Choice and Practical Expositions on Four Select Psalms, Sermons on Psalm 51 · Sermon 13
SERMON XIII.
PSAL. 51.12.
Restore unto me the joy of thy Salvation; and uphold me with thy free Spirit.
The Expressions of the Prophet David in this Scripture, are very uncertain, and up and down; which do argue a great deal of perplexity and trouble of spirit in him. Sometimes he speaks of himself as a man wholly void of Grace, and as one that had this work afresh to begin in him, Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Sometimes he speaks of himself as one that feared the losing of Grace, and the taking away of that from him, which at present he did enjoy, Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me. Sometimes agen he speaks of himself as one that had lost Grace already, and still afraid of losing more; and in this Verse which we are now, (in order) with God's assistance, to handle at this time, the twelfth Verse of this Psalm, Restore unto me the joy of thy Salvation, and uphold me with thy free Spirit.
IN this present Verse before us, we have two Petitions more, which David presents to God in this condition in which he now was, which may serve to make up the Branches of our present Discourse. The first is laid down in those words, Restore unto me, &c. The second in these, And uphold me, &c.
We begin in order with the first, Restore unto me the joy, &c. Wherein agen we have these three particulars considerable: First, That David had sometime the joy of God's Salvation. Secondly, That David had now lost this joy of God's Salvation, which sometimes he had had. Thirdly, That David desires to have this joy of God's Salvation which he had now lost, to be restored to him agen.
For the first, (I say) David had sometime the joy of God's Salvation vouchsafed unto him. By the joy of God's Salvation, we are to understand that joy which does arise out of the hope and apprehensions of Salvation; the joy of assurance; this was that which David once had, as does appear from hence, in that he desires it may be restored unto him. Restauration is not a simple Collation, a bestowing of somewhat anew, but a return of somewhat again which has been formerly bestowed: so that whiles David prays that the joy of God's Salvation might be now restored unto him, he does hereby intimate that a time there was, when as indeed he was made partaker of it, and did really and actually enjoy it. That which we may observe from it is, That there is such a thing as this is in deed and reality, even a joy arising from the hopes of Salvation, which God's Children have imparted to them. Thou hast put gladness into my heart, &c. says David elsewhere, Psal. 4.7. There are few of the Servants of God but sooner or latter, whiles they pass through this World, have their hearts and spirits enlarged with this joy whereof we now speak.
Indeed the times of conferring it are promiscuous, and such as cannot be set by us determinedly; but yet there are three seasons especially wherein it is more peculiarly vouchsafed: First, Upon conflict with great Temptations: Secondly, Upon suffering of great Afflictions. Thirdly, Upon undertaking of great Service.
First, Upon conflict with great Temptations, when Christians have wrestled much with Satan, and their own Corruptions, and through God's Grace got some victory over them, God does then in such cases crown them with the spirit of joy, and greater consolation. Thus Rev. 2.17. To him that overcometh, will I give to eat of the hidden Manna, and I will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new Name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. Thus we know it was with that holy man Job, his conflicts were the forerunners of his joy. Those which yield to every Temptation and Corruption which seizes upon them, they cannot expect to have this inward and spiritual comfort which is here mentioned, but the contrary rather; no, this it is the reward of self-denial, and reluctancy, and striving and contending against sin: yea, not only against absolute sins, but the shadows and appearances of them. When Christians are so careful of themselves, and so afraid of displeasing of God, as that they will sometimes rather restrain themselves of their lawful comforts, than run an hazard of the breach of God's Law, God does in this case abundantly recompence it, and make it up to them in the joy of his Salvation, and the witness of his Spirit in their hearts.
