precise points he shal be generally condemned What then Dauid cast away all such by-respects and Moses forsooke all euen Pharoahs court to abide reproch with Christ Heb. 11. 24 25 26. the Apostle left all and followed him and the Saints alway counted the reproches of Christ aboue the treasures of a Kingdome They so ordered their families that they would not brooke a lyer a swearer a deceitfull person a prophane and scoffing Ismael all must be cast out Oh then we shall shortly doe our worke ourselues But Dauid did so Psal. 101. 5 7. and other of Gods children are we not also counselled Heb. 12. 16. that no prophane person be amongst vs Thus we see that there is no such strictnes but an example therof may be found in the Scripture therefore let the world scoffe and laugh while it will yet the godly must make vse of these examples Thirdly we must hence learne to be ready to speake of our experiences of God to euery godly man that others may learne from vs to trust in his mercie so doth Dauid Psal. 66. 16. Come harken all ye that feare God and I will tell you what he hath done to my soule Thus are Fathers charged to tell their children and the children their children concerning the Passeouer and the stones that were pitcht in Iordan So Hezekiah said when longer life was granted him Isa. 38. 19. The liuing the liuing shall confesse thee as I doe this day the father to the children shall declare thy truth And by this meanes there shall be a succession of men still vpon earth to tell of the mercies of God when we are gone and so while we in our owne persons shall doe it in heauen others by our meanes shal do it on earth Fourthly here is a note to know when a man makes right vse of the Scripture not onely when hee beleeues the storie for so doe the deuils but when he affects it applies it to himselfe mingleth it with faith to make it profitable to admonish himselfe and others by it Hence issue three great benefits First a Christian shall be in no condition but he shall bee able to parallell his estate in some of the Saints hee shall see his owne case in some of them and so shall obtaine instruction direction and consolation by them Secondly wee shall testifie to God and his Saints when our liues shall be exemplarie and conformable to godly precepts and examples Thirdly in the day of iudgement we shall haue all the Saints Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles to witnesse with vs and for vs. In a difficult case a man would giue all hee hath for a witnesse on his side and we in this great assise of life and death shall haue the witnesse of all the godly God shall stand for vs the practices of the Saints shall iustifie our practices if we iustifie their practices here they shall iustifie ours hereafter Euery one that is godly HEre is the person that must pray the godly and euery one of them The word translated godly signifies in Hebrew two things first one whom God sheweth mercy vnto a gracious man in fauor and grace with God so the elect are vsually called vessels of mercy that as a vessell is filled with liquor so are they with Gods mercy Secondly it signifies one that sheweth mercy a mercifull man which is a propertie of a godly man who is like his father mercifull as he is the lionish and wooluish nature is put off and hee is become humble meeke gentle as the Lambe and the little childe Isai. 11. 6. Out of the former consideration wee may note that Onely the godly man is fit to pray or onely hee that hath grace can pray for grace vessels of mercy can pray for mercy and none else Prou. 15. 8. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord but the prayer of the righteous is acceptable vnto him Genes 4. 4. The Lord had respect to Abel and his offering but vnto Caine and his offering he had no respect Now by faith Abel offered a better sacrifice then Cain Heb. 11. 4. First His person was accepted because he was in Christ and then his sacrifice Iames 5. 16. The prayer of the righteous auaileth much if it be feruent Ier 11. 11. Though they crie vnto me I will not he are them What is the reason see it in the tenth verse They turned backe to the iniquities of their forefathers which refused to heare my words c. The reasons of this point are these First he must be a good man that must pray a good prayer a good tree that must bring forth good fruit a bad man cannot make a good prayer for such as the roote is such is the fruit Secondly he only can pray aright that hath the Spirit of prayer which teacheth vs to cry Abba Father this is the Spirit of adoption Rom. 8. 15. neither doth God know any other voyce but the voyce of his owne Spirit Ephes. 6. 18. Pray in the Spirit Yea but it is said Luk. 11. 13. the holy Ghost is giuen to them that aske him therefore hee can pray and obtayne the Spirit that wants him The scope of this place is not to shew whether the holy Ghost or prayer goe before but to shew how those that receiue the Spirit are to be exercised who where he is lyeth not dead or idle in the heart but stirs vp desires and grones vnspeakeable But how can a man pray for the holy Ghost and obtayne him when he hath him already By the holy Ghost is meant first the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost Secondly the inward sense and feeling of him in the heart thus we may pray both for increase of his gifts and for a comfortable sense and feeling of him for neither of them is euer so great but we may still pray for more to haue them increased Shall we not pray for daily bread because we haue bread or shall not we say Forgiue vs our sinnes because wee beleeue the remission of our sinnes yes because we pray for Gods staffe and blessing on the former and a more full and comfortable feeling of the latter Thirdly onely the godly man can pray because hee only hath the promise of prayer all the promises of life in grace and glory are made to godlinesse the promise to be heard in prayer is made to the go dly man Ioh. 15. 7. If yee abide in me and my Word in you aske what ye will and it shall be giuen you How can hee aske mercy that hath no part in mercy or how can he be heard in mercy to whom mercy belongs not Fourthly because onely the godly man hath faith without which nothing can please God this faith assureth vs of that we aske and issueth from iustifying faith see 1. Ioh. 5. 13 14. That yee may beleeue in the name of the Sonne
