification that being cleansed throughly from sinne he may become a new creature I may abridge all our learning in the schoole of Christ to this one lesson and comprehend totum hominis the whole of man in this short compend of dutie as the Apostle doth Circumcision profiteth nothing uncircumcision hindereth nothing all that God requireth of us is that wee be new creatures leaving off and laying aside the old man and renewed in spiritu mentis in the spirit of our mindes wee are never complete penitents till we have this spirit of sanctification in some measure It is the hardest worke that is accomplished in us because our naturall corruption and the manifold temptations amongst which we live and the sensuall delight which we take in sinne doe sow our hearts all over with tares and leave no roome for better seed To root out these is one labour to proseminate grace is another yet we neglect the labour of our sanctification as if it were a worke which we could doe at a very short warning and too many doe leave it to their death beds And another impediment is that many upon some good motions of the spirit some flashes of piety and scintillations of zeale doe overweene their possession of this spirit Me thinkes if they did examine their hearts by this text here is enough in it to reveale any man to himselfe and to tell him si habeat hunc spiritum if he hath this spirit 1 Let him examine his heart and spirit within him to see if there be truth there wisedom for many faire seemings and outsides of godlinesse are put on whereby we deceive others and flatter our selves quite out of the way of salvation therefore try if all be sound and sincere within 2 Let him enquire of this heart si cor novum if it bee a new heart we may soone know that si canticum novum si novitas vitae if there be a new song if newnesse of life It is not a new dresting and trimming up of the old heart in a new fashion that will serve it must be all new and that may be discerned in our thoughts in our words in ouâ— workes and wayes for if we abhorre and forsake our former sinnes and embrace better courses this makes faith of a good change 3 If it be a constant spirit that holdeth out to the end cheerefully and unweariedly we may conclude comfortably that our old heart is gone and we have a new in place thereof VERSE 11. Cast me not
waies to the waies of God I deny not but Scribes and Pharises in Moses chaire may teach well who live ungodly and being unconverted themselves may be instruments of the conversion of others But this is done by no vertue or grace in them but by the power of Gods ordinance in their calling for grace followeth the calling sometimes where it forsaketh the person Lastly we see the way to recover transgressors which is by teaching them the waies of God Transgressors are such as goe out of the way ambulant in via non bona they walke in the way which is not good and nature is no good guide for corrupt nature is like to the earth under the curse it bringeth forth nothing but brambles and thornes teaching is the culture of it The reproofe of sinne from the law breaketh up the ground doctrine soweth the good seed exhortation and continuall inculcation in season and out of season doth water it the sonne of righteousnesse shineth on it and giveth it vegetation Therefore so many as have any desire to know the waies of God let them hearken to teaching The word is given to profit withall and it is a singular blessing of God to that place where teaching of the waies of God is plenteous and where the way of obedience and salvation is declared else all we like sheepe shall goe astray and walke in crooked pathes God in wisedome knowing how usefull this would be in his Church to have some to instruct and teach others his waies began himselfe to furnish the first beginners of the world with abilities for this purpose for the state of innocency needed no other than its owne light to shew it the right way After the fall yet the remaines of intellectuall light holpen with speciall grace in the fathers served for bookes and lawes and rules of good life all the first age of the world Then the Preacher of Righteousnesse survived to see and begin a new world his sonne Sem of likelihood that Melchizedeck King of Salem so famous for a King and Priest to Abraham Abraham God knew would teach his children Moses first received the Law from God he was assisted by the holy Prophets till Christ hunc audite heare him Then he sent Goeye into all the world teach and he established the Evangelicall Priesthood in the Church yet if all converts did joyne with them the great harvest could not want labourers 2 Prophetat impiieonv ertentur adte He prophesies and the wicked shall be converted unto thee This is finis praedicationis the end of Preaching the word is given to profit Haec utilitas this is profit omnes sicut oves aberravimus reduces ad ovile we have gone astray like sheep thou shalt bring us backe to the sheepefold Opus 1 arduum 2 gratum a worke 1 hard 2 acceptable 1 arduum hard Much more then creation there his dixit said was fecit did to make man of earth was opus verbi the work of his word rather verbum opus the word his worke To recover man from Sathan it was fortitudo brachii the strength of his arme verbum factum factumcaro the word made made flesh for it is more easie to make a convert a Saint than to make a sinner a convert In the creation of man no repugnancie of the matter in the conversioÌ„ of a sinner a new creation nay reluctation In the creation God infused the body received the spirit of life and we became templum spiritus the temple of the holy Ghost Sed cum domus creationis facta esset spelunca latronum but when the house of creation became a denne of theeves When man had lost his holinesse and righteousnesse beside the privation of grace there came in also a corrupt habit of perverse opposition to God so that when God offereth grace man refuseth it and is loath to admit the holy Ghost a guest When