Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 3 · Lecture 41
Lecture XLI. On Psalme 51.3. Novemb. 28. 1626.
NOw followeth the second part of the verse, the thing that moved David thus to confesse his sin, & to make supplication to God for the pardon of it. My sin (saith he) is ever before me. Nota.Where we must observe. 1. That his sin was ever in his eye, hee could not avoid the thinking of it, nor put it out of his mind, night and day, at home, and abroad, at all times, and in all places, it was ever before him. 2. That it represented it selfe unto him now, not as it had done before, but in the true proportion, in that shape as it troubled & disquieted his heart, and gave him no rest till he had got further assurance of the pardon of it. This he expresseth thus, in another place, Psal. 38.17. My sorrow is continually before me. It was before him as a matter of sorrow. And Ps. 38.3. There is no rest in my bones, because of my sin. And as a thorne in a mans joynt will force him to seeke to some that may get it ont, so did his sin here, by vexing, and disquieting his heart, drive him to God to confesse and seeke pardon of it. 3. That his sin did thus represent it selfe unto him, and trouble him, after God had pardoned it, and reveiled so much to him by Nathan the Prophet. The Lord hath put away thy sin (saith Nathan to him, 2 Sam. 12, 13) thou shalt not dye. 4. and lastly, How came this to passe? Surely his conscience being awakened by the ministery of Nathan, did ever and anon, lay his sin in his dish, and put him in mind of it, dogd him, and met him in the face, whither-soever he went, and would give him no rest, till it had driven him to humble himselfe before God, and to get further assurance of the pardon of it. Now from these points thus observed, in this speech and example of David, we have this to learn for our owne instruction.
That they that have truly repented, Doct. 13cannot easily forget their sins, but are apt to thinke oft of them, and to bee much troubled for them. See the proofe of this.
First. In the generall profession, the Church maketh, Esa. 59.12. Our sins testifie against us for our transgressions are with us; whither-soever we go, whatsoever we are doing, they are ever with us.
Secondly. See it in sundry particulars, Iob professeth of himselfe, Iob 13.26. that the Lord made him to possesse the sins of his youth, he could not leave thinking of them, and being troubled with them And of David we oft read, not in this place only, but in sundry other places, that he was oft in this case, his sins were ever in his eye and thought, …sal. 38 3.—and 40.12.—and 25.7, 11, 13.
If any shall object,Object. that these examples prove not the point, for these men were in trouble of mind, who are apt to thinke more of their sins, then they should doe.
I answer,Answ. That even with such as God hath beene reconciled unto, and who have had a comfortable assurance their sins have bin pardoned, it hath bin thus, their sins have beene ever before them, they could not forget them See this in Paul, who though he knew he had obtained mercy and pardon of that wrong he had done to Gods people before his conversion, as himselfe professeth, 1 Tim. 1.13, 14. yet was that sin all the dayes of his life ever fresh in his memory, and would not out, and therefore ever and anon, he doth take occasion to speake of it, Acts 22.4, 5 — 26.10, 11. 1. Cor. 15.9. Gal. 1.13. Ephes. 3.8. 1 Tim. 1.1…. When the Lord upon their repentance doth pardon the sins of his people, their sins are then quite blotted out of his debt-booke, as the Lord speaketh Esa. 43.25 and cast behind his backe, Esay. 38.17. hee remembreth them no more, Iere 31.24 but though they bee pardoned, that blotteth them not out of their remembrance, nor causeth them to cast them behind their owne backs, but they keepe them …ti…l in mind, and cannot forget them for all that. So the Lord saith of his people, Ezekiel. 16.60, 61. that when hee shall have stablished with them an everlasting covenant, then they should remember their wayes, and be ashamed. and Ezekiel 36.27, 28, 31. when hee had said verse 27, 28. I will put my spirit within you, and ye shall bee my people, and I will be your God, he addeth verse 31. Then shall yee remember your owne evill wayes and your doings that were not good, and shall loath your selves in your owne sight for your iniquities.
