yet false and treacherous for all his profession when he recovers his strength he will renew his war with him 2. Flattery is seen in profession of great love and affection Iudas his kiss a testimony of great love as if Christ were dear to him Such Professions hypocritical repentance will make under Affliction Such love Ziba shews to David professed great love and loyalty to him The Jews had such blandishments to God-ward Isai. xxix 13. They drew near him with their mouth and with their lips did honour him In our extremities who but God and Christ are in cur mouths then we seem much to affect them 3. Flattery is seen in profession of sorrow for any offence A Dissembler to escape his due 〈◊〉 will confess all and profess great sorrow for former offences Thus did railing Shimei to David Oh who so sorry for his offence who so submiss in confessing it 2 Sam. xix 18. And such professions an hypocrite under the lash will make to God The Israelites when thunder and lightnings were about their ears O we have sinned in asking a King besides all our other sinâ—… 1 Sam. xii 19. These are flattering Professions 2. As they flatter'd in their Professions so they were false in their Promises Repentance will make Vows and Promises and so will this false and counterfeit Repentance abound in Promises Ask Pharaob If God spare thee this time wilt thou let Israel go O yes No longer stay An Hypocrite will go about to bribe God with Promises Spare me this one time I will become a new man yet all false A double Falsness 1. False in Intention He sayes what he never means his tongue contradicts his heart 2. False in Performance He never makes good what he saith David calls it a lying fained Obedience Psal. lxvi 3. Through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies yield fained obedience unto thee False and Counterfeit So then In that these Jews were thus false and fraudulent in their repentance it will discover unto us the dangerous condition of this sin of Hypocrisy in three strains of Hypocrisy 1. See the guile of Hypocrisy Rather then fail it will counterfeit and act any duty though never so unacceptable as Repentance is No duty in Religion goes down so hard with an Hypocrite as Repentance Repentance is a shaming duty A penitent must confess and acknowledge he hath sinned take shame and confusion to himself cry with the Leper I am unclean Now Hypocrites are Animalia Gloriae all for their Credit and Reputation In matter of Opinion they are in no Errour Quod volumus sanctum est What Are we ignorant and blind also Iob. ix 40. In matter of Conversation they are without spot or wrinkle You are they which justifie themselves before men Luke xvi 14. It is hard to bring them to acknowledge either errour or fault But yet if it makes for their turn they will even act a penitential part and confess and recant and seem to be sorry for sin So did Simon Magus and King Saul 2. See the pertinacy and obstinacy of hypocrisie It will act and counterfeit and not give over no not in the greatest affliction Cum occideret when Gods hand is slaying them yet then they will counterfeit Neither mercies nor miracles nor chastisements nor plagues will alter or change him Let favour beshewed to him yet he will not learn righteousness Nay Let Gods hand be lifted up yet they will not see it Isai. xxvi 10. Of all other sinners an Hypocrite is the most hopeless and incorrigible Afflictions have brought home prophane sinners but an Hypocrite will stand out that too either accuse God for afflicting him or dissemblingly accuse himself like some desperate Cutpurse that will steal in the Sessions-house or at the Gallows 3. See the stupor and brutish sottishness of Hypocrisie It will not only undertake to deceive men but God also think to mock him with flatteries and lyes As Ahâ—…z how did he cover his infidelity O he would not tempt God What saith Isaiah Isai. vii 13. Is it a small thing to weary men but will ye weary my God also An Hypocrite will not onely faulter with men seek to delude the world but they are lying children to God Isai. xxx 9. Thus S. Peter charges Ananias and Sapphira that they lyed not to men but to the Holy Ghost Acts v. 4. Thus Isaiah brings in the Hypocrites of his time boasting even to God of their hypocritical service and devotion Isai. lviii 3. Wherefore have we fasted and thou seest it not Wherefore have we afflicted our soul and thou takest no knowledge Indeed Hypocrites are in truth secret Atheists They turn the glory of God into an Idol so hoping to put him off with vizards and counterfeits worse than Iacob toward Isaac God can neither see nor feel nor find out their mockeries That 's the third the falsness of their Repentance Come we to IV. The fourth defect of their Conversion and Repentance It was momentary and unconstant Vers. 37. Their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant And this clause comes in as a proof of the former 't is a Conviction of their unsound and hypocritical repentance And here is a double Conviction by which an Hypocrite may judg of himself Their repentance was false and fained 1. Because it was not hearty True repentance is hearty repentance If the heart be wanting it is counterfeit and hypocritical Their heart was not right with him Their repentance was false and fained 2. Because it was not lasting and durable They were not stedfast in his Covenant 1. It was hypocritital because it was not cordial and hearty How was it not hearty were they not in earnest was it meer out-side acted pretended repentance 'T is likely not There is a double Hypocrisie 1. Formal and express when he that acts it intends onely to counterfeit means nothing else That 's gross hypocrisie Such were the Pharises in Christ's time and the world is full of them Hardly can we think a man in such a case as these Israelites were now in at the point of death would be so gross as to mock God expresly 2. There is hypocrisie of a finer thread that 's interpretative hypocrisie Such an hypocrisie wherein we deal falsly with God and our selves too Such as God will judge hypocrisie How 's that when a man rests in some acts of repentance but yet fails and falls short in the main and is careless of that As 1. There are some actions of repentance as confession of Sin calling for Mercy promising Amendment these are good but yet more is required 2. There are some affections and passions of repentance as sadness and sorrow and feat and anxiety dejection of mind and other passionate motions these also are good but yet fall short 3. What then is wanting The main of all is that the heart must be changed I say changed It may be affected dejected and troubled
of Contrition observe two things 1. Actum 2. Objectum 1. The Act expressed in this word Rent 2. The Object that is specified 1. Affirmative what we must rent that 's the heart 2. Negative what we must not rent Not your garments And this latter object may be resolved into a double sense 1. If we conceive it as Objectum solitarium as divided and sever'd from the renting of the heart So it is Sensus purè negativus a flat negative Rent not your garments Or 2. As Objectum conjunctum Joyn renting of the heart and garments together So it is Sensus comparativus Rent your hearts rather then your garments That 's the first the Exhortation to Contrition 2. The Exhortation to Conversion that follows Return to the Lord your God Return and that implies a Motion And therein observe three things 1. Motum ipsum the kind of Motion it is a Returning 2. Terminum Motus that whereunto we must return that is the Lord. 3. Habitudinem mobilis ad terminum that habitude and relation which guides and byasses us unto the term in the words following Your God And it is twofold For 1. As in all natural Motion so in this there is an attraction in the term and place to which the Motion tends that which draws the Mobile towards it as the heaven doth the fire that 's in the last word God 2. An Impulsive in the Mobile that which carries and disposes the thing moved towards it as levity in the fire that 's exprest in this word Your He is Your God That 's the first main Precept the Precept of Repentance The second follows the Motive to Repentance in these words For he is gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness and repenteth him of the evil And in it consider three things as most observable 1. Speciem Motivi 2. Partes Motivi 3. Gradus Motivi 1. The kind and nature of the Motive It is a Motive and Perswasion drawn from one who is gracious merciful slow to anger of great kindness and repents of the ill All of them invitations of love and favour 1. Contents not himself to put us in mind of our duty We must Return unto the Lord our God So requiring Repentance Sub ratione officii as performance of duty 2. Uses no threatnings intermingles no curses So enforcing Repentance Sub ratione periculi for avoydance of danger But 3. Urges mercy and favour Strange saith Tertullian proemio invitat ad salutem So perswading to Repentance Sub ratione spei Thus we