Twenty Sermons, Sermon 10
AD AULAM. Sermon X.
WHITE-HALL; at a publick Fast. 8 Iuly 1640.
PSALM 119.75.
I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right: and that thou of very faithfulness hast caused me to be troubled.
1. IN which words the holy Prophet in two several conclusions giveth unto God the glory of those two his great attributes, that shine forth with so much lustre in all the Works of his providence: his Iustice and his Mercy. The glory of his Iustice in the former conclusion, I know O Lord that thy judgments are right: the glory of his Mercy in the latter, And that thou of very faithfulness hast caused me to be troubled. And to secure us the better of the truth of both conclusions, because flesh and bloud will be ready to stumble at both: We have his Scio prefixed, expresly to the former only, but (the speech being copulative) intended to both. I know O Lord that thy judgments are right: and I know also that thou of very faithfulness hast caused me to be troubled. Our order must be to begin with the Conclusions first, as they lie in the Text; and after that to proceed to Davids knowledg of them, although that stand first in the order of the words. In the former Conclusion we have to consider of two things. First, what these judgments of God are that David here speaketh of, as the subject: and then of the righteousness thereof, as the Predicate. I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right.
2. What Iudgements first? There are judicia oris, and there are judicia operis: the judgements of Gods mouth, and the judgements of Gods hands. Of the former there is mention at Vers. 13. [With my lips have I been telling of all the judgements of thy mouth] And by these Iudgements are meant nothing else but the holy Law of God, and his whole written word; which every where in this Psalme are indifferently called his Statutes, his Commandements, his Precepts, his Testimonies, his Iudgements. And the Laws of God are therefore (amongst other reasons) called by the name of aforeign. Justin Martyr. respons. ad orthod. qu. 92.Iudgments; because by them we come to have a right judgment, whereby to discern between good and evil. We could not otherwise with any certainty judg, what was meet for us to do, and what was needful for us to shun. A lege tuâ intellexi, at verse 104. By thy Law have I gotten understanding. St Paul confesseth Rom. 7. that he had never rightly known what sin was, if it had not been for the Law: and he instanceth in that of lust, which he had not known to be a sin, Rom. 7.7.if the Law had not said Thou shalt not covet. And no question but these judgments, these judicia oris, are all right too: for it were unreasonable to think, that God should make that a rule of right to us; which were it self not right. We have both the name, (that of judgments;) and the thing too, (that they are right) in the 19th Psalm: Where having highly commended the Law of God, under the several appellations of Law, Testimonies, Statutes, and Commandements verse 7. and 8. the Prophet then concludeth under this name of Iudgments verse 9 The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
3. Besides these Iudicia Oris, which are Gods judgments of direction: there are also Iudicia Operis, which are his judgments for correction. And these doe ever include aliquid poenale, something inflicted upon us by Almighty God, as it were by way of punishment; something that breedeth us trouble or grief: The Apostle saith Heb. 12. that every chastening is grievous: Heb. 12.11.and so it is more or less; or else it could be to us no punishment. And these again are of two sorts: yet not distinguished so much by the things themselves that are inflicted, as by the condition of the persons on whom they are inflicted, and especially by the affection, and intention of God that inflicteth them. For all, whether publick calamities that light upon whole Nations, Cities, or other greater or lesser societies of men, (such as are pestilences, famine, war, inundations, unseasonable weather, and the like;) or private afflictions that light upon particular families or persons, (as sickness, poverty, disgraces, injuries, death of friends, and the like: All these, and whatsoever other of either kind, may undergo a two-fold consideration: in either of both which, they may not unfitly be termed the Iudgments of God; though in different respects.
4. For either these things are sent by Almighty God in his heavy displeasure, as plagues upon his enemies, intending therein their destruction. Such as were those publick judgments, upon the old world, swept away with the floud; upon Sodom and the other Cities, consumed with fire from heaven; upon Pharaoh and his host, overwhelmed in the red Sea; upon the Canaanites, spewed out of the land for their abominations; upon Ierusalem, at the final destruction thereof by the Romans. And those private judgments also, that befell sundry particular persons, as Cain, Absolon, Senacherib, Herod, and others. Or else they are laid by Amighty God as gentle corrections upon his own children, in his fatherly love towards them, and for their good; to chastise them for their strayings, to bring them to repentance for their sins, to make them more observant and careful of their duty thence-forward, to exercise their faith and patience and other graces, and the like. Such as were those distresses that befell the whole people of Israel sundry times under Moses, and in the dayes of their Iudges and Kings; and those particular trials and afflictions, wherewith Abraham, and Ioseph, and Iob, and David, and Paul, and other the holy Saints and servants of God were exercised in their times.
5. Both the one sort and the other are called Iudgments: but (as I said) in different respects, and for different reasons. Those former plagues are called Gods Iudgments; because they come from God, not as a loving and merciful father, but as a just and severe Iudge: who proceeding according to course of Law giveth sentence against a malefactor to cut him off. And therefore this kind of judgment David earnestly deprecateth, Psalm 143. [Enter not into judgment with thy servant:] for then neither can I,Psal. 143.2. nor any flesh living be justified in thy sight. These later corrections also or chastenings of our heavenly father are called Iudgments too,1 Cor. 11.32. [When we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord:] but in a quite different notion. Because God proceedeth therein, not with violence and fury, as men that are in passion use to do: but coolely, and advisedly, and with judgment. And therefore, whereas David deprecated Gods judgment (as we heard) in that former notion, and as Iudgment is opposed to Favour: Ieremy on the other side desireth Gods Iudgment in this later notion, and as it is opposed to Fury [Correct me▪ O Lord: Jer. 10.24.yet in thy judgment, not in thy fury.] Jer. 10.
6. Now we see the severall sorts of Gods Iudgments: which of all these may we think is here meant? If we should take them all in, the Conclusion would hold them, and hold true too. Iudicia oris, and judicia operis; publick and private judgments; those plagues wherewith in fury he punisheth his enemies, and those rods wherewith in mercy he correcteth his children: most certain it is, they are all right. But yet I conceive those judicia oris not to be so properly meant in this place: for the Exegesis in the later part of the verse, (wherein what are here called judgments, are there expounded by troubles) seemeth to exclude them, and to confine the Text in the proper intent thereof to these judicia operis only: but yet to all them of what sort soever; publick or private, plagues or corrections. Of all which he pronounceth that they are Right: which is the predicate of the Conclusion; and cometh next to be considered. I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right.
