hath no care to cure God woundeth seeketh to cure Which thou hast broken The forme of Gods curing he first woundeth and then healeth He cureth none but those whom his hand hath pierced and he who woundeth can best cure the wound And in this God differeth from man for man woundeth but hath no care to cure but when God inflicteth a wound on his children he hath a present remedy appointed to cure the same let vs therefore be content to be vnder his hand who for sufficient causes crossing vs is euer ready to comfort vs in Iesus Christ May reioyce By this he letteth vs see what would be the effect of his deliuerie euen to burst forth in the praises of his God by his words by his actions Let thy desire to be deliuered froÌ„ trouble be to glorifie God by his writings Which should teach vs that in trouble either spirituall or temporall we euer haue this the principall end for which we desire to be deliuered that we may praise and glorifie God Verse 9. Hide thy face from my sins and put away all mine iniquities NOw he reneweth his former suite of the remission of his sins shewing now earnestly he desired the same He is not content once and againe to crie for pardon but many times For he thought otherwise of his sin then we do of ours it touched him at the very heart In this verse he vseth two similitudes one that God would turne away his face from his sinnes next that he would blot out all his iniquities Hide The first similitude is taken from men God cannot see sin in his children who will hide their face from that which they desire not to see And it is certaine God is in euery place and seeth euery thing but he cannot see the sins of his elect children for that intervenient righteousnes of Christ will not suffer him to see any filthinesse in his children He seethno iniquitie in Iacob Nsâ— 23.21 Simil. saith Balaam For as a red or blue glasse being set before out eyes what euer we see thorough it seemeth to be of the colour of the glasse so God looking thorough Christ to vs all his righteousnesse seemeth to be ours and we are of his colour In the meane time Vse let vs not sin because he hideth his face from our sin for if we abuse the riches of his bountie we shall appeare in our owne colours And put away all mine iniquities The blotting away presupposeth an hand-writ of the law against him wherein his name was put in the count-booke which must be scraped out and taken away which cannot be done away but by the blood of Iesus Christ All. Ye see that one sin calleth to mind many thousands and he is not contented to be acquitted from one vnlesse he be acquitted from all Call to mind all the sinnes of thy life be not at quiet till thou gettest a generall pardon for them all which is to be purchased by Iesus Christ Be afraid to adde new sinnes to thy old Pro. 28.19 Ezech. 8.8 Blessed is he that feareth continually Do as Ezekiel did to the wall of the Temple dig once twice thrice and trie thine heart the more thou diggest the more abominations shalt thou see in that place which should haue bin a Temple to God Verse 10. Create in me a cleane heart O God and renew a right spirit within me DAuid hath prayed already for the remission of his sinnes and hath doubled ouer that petition eight times now he craueth new benefits of sanctification of the holy Spirit of ioy c. In all his peritions he prayeth for spirituall things he seeketh first the kingdome of God He prayeth not for the health of his bodie Those are senslesse of troble who seeke to be freed of the pain thogh not reconciled to God God as hee is a great God bestoweth great gifts but for the health of his soule he craueth not to be rich temporally but spiritually in God Those are sensuall who being fallen in trouble craue no other thing then to be deliuered from their present paine neuer seeking to be recoueiled to God Next he seeketh great things for he is a great God who according to his greatnes can bestow ample gifts as the Ocean plentie of water It stood not with Alexanders honour to propine Diogenes with a small gift We bring small vessels to God a weake faith although we haue great need we thinke that hee is not able to giue great things Our Sauiour Christ could worke no miracles amongh them Mat. 13.53 2. Kin. 7.17 because of their infidelity The Gentleman on whom the King leaned died and was troden vnder foot because he beleeued not the Prophet Thirdly he suiteth importunately and beggers euer speed best at Gods hand The Prophet Elizeus reproued King Ioas that he shot onely three arrowes forth of the window for if he had shot six or 7 times 2. Kin. 13.19 he might haue vâ—terly subdued the Aramites Let vs then pray instantly and importunately vnto the Lord and we may be assured he will heare vs. He prayed before for remission of sius Sanctification followeth remission and now he prayeth for the Spirit of sanctification an inseparable companion with the other For you can neuer be assured that you haue receiued pardon for your sinne past vnlesse Gods Spirit hath giuen you a care to liue holily in time to come Shall you be washen euen now and after puâ—â—le your selfe in the mire Not possible that euer Christ will bestow his blood to wash any whom he denieth to sanctifie by his holy Spirit Create in me a cleane heart O God The worker God the workmanship in me the worke it selfe create the subiect a heart the qualitie a cleane heart O God As in the first creation a man is a meere patient and hath no part of it but God by the parents worketh it God must worke our second creation so God worketh the second creation by his Ministers There is no freewill or preparation to grace or foreknowing godlinesse as these hereticall Iesuits do affirme Work the work thy selfe and take the praise to thy selfe O Lord. Create A man must be twice borne before he can enter into heauen As he is made to the similitude of the first Adam Man must be twice borne and his second creation is more excellent then the first so must he be made to the similitude of the second Adam and the re-creation or regeneration is more excellent then the former For in the first man was wrought out of clay but in the other God worketh grace out of sin What harder to worke vpon then the dust Next he breathed in the dead bodie a soule but here he breatheth in the holy Spirit in mans heart Thirdly in the creation he made man perfect in all his members so in the regeneration all the members of the body and powers of the soule must be renewed and if thou
displeasure and wrath and in the former part of this verse he asketh of God that he would haue mercy vpon him and forgiue him those sinnes that had prouoked his wrath and indignation against him and now in the latter part he desires that the Lord would heale him Euery one of these things were so necessarie to Dauid that lacking any one of them hee thought himselfe vnfortunate hee felt the wrath of God and therefore desired the same to be remoued he had offended and therefore desires mercy he was fallen into a most dangerous sicknesse and therefore desires corporall health Yee see here that the best of Gods children are subiect to diseases as well as others Doctr. The best of Gods children subiect to diseases GrauissimuÌ„ omnium tentationum non tentari The fruit of sinne Psal 41.1 Vse for seeing the root of sinne is in them and the fountaine of that sinning sin what other bud can it produce or what spring can flow therefrom but miserable destruction of our nature Therefore when we see good men heauily afflicted with diseases let vs remember that saying Blessed are those that iudge wisely of the poore and also bee carefull lest through our sins wee prouoke the Lord to powre the like vpon vs which if he doe as we iustly deserue then by prayer to runne vnto the Lord with Dauid and crie Lord heale me For my bones are sore vexed He sheweth how hee is made weake in both his parts his body in these words his soule in the next verse Doctr. Sin vndoes the whole man So sinne vndoes the whole man and euery part of him so that as the soule lusts and the body executes and practises the foule desires of the soule so both are punished hee who sinneth in both is punished in both Greatest paine in â—he bones Setting downe his bodily diseases he comprehendeth them vnder the trouble of his bones for as the greatest strength of man is in his bones so his greatest paine is the paine of the bones which exceedeth the paine of the flesh as experience in the tooth-ache or breaking any other bone teacheth for albeit the bones of themselues are senselesse yet not so the membrans and tunicles that compasse them Alwaies the Scriptures of God doe expresse both the greatest strength and ioy in Gods worship and the greatest paines and afflictions to the bones Psal 35.10 Psal 51.8 as all my bones shall say O Lord who is like thee and the bones which thou hast broken shall reioyce that is the whole strength of my body shall bee bent vpon thy seruice And againe Esay 38.13 Lam. 3.4 Psal 38.3 Psal 34.20 Psal 42.10 Lam. 1 13. Iob 20.21 Doct. Great mischief commeth of the euils of misgouerned health Iob 20.11 Esay 51.8 Simil. He hath bruised all my bones as a Lyon and all my bones are out of ioynt and there is no peace in my bones And God keepeth all their bones and while my bones are broken and send a fire in my bones and thy bones shall be filled with the sins of thy youth Obserue first out of this place what a misgouerned health bringeth to man it destroyeth our nature our pleasure becommeth our displeasure Our old bones inherit the sinnes of our youth which haue wasted and consumed vs as the moth doth the garment The poyson and venome of the Aspe is receiued with great sweetnesse but it ouercommeth the body by destroying man So is sinne Can there bee a rush growe without water or sicknesse where there is no sinne Iob. 8.11 Search downe to the bottome of thine heart and thou shalt finde the fountaine of the euill to be within thee that thou maist purge it by vnfained repentance Next consider Doctr. The bestremedie againd diseases is to goe vnto the Lord. 2 Kin. 20.2 Vse How God cures sin Simil. that as this his ficknesse comes from God so he turnes to him for remedie Diseases are Gods arrowes shot by his owne hand why should we not then with Ezekiah turne to the wall and mourne to him that he may helpe vs For so skilfully deales the Lord with vs that hee cures our sinnes by our diseases and visitations albeit they spring out of sinne as Physitians doe curing the sting of the Serpent by the ashes of the dead Serpent so by the bud and fruit of sinne he cures sinne and God is so infinitely wise that he applies that kinde of disease to his patient which is fittest for such a sinne And indeed as there be monstrous sins fallen forth in this ourage Monstrous sinnes produce vnwonted sicknesses which the former ages knew not so likewise hath the Lord punished them with vnwonted sicknesses vpon mens bodies whose nature Galen Hippocrates or the best Physitians haue neuer yet discouered And therfore the Lord remoue from vs these sinnes Cause of diseases 1. The contempt of the Gospel 2 Apostasie from Gods truth that he may take from vs these iudgements but namely the contempt of the Gospell Word and Sacraments for which many are tyed to the bed of sicknesse and this abominable Apostasie from Gods truth to Idolatrie which God is like to punish fearefully by desertion The word meaneth not onely a troubling but also a trembling Marke finally that the word according to the Originall signifieth not only a troubling or obstupifying but also a shaking or trembling of which the Poet saith Gelidusque per ima cuâ—urrit Ossatremor That is The cold trembling ran thorow the deepest bones This teacheth vs Vse The force of sin will shake our strongest parts that sinne can shake the strongest part we haue for if our bones were stones and mountaines yet if sinne sease on them it would shake them asunder VERSE 3. Vers 3 My soule also is sore troubled but Lord how long wilt thon delay Doctr. 1 NOw he expounds the other part of his sorrow which is a Spirituall disease the troubles of Conscience Spirituall trouble greater than temporall Reason farre greater yea and more importable than the other for as the soule is a more subtill and Spirituall substance beginner of all life and motion in man it must feele the selfe more when it is troubled and wounded I will therefore by the help of God intreat here about the trouble of Conscience and deduce it in all particulars that if it please God at any time to waken your conscience ye may haue remedie in time to pacifie it Doctr. Yokefellowes in sin yoke-fellowes in punishmeÌ„t My soule Yokefellowes in sinne are yokefellowes in paine the soule is punished for informing the body for performing and as both the informer and performer the cause and the instrument so shall the stirrer vp of sinne and executer be punished That man hath a soule But here appeares first that as a man hath a body so likewise hath he a soule and as the one is pained so likewise is the other And yet alas there are
