Eighty Sermons, penitential psalms · Sermon 55
SERM. LV. Preached upon the Penitentiall Pſalmes.
PSAL. 6.8, 9, 10.
Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquitie; for the Lord hath heard the voyce of my weeping.
The Lord hath heard my ſupplication; the Lord will receive my prayer.
Let all mine enemies be aſhamed and ſore vexed: let them returne and be aſhamed ſuddenly.
THis is Davids profligation and diſcomfiture of his enemies; this is an act of true honour, a true victory, a true triumph, to keepe the field, to make good one ſtation, and yet put the enemy to flight. A man may perchance be ſafe in a Retrait, but the honour, the victory, the triumph lies in enforcing the enemy to fly. To that is David come here, to ſuch a thankfull ſenſe of a victory; in which we ſhall firſt confider Davids thankfulneſſe, that is, his manner of declaring Gods mercy, and his ſecurity in that mercy; which manner is, that he durſt come to an open defiance, and proteſtation, and hoſtility, without modifications, or diſguiſes, Depart from me all yee workers of iniquity. And then, ſecondly, we ſhall ſee his reaſon, upon which he grounded this confidence, and this ſpirituall exultation, which was a pregnant reaſon, a reaſon that produced another reaſon; The Lord hath heard my ſupplication, the Lord will heare my prayer; upon no premiſes doth any concluſion follow, ſo Logically, ſo ſincerely, ſo powerfully, ſo imperiouſly, ſo undeniably, as upon this, The Lord hath, and therefore the Lord will. But then what was this prayer? that wee may know, whether it were a prayer to be drawne into practiſe, and imitation, or no. It is not argument enough, that it was ſo, becauſe God heard it then; for we are not bound, nay, we are not allowed to pray all ſuch prayers, as good men have prayed, and as God hath heard. But here the prayer was this, Let all mine enemies be aſhamed, and ſore vexed, let them returne, and be aſhamed ſuddenly. But this is a malediction, an imprecation of miſchiefe upon others; and will good men pray ſo? or will God heare that? Becauſe that is an holy probleme, and an uſefull intergatory, we ſhall make it a third part, or a concluſion rather, to enquire into the nature, and into the avowableneſſe, and exemplarineſſe of this, in which David ſeemes to have been tranſported with ſome paſſion.
So that our parts will be three, the building it ſelfe, Davids thankeſgiving in his exultation,Diviſie. and declaration, Depart from mee all yee workers of iniquitie; and then the foundation of this building, For God hath heard, and therefore God will heare; and laſtly, the proſpect of this building, David contemplates and lookes over againe the prayer that he had made, and in a cleare underſtanding, and in a rectified Conſcience, he finds that he may perſiſt in that prayer, and he doth ſo: Let all mine enemies be aſhamed, and ſore vexed, let them returne, and be aſhamed ſuddenly.
Firſt then we conſider Davids thankfulneſſe: But why is it ſo long before David leads us to that conſideration? Why hath he deferred ſo primary a duty, to ſo late a place,1. Part. to ſo low a roome, to the end of the Pſalme? The Pſalme hath a Deprecatory part, that God would forbeare him, and a Poſtulatory part, that God would heare him, and grant ſome things to him, and a Gratulatory part, a ſacrifice of thankeſgiving. Now the Deprecatory part is placed in the firſt place, Verſ. 1. For if it were not ſo, if we ſhould not firſt ground that, That God ſhould not rebuke us in his anger, nor chaſten us in his hot diſpleaſure, but leave our ſelves open to his indignation, and his judgements, wee could not live to come to a ſecond petition; our ſinnes, and judgements due to our ſinnes, require our firſt conſideration; therefore David begins with the deprecatory prayer, That firſt Gods anger may be removed: but then, that deprecatory prayer, wherein he deſired God to forbeare him, ſpends but one verſe of the Pſalme; David would not inſiſt upon that long: When I have penitently confeſt my ſinnes, I may ſay with Iob, My fleſh is not braſſe, nor my bones ſtones, that I can beare the wrath of the Lord; but yet I muſt ſay with Iob too, If the Lord kill me, yet will I truſt in him. God hath not asked me, What ſhall I doe for thee, but of himſelfe he hath done more, then I could have propoſed to my ſelfe in a wiſh, or to him in a prayer. Nor will I aske God, Quouſque, how long ſhall my foes increaſe? how long wilt thou fight on their ſide againſt me? but ſurrender my ſelfe entirely, in an adveniat regnum, and a fiat voluntas, thy kingdome come, and thy will be done. David makes it his firſt worke, to ſtay Gods anger in a deprecatory prayer, but he ſtayes not upon that long, he will not preſcribe his Phyſitian, what he ſhall preſcribe to him, but leaves God to his own medicines, and to his own methode. But then the Poſtulatory prayer, what he begs of God, employes ſix verſes: as well to ſhew us, that our neceſſities are many; as alſo that if God doe not anſwer us, at the beginning of our prayer, our duty is ſtill to purſue that way, to continue in prayer. And then the third part of the Pſalme, which is the Gratulatory part, his giving of thanks, is, ſhall we ſay deferred, or rather reſerved to the end of the Pſalme, and exerciſes onelyonly thoſe three verſes which are our Text. Not that the duty of thankeſgiving is leſſe then that of prayer; for if we could compare them, it is rather greater; becauſe it contributes more to Gods glory, to acknowledge by thanks, that God hath given, then to acknowledge by prayer, that God can give. But therefore might David be later and ſhorter here, in expreſſing that duty of thanks, firſt, becauſe being reſerved to the end, and cloſe of the Pſalme, it leaves the beſt impreſſion in the memory. And therefore it is eaſie to obſerve, that in all Metricall compoſitions, of which kinde the booke of Pſalmes is, the force of the whole piece, is for the moſt part left to the ſhutting up; the whole frame of the Poem is a beating out of a piece of gold, but the laſt clauſe is as the impreſſion of the ſtamp, and that is it that makes it currant. And then alſo, becauſe out of his abundant manner of expreſſing his thankfulneſſe to God, in every other place thereof, his whole booke of Pſalmes is called, Sepher tehillim, a booke of praiſe and thankeſgiving, he might reſerve his thanks here to the laſt place; And laſtly, becauſe naturall and morall men are better acquainted with the duty of gratitude, of thankeſgiving, before they come to the Scriptures, then they are with the other duty of repentance, which belongs to Prayer; for in all Solomons bookes, you ſhall not finde halfe ſo much of the duty of thankfulneſſe, as you ſhall in Seneca and in Plutarch. No book of Ethicks, of morall doctrine, is come to us, wherein there is not, almoſt in every leafe, ſome deteſtation, ſome Anathema againſt ingratitude; but of repentance, not a word amongſt them all. And therefore in that dutie of prayer, which preſumes repentance, (for he muſt ſtand Rectus in curia that will pray) David hath inſiſted longeſt; and becauſe he would enter, and eſtabliſh a man, upon a confidence in God, he begins with a deprecation of his anger; for but upon that ground, no man can ſtand; and becauſe he would diſmiſſe him with that which concerns him moſt, he chooſeth to end in a Thankſgiving.
