Meditations and disquisitions upon the one and fiftieth Psalme of Dauid Miserere mei Deus. By Sr. Richard Baker, Knight. Baker, Richard, Sir, 1568-1645. 1638 Approx. 116 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 41 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2003-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A02170 STC 1231 ESTC S100560 99836397 99836397 666 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A02170) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 666) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English Books, 1475-1640 ; 822:10) Meditations and disquisitions upon the one and fiftieth Psalme of Dauid Miserere mei Deus. By Sr. Richard Baker, Knight. Baker, Richard, Sir, 1568-1645. [8], 75, [1] p. Printed by Edward Griffin, for Anne Bouler, and are to be sold at the Marigold, in Pauls Church-yard, London : 1638. The first leaf is blank. Reproduction of the original in the British Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Bible. -- O.T. -- Psalms LI -- Commentaries. 2002-04 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2002-04 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2002-05 TCP Staff (Oxford) Sampled and proofread 2002-05 Judith Siefring Text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-06 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion MEDITATIONS AND DISQVISITIONS UPON The one and fiftieth Psalme of DAVID . Miserere mei Deus . By Sr. RICHARD BAKER , Knight . LONDON , Printed by Edward Griffin , for Anne Bowler , and are to be sold at the Marigold , in Pauls Church-yard . 1638. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE EDVVARD , Earle of DORSET , of His Majesties most Honorable Privie Counsell ; Lord Chamberlaine to the Queene ; and Knight of the most Noble Order of the GARTER . MOST Honoured Lord , I know , you neither like , nor have leisure , to looke upon trifles ; but I know also , you account not discourses of Piety , in the number of trifles : This makes mee bold to present your Lordship , with this short Treatise of Meditations ; that being short , it may not divert you long ; being Pious , not divert you at all . J so much honour your Lordship , for your publicke vertues ; so much am bound to you , for your private ; that J cannot forbeare to present you with something , as a testimony of my service in both : and a richer present I could not thinke of , than Meditations upon this Psalme of David ; which is indeede , the Master-piece of his Repentance , as his Repentance the Master-piece of all his Vertues . The Jewell it selfe is from David , onely the Case from me ; and though the Jewell deserve a more Illustrious Case ; and your Person a more Jllustrious present ; yet there is colour to hope I may bee pardoned in both ; seeing , the Jewels splendour , gives a lustre to any case ; and your Noblenesse , to any present . And though it might bee presented with a better hand ; yet it cannot with a better heart ; seeing he presents it , that is Your Lordships humble and devoted servant , RICHARD BAKER . Perlegi librum hunc cui Titulum est ( Meditations upon the 51. Psalme ) eumque tipis mandari permitto . SAMVEL BAKER . Ex aedib . Londin . Iunii 21. 1637. MEDITATIONS AND DISQVISITIONS upon the 51. Psalme of DAVID . O LORD our GOD , how Excellent is thy Name , in all the World ! Thy glorious Majesty is Excellent ; but that brings nothing to me ; Thy Justice is Excellent , but That brings me to Nothing : It is thy Mercy , that must doe mee good : and therefore , thy other Excellencies I Adore ; but This I Invocate . To Invocate thy Justice , I dare not ; Thy Glory , I cannot : but thy Mercy , I both Dare , and Can : For , why should I not Dare ; when Feare gives me Boldnesse ? How should I not be able , when weaknesse gives mee strength ? Why should I not Dare , when Thou Invitest me to it ? How should I not be able , when Thou Drawest mee to it ? Dost Thou Invite mee , and shall I not Come ? Dost Thou Draw mee , and shall I draw backe ? Can there be a Patron so powerfull as Thou ? Can there be a Supplyant , so dejected as my selfe ? Of whom then , is it fitter , to aske for Mercy ; than of Thee , O God , who art the God of Mercy ? and for whom , Is it fitter , to aske for Mercy , than for mee , who am a creature of Misery ? If I were not so miserable ; Thou couldst not be to mee so Mercifull : and have I not reason then to aske that of Thee which thou couldst not have so much occasion , to manifest to mee , as by mee ? If it were not for sinne ; there should be no Misery ; and if no Misery ; no exercise for thy Mercy : and wilt thou let it stand Idle , where it hath so foule sinnes ; for so faire Fields , to walke in ? Hast thou Mercy , and wilt thou not shew it ? Or wilt thou shew it to others , and not to me ? To say , I have not deserved it , were to make it no Mercy ; for , if I deserved it ; it were Justice , and not Mercy . Is not thy Mercy over all thy Works ; and am not I the worke of thy Hands ? The more Mercy thou shewest , the more is thine Honour ; and wilt thou not doe that which is most for thine Honour ? Thou didst shew Mercy to Adam ; who was the first sinner : and thou didst shew Mercy to the Thiese on the Crosse ; who was the longest sinner : and wilt thou not shew Mercy to mee , who am not the first ; and hope , not to be the longest ? Hast thou shewed Mercy to so many , that thou hast not Mercy left for me also ? If thy Mercy were finite , and could be exhausted ; It were no charity to aske it , lest others might want it ; but seeing it is Infinite , and can never be spent ; why should I be sparing to aske it , or Thou to bestow it ? Thy Mercy is Infinite , or none at all ; for all thou art is Infinite ; and wilt thou by shewing thy Mercy , lesse ; shew thy selfe to be Mercilesse ? If thy Mercy be Infinite , it must extend to all ; and how extends it to all , if not to me ? Thou hast as much Mercy for me , as if thou hadst none to have Mercy on but me : and can it be , thou shouldst have so much for mee , and let mee have none of it ? Can my daily Infirmities alien thy Love ? This were to thinke , thou didst not love me , but for my goodnesse : and alas ! what goodnesse is there ? What goodnesse ever was there in mee , that thou shouldst love mee ? Can thy Love aliened , turne away thy Mercy ? This were to thinke , thy Mercy did reach no further than thy Love ; and so , because I know , thou lovest not sinne , I might justly feare , thou wouldst never have Mercy upon sinners . But , O gracious God , Thou lovest for thy loves sake ; and Thou hast Mercy for thy Mercies sake ; and seeing thy Love , which is thy selfe , can never leave Thee ; It makes mee assured , thy Mercy , which is thy Nature , will never leave mee . If I refused thy Mercy , thou mightst justly with-hold it : but now , Behold , I hold my Brest open to receive it ; Or if I did not aske thy Mercy , thou mightst forbeare to shew it ; but now Behold ; I begge it upon my knees . I am none of Zebedees sonnes , that aske to sit at thy right hand , and at thy left ; I desire not Exaltation , but Absolution ; It is not thy Bounty I aske , but onely thy Mercy ; Have mercy upon mee , O God , according to thy loving kindnesse ; and according to the multitude of thy tender Mercies , doe away mine offences . It may be thought severity in God , to cast Adam out of Paradise , for only One sin : But was Adams sin , but onely One ? but One perhaps in Action , but a Million in Affection . For , say It was Pride ? hath not Pride more branches than a Tree hath ? Say it was Gluttony ? hath not Gluttony more dishes than Dives had ? Say it was Curiositie ; hath not Curiosity , more Eyes than Argus had ? Say it was Disobedience ? hath not Disobedience , more faults than Absolon had ? For how else could Manasses sinnes come to be more than the sands of the Sea , if it be not , that a sinne , though but in Thought , may justly be thought a Million of sinnes ? And as it is said in the Gospel , that a man was possessed with an uncleane Spirit ; but that uncleane Spirit was a Legion : So wee may say of every sinne ; It is but One sinne ; but that One sinne is a Legion . Here therefore , O my soule , take heed thou mis-take not thy selfe , in casting up the Audit of thy sinnes ; and thinke , thou hast perhaps but One or Two sins , to answer for to God ; when in Gods sight , every sin thou committest is a Legion ; and for a Legion of sinnes thou must make thy account , thou shalt make account . And now , seeing my sins are in number so many , and so great in measure ; have I not reason to aske for mercies , of equall proportion ? although therefore I aske not thy Bounty , but thy Mercy ; yet the Bounty of thy Mercy I aske ; to aske lesse than would serve , would prejudice my wants , and not relieve them ; and how then can I aske lesse than a multitude of great Mercies , to doe away my offences ; who have a multude of great offences , to be done away ? But hath God then , a multitude of Mercies , whereof some be greater , and some be lesser ? Is not his Mercv , as himselfe is , onely One and simplicissimus ? No doubt , It is so in it selfe ; One and single as himselfe ; but yet in relation to us , and to our understanding ; It is said to be , as it is applyed : To every sinne , a Mercy ; to great sinnes great mercies ; to a multitude of sinnes , a multitude of Mercies . But is not this , a Disorder in praying ; to pray for that , for which we should rather give thankes ? to pray for a multitude of great mercies , as though we had them not already ? When wee should rather give thankes for them , which wee have so continually ? For is it not Gods great mercy to us all , that wee be not all consumed ? and this great mercy multiplyed unto us ; when thousands fall on our right hand ; and ten thousands on our left ; yet we in the midst of these dangers , are kept safe from danger ? Is it not his great mercy , that hee gives Riches and Plenty ; and this mercy multiplyed unto us , when so many are pined away with penury ; yet our Land floweth , with Milke and Honey ? Is it not his great mercy , that the light of the Gospell shines upon us ; and this mercy multiplied unto us , when so many live in darknesse ; and in the shadow of death ? These indeed are great Mercies ; yet they are but the mercies of his Patience : or of his generall Goodnesse and Bounty ; and of these mercies , we may justly be afraid : as it is said ; There is mercy with thee , that thou mayest be feared : but it is the mercies of his speciall Love , that I desire ; and of these mercies , there can be no feare ; for , Love casteth out Feare . The mercies of his Patience , and of his Bounty ; are not his tender mercies ; wee may have them , perhaps , and to our hurt : as long Life ; but to heape up wrath against the day of wrath ; Riches and Honours , but to make our Camell the greater ; and the unfitter to passe thorow a Needles Eye ; The light of the Gospell ; but to make us the more guilty , and subject to be beaten with more stripes : but his tender mercies , are the mercies of his Love ; and can never be had , but for our good ; for , Love covers the multitude of sinne● ; and this covering of our sinnes is the 〈◊〉 ●ecovering of Paradise ; and su●ers not the Angell , with the flaming sword , to find any thing in us , to keepe us out . O therefore , how ever it pleaseth thee , O God , to deale with mee , in the mercies of thy Patience ; by length of daies : or in the mercies of thy Bounty , by Riches and Honours ; be pleased at least , to grant mee the mercies of thy Love , to cover my sinnes ; and according to the multitude of thy tender mercies , Doe away mine offences . It was a great mercy , even of thy Love ; that with great miracles , thou diddest bring the Israelites out of Egypt ; but , that thou didst endure to be grieved with that Generation , fortie yeeres together ; and yet bring them at last , into the Land of Canaan ; this was a multitude of great mercies . And yet more than this : It was a great mercy , that thou diddest suffer our first Parents , after their great sinne , to live ; and to propagate their sinfull Race ; but , that thou didst send , thine onely Sonne , to Expiate their sinne ; and to make satisfaction for it , with infinite Indignities , in Life and Death ; this was a multitude of great and tender mercies . And now , that I have the multitude of Gods tender mercies at the heighth ; what would I have it to doe ? Even to doe away mine offences : For this is a worke , for a multitude of mercies ; and of mercy only . Thy Power O God , is Almighty , and yet cannot ; Thy Justice most perfect , and yet will not ; Thy Wisedome Infinite , and yet knowes not , how to doe away offences , without thy Mercy ; but thy Mercy alone , and of it selfe , both Can , and May , and Will ; and therefore , thy Mercy is the Sanctuary that I flie unto ; and seeing thou delightest , in shewing of mercy , Behold , I shew thee a large Field here , wherein thou mayst shew it ; a Multitude of my great sinnes , for a Multitude of thy great mercies . And because sinnes are Pollutions ; and no way to doe away Pollutions so well as by washing ; Therefore wash mee thorowly from mine Inquitie , and cleanse me from my sinnes ; I must confesse , I was at first afraid of thy washing ; for thou didst once wash the whole World ; and then , thou didst wash away the sinners , but not the sins ; and if thou shouldst wash mee so ; It were as good for me , to be unwasht ; but I consider , that washing was in thy Iustice : the washing I desire , is in thy Mercy ; and I should not have dared to pray thee to wash me : if I had not prayed thee first , to have mercy upon me ; for it is thy washing in mercy onely , that washes cleane ; thy washing in Iustice , washeth cleane away . But why is David so preposterous in making his sute ? To pray God , to wash away his sinnes ; before he make his confession , and tell what his sinnes be ? As a man , that should require his Physician to cure his disease ; without telling what hee ailes ; and what his disease is . But is it not , that the ardour and burning heat , which David felt of his sins ; made him , as it were , to leape into the water , at the very first ; crying out to be washed ; quite forgetting all order , through the violence of his ardour ? much like to Saint Peter ; who through heat of desire , to be instantly with Christ whom hee saw upon the water ; never stayed , but girt his