CLII lectures vpon Psalme LI preached at Ashby-Delazouch in Leicester-shire / by that late faithfull and worthy minister of Iesus Christ, Mr. Arthur Hildersam.

Lecture CVII. On Psalme 51.6. Ianuary 6. 1628.

WEE have already heard that these words doe containe the fourth and last argument, whereby David doth aggravate and set forth the hai∣nousnesse of his foule sinnes, taken from the consideration of that truth of grace and saving knowledge God had wrought in him, before he fell thus fearefully. And that there are three principall things to be observed in them. 1. The de∣scription that David maketh here of his owne true conversion and regenera∣tion. In the hidden part hee had knowne wisedome. 2. The author and worker of this his conversion; that is to say. The Lord himselfe, In the hidden part thou hadst made me to know wisedome. 3. Lastly. The end and purpose that David had in mentioning here his conversion, that truth of grace and saving knowledge that was in him before his fall; that is to say, To aggravate and in∣crease his sin by the consideration of it. The two former of these points wee have already finished, it followeth now that we proceed unto the third and last of them.

* 1.1From this then, that David doth here aggravate his sins from this considerati∣on that he was a re••enerate man, he had truth of grace and saving knowledge in him before he fell into these sins; we learne.

That the sinnes that a man committeth that is truly regenerate,* 1.2 are in sun∣dry respects much more hainous and dangerous, then the same sinnes commit∣ted by another man. In sundry respects I say, but not in all respects. This Caution I must needes give you for the opening and explaination of the Doctrine, before I come to the confirmation of it. And in handling this Caution, I must bee something large, both because it is a point that may bee of great use unto you, and because I have not handled it before, nor know when I may have hereafter so fit opportunity to speake of it, as in the handling of this Doctrine, that cannot be well understood without it.* 1.3

You must therefore know, that the sins of a regenerate man, are not in all respects, nor indeed can be either so hainous in themselves, or so dan∣gerous to him that committeth them as the sins of the unregenerate are, or may be.

First, They are not so hainous in themselves; and that in these two [ 1] respects.

First. There is one hainous sin that no regenerate Elect child of God can [ 1] possibly fall into. He cannot commit the sin against the holy Ghost, as hee that is unregenerate may doe. There is a sin unto death, saith the Apostle, 1 Ioh. 5.16. by which he meaneth not, that there is a sin that deserveth death (for so every sinne doth) but a sin, which whosoever falleth into, and committeth, he must needs dye and perish everlastingly; and he addeth, verse 18. We know that whosoever is borne of God, sinneth not; that is, doth never commit that sin, the sin unto death.

Secondly. Those hainous sins that it is possible for a man that is truly rege∣nerate [ 2] to fall into, yet even in them it is not possible for him to sin so hainously as many an unregenerate man doth, and as every unregenerate man may doe. He may indeed fall into such sins, as are for the matter and substance of the fact, every whit as hainous as any other mans sin can be. Davids and Peters exam∣ples prove that to be too true. But he cannot commit them so hainously, that is, in so hainous a manner as the other doth. Their spot (saith Moses, speaking of the rebellious Iewes, Deut. 32.5.) is not the spot of his children. As if he had said, They may both have their spots, yea, and great and foule spots too; but there is a great difference betweene the spots of the lewd and unregenerate men, and the spots of Gods children. And as the Lord gave to the Priest under the law, dire∣ction, how he might distinguish, and put a difference betweene the spots of the leprous persons, Levit. 13.24—27. and ver. 38.39. So hath he also given him in his word direction, how we may distinguish and discerne the spots of lewd and wicked men, from the spots of his children. Of the one it is said, Iude 15. that their ungodly deeds are ungodly committed. Of the other it is said, Psal. 18.21. that they have not wickedly departed from their God. As if he should say, even then, when they have forsaken and departed from their God, yet they did i•• not wickedly, in that wicked manner, with so wicked a mind and disposition of heart, as the other doe. The adultery that David committed was (doubt∣lesse) great filthinesse, and yet there is certainly a great deale more wickednes in the whoredomes of many other men, then there was in his. In thy filthinesse is lewdnesse, saith the Lord to the wicked Iew, Eze. 24.13. Was there not so (you will say) in Davids, & in every other mans whoredome? Surely the fact is most filthy and abominable whosoever committeth it, but yet in the heart of many a man that committeth it, there is much more lewdnes, then there was in Davids So the Apostacy of Peter was (out of doubt) a most hainous sin; yet was it not committed so hainously, with so bad an heart, as the Apostacy of many a one hath beene, that yet did never deny Christ with such oathes and execrati∣ons as Peter did. Bee not mercifull unto all that transgresse maliciouslly,

