al which may be so many comforts vnto his Soule to assure him that God will neuer forsake him Indeede if our owne workes or righteousnesse were the onely ground to moue the Lord to take pitty on vs. Then we should be much discouraged in our selues when we look backe vnto our liues but now the for mer mercies of God are Arguments of further mercies to assure vs that he will adde mercie to mercie whereby hee may see how fruitful the louing kindnes of the Lord is alwayes producing more as one graine of corn increaseth an hundred fold Vse 2 Againe we learne hence a notable difference betweehe GOD and man in bestowing benefites men are quickely weary of their liberalitie but it is not so with God The more bolde wee are in asking the more bountifull he is in giuing which is a comfort to all weake Christians and wounded Soules who are euer ready to reason thus within themselues Will God heare me or respect me Will he shew his louing kindenesse towards me a wretched sinner Yea God doth heare thee respect thee and will shew mercie vpon thee if thou seeke vnto him in faith yea the oftner we aske the better we are accepted of God the more we desire the more we obtaine He chargeth vs Psal 50.15 To call on him in the day of trouble and assureth vs of our deliuerance Iames 1.5 6. Doctr. 2 Hence marke what is that whereby poore distressed soules The mercy of God emboldeÌ„s sinners to come vnto him throwne downe for sinne wounded and melting for sinne and almost in the gulfe of desperation as Dauid was that giues them courage and emboldens them to come into the prefence of God to stand before their Iudge namely this the endlesse loue and mercy of God in Iesus Christ euen the consideration of GODS mercy that he is most ready to pardon and forgiue poore sinners to receiue theÌ„ to mercy for so long as the conscience accuses for sinne and terrifies a poore sinner he doth nothing but fly from God runne from him dares not looke vnto him nor call vpon him till he conceiue of Gods mercie in Christ Psal 103.8 that he is most willing to pardon those which do truely repent Now that God is mercifull and ready to pardon poore sinners and to receiue them to mercie it doth appeare by that his louing inuitation Math. chap. 11. verse 28. Come vnto mee all yee that trauaile and are heauie laden and I will case you Likewise hee embraceth the poore and simple as louingly and cheerefully as the rich and wise of the world Publicans and Sinners are accepted of him who were contemned of the Iewes The woman taken in Adultery is exhorted by him to repentance the blinde man restored to his fight and cast out of the Synagogue is sought out by Christ and taught to beleede Iohn 9.35 The penitent Thiefe is by him conuerted to the faith Luke 23. according to that Math. 18.14 It is not the will of God that one of these little ones should perish The like we may say of Mary Magdalen who was infamous in life out of whom Christ cast seuen diuels Of the Cananitish woman whom he heard and helped Of the cripple that lay at the poole whoÌ„ when Iesus found in the temple Io. 5. he exhorted to sinne no more according to that of the Euangelist Maâ—â— 11. That by the power and loue of Christ thâ—â—linde had their fight restored the lepers were cleansed thâ—â— dead were raised the halt walked the sicke were healed and the poore receiued the Gospel Vse 1 Seeing a poore sinner will neuer flie to God for mercie vntill hee be perswaded of the fauour and mercie of God in Christ and can perswade himselfe that God is most mercifull and willing to pardon him we must remember euer with the one eye to looke vnto his iustice that he is a holy and a iust God most righteous one that can not beare with sinne sinners that liue and delight in sin so with the other eye we must looke vnto his endlesse mercy in CHRIST IESV fix our eies on that rely on that otherwise alas we shal be so far from seeking vnto him that we shall most willingly flie froÌ„ his presence as a terrible and angry GOD and most righteous Iudge And therefore as wee must needes behold him as a iust god and righteous to punish sinne so we must labour to bee perswaded of his mercy that hee is most ready to pardon full of compassion that so by Iesus Christ we may haue accesse vnto the throne of grace and entrance with boldnesse into his presence And because that CHRIST IESVS is the Way Truth and Life Eph. 3.12 let vs neuer go without him but take him in the armes of our faith in his name beg for mercy 1. Iohn 2.1 for without him we can find no mercy by iudgement Vse 2 We see hence the very cause why so many come to dispaire Cause of mans dispaire and so to cast away their owne soules namely because they can not conceiue that God hath any mercy for them they can not bee perswaded of Gods endlesse mercie in Christ Iesu but when their consciences doe accuse them of their sins they presently see that God is angry with them that he is a righteous Iudge an angry and terrible God against sinners and thus seeing his iustice and anger against sin they dare not appeare in his presence but fly from him as Adam did in the garden and could wish that they might neuer come into his presence they caÌ„not for their liues behold the mercy of God in Christ impenitent sinners can not call God Father they can not indure Gods angry countenance but rather wish they were out of the world and might neuer come before his face for this is certaine that vnlesse a poore sinner and distressed soule can together with the sence of sinne and Gods anger against sin behold and acknowledge the endlesse mercie of God to pardon them he will neuer dare to appeare in his presence but Gods anger wil ouerwhelme him Well then let vs with Dauid so behold and feele the anger of GOD for our sinnes to humble vs that we neuer dispaire of Gods mercy but still know and beleeue that God is no lesse infinitely merciful if we can repent to pardon and forgiue vs then hee is infinitely iust to punish if we will notrâ— pent Doctr. 2 Marke how Dauid Gods mercie mans merite a man after Gods owne heart intreats the Lord to pardon his sinnes for his mercies sake therefore we learne that there is no other cause to moue the Lord to pity and pardon vs our sinnes but onely his most free and vndeserued mercy there is no worke no goodnesse or vertue in any man to moue the Lord to pitty and pardon vs but all is of his meere bounty goodnesse and mercy without all merites of ours as what could the Lord see in Saul
worke of grace a renued heart faith repentance obedience and a sanctified life was euer wanting they were but hypocrites They went out from vs but they were not of vs Mat. 7.21 22. for if they had beene of vs they would haue continued with vs. And therefore it behoueth vs all to take heed that we content not our selues with the common giftes and graces of the holy Ghost which a reprobate may haue for it is certaine most excellent gifts will not auaile a man to saluation vnlesse there be the true worke of grace sauing faith sound repentance and heartie obedience VERSE 12.13 12. Restore me to the ioy of thy saluation and stablish mee with thy free Spirit 13. Then shall I teach thy wayes vnto the wicked and the sinners shal be conuerted vnto thee Partes of the verses THese words contain in themselues and earnest prayer of Dauid vnto GOD for the renuing Of GODS mercy and feeling of his loue againe in the 12. verse In the 13. verse he vses a reason to moue the Lord thereunto namely that if the Lord shall receiue him into fauor againe and testifie his loue vnto him in the pardon of his sins then he wil not be vnmindful of Gods dealing with him but become a Preacher and proclaimer of Gods mercy vnto others to draw them to GOD in shewing what GOD hath done for his soule and so that by the example of Gods mercy to him others should be wonne In the 12. verse he makes a twofold petition vnto God First for the former feeling and assurance of Gods loue and mercy for the pardon of his sinnes Secondly that God would vphold him with his free spirit so as now being deliuered out of the cursed thraldome and slauery of sinne hee might frankely and freely serue the Lord and runne the way of his Commandements Restore me to the ioy of thy saluation No ioy can comfort mans soule but the ioy of Gods saluation AS if he should haue said O Lord my GOD I acknowledge and confesse that all the while I serued thee and liued in thy feare ledde a holy and godly life and kept an vpright heart that I found wonderfull and exceeding ioy in the assurance of thy loue and mercy in Christ for my saluation but since I rebelled against thee and wilfully brake thy holy Commandements I haue depriued my soule of that heauenlie comfort and consolation and felt errours and griefe feares and cares and exceeding vexation Now mercifull GOD I humbly intreate thee to restore me againe to that ioy and comfort to assure me of thy loue and fauour that thou art graciously reconciled vnto me that I may receiue my former comfort And not onelie that but because I see how weake I am haue no power to stand without thy help and grace I humbly intreat thee to stay and strengthen me to stablish thy grace in me and so to vphold me in thy obedience that I may freely and heartily obey thee all my dayes Doctr. 1 The childe of God truely called iustified Fruit of sinne described Note and sanctified by GOD spirit if he once fall against GOD and prouoke him to anger by wilfull disobedience doth feele exceeding griefe and sorrow of heart great griefe and trouble of minde feares and cares lest the Lord should reiect him so that there is an hell in his poore soule and wounded conscience till hee be againe reconciled to GOD by faith and true repentance So long as Dauid walked with God in vprightnesse of his heart hee had exceeding ioy and comfort in the Lord his GOD was assured of his loue for pardon of his sinnes and eternall saluation but when he fell to adultery and murder and so rebelled against God it is wonderfull to see into what a gulfe of misery he plunged himselfe what feares and cares what doubts and troubles did vex his soule and wounded conscience Euen so it is with all the godly while they liue in the feare of God serue and please him and keep an vpright heart before the Lord leade a godly and christian life they feele find in themselues exceeding ioy and wonderfull comfort with assurance of Gods loue in Christ for their saluation but if as any time they breake out to sinne and rebell against God by wilfull disobedience then they shall finde an hell in their consciences troubles feares and cares for the time Who can tell what feares and cares Peter felt Luke 23. in what griefe and sorrow of heart hee was in when cowardly he denied his Lord and Master It cost him many a bitter teare The reason of this doctrine is because all peace and comfort to a poore soule springs from the sence and comfortable feeling of Gods loue in CHRIST IESVS for the pardon of sinne and eternall saluation and therefore when that is lost alas what peace or comfort can they haue Secondly they do by such wilfull sin and disobedience grieue the spirit and make the holy-Ghost sad within them and so doe what they can to expell the Spirit of God in them Now where the Spirit of God is made sad and grieued how can there be any true ioy Vse Seeing there is such sweete comfort in a godlie and Christian life while we walke with GOD and serue and please him in spirit and truth and when men sinne and rebell against God they pull downe vpon their heads such wofull misery troubles and cares how should this make euery man exceeding carefull of sinne which brings such woefull miseries and iudgements vnto our own soules such torments feares and cares To the ioy of thy saluation AS if hee should haue said ô Lord my God when thou diddest assure mee of thy loue and fauour for the pardon of my sinnes and eternall saluation I had exceeding ioy therein Now I doe humbly intreate thee to restore it to mee againe Doctr. 2 Fauour of God is a Christians chiefest ioy Hence marke what is the thing the childe of God doth most desire and craue at Gods hands and wherein they do most reioyce namely in the fauour of GOD and assurance of Gods loue in Christ Iesus that they know that God is graciously reconciled vnto them that they be in his fauour and shall neuer perish but shall euerlastingly bee saued Dauid was a King and wanted no temporall commodity comfort or delight whatsoeuer wherein worldly men reioyce but Dauid now conceiued no kinde of ioy at all in these things to bee out of Gods fauour And therefore prayes vnto God for the feeling of the true ioy and that is of His Saluation and that will minister vnto him matter of true reioycing indeed But alas most men being carnall desire riches honour pleasure Psal 4.6.7 But Lord let me see thy louing countenance thy fauour and grace and that shall do me more good and comfort then all the things in the world The poore Publican begges for this Lord be mercifull to me a sinner So
speake well bee not proud of it What hast thou that thou hast not receiued Oh then why art thou proud of it Well let vs acknowledge whence wee receiue all and giue GOD the glory Vse 2 It condemnes the erronious doctrine of the Papists who so much iustifie mans free-will and goodnes that he being but helped by grace a little is able to keep the Law yea to merit saluation and life eternall But if thou canst not by thy own power so much as moue thy lips or open thy mouth how can they with all their goodnesse keep the Law and so merit saluation Vse 3 Seeing the motion of the lips and so of the whole body is of God and no man can speak a word but by the power of GOD not say Christ is the Lord but by the power of the Holy Ghost Yea in him wee liue moue Acts 27. 1. Reg. 13.4 and haue our being Oh then how should wee bee most carefull to speake and do so as GOD haue glory for vnlesse the Lord giue thee power thou canst not moue thy finger nor thy tongue nor once open thy lips if the Lord deny thee this fauour and with-hold his power as in that wicked Ieroboam when hee would haue slaine the Prophet of GOD foâ— crying against his sinnes the Lord smote his hand so as it withered and hee could not pull it in againe Well let vs all take heed how wee speake and abuse our tongues least the Lord in iustice make them cleaue to the roofe of our mouthes for the same 2 Part of the verse The second part of the verse containes a solemâ—e protestation of Dauid that if the Lord shall thus shew him mercy in pardoning his sin and receiuing him into sauour againe that then he will be most willing and ready to praise God and to publish his mercy and goodnesse whereby the Lord shall reape much glory Doctr. 1 Heere wee see Thankesgiuing a necessary duty what is that God requires at our hand for all the mercies hee bestowes vpon vs namely praise and thankes-giuing that wee should speake of Gods mercies seek to honour him and to bee thankefull for his blessings this Dauid shewes more plainely What shall I giue vnto the Lord for all his benefits Ps 116.13 Deu. 10.12 I will take the cup of saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord. Where hee shewes that all that God lookes for at our hands is Praise and Thankes-giuing so the Lord himselfe hauing rehearsed his great blessings vnto his people saith thus O Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to feare him and to loue him and to walke in his waies Where he shews wherin stands our true thankefulnesse namely not onely in word to acknowledge his mercy but in life to feare him loue him call vpon him trust in him and keepe his commandements Vse 1 Seeing this is all the Lord requires for his great and continuall blessings and mercies for soule and body namely thankefulnesse acknowledging his loue and mercy and praising him for the same let vs labour with our owne hearts to giue the Lord praise to acknowledge his mercy and goodnesse bestowed vpon vs Ps 103.1.2 Psal 33.1 It is a comely thing to bee thankefull And that we may the better be stirred vp to performe this worthy duty of praising God let vs consider both the greatnesse and continuance of Gods blessings bestowed vpon vs as Dauid did Forget not al his benefits who gaue thee the pardon of thy sins c. so let vs bethinke our selues of GODS loue mercy to vs First in electing vs to be the sons of God in deliuering vs from hell and damnation in redeeming vs by the death bloudshedding of his owne Son in preseruing vs from so many dangers in feeding vs and cloathing vs and all the rest of his blessings for this life and that which is to come Oh! if we could thus bethinke our selues of the number greatnesse and continuance of Gods mercies how could wee be so vnkind to forget or to be vnthankful for his blessings we see if a friend do vs a pleasure though it bee but a meales meat we will be thankfull for it speake of it but if hee shall bee a meanes to saue our life from sword fire water or the like oh then we wil go on our hands and knees to do him good Well God is our best Friend and wee are most beholden to him yea more then to all the world and therfore let vs labour with our owne hearts to be thankefull and because many can skill to giue God thankes in words and with their lips let vs know it is not enough in wordes to blesse God and say thankes bee to God but wee must labour in life to shew our thankefulnesse when as we labor to honor God when as we seek to do his will and to serue him and are loath to offend so mercifull and bountifull a God for if a man shall make shew in words that hee is thankefull and yet liue in sinne there is no thankfull heart in him And that we may the better be stirred vp to do this let vs know there is no better way to moue the Lord to continue his loue mercy vnto vs then when we do freely acknowledge his mercy and are thankful for it as we see if we giue a small thing to a poore body if they be thankefull to speake of it and to confesse it it will prouoke vs to do them greater fauours and say alas he is thankfull it is well bestowed on him he is worthy of a better turne so as to bee thankefull for one good turne it is to craue another and therefore let vs remember this duety it is comely it is all the Lord requires and it is the way to procure a new mercy at GODS hands Vse 2 Let vs take heede of that foule fault of vnthankefulnesse when as men can be content to deuour Gods mercies from day to day and neuer giue him any thankes like the Sow vnder the tree eates the acornes and neuer lookes whence they come so many wicked men deuoure the mercies of God and neuer open their mouthes like the nine Leapers whereof not one returned backe to praise GOD. Luke 17. Causes of vnthankenesse The causes of vnthankfulnesse first men consider not the greatnes number and continuance of Gods mercies and therfore they thinke themselues more beholden to a naturall man for a meales meate then to God for all his mercies Secondly forgetfulnesse of his mercies when men let them passe away and neuer bee affected with them Psal 103.2 Thirdly the hardnesse of mans heart which is not touched nor effected with the great blessings of God Well let vs beware of this sinne which is so odious that the heathen men would rather be accused of any sinne then this sinne of vnthankfulnesse Secondly by vnthankefulnesse wee depriue our selues of many other