we doe receive him we often grieve sometimes quench him naturalis homo non potest percipere non vulâ— recipere non potest retinere the naturall man cannot perceive will not receive cannot retaine We are ill husbands of this talent the Sonne came to call sinners Sathan hath got the hand of us for we would not be converted his temptation not onely corrupted our manners it also empoysoneth our affections Christ on earth declared his power by sea and land yet his brethren the Iewes nor by miracles nor by example nor by doctrine would be converted Facilius est rempublicaÌ„ novam constituere quà m depravatam corrigere It is easier to make a new Common-wealth than to amend that which is corrupted All the imaginations onely evill querela patris filii non vultis venire ad me the complaint of a father children you will not come unto me quoties ego vos ad me noluistis as often as I would have gathered you unto me you would not Venite omnes ad me come ye all unto me venientem non cjiciam foras him that comes unto me I will not cast forth 2 Gratum acceptable first in subjecto in the subject for licet maligna natur a patiatur jugum though depraved nature beare the yoke yet man once converted would not for all the world be as he was There is great difference betweene the pleasure of sinne and gaudium spiritus the joy of the spirit The one a luscious and surfetting sweetnesse which killeth appetite and is but for a season the other hath a pleasant mixture of delight and desire rejoyceth with joy unspeakeable and glorious it is ever in growth and vegetation crescit incremento Dei increaseth with the increase of God Ovis redux nollet esse iterum in deserto nec prâ—digus extra patris domum the sheepe brought backe would not be againe in the desert neither the Prodigall out of his fathers house Latro in cruce conversus regnum cogitat the thiefe on the Crosse converted thinkes upon the kingdome of God I have gone astray like a lost sheepe seeke thy servant 2 Gratum in Ecclesia i militanti acceptable in the Church militant 1 This mends their companies I am a companion of all them c. Away from me ye wicked c. 2 It comforts their griefe it addeth voyces to the convert Sinne is the sorrow of the Church Mine eyes gush c. I saw the transgressors and was grieved 2 In triumphanti in the triumphant 1 Inter Angelos hi nos diligunt amongst the Angels they love us these are ministring spirits our guard 2 Inter sanctos coelestes animas quer an sciant amongst the Saints Qu. Doe the Saints know one another in heaven Romanists say in Deo tanquam in speculo vident omnia in God as in a glasse they see all things For the contents of the beatificall vision I dare not number or esteeme them Saint Augustine They may have intelligence from earth by the soules that goe hence this doe I beleeve and teach 1 That their
joy and gladnesse when my broken bones rejoyce c. These words doe further afford a very cleare description of repentance which is the conversion of a sinner to God Et peccatores ad te convertentur and sinners shall be converted unto thee 1 The subject wrought upon sinners 2 The worke to turne them 3 The object to which they are inclined God 4 The author of this conversion 1 The subject Sinners a very crosse unto ward piece to worke on Creation made us Saints our fall transformed us to divels and originally we are no better than the children of darkenesse blinde to all that may please God children of weakenesse unable to performe any good service to God filii irâ— ad pâ—â—am sonnes of wrath fitted for punishment so the name of sinner doth containe 1 A totall corruption of nature deserving 2 A necessary obligation ad poenam to punishment In the one there is pudor maleficii the shame of evill doing in the other is terror judicii the terror of judgement Take a sinner as he is in himselfe without grace sanctifying him and mercy pardoning him he is the vilest and unworthiest of all the creatures that God made in whom the image of God is blemished and almost utterly defaced The Angels that stand in integrity are as they were made and they doe his will who made them The celestiall bodies keepe their places and doe the service for which they are made The Sunne knowes his rising and the Moone her going down The Sunne goeth forth as a Bridegroome and as a Gyant to his race as if these heavenly bodies had reason to doe their makers will so are they guided evermore by the law of their creation The earth and the bruit creatures in their kinde follow the rule of that first law onely divels and men resist it and goe their owne waies to Gods dishonour and their owne hurt The divels in malice to God and in envy to man ever labouring to pervert the waies of God Sinners goe in their owne crooked waies yea they runne violently in them as an hot and fierce horse into the battell Such are we all naturally conceived in sinne and borne in iniquity and after drawing sinne to us with the cords of vanity For our naturall corruption first defiling us and the example of evill infecting us and the temptations of Sathan instigating us and the sweetnesse of the pleasure of sinne enticing us and the custome of sinne hardening us we become abhominable and to every good worke reprobate Miserable men that we are who shall deliver us from this body of death And that which maketh our misery most miserable is Israell doth not know My people doe not consider have ye no regard all ye that worke iniquity No they have no regard Let a man ayle any thing in his health by sicknesse or sorenesse he feeles it he complaines of it he seeketh for remedy so Ieremie My bowels my bowels I am pained at the very heart Ezec bias boile Asaes gowt make them very full of griefe Let a man ayle any thing in his estate he is very sensible the poore widow makes great moane to Elisha being in debt Helpe O Lord the King cryes the woman of Samaria in the famine thereof Onely the sinner whose soule is divested of grace habited in sinne in hazard of hell neither