because it lacketh strength and is not come to that maturitie to execute their inclination which is naturally cruell So are infants naturally inclined to sin and therefore so soone as they can think any thing speake or do any thing it is euill as daily experience teacheth vs. Parents should take care to amend by good education that which is deficient in their children by nature Simil. Originall sin is sin And therefore it becometh Christian parents to take paines to amend that which is deficient and imperfect by nature in their children by art instruction and correction That as wilde beasts are tamed by the industrie of men and barren grounds haue become fruitfull by labouring and manuring so euil natures may be corrected by good education Ye see also out of this that originall sin is sin and offen siue to the law of God and the roote of all others that the most secret thought of our heart is sufficient to condemne vs if God would deale extreamely Which impugneth that diuellish and erronious doctrine of some who think that the first intentions and thoughts are veniall if consent come not with them Our Lord saieth that whosoeuer seeth a woman and lusteth after her committeth adulterie Mat. 5.28 and is as culpable before God as if he had sinned with her But that concludeth not that the motion is not sinfull to which such a wicked consent is added the greater sin cannot excuse the lesser Therefore we must go with Elizeus to the fountaine and cast in salt in those rotten and stinking waters 2. Kin. 2.20 that they being purified all the streames flowing there from may be also cured This parentall sin hereditarie radicall the leuen of the primitiue corruption the law of the members Nota. naturall and generall to all mankind cannot be taken away but by the conception and natiuitie of Christ But here ariseth a question how parents both being Christians and receiued in the couenant Obiect can beget sinfull children I answer by a familiar similitude Solut. Simil. the seed ye see when it is sowne is made as cleane as the art and industrie of man can do and yet ariseth with a roote stalke blade and beard the cause is not in man the force lieth in the seed so in that the parents are purified they haue it of God what the childe hath he hath by nature which either must be repaired by grace or he must perish Adam Noah Samuel Eli Dauid c. although they were godly religious men yet had naughtie and wicked children which sheweth vnto vs that religion and godlinesse cometh not by nature but by the free grace of God I omit those vain idle questions de originali peccato Godlinesse cometh not by nature but by grace which the Papists too curiously propound and may be very easily answered lest it should breed errors in your mind which ye neuer dreamed of And in sin hath my mother conceiued me The word iechematin signifieih properly calefacit warmed me in her wombe fed or nourished me referring it to the action of heating and feeding the childe in the wombe nine moneth Wherein the greatnes of Gods worke is to be seene who so miraculously can preserue the infant in such an obscure place so compassed with the interiour parts Alwayes euen there in that poore creature there is sin albeit he be ignorant of it So he hath a burden when he feeleth it not and lieth wrapped with all miseries and thinketh himselfe then to be in a best case for when he cometh out of the womb with great paine to his mother and difficultie to himself he weepeth poore soule because he is come to sorrow Ezekiel maketh mention of a child new borne whose nauill was not yet cut Ezech. 16.3.4.5.6 neither salt put in it nor washed lying miserably in the pollution of nature which representeth to vs our naturall filth in sin that neither are we cutted away by the knife of the Spirit from our originall corruption neither washed by the blood of Christ from our naturall vncleannesse neither salted by the salt of the word and if it were not by Gods grace and care of our spirituall parents that we were helped we would neuer liue but die and perish in the filth wherein we haue bin conceiued and borne Man were vtterly vndone if he were not supported by the grace of God There is no beast which nature hath not taught some meanes to help it self as some haue naturally skins or haire and wooll to defend them from iniuries we haue none In a word man were vndone if he were not supported by the grace of God We may weepe we haue no more and would God we could spiritually crie and mourne that the Lord hearing our weeping might pitie and helpe vs. But because so many worthy writers both ancient and moderne Papists and Protestants haue written largely of this place and I must say Sum minimus omnium I cease to write any more hereof lest I should repeate that which they haue already obserued Verse 6. Behold thou louest truth in the inward affections therefore hast thou taught me wisedome in the secret of mine heart THis is the fift argument which he vseth perswading God to forgiue him taken from the sinceritie of his repentance that it was not counterfeit or dissembled which is very acceptable to God Yea in all the actions of religion and parts thereof there is nothing more pleasing to God then sinceritie and vprightnesse He cannot abide hypocrisie and dissimulation and to put ouer with faire words and an outward shew It is a mocking of God to looke vp with our eyes to the heauens Hypocrisie in religion is a mocking of God to bow with our knees to felde our hands to knocke on our breasts if we want vprightnesse and soundnes of heart We must serue God in faith loue repentance humilitie vnfainedly from our heart as true Nathaniels Ioh. 1.47 in whom there is no guile The parts of this verse are these 1. who loueth Thou 2. where and what he loueth truth in the inward affections 3. the consequent following vpon this loue therefore hast thou taught me wisedome in the secret of mine heart Behold Before he enter to any of these he vseth the particle of admiration Behold which he neuer vseth but in some remarkable matter thereby the more to raise vs vp to the contemplation of such great matters to be told as Behold how good and how comely a thing it is Psal 133.1 brethren to dwell euen together And Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Ioh. 1.29 And this he doth that he might moue God that as he beheld his miserie being conceiued and borne in sin so he might behold his sincere and vnfained repentance And this is the happinesse of man when God beholds him mourning as he beheld him sinning This second sight is as delight some to the Lord
whereupon wee must walke euen Faith and Loue which two will carry vs to heauen without Faith thou art lame of thy right foot without Loue thou art lame of thy left foot let Faith worke through Loue. Beleeue in Iesus Christ and liue a Godly life and assure thy selfe thou art in the way to heauen Note If thou beleeue and liue euill thy one foot is in the way to heauen thy other to hell so if thou pretend a good life and casts away the word thy left foote is to heauen and thy right to hell 1 Thes 4. â— Concerning Loue yee need not that I write vnto you for ye are taught of God to loue one another Moreouer this way in the Scripture is surely set downe and the word is so called many times in the hundred and nineteenth Psalme Ioh. 5.39 Such great commendation hath Christ giuen to the word that hee desires vs diligently to search it Patres ex Scripturis didicerunt nos ex iis discamus viam the Fathers learned of the Scriptures A desire to be taught presupposeth an ignorance Simil. let vs learn of them the way Teach me thy pathes this presupposeth that men are ignorant by nature for euen as strangers put in a Wildernesse where there is no straight way could very hardly discerne vvhat vvay to take but vvould bee a prey to Beasts and Brigands so are men by nature ignorant of God Act. 8.31 The Eunuch said to Philip How can I vnderstand without an Interpreter Nature may teach thee vvayes to maintaine this life but the vvay to heauen there is no reason that can perswade or teach it commeth by diuine inspiration Mat. 16.17 Blessed art thou Simon sonne of Iona flesh and bloud hath not reuealed it vnto thee but my Father that is in heauen The Philosophers and Astrologians vvho vvere quicke in iudging things naturall were but blind in grace Mat. 11.25 I thanke thee Father thou hast hid it from wise men and reuealed it to babes The Scripture is as the Starre that leadeth vs to Bethleem Mat. 2.9 This is a great humility in Dauid that being a King and a Prophet yet he would learn this Lesson to serue God let Preachers euer bee learning Sâ—crates said at his death Hoc vnum scio me nihil scire I know this one thing that I know nothing Note a conceit of knowledge is a mâ—rke of ignorance Hee repeats this vvord teach mee often vvhereby hee acknowledges that the chiefe lesson hee vvishâ—th to learne to make him wise is to know how to serue God by his word and of this wisedome in the 119. Psalm he affirmeth that it will make him wiser then his enemies then his masters then his ancients By the word teach Doctr. Preaching of the word of God is the ordinarie meane of Saluation Luk. 4.16 hee would teach vs that the ordinary meanes of Satuation and knowledge is the word preached How can they beleeue without preaching not by reading mumbling Masses c. but by liuely preaching Christ preached so in the Temple when he tooke the Booke from the Reader Brethren haue yee any word of exhortation for the people Preach in season and out of season Act. 13.15 The repetition of the words shew mee teach mee lead mee teach me declares the instancie that hee vsed to heare the word more sweet then honey Ps 119.103 Ps 88 1â— yea better then his appointed foode so that hee desired that hee might bee but a doore-keeper in the house of the Lord. This his affection to the word hee declareth by repeating it in the 119. Psalme 175. times The great ignorance which is among vs springeth from a want of desire to heare Ignorance springeth from want of desire to be taught Luk. 24.31 The two Disciples said Did not our heart burne within vs all the time he spake to vs VERSE 5. Lead mee forth in thy truth and teach mee for thou art the God of my Saluation in thee doe I trust all the day Doct. It is not sufficient to bee taught the way vnlesse we be led into it HEe craues not onely to be taught the truth and the way but to bee led and directed in the way that God may not onely point it out to him but conuoy him thereunto and keepe him from going out of it for albeit we be entred in the way of grace if God would not perfect that worke wee would fall euery moment therefore hee worketh in vs to will and perfite and hee who began can crowne also the worke hee is the staffe to which wee must leane and of which wee must take hold knowledge is not sufficient without practice God must make vs to walke in the way wee know Our knowledge will bee a dittay against vs if wee walke not in the way wee know Luk 12.47 for hee that knowes the will of his master and doeth not the same shall haue double stripes For thou art the God of my saluation The Argument by which hee would moue God to teach him his wayes is taken from the person of God whom hee calleth the God of his saluation and his owne person who is saued in that hee beleeues in him and the adiunct of faith which is constancie and perseuerance all the day The Argument is taken from the Office of a Sauiour to guide them whom hee hath deliuered and saued but thou hast saued mee therefore guide me First Doct. All in condemnation without Christ Rom 11.32 Doct. No man or Angel can saue vs but God Psal 3.8 Psal 71.19 Psal 136.11.13 c. in that hee calleth him the God of his saluation hee would let vs see that we are all in condemnation without Christ all are inclosed vnder sinne that God might be mercifull to them And vvhere hee calleth him the God of his saluation hee importeth that it was not in the power of Man or Angell to saue him but in Gods who behoued to take it vpon himselfe to deliuer him from temporall and spirituall dangers Saluation onely belongeth to the Lord What God is like our God who deliuereth vs from our enemies as hee brought the Israelites out of Egypt led them through the red Sea fought all their battels rebuked Kings for their sakes What euer deliuery comes to vs comes by God whateuer instrument hee vseth in the same he saues vs and not wee our selues neither chariots nor horses Note The consideration of this should moue vs to be thankfull to him Moses Ioshua Sampson c. were typicall Sauiours but God was the great Sauiour who saued his people Next if God be the onely and sole Sauiour of our bodies in sauing them from diseases and of our liues in sauing them from our enemies should any seeke saluation to his soule but from him for if a temporary deliuery cannot come but by him what deuillish doctrine is it to teach that saluation can come by any other Seeing then
