Meditations Upon Eight Psalms, Part 4
A meditation vponupon the 51. Pſalme.
O God, which haſt ſet before vsus in one and ſelfe ſame perſon of Dauid, a very maruaylous example of ſinne and repentance, and of thy compaſſions: giuegive mee vnderſtanding and good conſideration of his waylings, well to apply them to mine owne vſe and thy glorie. What is it then, that Dauid ſayth, beyng wakened by the voyce of thy Prophet Nathan?
O God, O God? And dareſt thou name this moſt ſacred name, thou miſchieuous mouth of ſo miſchieuous a man? hauing polluted thy ſelf with ſo many adulterous kiſſes, foule mouth, vndertakeſt thou to name it thou enemy of al vncleannes? Thou trayterous tongue agaynſt thy faithfull ſeruant Vriah, canſt thou pronounce this word, GOD, who is moſt true? Yee handes embrued with many murders, preſume you ſo farre as to followe that bolde tongue, heauing vp your ſelues towarde him, whome you hauehave ſo ſhamefully profaned? Thou heart, guiltie of the whole lawe broken at one blowe, art thou ſo hardie as to addreſſe thee to him, who hath already iudged thee? O king, ſo many wayes periured againſt him, that of a poore ſhepheardly boye, promoted thee aboue the throne of all this worldes monarches: Thou hypocrite towardes him, who hath performed formed thee infinitely more then euer hee promiſed thee: wretched man, which haſt trampled vnderunder feete the couenant of eternall life, to make an adultereſſe of a chaſte wife: vnhappie man, who haſt layd that moſt pretious name open to the blaſphemies of infidell nations: O thou ingrate, which haſt rendred to thy loyall ſeruant death for his wages: O thou vnworthy one, that, where thou owedſt to thy people all iuſtice, haſt ſhewed them the way to all miſchiefe: liueſt thou yet, ſpeakeſt thou yet? dareſt thou call vponupon thy God yet? Yea, my God, ſo great is thy patience, that it giues me heart againe, not to name thee by waye of complaynt againſt mine enemies, as in ſome other Pſalmes I hauehave done: but euen my ſelfe to bee mine owne accuſer and iudge againſt my ſelfe. In ſumme, what can he, or what wil he ſaye, who was once thy deare Dauid by thy more then moſt liberall bountie, but nowe is nothing like Dauid, through his owne more then moſt deteſtable ingratitude? In ſumme, I ſay, he ſayeth,1 HaueHave mercy vpō me, O God, according to thy louing kindneſſe: according to the multitude of thy compaſſions put away mine miquities. HaueHave pitie on me, O God of mercy: and what maner of pitie? True it is, Lorde, that thy mercy is alwayes infinite in it ſelfe, but ſuch is the multitude of my treſpaſſes, that ſurely me thinkes one onelyonly mercy woulde not bee ynough for mee: wherefore I beſeeche thee, vnfolde here all the ſtore of thy compaſſions, that I may feele them.
2 Waſh me throughly from mine iniquitie, & clenſe mee from my ſinne.2 Alas, I hauehave not nowe to treate for the wiping out of ſome petie blot, or prancke of youth: but my foule filthineſſes & pollutions be ſo vile, ſo ſtinking, ſo farre cankered within mee, euen to the very ſoule of my ſoule, that, although with one word thou canſt al things, yet doe I perſwade my ſelfe, that as I may ſaye, it is not with once fairely touching that this my blotte wil away, ſo great is my rebellion, but I muſt bee rubbed and rubbed againe, waſhed and rynſed, before I can bee cleanſed from ſo great and feſtered a pollution.
3 For I knowe mine iniquities, & my ſhine is euer before me.3 I diſſemble not, I ſet no gloſſe on the matter: I acknowledge mine iniquities, euen ſuch as they are: my wickedneſſe continually preſents it ſelfe before my poore ſpirite: me thinkes I doe euen ſtill ſee with mine eyes that poore woman bayning her ſelfe: mee thinkes I ſee Dauid troubled in ſpirit, and while he reſiſteth his conſcience, to receiue thine enemie and his owne into his boſome, yeelding himſelfe his willing captiue: mee thinkes I yet ſee thoſe, whome I did vſe in that buſineſſe, alack, too too obedient ſeruants were they to ſo euill a commandement: I ſee, woe is me, the filed and defiled bedde whereat once I imbraced both ſinne and death: I ſee thee thou diſloyall and murderous heart, and thou trayterous hand whereby thoſe two murderous letters, and that at ſeuerall times were written, not with ynke, but with the blood of that poore guyltleſſe ſeruant: I ſee the poore people, for whome thou oughteſt to hauehave layde forth thy life, nowe like a forlorne heape thruſt foorth to the enemies ſworde: I ſee thee, O my loyall ſeruant, ouerthrowen on the grounde, hathing thee in thy blood ſhedde in his ſeruice, that betrayed thee to death: I heare (as it were) a peale in mine eares of the horrible blaſphemies cōming from infidell mouthes, which I my ſelfe hauehave opened: I ſee that gaye marriage, vnderunder vayle whereof I weened to vayle my adulterie, diſcouering it yet in meane while euen by that very meane before thee, O Lorde, and before men. Ahlas, what can I perceyue in the leaſt of theſe foule crimes, but thy wrath, thy iudgement,4 Againſt thee, againſt thee onelyonly hauehave I ſinned, & done euil in thy ſight, that thou in apeſt be iuſt when thou ſpeakeſt, & pure when thou iudgeſt. death, and the nethermoſt hell.