feeleth the want nor feareth the danger neither complaineth of what it is nor seeketh remedy David himselfe who had tasted and drunke deepe of the spirituall favours of God lyeth tenne moneths together wallowing in the mire of uncleannesse sleeping in the deep and dead sleepe of sinne and not thinking upon a recoverie A sinner during the time of his impenitencie stands suspended from the holy temple of God which is excommunicatio minor the lesser excommunication The faithfull cry Away from me ye transgressors and God himselfe hideth his face from him There is not amongst vegetables a bramble a thistle things unvalued noxious There are not amongst the animate creatures of the earth not the least of the winged flies in the ayre or the creeping wormes on earth which the unheedy foot of man or beast compoundeth with the earth it goes on but it hath more of God in it than a sinner hath during his impenitencie These are as he made them but a sinner not returning to God hath lost himselfe and Gods image in him is defaced All other creatures stand to health in their owne natures man is diseased morbus est he is all disease It is worth the noting that God corrupted not the nature of any creature to punish the sinne of man he would not lose the glory of omnia bene fecit he did make all well In wrath he remembred mercy for those creatures that are the curse of the earth brambles thistles and thornes are also of singular vertue and use for the good of man onely he used these for roddes to scourge man This it is to be a sinner and such as these was David and upon such he promiseth to worke 2 Opus convertentur the worke shall be converted This is repentance begunne for the impenitent goeth on still in his wickednesse he goeth of himselfe for we may goe downe the hill easily nostro pondere ferimur we are carried with our owne weight The faster and the further we goe in a wrong way the more we erre it is not profectus a going on but aberratio wandring All we like sheep have gone astray errabundâ— vestigia our footsteps are wandring A travailer that regardeth his way and heedeth his journey is still asking the way Therefore the Prophet alluding hereunto biddeth us from the Lord thus saith the Lord Stand upon the waies and behold and aske for the old way which is the good way and walke therein and you shall finde rest for your soules It is no losse of time noâ— hinderance to our speed to stand upon the waies to aske for the good way for they that goe out of that way finde no rest God hath left us certaine guides of our way his word and his spirit let us aske of them the way they will direct us aright Aske the Patriarkes the Prophets the Converts of all times the Sonne of God and his holy Apostles they have gone this way themselves and knew it perfectly these will say haec est via ambulate in â—â— this is the way walke ye in it turne not to the right hand nor to the left keepe on forth right for that is the way of true wisedome They that keepe the right way must take heed of turning Remember Lots wife doe not so much as looke backe but let them that either doe know they goe wrong or doubt whether they goe right stand upon the waies and behold let them looke about them and see if by their owne judgement they can direct themselves but let them not trust that too farre let them also aske for the good way for there is
with great anguish and remorse that our soules grone under the heavy burthen of them These would not be foulded up in a generall confession but offered in particular and single presentation to the throne of mercy For the better satisfaction of the divine Majestie who is pleased with a broken and contrite heart as it after followeth for the better quieting of the conscience at home within us which hath no other way to exonerate itselfe but by a penitentiall and remorsefull selfe accusation and this I before taught from Davids former confession I have done this evill in thy sight as before in his confession he did particularly acknowledge this â—inne so here in his supplication for pardon he mentioneth it by name and cryes God mercy for it Some sinnes doe but hang on and these are easily shaken off but some cleave so close and sticke so fast that they aske more care and labour and paine to remove them And generally the sinnes that most please flesh and bloud doe most offend God It seemeth that David fell into the recovering of it And for some sinnes he desired onely that they might be blotted out which alludeth to the dash of a penne and soone dâ—ne But some fouled him so that they needed washing throughly Some must be washed with bysope a lather of bloud to fetch out the steines which they left in the conscience sinnes of a deepe scarlet tincture of a crimson dye There is a great difference to be put betweene our common infirmities of nature from our ordinarie temptations and some speciall sinne into which we fall by a sudden surprize of Sathan The Apostle seemeth to referre to some such sinne saying Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be prevented before he could advise wisely with the word or the spirit of God And many of us are so caught ere we were aware in sinnes which our christian and religious hearts doe abhorre Thus many that abhorre drunkennesse are sometimes in over-merry company overtaken to their great after-griefe Observe it the first example in all the Booke of God of drunkennesse was Noah whom God onely found righteous in the old world It was the first sinne that we doe reade of after the floud the world hath beene sicke of it ever since The first sinne that Lot fell into after his deliverie from Sodome in both sharpely punished for Vinegar is the daughter of Wine the end of it is sharpe In such a case when a profest sober man is so overtaken with wine when an opportunity hath corrupted any mans conscience and defiled his soule for gaine or pleasure or revenge to commit evill Let him in his suit for his pardon crave a speciall quictus est against