Forty-Five Sermons Upon Psalm 130, Sermon 5
SERMON V.
Pſalm 130.
Verſ. 3. If thou, LORD, ſhouldeſt mark iniquities: O LORD, who ſhall ſtand?
YOU have heard that the Pſalmiſt being wreſtling by Prayer, with the difficulties and plunging perplexities that were in his caſe, verſ. 1, 2. Doth here come to wreſtle more particularly with guilt, which might ſtop his audience and ſucceſs; and (as ye heard) he doth 1. make a ſenſible confeſſion of the miſdeſerving of ſin, that if God ſhould mark it as a ſevere Judge, none ſhould be juſtified; none ſhould be able to ſtand. 2. Ye have his relief and refuge, being thus humbled in the pardoning mercy of God, upon which he lays hold in the beginning of the 4. Verſe; But there is forgivenneſs with thee. And 3ly. (as ye heard) in the end of verſ. 4. This pardoning mercy of God is amplified from his end and deſign, in letting it forth, That thou mayeſt be feared. There is forgivenneſs with him, that ſinners may draw near him, who in himſelf is a conſuming fire, and that pardoned ſinners may be excited to fear and worſhip ſo good a God, that freely pardons ſin.
From the firſt of theſe, I ſpake to a general Note, That the ſenſe of trouble, and the exerciſe about it, ſhould be attended with the ſenſe of ſin, and exerciſe about ſin; for the Pſalmiſt here is exerciſed and taken up with both; while he is crying out of the deeps, he is lying under the ſenſe of ſin. I confirmed this, and marked ſome ſad conſequences that followed ſenſe of trouble, without ſenſe of ſin. I hinted alſo at a ſecond general Obſervation but was cut ſhort by the time, in ſpeaking to it, that is, That godly men will very readily find guilt meeting them, when they are ſent to God in trouble; for when the Pſalmiſt here is made to cry to God out of the deeps, iniquities interpoſe and ſtare him in the face: This Point I did deduce in theſe four, three of which I could only name, and therefore ſhall now briefly reſume that purpoſe.
1. That it is the duty of godly perſons, and their Character, to be acquainted with heart-ſmitings for ſin; what ever David was while at eaſe, and in proſperity, in digeſting Adultery and Murder, yet when he is in trouble, and in the Wilderneſs, and cut off the lap of Saul's Garment, his heart ſmote him. Frequent heart-ſmitings for ſin, is a great evidence of nearneſs to God, and it's a pitiful and woful Gallantry, to go on in ſin, and digeſt ſin without reſentment.
2. The ſecond Branch of the Note was this, That what-ever tenderneſs and ſmiting of heart for ſin, the Saints have in ordinary, yet readily it will meet them, when they come to Ordinances and Duties of Worſhip, eſpecially to be ſerious with God in Prayer; for here when the Pſalmiſt is at Prayer, guilt ſteps in, ſin Muſters, and God's marking of iniquity ſignified much to him; a tender heart when it is in the view of God, and hath its eye upon him, ſhould, and will be moſt obſervant of its failings. David dare not think of coming to God, till he ſee what account he gets of doing away his guilt. Pſal. 16.6, 7. I will waſh my hands in innocency, ſo will I compaſs thine Altar, O Lord, &c. Becauſe guilt will offer to obſtruct audience and ſucceſs, in what the Supplicant would be at. 1 Sam. 14.36, &c. When Saul would conſult God about going down after the Philiſtines, there is a fault found committed, Jonathan had taſted of the Honey, and the guilt meets him, he was not anſwered: And to ſay no more of this, I ſhall only mark two words from it, and proceed. One is, That it ſhould and will be a motive to a tender walker to walk tenderly, circumſpectly, & accuratly, when he conſiders, that he hath God to go unto, he will think with himſelf, how circumſpectly ought I to walk thorow the day, that have God to go to at night? How can I, or dare I looſe Reins to this or that, and offer to bow a knee to God? Will not my untenderneſs in this or that ſtep of my way, ſtare me in the face, when I look God in the face? If folks knew what it were to have Communion with God, and what influence ſin hath to obſtruct it, they behoved either to quite their Prayers, or ſtudy a more tender and holy walk. Another word ſhall be this, if there be any of a looſe and untender walk, ſlipping Buckles through the day, and they hear no news of it; at their Prayers, their guilt doth not interpoſe, and raiſe a Cloud betwixt God and them; ſuch perſons would look to it, that there be not a lie in their right hand, that they be not under a deluſion, and feeding upon aſhes; if they were tender, they would no ſooner go to God, but they would ſay, I remember my faults this day, I have ſinned, and now my guilt ſtares me in the face.
