Davids Learning, Commentary 5 · Commentary 5
Thou forgauest me.]
THe person, that receiued this mercy, was Dauid, a true beleeuer, and a true penitent sinner; which teacheth vsus, that God remitteth not the sinnes of any, but Doct.such as being touched with true repentance confesse No mans sinne pardoned, but the true penitent confessors.them.
Iob 33. 27, 28. God looketh vponupon men, and if one say, I hauehave sinned, and peruerted righteousnesse, and it did not profit me; he will deliuer his soule from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light. He shall pray vntounto God, and he will be fauorable vntounto him, and he shall see his face with ioy, vers. 26. So also 1. King. 8. 47. If they turne againe vntounto their heart in the Land (to which they be carried away captiues) and returne and pray vntounto thee, saying, Wee hauehave sinned, wee hauehave transgressed, and done wickedly,—then heare thou their prayer in heauen, &c. This is the forme of repentance set downe for the people returning vntounto their God, Hoshea 14. 3. Take vntounto you words, and turne to the Lord, and say vntounto him, Take away all iniquitie, and receiue vsus graciously.
What? cannot God, without the condition of repentance Quest.and sorrow and confession of sinne, remit sinne, and conferre fauour vponupon sinners?
Yes, if we speake of Gods absolute power, whereby Ans.he can doe a number of things which he neuer will; hee could hauehave made 10000. Worlds, when he made but one; hee could raise vp of stones children to Abraham; Christ could hauehave prayed for 12. Legions of Angels, and his Father could hauehave sent them to deliuer him, or hee could without them hauehave deliuered him from the Crosse, but would not. Thus if God would, hee could remit sin without repentance and confession, and that without all impeachment of his goodnesse; because whatsoeuer hee can will, is most iust and good: but if we consider Gods actuall power, and his reuealed will, which belongs to vsus and our children, he cannot, because he will not: the Deut. 29. 29.reasons hereof are these:
First, it will not stand with his eternall decree, by which he hath tied the meanes and ende together; the end is saluation, the meanes to come to it is faith and repentance. So God hath decreed, that a mans body should liue by meanes; he could now preserue it without meat, drinke, sleepe, &c. but hee will not, because it is against his decree. Againe, God hath not eternally decreed to saue all, but out of all a few, a little flocke: now if hee should remit the sinnes of the impenitent, and of vnbeleeuers, then he should saue all, and so the way to heauen should bee the broad way, and not many, but, all should goe in it; which was Origens errour, directly against Orig. in. Libro foreign.Gods decree and word.
Secondly, it will not stand with the iustice of God, to forgiue their sinnes, who repent not of them, but rather louelove them, who obey their lusts, and follow the leading of them most willingly: 2. Thes. 1. 6. It is a righteous thing with God, to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you. If God hauehave any iustice, he must exercise it against such Est tamen quaedam Specialis Vniuersalitas, Ambros.as hate him, and reiect all his commandements: but to saue all, would prooue him to bee a God all made of mercy.
Thirdly, God could hauehave no mercy, if hee should forgiue the sinnes of all, good and bad: for there could be no difference betweene his merciemercy and his iustice; this is mercy to some, to pull them out of the common corruption and curse of sinne, and mercy only reioyceth against iudgement: if there were no iudgement, neither could there bee any mercy. Besides, will it stand with Gods wisedome, to bestow and giuegive mercy to him that refuseth and despiseth it, or to fill with mercy the vessels of wrath?
Fourthly, where were Gods truth, if he should forgiue the sinnes of impenitent and vnbeleeuing ones? what strength were in the curses of the Law, that the soule that sinnes, shall die? to what vse could the promises of the Gospell serue? what vse of the prayer of Christ for beleeuers, that his Father would keepe them in the truth? why did he put such difference betweene men, that hee would not so much as pray for the World? What neede of the death of Christ? of whom the Apostle saith, The Iust died for the vniust, but so as they should be righteous in him: or, what neede of any part of his righteousnes and obedience, who fulfilled the Law for righteousnesse to euerie one that beleeueth?