saith David, Psalme 59.5. Peter tansgressed, but not maliciously, he did unfeinedly love Christ in his heart, even then, when hee did so deny him. No regenerate man committeth any sinne so sinfully, with so bad an heart, as the unregenerate man doth; nay he cannot sinne with the full sway and consent of his will. Whosoever is borne of God (saith the Apostle, 1 Iohn 3.9.) doth not commit sinne, for his seed remaineth in him, and hee cannot sinne because hee is borne of God. As though he should have said, Hee can∣not sinne as the other man doth. In every sinne that through frailty he falleth into, the spirit will lust against the flesh, as the Apostle speaketh, Galat. 5.17. The seed of God that remaineth in him, the regenerate part will make some re∣sistance to the flesh certainely, though it be sometimes so weake, as the par∣ty himselfe can scarcely be able to discerne it. So that you plainly see, that though in respect of the outward act of sinne there be no apparent difference to be discerned betweene the regenerate & the wicked man, yet certainly in the manner and inward disposition of their hearts in sinning, there is a great & wide difference betweene them. And thus I have proved to you the first point I pro∣pounded unto you, That the sins of the regenerate, are not, nor can be in them∣selves, and in their owne nature so great and hainous, as the sins of the unrege∣nerate and wicked men are.

[ 2] Secondly. The sins of the regenerate man, are not in sundry respects so dange∣rous unto him, as the sins of the unregenerate and wicked man are.

Foure notable differences there are in this respect betweene their sins.

[ 1] First. Whereas the least sinnes of the wicked and unregenerate man shall be laid to his charge, and hee shall give account unto God for them. For all these things (saith Solomon, Eccles. 11.9) God will bring thee into judge∣ment. For every idle word that they speake (saith our Saviour, Matth. 12.36.) they must give account at the day of judgement. The infirmities, the daily and small offences of the regenerate (such as the best are subject to, and cannot in this life be freed from. In many things (saith the Apostle Iam 3.2.) we offend all; such as either through ignorance or frailty they are apt to slip into; such as themselves discerne, and bewaile, and strive against) the Lord is so farre from entring into judgement with his servants for such, as that hee will ne∣ver impute them, or take notice of them. Of these sinnes it is, that David speaketh, Psalme 130.3. If thou Lord shouldst marke iniquities: ô Lord who shall stand? And the Prophet, Micah 7.18. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquitie, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his he∣ritage? And the Lord himselfe, Mal. 3.17. I will spare them as a man spareth his owne sonne that serveth him.

[ 2] Secondly. Whereas none of the sinnes of the unregenerate, if he so con∣tinue, shall ever bee pardoned. He that beleeveth not (saith our Saviour, Iohn 3.18.) is condemned already; because hee beleeveth not in the name of the onely begotten sonne of God. The most grosse and hainous sinnes that any man that is truly regenerate doth commit, for them there is hope and promise of pardon. There is no condemnation (saith the Apostle, Romans 8.1.) to them that are in Christ Iesus. And 1 Iohn 2.1, 2. If any man sinne wee have an advocate with the father, Iesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sinnes.