many who thinke they haue not a soule There were Sadduces who denied that there were spirits Two sorts of Sadduces Psal 14.2 these were Sadduces by prosession but this Age hath the like by action The wicked haue said in their heart there is not a God and therefore seeing the soule sinneth Vnlawfull pleasures bring lawful paines of necessitie the vnlawfull pleasures thereof must be punished with lawfull paines for it is better to suffer a short and momentanie tribulation in this world to subdue sinne in vs than to vnder-lie eternall punishment of the soule in hels fire How to know whē the soule is at true peace with Ged But before wee can speake of the trouble of the soule let vs finde out when the soule is in a good constitution and at peace The peace of the soule is the tranquilitie of the minde vpon the assurance of Gods fauour in Christ Being therefore iustifyed by faith Rom. 5.1 we haue peace with God in Christ Iesus Grace begins and brings peace and therefore these two are alwaies conioyned Rom. 1.7 Grace and peace from God the Father Let no man thinke to get that peace that passeth vnderstanding Phil. 4.7 but by Gods free mercie and forgiuenesse of sinnes But there be many that cry peace peace 2 King 9.18 19. and say vnto the Lord as Ioram said to Iehu Is there peace To whom he shall answer What hast thou to doe with peace and as there is a great and apparant similitude betweene sleeping and swouning Similitude of true and false peace the senses being then both closed yet is there great contrarietie the one being the messenger of life the other of death So is there bewixt the peace of the godly like a refreshing sleepe and the counterfeit securitie of the wicked leading them to eternall paine with the rich Glutton Luk. 16.23 so their peace is worse than any warre that euer was Ionah was sleeping when the tempest was raging Ionah 1. ◠and the waues were ouerwhelming the ship so men are in securitie when God is pursuing them in his iudgements It were good we were wakened in time Simil. Party gold hath a similitude with true gold Tokens to know peace from securitie 1. Token so securitie a great appearance of true peace But by these tokens yee may discerne the one from the other First consider who made thy peace with God 1. Token was it thy Peace-maker Iesus Christ or is thy agreement made by any creature or trusts thou by thy merits to be at one with God all things in heauen or in earth are reconciled by his bloud Ro. 5.9 10. Luk. 3.22 He is Gods well beloued Sonne in whom he is well pleased He is the authour and finisher of our faith Heb. 12.2 He hath broken the partition wall He hath brought peace to them that are farre and neere Eph. 2.17 2 Thes 3.16 Hee is the God and Lord of peace Heb. 7.2 the King of Salem by whom the Saints sought peace The Virgin called him God and Sauiour Luke 1.47 Rom 1.8 And Paul saith I thanke God through Iesus Christ. And Peter To whom should we goe thou hast the words of eternall life Iohn 6.68 And Iohn If any man sinne we haue an Aduocate I Iohn 2.1 Why then should we seeke reconciliation by them who could not purchase it to themselues but by him and sendeth vs to him in all their writs Hypocrites Pharisees would yee extoll the seruant with disgrace of his Master seeking not his honour but your owne gaine God helpe the poore Papist who seeketh lying vanities forsaking Gods mercies Next thou must obserue the forme how thy peace was wrought for if thou hast gotten peace to thy conscience first no doubt thou hast found a warfare and a battell the flesh rebelling against the spirit nature against grace Esau and Iacob must striue together in the belly of Rebecca Gen. 25.22 23 and after a mighty combat the elder serued the younger The Israelites found peace but after many and sharpe battels with much shedding of their bloud First you must see Hell then Heauen Repent saith Iohn Baptist and then he addeth Math. 3.2 for the kingdome of Heauen is at hand we must first come to the Mount Sinai Exod. 19.14 c. where the sound of the thunder earth-quake lightnings smoake and other such like things are and then to Mount Sion the New Ierusalem Deut. 4.48 Reuel 3.12 the Vision of Peace for if yee see not God first in the throne of his Iustice yee will neuer see him on the throne of his mercy The deuils rocking The deuill Reprobates in a cradle and lets them neuer see hell till they be in it 2 King 6.20 c. as the Prophet led the Aramites into the midst of Samaria before their eyes were opened and they knew where they were Thirdly 3. Token remember what was the instrument by which peace was wrought in thy conscience There is no instrument vnder heauen that can bring peace but the word of God conueyed by the mouth of his seruants of which is said Esay 52.7 Nahum 1.15 Rom. 10.15 O how beautifull are the feet of those who bring the glad tidings of peace it is the Gospell of peace the instrument of reconciliation he giueth by their hand the wand of Peace by which the King receiues thee in his fauour Yee who contemne the word and the Ministers thereof thinke yee to get peace but by them Christ commanded his Apostles to what-euer house they come leaue their peace there Matth. 10.13 c. and if the Sonne of peace be in that house their peace shall abide if not depart Gods seruant euer bringeth peace with him and reconciles men with God with men with heauen with earth therefore welcome him to thy house as thou wouldst welcome his Master Matt. 10.40 He that receiues you receiues me O gracelesse generation of men who dislike Gods seruants and gladly would welcome this deuill comming by Iesuits Finally 4. Token try how thou hast entertained that peace if it be truly purchased thou wilt vse all the meanes thou canst to nourish it and what-euer may breake it Sin breaketh peace with God that thou wilt eschew which is namely sinne which for this cause thou wilt flie and auoid both in thought word and deed wherein thou maist offend Gods diuine Maiestie imitating therein the example of those who once haue felt a dint of the wrath of their Prince and being reconciled to him will be loth to offend him againe Simil. So thou once being at peace with God labour to eschew all occasions whereby thou mayest displease him And thus much concerning the peace of the soule Now let vs see how it may be disquieted Disquioted soule not worst in the meane time considering with our selues that sometime the soule when it is disquieted
that both soule and body meet together and praise him world without end Lawfull to craue continuance of our life Thirdly that it is lawfull to craue the continuance of our life to the end that wee may praise God Would we desire the continuance of our life that we may continue in sin God forbid Likewise wee may desire death not for being weary of temporall paine or feare of shame but with the Apostle that we may be dissolued and be with Christ and be freed of the burthen of sinne by our death Yet in both our desires let vs submit our selues to the good pleasure of God and say with our Sauiour Thy will be done not as I will Luke 22.42 but as thou wilt Fourthly wee see in his sicknesse he seekes the continuation of his life at Gods hands who hath the issues of death in his will and would teach vs 2 Chron 16.12 2 King 1.2 neyther with Aza to put our trust in the Physitians neyther with Ahaziah to goe aske counsell at Beelzebub but with good Hezekiah turne to the wall 2 Kin. 20.2 and beg the prorogation of our life with Dauid from God Difference betweene the deâ—re of the godly wicked Finally ve see what shall be the difference betweene the desire of the godly and the wicked in their contrary desires of the continuation of their life for the wicked being tyed to the bed of sicknesse craue longer life to the end they may enioy their riches longer and vse or rather abuse them in the meane time neuer conceiuing or nourishing an hope of celestiall good things But the godly that they may record fruitfully the praises of God in the congregation of the righteous and preach out his praises besides that the feare of death is in the reprobates because they see by it an end put to all their earthly felicities whereas the Elect of God feare it because by it they are drawne from among men with whom they might haue magnified the name of God If ye desire to reade any more of this subiect reade the forenamed booke of Meditations in the Meditation of death VERSE 6. I fainted in my mourning I cause my bed euery night to swimme and water my couch with my teares THis argument is taken from the person of the Supplicant which is set downe by hyperbolique Metaphors The greatnesse expressing his great wearinesse his teares and mourning his sobs and sighing The place the place wherin he mourned his bed the measure swimming and watering of the same the time all the night The time The adiuÌ„ct the adiunct thereof the dimnesse of his eyes vers 8. and the obiect of his sorrow his enemies or rather Gods enemies I fainted It may seeme a maruellous change in Dauid who was a man of such magnitude of minde to bee so farre deiected and cast downe whereas hee preuailed against Goliah against the Lyon and the Beare through fortitude and magnanimitie and now hee is sobbing sighing and weeping as a childe It is another thing to haue to doe with creatures than with the Creator But ye must vnderstand that he hath to doe with diuers persons when men and beasts are his opposites then hee is more then a conqueror but when hee hath to doe with God against whom he sinned then hee is lesse then nothing Contrition the first step of repentance First he saith as the word beares by all Interpreters he sighed or sobbed which is the first degree of repentance for inward contrition in the heart must precede all the outward signes of repentance and is most acceptable to God because it is secret and onely knowne to himselfe And herein shall a Christian try and discerne himselfe A perfect tryall of a reformed heart if there neuer passe a secret cogitation of his minde which is not accompanied with a sob vnto God Hezekiah said hee mourned like a Doue Isay 38.14 and chattered like a Swallow Moses spake nothing by his voyce Exo. 14.15 and the Lord said 1 Sam. 1.13 Why cryest thou Anna her lips moued but her voyce was not heard God regards not words but thoughts Doctr. Sobs and sighes are best sacrifices Next yee see that sobs and sighes are more acceptable to God than any seruice wee can doe to him and in these Dauid wearied himselfe for his sinnes taking such paines in chastising himselfe and as the Papists translate it he labored in his sobbing to humble both his soule and his body whereby wee should learne that this is the most profitable labour when we can worke vpon a rebellious heart to subdue all our affections to the obedience of God and mortification of the same Vse We should take paines with our hearts This should make vs ashamed that we can take paines vpon any thing but not vpon our owne heart we will weary our selues vpon any earthly vanitie or pleasure but we are wearied of the seruice of our God yea euen of the smallest point of repentance and humiliation before God We cannot spend our selues better since we must be spent vpon something than vpon that principall part of his seruice which hee liketh best that is in chastising of our body and mortification of our affections for it is said Isai 57.15 Vpon whom shall the Spirit of the Lord rest Vpon a contrite heart Therefore wo bee to those that weary themselues in the workes of sinne and adde drunkennes to thirst Vse Wo to such as weary theÌ„selues in the workes of sinne Isai â— 11 and can neuer be satisfied nor goe to their bed till they haue accomplished some wickednesse In my mourning First he sighed and sobbed for his sinne and now hee mourneth for the same Looke whereunto our follies tend The pleasures of sinne euer end in displeasure for which either we must of necessity mourne in this life or eternally in the life to come True it is that the reprobate as also naturall and vnregenerate men shall poure forth many thousand teares for the plagues and iudgements which God layeth vpon them which are but the fore-runners and beginnings of their euerlasting mourning in hell but the mourning of the Elect preuenteth many sorrowes which would befall them so Doctr. Mourning for sin will keep vs froÌ„ many other mournings Exo. 12.30 if wee haue grace to mourne for sinne it will keepe vs from many other mournings The Egyptians had an vniuersall mourning thorow all their houses at the slaughter of their first borne but if they had mourned for the wrong done to the Israelites they needed not to haue mourned for the plague that came vpon themselues The measure of the mourning I caused my bed swimme The measure of his mourning is expressed by the washing and swimming of his bed with teares which indeed is an hyperbolique speech and doth expresse vnto vs the vehemency and greatnesse of his griefe and that he did not esteeme light
