granted But as Dauid did here pray againe and againe for mercy and fauour and reconciliation with God and neuer leaue the Lord till we obtaine mercy and fauour and till wee haue got some comfortable perswasion of GODS loue in Christ for the pardon of our sinnes for till wee doe so wee shall neuer haue peace nor quietnesse of conscience wee shall neuer haue sound comfort and ioy in Gods Spirit but euer anguish dolor sorrow and heauines yea either wee shall grow blockish and sencelesse Note or else in the end come to extreame desperation And therefore let vs labour with the Lord ply him with prayers and teares for pardon and neuer let him haue rest til we get one drop of mercie for the pardon of our sinnes Vse 2 Heere we are admonished not to flatter our selues in our sins as thogh no body sawe us As it is the maner of wicked men to say Eccles 23. who seeth mee I am compassed about with darkenesse the walles hide me no bodie seeth mee whom neede I feare And indeede there is scarce one of a thousand that makes any conscience of sinne so that the world do not take notice of it to condemne him But let vs not deceiue our selues though we thinke our selues neuer so secret committing adultery vnder a Canopy or in the darke Yet our owne conscience will reply I see thee and I will accuse thee And then what is a man the better for hauing no bodie priuie to his sinnes when hee hath a conscience within him which dogs him vp and downe in euery corner giuing him no rest Vse 3 This shewes the madnesse of carnall men when they feele the burthen of sinne pressing them and their consciences accusing them what do they runne to God and seeke him no no they runne to their sports and pastime to Cards and Tables to the Tauerne and Ale-house and merrie company And thus they thinke to put off the sence of sinne and to smoother and stoppe the mouth of their accusing conscience Doctr. 2 Marke the thing which thus grieued Dauids spirit Difference betweene the sorrow of the god lie and the wicked vexed his mind namely his sinnes and impieties his filthy sinnes wherby he had grieued his good God and louing Father he did not so much feare punishment as this to offend his mercifull and gracious God Two-fold sorrow Hence then marke the difference of Gods children and the wicked in repentance the childe of God is sorie for sinne because it is sin because it offends God displeaseth him and not so much properly for the punishment yea though there were none yet hee would feare to offend and be grieued for sinne because it is sin and breakes Gods commandements This we may behold in Dauid when he had committed those great sinnes of Adultery and Murder and was reproued for thē by Nathan the Lords Prophet 2. Sam. 12 13. Hee confesseth with griefe and anguish of heart in this Psalme verse 4. I haue sinned against thee euen against thee All the Iudgements which Nathan threatned against him from the Lord did not so much wound him as this that he had dishonoured his GOD. And when hee had numbred his people 2. Sam. 24.10 his heart smote him and hee cried out I haue sinned exceedingly in that I haue done The pestilence did not so much trouble him as his pride against GOD. And the Apostle Peter Matth. 26.75 seeing how grieuously he had sinned in denying his Master Went out and wept bitterly If there had beene neither heauen nor hell neither reward nor punishment yet this vnthankefulnes of his towardes so kinde a Maister would haue caused Peter to haue sorrowed so much as he did And when this godly sorrow is once wrought in mans heart then he beginneth to repent and neuer before The like we may behold in Abraham in Iob in Ioseph c. Genesis 18.30 Genesis 39.9 But wicked men they are grieued for sinne not because it is sinne and the breach of GODS Law but for feare of punishment Exo. 10.17 Pharaoh prayeth Moses to pray for him that the iudgement might be remoued but still he loued his sins so Saul praieth Samuel to pray for him 1. Sa. 15 30. and to honour him but still he would go on in sin Matt. 27.3 So Iudas repented and sorrowed for his sinne because he saw now he should be condemned and so for punishment hee was grieued Acts 8.24 Simon Magus prayes Peter to pray for him but how That none of the Iudgement threatned might fall vpon him Caine mourned exceedingly and cryed out saying Genes 4. My sinne is greater then can be for giuen mee but it was not for his hypocrisie in Gods seruice nor for the cruell murdering of his owne brother nor the sheading of innocent bloud but because of the punishment that God had inflicted vpon him Ahab also humbled himselfe and put on sacke-cloth as though hee had beene very penitent but Elias wrung it out from him denouncing Gods Iudgement against him 2. Reg. 2◠27 Vse Only godly sorrow causes true repētance Seeing this is the difference betweene the godly sorow of the faithfull and the worldly sorrow of the