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* 1.1IN these words Dauid doth the third time renue his for∣mer petition and suite vnto God for the pardon of his sins, as one wonderfully amazed and cast downe in the sense and feeling of Gods anger for his sinnes.
* 1.2And the request hath two parts. [unspec 1] First because hee had prouoked the Lord to anger, and was in danger of his displeasure, he intreates him to hide away his angry countenance from beholding his sinnes. As if hee should haue said; ô Lord I haue com∣mitted great and greiuous sinnes in thy sight, and giuen thee cause to bee angry with mee: but Lord I beseech thee cast away my sinnes out of thy sight, looke not on them, neither call them to account, but put them cleane out of minde.
[unspec 2] Secondly, he intreates the Lord to blot them out of his book of remem∣brance alluding to them that keepe a booke of debt, who write all downe that is owing vnto them; and in to∣ken all is discharged blot and crosse the booke: So he requests the Lord to crosse the booke of debt, because he was not able to pay the debt, there∣fore he requires that he would in the bloud of CHRIST bee content to blot the booke.
When as Dauid praies to GOD
that he would turne away his face: that is that he would not call his sins to mind to punish them, [Doctr. 1] * 1.3 but forget and forgiue them: and as it were cast them behind his backe as men vse to do with things they will not re∣member. Hence wee learne that there is nothing so fearefull to a poore distressed sinner as is the ter∣rible anger and frowning counte∣nance of the most righteous God,* 1.4 which if a man beholds, and seeth the Lord to frowne vpon him, it is im∣possible that all the creatures in hea∣uen and earth should giue him any comfort: no, Dauid, a King, being in danger of his iust anger for sin could haue no ioy nor comfort till hee was reconciled to GOD and did behold his louing countenance turned to∣wards him in and by the meanes of IESVS CHRIST.
And no maruell though the Pro∣phet intreate the Lord to turne away his angry face: for the anger of God is most terrible, yea more heauy then if a M••lstone, yea heauen and
earth should bee laid vpon a mans soule, for as Paul saith,* 1.5 if God be with vs, who can be against vs, so if hee bee against vs who can be with vs. It is a fearefull thing to fall into his hands. And if the wrath of the King bee as the roaring of a Lyon, how much more is the wrath of GOD to be feared, who can cast both body and soule into hell.
Yea so long as the children of God inioy his fauour, see his louing countenance, they are able to suffer much, though men torment them, persecute them, raile on them, they can indure much misery: but if once they loose the feeling of Gods loue, and see his angry face and frowning countenance turned towards them oh then nothing can comfort them▪ till they obtaine his fauour againe: how many things did Iob suffer with∣out impatiency, yea the losse of all he had, so long as he felt the louing coū∣tenance of God towards him: but when he seeth the Lord to arme him∣selfe like an enemy and like an angry* 1.6
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God then he was no longer able to indure,* 1.7 and what can be more terrible to a poore sinner then to wrastle with the anger of God then which nothing is more fearefull, and this can euery childe of God testifie in his owne conscience by experience, feeling the heauy weight of Gods anger.
Seeing it is so terrible and fearefull a thing for men to prouoke the Lord to anger, [Ʋse 1] and to see his angry and frowning countenance: This con∣demnes that blockishnesse and sence∣lessenesse in most men and women who though they do nothing but sin against God daily, & so prouoke him to anger and wrath against them, yet do not so much as say Alas what haue I done?* 1.8 though they lye smoking vnder the heauy wrath of God to be destroyed for their sinnes. Men feare the anger and frowning face of great Men, especially of the Prince: but hard-hearted sinners feare not the anger of the eternall God: well, let all rebellious and stif-necked sinners remember what Christ saith: Feare
not him that ••an kill the body and can do no more, but I will tell you whom you shall seare, feare him that can kill both body and soule, and can cast them both into hell fire, feare him.
Because nothing moues the Lord to anger, [Ʋse 2] and to be displeased with men and women but sinne, therefore let vs aboue all things shun sin, not dare to rebell against God, and pro∣uoke his anger,* 1.9 your sinnes haue made aseperation. O then take heed of sin: and if thou wilt sinne, be sure thou shalt find and feele the anger of God, and if thou wouldest escape the an∣ger, which is so terrible, take heed of sin. We see men be too-too care∣full to shunne such things as offend great persons and procure their dis∣pleasure, for fear if they take a pinch against them, they turne them out of their farmes, racke their rents &c. O then feare to offend GOD, who will reiect and cast thee off for euer and increase thy iudgement.