Therefore at laſt he comes to his thanks.Gratiae actae. Now this is ſo poore a duty, if we proportion it to the infiniteneſſe of Gods love unto us, our thanks, as we may juſtly call it nothing at all.Bernar. But Amor Dei affectus, non contractus, The love of God is not a contract, a bargaine, he looks for nothing againe, and yet he looks for thanks, for that is nothing, becauſe there is nothing done in it,Auguſt. it is but ſpeaking; Gratias dicere, eſt gratias agere, To utter our thanks to God, is all our performance of thankfulneſſe. It is not ſo amongſt us;Philo Iudae. Vix, aut nunquam apud nos purum, & merum beneficium; Every man that gives, gives out of deſigne,Martial. and as it conduces to his ends: Donat in hamo, There is a hook in every benefit, that ſticks in his jawes that takes that benefit, and drawes him whither the Benefactor will. God looks for nothing, nothing to be done in the way of exact recompence, but yet, as he that makes a Clock, beſtowes all that labour upon the ſeverall wheeles, that thereby the Bell might give a ſound, and that thereby the hand might give knowledge to others how the time paſſes; ſo this is the principall part of that thankfulneſſe, which God requires from us, that we make open declarations of his mercies, to the winning and confirming of others.
This David does in this noble and ingenuous publication,Diſcedite. and proteſtation, I have ſtrength enough, and company enough, power enough, and pleaſure enough, joy enough, and treaſure enough, honour enough, and recompence enough in my God alone, in him I ſhall ſurely have all which all you can pretend to give, and therefore Diſcedite à me, Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity; Here is then firſt, a valediction, a parting with his old company, but it is a valediction, with a malediction, with an imprecation of Gods Juſtice, upon their contempts and injuries. There was in the mouth of Chriſt, ſometimes, ſuch a Diſcede, ſuch an Abito, as that farewell was a welcome; as when he ſaid to the Ruler,John 4.46. Luke 7.50. Abito, Goe thy way, thy ſon liveth; And when he ſaid to the woman, Goe in peace, thy ſaith hath ſaved thee. This going was a ſtaying with him ſtill; Here the Abite, and Venite was all one. He that goes about his worldly buſineſſe, and goes about them in Gods name, in the feare and favour of God, remaines in Gods preſence ſtill. When the Angels of God are ſent to viſit his children, in the middeſt of Sodome, or where they lie, and languiſh in ſordid and naſty corners, and in the loathſomeneſſe of corrupt and infectious diſeaſes, or where they faint in miſerable dungeons, this Commiſſion, this Diſcedite, goe to that Sodome, to that Spittle, to that Dungeon, puts not thoſe Angels out of the preſence of God. No deſcent into hell, of what kinde ſoever you conceive that deſcent into hell to have been, put the Son of God out of heaven, by deſcending into hell; no Diſcede, no Leave, no Commandement that God gives us, to doe the works of our calling here, excludes us from him; but as the Saints of God ſhall follow the Lamb, whereſoever he goes in heaven, ſo the Lamb of God ſhall follow his Saints, whereſoever they goe upon earth, if they walk ſincerely. Chriſt uſes not then as yet, as long as we are in this world, this Diſcede of David, to bid any man, any ſinner to depart from him: But there ſhall come a time, when Chriſt ſhall take Davids Diſcede, the words of this Text into his mouth, with as much and more bitterneſſe then David does here, Neſcivi nos, I never knew yee, and therefore Depart from me yee workers of iniquity.
So have you his Proteſtation,Servi ſui. his Proclamation, They muſt avoid; but who? Who be theſe that David diſmiſſes here? Take them to be thoſe of his owne houſe, his Servants, and Officers in neare places, whoſe ſervice he had uſed to ill purpoſes, (as Davids Perſon, and Rank, and Hiſtory directs us upon that Conſideration) and we ſhall finde all ſuch perſons, wrapt up in this danger, that they dare not diſcharge themſelves, they dare not diſplace, nor diſgrace thoſe men, to whom by ſuch imployments, they have given that advantage over themſelves, as that it is not ſafe to them, to offend ſuch a ſervant. Naturâ nec hoſtem habet, nec amicum rex, ſayes a wiſe Stateſman; In nature, (that is,Polybius. in the nature of greatneſſe, and, as great) great perſons conſider no man to be ſo much a friend, nor to be ſo much an enemy, but that they will fall out with that friend, and be reconciled to that enemy, to ſerve their own turne, ſayes that Stateſman. But yet when great Perſons truſt ſervants with ſuch ſecret actions, as may bring them into contempt at home, or danger abroad, by thoſe vices, if they ſhould be publiſhed, they cannot come when they would, to this Diſcedite, Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity.
We have this evidently, and unavoidably, we cannot but ſee it, and ſay it, in this example which is before us, even in King David. He had imployed Ioab in ſuch ſervices, as that he ſtood in feare of him, and indured at his hands that behaviour, and that language, Thou haſt ſhamed this day the faces of all thy ſervants that have ſaved thy life, 2 Sam. 19.and thy ſons, and daughters, and wives, and concubines, thou regardeſt neither thy Princes, nor ſervants; but come out, and ſpeak comfortably unto them, for I ſweare by the Lord, except thou doe come out, there will not tarry one man with thee this night. David indured all this, for he knew that Ioab had that letter in his Cabbinet, which he writ to him for the murther of Vriah, and he never came to this Diſcedite, to remove Ioab from him in his life, but gave it in Commandement to his Son,1 Kings 2. Let not Ioabs hoary head goe downe to the grave in peace: Here is the miſery of David, he cannot diſcharge himſelfe of that ſervant when he will, and here the miſery of that ſervant, that at one time or other he will; and he is a ſhort liv'd man, whoſe ruine a jealous Prince ſtudies. Becauſe the Text invited us, commanded, and conſtrained us to do ſo, we put this example in a Court, but we need not dazle our ſelves with that height; every man in his own houſe may finde it, that to thoſe ſervants, which have ſerved him in ill actions, he dares not ſay, Diſcedite, Depart from me ye workers of iniquity.