coate about him , and leapt into the water , clothes and all . Or is it , that David might well require to be cured of his disease , without telling it ; being come to a Physitian , who knew his disease better than himselfe ? Or is it indeed , that to tell our disease , is part of our curing ; to confesse our sinnes , is an act of our washing , and therefore no preposterous course in David , to pray for washing , before confessing ; seeing no confessing is truly sound ; which hath not its beginning , and is not proceeding from Gods washing ? But how can wee answer this to God ? Hee saith unto us by Esay ; Wash you , Make you cleane ; meaning , it seemes , we should wash our selves ; and now we come to him to wash us ; as though wee should say ; If you will have us be washed , you must come and doe it your selfe ? Indeed , both must be done ; God must wash us , and we must wash our selves : but Gods washing , is not like our washing ; Gods washing is by the fire of his Spirit ; our washing is by the water of contrition : Gods washing is by pardoning ; our washing by repenting . Peter washed himselfe , when having denied his Master , he went out , and wept bitterly : Christ washed him , when he prayed for him , that his faith might not faile . David washed himselfe , when for griefe of his sinnes , he watered his bed with teares ; God washed him , when hee sent him word by the Prophet Nathan , that his sinne was forgiven . And indeede , if God wash us not with his water of pardon ; the water of our owne teares , will doe no great good : It may wet , but not wash ; or wash , but not cleanse , if God put not our teares into his bottle , which onely can give them the power of cleansing . For Esau had a floud of teares to wash himselfe withall ; but God never put them into his bottle : they were teares for his punishment , but not for his sinnes ; and therefore they might wet , perhaps , but they never cleansed . Oh then , Put my teares into thy bottle , O God : for they are teares for my sins , and not for my punishment ; and then wash mee with them , and I shall be cleane . My teares , God knowes , are of themselves too cold , unlesse they be warmed by the fire of Gods Spirit ; but if wee bring the water , and God bring the fire : then indeed a fit Lexative will be made to make us cleane . O then , warme the cold teares of my repentance with the fire of thy Spirit , O God ; and then wash me with them ; that my repentance it selfe being first cleansed , may be made effectuall to cleanse mee from my sinne . Our owne washing is of it selfe imperfect ; and makes us ne're a whit the cleaner : because wee mis-take the water , as Pilate did ; who washed his hands from Christs blood , where hee should have washed them in Christs blood ; but thy washing , O God , is never without cleansing ; for thou canst not mis-take the water , who art the water thy selfe ; and not in a Cesterne , but the Fountaine it selfe . We wash our selves commonly , but as the Pharisees wash their cups ; onely the out-side ; and this makes us but Hypocrites : but thy washing . O God , is alwaies inward ; for , Thou searchest the hearts and reines ; and this is the washing that makes the true Israelite , in whom there is no guile . When Naaman was cured of his leprosie , by washing in Iordan ; did God then wash him ; or did Naaman wash himselfe ? Indeed both ; Naaman washed himselfe , by obedience and confidence in Gods power ; God washed him by giving power to the water , and confidence to Naaman . But this power , was but a personall estate to Iordan ; it hath no such power in cleansing of mee : the water that must cleanse me , is the water that flowed out of my Saviours side ; and in confidence of the power of that water , I humbly prostrate my selfe before thee , O God , and say ; Wash mee thorowly from mine iniquities , and cleanse mee from my sinnes . But why should David speake so superfluously ? Vse two words , when one would serve ? for , if wee be cleansed , what matter is it , whether it be by washing or no ? Yet David had great reason for using both words ; for hee requires not , that God would cleanse him by miracle , but by the ordinary way of cleansing ; and this was washing ; he names therefore , washing as the meanes ; and cleansing as the end : hee names washing , as the worke a doing ; and cleansing as the work done : he names washing , as considering the agent ; and cleansing , as applying it to the patient : and indeed , as in the Figure of the Law there was not ; so in the Verity of the Gospel , there is not any ordinary meanes of cleansing , but only by washing : and therefore out of Christ our Saviours side , there flowed water and blood ; water to wash us , and blood to cleanse us : water , to make the laver of our regeneration in Baptisme ; and blood , to make the laver of our expiation in Christs sacrifice : but though the words seeme here , to be thus distinguished ; yet otherwhere , they are oftentimes promiscuously used ; and as well cleansing , as washing referred to this water : as well washing as cleansing , referred to this blood . But what meanes David , to say , Wash me from mine iniquity , and cleanse mee from my sinne ; as though hee would be washed from one thing , and cleansed from another ? and not be cleansed from that for which hee is washed ? But is it not , that iniquity and sinne , though called by divers names , are both the same thing ; but called iniquity , as being a transgression of the Law ; called sinne , as being an offence against God ? Or is it , that in sinne there is both a staine , and a gu lt ? ; and hee prayes to be washed from the staine , and cleansed from the guilt ? Or is it indeed , that he useth divers words , to shew that he askes forgivenesse for all his sinnes , by what name or title soever they be called ? But is not this an indignity , to the great Majestie of God ? we put our meanest servants to wash our clothes , and will we put God to so meane an office , to be a Launderer of sinnes ? Yet see the humility of Majesty , an humility , even to extasie : he descends yet lower ; not onely to wash our sinnes , but to take our sinnes upon him . It seemes Saint Peter indeed , was in this errour , to thinke it an indignity : and therefore would not by any meanes suffer , that Christ should wash him ; untill he heard Christ say ; unlesse I wash thee , thou canst have no part in mee ; and then hee cried , Not my feete onely , but my hands and my head : and is not this my case also ; that unlesse God wash mee , I can have no part in him ? And will I lose my part in God , for want of washing ? Oh therefore my soule , prepare thy selfe for this washing ; put off thy clothes , and strip thy selfe starke naked ; keepe not so much as fig-leafes about thee , either to hide thy sinnes by contumacy , or to cover them by hypocrifie , or to sleight them by indulgency ; but lay them all open and bare before the face of God ; that whil'st nothing is interposed betweene Gods water and thy sinnes ; it may without impediment have full liberty to worke upon thee . But what though God doe wash us ? are wee sure his washing will alwaies cleanse us ? Why is it then , that he saith ; I have purged thee , and thou wast not purged : for may he not as well say ; I have washed thee , and thou wast not cleansed ? and if not cleansed , as good not washed . Oh therefore , Not wash me onely ; but cleanse me from my sinnes ; that as in washing , thou shewest thy Love : so by cleansing , thou mayest shew thy Power ; seeing it is an office , which as none will be willing to undertake , but he whose love is unspeakeable : so none can b● able to discharge , but he whose power is uneffable . For , can washing be without touching ? And would any man foule his fingers , to touch so foule a thing as my sin ; if hee did not love exceedingly ? Can cleansing mee , be without doing a Miracle ? for seeing it cannot more truely be said , that I have sinne , than that I am sinne ; what is it now to cleanse mee , but even laterem lavare ? which was never counted lesse , than either a labour lost , or a miracle wrought : and can any doe mira●les , but hee , whose power is unlimited ? Oh then , Wash mee from mine iniquitie , that I may praise thee for thy Love ; and cleanse mee from my sinne , that I may magnifie thee for thy Power ; which , as I shall doe both , if once I be cleansed : so I am able to doe neither ; untill I be washed . For alas ! O Lord , what am I , but as a filthy ragge before thee ? Who am I , but the man by the high way side , lying bound and wounded ? No meanes at all left mee ; to wash , much lesse to cleanse my selfe ; They must be both thine owne , thine only worke , O God , both to wash me , by thy preventing grace ; and by thy assisting grace to cleanse mee : Oh then , cleanse mee from my sinnes , O God ; let not the foulenesse of my sinnes , make thee unwilling to wash mee : Let not the reluctancy of my flesh , make thee unable to cleanse me ; but make thy worke of washing mee , to prosper in thy hand . Oh wash mee ; but not as Simon Magus was washed ; who came fouler out of the water , than he went in ; but as the Eunuch was washed ; who came so cleane out of the water , that hee was ready to runne thorow fire and water , for thy names sake : and by his washing , was made a fit Minister , for the washing of others . And now , O great God , since it hath pleased thee , to descend to so low a worke as washing mee ; O wash mee thorowly ; not rince mee onely ; as though I were but lightly stained ; and had but some small spots upon mee ; but wash mee thorowly , as having a leprosie that over-spreads mee ; a foulenesse that is deeply engrained in mee ; so deeply , O God , that nothing but a washing by thine owne hand can fetch it out . And yet stay ; why should I put God to this trouble of washing me at all ? seeing I have an easier way of cleansing , taught me by the Centurion in the Gospell ; Speake the word onely , and I shall be cleane ; or , if this be still too much ; an easier way yet taught mee by another ; Si vis , potest me mundare ; If thou wil● , thou canst make mee cleane . O gracious God ; whether it be by washing ; or , by speaking the word ; or , by thy will onely to have it so ; whatsoever be the meanes , let this at least be the effect ; that though I be not made bright , which is more than I can be , yet I may be made cleane , which is no more than I must be ; for I am not of the Pharsees minde , to thinke my selfe cle●ne enough already ; But , I know mine iniquity , and my sinne is ever before me ; although , perhaps , it be a knowledge , I were better be without : For , Christ knew no sinne ; which wee may be sure , hee should have done , if it had beene worth the knowing . Christ indeed knew no sinne in himselfe ; but he knew sinne in it selfe ; he knew no sinne by committing it ; but he knew sinne by understanding it . My misery is not that I know sinne ; but that I know my sinne ; that I have sin of mine owne to know . Christ knew no sinne , because he could not say ; I know my sinne : but I know my sin , because I cannot say , I knew not sinne : And yet who will believe , that a man knowes sinne , that will be medling with it ? Wee say , there are no miracles now adaies in the world ; and can there be a greater wonder than this ; that a man should know sinne , and yet commit it ? should know the foulenesse of sinne ; and yet lie wallowing in it ? should know the horrour of sinne ; and yet runne head-long into it ? But is it not , that wee are all in this , the children of Adam ? Our eyes are not opened , till wee have eaten of the forbidden fruit ; wee know not sin truely , till wee have committed it ; wee see not the foulenesse , till we feele the guiltinesse ; and this makes mee say now , which I could not so well say till now ; I know mine iniquities , and my sinne is ever before mee : for , they were strangers to me before ; and I knew not their conditions ; but now I finde what they are ; and am sicke of their company : They were indeed pleasing to me in the doing ; but are now most loath some , being done : They stood behind me at first , as servants waiting upon mee ; but are now ever before me , astormenters seazing upon me ; that if ever I loved them before ; I hate them now a thousand times more . But why should David make it so great a matter , to say , I know my sinne ; as though a man could commit a sinne , and not know it ? as though Adam could eate of the forbidden fruit , and not know hee had eaten it ? Adam indeed knew his eating ; yet hee knew not his sinning ; he knew his nakednesse , but he knew not his guiltinesse ; if when he answered God ; I know my nakednesse , he had said , I know my sinne ; hee might , perhaps , have tarried in Paradise still ; that we may see , how hard a thing it is to say , I know my sinne , which cost Adam no lesse than Paradise before he could say it . And how much easier came David to be able to say , I know my sinne ? For , doe wee thinke hee could say it , as soone as hee had committed it ? No , nor almost a whole yeere after ; that as we may say of Adam ; it cost him a great place : so wee may say of David , it cost him a long time , to learne to say , I know my sinne . But how can David say , I know my sins ; and yet in another place , said , Forgive me my secret sinnes ? For , if hee know them ; how be they secret ? and if they be secret , how doth he know them ? Indeed , both David , and every one of us , hath sinne enough to serve both turnes ; not onely , because sinne is of a greater size in Gods sight , than it is in ours ; and therefore leaves much for him to see , which to us is secret ; but because also , there are many actions in our life ; which we so lightly passe over , as if we thought them no sinnes ; perhaps , thought them Vertues ; when yet in Gods sight , they are grievous sinnes . David had committed a great sin , which hee could not choose , but know to be a sinne ; and therefore might justly say ; I know my sinne ; but that his sinne had caused Gods Name to be blasphemed ; this was a sinne he knew not , till God himselfe did tell him : and from hence he might justly suspect hee had cause enough in other sinnes , to say ; Forgive me my secret sinnes . Saint Iames saith , In many things wee offend all ; this wee all know ; and gives us all just cause , to say ; I know my sinne ; but what those many things are , in which wee offend ; and what those