Secondly, Upon suffering of great Afflictions; This is another occasion of this joy, Psal. 94.19. In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my Soul. God's comforts they come in the midst of trouble and distracting thoughts. When Christians are under greatest crosses and tryals here in this world, then does God delight to manifest his own presence and Salvation to them. As the tender Mother that expresses her affection most to the Child that is sick; even so does God to those which are his; he knows their souls most in adversity, as the Scripture speaks. When Christians do abound and overflow with these earthly comforts, they seem to be satiated with them, as that they need nothing else; and therefore God oftentimes does withdraw from them: but when they are in trouble, that's the fittest time for himself to draw near unto them; 1 Pet. 1.7, 8. Ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, &c.
Thirdly, Upon undertaking of some special Service. When God has any work more than ordinary for his Servants to do, he does then think fitting to oyl the wheels of their Souls with this joy of gladness, from whence they may more cheerfully perform it: He gives them this earnest in hand of their future pay; especially as the work it self has greater difficulty and discouragement in it. Thus we see it was with the Apostles after Christ's decease, when they were to manage the great Affairs of the Church, and preaching of the Gospel, Christ poured forth his Spirit upon them in great abundance, not only as to matter of enablement, but as to matter of encouragement; not only as to assistance, but as to comfort, and exceeding joy; and so he does likewise proportionably with other of his Servants still, even to this present day.
This is that then (for the Ʋse of it) which we should labour to find in our selves; seeing there is such a thing as this is, that we be partakers of it for our particulars, as that which will be a great help and supportment to us in our pilgrimage, and for this purpose walk in such ways as from whence it may be bestowed upon us; being such as will stand us more in stead than all the jollity of the world besides. But I will not insist upon this Point now, having spoken already, and very lately, at large of it, out of the eighth Verse of this Psalm, in these words, Make me to hear joy and gladness. So much therefore for that, the first Point here implyed, That David sometime (and so others with him) did partake of this joy of Salvation.
The second is this, That David now at this time, (when he made this Prayer and Request to God) had lost it, and been deprived of it; that's also in this desire of restitution, a present want of what has formerly been enjoyed: And so it shews us another case and condition which the Children of God are capable of, and liable to, and that is to lose their spiritual comfort; those who have sometimes had it, they may now be without it, they may be destitute and void of it. Ab esse ad posse valet consequentia; that which is, we may conclude it may be without any scruple: And so here from the Text; we see it was so de facto in the Prophet David, and therefore we may be sure it may be proportionably in any other besides him; and so indeed it may: Spiritual comfort, and the joy of Salvation, it may be taken away from those which have it.
And the reason of it is this, because there is no promise or engagement of God for the contrary. God has never made such a bargain with his people, as continually to fill their hearts with comfort: Salvation is one thing, and the joy of Salvation is another. As for Salvation it self, that is such as cannot be taken away from God's Servants, they have always a right unto it, and an interest in it: but for the joy of Salvation, this is otherwise; it is such as God does dispense or withdraw as he pleases, and sometimes upon no other account than his own good will and pleasure: He now and then shews his Sovereignty and Prerogative in this particular, as he did in Job. This teaches us therefore not to lay our chiefest stress hereupon. Though this joy and comfortable temper of a Christian be very desirable, (as we shall hear more hereafter) yet we should not make this our principal bottom and foundation, but rather the free grace and love of God in Jesus Christ. A Christians life is in faith rather than in feeling; therefore if he judges of his state and condition as to eternal Salvation, according to this he may very much deceive himself, and walk uncomfortably all his days. There may be the hope of Salvation, where there is not the joy of Salvation; and there may be the title to Heaven, where there is not the evidence and assurance of this title made good to the Soul: He that walks in darkness, and sees no light, must trust, &c. Isai. 50.10.