Thus then it is; if thoſe whom David diſmiſſes here, were his owne ſervants,Tentatores. it was an expreſſing of his thankfulneſſe to God, and a duty that lay upon him, to deliver himſelfe of ſuch ſervants. But other Expoſitors take theſe men, to be men of another ſort, men that came to triumph over him in his miſery,Pſal. 69.26. men that Perſecuted him whom God had ſmitten, and added to the ſorrow of him whom God had wounded, as himſelfe complaines; men that pretended to viſit him, yet when they came, They ſpoke lies, Pſal. 41.7.their hearts gathered iniquity to themſelves, and when they went abroad they told it; Men that ſaid to one another, When ſhall he dye, and his name periſh? Ver. 6.Here alſo was a Declaration of the powerfulneſſe of Gods Spirit in him, that he could triumph over the Triumpher, and exorciſe thoſe evill ſpirits, and command them away, whoſe comming was to diſhonour God, in his diſhonour; and to argue and conclude out of his ruine, that either his God was a weake God, or a cruell God, that he could not, or would not deliver his ſervants from deſtruction.
That David could command them away, whoſe errand was to blaſpheme God, and whoſe ſtaying in a longer converſation, might have given him occaſion of new ſins, either in diſtruſting Gods mercy towards himſelfe, or in murmuring at Gods patience towards them, or perchance in being uncharitably offended with them, and expreſſing it with ſome bitterneſſe, but that in reſpect of himſelfe, and not of Gods glory only, this Diſcedite, Depart from me all ſuch men as do ſin in yourſelves, and may make me ſin too, was an act of an heavenly courage, and a thankfull teſtimony of Gods gracious viſiting his ſoule, inabling him ſo reſolutely to teare himſelfe from ſuch perſons, as might lead him into tentation.
Neither is this ſeparation of David, and this company, partiall;Omnes. he does not baniſh thoſe that incline him to one ſin, a ſin that perchance he is a weary of, or growne unable to proceed in, and retained them that concurre with him in ſome freſh ſin, to which he hath a new appetite. David doth not baniſh them that ſuckt his Subjects blood, or their money, and retained them that ſolicite, and corrupt their wives, and daughters; he doth not diſplace them, who ſerved the vices of his predeceſſor, and ſupply thoſe places with inſtruments of new vices of his owne, but it is Diſcedite omnes, Depart all yee workers of iniquity. Now beloved, when God begins ſo high as in Kings, he makes this duty the eaſier to thee; to baniſh from thee, All the workers of iniquity. It is not a Diſcede, that will ſerve to baniſh one, and retaine the reſt, Nor a Diſcedite, to baniſh the reſt, and retaine one, but Diſcedite omnes, Depart all, for that ſinne ſtaies in ſtate, that ſtaies alone, and hath the venome, and the malignity of all the reſt contracted in it. It is nothing for a ſick man that hath loſt his taſte, to ſay, Diſcedat gula, Depart voluptuouſneſſe; nothing in a conſumption to ſay, Diſcedat luxuria, Depart wantonneſſe; nothing for a Client in Formapauperis, to ſay, Diſcedat corruptio, I will not bribe; but Diſcedant omnes, Depart all, and all together ye workers of iniquity.
But yet Davids generall diſcharge had,Operantes. and ours muſt have, a reſtriction, a limitation; it is not (as S. Ierom notes upon this place) Omnes qui operati, but Omnes operantes, not all that have wrought iniquity, but all that continue in doing ſo ſtill. David was not inexorable towards thoſe that had offended; what an example ſhould he have given God againſt himſelfe, if he had beene ſo? wee muſt not deſpiſe, nor defame men, becauſe they have committed ſome ſin. When the merciemercy of God hath wrought upon their ſin in the remiſſion thereof, that leproſie of Naaman cleaves to us, their ſinne is but transferred to us, if we will not forgive that which God hath forgiven, for it is but Omnes operantes, all they that continue in their evill wayes. All theſe muſt depart: how far? firſt,Rom. 16.17. they muſt be avoided, Declinate, ſaith S. Paul, I beſeech you brethren, marke them diligently which cauſe diviſion and offences, and avoid them. And this corrects our deſire in running after ſuch men, as come with their owne inventions, Schiſmaticall Separatiſts, Declinate, avoid them; if hee be no ſuch, but amongſt our ſelves, a brother, but yet a worker of iniquity,1 Cor. 5.11. If any one that is called a brother, be a Fornicator, or covetous, with ſuch a one eate not. If we cannot ſtarve him out, wee muſt thruſt him out; Put away from among you, that wicked man. No converſation at all is allowed to us, with ſuch a man, as is obſtinate in his ſin,2 Iohn 1.10. and incorrigible; no not to bid him God ſpeed, For he that bid. deth him God ſpeed, is partaker of his evill deeds. In this divorce, both the generality, and the diſtance is beſt expreſt by Chriſt himſelfe,Mat. 5.28. If thine eye, thine hand, thy foote offend thee, amputandi & projiciendi, with what anguiſh or remorſe ſoever it be done, they muſt bee cut off, and being cut off, caſt away; it is a divorce and no ſuper-induction, it is a ſeparating, and no redintegration. Though thou couldeſt be content to goe to Heaven with both eyes, (thy ſelfe, and thy companion) yet better to goe into Heaven with one, thy ſelfe alone, then to endanger thy ſelfe to be left out for thy companions ſake.
To conclude this firſt part,Diſcedite. David does not ſay, Diſcedam, but Diſcedite, he does not ſay, that he will depart from them, but he commands them to depart from him. Wee muſt not thinke to depart from the offices of ſociety, and duties of a calling, and hide our ſelves in Monaſteries, or in retired lives, for feare of tentations; but when a tentation attempts us, to come with that authority, and that powerfull exorciſme of Nazianzen, Fuge, recede, ne te cruce Chriſti, ad quam omnia contremiſcunt, feriam, Depart from me, leſt the Croſſe of Chriſt, in my hand, overthrow you. For a ſober life, and a Chriſtian mortification, and diſcreet diſcipline, are croſſes derived from the Croſſe of Chriſt Jeſus, and animated by it, and may be alwaies in a readineſſe to croſſe ſuch tentations. In the former deſcriptions of the manner of our behaviour towards workers of iniquity, there is one Declinate, one word that implies a withdrawing of our ſelves; for that muſt be done, not out of the world, but out of that ill ayre, we muſt not put our ſelves in danger, nor in diſtance of a tentation; but all the other words, are words of a more active vehemence, Amputate, and Projicite; it is Diſcedite, and not Diſcedam, a driving away, and not a running away.