that sinne Let him not esteeme it the lesse because he never but once committed it rather let him take dimension of the magnitude of it and the danger attending it and in especiall make his peace with God for that Here I save my selfe a labour which you reflecting your eyes upon your own hearts for disquisition and scrutiny to search if there have beene in any of you any such overtakings of sinne to seeke your peace with God for them in especiall Despise not neglect not this necessary exhortation to make use of it in time to make your peace with God for the more offensive sinnes for if you neglect them and have not the pardon of them under seale you will finde them like some ill dyet to thanke you hereafter and upbraid you Sathan knowes his seasons for it and husbands them to our greatest vexation two seasons specially I When any extraordinary trouble commeth upon us otherwise per adventure undeserved of us for some sinnes escape a present vengeance and are reserved for a future judgement as Joseyhs brethren sold him abused their father with a cunning collusion and their hearts did not once smite them for it that we reade Twenty three yeares after when the famine forced them to seeke bread in Egypt and their brother Ioseph then to them unknowne being the Vicâ—roy of Egypt received them very harsâ—ly heare the story And they said one to another we are verilâ— guilty concerning our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soule when he besought us and we would not heare therefore is this distresse come upon us Observe the brethren of Ioseph now in trouble innocent and cleare from the crime charged upon them of comming as spies yet knowing that God never punisheth but where he findeth sin their consciences accuse them of an old sinne yet owing for to God At one time God touched all their hearts with remorse of that sinne They were all in distresse pares in poena alike in punishment and therefore they remember the transgression wherein they were pares in culpa alike in fault Observe also how they frâ—me the enditement against themselves for if all the Prophets whom God did ever send to tell the house of Jacob their sinnes had laid the inditement against them if Sathan the great accuser of the Brethren â—ad put in the information against them none of them all giving their best diligence or the worst of malice could have prest or exprest their fault to a more full accusation than the voyce of their own guilty consciences enforced it against themselves for without extenuation or excuse they plead all guilty with a strong asseveration We are verily guilty not one or more but we all we not as accessaries but all principals all we guiltie The person wronged aggravateth the fault it was not concerning a stranger in bloud or nation whom yet the communion of charity did binde to entreat justly and friendly nor concerning a countryman of ours whom the law of compatriots doth bid us â—ender nor concerning an enemy whom religion commandeth to use favourably and it is the exaltation of charity to requite his evill with goodnesse But concerning a brother one that called every one of them brother the sonne of the same Jacob the father of them all Would not this have served no they declare they aggravate and engrieve the trespasse 1 He was a brother in anguish enemies recover tendernesse and softnesse to enemies in anguish cruelty resumes humanity in distresse 2 Here was anguish of the soule amaritudo animae that is the soule of anguish for Ioseph had many vexations for them that wronged him who unthankefully requited his painefull and loving search for them to see how they did and what they wanted For their unnaturall unkindenesse to himselfe and their loving father who sent him to them for the danger he was in of his life death is fearefull 3 We saw it to heare of anguish any where moves compassion to heare of a brothers anguish akes an heart of flesh but to see it present and in the strength of the fit this were enough to soften an hard heart to thaw a froâ—en heart to melt an heart of brasse or iron A
the prayses of God with cheerfull intention 2 For himselfe Having received such a benefit hee cannot contain himselfe this new wine of spirituall joy which filleth his vessell must have a vent All passions are lowd Anger chides lowd sorrow cries lowd feare shrieks lowd and joy sings lowd So hee expresseth the vehemencie of his affection for to whom much is forgiven they love much 3 For others Iron whetteth iron examples of 〈◊〉 and devotion affect much and therfore solemne and publique Assemblies doe generally tender the best service to Gâ—â—â—â—câ—â—â—e 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—oketh another â—n◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—ong the Prophets A conâ—â—ieâ—câ—â—â—ce discharged from the burthen and annoyance of sin cannot containe it selfe O 〈◊〉 and I will will you 〈◊〉 5 Justitiam Righteousnesse Here is a Quere why 〈…〉 of the righteousnesse of God for righteousnesse is evere and punisheth according to the rigour of the Laâ—â— 1 We answer that God hath promised 〈◊〉 pardon and it is just with him to performe his promise True repentance h◠〈◊〉 had veâ—â—â—e enough against â—â—â—e to remove it Forty dayes repentance in Niniveh did 〈◊〉 from the sins of soâ—ty and many more years of sin These be the â—â—gons of wine out of Christs own Cellar the comfort that we have of Gods promise and the effect that we feele of our true and unfeined repentance 2 We may discâ—â—ne by his former petition Purgome with Bysop that he had respect to the sacrifice of Christ and the expiation by his bloud and there hee might challenge the righteousnesse of God for it is just sâ—mel punire peccatum once to punish sin it smarted in Christ c. 3 The full solution is by righteousnesse here is understood the whole comprehension of all the attributes of God for so the word is used often 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So it is used often