Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 5 · Lecture 56
Lecture LVI. On Psalme 51.5. May 1. 1627.
IT followeth now that we proceed to the second Doctrine that ariseth from the words of this verse; for from this, that David saith here, In sin did my mother conceive me; this Doctrine doth arise for our instruction.
That the sin which every infant is guilty of, and whereby it is (by nature) made so loathsome a creature in the sight of God (as we heard the last day) is derived unto it from the parents. Doct. 18The parents infected it. Of the actuall sins that men, and women commit, there may be other causes assigned. 1. Themselves may be said to be the causes of their actuall sins, Iam. 1.14. Every man is tempted, when he is drawne away of his owne lust, and enti…ed. 2. The world; that is, the evill examples and allurements they receive from other men, is a great cause why men are so bad as they are, 1 Iohn 2.16. The lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the father, but is of the world. This is plaine by the Prophets complaint. Esa. 6.5. I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell among a people of uncleane lips. As if he should say. How should I. how can I be better, that live in such an age, among such a people. 3. Satan is a cause of their sins, men could not be so bad as they are, if they were not led to it by the devill, if he did not raigne in them, if they were not his captives and slaves. It is he that now (saith the Apostle, Ephes. 2.2. of his time, and so may we say of our age, now, and never more then now, he) worketh in the children of disobedience. And as he saith, … Tim. 2.26. They are taken by him captives at his will; they are wholly at his will and commandement, or else they would never doe as they doe. Yet of the Originall sin, and naturall corruption that is in infants so soone as they are borne and conceived, no other cause can be assigned, no root, no fountaine but this, that they received it from their parents. So speaketh David here, In sin my mother conceived me. And Iob when he would give the reason, why man, every man, yong aswell as old, is not only subject to so many troubles in this life, but also so filthy & sinfull, alledgeth none but this, Iob 14.1. Man that is borne of a woman, he is born of a woman, and therfore must needs be so. So againe, Iob 15.14. and 25.4. And though the mother only be named by Iob & David, yet is this corruption derived to the child, not from the mother only, but from the father as much as from the mother. In which respect it is said Gen. 5.3. that Adam after his fall begat a son in his owne likenesse, after his image; sinfull, and corrupt, as himselfe was. And the Evangelist making an opposition betweene the causes, from whence corruption and grace commeth, saith Iohn 1.13. the one commeth from blood, and from the will of the flesh, and from the will of man, but the other commeth from God alone. And from hence it hath come to passe, that there was never any that had parents (a father to beget him, & a mother to conceive him) that was free from this original sin and corruption of nature; no not such as had the godliest parents that ever lived. Two evident demonstrations there be for this. 1. That the most holy parents that ever were, have had children that have bin most ungracious, as Noah Abraham, Isaack, David, Iehoshaphat. 2. That the best of their children had need of circumcision, Gen. 21.4. which signifieth, the cutting away of the filthy fore-skin of their hearts, this originall corruption, as the Prophet expoundeth it, Ier. 4.4. Insomuch as it was necessary that our blessed Saviour (who could not have beene a fit high Priest for us, if hee had not beene, even in respect of his humanity, holy, harmlesse, undefiled, separate from sinners, as the Apostle speaketh, Heb. 7.26.) it was necessary (I say) that he (though hee were very man, and the sonne of Adam as well as wee, as the Evangelist calleth him, Luke 3.38.) yet should not become man in the same manner, nor bee begotten and borne of parents as we are, but conceived of the holy Ghost, and by him made of the substance of the blessed Virgin, as the Apostle speaketh, Gal. 4.4. because otherwise, though she was a most holy woman, yet could he not have bin free from originall sin.
The reasons and grounds of the Doctrine are two.Reason 1 First, all parents are themselves tainted with sin, they have a poisoned, and infected nature, and therefore cannot choose but infect the children that are begotten and conceived by them. As the brood of vipers, toades, and spiders must needs resemble them, and have poison in them. A corrupt tree (saith our Saviour, Mat. 7.18,) cannot bring forth good fruit. Who can bring a cleane thing (saith Iob 14.4.) out of an uncleane? Not one. This reason our Saviour giveth, why all that is in man by nature is flesh, that is corrupt, and sinfull, because he is borne of the flesh, that is of corrupt parents, Iohn 3.6. That which is borne of the flesh, is flesh. And that is Iobs meaning, Iob 14.4. No man can beget a child that is cleane from sin, himselfe being uncleane.