Object.If any shall yet object. The sins of David and Paul, and of those people that Ezekiel speaketh of, were hainous and grosse sins, no marvell though such stucke long in their mindes, and were before them. But it followeth not from thence that all Gods people should have their sins in their remembrance alwayes, and be troubled with them.
Answ.I answer, That it hath beene thus not onelyonly with such as have beene guilty of grosse sins, but even with them that have lived most unblameably, their sins have beene much in their minde, and have beene ever before them, they have thought of nothing more, nor have beene troubled more with any thing then with their owne sins and corruptions. Take two examples for this. 1. Iohn the Baptist, who though he had the worke of grace begun in him sooner then any meere man wee can reade of, and were sanctified in his mothers belly, Luke 1.44. As soone as the voyce of thy salutation sounded in mine eares, the babe leaped in my wombe for joy; yet were his sins and corruptions ever before him, he was never without sight and sence of his sins, or else he would never have said unto Christ as he did, Mat. 3.14. I have need to bee baptised of thee. 2. Paul even after his conversion, had his sin ever before him, and was much exercised with the sight and sence of his corruptions, as you may see in that large complaint he makes, Rom. 7.15. What I would that doe I not, but what I hate, that doe I; verse 18. I know that in me (that is in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing; and verse 23. I see a law in my members, warring against the law of my minde, and bringing mee into captivity to the law of sin; and verse 24. O wretched man that I am. You see all Gods people of all sorts, such as have beene in affliction of minde, and such as have had most comfortable assurance of Gods love, such as have beene guilty of grosse offences, and such as had lived most unblameably, yet all of them have knowne sin by themselves, and have much thought of their corruptions, and beene troubled with them.
Now if we shall enquire into the grounds and reasons of this, we shall finde three causes of it.
Reason.The first is their owne conscience which God hath set in the soule, to be 1. A faithfull register to record all our doings, and is therefore compared to a booke Reu. 20.12. 2. To bee a faithfull witnesse against us, Rom. 2.15. 3. To be a controuler and censurer of us, to rebuke and scourge us for our sins. So it was said that Davids heart smote him diverse times, 1 Sam. 24.5. 2 Sam. 24.10. I speake not of all the offices of conscience, but of those that concerne this matter in hand. Now though every man hath this faculty placed in his soule; and most men are never troubled with their sins, though they have more sins recorded in those bookes then Gods servants have, the difference ariseth from this, that the consciences of most men are sencelesse and feared, as the Apostle speaketh, 1 Tim. 4.2. but the consciences of Gods people are sanctified, as Paul saith of himselfe, 2 Tim. 1.3. Heb. 13.18. and the image of God according to which they were first created is renewed in it, to doe the offices that God placed it in the soule for; their conscience is wakefull and quicke sighted, and tender as the apple of the eye. This we shall see in David, his conscience was so wakefull, that the least knocke would awaken it, so soone as Nathan came to him, and knocketh at his heart, though he had lyen asleepe so long, yet his conscience wakeneth presently, and he crieth out, 2 Sam. 12.13. I have sinned. So soone as Gad came to him with a message from God about the numbring of the people, his conscience awakened presently, and smote him for it, 2 Sam. 24.10. And so was it with Peter, the very looke of Christ wakened his conscience, Luke 22.60, 61. And as the regenerate mans conscience is wakefull, so it is quicke sighted, and tender also, and can see, and bee troubled with that another man will not; as we see also in David, 1 Sam. 24 5.
The second cause of it is,Reason 2 that they are more subject to affliction then other men, and it is an usuall effect of affliction to bring mens sins into their remembrance that they had forgotten before. As we see in the brethren of Ioseph, whose troubles in Egypt brought the sin which they had committed against him twenty yeeres before, as fresh into their remembrance as if it had beene but newly committed, as you shall finde, Gen. 42.21. So it appeareth by our Saviours speech to the sicke of the palsie, (Mat. 9.2. Sonne be of good cheere thy sins bee forgiven theee) that his sicknesse brought his sins to his remembrance.