But to come home nearer to the scope of the Text. As this joy of Salvation it may be lost, so we may here take notice in what way it is lost more especially, and that is by rebellion and sin against God: This hazards the joy of Salvation in those who sometimes have enjoyed it. This is clear from this example before us; David was now deprived of spiritual comfort in his Soul, and it was not so with him in this respect as sometimes it had been: yea, but how came it to be so? Oh, it is easie to tell how, if ye do but reflect upon the tenor of this Psalm, wherein he makes confession and acknowledgment of sin. David had exceedingly provoked God by wilful and presumptuous Transgressions; sins against Light, and against Conscience, and against Nature, and against the work of Grace it self. And now can we wonder that he should be deprived of the joy of God's Salvation? Oh certainly no; there was no other likelihood or probability for it; no less could be expected: And so there is this in it, That great sins are destructive of great comforts: The living in any known miscarriage, it will deprive men of the evidence and assurance of God's love and favour towards them; so that those who sometimes have had it, shall now want it. When I say great sins, it is not to lessen or extenuate any, (for no sin is properly small) but yet all are not equal and alike, there is a difference and distinction of them, and that also as to this particular; sins of weakness and humane infirmity, which are bewailed and strived against by God's Servants, (as I have formerly hinted to you) they do not darken God's countenance to his Servants, for then none should ever have any joy or comfort at all: for there is no man, whosoever he be, that hath not his failings and corruptions in him: but such sins as are of a more heinous nature, and smaller sins which are countenanced and allowed: sins according to these circumstances, and with these aggravations, they are great eclipsings of spiritual joy.
And that upon a threefold account: First, Because they wound Conscience, and make a great gash in that: a wounded spirit cannot be a joyful spirit; these two they do cross one another. Now this is the case with such sins as these, they do exceedingly wound the spirit, and lay the conscience exceedingly waste: they break the bones, as I have formerly shewn you out of the foregoing Verse. Now as broken bones are full of pain and diseases, have no rest nor quiet in them; even so is it with crackt Consciences, they have no rest (much less joy) in themselves, but rather the contrary affections of horrour and anguish of Soul. This we may observe in several instances; take it in the first sin of all, in Adam, you know how it was with him, when he was stript of his innocency, he was stript of his joy with it, he went and hid himself for fear of God's displeasure. And so Cain his Son, after him, what a perplexity did the guilt of his Conscience work in him? And so Peter, (a better man than he) when he had sinned, what sadness did it procure him, when as he went out, and wept bitterly? These sins they wound the Conscience; That's the first.
Secondly, They weaken Grace; That's another account of it also. Joy it is a fruit of the Spirit, and it is reckoned in order of the first, Gal. 5.22. The fruit of the Spirit is joy. Now it is of the Spirit precisely considered in its work of Holiness and Sanctification, so that where Holiness and Sanctification is diminisht, joy will likewise be diminisht with it. As Christians Graces do decay, so does their comfort, which will not flourish upon withered Branches. Now sin it strikes at Grace as being most directly opposite thereunto, and such sins as are here spoken of more especially: these do in their own nature destroy Holiness in us, and take away the Graces of the Spirit; and because they do so, they do take away the joy of it with it, which is an attendant thereupon. This we may in part take notice of from the very connexion in the Text, in the conjunction of this Verse with the last clause of that before, Take not away thy holy Spirit from me, and Restore unto me the joy of thy Salvation: Where there is a loss of the Spirit of Holiness, there will be a deprivation of the Spirit of joy: These sins they are destructive of comfort, because (in their own nature) they are destructive of Grace.
Thirdly, Because they drive away God, and his gracious Presence with the Soul: there can be no further comfort or joy in any Soul, than there's a sense and apprehension of God's favour and presence with it. Where God will not look pleasingly upon a Christian, he can have no true joy in himself. Prophane and Atheistical persons, which know not what belongs to God's presence, they may have their mad mirth and jollity notwithstanding; but such as at last aggravates their misery to them: but a true Christian can have no further spiritual joy than he has countenance from God, who is the God of his joy. And this also we may gather from the coherence, Cast me not away from thy presence, and Restore unto me the joy of thy Salvation. In God's presence is fulness of joy, Psal. 17. ult. Now God will not vouchsafe his presence in such cases as these are: Will a discreet Father smile upon a rebellious Child, or vouchsafe him any countenance of favour? No certainly he will not: whatever his thoughts may be towards him, and his intentions about him, yet he will never open them, or express them to him in such a condition: No more will God to those which are his Children, when they are guilty of such miscarriages against him, he will not vouchsafe them his countenance or gracious presence; and as long as they are excluded his presence, how can they be any other than deprived of spiritual comfort? And thus ye see an account of the Point in these particulars, why great sins are destructive of great joy: First, Because they wound the Conscience. Secondly, They weaken Grace. Thirdly, They drive away God, and grieve Him and his Holy Spirit; and God's grief, and a Christian's joy, cannot consist, and hold together.
