Davids Evidence, Sermon 3
THE THIRD SERMON, Nouember 28. 2. Sabboth.
And as for me thou vpholdest me in mine integritie, and doest set me before thy face for euer.
THe Prophet Dauid by two sortes of arguments assureth himselfe, that Gods fauour belongeth vntounto him, the first is drawen from his outward estate in respect of the world, which was very good: in as much as his enemies did not triumph ouer him. The second ariseth from a view of his owne inward estate, in respect of God, which was much better, for that the Lord vpheld him in his vprightnesse, and had a continuall care both of his soule and body. The first argumēt of Gods fauor is strong: but being ioyned to the second it is sure. The first is great, but because it is a generall thing and may be giuen to the vngodly to ouercome his enemies (I meane the enemies of his body) therefore Dauid resteth not in that, but searcheth within himselfe, to sée if he can finde any inward tokens of Gods fauour: and searching, he findeth two within himselfe, the first was Gods hand vpholding him from falling away from his God, the second was Gods eye alwayes vponupon him for his safetie. And hauing found these at home in himselfe, he triumpheth, and blessed God the giuer.
Vers. 12.So that now the king sheweth what inward token he had receiued of Gods fauour▪ for God doth more for his children then for the wicked, he speakes comfortable things to the soules of his people. Ioseph loued all his brethrē, but Beniamin he loued with a more speciall louelove, and therefore he gaue messe… of meate to them all,Gen. 43. vlt. but Beniamins mess… was fiue times so much as the rest, so Go… giueth liberally to all his creatures as a good and a louing God,Psal. 104.24. in so much that the earth is full of his mercies, but his louelove to his elect children by Christ, is a thousand times more then to the rest, for them he vpholdeth in their integritie▪ and doth set them before his face for euer. Gods louelove is more to men then to beasts: of men, his fauour is more to his Church, then to all the world besides,Psal. 87.2. for he loueth the gates of Zion more then all the dwellings of Iacob, he hath chosen that for his resting place, he hath a delight in that, there brake he ye bow he knapped the speare in péeces,Psal. 132.13. he burnt ye chariots with fire,Psal. 76.1.2.3. yea he wounded euen kings in the day of his wrath for Zions sake, that is, for ye louelove that he bare towardes his chosen people. Againe, in this visible Church he fauoreth his elect more then the rest, and his louing fauour to themward is greater then to all the world besides. For Gods Church is like a noble mās house,2. Tim. 2.20. wherein are vessels of gold, and vessels of earth, and his vessels of gold are set vp safely, & kept more daintily vnderunder locke & key thē the other.Psal. 147.7.8. Sing vntounto the Lord (saith Dauid) sing vponupon the harpe vntounto our God, which couereth the heauen with cloudes, and prepareth raine for the earth, and maketh the grasse to grow vponupon the moūtaines: 9.Which giueth to beasts their foode, and to the young rauēs that cry. Thus much he doth for all his creatures, but as for his seruaunts which feare him & attēd vponupon his mercies he delighteth in them, and takes great pleasure in thē: such pleasure he takes not in the strength of a horse, nor in the legs or stature of a man. From all the creatures in generall he descendeth to the Church in particular and saith.12. Prayse the Lord O Ierusalem, prayse thy God O Zion. 13.For he hath made the barres of thy gates strong, and hath blessed thy children within thee. 14.He setteth peace in thy borders, and satisfieth thee with the flower of wheat. But hath he done no more for his Church then so? Yes that he hath.19. He sheweth his word vntounto Iacob, his statutes and his Iudgements vntounto Israell. 20.He hath not delt so with eueryevery nation, neither hauehave they knowledge of his iudgements.