of God doth most abhorre and detest dissimlation most odious to God Hypocrisie an enemie to faith a dissimulation in his seruice neither is there any vice so opposite to true faith as Hypocrisie for faith lodgeth in the heart Hypocrisie in the countenance faith studies to please God Hypocrisie seekes to please men saith is liuely and constant Hypocrisie as a faâ—ling leafe fadeth incontinently So that there is no societie betwixt faith and Hypocrisie Simil. more then betwixt a painted fire hauing neither light and heat and a true fire hauing both and a shadow the body And as the painting of an Harlots face will soone melt before the fire when the natiue and naturall colour of an honest woman will not change so will counterfeit feinednesse soone evanish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fained thing cannot be firme and solid Nazian De funere patris Math 23.27 Our Sauiour Christ accounteth them to be as painted tombes who haue a goodly shew before men but within are full of dead mens bones they haue a shew of life although they be dead Simil. Were he not to be accounted a foole that hauing nothing but a shew of Merchandise would giue himselfe out for a rich Merchant The sinne of Witchcraft and Idolatrie are two great sinnes but Hypocrisie is more dangerous then both we haue heard of many thousand Papists and Idolaters who haue beene reclaimed and turned to God confesse it what great errors they had beene also many Witches at their death haue renounced their Master the Diuell But seldome haue I read that Hypocrites haue repented when our Sauiour who neuer brake a brused reed thundered woes Math 23.13.14.15 He cryed woe vnto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites and when hee denounced iudgement he said whose portion is with Hypocrites To be short let no man thinke that remission of sinnes can be separate from holinesse and sanctification Remission of sinnes ioyned with holinesse for they are borne together as two twinnes and liue together yea the one cannot liue without the other how canst thou thinke from thine hart that thine sinnes are pardoned vnlesse heartily thou hate sinne for which thou hast repented then wee may say that those get pardon for their sinne who feele their sinnes and feeling doe hate and flie from them flying from them with all the force of their heart are caried to a contrarie vertue being made free from sinne wee are the seruants of righteousnesse Rom 6.18 Ibid. 8.1 There is no condemnation saith the Apostle to them that are in Christ Iesus who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit God loueth sincerily in a Christian Ioh 1.47 But we haue deepely to consider that in all our religion the Lord loueth nothing so much as sinceritie Behold a true Israelit in whom there is no guile Hee doth not looke to the measure of thy repentance faith or loue but to the vprightnesse therof Louest thou me louest thou me Ioh 21.15 Psal 51.6 louest thou me sayth our Sauiour to Peter He craueth the truth in the inward parts Simil Men loue not false gold rotten stuffe or any superficial matter what so euer and we alas care not to carrie about with vs a counter feited religion Let vs trie our selues therefore whither we be in the faith or not God cannot be deceiued The Papists take from this text some occasion of stumbling for they would make a part of righteousnesse to be Christs another to be ours that which commeth from Christ is ours by imputation ours againe to be inherent because he sayth in whose heart there is no guile But they confound iustification with the effects thereof Answer to the Papists opposing the spring to the fountaine not driuing them from it So is the righteousnesse of Christ the fountaine of all our happinesse Et causa regni and the cause of the kingdome and if there be any dropps of righteousnesse in vs they spring from that fountaine Et sunt viaregnandi and they are the way by which we must attaine to that kingdome and say with the Apostle That Christ is made our righteousnesse Albeit wee be of our selues vnrighteous 1 Cor. 1.30 yet by him we are made righteous albeit wee are not able to pay the debt our selues yet seeing Christ hath payed it for vs we are freed For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners Rom 5.19 so by the obedience of one many shall bee made righteous By which wee are euidently taught that by Christs righteousnesse we are righteous before God I will not glory because I am righteous but because I am redeemed Ambros de Iarâ—et vita beata lib 1. cap. 6. not by reason I am voyde of sin but because my sinnes are pardoned not because I haue done good or receiued good from others but because Christ my aduocate is with the father interceding for me for his bloud was powred forth for me Indeed the Saints of God yea the best of vs all cannot purge our selues of Hypocrisie neither doe we sincerely serue our God as we ought to doe but one thing we know that we haue a displeasure within our selues for it and doth it not willingly which spirituall sight God pardons in his Saints The marks by which yee shall know whether yee be sincere in Gods seruice or no 3 Markes to try our sinceritie are these 1. First if yee haue an vpright indeuour to approue your selues to God in all things seeking not to please men but him who seeth the heart we care not to be iudged of men we stand and fall to our owne Lord whereas Saul knowing himselfe in disgrace with God 1 Thes 2.4 1 Sam 15.30 desired Samuel to honour him before the people 2. Secondly a sincere heart hateth all sinne specially his owne sinne and troubleth himselfe little in amplifying other mens sinnes but very narrowly and sharpely will taxe himselfe and will call himselfe with S. Paul 1 Tim. 1.15 The greatest of all sinners 5. Thirdly a sincere Christian professeth religion for the loue of the same and for no other respect and loueth good men for no other cause but for their godlinesse where as Hyprocrites may doe both outwardly for some worldly respect either of a benefit or credit which they may purchase by these meanes I pray God therefore that all of vs may remoue from our hearts this vale of Hypocrisie and dissimulation in Gods seruice that we may studie to approue our selues to God in the sight of Christ in all integritie and singlenesse of minde to the ende that all our seruice may be acceptable to him VERSE 3. When I helde my tongue my bones consumed or when I roared all the day The second part of the Psalme YEe haue heard the Proposition of the Psalme concerning the true happines of man consisting in the remission of his sinnes now followeth the confirmation thereof by his owne example which is the
went vnto the house of God as companions And I am become a stranger to my brethren euen an alien to my mothers sonnes Psal 69.8 88.8.18 And. Thou hast put away my acquaintance far from me and me to be abhorred of them I am shut vp and cannot get forth and my louers and friends hast thou put farre from me and mine acquaintance hid themselues And Isaias the Prophet saith I looked and there was none to helpe Isa 63.5 Zech. 13.6 and I wondred that there was none to vphold And Zechariah Thus was I wounded in the house of my friends And Iob Iob 6.13 19.13.14 15.16.17.18.19 30.1 Is it not so that in me there is no help and that strength is taken from me And He hath remoued my brethren farre from me And also My acquaintance were strangers vnto me c. And But now those that are yonger then I am mocke me yea those whose fathers I haue refused to set with the dogs of my flocks Iulius Caesar said to Brutus stabbing him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thou also my sonne And Apollinarius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coram amici timuerunt pedes vero firma verunt socij 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui vero me prope euntes de longe recesserunt Many of the Fathers expound this of false teachers Against false teachers who in time of trouble forsake the flocke Bern ser 77 in Cantie who then looke a farre off to the sheepe and their people when they should be most comfortable to them in the day of their trouble Those are but hirelings who seeing the wolf coming do leaue the flock Woe be vnto those men who abound in the world to whom shame and condemnation doth appertaine Dauid had experience of this in Absolon his sonne Amasa his nephew Achitaphel his Counceller By this expenence of Dauid let vs learne Doctr. No coniunction can stand vnlesse it be in God that there is no coniunction so strict if it be not in God which can be able to bind any flesh to vs. For the bonds of nature are very weake because the ground of them is but fleshly that is brittle and inconstant Therefore let vs not trust in flesh and blood Woe be vnto him who putteth his strength in man Ier. 17.5 Next Trouble trieth our friends Trouble trieth who are friends Iob 6.15 â— They will be vnto thee as a brooke and as a broken tooth in the day of thy aduersitie I know the proofe of them and if thou wilt not trust me then thou shalt learne by thine owne experience when thou shalt stand in need of their comfort They will be as a broken reed 2. Ki. 18.21 which howsoeuer it may seem to be a precious staffe if thou leane vnto not onely will faile thee but iniure thee and pierce thy hand There are many rarities in the world which men seeke after but there is not it well raâ—er then to find in all thy life a faithfull A rare thing to find a trustie and faithfull friend constant and secret friend whom if thou can find to keepe him is better then gold It is written of Alexander that coming to the sepulcher of Achilles he wept saying Plut in vita Alexandri O foelicem inuenem qui Homerum laudum suarum depredicatoram vnicum fidelem amicum Patroclum inuenerit O happy youth who found such a preacher of his praises as Homer was and such a faithfull friend as Patroclus Valerius Maximus maketh mention of two who kept constant kindnesse Pythias and Damon of whom the one being adiudged to death on a certaine day the other entered himselfe in his fellow companions place til he went home to put his affaires in order who abode vntill the very last day and then came which thing the Tyrant seeing and admiring pardoned the other desiring that they would admit him the third of their societie Should not we be ashamed that are called Christians that neither loue nor truth can be found amongst vs. We loue for gaine and we discord for gaine The heathens may condemne Christians amongst whom loue and truth is rare to be found Luk 18.18 Mat. 10.36 and therefore those Heathenish people shall condemne vs at the latter day Now is found to be true that sentence which our Sauiour foretold that in the latter dayes faith nor loue should not be found in the earth and loue should wax cold the father against the son c. a mans enemies should be those of his owne house Verse 12. They also that seeke after my life lay snares and they that go about to do me euill talke wicked things and imagine deceit continually BEllarmine expoundeth this and all the rest typically of Christ which may stand but he omitteth the literall interpretation of the person of Dauid and the common estate of Christs members The substance of it is Seeing my friends furnish me no comfort but look vpon me a far off carelesse of me yet mine enemies are not idle against me but set themselues by all their engine and labour to destroy me WheÌ„ frieÌ„ds are slow in helping foes are most busie For it commeth often to passe that when our friends are slow in helping vs our foes are earnest against vs. Our friends should blush that the wicked should be more instant against vs then they are to maintaine vs. But it is no wonder since by nature men are more bent and prone to euill then to do good things By constraint they do good but willingly they commit euill He describeth his enemies 1. from their malice 2. from their meanes to performe it 3. from their continuance Their malice in two they sought his life and deuised euill things against him The meanes meditating and musing euill and taking counsell Next speaking euill last doing euil laying snares by craft like fowlers to take my life Their profit and pastime was to vndo me The order is here inuerted for meditating properly precedeth speaking and speaking doing but in the words of the text it is otherwayes their malice extendeth to the highest degree they will not be contented to banish him prison him and reuile him nothing can satisfie their thirst but his blood This is the enuie of the Serpent against the seed of the woman The Diuell is a murderer and so are his children The wild beasts do prey vpon the poore sheep and its blood is sweete to their taste so are the cruell and bloody Papists of the Iesuitical sect so much gape for the blood of Christians that albeit we professe one God one Christ Against the cruell malice of Iesuites one Bible and Scripture no bonds can bind them to vs. They will be content rather to agree with Iewes who denie Christ to whom Synagogues in Rome are not denied by the Pope or with Turks with whoÌ„ they haue often taken assurance to the preiudice of Christians yea with the Diuell