wicked one sorrowes for sin because it is sinne the other because of the punishment onely let vs heereby proue our sorrow Art thou grieued for sinne because it is sinne because it offends God And art thou more grieued for sinne because it grieues a mercifull God then for feare of punishment Yea wouldst thou bee grieued for sin though ther were no hell nor diuell to torment thee onlie for this very cause because it offends thy mercifull GOD then it is a certaine token of thy true repentance and godly sorrow But if thou finde thy heart onelie to bee lumpish and heauy Note in regard of the punishment of sinne in regard of hell and damnation and if it were not for that thou couldest be content to liue and go on in sinne surely then it is but a carnall sorrow it is not a godly sorrow that is only for feare of punishment and this deceiues many a man who thinkes he repents because he is grieued for sin in regard of the punishment But the vilest Atheist and reprobate in the world may be grieued for sin in regard of the punishment as hell fire and condemnation as Iudas Caine c. But the childe of God is grieued for sin because it is sinne and offends God though there were no hell to punish Doctr. 3 Dauid praies that the Lord would wash him Sinne defiles a mā therefore sin defiles and he was made foule and filthy by his sin And to wash him much and to rinse and bathe him to shew that sin had exceedingly defiled him and stained him both in soule and body made him loathsome and therefore he desireth to bee washed and cleansed and purged from the pollution of sinne Sinne defiles the whole mā Hence we may
pollution this shews of what spirit those profane beasts be who being tolde of their filthy sinnes of adultery whooredome and vncleannesse by and by they answere Why what should we doe wee are but flesh and bloud and we see it is our nature to sinne and so thinke by one sinne to excuse an other and by one debt to pay an other tell men of their vnbrideled and vnruly affection couetousnesse anger c. and what is their answere It is their nature to doe so which is all one as to goe about to pay one debt with another and thus they goe about to hide their sinnes We see Dauid sought no such starting holes but rather confesseth he is a masse of sinne and that he is euery way worthy to perish for his sinne and in danger to be damned And therefore let vs take heede that wee doe not so confesse our naturall corruption as to make it a boulster to vpholde vs in our sinnes but rather be humbled for it that our nature is so miserably polluted and labour to haue it reformed and renewed Vse 3 And last of all this may serue to reprooue the extreame folly of those that stand so much of their pedigree as though they were not made of common moulde but euen from the consideration of the greatnesse of their parentage beare themselues aloofe thinking none to be their equalles as though true Nobilitie stoode on this that man descends of man But let not such stand so much vpon the honour of their birth or greatnes of their Ancestors as thogh in these things alone they were happy But let them labor withall to be the sonnes of God by regeneration This is indeed the ornament of their bloud and the finest flower in their Garland And though a man be neuer so noble or great in estate yet if hee be not a repentant sinner and such a one as is truely humble before God he is base and vile and his nobilitie stinks in the nosthrils of God VERSE 6. 6. Beholde thou louest trueth in the inward affections therefore hast thou thou taught me wisedome in the secret of my heart IN the formet verse Dauid had set out the grieuousnes of his sin by that that he was euen conceiued in sin and so was nothing else but a lump of sin and euen from the cradle was worthy to perish and to bee damned In this fixt Verse the Prophet Dauid proceedeth to set out the grieuousnes of his sin by an other Argument taken from the most pure nature of Almightie GOD who being most iust and holie and most pure can delight in nothing but in that which is pure and holy But hee confesseth that by his sinnes hee had defiled himselfe both in soule and body so as hee was not worthy to appeare in the presence of Almightie God Behold thou louest The meaning of the words AS if he should haue said O Lord my God thou art a most holie God and canst abide no vncleane thing But I euen Dauid once a man after thy owne heart sanctified by thy holy spirit haue marred all and with filthy vncleanenes and adultery as also murder and shedding of innocent bloud haue defiled and stained my selfe both body and scule so as I am now cleane out of order and so foule that I am not worthy to come into thy presence so as instead of that inward purity and sinceritie and that vprightnesse both in soule and body I haue brought out most vgly and cursed fruits of sinne and vncleanenesse Thus be doth still lay open his misery and aggrauateth his sin before the Lord. Doctr. 