Two sermons preached in St. Maries Church in Cambridge. By Robert Sheringham, Master of Arts, and Fellow of Gunvil and Caius Colledge.

TWO SERMONS PREACHED IN St. MARIES CHVRCH IN CAMBRIDGE.

BY ROBERT SHERINGHAM, Maſter of Arts, and Fellow of GUNVIL and CAIUS Colledge.

LONDON, Printed by Iames Young, and are to be ſold by John Williams, at the ſigne of the Crowne in Pauls Church-yard. 1645.

THE PREFACE TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.

IT is not any excellence that I ſuppoſe to be in mine own labour, hath made me expoſe it to the publique view, but the manifold obligations that I owe to God and the Common-wealth. My deſire is to pay part of a debt, and not to ſet out a Manifeſto of mine own merits, which I know how meane and ſmall they are. The firſt and greateſt debt I owe is to God: a debt ſo impoſsible to be fully paid, that whilſt I offer now to pay it but in part, I ſhall make it greater: for all that I can render unto the Lord for all his benefits, is, to endeavour what I can to ſet forth his glory; and when I have done that, I ſhall by ſuch a payment rather encreaſe my debt, then leſſen it, as doing whatſoever I doe by his grace and aſſistance. Howſoever, I ſhall ſtrive this way to do what I am able; & (when I cannot otherwiſe) labour by encreaſing my debt to pay it. The glory of God is, and I hope ſhall ever be, dearer unto me then my owne life, or happineſſe; were there as many worlds in truth and reality, as ſome Philoſophers have conceited in their fancie, I had rather performe one Act whereby God might bee glorified, then be owner of them all. This that I have now done, I confeſſe, is not much; yet by his own bleſsing, it may in ſome meaſure help to ſet forth his glory: and at the laſt, when the fruit and ſuccceſſe of all mens labour ſhall be made manifest, be a joy and comfort unto me.

The ſecond debt I owe, is to the Common-wealth; whoſe good, profit, and advantage, all men are bound to promote, according as their reſpective callings and abilities ſhall make them capable. For, although our deſires be various, and ſpring from many ſeverall Fountains, yet they ought all to meet in the main ſea of publike profit. They which neglect the common good, and ſeek only occaſions to ſpend their time in eaſe and pleaſure, are but the ſuperfluities of nature, and may ſeem to be born for no other end but to contradict that received principle, that God & nature makes nothing in vain. The light of the Sunne is ever in action, it produceth gold and ſilver, and rich perfumes, and makes the whole earth pleaſant and fruitfull: the light of knowledge ought to inſpire us alſo with the ſame activities, he that makes not the light of knowledge as fruitfull in ſpirituall, as that of the Sun is in naturall productions, makes not that gain of knowledge which he ſhould: I will therefore endeavour to make my light active; which, how ſmall and weak ſoever it be, may yet by the gracious aſsiſtance of God, and his concurrence with it, further the ſpirituall progreſſe and advancement of ſome.

Theſe are the chiefe inducements, which, together with the invitation of divers friends (whereof ſome deſired Copies, determining to put them in print without my knowledge) moved wee to publiſh theſe Sermons, not intended by me at the firſt to bee made publike. Many that heard them when they were delivered, have profeſſed that they were much wrought upon, and affected by them: I hope they will have the ſame influence upon thoſe that read them. The faults that are committed in the printing, are neither very many, nor very materiall; yet there are ſome: Some things are ſet down by way of parentheſis, where they ought not: In ſome places divers words are omitted, in others miſtaken. For, by reaſon I could not be preſent to overſee the Preſſe my ſelfe, the Compoſer was forced to gueſſe at the words where the Copy was blotted and imperfect, as it was in many places.—Yet theſe miſtakes have not in any place, that I have obſerved, either depraved the ſenſe, or altered it, although ſometimes they doe a little disfigure the phraſe; and therefore I have not cauſed the Errata to be noted at the end. For I deſire not to ſeeme curious, but have rather endeavoured to avoyde curioſitie, eſpecially where I have occaſion to reprehend the faults of any, leſt I ſhould ſeeme to whip them with a poſie. If thou findeſt any thing that proveth uſefull and profitable unto thee, give God the glory, to whoſe protection I will leave thee.

PSALM 41.4.

Heal my ſoul, for I have ſinned againſt thee.

THeſe words were uttered by David in the bitterneſs of his ſoul, after hee had committed the two crying ſins of Adultery and Murther: For David, a man after Gods own heart, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ,In Pſa. 50. as S. Chryſoſtome ſpeaks of him, a man that lived as ſtrictly in his kingly palace, as in a cloiſter or monaſtery, fell notwithſtanding into notorious and ſcandalous offences: Hee that, like an immoveable rock, had broken the waves of all temptations, was now broken himſelf. In a word; David, that victorious King, whom neither the lion, nor the bear, nor Goliah himſelfe, the terrour of a whole army, could overcome, was conquered by his owne paſsions, wounded by his own luſt, and brought into that extremity, that neither the balm of Gilead, nor all the phyſicians there could heale thoſe wounds. But although he ſinned, yet he continued not long in his apoſtaſie; as ſoon as the prophet Nathan moved him to repentance, he confeſſed his fault, & began a repentance that ended not til his death. There came a traveller (ſaith the prophet Nathan) unto the rich man, and hee ſpared to take of his owne flock, but took the poor mans lamb, and dreſſed it for the man that was come unto him, 2 Sam. 12.4. Sinne is there ſtiled but a traveller, for it was none of his domeſtick followers; Tranſitus erat, non permanſio, as S. Auguſtine: De doctr. Chriſt. lib. 3. cap. 21. hee did but lodge ſin for a time, hee did not ſuffer it to dwell with him for ever; for as ſoon as he grew ſenſible of his own diſtemper, he makes his complaint to God, the onely phyſician of his ſoule, deſiring him to reſtore and heal him. If there be any here then that have imitated Davids ſins, learn alſo to imitate his repentance: Sin came to David but as a traveller; God grant it comes but as a traveller to you.

The parts of my Text are three: Firſt, here is Deſignatio partis vulneratae, Davids diſcovery of the wounded part, and that was his ſoule; Heal my ſoule. Secondly, here is Petitio remedii, his prayer and petition for a remedy, and that was to be healed; Heal my ſoul. Thirdly, here is Confeſsio cauſae, his confeſsion of the cauſe of thoſe wounds, and that was his ſin; For I have ſinned againſt thee. I will begin with the firſt; that is, Deſignatio partis vulneratae, his diſcovery of the wounded part.

The part that was wounded, and that David deſired to have healed, was his ſoul, the principall and moſt excellent part of a man. The Pelagians affirme, that ſin can no way wound the ſoul; for, being a bare privation, it cannot have, ſay they, a poſitive and naturall act: An errour directly oppoſite to my text.De natura & gratia, cap. 19. Quid ſanatur, ſi nihil eſt vulneratum, nihil ſauciatum, nihil debilitatum atque vitiatum? Why doth David deſire to have his ſoule healed, if nothing in it were wounded, nothing debilitated, nothing corrupted? it is S. Auguſtines inference out of theſe words. The Polagians then were full of vain preſumption, or elſe David was full of vain fears: But Davids fears were juſt, and he ſpake theſe words out of experience and a deep ſenſe of his own miſeries. For, if wee deſcend into particulars, wee ſhall ſee his ſoule had many wounds; it had ſome as old as it ſelfe, his ſoule was wounded as ſoon as it was created; God gave him life, and ſin death, at the ſame inſtant: for David, together with all mankind, ſinned in our firſt parents, and was wounded in his ſoule by that originall ſinne which hee derived from them: Behold, ſaith hee, I was ſhapen in wickedneſſe, and in ſin did my mother conceive mee, Pſal. 51.5. Here was a ſin, and therefore a wound at his firſt conception.Apol. David. lib. 1. cap. 11. Contra Julianum l. 6. cap. 7. S. Ambroſe calls it naturale contagium, a naturall contagion. S. Auguſtine, morbum & languorem naturae, the diſeaſe and languiſhment of nature: And this wound was deep enough, had he had no other; for originall ſin hath not onely wounded the ſoule, but it hath wounded all her powers and faculties.

Firſt, it hath wounded the affections; for whileſt man ſtood in the integrity of his nature, all his affections were regulated and governed by reaſon: the ſuperiour faculties of the ſoule exerciſed a kind of regall authority and juriſdiction over the inferiour, and the inferiour did inviolably performe thoſe duties that were required of them: Man was like a perfect Common-wealth, like Jeruſalem, that was built as a city that is at unity with it ſelfe: but ſin hath now ſo wounded the affections, that they are no longer enclined, or naturally able to execute the decrees of reaſon; but as a ſhip is carried up and downe by the violence of the waves in a tempeſt at ſea, ſo a man is carried by the violence of his owne affections: hee is driven by them, as by ſtrong and impetuous windes, upon many rocks. Now the inferiour faculties of the ſoule reſiſt the ſuperiour, the affections (like ſeditious Tribunes) being alwayes ready to ſtir up commotions: I ſee another law in my members (ſaith S. Paul) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , warring againſt the law of my mind, Rom. 7.23. The affections are at warre with reaſon, and force it oftentimes to ſtoop to their unreaſonable and unjuſt commands. This is the firſt wound of the ſoule, which is called imbecilitas & naturalis infirmitas, imbecility and naturall infirmity.

Secondly, It hath wounded the vnderſtanding, for the vnderſtanding did naturally apprehend truth without difficulty; and as the eye looketh upon a beautifull object, ſo the vnderſtanding looked upon truth with delight and pleaſure; and the more excellent and eminent the truths were, the greater pleaſure had the vnderſtanding in the contemplation of them: It was not ſubject to be deluded by the falſe inſinuations of any affection, but could upon deliberation clearly diſcern all naturall truths; and as for thoſe truths that were ſupernaturall and above its capacity, as many of them as were neceſſary to be known, were infuſed, or revealed by God when he firſt created it: But ſin hath likewiſe ſo wounded the vnderstanding, as it can hardly apprehend its firſt principles without difficulty. Now reaſon, like Achitophel, takes part with rebellious Abſolom, the corrupt affections; and is apt to repreſent things to the will, not as they are in themſelves, but as the affections pleaſe. Now the vnderſtanding is filled with ignorance and obſcurity, and hath loſt that knowledge that was revealed to our firſt parents, and which ſhould likewiſe have beene revealed to all their poſterity, together with the light whereby it was able to judge and diſcern ſupernaturall truths. So that there is a double ignorance in the vnderſtanding, ariſing from a double defect and want in the ſoul. The firſt kind of ignorance ariſeth from want of ſufficient revelation; for, naturally, the vnderſtanding cannot know the articles of faith. God hath given to every thing a certain circuit, and determinate ſphere of activity beyond which it cannot paſſe; as fire can heate to a determinate diſtance, but cannot paſſe beyond that diſtance: The vnderſtanding hath a ſphere of activity too, it hath a naturall ſufficiency to underſtand ſome truths, ſuch as are of the law of nature, and ſuch as it can come unto by the knowledge of the ſenſes; but cannot paſſe beyond them to thoſe that are ſupernaturall. The ſecond kind of ignorance ariſeth from want of evidence after ſufficient revelation, and is alwayes joyned with falſhood, or doubt: Falſhood ariſeth from deception, when the vnderſtanding apprehends errour for truth in things ſpeculative; or in things practicall, when it apprehends that goodneſſe to be in ſome actions which is not; and in others, that goodneſſe to be wanting which is in them. Doubt ariſeth from irreſolution: I ſpeak not now of irreſolution in matters of action, which belong properly to the will; but of irreſolution in matters of judgement, which belong to the vnderſtanding: for, there is an irreſolution in the will, and an irreſolution in the vnderſtanding; as a Judge ſometimes knowes the law, and yet ſuſpends judgement out of partiality and affection; and this is called ſuſpenſio facti, a ſuſpenſion of fact: and ſometimes when reaſons are equall on both ſides, hee knowes not to whom the lawes incline, and ſo ſuſpends judgement for want of evidence; and this is called ſuſpenſio juris, a ſuſpenſion of right. So it is likewiſe in the ſoul; ſometimes a man knows what hee ought to doe, but yet, out of particular and private reſpects, reſolves upon nothing; here the ſuſpenſe is in the will, and is anſwerable to that which in a Judge is called ſuſpenſio facti: and ſometimes, when arguments are equall on both ſides, hee knowes not what to reſolve upon for want of evidence; here the ſuſpence is in the vnderſtanding, and is anſwerable to that which in a Judge is called ſuſpenſio juris: In the firſt caſe there is a conflict of ſeverall deſires; in the laſt, a conflict of ſeverall thoughts. And from this kind of irreſolution proceed all doubts and ſcruples in matters of conſcience, which although they be not joyned with falſhood, becauſe the vnderſtanding hath made no concluſion; yet they are alwayes joyned with ignorance. And this is the ſecond wound of the ſoule, which is called Ignorantia & coecitas mentis, ignorance and blindneſſe of mind.

