Samuels Encounter with Saul, Doctrine 22
Doct. 22. Few ſuch men to bee found, as may be beleeued vponupon on their word.
Now followeth the ſecond, to wit, how hee was brought to it, & that was by the Lord himſelfe; It was hee that wrung this confeſſion from Saul, and to make him ſee his ſinne, whereby, this he brought to paſſe, that hee made Saul eat his owne word, by confeſſing his fault; yea, euen that which hee had ſo ſtiffely defended to bee no fault at all, as wee hauehave heard. But is it credible will ſome ſay, that when he had boldly, and openly, and oſt times denyed, that hee had diſpleaſed God, in that with which he was charged, that hee could bee brought to confeſſe the contrary? might it be thought, that hee could beare ſuch ſhame and reproch, being ſo great a perſon, when a mean and inferiour body would hardly hauehave gone vnderunder it? what ſhall we then ſay if hee came to confeſſe it, (as it is cleare he did) but this, whom may a man beleeue, when he ſpeaketh good words? as Saul did heere: whom, if thouſands had heard him, they would hauehave thought he had anſwered a moſt ſound truth vntounto the Prophe….
Indeed I muſt needs ſay,Eſ…i…lly … of … cred…, &c. that this and ſuch like examples doe teach, that there is much falſhood and deceit, in mans heart, and that further then wee hauehave proofe and experience of mens truth and ſincerity, in good conſcience keeping: wee ought not to bee too credulous, nor too ready to beleeue them in their owne caſe, when they pretend to tell a truth, and goe about to cleare themſelues from accuſation. And moſt of all, if it bee in a matter concerning their profit or pleaſure, aſwell as their credit. For, men will lye moſt groſſely, to enrich themſelues, and to ſeeke their pleaſure and eſtimation; and therfore, when theſe bee in ieopardy, and cannot be vpholden, but by a lye, he is a rare man, which in ſuch a caſe will not ſtraine his conſcience; yea, and go directly againſt it, both ſecretly in doing, and openly in defending euill. Such a ſway ſinne beareth in a man, and ſo deare it is to him, that nothing can ſeperate them two, but death; they are ſworne friends, and euen as two twins, which goe together, and grow together, ſo that hurt one, and hurt both; greene one, and greeue both; ſo that Ruth was not ſo neerly knit to Naomi, her mother in law, as theſe, when ſhee ſayd,Ruth 1. God doe ſo and ſo to mee, if any thing but death ſeperate vsus twaine.
Now therfore,2. they being thus faſt knit and linked together, they doe as it were, ſweare each to other (euen like a band of theeues together) that they will neuer bewray one another. And hereby it doth come to paſſe, that when men hauehave ſinned greeuouſly, and are brouhgt forth by moſt cleer and euident witneſſes, to ſhame and puniſhment; yet hardly, and with much ado, will they bee made to confeſſe it, whereby they cauſe many to thinke them innocent, and falſely charged. And yet to the bewraying of ſuch, and bringing them forth to their ſhame, and that the iuſt and vpright, who come againſt them, may bee iuſtified, God doth oft times himſelfe (when there is no other way to be wray them) bring their wickedneſſe to light, or force them to confeſſe their guiltineſſe at length, euen as wee ſee it came to paſſe here in Saul, and daily doth and hath done in ſundry other. But the Deuill holdeth them at this point, as long as hee can, in the hiding or denying of the ſame, till a ſtronger then hee, whom they are not able to reſiſt, conſtraineth them to ſay, wee hauehave ſinned.
And thus it was with Saul, God is in the conſcience of hypocrites, forcing them to betray themſelues.the Lord would hauehave the ſecrets of his heart diſcloſed, who had ſo long and ſtiffely denyed his ſin. And therefore hee would bring him to confeſſion of it, though to no benefit of his owne; yet for the inſtruction of his Church, to the worlds end: It was neither wrung from him by force (for what man might conſtraine him) neither was he brought to it by flattery (for hee that dea…t with him to confeſſe, was Samuel, the Lords faithfull Prophet) no, neither did the moſt weighty conuincing him by the ſame Prophet, preuaile with him, nor perſwade him to repentance, nor ſo much as to knowledge his ſin, for that he had done in the verſes going before: but Saul waſhed off all, as wee hauehave heard. But the Lord drew him into it by ſtrong hand, whom he could not reſiſt nor withſtand.