this admire any teaching but this whereas onely this can make them wise to saluation and only this knowledge hath life eternall accompanying it that is a learned tongue that studieth out cases of conscience and speaketh a word in due season This is the learning and instruction of this Psalme and therefore is worthy all our attention and diligence to carry away the seuerall instructions of it So much of the Inscription VERSE 1. 2. Blessed is he whose wickednesse is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord imputeth no sinne and in whose spirit is no guile This Psalme hath two parts 1. A generall doctrine 1. Propounded in the two first Verses 2. Expoūded in the three next 2. The general vse which is four-fold 1. Concerning prayer vers 6. 2. Affiance in God vers 7. 3. Obediēce to God v. 8 9 10 4. Praise of God which is the end of all verse last The generall doctrine is first set downe in the precept in the two first Verses and secondly proued by example in the 3 4 and 5. The doctrine in the Precept is this That eternall happinesse called in the Text Blessednesse standeth in the forgiuenesse of sinnes Which forgiuenesse of sinnes is set forth by three phrases tending al to expresse the same thing namely the perfect iustification of a sinner in the sight of God whose sinne is here said first to be forgiuen Secondly couered And thirdly not imputed and then amplified by the inseparable fruit or companion of it which is the sanctification of the soule in these wordes And in whose Spirit is no guile First therefore we are to speake of the person and secondly of his blessednesse The person is he whose wickednesse is first forgiuen secondly whose sinne is couered thirdly whose sinne is not imputed and fourthly In whose spirit is no guile VERSE 1. Blessed is he whose wickednesse is forgiuen THe word translated Wickednesse signifieth sinne in an high degree and is in Scripture vsed for disloyaltie or treason to a King disobedience to Parents or Masters perfidiousnes or treachery to such friends as to whom we owe the greatest testimonies of thankefulnesse The second word translated Forgiuen signifieth to bee loosed eased or lightned Wherein is implyed this point of doctrine that Sinne is an intolerable burden which oppresseth the sinner with an infinite weight The Prophet Isay calleth the people of his time a people laden with iniquitie and our Sauiour calling sinners doth it in this forme Come vnto me all yee that are heauy laden Heb. 12. 1. Sinne is said to prosse downe In which sense also the day of sinnes finall destruction is called the day of refreshing and of finding rest to our soules And that sinne is such a burthen it further appeareth by these reasons following First because it presseth downe impenitent sinners into Hell and there for euer holdeth them vnder condemnation nay the weight of it pressed the Angels themselues from heauen who are now held vnder chaines of blacke darkenesse for euer Secondly it bringeth such a burden with it as all creatures cānot stand vnder namely the wrath of God which makes sinne so heauie the which being laid vpon Christ himselfe hee felt such a loade as made him sweat water and bloud Thirdly it is attended with the burden of conscience which it burdeneth with terrors feares accusation and guiltinesse the weight of which is so heauie as Salomon saith A wounded conscience or spirit who can beare all other infirmities the spirit of man can sustaine but this is impossible Fourthly it burdeneth the sinner first with the burden of Gods word which are the curses and threats of the Law and secondly with the burden of Gods hand which are the load of affliction and executions vpon sinners Verse 9. by which he breaketh the wicked and bendeth his children towards their dutie Fifthly as a burden it keepes vnder the sinner that he cannot bestir himselfe in good duties nor walke in Gods wayes But with this difference the wicked moue not at all the godly but weakely they feele it not nor complaine these grone and sigh and cry out Oh who shall deliuer me the good I would doe I cannot the euill I hate I doe And if the sinnes of the godly repented of be so heauie what are the sinnes of impenitent sinners There is no libertie in sinne but bondage it bindeth to the curse to guiltinesse horrors shame and sorrow none are such slaues as sinners and yet they thinke there can be no freedome but when they may doe what they list and are indeed the sonnes of Belial that is men lawlesse or without yoke but by such Libertine courses they lay the most heauy yokes vpon themselues all the Mountaines in the world wil be nothing to their burden Labour to feele this burden which is heauier then all the grauell on the Earth and sand in the Sea Neuer a one here present but we are laid vnder the burden of Adams transgression vnder the weight of our owne corruption originall and actuall sinne vnder the burden of the wrath of God of accusing consciences of Gods curses threatned and executed bound hand and foote as men ready to be pressed to death are wee senselesse and feele none of this weight If a man lay vnder an hundred