But the 3d Branch of the Doctrine is, That what ever be Saints tenderneſs in ordinary, or what-ever ills they may digeſt in eaſe, a great diſtreſs or trouble, will readily bring guilt to mind, and obſtruct their acceſs, when they are ſent to God, when they are made to cry out of the deeps, God's marking of iniquity will ſay ſomething to them. For diſtreſs take notice of that place, Gen. 42.21, &c. where ye have the Hiſtory of Joſeph's Brethren, taking with their guilt; it was upwards of twenty years ſince they ſold him, but when they come in diſtreſs, it is as recent as if it had been juſt now committed: They ſaid one to another, we are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we ſaw the anguiſh of his ſoul, when he beſought us, and we would not hear, therefore is this diſtreſs come upon us. Folks would have thought that upwards of 20 years guilt, might have been buried; and no doubt the men in that time had prayed often, but in a diſtreſs it's recent. And for going to God in trouble, we have an inſtance of guilt meeting folk, Judg. 10.10. where the people in trouble come and cry unto God, and take with their ſin; But what anſwer get they? I delivered you (ſaith the Lord) from ſuch and ſuch enemies, when ye cryed unto me, but ye have forſaken me, and ſerved other gods, wherefore I will deliver you no more, go and cry unto the gods which ye have choſen, let them deliver you in the time of your trouble. Mark alſo that word of Moſes ſpeaking to the two Tribes and the half Tribe, Numb. 32.33. when he feared they might cheat their brethren, and deſert them, he tells them, If they ſhould do ſo, they ſhould ſin againſt the Lord. There is news (might ſome ſtout ſtomacks among them ſay) but he adds, and be ſure your ſin will find you out. A man may uſe many ways to ſhift guilt, but it will not do with him, his ſin will find him out. Ponder that word, Pſal. 49.5. Wherefore ſhould I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels ſhall compaſs me about. Iniquity is like a Slouth Hound, that rambles here and there, following the ſcent of the Prey, and an ignorant ſpectator wonders what he means, but he follows the Prey, and will not give over till he find it; ſin unrepented of will ſooner or later meet, and the longer they be of meeting, it will be to the ſinners greater diſadvantage. May I add further, when ſin meets the ſinner in trouble, an infirmity will paſs for an iniquity, (as here the Pſalmiſt calls ſin) and will not ſeem ſo ſmall, as when it was committed, or before the trouble came on; yea further, pardoned guilt that ſeemed to be buried, and done away, theſe green Graves may open, and that guilt may waken upon new emergents. Hence Job 13.26. ſays, Thou writeſt bitter things againſt me, and makeſt me to poſſeſs the iniquities of my youth. And Pſal. 25.7. David prays, Remember not the ſins of my youth, nor my tranſgreſſions. Therefore ye that meet not with ſin in ordinary, ſee what ye can do to hold off trouble, and ſins meeting you in trouble; ye now can go on in ſin, and have your diverſions to put away the thoughts of it, and live ſtrangers to your ſelves, and your own condition; but trouble will croſs-neck you, and ye will find (as the word is Gen. 4.7.) That ſin is lying at the door, and will meet you.