Thirdly, It hath wounded the will, that ſupreme facultie of the ſoul, and miſtreſſe of all the other; for the will was once able to rule the affections, and to hold them all in ſubjection: it had a naturall power to love God, and a naturall inclination carrying all her deſires towards him: But ſin hath now wounded the will alſo, and deprived it of thoſe naturall perfections wherewith it was created; it is now inclined to love the creatures, and to deſire and long after them more then after God. Could wee but penetrate with our bodily eyes into the ſouls of men, and behold all the ſeverall acts of their wills, wee ſhould ſee an admirable diverſity and multitude of deſires, but all fixt upon the creatures; wee ſhould ſee ſome deſiring riches, others honour, others to ſpend their dayes in luſt and pleaſure; we ſhould ſee ſome tranſported with love, others with jealouſie; wee ſhould ſee an infinite number of deſires, but all pointed downwards towards tranſitory and earthly things. How few are there whoſe deſires fly upward? Who is there that will ſay, I deſire to enjoy God, though it coſt me my luſt, my riches, mine honour, and all that I poſſeſſe? The name of happineſſe is pleaſing to our ears, but wee regard not the thing it ſelfe, or at leaſt we purſue the ſhadow whileſt the ſubſtance flies from us; our diſordered paſsions do now ſo over-rule our wills, that wee preferre lies before truth, vice before vertue, the vain delights of the body before the true and ſolid contentments of the mind; wee preferre the ſpurious pleaſures of our ſenſes before thoſe which are legitimate, which vertue receives and approves: Whileſt wee ſhould moderate our affections, and eſtabliſh a durable and laſting peace within our ſelves, we rather give way to their diſorders, and ſuffer our happineſſe to be interrupted by their exceſſe and riot. Our wils are full of inordinate and unſatiable deſires, and are become ſoft and plyable to evill, but hard and impenetrable to every good motion. This is the third wound of the ſoul, which is called Malitia & duritas cordis, malice and hardneſſe of heart.

And yet this is not all; Sin hath made another wound in the ſoule, which troubles it worſe then all the reſt, and that is in the conſcience. In the ſpirituall conflict between ſin and the ſoul, 1 King. 22.34. the conſcience may ſay like Ahab, Take mee out of the battell, for I am wounded. There are two effects of ſin, macula, & reatus, the ſtain of ſin, and the guilt of ſin; the ſtain of ſin is that diſtemper and vitious inclination that ſin leaveth behind it, and this adheres to the faculties before mentioned: The guilt of ſin is the obligation to puniſhment that lies upon every ſinner after hee hath committed it: for as hee that breaks the provinciall laws and cuſtomes of any common-wealth, is guilty of the puniſhment which the ſanction and penalty of the law provides in that common-wealth; ſo he that ſins againſt God, is guilty of the puniſhment appointed by his law: and this guilt adheres to the conſcience. Thus ſin hath wounded all the powers and faculties of the ſoul; not by any poſitive acts, as the Pelagians ſuppoſed a neceſsity; but by depriving it of that originall juſtice wherewith it was created: as a man may overthrow a building as well by taking away a pillar, as by applying outward force. The want of originall juſtice hath made the ſoul lame and imperfect: hee that hath one leg ſhorter then another, cannot chuſe but halt, and goe unequally in his naturall motion; and the ſoul that is moved by Reaſon & Affections, tanquam à duobus pedibus inaequalibus, as by two unequall legs, cannot chuſe but halt and goe unequally in its morall motion: for whileſt it follows the motion of its longer leg, Reaſon, it riſeth towards heaven; but whilſt it follows the motion of its ſhorter leg, the Affections, it falleth towards the earth: God, to ſupply this inequality and defect, created the ſoul with originall juſtice, which did after a manner ſpiritualize the Affections, and kept the whole ſoul in ſuch a frame and temper, that all her faculties moved towards heaven. But man ſinned, and God, as a juſt judgement, took from him that originall juſtice that upheld his nature, for want whereof the ſoul is fallen into that decay, and become ſubject to thoſe vvounds and defects that I have named. This is every finners condition, and this was Davids condition, hee was wounded in all the powers and faculties of his ſoul; he was wounded in his affections, in his vnderſtanding, in his will, and in his conſcience; and all theſe wounds were the effects of originall ſin.

But David had yet more vvounds, David had his perſonall and actuall ſins; which, although they did not wound new faculties (for originall ſin had vvounded all before;) yet they made new vvounds: but if I ſhould undertake to ſhew you all thoſe wounds, I ſhould undertake that which himſelf was not able to performe, though more privie to his owne actions:Pſal. 19.21. Who can tell (ſaith hee) how oft hee offendeth? His words have the forme of a queſtion, but the force of a peremptory aſſertion; for there are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , (as the Philoſopher ſpeaks) queſtions which have the force of affirmative or negative propoſitions, and ſo hath this here: Davids Quis intelligit? is as much as Nullus intelligit; and if no man can number his ſins, then ſurely no man can number the vvounds of his ſoule, for every ſinne is as deadly as the firſt, it vvounds as deep, though it vvounds not ſo many; and theſe wounds vvere dangerous, though but light in compariſon of others: for David had ſins of preſumption alſo, ſins againſt his knowledge, and againſt his conſcience; but thoſe ſins vvhich made the vvorſt vvounds, and which he deſires in my Text eſpecially to have healed, were his adultery, and his murther. In the next Pſalm to my Text he complains of the bitterneſſe of thoſe wounds; Why art thou ſo full of heavineſſe, O my ſoul, Pſal. 42.11. (ſaith he) and why art thou ſo diſquieted within mee? here was heavineſſe and diſquietneſſe in his ſoul, and all this the effect of thoſe wounds: His adultery and murther were ſins of an high nature, and moſt of all deſtructive to the ſoule: Whoſo committeth adultery with a woman (ſaith Solomon) lacketh underſtanding; hee that doth it deſtroyeth his owne ſoul, Prov. 6.31. Adultery (you ſee) deſtroyes the ſoul, it wounds it mortally: and murther is no leſſe deſtructive then adultery; Yee know (ſaith Saint John) that no murtherer hath eternall life abiding in him, 1 John 3.15. This ſin doth not onely deprive the ſoul of health, but of life it ſelfe, it kils the ſoul outright: this made David complain, My wickedneſſes are gone over mine head, and are like a ſore burden too heavie for mee to bear, Pſal. 38.4. The cruell and unnaturall homicide ſheds his brothers bloud, and it falls upon the earth, and the earth ſeems to drink it up; and yet the word of God ſaith, that it reſt upon the head of the murtherer, and ſo it reſted upon Davids head: that bloud that ranne in Uriah's veins to preſerve his life, ſits now heavie upon Davids head to procure his death; it was time for David to have his ſoul healed, it having ſo many deep and deadly wounds: And yet healing was ſcarce ſufficient; for, in another Pſalm, hee ſeems to require more; Create in me a clean heart, O God, (ſaith he) and renew a right ſpirit within me, Pſal. 51.10. All the faculties of his ſoul were ſo wounded by thoſe ſins, that he deſireth not there a reparation, but a new creation. And theſe ſins conſidered in abſtracto, ſimply and by themſelves, did deeply wound his ſoul; but if we conſider them in concreto, with all their adjuncts, we may find many circumſtances that made his wounds the greater; for David was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , both a King and a Prophet; and, as a Prophet, was bound to inſtruct; as a King, to protect the lives and chaſtity of his ſubjects. For Bathſheba, ſomething may be ſaid in her excuſe, for it was hard for her to reſiſt the importunity of a King: but all circumſtances aggravate Davids ſin; his holy profeſsion, and the ſword of juſtice which God had put into his hand to puniſh ſuch offences, ought to have reſtrained himſelfe from committing them. This ſin in David did not onely wound his owne ſoul, but it wounded the whole Church, and laid it open to the calumnies and reproaches of the heathen: for, as S. Ambroſe witneſſeth, In the primitive times of the Church, when the contention was hot between the Chriſtians and the heathen concerning the truth of religion, the heathen objected this againſt the Chriſtians; Ecce quomodo Chriſtiani innocentiam ſequuntur, Apoleg. David. lib. 2. cap 3. fidem praeferunt, religionem venerantur, caſtitatem docent, quorum principes homicidia & adulteria feciſſe produntur: Behold (ſaid they) how the Chriſtians imbrace innocence, extoll faith, honour religion, teach chaſtity, whoſe chiefeſt maſters were both murtherers and adulterers. But I will inſiſt no longer upon theſe particulars, neither will I ſpeak of his other ſins appendant to theſe; of his making Uriah drunk, to conceal and palliate his adultery; of his ingratitude, in rewarding Uriah with death, whoſe faithfull ſervices ought to have been rewarded with honour; of his deep hypocriſie, in being preſent at the ſervice of God, and offering ſacrifice for the ſpace of nine moneths together, polluted in the mean time with theſe horrible crimes: theſe and the reſt I will paſſe over, leſt, as Shimei reviled him in his life, ſo I may ſeem to revile him after death. Saint Ambroſe hath made an apologie in his defence; and, for my part, I will not make an invective againſt him: God himſelf hath juſtified him, and then who ſhall condemn him? I have only named his principall ſins, that (according as my Text requires) I might ſhew you the wounds of his ſoul: Now therefore I will leave him, and come to our ſelves.

And firſt, ſince ſin doth wound the ſoul, let us be carefull and watchfull over it; for the ſoul is the moſt noble and excellent part of a man. A man conſiſts of two parts, a body, and a ſoul; and both theſe have their naturall beauty and excellency: The excellency of the body (if wee conſider the outward forme and workmanſhip) is very wonderfull; I will praiſe thee, (ſaith David) for I am fearfully and wonderfully made, Pſal. 139.14. He uſeth two termes here to expreſſe the rarity of this work, fearfully, and wonderfully; as if the ſtructure of mans body were ſo artificially framed, that the ſight thereof was not onely able to beget fear, but wonder and aſtoniſhment. And in the next verſe he adds further; I am curiouſly wrought in the lowest parts of the earth: the Originall hath it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that is, I am curiouſly imbroydered; as if mans body were made like a piece of Phrygian workmanſhip, being variouſly wrought with veins, and ſinewes, and bones, and muſcles: ſo that wee have reaſon to be carefull of our bodies, and if they be wounded at any time, to make proviſion for their health. How much more then ought we to be carefull of our ſouls, whoſe excellency, like Benjamins meſſe, is five times as much as the excellency of the body? The ſoul of man is a divine ſubſtance, a rich and noble poſſeſsion, the greateſt gift and moſt precious that a man ever received from the liberall hand of his Creatour; it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as Gregory Nyſſen: by it wee know the height, the breadth, and depth of the heavens, the number of the ſtars, their greatneſſe, diſtances, & approaches. What ſhould I ſpeak of Divinity, Philoſophy, the Mathematicks? What ſhould I ſpeak of Hiſtory, & Poeſie, of all the Sciences and Arts, as well liberall, as mechanicall, the knowledge whereof wee attain unto by the benefit of the ſoul? By it, a man being but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , (as Saint Chryſoſtome ſtiles him) a ſhort creature, not above a yard and an halfe long, obtaines the government of the whole world: By it, the Patriarchs, Prophets, and Apoſtles ſpake unto God, received divine revelations, learned many ſecret and ineffable myſteries, and knew upon earth what things were done in heaven. Hee that knoweth not the worth of this jewell, may undervalue it; but a skilfull Jeweller that knowes the properties and excellencie of it, will prize it above the whole world. Such a Jeweller is God; who, for the deſire he had to thoſe jewels, aſſumed our humane nature; and when he could not have them at a cheaper rate, hee tooke them in exchange for his own bloud. Such Jewelers are the Angels, which watch continually over mens ſouls, that they may keep and preſerve theſe jewels deputed to their cuſtody. And ſuch a Jeweller (if I may lawfully rank him in this place) is the Divell, who, to get theſe jewels, goes about continually, and compaſſeth the whole earth. Seeing the ſoule then is of ſo great excellencie, let us be carefull and watchfull over it; let us not ſuffer ſuch a divine, learned, noble and active creature to periſh by our negligence.