7. And we may know it too, if we will but care to know either God or Our selves. First for God; though we be not a—incomprehensibilis dispositio, & irreprehensibilis. Bernard. serm. 103.able to comprehend the reasons of his dispensations, the foreign: yet for foreign, that the judgments are right, it may satisfie us if we do but know that they are his. Tua will infer recta strongly enough: for the Lord, who is righteous in all his wayes, must needs be so in the way of his judgments too.Psal. 145.17. Esay 26.8. 1. Mens judgments are sometimes not right through mis-informations, and sundry other mistakings and defects; for which the Laws therefore allow writs of Errour, appeals, and other remedies: But as for God, he not only spieth out the goings, but also searcheth into the hearts of all men;Psal. 139.3. he pondereth their spirits,Prov. 21.2. and by him all their actions are weighed. 2. Mens judgments are sometimes not right, because themselves are partial and unjust; awed with fear, blinded with gifts, transported with passion, carried away with favour or disaffection, or wearied with importunity. But as for God, with him is no respect of persons, nor possibility of being corrupted.Rom. 2.11. Abraham took that for granted, that the judg of all the world must needs do right, Gen. 18.25.Gen. 18. And the Apostle rejecteth all suspicion to the contrary with an Absit, (what shall we say then? is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid, Rom. 9.Rom. 9.14.) 3. Mens judgments are sometimes not right, meerly for want of zeal to justice: They lay not the causes of poor men to heart, nor are willing to put themselves to the pains or trouble of sifting a cause to the bottome, nor care much which way it go, so as they may but be at rest, and enjoy their ease. But as for God, he is zealous of doing justice: he loveth it himself; he requireth it in others; punishing the neglect of it, and rewarding the administration of it in them to whom it belongeth. (The righteous Lord loveth righteousness, Psal. 11.)
Psal. 11. ult.8. And then secondly in our selves we may find (if we will but look) enough to satisfie us even for the foreign too, so far as is meet for us to expect satisfaction. The judgments of God indeed are abyssus multa: his wayes are in the sea, and his paths in the deep waters, Psal. 77.19.and his footstops are not known; foreign:foreign. Rom. 11.33. Soon may we lose our selves in the search, but never find them out. Yet even there, where the judgments of God are like a great deep, unfathomable by any finite understanding: his righteousness yet standeth like the high mountains (as it is in Psalm 36.) visible to every eye.Psal. 36.6. If any of us shall search well into his own heart, and weigh his own carriage and deservings: if he shall not then find enough in himself to justifie God in all his proceedings; I forbid him not to say (which yet I tremble but to rehearse) that God is unrighteous.
9. The holy Saints of God therefore have ever acquitted him, by condemning themselves. The Prophet Ieremy in the behalf of himself and the whole Church of God, [The Lord is righteous: Lam. 1.18.for I have rebelled against his Commandement, Lam. 1.) So did Daniel in that his solemn confession, when he set his face to seek the Lord God by prayer and supplications, with fasting and sack-cloth and ashes Dan. 9. (O Lord, righteousnesse belongeth unto thee; but unto us confusion of face, as it is this day, to our Kings, to our Princes, and to our fathers: because we have sinned against thee, verse 7.) and again after at verse 14. (Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us; for the Lord our God is righteous in all his works which he doth: for we obeyed not his voice. Yea so illustrious many times is the righteousness of God in his judicial proceedings, that it hath extorted an acknowledgment from men obstinately wicked. Pharaoh, who sometimes in the pride of his heart had said, Who is the Lord? was afterwards by the evidence of the fact it self forced to this confession,Exod. 5.2. I have sinned: the Lord is righteous, but I and my people are wicked, Exod. 9.Exod. 9.27.
10. They are then (at least in that respect) worse then wicked Pharaoh, that to justifie themselves, will not stick to repine even at God himself, and his judgments; as if he were cruel, and they unrighteous: like the slothful servant in the parable, that did his master no service at all; and yet as lazy as he was,Mat. 25.24. could blame his master for being an hard man. Cain, when he had slain his righteous brother, and God had laid a judgment upon him for it; complained of the burden of it, as if the Lord had dealt hardly with him, in laying more upon him then he was able to bear: Gen. 4.13.never considering the weight of the sin, which God in justice could not bear. Solomon noteth it as a fault common among men, when by their own sinful folly they have pulled misery upon themselves, then to murmur against God, and complain of his providence:Prov. 19.3. [The folly of a man perverteth his wayes, and his heart fretteth against the Lord, Prov. 19.] As the Israelites in their passage through the wilderness, were ever and anon murmuring and complaining at somewhat or other; either against God, or (which cometh much to one) against Moses and Aaron, and that upon every occasion, and for every trifle: so do we. Every small disgrace, injury, affront, or losse, that happeneth to us from the frowardness of our betters, the unkindness of our neighbours, the undutifulness of our children, the unfaithfulness of our servants, the unsuccesfulness of our attempts, or by any other means whatsoever; any sorry thing, will serve to put us quite out of patience:Jonas 4.8. as Ionas took pet at the withering of the gourd. And as he was ready to justifie his impatience even to God himself [Doest thou well to be angry, —Verse 9.Ionas? Ey marry do I; I do well to be angry even to the death:] so are we ready, in all our murmurings against the Lords corrections, to flatter our selves as if we did not complain without cause; especially where we are able to charge those men that trouble us, with unrighteous dealing.
