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 XX. On Psalme 51.1, 2. March 28. 1626.

NOw the Reaso••s, and grounds of this Doctrine, why the best of Gods ser∣vants have no other ground of hope to fi••de favour with God, for the par∣don of their sins, but onely the mercy of the Lord; why they have never plea∣ded their owne goodnesse but his mercy onely, are principally two. 1. The utter insufficiency that is in their owne goodnesse to ground their hope upon it. 2. The all sufficiency that is in the mercy, and goodnesse of God, to ground their hope, and confidence upon it.

[ 1] In respect of the first; heare the confession of a man that was rare, and sin∣gular for piety, 2 Cor. 2.11. Though he were in nothing behind the very chiefest Apostles; yet he professeth he was nothing. Three things there be, that will make it evident that the best man that is, cannot trust to, or rely upon any good∣nesse [ 1] that he finds in himselfe. First, Himselfe knoweth many blemishes, and staines in his best workes. Esa. 64.6 All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. He hath no light, no truth of grace that feeth not this. If we say that we have no sinne (saith the Apostle, 1 Ioh 1.8.) we deceive our selves, and the truth is not in [ 2] us. Secondly, Though himselfe knew no blemish in his good workes, no evill by himselfe, yet he knoweth the Lords pure eyes may, though he cannot. 1 Cor. 4.4. I know nothing by my selfe (saith Paul) yet am I not heereby justified; but he that judgeth me is the Lord. This made David cry, Psal. 143 2. Enter not into judgement with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justi∣fied. [ 3] Thirdly, Admit the goodnesse that is in us, had no imperfection in it at all, that either our selves or the Lord cou••d find, yet were there no trusting in it, that for it God should pardon our sinnes past, much lesse give us eternall life. For 1. It is no more then we are bound to for the present, and therefore cannot satisfie for that that is past. Luke 17.10. When ye have done all those things that are commanded you, say, we are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our dut•• to doe. 2. There is no proportion betwixt that good∣nesse that is in us, and that which we looke to receive from God for it. What is all the money we can make (all that we can do or suffer) towards the paiment of a debt, of ten thousand talents? and such a debt is our sin, Mat. 8.••4. What proportion is there betweene the service we can doe to God for a few yeares

heere, to the wages, and reward we looke for, the eternall happinesse, and glo∣ry of the li••e to come? •• Cor. 4.17. Our light affliction which is but for a mo∣ment, worketh for us (fitteth, and prepareth us for) a farre more exceeding, and eternall wright of glory. Rom. 8.18 I reckon that the sufferings of this present time, are not worthy to be compared, to the glory that shall be reveiled in us.

Now (for the second Reason) on the other side, the mercy of God is such, [ 2] and so all sufficient as we may safely ground our hope upon it. In which respect the Prophet saith, Psal. 9.10 They that know thy name will put their trust in thee. They that know how mercifull the Lord is, cannot choose but put their trust, and confidence in him. I will go no further for the setting of this forth unto you, then to those three things which David heere in my Text speaketh of, and which he observed in the Lords gracious disposition, and on which he grounded his hope. 1. There is in the Lord loving kindnesse. 2. There are in the Lord tender mercies. 3. There is in the Lord a multitude of tender mercies.