Now what does all this come to, but to that which we have formerly prest upon the like Considerations? That therefore we take heed of such courses as these are: we cannot have Arguments enough against them, whiles we have Natures and Inclinations in us carrying us to them. Now this is one amongst the rest, as depriving us of the joy of God's Salvation, if we were ever partakers of it. And this is sad enough, though there were nothing else in it. Sins of wilfulness and presumption, they do in the nature of the thing (as I have formerly declared) deprive even of Salvation it self, (upon which account the Apostle tells us, and tells us again, That they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God, Gal. 5.21.) But they do moreover actually, and in the very event deprive of the joy of Salvation whosoever are involved in them, that so we may be all of us seriously deterred from them, and take heed of being guilty of them: For who would willingly part with such a Jewel as this is? Saint Paul he chose rather to die, than that any should make his glorying void, his Apostolical and Ministerial joy, with which so he might finish his course, he counted not his own life to be dear unto him, Act. 20.24. But what may we then think of Christian joy, and the joy of Salvation? who would willingly part with that? Now this is that which they run a venture and hazard of, which fall into such sins as we have now mentioned unto you, as of the casting out of God's presence, and the taking of his Holy Spirit from them, as we have heard out of the passages before: so of being deprived likewise of the joy of God's Salvation, which we have here now intimated in this present Verse. And that's the second Point here considerable and observable from this prayer of David for the restoring of God's Salvation, That he had now at this time lost it, and been deprived of it.
The third is this, That he desired now to have it returned and restored unto him. The other two Points were only implied and supposed, this is declared and expressed; and there are two things agen in it: First, That the return of this spiritual joy is a thing desirable, it is that which would be. Secondly, That the return of this spiritual joy is a thing possible, it is that which may be: There's each of these in it.
First, I say, It is that which is desirable, which one would willingly be partaker of. This we gather from David's earnestness and importunity which he makes for it: when David had now (through his sin) this Divine joy taken away from him, or eclipsed unto him, he does not now set himself down as indifferent whether ever he had it again; no, but he begs and sues for it, and is altogether restless in himself till he do in some measure obtain it; and so it becomes every one else to be besides, having lost it, to be most importunate for it.
And this in regard of the great benefit and sweetness of it; especially to those who have already found what it is, as this restoring does impart with it, as I shewed in the former Point. The desires after restoring any comfort, are more than after bestowing it, because in this there is a sense of its worth, which in the other always is not. God's Children which have felt the sweetness of this joy, when once they had it, cannot but therefore now very much desire it, now that they are deprived of it, and have cause to do so upon this very account. We see in losses of the World, how earnest men are upon restaurations; in sickness, to have the restoring of health; in restraint, to have the restoring of liberty; in scandal, to have the restoring of reputation: in case of any special impoverishing and deprivation of their Temporal Goods, to have their Estates restored unto them; and how much more does it then concern them to have joy restored to their Souls?
Yea, they will think it so, and be accordingly affected, if they be that which they should be; whereas those who know not what these things mean, had never any sense or feeling of them at all upon themselves, they are not at all moved with them, nor carried after them.
But, Secondly, As it is desirable, so it is also possible; That's another thing implied in this Petition. The Prayers and Requests of God's Servants coming from the Spirit of God in them, and such desires as he himself puts into them, do suppose a reality in the Object which they are carried unto; and so amongst the rest this now in hand, whiles David prays that God would restore him this joy, he supposes that it was such as was possible to be again recovered and restored unto him.