11. This is, I confess, a strong temptation to flesh and bloud; and many of Gods holy servants have had much ado to overcome it, whilest they looked a little too much outward. But yet we have by the help of God a very present remedy there-against, if blinde self-love will but suffer us to be so wise as to make use of it: and that is no more but this, to turn our eye inward; and to examine our selves, not how well we have dealt with other men who now requite us so ill; but how we our selves have requited God, who hath dealt so graciously and bountifully with us. If we thus look back into our selves and sins, we shall soon perceive that God is a—Etsi proximus exigere forsi…an non possit ex jure, exigit tamē Deus. Bernard. serm. de verb. Origenis.just even in those things wherein men are unjust; and that we have most righteously deserved at his hands to suffer all those things, which yet we have no ways deserved at their hands by whom we suffer. It will well become us therefore, whatsoever judgments God shall please at any time to lay upon us, or to threaten us withall, either publick or private, either by his own immediate hand, or by such instruments as he shall employ;Phil. 2.14. without all murmurings or disputings to submit to his good will and pleasure, and to accept the punishment of our iniquitie, (as the phrase is Levit. 26.) by humbling our selves,Levit. 26.41, 43. and confessing that the Lord is righteous: as Rehoboam and the Princes of Iudah did 2 Chron. 12. The sence of our own wickednesse in rebelling, and the acknowledgment of Gods justice in punishing,2 Chron. 12.6. (which are the very first acts of true humiliation, and the first steps unto true repentance;) we shall find by the mercy of God to be of great efficacy, not only for the averting of Gods judgments after they are come, but also (if used timely enough and throughly enough) for the preventing thereof before they be come.1 Cor. 11.31. For if we would judg our selves, we should not be judged of the Lord, 1 Cor. 11. But because we neglect it, (and yet it is a thing that must be done, or we are undone;) God in great love and mercy towards us, setteth in for our good; and doth it himself, rather then it should be left undone, and we perish:—32. even as it there followeth, When we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. And this is that faithfulnesse of God which David acknowledgeth in the later Conclusion: whereunto I now pass.
12. — And that thou of very faithfulnesse hast caused me to be troubled. In which words we have these three points: First, David was troubled: next God caused him to be so troubled: last, and God did so out of very faithfulness. No great newes, when we hear of David, to hear of troubles withall; (Lord, Psal. 132.1.remember David and all his troubles, Psal. 132.) Consider him which way you will, in his condition natural, spiritual, or civil; that is, either as a man, or as a godly man, or as a King: and he had his portion of troubles in every of those conditions. First, troubles he must have as a man. Haec est conditio nascendi. Every mothers childe that cometh into the world, a—foreign. Pythag. aur. carm.falleth a childs-part of those troubles the world affordeth. Man that is born of a woman, those few dayes that he hath to live he shall be sure to have them full of trouble howsoever. In mundo pressuram, saith our Saviour, In the world ye shall have tribulation. Never think it can be otherwise,Job 14.1. Joh. 16.33. Psal. 84.6. Eccl. 1.14. so long as you live here below in the vale of misery, where at every turn you shall meet with nothing but very vanity and vexation of spirit.
13. Then he was a Godly man: and his troubles were somewhat the more for that too.2. Tim. 3.12. For all that will live godly must suffer persecution: and however it is with other men, certainly many are the troubles of the righteous. Psal. 34.19.It is the common lot of the true children of God, because they have many outflyings, Heb. 12.7, 8.wherewith their holy Father is not well-pleased, to come under the scourge oftner then the bastards do. If they do amisse, (and amisse they do) they must smart for it either here, or hereafter: 1. Cor. 11.32.Now God meaneth them no condemnation hereafter, and therefore he giveth them the more chastening here.
14. But was not David a King? and would not that exempt him from troubles? He was so indeed: but I ween his troubles were neither the fewer nor the lesser for that. There are sundry passages in this Psalm, that induce me to believe (with great probability) that David made it while he lived a yong man in the Court of Saul, Vers. 9.99, 100, &c.long before his coming to the Crown. But yet he was even then unctus in Regem, anointed and designed for the Kingdom; and he met even then with many troubles the more for that very respect. And after he came to enjoy the Crown, if God had not been the joy and crown of his heart, he should have had little joy of it: so full of trouble and unrest was the greatest part of his reign. I note it, not with a purpose to enter into a set discourse how many and great the troubles are that attend the Crowns and Scepters of Princes; which I easily believe to be far both more and greater, then we that stand below are capable to imagine: but for two other reasons a great deal more useful, and therefore so much the more needful to be thought on both by them and us. It should first work in all them that sit aloft, and so are exposed to more and stronger blasts, the greater care to provide a safe resting place for their souls: that whensoever they shall meet with trouble and sorrow in the flesh, (and that they shall be sure to do ofter then they look for) they may retire thither, there to repose and solace themselves in the goodness of their God; saying eftsoones with our Prophet, (Return unto thy rest, O my soul.) It was well for him,Psal. 116 7. that he had such a rest for his soul: for he had rest little enough otherwise, from continual troubles and cares in his civil affairs and estate. And it should in all reason secondly quicken the hearts of all loyal and well-affected subjects, by their prayers, counsels, services, aids, and cheerful obedience respectively, rather to afford Princes their best assistance, for the comfortable support of that their weighty and troublesome charge; then out of ambition, discontent, popularity, envy, or any other cross or peevish humor add unto their cares, and create unto them more troubles.
15. David, you see, had troubles; as a man, as a godly man, as a King. But who caused them? Sure in those his first times, when (as I conjecture) he wrote this Psalm; Saul with his Princes and followers was the chiefest cause of most of his troubles: and afterwards crafty Ahitophel caused him much trouble, and railing Shimei some, and seditious Sheba not a little; but his rebellious son Absalon most of all. He complaineth of many troublers raised by the means of that son, in Psalm 3. Domine quàm multiplicati! Lord how are they increased that trouble me. Psal. 3.1.Yet here, you see; he overlooketh them all, and all other second causes; and ascribeth his troubles wholly unto God. So he did also afterwards in the particular of Shimei's rayling; Let him alone, 2 Sam. 16.10.saith he to Abishai, Let him curse on, for God hath bidden him. Even as Iob had done before him: when the Sabeans and the Chaldeans had taken away his cattle and goods, he scarce took notice of them, (he knew they were but instruments;) but looked at the hand of God only, as the chief and principal cause, Dominus abstulit, Job 1.21.The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken away. Neither did David any injury at all to Almighty God in ascribing it to him: for God also himself taketh it all upon himself; I will raise him evil out of his own house: 2 Sam. 12.11, 12.and I will do it before the sun, 2 Sam. 12.