If we haue sinned, [Ʋse 3] & thereby pro∣uoked the Lord to anger by our sins
as Dauid did, & feele his displeasure and see his frowning countenance: Oh then let vs giue no rest to our soules til we be reconciled vnto him, till wee obtaine mercy and fauour at his hands: for so long as we see his anger & his frowning countenance: alas! we can haue no peace nor com∣fort in the world. If a man should haue the fauour of all men, great and small, Nobles, Lords, &c. yet if the King hate him, and cannot abide to heare of him, what can all this doe him good? So, if a man had the fa∣uour of all men and Angells, yea if it were possible, all the things on earth should seeke to vphold a man, yet if God bee angrie and displeased with him, his anger would crush him in peeces: well then, when wee sinne a∣gainst God, and so prouoke him to anger, let vs vse all means to obtaine his fauour, let vs repent of our sins, be humbled for them, acknowledge & confesse them, let vs pray for par∣don, and intreate the Lord to turne away his face & angry countenance.
And as we see if a man offend a great person, he will ride and runne night and day, send gifts, make friends, and all to obtaine his fauor againe. Euen so must wee seeke for the fauour of God; and as Absolom hauing sinned against his father, s••nt Ioab and the woman of Tekoah to get his pardon, and to appease his fathers anger; so must we seeke to Iesus Christ to bee our Mediatour to turne his fathers anger from vs.* 1.10
Lastly, [Ʋse 4] seeing the anger of God is so fearefull a thing, and so vnsuppor∣table, and the louing fauour of God is life it selfe; Oh then let vs make much of Gods louing countenance, & do nothing in word or deed that may turne his mercy and louing fa∣our from vs, but vse all good means possible to continue the same, for if we loue him, he will loue vs; if wee honour him, he will honour vs.
That is, pardon them, and doe not
call me to accompt to punish me for them;* 1.11 Moses saith thou hast set our misdeedes before thee, and our secret sins in the sight of thy countenance; that is, the Lord beheld their sins, that so he might punish them for them, so whē the Lord hideth his face from our sins, it is all one as to pardon them: when a man casts a thing behind his backe or turnes his face from it, it is a signe hee would forget it, and not remember it; I will put away your sins and scatter them like a myste: and wee know that mists that appeare a little time, are by and by scattered and gone:* 1.12 Hezechiah confesseth, That God did cast all his sins behind his backe. Alluding to men, who when they purpose to forget,* 1.13 or not to remem∣ber a thing, turne their backes on it. Againe, I will cast all their sinnes into the bottome of the sea. Alluding to Pharaoh that wicked man whom God drowned in the bottome of the red sea: and thus we haue the mean∣ing of the words.
Here we see how, [Doctr. 1] * 1.14 and after what mauer the Lords pardons our sinnes, namely, when hee doth for giue and forget them, turne his face from them, hath no purpose to remember them, or to punish vs for them, and in a word, when hee doth vpon our true repentance, for the merites of Christ esteeme sinne as no sinne, or though it had neuer beene commit∣ted,* 1.15 when he couers them or impu∣teth them not vnto vs.
Seeing the Lord forgiueth sinne after this maner, [V;se 1] and euen he doth in mercy forgiue and forget our sins, puts them out of his remembrance, casts them behinde his backe, and will neuer call them to minde anie more: heere is matter of endlesse comfort to distressed soules; if thou hast once repented of thy sins true∣ly, and beene assured of Gods mercy for the pardon of them: though thou maiest remember them, and thy conscience accuse thee for them as Iob and Dauid,* 1.16 who were trou∣bled for the sinnes of their youth,
yet I say, though thou shouldest re∣member them, God will neuer re∣member them any more to Iudge∣ment, or condemnation, to plague or to punish thee for them: hee casts them cleane out of his minde, and turnes his face from them, and ther∣fore if hee once pardon sinne, hee pardons it for euer; For the decree and councell of God is vnchangeable,* 1.17 hee alters not, and therefore if once hee giue pardon for sinne, he neuer re∣uokes it, but loues to the end: The gifts of God are without repentance.