patience before God to moue him the more to pitie him For if we be wronged by men and beare it patiently it maketh men to pitie our case the more much more pitie wil it be with God who truly can consider our wrongs If we are silent in our owne cause then God will pitie vs Cast thy cause ouer vpon the Lord. but if we take our owne cause in hand then God will leaue vs. So if we would haue God to be our patron and speechman let vs bridle our affections and not giue loose reines to our sudden passions If it be possible as much as in vs is Rom. 12.18 let vs haue peace with all men Certaine it is that Dauid if he might haue had place to be heard was able to maintaine his innocencie but when he saw he was exempted from all patrocinie he suffered it patiently expecting the celestiall Iudge For so long as there is a place left before magistrates to a iust defence then it were a token of an euill conscience or little courage if a man durst not giue a reason of his iust proceeding but when all equitie is buried and no place left to reason it is better to be silent then to speake and so to possesse our soules in patience Verse 15. For on thee O Lord do I waite thou wilt heare me my Lord my God IN this verse is contained the reason which moued Dauid albeit he was tormented with so heauie a disease in his bodie and the vnkindnesse of his friends yet he answered not to their calumnies but suffered them all Why Dauid did not answer to his rebukers as a dumbe and a deafe man to wit because he depended altogether vpon God And truly this is the fountaine of true patience when we trusting in Gods fauour thereby ouercome all the tentations of the world to which vntill we attaine we can neuer be setled to endure any assault neither to bridle our furious motions and perturbations The want of this repose maketh men rage at their trouble by impatiencie vttering the weaknesse of their nature requiting railing with railing bitternesse with bitternesse flesh meeting flesh and corruption corruption as one fire meeting with another great flame being far off from Christian modestie which should be in vs all when as the Apostle commandeth that a patient mind should be knowne to Phil. 4. all the world From hence come those recriminations brawlings contentions declaring that yet we are fleshly and not well setled on God Thou wilt heare me He nourisheth his hope by prayer grounded on true faith in his Lord and Master his God and Father He assureth himselfe that God will not reiect his prayers but answer them out of his fatherly care And this is the onely way of perseuerance when we being instructed in Gods promises pray earnestly vnto his Maiestie for performance of the same Doctrine Prayer strengtheneth our faith in Gods promises and hasteneth him to deliuer vs. Faith taketh hold of things to come Marke I pray you that the best meanes by which ye both strengthen your owne faith in Gods promises and prouoke God to hasten your deliuerie is prayer by which we should giue the Lord no rest till he deliuer his owne Israel Furthermore in this that he saith Thou wilt heare me there is the voice of faith certifying it selfe of a comfortable answer as though it were done already My Lord my God My is not in the Hebrew or Greeke text but it is his common word of application as it was Christs My God my God The one is a word of power the other of loue not as Lorinus saith of science for then you might inferre vnder it all Gods properties Learne that we haue to do with one that hath both loue as God and power as Lord. God hath both power and will to helpe vs. Many haue power to help vs who beare vs but little good will many haue loue who want power but God hath them both if we depend still vpon him for whatsoeuer he hath is ours and is ready to do vs good when we need Our God is rich in mercie to all those that call vpon him Verse 16. For I said heare me lest they reioyce ouer me for when my foote slippeth they extoll themselues against me HE vseth an argument to moue the Lord to heare him taken from his enemies insultation ouer him For the nature of the wicked Iud. 16.23 The wicked insult ouer Gods children Lam. 1.2 Sa. 1.20 is to insult ouer Gods children as the Philistims did ouer Samson Ieremie lamenteth that the enemies opened their mouth against the citie and nation and Dauid feared that Sauls death should be published in Gath or Askelon and Micah Reioyce not ouer iue mine enemie This insultation displeaseth God so much that he turneth backe that euill vpon the insulter So did the children of Edom crie Psal 137.7 Raze it raze it to the foundation thereof And when my foote slippeth The wicked reioice at the fall of others 2. King 18. This is a mark of an euill and diuellish man who can be glad at the fall of others euen his enemies speaking great things as did Rabsheketh Against which sort of railers Saint Ierome inueyeth mightily Caninam saith he exercent facundiam eloquenter maledicentes Nerones foras intus Catones They exerce doggish eloquence without Neroes within Catoes Which sort of people God will ouerthrow It seemeth to be the comfort of wicked men as the same Father saith to carp at good men because of the multitude of offenders they suppose the blame of their faults to be lessened or because by the dispraise of others we would seeme to be praiseworthy Finally that there be few which abandon this vice and seldome are they found who shew their life so vnreproueable when they reproue another and therefore this euill is rife and therefore in many this vice is hot because it is willingly entertained of all Paulinus in the life of Saint Ambrose sheweth that when one through sliding had fallen on the earth Theodolus then a Notary and after Bishop of Mutines laughed at it to whom Ambrose turned and laid Et tu qui stas vide ne cadas And thou who standest take heed lest thou fall And shortly after he that iested at another mans fall lamented for his owne Verse 17. Surely I am readie to halt and my sorrow is euer before me SOme of the interpreters thinke that this verse sheweth his halting of a bile but it is not very likely neither is there greater reason then to say the like of Ieremie who saith that his enemies intended and awaited for his halting But the sentence is that like a cripple man without helpe he is like to fall downe 1. Kin. 18.21 We halt in sin and often betweene two opinions as the Israelites whereupon we are forced to halt in our bodies And my sorrow is euer before me The meaning is that he is
as the first was tedious So God seeth all our sins as he seeth our repentance Nota. Sin not because he seeth thee but repent vnfainedly that he may take pleasure in bâ—holding thee Thou louest The person who loueth is God The Creator becometh a louer of the creature euen God becometh a louer of his image in him Doth he then loue Aboue all things let vs seeke to depend vpon this his lone In our religion we should trauell to know what he loueth most Godaboue all things loueth sinceritie what he respecteth most what best pleaseth him for otherwise we lose our time in his seruice he loueth sinceritie best and that we should present to him We enquire what euery man loues best and we frame our selues to seeke after it then I beseech you among the rest search out what God loueth best seeke after it and present it to him and if there were no other argument to moue vs to sinceritie this may be sufficient because God loueth it Loue that which God loueth hate that which he hateth loue sinceritie that he loueth hate hypocrisie that he cannot abide Truth By truth is meant sinceritie and vprightnesse in his Maiesties seruice that we do not glose him by faire words and shewes he loueth not shadowes but substances no colours or couerts but the bodie it selfe For he pierceth with his eye to the lowest part of mans heart and stayeth not vpon the outward picture of man-actions howsoeuer plausible to man God looketh not as man looketh In euery action of religion let vs remember to keepe sinceritie Who would desire to be called rich if he want riches esteemed valiant if he haue not strength and shall we thinke it sufficient to be called religious Better to be religious then to be thought religious and not to be so Better to be rich then to be called rich better to be religious then to be thought or called religious God loueth truth as he hateth all falsehood for he is truth Ego sum veritas via vita Ioh. 14.6 He loueth truth in our profession truth in our ciuill life truth in our profession is that which he hath commanded in his word truth in our ciuill life is that which agreeth with dutie of ciuill conuersation without fraud deceit or guile which is different from Gods nature and resembleth the diuell who is a deceiuer In the inward affections It is not a superficiall or scroofe-worship which God regardeth For Cains sacrifice outwardly was as pleasant as Abels Gen. 4.4 but God looked to their hearts accepted the one and reiected the other God aboue all things craueth the heart Pro. 2â— 26 My sonne giue me thine heart God wil be worshipped in spirit and veritie Therefore hast thou taught me wisedome in the secret of mine heart He amplifieth his sin by this circumstance that he did it not as an ignorant but as one who was enlightned with knowledge and besides he had priuate informations and intelligence from God in his heart and tasted of the heauenly doctrine yea it was rooted and fixed in his heart yet like a bruite beast he was caried to that filthy lust and so was inexcusable and suffocated the light of the Spirit which he had receiued He had informations giuen by God but he had not grace to follow them which so much the more made him inexcusable that he was taught Christians perish not for want of informatioÌ„ but for contemning the warnings they get God must teach 〈◊〉 and would not obey So Christians shal not perish for lack of information but because they do not obey the warnings which they get This age hath heard many lessons and God hath manifested his whole will vnto them but because they obey them not their knowledge shal augment their paines God he must be our great Doctor and Teacher we must be Theodidactoi taught of God Neither nature learning experience practise or age can teach vs wisedome onely Gods word must teach vs. Nature preuailed among the Philosophers but that neuer led them to God For all the principles of our faith are contrary to nature sense and reason What is more against naturall reason then these points of our religion God was made man a virgin hath borne a childe a crucified man saued the world a dead man arose c. in these and such we must be taught from aboue by God God teacheth by the ministerie of his word God he teacheth by the ministery of his word which whosoeuer contemneth refuseth the meanes of his saluation but that ministery will not be sufficient without diuine inspiration 1. Cor. 3.6 Paul may plant Apollo may water but God giueth the increase Bellarmine translateth the Hebrew word which he granteth signifieth abscondita incerta and so doth Lorinus those doubting Doctors would haue the mysteries of the Scriptures vncertaine and doubtfull Nota. There is great diuersitie of iudgements among men what is true wisedome These are of the Lord is true wisdome Eccles 1.2 but if ye would enquire at the wisest man that euer liued he will tell you that hauing examined all things vnder heauen he found all things to be but vanitie and vexation of spirit and that true wisedom consisted only in the feare of God and keeping his commandements The feare of the Lord is the instruction of wisedome Pro. 15.33 all other wisedome is foolishnesse Verse 7. Purge me with hyssope and I shall be cleane wash me and I shall be whiter then snow HE is not contented simply to craue pardon once or twice but many times yes he multiplieth his suites by metaphors allegories and such borrowed speeches signifying how deeply he was wounded with his sin that he would haue himselfe assured and confirmed in the remission thereof and now he borroweth a similitude from the washings and purgations vsed in the Leuiticall law desiring that God would looke on his miseries who was a leprous man by sin and a filthy polluted sinner that hee might be washed in the blood of Christ prefigured by the Mosaicall washings Purge me with hyssope There is made mention of hyssope where it was vsed Three times made mention of hysop Exo. 12. â—â— in three places first in the 12. of Exodus at the institution of the Passeouer where the blood of the Lambe was appointed to be sprinkled vpon the doore cheekes with a bunch of hyssope bound with a scarlet lace The blood signified Christs blood the bunch of hyssope the sauing and the scarlet lace his blood died which bound the bunch all hauing their spirituall significations For the blood no doubt signified the blood of that vndefiled Lambe shed from the beginning of the world The hyssope the instâ—ument applying his blood by faith The scarlet lace the communion of the Saints who are bound by loue the bond of perfection and sprinkled with that same blood to the remission of sins And so the blood which washeth faith which applieth and
of God therefore God fortifieth his citie with al necessary defences which may hold out the enemie The Church hath walls inuisible visible The walles are too fold inuisible the protection of God which the world seeth not for the Lord is a wall of brasse about his Church to repell her enemies and a wall of fire to burne them also he hath his Angels who pitch their tents about his holy and chosen ones 2. Kin. 6.7 there was horses of fire compassing Elizeus The outward and visible walles are made of a number of liuely stones compacted together by the morter of loue strongly resisting all the enemies of the Church for that vnitie of the Saints strengthen them by the power of their God Boni enim ciues mania cinitatis good citizens are the walles of the citie And vpon these walles compassing them on all sides be bulwarks whereupon are set the canons of the word of God mighty in operation destroying the enemies the censures of the Church namely excomunication which being lawfully led is of greater power to subdue the enemie and resist him then all the power of ciuil authoritie The sinnes of princes and people make great gaps in the walles at which the deuil and enemies of the Church and wolfes enter and destroy the Lords vines They with Tobias and Sanballat stay the building of these walles Neh. 4.2 and are striuing to build the walles of Iericho which were forbidden by Iosuah to be redefied vnder a great curse 1. Ki. 16.34 which lighted on Hiel the Bethelite in the daies of Achab pitie is it to see the princes of this world so much enfeebling Ierusalem to strengthen Iericho Dauid crieth to God that he would build them whose power is greater then all the worlds who as he hath inuisible walles of his protection so he hath outward defences to maintaine his Church he is master of it yea master builder and sendeth forth seruants whom he strengtheneth for the building of his worke I see many pulling downe the walles yea with Edom in the destroying of Ierusalem crying sacke sacke Psal 137. â— raze raze vp the foundation Few with Nehemiah mourning for the ruines of Gods house in all parts and helping to restore them Let vs therefore goe to the God of Dauid who albeit he was king of the towne and began to build the citie and walles and laid materials to the Temple yet he