after them as Achab did Naboths vineyard 1 King 21.1 2. Prou. 23.6 There is an euill eye of which Salomon saith Eat not the bread of a man that hath an euill eye he seeth finally to circumuent his neighbour of which also Salomon Pro. 10.10 Hee that winkes with his eye meditates deceit and so many make these eyes which God hath giuen them as it were two lighted candles to let them see to goe to hell and for this God hath requited them that seeing their minde was blinded by the lust of the eyes the lust of the flesh 1 Ioh. 2.16 and the pride of life God hath sent sicknesse to debilitate these eyes which were so sharpe sighted in the deuils seruice and their lust now shall cause them want the necessary sight of their body Doctr. Sin blindes both soule and body Pro. 23.29 Sinne then blinds both body and soule To whom commeth woe blindnesse of eyes c. to him that sits long at wine In the sicknesse thy sight is so darkned that thou who sawest thy neighbours wife shalt now scarce know thy owne wise they shall be blind who looke thorow the windowes when God chastiseth man for his sinne The right vse of our eyes then he growâ—â—h pale and woe Out of this we haue some instructions Vse 1 First that seeing God hath giuen vs the siâ—hâ— of our eyes we should also make a couenant with them as Iob did That we beheld not a woman in vaine Iob 31.1 Next that wee may learne to looke vp to heauen and diligently ponder Gods workes with them for when they are not well occupied in readâ—ng beholding and pondering good things then the deuill will take occasion to abuse them other waies Thirdly that thou wouldst remember that hee who planted the eye Psal 94 16 Reu 1.14 sees most cleerâ—ly himselfe his eyes are like a flame of fire And finally when thou findest thine eyes dimme as thou must confesse the abuse of them so thou must pray to God that hee would â—lluminate the eyes of thy minde to see his â—â—e cy Mat 5.8 Doct. Christians can neuer lacke enemies for Blessed are the pure in spirit for they shall see God Because of all mine enemies First yee see the Church and her true members neuer can want enemies either within or without aboue benâ—ath and about hâ—r yea how many children the deuill hath let a Christian perswade himselfe he hath as many aduersaries And the Lord raiseth vp enemies against him for great and necessary causes As fâ—rst to trâ—e their patience Secondly to exercise their armour wherewith hee hath furnished them to wit the shâ—eld of faith â—ph 6.16 Foâ— what cause God raiseth enemies â—gainst vs. the sword of the word the hâ—â—â—meâ— of saluation the brest plate of righteousnesse which a Christian must put to proofe bo h â—n defending himselfe and offending his enemies Thirdly hee raâ—seth vp enemies against him thaâ— hee being strictly pursued may draw neerer to himselfe by vnfamed repentance and true prayer as Dauid did in all his conflicts putting vp new supplications to God for his defence and deliuery Fourthly to correct their sinnes as the Israelites in Aegypt had Pharaoh Exod 1 2. Iudg. 2.3 in the wildernesse Moab in Palestina the Canannites whom God reserued and kept to bee prickes in their sides â—en 31.5 â—7 2. 39.17 Iacob had his owne Laban and Ioseph had Potiphars wife in Aegypt and at home his brethren Neither let any Christian dreame that immunity and security in any place of all the world Vse that he shall bee free of that fiery dragon Reu. 1â— 4 who doth pursue the child which the woman hath borne but let him prepare himselfe for some enemie one or moe who shall pursue him if thou be vnder the standard of the deuill he will not pursue thee but if thou be his aduersarie and fightest vnder the banner of Christ then be assured hee will bend his whole forces against thee Simil. The Pyrats who see an empty Barke swimming the sea passe by it but if shee be loaded with pretious wares then they will assault her So if a man haue no grace within him Satan passeth by him as not a conuenient prey for him but being loaded with graces as the loue of God his feare and such other spirituall vertues let him be perswaded that according as hee knowes what stuffe is in him so will not faile to rob him of them if in any case he may What is the cause of the enmity or why did Cain hate Abel because hee was righteous Gen. 4.5 The naturall hatred betweene the seed of the woman and the Serpent Gen. 3.15 the other iniust There is a naturall feude betwixt the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent which God hath put betweene them and albeit they haue neuer done them iniury yet they hate them deadly because their deuillish inclination is disposed cruelly against them What iniurie hath the Lambe done to the Lyon and yet it is set to kill it and thinketh the bloud thereof sweet The sweet singing bird what wrong doth it to the Eagle and yet she seekes to deuoure it So none are in danger but Gods children his birds his lambs and therefore they seeme most infortunate for as much as all bloody murtherers are set against them Vse 1 Art thou a Lambe the Wolfe is going about to deuoure thee but herein is thy comfort the Lord is thy Shepheard and he will protect thee Vse 2 But if thine enemies doe rise vp against thee first runne to God Counsels to a persecuted Christian search what sin thou hast done and repent it Next consider whether thou hast deserued their wrath be not persecuted as an euill doer but haue that within thee that thou maist say what haue I done Vse 3 Thirdly repay them not with euill If thou see thine enemie hungry giue him meat Rom. 12 20 if hee thirst giue him drinke for in so doing thou shalt heape coales of fire on his head Commit vengeance to God mine is vengeance saith the Lord Rom. 12.19 and I will repay it Vse 4 Finally comfort thy selfe in this thine enemies are Gods also hee will curse them that curse thee But in these enemies of Christ I marke the malice of euill men that when God is chastising a Christian for his sinne then they afflict that man as the Chaldeans did Iob Iob 1.17 The wicked adde vineger to our gall Mat. 12.20 they contrary to the practice of Christ breake a brussed reede Next Christians are not destitute of their passions but haue their owne griefes because they haue great enemies they feare but are not swallowed vp with feare for God comforts them Gen 18.2 and 32.28 Iacob was afraid of Esau his elder brother who went about to kill him but God sent him to Padan-aram and the Angell that wrestled with him said vnto him Because
to Pharaoh Hâ— that câ—mmitteth sinne saith Christ is a seruant to sinne as by the contrary He that is borne of God sinnes not because the seed of God is in him The worke of sinne seemes pleasant and againfull but in the end yee shall find it both vnplesant and painfull Vse when you get your wages payed you from your master the Deuill ye shall know the truth of that saying of the Apostle The reward of sinne is death Rom 6.23 Ibid. 21. And in another place What haue ye gaine whereof now ye are ashamed whose end is death The deuill may giue you the bait of present pleasures but he lets you not see the mischieuous hooke lying vnder the bait Vse 2 Let vs refuse therefore to worke any longer task vnto Satan and betake vs to a better Master and better seruice and work in the Lords vineyard Iohn 6.27 Labour after that meat which perisheth not whose fruits shall be eternall life Of iniquity Some thinke these to be hypocrites as in the 41. Psalme verse 7. All they that hate me whisper together against me euen against me doe they imagine mine hurt But here it imports more when he cals them workers of iniquity A manifest practice of their wicked deuices in their actions against Dauid What iniquity is for iniquity is that which is contrary to equity and iustice and equity is defined by Cicero Suum cuique tribuere whereas iniquity is to defraud any man of his due Whereby yee see that God abhorreth all iniuries wee can doe to our neighbours Doct. God abhorreth all iniuries done to our neighbours 1 Ioh. 4.20 Mat. 9.13 and esteemes then his seruice to be true when it beginneth at our neighbours For how can we loue God whom we see not saith the Apostle when wee loue not man made to the Image of God whom we see And our Sauiour saith I will haue mercy and not sacrifice So that he refuseth the principall part of his seruice which consisteth in sacrifices if they bee not conjoyned with mercy to our neighbours and in Isaiah Isai 66.3 he that kelleth a Bullocke or a Lambe offers a gift as though he had killed a dogge or a sowe and onely because of their iniuries Woe to this sinfull generation Vse who make no conscience but doe all manner of iniuries to whom they may and doe not spare either fatherlesse or widow or strangers or the gray haires or pupils or Orphans and yet vaunt of their religion Note I wish rather they would professe Papistry or Paganisme that their confession and profession might be answerable and that they would either professe as they liue or liue as they professe for it is shame that a good faith should be backed with had works For the Lord hath heard the voyce of my weeping Doctr. The neerer we draw to God the further we must flee from all his enemies The argument whereby he repelleth the wicked from his is taken from his familiarity with God and sure it is the nearer we draw to God the further will we flee from all his enemies what makes vs such associates with the children of the Diuell but that wee are strangers to God and when once we haue drawne in friendship and seruice with him then we hate the other partie Next Prayer ioyneth vs to God yee shall know that the principall mean by which we can frequent with God is Prayer for if God giue vs the Spirit of Prayer then he giues vs an accesse to the throne of his grace Many yea the most part of the world know not what prayer meaneth others pray perfunctoriously and hypocritically and their prayer turneth into sinne The benefit of true prayer But happy are those whom Gods most holy Spirit teacheth to pray and those onely can pray aright The voyce There is ascribed to prayer a voyce Doctr. The voice of prayer more mentall then vocall which is not so much vocall as mental alwayes it hath a piercing voyce which pierceth the heauens and preuaileth mightily with God and is so importunate that it will not come from heauens gates till and answer be giuen as Ezechias Moses c. Of my weeping As Dauids prayers were not dumbe His prayer was not dry but had a voyce so they are not dry but full of teares those sappy prayers be acceptable to God which proceed not from a barren and dry heart but from an heart well watered with the clouds of heauen hears planted at the Riuers of waters which wee should all pray after Hee hath this comfort that God heard his prayers Doct. Our prayers in faith will surely be heard not that he heard them wit eares as he who planted the eares doth heare but hee heard his praier when he granted yeelded to his petition And this is a great prouocation to vs to make vs pray in faith and then wee may perswade our selues God wil heare them Thinke ye not that a mother will discerne the voyce Simil. but much more the weeping of her owne childe nad the Ewe discerne the bleating of her owne lambe amongst a thousand and will not God regard the praier of his own childe being in affliction Vse And this certaintie that we haue to be heard should hearten vs all to pray Whomsoeuer Christ cured he asked if they beleeued then said Mat. 9.29 Marke 7.9 Be it to thee according to thy faith And again I saw not greater faith in Israel It is then superfluous to pray except thou beleeue Infidelitie is the cause why we lacke many good things Vse Distrust is the cause we receiue nothing from God for wee doe God great iniury in vttering forth words to him when eyther we doubt of his power that he cannot or of his loue that he will not bestow good things necessary to vs. Verse 9. The Lord hath heard my petition the Lord will receiue my prayer Why he repeateth three times that he was heard HE repeats the hearing of his prayer three times for two causes First to let vs see how frequently he vsed the exercise of praier for he diuide the day in three Morning noon and at euening tide did I call vpon thee and the night in three for he beganne the night with prayer I arose at midnight and called vpon thee and he preuented the breake of day and the morning watch Secondly that by his threefold repetition he might perswade himselfe of the acceptation of his prayers that they were heard of God which is a great matter for God heareth not sinners Ioh. 9.31 but If any be a worshipper of God and doth his will him heareth he then if the Lord heare our suifs grant them Vse we may perswade our selues that we are in his fauour Ester 7. When Hester obtained her suite at Ahashuerosh it was an argument she was acceptable to him So is it with vs in our petitions to God VERSE 10. All mine
