laine a long time in his filthy sinnes and neuer sought vnto God for mercy but being awaked by the reprehension of Nathan now he cries for mercy The Prodigall sonne a true paterne for all sinners he neuer seeks to his Father till he was in extreame misery and then he saith I will goe to my Father Luke 15. so the prowd Pharise neuer begges for mercy for he felt no want of it And the Church of Laodicea Knew not that shee was miserable poore Reu. 3.10 blind and naked For how can a man repent of that hee is ignorant of Sinnes committed can not be repented of till men see them and know them nay not barely to know them but to know the hainousnesse of them and the curse of God due vnto them so as a man may take it to heart and be troubled for his sins Dauid thogh a Prophet of the Lord yea a man after GODS owne heart yet lay a long time in sinne without repeÌ„tance because he did not weigh and consider with himselfe what hee had done And therfore in the word of God the Lord oftentimes calles vpon men to consider their waies to know their sinnes and the curse of God due vnto them Ier. 3.13 Know thy sins O Ierusalem Zeph. 2.1 2. Fanne your selues Lam. 3.40 O let vs search and trie our waies and turne vnto the Lord. Vse 1 Here we may see the maine cause why there is so little faith true repentance in the world why men are no more humbled for their sinnes do not repent for them poore souls they know not that they doe euill They either cannot or doe not search themselues Lam. 3.40 they neuer call their hearts to account Now then going on in security seeing and fearing no danger Alas how should they repent how should they turne to God For if thou couldest see the misery of thy soule and thy wofull estate by reason of sin if thou couldest see the number and greatnes of thy sinnes Oh thou wouldest euen tremble for feare and wonder at thy woful estate But alas most men are like a man that trauels in the night ouer a narrow bridge which is verie dangerous and vnder it runneth a bottomlesse gulfe so as if he fall he cannot escape but must needs perish And therfore in the darke night seeing not the danger hee feareth it not But let him goe that way in the morning he will wonder that euer he was so madde and desperate to go that way and will neuer venture that way againe So many poore blinde ignorant soules when they haue runne headlong in sinne al their daies and passed their vncertaine life in ignorance profanenesse and manifolde sinnes posting to Hell and damnation not seeing the curse of GOD that doth hang ouer their heads they feare nothing but runne on headlong into all sinnes But if it please the Lord to open their eyes to see their sinnes and the Iudgements of God due vnto them Oh they do wonder at their owne extreame folly and Gods infinite goodnesse and patience and would not bee in that case againe for all the world Well then marke this Doctrine doe not lightly passe it ouer but esteeme it as a blessed trueth of GOD. Christ saith Lake 13.5 Except ye repent ye shall allperish And for a man to see his sinnes the greatnesse and grieuousnesse of them it is the first steppe vnto repentance So that we see heere who they are that doe repent and shall be saued euen such as see their sinnes their wofull miserie and the wretched estate wherein they are and which doe most earnestly hunger and thirst after mercie in Christ Iesus Well then let mee aske thee this Question or rather demaund it of thine owne soule Didst thou euer see thy wofull miserie the wretched estate wherein thou arte by reason of sinne what a miserable sinner thou art by nature out of the fauour of God in the state of damnation in extreme danger for euer to be damned and to loose thy owne Soule Didst thou euer find thy selfe to stand in need of Gods mercie for the pardon of thy sinnes and extreme want of Christs bloud to saue thy Soule Hast thou felt thy hart wounded and bruised for thy sinnes that thy soule is euen sicke with sinne Didst thou euer thirst after GODS mercie in Christ aboue all the world so as thou hast with sighes and groanes yea with teares begged Gods mercie on thy knees as for life and death Io. 7.37 Esay 55.1 2. Esay 66.2 If thou hast not found and felt these things in thee in some measure thy case is dangerous and fearefull thou neuer yet didst truely repent the mercie of God belongs not vnto thee Vse 2 O then it is a singular fauour of God when he doth open a mans eies to see his misery to finde himselfe to stand in need of GODS mercy and extreame want of Christs bloud to saue his soule This is the beginning of all grace to feele the want of grace Dauid if the Lord had noâ— rowzed him out of his dead sinne wherein he lay a long time he might haue died and perished in it And therefore this should teach vs all to pray to God that he would in mercy open our eyes that we might see our sins and feele our miseries and that wee may see wee stand in extreame neede of Gods mercy and the contrary is a fearefull plague and iudgement of God for men to lie and snort in sinne without remorce of conscience without the sence and feeling of sinne or want of mercy this Dauid now knew by wofull experience that if hee had died without repentance he had perished of all diseases they bee most dangerous which bee least felt as a lâ—thargy or dead palsie or the like so it is a most fearefull estate for any man to lie in sinne without the feeling of it for then the hart is hardned and he makes no account of Gods mercy A man that thinkes he is well enough wil scorne the Physition so those blinde sinners that thinke they are wel enough and feele no want of mercy of all men they are to be pittied they be in a most dangerous state and condition And therefore we see it a great blessing of God to be told of our sinnes to bee reprooued for them that so seeing them and the danger of them wee may seeke to GOD for mercy Doctr. 2 Hence we learne that the first step to heauen Sâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 man and the beginning of true repentance is this for a man to bee grieued for his sins to be wounded in conscience for them for till a man see his sinnes and feele the burthen of them and feare the curse of GOD due vnto them he will neuer repent and seeke the pardon of them 2. Cor. 7.10 Matth. 26. Luke 18.13 This is that godly sorrow that leadeth to tepentance neuer to be repented of Vse 1 If this compunction and pricke of the heart
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
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
would not that men should despise such ceremonies and types of Christ as he himselfe commanded in the time of the Law and though it might seeme a vaine and needlesse thing to besprinckle them with a bunch of hyssope dipped in the blood of a beast yet seeing it was theâ— commandement of God they did not despise this ceremony being a type of the blood of Christ when they could not see with bodily eyes the blood of Christ it pleased god by such ceremonies and types to helpe their faith by sprinckling the blood of a beast to shew to them that they must be so sprinckled in their soules with the bloud of Iesus Christ Vse ObedieÌ„ce required to GODS ordinaÌ„ces Hence wee learne by the example of Dauid and all the holy Fathers Seruants of God in the time of the Lawe to vse all such sacraments and ceremonies as God commands in his word for the helping of our faith we cannot see the bloud of Christ nor touch it with our outward senses yet the Lord hath appoynted the Sacrament of Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord that in them wee might see feele touch and taste as it were the body and bloud of IEVS CHRIST And therefore all those which despise these Sacraments making little or no accompt of them shew that they despise the ordinance of God and so make light of that which is ordained for the good of their soules Doctr. 3 Marke further Christs bloud alone doth purge our sinnes Hebr. 9.9 1. Ioh. 1.7 Rev. 1.5 Iohn 1.29 1. Pet. 1.2 when that Dauid prayeth the Lord to purge him with hyssope the word signifies to purge by sacrifice euen the sacrifice of the Sonne of GOD and by his death and bloud-sheding to purge his sins away so as he confesseth there is nothing in heauen or earth that is of force to purge him from his sinnes and vncleanenesse but the blood of Christ alone It is not the bloud of bullockes lambs and goats that can wash away the least spot of sinne but onely the bloud of the immaculate Lambe Christ Iesus and to him all the Sacrifices had relation and shadowed out Iesus Christ the true Pascall Lamb vnto vs. The vse of the ceremonies vnder the Law And this was the reason why Dauid maketh mention of hyssope that God would purge him with hissope because God in the time of the Law ordained this ceremony for a confirmation of their faith and to help the people of the Iewes to the better sight and knowledge of the promised Messiah for seeing CHRIST was not yet come into the world and they could not see the worke of redemption as yet performed the Lord would leade them by these ceremonies vnto Iesus Christ the promised Messiah that they might see him as it were before their eyes for when they saw a beast slaine and the blood spilt Note then they tooke a bunch of hyssope dipt it in the blood of the beast and besprinckled them that offered the same with the bloud they were thereby taught that euen so must Iesus Christ the Sonne of GOD and promised Messiah be slaine and put to death his bloud shed for their sinnes and they must by faith as a bunch of hyssope besprinckle their soules with the blood of Christ for the pardon of their sinnes It is true indeede that the Lord hath eased vs in the time of the Gospel of all those old and ancient ceremonies neyther is it the â—ill of God that we should be clogged with the dead and needlesse Galat. 4. and beggarly rudiments and ceremonies of men which become not the simplicitie of the Gospel But yet hee hath in mercie appoynted certaine helpes and meanes to leade vs vnto Christ Iesus as the two Sacraments to help our faith for wee being as yet carnall alas wee can not beholde no more then wee see And therefore the Lord hath appoynted them as helpes to leade vs to Christ to set him before our eyes in the Water in Baptisme and Bread and Wine in the Lords Supper that so our faith should bee confirmed thereby and wee might euen see Christ Iesus before our eyes And therefore as Dauid did carefully vse such helpes and ceremonies as GOD commanded for the strengthening of their Faith so let vs bee as carefull to vse the helps that God hath left vs vnder the Gospel for the strengthening of our weake faith Purge me with hyssope The meaning of the wordâ— THe meaning is this accept of that most perfect and euerlasting sacrifice of Iesus Christ for the punishment due to my sins As if he should haue said O Lord I confesse I haue sinned exceedingly I haue bin borne in sin and haue by murder and adultery deserued to be condemned eternally and to haue the curse and punishment due to my sin to be cast vpon me but I beseech thee in mercy to accept of the death and bloudshedding of thy Sonne my Sauiour Iesus Christ for the satisfaction due to my sinnes And whereas the Iustification of a sinner in the sight of God stands on two parts first remission and pardon of sin secondly the imputation of Christs righteousnes me thinks the Prophet requires begs both these at the hands of God first to be purged or as the word signifies to purge not by washing but by sacrificing to appease the wrath and anger of God by the bloud of Christ secondly when he prayeth to be washed he desireth to be made pure and righteous not in his owne righteousnesse but only in the righteousnesse and obedience of IESVS CHRIST imputed to him and laide hold vpon by faith Doctr. 4 Seeing Dauid intreates the Lord that hee would Purge him Saluation is to bee sought for onely in Christ that is accept of the most perfect Sacrifice of Iesus Christ for the punishment due to his sins we learne that there is no Name giuen vnder Heauen whereby a man shall be saued but onely in the name of Iesus Christ 1. Iohn 1.7 1. Pet. 1.18 Reu. 1.5 it is not the bloud of Bullocks Lambs and Goates that can wash away the least spot of sin but onely the blood of the immaculate Lambe Christ IeIesus but of this before Vse 1 Hence we see the endlesse and vnspeakeable mercy of God to miserable men who when no other means could bee found no water or hearb could heale the soule of a sinner and wash him from sinne and the punishment of it but onely the precious bloud of the Sonne of GOD was content to giue his owne Sonne to death for vs Iohn 3.16 Rom. 8.32 which made Saint Iohn to admire it And if God hath not failed vs in this but could rather be content to see his only Sonne put to death and hang on the Crosse then we should perish how should be deny any smaller and lighter matterâ— vnto vs Vse 2 Beholde heere the greatnesse and heynousnesse of mans sinne which could bee purged by no creature in
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
me for shedding the innocent bloud of Vrias and the rest which were slaine with him Doctr. 1 We must obserue that which hath beene taught before namely that Dauid prayed often and earnestly vnto God for the pardon of his sins The heynousnesse of the sin of murder he could not at one or two petitions obtaine it but is faine to pray againe againe for pardon Hence we learne that murder and shedding of innocent bloud is a most horrible sinne and he that is guilty of bloud it will wound his conscience it will make him to quake and tremble at GODS vengeance which pursues him vnlesse hee repent as in Cain Gen. 4. after hee had slaine his brother and the Lord had brought him to a sight of his cruell murder he cries out that his sinne is greater then could be forgiuen and that euery one that meetes him would kill â—im such is the conscience guilty of murder it can finde no rest no ease in company or alone in any thing but torment of conscience till GOD giue grace to repent Neither may wee thinke that this guilt and terrour of conscience commeth through the guiltinesse of the Law shame of the world or feare of punishment for let a sinner haue security giuen him from all Law and freedome from all punishment yet a Murderer should neuer be quiet his conscience would euer trouble and torment him yea and follow him vp and downe in all places and open his owne mouth to bewray himselfe Thus is GODS iudgement vpon them that should feare all things who will not feare him that made all things If a man had all the pleasures that heart could desire yet can they giue no true comfort and contentment when the conscience is guilty of horrible sinnes And albeit for a time the conscience of carnall men that neuer truly repented of their sinnes seemeth to be at rest yet it is as a wilde and sauage beast which lying a sleep seemeth tame and gentle but being raysed and roused vp flyeth in a mans face Gen. 42.21 Vse 1 Seeing murder and shedding of innocent bloud is so horrible a sinne so odious and execrable so fearefull and damnable how should it make all men shun it and bee affraid of it neuer to embrue their hands in the bloud of any man for bloud will haue bloud Gen. 9.6 Who so sheddeth mans bloud by man his bloud shall bee shed for in the Image of God may hee him And this was one speciall thing which moued Dauid to intreate the Lord not onely to pardon his bloudy sinne of killing Vrias but also that hee would not punish him and bring his vengeance vpon him and his children after him for shedding of his bloud Well then abhorre this fearefull sinne of murther for bloud will haue bloud and will cry for vengeance to heauen And heere wee are to bewaile our sinnefull times that shedding of bloud is not punished more seuerely wilfull murther is winked at and made but a money matter Yea saith the Lord because of oaths the land shall Mourne Ier. 23.10 Hos 4. so for murder it shal mourne well let vs beware of this foule sinne of murder and shunne all occasions that tend to it as hatred desire of reuenge quarrelling fighting c. Vse 2 If it bee so heynous and horible a sinne to shed the bloud of the body and to kill the body if murdering of the body bee so heynous what shall become of soule-murderers that shed the bloud of poore soules it is ten thousand times more grieuous as the soule is far more worth then the body and if he shall perish and is worthy to die that murders the body how much more is he worthy to die Ezech. 