Secondly, Seeing ſin doth wound the ſoul, let it be our chiefeſt care to avoid ſin; let us not ſet our affections upon it, but flye from it as from a deadly enemy. The world ſets too high a price upon her owne beauty; for her faireſt things are but imperfect and defective: her wiſdome is but fooliſhneſſe, her light but darkneſſe, her riches but poverty: What ſhall wee ſay then of her deformities? her pride, ambition, luſt, and all her other vices (which men falſly think pleaſures, but are indeed the price of their ſouls) are ſo far from being good, as they are the worſt of evils: for, how can wee reckon thoſe among the number of good things, which deſtroy the ſoul? God is the life of the ſoul, let us ſet our affections upon him: Why ſhould wee turn from God, who is the ſubſtance, and run after creatures, which are but images and imperfect adumbrations of his beauty? Why ſhould wee embrace the ſhadow, and let the ſubſtance go? It hath pleaſed God to condeſcend ſo much as to love the ſoul, and to contract it to himſelfe in a ſacred and ſpirituall marriage: the ſoul is Gods wife; and God, like an indulgent and loving husband, hath given her all the creatures to be her ſervants: but the ſoul oftentimes ſets her affections upon the creatures, as Potiphars wife ſet her affections upon her ſervant Joſeph; and the creatures,Gen. 39.7. as if they were ſenſible of the injury which the ſoul offers to God, fly from the ſoul, as Joſeph fled from his miſtreſſe: riches, and honours, and worldly delights do oftentimes fly from the ſoul that purſues them, as if they were unwilling to be the cauſes of her adultery: Let us not then fly after our owne deſtruction, or ſet our affections upon thoſe things whoſe love brings death, not health to the ſoul. In heaven there are none of thoſe delights which worldly men uſe moſt to admire, and for which they are wont moſt to hazzard their ſouls; and yet there is perfect and true happineſſe. Can wee not then want thoſe things here for a little while, and not think our ſelves miſerable, which in heaven wee ſhall want for ever, and yet be moſt perfectly and truely happy? Mee thinks wee ſhould rather ſet our affections upon God, who is the bridegroom of our ſouls, and who loves us in that exceſſe, that it is impoſsible wee ſhould return him equall love: yet, though wee cannot love him equally, let us love him again with the beſt affection that we can; and, as it did not grieve us to leave the delights of children after wee became men; ſo, let it not grieve us to leave the delights of worldly men after wee be advanced to this ſacred and holy union with God. And ſo much of the firſt part of my Text, which is Deſignatio partis vulneratae; Davids diſcovery of the wounded part. I come now to the ſecond, that is, Petitio remedii, his prayer and petition for a remedy:

Heal my ſoule. I have ſhowne you already that David was wounded in all the faculties of his ſoul; and therefore this petition muſt be applyed to all: and firſt, to the affections; Heal my affections: For, except the affections be healed, their diſtempers work upon the whole ſoul. A wound in any one part of the body infects the whole; if one member ſuffer, all the members ſuffer with it; not onely becauſe of the ſympathy which one part hath with another, but becauſe the bloud, paſsing through the infected place, carrieth with it ſome of the corrupt humors: ſo it is likewiſe in the ſoule, if one faculty ſuffers, all the faculties ſuffer with it, not onely by reaſon of the ſympathy which one faculty hath with another; but becauſe there is a mutuall influence between them, by transfuſion of their qualities into one another; for, Reaſon is corrupted by the affections, as bloud is corrupted by an ulcerous part of the body, and infects both the Underſtanding and the Will by their contagion. David found this by experience; for the ſenſitive part made the rationall to tranſgreſſe; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as Saint Chryſoſtome: The firſt hurt which hee received was at the eye, and from thence it was derived to the heart; his affections corrupted his vnderſtanding and his will, and therefore his affections muſt firſt be healed. Heal my ſoul, that is, change my affections; for the ſoul cannot be healed till the affections be changed. There is an outward healing, and there is an inward healing; the inward healing cauſeth a true and reall change in the affections, the outward healing cauſeth a change only in outward appearance, and doth not properly heal the wound, but cover it: for, after this outward healing, the wound is ſtill as great, and the danger greater; as a wound which is healed in the outward skin and ſuperficies of the body, if it bleed inwardly, is ſo much the more dangerous, by how much it is more inward and unſuſpected. Now this outward healing is wrought divers wayes:

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Firſt, by time: In old age divers affections ſeem to be healed, the flame of luſt ſeems to be extinguiſhed; and yet in many it is not extinguiſhed, though it burne leſſe violently, or ſeems not to burn at all. Tutò tractatur ſerpens dum riget frigore; non deeſt illi venenum, ſed torpet: a ſerpent cannot ſting whileſt his members are numb with cold, and yet hee wants not poyſon, but ſtrength to ſhoot it forth: and there are many, becauſe of the coldneſſe proper to old age, want ſtrength to execute, but not vitious affections to move them to all uncleanneſſe; had they ſufficient heat to cheriſh their corrupt affections, they are not ſo healed, but that they would ſoon break into their former extravagancies and exceſſe of luſt.

Secondly, by place: Hee that lives in a cloiſter or call, where the affections want outward objects to vvork upon them, may think himſelfe healed, and the vvorld may think him a new man; and yet his affections may be ſtill the ſame. That fire vvhich is buryed in aſhes, ſhevves not the ſame fury vvhich another fire doth, that meets vvith fit matter to kindle it; not becauſe it hath loſt its naturall property, but becauſe it vvants like nouriſhment: and many that live in retirement, ſequeſtred from all worldly affairs, abſtain from many wrongs and inſolencies that other men commit; not becauſe their affections are leſſe furiouſly enclined to doe wrong, but becauſe they want the ſame outward matter to incenſe and kindle them.

Thirdly, by the perſons among whom we live: They that live in a well-ordered Common-wealth, where the care and vigilance of the Magiſtrate ſuppreſſeth all vice; or they that converſe daily with good men; may, in the former caſe for fear, in the later, for ſhame, abſtaine from all notorious and infamous ſins; and may ſeem (both to themſelves and others) to be juſt, patient, chaſte, and temperate; and yet not have their affections healed. As ſtones that lie in the top of an high tower have not loſt their weight and naturall inclination to deſcend downeward, but are ſuſtained by the other parts of the building: ſo there are ſome ſupported by others, not by the ſoundneſſe of their own affections.

But this outward healing is not here meant: David deſired to have his affections changed and healed inwardly; which neither time, nor place, nor the perſons that were about him could effect: it is onely grace can heal the affections inwardly; and ſo grace is here the ſubject matter of his petition; for the wounds of ſin are too deep to be healed by any means leſſe powerfull then grace: And if man in his innocency, having ſupernaturall gifts, continued not long in the purity of his nature; how much leſſe ſhall wounded nature, without ſupernaturall gifts, recover her former purity? Yet I deny not, but that a man may, by the help of nature, obtain habits that may have an inward operation upon the ſoule, and may change the affections in ſome degree; but in a degree ſo weak and imperfect as can never bring him to ſalvation. A man may by the ſtrength of Reaſon, aſsiſted only by the generall ordinary concourſe, acquire habits of vertue, and thoſe habits may cauſe a readineſſe in the affections to turn to vertuous actions: yet thoſe acts of vertue will differ much from thoſe that ſpring from grace. Actions that ſpring from nature, if they be done out of a love to honeſty, and be without the mixture of all private reſpects, may have a morall goodneſſe; and I think they may truely be called vertues: yet actions that ſpring from grace will as far excell them, as domeſtick fruits that are kept and fomented by an husbandman, excell thoſe that grow naturally in the woods and open fields: for grace changes the affections more powerfully, and ſo makes the work, which is partly meaſured by the affections, to be of greater value. Our Saviour Chriſt, having examined this matter by his infallible ſcrutiny, aſcribes more worth to a ſmall gift which a poor widow brought into the treaſurie, then to the large gifts of many rich men; Of a truth (ſaith hee) I ſay unto you, that this poor widow hath caſt in more then they all, Luk. 21.3. They from their great heaps brought great gifts, ſhee from a ſmall heap brought onely two mites; and yet our Saviour Chriſt, having weighed all their charity againſt hers, found, that many graines would not make them equall: for, though their gifts were voluntary as well as hers, yet they were not ſo much voluntary, becauſe their affections were not ſo ready; for the affections work upon the Will: when the affections are not ready, retardunt, ſi non impediunt voluntatem, they hinder and ſtop the Will, if they doe not divert her from a right courſe. There being then great difference between nature and grace in working upon the affections, their effects muſt needs be different: Nature may cauſe ſome change in the affections, and perfect them in ſome degree; but grace changes the affections powerfully, and makes them as it were new affections: If any man be in Chriſt (ſaith Saint Paul) hee is a new creature; old things are paſſed away, behold all things are become new, 2 Corinth. 5.17.

And yet grace doth not totally heal the affections in this world: there is but a partiall healing here, the fleſh luſteth against the ſpirit in the beſt men; luſtfull, ambitious, covetous, and an innumerable company of unlawfull thoughts and deſires will ſometimes ariſe in every man: they which have obtained the greateſt meaſure of grace, had never ſufficient to exſiccate and dry up the ſtreames of thoſe impurities; yet this is our comfort, thoſe wounds that remaine are not left for our deſtruction, but our tryall; the danger and deadlineſſe of them is taken away, although they be not perfectly healed. As God left the Egyptians, and the Jebuſites, and the Ammonites amongſt the people of Iſrael, not to conſume his people, but to prove them; ſo hee leaves ſeverall kinds of concupiſcence in his children, not to deſtroy us, but to try whether wee will abſtain from ſin for his ſake, when our affections move us to the contrary: and as Joſhua, Joſh. 10.18. having overcome the five Kings that combined againſt the Iſraelites, did not preſently put them to death, but kept them in a cave, that hee might put them to death afterwards in the ſight of all the people with greater triumph; ſo God, having by his grace ſubdued the concupiſcence and inordinateneſſe of the affections, doth not preſently deſtroy them, but keeps them a while in bondage, deprived of their wonted liberty, that he may deſtroy them afterwards in the ſight of all the world with greater glory. At the generall judgement, when this corruptible ſhall put on incorruption, and this mortall ſhall put on immortality, all inordinateneſſe ſhall be deſtroyed, the affections ſhall be totally healed; then the ſoule, like the ſick man in the Goſpel, ſhall take up his bed and walk; it ſhall take the body, wherein it lay ſick as in a bed, and carry it where it pleaſe; portabit lectum à quo ante portatus fuerat, it ſhall carry that whereby it ſelfe was carried; then the fleſh ſhall yeeld to the ſpirit, and ſhall rejoyce to be overcome. In the mean time, the concupiſcence and inordinateneſſe of our affections are ſo healed, that they ceaſe to reigne, though they ceaſe not to be; we may by the help of grace ſubdue our affections, though wee cannot keep them from rebellion. And this is the firſt thing to which Davids petition muſt be applyed; namely, to the affections.

Now in the next place, this petition muſt be applied to the vnderſtanding, Heal my vnderſtanding: for the wound of Ignorance is as great as the wound of Infirmity, and therefore that muſt be healed too, or elſe the ſoul will be never the better. And here two things are required; for, as I ſhewed you before, there is a double Ignorance in the vnderſtanding, ariſing from a double defect and want in the ſoule; the firſt ariſeth for want of ſufficient revelation, the ſoul having loſt the knowledge of thoſe truths that were revealed by God to our firſt parents. The ſecond ariſeth for want of evidence after ſufficient revelation, the vnderstanding being not able of it ſelfe to aſſent to revealed truths without ſome light given her by God, whereby it may diſcover the certainty of them. And therefore two things are required, I ſay, to heale theſe two kindes of Ignorance; The firſt is divine revelation. The ſecond is divine illumination.

The firſt thing neceſſary to heal the wound of Ignorance is divine revelation: The articles of faith muſt be revealed immediately by God himſelfe, as they were to the Patriarchs and the Apoſtles; or mediately by the working and adminiſtration of the Church, or elſe they can never be known; Thou art bleſſed, Simon Barjona, (ſaith our Saviour Chriſt unto Saint Peter) for fleſh and bloud bath not revealed this unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven, Matth. 16.16. The revelations of fleſh and bloud doe rather inlarge, then heal the wound of Ignorance. Whileſt Solomon followed the revelations of fleſh and bloud, hee loſt that knowledge that was before revealed; and as formerly for wiſdome and knowledge, ſo afterward for ſimplicitie and fooliſhneſſe, hee became a ſecond time the wonder and amazement of the world. The myſteries of faith muſt be revealed from above, or they can never be revealed; No man knoweth the Son (ſaith our Saviour Chriſt) but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, but the Son, and hee to whom the Son will reveale him, Matth. 11.27.

The ſecond thing neceſſary to heale the wound of Ignorance is divine illumination: for, after the articles of faith be revealed, if there be not ſomething elſe added to make the truth evident, the vnderstanding will either be deceived by falſhood, or elſe perplexed by doubts and ſcruples. The eye cannot diſcern an object, though preſent, except there be light to make it viſible: and although the articles of faith be ſufficiently preſented to the vnderstanding by ſupernaturall revelation; yet if there be not a ſupernaturall light too, to make the truth evident, the wound of Ignorance cannot be healed. Naturall Reaſon is too weak to enlighten the ſoule ſufficiently: for, as Noah's dove could find no reſt in the air for the ſole of her foot; ſo when the vnderstanding enters into contemplation of ſupernaturall truths, as in the thin and ſubtile air, it can find nothing to reſt on: or, as Saint Peter had ſunk when hee walked upon the ſea,Matth. 14.30, 31. if our Saviour Chriſt had not upholden him with his hands; ſo the vnderstanding ſinks when it walks upon the deep ocean of ſupernaturall truths, if it be not upholden by divine aſsiſtance. And yet, as Reaſon may move the affections in order to ſupernaturall goodneſſe, but cannot heal their infirmity; ſo it can likewiſe enlighten the vnderſtanding in order to ſupernaturall truths, but cannot heal its ignorance. The light of Reaſon may make ſupernaturall truths ſo evident to the vnderſtanding, that a man may think his faith perfect in all reſpects; and yet it may be perfect in nothing. The ancient Fathers of the Church, in their Apologies for Chriſtian religion, alledge many reaſons which may make a naturall man beleeve the articles of our Chriſtian faith. The miracles which were wrought by the Apoſtles have given their doctrine ſuch authority, that a naturall man cannot but aſſent unto it, unleſſe his vnderſtanding be carried away by ſome private reſpect and intereſt of his own: And hee that hath this aſſent may think his underſtanding is enlightened and healed ſufficiently; but hee deceives himſelf, like the Syrians, which thought they had been in the way to the Prophet,2 King. 6.20. when they were in the midſt of Samaria; or like Sauls meſſengers,1 Sam. 19.16. which thought they had found David, when they found but an image in his place: For this faith that ſprings from naturall Reaſon is but imago & ſimulacrum fidei, the image and repreſentation of true faith; it is like it in ſhew, but differeth much from it in eſſence. For there are two properties eſſentiall to true faith, which nothing but the light of grace can work in the ſoul. The firſt is certainty: Nothing but the light of grace can work in us ſuch a certainty as is eſſentiall to true faith. Hee that beleeves a thing certainly, muſt have ſome infallible motive, cui falſum ſubeſſe non poteſt, in which there can be no errour or deluſion; for an uncertaine motive can give a man no aſſurance of that which he beleeves: Certainty of faith alwayes ſuppoſeth a certain and infallible motive upon which it is built. Now concerning the articles of our faith, nothing but the light of grace can give us an infallible motive of their truth; for many of them being above Reaſon, cannot by the light of Reaſon be made evident.