of God doth most abhorre and detest dissimlation most odious to God Hypocrisie an enemie to faith a dissimulation in his seruice neither is there any vice so opposite to true faith as Hypocrisie for faith lodgeth in the heart Hypocrisie in the countenance faith studies to please God Hypocrisie seekes to please men saith is liuely and constant Hypocrisie as a faâ—ling leafe fadeth incontinently So that there is no societie betwixt faith and Hypocrisie Simil. more then betwixt a painted fire hauing neither light and heat and a true fire hauing both and a shadow the body And as the painting of an Harlots face will soone melt before the fire when the natiue and naturall colour of an honest woman will not change so will counterfeit feinednesse soone evanish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fained thing cannot be firme and solid Nazian De funere patris Math 23.27 Our Sauiour Christ accounteth them to be as painted tombes who haue a goodly shew before men but within are full of dead mens bones they haue a shew of life although they be dead Simil. Were he not to be accounted a foole that hauing nothing but a shew of Merchandise would giue himselfe out for a rich Merchant The sinne of Witchcraft and Idolatrie are two great sinnes but Hypocrisie is more dangerous then both we haue heard of many thousand Papists and Idolaters who haue beene reclaimed and turned to God confesse it what great errors they had beene also many Witches at their death haue renounced their Master the Diuell But seldome haue I read that Hypocrites haue repented when our Sauiour who neuer brake a brused reed thundered woes Math 23.13.14.15 He cryed woe vnto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites and when hee denounced iudgement he said whose portion is with Hypocrites To be short let no man thinke that remission of sinnes can be separate from holinesse and sanctification Remission of sinnes ioyned with holinesse for they are borne together as two twinnes and liue together yea the one cannot liue without the other how canst thou thinke from thine hart that thine sinnes are pardoned vnlesse heartily thou hate sinne for which thou hast repented then wee may say that those get pardon for their sinne who feele their sinnes and feeling doe hate and flie from them flying from them with all the force of their heart are caried to a contrarie vertue being made free from sinne wee are the seruants of righteousnesse Rom 6.18 Ibid. 8.1 There is no condemnation saith the Apostle to them that are in Christ Iesus who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit God loueth sincerily in a Christian Ioh 1.47 But we haue deepely to consider that in all our religion the Lord loueth nothing so much as sinceritie Behold a true Israelit in whom there is no guile Hee doth not looke to the measure of thy repentance faith or loue but to the vprightnesse therof Louest thou me louest thou me Ioh 21.15 Psal 51.6 louest thou me sayth our Sauiour to Peter He craueth the truth in the inward parts Simil Men loue not false gold rotten stuffe or any superficial matter what so euer and we alas care not to carrie about with vs a counter feited religion Let vs trie our selues therefore whither we be in the faith or not God cannot be deceiued The Papists take from this text some occasion of stumbling for they would make a part of righteousnesse to be Christs another to be ours that which commeth from Christ is ours by imputation ours againe to be inherent because he sayth in whose heart there is no guile But they confound iustification with the effects thereof Answer to the Papists opposing the spring to the fountaine not driuing them from it So is the righteousnesse of Christ the fountaine of all our happinesse Et causa regni and the cause of the kingdome and if there be any dropps of righteousnesse in vs they spring from that fountaine Et sunt viaregnandi and they are the way by which we must attaine to that kingdome and say with the Apostle That Christ is made our righteousnesse Albeit wee be of our selues vnrighteous 1 Cor. 1.30 yet by him we are made righteous albeit wee are not able to pay the debt our selues yet seeing Christ hath payed it for vs we are freed For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners Rom 5.19 so by the obedience of one many shall bee made righteous By which wee are euidently taught that by Christs righteousnesse we are righteous before God I will not glory because I am righteous but because I am redeemed Ambros de Iarâ—et vita beata lib 1. cap. 6. not by reason I am voyde of sin but because my sinnes are pardoned not because I haue done good or receiued good from others but because Christ my aduocate is with the father interceding for me for his bloud was powred forth for me Indeed the Saints of God yea the best of vs all cannot purge our selues of Hypocrisie neither doe we sincerely serue our God as we ought to doe but one thing we know that we haue a displeasure within our selues for it and doth it not willingly which spirituall sight God pardons in his Saints The marks by which yee shall know whether yee be sincere in Gods seruice or no 3 Markes to try our sinceritie are these 1. First if yee haue an vpright indeuour to approue your selues to God in all things seeking not to please men but him who seeth the heart we care not to be iudged of men we stand and fall to our owne Lord whereas Saul knowing himselfe in disgrace with God 1 Thes 2.4 1 Sam 15.30 desired Samuel to honour him before the people 2. Secondly a sincere heart hateth all sinne specially his owne sinne and troubleth himselfe little in amplifying other mens sinnes but very narrowly and sharpely will taxe himselfe and will call himselfe with S. Paul 1 Tim. 1.15 The greatest of all sinners 5. Thirdly a sincere Christian professeth religion for the loue of the same and for no other respect and loueth good men for no other cause but for their godlinesse where as Hyprocrites may doe both outwardly for some worldly respect either of a benefit or credit which they may purchase by these meanes I pray God therefore that all of vs may remoue from our hearts this vale of Hypocrisie and dissimulation in Gods seruice that we may studie to approue our selues to God in the sight of Christ in all integritie and singlenesse of minde to the ende that all our seruice may be acceptable to him VERSE 3. When I helde my tongue my bones consumed or when I roared all the day The second part of the Psalme YEe haue heard the Proposition of the Psalme concerning the true happines of man consisting in the remission of his sinnes now followeth the confirmation thereof by his owne example which is the
euen till Constantines dayes For if wee walke stubbornely against him hee will bring seuen times more Plagues vpon vs according to our sinnes And againe God by the continuance of his hand will hold vs in continuall exercise of grace Doctr. Continuance of troubles exerciseth our grace as of humilitie faith patience praier and repentance for as one hauing a precious Iewell in his hand so long as hee watcheth he is carefull to keepe it but being a sleepe it may ready fall out of his hand So God holds vs waking by continuall exercise Simil. that we may keepe the grace which we haue gotten The fire is kept in by often blowing which dieth out by discontinuance My moysture is turned into the drought of Summer Doctr. Body and soule iointly punished being yoke-fellowes in sinne The dolour of Dauid was not onely internall but also externall by sicknesse for as the body was an instrument of sinne it worthily and duely is punished and as they were yoake fellowes in sinning it is iust with God that they should be companions in sorrow It is no small matter when the body is diseased although the mind were well established but when both are vnquieted it is harder Pro 18.14 The spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmitie of the body but who can beare a troubled Spirit So that the Philosophers supposed that man to be happie who had mentem sanam in corpore sano a sounde minde in an whole body Then if we be whole let vs giue thakes to God and dedicate our liues to his seruice if we be sicke craue him pardon and mercie seeking reliefe at his hand repent our sinfull life Therefore I thinke that many in their best health are sicke because they abuse their health Many being whole are most diseased and many sicke are whole who turne to God and from their greatest sicknesse seeke medicine against their sinne Selah It is here added Bueherus first to show what a torment it is rightly to feele the burthen of sinne so that hee leaueth this pause or groane as we will doe at things wherewith we are greatly affected Next it declareth what weight this doctrine hath and of what consideration to rebuke vs who thinke so little of sin as we haue in all our dayes neuer mourned for it VERSE 5. Then I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee neither hid I mine iniquity for I thought I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne Selah DAvid hath hi herto propounded the the doctrine of the remission of sins and brought in his owne example for confirmation of the same We haue spoken already of his sorrow for his sinne now followeth the confession of the same before God which is a necessary part of repentance Doctr. Confession necessary part of repentance Then I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee Yee haue heard the estate of Dauid before his confession when the heauie hand of God was vpon him The Second part of his experience is set downe in this verse comprehending the feeling of Gods mercie the occasion whereof was the confession of his sinnes and the end the remission of the same The division of this verse The former hath these parts first the time then secondly the ground I thought or said will confesse thirdly the matter my sinne iniquitie and wickednesse fourthly the manner first in respect of God to thee secondly in respect of himselfe against my selfe The latter part And thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne Selah Dauid ouer came hypocrisie This diligence in describing his confession so oft First That hee acknowledged his sin Secondly That hee would not hide his iniquitie but confesse his Apostasie to the Lord declareth hee hath gotten victorie ouer all Hypocrisie and obtained the holde of sinceritie and simplicitie God chooseth the most fit times to workegrace in vs. Simil. Then This circumstance argueth that first hee behoued to feele his sinne and the bitter panges inflicted vpon him because of it For when men are cast downe then is a most sit occasion for God to worke grace vpon them as when men are greatly extenuate by sicknesse it is a conuenient time for a Physitian to giue medicine And surely afflictions are necessarie preparations to grace For our nature is like fallow ground which if it be not broken vp by tentation Simil. it is in vaine to sowe seed vpon it To which purpose The vse of the conscience in man God placed the conscience in mans Soule to shew vnto him his wrongs to follow him apprehend him yea set vp a gibbet in his soule to which it adiudgeth him to the end it may bring him to himselfe to seeke pardon and mercie Simil. So yee see as God brought light out of darkenesse in the beginning of the world Gen 1.3 so he bringeth the ioy of his elect out of sorrow Simil And as by Christs death hee brought life to the world so hee killeth vs to make vs a liue Simil that we may take heart to vs and say after darknesse I shall see light And I know that this hand that is so heauie vpon me is vnder mine head to bring mee light out of this darknesse life out of that which for the present seemeth more bitter then death it selfe Hos 6.2 We see also here an infallible example of the frowardnesse of our owne nature Doctr. Force must reclaime the frowardnes of our nature which cannot be restrained without extreme dealing for Dauid is layd vpon the racke and almost stretched asunder and disioynted be fore hee can be brought to a sincere confession which should teach vs that wee should enter to an heartie mislike of our selues and to be displeased with our intractablenesse which hath moued God to heaue vs vp and cast vs downe againe For if wee would iudge our selues we would not prouoke him to such extreme dealing for he would not cōdemne vs but be a comforter in our agonies Yea Dauid in this teacheth vs to iudge wisely of the poore and those who are troubled in their Conscience for when men are so afflicted they are called mad Melancholike desperate assuring our selues that Gods dearest children are often rent in peeces all their tackles may be burst asunder their bruised barke left to the mercie of the winde and waues and yet come to a comfortable harbour and safelie arriue at shoare Moreouer these wicked sort of people are to be damned who with a Sardinian laughter reioyce in their sinne and sport themselues therewith yea boast of their mad humors when God in the meane time is bending his bowe at them I acknowledged my sinne neither hid I mine iniquitie Hee vseth three phrases to shew his confession I made it knowne I hid it not and I confessed it he in like manner to expresse his filthinesse vseth three termes wickednesse sinne and iniquitie as he did in the