I say, It was possible; I do not say, It was easie; This I do not say, Easie, that it was not, nor is not for any other in the like case. Those which have ventured upon presumptuous courses, as they do not easily procure sin to be pardoned and forgiven unto them, nor they do not easily procure sin to be mortified and subdued in them; so they do not easily neither recover their former joy. Nay, this latter is more difficult than all the rest: sin may sometimes be pardoned, and also in some manner subdued, when yet the joy which has been driven away by it is not so easily restored agen, at least to that degree and measure which it was in before sin was committed and ventured upon by them. Therefore some Divines are of opinion, (not without probability of some truth) that David after these great sins which he had now committed, did never recover himself to that sweet and comfortable condition which he was in before their commission: though God pardoned him, and was Friends with him, and (as he promised) had done away his sin; yea moreover, exprest himself lovingly and favourably to him; yet he had not that sweetness in God, nor that intimacy and freedom with him which he had in former times. Therefore he desires in the next clause, (which we shall come to in its place) that God would uphold him with his free Spirit.
And this the Lord does in great wisdom, that so his people may see what it is to sin against him, and that they smart sufficiently for it. These sins of David they cost him very dear, and so dear, as that (no question) but he often wisht that he had never committed them; both for the horrour of spirit which he felt, and the joy of spirit which he had so hardly renewed agen.
But yet we still add, That there is a possibility of restoring of it, at least in some competent measure; and so David had it to himself, as may appear by some of his Psalms which were penned after this miscarriage: In particular, the third and fourth, both penned upon the occasion of his Son Absalom's Rebellion, which was after this his sin in the Murther of Ʋriah, and a punishment of it. In these two Psalms, especially the fourth, David exprest that great joy and gladness which God had put into his heart, more than of the Corn, and Wine, and Oyl. So then, there is hope in Israel concerning this matter; Spiritual Joy which is lost may be restored, that so Satan may not herein prevail against God's Servants by Temptations to despair from trusting in God.
Well, but how may it be so? and what is the readiest way hereunto? First, This course which David here takes in this present Psalm, by solemn and serious Humiliation of the Soul before God; That's the way to get into favour agen. Godly sorrow is the only way to spiritual joy: When we bewail our sins before God, and acknowledge both the foulness of our iniquities, and the justice and equity of our Corrections, this it procures both pardon and assurance.
Then, Secondly, Lying at God's foot, and acknowledging his free Grace in Christ: As Christ must procure us our pardon, so also our joy. God is always well-pleased with Him, and so consequently with all his Members in Him and for Him; the more then we cleave to Christ, and hang upon God's goodness in Him, the better it will be for us; Urge God that it was his free Grace that gave thee joy at first, and let the same free Grace move him still.
Thirdly, Do thy first works; Spiritual Joy is recovered in the contrary way to that in which 'tis lost: Therefore consider what it is whereby thou provokest God to remove it, and by the doing of that which is most opposite to it, thou mayst perswade him agen to restore it; by crucifying those lusts more especially which before thou hadst prevailing in thee, and by performing of those Duties more vigorously which before were omitted by thee.
Fourthly, and lastly, Attend upon the Ordinances, the Word and Sacraments, and the Communion of Saints; these are means to recover our joy: God sometimes upon such occasions as these sets in with us. How did the Spouse receive Christ's presence? By her spiritual converse with him; and so shall we do likewise; and so likewise by hearing of the Word, this it often brings joy with it; so the Sacrament, which is a sealing Ordinance, that hath the like effect with it in the conscionable improvement of it. But so much for this third Point, and so also of the first Branch of the Text, in David's Prayer for recovery of his joy, in these words, Restore unto me the joy of thy Salvation; that's the first.
The second follows, And uphold me, or stablish me with thy free Spirit. In this there are two particulars more which David begs of God: The first is, Stability, or sustentation, Ʋphold, or stablish me. The second is, Ingenuity, or freedom of Spirit, With thy free Spirit.