16. How all those things, (wherein wicked men serving their own lusts only in their own purpose,Eckz. 29.20; Esay 10.5. —15. do yet unwittingly do service to God Almighty in furthering his wise and holy designs) can have their efficiency from causes of such contrary quality, and looking at such contrary ends, to the producing of one and the same effect: is a speculation more curious then profitable. It is enough for us to know, that it neither casteth any blemish at all upon him, that he maketh such use of them; nor giveth any excuse at all to them, that they do such service to him: but that all this notwithstanding, he shall still have the whole glory of his own wisdom and holiness; and they shall still bear the whole burthen of their own folly and wickedness. But there is another, and that a far better use to be made hereof, then to trouble our selves about a mysterie that we shall never be able in this life to comprehend; and that is this: that seeing all the troubles that befall us in any kind whatsoever, or by what instruments soever, come yet from the hand of God; we should not therefore, when at any time we meet with trouble, rage against the second causes, or seek to venge our teen upon them, as of our selves we are very apt to do: but laying our hands upon our mouths, compose our selves to a holy patience and silence; considering it is aPlaceat homini, quicquid Deo placuit. Senec. Epist. 75.his will and pleasure to have it so, to whom it is both our duty and wisdom wholly to submit.
17. We may learn it of holy Iob. His wife moved his patience not a little, by moving him to impatience:Job 2.10. Thou talkest like a foolish woman, saith he: shall we receive good things at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil also? Or we may learn it of good old Eli. When he received a message from the Lord by the mouth of young Samuel of a right heavy judgment shortly to fall upon him and his house for his fond indulgence to his ungracious children; he made no more reply, but said only, It is the Lord: let him do what seemeth him good. Or, to go no further then our Prophet David, 1 Sam. 3.18.we may learn it sufficiently from him, Psalm 39. I was dumbe, saith he,Psal. 39.9. and opened not my mouth, Quoniam tu fecisti, for it was thy doing. This consideration alone, Quoniam tu fecisti, is enough to silence all tumultuous thoughts, and to cut off all farther disputing and debating the matter: that it is God that causeth us to be troubled. All whose judgments, are not only done in righteousnesse, as we have hitherto heard: but towards his children also out of much love and faithfulnesse, as we are next to hear, [I know that of very faithfulnesse thou hast caused me to be troubled.]
18. In the former part of the verse, where he spake of the righteousnesse of God, he did it indefinitely, without mentioning either himself or any other person: not particularly, Thy judgments upon me; but indefinitely, I know O Lord, that thy judgments are right. But now in this latter part of the verse, where he cometh to speak of the faithfulness of God, he nameth himself; And that thou of very faithfulnesse hast caused Me to be troubled. For as earthly Princes must do justice to all men, (for Iustice is foreign, every man may challenge it, and there must be no respect had, no difference made of persons therein;) but their favours they may bestow upon whom they think good: so God will have his justice to appear in all his dealings with all men generally, be they good or bad, that none of them all shall be able to say he hath done them the least wrong; but yet his tender mercies and loving kindnesses, those he reserveth for the godly only, who are in special favour with him, and towards whom he beareth a special respect. For by faithfulnesse here, as in sundry other places of Scripture, is meant nothing else but the special love and favour of God towards those that love and fear him, whereby he ordereth and disposeth all things so, as may make most for their good.
19. And it is not unfitly so called; whether we respect the gracious promises, that God hath made unto them, or those sundry mutual relations, that are between him and them. First, faithfulnesse relateth to a promise: Heb. 10.23.(He is faithful that hath promised Heb. 10.) Truly God is a debter to no man: that he doth for us any thing at all, it is ex mero motu, of his own grace and goodness meerly; we can challenge nothing at his hands. But yet so desirous is he to manifest his gracious love to us, that he hath freely bound himself, and so made himself a voluntary debter by his promises, (for promise is due debt:) insomuch as he giveth us the leave, and alloweth us the boldness to remind him of his promises, to urge him with them, and as it were to adjure him by all his truth and faithfulness to make them good. But what a kind of promise is this, may some say; to promise a man to trouble him? It seemeth a threatning this: not a promise. If these be his promises, God may keep his promises to himself; we shall not be very forward to challenge him or his faithfulness about them. Yet so it is: the afflictions and troubles wherewith God in his love chasteneth his children for their good, are indeed part of his promise, and that a gracious part too. In Mark 10. you shall find persecutions, (and persecutions are troubles) expresly named there among other things, as a part of the promise or reward;Mark 10.30. (No man that hath left house or brethren &c. for my sake and the Gospels, but he shall receive an hundred fold now in this time, houses, and brethren, &c. with persecutions, and in the world to come eternal life.) There it is exprest: but where it is not so, it must ever be understood in all the promises that concern this life. It is a received rule among Divines, that all temporal promises are to be understood cum exceptione crucis: that is to say, not absolutely, but with this reservation, unless the Lord in his holy wisdom shall see it good for us to have it otherwise. So that if at any time he see it good for us to be troubled, (as many times he doth; David confesseth it but four verses higher,Psal. 119.71. Bonum mihi quòd humiliasti, It is good for me that I have been in trouble;) he doth then in great love to us cause us to be troubled: and that out of very faithfulness, and in regard of his Promise.