[ 3] Thirdly. Whereas no regenerate man can be assured that he shall ever be able to repent of the sinnes he hath committed. For 1. He hath in him∣selfe no principle of repentance. I meane, hath in himselfe nothing that may helpe him to recover himselfe when hee is fallen; repentance is not in his owne power, but is the speciall gift of God. Christ is hee onely that giveth repentance to Israel, and forgivenesse of sins, as the Apostle speaketh Act. 5.31. 2. He hath no certain promise that God wil ever give him grace to repent after

he hath sinned, For being without Christ, he is a stranger to the covenants of pro∣mise, and hath nothing to doe with them, as the Apostle speaketh, Ephes. 2.1••. It is farre otherwise with the regenerate man. No such child of God being regenerate, can fall so fearefully or dangerously, but hee shall certainely rise againe, and be renewed againe by repentance. Of him that may truly be sayd that David speaketh in another sense, Psalme 37 24, Though hee fall he shall not be utterly cast downe. For 1. He hath in him the principle of repentance, that that will helpe him to recover himselfe, The seed of God remaineth in him, as the Apostle saith, 1 Iohn 3 9. That seed, that habit of grace, is immortall and incorruptible, as the Apostle calleth it, 1 Peter 1.23. It is living wa∣ter, it is in him as a well of water springing up unto everlasting life, as our Savi∣our speaketh, Iohn 4.14 2. The Lord (whose onely worke it is to raise up them that are bowed downe, as David singed to his praise, Psalme 145.14.) hath promised that hee shall not dye in his sinnes, but he will restore him, and raise him up by repentance. I will heale their back sliding (saith the Lord. Hosea 14▪••. and againe verse 7) they that dwell under his shadow (that ever were in his favour, if they happen through frailtie to goe astray from God, they) shall returne, they shall revive as the corne, which though it seeme (some∣times by water, sometimes by frosts) to be quite dead, yet in due time it reviveth againe, and becommeth fruitfull. The unbeleever shall dye in his sinnes, as our Saviour speaketh, Iohn 8 24. but so can hee never doe that truly beleeves. I am the resurrection and the life (saith he, Iohn 11 25, 6) hee that beleeveth in mee, though hee were dead, yet shall hee live, and whosoever liveth and beleeveth in me, shall never dye; Which (though it were spoken by him upon the occasion of the bodily death, and resurrection of La∣zarus, yet) is not to be restrained unto that, but is to be understood of the spi∣rituall life and resurrection also. Marke three things (I beseech you) in this speech of our blessed Saviour. 1. Whosoever beleeveth in mee (saith hee) shall never dye. As if hee had said, that spirituall life, that life of grace which hee hath received from mee, is permanent. ••. That hee saith, Hee that beleeveth in mee, though hee were dead, yet shall he live, As if he had said, If it were possible for such a one to become starke dead, ut∣terly to loose the life of grace; if this (I say) were possible, yet shall hee live, and bee revived againe. 3. Lastly. Marke the reason that Christ giveth for it. I am the resurrection and the life, saith hee. As if he should say, I am able to raise and restore unto life, both the body and the soule, yea, it is mine office, and honour to doe it. Hee that assured Peter be∣fore his fearefull fall, Luke 22 32. (not to make him lesse fearefull of fal∣ling, but that it might be an helpe to his repentance after hee was fallen, and as it were a cord for him to catch at, and take hold of, to keepe him from sinking in the guise of despaire, and to draw him out of it) hee (I say) that did then give assurance unto him that his faith should not faile, nor utterly dye in him, but he should certainely find mercy with God, to rise againe by repentance (for so his words plainely import. When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren) hee hath given the same assurance to every elect and beleeving man, that his faith shall never utterly faile, but he shall cer∣tainly find mercy with God, to rise againe by repentance. For he prayed so for every beleever as well as for Peter, as is plaine, Iohn 17.15.20. And he hath said of every true beleever, Iohn 5 24. Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and beleeveth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death into life.

