Exposition on the Seven Psalms of Repentance, Psalm 32 · Verse 1
VERSE I. Bleſſed is he, whoſe wickedneſſe is forgiuen, and whoſe ſinnes is couered.
BEfore I come to the particular parts of this excellent Pſalme, I muſt obſerue wherein David doth place happineſſe and felicitie. He more then twentie times in the Pſalmes (d ſcribing who are happie) accounteth theſee onelyonly happie who are godly. Sometimes in the cauſe, Bleſſed is the people whoſe God is the Lord; Pſal: 33.12. Pſal: 41.1. Pſal: 128.1. Pſal: 32.1. Bleſſedneſſe ſometimes imputed to the cauſes, ſometimes to the effect ſometimes to the meane.ſometimes in the effect. Bleſſed is the man who iudgeth wiſely of the poore, ſometimes in the meanes, as bleſſed are thoſe that feare God, whoſe ſinnes are forgiuen, for as gold is alwaies gold whither it be in the mine, where it grew, or put forth to exchange, or in the kings treaſurie, ſo godlineſſe muſt be eſteemed all one, whither yee iudge it by the cauſe from which it had its beginning, or from the effects thereof, or from the meanes; whereby it is intertained, albeit eueryevery one of thoſe hauehave their owne place, the one as the fountaine the other as the ſpring flowing therefro.
There is no man, although neuer ſo vnhappie, who doth not aſpire and deſire to be happie,Wherein many put happines. 2 Sam. 13.4.29. but they perceiue not wherein happineſſe conſiſteth, ſome put it in the pleaſure of their fleſh with Ammon, but his ſudden repentance in thruſting away his ſiſter, and his infortunate end, ſhew that there is no happineſſe in thoſe filthie pleaſures: ſome place happineſſe in riches with Craſſus, but finding the incertaintie thereof they wil be forced to cry,Plutarchus O Solon, Solon: other place happineſſe on honours as Abſolom and Haman who were both exalted on trees.2 Sam. 18.9 Eſter. 7.10. But David albeit hauing riches, honours, and pleaſures in his kingdome) accompteth himſelfe onelyonly happie in this that his ſinnes were pardoned. Thoſe earthly things are a weake foundation wherevpon to build,Note. ſhould we expect happineſſe of an vnhappie world.
The vanitie of the Philoſophers concerning happineſſe is to be put away,Chryſ: in 1. Cor: hom: 4. of whom Chryſoſtome writeth, they hauehave wouen Spiders webes by which they might ma…re the minds of fooliſh men. He who is a rebell to the king, can enioy no benefites of his kingdome, Simil. but when hee hath receiued the rod of peace, and hath procured the kings fauour then hee is happie. So although we had all the priuiledges of nature, what will they be to vsus if we hauehave not the fauour of God, and aſſurance of the remiſſion of our ſinnes.
Bleſſed is he: He giueth out this beatitude in the ſingular number. The man, as Habackuk alſo hath,Hab: 2.4. iuſtus ex fide ſua viuet: the iuſt man ſhall liue by his faith. The Apoſtle Saint Paul ſayth,2 Cor: 4.13 I hauehave beleeued, therefore I ſpake, that wee may not infold our ſelues vnderunder the lap of generalitie, and ſay with Athiſts and Papiſts,EueryEvery man muſt be aſſured of his Saluation. wee will be ſaued as other men are, for we beleeue as the Church beleeueth, but eueryevery man muſt hauehave a faith of his owne, by which hee muſt be ſaued, for albeit there be but one common Medicine applyed to all Chriſtians who are penitent, yet eueryevery one of them muſt hauehave that applied to himſelfe, euen that Salue to cure his ſoare. For medicaments muſt be perſonall, we muſt hauehave our particular warrand in our pocket for our debts, and not dreame that wee are free of debt, when others are freed thereof. There are three gradations or climaxes anſwerable to the three degrees of nature,A threefold Gradation 1 Nature. 2. grace. 3. glory. grace, and glory. The naturall eſtate of man is noted by ſinne, impietie and iniquitie; grace, by lightned of it, couered, not imputed; glory, bleſſed, bleſſed. Nature beginneth the worke, and it is full of vanitie, and it hath the roote of ſinne, which groweth in all our hearts, that ſinning ſinne & concupiſcence, that Originall corruption, without which neuer man was borne, except Chriſt Ieſus. Of this man eſteemeth little, albeit hee hauehave it in his houſe, and the thiefe lying in his boſome. This roote of ſinne ſpringeth vp in two branches, impietie againſt God, and iniquitie againſt man, this monſter with theſe two twinnes are euer found together, they growe together, and liue together, a ſinner vnrepenting is impious and irreligious toward God, and profane, and inequitable toward men. When ſinne reignes as a tyrant, and hath taken any captiue to doe him ſeruice, is it any maruaile, that he rage againſt God by blaſphemies, and againſt man by iniuries. The man poſſeſſed with Diuels who was amongſt the graues threw ſtones at the paſſengers,Math: 8.28. as by the contrary, hee who is holy and Sanctified is alſo godly and iuſt, for theſe three cohere, Pietie, Iuſtice, Sanctitie.