And though the telling him of loſing his kingdome went neere him; and it is certaine, that he would hauehave done very much, to hauehave kept and retained it, and hee was more moued with the hearing of that word, then all that concerned the ſauing of his ſoule. Yet what was his confeſſion able to doe, toward the preſeruing of his kingdome, which hee knew wel enough. It was the Lord therefore that drew him to confeſſe. And it may teach vsus, that God who doth wonderfull things, hee alſo forceth lyars, diſſemblers, and ſuch as none can wring from them, the leaſt acknowledgement of ſinne, which yet is well known, that they are guilty of it, and do (with tooth and nayle (as they ſay) denie it, yet after all this, the Lord will make, euen themſelues to bring it to light, & confeſſe it.
And this he doth for theſe endes.Reaſons 1. Firſt that all may knowe how bad and vile the heart of man is, and how ſtiffe, wilfull and ſubtill it is, yea, and hardned, which would not eaſily be beleeued, except the Lord ſhould by ſome meanes bewray it, no other being more auailable heereto, then the parties owne confeſſion, which is more then many witneſſes.
Secondly,2. the Lord doth it to this end, that we ſhould not hide, denie, or extenuate our ſinnes when we are conuicted of them, or when we ought freely to confeſſe them, for by ſo doing wee ſhall encreaſe our ſinne, and either be forced afterwards with the more ſhame to confeſſe it, as Saul heere did, or be preſſed with the load and burthen of it (when God ſhall viſite vsus) to hardnes of hart and deſpaire.
Thirdly,3 that wee ſhould not be too light of credit to beleeue men vponupon their bare word, no, although they be earneſt therein, for they may (for all that) euen themſelues auouch the contrary.
Laſtly,4. to this end God will thus drawe men to confeſſion, to feare vsus from bold denialls of the truth, and to teach vsus to rule our hearts, & gouerne our liues in ſuch good manner, that he bee not driuen to ſuch vnwelcome arreſtings of vsus.
To this end I thinke it not amiſſe,A remarkable inſtance of this doct. to tell you of a report which a graue Preacher vttered in the Pulpit, and it was this. There was a man who had committed a fearefull murther. Hee was conuicted thereof by the Law, he vtterly denyed it: he was vrged by his friendes to confeſſe it, but in no wiſe would be brought to it: the Preacher tooke him in hand, but he would not acknowledge it, he was brought to the place of execution, and there he was much laboured with to acknowledge it, but for all this, hee would yeeld no whit. What of all this, ye will aske, or to what end is this example alleadged? I anſwere to very great, for when all hope was paſt, and hee was caſting downe from the ladder, hee claſped his hands about the gallowes, and cryed out ſaying, it was I that committed the murther. It is therefore to bee feared, that at the death God will force ſuch men to confeſſe, (to their woe) that which in their health and proſperitie they would neuer be brought to. We read of Achan, Ioſhua. 7. 21a man of the moſt honourable tribe of Iuda,Other examples. that when Iericho was taken, and commandement was giuen, that no man ſhould take to his priuate vſe the execrable things (which were found in the ſpoile, vponupon perrill of death; yet hee ſeeing therein a goodly Babiloniſh garment, of great price, and 200. ſhekles of ſiluer, and a wedge of gold, coueted them and tooke them: And when he ſaw that moſt ſolemne inquirie was made (by the Lords commandement) for him that had committed the treſpaſſe through all the tribes and families of Iudah: ſo that hee ſawe hee muſt needes be found out, yet he keepes his ſinne cloſe, and goes for an honeſt man, (as he was of good wealth and reputation among the people) and was thought no worſe nor otherwiſe of, then other his neighbours were, vntill he was bewrayed, and detected in the ſcrutiny, and ſearch which the Lord commanded to bee made for the treſpaſſers by lotte. But to paſſe to another: when Gehazai the ſeruant of the Prophet Eliſha, had ſeene great offers made to his maſter, of ſiluer and gold by Naaman the Syrian, for healing him of his leproſie, and that his maſter had refuſed them, we read that he went after the noble man, when he was departed from the Prophet, and by a lying ſpeach, got of him two tallents of ſiluer, and two change of garments, and when he came as at other times, to ſtand before his maſter, and to miniſter to him, and he had ſaid to him, whence commeſt thou Gebazai? 2 King. 5. 25did hee confeſſe it? nay: but with a bold lie couered the fact, ſlightly anſwering, thy ſeruant went no whether, meaning hee was but where he ſhould be, that is about his buſines: Who would hauehave ſaid, that ſuch an one, being ſeruant of ſo holy a man of God, would hauehave wrought ſuch villanie, and hauehave cloaked it ſo craftily as he had done, and ſtill would hauehave done, if the Lord had not bewrayed him to his maſter? So ſweete is mans ſinne, and ſo couertly it will winde in with them that euen the wiſe may bee deceiued in iudging of them, and would not thinke ſo hardly of them, as they giuegive occaſion: Which our Sauiour knowing,Ioh. 2. namely, what depth of ſubtiltie and hollownes was in mens hearts, did not commit himſelfe to many, though ſuch as ſeeing his miracles, did make ſhew that they beleeued in him; and becauſe God hath made vsus acquainted with ſuch a truth, that there is much falſhood and deceite in the heart, euen 7. abhominacions as Salomon ſaith.