see a loving Father receives his returning Prodigal neither strikes him nor threatens him no nor expostulates Where hast thou rioted and wasted thy time and my goods Uses not an harsh word to him but meets him and kisses him and embraces him and receives him with all loving affection That 's the first thing observable the kind of the Motive 2. Take a view of the several parts of this affectionate Motive contents not himself to open some glimpse of hope and possibility of pardon makes not an offer of some one of his gracious and forgiving Attributes but opens the riches and treasures of his mercies conceals not any hint or hold of comfort thinks all little enough Either 1. To make a full expression of love in Him Or 2. A deep impression of hope in Us enlarges the bowels of his compassion sets out the heighth and breadth and length of his Mercy to us summons up all his Attributes of grace and favour Gracious merciful slow to anger of great kindness he repenteth of the evil That 's the second thing observable The number and parts of the Motive 3. Observe the Degrees of the Motive See how they are all set and purposed to prevent and remove all the fears and discouragements that a timorous guilty Conscience can forecast to it self 1. We are here called upon to present our selves unto the Lord to hope for and expect his love and favour Whose heart will not object that he is not worthy of so great a blessing not having the least desert of the least favour True but he is a gracious God shewing his goodness and compassion freely without desert That 's the first degree He is gracious sine merito But 2. We are not only destitute of any good deservings but our lives have been demeritorious sinful offensive deserving the contrary True but he is merciful and compassionate even against desert That 's the second degree He is merciful contra meritum But 3. We daily provoke him by our rebellions grieving his Spirit increasing his wrath by our offences Yet let not this discourage us he is a patient God forbearing his people He is longanimis a God slow to anger That 's the third degree of the Motive But 4. The cry of our sins hath ascended up to Heaven and called loud in the ears of God he is already offended his wrath is kindled his anger incensed yet despair not he is easie to be entreated he is of great kindness That 's the fourth ascent of the Motive But 5. His wrath hath smoak'd out against us his Prophets have threatned and denouneed his judgments the Decree is come out we are all senteneed to destruction Yet let not this deject us yet there is hope of mercy and forgiveness he will reverse his sentence He repenteth of the evil These are the degrees Then 1. Do thy sins discourage thee Let the offer and invitation of his mercy assure thee 2. Doth the number and variety of thy transgressions dishearten thee Consider in the second place the multitudes of his mercies and let them perswade thee But 3. Doth the measure and heinousness of thy rebellions affright thee Let the degrees and plenty of his Compassions comfort thee These are the Motives First Let us begin with the first part of the Text the duty of Contrition unto which we are exhorted And in it 1. The Act of Contrition is to be observed in this word Soindite Rent And the Observation is shortly thus much That the act and practice of Repentance is no less then a Renting A renting and that naturally implies and inâ—…erts three things 1. Duritiem in objecto Stiffness and obduration in the Object to be wrought upon A sinful heart is stiff and obdurate it needs a rending 2. Difficultatem in actu Hardness and difficulty in the act to be exercised Repentance 't is no slight gentle easie performance No 't is grievous and painful 't is no less then a Renting 3. Vim in agente It requires all the strength and might of him that undertakes it Repentance 't is a renting 1. Durities in objecto That 's the first Inference A sinner not mollified and wrought upon by repentance he is naturally hardned he needs a renting S. Paul puts them both together Rom. ii 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hardness and impenitency they are never asunder Observe those measures and degrees of obduration that the Scripture discerns and describes
of God There was no guile found in his mouth There was in him exact Purity of Nature without stain or blemish The Prince of this world cometh and he hath nothing in me Ioh. xiv 30. that he can search out and accuse me for As the Son in the Gospel he can say truly to his Father I have served thee alwayes I never offended thee It was his meat and drink to obey him He was holy harmless separate from sinners Heb. vii 26. Secondly Consider this in respect of the Virtue of his Mediation In him he is well pleased with us also Conceive this point 1. By way of Negation In Christ God is well pleased with us therefore out of Christ he is offended and displeased with us 2. By way of Affirmation In Christ God is well pleased In him he is graciously appeased and reconciled with us First Conceive it by way of Negation Out of Christ God is offended and displeased with us Take a double measure and proportion of this Displeasure 1. Is Mensura Intensionis the depth of his Displeasure The Scripture sets it out in many gradual Expressions 1. Is Alienatio He is estranged from us we are cast out of his Covenant His favour is withdrawn we are cast away from his Countenance As Cain Gen. iv 14. He was driven away from the face of God We are strangers and afar off from him Ephes. ii He beholds us afar off as one that owns us not 2. Is Poenitentia The Scripture sets out his Displeasure at us by attributing to God a Repentance that ever he made us Gen. vi 6. It repented the Lord that he had made man upon the earth and it grieved him at his heart Not that God really repenteth For he is not as man that he should repent 1 Sam. xv 29. but he hath no more content in us then a man hath in that which he repents of and wishes were undone 3. Is Ira In him are thoughts of wrath and Indignation against us a bent and purpose of will to punish and afflict and make us smart in his Displeasure In him is wrath and jealousie and fury and storms of Displeasure and we are children of wrath vessels of wrath into which he pours out his anger 4. Is Odiunt Hatred that is deeper Anger may be suddenly up and soon pacified but his Displeasure against us out of Christ it is Hatred that 's deep and deadly and lasting it looks at Destruction Every punishment doth not content Hatred but it ayms at Perdition 5. Is Abominatio That is more then hatred It carries with it a secret antipathy and loathing of us his Soul abhorrs us The wicked are an abomination to the Lord. His eyes cannot behold us he abhorrs to look upon iniquity 6. Is Gaudium in Perditione The Scripture goes thus high The Lord even rejoyceth in his Justice triumphing over sinners in their Perdition Ah! I will ease me of mine Adversaries and avenge me of mine Enemies Isa. i. 24. Prov. i. 26. I will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh That 's the first Mensura Intensionis The other 2. Is Mensura Extensionis The Measure of Gods Extending this Displeasure It is observable in three Manifestations of it 1. It is Universal with our whole nature He is not displeased with some few onely but with root and branch stock and fruit The whole generation of Mankind is displeasing to him Not onely some few notorious wretches as Cain and Esau c. but even the most moderate restrained men if there be nothing but Nature in them they are all out of favour All of us are Children of wrath as well as others Ephes. ii 3. The best of them is a briar Micah vii 4. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God They are altogether become filthy there is none that doth good no not one All have sinned and come short of the glory of God Rom. i. 23. Now antipathy is universal 't is to all of the same kind The Lamb hates every Wolf 2. It is respectively to all even our best services and performances Out of Christ God refuseth all counts them all abominable Nay our Incense the Odours of our Prayers if we are out of Christ they are all unhallowed breath The prayers of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord. Our sacrifices are a burden to him he rejects all our attendances Why tread you in my Courts Their Vine is the Wine of Sodom and of the fields of Gomorrha their Grapes are Grapes of gall their clusters are bitter their Wine is the poyson of Dragons and the cruel venome of Asps Deut. xxii 32. Our natural best fruits respectively to eternal life are odious and abominable 3. The Extent of this Displeasure reacheth even to the creatures that are about us Even for our sakes the whole Creation is involved in his Displeasure Sin hath blasted the beauty of all Gods workmanship God is out of love with the whole frame of the world in indignation to man's sin At our Fall Gen. iii. the earth was cursed and that curse none but Christ can take off Malachi closeth up the Old Testament with