Exposition on the Seven Psalms of Repentance, Psalm 32 · Verse 3
VERSE 3. When I helde my tongue, my bones conſumed, or when I roared all the day.
The ſecond part of the Pſalme.YEe hauehave heard the Propoſition of the Pſalme, concerning the true happines of man conſiſting in the remiſſion of his ſinnes, now followeth the confirmation thereof by his owne example, which is the ſecond part of the Pſalme, wherein he ſetteth downe himſelfe in two eſtates: one before confeſſion, moſt miſerable, and as it were vponupon the racke of Gods iuſtice, inwardly and outwardly tormented, the other after conuerſion and confeſſion, that the Lord toke away not onelyonly his ſinne, but alſo the puniſhment thereof, this is the diviſion and ſome of theſe three verſes following: firſt Dauid propoundes himſelfe to be an example to vsus, that we may learne to put difference betwixt an obſtinate ſinner, and a peintent ſinner, for our hardneſſe of heart breedeth vntounto vsus infinite diſcontentments and miſeries, which vnfained repentance doth remoue, and whereof by it we are eaſed. He putteth himſelfe to be an example, For when I concealed my ſinnes (ſaith he) I was tormented with innumerable dolours: but when I reuealed it, then I got eaſe.
Particular benefits. ſhould redound to the good of the whole Church.Simil: By this wee ſhould learne, that the particular benefits beſtowed vponupon any member of the Church, ſhould redounde to the common vtilitie of all the body as they who being conualeſced from any deadly ſickeneſſe, or (to ſpeake with Nazianzen) to thoſe who are affected with the ſame diſeaſe, as the Poet ſayth Handignara mali, miſeris ſuaurrere diſce.
But firſt we muſt conſider who he is that feſſeth himſelfe to doe cure to our diſeaſe, it is Dauid a King and Prophet, and yet hee becommeth a Phyſitian to apply fomentations to our ſickneſſe And that which is more to be admired, that hee may make vsus more readie to receaue remedy, he preſenteth the cicatrices and marks of his wounds.
Satan who teacheth men to ſin furniſheth him with cloakes to couer it.[And when I helde my tongue.] The ſilence of Dauid letreth vsus ſee the craft of Satan, who doth not ſooner allure vsus to ſinne, as he preſenteth to vsus excuſes by which wee may couer our ſinne, as figgetree-leafe to hide our nakedneſſe; ſometime he biddeth vsus deny, ſometime extenuate, ſometime defend our ſinne, and thus the couer is worſe then the ſinne. He taught Dauid three engines to couer his adulterie,Three wayes wher by Dauid thought to couer his ſinne. 2 Sam: 7 8.13.15. firſt hee ſent for Vriah, thinking that he would have lien with his wife: then hee cauſed him for the ſame end to be make drunken, and thirdly to be put in the front of the battle to be ſlaine, but the more he ſtudied to obſcure and hid that ſin, the more the Lord did to reueale it. See what a thing it is for a man to obſcure himſelfe to God, as though he ſaw him not, but the more he ſtudieth to obſcure it, the more the Lord will manifeſt it.
[My bones conſumed:] Doctr. Yee ſee by this how God ſporteth not at the ſinnes of his elect,God winketh not at the ſinnes of his children. but outwardly doth deale with them more hardly and chaſtiſe them more rigorouſly, then hee doth the reprobate. His paines were partly externall, partly internall, his externall paines, I call thoſe that were caſlen on his body, this internall vponupon his conſcience. And in the body there are torments and vexations, ſeaſing ſometimes on the fleſh, which is leſſe painfull, ſometimes on the bones, which are more grieuous, yea almoſt intollerable as experience, teacheth and this is Gods iuſt recompence, when we beſtow our ſtrength on ſinne, God abateth it, and ſo weakeneth vsus,Iudg. 16. Samſon ſpent his ſtrength on Daliah, and yee ſee to what weakeneſſe hee was brought. Let vsus therefore learne that God hath giuen vsus bones, and the ſtrength thereof for another vſe, that is to ſerue him, and to waſte and be prodigall of them in the Diuels ſeruice.