4 For what get I hereby, that being the King, men dare arraygne or iudge mee according to the tenour of the lawe againſt blaſphemers, adulterers, and murderers? It is thou, and none other, with whome I hauehave to doe: for it is thou properly that I hauehave offended, before whoſe eyes and tribunall ſeate that is come to light, which I ſo carefully cloaked before men: neyther is to bee feared, leaſt I being thruſt downe to hell by thee, any man might rightfully ſaye, Thou haſt vnſpoken thy promiſes made to mee, or that thy worde were not aſſured: for, it is I that hauehave falſed my faith, and made my ſelfe moſt vnworthy of thy grace: yea verily, and for my condemnation, and thy iuſtification, what neede it come to reckoning vp of thoſe faults?
5 Beholde, I was borne in iniquitie, & in ſinne hath my mother conceiued me.5 From the moment, my God, of this poore creatures conception, euen already had coruption catched holde: from that time, I ſaye, that my mother hauing conceyued mee, did giuegive mee liuing heate in her wombe, vice was come within me, as the roote which ſithence hath brought foorth thoſe ſowre and venemous fruites,6 Behold, thou loueſt trueth in ye inward affections: therefore haſt thou taught me wiſedome in ye ſecrete of mine heart. in ſteade of that ſynceritie and puritie which thou requireſt not onelyonly outward, but to be reſident in the hidden ſpirite and heart: and yet there was no want in thee, O moſt good and gentle God, that this vntowardneſſe was not corrected, ſith thou taughteſt me thy wiſedome, and that not after a common cuſtomarie facion, but learning me apart, and making my ſpirite capable of thy moſt rare and exquiſite myſteries, ſuch as thou reuealeſt not to eueryevery one. Nowe then Lorde,7 Purge me with hyſſope, & I ſhalbe cleame: waſh me, & I ſhalbe whiter thē ſnowe. what is to be done?
7 Behold on the one ſide a thouſande maledictions, which I hauehave notably deſerued: on the other part an infinite deapth of thy mercies, whereof thou haſt giuen mee ſure pledges in thy lawe ſacrifices. For it is not in vayne, nor by mans inuention, that in ſolemne ſacrifices, blood is ſprinckled with hyſope. I hauehave bene wet therewith, O Lord, by chy commaundement, but returning to my foule vncleanneſſe, I am verely become leprous within: And therefore Lord, take that very hyſope, which is the ſacrament of the liuely power & force of that ſacrifice ſo long looked for, and waſh me with the true blood of Chriſt, which ſhalbe ſhedde in the ordayned time, for cleanſing of all iniquitie. Waſhe me, ſprinckle me, and rubbe me on all ſides with this hyſope & this blood, the alone very meane to doe away the loathſome and leprous blotte of ſinne: ſo ſhall I become neate and white as ſnowe, whereas nowe I am thus vile and ſtinking before thee and the world.
8 Make me to heare ioy and gladneſſe, that the bones, which thou haſt broken, may reioyce.8 Alacke, you ſo many delights and heauenly contentments, which were wont to reioyce my conſcience, cauſing me to finde reſt in the middeſt of all dolours, where are you nowe? O Lord, reſtore them to me, making me to heare thy voyce of abſolution for my ſinnes, comforting my poore conſcience mortally wounded, and ſoundly ſetting together and knitting my bones, which are broken all to ſhiuers.
9 Hide thy face from my ſinnes, and put away all mine iniquities.9 My God, turne away that eye and looke which is ſo terrible and inſupportable, when thou wilt conſider ſinnes, and chiefely my ſinnes ſo great and ſo many: Rather wipe them away Lorde, let not one of them remayne, ſo as they may neuer come in accompt before thee.
10 Create in me a cleane heart, O God, and10 Lord, thou haddeſt once by thy ſingular bountie changed mee and renewed me by the great and onelyonly grace of thy ſpirite, hauing framed mine vnderſtanding to know thee, my iudgement to approue thee, my will to louelove thee, and to take pleaſure in thy commaundementes ſo pure & holy: At once, thou haddeſt made me a newe creature. But into what darkeneſſe hauehave I turned this light? I hauehave marred all, I hauehave deſtroyed and ouerturned all, and therefore, O God, beginne againe as it were anewe thy worke: be the creator of this inwarde man nowe the ſecond time,renue a right ſpirit within me. ſpreading forth thy force ſuch as may pearce to the bottome of me, that thou mayeſt forme in me (as it were) a newe ſoule, deteſting all ſinne, giuen to whatſoeuer is good and right.
