wayes There are many profane men in the world who think it not enough to commit sinne with greedinesse but will boast of their sinnes when they haue done them teaching and alluring others to commit the like iniquitie these are but like vnto These are like beasts dogges and other such brutish beasts who when they haue auoyded their dongue turne about their face vnto it delighting in the scent therof and yet blinded man will glorie in such a beastlie quality But what are these wayes Some wayes of God are vnsearcheable these a man should not learne Leuit. of God which Dauid sayth hee wil teach Som of Gods waies are vnsearchable of these wee should beware neyther to teach nor learne that which God first hath not taught vs. But there are other of his wayes which hee hath manifested as the way of iudgement whereby he walkes stubbornly against them that walke stubbornly against him going farre from them that depart from him and the way of mercie wherin he shewes himselfe vpright Psal 18. But the way of iudgement and mercy we should both teach it to others and learn it our selues with the vpright man comes neere vnto them who with a humble contrite spirit draw neer vnto him These are thy wayes O Lord which I shall teach saith Dauid when I shall learne them I haue learned the way of thy iudgment I haue felt thou art terrible to sinners and that it is a fearefull thing to fall into thine hands let me also feel thy sweet mercie forgiuing my sin then shall I teach the way of thy mercy to sinners also shall let them know how gratious thou art how ready to forgiue what they must doe if they would be receiued into thy fauour All the wayes of GOD are vnknowne to men by nature The way of Gods mercy naturally is vnknown but especially the way of his mercie Nature could neuer haue dreamed of that way of mercy which God hath discouered it surpasseth all light that is in nature if God had not reuealed it man should neuer haue knowne it Experience may confirme this for we see it is an easie thing to instruct a man in the knowledge of Gods power prouidence iustice and all but to bring a sinner to the knowledge and assurance of Gods mercy is a difficult thing It is easie to preach iudgement by the Lawe not so to perswade mercy by the Gospell this is the highest and most difficult point of a Pastors calling And sinners shall be conuerted vnto thee Marke the wordes Conuersion of a sinner is Gods worke of Dauid I saith he shal teach and they shall bee conuerted When the conuersion of a sinner is ascribed to man we must vnderstand hee is not the worker but the instrument of it He shall not want his owne recompence For they who conuert many to righteousnesse shall shine like the starres in the Firmament But the glory of the conuersion is proper to the Lord men may plant and water but God giues the increase Paul preached at Philippi but God opened the heart of Lydia Peter preached to Cornelius and his kinsmen but the Holy Ghost brought downe the vnction which made them Christians Repentance is a worke full of miracles it makes the dead to rise the blinde to see the dumb to speake and who can worke these but the Lord Vera Sanitas Macar hom 44. Repentance a worke full of miracles à Domino solo proficiscitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As one sheep cannot heale another but their health commeth from their shepheard so the true health of our soules cometh from the great Pastor and Shepheard of Israel Qui Leones mansuefecit igni vim adurendi ademit c. Hee that tamed the Lions restrained the fire from burning hee it is that must tame our wilde affections and moderate the fire of our desires Let Preachers when they goe to any such worke require the helping hand of the Lord to work with them and let people answer and pray with Ieremie Conuert vs Lord and we shal be conuerted As sinne averts man from God so it peruerts him repentance An vnpenitent sinner is a peruers and monstrous creature and how by the contrary turnes a man to God againe and rectifieth all that is in him An vnpenitent sinner is a peruerted or monstrous creature for in him that part is vndermost which should be aboue The soule that came from heauen cleaueth to the dust by his body which was made of the earth he can looke vp to heauen but in regard of his soule he is but earthly minded Againe hee hath his face where his back should be and by the contrary the world which should be behinde him is euer before him the price of the high calling of God euen the riches of that glorious inheritance which should bee before him he casteth it behinde his backe and hath no thought of it And where a wise man hath alway his heart at his right hand Eccles 10. That is set vpon best and most necessary things this foole by the contrary hath his heart at his left hand busie about vaine vnprofitable things neglecting that one thing which onely is needfull And lastly hee hath