20. There are also sundry mutual relations, wherein God and his people stand tied either to other; all which require faithfulness. He is their Creator, 1 Pet. 4.19.and they are the work of his hands: and St Peter stileth him a faithful Creator. He is their shepherd, and they the sheep of his pasture:Psal. 23.1. and a faithful shepheard he is, a good shepheard, Iohn 10. To omit these, and sundry other, as of Father, Master, Husband, John 10.11.and the rest: take but this one relation only of friendship; whereto (as every man knoweth) faithfulness is so necessary, as nothing can be more. Now as for those that believe God and keep his Commandements, God entreth into a league and covenant of aInter bonos viros & Deum amicitia est, conciliante virtute. Senec. de Provid. cap. 1.friendship with them: for Faith and Obedience are those very things that qualifie us for his friendship. (Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness, and he was called the friend of God, James 2.) There is Faith. Ye are my friends, if ye keep my commandements, saith our Saviour, Iohn 15. There is Obedience. Such a league of friendship there was betwixt God and David in his particular: and as strongly tied and confirmed,James 2.23. John 15.14. as any other we read of; the parties swearing fidelity either to other. God to him: The Lord hath made a faithful Oath unto David, Psalm. 32.11.and he shall not shrink from it. And he to God: I have sworn, and am stedfastly purposed, to keep thy righteous judgments. The misery is;Psalm 119.106. we hold not touch perfectly with God, but break with him oftentimes through humane frailty and subreption, and sometimes also in a more desperate and provoking manner, when we sin presumptuously and with a high hand. David himself, notwithstanding his Oath, and the stedfastness of his purpose to perform it, yet held not out; but failed sundry times through infirmity: but he shrank most shamefully and foully in the matter of Vriah. But here is our comfort then on the other side; that though we are wavering and loose, off and on, 3 King. 15.5.and no hold to be taken of us; yet he is still the same, he remaineth a fast and constant friend to us. Though we sometimes so far forget our selves and our faithful promise, as to deny him; yet he continueth faithful, and will not deny himself: no nor us neither,2 Tim. 2.13. if we will but seek to him in any time by true repentance, confessing our unfaithfulness and asking pardon thereof, and not wholly and finally renounce the covenant we made with him. It maketh well for us, that he is not forward to take (no not all just) exceptions he might: if he should be any whit extream, to mark what we do amiss, Psalm 130.3.not a man of us all should long abide in his friendship. It is not our faithfulness then to him, but his faithfulness to us, that holdeth us in.
21. But you will say, This is scarce a friendly part: will any friend cause his friend to be troubled; especially having the power in himself to prevent it? As Absolon said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? Call you this faithfulness? Yes indeed:2 Sam. 16.17. and very faithfulness too. For a true friend aimeth at his friends aId pactum est ab illo mundi conditore, —ut salvi essemus, non delicati. Senec. epist. 119.good in every thing he doth; and in comparison of that, regardeth not at any time the satisfying of any his inordinate or unreasonable desires. And therefore he will freely reprove him when he seeth him to do otherwise then well: and sometimes anger him by doing some things quite contrary to his minde, but yet for his good. Yea, and if the inequality and condition of the persons be such as will bear it, he will give him also such punishment or other correction, as shall be needful according to the merit of his fault. And all this he may do salvâ amicitiâ, and without breach of friendship: nay, he is so far tied by the rules of true friendship to do all this, and out of b—Ego amicum hodie meum concastigabo —Invitus, in … id invitet ut faciam fides. Plant. in Trinumm 1.1.very faithfulness, that he should transgress those rules, and prove unfaithful, if he should neglect so to do, where the cause requireth it. Doth not a father scourge the son in whom he delighteth? and sometimes give him sharp correction, when the fault deserveth it? And no friend can love his friend more dearly and faithfully, then a father doth his childe. Nay this chastening is so far from being any argument of the fathers dis-affection; that it is rather one of the strongest evidences of his faithful love towards him:Prov. 3.12. and he should not love him faithfully but foolishly, if he should out of fond indulgence let him go on in an evil way without due correction.Prov. 13.24. He that spareth the rod hateth his childe, saith Solomon: he meaneth it interpretativè; that is, he doth his childe as much hurt out of his fond love, as he could not do him more harm, if he were his enemies childe whom he hateth. Will not a mother, that loveth her childe with all tenderness, if it have got some hurt with a fall, lay on a plaster to heal it, though it smart? and though the child cry and struggle against it all it can, yet will shee lay it on for all that, ey and binde it too to keep it on: and all out of very love and faithfulness, because she knoweth it must be so, or the childe will be the worse for it. I use these comparisons the rather, not onelyonly because they are familiar, (and the more familiar ever the better if they be fit:) but because the Lord himself also delighteth to set forth his foreign and love to us,Psal. 103.13. by the love of a discreet father, and the affection of a tender mother, Esay 49.15.towards the fruit of their own loins and womb: And the Apostle at large prosecuteth the resemblance, (and that in this very matter whereof we now speak, of our heavenly Fathers correcting his children in love and for their good) most accurately and comfortably in Heb. 12.
22. But to return back to the relation of friendship (from which yet I have not disgressed: for can we have any better friends then our parents?) If any of us have a friend that is lethargique or lunatique: will we not put the one from his drousie seat, and shake him up, and make him stir about whether he will or no; and tie the other in his bed, hamper him with cords, ey and with blows too if need be, to keep him quiet? though it be death to the one to be stirred, and to the other to be tied. Or if we have some near friend or kinsman, that we wish well to, and partly dependeth upon us for his livelyhood, that will not be advised by us, but will flee out into bad company, drink, and quarrell, and game: will we not pinch him in his allowance; refuse to give him entertainment; set some underhand to beate him when he quarrels in his drink, or to cheat him when he gameth too deep; and if he will not be reclaimed otherwise, get him arrested and laid up, and then let him lie by it, till shame and want give him some better sight and sence of his former follies? Can any man now charge us truly with unfaithfulness to our friend for so doing? Or is it not rather a good proof of our love and faithfulness to him? Doubtless it is. You know the old saying, Non quòd odio habeam, sed quòd amem: it hath some reason in it. For the love and faithfulness of a friend is not to be measured by the things done, but by the affection and intention of the doer. A thing may be done, that carrieth the shew of much friendship with it, yet with an intent to do the party a mischief: Eutrapelus cuicun que nocere volebat—&c.Hort. 1. Epist. 18. As if he should put his friend upon some employment he were unmeet for, of purpose to disgrace him; or feed him with money in a riotous course, to get a hanck over his estate: 1 Sam. 18.21.like Sauls friendship to David in giving him his daughter to wife, that she might be a snare to him to put him into the hands of the Philistines. This is the basest unfaithfulness of all other sub amici fallere nomen; and by many degrees worse then open hostility.Psal. 141.5. Let not their precious balmes break my head: Let the righteous rather smite me friendly, saith David: There may be smiting, it should seem by him, without violation of friendship. And his wise son Solomon preferreth the wounds of a friend, before the kisses of an enemy. These may be pleasanter, Prov. 27.6.but those will prove wholsomer: there is treachery in these kisses, but in those wounds faithfulness.