3. that sheddes the bloud not of one but of many a poore soule And such be all those which either teach not the word of GOD at all or teach it negligently they be soule-murderers and shall giue a feareful account for it one day Vse 3 Wee see that no man though neuer so great can go free from Gods iudgment for murder Dauid was a great King a man that was aboue all mens lawes yet the conscience of his sin accused him and hee could haue no rest till he had got the pardon of it so as we see the great force of mans conscience Esay 6.6.24 Mark 9.44 Psal 29.3.4.5.7 though he could escape all the iudgements of men yet conscience wil accuse till God do cleare him and this wee may see in many men who being guilty of this sinne though they haue by money or friends got pardon and freedome by the law of man yet if God touch them for it they can neuer haue peace till they haue bewailed this sinne and got the pardon from God but some of them euen pine and languish away and neuer looke vp all their daies such is the conscience of murder and shedding innocent bloud that hee may flye a thousand miles he may be a great man a king that no man dare call him to accompt yet he carries that in his bosome which will dog him and pursue him neither shall hee finde rest till hee haue repented and bee reconciled to GOD by the bloud of Christ Iesus Doctr. 2 Heere is matter of comfort for such as haue bene great and grieuous sinners God hath mercy for such as seeke mercy notorious wicked liuers that if they can repent be humbled bewaile their sinnes beg pardon the Lord will shew them mercy Dauid heere found fauour for the pardon of his bloudy sinnes Adultery and Murder vpon his true repentance So Peter for his grieuous and heynous sinne Luk. 8.2 and Mary Magdalene out of whom went seuen deuils was saued Lot though he committed incest with his owne daughters yet sound fauour at Gods hands so as wee see great sinners if they can repent shall finde great mercy This is warranted from the Lords owne mouth Esay 1.18 Though your sinnes were as crimson they shall bee made as white as snow though they were red like scarlet they shall bee as wooll And againe Esay the forty foure chapter and two and twentyeth verse I haue put away thy transgressions like a cloud and thy sinnes as a mist Esay 33.24 and Esay 43.25 Ier. 31.31 Vse 1 Let euery one of vs listen to this doctrine hast thou beene a notorious wicked liuer a miserable sinner a common drunkard a filthy liuer a most notorious blasphemer a theefe or robber Hast thou hated and persecuted GODS Ministers and his deere children and contemned the blessed Gospell of IESVS CHRIST Well loe if thou canst truely repent confesse thy grieuous sinne bewaile it Esay 1.16.18 cry to God for mercy and pardon of it the Lord will shew thee mercy so as no sinne though neuer so great can seuer thee and cut thee off from mercy if thou hast grace to repent and begge the pardon of it And therefore though thy sins haue bene many and great
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
all men do by nature that when sin is committed done and past they shall neuer be called to account for the same But alas no length of time can we are sin away if it bee not taken away by true and vnfained Repentance Yea the sinnes of our youth which many yeares agoe wee haue committed if now in time we do not repent and stop the mouth of the same shall stand vp as new and fresh against vs as the first houre we committed them Oh that we could be wise to thinke vpon these things Our selues waxe old our bodies are declining to the graue and will we take no paines to weare away our sinnes but to let them stand in their strength against vs This weare a great folly Let men therfore thinke of this betimes there is no going to Heauen with dry eyes or beds of downe Now if this poore worke of mine may finde entertainment with thee I shall so much the more be encouraged to take paines in this kinde vpon other places of Scripture as vpon the first Psalme which thou maist shortly expect And withall may helpe thee forward to this necessary duty of Repentance I haue thē my desire giue the praise to him from whom all good commeth who worketh in vs both the will the deed to whom be praise and honour for euer and euer AMEN Thine in the Lord Iesus SAMVEL SMITH The Table of the principall Doctrines briefly handled in this Booke Out of the Title of the Psalme Page 1. 2. 3. Doct. 1. Singing of Psalmes an ancient practise in the Church of God page 6. Doct. 2. A Childe of God may fall after hee is effectually called Page 16. Doct. 3. The word preached the ordinary meanes to beget Faith and Repentance page 21. Doct. 4. A fearful thing to liue in sin without repentance pag. 25. Doct. 5. Ministers must reproue the greatest personages pag. 30. Doct. 6. Men must bee charged with their speciall sins pag. 38. Doct. 7. Chaste speech taught of God page 42. Doct. 8. The godly respect more the glory of God then their owne credit page 44. Doct. 9. The strongest may fall page 46. VERSE I. Doct. 1. Sight of sin the first step to repentance page 52. Doct. 2. Sorrow for sinne note of a godly man page 58. Doct. 3. Mercie is chiefly to bee sought for page 61. Doct. 4. God alone is to be prayed vnto page 66. Doct. 5. Experience of former fauour assureth of future page 71 Doct. 6. The mercy of God emboldens sinners to come vnto him Page 74. Doct. 7. Gods mercy mans merit page 79. Doct. 8. The nature of sin p. 83 Doct. 9. God a God of mercie Page 85. Doct. 10. The Lord keepes a book of all our sinnes page 89. VERSE 2. Doct. 1. A wounded conscience can finde no rest but onely in Christ page 98 Doct. 2. Difference betwixt the sorrow of the godly and the wicked page 102 Doct. 3. Sinne defiles a Man page 106 Doct. 4. Hard matter to be clensed from the pollution of sin p. 110 Doct. 5. Bloud of Christ alone doth wash away sinne page 114. VEERS 3. Doct. 1. Confession euer goes before remission pag. 120 Doct. 2. An accusing conscience the meanes to bring men to repentance pag. 141 Doct. 3. Necessary duty to call our sins to account pag. 139. Doct. 4. Sinne once knowne doth euer accuse till it be pardoned pag. 145 Doct. 5. Sinne neuer goes alone pag. 149 VERSE 4. Doct. 1. A mans sins are open before God pag. 155 Doct. 2. What sorrow it is that accompanies repentance pag. 160 Doct. 3. Note of a penitent person not to excuse his sin pag. 166 Doct. 4. God alone can forgiue sinnes pag. 171 Doct. 5. Acknowledgement of partitular sinnes required in true repentance pag. 180 Doct. 6. Men sin before God p. 187 Doct. 7. The Lord maketh good vse of our consciences pag. 191 Doct. 8. God is euer iust in his iudgements pag. 195. 202 VERSE 5. Doct. 1. A man doth neuer truely repent till hee come to know his owne nature pag. 210 Doct. 2. No man is borne by nature the child of God pag. 211 Doct. 3. Godly parents beget sinfull children pag. 217 VERSE 6. Doct. 1. True knowledge of God workes true humility pag. 224 Doct. 2. A sanctified heart the greatest blessing of God p. 231 Doct. 3. Sinne is but a lying vanity pag. 233 Doct. 4. A fearefull thing to sin against knowledge pag. 237 Doct. 5. Heauenly wisedome the gift of Gods spirit pag. 244 VERSE 7. Doct. 1. Pardon of sin the greatest mercy pag. 249 Doct. 2. Sin is infectious pag. 253 Doct. 3. The ceremonies vnder the law were but to lead vs to Christ pag. 255 Doct 4. Christs bloud alone doth purge our sinnes pag. 256 Doct. 5. Situation to be sought for onely in Christ pag. 260 Doct. 6. Sin defiles a man p. 265 Doct. 7. Naturall men their estate Described pag. 269 VERSE 8. Doct. 1. Assurance of the pardon of sins may be attained pag. 282 Doct. 2. Mans testimony of the remission of sins is nothing without the testimony of Gods spirit pag. 285 Doct. 3. Ministery of the word meanes whereby God conueyes comfort to his children pag. 290 Doct. 4. Where sin is not pardoned there can be no true ioy pag. 295 Doct. 5. No sorrow in the godly like the sorrow for sin pag. 300 Doct. 6. There is no respect of persons with God pag. 303 Doct. 7. Pardon of sinne brings true ioy pag. 304 VERSE 9. Doct. 1. Gods anger most fearefull to the godly pag. 310 Doct. 2. Manner of Gods pardoning sinne pag. 317 Doct. 3. All our sins are knowne to God pag. 321 VERSE 10. Doct. 1. Iustification and Sanctification go together pag. 326 Doct. Repentance a new creation pag. 329 Doct. 3. True sanctification is neuer in part pag. 333 Doct. 4. God is the Author of sanctification pag. 338 Doct. 5. Sinne hinders the worke of sanctification pag. 341 Doct. 6. Child of God not alwayes at one stay pag. 348 Doct. 7. A purpose not to sin mark of a sanctified heart pag. 351 Doct. 8. Sinne quenches grace as water fire pag. 355 VERSE 11. Doct. 1. The pleasures of sinne are deere bought pag. 262 Doct. The Iudgements of God vpon other cause the godly to feare pag. 378 Doct. 3. Sin takes away the fecling of Gods fauor for a time pag. 379 VERSE 12. Doct. 1. Fruit of sinne described pag. 390 Doct. 2. Fauour of God is a Christians chiefest ioy pag. 393 Doct. 3. State of Gods children not alwayes alike pag. 398 Doct. 4. Pardon of sinne the soundest ioy pag. 401 Doct. 5. Man weake being left to himselfe pag. 406. VERSE 13. Doct. 1. The goodnesse of God towards our selues must bee made knowne pag. 411 Doct. 2. Thankfulnesse a necessary duty pag 414 Doct. 3. Fruit of faith to seeke the good of others pag. 417 Doct. 4. What Doctrine Ministers must teach pag. 420 Doct. 5. Ignorant are to
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
in Rahab in Mary Magdalen Acts 9. Luke 7. out of whom went seuen diuells to moue him to mercy but his meere mercy alone Euen so all the gifts graces of Gods spirit bestowed vpon his seruants either concerning this life or the life to come They all proceede from the free grace and mercie of God in Iesus Christ according to that of the Apostle Rom. 6.23 Eternall life is the free gift of God This is confirmed by the practise of godlie Daniel Dan. 9.7 8 9. O Lord righteousnesse belongeth vnto thee But vnto vs shame because we haue sinned against thee wherby we gather that though our praiers be not without effect yet they preuaile not with God by virtue of any excellency that is in them but because God hath promised to be found of them that seeke him in the meanes he hath appointed And so for the rest of GODS ordinances Word Sacraments c. The Lord doth accept them and is well pleased in them howbeit not thorough our worthines that performe them but for his goodnesse sake that doth commaund them for these properties are to bee found in works that are meritorious First they must be done of a mans owne selfe and from himselfe but we haue nothing of our own to giue vnto God For what hast thou that thou hast not receiued 1. Cor. 4.7 without him we can doe nothing it is he that must worke in vs the will and the deed Secondly they must be such works as are not due vnto him they must not be due debt but proceede from our owne free will euen such as God cannot iustly challenge at our hands but whatsoeuer wee doe wee doe of debt and duty yea Luke 17.10 When yee haue done all those things that are commanded you say we are vnprofitable seruants we haue done that which was our duetie to doe Thirdly the workes we do must be done for the profite of him from whom we looke for a reward But Psalme 16. All our goodnesse can not reach vnto the Lord we may benefit men but wee can not benefite our Maker therefore it is plaine we can not merit Fourthly the worke and the reward must be in proportion equall for if the reward bee more then the worke it is not a reward of desert but a gift of good will But Rom. 8. The afflictions of the present time are not worthy of the glory that shall be shewed vnto vs. So then they are not deserued of vs but are bestowed on vs. This condemnes the doctrine of the church of Rome who teach that God doth shew mercy on some men because they bee woorthy of it for their good workes and honest life and therfore they can dispose themselues by virtue of their fre-will to moue the Lord to haue mercy vpon them Ephes 2.8 But wee ascribe all to Grace and meere mercy and therefore seeing pardon of sinnes comes from the meere mercie and loue of GOD in Christ we must ascribe all the praise of it to God alone pardon of sinnes grace to repent life eternall all these come from the meere mercie loue of GOD in Christ Iesus And therefore let vs ascribe nothing vnto our owne goodnesse or virtue to our owne wit or reason but giue all the glory to God According to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities AS if Dauid should haue said Oh Lord my sinnes are many and great and therefore I stand in neede of thy mercy for my misery and of the multitude of thy compassions for pardon of all Doctr. 1 When as Dauid prayes for a multitude of mercies The nature of sinne for the pardon of his sinnes we learne hence what an heinous and horrible thing sinne is in Gods sight that it can not be pardoned without a multitude of mercies sinne being committed against an infinite God deserues infinite and endlesse punishment of soule and body and before it can be pardoned must haue infinite mercy Sinne is odious in it selfe and maketh vs vile and abhominable in the sight of God Ierem. 5.25 Esay 59.1 2 3. Keeping all good things from vs and pulling downe all euill vpon vs and that the wages thereof is death being able to presse vs downe euen to the botome of hell It is sinne that maketh vs execrable to the Lord and abhominable in his sight yea nothing doth more deforme vs and make vs cursed detestable in the sight of God then sinne Iosu 7.12 13. the pardon whereof must haue infinite mercie Vse 1 Then hence wee learne that wee neuer esteeme rightly of sinne till wee come so to bee grieued for it as that wee finde our selues to stand in great neede of GODS mercy for the pardon of it yea of a multitude of mercies of a sea of mercies till vâ—e finde that we stand in neede of euerie droppe of CHRISTS bloud to saue our soules Dauid hauing sinned begs for multitude of mercies and so wee shall finde that if we truely repent of sinne that we stand in need of a Sea of mercie and of euerie droppe of Christs bloud Vse 2 This condemneth most men and women who are so farre from esteeming thus of sinne that they make no bones of great sinnes and many grieuous impieties yea they make a sport of sin swearing lying drunkennesse whoredome pride couetousnesse c. and giue them names of virtue we see it too too common that men thinke they stand in no need of GODS mercie they thinke that Lord haue mercy on me will serue But if wee will iudge of sinne as wee ought we shall find that we stand in neede of a Sea of mercie in regard of the multitude of our sinnes Doctr. 2 Wee see that the Lord is full of mercy full of pitty and compassion God a God of mercie Psal. 119. his mercies are ouer al his works And indeede his mercies are great First because they come from an infinite GOD to men who are infinitely euill and deserue no mercy but iudgement Secondly because for time they last for euer neuer haue end Thirdly because the mercy of God concernes great things saluation life eternall c. And this is that which the Lord himselfe proclaimeth from Heauen Exod. 34.6 The Lord is strong mercifull slow to anger and aboundant in goodnesse and trueth reseruing mercie for thousands and forgiuing iniquitie transgression and sinme Againe Michah 7.18 Who is a God like vnto thee that takest away iniquity and passest by transgression He retaines not wrath for euer because mercie pleaseth him he wil turne againe and haue compassion vpou vs He will subdue all our iniquities and cast all our sinnes into the bottome of the Sea Esay 55.8 9. Ezech. 33.11 Though therfore our sinne be great yet great is the mercy of God in pardoning it Rom. 5.20 Where sinne doth abound there grace doth superabound Wherefore let not sin so dismay vs to cast vs downe to dispaire as this cheere vs that God is so gracious