even to this purpose and for thy righteousnesse sake bring my soule out of trouble Christ lo calleth him O righteous Father The pardon of our sins setteth us in a state of innocencie which maketh the righteousnesse of God our song 6 Tuam thine We sing Gods righteousnesse not our own David had no righteousnesse of his own worth a song none of us have Our righteousnesse never came into fashion all the old testament through the best of Gods Saints have felt the want of it and complained heavily of their poverty that way Wee are well apaid that Christ is made to us of God wisdome to beleeve and know the truth and righteousnesse to justifie us in the sight of our God and sanctification to purge us in some measure from our unrighteousnesse and redemption to save us from the dominion of sin and the curse of the Law So David I will go forth in the strength of the Lord and will make mention of thy righteousnesse onely Rejoyce in the Lord yee righteous let them rejoyce whom he hath delivered whom he hath called whom he hath justified This righteousnesse of God in Christ shall stop the mouth of accusation Who shall lay any thing to the charge c. It is God that justifieth Mercy is that which provideth the remedy for our sins but righteousnesse doth exact the debt to the utmost farthing Christ is our raâ—some and then righteousnesse giveth us the reward of our faith even the salvation of our souls VERSE 15. O Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise DAvid having made a large promise in the former Verse Lingua mea cantabit my tongue shall sing bethinketh himself of his naturall impotencie to this service he addeth this petition for Gods help then reneweth his former promise In the former he professeth that his spirit is willing here he confesseth that his flesh is weak To make good his former promise hee craves aid of God here and then reneweth his promise Et os meum annunciabit c. And my mouth shall shew forth c. This Versicle the Church hath chosen to begin divine Service and hath placed it in the next place after the Confession and Absolution as David did in this Psalme for when our sins are removed by our repentance Gods pardon then not till then wee are fit for prayer and prayse The words contain 1 A Prayer 2 A promise 1 The prayer Domine labia mea c. Lord open thou my lips There is a season for all things under the Sun a time to open and a time to shut our lips David saith I will keep my mouth with a bridle I was dumbe with silence I held my peace even from good Yet here he desireth to have his lips opened but hee would have them of Gods opening not his own Hactenus os meum ego aperui ideâ— in vaniloquio peccatum contraxi nunc ui tu aperias defidero quia nihil nisiquod tu suggesâ—erisloqui concupisco I have hither to opened my mouth and therfore in vain-speaking I have sinned now I desire thee to open it for I desire to speak nothing but what thou shalt put in my mouth There is a door of utterance which none but God doth open he keepeth the key he openeth and no man shutteth he shutteth and no man openeth Saint Paul desireth the prayers of the Colossians for us that God would open to us a door of utterance to speake the mystery of Christ That I may make it manifest as I ought to speak For we cannot open this door our selves to speak as we ought to speak Saint Ambrose saith seeing God saith to the wicked Quare tu enarras c Claudit Deus os peccatoris Why dost thou preach c. hee shuts the mouth of the sinner Cujus os Deus aperit hunc peccati absolvit reatu Whose mouth God opens he frees from the guilt of sin Justos decet laudatio Prayse becommeth the upright Non est speciosa laus in ore peccatoris Prayse is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner Weigh thy words in a ballance and make a doore and bar for thy mouth The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speak a word in season If unseasonable speaking to men may make anger wee have more cause to beware wee speake not to God out of time And if God open our lips we are out of that feare for as he openeth our mouthes to speak so his spirit giveth utterance Saint Gregory is very full in this point and saith illius os Deus aperit qui attendit his mouth he opens who observes 1 Quid. what 2 Quando when 3 Ubi where 4 Câ—â— loquatur to whom hee speaks 1 Quid What We must speake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in corde the truth in our hearts Our speech seasoned with sâ—lt It must tend to ediâ—ying The heart of the wise guideth his mouth wisely 2 Quandâ— When. How good is a word in due season A word spoken in season is like apples of
kind of Sacrifices God would rather have then burnt Offerings This is such a sacrifice as will never be out of fashion When hee comes of whom it is written in the volume of the booke and when all the sacrificeâ— of the Ceremoniâ—â— law cease as shadows of things to come giving place to the true substance and body of them then this kinde of sacrifice will last in season and fashion to the Worlds end This is the sacrifice which God accepteâ—â— in and for it selfe Such as the Apostle calleth of I beseeth you brethren by the 〈◊〉 of God 〈…〉 your 〈◊〉 a living sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable service Consider here 1 The matter and substance of this Sacrifice a broken spirit a broken and contrite heart 2 The necessity of this sacrifice enforced from hence it is the sacrifice of God 3 The acceptation here of with God O God thou wilt not despise 1 Of the matter 1 Here is a double subject 1 The spirit 2 The heart 2 Here heare the work which must be wrought upon this subject 1 Breaking a broken spirit 2 Conâ—â—ition a broken and contrite heart 1 The Spirit 1 By the spirit it sometimes is meant in Scripture the holy Ghost in the regenerate man wherby he is sanctified in some measure This Spirit was in Christ in plenitudine in fulnesse and herewith he sanctified himselfe for our skes Of this Saint Iohn speaketh when he saith God