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 XLIX. On Psalme 51.4. Febru. 20. 1626.

IT followeth now that we proceed unto the second reason why David doth in this manner confesse his sins, accuse, and condemne himselfe before God which is contained in these words, And be cleare when thou judgest.

* 1.1Now for the understanding of the words, foure questions are to be briefly pro∣pounded, and answered.

* 1.2First, How is the Lord said heere to judge any? To which I answer, that (not to trouble you with any other acception of this word) by Gods judging David heere meaneth Gods correcting of men;* 1.3 So that his meaning is, as if he should have said, that thou mayst be cleare when thou correctest. And so is this word used, 1 Cor. 11.32. When we are judged we are chastened of the Lord, and 1 Pet. 4.17. Iudgement must begin at the house of God.

* 1.4The second question is this. What correction or chastisement of God hath Da∣vid speciall reference unto, in this place, wherin he desireth to cleare the Lord?

* 1.5Whereunto I answer, That he meaneth. 1. That correction which the Lord had already taken of him, both in smiting the child he had begotten in adultery, with grievous sicknesse first, and then in taking it away by death, 2 Sam. 12.15.18. 2. Those fearefull plagues, God had told him by Nathan he would bring upon him afterward; which I mentioned unto you the last day out of 2 Sam. 12.10, 11. Yea 3 howsoever God should be pleased to judge him (for he limits not his speech either to that, that the Lord had already done upon the child, or to that that Nathan threatned he would further do, but speaketh indefinitely) as if he should have said, Whatsoever thou shalt inflict upon me, thou art cleare when thou judgest me.

* 1.6The third question is, How is God said to be cleare when he judgeth?

* 1.7I answer, 1. He is cleare in himselfe from the least spot, or stain, or mixture of injustice in any of the judgements or corrections he layeth upon men. Ps. 119.137. Righteous art thou, O Lord, and upright are thy judgements. 2. He will be cleared, and acknowledged to be righteous in the judgement of all men, even of them that are most apt to cavill at his judgements. For so the Apostle citeth this place, and interpreteth the meaning of it, Rom. 3.4. That thou mightest be justifi∣ed in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

* 1.8Then the fourth, & last questiō is, How could David by confessing his sin heere, make the Lord cleare from al injustice in his judgements,* 1.9 & correctiōs upō him?

I answer, He could not thereby make the Lord ever a whit more cleare from injustice; for though he had not confessed his sin at all, though he had continued,

and beene hardned in it, the Lord should have beene neverthelesse cleare, and pure in judging of him. And thus do the Angels of God professe of the plagues that God prophesieth he would bring upon the bloudy Papists, and persecuters of his Saints, Rev. 16.5.7. Thou art righteous O Lord—because thou hast judged thus, for they have shed the bloud of thy Saints, and Prophets, and thou hast given them bloud to drink for they are worthy; and I heard another out of the altar say, even so, Lord God Almighty, true, and righteous are thy judgements. But yet Da∣vid by accusing himselfe thus, and confessing his sinne may be said to cleare the Lord, that is to acknowledge the Lord to be cleare when he judged him; for this made him able heartily and unfeinedly to acknowledge the righteousnesse of God in correcting him, when he considered his sins, and what he had deser∣ved thereby. And indeed till men see their sins, and can confesse them, and bee soundly touched and humbled with the sense of them, they can never heartily acknowledge Gods righteousnesse in correcting of them, but from the teeth outward; till we can accuse our selves we can never justifie the Lord. So it is said 2 Chron. 12.6. The Princes, and King of Iudah were humbled in them∣selves before they could acknowledge the Lord is righteous. Nay till a man be soundly, and throughly humbled for his sin, he can never soundly, and throughly acknowledge Gods righteousnesse in his corrections upon him, specially if they be sharpe indeed, and more then ordinary; but there will be still in him some doubting of Gods righteousnesse, some secret murmuring, and repining against him. This is plaine in the Lords speech to Iob 40.8. Wilt thou also disanull my judgement? wilt thou condemne me that thou maist be righteous? How could Iob be charged to do thus? He was in some measure humbled and did confesse his sin as appeareth vers. 4. Behold I am vile, what shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth. But he had not yet done it so throughly, and sufficiently as after he did, Iob 22 1—6. He had in himselfe a secret conceit that he was not so sinfull as to deserve such afflictions as he had endured. And all this while he did not cleare the Lord but disanulled his judgement; and did indeed condemne the Lord to have dealt unjustly with him. Thus therefore David did heere by confessing his sin cleare the Lord, thereby he was brought heartily to acknow∣ledge Gods justice in correcting of him. And when we do in this manner ac∣knowledge the Lord to be just, we are said in the Scripture phrase, in Gods ac∣ceptation to justifie, and cleare him, to make him just, and cleare. So Gods peo∣ple are said to sanctifie the holy one of Iacob, Esa. 29.23 & to glorifie him, Mat. 9.8 & to magnifie him in their soule, Luk. 1.46. & to justifie his wisdome, Luk. 7.35.