In the first of the Canticles: the Church desireth to be kissed with ye kisses of Christes mouth, that is, to hauehave more testimonies and tokens of his louelove then one, or of one kind, for by outward things (saith the wiseman) a man can not know louelove and hatred, Eccl. 9.1.2because all things come a like to all. Therefore saith the Church vntounto her spouse, kisse me with the kisses of thy mouth, for thy louelove is sweeter thē wine, that is, let me hauehave a continuance of thy fauour towardes me, and many sure tokens thereof, for no pleasure or profit is comparable to thy louelove.Cant. 1.1. The kisses of Christ are his blessings bestowed vponupon his Church, his blessings are either tēporall or eternall, corporall or spirituall. His spirituall blessings are of two sortes, either outward or inward. His outward yet spirituall blessings, whereby he witnesseth his louelove to his Church, they are the preaching of the word, and the administration of the Sacraments, these be great benefites, and swéete kisses of the Lord our God: but because these are cō mon to the hypocrite which is close and craftie in hart, aswell as to the faithfull whose hart is vpright before the Lord, we are not to rest in these outward things, but to search and neuer leaue searching, vntill we finde out the inward kisses of Christ Iesus, which are most sure testimonies of his louelove indéed. And those are faith in Christ Iesus, repentaunce vnfained for sinne, patience in affliction, ioy in the holy Ghost, and all the other fruites of the sanctifying spirite, whereof we may read more in Gal. 5.Gal. 5.22. EueryEvery one cannot shew these, but onelyonly he, which hath the spirite of sanctification. Saul had the spirite, that is, some gifts of the spirite, and yet was reiected, but Dauid had the sanctifying spirite, and therefore was not reiected of the Lord, neither did he reiect ye Lord, but by this was sure of Gods fauour to his soule. If Dauid had bene a king, a conquerer, a man of wisedome, of pollicie, of learning, and of riches, and in all these vncomparable, and had lost his integritie, he had lost his marke of Gods louelove, and might hauehave followed Saul well inough. So if we were rich, wise, and learned, if we were Preachers, Bishops, Prelates, Lordes, Earles, Dukes and Emperours, & hauehave lost our sinceritie, our zeale, our louelove, our faith, our religiousnesse, our godlinesse, a good conscience, we hauehave lost our markes too, and may follow Saul too wel inough for all our outward pompe and glory. On the other side, if one hauehave enemies, or be in pouertie, disgrace, imprisonment, out of credite with the world, out of liuing, &c. and kéepeth a sincere heart, and a good conscience in all these things, he may say, and sing too with Simeon, Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace, if his time be come.Gen. 25.30. They which hauehave the outward kisses, & not the inward assurances, are like Esaw with his pottage, but without his birthright. But they which hauehave lost all, but kéepe still their integritie, are like Iacob, who lost his pottage but found the inheritance, and the louelove of God: for God loued Iacob, but hated Esaw. Rom. 9.13. Psal. 4.6.Many wil say (saith the Prophet) who will shew vsus any good? that is any worldly good, but Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vponupon vsus, and then I shall hauehave more ioy of heart, then they that hauehave their corne, and wine, and oyle increased. So now a dayes, many séeke for Gods louelove in the cō mon trash of the world, and they run about the world by sea and by land crying, Who will shew vsus any credit, any worship, any riches, any offices, any promotions, &c. And some of the Ministerie cry, Who will shew vsus any moe liuings, any Deaneries, any Bishoprickes, any spirituall promotions, yea & this is the voyce of gaping Courtiers too by report: and if they spéed of these & such things, then they are sure (as they thinke) that God loueth thē, as Achab thought him selfe well if he might obtaine Naboths vineyard: but many times it falleth out, that as Dinah while she wandred to sée fashions, & sought to féede her fancy vponupon the daughters of a strange countrey, she lost her virginitie amongst the sonnes of the country. So some men while they séeke to féede & fill their gréedie worme of couetousnesse and ambition with diuerse pleasures & profits of ye world, they loose their sinceritie amongst them, and make shipwracke of faith and a good conscience. And then they go away out of their houses,1. Tim. 1.19. as Thamar went out of her brother Amnons chamber, with her maidens garment of diuerse colours rent, because she was enforced to leaue her maydenhead behind her.2. Sam. 13.18. So these worldlings which sometime with Demas followed Paule, but nowe with Demas embrace the present world, are enforced to go away with their garment of diuerse colours rent and torne: for whiles they will venter through the bushes, and thorns of worldly cares, to get worldly promotion, is it not a miracle if they come out with their zeale not quenched, their courage not abated, their faith not blasted, their louelove not cooled, their knowledge not withered, their humilitie not defaced, their sinceritie not decreased, & the whole garment of pietie and Religion not scratched, torne, and rent in péeces? And then a man may say to them, as Absalō said to his sister, Hath thy brother met with thee? so, hath not ye world met with them?Vers. 20. Iudg. 4.21 And no maruell, for if Sisera looke for any rest, or refreshing in Iaels tent, he shall surely be made naile fast. So if any wil séeke for infallible markes of Gods fauour in Sathans tents, and in the worlds tents, or in pleasures tents, or in profites tents, a thousand to one but their sinceritie and godlinesse will be nailefast before they come out againe. What wise man will séeke for grapes vpō thornes? or figs vpō thistles? or, for gold amongst old iron? or hony out of a spider? or heate in the ise? So no wise harted Christian wil looke for certain marks of the Lords fauour, in such things as may be markes of his wrath, as well as of his louelove. But if these outward and general graces be offred them, they take them, and if they go from them, they go not after them to loose their sinceritie for thē, but thus they resolue with them selues, O Lord my God I sée that by no outward thing a man can certainly tell whether he be in thy fauor or no: but if thou vpholdest me in mine integritie, and in the studie of pietie, and the true zeale of thy glory, &c. then I shalbe sure of thy fauour indéede: therfore O Lord if want come, then kéepe my faith in thy prouidence firme and strong, if thou sendest enemies to trie me, kéepe my louelove sound, if thou sendest sickenesse or aduersitie, kéepe my patience entire, if riches and preferment come, kéepe my zeale vnquenchable, like Lot who when it was not granted him to abide stil in great Sodome,Gen. 19.20.22. requested that he might go to litle Zoar. And then, although they hauehave nothing else but the inward testimonie of Gods spirit, they hauehave inough: for by these inward kisses they are sure of Gods fauour, because a good conscience is a continuall feast to ye afflicted, & makes merrie at home in the house of the inward man,Pro. 15.15 when there is nothing but warre and trouble abroad.