Sinne is neuer alone (as neither commeth the iudgement of God alone) one draweth another,Math: 22.13. they are linked together as a chaine of iron, by which man is bounde and caried to vtter darkeneſſe, if the Angel who came to Peter in priſon doth not loſe them.Act: 12.7. Pſal: 1.1. This Chapter is depainted in the firſt Pſalme, at the firſt verſe, for hee calleth them ſinners, wicked,The degrees of ſinne. and ſcorners, Peccatum peccatum trahit; one ſinne draweth on another, for ſinne groweth to wickedneſſe, and wickedneſſe to ſcorning of all religion, which is the extremitie and higheſt degree of all euill.
The deformitie of beaſts we alow in our ſelues.This further is to be noted, that what deformitie we ſee and diſlike in al the beaſts they are found in one man. Wee deteſt the the falſhood of the Foxe and the ſubtiltie of the Serpent, and yet man is falſer then both, we cannot abide to looke vponupon a Dogge when hee licketh vp his vomit, neither on a Sowe while ſhe is wallowing in the puddle, and our onelyonly delight is to ſwallow vp ſinne, and feede on our owne filthineſſe, and when we hauehave beene clenſed from it by repentance, wee returne to it within a little time, we abhorre the greedineſſe of the Wolfe, (albeit ſometimes hee can be ſatisfied) and yet our couetous heart is inſatiable. The crueltie of the Lyon is odious vntounto vsus, albeit it ſpareth the owne kinde, but man as Athaliah rageth againſt his owne bloud,2 Chron: 22.10. euerie beaſt hath one deformitie which is no ſinne in it, but a ſpectacle whereby man may hate that in himſelfe which hee abhorreth in a beaſt, but man hath all deformities,Note. hee is ſubtil then a Serpent, more craftie,One may hauehave all beaſts properties. then a Foxe, more cruel then a Lyon, more filthie then a Sow, more greedie then a Wolfe, &c. Yea much differing from all theſe, for all may be tamed,I am. 3.8. but the tongue of man cannot be tamed, and if one member of man be worſe then all beaſts,Note: what thinke yee of the whole powers of mans nature. Looke then what euill commeth of ſinne, it ſeemeth to be profitable and pleaſant for the preſent, as honey in the mouth,Pro: 20.17. but in the bellie it turneth in grauell and wormewood. Iudas thought his wages ſweete in receiuing them,Math: 27.3. but after caſt that money backe in great ſorrow Ammon was ſicke for louelove of his ſiſter, but when hee had fulfilled his luſt,2 Sam. 13.15. he hated her more, then before he had loued her. Behold what Leproſies, Phrenſies, Feuers, Botches hauehave euer fallen vponupon mans body, as many ſinnes, as fountaines of them, are preſſing downe his ſoule, which we ſhould lament, if wee were ſenſible of the ſmalleſt of them.
Whoſe wickednes is forgiuen:] This threefold repetition of the remiſſion of Sinnes, argues the neceſſitie of the perſwaſion of this doctrine: for it is an article of our Creede which we muſt beleeue, and for the which we are commanded to pray dayly, hee hath promiſed it, who is faithfull; hee hath ſworne, and giuen the earneſt of his Spirit to ſeale it. We muſt not doubt with theſe doubting Doctors, Doctr. We may be aſſured of the remiſſion of ſinne. Eccleſ: 9.1. Ob.whether wee ſhall obtaine merciemercy or not, but wee may aſſure our ſelues of the remiſſion of our ſinnes. They alledge that of Eccleſiaſtes, No man knoweth either louelove or hatred of all that is before him. I Anſwere that place is to be vnderunder vnderſtood thus, Anſ: that externall things are not notes of Gods louelove or hatred becauſe they are common to good and euill.
This perſwaſion indeede wanteth not the owne doubtings wee doubt, but we diſpare not,Whence doubts ariſe in Gods children. theſe doubtings ſpring from the ſenſe of our vnworthineſſe, not of Gods goodneſſe. But if a man be not aſſured of the remiſſion of his ſinnes, his conſcience muſt be left in a moſt miſerable agonie and torment. What ſhall become of him at the latter day, for the feare of eternall death, and the horrour of Gods iudgements will euer be before him. It is a very true ſentence, there can be no pleaſure in the hoping for any good thing,Note. if the feare of the contrary be ioyned to it, and if this be the greateſt infelicitie of the wicked to be tormented in conſcience, becauſe they ſee the anger of an irreconciable God, then that muſt be the greateſt felicitie of Gods children, when they finde that God is at one with them, which felicitie, commeth not without this aſſurance of his merciemercy.
