Davids Repentance, Sermon · Commentary 16
VERSE. 15. 15. Open thou my Lippes, O Lord, and my Mouth ſhall ſhew forth thy praiſe.
DAuid hauing ſundrie …mes prayed, and preferred many requeſts to God for grace and merciemercy for pardon of his ſins; in the 13.14. verſes he vſeth a reaſon, drawne frorn his thankefulneſſe, which he will ſhew vntounto God, in laboring to ſet forth his glory, in beeing a faithfull and zealous Preacher of Gods merciemercy vntounto other, to draw them to God.
But heere in this 15. verſe. Dauid finding and feeling his mouth, as it were, ſtopped, and his lippes tied vp by reaſon of his ſins, & the feeling of Gods anger, intreateth him to open his lips againe, and to giuegive him matter of praiſe and thankeſgiuing.
[Open thou my lippes.]
Sence of the wordsAS if hee ſhould ſay, O Lord, I confeſſe that my ſinnes, and the great griefe I hauehave conceiued for them, by the ſence and feeling of thy diſpleaſure, hath ſtopped my mouth, ſo as I am not able to preach thy merciemercy, and to praiſe thee as I deſire. Now then I beſeech thee Lord. to take from me that ſorrow and extremity of grief, pardoning my ſins, and receiuing me into fauour, that I may hauehave matter miniſtred vntounto mee to praiſe thy name for the pardon of my ſins, deliuer me from thy wrath, and eternall damnation.
Doctr. 1 So long as the conſcience doth accuſe for ſin,Sin takes away the vſe of the tong, that man cannot ſpeake as hee ſhould. and men are not aſſured of Gods louelove in Chriſt, poore ſoules, they can not ſo much as once open their mouthes, and moue their tongues and lippes to praiſe GOD with any ſound comfort. For how can a condemned man doe this, that can find nothing but hell in his conſcience, and trouble of minde? No, the ſin, and griefe for ſin, and feare of Gods wrath, will ſtoppe the mouth. Let any man take triall of his owne heart, and hee ſhall finde this true by his owne experience, that the guiltineſſe of ſin, and accuſation of conſcience for feare of Gods anger, will ſtoppe a mans mouth, ſo as hee ſhall not bee able to open his mouth with comfort to praiſe God.
Yea, though a man bee elected, called, ſanctified the deare childe of God, a ſound Chriſtian, yet when he ſhal fall into ſinne, adultery, murder, &c. when the poore conſcience is now vponupon the racke, he ſhall feele a hell for the preſent, he ſhall find his mouth ſtopped; ſo as where be could before praiſe God thankefully, and comfortably, and call on his name: yea, hee would be a meanes to ſtirre on others, yet after the committing of ſinne, and accuſing of conſcience, he ſhall find his lippes tied vp, and his mouth ſtopped for the preſent time: no power, nor will, to praiſe God: No, but this will ſound often and lowd in thy eares;Pſal. 50. What haſt thou to do to declare my ordinance, and to take my Name into thy mouth? So that a poore ſinner in diſtreſſe, and feeling the conſcience to accuſe for ſome ſinne, and fearing Gods diſpleaſure, ſhall feare euen to name and mention the name of God.
Ʋſe. 1 Seeing this is the wofull and bitter fruit of ſinne, againſt knowledge and conſcience, euen to ſtoppe our mouthes, and to tie vp our tongues, ſo as we ſhall not be able once to open our lips to praiſe God with comfort. How ſhould this make vsus exceeding afraid of ſin, to commit it, to be afraid of offending God, & wounding our conſciences; ſo as we ſhall not dare to name the name of God. Wee ſee they which be neare to the King, or great perſons, if they know any thing that doth offend them, ſo as they ſhall not indure in their preſence, they ſhall be carefull to ſhun and auoyd it. Well, ſinne is of that nature, that it will make vsus afraide once to name the named God, and aſhamed to come before him, and quake to call vponupon him.
Vſe. 2 If thou canſt now call vponupon God with comfort, and praiſe him cheerefully with peace of Conſcience: Oh make much of it, and take heed of ſinne and diſobedience, for that will be a meanes to ſtop the mouth of thy conſcience, and make thee that thou ſhalt not bee able to open thy lips to praiſe the Lord.