Vse 1 Seeing the Lords mercy is as a bottomlesse sea that can not bee drawne drie Lament 3 His compassions faile not Hence is matter of great comfort to all true penitent sinners for thy sins cannot be so many nor so great but if thou haue grace to repent God is able and willing to pardon them all If thou say Oh! my sins are great grieuous monstrous vnspeakeable well the mercy of God is greater as may appeare in the pardon of Lots sinnes Genes 19.2 Sam. 12. Acts 9. Ioshua 2. Dauids Peters Paules Rahabs c. If thou canst repent and truely turne to God If thou say O! they are more then the starres in number remember that Gods mercy is as a botomlesse sea hee hath a multitude of Compassions and can pardon them though neuer so many and grieuous If thou say Oh! I haue liued a long time in them twentie thirtie fortie yeares looke on Gods mercie shewed to Rahab Paul others that had liued long in sinne so that if a man haue grace to repent neyther the greatnesse nor the multitude nor the continuance of his sinnes none of all these can hinder Gods mercy but here is all that men must repent otherwise if men doe not repent the least sinne is damnable and if men repent no sinne is so great but is pardonable The mercies of god beloÌ„g not to all Yet notwithstanding men must take heede that they take not occasision to liue in sinne because God is mercifull for these things are noted as a comfort for those that sigh and groane vnder the burthen of their sinnes to comfort them and to keep them from dispaire that if they bee truely humbled for their sinnes there is yet with the Lord mercy in store whereby they may be saued Vse 2 Seeing all Gods gifts come from him to vs of grace and mercie euen because he is full of mercie and hath euen a multitude of mercies for poore penitent sinners that sue to him for mercie We learne aboue all things in the world to desire mercie and the pardon of our sinnes This we see in the Prophet Dauid Psal 6.6 My soule is sore trouble But Lord how long wilt thou delay Psal 63.3 Returne O Lord deliuer my Soule Saue me for thy mercies sake this is likewise practised by the Church It is the Lords mercies that wee are not consumed Lament 3. because his compassions faile not Thus the godly when they desire any blessing they aske it of fauor If they craue to haue any iudgement remoued they craue it of mercie esteeming his mercie aboue all the world or aught else they can desire labour therfore aboue all things in the world for the mercie of GOD in Iesus Christ vse all good meanes to obtaine it employ thy selfe diligently to keepe it and to continue it towardes thee that in thy life it may be with thee in death it may not depart from thee Lastly where the Prophet Dauid saith According to the multitude of thy compassions blot out mine offences Marke that the word blot out it is a metaphore taken from Writing-tables when a man shall wipe out with a spunge all that is written or from crossing of bookes of Records and Bookes of Debts And it is all one as if Dauid should haue said O Lord I haue runne far in thy score I haue euen filled thy Booke nor with small but great summes of Debt pay I am not able no not one farthing Now Lord I beseech thee therfore deface crosse and blot out altogether the Debt of my sinnes Doctr. 1 Hence we learne The Lord keeps a Booke of our sinnes that all our sins are recorded in the Lords Booke he keepes a Bill of Account all our verie thoughts words and deedes are knowne vnto him he keepes them in minde and memory and hath them written downe And vnlesse we repent of them and they be blotted out with the bloud of Christ laied hold on by faith the Lord will call them all to account at the day of iudgement Reu. 20.12 The Bookes shall then be opened and euery sinne olde new secret open against God and men shall be brought to light for they bee rocorded in Gods Booke Now by these Bookes wee may not conceiue materiall bookes in which men write downe such things as they would haue remembred for God can not be said to stand in need of any such helpes But because all things are as certaine and manifest to him as if hee had his Registers in Heauen to keepe account thereof Psalme 139.16 Dan. 7.10 Philip. 4.3 So then we may see that the Lord doth keepe a note of all our sinnes and chalkes them as it were vpon a score vntill payment come It is not with God as it is with Princes who are ignorant of the Treasons plotted against them but all things both past present to come are knowne to him aswel our rebellious thoghts as sinne fâ—ll acts committed And although we doe forget and carelesly minde what we haue done yet God forgets nothing euery part and parcell of our debt being noted exactly in his Booke of Remembrance Vse 1 Seeing all our sinnes be knowne to God he notes them downe in his booke of Account and not one sinne can passe him but he writes it down how should this make vs all carefull vnto our liues that wee commit no sin for if we do the Lord knowes it 2. Cor. 5.10 and notes it in his Booke and vnlesse he blot them out they shall all come to account A wicked man and an vnchaste woman how many thousand vile filthy thoughts haue they in their mindes night and day their hearts burne in lust and vncleanenesse and these they passe ouer regarding theÌ„ not making little or no account of them But alas the Lord hath them all written in the Booke of his Remembrance and if thou repent not of them and leaue them O woe to thy soule when this Booke comes to be opened and read ouer and when thou shalt receiue According to thy workes Iob saith Thou hast sealed vp our sinnes in a bag To seale vp a thing doth note an exact kinde of keeping it So then the bagge and bundle of our sinnes being sealed vp and that by God himselfe let vs not imagine that any one can droppe out but all shall come to Iudgement Vse 2 Seeing all our sinnes are so many debts set downe in GODS Booke and we must come to reckoning one day how should wee labour all the dayes of our life to haue them blotted out to haue this Booke cancelled and crossed euen by the finger of God for indeed we may runne on still in Gods debt and set on apace vpon his score but we cannot so fast wipe them out againe nay we can neuer of our selues pay one farthing or satisfie the least of our debts wee owe vnto him It is God that hath written downe that must freely forgiue and cancell as
learne what a vile filthy and miserable thing sinne is in the sight of GOD it staineth a mans body it staines a mans soule it maketh him more vile then the vilest creature that liues no toad is so vile and loathsome in the sight of man as a sinner stained and defiled with sin is in the sight of GOD till hee be cleansed and washed from them in the bloud of Christ Leuit. 13. The Leprousie was a wonderfull disease it did infect the body yea the cloathes on a mans backe the walls of the house and the very stones but this leprosie of sin doth more defile a man it defiles the soule and conscience Yea the creature yea euen the very heauens and earth are stained with the contagion thereof and are made by reason of sinne subiect to vanitie and corruption Rom. 8.20 Oh then see how vile a thing sinne is in the fight of God that the infection thereof should seaze vpon the Creature and make them that they dare not abide the glorious presence of God their Creator Reu. 20.12 Vse 1 Seeing sinne is so vile a thing so filthy and vncleane so polluteth the soule and body and makes vs loathsome in the sight of God so as no carrion nor dung-hill sends forth a filthier sent of stench then sinne O! how should wee loathe and abhorre it quake tremble at the committing of it Oh! it is a wonder to see how warie men are to shunne the Plague they will not come neere the place and person infected but keep aloofe off Oh that wee could be as wise and carefull to shun this plague of all plagues sinne that is the plague of soule and body But alas alas poore plinde soules they who are most afraide of the bodily plague and infection feare not this wofull plague of sinne make no bones of horrible and grieuous sins of adultery drunkennesse lying stealing c. yea as Salomon saith Foolish men and poore blinde soules Wicked men adde sinne vnto sinne and pay one debt with another doe make a sport of sin and put on them the name of Vertue Swearing is a signe of a braue Gentleman-like minde drunkennesse good fellowship couetousnesse good husbandry fornication a tricke of youth pride cleanlinesse these men bee cleane contrary to Dauid he thought nothing more vile filthy and vncleane then sinne they iudge nothing more sweete and pleasant then sinne But if we could see the loathsome filthinesse of sinne how odious it is in the sight of God how it staines and defiles both soule and body then wee should hate it and lothe it more then a toad or a serpent and shun it aboue all things in the world but alas men sinne and yet see not that they do sin they see and feele no danger they are secure no man saith Ierem. 6. Alas what haue I done We be wary tauoyd temporall danger If a man should say to any of vs touch not that garmēt it is infected or taste not that drinke it is poisoned how ready would wee bee to shunne it and auoyde it we would not touch nor come neere it but yet though wee tell men of sinne bid them take heede of it it will infect soule and body and vnlesse men doe presently repent it will bring both to hell yet men euen mad men desperately rush into it wilfully casting away their owne soules Doctr. 4 Further Hard matter to bee cleansed from the pollution of sinne whereas Dauid prayes to bee washed yea to bee washed thorowly or much and often and more then that to be cleansed and rinsed from his sinnes we learne hence that it is not so easie a matter for a man to repent and to get the pardon of his sinnes to be washed and cleansed from them as most men thinke it is Dauid desireth the Lord to wash yea to wash him often againe and again and to bathe and rinse him from his sinnes shewing that it is a hard thing to haue the spottes of sinne to bee washed out a hard thing to obtaine the pardon of our sinnes to be cleansed from the staines and blemishes of them it will cost much sorrow many a teare many a sigh and groane euen a great measure of griefe for looke how grieuously we haue sinned so greatly should wee bewaile our sinnes And hence it is that the Lord calling the people to sorrow for their sinnes doth not require a light sorrow or some small measure of griefe but such a sorrow as should euen rent their very hearts Ioel 2.13 And the Prophet Dauid saith in the seuenteenth verse of this Psalme that a mans heart must be contrite and broken euen as it were rent asunder with godly sorrow or else his repentance will neuer be accepted of God Dauid saith Psalme 6.6 That hee watered his cowch with teares Againe he saith Psalme 42. His teares were his meate day and night And indeede it must not bee a small measure of sorrow that wee must shew for our sinnes For if wee had an hundred eyes and should weepe them all out And if wee had a thousand hearts and they should all break asunder with remorce and sorrow all were too little yea although wee shead euen teares of bloud for our sinnes Vse 1 This condemneth the common opinion of men and women Folly of naturall men described they doe think it the easiest thing in the world to repent to get the pardon of their sinnes they do thinke that Lord haue mercie on mee will serue Oh God is mercifull God is mercifull and so make Gods mercy a packe-horse of all their filthy sinnes but let no man deceiue himselfe it is an other manner of thing to repent then wee take it for it will cost thee many a teare and many a prayer before thou canst haue pardon it will cost thee many a sob and sigh and many a oh oh ere thou canst be assured of the pardon of them How then doe men deceiue their owne soules thinking euery little glimpse of their sinnes sufficient no no euery sorrow brings not with it repentance Ahab had sorrow 1. Reg. 21. He rent his cloathes and put on sackecloth and fasted but this sorrow was as the morning dew it did quietly vanish away The like may bee said of Felix Acts 24. of Herod of Pharaoh and the like all which haue had in them a kinde of sorrow but it was but carnall the end whereof is death It must then be a godly sorrow arising from the sight of our sinnes that we haue offended a good and gracious God and louing Father in Iesus Christ and this must euen wound our very soules as the people of the Iewes Acts 2.37 that wee know not which way to turne vs for comfort Vse 2 Let vs imitate Dauid let vs crie againe and againe vnto the Lord for mercy Psal 32.1 let vs beg hard for the pardon of our sinnes it is the greatest mercie in the world Pardon of