that without which should be within for he should be more beautifull within then without But the best sight ye will see in him is that which is outmost there hee lookes like a painted sepulchre but within is full of rottennesse So confused a creature is miserable man in his sinnes all is disordered in him he is Tartarus a little hell on earth a terror to himselfe a trouble vnto others euer vexed with restlesse and fruitlesse perturbations But from this time by the But by grace he is rectified and renewed grace of repentance hee conuerteth turneth to the Lord his God then a comfortable change and comely order is wrought in him then the body becomes subiect vnto the soule then the affections begin to follow reason and order restored makes him a quiet and peaceable heart by the which he begins his heauen vpon earth VERSE 14. Deliuer mee from blood O God of my saluation and my tongue shall sing ioyfully of thy righteousnesse IN the middest of Dauid can not satisfie himselfe in seeking mercie for his sinnes his promises wee see how he interlaces a new petition for mercie for still he found his conscience pressed with the greatnesse of his sinne and therefore so oft as hee feeles it so oft cals hee for mercy sin is soone committed as I said but the gilt the terror and the secret accusing voice therof not so easily discharged And that now hee discends A generall confession of sinne is not sufficient in particular it is to teach vs that a generall confession of sin is not sufficient we must come to a particular for it may truly be said that he hates no sinne who hates not one aboue the rest the
an alsufficient good the Lord is the all-sufficiencie of the Lord our God and his great power appeares in this It is punishment enough to a man suppose he were Monarch of the world and had all comforts earthly to vphold him to want the countenance of God O It is life to see his fauorable face and death to want it what an infinite good what an all-sufficient Maiestie is hee in himselfe a looke of whose countenance refreshes his creature no comfort can comfort him that wants it as yee may see in Beltasar how did he tremble in the midst of all his pleasures at the sight of Gods anger and here in Dauid who once debarred from the sight of Gods ioyful face for his sins could neuer rest till he got it againe All the sports and delights of his Kingdome could not refresh him Doubtlesse he is an all-sufficient God who liues by himselfe whose onely countenance comforts his creatures and without whose fauour life yea the most honourable life that can be deuised on earth is worse then death But what moued him to The godly feare when they remember Gods iudgements on others fear casting out from Gods presence who had so many both externall and internall testimonies of Gods fauour toward him Out of question the examples of Caine cast out for murthering his brother the example of his predecessor Saul iustly reiected of God did terrifie him left hee for mercilesse murthering his owne seruant and fearfull back-slyding from the Lord should also be reiected He remembred well the example of Gods iudgements on others for their sinnes and his conscience told him within hee was guilty of the like or greater this made him afraid Yet was not his feare without hope susteyned by consideration Yet their feare is neuer without hope if they feare God as a Iudge they hope in him as a Sauiour of God his vnchangeable loue but by the inward consciēce of his own vnfeyned repentance and by the manifold examples of Gods mercie shewed to penitent sinners If Caine was cast out from thy face it was because he sought not thy fauour and Saul was reiected because hee repented not But Lord I haue opened my heart to thee thou seest what griefe is in my soule for grieuing thee by my sinnes thou neuer reiectedst any that from a penitent heart sought thy mercie Quis vnquam venit Sauan ad te confusus abijt Who euer came to thee and went away ashamed Shall I be the first that sought thy face and was reiected Nay Lord Cast me not I beseech thee out of thy presence Thus we see how Dauid at one time Et timet à iudice Bernard sperat à saluatore is both affraid of God as his Iudge and hath hope in God as his Sauiour somtime feare oppresseth his hope but at the length hope ouercometh feare Felix conscientia in qua eiusmodi luctamen And take not thy holy Spirit The vncleanenesse of sinne grieues Gods Spirit from me The Spirit of GOD will not dwell in a polluted soule Euery vncleanenesse diminisheth his presence The Apostle warneth vs heereof when hee saith Grieue not the Spirit And againe Quench not the Spirit Dauid felt it by his own experience and therefore makes he this prayer to God that the grace of his Spirit which was weakened by his sinne should not vtterly be taken from him This is a petition necessary alway to bee vsed vnto God Without the Spirit no fellowship with God Rom. 8. for without this Spirit we can haue no fellowship with God If any man haue not the Spirit of Christ the same is not his this Spirit hee is knowne by his fruits which are Loue Peace Ioy long Suffering Gentlenesse Gal. 5. 