and defile their bodies with whoredome then as honest women to be obedient to their husbands and keep their bodies holy and cleane vessels Sinne is filthy to thinke of it filthy to spâ—ake of filthy to heare of filthy to do Sin altogether filthy in a word there is nothing in it but vilenesse What can we see in a botch but filth in a wound but filth and looke to sin nothing in it but sinne which is more filthy then if the filth of all worldly diseases were contâ—acted in one heape And therefoâ—e Dauid seeing his owne filthinesse craueth as God to be washed therefrom He desireth to be washed No element so fit to wash away filth as water which serueth for many vses but especially for that And as God hath appointed that element to take away our outward vncleannesse The blood of Christ a fit elemenâ— to wash away sin so he hath appointed his Sonnes blood to be the onely Iordan to wash and take away the leprosie of our sins This is the fountain of Dauid for remission of sins Vnlesse a man be borne againe by the Spirit and water Ioh. 3.5 he can not come to the kingdome of heauen which is our regeneration This was prefigured in the Leuiticall law when there was frequent washing The high Priest Aaron himselfe and the rest of the inferiour Priests presumed not to offer sacrifices till they were washed The vessels were in the Tabernacle and the great Sea for continuall purgations and washings not onely to prefigurate the fountaine of iustification by which all those who are consecrated to God must be once washed but also the Spirit of sanctification by which they must be sanctified And he that is once washed Daily sins haue need of daily purgations hath not need to be washed againe Yet our feete and affections must be daily washed We sinne daily and therefore haue need of daily purgation We contract daily guiltinesse for which we are commanded to pray daily Mat. 6.12 Forgiue vs our sinnes This is signified by the holy Sacrament of Baptisme wherewith God hath commanded vs to be washed assuring vs thereby of his fauour if we beleeue the remission of sins which the Apostle calleth lauacrum regenerationis Tit. 3.5 the lauer of regeneration Those who seeke to be washed by any other meane then this do as those qui luto lutum purgant as Erasmus hath in his Adagies wash one filth by another Against he Papists merits Simil. Those foolish Papists who thinke by their foule merits to cleanse their filthy sins do as those who hauing their clothes berayed by dirt take dirtie clothes to wipe the former dirt away whereby they make them filthier then before Yea their hypocrisie and superstition whereby they thinke to appease Gods wrath shall double their guiltinesse before God and man The word in the originall includeth a multiplication of washing whereby he acknowledgeth a multiplication in sinning and his earnestnesse that euery sin may haue some particular assurance of grace For this is the hungring and thirsting after spirituall graces that the heart cannot be satisfied till it be filled with them neither will be content of a bare crust and outward shew of pardon vnlesse the assurance thereof be doubled And cleanse me from my sinne The second similitude is taken from cleansing which is respectiue to the Leprosie vnder the Law Leuit. 13. for which God appointed purgations and cleansings Why sin so compared 〈◊〉 leprosie Sinne is compared to a leprosie Frst because it is hereditarie being in the blood so we are conceiued in sin and the more dangerous because by no naturall meanes it can be helped but by God alone Sin is from the descent of our parents we are conceiued therein Who can bring that which is cleane out of a thing vncleane Secondly as leprosie is ignominious and disgraceth man aboue all other diseases that men who are infected by the plague are not so much shunned as those that are leprous so sin disgraceth man The leprosie of Miriam made her to be separated from the campe Num. 12.14 and the leprosie of Vzza made him to be shut out of the Temple so sin depriueth vs of the societie of man Angels Thirdly Leprosie maketh mens flesh senslesse so sin maketh men insensible of the iudgements of God Fourthly Leprosie is incurable with men as are the frensie heresie iealousie God keepeth those cures to himselfe so sin can be purged by none but by gods owne cunning As Abanah and Pharpar riuers of Damascus 2 Kin. 5.12 were not of force to cure the leprosie of Naaman and leprous might haue died if according to the Prophets direction he had not washed himselfe in Iordan so are the merits of men or holinesse of Angels Apostles yea of the blessed virgin Marie so much set by by men vnprofitable to purge vs from our sinnes onely that blessed blood of Iesus will do the turne wherein if we be washed our flesh shall be as the flesh of a childe euen as though we had neuer sinned But to the end thou maâ—st be assured whether thou art clensed from this leprosie or no I will giue you some in allible tokens and markes whereof some are secret and onely knowne to thy selfe others are seene by others The secret marks be these First if thou art ashamed of those things which thou hast done Priuate tokens wherby thou maist know if thou be washed Rom. 6.21 Iob 42.6 What profit haue ye of those things saith the Apostle whereof now ye are ashamed and cannot remember them without blushing â—f thou abhorrest thy selfe when thou callest them to minde and repentest with Iob in dust and ashes Secondly if thou hast saith in Christs blood doest desire to be purged by these cleane and cleare waters not running to others or digging vnto thy selfe cisternes of rotten waters Externall notes wherby others may know if thou be washed The externall marke is sanctification of thy person being washed thou goest not to defile thee in the puddle And thy thankfulnesse to God 2 Kin. 5.15 as Naaman returned to Elisha and not onely offered a great reward vnto him but promised to be a worshipper of God all his dayes Be not like vnto the nine lepers who outwardly cured abode in the leprosie of sin of the two the worst and most dangerous Luk. 17.17 but with the tenth returne to Christ with thankfulnesse For if thou be vnthankfull to God and art not diligent and earnest to celebrate praises vnto him for his mercies it is an euident token thou art not yet cured Finally thou must go to the Priest and offer according to the law receiue the absolution froÌ„ Gods mouth out of the mouth of his seruants and shew thy thankfulnesse in obedience to God all thy life Verse 3. For I know mine iniquitie and my sinne is euer before me THe first argument which he vsed to moue God to pardon
the lace that coupleth are all one Christ by faith and loue receiued to the purgation of all Christians The second place Leuit. 17. is the purgation of the Leper wherein the blood of the sparrow the bunch of hyssope and the scarlet lace are likewise mentioned and differeth nothing but in this in the first was the Lambe here the Sparrow which is all one for euen as the Lamb is among beastâ— so is the Sparrow bate and simple amongst fowles to which Dauid comparâ—th himself I am as a sparrow on the house top sitting alone Psal 102.7 so we must be sprinkled with his blood which being contemptible to men was acceptable to God The third was Numb 19. about the red Cow which must haue hyssope dipped in the bâ—ood thereof And Christ is compared to the Cow or fat calfe which being in so great a price with the Father was giuen to death for the saluation of our soules The hyssope hath many things wherein it representeth Christ very nigh Wherein hysop representeth Christ 1. Kin. 43 for first it is obseure humble and abiecâ—â— so that Saloâ—oâ— is said to haue written of all trees from the Cedar the highest tree opposed to the hyssope springing out of the wall that is to be basest and most common growing amongst stones not standing of mans industrâ—e to plant them as other trees doe So Chrâ—st in whom we beleeue was contemptible a worme not a man despised Psal 2â— in him was no beaurie riches or earthly honours which maketh men to come in credit and account Next the hyssope is bitter and sowre not pleasant to the drinkers so the crosse of Christ by which our affections are mortified is very odious to the flesh and agreeth not with its taste His crosse is therefore a stumbling blocke to the Iewes and folly to the Gentiles Thirdly albeit it be sowre yet it is most wholesome so albeit the doctrine of repentance be irksome and vnsauory to the flesh yet it is wholesome to the soule Naturall men esteeme this doctrine to be an enemie to them Simil. which would slay their corruptions and lusts Medicine which at first seemeth bitter afterward becommeth more comfortable so the doctrine which is salted with salt and hyssope is fitter for vs then that which is sweetned with hony for hony was neuer appointed to be vsed in the Lords sacrifices but salt omnis victima sale saliatur An obseruation of Cyvillus concerning hysop Cyrillus obserueth in the hyssope an hot operation whereby it shaâ—pneth the grosse humors and purgeth the concretion of the priuitie so grace maketh vs feruent in the spirit Moreouer hysop purgeth the lungs phâ—iriasis rests The propertie of hysop Plin. lib. 20. cap. 4. nourâ—shâ—th the natiue colour of the bodie killeth filth and vermine growing on man cureth the bites of serpents prouoketh appetite sharpneth the sight is enemie to seuers of which it is written Parua calens pectus purgans petrosa streatrix Ius sapidat pleurae congrua spargit aquam So grace is hot by charitie purging by contrition spitting forth by confession seasoning the body by temperance sauing the soule and inward parts by application of Christs blood which being drunken purgeth our plurisie and bloodie eyes The hysop of Christs blood a medicine for all our corruptioÌ„â— Then seeing all these diseases are in the soule of man are we not much beholden to God who hath made one salue to cure all our sores the blindnesse of our mind is remoued by the water of his blood the foule câ—r upâ—ions of our heart are euacuate and dissoluâ—d that we spit them foâ—th our coldnes is warmed our fieâ—y feuers and inflammations quenched our spirituall vigour colour is restored which we lost by sin Wash me and I shall be whiter then the snow What meant by washing He acknowledgeth that none in heauen or earth is able to purge him but God onely He hath that fountaine in his owne garden he will communicate the glorie of our redemption to none but to himselfe For by this washing is meant the washing of iustification and remission of sins that as creation belongeth onely to God so doth redemption by Christs blood Wo to them who leauing the waters of life go to any other to seek water out of these rotteÌ„ cisterns Then seeing it is the proper work of God to wash vs let vs go to the lauer of baptisme that there we may be once washed and after daily pray that he may wash our feete by sanctification And I shall be whiâ—er then the snow He perswadeth himselfe of a full purgation by Christs blood Though I were as blacke as the Moore yet shall I be white as snow Nothing can blot out our sinnes but this blood If we would wash our selues with snow waters our righteousnesse shall be as a menstruous garment Esa 64.6 What is all the righteousnesse of man but an abhomination before God Yea Christ himselfe if he had bâ—n onely man could not haue bin able to satisfie the iustice of an insinite God he must be God himselfe and therefore it is called the blood of God But how shall we be whiter then snow Act. 20. â—ouct Solut. I answer our estate is more perfect and â—uâ—er by Christ then it was by nature in Adam forasmuch as we haue our perfection by Christ which cannot faile or alter and it is the perfection of God which belongeth to vs so that we stand not before God as men but as gods before God being coâ—ered with his perfect obedience who is our Redeemer blessed for ouer So there is no cause why we should feare or despaire seeing we are cleansed perfectly if we beleeue be sanctified Let vs put on Christ whose garment is white as snow Mar. 17.2 And his Church is made white in him Who is this that commeth vp white 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cant. 8.5 Apoc. 7.14 And the Bride hath white garments made white in the Lambes blood The proper office of the holy Spirit is to wash vs and purifie our conscience by Christs blood lest our filthinesse keepe vs back from accesse to God And this ye were saith the Apostle but ye are washed 1. Cor. 6.11 ye are sanctified ye are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God And againe speaking of the Church that he may sanctifie her purging her by the washing of water by the word Eph. 5.17 that he may make the Church glorious to himself not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that she may be holy blamelesse So it is the onely worke of God to sanctifie his children make them clean Finally obserue that iustification and sanctification are vndeuided companions Doctr. IustificatioÌ„ and sanctification go together whomsoeuer the Lord washeth by the hysop of his Sonnes blood he also sanctifieth by his Spâ—rit Studie therefore to get holinesse without which none shall see God