1 Seeing that Dauid doth aggrauate his sinne by weighing the most pure and holy nature of GOD that can abide no impuritie or vncleanenesse Tru knowledge of God works true humilitie Hence we learne that a man or woman shall neuer sufficiently enough know themselues and their owne misery till such time as they looke vp vnto the most holie and pure nature of GOD all the while we measure our selues by our selues looke vpon our owne goodnes wisdome knowledge vprightnes wee thinke highly of ourselues but if we once lift vp our eyes to the most holy and pure nature of GOD and withall consider how we are swarued from it and be defiled with sin O then wee begin to pull downe our peacockes feathers and to humble our selues in the sight of GOD Iob hee had a long time stoode vpon his owne goodnes and vertue but after the Lord opened his eyes to see the most pure and holy nature of GOD and his owne vilenesse hee crieth out O Lord thou I know canst doe all things Iob 43.1 2 c. no thought is hid from thee I haue spoken things I knew not I haue heard of thee by the hearing of the eare but now wine eie seeth thee Therefore I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes Paul saith of himselfe Before the Commandement came I was aliue Rom. 7. A iolly fellow thought well of himselfe but when the Commandement came and hee had gote the knowledge of God namely that he was a holy and iust God then was he dead The people of Israel thought it an easie matter to serue the Lord and were forward but Ioshua aduiseth them to take heede for saith he The Lord is a holy God a iealous God Ios 24.19 and will not pardon your sinnes and iniquities So that by all these it appeareth that the knowledge of GOD as hee is a holy pure and righteous GOD is a speciall meanes to humble vs and to make vs know our selues and our misery and therefore doth the Prophet Dauid prefixe before it this note of attention Behold marke consider it well Vse 1 What is the reason that sinful and miserable men dare bee so bolde to stand vpon their owne goodnes and worthinesse when they come into Gods presence Lu. 18.14 like the proud Pharisie Because they doe not consider with whom they haue to deale with God who is most pure and loueth purity and can abide no impurity Oh if men would looke vp vnto the holy and most pure nature of GOD it would be a speciall means to humble them and to plucke downe their pride then they should see and acknowledge that they are but dust and ashes Genes 17. as Abraham pleading with GOD confesseth and humbles himselfe then they would come with more reuerence and feâ—re and confesse themselues vile and miserable creatures Oh then let vs thinke vpon this with Dauid Iob Abraham when we come into Gods presence to humble vs that wee may come with great preparation and looke vnto our feet and affections that we may remember wee come not into the presence of an earthly king but of the euer-liuing GOD as that we thereby be not brought to conceiue too well of our selues as many men doe Thou louest truth in the inward affection Doctr. 2 HEnce marke that a sound vpright and sincere heart is that the
Lord loueth well and taketh delight in and without this all that wee doe is loathsome and abhominable This honest and good heart our Sauiour CHRIST commendeth in Nathanael Iohn 1.47 Behold a true Israelite in whom is no guile This true Israelite this vpright heart the Lord loueth it Luke 8.15 and the Lord delighteth in it And the good ground are those which with an honest and good hart heare the word and bring foorth fruit with patience Vse 1 This serueth to cut the combe of all hypocrites and dissemblers who thinke God wil be pleased with outward shewes and colours although they be rotten at the kore like Apples of Sodome the Lord sheweth his dislike of these naughty and dissembling heartes Esay 19 13 This people come neare mee with their lippeâ— and honour me with their mouthes but their hearts are farre from me So the Lord telleth the Iewes Iere. 42.20 They did but dissemble with him in their hearts when you sent mee vnto the Lord to pray for you and that you would doe his will and hit word but now you will doe nothing but the cleane contrary euen after your owne lusts And amongst vs in these dayes there are many hypocrites and dissemblers painted toombs gay without making faire shewes and goodly colours but their hearts are rotten at the kore they are but counterfeit Christians and GOD abhorreth them and hath no liking of them for as hee loueth trueth and soundnesse of the heart so hee hateth and abhorreth all hypocrisie Let all such looke vpon the fearefull hand of God on Ananias and Saphyra Actes 5. who because they would seeme to be religious and somewhat forward to sell their land and giue to the poore because their heart was not sound and vpright but they