or six hundred weight and neuer felt it nor groned nor struggled to get from vnder it he is a dead man so hee that carries the burden of his sinnes and feeles no danger no bondage grones not vnder the Law of his members is senselesse of his imperfections and corruptions this man is dead while he liueth as Paul speakes of widdowes laden with lusts and liuing in pleasure so this man abides vnder death till this houre What is the reason then that the most men neuer feele this burden neuer felt doubting nor trouble of conscience nor torment of heart they loued God euer they haue grace at will they serue God as well as the best they beleeue strongly they want no oyle in their lamps they would be sorry to be tempted as some are to bee so mopish and pensiue they haue peace in their consciences The reasons are First because they are dead without the life of God and grace without sense and feeling of this heauy burden which is felt onely by grace not by corruption and according to the measure of grace is the measure of this sense the lesse sinne is felt the lesse grace and so mayest thou accordingly iudge of thy selfe What is the reason that men can cry out of the stone in the reines but neuer or seldome of the stone of the heart but because they haue naturall life which affects them with the sense of the one but want supernaturall life which should strike them with the sense and paine of the other A spirituall burden no maruaile if it bee not felt of them that are all flesh destitute of the spirit Secondly
this eye in the regenerate to discerne more euidently the owne estate giuen it a voice to follow the sinner with hue and cry to make him pronounce the sentence of guiltinesse and death against himselfe and all this is to iustifie God in any iudgement he brings vpon vs and to glorifie him when he brings vs out by any deliuerance But as for the wicked the eye of conscience in them is dazeled or quite put out and lets them goe on to their condemnation Fourthly a godly man must become his owne greatest enemie in confession of sinne because grace must carry a man further then nature can doe nature can make a man hate sinne but other mens rather then his owne Gen. 38. 24. Iudah thought whoredome worthy of burning as it was the custome in those dayes in his daughter in law Thamar but not in himselfe when the tokens he had left with her were brought forth then hee could confesse she was more righteous then he then away with burning whereas if shee were worthy to be burnt then much more he But grace looketh rather vpon a mans owne sinnes then anothers accounting them more venemous poysonfull odious and hate-worthy then anothers We hate all Serpents deadly yet not so much those in another countrey as these in our owne nor one that is ten foot off as that that is hard by the neerer he is the greater is our antipathie and hatred against him Now seeing euery sinne is a Serpent therefore we must hate euery one but that more especially which is neerest and vpon our hands as the Viper vpon Pauls to shake it off as he did To come now to the Vses First this lets vs see what is the nature of sinne whatsoeuer men conceiue of it they thinke not of it as of sinne if it haue either profit or pleasure with it but hold and hugge it as a sweet morsell vnder their tongue they conceiue a great sweetnesse in it whereas indeede it makes a man his owne greatest enemy If hee neuer repent it is an intolerable euill but if hee doe repent he sees that the sweetnesse of it is bitter inough such as makes him say that the pleasure of sinne is very deare and bought at too high a rate A man can bewayle any outward commoditie being lost and say as Iaacob did I haue lost this and this child all these things make against me So I haue lost such and such commoditie all these make against me but where is the man that can say Loe my sinnes these are they that make against mee But let the wise bee perswaded neuer to thinke of sinne as of a friend to fall into too familiar acquaintance with it but know that it is such an enemy as thy selfe must bee thine owne greatest enemy for it or else God will Secondly must a man set himselfe against himselfe in his confessions then this taxeth the practice of many men First of sundry who will neither deny their sinnes nor yet confesse them They wil not deny them for shame because it is against their knowledge conscience they should seeme to pull the Sunne out of heauen and deny the light of Nature if they should say they do not sinne and as for confession they will confesse none though neuer so sinfully done they deale gently with them and are loth to fall out with their friends faults they will confesse them and ouersights and infirmities which euery man hath sinnes of weaknesse though indeede of wickednesse such as are done by the strength of corruption neuer resisted Thus through ancient acquaintance they cannot leaue them they looke so amiable and louely thus they flatter themselues in sinne but if euer such come to be reconciled to God againe they must put on another person and deale in earnest against them before they can see God friendly in the pardon of them they must call a spade a spade that is confesse sinne to be such as indeed it is If the question be what is the vilest thing in the world The answere must be These sins and Who is the vilest person liuing the answere may must be Themselues Secondly others haue set colours on their sinnes that they might neuer see the hatefull and ougly face of them as First anger and hastinesse when a man is all on a sudden flame and burnes all about him for no iust cause What will he say Why it is but spirit or at worst heat of nature and he cannot do withall it is soone past ouer Well an enemy to his sinne