we haue sinned in asking vs a King beside all other sinnes But a sincere heart seekes no starting holes or subterfuges but deales truely betwixt God and it selfe yea grace is at warre with all sinne especially with that which is nearest and dearest to man and will not spare to disgrace it by all meanes so that discovering the loath somnes thereof it maketh man willing to confesse it Ezra 9.6 Ezra sayth I am confounded and ashamed to lift vp mine eyes Thou shalt remember thy wayes Eze. 16.61 Act. 2.37 and be ashamed c. They were pricked in their hearts when they heard it God will haue his children like himselfe that as he esteemeth of sinne and as it is most oditious to him so we may account it odious and abominable and we can never hate and abhorre it overmuch Yea further when he maketh vs to aggravate our sinne he maketh vs so much the more to haue an earnest desire of mercy that when we haue seene sinne in an vgly visage we may see Gods grace more gladly laughing vpon vs with a merry countenance whereby we may the more glorifie him and accept of his mercie yea the more we confesse our debts to God and in humilitie craue forgiuenesse thereof the more he pitieth vs and the more we confesse our basenesse the more we magnifie the goodnesse of God pardoning the same The Lord will haue vs to confesse our sins that these being hewed from vs we may be more fit stones for his building Simil. And as the Carpenter taketh away chippes from the tree to make vp a goodly workemanship so will God haue our superfluous excrements cut off to make vs glorious ornaments to himselfe Against merits and superogation Gods superogation Mat. 18.27 Against Atheists This humble and penitent Confession of sinnes not onely damneth that divellish doctrine of merits and superogation or supererrogance when as the Master is sayd to forgiue all the debt But also convinceth such Atheists of our age who can well in grosse and generall termes say God forgiue vs we are all sinners and others who make a sport of sinne and others who will defend and patronize their sinne excusing the same and saying I am not alone I loue not to be singular it is the fashion of the world to whore and sweare and be drunke I hope God is not so strait laced as you are Yea many haue answered to my selfe You will not answere for our sinnes although I should haue beene partaker of them if I had not reprooved them They say to the Ministers as the Sodomites said to Lot Gen. 19.9 Shalt thou iudge and rule or as Corah and his confederates sayd to Moses and Aaron Num. 16.3 Yee take too much vpon you or as those in the second Psalme Psal 2.3 Let vs breake their bonds asunder And thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne Doctr. Repentance and remission meet together In the former part Repentance and remission meet together in few words Davids true Repentance is liuely expressed Now in this part is set downe the remission of his sinnes and both are closed in one verse to let vs see that the one is not so soone done as the other meeteth David sayth 2 Sam. 12.13 I haue sinned and Nathan subioynes presently and thy sinnes are forgiven thee So this may encourage penitent sinners that God will not suspend or drift time with them but will presently what time soever a sinner repent him of his sinne put away his sinnes out of his remembrance Forgiuenesse meets repentance in the face as the father of the forlorne Sonne met him and kissed him Luk. 15.22 But how can Confession be sound Ob before sinne be pardoned it seemeth rather that Confession should follow the remission of sinne It is answered Ans that all Gods gifts are given at once for in the first act of grace there is a change of the whole soule for faith repentance loue to God men are given at once but in respect of vs and our apprehension or application one grace goeth before another Simil. for as the cracke of Thunder and the Lightning are both at one time but we see the one before we heare the other because our sight is more apprehensiue then our hearing So these graces are all wrought together by God yet in regard of vs and our sense pardon commeth after Confession albeit God in the beginning of our conversion giues vs the grace whereof we haue not the present feeling Simil. as a childe in the mothers wombe liues and moues yet knoweth not of his life and motion So Gods children scarse can acknowledge that which is within them The Lord forgaue not onely his sinne but the iniquitie of his sinne Dan. 12.2 as we say terra pulveris or caenum luti the dust of the earth or dirt of clay Note By this he would teach vs that albeit we be altogether sinfull yet God is altogether mercifull great is our sinne I grant but his mercy is farre greater Ps 10.11 as farre as the heaven is aboue the earth Next yee see that God onely pardoneth penitent sinners It is an idle doctrine to cause men to beleeue that Christs bloud is sufficient for all sorts of sinners whatsoever they doe for if it were so what needeth repentance faith the loue and feare of God c. Wee cannot haue these without their conditions for as the auncient sayth fides iustificat correlativè How faith iustifieth August We must merit God by faith and repentance for as Augustine sayth he that made thee without them doth not saue thee without them But Christ died for all all therefore must be saved for whom Christ died It is answered Christs death had beene able as Leo sayth to saue infinite worlds but we speake of the effectuall shedding of his bloud which was shed for many not for all for the remission of sinnes VERSE 6. Therefore shall euery one that is godly make his prayer vnto thee in a time when thou maiest be found surely in the flood of great waters they shall not come neere him Doctr. The godly shall reape the benefit of remission of sinne THis is the second part of the Psalme for hauing taught that the happinesse of man consisteth in the remission of his sinnes now he sheweth who shall reape the benefit of the same So this gift of God is not restricted onely to David but to all the godly as a cleare light shining abroad for the vtilitie of the whole Church We receiue gifts from God to impart them to others 1 Tim. 1.16 Hereby we may learne for what end God doth bestow his gifts vpon vs to wit that we may reach forth the fruit thereof to others So the Apostle sayth he found mercie that he might be an example to others As also we should looke to the examples going before vs. Aske the former ages sayth Iob Iob. 8.9
originall language mippene from the face is two times repeated both in speaking of Gods wrath and his owne owne sinnes that is for the sight of them both Wherein I perceiue a lesson worthy of consideration Doctrine God will not looke fauourably vpon vs vnles first we looke both vpon our owne sins and his anger at theÌ„ that is that we must haue a two-fold sight before we get the sight of Gods fauourable face First we must haue our owne sinnes before our eyes next we must see the countenance of an angrie God looking downe vpon vs with austere and heauie lookes because of them and then in the third roome we must beg Gods fauourable face to shine vpon vs. The Lord grant vs the right sight of all those three that as Iosephs brethren first saw his angrie countenance Gen. 42. and then his fauourable acceptation with the greater gladnesse so we may see what we haue deserued at Gods hand and so after may heare the voyce of ioy and gladnesse Psal 51.8 that the bones which he hath broken may reioyce again First we must heare the terrible thundering of mount Sinai then the ioyfull shouting of mount Sion VERSE 4. For mine iniquities are gone ouer mine head and as a heauie burden they are too heauie for me HAuing spoken before of the cause of his miserie which was his sinnes now he aggrauateth them in respect of their multitude comparing them to waters which had ouergone his head and in respect of the magnitude weight A mark of a truly penitent to aggrauatâ— his sinne Psa 138.18 comparing them to a burden which surely is a marke of a penitent sinner when he as was Dauid can be content to confesse his sinnes to be in number more then the sand of the sea or the haires of his head Why sins are compared to waters He compareth his sins to waters which albeit in the first entrie are shallow that scarce they will touch the ankles yet the further ye go into them they wil be deeper and will soone passe from your knee to your shoulders and ouergo your head Ezek. 47.1.2.3.4.5 and drowne you except God prouide a remedy as if a planke or boord be casten in whereupon taking hold you may easily escape the danger euen so we go from sin to sin and from lesse to greater vntill that many sinâ— meeting and concerning together ouergo vs and we filling the cup of our iniquitie be poisoned with the dregs thereof Therefore let vs take heed and turne back in time lest going forward contemning such warnings we become selfe-murderers of our owne soules We haue better waters thorough which we may go in safetie the waters of Siloah Esa 8.6 which run softly by which we may refresh our owne soules the blessed blood of Iesus Christ and the waters of Ezekiel Ezek. 47.12 which flow in the Sanctuarie that we may grow from grace to grace till we come to glorie Against auricular confession Out of this place is cleerly condemned that auricular confession by which men are bound vnder pâ—inâ— of condemnation to confesse euery particular sinne to the Priest which is impossâ—â—â—â— for them to do when as Dauid saith thâ—y are gone ouer mine head and againe Psal 19.12 Who can vnderstand his faults It is no maruell that he saith his sinnes haue gone ouer his head for in this one he committed many sins The persons against whom Dauid sinned and offended many persons He sinned against himselfe in defiling his owne bodie against Bathsheba against Vriah against those slaine with Vriah against his concubines against the bodie of the people by giuing them an euil exampleâ— and which was worst of all against God by making his Name to be blasphemed And as a weightie burthen they are too heauie for me The second comparison is taken from a burden weightier then lead Wherin sin is heauier then any bâ—rden heauier then sand And indeed sin is more weightie then any burden whatsoeuer for first it presseth downe both soule and body When Peter was chained in prison Act. â—2 in the night he had libertie with ioy to raise vp his soule to praise God Paul was in prison Act 16.25 but Gods word was not bound Next burdens are vpon some parts of the body not vpon all as manicles are on the hands fetters on the feete c. other members being free but sin and the bonds thereof are vpon euery member binding and pressing it downe so that it cannot do any seruice to Christ The eares are dull in heâ—ring the eyes full of adulterie Iob 24 1â— Psal 13.9 the mouth an open sepulchre the foote readie to shed blood c. Thirdly this is the greatest miserie that when all other burdens are felt we take thiâ— on with pleasure we vndergo it with delight without wearying and are as Issachar asses couching betweene two burdens Gen. 4 â— 1â— And surely I thinke we are worse then asses For when our burden groweth greatest we do not onely not groane vnder them but are glad to vnder go them the two burdens both of our conscience and of our bodies The Israelites groaned in Egypt vnder temporall burdens Ezod 2.13 and were heard the Iewes in Babylon Psal 147. and were relieued would God we could groane that so we might be helped I will not deny but Dauid may also meane in this text of the burden of afflictions seeing the originall word gnon signifieth pain and Cain vsed that selfesame word in the fourth of Genesis For three burdens are mentioned in the Scriptures Three fortâ— of burdâ—â—ns Mat. 11.28 of sin as Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and loaden with sin and I will ease you Of paine as Cast thy burden vpon the Lord. Psal 37.15 And of Gods benefits as Praised be God who daily loadneth vs with his benefits Psal 10.3 God he loadneth vs with his blessings both spirituall and temporall and we againe loaden him with our sins with which we are loadned our selues Ah sinfull nation Isa 1 4â— a people loaden with iniquitie And therefore God iustly must againe loaden vs with his corrections But it may be asked how this selfesame speech is spoken both by Cain a reprobate â—biec â— and Dauid an elect child of God I answer Solut. that sinne was alike heauie to them both but Dauid had a sight of Gods mercie in the midst of his sins which Cain did neuer see and therefore did not runne vnto God for reliefe as here Dauid doth Verse 5. My wounds are putrisied and corrupt because of my foolishnesses HE goeth further in the enumeration of â—is miseries which he setteth downe by the putrifaction and rotting of his wounds and confesseth the cause of them to be his owne foolishnesse Where first ye see Sin causeth putrifactioÌ„ and rottennesse Gen. 3.19 that sin bringeth putrifaction and rottennesse to mens flesh For as the