Secondly,Reason 2 Though many parents be themselves holy, and have their hearts purified by faith, yet do they also infect their children, and derive unto them this corruption of nature; as Isaac was borne with his fore-skin, though his father were circumcised when he begat him; and as the corne that groweth from the cleanest and purest seed, riseth not without straw and chaffe. Because we can derive nothing to our children in their naturall birth, but that that was our owne, and was naturall unto us, as we heard of Adam, Gen. 5.3. Hee begat a son in his own likenesse, after his image. Now that grace that is in us, is not our owne, not naturall unto us, but wholly from God, and supernaturall, Iam. 1.17. Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and commeth downe from the father of lights.
Now before I come to the use, that this doctrine serveth for, I must first prevent the abuse that may be made of it. For, from this Doctrine it may seeme to follow. 1. That such as are children (of what age soever they bee) are not much to bee blamed for any of their sins, seeing their parents have bin the first authours of them. 2. That they have no great cause to reverence, and respect their parents, that have done them so much wrong, as to poison and infect them with so corrupt a nature. But they that gather such conclusions from the Doctrine do not make a right use of it, but abuse it rather.
For first. Wicked children may not extenuate their sins, nor lay all the blame of their lewdnesse and damnation upon their parents, because they did receive from them this corruption of nature; or say as Ezek. 18.2. The fathers have eaten soure grapes, and the childrens teeth are set on edge; nor say to their parents when they reprove them for any of their sins, I pray whence had I this corruption of my nature? may I not thanke you for it? Woe be to him (…aith the Lord Esa. 45.10.) that saith unto his father, what begettest thou? or to the woman, what hast thou brought sorth? For 1. they are themselves the authors of their owne destruction. Hosea 13.9. O Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe. And Ezekiel 18.20. The soule that sinneth, it shall dye, the father shall not beare the iniquitie of the son. The sins for which they perish, and are plagued of God, are their own, nothing is so properly their own, as their sins are, Pro. 1.31. They shall eat the fruit of their owne way. Yea, this very originall sin, and corruption of nature that is in them (though they received it from their parents) is their owne, Iam. 1.14. Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his owne lust. 2 They have by their actuall sins, made themselves much worse then they were, when they came from their parents, Mat. 23.15.
Secondly. Children may not take occasion hereby to despise their parents, because they received from them this corruption of nature, which is the cause of all their misery, but they are bound to honour, and reverence them in their hearts and to be every way dutifull unto them for all this. Foure examples I will give you for this. 1. Solomon shewed a great deale of duty, and reverence to his mother, 1 King. 2.19. 1. He rose up to meet her, 2. He bowed himselfe unto her, 3. He set her upon his right hand. And yet he knew well, what she had done when she was Vriahs wife. It is no disparagement to the greatest that is, to shew reverence to their parents, though they be never so much inferiours in estate, and degree unto themselves. 2. Sem, and Iaphet are blessed for this, because they would not behold the nakednesse of their father when he lay like a drunken beast) uncovered in his tent; and Ham their brother is cursed of God, because he did otherwise, Gen. 9.22, 23. A child is bound (upon paine of Gods curse) to be unwilling to heare, or see, or know any thing by his parents, that may diminish that reverent opinion he ought to beare them in his heart. 3. Iudah was extreamely importunate to have his brother Benjamin back againe out of Egypt, upon this ground especially, Gen. 44.31. that else he should bring his fathers gray haires with sorrow to the grave, which he protesteth, verse 34. he could not endure to see. It should trouble a child, to do any thing that might grieve his parents and he is bound in conscience, to doe what he can, to keepe his parents from sorrow and griefe. 4 Though David complaine here of the corruption of nature, he received from his parents, yet yet did not that minish at all, his dutifull respect unto them, but in the time of his owne greatest distresses, he had alwaies a great care to relieve, and provide for them, as we shall see 1 Sam. 22.3. Let my father and my mother I pray thee (saith he to the King of Moab) come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me. Every child is bound to relieve and provide for his parents if they stand in need, and to account them worthy of double honour, even that way also. And no marvell, for children have received such benefits from their parents as by all the duty they can performe to them they are never able to requite. Let children (saith the Apostle, 1 Tim. 5.4.) learne first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God. Marke 1 kindnesse and bounty is to be shewed to our parents first before all others. 2 Hee calleth this piety, religion, a service done to God. 3. This is a chiefe good worke that God delighteth in. 4 This is but a requitall of the good, we have received from them. Yea certainely it is a requitall, farre short of the benefits we have received from them.