But I ſhall add a fourth Branch of the Doctrine, and then come to the main Doctrine which lyes before my hand. I have ſpoken of guilts meeting with the godly; Now what ſhall be ſaid of guilts meeting with wicked men? I ſhall ſay two words to this, and leave the Note. One is, let a wicked man live never ſo long without minding his guilt, let him have Ordinances, and keep up a form of Worſhip; This is to be adverted to, that the wicked man never comes into God's preſence to worſhip or pray to him, but his iniquity is marked, as if he had made a Proclamation of his ſin. Ponder that Proceſs, Iſa. 1.15. and the foregoing Verſes, Bring no more vain oblations (ſaith the Lord) incenſe is an abomination to me, the new Moons and Sabbaths, and calling of aſſemblies, I cannot away with, it is iniquity, even the ſolemn meeting; your new Moons, and your appointed feasts, my ſoul hateth: and when ye ſpread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear; your hands are full of blood. Thou that dare come before God, without the ſenſe of thy guilt, God may look upon thee as proclaiming thy guilt. And another word to the wicked ſhall be this, that, when ever a day of diſtreſs and trouble meets them, though all of them will not be honoured with repentance, and pardoning mercy, they ſhall find, that they have made a very ſad bargain. Take it in that word, Jer. 2.19. Thy own wickedneſs ſhall correct thee, and thy back-ſlidings ſhall reprove thee; know therefore and ſee, that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou haſt forſaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee.
But I leave this Note, and come to the third Obſervation, that is, that when Guilt and Conſcience meets, ſin will be otherways looked upon, than men ordinarily do; or if ye will have it more diſtinctly, take it thus; That the right ſenſe of ſin, will lead the ſenſible man to ſee that in ſin, that none, even the moſt Godly can ſtand before God, if God deal with them in ſtrict Juſtice, according to the Covenant of Works. That is the very marrow of this Verſe, If thou, Lord, ſhouldſt mark iniquity, O Lord, who ſhould ſtand? No man, no not a godly man, nor any other can ſtand. And although I may (if the Lord will) have this purpoſe to reſume when I come to ſpeak of pardon, and the application of pardon from the next Verſe following; yet this being an important truth, a verity of great weight, ye will bear with me, though I dip a little more in it than is my ordinary: What I would ſay on it, I ſhall from the Text deduce to you in ſix particulars, which I hope ſhall give a hint of what at the firſt view is more material in the words.
And 1. Take notice of ſomething ſuppoſed here, that is, God's marking of iniquity, If thou, Lord, ſhouldſt mark iniquity, where he makes a ſuppoſition of God's marking iniquity; not that any Queſtion or doubt is to be made of Gods Omniſcience, that he ſees and knows all things, and particularly mens ſins, he hath an exact knowledge of them all, as when one marks things moſt narrowly; Neither is there any ſuppoſition or queſtion to be made of Gods ſeeing of ſin in the godly, ſo as to be diſpleaſed at it. Antinomians would be at this, they would have no ſin ſeen in them, but the ſcope of this Pſalm evinces the contrary: God notices the godly mans ſin as well as others, till he flee to pardoning mercy through a Mediator; And David, though a godly man, acknowledges this, Pſal. 51.4. Against thee, thee only, have I ſinned, and done this evil in thy ſight. But the meaning of this, the Lord's marking of iniquity, may be taken from the parallel place, Pſal. 143.2. where it is thus expreſſed, Enter not into Judgment with thy ſervant; That's the marking of iniquity ſpoken of, or ſupponed in the Text; and in ſhort, the importance of the Phraſe is, Gods marking of ſin according to the Covenant of Works, and in the rules of ſtrict Juſtice, and without looking on the ſinner as in a Surety. In this reſpect, Gods marking of iniquity being accompanied with abſolute holineſs, perfect purity, and juſtice, he cannot away with it, nor with the ſinner becauſe of it, as Pſal. 5.4, 5. Thou art not a God that haſt pleaſure in wickedneſs, neither ſhall evil dwell with thee. The fooliſh ſhall not ſtand in thy ſight, thou hateſt all workers of iniquity. And Hab. 1.13. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canſt not look on iniquity. God thus marking iniquity according to the rules of ſtrict Juſtice, and without looking on the ſinner as in a Cautioner, cannot away with it, and conſequently will puniſh it, Job 11.11. He ſeeth wickedneſs, alſo will he not conſider it? In order to puniſhment, for ſo that Phraſe is Expounded, Pſal. 10.14. Thou haſt ſeen it, for thou beholdeſt miſchief and ſpite, to requite it with thine hand. And it is Jehu's remark of Ahab, 2 King. 9.26. Surely I have ſeen yeſterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his ſons, (ſaith the Lord) and I will requite thee in this plat, ſaith the Lord. The marking of iniquity this way, is to men dreadful, and ye will find in Scripture, that it is a dreadful ſight of trouble that ſome gets, when it repreſents God thus as marking ſin, to purſue and puniſh it, as in that poor widow, 1 King. 17.18. O thou man of God (ſaith ſhe to the Prophet) art thou come unto me to call my ſin to remembrance, and to ſlay my Son? That was a ſad ſight of trouble, and of ſin in trouble; and Moſes in that tragical buſineſs in the Wilderneſs, when calamities are falling thick upon that people, it is a ſad ſight of them that he gets, when they ſpeak, Gods marking of ſin, Pſal. 90 8. Thou haſt ſet our iniquities before thee, our ſecret ſins in the light of thy countenance. Thy inflicting of calamity tells us, that thou art marking iniquity. So much for the firſt thing ſuppoſed here, God's marking iniquity.