giveth not the spirit by measure unto him 2 Sometimes the name of spirit is given to the breath of man So God breathed into Adam the breath of life 3 Sometime it is taken for the reasonable soul of man which actuateth and animaâ—eth the body and man thereby is anima vivens a living foule spiritus revertitur ad Deum qui dedit The spirit returns to God that gave it 4 Somtime â—â— is taken for the intellectuall part of man which we call the minde So the Apostle For what â—â—n knoweth the things of man save the spirit of â—â—in that is â—n him So I take it here This is the understanding and discuâ—sâ—ve power in man wherby hee comprehendeth the knowledge of things This spirit of it self is not capable of divine knowledge that is supernaturall Animal is hoâ—â— non percipiâ— quâ— sunt Dei nâ—que potest the naturall man understandeth noâ— the things of God neither can â—e For they are spiritually discerned that â—â— by the help of a nobleâ— and more excellent spirit then his is even the Spirit of God These divine mysteries are foolishnesse to the spirit of man For this spirit judgeth by sense and naturall reason and is blinde to behold things invisble which are the object of a regenerate mans spirit The eye of the naturall spirit seeth things present onely the eye of the spirit regenerate videt futura sees things to come 2 The heart The heart is the proper seat of our affections there dwell our hope and joy and love and desire our griefe and feare c. It is the saurus cordis the treasure of the hart if it do hold good things it is bonus the saurus a good treasure if it be the nest wherin Concupiscence hatcheth heâ— yong Then out of the heart come adulteries murthers c. The name of heart is often in Scripture extended to both these both understanding and affections here they be distinguished to make sure worke that both of them may be wrought upon in the oblation of this sacrifice So the name of spirit doth include the whole inward man yet it is here named single in his more peculiar sense Examples we have of both 1 Of the heart God saith The imagination of mans heart is evill from his youth Where hee understandeth not onely projections casting about but desires wishing and purposes resolving this or thaâ—â— wherin the whole inward man is contained 2 For the spirit so Malachie Therefore take heed to your spirit where the whole inward man is meant The subject then of this passion is the whole man for the passions of the spirit and heart do afflict the body and make a sacrifice of that also to God So here is nothing of man left out Sicut delictum it â— pâ—â—itenâ—iâ— As there is a fault so there must be repentance where the fault stained repentance â—â—â—st wash God loveth not unrighteousnesse neither shall any evil dwell with him from iniquitâ—â— cordis the iniquity of the heart to iniquitâ—â— calcanâ—i the iniquitie of the heele 2 How this subject must â—e wrought upon Here are two words used 1 To the spirit breaking 2 To the heart breaking and contrition 1 Of breaking The word signifieth such a breaking as commeth of smiting which lameth and maketh the body unable to performe the offices thereof Or such as threshing which quasheth and breaketh the straw 2 Contrition That is a word of more force and betokeneth grinding These words are used to expresse the mortification of the inward man David spake before of Gods breaking his bones which is used to declare 1 The inward vexation of the soule for sin and feare of the indignation of God due for it 2 The outward afflictions which God doth put upon sinners to bring them to repentance Gods breaking of us thus is not enough to make us a sacrifice to God We must also thresh and smite and grinde our owne spirits and hearts by a serious and unfeined and full repentance and then our spirit and our heart is a sacrifice acceptable to God 1 For the breaking of the spirit that is performed when wee take away by strong hand our intellectuall powers and faculties from all impertinent and vain speculations and studies when wee bestow them all in the search of that excellent knowledge of Christ crucified who is our way to heaven So the Apostle esteemed to know nothing else 1 Knowledge puffeth up it is windy and swelling in many This bladder must be prickt and such as over-ween their knowledge must be taught to know that they yet know nothing sicut opâ—rtet as they ought Augustine amongst the hereticks in his time notorious nameth the Gâ—ostiâ—i who took upon them singular knowledge The wise sonne of Iâ—kâ—h did not finde this in himselfe for he said Surely I am more bruâ—ish then any man and have not the understanding of a man I neither 〈◊〉 wisdome nor have the knowledge of the holy If wee cannot be sensible of our defect this way but will needs over-esteeme our knowledge the Prophet thresheth and breaketh such spirits with this universall elogie Every man is brutish by his knowledge when God looked down from heaven he found non est intelligent there is none that understandeth Wisdome had much adoe shee called for audience in the street on house-tops much and lowd shee cried for audience Yet they that think they know som what more then their neighbours exalt themselves This spirit must be broken â—in us The Devils