prayse God and our necessities but when we praise we haue our chiefe respect to God and his honour and the Lord he doth both for he worketh deliuerie of vs and thankfullnesse in vs Ab eo incipient ab eo desinent operatur velle et perficere They beginne of him they shall end of him he worketh to will and to perfit Iacob was deliuered by God Gen. 35. and hee said to him Goe vp to the God of Bethel Often christians are grieued at themselues that they know not how to performe a dutie to God for his blessings for which cause Dauid sayth What shal I render to the Lord c. Psal 116.12 I will take the cup of Saluation c. Compassest mee about This word importeth Doctr. As we are beseiged with troubles so are we compassed with deliueries that as wee are beseiged on euery side with troubles so wee are compassed with as many comforts and deliueries as our crosses grow daily so our consolations are augmented day by day Wee are on euerie side offended and on euerie side defended therefore wee ought on euery side sound Gods praises as Dauid sayth Psal 103.1 My soule praise the Lord and all that is within me With Songs of deliuerance This noteth the the greatnesse of his praises and what delight hee had in them that hee would not onely speake them but sing them This was verie familiar to the Iewes namely to Dauid to sing songs on Harps Viols Tabrets and all instruments of Musicke All my springs shall bee in thee Awake Viol c. The tears of Gods children end in ioy But first let vs obserue that the teares of Gods children end in ioy they sowe a precious seed with sorrow but they bring home sheaues of corne dancing In that hee will not be content onely with thankes but also will haue them conioyned with songs hee letteth vs see how high all the strings of his heart are bended that hee cannot containe himselfe for the mercies of God to his Church and for his manifold deliuerances for the same Many sing prayses to God with an halfe open mouth Many haue an halfe open mouth in singing prayses to God who are too ready to sing filthy Ballads to the dishonour of God and albeit they can sing alowde any filthy ballad in their house they make the meane I warrand you in the Church that scarce they can heare the sound of their owne voyce I thinke they be ashamed to proclaime and shew forth Gods prayses or they feare to deafen God by their lowde singing But David bended all his forces within and without to praise his God Neither doe wee approue those foolish songs of the Papists Against Popish singing who doe not only wearie the hearers but the Idoles themselues with their rowting and crying and that in an vnknowen Language Saint Basil sayth eos demum cantus recipiendos qui nos possunt efficere meliores Those Songs are to be receiued which may make vs better in old they sung as though they had beene speaking that men might rather vnderstaÌ„d their meaning then delight their eare by the instrument VERSE 8. I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way that thou shalt goe and I will guide thee with mine eye VERSE 9. Be not like an Horse or like a Mule which vnderstandeth not whose mouthes thou doest binde with bit and bridle lest they come neere thee VERSE 10. Many sorrowes shall come to the wicked but hee that trusteth in the Lord mercie shall compasse him NOw David after he hath gotten assurance of there mission of his sinnes described the vertues which flow from the same in these three verses The substance of these three verses giueth forth a worthy and Doctorall admonition to all sinners to take heed vnto themselues in the eight verse propounding himselfe to to be their Doctor in the ninth sharpely admonishing them that they become not brutish beasts in not giuing voluntar obedience till they be coacted and lastly in the 10. verse hee threateneth those that will not obey many sorrowes shall come to them Concerning the first part I spake in the Inscription of the Psalme yet somewhat I will adde Seeing it pleaseth Gods Spirit to repeate I am not grieued once or twise for your edification to repeate the same matter albeit not after the same maner for this is true Philosophie to teach repentance A King becommeth a Philosopher in the teaching of repentance and these are the fruiâ—s of true repentance He who hath ouercome sinne in himselfe will striue to ouercome it in others when wee will communicate our feelings to others for he who hath ouercome sinne in himselfe will studdie to banish it from others for repentance cannot be without charitie Some translate this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will make it knowne So I will make it euident to you if yee be ignorant Since I haue showne you the way yee your selues are blame worthie if yee will not follow it This is the zeale of the Lords glorie which is in the hearts of Gods children that it bursts forth as a vessel of new Wine as Elihu sayd Simil. Iob. 41. Luk. 13.21 as fire as oyle that giueth smell to all who are in the house as Leauen which leaueneth the whole batch as a light which inlighteneth the whole house Pro. 27.17 as yron sharpeneth yron so doth a Christian a Christian Andrew found Simon and brought him to Christ Philip found Nathaneel they brought others to Christ Ioh. 4. The Samaritan woman being called did also call the Samaritans to Christ Paul conuerted studied to conuert others Act. 9. Luk. 22.32 and Peter conuerted by our Sauiour was commanded to strengthen his brethren And if wee would consider how busied wicked men are to intise others to their sin Pro. 1.14 Goe wee shall haue a common purse cast in thy lot among vs and againe how wicked Proseâ—its goe by Sea and Land Note to make others of their profession Wee both Pastors others would be ashamed that we take no paines vpon â—ur selues to strengthen weake Christians and â—raw those who are without and confirme those who are within in the truth of God whereof our owne consciences are sufficiently perswaded Our coldnesse in this poynt hath neede to be kindled and let vs indeauour to amend it and bee more relaxe in our owne affaires and more bent in the cause of God The Lord waken vs also for Vt ingulent homines surgunt de nocte Latrones Theeues rise in the night to kill men tu vt te ipsum serues non expergisceris thou that thou maiest saue thy selfe doest not awake Math. 26.40.47 Iudas arose in the night to betray Christ while the Apostles were in a heauie sleepe and would not watch for him and themselues Such is the securitie of our nature that wee are not prouident for good things and the pronesse of the
2.17 moreouer that none can truly reioyce but these who haue gotten remissioÌ„ of their sins The righteous doth sing reioyce The stranger shal not medle with his ioy Let them that seeke reioyce and be glad in thee My seruants shall reioyce sayth the Lord. For they get the white stone giuen them And a name written therein which no man knoweth sauing hee that receiueth it And this is Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Indeede the wicked haue their owne earthly and fleshly ioyes but if yee would examine them strictly they are rather torments then ioyes which Chrysostome obserueth wel Chrys hâ—m 18. ad pop Atiochenum affirming that ioy is only proper to the godly neuer to be attributed to the wicked For the couetous man whose pleasure is in riches the more they grow the more his thirst increaseth which desire tormenteth them as also the feare of the losse of them excrutiats his minde night and day when riches grow feare groweth And the Prophet Isaias sayth Isa 57.20 The wicked are like the raging Sea Es 57.21 that cannot rest whose waters cast vp myre and dirt there is no peace sayth my God to the wicked The godly and wickeds ioy differ But there is a great difference beweene the ioy of the godly and the ioy of the wicked if yee will compare them for the one reioyceth onely in God the other in earthly things The scule of the godly is indued with true and solid ioy the flesh of the wicked only enioyes perishing pleasures the godly they reioyce in the midst of their troubles the wicked are grieued in the midst of their ioyes The ioyes of the godly are eternall the ioyes of the godly are euermore augmented till at last they attaine to eternal felicitie but the hope of the wicked turneth in dispaire their life in death eternal Finally the ioyes of the godlie spring out of teares They sow a precious seed in teares and reape in ioy for the spirituall haruest is farre different from the temporall haruest The Spirituall and earthly haruest differ for the husbandmen holdes by their experience that the haruest will be answerable to the seede time but in the Christian haruest wee fow with watrie teares and reapes on dry weather by the contrarie the wicked haue a dry and seasonable seede-time but they reape with waterie teares with confusion Reasons of the peoples ioy The reasons wherefore First because none else haue warrand to reioyce For the wicked man nothing troubles him not sinne 1 The godlie haue a warrand to reioyce for it is his pleasure not tentations these he swalloweth vp not his conscience it is a sleepe not the Deuill he is alreadie made his vassall and Seruant not the world it is his treasure no outward afflictions hee will not indure them Iam. 5 1. Luk 6.25 Yea S. Iames bids them not reioyce but houle Houle yee rich men And S. Luke saith to them woe be to you that reioyce now for yee shall mourne 2. They are commanded to reioyce Secondly as the godly onely are commanded to reioyce so they haue onely cruse to reioyce because they onely enioy the presence of God by reason of the couenant they haue entresse to all things in heauen and in earth as a woman hath to the goods of her husband which is a great cause of ioy Next they know that their names are written in the booke of life as our Sauiour saith Luk. 10.20 Reioyce not in this that yee may cast out deuils but that your names are written in the booke of life 3. They haue the spirit of God the author of ioy Thirdly onely they haue the spirit of God the author of true ioy which is therefore called the ioy of the holy Ghost Onely they are annoynted with the oyle of gladnesse Fourthly onely they haue escaped from condemnation 1 Thes 1.6 Psal 45.7 as the Israelites escaped the hand of Pharoah and reioyced 4. They escape condemnation Exod 15.1 Fiftly onely these sucke and draw their ioy out of the Wells of sound consolation that is out of the Scriptures which are written that their ioy may be full 5. They draw ioy out of the Scriptures Isa 12.3 1 Ioh. 1.4 Sixtly onely these enioy a good conscience which is a continuall feast and the cause of the Apostles ioy in the midst of their persecutions Finally onely they haue the hope of eternall glory We reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God 6. They haue a good conscience Pro. 15.15 sayth the Apostle Ye righteous and vpright in heart They are called righteous in two respects 1. Because they haue received the bloud of Iesus Christ which hath made them righteous before God 7. Hope of eternall glory Why called righteous by his pâ—ssiue obedience in that hee hath suffered for their sinnes as likewise by his actiue obedience whereby he hath fulfilled the law which are both imputed to them as though they had suffered and done both themselues As also they are righteous having received the Spirit of sanctification which teacheth them to render to every one that which is his owne To Caesar Mat. 22.21 that which is Caesars To the Superiours that which is his To his equall that which appertaines to him to his Inferiour that which he ought to doe The rule of righteousnesse The rule of righteousnesse is set downe in the 15. Psalme that neither in name bodie nor goods we should iniure any man The righteous man must be sincere and vpright The righteous man must also be vpright in heart that is sincere for faith and hypocrisie can never stand together for of all vertues God liketh best of sinceritie and singlenesse of heart that in our Religion we meane sincerelie and we may say to the Lord Thou tryest my reines in the night season and foundest nothing in my mouth which was not in my heart And with our neighbours we should deale so vprightly that we may not haue Butter and Oyle in our mouth and a sword in our heart but as we professe kindnesse to them who speake kindly so our heart may meane the same Psal 12. Righteousnes cannot be without sinceritie and haue not an heart and an heart To conclude this point righteousnesse and sinceritie are so ioyned together that the one can never be without the other and they are reciprocall that a righteous man must be sincere and a sincere man must be righteous The godly reioyce in the Lord. The limitation of this ioy is set downe in the last part In Iehovah which distinguisheth the Christian ioy from all ioyes earthly Some reioyce in one thing some in another but the Christian reioyceth in the Lord. Let not the rich man reioyce in his riches nor the strong man in his strength nor the wise man in his wisedome but reioyce in the Lord. Onely one question remaineth to be dissolved Ob