would conclude it to be spirit indeede but an euill one and an heate which is kindled from the fire of Hell Secondly excessiue pride though men out-runne their degrees and out-weare all fashions in attiring themselues most immodestly so that a man may read in broad letters and great characters the lightnes of a light mind yet they say it is but ornament or complement or at worst the fashion An enemy now to sin would esteeme it as indeed it is a fashion vnbeseeming such as professe mortification a fashion whereof the Apostle saith Fashion not your selues according to this world and not maintaine them with Principles drawne out of the Diuels Catechisme Thirdly prodigality is but kindnes of nature couetousnes but frugalitie drinkings after the maner of the Gentiles but societie humanitie Impudency and complement but good education Luke-warmnes in religiō but good discretion policy and though Christ gaue himselfe to purchase a people zealous of good works yet it is thought a mans praise to be no meddler and to be zealous is counted nothing but to outrunne the bounds of godlinesse Thus Satan had taught the world a tricke to harden mens hearts and hinder them from sound peace and repentance Thirdly others so tender their names in their publike sins which are as manifest as a nose on a mans face as we say as they shrinke from shewing themselues in open confession against themselues and that when Gods glorie and the good of the Church yea the peace of their owne consciences calls for confession But farre are they from the affection of a zealous heart which would make them turne against themselues and their sinnes in returning to GOD. This would haue thought that Dauid should haue had more care of his credit then thus to rip vp his sinnes but Dauid was of another minde then they Fourthly those truely so called Puritanes and Catharists that need not repentance being whole men in full conformitie with the image of GOD so deifyed that they cannot sinne These are to bee branded with that odious name of Puritanes and not they that confesse their sinnes and labour to preuent them for time to come And Papists rather are true Puritans who say they fulfill the Law and need not say Forgiue vs our debts because GOD is rather indebted vnto them by their workes of supererogation let men lay the vile reproch of Puritanisme which is an
of God and this is the assurance that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs. Faith is an hand or arme by which wee lay hold vpon blessings if once wee bee perswaded that God hath giuen vs Christ wee will easily beleeue that hee will giue vs all things with him for he that giues the greater will not denie the lesse Our Sauiour when diseased persons came for bodily health or ease was wont to say According to thy faith be it vnto thee so in all our requests the presence or absence of faith giues our prayer returne according to the weakenesse or strength of the arme of faith so is the coldnesse or abundance of comfort to our heart so that faith onely giues taste and rellish to the prayer which a beleeuer makes Fifthly Christ in his prayer teacheth vs to begin with Our Father teaching thereby that he must call God Father who must pray acceptably and that includeth sundry child-like affections all concurring in a rightly disposed person to pray as first Reuerence and feare when hee comes before his heauenly Father A Sonne honoreth his Father If then I bee a Father where is mine honor and feare Malach. 1. 6. Secondly a child-like boldnesse comming through Christ to a Father full of mercy and compassion pittying his children more then earthly parents can Isa. 49. 15. By Christ we haue boldnesse Heb. 4. 16. Thirdly loue to God as to a Father for a godly man seekes not himselfe in prayer but Gods glory with his owne shame Fourthly charity and loue to our brethren for when wee come into the sight of our Father wee dare not bring prayers in one hand and malice in another but pray Forgiue vs as we forgiue Sixtly onely the godly man can pray acceptably because hee alone hath remoued the barre and partition-wall that stood betweene God and him bringing repentance and godly sorrow for sin with him The blinde man could say God heareth not sinners that is impenitent ones but hee heareth those that are repentant Psal. 66. 18. If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare me Incense in the Law was a type of prayer yet in Isa. 1. 13. the Lord tells the Iewes who came in their sinnes that incense was an abomination vnto him God hates our incense our prayer if we come with prophane hearts as they did he neither receiues it from vs nor we any good thing from him but a godly man hath remoued this rub First Note hence the miserable condition of an impenitent sinner and of an vngodly man that is without remorse and wallowes in vnconscionable sinnes hee cannot pray he neuer prayed in all his life he was neuer in mercy heard in his prayer but loseth all his labour and well if it were no worse for all his prayer is turned into sinne his prayer is abominable Prom. 28. 