lesse earnest to sing this thankes giuing vnto him than Dauid was and seeing the benefites be common to ioyne with him praysing God for them Further we may learne here what lyeth vppon it if we take vppon vs to call other to the prayse of God it is that we our selues first giue example euen as Dauid who as he called others so he leadeth first and sheweth the way to them For if we call others and are deafe our selues if we bid other goe and we siâ—â— still if we pipe and singe to our neighbours and we be not our selues therewith delighted what doe woe but mocke God and condemne our selues Therefore in the 12. of Esaye the faythefull doe not onely exhorte other but they beginne the songe of prayse and thankes giuing them selues I will prayse the Lorde with my whole harte c. Here the Prophet teachethe vs a notable doctrine if we ascribe not to nature as the prophane Philosophers or to starres as vayne men or to fortune as the blinde and couetous or to any other thinge then to the Lorde alone this excellent order which we see in all the worlde or that redemption and these benefites which were bestowed vppon Israell at his departinge out of Egypt but that in bothe we acknowledge onely the wisedome and mercye of our God whose hande and power brought all these thinges to passe Yea let other prayse their Idolls which they fayne vnto them selues with the dishonour of God we will O Lorde acknowledge thee and make mention onely of thy wisedome and louing kindnes and truth that hath wrought this goodly order in all the worlde suche mercies and benefites for thy Churche and suche iudgementes againste the wicked and them that knowe not thy name I will prayse the Lorde with my whole harte Here the Prophet declareth what kinde of thankes giuing and songe this shall be that he purposeth to singe vnto the Lorde not an outwarde and hipocriticall prayse not in wordes onely to come neare vnto him not onely in tongue and mouthe but an hartie an earnest a true songe a songe and Psalme wherein all the partes and powers of his minde and vnderstandinge shall bee ioyned together in as muche as a man is able For he meaneth not that thiâ— songe of prayse shall aunswer to the exactnes of the Lawe wherein we are commaunded with all our harte and soule to serue the Lorde But the whole harte in this place is opposed to a dissembling and hipocriticall harte and as he speaketh in an other place to a harte and a harte that is a double harte So that here is no holde for anye to take that man is able to fulfill the Lawe if we admitte the Holye Ghoste Interpreter of him selfe But alas what should I dispute that man is not able to fulfill that commaundement of the full loue of God which is required whâ— is he that dare dispute for it I aske no other witnesse agaynst himselfe then his owne conscience if he vouchsafe to looke into it Shall he not there see a sea of wicked thoughtes a world of vayne deuises a hell of blasphemies and foule imaginations shall he not see a slaue and seruaunt of the body or rather an infinite number euen so many bonde men to sinne and ministers to Satan as he hath partes and members O the depth length and breadth of that wickednesse that remayneth and dwelleth in vs Well the Prophet teacheth vs that knowe our selues that we come not before the Lorde before whose eyes all our hartes are open and manifest with a face only and shew of godlines but that together with our tongue our spirite and soule be ioyned and so to come to sing or pray vnto the Lorde For if we come before the Lorde eyther hipocritically or negligently let vs be assured that he whose honor we staine by our boldnesse and impudencie will require it of vs to the vttermost It followeth In the congregation and assembly of the iust that is openly and in the face of the Church For that inwarde and darke godlinesse that yet men loue so muche that they will prayse God in their chambers in their studies in their hartes that can not suffice Naye that is no godlinesse whiche in tyme and place will not openly shewe it selfe to the prayse and glory of god But yet this profession and declaration of our seruice that is required of vs is not so muche for the Lordes cause as for our owne certayntie touching our election and for the furtheraunce of the children of God to the lyke by our example And if we consider who this is and what a man he was that speaketh this we will easilye graunte that I woulde proue For who was more diligent earnest and often in priuate prayers then Dauid Howe many nightes are witnesses of his godlynesse in the wildernesse in the mountaynes and caues of the earth in his priuie chamber and in his bedde howe was he accustomed to powre out his spirite before the Lorde Yet we seâ— this godly and great Prophet exempteth not him selfe from publike and common assemblies where the children of God were according to the appoyntmente of God gathered to prayse him and confesse vnto him their sinnes and to heare his worde with other exercises for the encrease of hys fayth and godlynesse But what do I saye that he did not exempt him selfe whiche thought it the greatest benefite vnder heauen to haue a parte and portion in the Churche and communion of Sainctes Therefore in banishment he so be wayleth and lamenteth his state being as it were by tyrannie excommunicated from that Paradise from that earthly heauen I meane the temple when were manyfest signes of the presence of god Not that Dauid knewe not but that he moued and liued and had his beeing in God or that the Lorde would not heare his prayers out of the temple but for the same causes