23. You may perceive by what hath been said, that God may cause his servants to be troubled, and yet continue his love and faithfulness to them nevertheless: yea moreover that he bringeth those troubles upon them out of his great love and faithfulness towards them. It should make us the more willing, whether God inflict or threaten, whether we feel or fear, any either publick calamity or personal affliction, any thing that is like to breed us any grief or trouble; to submit our selves to the hand of God, not only with patience, because he is righteous, but even with thankfulness too, because he is faithful therein. Very meet we should apprehend the wrath of God and his just indignation against us when he striketh; for he is righteous, and will not correct us but for our sin: Which should prick our hearts with sorrow,Acts 2.37. Joel 2.13. nay rend them in pieces with through-contrition, that we should so unworthily provoke so gracious a God to punish us. But then we must so apprehend his wrath, that we doubt not of his favour, nor despair of staying his hand, if we will but stay the course of our sins by godly repentance and reformation: for he is faithful, and correcteth us ever for our good. Heb. 12.10.Doth he take any pleasure, think you, in our destruction? He hath sworn the contrary; and dare you not believe him? Doubt ye not therefore,Ezek. 33.11. but that humility and confidence, fear and hope, may consist together: as well as justice and mercy may in God, or repentance and faith in us. Presume not then to continue in sin, but fear his judgments: for he is righteous, and will not acquit the guilty. Exod. 34.7.Neither yet despair of finding pardon, but hope in his mercy: for he is faithful, and will not despise the penitent. Psal. 51.17.I forbid no man, but charge him rather, as he meaneth to build his after-comforts upon a firm base, to lay a good foundation of repentance and godly sorrow, by looking first upon Gods justice and his own sins: that he may be cast down, and humbled under the mighty hand of God, before he presume to lay hold of any actual mercy. 1 Pet. 5.6.But after he hath by this means assured the foundation; let him then in Gods name proceed with his work, and bring it on more and more to perfection, by sweet meditations of the great love and gracious promises of our good God, and his undoubted stedfastness and faithfulness therein. Never giving it over, till he come to that perfection of art and skill, that he can spy love even in the very wrath of God; Mel de petra, suck honey out of the stony rock; Deus quos amat, indurat, recognoscit, exercet. Senec. de provid. cap. 4.gather grapes of thornes, and figs of thistles. Till we attain to this; I say not but we may have true hope, and comfort in God, which by his mercy may bring us to salvation: but we have not yet that fulness of joy and peace, which (because of Gods grace, if our own endeavours be not wanting, it is attainable in this life) we should press hard after; of rejoycing in tribulation, and counting it all joy, Rom. 5.3. James 1.2.when we fall into divers temptations.
24. Somewhat a hard lesson I grant: yet if we can but learn some of Davids knowledg, it will be much the easier. He speaketh not here you see, out of a vain hope, because he would fain have it so; nor out of some uncertain conjecture, as if perhaps it might be so: but out of certain knowledg, gotten by diligent and attentive study in the word of God, and by his own experience and observation. I know O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou of very faithfulness hast caused me to be troubled. For the former branch of this knowledg, that concerneth the righteousness of Gods judgments; it is a thing soon learned: I have shewed you the course already. There is no more to be done, but to examine our own cariage and deserving; and we shall finde enough I doubt not to satisfie us fully in that point: and therefore there need no more be said of it. All the skill is about the later branch; how we may know that it is done out of very love and faithfulness, whensoever God causeth us to be troubled.
25. For which purpose the best help I can commend unto you for the present is, to observe how variously Almighty God manifesteth his love and faithfulness to his children in all their tribulations: especially in three respects; every one of which marvellously setteth forth his gracious goodness towards us. First, the End that he aimeth at in them: secondly, the Proportion that he holdeth in them: and thirdly, the Issues that he giveth out of them.
26. For the End first; He aimeth alwayes at our good. Our earthly friends do not ever so: no not our Parents, that love us best. The Apostle telleth us, and experience proveth it, that they chasten us sometimes for their own pleasure. He meaneth, that sometimes when they are distempered with passion, Heb. 12.10.and in an outragious mood, they beat the poor childe, either without cause, or more then there is cause, rather to satisfie their own fury, then to benefit the childe. But he doth it alwayes aforeign. Nazianz. Orat. 3.for our profit, saith he, Heb. 12. If I should enter here into the Common-place de bono afflictionis, I should not well know either where to begin, or when to make an end. In the whole course of Divinity, I finde not a field of larger scope then that is. I shall therefore bring you but into one corner of it, and shew you, how God out of very faithfulnesse maketh use of these troubles, for the better draining out of some of those evil corruptions, that would otherwise so abound in us, like noysome humours in the body, that they would endanger a plethory in our souls: especially these four, Pride, security, worldly-mindednesse, and In-compassion.
27. Pride must be first, else is it not right. And we have store of that in us. Any toy puffeth us up like a bladder, and filleth us full of our selves. Take the instance but in our knowledg: A sorry thing, God knoweth: he that hath most, what he knoweth is not the thousandth part of what he knoweth not: and yet how strangely are some overleavened with a very small pittance of it? Scientia inflat, 1 Cor. 8.1.the Apostle might well say; knowledg puffeth up. So doth riches, and honour, and praise, and valour, and beauty, and wit; or indeed any thing. A bush of hair will do it, where it groweth; ey and where it groweth not. Now prosperity cherisheth this corruption wonderfully, (as ill humours abound most in full bodies; and ill weeds grow rankest in a fat earth;) and setteth a man so far from God, and above himself, that he neither well knoweth the one, nor the other. Our Lord then, when he seeth us thus high set, sendeth afflictions and troubles, to take down these unkindly swellings, to prick the bladder of our pride, and let out some of the winde: and so he bringeth us into some a—adversisque in rebus noscere qui sint. Lucret. lib. 3.better acquaintance with our selves again. King Philip had a cryer to put him daily in remembrance, that he was but a man: lest he should forget it, and think himself a little God, as his son Alexander did soon after. But there is no remembrancer can do this office better then afflictions can. Put them in fear O Lord, that the heathen may know themselves to be but men, Psal. 9.Psal. 9.20. If afflictions were not; would not even that be soon forgotten?
