a vertue of faith to doubt of GODS loue Rom. 8.38 Iob 13.15 19 25. Psal 125.1 but how did Paul doubt when he saith I am fully perswaded c. Alas how dares a vile sinner not iustified nor assured of GODS loue and the pardon of his sinnes how dares he come to call on God and make his prayer vnto him dares a traitour come to his King speake vnto him not hauing his pardon Well this Doctrine of doubting it is a racke for wounded consciences and torments afflicted soules when they can not tell whether God loueth or hateth them nor know not that their sinnes be pardoned Vse 2 And therefore that religion which teacheth doubtings and pronounceth them accursed who â—old that a man may be assâ—red of saluation we accurse it as a Doctrine enemie to faith and saluation And indeed it is strange to see that whereas they teach a man is able to fulfil the whole law of GOD and by his workes to merit eternall life yet they accurse him if hee say hee is sure to be saued so directly doth one point of their false Doctrine impugne another Indeede it is no maruâ—ll though their religion can yeelde no comfort for certainety of saluation seeing they draw men from off the foundation Christ Iesus in whom only it is promised that we shall find rest for our soules Seeing Dauid prayes for this assurance of Gods loue to bee assured of the pardon of his sinnes by his spirit and that vpon his true repentance This shewes that the confidence that most men haue is a fond presumption and securitie They would not doubt of GODS loue for all the world they beleeued euer since they were borne and thus they brag of their strong faith but they deceiue themselues for till a man do repent turne to GOD beleeue in Christ be a new creature hee can haue no assurance of Gods loue or pardon of his sinnes Let all true Christians examine themselues whether they feele and finde this blessed assurance and perswasion of Gods loue and the pardon of their sinnes if thou hast it make much of it loose it not If thou want it vse all meanes giue all diligence to get it repent turne to God begge mercy and pardon for thy sinnes embrace Iesus Christ beleeue in him that thou mayest bee assured and neuer be at rest till thou canst say I am perswaded of Gods loue in Christ Iesus I know my Redeemer liueth I am perswaded I am the childe of God else a man can haue no ioy peace nor comfort Doctr. 2 Though Nathan had told him his sins were forgiuen Mans testimony of the remission of sins is nothing without the testimonie of Gods spirit yet Dauid could not be assured till he felt the inward assurance and certificate of Gods spirit to perswade and witnes the loue of GOD vnto him for the pardon of his sinnes Hence we learne that it is not the testimony of all men Angels that can assure vs in our soules of Gods loue and pardon of our sins without the inward speciall certificate and perswasion of Gods Spirit who is called the Spirit of Adoption Ro. 8.15.16 because he doth reueale yea perswade and assure our soules that we be adopted If Peter Paul Nathan yea al the world nay if an Angell from heauen should tell me I am the childe of God Note yet vnlesse God doe farther certifie my conscience inwardly by his Spirit I should not be assured but doubt stil euen as Dauid did in this place although Nathan had said Thy sinnes are for giuen yet Dauid could not bee assured vntill he had the inward and comfortable perswasion of Gods holy Spirit Men cannot know the secret councell of God they may deceiue and be deceiued but the Spirit of Gods knowes all things and the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 1.10 Ro. 8.15 16 Ye haue not receiued the Spirit of bondage to feare againe But ye haue receiued the Spirit of Adoption whereby yee crie Abba Father The same Spirit beareth witnesse to our spirit that we are the children of God Galat. 4.6 2. Cor. 1.22 And because ye are sonnes therefore GOD hath sent foorth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts whereby we cry Abba Father Againe God the Father hath sealed vs and put into our hearts the earnest of his Spirit So that you see it is the proper worke of the Spirit to assure our harts and consciences of Gods loue and the pardon of our sinnes and without this inward certificate and assurance of the Spirit all the testimonies of men and Angells can not assure our consciences Vse Well then seeing that there can be no assurance in a mans conscience of the pardon of sinne and life eternall but by the inward certificate and testimony of Gods Spirit let vs pray for this labour to find and feele our hearts perswaded and assured inwardly by the holy Ghost of the pardon of our sins and the loue of GOD in Christ 2. Cor. 13.5 Proue your selues whether yee be in the faith And because men are deceiued generally with a fond presumption and foolish opinion that they be the children of God and shal be saued and this carnall presumption is more common then true sauing faith Markes of Gods Spirit I will shew how we may know this testimony and certificate of Gods Spirit when it is in our consciences First the Spirit of God assures no man of the pardon of his sinnes That Man repents of his sinnes but such as be humbled for them repent of them leaue and forsake them become new creatures and walke in newnesse of life and therfore if thou liue in sinne be not humbled for them nor bewaile them hast a purpose to liue still in thy sinnes ignorance lying swearing couetousnes vncleanenes c. Thou canst haue no assurance of Gods loue and this perswasion of thine if thou hast any it is meere presumption for where men doe not repent and turne vnto God and amend their liues there is no faith neither is the Spirit of God in them and therefore they can not bee assured of GODS loue and mercie Secondly Is perswaded of the Spirit the spirit of Adoption doth not onely tell a man that hee is the child of God but doth by sundry arguments and reasons perswade the childe of God that hee is elect that God loues him and that his sinnes be pardoned but wicked men haue no such perswasion in their hearts onely they haue a fond opinion and conceit which is no good ground neither did the Spirit of GOD euer perswade their hearts thereunto We shall know the testimony of Gods Spirit The effects will appeare that it is sure and sound by the fruits and effects of it for if the Spirit of God do truly testifie the loue of God for the pardon of our sinnes and life eternall then it will follow that we shall hate our sins loathe abhorre them because they grieue
our most gracions God louing father yea wee shall desire in all things to honour God to doe his will to please and serue him so that if wee finde and feele these things a true hatred and dislike of sinne because it dishonours our God a desire to liue in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all our dayes it is a certaine signe that the Spirit of God doth assure vs of our reconciliation with God But if men find not this no hatred of sinne no loue to obey his will and keepe his commandements but ignorance rebellion prophanenesse and the like let them bragge what they will of their strong faith feeling of Gods loue and I know not what yet it is certaine they haue not the testimony of Gods spirit which Dauid praieth for here but a sond and foolish opinion proceeding of selfe-loue carnall securitie and diuellish presumption which in the end will deceiue them Doctr. 3 Make me to heare of ioy and gladnes God conuaies confort vnto vs by the ministerie of his holie word In these words note a third point of doctrine namely whence and where Dauid looked for comfort namely from the word of God and hearing the same opened and preached vnto him So that in his example wee learne that all true comfort and spirituall consolation is to bee learned and fetched out of the word of God that is the store-house of heauenly comfort And therefore our Sauior Christ bids vs search there for comfort Iohn 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them yee thinke to haue eternall life Againe it is called Spirit and Life Iohn 6.63 because God vses the preaching and ministerie of the Gospel to beget spirituall life It is called The word of truth euen the Gospel of our saluation Ephesians 1.13 The Lord might haue illuminated the minde of the Eunuch Actes 8. by the mediate working of his owne Spirit and haue made him vnderstand that scripture which he was reading without any Interpreter but it pleased the Lord to doe it by the Ministerie of Philip hee might haue likewise communicated his Spirit to Cornelius Actes 10. But the Lord would not do it but by the ministerie of Peter According to that of the Apostle 1. Corin. 1.21 It hath pleased the Lord by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue so many as beleeue and so many shall beleeue as are ordained to eternall life If then thou be desirous with Dauid to heare of ioy and gladnesse and to haue assurance of the pardon of thy sinnes then reuerence the ministery of the word by which the Lord communicateth his Spirit to such as hee will saue And surely this must needes be an exceeding comfort to all the children of GOD that GOD doth not onelie freely forgiue them their sinnes but also telleth them of the forgiuenesse of the same sealing vp in their hearts the testimonie thereof by his holy Spirit Vse 1 Seeing God hath appointed the ministerie of the Word to bee the meanes to worke all true and spirituall comfort Oh then in all our needes wants and distresses let vs search the word of God ther is comfort to be found many heauenly and sweete promises of the gospell to quicken reuiue our poore distressed soules Psa 119.50 Psa 84.1 2 Psalme 43 Psalme 4. Reu. 22.2 and this the Prophet Dauid knew by good experience that there is more found comfort in the feeling of Gods loue then in all the world besides It may well be compared to the tree Saint Iohn speaketh of which beareth twelue manner of fruit and the leaues of the tree serue to cure and help diseased and wounded soules and the fruit of this tree of the word of God is most sweete and pleasant and therefore let vs if wee desire to desire true comfort indeed seeke it in the meanes namely in the word and ministery of the holy gospel Vse 2 This sheweth that all those be enemies to their owne soules thaâ— despise the ministery of the Word and preaching of the Gospel If euer thou finde one iote of true comfort thou must haue it in the meanes that God hath ordained namely in the ministerie of the Word let men seeke it else-where and they shall find none Men may seeke delight and ioy in their golde and siluer in merry companie in this or that as men vse to doe but alas they can not finde it there yea experience sheweth that distressed soules full of woe and miserie could neuer finde true comfort in anie thing else saue in the ministerie of the Word of GOD and there they haue found endlesse comfort by the hearing of the blessed and sauing promises of the Gospel and therefore it men shall neglect or despise the word preached how can they euer find ioy or gladness or anie dram of sauing comfort Doctr. 4 Whereas Dauid craues of GOD that he would cause him to heare of ioy and gladnes that is that his sins were all pardoned and be reconciled to God in CHRIST that so he might haue some good matter of ioy and gladness Wee learne hence that there is no sound ioy nor comfort to any man or woman Where sin is not pardond ther can be no true ioy but onely in the pardon of sinne and feeling of Gods loue in CHRIST and all other ioy which men do frame and deuise vnto themselues alas it is but from the teeth outward it is not sound nor durable it is but carnall and earthly and will easily be lost Thus saith the Lord Iere. 9.23 let not the wise-man reioyce in his wisdome nor the strong man in his strength nor the rich man in his riches But let him that glorieth glory in this that he knoweth me to be she Lord And without this there can be no sound ioy as we see in Dauid and so in all distressed sinners till they feele the assurance of Gods loue for the pardon of their sinne Vse 1 This shews that the common ioy of most men and women is but a carnall ioy earthly vaine it is not spirituall it is not true ioy for al the while they eate drinke make themselues merry laugh and sing they liue in sinne in danger of Gods anger and condemnation no feeling of Gods loue no assurance of saluation and then how can they haue any true ioy for this proceedes from the assurance of Gods loue and the pardon of sinne The kingdome of God stands not in meate and drinke Ro. 14.17 but in righteousnesse peace and ioy in the Holy Ghost Esa 57.21 but vnto the wicked there is no peace Obiect Obiect But doe wee not see that wicked men that liue in sin that be notorious sinners swearers blasphemers drunkards c. that these liue in mirth and iollity in eating drinking in ease and idlenesse and the children of GOD haue much forrow and heauinesse griefe and wrong Answ Answ Yes it is true that wicked men that liue in sin passe their dayes in eating drinking
into them And I will take away their stony hearts and giue them hearts of flesh God the Father sanctifieth in giuing his Sou Christ vnto vs so Christ sanctifieth in washing vs from our sins in his bloud And the Holy Ghost in applying CHRIST IESVS his death and resurrection to vs. And thus the worke of Regeneration or Sanctification is by GOD alone wrought iâ— the Elect. Vse Well then this shewes that man hath no freedome of will in heauenly things pertaining to Eternall Life but all is of God faith saluation life eternall and comes from GOD and therefore let vs vse all good meanes appointed of GOD and seeke this at his hands who alone can and will do it Now followes the second part of the verse Part of this verse And renew a right Spirit within mee Wherein Dauid craues grace from GOD to become a new creature and withall that God wold inable him by his spirit to be faithful and constant in time to come and therefore requires of God a stable Spirit a firme Spirit that is not onely a constant purpose to walke vprightly with GOD but power and strength from his Spirit to become faithfull and constant as fearing his owne weaknesse if the Lord should leaue him to himselfe For as GOD giues grace to obey so he must giue grace to perseuer As if hee should haue said O Lord thou hast begunne this blessed work of regeneration new Birth by thy holy Spirit But I like a sinfull wretch by sin and rebellion haue hindred the same and broken off the gracious worke of thy holy Spirit Now I beseech thee O Lord lay to thy hand againe and a fresh begin to renew the work of thy Spirit euen the blessed worke of new Birth and withall grant that in time to come I may be strengthned in the inner man by thy holy Spirit and may bee made thereby firme and constant to continue yea to grow and hold out to the end in holy obedience Doctr. 1 Marke that Dauid acknowledgeth he had broken off the worke of God his Spirit in him Man by sinning breakes of the worker of Sanctification and interrupted the same and hindred the worke of Sanctification by his sinnes and disobedience And therefore wee learne that after God hath touched a mans heart to repent and sanctified him by his Spirit if hee sinne and rebell against God hee doth what lies in him to cut off the worke of grace to hinder the work of his saluation and breake off the gracious worke of Sanctification and new Birth and if the Lord should leaue him hee shold fal cleane away from grace for the Spirit of God is glad and ioyfull when as we are carefull to auoid all those waies which offend God and wound our soules when we seeke to keep good hearts faith vnfeigned a good conscience then the Spirit of God doth daily proceed with the worke of new Birth and Sanctification but after we shall rebell against God and commâ—â— sinne we gâ—â—eue the holy Spirit of GOD and vexe him that hee is compelled by our lewdnesse to leaue off the worke in the middest because wee suffer not our selues to bee wrought vpon Eph. 4.30 but we will follow our owne lusts and liking and when the spirit of GOD ceaseth to renue vs and to beget our hearts to God then there rises blindnesse of minde so as we cannot conceiue and feele the loue of God as in Dauid And then this gracious worke of the spirit being interrupted there arises griefe and sorrow of soule and conscience Vse 1 Well seeing this is the fruite of our sinnes against knowledge and conscience they hinder the worke of grace and new birth interrupt the blessed worke of sanctification begun by Gods Spirit bring blindenesse of mind and hardnes of heart Oh then let vs take heed of sinne intreate the Lord that hee would giue vs grace for euer to hide his word in our hearts that wee might not sinne against his Maiesty and that he wold not leaue vs to blindenesse of minde and hardnesse of heart but that hee would rather continue his loue and mercy vnto vs and that his holy spirit would daily proceede with the blessed worke of Sanctification and renuing of our soules vnto holinesse and true righteousnesse Vse 2 So often as we bee tempted to sin let vs remember that if we yeeld vnto it wee shall hinder the blessed work of Gods Spirit hinder our new Birth and Sanctication and thereby do what lies in our power to grieue the holy Spirit of God and cause him to leaue off the blessed worke of regeneration Vse 2 When Dauid intreates the Lord that hee would renue a constant and stable spirit in him Good to feare our weaknes he shewes that he was greatly affraid of his own weak nesse and therefore desires strength from God to hold out and perseuer in obedience euen vnto the end that God would by his Spirit giue him a constant purpose continuall indeuour both in heart and life to doe his will and therefore we learne from him to suspect our selues to feare our owne weakenes and infirmity if the Lord should leaue vs to our selues Blessed is the man that feares alwaies Pro. 28.14 but hee that hardeneth his heart shall runne into all euill waies For such is our weaknes that we are ready to fal into the selfe fame sinne from the which wee are escaped of the Lord doe but a little leaue vs to our selues This doth the Prophet teach Psalme 78. How oft dâ—d they prouoke him in the wildernes and grieue him in the desart Thus did Pharaoh Exod. 9. Chap. 27. I haue sinned and the LORD is righteous but I and my people are sinnefull But when the Iudgement was remoued his heart was hardened againe and hee continued in his sinne Wee see this in the example of the Israelites Iudges the third Chapter They commiteed euill againe and againe they fell into idolatry they knew it was a sinne yea and they had experience of Gods seueritie against it for all that they fell againe into the same sinne and so prouoked the Lord to punish them So Hebr. 6. Many sinne againe after the receiuing and acknowledgement of the truth So that except the Lord vpholde and holde men backe they wil fall into the same sinnes they before committed and so prouoke the Lord afresh to punish them O then let vs feare our weakenes If Dauid a holy Prophet a man after GODS heart prayeth thus that GOD would stablish him with his free Spirit that is giue him a constant purpose and indeuour to continue in obedience how much more haue we need to do the same knowing how weake we are how many inticements wee haue to sinne how cunning the Diuell is and vseth the world and the flesh as so many enemies to fight against vs well let vs feare the worst and doubt our weaknesse and it will make vs more carefull to
shun sinne and the occasions of sinne for seldome shall a man fall into that sinne which he doth truely feare to commit Vse 4 As wee are to feare our owne weakenes so wee must intreate the Lord that he would neuer leaue vs to our selues but that hee would giue vs his stable and constant spirit or as Paul praies for That God would strengthen vs by his spirit in the inner man that wee might not onelie beginne well but continue by constant perseuerance in obedience all our dayes for if the Lord leaue vs alas we shal easily fall flat to the ground euen as a staffe in a mans hand so long as it is stayed it stands but if it be left alone it falls to the ground so it is with vs and therefore let vs not presume of our owne strength or power but suspect it and pray to God to renue his constant and stable spirit in vs. Vse 5 Heere is matter of great comfort to the children of GOD that fall of weaknes and infirmitie into the same sinnne after repentance and such is the deapth of Sathans temptations that hee tells them that the children of God fall not into the same sinne againe after their repentance if they do he then telleth them that there is no place for a second repentance but this is false for the promises of God are without limitation of times or consideration of sinnes or respect of persons hee will receiue to mercie all repentant sinners whether their sinnes be committed before or after repentance whether once or often so that they renue their repentance according as they haue sinned anew This pardon Christ himselfe publisheth Matthew chap. 11. Come vnto me all yee that are wearie and are heauie laden and I will refresh you Yea the Lord enjoyneth vs sinnefull men Luke 17. To forgiue our brother seuentie times seuen times if he turne againe and say it repenteth me So that wee see this is a maruellous comfort to all such as groane vnder the burden of sinne that haue fallen through infirmity into one sin often let not such be discouraged but assure themselues That albeit with Peter they fall often yet if with him they repent truely and weepe bitterly for their sinnes the Lord â—s mercifull to forgiue them their sins Not that wee should liue prowdly presumptously stubbornely and obstinately against him but if we fall through frailtie for Psalme 103. The Lord knoweth whereof wee be made hee remembreth that wee are but dust Doctr. 3 When Dauid prayeth to be renued and to recouer his former feeling and comfort Childe of God not alwaies at one stay Hence we learne that the childe of GOD is not alwayes at one stay but there is an entercourse in the estate of a Christian man or woman sometimes full of comfort ioy and peace of conscience and sometimes againe heauy and sad yea full of sorrow and perplexity euen as a man in an ague sometimes sicke and somtimes wel as it is with trees somtimes winter and sometimes summer this is the state of all Gods children as Dauid Ioseph Hezekias Iob c. and continuall experience prooues this that the estate of GODS children ebbes and flowes hath their change when as they walke directly and vprightly with God then they haue peace and comfort but when they start aside and commit some sinne then they finde torments of conscience and griefe of mind Vse 1 This shewes vs what is the estate and condition of the childe of God in this life Hee is not heere so sanctified as that hee feeles no corruption of sinne to hang about him but rather such a one as feels the burden of his corruptions hindering him in this his course of Christianity vnder which he sighes and groanes labouring by all good meanes to bee disburdened Indeed it is matter of great comfort to feele the graces of Gods Spirit as faith loue c. but no childe of God can alwayes feele the comfort of grace but as fire that is raked vp in the Ashes it is hidde from his feeling for a time but at length it will breake out againe to his great ioy and comfort Vse 2 Wel seeing this is the state of Gods children heere that sometimes they find great peace and comfort sometimes great griefe and sorrow let vs not be too much discouraged but rather whenas by our falls and slips wee haue weakened our comfort let vs intreate the Lord to renue our comfort againe let vs doe as a poore traueller if hee misse his way and goe out of it hee will hasten into it againe and trudge and plucke vp his heels to recouer that he hath lost so let vs when we haue sinned and gone out of the way make haste to returne and as a man that hath beene long sicke and growne feeble and weake will vse all meanes to gather vp his crummes and to recouer his former strength againe so let vs when wee haue lost some part of our comfort and heauenly strength let vs I say vse all blessed means to recouer our former health and comfort againe let vs pray much reade much heare much and meditate much let vs bewayle our former slouth and make more vpright steps in time to come to GODS Kingdome Doctr. 4 Note hence that it is a speciall fruit and marke of a sanctified heart A purpose not to sin the marke of a sanctified hart and of the minde renewed to haue a right Spirit that is a purpose not to sin but in all things to please GOD and to doe his will to walke with GOD in all his commaundements whereas of the contrary when a man hath a purpose to liue in any knowne sinne Psa 50.17 Marke 6.2 it is a fearefull and manifest signe of a naughty and wicked heart for when the heart is truly sanctified then will be wrought this right spirit not to sinne in any thing I doe not say that the man sanctified and regenerate doth not sinne at all but he hath not purpose to sinne no delight in sinne but beareth a constant purpose in all things to please God when he can say with Dauid I haue refrained my feet from euery euill way Gen. 17.1 Psa 18.23 1. Ioh. 3.9 Gen. 39.9 Againe Hee that is borne of God sinneth not that is with full purpose of heart with delight in sinne and as they purpose so they indeuour it they are afraide and suspect themselues shunne the occasions of sin striue against their corruptions and Sathans temptations Vse 1 This doctrine doth euidently conuince the greatest number to be such as neuer had the true worke of Sanctification wrought in them their hearts be not sanctified their minds be not renewed Why namely because they want this marke and fruit of a sanctified hart For though they heare of their sinnes be told of them and the fearefull iudgement of God denounced against them yet they will not leaue them nor forsake them but will continue in them yea