As for me thou vpholdest me in mine integritie.
This same integritie is like Noahs arke… wherein he was preserued when others perished being without it: it is like the redde thrid, which the spies of Ioshua gaue to Rahab, it was a charter wherby she claimed her life when the rest were destroyed which had not the like. So is this integritie, of smal reckning (I confesse) with the men of this world, which thinke that there is no other heauen but earth, but as Rahabs thrid was better to her then all her goods and substance when the sword came: so this is better to Gods children then al the world when death …ome. If they hauehave this within, they care not, nay they neede not care what can come without. If Sathans buffeting come, this …s a helmet of proofe, if Sathans darts flye …ut, this is a shield to quench them, if flouds …f crosses come to carrie vsus awaye, this is … boate to beare vsus vp: if all the world cast …ire and filth in our faces, we are neuer a …hit the more deformed, but still beautifull …or all that, for the Kings daughter (saith Sa…omon) that is, the Church of Christ, is all …lorious within.Psal. 45.13
In mine integritie. What should Dauid …eane by his integritie? that he is without …nne? no, not so, for he saith in another …lace,Psal. 51.5. in sinne he was conceiued, and in iniquitie was he borne, and in another place he saith, that he could not number his sinnes, and therefore prayeth vntounto God, to kéepe him from presumptuous sinnes,Psal. 19.12 13. and to clēse him from his secret faults, therefore that is not his meaning, neither can it be his meaning, because he speaketh by the spirite of God, which in diuers other places doth tell vsus,Ier. 17.9. 1. Ioh. 1.8. that no man is without sinne. Who can say my hart is cleane, saith one? And whosoeuer saith he hath no sinne deceiueth himself, and there is no truth in him saith another, and therefore that cannot be his meaning, and if he should say so, we are not to beléeue him in this point.What is ment by integritie. But when Dauid speake… of his integritie, and vprightnesse, or innocencie, he meaneth that he is guiltlesse, and frée from that which his enemies did most maliciously charge him with all, so that it hath alwayes respect or relation vntounto som… particular matter, wherewith he is charged by men, or to something that is in cōtrouersie betwéene him and his aduersaries. As in the 7. Psalme the 3. verse.Psal. 7.3. O Lord, if I hauehave done this thing, if there be any wickednesse in my handes, that is, if it be true that I am accused of. &c. if euer I were guiltie of séeking Sauls hurt, with which some did charge me.8. Iudge me O Lord, according to my righteousnesse, and according to mine integritie that is in me.
Here in this our text, it signifieth two things. First, that there was no cause in the world, why his enemies should triumph against him: for the Lord had kept him frée from that, which they accused him of. Secōdly, it importeth that his hart and affections were still sound, and not moued to séeke reuenge vponupon them, although they had geuen him great and iust occasion so to do.
If we take it the first way, we may very …well: for it is a speciall token of Gods fauour, and a notable meanes of comfort, whē the Lord doth kéepe vsus frée from the vniust accusations of the world, or when we are not guiltie of those things, which ye wicked may at any time charge vponupon vsus, and the doctrine …s this. That the best way to stay vsus in time of trouble, and to kéepe our patience inuio…able, is to looke in for a good conscience, and sée that we be falsely accused, which if we …inde, then all goeth well, and we are mery …t home, howsoeuer the world shall say or do …broad, for still I say with Salomon that a good conscience is a continuall feast.