by the contrary so long as we are vnder Satans guiding a thousand seeme but one but if we betake our selues to Gods seruice one will seeme a thousand Againe we may admire the wonderfull largenesse of the mercies of God the bredth whereof extends ouer all the world the height to place vs in heauen the depth to draw vs from the lower hell the length betwixt hell and heauen O the bredth length deepnesse and height of the mercies of ouâ— God Admire the mercies of God the multitude of whose compassions neither man nor Angell is able to comprehend Why then doest thou despaire thereof O man though thy sins were neuer so many his mercies exceed them and although thou sinnest seuentie seuen times a day Mat. 7. he can pardon and forgiue thee Thy compassions the word in the original signifieth an ardent and earnest affection of the heart compassionating that which it pitieth as it were the commotion of the bowels as I noted before that his very bowels are moued toward his children Philem. 12 Luk. 15.20 2. Sa. 18.33 Psal 103. as Paul writeth to Philemon This compassion was demonstrate in the father of the prodigall sonne and in Dauid to Absolom much more in God toward his deare children Looke what pitie parents haue to their children greater hath God towards vs. Are not parents touched at the very heart when they behold the miseries of their children yea would they not hazard their liues and estates as many times they doe to deliuer them and will not God be moued towards vs if we considering his compassion and meeknesse would but pitie our selues by confessing our iniquities vnto him Put away He borroweth a similitude from Merchants who haue their debts written in their account-booke and at the paiment thereof they score out that which before they haue written Therefore since our sinnes are written with a pen of iron and a point of a diamond we must pray to God to blot them out that the hand-writ may be nailed to the crosse It is God that putteth away iniquities he can remoue them as a cloud Dan. 9.24 Daniel prophesying of the Messiah saith Seuentie weekes are determinate vpon thy people and vpon thy holy Citie to finish the wickednesses and to seale vp the sinnes and to reconcile the iniquitie All our sinnes shall be washed away by the streames of his blood so that they shall neuer be read or brought to an account either in this world or the world to come Mine iniquities He committed iniquitie against Vriah whom he killed for which he is so charged in his conscience being summoned before the bar of Gods iustice that he can get no rest vntill he get pardon and none could giue him pardon and rest in his mind but God whom he principally offended in killing and destroying one formed to Gods owne image So when we do wrong to men In wronging our neighbour we do most iniurie to God let vs not thinke it enough if we be reconciled to the partie wronged but by repentance and an humble confession of our sinnes let vs seeke to be at one with God who is the partie whom we do most wrong to Verse 2. Wash me throughly from mine iniquitie and câ—eanse me from my sinne HE expresseth by similitudes taken from washing and cleansing the mercie which he craued in the former verse that is Similitudes are much vsed in the Scriptures remission of his sinnes Similitudes are very common in the Scriptures and in the ancient Fathers The Prophets spake by similitudes Christ spake by parables the Epistles of the holy Apostles and Sermons of the Fathers are full of them So earthly obiects should serue vs to this end that in them we may see heauenly things and there is no creature There is no earthly thing which may not be applied to some spirituall vse which doth not represent to thee the Creator and if we had spirituall eyes we would apply euery earthly thing to some spirituall vse The dust teacheth vs whereof we came and what we are euen dust The grasse admonisheth vs to seeke a dwelling elsewhere for here we are as grasse which soone fadeth The wormes will vs not to be proud for we are meâ—te prepared for them The Sunne when it beginneth to shâ—ne putteth vs in minde to beg for the Sun of righteousnesse to shine in our soules Euery bird after his kinde praiseth God so should we When we behold bread we should remember that of our Sauiour Labour not for the meate that perisheth Ioh. 6.27 So God hath set all his creatures to be as so many masters to teach vs our dutie The Lord sanctifie our sight that we may looke attentiuely and consider God in his creatures and that they may be as steps of a ladder to draw vs vp to him Sin maketh man to appeare filthy before God Wash me throughly from mine iniquities There is nothing can make men appeare filthy before God but onely sinne as naturall Philosophers through the light of nature haue bin forced to confesse And therefore saith Seneca Seneca Si scirem homines ignoraturos deos ignoscituros non peccarem tamen propter peccati vtilitatem If I knew saith he that the gods would pardon me and men would not see me yet would I not sin because of the filthinesse of sin It blacketh the body with shamefull ignominie The enâ—â— of sinne burdeneth the soule with an euill conscience disgraceth the gifts of the minde and defaceth them blotteth them out maketh them stinke and seeme nothing Vertue in a profane man is as a gold ring on a swines snout The vomit of a dog seemeth filthy to vs and a sow wallowing in the puddle is loathsome albeit not so in the sight of God A man polluted with sin of all creatures the most beastly but more loathsome is a man defiled with blood whoredome and drunkennesse and such like of all beasts he is the most beastly Man was in honour but became a beast and when he is drunken he is then inferiour to a beast which wil drink no more then is necessary and hauing drank can discerne the right way home Alas men now make no end of drunkennesse they adde drunkennesse to thirst The euils of drunkennesse whereby they weaken their nature exhaust their money impouerish their posteritie become infamous to the world make shipwrack of their conscience and so destroy bodie soule conscience riches name and all A woman though she were a Princesse and neuer so gallant a Ladie if she be knowne to be like Herodias Psal 15. she is to be contemned in all godly mens eyes and to be esteemed of as Mordecai esteemed Haman Let vs be ashamed of sinne in any and Blush at our owne filthinesse because of it But alas we are fallen in such a time when sinners are become shameâ—esse and women not of the meaner sort Nota. delight as much to be harlots
because it lacketh strength and is not come to that maturitie to execute their inclination which is naturally cruell So are infants naturally inclined to sin and therefore so soone as they can think any thing speake or do any thing it is euill as daily experience teacheth vs. Parents should take care to amend by good education that which is deficient in their children by nature Simil. Originall sin is sin And therefore it becometh Christian parents to take paines to amend that which is deficient and imperfect by nature in their children by art instruction and correction That as wilde beasts are tamed by the industrie of men and barren grounds haue become fruitfull by labouring and manuring so euil natures may be corrected by good education Ye see also out of this that originall sin is sin and offen siue to the law of God and the roote of all others that the most secret thought of our heart is sufficient to condemne vs if God would deale extreamely Which impugneth that diuellish and erronious doctrine of some who think that the first intentions and thoughts are veniall if consent come not with them Our Lord saieth that whosoeuer seeth a woman and lusteth after her committeth adulterie Mat. 5.28 and is as culpable before God as if he had sinned with her But that concludeth not that the motion is not sinfull to which such a wicked consent is added the greater sin cannot excuse the lesser Therefore we must go with Elizeus to the fountaine and cast in salt in those rotten and stinking waters 2. Kin. 2.20 that they being purified all the streames flowing there from may be also cured This parentall sin hereditarie radicall the leuen of the primitiue corruption the law of the members Nota. naturall and generall to all mankind cannot be taken away but by the conception and natiuitie of Christ But here ariseth a question how parents both being Christians and receiued in the couenant Obiect can beget sinfull children I answer by a familiar similitude Solut. Simil. the seed ye see when it is sowne is made as cleane as the art and industrie of man can do and yet ariseth with a roote stalke blade and beard the cause is not in man the force lieth in the seed so in that the parents are purified they haue it of God what the childe hath he hath by nature which either must be repaired by grace or he must perish Adam Noah Samuel Eli Dauid c. although they were godly religious men yet had naughtie and wicked children which sheweth vnto vs that religion and godlinesse cometh not by nature but by the free grace of God I omit those vain idle questions de originali peccato Godlinesse cometh not by nature but by grace which the Papists too curiously propound and may be very easily answered lest it should breed errors in your mind which ye neuer dreamed of And in sin hath my mother conceiued me The word iechematin signifieih properly calefacit warmed me in her wombe fed or nourished me referring it to the action of heating and feeding the childe in the wombe nine moneth Wherein the greatnes of Gods worke is to be seene who so miraculously can preserue the infant in such an obscure place so compassed with the interiour parts Alwayes euen there in that poore creature there is sin albeit he be ignorant of it So he hath a burden when he feeleth it not and lieth wrapped with all miseries and thinketh himselfe then to be in a best case for when he cometh out of the womb with great paine to his mother and difficultie to himself he weepeth poore soule because he is come to sorrow Ezekiel maketh mention of a child new borne whose nauill was not yet cut Ezech. 16.3.4.5.6 neither salt put in it nor washed lying miserably in the pollution of nature which representeth to vs our naturall filth in sin that neither are we cutted away by the knife of the Spirit from our originall corruption neither washed by the blood of Christ from our naturall vncleannesse neither salted by the salt of the word and if it were not by Gods grace and care of our spirituall parents that we were helped we would neuer liue but die and perish in the filth wherein we haue bin conceiued and borne Man were vtterly vndone if he were not supported by the grace of God There is no beast which nature hath not taught some meanes to help it self as some haue naturally skins or haire and wooll to defend them from iniuries we haue none In a word man were vndone if he were not supported by the grace of God We may weepe we haue no more and would God we could spiritually crie and mourne that the Lord hearing our weeping might pitie and helpe vs. But because so many worthy writers both ancient and moderne Papists and Protestants haue written largely of this place and I must say Sum minimus omnium I cease to write any more hereof lest I should repeate that which they haue already obserued Verse 6. Behold thou louest truth in the inward affections therefore hast thou taught me wisedome in the secret of mine heart THis is the fift argument which he vseth perswading God to forgiue him taken from the sinceritie of his repentance that it was not counterfeit or dissembled which is very acceptable to God Yea in all the actions of religion and parts thereof there is nothing more pleasing to God then sinceritie and vprightnesse He cannot abide hypocrisie and dissimulation and to put ouer with faire words and an outward shew It is a mocking of God to looke vp with our eyes to the heauens Hypocrisie in religion is a mocking of God to bow with our knees to felde our hands to knocke on our breasts if we want vprightnesse and soundnes of heart We must serue God in faith loue repentance humilitie vnfainedly from our heart as true Nathaniels Ioh. 1.47 in whom there is no guile The parts of this verse are these 1. who loueth Thou 2. where and what he loueth truth in the inward affections 3. the consequent following vpon this loue therefore hast thou taught me wisedome in the secret of mine heart Behold Before he enter to any of these he vseth the particle of admiration Behold which he neuer vseth but in some remarkable matter thereby the more to raise vs vp to the contemplation of such great matters to be told as Behold how good and how comely a thing it is Psal 133.1 brethren to dwell euen together And Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Ioh. 1.29 And this he doth that he might moue God that as he beheld his miserie being conceiued and borne in sin so he might behold his sincere and vnfained repentance And this is the happinesse of man when God beholds him mourning as he beheld him sinning This second sight is as delight some to the Lord
