Davids Repentance, Sermon · Commentary 17
VERSE. 16. 16 For thou deſireſt no ſacrifice elſe would I give it thee, &c.
DAVID hauing profeſſed that it was his earneſt deſire to honour GOD, to praiſe him and ſeeke his glory: confeſſeth that hee hath no other meanes but to ſpeake of his mercy, and to be willing to ſet forth the ſame: to become a Preacher of his righteouſneſſe and goodnes; and he confeſſeth to his comfort that the Lord is more delighted with this then with all thoſe externall ceremonies and ſacrifices which the people of the Iewes did offer, & thought by them to pleaſe God and to appeaſe his anger, and to procure pardon of their ſinnes thereby.
So that the maine ſcope of theſe two verſes is this, to ſhew that Dauid though hee had nothing in the world to requite the Lords mercy vntounto him; yet he perſwaded himſelfe vponupon his true repentance the Lord will accept of his earneſt deſire to honour him and to ſet forth his praiſe.
In this 16. verſe hee ſhewes what are thoſe ſacrifices which the Lord cares not for, and deſireth not, outward ſacrifices alone, which men offer without faith and repentance, and whereby they thinke to appeaſe his anger, and merit pardon of their ſinnes by the ſame.
In the 17. verſe hee ſhewes what are the beſt ſacrifices that wee can offer vntounto God, which hee will accept of for CHRISTS ſake, and wherewith hee is well pleaſed: A broken and contrite heart, truely wounded and humbled for ſinne, and which doth by faith embrace IESVS CHRIST: Who alone is the propitiatory ſacrifice to appeaſe his fathers anger, and to worke our attonement and reconciliation with GOD.
[Thou deſireſt no ſacrifice.]
Sacrifices of the Iewes of two ſorts.THe Sacrifices of the Iewes were of two ſorts, ſome propitiatory to procure fauour at GODS hands for the pardon of ſinne; ſome gratulatory, which were onelyonly for thankeſ-giuing for bleſſings receiued; now of theſe Dauid ſpeakes eſpecially heere: and of Sacrifices for thankeſ-giuing there were twoſorts, ſome were called ſacrifices, as the firſt word ſignifies, where ſome beaſt was ſlaine and offered in ſacrifice to God.
Againe, ſome were called burnt-offerings which were all conſumed and turned into aſhes, and they were called ſo becauſe the ſmoke of them aſcended vp to heauen, and both of them were figures of Chriſt IESVS, who ſhould be ſlaine and burned, as it were, in the fire of GODS anger for our ſinnes.
Queſt. But how can the Lord be ſaid not to deſire burnt offerings and ſacrifices ſeeing hee commanded them in his Law.
Res. We may not thinke the Prophet ſpeakes heere ſimply, that the Lord cares not for Sacrifices, for as yet the Ceremonies of the Law were in force and the greateſt part of GODS worſhip ſtood in Sacrifices; and Dauid himſelfe, and Salomon were diligent, and not ſparing, in performing this duty.
But wee muſt know Dauid ſpeaks heere firſt that the Lord careth not for ſacrifices as they were done of the common people of the Iewes: becauſe that whereas the LORD did ordaine them as helps to leade them to CHRIST, that they might deny themſelues and ſee they were worthy to die when the beaſt was ſlaine, ſo they might ſeeke to bee ſaued by the euerlaſting ſacrifice of CHRIST alone: But they began to imagine that by their very offering of beaſtes in ſacrifice God was pleaſed neuer looking to CHRIST IESVS, whereof they were but types and figures.
Secondly, becauſe the people of the Iewes did offer them without faith and repentance, with impenitent hearts;Ier. 7. and thought ſo long as they offered ſacrifices, though they liued in ſinne, it skilled not.
Thirdly, the Lord delights not, nor is not ſo well pleaſed with this outward ſacrifice as with a broken and contrite heart, when that is humbled and mournes for ſinne, beleeues in Chriſt Ieſus, and is careful to honour God by an holy life.