11 Caſt me not away from thy preſence, & take not thine holy Spirite from me.11 I wote well, I am altogether vnworthie that thou ſhouldeſt lay any hand againe to me: but, my God, reiect me not, neither depriue mee of all that feeling which thou haddeſt once giuen me, and whereof thou dideſt neuer as yet wholy bereaue me. For I know and beleeue my ſelfe to bee of the nomber of thoſe whome thou wilt not looſe, though I hauehave deſerued to be quite cut off.
12 Reſtore to me the ioy of thy ſaluation, & ſtabliſh me with thy free Spirit12 Rather my God, in ſteade of taking quite from mee all that reſidue which thy goodneſſe hath yet left mee, reſtore mee that againe, whereof my ſinnes hauehave ſpoyled me, and ſettle mee once more in the aſſurance of my ſaluation, that moſt vnſpeakeable pleaſure and ioye which thou beſtoweſt vponupon thy children.
13 Then ſhall I teache thy wapes vntounto the wicked,13 Nowe for ſo much as thou haſt layde on my ſhoulders this ſo weightie, and withall ſo honourable a charge of gouerning thy people, may it pleaſe thee henceforth to impart me of thy ſtrēgth, and thoſe ſpeciall graces neceſſary to ſuch a calling, wherein is requiſite that I hauehave wiſedome, ſkill, high courage and conſtancie, and generally eueryevery other vertue, not alone for mine owne vſe, but alſo for the conduct of this folke committed to mee.and ſinners ſhalbe conuerred vntounto thee. 14 Deliuer me from blood, O god, which art ye God of my ſa'nation, & my tongue ſhall ſing iofyully of thy righteouſneſſe. Then in ſteade of ſuch lewde examples I hauehave giuen, I ſhall not ſpare to ſhewe foorth both in deede and worde the right way to others, and ſhalbe thine inſtrument to fetch home to thee thoſe that runne riote the furtheſt out.
14 O God, O God, who onelyonly canſt and wilt deliuer out of the bondes of ſinne and death, hauehave pitie on this murderer embrued with innocent blood, and guyltie of a thouſand deaths, and vouchſafe this mouth the grace to ſing howe true thou art in thy promiſes.
15 Open thou my lippes, O Lord, & my mouth ſhal ſhewe forth thy praiſe.15 Oh, that thy mercy, Lorde, woulde open this mouth which my ſinnes hauehave ſhut vponupon me: for what hauehave ſinners to doe to ſpeake of thee? But remooue this ſtoppe, and then not hauing any other meane to recogniſe ſo great a benefite, but ſuch as can adde nothing to thee, who art in thy ſelfe abſolutely perfect, to wit, the ſacrifice of thankeſgiuing,16 For thou deſireſt no ſacrifice, though I would giuegive it: thou deliteſt not in burnt offring. I ſhall prayſe thee with full mouth, according as thou haſt giuen me maruailous great occaſion.
16 For as to thoſe ſacrifices which ſmoke vponupon thine altar, Lord, it is not in them, where thou wilt hauehave vsus ſtaye: There muſt be another maner of oblation to appeaſe thine ire, and a price of better value for my ranſome, yea theſe my faultes being not of the nomber of thoſe, for which thou haſt ordayned thoſe ordinarie ſacrifices. It is thou, Lorde, which muſt prouide that price in thy good ſeaſon, wherunto alone I holde me confidently, offering thee yet in meane while that ſelfe ſame thing,17 The ſacrifices of God are a contrite ſpirit: a cō trite and a broken heart, O God, thou wilt not deſpiſe. which thou haſt giuen mee, and the which I knowe thou of thy grace doeſt not reiect, but doeſt rather receiue it in ſo good part, as without it all outwarde ſeruice diſpleaſeth thee, to witte, a ſpirite throughly humbled by ſenſe of ſinne, an heart contrite, brayed, and grounde with apprehenſion of thy iuſt iudgements.
18 Be ſauourable vntounto Zion for thy good pleaſure: build the walles of Ieruſalem.18 What more my God? wilt thou for this indignation which thou haſt cōceyued againſt my miſdeedes, that this worke which I hauehave begunne by thine ordinance, ſhould remayne vnfiniſhed? Shall thine owne mountaine of Sion, thy holy dwelling Ieruſalem bee left thus vnperfect, becauſe Dauid made himſelfe vnworthy to laye to his ſo foule handes? No, Lorde, thy good pleaſure can not bee of that minde. This buylding was ordayned of thee, becauſe thou ſo wouldeſt:19 Then ſhalt thou accept the ſacrifices of righteouſneſſe, euen the burnt offring and oblation: then ſhall they offer talues vpō thine altar. alſo Lord, thou ſhalt finiſhe it, as in trueth it is thy worke, and not of men.
19 Then both I, who hauehave thus groſſely fayled, and my people whome thou haſt chaſtiſed by taking thy Spirite from their king, ſhall all ſee the effect of thy mercy, that is to ſaye, thy ſeruice well and rightly ſet vp, the oblations made as appertayneth, the altars ſmoking according to the rule by thee ordayned, euen a moſt certaine teſtimonie of that fauour which thou ſhalt hauehave ſhewed to thy poore ſeruant Dauid, and to thy people. Amen.