this same curse I will smite the earth with a curse The Law leaves the creatures under a curse In the Law the house the bed the seat of the Leper were all defiled so the whole frame of the creatures is defiled leprous by our contagion We have made Pardise a Pest-house The whole Creation groans being made subject to corruption and vanity Rom. viii As it was said of Ierusalem Why hath the Lord done thus to this City So of the whole world Why is it devoted to destruction 'T is because of God's Displeasure at sinners Conceive Secondly This point Affirmatively In Christ God is well pleased in him graciously appeased and reconciled with us Here we must make two enquiries 1. Quibus modis By what means 2. Quibus gradibus By what degrees Christ hath wrought it 1. Quibus modis By what means hath Christ gained us the love of his Father These four wayes 1. By his Intercession He is well pleased in him Praying and Interceding for us The Prayer of our Saviour is of Infinite power to prevail with God Ioh. xi 42. Father I know that thou hearest me alwayes It argues the love and power of friendship when we obtain not onely for our selves or those about us but can reconcile and pacifie offences towards others It argued great favour to Abraham that he could prevail so much for Sodom Thus God graced Iob when his friends were sent to beg his entreaties Much more do the Intercessions of Christ those strong cries and supplication by which he continually obtains mercy for us argue God's being highly pleased with him Moses his prayer for the people bound the hands of God Now therefore let me alone Exod. xxxii 10. Yet that is nothing so prevailing
who can strike terror into the conscience who can affright the soul. 2. From the Nature of these fears They are supernatural and spiritual and so must be cured by answerable comforts Outward applications cannot cure inward maladies But spiritual comforts are from God onely The spirit of a man may sustain all other infirmities but a wounded spirit who can bear Prov. xviii 14. Sicknesses losses natural and humane means may relieve us in them but these apprehensions that come from heaven and upon sense of Gods Majesty they are of another nature As balls of wild-fire ordinary water will not quench them so these flashes from heaven are not extinguish'd with sublunary comforts 3. The Grounds of these fears cannot be removed but by God and so by consequence not the fears themselves Secret guiltiness conscience of sin apprehension of Gods wrath they betray us to these fears Now none but God can free us from these Guilt it is an obligation and recognition in which the soul is bound over to answer to Gods Tribunal These fears like an Hue and Cry are sent out against us none can recall it till God makes stay of it I have sinned what shall I do unto thee O thou preserver of men Iob vii 20. This will appear in these three respects 1. In those sins that are not punishable by mans judgement yet the guilt of these will haunt the conscience 2. In those sins that are not discernable by mans observation when no eye sees us or can accuse us yet then the soul is troubled and perplexed As Cain he had an easie escapal there was none but his father upon earth yet saith he Every one that findeth me shall slay me Gen. iv 14. 3. In those persons who are subject to no mans censure Kings and those who are in respect of man lawless and uncontroleable as David was yet he cryes out Against thee have I sinn'd Psal. li. Thus the woman in S. Ioh. viii though all her accusers forsook her yet she stood still trembling before Christ expecting his doom or absolution Application 1. It must teach us to discern the true cause and original of these spiritual anxieties We must know they are the terrors of the Almighty Do as Rebeckah Why am I thus enquire of the Lord Gen. xxxv 22. If we come to these conjectures 'T is a chance as the Philistims said we shall never think of those courses that will do us good Nature will answer if we seek help of her as the King of Israel did to Naaman's messenger See he sends to me to recover a man of his leprosie Am I God 2. It shews the insufficiency of all other means to recover our spirits thus dismayed Some other means may for a time cast us into a slumber like Opium to a sick body it will stay the sourse of the disease for a time but it will break out again with greater violence There are three wayes of bodily cures Either 1. We allay the pain Or 2. Stupefie the part affected Or 3. Remove the cause So some outward worldly means may for a while allay and mitigate these fears and anguishes As Pleasure Saul gets an Harper to chase away the evil spirit Or Employment Cain falls to building of Cities to drive away his terrors Or Company the noyse and din of that may out-noyse our fears but this is no cure Others go about to stupefie the part to benum and dead and sear conscience to make it sensless and brawny Yet this cures not but heals onely and skins-over the wound of conscience The cure cannot be effected here but by removing the cause which is the apprehension of Gods power against us 3. It should make us careful to avoyd the causes and occasions of such spiritual fears which by all humane means are irrecoverable Those diseases that have Parabilia medicamenta are not so dangerous men are not so shie of them but suppose that a disease were in it self deadly and but one medicine in the world could cure it and that too in the hand and skil of one only Physician how careful would we be not to endanger the running into that malady These fears of conscience they are like the Kings-Evil none can cure it but the King all other helpers are Physicians of no value The Conscience may like the woman in the Gospel who had spent much upon Physicians but was never the better nay the worse she suffered much from Physicians it may seek out for case elsewhere but all in vain till God remove its terrors As they said of Leprosie that it was not to be cured by the Art of the Physician but it was left to the hand of God so we may say of Sin and the fears that arise in the soul because of it Secondly Another observable Consideration is from the present and speedy Act of relieving and recovering of these Saints They being cast into fear and perplexity they are not suffered to lye under it and to be swallowed up of it but a speedy present help is from God reach'd out unto them they are raised and comforted Observe as God wisely suffers his children to be overtaken with fear and perplexity so he graciously orders it that they shall not perish in these amazements but that they shall have a timely and seasonable recovery This he doth 1. In much pity and tenderness to them No mother hastens more to catch up her child that is fallen then God hastens to relieve his children He taketh pleasure in the prosperity of his servants Psal. xxxv 27. He loves to see them in a joyful comfortable condition Isa. liv 7. For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee Vers. 8. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy upon thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer This he doth 2. In care lest they should be swallowed up and overwhelmed with grief and fearâ—… Isa. lvii 16. For I will not contend for ever neither will I be alwayes wroth for the spirit should fail before me and the souls which I have made Vers. 18. I will restore comforts unto him and to his mourners S. Paul how careful was he lest the excommunicated Câ—…rinthian should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow 2 Cor. ii 7. Much more is Christ. God hastens to recover such S. Peter being much dejected for his denial a message is speedily sent to him by the Angel Go your way tell his Disciples and Peter that Christ is risen Peter thought himself cast off and forgotten see here a special â—…idings directed to him 3. He measures out these fears and anguishes to his children in a just proportion they shall undergo no more then is fitting for them 1. Suitable to their weakness and what they can bear God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able 1 Cor. x. 13. He wrestles with Iacob but