22. Goodnesse Faith Meekenesse Temperance Where wee finde the presence of this Spirit by his fruits wee are to cherish him where we find a want or decay of them wee are to pray for them but many prophane men in this age are like these who know not whether there bee such a thing as the Holy Yet prophane men cannot discerne his presence from his absence Ghost or not they neuer felt his presence neyther had they euer experience of his renuing and comforting grace therfore feele no losse by his absence Let them enioy such things as they loue they care not for him because they know him not most like vnto brute beasts to whom pearles and most excellent jewels are What an excellent guest and worthy intertainement the Spirit of God is of no price onely such things as affect their sensuall appetite are pleasant vnto them But how excellent a guest this Spirit is and how worthy to be harboured in our hearts may be gather'd from this proper Epithet which alway is attributed to him A holy Spirit both because in himselfe he is so and dooth also make them holy in whom he dwels What notable effects hee workes in his own children is summarily comprised by Bernard in three Bern. in fest Pentecost Ser. 5. wordes he is Pignus Salutis the pledge of saluation all speaking of saluation without him is but babling hee is Robur vitae the strength of our life without him we haue no ability to any spirituall action and he is Scientiae lumē the light of knowledge for without his sanctifying grace all knowledge whatsoeuer is but darknesse But heere it is demaunded May the spirit of God once giuen Whether Gods Spirit once giuen may be taken from his children or not to Gods children be taken from them I answer there are some of his gifts which may be giuen and taken away againe these are secondary and common such as God giues indifferently to good men and euil So Achitophels wisedome and Saul his gift of Kingly gouernmēt were at length taken from them but there are other gifts which once giuen are neuer taken away againe These are principall and proper communicated only to Gods elect as the grace of regeneration adoption sanctification these graces are crowned with that great grace of Perseuerance The reason whereof is not in vs nor in our stabilitie but in the vnchangable counsell and will of him who loued vs for whom he loues he loues to the end his gifts and calling are without repentance Wee may fall after grace receiued but the Lord puts vnder his hand and raises vs vp againe Because I am not changed therefore ye are not consumed saith the Lord And truely euen at this same time when Dauid makes this praier it is euident hee wanted not this spirit of grace restoring him by repentance after hee had fallen and making him thirst for mercy Nullum enim certius praesentiae spiritus testimonium quam desiderium amplioris gratiae VERSE 12. Restore to me the ioy of thy saluation and stablish mee with thy free spirit THree great euils Three great euils Dauids sinne brought vpon him did Dauid bring vpon himself by
heart and spirit vnto him But least wee should thinke Contrition of spirit many waies expressed in scripture that euery spirit is acceptable to God he addes this epithet That a Contrite spirit is Gods sacrifice or as after he cals it a broken heart it is called by Ioel a rent heart by Esay it is compared to a bruised reed and it is also called a pricking of the heart and a melting heart such as was in Iosiah All which imports none other but that inward vnfained sorrow which is in a penitent soule for offences done against God Then were beasts vnder the As beasts in the Law were 1. bound 2. slaine 3. sacrificed so must our spirits be law said to be sacrificed to the Lord when they were taken from commō prophan vses bound with cords to the horns of the Altar afterward slaine offered by fire vnto God And so is it to be done with our affections if wee minde to sacrifice them to the Lord we must first separate them from their wonted wanderings wee must binde them with the cords of Gods word and lay them downe at the feete of Christ as his captiues by godly sorrow we must slay that sinfull pleasure which was the former life of our affection and then become they sacrifices vnto God But heere the difference is But in these sacrifices beasts offered lost their liues here men sacrificed recouer their liues great for beasts sacrificed vnder the law lost their liues and became dead creatures that they might be sacrificed But we when wee are sacrificed of dead creatures are made liuing wee being dead in sinnes and trespasses then begin to liue when sinne is slaine and sinfull lusts mortified in vs. Oh that wee could