thogh it cost them the losse of Gods fauour and the losse of their owne soules Let vs not deceiue our selues let vs trie our harts by this rule whether they be sanctified or not dost thou find a dislike of all sinne and an hatred of them hast thou a constant and resolute purpose no more to sin against thy God wittingly and willingly hast thou a resolute purpose by the grace of God to walke before him all thy dayes This is a signe of an vpright heart and that it is sanctified but dost thou finde no such resolution no such purpose but rather contrarie a purpose to runne on in thy olde sins thou wilt continue in them let God and men say and doe what they can in lying stealing drunkennes whordome ignorance contempt of the word c. say what thou wilt professe what thou wilt it is a cleare case thy heart is naught it is filthy not sanctified for it is impossible that a man should haue true repentance and an heart truly sanctified and to keepe a purpose to liue in his knowne sins And therefore it conuinceth all such to bee impenitent sinners and notorious hypocrites yea if they leaue many sins and yet purpose to liue in one it argueth the heart is not sanctified Marke 6. Matth. 28. Herod left many yet liued in couetousnesse Vse 2 This Doctrine may serue for the comfort of Gods children who are much grieued for their sins and infirmities when they faile come short of good duties and sometimes start aside as saith S. Iames In many things we sinne all and the iust man falls seuen times but if thou canst truly say it is against my purpose I hate the sinne I commit I condemne it I had no purpose to doe it my desire was to please GOD then thou maiest haue comfort thy heart is sound God wil not condemne thee for it Mal. 3.17 The Lord will spare his children as a father his only sonne A child is going to Schoole and his purpose is so to doe in the way he fals into some company and staies there too long and playes the truant but it is against his purpose euen so the childe of God purposeth to serue God and to please him in all things hath no purpose to sinne but by some temptation of the Diuell or allurement of the world hee is ouertaken I do the euil I would not Rom. 7. I cannot doe the good I would but I delight in the Law of God concerning the inner man This is Pauls comfort and this is the comfort of all Gods children if they can truly say I doe the euill I would not I delight in the law of God that GOD will accept the will for the deede Renue or refresh a right spirit in mee AS if the should haue said O Lord I haue by my sins dimmed thy graces in me yea euen quenched and extinguished them and almost put them cleane out but Lord I beseech thee renue thy graces in me Refresh them Euen as we see a lamp when all the oyle is spent it winkes and is almost extinguished till it bee renued and refreshed with oyle then it burneth againe and giues light Doctr. 5 Hence we learne what is the cursed nature of sin Sin quenches grace as water doth fire and the great power of it namely it is as a poole of water cast on the fire which if it do not quench and extinguish and put out all yet it greatly allayes the heat of it Euen so the graces of GODS spirit in his children alas they be but weake and small but sinne is as a poole of colde water to quench the heat and comfort of them Dauid was wont to delight in Gods seruice to be forward thereunto but sinne did so coole him that he could haue little ioy in it now Demas was forward a while but the world choked him so that he left Christ and Christ biddes the Church of Sardy to be awake and to strengthen the things that are ready to die in them and the Laodiceans grew neither hote nor cold by reason of their pride carnall securitie Reuel 3.3 Reuel 2. so is the church of Ephesus reprooued for that shee had lost her first loue So the Apostle S. Iames resembleth and compareth sin to Childe-bearing for the fruitefulnesse of it Iames 1.15 Lust when it hath conceiued it bringeth foorth sinne and sinne when it is finished it bringeth foarth death 1. Cor. 5.6 Likewise it is compared to leauen that leaueneth the whole lumpe and therefore no maruell though it proceed by little and little from one degree to an other Vse 1 When we see some men who haue been forward haue taken delight in good things now grow cold and lose their first loue this is a flat signe that some sin or other hath stole vpon them they either fall in loue with the world delights plesures profits preferments or else securitie possesse their soules pride idlenes slouth security couetousnes plesure some sin or other hath bewitched them and therfore let all such as find thēselues thus decaying in grace faith cōfort care and conscience let them suspect themselues and think all is not well let them search and find the cause of their decay and it is sinne some sin or other hath crept vpon them Vse 2 How should this make vs afraide of sin seeing it hath so woful effects which is to quench the comfort and graces of Gods holy Spirit in vs it blindes our eyes that we cannot see what is good and euill it hardeneth the heart that a man can not relent and mourne for his sins and bee moued with Gods iudgements it bringeth a decay eclipse of Gods graces men are afraid to doe any thing that might hinder their health or wealth how much more the health and happines of their soules Let vs therefore alwayes keepe a diligent watch ouer our soules let vs seeke to cut off all occasions to euill and indeuour to stop the first beginning for the more sin groweth to an head the more the spirit of God is quenched the worke of grace is diminished and the assurance of our comfort is weakened and lessened Vse 3 When we find any decay in loue zeale faith knowledge repentance obedience c. O then let vs labour to be renued to recouer our former estate againe Reuel 2.1 2. Tim. 1.5 Doe thy first workes againe awake and strengthen the things ready to die Stirre vp euen as a sparke of fire in ashes blow it vp so must we vse all means whereby we may haue the worke of grace renued in vs. Meanes for the increase of grace 1 We must attend vpon the word of God preached for as that is the meanes to beget faith so it is to encrease it and renue it 2 Wee must reade and meditate much call our liues to account and be sory for our decayes and labour to repaire them euen as a ship when it leakes
2 A meruailous comfort to Gods children if thou didst euer finde the true worke of grace in thy heart Comfort to Gods children that grace cannot be lost true faith repentance and newnesse of life assure thy selfe it cannot euer be lost God will finish that hee beginnes yea the estate of Gods children now is better then the estate of Adam in Paradice before his fall for then Adam stood by his own power therefore might fall and did fall 1. Pet. 1.5 But wee bee kept by the power of God vnto eternall life secondly the estate of Gal. 2.20 Adam was mutâ—ble by reason he had freedome of will to stand or fall but the state of Gods elect is certaine and sure in regard of Gods eternall decree in Christ his death and passion and the bond of the spirit which cannot bee broken Three Obiections But there bee three obiections against this doctrine that faith can neuer bee lost or an Elect child of God become a Reprobate First that God is said to be angry with his children and shew them his disfauour Secondly that they by their sinnes may cut themselues off from Gods fauour and so loose eternall life and be damned And thirdly other testimonies of Scripture which may seeme to proue the same For the former Esay 64.5 Behold thou art angry for we haue sinned against thee so that it seemes that a man in the fauor of GOD to day may fall out of it loose it and procure his disfauour anger and displeasure Reâ—p First that God is not angry to speak properly with his children but seemes so to be by correcting and punishing them by iudgements and afflictions so as a childe thinkes his father is angry because he corrects him so do GODS children and inded such affections do not agree to Gods nature to bee like an earthly man Secondly I answere that this anger of God is not an effect of his displeasure or dis-fauour but rather of his loue and he corrects his children not to destroy them but to correct them that he might saue them as a father his sonne whom he loues deerely Obiect 2. Where it is said that Gods children may by their sinnes breake off GODS loue yea thrust themselues out of fauour Rom. 8.1 and be for euer damned Answere It is false for they be kept from damnable sinnes and God lets their sinnes turne to their good for God doth euer giue them hearts to repent the sinnes of the godly iâ— themselues deserue the euerlasting curse of God and eternall death If so that Iesus Christ had not by his death and bloud-shedding satisfyed his Fathers anger for them Obiect 3. Psal 69.18 Dauid praies that God would blot them out of the book of life therfore it seemes a man elected may perish and bee damned for that booke is meant Gods Councell I answere that Dauid doth not reade that euer the wicked had their names written indeed in the booke of life or were elected indeed but onely because they liued in the Church were taken for Christians and esteemed as written in the book of life and therefore hee praies the Lord to blot them out that is to make it knowne that they were neuer written in it Well then certaine it is that no one elect childe of God can perish or be damned but shall come to life eternall and bee saued because the Councell of God standeth sure and cannot be altered Instruct Seeing this is so that none that is the elect child of God can perish what a sweet comfort is this to all the children of GOD for if euer thou didst repent and feltst the loue of God truly in thy soule and art iustified sanctified thou needst not feare for surely thou shalt be saued and this must bee a sure stay to vphold our poore soules in all danger and temptation Wee are as strangeTrauellers ouer the sea there be great storms and tempests great rockes and dangers the Sea is the world the ship is the Church heaueÌ„ the hauen the Diuell raises vp many boisterous storms and temptations to sincke our poore soules in desperation Now then by faith wee cast Anchor vppon the foundation of GODS election which cannot bee mooued But in this place by Fauour Face and Countenance of God is meant that fauour and mercy of God whereby GOD gaue Dauid the Kingdome in the stead of Saul aduancing him to be king of Israel and Gods Lieutenant on earth that God would defend him and keepe him to gouerne his people Israel Doctr. 2 Whereas Dauid obserued Gods dealing with Saul a wicked king The godly feare when the remembe God his iudgemeÌ„tâ— on others and how God plagued and punished Saul for his disobedience against the word of God and thereby is warned to take heed of the same judgement oi God left they fall on him we learne that it is the duty of euery man and woman to obserue and marke GODS dealings with others and his iust iudgement vpon vngodly sinners that therby we may learne to feare the like iudgements on our selues and it is a great point of wisedome to learne to be wise by other mens harmes and for this end the Lord doth plague wicked and vngodly men that his children might learne to feare euen as wee see notorious malefactors are hanged on a gibbet that others seeing their shamefull ends might beware The Lord hauing punished sundry Nations about his people saith Hee thought they would haue learned to feare God by their example Vse Wel seeing this is that God looks for at our hands and which he aimes at in punishing wicked men namely that we should be warned by it and take heed of their sinnes let vs bee wise and obserue Gods iudgements vpon wicked men and when wee see a wicked man punished a murderer a contemner a blasphemer a whore-maister or the like then let vs feare lest if we liue in the same sinnes wee plucke not downe the same iudgement vpon vs And as Dauid heere calls to mind Saul how he for his rebellion and disobedience was cast off of God so let vs call to mind the spectacle of GODS iudgements on wicked men and take heede of their sinnes lest we taste of their plagues and punishment Doctr. 3 We learne Sin takes away the feeling of Gods fauour for a time that for sinne the Lord doth depriue his children of his fauour and as it were cast them out of his presence for the time thus wee shall see GOD hath spoyled men of great riches and honour for their sinnes and brought them to extreme shame and miserie looke on Ely and his two sons looke on Saul that wicked king 1. Sam. 3. 1. Sam. 15. Dan. 4.26 Ester 3. Vse looke on that persecuting tyrant Nebuchadnezzar Haman Achitophel c. This should admonish all men to take heede of sinne and rebellion against God for certainely the Lord wil abase all such as be proud against the Lord
worke of grace a renued heart faith repentance obedience and a sanctified life was euer wanting they were but hypocrites They went out from vs but they were not of vs Mat. 7.21 22. for if they had beene of vs they would haue continued with vs. And therefore it behoueth vs all to take heed that we content not our selues with the common giftes and graces of the holy Ghost which a reprobate may haue for it is certaine most excellent gifts will not auaile a man to saluation vnlesse there be the true worke of grace sauing faith sound repentance and heartie obedience VERSE 12.13 12. Restore me to the ioy of thy saluation and stablish mee with thy free Spirit 13. Then shall I teach thy wayes vnto the wicked and the sinners shal be conuerted vnto thee Partes of the verses THese words contain in themselues and earnest prayer of Dauid vnto GOD for the renuing Of GODS mercy and feeling of his loue againe in the 12. verse In the 13. verse he vses a reason to moue the Lord thereunto namely that if the Lord shall receiue him into fauor againe and testifie his loue vnto him in the pardon of his sins then he wil not be vnmindful of Gods dealing with him but become a Preacher and proclaimer of Gods mercy vnto others to draw them to GOD in shewing what GOD hath done for his soule and so that by the example of Gods mercy to him others should be wonne In the 12. verse he makes a twofold petition vnto God First for the former feeling and assurance of Gods loue and mercy for the pardon of his sinnes Secondly that God would vphold him with his free spirit so as now being deliuered out of the cursed thraldome and slauery of sinne hee might frankely and freely serue the Lord and runne the way of his Commandements Restore me to the ioy of thy saluation No ioy can comfort mans soule but the ioy of Gods saluation AS if he should haue said O Lord my GOD I acknowledge and confesse that all the while I serued thee and liued in thy feare ledde a holy and godly life and kept an vpright heart that I found wonderfull and exceeding ioy in the assurance of thy loue and mercy in Christ for my saluation but since I rebelled against thee and wilfully brake thy holy Commandements I haue depriued my soule of that heauenlie comfort and consolation and felt errours and griefe feares and cares and exceeding vexation Now mercifull GOD I humbly intreate thee to restore me againe to that ioy and comfort to assure me of thy loue and fauour that thou art graciously reconciled vnto me that I may receiue my former comfort And not onelie that but because I see how weake I am haue no power to stand without thy help and grace I humbly intreat thee to stay and strengthen me to stablish thy grace in me and so to vphold me in thy obedience that I may freely and heartily obey thee all my dayes Doctr. 1 The childe of God truely called iustified Fruit of sinne described Note and sanctified by GOD spirit if he once fall against GOD and prouoke him to anger by wilfull disobedience doth feele exceeding griefe and sorrow of heart great griefe and trouble of minde feares and cares lest the Lord should reiect him so that there is an hell in his poore soule and wounded conscience till hee be againe reconciled to GOD by faith and true repentance So long as Dauid walked with God in vprightnesse of his heart hee had exceeding ioy and comfort in the Lord his GOD was assured of his loue for pardon of his sinnes and eternall saluation but when he fell to adultery and murder and so rebelled against God it is wonderfull to see into what a gulfe of misery he plunged himselfe what feares and cares what doubts and troubles did vex his soule and wounded conscience Euen so it is with all the godly while they liue in the feare of God serue and please him and keep an vpright heart before the Lord leade a godly and christian life they feele find in themselues exceeding ioy and wonderfull comfort with assurance of Gods loue in Christ for their saluation but if as any time they breake out to sinne and rebell against God by wilfull disobedience then they shall finde an hell in their consciences troubles feares and cares for the time Who can tell what feares and cares Peter felt Luke 23. in what griefe and sorrow of heart hee was in when cowardly he denied his Lord and Master It cost him many a bitter teare The reason of this doctrine is because all peace and comfort to a poore soule springs from the sence and comfortable feeling of Gods loue in CHRIST IESVS for the pardon of sinne and eternall saluation and therefore when that is lost alas what peace or comfort can they haue Secondly they do by such wilfull sin and disobedience grieue the spirit and make the holy-Ghost sad within them and so doe what they can to expell the Spirit of God in them Now where the Spirit of God is made sad and grieued how can there be any true ioy Vse Seeing there is such sweete comfort in a godlie and Christian life while we walke with GOD and serue and please him in spirit and truth and when men sinne and rebell against God they pull downe vpon their heads such wofull misery troubles and cares how should this make euery man exceeding carefull of sinne which brings such woefull miseries and iudgements vnto our own soules such torments feares and cares To the ioy of thy saluation AS if hee should haue said ô Lord my God when thou diddest assure mee of thy loue and fauour for the pardon of my sinnes and eternall saluation I had exceeding ioy therein Now I doe humbly intreate thee to restore it to mee againe Doctr. 2 Fauour of God is a Christians chiefest ioy Hence marke what is the thing the childe of God doth most desire and craue at Gods hands and wherein they do most reioyce namely in the fauour of GOD and assurance of Gods loue in Christ Iesus that they know that God is graciously reconciled vnto them that they be in his fauour and shall neuer perish but shall euerlastingly bee saued Dauid was a King and wanted no temporall commodity comfort or delight whatsoeuer wherein worldly men reioyce but Dauid now conceiued no kinde of ioy at all in these things to bee out of Gods fauour And therefore prayes vnto God for the feeling of the true ioy and that is of His Saluation and that will minister vnto him matter of true reioycing indeed But alas most men being carnall desire riches honour pleasure Psal 4.6.7 But Lord let me see thy louing countenance thy fauour and grace and that shall do me more good and comfort then all the things in the world The poore Publican begges for this Lord be mercifull to me a sinner So
Paul professeth of himselfe Luke 8. Phil. 3.7.8 that he esteemed all things but dung in comparison of CHRIST IESVS and the fauour of God in him And the reason is plaine because if a man had all the world and wanted the loue and fauour of GOD was in his displeasure Mat. 16.26 and vnder the curse of God what good could it do him Euen as if a Subiect should haue ten thousand pounds and yet the King cannot abide him but seeke his death And therefore the childe of God if hee were asked what is the thing hee desires most in all the world would answer Mercy and the loue of GOD in IESVS CHRIST hee would despise honours lands Psal 32.1.2 liuings gold siluer pleasures and delights and preferre one dramme of mercy and the least drop of Christs blood for saluation before all the world Vse 1 This may serue to reproue thousands in the world carnall men and women so they haue the world at will and may lieu at ease eate drink and bee merry they feele no want of Gods mercy no need of Christs bloud they esteeme not Gods fauour and loue desire not reconcliation but say Who will shew vs any good Well diddest thou neuer feele the want of GODS mercy no hungring and thirsting after IESVS CHRIST and his righteousnesse it is manifest thou dost not belong to GOD thou waste neuer yet truely humbled Vse 2 Let this Doctrine admonish vs to labour with our heartes to bee affected with this namely to esteeme more of GODS loue and fauour and assurance of his mercy then all the world let vs desire it more let vs reioyce more in it so as if the question should bee asked what is the thing that thou doest most desire and affect and what thou dost most delight and reioyce in of all the things in the world wee may be able in truth to answere and say with feeling and comfort I desire nothing more vnder Heauen then the mercy of GOD in IESVS CHRIST to be in his fauour to be reconciled vnto his Maiesty and with Paul to esteeme all things but dung in comparison of that And till this be in vs in some measure we can neuer finde true comfort to our soules and bee assured that we haue true sauing-faith in Christ For this is a certaine fruite and note of an humble and beleeuing heart to hunger and thirst after Gods mercy in Christ and to esteeme more highly of the least drop of Christ his precious Bloud for our saluation then of all the world if it were offered vnto vs. Vse 3 Wee must labour to manifest this our earnest desire and great account of Gods mercy by vsing all blessed meanes to attaine vnto it wee must repent and bewaile our sinnes leaue and forsake them wee must embrace Iesus Christ by faith and cry with teares vnto GOD for mercy Knocke Seeke Aske Math. 7.7 Acts 13.20 And let vs doe as the men of Tyrus and Sydon when Herod tooke a pitch against them and intended to warre against them they came all with one accord and besought Blastus the Kings Chamberlaine to haue peace So let vs go vnto IESVS CHRIST the Peace-maker desire him to speake to GOD the Father for vs that there may bee an euerlasting peace Doctr. 3 When Dauid prayeth that God would restore vnto him State of Gods children not alwaies alike The ioy of his Saluation those sweet comforts he was wont to feele and finde in Gods mercy and feeling of his loue in Christ wee learne that the state of Gods children is not alwaies alike full of ioy comfort and gladnesse but sometimes full of griefe misery cares and trouble For the dearest children of God who are replenished with the greatest measure of ioy and comfort in the feeling and assurance of Gods loue in Christ when as the Lord leaues them to fall into some sin against knowledge conscience they shall finde not onely a great decay but an vtter losse of ioy and comfort for the time Thus it was with Dauid who though he was a man after Gods own heart enriched with great blessings and spirituall mercies most deerely beloued of God sanctified in great measure yet now hauing fallen into these two filthy sinnes of Adultery and Murder see how he if perplexed in great distresse and trouble of minde and now the feeling of Gods mercy and ioy in Gods Spirit seemed to bee cleane lost So it was in Peter Luke 23. and so it is in euery childe of God Didst thou euer sinne against knowledge and conscience since thou wast conuerted thou shalt finde then a wonderfull deadnesse of heart trouble of minde and feeling of Gods anger with the losse of comfort for a time Vse 1 Seeing sinnes against knowledge and conscience wound the soule exceedingly and depriue vs of the peace and comfort and ioy of GODS Spirit and bring terrours feares and gripings with them Let vs as to auoid all sinne so especially auoid sinne against knowledge and conscience and labour in all things in all places and at all times to liue and walke so vpright with GOD that thou neuer wound thy conscience though thou mightest get the greatest gaine honour or pleasure yet if it bee sinne and that against knowledge and conscience abhorre it and commit it not if thou louest thy owne soule for if sinnes of ignorance shall not escape punishment vnlesse men repent much more sinnes against knowledge and conscience for these prouoke the Lord exceedingly to turne away his fauour from vs draw downe his iudgements vpon vs wound the conscience depriue vs of the feeling of Gods loue and fauour bring trouble of minde and a wounded conscience oh then would you inioy this great blessing of peace of conscience which is a continuall feast would you be loath to loose the feeling of GODS loue and comfort of Gods spirit auoid all sinne but especially presumptuous sinnes against knowledge and conscience they wound especially and depriue vs of peace of conscience Vse 2 If the Lord doe at any time leaue vs to sinne euen presumptuous sinnes against knowledge and conscience which is a fearefull thing yet let vs not despaire vtterly of Gods mercy but seeke to renew the feeling of Gods loue againe intreate the Lord to restore vnto vs the ioy of his saluation and that wee may obtaine the fauour of God againe and renew the feeling of his loue let vs renew our repentance bewaile our grieuous and heynous sinnes seeke earnestly for grace and pardon and giue the Lord no rest at all till wee finde and feele him to bee reconciled vnto vs in IESVS CHRIST Doctr. 4 Marke what was the speciall thing wherein Dauid this holy seruant of GOD did reioyce Pardon of sinne the soundest ioy not in gold or siluer not pleasures and carnall delights not in lands and liuings not in a Kingdome but in the saluation of GOD in his loue in pardon of his sinnes and saluation of his