dissembled therefore the Lord smote them both dead And to shew how the Lord hateth al hypocrites and dissemblers CHRIST in the foure and twentiâ—h chapter of the Gospel of Saint Mathew and the one and fifty verse saith All vile sinners shall haue their portions with hypocrites because of all men hypocrites shall haue the greatest measure of torment and condemnation Vse 2 Seeing that the Lord loueth and delighteth in trueth and sinceritie of the minde and affection let vs be carefull all our dayes to get a sound and vpright heart voyde of all hypocrisie and dissimulation so as iâ— all things wee finde our heart sound and sincere in all the dueties of thâ— worship of God in speaking hearing praying yea in all things Now this vprightnes and soundnes of thâ— heart will appeare as by many other things so by this when a man iâ— carefull to please God and to shunne sinne in priuate as in publique in secret as abroad and making conscience of sinne although no man nor Angell could accuse him of it then is it a signe his heart is sound and vpright But if thou finde that in secret thou daiest commit those sins which thou wouldest bee loath to commit abroad in the sight view of others it is a signe thy heart is not vpright with God Oh then let vs labour to get this honest and good heart this soundnes and sinceritie of our affections this truth in the inward affections Actes 15.9 which will bring peace vnto our soules and make all we doe acceptable when our heart is purified by faith When the Lord describes a blessed man he shewes who it is Euen in whose spirit there is no guile Psal 32.2 And whatsoeuer a man doth though neuer so excellent and glorious in the eyes of man though a man could â—peake with the tongue of Men and Angells could pray neuer so excellent for wordes or matter yet if the heart be not sound but hollow and full of hypocrisie all is not worth a button whereas if the heart be sincere and sound purified by faith in CHRIST though men haue many wants and weakenesses the Lord GOD regardeth the truth of the heart Doctr. 3 Last of all A sanctified sanctified heart the greatest blessing of god obserue hence what a singular fauour and grace of GOD it is when we haue sound and sanctified hearts sincere and vpright with God voyde of hypocrisie and dissimulation It is that the Lord so highly esteemes of that hee wisheth most earnestly for it Deuteronomy 5.29 O that there were this heart in them And the Prophet Dauid saith heere that the Lord doth loue Truth in the inward affection And againe Prouer. 11.20 They that be of a froward heart are abomination to the Lord but they that bee vpright in heart are his delight This vpright heart is in none but those that be truely regenerate which haue truely repented of their sinnes and beleeue in Christ Iesus Acts 15.9 Because faith alone doth purifie the heart and therefore those that doe not beleeue and repent can not haue this pure heart And it is such an heart as hath no purpose to liue in any knowne sin whatsoeuer but a desire and carefull indeuour to performe obedience to euery one of the Commandements Vse Well seeing that the Lord GOD so highly commendeth an honest heart and so earnestly desireth and wisheth it Oh how should wee labour for it to haue a sound heart purified by faith in Christ Iesus to carry no purpose to sin in any thing but in all things to please him and to do his will and therefore againe and againe I say let vs locke to our harts that they be sound and that as wee professe our selues to bee Christians in shew so we may proue our selues Christians in the sight of God That he may approue of vs in that we haue sound hearts to walke with our God and purpose in all things to doe his will Iohn 1.48 It is no small commendations that Christ giues of Nathanael that hee was a true Israelite in whom was no guile And nothing indeed doth more distinguish a true Christian from a counterfeit But this trueth and sinceritie of heart Esau Genes 27. can mourne like Ezechias And Ahab can put on sackecloth 1. Reg. 21. And Saul as well as Dauid can say I haue sinned but their hearts were full of Hypocrisie farre from sinceritie before God Doctr. 4 Seeing GOD loueth trueth in the inward affections Sinne is but a lying vanitie we learne where trueth doth not raigne sinne doth raigne which is but a lying vanitie And all those that haue beene in loue with it in the end haue found the same too true Achan through hiâ— couetous desire thought to enrich himselfe by the wedge of golde Iosua 7.25 and the Babylonish garment which hee had purloyned contrary to the Commandemenr of God but it fell our to his owne destruction Ahab rose vp and tooke possession of Nabaoth Vineyard but withall 1. Reg. 21. he purchased the wrath of GOD the destruction of himselfe the ruine of his whole house The like may be said of Iudas who through his couetous desite was led
