Four Godly and Fruitful Sermons, Sermon 1
The first Sermon.
2. SAMVEL. 24. 10. 11. 12.
Verse 10. Then Dauids heart smote him after that hee had numbred the people: and Dauid saide vntounto the Lord, I hauehave sinned exceedingly in that I hauehave doue: therefore now Lord I beseech thee, take away the trespàsse of thy seruant, for I hauehave done very foolishly.
11. And when Dauid was vp in the morning, the word of the Lord came vntounto the Prophet Gad, &c.
IN these words is set foorth the repentance of Dauid, for his sinne committed in numbring the people, wherin the holy Prophet sheweth: I. What meanes hee vsed to be reconciled vntounto God, Namely;
1. First, that he was touched with inward remorse and hearty griefe for his offence: [Then Dauids heart smote him after that hee had numbred the people.]
2 Secondly, that he made a particular and very earnest confession of his fault:] I hauehave sinned exceedingly, in that I hauehave done.
3 Thirdly, that hauing bewayled and acknowledged his sinne, he instantly craued pardon for the same: [therefore now Lord I beseech thee, take away the trespasse of thy seruant, &c: as if he should hauehave said, I hauehave sinned very hainouslie, I cannot denie it: yet I am thy seruant, and one of thy familie, and therefore Lord cast me not off for one fault, but take notice of my sorrow, and pardon my sinne: for I hauehave dealt verie foolishly.
2 Secondly, he declareth that meanes the Lord vsed to make him fit for reconciliation: viz: that hee sent vntounto him the Prophet Gad, a worthy man of God, & Dauids Seer, who had bene ready from time to time to lay open the will of God vntounto him, and in that regard was more reuerend in his eyes, and hee threatneth and denoūceth iudgement against him, that seeing his heart had beene lifted vp with pride, in regard of the multitude and strength of his people, God would meete with him in his owne sinne, and make his punishment to be suteable to his fact: and seeing he begun to be humbled for it alreadie, and yet needed still further humaliation, he telleth him, that [the sword, or the famine, or the pestilence] must pursue his subiects, and make wonderfull hauocke among them, and therfore biddeth him make his choice which of them hee would hauehave to come vponupon the land: for one of them hee must needes vndergoe, to further him in the worke of humiliation, as also to bring the whole Church vntounto the like, who then had incensed the Lords anger against them.
Then Dauids heart smote him] In that setting downe the repentance of Dauid the holy Ghost taketh notice of this in the first place,Verse. 10. that [his heart smote him] the Doctrine is, that.
The first step to true and sound repentance is to bee wounded and disquieted in our hearts for sinne,Sound sorrow the first step to repentance. vntill our soules bee pierced, and as it were strucke through with the feeling of our corruptions, and of Gods displeasure, due vntounto vsus for the same, wee hauehave not made any entrance into the wayes of godlinesse, nor laid the verie foundation of the works of conuersion, therfore the Prophet Ioel exhorting the Israelites to repentance,Ioel. 2. 13. biddeth them, rent their hearts: that is, the first stone that must be laid in this building: their hearts must bee crushed and broken,Note, for the wickednesse committed against the Maiestie of God; till then there is no turning vntounto him: one may as well bid a prisoner that is in strong hold, and hath bolts and fetters vponupon his heeles, walke abroade and take the fresh aire, and not remaine any longer in that darke & loathsome dungeon, as bid one that hath not his heart crushed & humbled to turne vntounto the Lord: alas he is held fast in the chaines of Sathan, and cannot stirre one foote to God-ward; therefore is it noted in those conuerts,Acts. 2. Act. 2. 37. that They were pricked in their hearts] when they began the worke of repentance, the rebukes of God had wakened their drowsie consciences, so that they saw their sinnes and Gods vengeance due vntounto them,Psal. 45. and the words of Peter had gone through their hearts, euen as a two edged sword, and then they were fit to bee soundly healed and comforted, when they had beene pierced, and throughly wounded by the Arrowes of God.
1 First,Reasons. till the heart bee broken for sinne, there can be no plaine confession of sinne, and therfore no repentance. Men naturally are like wilde Asse-Colts,Iob. 11. nothing will worke vponupon them, nor bring them vntounto any good frame or order; though they heare often of their faults, they will not acknowledge them, but be still vnruly and vntamed, as Paul was before his conuersion; so long as he was heart-whole in his owne conceit, though he had heard many excellent Sermons (no doubt,) yet hee was like a beast still, neuer bewailing nor confessing his grieuous offences,Rom. 7. till the Lord had taken him downe,Act. 9. and throughly mastered him.
2 Nay further, men are so farre from taking paines to come to a true acknowledgment of their iniquities, till such time as there is a breach made into their hearts by godly sorrow, they doe not so much as desire to be deliuered from them, nor make any reckoning of Gods mercy for the pardoning of them: till such time as they become mourners for sinne, they cannot possibly hunger and thirst after righteousnes.Math. 5. 4. 6. And indeed what reason is there that they should esteeme of that medicine which will cure, when they doe not feele themselues to be sicke? they thinke it a matter worth the looking after, to be freed from pouertie, from infamie, from the pestilence, &c. but as for the corruptions of their nature, and the sinfulnesse of their waies, they were neuer much troubled with them, and therefore they make little account to be deliuered from them. See this poynt more at large in M. Dods Sermon on Isa. 1 Doct. 1.
Seeing therefore that inward contrition for sinne is the first step to repentance, and that which killeth the roote of sinne, and setteth vsus free from the power and dominion of it, and erecteth in our hearts a throne for Christ Iesus; the vse of this point is,
First for reproofe of those that perswade themselues,Vse. 1. and beare others in hard that they hauehave truely repented, and doe continually confesse their faults, and aske pardon for them: but what griefe and paine hauehave they had in their hearts for their sinnes? nay, they thanke God, they were neuer terrified nor troubled in their consciences. Do you thanke God for this? it is in effect to thanke him for that you want the first and principall note of true conuersion: if your harts hauehave neuer beene pricked and slung with the sense of your vilenesse and wretchednesse, it is because you are senselesse: for there is cause sufficient why you should be grieued; and the lesse you hauehave had,Luke. 6. the more you are likely to hauehave, if not heere,Reuel. 6. 16. yet in the world to come, and at that day when you shall be most vnwilling of it.
Secondly,Vse. 2. heere are those to be reprooued that run into farre greater excesse of sinning than euer Dauid did, breaking forth into grosse and foule euils, that euerie body seeth and knoweth, and condemneth, and yet they passe them ouer slightly, and carelessly, as if they were matters of nothing. When Dauid did but cut off the lap of Sauls coat, his heart smote him, and was grieued within him, in that he was so neere vntounto sinne: what then shall we thinke of these that doe not cut off the lappe of the coate of an enemie, but are iniurious to their friends, and cruell against their brethren, that breake couenant and promise, sinne against God, blaspheme his name, profane his Sabbaths, and the like, and yet none of all these do soundly worke vponupon them, nor much trouble them? surely such men are not of Dauids spirit, and therefore not being broken hearted heere, they shall be broken and crushed in peeces with the vnsupportable weight of Gods vengeance heereafter.
