Davids Repentance, Sermon · Commentary 6
VERSE. 5. 5. Beholde, I was borne in iniquitie, and in ſinne hath my mother conceiued me.
Dauid cō feſſeth his originall ſin, as the fountaine of all ſins.IN this Verſe, and the next that followeth, the Prophet amplifieth the confeſſion of his ſins. Firſt, from the originall and fountaine of the ſame, namely, his naturall ſin wherein he was conceiued and borne: Secondly, from the moſt holy and pure nature, in which God had created him: againſt which he ſets his owne corrupt and defiled nature. Thirdly, by that knowledge wherewith the Lord had indued him, becauſe God had powred into his heart, and made knowne vntounto him his will, by his Word, more then to many others: & made him capable of the heauenly and ſauing knowledge of his will.
[Beholde]
The meaning of the words.THis word doth not alwaies note ſome ſtrange thing, but ſometimes pointeth out ſome ſpeciall thing worthy to be marked, and that ought to bee learned of all men.
[I was borne in iniquitie,]
AS if he ſhould hauehave ſaid; O Lord I confeſſe, that I was not onelie defiled with, ſinne, when I committed that foule ſinne of Adultery, but euen ſo ſoone as euer I came into the world, and ſaw the light of the Sun, I was polluted with ſinne, from the top to the toe.
[And in ſinne hath my mother conceiued me.]
THat is, not onelyonly when I firſt came into the world, but euen ſo ſoone as I was incloſed and conceiued in my mothers wombe, euen then was I ſtained in ſoule and bodie with ſinne: So that the Prophet Dauid ſpeaketh heere of that originall ſinne wherein he was both bred and borne, and wherein hee was defiled both in ſoule and body: and this originall ſinne, it was the roote and ſpawne of his other ſinnes.
[Behold]
The neceſſity of this doctrine of original ſin.THis word ſheweth that this doctrine of originall ſin is a point neceſſary to be knowne and learned of all men, and ſuch a point as none ſhould be ignorant of: becauſe a man can neuer throughly know his miſerie, till hee come to know euen his originall ſinne wherein he was both bred and borne; to know that by nature euen ſo ſoone as we are borne, yea conceiued in the wombe wee be but a lumpe and maſſe of ſinne,Epheſ. 2.2. and by nature the children of wrath.
And this is true of all (without exception) high and lowe, rich and poore, noble or ſimple; for thus doth Dauid confeſſe of himſelfe;I was borne in iniquititie, and in ſinne hath my mother conceiued mee. If in ſinne, then in Gods wrath and in danger of eternall condemnation. If any aske how can this be? I anſwere, Euerie man is guiltie of Adams great ſinne, and alſo tainted originally with all corruption with a proneneſſe vntounto all ſinne: therefore it followeth in equitie and iuſtice, that eueryevery man is borne vnderunder the wrath and curſe of God.
And yet (alas) how few know this point of Doctrine, concerning originall ſinne, not one of a hundred Oh then let vsus labor to know in what a bleſſed eſtate we were at firſt created: and withall,Gen. 8.12. Iob 14.4. Iohn 3.6, how wee be defiled and ſtained by the fall of Adam, and now by nature are but a very maſſe of ſinne and all vncleaneneſſe, that ſo wee may labour to recouer that former eſtate againe.
Doctr. 1 Seeing Dauid repenting of his actuall ſinne of Adulterie and Murther,what great neede we hauehave to looke into our nature. doth come to finde out the root and ſpawne of it, his originall ſinne, and corruption of nature: we learne that a man doth neuer truely repent of any one ſinne, vnleſſe withall hee come to find out other ſinnes whereof he is guilty, yea till he can deſcend to the very fountaine and mother ſin,Epheſ. 2. Iohn 3.6. namely corruption of nature and originall sinne: that is, that pollution of ſoule and bodie, wherein wee are bred and borne: For here Dauid doth not ſpeake of ſome one or two ſins, but he confeſſeth now that he is euen a maſſe of ſinne, and a lumpe of all vncleaneneſſe, and from top to toe is defiled with ſinne: Euen ſo no man doth truely repent till hee can acknowledge that he is borne in ſinne, yea as it were a lumpe and maſſe of all vncleaneneſſe, and eueryevery particular ſin we fal into, ſhould put vsus in mind of this naturall pollution, that we are nothing elſe but a very maſſe of ſinne, and that by nature there is in vsus nothing that good is, but ſinne and corruption.
And as it was in Dauid when hee repented of his Adultery, he comes to other ſinnes, euen to the root and ſpawne of all: So it is in euerie true repentant ſinner; he that is wounded for one ſinne, and repents of that truly, he repents of all, hee is humbled for all his ſins, and in the end comes, with Dauid, to ſee that hee is but a lumpe of ſinne, and maſſe of all pollution.