offences be , which in many things wee commit ; this , many times we know not : and gives us as just cause to say , Forgive mee my secret sinnes . But alas ! my soule , I must not stay here , onely to know my sinne ; and keepe it to my selfe , as though I thought it a Jewell , which none might know of , for feare of losing it ; but in this , I acknowledge the great favour of God , that as I know my sinne ; so I acknowledge my sinne : For , farre be it from mee , I should be found of Sauls disposition ; to thinke to make God believe , that I saved the fat of the sheepe for sacrifice ; when I saved them for mine owne profit ; this hiding a sin , is a greater sin than the sinne it hides : For , it is an affront to Gods omnipotency ; Adams Fig-leafes proved as hurtfull to him as the forbidden fruit ; for nothing laies our sinnes so open to God , as our seeking to hide them ; and although it be often times dangerous to acknowledge a fault to a civill Magistrate , who without our acknowledging could not know it ; yet there can be no danger , to acknowledge our sins to God ; who knowes them already , whether wee acknowledge them or no : Our acknowledging them to him , is not a discoverie , but the first degree of recovery ; and seeing I am now travelling to repentance ; how is it possible , I should ever come at it , if I acknowledge not my sinnes ; which is the first step to it ? and therefore , howsoever I am guilty of many great and hainous sinnes ; yet of this sin , of hiding my sinne ; thou canst cleare mee , O God ; for , I acknowledge mine iniquity , and my sinne is ever before me . But yet , what good will the knowing , or the acknowledging my sinne doe me ; if I let it slip from my heart , as soone as it is off my tongue ? If having once acknowledged it , I cast it behinde mee , and thinke no more of it ? Behold , therefore , O God , I set it before mee , and am alwaies beholding it : It is ever before mee in Meditation ; for I cannot but be thinking still , how foolish I have beene , to procure thy displeasure , though it had beene Regni causa ; for the gaining of a Kingdome ; how much more to provoke thine anger , for the pleasing onely of some idle fancie ? It is ever before me in remorse ; for it is ever running , as a sore in my mind , that against thee onely have I finned ; againstwhom onely , I should not have sinned ; much like the fault of our first Parents ; who seeme to have eaten of that fruit onely ; of which fruit onely , they should not have eaten . It is ever before mee in prospect ; for , looking earnestly upon sinne ; I can see nothing i● i● , that should make any man to love it : It is deformed and crooked ; it is foule and ill-favoured ; it is unsound and diseased ; it is old and wrisled , that I wonder at my selfe , how I was ever gotten but once to embrace it ; yet I see wi●all , it paints and makes a faire shew ; it perfumes , and makes a sweete smell ; it is in profession , an Angell of light , and carries Apples in its hand , of the tree of Good and Evill ; that would entice any man. It is ever before me in terror ; waking , me thinkes I heare the Judge pronouncing sentence of condemnation against mee ; fleeping , I am frighted with dreames no lesse fearefull ; If a leafe doe but wagge , me thinks it threatens me ; If a Bird doe but chirp , it seemes to accuse mee ; I am frighted with light ; and jealous of darknesse : For , how can I choose but feare , lest all thy creatures have set themselves against me ; who have so unnaturally ; so unloyally ; so ungratefully for my sel● against thee ? For , Against thee , against thee onely have I sinned ; not against Heaven ; not against Earth ; not against Angells ; not against men ; for to these I never vowed allegeance ; nor stand engaged : but against thee onely ; against thee my Father ; and so have ●inned in disobedience : Against thee my soveraigne Lord ; and so have sinned in rebellion ; against thee my Benefactor ; and so have sinned in ungratefulnesse ; that whil● no grace hath beene found wanting in thee , that might have kept me from sinning ; no grace hath been found in me , to keepe me from sinne . But i● there not matter here to make us at a stand ? For , to say , against thee I have sianed ; is most just and fit : but to say , Against thee onely I have sinned ; seemes something hard . It had , perhaps , beene a fit speech , in the mouth of our first Parent Adam ; he might justly have said to God ; Against thee onely have I sinned ; who never sinned against any other : but for us to say it , who commit sins daily against our neighbours ; and specially for David to say it ; who committed two notorious sinnes against his neighbour , and faithfull friend Vriah , what unfitter speech could possibly be devised ? But is it not that these actions of David , were great wrongs indeede , and enormous iniquities against Vrias ; but can wee properly say , they were sinnes against Vriah ? For , what is sinne , but a transgression of Gods Law ? And how then can sin be committed against any , but against him only , whose Law we transgresse ? Or , is it , that it may justly be said ; Against thee onely have I sinned ; because , against others , perhaps , in a base tenure ; y● onely against God in Capite ? Or , is it , that David might justly to say to God ; Against thee onely have I sinned ; because , from others he might appeale ; as being a King , and having no superiour ; but no appealing from God ; who is King of Kings ; and supreme Lord ouer all ? Or is it , that wee may justly say ? Against thee onely I have sinned ; seeing Christ hath taken ; and still takes all our sins upon him ; and every sin we commit , is as a new burthen laid upon his backe , and upon his backe only ? Or is it lastly , that I justly say , Against thee onely have I sinned ; because in thy sight onely I have done it ? For , from others I could hide it , and did conceale it ; But what can be hidden from thy All-seeing Eye ? And yet , if this had beene the worst ; that I had sinned onely against thee ; though this had beene bad enough , and infinitly too much ; yet it might , perhaps , have admitted reconcilement ; but to doe this evill in thy sight ; as if I should say , I would doe it , though thou stand thy selfe and looke on ; and as it were in defiance ; what sinne so formidable ? what sinne can be thought off ; so unpardonable ? A sinne of infirmity may admit Apologie ; a sinne of ignorance may find out excuse ; but a sinne of defiance can have no defence . But hath not David a defence for it here ; and that a very just one ? For , in saying , Against thee only I have sinned , that thou mightst be justifyed in thy saying ; doth hee not speake , as though hee had sinned , to doe God a pleasure ? therefore sinned , that God might be justified ? And what can be more said for justifying of a sinne ; then to say it was done for justifying of God ? But far is it from David , to have any such meaning ; his words import not , a lessening , but an aggravating of his sinne ; as spoken rather thus ; because a Judge may justly be taxed of injustice , if hee lay a greater punishment upon an offender , than the offence deserves ; therefore to cleare thee , O God , from all possibility of erring in this kinde ; I acknowledge my si●s to be so hainous ; my offences so grievous , that thou canst never be unmercifull in punishing , though thy punishing should be never so unmerciful : For , how can a Judge passe the bounds of equity ; where the delinquent hath passed all bounds of iniquity ? and what error can there be , in thy being severe , when the greatnesse of my fault is a Iustification of severity ? That thou canst not lay so heavie a doome upon mee , which I have not deserved ? Thou canst not pronounce so hard a sentence against me , which I am not worthy of : If thou judge mee to torture ; it is but mildnesse : If to die the death , it is but my due : If to die everlastingly , I cannot say , it were unjust . Yet in judgement , O Lord , remember mercy ; consider not how foule I am become ; but how I am become foule ; for though my sinne be great , yet I was not the beginner of it ; for , Behold , I was borne in iniquity ; and in sinne hath my mother conceived me ; And seeing my birth did not amend my conception ; how should my growth amend my birth ? Did not sinne , at least the Authour of sin , heare thy voyce , when thou saidst , Encrease and multiply ? Which , though not spoken to him , yet , as an Intruder , hee claimes to have a part ; and seeing all the parts of my soule and body have increased and growne greater since my birth ; will not hee looke , that si●ne also shall have a share in growing , as well as they ? Doth any thing grow so fast as a weede ? and is there any so very a weede as finne ? hath it not beene growing ever since I was borne ; and can so fast growing , in so long growing , make lesse than a Monster ? And am I a fit Champion to encounter Monsters ? Indeede I encountred a Beare , and slue him ; a Lyon , and killed him ; a Giant , and overcame him : but these were no Monsters , at least no Monsters to be compared with sin . Oh the monstrousnesse of sin ! farre harder to be vanquished than all the Monsters that ever Nature made ; for I could vanquish a Beare , a Lyon , Giant , the greatest of Natures Monsters ; but with all my forces have not beene able to vanquish this Monster Sinne. But why am I partiall towards my Parents ; and charge my poore Mother with conceiving mee in sinne ; but let my Father passe without blame ? Or , is it , that to say , I was borne in sin , is as much as to say , I was begotten i● sinne ; and so my Father hath a share of my sinne in begetting mee ; as well as my Mother in conceiving mee ? Indeed , if Eve had only sinned , and not Adam ; it might have beene said , wee were conceived in sinne ; but not , perhaps that we were begoten in sinne ; or if Adam had ●ly sinned , and not Eve ; it might have beene said , we were begotten in sinne ; but not , perhaps , that we were conceived in sinne : but now that Adam & Eve , have both of them sinned ; it is justly said : I was begotten in iniquity , and in sinne ●ath my Mother conceived mee ; and so , we are all of us , sinners now of the whole blood ; both by Father and Mother ; and no Inheritance so sure to us from them , as this of sinne ; and in this Inheritance we are all great husbands ; whatsoever becomes of Naboths Vineyard , wee commonly make sure worke to improve this ; and we seldome leave , till wee can leave more of it to our children , than wee received from our Parents : and seeing no diseases are so incurable as those which come Extraduce , from either of our Parents ; how incurable must sinne needes be , which is Extraduce , from them both ? If I were onely borne in sinne ; then all the time I lived in the little world of my Mothers wombe , I must have beene without sinne ; and so might hope , thou wouldst at least have some respect , to that time of Innocency I lived there : But now , that not onely I was borne in sinne , but my Mother also conceived mee in sinne ; now I was a sinner assoone as a creature , and not one minutes time of Innocencie to plead for my selfe . And now , alas ! O Lord , What couldst thou ever looke for at my hands , but onely sinne ? The Leopard cannot change her spots ; no more can I that am conceived in sin , conceive any thing but onely sin : It is naturall to me ; and Nature will have her course . But though it be naturall to mee to sinne ; yet it is not naturall to me , to sinne so grievously as I have done ; for then every one should be as great a sinner as my selfe ; but now , that I must say with Saint Paul , Of all great sinners , I am the greatest ; this is an estate of sinne , which I have not by Inheritance , but by Purchase ; and I cannot blame Nature , but my selfe for this : all the help is , that though I might be ashamed to doe it ; yet I am not ashamed to consesse it ; and is not a sincere confessing , in the ballance of thy Mercv , O God , of even weight with the not doing ? and therefore , although the sinne I conf●sse be great ; and being great , must needes be greatly displeasing to thee ; yet this conf●ssing my sinne to be great ; cannot be displeasing : For , Thou lovest truth in the inward affections ; and this my confession comes from thence : For , there is a truth in words , when it is without lying ; as Saint Paul saith , I speake the truth ; I lie not : but this truth reacheth not home to confessing of sinnes : and there is a truth in deedes , when it is without lying ; as Christ said of Nathaniel ; Behold a true reacheth , in whom there is ●o guile : but neither doth this truth rea●h home to confessing of sinnes ; but there is a truth in heart , when it is in sincerity : as it is said here , Thou lovest truth in the inward affections , and this is the truth that carries home the confessing of sins , to its full period . For though thou lovest all truth , and every where ; yet the truth of the inward affections , thou affectest most inwardly ; for this is properly within thine owne survey ; soeing thou only art 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the trier and searcher of the heart and reines . Truth of words may have for its motive , vain-glory and praise of men ; truth of deeds , awe of the Law ; but truth in the inward affections , can have no motive , but onely the love of truth ; which therefore must needs be pleasing to thee , who art thy selfe , both Love and Truth . Where thou lovest truth , thon teachest wisedome ; and because thou lovest truth in the inward affections ; thou teachest wisdome , in the secret of the heart ; and who can come to teach it there , but onely thou ? Superficiall and Externall wisdome , is the gift oft-times of Nature , sometimes of Art ; but this wisedome in the secret of the heart , is onely Gods Advowson ; none can give it ; none bestow it ; but God himselfe , and hee alone . Wherefore , O God , though I have not hated that which thou hatest , the committing of sin ; yet seeing I have loved that which thou lovest , the truth of heart ; thou hast taught me wisdome in the secret of my heart ; though thou didst not give me the grace to prevent sin ; yet thou hast taught me the wisdome to repent sinne ; a wisedome which none can haue , unlesse hee be taught ; and none can teach but onely thy selfe ; a wisedome which cannot be had , but in the heart ; and no where in the heart , but in the secret of