knew that the labourers wrought in vaine vnlesse the Lord of heauen builded the citie Lord repaire the decaies of thy Church for thy Christs take For thy good pleasure He findeth the ground of all that perfection to be in God himselfe and his good fauour and not in men or their merits for as the whole building of the Church is the onely worke of God so is the reparation of her ruines onely belonging to himselfe Men might haue builded with stone and bricke the exterior walles It belongeth to God to build the Church but it is proper to God to build his spirituall Church And this is a token that God hath pleasure in his Church when he is building it sending good builders materialls of spirituall graces fortifiers as Cyrus and Darius good Princes Nehemiah good gouernours Esdra and good Priests And our obedient and carefull people who do take the sword in one hand and the instrument of building in the other that the Lords Ierusalem may be edified But when his fauour is departed then in his wrath he giueth Princes Gouernours Nobles Preachers and people who striue either to hinder the building or to pull downe the building to build vp Iericho and cast downe Ierusalem Dauid he craueth that God may be fauorable according to his good pleasure for the building of the Church dependeth vpon Gods good will and pleasure who when he liketh his Church can aduance her and when he is displeased with her cast her downe It appeareth euidently now that God is angrie with his Church in all parts of Christendome when he is pulling downe and not raising vp his Church we haue prouoked his wrath against vs and his soule abhorreth our hipocriticall profession and our wicked conuersation Verse 19. Then shalt thou accept the sacrifices of righteousnesse euen the burnt offering and oblation then shall they offer calues vpon thine altar THis is the promise of thankefulnesse to God wherein is set downe a correspondence or restipulation betwixt the people who shall offer sacrifices and God who will accept them And Gods seruice then goeth well when we offer willingly and God accepteth gladly If our sinnes be forgiuen vs God will heare our pâ—â—erâ— Gen. 4.5 Then Marke the time when God hath beene fauorable to his Church in forgiuing her sinnes then he will accept the offerings For pray what ye please and distribute to the poore if God doe not like of it all is in vaine Caine offered sacrifices but the Lord accepted them not because he hated his cruell heart Abel offered in faith and was accepted But how shall ye know if your offerings be acceptable to God seeing there is no fire to fall downe from heauen as that which burnt vp Elias sacrifice 1. Ki 18.34 Yee shall know that albeit an elementarie or materiall fire falleth not downe Nota. yet the fire of the Spirit falleth on our hearts the fire burning vp the drosse of our corruptions by vnfained repentance warmeing our hearts with the loue of God kindling our hearts with a zeale of Gods glorie This is the fire which will fall downe from heauen vpon our soules which sensiblie we feele if the Lord heare our prayers The sacrifices of righteousnesseâ— Some expound these offerings to be such as agree to his will I reuerence their iudgement but I see not how that exposition can agree with the text But it may be expounded of that righteousnesse which we ought to doe to our neighbours as we offer a sacrifice of a contrite heart the calues of our lippes by praises and these are the sacrifices of righteousnesse by our hands so that heart tongue hand should be all offered to God for God liketh well of righteous dealingâ— that our hand be not defiled with thirst couetousnesse oppression which if we sacrifice to Sathan by sinne let vs not lift to God by prayer but lift vp pure hands wash our hands in innocencie and then compasse Gods altar It would seem to be some differenc wher God said Obiect he would haue none of their sacrifices and now they promise sacrifices Indeed if the sacrifices be onely externall Solut. what accounteth God of them if they want mercie and righteousnesse for he will haue mercie and not sacrifice Therefore let externall and internall worship be conioyned and then God will like best of it but being seperated from spirituall offerings it is abominable and a burden to the Lord. Which be the sacrifices of righteousnes The alter Iesus Christâ— by whom we must offer our prayers
countenance of God himselfe being a consuming fire and an euerlasting burning Deut. 4.24 Heb. 12.29 Deu. 32.22 A fire is kindled in my wrath saith the Lord and shall burne vnto the bottome of hell and shall consume the earth with her increase and set on fire the foundations of the mountaines c. Then since we will be loth to vnder-lie the wrath of a King ought we not to be carefull and circumspect that we come not vnder the danger of the highest wrath The anger of a mortall King reaches and extends to the bodies Differences betwixt the anger of a King of God goods and posteritie of the offenders but the anger of God reaches further euen to the soule The anger of a Prince is finite and will haue an end but Gods anger is infinite and endlesse as himselfe is Esay 30.33 The breath of his nostrils as a riuer of brimstone will kindle Topheth prepared for the King But woe will be to those that for feare of any earthly Prince or Monarch come vnder the indignation and wrath of God What sins God hates All sinnes offend God and prouoke him to anger but there are some pointed out by Scripture whereat he is more offended as Witchcraft Idolatrie Hypocrisie c yea those which seeme lesser sinnes to vs being multiplied and not repented for will also kindle him to anger yea more what euer sinne we commit God will be angry at it and offended therewith not that he câ—n receiue any euill by our euill doing more than he gets good by our well doing Why God hates sin but he is angry that we should vndoe his Image in vs and be cause of our owne damnation As a father is offended at his sonne not for any wrong comming to him but to see his owne image before his eyes and a part of his owne nature destroying it selfe Neither chastise me in thy wrath The duplication of the word anger and heat or furie sheweth vnto vs that Dauid apprehended deeply Gods indignation for there are many alas who doe thinke little of it but a heart afflicted and mortified will redouble the grieuance and thinke more and more of his Maiesties anger But it may be asked Obiect Esay 27.4 how God saith there is no anger with me and here Dauid craues to be exempted from his anger I answer He hath no fleshly anger Answer such as proceeds from rash iudgement or the corruption of man but he is angry and sins not when he is onely angry at sinne for it is certaine that God will be angry at nothing in his creatures but only sinne which bringeth man to destruction for as if a father saw a serpent in his childs bosome he would hate the serpent notwithstanding his loue to the boy Simil. So we are Gods children he loues that which he made of vs our body and soule and hates that which the deuill hath put in vs our sinne Gods anger differs from mans And as the anger of God differs from the anger of man the one being grounded vpon partiall affections of the corrupted heart which is offended at any thing which crosseth it the other being onely moued at finne So they differ in continuance for Gods wrath lasts but a moment Psal 53.8 slow he is to conceiue a wrath and ready to pardon But the anger of man on the contrary ariseth vpon the smallest motiues and it cannot cease till it be conuerted into malice as at last the serpent becommeth a fiery flying Dragon Simil. Therefore let vs imitate God in our anger obseruing that rule of the Apostle Be angry and sinne not Eph. 4.26 Let vs be angry at nothing but sinne in our selues and in others And againe Eph. 4.26 Let not the Sunne goe downe on our wrath In the meane time Let vs remember that there is nothing more terrible than the wrath of God And therefore let vs walke in feare and trembling before him who is able to kill both body and soule Are they not then desperate and miserable men who at euery word cry that the wrath of God be vpon them and the vengeance of God vpon their neighbours alas one day they shall feele the dint of that wrath when they shall be forced to cry O mountaines couer Reuel 6.16 and O hills hide vs from the face of that terrible Iudge VERSE 2. Vers 2 Haue mercy vpon me O Lord for I am weake O Lord heale me for my bones are vexed Doctr. 1 HAue mercy To flie and escape the anger of God No meanes to eschew Gods anger but to go to himselfe he sees no meanes in heauen or in earth and therefore he retires himselfe to God euen to him who wounded him that he might heale him He flies not with Adam to the bush Gen 3.8 1 Sam 28.8 Ionah 1.3 nor with Saul to the Witch or with Ionas to Tarshish but he appeales from an angry iust God to a mercifull God from himselfe to himselfe The woman who was damned by King Philip appealed from Philip being drunken to Philip being sober But Dauid appeales from one Vertue Iustice to another Mercy There may be appellation from the Tribunall of man to the Iustice seat of God Vse In the sense of Gods wrath seeke to him for mercy Psal 73.25 but when thou art indited before Gods Iustice whither or to whom wilt thou goe but to Himselfe and his Mercy-seat which is the highest and last place of appellation I haue none in Heauen but thee nor in earth by thee Doctr. 2 Next obserue what Dauid craues Mercy wherby we may perceiue that he was broght to a coÌ„sideration of his own misery A sense of misery iâ— a spurre to craue mercie or else he needed not to haue asked for mercy Then it is necessary that to the end we may the more effectually craue pardon euery one of vs first haue a sense and fâ—eling of our owne sin and miserie Vse Labour for a true â—â—nse of our miserie to make vs theâ— more earnest for mâ—â—y Ioh. â— 7 c The woman of Samaria sported herselfe with the offers of the waters of life which Christ Iesus offered her out of his owne blessed mouth vntill the time be obiected her sins to her then shee receiued them gladly communicated them to the whole Citie so did the Magdalen Peter Manasses Luke 7.37 Luk. 22.62 2 Chro. 33.12 Act 9.4 c. Paul and so haue and must all penitent sinners doe so necessarie a thing it is to feele our owne miseries that the mercies of God may be more welcome and sweet vnto vs. And therefore it is but an idle voyce when men call for Gods mercy not hauing the least remorse for their sinne Luk. 18.11 ark 2.17 Matth. 5.4 The Pharisee needed not Christ as the whole need not the Physitian God giue vs then the spirit of repentance that we may mourne to the end we
may be comforted As for the Mercy of God Gods mercies innumerable Eph. 3.18 to me to speake thereof it is impossible yea to expresse the height bredth depth and length thereof as impossible as if I should recken the number of the sand of the Sea yea all the creatures Angels and men if they would bend their wits they were not able to expresse the least part of the mercies of our God for they are finite creatures and he an infinite God whose mercies are innumerable and infinite yet according to my humane capacitie what I haue conceiued and doe beleeue of his mercy that I will deliuer to you And as I spake before of his wrath and anger that endureth but for a season Psal 136.1 c. Psal 145.9 I will intreat of his mercies which endure for euer and which are aboue all his workes himselfe also being stiled The Father of mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 His mercies are either Generall or Speciall Foure sorts of mercies 1. Generall Temporall or Eternall His Generall mercies are those benefits which he bestowes vpon all mankinde as well elect as reprobate whereupon our Sauiour sheweth vnto vs That he maketh the Sunne to shine vpon the good and vpon the bad and thereupon he inferreth Mat. â— 4â— Be mercifull as your Father in heauen is mercifull So that these same Externall benefits are to the reprobate vnseene and vnfelt benefits and mercies The Speciall mercy is the remission of sinnes 2. Speciall which he bestoweth vpon his owne children allanerly Gen. 25.5 6 So that as Abraham gaue gifts to the children of the Concubines and reserued the heritage for Isaac his sonne and as Helcanah gaue to Peninnah a portion 1 Sam. 1.4 5 but vnto Anna a worthy portion So God giues riches to the wicked but only grace to his chosen children The Temporary mercy is the forgiuenesse whereby he pardons the sinnes of the reprobate 3. Temporarie mercies and out of his clemencie deferies their temporall punishments to make them the more inexcusable Iâ—â—ah 3.10 1 King 21.29 as he did to the Niniuites and to Achab. But that Sempiternall mercy is that whereof the Apostle speakes 4 Eternall That God who is rich in mercy for his great loue by which hee loued vs when wee were dead in sinnes Eph. 2.4 c. hath quickned vs in Iesus Christ to make manifest in the ages to come the riches of his grace This mercy flowes from himselfe Gods mercies vnchangeable and he extends it to whom he pleaseth and it is so sure and constant that he can denie himselfe as soone as he can alter his mercy towards any whom hee hath receiued vnder his fauour And this constancie of his mercy is a sure hold to which all troubled consciences may retire Vse 1 This should incourage all poore sinners to runne to him To encourage Gods poore afflicted children â—say 61.1 Reuel 3.18 Simil. where there is sure and perfect Physicke to be found innumerable riches to the poore eye-salue to the blinde c. Thinke yee that your sins are of greater weight than his mercies or that the gold of his goodnesse in thee cannot ouersway the drosse of thine owne sinfulnesse Hath not the Lord sworne that he delights not in the death of a sinner Ezec. 18.23 will he falsifie his word