For the first, The Lord is of a gracious, and kind, and liberall disposition. [ 1] Ioel 2.13. The Lord is gracious, and of great kindnesse. The love he sheweth, the good he doth to any of his people, is most free, and hath no cause no ground at all, but in himselfe alone. The love we beare to any, useth to have some ground in the party that we do love, we see somewhat in the party, that mo∣veth us to it at first. But the love the Lord beareth to us, had no ground at all in us but in his owne goodnesse, and loving kindnesse alone. The Apostle there∣fore calleth it, 2 Thess. 1.11. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, The good pleasure of his good∣nesse. He set his love upon us, (as Moses saith, Deut 7 7, 8) because he loved us. He even resteth in his owne love (as the Prophet speaketh, Zeph. 3.1.) and seeketh no further. So speaketh the Lord, Exod. 3 ••••. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will shew mercy, on whom I will shew mercy. No∣thing moved him to be gracious, and mercifull unto us but onely his owne good will, and pleasure. So Esa. 43.25. I, even I am he that bl••••••eth ou•• thy transgres∣sions for mine owne sake. So 2 Sam. 7.••1. For thy words sake, and according to thine owne heart thou hast done all these great things. True it is, that after the Lord hath set his love upon us he worketh that in us by his grace that maketh us amiable, and beautifull in his sight, and so causeth him to love us the more. This is excellently set forth, Ezek. 16.9—14. He anointed his beloved one with oyle, cloathed her with broidered work, covered her with silke, de••ked her with or∣naments, put bracelets upon her hands, and a chaine about her necke, decked her with gold, and silver, made her exceeding beautifull (marke how grace, and pie∣ty doth beautifie the soule in Gods eye) But when he first set his love upon us, he saw nothing in us that did move him to love us; as is also notably set forth in that 16. of Ezek. When the Lord first passed by his beloved (as it is said, verse 8) and looked upon her, and her time was the time of love; when he first loved her: what was there in her to move him to it? See that verse 6. When I pas∣sed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine owne bloud, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy bloud, live, yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy bloud, live. Marke how earnest the Lord is to perswade us, of the freenesse of his love to us, and how it grew not at all from any respect he had, to any goodnesse was or should be in us, but from his owne loving kindnesse, and goodnesse alone. And this is the first thing that Davi•• here considered in the mercy, and goodnesse of the Lord that made him to hope he should find mercy with him for the pardon of his sin.

Secondly, In the Lord there are tender mercies, bowels of mercy, as the [ 2] word racham which is heere used doth properly signifie. For thus it hath plea∣sed the Lord to condescend unto our capacity, and to make knowne unto us in his Word his gracious disposition, by comparing himselfe unto a most tender

hearted man or woman, and attributing bowells unto himselfe. Esay 63.15. Where is the multitude of thy bowells, and of thy mercies towards me; are they restrained? Luke 1.78. Through the bowells of the mercies of our God, whereby the day spring from an high, hath visited us. And this comparison standeth in [ 1] two points. 1. As a tender-hearted man or woman, when they see any to bee in misery, cannot choose but pitty them, and grieve for them, and feele their bowells within moved, and pained with it; and this is the very nature of man, humanity, and not the corruption of nature. As it is sayd of our Saviour, Mat. 9.36. When he saw the multitude fainting, and scattered abroad as sh••epe having no shepheard, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 his bowells yearned, or were moved towards them, (ô that the beholding of men in that misery, could move us so) and Hebr. 4.15. that hee is touched with the feeling of all our infirmities, hee doth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 condole, and grieve, and suffer with us when we do grieve, and suffer. So the Lord when hee seeth any of his people to bee in misery, hee cannot but pitty them, and be moved with it, and grieve with them. Iam. 5.11. He is pitifull, and of tender mercy. Exod. 22.27. When he cryeth unto me, I will heare, for I am gracious. So it is said Iudg. 10.16. His soule was grieved for the misery of Israel. And Esa. 63.9. In all their affliction, he was afflicted. How can that bee (will you say) seing himselfe was the author of all their affliction. Amos 3.6. Shall there be evill in a City, and the Lord hath not done it? How is it possible that the Lord would so sharpely correct his people, and bring them to that misery, if it did so grieve him to see them in misery? I answer; 1. that this is possible enough. Did you never heare of a Iudge that did shed teares, e∣ven in giving of sentence of death upon a malefactor, and shewed a fatherly af∣fection towards the poore wretch, even at that time? like Ioshua to Achan. Iosh. 7.19. My sonne I pray thee give glory to the Lord God of Israel. Did you never know any father so tender-hearted, as when he hath whipped his child, hee hath done it with teares in his eyes, yea, he could not containe, but must needs let his teares fall, hee hath smitten, and wept, and beene as apt to cry, even as the child it selfe? Surely so it is with the Lord. Psalm. 103.13. As a father pitieth his children, so doth the Lord pitie them that feare him; Even when he correcteth us, he pitieth, and his bowells yearne towards us. 2. He never afflicteth us, nor bringeth us unto misery, but when his love constraineth him to doe it; hee must needs doe it, unlesse he would see us perish, and that his love to us, will not suffer him to doe. The Lords love to his children is not fondnesse, like the love of many foolish parents; his pitie is not like the pitty that is in many men; of which wee have a proverb, foolish pitty, marrs the City, that may be called well, Crudelis misericordia. But the Lords love is guided by his infinite wise∣dome, and judgement; hee will correct the dearest of his children, and that sharply too, rather then hee will see them spoiled. 1. Cor. 11.32. When wee are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not bee condemned with the world. Yet taketh he no pleasure in correcting them; but as hee doth it, most unwillingly. Psal. 103.8. He is slow to anger, Lament. 3.33. He doth not af∣flict willingly, nor grieve the children of men; so is he most apt to repent him of the evill hee is constrained to bring upon them, and to bee troubled with it. Therefore it is said of him, Ioel 2.13. and in many other places, that he repen∣teth him of the evill. Both which properties are most pathetically expressed, Hosea 11.8, How shall I give thee up Ephraim? How shall I deliver thee up Is∣rael? How shall I make thee as Admah? How shall I set thee as Zeboim? Mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. And this is the [ 2] first point in this comparison. Secondly, the very sight of the misery ano∣ther is in, will move a man that hath the bowells of a man, and is tender-hearted to pitty his case, and bee willing to helpe; without any other respect at all to the person (be he friend or foe, good or bad) onely because he seeth him to bee