in our hearts to the Lord Col. 3 16. reiecting vaine idolatrous and profane ballads and sing spiritually vnto the Lord. When Nathan the Prophet came to him Dauid as is thought lay a yeare almost in this sinne asleep till God wakened him by Nathan Ionah 1.6 as he did Ionas by the Pilot. It is certaine we would sleep vnto death before we awake from sinne if God did not put vpon vs Man is lying asleepe till God waken him and stirre vs vp We are so benummed by the spirit of slumber and possessed by a lethargie that all our senses are stupified till Nathan come and awake vs. Next God sends him that which he praied for euen a faithful admonisher Psal 119. One Prophet cometh to another yea a greater then himselfe 1. King 13.18 not as the old Prophet came to the yong at Bethel to deceiue him but as a father to admonish his child There should be an holy freedome and libertie among Preachers Pastors should freely rebuke the vices one of another each one should freely rebuke another when they see them doing wrong One should not winke at an other as most part do and others being reproued rage mightily saying with Zidkiah When went the Spirit of the Lord out of me to thee 1. King 22.24 Esa 30.10 They rebuke the rebuker They say to the Prophet Prophecie not Obserue moreouer that Nathan cometh first to Dauid not Dauid to Nathan the Physitian to the patient not the patient to the Physitian Christ himselfe came to the sinners and Publicans and called them to repentance This is against the pride of some Mat. 9.13 Against the pride and lazinesse of Preachers and lazinesse of others who will not come or take the paines to visit weake Christians yea will scarce admit them to their presence when they come as though they were Princes Woe to their pride who come not to the sicke and heale not the broken as saith the Prophet but feed themselues with the fat of the sheepe Let none of higher gifts despise those of lower Acts 9.17 God vseth Nathan a Prophet inferiour to Dauid both in Prophecie wisedome and other gifts to be an instrument to warne Dauid Let none then of greater gifts despise those of lesser Ananias taught Paul and here Nathan Dauid After he had gone in to Bathsheba Albeit Dauid thought he had hid himselfe well enough yet God found him out by Nathan Adam hid himselfe among the bushes but God called to him Gen. 3.8 Where art thou Let vs not then dreame that God doth not see vs and whatsoeuer starting holes we seeke to hide our selues in The woman lighteth the candle Luk. 15.4 and findeth the lost pennie and our Shepheard will seeke his lost sheepe and bring it home againe No wither can we go from the all-seeing eye of God Gone in to Bathsheba As Dauid was an example of the frailtie of mans nature and Nathan of a faithfull Preacher so Dauid setteth down what euils do come of the beautie of women which is conioyned with impudencie and leuitie For if she had not washed her selfe naked before the pallace and consented so readily to the King Against the impudency of women that he should come in to her a filthy action spoken in cleane termes as Christians should do the like there had not bin such abhominable crimes committed She representeth many women in our days shamelesly haunting such places where they may giue occasion to meÌ„ to suit after theÌ„ Gen. 38 1â— as Tamar sitting by the high way when Iudah came by This doth not disgrace honest women but rather giueth them matter to glorifie God who hath not suffered them to be deborde in their filthy affections As the wise mariner seeing others by throwing themselues in danger suffer shipwrack Simil thanketh God who kept him from the like so honest women may praise God that he hath preserued their honestie which was not in their owne hand Beautie is not to be euill thought of being a benefit and blessing of God Beautie a blessing of God if not abused but the abuse of beautie by the tentation of the diuell and deceitfulnesse of our owne nature when Satan allureth vs to dishonour God and destroy that goodly peece of workmanship which God hath made vp in vs by that which should haue bin an instrument to prouoke vs to Gods seruice Pro. 31.30 Beautie is deâ—â—â—tfull Absoloms beautie deceiued him c. Sa. 14.15 and many with him haue beautie but haue no grace to vse it well Finally I see both the persons are noted by their names and not obscured wherein the Spirit of God in his word as in a true mirror and glasse representeth euery ones naturall face either in their beautie or in their blemishes So Iohn Baptist spoke particularly to Herod Math. 14.4 and the Prophets to their Princes They closed not vp their reproofes vnder generalities that they might interprete them any way which pleased them best but called blacke blacke sowre sowre and sweete whosoeuer sin openly ought opeÌ„ly to be rebuked sweete For particular applications to eminent persons is most requisite and those that sin openly should be openly rebuked that others may stand in awe Verse 1. Haue mercie vpon me O God according to thy louing kindnesse according to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities HAue mercie vpon me O God The thing he craueth most of God is mercie for God hath many qualities which are essentiall to him but none of them could do vs any good without his mercie his power would destroy vs his wisedome confound vs his iustice condemne vs his maiestie affright vs but all these by it turne to our good To beg for mercie is the first word of a supplicant The first word of the forâ—orne sonne to his father was Father Luk. 15.21 I haue sinned against heauen and against thee This Christ in his prayer hath taught vs to pray Math. 6.12 Forgiue vs our sinnes So in euery prayer we should begin at haue mercie vpon me O God We sin daily and vnlesse we offer vp at the doore of the Sanctuarie a sin-offering we cannot offer an offering of thanksgiuing and the sweete incense of praises Thus prayed the woman of Canaan saying Mat. 19.22 Haue mercie vpon me comprehending vnder that the cure of her daughter and the two blind men cried O Sonne of Dauid haue mercie Mat. 9.27 as also did many others The greatest comfort that Christians haue in their trouble is that they haue to do with a mercifull God and not rigorous nor one who wil chide with vs continually Psal 103.9 but one who is flow to anger readie to forgiue whose name is mercie whose nature is mercifull who hath promised to be mercifull who is the Father of mercies 2. Cor. 1.3 The earth is full of his mercies they are aboue the heauens and the clouds
as the first was tedious So God seeth all our sins as he seeth our repentance Nota. Sin not because he seeth thee but repent vnfainedly that he may take pleasure in bâ—holding thee Thou louest The person who loueth is God The Creator becometh a louer of the creature euen God becometh a louer of his image in him Doth he then loue Aboue all things let vs seeke to depend vpon this his lone In our religion we should trauell to know what he loueth most Godaboue all things loueth sinceritie what he respecteth most what best pleaseth him for otherwise we lose our time in his seruice he loueth sinceritie best and that we should present to him We enquire what euery man loues best and we frame our selues to seeke after it then I beseech you among the rest search out what God loueth best seeke after it and present it to him and if there were no other argument to moue vs to sinceritie this may be sufficient because God loueth it Loue that which God loueth hate that which he hateth loue sinceritie that he loueth hate hypocrisie that he cannot abide Truth By truth is meant sinceritie and vprightnesse in his Maiesties seruice that we do not glose him by faire words and shewes he loueth not shadowes but substances no colours or couerts but the bodie it selfe For he pierceth with his eye to the lowest part of mans heart and stayeth not vpon the outward picture of man-actions howsoeuer plausible to man God looketh not as man looketh In euery action of religion let vs remember to keepe sinceritie Who would desire to be called rich if he want riches esteemed valiant if he haue not strength and shall we thinke it sufficient to be called religious Better to be religious then to be thought religious and not to be so Better to be rich then to be called rich better to be religious then to be thought or called religious God loueth truth as he hateth all falsehood for he is truth Ego sum veritas via vita Ioh. 14.6 He loueth truth in our profession truth in our ciuill life truth in our profession is that which he hath commanded in his word truth in our ciuill life is that which agreeth with dutie of ciuill conuersation without fraud deceit or guile which is different from Gods nature and resembleth the diuell who is a deceiuer In the inward affections It is not a superficiall or scroofe-worship which God regardeth For Cains sacrifice outwardly was as pleasant as Abels Gen. 4.4 but God looked to their hearts accepted the one and reiected the other God aboue all things craueth the heart Pro. 2â— 26 My sonne giue me thine heart God wil be worshipped in spirit and veritie Therefore hast thou taught me wisedome in the secret of mine heart He amplifieth his sin by this circumstance that he did it not as an ignorant but as one who was enlightned with knowledge and besides he had priuate informations and intelligence from God in his heart and tasted of the heauenly doctrine yea it was rooted and fixed in his heart yet like a bruite beast he was caried to that filthy lust and so was inexcusable and suffocated the light of the Spirit which he had receiued He had informations giuen by God but he had not grace to follow them which so much the more made him inexcusable that he was taught Christians perish not for want of informatioÌ„ but for contemning the warnings they get God must teach 〈◊〉 and would not obey So Christians shal not perish for lack of information but because they do not obey the warnings which they get This age hath heard many lessons and God hath manifested his whole will vnto them but because they obey them not their knowledge shal augment their paines God he must be our great Doctor and Teacher we must be Theodidactoi taught of God Neither nature learning experience practise or age can teach vs wisedome onely Gods word must teach vs. Nature preuailed among the Philosophers but that neuer led them to God For all the principles of our faith are contrary to nature sense and reason What is more against naturall reason then these points of our religion God was made man a virgin hath borne a childe a crucified man saued the world a dead man arose c. in these and such we must be taught from aboue by God God teacheth by the ministerie of his word God he teacheth by the ministery of his word which whosoeuer contemneth refuseth the meanes of his saluation but that ministery will not be sufficient without diuine inspiration 1. Cor. 3.6 Paul may plant Apollo may water but God giueth the increase Bellarmine translateth the Hebrew word which he granteth signifieth abscondita incerta and so doth Lorinus those doubting Doctors would haue the mysteries of the Scriptures vncertaine and doubtfull Nota. There is great diuersitie of iudgements among men what is true wisedome These are of the Lord is true wisdome Eccles 1.2 but if ye would enquire at the wisest man that euer liued he will tell you that hauing examined all things vnder heauen he found all things to be but vanitie and vexation of spirit and that true wisedom consisted only in the feare of God and keeping his commandements The feare of the Lord is the instruction of wisedome Pro. 15.33 all other wisedome is foolishnesse Verse 7. Purge me with hyssope and I shall be cleane wash me and I shall be whiter then snow HE is not contented simply to craue pardon once or twice but many times yes he multiplieth his suites by metaphors allegories and such borrowed speeches signifying how deeply he was wounded with his sin that he would haue himselfe assured and confirmed in the remission thereof and now he borroweth a similitude from the washings and purgations vsed in the Leuiticall law desiring that God would looke on his miseries who was a leprous man by sin and a filthy polluted sinner that hee might be washed in the blood of Christ prefigured by the Mosaicall washings Purge me with hyssope There is made mention of hyssope where it was vsed Three times made mention of hysop Exo. 12. â—â— in three places first in the 12. of Exodus at the institution of the Passeouer where the blood of the Lambe was appointed to be sprinkled vpon the doore cheekes with a bunch of hyssope bound with a scarlet lace The blood signified Christs blood the bunch of hyssope the sauing and the scarlet lace his blood died which bound the bunch all hauing their spirituall significations For the blood no doubt signified the blood of that vndefiled Lambe shed from the beginning of the world The hyssope the instâ—ument applying his blood by faith The scarlet lace the communion of the Saints who are bound by loue the bond of perfection and sprinkled with that same blood to the remission of sins And so the blood which washeth faith which applieth and