The fourth and last difference betweene the falls of the wicked, and of the [ 4] regenerate man, in respect of the danger of them, is this, That whereas wick∣ked men being the people of Gods curse, as the Lord calleth them, Esay. 34.5.

and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the children of the curse, as the Apostle speaketh, 2. Pet. 2▪14. every thing that belongeth unto them, but specially every sinne they com∣mit, is accursed unto them, and tendeth to make their state worse and worse, and to make them more and more apt to sinne, more and more unable to repent. They yeeld themselves servants to iniquity, unto iniquitie, as the Apostle speaketh, Rom. 6.19. As if hee had said, this is all the good they shall get by their service of sin, that by committing one sin, they shall become more apt to commit another, and so by filling up a great measure of sin (which is said to have beene the cause why the Amorites were spared so long, Gen. 15.16.) they might heape up wrath, as Elihu speaketh, Iob 36.12. against the day of wrath. It is quite contrary with the regenerate. For as they are called to be heires of blessing as the Apostle speaketh, 1 Peter 3.9. so all things shall worke together for their good. Rom. 8.28. Every thing that befalleth them, yea even their foulest sins that God permitteth them to fall into, shall by the grace of repentance, make for their good, they shall tend to the bettering of them, and making of them more happy men, then otherwise they would have beene. Insomuch as that which David saith of his affliction. Psal. 119.7••. It is good for me, that I have beene afflicted, that both David and all the faithfull have cause to say of their grie∣vous falls, Gods grace turning them to matter of greater repentance, it is good for me, that God did leave me to my selfe.

* 1.4This is an incredible thing, and dangerous also to bee taught (you will say) for this seemeth to give great encouragement unto the committing of any sinne, and what need men bee afraid of sinne, their sinnes shall doe them good, that they shall become by them the better and more hap∣py men?

* 1.5But to this I answer. That their damnation is just, that make such infe∣rences and conclusions from this Doctrine, as the Apostle speaketh, Rom. 3.8. that say, let us therefore doe evill, that good may come of it. And who will therefore desire, and runne into any affliction or misery, because hee hath heard that it shall bee good for Gods children, that they have beene afflicted. It is no naturall effect of sinne, to doe any man good that committeth it, nay nothing is more contrary to the nature of sinne, then this is, sinne is a most deadly poison, and the most naturall effect of it is to destroy him that committeth it, and to make him miserable everlastingly. The good that commeth to the faithfull this way, is to bee imputed, not unto their sinnes, but to the infinite power of God, that was able to make the light to rise out of darkenesse, as the Apostle speaketh, 2 Cor. 4 6. And to the wise∣dome, and goodnesse of our heavenly Physitian that maketh a soveraigne medicine of this deadly poison. This he is able to doe, and this he doth to al his children, he sanctifieth unto them their falls, and maketh them meanes of their good, and that sundry wayes.

[ 1] First. By this meanes hee humbleth them more soundly, and so maketh them more capable of comfort, and of every other grace. For as none doe ever attaine to any comfortable communion with Christ, or great mea∣sure of any other saving grace, that have not first beene humbled in sense of their owne sinnes. (I dwell with him (saith the Lord, Esa. 47.15.) that is of a contrite and humble spirit; And God giveth grace to the humble, Iames 4.6.) So the Lord knoweth that many would never bee soundly humbled, if hee should not leave them sometimes to themselves, and let them take such falls. Thus was Hezeckiahs fall sanctified unto him. For when God had left him, as wee read hee did, 2 Chron. 32.31. and he fell in that height of pride that provoked God highly, not onely against himselfe, but against all his kindome, as wee read verse 25. this fall of his, had more force to hum∣ble him, and did him more good that way, then that great affliction hee

had had a little before, either through the extreame feare hee was in of the host of Senacherib, verse 1.2, 20. or through that mortall sicknesse wher∣by the Lord had visited him, verse 24. was able to do; and so the holy Ghost saith verse 26. Hezechiah humbled himselfe for the pride of his heart. And so was it also with David heere; Hee was more soundly and deeply humbled by this, when God left him to himselfe, to fall into these fearefull sins, then by all the afflictions hee had endured under Saul. He was never able to offer unto God the sacrifice of so broken and contrite an heart, which he speaketh of verse 17. untill now.