these in this distresse can tell you whether this be not a breaking of their bones Let the Word therefore work upon us and let every hearer when he heareth his sinne reproved take the reproofe to him and prevent an accusation tu es homo thou art the man with a confession Me me ad sum qui feci I I have done it So breaking our bones with remorse and contrition wee shall save them from his breaking we shall reserve them to his healing and binding up I conclude this point in the words of our Saviour He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day 2 Davids suit wherein 1 Where he seeketh remedy it is from God the hand that â—â—oke his bones can set them againe no other hand can doe it Come let us returne to the Lord for he hath torn and he will heale us he hath smitten and he will binde us up David knoweth that God hath a multitude of tender compassions he layd that foundation of his faith repentance and prayer Verse 2. Whom have I in heaven but thee there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever David had good friends in heaven Abraham the father of the faithfull Isaac the seed promised Iacob that wrastled with God and prevailed yet he seeketh to none of these and I never read in either Testament of any one that had any suit to Abraham but the rich man in hell To countenance the use of invocation of Saints yet that hath no life in it to encourage any such mediation All the booke of God through the addresse of prayers hath beene onely to God and he hath revealed so open a way of accesse to him that wee need not goe so farre about for David saith He also will heare their prayers and will helpe them David was put to it to try all the wayes of comfort and hee used no other invocation The sorrowes of death compassed me the paines of hell gate hold upon me I found trouble and sorrow then called I upon the name of the Lord O Lord I beseech thee deliver my soule God maketh this good use of our sinnes to bring us to him and sinne never undoeth us till it driveth us away from God to seeke help elsewhere You see what good successe the richman had with Abraham he could not get a drop of cold water he was sent to Moses and the Prophets for his brethren They sought no helpe any where but immediately in God he hath healing under his wings wings are the emblemes of speed he is swift to heare our complaints to heale our sores He healeth all our infirmities and forgiveth us all our sinnes 2 How he seeketh remedy by prayer he doth not come pharisaically to God to justifie himselfe by his former conscionable living he doth not â—lledge how he hath walked and done that which is right in the eyes of the Lord and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the daies of his life save onely in this thing All our former holinesse will not beare us out in any one sinne but when we fall we cause all his righteousnesse that he hath done shall not be mentioned in his trespasse that he hath trespassed and in the sinne that he hath sinned in them shal he dye rather our sinne is aggravated thereby therefore the way of prayer is the way of remedy Let us seeke the face and favour of God so by confession deprecation and supplication The fountaine is deepe but we have wherewith to draw up the waters thereof our prayer is a bucket that will not come up empty The Apostle biddeth semper orate pray alwayes Christ biddeth aske seeke knocke This the Prophet calleth buying without money when we have all good things for asking The Church of Rome hath not a worse barre to keepe her children from God and other men from their communion then by teaching them to say prayers in a strange tongue for all such petitioners have their answer nescitis quid petatis ye know not what ye aske our understanding our affections our faith our hope all must be exercised in our prayers 3 What is his suit Make me to heare joy and gladnesse We may demand why David doth desire this now seeing he had no sooner confest his sinne but Nathan pronounced his absolution he heard joy in his pardon he heard gladnesse in the remedy of his punishment non morieris thou shalt not dye 1 David had heard this comfort from Nathan yet hee desireth further assurance of it from the spirit of God for in so sudden joyes we are not our owne men so are wee transported with the gladnesse thereof When thou broughtest againe the captivity of Sion we were like to them that dreame Our foule sinnes doe make us feare that it is too good to be true 2 He desireth more of this comfort more joy and more gladnesse The joy of sinne and delight of sense doth much hinder repentance the joy of the holy Ghost doth crown repentance 3 David openeth himselfe in his phrase of Petition he doth not say give me joy and gladnesse but make me heare for the vessell of his heart was not yet capable of the joy that was now tendred to him griefe and anguish had filled it he prayeth therefore for capacity to receive this gladnesse Five notes grow upon this point 1 When he had heard already he desireth to heare more they that have once tasted of this joy are never satisfied but cry alwaies give give till they come to the fulnesse and fatnesse of Gods house 2 See what a distressed man a sinner is Enosh he is â—â— fraid he shall never have joy enough â—â—◠〈◊〉 prayeth here for double joy joy and gladnesse joy in his pardon of sin gladnesse in his favour 3 See how long the conscience of a sinner is tost like to the sea after the winde is laid 4 Observe how he would have his joy come to him ex auditu fac me audire by hearing make me to heare for ex auditu fides faith comes by hearing he lost his joy by harkening to the voyce of the Serpent 5 It will not come so except God make him heare fac me aâ—dire make me to heare he must say ephata to our eare that we may not onely receive the sound of comfort in our eare but sound comfort in our heart If the foure windes should breath nothing but joy and gladnesse and all the Prophets and Angelâ— of God should like Ababs Prophets prophecie good to us unlesse God by his spirit did suggest to our spirits this joy wee were still in evill taking for till our spirit witnesse with Gods spirit wee have no joy He desireth assurance in his faith 4 The