belie his promise Num. 23.19 or is he like man that he can repent Vse 2 And againe as this his mercy should inarme vs against despaire Against presumption vpon consideraon of Gods mercy so on the other part we should take heed that we presume not too farre by abusing his mercies and making them a couer for our wickednesse so that a false perswasion of mercy maketh vs liue as we please no no there is no mercy for an impenitent sinner The mercy of God should leade thee to repentance and thou on the head of it shouldest not entertaine and nourish thy sinne Vse 3 Further as thou hopest for mercy from God Be mercifull as God is Math. 9.13 so likewise giue thou mercy to others flowing from that mercy which thou hast receiued from God I will haue mercy saith the Lord and not sacrifice Therefore since it shall be an vndoubted token of thine election that thou hast receiued mercy from Gods hands try if thou findest thy selfe vnfainedly disposed to forgiue others whatsoeuer yea euen the greatest faults committed against you for that is the oyntment running downe Aarons beard to the hemme of his garment Psal 133.2 Against merits foure Reasons Moreouer yee see that Dauid doth not present his merits which might redeeme the filthinesse of his sinnes as the Papists thinke neither yet prayers Reas 1 praises alinesdeeds victory ouer Gods foes wherein hee was frequent but he leaueth them all as a broken reede Esay 36.6 to the which he could not well leane in the day of his spirituall temptation as he confesseth oftentimes in the Psalmes and hath his onely refuge to Gods mercy The merits of men alas what are they The best workes we doe are so full of imperfections that there is more drosse than gold in them Simil. What man would be content for good gold to receiue such coyne as is neere by altogether drosse and thinke yee God for his perfect Law which he gaue vs to obserue and doe will receiue our imperfect workes Reas 2 And albeit they were perfect yet are they not of vs Iames 1.17 August for all good gifts come from the Father of lights Cùm numero merita mea saith Augustine enumero dona tua When I number my merits I reckon thy gifts What haue we that we haue not receiued 1 Cor. 4.7 Why then glory we as though we had not receiued them Reas 3 Thirdly although our workes were perfect yet are we bound to doe them by vertue of our Creation Redemption Sanctification Preseruation and if bound to do them what deserue we then Reas 4 Finally he is an infinitly perfect God how then can we thinke our base deeds though they were our owne can merit for wee ought to doe good workes to serue Via regni non causa regnandi August Obiect not to deserue they are the way to the Kingdome not the cause thereof But how is it that Dauid sometimes protests of his innocencie and desires God to iudge him according to the innocency of it Psal 7.8 This is to be vnderstood of his innocencie before men Answ to whom he did no wrong as to Saul Psal 143.2 Absolon A hitophel Doeg c. But not before God in whose sight shall none that liueth be iustified if he enter into iudgement with them as Dauid confesseth What mad doctrine is it then Vse which teacheth men that there is any worthinesse in them Iob 4.18 15.15 since the heauens are not cleane before him yea he hath found folly in his Angels Doct. 3 Dauid vnder
what the worse is a Captaine for a scarre in his face whose valorous armes haue beene so well tried Next his afflictions and persecutions cannot bee shamefull but honourable for the Apostles themselues thought it great honour to be beaten Acts 3.41 yea to bee scourged for Christs sake They now are crowned with martyrdome who to the worlds opinion haue suffered as euill doers Let not mine enemies reioyce ouer me The deuils reioyce at euill Luke 15.10 The wicked doe imitate the nature of the deuill for he is neuer glad but at the destruction of sinners as the Angels reioyce at their conuersion whereby ye may trie if yee be a true Christian The triall of a Christian by coÌ„passion 2 Cor. 11.29 Doct. Gods children haue many enemies Reu. 12.17 if ye lament with those that lament and haue compassion on them and say with the Apostle Saint Paul Quis affligitur ego non vror Who is afflicted and I doe not burne Gods children haue many enemies hee is not one of Gods lambes if he haue not a Lyon or a dogge to pursue him some are secret some are open but who are they none but the Deuill and his children the Dragon pursues the seed of the woman Next obserue their malitious nature they reioyce at the euill of Gods children Simil. and doe leape for gladnesse The Flies and Eagles liue on the sores of beasts so doe the wicked reioyce at the euill of Gods people Doct. The wicked alwaies reioyce in euill Reioyce not ouer mee my enemy I haue fallen I will rise againe Thirdly hee would not feed their eyes with his losses The ioy of the wicked is euer in euill either in their owne or other mens sinnes they sleepe not till they sinne they eate not but in sinne with gluttony they sleepe in vvhoredome they go to murther oppression or strealing VERSE 3. So all that hope in thee shall not bee ashamed but let them bee confounded that transgresse without cause Doct. The benefits of Christiâ—ns are common SO all that hope in thee He so drawes his deliuery that the benefit thereof may redound to the rest of the members of Christ for their euils and their goods are common neither should vvee seeke any thing to our selues but so farre as it may redound to the good of the Church and her comfort For as a ring on the finger adornes the vvhole body Simil. and as the hurt of the finger anoyeth iâ— all Doct. Shame sent to the wicked aâ— to the right owner 1. They transgresse so doth the good of one member reioyce all and the hurt of one offend all But let them bee confounded that transgresse without cause Now shame is sent to the right owner the vvicked vvho are described by two marks first they are perfidious and forsworne no bond can bind them they are a false generation trust them not vvhen they are vvith Iudaâ— kissing thee Luk. 22.47 2 Sam. 3.27 then are they betraying thee Ioab said to Abner in peaceable manner how doe you my Brother in the meane time had a dagger priuately wherewith to kill him 2. Without cause The next marke is vvithout cause they are not able to qualifie any iniury that euer they haue done Psal 11.3 What hath the righteous done saith Dauid They liue vpon suspitions apprehensions and iudge others after their owne false nature Doct. Ianocencie a great comfort in time of trouble Note a great comfort to establish thy conscience in thy sufferings thine innocencie vvhich maketh thy afflictions light and thy burthens easie VERSE 4. Shew mee thy wayes O Lord and teach me thy pathes Doct. Wee are naturally ignorant SHew mee This letteth vs see how that naturally vve are ignorant of the vvaies of God and therefore Dauid vvould bee taught of God Hee craued in the first three verses to bee freed of shame and now hee craues the meanes by vvhich he may bee deliuered euen Gods vvord which is the onely preseruatiue from shame And herefore it often commeth to passe that vvhen men are brought to be open spectacles of shame Doct. The contempt of Gods word the cause of shame Vse Against contemners of the word of God Simil. they doe confesse it was not the present accident wherein they are taken but the contempt of Gods word And this should teach vs to loue that word and follow it to the end vve may be kept from shame which maketh greatly against the Atheists and Papists of our Land who contemne the blessed word of God they are as Owles flying the light of the day Qui male facit â—ait lucem hee that doth euill hateth the light In this verse are contained 1. the person whom he implores Iehouah whom he describeth leading him teaching him Ioh. 3.20 The Parts receiuing him in fauour and nourishing him in the 4.5.6 7. verses 2. What hee seekes Gods wayes 3. By what meanes Teach me and lead mee 4. the reason Because thou art my God and I trust in thee Dauid a King and a Prophet craues to bee directed by God to the effect and end hee may direct the course of his life well and of all his Subiects which was Solomons choyce 1 Kin. 3. â— Lord giue me wisedome to go in and out wisely before thy people So should Pastors doe Who would bee a good Master Doct. All should desire to be taught by God in his wayes Two contrary waies let him be a good Apprentice this same should all priuate Christians desire that God would teach them that way which will please him best euen his owne wayes Thy wayes This presupposeth that there is another way which is the way of sinne as there are two places and ends heauen and hell so are there two persons sheepe and Goates two wayes the broad and narrow two words Ios 24.15 come and depart I with Iosua set before you life or death the right or wrong way chuse or refuse All men are going but there is onely one Gods way the Kings hie streete many by-wayes All thinke they are going to Heauen Iewes Turkes Papists Atheists but try if thou be going thereto by that vvay which God hath set downe to thee trye which is the ancient way the true and liuing way Brigands and false guids may deceiue you 2 Kin. 6.19 The wrong way as the Prophet led the Aramites Ioh. 14.6 Ps 119 35. and leade you to Samaria but the way of God is set downe by Christ I am the way the truth and the life no man comes to the Father but by me euen through the vale of his flesh thus he steps through Christ Dauid prayes vnto the Lord that hee would direct him in the path of his commandements for therein was his delight and Isaias saith God will teach vs his wayes Isai 2.3 and we will walke in his pathes Faith and Loue two feet whervpon wee must walk There bee two feete
in his kingdome accompteth himselfe onely happie in this that his sinnes were pardoned Those earthly things are a weake foundation wherevpon to build Note should we expect happinesse of an vnhappie world The vanitie of the Philosophers concerning happinesse is to be put away Chrys in 1. Cor hom 4. of whom Chrysostome writeth they haue wouen Spiders webes by which they might maâ—re the minds of foolish men He who is a rebell to the king can enioy no benefites of his kingdome Simil. but when hee hath receiued the rod of peace and hath procured the kings fauour then hee is happie So although we had all the priuiledges of nature what will they be to vs if we haue not the fauour of God and assurance of the remission of our sinnes Blessed is he He giueth out this beatitude in the singular number The man as Habackuk also hath Hab 2.4 iustus ex fide sua viuet the iust man shall liue by his faith The Apostle Saint Paul sayth 2 Cor 4.13 I haue beleeued therefore I spake that wee may not infold our selues vnder the lap of generalitie and say with Athists and Papists Euery man must be assured of his Saluation wee will be saued as other men are for we beleeue as the Church beleeueth but euery man must haue a faith of his owne by which hee must be saued for albeit there be but one common Medicine applyed to all Christians who are penitent yet euery one of them must haue that applied to himselfe euen that Salue to cure his soare For medicaments must be personall we must haue our particular warrand in our pocket for our debts and not dreame that wee are free of debt when others are freed thereof There are three gradations or climaxes answerable to the three degrees of nature A threefold Gradation 1 Nature 2. grace 3. glory grace and glory The naturall estate of man is noted by sinne impietie and iniquitie grace by lightned of it couered not imputed glory blessed blessed Nature beginneth the worke and it is full of vanitie and it hath the roote of sinne which groweth in all our hearts that sinning sinne concupiscence that Originall corruption without which neuer man was borne except Christ Iesus Of this man esteemeth little albeit hee haue it in his house and the thiefe lying in his bosome This roote of sinne springeth vp in two branches impietie against God and iniquitie against man this monster with these two twinnes are euer found together they growe together and liue together a sinner vnrepenting is impious and irreligious toward God and profane and inequitable toward men When sinne reignes as a tyrant and hath taken any captiue to doe him seruice is it any maruaile that he rage against God by blasphemies and against man by iniuries The man possessed with Diuels who was amongst the graues threw stones at the passengers Math 8.28 as by the contrary hee who is holy and Sanctified is also godly and iust for these three cohere Pietie Iustice Sanctitie Sinne is neuer alone as neither commeth the iudgement of God alone one draweth another Math 22.13 they are linked together as a chaine of iron by which man is bounde and caried to vtter darkenesse if the Angel who came to Peter in prison doth not lose them Act 12.7 Psal 1.1 This Chapter is depainted in the first Psalme at the first verse for hee calleth them sinners wicked The degrees of sinne and scorners Peccatum peccatum trahit one sinne draweth on another for sinne groweth to wickednesse and wickednesse to scorning of all religion which is the extremitie and highest degree of all euill The deformitie of beasts we alow in our selues This further is to be noted that what deformitie we see and dislike in al the beasts they are found in one man Wee detest the the falshood of the Foxe and the subtiltie of the Serpent and yet man is falser then both we cannot abide to looke vpon a Dogge when hee licketh vp his vomit neither on a Sowe while she is wallowing in the puddle and our onely delight is to swallow vp sinne and feede on our owne filthinesse and when we haue beene clensed from it by repentance wee returne to it within a little time we abhorre the greedinesse of the Wolfe albeit sometimes hee can be