Doctr. 2 When Dauid doth confeſſe heere,By nature no man is borne the childe of God. that he was euen conceiued in ſinne, that is ſo ſoone as euer he was incloſed in his mothers wombe hee was polluted with ſinne and naturall corruption: we ſee that no man by nature is borne the childe of God, but by nature wee are all the children of wrath, yea we are by nature a lumpe of ſinne, a maſſe of all vncleaneneſſe and corruption: our mindes full of blindneſſe,Ep. 1.1, 2, 3 Gene. 8.21 Iohn 3.6. Iohn 14. Geneſ. 5.3 our wils of diſobedience, our affections full of naughtineſſe and vntowardneſſe, yea by originall ſinne wee are guilty of the wrath of GOD, and in danger of hell and damnation, and worthy to periſh for euer.
Yea by nature there is no differrence between the Elect and the Reprobate, neither in inward or outward diſpoſition, till GOD make it by grace. Paul as bloudy a perſecuter as euer was Domitian or Iulian: Zacheus as vnconſcionable and couetous a worldling as was that rich Glutton damned in hell, Luke 16. Luke 19. Yea, all men are alike by Nature, before Grace make a difference.
Vſe. 1 Seeing all men by nature are the children of wrath, and heires of GODS vengeance, in danger to be damned, and worthy to periſh eternally in hell fire for euer: Then hee that dieth in the eſtate of nature cannot be ſaued & come to life eternal, but liuing and dying a naturall man, he muſt needs be damned and die eternally, Except a man be borne anew, Iohn 3. Luke 13.5.hee can not ſee the kingdome of GOD: Againe, Except yee repent, yee ſhall all periſh; And therefore ſo long as wee continue in the ſtate of nature, being conceiued and borne in ſinne, we are in a moſt miſerable and damnable eſtate.
For the poyſon of our nature is the ſame in vsus, that is in the wicked: And by nature wee are prone to all manner of ſinne; and howſoeuer by the ſpeciall merciemercy of God wee hauehave eſcaped many horrible and grieuous ſinnes, which we finde that the wicked of God hauehave fallen into: It is not for that wee are of a purer Nature then they (for it is alike with the Reprobate) but becauſe the poyſoned corruption thereof hath not yet diſcouered it ſelfe in vsus, which wee hauehave iuſt cauſe eueryevery day to feare.
Oh then let vsus labour to get out of this curſed ſtate of nature, and get into the ſtate of grace, to be borne a new, to become new creatures in Chriſt Ieſus, to repent, to ſeeke to Ieſus Chriſt for mercy: for if we liue and die in the ſtate of nature, it is impoſſible wee ſhould be ſaued; And therefore the ſtate of all carnall men and women, which are meerely natural, howſoeuer ciuill honeſt, is a fearfull ſtate and condition; for all this while they doe nothing but ſinne, all the actions of a naturall man be ſo many ſins vntounto him, as prayer, hearing the Word receiuing the Sacraments,Geneſis 4. and the like, for before anie of theſe ſacrifices can be accepted of God, their perſons muſt firſt bee approued.
Vſe. 2 Seeing that all of vsus be conceiued in ſinne, and ſtained wich originall vncleaneneſſe: and therefore are not onelyonly ſubiect to the curſe of GOD, but euen polluted in ſoule and body, blind in our minds, rebellious in our wils and affections: Then thoſe men who ſtand vponupon their owne wit, and wiſedome, and care not for the word of God preached, ſhew that they be in a miſcrable caſe, all the knowledge, wit, and ſtrength of nature, cannot bring a man to heauen and to life eternall; and the reaſon is, The naturall man perceiueth not the things that are of God. Againe,1. Cor, 1, 10 1. Cor. 1.21 Rom. 8.8. Gen, 8.21. When as the world could not know God in the wiſedome of God, it pleaſeth God by the fooliſhneſſe of preaching, to ſaue them that beleeue. and therefore let vsus renounce our ſelues, our naturall wiſedome, ſtrength and goodneſſe, and become fooles in our ſelues, that we may be wiſe in God, abhorre our ſelues and our owne goodneſſe, and labour to be found righteous in Chriſts righteouſneſſe: Paul confeſſeth,Rom. 7.18. That in me there dwelleth no good thing: wee cannot thinke a good thought, much leſſe doe any good till we be illuminated by the word and ſpirit inlightned and ſanctified.
Vſe 3 Then we ſee that Doctrine of the Papiſtes, that man hath naturally free-will, and by vertue of that, can doe ſome good to pleaſe God, and can keepe the Lawe, and merite life eternall, that it is moſt falſe: for all men be conceiued in ſinne, ſtarke dead in ſinne, hauehave no power to will good things, but are prone to all euill and corruption. Man hath no free-will in anything that is good, and leadeth to life eternall; but all to euill.
[And in ſinne hath my mother conceiued me.]