Wee proceed now in our ſecond part,2 Part. to the reaſons of Davids confidence, and his openneſſe, and his publique declaration; why David was content to be rid of all his company; and it was, becauſe he had better; he ſayes, The Lord had heard him; and firſt, He had heard, vocem fletus, the voice of his weeping. Here is an admirable readineſſe in God, that heares a voyce in that, which hath none. They have deſcribed God by ſaying he is all eye, an univerſall eye, that pierceth into every darke corner; but in darke corners, there is ſomething for him to ſee; but he is all eare too, and heares even the ſilent, and ſpeechleſſe man, and heares that in that man, that makes no ſound, histeares. When Hezekias wept,Eſay 38. he was turned to the wall, (perchance, becauſe he would not be ſeene) and yet God bad the Prophet Eſay tell him, Vidi lacrymam; though the text ſay, Hezekias weptſore, yet Vidit lacrymam, God ſaw every ſingle teare, his firſt teare, and was affected with that. But yet this is more ſtrange; God heard his teares. And therefore the weeping of a penitent ſinner,Gregor. is not improperly called, Legatio lacrymarum, An embaſſage of teares; To Embaſſadours belongs an audience, and to theſe Embaſſages God gives a gracious audience; Abyſſus abyſſum invocat, One depth cals upon another; Pſal 43.7.And ſo doth one kinde of teares call upon one another. Teares of ſorrow call upon teares of joy, and all call upon God, and bring him to that ready hearing which is implied in the words of this text, Shamang; a word of that largeneſſe in the Scriptures, that ſometimes in the Tranſlation of the Septuagint, it ſignifies hearing, Shamang, is audit, God gives eare to our teares; ſometimes it is beleeving, Shamang, is Credit, God gives faith, and credit to our teares; ſometimes it is Affecting, Shamang, is Miſeretur, God hath mercy upon us for our teares; ſometimes it is Effecting, Shamang, is Reſpondet, God anſwers the petition of our teares; and ſometimes it is Publication, Shamang, is Divulgat, God declares and manifeſts to others, by his bleſſings upon us, the pleaſure that he takes in our holy and repentant teares. And therefore Lacrymae foenus, ſayes S. Baſil, Teares are that uſury, by which the joyes of Heaven are multiplied unto us; the preventing Grace, and the free mercy of God, is our ſtock, and principall; but the Acts of obedience, and mortification, faſting, and praying, and weeping, are Foenus, (ſayes that bleſſed Father) the intereſt, and the increaſe of our holy joy.
That which we intend in all this, is, that when our heart is well diſpoſed toward God, God ſees our prayers, as they are comming in the way, before they have any voyce, in our words. When Chriſt came to Lazarus houſe, before Mary had asked any thing at his hands, as ſoone as ſhe had wept, Chriſt was affected, He groaned in the ſpirit, Iohn 11.he was troubled, and he wept too; and he proceeded to the rayſing of Lazarus, before ſhee asked him; her eyes were his glaſſe, and he ſaw her deſire in her tears. There is a kind of ſimplicity in teares, which God harkens to, and beleeves.Rom. 8.26. We know not what we ſhould pray for as we ought. Quid? neſcimus orationem dominicam? Can we not ſay the Lords Prayer, ſayes S. Auguſtin? Yes, we can ſay that; but Neſcimus tribulationem prodeſſe, ſayes he, we doe not know the benefit, that is to be made of tribulation, and tentation, Et petimus liberari ab omni malo, we pray to be delivered from all evill, and we meane all tribulation, and all tentation, as though all they were alwaies evill; but in that there may be much error: The ſons of Zebedee prayed, but ambitionſly, and were not heard;Mat. 20.22. 2 Cor. 12.8. S. Paul prayed for the taking away of the provocation of the fleſh, but inconſiderately, and miſt; the Apoſtles made a requeſt, for fire againſt the Samaritans, but uncharitably, and were reproved. But when Iehoſaphat was come to that perplexity by the Moabites,2 Chro. 20.12. that he knew not what to doe, nor what to ſay, Hoc ſolum reſidui habemus, ſayes he, ut oculos noſtros dirigamus ad te, This we can doe, and we need doe no more, wee can turne our eyes to thee. Now whether he directed thoſe eyes in looking to him, or in weeping to him, God heares the voyce of our looks, God heares the voyce of our teares, ſometimes better then the voyce of our words, for it is the Spirit it ſelfe that makes interceſsion for us, Rom. 8.26.Gemitibus inenarrabilibus, In thoſe groanes, and ſo in thoſe teares, which we cannot utter; Ineloquacibus, as Tertullian reads that place, devout, and ſimple teares, which cannot ſpeak, ſpeake aloud in the eares of God; nay, teares which we cannot utter; not onelyonly not utter the force of the teares, but not utter the very teares themſelves. As God ſees the water in the ſpring in the veines of the earth, before it bubble upon the face of the earth; ſo God ſees teares in the heart of a man, before they blubber his face; God heares the teares of that ſorrowfull ſoule, which for ſorrow cannot ſhed teares.
From this caſting up of the eyes, and powring out the ſorrow of the heart at the eyes,Supplicatio. at leaſt, opening God a window, through which he may ſee a wet heart through a dry eye; from theſe overtures of repentance, which are as thoſe unperfect ſounds of words, which Parents delight in, in their Children, before they ſpeake plaine, a penitent ſinner comes to a verball, and a more expreſſe prayer. To theſe prayers, theſe vocall and verball prayers from David, God had given eare, and from this hearing of thoſe prayers was David come to this thankfull confidence, The Lord hath heard, the Lord will heare. Now, Beloved, this prayer which David ſpeaks of here, which our firſt tranſlation calls a Petition, is very properly rendred in our ſecond tranſlation, a Supplication; for Supplications were à Suppliciis; Supplications amongſt the Gentiles were ſuch ſacrifices, as were made to the gods, out of confiſcations, out of the goods of thoſe men, upon whom the State had inflicted any pecuniary or capitall puniſhment. Supplicationes, à Suppliciis; and therefore this prayer which David made to God, when his hand was upon him, in that heavy correction, and calamitie, which occaſioned this Pſalme, is truly and properly called a Supplication, that is, a Prayer, or Petition, that proceeds from ſuffering.
And if God have heard his ſupplication, if God have regarded him then, when he was in his diſpleaſure, if God have turned to him, when he was turned from him, and ſtroakt him with the ſame hand that ſtruck him, God will much more perfect his own worke, and grant his prayer after; if God would endure to looke upon him in his deformitie, he will delight to looke upon him then, when he hath ſhed the light and the lovelineſſe of his owne countenance upon him: It is the Apoſtles argument, as well as Davids, If when we were enemies, Rom. 5.10.we were reconeiled to God, by the death of his Sonne, much more being reconciled, we ſhall be ſaved by his life. When David found, that God had heard his Supplications, the voyce of his ſuffering, of his puniſhment, he was ſure he would heare his Prayer, the voyce of his thankfulneſſe too.