as the first was tedious So God seeth all our sins as he seeth our repentance Nota. Sin not because he seeth thee but repent vnfainedly that he may take pleasure in bâ—holding thee Thou louest The person who loueth is God The Creator becometh a louer of the creature euen God becometh a louer of his image in him Doth he then loue Aboue all things let vs seeke to depend vpon this his lone In our religion we should trauell to know what he loueth most Godaboue all things loueth sinceritie what he respecteth most what best pleaseth him for otherwise we lose our time in his seruice he loueth sinceritie best and that we should present to him We enquire what euery man loues best and we frame our selues to seeke after it then I beseech you among the rest search out what God loueth best seeke after it and present it to him and if there were no other argument to moue vs to sinceritie this may be sufficient because God loueth it Loue that which God loueth hate that which he hateth loue sinceritie that he loueth hate hypocrisie that he cannot abide Truth By truth is meant sinceritie and vprightnesse in his Maiesties seruice that we do not glose him by faire words and shewes he loueth not shadowes but substances no colours or couerts but the bodie it selfe For he pierceth with his eye to the lowest part of mans heart and stayeth not vpon the outward picture of man-actions howsoeuer plausible to man God looketh not as man looketh In euery action of religion let vs remember to keepe sinceritie Who would desire to be called rich if he want riches esteemed valiant if he haue not strength and shall we thinke it sufficient to be called religious Better to be religious then to be thought religious and not to be so Better to be rich then to be called rich better to be religious then to be thought or called religious God loueth truth as he hateth all falsehood for he is truth Ego sum veritas via vita Ioh. 14.6 He loueth truth in our profession truth in our ciuill life truth in our profession is that which he hath commanded in his word truth in our ciuill life is that which agreeth with dutie of ciuill conuersation without fraud deceit or guile which is different from Gods nature and resembleth the diuell who is a deceiuer In the inward affections It is not a superficiall or scroofe-worship which God regardeth For Cains sacrifice outwardly was as pleasant as Abels Gen. 4.4 but God looked to their hearts accepted the one and reiected the other God aboue all things craueth the heart Pro. 2â— 26 My sonne giue me thine heart God wil be worshipped in spirit and veritie Therefore hast thou taught me wisedome in the secret of mine heart He amplifieth his sin by this circumstance that he did it not as an ignorant but as one who was enlightned with knowledge and besides he had priuate informations and intelligence from God in his heart and tasted of the heauenly doctrine yea it was rooted and fixed in his heart yet like a bruite beast he was caried to that filthy lust and so was inexcusable and suffocated the light of the Spirit which he had receiued He had informations giuen by God but he had not grace to follow them which so much the more made him inexcusable that he was taught Christians perish not for want of informatioÌ„ but for contemning the warnings they get God must teach 〈◊〉 and would not obey So Christians shal not perish for lack of information but because they do not obey the warnings which they get This age hath heard many lessons and God hath manifested his whole will vnto them but because they obey them not their knowledge shal augment their paines God he must be our great Doctor and Teacher we must be Theodidactoi taught of God Neither nature learning experience practise or age can teach vs wisedome onely Gods word must teach vs. Nature preuailed among the Philosophers but that neuer led them to God For all the principles of our faith are contrary to nature sense and reason What is more against naturall reason then these points of our religion God was made man a virgin hath borne a childe a crucified man saued the world a dead man arose c. in these and such we must be taught from aboue by God God teacheth by the ministerie of his word God he teacheth by the ministery of his word which whosoeuer contemneth refuseth the meanes of his saluation but that ministery will not be sufficient without diuine inspiration 1. Cor. 3.6 Paul may plant Apollo may water but God giueth the increase Bellarmine translateth the Hebrew word which he granteth signifieth abscondita incerta and so doth Lorinus those doubting Doctors would haue the mysteries of the Scriptures vncertaine and doubtfull Nota. There is great diuersitie of iudgements among men what is true wisedome These are of the Lord is true wisdome Eccles 1.2 but if ye would enquire at the wisest man that euer liued he will tell you that hauing examined all things vnder heauen he found all things to be but vanitie and vexation of spirit and that true wisedom consisted only in the feare of God and keeping his commandements The feare of the Lord is the instruction of wisedome Pro. 15.33 all other wisedome is foolishnesse Verse 7. Purge me with hyssope and I shall be cleane wash me and I shall be whiter then snow HE is not contented simply to craue pardon once or twice but many times yes he multiplieth his suites by metaphors allegories and such borrowed speeches signifying how deeply he was wounded with his sin that he would haue himselfe assured and confirmed in the remission thereof and now he borroweth a similitude from the washings and purgations vsed in the Leuiticall law desiring that God would looke on his miseries who was a leprous man by sin and a filthy polluted sinner that hee might be washed in the blood of Christ prefigured by the Mosaicall washings Purge me with hyssope There is made mention of hyssope where it was vsed Three times made mention of hysop Exo. 12. â—â— in three places first in the 12. of Exodus at the institution of the Passeouer where the blood of the Lambe was appointed to be sprinkled vpon the doore cheekes with a bunch of hyssope bound with a scarlet lace The blood signified Christs blood the bunch of hyssope the sauing and the scarlet lace his blood died which bound the bunch all hauing their spirituall significations For the blood no doubt signified the blood of that vndefiled Lambe shed from the beginning of the world The hyssope the instâ—ument applying his blood by faith The scarlet lace the communion of the Saints who are bound by loue the bond of perfection and sprinkled with that same blood to the remission of sins And so the blood which washeth faith which applieth and
not Blessed is that King who leaues behind him as great testimony of his conuersion to God as he hath giuen proofe of his defection from him And therefore let Kings learne of a King and Pastors of a Prophet that when they sin and become stumbling blocks to others they may repent and blot out the note of ignominie which through their sin they haue receiued by a true conuersion and open confession as the King of Niniueh Ionah 3.6 Ester 4.16.17 2 Chro. 33.12 Simil. Queene Hester Mordecay Manasses and here Dauid for their sinnes are more offensiue and greaâ—er than others for they make many to fall with them as the fall of a Cedar is the ruine of many inferiour trees If our sinnes be secret we are not bound to any auricular Confession Prou. 25.2 for Gods honour is to conceale a sin in doing otherwise we doe double wrong one by our sin to offend God another by our reuealing to dishonour our selues and offend the Church But if our sin be publike as was Dauids to deny colour 2 Sam. 11.4 or extenuate it wee sinne grieuously against God and our owne soules defrauding God of his glory and our soules of saluation But marke the truth of that sentence all things worke for the best to those that loue the Lord Rom. 8.28 for Dauids sin turnes to the glorie of God the comfort of the Church and his owne saluation Simil. so that as the dung and excrements of nature are profitable to fâ—tten the ground so is his sinne to better and make him more fruitfull to God Herein also is the mercy of God greatly to be admired that where sin did abound now grace doth superabound Rom. 5.20 for albeit Dauid did fall through the corruption of his nature in those hainous sinnes yet God magnifieth his compassions in his conuersion and in his vnfained repentance But hereby let not licentious libertines be prouoked by Dauids example to sin as commonly they abuse the falls of Gods children to be warrants to themselues and arguments by which they corroborate and strengthen themselues in their wickednes as Drunkards cast vp Noah Gen. 9.21 Gen. 19.33.35 2 Sam. 11.4 â—7 Act. 9 1 2. Mat. 26.74 Incestuous men Lot Adulterers Murtherers Dauid Persecutors Paul Apostates Peter c. But oh wretched men that ye are doe ye make the fals of the Saints allurements provoking you to sin where by the contrary they should bee as so many Beacons warning you that yee take heed Simil. lest yee fall vpon such rockes vpon which they were in hazard to haue beene drowned yea rather by their example yee ought to eschew such dangerous gulfes whereinto they were plunged and learne by their repentance to repent for sin for their sins are not so much to be obserued as their repentance Comparison But alas these desperate men take the instrument which should launce their wound to kill themselues therewith Dauid hath left behind him seuen Psalmes of Repentance according to the number of the seuen daies of the weeke that as each day we sinne and fall so we may haue one of these Psalmes as a sheepe-crooke to pull vs out of the ditch of sin Simil. Numb 35.13 These are as seuen Cities of refuge whereinto a sinner may flie for safegard when he findeth himselfe pursued by the auenger of blood for his sins Simil. or as seuen ports whereinto a Christian tossed with the waues of temptations may get safe harbour They are not to be misliked because they beare the number of seuen as though any magicall superstition were inclosed in that number for all the holy Fathers haue obserued that in all the 150. Psalmes of Dauid whereof some are instructions to a godly life others deprecations against his aduersaries many of them praises of Gods mercies others praiers for the Church these Seuen are left as witnesses of his vnfained repentance therefore they beare the name of penitentials Why called Penitentials à poenam tenendo because they beare in them the paine and griefe of his heart which he sustained for his sins Wee haue all sinned with Dauid let vs learne to repent with Dauid for the bloud of Christ wiâ—l not be effectuall to any but to a penitent sinner Now is the time when repentance may helpe thee for though as Augustine saith after this life it be perpetuall Augustine Gen. 27.38 it is in vaine euen as Esau mourned bitterly while there was no place left for the blessing so shalt thou doe if thou neglect the opportunity of repentance But that ye may learne to discerne Foure markes of Repentance 1 Mark The grouÌ„d of repentance Exod. 9.27 2 Sam. 12.13 whether ye haue obtained the gift of true repentance as Dauid did obserue these foure markes First what was the ground and first motiue which made you to repent your sinne if the plagues and scourges of God as they made Pharo to say I haue sinned Or the sweet voice of Gods word which moued Dauid to say I haue sinned If some paine shame or sicknesse hath made thee to repent it being remoued thou maist change but if the Word hath won thee thou art won indeed The Spouse in the Cantiâ—les was raised from the bed of sinne by the voice of her Beloued Cant. 5.5 Luk 22.61.62 Act. 2.41 Christ looked on Peter and he wept bitterly The word of God by Iohn conuerted the Souldiers by Peter three thousand Iewes and Paul by the voice of Christ why persecutest thou mee Act. 9 4. 2 Mark Sinceritie Simil. Next trie the sinceritie of thy Repentance whether thy heart hath greater griefe for sin than thy tongue vtters The Comoedians who play the siege of Troy can represent the dolefull habite teares and sorrow of Priamus and Hecube King and Queene of Troy but they are not in heart touched with their grief neither are they sensible of their sorrow 2 Sam. 14.2 The woman of Tecoah counterfeited her dole to Dauid for Absolon but felt none Such and no better is the repentance of Hypocrites they may weepe with Saul counterfeitly 1 Sam. 24.17 their heart not being truly touched which hypocrisie of theirs and fained repentance the Lord detests more then any sinne that a man can commit for a man sinning professeth himselfe to be the Deuils seruant but fainedly repenting hee professeth himselfe to be Gods seruant in the meane time keeping his heart to the Deuill and with Ananias and Saphira Act. â— 2 stealing back sacrilegiously that which he offred to God yea euen the best part his heart Thirdly 3 Mark Vniuersalitie 1. Sam. 15.9 trie the vniuersality of thy repentance for it must not be of one but of all sins ye must not spare Agag and the fat cattel with Saul and your principall most profitable and pleasant sins but if ye deny one deny all if ye refuse one refuse all if ye reiect one reiect all for as one rope was able