HEereby we may note the greatneſſe of Adams fall; And the ſinne of our firſt Parents, who did not onelyonly bring the curſe of GOD vponupon themſelues, but vponupon all their poſterity, and did not onelyonly defile themſelues, but all that ſhould come of them, for Adam did not fall as a priuate man, but as the maine roote and ſtocke of all mankinde, and wee all fell in him, becauſe we were all in his loynes: and therefore ſeeing ſuch is the greatneſſe of Adams fall, wee ought to be humbled for it, and daily to bewaile it: becauſe if hee had not ſinned, then we ſhould not hauehave beene conceiued in ſinne, nor loſt the Image of GOD wherein wee were at firſt created in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe: and withall, wee muſt labor to be renewed daily, and to hauehave the Image of Almightie God reſtored, by dying to ſinne and liuing to righteouſneſſe; that wee may be holie, as GOD is holie, and righteous as GOD is righteous.
Doctr. 3 We ſee that Parents,Godly parents beget ſinfull children. though they be holie, and ſuch as beleeue, yet they beget children in ſinne and vncleanenes: and doe conuey originall ſin vntounto their children, they warme them with vncleane bloud; and ſo by that meanes doe make them children of wrath, and heires of Gods anger, and in ſtate of damnation, for beleeuing parents beget not beleeuing children, but children like vntounto themſelues, as they be ſinnefull men and women; Adam begate a childe in his owne likeneſſe: that is,Geneſ. 5.3 a ſinfull man like himſelfe.
Now we know that Gods Image was defaced in Adam, hee begate a ſonne therefore corrupt, according to his owne corrupt Image, as Iob ſpeaketh, Iob 14.4, Who can bring a cleane thing out of that which is vncleane? And this is the reaſon, Gen. 4.3. That the corrupt nature of Cain led him to that for the which he had no example: And ſo this is true of all men elſe, though they might neuer ſee any thing that were euill, yet of themſelues, of their owne diſpoſition they would doe euill, being by nature men haled thereunto.
Vſe. 1 Well, ſeeing parents now by the fall of Adam, Parents duetie.get ſinnefull children, and they be bred and borne in ſinne, and they be meanes to beget them, and to bring them into the world, and to conuey originall ſinne vntounto them, and make them in a fearefull and damnable eſtate: oh how ſhould Parents labour to bring them out of the ſtate of Nature and Damnation, into Grace and Saluation! if thou ſhouldeſt doe any thing to bring thy childe into danger of death,Note this well. how would it grieue thee, that thou by thy folly ſhouldeſt bring thy childe to vntimely death: how much more bringing them in danger of eternall death: And therefore pity thy poore childe, ſeeke to make him the childe of God, vſe all good meanes to hauehave him made the childe of God: repent thy ſelf, pray for him, admoniſh him, bring him to the Word and publique meanes, call vponupon him to repent, to begge the pardon of his ſin, to feare God, giuegive him good example, leſt for want of this, thou doe thruſt his poore ſoule into hell: Oh how can parents be too carefull for their children, ſeeing they hauehave beene the meanes to bring them into ſo wofull eſtate!
Vſe. 2 Seeing that Dauid doth acknowledge his naturall corruption, to this end, euen to aggrauate the grieuouſneſſe of his ſinne, and not to leſſen it, or to excuſe himſelfe: but rather to confeſſe, that hee was nothing elſe but a maſſe of ſinne, and all pollution: this ſhews of what ſpirit thoſe profane beaſts be, who being tolde of their filthy ſinnes of adultery, whooredome, and vncleanneſſe: by and by they anſwere, Why what ſhould we doe, wee are but fleſh and bloud, and we ſee it is our nature to ſinne? and ſo thinke by one ſinne to excuſe an other, and by one debt to pay an other: tell men of their vnbrideled and vnruly affection, couetouſneſſe, anger, &c. and what is their anſwere? It is their nature to doe ſo, which is all one as to goe about to pay one debt with another: and thus they goe about to hide their ſinnes: We ſee Dauid ſought no ſuch ſtarting holes, but rather confeſſeth he is a maſſe of ſinne, and that he is eueryevery way worthy to periſh for his ſinne, and in danger to be damned: And therefore let vsus take heede that wee doe not ſo confeſſe our naturall corruption, as to make it a boulſter to vpholde vsus in our ſinnes: but rather be humbled for it, that our nature is ſo miſerably polluted, and labour to hauehave it reformed and renewed.
Vſe. 3 And laſt of all, this may ſerue to reprooue the extreame folly of thoſe that ſtand ſo much of their pedigree, as though they were not made of common moulde, but euen from the conſideration of the greatneſſe of their parentage, beare themſelues aloofe, thinking none to be their equalles, as though true Nobilitie ſtoode on this, that man deſcends of man. But let not ſuch ſtand ſo much vponupon the honour of their birth or greatnes of their Anceſtors, as thogh in theſe things alone they were happy. But let them labor withall, to be the ſonnes of God by regeneration; This is indeed the ornament of their bloud, and the fineſt flower in their Garland. And though a man be neuer ſo noble or great in eſtate, yet if hee be not a repentant ſinner, and ſuch a one as is truely humble before God, he is baſe and vile, and his nobilitie ſtinks in the noſthrils of God.