what a singular comfort is this to Gods children when they shall remember that the falls and slippes of such worthy men are recorded in Gods Booke And if this were not our faith would faile and we should euen vtterly despaire And as it was with Dauid so it is with all the godly if euer they felt the terror of an accusing conscience for sinne if euer they were displeased at themselues for offending a good and gracious GOD they will not then sticke to manifest their own shame and proclaime their owne follie with griefe of heart with the Leper in the Lawe Leuiticus chapter 13. and 45. verse I am vncleane I am vncleane that so they may procure their former peace from GOD and giue him glorie by their repentance as they dishonoured him by their sinnes So that where the Lord doth awaken the conscience all excuses are set aside and man is glad to disburden himselfe by confessing his sinne vnto the Lord. Vse 1 We learne by Dauids example not to bee vnwilling to doe that which may be for GODS glorie and the good of his church though it should be our vtter disgrace in the world Yea euen to shame our selues for euer so as God may haue his honour by vs alas We are so charie of our owne credite and so loath to shame our selues that we will not acknowledge our sins and infirmities thogh it might turne much to Gods glory but this let vs know that it is our duty to seek Gods glory and the good of his Church though we should euen for euer shame our selues to the world it is a shame to sin no shame to repent yea shame is the best fruit of sinne Rom. 6. neither is our shame increased by confessing our sinnes but rather diminished and taken away and yet so nice are we that wee are loath to acknowledge our sinnes without which there is no pardon of sinne Doctr. 3 From the persons that fell into this great sinne of Adultery The strongest may fall namely Dauid and Bershaba Dauid an excellent King and Prophet of God yea a man after Gods owne heart And Bershaba no common sinner but a woman of great name yea a religious woman as it appeareth wise Prou. 31. and discreete By this wee may see into how great sins the children of God may fall if the Lord leaue them but a little to themselues as wee may see in Noah Lot Dauid Peter and the like Vse 1 Seeing it is so Oh how should wee watch ouer our wayes Though thou beest the childe of God yet see how thou mayest fall if the Lord leaue thee but a while Pro. 4.23 O then countergard thy heart c. keepe it with watch and ward and looke vnto the casements of thy soule thy eares and thy eâ—es by them was Dauid ouercome what folly is it then in them who dare come into any company Note that dare looke pry into the beauty of women as though they were so strong that they were out of all danger to sin But art thou stronger then Dauid If not thou mayest fall Vse 2 Let all Ladies and godly women take heede let them looke on Bershaba a worthy woman and let them feare to giue any entertainement to lust and vncleanenesse for they may be sooner ouer-taken then they be aware looke vnto thy eyes and to thy company lest thou be poisoned by the company of vnchaste persons Yea it may admonish all men and women though neuer so sanctified chaste and religious to feare themselues and to cut off all occasions to vncleannesse as pride in apparrell dalliance euill company idlenesse and the like which be fore-runners of this sinne Vse 3 Lastly let no vncleane person man or woman make Dauid nor Bershabaes sinnes Note a meanes to embolden them or bolster them in vncleanenesse for if thou sinne because such sinned thou mayest perish in them this is not the end why their sinnes be noted in the Booke of GOD for to bolster vs in sinne But rather to admonish vs of our weakenesse to make vs watch lest we fall seeing such excellent ones haue fallen Oh then let vs imitate their repentance not their falls Psalme 51. VERSE 1. Haue mercy on me O God according to thy louing kindnes according to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities Now follows the psalme it selfe and it is a most excellent psalme to be learned of euery christian man and woman and oft times to be vsed for our comfort for it containes a most earnest prayer of Dauid that worthy seruant of God and renowned king 〈…〉 a Prophet of GOD and a man after his owne heart Wherein hee humblie doth acknowledge his sins vnto the Lord earnestly intreating for grace and fauor at Gods hands for the true pardon of them all and to be comforted againe by the gracious promises of God This Psalme may be diuided into 2. parts in the first part Dauid prayeth for himselfe vnto the eighteenth verse in the second part he prayeth for the church of God that the Lord would be fauourable vnto Syon his Church and build vp Ierusalem The maine thing which Dauid so earnest and so often prayeth for is mercy and fauour at Gods hands for the pardon of his sinnes and this Petition is repeated againe and againe ioyned with great affection and earnest desire of mercie confessing his sinnes vnfainedly and abhorring them Secondly Dauid prayeth vnto God for the worke of sanctification that the Lord would purge him and sanctifie him by his holy Spirit and renue his heart Thirdly bee promiseth to preach forth this mercy of God vnto others that his example shal be a meanes by GODS blessing to conuert them to make them afraid of sin and to comfort them that be fallen Fourthly hee sheweth the great abuse of outward Sacrifices and the outward worship seruice of GOD that if it be done by impure and impenitent sinners alas Esay 1.11 the Lord takes no pleasure in it but hates and abhorres it In the first verse we are to coÌ„sider First what is the thing Dauid begs namely Mercy Secondly the person of whom he begges it and that is of God Haue mercy on me O God Thirdly the maner greatnes of this mercy much mercy and great mercy because of his great misery the doubling of the petition shewes he praied with feeling and great affection Haue mercy on me O God As if he should haue said O my God I am a most vile and miserable sinner I haue committed very great and grieuous sinnes I stand in great need of thy mercy and therefore haue mercy on me in the pardon of my sinne Doctr. 1 Before a man can either craue for mercy Sight of sinnes the first stâ—p to repentance and begge the pardon of his sins he must haue the sight of them he must see the danger of them and finde himselfe to stand in extreame neede of Gods mercy Dauid he had
himselfe telleth vs Esay 43 25. I euen I am hee saith the Lord that putteth way thine iniquities Now that they may be blotted out and this Booke may be cancelled we must How to haue the Bookes cancelled First truely repent of them all bewaile them be grieued for them that by them we haue grieued God Secondly we must beg hard euen as for life and death for pardon of them as Dauid did here againe and againe aske mercy If a man should runne into debt a thousand pounds and know not how to pay his creditor his best way were to seeke and make friends vnto him to forgiue it We are debters vnto God thousand Thousands sinnes pay wee can not then let vs confesse the debt intreate him to blot his booke and take that hand-writing and band of obligation on against vs and naile it to Christs Crosse And this is an excellent propertie of the childe of God that hee desireth after a sort to come out of Gods debt A true childe of GOD cannot abide to haue any thing standing on Gods score for he knowes Hebr. 10.31 That it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing GOD so long to deferre till God warne to his Barre Oh he seekes betimes and giues the Lord no rest till the debt be pardoned Thirdly that our sinnes may bee cleane blotted out wee must haue faith in Christ Iesus for nothing can blot out sinne but his bloud alone nothing in heauen and earth can satisfie Gods anger wash away sinne blot out our offences but onely the bloud of Iesus Christ and therefore let vs labour continually to be assured of it by faith to sprinckle our sinfull hearts with the bloud of Iesus Christ 1. Iohn 1.7 Reuel 1.6 Vse 3 Seeing the Prophet Dauid doth acknowledge that this Debt was more then he was able to pay and therefore disclayming his owne sufficiencie appeales onely to GODS mercy in Christ for the pardon of the same We learne that that Doctrine of Merites yea and Supererogation now taught in the Church of Rome is most false and erronious teaching poore people to leane vnto mans satisfactions which they must make vnto God either heere or in Purgatory whereas the Iustice of God is infinite And when we haue done all that we can heere in this life wee are vnprofitable seruants nay there is not that man in the whole world that if God should lay aside his mercie and deale in iustice were able to satisfie the Iustice of GOD for the least Debt that hee doth owe vnto GOD. And vnlesse the Lord take pittie on vs and forgiue the Debt there remaineth nothing for vs but to lie in prison and that for euer Matth. 28.27 But of this before VERSE 2. 2. Wash mee throughly from my wickednesse and cleanse me from my sinnes IN this Verse the Prophet Dauid proceedes with his former petition vnto GOD for grace and fauour for pardon of his sinnes yet so as hee doth it more effectual and more earnestly because his foule was now exceeding grieued seeing his woefull misery that he was in how foule and filthily he was stained with sin most hainously And though some put a difference betweene these two speeches and vnderstand the former of the washing of Iustification and pardon of his sinnes not imputing them vnto his charge And the second of the washing of Sanctification and the couering of our sins yea by little and little washing and purging them away and more and more renewing newing of vs in soule and bodie by the worke of Sanctification yet me thinks the words do both imply one thing namely to be throughly purged from the filth and staine of sinne and to be receiued againe into the fauor of God by the means of Christ It may seeme strange what should moue Dauid to confesse his sin and to intreate for pardon in this maner There was no Court of Inquisition concerning his fact There was no Magistrate to examine him nor Iudge to condemne him he being King Nay no doubt the diuel might set some on work which might back him and seeme to lessenhis fault what then should cause Dauid without any regard of his credit to come forth in this manner and thus publiquely to confesse his pollution and to be so earnest vnto GOD with his Haue mercie Blot out Wash me c. Surely it was his owne conscience and that extorted and wroong from him this Confession and made him so earnest vnto God in prayer Doctr. 1 From this prayer of Dauid A woūded consciēce can finde no rest but onely in Christ repeating his request to GOD so often Haue mercie Blot out Wash me c. we learn that a wounded conscience that is truely touched for sinne can finde no rest or comfort but only in the feeling of Gods mercy in Christ for the pardon of sinne and therfore Dauid to shew how hee was truely humbled and wounded for sinne hee neuer can content himselfe to pray and beg for mercy and pardon for after a man sees his sins and the filthinesse of them and beholdes the wrath of God against sinne his conscience still accuses him neither can hee finde any rest till hee do feele the mercy of God in Christ for the pardon of them Being iustified by faith we haue peace with God Rom. 5.1 Againe the Kingdome of GOD stands not in meate and drinke Rom. 14.17 but in righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost that is in pardon of sinnes and feeling of Gods loue for sinne once knowne will neuer cease to accuse vntil it be pardoned And this is confirmed vnto vs by the example of Caine Genes 4. who hauing slaine his owne brother and shead innocent bloud which cried in the eares of the Lord for vengeance how did the Lord strike him with an accusing conscience that he feared the sight of euery creature when he had once attained the sight of his sinne and whereas he thought to build him a Cittie to yeelde him comfort and safetie euen there did the Iustice of God ouertake him and he was driuen from that enterprise The like wee may see in Belieshazzer Dan. 5.56 when there appeared fingers of a mans hand vpon the wall his thoughts were troubled and his knees smote one against the other According tothat punishment the Lord foretolde Leuit. 26. I will send euen a faintnesse into their hearts And the sound of a leafe shaken shall chasten them And they shall flie as from a sword though none pursue them So that if it were possible to escape all apprehension and accusation in the world yet a mans owne conscience would arrest him and hale him vnto Iudgement Vse 1 Seeing this is the nature of sinne that being knowne it wil neuer cease to accuse and vex the conscience of a poore sinner till it be pardoned it should prouoke vs all that feele the smart of sinne neuer to giue the Lord any rest vntill we haue pardon
into them And I will take away their stony hearts and giue them hearts of flesh God the Father sanctifieth in giuing his Sou Christ vnto vs so Christ sanctifieth in washing vs from our sins in his bloud And the Holy Ghost in applying CHRIST IESVS his death and resurrection to vs. And thus the worke of Regeneration or Sanctification is by GOD alone wrought iâ— the Elect. Vse Well then this shewes that man hath no freedome of will in heauenly things pertaining to Eternall Life but all is of God faith saluation life eternall and comes from GOD and therefore let vs vse all good meanes appointed of GOD and seeke this at his hands who alone can and will do it Now followes the second part of the verse Part of this verse And renew a right Spirit within mee Wherein Dauid craues grace from GOD to become a new creature and withall that God wold inable him by his spirit to be faithful and constant in time to come and therefore requires of God a stable Spirit a firme Spirit that is not onely a constant purpose to walke vprightly with GOD but power and strength from his Spirit to become faithfull and constant as fearing his owne weaknesse if the Lord should leaue him to himselfe For as GOD giues grace to obey so he must giue grace to perseuer As if hee should haue said O Lord thou hast begunne this blessed work of regeneration new Birth by thy holy Spirit But I like a sinfull wretch by sin and rebellion haue hindred the same and broken off the gracious worke of thy holy Spirit Now I beseech thee O Lord lay to thy hand againe and a fresh begin to renew the work of thy Spirit euen the blessed worke of new Birth and withall grant that in time to come I may be strengthned in the inner man by thy holy Spirit and may bee made thereby firme and constant to continue yea to grow and hold out to the end in holy obedience Doctr. 1 Marke that Dauid acknowledgeth he had broken off the worke of God his Spirit in him Man by sinning breakes of the worker of Sanctification and interrupted the same and hindred the worke of Sanctification by his sinnes and disobedience And therefore wee learne that after God hath touched a mans heart to repent and sanctified him by his Spirit if hee sinne and rebell against God hee doth what lies in him to cut off the worke of grace to hinder the work of his saluation and breake off the gracious worke of Sanctification and new Birth and if the Lord should leaue him hee shold fal cleane away from grace for the Spirit of God is glad and ioyfull when as we are carefull to auoid all those waies which offend God and wound our soules when we seeke to keep good hearts faith vnfeigned a good conscience then the Spirit of God doth daily proceed with the worke of new Birth and Sanctification but after we shall rebell against God and commâ—â— sinne we gâ—â—eue the holy Spirit of GOD and vexe him that hee is compelled by our lewdnesse to leaue off the worke in the middest because wee suffer not our selues to bee wrought vpon Eph. 4.30 but we will follow our owne lusts and liking and when the spirit of GOD ceaseth to renue vs and to beget our hearts to God then there rises blindnesse of minde so as we cannot conceiue and feele the loue of God as in Dauid And then this gracious worke of the spirit being interrupted there arises griefe and sorrow of soule and conscience Vse 1 Well seeing this is the fruite of our sinnes against knowledge and conscience they hinder the worke of grace and new birth interrupt the blessed worke of sanctification begun by Gods Spirit bring blindenesse of mind and hardnes of heart Oh then let vs take heed of sinne intreate the Lord that hee would giue vs grace for euer to hide his word in our hearts that wee might not sinne against his Maiesty and that he wold not leaue vs to blindenesse of minde and hardnesse of heart but that hee would rather continue his loue and mercy vnto vs and that his holy spirit would daily proceede with the blessed worke of Sanctification and renuing of our soules vnto holinesse and true righteousnesse Vse 2 So often as we bee tempted to sin let vs remember that if we yeeld vnto it wee shall hinder the blessed work of Gods Spirit hinder our new Birth and Sanctication and thereby do what lies in our power to grieue the holy Spirit of God and cause him to leaue off the blessed worke of regeneration Vse 2 When Dauid intreates the Lord that hee would renue a constant and stable spirit in him Good to feare our weaknes he shewes that he was greatly affraid of his own weak nesse and therefore desires strength from God to hold out and perseuer in obedience euen vnto the end that God would by his Spirit giue him a constant purpose continuall indeuour both in heart and life to doe his will and therefore we learne from him to suspect our selues to feare our owne weakenes and infirmity if the Lord should leaue vs to our selues Blessed is the man that feares alwaies Pro. 28.14 but hee that hardeneth his heart shall runne into all euill waies For such is our weaknes that we are ready to fal into the selfe fame sinne from the which wee are escaped of the Lord doe but a little leaue vs to our selues This doth the Prophet teach Psalme 78. How oft dâ—d they prouoke him in the wildernes and grieue him in the desart Thus did Pharaoh Exod. 9. Chap. 27. I haue sinned and the LORD is righteous but I and my people are sinnefull But when the Iudgement was remoued his heart was hardened againe and hee continued in his sinne Wee see this in the example of the Israelites Iudges the third Chapter They commiteed euill againe and againe they fell into idolatry they knew it was a sinne yea and they had experience of Gods seueritie against it for all that they fell againe into the same sinne and so prouoked the Lord to punish them So Hebr. 6. Many sinne againe after the receiuing and acknowledgement of the truth So that except the Lord vpholde and holde men backe they wil fall into the same sinnes they before committed and so prouoke the Lord afresh to punish them O then let vs feare our weakenes If Dauid a holy Prophet a man after GODS heart prayeth thus that GOD would stablish him with his free Spirit that is giue him a constant purpose and indeuour to continue in obedience how much more haue we need to do the same knowing how weake we are how many inticements wee haue to sinne how cunning the Diuell is and vseth the world and the flesh as so many enemies to fight against vs well let vs feare the worst and doubt our weaknesse and it will make vs more carefull to
Paul professeth of himselfe Luke 8. Phil. 3.7.8 that he esteemed all things but dung in comparison of CHRIST IESVS and the fauour of God in him And the reason is plaine because if a man had all the world and wanted the loue and fauour of GOD was in his displeasure Mat. 16.26 and vnder the curse of God what good could it do him Euen as if a Subiect should haue ten thousand pounds and yet the King cannot abide him but seeke his death And therefore the childe of God if hee were asked what is the thing hee desires most in all the world would answer Mercy and the loue of GOD in IESVS CHRIST hee would despise honours lands Psal 32.1.2 liuings gold siluer pleasures and delights and preferre one dramme of mercy and the least drop of Christs blood for saluation before all the world Vse 1 This may serue to reproue thousands in the world carnall men and women so they haue the world at will and may lieu at ease eate drink and bee merry they feele no want of Gods mercy no need of Christs bloud they esteeme not Gods fauour and loue desire not reconcliation but say Who will shew vs any good Well diddest thou neuer feele the want of GODS mercy no hungring and thirsting after IESVS CHRIST and his righteousnesse it is manifest thou dost not belong to GOD thou waste neuer yet truely humbled Vse 2 Let this Doctrine admonish vs to labour with our heartes to bee affected with this namely to esteeme more of GODS loue and fauour and assurance of his mercy then all the world let vs desire it more let vs reioyce more in it so as if the question should bee asked what is the thing that thou doest most desire and affect and what thou dost most delight and reioyce in of all the things in the world wee may be able in truth to answere and say with feeling and comfort I desire nothing more vnder Heauen then the mercy of GOD in IESVS CHRIST to be in his fauour to be reconciled vnto his Maiesty and with Paul to esteeme all things but dung in comparison of that And till this be in vs in some measure we can neuer finde true comfort to our soules and bee assured that we haue true sauing-faith in Christ For this is a certaine fruite and note of an humble and beleeuing heart to hunger and thirst after Gods mercy in Christ and to esteeme more highly of the least drop of Christ his precious Bloud for our saluation then of all the world if it were offered vnto vs. Vse 3 Wee must labour to manifest this our earnest desire and great account of Gods mercy by vsing all blessed meanes to attaine vnto it wee must repent and bewaile our sinnes leaue and forsake them wee must embrace Iesus Christ by faith and cry with teares vnto GOD for mercy Knocke Seeke Aske Math. 7.7 Acts 13.20 And let vs doe as the men of Tyrus and Sydon when Herod tooke a pitch against them and intended to warre against them they came all with one accord and besought Blastus the Kings Chamberlaine to haue peace So let vs go vnto IESVS CHRIST the Peace-maker desire him to speake to GOD the Father for vs that there may bee an euerlasting peace Doctr. 3 When Dauid prayeth that God would restore vnto him State of Gods children not alwaies alike The ioy of his Saluation those sweet comforts he was wont to feele and finde in Gods mercy and feeling of his loue in Christ wee learne that the state of Gods children is not alwaies alike full of ioy comfort and gladnesse but sometimes full of griefe misery cares and trouble For the dearest children of God who are replenished with the greatest measure of ioy and comfort in the feeling and assurance of Gods loue in Christ when as the Lord leaues them to fall into some sin against knowledge conscience they shall finde not onely a great decay but an vtter losse of ioy and comfort for the time Thus it was with Dauid who though he was a man after Gods own heart enriched with great blessings and spirituall mercies most deerely beloued of God sanctified in great measure yet now hauing fallen into these two filthy sinnes of Adultery and Murder see how he if perplexed in great distresse and trouble of minde and now the feeling of Gods mercy and ioy in Gods Spirit seemed to bee cleane lost So it was in Peter Luke 23. and so it is in euery childe of God Didst thou euer sinne against knowledge and conscience since thou wast conuerted thou shalt finde then a wonderfull deadnesse of heart trouble of minde and feeling of Gods anger with the losse of comfort for a time Vse 1 Seeing sinnes against knowledge and conscience wound the soule exceedingly and depriue vs of the peace and comfort and ioy of GODS Spirit and bring terrours feares and gripings with them Let vs as to auoid all sinne so especially auoid sinne against knowledge and conscience and labour in all things in all places and at all times to liue and walke so vpright with GOD that thou neuer wound thy conscience though thou mightest get the greatest gaine honour or pleasure yet if it bee sinne and that against knowledge and conscience abhorre it and commit it not if thou louest thy owne soule for if sinnes of ignorance shall not escape punishment vnlesse men repent much more sinnes against knowledge and conscience for these prouoke the Lord exceedingly to turne away his fauour from vs draw downe his iudgements vpon vs wound the conscience depriue vs of the feeling of Gods loue and fauour bring trouble of minde and a wounded conscience oh then would you inioy this great blessing of peace of conscience which is a continuall feast would you be loath to loose the feeling of GODS loue and comfort of Gods spirit auoid all sinne but especially presumptuous sinnes against knowledge and conscience they wound especially and depriue vs of peace of conscience Vse 2 If the Lord doe at any time leaue vs to sinne euen presumptuous sinnes against knowledge and conscience which is a fearefull thing yet let vs not despaire vtterly of Gods mercy but seeke to renew the feeling of Gods loue againe intreate the Lord to restore vnto vs the ioy of his saluation and that wee may obtaine the fauour of God againe and renew the feeling of his loue let vs renew our repentance bewaile our grieuous and heynous sinnes seeke earnestly for grace and pardon and giue the Lord no rest at all till wee finde and feele him to bee reconciled vnto vs in IESVS CHRIST Doctr. 4 Marke what was the speciall thing wherein Dauid this holy seruant of GOD did reioyce Pardon of sinne the soundest ioy not in gold or siluer not pleasures and carnall delights not in lands and liuings not in a Kingdome but in the saluation of GOD in his loue in pardon of his sinnes and saluation of his