Thirdly,Vse. 3. sith this inward touch for sinne is a thing so necessarie, let vsus hence learne to labour for it, and to keepe tendernes of heart when we hauehave obtained it: for that sorrow which breaketh the heart, doth withall breake the necke of sinne: and therefore when the Lord doth checke & controle our consciences, let vsus esteeme it as a great merciemercy, and not let such stroakes passe without their right vse, but let vsus goe to God and to his children for helpe and direction, and them that little sparke of the fire of God in our soules, being fed & nourished, will grow in the end to a great flame. Now that our harts may be kept alwaies tender & sensible of those checks which Gods spirit giueth vsus, let vsus vse these meanes that follow.
First,Meanes to get tendernes of heart. let vsus lay vp in our hearts the weapon of God, euen the sword of the spirit, whereby our hearts may be wounded, as often as need requireth: for vnregenerate persons wanting that weapon, will rather defend, then smite themselues when they hauehave offended, and eueryevery childe of God hath somewhat of old Adam in him, in which regard he must be more carefull to vse the sword of the spirit, for the piercing of his heart when any sinne is committed by him:Iohn. 16. 8. withall praying for the spirit of grace which will conuince the conscience when it is guiltie, so that it shall hauehave nothing to say in defense of it selfe, but very much for the condemnation of it selfe: as is euident Ezec. 36. 27.Ezeck. 36. whereby we may obserue, that when God hath giuen his spirit vntounto his elect, and (as it is in Ieremy. 31. 33.)Ier. 31. withall written his lawes in their hearts, then they shall remember their owne wicked waies, and their deedes that were not good, and shall iudge themselues worthy to hauehave beene destroyed for their iniquities, & for their abhominations. What is the reason they should passe such a heauie sentence vponupon themselues? one would thinke they should rather reioyce now, & allow of themselues and of their workes? so they doe reioyce at, and approue of themselues and their workes, so farre as they are spirituall: but they proclaime war against themselues and their workes so far as either they are or hauehave beene carnall and sinfull, and that because the word of God, and the spirit of God doe beare sway in their hearts: they are at vtter defiance with their pride and hypocrisie, and all wretched lusts that fight against their soules: being neuer so much tormented with those sinnes, as when they hauehave attained to a great measure of humilitie, and of sinceritie. He that is most lowly is euer most vexed with his pride, and he that is most vpright and true hearted, is most of all troubled with the guilefulnes and deceitfulnes of his owne heart, because the word and the spirit working together doe cause him both more clerely to see, and more throughly to hate those corruptions, than euer hee did before he had attained to that measure of grace.
Secondly, we must not content our selues when once we hauehave gotten the word and spirit of God within vsus, but we must still striue to keepe our hearts humble and lowly: for otherwise we shall not feele the strokes of the word and spirit of God;Isa. 30. therefore it is said Isay. 30. 20 21.) that when the Lord had dieted his people a while [giuing them the bread of aduersitie, and the water of affliction] and thereby taken downe the pride and stubbornenesse of their hearts, that then [their eares should heare a word behind them, saying, this is the way walke in it, &c. that is when they were thus humbled, as soone as euer they had committed any offence, they should presently hauehave a blow vponupon their hearts for it, and be full of feare and anguish: though no man in the world tell them of it, yet the word in their hearts will be like a good guide that is still following a little child, and telling him, this is not the right way, leaue it; there is the right way, walke in it: but many hauehave hearts pestered with pride, and lust, and couetousnesse, and yet goe a whole monethmonth, nay, many monethes and yeares together, and neuer feele any rebuke in their consciences. How comes this to passe that others are full of griefe and full of teares for their sinnes, and they are neuer troubled for them? is it beause there is greater vprightnes in them, then there is in others? No surely it is because they hauehave a more blind minde, and a more proud and senselesse hart then others hauehave: for the more humble any one is, the more often shall he heare the voyce of the spirit, checking him when hee goeth out of the way, & moouing him to turne again into the right way.
Thirdly, we must especially beware of presūptuous sins: for if we liue therein our hearts will cease to smite vsus, or at least we shall be senselesse of these strokes: as may be seene in the case of Dauid: when he had cut off the lap of Sauls garment and numbred the people (which were but infirmities) forthwith his conscience rebuked him, and he was humbled before the Lord: but when he had committed adulterie, and murder, either the checkes of his conscience were none at all, or else they were so weake,2. Sam. 12. that hee had no sense nor feeling thereof: so that Nathan was driuen to fetch about (as it were) and to vse all the art that might be, to make him see his offences, and passe sentence against himselfe for the same. Let vsus therefore by his example learne to beware how we presumptuously sinne against our consciences, especially in palpable and grosse offences, least our mindes being by degrees blinded, and our affections, by little and little corrupted, we become in the end very blocks and stones, and hauehave our consciences so darkened, that they will not accuse vsus, or our hearts so benummed, that they will not be mooued with the stroakes of God, and with the checks of his holy spirit.
After that he had numbred the people.] Heere is his speciall sinne, that he numbred his subiects, which may seeme to be no such great matter, for which God should so plague the land: and if there had bene that measure of hypocrisie in Dauid, as there is in many of vsus, he would hauehave pleaded thus for himselfe: What need I to be so troubled for this? and what reason is there why God should proceede so seuerely against me for the same? did not Moses and Ioshua, holy men of God, number the people in their daies, and that warrantably? and why then may not I doe the like, hauing more absolute authoritie ouer them then they had? but his heart staied him from all such reasoning of the matter; and told him, that though hee did the same action which they did, yet the manner of doing thereof was diuers; he performed it not in obedience to God (as they did) but in pride and hautines of minde, in regard of the multitude and strength of his subiects: before he esteemed Gods name a strong tower for his defence, but now what need he runne crying vntounto God? he had so many souldiers and valiant warriours in his dominion, that he could make his part good against any forren power whatsoeuer. Thus was his heart lifted vp vntounto vanitie, when it should hauehave bene lifted vp to God in thankfulnes: and therefore was he so humbled, because he had an ill affection,Doct. 2. God looketh into the manner of our doing. and a wrong end in a good action. Whence ariseth this doctrine, That it is not enough for to forbeare things that are euill, and to make conscience of grosse sinnes, but men must doe lawfull things lawfully, and performe good workes in a good manner: otherwise the Lord may and will punish them for doing lawfull things, aswell as for vnlawfull things. This may be seene in that great enditement which Christ brings against the old world:Mat. 24. 38. They did eate, and drinke, marry, and giuegive in marriage. A naturall man would hauehave thought there could be no hurt in these: if they had bene charged with whoredome, murder, blasphemie, or the like, they had bene matters of some moment: but for those before named, what fault can be found with them? Indeed the things in themselues are very warrantable, but the manner of performing them, doth either make or marre them:Iude. 12. 1. Tim. 445. to eate and drinke without feare, without prayer, and thanks-giuing, as if the creatures were our owne, and not the Lords, to abuse the blessings of God to surfetting and drunkennesse, &c: these and the like corruptions, doe turne eating and drinking into sinne, which in themselues are not onelyonly allowable, but also necessarie. The like may be said concerning marriage,Heb. 13. it is a sanctified ordinance of God vntounto those that vse it holily: but then it becomes very sinfull and hatefull vntounto the Lord,Gen. 6. 2. when the Sonnes of God doe ioyne with the daughters of men, and professors are yoaked with Infidels, for beautie, or commoditie, or any such carnall respect: yet that is a horrible sinne, too too common among such as professe Christianitie, that they make no scruple of matching their children with those, whome they know by their workes to be as yet the children of the diuell; and so in other matters, if they can proue them once to be in themselues lawfull, they make no conscience of the meanes they vse, nor of the end they propose in accomplishing of them.