Vſe 3 Wee ſee heere, that all the praiſes that wicked men offer vntounto GOD, they bee but as deſperate ſongs of a condemned man: as if one arraigned and condemned of treaſon, ſhould ſing and make himſelfe merry when he is at deaths dore, it is but mad mirth: Is any man merry, Iames 4.let him ſing Pſalmes? Is any man ſad let him pray? So then, ſeeing wicked men liue in ſin, in danger of Gods vengeance, hell, & damnation, it were better for them to weepe and …ring their hands, as Howle and weepe yee rich men. Iames 4.9.So if wicked men knew all, and ſaw Gods vengeance hanging ouer them, hell fire gaping for them, and the deuill leading them blind-fold to the place of perdition: they would change all their mirth into lamentation and mourning: for ſo long as thou liueſt in ſinne, without aſſurance of GODS mercy in CHRIST, alas thou haſt no power to open thy lips, or to moue thy tongue to praiſe God.
Doctr. 2 If Dauid could not of himſelfe open his lips to praiſe God,No ability in man to performe any good. but the Lord muſt vnlocke them by the key of the Spirit, and put his finger into his mouth, and ſay, Ephata. Hence we learne that it is not in the power of man to keep the Law of God, to merit heauen and ſaluation by his owne goodneſſe and merites: for if a man hauehave not this power, ſo much as to open his lips, how much leſſe to performe the whole Law, and ſo to merit heauen and ſaluation? No, a man cannot of himſelfe thinke a good thought, but the Lord muſt worke both will and deed.
Ʋſe 1 It ſerues to pull downe the pride of mans heart: for by nature we are giuen to think well of our ſelues, to admire our owne goodneſſe and worthineſſe, & our owne gifts, as though we could do great matters; and yet (alas) fooles that wee be, we are not able to open our lips, but by the help of God: but if God hauehave giuen thee any gift or power to doe or ſpeake well, bee not proud of it: What haſt thou that thou haſt not receiued? Oh then why art thou proud of it? Well, let vsus acknowledge whence wee receiue all, and giuegive GOD the glory.
Ʋſe 2 It condemnes the erronious doctrine of the Papiſts, who ſo much iuſtifie mans free-will and goodnes, that he being but helped by grace a little, is able to keep the Law, yea to merit ſaluation and life eternall: But if thou canſt not by thy own power, ſo much as moue thy lips, or open thy mouth, how can they with all their goodneſſe, keep the Law, and ſo merit ſaluation?
Ʋſe. 3 Seeing the motion of the lips, and ſo of the whole body, is of God, and no man can ſpeak a word but by the power of GOD, not ſay, Chriſt is the Lord, but by the power of the Holy Ghoſt; Yea in him wee liue, moue, Acts 27. 1. Reg. 13.4and hauehave our being. Oh then how ſhould wee bee moſt carefull to ſpeake and do, ſo as GOD hauehave glory for vnleſſe the Lord giuegive thee power, thou canſt not moue thy finger, nor thy tongue, nor once open thy lips, if the Lord deny thee this fauour, and with-hold his power, as in that wicked Ieroboam when hee would hauehave ſlaine the Prophet of GOD fo… crying againſt his ſinnes, the Lord ſmote his hand ſo as it withered, and hee could not pull it in againe. Well, let vsus all take heed how wee ſpeake, and abuſe our tongues, leaſt the Lord in iuſtice make them cleaue to the roofe of our mouthes for the ſame.
2 Part of the verſe.The ſecond part of the verſe containes a ſolem…e proteſtation of Dauid, that if the Lord ſhall thus ſhew him mercy in pardoning his ſin, and receiuing him into ſauour againe, that then he will be moſt willing and ready to praiſe God, and to publiſh his mercy and goodneſſe, whereby the Lord ſhall reape much glory.
Doctr. 1 Heere wee ſee,Thankeſgiuing a neceſſary duty. what is that God requires at our hand for all the mercies hee beſtowes vponupon vsus; namely, praiſe and thankeſ-giuing, that wee ſhould ſpeake of Gods mercies, ſeek to honour him and to bee thankefull for his bleſſings, this Dauid ſhewes more plainely? What ſhall I giuegive vntounto the Lord for all his benefits? Pſ. 116.13. Deu. 10.12I will take the cup of ſaluation, and call vponupon the name of the Lord. Where hee ſhewes that all that God lookes for at our hands is Praiſe and Thankeſ-giuing: ſo the Lord himſelfe hauing rehearſed his great bleſſings vntounto his people, ſaith thus: O Iſrael, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to feare him, and to louelove him, and to walke in his waies? Where he ſhews wherin ſtands our true thankefulneſſe; namely, not onelyonly in word to acknowledge his mercy, but in life to feare him, louelove him, call vponupon him, truſt in him, and keepe his commandements.