effect ut ossa exultent that the bones may rejoyce David had sensuall joy he had the full desire of his heart yet that proved the breaking of his bones and the wounding of his conscience his faith is that God will heale all with his saving grace There is no such joy here below as the forgivenesse of our sinnes and the Ministers of the Gospell in no part of their Ministery doe bring fuller tidings of peace then in absolution of penitents O quà m speciosi pedes c. O how beautifull are the feet c. The wicked man hath none of this peace Blessed is hee whose unrighteousnesse is forgiven c. Let the children of peace comfort themselves all their teares are botteled all their sighes and grones numbred all their bones set and healed the storme of Gods threatnings the tempest of the conscience calmed But none but God can doe this VERSE 9. Hide thy face from my sinnes and blot out all mine iniquities 3. HE sueth for pardon he doubleth his request and varieth the phrase still importunate with God 1 He desireth that God in mercy would not see his sinnes but hide his face as Sem and Japhet looked another way when they came to cover their fathers nakednesse which phrase of hiding the face of God cannot bee literally understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee speaketh after the manner of men for men hide their faces from that which they would not see But the face of God cannot be hid and it is impossible to conceale our sinnes from him impossible for him to put our sinnes out of his sight his eye seeth all things yet David in this phrase doth shew that desiring to be washt and purged hee would have his sinnes now forgotten and no more laid to his charge for as Saint Augustine saith Vnde se Deus non avertit advertit si advertit animadvertit From whom God turnes not away he turnes unto if he turne unto he observes he would have God looke upon him still but not upon his sinnes for that is his suit ne averte faciem tâ—am â—â— me turne not thy face away from me God is said then to hide his face from sinnes when hee pardoneth them and that is Davids suit 1 I observe here that the face of God and our sinnes are incompatible his face is all holinesse and it cannot endure to behold sinne for his soule loatheth it Our sinnes are all workes of darkenesse and cannot endure the light of his face We are very carefull to keepe our grosse sinnes out of the sight of men whose power extendeth no further then our goods our reputation or our life here Christ saith Feare not them that kill the body and can doe no more feare his face who hath power of soule and body to cast them both into hell The face of God is fearefull to a sinner for God threatneth the disobedient to his Commandements I will set my face against you then followeth yee shall be slaine before your enemies Qui odeâ—unt vos regnabunt super vos fugietis nemine persequente they that hate you shall raigne over you ye shall flye no man pursuing you How dare we tempt that face and provoke it against us nothing is hid from the light of it and there is no suggestion more foolish or that declareth us more shallow and simple then Dominus non videbit the Lord shall not see Wee are sure that all our sinnes are seene numbred recorded before his face 2 This phrase to my understanding importeth that as David before prayed to be washt purged and cleansed from his sinnes that they might no more annoy him so he desireth God to turne his face from them that they may no more offend him For a true penitent is more grieved at his offence given to God than at the shame or feare or paine that sinne putteth him to therefore Averte faciem tuam turne thy face away amounteth to a request that God would no more take offence at his sinnes 3 The phrase importeth an absolute and full pardon desired for so long as there is any sinne the face of God must be against it but when he desireth averte faciem turne away thy face he desireth a remove of his sinne which cannot be cleare from his countenance any way but by his gratious pardon for Gods pardon doth extinguish all iniquities so it is equivalent to our petition Dimitte debita nostra Forgiveus our trespasses 2 He resumeth the same Petition and re-enforceth his suit for Gods pardon in a phrase before used verse 1. Blot out mine iniquities which hath reference to the two bookes one of our conscience the other of Gods remembrance in which all our sinnes are recorded ut antè as before Onely here he addeth a request for pardon of all his iniquities that he may have a cleare conscience within himselfe and an even reckoning with God If any shall wonder why David urgeth Gods pardon so earnestly and with such importunity of strong supplications let him know that such offences as provoke God are not easily pardoned we must pray heartily and ply him continually with our requests to have our sinnes remitted for though God be very ready to forgive in respect of his mercy yet he is wise to see some cause for it And a sinner is not capable of mercy presently till his soule hath beene in bitternesse for his trespasse and is humbled before God It is our fault and it corrupteth us much our over-weening of the mercy of God to us for though hee be full of tendernesseâ— yet is he full of holinesse and nothing provoketh him more then our bearing our selves too bold upon his mercies Master Calvine Ubi quis defunctoriè pro remissione vota concipit nondum didicit quam horribilis sit Dei offensâ—o He that slightly prayes for pardon of sinnes hath not yet learned how horrible the offending of God is Saint Augustine commendeth this Petition of David hee saith Bene rogas thou well askest for 1 He opened his owne face and then he desireth God to hide his face his face was opened to behold his sinne For I acknowledge my wickednesse and my sinne is ever before me Si tu peccatum â—uâ—â—â—â— derso ponis dens ibâ— facsem ponit Tu peccatum eâ—â—m ante facioÌ„ pone sivis ut deus auertat faciem suam ab eâ— Sie securur rogas exandiâ— If thou settest thy sinnes behinde thy backe God sets them before his face set thy sinne before thy face if thou wilt have God turne away his face from it So thou safely askest and hee heareth thee 2 He desireth God to blot out all his iniquities out of the booke of his remembrance But he putteth them into this Psalme and commendeth this Psalme to the Master of Musicke and so depositeth the record of it in the perpetuall use of the Church so the greatnesse of the fault is kept in fresh memory of all ages Wee have no