And this was Davids ſecond reaſon,Oratio. for his alacrity, and confidence, that God would never be weary of hearing, he had heard him, and he would heare him ſtill, he had heard the Supplication, and he would heare his Prayer; for this word, which ſignifies Prayer here, is derived from Palal, which ſignifies properly Separare: As his Supplication was acceptable, which proceeded à Suppliciis, from a ſenſe of his afflictions; ſo this Prayer, which came Poſt ſeparationem, after he had ſeparated, and divorced himſelfe from his former company, after his Diſcedite, his diſcharging of all the workers of iniquitie, muſt neceſſarily be better accepted at Gods hand. He that heares a Suppliant, that is, a man in miſery, and does ſome ſmall matter for the preſent eaſe of that man, and proceeds no farther, Ipſum quod dedit, perit, That which he gave is loſt, it is drowned by that floud of miſery that overflows and ſurrounds that wretched man, he is not the better to morrow for to dayes almes, Et vitam producit ad miſeriam, that very almes prolongs his miſerable life ſtill; without to dayes almes, he ſhould not have had a to morrow to be miſerable in. Now, Chriſt onelyonly is the Samaritane which perfected his cure upon the wounded man: He ſaw him, Luk. 10.33.ſayes the text, ſo did the reſt that paſſed by him; but, He had compaſsion on him; ſo he might, and yet actually have done him no good; but, He went to him; ſo he might too, and then out of a delicateneſſe or faſtidiouſneſſe, have gone from him againe; but (to contract) he bound up his wounds, he powred in oyle and wine, he put him upon his own beaſt, he brought him to an Inne, made proviſion for him, gave the Hoſt money before-hand, gave him charge to have a care of him, and (which is the perfection of all, the greateſt teſtimony of our Samaritans love to us) he promiſed to come againe, and at that comming, he does not ſay, He will pay, but He will recompence, which is a more abundant expreſſing of his bountie. Chriſt loves not but in the way of marriage; if he begin to love thee,Hoſea 2.19. he tells thee, Sponſabo te mihi, I will marry thee unto me, and Sponſabo in aeternum, I will marry thee for ever. For it is a marriage that prevents all miſtakings, and excludes all impediments, I will marry thee in righteouſneſſe, and in judgement, and in loving kindneſſe, and in mercies, and in faithfulneſſe; many, and great aſſurances. And as it is added, Seminabo te mihi, which is a ſtrange expreſſing of Gods love to us, I will ſow thee unto me in the carth; when I have taken thee into my husbandry, thou ſhalt increaſe, and multiply, Seminabo te, and all that thou doeſt produce, ſhall be directed upon me, Seminabo te mihi, I will ſowe thee to my ſelfe: therefore thy ſoule may be bold to joyne with David in that thankfull confidence, He hath heard my ſupplication, and therefore He will heare my prayer; He lookt upon me in the duſt of the earth, much more will he doe ſo, having now laid me upon Carpets; he lookt upon me in my ſores, ſores of mine enemies malice, and ſores of mine own ſinnes, much more will he doe ſo now, when he hath imprinted in me the wounds of his own Sonne; for thoſe that were ſo many wounds upon him, are ſo many ſtarres upon me; He lookt upon me, may David ſay, when I followed the Ewes great with young, much more will he doe ſo now, now when by his directions, I lead out his people, great with enterprizes, and victories againſt his enemies. Firſt David comes to that holy nobleneſſe, he dares caſt off ill inſtruments, and is not afraid of conſpiracy; he dares divorce himſelfe from dangerous company, and is not afraid of melancholy; he dares love God, and is not afraid of that jealouſie, that he is too religious to be imployed, too tender conſcienced to be put upon buſineſſe; he dares reprehend them that are under his charge, and is not afraid of a recrimination; he dares obſerve a Sabbath, he dares ſtartle at a blaſphemy, he dares forbeare countenancing a prophane or a ſcurrill jeſt with his praiſe, he dares be an honeſt man; which holy confidence conſtituted our firſt part, Depart from mee all yee workers of iniquity; And then he grounds this confidence upon an undeceivable Rocke, upon Gods ſeale, God hath heard me, therefore God will heare mee. And when God heares, God ſpeaks too, and when God ſpeaks, God does too, and therefore I may ſafely proceede as I doe, which was our ſecond Conſideration. And then the third, which remains, is, that upon this, he returnes to the conſideration, what that was, that he had done; he had either imprecated, or denounced, at leaſt, heavy judgements upon his enemies; and he finds it avowable, and juſtifiable to have done ſo; and therefore perſiſts in it, Let all mine enemies be aſhamed, and ſore vexed; let them returne, and be aſhamed ſuddenly.
All cleane beaſts had both theſe marks, they divided the hoofe,3 Part. and they chewed the cud: All good reſolutions, which paſſe our prayer, muſt have theſe two marks too, they muſt divide the hoofe, they muſt make a double impreſſion, they muſt be directed upon Gods glory, and upon our good, and they muſt paſſe a rumination, a chawing of the cud, a ſecond examination, whether that prayer were ſo conditioned or no. We pray ſometimes out of ſudden and indigeſted apprehenſions; we pray ſometimes out of cuſtome, and communion with others; we pray ſometimes out of a preſent ſenſe of paine, or imminent danger; and this prayer may divide the hoofe; It may looke towards Gods glory, and towards our good; but it does not chew the cud too; that is, if I have not conſidered, not examined, whether it doe ſo or no, it is not a prayer that God will call a ſacrifice. You ſee Chriſt brought his own Prayer, Si poſsibile, If it be poſsible &c. through ſuch a rumination, Veruntamen, yet not my will &c. As many a man ſweares, and if he be ſurprized, and askt, what did you ſay, he does not remember his owne oath, not what he ſwore; ſo many a man prayes, and does not remember his own prayer. As a Clock gives a warning before it ſtrikes, and then there remains a ſound, and a tingling of the bell after it hath ſtricken: ſo a precedent meditation, and a ſubſequent rumination, make the prayer a prayer; I muſt think before, what I will aske, and conſider againe, what I have askt; and upon this dividing the hoofe, and chewing the cud, David avowes to his own conſcience his whole action, even to this conſummation thereof, Let mine enemies be aſhamed &c.
Now theſe words, whether we conſider the naturall ſignification of the words,Impreeatoria or the authority of thoſe men, who have been Expoſitors upon them, may be underſtood either way, either to be Imprecatoria, words of Imprecation, that David in the Spirit of anguiſh wiſhes that theſe things might fall upon his enemies, or els Praedictoria, words of Prediction, that David in the ſpirit of Prophecy pronounces that theſe things ſhall fall upon them.