Rom. 8.30 And Paul Whom God predestinateth he calleth iustifieth and glorifieth therefore they cannot fall away finally Which is against that damnable doctrine of the Papists Against the Papists who thinke the elect may be reprobates which is repugnant to the whole Trinitie Against God Against Christ who thinke the elect may be reprobates This doctrine is iniurious to the whole Trinitie for the Father is greatly wronged in that he is thought to be impotent or inconstant who hath ordaned vs before the world to glorie that his work could be hindred or altered by any intervenient fault or sinne in vs as though he would or could not remoue and pardon it And our Sauiour getteth no lesse iniury by them that one of his members can perish and so he should haue a defectiue body For if any who once hath bin a member of his mysticall bodie fall away or be cut off of necessitie his bodie by want of that one member would be disgraced And the holy Spirit who is the pledge of our adoption Against the holy Spirit sealing vp Gods grace in our hearts and giuing vs that full perswasion of Gods promises causing vs to crie Abba Father Rom. 8.15 is greatly wronged when his work is accounted nothing of as friuolous light and vncertaine So to speake the truth the Papists do what in them lieth to disgrace the holy Trinitie and aduance Angels and men in plaine contempt of that glorious Godhead which we ought so much to aduance in our doctrine and writings This is a great comfort to vs The graces of the Spirit can not be taken away that the graces of the Spirit which we haue once gotten cannot be taken away againe For howsoeuer we do not feele them alike at all times yet we haue them sin may take away the feeling of grace but not the possession thereof Albeit God be angrie by correcting his best children yet whom he chastiseth he loueth Heb. 12.6 But Dauid saith Obiect Psa 69 â—0 Blot them out of the booke of life Solut. It is not to be thought that Dauid supposed they were written in the booke of life but because they seemed to feare God and were in the visible Church but not of her he prayeth that God would make it knowne they were neuer written in it And in praying that the holy Spirit may not be taken from him he doubteth yea he standeth in feare of the losse thereof Blessed is he that feareth continually He doubteth but doth not despaire The Spirit may be grieued by vs and so cease to worke in vs good things or to let vs feele good motions but he cannot go away for when he hath brought vs to our selues and letten vs feele our sins then he purgeth his dwelling place and maketh it more meete to worke in such diuine operations as it pleaseth him to inspire in vs. Verse 12. Restore to me the ioy of thy saluation and stablish me with thy free Spirit IN this 12 verse Dauid craueth another necessary gift and effect flowing from the remission of his sinnes to wit the ioy of his conscience For the kingdome of God standeth not in externall things â—om 14.17 as meate and drinke but in righteousnes peace and ioy in the holy Ghost saith the Apostle For being made righteous by Christ and peace made with God there ariseth a wonderfull tranquillitie in out consciences from which finally ariseth a ioy vnspeakable For all the ioyes of the earth could not make vs ioyfull vnlesse God were at one with him neither can all the troubles that can fall vpon our outward man discourage vs if we find the ioy of God in our hearts Nothing spoileth vs of this ioy and pleasure that we haue in God but onely sin Pleasure in sin taketh away our ioy in God For once delighting in sin we can haue no pleasure in Gods seruice for these two can neuer stand together Therefore we must loath sinne that we may reioyce in God Christians haue ioy and sorrow intermingled 2. Cor. 12.7 Next ye see the estate of a Christian is not alwayes one ioy and sorrow is intermingled he hath a Summer of ioyes and a Winter of griefes Saint Paul had the messenger of Satan to buffet him that he should not be exalted aboue measure with his great reuelations After a Christian hath mourned he will reioyce He who neuer sorrowed for sinne will neuer reioyce for grace He that neuer mourned for the affliction neuer reioyceth for the consolation of Ioseph Mourne with them that mourne and reioyce with them that reioyce saith the Spirit The substance and ground of this ioy is the saluation of God so God is the matter of it and this saluation is purchased by God onely Psal 3.8 Saluation is the Lords Whereby he letteth vs see that the first grace will not do the turne to vs of initiation but we haue need of the second grace of confirmation which is the accompanying and perseuering grace Stablish me This stablishing is to make vs sure whereby he would aduertise vs of our instabilitie and vnsurenesse if we were not yet supported Samson was strong in grace but being left to himselfe he fell Peter bragged presumptuously in his owne strength Though all the world would forsake thee Mat. 26.33 yet I will not yet being left to himselfe he fell according as Christ had prophecied Before the cocke crow twise thou shall denie me thrise Let vs now take heed vnto our selues the time is come to trie all Christians what is in them and I feare our weaknesse will appeare to the world to our shame and the dishonour of our profession And I neuer saw any who presumed aboue others of their owne strength Nota. but they haue proued the weakest souldiers who by Thrasonicall confidence in their wisedome holinesse constancie and other of their vertues bragged aboue their neighbours yea contemned them but in the end they proue cowards presuming in pride and falling with shame This is one of the most certaine markes of Gods Spirit that as he is free in himselfe so he giueth libertie and freedome to all his children whom he possesseth For where the Spirit of the Lord is there is libertie Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is libertie They are not bound with the chaines of sin they are not bound with mens traditions but they freely serue God as the children of the house are free The Romans were free men as citizens brag of their freemen and there is great difference between them and other free men that they may vse their trades of merchandize without controlement so is a Christian of all men the most free Our Sauiour said to Peter Who should pay tribute children or strangers But I pray you is a Christian who braggeth of the Spirit Mat. 17 2â— Obiect Solut. free to do what he pleaseth God forbid he is onely free to do Gods commandements and to
stand in the libertie which God hath giuen him He is bound to keep the coÌ„mandements of God to be free from the traditions and vanities of men So a man needeth not to brag of the Spirit that he may say and do what he pleaseth and alwaies pretend the Spirit and the libertie purchased by Christs blood to euery one of his follies no but that libertie hath her owne bounds and circumscriptions for the Spirit giueth vs no more libertie but that which is bound by his word No true ioy but in the saluatioÌ„ of Christ The word jasha importeth either Sauiour or saluation as Ier. 3.18 To declare that there is no true ioy but in the saluation by Christ This ioy Marie had in God her Sauiour Luk. 1.47 and Iohn in his mothers wombe leaped for ioy Luk. 1.44 Zach. 5.9 Isa 60.5 Reioyce daughter Sion This ioy maketh vs reioyce in tribulation by the comforter who eateth vp all our sorrowes and perplexities as fire eateth vp the rust of iron Other ioyes be but toyes Quicquid non est in Domino non tam intus recreat quam foras What ioy is not in the Lord refresheth not so much within as without This is the wine which Salomon commandeth to be giuen to the grieued in heart Pro. â—1 6 And surely this ioy is a foretaste of that future ioy which we shall haue in heauen where there shall be no interchange of ioy with sorow but a perpetuall ioy wherein the creature â—hall reioyce in the Creator and daily find â—ew causes of pleasure Psal 16.12 At thy right hand is â—leasure for euermore But where he desireth a restauration of this ioy it is certaine that he once felt and tasted of the sweetnesse of Gods fauour and the life to come Those who abuse the fauour of God shall feele the want therof and this sense failing him for a while he desireth that it may be repaired and restored to him And God iustly dealeth this way with men For when they abuse the time of his gracious visitation he letteth them feele themselues what they are without him Therefore he is glad to seeke now with the prodigall sonne a restitution of the thing losed Stablish me He craueth now the gift of confirmation as though he would say Albeit thou wouldst bestow all the former benefits of remission of my sin of sanctification and ioy proceeding therefrom yet I am likely to lose them vnlesse it would please thee to confirme and strengthen me to the end Therefore he craueth to be stablished by the Spirit and he addeth an epithete to that Spirit calling it his free Spirit Our Lord was reproched for his frequencie with sinners they called him a drunkard because he dranke with them Luk. 2.16 and a glutton because he eated with them Who would reproue a Physitian which frequenteth with patients and who would reproue a Preacher who haunteth and conuerseth with penitents Simil. not to peruert but conuert them Thy free Spirit He letteth vs see that this stabilitie commeth by no other meanes but by the Spirit of God as oftentimes he doth make mention in this Psalme The title which he giueth to the Spirit is a free Spirit The Spirit is free in himselfe neither can he be limited so those who haue him cannot be bounded by any humane deuice or presumption The Spirit is free in himselfe The winde bloweth whither it pleaseth and shall not the Spirit haue libertie to blow whither he pleaseth No man seeth the wind yet it bloweth and ouerthroweth great houses and trees and yet they will binde the word of God This I speake not that I would wish any to pretend the Spirit and alledge for whatsoeuer thing they say a warrant of the Spirit thus keeping that libertie to be a pretence and sauegard of their imaginations as the Anabaptists say but there is no warrant for such riot for the Spirit seeketh nothing but by the word Christian libertie is to serue God Neither can this Christian libertie be a pretence for Atheists who vnder couert of Christian libertie doe what they please spend their time in all maner of riot Our libertie is to serue God not sinne from the bondage whereof we are made free Verse 13. Then shall I teach thy wayes vnto the wicked and sinners shall be conuerted vnto thee NOw followeth his promise 1. that he will be a Preacher 2. to whom to the wicked 3. what shall be the effect of his labours sinners shall be conuerted to God Then shall I teach the wicked He mindeth not to hide his talent but to put it forth to his masters aduantage So this is a sure mark of one who hath Gods mercie that he will not keep it priuate but publish it and make it knowne to others Which is a dutie necessarily craued in vs Doctrine Euery Christian should coÌ„municat their gift for the profit of the Church that we should be diligent to communicate our gift to the vtilitie of the Church Worldly men put out their mony for their owne aduantage and should not spirituall men put forth the Lords gifts for his aduantage Dauid a Kâ—ing is not ashamed to be a teacher of repentance and mercie which he felt himselfe So none in all the world should be ashamed of the holy ministerie None should be ashamed of the holy ministery 1. Cor. 9.16 Nota. Saint Paul saith Vae mihi si non praedicauero Wo be to me if I preach not the Gospell Those who are ashamed to preach publish their sins let them be ashamed to sinne Thy wayes But what is his text he teacheth thy wayes not mens traditions which can in no wise either assure or pacifie the conscience Dauid was not so bold to put in his wayes with Gods wayes Gods ways are the wâ—yes prescribed in his word Gods wayes are the ways prescribed in his word which are perfect iust and holy wayes But when men will bring in the altar of Damascus opposing it to the true altar they remember not that God brought leprosie on the Kings sace 2. Kin 16.13 till he was expelled out of the Temple This is a rule to Princes that they teach the people and make them to be taught onely the wayes of God and bring not in mens traditions and make a mixture of them with the holy Scriptures which here Dauid shunneth But whom teacheth he The wicked sinners those who are in the very bonds and hands of the Diuel these be the proper matter vpon which Gods word worketh Hypocrites set not by such lessons but poore miserable creatures who see by the word that they are worthy of hell then they are touched with a remorse and would be very glad to go to heauen So the physicke is lost which is not bestowed on such as are sensible of their owne sores And sinners shall be conuerted vnto thee He perswadeth himselfe that his doctrine shall be effectual forasmuch as it shal work