sinne the greatest mercie good things are not easily gotten heauen life eternall are hardly come by and therefore let vs not imagine that it is so easie a matter to get the pardon of our sins no no wee must fill Heauen and Earth with cryings and prayers euen as a poore thiefe condemned at the bar hee will crie with teares for mercie and as a poore beggar vnlappeth his legs sheweth his wounds and all to mooue them that passe by to pittie him Note so must wee crie as for life and death for the pardon of our sinnes lay open our soares and griefes vnto the Lord and giue him no rest vntill we haue mercy Lastly it may be demanded what washing Dauid speakes of heere he speakes not heere of the Legall washing which was ysed in the time of the Law but he speakes here of that washing which is perfourmed onely by the bloud of Iesus Christ being laid holde on by faith Iohn 1.29 1. Iohn 1.7 Reue. 1.6 Zach. 13.1 for no water whatsoeuer can wash away the least spot of sinne but onely the bloud of Iesus Christ Doctr. 5 So then we learn hence that there is nothing in heauen or earth Bloud of Christ alone doth wash awaâ— sinne 1 Iohn 1.7 Hebr. 9.9 that can purge vs from sinne and the vncleannesse of the soule but only the bloud of Iesus Christ the Lambe of God being applied vnto vs by the hand of faith hee alone is our Sauiour sauing perfectly all that are saued Hebr. 7.25 He is able to saue perfectly all that come vnto him Hebr. 1.3 And by him hee hath purged our sinne So that we are to acknowledge him to be our onely and alone Sauiour without partner according to that Acts 2. There is no other name vnder heauen giuen to saue vs but the nâ—me of Christ Actes 15.9.1 Corinth 6.11 This sheweth the follie of the Church of Rome who beare men in hand that their holy-water as they call it and coniured stuffe is able to wash away sinne no no it can not doe it onely the bloud of CHRIST can doe it and no other creature in heauen or earth And therefore howsoeuer in word they honour Christ yet in deede they deny him in ioyning to â—he all-sufficient Satisfaction of CHRIST other satisfactions as their Sacrifices in the Masse to helpe CHRISTS Sacrifice on the Crosse and the Intercession of the virgine Mary Saints and Angels c. to his meritorious intercession robbing God of his honour and CHRIST of his all-sufficient merite running from Christ the pure fountaine to the filthy puddle and mire of their owne merites and satisfaction and thus poore Catholike creatures they thinke themselues trimly washed whereas alas they are not purged from their filthinesse but are as beastly as swine Vse Seeing we be all defiled with sin originall actuall old new let vs seek to Iesus Christ and desire to be washed yea to be rinsed and bathed in his pretious bloud get one drop of it and besprinckle our poore soules with it Iohn 13.8 as Peter saith Head and hands and all both soule and body For that answere giuen by Christ vnto Peter may serue for a warning to vs all If I wash thee not thou shalt haue no part with me Which if wee did well consider as well our owne pollution as also the necessitie of Christs washing wee would answer againe with Peter O Lord not my feet only but my hands and my head Vse If this were Dauids estate and condition that he was so filthy and vncleane hauing laine but a short time in sinne that hee cryeth out amaine vnto the Lord to wash him to purge him and to cleanse him Oh then what shall wee thinke of those that not once but often not a yeare with Dauid but all the dayes of their life haue liued in the common custome and practise of sinne that haue drunke downe iniquitie as a man drinkes downe water their damnation doth not sleepe And yet poore soules they thinke that if they can besprinckle themselues with a few words in the end as to say Lord haue mercie on mee that they shall be cleane But if it did cost Dauid so many sighs and groanes and teares as in the sixt Psalme which lay but a short time in comparison of others They much deceiue themselues that doe thinke it is so easie a matter to bee washed and cleansed from the pollution of sinne that haue laine therein a long time Godly sorrow will send vs to Christ And before we can be washed and cleansed from our sins in the bloud of Christ we must haue a godly sorrow which will send vs to Christ Iesus wee must see our filthinesse and vncleanenesse how we stand in need to be washed and wee must desire it with Dauid and begge it O Lord wash me rinse mee bathe me in the bloud of Christ Secondly we must haue the hand of faith by which we must lay holde on Christs bloud and besprinckle our soules with it Euen as a man doth wash his face with his hand so faith is the hand of the soule to lay hold and apply Christs bloud and the merit of it to cleanse vs and wash vs from all our sinnes But alas poore soules you shall see many a man and woman that are very curious carefull to wash their bodies and to wash their cloathes They will not suffer the least spot in them but looke to haue them washed yet they can goe from yeare to yeare with most vile and filthie soules that euen stincke with sinne and neuer desire to be washed and rinsed yea many of those who seeme to be very gay faire outward carry filthy and vncleane hearts within And if a man could but see into their hearts and see the filthy spottes of sinne he would euen stop his nose and not indure the stench of them VERSE 3. 3. For I acknowledge mine iniquities and my sinne is euer before mine eyes Dauids reson from his former petition THe Prophet Dauid hauing intreated for sauour grace at Gods hands for the pardon of his great and grieuous sinnes he doth heeve labour to moue the Lord to pitty him and to take compassion vpon him because he doth now most frankely and freely confesse his sinnes is truely touched and grieued for them yea his poore conscience is now vpon the racke wounded and distressed and exceedingly afflicted and therefore he intreateth the Lord to pitty him For I acknowledge and confesse my sinnes against God in thy sight before thy Prophets and before all thy people yea the whole Church of God by leauing this Psalme as a testimony of my true repentance and sorrow for them Doctrine Confession euer goeth before remission Hence marke that there is no place for mercy nor any fauour to be looked for at Gods hands nor anie pardon of sinne before a sinner truly humbled doe freely and frankely confesse the same and humbly acknowledge with griefe of heart
the best insight into the Lawe of GOD hath the greatest sight of his sinne and of his misery and is most humbled and most stirred vp to seeke to God for mercy And they which haue least knowledge of the Lawe know least of their sinnes and miserie and are most prowd and least humbled neither can they truely repent For as a sicke man is then most dangerously sicke when hee hath no feeling of his sickenesse so a sinner is then in greatest misery when hee thinketh himselfe to bee no sinner Such a one is farre off from mourning and sorrowing for sinne from turning from them and returning to God Seeing he taketh himselfe to be in good case and to stand in need of no repentance And such were the Pharises in the dayes of CHRIST whom he reprooued Matth. 9.12 The whole neede not the Physition but those that are sicke I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance And done this euill in thy sight SInne may well be called an euill because it is the cause of all euill both in soule and body for al iudgement plague and punishmnnts be but the fruits that come of sinne sicknesse pouerty plague pestilence shame warre all iudgements be the fruits of sinne Secondly because sin doth displease God and offendeth his Maiestie therefore it is called an Euill of all euills Thirdly because this euill of sin infects heauen and earth and brings euill to all the creatures of God vnder heauen Vse Well seeing sin is an euil it displeaseth God it brings all euill and all manner of plagues and punishment yea eternall death in the world to come and seeing it infects heauen and earth with the poyson of it how should we hate abhorre sin quake at it be afraid to commit that which is the cause of all other euilles But alas though sin be a fearefull euill yea the cause of all euill yet we see men are not affaid of sin they quake not at it they shun it not yea they which doe feare fire and water the plague and pestilence yet dare bee doing and tampering with sin as if there were no euill nor danger in it but if we be wise let vs flie sin aboue all other euils whatsoeuer and in so doing if we flie this euill of sin we shal preuent many other iudgements and euills which are the fruits of sin In thy sight or before thine eyes As if Dauid should haue saide O Lord my God though I did commit adultery neuer so closely and caused Vrias secretly to be slaine yet alas I see all I did was manifest before thine eies and could not be hidden from thy sight Doctrine Men sinne before God Howsoeuer men and women sin neuer so closely secretly yet they sin before the face of the Lord euen in his eyes and vnder his nose the Lord standing by and looking on them neither distance of place nor secret corner neither darkenesse of the night nor any deuice and shift of man whatsoeuer is able to couer our sins from Gods eies Psal 139. Hebr. 4.13 there is no creature which is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open before his eyes with whom wee haue to do It is true indeed it is an casie matter to bleare the eyes of man to sin so closely and cunningly that no man shall know it in some secret corner in some darke night to steale lie commit adultery but although all men and Angels be ignorant yet our most secret euilles and sinnes are all naked vnto the Lords eies Vse 1 Oh that all men could be perswaded of this doctrine that we euer sin in the Lords sight when wee lie steale commit adultery then doth the Lord sees vs his fiery eies behold vs and the Lord euen then stands at our elbowes and lookes vpon vs How would this be a blessed meanes to bridle men and to restraine them from many secret and hidden sinnes What man durst be so bold and desperate to cut a purse when hee sees the Iudges eye set on him and beholdeth him And what man is so desperate that durst steale lie commit adultery if he knew that the all-seeing and piercing eyes of Almightie GOD did beholde him and looke on him This doth the Lord GOD tell the seuen Churches of Asia in euery Epistle Philip. 4. Reuel 3. I know thy workes O then let the remembrance of this make vs watchfull and wary to looke vnto all our wayes to liue as euer in Gods presence Vse 2 Here is matter of comfort and incouragement vnto the children of GOD for as the Lord sees and beholdeth all the euills and sins of men and women to iudge and to punish them al is naked to his piercing and all-seeing eyes so likewise all our good deeds and vertues are knowne and seene of God I know thy workes all thou dost both good and bad I know all Now then if the Lord do take knowledge of all our workes and sees them yea there is nothing we doe but it is manifest in his eies we know he is a bountifull God and plentifully rewards all that loue and feare him yea he will not leaue a cup of colde water without a reward O then let vs proceede and abound in good workes in knowledge faith repentance patience obedience humilitie zeale loue c. for the Lord knowes and sees all and will not let any one good work go vnrewarded Now followes the second part of the Verse containing a reason why the Prophet Dauid did thus acknowledge and confesse his sins and humbled himselfe for them namely that by this meanes hee might cleare the Lord of all iniustice and hard dealing in word or deede as if hee should haue said O Lord I confesse that seeing I haue so grieuously sinned against thee and so fowly committed euill in thy sight there is no cause why I should so much as accuse thee of the least cruelty iniustice or hard dealing with me either in thy terrible threatnings by thy seruant Nathan or thy righteous iudgement in taking away the childe conceiued in adultery for I acknowledge that I haue deserued farre more grieuous plagues and punishments for this my vile and grieuous sin And therefore by this my confession I doe cleere thee O Lord of all iniustice and cruell dealing condemne my selfe to be worthy of farre more grieuous iudgements and punishments for my sins so as all the world may see and know that thou art most iust in al thy threatnings denounced against sin and most pure and righteous in al thy iudgemēts fatherly chasticements That thou maiest be iust That is that thou maist be known iust in thy workes and all the world may see and know that there is great and iust cause of thy threatnings against sin and sinners Now what these speeches were and the iudgements threatned against Dauid looke in the second of Samuel chapter 12. verse 10. First that the Sword should neuer depart
great certainely he was neuer yet truly taught of God VERSE 7. 7. Purge mee with hissope and I shall be cleane wash me and I shall be whiter then snow Dauid renewes his former request v. 2. DAuid hauing made his request vnto GOD for mercy for the pardon of his sins and vsed a reason from the free confession and acknowledgement of them to moue the Lord to pitty him doth heere againe renue his suit and humble request vnto God and hee praieth here vnto God for two great benefites First Iustification in the free pardon of his sinnes and imputation of CHRISTS righteousnesse verse 7. And secondly for Sanctification and Reformation of the whole man verse 10. And first verse 7. he intreates the Lord for the free pardon of his sins that GOD would cleanse and wash him from them in the bloud of Christ the Lambe of GOD and secondly hee prayeth for the blessed fruite of Iustification namely peace of conscience and ioy in the spirite verse 8. for till the conscience haue a Certificate from GOD and a blessed pardon sealed and applied by faith it cannot be at quiet First seeing Dauid had prayed before vnro God for mercy and pardon of his sinnes and heere doth againe renue the same Petition and in other words puts vp his request vnto God for the same Hence we learne that the pardon of our sinnes is a singular fauour and mercy of GOD bestowed vpon vs for CHRISTS sake which appeares in that Dauid so often in a Psalme prayes for it Pardon of sinne the greatest mercy therefore it is a great and inestimable mercie and hardly come by not so easily as most men thinke Dauid sheweth how great a blessing it is in that hee preferred it before a Kingdome and though hee was a King yet he pronounceth him blessed not that is a King as in the 32. Psalme 1 2. verses But whose sinne is pardoned God hath sent his Sonne Iesus Christ to blesse you in turning euery one of you from your euill wayes a blessing of all blessings Vse 1 Seeing remission of sinnes is so great a blessing and hardly come by First we learne that wee esteeme of this aboue all other things in the world if the question were asked what wee desire in the whole world we should answere with feeling the pardon of our sinnes Mat. 16.26 and therefore we should desire and seeke this blessing aboue all other if thou bee as poore as Iob and hast this thou art a rich and a happy man Vse 2 Seeing Dauid vseth so many praiers vnto GOD and vseth such reasons to moue the Lord to pitty him and to pardon his sinnes Hence we see that those are much deceiued who thinke it is the easiest matter in the world to get the pardon of their sinnes and if they can but say Lord haue mercy on mee all is well no no Lord haue mercie on mee will not serue the turne good things are hardly come by without great trauell labour and study how much more is it hard to get the pardon of our sins the saluation of our soules and life eternall And therefore let vs know that to get the pardon of our sins we must take great paines labour and diligence wee must shed many a teare in bewailing them they will cost vs many a sobbe and many a sigh many a prayer and request vnto God vpon our knees and then if wee get it oh it is a wonderfull fauour and mercie of GOD it will make vs happy and blessed for euermore Partes of the verse Dauid makes two requests vnto God and withall shewes a twofold fruit and effect of his requests First hee intreates the Lord to Purge him with hissope and then it will come to passe He shal be cleane Secondly he desireth the Lord to wash him and then it will follow That hee shall be whiter then snow For the first Petition Purge mee with hissope In these wordes he alludeth to the Legall Ceremonies and maner of purging vsed in the time of the Law in the purifying of the Leaper and of any person polluted they were to dippe the bunch of hissope in blood or in water and so sprinckle it on the person to be purified Leu. 14.6 7 Num 19.18 which ceremony was a Type and figure of the blood of IESVS CHRIST who is that alone sacrifice and Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world Now then seeing that by this sprinkling with hyssope in the bloud of beastes is meant the sprinckling with the blood of Iesus Christ when he saith O Lord purge me with hyssope c. it is all one as if he should haue said O Lord I am exceedingly polluted and stained with sinne and vncleanenesse and no Leaper was euer more vile and loathsome then I am now in thy sight neyther is there any water to wash and purge me but I beseech thee of thy mercy to wash me and to besprinkle my soule with the blood of IESVS CHRIST that can alone take away my sins and so I shall be made cleane and pure againe Doctr. 