Chapter 31 of 150

1Understanding. When David had sinned and somewhile neglected to confess his fault, God's mercy by affliction made him to understand his own estate, who then repenting, confessing, and sorrowing for his sins made this Psalm which is therefore entitled Understanding: or, Instruction of David. It giveth us also to understand, and to know, saith S. Augustine, that we must neither trust in our own merits, nor presume to escape punishment of sin. Thy first understanding therefore or lesson, must be, to know thy self to be a sinner. The next is, that when with faith thou beginnest to work well by love, thou attribute not this to thine own strength, but to the grace of God.Vnderstanding. VVhen Dauid had sinned and somewhile neglected to confesse his fault, Gods mercie by affliction made him to vnderstand his owne estate, who then repenting, confessing, and sorowing for his sinnes made this Psalme which is therfore intitled Vnderstanding: or, Instruction of Dauid. It geueth vs also to vnderstand, and to know, saith S. Augustin, that we must neither trust in our owne merites, nor presume to escape punishment of sinne. Thy first vnderstanding therfore or lesson, must be, to know thy self to be a sinner. The next is, that when with faith thou beginnest to worke wel by loue, thou attribute not this to thyn owne streingth, but to the grace of God.

1Whose sins are covered. 2. Not imputed. Calvin and his complices gather poison of these holy words, denying that sins are truly taken away, but only covered, and still remain say they in the justest. Which sense would make this Scripture contrary to other places. Isaie 6. thy iniquity shall be taken away, and thy sin shall be cleansed. John 1. The lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. Acts 3. Be penitent and convert, that your sins may be put out. 1. Cor. 6. you are washed, you are sanctified, you are justified. And the like, which shew the true real taking away of sins, true sanctification, and justification. As S. Jerom (or some other ancient authentical author) explicateth this place saying: Sins are so covered by baptism and penance, that they are not to be revealed in the day of judgement, not imputed in him that diligently purgeth himself in this world, or by martyrdom. S. Augustine teacheth the same saying: Sins are covered, are wholly covered, are abolished. Neither must you understand (saith he) that sins are covered, as though still they were, and lived. Why then did the prophet say; sins are covered? they are not to be punished. More clearly, li. 1. c. 13. cont. duas Epist. Pelag. The Pelagians calumniating Catholics, as if they taught, that sins are not taken away, but shaven, as hairs are cut with a razor; the roots remaining in the flesh: which (they answereth) none affirmeth but an infidel. Likewise S. Gregory teacheth, that a sinner covereth his sins well, when with contrary virtues he overwhelmeth former vices, and with good deeds blotteth out former evil deeds. He covereth them evil, when either for shame, or fear, or obstinacy, or desperation he concealeth his sins, omitting to confess them. God covereth sins, as a physician covereth wounds, by applying medicinal plaster, which in deed cureth them. Thus ancient, learned holy Fathers expound this text. Further explicating, that albeit things covered, and only thereby hidden from men, do remain as they were before they were hid, yet whatsoever is hid to God, is in deed utterly taken away, for nothing that is, can be hid from God. And the contrary doctrine of Protestants is injurious either to God's power, if they say he can not quite take away sins, or to his mercy, if he will not, or to his justice, if he never punish sins ever remaining, and to his truth if he repute otherwise, then in deed the thing is. It is also injurious to Christ, to say, his blood and death is not effectual to take away sins. injurious to innumerable places of holy Scripture, which affirm plainly that sins by God's grace are utterly taken away. Finally it is injurious to Saints in heaven, arguing them as still infected with sins, if in deed sins yet remain in them which is most absurd, and blasphemy to speak. And yet followeth by necessary consequence. For if the justest lived & died in sin, they should remain eternally in sin.VVhose sinnes are couered. 2. not imputed. Caluin and his complices gether poyson of these holie wordes, denying that sinnes are truly taken away, but only couered, and stil remayne say they in the iustest. VVhich sense would make this Scripture contrarie to other places. Isaie 6. thyn iniquitie shal be taken away, and thy sinne shal be cleansed. Ioan. 1. The lambe of God which taketh away the sinne of the world. Act. 3. Be penitent and conuert, that your sinnes may be put out. 1. Cor. 6. you are washed, you are sanctified, you are iustified. & the like, which shew the true real taking away of sinnes, true sanctification, and iustification. As S. Ierom (or some other ancient authentical autor) explicateth this place saying: Sinnes are so couered by baptisme & penance, that they are not to be reueled in the day of iudgement, not imputed in him that diligently purgeth him selfe in this world, or by martyrdom. S. Augustin teacheth the same saying: Sinnes are couered, are wholly couered, are abolished. Neither must you vnderstand (saith he) that sinnes are couered, as though stil they were, and liued. VVhy then did the prophet say; sinnes are couered? they are not to be punished. More clerly, li. 1. c. 13. cont. duas Epist. Pelag. The Pelagians calumniating Catholiques, as if they taught, that sinnes are not taken away, but shauen, as heares are cut with a rasor; the rootes remaining in the flesh: which (they answereth) none affirmeth but an infidel. Likewise S. Gregorie teacheth, that a sinner couereth his sinnes wel, when with contrarie vertues he ouerwhelmeth former vices, and with good deedes blotteth out former euil deedes. He couereth them euil, when either for shame, or feare, or obstinacie, or desperation he concealeth his sinnes, omitting to confesse them. God couereth sinnes, as a phisition couereth woundes, by applying medicinal plaster, which in deede cureth them. Thus ancient, lerned holie Fathers expound this text. Further explicating, that albeit thinges couered, and only therby hidde from men, do remaine as they were before they were hid, yet whatsoeuer is hid to God, is in dede vtterly taken away, for nothing that is, can be hid from God. And the contrarie doctrin of Protestants is iniurious either to Gods powre, if they say he can not quite take away sinnes, or to his mercie, if he wil not, or to his iustice, if he neuer punish sinnes euer remayning, and to his truth if he repute otherwise, then in deede the thing is. It is also iniurious to Christ, to say, his bloud and death is not effectual to take away sinnes. iniurious to innumerable places of holie Scripture, which affirme plainly that sinnes by Gods grace are vtterly taken away. Finally it is iniurious to Sainctes in heauen, arguing them as stil infected with sinnes, if in dede sinnes yet remaine in them which is most absurde, and blasphemie to speake. And yet foloweth by necessarie consequence. For if the iustest liued & died in sinne, they should remaine eternally in sinne.

2Neither is there guile in his spirit. In remission of sins the penitent necessarily must so cooperate, that he have no guile in his spirit, or heart, for if he have, then he faileth of the foresaid blessedness, and his iniquities are not forgiven, nor his sins covered to God, but to be imputed and punished. Yet the repentance of a sinner be it never so sincere, hearty, and without guile doth not merit remission of sin, but only disposeth thereto. But after remission it is satisfactory for the pain due for sins, and meritorious of glory. According as S. Augustine here teacheth saying Good (or meritorious) works go not before faith, and remission, but follow the same.Neither is there guile in his spirite. In remission of sinnes the penitent necessarily must so cooperate, that he haue no guile in his spirite, or hart, for if he haue, then he faileth of the forsaide blessednes, and his iniquities are not forgeuen, nor his sinnes couered to God, but to be imputed and punished. Yet the repentance of a sinner be it neuer so sincere, hartie, and without guile doth not merite remission of sinne, but only disposeth therto. But after remission it is satisfactorie for the paine due for sinnes, and meritorious of glorie. According as S. Augustin here teacheth saying Good (or meritorious) workes goe not before faith, and remission, but folow the same.