Doctr. 1 Seeing Dauid affirmeth that GOD cares not for the outward ſacrifice when the inward is wanting.A mans perſon muſt firſt be approued before his ſacrifice be accepted. Ier. 24.20. Eſa. 29.13 Wee learne that though a man ſhould performe all the outward ſeruice and worſhip of God, and that in neuer ſo glorious a manner, yet if the heart bee not affected and purified all is in vaine, the Lord cares not for it: as to Preach the word, to heare it, to receiue the Sacrament, &c. if there be not a broken heart for ſinne,Mat. 15. a repentant heart, a ſanctified heart, all is but vaine. The Scribes and Phariſesſeemed maruelous preciſe, in outward ſhew, very zealous and forward; yet their hearts were puffed vp with pride, ſelfe-louelove, malice, couetouſneſſe, &c. And therfore Chriſt ſaith;Math. 15. Ʋnleſſe your righteouſneſſe exceed the righteouſneſſe of the Scribes and Phariſes yee cannot enter into the Kingdome of heauen. Iudas in outward ſhew Preached and Prayed as well as others, yet a very deuill, a moſt trayterous wretch, full of hypocriſie, couetouſneſſe and bloudy cruelty: well wee ſee that though men make neuer ſo good and faire a ſhew, yet if the heart be not ſound all is in vaine and from the teeth outward, and GOD cares not for it; he eſteemes as much of their Sacrifice as if they ſhould kill a man, or ſacrifice a dog,Eſay 65.3. that is abomination to the Lord.
Vſe. 1 This may ſerue to cut the combes of al thoſe which be proud hipocrits, and all they do is in outward appearance; alas! Their Prayers, Preaching, Hearing,Prou. 29.9. Pſ. 50.16. it is but ſwines bloud, dogs bloud, a beautifull abomination, and therefore let vsus neuer content our ſelues with the outward worſhip and ſeruice of God, but let vsus labour to do all in truth with faith, obedience, repentance, humiliation and good conſcience.
Vſe 2 This condemnes all the blind deuotious of ignorant and profane ſinners, who thinke that ſo long as they ofter their outward ſacrifices, come to Church, heare the word, receiue the Sacrament, &c. they may liue in ſinne and yet pleaſe God: and this was the very cauſe why the Lord abhor'd all the lewes ſacrifices.Eſay 1.11.12.13. Ier. 7 8. And may not the Lord euen now abhor our ſacrifices, our comming to Church, Heating, Praying, &c. ſeeing men do content themſelues with outward action, and come with ſinfull hearts and affections.
Doctr. 2 We learne hence, that a man may performe duties which God hath cōmandedA man may performe a good duty and yet fin in the manner of doing it., and yet not pleaſe God, but ſin moſt grieuouſly in doing of them: to offer ſacrifice, it is GODS owne Commandement, but when people ſhall do it in an euill manner, either without faith and repentance, or elſe to an euill end to merite at Gods hand: then it makes that which God commands to be a ſin to them, not in it ſelfe, but in them that faile in the maner of doing of it: to offer ſacrifice was the Commandement of God, but when the Iews thought by their ſacrifices to appeaſe Gods anger without the ſacrifice of Chriſt, they ſinned, and God abhorred them and cared not for them: Againe, to preach the word of God is his commandement; but when Iudas ſhall preach the word to cloake his couetouſneſſe and treacherous heart it is a ſinne in Iudas: to giuegive almes it is a thing commanded and a ſacrifice wherewith God is well pleaſed; but if men ſhall giuegive to merite, and to be ſeene of men the Lord careth not for it; ſo as wee ſee a man may doe things which God commands men to do, and yet be ſo farre from pleaſing God, that they ſhall ſinne, and prouoke him to anger, becauſe they doe them not in an holy manner,Pro. 15.11. in faith, repentance, obedience, and zeale of Gods glory.
Ʋſe 1 This condemns almoſt the whole ſeruice of God amongſt the Papiſts, who do all to this end, to merit and deſerue at Gods hands pardon of ſin, and freedom from puniſhment: but this is to a wrong end, wee muſt doe good works, not to merit, but to honor God, to giuegive good example, & to make our calling ſure to our ſelues.