In the first, David begs of God sustentation, or establishment, Stablish me, &c. This is another blessing which the best of God's Servants stand in need of, to be establisht in goodness. Hence it is that the Scripture does so often make mention of it, 2 Thess. 2.17. Our Lord Jesus Christ himself comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work. 1 Pet. 5.10. The God of all grace make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. James 5.8. Stablish your hearts.
The reason of it is this, Because Grace it is but weak in us, and Corruption is strong, which are very prone and inclinable to evil, and we have little strength in our selves to withstand it, and oppose against it, as we may see in the stoutest Champions of all; Peter, a man of eminent note, an Apostle and Disciple of Christ, yet how unstable and uncertain was he, when time was? though he thought himself a jolly man, and that he could resist the strongest temptation, even though others were foiled with them, Though all men should forsake thee, yet would not I; yet when it came to the trial and proof of it, we know how it was with him. And so Paul, when he was buffetted with Satan, what need did he find in himself of the sufficient Grace of God to sustain him, and keep him up? Lot, how soon was he overtaken? And so David here in this place, but a bare turn of his eye, and it undid him.
Now therefore this serves to make us low in our own eyes, and to take heed by all means of presuming upon our own strength: We should with David here go to God for establishing Grace, not resting our selves contented with the beginnings and first workings of it in us, but desire further strengthening and confirmation, that we may hold out to the end. David saw what cause he had to do so from this his present experience; he perceived the falseness, and deceitfulness, and uncertainty of his own heart, by this his backsliding, and now he durst not trust it any more: We should our selves learn by this example to mistrust our selves; He that trusts in his own heart, is a fool, Prov. 24.21.
And let us (I say) go to the right Spring, which is the Grace of God in Christ, as the Scripture represents it to us, 2 Cor. 1.22. Now he which establisheth you with us in Christ, is God. It is God that establishes, and it is God still in Christ, rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the Faith, as it is Col. 2.7. Of our selves we are ever and anon falling, in a tottering condition, it is by His Grace we stand, and so far forth as we are by Faith knit and united to Him. This makes the state of a Believer to be surer than that of Adam in Paradise: Adam when he was in the state of innocency, though he was in an holy estate, yet he was not in a sure estate, because his Grace was in his own keeping, and himself capable of falling, as too sadly proved by the event: But now the Grace of every true Christian, it is rooted and settled in Christ, who is His Head, and so does keep him by the power of God through faith unto salvation.
There are some Graces especially more than others which do tend to stability in us, so that God by working them in us, does work that, as humility and sight of our own weakness; this it does so far establish us, as it causes us not to trust to our selves, and our own strength. So Faith which carries us out of our selves to God, and causes us to depend upon Him, whiles we rest upon a strong and able Pillar▪ we are thereby sure to be sustained and held up. Thirdly, Sound Knowledge, &c. These are the Graces that tend to our establishment, which is the first particular in this second Petition of David's, Ʋphold, or stablish me.
The second thing which he prays for, is freedom, or ingenuity of spirit, With thy free Spirit. The Hebrew word Nedivah, which is here translated free, is very emphatical; it is sometime rendred by principal, as Job 30.15. Nedivathi, My principal one; i. e. as we translate it, my Soul. We may as it is here exprest in the Text, carry it to a threefold Qualification; First, Spiritus Libertatis; Secondly, Spiritus Ingenuitatis; Thirdly, Spiritus Principalis: Either, first, as it is here in our Books to freedom and ingenuity of spirit; or else, as some others have it, to nobleness or heroicalness of spirit: either of these are here intended by David.
First, Freedom or ingenuity of spirit, Stablish me with thy free Spirit. Christian freedom or liberty, it is considerable with a double reference, either to matter of evil or good.