beene committed therfore hee sayth Isa 44.22 Mic. 7.19 I haue put away thy transgressions as a cloude and thy sinnes as a mist He will subdue our iniquities and cast all our sinnes into the bottome of the Sea Psal 103.7.12 as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercie toward them that feare him as farre as the East is from the West so farre hath he remoued our sinnes from vs. Isa 1.18 Though our sinnes were as crimson they shall be made whâ—te as snowe though they were red as Scarlet they shall be as wooll I euen I am hee that puttâ—th away thine iniquities for mine owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes if the wicked will turne c. Ibid. 44.25 All his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned vnto him but in his righteousnesse that he hath done Ezech. 18.21.22 he shall liue So it is a like to bee couered of God as not to haue sinned at all When God forgiueth sinne hee couereth it The allusion of the words Nassui and Cassui is proper for the sinnes that are pardoned are also couered So most miserable is the state of those who are nor reconciled vnto God for his maiestie hath his revenging eye looking on them and their actions to destroy them The Lord setteth their iniquities before him Psal 90.8 and their secret sinnes in the light of his countenance whereas hee casteth the sinnes of his elect behind his backe What shall become of those who thinke their sinnes to be hid if they come not to the open sight of the world as though the sight of man were more to be feared then the sight of God Note why should wee not be more afraid of Gods sight who may avenge himselfe on vs then of mens who though they behold vs may either pittie vs or offend at vs. There are many who to couer their sins Nazianzenus runne to human a satisfactions They purge clay with clay they adde superstition to superstition and in so doing in my iudgement they carrie timber on their backes that the more timber they haue they may kindle the the greater fire Mans satisfaction cancouer sinne for what are our merits but a new fewell to kindle Gods iudgement and the more trees yee bring yee kindle vp the greater flame Then wee are greatly bound to the Lord who when he might haue written our faults vpon our browes he hath couered and hid them therefore let vs not renue and raise them vp againe since the Lord hath buried them in the bottome of the Sea of his obliuion Simil. For his mercies are as an Ocean furnishing water to the whole world but can neuer be dried vp VERSE 2. Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquitie and in whose spirit there is no guile Doctr. Sinne is a debt THis third similitud is taken from debt that albeit we are oblieged and bound to God either to satisfaction or obedience yet the Lord taketh paiment from our surty and so freeth vs. For God will not take twise paiment for one debt so that we may say truly if we beleeue in Christ we are not oblieged nor bound to God for paiment for hee hath our obligation and nailed it to the Crosse This the Apostle testifieth writing to the Corinthians 2 Cor 5.18 19. and all things are of God which hath reconciled vs vnto himselfe by Iesus Christ and hath giuen vnto vs the ministrie of reconciliation for God was in Christ and reconciled the world to himselfe not imputing their sinnes to them See how the Prophet by reiteration of this remission of sinne extennuats and annihilats himselfe and brings him so low that by impietie sinne and iniquitie whereof hee granteth he found himselfe culpable and by lightening him of that burthen couering of his sinne not imputation of his debt hee assured himselfe to be releeued But it may be asked Ob how farre we should be mindfull of our sinnes and whether they are so couered by God that wee should burie them by perpetuall silence To dissolue this question Ans wee must remember what is sayd by the fathers that our sinnes are remitted before God when wee accuse our selues then are wee iustified Note when wee concondemne our selues our sinnes are then couered best when they are most discouered to God And therefore wee ought to call our sinnes to minde Why wee should remember our sinnes not that we should distrust of the remission thereof but that the remembrance thereof may make vs more thankfull to God and more prudent that we sinne not againe yea it maketh vs readie to haue compassion on others who offended But another question ariseth Ob whether we should desire that our sinnes should bee hid from mens eyes or opened I answere Ans if God hath hidden them reueale not thou them thy selfe lest thou be an authour of thine owne offence and it being the honour of God to conceale sinnes Why shouldest thou dishonor God so farre Pro 25.2 as to reueale that which God hath concealed Iosh 7.20 But if it be publicke why should it not be publickely confessed as was Achans Moreouer it may bee demaunded how can it stand with the most righteous God Ob. who is the iudge of the world that he should suffer an vnrighteous man to goe free without punishment for if he diminish any part of his righteousnesse hee must deny himselfe and his owne nature Ans It is answered that his iustice is perfectly satisfied to the vtermost fâ—rthen by Iesus Christ neither could it stand with the equitie and iustice of the eternall God that hee should haue receaued satisfaction from Christ our suertie and recouer and claime that of vs as I said before Doctr. True felicitie stands in iustification and Sanctfication And in whose spirit there is no guile Yee heard the first part of the felicitie of man which standeth in his iustification that is the remission of his sinnes the second part stands in his Sanctification and purification of his heart by the Spirit of God from Hypocrisie which are the fruites answerable to the former Note For the Lord neuer bestowed his Sonnes bloud to wash away any sinne but he bestowed his Sonnes spirit to Sanctifie that man the chiefe vertue that he craueth in a Christian is sinceritie the chiefe vice hee hateth Hypocrisie God esteemes not of outward pâ—rts but being a Spiâ—iâ— he looketh to Spirits My Sonne saith hee giue me thine heart and aâ—â—ee is a spirit Pro 23.26 so he will be worshippâ—d â—n spiâ—â—â— Basilius as he commendeth that sentence of Plato Basil ad popul hom 24. that is greâ—test extremitie of iniquitie when an vnrighteous man would sâ—eme to be righteous so hee condemneth the opinion of Euripides I had â—ather some to be good then be so So that of all the things in the world the Spirit
of God doth most abhorre and detest dissimlation most odious to God Hypocrisie an enemie to faith a dissimulation in his seruice neither is there any vice so opposite to true faith as Hypocrisie for faith lodgeth in the heart Hypocrisie in the countenance faith studies to please God Hypocrisie seekes to please men saith is liuely and constant Hypocrisie as a faâ—ling leafe fadeth incontinently So that there is no societie betwixt faith and Hypocrisie Simil. more then betwixt a painted fire hauing neither light and heat and a true fire hauing both and a shadow the body And as the painting of an Harlots face will soone melt before the fire when the natiue and naturall colour of an honest woman will not change so will counterfeit feinednesse soone evanish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fained thing cannot be firme and solid Nazian De funere patris Math 23.27 Our Sauiour Christ accounteth them to be as painted tombes who haue a goodly shew before men but within are full of dead mens bones they haue a shew of life although they be dead Simil. Were he not to be accounted a foole that hauing nothing but a shew of Merchandise would giue himselfe out for a rich Merchant The sinne of Witchcraft and Idolatrie are two great sinnes but Hypocrisie is more dangerous then both we haue heard of many thousand Papists and Idolaters who haue beene reclaimed and turned to God confesse it what great errors they had beene also many Witches at their death haue renounced their Master the Diuell But seldome haue I read that Hypocrites haue repented when our Sauiour who neuer brake a brused reed thundered woes Math 23.13.14.15 He cryed woe vnto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites and when hee denounced iudgement he said whose portion is with Hypocrites To be short let no man thinke that remission of sinnes can be separate from holinesse and sanctification Remission of sinnes ioyned with holinesse for they are borne together as two twinnes and liue together yea the one cannot liue without the other how canst thou thinke from thine hart that thine sinnes are pardoned vnlesse heartily thou hate sinne for which thou hast repented then wee may say that those get pardon for their sinne who feele their sinnes and feeling doe hate and flie from them flying from them with all the force of their heart are caried to a contrarie vertue being made free from sinne wee are the seruants of righteousnesse Rom 6.18 Ibid. 8.1 There is no condemnation saith the Apostle to them that are in Christ Iesus who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit God loueth sincerily in a Christian Ioh 1.47 But we haue deepely to consider that in all our religion the Lord loueth nothing so much as sinceritie Behold a true Israelit in whom there is no guile Hee doth not looke to the measure of thy repentance faith or loue but to the vprightnesse therof Louest thou me louest thou me Ioh 21.15 Psal 51.6 louest thou me sayth our Sauiour to Peter He craueth the truth in the inward parts Simil Men loue not false gold rotten stuffe or any superficial matter what so euer and we alas care not to carrie about with vs a counter feited religion Let vs trie our selues therefore whither we be in the faith or not God cannot be deceiued The Papists take from this text some occasion of stumbling for they would make a part of righteousnesse to be Christs another to be ours that which commeth from Christ is ours by imputation ours againe to be inherent because he sayth in whose heart there is no guile But they confound iustification with the effects thereof Answer to the Papists opposing the spring to the fountaine not driuing them from it So is the righteousnesse of Christ the fountaine of all our happinesse Et causa regni and the cause of the kingdome and if there be any dropps of righteousnesse in vs they spring from that fountaine Et sunt viaregnandi and they are the way by which we must attaine to that kingdome and say with the Apostle That Christ is made our righteousnesse Albeit wee be of our selues vnrighteous 1 Cor. 1.30 yet by him we are made righteous albeit wee are not able to pay the debt our selues yet seeing Christ hath payed it for vs we are freed For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners Rom 5.19 so by the obedience of one many shall bee made righteous By which wee are euidently taught that by Christs righteousnesse we are righteous before God I will not glory because I am righteous but because I am redeemed Ambros de Iarâ—et vita beata lib 1. cap. 6. not by reason I am voyde of sin but because my sinnes are pardoned not because I haue done good or receiued good from others but because Christ my aduocate is with the father interceding for me for his bloud was powred forth for me Indeed the Saints of God yea the best of vs all cannot purge our selues of Hypocrisie neither doe we sincerely serue our God as we ought to doe but one thing we know that we haue a displeasure within our selues for it and doth it not willingly which spirituall sight God pardons in his Saints The marks by which yee shall know whether yee be sincere in Gods seruice or no 3 Markes to try our sinceritie are these 1. First if yee haue an vpright indeuour to approue your selues to God in all things seeking not to please men but him who seeth the heart we care not to be iudged of men we stand and fall to our owne Lord whereas Saul knowing himselfe in disgrace with God 1 Thes 2.4 1 Sam 15.30 desired Samuel to honour him before the people 2. Secondly a sincere heart hateth all sinne specially his owne sinne and troubleth himselfe little in amplifying other mens sinnes but very narrowly and sharpely will taxe himselfe and will call himselfe with S. Paul 1 Tim. 1.15 The greatest of all sinners 5. Thirdly a sincere Christian professeth religion for the loue of the same and for no other respect and loueth good men for no other cause but for their godlinesse where as Hyprocrites may doe both outwardly for some worldly respect either of a benefit or credit which they may purchase by these meanes I pray God therefore that all of vs may remoue from our hearts this vale of Hypocrisie and dissimulation in Gods seruice that we may studie to approue our selues to God in the sight of Christ in all integritie and singlenesse of minde to the ende that all our seruice may be acceptable to him VERSE 3. When I helde my tongue my bones consumed or when I roared all the day The second part of the Psalme YEe haue heard the Proposition of the Psalme concerning the true happines of man consisting in the remission of his sinnes now followeth the confirmation thereof by his owne example which is the