trusts in himselfe shall certainely fall into euill the secure sinner that feares no danger is the greatest sinner And therfore knowing our owne weakenesse how vnable wee are to stand of our sâ—lues it must make vs râ—lie vpon the Lord pray vnto him that he would vphold vs in integritie faith obedience and true repâ—ntance for if Dauid Peter c. did fall whither shall we fall if the Lord doe but a little leaue vs to our selues VERSE 13. 13 Then shall I teach thy wayes vnto the wicked and sinners shal be conuerted vnto thee Dauid to his petitions ioyns promises IN this Verse Dauid doth professe vnto the Lord that if he shall deale thus graciously with him to pardon and remit his great and grieuous sinnes and to receiue him againe into his loue and fauour that he will not be vnmindfull and vnthankefull for so great a mercy but he will become a Preacher and proclaimer of Gods mercy to others and labour to turne many to God by true repentance Partes of the verse In this verse we haue two partes First that promise which Dauid maketh vnto the Lord and the duetie be vowes vnto him namely I will teach thy wayes vnto the wicked Secondly the issue and blessed effect namely this that by his example many poore sinners shall repent and come to God for mercy Then shall I teach THat is Sense after I shall finde and feele thy mercy bestowed vpon mee I will like a vessell of mercie draw it out to the good of others I will that is I that haue fallen and sinned so grieuously and transgressed thy commandements will teach and publish how merciful good and gracious thou hast beene to me and to my soule and will speake out of the sence and feeling of mine owne conscience Thy wayes BY the wayes of GOD heere is meant that course and manner of dealing which the Lord taketh with sinners when they doe truely repent namely that he is most readie and willing to embrace them and shew mercie vnto them when they shall acknowledge and confesse their sinnes bewaile them beg the pardon of them and seeke to him for mercie Doctr. 1 The goodnes of God towardes our selues must bee made knowen Seeing Dauid doth here professe that if God shall deale thus graciously with him that when he will be a proclaimer of the same mercie to others We learne that it is the duety of euerie one to shew vnto others what GOD hath done for his soule when God is good and gracious vnto vs wee must be still ready to acknowledge the same vnto others thereby to draw them on likewise to a liking of the truth and to seeke for the same fauor and grace at Gods hands Matth. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good workes may glorifie your Father whch is in Heauen Thus the Spirit of GOD in the Scriptures remembreth the righteousnesse of Noah the faith and obedience of Abraham the patience of Iob the chastitie of Ioseph the meekenesse of Moses And Christ himselfe doth testifie of the graces of God that shined in Iohn Baptist That hee was a burning and a shining light Iohn 5. Thus the Apostle Peter teacheth 1. Pet. 2. Haue your conuersation honest amongest the Gentiles that they which speake euill of you as of euill doers may by your good woorkes which they shall see glorifie GOD in the day of visitation 1. Corinthians chapter 9. vers 11 12. 2. Corinthians 8.1.2 Rom. 4.22.23 Vse 1 We learne hence euer to be readie die to make knowne vnto others what God hath done for our selues if so they may further Religion or prouoke others to godlines or bring glory to God God is not ashamed of vs to be called our God and to do vs good let vs then neuer be ashamed to acknowledge his loue to vs for it were a foolish modesty in vs to conceale those things which should be vttered There was a time indeed when Christ would not haue himselfe or his works knowne but that was when that knowledge might hinder him and his preaching But Matth. 10.27 hee commanded his Apostles to speake that in the light which hee had tolde them in darkenes And to preach that in the house toppes which he had tolde them in the eare for now would CHRIST haue himselfe published abroad and thus wee see how to behaue our selues in respect of Gods gifts wee must not bee ashamed to confesse them but deface them Doctr. 2 Seeing Dauid here professe vnto the Lord Thankefulnes required that he wil not be vnmindfull and vnthankefull for his mercie shewed vnto him but will to the vttermost of his power praise God for it and shew his thankefulnesse in drawing others to God Hence we learne that it is the duetie of all the childreÌ„ of God that they should labour with their owne soules to be thankefull vnto God for euery blessing hee bestowes vpon them to be mindfull of it to praise God for it and to shew it in doing good to others It is all the Lord lookes for at our hands to acknowledge his loue and kindenesse to be thankefull for it and when we shal be truly thankefull for a benefite receiued it is an excellent meanes to moue the Lord to bestow a new blessing vpon vs as we see if a poore man shal receiue a small fauour at our hands and shal be thankefull for it Phil. 4.4 Exo. 18.10 we will say he is worthy to haue a good turne it is well bestowed Psa 126.1 Gen. 14 19 Psa 32.21 Psal 33.1 I see he is thankefull for it So when the Lord bestoweth a benefit vpon a man and sees hee is thankefull for it and speakes of it to the honour of God the Lord is moued thereby to bestow an other but he that is vnthankefull for the old is not worthy to receiue a new Vse 1 Hast thou receiued anie speciall fauour blessing or benefit of God know it is thy duety to be thankfull for it to acknowledge it to speake of it and to praise God for it Reioyce yee righteous in the Lord for it becomes vpright men to be thankefull Psal 33.1 It is a comely and most fit thing and Dauid cals vpon his soule oft-times to performe this duty Praise thou the Lord O my soule Psa 103.2 all that is within me praise his holy name prayse thou the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits And aboue all other mercies let vs blesse God for his loue in Christ for the pardon of our sinnes as Dauid doth heere and Psalme 103. Forget not all his benefites who gaue thee pardon of thy sinnes and forgaue thee all tâ—inâ— iniquiâ—ies And therefore let vs remember this duetie and thinke more seriously of GODS blessings and benefits bestowed vpon vs the greatnesse of them and number and continuance of them and so labour in some measure to be thankefull vnto GOD and especially for the
pardon of our sinnes in Christ Iesus and withall let vs shew it in doing what good wee can vnto others Vse 2 Let vs shunne that foule sinne of vnthankefulnesse to forget Gods blessings and passe ouer his mercies let vs not bee like the nine leapers who not one of them returned to praise God only the poore Samatitan finding himselfe cleansed came to blesse God for it so let vs take heede that wee be not found in that number who forget GODS fauours the Lord hath beene good vnto vs washed and cleansed our soules in CHRISTS bloud let vs returne vnto GOD let vs confesse it to his glorie and with Dauid call on our soules not to forget his benefites It is a note of an vnthankfull hart to obtaine a benefit and not to acknowledge it praise is comely and well becommeth the Saints of God The want whereof taketh away the comfort and sweete fruit of GODS blessing from vs. It is a great offence to be vnthankefull vnto men but farre greater to God in whom wee liue moue and haue our being And therefore let vs learne that whensoeuer wee haue obtained any fauour or blessing at GODS hands be it concerning this life or the life to come Let vs returne the calues of our lippes vnto him and let vs neuer shew our selues more readie to aske Then we are willing to praise the Lord when he hath granted the requests of our lippes Doctr. 3 It is a speciall fruit of faith and true repentance Fruite of Faith to seeke the good of others to conuey grace vnto others to shew what God hath done for our soules and to draw out the blessings which God hath bestowed vpon vs to the good and benefit of others The Prophet Dauid calleth all men vnto him and maketh his speech Come saith he I will shew you what God hath done for my Soule Psa 66.16 and the Elect are called vessells of Mercie because they being themselues filled with the mercie of GOD they should draw out the same as good liquor for the comfort of others Psal 116. Galat. 3. 2. Cor. 1.4 Esa 38.19 Luk. 22.23 Saint Paul saith God had mercie on him that hee might shew mercie vnto others The child of God is not like vnto churlish Nabal to say Euery man for himselfe and keepe all for themselues but they be pittifull and bountifull yea and to their power helpefull vnto others Vse 1 This may serue to comfort those who haue beene carefull for the performance of this duety that haue beene carefull to make others partakers of the same comforts they haue reaped themselues It is a blessed thing indeede when men haue endeuoured to their power to benefite others to exhort them to admonish them to comfort them and in all things to haue sought their good O what a wonderfull consolation and comfort shall this bee vnto vs when wee leaue this world and goe the way of all flesh to remember wee haue sought the good of others Daniel 13. ve 3 They that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the Starres in the firmament Luke 12.43 Blessed is that seruant when his Master commeth shall finde so doing We shall finde more comfort of heart and ioy of conscience when wee depart this life that we haue beene faithfull in that little committed to our trust made others partakers of it then if we had great aboundance of earthly blessings Vse 2 This may serue to reprooue that common conceit in mens mindes that so long as they doe well themselues they neede not care how others doe whether they sincke or swimme and therefore they keepe all to themselues neuer seeke to benefite others like a couetous and foolish Nabal part not with a bitte to Dauid so these keepe all for themselues by no meanes seeke to draw out the graces of God for the good of others but it is impossible for anie Christian man or woman who hath tasted truely of the mercie of GOD for his comfort and the worke of grace but hee must communicate the same to the good of others and indeed they are neuer so profitable as then as we see spices though neuer so sweete are not prófitable vntill they be rubbed and chafed and therefore let vs remember to practise this duety to helpe others and to teach them and communicate our knowledge Esa 38.19 comfort experience and iudgement to the good of others Doctr. 4 When Dauid saith hee will teach What doctrines Ministers ought to teach not his owne waies but Gods waies namely how the Lord dealeth with penitent sinners wee learne what is that the Ministers of the Word ought especially teach to poore sinners namely The wayes of GOD that is how God deales with poore sinners namely that hee is most willing to imbrace them and to pardon their sinnes if they will vnfeinedly repent Christ was exceeding plentifull in this kinde of teaching Matt. 11.28 howsoeuer hee did sometimes pronounce iudgements to impenitent sinners yet it was his vsuall course to preach Gods infinite mercie to all such as would repent Rom. 12.1 2. Corint 5.18.19 to inuite them and allure them to turne to God Vse 1 Well then this may direct all such as the Lord hath called to preach his Word to take this course that howsoeuer they may and must pronounce GODS iudgements against impenitent sinners yet they must preach Gods infinit mercy in Christ to all that will repent and shew how ready the Lord is to shew mercie to them that confesse and acknowledge their sinnes be weary of them and desire pardon for sure it is that if there bee any spake of grace in mens hearts Reuel 3. Luke 15. when they shall heare of Gods aboundant mercy in Christ that the Lord standeth at the doore and knocke that the Lord is like the Father of the Prodigall childe will meete vs in the mid-way It must needes if there be not a heart of steele make our bowels erne and for shame to seek vnto the Lord. And it was Paules manner to intreate men that they would bee reconciled to God to beseech them in his name with loue and kindenesse with teares and prayers to pray them to intreate them to beseech his hearers and we shall finde that churlish rough and harsh dealing great words and thundering speaches be not alwayes the best to win mens Soules But when wee shall with a milde and louing spirit intreat men and beseech them to repent turne to God it must needes affect them Vse 2 It must stirre the hearers vp to a most carefull and attentiue hearing and listening to the word of GOD For a man can not know the wayes of God by nature No by nature wee conceiue of GOD as a terrible Iudge and angrie GOD and flie from him as Adam did and therefore wee had need to haue the word of GOD taught vnto vs and be instructed in the wayes of God how the Lord God hath shewed mercie vnto
adultery murder c. take heed thou dispairest not with Caine to say my sin is greater then can bee forgiuen but repent with Dauid and GOD will pardon it Vse 2 Let no man presume heereupon to sinne because God will pardon great sinnes for as it is true that God will pardon great sinnes when men repent truely of them so without repentance there is no pardon of the least sinne and if thou shalt wittingly and willingly rush into great sinnes it is a great doubt that thou shalt neuer or hardly get out of them hee that sinnes because GOD is mercifull doth abuse his mercy and then his mercy shall bee turned into iudgement Gods mercy should lead vs to repentance and not make vs bold to sinne Rom. 2.4 Doctr. 3 Seeing Dauid praies and intreates the Lord not onely to deliuer him from sinne The punishment of sinne should terrifie vs from sinning but also from the punishment due to his sinne that curse of God which was due to his grieuous sinnes of adultery and murther as the Prophet told him because hee had done this euill The sword should neuer depart from his house 2. Sam. 12. and his owne sonnes should defile his wiues Wee learne in regard of GODS fearefull iudgements plagues and punishments that attend and waite vpon sinne to bee affraid to commit sinne against GOD for sure it is that the curse followes sinne and as sinne growes so growes the curse for the Lord is a iust GOD and must needes punish the transgressours of his Law And although he take not his louing kindnesse from them neither suffer his truth to faile yet hee will visite their trangressions with the rod and their sinnes with scourges as wee may see heere by the example of Dauid of the people of Israell Iudges the fourth chapter the first and second verses of Miriam Numb 12. of Salomon Asa Iehosaphat Iosiah Hezekiah c. If then wee breake his Statutes and keepe not his Commandements when hee searcheth with lights and findeth out our sinnes we must with Achan giue the glory to God and make confession vnto him we must pronounce righteousnesse to belong vnto him and vnto our selues open shame and confusion of face for euer Vse 1 Well then let vs remember this if wee sinne certainely the Lord will plague vs and punish vs either in our body or soule goods or good name wife or children the Lord will finde vs out wee cannot escape his iudgement wee cannot hide our sinne from him if men could bee perswaded of this oh they would bee affraid to lie in sinne if they thought God were a iust God to punish them and plague them for their sinnes how darest thou sinne if thou couldest bee perswaded of this that GOD will certainely plague theee Indeed the mercy of God should make vs loath to sinne but if that will not yet let his iustice terrifie and fright al secure and carelesse sinners Vse 2 Let no man sooth himselfe to thinke hee shall escape Deut. 14. If any man heare the curses of Gods law against sinne and shall blesse himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace although I walke after the stubbornenesse of my heart then the Lord will not be mercifull to that man but the wrath of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoake against him and hee shall bring vpon him euerie curse written in this law to root him cleane out Note I will visite those that bee frozen in their degrees and say in their harts God will neither do good nor euill and if neither the mercy of God will moue vs nor his iudgements make vs afraid to commit sinne our case is fearefull and damnable Vse 3 Lastly seeing God chastneth his owne children when they offend Then it must needes follow that the wicked which are none of his shall not escape his reuenging hand If the Lord be so seuere against sin and sinners that hee will not spare no not the sinnes and falles of his owne deare children beeing of his owne houshold and Citizens of his owne kingdome and the members of his owne body if the Lord do deale so sharpely with these Oh how heauy will he lay his iudgements vpon the wicked 1. Pet 4.17 18. The time is come that Iudgement must beginne at the house of God If it first beginne with vs what shall be the end of them which obey not the Gospel of God And if the Righteous scarcely be saued where shall the wicked and sinner appeare But God correcteth the godly in mercie the wicked in wrath The one as a louing father the other as a iust Iudge O that all wicked and vngodly men would lay this to heart and know that assured iudgement is reserued for them at the great day of the Lords generall Assises when they shall will they nill they pleade guiltie at GODS barre where the Register Booke of all their actions shall be brought forth and they shall receiue according to their workes Doctr. 4 In that Dauid speakes in the plurall number Deliuer mee from bloud True note of a penitent to aggrauate his sinne that my most hainous horrible and cruell sinne hee doth not mince it or lessen it but sets it out in his colours a bloudy sin a monstrous sin therefore in true repentance and confession of our sinnes wee must labour to aggrauate them to the full to set them out to make them appeare as vile and filthy as we can for thereby we shew our griefe and hatred for them Vse This condemneth most men who when they are tolde of their sinnes doe seeke to lessen and excuse them to make them little sinnes or no sins if they could well it is a signe of a naughtie heart as we see in Saul 1. Sam. 15. who would not confesse his sinne but excused it it shewes men are not humbled nor grieued haue no hatred of it but if we do truely see the loathsomnesse of sinne Oh wee would aggrauate it yea speake as badde as we can of it and not excuse it in any case the second thing in the petition is the manner of it namely that hee doth pray in faith and affiance of Gods mercy for he praies vnto God and describes him to be the God of his saluation because hee put all his affiance in Gods mercy for saluation and acknowledgeth it to be the gift of God Doctr. 5 In that Dauid thus prayeth for the pardon of his sinnes Faith required in prayer with faith and affiance We learne that if we desire to obtaine our requests wee must pray to God with faith and affiance in Gods mercy for at the same time that God toucheth a poore sinner to mourne for his sins and to repent he giues him faith to pray to God with affiance for pardon and saluation So then wee see whatsoeuer we aske at Gods hands we must aske in faith If any lacke wisedome let him aske in faith and wauer not Iam.