seems to blame his severity in punishing of them Isai. xl 2. Ye have received of the Lords hand double for all your sins See how his bowels of pity are moved towards them Hos. xi 8. How shall I give thee up Ephraim my heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together That is the first Imitation of Repentance Dolet 2. Abrumpit That 's another act of Repentance to break off our course that which we were in Thus God assumes Repentance to himself If he hath punished he will cease from punishing if he hath threatned he will recall his threatning if he hath passed a sentence he will reverse and cancel it Ier. xxvi 3. there he desires to repent of the evil he had purpos'd against them 3. Irascitur That 's a third Imitation of Repentance He that repents is angry with all that provoked him to do what he repents of or were helpers or instruments of it Thus God doth in his Repentance towards us All those who have had an hand in afflicting of his people he is highly displeased with them As a tender-hearted Father casts his rod into the fire with which he hath chastised his Son Thus God will afflict those who have afflicted his people I will render unto Babylon all the evil they have done unto Zion Ier. li. 24. The Nation that shall oppress them I will judge saith God to Abraham Gen. xv 14. 4. Facit contrarium He who repents of what he hath done will do the quite contrary so God repents over his people Hath he affrighted them with threatnings He will refresh them with promises Hath he afflicted them with Punishments He will comfort them with Mercies He hath wounded us and he will heal us saith the Prophet Hosea vi 1. 5. Vovet contrarium A true Penitent will vow the contrary to what hâ—… hath done bind himself over to better abearance So doth God in his repentings over us He swears to his people that hereafter he will spare them You have it Isai. liv 9. This is as the waters of Noah to me for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth so have I sworn saith God that I will not be wrath with thee nor rebuke thee 6. Repentance duplicat contrarium A true penitent will not onely do the contrary but he will do a great deal more he will redeem his former actions by a double amendment So God repents of afflicting his people For a little anger he will shew them a great deal of mercy You may see it Isai. liv For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy upon thee You see the many gracious Expressions of Gods repenting towards us Come we now to the Third Matter of their Hope that 's Gods renewing of his mercies upon them He will leave a blessing behind him Here is a third benefit we gain by our Repentance It gives us hope that we shall recover his former mercies which our sins have deprived us of It prevails with God not onely to free us from his judgements but to store us with mercies This good we shall get by Turning and Repenting We shall not be losers by our former sufferings and afflictions See here this goodness of God It is expresly promised in vers 25. I will restore to you the years that the Locust hath eaten the Canker-worm and the Caterpillar and the Palmer-worm my great army which I sent among you Not onely you shall not suffer any more annoyance by them but you shall regain your former dammage You shall not feel the smart of former judgements but the plenty you shall enjoy shall make you forget your former losses It shall be contrary with you then it was in Pharaoh's dream here the full and the fruitful ears of corn shall consume the blasted the fat kine shall devour the lean kine the years of plenty shall make you forget the years of scarcity These are the welcoms that Repentance finds at Gods hand He doth not barely set us In statu quo but he betters our condition Thus the loving Father entertaining his returning Prodigal Luke xv he not onely receives him but kisses him and embraces him not onely cloaths him but adorns him not onely feeds him but feasts him Here is the Kiss and the Gold-ring and the rich Robe and the fatted Calf and Musick and Rejoycing This is the Superpondium of mercy the over-plus of mercy This is Dos Poenitentiae the Dowry of Repentance Where God pardons he doth not onely take off his judgements but brings on plenty of mercy upon them Is this the manner of man O Lord We count it fair favour to escape a deserved punishment but God deals over and above He leads us with mercies And the Manner of Expression is to be observed 1. It is called A blessing 2. It is A leaving of a blessing behind him 1. I say 't is called A blessing See how Repentance will purifie and refine our language Prosperity and Peace and Plenty they were our own before We could speak in Esau's stile I have enough or in Nabal's language My bread and my flesh 't is either Nature's bounty or the fruits of our Labour all of our own acquiring Thus we over-possess what we do enjoy but when we repent the Prophet will teach us to call them as they are Blessings of God from his holy hand Our peace before it was the wisdome of the State or the dread of our enemies or our own riches and strength but after a Judgement hath been upon us Repentance will teach us from whom we must have it to whom we must ascribe it It makes us look up to heaven and give God the glory of it Repentance will teach us to set a right estimate of our plenty and prosperity not so much to own them as Comforts as to love them as Blessings That 's to take the right comfort of them as they are fruits of Gods Love pledges of his Favour seals of our Reconciliation 2. It is called A leaving a blessing behind him It implyes two things 1. Ordinem Benedictionis What 's that First he hopes for favour in Gods gracious return to them Then after it he hopes for fruits of favour and a supply of other blessings Yes this is the right method of Repentance first and above all it labours for and ayms at the recovering of Gods favour Pardon my sin Lord cast me not away from thy Presence return to us in mercy and loving kindness own us as thy people take us for thine inheritance then after that we may hope for and expect any other favours A true Penitent prizes Gods favour better then life it self or the means of life other mercies of plenty and prosperity Faith and Repentance accounts as accessaries and additions It is an unworthy love to love God for his blessings and not for himself A true Penitent speaks to God as Mephibosheth did to
to posterity In particular besides those sacred annals of his Church contained in the Historical books of Scriptures the Holy Ghost hath purposely framed some more summary and compendlous but yet full and perfect relations of the affairs of his Church and those likewise composed and framed into Songs and Psalms to make them more fit carriage for memory and that by the pleasantness of them they might sink more deeply into their hearts and more strongly affect them Thus Moses after all his Sermons and Commemorations made to the people in Deuteronâ—…my of Gods dealings with them and their cariage towards him at last he composes a Song and sings it to the people and commends it to posterity as a lasting Monument for all generations Deut xxxii Thus the Poets ' among the Heathen whom in Titus Paul calls their Prophets had their Carmina saecularia their State-songs comprising the affairs of their Common-wealth Answerably that Sweet-Singer of Israel the Prophet David is studious to frame such sacred Songs As first this present Psalm so again the eighty ninth then the hundred and fifth the hundred and sixth the hundred and seventh all Songs and Psalms of publick Commemoration David doth that which the Prophet Esay speaks of Chap. v. I will sing to my Well-beloved a song of my Well-beloved touching his Vineyard I termed it a Psalm of Record or of Commemoration and so it is if we respect the materials of which it consists It is a recital of Gods gracious dealings towards his people and of their ungracious dealings towards him again But yet I find another name given it by the Psalmist It is called Maschil in the title of the Psalm And that name respects the end and purpose of it Maschil is a Psalm to give Instruction It is not only Historical but Doctrinal Even these Historical parts of Scripture are not onely Gods Day-book to tell us what hath passed afore but they must be to us as a Law-book to teach â—…s what we must do not onely Reports but Presidents 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is not onely a Psalm to bring to Remembrance which is â—…he â—…le of the thirty eighth and seventieth Psalms but 〈◊〉 a Psalm for Instruction 1. When he commemorates his ancient Mercies to their Forefathers that 's Maschil a Psalm of Instruction We have heard with our ears O Lord and our fathers have told us what works thou didst in their days in the times of old What 's the Instruction of that It should teach us confidence in God That they might set their hope in God vers 7. 