the heart . A man may have the wisedome to see his sinne , by the outward eye of the heart ; and hee may have the wisedome to understand his sin , by the common sense of the heart ; but he cannot have the wisedome to repent his sinne ; but onely in the secret , and innermost of his heart . And we need not wonder , that God only is the Schoolemaster of this wisedome ; seeing the wisedome of the world is not capable of it ; it is a secret , hidden from carnall eyes : It is as hard a matter to feele the power of repentance , in the soule ; as to believe the resurrection from the dead , in the body ; both great secrets ; but this , perhaps , the greater ; as being indeed , the ref●rrection of the soule . There are wisedomes of divers sorts in the heart of man ; the voluptuous man hath a wisdome , to accomplish his desires ; the worldly man hath a wisdome to gather riches ; the Politician hath a wisdome , to compasse his ends ; but all these wisedomes are but floating in the heart ; or rather but hovering about the heart , as the Crow about the Arke ; they enter not into the secret of it ; not bring into the heart , as the Dove into the Arke , the Olive branch of peace : For when the minde bethinkes it selfe , and dives into its owne bottome ; it findes no place for these distended and swelling wisedomes ; which indeed , the secret of the heart h●th not roome enough to receive ; onely the contracted wisedomes of Humility and Repentance , can find harbor and entertainment there . But though a little roome will serve humility ; yet as little as it is it must be cleane ; ●nd what one cleane● have I , in my whole heart ; to give Humility or Repentance entertainment ? O therefore ; Purge me with Hysop , and I shall be cleane ; Wash mee , and I shall be whiter than snow . But did not the washing I had before , make me cleane ; and what neede then , of any more cleansing ? It seemes , that washing was but onely for a preparative to purging ; to make it worke the better ; at least it went not so farre , as the secret of the heart : And seeing the foulenesse of my sinne , hath pierced my heart to the very bottome ; no remedy now , but I must be purged , if I will be cleansed . But doe I well , to prescribe to God , with what hee shall purge mee ; as though I knew , all Gods Medicines as well as himselfe ? and which is worse ; I to prescribe , and he to minister ? But excuse me , O my soule ; it is not I that prescribe it to God ; it is God , that prescribes it to me : for Hysop is his owne receit ; and one of the ingredients prescribed by himselfe , to make the water of separation for curing the leprosie . But why then with Hysop ; and not with Ellebor , or Scammony tather ? For how else happens it , that Gods purging should not worke ; as he saith himselfe : I have purged thee , and thou wast not purged ; but that hee gives purges of too weake operation ? for Hysop , God knowes , is but a weake purger ; it searce reacheth to amend the errours of the first digestion ; and how then is it possible , it should ever be able to purge away my sins ; which have tainted my blood ; and are growne , as it were , a part of my very substance ? But is it not , that Gods arme , is of a strange strength ; and can put force into the weakest Instruments ; and therefore , can doe more with Hysop , than all the world besides can doe with E●lebore ? But it is indeed the great Love , or rather indulgence of God ; that he will never use Ellebore where Hysop will serve ; never use roughnesse and severity , where lenity & mildnesse may be effectuall . Reserve then , O God , thy Ellebour and thy Scammony for more stubborne and reluctant humors ; ` Purge me with Hysop only , and I shall be cleane . I must confesse , I was glad at heart , when I first heard Hysop spoken of ; to thinke , I should be purged so gently ; and with a thing , that may so easily be had ; for Hysop growes in every garden ; and then I thought I might goe fetch it thence ; and purge my selfe ; but now I perceive , this is not the Hysop , of which Salomon writ , when hee writ from the Cedar , to the Hysop : but this Hysop is rather the herbe Grace ; which never grew in garden , but in that of Paradise ; and which none can fetch thence , unlesse God himselfe deliver it . The truth is ; this Hysop was sometimes a Cedar ; the highest of all trees , became the lowest of all shrubs , only to be made this Hysop for us : For , Christ indeed is the true Hysop ; and his blood , the juyce of Hysop that onely can purge away my sins ; that I need not now feare the weaknesse of Gods purge ; seeing this Hysop farre exceeds , not only Ellebore and Scammony , but all the strongest drugs , that ever the earth brought sorth . Purge me then , O God , with this true Hysop , and I shall be truely cleane ; Wash me , and I shall be whiter than snow . But how is this possible ? All the Diers upon earth , cannot die a red into a white ; and how then is it possible , that my sins which are as red as scarle● ; should ever be made , as white as snow ? Indeed , such retrogradation is no worke of humane art ; it must be onely his doing , who brought the Sun ten degrees backe , in the Diall of Ahaz : for God hath a Nitre of grace , that can bring , not onely the rednesse of scarlet sins ; but even the blacknesse of deadly sins , into its native purity and whitenesse againe . But say it be possible ; yet what need is there of so great a whitenesse , as to be whiter than snow ? seeing snow , is not as paries dealbatus ; a pain●d wall ; white without , and foule within ; but it is white , intus & in cute ; within and without ; thorowout and all over : and what eye so curious , but such a whitenesse may content ? yet such a whitenesse will not serve : for , I may be as white as snow , and yet continue a Leper still ; as it is said of Gehezi ; that he went out from Elisha , a Leper as white as snow : it must be therefore whiter than snow ; and such a whitenesse it is , that Gods washing , workes upon us ; makes within us : for no snow is so white in the eyes of men ; as a soule cleansed from sinne , is in the sight of God. And yet , a whiter whitenesse than this , too ; for being purged from sin , we shall induere stolam albam ; put on the white robe ; and this is a whitenesse , as much whiter than snow ; as Angelicall whitenesse is more than Elementar . But may we not conceive rather , that in saying , Purge mee with Hysop ; it is not meant purgando ; but aspergendo ; that so , there may be two degrees exprest , of using the juyce of this Hysop : one when it is , but a sprinkling only ; yet enough to take away the foulenesse of sinne ; another , when it is a full and thorow washing ; which besides the cleannesse , addes also a beauty ; and that to admiration . Indeed , the least drop of Christs blood , the true juyce of this Hysop ; makes fit to stand in the congregation of the righteous ; but a full bathe of it gives a high degree , in the Hierarchie of Saints and Angells . Howsoever , we may plainly see a great difference , betweene the washing that was spoken of before ; and the washing that is spoken of here ; as great a difference , as betweene cleannesse and whitenesse ; for that washing was to cleanse us ; but this washing is to whiten us ; of that it was said ; Wash mee , and I shall be cleane ; but of this , it is said ; Wash mee , and I shall be whiter thau snow : and therefore upon this , it presently followes ; and very justly ; Make mee to heare of joy and gladnesse ; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce . For , white is the Embleme of joy : and where the Embleme of whitenesse is once had ; the Motto of joy and gladnesse will not long be behind . But we must be whited first ; for while the blacknesse of sinne remaines in the soule ; there can be no Embleme of whitenesse engraven upon it : but if once we be whited by Gods washing ; and have the Embleme upon us ; this Motto , wee may be sure , will be added to the Embleme ; Hee will make us heare of joy and gladnesse . And the like may be seene , in the kindly order of Gods Physicke : First , a Purge ; and then , a Cordiall ; having purged us with Hysop ; hee will make us to heare of joy and gladnesse ; but wee must be purged first : for while the peccant humours remaine in the soule ; there is no place fit for the Cordiall of joy , but if the humors be purged by the Hysop of repentance ; then the heart will be lightened ; and the spirits refreshed ; and the Cordiall of joy and gladnesse will have its full operation . But had David ever any returne of this Petition ? Did God ever heare it , or grant it ? Oh , the wonderfull graciousnesse of God! he heard it , and granted it ; made a returne ; and that presently ; and by a sure mouth ; the mouth of the Prophet Nathan ; Behold , God hath forgiven thy si● ; for this , no doubt , was the joy , which David here makes sute to heare of ; for what joy of what Jubile , can make the broken bones rejoyce ; but this onely , that wee be at peace with God , through the remission of our sinnes ? David was happy , that had a Nathan by whom to heare it : but by whom may wee have hope to heare it ? Indeed , as happy in this , as David : for though wee have not the same Nathan , in individno , yet we may truely say , wee have him in specie ; and the same message of joy , which that Nathan told to David ; our Nathans tell us , when they say ; Hee pardoneth and absolveth all them , which truely repent ; and unfainedly believe his holy Gospel : which though we heare , perhaps , as words of course ; yet it is the very same joy , which David here , makes such earnest suite to heare of . But why should David pray to God ; to make him heare of joy and gladnesse ; and not rather doe , as his sonne Salomon did afterward ; gather Gold and Silver ; get him men-singers , and women-singers ; and so make joy and gladnesse to himselfe ? Alas , my soule ! these are joyes to be repented of ; and not joyes to repentance ; for , but for such delights as these , I had never fallen into these sorrowes ; they have been my snares , and cannot now be comforts ; it is not all the delights and pleasures of the world , that can ease one pang of a penitent heart . The sorrowes are spirituall , and must have spirituall joyes ; thou , O God , hast caused the sorrowes , and thou only canst Minister the comforts ; Qui Vulnera fecit Solus Achilleo tollere more potest . But say , O my soule ; how came thy bones to be broken ? hath this beene the worke of Gods Hysop ? Is the breaking of bones , the gentle purging that was talk'd of ? What could Ellebore or Scammony have done more ? and yet thou canst not wonder so much , at the force of Gods purging , to breake thy bones ; as thou mayst wonder at the force of his Cordiall , to make thy broken bones rejoyce ; and that which thou mayest wonder at more ; the same Hysop is both the Cordiall and the Purge : wonderfull indeed , that the same thing , should both breake the bones ; and make the broken bones rejoyce : yet so it is ; for this Hysop , is not only a cleanser ; but a knitter and binder together : and as by the force of cleansing , it breakes the bones ; so by the vertue of knitting together , it makes the broken bones rejoyce ; for , what greater joy , to broken bones , than to be knit together ; and made whole againe ? It was not I , God knowes , that broke my bones ; I could never have had the heart to doe it : It is thou , O God , didst breake them ; and that , in Mercy ; for thou knewst , that unlesse my bones were broken ; my sin , that is bred in the bone , could never be thorowly purged away . And now , O God ; if I be not purged enough already ; purge mee yet more , and purge mee still ; untill I be made more white than snow : but then , make mee to heare of joy and gladnesse : for , without this Cordiall , I shall faint in my purging ; and shall never be able to goe thorow , with thy course of Physicke : For my bones are already broken ; and I have scarce any blood left me in my veines ; but if thou give me this Cordiall of joy and gladnesse ; my strength will returne ; and my broken bones will be made whole againe . But why is it said ; Make mee to heare of joy and gladnesse ; and not said rather ; Make mee to feele joy and gladnesse ? For , were it not better to feele joy ; than onely to heare of joy ? but indeede , wee cannot feele this joy , unlesse wee heare it first : and if once wee heare it ; it is then our owne fault , if wee doe not feele it . For , what is this joy , but that , of which the Angels brought tidings to the Shepheards ; Behold , I bring you tidings of great joy ; This day is borne to you a Saviour ; one that shall make whole againe all broken bones ; seeing he is one , of whom there shall not a bone be broken . But what is this to us , that , his bones be not broken , if ours be ? Great good to us , if wee be purged with this Hysop ; for then wee shall be united , and knit unto him ; made flesh of his Flesh ; and bone of his Bone ; that if his bones be sound , and not broken ; our bones shall quickly withall , recocover soundnesse . And yet a greater joy , to be heard of , than this ; for then indeed , wee shall heare of our greatest joy ; when wee shall heare this voyce : Arise , thou that sleepest , and stand up ; and God shall give thee light ; for at the hearing of this voyce ; all bones , though broken into a thousand pieces ; though burnt , or beaten to dust and ashes ; shall all come together , and be knit together ; and shall be covered againe with this very flesh ; and in this flesh , I shall see my Redeemer . And now , O my soule , thou mayst comfort thy selfe in hope ; that though thy bones be broken now , yet a time will come , when they shall rejoyce ; and should never indeed rejoyce , if they were not now broken ; for this is a world for breaking of ●ones ; but we look for a new heaven , and a new earth ; when for their breaking now , they shall have beautie for ashes ; and a garment of gladnesse , for the spirit of heavinesse . But , O mercifull God , put mee not off so long for my joy ; my broken bones , will be in a worse case , than Lazarus body was after foure daies burying ; if thou let mee lie so long in the grave of thy displeasure ; my case requires a present remedy ; and a remedy may be applyed , in the turning of a hand , at least with the turning of a face : onely Turne away thy face from my sinnes ; and my broken bones will quickely rejoyce : For , to turne away