The words then being thus opened, this Doctrine ariseth from them for our instruction.

That the man that truly knoweth his sins,* 1.10 and it humbled for them will be ready to cleare the Lord from all injustice, and cruelty, from all aspersion of rigor, and ex∣treamity in any of his judgements, executed either upon himselfe or others. Thus did David heere; And this is oft noted in the holy Scripture for a fruit, and signe of true humiliation, and repentance, in other of the servants of God, as well as in David heere. This is that passive obedience that God requireth of all his chil∣dren; and whereunto he bringeth all such as unto whom he hath effectually dis∣covered their sins; whose hearts he hath conquered, subdued, and humbled by his Word, and Spirit, he maketh them apt to cleare him when he judgeth them. See the proofe of this in these foure degrees.

First, They have bound themselves to silence in this case, so as they durst not [ 1] give liberty to their tongue or thought, to murmur or repine against any of Gods judgements. Who will say to him (saith Iob 9.12.) what doest thou? And as David saith, 2 Sam. 16.10. Who dare say wherefore hast thou done so? See an example of this in Aaron when God had executed a very strange judgement on his two eldest sonnes that were Priests, and that for a very small sin, as a man

would have thought; because they had offered incense with strange fire, God devoured them suddenly with fire from heaven. How did Aaron their father brooke this? The text saith, Levit. 10.3. Aaron held his peace; not a word durst hee speake against this. See another example of this in Iob, whose afflictions you know were very strange, and such as asmuch exception might have beene taken against Gods righteousnesse in them, as in any wee can ever read of. And indeed so extreame they were, that they wrung from him some speeches of impaciency; but he pleased not himselfe in it, but blamed himselfe for, and strove against it as a great corruption, as you may see, Iob 40.4, 5. I will lay mine hand upon my mouth, once have I spoken, but I will not answer; yea twice, but I will proceed no further. See a third example of this silence in David, when some affliction was upon him, that was so grievous, as that hee cryeth out unto God, Ps. 39.10. Remove thy stroake away from me, I am consumed with the blow of thine hand. Yet even then he professeth, ver. 9. I was dumbe, I opened not my mouth, because thou didst it. Nay we must not only bind our tongues to silence, from daring to speake impatiently against the Lord, when he correcteth; but our hearts also from inward fretting, and repining a gainst any thing the Lord doth. Truly my soule (saith David, Psal. 62.1.) keepeth silence unto God.

[ 2] Secondly. We must be ready even to subscribe, and give testimony unto the righteousnes of God, in his sharpest corrections upon us, & heartily to acknow∣ledge all is just, and righteous that the Lord hath done. See an example of this in David, Psal. 119.75. I know ô Lord that thy judgements are right, and that thou in faithfulnes hast afflicted me. The Babilonish captivity was the heaviest judge∣ment that ever God had inflicted upon any people under heaven, as appeareth by that which is said of it, Lam. 1.12. and Dan. 9.12. yet the Church speaking of it professeth, Lam. 1.18. The Lord is righteous, for I have rebelled against him. and Neh. 9.33. Thou art just in all that is brought upon us, for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly.