1 Hence marke the miserable and cursed fruit of sinne Sinne is a leprousie no leprosie did euer so defile the body of a man in the time of the Iews as sinne doth staine and defile both soule and body no dunghill nor stincking carrion is so loathsome in the eies of man as an vncleane sinner is in the sight of God till hee be washed and purged in the bloud of Christ This is the reason which the Lord vsed Ioshua 7.12 why Israel fell before their enemies and he went not foorth with their Armies when they fell before the men of Ai Therfore the children of Israel can not stand before their enemies but haue turned their backes before their enemies because they are execrable we see then the nature of sinne how it maketh a man abhominable and detestable in the sight of God Vse 1 Seeing this is the cursed nature and fruit of sinne that it defileth and staineth both bodie and soule and maketh them more loathsome and vile then any toad or serpent how should wee abhorre sinne and euery wicked way wee will bee loath to touch poyson or rattes-bane or any thing else wherein is danger oh sin is such rattes-bane as infecteth and poysoneth both soule and body and therefore let vs shun sinne and touch it not Vse 2 When as wee bee defiled with sin and so made filthy and vncleane in the sight of God and more vile then any Leaper or dunghill carrion toade or serpent Oh let vs pray with Dauid to be washed and purged from our filthinesse let vs repent of all our sinnes bewaile our vncleannesse let vs by faith as a bunch of hyssope besprinckle our soules with the blood of Iesus Christ Doctr. 2 The ceremonies vnder the Law were but to lead vs vnto Christ Seeing Dauid desireth to be purged with hyssope We learne hence that the Lord
yea if the Son of God which had no sinne take but our sinnes vpon him he must be punished the Iustice of GOD will ceize vpon him And the reason of this is manifest because God doth so hate sinne that he cannot winke at it in any man Vse If the Lord do so sharpely and seuerely punish sin in his deerest children whom he loues best Oh! then what will he do vnto those that are his enemies If to the greene Tree what to the dry 1. Pet. 4.17 Ier. 25.29 If Iudgement begin at the house of God Oh! then what shall be the end of those that obey not the Gospell of God If God do so seuerely handle his owne people then much more the wicked May reioyce Doctrine Pardon of sin brings true ioy HEnce we learne that there is wonderfull ioy and gladnesse in the hearts of those who haue the pardon of their sinnes it is matter of endlesse comfort to feele the loue of God in a mans soule to know God to bee my gracious Father Iesus Christ to bee my Redeemer and the Holy Ghost to be my Comforter it is matter of endlesse comfort Psal 32.1 Blessed is hee whose wickednesse is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered Againe Rom. 14.17 The kingdome of God stands not in meat and drink but in righteousnesse peace and ioy in the Holy Ghost Vse 1 Wee learne hence that such as continue in any knowne sinne vnrepented of cannot looke for peace from God for where goes sinne there goes the curse Esay 48. There is no peace to the wicked God doth euen wage war enter into a combat against all impenitent sinners This the Prophet speaketh Psal 7. God doth whet his sword bend his bow and make it ready against the wicked And therefore if we want this and haue not the feeling of Gods loue and assurance of his mercy for the pardon of our sinnes Oh then let vs labour for it vse all meanes to attaine vnto it pray for it begge for mercy and giue no rest vnto thy soule till thou hast it and if thou hast it Oh then make much of it loose it not though thou mightst gaine a Kingdome for all the world will not affoord one dram of ioy and comfort without it and take heed of sin which will driue it away dim it and damp it and depriue vs of the feeling of it Vse 2 Wee see that vngodly men doe offer great wrong vnto the children of God Oh! say prophane beasts and Atheists these professors these Puritanes they are alwaies heauy and dumpish there is no comfort no ioy no mirth in them they are alwaies sad and heauy Thou lyest like an Atheist they haue more sound Ioy and Christian Mirth in one houre then the cursed Athiests of the world haue in a yeare yea who should bee merry if the children of GOD be not merry Who can reioyce more then hee that is the childe of God that feeles Gods loue in his soule Rom. 8.1 is a member of IESVS CHRIST and to whom there is no feare of condemnation It is true indeed in regard of our sinnes and euils wee haue cause to mourne and lament yea to weepe if it were possible teares of bloud but in regard of Gods mercy in that wee bee reconciled to God deliuered from Death Hell and Damnation by the death and merites of IESVS CHRIST in whom we beleeue we can be merry yea reioyce in all estates in sicknesse as well as in health in pouerty as plenty in prison as in liberty Looke on Peter in prison Paul in his chaines whereas wicked men haue onely a carnall and worldly ioy in their friends riches honors pleasures and delights if these be gone and lost all their ioy lyes in the dust then they be dumpish heauy and sad no ioy then no reioycing but a knife an halter a pond So that by this wee see a cleare and notable difference betweene the ioy of wicked men and the ioy of Gods children the ioy of wicked men it is carnall and worldly and earthly the ioy of Gods children is spirituall inward and heauenly theirs is onely in time of prosperity but the ioy of Gods children is durable permanent lasting for euer in life and death whereas the ioy of wicked men ends in death if not before VERSE 9. 9 Hide thy face from my sinnes and blot out all mine iniquities Dauid can no way haue peace till his sins be pardoned IN these words Dauid doth the third time renue his former petition and suite vnto God for the pardon of his sins as one wonderfully amazed and cast downe in the sense and feeling of Gods anger for his sinnes Parts of the verse And the request hath two parts First because hee had prouoked the Lord to anger and was in danger of his displeasure he intreates him to hide away his angry countenance from beholding his sinnes As if hee should haue said ô Lord I haue committed great and greiuous sinnes in thy sight and giuen thee cause to bee angry with mee but Lord I beseech thee cast away my sinnes out of thy sight looke not on them neither call them to account but put them cleane out of minde Secondly he intreates the Lord to blot them out of his book of remembrance alluding to them that keepe a booke of debt who write all downe that is owing vnto them and in token all is discharged blot and crosse the booke So he requests the Lord to crosse the booke of debt because he was not able to pay the debt therefore he requires that he would in the bloud of CHRIST bee content to blot the booke When as Dauid praies to GOD that he would turne away his face that is that he would not call his sins to mind to punish them Doctr. 1 Gods anger most fearefull to the godly but forget and forgiue them and as it were cast them behind his backe as men vse to do with things they will not remember Hence wee learne that there is nothing so fearefull to a poore distressed sinner as is the terrible anger and frowning countenance of the most righteous God 1. Cor. 10.5 Psalm 5.5 Psal 45.7 which if a man beholds and seeth the Lord to frowne vpon him it is impossible that all the creatures in heauen and earth should giue him any comfort no Dauid a King being in danger of his iust anger for sin could haue no ioy nor comfort till hee was reconciled to GOD and did behold his louing countenance turned towards him in and by the meanes of IESVS CHRIST And no maruell though the Prophet intreate the Lord to turne away his angry face for the anger of God is most terrible yea more heauy then if a Mâ—lstone yea heauen and earth should bee laid vpon a mans soule for as Paul saith Rom. 8.31 Heb. 10.30 Math. 5. if God be with vs who can be against vs so if hee bee against vs who can be with
shun sinne and the occasions of sinne for seldome shall a man fall into that sinne which he doth truely feare to commit Vse 4 As wee are to feare our owne weakenes so wee must intreate the Lord that he would neuer leaue vs to our selues but that hee would giue vs his stable and constant spirit or as Paul praies for That God would strengthen vs by his spirit in the inner man that wee might not onelie beginne well but continue by constant perseuerance in obedience all our dayes for if the Lord leaue vs alas we shal easily fall flat to the ground euen as a staffe in a mans hand so long as it is stayed it stands but if it be left alone it falls to the ground so it is with vs and therefore let vs not presume of our owne strength or power but suspect it and pray to God to renue his constant and stable spirit in vs. Vse 5 Heere is matter of great comfort to the children of GOD that fall of weaknes and infirmitie into the same sinnne after repentance and such is the deapth of Sathans temptations that hee tells them that the children of God fall not into the same sinne againe after their repentance if they do he then telleth them that there is no place for a second repentance but this is false for the promises of God are without limitation of times or consideration of sinnes or respect of persons hee will receiue to mercie all repentant sinners whether their sinnes be committed before or after repentance whether once or often so that they renue their repentance according as they haue sinned anew This pardon Christ himselfe publisheth Matthew chap. 11. Come vnto me all yee that are wearie and are heauie laden and I will refresh you Yea the Lord enjoyneth vs sinnefull men Luke 17. To forgiue our brother seuentie times seuen times if he turne againe and say it repenteth me So that wee see this is a maruellous comfort to all such as groane vnder the burden of sinne that haue fallen through infirmity into one sin often let not such be discouraged but assure themselues That albeit with Peter they fall often yet if with him they repent truely and weepe bitterly for their sinnes the Lord â—s mercifull to forgiue them their sins Not that wee should liue prowdly presumptously stubbornely and obstinately against him but if we fall through frailtie for Psalme 103. The Lord knoweth whereof wee be made hee remembreth that wee are but dust Doctr. 3 When Dauid prayeth to be renued and to recouer his former feeling and comfort Childe of God not alwaies at one stay Hence we learne that the childe of GOD is not alwayes at one stay but there is an entercourse in the estate of a Christian man or woman sometimes full of comfort ioy and peace of conscience and sometimes againe heauy and sad yea full of sorrow and perplexity euen as a man in an ague sometimes sicke and somtimes wel as it is with trees somtimes winter and sometimes summer this is the state of all Gods children as Dauid Ioseph Hezekias Iob c. and continuall experience prooues this that the estate of GODS children ebbes and flowes hath their change when as they walke directly and vprightly with God then they haue peace and comfort but when they start aside and commit some sinne then they finde torments of conscience and griefe of mind Vse 1 This shewes vs what is the estate and condition of the childe of God in this life Hee is not heere so sanctified as that hee feeles no corruption of sinne to hang about him but rather such a one as feels the burden of his corruptions hindering him in this his course of Christianity vnder which he sighes and groanes labouring by all good meanes to bee disburdened Indeed it is matter of great comfort to feele the graces of Gods Spirit as faith loue c. but no childe of God can alwayes feele the comfort of grace but as fire that is raked vp in the Ashes it is hidde from his feeling for a time but at length it will breake out againe to his great ioy and comfort Vse 2 Wel seeing this is the state of Gods children heere that sometimes they find great peace and comfort sometimes great griefe and sorrow let vs not be too much discouraged but rather whenas by our falls and slips wee haue weakened our comfort let vs intreate the Lord to renue our comfort againe let vs doe as a poore traueller if hee misse his way and goe out of it hee will hasten into it againe and trudge and plucke vp his heels to recouer that he hath lost so let vs when we haue sinned and gone out of the way make haste to returne and as a man that hath beene long sicke and growne feeble and weake will vse all meanes to gather vp his crummes and to recouer his former strength againe so let vs when wee haue lost some part of our comfort and heauenly strength let vs I say vse all blessed means to recouer our former health and comfort againe let vs pray much reade much heare much and meditate much let vs bewayle our former slouth and make more vpright steps in time to come to GODS Kingdome Doctr. 4 Note hence that it is a speciall fruit and marke of a sanctified heart A purpose not to sin the marke of a sanctified hart and of the minde renewed to haue a right Spirit that is a purpose not to sin but in all things to please GOD and to doe his will to walke with GOD in all his commaundements whereas of the contrary when a man hath a purpose to liue in any knowne sinne Psa 50.17 Marke 6.2 it is a fearefull and manifest signe of a naughty and wicked heart for when the heart is truly sanctified then will be wrought this right spirit not to sinne in any thing I doe not say that the man sanctified and regenerate doth not sinne at all but he hath not purpose to sinne no delight in sinne but beareth a constant purpose in all things to please God when he can say with Dauid I haue refrained my feet from euery euill way Gen. 17.1 Psa 18.23 1. Ioh. 3.9 Gen. 39.9 Againe Hee that is borne of God sinneth not that is with full purpose of heart with delight in sinne and as they purpose so they indeuour it they are afraide and suspect themselues shunne the occasions of sin striue against their corruptions and Sathans temptations Vse 1 This doctrine doth euidently conuince the greatest number to be such as neuer had the true worke of Sanctification wrought in them their hearts be not sanctified their minds be not renewed Why namely because they want this marke and fruit of a sanctified hart For though they heare of their sinnes be told of them and the fearefull iudgement of God denounced against them yet they will not leaue them nor forsake them but will continue in them yea
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
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
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
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.