with selfe-loue that they see nothing or feele nothing to humble them or to bruise their stonie hearts but are like the Church of Ephesus for this is euer a fellow of hardnesse of heart Reu. 3 14â— Eph 4.18 and cause of all ignorance of our misery Men are like those that be sicke of the lethargie it is a deadly disease and incurable this hardnesse of heart it is the common iudgement of God vpon our people it raignes euery where Vse 1 Seeing that this broken heart is so rare and hard to be found and the hard heart is so common and so dangerous a fore-runner to hell O let vs looke to our selues how wee finde our hearts broken and bruised with the sense of sinne mourne for them and bewaile them Alas it is wonderfull to see poore soules how men lie in sin see nothing and feare nothing nor complaine of nothing men can complaine of the stone in the reines and cry out for griefe but no man complaines of the stone in the heart they feele no such griefe though it be deadly and dangerous and if thou findest thy hart hardned so as thou art not touched and troubled with the sight of sinne of Gods vengeance of hell and damnation that thou canst not mourn for them that thou fearest not GODS iudgements and art not affected with his mercies to mourne for thy sinnes O! know that thy state is fearefull and miserable thou art in extreame danger to perish and to be damned for euer Vse 2 Seeing a hard heart is so fearfull a iudgement of God and a fore-runner of hell let vs vse all good means for the bruising of the heart and to this end wee must labour to know the Law of God how wee breake it daily in thought word and deed we must know the curse of God due to sinne That the wages of sin is death Rom. 6. psal 40.12 And because the preaching of the word is the most excellent meanes to worke this and is the Lords hammer to crush in peeces our stonie hearts let vs attend that And lastly let vs thinke much of Gods mercie in Christ that so his mercy patience long-sufferance c. may be a speciall meanes to bruise our hearts that we haue siâ—ned against him Vse 3 Let vs take heed of pride of heart to thinke too well of our selues for this is certaine where men and women thinke too well of themselues there is hardnesse of hart and where hardnes of heart is there is pride of heart for these two go not asunder and the more prowd the more hard-hearted and the more hard-hearted the more prowd and therfore if thy heart be humbled indeed brused for sinne there will follow a very lowe and base estimation of our selues 1. Tim. 1.15 to thinke more basely and meanely of our selues then any man can do The second point is the praise and commendations of this Sacrifice namely that the Prophet doth not onely call it the Sacrifice of GOD that is most excellent and such as God loues and likes but also he calls it broken Sacrifices in the plurall number The Sacrifices of God For it is not in vaine that he speakes in the plurall number and the meaning is this to shew that a heart broken and bruised for sinne is in stead of all other Sacrifices whatsoeuer and let men offer what Sacrifice they will neuer so many costly or excellent yet if this be wanting it is but in vaine GOD esteemes not of it one broken heart is more worth then a thousand Sacrifices of great price Instruct. THis may admonish euerie one to take heed that wee doe not present the Lord with any other Sacrifice but this which is in stead of all and more worth then a thousand offered by hard-hearted sinners for if a man offer many Sacrifices pray much preach much heare much receiue the Sacrament often yet if the heart be not broken humbled and bruised alas all is in vaine GOD esteemes of them as dogges bloud wee can not please him without the broken and contrite spirite Secondly wouldest thou offer vnto God a most precious Sacrifice that might be in stead of all the rest and make all the rest acceptable O! then present him with this broken hart the poore woman that cast into the Treasurie but two mites cast in more then all the rest because it came from a heart truely humbled and so if thou wouldst haue thy praiing Preaching Hearing c. please GOD then present the Lord with a broken heart which is in steed of all other sacrifices and makes them all acceptable and without this all is abhominable to the Lord. Thou wilt not despise Doctr. 2 THat is thou dost loue and like and art well pleased with it God doth highly esteeme of a broken heart with a broken heart and contrite spirit Hence we learne that God doth highly esteeme of and loue that man or woman which is of a broken heart as Iosias whose heart melted 2. Reg. 22.19 when as the heart is broken with the sight of sin and sence of Gods anger Luke 19. Esay 66.2 Esay 57.15 and withall doth imbrace IESVS CHRIST for pardon Vse 1 Heere is matter of endlesse comfort to poore distressed soules whose hearts are wounded and bruised for sin melt and mourne for them feelâ— the burthen of them and bewaile them thou art deere vnto God hee loues thee and likes thee and hath respect vnto thee and hee will comfort thee and deliuer thee looke on Iosâ—as that godly King on the Publican and on euery child of God how the Lord hath refreshed them Vse 2 Seeing the Lord doth not despise a broken and contrite spirit a distressed soule and wounded conscience he will not breake the bruised reede nor quench the smoaking flaxe then let no man or woman of a contrite spirit be out of heart as though the Lord hated them and regarded them not no no let them rather know that the Lordloues them and likes them that they are deere vnto him it is a wonderfull comfort to Gods poore children oh they finde and feele the heauy weight of sinne and groane vnder it so as they thinke the Lord loues them not but rather hates them but it is not so the Lord loues them and they are most deere vnto him VERSE 18.19 18 Bee fauourable vnto Zyon for thy good pleasure Build vp the wals of Ierusalem 19 Then shalt thou accept the sacrifice of righteousnesse euen the burnt-offering and oblation then shall they offer calues vpon thine Altar The secoÌ„d part of the Psalm coÌ„taining a prayer for the Church HITHERTO wee haue heard of the first part of this worthy Psalme wherein Dauid hath put vp sundry Petitions and requests to God for the pardon of his sinnes and turning away of GODS fearefull iudgements Now in these two last verses Dauid is mindefull of the Church and people of GOD and because he had by his sinnes not onely indangered his
Dauids Repentance OR A Plaine and Familiar Exposition of the 51. Psalme first Preached and now published for the benefite of Gods Church Wherein euery faithfull Christian may see before his eyes the patterne of vnfeigned Repentance whereby we may take heed of the falling into sinne againe The second Edition profitably amplified by the Authour SAMVEL SMITH Minister of Roxwell in Essex LVKE 13.5 Except yee repent yee shall all perish LONDON Printed by NICHOLAS OKES 1614. ⧠TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL SIR RICHARD WESTON KNIGHT ONE of his Maiesties Iustices of Peace in the County of Essex SIR EDVVARD PYNCHON Knight Grace Mercy and Peace from IESVS CHRIST WHEREAS Right Worshipfull but a small and short remnant of dayes is alotted vnto euery one of vs to try the hazard and adventure of this world in Christs holy Merchandize I being subiect to this common case and most certaine vncertainty of our life neither knowing if perhaps at this present my staffe standeth next the doore haue beene and am desirous in this behalfe so to bestow all my possiblle endeuours and labours in this my Lord and Maisters Traffique as that neither I may returne vnto him with a Talent in a Napkin but may leaue behinde me some poore token and testimony of my loue and duty towards his blessed Spouse This hath caused me to take in hand this short Comment vpon the 51. Psalme or The Repentance of Dauid an elect and chosen vessell pronounced by the mouth of the Lord to bee A Man after his owne heart Where we may see the great weaknesse frailty of Gods Children Iob. 9.3 Psal 130.3 Psa 143.2 when the Lord shall but a little leaue them vnto themselues Our frailty appeares in this that we cannot perceiue the things that are of God if we cannot perceiue the good much lesse can we do it yea so that if the Lord should looke straightly what is done amisse who should bee able to stand If the Lord should enter into iudgement with vs none could in his sight bee iustified If Moses the faithfull fell into infidelity Dauid the holiest became prophane Salomon the wisest committed so great follies and Peter the louingest denyed his Maister If the Saints and deere friends of God haue fallen before our eyes let vs lay aside trust in our owne strength not taking their falles to bee our standing but rather by them to measure our selues and the guilt of our sins gathering as it were the whole Lyon by the paw Let vs rise with them by repentance let vs sorrow with them for our sinnes and that because Christ all perish Luk. 13.5 And that we may with Dauid repeâ—t and turne vnto the Lord. Rom. 2. Consider his Mercies in forgiuing Gen. 39.9 Rom. 2.5 Esay 26.9 Luk. 3.14 Psal 90.12 his Benefits in giuing his Patience in forbearing his Iudgements in punishing the Word preached Sinnes committed and that Few shall be saued the shortnesse and vncertainty of life the certainty of death Pray we cannot vnlesse wee repent and perish we shall vnlesse we repent but blessed shall wee be if wee repent Now because this Psalme is a most blessed Psalme of true and vnfeigned repentance I made choyce of it to treat of in my Cure neuer intending that these weake exercises should come to the publique view of the world But being at last ouercome by the earnest requests of diuers godly and well-disposed Christians to yeeld my consent to the publishing of this worke And considering that in this writing Age of ours amongst the number of bookes without number no man hath wholly trauelled herein in our tongue that euer came to my hands for then I should haue denyed my Pen this honour and withall how many a desperate sinner and ignorant soule hath been imboldened to sinne by Dauids example neuer looking into his repentance How he watered his couch with teares and how he sate well-a-daying his griefe of heart and cryed againe and againe and still againe for mercy and pardon at Gods hands ere he could be assured of the pardon of them These considerations striuing and struggling so long within me vntill they had gotten the conquest of such shamefast and fearefull motions wherewith men are well acquainted who are at all acquainted with their owne infirmities I was thereby at length drawne to this bold hardy resolution as to commit it to the Presse and so to the eyes of them whose great and sharpe censures I haue euer with trembling thought of heretofore and euen now would shun them with all willingnesse And here I present vnto your Worships this poore Talent of mine as to whom of right it doth belong for Precedens beneficium sequatur officium Which may it please you to accept at my hands as at one that wisheth all happinesse to you and yours in the Lord your worships acceptation shall be my sole satisfaction The bond of my duty hath this onely bound of my hope humbly crauing that your fauorable wisedomes would supply the wants of this thing and that this so simple a gift may bee accepted of you rather for my good meaning and the end wherefore I do it then for the value of the thing it selfe hauing an eye to the matter not to the maner for my desire is not to bee seene in the high and intricate questions of mans wisedome but in the basenesse and simplicity of the Gospell that it may appeare in the power thereof Thus as God hath ioyned you both in the neerest societies so pardon me this boldnesse who haue ioyned you together in this Dedication The God of Heauen giue you both that blessing of blessings which if Ierome say true few men haue that you may transire à delicijs ad delicias go on from grace to grace and bee a long time happy in this life and for euer happy in the life to come Roxwell this 26 of Nouember Your Worships much bound and in all Christian duties to be commanded SAMVEL SMITH To the Christian Reader Grace and Peace CHristian Reader seeing the burthen of the Ministry is this To pluck Men out of the Kingdome of Sathan and to bring them to the liuing God surely then it is the duty of all those that haue taken vpon them this holy calling to helpe forward this worthy worke And to this end I entertained my spare houres in the time of my long sickenesse when I was not able to performe my duty in the Congregation of my charge in publishing this short exposition of the 51 Psalme to the view of the world not for vaine-glory or for any good conceit or opinion that I haue of the same or of my selfe as he knoweth that knowes all things but chiefly for the honour of God that if it please the Lord to giue a blessing sinners euen such as sit in darknes and in the shadow of death might be moued to repentance It is an opinion of carnall men who remaine vnder Sathan and his dominion as
to moue vs to the great liking and regard of this excellent Psalme for we will listen to the speeches of learned men their Counfells and Exhortations being wife graue godly and learned do much affect vs Loe then heere is a psalme penned by a most skilful Musition by a renowned King and worthy Prophet of God yea a man after Gods owne heart Now the person that wrote this Psalme should moue vs very much to the liking of the matter contained in this Psalme Ahab said of Micha he neuer prophecied good So Dauid the sweet-singer of Israel alwaies good The mercy of the Lord endureth for euer hee was loued of God the Annoyntment spirituall and te nporall doth verefie it Applauded of al both men and women Dauid hath killed his tenne thousands A man iustified of his enemies Thou art more righteous then I. Esteemed of his subiects Thou art worth ien thousands of vs. A man more learned then his teachers he was a Compound of vertues a man after Gods own hart yet no way caring for the vaine applause of man confesseth heere his sin casteth his Crowne at the Lambs feet with the 24. elders contented to giue glory to God so that he might find peace vpon earth Oh! what an excellent thing were this if Kings Nobles great men would imitate Dauid in this to call thēselues to account and to set downe their liues that so they might haue matter to praise God for his blessings to acknowledge their sins with Dauid Dauid then was the author writer of this Psalme yet Dauid reports the fault in himselfe as if some stranger had committed it He forgets as it were his owne people and his Fathers house setting all affection aside maketh a plaine declaration of his owne transgression A wise man saith Salomon will accuse himselfe Pro. 18. So doth Dauid not shrowding his head nor rūning into a bush as Adam did but writing his fault in his brow pointing with his finger at the transgressor vnder his owne name faith A Psalme of Dauid being reprooued by Nathan c. Penners of the scriptures set forth first their own imperfection And indeed this doth make greatly for the authoritie of the word of God in that the Penners of it do not sticke to set forth their owne fraileties imperfectiōs that God might haue the honour and man beare the deserued blame contratie to the manner of the Writers of this world that howsoeuer against enemies they speake all and more then all or extol their friends to the highest yet in them we finde few examples of laying open the errours of themselues especially when in any sort it may be concealed This course we may behold in the whole Scriptures 2. Sam. 11. Dauid hee recordeth his adultery and murder as here in this Psalme his repentance of thē Ionas his disobedience Ionas 1.3 Iob 3.1 1. Reg. 11. Num. 11. Note Iob his impatience the idolatry of Salomon the discontentednesse of Moses the fretting of Ieremy and the like Here we may see the wisedome of the Word of life here we may admire their spirites who to giue God the glory do reioyce in their infirmities and proclaime their owne follies and if wee would compare these Writers inspired of the Holie Ghost with the Workes and Writings of other men we must either shut our eyes or else acknowledge a great difference The third circumstance is the time when this excellent Psalme was penned and that is expressed The time when this Psalm was penned When Nathan the Prophet came vnto him Concerning the sense of these Wordes some men differ some thinke that Dauid being fallen lay in his sinnes a whole yeare without any touch of conscience and sound repentance for them But it is not like as others thinke that so worthy a man as Dauid was after Gods owne hart could lie so long in sin without all remorce and touch of Conscience For my part I take it that though Dauid could not be so stony and so steely-hearted or so benummed but must needs haue some griping and sting of conscience and no doubt his heart must needes smite him vnlesse hee had beene more vile then the vilest sinner So for all that he was not so humbled for his great and grieuous sinnes as he ought to haue beene till such time as Nathan the Lords Prophet came to rowze him vp by the alarum of Gods Iudgement denounced against him Wherin we may see 2. Sa. 12.1 First that a childe of God may both fall fowly and lie in sin a long time without repentance And secondly that the Ministery of Nathan is needfull to reclaime vs else we shall not onely sinne but lie and rot in them And indeede not so much the falling into sinne as the lying in sin wounds the conscience and procures Gods iudgements Doctr. 1 Hence we may gather first of all for our great comfort That it is the Lords mercie sometimes to let a man fall into sinne for as we build a wall the higher by casting the foundation deeper So the Lord by humbling his children oftentimes raiseth them vp As in a tempestuous winde trees shaken by the root in calme doe spread themselues the more So the childe of God hauing his roote shaken doth more strongly fasten himselfe in Christ Iesus The child of GOD may fall after he is called Doctr. 2 Note in Dauid a man after Gods owne heart that the true childe of God after he is truely and effectually called sanctified may very dangerously fall and sinne against God euen as Dauid did Gen. 37. So Iosephs brethren how did they conspire against him to sell him yea to kill him and lay a long time yea almost twentie yeares in that sinne before they were truely humbled for it How fowly did Peter fall though hee did not lie long in sin Mat. 26.70 Yea as Iob saith Iob 15. What is man that hee should be cleane and hee that is borne of a woman that he should be iust Behold he found no stedfastnes in his Saints c. And Pro. 20.9 Who can say I haue made my hart cleane All which testimonies of scriptures serue to confirme the trueth of this Doctrine that the best of Gods Saints in this life are oftentimes ouertaken by the policy of Satan and the frailetie of their owne flesh to commit great and grieuous sinnes Yea the dearest of Gods children sometimes are asleepe Matth. 25. The wise and foolish Virgins both slept but yet here is the difference the wise awakened arise out of their securitie the foolish prolong the time Oh then if Christ Iesus haue looked vpon vs as he did vpon Peter let vs looke on our selues If his Nathan be come let vs sleepe no more Vse 1 Seeing that Gods children may thus fall into sinne and lie in sinne so long a time although no man may hereby be imboldned to sinne with Dauid much lesse to lie in sin without