[ 3] Thirdly. We must submit our selves unto Gods corrections, & patiently, and willingly beare them out of this perswasion, that they are most just, and equall. And as it is said of our blessed Saviour, Esa. 50.6. that in obedience to God, hee gave his back to the smiters, and his cheeks to them that plucked off his haire, he hid not his face from shame, and spitting. and Ioh. 18.11. Shall I not drink the cup that my father giveth me? So must all the members of Christ, in their measure, wil∣lingly drink the cup, that their heavenly father giveth them, acknowledge it is never a whit too much, nay not so much as they have righteously deserved. So it is said of Gods people Lev. 26.41. when their uncircumcised hearts are humbled, they shall then accept of the punishment of their iniquity. See an example of this in Iob, who when he had received those grievous losses in his goods and children, and that in so strange a manner, he was so far from repining, that he bursteth forth into these words, Iob 1.21. The Lord gave, & the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. And marke what the holy Ghost saith of him for this, verse 22. In all this Iob sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. As if he should say. If he had not thus willingly accepted of Gods correction, if he had not thus kissed the rod when his father did thus beat him, he had sinned, he had charged God foolishly. See also an example of this in the Churches speech mentioned. Mic. 7.9. I will beare the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him. And in that of Ezra, who speaking of the extreame judgement of God upon his people in the Babylonish Captivitie, saith Ezra 9.13. Thou our God hast punished us lesse then our iniquities deserve. And Lamenta. 3.22. It is of the Lords mercies, that wee are not consumed (utterly from being a people) be∣cause his compassions faile not. You see Gods people have discerned and taken notice of some mercy, some mitigation of the rigor of justice, some cause of thanksgiving, and of admiring rather his indulgence towards them, then of

repining against him, even in the most extreame afflictions that have befallen him. And from hence it is that they have growne to that pitch of blessed reso∣lution, not onely to submit themselves, and beare the crosse that presently lieth upon them, how heavy soever it be, but as David here limiteth not his speech to the judgment he had felt in the losse of his child, nor to those that Nathan had told him should befall him, but speaketh indifferently, that thou mayest be cleare when thou judgest, whensoever, or howsoever thou shalt judge & correct me. So have Gods people that have bin soundly humbled, professed a resolution to beare whatsoever God should further bee pleased to lay upon them, whatsoever it should be. So speak the people of God, Iudg. 10.15. We have sinned, do thou to us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. And Ely, 1 Sam. 3.18. It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good. And David when he fled from his son Absalom, when he was in extreame danger both to loose his kingdome and his life, 2 Sam. 15.26 If the Lord shall thus say, I have no delight in thee, behold, here am I, let him doe to me, as seemeth good unto him. As if he should say, Though he cast me into hell, I shall have no just cause to say, he doth me any wrong.

Hitherto I have shewed you three degrees of that passive obedience that eve∣ry one of us are bound to yeeld unto God in our afflictions. And there is never a one of these, but they are hard, yea, impossible for flesh and bloud to do, till the mighty arme of God hath tamed our hearts, and subdued, and humbled them 〈◊〉〈◊〉 can never thus cleare the Lord, when he judgeth us. A hard thing it is to hold our peace, when God correcteth us, not to utter words of discontent, & impatiency specially not to fret and repine in our hearts against the Lord. A harder 〈…〉〈…〉 acknowledge heartily and unfeinedly, that God dealeth most justly with 〈◊〉〈◊〉 when he correcteth us. But the hardest thing of all it is, to submit our selves to Gods correcting, and willingly to beare it; to be perswaded that that we endure is nothing so much as we have deserved; to admire his fatherly indulgence, and love to us, even when he correcteth us most sharply.