thy face from my sinnes , is to turne away thine anger for my sinnes ; and to turne away thine anger , is to receive mee into grace ; and if of this I might be once assured , it would make my broken bones more nimble to leape for joy , than Abraham was to see thy day ; for , as it was the apprehension of thine anger , that broke my bones ; so nothing can set them together , and put them in joynt againe ; untill I be secured of thy Grace and Favour . But am I well advised , in praying God , to turne away his face from my sinnes ? For , am I not so wholly over-spread with sinne ; that if he turne away his face from my sinne ; he must needes turne it away from me too ? and then , in what horrour of darknesse should I be left ? But is it not , that thy Wisedome , O God , is so transcendent , that thou canst easily abstract the sinner from the sinne ? and then the more thou turnest thy face from my sinne ; the more thou wilt turne thy face upon mee ; and the more I shall enjoy the light of thy countenance . If thou shouldst not turne away thy face from my sinne ; but stand looking upon it ; alas , O God! it would be a worse sight , than that which Cham saw in his fathers nakednesse ; and a good sonne turned away his face from that ; and canst thou be a good Father , and not turne away thy face from this ? God forbid , thou shouldst ever say to me , as thou didst once to our first Parent ; Adam , Where art thou ? a question that was never asked , but when it was followed with a curse . For why shouldst thou aske , where I am ; but that thou canst not see , where I am ? and how can it be , thou shouldst not see , where I am , but that thou canst not see mee , for sinne ? Vse then , O God , the transcendency of thy Wisdome ; abstract mee from my sinne ; and make my sinne and me , two severall objects ; that turning thy face from my sinne , thou mayest turne it upon mee ; and not need to aske me where I am ; but mayest see mee where I am ; and by seeing mee , make mee enjoy the light of thy countenance . But is my sinne so pleasing a prospect ; that I should need to feare , lest God should stand looking upon it ? Indeede , after his first creation , he looked upon all his creatures ; and saw them all exceeding good , and this was a prospect , worth his looking on ; but my sinnes , O God , are none of thy creatures ; there is no goodnesse at all , to be seene in them : therefore looke not upon my sinnes ; but upon my repentance ; and in this thou shalt find , veter is vestigia formae ; that thou needst not to alter thy style ; but say still ; It is exceeding good . But seeing , if thou turne away thy face from my sinne ; thou must needs turne it , upon something else ; upon what is it indeed , I would have thee to turne it ? Vp on mee ? No. Vpon my repentance ? Neither ; but though not upon my sinnes , yet upon him that hath taken my sinnes upon him ; that as in him , thou art well pleased ; so through him , thou mayest be well pleased with mee ; and with my repentance . But what safety is it to me , that God turne away his face ; if his eares stand open ? for my sinnes are crying sinnes ; and it may be , as hurtfull to me , that God heare their cry , as see their foulenesse : For , what brought Caine to all his misery , but that God heard the cry of his sinne ? but know , O my soule , that God consists not of parts ; though our weake capacities expresse him so ; and if wee expresse him by parts ; know also there is an absolute and sweet harmony betweene them , in God ; that if his face be turned away from seeing the foulenesse of our sinnes ; his eares shall never stand open , to let in their crying . But what am I the better , that thou turne away thy face from my sin ; if my sin continue , and remaine upon me still ? For it is not the bold Nature of sinne , to be alwaies pressing into thy sight ; and as it were , forcing thee to see it , whether thou wilt or no ? Oh therefore , not onely , turne away thy face from my sinnes ; but blot my finnes out ; that as by turning away thy face , thou mayest not see my sinnes : so by blotting them out , I may have no sinnes to be seene . But if God turne away his face from my sins ; how shall he seee , to blot them out ? Not therfore , faciem cognitionis ; faciem but indignationis , not his face with which , he sees all things : but his face , with which , he frownes upon evil things . But are not my sins themselves blots ? and how can blots be blotted out ? they are blots indeed upon my soule ; but they are faire Characters in Gods Booke ; and there is a relation , betweene Gods Booke and my soule ; that if they be blotted out in his Booke ; they shall never be legible in my soule . But , O gracious God ; I dare not trust to this neither : for though by blotting them out , they may be made not legible ; yet the very blotting them out , will be a marke of remembrance , that they were once there ; and is it not a fearefull thing , to thinke , thou shouldst but once remember them ? Oh therefore , not onely blot my sinnes out : but Create in me a cleane heart ; that as by blotting them out , they may be made not legible : so by creating in mee a cleane heart , there may be no marke of remembrance , that ever they were written . Indeed , this blotting out of sinnes ; is but an Ablative case in the worke of sanctification ; the Dative is of much more use : for this Dative is the giving mee a new hear● ; and seeing the heart is the beginning of life ; by having a new heart , I shall begin a new li●e : and the sinnes of my old heart , shall be no more remembred . O great God , into how many severall formes of ossi●tance , doe wee miserable sinners , diversifie thy glorious Majesty ? We made thee first , our Landerer to wash us ; then our Physitian , to purge us : and now our Creatour , to new make us ; and indeed there was no staying , till we came hither : Our Dove can find no rest , for the sole of her foote , till she returne into this Arke againe ; for if my sin were only a foulenesse ; it might be help'd with washing ; or if only a steining ; it might bee help'd with purging ; but seeing it is a totall and absolute corruption ; now nothing can helpe it but a new Creation . But how should David come to be so foule ? was it by conversing with Bathsheba ? but what foulenesse could hee take from her , who came but then , newly out of her Bathe ? O my soule , it is not a Bath of Milke and Roses , that can make a cleanenesse in Gods sight ; God hath strange eyes ; he can see foulenesse in Bathsheba , though comming out of a neate Bath ; and can see cleanenesse in Ieremy , though comming out of a dirty dungeon ; he can see foulenesse upon Dives , for all his deliciousnesse and dainties ; and can see cleanenesse upon Lazarus , for all his 〈◊〉 amongst the Dogges . This David knew 〈◊〉 , and therefore all his suit is still for cleanenesse ; Wash me , and cleanse me from my sinnes ; Purge me with Hysope , and I shall be cleane ; Create in me a cleane heart , O God ; All for cleanenesse still ; for hee knew , if hee could get cleanenesse , hee should have a Beauty which the Starres want : for the Starres are not cleane in Gods sight ; he knew , that by having a cleane heart , he should not onely be fit for God to see ; but fit to see God ; as Christ said : Blessed are the cleane of heart , for they shall see God : and then , if to be seene of God , be the greatest glory ; and to see God the greatest happinesse ; O how glorious and happy , must a cleane heart needs be , that is made capeable to enjoy them both ! O therefore , Create in me a cleane heart , O God ; and renew a right spirit within me : for thou hast not so finished thy worke of creation ; but that thou reteinest thy power of creating still : and wherein canst thou better imploy that power , than in creating of cleane hearts ? It was a worke of infinite glory , to be the Creatour of Heaven and Earth ; yet to bee the Creatour of cleane hearts ; is of all thy workes of glory , the most glorious worke . And indeed , were it not better for me , and more ease for God ; to create in me a cleane heart , once for all ; than to be so troubled , with continuall purgings and washings , as now he is ? as now I am ? for alas , O Lord ! thou maist sooner purge my heart out of my body ; than purge sinne out of my heart ; but that it will alwaies , be returning to its vomit ; and I shall breake thy rest continually , with importuning thee to wash me . But why doe I pray to God , for a cleane heart ; and not as well for cleane eyes , and cleane hands ; seeing these also , have there share in foulenesse , as well as that ? But is it not , that these are but the Emissaries of the heart ; and do all they do , by the hearts direction ; that if the heart bee cleane , these also will bee cleane of course ; mine eyes will be cleane ; and never looke more , after any more Bathshebaes ; my hands will be cleane ; and never bee more imbrued in the blood of any Vrias . But , did not God , create in me a cleane heart once already ? & yet how foule is it grown now ? and what hope is there , if he create in me , a new cleane heart ; but that it will grow as foule , as this I now have ? But can it properly be said , that God did ever create in me , a cleane heart before ? He made me one indeed , but he created me none ; hee onely created Heaven and Earth : as it is said ; In the Beginning , God created Heaven and Earth ; and of that Earth , he made me a body ; and in that body , a heart ; so I had a made heart , before ; but no created heart till now ; for made , is of matter praeexistent ; but created is of nothing : although therefore my made heart , being made of dust , hath alwaies beene apt to gather dust ; yet my created heart , as made of nothing ; will have nothing in it , from whence to gather foulenesse . But O my soule , trust not to this ; for , though there should bee no foulenesse in the heart it selfe ; yet the stinch of the prison , in which it lies ; will he alwaies can●e enough to breed in fection : unlesse thou canst get ●ome such sove raine persume ; that may keepe out i●l aires ; and keepe the place sweer : On therefore , n● onely Create in me a cleane heart ; but 〈◊〉 a right Spirit within me ; for this 〈◊〉 spirit , makes a better perfume , than that of Tobies fish● ; to keepe all uncleane spirits , from commi●●eere the heart . As therefore Moses 〈◊〉 , the Genesis of man ; by saying , that God first made him a body ; and then brea●hed a soule into him ; so David describes here , the Palingenesis of man : by saying . Create in me a cleane heart and renue a right spirit within me ; that if Nicodemus had well understood this Psalme of David ; he needed not to have made such a wonder at Christs speech , when he said ; Except a man be borne againe ; he cannot enter , into the Kingdome of Heaven : for what is it , to be regenerat and borne againe ; but to have a cleane heart created ; and a right spirit renued in us ? If only a cleane heart be created ; and not withall a right spirit renewed within me , this will be but Vehiculum sine Anriga ; and I shall presently fall in othe mire of sin again ; and grow as foule , as ever I was before : but if thou vouchsafe to adde a right spirit to my cleane heart ; this will keepe mee right in the paths of righteousnesse ; and then , as I now praise thee for making me cleane ; so I shall praise thee as much , or rather much more , for keeping me cleane . Thou , O God , that art the Maker ; art also the renner of all things ; yet I aske thee for re● of nothing in me , but onely a right spirit : my veeres are waxed old , and vanished away as a 〈◊〉 ; yet I require thee not to renue them my ●reneth is d●yed up like a po●sheard ; and my moysture is t●rned into the drouth of summ●r ; yet I require thee not to renue them : All my worldly friends , are either taken from mee , or gone from me ; yet I require thee not to renue them : all that I require thee to renue to mee ; is , only a right Spirit : for , so long as this right spirit remained with mee , and was my guide ; I walked b●tore thee in all uprightnesse ; I durst then say ; s●arch mee , O God , and try mee ; Examine my heart and my reynes ; but as soone as this spirit grew to decay , and waxed faint within mee ; I present ly begun to falter in my steps ; my iniquities multiplyed so fast , that they quickly grew to be m●han than the haires of my head ; every thing was a temptation unto me ; and every temptation prevailed against mee ; but now , O God , Renue a right spirit within mee ; and this right spirit will s●t all right that is amisse in mee , because it is a right spirit ; will renue & quicken all that is dead and dull within me , because it is all spirit . But what more good will a right spirit doe , when it is renued ; than it did before , when it was first given ? If it prospered not at the first planting ; what assurance of prospering at the second ? but is it not , that a right spirit , in a created heart , may stand firme ; though in a made heart , it gave ground and failed ? and specially when it is a right spirit renued ; seeing renovation is alwaies with addition of strength ; and no part of a house , is commonly so strong , as that part is , which is newly repaired . Secundae cogitationes are sapientiores ; and secundi conatus are fortiores . Though once going about Hiericho , did the walls no hurt ; yet the going about them , again and againe , made them fall to the ground : though one Cocke crowing , wrought nothing upon Peter ; yet the second times crowing , made him weepe bitterly ; Oh then , Renue in mee a right spirit , O God ; and the walls of my sinfull Hiericho , will fall to the ground ; the stupour of my dull braines , will resolve into teares . When sin seeks to enter , and to get entertainment with us ; it makes us believe , we shal be like Gods ; but when it is once entred , & hath gotten possession ; it leaves us to finde , wee are not so much as fit for Gods company . And it seemes , as though we were put to our choyce here ; whether wee will have sinnes company , or Gods ? for both wee cannot have : if entertaine sinne ; then we must take our leave of God : if enjoy Gods presence ; then we must give no entertainment to sinne : a hard choice to flesh and blood ; but a right spirit resolves it presently : Cast mee not off from thy presence , O God ; let mee enjoy that ; and as for sinne , I utterly renounce it , though it should present it selfe to me , in greater pompe , than Salomon clothed , in all his royalty . I had rather live one day in thy courts , to enjoy thy presence ; than to live accounted the sonne of Pharaohs daughter : and Methuselahs age , in all the pleasures of the world . Doe wee see , how the presence of the Sunne , cheeres up the aire ; makes glad the earth ; and enlightens the whole world : and can we not see , the wonderfull effects of comfort , which are wrought in the soule , by the presence of God ; in comparison of whom , the Sun is not so much as a moate in the Sunne ? If it be thy pleasure , O God ; to withdraw thy presence from mee , to make mee sensible of my weaknesse ; yet cast mee not off from thy presence , in displeasure , to make mee despaire of thy Love. If thou wilt needs put a veile upon thy face , to keepe mine eyes from seeing thee ; yet let it be , but as the veile upon Moses face ; to keepe mine eyes from dazeling . It is potion bitter enough , to be deprived of thy presence , though done in never so faire a manner ; but to be cast out of thy presence , as done in anger ; what is this , but to give mee gall and wormewood to drinke ? If I needes must die ; let it be upon the top of Nebo ; where I may see the land of Canaan before mee ; for there , thy presence is to comfort me ; but let it not be in the valley ; where there is no representation of thy glorious presence , to give me comfort . My sinne , O God , I know is such , that may justly make mee to flie from thy presence ; as it once made Adam . when hee hid himselfe from thee ; yet in this case , I may hope thou wilt looke after mee ; as thou didst then vouchsafe to looke after him : but if thou cast me our of thy presence ; and that it be done , by thine owne hand ; Alas , O Lord ! what hope is there left mee , of ever comming into thy presence againe ? As long as I am in thy presence , there is hope ; I may intreat ; and thou art apt to be intreated ; I may fall downe and humble my selfe ; and thou givest grace to the humble : but if it should once come to this , that I were cast out of thy presence ; alas , O God! thou wouldst then be quite of sight ; cleane out of hearing ; that no intreaty could be heard ; no humbling , be seene ; either to give mee the comfort of hope ; or to put me in hope of any comfort . If thou , O God , shouldst cast me off from thy presence ; whom could I hope , to have present with mee ? The Angells would be my guardians no longer ; for they would soone take notice of thy displeasure ; and would never regard , whom thou rejectest . The Saints would be my Associates no longer : for if they found me not in thy presence ; they would presently know , I were none of their society ; and their communion extends no further . And what company then could I hope to have ? Cain , perhaps , and Cham ; the damned crew ; miserable comforters ; or rather no comfo●rs but augmenters of my misery . But yet , O God ; if my sins unexpressable , have made thee unexorable ; and that thou wilt needs cast me off , from thy presence ; at least , Take not thy holy Spirit from mee : For , what were this , but to put me out of thy service ; and then to take away thy Livery too ? Yet as long as I have thy Livery on ; it keepes me in credit ; it gives me countenance ; it leaves me hope , I may be entertained againe ; as long as thy holy Spirit staies with me ; I have one to comfort mee ; one to put me in hope I may be received into favour againe ; in no worse case , than Pharaohs Butler was ; who in disgrace for a time , was afterward restored to his former place ; but if thou take thy Livery from me ; if thou take thy holy Spirit from me ; Alas , O Lord ! I am then utterly undone ; none left to comfort me ; none , to speake for mee : in as ill a case as Pharaohs Baker ; nothing left me to hope in , but a dreame ; and that dreame , nothing but of white Baskets ; out of which , the Birdes shall eate ; but nothing that is good , for mee to taste . If thy holy Spirit , should of himselfe depart from me ; it would be a parting , exceeding grievous unto me ; but for thee , O God , to take him from me ; where the manner of losing , is as much as the losse ; what griefe can be spoken of , so unspeakable ? But having said , Cast mee not off from thy presence ; it may seeme superfluous to say ; Take not thy holy Spirit from me ; seeing , this of necessity followes upon that ; for how can Gods holy Spirit be , but where hee is himselfe ? and how can it tarry with mee , if I tarry not with him ? They both indeed , grow upon one tree ; yet are severall fruites ; Gods presence brings with it , a passive influence ; his holy Spirit an active ; although therefore , O God ; thou barre mee of thy presence , and leave me inglorious ; yet take not away thy holy Spirit from me , to leave me prophane . Thy holy Spirit , is the sanctifier ; and wilt thou leave me to impiety and prophanenesse ? Thy holy Spirit is the Directour ; and wilt thou leave mee , without a Guide , in the most dangerous passages of this wicked world ? Thy holy Spirit is the Comforter ; and wilt thou leave mee Disconsolate , in my manifold miseries ? If thou take thy holy Spirit from me ; what spirit will be left mee , but a spirit of errour ? a spirit of uncleannesse ? a spirit of despaire ? and canst thou for pitty , leave me a prey , to such outragious spirits ? O Lord , though my sinnes be as great as Cains ; yet suffer mee not to despaire like Cain ; though my sinnes be greater than Sauls ; yet suffer me not to distrust thee like Saul ; but , as it is a benefit ; so let it be a pledge of thy presence ; and of thy holy Spirit ; that I can pray unto thee for thy presence , and for the continuance of thy holy Spirit . When I remember , the sweet comforts , I have sometimes found in the motions of thy holy Spirit ; and when I thinke of the joy , I have conceived of thy salvation ; Oh , how my heart seemes to leape within me ; and how am I ravished , with extasies of delight ? and now to thinke this comfort should be taken from me ; this joy should be bereft mee : Oh , what torment ; what death ; what hell can be so grievous ! But how can God cast mee off from his presence , though hee would : Is not God , every where ? and am not I somewhere ? and must I not then , be needs where he is , and in his presence ? God indeed hath a presence of Being ; and this is every where ; and he hath a presence of Power ; and this is every where ; but he hath a presence of Grace and favour ; and this is not every where . His presence of Power , is as well in the Ant , as in the Elephant ; yet it maketh not the Ant an Elephant ; and therefore , this is not the presence , that I desire : his presence of Being is as well in hell , as in heaven ; yet it makes not the hell a heaven ; and therefore , neither is this the presence that I desire ; but his presence of grace and favour , is not as well in the wicked , as in the penitent ; for if it were , it would make the wicked penitent ; and therefore , this is the presence , which I so much long to keepe ; which I so much feare to lose . But why should I feare , least God should cast me off from his presence ? Is not his delight amongst the children of men ? and am not I , one of that Generation ? And why should I feare , lest hee should take his holy Spirit from mee ? was it not hee , that gave it mee at first ? and is he one , that will give a thing , and then take it away againe ? Yet my sinnes make mee , that I cannot but feare ; for why should hee not cast me out of his sight ; who hath wrought so much wickednesse in his sight ? why should he let his holy Spirit stay there , where it is so much grieved ? for , what doe my grievous sinnes but grieve it ? Oh vile sinne ; of what cause thou art the effect ; I know not ; but this I know , thou art the cause of most vile effects ; for thou onely art the cause , that God is like to cast me off from his presence ; thou onely the cause , that God is like to take his holy Spirit from me ; and seeing in Gods presence , there is fulnesse of joy for evermore ; alas , in being cast out of his presence ; what is left mee , but the fulnesse of misery for ever more ! But seeing thou hast not cast me off from thy presence ; but onely removed thy presence from me , because thy pure nature could not endure to stay in a polluted heart ; yet now that I am new made ; and that thou hast created a cleane heart within mee ; Now thou maiest returne ; and restore to me the comfort of thy presence ; the joy of thy salvation ; and by this , thou shalt shew thou didst not take it away , to keepe it away , but to make it more precious in restoring ; thou shalt shew , thou didst not leave mee , to forsake mee ; but to make thy selfe more welcome in returning . But though some things are of such condition , that we finde their goodnesse , more by wanting , than by enjoying ; as sicknesse makes us more sensible of health ; yet this needed not , in the comfort of thy presence , seeing of this there can be no satiety ; and wee can never so well learne to desire thee by wanting thee ; as we are taught to embrace thee by enjoying thee . Although the fuites I make to thee , O God , be many ; yet they are all so subordinate to one another ; that if thou deni'st me one ; it were as good for me , thou should'st deny them all : For what good will it doe mee , to have a clean● heart created in mee ; and thy blessed presence removed from me ? What good , to have a right spirit renued ; and thy holy Spiri● to be taken away ? as if thou should'st supply mee with props , and take away foundations ? The feare of this , lest thou should'st cast mee out of thy presence , and take thy holy Spirit from mee ; hath so deeply wrought upon me , and brought me so low ; that I find no Physicke now so necessary for me , as a Restorative : Oh therefore , Restore to mee the joy of thy salvation ; for this Restorative exceeds not onely all the simples of Nature ; but all the compounds of art ; for what Alchermes ; what Gellies ; what Aurum potabile can be comparable , to this Restorative ; The joy of thy salvation ? But had not this , beene a fitt●r sute for Nabuchodonofor ; from whom , God tooke away at once , his Sense , Reason , and his Kingdome ; than for David , from whom God never tooke any thing that wee know of , but onely his childe begotten in adultery ? yet David will hardly be dr●wne to thinke so ; for heare the moane be makes : Alas , O Lord ! I live now , as it were , cast out of thy presence ; which is more to me , than for Nabuchodonosor , to be cast out of his Kingdome ; I feede now upon the bread of sorrow ; which is more to mee , than for Nabuchodonosor , to feede upon the grasse of the earth : I sit now , as a Sparrow upon the house top ; desolate and disconsolate ; which is more to mee , than for Nabuchodonosor , to have no compauions but the beasts of the field : and yet , O Lord , onely Restore to mee the joy of thy salvation ; and it shall be more to mee , than for Nabuchodonosor to be restored to his Sense ; his Reason ; his Kingdome againe . This joy is to mee , as Isaak was to Abraham ; the whole comfort of my life ; and thou restored'st him to his Father in great compassion ; and wilt thou have no compassion on me ; and not restore my Isaak to me againe ? O mercifull God ; take away my goods ; take away my health ; take away my life ; but take not away this joy from mee , unlesse thou meane to restore it againe ; for without this joy , my goods will doe mee no good ; I shall be sicke of my health ; I shall be weary of my life ; all joy without this joy , is but shadow of joy ; no solidnesse ; no substance in it ; other joyes I can want , and yet want no joy ; but how can I want the joy of thy salvation ; but I must needes fall into the hell of my owne perdition ? Indeed , all these graces , and specially these foure , A right Spirit , and Gods presence ; his holy Spirit , and the joy of his salvation ; are all , I may say , of a covey ; like Partridges that alwaies keepe together : or if at any time , parted by violence ; they never leave calling after one another , till they meet againe : and thus , a right Spirit calls after Gods presence ; his presence , after his holy Spirit ; his holy Spirit , after the joy of his salvation ; and the joy of his salvation , calls after them all . O then , Restore to me the joy of thy salvation : that this covey of thy Graces may be kept together ; and that the mournefull voyce of calling after one another , may no more be heard , to disquiet my soule . But how can God restore that , which hee tooke not away ? For , can I charge God , with the taking away the joy of his salvation from mee ? O gracious God ; I charge not thee with taking it ; but my selfe , with losing it ; and such is the miserable condition , of us poore wretches ; that if thou shouldest restore no more to us , than what thou takest from us ; wee should quickly be at a fault in our Estates ; and our ruine would be as sudden , as inevitable . But why am I so ●arenest for restoring ? for what good will restoring doe mee , if I cannot keepe it , when I have it ? and how shall I more keepe it , being restored ; than I kept it before , being enjoyed ? and if I so enjoy it , as still feare to lose it ; what joy can there be in such enjoying ? O therefore , Not restore it onely ; but establish me with thy free Spirit : that as by thy restoring , I may enjoy it entirely ; so by thy establishing , I may enjoy it securely . Indeed , if thou shouldst only restore it ; and then leave it for me to keepe ; I should presently runne a hazard of losing it againe : but when thou restorest it ; and then confirmest it ; and that with the seale of thy free Spirit ; this gives me an indefeasible estate ; and absolutely frees me from feare of losing it any more for ever . Alas my soule ! what qualmes have these beene ? what floatings betweene feare and hope ? all the comfort is ; that as Hope sets out first , and gets the start of Feare , so it keepes the field last ; and gets the goale from Feare ; For , Hope set●ing out by Gods renewing a right Spirit ; and then disturbed by feare , lest hee should take away his holy Spirit ; gets the victory at last , by being established with Gods free Spirit : for this establishing fixeth our floating ; and frees us from having these qualmes of feare and hope any more : Not , that we can ever bee free where they are ; but that they shall not be , where we are ; not feare ; because in a Haven ; not hope ; because in possession . But what mysterie is it , that David intends here , by his triplicity of Spirits ? A right Spirit ; a holy Spirit , a free and principall Spirit ? Are they not all one holy Ghost ; but divers operations ? called therefore , the right Spirit ; because it directeth us : the holy Spirit ; because it sanctifieth us ; the free and principall Spirit ; because it governes us ? And thus understood ; wee may see , from whence the Collect in our Liturgie was gathered ; which saith : Direct , Sanctifie , and governe us in the waies of thy Lawes ; and in the workes of thy Commandements . Or is it , that hee makes three sutes for three spirits ; as intending to every person , in the Deity , one ? intimating the second person , by the right spirit ; as being the way and the truth ; the third person ; by the holy Spirit ; as being the Author of sanctification ; the first person ; by the free and principall Spirit ; it being Hee , that must say , Fiat , to all that is done ? And thus understood , we may see from whence is framed , that Versicle in our Letanie , which saith : O Holy , Blessed , and glorious Trinity ; three Persons , and one God ; have mercy upon us miserable sinners . And now is David Monte potitus : gotten up , I may say , to the toppe of Mount Gerizim ; after many wearisome and painefull steps . Hee was indeed so oppressed with the burden ; and so fettered with the chaine of his sinnes ; that he seemed as a man distracted ; not knowing in the world what course to take : yet not willing to be wanting to himselfe ; he tries all the waies ; and useth all the meanes hee can possibly devise or thinke of . First , he prayes God , to wash him from his sinnes ; and lest washing should not be sufficient ; hee praies next , to be purged from his sinnes ; but not trusting to these outward meanes ; he thinkes upon a new course ; and praies , to have his sinnes blotted out ; as much as to have Gods Debt-booke cross'd ; yet not satisfied with this neither ; he then flies to inward meanes ; and praies , not onely to have a cleane heart created ; but a right Spirit renued in him ; that so he may be Purus corpore & spiritu : and now one would thinke , he were certainely past all danger : yet even here he falls into the most dismall frights , that ever seized upon a perplexed soule ; for he feares , least God should cast him off from his Presence ; and lest hee should take his holy Spirit from him : most dismall frights indeed ; yet recovering his spirits , he bethinkes himselfe at last , of a way ; that either will serue to make him a free-man ; or he must never looke to be : and that is , to bee established with Gods free Spirit ; and this indeed strikes the stroke ; and therefore this hee makes his Murus Aheneus ; for being now established with Gods free Spirit ; he findes himselfe so free ; that he thinkes himselfe , able to set up a Free-schoole ; and is confident to say ; Then will I teach thy waies to the wicked ; and sinners shall be converted unto thee : Then if thou say unme ; Et t● conversus , converte sratres ; I shall doe it , both boldly and effectually . Boldly ; for I shall teach thy waies to the wicked ; who are but unruly schollers : and effectually ; for sinners shall be converted unto thee ; which is the end of all schooling . And , then if the Angels give a Plaudite to their conversion ; I doubt not , O God , but thou also wilt graciously accept the humble service , of the convertour ; and even thy selfe shalt receive a benefit in thy glory ; by the benefit which I receive by thy pardon ; for , as there have beene many scandalled by my sinne ; so there shall be many reclaimed by my repentonce ; and they , who loved thee not for thy Iustice , shall feare thee for th● mercy ; and the● , who feared thee not for thy mercy , shall love thee for thy justice ; and thy Name shall bee great , amongst all Nations . O happy conversion ; that is not barren , and ends in it selfe ; which was a curse in Israel ; but as a fruitfull mother , continues a race of conversions ; and shall therefore make the Convertour ●hine in Heaven , as a Starre of the greater Magnitude . But am I a fit man , to teach thy waies to the wicked ; who have walked , all my life long , in the waies of wickednesse ? Am I likely to be a meanes for converting of sinners ; who have hitherto beene occasion of perverting the godly ? Thou , O God , that tookest Amos from among the Heard-men of tekoa , to make him a Prophet ; thou also canst take me from among the wicked of the world , to make me , a converter of sinners . I take not upon me , to teach the godly , who may better teach me ; I teach onely the wicked ; None but sinners , are for my Schoole ; I am not a Shepheard to tend the fold ; but to fetch in , strayers : The title of my profession is Dux conversorum ; A guide of converts ; all my Doctrine , is onely Repentance ; and if any such be , that need no repenting ; they need not my teaching ; nor belong to my Schoole . But if any man , thinke repentance , a lesson so easie , that he can take it out , and learne it , without a teacher ; let him but heare the lesson read , which I have learned , and he must ; if he will be a convert . Let him see my eyes swolne , with the floods of my teares ; and so must his be : Let him see me lie groveling under sackcloth and ashes ; and so must hee doe : Let him see my knees brawned with kneeling at Prayer ; and so must his be : Let him see mee goe fasting with bread and water ; and so must hee doe : Let him see my backe goared with stripes of contrition ; and so must his be : Let him see my breast torne , with sighings and groanings ; and so must he doe ; and if all this be not enough , to make a hard lesson ; let him see my heart broken , and shivered with sorrow ; and so must his be . And now let flesh and blood tell me , if this be a lesson to be learned without a teacher ? But if Repentance be so hard a lesson to learne ; how can David be so confident of his teaching , to say , that sinners shall be converted by it ? Indeed , when Kings become Schoolemasters , no marvell , if sinners become converts : For , who knowes not the force of Regis ad exemplum ? But is David then the only Phoenix in this kinde ? Have wee not amongst us at this day ; and long may we have , a King like David ; who , though hee teach not the same lesson that David did : ( for his lesson was onely Repentance ) yet his whole life , is a Lecture of Piety and op●ghtnesse ; a lesson so much better than Davids ; as to be in the first For me of Vertue , is farre more worthy , than to be but in the second ? But , Oh the the u●quier stare of a guilty conscience ! David was much troubled at first , about procuring his cleanenesse : and now hee seemes as much troubled about 〈◊〉 his foulenesse : I● it , the Malus genius of sinne , that is never without feare ; and therefore creeps into all corners ? Or is it , the Bonus genius of Repentance ; that is never without care ; and therefore searcheth all corners ? David had asked God forgivenesse , for his iniquitie ; his sin ; his offences ; his transgressions ; corners enow to meete with any sin , of what kinde soever ; but is it enough to confesse our sins ; and to aske forgivenesse , in generall termes ; and never to make mention of any sinne in particular ? Indeede , where sins be infinite ; it were an infinite labour , to mention them all ; and with all our labour , could never be done : but yet , where there are eminent sinnes ; sinnes like Saul ; higher than their fellowes , by head and shoulders ; not to mention such sinnes , were a kinde of concealing them ; as if wee meant to hide them , in the throng ; that they might passe unperceived ; and there must be no concealing , if we looke for cancelling . Behold then , O God ; an eminent sinne ; a sinne indeede , like Saul ; so high above his fellowes ; that I dare not say what it is , without saying Deliver mee first ; Deliver mee from blood guiltinesse , O God ; thou God of my saluation : and blame mee not , for doubling the Name of God here , seeing it is a deliverance , that requires a double proportion of Gods assistance : For , though every sinne may be said a sin of blood ; as whereof , the wages is death ; yet this actuall shedding of blood , is a sin of the most scarlet-die ; and stands in neede of the greatest measure , of God free Spirit to free it . But what neede David pray God , to deliver him from blood-guiltinesse ? For what blood had hee shed ? much , no doubt , in warre ; but , that was lawfull ; and left no guiltinesse ; and therefore needed no deliverance . But what blood did hee shed unlawfully ? No more did Ahab : No more did Iezabel ; yet as guilty of blood , as if they had shed it . When Magistrates command a thing to be done ; they doe it : When a malicious person , imprecates a mischiefe to be wrought ; hee workes it : When a man plots a villany to be acted ; he acts it ; and in all these waies , though David actually shed no blood ; yet he was as guilty of blood , as if he had shed it . Peralium here , is as much as Perse ; and therefore David knew hee had cause enough to say ; Deliver me from blood guiltinesse , O God. But is there any hope , that this sin of blood , may ever be remitted ? seeing God hath spoken it peremptorily ; he that sheddeth mans blood ; by man , shall his blood be shed ; and can I looke , that God will breake his Word , to doe me a pleasure ? But is it not that Gods threatning , is ever with condition ? For , was it not so in Ninive ? Forty daies , and Ninive shall be destroyed : Yet forty daies came ; and Ninive was not destroyed . Was it not so to Hezekiah ? Set thine house in order , for thou shalt die of this sicknesse : yet H●zekiah died not of that sicknesse ; but lived fifteene yeeres after . I know indeede , that the condition of Gods Will there , though noe expressed , was yet intended : Vnlesse they repented ; but what may be the condition of his will here ? No doubt , Repentance too ; but with ths Codicill annexed : His blood shall be shed , unlesse hee can finde some other , that will shed his blood for him . And alas ! if this be the condition , What am I the neere ? For , where can I finde out any , that will shed his blood for me ? and if I could finde one willing ; where can I find one able ? An eye for an eye ; a tooth for a tooth ; and yet a man may live ; but blood for blood , and who can live , unlesse he be a God ? An Angell cannot doe it ; for hee hath no blood to shed . A man cannot doe it ; for he cannot lay downe his life , and take it up againe ; Thou onely canst doe it , who art both God and man ; Thou God of my salvation ; for thou art the Lamb that was slaine ; and is alive ; and I know , that my Redeemer liveth . And wilt thou shed thy blood for me ; and not deliver me from b●d ? Wilt thou pay a Ransome for me ; and let me be a Captive still ? Wilt thou pay so dearely for a thing , and not take it , when thou hast done ? Oh , Deliver mee from blood-guiltinesse , O God ; and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousnesse . But why should David pray to be delivered from bloods ; as the words indeede are ? For seeing he shed but the blood of Vriah only ; the singular number might well enough have served Is it , that the plotting of Vriahs death , drew with it the deaths of many others ? and so , just cause of praying to be delivered from bloods ? Or is it , that the severall respects of relation in Vriah ; made his blood , as so many severall bloods , in Gods account ? One blood , as of the husband of Bathsheba ; Another , as of Davids owne subject : another , as of an Innocent person : another , as of a faithfull servant : another , as of a silly Lambe , that carried letters of his owne death ; and which is most of all , another , as of one that was venturing his life for David . But if these severall respects , make so many severall bloods ; and every blood must have a deliverance ; where shall wee finde a deliverer of so many respects , to make so many bloods , to serve for deliverance ? Indeed , wee may looke all the world over ; and find none such to be found ; but onely thou , O God , who art the God of my salvation : For , in thee alone , may all the like respects be found : To answer the blood , of the Husband of Bathsheba ; here is the blood of the H●and of the Church : To answer the blood , of King Davids subject ; here is the blood , of the King of Heavens subject : To answer the blood of an Innocent person ; here is the blood of him , who onely could say ; Which of you could reprove mee for sinne ? To answer the blood of a faithfull servant ; here is the blood , of him , who was in the House of God , more faithfull , than his most faithfull servant Moses : To answer the blood of a silly Lambe , that carried letters of his owne death ; here is the blood of him , who carried our flesh , of purpose to suffer death ; and that which is most of all ; to answer the blood of him , that was then venturing his life for David ; here is the blood of him , that was then shedding his blood for them , that shed his blood . But seeing , by this account ; wee finde sixe severall bloods , in Vri●hs , shed by David ; where finde wee sixe severall bloods in Christ , shed by him ? Indeed , just sixe , and no more , nor lesse : One blood , which he sweat in the Garden ; another , which he shed with the stripes of the whips ; another , drawne from him with the prickes of the thornes ; another , which hee shed on the Crosse , with the nailes in his feete ; another , with the nailes in his hands ; and the sixth , which hee shed out of his side , with the point of the Speare . And now , tha● wee have bloods enough , to serve for deliverance ; how shall wee be able to apply them ? Is it not , that they are all recollected ; and put into ●hat cup , of which hee said ; Drinke yee all of this ? For the blood of this cup , is that which washeth away our sinnes ; that which purgeth us with Hysop ; that which renewes a right Spirit within us ; that which restores to us the joy of his salvation ; that which establisheth us with his free Spirit ; and lastly , that which delivers us from bloods ; that , David had great cause to say ; and wee no lesse than hee ; Deliver mee from bloods and blood-guiltinesse , O God , Thou God of my salvation ; and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy Righteousnesse . And now wee may conceive , a match , as it were , to be tryed