Oh if it were true (thou sayest) it would neuer gréeue thée, nay then it might iustly gréeue thée if it were true, which is reported against thée. Wilt thou be gréeued to be blessed? then be not vexed and moued out of order, when thou are slaundered, for blessed are ye when men reuile you, Mat. 5.11.and persecute you, and speake all manner of euill saying against you falsely for my sake, saith our Sauiour Christ. Oh this is a speciall fauour of God, when we can without checke of conscience appeale to God in our owne harts, and say, Thou O Lord knowest my innocencie in this point. But thy spirit (boyling stil in … desire of reuenge) wil say, oh but it is good to teach such a one, to vse his toung better another time. Indéede in some cases it is good s… to do, as when a mās publique Ministery▪ or the Magistrates gouernment is by hi… meanes defaced, but there is no cause for thée to be so out of quiet, or to rage, & storm… as thou doest, defend thy good name in a good and Christian sort, and be thankefull to th… God, which hath kept thée frée from that o… fence, that thou mayst say as Dauid said. A… for me thou vpholdest me in mine integrity▪ If we take integritie for a sound hart, frée from reuenge, it ministreth no smal profite, and instruction, for the king although his enemies had so vexed him, and had throwen so many slaunderous reportes, and reprochfull speeches against him, yea all their trecheries and conspiracies notwithstanding, yet he thanketh God for that he did not séeke to reuenge againe, but reioyceth that the Lord kept him in the soundnesse & vprightnesse of his hart.
A notable blessing of God, and a sure token of his fauour vntounto vsus, whensoeuer we shalbe afflicted, or any way molested, if we finde our harts sound, and our affections to be setled within vsus, if we can say, Lord, laye what crosse thou pleasest vponupon me, let men speake their pleasures of me,A good meditation. & inuent what …yes they can, let thē call me by what names they will, and iudge me at their pleasure, so that thou kéepe my hart sound I care not, for if I hauehave all the goods in the world, and not the integritie of my hart, I am but in a mad case▪ And therefore O Lord, my God, if thou wilt néedes raise vp enemies against me, yet O Lord, graūt me that my hart may be entire, sound, and vpright, and then raise vp what enemies thou wilt. Then I shalbe sure to speake nothing proudly, nothing vaynegloriously, nothing impatiently, nothing vncharitably, nothing distrustfully, & nothing against thy glory, for if I should do so, alas what should I get by it? I were thē as déepe in sinne as they. No Lord, I am content to referre the whole matter to thée, for although I am falsely charged in this, yet it is thy goodnesse and fauour, which did vphold me,Note. for if thou hadst let me goe after my owne will, then I had bene guiltie indéede. And although in this I be innocent, yet I know my selfe to be guiltie of many things as vile as this, which they know not of: and that is also of thy mercy and goodnesse towardes me poore wretched creature. And as for them thou hast set them a work… to try me, it is thy doing O Lord, though they hauehave no such purpose, neither know they so much, yet by thy grace, I am so perswaded, and if thou didst not kéepe me from falling, I should be as wicked as they are▪ If we would but enter into this meditatio… with our selues as in the sight of God, the… should we put vp many things more thē w… do, and not vexe one another, yea eate v… one another at law as we do. Neither would we do so I am perswaded if we did throughly vnderstand the pollicies and slightes of Sathan, for he is very busie to raise vp enemies against vsus, and then he is as busie to s…irre vsus vp to reuengemēt: what? wilt thou put vp this at his hands? &c. then hath he that he would hauehave, for while he sets vsus one to …unt another, in the meane time he huntes vsus all and therefore let vsus pray to God to kéepe our harts sound and vpright.
If we did but consider on the other side, what daunger our enemie is fallen into by vexing of vsus, when we giuegive him no cause, we would be so farre from reuenging, that we would rather pitie him and lameut him, and pray for him, as our Sauiour Christ did for his enemies,Luke. 23.34. Father forgiue them they know not they doe. And as Steuen did for his,Act. 7.60▪ Lord laye not this sinne …o their charge. For well may Alexāder the Copper-smith do Paule much hurt, but the Lord will reward him according to his workes.2. Tim. 4.14. And the same God wil no doubt sée …ur causes redressed in his good time.