The like is alleaged by our Sauiour against the Sodomites, Luk. 17. 28.as against those of the old world, viz: that they bought and sold, and built in couetousnesse, pride and vanitie, as if they had bene euer to dwell vponupon the earth, not caring what craft and fraud they vsed, nor what snares and grins they laid for men, if they might satisfie their couetous and ambitious desires.See M. Dods Sermon on Isa. 10. Doct. 1. Vse. 1. More might be said concerning this point, both for proofes and reasons, but that it hath bene handled at large elsewhere.
This serueth. First for terror vntounto those that satisfie themselues with this, that no bodie can charge them with grosse sinnes, and therefore they imagine their case to be good, and that they need not trouble themselues in regard of their offences.
But was it not thus with Dauid? who could now accuse him of any notorious ill fact? surely none in the world: and yet he hauing grace in his heart, accuseth and condemneth himselfe, for that he had done a good action in an ill maner, and with an ambitious and vaine glorious minde, and for the same is much abased and confounded in himselfe: and therefore those are in a miserable estate, that neuer disquiet their soules for their hidden corruptions, but thinke that all goeth well with them, when mens eyes can discerne nothing amisse in them: as they on the other side are in happie case, that doe often take themselues apart, and beseech the Lord to be mercifull vntounto them in regard of their failings, euen in the most spirituall duties that they performe: such iudge themselues, and therefore shall not be iudged of the Lord.
Secondly,Vse. 2. this is for instruction, that we carefully looke vntounto the manner of all our actions, and in particular, of the exercise of fasting, which is now in hand: let vsus consider wherefore we are come together, and what is required of eueryevery one that is present this day, to wit, that we should put wickednesse out of our hearts, and out of our hands: and for that purpose, come with true humiliatiō on our part, that there may be a perfect reconciliation granted vsus on Gods part.
This was practised by the Niniuites, who hearing Gods iudgements denounced against them for their sinnes,Ionah. 3. 8. 9. that within fortie daies Niniue should be destroyed, except they repented, what did they? All of them, both King and people, humbled themselues in fasting, bewailing their euill & sinfull waies and workes, and crying mightily vntounto the Lord for pardon, and resoluing to turne from the wickednesse that was in their hands, that so God might turne away from his fierce wrath. Yet they had enioyed but little teaching: they had heard onelyonly one Sermon from Ionah, who was a man vnknowne vntounto them, and did not bring such testimonies of Scripture to conuince their consciences as are now alleaged vntounto vsus, &c: and therefore we should be much ashamed to come short of them in this holy exercise, especially seeing we hauehave not one Ionah, but many; not a iudgement threatned, but executed, and the sword of the Lord still drawne against vsus, and deuouring by hundreds and thousands in many quarters of our land. Let vsus then search and examine our hearts, and grieue, and iudge our selues for all our former transgressions; and couenant with the Lord to auoid them hereafter, crauing strength from him for that purpose, that we may be enabled to subdue and keepe vnderunder all our corruptions: and then our hearts being broken with godly sorrow, they shall be healed with godly ioy; and being truely cast downe before the Lord, he will raise vsus vp in due season, and make it knowne by good effect, that he is appeased towards vsus.
Thirdly,Vse: 3. here is matter of exceeding great terror vntounto those that spend their dayes in the continuall practise of grosse and presumptuous sinnes: for if Dauid were so grieued & punished for that corruption which no man liuing could touch him for, euen for dooing a good thing in an ill manner, how then shall they bee able to stand, that hauehave heaped iniquity vponupon iniquitie, and for manie yeeres together added one foule euill vntounto another; and not onelyonly done good things in an ill manner, but ill things in the worst manner, hauing manie crying sinnes still to call for vengeance against them? If Dauid were brought to such a strait, that he was euen at his wits ende, and in exceeding great anguish for doing one thing, which in mans reason might seeme very lawfull; Oh what horrible terrors shall seaze on their soules, who doe continuallie rush vponupon a multitude of hainous offences, which all the world crieth out against! especially when they shall be called to answere, not before Gad, as Dauid was, but before the Maiestie of the great Lord of heaven and earth; not for one sinne, but for all their sinnes: not to endure three dayes punishment in merciemercy, but euerlasting woe and miserie, and that in iudgement and heauie displeasure! Dauid had great sorrow indeed for the offences which he committed; yet no more then hee should hauehave: how then doe they thinke to escape, that are not wrought vponupon at all with any remorse for their grieuous transgressions, but are euen as a lumpe of dead flesh, altogether insensible of any stroke of God, that is threatned, or inflicted vponupon themselues, or others?
Verse 10.Doct. 3. Confession of sinne, must folowe griefe for sinne. I hauehave sinned exceedingly] Now followeth the second step vntounto sound repentance, namely, a true, full, particular, and hearty confession of his sinne that so wounded his heart: which all that would obtaine remission of their sinnes, must be carefull to bring before the Lord as Dauid did. But this point hath bene more largely handled elsewhere [in M. Dods Serm. Prou. 28. Doct. 2.
I beseech thee take away the trespasse of thy seruant, &c.
This is the third worke of repentance, viz: that he craueth pardon for his fault; and that is the next point; that,Doct. 4. Asking pardon must be ioyned with confession. Luk. 18. 13. Daniel. 9. 19. Nehem. 9. with confession of our sinnes, we must alwaies ioyne requests vntounto God for the pardoning of the same: so doth Dauid in this place, as also Psal. 51. so doth the Publican, Lord be mercifull vntounto me a sinner: and in a word, so doth Daniel, Nehemia, and the rest of Gods seruants, as may be seene in their seuerall confessions. And for incouragement vntounto the performance of this dutie, we hauehave,
1 First,Exod. 34. the name of God, which is to pardon iniquitie, transgression, and sinne: euen all without exception, great or small, if we repent for them, they shall be pardoned: if we acknowledge our miserie, we shall assuredly finde Gods mercy.
2 Secondly,Ezeck. 36. we hauehave the couenant of God, that he will wash vsus from all our filthinesse, by powring the bloud of his sonne vponupon our sinfull soules.
3 Thirdly,Mat. …. we hauehave the name of Christ to incite and moue vsus to become suters for a pardon: for he is called Iesus, because it is his office to saue his people from their sinnes.