all men do by nature that when sin is committed done and past they shall neuer be called to account for the same But alas no length of time can we are sin away if it bee not taken away by true and vnfained Repentance Yea the sinnes of our youth which many yeares agoe wee haue committed if now in time we do not repent and stop the mouth of the same shall stand vp as new and fresh against vs as the first houre we committed them Oh that we could be wise to thinke vpon these things Our selues waxe old our bodies are declining to the graue and will we take no paines to weare away our sinnes but to let them stand in their strength against vs This weare a great folly Let men therfore thinke of this betimes there is no going to Heauen with dry eyes or beds of downe Now if this poore worke of mine may finde entertainment with thee I shall so much the more be encouraged to take paines in this kinde vpon other places of Scripture as vpon the first Psalme which thou maist shortly expect And withall may helpe thee forward to this necessary duty of Repentance I haue thē my desire giue the praise to him from whom all good commeth who worketh in vs both the will the deed to whom be praise and honour for euer and euer AMEN Thine in the Lord Iesus SAMVEL SMITH The Table of the principall Doctrines briefly handled in this Booke Out of the Title of the Psalme Page 1. 2. 3. Doct. 1. Singing of Psalmes an ancient practise in the Church of God page 6. Doct. 2. A Childe of God may fall after hee is effectually called Page 16. Doct. 3. The word preached the ordinary meanes to beget Faith and Repentance page 21. Doct. 4. A fearful thing to liue in sin without repentance pag. 25. Doct. 5. Ministers must reproue the greatest personages pag. 30. Doct. 6. Men must bee charged with their speciall sins pag. 38. Doct. 7. Chaste speech taught of God page 42. Doct. 8. The godly respect more the glory of God then their owne credit page 44. Doct. 9. The strongest may fall page 46. VERSE I. Doct. 1. Sight of sin the first step to repentance page 52. Doct. 2. Sorrow for sinne note of a godly man page 58. Doct. 3. Mercie is chiefly to bee sought for page 61. Doct. 4. God alone is to be prayed vnto page 66. Doct. 5. Experience of former fauour assureth of future page 71 Doct. 6. The mercy of God emboldens sinners to come vnto him Page 74. Doct. 7. Gods mercy mans merit page 79. Doct. 8. The nature of sin p. 83 Doct. 9. God a God of mercie Page 85. Doct. 10. The Lord keepes a book of all our sinnes page 89. VERSE 2. Doct. 1. A wounded conscience can finde no rest but onely in Christ page 98 Doct. 2. Difference betwixt the sorrow of the godly and the wicked page 102 Doct. 3. Sinne defiles a Man page 106 Doct. 4. Hard matter to be clensed from the pollution of sin p. 110 Doct. 5. Bloud of Christ alone doth wash away sinne page 114. VEERS 3. Doct. 1. Confession euer goes before remission pag. 120 Doct. 2. An accusing conscience the meanes to bring men to repentance pag. 141 Doct. 3. Necessary duty to call our sins to account pag. 139. Doct. 4. Sinne once knowne doth euer accuse till it be pardoned pag. 145 Doct. 5. Sinne neuer goes alone pag. 149 VERSE 4. Doct. 1. A mans sins are open before God pag. 155 Doct. 2. What sorrow it is that accompanies repentance pag. 160 Doct. 3. Note of a penitent person not to excuse his sin pag. 166 Doct. 4. God alone can forgiue sinnes pag. 171 Doct. 5. Acknowledgement of partitular sinnes required in true repentance pag. 180 Doct. 6. Men sin before God p. 187 Doct. 7. The Lord maketh good vse of our consciences pag. 191 Doct. 8. God is euer iust in his iudgements pag. 195. 202 VERSE 5. Doct. 1. A man doth neuer truely repent till hee come to know his owne nature pag. 210 Doct. 2. No man is borne by nature the child of God pag. 211 Doct. 3. Godly parents beget sinfull children pag. 217 VERSE 6. Doct. 1. True knowledge of God workes true humility pag. 224 Doct. 2. A sanctified heart the greatest blessing of God p. 231 Doct. 3. Sinne is but a lying vanity pag. 233 Doct. 4. A fearefull thing to sin against knowledge pag. 237 Doct. 5. Heauenly wisedome the gift of Gods spirit pag. 244 VERSE 7. Doct. 1. Pardon of sin the greatest mercy pag. 249 Doct. 2. Sin is infectious pag. 253 Doct. 3. The ceremonies vnder the law were but to lead vs to Christ pag. 255 Doct 4. Christs bloud alone doth purge our sinnes pag. 256 Doct. 5. Situation to be sought for onely in Christ pag. 260 Doct. 6. Sin defiles a man p. 265 Doct. 7. Naturall men their estate Described pag. 269 VERSE 8. Doct. 1. Assurance of the pardon of sins may be attained pag. 282 Doct. 2. Mans testimony of the remission of sins is nothing without the testimony of Gods spirit pag. 285 Doct. 3. Ministery of the word meanes whereby God conueyes comfort to his children pag. 290 Doct. 4. Where sin is not pardoned there can be no true ioy pag. 295 Doct. 5. No sorrow in the godly like the sorrow for sin pag. 300 Doct. 6. There is no respect of persons with God pag. 303 Doct. 7. Pardon of sinne brings true ioy pag. 304 VERSE 9. Doct. 1. Gods anger most fearefull to the godly pag. 310 Doct. 2. Manner of Gods pardoning sinne pag. 317 Doct. 3. All our sins are knowne to God pag. 321 VERSE 10. Doct. 1. Iustification and Sanctification go together pag. 326 Doct. Repentance a new creation pag. 329 Doct. 3. True sanctification is neuer in part pag. 333 Doct. 4. God is the Author of sanctification pag. 338 Doct. 5. Sinne hinders the worke of sanctification pag. 341 Doct. 6. Child of God not alwayes at one stay pag. 348 Doct. 7. A purpose not to sin mark of a sanctified heart pag. 351 Doct. 8. Sinne quenches grace as water fire pag. 355 VERSE 11. Doct. 1. The pleasures of sinne are deere bought pag. 262 Doct. The Iudgements of God vpon other cause the godly to feare pag. 378 Doct. 3. Sin takes away the fecling of Gods fauor for a time pag. 379 VERSE 12. Doct. 1. Fruit of sinne described pag. 390 Doct. 2. Fauour of God is a Christians chiefest ioy pag. 393 Doct. 3. State of Gods children not alwayes alike pag. 398 Doct. 4. Pardon of sinne the soundest ioy pag. 401 Doct. 5. Man weake being left to himselfe pag. 406. VERSE 13. Doct. 1. The goodnesse of God towards our selues must bee made knowne pag. 411 Doct. 2. Thankfulnesse a necessary duty pag 414 Doct. 3. Fruit of faith to seeke the good of others pag. 417 Doct. 4. What Doctrine Ministers must teach pag. 420 Doct. 5. Ignorant are to
be taught the wayes of God pag. 423 Doct. 6. Conuersion of a sinner is Gods worke pag. 426 VERSE 14. Doct. 1. Murder a haynous sinne pag. 431 Doct. 2. God hath mercy for such as seeke mercy pag. 436 Doct. 3. Punishment of sin should keepe vs from sinning pag. 438 Doct. 4. Note of a true penitent to aggrauate sinne pag. 443 Doct. 5. Faith required in prayer pag. 444 Doct. 6. Praise of our saluation properly belongs to God p. 446 Doct. 7. Gods mercies must vn-tye our tongues to praise him p. 459 Doct. 8. God should not be righteous if he should not pardon sinne pag. 461 VERSE 15. Doct. 1. Sin takes away the vse of the tongue that Man cannot speake as he should pag. 464 Doct. 2. No ability in man to performe any good pag. 468 Doct. 3. Thanksgiuing a necessarie dutie pag. 470 VERSE 16 Doct. 1. A mans person must first bee approued before his sacrifice accepted pag. 480 Doct. 2. A man may performe a good duty and yet sinne in the manner of doing it pag. 482 Doct. 3. Popish Sacrifices abhominable pag. 484 Doct. 4. Christ an end of all other Sacrifices pag. 486 VERSE 17. Doct. 1. Broken heart most rare thing to be found pag. 490 Doct. 2 God doth highly esteeme of a broken heart pag. 495 VERSE 18. Doct. 1. Prayer the chiefest refuge in time of danger pag. 499 Doct. 2. Prayer for the Church a necessary duty pag. 504 Doct. 3. Liberty of preaching one of Gods fauours pag. 508 Doct. 4. Faith must not rest vpon the merites of another pag. 512 Doct. 5. Sinnes of the Magistrate prouoke Gods anger highly pag. 515 Doct. 6. Penitent will seeke to build vp that which before hee had pulled downe pag. 517 Doct. 7. A man cannot pray vntill he repent pag. 518 VERSE 19. Doct. 1. What be those Sacrifices that God doth accept of p. 523 Doct. 2. Solemne vowes a Christian duty pag. 527 Doct. 3. Publick thanksgiuing after deliuerance required p. 531 The Contents PSALME 51. To him that excelleth A Psalme of Dauid when the Prophet Nathan came vnto him after he had gone in to Bershaba 1 HAVE mercy vpon me O God according to thy louing kindnesse according to the multitude of thy compassions put away my iniquities 2 Wash me throughly from my wickednesse and cleanse mee from my sinne 3 For I know my iniquities and my sinne is euer before me 4 Against thee Against thee onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight that thou maist be iust when thou speakest and pure when thou iudgest 5. Behold I was borne in iniquity and in sinne hath my mother conceiued me 6 Behold thou louest truth in the inward affection therefore hast thou taught me wisedome secretly 7 Purge me with hyssop and I shall be cleane wash me and I shall be whiter then snow 8 Make mee to heare of ioy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce 9 Hide thy face from my sinnes and put away all my iniquities 10 Create in me a cleane heart O God and renue a right Spirit within me 11 Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me 12 Restore me to the ioy of thy saluation and stablish me with thy free Spirit 13 Then shall I teach thy wayes vnto the wicked and sinners shall be conuerted vnto thee 14 Deliuer me from bloud O God which art the God of my saluation and my tongue shall sing ioyfully of thy righteousnesse 15 Open thou my lips O Lord and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise 16 For thou desirest no sacrifice though I would giue it thou delightest not in burnt-offerings 17 The Sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit a contrite and a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise 18 Bee fauourable vnto Zyon for thy good pleasure build vp the wals of Ierusalem 19 Then shalt thou accept the sacrifices of righteousnesse euen the burnt-offering and oblation Then shall they offer Calues vpon thine Altar A plaine and familiar Exposition vpon the 51. Psalme First preached and now published for the benefit of Gods Church Psalme 51. THE TEXT To him that excelleth a Psalme of Dauid when the Prophet Nathan came vnto him after hee had gone in to Bershaba COncerning the Book of the Psalmes it is an Epitome of the whole Scriptures teaching vs what we are to beleeue and doe both to God and man In which as in a glasse we may clearely behold the nature of GOD his wisedome goodnesse and mercy towardes his Church and Children As also most notable spectacles of his fearefull wrath vengeance against the wicked and vngodly If men would pray vnto God and craue for any mercy and blessing at his hands heere bee excellent platformes of true hearty and earnest prayers If men would giue thankes for blessings receiued for iudgemēts escaped or for Deliuerance from wicked and vngodly men here be worthy examples and directions If men would finde comfort in temptations troubles and afflictions and learne with patience to beare them There is no part of the Bible more sweete and comfortable And therefore it should be our delight and study and wee ought to spend the more time in reading and in the meditation of so excellent and worthy a Booke according to that of our Sauiour Ioh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures Because that will bring a man to true happinesse in the end namely to know God to be his God to know Iesus Christ to know himselfe and to direct him in that narrow Path that shall leade vnto life I thought good to speake of this Psalme because it containeth in it a most worthy example of true and vnfained repentance without which there is not nor can be any pardon of sinne Except yee repent Luke 13.5 The argument of the Psalm ye shall all perish Now it containeth a famous and most worthy example of repentance if you either regard the Person who was a renowned and glorious King of Israel a holy Prophet of God yea a man after Gods owne heart Againe in the matter of the psalme and of his repentance you shall see a spectacle of many most great and grieuous sins committed by Dauid wherein we may see the great frailetie and weakenes of Gods children which may teach vs to pray vnto the Lord for the spirit of corroboration on for if Dauid fell whither shall we fall if God do but a litle leaue vs to our selues And howsoeuer by the speciall mercy of God towardes Dauid this sin of his preuailed not to his eternall condemnation yet wee see what terrour of conscience and griefe of heart he sustained before hee could bee assured of his former comfort And this shal all flesh find that the pleasures of sinne for a season heere will bring with them sorrow in the end As for the repentance of Dauid we shall see it is most excellent and admirable for hee doth freely and frankly confesse his sinnes and is
to moue vs to the great liking and regard of this excellent Psalme for we will listen to the speeches of learned men their Counfells and Exhortations being wife graue godly and learned do much affect vs Loe then heere is a psalme penned by a most skilful Musition by a renowned King and worthy Prophet of God yea a man after Gods owne heart Now the person that wrote this Psalme should moue vs very much to the liking of the matter contained in this Psalme Ahab said of Micha he neuer prophecied good So Dauid the sweet-singer of Israel alwaies good The mercy of the Lord endureth for euer hee was loued of God the Annoyntment spirituall and te nporall doth verefie it Applauded of al both men and women Dauid hath killed his tenne thousands A man iustified of his enemies Thou art more righteous then I. Esteemed of his subiects Thou art worth ien thousands of vs. A man more learned then his teachers he was a Compound of vertues a man after Gods own hart yet no way caring for the vaine applause of man confesseth heere his sin casteth his Crowne at the Lambs feet with the 24. elders contented to giue glory to God so that he might find peace vpon earth Oh! what an excellent thing were this if Kings Nobles great men would imitate Dauid in this to call thēselues to account and to set downe their liues that so they might haue matter to praise God for his blessings to acknowledge their sins with Dauid Dauid then was the author writer of this Psalme yet Dauid reports the fault in himselfe as if some stranger had committed it He forgets as it were his owne people and his Fathers house setting all affection aside maketh a plaine declaration of his owne transgression A wise man saith Salomon will accuse himselfe Pro. 18. So doth Dauid not shrowding his head nor rūning into a bush as Adam did but writing his fault in his brow pointing with his finger at the transgressor vnder his owne name faith A Psalme of Dauid being reprooued by Nathan c. Penners of the scriptures set forth first their own imperfection And indeed this doth make greatly for the authoritie of the word of God in that the Penners of it do not sticke to set forth their owne fraileties imperfectiōs that God might haue the honour and man beare the deserued blame contratie to the manner of the Writers of this world that howsoeuer against enemies they speake all and more then all or extol their friends to the highest yet in them we finde few examples of laying open the errours of themselues especially when in any sort it may be concealed This course we may behold in the whole Scriptures 2. Sam. 11. Dauid hee recordeth his adultery and murder as here in this Psalme his repentance of thē Ionas his disobedience Ionas 1.3 Iob 3.1 1. Reg. 11. Num. 11. Note Iob his impatience the idolatry of Salomon the discontentednesse of Moses the fretting of Ieremy and the like Here we may see the wisedome of the Word of life here we may admire their spirites who to giue God the glory do reioyce in their infirmities and proclaime their owne follies and if wee would compare these Writers inspired of the Holie Ghost with the Workes and Writings of other men we must either shut our eyes or else acknowledge a great difference The third circumstance is the time when this excellent Psalme was penned and that is expressed The time when this Psalm was penned When Nathan the Prophet came vnto him Concerning the sense of these Wordes some men differ some thinke that Dauid being fallen lay in his sinnes a whole yeare without any touch of conscience and sound repentance for them But it is not like as others thinke that so worthy a man as Dauid was after Gods owne hart could lie so long in sin without all remorce and touch of Conscience For my part I take it that though Dauid could not be so stony and so steely-hearted or so benummed but must needs haue some griping and sting of conscience and no doubt his heart must needes smite him vnlesse hee had beene more vile then the vilest sinner So for all that he was not so humbled for his great and grieuous sinnes as he ought to haue beene till such time as Nathan the Lords Prophet came to rowze him vp by the alarum of Gods Iudgement denounced against him Wherin we may see 2. Sa. 12.1 First that a childe of God may both fall fowly and lie in sin a long time without repentance And secondly that the Ministery of Nathan is needfull to reclaime vs else we shall not onely sinne but lie and rot in them And indeede not so much the falling into sinne as the lying in sin wounds the conscience and procures Gods iudgements Doctr. 1 Hence we may gather first of all for our great comfort That it is the Lords mercie sometimes to let a man fall into sinne for as we build a wall the higher by casting the foundation deeper So the Lord by humbling his children oftentimes raiseth them vp As in a tempestuous winde trees shaken by the root in calme doe spread themselues the more So the childe of God hauing his roote shaken doth more strongly fasten himselfe in Christ Iesus The child of GOD may fall after he is called Doctr. 2 Note in Dauid a man after Gods owne heart that the true childe of God after he is truely and effectually called sanctified may very dangerously fall and sinne against God euen as Dauid did Gen. 37. So Iosephs brethren how did they conspire against him to sell him yea to kill him and lay a long time yea almost twentie yeares in that sinne before they were truely humbled for it How fowly did Peter fall though hee did not lie long in sin Mat. 26.70 Yea as Iob saith Iob 15. What is man that hee should be cleane and hee that is borne of a woman that he should be iust Behold he found no stedfastnes in his Saints c. And Pro. 20.9 Who can say I haue made my hart cleane All which testimonies of scriptures serue to confirme the trueth of this Doctrine that the best of Gods Saints in this life are oftentimes ouertaken by the policy of Satan and the frailetie of their owne flesh to commit great and grieuous sinnes Yea the dearest of Gods children sometimes are asleepe Matth. 25. The wise and foolish Virgins both slept but yet here is the difference the wise awakened arise out of their securitie the foolish prolong the time Oh then if Christ Iesus haue looked vpon vs as he did vpon Peter let vs looke on our selues If his Nathan be come let vs sleepe no more Vse 1 Seeing that Gods children may thus fall into sinne and lie in sinne so long a time although no man may hereby be imboldned to sinne with Dauid much lesse to lie in sin without
Ministers must needes die in sinne without repentance who cannot indure themselues to bee admonished and reproued euen as a man hauing a long festered soare that is euen rotten putrified Note he can not abide the Chirurgeon should touch it or lance it alas it will be his bane in the end So if thy soule be sicke full of rottennes and corruption and yet thou continuest in sinne and liest in sinne and wilt not suffer the Lords Chirurgeons thou canst not indure Nathan to be so busie with thy sinnes what will follow but the vtter ruine of thy soule and the bane of it And therefore let all men be content to haue their hearts searched with the tents of the Law to be ript vp and launced til the bloud follow for that is the next way to be cured Doctr. 3 A feareful thing to liue in sin without repentaÌ„ce Note In Dauid obserue what a fearefull thing it is to lie in sinne without repentance it is that which maketh a grieuous wound in the conscience draweth downe many and grieuous iudgements of God as in Dauid hee felt the smart of this sinne a long time yea hee carried the skarre of it to his graue it was a heart-smart vnto sinne in denying his Lord and Maister yet he lying not in sinne repented presently went out and wept bitterly so had pardon but lying in sinne is that which wounds the conscience and drawes downe Gods Iudgements both in soule and body weakens our faith makes vs colde in prayer and in holy dueties Yea the wrath of GOD doth follow such as make no conscience of sinne giuing them ouer into a reprobate sence to a slumbering spirit and to hardnes of heart that they proue in the end to be past feeling Romans 1.28 and surely it is iust with GOD that hee should forsake them by his grace who haue forsaken him by their sins This is that which the Prophet declareth concerning the secret Iudgement of God vpon sinners that doe make shipwarcke of faith and a good conscience Psal 81.11 12. My people would not heare my voyce and Israel would none of me So I gaue them vp vnto the hardnesse of their heart and they haue walked in their owne Councels Whence he shewes that seeing they would not be reclaimed and reformed he suffered them to runne their whole swinge into all wickednesse Vse 1 Hence wee learne what a dangerous thing it is to giue entertainement vnto sin it is like to a shamelesse guest which if he be once inuited will be so hardy that hee will come againe vnbidden it is like the breaking in of water that can hardly be stopped we may see this in the example of Cain he was reprooued of God checked for his hatred against his brother and admonished to repent Gen. 4 8. But he hearkened not to the voyce of the Lord but hardned his heart and shead innocent bloud euen the bloud of his brother This appeareth in Iudas he entertained couetousnesse in his heart from couetousnes he fell to plot with the Pharises Mat. 26.15 from plotting he proceeded to practising in the end he brake out to treson against his Lord Master The like we may say of Saul That as he fell away from God step by step So did the Spirit of God forsake him For as amongst all the blessings that God doth bestow vpon the sonnes of men in this world a soft and tender heart is one of the greatest which is soone made to bleede and brought to repentance and amendment of life Ezech. 11.19 So there can bee no greater curse laid vpon man then to haue a stony heart which eueyr day doth heape vp wrath against the day of wrath Exod. 9. Vse 2 Well aboue all things let vs beware how wee lie Continuance in sin most dangerous and rest in sinne Indeede I confesse the Lord might iustly condemne vs for the least sin we doe commit but yet he doth not so much dislike vs for sinning as for lying in sinne without repentance whenas we sinne and lie in sin then we wound our conscience then all grace will decay let a man trie himselfe When Dauid had done this euill committed adultery and murther and lay without repentance how was his zeale quenched how was his prayers weakened how was his heart cooled Note how was his conscience wounded Euen so do but try thy hart if thou hast committed some euil either by adultery whoredome lying stealing c. When thou hast done this how vntoward and dull shalt thou be in holy duties in prayer and praising of GOD and thou shalt finde euen a hell in thy conscience for the present Vse 3 Seeing it is so dangerous to lie in sin without repentance it is the very cut-throate of the soule and of all good things Oh then if we do fall as the best fall daily yet let vs presently recouer our selues presently repent and cry out with the Prodigal child Luke 15. Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee And with Peter let vs hastily goe out and weepe bitterly and then we shall not so deeply wound our conscience nor draw downe Gods iudgements as when we lie and snort in sin securely without repentance The fourth Circumstance in the Title of the Psalme is the occasion wherefore this worthie Psalme was penned The occasioÌ„ wherefore this Psalm was penned which was this Nathans reprouing of Dauid for going into Bershaba of which story reade the second of Samuel the eleuenth and twefth chapters and you shall see both Dauids sinne and his repentance being reproued whence I pray you marke two things Dauids patience and Nathans holdnes Dauid was a mighty King a famous warriour yet when the Lords Prophet comes vnto him to reproue him he takes it patiently and most meekly endures it One would haue thought that Dauid should haue checked him and bid him holde his peace and bid him meddle with his equals But you see here though he were reprooued by Nathan a poore Prophet of God and that of a fowle sinne he most patiently endureth it Doctr. 1 Hence wee learne in Nathan and Dauid Ministers must reproue the greatest personagâ—s that the Prophets of GOD must not be afraide to reprooue the greatest Personages but they must lay open their sinnes Gods iudgements against them 1 Reg. 21. Elias reprooues Ahab Moses Pharaoh Paul Foelix Iohn Baptist Herod c. And so Marke 6. whatsoeuer thou art if thou wert as great a King as Dauid if the Lord send his Prophet to tell thee of thy sinnes thou art to take it as the Message of the Lord and not to storme against it And it is the thing which the children of God desire to haue their sinnes laied open and reproued Psal 141.5 Let the righteous smite me friendly and reprooue me for such smiting shall be good for me and nothing is more dangerous for Kings and great personages then to haue
claw-backes and flatterers who can wincke at their sinnes O! how had it beene with Dauid if the Lord had not sent Nathan to reproue him Vse 1 We learne hence in what a wofull estate and condition those men and women are in that want a faithfull Minister they liue in blindnesse and darkenesse wanting the ordinarie means of life and saluation They haue not the words of eternall life Iohn chap. 6. verse 68. which are the power of God to saluation Rom. 1.16 and therefore are neare vnto destruction It was a fearefull curse when God said to the Apostles Mat. 10.5 Goe not into the way of the Gentiles and into the Cittie of the Samaritans see that ye enter not And to the same purpose the prophet Amos speaketh in his 8. chapter 11 12 13. verses Beholde the dayes come saith the Lord God that I wil send a famine into the land not a famine of bread nor thirst of water but of hearing the word of the Lord And they shall wander from Sea to Sea from the North euen vnto the East shall they run to and fro to seeke the word of the Lord but shall not finde it O that we could consider of these things and lay before our eies what danger it is to want the preaching of the word that thereby wee might learne to bee thankefull for GODS mercy towards vs to be mooued to pitty the desolations of so many of our poore brethren as also to feare the taking of it away from our selues for our vnthankefulnes Great are the plagues and horrible are the ruines of the Church in many places Oh that we had harts to mourne for it and to pray the Lord of the haruest to thrust foorth Labourers into his haruest Vse 2 And surely this is a great plague and iudgement commonly waiting vpon great men that they finde few or none that dare admonish them of their faults or tell them of their offences and so many times are suffered to runne on still in sinne to their finall destruction And therefore let vs account it as a speciall blessing sent vnto vs of God where wee haue some godly Nathan by whom wee may see what is amisse in vs. Wee can giue such a man thankes that will tell vs of some spot in our faces or blemish in our garments And shall wee enuy or maligne him that will discouer vnto vs the spots and blemishes of our soules which doe more soile vs and defile vs then all the blemishes of the body The Prophet Dauid when as hee had now fouâ—d the benefite of a godlie reproofe being reproued by Nathan the Lords Prophet saith Psalme 141.5 Let the righteous smite mee for that is a benefire and let him reprooue me and it shall be a precious oyle that shall not breake mine head And to this end speaketh Salomon Prouerbs 9.8 Rebuke not a scorner lest hee hate thee But rebuke a wise man and he will loue thee The correction of a friend is as the Rod of a Father the end is not to destory but to saue not to ouerthrow but to deliuer from death Vse 3 This condemneth the spirit of pride in most men and women for in these dayes it is come to passe that great personages if Nathan doe tell them of their sinnes of their excessiue pride idlenesse vanities vncleanenesse and the like Oh these hot fellowes are not for their humour they cannot away with them euen as Herod in Markes gospel 6.20 though otherwise hee did reuerence Iohn yet when hee came to tell him of his incest and filthy life then hee must loose his head for it And as Achab said of Micheas I hate him for he neuer prophesieth good vnto mee He is alwayes threatning mee and telleth mee of my sinnes and Gods iudgements So in these dayes Nathan is the odious man of the world men can not brooke this to haue Nathan so busie to meddle with mens sins but men would faine be foothed and dawbed with vntempered morter But if the Lord loue thee hee will fend Nathan to thee to reproue thee for thy sinnes and if thou canst not finde thy heart willing to heare Nathans reproofe as Dauid did it is because thy heart is naught and it is a signe that God will reiect thee and destroy thee Vse 4 Hence we learne how to esteeme of a faithfull Minister namely as the seruant of God Which if it be then Moses must not bee murmured at when he speakes freely and roughly And if Micha resolue of faithfulnes saying 1. Reg. 22. As the Lord liueth whatsoeuer the Lord saieth be it good or euill that will I speake Why should he be hated and fedde with the bread and water of affâ—iction Is it not a reasonable plea and ful of pacification in ciuill messages I pray you be not angry with me I am but a seruant yet when Ieremy the prophet shall say Of a trueth the Lord hath sent me Ierem. 26.15 his feete shall neuerthelesse be fastned in the stockes Nay this consideration should not onely bind men to peace from touching and doing the Lords Prophets harme but also vrge them to haue them in exceeding honour at least for the workes sake which is the Lords who doth acknowledge them co-workers with himselfe 1. Cor. 3.9 Last of all this may serue to reprooue those that beare the office of Nathan yet haue the word in respect of persons who dare not doe their dueties but are afraid of mens faces They would be counted the Embassadors of GOD but they are afraid to doe their Maisters message Let such learne here of Nathan who feared not the maiestie of a King but was faith full in his office Let such learne of Iohn the Baptist who did not shrinke backe but was bold to tell Herod that it was not lawfull for him to take his brothers wife We must not be dastards and faint-hearted souldiors to fight the Lords battell but first be sure wee haue a good warrant out of the word and then go boldly into the field feare not to looke the enemy in the face We are not our owne messengers to doe our owne Embassage but the Embassadors of the eternall GOD when he hath once put his word into our mouthes we must go to those that hee hath sent vs And whatsoeuer he commandeth vs that must we speake Ier. 1.7 8. When God sent forth Ieremy to preach hee armeth him thus Be not afraid of their faces for I am with thee to deliuer thee saith the Lord. Thus hee armeth Ezechiel Ezec. 3.8 9. I haue made thy face strong against their faces And thy forehead hard against their foreheads I haue made thy forehead as the Adamant and harder then flint feare them not therefore neither be afraid of their lookes for they are a rebellious house Doctr. 2 Then hence wee learne that the most effectuall meanes to wound mens consciences for sinne Men must becharged with their speciall sinnes is to charge them with their speciall