28. Security is next. Ease and prosperity fatteneth the heart, and maketh us drousie and heavy in Gods service. It casteth us into a spiritual Lethargie; maketh us settle upon our lees, Jer. 48.11.and flatter our selves, as if we were out of gun-shot, and no evil could reach us. Soul take thine ease; eat, and drink; Luke 12.19.thou hast provision laid up before-hand for many years yet to come. Marvel not to hear ungodly men vaunt it so in a vapouring manner, (Psalm 10.Psal. 10.6. Tash I shall never be removed, there shall no harm happen unto me:) when holy David upon some little longer continuance of prosperity then usual, did almost say even as they;Psal. 30.6. he thought his hill so strong, that he should never be removed, Psalm 30. When God seeth us thus setling upon our lees, Jer. 48.11.he thinketh it high time to pour us from vessel to vessel, to keep us from growing musty. He laieth his hand upon us, and shaketh us out of our dead sleep,Psal. 66.11. and by laying trouble upon our loynes driveth us to seek to him for remedy and succour. He dealt so with David: when in his prosperity he had said, he should never be removed, as we heard but now out of Psalm 30. the next news we hear of him is, He was removed: God, out of very faithfulness caused him to be troubled, Psal. 30.7.—8.and he was the better for it. (Thou didst turn away thy face from me, and I was troubled: Then cried I unto thee, O Lord; and gat me to my Lord right humbly; as it there followeth in that Psalm. Psal. 77.2.) In the time of my trouble I sought the Lord, saith he elswhere: Belike in the time of his ease, he either sought him not, or not so carefully. In their afflictions they will seek me diligently, Hosea 5. but negligently enough out of affliction.Hos. 5.15. Absolon had a mind to speak with Ioab, 2 Sam. 14 29. —31.but Ioab had no mind to speak with him. Absolon sendeth for him, one messenger after another: still Ioab cometh not. Well, thinketh Absolon, he will not come, but I will fetch him: and so he sendeth some of his people to fire his corn-fields; and that fetcheth him: then he cometh running in all haste, to know what the matter was. So God sendeth for us messenger after messenger, one sermon after another to bring us in: we little regard it, but sit it out: and will not come in, till he fire our corn, or do us some displeasure; and that, if any thing, will bring us.
29. Thirdly, we are full of worldly-mindedness. Adhaesit pavimento, Psal. 119.25.as David speaketh in this Psalm; so may we say, but quite in another sence: Our soul cleaveth to the dust. We all complain, the world is naught, and so it is, God mend it; (totus in maligno) nothing but vanity and wickedness: 1 John 5.19.and yet as bad as it is, our hearts hanker after it out of all measure. And the more we prosper in it, the more we grow in love with it: the faster riches, or honours, or any of these other vanities encrease, the more eagerly do we pursue them, and the more fondly set our hearts upon them. Only afflictions do now and then take us off somewhat, and a little embitter the lushiousness of them to our taste. That we have any apprehension at all of the vanity of the world, we may thank for it those vexations of spirit, Eccles. 2.11.that are enterwoven therewithal. Loving it as we do, being so full of those vexations as it is; how absurdly should we doat upon it, if we should meet with nothing in it to vex us?
30. Lastly, we are full of In-compassion. Our brethren that are in distress, though they be our fellow-members, yet have we little fellow feeling of their griefs: but either we insult over them, or censure them, or at best neglect them; especially when our selves are at ease.Amos ….4—6. When we stretch our selves upon ivory beds, eat the fat and drink the sweete, and chaunt it to the vyals, live merry and full; it is great odds the afflictions of Ioseph will be but slenderly remembred; no more then Lazarus was at the rich mans gates, where he found no pity, but what the dogs shewed him.Luke 16.21. But then when it cometh to be our own case, when we fall into sicknesses, disgraces, or other distresses our selves: Non ignara mali—Virgil. Then do our bowels, which before were crusted up, begin to relent a little towards our poorer brethten; and our own misery maketh us the more charitable. Heb. 13.2.Then we remember those that are in bonds, (whom we forgat before, as Pharaohs butler forgat Ioseph, Gen. 4.23.) when we our selves are bound with them; and those that are in adversity, when we finde and feel that we our selves are but flesh. Thus God out of very faithfulness causeth us to be troubled; as for our good many other wayes: so particularly in purging out thereby some of that Pride, and Security, and Worldliness, and Incompassion, (besides sundry other corruptions) that abound in us.
31. That for the End. Next God manifesteth his faithfulness to his servants in their troubles, by the proportion he holdeth therein: whether we compare therewith their deservings, their strength, or their comforts: very measurably in all. First, our sufferings are far short of our deservings. He doth ever chasten us citra condignum: (He dealeth not with us after our sins, neither rewardeth us after our iniquities. Psal. 103.) After what then?Psal. 103.10. even after his own loving kindness, and fatherly affection towards us: Even as a father pittieth his own children, as it there followeth. And how that is,Ibid. vers. 13. every father can tell you: Pro magnâ culpâ parum supplicij satis est patri. When we for drinking in iniquity like water, had deserved to drink off the cup of fury to the bottome, dregs and all, he maketh us but sip a little overly of the very brim. And when he might in justice lash us with scorpions, he doth but scourge us with rushes. The Lord promised his people Ier. 30. that though he could not in justice, nor would, leave them altoge…her unpunished; yet he would correct them in measure, and not make a full end of them. Ier. 30.11.And he did indeed according to his promise: they found his faithfulness therein, and acknowledged it;Ezr. 9.13. (—seeing that our God hath punished less then our iniquities deserve. Ezr. 9.) Iacob confessed that he was less then the least of Gods mercies: and we must confess,Gen. 32.10. that we are more then the greatest of his corrections.