This Doctrine serueth,
First,Vse. 1. for the confutation of the Papists, who clog mens consciences, and lay on them heauie and yet vnnecessarie burdens, enioyning them, if they would get termission of their sinnes, to goe in pilgrimage to this or that place, to pray to this or that Saint, to make some satisfaction to God, &c: as if they should finde merciemercy any where, rather then by seeking it at Gods hands: and they speed accordingly: for whereas Dauid went vntounto the Lord for fauour, and obtained it, they hauehave still vnsetled hearts, and restles consciences: or hard hearts, and benummed consciences, neuer getting any true peace, or sound comfort in the assurance of their reconciliation with the Lord.
2 Secondly,Vse. 2. for reproofe of those, whose offences are very many, and very grieuous, and they see and acknowledge so much: and yet will they not be so presumptuous (as they tearme it) to expect pardon for the same: indeed they thinke it fit for such holy men as Dauid was, to aske and looke for mercy from the Lord, but for themselues, they are such hainous offenders, that they dare not doe so, neither can they conceiue any hope to speed well if they should doe so. But why should we put in conditions where God doth not, and as it were interline Gods couenant? doth not he promise without any exception,1. Ioh. 1. 9. that if we confesse our sinnes, he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vsus our sinnes, and to cleanse vsus from all vnrighteousnesse? It is therefore a great fault, to thinke that any hath more abundance of sinne, then God hath of mercy to forgiue it.
Thirdly,Vse. 3. heere is an vse of instruction, that we should be very importunate for the obtaining of Gods fauour in the pardoning of our sinnes: which earnestnes that we may attaine vntounto, let vsus vse these two helpes following, which Dauids example directeth vsus vntounto:How we may attaine to earnestnesse in asking pardon. First, let vsus labour that our hearts may thorowly smite vsus, and that our consciences may euermore checke vsus when we doe offend: for wheresoeuer there is the checke of conscience, it will make the party grow not onelyonly to hartie confession, but also to earnest petitions for grace and fauour. The greater therefore is their follie, who when the Lord doth strike their drowsie consciences for any wickednesse committed by them, will presently betake themselues to merry company, & so by iesting, and laughing, and drinking, and sporting, seeke to driue away their melancholie fit, as they call it: but God meeteth with them accordingly: for when they will not take benefit by that mercifull warning which he giueth them, they commonly fall to maruellous hardnes of heart, and after breake foorth into some horrible sinne, which ouerwhelmeth them with shame and confusion. Let vsus therefore obserue when the Lord smiteth our hearts, and with Peter get out of company speedily, and lament bitterly, that so we may turne the rebukes of our soules into holy requests, that the Lord would forgiue vsus, and not enter into iudgement with vsus for our grieuous prouocations against his Maiestie.
Secondly, when sinne is so odious vntounto vsus, that our hearts doe condemne vsus for it, then let vsus striue to be perswaded that it is pardonable, yea and that it shall be pardoned vntounto vsus: that though we deserue to be throwen out of seruice, because we hauehave dealt so foolishly, yet seeing we are Gods seruants, he will not goe to extremities with vsus, but deale as a father with his owne children, this ancor of hope we had need still to hold fast by: for if we be not in some good measure resolued, that we shall finde the Lord gratious, and that we our selues are not hypocrites, but such as to whom mercy belongeth, we shall presently giuegive ouer prayer: for who would seeke vntounto a Chirurgion to cure him, of whom he is afraid lest he should wound him, in that he hath cause and abilitie so to doe? Therefore hold this for a firme ground, once Gods childe, and euer: once his seruant, and neuer his enemie: in which regard we may come with confidence vntounto him, and say, Lord, I am vnworthy to be called thy sonne; yet art thou my mercifull Father: I hauehave done thee ill seruice, yet am I thy poore seruant still: and though I be bad now, yet time hath bene when I hauehave bin better, & done better: when I hauehave praied in secret, and humbled my soule; and shedde teares for my sinnes in priuate; and hauehave had an vtter detestation of those euils, which now through the corruption of my nature I hauehave fallen into, and therefore Lord be pacified towards me, and put out of thy remembrance the trespasse of thy seruant. If any one want these testimonies of Gods louelove towards him, and of his louelove towards God, when affliction ouertaketh him for his sinnes, he will either flee from the Lords presence, as Adam did, or if he aduenture to come vntounto him, his prayers will descend as plummets of lead vponupon him, and Sathan and his owne conscience will be readie to accuse him, and to say, what hast thou to doe with God? he heareth not sinners: thou shall rather prouoke his vengeance, then obtaine his fauour by thy petitions; and because thou hast bene his enemie heretofore, he will shew himselfe to be thine now: and because thou hast cast his word behind thy backe, he will shut out thy cries, that they shall not hauehave any accesse vntounto him. Which vncomfortable newes, will be as a dart to strike thorow the liuer of an hypocrite, and as a two edged sword to pearse his soule: and therefore let vsus all labour to be strongly setled in this point, that we are Gods seruants, that so we may be feruent and firie in our prayers, and not be so daunted as sinners are when the hand of God is vponupon them.
I hauehave dealt very foolishly] This he speaketh to make this sinne more odious vntounto himselfe: for by nature we are so proud, that we cannot abide that any body should say, we hauehave dealt foolishly and absurdly: therefore doth he lay lode vponupon himselfe, the more to beat downe his pride, confessing that he had dealt very foolishly, because he had dealt very sinfully: whence note this doctrine, That the more sinfull any one is, the more foolish he is.
Eue did eat of the forbidden fruit,Doct. 5. The greatest sinners are the veriest fooles. thinking she had dealt very wisely & prouidently for her selfe: but did she get any thing by sinning against her makers commandement? No surely: when shee had a conceit that she should deale most wisely, she dealt most foolishly of any that euer was in the world: for thereby she brought sorrow and miserie, yea eternall damnation of soule and body, not onelyonly vponupon her selfe (had not God giuen her repentance and mercy) but vponupon many hundred thousands of her posteritie. So Achan thought it a part of wisdome to take vp the Babylonish garment & the wedge of gold that lay in his way:Ioshua. 7. hee might thereby (as he imagined) inrich himselfe, and the matter neuer be knowne: but was not that the ruine of himselfe & his houshold? In like manner Ieroboam esteemed it a wise and safe way for him to set vp the Calues, that the people might worship at Dan and Bethel, and so not fall from him, to ioyne againe to the house of Dauid: he accounted this a surer course to establish his throne, then for him to rest on Gods promise: but did he not get exceeding dishonour and vtter ruine heereby? in so much that when the Lord will set foorth a notable reprobate and firebrand of hell, he doth describe him by this, that he was like Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat, that made Israel to sinne: and whereas he hoped by this meanes to set vp himselfe and his seed for euer, he caused them through his sinnes to be swept away as dung from the face of the earth. The like may be said of Ahab in taking away Naboths vineyard. And this must needs be so,Reason. that the greatest sinners are the veriest fooles, because in sinning they forsake the wisedome of God, and follow the direction of flesh and blood. It is noted as a point of great folly and indiscretion in Rehoboam, that he would forsake the good counsell of the old men, and follow the rash aduise of young men: and are not they then egregious fooles indeed, that leaue the counsell of the wise God, and follow the aduice of Sathan, his and their vtter enemie? We would esteeme it a great madnesse, if we should see a man, his barnes being full of corne, to set fire on the thatch, and to sit by and laugh to behold all turned into a flame: and yet certainely this is not so great a madnesse as for one to fire his soule with sinne: for all the friends and meanes that the world affordeth cannot quench this flame, nor recouer this losse, as they may the other: and therefore they are the fooles of the world, that are the sinners of the world: and there is no such frenfie, as for a man to prouoke his Creator: and whatsoeuer applause wicked persons hauehave for a season, yet at length all the world shall see, and they themselues shall feele, that they hauehave beene notorious fooles: Ier. 17. 11.