Vſe 2 This muſt admoniſh vsus all, not only to doe that God commands, as to preach the word, heare, pray, receiue the ſacrament &c. but to do it as God commands, or elſe he abhorres all we do, vnleſſe we do them in faith, repentance, and obedience, all is in vaine.
Doctr. 3 If the Lord abhorre thoſe ſacrifices which hee commands for mans ſinne,Popiſh Sacrifices abhominable how much more thoſe ſinnefull ſacrifices which hauehave beene inuented by man, without any warrant from his word, as the Idoll of the Maſſe, Popiſh pilgrimages, perpetuall chaſtity, voluntary pouertie, liuing in a cloiſter &c.
Ʋſe. 1 Wel then, let vsus take heed not only that we doe not abuſe thoſe ſacrifices which the Lord commands by our euill doing and performing of them; but much more that we be not ſo bold at any time to offer vntounto the Lord ſuch ſacrifices as are condemned in the word of God: to offer with ſtrange fire, as Nadab and Abihu, and ſuch as Paul calles Wil-worſhip, and Chriſt calles, The inuentions of men: for theſe the Lord abhorres.
Ʋſe. 2 It condemns that bloody & beaſtly ſacrifice of the Papiſts, who offer in Maſſe Chriſt daily for the quicke and dead, an horrible abuſe of Chriſt Ieſus: for Chriſt hath by his owne ſufficient ſacrifice of his bodie and bloud on the Croſſe, appeaſed his fathers anger for the ſins of the world, and put an end to all theſe ſacrifices: and if they offer vp CHRIST in the Masse for quicke and dead, then Chriſts ſacrifice was imperfect, that muſt be patched vp with that abhominable Idoll.
Concerning theſe ſacrifices which were Lambs, Sheep, Goats, or Bullockes, and were all ſlaine & offered to God in fire, let vsus marke that they were all ſo many figures, types, and ſhapes of that euerlaſting ſacrifice of Ieſus Chriſt, which hee offered vponupon the Croſſe in his owne perſon.
Doctrine Chriſt an end of all other Sacrifices.Then this doth commend vntounto vsus that bleſſed and moſt meritorious ſacrifice of Chriſt the lambe of God, ſeeing there was ſo many propheſies of it, euen from the beginning of the world, and ſo many ſhadowes and types of it as can not be numbered, becauſe there neuer paſſed one day amongſt the Iewes, from the time of the Law till Chriſts comming, but they offered at leaſt morning and euening ſacrifice, as ſhadowes of Chriſt Ieſus, to come: and the people of God, the beleeuing Iews, and holy Fathers, and Prophets did in them beholde Ieſus Chriſt as ſlaine and crucified before their eyes. And as Chriſt ſaith; The holy Patriarkes and Prophets and famous Kings deſired to ſee my dayes, and would be glad to ſee, and yet ſaw it not.
Vſe. Well, ſeeing the ſacrifice of Ieſus Chriſt is ſo excellent & meritorious, of endleſſe worth to procure Gods fauour to vsus, how ſhould we often thinke vponupon it, neuer let it depart out of our mindes? And to this end wee ſhould be more willing to approch and come to the Supper of the Lord, that ſo there, as it were, in a plaine Table and Picture, and not painted on a woodden croſſe as the Papiſts do, we might behold Chriſt crucified, and his bloud ſhed for our ſins, ſo often as we ſee the bread broken, and the wine powred out: So often as yee doe it, 1. Cor. 11.doe it in remembrance of mee, to ſhew foorth my death till I come.
For the remembrance of Chriſts ſacrifices it is a ſweete comfort to all wounded and diſtreſſed ſoules, it is ſacke and ſugar to them all that truly beleeue in him; it is an excellent means to kill ſin, and to humble our hard hearts, that we ſhould remember our ſinnes were as the bloudie nailes, and the ſpeare which put him to death: and a powerfull bridle to reſtraine vsus from ſinne, becauſe ſo often as wee ſinne, wee doe, as it were, pierce his heart afreſh; and as for thoſe that care not for comming to the Sacrament, nor yet for the word, wherein Chriſt is liuely crucified, they ſhew they hauehave no benefit by this ſacrifice of Chriſt.