32. Secondly, he proportioneth our sufferings to our strength. As a discreet Physitian considereth, as well as the malignity of the disease, the strength of the patient: and prescribeth for him accordingly, both for the ingredients, and dose. Abraham, and Iob, and David, and S. Paul, the Lord put them to great trials: because he had endowed them with great strength. But as for most of us, God is careful to lay but common troubles upon us; because we have no more but common strength: as Iacob had a good care not to overdrive the weaker cattel. Gen. 33.13. 2 Cor. 12.7, 9.If he shall hereafter think good to send such a messenger of Satan against us, as shall buffet us with stronger blowes; doubtless, if we be his friends, and do but seek to him for it, he will give us such an addition of strength and grace, as shall be sufficient for our safety. The Apostle both observeth Gods thus dealing with us, and imputeth it also to his faithfulness, 1 Cor. 10.13.1 Cor. 10. God is faithfull, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able. Either Cain said not truly; or if he did, the fault was in himself, not in God: when he complained,Gen. 4.13. that his punishment was greater then he could beare. God is not so hard a Master to us, (for all we are so slack and untoward in our service,) as either to require that of us which he will not enable us to doe, or lay that upon us which he will not enable us to beare: if we will but lay our hands and our shoulders thereunto, and put out our strength and endeavours to the utmost.
33. Thirdly, he proportioneth us out also comforts sutable to our afflictions: every whit as large as they, and more effectuall; to preserve us from drooping, and to sustain our soules in the midst of our greatest sufferings. For as the smallest temptation would foile us, if God should with-hold his grace from us; but if he vouchsafe us the assistance of that, we are able to withstand the greatest: so the least afflictions would over-whelme our spirits, if he should with-hold his comforts from us; but if he afford us them, we are able to beare up under the greatest. And God doth afford unto his children in all their distresses, though not perhaps always such comforts as they desire, yet ever such as he knoweth and they finde to be both meet and sufficient. Spiritual comforts first; and they are the chiefest: the testimony of a good Conscience from within; and the light of Gods favourable Countenance from above. These put more true joy into the heart,Psal. 4.6, 7. then the want of Corne, or Wine, or Oyle, or any outward thing, can sorrow; And by these our inner man is so renewed and strengthened, that yet we faint not, whatsoever becometh of our outward man; 2 Cor. 4.16.no, not though it should perish. David had troubles, multitude of troubles, troubles that touched him at the very heart: Psal. 94.19.but the comforts of God in his soule gave him more refreshing, then all those troubles could work him vexation. Psal. 94. And S. Paul found, that still as his sufferings encreased,2 Cor. 1.5. his comforts had withall such a proportionable rise, that where those abounded, these did rather superabound. 2 Cor. 1.
34. These inward comforts are sufficient even alone. Yet God knoweth our frame so well, and so far tendereth our weakness, that he doth also afford us such outward comforts, as he seeth convenient for us. A small matter perhaps in bulke, and to the eye; but yet such as by his mercy giveth us mighty refreshing. For as any little affliction, scarce considerable in it self, is yet able to worke us much sorrow, if God meane to make a rod of it: so any otherwise inconsiderable accident, when God is pleased to make a comfort of it, is able to cheer us up beyond belief. The coming of Titus out of Achaia into Macedonia, seemed to be a matter of no great consequence: yet coming at such a time, and in the nick as it were, S. Paul remembreth it as a great mercy from God, and a great comfort to him in 2 Cor. 7. He was much distressed it seemeth at that time, with fightings without, and fears within; insomuch as he was troubled on every side, and his flesh had no rest; at the fifth verse there. Nevertheless, saith he, God that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus, at ver. 6.
35. Thirdly, God manifesteth his love and faithfulness to his children in their troubles, by the issues, that he giveth out of them; Deliverance, and Honour. Deliverance first. That God hath often promised, (Call upon me in the time of trouble, and I will heare thee; Psal. 50.) And he hath faithfully performed it;Psal. 50.15. (Many or great, are the troubles of the Righteous, but the Lord delivereth them out of all. Psalm 34. And he delivereth him safe and sound,Psal. 34.19. many times without the breaking of a bone, —Ibid. v. 20.yea sometimes without so much as the loss of a haire of his head. How oft do we heare it repeated in one Psalm, and made good by sundry instances; So when they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, Psal. 107.6.13, 19, 28.he delivered them from their distress.
36. Some evidence it is of his love and faithfulness, that he delivereth them at all: but much more that he doth it with the addition of honour. Yet hath he bound himself by his gracious promise to that also: (He shall call upon me, and I will heare him; Psal. 91.15.yea I am with him in trouble: I will deliver him and bring him to honour. Psalm 91. As gold cast into the furnace, receiveth there a new lustre, and shineth brighter when it cometh forth then it did before: so are the Saints of God more glorious after their great afflictions; their graces evermore resplendent, and many times even their outward estate also more honourable. We may see in the examples of Ioseph, of Iob, of David himself, and others (if we had time to produce them,) that of Psalm 113. verified:Psal. 113.7, 8. He raiseth the poore out of the dust, and listeth the needy out of the mire, and from the dunghil, that he may set him with Princes, even with the Princes of his people. But we have an example beyond all example, even our blessed Saviour Iesus Christ. Never any sufferings so grievous as his: never man so emptied, and troden down,Esay 53.3. Phil. 2.9—11. and made a man of sorrows, as he: Never any issues so honourable as his, foreign, God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name above every name, that at the Name of Iesus every knee should bow, and every tongue should confess to his honour. And what hath befallen him the head, concerneth us also his members: not only by way of merit, but by way of conformity also.2 Tim. 2.12. Si compatimur, conregnabimus. If we be partakers of his sufferings, we shall be also of his glory. God, as out of very faithfulness he doth cause us to be troubled, so will he out of the very same faithfulness give an honourable issue also to all our troubles; if we cleave unto him by stedfast faith and constant obedience: possibly in this life, if he see it useful for us; but undoubtedly in the life to come. Whereunto &c.