9. as often as he went about to pray he did nothing but multiply sinne against God he mumbled vp a few prayers and fared accordingly If this be so then it seemes vnlawfull for the wicked to pray if he pray not it is condemnation if he pray it is no lesse He is bound to pray but not to sinne in prayer in the second Commandement hee is inioyned to bow downe and worship God in prayer and the third bindes him euer to doe it well lest he pray in sinne and so take Gods name in vaine Alas then what must he doe only the grace of repentance can reconcile these two and draw the sinner out of this maze and make him pray aright Yea but God heareth the wicked often-times and granteth what they aske as peace vnto Ahab vpon his humiliation God heareth what a wicked man saith in prayer and yet heares not his prayer no not when he giues the same thing that he asketh for first all that the wicked get from him is externall and common to good and bad but no one fauour of speciall grace Secondly he giues them euen that in wrath and vengeance not for their prayers sake Thirdly when they aske things good in themselues and euill for them not knowing to vse them aright hee granteth in iustice what it had beene mercy to haue denyed as contrariwise hee heareth his children in mercy denying them that which they haue sinfully asked Fourthly that which he giues shall turne to their woe and miserie and shall but heape coles vpon their heads euen wealth prosperitie and dignitie all shall but make their sinne out of measure sinfull whereas all things shall worke together for the best to the godly euen crosses and afflictions Fifthly God giues nothing but by vertue of the promise no promise but is by Christ a wicked man hath no part in Christ and therefore neither in the promise a plaine case Sixtly neither is the wicked mans prayer a meanes of granting the request or obtayning his desire so as God stil heares not his prayer for how can that prayer finde accesse or acceptance which is not preferred in Christ but they are fed onely by a generall prouidence as the beasts are Psal. 14. 4. The wicked man calls not on the Lord that is either prayes not at all or as good he did not Let this be a motiue to further our repentance for else if a man vtter neuer so many words of prayer God will not heare him how iust is it that he that will not heare God when he calleth should not be heard of God when hee calleth that he that is a prophane mocker of God God should mocke him in his destruction that he that turnes his eare from the Law should haue Gods eare turned from him that he should aske and not receiue that asketh amisse How iust was it vpon the Iewes who were cruell and of bloudy hands that God should hate their persons and prayers and is it not as iust that vnmercifull men Oppressors Vsurers Ismaels Quarrellers whose hand is against euery man and euery mans against them hard-hearted persons that stop their eares against the cry of the poore that they should cry and not be heard Surely the sentence is passed already that iudgement mercilesse belongs to him that shewes no mercy Secondly this doctrine ouerthrowes the idle conceit wherewith numbers of men delude themselues O if they haue but time at their death to say Lord haue mercy then they shall doe well enough though all their life they cast off all care and counsell But what Is the godly man he that shall pray and find mercy and shall prophane wretches that haue set their faces all their dayes against heauen thinke to bee heard in the day of their distresse and death How canst thou then claime any one promise and much lesse all when thou neuer keptest the least condition of faith and repentance How then shall God be iust who hath said that he will laugh at such when their sorrow commeth Besides we must obserue a
because they looked for a better resurrection This serues to comfort the godly in their troubles that they shall be preserued in them and from them the gates of hell shall not preuaile against them First Satan the Red Dragon may create them trouble so that they shall want no molestation that he can procure them but hee cannot hinder their deliuerance nor without leaue hinder their peace no nor touch an haire of their head Secondly the wicked of the world will see they want no tryalls or vexation but on the contrarie GOD will see they shall not want seasonable deliuerance for Psal. 37. 8. hee will not leaue him in his hand and although such is their imbred malice that they would neuer take off their rods from the backes of godly men yet God will not suffer the rod of the vngodly alway to lye on the lot of the righteous Psal. 125. 3. Thirdly their owne sinnes beset them hard and so dismay them as though they should neuer get freedome and this is the strongest band of all which tyeth them to trouble and all other troubles were but a play so that the heart were perswaded of the pardon of sinne as the Saints in sicknesse of conscience can confesse but sinne shall slay the vngodly as for the righteous the promise is Psal. 34. 24. Though they fall they are not cast off not that their sinne doeth not deserue they should but because the Lord puts vnder his hand and reneweth his grace to raise them to repentance Secondly this may teach vs not to condemne the state of Gods children when they are in trouble For either in darknesse they see light when God stablisheth their hearts with inward peace or patience or supplyeth strength or lightneth their burden so as they can cheerefully carrie it or at least with Iob after darknesse they see light If in Winter when we see the heauens blacke the clouds bent to stormes and tempests windes roaring waters raging the earth couered with frosts cold and snow and barrennesse or deadnesse were it not madnesse to say that there would neuer be any summer againe that the yong springing corne couered with such stormy and winterly weather and lying buried vnder the cloddes should neuer reuiue againe and grow vp to the haruest or that the frost-bitten rootes and blasted blades should neuer spring forth to flower or seed No man is so mad as to condemne summers fruits because of the winters stormes and barrennesse This present life is the winter of Gods children wherein the seedes of grace lye hid and couered vnder the clods of heauy afflictions disgraces and a number of tryalls shall we now condemne and curse the life of Gods people here and their summer fruits to come in the haruest because the fruits of grace and the glory of their resurrection are couered and hid vnder persecution affliction and tryalls Wherein we meet not only with the generall misconceit of vngodly men but euen of the godly themselues who sometime with Dauid think their owne estate most infortunate and are ready to slip to see and compare the wickeds outward prosperitie and happinesse with their owne vnhappinesse and apparent miserie whereas the Sanctuarie telleth them of the end of both and so quieteth their hearts Thirdly this serues to teach the godly their dutie First to set before them in their tryalls these three things First the commandement of God Psal. 50. 