This serueth for instruction,Vse. 1. that if we would not be branded with the name of fooles and Idiots, we be carefull to eschew all manner of sinnes: and on the contrary, if we would be truely wise, let vsus cleaue vntounto the Lord in constant and faithfull obedience: that was the reason why Dauid was wiser then his enemies, Psal. 119. 93.then his teachers, then the aged, because he kept Gods statutes. What made those in the Gospell to be foolish Virgins, but this, that they made not prouision for eternall life? And what made the other fiue to be indeed wise, but that their hearts and liues were adorned and beautified with grace and goodnesse? Achitophel was a deepe politician; yet because he was destitute of heauenly wisedome, he shewed himselfe to be but a miserable base foole: for when he had no meanes to helpe himselfe, he went and hanged himselfe: if one had studied an hundred yeeres, he could hardly hauehave found out a readier way to manifest his notable folly, then he tooke in that horrible murdering of himselfe.
2 Secondly, is it so that the greatest sinners are the veriest fooles? then here is matter of singular consolation for Gods seruants, that are vilified and contemned, and accounted sillie and simple, euen for this, that they carefully decline from the waies of sinners, though in shew neuer so pleasant and profitable: and conscionably, walke in the paths of righteousnesse, though neuer so rough and dangerous: let vaine men speake their pleasure of them, and count and call them the fooles of the world, yet God esteemeth and speaketh otherwise of them. It is no maruell that the world iudgeth them fooles, for with them the doctrine of the Gospell (vntounto which the godly endeuour to conforme themselues and their courses) is accounted foolishnes. But as wisedome is iustified of her children, whatsoeuer men thinke or speake of it, so are the children of wisedome iustified by the infinitely wise God, whatsoeuer slanderous and reproachfull imputations carnall men doe lay vponupon them: he saith that the feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome. Prou. 1. 7. and that those that obey his commandements are the onelyonly wise people vnderunder the Sun. Deut. 46.
Verse. 13. Wilt thou that seuen yeeres famine come vponupon the Lands &c.
Heere commeth an obiection to be answered.Obiect. It is said, 1. Cor. 11. 31. that if we iudge our selues, we shall not be iudged of the Lord: how commeth it to passe then in this place, that Dauid confessing his fault, aggrauating it, and asking pardon for it, hath notwithstanding such a heauie iudgement denounced against him, as the famine, or the sword, or the pestilence?
1 Though such as iudge themselues,Answer. shall not be iudged, yet must they be cured: and that was Dauids case here: this stroake was not laid vponupon him in wrath, but in fauour: he had set vponupon a good worke, euen the pulling downe of his pride, & by this meanes the Lord furthered him in ye good worke, & made a speedier way for abūdāce of grace, which was after bestowed vpō him.
2 Againe, the people were not so reformed as they should be at this time, and therefore God in this plague doth aime at their humbling, thrusting Dauid out of the gappe (as it were) who had formerly by his prayers & teares stood in the breach, to keep of the Lords wrath from them, so that all this while beeing intangled with his own matters, he could not so freely deale for them.
Now in that Dauid must hauehave such a sharpe corasiue to consume that proud flesh that had growne about his heart, by reason of his mightie forces, and the largenesse of his dominions,Doct. 6. It is hard to be at downe mans pride. the Doctrine is, that it is a wonderfull hard thing to take downe the pride of mans heart: it is no small affliction that will doe it, as is plaine Iob 33. 14. &c: where is at large shewed, that God vseth all meanes, and that againe & againe, and yet men will not profit thereby: then he findes out the cause of it to be pride, verse. 17. and so laieth corrections vponupon them sutable thereunto, smiting them with sorrow vponupon their beds, so that the griefe of their bones is sore: pinching them with grieuous sicknesses and diseases, and making their bones to clater, so that their soules draw neere to the graue, and their life to the buriers. Now when these or the like wofull distresses hauehave tamed and maistered their vnruly affections, then doe they begin to be somewhat more tractable: and whereas neither dreames, nor visions, nor any of Gods ordinances would doe any good vponupon them before, after that, if God send vntounto them a messenger or Interpreter one of a thousand, they will begin to hearken vntounto them, and to learne how they may obtaine mercy and reconciliation with God, that they descend not into the pit of destruction. Further, we may obserue what a great deale of woe Dauid sustained by reason of the hautinesse of his heart, and his earthly confidence (which is a signe thereof) when he thought his mountaine so strong, that he should neuer be mooued: Psalm. 30. 6. 7.for God turned away his face from him, and he was troubled, and euen ready to goe downe into the pit, Verse. 9.& to descend vntounto the dust, &c. Neither did God minister vntounto him a stronger purgation then he needed: but his pride required full as much affliction as the Lord laide vponupon him, this was also the case of vzziah, who being in a moderate estate, did exceeding much good both for the Church and the common wealth: but when he was growen mighty and strong, his heart was lifted vp, and then he could not content himselfe with his kingly dignitie, but he would needs take vponupon him the office of the High-priest also, and so went into the Temple of the Lord, to burne incense vponupon the Altar of incense; but what came of this presumptuous fact of his? When the admonition of the Priests of the Lord would not preuaile with him, but he grewe wroth with those that withstoode him, the Lord louing him, did forthwith smite him with Leprosie, and so he was driuen to liue apart all his life long, that so the hautinesse of his heart might bee throughlie cured. 2. Chron. 26.2. Cor. 12. The like may be seene in Paul; who albeit he were a man of wonderfull graces, & had beene continually exercised with many and great afflictions, so that he had no great need of further humbling, as we would hauehave thought, yet had he Satan turned loose vponupon him, to buffet him, and to beat him blacke and blew as it were, that so hee might not bee lifted vp with the multitude and excellencie of the reuelations that he had receiued. Hee had beene in the third heauen, and was indued with exceeding rare gifts: and the Lord knew, that if he were not taken downe, hee would bee very conceited of himselfe, and then all had beene lost: he would be vnfit to receiue or doe good, altogether vnprofitable and vnfruitfull, and robbe God of his honour, and men of their due: and therefore to preuent this, hee giueth Satan libertie to worke vponupon his originall corruption, and to exercise him with strange temptations, which was a speciall preseruatiue against pride, and loftinesse of minde.