redemption It is called great in regarde of the great maiestie that redeemed vs God eternall Secondly Wherein the redemption of man is great the greatnesse of the price his blood Thirdly the number of those who are redeemed all the beleeuers Fourthly the strong man out of whose prison we are freed Fiftly the graces which he powreth on his Church Verse 8. And he shall redeeme Israel from all his iniquities A comfortable promise with which he concludeth this Psalme assuring the Church that God will redeeme her Since the greatest danger from which the Church is deliuereâ— And wherefrom euen from her sinnes all her sinnes which is the greatest danger euer the Church fell into and the mother of all other euills For what could the deuill hell or wicked men doe to vs without sinne nothing Israel Euery one is not deliuered but onely the Israel of God Onely Gods Israel shall be deliuered Ioh. 1.47 Rom. 2.29 those who are true Israelits as was said of Nathanael in whom is no guile and the Apostles Israelits not in the letter but Spirit From all his iniquities Whatsoeuer they be whether against God our neighbour or our selues they shal be forgiuen and pardoned The ioyfull iubilie is now come which to the Israelites was the 50. yeare and now to the true Israelites it is proclamed euery houre In that Iubilie the lands which were ingaged became free Nota. and returned to the owners but we our selues who were captiues to the diuill are made free and returne to God by redemption of Christs blood yea all our debts and iniquities are pardoned though our sinnes were as crimson Isa 1.18 they shall be made white as snow though they were red as scarlet they shall be as woole though they were as many as the sand of the sea and as heauy as leade we are freed of all by that blood and if of all what neede we seeke any other remedie but that allouerlie We neede not with the Turkes to runne to Mahomet or with the Papists to Saints and images God through Iesus Christ hath taken them all away He who made all cureth all It is his honour he will not giue his glorie to another Our Sunne illumilinateth all the world our Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse shineth to all the world but none are partakers of his light but true Israelites which dwell in the land of Goshen The Lord graunt that we may be such that being illuminated by the light of Christ here we may be conueied thereby through the dangerous wildernesse of this world to the kingdome of heauen where we shall be with him world without end Amen A GODLY AND FRVITFVL EXPOSITION ON THE CXLIII PSALME the seuenth of the Penitentials AT the making of this Psalme as plainly appeareth Dauid hath bin cast into some desperate danger 1. Sa. 24.4 whether by Saul when he was forced to flee into the caue as in the former Psalme or by Absolon his sonne or by any other it is vncertaine Alwaies in this he complaineth grieuoushe to God of the malice of his enemies The substance of this Psalm and desireth God to heare his prayers he acknowledgeth that he suffereth those things by Gods iust iudgement most humbly crauing mercy for his sinnes desiring not onely to be restored but also to be gouerned by Gods spirit that he may dedicate and consecrate the rest of his life to Gods seruice This worthie Psalme then conteineth these three things The parts of the Psalme First a confession of sinnes Secondly a lamentation for his iniurie Thirdly a supplication for temporall deliuerie and spirituall graces to the end of the Psalme Verse 1. Heare my prayer O Lord and hearken vnto my supplication answere me in thy truth and in thy righteousnesse Those pray in vaine who are not assured that God will beare them Heb. 6.11 HEare my prayer O Lord He craueth attention in the first place and prepareth Gods eare for it is in vaine to pray vnlesse we be sure God will heare vs and answere vs for he that commeth to God must first beleeue that God is and that he will reward those who serue him for otherwsie we pray without faith and our prayer is sinne Thus he doth in diuerse Psalmes as in the 102. Psalme 2. and in 5. Psalme and 54. Psalmes By this we learne that the Saints should begin their prayers with a request to be heard so long doth the Lord seeme to men not to heare them and to hold backe his eares and eyes that he heareth not their sutes and seeth not their tribulations as he delayeth to graunt their desires and therefore they craue audience and attention He doth here three times repeate his earnest desire to be heard as in the fift Psalme foure times he doubleth and ingeminateth this same suite to be heard There he desireth God to heare his wordes vnderstand his meditation hearken vnto the voice of his cry and heare his voice in the morning the like he doth here thereby declaring the vehemencie of his affection if any be desirous to haue their suites graunted they goe not slowly about their businesse they doe not vse cold rife wordes Simil. as though they were speaking for a thing they did not care for but they cry as beggers at a noblemans gate who are so importunate in crying that men are ashamed to refuse them Luk. 18. Ged denieth our request because we doe not confidently and earnestly desirs them As the importunitie of the widow moued the false iudge How much more will our heauenly Father by loath to refuse vs yea there is no cause why he disdaineth our suites but by reason we neither confidently nor earnestlie desire them nothing would be refased to thee if thou wouldest beg as thou shouldest do The Spirit would request for thee with sights that cannot be expressed and he that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the meaning of the spirit Rom. 8.26.27 Is it possible that a mother can heare the mourning suites of her childe without mouing and yeelding yea though the mother could forget the childe Esa 49.15 yet God cannot forget vs. Then speake and he will heare be thou not dumbe and he will not be deafe try knocke aske seeke be instant in thy petitions for the Lord is ready to heare all those who seeke him truely instantly and constantly God reiecteth none who desire to be heard neuer man sought to be heard whom God hath reiected and refused In this verse he desireth Ichouah his God to heare hearken and answere Secondly the subiect of his speech and the thing which he desireth to be heard is his prayer and oration Thirdly the maner how he desireth his prayer to be heard in thy truth and righteousnesse When he doubleth his request of hearing he would haue God hearing him with both his eares that is most attentiuely and readilie so instant is a troubled minde he desireth the prayer he putteth
beene committed therfore hee sayth Isa 44.22 Mic. 7.19 I haue put away thy transgressions as a cloude and thy sinnes as a mist He will subdue our iniquities and cast all our sinnes into the bottome of the Sea Psal 103.7.12 as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercie toward them that feare him as farre as the East is from the West so farre hath he remoued our sinnes from vs. Isa 1.18 Though our sinnes were as crimson they shall be made whâ—te as snowe though they were red as Scarlet they shall be as wooll I euen I am hee that puttâ—th away thine iniquities for mine owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes if the wicked will turne c. Ibid. 44.25 All his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned vnto him but in his righteousnesse that he hath done Ezech. 18.21.22 he shall liue So it is a like to bee couered of God as not to haue sinned at all When God forgiueth sinne hee couereth it The allusion of the words Nassui and Cassui is proper for the sinnes that are pardoned are also couered So most miserable is the state of those who are nor reconciled vnto God for his maiestie hath his revenging eye looking on them and their actions to destroy them The Lord setteth their iniquities before him Psal 90.8 and their secret sinnes in the light of his countenance whereas hee casteth the sinnes of his elect behind his backe What shall become of those who thinke their sinnes to be hid if they come not to the open sight of the world as though the sight of man were more to be feared then the sight of God Note why should wee not be more afraid of Gods sight who may avenge himselfe on vs then of mens who though they behold vs may either pittie vs or offend at vs. There are many who to couer their sins Nazianzenus runne to human a satisfactions They purge clay with clay they adde superstition to superstition and in so doing in my iudgement they carrie timber on their backes that the more timber they haue they may kindle the the greater fire Mans satisfaction cancouer sinne for what are our merits but a new fewell to kindle Gods iudgement and the more trees yee bring yee kindle vp the greater flame Then wee are greatly bound to the Lord who when he might haue written our faults vpon our browes he hath couered and hid them therefore let vs not renue and raise them vp againe since the Lord hath buried them in the bottome of the Sea of his obliuion Simil. For his mercies are as an Ocean furnishing water to the whole world but can neuer be dried vp VERSE 2. Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquitie and in whose spirit there is no guile Doctr. Sinne is a debt THis third similitud is taken from debt that albeit we are oblieged and bound to God either to satisfaction or obedience yet the Lord taketh paiment from our surty and so freeth vs. For God will not take twise paiment for one debt so that we may say truly if we beleeue in Christ we are not oblieged nor bound to God for paiment for hee hath our obligation and nailed it to the Crosse This the Apostle testifieth writing to the Corinthians 2 Cor 5.18 19. and all things are of God which hath reconciled vs vnto himselfe by Iesus Christ and hath giuen vnto vs the ministrie of reconciliation for God was in Christ and reconciled the world to himselfe not imputing their sinnes to them See how the Prophet by reiteration of this remission of sinne extennuats and annihilats himselfe and brings him so low that by impietie sinne and iniquitie whereof hee granteth he found himselfe culpable and by lightening him of that burthen couering of his sinne not imputation of his debt hee assured himselfe to be releeued But it may be asked Ob how farre we should be mindfull of our sinnes and whether they are so couered by God that wee should burie them by perpetuall silence To dissolue this question Ans wee must remember what is sayd by the fathers that our sinnes are remitted before God when wee accuse our selues then are wee iustified Note when wee concondemne our selues our sinnes are then couered best when they are most discouered to God And therefore wee ought to call our sinnes to minde Why wee should remember our sinnes not that we should distrust of the remission thereof but that the remembrance thereof may make vs more thankfull to God and more prudent that we sinne not againe yea it maketh vs readie to haue compassion on others who offended But another question ariseth Ob whether we should desire that our sinnes should bee hid from mens eyes or opened I answere Ans if God hath hidden them reueale not thou them thy selfe lest thou be an authour of thine owne offence and it being the honour of God to conceale sinnes Why shouldest thou dishonor God so farre Pro 25.2 as to reueale that which God hath concealed Iosh 7.20 But if it be publicke why should it not be publickely confessed as was Achans Moreouer it may bee demaunded how can it stand with the most righteous God Ob. who is the iudge of the world that he should suffer an vnrighteous man to goe free without punishment for if he diminish any part of his righteousnesse hee must deny himselfe and his owne nature Ans It is answered that his iustice is perfectly satisfied to the vtermost fâ—rthen by Iesus Christ neither could it stand with the equitie and iustice of the eternall God that hee should haue receaued satisfaction from Christ our suertie and recouer and claime that of vs as I said before Doctr. True felicitie stands in iustification and Sanctfication And in whose spirit there is no guile Yee heard the first part of the felicitie of man which standeth in his iustification that is the remission of his sinnes the second part stands in his Sanctification and purification of his heart by the Spirit of God from Hypocrisie which are the fruites answerable to the former Note For the Lord neuer bestowed his Sonnes bloud to wash away any sinne but he bestowed his Sonnes spirit to Sanctifie that man the chiefe vertue that he craueth in a Christian is sinceritie the chiefe vice hee hateth Hypocrisie God esteemes not of outward pâ—rts but being a Spiâ—iâ— he looketh to Spirits My Sonne saith hee giue me thine heart and aâ—â—ee is a spirit Pro 23.26 so he will be worshippâ—d â—n spiâ—â—â— Basilius as he commendeth that sentence of Plato Basil ad popul hom 24. that is greâ—test extremitie of iniquitie when an vnrighteous man would sâ—eme to be righteous so hee condemneth the opinion of Euripides I had â—ather some to be good then be so So that of all the things in the world the Spirit