If they be Imprecatoria, words ſpoken out of his wiſh, and deſire, then they have in them the nature of a curſe: And becauſe Lyra takes them to be ſo, a curſe, he referres the words Ad Daemones, To the Devill: That herein David ſeconds Gods malediction upon the Serpent, and curſes the Devill, as the occaſioner and firſt mover of all theſe calamities; and ſayes of them, Let all our enemies be aſhamed, and ſore vexed &c. Others referre theſe words to the firſt Chriſtian times, and the perſecutions then, and ſo to be a malediction, a curſe upon the Jewes, and upon the Romans, who perſecuted the Primitive Church then, Let them be aſhamed &c. And then Gregory Nyſſen referres theſe words to more domeſticall and intrinſicke enemies, to Davids owne concupiſcences, and the rebellions of his owne luſts, Let thoſe enemies be aſhamed &c. For all thoſe who underſtand theſe words to be a curſe, a malediction, are loath to admit that David did curſe his enemies, meerly out of a reſpect of thoſe calamities which they had inflicted upon him. And that is a ſafe ground; no man may curſe another, in contemplation of himſelfe onelyonly, if onelyonly himſelfe be concerned in the caſe. And when it concernes the glory of God, our imprecations, our maledictions upon the perſons, muſt not have their principall relation, as to Gods enemies, but as to Gods glory; our end muſt be, that God may have his glory, not that they may have their puniſhment. And therefore how vehement ſoever David ſeeme in this Imprecation, and though he be more vehement in another place, Let them be confounded, and troubled for ever, yea, let them be put to ſhame, Pſal. 83.17.and periſh, yet that periſhing is but a periſhing of their purpoſes, let their plots periſh, let their malignity againſt thy Church be fruſtrated; for ſo he expreſſes himſelfe in the verſe immediately before, Fill their faces with ſhame; but why? and how? That they may ſeeke thy Name, O Lord; that was Davids end, even in the curſe; David wiſhes them no ill, but for their good; no worſe to Gods enemies, but that they might become his friends. The rule is good, which out of his moderation S. Auguſtine gives, that in all Inquiſitions, and Executions in matters of Religion, (when it is meerly for Religion without ſedition) Sint qui poeniteant, Let the men remaine alive, or elſe how can they repent? So in all Imprecations, in all hard wiſhes, even upon Gods enemies, Sint qui convertantur, Let the men remaine, that they may be capable of converſion; wiſh them not ſo ill, as that God can ſhew no mercy to them; for ſo the ill wiſh falls upon God himſelfe, if it preclude his way of mercy upon that ill man. In no caſe muſt the curſe be directed upon the perſon; for when in the next Pſalme to this, David ſeemes paſſionate, when hee asks that of God there, which he deſires God to forbear in the beginning of this Pſalme, when his Ne arguas in ira, O Lord rebuke not in thine anger, is turned to a Surge Domine in ira, Ariſe O Lord in thine anger; S. Auguſtine begins to wonder, Quid? illum, quem perfectum dicimus, ad iram provocat Deum? Would David provoke God, who is all ſweetneſſe, and mildneſſe, to anger againſt any man? No, not againſt any man; but Diaboli poſſeſsio peccator, Every ſinner is a ſlave to his beloved ſin; and therefore, Miſericors or at, adver ſus cum, quitanque or at, How bitterly ſoever I curſe that ſin, yet I pray for that ſinner. David would have God angry with the Tyran, not with the Slave that is oppreſſed; with the ſin, not with the ſoule that is inthralled to it. And ſo, as the words may be a curſe, a malediction in Davids mouth, we may take them into our mouth too, and ſay, Let thoſe enemies be aſhamed, &c.
If this then were an Imprecation, a malediction, yet it was Medicinall, and had Rationem boni, a charitable tincture, and nature in it; he wiſhed the men no harm, as men. But it is rather Pradictorium, Praedictoria.a Propheticall vehemence, that if they will take no knowledge of Gods declaring himſelfe in the protection of his ſervants, if they would not conſider that God had heard, and would heare, had reſcued, and would reſcue his children, but would continue their oppoſition againſt him, heavy judgements would certainly fall upon them; Their puniſhment ſhould be certaine, but the effect ſhould be uncertaine; for God only knowes, whether his correction ſhall work upon his enemies, to their mollifying, or to their obduration. Thoſe bitter, and waighty imprecations which David hath heaped together againſt Iudas, Pſal.109. Acts 1.16.ſeeme to be direct imprecations; and yet S. Peter himſelfe calls them Propheſies; Oportet impleri Scripturam; They were done, ſayes he, that the Scripture might be fulfilled; Not that David in his owne heart did wiſh all that upon Iudas; but only ſo, as fore-ſeeing in the Spirit of Propheſying, that thoſe things ſhould fall upon him, he concurred with the purpoſe of God therein, and ſo farre as he ſaw it to be the will of God, he made it his will, and his wiſh. And ſo have all thoſe judgements, which we denounce upon ſinners, the nature of Propheſies in them; when we reade in the Church, that Commination, Curſed is the Idolater, This may fall upon ſome of our owne kindred; and Curſed is he that curſeth Father or Mother, This may fall upon ſome of our owne children; and Curſed is he that perverteth judgement, This may fall upon ſome powerfull Perſons, that we may have a dependance upon; and upon theſe we doe not wiſh that Gods vengeance ſhould fall; yet we Propheſie, and denounce juſtly, that upon ſuch, ſuch vengeances will fall; and then, all Propheſies of that kinde are alwaies conditionall; they are conditionall, if we conſider any Decree in God; they muſt be conditionall in all our denunciations; if you repent, they ſhall not fall upon you, if not, Oportet impleri Scripturam, The Scripture muſt be fulfilled; We doe not wiſh them, we do but Propheſie them; no, nor we doe not propheſie them; but the Scriptures have prepropheſied them before; they will fall upon you, as upon Iudas, in condemnation, and perchance, as upon Iudas, in deſperation too.
Davids purpoſe then being in theſe words to work to their amendment,Mollior ſenſus. and not their finall deſtruction, we may eaſily and uſefully diſcerne in the particular words, a milder ſenſe then the words ſeeme at firſt to preſent. And firſt give me leave by the way, only in paſſing, by occaſion of thoſe words which are here rendred, Convertentur, & Erubeſcent, and which in the Originall are Iaſhabu, and Ieboſhu, which have a muſicall, and harmonious ſound, and agnomination in them, let me note thus much, even in that, that the Holy Ghoſt in penning the Scriptures delights himſelf, not only with a propriety, but with a delicacy, and harmony, and melody of language; with height of Metaphors, and other figures, which may work greater impreſſions upon the Readers, and not with barbarous, or triviall, or market, or homely language: It is true, that when the Grecians, and the Romanes, and S. Auguſtine himſelfe, undervalued and deſpiſed the Scriptures, becauſe of the poore and beggerly phraſe, that they ſeemed to be written in, the Chriſtians could ſay little againſt it, but turned ſtill upon the other ſafer way, wee conſider the matter, and not the phraſe, becauſe for the moſt part, they had read the Scriptures only in Tranſlations, which could not maintaine the Majeſty, nor preſerve the elegancies of the Originall.