But ſome perhaps will ſay, A naturall man, by the light of Reaſon, may beleeve the Scriptures to be true, and to be the word of God, and ſo may have an infallible motive: For hee that beleeves the articles of faith becauſe they are grounded upon the authority of Gods word, hath a ſure and certain motive of their truth, it being impoſsible that any falſhood ſhould proceed from God.

To this I anſwer: Although a naturall man may beleeve the Scriptures to be true, and to be the word of God, yet his faith concerning this matter is but an hiſtoricall kind of faith, and is grounded upon deceitfull and uncertain motives: and therefore though the Scriptures be an infallible motive to thoſe that have certaine grounds to beleeve them to be true, and to be the word of God; yet they can be no infallible motive to him that hath not ſuch grounds: for they that are not ſure that the Scriptures are true, and that they are the word of God, cannot be ſure that any thing is true which they prove from them. Now a naturall man cannot, from the light of Reaſon, have any other but uncertain and deceitfull grounds concerning the truth of Scripture; for hee beleeves them to be true, and to be the word of God, either from the tradition of the Church, from the miracles which were wrought by the Apoſtles, or from ſome other humane motive; in which, although there be great probability, yet there can be no infallibility. Such grounds as theſe can give him no ſuch aſſurance as excludes all poſsibility of deceit; he hath but an hiſtoricall faith of the truth of Scripture, and ſo can have but an hiſtoricall certainty. But the light of grace ſhewes us infallibly the truth of Scripture, it gives us an experimentall knowledge of it, and makes us as it were to ſee it with our eyes: ſo that there is as great a difference between the faith that a man hath from the light of Reaſon, and that which hee hath afterward from the light of grace, as there was between the faith which the Samaritans had of our Saviour Chriſt from the ſpeech of the woman, and that which they had afterwards when they ſaw him with their eyes.

The ſecond property eſſentiall to true faith, which nothing but the light of grace can work in the ſoul, is a pious affection to faith, and to all the truths which it reveales: nothing but the light of grace can work this pious affection in us. The light of Reaſon, although it cannot make all truths evident that are to be beleeved, yet (as I ſaid before) there are many truths that may be diſcovered by it; namely, ſuch as are of the law of nature; but then it cannot, like grace, work a pious affection in the ſoul towards them. The Divell ſees many excellent truths by the naturall light of his underſtanding: hee ſees that God is infinitely good, and infinitely wiſe, and infinitely juſt, and infinitely mercifull, and infinitely happy; but hee can have no affection to theſe truths: hee ſees them all in lumine coacto, in a forced and compelled light; and not in lumine jucundo, in a delightfull and pleaſant light. A theefe may know by the light of reaſon, that theft is an unjuſt act, or an adulterer that adultery is unlawfull; but they can have no affection to theſe truths: their faith is like the Divels, they beleeve them by the force and compulſion of Reaſon, and not with delight and pleaſure. But the light of grace doth not onely make truth evident, but it produceth alſo in the ſoul a pious affection towards that truth; it makes a man to be in love with it, and to delight in it: I have had as great delight in the way of thy teſtimonies, as in all manner of riches, (ſaith David) Pſal. 119.14. And ſo ſay all they whoſe underſtandings are enlightned by grace. He that hath the light of reaſon, can delight onely in ſuch truths as entertain and ſecond his humour: but hee that hath the light of grace, delights equally in all truths, though they ſeem directly to oppoſe his profit, honour, pleaſure, and all his other deſires. Hee that hath this ſupernaturall gift, can ſay, like David, of all divine truths; More to be deſired are they then gold, yea then much fine gold; ſweeter alſo then the honey and the honey-comb, Pſal. 19.10. Whoſoever then finds in himſelfe this pious affection to faith, and to all the truths that it reveales, may aſſure himſelfe, his vnderstanding is enlightened by grace: but hee that finds it not, whatſoever hee beleeves, his ſoule was never touched by the influence of this divine light. Men doe generally love ſuch things as they poſſeſſe themſelves; they which have faith cannot but love faith: it is our Saviour Chriſts manner of arguing with his diſciples; If yee were of the world, the world would love his own: but ye are not of the world, therefore the world hateth you, John 15.19. The ſumme and abſtract of our Saviours ſpeech is this; The world loves not a ſpirituall profeſsion, becauſe ſpirituall things are none of their owne; if ſpirituall things were their own, they would love a ſpirituall profeſsion. So I may argue with others, If faith be their owne, they cannot but love faith, and the truths which it reveales. And this is the ſecond thing to which Davids petition muſt be applyed; namely, to the underſtanding.

Now in the third place this petition muſt be applyed to the will: Heal my will. For, among all the wounds which the ſoule hath received, there are none greater or more mortall then thoſe that are in the will: the wound of Malice is worſe then either the wound of Infirmity, or of Ignorance; and therefore that muſt be healed before the ſoule can be in a ſafe condition. The will indeed is in a better caſe after the affections and vnderſtanding be healed, then it was before; for, being an indifferent faculty of it ſelfe, it is moved by the affections; and therefore when the affections are healed, it hath not ſuch ſtrong provocations to ſin: and being a blind faculty of it ſelf, it receives information from the underſtanding; and therefore when the underſtanding is healed, it hath not ſuch falſe dictates to make it erre. Yet this is not ſufficient to heal the will: the will hath his proper wound, and ſo muſt have his proper cure. And here the manner of healing is ſtill by ſupernaturall grace: Grace hath heat for the will, as well as light for the underſtanding; otherwiſe it could not heal the ſoul ſufficiently: For the Divell hath light, but he hath no heat: his name is Lucifer, which ſignifies a carrier of light; but it had been better for him (ſaith S. Bernard) ſi ignifer magis eſſet quàm Lucifer, Bernard de verb. Iſai. proph. ſerm. 3. if hee had been a carrier of heat, rather then a carrier of light: light without heat doth him no good; to beleeve, and not to love, doth but increaſe his miſery. But grace hath both light and heat; light, whereby it begets faith in the vnderstanding; and heat, wherby it begets love in the will: and this love is the chiefe of all the vertues, the beſt and moſt excellent effect of grace. I know there are ſome which give faith the precedency, whom I leave to enjoy their opinion: for my ſelfe, as in all other things, ſo for my part in ſpirituall graces, I ſubmit my will to Gods will, as knowing the leaſt is more then I am worthy of, yet my prayers ſhall alwayes be to have love in the exceſſe; which I will not onely deſire above all other ſpirituall graces, but above all them and all the joyes of heaven together: Faith is the foundation upon which wee muſt build our love; (for how can wee love God as we ought, if wee beleeve not in him as wee ought?) and yet love may exceed faith in dignity, as the ſuperſtructure may exceed the foundation in rich and coſtly materials. But I intend not to ſpeak of the excellency of love in generall; love hath many operations in via, whileſt we are in the way to heaven, beſides the healing of the will; and it hath many operations in patria, when wee are in heaven, where the will ſhall be perfectly healed: but all theſe are out of my Text, and ſhall be out of my diſcourſe. I will onely ſpeak of the operation that love hath in healing the will; and love, when it flowes from grace, hath an operation in this reſpect above all other things: for that alone is able to work true repentance in the will, to melt it with ſorrow for ſin, to make it flexible, and to mollifie that ſtiffeneſſe and that hardneſſe that is in it. Yet, as Reaſon may work upon the affections, and upon the vnderstanding; ſo it may work alſo upon the will, but failes as much in healing this, as in healing the other faculties. There is a naturall repentance which ſprings from naturall reaſon; for hee that hath received many temporall bleſsings at the hands of God, cannot chuſe (if hee followes the dictate of right reaſon) but love him; and if hee loves him, hee cannot but be grieved when hee ſins againſt him; for hee that loveth, will grieve for the leaſt offence committed againſt the thing beloved. Yet this ſorrow that ſprings from naturall reaſon is not ſufficient to heale the will: For firſt, it failes in the cauſe: A naturall man may be ſorrowfull for his ſins, but hee hath not a fountain of ſorrow that flowes and ſtreames continually: that love that ſprings from naturall reaſon is ſoon extinguiſhed; and when the cauſe ceaſeth, ſorrow, that is the effect proceeding from it, muſt needs ceaſe. But that love that proceeds from grace is more durable, it is able to perpetuate ſorrow; hee that is endued with this love, hath a conſtant habit of repentance, and if at any time hee ſins through infirmity, his ſoule becomes immediately an houſe of mourning, an Hadad rimmon, a valley of lamentation. Secondly, It failes in the effect: That ſorrow that ſprings from naturall reaſon cannot convert the will, and make it turn from ſin: a naturall man may be ſorrowfull for his ſinnes paſt, and have a full reſolution to abſtain from ſin for the time to come; but he cannot actuate and performe his reſolutions; for reaſon may inable a man to make good reſolutions, but onely grace can inable him to keep them. Now when amendment of life is not joyned with ſorrow for ſinne, it rather makes new wounds then heales the old: Qui plangit peccatum, & iterum committit peccatum, quaſi ſi quis laterem lavet crudum, quem quantò magis laverit, tantò magis lutum fecerit, ſaith Iſidore; hee that mourneth for his ſin, and yet ceaſeth not to commit ſin, is like him that waſheth a tile ſtone that is not well burnt, which is made more dirty by being often waſhed. Hee that is ſorrowfull for ſinne, and reſolves to amend, begins well; but if his repentance end where it begun, it is a ſigne his will is not yet healed. When good reſolutions vaniſh like the morningdew, and are never put in execution, what fruit can they produce? but when reſolutions and actions, like the former and the later rain, ſucceed one another in their due ſeaſon, they cauſe a fruitfull increaſe of glory and happineſſe; and it is an evident ſigne that the will is wrought upon by grace; for that love that ſprings from grace makes the ſoule affectionate to God, and carefull to abſtain from all ſuch actions as offend him: When Iſrael came out of Egypt, and the houſe of Jacob from among the ſtrange people, the ſea ſaw that and fled, Jordan was driven back, Pſal. 114.1, 3. The Iſraelites departure out of Egypt to worſhip God in the wilderneſſe, was a type of mans converſion to God by love; and the flight of the waters, was a type of the flight of ſin that follows upon it: Ante retrorſum aquae converſae fuerunt, nunc retrorſum peccata converſa ſunt, ſaith S. Ambroſe upon that paſſage: there the waters, but here ſins are driven backward; there the courſe of the floud was ſtopped within its channell, but here the courſe of ſin is ſtopped in all the ſecret paſſages of the heart. And this is the third thing to which Davids petition muſt be applyed, namely, to his will.

But Davids ſoule is not yet perfectly healed, his conſcience was wounded too, and therefore in the laſt place this petition muſt be applied to his conſcience, Heal my conſcience. And here the manner of healing is ſomething different from the former: grace can heale the ſtaine of ſin, but it cannot heale the guilt; it can ſanctifie, but it cannot juſtifie the ſoule: nothing can take away the guilt of ſin but forgiveneſſe of ſin; but ſin being forgiven, the obligation to puniſhment is taken away, then the conſcience is healed, and guilt is turned into innocence, fear into gladneſſe. In the 102. Pſalme David laments his own caſe very paſsionately; My dayes are conſumed away like ſmoak, and my bones are burnt up as it were a fire-brand: my heart is ſmitten downe and withered like graſſe, ſo that I forget to eat my bread. For the voice of my groaning my bones will ſcarce cleave to my fleſh, &c. In the 103. Pſalme hee ſeems to rejoice as much, and breaks forth into elogies of praiſe: Praiſe the Lord, O my ſoul, and all that is within me praiſe his holy name. Praiſe the Lord, O my ſoul, and forget not all his benefits. What was it that tranſported him ſo ſuddenly from one paſsion to another? If you read the Pſalmes, you ſhall ſoon ſee the cauſe; his conſcience was wounded when hee made the 102. Pſalm, and healed when he made the 103. Pſalm; his ſins lay heavie upon his ſoule when hee made the one, and were forgiven him when hee made the other. As long as the guilt of ſin diſquieted his conſcience, not all the glory of his Kingdome, nor the pomp of his Court, not all the delights of Canaan, though a land flowing with milk and honey, could content his mind: but when his ſins were forgiven, hee found a ſudden alteration; that heavineſſe that poſſeſſed his heart vented it ſelfe, and gave place to joy: O Lord my God, (ſaith he) I cryed unto thee, and thou hast healed me, Pſal. 30.2. And what enſued upon this? Thou hast turned (ſaith hee afterwards) my heavineſſe into joy, thou hast put off my ſack cloth, and girded me with gladneſſe. That contentment of mind, that tranquillity of conſcience, that circle of joy wherewith his ſoul was girt, followed immediately upon the healing of his conſcience and forgiveneſſe of his ſins: forgiveneſſe of ſin is as proper to heale the guilt of ſin, as grace to heale the ſtaine: In the Scripture, to heal ſin, and to forgive ſin, are termini aequipollentes, termes which ſignifie the ſame things, and are promiſcuouſly taken the one for the other: Return, ye back-ſliding children, and I will heal your back-ſlidings, Jer. 3.22. Here you ſee, to heale their back-ſlidings, is to forgive their ſin. And ſo again; I have ſeen his ways, and will heale him; I will lead him alſo, and reſtore comforts unto him, and to his mourners, Iſa. 57.18. I have ſeen his wayes, and will heale him: that is, I have ſeen his ſins, and will forgive them. But was not David healed before hee made this Pſalm? did not the Prophet Nathan tell him, The Lord alſo hath put away thy ſin, 2 Sam. 12.13. He did: but David being aſſured by the Prophet, deſired yet a greater aſſurance: The richeſt of Gods ſaints alwayes ſuſpect their owne poverty, and think that which they have nothing, in reſpect of that which they have not, and of that which they deſire to have: David was healed, the Lord had forgiven him all his ſins, and yet for all that hee deſires ſtill to be healed.