But there is as great difference, betweene this foreign, full perſwaſion, and a preſumption, as there is betweene two rebels, whereof one, hauing repented, doth finde means of reconciliation with the king, Simil. and ſo getteth his remiſſion ſealed, and the other who preſumeth ſo much of the king without any warrand. And betweene one who dreameth of Golde, and an other who hath it.
Gods grace amplified by three ſimilitudes.The grace of God is amplified by three notable ſimilitudes, the firſt from a burthen, of the which the ſinner is lightned and made free. Sinne albeit before it be committed it ſeeme light as a fether, yet it is the heauieſt burthen that euer man did beare, Doctr. Sinne is the heauieſt burthen. Hereditarie.in theſe three reſpects. Firſt, Becauſe it is Hereditarie and man is borne with it, whereof except he be caſed by baptiſme, and the mercies of God in Chriſt it ſhall preſſe him downe to hell,Heb: 12.1. for it hangeth on faſt and it preſſeth downe. Secondly, Becauſe it lyeth both vponupon ſoule and body,Vniverſall. the Iſraelits were burthened with the taske layed vponupon their fleſh,Exod. 1.14. Gen: 39.19. and Ioſeph with irons, their ſoule being free thereof, albeit both burthened with ſinne. Thirdly, Alburthens are ſenſible to the bearer,Vnf…lt. and the heauie burthen the greateſt ſenſe, but a ſinner is contrarie, hee hath no ſenſe, yea the greater be his ſinne, the more ſenſeleſſe is he.Exod: 2.23.24.3. Meanes to be free of ſinne. Math: 7.28. The ſeeling of thy ſinne is the preparation to thy eaſe and reliefe. The Iſraelites groaned vnderunder Pharaoh, and the Lord ſent Moſes, next rinne to him who is only able to pacifie God and thy conſcience, euen Ieſus Chriſt, who cryeth, Come vntounto me all yee that are wearie and loaden with ſinne, and I will eaſe you. Thirdly, Indeuour to be quit of it, Doctr. Chriſtonly can take away the burthen of ſinne.and be loath to take in on againe.
There is nothing able to disburden thee of thy ſinne, but Chriſt. F…ie to the fonde and new found out remedies, of Merrit, Pardons, Pilgrimages, and ſee what they can auaile thee,
Muſculus in Pſal.Muſculus, vponupon the Pſalmes maketh mention of a Seruant in Germanie who ſtole ſome of his Maſters goodes, and after, being become wealthy, was greatly tormented in conſcience for the ſame. Wherefore deſirous of ſome eaſe, at the aduice of a Popiſh Prieſt, hee gaue ſome part to the Church, ſome to the poore, but yet his torment no whit eaſed, he reſtored (at the counſell of the true Seruant of God) to his maſter his owne, and craued mercy at Chriſt, and ſo receaued eaſe, wherefore there is nothing that can eaſe a troubled mind but Chriſt Ieſus, who hath taken our burthen vponupon himſelfe.
There are two ſorts of perſons to whom this Doctrine doth appertaine: the one, who are touched with no ſenſe of ſinne, thoſe feele not the burthen, yea being drowned in the Sea they feele no waters, and burnt vp,Some ſinners hauehave no ſenſe, others too great ſenſe. Ionah. 1.6. ſents no fire; O dead ſoule, that when Gods iudgements are as ſo many wayes, purſuing thee with Ionas, thou art a ſleepe. The other, ouer much preſſed downe and moued with their ſinnes, almoſt diſparing, who are the rareſt ſort to whom this comfortable ſentence doth appertaine.Pro: 25.2. It is Gods honour to paſſe by ſinnes and to couer them.The triplication of this remiſſion argues the certaintie thereof.
And whoſe ſinne is couered.] He is not content once to ſpeake of the rem̄iſſion of ſinne, but thriſe, vſing three ſimilitudes to expreſſe the ſame, to declare that it is a matter of great moment, as alſo that it is perfect and abſolute. He ſayth the wickedneſſe is pardoned, the ſinne couered, the iniquitie not imputed, a pretie gradation, ſo that the weight of our ſinne ſhutteth not the way to Gods merciemercy.
He ſayth not, that he is happie who couereth his ſinnes, for hee who couereth his ſinne ſhall not proſper, but hee who confeſſeth his ſinne ſhall bee ſaued. Pro: 28.13.For the hiding of our ſinnes from God cloſeth the doore to repentance,He is happy whoſe ſinne God couereth. and ſo as long we vſe ſubter-fuges and coloures our ſinnes, ſo long can we neuer heartily repent them, and God will not pardon an impenitent ſinner. Hee is a foole who would couer his wounds from the Phyſitian, Simil. for when the Phyſitian couereth it by healing it, it is beſt couered.