claw-backes and flatterers who can wincke at their sinnes O! how had it beene with Dauid if the Lord had not sent Nathan to reproue him Vse 1 We learne hence in what a wofull estate and condition those men and women are in that want a faithfull Minister they liue in blindnesse and darkenesse wanting the ordinarie means of life and saluation They haue not the words of eternall life Iohn chap. 6. verse 68. which are the power of God to saluation Rom. 1.16 and therefore are neare vnto destruction It was a fearefull curse when God said to the Apostles Mat. 10.5 Goe not into the way of the Gentiles and into the Cittie of the Samaritans see that ye enter not And to the same purpose the prophet Amos speaketh in his 8. chapter 11 12 13. verses Beholde the dayes come saith the Lord God that I wil send a famine into the land not a famine of bread nor thirst of water but of hearing the word of the Lord And they shall wander from Sea to Sea from the North euen vnto the East shall they run to and fro to seeke the word of the Lord but shall not finde it O that we could consider of these things and lay before our eies what danger it is to want the preaching of the word that thereby wee might learne to bee thankefull for GODS mercy towards vs to be mooued to pitty the desolations of so many of our poore brethren as also to feare the taking of it away from our selues for our vnthankefulnes Great are the plagues and horrible are the ruines of the Church in many places Oh that we had harts to mourne for it and to pray the Lord of the haruest to thrust foorth Labourers into his haruest Vse 2 And surely this is a great plague and iudgement commonly waiting vpon great men that they finde few or none that dare admonish them of their faults or tell them of their offences and so many times are suffered to runne on still in sinne to their finall destruction And therefore let vs account it as a speciall blessing sent vnto vs of God where wee haue some godly Nathan by whom wee may see what is amisse in vs. Wee can giue such a man thankes that will tell vs of some spot in our faces or blemish in our garments And shall wee enuy or maligne him that will discouer vnto vs the spots and blemishes of our soules which doe more soile vs and defile vs then all the blemishes of the body The Prophet Dauid when as hee had now fouâ—d the benefite of a godlie reproofe being reproued by Nathan the Lords Prophet saith Psalme 141.5 Let the righteous smite mee for that is a benefire and let him reprooue me and it shall be a precious oyle that shall not breake mine head And to this end speaketh Salomon Prouerbs 9.8 Rebuke not a scorner lest hee hate thee But rebuke a wise man and he will loue thee The correction of a friend is as the Rod of a Father the end is not to destory but to saue not to ouerthrow but to deliuer from death Vse 3 This condemneth the spirit of pride in most men and women for in these dayes it is come to passe that great personages if Nathan doe tell them of their sinnes of their excessiue pride idlenesse vanities vncleanenesse and the like Oh these hot fellowes are not for their humour they cannot away with them euen as Herod in Markes gospel 6.20 though otherwise hee did reuerence Iohn yet when hee came to tell him of his incest and filthy life then hee must loose his head for it And as Achab said of Micheas I hate him for he neuer prophesieth good vnto mee He is alwayes threatning mee and telleth mee of my sinnes and Gods iudgements So in these dayes Nathan is the odious man of the world men can not brooke this to haue Nathan so busie to meddle with mens sins but men would faine be foothed and dawbed with vntempered morter But if the Lord loue thee hee will fend Nathan to thee to reproue thee for thy sinnes and if thou canst not finde thy heart willing to heare Nathans reproofe as Dauid did it is because thy heart is naught and it is a signe that God will reiect thee and destroy thee Vse 4 Hence we learne how to esteeme of a faithfull Minister namely as the seruant of God Which if it be then Moses must not bee murmured at when he speakes freely and roughly And if Micha resolue of faithfulnes saying 1. Reg. 22. As the Lord liueth whatsoeuer the Lord saieth be it good or euill that will I speake Why should he be hated and fedde with the bread and water of affâ—iction Is it not a reasonable plea and ful of pacification in ciuill messages I pray you be not angry with me I am but a seruant yet when Ieremy the prophet shall say Of a trueth the Lord hath sent me Ierem. 