sins whereof they be guiltie not in generall to reproue sinne but to rippe vp mens consciences to come to particulars to tell men of their particular sinnes and impieties as Nathan did to Dauid in the Parable of the Sheep 2. Sam. 12. Thou art the man that hast done this thing Euen so the woman of Samaria did but dally with Christ vntill he came to tell her of her especiall sinnes Iohn 4.9 namely that shee was a vile lewd and wicked woman no better then a whoore or a harlot and then shee was tamed and beganne to listen to CHRISTS doctrine So here Dauid was asleepe in sinne all Nathan â—ame to him and tolde him Thou art the man that hast commiâ—ted adultery and murther and then beganne Dauid to repent and to beg pardon So Iudah could passe sentence against Thamar Genes 38. to be burned for adultery but neuer thought that his sinne had beene knowne but when hee saw the Seale the Cloake and the Staffe then he can say She is more righteous then I when hee was thus brought to light and his sinne laid to his charge Vse 1 This may admonish all Ministers of the Word that if they desire to conuert men and to humble them for their sinnes then to rip vp mens consciences to smite home to presse them with their sinnes Thou art the man 2. Sam. 12. Note For vnlesse men be thus dealt withall we see that selfe-loue will make men to put off to an other That is a good lesson for such a man I would he had heard it and so cleare themselues For as it was with Dauid and Iudah Genes 38. and the woman of Samaria till men see their particular sins they will not be humbled confesse them and therefore it is the duty of the minister to presse mens consciences with their sinnes in particular swearing lying whore dome drunkennes ignorance profanenesse c. Vse 2 If this be the surest and safest way to humble men to bring them vnto true repentance for their sins then you must be content to haue your selues thus dealt withal to haue Nathan tell thee Thou art the man that Iohn should tel thee of thy incest and vncleannes not to storme against it not to kicke against the Word For this know that if the word of God be not an edged sword to kil sin and cut the throate of it it will cut tâ—â— throate of thy soule It will not the turne in vaine Oh then would you be saued by the word Then let the Word pierce your hearts and wound your soules a man that is dangerous sicke will open his arme vncouer it let the Chirurgeon let him bloud vpon a veine thanke him and pay him for his paines Well our soules bee dangerously sick with sinne though we know it not and wee haue many a deadly wound though we feele iâ— not let vs then lay them naked and suffer the Lords Chirurgeons with the sacrificing knife of the word of GOD to cut and launch them if euer wee looke to bee cured Take heede you be not like vnto Ahab 1 Reg 22.8 Marke 6. Psal 141.5 or Herod but rather acknowledge iâ— the endlesse mercie of GOD which sends some Nathan to reprooue you and to smite you alas men will not endure this to be saide Thou art the man to be tolde of their sinnes but it is the onely waie to saue mens soules And therefore let vs all yong and old rich and poore noble and simple be content to heare of our sinnes and Gods iudgements against them for til that message be listned vnto there is no Message from God of any pardon to be giuen or mercy to be shewed Though it were to a King yet wee see Nathan beeing sent from the Lord doth first his message of reproofe and heard that listned to before he vtter any word of pardon When Dauid had gone into Bershaba That is after Dauid had committed that foule and filthy sinne of adultery with Bershaba Doctr. 1 Where marke the great wisedome of the Spirit of God Chaste speech taught of God who speaking of a fowle and filthy fact vses a reuerent chaste speech very honest decent and therefore we learne that as the Spirit of God speakes so must wee inure and acquaint our selues to speake yea when we are to speake of things that are not comely to bee spoken to moderate our speech and to speake in an honest and a chaste manner So the holy Ghost exhorts vs that our words should be gracious and powdred with salt Colos 4.6 and such as may minister grace vnto the hearers But as for filthy communication or foolishiesting Ephe. 4.29 which is not comely let it not be once named amongst you And this teacheth vs that wee must all diligently study and practise the gouernement of the Tongue to order it aright in due manner which is a worthy studie according to that of the Prophet Psalme 34.12 13. What man is he that desireth life and loueth to see good dayes keepe thy tongue from euill and thy lippes that they speake no guile And to this purpose doth the Prophet Dauid speake in another psalme Psal thirtie nine and the first verse I thought I will take heede to my wayes that I sinne not with my tongue I will keepe my mouth brideled while the wicked is in my sight The holy vse of the tongue is the language of Canaan Esay chapter 19 verse 18. which we must account to speake that it may be ordered according to the wil and word of God Vse This condemneth the common abuse of mens tongues who do not only grieuously blaspheme the name of God in swearing but in most vile and filthie rotten speech such as would make any chast eares to blush for shame such vncleane and rotten words from yong and olde euen from little children and Infants are so common as must needes make a chaste minde to blush at them And how could they do this but that they heare it of their elders parents and others I beseech you remember Pauls words Eph. 4.29 Let no corrupt communication proceede out of your mouthes It is lamentable to heare that I haue heard of your children most miserable and cursed othes and filthy speeches euen of those which is strange that can hardly speake I pray you for Gods sake looke vnto it for if you suffer them and giue them liberty they will be the cause of your woe in the end Doctr. 2 Heere marke that Dauid a glorious and renowned King of Israel is content to shame himselfe for euer The godly do respect more the glâ—ry of God then their own crâ—dite to record his sinnes to his owne shame so that he may procure Gods glory and the good of his Church For this he knew that this example of his of his grieuous fall being recorded in Gods Booke would turne by GODS blessing to the endlesse comfort and good of his Church For
be the very beginning of true repentance and the first step to heauen and the saluation of a mans owne soule surely then most men be in a miserable and wretched estate for most men yet haue not set forward one foote nor gone one steppe to heauen For they haue neuer been humbled neuer touched neuer yet wounded nor pricked in heart for their sinnes and therfore must needs be in a dangerous estate Note Well then apply this to your selues didst thou euer in all thy life find thy heart pricked for sinne Did the sacrificing knife of the Word neuer wound thy conscience nor fetch one teare from thine eyes for thy sinnes Didst thou neuer finde thy heart to mourne and to be cast downe with remorce of conscience Certainely thy case is fearefull and dangerous thou art not yet gone one step to heauen nor moued one finger to eternall life no no thou art yet in thy sins in extreame danger to be damned Iames 2.19 Oh then let the word come home to you harden not your hearts against it neuer bee at quiet till you can say I haue felt my soule touched and wounded with the word of God Vse 2 This serueth for the comfort of GODS children for if we finde and feele our hearts broken and wounded for sinne so as wee mourne for them with godly sorrow because they be sinnes displease God offend his Maiesty it is a certaine signe we haue truly repented we are in the estate of grace Gods spirit hath met with vs the word hath not beene in vaine in our hearts but hath wounded sinne cut the throat of it blessed be God if thou canst say by experience that the Word hath beene powerfull to wound thy soule so as thy conscience is truly touched not only because of Gods anger but because of this that we haue sinned a gainst a mercifull Father This godly sorrow euer goes with true repentance not as Caine Indas 1. Cor. 7.10 c. who despaired of Gods mercy with a desperate sorrow because of the punishment but when we are wounded with sinne to mcurne for it because it offendeth God a louing Father Doctr. 3 From Dauids prayer The first thing Dauid craues is mercy and first petition marke what it is he so carnestly craueth not a kingdome nor gold or siluer not the life of his enemies but mercie mercie alone hee craued for nothing but mercy and therefore in his person wee learne what is that which we should most desire aboue all things in the world namely the fauor and mercy of God in Christ Iesus so that if it should be asked what we would desire in all the world we should answer Mercy and the fauor of God in Iesus Christ he is a blessed man that hath mercy Psal 32.1 2 Psal 4.6 Lu. 18.13 let other men desire worldly wealth riches honor gold siluer but Lord I craue nothing but mercy thy fauour and louing countenance The poore Publican comming to God he knockes on his breast and cries for mercie God be mercifull to me a sinner For there is nothing in the whole world that is able to appease the troble of a wounded conscience saue only the mercy of God in CHRIST IESVS Dauid no doubt had tossed many thoughts within himselfe when hee came to vtter this which heere is penned he had a true sight no doubt of the miserie and wretched estate wherein hee stoode by reason of his sinne Anâ—â—â—d there beene anie other way in the world to haue gotten out of that â—â—ate hee would haue found it But â—â—rke he casts his eie onely vpon â—he â—â—rcie of God making that his surâ—sâ— resuge in this his greatest necessitie Euen so howsoeuer the opinions of men as touching happinesse bee diuerse poore men thinking riches the prisoner libertie the sicke man health Although these desire all these yet the sinner euer desireth mercie This Mercy of God Dauid This sweete Singer of Israel had often times singed now hee desires it And this is the difference betwixt the godly and the wicked Honour me saith Saul before my People Haue mercie on mee saith Dauid Vse 1 Wee learne hence that nothing can pacifie a Wounded Conscience grieued and distressed for sinne but onely the fauour and mercie of God in Iesus Christ Men may in their distresses go to sport and pastime and merry company But alas this is no comfort to a wounded Soule onelie the mercy of God and feeling of his loue in Christ can asswage and pacifie the accusing of our Consciences A man in a hote burning ague may taste of colde water which may ease him for the present but alas after it will increase his torment And as an olde soare if it be not healed at the bottome though it seem to be found on the toppe yet it will breake out againe and become more dangerous and incurable euen so when men shall seeke to smother the accusation of conscience to blunt the edge of it it will after rebound againe and giue a deadly wound to desperation Vse 2 Dost thou find thy conscience vnquiet Dost thou feele it wound and accuse thee Nothing can pacify a wouÌ„ded conscieÌ„ce but God so as thou canst finde no comfort nor rest vnto thy Soule There is no other way in the world to pacifie thy conscience and to haue peace then to intreate and beg for mercy at Gods hands Ro. 14.17 The kingdome of God standâ— not in meate and drinke but in righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the Holie-Ghost So that although a wicked man enioy all the world yet if he haue not mercy and the pardon of sinnes alas he shall haue no sound peace of Conscience no ioy in his soule nor any drop of true comfort And therefore let vs all seeke reconciliation with God intreat for fauor and mercy and neuer giue any rest vnto our soules till we can feele and finde our Soules assured of GODS mercy in Christ and the pardon of our sinnes if any say O that I could feele this in my soule I haue an acusing conscicence I feele it terrifie me I am afraid I shall be condemned I can finde no comfort What shall I doe Euen as Dauid did heere beg hard seeke earnestly for so the Lord promiseth If wee seeke wee shall finde And therefore let vs pray and continue in prayer and know that the Lord will in the end heare and grant our requests The second point is the Partie to whom the Prophet directs his Prayer To whom and seeketh for comfort not to any Saint or Angell not to the Virgin Marie but hee goeth to God praieth to him Haue mercie on mee O God and he directs his prayer to the whole Trinitie Father Sonne and Holy Ghost to God the Father as the Authour of all mercy to IESVS CHRIST by whom and in whose name wee obtaine mercy and to the Holy Ghost because hee doth teach vs to pray and doth conuey and deriue all sauing comfort
may well be called madnesse yet afterward he bethought himselfe and considered what he had done and lamented his follie with teares And this is required of vs all Lament 3.40 O let vs search and trie our waies and turne vnto the Lord. And the Lord complaineth Ieremie 8.6 That hee did hearken to see if there were any man that would repent and turne vnto the Lord but there was no man said what haue I done And surely this Complaint may be taken vppe against the people of this Land That notwithstanding GOD hath cried and called vnto vâ— so often from Heauen by his powerfull voice in his word by his mercies and by his iudgements so sensible that if the Magicians in Aegipt were amongst vs they could doe no lesse then acknowledge it the finger of God yet where is the man almost to be found that looketh backe vnto his owne waies to aske this question of his owne heart to say Alas what haue I done Or with Dauid heere I know mine iniquities Now there is a two-folde knowledge of sinne First Generall Secondly Speciall General knowledge neuer worketh any reformation for this is found for the most part in all men which can say they are sinners But there is a speciall knowledge of sinne which God will once discouer vnto vs either in mercy to our good and saluation as heere to Dauid to Peter to Marie Magdalen c. or else in wrath as hee did vnto Iudas Caine Achitophel c. to their finall condemnation which may teach vs all to pray vnto the Lord so to giue vs the sight of our sinnes as that we neuer despaire of his mercy that our sinnes may neuer rise vp against vs to our confusion Secondly our confession of our sinnes must proceede from sorrow of hart for them with a hatred of them so as nothing doe more grieue vs then our sinnes And this our Sauiour Christ insinuateth Matth. 11.28 When he calleth onely such vnto him as are weary and laden euen ready to faint vnder the burthen of their sinnes And this doth Dauid himselfe confesse Psalme 38. My sins saith he are as a weightie burthen too heauie for me to beare For when men can runne away with their sinnes as though they were as light as a feather it is an euident token they were neuer throughly humbled for them Thirdly it must be frank and free not wrung out by compulsion as sometimes a wicked man sometimes vnder the rod may confesse his sins as Pharaoh Iudas and the like Exo. 10.17 Matt. 26. But this Confession was onelie by compulsion wrung out of them it came not from any sorrow or hatred of sinne but for feare of iudgement and punishment But wee must bee as forward and as ready to confesse them to the glorie of GOD as wee were to commit them to his dishonor Thus did Dauid confesse his sinne Psalme 32.5 I acknowledge my sinne vnto thee and mine iniquitie haue I not hid It must be without all excuse or lessening of our sinnes we may not mince them or excuse them but lay them open in their colours rather aggrauating them then lessening them Fourthly wee must confesse our sins with a purpose to forsake them According to that of the Prophet Esay 55. vers 7. Let the wicked for sake his waies And the vngodly man his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord. There must be in vs a desire to forsake all our sinnes and euery wicked way else there is no true repentance For one sinne is a sufficient holde for Sathan and a sufficient Barre to keep out Christ Iesus as wee may see by the example of Herod Marke 6. of Iudas c. Vse 1 This sheweth that most men and women doe not truely repent for though they can say God be mercifull vnto vs we are all sinners yet in particular they see it not no they think they keepe the Commandements of GOD a man can very hardly perswade them that they breake any of the Commandements in particular although in generall and in a confused manner they confesse themselues to be sinners yet in particular they doe not so Nay they are so farre from aggrauating their sinnes That they rather extenuate them by all meanes possible I am not alone nor I am not the first nor I hope I shall not be the last as for any griefe or sorrow for sinne it is farre from them and they are farre from it Vse 2 This sheweth that those who though they confesse themselues sinners yea in particular yet because they doe it not with feeling with hatred and detestation of sinne therefore they be faulty for wee should euen with right heauie hearts Psal 32.5 and wounded soules confesse our sinnes with the greatest hatred of them as possible wee can so as often as wee speake of them it should make our hearts to erne and teares to stand in our eies Vse 3 But most of all are here condemned those vile beasts and filthy sinners who are so farre from speaking of their filthy and beastly sinnes with hatred and dislike that they doe in brauery speake of them with a kinde of ioy and delight now who would euer think a man to be so vile to brag of his owne shame to boast of his owne filthinesse If a prisoner going in the way to the gallowes should then bragge of his robberies and villanies and bee prowd of his halter what a desperate thing were that And yet such filthie beastes there be in the world who are not ashamed to boast out their owne shame and filthinesse to talke yea to bragge of their owne vncleannes and of their filthy drunkennesse how they haue druncke so many dozens how they haue made so many drunk O wretched men it is a wonder the house falleth not on them or that God raineth not fire and brimstone from heauen to consume them And my sinne it euer before my eies DAuid hauing shewed how that he had freely confessed and acknowledged his sins vnto the Lord heere hee sheweth the cause which mooued him so humbly to acknowledge the same namely Cause that moued Dauid to confesse his sinne because they were euer in his sight and before his eies As if he should haue said howsoeuer I haue a long time laine snorting in sinnes and did not feele and see the danger of them yet now being tolde of them by the Prophet I see them and so beholde them that my conscience accuses me for them and I can haue no rest but my wounded Conscience doth vrge mee and compell mee to confesse my sinnes vnto thee Where first of all we may behold the cursed nature of sinne when the Diuell tempts a man vnto it he doth euer hide the misery of sinne The curse of GOD due to sinne the torments of hell and the damnation of both body and soule in hell for euermore These things the diuell doth labour to keep from mens eies buzzing onely in their cares the profite of sinne gaine