Lastly, wee may note in the 8. chap. of Deuteronomie, verse 2. what a great adoe the Lord had with his people, the children of Israel; to helpe them, against this vile corruption that was in them: hee was driuen to keepe them fortie yeeres in the wildernes, and there to exercise them with manie and grieuous crosses and iudgements, and all to humble them, as there it is saide: and certainly, if fewer and easier afflictions would hauehave done it, the Lord would neuer hauehave handled them so roughlie and sharplie; for merciemercy pleaseth him, neither doeth hee afflict willinglie.Micah. 7. Lament. 3.
Now the reason why the pride of mens hearts cannot easily bee remooued, is,
First, because it doth wonderfully harden them, and makes them euen like a Flinte: so that they are verie hardly wrought vponupon, either by instructions, or by afflictions. This is euident in Nebuchadnezzar, who notwithstanding that diuine dreame that God had sent vntounto him,Dan. 4. 24. and the holy instructions and exhortations that Daniel had giuen him, after his interpretation thereof; yet continued in his arrogancie still, and was full of boasting and bragging: in so much that the Lord was faine to strippe him of his wittes, of his kingdome, of his foode, of his apparell, and of the societie of mankinde, and to cause him, euen for seuen yeares together, to liue as a beast, among the beasts of the fielde: and all little enough to take downe the stoutnes and loftines of his sinfull heart.Dan. 5. 20.
Secondly, as pride maketh men vnteachable, and vncapable of good by any meanes that others can vse, so doth it make them vnable to vse any means themselues, for the humbling of their soules: for proud men cannot examine, and iudge themselues, because they are wise in their own eyes, and hauehave an high conceit of their owne doings: they cannot pray, because they hauehave no promise to builde vponupon, nor any heart to humble their soules before the Lord, as all that will speede well with him must doe: they cannot labour in a calling for conscience sake;2. Chron. 11. Iam. 4. 8. because they onelyonly seeke and serue themselues in whatsoeuer they doe: in a word, they cannot applie themselues to vse any of those holie remedies that God hath ordained, for the subduing and mastering of the pride, and haughtinesse of their wicked hearts; and therefore it must needs be concluded, that this dangerous sicknes is very hardly cured. And if we hauehave yet any doubt hereof, let experience teach vsus the truth of this point: for if wee obserue it in our selues or others, we shall find, that those that hauehave had most heartbreakings, and shed most bitter tears, and gone through most fearfull temptations, and most grieuous distresses, hauehave yet still a great deale of pride in them, which is ready vppon eueryevery occasion to manifest it selfe, vntounto their griefe and the offence of others.
Which maketh first of all for the terrour of all proud and arrogant men,Vse. who may looke for a great deale of woe and miserie, for the expelling of this poysoned humour out of their soules. Let such therefore remember what is said concerning them,Prou. 16. 5. 18. to wit, that all the proud in heart are an abomination vntounto the Lord: though hand ioyne in hand, they shall not be vnpunished. And againe, Pride goeth before destruction, and an high minde before the fall. And in the 119. Psalm:Psal. 119. thou hast destroyed the cursed proud: and in the Epistle of Iames, God resisteth the proud. Pet. 3. Iam. 4.Let these and the like terrible sentences fright their drowsie consciences, and vnlesse they would hauehave the Lord to abhorre them, to curse them, to fight against them, and vtterly to destroy them, let them sue vntounto him, who alone is able to heale them of this loathsome corruption: otherwise their case is very wofull, and lamentable, and the more account they make of themselues, the more cleerely will God manifest his heauie displeasure against them, as he did against Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Herod, and such other lostie spirits as they were.
Secondly, let this be an instruction vntounto the children of God, that if they would not hauehave their maker to loath them, and to fight against them, they must labour to abhorre all loftines of minde, and ouer-weening conceites of themselues, and be content that the Lord should keepe them in humilitie by whatsoeuer meanes he thinketh best: the godly begin to thinke much diuers times that they are afflicted eueryevery morning; that they are exercised with wants, with sicknesses, with disgraces and the like: but better is it to vndergoe some of these, or all of these, though it be all our life long, so we be made more lowly thereby, than to ouerflowe with great plentie and varietie of outward things, and in the meane time to be pestered with that venemous humour of pride and selfe-conceit. Therefore was it that Paul doeth professe that hee would reioyce in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, &c: 2. Cor. 12. 10. 7.because he knewe they were excellent preseruatiues against his sinne.
Now because men are readie to thinke that there is not in them such store of pride, as that they greatly neede Gods medicines to cure them of it, or if they doe see their pride, they are readie to sit downe discouraged, as if it were vnpossible to get the better of it, therefore will it not be amisse to set downe some fruits and effects of pride, whereby it may be discerned, and some remedies and helpes against it, by vertue whereof it may be cured.
Concerning the first point, it were an infinite worke to reckon vp all the effects of pride,Fruites of pride. and therefore I will onelyonly touch some few of the principall, whereby we may be led to a sight of the rest:Prou. 13. 10. And the first of them shall be that where of Salomon speaketh, saying, OnelyOnly by pride doeth man make contention: many there are that doe ignorantly imagine they were neuer proud in all their life; but let them consider better of the matter; did they neuer brawle nor contend with any in all their life? if they did, certaine it is that they were proud: for looke how much contention there is, so much pride there is in eueryevery man. Which may be an euident argument to proue that this sinne doeth greatly sway eueryevery where: for if we looke into most families, and euen into those of the purest sort (who thinke themselues most free from pride) shall we not finde many iarres betwixt husband and wife; betwixt maister and seruants, betwixt brethren and sisters, betwixt neighbour and neighbour? this is so palpable that none can denie it; and therefore let not men deceiue themselues, but see and acknowledge and bewaile the wretched hautines of their hearts.
Another fruit of pride is, impatiencie vnderunder crosses, or losses, or indignities that doe befall vsus: for when we are discontented at that estate and condition, wherein we are, we euidently expresse our dislike of Gods gouernement, as if he did not dispose of things aright, and as if we could order matters in a better sort, if they were in our hands: and is not that monstrous pride to thinke ourselues wiser than God, and to censure him for his proceedings?
Againe, this is an euident token that men are proud, when they are readie to scorne at an admonition, or a reproofe that is giuen vntounto them, for that argueth that they hauehave a verie good opinion of themselues and of their actions, when they cannot abide that anie should finde faulte with them, or goe about to reforme them. Dauid was otherwise affected,2. Sam. 12. 13. when the Prophet Nathan came vntounto him with a sharpe reprehension,Psal. 51. and when Abigall met him with a wise admonition. And Iob bringeth this as an argument of his vprightnesse,1. Sam. 25. 32. that hee durst not contemne the iudgemēt of his seruāt. No, not of his Maide seruant, Iob. 31. 13.if they had any matter to obiect against him: and therefore let such as are enraged, or imbittetered against their reproouers or admonishers, knowe, that they are farre from that modestie and meekenesse of spirit that was in these holie men of God.