in misery, Mine eye affecteth my heart (saith the Church, Lamen. 3.51. because of all the daughters of my City, yea, the more the misery is that he seeth any man in, the more he will pity him, and be ready to helpe him; as we see in the ex∣ample of the Samaritan, Luke 10 33, 34, When he saw the Iew stripped of his cloathes, and wounded, and halfe dead, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, &c. And in this respect, it is oft mentioned, as a duty wee owe to them that are in misery to visit them, to go and see them. Iam. 1.27. Pure religion, and undefiled before God, is this, to visite the fatherlesse, and the wi∣dow in their affliction. But you will say, is that enough? I answer, yes, he that doth that (if he have a mans heart in him) cannot choose but doe what he can to helpe him. They have cut off my life in the dungeon (saith the Church, Lament. 3.53) and cast a stone upon me, because they would not see my misery, and therefore that is noted for the cause, why neither the Priest not the Levite help∣ed the poore man; they could not abide to looke on him, but passed by on the o∣ther side, Lu. 10.31, 32. Even so is it with our most mercifull and tender-hear∣ted Father, the very sight of our misery without any other motive in the world, is sufficient to move him to pitty, and helpe us, yea the more our misery is, the more ready will he be to succour us, Exod. 3.7 See how pathetically the Lord speaketh. Surely I have seene the affliction of my people, for I know their sorrowes, and am come downe to deliver them. Ieremy 31.20. My bowells are troubled for him, I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. Yea, the sight of the misery even of wicked men, doth worke this upon his tender heart, Psal 146.7, 8, 9. The Lord looseth the prisoners, the Lord openeth the eyes of the blind; the Lord raiseth them that are bowed downe; the Lord preserveth the strangers, hee relieveth the fatherlesse and widow. So againe, Psalme 78.38. He being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not; yea, many a time tur∣ned he his anger away, and did not stirre up all his wrath; and yet these men were but hypocrites, they never sought to God, but in their affliction, verse 34. and 36. They did but flatter him with their mouth, and lyed unto him with their tongues. And thus have you seene the tender mercies of the Lord.

Thirdly. In the Lord there is a multitude of tender mercies. He is aboundant [ 3] in goodnesse, Exod. ••4.6. Plenteous in mercy, Psal. 86.5. Full of compassion. Psal 86.15. Rich in mercy. Ephe. 2.4. Admire it we may, but no man is able to expresse, and utter how great the mercy of the Lord is, Psal 36.7. How ex∣cellent is thy loving kindnesse? The mercies and kindnesses of all the men in the world compared to it, are but as a drop of water, to the great Ocean. My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your wayes my wayes (saith the Lord. Esay 55.8, 9.) For as the heavens are higher then the earth, so are my wayes higher then your wayes, and my thoughts, then your thoughts. See this diffe∣rence in three points. 1. A man can forgive small wrongs, but the wrongs [ 1] may bee so great, as no man can forgive; but there is no sin so heinous, but the Lord is able to forgive it, Exod. 34.7. Forgiving iniquitie, transgression, and sin. Matth. 12.31. All manner of sin, and blasphemy, shall be forgiven unto men. Hee is able to forgive a debt of ten thousand talents, and not be undone, nay be never the poorer, Matth. 18.27. 2. A man can forgive one a great wrong, if [ 2] it were but in one action, but the wrongs may be so many, and of so many kinds, as no man can forgive them; but the Lord is able to forgive sins, though they were as many, yea more then the haires of our head, as David complaineth his were. Psal 40.12. 3. A man is able once to forgive, yea to forgive (it may be) [ 3] even such wrongs as hee counteth very great, and manifold; but hee can never forgive or thinke well of him, whom hee having forgiven sundry times, yet hee still wrongeth him in the same kind; but the Lord is able to forgive him that hath relapsed often into the same crime. For hee requireth this mercy even in