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
not ashamed to Chronicle them euen in the word of God for all posterities to beg the pardon of them And lastly we shall see the endlesse loue and mercy of GOD towards poore and miserable sinners when they shall truly repent and seeke for mercy The whole Psalme containes two parts Diuision of the Psalme first the preface of the psalme shewing the occasion of it and by whom it was penned and secondly the Psalme it selfe which containes in it nothing else but a most earnest prayer of Dauid as a poore prisoner arraigned and condemned at GODS Barre And the Petitions of the Psalme are two-fold First there be some concerning Dauid himselfe to the eighteenth verse And secondly some as concerning the good of the whole Church in generall Because his sinne had endangered not onely his owne estate but euen the good and flourishing estate of the whole Church of God In the Preface or Title of the Psalme First marke to whom this excellent Psalme was committed To him that excelleth or to the excellent Musition Secondly by whom it was penned A Psalme of Dauid Thirdly the circumstance of time when it was penned When Nathan the Prophet came vnto him Fourthly the occasion of it namely Nathans message from the Lord sharpely reproouing Dauids sinnes adultery and murther IeduthuÌ„ To him that excelleth or to the excellent Musition First to whom this Psalm was committed The Prophet Dauid when he had penned any Psalme for the comfort and benefit of the Church of GOD was wont as it seemeth to commit them to those men who were appoyneted Maisters of the Musicke wherein they did sing in the Temple to Gods glory 1. Chr. 25.1 1. Chron. 15.16 1. Chr. 9.33 as Heman Asaph Corah Ieduthum c. And whereas Dauid and Salâ—mon were commaunded of God to appoynt some companies of Musitions to sing vnto GOD these were the Maisters of the Musicke to set the tunes and dispose of them Doctr. 1 From hence that Dauid did commit this Psalme and the rest to the Maisters of Musicke to be sung in the Church of God to his glory we learne that singing of Psalmes in the Assemblies Singing of Psalmes an antient practise and Congregation of Gods people is not onely an ancient custome of the Church of God but very lawfull and commendable vsed as we see here in the daies of Dauid and Salomo and commaunded them of God so it was the vsual practise of Christ his Apostles to sing Psalmes after they had eaten And it is said of Peter that being in prison Act. 16.25 euen there he sang Psalmes to GOD And in the dayes of the Apostles it was vsed as Paul shewes commanding the Colossians and all Christians to vse this holy exercise Admonish your selues in Psalmes Hymnes Col. 3.16 1. Cor. 14.15 and spirituall Songs singing with a grace to the Lord in your hearts Vse This then should stir vs vp to the more carefull practise of this godly duty and it condemnes the profanenes of those scoffing wretches who mocke as at all other duties of Gods people their prayer hearing reading conference c. so at their singing of Psalmes Alas these profane beasts and gracelesse wretches hauing no grace in their hearts they see not nor perceiue not the comfort which GODS children finde in singing of Psalmes vnto God But some may say I could neuer receiue any such spirituall ioy in singing of Psalmes It may be so and thine estate so much the more to bee feared As the Prodigall sonne in the fifteenth chapter of Saint Lukes Gospel did know it and enioy it So the Elder sonne asked what maner of ioy it is And so may worldlings aske Quale gaudium We answer That which is knowne by taste cannot by speech So taste what ioy it is and then as Christ saide I haue breade to eate and ye know not of it So may the Christian say I haue ioy and ye know not of it But because most men and women thinke it an excellent and comfortable practise I wil shew you how wee ought to be qualified lest if we take more delight in the sweetenesse of the Musicke then in the comfort of the Psalme we doe but make a noyse and loose the benefit of singing yea take the holy name of God in vaine First then that wee may sing to Gods glory and to our comfort we must sing with the heart and with the vnderstanding So Saint Paul in the third chapter and sixeteenth verse of the Colossians saith I will pray and sing with the spirit and vnderstanding that is How to â—ing aright with knowledge and vnderstanding of that I sing not as the Papists vse to roare in their Masses in latine so as none that heare theÌ„ vnderstaÌ„d what is said or what 's doâ— Secondly for the matter of our singing it must be Psalms Hymns and spirituall Songs not vile and filthy songs which are the diuels musicke in the mouths of prophane persons wherefore let vs put away all vile and filthy Songs And let vs cheare vp our spirits and make our selues merry with Dauids musicke As the Spirit of God hath giuen him the name of the Sweet Singer so let his musicke be sweet in our eares let vs often sing this Psalme and other his mournefull Songs that wee may be filled with the ioy of the Spirit as he was And passe from hence into those eternall ioyes whither he is entred that so ioyntly they may sing together Thirdly we must not sing to spend the time or to satisfie our eares with noise or tune but in singing we must seeke to expresse our thank efulnesse to God to redeeme the time be not like the tinckling Cimballs nor the musicke of children And therefore we must euen labour our selues to be affected in singing with cheerefulnes vnto God Fourthly in singing seeing it is a part of prayer we must looke to doe it with all reuerence as vnto GOD himselfe and as wee would shew all seemely and decent behauiour when we thanke our superiour for a good turne so should wee to GOD These things being duly considered singing it both procureth dignity grace to the holy actions and much auaileth to stirre vp the mind to true affection and feruentnes of praying But we must diligently beware that our ears be not more heedfully bent to the Note then our mindes to the spirituall sense of the words The second point in the Title of the Psalme By whom it was peuned 1. Sa. 16.18 2. Sa. 13.1 is the Penne-man of this Psalme howsoeuer it was endited by the Holy Ghost yet you see it was penned by Dauid a worthy and renowned King of Israel a holy Prophet of GOD a man after GODS owne heart endued with excellent and singular gifts graces of Gods Spirit Vse Now from the Pen-man of this excellent Psalme who was so worthy a King and Prophet and containing in it such excellent and necessary matter it ought
to vs. Doctr. 1 Hence wee learne to whom wee must direct al our praiers namely to God alone God alone is to bee prayed to Rom. 10.14 Dan. 6. Psal 2.7 Leui. 19.31 Esay 8.19 Esay 59. Dan. 9.17 Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost because we must pray to him alone on whom wee must beleeue Secondly God alone can and will pardon the sinnes of those that seeke vnto him for mercy Thirdly it is GODS commaundement that wee should pray to him and to no other creature Fourthly we haue promises that if we pray vnto him he will heare vs. Fiftly wee haue the examples of all GODS children who in all their troubles sought to GOD alone and to no other creature in the world and he preuailed How auaileable were the prayers of Abraham being made vnto God in faith Genesis chap. 18. That if ten righteous persons had beene found in Sodome GOD had spared those Cities for their sakes How was the Sunne and Moone staied by the praier of Ioshâ—ah till hee was reuenged on his enemies Iosua chap. 10. How did Elias by his praier obtaine rain which had been with-held from the earth 3 yeares and 6 moneths 1. Reg. 17. Iam. 5. Acts 12.1.2 Iohn 5.14 Dan. 9.17 Iohn 11.4l Vse 1 This condemns the blasphemous doctrine of the Church of Rome who teach men to pray vnto Saints and Angels to the Virgine Mary to stocks and stones and I know not what whereas the Lord saith plainely He wil gine his glorie to no creature Esay 41.8 Esay 63.16 Now that wee may not pray vnto them it is manifest first wee haue no commandement secondly no promise thirdly no examples of Gods children fourthly wee may not beleeue in them Nay would we not take him to be a foolish Suppliant that when the Kings Sonne offereth to speake for him to his Father would refuse to vse his mediation and goe to one of his scruants to intreate for him Is it not meete that such a one should bee said nay Euen so inasmuch as the Father sendeth vs vnto his Sonne the Sonne calleth vs vnto himselfe what madnesse is it then to runne as well from the one as from the other to goe from the Sonne to the Saints from him that can heare to them that cannot help depriuing the Father of his honour the Sonne of his office disgracing the Saints Away therefore with the mediation of Saints Angells who know not our hearts nor heare our prayers There is one Mediator betwixs God and Man the man Christ Iesus And 1. Iohn 5.14 This assurance haue we in him that if we aske any thing according to his will hee heareth vs. Let vs treade in the steps of Dauid and Moses and the rest of the Seruants of God who haue euer in their greatest troubles called vpon the name of the Lord. And howsoeuer Papists or Idolaters will bee ready to pretend humilitie that they will not be so bold to come to GOD themselues but they wil vse the mediation of such as are about him yet let vs know that Dauid when he came to GOD he was as humble as they and farre beyond them yet his humilitie did no whit hinder his holy boldenesse as to come into GODS presence For our humilitie doth not appeare in shrowding our selues vnder the Saints wings but by humble and hearty confession of our sinnes vnto God Vse 2 Let vs go vnto God in prayer intreate for mercy at his hands Let vs not goe to Saints or Angells or anie other creature saue God alone in the name of Christ Iesus what father is more ready and willing to heare his child then the Lord is ready and neare at hand to heare them that call vpon him in truth now that wee may pray vnto God for mercie and pardon of our sinnes wee must be perswaded of two things First of the power of God that he is able Secondly of his will that hee is willing to pardon them The poore Leper saith Lord if thou wilt thou canst make mee cleane Matth 8.2 And therefore that wee may pray in faith and assurance let vs bee perswaded of these two First that GOD is almightie and is able to pardon all our sinnes though neuer so great Secondlyâ— that he iâ— most ready and willing for Christs sake in whose name wee come vnto him to pardon all our sinnes for if we doubt of either of these we cannot pray in faith and so shall not obtaine that we desire Vse 3 Seeing Dauid prayeth for pardon of sinne and craues it only at GODS hands wee see that that is a cursed and blasphemous Doctrine of the Papists who hold that their head the Pope can pardon sinne The Pope can not forgiue sinnes yea not only giue a man pardon for his sinnes past but for money can pardon and seale him a pardon for sinnes many yeares to come a most blasphemous doctrine and that which opens a gap to all sinne when a man shall haue promise of pardon for sins to come But wee see heere that the word of God speakes cleane contrary namely that GOD alone can pardon sins For who can forgiue sinnes saue God onely Luke 5.21 And where did we euer find that GOD did pardon a mans sinnes for time to come but rather threatneth sinners with Iudgement to make them beware of sinne so that we see the Pope is Anti-christ who setteth himselfe in the seate of God and exalts himselfe aboue God 2. Thes 2.4 in that hee takes vpon him that God neuer did to giue a man pardon of his sinnes before they be committed After thy louing kindenesse DAuid being dismayed and cast downe in the sence of his misery doth looke vp to Gods mercie and is emboldened thereby to draw nearer vnto him and with som comfort to call vpon him for mercy Doctr. 1 Whence we learne first of all this Doctrine ExperieÌ„ce of former fauour assureth of future fauour that the experience of Almighty Gods former fauour casteth off feare and causeth affiance in God and is one of the chiefest causes to moue vs stil to trust in him as Psalme 4. Heare mee when I call O God of my righteousnesse For thou hast set mee at liberty when I was in trouble haue mercy therefore vpon me and hearken to my prayer Where the Prophet reasoneth from the time past to the time to come and intreateth God to heare him now because hee had alreadie shewed mercie on him The like we may see Psal 22. Thou diddest draws me out of the wombe c. Out of which words we gather that the Prophet for benefites past assureth himselfe of deliuerance from dangers present The like of the Lion and the Beare 1. Sam. 17.34 Psal 3.4 7. Vse 1 We learne hence to acknowledge his great mercie that maketh one mercy seale of another one grace the pawne of an other Now what man or woman hath not receiued thousands and ten thousands of mercies from the God of mercy
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