Their caſe was ſomewhat like ours, at the beginning of the Reformation; when, becauſe moſt of thoſe men who laboured in that Reformation, came out of the Romane Church, and there had never read the body of the Fathers at large; but only ſuch ragges and fragments of thoſe Fathers, as were patcht together in their Decretat's, and Decretals, and other ſuch Common placers, for their purpoſe, and to ſerve their turne, therefore they were loath at firſt to come to that iſſue, to try controverſies by the Fathers. But as ſoon as our men that in braced the Reformation, had had time to reade the Fathers, they were ready enough to joyne with the Adverſary in that iſſue: and ſtill we proteſt, that we accept that evidence, the teſtimony of the Fathers, and reſuſe nothing, which the Fathers unanimly delivered, for matter of faith; and howſoever at the beginning ſome men were a little ombrageous, and ſtartling at the name of the Fathers, yet ſince the Fathers have been well ſtudied, for more then threeſcore yeares, we have behaved our ſelves with more reverence to wards the Fathers, and more confidence in the Fathers, then they of the Romane perſwaſion have done, and been leſſe apt to ſuſpect or quarrell their Books, or to reprove their Doctrines, then our Adverſaries have been. So, howſoever the Chriſtians at firſt were fain to ſink a little under that imputation, that their Scriptures have no Majeſty, no eloquence, becauſe theſe embelliſhments could not appeare in Tranſlations, nor they then read Originalls, yet now, that a perfect knowledge of thoſe languages hath brought us to ſee the beauty and the glory of thoſe Books, we are able to reply to them, that there are not in all the world ſo eloquent Books as the Scriptures; and that nothing is more demonſtrable, then that if we would take all thoſe Figures, and Tropes, which are collected out of ſecular Poets, and Orators, we may give higher, and livelier examples, of every one of thoſe Figures, out of the Scriptures, then out of all the Greek and Latine Poets, and Orators; and they miſtake it much, that thinke, that the Holy Ghoſt hath rather choſen a low, and barbarous, and homely ſtyle, then an eloquent, and powerfull manner of expreſſing himſelfe.
To returne and to caſt a glance upon theſe words in Davids prediction,Erubeſcent. upon his enemies, what hardneſſe is in the firſt, Erubeſcent, Let them be aſhamed: for the word imports no more, our laſt Tranſlation ſayes no more, neither did our firſt Tranſlators intend any more, by their word, Confounded; for that is, confounded with ſhame in themſelves. This is Virga deſoiplinae, ſayes S. Bernard; as long as we are aſhamed of ſin, we are not growne up, and hardned in it; we are under correction; the correction of a remorſe. As ſoone as Adam came to be aſhamed of his nakedneſſe, he preſently thought of ſome remedy; if one ſhould come and tell thee, that he looked through the doore, that he ſtood in a window over againſt thine, and ſaw thee doe ſuch or ſuch a ſin, this would put thee to a ſhame, and thou wouldeſt not doe that ſin, till thou wert fure he could not ſee thee. O, if thou wouldeſt not ſin, till thou couldſt think that God ſaw thee not, this ſhame had wrought well upon thee. There are complexions that cannot bluſh; there growes a blackneſſe, a ſootineſſe upon the ſoule, by cuſtome in ſin, which overcomes all bluſhing, all tend erneſſe. White alone is paleneſſe, and God loves not a pale ſoule, a ſoule poſſeſt with a horror, affrighted with a diffidence, and diſtruſting his mercy. Redneſſe alone is anger, and vehemency, and diſtemper, and God loves not ſuch a red ſoule, a ſoule that ſweats in ſin, that quarrels for ſin, that revenges in ſin. But that whiteneſſe that preſerves it ſelfe, not onelyonly from being died all over in any foule colour, from contracting the name of any habituall ſin, and ſo to be called ſuch or ſuch a ſinner, but from taking any ſpot, from comming within diſtance of a tentation, or of a ſuſpition, is that whiteneſſe, which God meanes, when he ſayes, Thou art all faire my Love, Cant. 4.7.and there is no ſpot in thee. Indifferent looking, equall and eaſie converſation, appliableneſſe to wanton diſcourſes, and notions, and motions, are the Devils ſingle money, and many pieces of theſe make up an Adultery. As light a thing as a Spangle is, a Spangle is ſilver; and Leafe gold, that is blowne away, is gold; and ſand that hath no ſtrength, no coherence, yet knits the building; ſo doe approaches to ſin, become ſin, and fixe ſin. To avoid theſe ſpots, is that whiteneſſe that God loves in the ſoule. But there is a redneſſe that God loves too; which is this Erubeſcence that we ſpeak of; an aptneſſe in the ſoule to bluſh, when any of theſe ſpots doe fall upon it.
God is the univerſall Confeſſor, the generall Penitentiary of all the world, and all dye in the guilt of their ſin, that goe not to Confeſſion to him. And there are ſins of ſuch waight to the ſoule, and ſuch intangling, and perplexity to the conſcience, in ſome circumſtances of the ſin, as that certainly a ſoule may receive much eaſe in ſuch caſes, by confeſſing it ſelfe to man. In this holy ſhamefaſtneſſe, which we intend in this outward bluſhing of the face, the ſoule goes to confeſſion too. And it is one of the principall arguments againſt Confeſſions by Letter, (which ſome went about to ſet up in the Romane Church) that that took away one of the greateſt evidences, and teſtimonies of their repentance, which is this Erubeſcence, this bluſhing, this ſhame after ſin; if they ſhould not be put to ſpeak it face to face, but to write it, that would remove the ſhame, which is a part of the repentance. But that ſoule that goes not to confeſſion to it ſelfe, that hath not an internall bluſhing after a ſin committed, is a pale ſoule, even in the paleneſſe of death, and ſenſleſneſſe, and a red ſoule, red in the defiance of God. And that whiteneſſe, to avoid approaches to ſin, and that redneſſe, to bluſh upon a ſin, which does attempt us, is the complexion of the ſoule, which God loves, and which the Holy Ghoſt teſtifies, when he ſayes,Cant. 5.12. My Beloved is white and ruddy. And when theſe men that David ſpeaks of here, had loſt that whiteneſſe, their innocency, for David to wiſh that they might come to a redneſſe, a ſhame, a bluſhing, a remorſe, a ſenſe of ſin, may have been no ſuch great malediction, or imprecation in the mouth of David, but that a man may wiſh it to his beſt friend, which ſhould be his own ſoule, and ſay, Erubeſcam, not let mine enemies, but let me be aſhamed with ſuch a ſhame.
In the ſecond word,Conturbentur. Let them be ſore vexed, he wiſhes his enemies no worſe then himſelfe had been: For he had uſed the ſame word of himſelfe before, Oſſa turbata, My bones are vexed, Ver. 2. & 3.and Anima turbata, My ſoule is vexed; and conſidering, that David had found this vexation to be his way to God, it was no malicious imprecation, to wiſh that enemy the ſame Phyſick that he had taken, who was more ſick of the ſame diſeaſe then he was. For this is like a troubled Sea after a tempeſt; the danger is paſt, but yet the billow is great ſtill: The danger was in the calme, in the ſecurity, or in the tempeſt, by miſ-interpreting Gods corrections to our obduration, and to a remorſeleſſe ſtupefaction; but when a man is come to this holy vexation, to be troubled, to be ſhaken with a ſenſe of the indignation of God, the ſtorme is paſt, and the indignation of God is blowne over. That ſoule is in a faire and neare way, of being reſtored to a calmneſſe, and to repoſed ſecurity of conſcience, that is come to this holy vexation.