Fifthly, God hath made it a priuiledge of the Church, and the members of it onelyonly, to hauehave their sinnes forgiuen: So we say in the Creed, I beleeue the Communion of Saints, and remission of sinnes. Isa. 33. 24. The people that dwell there, shall hauehave their iniquitie forgiuen: and 62. 12. They shall call them, The holy people, the redeemed of the Lord.
Forgiuenesse of sinnes then is a part of the promise of God, made to those that are in couenant with him: Ier. 31. 31, 34. The dayes come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new couenant; for I will forgiue their iniquitie, and remember their sinnes no more. Yea, this Psalme in the first verse, makes it a note of a blessed man, and a prerogatiue of the Saints.
Sixthly, if God should bestow remission of sinnes in Qui iam viuit proùt vult, viuet aliquando proùt non vult.generall to all, what neede is there of any grace, what vse of the feare of God, of faith, &c? then we might set open all the doores of licenciousnesse and sinne, and eueryevery man might doe what hee list without all restraint or bridle. So that to tye remission of sinne to repentance, makes not onelyonly for our saluation hereafter, but also to correct and bridle sinne here, and set vsus into the beginnings of eternall life, euen in this present World.
But how is this remission of sinne free, if wee cannot Quest.hauehave it without these conditions of faith, repentance, confession, &c?
Yet is it still free: first, because, though it bee not giuen Ans.without these, yet it is not giuen for these, as our iustification is free, though it cannot be had without faith, Fides iustificat non nisicorrelatiuè.because it is not giuen for the dignitie of our faith. Secondly, euen these conditions are not of our selues, but the gifts of God, and so can merit nothing. Thirdly, faith and repentance are required not to shew for what, but to whom remission of sinnes is bestowed, namely, to such only as hauehave obtained mercy, and for whom Christ hath freely merited the same.
This serues to confute a grosse and ignorant conceit of many, who say, That God, who made all, will saue all, Use 1.and so lay all the care of saluation on God, and neuer trouble themselues in vsing the meanes. Alas, poore soules! No, no, neuer thinke that thou canst diuorce what God hath coupled, namely, the ende from the meanes; it is true, which Saint Augustine saith, Hee that made thee without thee, doth not saue thee without thee.
Why, say some, did not Christ dye for all and euerie Obiect.man? and shall not they bee saued, for whom Christ dyed?
To this the Schoolemen say, that Christ dyed for all Ans.sufficienter, but not efficaciter: Christs merits were sufficient to redeeme 10000. Worlds, if they had faith to apprehend them, saith Leo. But we speake of the effectuall shedding of Christs bloud, which was shed for many (not all) to the remission of sinnes, Matth. 26. 28. Secondly, Christ died for all, that is, for all those many, saith Augustine, namely, all the Elect, for the sinnes of Totus mundus de toto mundo exemptus & redemptus, Amb.the World of the Elect: for there is a World of the Elect, standing of Iewes and Gentiles, who are brought to faith and repentance. Thirdly, all and eueryevery singular man cannot receiue remission of sinnes, but onelyonly beleeuers by the hand of faith, some of all sortes of men: now the Apostle saith, that faith is not of all men; and therefore it is called the faith of the Elect: Tit. 1. 1. Therefore let no man deceiue you with vaine words: for, for such things commeth the wrath of God vponupon the children of disobedience, Ephes. 5. 6.
Secondly, by this doctrine wee may see, that no man Use 2.can be assured of remission of sinnes, but the true beleeuer, who truly repenteth of his sinnes. EueryEvery man indeed will professe in his Creed, that he beleeueth the remission of sinnes: but this is but a vaine blast in the most, whose sinnes binde them ouer to eternall death. OnelyOnly the true beleeuer hath the right markes of remission of sinne, which are these.
First, he onelyonly is weary and heauy laden, and sees his 1. Notes of a man discharged of his sins.neede of Christ, whereas the wicked are whole in part, or wholly, and neede not the Physician.
Secondly, onelyonly hee hath a spirit free from guile, which is made a note of remission, vers. 2. Of all other 2.we may say, as Peter did of Simon Magus; Thy heart is not right with God: one mans heart is a temple of Gods Spirit; another hath not the Spirit of Christ, and therefore is not his.