The vſe heerof is,Vſe. 1. that wee euer hauehave our hearts in iealouſie, ſuſpect and feare them, yea, ſearch them thorowly and and proue them, yea, in the things which wee louelove beſt, that wee bee not found guilty of any treacherie,Note. and vnfaithfull dealing before God, but that our innocency and integritie, may alwaies be found to abide with, and accompany vsus, and that whatſoeuer the wicked world delight to iudge of vsus, yet they may not hauehave, no not ſo much as any ſhew of matter, iuſtly to conuict vsus of: that ſo we may hauehave that ſweete and pretious libertie to reioyce in, which the Prophet maketh ſo great reckning of, when hee ſaith, heereby I know that thou loueſt me,Pſal. 41. 12. becauſe mine enemie doth not triumph ouer mee, but thou holdeſt mee in mine integritie.
Alſo this ſhould teach vsus,Vſe.2. that we ſhould not be ouer haſtie, to iudge and determine of mens eſtates, no although wee ſee ſome good tokens in them, by embracing the tydings of the goſpell, more readily & cheerefully then the common ſort doe, till we hauehave experience and proofe of their ſyncerity and faithfulnes: for eueryevery faire countenance to it, and to the profeſſors of it, in the time of peace, is no ſufficient teſtimony for vsus to iudge of their vprightnes; yet neither is it my meaning to condemne or iudge hardly of them, whoſe hearts we know not, neither can gage: but as charitie is not ſuſpicious but hopeth well, euen ſo to iudge and ſpeake of them: much leſſe is it meete for vsus to perſwade our ſelues, that ſuch as hauehave no care in them, but a ſhew of godlines, by worſhipping of God with vsus publiquely, are to bee taken for faithfull chriſtians, eſpecially when we ſee, with our liuing with them, that they deny the power of godlines, to rule in their words and actions:Note. and yet I ſay not of thoſe that bee ſuch, that we are to giuegive any finall ſentence vponupon them, ſeeing the Lord changeth when and whome he will.
And further,Vſe. 3. let vsus marke that wee ſhould not feare euer the more, if we walke in innocency, though wicked men bee ſecure, bold, and iuſtifie their badliues, ſometime ſhameleſly, as though they would make vsus beleeue that God allowed of their courſe, and vtterly condemned ours: for ſo it might ſeemeſomtime, when wee ſee them proſper, and our ſelues vnderunder the croſſe, euen as the godly Prophet himſelfe was troubled with this temptation, that, hee did in vaine clenſe his heart and waſh his hands in innocencie when he ſaw them merrieſt,Pſal. 73. 3. who liued moſt ſecurely and worſt.
But this example of Saul and ſuch like, doe free vsus from ſuch feare. For they muſt come to confeſſe, that all the iollity of theirs was but froth, and that they highly diſpleaſed God, in the middeſt of their ſecurity, & therefore had more cauſe to houle: yea, all ſuch glory of theirs muſt bee to their ſhame: and they muſt vomit vp their ſweet morſells: And as the Pſalmiſt faith, fret not at the vngodly whoſe wayes doth proſper, Pſal. 37. 1.for ſodainely they ſhall come to a fearefull end: So I ſay: feare not to ſee them bold in euill, as though they could make it good in the end, for aſſuredly the time muſt come, when they muſt wiſh that they had neuer done it, and confeſſe that therein eſpecially they ſinned, in which they moſt gloried: and if it be ſo, then we may well ſay with the Apoſtle, what fruite had yee in thoſe things whereof yee are now aſhamed? Romans. 6.It is the part of a wiſe man, to beginne with ſome hardnes, that he may afterwards enioy more eaſe; and our Sauiour ſo teacheth his, that they muſt weepe and lament, Iob. 16. 20.but their mourning ſhall bee turned into ioy: Whereas the fooliſh world doth contrarily, for it reioyceth in ſtollen and vnlawfull liberties, which cannot hold long: and when they hauehave done; and would faine cloake them, they muſt goe to howling, ſorrow and ſhame, for committing them: And it commeth the hardlier vponupon them, and is more vnwelcome to them, becauſe they accuſtoming themſelues to pleaſure and eaſe, they looked for no breaking it of, nor for any change. And what other cheere did our forefathers finde in the booke of Iudges, in all their caſting of the Lords gouernment and ſeruice, but crying? The which what wiſe men would hauehave ſought and procured it to themſelues, eſpecially when it muſt bee continuall, as the moſt is in ſuch a caſe, becauſe eueryevery one cannot crie to repent, and therfore muſt cry in deſpaire and impenitencie.