hath no care to cure God woundeth seeketh to cure Which thou hast broken The forme of Gods curing he first woundeth and then healeth He cureth none but those whom his hand hath pierced and he who woundeth can best cure the wound And in this God differeth from man for man woundeth but hath no care to cure but when God inflicteth a wound on his children he hath a present remedy appointed to cure the same let vs therefore be content to be vnder his hand who for sufficient causes crossing vs is euer ready to comfort vs in Iesus Christ May reioyce By this he letteth vs see what would be the effect of his deliuerie euen to burst forth in the praises of his God by his words by his actions Let thy desire to be deliuered froÌ„ trouble be to glorifie God by his writings Which should teach vs that in trouble either spirituall or temporall we euer haue this the principall end for which we desire to be deliuered that we may praise and glorifie God Verse 9. Hide thy face from my sins and put away all mine iniquities NOw he reneweth his former suite of the remission of his sins shewing now earnestly he desired the same He is not content once and againe to crie for pardon but many times For he thought otherwise of his sin then we do of ours it touched him at the very heart In this verse he vseth two similitudes one that God would turne away his face from his sinnes next that he would blot out all his iniquities Hide The first similitude is taken from men God cannot see sin in his children who will hide their face from that which they desire not to see And it is certaine God is in euery place and seeth euery thing but he cannot see the sins of his elect children for that intervenient righteousnes of Christ will not suffer him to see any filthinesse in his children He seethno iniquitie in Iacob Nsâ— 23.21 Simil. saith Balaam For as a red or blue glasse being set before out eyes what euer we see thorough it seemeth to be of the colour of the glasse so God looking thorough Christ to vs all his righteousnesse seemeth to be ours and we are of his colour In the meane time Vse let vs not sin because he hideth his face from our sin for if we abuse the riches of his bountie we shall appeare in our owne colours And put away all mine iniquities The blotting away presupposeth an hand-writ of the law against him wherein his name was put in the count-booke which must be scraped out and taken away which cannot be done away but by the blood of Iesus Christ All. Ye see that one sin calleth to mind many thousands and he is not contented to be acquitted from one vnlesse he be acquitted from all Call to mind all the sinnes of thy life be not at quiet till thou gettest a generall pardon for them all which is to be purchased by Iesus Christ Be afraid to adde new sinnes to thy old Pro. 28.19 Ezech. 8.8 Blessed is he that feareth continually Do as Ezekiel did to the wall of the Temple dig once twice thrice and trie thine heart the more thou diggest the more abominations shalt thou see in that place which should haue bin a Temple to God Verse 10. Create in me a cleane heart O God and renew a right spirit within me DAuid hath prayed already for the remission of his sinnes and hath doubled ouer that petition eight times now he craueth new benefits of sanctification of the holy Spirit of ioy c. In all his peritions he prayeth for spirituall things he seeketh first the kingdome of God He prayeth not for the health of his bodie Those are senslesse of troble who seeke to be freed of the pain thogh not reconciled to God God as hee is a great God bestoweth great gifts but for the health of his soule he craueth not to be rich temporally but spiritually in God Those are sensuall who being fallen in trouble craue no other thing then to be deliuered from their present paine neuer seeking to be recoueiled to God Next he seeketh great things for he is a great God who according to his greatnes can bestow ample gifts as the Ocean plentie of water It stood not with Alexanders honour to propine Diogenes with a small gift We bring small vessels to God a weake faith although we haue great need we thinke that hee is not able to giue great things Our Sauiour Christ could worke no miracles amongh them Mat. 13.53 2. Kin. 7.17 because of their infidelity The Gentleman on whom the King leaned died and was troden vnder foot because he beleeued not the Prophet Thirdly he suiteth importunately and beggers euer speed best at Gods hand The Prophet Elizeus reproued King Ioas that he shot onely three arrowes forth of the window for if he had shot six or 7 times 2. Kin. 13.19 he might haue vâ—terly subdued the Aramites Let vs then pray instantly and importunately vnto the Lord and we may be assured he will heare vs. He prayed before for remission of sius Sanctification followeth remission and now he prayeth for the Spirit of sanctification an inseparable companion with the other For you can neuer be assured that you haue receiued pardon for your sinne past vnlesse Gods Spirit hath giuen you a care to liue holily in time to come Shall you be washen euen now and after puâ—â—le your selfe in the mire Not possible that euer Christ will bestow his blood to wash any whom he denieth to sanctifie by his holy Spirit Create in me a cleane heart O God The worker God the workmanship in me the worke it selfe create the subiect a heart the qualitie a cleane heart O God As in the first creation a man is a meere patient and hath no part of it but God by the parents worketh it God must worke our second creation so God worketh the second creation by his Ministers There is no freewill or preparation to grace or foreknowing godlinesse as these hereticall Iesuits do affirme Work the work thy selfe and take the praise to thy selfe O Lord. Create A man must be twice borne before he can enter into heauen As he is made to the similitude of the first Adam Man must be twice borne and his second creation is more excellent then the first so must he be made to the similitude of the second Adam and the re-creation or regeneration is more excellent then the former For in the first man was wrought out of clay but in the other God worketh grace out of sin What harder to worke vpon then the dust Next he breathed in the dead bodie a soule but here he breatheth in the holy Spirit in mans heart Thirdly in the creation he made man perfect in all his members so in the regeneration all the members of the body and powers of the soule must be renewed and if thou
the conuersion of sinners The word can doe more then any thing Esa 53.1 Rom. 1.16 O the wonderful power of Gods word that it can do that which all the world could not do It is the arme of the Lord To whom is the arme of the Lord reuealed saith Isaias It is the power of God to saluation saith Paul No doctrine can worke faith in man but the worke whereto it perswadeth him not forceth him Conuersio presupposeth auersiō Conuersion presupposeth auersion The vse of the word is to conuert them that are auerted or peruerted as the shepheard bringeth home the wandring sheepe Which cleerly argueth the necessitie of the word and teachers thereof so profitable as without which sinners cannot be conuerted to God for no other instrument can conuert them and they cannot conuert themselues This teacheth Ministers to be diligent in their calling if they would shine as starres in heauen Dan. 12.3 they must labour to conuert sinners Verse 14. Deliuer me from blood O God which art the God of my saluation and my tongue shall sing ioyfully of thy righteousnesse HAuing before so often begged pardon for all his sinnes in generall he now particularly confesseth which of all his sins grieued him most The shedding of innocēt blud Dauids greatest sin which he setteth downe to be innocent blood and therefore he craueth to be deliuered from the burden of it from the terrors of an accusing conscience the cries which it sendeth vp to God This verse hath a petition and a promise In the petition two things 1. of whom he beggeth this petition 2. what he seeketh to be deliuered from blood O God the God of my saluation His doubling and repeating the name of God sheweth vnto vs that he taketh hold on God with both his hands and it declareth his vehemencie and earnestnesse in his suite at God that he might be deliuered from that blood And all his suites he directeth onely to God Foolish Papists God helpe you When he calleth him the God of his saluation he cleerly sheweth to vs that he hath no saluation either of his body or soule but onely of God who will not giue his glory either to man or Angell When he saith My saluation he applieth saluation to himself and doth not imply and infold his saluation in generalitie thinking it presumption to certifie himselfe of his saluation as the Papists say For what comfort can we haue in life or death We can haue no comfort vnles we be perswaded of Gods mercie Dauids petition if we be not perswaded of Gods mercie and fauour not that we presume of our merit but perswading vs of his maiesties constancie and truth Deliuer me from blood His petition is to be deliuered from blood◠both from the guiltinesse which he had contracted by his murder as from the terrors of his conscience as also from the punishment threatned by Nathan that blood should neuer depart from his house 2. Sa. 12.10 and finally from future blood that he neuer fell into it again as God deliuered him from the blood of Nabal by Abigail And this is a great deliuery 1. Sa. 25.33 that we do not euil as we ate commanded to pray Deliuer vs from euil Mat. 6.11 that we commit no sin and when we haue done euill it is a great deliuerance when God freeth vs of the guilt of it the condigne punishment But our greatest comfort is when we are kept from doing of it as Ioseph and Susanna and it is Gods greatest honour when we are deliuered from the punishment which we haue deserued for committing such euils From blood He both committed adultery and murder but he is more touched for the one then for the other Adultery is euil because it defileth and defaceth Gods image in man Murder worse then adultery but murder destroyeth his image And there is no sinne more odious in the sight of God then blood for which cause he banished Cain from his presence Gen. 4.14 Gen. 6.5 he destroyed the first world which was full of crueltie he remoued Saul from his kingdome 2. Sa. 21.1 who slue the Priests and the Gibeonites he remoued the Crowne from the house of Ahab and dogs licked his blood 1. Is◠22.38 Kings should pray with Dauid to keepe them frō the blood of innocents for blood shall be in their house Nota. And often those who liue in blood die in blood and make a bloodie testament according to that of the Poet Ad generum Cereris fine caedet sanguine Discedunt reges sicea morte tyranni The word in the originall is bloods in the plurall number Why called bloods in the plurall number For such is the atrocitie of that sin that one is weightier then a thousand weights of Lead So soon as it is shed so soone doth it defile the shedder as the purple dieth the cloth It seemeth well coloured when it is shed but within a litle time it becometh so thicke and black that a man would abhorre to behold it therefore it is called bloods Leu. 7.27 The Lord in the Leuiticall law forbad his people to eare any flesh with the blood Nota. that the detestation of beasts blood might make them so much the more to abhorre the blood of man wherein his life standeth Blood hath a crie Gen. 4.10 Gen. 4 10. The voice of thy brothers blood crieth Who so shedeth mans blood his blood shall be shed which is either by the iustice or by reuenge and repaiment The auengers of blood are admitted by the law Now mens hands are full and foule with blood The earth is drunken with blood In her wings there is found blood Polluted with blood Lam. 4.14 Bull of blood Ezek. 9.9.22.2.23.27 Blood hath touched blood Hos 4.2 Ioel complaineth of them Ioel 3.19 Mica 7.2 Nah. 3.1 Hab. 2.12 Mat. 23.35 that they shed innocent blood Micah Nahum and Habakuk pronounce a woe to them that shed innocent blood And Christ bringeth together all the blood shed from Abel to Zechariah Mat. 27.8 The Iewes bought Aceldema a field of blood Reu. 8.8 Their feete are swift to shed blood The third part of the sea shal be blood God will reuenge the blood of the Saints Innocent blood is hath bin shal be shed So I see from the beginning of the world to the end thereof innocent blood hath euer bin is and shall be shed but namely the blood of Gods dearest children Sanguine fundata est Ecclesia sanguine creuit leftblank sanguine finis crit Let vs then thinke it no vncouth thing when we see innocent blood shed so abundantly that the streets of Ierusalem are filled and like to be more filled with the blood of Gods Saints And my tongue shall sing ioyfully of thy righteousnesse He promiseth to be thankful vnto God for it becometh righteous men to be thankfull Psal 33.1 Sinne tooke away the