what a singular comfort is this to Gods children when they shall remember that the falls and slippes of such worthy men are recorded in Gods Booke And if this were not our faith would faile and we should euen vtterly despaire And as it was with Dauid so it is with all the godly if euer they felt the terror of an accusing conscience for sinne if euer they were displeased at themselues for offending a good and gracious GOD they will not then sticke to manifest their own shame and proclaime their owne follie with griefe of heart with the Leper in the Lawe Leuiticus chapter 13. and 45. verse I am vncleane I am vncleane that so they may procure their former peace from GOD and giue him glorie by their repentance as they dishonoured him by their sinnes So that where the Lord doth awaken the conscience all excuses are set aside and man is glad to disburden himselfe by confessing his sinne vnto the Lord. Vse 1 We learne by Dauids example not to bee vnwilling to doe that which may be for GODS glorie and the good of his church though it should be our vtter disgrace in the world Yea euen to shame our selues for euer so as God may haue his honour by vs alas We are so charie of our owne credite and so loath to shame our selues that we will not acknowledge our sins and infirmities thogh it might turne much to Gods glory but this let vs know that it is our duty to seek Gods glory and the good of his Church though we should euen for euer shame our selues to the world it is a shame to sin no shame to repent yea shame is the best fruit of sinne Rom. 6. neither is our shame increased by confessing our sinnes but rather diminished and taken away and yet so nice are we that wee are loath to acknowledge our sinnes without which there is no pardon of sinne Doctr. 3 From the persons that fell into this great sinne of Adultery The strongest may fall namely Dauid and Bershaba Dauid an excellent King and Prophet of God yea a man after Gods owne heart And Bershaba no common sinner but a woman of great name yea a religious woman as it appeareth wise Prou. 31. and discreete By this wee may see into how great sins the children of God may fall if the Lord leaue them but a little to themselues as wee may see in Noah Lot Dauid Peter and the like Vse 1 Seeing it is so Oh how should wee watch ouer our wayes Though thou beest the childe of God yet see how thou mayest fall if the Lord leaue thee but a while Pro. 4.23 O then countergard thy heart c. keepe it with watch and ward and looke vnto the casements of thy soule thy eares and thy eâ—es by them was Dauid ouercome what folly is it then in them who dare come into any company Note that dare looke pry into the beauty of women as though they were so strong that they were out of all danger to sin But art thou stronger then Dauid If not thou mayest fall Vse 2 Let all Ladies and godly women take heede let them looke on Bershaba a worthy woman and let them feare to giue any entertainement to lust and vncleanenesse for they may be sooner ouer-taken then they be aware looke vnto thy eyes and to thy company lest thou be poisoned by the company of vnchaste persons Yea it may admonish all men and women though neuer so sanctified chaste and religious to feare themselues and to cut off all occasions to vncleannesse as pride in apparrell dalliance euill company idlenesse and the like which be fore-runners of this sinne Vse 3 Lastly let no vncleane person man or woman make Dauid nor Bershabaes sinnes Note a meanes to embolden them or bolster them in vncleanenesse for if thou sinne because such sinned thou mayest perish in them this is not the end why their sinnes be noted in the Booke of GOD for to bolster vs in sinne But rather to admonish vs of our weakenesse to make vs watch lest we fall seeing such excellent ones haue fallen Oh then let vs imitate their repentance not their falls Psalme 51. VERSE 1. Haue mercy on me O God according to thy louing kindnes according to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities Now follows the psalme it selfe and it is a most excellent psalme to be learned of euery christian man and woman and oft times to be vsed for our comfort for it containes a most earnest prayer of Dauid that worthy seruant of God and renowned king 〈…〉 a Prophet of GOD and a man after his owne heart Wherein hee humblie doth acknowledge his sins vnto the Lord earnestly intreating for grace and fauor at Gods hands for the true pardon of them all and to be comforted againe by the gracious promises of God This Psalme may be diuided into 2. parts in the first part Dauid prayeth for himselfe vnto the eighteenth verse in the second part he prayeth for the church of God that the Lord would be fauourable vnto Syon his Church and build vp Ierusalem The maine thing which Dauid so earnest and so often prayeth for is mercy and fauour at Gods hands for the pardon of his sinnes and this Petition is repeated againe and againe ioyned with great affection and earnest desire of mercie confessing his sinnes vnfainedly and abhorring them Secondly Dauid prayeth vnto God for the worke of sanctification that the Lord would purge him and sanctifie him by his holy Spirit and renue his heart Thirdly bee promiseth to preach forth this mercy of God vnto others that his example shal be a meanes by GODS blessing to conuert them to make them afraid of sin and to comfort them that be fallen Fourthly hee sheweth the great abuse of outward Sacrifices and the outward worship seruice of GOD that if it be done by impure and impenitent sinners alas Esay 1.11 the Lord takes no pleasure in it but hates and abhorres it In the first verse we are to coÌ„sider First what is the thing Dauid begs namely Mercy Secondly the person of whom he begges it and that is of God Haue mercy on me O God Thirdly the maner greatnes of this mercy much mercy and great mercy because of his great misery the doubling of the petition shewes he praied with feeling and great affection Haue mercy on me O God As if he should haue said O my God I am a most vile and miserable sinner I haue committed very great and grieuous sinnes I stand in great need of thy mercy and therefore haue mercy on me in the pardon of my sinne Doctr. 1 Before a man can either craue for mercy Sight of sinnes the first stâ—p to repentance and begge the pardon of his sins he must haue the sight of them he must see the danger of them and finde himselfe to stand in extreame neede of Gods mercy Dauid he had
be the very beginning of true repentance and the first step to heauen and the saluation of a mans owne soule surely then most men be in a miserable and wretched estate for most men yet haue not set forward one foote nor gone one steppe to heauen For they haue neuer been humbled neuer touched neuer yet wounded nor pricked in heart for their sinnes and therfore must needs be in a dangerous estate Note Well then apply this to your selues didst thou euer in all thy life find thy heart pricked for sinne Did the sacrificing knife of the Word neuer wound thy conscience nor fetch one teare from thine eyes for thy sinnes Didst thou neuer finde thy heart to mourne and to be cast downe with remorce of conscience Certainely thy case is fearefull and dangerous thou art not yet gone one step to heauen nor moued one finger to eternall life no no thou art yet in thy sins in extreame danger to be damned Iames 2.19 Oh then let the word come home to you harden not your hearts against it neuer bee at quiet till you can say I haue felt my soule touched and wounded with the word of God Vse 2 This serueth for the comfort of GODS children for if we finde and feele our hearts broken and wounded for sinne so as wee mourne for them with godly sorrow because they be sinnes displease God offend his Maiesty it is a certaine signe we haue truly repented we are in the estate of grace Gods spirit hath met with vs the word hath not beene in vaine in our hearts but hath wounded sinne cut the throat of it blessed be God if thou canst say by experience that the Word hath beene powerfull to wound thy soule so as thy conscience is truly touched not only because of Gods anger but because of this that we haue sinned a gainst a mercifull Father This godly sorrow euer goes with true repentance not as Caine Indas 1. Cor. 7.10 c. who despaired of Gods mercy with a desperate sorrow because of the punishment but when we are wounded with sinne to mcurne for it because it offendeth God a louing Father Doctr. 3 From Dauids prayer The first thing Dauid craues is mercy and first petition marke what it is he so carnestly craueth not a kingdome nor gold or siluer not the life of his enemies but mercie mercie alone hee craued for nothing but mercy and therefore in his person wee learne what is that which we should most desire aboue all things in the world namely the fauor and mercy of God in Christ Iesus so that if it should be asked what we would desire in all the world we should answer Mercy and the fauor of God in Iesus Christ he is a blessed man that hath mercy Psal 32.1 2 Psal 4.6 Lu. 18.13 let other men desire worldly wealth riches honor gold siluer but Lord I craue nothing but mercy thy fauour and louing countenance The poore Publican comming to God he knockes on his breast and cries for mercie God be mercifull to me a sinner For there is nothing in the whole world that is able to appease the troble of a wounded conscience saue only the mercy of God in CHRIST IESVS Dauid no doubt had tossed many thoughts within himselfe when hee came to vtter this which heere is penned he had a true sight no doubt of the miserie and wretched estate wherein hee stoode by reason of his sinne Anâ—â—â—d there beene anie other way in the world to haue gotten out of that â—â—ate hee would haue found it But â—â—rke he casts his eie onely vpon â—he â—â—rcie of God making that his surâ—sâ— resuge in this his greatest necessitie Euen so howsoeuer the opinions of men as touching happinesse bee diuerse poore men thinking riches the prisoner libertie the sicke man health Although these desire all these yet the sinner euer desireth mercie This Mercy of God Dauid This sweete Singer of Israel had often times singed now hee desires it And this is the difference betwixt the godly and the wicked Honour me saith Saul before my People Haue mercie on mee saith Dauid Vse 1 Wee learne hence that nothing can pacifie a Wounded Conscience grieued and distressed for sinne but onely the fauour and mercie of God in Iesus Christ Men may in their distresses go to sport and pastime and merry company But alas this is no comfort to a wounded Soule onelie the mercy of God and feeling of his loue in Christ can asswage and pacifie the accusing of our Consciences A man in a hote burning ague may taste of colde water which may ease him for the present but alas after it will increase his torment And as an olde soare if it be not healed at the bottome though it seem to be found on the toppe yet it will breake out againe and become more dangerous and incurable euen so when men shall seeke to smother the accusation of conscience to blunt the edge of it it will after rebound againe and giue a deadly wound to desperation Vse 2 Dost thou find thy conscience vnquiet Dost thou feele it wound and accuse thee Nothing can pacify a wouÌ„ded conscieÌ„ce but God so as thou canst finde no comfort nor rest vnto thy Soule There is no other way in the world to pacifie thy conscience and to haue peace then to intreate and beg for mercy at Gods hands Ro. 14.17 The kingdome of God standâ— not in meate and drinke but in righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the Holie-Ghost So that although a wicked man enioy all the world yet if he haue not mercy and the pardon of sinnes alas he shall haue no sound peace of Conscience no ioy in his soule nor any drop of true comfort And therefore let vs all seeke reconciliation with God intreat for fauor and mercy and neuer giue any rest vnto our soules till we can feele and finde our Soules assured of GODS mercy in Christ and the pardon of our sinnes if any say O that I could feele this in my soule I haue an acusing conscicence I feele it terrifie me I am afraid I shall be condemned I can finde no comfort What shall I doe Euen as Dauid did heere beg hard seeke earnestly for so the Lord promiseth If wee seeke wee shall finde And therefore let vs pray and continue in prayer and know that the Lord will in the end heare and grant our requests The second point is the Partie to whom the Prophet directs his Prayer To whom and seeketh for comfort not to any Saint or Angell not to the Virgin Marie but hee goeth to God praieth to him Haue mercie on mee O God and he directs his prayer to the whole Trinitie Father Sonne and Holy Ghost to God the Father as the Authour of all mercy to IESVS CHRIST by whom and in whose name wee obtaine mercy and to the Holy Ghost because hee doth teach vs to pray and doth conuey and deriue all sauing comfort
granted But as Dauid did here pray againe and againe for mercy and fauour and reconciliation with God and neuer leaue the Lord till we obtaine mercy and fauour and till wee haue got some comfortable perswasion of GODS loue in Christ for the pardon of our sinnes for till wee doe so wee shall neuer haue peace nor quietnesse of conscience wee shall neuer haue sound comfort and ioy in Gods Spirit but euer anguish dolor sorrow and heauines yea either wee shall grow blockish and sencelesse Note or else in the end come to extreame desperation And therefore let vs labour with the Lord ply him with prayers and teares for pardon and neuer let him haue rest til we get one drop of mercie for the pardon of our sinnes Vse 2 Heere we are admonished not to flatter our selues in our sins as thogh no body sawe us As it is the maner of wicked men to say Eccles 23. who seeth mee I am compassed about with darkenesse the walles hide me no bodie seeth mee whom neede I feare And indeede there is scarce one of a thousand that makes any conscience of sinne so that the world do not take notice of it to condemne him But let vs not deceiue our selues though we thinke our selues neuer so secret committing adultery vnder a Canopy or in the darke Yet our owne conscience will reply I see thee and I will accuse thee And then what is a man the better for hauing no bodie priuie to his sinnes when hee hath a conscience within him which dogs him vp and downe in euery corner giuing him no rest Vse 3 This shewes the madnesse of carnall men when they feele the burthen of sinne pressing them and their consciences accusing them what do they runne to God and seeke him no no they runne to their sports and pastime to Cards and Tables to the Tauerne and Ale-house and merrie company And thus they thinke to put off the sence of sinne and to smoother and stoppe the mouth of their accusing conscience Doctr. 2 Marke the thing which thus grieued Dauids spirit Difference betweene the sorrow of the god lie and the wicked vexed his mind namely his sinnes and impieties his filthy sinnes wherby he had grieued his good God and louing Father he did not so much feare punishment as this to offend his mercifull and gracious God Two-fold sorrow Hence then marke the difference of Gods children and the wicked in repentance the childe of God is sorie for sinne because it is sin because it offends God displeaseth him and not so much properly for the punishment yea though there were none yet hee would feare to offend and be grieued for sinne because it is sin and breakes Gods commandements This we may behold in Dauid when he had committed those great sinnes of Adultery and Murder and was reproued for thē by Nathan the Lords Prophet 2. Sam. 12 13. Hee confesseth with griefe and anguish of heart in this Psalme verse 4. I haue sinned against thee euen against thee All the Iudgements which Nathan threatned against him from the Lord did not so much wound him as this that he had dishonoured his GOD. And when hee had numbred his people 2. Sam. 24.10 his heart smote him and hee cried out I haue sinned exceedingly in that I haue done The pestilence did not so much trouble him as his pride against GOD. And the Apostle Peter Matth. 26.75 seeing how grieuously he had sinned in denying his Master Went out and wept bitterly If there had beene neither heauen nor hell neither reward nor punishment yet this vnthankefulnes of his towardes so kinde a Maister would haue caused Peter to haue sorrowed so much as he did And when this godly sorrow is once wrought in mans heart then he beginneth to repent and neuer before The like we may behold in Abraham in Iob in Ioseph c. Genesis 18.30 Genesis 39.9 But wicked men they are grieued for sinne not because it is sinne and the breach of GODS Law but for feare of punishment Exo. 10.17 Pharaoh prayeth Moses to pray for him that the iudgement might be remoued but still he loued his sins so Saul praieth Samuel to pray for him 1. Sa. 15 30. and to honour him but still he would go on in sin Matt. 27.3 So Iudas repented and sorrowed for his sinne because he saw now he should be condemned and so for punishment hee was grieued Acts 8.24 Simon Magus prayes Peter to pray for him but how That none of the Iudgement threatned might fall vpon him Caine mourned exceedingly and cryed out saying Genes 4. My sinne is greater then can be for giuen mee but it was not for his hypocrisie in Gods seruice nor for the cruell murdering of his owne brother nor the sheading of innocent bloud but because of the punishment that God had inflicted vpon him Ahab also humbled himselfe and put on sacke-cloth as though hee had beene very penitent but Elias wrung it out from him denouncing Gods Iudgement against him 2. Reg. 2◠27 Vse Only godly sorrow causes true repētance Seeing this is the difference betweene the godly sorow of the faithfull and the worldly sorrow of the wicked one sorrowes for sin because it is sinne the other because of the punishment onely let vs heereby proue our sorrow Art thou grieued for sinne because it is sinne because it offends God And art thou more grieued for sinne because it grieues a mercifull God then for feare of punishment Yea wouldst thou bee grieued for sin though ther were no hell nor diuell to torment thee onlie for this very cause because it offends thy mercifull GOD then it is a certaine token of thy true repentance and godly sorrow But if thou finde thy heart onelie to bee lumpish and heauy Note in regard of the punishment of sinne in regard of hell and damnation and if it were not for that thou couldest be content to liue and go on in sinne surely then it is but a carnall sorrow it is not a godly sorrow that is only for feare of punishment and this deceiues many a man who thinkes he repents because he is grieued for sin in regard of the punishment But the vilest Atheist and reprobate in the world may be grieued for sin in regard of the punishment as hell fire and condemnation as Iudas Caine c. But the childe of God is grieued for sin because it is sinne and offends God though there were no hell to punish Doctr. 3 Dauid praies that the Lord would wash him Sinne defiles a mā therefore sin defiles and he was made foule and filthy by his sin And to wash him much and to rinse and bathe him to shew that sin had exceedingly defiled him and stained him both in soule and body made him loathsome and therefore he desireth to bee washed and cleansed and purged from the pollution of sinne Sinne defiles the whole mā Hence we may
commodity pleasure delight and sweetnesse of sinne that so shewing them onely the golden baite of sinne and hiding the poisoned hooke he might moue men to runne headlong into all sinne But when Sathan gets his purpose and men be in his snare and fallen into sinne Oh how will hee then presse their poore consciences then he wil loade them and set out their sinnes to the full in a most vgly manner nothing then but hell fire damnation and the curse of God that so if it be possible he may draw them into the gulfe of dispaire O that men could consider this in time how sinne wil one day change her countenance howsoeuer it commeth at first in a flattering manner pretending nothing but friendship but in the end will leaue a sting behinde it euen a guiltie conscience terrour of minde and anguish of spirite Wherefore let vs flie from sin as from the biting of a Serpent that we be not stung therewith vnto eternall death Knowing that the wages of sinne is death Rom. An accusing conscience the meanes to bring me to repentance 6.23 Doctr. 1 Whereas Dauids sinnes being alwayes before him did vrge him to confesse them yea to repent and beg the pardon of them wee learne that the remembrance of our sinnes and the calling them to minde together with conscience accusing for them is the way and meanes to come to true repentance to make a man confesse them and begge the pardon of them whereas if they slippe out of our mindes or we know them not nor wee finde not our Consciences to accuse vs of them Alas we can neither confesse them nor truely be humbled and begge the pardon of them And therefore Dauid confesseth heere that by reason his sinnes were euer before him he was continually vexed tormented with the horrour of them his conscience still accused and annoied him and therfore hee is constrained and vrged humbly to confesse them and to begge the pardon of them at Gods hands Whereas the wrath of God doth euer follow such as haue sleepie and drowsie consciences giuing them ouer to a reprobate sence to a slumbering spirit and to hardnesse of the heart that they fall to be past feeling and can not repent Rom. 1.28 Such as regarded not to know God hee gaue them vp to their hearts lusts vnto all vncleanenesse and punished one sinne with another And surely it is iust with God that hee should forsake vs with his grace that haue forsaken him by our sinnes According to that of the Prophet Psalme 81.11 My people would not heare my voyce And Israel would none of mee So I gaue them vp vnto the hardnesse of their heart and they haue walked in their owne Councels Sight of sinne first step to repentance So then hence wee learne that a man will neuer repent truely of his sinnes seeke to God for pardon neither is there any other way or means to be reconciled to God but this to feele the weight and burthen of his sinnes and feeling his conscience to accuse him to vexe and to wound him till he finde God to be mercifull and reconciled vnto him for the pardon of them and the appeasing and quieting of his conscience Vse 1 Seeing till such time as the conscience be wounded for sinne and vexed and tormented with it a man will neuer seeke for pardon Then wee learne hence that no man can taste of the sweetenesse of GODS mercie in CHRIST for his saluation till hee haue tasted of the bitter fruite of sinne and of a wounded and distressed conscience Looke on Dauid on the Iews Psal 6.32.77 Actes 2.37 and as for those that would taste of GODS mercie and yet are loathe to feele the smart of sinne they deceiue themselues we see that ere the body be purged men must taste of bitter pilles of bitter potions Such may suspect their repentance who feele nor sinne to wound their consciences And as for those who neuer felt anie such griefe nor wound of Conscience no such astonishment for their sins they may iustly feare their repentance is not sound that they haue not as yet beene truely humbled for it is certaine that before wee can truely repent and be reconciled to GOD we must haue the feeling of the smart of sinne and find our hearts troubled and our consciences wounded Vse 2 This confutes that fond and foolish Opinion of many in the world who if they fee any one wounded for sinne distressed in soule crying out of his misery and feeles his conscience exceedingly wounded and begins euen to dispaire of Gods mercy what do men iudge of such a man surely that it is nothing but melancholy and dumpishnesse and therefore they counsell him to bee merry to go to merry company to put away such odde conceits such vaine and foolish fancies but alas poore soules they consider not that it is the speciall worke of GOD wounding the conscience for sinne that they feele the anger of God for sinne and are troubled and vexed for that and till God giue mercy and reconciliation be had in CHRIST there can be no peace Vse 3 We learne hence that it is better to haue an accusing conscience for sin then to haue a dead conscience Dead conscience heauie Iudgemēt a benummed conscience a sleepy and slumbering conscience a seared and frozen conscience for if a mans conscience doe daily bring his sinnes to his minde so that hee sees them before his eies then he will be grieued for them hee will confesse them and begge the pardon of them but when a man hath a slumbering conscience that is benummed then hee goes on in sinne from day to day neuer feeleth any smart of it nor euer desires the pardon of it as the poore Iewes who seeing their fearefull estate crie out Actes 2.37 What must wee doe so doe all wounded consciences seeing their fearefull sinnes and damnable estate crie out for mercie and seeke for pardon Oh it is a fearefull Iudgement of GOD to haue a sleepie or a drowsie Conscience It is like a wilde beast which so long as it lies asleepe seemeth very tame gentle but when he is rowzed flies into a mans face Euen so howsoeuer a mans conscience may seeme for a time to bee quiet and men may thinke they haue a good conscience indeede yet being awaked by the hand of GOD it will rent out euen the very throat of their soule Doctr. 2 Seeing Dauid doth acknowledge heere that his sinnes being euer before him awaked him Necessary duety to call our sinnes to account and vrged him instantly and earnestly to seeke for pardon Wee learne that it is a good thing for vs to call our sinnes to accompt to haue them often in minde to set them before our eies the greatnesse number and heinousnesse of them First it is a good meanes to prepare vs to true repentance and humiliation for them Lam. 3.40 Secondly it is a speciall means to