Let us then learn, by Davids example, to be thus carefull and ſolicitous to have our ſoules healed. Pharaoh deſired to be delivered from the plagues of Egypt, but not from his hardneſſe of heart: Let us rather deſire the laſt, for the wounds of ſin are the worſt wounds. The Scripture hath in many places very artificially painted out the nature of ſin; but it alwayes borrowes colours from noxious and hurtfull creatures: it compares it to the baſilisk, to the viper, to the aſp, whoſe poyſonous qualities are deſtructive to the life of men: And it hath alſo in many places allegorically expreſſed the nature of ſin by many deadly diſeaſes; by the leproſie, by the palſie, by the bloudy-flux, and ſometimes by death it ſelfe in the abſtract. By theſe, and many other expreſsions in the Scripture, yee may learn the nature of ſin, and ſee how dangerous her wounds are if they be not healed. Let us then doe as David did, let us ſeek unto the Lord, who is the Phyſician of our ſouls; hee onely is able by his grace to heale the ſtaine, and by his mercy the guilt of our ſins.

The time will not permit mee to enter into the laſt part of my Text, I will therefore conclude all with that of the Prophet Jeremiah; Heal us, O Lord, and we ſhall be healed: ſave us, and we ſhall be ſaved; for thou art our praiſe.

FINIS.

PSALM 41.4.

Heal my ſoul, for I have ſinned againſt thee.

I Have formerly begun to ſpeak of theſe words in this place. I divided my Text then (as you may remember) into three parts; Firſt, here is Deſignatio partis vulneratae, Davids diſcovery of the wounded part; and that was his ſoul: Heal my ſoul. Secondly, here is Petitio remedii, his prayer and petition for a remedy; and that was, to be healed: Heal my ſoul. Thirdly, here is Confeſsio cauſae, his confeſsion of the cauſe of thoſe wounds; and that was ſin: for I have ſinned againſt thee. I have already ſpoken of the two firſt parts; where I ſhewed you the wounds of his ſoule, and the manner how they were to be healed. I come now to ſpeak of the laſt part, which is, His confeſsion of the cauſe of thoſe wounds, in theſe words, For I have ſinned against thee.

The right method of healing requires that wee ſhew the cauſe of the malady, as far as we are able; for, the cauſe being removed, the effect will ceaſe: that David doth here in theſe laſt words, For I have ſinned againſt thee. And this laſt part of my Text is that which we are chiefly to look upon, and to take into conſideration. For before (as I have ſhewed you) hee gave occaſion to thoſe that were of the Church, to ſin; to thoſe that were out of it, to blaſpheme: firſt, he commits adultery; and after that, as if adultery were to be purged by murther, or as if Uriah's loſt honour had been to be repaired by the loſſe of his life, hee commands him to be unjuſtly murthered: But here you may ſee him marking out the way to repentance, and going himſelfe before to direct us. For, as hee was not aſhamed to commit ſin, ſo hee was not aſhamed to confeſſe it, and to make publick ſatisfaction to the whole world; for my Text, and many other places of the Pſalmes, remaine as it were ſo many publick regiſters of his ſins; hee ſighed, and wept, and lamented day and night, and (in a word) ſhewed all the marks and tokens of an humble and contrite heart, broken with the ſenſe of his ſins, and the apprehenſion of Gods anger againſt them. If a gold ring be broken, it loſeth part of its grace and luſtre; but if ye ſet a diamond, or a ſaphyr, or a ruby in the broken place, it gives a greater luſtre then it did before: ſo David, by his ſins, loſt part of that grace and luſtre that made him ſhine ſo brightly in the Church of God; but his confeſſion, humility, repentance, and other vertues (like ſo many precious ſtones ſet in a gold ring in the place where it was broken) hath made him ſhine brighter after his fall, then in his former times of innocence; for, as his ſinnes were great, ſo was his ſorrow and repentance: and I would to God that all men which have eyes to ſee the one, had eyes alſo to ſee the other; and could learn, not to love that in David, which David hated in himſelfe.

This generall confeſsion containeth in it three particular confeſsions, which are the heads I purpoſe at this time, by Gods help, to inſiſt upon. Firſt, here is a confeſsion in reſpect of the ſubject. Secondly, here is a confeſsion in reſpect of the act. Thirdly, here is a confeſsion in reſpect of the object. The ſubject, I. The act, Have ſinned. The object, Against thee. I will begin with the firſt; that is, his confeſsion in reſpect of the ſubject.

I have ſinned: that is, I alone; not as a partiall and leſſe principall cauſe, neceſsitated and compelled by a cauſe more active and powerfull then my ſelfe; but by the free and full conſent of my will: I have ſo ſinned, that theſe ſins are properly and onely mine. It is the cuſtome of many to excuſe themſelves, and impute their ſins to others; or at leaſt, they will charge others to have had ſuch a cauſality and influence upon them, that they will ſeeme themſelves to be but partiall cauſes at the moſt. In Solomons time two mothers contended for one child, and both of them challenged it to be their owne; but when ſinne is borne and brought into the world, the contention is, who ſhall not have it: in this caſe the true mother would have the child divided; as in that, the falſe: the Will, whoſe child it is, will not acknowledge it for her owne; and when ſhee cannot wholly impoſe it upon others, ſhee deſires at leaſt to have it divided between them.

Some impute their ſins to the Devill, and to the violence of his temptations, as if hee did forcibly and irreſiſtibly procure them to ſin: and this is a kind of hereditary diſeaſe, which we take from our firſt parents; for after Eve had tranſgreſſed the commandement of God by eating the forbidden fruit, to excuſe the matter, ſhee laid the fault upon the Divell, The Serpent (ſaid ſhee) beguiled me, and I did eat. But David here uſeth no ſuch evaſions; I have ſinned, ſaith hee: hee condemnes himſelfe, and not the Divell; and yet the Divell ſinned as well as David: and, if Saint Auguſtines opinion be true, the Divell ſinned worſe then David; Lib. 3. de libero arbitrio, cap. 10. Gravius eſt peccatum alteri per invidentiam dolúmque ſuadere, quàm ad peccandum alterius ſuaſione traduci, ſaith hee, ſpeaking of the temptations of the Divell. But yet David accuſeth not the Divell, who did only tempt, but could not conſtrain him to ſin; for all that the Divell can doe, is to allure and induce men by morall perſwaſions, hee cannot phyſically determine their wils to evill; hee may 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ,Tom. 6. Homil. 91. (as Saint Chryſoſtome ſpeaks) ſupplant, cozen, and deceive a man, but he cannot force him to doe evill. When the Divell tempted our Saviour Chriſt in the wilderneſſe, without queſtion hee imployed all the power hee had to make him ſin; and yet hee could not force him to it, nay, hee did not ſo much as offer to make him ſin by force; for, if yee conſider all the paſſages between them, yee ſhall find great Boldneſſe, great Pride, and great Malice in his temptations, but no force at all: his firſt temptation (as they are writ in order by Saint Luke) was this,Luke 4.3. If thou be the Son of God, command this ſtone that it be made bread: Here is great boldneſſe in this temptation; What, will nothing but a miracle ſerve the turne? Muſt Chriſt turn ſtones into bread to ſatisfie his curioſity? This was a bold requeſt indeed; but yet you ſee hee doth not force his conſent, but beg it. The ſecond temptation (after hee had ſet him upon a mountaine, and ſhowne him all the kingdomes of the world) was this; All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them; for that is delivered unto me, and to whomſoever I will, I give it: if thou therefore wilt worſhip mee, all ſhall be thine. Here is great pride in this temptation, a pride greater then that that made him fall from heaven; for then hee ſaid, Aſcendam ſuper excelſa nubis, ſimilis ero Altiſsimo: I will aſcend above the higheſt of the clouds, I will be like the moſt High, Iſa. 14.14. but here his pride reacheth a degree higher, hee deſires to be greater then God, and requires of him, that hee would fall down and worſhip him; but yet you ſee here is no force in this temptation, If thou wilt worſhip mee (ſaith hee) all ſhall be thine: hee leaves him here to his own free choice, if hee will, hee may; if hee will not, hee offers not by any violent aſſault to make him. His third temptation (after hee had ſet him upon the pinnacle of the Temple) was this; If thou be the Son of God, cast thy ſelfe down from hence. Here is great malice in this temptation; for if hee would have caſt himſelfe down, the Divell thought that in all probability hee ſhould periſh by the fall: but yet you ſee no force in this temptation; Perſuadere poteſt, praecipitare non poteſt (ſaith S. Jerome upon this paſſage,) the Divell might perſwade him to throw himſelfe head-long, but could not throw him head-long by force: and this is all that the Divell can doe; if wee will not caſt our ſelves head-long, the Divell cannot. For ſins are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , (as St. Cyrill calls them) they are plants ſet by the Will, and are not planted by the Divell in the ſoile where they grow. For God hath not onely given a man the government of the world, but alſo the government of himſelfe, and hath made him ſo independent in reſpect of all other creatures, that if all the powers of hell ſhould ſet themſelves in oppoſition againſt one ſingle man, they could not force his Will: the Will, like Sampſon, cannot be bound either with ropes or withs; her liberty ſits on her like a coat of male, and like the ſcales of the Leviathan, it is impoſsible to offend her or hurt her by force. It is true, I confeſſe, that humane nature is corrupted and depraved, and cannot, without the help of ſupernaturall grace, performe a good action: it cannot work out of faith or love, which are neceſſary qualifications required in all that wee doe; but yet it is free in evill, it is flexible to this or that object, and can doe or not doe any naturall action, according to the outward ſubſtance and matter of it. No man is bound to follow the ſuggeſtions of the Divell, but may follow the dictate of his own reaſon; all that the Divell can doe, is, by applying his temptations, to move the Will to this or that object; hee cannot determine or fix her upon it: the Will indeed doth uſually goe as it is moved by outward objects, being wonne with the charmes and delights which it hopes to find in them; but yet her election is free in this caſe, and not wreſted from her by force. There is a difference between men and beaſts: beaſts are carried away with the outward bravery of every object that preſents it ſelfe unto them, and cannot refuſe their appetite thoſe things which it requireth: but men are moved by inward reaſon, as well as by outward objects, and may, by the help of the one, beat back the impulſions of the other. Wee muſt not therefore make the Divell the authour of our ſins, for his temptations doe onely move, but cannot determine the Will to this or that evill: The Divell is a ſuiter to the Will, and not her raviſher; Non enim cogendo, ſed ſuadendo nocet, nec extorquet à nobis conſenſum, ſed petit, ſaith Saint Auguſtine: the Divell hurts us by perſwaſion, not by conſtraint; and when wee commit a ſin, hee doth not raviſh our conſent, but ſues for it. No man is driven by the Divell to deſperate courſes, but goes willingly and of his owne accord; the Divell drives no man, but makes uſe onely of our owne corruption to perſwade us.