lips which are not employed in the seruice of God that made them to proclaime his praises and double woe to them who employ them to his dishonour for they shall say would God they had bin rather dumbe Nota. and could haue spoken nothing then to haue spoken to the dishonour of that Maiestie which made them Verse 16. For thou defirest no sacrifice though I would giue it thou delightst not in burnt offering NOw toward the end of the Psalme he is bursting forth in thankfulnesse setting downe the sacrifice which the Lord would not haue to wit externall sacrifices and declaring that which he would haue a contrite heart Sacrifices of olde comprehended all Gods worship For the burnt offerings and sinne offerings represented Christs blood The thanksgiuing offerings The vse of the legall sacrifices peace offerings the incense the thankfulnes of the Saints for his benefits and what of all these he was wearied with them when they were not mixed with faith and repentence Nazianzen saith Vna Dei est purùm gratissima victima pectus Then if God delight not in sacrifices which were commanded by himselfe Nota. what careth he for trifles inuented by men of which he can haue no pleasure His delight is not in outward sacrifices at any time if they be alone I will haue mercie saith he not sacrifice Hos 6.6 much lesse doth he respect the sacrifice of the Masse hauing no warrant in his word neither yet of our prayers and praises when we do but pretend religion not serue God vnfainedly Away with all our offerings if we offer not to him that which he craueth chiefly to wit a penitent heart Lorinus obserueth well Sacrificia non operari per se peccatorum remissionem posse sed tantum represent are praefiugare sacrificium illud vnicum redemptoris that is that the sacrifices of old could not worke by themselues remission of sinnes but onely did represent and prefigure the onely sacrifice of our Redeemer Then as he saith truly their sacrifices ex opere operato by the external working of them cannot giue remission of sins What reason then hath he to affirme that the Sacrament of the new Testament conferreth grace by the very externall giuing thereof Lorinus against him selfe seeing that same thing was prefigurated by their sacrifices which is represented by our Sacraments that is Christs blood both in Baptisme and in the Lords Supper Verse 17. The sacrifices of the Lord are a contrite spirit a contrite and broken heart O God thou wilt not despise WHen he hath remoued that which God misliked and refused now he placeth that which God liketh and receiueth that is the sacrifice of a contrite spirit In the plurall number called sacrifices that is this one for all A broken heart is such a heart which is humbled through a sight and sense of sin What a broken heart is For it is needfull that as we haue worne our heart by sinne so our heart should be worne againe by repentance and sorrow for sinne and that we should take paines to subdue our hearts and all the thoughts thereof and bring them captiue to Gods obedience That is that poore spirit of which Matthew speaketh Mat. 5.3 Esa 66.2 Isaias speaketh of the spirit that trembleth at Gods word Why sacrifices in the plurall number This caused Dauid to put the word sacrifices in the plurall number that he might expresse the better that one contrite heart which is the sacrifice of repentance alone suffiseth for all legall sacrifices If he had said that a contrite heart is a sweet smelling sacrifice they might haue excepted the so are many others as the papists do mixe their works with the grace of God But Dauid excludeth purpossie all sacrifices and sheweth that what euer sacrifices God respecteth are comprehended vnder a penitent heart beleeuing in Christs bloud and seeking mercie for the same This sort of people are called mourners in Sion who mourne to God for their owne sinnes and the sinnes of the people who powre out their heart with their teares to God who doe lament for the affliction of Ioseph Oh what cause haue we to lament this day for our sinnes and to breake our hearts for the persecution of the Church in euery place Let our feasting be turned into fasting our laughter in teares Mourne with Ieremiah for the desolation of Sion Nota. A contrite and broken heart thou wilt not despise Here he encourageth the penitent sinner who may be affraied to appeare before the Tribunall of God in regard of the conscience of his sinne and be feared that God will not accept him howsoeuer he be humbled Him here he encourageth God will not despise a troubled heart yea rather he will like it and manifest his skill in healing and comforting it God liketh a troubled heart To which agree all those places in Isaias which comfort the Church those sweet inuitations of Christ to the laden and wearie to come vnto him and to those that were athirst and he that calleth vpon vs will not reiect and cast vs away The Lord is nigh to them that be of a contrite spirit Psal 144.8 Who speake to him in the bitternesse of their soule Iob. 10.1 Crying like the Dragon or Ostrich Mich. 1.8 Who cry wonderfull being ouercomed by the Elephants As Saint Ierome saieth who slay their affections and offer them as a sacrifice to God as the Magdalen Peter other Saints who forsake their former lusts and say with a certaine young man who being temped by an harlot and seeming to be ignorant who she was she said ego sum it is I he answered ego non sum it is not I for he was conuerted by repentance If thou would preuaile with God Pro. 23.26 giue him thine whole heart if thou doe any thing for God doe it with thine heart 2. Chro. 31 21 seeke him with thine whole heart loue him feare him pray to him turne to him Deut. 4.29 obey him with thine whole heart Deut. 10.12 Rom. 6.17 Ier. 32.40 Ioel. 2.12 Psal 119.145 Their heart is deuided saith the Lord of hoste now shall they perish Hos 10.2 God is one and vndeuided and craueth an heart one and whole in affection and rent onely by deiection nothing can breake God but a bâ—oken heart The string can bow the bowe the fire can temper and molifie the steele the goates bloud the adamant and the heart contrite can moue God saith Mantuan in these verses Virga recens Zephyris neruo curuabitur arcuâ— Igne chalybs adamas sangnine corde Deus Finallie obserue that albeit repentance doth make a contrite heart and as I said before we should take such paine on our contrition that we should not let any thought of our heart escape vnrepented mourned for yet the onely hammer which must burst our soules is the word of God The word of God bruseth the heart Simil. which bruseth
the holiest to an account he could finde them euen by their owne conscience guilty of iudgement Thus Christ reasoned with the Iewes taking an argument from their conscience Let him Ioh. 8.7 saith he who is without sinne among you cast the first stone at the woman taking in adulterie The papists confesse that the imperfection of our workes are supplied by Gods mercie but they diuide righteousnesse giuing Christ one part and taking to themselues another who doth not see how farre they erre from the Prophet Dauids confession Why establish they workes of supererogation which is a superlatiue folly if they cannot deserue more then may saue themselues It is a vaine thing to dreame either of satisfaction or satispassion Against merits that either a man can doe enough or suffer enough to satisfie God for his sinne Christ hath satisfied for vs all both the law by obedience and the iustice of God by his suffering who hath closed all vnder sinne that he may haue mercy on all Rom. 11.32 Bellarmine saith well on this place Vide Bellermin Psal 130. Offensio in Deum est infinita magnitudinis The offence done against God is of an infinite hudgenesse that we can neither condignely and worthily satisfie for them yea not acknowledge the grauitie and weight of them 2. How can a finite man make account for an infinite summe to such a God who knoweth the number of them and craueth so exact a reckoning But mercie is with thee that thou maiest be feared He being plunged in the deepthes of sinnes sorrowes is not able to reskew himselfe What he fâ—ndeth not in himselfe or others he sindeth In God Simil. till God relieued him The thing which he cannot finde in himselfe or in any other he seeketh it in God The earth is barren by nature an hard deud and cold element till it get life heate and moisture from heauen the same warmeth and quickeneth it and so it becommeth fruitfull euen so by nature there is neither light life nor grace in vs vntill God send them downe from heauen Wherefore then doe sinners seeke any releefe from beneath Iam. 2.17 Euery good gift commeth from the father of lights Let vs seeke it where it is to be found Luk. 24 5 Why seeke yee him that is liuing saith the Angell among the dead Why seeke we life in the dead world Mercy excludeth merit Rom. 3.28 Mercie excludeth all merits For grace and merits as Paule reasoneth doe fight ex diametro If we be saued by grace then merite is no merite if by merite then grace is no grace To ioyne those two grace and merite with these olde heretiques the Pelagians or with the Semipelagians arch-here-tique papists is great folly for they can no more agree together then fire and water of which of force the one will destroy the other 1. Iam. 5.2 Dagon and the Arke of God or the foote of Nebuchadnzars image composed of iron and clay Dan. 2.43 How mercie is said to be in God and with God Is with thee It is of him and from him as the author and God of all mercies it is in him as a fountaine to be found It is with him lying in his treasurie yea in a word it is himselfe beginning mids and end is ener mercie and compassion Are you in miserie stand you in neede of mercie ye know where to finde it euen in God and with God All the waies of the Lord are mercie and truth Psal 25.10 to them that walke vprightly If thou be sick thou knowest where to haue medicine without mony if poore where true riches are to be gotten if hungry wher food is The mercies of God supplie all the miseries of man There is no miserie in mans nature which may not be helped by Gods mercie and remission of thy sinnes This mercie as Augustine saith is to be found in the redemption of Christ blood That thou maiest be feared The consequent of this mercie is showen in the latter part of this verse that God may be feared But it seemeth very strange that mercy should beget feare Obiect where rather loue by it should be stirred vp in our hearts Solut. I answere the obteining of mercie begetteth both feare and loue a childish feare least we offend him a childish loue whereby to please him When the Apostle saith Charitas expellit timorem 1. Ioh. 4.18 loue expelleth feare he meaneth of a beastlie and slauish feare True loue and true feare are alwaies together Simil. but true loue and true feare may stand both together a child may feare to offend his louing father whom he loueth The end for which God offereth himselfe so peaceablie to man and so ready to graunt him mercie is that he may be feared If men were not assured to get mercie when they repent there could be no worshipping of God or godlinesse and if we had no esperance of grace why should we pray or vse diuine seruice in vaine The papists vnderstand not this ground for albeit they speake largely of the feare of God The papists are miserable comforters yet they keepe miserable soules in perplexitie denying that God will shew mercie vnto them calling it an high presumption that any should assure himselfe of Gods mercie what do they I pray you but build without a foundation for God can neuer be rightly worshipped vnles we haue an assurance of his mercie I wish that those Doctors who obscure the grace of God and teach mens righteousnesse could weigh this rightly Is it not a vaine thing in them to affirme that they would haue Gods seruice and worship aduanced themselues in the meane while obscuring Gods graces and mercies which should moue men most to worship him But the doctrine of grace say they maketh men secure and negligent of good workes Obiect it is true Solut. fleshly men will abuse Gods grace in wantonnesse but it is reasonable that for their peruersitie the glorie of God should be obscured and the elect and faithfull should be defrauded of their comfort Verse 5. I haue waited on the Lord my soule hath waited and I haue trusted in his word Verse 6. My soule waiteth on the Lord more then the morning watch watching for the morning IN these two verses Dauid declareth that out of the faith which he had of the remission of his sinnes sprang forth the hope which he had of the accomplishment both of his spirituall and temporall deliueries for faith must preceede Wherein faith and hope differ and hope must follow and attend vpon that which was beleeued faith and hope are both one in substance they differ in this that faith presently apprehendeth the promises of God and hope attendeth the receiuing of them If a king would giue his word Ex verbo Principis vpon the word of a king he would giue such a token to his subiects whereby he might be sure of that which he promised Simil.