from his house but one sonne should kill an other Secondly that the child conceiued in adultery should die thirdly hat his owne sons should rebel against him and lastly that his wiues should be abused as hee had abused an other mans Doctr. 1 Hence marke what vse the Lord will make euen of an accusing and guiltie conscience namely The Lord maks good vse of our conscieÌ„ce it shal be the Accuser Witnesse and Iudge to accuse and condemne it selfe But shall cleare the Lord of all iniustice or hard dealing making way vnto the Lords righteous iudgement This we may clearely beholde in Iudas Matth. 27. who readeth his owne Sentence of condemnation against himselfe saying I haue sinned in betraying innocent bloud And for this purpose the Lord hath put into the Soule of euery man not onelie a knowledge whereby we can discern betwixt that which is lawfull and good from that which is euill so farre as shall leaue all men without excuse But also that conscience can make application of that knowledge in all the actions of a mans life approouing that which is good and therein concerning matter of ioy and comfort or else condemning him for that which is euill which will cause a fearefull horrour in Soule as we see in Caine Genes 4. Trembling in body as in Felix Actes 24.26 or else fearefull Dreames and Visions as in Baltezar Dan. 5. And this wee may heere clearely behold in Dauid The force of whose conscience was such as that it sought no starting holes to hide it selfe but saith Against thee Against thee haue I sinned c. And withall doth cleare the Lord of iniustice and hard dealing towards him If he should bring vpon him and his house all those feareful Iudgements which by Nathan the Lords Prophet hee had threatned against him 2. Sam. 12. Vse 1 From this we learne what an intollerable torment a wicked conscience is euen a Gibbet and a Racke to wound a man withall and as a fearefull huy and cry euery where ouertaking them giuing a man no rest neither night nor day but euery where and in all places is euer dragging him before the Iudge No sooner did Paul dispute of Iustice temperance and iudgement to come but Felix trembled Actes 24. No sooner had Cain slaine his righteous brother Abel but his guiltie conscience made his countenance to fall Genes 4. What maruell is it then if the wicked would stifle and choke the noise of their consciences being so fearefull and terrible but this they cannot doe Which being so Oh! in the feare of God let euery one take heed of sinne for the motions thereof may well be compared to those locusts of the bottomlesse pâ—t Reuel 9. hauing faces like men and their haire like the haire of women but a taile like a Scorpion which stingeth to death Oh! full little doth many a poore soule thinke that that sin which now seemeth to bee as light as a feather should lie so heauy vpon their soules in the end Vse 2 This teacheth vs moreouer to be very carefull that wee neglect not the checkes of conscience nor our owne hearts reproouing vs of our wayes for the time commeth apase and thou knowest not how soone when that conscience of thine which now doth checke thee shall iudge thee and that heart of thine which now doth reprooue thee shall torment thee and thou by it shall be accused and conuicted that thou hast beene a wilful chooser of thine owne destruction Againe in that the Prophet doth acknowlege that if the Lord should bring vpon him all those iudgements which hee before had threatned by the Prophet Nathan namely 2. Sam. 12. That the Sword should neuer de part from his house that the child conceiued in adultery should die That his sonnes should defloure his wiues c. yet for all that that God were most iust in his iudgements wee learne a second point of Doctrine that howsoeuer the Lord reprooueth vs for sin Doctr. 2 God is euer iust in his iudgèments and seemes to threaten and thunder out his iudgements as hee did against Dauid yet we are to confesse that God is iust and righteous in his threatnings that hee doth not deale more seuerely with vs then our sins deserue Thus Dauid did though he was a King yet hauing sinned and committed euill in Gods sight when Nathan came tooke him vp roundly for his sinnes hee acknowledged God dealt iustly with him though he rebuked him sharply and seuerely so must wee know it is our duety that when we are reprooued for our sins wee iudge and thinke it is no more then wee haue deserued Old Ely when Samuel telleth him that GOD would destroy his sonnes and take the high Priests office from him because hee did not rule and gouerne his children and correct them hee answered It is the Lord let him doe as it seemes good in his own eies 1 Sam. 3.18 In like sort Matth. 15. the Cananitish woman though she were called a Dogge by our Sauiour yet she iustifieth him in his saying Trueth Lord I am as thou hast said but yet admit I be a dogge then giue mee that which dogges oftentimes haue euen a crumme of thy mercie Thus did Hezechiah 2. Reg. 20. when the Prophet had threatned him because of his pride in shewing his treasures he confesseth that God was iust and might haue dealt yet more rigorously with him saying The word of the Lord is good These examples doe shew what is the nature of true penitents namely to acknowledge that which from GODS word is most sharpely spoken to be most iust and true Whereas on the contrary we shall see hypocrites ready to censure God to deale too seuerely with them as wee may see Luke 13. how that the wicked at the last will seeme to plead their case with GOD saying Lord hast thou not preached in our streetes and haue we not eate and druncke in thy company seeming thereby to haue such an interest into Christ as that hee should deale vniustly with them to condemne them The like wee may see in Catne Genes 4. My sinne saith he that is my punishment is greater then I can beare So that wee see that as the godlie man acknowledgeth GOD to be iust in all things so the wicked man dare charge GOD to his face that he is iniust if he punish sinne seuerely Vse 1 This she weth of what spirite those men be of who when they be sharply reprooued for their sins swearing drunkennes whoredome couetousnesse c. they beginne to murmure and grudge to finde fault with the Ministers of God that they be too hot and too earnest too sharpe and seuere they would be more mildely dealt withal they cannot abide these hot fellowes that be all of the spirit they would bee handled nicely and gently But we see Dauid a king acknowledgeth God to be iust and to deale iustly with him But these men are like vnto Ahab he hated Michaiah and why
1. Reg. 22.8 because he neuer prophesieth good vnto him but euer tolde him of Gods iudgements and therefore hee could not away with â—im but let vs know that it is a bad property and a signe of a most lewd and gracelesse heart Psal 50 Thou hatest to be reformed The vilest Atheist in the world may be content to heare the gospel but let vs know that we must be content to heare of Gods iudgements Herod could be content to heare Iohn Baptist gladly Esay 58.1 Mar. 6.20 Psal 141.5 vntill hee came to touch his beloued sinne which was a signe hee had a naughtie heart But Dauid could wish the righteous might smite him friendly and reprooue him for such smiting should be good for him Psalme 141. verse 5. Vse 2 Let vs learne by Dauids example quietly and patiently to heare of our sinnes and to heare GODS iudgements denounced against them Faithfull Ministers token of Gods loue and let vs deeme it a singular fauour of God if the Lord send some godlie Nathan to tell vs of our sinnes and to thunder out GODS iudgements against them it is a signe the Lord loueth vs and would not haue vs to perish And therefore let vs bee so farre from murmuring or disliking the Lords Ministers for telling vs of our sins that we should rather loue them and like them yea Dauid loued Nathan aboue all other men because that hoe was a meanes to reclaime him and bring him home againe by true repentance And so it is with all Gods children that those faithfull Ministers of the Word which haue beene the meanes to humble them and cast them downe for their sins Psal 141.5 of all other they loue them and make much of them Vse 3 Seeing when Nathan reprooued Dauid hee acknowledgeth it to bee the Lords rebuking of him it must admonish all men to listen vnto the word of God in the mouth of his ministers Ghd'speaketh by his Ministera as though the Lord himselfe should speake vnto them for they stand in his steade and whatsoeuer they speake in the name of the Lord it is as much as if the Lord should speake from heauen and therefore CHRIST saith Luk. 10.16 He that heareth you heareth mee And hee that despiseth you despiseth me and hee that despiseth mee despiseth him that sent me And therefore let vs take to heart the judgements of GOD threatened by his Ministers let vs make a good vse of them and let vs assure our selues that vnlesse we do repent they will seize vpon vs and therefore let all vngodly men take heede how they reuile Gods ministers when they deale soundly and roundly sincerely and sharpely for sinne for thou striuest not with man but with God And pure when thou iudgest THAT is that thou mayest be knowne to be pure free from all cruelty and iniustice in thy iudgements when thou dost chasten man for sinne wee must needes acknowledge that thou art iust and dost neuer deale so hardly with vs as we deserue For himselfe hee confesseth that GOD is most iust That howsoeuer the Lord might bring vpon him all those Iudgements which hee had threatned by his Prophet against hin viz. That euill should be raised against him out of his owne house That the Sword should bee sent against it That his wiues should be openly defiled That the childe borne in adultery should die yet though all those things should come vpon him and his house the Lord should still free from cruelty and iniustice Doctrine By this example of Dauid wee learne to free the Lord from all cruell God is euer iust in his iudgements hard and vniust dealing that although the Lord bring vpon vs many and grieuous judgements sickenes pouerty imprisonment plague famine sword pestilence c. yet let vs take it so to heart that euer we do acknowledge GOD is free from all cruell and vniust dealing Dan. 9 5 6 7. a most liuely example of this we haue in the people of the Iewes whom the Lord had grieuously afflicted for the contempt of his word and despising his Prophets sent them into great captiuitie now being there they doe not complaine of any vniust dealing of God towards them but confesse rather Lam. 3.22 That it was his endlesse mercie that we were not consumed Because his compassions faile not the like example we haue in Iob Iob 1.22 who neuer charged God of any vniust dealing And to the same purpose speaks the Church Micah 7.9 I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I haue sinned against him Vse 1 Hence wee are taught whatsoeuer crosse or iudgement the Lord shall lay vpon vs to vndergoe the same without murmuring or repining against GOD for in all these things God is most righteous and laieth nothing on vs which we haue not deserued Let vs therfore learne with Dauid to be dombe and silent vnder the hand of God whatsoeuer we suffer because God hath done it and wee haue deserued it But alas how far is this from those men who when they are crossed are readie to breake into cursing and swearing c. or at the least fret and repine against God as if he had done them wrong in punishing them Vse 2 This condemns that great impatiencie of many a one that when the lord doth exercise them by sickenes by pouertie by crosses in wife or children c. are ready to murmure and complaine that the Lord dealeth hardly with them so that they dare reason and dispute with GOD this was Iobs case in his extreamitie hee forgate himselfe and spake soolishly nay rather let vs with Dauid confesse and acknowledge that it is the iust hand of GOD and that he doth vs no wrong although hee send many and long afflictions vpon vs let vs confesse it is his mercy that hee sends no more yea let vs acknowledge that wee are worthy ten thousand times to perish for our sinnes and to be damned eternally And if the Lord should for euer condemne vs Iob 13.15 Dan. 9. yet he should be iust Vse 2 This condemnes all those prowd spirites who dare charge the Lord of great cruelty and hardnesse if hee should reiect the greatest part of mankind and damne them for their sinnes they thinke it stands not with Gods mercy so to do but as the Apostle Paul in the eleuenth chapter to the Romanes saith What arte thou O man that darest dispute with God Yea it is therefore most iust because GOD willeth it for his will is the rule of iustice And therefore anie thing is iust because he willes it and therfore let vs not only in our owne Note Particular crosses and calamities acknowledge God to be iust but also in the matter of Reprobation and Reiection let vs acknowledge Almightie GOD to be most iust and righteous let God be true and euery man a liar Vse 3 Seeing the Lord is so pure and iust free from all cruell and hard
to life eternal but liuing and dying a naturall man he must needs be damned and die eternally Except a man be borne anew Iohn 3. Luke 13.5 hee can not see the kingdome of GOD Againe Except yee repent yee shall all perish And therefore so long as wee continue in the state of nature being conceiued and borne in sinne we are in a most miserable and damnable estate For the poyson of our nature is the same in vs that is in the wicked And by nature wee are prone to all manner of sinne and howsoeuer by the speciall mercie of God wee haue escaped many horrible and grieuous sinnes which we finde that the wicked of God haue fallen into It is not for that wee are of a purer Nature then they for it is alike with the Reprobate but because the poysoned corruption thereof hath not yet discouered it selfe in vs which wee haue iust cause euery day to feare Oh then let vs labour to get out of this cursed state of nature and get into the state of grace to be borne a new to become new creatures in Christ Iesus to repent to seeke to Iesus Christ for mercy for if we liue and die in the state of nature it is impossible wee should be saued And therefore the state of all carnall men and women which are meerely natural howsoeuer ciuill honest is a fearfull state and condition for all this while they doe nothing but sinne all the actions of a naturall man be so many sins vnto him as prayer hearing the Word receiuing the Sacraments Genesis 4. and the like for before anie of these sacrifices can be accepted of God their persons must first bee approued Vse 2 Seeing that all of vs be conceiued in sinne and stained wich originall vncleanenesse and therefore are not onely subiect to the curse of GOD but euen polluted in soule and body blind in our minds rebellious in our wils and affections Then those men who stand vpon their owne wit and wisedome and care not for the word of God preached shew that they be in a miscrable case all the knowledge wit and strength of nature cannot bring a man to heauen and to life eternall and the reason is The naturall man perceiueth not the things that are of God Againe 1. Cor 1 10 1. Cor. 1.21 Rom. 8.8 Gen 8.21 When as the world could not know God in the wisedome of God it pleaseth God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue and therefore let vs renounce our selues our naturall wisedome strength and goodnesse and become fooles in our selues that we may be wise in God abhorre our selues and our owne goodnesse and labour to be found righteous in Christs righteousnesse Paul confesseth Rom. 7.18 That in me there dwelleth no good thing wee cannot thinke a good thought much lesse doe any good till we be illuminated by the word and spirit inlightned and sanctified Vse 3 Then we see that Doctrine of the Papistes that man hath naturally free-will and by vertue of that can doe some good to please God and can keepe the Lawe and merite life eternall that it is most false for all men be conceiued in sinne starke dead in sinne haue no power to will good things but are prone to all euill and corruption Man hath no free-will in anything that is good and leadeth to life eternall but all to euill And in sinne hath my mother conceiued me HEereby we may note the greatnesse of Adams fall And the sinne of our first Parents who did not onely bring the curse of GOD vpon themselues but vpon all their posterity and did not onely defile themselues but all that should come of them for Adam did not fall as a priuate man but as the maine roote and stocke of all mankinde and wee all fell in him because we were all in his loynes and therefore seeing such is the greatnesse of Adams fall wee ought to be humbled for it and daily to bewaile it because if hee had not sinned then we should not haue beene conceiued in sinne nor lost the Image of GOD wherein wee were at first created in holinesse and righteousnesse and withall wee must labor to be renewed daily and to haue the Image of Almightie God restored by dying to sinne and liuing to righteousnesse that wee may be holie as GOD is holie and righteous as GOD is righteous Doctr. 3 We see that Parents Godly parents beget sinfull children though they be holie and such as beleeue yet they beget children in sinne and vncleanenes and doe conuey originall sin vnto their children they warme them with vncleane bloud and so by that meanes doe make them children of wrath and heires of Gods anger and in state of damnation for beleeuing parents beget not beleeuing children but children like vnto themselues as they be sinnefull men and women Adam begate a childe in his owne likenesse that is Genes 5.3 a sinfull man like himselfe Now we know that Gods Image was defaced in Adam hee begate a sonne therefore corrupt according to his owne corrupt Image as Iob speaketh Iob 14.4 Who can bring a cleane thing out of that which is vncleane And this is the reason Gen. 4.3 That the corrupt nature of Cain led him to that for the which he had no example And so this is true of all men else though they might neuer see any thing that were euill yet of themselues of their owne disposition they would doe euill being by nature men haled thereunto Vse 1 Well seeing parents now by the fall of Adam Parents duetie get sinnefull children and they be bred and borne in sinne and they be meanes to beget them and to bring them into the world and to conuey originall sinne vnto them and make them in a fearefull and damnable estate oh how should Parents labour to bring them out of the state of Nature and Damnation into Grace and Saluation if thou shouldest doe any thing to bring thy childe into danger of death Note this well how would it grieue thee that thou by thy folly shouldest bring thy childe to vntimely death how much more bringing them in danger of eternall death And therefore pity thy poore childe seeke to make him the childe of God vse all good meanes to haue him made the childe of God repent thy self pray for him admonish him bring him to the Word and publique meanes call vpon him to repent to begge the pardon of his sin to feare God giue him good example lest for want of this thou doe thrust his poore soule into hell Oh how can parents be too carefull for their children seeing they haue beene the meanes to bring them into so wofull estate Vse 2 Seeing that Dauid doth acknowledge his naturall corruption to this end euen to aggrauate the grieuousnesse of his sinne and not to lessen it or to excuse himselfe but rather to confesse that hee was nothing else but a masse of sinne and all
pollution this shews of what spirit those profane beasts be who being tolde of their filthy sinnes of adultery whooredome and vncleannesse by and by they answere Why what should we doe wee are but flesh and bloud and we see it is our nature to sinne and so thinke by one sinne to excuse an other and by one debt to pay an other tell men of their vnbrideled and vnruly affection couetousnesse anger c. and what is their answere It is their nature to doe so which is all one as to goe about to pay one debt with another and thus they goe about to hide their sinnes We see Dauid sought no such starting holes but rather confesseth he is a masse of sinne and that he is euery way worthy to perish for his sinne and in danger to be damned And therefore let vs take heede that wee doe not so confesse our naturall corruption as to make it a boulster to vpholde vs in our sinnes but rather be humbled for it that our nature is so miserably polluted and labour to haue it reformed and renewed Vse 3 And last of all this may serue to reprooue the extreame folly of those that stand so much of their pedigree as though they were not made of common moulde but euen from the consideration of the greatnesse of their parentage beare themselues aloofe thinking none to be their equalles as though true Nobilitie stoode on this that man descends of man But let not such stand so much vpon the honour of their birth or greatnes of their Ancestors as thogh in these things alone they were happy But let them labor withall to be the sonnes of God by regeneration This is indeed the ornament of their bloud and the finest flower in their Garland And though a man be neuer so noble or great in estate yet if hee be not a repentant sinner and such a one as is truely humble before God he is base and vile and his nobilitie stinks in the nosthrils of God VERSE 6. 6. Beholde thou louest trueth in the inward affections therefore hast thou thou taught me wisedome in the secret of my heart IN the formet verse Dauid had set out the grieuousnes of his sin by that that he was euen conceiued in sin and so was nothing else but a lump of sin and euen from the cradle was worthy to perish and to bee damned In this fixt Verse the Prophet Dauid proceedeth to set out the grieuousnes of his sin by an other Argument taken from the most pure nature of Almightie GOD who being most iust and holie and most pure can delight in nothing but in that which is pure and holy But hee confesseth that by his sinnes hee had defiled himselfe both in soule and body so as hee was not worthy to appeare in the presence of Almightie God Behold thou louest The meaning of the words AS if he should haue said O Lord my God thou art a most holie God and canst abide no vncleane thing But I euen Dauid once a man after thy owne heart sanctified by thy holy spirit haue marred all and with filthy vncleanenes and adultery as also murder and shedding of innocent bloud haue defiled and stained my selfe both body and scule so as I am now cleane out of order and so foule that I am not worthy to come into thy presence so as instead of that inward purity and sinceritie and that vprightnesse both in soule and body I haue brought out most vgly and cursed fruits of sinne and vncleanenesse Thus be doth still lay open his misery and aggrauateth his sin before the Lord. Doctr. 1 Seeing that Dauid doth aggrauate his sinne by weighing the most pure and holy nature of GOD that can abide no impuritie or vncleanenesse Tru knowledge of God works true humilitie Hence we learne that a man or woman shall neuer sufficiently enough know themselues and their owne misery till such time as they looke vp vnto the most holie and pure nature of GOD all the while we measure our selues by our selues looke vpon our owne goodnes wisdome knowledge vprightnes wee thinke highly of ourselues but if we once lift vp our eyes to the most holy and pure nature of GOD and withall consider how we are swarued from it and be defiled with sin O then wee begin to pull downe our peacockes feathers and to humble our selues in the sight of GOD Iob hee had a long time stoode vpon his owne goodnes and vertue but after the Lord opened his eyes to see the most pure and holy nature of GOD and his owne vilenesse hee crieth out O Lord thou I know canst doe all things Iob 43.1 2 c. no thought is hid from thee I haue spoken things I knew not I haue heard of thee by the hearing of the eare but now wine eie seeth thee Therefore I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes Paul saith of himselfe Before the Commandement came I was aliue Rom. 7. A iolly fellow thought well of himselfe but when the Commandement came and hee had gote the knowledge of God namely that he was a holy and iust God then was he dead The people of Israel thought it an easie matter to serue the Lord and were forward but Ioshua aduiseth them to take heede for saith he The Lord is a holy God a iealous God Ios 24.19 and will not pardon your sinnes and iniquities So that by all these it appeareth that the knowledge of GOD as hee is a holy pure and righteous GOD is a speciall meanes to humble vs and to make vs know our selues and our misery and therefore doth the Prophet Dauid prefixe before it this note of attention Behold marke consider it well Vse 1 What is the reason that sinful and miserable men dare bee so bolde to stand vpon their owne goodnes and worthinesse when they come into Gods presence Lu. 18.14 like the proud Pharisie Because they doe not consider with whom they haue to deale with God who is most pure and loueth purity and can abide no impurity Oh if men would looke vp vnto the holy and most pure nature of GOD it would be a speciall means to humble them and to plucke downe their pride then they should see and acknowledge that they are but dust and ashes Genes 17. as Abraham pleading with GOD confesseth and humbles himselfe then they would come with more reuerence and feâ—re and confesse themselues vile and miserable creatures Oh then let vs thinke vpon this with Dauid Iob Abraham when we come into Gods presence to humble vs that wee may come with great preparation and looke vnto our feet and affections that we may remember wee come not into the presence of an earthly king but of the euer-liuing GOD as that we thereby be not brought to conceiue too well of our selues as many men doe Thou louest truth in the inward affection Doctr. 2 HEnce marke that a sound vpright and sincere heart is that the