to life eternal but liuing and dying a naturall man he must needs be damned and die eternally Except a man be borne anew Iohn 3. Luke 13.5 hee can not see the kingdome of GOD Againe Except yee repent yee shall all perish And therefore so long as wee continue in the state of nature being conceiued and borne in sinne we are in a most miserable and damnable estate For the poyson of our nature is the same in vs that is in the wicked And by nature wee are prone to all manner of sinne and howsoeuer by the speciall mercie of God wee haue escaped many horrible and grieuous sinnes which we finde that the wicked of God haue fallen into It is not for that wee are of a purer Nature then they for it is alike with the Reprobate but because the poysoned corruption thereof hath not yet discouered it selfe in vs which wee haue iust cause euery day to feare Oh then let vs labour to get out of this cursed state of nature and get into the state of grace to be borne a new to become new creatures in Christ Iesus to repent to seeke to Iesus Christ for mercy for if we liue and die in the state of nature it is impossible wee should be saued And therefore the state of all carnall men and women which are meerely natural howsoeuer ciuill honest is a fearfull state and condition for all this while they doe nothing but sinne all the actions of a naturall man be so many sins vnto him as prayer hearing the Word receiuing the Sacraments Genesis 4. and the like for before anie of these sacrifices can be accepted of God their persons must first bee approued Vse 2 Seeing that all of vs be conceiued in sinne and stained wich originall vncleanenesse and therefore are not onely subiect to the curse of GOD but euen polluted in soule and body blind in our minds rebellious in our wils and affections Then those men who stand vpon their owne wit and wisedome and care not for the word of God preached shew that they be in a miscrable case all the knowledge wit and strength of nature cannot bring a man to heauen and to life eternall and the reason is The naturall man perceiueth not the things that are of God Againe 1. Cor 1 10 1. Cor. 1.21 Rom. 8.8 Gen 8.21 When as the world could not know God in the wisedome of God it pleaseth God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue and therefore let vs renounce our selues our naturall wisedome strength and goodnesse and become fooles in our selues that we may be wise in God abhorre our selues and our owne goodnesse and labour to be found righteous in Christs righteousnesse Paul confesseth Rom. 7.18 That in me there dwelleth no good thing wee cannot thinke a good thought much lesse doe any good till we be illuminated by the word and spirit inlightned and sanctified Vse 3 Then we see that Doctrine of the Papistes that man hath naturally free-will and by vertue of that can doe some good to please God and can keepe the Lawe and merite life eternall that it is most false for all men be conceiued in sinne starke dead in sinne haue no power to will good things but are prone to all euill and corruption Man hath no free-will in anything that is good and leadeth to life eternall but all to euill And in sinne hath my mother conceiued me HEereby we may note the greatnesse of Adams fall And the sinne of our first Parents who did not onely bring the curse of GOD vpon themselues but vpon all their posterity and did not onely defile themselues but all that should come of them for Adam did not fall as a priuate man but as the maine roote and stocke of all mankinde and wee all fell in him because we were all in his loynes and therefore seeing such is the greatnesse of Adams fall wee ought to be humbled for it and daily to bewaile it because if hee had not sinned then we should not haue beene conceiued in sinne nor lost the Image of GOD wherein wee were at first created in holinesse and righteousnesse and withall wee must labor to be renewed daily and to haue the Image of Almightie God restored by dying to sinne and liuing to righteousnesse that wee may be holie as GOD is holie and righteous as GOD is righteous Doctr. 3 We see that Parents Godly parents beget sinfull children though they be holie and such as beleeue yet they beget children in sinne and vncleanenes and doe conuey originall sin vnto their children they warme them with vncleane bloud and so by that meanes doe make them children of wrath and heires of Gods anger and in state of damnation for beleeuing parents beget not beleeuing children but children like vnto themselues as they be sinnefull men and women Adam begate a childe in his owne likenesse that is Genes 5.3 a sinfull man like himselfe Now we know that Gods Image was defaced in Adam hee begate a sonne therefore corrupt according to his owne corrupt Image as Iob speaketh Iob 14.4 Who can bring a cleane thing out of that which is vncleane And this is the reason Gen. 4.3 That the corrupt nature of Cain led him to that for the which he had no example And so this is true of all men else though they might neuer see any thing that were euill yet of themselues of their owne disposition they would doe euill being by nature men haled thereunto Vse 1 Well seeing parents now by the fall of Adam Parents duetie get sinnefull children and they be bred and borne in sinne and they be meanes to beget them and to bring them into the world and to conuey originall sinne vnto them and make them in a fearefull and damnable estate oh how should Parents labour to bring them out of the state of Nature and Damnation into Grace and Saluation if thou shouldest doe any thing to bring thy childe into danger of death Note this well how would it grieue thee that thou by thy folly shouldest bring thy childe to vntimely death how much more bringing them in danger of eternall death And therefore pity thy poore childe seeke to make him the childe of God vse all good meanes to haue him made the childe of God repent thy self pray for him admonish him bring him to the Word and publique meanes call vpon him to repent to begge the pardon of his sin to feare God giue him good example lest for want of this thou doe thrust his poore soule into hell Oh how can parents be too carefull for their children seeing they haue beene the meanes to bring them into so wofull estate Vse 2 Seeing that Dauid doth acknowledge his naturall corruption to this end euen to aggrauate the grieuousnesse of his sinne and not to lessen it or to excuse himselfe but rather to confesse that hee was nothing else but a masse of sinne and all
sport and passe-time no sorrow nor heauinesse but spend their dayes in pleasure Iob 21.13 Psal 73. But sodainely they goe downe to hell Now who wil call this a true ioy nay it is a swinish and brutish ioy carnall and fleshly for if they knew all and saw their misery that they be in danger of Gods eternall vengeance of hell and damnation oh then they would mourne and turne all their mirth into teares If a traytor be apprehended arraigned conuicted and condemned to bee hanged drawne and quartered and looks for nothing but present death and execution and yet should giue himselfe to eating and drinking to carding and dicing to ryot reuelling Would not all men say he was a madde man and out of his wits surely this is the case of all wicked and vnregenerate men they bee arraigned and already condemned they want nothing but execution and they bee euery moment in danger of hel-fire alas what cause haue they to bee merry yea how haue they cause to howle and cry and mourne for griefe and therefore their mirth is but madnesse Iam. 4.9 Vse 2 Seeing wee can haue no peace of conscience nor any sound comfort till wee haue the feeling of Gods loue and assurance of the pardon of our sinnes let vs neuer giue any rest to our soules till we haue repented and got some blessed perswasion of Gods loue in Christ and some warrant from the Spirit that our sinnes are done away Rom. 14.17 For the kingdome of God stands not in any outward thing but in righteousnesse peace and ioy in the Holy Ghost Alas if any of vs were condemned to death lay in prison looking for nothing but present execution What could do vs good There were then no ioy in wife nor children lands nor liuings meate nor musicke no no vnlesse were haue the Kings pardon we cannot bee merry but would contemne all these things Euen so when a poore sinner is arraigned and condemned in his owne conscience for sinne hath no feeling of Gods loue and mercy for pardon of it how is it possible that hee should haue one dramme of ioy till the Lord in mercy seale vnto his poore soule a generall pardon by his spirit dipped in the bloud of Christ Iesus Well then let vs neuer be at peace nor giue any rest vnto our soules till we haue got some comfortable perswasion of Gods mercy for the pardon of our sinnes That the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce THese words containe in them the second part of this verse 2 Part of the verse and it is as much as if the Prophet should haue said O Lord I intreate thee for Christ Iesus sake to for giue me my sinnes and giue mee the blessed assurance of the same in my soule and conscience that so feeling and finding that thou art reconciled and hast pardoned my sinnes my soule so wounded and ouerwhelmed with griefe and sorrow as my very bones and most strong parts are wasted and consumed and my strength decaied may be restored cheered vp and gladded By this speech he would shew his â—xtreame griefe and sorrow for his sinnes Pro. 8.14 Psa 32.3.4 which was so extreame that it wasted consumed his strength dryed vp his bones spent his marrow Doctr. 1 Hence we see that there is no sorrow in the heart of Gods children like that sorrow which is for sin No sorrow in the godly like the sorrow for sinne and offends our most gracious God and mercifull Father Great is the griefe of an husband that looseth a kinde and vertuous wife and who can expresse the sorrow of a father or mother for the death of their deere and onely childe But yet all the sorrow in the world is not like that sorrow and griefe of heart for sinne this will wound the conscience cause weeping and wailing and great heauinesse it will euen weaken the body and strength of nature and if it bee of any continuance it will waste the bones and consume the flesh When I held my tongue my bones consumed Lam. 1.2.5.2.11 Psal 32. Psal And the reason is this because a poore sinner being wounded in conscience for sinne and not feeling the loue and mercy of God for pardon he sees nothing but hell nothing but damnation and the wrath of God which is a fearefull thing for this causeth torments and feares and terrours and makes iudgements what is more terrible and fearfull then to feele the heauy weight and burthen of Gods anger which is insupportable For as Salomon saith Pro. 18.14 A man may beare his sicknesse and infirmitis but a wounded Conscience who can beare Againe Heb. 10.31 It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing GOD. Vse 1 Seeing this is the wofull fruite of sinne that is thus wounds the conscience and wasteth the flesh and the bones we see how God hateth sinne euen in his deerest children so as if they will needes sinne and rebell against God they must feele the wofull smart of it And therefore let vs aboue all things shun it auoid it nor dare to commit it Oh! it will cost thee deere it will make thy heart to ake it will breed thee much woe and misery in soule and body Vse 2 We see the miserable blockishnesse of all carnall men and women who are not ashamed to say that they had rather deale with God then with men for sinne but alas they neuer knew nor felt the weight of sinne but if God should once open their eyes and let them see their sinnes and feele the weight of his anger for them Oh! then they will confesse it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of God If he be angry saith Dauid blessed is the man that trusteth in him Psalm 2. Vse 3 Let vs learne that it is not some light sorrow or small sigh or Lord haue mercy on mee will serue for our sinnes against God No no let vs labour to bee humbled more deeply for our sinnes seeing by them wee offend a most mercifull God yea if it were possible to shed euen teares of bloud for our sinnes for all were little enough to expresse that griefe for sinne wee ought to haue Which thou hast broken THat is which thou O Lord my God in iustice hast inflicted vpon me for these my great and heynous sinnes Doctrine There is no respect of persons with God Hence behold that God is most righteous and iust in punishing and correcting the sinnes of men he cannot winke at sinnes of men he cannot winke at sinne in any man no not in them that bee deere and neere vnto him in his most holy seruant Dauid 2. Sam. 24. Esay 39. Math. 23. a man after his owne heart a holy Prophet of the Lord yet if he rebell and play the wanton he is sure to be whipt for it as heere in this place so when hee numbred the people so Hezehiah Ierusalem the holy Citty
them mercy he should be vniust and deny himselfe and be no God Vse Well then let this prouoke euerie man to repent and turne to God for if thou doest bewaile thy sinnes and begge pardon thou maiest chalenge it at Gods hands vrge him with his promise and hee can no more denie thee mercy then hee can deny himselfe for he should not be iust in his promise if he should not pardon repentant sinners And this me thinks should be a wonderfull inducement to moue all sinners to repent seeing the Lord is true of his word and can nor deny thee mercie vnlesse hee should deny himselfe and so be vniust which is impossible for hee is true of his word VERSE 15. 15. Open thou my Lippes O Lord and my Mouth shall shew forth thy praise DAuid hauing sundrie â—mes prayed and preferred many requests to God for grace and mercie for pardon of his sins in the 13.14 verses he vseth a reason drawne frorn his thankefulnesse which he will shew vnto God in laboring to set forth his glory in beeing a faithfull and zealous Preacher of Gods mercie vnto other to draw them to God But heere in this 15. verse Dauid finding and feeling his mouth as it were stopped and his lippes tied vp by reason of his sins the feeling of Gods anger intreateth him to open his lips againe and to giue him matter of praise and thankesgiuing Open thou my lippes Sence of the words AS if hee should say O Lord I confesse that my sinnes and the great griefe I haue conceiued for them by the sence and feeling of thy displeasure hath stopped my mouth so as I am not able to preach thy mercie and to praise thee as I desire Now then I beseech thee Lord. to take from me that sorrow and extremity of grief pardoning my sins and receiuing me into fauour that I may haue matter ministred vnto mee to praise thy name for the pardon of my sins deliuer me from thy wrath and eternall damnation Doctr. 1 So long as the conscience doth accuse for sin Sin takes away the vse of the tong that man cannot speake as hee should and men are not assured of Gods loue in Christ poore soules they can not so much as once open their mouthes and moue their tongues and lippes to praise GOD with any sound comfort For how can a condemned man doe this that can find nothing but hell in his conscience and trouble of minde No the sin and griefe for sin and feare of Gods wrath will stoppe the mouth Let any man take triall of his owne heart and hee shall finde this true by his owne experience that the guiltinesse of sin and accusation of conscience for feare of Gods anger will stoppe a mans mouth so as hee shall not bee able to open his mouth with comfort to praise God Yea though a man bee elected called sanctified the deare childe of God a sound Christian yet when he shal fall into sinne adultery murder c. when the poore conscience is now vpon the racke he shall feele a hell for the present he shall find his mouth stopped so as where be could before praise God thankefully and comfortably and call on his name yea hee would be a meanes to stirre on others yet after the committing of sinne and accusing of conscience he shall find his lippes tied vp and his mouth stopped for the present time no power nor will to praise God No but this will sound often and lowd in thy eares Psal 50. What hast thou to do to declare my ordinance and to take my Name into thy mouth So that a poore sinner in distresse and feeling the conscience to accuse for some sinne and fearing Gods displeasure shall feare euen to name and mention the name of God Vse 1 Seeing this is the wofull and bitter fruit of sinne against knowledge and conscience euen to stoppe our mouthes and to tie vp our tongues so as we shall not be able once to open our lips to praise God with comfort How should this make vs exceeding afraid of sin to commit it to be afraid of offending God wounding our consciences so as we shall not dare to name the name of God Wee see they which be neare to the King or great persons if they know any thing that doth offend them so as they shall not indure in their presence they shall be carefull to shun and auoyd it Well sinne is of that nature that it will make vs afraide once to name the named God and ashamed to come before him and quake to call vpon him Vse 2 If thou canst now call vpon God with comfort and praise him cheerefully with peace of Conscience Oh make much of it and take heed of sinne and disobedience for that will be a meanes to stop the mouth of thy conscience and make thee that thou shalt not bee able to open thy lips to praise the Lord. Vse 3 Wee see heere that all the praises that wicked men offer vnto GOD they bee but as desperate songs of a condemned man as if one arraigned and condemned of treason should sing and make himselfe merry when he is at deaths dore it is but mad mirth Is any man merry Iames 4. let him sing Psalmes Is any man sad let him pray So then seeing wicked men liue in sin in danger of Gods vengeance hell damnation it were better for them to weepe and â—ring their hands as Howle and weepe yee rich men Iames 4.9 So if wicked men knew all and saw Gods vengeance hanging ouer them hell fire gaping for them and the deuill leading them blind-fold to the place of perdition they would change all their mirth into lamentation and mourning for so long as thou liuest in sinne without assurance of GODS mercy in CHRIST alas thou hast no power to open thy lips or to moue thy tongue to praise God Doctr. 2 If Dauid could not of himselfe open his lips to praise God No ability in man to performe any good but the Lord must vnlocke them by the key of the Spirit and put his finger into his mouth and say Ephata Hence we learne that it is not in the power of man to keep the Law of God to merit heauen and saluation by his owne goodnesse and merites for if a man haue not this power so much as to open his lips how much lesse to performe the whole Law and so to merit heauen and saluation No a man cannot of himselfe thinke a good thought but the Lord must worke both will and deed Vse 1 It serues to pull downe the pride of mans heart for by nature we are giuen to think well of our selues to admire our owne goodnesse and worthinesse our owne gifts as though we could do great matters and yet alas fooles that wee be we are not able to open our lips but by the help of God but if God haue giuen thee any gift or power to doe or