commodity pleasure delight and sweetnesse of sinne that so shewing them onely the golden baite of sinne and hiding the poisoned hooke he might moue men to runne headlong into all sinne But when Sathan gets his purpose and men be in his snare and fallen into sinne Oh how will hee then presse their poore consciences then he wil loade them and set out their sinnes to the full in a most vgly manner nothing then but hell fire damnation and the curse of God that so if it be possible he may draw them into the gulfe of dispaire O that men could consider this in time how sinne wil one day change her countenance howsoeuer it commeth at first in a flattering manner pretending nothing but friendship but in the end will leaue a sting behinde it euen a guiltie conscience terrour of minde and anguish of spirite Wherefore let vs flie from sin as from the biting of a Serpent that we be not stung therewith vnto eternall death Knowing that the wages of sinne is death Rom. An accusing conscience the meanes to bring me to repentance 6.23 Doctr. 1 Whereas Dauids sinnes being alwayes before him did vrge him to confesse them yea to repent and beg the pardon of them wee learne that the remembrance of our sinnes and the calling them to minde together with conscience accusing for them is the way and meanes to come to true repentance to make a man confesse them and begge the pardon of them whereas if they slippe out of our mindes or we know them not nor wee finde not our Consciences to accuse vs of them Alas we can neither confesse them nor truely be humbled and begge the pardon of them And therefore Dauid confesseth heere that by reason his sinnes were euer before him he was continually vexed tormented with the horrour of them his conscience still accused and annoied him and therfore hee is constrained and vrged humbly to confesse them and to begge the pardon of them at Gods hands Whereas the wrath of God doth euer follow such as haue sleepie and drowsie consciences giuing them ouer to a reprobate sence to a slumbering spirit and to hardnesse of the heart that they fall to be past feeling and can not repent Rom. 1.28 Such as regarded not to know God hee gaue them vp to their hearts lusts vnto all vncleanenesse and punished one sinne with another And surely it is iust with God that hee should forsake vs with his grace that haue forsaken him by our sinnes According to that of the Prophet Psalme 81.11 My people would not heare my voyce And Israel would none of mee So I gaue them vp vnto the hardnesse of their heart and they haue walked in their owne Councels Sight of sinne first step to repentance So then hence wee learne that a man will neuer repent truely of his sinnes seeke to God for pardon neither is there any other way or means to be reconciled to God but this to feele the weight and burthen of his sinnes and feeling his conscience to accuse him to vexe and to wound him till he finde God to be mercifull and reconciled vnto him for the pardon of them and the appeasing and quieting of his conscience Vse 1 Seeing till such time as the conscience be wounded for sinne and vexed and tormented with it a man will neuer seeke for pardon Then wee learne hence that no man can taste of the sweetenesse of GODS mercie in CHRIST for his saluation till hee haue tasted of the bitter fruite of sinne and of a wounded and distressed conscience Looke on Dauid on the Iews Psal 6.32.77 Actes 2.37 and as for those that would taste of GODS mercie and yet are loathe to feele the smart of sinne they deceiue themselues we see that ere the body be purged men must taste of bitter pilles of bitter potions Such may suspect their repentance who feele nor sinne to wound their consciences And as for those who neuer felt anie such griefe nor wound of Conscience no such astonishment for their sins they may iustly feare their repentance is not sound that they haue not as yet beene truely humbled for it is certaine that before wee can truely repent and be reconciled to GOD we must haue the feeling of the smart of sinne and find our hearts troubled and our consciences wounded Vse 2 This confutes that fond and foolish Opinion of many in the world who if they fee any one wounded for sinne distressed in soule crying out of his misery and feeles his conscience exceedingly wounded and begins euen to dispaire of Gods mercy what do men iudge of such a man surely that it is nothing but melancholy and dumpishnesse and therefore they counsell him to bee merry to go to merry company to put away such odde conceits such vaine and foolish fancies but alas poore soules they consider not that it is the speciall worke of GOD wounding the conscience for sinne that they feele the anger of God for sinne and are troubled and vexed for that and till God giue mercy and reconciliation be had in CHRIST there can be no peace Vse 3 We learne hence that it is better to haue an accusing conscience for sin then to haue a dead conscience Dead conscience heauie Iudgemēt a benummed conscience a sleepy and slumbering conscience a seared and frozen conscience for if a mans conscience doe daily bring his sinnes to his minde so that hee sees them before his eies then he will be grieued for them hee will confesse them and begge the pardon of them but when a man hath a slumbering conscience that is benummed then hee goes on in sinne from day to day neuer feeleth any smart of it nor euer desires the pardon of it as the poore Iewes who seeing their fearefull estate crie out Actes 2.37 What must wee doe so doe all wounded consciences seeing their fearefull sinnes and damnable estate crie out for mercie and seeke for pardon Oh it is a fearefull Iudgement of GOD to haue a sleepie or a drowsie Conscience It is like a wilde beast which so long as it lies asleepe seemeth very tame gentle but when he is rowzed flies into a mans face Euen so howsoeuer a mans conscience may seeme for a time to bee quiet and men may thinke they haue a good conscience indeede yet being awaked by the hand of GOD it will rent out euen the very throat of their soule Doctr. 2 Seeing Dauid doth acknowledge heere that his sinnes being euer before him awaked him Necessary duety to call our sinnes to account and vrged him instantly and earnestly to seeke for pardon Wee learne that it is a good thing for vs to call our sinnes to accompt to haue them often in minde to set them before our eies the greatnesse number and heinousnesse of them First it is a good meanes to prepare vs to true repentance and humiliation for them Lam. 3.40 Secondly it is a speciall means to
had offended his mercifull God â—nd louing Father it did torment and vex his conscience exceedingly so euery childe of God that truly repents of sinne he is more grieued for sinne because it offends God then for feare of shame or punishment As wee see in Dauid Psalme 119. I haue hid thy word within my heart that I might not sinne against thee The like wee may see in Ioseph Gen. 39. when hee was tempted to lewdnesse by his adultresse Mistresse his answere is worthie to be remembred of vs How can I doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God The wrong that hee should haue done vnto his Maister did not so much preuaile with him as that he knew he should sinne against GOD And the like may bee said of Peter Matth. 26. Who remembring how kinde and louing CHRIST had beene to him euen to pray to his Father for him when Sathan desired to buffet him That tolde him Matth. 16. That the gates of hell should neuer preuaile against him The looking backe of this his Maister wounded him to the heart that hee should sinne against him so cowardly to deny him Vse 1 Well seeing this is the nature of true repentance of godly sorrow and remorce of conscience for sinne that the childe of God is grieued for sinne because it displeaseth GOD his most louing and mercifull Father as in Ioseph Dauid the Prodigall sonne c. let vs labour to sinde our hearts thus affected that wee can mourne for sinne because it is sinne and offendeth GOD our louing Father though none knew of it nor could accuse for it nay although there were no hell nor Iudgement to condemne vs yet that wee sinde our hearts wounded for our secret sinnes for our close sinnes and hidden corruptions because wee know they offend our most gracious God and louing Father Let it be farre from vs to say with Pharaoh Exod. 5. Who is the Lord that I should be afraid to sinne Oh! know O man whosoeuer thou art that exaltest thy selfe in this manner to sinne with a high hand against the Lord That the Lord is as a consuming fire It is hee that drowned Pharaoh for all his pride Exodus 14. It is hee that made Ierusalem a heape of stones Matth. 29. It is hee that sent lice vpon Herod Actes 12. and fire vpon Sodome Genes 19. Learne therefore to know God aright And it will make thee quake and tremble to sinne against him Vse 2 This sheweth that most mens repentance is but counterfeit and vnsound for were it not for seare of shame and punishment they could be content to commit sinne to liue in sinne from day to day as Potiphars wise tempted Ioseph continually to sinne and vncleanensse Genes 39. alas shee thought not that GOD should see or beholde it But whatsoeuer thou arte vnlesse thou finde thine heart humbled for thy close and hidden sinne and secret corruption I tell thee thou art not truely humbled the veriest beast and Atheist that euer liued may confesse his knowne sins and in regarde of the shame and punishment be sory for them Exo. 20.17 1. Sam. 15. Matt 27.3 Actes 8.25 as Pharaoh Iudas Saul Simon Magus c. but heere is godly sorrow which brings repentance neuer to be repented of to be grieued for sinne though wee should haue neither shame nor punishment seeing it offendeth a gracious and mercifull God A simile as we see two children one is a naturall louing and duetifull childe and hee is loath to offend his father though he neuer corrects him because he sees his father kinde vnto him An other that is of a froward nature hee is loath to sinne before his father for feare of the whip and therefore out of his fathers fight he will play his prankes Doctr. 3 In that Dauid thus laies open his sinne A penitent person neuer excuses his sin though it was secret and doth aggrauate it wee learne that he that truly repenteth of his sinne will not excuse it mince hide and cloake it and seeke starting holes to conceale it But he will truely and humbly acknowledge it lay it open and make it manifest vnto God hee doth not blame the folly of the woman nor by any meanes seekes to hide his sin but laieth it open before the Lord Against thee haue I sinned so it is the manner of GODS children that doe truely repent to lay open their sinnes in the worst vilest maner to make them greater not lesser Vse 1 Well then this doth shew that those men are not truely humbled Note of a wicked maÌ„ neither yet haue truely repented that doe seeke starting holes for sinne I am not alone if I goe to hell I shall haue more company It is but the fashion and if I doe no worse then sweare by faith troth c. the Lord I hope will pardon me This excusing and cloaking of sinne is a signe of a naughty and dissembling heart that that man or woman is nor truly humbled as they should we see this in Saul he was so farre from aggrauating and increasing his sinne that he found out many excuses 1. Sam. 15. Matth. 15. The people did it and it was to offer Sacrifice So the wicked at the day of Iudgement are so far from confessing their sinnes that they excuse them so tâ—at it is a note of a wicked and gracelesse heart to excuse sinne to hide it and couer it Pro. 28.23 and he that â—oâ—n so shal neuer finde mercy Against thee Against thee only haue I sinned IT may heere bee demanded how Dauid could say that he had onely sinned against God Did he not sinne against Vrias his faithful seruant and louing subiect first in committing adultery with his wife and then in causing his innocent bloud to bee shed How then could Dauid say heere Against thee onely haue I sinned I answer First Dauid had sinned indeede against Vriah and that two maner of wayes first in his wise not in his goods for then perhappes hee might haue made amends but taking his wise out of his bosome as Nathan telleth him hee could neuer make a recompence when Abimelech a heathen King Genes 20. did ignorantly take Abrahams wise into his house when hee knew the same although he defiled her not gaue Abraham a large gift for satisfaction What satisfaction then might Dauid giue being not a heathen man but a Prophet of the Lord who witâ—ingly takes the wife of Vriah and defiled her Secondly besides his wife he taketh away his life also The Diuell could say Iob 2.4 Skinne for skinne and all that a man hath will hee giue for his life yet as precious as a mans life is vnto him Dauid addeth this iniurie to the former taking away his life also Againe Dauid sinned not onelie against the husband but against the Wife also corrupting her chaste minde and alluring her vnto follie And vnto this sinne committed against Vriah and his wife I might adde the sinne
to betray his Master but how he digested the same in the end Mat. 26.27 the Euangelist declareth when hee saw that Christ was condemned hee brought againe the thirtie peeces of siluer to the high Priests and Elders saying I haue sinned betraying the innocent bloud And this shall all men one day be sure to finde that the perishing pleasures of sin shall haue sorrow in the end that if they haue not truth in the inward affections of the heart there must needes raigne sinne and sin is but a lying vanitie and will deceiue them in the end Indeed all sin to a naturall man is delightfull and pleasant he findeth it sweete to his taste but it is as sweet meate that hath poyson mingled with it Hebr. 3.3 That howsoeuer it is sweet in the taste yet in the end bringeth death So is it with sin it doth delight in the committing thereof but in the end it turneth to the destruction of the whole man Vse 1 Heere then we may see the wofull fruit of sin which naâ—urall men make their chiefe hâ—ppinesse and felicitie They may indeed delight for a time and please the carnall desires of Naturall men but Oh alas they bring an heauy accompt and reckoning in the end So that wee may say to all naturall and carnall men whose portion is in this life as Abner said in an other case 2. Sa. 2.26 Knowest thou not that it will be bitternesse in the latter end This wee may see in Cain in Esau in Ahab in Iudas c. That hauing tasted of the bread of deceit haue had their mouthes filled with the grauell in the end For the Motions of sinne are like those locusts of the bottomlesse pit hauing faces like men Reuel 9. and their haire like the haire of women but a taile like a Scorpion which stingeth to death Vse 2 Wee learne hence what must bee the christian practise of a godly man namely to walke plainely and sincerely to be a true Israelite indeed in whom is no guile This is that which Salomon teacheth He that walketh vprighâ—ly walketh boldely but he that peruerteth his wayes shall be knowne Oh it is a gracious thing for a mâ—n Prou. 10.9 in all things to labour to keepe faith and a good conscience such a man may assure himselfe that the Lord loueth him For he loueth trueth in the inward affections But such as commit wickednesse without care or conscience shall be sure to feele the smart in the end Therefore hast thou taught me wisedome in the secret of my heart Dauids sin heinoâ—s why IN this last place the Prophet Dauid aggrauateth his sinne by that knowledge which God in mercy had bestowed vpon him namely that God had taught him heauenly wisedome by the Lawe of God whereby he knew very well what God required at his hands and how hee ought to serue and worship GOD nay that hee had taught him wisedome not after a common manner but euen by his holie Spirite had taught him wisdome in the secret of his heart in a speciall manner Because God had taught him wisedome secretly reuealing his will vnto him and therefore he confesseth that his sinne was the more hainous and grieuous for if hee had neuer beene sanctified nor truely called if he had beene ignorant and blinde in the word of God though it could not excuse him yet his sin had not beene so great but seeing he who had made so good proceeding in the seruice and worship of GOD who had taught others who was so insighted by the Spirit and beene taught in a speciall manner against knowlege against conscience and so fouly sinned against God this highly increaseth and aggrauateth his sinne Doctr. 1 Hence then learne that it is a fearfull and verie dangerous sin for anie man or woman to sinne against the knowne trueth of the word A feareful thing to sin against knowlege and Law of GOD against knowledge and conscience when as wee haue not onely knowne the will and word of GOD but beleeued it beene enlightned by the Spirit and being taught of GOD in our inward affections then against all these means to sinne and to commit iniquitie against knowledge and conscience it is a most dangerous thing this may heere appeare in Dauid who was grieuously wounded for this sinne aboue all other and felt the smart of it to humble him all the dayes of his life So Peters deniall of Christ Luke 23. chapter though it was of feare yet being against knowledge and also conscience oh it caused him to weepe bitterly and indeede sinnes of knowledge and against conscience are done with some presumption against God And therefore if euer a man be touched for them they will wound deepe and cause teares to follow Vse 1 Seeing it is so fearefull and dangerous to sin against knowledge and conscience because thereby we doe what lieth in vs to quench the Spirit to wound our consciences and it is a great steppe vnto the sin against the holy Ghost Oh then let vs in the feare of GOD take heede wee neuer giue that liberty to our owne lustes and liking as to sin against knowledge and conscience If the Diuell tempt thee to any sinne which thou knowest is condemned in the word of God as swearing lying stealing Note murther adultery c. and thy conscience telleth thee of it and checks thee for it do not commit it though thou mightest gaine a kingdome by it for that which followeth will be a farre greater losse for thou shalt lose peace of conscience and ioy in the Spirit feeling of GODS loue comfort in affliction and if GOD be not mercfull vnto thee thou shalt run on from sin to sin to a reprobate sense It is true ignorance shall excuse no man yet sinnes of ignorance are farre lesse then sins of knowledge and against conscience 1. Tim. 1.13 Paul persecuted the Church of God but it was by ignorance and therefore GOD shewed him mercy but if thou of spite and malice shalt persecute and against knowledge and the checke of thy conscience hurt and iniurie the seruants of GOD and members of Christ how canst thou euer look to finde mercy Thou knowest that GOD forbiddeth and condemneth lying swearing stealing murther adultery drunkennesse c. And if thou shalt wittingly and willingly rush into them though thou know they be forbidden thou maiest look for some fearefull iudgement of God vpon thee And therefore if thou be â—empted answer I will not yeelde It is written I may not steale lie commit adultery Matth. 4.2 c. as Christ answered the diuell Vse 2 We see that if God leaue his children they may fall dangerously into great sinnes yea against knowledge and conscience as Dauid Abraham Peter c. for of our selues we haue no power to resist the subtill temptations and assaults of the Diuell but euen as a staffe stands so long as it is stayed but when it is left