that euery one of vs ought to be so affected to the common places of prayer and hearing the worde and receyuing the Sacramentes was this earnest desire in Dauids heart because there the Lorde had appoynted to be worshipped there the sacrifices to be offred there the ministerie of the Priestes there was the fellowship of Gods children there was a Sacrament of the presence of God which all more fully and clearely and liuely now in euery faythfull congregation gathered according to the worde of God do appeare to vs then they did in the temple And yet who accompteth it as the least parte of his crosse when he is sicke or otherwise hindered from the seruice of God who considereth the happinesse of their feete that treade in the temple of God Who wisheth for his appearance before the Lorde as the Hart brayeth for the riuers of water in the congregation O the wonderfull contempt of the benefites of God and the singuler patience of the Lorde Moyses when the people were kepte with Pharaos hande as with a chayne
shewed already that here is no mention of any speciall and particuler benefits bestowed onely vppon the Prophet but that the causes pertaine as wel to the whole church of God as to him whereuppon it followeth that we vnderstanding this songe and seeing all the partes and vaynes of it we giue our selues to no lesse hartye and earnest praise of God then Dauid hath shewed vs example but that we cast ouâ— eyes aâ— he doth here on euery side to obtaine some furtheraunce and helpe to stirre vs vppe to praise the Lorde let vs then followe the Prophet as it were steppe by steppe and schole by schole that we may attaine to the like zeale Great are the workes c. Here we see the first schole the first maisters doctors that Dauid had eueÌ„ the works of God in the whole worlde Whereby we see what schole the spirit of God trained him vp in to learne to knowe the Lorde a schole in deede most fit to learne the knowledge of God in if we haue the eyes that Dauid had and the diligence which from tyme to time the children of God haue bestowed therein Therefore it is that 〈◊〉 Apostle in the first to the Romaines sayth that which was to be knowen of God that is his eternall power and Godhead may be knowen by them For which cause he condemneth all the wise men of the world euen by these witnesses of the glory of God who though they knew yet learned not by them to worship God as became them that is in spirites But they chaunged the glory of the euerlasting and holy God into the similitude of mortall and vncleane beastes Therefore in the first Epistle to the Corinth the Apostle calleth it wisedome which God set before the worlde when they were without the word and had onely his workes for bookes to read vpon Therefore last of all the Apostle calleth these workes of God the rayne and seasonable weather and ioy of harte witnesses of god We see then that that is in deede a schoole of wisedome by the doctrine of the Scriptures which also may appeare vnto vs by the effectes of that excellent and high knowledge which the Philosophers attained euen by them onely How many of them knewe the prouidence of God Howe many the immortalitie of the soule the creation of the world and many other truthes without the written worde of God But as th Apostle sayth they attained not to that poynt to worshippe him aright by these things but they mingled their deuises and imaginations together with the truth and their foolish harts were darkened that attained not to any profitable knowledge further then to make their condemnation iust But they might haue learned by them the feare and worship of God as Ieremy also witnesseth accusing the Iewes that euen by the blessinges of God they did not learne to feare him who so mercifully blessed them They might well haue learned seeing that we moue and liue and haue our being in God as certaine of their owne Poets taught them that Gods power is infinite euerlasting that there is one God aboue all things to whom onely honor and worshippe is due They that require further to see what the Heathen haue learned euen by reason I referre them to Iustine Martyr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where he setteth forth largely all that they vnderstoode by the workes of god If then the workes of God so clearely and manifestly haue shewed vnto men onely wise and cunning in thinges not pertayninge vnto saluation so muche of the knowledge of God it is a shame that we hauinge not onely the workes of those men but also our owne experience and the worde of God which teacheth vs further of these workes that men of them selues vse to seeke if we become not verie excellentlie and perfectlie learned in those things which the workes of the Lord do teach vs For we may not thinke that the heaueÌ„s were made to gape on or the earth for to tread vpon the creatures of God for vs and we for our selues but we must euen out of all them learne much wisedom concerning the knowledge of God and most out of our selues But we haue not that mind to profit that other of the children of God haue shewed and are leâ—t for our example Why are we not all SalomoÌ„s that be in Camb. that haue such helpes meanes left and lent vnto vs of God for our furtheraunce in the knowledge of the things that God hath made Nay we are as the most rude and ignoraunt men and yet seeke not for better If we looke to the heauens it is a sealed booke vnto vs we know nothing of those quarters we can not heare that excellent sound and noyce and same of God that they sound to his praise If we looke vnto the earth vpon the fruts herbs trees we can