Lastlie, this is a sure note of pride, when men doe much regard earthly things, and promise vntounto themselues a kinde of happinesse in the enioyment thereof:1. Tim. 6. 17. in which regard the Apostle willeth Timothie to charge rich men that they be not high minded, and that they doe not trust in vncertaine riches: Implying thereby, that so much confidence as there is in wordlie substance, so much high-mindednes there is in the parties so addicted. The more men trust in God, the more humble they will be, but the more they trust in their wealth, the more high-minded they will bee. If men would trie themselues by this touch-stone, they should easily discerne abundance of pride in themselues: for who almost is there but doeth thinke himselfe the better and safer for the very hauing of earthlie things? and who doth not iudge his case more miserable, meerly for the want of these deceitfull vanities?
Let vsus therefore sifte our owne hearts, and by these and the like fruites of pride, learne to iudge what abundance of this poysoned sappe there is within vsus. And then perceiuing how liable wee are vntounto many fearefull stroakes of God by reason thereof, let vsus carefully vse these remedies following against the same.
First, let vsus often search and trie our owne hearts, and workes by the right rule,Remedies against Pride. that is, by the holy law of God: for none are lifted vp, but such as doe not knowe themselues: for if wee rightly considered what we are, and what our actions are, it would take downe all that foolish conceitednes, that is naturallie ingrafted in vsus, and cause vsus to say with the Publican, Lord bee mercifull to mee a sinner: and with Paul, Miserable man that I am, who shall deliuer mee from the bodie of this death! Luke, 18. 13.hee was aliue; Rom. 7. 24.that is, thought himselfe aliue, and in verie good case, before the law came, & cōuinced him of his wretched corruptions, hee was euen as a blinde man that feares nothing, though a man came running vponupon him with a sharpe sword, or he were ready to fal down violētly frō an high and dangerous rocke, he would neuer be daunted at the matter, nor one whit moued, because hee sees not that hee is in any danger: such was Pauls case, and such is the state of eueryevery vnregenerate man: but when Gods law is once pressed vponupon the conscience, by the liuely working of the holie Ghost, it inlightens the minde, and makes men see their owne sinfulnes, as Paul did, which is an excellent meanes to kill all proud and loftie conceits. If therefore we desire to be ridde of this hatefull and hurtfull companion, I meane pride, let vsus often and earnestly examine our selues by this straight rule of Gods law: we are giuen to try our selues often by examining whether we be not better than such a man, or such a woman, but this is a false and a deceitfull rule: for a man may be better than such and such, and yet be starke naught.
But the proud flesh will be readie to obiect,Obiect. and say, I doe not onelyonly goe beyond these and these wicked ones, but I am better than diuers that are esteemed godly and religious.
Are you so?Answer. you may easily be deceiued; and the better conceit you hauehave of your selfe, the worse you are likely to be: but grant for the time that you excell others in some things, doe not they goe before you in some other? you hauehave a better gouernement of your tongue than many of your neighbours; but are you not more grosly tainted with couetousnes than they are? You hauehave a better gift of chastitie than another, but doeth not he lesse offend in violent distempered passions than you doe? and the like might be said in other particulars. If you consider your owne goodnes and others badnes, you may easily growe to thinke better of your selfe than of others: but if you would withall set before your eyes their goodnes and your owne badnes, it would happily make you to hauehave a better opinion of them than of your selfe, and cause you to conclude that (all things considered) their graces are more excellent than yours. But let that be yeelded, that you are indeed beyond many others in pietie and godlines, doe you not yet come farre short of that which the law requireth? & for those gifts that you hauehave, whence proceeded they? are they not bestowed vponupon you out of the Lords meere bountie? and if you hauehave receiued them, why are you puffed vp as if you had not receiued them? If you did aright consider that you are no more worthy of the least blessing of God than the vilest creature in the world, and that not your goodnes, but Gods goodnes is the cause that you excell others, there would be no place left for ouer-weening cōceits of your selfe, but you would conclude (as the truth is) that the better you are gifted,Rom. 1. 14. the more you are indebted, and the more talents you hauehave, the more thankes you owe vntounto God,Math. 25. and the more seruice vntounto his people. And thus much for the first remedie against pride, which is, to try our selues and our actions by the true touchstone of Gods word.
The second is, often to bring our hearts into Gods presence by prayer & thanks-giuing, for that will make vsus acquainted with that holines which is in the Lord, and then we cannot but see and acknowledge that vilenes which is in ourselues. This was it that made Abrahā the father of Beleeuers, and the most excellent of all the Patriarks,Gen. 18. 27. to confesse, that he was but dust and ashes: this was it that caused Isaiah, a maruellous holy prophet,Isa. 42. 6. to cry out, that he was a man of polluted lips; and this was it that made Iob that worthie and renowmed seruant of God,Iob. 42. 6. euen to abhorre himselfe, and to repent in dust, and ashes. And assuredly if we constantly and zealously accustome our selues to come before Gods glorious throane, it will make vsus much ashamed to stand vponupon our owne worth, and frame vsus to a very lowly conceit of our selues. And on the contrarie, we may boldly conclude, that they that doe not vse reuerently and faithfully to call vponupon the Lord, are proud and hautie, and arrogant persons, and neuer yet knewe what true lowlines meant, where there are many and feruent prayers, there is much humilitie: where there are fewe and weake prayers, there is little humilitie: where there are no faithfull prayers at all, there is no humilitie at all.
A third helpe against pride is, diligence in some lawfull calling:Eccl. 1. 13. for labour and trauell (as the wise man saith) are appointed vntounto the sonnes of men to humble them thereby. As for idle persons, they are alwaies proud and conceited:Prou. A sluggard is wiser in his owne eyes, then ten men that can render a reason, for such kind of people hauing nothing to busie their heads about, are very readie (Sathan helping them forward) to thinke of their owne worth, to imagine high things of themselues, and so to build castles in the aire: besides that, idlenes nourisheth in them all manner of vile lusts, and the more sinfull any one is, the more proud he is; and therefore is the diuell more proud than any, because he is more sinfull than any. If then we would not be in bondage vntounto this vile sinne of pride, let vsus apply ourselues diligently vntounto the workes of our seuerall vocations; and that for conscience sake and in obedience vntounto God; not for filthy lucre sake, or for enuy, or the like, for if we labour & toyle neuer so much for worldly respects, we shall not be rightly humbled thereby, but rather puffed vp in our fleshly mindes.
A fourth remedie is, often to meditate of the hurts and mischiefes that come by pride, and of the benefits that doe arise from humilitie. The mischiefes proceeding from pride were partly before named in the first vse of this doctrine, viz, that it causeth the Lord to abhorre vsus, to resist vsus, to curse vsus, and to plague vsus, yea and to depriue vsus of those things whereof we are most proud and conceited: besides that, it causeth vsus to pine away with enuy: to consume with malice, to fret and vex with anger and discontentment, and vponupon eueryevery slight occasion to brabble and wrangle, to fall out with this body and that, and in a word, to be very vnquiet in our selues, and very troublesome and hatefull vntounto others; and who then would not be freed from this hurtfull sinne, which hath so many badde effects arising from it?