First, For evil, so it is to be free from it, and this was one thing which David desired, that iniquity might not have dominion over him; as in another place, that freedom which the Apostle Paul speaks of, Rom. 6.22. Being made free from sin, ye become servants to God. There's no greater freedom than this; a man that's in thraldom to his lusts, he is the greatest Slave that is, which a Christian does most of all abhor; he desires that sin may not reign and rule in him, nor he be subject to the power of it, as unregenerate persons are, and look upon themselves as happy notwithstanding. A carnal person thinks there is no greater happiness than to have a freedom as to the works of sin, in matter of judgment and opinion, to have a freedom and liberty here, to be of what mind and belief he pleases; and in matter of practice and conversation, to have a freedom and liberty here, to walk and live as he lists, and this they call Christian Liberty: But a good Christian he does by no means desire such a freedom as this is; he would not be free to sin, but free from it; and that's freedom as to matter of evil.
Secondly, As to matter of Good, Stablish me with thy free Spirit; that is, as to all the ways of Holiness, and Godliness, and Sanctification, a freedom in point of duty; this is that which David here intends, and this (for the opening of it) is two-fold: First, A freedom to duty; and, secondly, a freedom in it; the one respects the undertaking of it, the other respects the performing of it; and each of them desirable of us.
First, To Duty, for the undertaking: David desired in himself that which the Scripture in some other places calls a readiness to every good work; which is contrary and opposite to listlessness and indisposition. He would not be brought to good Duties by meer force, as a Bear to the Stake, but by a promptness and spontaneity of disposition of his own accord, as sometime he professes of himself, O God, my heart is ready, my heart is ready, I will sing and give praise. The People of God they are a willing people, and so they are called, Psal. 110.3. So they are when they are indeed themselves, and so they would be continually. This was that which David did now particularly desire in himself, and that very seasonably; for sin it had so far possest him, as that it took off his heart from good, and he had not that mind to it as formerly he had. Now he prays to God to give him a free spirit, that is, a mind graciously disposed, which every Christian should aim at in himself, by having an heart in some manner suited to the duty he performs.
Secondly, As freedom to Duty, so freedom in it, as to the acting and performance: for after that we have got our hearts off, so as to be willing to do that which God requires; yet there is oftentimes a deadness upon us in the things themselves. Now this is that which we should endeavour to be freed from; to have our hearts inlarged in the service of God, and carried out with much facility and expedition; as David in another place, 1 Chron. 29.14. Who are we, that we should offer so willingly? This as it is most pleasing to God, so it is also most delightful to our selves. There's a double benefit by it, God accepts Duty better at our hands when it comes off thus freely from us, and we do best satisfie our selves (if we be right) as to the performance of Duty, when it comes from us with such kind of hearts and affections as these are.
To help us hereunto, we must,
First, Labour for gracious and genuine Principles in us, and hearts in some manner fitted to the nature of the Duties themselves we go about. I delight to do thy will, says David: Thy Law is within my heart, Psal. 40.8. When people shall undertake Duties only out of fashion, and custom, and formality, as meer Tasks, their hearts cannot be free in them; but when they do them out of good Principles, and a Spring of Goodness and Holiness in them, then they will be right.
And here we must labour for affections answerable to the nature of the Duty it self we undertake: for every particular Duty has a particular Spirit belonging unto it, as fitting for it, Prayer, and Hearing, and Conferring, and so of the rest; where there's strength, there will also be freedom.
Secondly, We must as near as may be, be free from all carnal entanglements. That heart which is not freed from sin, cannot be free in Duty; the one follows upon the other; so long as men have any lusts which rule and bear sway in them, these will obstruct them, and hinder them in goodness.
Thirdly, Labour to have an holy boldness and confidence in the presence of God, and assurance of his good will towards us: This will very much expedite our spirits. The good will and favour of the Master puts life and spirit into the Servant, and into his work from it; therefore these two are both of them very pertinently joined together in the Text, Restore unto me the joy of thy Salvation, and stablish me with thy free Spirit; because it is joy that gives freedom.