here , betweene Blood and Repentance ; which of them shall cry loudest , and be soonest heard of God ; Blood cries for vengeance ; and God is the God of vengeance . Repentance cries for mercy ; and God is the God of mercy ; and so they seeme both , upon equall termes yet : but if wee mark● the order of Gods Titles ; wee shall finde his Mercy to take place of his Justice : Misericordia superexaltat judicium ; and therefore Repentance which cries for Mercy ; shall be heard before Blood , which cries for Justice . But if Repentance cannot get it with crying ; shee will at least with singing ; for shee never sung till now ; and now shee sings ; My tongue shall sing aloud of thy Righteousnesse ; where , Blood onely cries , but cannot sing : and seeing singing makes better musicke in Gods eares than crying ; Repentance shall be●eard , when blood shall be put to silence . But how loud will the singing be , when not onely Repentance sings ; but Joy also , which is a loud singer , shall joyne in consort , and sing with her ? and if ever Joy sung , it will sing now : For what geater joy ; than for a bond-man to be set at liberty ? For a man condemned for blood , to be delivered from blood ? and if no joy can be greater than this ; then certainly no singing can be louder than that . But what this song is that Repentance and Ioy joyne in consort to sing ; seeing the sweet singer of Israel , hath not vouchsafed to deliver himselfe : It is not for any man now living , to deliver it : onely wee may conceive , that Repentances part , is Deprofundis ; and that Ioyes part , is In excelsis ; Repentance sings the Hosanna ; and Ioy , the Allelujah . But may we not wonder at David ; how hee dares speake thus to God : Deliver mee from blood ; and my tongue shall sing of thy Righteousnesse ? as though he thought , he might commit a wilfull murther ; and then have his pardon of God , for a song ? and what should his song be of ? of Gods Righteousnesse . But what Righteousnesse is in this ; to suffer a righteous person to be murthered ; and then to set the murtherer free ? As much righteousnesse as this , we may finde in a Iew ; who cryed , Crucifie Christ ; and Deliver Barbas . But , O my soule , forbeare such thoughts ; or rather , tremble at such blasphemies : Remember first , that this song is not for getting of pardon ; but for giving of thankes ; and what thankes so acceptable , as that which is cheerefully spoken ; and what spoken so cheerefully , as that which is sung ? And then consider , what Gods Righeousnesse is : Hee saith himselfe ; His waies are not , as our waies ; and may not wee as well say ; his Righteousnesse is not as our righteousnesse ? Our righteousnesse is blood for blood ; but Gods Righteousnesse● may be a song for a murther . But then consider withall , what this song is ; and how hard a thing it is , to sing of Gods Righteousnesse ; the Angels have enough to doe to sing it ; it is their Allelujah : and seeing the singing this Allelujah , is the chiefest service of an Angell ; what deserves he lesse than an Angels place , that can sing of Gods Righteousnesse ? And that we may see , how transcendent a matter it is , to doe it ; Behold David here , a man farre abler than any of us ; yet finds himselfe not able , so much as to open his lips towards it ; but is faine to call to God for help : O Lord , open thou my lips ; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise : open them ind●ed , to bid Ioab number the people ; and to entice Bathsheba to folly , I can ; but to open them to sing of thy Righteousnesse ; and to shew forth thy praise ; I am utrerly unable , unlesse thou uouchsafe to open them for me : Oh then , open thou my lips , O God ; for else I shall be forced , to breake off abruptly ; and after so many great favours received , be faine to goe my waies without so much as saying , I thanke you . But it shall never be said of David , that hee is so unmannerly ; so ungratefull : If thou but please , to open my lips ; for then , as I have sung this Penitentiall Psalme for my selfe ; so I will sing an Encomiasticall Hymne for thee ; and this * fiftieth Psalme , as well as the fiftieth yeere , shall have its Iubile . If thou open not my lips , neither Repentance will cry , nor Ioy will sing ; but both will be as dumbe , as the Divell in the Gospel ; but if thou open my lips ; my month will turne Organist ; and I shall strive with the Angels , in singing their Allelujah . If I onely open my lips ; they will quickly shut againe ; and there will not be a praise , that is worthy of thee ; but if thou open them ; Thou openest , and no man shutteth ; and then I shall shew forth thy praise to all generations . Thy praise ; but for what ? for thy washing and purging me : for thy creating in mee a cleane heart ; and renewing a right Spirit within mee ; for thy restoring to me , the joy of thy Salvation ; and for establishing mee with thy free Spirit : that wee may know , it is no ordinary opening of lips that will serve ; seing it is not , a single praise ; but a whole troupe of praises , that must come forth at once ; I must praise thee for thy humility ; that disdainest not to make mee cleane ; I must praise thee for thy bounty ; that deniest not to make mee new ; I must praise thee for thy patience , that attendest my repentance ; I must praise thee for thy graciousnesse , that acceptest my repentance ; and before all these , I must praise thee for thy mercy , that art willing ; I must praise thee for thy Power , that artable ; I mst praise thee for thy Iustice , that knowest why ; I must praise thee for thy wisedome , that knowest how ; to forgive mee my sinnes ; and to deliver mee from blood ; but above all these , I must praise thee for thy glory ; that having made the sands of the ●a , the starres of Heaven so innumerable ; yet all of them put together , are not counters enow to summe up thy praises . And now I was thinking , what were fit , to offer to God , for all his loving kindnesses hee hath shewed mee ; and I thought upon sacrifices ; for they have sometimes beene pleasing to him ; and he hath oftentimes smelt , a sweete odour from them ; but I considered , that sacrifices were but shadowes of things to come ; and are not now , in that grace they have beene ; for old things are past ; and new are now come ; the shadowes are gone ; the substances are come in place ; the Bullockes that are to be sacrificed now , are our hearts ; it were easier for me , to give him Bullockes for sacrifice , than to give him my heart : but why should I offer him that hee cares not for ? my heart , I know , hee cares fore ; and if it be broken and offered up by Penitence and Contrition ; it is the only sacrifice , that now hee delights in . But can wee thinke God to be so indifferent ; that he will accept of a broken heart ? Is a thing that is broken , good for any thing ? Can we drinke in a broken Glasse ? Or , can we leane upon a broken staffe ? But though other things may be the worse for breaking , ; yet a heart is never at the best , till it be broken : For , till it be broken , wee cannot see what is in it , till it be broken , it cannot send forth i●s sweetest odour : and therefore , though God love a whole heart in affection ; yet hee loves a broken heart in sacrifice . And no marvell , indeed ; seeing it is even hee himselfe that breakes it : for , as nothing but the blood can breake the Adamant ; so nothing , but the blood of our scape-goate Christ Iesus , is able to breake our Adamantine hearts . Accept therefore , O God , my broken heart , which I offe● thee , with a whole heart ; seeing , thou canst neither except against it , for being whole ; which is broken in sacrifice : nor except against it , for being broken ; which is whole in affection . But is not this to make God a cruell God ; to make him delight , in broken hearts ; as though hee tooke no joy , but in our sorrowing ? No pleasure , but in our tormenting ? It is true indeede ; God delights to be mercifull ; but yet hee delights not to be mercifull unjustly : and justly hee cannot be mercifull , but where hee findes Repentance : and seeing Repentance can never be without sorrowing ; and such sorrow , as even breakes the heart with sorrow ; this makes the broken heart a pleasing sacrifice to God ; because , as a just mans Prayer ties up his hand , as it were , from doing of justice : so a sinners Repentance , sets him at liberty , for shewing of mercy . And now , that I have prayed , and offered sacrifice for my selfe ; shall I forget my Mother Sion ? For , is not Sion , the common Mother of us all ? Shall I forget the glorious City Hierusalem ; whereof I am a member ; and a Ci●izen ? Can I prosper , if my Sion suffer ? Can I be safe , if Hierusalem be in danger ? O then , Doe good , O God , in thy good pleasure to Sion ; Build thou the walls of Hierusalem . But shall I put God to so meane a worke ; to be a builder of walls ? O glorious God ; what fitter worke for thy Allmighty Power ? For what is it , to build the walls of Hierusalem ; but to defend Hierusalem from her enemies ? And what arme of defence , hath Hierusalem to trust to , against the Host of her enemies ; but thine onely , O Lord , who art the Lord of Hosts ? Thou hast indeed , laid a sure foundation in Hierusalem ; but what is a foundation , if there be no walls reared ? A foundation is to build upon ; and to what purpose , if it be n●t built upon ? a●d who is able to build upon it ; but thou , O God , the great Builder of the World , who with thy onely Word , didst buil● the W● ? ●h is a Vineyard , if it have no hedges to fence it ? no more is Hierusalem , if it haye no walls to defend it . For , is it not subject to all sudden surprises ? Lies it not open to all Hostile invasions ? and so , wee should lose the end of Sion , in the midst of Sion ? For , what is Sion , but a Sanctuary for sacrifices ? and how can wee offer thee , the sacrifice , of thankesgiving for our fafety ; if wee cannot offer our sacrifices in safety ? and what safety ; if there be no walls to defend us ? Oh therefore , Build thou the walls of Hierusalem ; and then , as in thy good pleasure , thou hast done a pleasure to Sion ; so thou shalt smell a sweete odour ; and take pleasure in Sion : for wee shall offer thee , the sacrifices of righteousnesse ; With burnt offering ; the offering of a true , though imperfect righteousnesse ; in the Hierusalem here below ; and with whole burnt offering ; the offering of a perfect Righteousnesse , in the Hierusalem that is above ; and we shall offer Bullockes upon thine Altar ; sing our 〈◊〉 upon that Altar , under which the Saints lie now , and sing their Dirges ; their Dirge , of How long , O Lord , Holy and True ; shall be changed into songs of externall Jubilee , Angells and men ; Christ himselfe , and his members , shall all cast downe their Crownes before thee ; that thou onely maist be All in All ; and that thine may be the Kingdome ; the Power ; and the Glory ; for Ever and Ever : Amen . And now , that we have heard the penitent David , make his confession ; and say his Orisons : seene him , make his Oblations , and offer his Sacrifices to God : It may not be unfit , to draw an observation or two ; from the manner of his Leiturgie : and first , that this whole Psalme hath in it , thorowout ; Bimembres sententias ; verses , consisting of two parts : whereof the later , is ever an augmentation of the former ; as when he saith ; Wash me from mine iniquity : It followes , and cleanse mee from my sinnes ; which is more than washing ; and so an augmentation . When he saith ; I know mine iniquity ; it followes , and my sinne is ever before me ; which is more than knowing his sinne ; and so , an augmentation . When he saith ; Against thee onely I have sinned ; it followes ; I have done this evill in thy sight ; which is more than sinning against him ; and so an augmentation . When he saith , I was borne in iniquity ; it followes ; and in sinne hath my mother conceived mee ; which is more than to be borne in sinne ; and so still an augmentation : as likewise in all the rest , if we run them over ; which shewes the great hast that David makes in his journey of Repentance ; and therefore takes two paces at one stride ; and climbes , as it were , two staires at one step . A second observation may be ; that almost all the Psalme thorow , but most apparently in the middle verses . One deprecates the evill ; and the next following obsecrates the good : One expresseth a detestation of his sinnes ; and the next following , an application of Gods Mercies ; like a Gardiner , that with one hand , pluckes up weeds ; and with the other , plants sweet flowers . For , in saying , Purge mee from my sinnes ; he deprecates the evill ; and pluckes up weeds : and in the next following ; Make mee to heare of joy and gladnesse ; hee obsecrates the good ; and plants sweet flowers . In saying , Turne away thy face from my sinnes ; he deprecates the evill ; and pluckes up weedes : and in the next following ; Create in mee a cleane heart ; he obsecrates the good ; and plants sweet flowers . In saying , Cast mee not off from t●y presence ; he deprecates the evill ; and plucks up weedes : and in saying , Restore to me the joy of thy salvation ; he obsecrates the good ; and plants sweet flowers . And by this , he seemes , as it were , to besiege God round with his Petitions ; and to hold him fast with both hands as Iaakob did the Angel : that he may leave him no way to escape ; and be sure not to let him goe without a blessing . Another observation , may be this ; that in all this Psalme , David arrogateth nothing to himselfe , but sinne and misery ; lying wholly at Gods Mercy , for the remission of his sinnes ; and so farre from any ability to satisfie for himselfe ; that hee acknowledgeth in himselfe an utter disability , but to speake a good word ; or but to thinke a good thought : and indeed , we may truely say ; that all the spirits in the Arteries ; all the blood in the vaines of this Psalme ; are but blasts , and drops of the Antheame in Christs Prayer : For Thine is the Kingdome ; the Power ; and the Glory , for Ever and Ever , Amen . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A02170-e300 Verse 1. 20. Verse 2. 20. Verse 3. 20. Verse 4. Verse 5. Verse 〈◊〉 . 20. Verse 7. 20. Verse 8. Verse 9. 20. Verse 10. 20. Verse 11. 20. Verse 12. 20. Vers. 13. Verse 14. Verse 15. * So reckoned by many of the Ancients . Verse 16. Verse 18.