2. When he commemorates their ancient Deliverances from persecutions and enemies that is Maschil a Psalm for Instruction to look for the like deliverances from him in our dangers and distresses Psal. cvi Many a time did he deliver them Vers. 47. Deliver us O Lord our God and gather us from among the Heathen 3. When he commemorates the wicked and ungracious courses of their Forefathers that is Maschil a Psalm of Instruction to avoid their fathers sins Vers. 8. Not to be as their forefathers a stubborn and rebellious generation that set not their heart aright and whose spirit was not stedfast with God And this Instruction was not only for them that the after-ages of the Jews should make a profitable use of the former times but it reacheth to us Christians S. Paul tells us that the time of the Jews concerns us Christians Rom. xv 4. Whatsoever things were written before-time were written for our learning And again 1 Cor. x. there he acquaints them what befell the Jews then adds vers 6. These things were our examples to the intent we should not lust as they also lusted And then vers 11. telling them of the judgement that befell the Jews he saith These things happen'd to them for examples and they were written for our admonition So then this Psalm sets forth the great disobedience and stubbornness of the people of Israel under Gods government 1. It upbraids them with forgetfulness of his Mercies 2. It objects to them their unproficiency and unteachableness even by miracles 3. It reminds them of the profane abuse of his patience 4. It reproves them for their incorrigibleness by his chastisements 5. It shames them with the falsness and unsoundness of their hypocritical repentance The Text it contains this last and so take the purpose of it to be Gods censure and reproof of the Jews unworthy repentance And in it observe these two particulars 1. Is the several Acts of their repentance then 2. The many defects and faults of their repentance The first will shew us how far they went in the practice of repentance The second will discover their faultrings and failings how much they came short of a true spiritual saving repentance First the Acts of repentance which here they performed they are five 1. Seeking They sought him 2. Returning They returned 3. Inquiring They enquired early after God 4. Remembring They remembred that God was their rock and the high God their Redeemer 5. Renewing their Covenant with God that 's implyed in vers 37. They were not stedfast in his Covenant Secondly The Text sets out the defects of their repentance how much they failed in it These are four The 1 rst Defect and fault of their repentance It was untimely a fore-slowed and delay'd repentance that 's implyed in this word When not till such a time then not till then The 2 d. Defect and fault of their repentance is that it was enforced repentance not ingenuous and voluntarily undertaken it was extorted by plagues They repented when they were under the rod nay under the sword it was When he slew them The 3 d. Defect and fault in their repentance That it was an unsound repentance not true and sincere but fained and acted onely It was a flattering and lying repentance They flattered him with their mouth and they lyed unto him with their tongues The 4 th Defect and fault of their repentance was That it was a momentary transitory unsettled unconstant repentance not firm and lasting Their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant These four faults 1. Untimely and backward 2. Enforced and extorted 3. Unsound and dissembling 4. Vanishing and unconstant And these four are usually linck'd together one draws on the other These four twists make up Esay's Cart-rope of sin 1. He that puts off and procrastinates and delays his repentance he will never bethink himself of it or set himself to it till some judgement awakens him and constrains him to it 2. He that repents not but by constraint and when he is under the lash usually if he look not well to it it will be but a shew of repentance some outward humiliation and no better And then 3. Unsound repentance will never prove lasting repentance he will be soon weary of it and return to his former ways again Come we to the First and here briefly take a view of the Acts
dress it and it will rankle and fester A bone is best put into joynt as soon as it is out neglect it any time it will hardly keep in Repentance 't is the physick of the soul and physick you know is best taken in a morning Thus Peter went out presently When I was instructed I smote upon my thigh Isa. xxxi 19. Ey this is the failing of these mens repentance 't is all dilatory posted off as long as may be It shews 1. They took little pleasure in it 2. They came unwillingly to it as a Bear to the stake who must be fetch'd about with a ring in his nose they were not led to it by any inward principle of grace but upon other inducements or enforcements rather But yet there is one word in the Text that seems to set a timelier date upon their repentance 'T is said They enquired early after God How can this stand with this procrastinating When Manè properabant so Calvin In the morning they hastned Diluculò veniebant so others By day-break True true All this takes not off the charge and imputation of late repentance 1. Is 't not a Sarcasm an holy scorn and derision of their slow and sluggish returning unto God Yes yes after so much time wasted and mercies abused and provocations multiplied now you bestir your selves Is this your early return to God So shaming their backwardness in this needful duty 2. The Scripture even in the same place where it upbraids sinners with delayes yet then uses this term of early seeking Prov. i. 24. Because when I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded therefore vers 28. they then shall call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me Here are two extremities very late nay too late and yet early Such conversions then have an Early and a Late or rather a late and an early an evening and a morning 1. They have Vespertinum culpae Look at the time of their sinning oh 't is very late e're they repent all the day long and they never thought of it But then 2. There is Matutinum poenae The morning of their punishments When Gods judgements break in upon them then they bestir themselves Take their time of sinning so it is Vesperi Take their day of suffering so it is Manè Serò quoad culpam Citò quoad poenam 3. Or they seek and enquire early and yet very late That 's early or manè when a man awakens The Sluggards morning when he breaks off sleep that may be at noon or night in true computation Security layes a sinner in a deep sleep when Gods hand awakens him that 's his morning till then he was asleep That 's the first fault Untimely II. A second defect of their repentance is That it was enforced Cum occideret When he slew them and his judgements fell upon them then they bethought themselves and turned to him That 's a second malignant circumstance that marrs their repentance Till then they never thought of him Many other times there were that would have better become their repentance much better then this When he slew them and fell upon them with a destroying judgement 1. Quando peccarunt As soon as they had sinned had they any grace they should have repented I told you before Repentance is presently due as soon as we have sinned God calls all delayers fools O ye fools how long will ye love foolishness Prov. i. 22. As Tertullian God Dedicavit poenitentiam in Paradiso So the time as soon as ever Adam had sinned God summon'd him to repentance Wisdom and Grace would have us do so Thus it was with David when he numbred the people presently his heart smote him he saw his fault and sorrowed for it Well suppose they took not that first time there are more intermediate times before he came to slay them 2. Quando benefecit eis When he did good to them that should reclaim them 1. They sinned and yet he ceased not from blessing them 2. They murmured and yet he blessed them 3. They tempted him and yet he fed them 4. They would pose his Power whether he could fetch water out of the rock and he did it for them Oh! that 's high time for repentance when Gods goodness wrestles and strives with our wickedness and would overcome us Luther tells us of a man wicked and yet prosperous Vicisti me Domine nimia bonitate tua He overcame him with love S. Paul charges it deeply upon impenitent sinners tells them It makes them inexcusable Rom. ii 4. Despisest thou the riches of his goodness not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance There is another time when they should have repented 3. Quando invitavit When by the Ministery of Moses and Aaron he found fault with their sins and called them to repentance That sure is a just time for us to repent when Gods Word calls us to repentance 'T is that which Christ commends in the Ninevites Matth. xii 41. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this Generation they repented at the preaching of Ionah No sooner did God dispatch a Prophet to them to call them to Repentance but they yielded presently in auditu auris One look of Christ made Peter weep bitterly It was that which S. Paul takes comfort in in the matter of his Conversion I was not disobedient to the heavenly Vision Acts xxvi 19. It was that also that commended the Conversion of those Penitents Acts ii When they heard this they were pricked at the heart One Sermon of S. Peter reclaims them presently The Ministery of Gods Word is the great sanctified Instrument to work us to Repentance Yet there were other Opportunities that in all reason they should have taken to repent though they slighted the former That 's 4. Quando castigavit When he did visit their sins with more moderate and fatherly chastisements We know God had his Ferulaes and Rods and Fatherly Corrections with which he did visit them Hunger and Drought want of bread and water The Wilderness in which he led them was a School of Afflictions And therefore in allusion to that Afflictions are called a Carrying into the Wilderness Hos. ii 14. I will bring her into the wilderness and there speak unto her heart 'T is the usual way God takes with us when his word alone will do us no good to write our lessons on our backs with his Rod. Prosperity makes us wanton Affliction often times hunts us in and brings us before him Sickness and Poverty and Losses and other uncomfortable Events they are usual means to reclaim us Hosea chap. ii 6. compares afflictions to an hedg of thorns Behold I will hedg up thy way with thâ—…rns so that you shall have little list to break out Thus was Manasseh converted Captivity and Imprisonment wrought him to repentance 2 Chr. xxxiii 12. When he was