And if it do come to this point that we be afflicted or wronged any manner of wa… whatsoeuer: the last remedy is to say, Lord if I must néedes be thus handled, or if thou wilt néedes take away my goods. &c. thy will be done ▪ onelyonly kéepe my hart vpright before thée, and put my affections in order, and giuegive me grace that I may be content and put it to thée O Lord, for I had rather hauehave all the world against me then to hauehave thée against me: so long as thou louest me, I care not who hate me.
Oh but if I should follow this counsell thou wilt say, thē my enemy will laugh and reioyce, and insult ouer me, I will neuer beare that. No, I warrāt thée, and if he doth laugh at thée, it is but frō the téeth outward, for saith Salomon to the wicked there is sorrow euen in laughter, Pro. 14.13he will not tell thée what is within him, if thou didst, or couldest sée into him, thou shouldest sée that, that would make thée to pitie him, and euen shed teares for him. We can not be better reuenged of our enemies, then to let them sée how litle they preuayle against vsus, and how litle they moue our patience. For as there is no such greef to a iester or a iugler, as when h… doth sée that with all his iestes and foolerie… he cannot moue mirth nor chaunge the coū tenaunces of them that heare him, and sée him: so there can be no greater torment to a wicked and a malitious enemy, then to sée thée no whit gréeued, nor moued, at his mallice against thée, but that thou do so beare his iniuries as if there were none at all, for thy aduersaries purpose is to anger thée, and to driue thée into thy dumpes, which if he cannot bring to passe, then is he chafed and vexed ten times more then he was before. Therefore saith the Apostle,Rom. 12.21. Let vsus not be ouercome with euill, but ouercome euill with goodnesse, to teach vsus that good is stronger then euill, and what is it that we desire, but to ouercome our enemies or rather the euill that is in them? thē we must do it with that which is contrary to their euill, and that is goodnesse, as fire is quenched not with fire but with water. If thē thy enemy be vaineglorious be not thou so too, but be lowly giuing glory to God, if he be puffed vp with pride, be thou of an humble spirite, if he boast himselfe, abase thou thy selfe: if he curse, blesse thou, if he be hoate, be thou cold, if he blaspheme, doe not yu so. but reproue him in good wordes, & if he be mad, be thou stayed, & so doing yu shalt in the end both weare him, wearye him. and stay him too. And whē they sée this it will cut their very hart strings asunder, and then thanke thou God for that he hath vpholdē thee in thine integritie. For Sathan whō they serue hath not such a spite to our welth, our learning, or our cunning, or credite (though he louelove none of all) as he hath to our godlinesse, & the graces of Gods spirite in vsus. Was it Iobs wealth that Sathan so much enuied?Iob. 1.1.8. or did he so sist him as he did, because he was a rich man? nothing gréeued the deuill so much,Iob. 2.3.4. as to sée Iob still continue in his vprightnesse, and when he made him blaspheme and curse the day of his birth, thē he left him, for he careth not greatly how rich men be, so that it be not in godlinesse, nay he will helpe them to gather riches & learning, and credite. &c. if he sée that therewithall they may gather more sinne, and he may gather them to hell, as he was content, yea and ready to make Adam eate one apple more,Gen. 3.3. when he had inough before, because he knew not els how to set God and him at enimitie, which were before at vnitie. Now when Sathan shall thus sift vsus, as no doubt he doth, and will sift vsus as wheat is sifted (saith Christ) let vsus thē looke to our faith,Luk. 22.31 & pray yt it may not fayle: then shall he & his instrumēts hauehave their labour for their trauel, whē we shal hauehave ye assurāce of Gods fauor he vpholding vsus in our integrity, which God graūt for his mercy sake. The Papists taught men to know whether they stood in the state of grace or no, by many toyes and deuises, as by going on pilgrimage hither and thither, by offering to this stocke and to that blocke, by going to shrift, and by taking absolution at a balde Priestes hand, by saying their stinte of Mattēs and beads, by kéeping of their dayes and houres, and a number of such odd deuises: but they were all deceiued, because this was of the deuils inuenting, for indéede by these things men were sure of the deuils geace, but not of Gods grace. But if we would know whether we stand in the state of grace or no indéede, here is a triall, if we finde Gods spirite by the preaching of the Gospell subduing the corruptions of our harts, setling our faith in Gods promises, through Christ Iesus, and vpholding vsus in our integritie, when by course of nature we should fall into iniquitie, then be we in the state of grace indeede, for thus did Dauid assure himselfe of Gods fauour, and so may we, if we will watch our selues as Dauid did.