satisfied and yet our couetous heart is insatiable The crueltie of the Lyon is odious vnto vs albeit it spareth the owne kinde but man as Athaliah rageth against his owne bloud 2 Chron 22.10 euerie beast hath one deformitie which is no sinne in it but a spectacle whereby man may hate that in himselfe which hee abhorreth in a beast but man hath all deformities Note hee is subtil then a Serpent more craftie One may haue all beasts properties then a Foxe more cruel then a Lyon more filthie then a Sow more greedie then a Wolfe c. Yea much differing from all these for all may be tamed I am 3.8 but the tongue of man cannot be tamed and if one member of man be worse then all beasts Note what thinke yee of the whole powers of mans nature Looke then what euill commeth of sinne it seemeth to be profitable and pleasant for the present as honey in the mouth Pro 20.17 but in the bellie it turneth in grauell and wormewood Iudas thought his wages sweete in receiuing them Math 27.3 but after cast that money backe in great sorrow Ammon was sicke for loue of his sister but when hee had fulfilled his lust 2 Sam. 13.15 he hated her more then before he had loued her Behold what Leprosies Phrensies Feuers Botches haue euer fallen vpon mans body as many sinnes as fountaines of them are pressing downe his soule which we should lament if wee were sensible of the smallest of them Whose wickednes is forgiuen This threefold repetition of the remission of Sinnes argues the necessitie of the perswasion of this doctrine for it is an article of our Creede which we must beleeue and for the which we are commanded to pray dayly hee hath promised it who is faithfull hee hath sworne and giuen the earnest of his Spirit to seale it We must not doubt with these doubting Doctors Doctr. We may be assured of the remission of sinne Eccles 9.1 Ob. whether wee shall obtaine mercie or not but wee may assure our selues of the remission of our sinnes They alledge that of Ecclesiastes No man knoweth either loue or hatred of all that is before him I Answere that place is to be vnder vnderstood thus Ans that externall things are not notes of Gods loue or hatred because they are common to good and euill This perswasion indeede wanteth not the owne doubtings wee doubt but we dispare not Whence doubts arise in Gods children these doubtings spring from the sense of our vnworthinesse not of Gods goodnesse But if a man be not assured of the
we haue sinned in asking vs a King beside all other sinnes But a sincere heart seekes no starting holes or subterfuges but deales truely betwixt God and it selfe yea grace is at warre with all sinne especially with that which is nearest and dearest to man and will not spare to disgrace it by all meanes so that discovering the loath somnes thereof it maketh man willing to confesse it Ezra 9.6 Ezra sayth I am confounded and ashamed to lift vp mine eyes Thou shalt remember thy wayes Eze. 16.61 Act. 2.37 and be ashamed c. They were pricked in their hearts when they heard it God will haue his children like himselfe that as he esteemeth of sinne and as it is most oditious to him so we may account it odious and abominable and we can never hate and abhorre it overmuch Yea further when he maketh vs to aggravate our sinne he maketh vs so much the more to haue an earnest desire of mercy that when we haue seene sinne in an vgly visage we may see Gods grace more gladly laughing vpon vs with a merry countenance whereby we may the more glorifie him and accept of his mercie yea the more we confesse our debts to God and in humilitie craue forgiuenesse thereof the more he pitieth vs and the more we confesse our basenesse the more we magnifie the goodnesse of God pardoning the same The Lord will haue vs to confesse our sins that these being hewed from vs we may be more fit stones for his building Simil. And as the Carpenter taketh away chippes from the tree to make vp a goodly workemanship so will God haue our superfluous excrements cut off to make vs glorious ornaments to himselfe Against merits and superogation Gods superogation Mat. 18.27 Against Atheists This humble and penitent Confession of sinnes not onely damneth that divellish doctrine of merits and superogation or supererrogance when as the Master is sayd to forgiue all the debt But also convinceth such Atheists of our age who can well in grosse and generall termes say God forgiue vs we are all sinners and others who make a sport of sinne and others who will defend and patronize their sinne excusing the same and saying I am not alone I loue not to be singular it is the fashion of the world to whore and sweare and be drunke I hope God is not so strait laced as you are Yea many haue answered to my selfe You will not answere for our sinnes although I should haue beene partaker of them if I had not reprooved them They say to the Ministers as the Sodomites said to Lot Gen. 19.9 Shalt thou iudge and rule or as Corah and his confederates sayd to Moses and Aaron Num. 16.3 Yee take too much vpon you or as those in the second Psalme Psal 2.3 Let vs breake their bonds asunder And thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne Doctr. Repentance and remission meet together In the former part Repentance and remission meet together in few words Davids true Repentance is liuely expressed Now in this part is set downe the remission of his sinnes and both are closed in one verse to let vs see that the one is not so soone done as the other meeteth David sayth 2 Sam. 12.13 I haue sinned and Nathan subioynes presently and thy sinnes are forgiven thee So this may encourage penitent sinners that God will not suspend or drift time with them but will presently what time soever a sinner repent him of his sinne put away his sinnes out of his remembrance Forgiuenesse meets repentance in the face as the father of the forlorne Sonne met him and kissed him Luk. 15.22 But how can Confession be sound Ob before sinne be pardoned it seemeth rather that Confession should follow the remission of sinne It is answered Ans that all Gods gifts are given at once for in the first act of grace there is a change of the whole soule for faith repentance loue to God men are given at once but in respect of vs and our apprehension or application one grace goeth before another Simil. for as the cracke of Thunder and the Lightning are both at one time but we see the one before we heare the other because our sight is more apprehensiue then our hearing So these graces are all wrought together by God yet in regard of vs and our sense pardon commeth after Confession albeit God in the beginning of our conversion giues vs the grace whereof we haue not the present feeling Simil. as a childe in the mothers wombe liues and moues yet knoweth not of his life and motion So Gods children scarse can acknowledge that which is within them The Lord forgaue not onely his sinne but the iniquitie of his sinne Dan. 12.2 as we say terra pulveris or caenum luti the dust of the earth or dirt of clay Note By this he would teach vs that albeit we be altogether sinfull yet God is altogether mercifull great is our sinne I grant but his mercy is farre greater Ps 10.11 as farre as the heaven is aboue the earth Next yee see that God onely pardoneth penitent sinners It is an idle doctrine to cause men to beleeue that Christs bloud is sufficient for all sorts of sinners whatsoever they doe for if it were so what needeth repentance faith the loue and feare of God c. Wee cannot haue these without their conditions for as the auncient sayth fides iustificat correlativè How faith iustifieth August We must merit God by faith and repentance for as Augustine sayth he that made thee without them doth not saue thee without them But Christ died for all all therefore must be saved for whom Christ died It is answered Christs death had beene able as Leo sayth to saue infinite worlds but we speake of the effectuall shedding of his bloud which was shed for many not for all for the remission of sinnes VERSE 6. Therefore shall euery one that is godly make his prayer vnto thee in a time when thou maiest be found surely in the flood of great waters they shall not come neere him Doctr. The godly shall reape the benefit of remission of sinne THis is the second part of the Psalme for hauing taught that the happinesse of man consisteth in the remission of his sinnes now he sheweth who shall reape the benefit of the same So this gift of God is not restricted onely to David but to all the godly as a cleare light shining abroad for the vtilitie of the whole Church We receiue gifts from God to impart them to others 1 Tim. 1.16 Hereby we may learne for what end God doth bestow his gifts vpon vs to wit that we may reach forth the fruit thereof to others So the Apostle sayth he found mercie that he might be an example to others As also we should looke to the examples going before vs. Aske the former ages sayth Iob Iob. 8.9
what Gods arrows are and wauereth not who hath a sharp eye foreseeing on what part his arrowes will light His arrowes are his afflictions his marke is the soules and bodies either of the elect or reprbate In this that God is the archer who shooteth at vs wee haue singular comfort that it is his hand who made vs Doctrine God who Woundeth 〈◊〉 must also steale vs â—gâ—ine 〈…〉 that also woundeth vs neither can any euill come from his hand for albeit he wound vs yet he wil cure vâ— againe Come let vs returne to the Lord saith the Prophet for he hath wounded vs and he will heale vs againe His sword cutteth with the one side and healeth with the other as the Poet speaketh of Achilles Ouid. lib. 1. de Trislib qui mihi vulnera fecit Solus Achilleo tollere more potest Gods arrowes are like Ionathans which he shot to Dauid in the fields 1. Sa. 20.36 in token of his loue God saith Saint Augustine Aug. conf 9. cap. 2. amat quos sagittat loueth those at whom he shooteth And Chrysostome calleth them Chrysâ—hom 3. in Ioh. lib. 10. cap. 6. Sagittae salutis Domini the arrowes of the Lords saluation Those arrowes commonly are either wicked men or diuels The diuers soâ—ts oâ— Gods arrowes whom God sendeth forth to afflict his owne children sharp as arrows light and swift as arrows and ready to do harme to Gods Saints or else sicknesse pouertie infamie and such other afflictions whereby our most gracious Father thinketh most fit to subdue our vile corruption all which albeit in their owne nature they are euill Nota. yet God can conuert turne them to the vtilitie and profit of his owne children Simil. As a Physitian can vse the most poisonable and venemous herbes to cure the most desperate diseases yea the flesh of the dead serpent to cure the wound gotten by the liuing serpent so God can conuert and turne the mischieuous machinations of our enemies to our saluation The marke and But at which the Lord shooteth here is Dauid And vseth the Lord to make his pastime to shoote at his owne Saints Obiect I answer Solut. How God is said to shoot at the godly and how at the wicked he shooteth both at the godly and wicked but vpon diuers intentions at the godly to waken them out of their sleepe and he will cure the wound which he maketh at the wicked for their vtter destruction he shooteth at their heart to kill them Are fixed in me By this he declareth that it is impossible to any creature visible or inuisible to pull forth that arrow which God shooteth The hand which shooteth it must also pull it forth Albeit the diuell the Caldeans and Sabeans plagued Iob and were arrowes shot by God as he confesseth Chap. 13. verse 14. and Chap. 19. verse 21. yet the Lords hand onely relieued him And thine hand lyâ—th on me This second comparison taken from the hand of a man signifieth that whatsoeuer trouble came to him he tooke it from Gods hand The sorts of Gods â—ands in â—â—e Scripâ—â—â—â—s His hand sometime is called the hand of creation as Psal 8.3 When I behold thâ—ne heaueâ—â— eueâ— the workes of thy fingers Sometime of deliuerie as when he deliuered his people ouâ— of Egypt by a strong hand Sometime of reuenge as Heb. 10.31 It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the lâ—uing God It hath also many other significations in the Scripture And so Dauid in his sicknesse setteth before his eyes the hand of God enarmed for the punishment of his sinne And whosoeuer he be that subsisteth and stayeth in the sense of his calamities he differeth nothing from a beast but this is wisdome and prudencie in a Christian to looke vp vnto him who smiteth him whereof Isay complaineth for the people turne not to him who sâ—itâ— them Lorinus the Iesuite maketh a ridiculous accommodation of this chastising hand of God in these words Isa â—3 A ridicules application made by Lorinus Per acâ—ommodationâ—m pratereâ— posset illud admitti vt confirmatio manus sit veluti impressio illa collophi quae sit ab Episcopo ei qui sacramcutum Confirmationis confert memoriae causa nam titulus Psalmi est in rememorationem that is Moreouer this might be admitted by applicatioÌ„ that the confirmation of the hand may be like to that impression of the blow which is made by the Bishops hand to whom he giueth the sacrament of Confirmation for memories cause for the title of the Psalme is in remembrance Indeed such a ridiculous exposition of the Scriptures and abuse thereof deserueth to be laughed at by children For if Dauid had not felt heauier blowes from the hand of God then the children doe from the Bishops I thinke he had no cause to complaine VERSE 3. There is nothing sound in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there rest in my bones because of my sinne HE proceedeth in this third verse to exaggerate and amplifie the greatnesse of his griefe from the vniuersalitie thereof that his sicknesse was not layed on any one part of his bodie but vpon his whole flesh and vpon all his bones His flesh is his exteriour part his bones his interiour Albeit the vlcers and wounds of his flesh were very sensible to him and more horrible in the eyes of men who beheld them as those of Iob and Lazarus which he might haue apprehended deeply when as by them he was made contemptible in the eyes of mens yet his inward paine which was more felt then seene maketh him thus so pitifully to crie Wherein we haue these things to consider First that as all his membâ—rs agreed very well to the performance of his filthy lust Doctr. All his meÌ„bers sinned all are punished so euery one of them receiueth a condigne punishment And it is good for man that he should be thus chastised in this world for a little time rather then he should be reserued for euerlasting darknesse where euery member shall receiue eternall paine for their sinne For as sinne pleaseth nature so it destroyeth and consumeth nature Gods wrath cannot abâ—de sinne Secondly he marketh the cause of those punishments euen Gods wrath because of his sin For when those two meet together they are as fire and flax Gods wrath as fire Simil. will soone deuoure the stubble of our sins Thirdly obserue that Dauid maketh not Gods wrath the onely cause of his miseries and heauie sicknesse for that were to charge God of vnâ—ighteousnesse but he iustifieth God Siâ—ne 〈◊〉 God â—he â—â—le of 〈…〉 when he acknowledgeth that his own sin was the cause of all his euils And surely we can neuer giue sufficient honour to God except we free him of all 〈◊〉 of vniust dealing and acknowledge oâ—â— selues to be the caâ—â—es of ouâ— owne â—â—â—â—â—ies Finally I obserue out of this verse that the word in the