2. Conſider, here ſomewhat propoſed. That if God mark iniquity as a ſevere Judge, according to the ſtrict rules of Juſtice, to puniſh it, and accordingly do puniſh it, the guilty man cannot ſtand before him. This Phraſe is equivalent to that Phraſe in the parallel place, Pſal. 143.2. If God enter into judgment with men, no man living can be justified in his ſight. And a ſinners inability to ſtand before God, is a Phraſe frequently made uſe of, to point out the dreadful deſert of ſin, as Pſal. 5.5. The fooliſh ſhall not ſtand in thy ſight. Ezra 9.15. We are before thee in our treſpaſſes, for we cannot ſtand before thee, becauſe of this. Pſal. 1.5. The ungodly ſhall not ſtand in the judgment, nor ſinners in the congregation of the righteous. And Pſal. 76.7. Thou even thou art to be feared, and who may ſtand in thy ſight, when once thou art angry. Rev. 6.16, 17. The great day of the Lambs wrath is come, and who is able to ſtand? And to this alſo that Phraſe may allude, which the men of Bethſhemeſh have, when ſo many are ſtricken dead, for their curious looking into the Ark, 1 Sam. 6.20. Who is able to ſtand before this holy Lord God?
But that I may explain this a little more diſtinctly, I ſhall take it up with an eye to humane Judgments, or Courts among men in theſe four.
1. Whereas a man when he is to compear before a Court, he may ſtand in Judgment, and be rectus in curia, (as we uſe to ſpeak) Why? He is able to plead innocent, and he may come off being found ſo: but here, a man in whom is iniquity, cannot ſtand. The ſinner cannot plead ſinleſs, as it is, Job 9.2, 3. I know it is ſo of a truth, but how ſhould man be juſt with God? If he will contend with him, he cannot anſwer him one of a thouſand. There is no pleading ſinleſs before his Barr. And in particular, this is to be applyed to ſecret ſins; there is no concealing of the moſt ſecret ſins, when God marks them. Pro. 30.20. The way of the adulterous woman is ſuch, that ſhe eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and ſaith, I have done no wickedneſs; but God noticeth it. Gehazi abuſes his Maſters name, and goes to Fiſh from Naaman Silver and Raiment, and comes and ſtands before his Maſter, and ſays, He went no whither; but ſays Eliſha, Went not my heart with thee, when the man turned again from his Chariot to meet thee? 2 King. 5.22, &c. Men may convey their ſins very cloſely, and hide their contrivances from men, but they conſider not they have an Omniſcient God for their Party, whoſe Spirit is infinitly above the ſpirit of Eliſha, to follow them in all their ſecret pranks. And that's it, that Moſes lays to heart, Pſal. 90.8. Thou haſt ſet our ſins before thee, our ſecret ſins in the light of thy countenance.