to betray his Master but how he digested the same in the end Mat. 26.27 the Euangelist declareth when hee saw that Christ was condemned hee brought againe the thirtie peeces of siluer to the high Priests and Elders saying I haue sinned betraying the innocent bloud And this shall all men one day be sure to finde that the perishing pleasures of sin shall haue sorrow in the end that if they haue not truth in the inward affections of the heart there must needes raigne sinne and sin is but a lying vanitie and will deceiue them in the end Indeed all sin to a naturall man is delightfull and pleasant he findeth it sweete to his taste but it is as sweet meate that hath poyson mingled with it Hebr. 3.3 That howsoeuer it is sweet in the taste yet in the end bringeth death So is it with sin it doth delight in the committing thereof but in the end it turneth to the destruction of the whole man Vse 1 Heere then we may see the wofull fruit of sin which naâ—urall men make their chiefe hâ—ppinesse and felicitie They may indeed delight for a time and please the carnall desires of Naturall men but Oh alas they bring an heauy accompt and reckoning in the end So that wee may say to all naturall and carnall men whose portion is in this life as Abner said in an other case 2. Sa. 2.26 Knowest thou not that it will be bitternesse in the latter end This wee may see in Cain in Esau in Ahab in Iudas c. That hauing tasted of the bread of deceit haue had their mouthes filled with the grauell in the end For the Motions of sinne are like those locusts of the bottomlesse pit hauing faces like men Reuel 9. and their haire like the haire of women but a taile like a Scorpion which stingeth to death Vse 2 Wee learne hence what must bee the christian practise of a godly man namely to walke plainely and sincerely to be a true Israelite indeed in whom is no guile This is that which Salomon teacheth He that walketh vprighâ—ly walketh boldely but he that peruerteth his wayes shall be knowne Oh it is a gracious thing for a mâ—n Prou. 10.9 in all things to labour to keepe faith and a good conscience such a man may assure himselfe that the Lord loueth him For he loueth trueth in the inward affections But such as commit wickednesse without care or conscience shall be sure to feele the smart in the end Therefore hast thou taught me wisedome in the secret of my heart Dauids sin heinoâ—s why IN this last place the Prophet Dauid aggrauateth his sinne by that knowledge which God in mercy had bestowed vpon him namely that God had taught him heauenly wisedome by the Lawe of God whereby he knew very well what God required at his hands and how hee ought to serue and worship GOD nay that hee had taught him wisedome not after a common manner but euen by his holie Spirite had taught him wisdome in the secret of his heart in a speciall manner Because God had taught him wisedome secretly reuealing his will vnto him and therefore he confesseth that his sinne was the more hainous and grieuous for if hee had neuer beene sanctified nor truely called if he had beene ignorant and blinde in the word of God though it could not excuse him yet his sin had not beene so great but seeing he who had made so good proceeding in the seruice and worship of GOD who had taught others who was so insighted by the Spirit and beene taught in a speciall manner against knowlege against conscience and so fouly sinned against God this highly increaseth and aggrauateth his sinne Doctr. 1 Hence then learne that it is a fearfull and verie dangerous sin for anie man or woman to sinne against the knowne trueth of the word A feareful thing to sin against knowlege and Law of GOD against knowledge and conscience when as wee haue not onely knowne the will and word of GOD but beleeued it beene enlightned by the Spirit and being taught of GOD in our inward affections then against all these means to sinne and to commit iniquitie against knowledge and conscience it is a most dangerous thing this may heere appeare in Dauid who was grieuously wounded for this sinne aboue all other and felt the smart of it to humble him all the dayes of his life So Peters deniall of Christ Luke 23. chapter though it was of feare yet being against knowledge and also conscience oh it caused him to weepe bitterly and indeede sinnes of knowledge and against conscience are done with some presumption against God And therefore if euer a man be touched for them they will wound deepe and cause teares to follow Vse 1 Seeing it is so fearefull and dangerous to sin against knowledge and conscience because thereby we doe what lieth in vs to quench the Spirit to wound our consciences and it is a great steppe vnto the sin against the holy Ghost Oh then let vs in the feare of GOD take heede wee neuer giue that liberty to our owne lustes and liking as to sin against knowledge and conscience If the Diuell tempt thee to any sinne which thou knowest is condemned in the word of God as swearing lying stealing Note murther adultery c. and thy conscience telleth thee of it and checks thee for it do not commit it though thou mightest gaine a kingdome by it for that which followeth will be a farre greater losse for thou shalt lose peace of conscience and ioy in the Spirit feeling of GODS loue comfort in affliction and if GOD be not mercfull vnto thee thou shalt run on from sin to sin to a reprobate sense It is true ignorance shall excuse no man yet sinnes of ignorance are farre lesse then sins of knowledge and against conscience 1. Tim. 1.13 Paul persecuted the Church of God but it was by ignorance and therefore GOD shewed him mercy but if thou of spite and malice shalt persecute and against knowledge and the checke of thy conscience hurt and iniurie the seruants of GOD and members of Christ how canst thou euer look to finde mercy Thou knowest that GOD forbiddeth and condemneth lying swearing stealing murther adultery drunkennesse c. And if thou shalt wittingly and willingly rush into them though thou know they be forbidden thou maiest look for some fearefull iudgement of God vpon thee And therefore if thou be â—empted answer I will not yeelde It is written I may not steale lie commit adultery Matth. 4.2 c. as Christ answered the diuell Vse 2 We see that if God leaue his children they may fall dangerously into great sinnes yea against knowledge and conscience as Dauid Abraham Peter c. for of our selues we haue no power to resist the subtill temptations and assaults of the Diuell but euen as a staffe stands so long as it is stayed but when it is left
alone presently it falles with the least puffe of winde so doe wee And therefore let vs not relie too much vpon our owne power as Peter did and fell but feare our weaknesse and suspect our selues and pray the Lord to hold vs and not to leaue vs to our selues for then there is no sinne so fowle into which wee will not easily plunge our selues And yet if the Lord leaue vs to fall into some great sinne against knowledge and conscience let vs not despaire or thinke wee haue sinned against the holy Ghost as it is the diuells vsuall temptation to perswade a Christian that hee hath sinned against knowledge and conscience and therefore against the holy ghost and that God hath no mercy for him and to that purpose hee abuseth one especiall place Hebr. 6.4 5 6. For it is impossible that they which were once lightned and haue tasted of the heauenly gift and were made partakers of the holie Ghost and haue tasted of the good word of God and of the power of the world to come if they fall away should be renued againe by repentance By this place and such like the cunning Diuell labours to bring the children of God to dispaire if they commit sinne after they be called and inlightned because they sinne against knowledge and conscience But that the children of God may sinne and commit some great sinne and euill against knowledge and conscience after they be inlightned and effectually called and sanctified appeareth in Abraham Sara Dauid Peter c. and daily experience proueth it and therefore all sinnes of knowledge and against conscience are not sins against the holy Ghost but in that place he speaketh of such as of desperate malice and set purpose sinne against the holy Ghost and wholy fall away and abandon all Religion and renounce Christ and his Gospel and therefore the holy Ghost saith not onely if they fal but if they fall away that is euen cut themselues cleane off from Christ Againe that they sinne wilfully euen desperately persecuting Christ in his members and crucifie the Lord of glory and make a mocke of him trample vnder foote the sonne of God and accompt the blood of the New Testament as an vnholie thing and dispite the Spirit of God now none of all these did befall Dauid Peter or any elect child of God who though they sin of knowledge against conscience yet doe they mourne and are grieued for it and it is for feare or by the continuall instigation of the diuell and strength of his temptation or in haste and of weakenesse but afterwards they do grieue for it and desire nothing more then to repent and to be reconciled to GOD which they cannot doe that sinne against the holie Ghost Doctr. 2 Wee learne that heauenly wisedome and sauing knowledge which worketh on the heart Heauenlie wisedome is the proper gift of Gods spirit and conuerteth the soule is the proper worke and gift of God alone by his Spirit Thou O Lord hast by thy Spirit taught me wisedome in the secret of my heart enlightning and giuing mee a heart to know thee All the elect shall be taught of â—od Againe the Lord promiseth To make all her children the Scholers of God Iohn 6.45 Esay 54.13 And hee will be their Master and Teacher so that it is manifest that God alone is the Schoolemaister who doth teach by his Spirit true and heauenly wisedome sauing and sound knowledge in the heart God teacheth his wisedome two waies And this teaching of God containes two parts First the enlightning of the mind Secondly the bowing of the heart First the Lord doth by his Spirit which is the eye-salue Reue. 3.9 1. Cor. 2.10 annoynt our eyes and cleare our mindes and maketh vs able to vnderstand his will in his word by nature alas we cannot know his will for The naturall man perceiues not the things that are of God for they bee foolishnesse vnto him and euen as the cleare Sunne is vnto a blinde man so is the word to vs by nature we vnderstand nothing to our good Secondly the Lord teacheth wisedome in the secret of the heart when he bowes the heart to obedience of his will so the Lord opened the hart of Lydias to attend vnto the preaching of Paul Acts 16.14 Vse 1 Seeing it is GOD who teacheth wisedome and sauing knowledge we must labour to become his Scholers and disciples we must be willing to learne of this Master to come to his Schoole where his Word is taught and intreate him that hee will teach vs his will and teach vs wisedome in our hearts Dauid Psalme 119. in many verses hath it Teach mee thy word O Lord and I will keepe it euen vnto the end and as for such as scorne to haue GOD for their Schoolemaster to come to his Schoole to be taught of God all their wisedome if it were as great as the wisedome of Salomon or Achitophel it is but follie with God Vse 2 Seeing God that is our spirituall Schoole-master he teacheth not only the eare or the tongue but he teacheth the heart in the secret of the heart and affection by moouing and bowing them to obedience this sheweth that most men are not taught of God for all the knowledge that they haue of God and his word it is onely in words lipp-knowledge and knowledge in the tongue to talke of God to discourse and commend Religion but it neuer commeth to the heart and intrailes to humble them to enlighten the minde truely to conuert the soule to bow the wil and affection to obedience Well know this that all thy knowledge and wisedome can not doe thee any good vnlesse it be in the heart vnlesse it bring foorth obedience to the will of GOD and therefore prooue thy knowledge whether it hath humbled thy heart moued thy affection to obey the will of God to keepe his Commaundements for it thy heart runne after sinne and thou art not purged nor bettered nor reformed in heart and life alas thy knowledge is but carnall and wil neuer saue thy soule And this serues to cut the combs of many vaine hypocrits and dissemblers who because they can talke and discourse of matters of religion and commend the Preacher they do thinke themselues iolly fellowes and good Christians But I say vnlesse the Spirit of God teach thee wisedome in the secret of thy heart by bowing it to obedience and reformation all thy knowledge it is but a carnall and fleshly knowledge which may befall a reprobate Paul shewes vs how we may vndoubtedly know whether we be taught of God or not If any man loue God he is taught of God 1. Cor. 8.3 so that by our vnfained loue of God which will appeare in keeping his commandements and doing his wil we shall know whether we be truely taught of God And he that hath not the loue of God nor care to keep his Commandements that man let his knowledge bee neuer so
great certainely he was neuer yet truly taught of God VERSE 7. 7. Purge mee with hissope and I shall be cleane wash me and I shall be whiter then snow Dauid renewes his former request v. 2. DAuid hauing made his request vnto GOD for mercy for the pardon of his sins and vsed a reason from the free confession and acknowledgement of them to moue the Lord to pitty him doth heere againe renue his suit and humble request vnto God and hee praieth here vnto God for two great benefites First Iustification in the free pardon of his sinnes and imputation of CHRISTS righteousnesse verse 7. And secondly for Sanctification and Reformation of the whole man verse 10. And first verse 7. he intreates the Lord for the free pardon of his sins that GOD would cleanse and wash him from them in the bloud of Christ the Lambe of GOD and secondly hee prayeth for the blessed fruite of Iustification namely peace of conscience and ioy in the spirite verse 8. for till the conscience haue a Certificate from GOD and a blessed pardon sealed and applied by faith it cannot be at quiet First seeing Dauid had prayed before vnro God for mercy and pardon of his sinnes and heere doth againe renue the same Petition and in other words puts vp his request vnto God for the same Hence we learne that the pardon of our sinnes is a singular fauour and mercy of GOD bestowed vpon vs for CHRISTS sake which appeares in that Dauid so often in a Psalme prayes for it Pardon of sinne the greatest mercy therefore it is a great and inestimable mercie and hardly come by not so easily as most men thinke Dauid sheweth how great a blessing it is in that hee preferred it before a Kingdome and though hee was a King yet he pronounceth him blessed not that is a King as in the 32. Psalme 1 2. verses But whose sinne is pardoned God hath sent his Sonne Iesus Christ to blesse you in turning euery one of you from your euill wayes a blessing of all blessings Vse 1 Seeing remission of sinnes is so great a blessing and hardly come by First we learne that wee esteeme of this aboue all other things in the world if the question were asked what wee desire in the whole world we should answere with feeling the pardon of our sinnes Mat. 16.26 and therefore we should desire and seeke this blessing aboue all other if thou bee as poore as Iob and hast this thou art a rich and a happy man Vse 2 Seeing Dauid vseth so many praiers vnto GOD and vseth such reasons to moue the Lord to pitty him and to pardon his sinnes Hence we see that those are much deceiued who thinke it is the easiest matter in the world to get the pardon of their sinnes and if they can but say Lord haue mercy on mee all is well no no Lord haue mercie on mee will not serue the turne good things are hardly come by without great trauell labour and study how much more is it hard to get the pardon of our sins the saluation of our soules and life eternall And therefore let vs know that to get the pardon of our sins we must take great paines labour and diligence wee must shed many a teare in bewailing them they will cost vs many a sobbe and many a sigh many a prayer and request vnto God vpon our knees and then if wee get it oh it is a wonderfull fauour and mercie of GOD it will make vs happy and blessed for euermore Partes of the verse Dauid makes two requests vnto God and withall shewes a twofold fruit and effect of his requests First hee intreates the Lord to Purge him with hissope and then it will come to passe He shal be cleane Secondly he desireth the Lord to wash him and then it will follow That hee shall be whiter then snow For the first Petition Purge mee with hissope In these wordes he alludeth to the Legall Ceremonies and maner of purging vsed in the time of the Law in the purifying of the Leaper and of any person polluted they were to dippe the bunch of hissope in blood or in water and so sprinckle it on the person to be purified Leu. 14.6 7 Num 19.18 which ceremony was a Type and figure of the blood of IESVS CHRIST who is that alone sacrifice and Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world Now then seeing that by this sprinkling with hyssope in the bloud of beastes is meant the sprinckling with the blood of Iesus Christ when he saith O Lord purge me with hyssope c. it is all one as if he should haue said O Lord I am exceedingly polluted and stained with sinne and vncleanenesse and no Leaper was euer more vile and loathsome then I am now in thy sight neyther is there any water to wash and purge me but I beseech thee of thy mercy to wash me and to besprinkle my soule with the blood of IESVS CHRIST that can alone take away my sins and so I shall be made cleane and pure againe Doctr. 1 Hence marke the miserable and cursed fruit of sinne Sinne is a leprousie no leprosie did euer so defile the body of a man in the time of the Iews as sinne doth staine and defile both soule and body no dunghill nor stincking carrion is so loathsome in the eies of man as an vncleane sinner is in the sight of God till hee be washed and purged in the bloud of Christ This is the reason which the Lord vsed Ioshua 7.12 why Israel fell before their enemies and he went not foorth with their Armies when they fell before the men of Ai Therfore the children of Israel can not stand before their enemies but haue turned their backes before their enemies because they are execrable we see then the nature of sinne how it maketh a man abhominable and detestable in the sight of God Vse 1 Seeing this is the cursed nature and fruit of sinne that it defileth and staineth both bodie and soule and maketh them more loathsome and vile then any toad or serpent how should wee abhorre sinne and euery wicked way wee will bee loath to touch poyson or rattes-bane or any thing else wherein is danger oh sin is such rattes-bane as infecteth and poysoneth both soule and body and therefore let vs shun sinne and touch it not Vse 2 When as wee bee defiled with sin and so made filthy and vncleane in the sight of God and more vile then any Leaper or dunghill carrion toade or serpent Oh let vs pray with Dauid to be washed and purged from our filthinesse let vs repent of all our sinnes bewaile our vncleannesse let vs by faith as a bunch of hyssope besprinckle our soules with the blood of Iesus Christ Doctr. 2 The ceremonies vnder the Law were but to lead vs vnto Christ Seeing Dauid desireth to be purged with hyssope We learne hence that the Lord
on CHRIST God will make them of the cursed fire-brands of Hell heires of the kingdome of Heauen of the limbe of the Diuell the members of Iesus Christ of adulterers and filthy sinners such as Dauid was chaste and pure and the holy seruants of God And this the Lord promises men that if they will repent turne to God and forsake their sinnefull wayes Esay 1.18.19 Then though your sinnes were as redde as searlet I will make them as white as snow Though they were as crimson yet I will make them cleane as wooll That is though men bee guiltie of bloudie finnes notorious euills as Dauid of murder vncleannes whooredome adultery couetousnesse swearing contempt of the word of God c. Yet if thou hast the grace to repent certainely the Lord will most thorowly purge and wash away all thy sinnes hee will seale thee a generall pardon of them all if thou wilt onely repent and lay holde vpon Christ Oh! then let me speake vnto you in the name of God hast thou been a vile blasphemer hast thou beene a contemner of the Word a persecuter of Gods children hast thou been a cruell murderer oppressor vsurer hast thou beene an adulterer a filthie liuer Well if thou wilt now repent turne to God bewaile thy sins beg pardon of theÌ„ if thou wilt renounce leaue and forsake them become a new creature in Christ Iesus and amend thy siâ—full life loe God doth this day offer mercy vnto thee he wil embrace thee as he did the Prodigall child he will wash thee in the bloud of his owne Sonne Luke 15. hee will couer thee in his righteousnes hee will pardon all thy sinnes and neuer lay them to thy charge he will make of thee that art a vile and miserable sinner a very fire-brand of hel a blessed member of Iesus Christ And therefore let not the number or greatnesse of thy sinnes hinder thee for if thou canst repent God wiâ—â— pardon them all and receiue thee to mercy Oh then if thou wilt not for all this repent and turne to God leaue and forsake thy sins and impieties become a new creature in Christ Iesus but lie in thy sinnes and wallow in the filth of them still and harden thy heart against all the sweete and gracious offers of mercy How art thou worthy to perish 2. Cor. 5.18 if thou shalt despise so great saluation VERSE 8. 8 Make mee to heare of ioy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce Dauid heare entreats for peace of conscience DAVID hauing in the former verse craued mercy at the hands of God for the pardon of his sinnes which were both many and great he doth in this verse beg at the hands of God the blessed fruit of the same namely the blessed and comfortable perswasion of Gods mercy and assurance of his loue for the pardon of his sins that God would euen testifie vnto his poore soule and wounded conscience by his spirit inwardly Sinne had takeÌ„ away his inward ioy that he was appeased and pacified with him and in Iesus Christ reconciled vnto him that so being thus assured of Gods loue of reconciliation with God and the pardon of his sins his wounded conscience might be comforted his wounded soule and heauy heart might be refreshed and his exceeding griefe might be mittigated and asswaged Parts of his verse In this verse note two speciall points First what is the thing Dauid so instantly craueth of God namely that he would cause him to heare comfortable and blessed newes oâ— Gods mercy and assurance of thâ— pardon of his sinnes Make mee tâ— heare of c. Secondly the end wherefore hee so begs requests for this namely that his broken heart and bleeding conscience might be comforted and his vnspeakeable griefe by the feeling of Gods loue might bee ended That the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce Make mee to heare AS if he should haue faid O Lord I beseech thee to witnesse thy loue and fauour vnto mee yea I beseech thee send thy blessed and holy spirit to certifie my conscience of the blessed pardon of all my sinnes that thou wilt not enter into iudgement with me for them And that which Dauid doth heare confesse of himselfe all the children of God shall one day be sure to find by experience that sinne doth spoile them of their inward peace and ioy Oh then if we could remember how sweet the ioy and peace is which by sin we loose for the vaine and transitory pleasures of sinne which are but for a season wee would neuer make so bad exchange The maine point is what is it that Dauid so earnestly craues of GOD namely that GOD would assure him of the blessed pardon of his sins but some may say this seemes needlesse did not the Lord send Nathan to him who after Dauid had confessed his sinne told him The Lord hath pardoned thy sinne thou shalt not die 2. Sam. 12.13 How then comes it to passe that here hee prayes the Lord to cause him to heare and feele this the pardon of his sinnes I answere First it is true that Nathan the Prophet of God did assure him of the pardon of his sins vpon his true repentance but yet Dauids heart being wounded with sinne could not so fully feele and finde the assurance of Gods loue and pardon of his sinnes and therefore intreats the Lord to certifie his conscience inwardly by his spirit fully to assure him of the same Secondly I answer that though Dauid heard Nathan tell him that the Lord would pardon his sinne yet hee iudged the outward testimonie of all men and Angells as nothing vnlesse the inward certificate and testimonie of the holy-Ghost go with it inwardly to certifie assure and perswade â—he poore wounded conscience of Gods loue and fauour Doctrine 1 Hence wee learne sundry points of instruction First that as Dauid praies to be assured of GODS loue and the pardon of his sinnes so euery true childe of God that beleeues and repents of all his sinnes may know and bee assured in his conscience of Gods loue and fauour Euerie childe of God may be assureâ— of the pardon of hiâ— sinnes and the pardon of them all And in the Article of our faith we doe professe we beleeue the remission of our sinnes and life euerlasting and seeing wee pray for this that GOD would forgiue our sinnes and trespasses therefore we beleeue it else we sinne in praying for it so that euerie one that truely repenteth and embraceth Iesus Christ is a new creature hates vile wayes indeuours in heart and life to please GOD 2. Pet. 1. hee may know and be assured that he is reconciled to God and his sinnes be pardoned Vse 1 This condemnes that hellish Doctrine of the Papists who teach and hold that no man can bee assured of the pardon of his sinnes vnlesse God send a reuelation from heauen to do it and that it is