on CHRIST God will make them of the cursed fire-brands of Hell heires of the kingdome of Heauen of the limbe of the Diuell the members of Iesus Christ of adulterers and filthy sinners such as Dauid was chaste and pure and the holy seruants of God And this the Lord promises men that if they will repent turne to God and forsake their sinnefull wayes Esay 1.18.19 Then though your sinnes were as redde as searlet I will make them as white as snow Though they were as crimson yet I will make them cleane as wooll That is though men bee guiltie of bloudie finnes notorious euills as Dauid of murder vncleannes whooredome adultery couetousnesse swearing contempt of the word of God c. Yet if thou hast the grace to repent certainely the Lord will most thorowly purge and wash away all thy sinnes hee will seale thee a generall pardon of them all if thou wilt onely repent and lay holde vpon Christ Oh! then let me speake vnto you in the name of God hast thou been a vile blasphemer hast thou beene a contemner of the Word a persecuter of Gods children hast thou been a cruell murderer oppressor vsurer hast thou beene an adulterer a filthie liuer Well if thou wilt now repent turne to God bewaile thy sins beg pardon of theÌ„ if thou wilt renounce leaue and forsake them become a new creature in Christ Iesus and amend thy siâ—full life loe God doth this day offer mercy vnto thee he wil embrace thee as he did the Prodigall child he will wash thee in the bloud of his owne Sonne Luke 15. hee will couer thee in his righteousnes hee will pardon all thy sinnes and neuer lay them to thy charge he will make of thee that art a vile and miserable sinner a very fire-brand of hel a blessed member of Iesus Christ And therefore let not the number or greatnesse of thy sinnes hinder thee for if thou canst repent God wiâ—â— pardon them all and receiue thee to mercy Oh then if thou wilt not for all this repent and turne to God leaue and forsake thy sins and impieties become a new creature in Christ Iesus but lie in thy sinnes and wallow in the filth of them still and harden thy heart against all the sweete and gracious offers of mercy How art thou worthy to perish 2. Cor. 5.18 if thou shalt despise so great saluation VERSE 8. 8 Make mee to heare of ioy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce Dauid heare entreats for peace of conscience DAVID hauing in the former verse craued mercy at the hands of God for the pardon of his sinnes which were both many and great he doth in this verse beg at the hands of God the blessed fruit of the same namely the blessed and comfortable perswasion of Gods mercy and assurance of his loue for the pardon of his sins that God would euen testifie vnto his poore soule and wounded conscience by his spirit inwardly Sinne had takeÌ„ away his inward ioy that he was appeased and pacified with him and in Iesus Christ reconciled vnto him that so being thus assured of Gods loue of reconciliation with God and the pardon of his sins his wounded conscience might be comforted his wounded soule and heauy heart might be refreshed and his exceeding griefe might be mittigated and asswaged Parts of his verse In this verse note two speciall points First what is the thing Dauid so instantly craueth of God namely that he would cause him to heare comfortable and blessed newes oâ— Gods mercy and assurance of thâ— pardon of his sinnes Make mee tâ— heare of c. Secondly the end wherefore hee so begs requests for this namely that his broken heart and bleeding conscience might be comforted and his vnspeakeable griefe by the feeling of Gods loue might bee ended That the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce Make mee to heare AS if he should haue faid O Lord I beseech thee to witnesse thy loue and fauour vnto mee yea I beseech thee send thy blessed and holy spirit to certifie my conscience of the blessed pardon of all my sinnes that thou wilt not enter into iudgement with me for them And that which Dauid doth heare confesse of himselfe all the children of God shall one day be sure to find by experience that sinne doth spoile them of their inward peace and ioy Oh then if we could remember how sweet the ioy and peace is which by sin we loose for the vaine and transitory pleasures of sinne which are but for a season wee would neuer make so bad exchange The maine point is what is it that Dauid so earnestly craues of GOD namely that GOD would assure him of the blessed pardon of his sins but some may say this seemes needlesse did not the Lord send Nathan to him who after Dauid had confessed his sinne told him The Lord hath pardoned thy sinne thou shalt not die 2. Sam. 12.13 How then comes it to passe that here hee prayes the Lord to cause him to heare and feele this the pardon of his sinnes I answere First it is true that Nathan the Prophet of God did assure him of the pardon of his sins vpon his true repentance but yet Dauids heart being wounded with sinne could not so fully feele and finde the assurance of Gods loue and pardon of his sinnes and therefore intreats the Lord to certifie his conscience inwardly by his spirit fully to assure him of the same Secondly I answer that though Dauid heard Nathan tell him that the Lord would pardon his sinne yet hee iudged the outward testimonie of all men and Angells as nothing vnlesse the inward certificate and testimonie of the holy-Ghost go with it inwardly to certifie assure and perswade â—he poore wounded conscience of Gods loue and fauour Doctrine 1 Hence wee learne sundry points of instruction First that as Dauid praies to be assured of GODS loue and the pardon of his sinnes so euery true childe of God that beleeues and repents of all his sinnes may know and bee assured in his conscience of Gods loue and fauour Euerie childe of God may be assureâ— of the pardon of hiâ— sinnes and the pardon of them all And in the Article of our faith we doe professe we beleeue the remission of our sinnes and life euerlasting and seeing wee pray for this that GOD would forgiue our sinnes and trespasses therefore we beleeue it else we sinne in praying for it so that euerie one that truely repenteth and embraceth Iesus Christ is a new creature hates vile wayes indeuours in heart and life to please GOD 2. Pet. 1. hee may know and be assured that he is reconciled to God and his sinnes be pardoned Vse 1 This condemnes that hellish Doctrine of the Papists who teach and hold that no man can bee assured of the pardon of his sinnes vnlesse God send a reuelation from heauen to do it and that it is
great sinners and will to vs if wee can repent and seeke vnto him For the Lord must draw vs by his mercie else we can not come at him To the wicked and sinners shall be conuerted vnto thee Doctr. 5 THat is impenitent sinners ignorant are to bee taught the waies of God that liue in sinne without repentance Hence marke who had need to be taught in the wayes of GOD namely poore sinners that liue and lie in sin euen the lost sheep of the house of Israel Math. 1◠such as sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death such as neuer heard of GOD of faith repentance c. such poore Soules had neede to be taught the wayes of God Vse 1 This may admonish all those that be set ouer Gods people magistrates such as haue power in their hands to prouide that such poore ignorant people as want the meanes may bee taught the wayes of God For as S. Paul saith Ro. 10.14 Pro. 29.18 Marke 14. How shall they call on him on whom they haue not beleeued How shall they beleeue on him of whom they haue not heard How shall they heare without a Preacher And where prophecying failes the people perish And it is said of our Sauior CHRIST that when hee saw the people as poore sheepe hauing no sheepeheard hee had compassion on them and his bowells erned towards them Oh that the bowels of all such as haue charge to looke vnto it might erne for the poore soules of the land to prouide for them the bread of life Vse 2 The cause why men liue in sinne bee so vile wicked and vncleane is because they bee not taught the word and wayes of GOD it could not bee if they were taught and instructed that they should be so vile and wicked so ignorant prophane irreligious and superstitious but where visions failes the people must needs perish And therefore those that seeke to take away Teaching and Preaching of the Word of GOD of what Spirits are they Dauid hee thinkes it the onely way to bring men to God to conuer poore sinners and therefore to take it away to roote out the Ministery of the Word and meanes of saluation what is it else but to cast away the soules of the people to famish them to pine them and to starue them And therefore let vs pray to GOD with CHRIST that the Lord of the haruest would send forth Labourers into his Haruest Math. 9. The second part of the verse shews the fruite of this duty Part of the verse that Dauid will performe namely that heereby by his doctrine and by his example many a poore sinner shal be conuerted vnto God Doctr. 1 In that Dauid here promiseth to himselfe this vse and fruite that hee shall bee by his Preaching and example Conuersion of a sinner is Gods worke a meanes to bring others to God Hence wee may learne a gracious comfort for all godly Ministers of the word who labour both by life and doctrine to win others that if they shall bee painefull in teaching and carefull to liue a godly life they shall certainely finde the blessing of God vpon their labours to the conuerting of sinners and sauing of soules If I had sent these Prophets and if they had stood in my counsell and declared my waies vnto my people Ier. 23.22 then they should haue turned them from their euill waies and from the wickednesse of their inuentions Where the Lord shewes that all such as be the true Prophets of God stand in his steed teach his waies they shall see the blessing of GOD vpon their labours And the cause why men conuert not soules is because they were neuer sent of GOD and doe not teach Gods waies and stand not in his steed or else because though they teach the truth yet their liues be vile and wicked they plucke downe with one hand that they build with the other and destroy that in life which they teach in doctrine Vse 1 Hence marke the reason why so many great and learned men of excellent gifts wit and learning doe not conuert many soules vnto God Because they either teach not Gods waies but their owne waies their wit eloquence and deuices or else though they teach well yet they liue ill and so cause their doctrine to bee lesse regarded and weaken the power of it by their sinnefull life And it pleases God in his great mercy to vse the labours of his poore seruants who dare not speake their owne word nor seeke themselues but Gods word in plaine euidence and simplicity and liue according to their teaching the Lord doth bless their labours for the conuersion of sinners and sauing of poore soules Vse 2 It might admonish all those who either teach their owne waies by painted cloquence toyes or tales or else though they teach the truth that they ioine with it a godly life else they may teach long enough ere they do any good and if they would conuert sinners let them first bee conuerted When thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren Luke 22. And let no such carelesse Ministers wonder that GOD giues no blessing to their labours seeing they faile either in teaching GODS waies truely and plainely or else in life they liue wickedly and offensiue VERSE 14. 14 Deliuer me from bloud ô God the God of my saluation and my tongue shall sing ioyfully of thy righteousnesse Dauid cannot satisfie himselfe in seeking mercy for his sinnes IN this verse yet once againe Dauid returnes to intreate for mercy and fauour at the hands of God that hee would pardon his great and grieuous sins yea his bloudy sinne and that God would in mercy deliuer him from that punishment which was due vnto him for the same for hee intreats the Lord to deliuer him from bloud that is his heynous and capitall sinne of murder and shedding that innocent bloud of Vrias his faithfull seruant 2. Sam. 11. and many others with him so also the punishment due vnto it Parts of the verse This verse containes two parts first a request with great earnestnesse to God for deliuerance from his grieuous sinne Deliuer mee from bloud secondly a reason to moue the Lord thereunto namely taken from the glory of GOD which hee will shew forth And my tongue shall sing ioyfully of thy rightenesse In the petition first marke what is the request namely that GOD would deliuer him from bloud that is a most cruell and bloudy sinne of shedding the inocent bloud of many of his Subiects Secondly the manner of his request O God thou that art the God of my saluation That hee praies to God now with faith assuting himselfe that vpon his repentance God was now reconciled vnto him and though he had sinned grieuously yet not cleane fallen from grace but so as still hee could call GOD his GOD and the GOD of his saluation Deliuer mee from bloud THat is from the punishment which is due vnto
1.5 6 Hebr. 11.6 for hee that wauers can haue no hope to obtaine at Gods hand Whosoeuer doubteth whether God will grant his requests or not can neuer pray for any thing earnestly and effectually This our Sauior teacheth Mar. 11.24 Whatsoeuer yee desire when ye pray Beleeue that ye shall haue it and it shall bee done vnto you And none can haue this assurance that GOD is ready to heare them and to grant their requests but onely the faithfull who haue first this assurance that their sinnes are pradoned and that they are reconciled vnto God in Christ Iesus Vse 1 How should this mooue vs all to labour to get sauing faith that so we might pray in faith and obtaine our requests pardon of sins wisedome the gifts of Gods spirit c. for hee that comes in vnbeliefe can looke for no mercy at Gods hands and therefore the prayer of many vnbeleeuers ignorant soules alas they be but babblings and can doe no good O then let vs labour to bee able to say my God giue mee this or that Vse 2 This must teach vs to moderate our desires and take heede we aske not any thing that is not warranted by the word for vnles it be warranted by the word wee cannot haue anie assurance hee will heare vs for there is no faith without the word and therefore when wee shall aske things at our lust and pleasure it is iust with Almightie GOD not to heare vs. Doctr. 6 When Dauid calles the Lord Praise of our saluation properly belongs to God Ro. 6. vlt. My God and the God of my saluation He acknowledgeth that saluation pardon of his sinnes life and all good things come from God and are his gracious gifts in Christ It is hee who at the first gaue vs life when wee were starke dead in trespasses and sinnes It is he againe that keepes our soules in life If we fall hee rayseth vs vp when wee wander he recalleth vs from iudgements past present and to come hee hath doth and will deliuer vs so that hee may well be called The God of our Saluation Vse 1 Let vs then acknowledge this that al the good things we inioy the fauour of God pardon of our sinnes iustification sanctification redemption c. all these are the free mercie and gifts of GOD in CHRIST and then wee shall learne to depend on GOD for the comfort of this life for if we know God hath giuen vs Christ and deliuered vs from sinne death and hell how then can hee deny vs the lesser things for this life Rom. 8.32 Vse 2 Seeing saluation is the gift of God we see that the Doctrine of the Papists is erronious who teach men that they may merite saluation and mercy at Gods hand pardon of sin saluation and life eternall Dauid acknowledgeth it to be the free gift of God Rom. 6. Dan. 9. Iob 42.6 Ephes 2. and therefore let vs abhorre their doctrine and our goodnesse or worthinesse and acknowledge that all wee may enjoy for saluation it is the free and vnderserued fauour of God in Christ Iesus Dauid hee felt now the heauie weight of Gods anger which pressed him downe exceedingly and brake his heart yet withall hee felt the mercie of God which made him bolde to goe to God for pardon so that hee could call him my GOD. Wherein we may note the difference of Gods children from infidells that haue no faith the child of God although he be touched at the quicke with the feeling of Gods displeasure yet he can by faith goe to his father and make his moane vnto him But a wicked man that hath no faith in Christ Note hee conceiueth nothing but GODS anger and iudgement and therefore flies from him and cannot giue one rap at Gods mercie seate cannot for his life cry My God and my Father but is faine to run from GOD and so in time to dispaire as Caine and Iudas And my tongue shall sing of thy righteousnesse THese wordes containe in them the reason of his request as if he should say If thou shalt O Lord pardon my sinne and in mercie deliuer me from the curse and punishment due to me for them my tongue shall be a Preacher and publisher of thy mercie vnto others And my tongue shall sing of thy righteousnesse By righteousnesse is not meant here the iustice of God whereby he takes vengeance for sinne but by righteousnesse is meant the mercifull dealing of God in keeping promise with all repentant sinners in pardoning and remitting their sinnes and receiuing them to mercy Doctr. 7 It is impossible for any man or woman Gods mercies must vntie our tongues to praise him Luke 22. 1. Chro. 19 Acts 11.18 1. The 2.19 who haue truly tasted of Gods mercy in CHRIST for life and saluation to keepe it in as it shall not breake foorth and appeare but he that hath his hart affected with Gods mercie in CHRIST it will vntie his tongue to speake of it and to praise God for it As it is not possible to keepe fire so close but it will smoke and flame in time so the feeling of Gods loue can not but break out and appeare to the good of others Wel by the rule of this doctrine wee may see that very few haue their hearts affected with the mercie of God in Christ Luke 17. because they seldome or neuer take occasion to speak of it and to prayse God for it The poore Leaper finding himselfe to be cleansed came to praise God for it and Naaman would giue Elisha a reward but our hearts haue no comfort in it therefore we open not our hearts to praise God And my tongue MArke how Dauid speakes that as in heart he will blesse God so in words hee will praise him Doctr. 2 Of all the partes of mans bodie the tongue serueth to honour GOD and to praise him that serueth to vnfolde the truth of God to blesse him to praise him and to instruct others Iames 3. Vse 1 Well seeing that God hath of all members of the bodie ordayned the tongue to be that member whereby we shall honour and praise him let vs gouerne our tongue so as it may serue to open his will to praise and blesse him to speake of his wonderous woorkes let vs vse it well in prayer in speaking of Gods mercie and iudgement to instruct others and in any case let vs set a watch before our mouthes that we sinne not in speeches Iames 3. If any man sinne not in his tongue he is a perfect man Of thy righteousnesse Doctr. 8 HE calles Gods faithfulnes and truth in keeping promise to repentant sinners His righteousnesse Gods rightteousnes what wherein note a wonderfull comfort to all repentant sinners that GOD auoucheth he should be vniust Note and vnrighteous if hee should not giue them mercie and pardon when they repent seeing hee hath tied himselfe by hiâ— promise so as if he should not shew
