3. Therefore I add, for the truth of his plea he appealeth to God ; and from all those that are affected like David, God will accept of the appeal.
[1.] He could in truth of heart appeal to God : ' Lord, my heart is not haughty.' He appealeth to him who knoweth all things. Lord, from whom nothing is hid, thou knowest that this is the very disposi- tion of my soul. If I have anything, it is from thee ; it is thy pro- vidence which brought me from following the ewes great with young to feed and govern thy people.' Such an holy man would not rashly invoke God, and take his holy name in vain ; but knowing his integrity, durst call God to witness. The 'saints are wont to do so upon like occasions ; as Peter, John xxi. 17, ' Lord, thou knowest all things ; thou knowest that I love thee.' They know they have a God that will not be deceived with any shows, and that he knoweth and approveth them for such as he lindeth them to be. So Job doth in the sincerity
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of his heart appeal to God : ' Behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high,' Job xvi. 19. So Jeremiah, chap. xvii. 16, ' I have not desired the evil day. Lord, thou knowest.' Bold men, that mind not what they say, may falsely and rashly appeal to God ; but it is one thing what some do in passion and with a troubled mind ; as Sarah, Gen. xvi. 5, ' The Lord judge between me and thee ;' and it is another thing what holy persons, divinely inspired, do upon deliberation, and having considered what it is to make an appeal to God out of the trau- quillity of a good conscience, and upon new covenant terms.
[2.] From those that are affected like David, God will accept the appeal ; for in the account of God we are that which we sincerely desire and endeavour to be, and for the general course and tenor of our lives are, thonghth ere be some intermixtures of failing. David saith, ' Lord, my heart is not haughty ; ' and yet he was not altogether free from pride. His profession respecteth his sincere purpose and constant endeavour, and that predominant disposition of his soul. God himself confirmeth such appeals by his own testimony : 1 Kings xv. 5, ' My servant David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, neither departed from all that which he had commanded him, save only in the matter of Uriah.' And yet we have many failings of David upon record. He sinned many other times and ways besides in the matter of Uriah. His distrust that he should perish one day by the hand of Saul, 1 Sam. xxvii. 1, when he had God's promise that he should out- live him. His deep dissimulation before Achish, especially when he tendered his service to him in the wars against Israel, 1 Sam. xxvii. 10. His rash choleric vow to destroy Nabal and all that belonged to him, 1 Sam. xxv. 22, when indeed he had done him, in rigour of justice, no wrong. His injustice to Mephiboshetli, and that contrary to the kindness of his old trusty friend Jonatlian, upon the bare suggestion of a servant and false informer, 1 Sam. xvi. 4, and then restoring but half when he knew the suggestion to be false; he was blinded by reason of state, &c. His fund affection to Absalom, and taking his death with such impatience. His numbering the people, and perhaps some other sinful oversights, are recorded of David, as well as the murder of Uriah ; yet these are passed over in silence ; only his pre- sumi)tuons sin is mentioned. Such a testimony also doth God give of Job, wlien he saith to Eliphaz the Temanite, Job xlii. 7, 'My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends, because ye have not spoke of me that which is right, as my servant Job.' Yet he himself confesseth that he had spoken amiss of God, ver. 3 and 6 ; and in the 3d verse, ' I have uttered that I understood not.' Therefore, ver. 6, he abhorred himself, and repented in dust and ashes. But these things, so inconsiderately spoken by him, fell from him besides his pur- pose, and out of mere human infirmity, and therefore not laid to his charge ; he was right in his main cause, thongh he had his failings. Rash expressions, in a fit of passion, are passed by, when there is not a corrui)t disposition of hea^t. By all this it is shown that the plea of sincerity is allowed by God, though there be some mixture of failings and weaknesses.
Thirdly, The lawfulness and usefulness of it. Is not this boasting like the pharisee ? Luke xviii. 9, ' God I thank thee, I am not like
410 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [SeR. I.
other niieii.' If David were tlms humble, why doth he speak of it ? Is he not gmlt3^of pride while he seemeth to speak against pride? It is a saying of Austin's, Magis Deo 'placet humilitas in malis factis, quam superhia in botiis factis — Humility in bad actions is more pleas- ing to God than pride in good actions,