As Protarchus in Aristotle said Those stones were happy stones of which Altars were made Sure 't is an happy employment of what God gives to us that we give something of it again to God to maintain his Worship Superstition spares for no cost and shall Religion be close-handed The Jews that lavish'd out their gold Ear-rings and Jewels to make the Golden Calf were afterwards as forward to contribute their gold and silver for the Ark and Tabernacle Our Christian Worship it is more spiritual then that of the Jews but that discharges us not of this duty God's House his Ministers the Provision for his Worship they must be supported and honourably supplied This is strange doctrine to the world We count nothing too mean too homely for the Service of God If we remove the Ark put it in a Cart if we give place to it lodge it in a Cottage That Religion is best we think that is best-cheap 5. A fifth thing observable is that it was Cultus per sacrificium a publick worship by solemn Sacrifice a consuming and burning upon Gods Altar their Gifts and Oblations Burnt-Offering and Sacrifice was the most awful and solemn Worship the Church offered up to God before Christ. Moses gives Rules and Canons for this Service Nay as Christ saith of Circumcision we may say of Sacrifice It was not of Moses but of the Fathers all from Adam and downwards Abel Noah Abraham and the rest of the Patriarchs abounded in this Service And it carries with it these significations 1. It was a real Recognition and acknowledgment of Gods Soveraign Dominion and of their Dependency and Subjection to him Mittite agnum dominatori terrâ—… Isai. xvi 7. Seâ—…d ye a lamb to the Ruler of the land as a Sacrifice of Homage and Subjection 2. It was a sad Remembrance and acknowledgment of sin and of the due debt and just desert of death by sin The slaying of the Sacrifice was a confession that they deserved death and destruction 3. It was a Protestation and Profession of their faith in Christ the great Atonement to be offered for them the true Lamb of God the great whole burnt-Offering to satisfie for sin 4. They were Testimonies and Professions of humble thankfulness for mercies received But then the Inquiry must be Where is our Christian-Sacrifice Have not Christians something to offer and sacrifice to God I answer These carnal and external Sacrifices of Beasts belong all to the Law of Ceremonies and so cease now and are out of date Christ hath put an end to them The Salt that did season their Sacrifices was Gods Institution now they want that Salt and so they corrupt and putrefy The Mannah that was kept longer then Gods appointment bred worms and corrupted such now are all Jewish Sacrifices Now they are no sweet savour but a loathsome stench in the nostrils of God But then have Christians no Sacrifice Yes verily The summe and substance of those Sacrifices is compleat in Christ. He is the onely Priest and Sacrifice of the New Testament He offered up himself once for all He gave himself as an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour Eph. v. 2. A Sacrifice of that efficacy that it need not be offered often it was once offered and is for ever effectual S. Chrysostom compares the Jewish Sacrifices to weak Plaisters that must be often renewed Christs bloud was like a Soveraign plaister Semel impositum semper sanat once applied it perfectly cures us But yet though we have now no proper Sacrifice external and bodily yet we have still our Evangelical and spiritual Sacrifices For besides that every good work and holy action done for the honour of God is a Christian Sacrifice Feci Deo as David speaks makes it a Sacrifice As S. Augustine speaks Opus bonum quod fit ut sancta societate inhaereamus Deo Any good work that may joyn us to God and commend us to his acceptation that 's a Sacrifice Besides that a Christian offers up to God a fourfold Sacrifice 1. Sacrificium cordis contriti The Sacrifice of a Contrite heart in the practice of Repentance Thus S. Paul calls the Repentance and Conversion of the Gentiles The Offering up of the Gentiles or the sacrificing of them And David acknowledgeth The Sacrifice of God is a broken and contrite heart Psal. lâ—… The killing of our lusts the mortifying of our sins 't is an holy and acceptable Sacrifice and Service unto God A Christian hath 2. Sacrificium cordis devoti the Sacrifice of a devout heart that 's the Sacrifice of Prayer and our great Christian Sacrifice when the soul by prayer ascends up to heaven as upon the Altar of Incense Thus David acknowledgeth Let my prayer be as Incense and the lifting up of my hands as the evening Sacrifice Psal. cxli. 2. Theodoret observes when Christ cast out the sheep and the doves out of the Temple and said My house shall be called an house of prayer he abolish'd all other Sacrifices and appointed prayer to be the solemn Sacrifice and Service of the Church 3. A Christian hath another Sacrifice that 's Sacrificium cordis grati the sacrifice of a thankful heart the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving unto God Thus we see Psal. l. God rejects their bloudy sacrifices in stead of them he tells them Whosoever offers praise and thanks to him he honours him Will I eat the flesh of Bulls or drink the bloud of goats Offer unto God thanksgiving He takes away the first that he may establish the second And Heb. xiii 15. Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name And in this kind the great sacrifice of the Christian Church is the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the great commemoration of the great benefit of our Redemption The most religious and mysterious benediction and praising of God 't is the Cup of blessing and calling upon the name of the Lord. 4. A Christian hath yet another Sacrifice that 's Sacrificium cordis benefici the sacrifice of Alms-deeds and charitable communication the distributing to the necessities of our poor brethren that 's accounted by God a Christian Sacrifice The relief which the Philippians sent to S. Paul 't is called An Odour of a sweet smell a Sacrifice acceptable and well-pleasing to God chap. iv 18. So the Apostle To do good and to distribute forget not for with such Sacrifices God is well-pleased Heb. xiii 16. These four 1. The Sacrifice of a Contrite heart 2. The Sacrifice of a Devout heart 3. The Sacrifice of a Thankful heart 4. The Sacrifice of a Charitable and Compassionate heart these are the Sacrifices of a Christian which God accepts of him We have seen the Performance of this Service Now follows Secondly the Success and Acceptance of it Abel and his Service is respected but Cain and his Offering is rejected We have seen them go hand in hand in this
Christian and the first-fruits they must be offered they dedicate and consecrate the whole lump to God By this Faith Abel excelled his brother he sacrificed 1. In fide mandati in conscience of Gods Commandment Cain for custom and fashion-sake onely Worship upon conscience is one thing Worship upon custom onely is another Abel offered 2. Ex fide promissi Abels Faith look'd up to the Messias saw him by Faith that was the life of his Sacrifice Cain rested in the outward Ceremony Without this Faith Impossibile est placere Deo nay Necesse est displicere said Bernard By Faith Abel pleased God for want of Faith Cain displeased him Thirdly Let us consider the nature of this acceptance that is said here to be Respect and Disrespect He respected Abel and his offering but to Cain and his offering he had no respect 1. He respected Abels Offering Wherein consisted this respect 1. He respected it that is he allowed it it stood with his acceptation A great mercy no doubt for God to take our poor imperfect services in good part to give approbation of them to say to us Euge Well done good servant thy prayers and thy sacrifice are come up for a memorial before God a great favour for God to own our devotion Thy prayers shall come up with acceptance upon mine Altar Isai. lx 7. 