15. Call vpon mee in the day of trouble Secondly the promise And I will deliuer thee Thirdly the accomplishment of it or the experience of others who haue found Gods assistance in trouble as Psal. 22. 4. Our Fathers trusted in thee they trusted and thou didst deliuer them Secondly in the deepest of troubles wait for Gods preseruation and know that though hee come not of a long time yet at length hee that shall come will come and willnot tarrie In this expectation beware of haste and of euill meanes and trust when thou seest no meanes yea and against meanes as Iob did saying If the Lord kill me yet will I trust in him The stile of the godly is to be brands plucked out of the fire Zech. 3. 2. Is not this a brand taken out of the fire which shews that the godly may be cast vpon the coales yea into the fire an vnmerciful creature may be smeared and scorched yea in part burnt and consumed but at length the Lord in extremitie wiâ— snatch them out of the fire and preserue them as a man will catch speedily at that which he would haue burnt Thou shalt compasse me about with Songs of Deliuerance IN these words the Prophet Dauid riseth vp by a gradation and goeth beyond that that hee had formerly said concerning his confidence in God First he had said that God was his hiding place Secondly that he would preserue him in trouble and now thirdly that the Lord would make him ioyfull and to triumph ouer his troubles and enemies by compassing him in stead of troubles with mercies In the words are two things to bee considered First the matter of Dauids assurance namely Songs of Deliuerance Secondly the measure Thou shalt compasse mee about First Songs of Deliuerance This implyes the matter of these songs and that is Gods helpe deliuerance which when the Lord affordeth then there is matter of singing and setting forth that mercy for a song beseemes him that reioyceth with great ioy the which ought alwayes to attend our praises Secondly to be compassed with Songs of Deliuerance is not to haue one or two or a few occasions or deliuerances to sing praises to God for but abundant yea innumerable causes to praise and magnifie God so as a man can looke no way round about him but he shall see many and infinite mercies and so many songs and praises euery new mercie being a new matter of a new song of Deliuerance For looke as when a man hath endured an heauy darke and vncomfortable night the morning approcheth and light begins to appeare not in any one side of the heauens but on euery side that let a man looke where hee will the light compasseth him and it groweth lighter and lighter vntil perfect day So although Gods children seeme to be in darknesse and in the night of affliction yet GOD affords some deliuerance and brings the ioyfull morning and then they see the light of comfort on all sides and can say Now they are compassed with light and saluation So as the thing which our Prophet here professeth is First that the Lord would afford him matter enough to frame compile holy songs of ioyfull praise and thankes Secondly that this matter should be so plentiful and abundant that nothing should on any side be about him but that whence hee ought to prouoke himselfe to returne ioyfull thankes he should be begirt with blessings and mercie Hence in the first place we may learne that As God hath appointed times of sorrow and straitnesse for
were as I am sauing my bonds His sound zeale wished that all were sound Christians And hence are all those Similitudes wherein grace is compared to such things as are hardliest kept in any compasse as First to fire Quench not the spirit if there bee but sparkles of fire vnder the ashes lay on wood and it wil kindle and turne it into it selfe let grace meet but with fewell and matter it will worke vpon it to the warming of all the house Secondly to water which is of a flowing nature and is hardly contained within bankes or bounds so Christ sayth He that drinketh of this water out of his belly shall flow Riuers of water of life Ioh. 7. 38. Thirdly to a sweet smell or precious ointment which spreds into the ayre and cannot bee smelt of any one but also of euery one in the same place Fourthly to a leauen The kingdome of heauen saith Christ is like a little peece of leauen it will quickly worke through a whole lumpe Fiftly to a light in a Candlesticke which lightneth the whole house yea which cares not to consume it selfe so it may comfort and inlighten others First then examine hereby the truth of grace and thy conuersion euen by thy desire and endeuour in the conuersion of others Pro. 27. 17. Iron sharpens Iron so doth one friend sharpen another that is quicken vp another a sparke of zeale in one Christian will kindle a flame in another yea it will stirre vp some good inclinations and motions euen in lewd persons If Andrew find Simon he will bring him to Christ and if Christ find Philip Philip will find Nathaniel the woman of Samaria was no sooner toucht a little but she called the whole Citie to see Christ. Doe we lacke motiues First if wee looke at the wicked wee shall see them call one another to goe together and haue all one purse Prou. 1. 