[Or when I roared:] By this hee would ſignifie, that this prayers ſo long as they were not mixed with faith and repentance, were no better then roaring, that is then the crying of any brutiſh and vnteaſonable creature, for this is a Metaphor, taken from Lyons caught in a ſnare, as appeareth in the third of Amos, where there is a ſeene difference betweene the faithfulls prayers,A difference of prayers proceeding from faith, and no faith and the faithleſſe, the ſacrifice of the one is kindled from heauen, and when hee powreth forth his ſpirit hee eaſeth his heart. But with the Hypocrite in the day of viſitation it fareth, as with a beaſt that is ſticked or haled with ropes, which with roarings and ſtrugling ſtraines it ſelfe, and with brutiſh raging doubleth the paine. There is no doubt, but when affliction lighteth vponupon men who are tainted with hypocriſie, the aire is beaten with many ſuch roarings, and men flutter like birds in the net when God hath caught them. Simil. But all theſe ſenſeleſſe prayers auaile them no more, then if an Oxe ſhould breake out of the ſlaughterhouſe, with the rope tyed about his horne, and his tongue hanging out with much madneſſe, hauing receiued a knocke with the Axe. Where by the contrary, great is the excellencie of faithfull prayers,Apoc. 8.3. yea the Angel doth aſcend vp in the ſmooke of this Sacrifice, whereas men who cannot confeſſe their ſinne:Note. rage and roare deſperatly. Yet let vsus not thinke, but that the children of God are oftentimes brought ſo low,Math. 26. that they are not able to vtter perfect prayers with their lippes, but abruptly vtter halfe words to God, as Chriſt himſelfe did in the Garden, and vponupon the Croſſe.Iſa. 38.14. And Hezekiah chattered like a Swallow, & mourned like a Doue, for it is well ſayd, Graues curoe tacent, leues loquutur. Weight… cares are ſilent, and little ſpeake. Gods children doe find a combate in all their prayers, Simil. as wee ſee greene wood ſmoaking long before it take fire. Wee are therefore to put a difference betweene this and roaring, becauſe afflictions come ſo thicke vponupon Gods children, that ſcarce they can get licence to ſwallow their ſpittle,Iob. 7.19. albeit in the meane time they hauehave a ſweere ſenſe of Gods grace, and God putteth his owne arme betweene them and the graue, that they ſhould not bruiſe themſelues with any fall.
Sinne maketh men both in their actions and paſſions like beaſts,Sinne maketh men like beaſts. and therefore if we deſire not to roare with them, let vsus not follow beaſtly pleaſures.
Sinne touch…th him at the heart.Moreoure he letteth vsus ſee how neerely, yea at the verie heart hee was touched for ſinne, many ſeeme to be dolor…us and lament for their ſinne, but oftentimes it commeth to paſſe that their tongue only lament and their teares (as we hauehave in a Prouerb) ſoone drieth vp.
[All the day.] He ſheweth that his ſorrow was continuall, not as the dew of the morning, all the day; So his ſpeech aſcendeth, the laſt word giuing power to the former,A Gradation to be noted. for it is no light ſorrow which pierceth to the marrow & to the bones, next it muſt be grieuous which draweth out ſuch roaring and vnaccuſtomable cryes and horrible, like the roaring of a Lyon, but moſt of all the ſorrow which cannot be relaxed through intermiſſion of time.
Difference betwixt the godly and wickeds griefe.There is great difference betweene the dolour of the godly and of the wicked, for the paſſions of the godly proceed from a good ground, that is from the ſenſe of Gods anger; the other onelyonly from the ſenſe of their paine. Then the godly albeit with Iob and Dauid they will ſometime ouerſhoote themſelues, yet they will take vp themſelues againe, leſt they ouerpaſſe their bounds.