2. He respected it that is he took a delight in it it was exceeding pleasing unto him The devout prayers of his servants are matter of delight unto him he takes pleasure in them As on the contrary when we are weary of serving him he is weary of our service When we come to say with them in Malachi O what a weariness is it God will answer us as he did those in Isaiah Your services are abominable unto me I am weary to bear them But the prayers of Gods people arising from faith and devotion they are like Noah's Sacrifice God smelt a favour of rest in it 't is an offering of a sweet smell unto God Their prayers are in Gods nostrils as sweet odours holy incense heavenly perfumes Who is this that comes like pillars of smoak perfumed with Myrrhe and Frankincense with all powders of the Merchant Cant. iii. 6. 3. He respected it that is he honoured it with a publick testimony of his favour he gave witness and attestation to it by a visible sign from heaven consuming the Sacrifice by heavenly fire So some translate it Inflammavit Deus sacrificium Abel Thus God honour'd Aarons first Sacrifice Lev. ix A fire came from before the Lord and consumed it Thus he did testifie his acceptance of Davids Sacrifice at Arauna's threshing-floor and Solomons Sacrifice in the Temple and Elias his on Carmel 'T is that which David prays for Remember all thy offerings and accept thy burnt-sacrifices Psal. xx 3. turn them into ashes and consume them 4. He respected it that is he graciously rewarded it granting his request pouring out a blessing upon him He shewed some good token of favour to him First he delighted in him and then in his Sacrifice and then in the prosperity of his servant Manoah's wife argues well If the Lord would destroy us he would not have accepted a burnt-offering at our hands Iudg. xiii But then with Cain all goes contrary no respect had to him his Sacrifice is rejected And 't is a requitall in kind He heeded not God when he sacrificed to him and God heeds him not Meer fashion and formality in Gods Service makes God to be respectless of our prayers Why should God hear him pray who hears not himself Excors sacrificium among the Heathens the Sacrifice which wanted a heart was counted prodigious and of ill abode And as it is a just requital so it is an heavie one The miss of his favour the turning away of his countenance the stopping of his ears against our prayers 't is the greatest Judgment when he shuts out our prayers that they cannot enter Lam. iii. 8. When he is angry with the prayers of his people Psal. lxxx 4. Oh! it was death to David O Lord make not as though thou hearest not lest I become like them that go down into the pit Psal. xxviii 1. It is an heavie doom that God passes upon sinners Though you make many prayers I will not hear you Isai. i. For Use of all Is this the great success of our prayers that God should respect them It must put us into a three-fold disposition in our addresses to him 1. We must be Cauti exceeding carefull and circumspect If there be such hazard in our service it may be accepted as it may be performed or it may be rejected it concerns us to look to the manner of performance so to tender up our service unto him that it may be accepted Naturally we are all Popish in this point we think that the Opus operatum is sufficient we rest in the outward deed done so we dispatch with God in a perfunctory way we think all 's well and that our Sacrifice shall fall on fire of it self though we put not one spark of devotion under it How foolish a thing is Formality in Gods Service to frequent his Worship and to make many Prayers and yet to have all spilt and lost for want of an holy manner in the performance 2. Is there such hazard in our prayers to God It must make us Attentos diligent and attentive to observe how our prayers speed with God what acceptance they find how God doth answer them Most men perform their service to God at all adventures hit or miss speed or speed not they heed it not Oh! a good Christian should see and observe how God respects his prayers waiting upon him till he gives us an answer of Peace Our eys should wait upon the Lord till he have mercy upon us Psal. cxxiii Well how shall that be how shall we discern that our prayers are accepted Besides the real grant of what we pray for which is a sensible evidence of the speeding of our prayers Observe 1. Whether doth God Inflammare sacrificium doth he enkindle thy devotion enflame thine heart with a holy fervency in prayer 't is like fire from heaven upon Abels Sacrifice 2. Doth God inspire comfort into thine heart when thou hast prayed unto him Feelest thou an inward cheerfulness in thy soul Art thou able to say with David I am well pleased my soul is filled as with marrow and fatness Like Hannah she was no more sorrowfull after she had prayed as David who in the begininng of his prayer mourn'd but then felt that comfort that made him shout for joy The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping he hath heard my supplication the Lord will receive my prayer Psal. vi 3. This gracious acceptance of our prayer it should make us alacres it should beget in us an alacrity and holy delight in the duty of prayer It was Davids resolution Psal. cxvi Because he hath inclined
his ear unto me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live So Psal. civ I will sing praise to my God while I have my being my meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. A SERMON ON PSAL. xix 12 13. Who can understand his errours c. THIS Psalm is a pious and devout Meditation of the Prophet David Now Naturalists observe that there be two acts of the soul of hardest performance 1. The act of Reflexion to make the soul look inwards and to recoyl upon it self Motus reflexus it is duplex motus a double motion 2. The act of Meditation to make the soul ascend and look upwards to keep it still upon the wing And therefore the Psalmist to maintain and strengthen his meditation uses an inspection into a threefold Book 1. Is Inspectio libri Creaturae into the book of the creatures Vers. 1. The heavens declare the glory of God c. He looks upon that great Volume of Heaven and Earth and there reads in Capital Letters the Prints and Characters of Gods glory Aliter pictura aliter scriptura placet he gazes not as children upon gaudes in books but reades and meditates and deeply considers them 2. His Meditation ascends higher by a second Inspection and that is Inspectio libri Scripturae verse 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul c. And this Book is more precious then the former The other the Book of the Creature is but as the Inventory of the Goods this of the Scripture is the Evidence and Conveyance and Assurance of all to us In it he sees the riches of Gods wisdom and his precious promises As S. Ambrose observes of Abraham's journals he came out of the land of Chaldea into the land of Promise God bids him look up to the stars and the Chaldeans were great beholders of the stars and firmament but yet Abraham asks In quo cognoscam How shall I know that I shall inherit it He could not gather that by beholding the Creatures the Word of Promise and the Book of the Scripture must give Assurance of that 3. He proceeds further and feeds his Meditation by a third Inspection and that is Inspectio in librum Conscientiae he unclasps that which is the compendium and sum and transcript of the other Book the Book of the Scripture and there dwells upon a serious and sad Meditation Who can understand his errours 1. He looks up to Heaven and wonders as it Who can comprehend the number of the stars Quis intelligit potentiam Who can understand his power 2. He looks into the Scriptures and finds this a more large Book The former is but a shrivelled Scrole to this sacred Volume as Christ compares it Who can understand those sacred Truths and profound Mysteries Who can conceive the Perfection of the Law 3. He looks into his own heart makes a search into his Conscience brings that Book out of the Rubbish as they did the Book of the Law in Iosiah's time who can count and number up the blemishes of his soul who can understand the errours of his life 1. The first Book Convincit it hath a power of Conviction Meditate on it and observe Gods Power or thou art an Atheist 2. The second Book Convertit it hath a power of Conversion Meditate upon it and learn his will and worship out of it or thou art an Infidel 3. The third Book Accusat it hath the power of Accusation Look and meditate upon it and there discover and bewail thy sins or thou art an Hypocrite The Text then contains David's Meditation upon that third Inspection into the Book of his Conscience Wherein we may observe four Particulars 1. An holy Perplexity in the soul of David which makes him cry out Who can understand his errours 2. An holy Redress he seeks in this perplexity O cleanse me from my secret faults 3. An holy Prevention for the time to come Keep thy servant from presumptuous sins let them not have dominion over me 4. An holy both Resolution and Consolation Then shall I be upright and I shall be innocent from the great Transgression 1. In the first Part we see the nature of Sin it casts a man into Perplexity it breeds gripings and anguishes in the soul and conscience 2. In the second we see the nature of Mercy that pardons and purges and pacifies