Secondly, there are ſome that impute their ſins to deſtiny; that is, to a neceſſary concatenation of ſecond cauſes, which are ſo ſubordinate one to another, that all things happen by neceſsity; inferiour cauſes, and amongſt them the wils of men, being carried and moved irreſiſtibly by their ſuperiour: and this force of moving mens wils irreſiſtibly they attribute chiefly to the planets, and to ſeverall conſtellations of the heavens; as if men were neceſsitated to evill by their malignant influences, or as if the ſtarres ruled over mens wils (as Dionyſius over the Syracuſians) by an arbitrary and tyrannicall kind of government. Saint Auguſtine, in his Commentaries upon the 31. Pſalme, makes mention of ſome that were of this opinion, which did undertake to fore-tell the ſins that any man ſhould fall into, by looking upon the ſtarres that ruled at his nativity; Et dicunt, quis quando vel peccet, vel bene vivat, & quando Mars faciat homicidam, & Venus adulterum: they took upon them to declare who ſhould be good or bad, when Mars ſhould force a man to commit murther, or Venus to commit adultery. But David here accuſeth not the ſtarres; hee clears them, and condemns himſelfe. Uriah might have growne grayheaded in the chaſte imbraces of his wife; hee might have long enough enjoyed his breath, and ſhee her honour, had David done no more but what the influence of the heavens compelled him to; for the heavens force no man to ſin: Had they the conduct of our wils, there would not be ſo many ſins committed as there are; they would govern us better then wee doe our ſelves. When our Saviour Chriſt was crucified, the ſunne and the ſtarres withdrew their light, and were aſhamed to looke upon the cruelty and ingratitude that was committed by men. Can wee think then the ſtarres were the authors of thoſe evils which they bluſhed to behold? Can deeds of darkneſſe ſpring from the fountains of light? Without doubt, the ſtars are ſo farre from conſtraining any to ſin againſt God, that they would ſooner withdraw their vertue from the world, then afford a ſinner either light or influence, had not God commanded them to ſhine upon the unjuſt, as well as upon the juſt. Let no man then accuſe the ſtarres, for their influence is not hurtfull, but good; they are the cauſe of all action and motion, the ſpring of joy and delight; they ſhed abroad their vertue through all inferiour bodies, and adde ſtrength and vigour to all things living; and if at any time they ſtirre up our inclinations to any exceſſe or defect, yet they offer no violence to the Will, but leave her in poſſeſsion of her full liberty: And indeed, if the Will were neceſsitated by the heavens, it were in vaine to conſult, in vaine to ſearch reaſons and motives for thoſe acts whereunto wee are violently carryed by destiny. In this conſtraint, as there ſhould be no place left for liberty; ſo there could be none for vertue or vice: all puniſhments, how equall ſoever in outward appearance, yet in ſubſtance and truth ſhould be unjuſt, ſeeing they could not reach the principall authour of any ſin. What can be more unjuſt, then that a man ſhould beare the puniſhments of thoſe ſins which are committed by the heavens? If the ſtars be the principall cauſe of ſin, the ſtars ſhould beare the puniſhment; heaven ſhould go to hell, and men, which are but ſubordinate inſtruments, whoſe wils are over-ruled and over-topt by thoſe ſuperiour powers, ſhould be diſmiſſed and freed.

Thirdly, there be ſome that impute their ſins to God: Saint Auguſtine (in the place before quoted) makes mention of thoſe too; affirming, that there were divers that gave themſelves free ſcope and liberty to ſin, and then ſaid, they committed thoſe ſins, quia Deus ſic voluit, becauſe God would have it ſo; making God the firſt mover and principall actor, and themſelves onely his under agents in ſinning: and this indeed hath alwayes been a common cuſtome, as Solomon (long before St. Augustines time) complained; The fooliſhneſſe of man (ſaith hee) perverteth his way, and his ſoul fretteth against the Lord, Prov. 19.3. But David here accuſeth not God, hee clears him as well as others; and indeed, it had been the moſt intolerable and unjuſt excuſe that he could have invented: for, doe but look upon the world, and yee ſhall ſee it the ſumme of perfection; it is as a table whereon the divine Wiſdome hath expreſſed many rich inventions, and diſplayed them all in ſuch colours, as it is impoſsible any thing ſhould be more compleat, abſolute, and perfect: if there be any diſorders, or any thing imperfect in it, they are the effects of ſecond cauſes, and were not made ſo by God; and if no diſorder or no imperfect thing can come from God; then ſurely no ſin, which is nothing elſe but diſorder and imperfection. Let no man then pin his ſinnes upon God, or thinke within himſelfe, that God conſtrained him to ſin; Say not thou, It is through the Lord that I fell away: for thou oughteſt not to doe that which hee hateth. Say not thou, Hee hath cauſed me to erre: for hee hath no need of the ſinfull man, Ecclus 15.11, 12. God created not the world, becauſe hee wanted a place to be in; neither did he create men, becauſe hee wanted ſome to ſet forth his goodneſſe by their praiſes, and others to under-prop his glory by their ſins: for God was in himſelfe before hee created the world, and was both the Theater and the Judge of his owne action; his owne applauſe and approbation of himſelfe was ſufficient to his own happineſſe, though men had never been created. God was as happy before hee made the world, as hee hath been ſince; and ſhould be as happy if it were turned into nothing, as hee is. Let no man therefore think, that God hath need of the ſinner, or that it is hee which procures his fall; for whoſoever ſinneth, puls down ruine upon himſelfe; hee is not Gods inſtrument, but the principall cauſe of his owne wickedneſſe: Loe, this onely have I found, (ſaith Solomon) that God hath made man upright; but they have ſought out many inventions, Eccleſ. 7.29. David therefore here layes all the fault upon himſelfe, hee cleares God, nay, hee cleares all the world: I have ſinned; not God, nor the ſtars, nor the Divell, but I alone: It is onely I that have ſinned.

And this is the firſt part of Davids confeſsion, wherein hee confeſſeth his ſin to be his owne: and thus muſt wee doe too. The firſt thing that wee are to confeſſe, is, that our ſins are our own; wee muſt not ſeek to another authour for them, nor aſcribe them to any predominant cauſe: if our ſouls be wounded as Davids was, the fault is our own. Other things may hurt our bodies, but they cannot hurt our ſouls; the ſoule hath an immunity and priviledge in this reſpect above the body, nothing can hurt it but it ſelfe: Therefore now thus ſaith the Lord, the God of hoſts, the God of Iſrael, Wherefore commit you this great evill against your ſoules, to cut off from you man and woman, child and ſuckling out of Judah, to leave you none to remain? Jer. 44.7. Wherefore commit you this great evill againſt your ſouls? The Prophet condemns them here (you ſee) as the onely cauſes of their owne ruine, they were the contrivers of their own deſtruction, they committed evill againſt their own ſouls, and were not ſubſervient inſtruments to another. Let us not then ſtrive to excuſe our ſins: our ſins are our owne, committed willingly and freely by us; and therefore wee muſt not blame others, but our ſelves. Yea, our ſins are ſo truly our own, that there is nothing in the world ſo much our owne as they: for, in reſpect of all other things wee are ſtewards, not owners; the diſpenſation is ours, but not the propriety: but our ſins are truly ours, we are the owners and proprietaries of them. Other things are none of ours; wee our ſelves are not our own, our bodies and ſoules are none of ours,1 Cor. 6.19, 20. but Gods, and hee may diſpoſe of them as hee pleaſes: and when our bodies, or ſouls, or any thing that wee poſſeſſe are called our owne, it is not in reſpect of an abſolute and independent, but in reſpect of a limited and dependent right which we hold under him; for we gave not our ſelves a being, but received it of God; yea, we were ſo farre from giving our ſelves a being when wee were not, that wee cannot continue our being now wee have it: the world hath no leſſe need of his aſsiſtance now, then at the firſt creation; and when it ſhall have laſted ten thouſand yeers, it ſhall be ſtill in its minority; it muſt be no leſſe ſuſtained by God when it is old, then in its firſt infancy. And, as wee our ſelves are not our owne, but Gods; ſo our actions are none of ours, but his: he co-operates with all his creatures, and gives them vertue and ſtrength to performe their actions. Had they not a continuall ſupply and contribution of power and ſtrength from him, the ſtarres would loſe their light, the heavens their influence, all things would become naked, diſarmed, and ſtript of all their qualities; all the old elements would be diſſolved, and in ſtead of them darkneſſe, ſilence, horror, and confuſion would be the new elements of the world. Wee cannot ſo much as eat, or drink, or move, or ſpeak without him; for in him wee live, and move, and have our being, Acts 17.28. not onely our being, but our life and motion; that is, all our actions are from him. Now, if we be neither owners of our ſelves, nor of our actions, then ſurely thoſe things which are without us, as riches, honours, and whatſoever elſe is in the world, is none of ours, wee cannot call our ſelves the proprietaries of them: But for our ſins, they are truly our own, God hath no right at all in them; wee produce them, and give them a being of our ſelves, and therefore they are as truely ours, as any thing is his which hee created. But ſome perhaps will ſay, that God concurres as well to evill actions as to good; and therefore if our good actions muſt not be imputed to our ſelves, but to God; our evill actions ought likewiſe to be imputed to him. To this I anſwer, that God concurreth to evill actions in ſuch a manner, as they cannot without injuſtice be imputed to him. Its true, when a man ſins, God aſsiſts the ſinner, and concurres with him in all ſubſervient actions that are requiſite to the ſin; yet the concourſe of God is ſo innocent, ſo pure, ſo void of all malice, that no man can (without execrable blaſphemy) call God the authour of that ſin. For there are two different things to be conſidered in every evill act; the firſt is the ſubſtance and matter of the act, and this (conſidered apart by it ſelfe) is neither morally good nor evill: The ſecond thing to be conſidered in every act is the obliquity and defect which accompanies it; that is, the diſorder which is in it, which makes it an evill act, and which doth as it were ſet a byas upon it, that drawes it awry: For the ſubſtance and matter of the act, God goes along with it, hee gives it the free contribution of his help and concourſe; but for the obliquity and defect of the act, to that he doth not contribute at all; for it hath no efficient cauſe, but a deficient onely. When a lame man goes, there are two things in that act, his going, and his lameneſſe; his going proceeds from his ſoule, but his lameneſſe from ſome defect in the matter: And ſo it is in evill actions; the actions themſelves proceed from God, as motion proceeds from the ſoule; but the obliquity of the actions proceeds from ſome defect in men, as lameneſſe proceeds from ſome defect in the matter. So that Gods concourſe to our actions doth not (as you ſee) ſuppoſe his concourſe to the obliquity and defect which is in them; the evill of every action is our own, though the action it ſelfe be Gods. And this is the firſt thing wee are to acknowledge when wee make our confeſsion; namely, that our ſins are our own, and that wee are not neceſsitated to commit them by any over-ruling power. And ſo much of the firſt part of Davids confeſsion, which is his confeſsion in reſpect of the ſubject. I come now to the ſecond, which is his confeſsion in reſpect of the act.

I have ſinned: David proceeds here (you ſee) to confeſſe the act. Before hee confeſs'd the efficient cauſe of his hurt, and that was himſelfe: he goes forward now, and confeſſeth the inſtrumentall cauſe, and that was ſin; hee wounded himſelfe by ſin, For I have ſinned. And in this confeſsion hee layes open the nakedneſſe of his ſoule, without uſing vain excuſes to defend himſelfe: For although this confeſsion be delivered in generall terms, ſo that he ſeems not by it to acknowledge himſelfe ſo notorious and ſcandalous a ſinner as hee was: yet if yee read over the whole Pſalme, and conſider it well, you ſhall find, that this confeſsion muſt have reference of neceſsity to his worſt ſins; namely, to thoſe particular and individuall ſins of Adultery and Murther, and it is generally by Expoſitors chiefly applyed to them: For thoſe ſins which this confeſsion hath reference to, are thoſe which were publickly knowne, and which made him be evill ſpoken of amongſt his enemies, as wee may read in the reſt of the Pſalme; now thoſe were chiefly his Adultery and Murther: ſo that though they be not named in expreſſe termes, yet if yee conſider the reference my Text hath to other things contained in the Pſalme, there is enough expreſſed to make them known. And this muſt wee doe alſo in our confeſsion; it is not enough for us to confeſſe our ſins to be our owne, but wee muſt confeſſe the act alſo; wee muſt lay open, as far as we are able, every particular and individuall ſin which wee commit. There are two wayes, as it hath been obſerved by ſome, to procure the favour of a Judge in civill Courts and Conſiſtories of juſtice, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , either an open confeſsion, or elſe ſome colourable excuſe: but in Gods court there is but one of theſe wayes availeable; we may make him propitious and favourable by confeſsing our ſins, and relating all circumſtances that do aggravate them; but not by uſing colours to extenuate and leſſen them: they that deny or excuſe their ſins, muſt look for no favour at the hand of God; Behold, (ſaith God) I will plead with thee, becauſe thou ſaiſt, I have not ſinned, Jer. 2.35. Behold, I will plead with thee; that is, I will alledge all that I can againſt thee, I will give thee the very extremity and rigour of juſtice, I will prove thee faulty, and convince thee to thy face. But on the other ſide, if men confeſſe their ſins, then is God ready to acquit and pardon them; If wee confeſſe our ſins, God is faithfull and just to forgive us our ſins, and to cleanſe us from all unrighteouſneſſe, 1 Joh. 1.9.