26.15 his feete shall neuerthelesse be fastned in the stockes Nay this consideration should not onely bind men to peace from touching and doing the Lords Prophets harme but also vrge them to haue them in exceeding honour at least for the workes sake which is the Lords who doth acknowledge them co-workers with himselfe 1. Cor. 3.9 Last of all this may serue to reprooue those that beare the office of Nathan yet haue the word in respect of persons who dare not doe their dueties but are afraid of mens faces They would be counted the Embassadors of GOD but they are afraid to doe their Maisters message Let such learne here of Nathan who feared not the maiestie of a King but was faith full in his office Let such learne of Iohn the Baptist who did not shrinke backe but was bold to tell Herod that it was not lawfull for him to take his brothers wife We must not be dastards and faint-hearted souldiors to fight the Lords battell but first be sure wee haue a good warrant out of the word and then go boldly into the field feare not to looke the enemy in the face We are not our owne messengers to doe our owne Embassage but the Embassadors of the eternall GOD when he hath once put his word into our mouthes we must go to those that hee hath sent vs And whatsoeuer he commandeth vs that must we speake Ier. 1.7 8. When God sent forth Ieremy to preach hee armeth him thus Be not afraid of their faces for I am with thee to deliuer thee saith the Lord. Thus hee armeth Ezechiel Ezec. 3.8 9. I haue made thy face strong against their faces And thy forehead hard against their foreheads I haue made thy forehead as the Adamant and harder then flint feare them not therefore neither be afraid of their lookes for they are a rebellious house Doctr. 2 Then hence wee learne that the most effectuall meanes to wound mens consciences for sinne Men must becharged with their speciall sinnes is to charge them with their speciall
before God yet it is impossible to hide it from the al-seeing eyes of the Almighty Dauid had committed adultery closly hee had laboured to hide it couer it by marrying Bethshaba the wise of Vrias but yet alas all his shiftes and cunning fetches could not hide it from GOD he saw it and obserued it and now Dauid confesseth the same Against thee Against thee The like wee shall see in Iosephs brethren when they solde him into Egypt Genes 37.1 Reg. 21. Reu. 2.18 Psal 139. Be as thou seemest so in Iesabel in putting Nahaoth to death so in these dayes men be cunning to commit adultery closly in the twi-light in the darke corner in close and secret maner to lie steale deceiue commit adultery fornication all vncleannesse But poore soules they doe deceiue themselues Or seeme as thou art for thou canst not hide thy sinnes from GODS all-seeing eies night and day is all one to him Yea the Lord doth search the very heart and reines Vnderstanding our very thoughts long before 1. Reg. 8.39 The Lord sercheth al bearts and vnderstandeth euery worke of the minde Againe Psalme 139.2 Thou knowest my sitting downe and my rising vp Thou vnderstandest my thoughts long before There is not a word in my tongue but thou O Lord knowest it altogether And surely when this perswasion taketh place that the Lord is present euerie where and sees all things there doth religion conscience and obedience beginne in that man for hee that hath the Lord alwayes before him will not greatly fall Psalme 16.8 Hebr. 4.13 For the Lord will find out euery transgression though neuer so secretly concealed which may teach vs in all things to keepe faith and a good conscience for although we may delude men yet we cannot deceiue the Almightie Vse 1 This condemns the extreame folly and madnesse of men and women Follie of sinners described who if they can hide their sins from men they care for no more And therefore doe they labour to commit them closely and cunningly but vse all thy skill cunning and pollicy yet thou canst by no means hide thy sins from the cleare sight of God Thou maiest lie Note dissemble and deceiue so closely that no Man nor Angell can detect thee thou mayest commit Adultery in the darke and vnder a Canopie so as no man liuing shal be priuie to it thou maiest steale when none can see thee but all this while Hebr. 4.13 remember that thou standest naked before GOD hee sees thee his all-seeing eyes like a flame of fire pierceth into thy heart and intrailes many men like Gehezi when they haue sinned can wipe their mouthes smoothely and demurely say Thy seruant went no whither But let them remember euer that it is impossible to hide their sinnes from God though they may couer them from men But of this heere-after Vse 2 This Doctrine may serne for an excellent preseruatiue against all secret sinnes for this is the cursed nature of man to abstaine many times from actuall sinnes onely for shame or feare of punishment which otherwise would make conscience of no sinne Oh that such men would remember that though they be out of the sight of men yet they bee in the presence of the Almightie hee sees them and beholdes them euen in the darkest night and in the secretest corner his eyes are like to a flame of fire Reuelat. 