In a flat Map, there goes no more, to make Weſt Eaſt, though they be diſtant in an extremity, but to paſte that flat Map upon a round body, and then Weſt and Eaſt are all one. In a flat ſoule, in a dejected conſcience, in a troubled ſpirit, there goes no more to the making of that trouble, peace, then to apply that trouble to the body of the Merits, to the body of the Goſpel of Chriſt Jeſus, and conforme thee to him, and thy Weſt is Eaſt,Zoch. 6.12. thy Trouble of ſpirit is Tranquillity of ſpirit. The name of Chriſt is Oriens, The Eaſt; Eſay 14.12.And yet Lucifer himſelfe is called Filius Orientis, The Son of the Eaſt. If thou beeſt fallen by Lucifer, fallen to Lucifer, and not fallen as Lucifer, to a ſenſleſneſſe of thy fall, and an impenitibleneſſe therein, but to a troubled ſpirit, ſtill thy Proſpect is the Eaſt, ſtill thy Climate is heaven, ſtill thy Haven is Jeruſalem; for, in our loweſt dejection of all, even in the duſt of the grave, we are ſo compoſed, ſo layed down, as that we look to the Eaſt; If I could beleeve that Trajan, or Tecla, could look Eaſt-ward, that is, towards Chriſt, in hell, I could beleeve with them of Rome, that Trajan and Tecla were redeemed by prayer out of hell. God had accepted ſacrifices before; but no ſacrifice is call Odor quiet is, Gen. 8.21.It is not ſaid, That God ſmelt a ſavor of reſt, in any ſacrifice, but that which Noah offered, after hee had beene variouſly toſſed and tumbled, in the long hulling of the Arke upon the waters. A troubleſome ſpirit, and a quiet ſpirit, are farre aſunder; But a troubled ſpirit, and a quiet ſpirit, are neare neighbours. And therefore David meanes them no great harme, when hee ſayes, Let them be troubled; For, Let the winde be as high as it will, ſo I ſayle before the winde, Let the trouble of my ſoule be as great as it will, ſo it direct me upon God, and I have calme enough.
And this peace,Convertantur. this calme is implyed in the next word, Convertantur, which is not, Let them be overthrowne, but Let them returne, let them be forced to returne; he prayes, that God would do ſomething to croſſe their purpoſes; becauſe as they are againſt God, ſo they are againſt their owne ſoules. In that way where they are, he ſees there is no remedy; and therefore he deſires that they might be Turned into another way; What is that way? This. Turne us O Lord, and we ſhall be turned; That is, turned the right way; Towards God. And as there was a promiſe from God, to heare his people, not onelyonly when they came to him in the Temple, but when they turned towards that Temple, in what diſtance ſoever they were, ſo it is alwaies accompanied with a bleſsing, occaſionally to turne towards God; But this prayer, Turne us, that we may be turned, is, that we may be, that is, remaine turned, that we may continue fixed in that poſture. Lots Wife turned her ſelfe, and remained an everlaſting monument of Gods anger; God ſo turne us alwaies into right wayes, as that we be not able to turne our ſelves out of them. For God hath Viam rectam, & bonam, as himſelfe ſpeakes in the Prophet, A right way, and then a good way, which yet is not the right way, that is, not the way which God of himſelfe would go. For his right way is, that we ſhould ſtill keepe in his way; His good way is, to beat us into his right way againe, by his medicinall corrections, when we put our ſelves out of his right way. And that, and that onelyonly David wiſhes, and we wiſh, That you may Turne, and Be turned; ſtand in that holy poſture, all the yeare, all the yeares of your lives, That your Chriſtmas may be as holy as your Eaſter, even your Recreations as innocent as your Devotions, and every roome in the houſe as free free from prophaneneſſe as the Sanctuary. And this he ends as he begun, with another Erubeſcant, Let them be aſhamed, and that Valde volociter, Suddenly: for David ſaw, that if a ſinner came not to a ſhame of ſin quickly, he would quickly come to a ſhameleſneſſe, to an impudence, to a ſearedneſſe, to an obduration in it.
Now beloved, this is the worſt curſe that comes out of a holy mans mouth, even towards his enemie, that God would correct him to his amendment. And this is the worſt harme that we meane to you, when we denounce the judgements of God againſt ſin and ſinners, Vt erubeſcatis, that we might ſee blood in your faces, the blood of your Saviour working in that ſhame for ſin. That that queſtion of the Prophet might not confound you, Were they aſhamed when they committed abomination? nay, they were not aſhamed; Ier. 6.15.Erubeſcere neſciebāt, they were never uſed to ſhame, they knew not how to be aſhamed. Therefore, ſayes he, they ſhall fall amongst them that fall, they ſhall do as the world does, ſin as their neighbours ſin, and fall as they fall, irrepentantly here, and hereafter irrecoverably. And then, Vt conturbati ſitis, that you may be troubled in your hearts, and not cry Peace, Peace, where there is no peace, and flatter your ſelves, becauſe you are in a true Religion, and in the right way; for a Child may drowne in a Font, and a Man may be poyſoned in the Sacrament, much more periſh, though in a true Church. And alſo Vt revertamini, that you may returne againe to the Lord, returne to that ſtate of pureneſſe, which God gave you in Baptiſme, to that ſtate, which God gave you the laſt time you received his body and blood ſo as became you. And then laſtly, Vt erubeſcatis velociter, that you may come to the beginning of this, and to all this quickly, and not to defer it, becauſe God defers the judgement. For to end this with S. Auguſtines words, upon this word Velociter, Quandocun que venit, celerrimè venit, quod deſperatur eſſe venturum: How late ſoever it come, that comes quickly, if it come at all, which we beleeved would never come. How long ſoever it be, before that judgement come, yet it comes quickly, if it come before thou looke for it, or be ready for it. Whoſoever labours to ſleepe out the thought of that day, His damnation ſleepeth not, ſayes the Apoſtle. It is not onelyonly, that his damnation is not dead, that there ſhall never be any ſuch day, but that it is no day aſleepe: every midnight ſhall be a day of judgement to him, and keepe him awake; and when conſternation, and laſſitude lend him, or conterfait to him a ſleep, as S. Baſil ſayes of the righteous, Etiam ſomnia juſtorum preces ſunt, That even their Dreames are prayers, ſo this incorrigible ſinners Dreames ſhall be, not onelyonly preſages of his future, but acts of his preſent condemnation.