Now, confeſsion is either publick, or private: publick confeſsion is when the people at a publick congregation confeſſe their ſinnes together; or, when ſome Miniſter of the Church confeſſeth in the name of all the people: and this may be either ordinary, or extraordinary; ordinary confeſſion is at ordinary times, as upon Sabbath or feſtivall dayes, when the people meet together to confeſſe their ſinnes: extraordinary confeſsion is when the people meet together at extraordinary times, upon ſpeciall emergent occaſions; and wee have divers examples in the Scripture of both theſe kinds of confeſsion, which I cannot now ſtay to mention. Private confeſsion is when a private man confeſſeth his ſins; and it may be done publickly at a ſolemn aſſembly, or in private before a Miniſter of the Church, or to a friend, or before God. The firſt kind of confeſsion was much in uſe in the primitive times of the Church; and it was performed many ſeverall wayes, which are frequently mentioned by the Fathers. The ſecond kind of confeſsion is exacted by the Church of Rome with great ſtrictneſſe and ſeverity, and impoſed upon mens conſciences as a thing abſolutely neceſſary to ſalvation. The third kind of confeſsion hath been alwayes practiſed by good Chriſtians, as a thing conducing to the glory of God. The laſt kind of confeſsion is of abſolute neceſsity, and is generally exerciſed in the Church. As for our Church, wee allow all theſe kinds of confeſsion: for the firſt kind of confeſsion, which is to be made before a publick aſſembly, our Church in many caſes commands it, and enjoineth publick and ſcandalous ſinners (which cauſe the Church wherein they live to be evill ſpoken of) to do penance, to make an honourable amends, and to give a publick teſtimony of their ſorrow and repentance for it. For the ſecond kind of confeſſion, which is to be made privately before a Miniſter of the Church, wee enjoine it not; but yet our Church in ſome caſes counſels it: as namely, when the conſcience is diſtreſſed and perplexed, and cannot free it ſelfe from feares and doubts. For the third kind of confeſsion, that is to be made to a friend, it is approved alſo and commended by our Church, and is counſelled by the Apoſtle Saint James, who admoniſheth the children of God to confeſſe their ſins one to another. For the laſt kind of confeſsion, (as I ſaid) it is of abſolute neceſsity, and is taught by our Church as a doctrine fundamentall, and neceſſary to ſalvation. Now if I ſhould ſpeak of all theſe kinds of confeſsions, firſt, of publick confeſsion, both ordinary and extraordinary; and then of private confeſsion, and all the ſeverall kinds of it; if I ſhould ſpeak of the manner how they are to be performed, and of the profit and benefit that is in them, I ſhould too much exceed the limits of the time: I will ſpeak therefore onely of the laſt kind, that is, confeſsion before God; becauſe that is neceſſary to ſalvation, and is a duty that cannot be diſpenſed with. Whoſoever looks to have his ſoule healed, muſt firſt confeſſe his ſin to God, and lay open the cauſe of his diſtemper. And ſurely wee cannot deſire a more cheap, or a more eaſie remedy: wee ſhall not need to repreſent our ſpirituall diſeaſes in plates of gold, as the Philiſtines did their emerods; 1 Sam. 6.4. that was a coſtly remedy, and yet they thought it cheap enough, when they conſidered what an happineſſe it was to have their health. But wee ſhall not need (I ſay) to uſe ſuch a coſtly remedy, wee ſhall not need to repreſent our ſpirituall diſeaſes in plates of gold; let us but repreſent them in words, and wee ſhall be healed: David did but confeſſe his ſin, and preſently obtained pardon; the prodigall child did but confeſſe his ſin, and preſently the cloud of his fathers anger was diſſolved into a milde ſhowre of teares; the theefe upon the croſſe, confeſsing his ſins, was canonized before hee was dead, and found a better paradiſe by confeſsion, then Adam loſt by ſin: Let us then acknowledge our ſins, and wee ſhall have pardon; let us lay open and diſcover the cauſe of our wounds, and wee ſhall be healed.

But ſome perhaps will ſay, All this is done already; I have and doe confeſſe my ſins before God every day. It is well done: yet take heed thou doſt not content thy ſelfe with the ſhadow of confeſsion. What if thy confeſsion be nothing elſe but an empty ſound of words? What if it want ſubſtance? What if it be but a meer formality? then thou art miſerably deluded: Yet ſuch is the confeſsion of moſt men; for there is a formall verball confeſsion, which is but a meer ſhadow; a man may confeſſe his ſins every day, and yet be never the better, for there are divers conditions neceſſary to a true confeſsion, which, if they be abſent from thine, it will not be available.

The firſt condition neceſſary to a true confeſsion, is a due examination of our ſelves, and of our former life; all the kinds of ſin, and all the circumſtances that doe aggravate them, are to be diſcuſſed: wee are not to take our ſins in the groſſe, and ſo to make a light perfunctory confeſsion, and ſay, that wee are miſerable and wretched ſinners; but wee muſt take a perfect view (as far as we are able) of all our particular and individuall ſins. It is for want of this examination that many a mans confeſsion is invalid; they confeſſe only ſuch ſins as come ſuddenly into their minds, and make no reflection upon their former life. But whoſoever deſire to make ſuch a confeſsion as may be pleaſing to God, muſt take more paines, and do it more exactly; Stand in awe and ſin not, commune with your own heart, and in your chamber, and be ſtill, (ſaith David) Pſal. 4.4. As if hee ſhould have ſaid, In the ſilence of the night, when thou enjoyeſt thine owne privacie, when thou art free from the cares and diſtractions of worldly imployments, enter into ſecret communication with thine owne heart, examine thine owne wayes, and ſearch out thine own corruptions. And, leſt hee ſhould ſeeme to exact that of others, which hee did not perform as rigorouſly himſelfe, hee ſhewes it in another Pſalme to be his owne practice; I call to remembrance (ſaith hee) my ſong in the night, I commune with mine owne heart, and my ſpirit made diligent ſearch, Pſal. 77.6. The Prophet Jeremiah likewiſe exhorts his brethren the Jewes, in the time of their captivity, to the performance of this duty; Let us ſearch and try our wayes (ſaith hee) and turn again to the Lord, Lam. 3.40. Saint Paul alſo (writing to the Corinthians) layes this as a neceſſary injunction upon them, that no man ſhould have acceſſe to the holy Sacrament, without diligent examination of himſelfe; But let a man examine himſelfe (ſaith hee) and ſo let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup, 1 Cor. 11.28. As if he ſhould have ſaid, It is not ſufficient to make a generall confeſsion of your ſinnes when yee receive the holy Sacrament; but every man muſt ſearch accurately, that, if it be poſsible, hee may ſee the very bottome of his corruption, and confeſſe all his ſins, and be humbled for them in that meaſure that their number or quality doe require. It is for want of this examination, that many men think themſelves better then they are, they take no notice of their ſins; or, if they doe take notice when they commit them, yet, for want of a timely examination, they forget them afterwards: ſo that when they would confeſſe, their ſins (like Nebuchad-nezzars dream) are quite gone out of their mind; and if ſome Daniel doe not bring them back again to their remembrance, they ſhall never be confeſſed. But this ſlight and ſuperficiall kind of confeſsion is not availeable; they that would confeſſe their ſins effectually, muſt be intentive and diligent in examination of themſelves, that ſo they may diſcover the whole maſſe of their owne corruption: and as divers artificers examine all their work by the line and plummet, ſo they muſt examine all their actions by the exact rule and ſtraight line of Gods word. And here (would the time permit) I would a little enlarge my ſelfe, becauſe there are many that never yet performed this duty; and many others that know not how to do it: there are many that never yet performed this duty, which are ſo farre from taking any ſtrict account of their owne wayes, and from ſearching diligently into their owne lives, that ſo they might diſcover their own imperfections, and judge and condemn them in themſelves, that they are not very well content when others would take the paines to doe it for them, and to lay open their ſins and corruptions before their eyes; but if their paſtor or teacher (whoſe office it is to doe it, and who ſhall anſwer God for not doing it) take notice of any ſin, and diſcover it to them, they think him too uncivill and importunate. If there be any here that have been thus negligent in confeſsing their ſins, and examining their owne lives, be exhorted, I beſeech you, to begin this duty before your ſouls be too far over-ſpread with ſins: I went by the field of the ſlothfull (ſaith Solomon) and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding, and loe, it was all growne over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the ſtone-wall thereof was broken down, Pro. 24.30, 31. His words are allegoricall, and imply thus much, that they which neglect this duty, and doe not ſeriouſly examine, and often confeſſe their ſins, their ſoules will ſoon be over-growne with vices, as the field or vine-yard of a fool or ſlothfull perſon uſeth to be over-grown with weeds. There are ſome again that know not how to perform this duty, which are ſubject to deceive themſelves, to let many ſins paſſe undiſcerned, and oftentimes to miſtake them for vertues. If there be any ſuch here, (as I am afraid there are too many) let mee deſire you to obſerve theſe two rules for your direction: Firſt, when yee examine your actions, take heed you weigh them not by a falſe balance; that is, by a defiled conſcience, for a defiled conſcience is as a falſe balance; it is impoſsible to weigh an action rightly by it. The Jewes having a defiled conſcience, preferred Barabbas before our Saviour Chriſt. And this is that which deceives many, when they examine themſelves, and find they doe nothing againſt their conſcience, they think themſelves very upright and juſt; but they know not that their conſcience is defiled, they conſider not that their affection ſwayes their conſcience, and can make it judge any thing lawfull or unlawfull, as it pleaſe. But you will ſay, How ſhall I know when my conſcience is defiled? The Apoſtle Saint Paul will reſolve that doubt; Unto the pure (ſaith hee) all things are pure; but unto them that are defiled and unbeleeving nothing is pure, but even their mind and conſcience is defiled, Titus 1.15. Whoſoever therefore lives in any habituall ſin; whoſoever alloweth himſelfe to doe wickedly in any thing, his conſcience is defiled, and it is in vain for him to conſult with it concerning the lawfulneſſe or unlawfulneſſe of any action. Secondly, when you examine your actions, favour not your ſelves, but give the ſame judgement upon your own ſins, and pronounce the ſame condemnation againſt your ſelves, which at other times ye have pronounced againſt others that have committed the like offences. There are many, for want of obſerving this rule, which think themſelves to be much better then they are; they will cenſure and ſcoffe at others for thoſe ſins and infirmities which they commit every day without ſeeing them in themſelves. Would theſe men but look upon their owne actions with the ſame impartiall eye that they looke upon others, they would be able to judge better of their owne wayes, and would diſcover the ſame corruptions in themſelves, which they can ſo eaſily diſcern in another. And this is the firſt condition neceſſary to a true confeſsion; that is, a due examination of our ſelves, and of our former life.

The ſecond condition neceſſary to a true confeſsion, is, ſorrow and contrition of heart: They that confeſſe their ſins, and are not grieved for them, may be ſaid rather to relate or to deſcribe their ſins, then to confeſſe them. Sorrow is a condition ſo inſeparable from this duty, that where it is wanting, it is as good to deny our ſins, as to confeſſe them: and this condition is expreſly required Levit. 26.40. where God makes a promiſe to the Jewes when they ſhall be in captivity, ſaying, If they ſhall confeſſe their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their treſpaſſe which they treſpaſſed against mee, and that they alſo have walked contrary unto mee; And that I alſo have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumciſed hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the puniſhment of their iniquity: Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and alſo my covenant with Iſaac, and alſo my covenant with Abraham will I remember, and I will remember the land. This promiſe (you ſee) which God made to the Jewes upon their confeſsion, is a conditionall promiſe, and the condition expreſſed is this, If their uncircumciſed hearts be humbled; that is, if they be broken and rent with ſorrow for their ſins: he doth not promiſe to remember them whenſoever they ſhould formally confeſſe, but if their uncircumciſed hearts were humbled when they made their confeſsion. And therefore whereſoever you find the children of God confeſsing their ſins in Scripture, yee ſhall find them uſually in an humble and mournfull poſture: In ſuch a poſture ſhall you find Daniel, at the ninth chapter and third verſe of his own Prophecie; where you may ſee, that hee firſt humbled himſelfe, and, by putting on ſack-cloth and aſhes, expreſſed deep ſignes of ſorrow and contrition, and then hee proceeded to make confeſsion of his ſins. In ſuch a poſture ſhal ye find Ezra, at the 9th chapter and 5th verſe of his own book; where you may ſee, that he alſo, by the outward geſture of his body firſt teſtified the inward heavineſſe and affliction of his mind, and then proceeded to make his confeſsion to God. And this is the true manner of confeſsing ſin; our confeſsion is then available, when our hearts are ready to break with ſorrow: wee may be confident the Lord will not deſpiſe us, when our tears lift up our confeſsion as the waters lifted up the Ark. I will not here diſpute the queſtion concerning the quality of ſorrow, whether a ſenſible ſorrow be alwaies neceſſary, or whether an appreciative rationall ſorrow will ſerve the turn, as our Romiſh Doctors do generally affirme. For my part, I take their appreciative rationall ſorrow to be a meer figment, a fained and forged invention of their owne, as many other of their diſtinctions are: Sorrow is a paſsion of the mind, and I think an appreciative rationall paſsion is a new kind of paſsion, that was never known to any but themſelves. True ſorrow, without doubt, hath alwayes ſome ſenſible motions, ſome convulſions of heart to attend it; it could not be a paſsion of the mind, if it did not inferre paſsionem animo, ſome wayes or other ſenſibly affect the ſoule. I will alſo omit the queſtion concerning the quantity of ſorrow which wee ought to have; namely, whether ſorrow for ſin ought to be the greateſt ſorrow. Bellarmines determination is, that it ought to be the greateſt appreciative, but not intenſive. I will not at this time examine this determination; I ſay only in generall, that true ſorrow, proceeding from the grace of God, and not from the fear of puniſhment, or any other ſiniſter reſpect, in what degree or quantity ſoever it be, is ſufficient to make our confeſsion available before God. Many, when they compare their owne ſorrow with the ſorrow of David, or with the ſorrow of divers other holy men and women which are mentioned in the Scriptures, are much troubled in mind, becauſe they cannot equall them. What are my tears (ſay they) compared with Davids tears? What is my griefe, compared with the griefe of Mary Magdalen? Thus they diſcourſe within themſelves, and are ready almoſt to diſpaire, becauſe they cannot arrive at their perfection. But ſuch compariſons as theſe, beloved, are offenſive and unprofitable; for why ſhould every one compare himſelfe with David, or Mary Magdalen, which were Gods eſpeciall favourites, and had a greater meaſure of grace conferred upon them, then is ordinarily conferred upon others? Every one cannot hope to be ſo perfect as they were. I ſpeak not this to diſhearten any, or inclining to an opinion, that it is not lawfull for you to deſire to equall thoſe worthy examples of repentance; for I think it not onely lawfull, but commendable for every one to deſire the beſt gifts: wee may deſire to equall, and (if wee can) to excell David, Mary Magdalen, or any other, provided alwayes, that wee ſubmit our wils to the will of God; and when wee ſee that it is not his pleaſure to conferre upon us ſuch gifts as he conferred upon them, wee muſt not therefore murmure againſt him, nor work our owne diſquiet and trouble by making ſuch unprofitable compariſons, but giving thanks to God for what wee have, let us comfort our ſelves with that; conſidering alwaies, that all ſorrow, whether it be in a great or ſmall quantity, if it proceeds from grace, is able to ſave our ſouls. And this is the ſecond condition neceſſary to a true confeſsion; that is, ſorrow and true contrition of heart.