2.18 And although men may bleare the eyes of men yet they cannot bleare the eies of the Almightie It would bee an excellent meanes to bridle them and to keepe them from many horrible sinnes which otherwise they would commit For the Lord looketh narrowly vpon vs and searcheth very strictly into vs wee can not haue the least vncleane thought within vs but hee which is most pure doth see and beholde vs hee could discouer Iudas his hypocrisie and therefore called him a diuell He sees againe Nathanael his sinceritie and therefore pronounceth him a true Israelite in whom there was no guile So that they that commit sinne in secret hee that sees in secret will one day reward them openly When Cain Gen. 4.5 brought vnto GOD an Oblation of the fruit of the ground hee had no regarde to him nor to his offering because that the Lord saw the secret hypocrisie of his heart And this is the reason that Dauid vseth to perswade Solomon his sonne to haue a care to learne and to practise the will of God 1. Chron. 28.8 And thou Solomon my sonne know thou the God of thy Fathers and serue him with a perfect heart and with a willing minde for the Lord searcheth all hearts Doctr. 2 When as the Prophet Dauid repeateth the words What sorrow it is that accoÌ„panies repentance The person whom he had offended Against thee Against thee heere marke the extreame sorrow and griefe of Dauids heart that he had sinned against his merciful God what was it that so grieued his soule The shame of his sinne could not for that was not knowne but to GOD onely neither feare of punishment for what man durst be so bolde as to call him to account but that hee had beene so vile and wretched to sinne against his most louing God Dauids sin aggrauated this was the thing that made his heart to bleed which must teach vs all this lesson that whensoeuer we fall into any sin this consideration aboue all other should sinke deepest into our hearts namely the consideration of the person whome we haue offended and that not simply against man but against GOD himselfe And this sin of Dauid is aggrauated in diuers respects First Nathan telleth him that Almightie GOD had giuen him that Kingdome 2. Sam. 12. and the Wiues of his Lord and if that had beene too little hee would haue giuen more 2. Sam. 12. Secondly that Dauid man whom God had so honoured that had taken him from a sheepe-folde and gaue him a Scepter which by his mightie power made him escape the hands of all his enemies and had graced him with the gift of his Spirit Who had made so great proceedings in Religion and the worship of GOD it could not but cut him and wound him at the very heart that he should so fowly fall Thirdly in that his example should bring a great slaunder to the Church of God and open the mouthes of the vncircumcised Philistims to reproach them and reuile them as we see in Shemei Fourthly in that he had by his sins laid open the Church and people of GOD to his iudgements to plague and punish them True note or â—penâ—ance Now from this practise of Dauid we learn that which I taught before namely that the children of God are grieued for sinne because it offends and displeases their mercifull GOD Dauid needed not to haue beene so much troubled for his sin eyther for shame for it was not knowne but to God alone or punishment for none could call him to account but that â—ee
had offended his mercifull God â—nd louing Father it did torment and vex his conscience exceedingly so euery childe of God that truly repents of sinne he is more grieued for sinne because it offends God then for feare of shame or punishment As wee see in Dauid Psalme 119. I haue hid thy word within my heart that I might not sinne against thee The like wee may see in Ioseph Gen. 39. when hee was tempted to lewdnesse by his adultresse Mistresse his answere is worthie to be remembred of vs How can I doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God The wrong that hee should haue done vnto his Maister did not so much preuaile with him as that he knew he should sinne against GOD And the like may bee said of Peter Matth. 26. Who remembring how kinde and louing CHRIST had beene to him euen to pray to his Father for him when Sathan desired to buffet him That tolde him Matth. 16. That the gates of hell should neuer preuaile against him The looking backe of this his Maister wounded him to the heart that hee should sinne against him so cowardly to deny him Vse 1 Well seeing this is the nature of true repentance of godly sorrow and remorce of conscience for sinne that the childe of God is grieued for sinne because it displeaseth GOD his most louing and mercifull Father as in Ioseph Dauid the Prodigall sonne c. let vs labour to sinde our hearts thus affected that wee can mourne for sinne because it is sinne and offendeth GOD our louing Father though none knew of it nor could accuse for it nay although there were no hell nor Iudgement to condemne vs yet that wee sinde our hearts wounded for our secret sinnes for our close sinnes and hidden corruptions because wee know they offend our most gracious God and louing Father Let it be farre from vs to say with Pharaoh Exod. 5. Who is the Lord that I should be afraid to sinne Oh! know O man whosoeuer thou art that exaltest thy selfe in this manner to sinne with a high hand against the Lord That the Lord is as a consuming fire It is hee that drowned Pharaoh for all his pride Exodus 14. It is hee that made Ierusalem a heape of stones Matth. 