Thirdly, onelyonly a true beleeuer hath the consequents 3. Fruites of remission of sins.and fruites of remission of sinnes, from which, as from fruites, we may goe to the tree: as
First, the first of them is regeneration, he is borne of 1.God, and sinneth not, that is, he hath not raigning sinne with him, nor sinne vntounto death, because the seed of God is in him: as for others, who professe remission of sinne, they are slaues to their sinnes, and these hauehave dominion ouer them.
Secondly, another is a daily purging and clensing of 2the reliques and remainders of sinne, as 1. Iohn 1. 9. God is faithfull to forgiue vsus, and to cleanse vsus from all vnrighteousnesse: he that hath his sinnes couered, hath them also cured. Of Christ it is said, that he came by water and bloud, &c. Hee that is made whole, goes and sinnes no more, that is, he feares sinne for time to come. Professe then remission of sinnes as long as thou wilt: If Christ wash thee not, thou hast no part in him; if thou beest as Iohn 13. 8.foule as formerly thou wast, eueryevery man but thy selfe may see what thou art.
Thirdly, a third fruite is faith working by louelove, and this louelove worketh: first, towards God, who is much loued, 3.because he hath loued and forgiuen much, Luk. 7. 47 and much praised for so happie a change. But the wicked are haters of God, and neuer care for his prefence, for his word or children or Sabbaths, and yet they hope vainely for forgiuenesse of sinne. Secondly, it works towards man, and manifests it selfe in forgiuing our brethren and enemies. The godly looke vponupon the commandement, Ephes. 4. 32. Forgiue one another, euen as God for Christs sake forgaue vsus. But alas! many pray, Forgiue vsus as we forgiue our debters, and therein plainely curse themselues; for their minds lust after enuy and wrath, and hence are those common speeches; I may forgiue him, but I will not forget him, and, He may come in my Pater noster, but not in my Creede: A manifest signe, that God hath not forgiuen thee at all, and that his forgiuenesse of thee is not to forget thee nor thy sinne.
Thirdly, here is refuge for a wearie soule, and a burdened Vse 3.conscience: doest thou want the voice of ioy and gladnesse in thy soule, and lyest groning vnderunder the burden of sinne? be not dismaied, for in that thou canst approch Gods presence in the full and free accusing of thy selfe, in complaining of thy self, and iudging thine owne soule, here is a sound ground of comfort, thou art hee, who hath right into the tree of life; thou art hee, on whom the Lord will looke in mercy, thy repentance and faith intaile pardon of sinne vntounto thy soule.
Fourthly, is it so, that God remits onelyonly the sinnes of Vse 4.repentants? then aboue all things labour to attaine this grace of repentance, and testifie it in sound confession before God; In the Courts of men, confession brings shame and punishment, but in Gods, a couer and reward. In great Princes Courts, no mourner might come; and therefore Ioseph must put off his prison-garments before he come to Pharaoh; but none but mourners are accepted in Gods Court; mourne therefore, and bewaile thy sinnes; this alone can assure the heart of remission of sinne.
Oh, I hauehave repented long of my sinnes, but feele no Obiect.such assurance.
Yet feare not, but ioyne to these endeuours these Answ.helpes:
First, vse conscionably the Word and Sacraments, which make knowne and seale vp to the beleeuer the pardon of sinne by Christ; meditate and feede on the promises which are made to the penitent.
Secondly, grow vp in humility, eueryevery day bee more low in thine owne eies then others, and beware of pride, because it becomes thee to bee humble: for the more contrite the spirit is, the fitter it is for Gods Spirit to dwell in.
Thirdly, vse earnest and daily prayer for the earnest of the Spirit, to witnesse vntounto thy spirit, that thou art the childe of God: for he, being the Comforter, must bring these comfortable tidings to thy heart, he must apply the promises of life and saluation.
Fourthly, take heede of actuall sinnes, which grieue the Spirit, and are as water to quench the comforts of the same; especially beware of presumptuous sinnes, which wound the Spirit most, and most preuaile ouer thee: Psal. 19. 13.
Fifthly, exercise thy selfe to godlinesse, and to the duties of sanctification in thy generall and speciall calling, and this will assure thee of the presence of the good Spirit leading thee.
These things if thou failest in, blame thy selfe if thou walkest heauily and vncomfortably; God will be found in his owne waies, and no other.