The third condition neceſſary to a true confeſsion, is, amendment of life: Although a man confeſſeth his ſins every day, yet if hee forſakes them not, his confeſsion is but a meer formality; and this condition is required in many places of the Scripture; but I will onely name a place or two: In the 28th chapter of the Proverbs and the 13th verſe, it is ſaid, Hee that covereth his ſinnes ſhall not proſper; but whoſo confeſſeth and forſaketh them ſhall have mercy. Not every hypocrite that makes a formall confeſsion, but he that confeſſeth and forſaketh his ſins ſhall have mercy. And again, Ezra 10.11. Ezra ſaith unto the people, Now therefore make confeſsion unto the Lord God of your fathers, and doe his pleaſure, and ſeparate your ſelves from the people of the land, and from the ſtrange wives. Hee doth not onely ſtirre up the people to confeſſe their ſins to God, but to doe his pleaſure alſo, and to ſeparate themſelves from the people of the land with whom they had contracted affinity, and to put away their ſtrange wives, without which their confeſsion had been but vain. It is (I know) a common opinion at this time, that an actuall amendment of life is not neceſſary and eſſentiall to confeſsion; but that a purpoſe of amendment, with faith in Chriſt Jeſus, is ſufficient: and although they commit the ſame ſins every day, yet, if they reſolve to amend after they have committed them, many think themſelves (if they ſhould die after ſuch reſolutions) in a good and ſafe condition. But this, beloved, is a groſſe and manifeſt deluſion, and contrary to thoſe places of Scripture that have been already alledged, and to many other which might be alledged to this purpoſe. It is true indeed, that faith in Christ Jeſus, if it could be in any man without an actuall amendment, is able to ſave him: but herein they deceive themſelves, in that they think true faith conſiſtent with bare and naked reſolutions, and not alwayes accompanied with an actuall amendment; for true faith will ſhew it ſelfe in action, and cannot be perfected and known by bare and naked reſolutions: Whatſoever is born of God (ſaith Saint John) overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith, 1 John 5.4. By true faith therefore a man overcometh the world: now, how can hee be ſaid to overcome the world, that hath not forſaken his ſins? for a victory is won by action, and not by bare and naked reſolutions. Have drunkards (think you) overcome the world? Have adulterers, unclean perſons, ſwearers, and uſurers overcome the world? No, they are overcome themſelves, and have not overcome the world. Take heed therefore yee deceive not your ſelves; think not yee have faith, before yee find the fruits of faith in your life and converſation. I preſume there are none here but will ſay they have faith; but I pray God many amongſt you be not deluded. Should I demand of you, whether you beleeve in God, or whether ye beleeve an heaven, and an hell, and a reſurrection from the dead; I dare ſay, you would all anſwer, Yes: But then, if I could look into your lives, and ſee your ſecret practices, I am afraid I ſhould find many of you to be ſuch, as if yet beleeved no ſuch matter. I ſay, If I could look into your lives, I am afraid I ſhould find many of you to be ſuch, as if yee beleeved neither heaven, not hell, nor the reſurrection of the dead, nor any other article of faith: for wherein doe many amongſt us exceed an infidell, that beleeves none of theſe things? Is it poſsible that infidelity ſhould produce as good effects in them, as faith in you? Is faith ſo ſluggiſh a vertue, that it can he ſtill, and not be active? No, be ſure, if thy faith breaks not into action, it is but a dead faith. In the 11th chapter to the Hebrews there are many commended for faith; but they are all ſaid to have done ſomething by it: It is ſaid, By faith Abel offered a better ſacrifice then Cain; and ſo of all the reſt: it is ſaid, they did ſomething by faith; but there are none which are ſaid to have made good reſolutions by faith, and to have kept none of them. True faith therefore muſt be known and perfected by action, and not by bare and naked reſolutions. And this is the third condition neceſſary to a true confeſsion; that is, amendment of life.

The fourth condition neceſſary to a true confeſsion, is, ſatisfaction. I ſhall not need to prove this condition neceſſarie, becauſe it is manifeſtly included in the former; for there can be no amendment without ſatisfaction: he that doth wrong another, and doth not repair the injury, cannot be ſaid to amend, but ſinneth againſt juſtice; for juſtice giveth to every one his due, which he refuſeth to doe, that will not reſtore his neighbours goods, or his neighbours credit, when hee hath wrongfully deprived him of them. Now therefore let every one examine his confeſsion, and ſee whether it hath all theſe conditions or no: Firſt, whether hee hath made a diligent examination of his whole life, and confeſſed all his particular and individuall ſins, as far as hee is able. Secondly, whether his confeſsion be joyned with true ſorrow and contrition of heart. Thirdly, whether hee hath for ſaken the ſins which hee hath confeſſed. Fourthly, whether hee hath made ſatisfaction (as far as hee is able) for all the wrongs and injuries he hath done: if his confeſsion hath all theſe conditions, it is good; but if it want any of them, hee hath but plaid the formall hypocrite. And ſo much of the ſecond part of Davids confeſsion, which is his confeſsion in reſpect of the act. I come now to the laſt part, which is, his confeſsion in reſpect of the object.

I have ſinned againſt thee. The object againſt whom this ſin was committed is not expreſt in the words of my Text, but is implied in this word thee: yet wee ſhall not need to goe farre to ſeek it, for it is expreſſed in the ſame verſe; I ſaid, Lord, be mercifull unto mee; beale my ſoule, for I have ſinned against thee. It is the Lord God (you ſee) to whom this petition was directed, hee it is to whom this thee hath reference: God then was the object againſt whom hee ſinned; and this is that wherein hee doth moſt of all ſet out his owne ungratefulneſſe: for if they that partake of the favours of Princes, cannot diſpence with their ſervice, if children owe great reſpects to their parents, ſcholers to their maſter; then how could David neglect this ſervice, withdraw this reſpect, and ſin againſt God, without committing (in one act) all the ingratitudes that can be committed. This is that which did moſt of all increaſe his guilt, and which (without queſtion) did moſt of all increaſe his ſorrow, who, like a zealous penitent, inflamed with divine love, and hating ſin in many reſpects, was yet moſt of all enraged againſt it, becauſe it was committed againſt God, who had obliged him to himſelf by many ſpeciall and extraordinary favours: for it was hee, that (like a father) brought him up of a little child, and which had many times (as it were) carried him in his armes; it was hee, that pulled the crowne from off the head of Saul, to ſet it upon his, and entailed it upon him and his poſterity for many generations; it was hee, that (like a maſter) inſtructed him in the law, and (like a King) protected him in all danger; and therefore, to ſin againſt him, was to ſtain his ſoul with the deepeſt colours of ingratitude.

But why did David confeſſe onely that hee ſinned againſt God? Did he not ſin alſo againſt Uriah, who (by his ſecret practices) loſt his life? Did hee not ſin alſo againſt Bathſheba, who (by his ſubtle perſwaſions) loſt her honour? Did he not ſin alſo againſt Joab, whom he had made confederate to his purpoſe? And did hee not ſinne alſo againſt the whole army, whoſe lives were all expoſed to the ſword of the children of Ammon? I anſwer, that hee ſinned againſt God, both in reſpect of himſelfe, and in reſpect of all theſe: for ſin is againſt God in a double reſpect, reſpectu ſui ipſius, & reſpectu communitatis, as the School ſpeaks, both in reſpect of himſelfe, and in reſpect of the community; that is, in reſpect of all the creatures. Firſt, ſin is againſt God reſpectu ſui ipſius, in reſpect of himſelfe, for it is againſt his chiefeſt attributes; againſt his wiſdome, and againſt his juſtice, and againſt his mercy: firſt, it is againſt his wiſdome, for wiſdome enjoynes order; but ſin is alwayes accompanied with diſorder and confuſion: Secondly, it is againſt his juſtice, for juſtice commands that every one ſhould have his due; but ſin is alſo joyned with wrong and injury: Thirdly, it is againſt his mercy, for mercy deſires the preſervation of the world; but ſin tends to the ruine and deſtruction of it: to diſhonour our parents, to commit murther, or adultery, or to beare falſe witneſſe againſt our neighbours; what doe all theſe ſins, but tend to the ſubverſion of mankind? Men ſubſiſt by obſervation of the morall law, and would ſoon periſh without it: and therefore ſin, which tends to the ruine of mankind, is as much againſt Gods mercy, which wils their preſervation, as againſt any other of his attributes; ſo that the malice of a ſinner is terminated immediately upon God himſelfe, hee is the object againſt whom ſin is committed, reſpectu ſui ipſius, in reſpect of himſelf. But that I may make this reaſon a little more cleare then the Schoole hath made it, I will lay downe this ground, That every ſinner wiſheth that it might be lawfull for him to commit thoſe ſins whereunto he is addicted, and that there were no eternall puniſhment prepared for them. This that I have laid for a ground, I think, will be eaſily granted; for all men deſire happineſſe: the Will, that is free in the means, is not free in the end; it cannot but deſire happineſſe, and abhorre all things that are deſtructive of it, and conſequently, cannot but abhorre an eternall puniſhment, which it knows to be incompatible with happineſſe. Now then, if every ſinner wiſheth that it might be lawfull for him to commit thoſe ſins whereunto hee is addicted, and that there were no eternall puniſhments provided for them; what is this, but to wiſh that God were not ſo wiſe, or ſo juſt, or ſo mercifull as he is, (for ſin, as I ſaid, is contrary to wiſdome, juſtice, and mercy) and conſequently, to wiſh that hee were not God; for it is impoſſible hee ſhould be God, and not be infinitely wiſe, and infinitely juſt, and infinitely mercifull. They that would have God want thoſe perfections, would have him want his being, for his being is made up of thoſe perfections: ſo that all ſinners doe incluſively (though not expreſly) deſire Gods ruine, and that his very nature and being were deſtroyed; for it is all one in ſubſtance, to deſire a thing directly, or by way of conſequence: As for example, he that deſires that it were night, doth in ſubſtance, and incluſively deſire the ſun were downe, although he doth not expreſly and actually think upon the ſun. In like manner, they that deſire it might be lawfull for them to ſin, and that there were no eternall puniſhment appointed for ſinners, doe in ſubſtance and incluſively deſire, that God were not ſo wiſe, or ſo juſt, or ſo mercifull as hee is, although expreſly and actually they do not think upon his wiſdome, or juſtice, or mercy.

Secondly, ſin is againſt God, reſpectu communitatis, in reſpect of the community, or in reſpect of all the creatures; for the whole world is one community or incorporation, whereof God is the governour and protectour: the creatures are as it were the members, and hee is the head; and therefore whatſoever is done againſt the community, or againſt the creatures, is done againſt God. Our Saviour Christ is the head and protector of the Church, and therefore whatſoever is done againſt the Church, is done againſt him: Saul perſecuted the Church, and our Saviour Chriſt eſteemed that perſecution as an injury offered to himſelf; Saul, Saul, (ſaith hee) why perſecuteſt thou me? Act. 9.4. In the generall carriage of affaires in all Commonwealths, that which is done againſt the Common wealth in generall, or againſt any particular member thereof, is done againſt the King: if one man kill another, the King will preſently be plaintiffe, and take the injury done unto himſelfe, becauſe the party ſlain was under his protection, and was a member of that body whereof he is the head: As Christ is in reſpect of the Church, and a King in reſpect of his kingdome; ſo is God in reſpect of the whole world: and therefore what injury ſoever is offered to any of the creatures, is an injury to God; ſo that David ſinning againſt Uriah, and againſt Bathſheba, and againſt Joab, and againſt the whole army, may be ſaid in that reſpect alſo to have ſinned againſt God. And thus you have ſeen all the parts of Davids confeſsion, both in reſpect of the ſubject, in reſpect of the act, and in reſpect of the object.

Now to God the Father, God the Son, and God the holy Ghoſt, three perſons, and one God, be aſcribed all glory, and honour, and power, and wiſdome, now and for ever. Amen.

FINIS.