redemption It is called great in regarde of the great maiestie that redeemed vs God eternall Secondly Wherein the redemption of man is great the greatnesse of the price his blood Thirdly the number of those who are redeemed all the beleeuers Fourthly the strong man out of whose prison we are freed Fiftly the graces which he powreth on his Church Verse 8. And he shall redeeme Israel from all his iniquities A comfortable promise with which he concludeth this Psalme assuring the Church that God will redeeme her Since the greatest danger from which the Church is deliuereâ— And wherefrom euen from her sinnes all her sinnes which is the greatest danger euer the Church fell into and the mother of all other euills For what could the deuill hell or wicked men doe to vs without sinne nothing Israel Euery one is not deliuered but onely the Israel of God Onely Gods Israel shall be deliuered Ioh. 1.47 Rom. 2.29 those who are true Israelits as was said of Nathanael in whom is no guile and the Apostles Israelits not in the letter but Spirit From all his iniquities Whatsoeuer they be whether against God our neighbour or our selues they shal be forgiuen and pardoned The ioyfull iubilie is now come which to the Israelites was the 50. yeare and now to the true Israelites it is proclamed euery houre In that Iubilie the lands which were ingaged became free Nota. and returned to the owners but we our selues who were captiues to the diuill are made free and returne to God by redemption of Christs blood yea all our debts and iniquities are pardoned though our sinnes were as crimson Isa 1.18 they shall be made white as snow though they were red as scarlet they shall be as woole though they were as many as the sand of the sea and as heauy as leade we are freed of all by that blood and if of all what neede we seeke any other remedie but that allouerlie We neede not with the Turkes to runne to Mahomet or with the Papists to Saints and images God through Iesus Christ hath taken them all away He who made all cureth all It is his honour he will not giue his glorie to another Our Sunne illumilinateth all the world our Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse shineth to all the world but none are partakers of his light but true Israelites which dwell in the land of Goshen The Lord graunt that we may be such that being illuminated by the light of Christ here we may be conueied thereby through the dangerous wildernesse of this world to the kingdome of heauen where we shall be with him world without end Amen A GODLY AND FRVITFVL EXPOSITION ON THE CXLIII PSALME the seuenth of the Penitentials AT the making of this Psalme as plainly appeareth Dauid hath bin cast into some desperate danger 1. Sa. 24.4 whether by Saul when he was forced to flee into the caue as in the former Psalme or by Absolon his sonne or by any other it is vncertaine Alwaies in this he complaineth grieuoushe to God of the malice of his enemies The substance of this Psalm and desireth God to heare his prayers he acknowledgeth that he suffereth those things by Gods iust iudgement most humbly crauing mercy for his sinnes desiring not onely to be restored but also to be gouerned by Gods spirit that he may dedicate and consecrate the rest of his life to Gods seruice This worthie Psalme then conteineth these three things The parts of the Psalme First a confession of sinnes Secondly a lamentation for his iniurie Thirdly a supplication for temporall deliuerie and spirituall graces to the end of the Psalme Verse 1. Heare my prayer O Lord and hearken vnto my supplication answere me in thy truth and in thy righteousnesse Those pray in vaine who are not assured that God will beare them Heb. 6.11 HEare my prayer O Lord He craueth attention in the first place and prepareth Gods eare for it is in vaine to pray vnlesse we be sure God will heare vs and answere vs for he that commeth to God must first beleeue that God is and that he will reward those who serue him for otherwsie we pray without faith and our prayer is sinne Thus he doth in diuerse Psalmes as in the 102. Psalme 2. and in 5. Psalme and 54. Psalmes By this we learne that the Saints should begin their prayers with a request to be heard so long doth the Lord seeme to men not to heare them and to hold backe his eares and eyes that he heareth not their sutes and seeth not their tribulations as he delayeth to graunt their desires and therefore they craue audience and attention He doth here three times repeate his earnest desire to be heard as in the fift Psalme foure times he doubleth and ingeminateth this same suite to be heard There he desireth God to heare his wordes vnderstand his meditation hearken vnto the voice of his cry and heare his voice in the morning the like he doth here thereby declaring the vehemencie of his affection if any be desirous to haue their suites graunted they goe not slowly about their businesse they doe not vse cold rife wordes Simil. as though they were speaking for a thing they did not care for but they cry as beggers at a noblemans gate who are so importunate in crying that men are ashamed to refuse them Luk. 18. Ged denieth our request because we doe not confidently and earnestly desirs them As the importunitie of the widow moued the false iudge How much more will our heauenly Father by loath to refuse vs yea there is no cause why he disdaineth our suites but by reason we neither confidently nor earnestlie desire them nothing would be refased to thee if thou wouldest beg as thou shouldest do The Spirit would request for thee with sights that cannot be expressed and he that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the meaning of the spirit Rom. 8.26.27 Is it possible that a mother can heare the mourning suites of her childe without mouing and yeelding yea though the mother could forget the childe Esa 49.15 yet God cannot forget vs. Then speake and he will heare be thou not dumbe and he will not be deafe try knocke aske seeke be instant in thy petitions for the Lord is ready to heare all those who seeke him truely instantly and constantly God reiecteth none who desire to be heard neuer man sought to be heard whom God hath reiected and refused In this verse he desireth Ichouah his God to heare hearken and answere Secondly the subiect of his speech and the thing which he desireth to be heard is his prayer and oration Thirdly the maner how he desireth his prayer to be heard in thy truth and righteousnesse When he doubleth his request of hearing he would haue God hearing him with both his eares that is most attentiuely and readilie so instant is a troubled minde he desireth the prayer he putteth
aboue Reu. 22.25 which all Christians should earnestly attend and feruently pray with the spouse Come Lord Iesus The watchman looketh about to see the Sun spread out his beames he knoweth that light doth not come from below We should turne our eies from the world because here is no comfort Nots and looke vnto Christ Iesus sitting at the right hand of the Father with Saint Steuen from whom onely we may expect a comfortable deliuery out of all our miseries Act. 7.56 4. The light commeth in the morning Before breake of day is greatest darkenesse and then the Sunne ariseth and by his beames expelleth the same the light commeth not till the euening The Apostles rowed all night Mat. 14.24 till they were become weary and out of all hope and then Christ came in the fourth watch and relieued them being then in a most desperat case God will come So the Lord although he tarieth to let vs feele our owne weakenesse yet no doubt he will come he dealt this way with Iacob he wrestled all night with him till the breake of day Ge. 32.28 and then blessed him Dauid after he was long pursued and persecuted by Saul 2. Sam. 1. yet at last gat rest and ease Iudg 2.16 The Iewes were neerely destroied by their enemies but God raised vp Sauiours to defend them Dispare not then and disquiet not your selues be not discouraged howsoeuer yee see the Church which is as the Disciples boate tossed to and fro by the waues of persecuting tyrants Mat. 14.23 looke to heauen for the day of her deliuerie is at hand yea that euerlasting deliuerie when the Sunne of righteousnesse shall arise and shine on her for euer she may haue a night for a time but her morning will be most gratious she may be in paines as a woman in trauell for a time but her deliuery will be most comfortable God albeit he seemeth to come serò late yet he commeth seriò in earnest as he did in preseruing the Church in Queene Esters daies Ester 8. By the contrary the wicked may haue a short morning in this world but they cannot escape an euerlasting night in that bottomlesse pit of darknesse Nota. out of which is no deliuerie Verse 7. Let Israel waite on the Lord for with the Lord is mercy and with him is great redemptions After the Prophet hath spoken of himselfe that he awaited vpon the Lord he now exhorteth all the Church to do the same He euer desireth the Church to be a partner with him in any benefite which he obtained from the Lord as in the 51 psalme after he hath prayed for mercy to himselfe he in the 18 verse prayeth vnto the Lord for the Church that he would be fauorable to Sion The like did Moses Daniel Ieremie they all prayed for her weale All should pray for the peace of the Church Dâ—uid exhorteth others to pray Pray for the peace of Ierusalem Such sort of preachers are to be highly respected who night and day powre out their prayers for the peace and welfare of Sion who depend on God and stirre vp others to put their trust and hope in God This did Iosua and Caleb after they had viewed the land Numb 13.31.33.34 giue heart and courage to the people of Israel to goe forward to Canaan whereas the other ten spies discouraged them saying their walls reached to heauen and the people were as the sonnes of Anak When Dauid desireth the whole Church to put her hope in God he recalleth her from alâ— other vaine hopes or putting her trust in any other This should make those who professe themselues to be Christians to blush and be ashamed to put their trust in any other but God I looked saith Dauid vnto the mountaines from whence mine helpe shall come Psal 12â— â— 2 mine helpe commeth from the Lord who made the heauen and the earth When Israel looked to haue helpe fortification and refuge of man then she was disapointed and left comfortlesse in her greatest extremeties Ier. 17.5 Cursed be he who maketh the armo of flesh and blood his confidence For with the Lord is mercie That which he so patiently attended vpon was mercie and that which he desireth the Church to waite for is mercie He repeeteth to the Church the goodnesse of that which he had tasted himselfe that which was needfull to him was needefull to the whole body of the Churchâ— and therefore as he wished mercie to himselfe he wished mercie to the whole Church militant Euery Christian should loue the Church more then himselfe which teacheth euery Christian to loue the Church as well as himselfe yea more and as he would haue health and welfare to himselfe so to procure the same for the Church And with him is great redemption He pointeth out this mercie First By the wonderfull effect thereof redemption Secondly By the qualitie thereof great redemption Redemption is the freeing of that which is in thraldome by giuing of a price What redemption is as the redemption of land presupposeth that it was ingaged for summes of money giuen to the owner and thus folde vpon reuersion or warriours that are taken in battell and ransoned at a price Oh that we would consider the thraldome we are in and how we stand in Gods debt the freedome which we get and the meanes whereby we obtaine the same God gaue vs his golden law and we haue nothing whereby to pay him but the drosse of our merits wherewith we will neuer be able to pay him that summe wherein we are oblished and thus we lie in thraldome Man may be redeemed But heerein is our comfort that we are not solde out at the ground but God hath alwaies reserued to vs a reuersion that we may be redeemed But what is the meanes whereby we are redeemed either it must be by strong hand as Abraham freed Lot or by the gratious fauour of those Ge. 14.16 whose captiues we are as a Master through loue which he beareth to his seruant may set him free or by paying of a ransome The parties were God and the Deuill Gods iustice must be satisfied Sathan must be vanquished or no redemption for vs. This Christ Iesus the sonne of God seeing that blessed seed of the woman and pâ—tying vs became a redeemer for vs by his valour and strength he vanquished that old serpent the Diuil and made vs free from him and by his death he satisfied the wrath of God and paied a ransome for vs euen his pretious blood Mans redemption is by the blood of Christ This redemption then is neither by gold nor siluer but by Christs blood All the world was not able to haue redeemed his blood only was a perfect satisfaction to the Father Lands impignorated become free at the Iubilie and when we are made free from our sinne we may account that the most ioyfull Iubilie that we euer saw Great