But the fourth and last degree, of this obedience which I must now proceed [ 4] unto, is much more difficult; for in all those judgments, and corrections of God that befall our selves or others, when the sins that deserved them are known, and evident unto us, it is no such hard matter to justifie and cleare the Lord in them. But there be many judgements of God, where no such cause can be knowne or discerned, no not by the wisest men. Thy judgements (saith David, Psal. 36.6.) are a great deep ô Lord, no man can dive to the ground, & bottome of them. And Rom. 11.33. How unsearchable are his judgements, and his wayes past finding out? Now this is the fourth degree of obedience required of us, that we must not on∣ly cleare the Lord in those judgements that we can discerne the cause & reason of, but even in those that we can conceive no reason of; we must resolve with David, Ps. 119.137. Righteous art thou, ô Lord, and upright are thy judgements. and 145.17. The Lord is righteous in all his wayes, and holy in all his works. Ad∣miring with the holy Apostle, and adoring that which we are not able to com∣prehend, Rom. 11.33. O the depth both of the wisedome and knowledge of God.

Now for the reasons,* 1.11 and grounds of this Doctrine, they are principally two, the one of them respecteth the judge himselfe, and the other, them that are judged by him.

For the first. It is not possible that the Lord should do wrong to any of his creatures, or that any thing he doth should be unjust, Deut. 32.4. All his wayes are judgement, a God of truth, and without iniquitie, just, and right is hee. Doth God pervert judgement (saith Bildad, Iob. 8.3.) or doth the almighty per∣vert Iustice? As if hee should say, that is impossible in the judgement of every mans conscience. Shall not the judge of the whole world doe right? saith Abra∣ham, Genes. 18.25. This reason the Apostle giveth for this doctrine, Rom. 3.5, 6 Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? God forbid (saith he) for then how

shall God judge the world? This was that that stopped Elyes mouth, that he had nothing to say against that grievous judgement God threatned against him, and his house, 1 Sam. 3.18. It is the Lord, let him doe what seemeth him good. And why is it not possible, the Lord should do wrong to any of his creatures? 1. In regard of his Soveraignty, and Supreame, and undependant power he hath over all things that he hath made, even as the potter hath over his clay. This simili∣tude the holy Ghost useth, Rom. 9.20, 21. Shall the thing formed, say to him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lumpe, to make one vessell unto honour, and another unto dishonour? Is it not lawfull for me to doe what I will with mine owne? saith the Lord of the vineyard. Matth. 20.13. In respect of this Soveraignty, and Supreame pow∣er of God, Elihu saith. Iob 33.13. that God giveth not account of any of his mat∣ters. His manner is not, neither is he bound to give men account of his decrees, or of his judgements. 2. In regard of his will, it is not possible that hee should wrong any of his creatures, for his will is the rule of all righteousnesse, and e∣very thing is therefore just, & right, because his will is so. Thus the Apostle pro∣veth, it was no unrighteousnesse in God to love, and chuse Iacob, and to hate and reject Esau, before either of them had done good or evil, even before they were borne, because his holy will was so. Rom. 9.14, 15. What shall we then say, Is there unrighteousnesse with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. And this is the first ground and reason of the Doctrine ta∣ken from the consideration of the Iudge himselfe.

* 1.12The second, respecteth them that are judged, and corrected by the Lord. We must needs cleare the Lord from wronging any man, in any of his judgements; because he never judgeth, nor punisheth any man, before he hath deserved that, and much more then that, that God layeth upon him. This reason Elihu gi∣veth Iob 34.10, 11. Hearken unto me ye men of understanding, farre bee it from God, that he should doe wickednesse, and from the almighty that he should commit iniquitie, for the worke of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his wayes. And the Apostle, Rom. 3.19 That every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. As if he should have said; Seing all the world is guilty before God, and lyable to his curse for the transgression of his Law, every mouth must needs be stopped; if not, yet cer∣tainly at the day of the Lord, no man shall be able to open his mouth against, or charge him with injustice, in any of his judgements upon men.

Now this Doctrine serveth unto two uses especially. 1. For instruction, and the informing of our judgements. 2. For exhortation and working upon our will, and affections.