Then on the other side, the benefites issuing from the pure fountaine of humilitie, are very many and great: for besides the auoyding of the forenamed mischifes,Isa. 61. 1. lowlines will giuegive vsus an interest in all the promises of God:Luk. 4. 18. meeke men shall inherit the earth; they shall hauehave God to dwell with them, Psal. 37. 11.and grace to remaine in them while they liue,Isa. 57. 15. and glory to inuest them,Iam. 4. 6. and to make them eternally happie when they die.Math. 5. 3.
These remedies of often examination, frequent prayer, diligence in our vocation, and serious consideration of the hurts that come by pride, and of the benefits that proceed of humilitie, we must constantly and conscionably vse for the humbling of our hearts.
And lastly, for this very ende and purpose, we must not onelyonly be cōtent to heare admonition, but earnestly desire it: both of the Lord, that he would be pleased to stirre vp mens hearts to admonish vsus, and of men, that they would shew vsus that fauour, as to tell vsus plainely and faithfully of our faults, that we may thereby discerne of those corruptions, and be humbled for them, which we thorough selfe-louelove, and too much partialitie cannot easily espie, or not so thoroughly censure in our selues. The benefit here of Dauid found vponupon the prophet Nathans comming vntounto him;2. Sam. 12. and therefore doeth he so earnestly pray for it,Psal. 141. 5. saying: Let the righteous smite me for that is a benefit, and let him reproue me, and it shall be a precious oyle, &c. And whosoeuer they be that doe not thus desire the admonitions of Gods seruants, they carrie too little hatred against sinne, and doe not with any great earnestnes and indignation controule and checke their consciences for it: and therefore they are likely to liue and die in their pride, and may iustly feare those punishments that doe belong vntounto proud persons.
Verse 12. I offer thee three things: chuse thee which of them I shall doe vntounto thee.
In that the Lord putteth him to this choyce when he began in good earnest to humble himselfe, the doctrine is, that
The more speedily we iudge our selues,Doct. 7. Speedy iudging of our selues procures fauour. the more mercifully the Lord will deale with vsus.
This we see proued in this text, where God dealeth with Dauid as a father with his owne sonne: First, letting him chuse his owne rod, when of necessitie he must be corrected:The time being expired, this point was briefly handled. Secondly, he giueth him warning before hand, that the plague might not ouertake him on a sudden, which would wonderfully hauehave discomforted him: Thirdly, he telleth him how long it should continue, so that he was sure three daies would be the longest. Which serueth first for singular comfort vntounto Gods children that doe bewaile their sinnes,Vse. 1. and passe sentence vponupon themselues as well as they can: if they goe thorow with that worke, the Lord wil giuegive them a comfortable and speedie deliuerance: or if it be requisite that they should feele Gods hand vponupon them or theirs in any more grieuous manner, yet the Lord will deale with them in some sort as he did heere with Dauid: for first they shall hauehave warning thereof before hand, and so be better prepared and armed for it. And further, if they striue to humble their hearts before the Lord, though they hauehave not the choyce of their particular scourge, yet it shall be as well with them in effect: for although at first they thinke the rod very smart, and eueryevery blow two, yet when they are growne to be stronger men in Christ, they shall be driuen to confesse, that if they had chosen their owne rods, there could hauehave beene none in the world so fit for them as those wherewith the Lord hath scourged them: So that they shall be able not onelyonly to say with the Prophet, It is good for me that I hauehave beene afflicted; but good for me that I was whipped with these and these rods, yea and that I receiued thus many strokes from the Lords mercifull hand, No crosse could hauehave beene inuented to doe me more good, then pouerty, or disgrace, or ill neighbours, or any the like, according as Gods seruants are seuerally tried. If God should hauehave put it to Abrahams and Iacobs choyse, they would rather hauehave parted with any outward thing, then with their children, that were as deare vntounto them as their life: but when they saw Gods end in trying them that way, when Isaac was spared, and Ioseph aduanced, and made an instrument of humbling his boisterous brethren, and of releeuing his father and all his familie, besides many others, then they must needs acknowledge that it was fittest for them to be crossed in their children, and that Cods waies are the best, whatsoeuer we may iudge of them for a while.
Secondly,se. 2. heere is matter of terrour vntounto all vngodly men that will not be perswaded to iudge themselues: looke what iudgement will most vex, and sting, and torment, and euen kill their soules, that let them make account of. If Haman might hauehave beene the chuser, of all other miseries he would not hauehave chosen that which befell him: to wit, that Mordecai his enemie should be aduanced and honoured and that by himselfe, who did beare him such deadly hatred for that he could not obtaine honour and reuerence from him: what an horrible torment must this needs be vntounto his heart, that Mordecai now should ride, and he goe by him on foot? that now he must bow the knee to Mordecai, that would so faine hauehave had Mordecai to doe it to him? that the gallowes that was by him prepared for Mordecai, must now serue for himselfe: &c. This must needs be an exceeding torture vntounto him: and this shall befall all impenitent sinners: What they are most loth to vndergoe, that shall light vponupon them, and that at vnawares when they least thinke of it, and shall continue with them, and neuer leaue them till it hauehave either turned them vntounto God, or brought them vntounto hell, the place of all such rebrobate sinners. And that we may apply this to the present occasion, are there not many that are horribly afraid of the pestilence? yea farre more then they are of sinne which bringeth it: in so much that they absent themselues from Sermons, and from publike prayers, lest they should be infected. Are there not very many (I say) that are possessed with such feares? Let them looke to it: for of all other strokes the pestilence is likely to fall vponupon them: if it were a sword in the hand of the Pope, or of Sathan, then it stood them vponupon to beware of Gods ordinances: but seeing none but Atheists will denie but it is ordered by Gods ouerruling hand, they take a bad course to escape his stroke: for where can they hide themselues, but he will finde them out? And whither can they flee from his all-seeing presence?
He can take away the infection where it is, and bring it euen in a moment where it is not: and therefore goe where they can, they goe in continuall danger: for where is the sword of God most likely to smite, but where he is most displeased, and where there is most prophanenesse, and greatest contempt of the meanes of saluation? therefore if they would escape, let them fall downe before the Lord, and humble themselues as Dauid did: and not be so much afraid of their neighbours that hauehave the plague, as of sinne that brings the plague: and runne not so much from the occasion of this sicknesse (though all good care must be had that way) as from the cause: which if we can doe, then either God will spare vsus, and exempt vsus from this stroke, or else giuegive vsus comfort vnderunder it, and deliuerance from it by life or death: making it a meanes vtterly to kill originall sinne, which all his ordinances could but onelyonly weaken: and who would be afraid of such a cure? what child of God would not be more glad to sit on a throne in heauen (though he be called thereto by a boysterous messenger) than to be in a prison heere on earth? to be where he shall be quite freed from sinne and sorrow and temptation, and hauehave all happinesse aboue that which his heart can desire, rather than to be continually turmoyled heere in the world, and eueryevery day to taste of new tribulations.
The end of the first Sermon.