The third and last cause of this,Reason 3 is the Lord himselfe, he hath the chiefe hand in this; it is he that keepeth the sins of his people ever in their eye, and remembrance, and will not suffer them to forget them. It was the Lord that awakened the conscience of David hereby sending Nathan unto him, 2 Sam. 12.1. It was the Lord that awakened the conscience of Peter by looking backe upon him, Luke 22.61. It was the Lord that made Iob to possesse the sins of his youth. Iob 13.26.
And why dealeth the Lord thus, with those whom he most dearely loveth, that of all the people in the world they see most sins in themselves,Quest. and are most troubled with them, he setteth their sins ever in their sight, and putteth them in minde of them?
Surely he doth this in much love,Answ. Psal. 25.10. All the pathes of the Lord are mercy and truth unto his owne people. He seeth this to be good and profitable for them many wayes. Sixe principall benefits there are that Gods people receive by it.
First, It reneweth and encrreaseth their repentance. David did unfainedly repent of his adulterie and murder, so soone as ever Nathan had dealt plainly with him, as wee have heard, 2 Sam. 12.13. and yet after that for many yeeres God followed him with many grievous judgements, as he threatned 2 Sam. 12.10, 11. and thereby did ever and anon bring those sins into his remembrance, and put him in mind of them that he might repent better, and more deeply for them. This reason the Lord giveth, Ezek. 20.43. There shall yee remember your wayes, and all your doings wherein yee have beene defiled, and ye shall loath your selves in your owne sight, for all your evils you have committed. And this is certainely one great benefit that commeth to us by the remembring of our old sins. For wee are all farre short in repenting of them in that measure as we ought; and according to the measure of our repentance shall our comfort and the assurance of the pardon of our sins be in the end. As they that sow in teares, shall reape in joy, Psal. 126.5. Sound repentance and sorrow for sin will bring sound joy; so proportionable to a mans seednes shall his harvest be; plentifull repentance will bring plentifull joy; a scant repentance, scantnesse of comfort.
Secondly, By this meanes God keepeth us humble, and low in our owne eyes, and preserveth us from pride, and too good a conceit of our selves. Thus dealt the Lord with blessed Paul, 2 Cor. 12.7. Left I should bee exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given unto mee a thorne in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should bee exalted above measure. And what was this thorne in the flesh, the messenger of Satan? Surely some inward corruption that Paul felt in his owne heart, which Satan stirred up in him. And why did God discover this corruption of his heart vntounto him? why did God keepe him so long in the sight and sence of this his corruption? he prayed thrice (that is many times) to get it removed, and could not. He telleth us (and repeateth it twice in that verse as a thing worthy to be observed) Lest I should be exalted above measure. This use the Church professeth she made of it, Lam. 2.19, 20. Remembring mine affliction, and my rebellions, (as Montanus, and Leo Iudae render the word) the wormewood and the gall, that is, the bitternesse and sorrow that I found in it, my soule hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in mee. And surely this is no small benefit we get by being well acquainted with our sins, and thinking much of our owne corruptions. We are all to apt if we be a little better in birth, or in gifts, or in riches, or in beauty, or in knowledge, or in profession then others▪ to be proud of it. O what Lucifers would we be, if the Lord should not now and then cast our owne dung into our faces, and effectually discover to us our sins? Surely God doth us in this a great favour, as he did unto Paul: for nothing would make our soules more odious unto God then pride, nothing more amiable in his eyes then humilty will doe; according to that of the Apostle, Iames 4.6 God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