sport and passe-time no sorrow nor heauinesse but spend their dayes in pleasure Iob 21.13 Psal 73. But sodainely they goe downe to hell Now who wil call this a true ioy nay it is a swinish and brutish ioy carnall and fleshly for if they knew all and saw their misery that they be in danger of Gods eternall vengeance of hell and damnation oh then they would mourne and turne all their mirth into teares If a traytor be apprehended arraigned conuicted and condemned to bee hanged drawne and quartered and looks for nothing but present death and execution and yet should giue himselfe to eating and drinking to carding and dicing to ryot reuelling Would not all men say he was a madde man and out of his wits surely this is the case of all wicked and vnregenerate men they bee arraigned and already condemned they want nothing but execution and they bee euery moment in danger of hel-fire alas what cause haue they to bee merry yea how haue they cause to howle and cry and mourne for griefe and therefore their mirth is but madnesse Iam. 4.9 Vse 2 Seeing wee can haue no peace of conscience nor any sound comfort till wee haue the feeling of Gods loue and assurance of the pardon of our sinnes let vs neuer giue any rest to our soules till we haue repented and got some blessed perswasion of Gods loue in Christ and some warrant from the Spirit that our sinnes are done away Rom. 14.17 For the kingdome of God stands not in any outward thing but in righteousnesse peace and ioy in the Holy Ghost Alas if any of vs were condemned to death lay in prison looking for nothing but present execution What could do vs good There were then no ioy in wife nor children lands nor liuings meate nor musicke no no vnlesse were haue the Kings pardon we cannot bee merry but would contemne all these things Euen so when a poore sinner is arraigned and condemned in his owne conscience for sinne hath no feeling of Gods loue and mercy for pardon of it how is it possible that hee should haue one dramme of ioy till the Lord in mercy seale vnto his poore soule a generall pardon by his spirit dipped in the bloud of Christ Iesus Well then let vs neuer be at peace nor giue any rest vnto our soules till we haue got some comfortable perswasion of Gods mercy for the pardon of our sinnes That the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce THese words containe in them the second part of this verse 2 Part of the verse and it is as much as if the Prophet should haue said O Lord I intreate thee for Christ Iesus sake to for giue me my sinnes and giue mee the blessed assurance of the same in my soule and conscience that so feeling and finding that thou art reconciled and hast pardoned my sinnes my soule so wounded and ouerwhelmed with griefe and sorrow as my very bones and most strong parts are wasted and consumed and my strength decaied may be restored cheered vp and gladded By this speech he would shew his â—xtreame griefe and sorrow for his sinnes Pro. 8.14 Psa 32.3.4 which was so extreame that it wasted consumed his strength dryed vp his bones spent his marrow Doctr. 1 Hence we see that there is no sorrow in the heart of Gods children like that sorrow which is for sin No sorrow in the godly like the sorrow for sinne and offends our most gracious God and mercifull Father Great is the griefe of an husband that looseth a kinde and vertuous wife and who can expresse the sorrow of a father or mother for the death of their deere and onely childe But yet all the sorrow in the world is not like that sorrow and griefe of heart for sinne this will wound the conscience cause weeping and wailing and great heauinesse it will euen weaken the body and strength of nature and if it bee of any continuance it will waste the bones and consume the flesh When I held my tongue my bones consumed Lam. 1.2.5.2.11 Psal 32. Psal And the reason is this because a poore sinner being wounded in conscience for sinne and not feeling the loue and mercy of God for pardon he sees nothing but hell nothing but damnation and the wrath of God which is a fearefull thing for this causeth torments and feares and terrours and makes iudgements what is more terrible and fearfull then to feele the heauy weight and burthen of Gods anger which is insupportable For as Salomon saith Pro. 18.14 A man may beare his sicknesse and infirmitis but a wounded Conscience who can beare Againe Heb. 10.31 It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing GOD. Vse 1 Seeing this is the wofull fruite of sinne that is thus wounds the conscience and wasteth the flesh and the bones we see how God hateth sinne euen in his deerest children so as if they will needes sinne and rebell against God they must feele the wofull smart of it And therefore let vs aboue all things shun it auoid it nor dare to commit it Oh! it will cost thee deere it will make thy heart to ake it will breed thee much woe and misery in soule and body Vse 2 We see the miserable blockishnesse of all carnall men and women who are not ashamed to say that they had rather deale with God then with men for sinne but alas they neuer knew nor felt the weight of sinne but if God should once open their eyes and let them see their sinnes and feele the weight of his anger for them Oh! then they will confesse it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of God If he be angry saith Dauid blessed is the man that trusteth in him Psalm 2. Vse 3 Let vs learne that it is not some light sorrow or small sigh or Lord haue mercy on mee will serue for our sinnes against God No no let vs labour to bee humbled more deeply for our sinnes seeing by them wee offend a most mercifull God yea if it were possible to shed euen teares of bloud for our sinnes for all were little enough to expresse that griefe for sinne wee ought to haue Which thou hast broken THat is which thou O Lord my God in iustice hast inflicted vpon me for these my great and heynous sinnes Doctrine There is no respect of persons with God Hence behold that God is most righteous and iust in punishing and correcting the sinnes of men he cannot winke at sinnes of men he cannot winke at sinne in any man no not in them that bee deere and neere vnto him in his most holy seruant Dauid 2. Sam. 24. Esay 39. Math. 23. a man after his owne heart a holy Prophet of the Lord yet if he rebell and play the wanton he is sure to be whipt for it as heere in this place so when hee numbred the people so Hezehiah Ierusalem the holy Citty
of them though thou maiest remember them and thy conscience accuse thee for them as Iob and Dauid Psalme 25 who were troubled for the sinnes of their youth yet I say though thou shouldest remember them God will neuer remember them any more to Iudgement or condemnation to plague or to punish thee for them hee casts them cleane out of his minde and turnes his face from them and therfore if hee once pardon sinne hee pardons it for euer For the decree and councell of God is vnchangeable Ro. 11.29 hee alters not and therefore if once hee giue pardon for sinne he neuer reuokes it but loues to the end The gifts of God are without repentance Seeing the Lord in pardoning of sinne doth turne his face from them Vse 2 forgets them and forgiues them and will neuer speake of them nor call them to minde any more we learne hence in pardoning of wrongs and iniuries done to vs to imitate the example of God our heauenly Father to pardon them so as wee neuer call them to minde againe that wee forgiue and forget all wrongs and iniuries trample them vnder our feete But it is a common speech of many vngodly men and women if men doe them any harme they will forgiue them but they will neuer forget them and accordingly so they deale though for a time they can shew a smooth countenance and giue faire wordes yet if euer they get them in their danger they will fetch them ouer they will shew their spleene and malice and powre our all their poison But let all such take heed for how can they say Forgiue vs our trespasses as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs and yet doe not forgiue and forget wrongs if the Lord should deale thus with vs hee should confound vs for God is prouoked of vs euery moment and we are indebted vnto him tenne thousand talents yet he is intreated of vs and he is reconciled vnto vs ought not we therefore to forgiue one another after his examle this is the reason vsed by the Apostle Paul Coloss 3.12 13. Now therefore as the Elect of God holy and beloued put on the bowels of mercy kindenesse humblenesse of mande meckenesse long suffering forbearing one an other and for giuing one another if any man haue a quarrell to another euen as Christ forgaue euen so doe yee It were wofull with vs if God were not ready to forgiue for we finde our selues ready to offend and our sinne vnpardoned is sufficient to make vs condemned The second branch of the Petition is in the end of the verse in these words And blot out all mine iniquities 2 Part of the verse THat is blot them out of thy Booke of Accompts and that Bill and Debt-booke wherein they seeme to bee written for so much the speech imports the Prophet alluding to men that keepe Bookes of Accompt wherein they write all their debts euen so the Lord hath as it were his Booke of Accompt wherein are registred all the sinnes of men women when and where and howsoeuer committed Then hence we learne that all our sinnes are knowne to God Doctr. 1 All our sinnes knowne to God he hath them all as it were written downe in a Booke of Accompt and vnlesse they be blotted out in this life they shall all one day be called ouer euen at the day of Iudgement Reuel 20. The bookes shall be opened and euery mans conscience shall bee as a Bill of Indictment to accuse and condemne him This is that which is tolde by the Prophet Ieremy chapt 17. The sinne of Iuda is written with a penne of yron and the point of a Diamond And Iob hath it Thou hast sealed vp our sinnes in a bagge By all which places it appeareth that all our sins are knowne to God as perfectly as if they were noted in a Booke and vnlesse wee repent they shall all one day bee called ouer and laide to our charge when our Bookes shall be opened Seeing all our sinnes are well knowne to GOD Vse 1 and the Lord hath them all as it were written downe in a Booke and this Booke shall one day be opened and if our sins be not blotted our before Death come and this debt be not cancelled then they shall be brought to light and wee shall be cast into prison till we haue paid the vttermost farthing Then we see it stands vs all in hand while we liue to labour to haue this Booke cancelled that our sins may be put out and all our debts crossed for if they be found vncancelled at death and the day of Iudgement if they be found then vpon Records surely then it is too late to looke for mercie and therefore it is a matter of endlesse moment which wee are all most carefully to thinke vpon that this Booke may be crosse and our sinnes cancelled that so wee be not in the great day of the Generall Iudgement called to an account for them But how might wee doe that we might haue our sinnes blotted out wee are not able to pay the debt Wee owe the Lord â—enne thousand tallents and cannot pay one penny what shall wee doe to haue the debt paied To this I answere The Lord is like a mercifull Creditour if his Debtour be not able to pay let him confesse the debt and hee will as ke him no more but will willingly pardon all So the Lord GOD seeing wee are by no meanes able of our selues to pay the debt yet if wee confesse it and desire pardon he will forgiue it And yet because he is iust as hee is mercifull therefore his Iustice should be satisfied and that is done by the meanes of Iesus CHRIST hee is become our surety he is content to take our debt on him to become pay-master and so when nothing else could doe it hee was content to suffer death euen the cursed death of the Crosse and to blot out our sinnes by his owne heart bloud So then wee see the meanes how our sinnes are blotted out namely when wee doe repent of them bewaile them be humbled for them leaue and forsake them lay hold on Iesus Christ and apply vnto vs his death and passion then by the bloud of Christ all our sinnes are done away VERSE 10 10. Create in me a cleane heart O GOD and renew a right spirit within me Dauids new Petition DAVID hauing hitherto creaued at the hands of God pardon of his sinnes doth here put vp a new petition to God namely for regeneration or the new birth that God would cast him in a new mould and make him a new man And that God would in mercie goe forward with that blessed worke of Sanctification begunne by his spirit and now interrupted by his sinnes Our reconciliation with GOD stands in two partes Namely pardon of sinne and regeneration And Dauid hauing in the former Verse prayed for grace and mercie that God would haue mercie vpon him pardon all his sinnes
and wash them all away in the blood of his Sonne Now hee doth begge for regeneration and encrease of the blessed worke of sanctification which is begunne and continued by the holie Spirit of God for though the Lord shall pardon sinnes past yet if hee giue not power against sinne in time to come we shal marre all quickely and commit either the same againe or else some greater sinne there fore hee craues power against sin in time to come that he may not fall into the like againe Parts of this verse two In this tenth verse there be two things to bee confidered first hee craueth a sanctified heart because till the heart be pure no good motion can proceede from thence no more then sweete Water from a bitter Fountaine secondly he praies for the renewing of the worke of grace or new birth and sanctification which he had by his sinnes hindered yea greatly interrupted that so his soule and filthy heart being renued and sanctified thence might proceed good affections and holy actions with continuall and constant obedience Doctr. 1 Whereas the Prophet ioynes this petition of Sanctification vnto the former of Iustification we learne Iustification and Sanctification go together that these two graces of Gods spirit Iustification pardon of sinne and sanctification a godly life and conuersation are so knit and vnited together that they can not be seperated so as no man is truly iustified by faith in the bloud of Christ but he is also sanctified by the Holy-Ghost no man can haue the pardon of his sins but he must becom a new creature in Iesus Christ And this appereth plainely by the Apostle S. Paul Rom. 5. treating of Iustification and Chap. 6. vers 4 5. intreating of Sanctification he shewes that these two go euer together so as he that is not sanctified is not iustified and he that is not regenerate and borne anew by faith in Iesus Christ and the worke of the Spirit cannot haue the pardon of his sinnes Seeing Iustification Vse 1 and pardon of sins and Sanctification and new-nesse of life cannot be seuered in the children of God no more then fire and heate then men had neede to take heede lest they deceiue themselues while they say God is mercifull and they hope all their sinnes are pardoned in the bloud of Christ But vnlesse thou be truly sanctified vnlesse thou be a new creature in Christ Iesus thou canst haue no assurance of thy Iustification and pardon of thy sins therfore if thou liue in sin delight in sin no change no new birth no reformation of thy hart life certainly thou hast no pardon of thy sinnes as yet and thy hope is but a foolish and vaine fancy of thine own braine Hence to trie the assurance of our saluation Vse 2 by the fruit of our Sanctification for heereby wee may assure our selues that we are iustified if wee leade a sanctified life If wee haue our conuersation in holinesse wee shall haue in the end euerlasting life 2. Timoth. chap. 2.19 the Apostle sheweth there that the foundation of the Lord standes sure so that the Lord knoweth who are his He sheweth also how wee shall know that wee are the Lords euen this Euery one for his own assurance must depart from iniquity and this is confirmed by that of S. Iohn Ioh. 1.6 7. If wee say wee haue fellowship with him and walke in darkenesse we lie and do not the truth O then as we glorie in the name of Christians and would be accounted Christs let vs be carefull to bring forth the fruits of Christians and to leade a sanctified life for God hath ioined these two together so that not all the wit and pollicie of men whatsoeuer is able to seperate them Create in mee a new heart TO create is to make a thing of nothing as God created the world Doctr. 2 Gen. 1.1 that is he made all things of nothing Hence then learne that it is as great a worke to create a new heart Repentance is a new creation and so to saue a sinner as to create the whole world of nothing yea in some respects it seemes harder for in the creation of the world the Lord but spake the word and all was made there was no hinderance no resistance or opposition but in the creation of the heart a new there are many lets and hinderances First within a man euery man is an enemy to his owne saluation and the flesh resists this worke againe the deuill doth labour to hinder by all meanes possible so blessed a worke Yea and besides that it is a great work to create in a man a new heart It is also a worke of great difficulty not accomplished without great labour and paine and therefore is it called a Birth a Death a Circumcision so then euen as no birth no death no cutting off of the flesh can bee without paine and sorrow So the conuersion of a sinner is not wrought without paine and sorrow The Infant is not deliuered out of it mothers womb without paine and dost thou thinke ô man to part with sinne which is in thee was conceiued with thee and which since thy birth day vnto this present thou hast nourished with such delight and not to tast of paine in thy new birth no â—ssuredly it will not bee but it will cost thee much sorrow many a sigh yea and teares themselues before thou hast the same effectually wrought in thee Seeing it is so hard a thing to haue a new and sanctified heart V se 1 euen as to create the whole world then we had need to take the greater paines about it to vse all meanes that God hath appointed namely Ioh. 17.17 Acts 15 9. the word preached the Sacraments prayer meditation in the law of God and to cry vnto GOD for the same continually Wee see that there is nothing in man of himselfe that is pleasing vnto God Vse 2 for Dauid praies to haue a new heart created in him and therefore there is no will no motion in any man of himselfe to please God all must be new yea till the heart be created a new and sanctified it is a sinke of sin and all vncleannesse full of poisoned lusts and concupisence and therefore no freedome of will to any thing that is good til God create this new heart Seeing Dauid prayes to God to create a cleane heart within him Vse 3 it must admonish vs all to looke vnto our hearts that they be cleane for it is the fountaine of all life and motion Now such as the fountaine is such will the water bee such as the roote is such will the fruite bee and if thy heart be euill it will send forth filthy lusts and desires And as our Sauiour saith Mat. 15.19 Out of the heart commeth euill thoughts murthers adulteries thefts false testimonies slanderâ— these are the things which defile the man Oh! then let vs look vnto our hearts and labour
for sanctified hearts intreate the Lord to create them in vs and to take away our stony and corrupt hearts Luke 8. and giue vs good and honest hearts sanctified by his Spirit for looke how our hearts bee so will our thoughts words and workes be a good heart will haue good words and good deeds but a stinking and corrupt heart will send forth vile and filthy words and workes Quest Doth Dauid desire no more but a cleane heart hath he no care of his words and his actions of his outward life and conuersation Ans Yes verily Dauid though he names but the heart yet vnderstands the whole man both outward and inward but because that is the fountaine of all therefore hee names that and if the heart be pure it will make the whole man good for the heart of man is like the great wheele of a clocke it is the first mouer either to good or ill Hence marke Doctr. 3 that in true sanctification True Sanctification is neuer in part where the worke is truely wrought it is not onely outward in word and deed but it is inward and of the whole man both body and soule heart will iudgement affection conscience words and workes The God of peace sanctifie you throughout 1. Thess 5.23 So that the minde which by nature is full of blindnesse and ignorance is inlightened with the true knowledge of God reuealed in his Word the will flyeth euil and imbraceth that is good the affections are purged from rebellion yea euery part and faculty both of body and soule is sanctified So that as wee haue giuen vp our members seruants of vnrighteousnesse to worke sinne Rom. 6.19 Now they become seruants of righteousnesse to holinesse Yea the body is now a fit Temple of the Holy-ghost fit to performe all duties to GODS glory and the edifying of our brethren And therefore this must be remembred that he he which is truely sanctified is wholy sanctified throughout in soule and body Vse 1 This shewes thousands in the world to bee in a miserable case for alas they seeme to be religious and yet are not truely sanctified for they liue in some sinne or other with Herod Mark 6.2 they nourish in their bosomes many sinfull and rebellious lusts and desires Note this well Well if thy tongue bee not sanctified to cease from ill words and to speake well if thy hands or eyes or eares Iames 1. c. if thou be not sanctified throughout in euery part there is no true worke of grace no sound sanctification for where it is truely wrought there will bee a change in all parts and powers of soule and body Vse 2 Let vs labour to bee assured of this blessed worke of Sanctification in that wee finde our selues purgd throughout our mindes will affection reason conscience tongues hands feete that we deny any seruice to sin and Sathan and doe willingly consecrate all to God for if we keep one part and neglect another it will not boote vs no more then to set a strong defence at one place of a Castle and to neglect the rest or to shut one gate and let the rest stand open Notes to know whether this change is wrought in vs or no. Now that wee may the better descerne our estate whether the sound worke of grace be wrought in vs or no and whether God hath sanctified our hearts truly or not we shal know it by these three fruits of sanctification which are euer found in all them that be truely sanctified First a detestation and earnest loathing of our former sins in which we haue delighted and taken pleasure in with an hearty loue of righteousnesse and holinesse and newnesse of life so as wee are loath to offend God in any thing and are most carefull to please him in all things when as wee carry a purpose not to sin but can say I delight in the Law of â—â—d in the inward man Rom. 7.22 though we fall by the infirmity of our owne flesh Secondly when wee finde in our selues that from this loue of that is good and hatred of euill we find an earnest desire in our hearts to imbrace the one and to flye to other so that from this desire there arises a setled purpose in heart and a carefull endeuour in life to mortifie our corrupt nature to subdue the flesh and in time to come to frame our liues in all things according to the rule of Gods holy word and that we not onely desire this but vse all blessed meanes Word Sacrament Prayer meditation to performe it Thirdly another fruite is this namely when as wee finde in vs this desire to do well and purpose and hearty indeuour to kill sinne and to liue to God is hindred by our spirituall enemies the deuill world and the flesh that then wee finde a griefe of heart a spirituall combat between the flesh and the spirit whereby wee striue struggle to preuaile against our spirituall enemies and to ouercome them then there is wonderfull peace of conscience and ioy in the Holy Ghost Vse 2 Well then let all men try themselues whether God hath by his Spirit truly wrought the worke of Sanctification or not First dost thou hate thy former sins and loath them as bane and poyson yea as the deuill himselfe and doth thy heart loue good duties holy and righteous which before thou foundest bitter Secondly dost thou desire and indeuour to kill thy corruptions to subdue and mortifie thy lusts and desires and dost in deuour to frame thy life according to the rule of Gods word and makest that thy sole guide Thirdly dost thou grieue at thy faults and infirmites shunnest the occasions of sin and dost wrestle against all the temptations of Sathan and dost thou reioyce in nothing more then to preuaile and get the victory These bee good signes and fruits of Sanctification but bee they wanting thou canst not be assured thou art truely sanctified or hast any true worke of grace as yet wrought in thy heart O GOD. HEnce we learne who is the Authour of this worke of Sanctification Doctr. 4 God the Author of Sanctification namely it is the proper worke of the third person in Trinity the holy Ghost he doth sanctifie the Elect 1. Thes 5.23 The very God of peace sanctifie you throughout The faithfull are begotten Iohn 1.13 Not of flesh and bloud nor of the will of man but of God This worke of Sanctification cannot flow from our parents For who can bring a cleane thing out of filthines S. Ioh. 13. The new birth is not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of man but of Christ who 1. Cor. 1.30 It made vnto vs sanctification Col. 1.19 In him are hid all the treasures of it Of whose fulnesse wee receiue grace for grace 1. Ioh. 16. Againe it is said Eze. 36.26 A new heart will I giue them and a new spirit will I put
or a Citty when the walles be battered 3 Wee must with Dauid pray often and earnest vnto God to renew a right spirit in vs. VERSE 11. 11. Cast me not from thy presence O Lord and take not thy holy Spirit from me IN the former Verse Dauid hath put vp sundry requests and petitions vnto God for grace and mercie for the pardon of his sinnes The meaning of the words Now this eleuenth Verse containeth in it an earnest Deprecation wherein the Prophet intreateth the Lord to turne from him two fearefull iudgements and grieuous punishments which hee had deserued for his sins for first what greater misery can befall the child of God then to be cast out of Gods presence loue and fauour Secondly what greater plague to a distressed soule then to be depriued of Gods blessed spirit whereby alone we we are guided comforted and without whom we can haue no comfort nor euer doe any good thing but shall be carryed of our owne lusts head-long into all sinne and wickednesse Dauid alludeth to the iudgement of God vpon Saul Now against both these Dauid prayeth vnto the Lord in this verse and herein he alludeth to the iudgement of God vpon Saul who was his next predecessour and King ouer Israel whom the Lord cast off and did vtterly reiect from being King ouer his people 1. Sam. 15.26 because hee did reiect the Lord and cast off the commandement of GOD and would not obey his voyce and therefore the Lord tooke his Spirit from Saul and gaue him an euill spirit to vexe and torment him and both these Dauid heere prayeth against that God would shew him mercy and not deale with him as hee did with Saul though hee had sinned grieuiously yet that he would rather humble him by some other meanes and not in his iust iudgement to cast him off and reiect him nor take his holy Spirit from him Cast mee not away AS if hee should haue said ô Lord howsoeuer I haue sinned grieuously yet I pray thee deale not with mee as thou didst deale with Saul that wicked man to cast me off and reiect mee from being King and Ruler of thy people Nor take thy holy Spirit from mee whereby I am enabled to do thy will By the presence or face of God is meant the loue and fauour of God and therefore Dauid intreateth the Lord that he would not thrust him cleane out of fauour and depriue him of his loue Doctr. 1 Hence we learne that it is a wonderfull and fearefull Iudgement for a man or woman to bee cast out of Gods fauour from his presence The pleasures of sinne are deere bought so as hee shall shewe no fauour to vs but his disfauour and heauy countenance it is a very heauy and dolefull case It is said of Cain that God cast him out of his presence and that was the height of Caines misery Gen. 4. so the Lord cast off Saul from being King ouer Israel As the fauour of God is life so his disfauour is present death and as in the presence of God is fulnesse of ioy and pleasure for euermore so in the want of his presence is there nothing but woe and misery yea it is a steppe to eternall death Neither is there any misery which the childe of God doth feare more then this to bee forsaken of the Lord and to bee cast out of his fauour Vse 1 Seeing it is so great and fearefull a Iudgement to bee cast out of Gods fauour and gracious presence Their madnesse discouered that make light of Gods fauour Oh what mad men bee they that make so light of Gods loue and fauour that will for the gaining of a peny or the inioying of an houres pleasure loose the loue and the fauour of God Mat. 16.26 for euer depriue themselues of his glorious presence and plunge themselues into euerlasting woe and vengeance with the deuill and his Angels Vse 2 Seeing the inioying of Gods presence is so sweete and comfortable and to bee depriued of it is so grieuous and terrible how should wee vse all meanes to get into his fauor if wee want it to keepe it if wee haue it In thy presence is fulnesse of ioy and in thy light wee shall see light And because sinne thrusts men out of Gods fauour and separates betweene God and men aboue all things take heed of sin auoid it and shun it as the bane and poyson of our soules For the better opening and vnderstanding of this verse wee must discusse two great â—nd weighty questions which being well considered will make much for the clearing of this text Two obiections The former is this when Dauid intreates the Lord not to cast him out of his presence that is his loue and fauour whether a man elected and in the fauour of GOD as Dauid iustified and sanctified may loose the loue of GOD and fall away to become a reprobate and cast-away and so finally to perish The other question is seeing Dauid praies the Lord not to take his holy Spirit from him whether the sanctified gifts and graces of Gods holy Spirit may finally and totally bee lost and taken away These questions both be defended and affirmed by the Papists and their followers who hold that a man truely elected called iustified and sanctified and in the fauour of GOD may fall away and perish Wee hold the contrary that a man once in the fauour of God elect called iustified and sanctified cannot finally perish not cleane bee bereft of the sauing graces of the holy Spirit Now because these two questions be points of great moment and on which all our happinesse and comfort doth hang and depend therefore I will stand a little to proue them by testimonies of Scripture with reasons and arguments drawne from the written word of GOD and remoue some obiections of the Papists against the certainety of our perseuerance in faith to the end First that place of Ieremy where the Lord comforts his Elect and chosen people is most pregnant for this purpose Ier. 31.3 Yea saith the Lord with an euerlasting loue haue I loued thee and therefore in mercy haue I drawne thee So that it is manifest hence whom God loues once in Christ hee loues for euer and there is not time when he can be said not to loue them For as much as hee loued his owne Ioh. 13.1 that were in the world vnto the end hee loued them Where our Sauiour CHRIST to comfort his Disciples tels them that God the father loues them that bee members of IESVS CHRIST euen vnto the end and his loue shall neuer faile them The gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11. Now then vnlesse a man will say that GOD doth repent of his calling and electing men to eternall life it must needs follow that they cannot perish whom God cals and meanes to saue and our Sauiour CHRIST saith plainely that it is impossible