Let me shew you in a word or two the benefits that every one of you, have received from your parents, even you whose parents, have beene never so poore.
First, If thy parents be godly and religious, as through their meanes by nature thou didst inherit corruption, and wert made the child of wrath, so by their meanes through grace, thou shalt be sure to inherit a blessing, if the fault be not in thy selfe, it is thy patrimony, thou art borne to it, thou maist challenge it at the Lords hands; for thou hast his promise for it. Psal. 112.2. The generation of the upright shall be blessed. And Pro. 20.7. The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him. Psal. 103.17. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that feare him; and his righteousnesse unto childrens children. And this blessing that thou art borne to, by being the child of Godly parents, reacheth not onelyonly to temporall and outward things; according to that speech of David, Psal. 37.25. I have not seene the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging their bread. But even to those that are spirituall and eternall. And that not onelyonly in this respect, that by this meanes thou wert borne in the Church of God (which is no small priviledge, Psal. 87.4, 5.) and didst enjoy the meanes of saving grace, the Word and Sacraments (a high priviledge certainely, Rom. 3.2.) hadst the benefit of a religious education, of the prayers and good example of thy Christian parents (a meanes of great efficacy and power, Pro. 31.1, 2.) but in this respect principally, that by this meanes thou maist have more hope to obtaine saving grace and eternall life (if the fault be not in thy selfe and if thou apply thy selfe to the meanes of grace) then any other, even for this cause, because thou art the child of such parents as feare God. For thou hast the promise and covenant of God for this. Gen. 17.7. I will bee thy God, and the God of thy seed. And Esa. 44.3. I will poure my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thin off-spring. So as thou maist in thy prayers, put the Lord in mind of the promise, made to thy parents, and even make claime unto it as Moses did, Deut. 9.27. Remember thy servants Abraham, Isaac and Iacob, and looke not to the stubbornesse of this people. And Solomon, 2 Chron. 6.16. O Lord God of Israel keepe with thy servant David my father, that which thou hast promised him. And this is the benefit thou hast received from thy parents if they be godly.
But admit thy parents be not religious, yet doest thou receive that benefit by them, as thou canst never requite, with al the duty thou art able to do unto them. I speak not of their care and charge in nursing thee, and giving thee thy breeding and education (for it may be some parents have either beene unwilling or unable to do much that way; And yet I must tell you, to such children as have received this from their parents, even this is a great bond unto duty, as appeareth plainely, by that complaint the Lord maketh, Esa. 1.2. I have nourished, and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me) but this I say. 1. Thou hadst thy life and being from them, in this world, without which thou couldst never have come to eternall life, in the world to come; according to that of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 15.46. that was not first which is spirituall, but that which is naturall, and afterward that which is spirituall. That is the end, that God aimed at in giving us life, and breath, and all things (saith the Apostle, Acts 17.25, 27.) that we might seeke the Lord. 2. Thou hast from thy parents thy well being in this life. For as the blessing of well being, and living comfortably in this world, is promised to them especially that are dutifull to their parents; according to that Ephes. 6.2, 3. Honour thy father and mother: that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest live long on the earth; So hath God given power and authority to thy parents (how poore soever they be, yea though they have no grace, nor can pray for themselves) to blesse thee, that is to pronounce and bestow this blessing upon thee. And the blessing that they (from the comfort they receive by thy dutifull carriage towards them) shall give thee, God will ratifie in heaven; For so are the words of the fift commandement to be read, Exod. 20.12. Honour thy father and thy mother▪ that they may prolong thy daies, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
Now having thus prevented the abuse of this Doctrine, let us come to shew the right uses that it serveth unto; And those are two. 1. For humiliation. 2. For exhortation.