14. they can spread and infuse their wickednesse one into another suddenly as mischiefe is very nimble See wee not Iesuites and Papists compassing with great danger of their liues all the parts of the World to corrupt and infect with the deadly poysoned Cup of the Whore of Babel all the Countries of the Earth and shall not wee labour to make men loue and like the truth Shall their blinde zeale carrie them so farre beyond vs who while wee professe wee hold the truth against them our care is not to plant or spread this Religion as they doe theirs Oh then our loue is but small if it bee any at all Secondly he is no Saint that liueth out of the Communion of Saints a righteous man is described to bee one whose lips feed many nay a gracious woman opens her lips with wisdome And why doth not the Lord giue one man all graces or to all a like measure but diuersly but that he intendeth the mutuall good of each person It was anciently prophesied of beleeuers Isay 2. 3. in the new Testament thus Many shall goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord and say Come let vs goe vp to the house of the Lord and he will teach vs his wayes and how glad was Dauid when he could get men together to goe vp to the Temple of God Psal. 122. 1. 2. The grace of gracious persons must be discouered by the grace of their lips Thirdly if wee consider the blessed fruit of this care for others conuersion it will be a strong motiue to take it vnto vs First we shall notably glorifie God in furthering his Kingdome in our selues and others this was the care of them who were taught in the Apostles Doctrine that in two yeeres it was carryed from Ephesus ouer all Asia and many were partakers of it Act. 19. 10. hereby Gods glorie was exceedingly enlarged Secondly wee shall hereby edifie our brethren and bring Gods glorie into request with them Cant. 5. 17. when the Church had liuely set forth the beauties and perfections of her loue and Lord Iesus Christ others which before had no sense and feeling of it by her commendations are now rauished with desire after him saying Whither is thy beloued gone turne aside that wee may seeke him with thee Yea being as weake as we are may be a means of conuerting and sauing our brethren and so bind their hearts for euer vnto vs. Thirdly wee shall not onely set a-worke our owne graces but increase them and bee gainers by our returne of our talents wee read not of any seruant that vsed his talent but to increase and this is by a secret blessing of God who giues bread to the Sower as the two Disciples going to Emaus talking of good things Christ himselfe ioyned to them and went with them yea and although for a time at our first conference often we see but little fruit yet after a while it is with vs as it was with those Disciples Their eyes were holden for a time that they could not know Christ but holding on in their communication Christ lodgeth with them sits downe at table opens their eyes and reueales himselfe vnto them euen so it is here Fourthly we shall not onely further our reckoning to giue it vp with ioy but euen increase our glorie and reward in Heauen as hee that had gained fiue talents was made Ruler of fiue Cities and the other of tenne What can mooue to this dutie if this doe not mooue vs Secondly this serues to reproue many sorts of men as First such as content themselues with a conceit of their owne conuersion and good estate but they are wise and politique they will looke euery one to one but as for others who made them their brothers Keepers What haue they to doe whether they sinke or swimme euery vessell must stand on his owne bottome they must shift for themselues Yes yes GOD hath made thee euery mans Keeper and giuen thee the charge of euery man within thy power to do him good to further his saluation Neyther canst thou haue any comfortable assurance of thy owne charge if thou desirest and endeuourest not the conuersion of others Slender is the sense of mercie and little loue of righteousnesse in thy owne soule if there bee in thee no desire of drawing others to the same Therefore lay aside this conceit that thou art to care onely for thy selfe Secondly such are hereby reprooued as can frame themselues to please all companies they fall into are ashamed or afraid to minister or entertaine such speech as sauoureth of this desire and thus passe the time in idle speeches or vnsauourie communication not onely to the hindering of that comfort which would rise out of sauourie and fruitfull conference but to carrie with them a checke and accusation of conscience for neglecting so comfortable a dutie Oh therefore finding our selues tardie in these things let vs checke our selues and know that though wee cannot gaine others to goodnesse by our speech yet wee shall lose nothing by it but be gainers our selues