wept when wee remembred thee O Syon And when the people desired Samuel to pray for them 1. Sam. 12.32 hee said God forbid that I should sinne against the Lord and cease praying for you This Paul performed to the Romans Rom 1. vers 9.10 GOD is my witnesse whom I serue in my Spirit in the Gospell of his Sonne that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers So that we see here it hath been the practise of the Church and people of God to pray for the Church of God and that indeed for sundry reasons First it is Gods commandement that wee should pray for the Church of God Psal 12.22 6. pray for the peace of Ierusalem that is for the good and flourishing estate of Gods Church and people Secondly as it is Gods commandement so it is for our owne good because we shall fare the better for the common good of Gods Church they shall prosper that loue thee Thirdly we are or should be members of the Church of God whereof Christ is the onely head Now then members of the same body should procure the good one of another and therefore if it goe ill with the Church of God it cannot goe well with vs. How did Moses plead with God sundry times for his Church and people Exod. 32. So Nehemy he fasted prayed for the Church in misery Nehem. 1. and for the Citty of his Fathers Ierusalem And as it is the duty of all in generall to pray and procure the peace prosperity of Gods Church and people so especially ought Kings and Magistrates who are the gouernors and leaders of Gods people and his Lieutenants vpon earth Secondly Ministers are bound by especiall bond to pray for GODS Church Esay 6.21 Verse 6 For Syons sake I will not hold my peace and for Ierusalems sake I wil not rest vntill the righteoussnesse thereof breake forth as the light and the saluation thereof as a burning lampe I haue set watchmen vpon thy walles O Ierusalem which all the day and all the night continually shall not cease ye that are mindfull of the Lord keepe not silence Vse If this bee the duty of all men to labour to procure the wel-fare and happinesse of Gods Church and people then most wofull is the estate of all those that hinder the true worship and seruice of God when wicked men like bloudy SAVL shall breathe out threatnings and slaughter to the Church of God Well Acts 9.1 we shall reade in the Word of God as also in the Acts and Monuments wee shall euer finde the end of persecutors to bee exceeding fearefull some stricken downe with sudden death some dying desperatly and despairing of Gods mercy some run madde and the like fearefull ends which might admonish all persecuting Tyrants and bloudy enemies of the Church to change their minds and no more to persecute the poore Church and children of God lest they be plagued in the like manner Be fauourable Doctr. 3 That is Liberty of preaching one of Gods fauours so blesse thy poore Church that in it thy seruants the Prophets may euer preach thy holy word that thy worship and seruice may purely be performed and thy name called vpon the number of the elect may be increased and many soules saued Hence we learne that it is the great fauour and mercy of GOD to any Church or people when the word and Gospell of God is soundly and sincerely preached and the Sacraments duly administred when the people may with liberty and comfort come together to sanctifie Gods Sabaoth to call vpon the Lord in his Sanctuary to worship the Lord in his House And surely we see here what great cause we haue to blesse the name of GOD in this Land how gratious the Lord hath beene vnto vs aboue all Nations that are round about vs. So on the contrary part it is a great and grieuous iudgement of God to want faithful Ministers and holy seruants of God when God shall cause the golden Bels of Aaron to cease it is a token of Gods displeasure with any people town or kingdome then the Lord frownes vpon them and is exceeding angry with them then wo to that nation country or people when the Lord departs from them when he shal take a way their watchmen when he shall depriue them of their faithfull Ministers when hee shall take away his Word and Gospell The Lord threatens this as the greatest of all iudgements Amos 8.11 Reuel 2. then comes in sinne ignorance prophanetie impiety idolatry superstition and all manner of sinne till the Lord come with his iudgments to destroy them Vse 1 Seeing it is so great a token of the Lords dis-fauour of his anger and displeasure against any Church or Kingdome oh then let vs repent of our sins let vs intreate the Lord not to bring this iudgement vpon vs but rather to humble vs by any other meanes as it pleaseth his Maiesty Vse 2 This condemnes a plaine dotage and foolish dreame of ignorant persons Oh say some it was neuer a good world since wee had so much preaching but in time of Popery then all things were cheape and so they gather by outward peace and tranquility that GOD loued them and liked of them But wee see here howsoeuer many poore soules may deceiue themselues it is a singular fauour of God to a people when hee giues them his Gospell to bee truely preached taught vnto them when they may call vpon him in publicke and priuate This is a speciall fauour of God but where this is wanting Where prophesying failes Prou. 29. the people perish For where the word of God is not preached and the people taught there they are ignorant blinde and prophane and all manner of sinne abounds and where sinne abounds there the curse of God must needes hang ouer the heads of that people for where the word is not preached and the people taught though they abound in all prosperity yet it is not so great a fauour as they thinke it to be Nay it may be aiudgement vnto them for what are they the better to haue peace and plenty ease and liberty when as they want the fauour of God For euery blessing is not a benefite According to thy good pleasure These words containe the ground of his request namely the endlesse mercy and fauour of God in IESVS CHRIST not any goodness or worthinesse of their owne of Dauid or the people but hee builds his faith and petition of Gods meere and vndeserued mercy in Christ Doctr. 4 Hence wee learne Faith must not rest vpon others merits that wee must build our faith not vpon any goodnesse desert or worthinesse of our owne but vpon the alone mercy and good pleasure of GOD Dan. 9. He doth confesse it is true that they dare not appeare in their owne name or worthinesse but onely in the mercy of God in Christ To vs belongs shame Dan. 9.
his sinnes vnto the Lord where we are to obserue two things First the person to whom wee must confesse our sinnes Secondly the manner how we must confesse them Person to whom For the person to whom we must confesse it is GOD as this example of Dauid doth teach vs verse 4. Against thee against thee onely haue I sinned Againe Psal 32.5 I saide I will confesse my sinnes vnto the Lord and so thou forgauest the wickednesse of my sinne It is true indeede wee may by our sinnes wrong men as Dauid did Vrias But being sinne the chiefest wrong is vnto the Lord The Scribes and Pharises though they were corrupt in many things else yet they held this for a truth that none could forgiue sinne but God onely Marke 2.7 And this doth the Lord testifie of himselfe Esay 43.25 I euen I am hee that putteth away thine iniquities for my owne sake 1. Iohn 1.9 If we confesse our sinnes God is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes Besides these Precepts in the word of God there is recorded the repentance of Gods children who haue humbly acknowledged their sinnes vnto GOD as Manasses 2. Chronic. 33. Dauid 2. Sam. 12. The Prodigall Sonne Luke 15. So true is that saying Prouer. 28.13 He that hides his sinnes shall not prosper but hee that confesseth them shall haue mercie And this did Dauid proue by his owne experience that so long as hee held his peace Psalme 32.5 and did not acknowledge his sinnes vnto the Lord but concealed smothered and hid them so long his poore conscience was vpon the racke his soule was troubled and greatly disquieted but after he had confessed them and repented of them the Lord for gaue them and shewed him mercy Secondly wee must confesse our sinnes also vnto men and that both priuately and publikely as the quality of the sinne requireth For howsoeuer we condemne Auricular confession as hauing in it nothing but policie and a racke to the conscience yet wee doe not onely allow but call and crie for that voluntarie confession which euerie Christian ought to make to their godly patron of such sinnes as disquiet the conscience and no doubt great blessings and comfort follow them that vse this godly practise And therefore Ioshua 7.10 When Ioshua laboured to bring Achan to a sight of his sin he saith My sonne I beseech thee giue glory to the Lord God of Israel and make confession vnto him and shew mee now what thou hast done Againe Confession must be made vnto men and that in respect of the Church that the Congregation that hath been offended may be satisfied as also that others may bee terrified from falling into the same sinnes 1. Timot 5.20 Them that sinne rebuke openly that the rest may feare And last of all in respect of the sinner himselfe that ther by he may be the more humbled as that incestuous person 2. Corinth 2.7 That was deliuered vp to Sathan for his sinne which brought him to humiliation whereas otherwise if the punishment were laide onely on their purse few or none would regard it But withall we must know that a man is not bound to confesse his sinnes to the Minister onely and to none else as Papists would haue men doe it to a Friar But hee may make choice of any other Christian friend according to that of Saint Iames Iames 5.16 Acknowledge your faults one to another and pray one for an other that ye may be healed Vse 1 Seeing true and harty repentance cannot goe without a free and franke confession of sinnes and a hearty and humble acknowledgement of them First this condemneth all those who are so farre from confessing of them that they are not ashamed to iustifie their sinnes euen to patronize them to pleade for them as tell men of their sins and impieties they answer what need you care you shall not answere for my sinnes take care for your selfe so reproue swearing drunkennesse pride c. and men are so farre from being humbled and confessing them that they iustifie them and say they do but as others doe it is the fashion and they are not alone and this is a corruption that we haue all by kinde to dissemble our sinnes our mothers breasts haue giuen vs no other sucke Adam our first Parent hath taught it vs Genes 3.12 When he was examined hee posted off the matter from himselfe vnto his wife The woman that thou gauest me shee gaue mee of the fruit and I did eate And Eue quickely cleared herselfe posting off the matter to the Serpent The Serpent beguiled me and I did eate And so it is with vs all we are loath to make any confession of our sinnes vnto God Mens sinnes breake forth euery day lying swearing drunkennesse malice c. But where is that man to be found that hath any care to satisfaction This while men doe not confesse them they can haue no pardon of them Luke 13.5 Vnlesse yee repent yee shall perish Now confession is a speciall part of true repentance Vse 2 Seeing there is no pardon of sinne till wee doe confesse it and humbly acknowledge it Let vs euerie one freely acknowledge and confesse our sinnes vnto the Lord lay them open and naked before him it is the best way to get the pardon of them at his hands indeede in the Court of man to confesse our sins is the next way to bring shame and punishment but in the Court of God it is not so but the next way to haue them couered is to vncouer them and to lay them open vnto the Lord I haue sinned saith Dauid 2. Samuel 12. The Lord hath taken away thy sinne thou shalt not die saith the Prophet When wee confesse them then hee will couer them If wee iudge our selues wee shall not be iudged of the Lord 1. cor 11.31 Oh then set vs not feare to confesse our sinnes lay them open vnto the Lord with griefe and sorrow yea let vs deale as a poore prisoner condemned at the Barre or as a poore Lazar and cripple shew our soares and lay open our wounds and by that meanes we shall mooue the Lord to pitty and compassion The manner how wee must confesse our sins Secondly that we may so confesse our sinnes and make such an acknowledgement of them as may bee a true Confession and to bring with it true and vnfained repentance We must first take heede that wee do know our sinnes the number of them the greatnesse of them the danger of them how they make vs most vile in the sight of GOD and most loathsome wee must know that wee deserue hell-fire and eternall condemnation for them for till a man know his sinne and his conscience be conuicted for it and withall see the danger of his sinne hee will neuer humbly and heartily confesse the same I know saith Dauid mine iniquities So did Peter although for a time he did he knew not what as a man in a Trance for sinne