2. In humane Courts, when a man is made preſent, though he cannot ſtand to plead himſelf innocent, or free of the Debt he is charged with, yet he may ſtand, becauſe he is able to pay the Debt, though the Sentence paſs againſt him; but ſo cannot a man ſtand before God, when he ſhall mark iniquity, for he hath nothing to ſatisfie Juſtice for his fault, and hence the man ſenſible of ſin, will not look upon the debt of ſin as a trifling matter, as a matter to be dallied with. Thoſe Queſtions Act. 16.30. What muſt I do to be ſaved? Act. 2.37. What ſhall we do? Job 7.20. I have ſinned, what ſhall I do unto thee, O thou preſerver of men? They import, that the confeſſion of guilt will not be a ſufficient exoneration in the ſenſible mans account. They import alſo, that it is a concerning Caſe or Queſtion, how to be rid of guilt? And further they import, a ſubmitting to any terms that can be exacted, if they be in the ſinners power to perform; And here I confeſs, Hypocrites when they are told of their fault, will offer to make a mends, Mic. 6.6, 7. Wherewith ſhall I come before the Lord, and how my ſelf before the high God? Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings? with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleaſed with thouſands of rams? or ten thouſand rivers of oyl? (more than he could have offered, though it had been accepted) Shall I give my firſt-born for my tranſgreſſion? the fruit of my body for the ſin of my ſoul? O! but the ſenſible man will find, that he can make no mends. That there is no Fend againſt guilt, but Pardon, Job 7.20. I have ſinned, what ſhall I do unto thee, O thou preſerver of men? And why doſt thou not pardon my tranſgreſſion, and take away mine iniquity.
3. In humane Courts, when a man is made preſent, though he be Sentenced for a Debt he is unable to pay, or judg'd guilty of a Crime, he can undergo the puniſhment reſolutely, and in that reſpect he may ſtand in Judgment; but here the ſinner cannot ſtand before God marking iniquity, that is, under the burden of the deſert of ſin, or the deſerved puniſhment thereof, without ſuccumbing; a man may undergo any puniſhment inflicted by an humane Court, and his natural courage may ſupport him under all that man can inflict, but who can ſtand under everlaſting wrath? Who can ſtand before a ſin-revenging God, and not ſuccumb? Who can endure the everlaſting torments of Hell, and not be everlaſtingly broken? So there is no ſtanding for the guilty ſinner before God, but he muſt ſuccumb and break.
But 4. as amongſt men, any ingenuous perſon called for Debt, and not being able to pay, or being looked upon as a monſtruous Criminal by the Judge, it will make him bluſh, that he cannot ſtand before the Judge with confidence: So here, (which ſhould be the reſult of the former) when ſinners are ſenſible of ſin, and are convinced they cannot ſtand before God, conſidered as out of a Cautioner, it may be matter of bluſhing and horrour to them, and ſhould be ſo, when they find they cannot ſtand before God marking iniquity. This was the poſture of the poor Publican, who Luk. 18.13. ſtanding a far off, would not ſo much as lift up his eyes to Heaven, but ſmote upon his breaſt, ſaying, God be merciful to me a ſinner; he had not the confidence to ſtand before God, but he cryed out for pardon. And this was the practice of Ezra, when he went to God in behalf of the people, that had corrupted themſelves, after Gods kindneſs towards them, and correcting of them for their ſins, Ezra 9.6. O my God (ſaith he) I am aſhamed, and bluſh, to lift up my face to thee, O my God, for our iniquities are increaſed over our head, and our treſpaſſes are grown up to the heaven. This, I ſay, ſhould be the reſult of all the reſt, and would be a token for good, that God would find out the way how the ſinner might ſtand before him in Judgment: If a ſinner being convinced he is guilty, and that he cannot undergo the puniſhment, without cruſhing, would bluſh and be aſhamed, if we were delivered from our brazen Brow, and Whores Fore-head, that we could not look up to God without ſhame and bluſhing, there were hope of pardon through a Surety.
Thus I have done with the firſt two, of the ſix particulars, I propoſed to be ſpoken to, for finding out what is ſaid in the Text: There are three or four moe to be battered out, with the application of the whole, which I leave till the Afternoon. The Lord bleſs what ye have been hearing.