Seeing the Lord in pardoning of sinne doth turne his face from them, [Ʋse 2] forgets them and forgiues them, and will neuer speake of them, nor call them to minde any more, we learne hence in pardoning of wrongs and iniuries done to vs to imitate the ex∣ample of God our heauenly Father, to pardon them, so as wee neuer call them to minde againe, that wee for∣giue and forget all wrongs and in∣iuries: trample them vnder our feete. But it is a common speech of
many vngodly men and women, if men doe them any harme, they will forgiue them, but they will neuer forget them: and accordingly so they deale, though for a time they can shew a smooth countenance and giue faire wordes, yet if euer they get them in their danger, they will fetch them ouer, they will shew their spleene and malice, and powre our all their poison: But let all such take heed; for how can they say, Forgiue vs our trespasses, as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs? and yet doe not forgiue and forget wrongs: if the Lord should deale thus with vs, hee should confound vs: for God is pro∣uoked of vs euery moment, and we are indebted vnto him tenne thou∣sand talents, yet he is intreated of vs, and he is reconciled vnto vs: ought not we therefore to forgiue one an∣other after his examle; this is the reason vsed by the Apostle Paul, Co∣loss. 3.12, 13. Now therefore as the E∣lect of God, holy and beloued put on the bowels of mercy, kindenesse, humblenesse
of mande, meckenesse, long suffering, for∣bearing one an other: and for giuing one another: if any man haue a quarrell to another, euen as Christ forgaue euen so doe yee. It were wofull with vs, if God were not ready to forgiue: for we finde our selues ready to offend, and our sinne vnpardoned is suffici∣ent to make vs condemned.
The second branch of the Petiti∣on is in the end of the verse in these words,
* 1.18THat is, blot them out of thy Booke of Accompts: and that Bill and Debt-booke wherein they seeme to bee written, for so much the speech imports: the Prophet al∣luding to men that keepe Bookes of Accompt, wherein they write all their debts: euen so the Lord hath, as it were, his Booke of Accompt, wherein are registred all the sinnes
of men & women, when, and where, and howsoeuer, committed.
Then hence we learne that all our sinnes are knowne to God: [Doctr. 1] * 1.19 he hath them all, as it were, written downe in a Booke of Accompt, and vnlesse they be blotted out in this life, they shall all one day be called ouer, euen at the day of Iudgement,* 1.20 The bookes shall be opened, and euery mans con∣science shall bee as a Bill of Indict∣ment to accuse and condemne him.
This is that which is tolde by the Prophet Ieremy chapt. 17. The sinne of Iuda is written with a penne of yron, and the point of a Diamond. And Iob hath it, Thou hast sealed vp our sinnes in a bagge. By all which places it ap∣peareth, that all our sins are knowne to God, as perfectly as if they were noted in a Booke, and vnlesse wee repent, they shall all one day bee called ouer and laide to our charge, when our Bookes shall be opened.
Seeing all our sinnes are well knowne to GOD, [Vse 1] and the Lord hath them all, as it were, written
downe in a Booke, and this Booke shall one day be opened: and if our sins be not blotted our before Death come, and this debt be not cancelled, then they shall be brought to light, and wee shall be cast into prison till we haue paid the vttermost farthing. Then we see it stands vs all in hand, while we liue, to labour to haue this Booke cancelled, that our sins may be put out, and all our debts crossed: for if they be found vncancelled at death, and the day of Iudgement, if they be found then vpon Records, surely then it is too late to looke for mercie, and therefore it is a matter of endlesse moment, which wee are all most carefully to thinke vpon, that this Booke may be crosse and our sinnes cancelled, that so wee be not in the great day of the Generall Iudgement called to an account for them.
But how might wee doe that we might haue our sinnes blotted out? wee are not able to pay the debt: Wee owe the Lord ••enne thousand
tallents, and cannot pay one penny: what shall wee doe to haue the debt paied?
To this I answere, The Lord is like a mercifull Creditour, if his Debtour be not able to pay, let him confesse the debt, and hee will as ke him no more, but will willingly par∣don all: So the Lord GOD, see∣ing wee are by no meanes able, of our selues, to pay the debt, yet if wee confesse it, and desire pardon, he will forgiue it: And yet, because he is iust, as hee is mercifull, there∣fore his Iustice should be satisfied, and that is done by the meanes of Ie∣sus CHRIST, hee is become our surety, he is content to take our debt on him, to become pay-master, and so when nothing else could doe it hee was content to suffer death, euen the cursed death of the Crosse, and to blot out our sinnes by his owne heart bloud.
So then wee see the meanes how our sinnes are blotted out, namely,
when wee doe repent of them, be∣waile them, be humbled for them, leaue and forsake them, lay hold on Iesus Christ, and apply vnto vs his death and passion, then by the bloud of Christ all our sinnes are done a∣way.
Dauid can no way haue peace till his sins be pardo∣ned.
Parts of the verse.
Gods an∣ger most fearefull to the godly.
1. Cor. 10.5. Psalm. 5.5. Psal. 45.7.
Rom. 8.31. Heb. 10.30 Math. 5.
Iob. 13:
Ps. 6.1.2.3.
Ier. 8.6.
Esay 59.2.
2. Sam. 14.
Psal. 60.8.
Esa. 38.17
Mich. 7.19
Note how God par∣dons sin.
Ps. 32.1, 2.
Psalme 25
Ro. 11.29.
2 Part of the verse.
All our sinnes knowne to God.
Reuel. 20.