iniquities are multiplied before vs. And yet we must take heed of the diuels craft who obscureth from many their sin so that they can neuer repent for that which they neuer see or feele And yet on the other hand he letteth some see the mountains of their sins and hugenesse of them that they see nothing else in God but his iustice thereby to leade them to despaire as he did with Iudas But we must not looke with such fixed eyes vpon our sins that we lift not vp our eyes to Gods mercie which is ready to pardon and to apply to-our heart all the sweete promises which we reade in the Scriptures so that as feare beareth vs downe faith may vphold vs that we fall not They must euer be before vs in this world and be purged by vnfained repentance not that our repentance can expiate them or pacifie Gods wrath or as the foolish Papists thinke that we can do penance for them For what satisfaction can thy humiliation do which is imperfect to satisfie the wrath of an infinite God Vnlesse his Son had intervened by his satisfaction Gods wrath could not haue bin appeased The more we repent for sin the more we are eased The more we remember our sin and lament for the same the more ease get we to our afflicted minds and consciences and the more sensibly shall we feele the mercie of God pardoning our offences Therefore we cannot be better exercised then in an humble confession of our sin and by bitter teares with Peter weepe for our offences which I pray God the Lord may worke in our hearts that we may find that blessing vpon vs which Christ pronounced Math. 5. Blessed are they who now mourne for they shall be comforted Verse 4. Against thee against thee only haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight that thou maist be iust when thou speakest and pure when thou iudgest THe ancients haue so far differed in expounding this verse some running forth on Allegories others on far sought interpretations that Lorinus the Iesuite numbreth twelue diuers interpretations hereof of which The diuers interpretations of this verse two are most agreeable to the words and meaning of the text The first expounds it this way Howsoeuer say they Dauid did wrong to Vriah yet it was hid from all men and onely knowne to God and these sins are onely done against God whereof none is witnesse but he only And surely albeit we would couer our sins from the sight of the world there is one witnesse whose sight we cannot flee Plato affirmeth that we should do nothing in secret whereof we would be ashamed in publik And Cicero Ne siquidem deos omnes celare possumus albeit we could keepe it secret from all the gods The other whereto I rather incline is thus Albeit say they Dauid had offended man yet it touched him more nigh at the heart the sin he did against God in breaking of his law For so Nathan said vnto him Why didst thou contemn the word of the Lord that thou shouldst do euill in his sight 2. Sa. 12.14 As though Dauid would say Though all the world would absolue me this is more then enough to me that I feele thee my iudge my conscience citeth me before thy tribunall Let vs haue our eyes and our senses fixed on God and not be deceiued with the vaine allurements of men who either extenuate or conniue and winke at our sins For God Nâ—tâ— as he is witnesse to our sins so is he sole and onely Iudge Admire the loue of God who can punish both soule and bodie in hell fire of whose wrath we should be more afraid then of all the kings or tyrants of the world As also we should be sorie that we haue offended so gracious a God who when he might haue damned vs yet hath pleased to pardon vs and taketh no other satisfaction at our hand but repentance for our sin and faith in his Son Iesus Christ Who will not giue vs to our enemies hand to be destroyed but will set vs free from prison out of his free loue Therefore O sinner in time be reconciled with thy Iudge and take no rest till thou haue suretie of his fauour Say with Dauid Peccaui I haue sinned 2. Sa. 12.13 and God shall say with Nathan Peccatatua remissa sunt thy sins are forgiuen Against thee against thee onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight The ingemination of the word against thee signifieth the deepnesse of his feeling and griefe who is the more wounded the more he findeth the greatnesse of that maiestie and goodnes whom he hath offended So it were happie for vs that we could be deeply moued with a conscience of our sin that out of the deep places of a contrite heart we might redouble our sighs which would pierce that fatherly heart if we could shoot vp such arrowes to heauen but we laugh ouer the matter not remembring that our laughter shall be turned to mourning This also serueth to conuince such miscreant Atheists who can generally say God forgiue vs we are all sinners as it were excusing their sins when as they are neuer touched at the heart with a sorrow for them They feed their foolish humours with a cloake of the multitude that sinneth quasi patrocinium erroris sit multitudo peccantium as though the multitude of sinners should be a patrocinie and defence of errors saith Augustine Hell is spacious large enough hauing all the dimensions which will containe all the diuels and their children if they were more in number then they are That thou maist be iust when thou speakest and pure when thou iudgest By this it is cleare that the iustice of God shineth most in mens soules and his truth in their lies As though he would say Because I haue sinned so grieuously and haue committed such wickednesse that thou canst not be blamed of vnrighteousnesse though thou shouldst punish me most rigorously for I haue deserued worse then I haue suffered But because the Apostle Paul Rom. 3.4 would seeme to turne this text to another sense we shall reconcile them easily A reconcâ—liation betwixt this place and that of Rom. 3 4. For the Apostle seeing the Iewes to bring the testament and couenant of God in stander as though he had bin the cause of their ruine by casting that vpon themselues he freeth God of their fall But Dauid here vindicateth Gods iustice laying all the cause on himselfe Whereof we gather that if any euill come to man the cause of it is to be found in himselfe we need not cast it on God But out of this that Dauid confesseth God to be iust when he iudgeth we learne first that God as Abraham said is the iust Iudge of the world Gen. 18.25 and albeit he hath reserued a generall iudgement after this life God hath a particular iudgement in this world as Augustine saith yet he
the lace that coupleth are all one Christ by faith and loue receiued to the purgation of all Christians The second place Leuit. 17. is the purgation of the Leper wherein the blood of the sparrow the bunch of hyssope and the scarlet lace are likewise mentioned and differeth nothing but in this in the first was the Lambe here the Sparrow which is all one for euen as the Lamb is among beastâ— so is the Sparrow bate and simple amongst fowles to which Dauid comparâ—th himself I am as a sparrow on the house top sitting alone Psal 102.7 so we must be sprinkled with his blood which being contemptible to men was acceptable to God The third was Numb 19. about the red Cow which must haue hyssope dipped in the bâ—ood thereof And Christ is compared to the Cow or fat calfe which being in so great a price with the Father was giuen to death for the saluation of our soules The hyssope hath many things wherein it representeth Christ very nigh Wherein hysop representeth Christ 1. Kin. 43 for first it is obseure humble and abiecâ—â— so that Saloâ—oâ— is said to haue written of all trees from the Cedar the highest tree opposed to the hyssope springing out of the wall that is to be basest and most common growing amongst stones not standing of mans industrâ—e to plant them as other trees doe So Chrâ—st in whom we beleeue was contemptible a worme not a man despised Psal 2â— in him was no beaurie riches or earthly honours which maketh men to come in credit and account Next the hyssope is bitter and sowre not pleasant to the drinkers so the crosse of Christ by which our affections are mortified is very odious to the flesh and agreeth not with its taste His crosse is therefore a stumbling blocke to the Iewes and folly to the Gentiles Thirdly albeit it be sowre yet it is most wholesome so albeit the doctrine of repentance be irksome and vnsauory to the flesh yet it is wholesome to the soule Naturall men esteeme this doctrine to be an enemie to them Simil. which would slay their corruptions and lusts Medicine which at first seemeth bitter afterward becommeth more comfortable so the doctrine which is salted with salt and hyssope is fitter for vs then that which is sweetned with hony for hony was neuer appointed to be vsed in the Lords sacrifices but salt omnis victima sale saliatur An obseruation of Cyvillus concerning hysop Cyrillus obserueth in the hyssope an hot operation whereby it shaâ—pneth the grosse humors and purgeth the concretion of the priuitie so grace maketh vs feruent in the spirit Moreouer hysop purgeth the lungs phâ—iriasis rests The propertie of hysop Plin. lib. 20. cap. 4. nourâ—shâ—th the natiue colour of the bodie killeth filth and vermine growing on man cureth the bites of serpents prouoketh appetite sharpneth the sight is enemie to seuers of which it is written Parua calens pectus purgans petrosa streatrix Ius sapidat pleurae congrua spargit aquam So grace is hot by charitie purging by contrition spitting forth by confession seasoning the body by temperance sauing the soule and inward parts by application of Christs blood which being drunken purgeth our plurisie and bloodie eyes The hysop of Christs blood a medicine for all our corruptioÌ„â— Then seeing all these diseases are in the soule of man are we not much beholden to God who hath made one salue to cure all our sores the blindnesse of our mind is remoued by the water of his blood the foule câ—r upâ—ions of our heart are euacuate and dissoluâ—d that we spit them foâ—th our coldnes is warmed our fieâ—y feuers and inflammations quenched our spirituall vigour colour is restored which we lost by sin Wash me and I shall be whiter then the snow What meant by washing He acknowledgeth that none in heauen or earth is able to purge him but God onely He hath that fountaine in his owne garden he will communicate the glorie of our redemption to none but to himselfe For by this washing is meant the washing of iustification and remission of sins that as creation belongeth onely to God so doth redemption by Christs blood Wo to them who leauing the waters of life go to any other to seek water out of these rotteÌ„ cisterns Then seeing it is the proper work of God to wash vs let vs go to the lauer of baptisme that there we may be once washed and after daily pray that he may wash our feete by sanctification And I shall be whiâ—er then the snow He perswadeth himselfe of a full purgation by Christs blood Though I were as blacke as the Moore yet shall I be white as snow Nothing can blot out our sinnes but this blood If we would wash our selues with snow waters our righteousnesse shall be as a menstruous garment Esa 64.6 What is all the righteousnesse of man but an abhomination before God Yea Christ himselfe if he had bâ—n onely man could not haue bin able to satisfie the iustice of an insinite God he must be God himselfe and therefore it is called the blood of God But how shall we be whiter then snow Act. 20. â—ouct Solut. I answer our estate is more perfect and â—uâ—er by Christ then it was by nature in Adam forasmuch as we haue our perfection by Christ which cannot faile or alter and it is the perfection of God which belongeth to vs so that we stand not before God as men but as gods before God being coâ—ered with his perfect obedience who is our Redeemer blessed for ouer So there is no cause why we should feare or despaire seeing we are cleansed perfectly if we beleeue be sanctified Let vs put on Christ whose garment is white as snow Mar. 17.2 And his Church is made white in him Who is this that commeth vp white 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cant. 8.5 Apoc. 7.14 And the Bride hath white garments made white in the Lambes blood The proper office of the holy Spirit is to wash vs and purifie our conscience by Christs blood lest our filthinesse keepe vs back from accesse to God And this ye were saith the Apostle but ye are washed 1. Cor. 6.11 ye are sanctified ye are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God And againe speaking of the Church that he may sanctifie her purging her by the washing of water by the word Eph. 5.17 that he may make the Church glorious to himself not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that she may be holy blamelesse So it is the onely worke of God to sanctifie his children make them clean Finally obserue that iustification and sanctification are vndeuided companions Doctr. IustificatioÌ„ and sanctification go together whomsoeuer the Lord washeth by the hysop of his Sonnes blood he also sanctifieth by his Spâ—rit Studie therefore to get holinesse without which none shall see God