And becauſe I thinke this thinke this point is ſufficiently ſeene into,The godly hauehave ſmall cauſe to long after the wickeds deynties. I will ſhut it vp, concluding vponupon this that hath been ſaid, and vp on like experience, that for my part it little moues me to ſee men walke after their owne deſires, and to be (as they ſay) at their owne hand, to be lawleſſe as it were, ſinning with pride and contempt of reproofe, and admonition, and to pleaſe themſelues in that which is euill. I ſay, it little moueth me to thinke them the only happie people, who liue in a manner as they luft, and ſet themſelues a ſtint how farre, and beyond which they will not goe in ſeruing God: I lament the eſtate of all ſuch, as looke after no ſerious and true worſhipping of him; more particularly, the ſloth, pride, and prophanenes of many in the miniſtrie: the little regarding of Gods matters, and ſetting vp of his honour, and magnifying the goſpell as they may: in many of them who hauehave rule ouer other, how little care they hauehave to rule themſelues? (though no time be too much to look after their own profit, pleaſure and preferment) and in all ſorts of people how prepoſterouſly they goe to worke, ſetting earth before heauen, darkeneſſe before light, louing their fooliſh delights more then God, and hauing a ſhew of godlines, yet denie the power thereof, and are ſtrangers from the life of God, I ſee their ſorrow and woe not ſarre of; Oh that I could perſwade them, that which I knowe; and that mine eies were a fountaine of teares, that I could weepe bitterly, for the deſolation that ſhall come on them. for let them ſay as long as they will with Saul; wee in thus liuing, doe pleaſe God and obey him, they ſhall (as little as they thinke it) confeſſe with Saul, that euen therein they hauehave ſinned; and thereby vndone themſelues.
A queſtion whether Saul repented.
VERSE. 24. & 25.
And Saul ſaid vntounto Samuel, I hauehave ſinned: for I hauehave tranſgreſſed the commandemen of the LORD, and thy wordes; becauſe I feared the people, and obeyed their voyce.
Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my ſinne, and turne againe with me, that I may worſhip the LORD.
TWO of the foure things hauehave beene ſpoken of, the third followes.
Therefore to paſſe to the third of the foure points, touching Sauls confeſſion, whether hee alſo repented. As the Diſciples ſaid of Lazarus to Ieſus, Lord if hee ſleepe he ſhall doe well: ſo ſay ſome of Saul, if hee bee come to confeſſe his ſinne, he ſhall doe well: conſidering how farre of hee was from it, and how hardly he was brought to it. Anſwere. To whom I anſwere, alas, that action was violent, and wrung from him for the loſſe of his kingdome, as may bee thought: it was not free and vnfeined (no more then Iudaſſes confeſſion). … nor he conſtant in it, and therefore it was far from being a fruite of repentance.
But ſeeing the cauſe muſt firſt be reaſoned of, before it be concluded▪ I will firſt ſay on both ſides ſomewhat; I meane what likelyhood of repentance was in Saul: and on the other ſide, what may be brought forth and ſaid againſt it, wherupon the truth will ſoone appeare.
That which may moſt probably be ſaid for it, that I can ſee or finde, is this. Firſt, that this confeſſion of ſinne was not only in generall, but alſo particular, and of that very ſin with which he was charged, and which he had before denyed. For if it had beene but generall, it might hauehave ſeemed to bee leſſe regarded. And as hee did it particularly, ſo it was that, wherein he had moſt offended. Secondly, this may be ſaid for ſome likelihood of his repentance, that hee did after this, call Samuell to goe with him to worſhippe God, and deſired him to pray for him.