And the use of humiliation concerneth 1 all of us in generall;Vse 1. 2 such of us as are parents.
For the first, This Doctrine teacheth us, that none of us have cause to glory in or to be proud of our parentage and birth; we have much more cause of humiliation in it before God, then we have cause of boasting of it, before men. For 1. whatsoever we have received from our parents (be it precedency and esteeme in the world; or beauty and strength, and a good constitution of body; or wit and courage and a generous mind) all that is but momentany and of no continuance. 1 Pet. 1.24. All flesh is as grasse, and all the glory of man, is as the flower of grasse, the grasse withereth and the flower thereof sadeth away. 2. We have received (as wee have heard in this Doctrine) that contagion and corruption of nature from our parents (how noble soever they were) as maketh us base and vile in Gods eyes, and will make us miserable for ever, if we be not borne againe, verily verily (saith Christ to Nicodemus, Iohn 3.3. and that which he saith to Nicodemus, he saith to every soule that is heere) I say unto you, except a man be borne againe, he can never see the kingdome of God. If we get not a better birth, then we had from our parents, it may be said of us as it is said of Iudas, Matth. 26.24. It had beene good for us if we had never beene borne. 3. and lastly, The greatnesse of thy birth and parentage through thy corruption maketh thee more uncapable of grace and salvation, then other men are, that are not so nobly borne as thou art. You see your calling, brethren, (saith the Apostle, 1 Cor. 1.26. and surely so may we now) how that not many great men, not many noble are called. Even greatnesse of birth, and nobility is a bar oft-times to keepe men from salvation and life eternall; though (blessed be God) some great men are called, yet they are but few. O then the madnesse of them that rest, and glory in their first birth, in this that they were borne of such parents, and never seeke to be borne againe, to be borne of God. That receive honour one of another (as our Saviour speaketh, Ioh. 5.44, glory in the titles of Gentlemen, and Squires. &c.) and seeke not the honour, that commeth from God alone. Why what is that honour that commeth from God? Whom doth he account to be honourable? I answer 1. 1 Sam. 2.30. They that honour God them will God honour. 2. They that are Gods favourites, Esa. 43.4. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast beene honourable. 3. They that love the Word and obey it, Acts 17 11. They of Berea were more noble then they of Thessalonica in that they received the Word with all readinesse of mind.
Secondly, This Doctrine serveth for the humiliation of us that are parents, surely our childrens sins and the corruptions that break forth in their lives, their pride and stubbornesse, their profanesse and aversnesse from God, their drunkennesse and uncleannesse ought to be a cause of sorrow and humbling unto every one of us that are parents. A foolish son (saith Solomon, Pro. 10.1.) is the heavinesse of his mother; and 17.25. A foolish son is a griefe to his father, and bitternesse to her that bare him. Yea certainely it ought to be so, we should bewaile it before God. 1. In respect to our children themselves. For the root from whence all this their lewdnesse springeth, they had it from us. We were they that first infected and poisoned them. If any parents should see their child loathsomely consumed with the French disease which he had received from them in his birth, would it not (thinke you) be a matter of much shame and humbling to them to behold it? If any of us in the time of the great plague should (at unawares) have brought the infection into our house, and set it upon all our children would not this have beene a marvellous affliction unto us? And yet we have all done worse to our children then so; we have set upon them a farre worse more dangerous, more deadly infection (we know) then either the French disease, or the pestilence, They endanger but the body and this mortall life, these the soules of our children everlastingly. And shall not this then be a matter of shame and humbling before God? 2. In respect unto God. The Lord was angry with the Serpent and laid his curse upon it, because it was but an instrument used by Satan, for the corrupting of our first parents, though it were no cause at all of it, Gen. 3.14. And may not the Lord much more be angry with us, and lay his curse upon us, that have not onelyonly beene the instruments to convey this cursed poison and corruption of nature into our children, but the principall agents, and causes of it?