be deficient in the one thou disgracest all the workmanship Now. If thou hast in thy new birth the eyes of knowledge and lackest the bowels of mercie and art maimed of the hands of bountifulnesse or if thou be dumble and cannot praife God or deafe and cannot heare his word thou art not a perfect man A greater worke in the second birth then in the first Nota. A greater worke to raise vp a dead man in sin then to raise Lazarus out of his graue Blessed are they who are partakers of the first resurrection for the second death shall haue no power of them Reformation should begin at the heart Satan is an vncleane spirit As a flie is bred in filthinesse and leaueth euer filth behind it so doth the diuell defile euery place whereinto he commeth Our hearts are as open Tauernes ready to receiue all passengers Now hauing tried sinne and Satan to be so noisome to vs we should remoue them shut the doore of our hearts harbour them no longer yea if any vncleane thought arise let vs not entertaine it nor consent thereto lest it bring worse with it The subiect vpon which he must work is the heart the most noble part the most secret part which none can know but God the seate of all the affections by which man is ruled and led Reformation must begin at the heart A reformation which beginneth at the members and externall actions is neither true nor constant As if a man intending to dresse his garden and purge it from thistles and such like weeds would cut off the vpper part and leaue the roote which would spring vp again so if thou wouldst chastise thy bodie and let thine heart remaine luxurious it is nothing The heart is the fountaine wherefrom springeth all euill the root wherefrom all sinne groweth He speaketh not of the substance but of the affections and qualities of the heart No honest man will lodge in a filthy house Simil. or drinke or eate except the vessell be made cleane Pro. 4.23 and God cannot abide in a foule swinish heart Keepe thine heart diligently saith the Spirit Gen. 15.7 Since God then wil be thine hearts guest thou must guard it diligently that others enter not in neither leud cogitations but as Abraham chased away the foules from the sacrifice so we must chase away corrupt and euill cogitations from our soule as vagabonds should be expelled from the Kings pallace The heart in Latin is called cor Nota. noted by three letters to signifie as some thinke that it is the seate of the Trinitie and therefore the pourtraiture of the naturall heart is of three corners answerable to the same As a vessell of gold or siluer being through long vse wasted and broken Simil. is sent to the Goldsmiths to be renewed so our hearts worne by sinne must be sent to God that he may put them in the fire and cast them in a new mould and make them vp againe Alas that wee are carefull to renew euery thing clothes vessels and all onely carelesse to renew our hearts Many are carelesse of the best things Renew a right spirit within me He doubleth his suite concerning his soule as his principall desire There are many who desire earnestly at God for earthly things but few are serious in seeking that best thing a new soule Many are careful of the outward man and carelesse of the hid man of the heart that inner man The spirit is right when it is set vpon the right obiect which is God but when it declineth to the world or to sinne then it is wrong and goeth astray Dauid crauing first that he might be purged frō his filthinesse craueth now strength of God to his spirit that he may not wander againe but abide constant in the right way of Gods commandements For we must not onely pray for a renewing grace As we pray for renewing grace so pray for accompanying and following graces but for an accompanying grace and a following grace to keep vs in the way of Gods obedience The crooked and broken backed were not admitted to the Priesthood no more are crooked or peruerse soules meete for Gods kingdome Trie of what spirit ye are whether of a right or a crooked trie whether it be of God or not Euery mans wayes are right in his owne eyes but the Lord pondereth the hearts God must cast downe the old building and build vp in thee a new building for himselfe that thou maist be one of the stones of that new Ierusalem which shall be inhabited by God Verse 11. Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me IN this verse he craueth two euils to be auerted from him one that he be not cast out from Gods presence the other that the holy Spirit be not taken from him God cast off Saul his predecessor 1. Sa. 16.15 and tooke his holy Spirit from him and gaue him ouer to be led by an euill spirit Dauid here craueth at God to be free of those two iudgements The chiefe thing which he seeketh after is Gods fauour from which nothing debarreth vs more then sinne If any Courtier for his ouersight were put out of his place as Pharaohs butler and out of the Kings sight Exod. 40.3 would they not thinke hard thereof till they recouer his fauour Wee haue sinned against God should we take any rest till we be restored to his fauour Seek Gods fauour Should we not be afraid to be exiled and cast forth from his fauorable countenance in whose presence is fulnesse of ioy Psal 16.12 The face and presence of God is as the Sunne which in Summer looking fauourably on the earth quickneth all creatures man beasts the earth whatsoeuer groweth the fishes of the sea and the birds of the aire and by his absence all are discouraged comfortlesse and lose their vigour so while we haue Gods fauour we are in good case◠we haue light heate comfort pleasure and all things if he hide his face all things goes wrong and therefore our Poet saith well Tu si me placido lumine videris Cedent continuo caetera prosperè Buch. Psal But do you think that God can cast away his elect child No verily God cānot absent him self foreuer totally and finally he will not do it he cannot do it though we our selues and others beholding our crosses may esteeme so The Sun may seeme not to shine Simil. whē it is cóuered with clouds although it be shining so God may seeme to leaue vs when he crosseth vs but it is not so With an euerlasting loue haue I loued thee He loued his owne who were in the world to the end he loued them Ioh. 16.27 The gifts of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 Mat. 24.24 False Christs would deceiue the very elect if it were possible Againe Christ saith No man shall take them out of my hands
the holiest to an account he could finde them euen by their owne conscience guilty of iudgement Thus Christ reasoned with the Iewes taking an argument from their conscience Let him Ioh. 8.7 saith he who is without sinne among you cast the first stone at the woman taking in adulterie The papists confesse that the imperfection of our workes are supplied by Gods mercie but they diuide righteousnesse giuing Christ one part and taking to themselues another who doth not see how farre they erre from the Prophet Dauids confession Why establish they workes of supererogation which is a superlatiue folly if they cannot deserue more then may saue themselues It is a vaine thing to dreame either of satisfaction or satispassion Against merits that either a man can doe enough or suffer enough to satisfie God for his sinne Christ hath satisfied for vs all both the law by obedience and the iustice of God by his suffering who hath closed all vnder sinne that he may haue mercy on all Rom. 11.32 Bellarmine saith well on this place Vide Bellermin Psal 130. Offensio in Deum est infinita magnitudinis The offence done against God is of an infinite hudgenesse that we can neither condignely and worthily satisfie for them yea not acknowledge the grauitie and weight of them 2. How can a finite man make account for an infinite summe to such a God who knoweth the number of them and craueth so exact a reckoning But mercie is with thee that thou maiest be feared He being plunged in the deepthes of sinnes sorrowes is not able to reskew himselfe What he fâ—ndeth not in himselfe or others he sindeth In God Simil. till God relieued him The thing which he cannot finde in himselfe or in any other he seeketh it in God The earth is barren by nature an hard deud and cold element till it get life heate and moisture from heauen the same warmeth and quickeneth it and so it becommeth fruitfull euen so by nature there is neither light life nor grace in vs vntill God send them downe from heauen Wherefore then doe sinners seeke any releefe from beneath Iam. 2.17 Euery good gift commeth from the father of lights Let vs seeke it where it is to be found Luk. 24 5 Why seeke yee him that is liuing saith the Angell among the dead Why seeke we life in the dead world Mercy excludeth merit Rom. 3.28 Mercie excludeth all merits For grace and merits as Paule reasoneth doe fight ex diametro If we be saued by grace then merite is no merite if by merite then grace is no grace To ioyne those two grace and merite with these olde heretiques the Pelagians or with the Semipelagians arch-here-tique papists is great folly for they can no more agree together then fire and water of which of force the one will destroy the other 1. Iam. 5.2 Dagon and the Arke of God or the foote of Nebuchadnzars image composed of iron and clay Dan. 2.43 How mercie is said to be in God and with God Is with thee It is of him and from him as the author and God of all mercies it is in him as a fountaine to be found It is with him lying in his treasurie yea in a word it is himselfe beginning mids and end is ener mercie and compassion Are you in miserie stand you in neede of mercie ye know where to finde it euen in God and with God All the waies of the Lord are mercie and truth Psal 25.10 to them that walke vprightly If thou be sick thou knowest where to haue medicine without mony if poore where true riches are to be gotten if hungry wher food is The mercies of God supplie all the miseries of man There is no miserie in mans nature which may not be helped by Gods mercie and remission of thy sinnes This mercie as Augustine saith is to be found in the redemption of Christ blood That thou maiest be feared The consequent of this mercie is showen in the latter part of this verse that God may be feared But it seemeth very strange that mercy should beget feare Obiect where rather loue by it should be stirred vp in our hearts Solut. I answere the obteining of mercie begetteth both feare and loue a childish feare least we offend him a childish loue whereby to please him When the Apostle saith Charitas expellit timorem 1. Ioh. 4.18 loue expelleth feare he meaneth of a beastlie and slauish feare True loue and true feare are alwaies together Simil. but true loue and true feare may stand both together a child may feare to offend his louing father whom he loueth The end for which God offereth himselfe so peaceablie to man and so ready to graunt him mercie is that he may be feared If men were not assured to get mercie when they repent there could be no worshipping of God or godlinesse and if we had no esperance of grace why should we pray or vse diuine seruice in vaine The papists vnderstand not this ground for albeit they speake largely of the feare of God The papists are miserable comforters yet they keepe miserable soules in perplexitie denying that God will shew mercie vnto them calling it an high presumption that any should assure himselfe of Gods mercie what do they I pray you but build without a foundation for God can neuer be rightly worshipped vnles we haue an assurance of his mercie I wish that those Doctors who obscure the grace of God and teach mens righteousnesse could weigh this rightly Is it not a vaine thing in them to affirme that they would haue Gods seruice and worship aduanced themselues in the meane while obscuring Gods graces and mercies which should moue men most to worship him But the doctrine of grace say they maketh men secure and negligent of good workes Obiect it is true Solut. fleshly men will abuse Gods grace in wantonnesse but it is reasonable that for their peruersitie the glorie of God should be obscured and the elect and faithfull should be defrauded of their comfort Verse 5. I haue waited on the Lord my soule hath waited and I haue trusted in his word Verse 6. My soule waiteth on the Lord more then the morning watch watching for the morning IN these two verses Dauid declareth that out of the faith which he had of the remission of his sinnes sprang forth the hope which he had of the accomplishment both of his spirituall and temporall deliueries for faith must preceede Wherein faith and hope differ and hope must follow and attend vpon that which was beleeued faith and hope are both one in substance they differ in this that faith presently apprehendeth the promises of God and hope attendeth the receiuing of them If a king would giue his word Ex verbo Principis vpon the word of a king he would giue such a token to his subiects whereby he might be sure of that which he promised Simil.