mercies for as thankefulnesse for an old is the beginning of a new so vnthankefulnesse for an old fauour is the next way to depriue vs of a new VERSE 16. 16 For thou desirest no sacrifice else would I give it thee c. DAVID hauing professed that it was his earnest desire to honour GOD to praise him and seeke his glory confesseth that hee hath no other meanes but to speake of his mercy and to be willing to set forth the same to become a Preacher of his righteousnesse and goodnes and he confesseth to his comfort that the Lord is more delighted with this then with all those externall ceremonies and sacrifices which the people of the Iewes did offer thought by them to please God and to appease his anger and to procure pardon of their sinnes thereby So that the maine scope of these two verses is this to shew that Dauid though hee had nothing in the world to requite the Lords mercy vnto him yet he perswaded himselfe vpon his true repentance the Lord will accept of his earnest desire to honour him and to set forth his praise In this 16. verse hee shewes what are those sacrifices which the Lord cares not for and desireth not outward sacrifices alone which men offer without faith and repentance and whereby they thinke to appease his anger and merit pardon of their sinnes by the same In the 17. verse hee shewes what are the best sacrifices that wee can offer vnto God which hee will accept of for CHRISTS sake and wherewith hee is well pleased A broken and contrite heart truely wounded and humbled for sinne and which doth by faith embrace IESVS CHRIST Who alone is the propitiatory sacrifice to appease his fathers anger and to worke our attonement and reconciliation with GOD. Thou desirest no sacrifice Sacrifices of the Iewes of two sorts THe Sacrifices of the Iewes were of two sorts some propitiatory to procure fauour at GODS hands for the pardon of sinne some gratulatory which were onely for thankes-giuing for blessings receiued now of these Dauid speakes especially heere and of Sacrifices for thankes-giuing there were twosorts some were called sacrifices as the first word signifies where some beast was slaine and offered in sacrifice to God Againe some were called burnt-offerings which were all consumed and turned into ashes and they were called so because the smoke of them ascended vp to heauen and both of them were figures of Christ IESVS who should be slaine and burned as it were in the fire of GODS anger for our sinnes Quest But how can the Lord be said not to desire burnt offerings and sacrifices seeing hee commanded them in his Law Res. We may not thinke the Prophet speakes heere simply that the Lord cares not for Sacrifices for as yet the Ceremonies of the Law were in force and the greatest part of GODS worship stood in Sacrifices and Dauid himselfe and Salomon were diligent and not sparing in performing this duty But wee must know Dauid speaks heere first that the Lord careth not for sacrifices as they were done of the common people of the Iewes because that whereas the LORD did ordaine them as helps to leade them to CHRIST that they might deny themselues and see they were worthy to die when the beast was slaine so they might seeke to bee saued by the euerlasting sacrifice of CHRIST alone But they began to imagine that by their very offering of beastes in sacrifice God was pleased neuer looking to CHRIST IESVS whereof they were but types and figures Secondly because the people of the Iewes did offer them without faith and repentance with impenitent hearts Ier. 7. and thought so long as they offered sacrifices though they liued in sinne it skilled not Thirdly the Lord delights not nor is not so well pleased with this outward sacrifice as with a broken and contrite heart when that is humbled and mournes for sinne beleeues in Christ Iesus and is careful to honour God by an holy life Doctr. 1 Seeing Dauid affirmeth that GOD cares not for the outward sacrifice when the inward is wanting A mans person must first be approued before his sacrifice be accepted Ier. 24.20 Esa 29.13 Wee learne that though a man should performe all the outward seruice and worship of God and that in neuer so glorious a manner yet if the heart bee not affected and purified all is in vaine the Lord cares not for it as to Preach the word to heare it to receiue the Sacrament c. if there be not a broken heart for sinne Mat. 15. a repentant heart a sanctified heart all is but vaine The Scribes and Pharisesseemed maruelous precise in outward shew very zealous and forward yet their hearts were puffed vp with pride selfe-loue malice couetousnesse c. And therfore Christ saith Math. 15. Vnlesse your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises yee cannot enter into the Kingdome of heauen Iudas in outward shew Preached and Prayed as well as others yet a very deuill a most trayterous wretch full of hypocrisie couetousnesse and bloudy cruelty well wee see that though men make neuer so good and faire a shew yet if the heart be not sound all is in vaine and from the teeth outward and GOD cares not for it he esteemes as much of their Sacrifice as if they should kill a man or sacrifice a dog Esay 65.3 that is abomination to the Lord. Vse 1 This may serue to cut the combes of al those which be proud hipocrits and all they do is in outward appearance alas Their Prayers Preaching Hearing Prou. 29.9 Ps 50.16 it is but swines bloud dogs bloud a beautifull abomination and therefore let vs neuer content our selues with the outward worship and seruice of God but let vs labour to do all in truth with faith obedience repentance humiliation and good conscience Vse 2 This condemnes all the blind deuotious of ignorant and profane sinners who thinke that so long as they ofter their outward sacrifices come to Church heare the word receiue the Sacrament c. they may liue in sinne and yet please God and this was the very cause why the Lord abhor'd all the lewes sacrifices Esay 1.11.12.13 Ier. 7 8. And may not the Lord euen now abhor our sacrifices our comming to Church Heating Praying c. seeing men do content themselues with outward action and come with sinfull hearts and affections Doctr. 2 We learne hence that a man may performe duties which God hath cōmanded A man may performe a good duty and yet fin in the manner of doing it and yet not please God but sin most grieuously in doing of them to offer sacrifice it is GODS owne Commandement but when people shall do it in an euill manner either without faith and repentance or else to an euill end to merite at Gods hand then it makes that which God commands to be a sin to them not in it selfe but in them
that faile in the maner of doing of it to offer sacrifice was the Commandement of God but when the Iews thought by their sacrifices to appease Gods anger without the sacrifice of Christ they sinned and God abhorred them and cared not for them Againe to preach the word of God is his commandement but when Iudas shall preach the word to cloake his couetousnesse and treacherous heart it is a sinne in Iudas to giue almes it is a thing commanded and a sacrifice wherewith God is well pleased but if men shall giue to merite and to be seene of men the Lord careth not for it so as wee see a man may doe things which God commands men to do and yet be so farre from pleasing God that they shall sinne and prouoke him to anger because they doe them not in an holy manner Pro. 15.11 in faith repentance obedience and zeale of Gods glory Vse 1 This condemns almost the whole seruice of God amongst the Papists who do all to this end to merit and deserue at Gods hands pardon of sin and freedom from punishment but this is to a wrong end wee must doe good works not to merit but to honor God to giue good example to make our calling sure to our selues Vse 2 This must admonish vs all not only to doe that God commands as to preach the word heare pray receiue the sacrament c. but to do it as God commands or else he abhorres all we do vnlesse we do them in faith repentance and obedience all is in vaine Doctr. 3 If the Lord abhorre those sacrifices which hee commands for mans sinne Popish Sacrifices abhominable how much more those sinnefull sacrifices which haue beene inuented by man without any warrant from his word as the Idoll of the Masse Popish pilgrimages perpetuall chastity voluntary pouertie liuing in a cloister c. Vse 1 Wel then let vs take heed not only that we doe not abuse those sacrifices which the Lord commands by our euill doing and performing of them but much more that we be not so bold at any time to offer vnto the Lord such sacrifices as are condemned in the word of God to offer with strange fire as Nadab and Abihu and such as Paul calles Wil-worship and Christ calles The inuentions of men for these the Lord abhorres Vse 2 It condemns that bloody beastly sacrifice of the Papists who offer in Masse Christ daily for the quicke and dead an horrible abuse of Christ Iesus for Christ hath by his owne sufficient sacrifice of his bodie and bloud on the Crosse appeased his fathers anger for the sins of the world and put an end to all these sacrifices and if they offer vp CHRIST in the Masse for quicke and dead then Christs sacrifice was imperfect that must be patched vp with that abhominable Idoll Concerning these sacrifices which were Lambs Sheep Goats or Bullockes and were all slaine offered to God in fire let vs marke that they were all so many figures types and shapes of that euerlasting sacrifice of Iesus Christ which hee offered vpon the Crosse in his owne person Doctrine Christ an end of all other Sacrifices Then this doth commend vnto vs that blessed and most meritorious sacrifice of Christ the lambe of God seeing there was so many prophesies of it euen from the beginning of the world and so many shadowes and types of it as can not be numbered because there neuer passed one day amongst the Iewes from the time of the Law till Christs comming but they offered at least morning and euening sacrifice as shadowes of Christ Iesus to come and the people of God the beleeuing Iews and holy Fathers and Prophets did in them beholde Iesus Christ as slaine and crucified before their eyes And as Christ saith The holy Patriarkes and Prophets and famous Kings desired to see my dayes and would be glad to see and yet saw it not Vse Well seeing the sacrifice of Iesus Christ is so excellent meritorious of endlesse worth to procure Gods fauour to vs how should we often thinke vpon it neuer let it depart out of our mindes And to this end wee should be more willing to approch and come to the Supper of the Lord that so there as it were in a plaine Table and Picture and not painted on a woodden crosse as the Papists do we might behold Christ crucified and his bloud shed for our sins so often as we see the bread broken and the wine powred out So often as yee doe it 1. Cor. 11. doe it in remembrance of mee to shew foorth my death till I come For the remembrance of Christs sacrifices it is a sweete comfort to all wounded and distressed soules it is sacke and sugar to them all that truly beleeue in him it is an excellent means to kill sin and to humble our hard hearts that we should remember our sinnes were as the bloudie nailes and the speare which put him to death and a powerfull bridle to restraine vs from sinne because so often as wee sinne wee doe as it were pierce his heart afresh and as for those that care not for comming to the Sacrament nor yet for the word wherein Christ is liuely crucified they shew they haue no benefit by this sacrifice of Christ VERSE 17. 17. The Sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit a contrite and broken heart O God thou wilt not despise Dauid hauing shewed what be those Sacrifices wherein the Lord God hath no pleasure namely such as men shall offer with hope to merite or without faith and repentance Now he shewes what is that Sacrifice wherein the Lord takes great delight and is well pleased and that is in one word A broken spirit a heart truely wounded for sinne In this verse let vs first finde out what is the broken and contrite Spirit Secondly the commendations of it namely it is called the Sacrifice of God Thirdly that hee doth not despise By a broken and contrite spirit is meant such an heart as is truly humbled with sight of sinne wounded and pierced with feare of Gods anger grieued for offending so mercifull a God and louing Father and doth begge for mercie at his hands as for life and death besides the endlesse mercy of God in Christ which breaketh the heart of a poore sinner So then there be two things that wound and bruise the heart of sinners First the sight of sinne and knowledge of our misery by reason thereof Secondly the endlesse mercie of God in Christ so as it cuts vs at the heart to remember that wee haue offended so good and mercifull a Father Doctrine Broken hart most rare thing to be foūd Seeing this is that broken heart which is thus bruised with the sight of sinne and is humbled for them yea hath a most lowe conceit of it selfe as most vile and vnworthy wee shal see that it is a most rare thing to be found for generally men are so blinded
froÌ„ the curse of the Law Dauid did often vse this to binde himselfe by couenant to serue the Lord Psal 116. He paid his vowes he made to God So Ieptha Iudg. 11. vowed vnto the Lord that he would offer sacrifice vnto the LORD who gaue him victory and though the matter of his vow was vnlawfull yet his vow to honour GOD was the fruite of faith Vse Well then let vs make our vse of this doctrine and seeing it is not onely lawfull but our duety euen to make solemne couenants vnto GOD that if hee shall bee fauourable vnto Syon and build vp the walles of Ierusalem that if hee shall deliuer vs from any misery iudgem nt or affliction whatsoeuer that then we will bee carefull to honour GOD to bee thankefull to his Maiestie let vs then make this couenant with the Lord our God let vs vow obedience and newnesse of life and let vs say with Dauid Psalm 119 126. I haue sworne and am stedfastly purposed to keepe thy ryghteous iudgements So let vs euen take a solemne vow of our owne soules that by the grace of God wee will haue more care to praise God to honour him to serue him to call vpon him and accordingly let vs be mindfull to performe the same for the Lord will require all the Vowes wee make vnto him This may stirre vs vp to remember what a solemne vow promise we haue made in Baptisme To forsake the Diuell and all his workes the vaine pompe and glory of the world that we will forsake the Diuill sin and Sathan so as we will not bee led nor ruled by them yea that wee will manfully fight vnder the banner of Christ Iesus become his faithfull Souldiers and seruants vnto our liues end This is the Couenant which wee haue made euery one of vs in our Baptisme and entrance into the Church of GOD before the presence of GOD and his Angels before the Congregation and Church of GOD but alas wee breake it daily and haue no care nor conscience to keepe it Well let vs know the Lord will one day require our Couenants and Vowes made vnto him Hee lookes wee should as well keepe them as make them Well then wouldst thou be loath to breake thy Vow Couenant or Promise made to an honest man especially being in thine owne power to keepe it and such a promise as the keeping whereof may procure thee much peace liberty and happinesse I know you would Oh then let vs bee as carefull to keepe promise with GOD to renounce the world the deuill and our owne sinnefull lusts so shall wee bring much honour to Almighty GOD and euerlasting good to our owne soules Doctr. 3 And last of all we learne hence that as it is the duty of euery Christian man and woman to pray publicke and priuate for the safety and good estate of the Church Publicke â—hankesgiuing after deliuerances required So likewise it is our duty publickly to render thankes vnto God for deliuerance bestowed vpon the same we may not be like the nine Leapers who haue wide mouthes to begge but no heart nor mouth to giue thankes for benefits receiued It hath euer been the care and religious custome of Gods Church and people after great and notable deliuerances from apparant and common Iudgements to render hearty and earnest thanks vnto God in solemne publicke maner Gen. 8. When Noah and his sons and family were newly deliuered from perishing in the floud he did the first thing build an Altar offer sacrifice call on the name of the Lord Exod. 15. so Moses and the children of Israel after their deliuerance out of Aegypt when they were safe and their enemies drowned do deuoutly and publickly sing praise and thanks vnto the Lord. Deborah and Barake doe the like Iudg. 5. And the Iewes being deliuered from Hamans treason Hest 10. they reioyce and keepe a solemne day to sing praise vnto God Vse Well let vs apply this doctrine to our selues wee are by Gods blessing the true Church and people of God professing the Gospell of Iesus Christ truly hating all superstition and Idolatry and for this cause cannot want many enemies The Papists the most subtill cruell and malitious enemies of Gods Church haue often set vpon vs assaulted vs sought to haue inuaded our King and Countrey as 88. By sundry treasons to kill our late Queene of famous and blessed memory and to destroy our gracious King Queene and all his posterity But amongst the rest and aboue all the rest none comparable to that last treason which was most close and cunningly wrought a long time in contriuing most bloudy and diuellish most barbarous and sâ—uadge threatning and seeking to destroy and root out King Councell spirituall and temporall Mâ—gistrates aiming at the vtter subversion of ouâ— English Nation both Church and Common-wealth And surely if we consider well of iâ— I doe not see in all the Bible the likâ— deliuerance so wonderfull and admirable 1. Beeing so long a time in hatching and contriuing with such secresie and concealement 2. Being vnder the ground in hell as it were in a place vnder the earth desiring darknesse more then light because the deed was euill 3. Being brought so neere the execution of it and neuer knowne nor suspected before 4. Being disclosed so strangely euen by one of the Traytors themselues one of the chiefe Actors in the Tragedy 5. Being so generall so fearefull and monstrous that it should not haue beene to the destruction of one or two but of the chiefe of the whole land King Queene Prince Nobles Iudges Bishops in a word the flower of the whole kingdome the want of any one whereof were a blemish to a state and would bring a ruine to a kingdome Now do as Ahashuerosh did Hest 6.1 Cause the Records to bee read and Chronicles to be searched Antient and Moderne Diuine or Prophane amongst the Turkes or Painims yea if Hell keepe any Records search there and see if yee can patterne this conspiracie or match this danger But there is no counsell against the Lord Mans wisedome is foolishnesse vnto him his greatest strength but weaknesse his life but a breath and his honour but a blast So then we see we haue as great cause to render thanks vnto the Lord as any people or Nation vnder Heauen That 5 day of Nouember is a day to be remembred and neuer to bee forgotten a glad and ioyfull day and we ought euery one in publicke and priuate to stirre vp our hearts in thanksgiuing vnto the Lord for it was the Lords doing and â—t is meruailous in our eyes It is the day which the Lord made for the glory of his name let vs reioyce and bee glad in it Now it is not enough to keepe that day as an idle Holy-day to râ—st from labour and worke to ring Bâ—ls and make Bon-fires to giue our selues to eating drinking and swilling to sports and pastime for this is no honour vnto God But first our thankefulnesse must appeare in a most reuerent thankfull commemoration and remembrance of this so great and wonderfull a deliuerance we must call it to minde thinke of the greatnesse of it we must speake of it to our children and posterity and call vpon them to be thankfull for the child that is yet vnborne is bound to blesse God for it Exod. 12.6 Secondly wee must sing Psalmes of praise and thankes-giuing vnto God in token of thankfulnesse and that publickly in the Church and Congregation of Gods people Thirdly we must come together into Gods house to heare his word and to call vpon his name and that is a speciall part of our vnfained thanfulnesse Fourthly wee must testifie our thankfulnesse in most hearty and duâ—iful obedience which is the greatest and the best sacrifice 1. Sam. 15. and if thiâ— be wanting all we doe is nothing worth Esay 29.13 So that for our generall deliuerance there shold 〈◊〉 a generall thankesgiuing in a generall reformation of Church and Common-wealth of our hearts and sinful liues otherwise indeed we are vnthankfull if still we liue in sin and â—â—bâ—llioâ— Then notwithstanding â—ur keeping a day ringing of Belles â—port and play if there follow no reformation of our liues we may iustly feare a more dreadfull iudgement if not vtter ruine and desolation to follow Now alas where is this vse of Gods mercy our deliuerance where doe the people reforme their liues reforme their wayes grow more religious conscionable and carefull to heare reade pray in their families it is but a wonder of nine dayes men make little or no vse of it but to talke of it and speake of it And lastly our thankefulnesse should beget in vs an earnest hatred of Popery and superstition so vile salfe mischieuous bloudy and cursed Religion to abhorre it to haue nothing to do with it but to abandon all the Reliques of it which that all estates and degrees of Men may do the Lord grant for his mercies sake Amen FINIS