This couering hath relation to ſome nakedneſſe, and filthineſſe which ſhould bee couered, euen ſinne, which defileth vsus, and maketh vsus naked, Doctr. Sinne maketh vsus naked. Exod. 32.25why, ſayth Moſes to Aaron, haſt thou made the people naked. Sinne maketh vsus blacke as a Moore, defileth and maketh vsus like menſtrous garments, and thus being ſo diſgracefull we hauehave neede to be couered, our owne garments of our merits are too ſhort and cannot couer vsus, we hauehave neede therefore to borrow at Chriſt Ieſus his merits, and the mantle of his righteouſneſſe, that hee may be vntounto vsus as a garment, Simil. and as thoſe breeches of lether, which God made vntounto Adam, Gen: 3.7.21. The properties of a garment.when they caſt away thoſe figge-tree-leafes which they ſewed to themſelues: garments are ordained to couer our nakedneſſe, defend vsus from the iniurie of the weather, and to decore vsus. So the mediation of our Sauiour ſerueth to couer our nakedneſſe, that the wrath of God ſeaſe not vponupon vsus, (hee is that white raiment,Reuel. 3.18 wherewith we ſhould be cloathed, that our filthy nakedneſſe doe not appeare) to defend vsus againſt Sathan,Iſa: 63.1. Math. 22.7. Rom: 13.14 (he is mightie to ſaue &c.) and to be an ornament to decore vsus, for hee is that wedding garment. Put yee on (therefore) the Lord Ieſus Chriſt.
Obiection. But it may appeare that the word hiding or couering is not proper, ſeeing there is nothing hid from the eyes of God, whoſe eye pearceth vntounto the moſt ſecret thought of our heart? I anſwere with the Apoſtle;Rom: 4.17. Anſ: he calleth thoſe things that are not, as though they were, & things that are, as though they were not, becauſe he forgiueth them, as though they neuer had beene committed, & therfore hee ſayth,Iſa. 44.22. Mic. 7.19. I hauehave put away thy tranſgreſſions as a cloude, and thy ſinnes as a miſt. He will ſubdue our iniquities, and caſt all our ſinnes into the bottome of the Sea; Pſal. 103.7.12.as high as the heauen is aboue the earth, ſo great is his merciemercy toward them that feare him; as farre as the Eaſt is from the Weſt: ſo farre hath he remoued our ſinnes from vsus. Iſa. 1.18.Though our ſinnes were as crimſon, they ſhall be made wh…te as ſnowe, though they were red as Scarlet, they ſhall be as wooll. I, euen I, am hee that putt…th away thine iniquities for mine owne ſake, and will not remember thy ſinnes if the wicked will turne &c. Ibid. 44.25.All his tranſgreſſions that he hath committed they ſhall not be mentioned vntounto him but in his righteouſneſſe that he hath done, Ezech. 18.21.22.he ſhall liue. So it is a like to bee couered of God▪ as not to hauehave ſinned at all.
When God forgiueth ſinne hee couereth it.The alluſion of the words Naſſui and Caſſui is proper, for the ſinnes that are pardoned are alſo couered. So moſt miſerable is the ſtate of thoſe who are nor reconciled vntounto God, for his maieſtie hath his revenging eye looking on them, and their actions to deſtroy them. The Lord ſetteth their iniquities before him, Pſal. 90.8and their ſecret ſinnes in the light of his countenance, whereas hee caſteth the ſinnes of his elect, behind his backe.
What ſhall become of thoſe, who thinke their ſinnes to be hid, if they come not to the open ſight of the world, as though the ſight of man were more to be feared then the ſight of God?Note. why ſhould wee not be more afraid of Gods ſight, who may avenge himſelfe on vsus, then of mens, who though they behold vsus, may either pittie vsus, or offend at vsus.
There are many, who to couer their ſins,Nazianzenus. runne to human a ſatisfactions. They purge clay with clay, they adde ſuperſtition to ſuperſtition, and in ſo doing in my iudgement they carrie timber on their backes, that the more timber they hauehave, they may kindle the the greater fire,Mans ſatisfaction cancouer ſinne for what are our merits but a new fewell to kindle Gods iudgement, and the more trees yee bring, yee kindle vp the greater flame. Then wee are greatly bound to the Lord, who when he might hauehave written our faults vponupon our browes, he hath couered and hid them, therefore let vsus not renue and raiſe them vp againe, ſince the Lord hath buried them in the bottome of the Sea of his obliuion. Simil. For his mercies are as an Ocean, furniſhing water to the whole world, but can neuer be dried vp.