remember this that the strife betweene vs and sin is here Who shall slay other if sinne liue we must die if we slay it we shall liue except we binde our affections and deliuer them captiues to Christ they shall binde vs and deliuer vs captiues to Satan And that yet better we may know the quality and valour Three things concurre to a contrite spirit of a contrite spirit let vs consider these things in it first an inward sorrow for sinne which causeth repentance to saluation 1 An inward sorrow not to be repented of Sinne is contracted with carnall pleasure but is dissolued with spirituall displeasure euen as the cause of sickenesse is remoued by medicine which is contrary to it And this godly dolor is not onely profitable to cure sinnes past but also to preuent them in time to come Cum dolemus admissa admittenda excludimus Amb. lib. 2. de paeniten cap. 10. fit quaedam de condemnatione culpae disciplina innocentiae for when wee mourne for sinnes done we close the doore vpon sinnes to be don and the damning of our former faults becomes a discipline whereby we are instructed to amend in time to come Secondly in a contrite spirit there is a great sincerity it is 2 Sincerity without dissimulation that blessed spirit wherein there is no guile no couering nor dissembling of sinne for as in a thing which is brayed stamped the very inward parts of it are made manifest and that which before was with a skin or shel is now presented to the eye of man so is it in a soule truely humbled these sinnes which were secret couered the contrite spirit casts them out and makes them open to God man fearing no shame in the eyes of man if so be it may finde mercie in the eyes of God And therefore said Augustine of contrition that it was Sanitas animarum holocaustum medullarum a health of the soule and an offering to God not of any outward matter but of the inward marrow And thirdly this true contrition is neuer without faith 3 True faith with an earnest desire of mercie which causeth such a vehemēt desire of mercie as maketh the soule of man to long to wait to faint to crie to hunger to thirst for Gods consolation the delay whereof makes the soule of the creature pine away with inward griefe and he becoms like that book wherin Ezechiel saw written lamentations Aug. Ezech. 11. and wo for still he cries Wo is me alwayes til the comforter com and assure him that his sinnes are forgiuen him Now this being spoken of A contrite spirit called sacrifices in the plurall and why the contrit spirit we are to see why hee cals it sacrifices in the plurall number the reasons heereof are two first because this is more worth in Gods eies then all the legall sacrifices though they were ioyned in one this one excelleth them al next because in the contrite spirit are many sacrifices for it strikes the life of euery sinfull affection and so sacrifices many beasts to the Lord Nam si Gregor Moral vis compunctionis in intimis afficit omnis strepitus prauae suggetionis obinutescit for if once the sting of godly compunction touch the heart incontinent the whispering of wicked suggestion is silenced Vnder the law such as wee Nobles and Princes offered As Princes vnder the law multiplied externall sacrifices so now powerfull Christians are discerned by manifold internall oblations 2. Chro. 7. great oblations which far exceeded the offerings of the poore Wee read at one time Salomon offered many thousand sacrifices the common people contenting themselues with the offering of Pigeons and such like more simple sacrifices But now Princes among Gods people in Gods estimation are they who sacrifice most of their sinfull affections vnto him If the Lord should send vs to the bosome of the earth to the deepe bottome of the sea to the vttermost ends of the world to seeke a sacrifice for him wee might most iustly be astonished and specially the poorer sorte whose meanes may not extend to the furniture of so great a sacrifice but now O man since They are inexcusable who sacrifice not to God seeing that which be craues is within them the Lord requires no thing but that which is within thee or at least may be and should be if thou haue not to offer him a contrite spirit a sorrowfull heart for sinne is not all excuse taken away from thee God hath proclaimed to men what is the sacrifice that pleaseth him and if any man offer it not vnto him it is not because he may not but because he will not for in this sacrifice the poore may excell the most rich and honourable men in the world A contrite spirit is called Gods sacrifice because he is the giuer of it And yet further that hee cals the contrite spirit the sacrifices of God imports that he is the giuer of this grace he powers vpon his people the spirit of grace and compassion which causes them to mourne hee takes away the stony heart and giues them a heart of flesh Euen as he prouided a sacrifice for Abraham when hee called him