Secondly. By this meanes God maketh his servants more fearefull to of∣fend [ 2] him, more watchfull over their wayes, more carefull to please him, to love him, and to cleave close unto him, then otherwise they would have beene, if they had never so fallen. The burnt child (we say) will dread the fire. And as Paul saith of Onesimus, Phil. 15. Perhaps hee therefore depar∣ted for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever. As if he should say, It may bee God in his providence so disposed of his sinne in running away from thee, and absenting himselfe from thee for a time, that even this sinne of his, his former unfaithfullnesse, will be a meane to make him a better servant unto thee, and so thou shalt have more cause to love him, and take comfort in him while hee liveth. So may it bee truly said of many of Gods servants, their very sins that they have fallen into, have made them better servants unto God then ever they were before, or then ever they would have beene, if they had not so fallen. Because Mary Magdalene had bin so great a sinner, therefore she shewed more love to Christ, then any other did, who had not fallen so grievously as she had done. Her sinnes, which were many, are forgiven (saith our Saviour, Luke 7.47.) for shee loved much. As if he had said, Shee could not love me so much, if shee had not had so many, and so foule sinnes forgiven her. Certainely it was so with Peter, whose fall by denying Christ, made him to love Christ more dearely then any other of the Apostles did, as is plaine by Christs asking of him, Iohn 21.15. not onely whether he loved him, but whether he loved him more then his fellowes did. And therefore also we shall find that hee was more bold and zealous ever after, more void of feare in the confession of Christ, then any other of the Apostles were.

Thirdly and lastly. By this meanes the Lord maketh his children more [ 3] meeke and humble, and compassionate towards others, more free from de∣spising, and insulting over others, for their frailties, and infirmities. This is a disease that is hardly cured by any other medicine. When the A∣postle chargeth Titus to put his hearers in mind to speake evill of no man, to bee no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekenesse unto all men, Titus 3.2. He prescribeth that, as a preservative against that corruption verse 3. For wee our selves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hatefull and hating one another. If God had not let Paul feele the thorne that was in his owne flesh, whereby (as by a messenger of Satan) hee was buffeted, and abased, he was in danger to have beene exal∣ted above measure, and to have growne proud, and insolent with the aboun∣dance of revelations he had received, and therefore twice in one verse, 2 Cor. 12.7. he saith, this thorne in the flesh was given him, least hee should bee ex∣alted above measure. And this good Peter also got by his fearefull fall, that whereas before he was conceited, and proud, and stood upon tearmes of com∣parison, Matth. 26.33. Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never bee offended; He thought better of himselfe, then of any other man. After his fall he was of another temper. For when Christ asked him, Iohn 21.15. Simon, sonne of Ionas, lovest thou mee more then chese? (which

Christ knew well that he did) hee durst not answere, Yes Lord, unto that demand, but onely thus, Lord thou knowest that I love thee. As if he had said, I dare not say more then any other, not more then the meanest of thy servants, but yet Lord thou knowest that I love thee, though it bee poorely, and wearkely, yet I love thee. And thus have I shewed you that the sins of the regenerate are not, nor can bee in all respects, either so hainous in them∣selves, or so dangerous in respect of the consequents and punishment of them, as the sinnes of wicked and unregenerate men are, or may be. Now should I come to the confirmation of the Doctrine, and shew you that the sinnes that a man committeth, who is truly regenerate, are in sundry respects much more hainous and dangerous then the same sinnes are, being commit∣ted by another man. But this (because the time is past) I must deferre till the next day.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Nota.
• * 1.2

  Doct. 23
• * 1.3

  Caution.
• * 1.4

  Object. 2
• * 1.5

  Answ.