us. Matth. 18.22. Thou shalt forgive him I say not unto thee, untill seven times, but untill seventy times seven times. So that Gods children shall have no cause to say to their heavenly Father, as Esau said to his father. Gen. 27.38. Hast thou but one blessing my father? Canst thou forgive but once? yes hee is able to for∣give the same offence often times, if it be truly repented of.

The use of this Doctrine, is first for instruction, even to teach, and assure you, to testifie unto you, as the Apostle did to Gods people. 1. Pet. 5.12. that this is the true grace of God, wherein you stand, that the religion, and Doctrine that is at this day, and hath beene (through Gods mercy, now many, above sixty yeeres without interruption) taught, and professed in the Church of England (the Lord in mercy grant it may continue so to bee) and which you have received, and found comfort in, is the only true ancient Catholique, Propheticall, and Aposto∣like faith. Because it giveth the whole glory of mans salvation, and of every degree, and piece of it, from the beginning to the end to the free grace, and mer∣cy of God, and to nothing else. Therefore the Apostle in that place I last na∣med. 1. Pet. 5.12. calleth the true religion and Doctrine of God (for that is it hee meaneth in that place) by a Metonimy, the true grace of God, because the whole subject matter of it, was the grace of God; it ascribed nothing to man, but all to God, and to his free grace and mercy onely Ephes. 2.5. By grace yee are saved, and againe, verse 8. For by grace yee are saved through faith, and that not of your selves: it is the gift of God. A surer note to try the true religi∣on, and the true teacher by, you can never have. When our Saviour would teach them to know whether his Doctrine were of God, hee giveth them this note, Iohn 7.18. He that speaketh of himselfe, seeketh his owne glory (humane Doctrines doe all tend one way or other, to the glory of man, and advancing of him) but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighte∣ousnesse is in him. In this religion be resolute I pray you: 1 Cor. 16.13. Watch yee, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Make straight paths to your feete (as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 12.13) goe steadily, goe strongly, wa∣ver not, lest that that is halting, be turned out of the way. If you will suffer your selves to bee drawne to stagger, and doubt of your religion, you will bee in dan∣ger to be perverted, and drawne from it. I will therefore give you for a pre∣servative, that which the Apostle speaketh, Gal. 1.9. If any man preach any o∣ther Gospell unto you then that ye have received, let him be accursed. Whatsoe∣ver Doctrine is brought unto you, that doth derogate in the least point, from the glory of Gods grace, and ascribe any thing unto man, detest it, abhorre it, whither it bee old Pelagianisme, or new Popery, and Semipelagianisme, detest it, abhorre it; for they are all adversaries to the grace of God, that teach as these men doe.

[ 1] First, that a man is justified by works, and that inherent grace which God by his spirit worketh in him; is directly contrary to the Word. If by grace (saith the Apostle Rom. 11.6.) then it is no more of works that we are justified; other∣wise grace is no more grace. But if it be of workes, then it is no more grace, other∣wise worke is no more worke. And Gal. 5.4. Christ is become of none effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the Law, ye are fallen from grace.

[ 2] Secondly. That the works of those that are true beleevers, doe merit eter∣nall life, contrary to the Word, Esa. 64.6. All our righteousnesses are as filthy raggs, Luke 17.10. When ye have done all those things which are commanded you, say, Wee are unprofitable servants, we haue done that which was our duty to doe; and the like might be shewed in all other points of Doctrine that derogate from Gods Grace and glory, and therefore to bee abhorred as contrary to the word of God.

Notes

• Reason.
• Object.
• Answ.
• Vse.