For the first. This Doctrine serveth notably for convincing of an errour that hath too much place in the minds of most men.* 1.13 All men by nature are apt (at least secretly in their hearts) to question the righteousnesse of God, in many of his judgements. When the Apostle had made this objection. Rom. 3.5. Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? He addeth presently these words, I speake as a man saith he. As if he should say; Every naturall man is apt to speake and thinke so. This appeareth evidently by the generall opposition that is made a∣gainst the doctrine of predestination, which both our Church, and other refor∣med Churches have long taught, and received by cleare warrant of the word of God. For not onely the Papist, and the Anabaptist, and the Pelagian, but every naturall man in the world is apt to cavill against this Doctrine, & to account it a most absurd, and unreasonable Doctrine, and all because they cannot conceive how it can stand with justice, that God should make such a decree as that is. But the Doctrine you have now heard, and the reasons of it being well understood and beleeved, will stop their mouthes, and convince their errour in this point.

This will be evident unto you if you will but observe these foure points.

First, God had done no wrong, if in his eternall decree he had chosen no [ 1] man unto life but reprobated all men unto destruction. For he is our absolute soveraigne Lord as we have heard; and it was lawfull for him, to doe with his owne what himselfe pleased. And who hath deserved that God should choose him unto life? As the Apostle speaketh in this very case, Rom. 11.35. Who hath first given unto him, and it shall be recompensed to him againe?

Secondly, God never condemneth any, nor did decree to condemne any but [ 2] for sinne. For he will render to every man, according to his workes, Rom. 2.6. So that if any man be damned the Lord is not the cause of it but himselfe. Thou hast destroyed thy selfe, saith the Lord to the wicked Iewes, Hos. 13.9. And we have more cause to admire the mercy of God, that he hath ordained to save any, when he did foresee that all would cast away themselves; then to doubt of the justice of God in appointing some to destruction, which hee did foresee they would by their voluntary, and wilfull transgression most justly deserve.

Thirdly, Though God did foresee that such and such would by their sinnes [ 3] and continuance in infidelity justly deserve eternall damnation, yet it was not the end God aimed at, and propounded to himselfe in the decree of reprobati∣on, that wicked men might perish; for that is a thing God never tooke pleasure in. As I live, saith the Lord God (Ezek. 33 11.) I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked. But the thing that moved God to make that decree, and the end he intended, and aimed at in it, was the manifestation of his owne glory, Pro. 16.4. The Lord hath made all things for himselfe, yea even the wicked for the day of evill. 1. The manifestation of his glorious justice and wrath against sinne, upon the reprobate, Rom 9.22. 2. The manifestation of his glorious mercy to∣wards his elect, which could never have beene so glorious, if it had beene com∣mon to all mankind. And this reason also is gven by the Apostle, Rom. 19.23.

Fourthly, The Lords decree as it is not the cause of the damnation of any but [ 4] their owne sinne, so neither is it the cause of their sinne; It doth not impose a necessity upon any to sinne, but notwithstanding this decree every man sinneth voluntarily, and unconstrainedly; neither is the Lord, but his owne corruption onely, and Satan the cause of his sinne, Iam. 1.13, 14. So that to conclude this first use. Let every one of us strive to suppresse and to reject with detestation, and trembling all thoughts that shall rise in our hearts to call into question the righteousnesse of God, in any of his decrees or judgements. According to the example of the Apostle, Rom. 3.4. who when he had but (by occasion of this do∣ctrine of reprobation) mentioned this objection, Is there unrighteousnesse with God? abhorreth it presently, and rejecteth it in this manner, God forbid, saith he. And if we be not able to comprehend how any thing that the Lord hath de∣creed, or done, can stand with equity, and justice, let us ascribe it rather to our owne weaknesse and shallownesse of understanding, then impute the least sha∣dow of injustice unto the Lord, and check our selves in that manner, that holy Iob did, Iob 42.3. I have uttered that I understood not, things too wonderfull for me, which I knew not.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Nota.
• * 1.2

  Quest. 1
• * 1.3

  Answ.
• * 1.4

  Quest. 2
• * 1.5

  Answ.
• * 1.6

  Quest. 3
• * 1.7

  Answ.
• * 1.8

  Quest. 4
• * 1.9

  Answ.
• * 1.10

  Doct. 16
• * 1.11

  Reason 1
• * 1.12

  Reason 2.
• * 1.13

  Vse 1.