Thirdly, By this meanes God maketh his servants flye to the throne of grace, and breedeth and nourisheth in them an appetite, …n hunger and thirst after Christ in the word and Sacraments, and maketh them to prize his favour in Christ above any thing in the world. The proofe of this we see heere in David, what made him heere to flye to God, and to cry to him so earnestly for mercy? Why, hee telleth us heere in the text, his sin was ever before him. This effect had the knowledge and sence of sin in Paul at his first conversion, when Christ had discovered his sin unto him, though it were in a most terrible manner, it drave him to seeke mercy of God by prayer, as Christ told Ananias, Acts 9.11. Goe to him, for behold he prayeth. And indeed none but they that have an effectuall knowledge and sence of sin, will goe to God with any constancy or fervency of spirit. How few, and how cold and formall will our prayers be if we have no sence of our sins? When David had said, Psal. …4.17. The righteous crie and the Lord heareth them, he telleth in the next words, ver. 18. who be those righteous ones, that use thus to cry unto God in their prayers, that is to say, those that are of a broken heart and contrite spirit. This hunger and thirst after righteousnesse our Saviour mentioneth as a naturall effect, and consequent of that poverty of spirit, and mourning for it, that is in his people, Mat. 5.3.—6. This was that doubtlesse that made Paul set such a price upon Christ, to count all things but dung that hee might win Christ, that he might be found in him, that he might know him and the power of his resurrection, as he professeth of himselfe, Phil. 3.8.—10. This was that that made David to thirst, and long after Gods Sanctuary and ordinances as hee did, Psal. 27.4. he made this his onelyonly suit, and 42.1, 2. he cryeth out, my soule panteth after thee, O God, my soule thirsteth for God, for the living God, when shall I come and appeare before God. These men (as you have heard were much exercised with the sight and thought of their sins and corruptions, and this is certainely an inestimable benefit to have our stomacke and appetite to this food preserved in us. For so our Saviour saith of such, Mat. 5.6. that they are in a happy case, and giveth such a reason of it, as may put all out of doubt: for they shall be satisfied.
Fourthly, By this meanes God maketh his people heartily and unfainedly thankefull for his mercy in Christ; able to relish the sweetnesse that is in it; which none can doe, but they that have a sound sight and sence of their owne sins and corruptions. This made Christ so deare and sweet to that poore woman, Lu. 7.38. Shee washed his feet with her teares, she wiped them with her haire▪ she kissed them, she annointed them; surely she loved Christ so dearely because many sins were forgiven her ver. 47. her sins were still fresh in her remembrance. This we may also see in the holy Apostle, who when he had mentioned at large the knowledge and sense he had of his own corruptions, Rom. 7.…5. he suddenly breaketh forth in these words, I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord. As if he had said. O wretched man that I am, so full of sin & corruption, what would become of me, were it not for Christ? What cause have I to praise God for his mercy in Christ, for shewing any respect unto me, for preserving, and upholding of me? So when he calleth to mind his old sin, 1 Tim. 1. see how he taketh occasion thereby to magnifie the mercy of God towards him, 1. In the beginning of his speech, verse 12, 13. I thanke Christ Iesus our Lord, for putting mee into the ministery, who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor. 2 In the conclusion of his speech, ver. 17. Now unto the King eternall, immortall, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory, for ever and ever, Amen.
Fiftly. By this meanes, God keepeth his children in awe, and maketh them fearefull to sin, by setting their sins they have formerly committed before them, and giving them an effectuall sight and sense of them. The Apostle maketh this a fruit, and effect of godly sorrow, 2 Cor. 7.11. This very thing that ye have bin sorrowfull after a godly sort, see what care it hath wrought in you. Certainly the man that hath a true knowledge, and sense of his sins, will be afraid to sin againe, the burnt child will dread the fire. On the other side, a man that is past feeling (hath no sense of sin) will be ready to give himselfe over unto lasciviousnesse, to worke all uncleannes, even with gredines, as the Apostle speaketh, Eph. 4.19.
Sixtly, and lastly. The Lord by this meanes, maketh his people charitable, and pitifull towards their brethren that do offend, and keepeth them from cruelty, and rigour in censuring of others. He that is well acquainted with the corruption of his own heart, will be far from judging any one to be an hypocrite, or void of grace, because he seeth many frailties and faylings in him, Speake evill of no men (saith the Apostle, Tit. 3.2, …) but shew all meekenesse to all men, for we our selves were sometimes foolish and disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures. And our Saviour telleth us, Mat. 1.5.3. that the cause why hypocrites are so apt to judge, and censure others, even for-motes they spie in them, is because they discerne not the beames that is in their owne eyes.