Lastly, As David here gives us a pattern, Beg of God himself to bestow this Spirit of freedom upon us: I will run the ways of thy Commandments, when thou shalt inlarge my heart, Psal. 119.32. He that gives us a Command for Duty, he must give us Expediteness in it, or else we shall never be able to go through it with any delight; and he that frees us from the bondage of sin, must also free us to the performance of Duty. That's the first sense of the word, A Spirit of Ingenuity.
Secondly, Spiritus Ingenuitatis, that is, The Spirit of Adoption, a Child-like Spirit, Rom. 8.15, 16. A Spirit which is afraid to offend out of love to God. There's a great deal of talk sometimes of Good Nature and Ingenuity in the World; but there's no such Ingenuity as Piety, no such Good Nature as Grace: A good Christian has most truly an ingenuous Spirit.
This Ingenuity is more especially considerable in serving of God upon terms of love and thankfulness. An Ingenuous-spirited-man the more kindness he has received from another, the more tender will he be of offending him: Now David had exceedingly miscarried in this particular in regard of God; He had not only done sinfully, but disingeniously, as we shall find God himself charging him with it, and hereby aggravating his sin against him, 2 Sam. 12.7, 8, &c. Thus saith the Lord, I anointed thee King over Israel, &c. And I was ready to do more for thee; and yet thou hast transgrest against me. Oh this now when David bethought himself, struck to his heart; and therefore he prays that God would stablish him with an ingenuous Spirit, and as became one of his Children especially, that he might carry himself suitably to God's Grace and Goodness to him. There's not only Duty in Religion, but Ingenuity, which good Christians stand much upon, as an engagement to him, to keep him from those sins which others fall into, and to do those Duties which others omit.
The last is an Heroical Spirit, Spiritus Principalis, so this Ruech Nedivah does import likewise. This is exprest in two particulars also: First, In scorning and declining of base and unworthy practices; and, Secondly, In undertaking of those which are more noble and honourable.
First, In scorning of base ones. A Christian should be careful to maintain such a frame of spirit in him, as from whence he may think himself too good to do any thing which may seem unworthy of his Christian Calling and Profession; Shall such a man as I do this? We are never so as we should be, till we do to this purpose reverence our selves: so that whiles others keep from sin out of fear, we do it rather out of scorn, as thinking it a matter below us, and unworthy of us in our condition: This is a noble and principal Spirit.
Then, Secondly, This expresses it self also in the undertaking of Services more honourable, when a Christian is willing to do some great thing for God, and more than of ordinary atchievement, when he is content to put himself even upon some hazardous and difficult employment, when he is called to it for the Cause of God: This is another expression of this noble and generous Mind.
Though we may further more particularly restrain it to David's particular place and calling in which he now was: He was a Prince, and would have a Princely Spirit now bestowed upon him, or rather restored unto him, which now by his sin was somewhat perished and decayed. David by the loss of his Innocency, had also lost his Authority, and his freedom in the rebuke of others, as we shall have occasion to shew more hereafter out of the following words; and now he prays to God that he would bestow this Freedom and Majesty upon him, And stablish him with his free Spirit.
But yet further, Because it is said here, By Thy free Spirit, we may therefore if we please understand the Spirit of God, not only as bestowing a freedom of Spirit upon us as to himself, and in his Service; but also as vouchsafing a Spirit of freedom to us, in his own converse with us; making this to be the sense of the words, That God would not henceforth be reserv'd unto him, and carry himself as a stranger towards him, but be more free and open to him; and especially as hinting to him the granting of his Requests and Petitions, and that he is now in special favour, as Dan. 9.23. And thus it agrees very well with that Verse before, Cast me not out of thy Presence. There is nothing which does serve more to stablish and support the heart of a Christian, than the Spirit of God working and moving thus freely in him, and to him, &c. That's the second Branch of the Petition, which I have now finisht, and so this whole twelfth Verse with it, Restore unto me the joy of thy Salvation, and stablish me, &c.