Ʋſe 1 Seeing this is all the Lord requires for his great and continuall bleſſings and mercies, for ſoule and body, namely thankefulneſſe, acknowledging his louelove and mercy, and praiſing him for the ſame, let vsus labour with our owne hearts to giuegive the Lord praiſe, to acknowledge his mercy and goodneſſe beſtowed vponupon vsus,Pſ. 103.1.2 Pſal. 33.1. It is a comely thing to bee thankefull.
And that we may the better be ſtirred vp to performe this worthy duty of praiſing God; let vsus conſider both the greatneſſe and continuance of Gods bleſſings beſtowed vponupon vsus, as Dauid did, Forget not al his benefits who gaue thee the pardon of thy ſins, &c. ſo let vsus bethinke our ſelues of GODS louelove & mercy to vsus: Firſt, in electing vsus to be the ſons of God, in deliuering vsus from hell and damnation, in redeeming vsus by the death & bloudſhedding of his owne Son, in preſeruing vsus from ſo many dangers, in feeding vsus and cloathing vsus, and all the reſt of his bleſſings for this life, and that which is to come, Oh! if we could thus bethinke our ſelues of the number, greatneſſe and continuance of Gods mercies, how could wee be ſo vnkind to forget or to be vnthankful for his bleſſings; we ſee if a friend do vsus a pleaſure, though it bee but a meales meat, we will be thankfull for it, ſpeake of it; but if hee ſhall bee a meanes to ſaue our life, from ſword, fire, water, or the like, oh then we wil go on our hands and knees to do him good: Well, God is our beſt Friend, and wee are moſt beholden to him, yea more then to all the world; and therfore let vsus labour with our owne hearts to be thankefull: and becauſe many can skill to giuegive God thankes in words and with their lips, let vsus know it is not enough in wordes to bleſſe God, and ſay thankes bee to God, but wee muſt labour in life to ſhew our thankefulneſſe, when as we labor to honor God, when as we ſeek to do his will and to ſerue him, and are loath to offend ſo mercifull and bountifull a God: for if a man ſhall make ſhew in words that hee is thankefull, and yet liue in ſinne, there is no thankfull heart in him. And that we may the better be ſtirred vp to do this, let vsus know there is no better way to moue the Lord to continue his louelove & mercy vntounto vsus, then when we do freely acknowledge his mercy, and are thankful for it; as we ſee if we giuegive a ſmall thing to a poore body if they be thankefull to ſpeake of it, and to confeſſe it, it will prouoke vsus to do them greater fauours, and ſay alas, he is thankfull, it is well beſtowed on him, he is worthy of a better turne: ſo as to bee thankefull for one good turne, it is to craue another, and therefore let vsus remember this duety: it is comely, it is all the Lord requires, and it is the way to procure a new mercy at GODS hands.
Vſe 2 Let vsus take heede of that foule fault of vnthankefulneſſe when as men can be content to deuour Gods mercies from day to day, and neuer giuegive him any thankes; like the Sow vnderunder the tree eates the acornes, and neuer lookes whence they come: ſo many wicked men deuoure the mercies of God and neuer open their mouthes, like the nine Leapers, whereof not one returned backe to praiſe GOD.Luke 17.
Cauſes of vnthankeneſſe.The cauſes of vnthankfulneſſe, firſt, men conſider not the greatnes, number and continuance of Gods mercies; and therfore they thinke themſelues more beholden to a naturall man for a meales meate then to God for all his mercies.
Secondly, forgetfulneſſe of his mercies, when men let them paſſe away and neuer bee affected with them.Pſal. 103.2.
Thirdly, the hardneſſe of mans heart, which is not touched nor effected with the great bleſſings of God.
Well, let vsus beware of this ſinne, which is ſo odious that the heathen men would rather be accuſed of any ſinne, then this ſinne of vnthankfulneſſe.
Secondly by vnthankefulneſſe wee depriue our ſelues of many other mercies: for as thankefulneſſe for an old is the beginning of a new; ſo vnthankefulneſſe for an old fauour is the next way to depriue vsus of a new.