euen by our best naturall graces much lesse can wee imbrace it or by the power and strength of nature or will follow it against the Papists who teach that we can Secondly learne to pitie naturall men as Dauid here doth who as blind men first see not the way to Heauen secondly and are in danger of harmes though they thinke themselues safe enough thirdly and are soone mis-led for who but ignorant persons are a prey to Iesuites and such like fourthly and lastly they haue no comfort of the Sunne no light of grace or of glorie And a wofull condition are such in as liue without the meanes of knowledge and grace who would liue in a soyle where the Sunne neuer shines or if hee were sure to bee made blinde in it yet many men leaue good meanes for a little pelfe who according to the Prouerbe runne out of the blessing of GOD into the warme Sunne Thirdly wee see hereby how little need there is either to remooue the Word and Sacraments from the people as the Papists doe the light of the Sunne being not so necessarie to the World as the vse of these Fourthly let vs doe as the blinde man in the Gospell did Luc. 18. 35. c. First let vs acknowledge that Christ must open our eyes that he must giue vs eye-salue nay both eyes to see and light to enlighten vs. Secondly let vs pray as he did saying Lord our desire is that our eyes may bee opened that wee may haue insight into heauenly things Thirdly let vs with him stand in the way where Christ comes by in the Temple and the Assemblies of the Saints in the Tents of Shepheards or among the seuen Golden Candlestickes Fourthly being healed he praysed Christ and leapt for ioy so if we see the things of God better then wee did before wee should reioyce exceedingly with hearty thankesgiuing Fiftly hauing his eyes opened he followed Christ and would not bee beaten from him so if wee can get the eyes of our minde opened wee must prayse our good God in word and in deed walke answerable to this mercie become his Disciples sinne no more lest a worse thing befall vs and walke worthy of the light So much of the first point the second followes namely that The word must not onely bee taught but also specially applyed to euery particular person Dauid saith not I will teach the Church or all men in generall but euerie one in particular thee After Adam had sinned how plainely and personally doth the Lord deale with him both in amplifying his sinne that hee might be strucke downe with it and in publishing the promise of saluation to rayse him againe herein teaching euerie Minister and Preacher how to carry the Word home to euery sonne of Adam seeing they are to speake the same wordes which hee whose Messengers they are would speake 2. Sam. 12. Nathan the Prophet of the Lord sent to Dauid while yet hee lay in his sinne was directed by God what to say and he must not onely in a Parable make Dauid condemne the sinne to the death He shall dye that hath done this thing but by plaine dealing with him saying Thou art the man condemne himselfe and confesse I haue sinned Our Sauiour Christ thus carryed his Doctrine applying it home to the seuerall persons it concerned to the Iewes Mat. 3. 7. O geration of vipers who hath forewarned you to flye from the wrath to come to the Pharises Woe bee to you Scribes and Pharises Hypocrites And his Apostles being to deale with wicked people vsed the same course Act. 2. 23. Whom yee slew with wicked hands and hanged on a Tree and Chap. 8. 22. Thy monie perish with thee repent of this thy malice thou art in the gall of bitternesse It may bee thy sinne may bee done away Hence their Sermons were called exhortation which is application of Doctrine and inforcing of it Act. 13. 15. And their Writings are of the same manner euer after Doctrine they vsed exhortations as Rom. 12. hauing deliuered the Doctrine of Faith Iustification Sanctification and Predestination in the former Chapters begins there his exhortations and so continues in them to the end The like may be seene in other Epistles First the vse of the Scripture is to exhort reproue correct and instruct to make the man of God absolute the vse of it is not onely to teach and enlighten the vnderstanding but also to worke vpon conuince quiet and direct the conscience and whole course Doctrine is but the laying of a ground application is the building vp of a Christian. Secondly the life of Ministerie is in application without which the Word is a Sword but without an edge not in it selfe but to vs but being specially applyed it is a two-edged Sword cutting deepe diuiding betweene the marrow and bone and piercing betweene the soule and spirit Heb. 4. 12. Application of the Word is that which leads it to the thoughts and intents of the heart to discerne them to high thoughts to deiect them to the affections if sinfull to captiuate them if set right to enflame them to seuerall temptations and lusts to sub due them and to the whole life and wayes to reforme them Thirdly our owne constitution and weaknesse stands in need of speciall application First because our hearts are naturally asleepe and we are couered ouer with the spirit of slumber spoken of Isa. 29. 10. and need to bee wakened by a voyce lift vp like a Trumpet from some sonne of Thunder Dauid by his grosse sinne had cast himselfe into a fast and dead sleepe therefore Nathan must goe to waken him and say aloud in his eares Thou art the man Secondly our hearts by the neglect of good meanes or securitie are easily hardned and lose their softnesse or tendernesse now the word in speciall application must bee as an hard wedge to our hard knots this makes the Word an Hammer to knocke and breake our flintie hearts Ier. 23. 29. Thirdly as wee cannot apply the Word our selues so wee will not apply it commonly men skip ouer the Law and catch at the Gospell and so being neuer soundly humbled their whole life is led carelesly Fourthly this bad disposition of ours can neuer bee reformed without this speciall application for the Word neuer becomes ours neyther can wee taste any sweetnesse of it without this no fruit of the Law in our humiliation no comfort of the promises in our restitution no vnderstanding of the true meaning of eyther without our owne faith mingling and truely applying both no worke of the Spirits sanctification in our hearts but in applying the Law and Gospell no action of our liues warrantable but by faith which is a speciall application of the Word vnto them First then we that are Ministers must labour herein A good Steward giues euery one his part and then it is the wholesome Word of life when euery one hath that portion