29. It is hee that sent lice vpon Herod Actes 12. and fire vpon Sodome Genes 19. Learne therefore to know God aright And it will make thee quake and tremble to sinne against him Vse 2 This sheweth that most mens repentance is but counterfeit and vnsound for were it not for seare of shame and punishment they could be content to commit sinne to liue in sinne from day to day as Potiphars wise tempted Ioseph continually to sinne and vncleanensse Genes 39. alas shee thought not that GOD should see or beholde it But whatsoeuer thou arte vnlesse thou finde thine heart humbled for thy close and hidden sinne and secret corruption I tell thee thou art not truely humbled the veriest beast and Atheist that euer liued may confesse his knowne sins and in regarde of the shame and punishment be sory for them Exo. 20.17 1. Sam. 15. Matt 27.3 Actes 8.25 as Pharaoh Iudas Saul Simon Magus c. but heere is godly sorrow which brings repentance neuer to be repented of to be grieued for sinne though wee should haue neither shame nor punishment seeing it offendeth a gracious and mercifull God A simile as we see two children one is a naturall louing and duetifull childe and hee is loath to offend his father though he neuer corrects him because he sees his father kinde vnto him An other that is of a froward nature hee is loath to sinne before his father for feare of the whip and therefore out of his fathers fight he will play his prankes Doctr. 3 In that Dauid thus laies open his sinne A penitent person neuer excuses his sin though it was secret and doth aggrauate it wee learne that he that truly repenteth of his sinne will not excuse it mince hide and cloake it and seeke starting holes to conceale it But he will truely and humbly acknowledge it lay it open and make it manifest vnto God hee doth not blame the folly of the woman nor by any meanes seekes to hide his sin but laieth it open before the Lord Against thee haue I sinned so it is the manner of GODS children that doe truely repent to lay open their sinnes in the worst vilest maner to make them greater not lesser Vse 1 Well then this doth shew that those men are not truely humbled Note of a wicked maÌ„ neither yet haue truely repented that doe seeke starting holes for sinne I am not alone if I goe to hell I shall haue more company It is but the fashion and if I doe no worse then sweare by faith troth c. the Lord I hope will pardon me This excusing and cloaking of sinne is a signe of a naughty and dissembling heart that that man or woman is nor truly humbled as they should we see this in Saul he was so farre from aggrauating and increasing his sinne that he found out many excuses 1. Sam. 15. Matth. 15. The people did it and it was to offer Sacrifice So the wicked at the day of Iudgement are so far from confessing their sinnes that they excuse them so tâ—at it is a note of a wicked and gracelesse heart to excuse sinne to hide it and couer it Pro. 28.23 and he that â—oâ—n so shal neuer finde mercy Against thee Against thee only haue I sinned IT may heere bee demanded how Dauid could say that he had onely sinned against God Did he not sinne against Vrias his faithful seruant and louing subiect first in committing adultery with his wife and then in causing his innocent bloud to bee shed How then could Dauid say heere Against thee onely haue I sinned I answer First Dauid had sinned indeede against Vriah and that two maner of wayes first in his wise not in his goods for then perhappes hee might haue made amends but taking his wise out of his bosome as Nathan telleth him hee could neuer make a recompence when Abimelech a heathen King Genes 20. did ignorantly take Abrahams wise into his house when hee knew the same although he defiled her not gaue Abraham a large gift for satisfaction What satisfaction then might Dauid giue being not a heathen man but a Prophet of the Lord who witâ—ingly takes the wife of Vriah and defiled her Secondly besides his wife he taketh away his life also The Diuell could say Iob 2.4 Skinne for skinne and all that a man hath will hee giue for his life yet as precious as a mans life is vnto him Dauid addeth this iniurie to the former taking away his life also Againe Dauid sinned not onelie against the husband but against the Wife also corrupting her chaste minde and alluring her vnto follie And vnto this sinne committed against Vriah and his wife I might adde the sinne