hee will cast them out of his presence make their names to rotte and stinke in the sight of men those that honour me I will honour 1. Sam. 2.3 But those that dishonour me I will dishonour them and therefore if you would not be dishonoured in the world prouoke the Lord to cast you out of his presence and fauour O then beware how you sin and rebell against God! for if thou be as deare to God as Ely which was Gods high Priest yet hee will bring shame vpon thy head Vse 2 This shews the madnesse of those man and women Folly of worldlings described who desiring to inioy their honours riches and dignities profits and preferrements they take a most preposterous and verie wrong course for how do men seek for preferment honor and promotion lands and liuings namely by oppression bribery vsury extortion the like now alas wee see that is a vaine course the next way to strip a man naked of all these things and to bring him to shame and reproch misery and pouerty for sin brings all these things vpon them But if you would come to honor and dignity riches preferment then seek to keep the fauor of God serue him worship him honour him and he will honor them that do so and if thou seekest these things by wicked and vnlawfull meanes certainely the Lord will cast dung in thy face Secondly when Dauid praies that God would not take his holy Spirit from him he meanes not the essence of the three Persons but his gifts and graces the vertues of GODS Spirit sanctifying his heart and renuing of him so then wee vnderstand these words we must consider this obiection Quest Whether that the giftes graces of the holy Spirit wrought in the heart of Gods children can be totally and finally lost as Dauids words seeme to imply Graces of God double For the cleare answer of this question wee must know that the gifts of GODS Spirit bee first temporarie for this life or else spirituall for the life to come now of the former there is no question but the temporary gifts of the Spirit may bee lost vtterly Againe the spirituall giftes and vertues of the spirit be of two sorts some common to the elect and reprobate some proper and peculiar to Gods Elect and chosen children now concerning the common giftes of Gods Spirit which be common to the wicked aswell as the godly to heare the word to preach the word and to do such like things they may be lost Thirdly the gifts of GODS spirit are such as eyther are essentiall to faith and without which faith cannot be or else the effects and fruits of faith which are not of the essence of faith such gifts of the Spirit as be not of the essence of faith nor absolute necessary to eternall life the Lord doth somtimes take away for a time as namely the purity of a good conscience that that inward peace which doth company it the sense feeling of Gods loue in Christ and his especiall fauour cheerefulnes of spirit in prayer hearing and such holy dueties ioy in the holy-Ghost patience the gift of prayer and such like because the loue of GOD and the saluation of the faithfull may stand without these for a time But to speake of the sauing graces of Gods sanctified spirit as faith in Gods promises hope of eternall life affiance in Gods mercie in Iesus Christ loue of G OD his word and children these graces can neuer be lost wholely true it is they may bee weakned and lessened and somtime◠seeme to bee lost for the time but yet certaine it is they can not bee wholy and finally lost they may be as the Sun vnder a cloud and as fire raked vp in the ashes or as the trees in winter but they can not be extinguished lost and taken cleane away but as the Sunne shines cleare the cloudes being scattered and the fire giues light and heate being stirred so faith hope affiance ioy comfort peace of conscience and feeling of GODS loue are renued and shew themselues cleare againe Vse 1 Seeing that the sauing graces of Gods holy and sanctified Spirit cannot totally and finally be lost Comfort to the godly that grace can not be lost this is matter of endlesse comfort to euerie true child of God in the time of tēptation and grieuous triall for if euer thou foundest and feltest in thy hart true faith in IESVS CHRIST sound repentance hope of eternall life loue of God howsoeuer these may bee much weakened and for a time in thy sence and feeling seeme be lost yet they can neuer be taken away yea if thou dost carefully attend the meanes as namely the sincere preaching of the word administration of the Sacraments continuall humble and earnest prayer the Lord will reuiue them and renue them againe Vse 2 This must serue to direct vs how to iudge of them who fall somtimes into pangs of dispaire vttering words of desperation that they are damned persons and reprobates and cry out of themselues truely if euer we saw in them the sound worke of grace and true repentance delight in the word care to leade a godly life loue to Gods children c. Wee are in charitie to hope the best of them to thinke that they belong to God and that they speake they know not what of themselues for they speake according to their present sence and feeling whenas indeede in time of temptation trouble of minde they be like a man that is sicke of an ague he can rellish no meate euery thing seemes bitter vnto him because his mouth is out of temper but when he comes to health hee iudgeth otherwise euen so these poore distressed soules in their trouble and affliction they speake they know not what not as their estate is in truth but as they thinke it to be according to their present sence and feeling Vse 3 Hence we see what to answer to that obiection that many men who haue made a faire profession of the truth had excellent giftes and yet haue fallen cleane away so Hebr. 6. A man may be inlightned tasted of the heauenly gift were partakers of the holy Ghost tasted of the word of God and of the powers of the world to come such men notwithstanding may fal away and that finally I answere that there is nothing spoken there of the true worke of grace and sanctification of sauing faith sound repentance hearty obedience and a new life but onely of such common giftes as may befall a reprobate and therefore Saint Iohn shewes the cause why they fall away namely they were neuer true and liuely members of the Church or of Iesus Christ neuer truly engraffed into his mysticall body Ioh. 2.19 they had knowledge and were inlightned tasted of the heauenly gifts and graces of Gods Spirit and had some glimmering of the ioys of the life to come which the childe of GOD inioyes but the sound
soule So as hence wee learne that there is no true ioy in any other thing in the world but onely in the mercy of God and the saluation of our soules Phil. 3.8 Luk. 10.20 And indeed what other ioy can there bee for though the Lord should giue vs all things which hee hath made aboundance of the things of this life yea though with Dauid wee might command a kingdome yet vnlesse with all wee haue this comfort that wee are at peace with God and haue our sinnes pardoned alas they would all proue vnto vs as Iobs friends Miserable Comforters But poore soules many know no other ioy but such as arises from temporall things gold siluer c. wherein they differ not from beasts which haue their delight as well as they in those things which are agreeable to their nature Vse 1 Seeing Dauid places all his ioy and spirituall reioycing in the saluation of God that is in the pardon of his sinnes in feeling of GODS loue and in the saluation of his soule therefore it shewes that there is no other cause of sound ioy but in this alone so that if we haue this wee haue cause to reioyce and bee glad but if this be wanting either wee had neuer the feeling of GODS loue nor assurance of saluation or else haue lost it and therefore should vse all blessed meanes to attaine vnto it againe for we cannot haue one dramme of sauing comfort and true ioy but onely in the fauour of God and the assurance of his loue for our saluation Vse 2 This shewes that all the ioy of wicked men in their sports and pastimes is no true and solid ioy but a carnall ioy a swinish ioy for how can the heart of that man or woman reioyce which knowes not whether God loues them or hates them whether they shall be saued or damned what ioy can they haue it is madnesse rather then ioy and mirth Dauid saith that wicked men ioy in their Corne Wine and Oile Psal 4.7 outward and worldly things but hee desires the louing countenance of the Lord his fauour and grace which shall make him to ioy more then all they in their vanities and then hee will lye downe in rest and peace and safety whereas the ioy of wicked men it is gone in a moment vtterly lost and past recouery for euer And stablish mee with thy free Spirit THis second part of the verse containes a praiervnto the Lord for a new mercy Part of the varse namely the blessed grace of corroboration to bee strengthened in grace and obedience and kept from sin by the grace and spirit of God in time to come As if he should haue said O Lord my God I doe not onely the pardon of my sinnes past which are many and great but I doe humbly intreate thy Maiesty to giue mee power and to strengthen mee against the like euils in time to come for I know my weakenesse and the wickednesse of my heart to bee prone to all sinne by nature Note and if thou shouldest pardon my sinnes past and not keepe mee from sinne in time to come I should easily marre all and runne head-long into all sinne and therefore I beseech thy Maiesty stablish and strengthen mee with grace from thy spirit that I may serue and please thee all my daies with a willing and ready heart Stablish mee THe word signifies properly to vnderprop and shore vp something that is weake declining and ready to fall Doctrine Hence learne that euen the best of Gods children that haue the greatest graces Man weak being left to himselfe and be strengthened in faith yet if they bee left vnto themselues alas they be as weake as water they be not able to stand against the least assault and temptation of the deuill This Dauid felt and found in himselfe Ex. 15 24. Ier. 13.23 Psal 78.40 Exod. 9.27 Iudg. 3.12 Mat. 12.45 Heb. 6. and confesseth his weakenesse and desires the Lord to establish and vphold him to shore him vp by the grace of his holy Spirit Peter who seemed to bee a valiant champion and defied his enemies and vowed he would rather die then deny his Lord and Maister CHRIST IESVS yet being left to himselfe how fouly did he fall and cowardly deny him three times in one houre at the voice of a little girle so all the fals and infirmities of Gods children though neuer so wise as Salomon strong as Sampson righteous as Lot holy as Dauid doth proue this to bee true And Paul though hee was a blessed vessell of mercy greatly enlightned and sanctified cryes out O wretched man that I am Rom. 7.24 and feares the great corruptions of his heart The childe of GOD may bee compared to a staffe in a mans hand so long as thou dost stay it and hold it it will stand vpright but pull away your hand and downe it will of it selfe Euen so do wee stand while the Lord do stay vs and vphold vs but if hee take away his hand and leaue vs downe we go wee bee like a little infant that is in the nurses hand so long as she holds it it will go and moue and stand but if shee pull away her hand it fals and takes a knocke As GOD alone is the Author of all grace and first Fountaine of all mercy he alone can turne the heart worke faith repentance and obedience for it is GOD alone that must giue the second grace namely corroboration continuance in grace or grace to continue in faith and obedience Vse 1 This confutes the doctrine of the Papists which hold that a man hauing grace from God to beleeue and repent can merite at GODS hands grace to continue that God should ex condigno giue him grace to continue and that a man being once iust can make himselfe more iust but Dauid doth heare confesse that all is of GOD. Vse 2 This serues to reproue them who trust too much to their owne power and goodnesse relye vpon their owne wisedome knowledge vertue and strength when once they get a little knowledge and taste in the word oh they think themselues sure and well they feare no danger they defie the deuill so long as they say their prayers and serue God well they hope God will keepe them and so are secure and carelesse Psal 30.6 but of all men these be in greatest danger that least feare danger 1. Cor. 10.12 looke on Peter he was neuer more weake then when he thought himselfe most strong I said I shall neuer bee moued But thou turnedâ—t away thy fâ—ce and I was sore troubled Pride goes before the fall Vse 3 How should this make euery man to feare himselfe to suspect his owne weakenes Blessed is the man that feares alwayes but he that burdeneth his heart shall fall into destruction or euill where Salomon sheweth that that man that doth feare himselfe and his owne weakenesse is happy but hee that is secure and
that faile in the maner of doing of it to offer sacrifice was the Commandement of God but when the Iews thought by their sacrifices to appease Gods anger without the sacrifice of Christ they sinned and God abhorred them and cared not for them Againe to preach the word of God is his commandement but when Iudas shall preach the word to cloake his couetousnesse and treacherous heart it is a sinne in Iudas to giue almes it is a thing commanded and a sacrifice wherewith God is well pleased but if men shall giue to merite and to be seene of men the Lord careth not for it so as wee see a man may doe things which God commands men to do and yet be so farre from pleasing God that they shall sinne and prouoke him to anger because they doe them not in an holy manner Pro. 15.11 in faith repentance obedience and zeale of Gods glory Vse 1 This condemns almost the whole seruice of God amongst the Papists who do all to this end to merit and deserue at Gods hands pardon of sin and freedom from punishment but this is to a wrong end wee must doe good works not to merit but to honor God to giue good example to make our calling sure to our selues Vse 2 This must admonish vs all not only to doe that God commands as to preach the word heare pray receiue the sacrament c. but to do it as God commands or else he abhorres all we do vnlesse we do them in faith repentance and obedience all is in vaine Doctr. 3 If the Lord abhorre those sacrifices which hee commands for mans sinne Popish Sacrifices abhominable how much more those sinnefull sacrifices which haue beene inuented by man without any warrant from his word as the Idoll of the Masse Popish pilgrimages perpetuall chastity voluntary pouertie liuing in a cloister c. Vse 1 Wel then let vs take heed not only that we doe not abuse those sacrifices which the Lord commands by our euill doing and performing of them but much more that we be not so bold at any time to offer vnto the Lord such sacrifices as are condemned in the word of God to offer with strange fire as Nadab and Abihu and such as Paul calles Wil-worship and Christ calles The inuentions of men for these the Lord abhorres Vse 2 It condemns that bloody beastly sacrifice of the Papists who offer in Masse Christ daily for the quicke and dead an horrible abuse of Christ Iesus for Christ hath by his owne sufficient sacrifice of his bodie and bloud on the Crosse appeased his fathers anger for the sins of the world and put an end to all these sacrifices and if they offer vp CHRIST in the Masse for quicke and dead then Christs sacrifice was imperfect that must be patched vp with that abhominable Idoll Concerning these sacrifices which were Lambs Sheep Goats or Bullockes and were all slaine offered to God in fire let vs marke that they were all so many figures types and shapes of that euerlasting sacrifice of Iesus Christ which hee offered vpon the Crosse in his owne person Doctrine Christ an end of all other Sacrifices Then this doth commend vnto vs that blessed and most meritorious sacrifice of Christ the lambe of God seeing there was so many prophesies of it euen from the beginning of the world and so many shadowes and types of it as can not be numbered because there neuer passed one day amongst the Iewes from the time of the Law till Christs comming but they offered at least morning and euening sacrifice as shadowes of Christ Iesus to come and the people of God the beleeuing Iews and holy Fathers and Prophets did in them beholde Iesus Christ as slaine and crucified before their eyes And as Christ saith The holy Patriarkes and Prophets and famous Kings desired to see my dayes and would be glad to see and yet saw it not Vse Well seeing the sacrifice of Iesus Christ is so excellent meritorious of endlesse worth to procure Gods fauour to vs how should we often thinke vpon it neuer let it depart out of our mindes And to this end wee should be more willing to approch and come to the Supper of the Lord that so there as it were in a plaine Table and Picture and not painted on a woodden crosse as the Papists do we might behold Christ crucified and his bloud shed for our sins so often as we see the bread broken and the wine powred out So often as yee doe it 1. Cor. 11. doe it in remembrance of mee to shew foorth my death till I come For the remembrance of Christs sacrifices it is a sweete comfort to all wounded and distressed soules it is sacke and sugar to them all that truly beleeue in him it is an excellent means to kill sin and to humble our hard hearts that we should remember our sinnes were as the bloudie nailes and the speare which put him to death and a powerfull bridle to restraine vs from sinne because so often as wee sinne wee doe as it were pierce his heart afresh and as for those that care not for comming to the Sacrament nor yet for the word wherein Christ is liuely crucified they shew they haue no benefit by this sacrifice of Christ VERSE 17. 17. The Sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit a contrite and broken heart O God thou wilt not despise Dauid hauing shewed what be those Sacrifices wherein the Lord God hath no pleasure namely such as men shall offer with hope to merite or without faith and repentance Now he shewes what is that Sacrifice wherein the Lord takes great delight and is well pleased and that is in one word A broken spirit a heart truely wounded for sinne In this verse let vs first finde out what is the broken and contrite Spirit Secondly the commendations of it namely it is called the Sacrifice of God Thirdly that hee doth not despise By a broken and contrite spirit is meant such an heart as is truly humbled with sight of sinne wounded and pierced with feare of Gods anger grieued for offending so mercifull a God and louing Father and doth begge for mercie at his hands as for life and death besides the endlesse mercy of God in Christ which breaketh the heart of a poore sinner So then there be two things that wound and bruise the heart of sinners First the sight of sinne and knowledge of our misery by reason thereof Secondly the endlesse mercie of God in Christ so as it cuts vs at the heart to remember that wee haue offended so good and mercifull a Father Doctrine Broken hart most rare thing to be foūd Seeing this is that broken heart which is thus bruised with the sight of sinne and is humbled for them yea hath a most lowe conceit of it selfe as most vile and vnworthy wee shal see that it is a most rare thing to be found for generally men are so blinded
with selfe-loue that they see nothing or feele nothing to humble them or to bruise their stonie hearts but are like the Church of Ephesus for this is euer a fellow of hardnesse of heart Reu. 3 14â— Eph 4.18 and cause of all ignorance of our misery Men are like those that be sicke of the lethargie it is a deadly disease and incurable this hardnesse of heart it is the common iudgement of God vpon our people it raignes euery where Vse 1 Seeing that this broken heart is so rare and hard to be found and the hard heart is so common and so dangerous a fore-runner to hell O let vs looke to our selues how wee finde our hearts broken and bruised with the sense of sinne mourne for them and bewaile them Alas it is wonderfull to see poore soules how men lie in sin see nothing and feare nothing nor complaine of nothing men can complaine of the stone in the reines and cry out for griefe but no man complaines of the stone in the heart they feele no such griefe though it be deadly and dangerous and if thou findest thy hart hardned so as thou art not touched and troubled with the sight of sinne of Gods vengeance of hell and damnation that thou canst not mourn for them that thou fearest not GODS iudgements and art not affected with his mercies to mourne for thy sinnes O! know that thy state is fearefull and miserable thou art in extreame danger to perish and to be damned for euer Vse 2 Seeing a hard heart is so fearfull a iudgement of God and a fore-runner of hell let vs vse all good means for the bruising of the heart and to this end wee must labour to know the Law of God how wee breake it daily in thought word and deed we must know the curse of God due to sinne That the wages of sin is death Rom. 6. psal 40.12 And because the preaching of the word is the most excellent meanes to worke this and is the Lords hammer to crush in peeces our stonie hearts let vs attend that And lastly let vs thinke much of Gods mercie in Christ that so his mercy patience long-sufferance c. may be a speciall meanes to bruise our hearts that we haue siâ—ned against him Vse 3 Let vs take heed of pride of heart to thinke too well of our selues for this is certaine where men and women thinke too well of themselues there is hardnesse of hart and where hardnes of heart is there is pride of heart for these two go not asunder and the more prowd the more hard-hearted and the more hard-hearted the more prowd and therfore if thy heart be humbled indeed brused for sinne there will follow a very lowe and base estimation of our selues 1. Tim. 1.15 to thinke more basely and meanely of our selues then any man can do The second point is the praise and commendations of this Sacrifice namely that the Prophet doth not onely call it the Sacrifice of GOD that is most excellent and such as God loues and likes but also he calls it broken Sacrifices in the plurall number The Sacrifices of God For it is not in vaine that he speakes in the plurall number and the meaning is this to shew that a heart broken and bruised for sinne is in stead of all other Sacrifices whatsoeuer and let men offer what Sacrifice they will neuer so many costly or excellent yet if this be wanting it is but in vaine GOD esteemes not of it one broken heart is more worth then a thousand Sacrifices of great price Instruct. THis may admonish euerie one to take heed that wee doe not present the Lord with any other Sacrifice but this which is in stead of all and more worth then a thousand offered by hard-hearted sinners for if a man offer many Sacrifices pray much preach much heare much receiue the Sacrament often yet if the heart be not broken humbled and bruised alas all is in vaine GOD esteemes of them as dogges bloud wee can not please him without the broken and contrite spirite Secondly wouldest thou offer vnto God a most precious Sacrifice that might be in stead of all the rest and make all the rest acceptable O! then present him with this broken hart the poore woman that cast into the Treasurie but two mites cast in more then all the rest because it came from a heart truely humbled and so if thou wouldst haue thy praiing Preaching Hearing c. please GOD then present the Lord with a broken heart which is in steed of all other sacrifices and makes them all acceptable and without this all is abhominable to the Lord. Thou wilt not despise Doctr. 2 THat is thou dost loue and like and art well pleased with it God doth highly esteeme of a broken heart with a broken heart and contrite spirit Hence we learne that God doth highly esteeme of and loue that man or woman which is of a broken heart as Iosias whose heart melted 2. Reg. 22.19 when as the heart is broken with the sight of sin and sence of Gods anger Luke 19. Esay 66.2 Esay 57.15 and withall doth imbrace IESVS CHRIST for pardon Vse 1 Heere is matter of endlesse comfort to poore distressed soules whose hearts are wounded and bruised for sin melt and mourne for them feelâ— the burthen of them and bewaile them thou art deere vnto God hee loues thee and likes thee and hath respect vnto thee and hee will comfort thee and deliuer thee looke on Iosâ—as that godly King on the Publican and on euery child of God how the Lord hath refreshed them Vse 2 Seeing the Lord doth not despise a broken and contrite spirit a distressed soule and wounded conscience he will not breake the bruised reede nor quench the smoaking flaxe then let no man or woman of a contrite spirit be out of heart as though the Lord hated them and regarded them not no no let them rather know that the Lordloues them and likes them that they are deere vnto him it is a wonderfull comfort to Gods poore children oh they finde and feele the heauy weight of sinne and groane vnder it so as they thinke the Lord loues them not but rather hates them but it is not so the Lord loues them and they are most deere vnto him VERSE 18.19 18 Bee fauourable vnto Zyon for thy good pleasure Build vp the wals of Ierusalem 19 Then shalt thou accept the sacrifice of righteousnesse euen the burnt-offering and oblation then shall they offer calues vpon thine Altar The secoÌ„d part of the Psalm coÌ„taining a prayer for the Church HITHERTO wee haue heard of the first part of this worthy Psalme wherein Dauid hath put vp sundry Petitions and requests to God for the pardon of his sinnes and turning away of GODS fearefull iudgements Now in these two last verses Dauid is mindefull of the Church and people of GOD and because he had by his sinnes not onely indangered his