But theſe were very weake proofes, as ſhall eaſily appeare by them, that ſhall be brought on the contrarie, and by that which ſhall further bee ſaid of them. For concerning his confeſſion, it was no better then Iudaſſes,Mat. 27. 4. which was alſo of a particular ſin, and that which moſt concerned him, as may bee ſeene by his words, when he ſaid, I hauehave ſinned in betraying the innocent blood: and it was nothing like Dauids in ſoundnes, who yet did confeſſe, but generally, ſaying, I hauehave ſinned. Indeed for the outward manner of Sauls confeſſion layd forth in words,2 Sam. 12. 1… there can no ecception be made againſt it: And I graunt that there was no more to be ſeene in the confeſſion of the people of Iſraell,2 Sam. 12. whereby they teſtified their true repentance. But we muſt know that repentance is neuer in the ſcripture, neither ought of vsus to be meaſured by the outward confeſſion only, but by the vprightnes of heart; lamenting after God, who hath beene ſo ſore prouoked, and by the vnfained faith of the partie, and by the renouncing and forſaking of ſinne.
Theſe graces muſt bee found to accompany confeſſion,Note. ſo that it may bee ſound and good, and without them it is nothing worth: and Sauls being voyd of theſe, was in no wiſe to be taken for a true note of repentance. And that theſe muſt go with confeſſion, is to be ſeene in many places of ſcripture. For Dauids confeſſion, that it came both from faith and repentance, is cleere by Nathans words, ſaying to him, vponupon his confeſſion made, the Lord hath forgiuen thee thy ſinne: which is neuer obtained without them. And ſo Salomon ſaith:Prou. 28. hee that confeſſeth and forſaketh his ſinne (which is done of none, but of him who beleeueth it to bee forgiuen him) hee ſhall finde merciemercy. And therefore Sauls confeſſion, not going with the forſaking of his ſinne (for hee waxed worſe after it) neither comming from faith, which muſt hauehave gone before both, I conclude, that it was voyd of repentance. And for his worſhipping of God which is the other thing alleadged to proue it, ſeeing hee grew worſe after it, let all iudge as they ought, and they ſhall finde that as weake, to witneſſe ſo weighty a matter, as his confeſſion doth, for what change was in him after (except from euill to worſe) or what ſigne all that preſent time, or afterward that his heart relented, and melted for diſpleaſing God? without the which, all the reſt was but as the morning dewe, which is ſoone licked away with the heate of the Sunne: Indeede hee ſaid, I hauehave ſinned, yea, and to Samuel pray for me to the Lord, that hee would forgiue my ſin; and againe: returne with me that I may worſhip the Lord: but what of all this? Did he not ſhewe himſelfe to be the ſame he was before?
But to ſay any more of Sauls ſinne, ſeeing it is manifeſt in the ſtorie following, and I ſhall hauehave occaſion in my text to ſay enough of it, I will not trouble the reader with needleſſe repetitions, but referre him thither.
And thus much of the third point of the foure, whether Saul in confeſſing his ſinne, repented alſo.
From which diſcourſe,Vſe of this diſcourſe. yet let this bee learned, that many Proteſtants in our dayes, come far behind Saul in his confeſſion: for hee made it particularly, and of that ſinne which was moſt brought againſt him of all other, by Samuel: but thoſe, of whom I ſpeake, make either no confeſſion, or in generall onelyonly, as that wee are all ſinners; or if of particulars, they ſhall bee ſuch as concerne them not: as if a worldly man ſhould pray againſt pride and drunkenneſſe, or when they ſay the Confeſſion in the Church after the Miniſter, neuer marking what they ſay: and the beſt of them doe but as he did, that is, confeſſe particularly without repentance. And thoſe that practiſe theſe manners of confeſſion, are many thouſands. Theſe come behinde Saul in their confeſſion, as they may eaſily ſee.
But to goe a little further: let the beſt looke that they hauehave better proofes of their good eſtate and welfare to God-ward, then the confeſſing of their ſinnes, how particularly ſoeuer they bee made: for, they are no good euidences thereof. Yea, and not onelyonly ſo, but let them as well beware, that other ſhewes of godlineſſe (as weeping for ſinne ſomtime) doe not deceiue them, or any other common gifts of the Spirit, as to be ſometime well moued at a Sermon, for none of them can witneſſe their aſſurance, or be ſound and cleere proofes to them of their ſaluation.
And therefore let other weake Chriſtians take heed, that they bee not offended, neither take occaſion to depart from their good beginnings in their profeſſion, when they ſhall ſee ſuch, who are of good hope, to go away from the good that ſeemed to bee in them: neither let them faint and ſay, oh they ſhall neuer hold out to the end, ſeeing ſuch as they, are thought to be farre before them, are fallen away and reuolted. Finally, let vsus ſeeke out better and ſurer proofes of our repentance, and true turning to God, then confeſſing of ſinne onelyonly, and calling on God, as thoſe: that we may cleere our conſciences before God and men, and that wee depart from iniquity, and bee not tainted or branded with any kinde thereof, willingly.