the conscience that rebukes the storms and brings in a sudden calm into our souls again 3. In the third we see the nature of Grace that prevents keeps us from presumptuous relapses that preserves us so that no wickedness shall have dominion over us 4. In the fourth Part we see the nature of Integrity that gives comfort and consolation that strengthens it self in all good purposes and resolutions And these Particulars represent unto us the whole life of a Christian they set in order the motions of the soul in the beginnings and progress of his conversion 1. What is the first Motion and quickning of life in a Christian Examen Conscientiae a searching out of his sins not a confident stepping into Heaven in a present assurance but a sorrowful penitential perplexity 2. The second Motion in the heart of a Christian is Supplication and Suit for pardon and peace Cleanse me purge me 3. The third Motion is imploring of help Prayer for grace and assistance against Relapses establish me with thy spirit Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins 4. The fourth Motion is Studium integritatis and Gaudium in studio resolutions and endeavours for integrity and all possible innocency and the keeping of a good conscience towards God and man Now put these together and then we may discover three Combinations 1. A Combination of two sorts of Sins not all of the same size and magnitude here are Errores and Contumaciae sins of Infirmity and sins of Presumption sins of a weaker tincture and sins of a double die Lapsus in via and Excursiones extra viam Slips and lapses in the way and voluntary departings and forsakings of the way 2. A Combination of two sorts of Graces here is Gratia purgans and Gratia custodiens 1. Pardoning and purging grace 2. Preserving and protecting grace That is the grace of subvention when we have sinned this the grace of prevention that we may not sin 3. A Combination of two states and conditions of a Christian 1. Purgandus à secretis for sins of Infirmity who can avoid them 2. Custodiendus à contumacibus for sins of Presumption we must not come near them We cannot be free A Culpa from sins of daily Incursion but we may and must be free A Crimine from sins that waste the Conscience and havock Piety The first thing considerable is David's holy Perplexity Who can understand his errours And of it take a double Consideration 1. Quae occasio What 's the occasion of this Perplexity 2. Quae conditio What 's the nature of it
Rom. iii. 13. c. Not that every man is guilty of these actual sins but because the spawn and original of them is inbred in every one That 's the fourth thing the Consequences V. Qui usus What are the Uses to be made hereof They are of three sorts 1. Of Conviction 2. Of Caution 3. Of Consolation 1. Of Conviction Is David thus troubled and perplexed upon examination and search into his heart 1. In what case are they Qui nunquam inquirunt who never so much as call their hearts to examination If David who hath so often reckoned with God and by frequent Repentance labour'd to make all even with him yet finds so many back-reckonings how fearful is their case who multiply their arrearages and run use upon use and never account with him 2. And worse In what case are they Qui peccata abscondunt If David searches and sorrows for unknown sins how desperate are they who when Conscience accuses and would ease it self by sorrow and confession do smother and silence it See the least grudgings of Conscience affect David how forlorn are they then who when their Sin like the Pox would break out they drive it in again as Felix did and strike it back to the heart 3. And worst of all are they Qui palam profitentur who are sinners and know themselves so and glory in it David mourns for secret sins and these boast themselves in manifest Impieties They who are Saints and Angels and already in Heaven in compare with thee mourn for suspicious sins and thou shewest thy sins like Sodom and triumphest in thine abominations 2. Of Caution Is this true no man understands his errours Then 1. Non sufficit Iudicium alienum What though no man can accuse thee of sin That will not acquit thee Many think to go to Heaven by the voice of the Country if no man can blame them No we must distinguish betwixt a good name and a good conscience Fama propter homines Conscientia propter Deum saith S. Augustine A good name will carry it amongst men but it is a good conscience only that can acquit us before God Quid prodest tibi neminem habere conscium habenti conscientiam saith Lactantius What though thy neighbours and brethren absolve thee yet God and thy conscience can condemn thee The good Centurion Luke vii carried it clear by the voice of his neighbours Dignus est vers 4. He is worthy that thou shouldst come to him Ey but his own conscience reproves him vers 7. Domine non sum dignus Lord I am not worthy to come unto thee 2. Is this true none can understand his errours Then non sufficit Iudicium proprium the absolutions of thine own conscience cannot fully discharge thee I know nothing by my self saith S. Paul 1 Cor. iv 4. Yet am I not hereby justified but he that judgeth me is the Lord who can find fault with those actions which we account unblameable and very commendable Aliter judicat peritus artifex aliter imperitus inspector saith S. Aug. A skilful workman will find great fault there where an unskilful smatterer can see no failing 3. Non sufficit Iudicium Satanae It is possible Satan may not be able to accuse us and yet notwithstanding his silence cannot acquit us As in his siftings of Iob he could find no matter of any just accusation In that Plea against Iob the Devil non-suited himself he had nothing to object against him As S. Chrysostom observs when God asked Satan the second time Whence comest thou Satan The Devil answered From compassing the earth he doth not say from tempting of Iob he had no complaint against him But though Satan could not yet God could and did lay many things against him Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth That 's the second sort 3. Of Consolation Art thou cast into this perplexity with David Cryest thou out with him Who can understand his errours Then ease and comfort thy self with these three relieving Considerations 1. Quis intelligit multitudinem misericordiarum Who can understand the multitude of Gods mercies and compassions They are not onely over all his good works but they are farr beyond and above and over all our evil works Thus S. Chrysostom discoursing upon that passage Psal. iii. 5 6. Thy mercy O Lord is in the heavens and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds Thy righteousness is like the great mountains thy judgments are a great deep See saith he the dimensions of his mercy are farr beyond the bounds of all his other Attributes The height of the Clouds the bigness of the Mountains the depth of the Sea they may be fathom'd but who knows the largeness of the Heavens or who can comprehend the multitudes of his mercies 2. Quis intelligit vim virtutem meriti Christi Doth thy heart cry out Who can understand his errours Quiet and comfort it with this Meditation Who can understand the virtue of Christ's bloud the price of his merits the plenty of his redemption He is able to abolish all kinds of sin His bloud is compared to the depth of the Sea I will cast all their sins into the depth of the Sea Micah vii 19. and that can drown Mountains as well as Mole-hills The strength of his mercies is like the strength of the Sun and that can dispel the thickest clouds as well as the thinnest vapours Isai. xliv 22. He will blot out as a thick cloud thy transgressions and as a cloud thy sins 3. Quis intelligit vim poenitentiae Answer these doubtings of thine own heart with this Meditation Who understands the virtue of Repentance 1. Of general Repentance for sins known and unknown In this case if upon search thou canst not discover all thy sins deal as the Israelites were to do in finding out of a Murther Deut. xxi 1. They were to search into all their Cities and to measure round about them and if they could not find it out they were to pray Lord be merciful to thy people So measure thou and search thou into every corner of thine heart and say unto the Lord Forgive me mine unknown sins Look upon the whole Law of God and acknowledge the whole Indictment plead guilty to all With the Publican confess thy self a sinner with David confess thy self a great sinner Psal. xxv with S. Paul confess thy self the greatest of sinners This very general Repentance will much ease and comfort thee 2. Who understands the virtue of daily Repentance There is great use of that to ease thee of these anxieties For 1. It hath a virtue of Prevention of greater sins The daily pumping of a leaking Ship will keep it from sinking As they do who would prevent the Stone they will daily use helps to carry away the smaller gravel so labour thou by daily Repentance to purge away thy smaller sins and thou shalt never be troubled with the Stone