not read we knowe no more then is good for the pot for our bellies greater knowledge we neither folow nor desire I am perswaded that if that care had bene in men that might and ought to haue bene neuer a one of vs wheÌ„ we were first bachelers had bene so rude and ignorant in these most noble arts which many yet know not almost by name as we are nowe euen after some yeares that we haue taken the profession of them vpon vs we may take heede by the ignorance negligence of the daies that are past if we haue not such amongst vs as can teach them let vs by rewards and liberall stipends prouoke some to the study of them who may be after lightes to other therein Sure the least pece of learning coÌ„sisteth in vnderstanding quiddities and I thinke meanes might be fouÌ„d to haue euery scholler in this house within foure yeares if men had humble mindes that they woulde harken to other although then inferiours not onely well learned in the three noble tongues but also in the seuen liberall artes sciences This is peraduenture vnsauery to some and seemeth to haue small edification but to him that iudgeth a right he shall finde that in Colledges and in Trinity Colledge it should seeme hye time for men to lay their handes to it if we looke either for godlines or learning to florishe in it For howe shall we see into the workes of God without eyes howe shall we heare without eares and howe shall we vnderstand what they meane if they still lye hidden from vs They are all great excellent notable but as Dauid sayth sought out and searched and inquired into And if we stand to consider them from Behemoth of whom we read in Iob to the Oistrich from the Egle to the flie from the Cedar of Libanus to the Isope that groweth vpon the hill from the starres of heauen to the dust of the earth from the Angells of God to the wormes that creepe vpon the grouÌ„d These are the bouÌ„ds of our knowledge in the workes of god
These are our borders limites wherein to stay yet we thinke we are greatly learned in Philosophy if we knowe almost one of them or a few quiddities of materia prima and such like thinges Oh that we propounded vnto vs at the last true good knowledge souÌ„d profit absolute learning that man would with a cotage life seeke to labour to his power to attaine vnto it But Dauid here noteth our fault when he saith they are sought out of them that delight therin For wherein is our delight but in vanities but in play but in pride but in idlenes but in pleasures but in eating and drinking and losing the time Here is matter for Magistrates to looke vnto who are to be desired to heare by our actes exercises of learning how we go forwards and if they find vs not as the sonnes of the prophets but sonnes of Beliall to thrust vs out of the Colledge giue our places to those which will be better then we O Lorde kindle in vs the feare of thee that for coÌ„science we may behaue our selues diligently in our vocation in those studies whereby we may profit in the knowledge of thee That abandoning al vaine delights which as the lightning are soone extinguished we may set our mindes studies vppon such thinges as may serue to the setting forth of thy glory through Iesus Christ Amen Because of the singular notable zeale coÌ„cerning the praise of God in the congregation which Dauid professed promised in the first verse I haue entred the examinatioÌ„ of the whole Psalme to se the reasons causes the argumeÌ„ts proues which Dauid had Wherfore so to stir vp al his wits all his hart and soule in this songe The last time speakiÌ„g of the 2. verse at the which this praise of god beginneth as it were beginning this anatomye at the head looking nearely eueÌ„ for the beginning infancy of Dauids zeale coÌ„sidering the first scholes masters which he had I fouÌ„d theÌ„ al in this verse Great are the works of the Lord c. For here the Prophet fetcheth draweth eueÌ„ as from the furthest fouÌ„taines this prayse of god Now it followeth in this third verse Praise and glory are his workes c. which declareth vnto vs the same doctrine of the praise of the workes of God which we did see in the former verse For in these two sentences he comprehendeth that knoweledge of God which may be vnderstoode out of the creatures of God in the whole world but he speaketh here more particularly distinctly of that knowledge which may here be learned of those which looke diligently for them and delight in the consideration of them For it is requisite both because we are dimme of sight the Lorde workes haue like the courtaines of SalomoÌ„ their beautie within that we hold our eyes neare vnto them and put our heades as it were within them to coÌ„sider them if we will see those things in theÌ„ which Dauid a most excellent interpreter noteth and poynteth at Praise glory c. Let vs first examine this that he sayth praise and glorye c. the meaning of the Prophet is that the Lorde hath in such wisedom counsell made his works that euen by them may appeare to al that consider them the praise and glory of the Creator which doctrine he had in the verse before declared but not so clearly manifestly for here he expoundeth what he ment before when he called them great or excellent that is full of the praise and renowme of the maker perfect maisters of Gods wisedom excelleÌ„t teachers of his glory most sufficient witnesses of his praise This doctrine although it was declared partly before in the expositioÌ„ of the former verse yet it may not be either tedious to you nor greuous to me some thing more to speake of the same seeing the holy Ghost vouchsafeth â—o stand vppon it And we may thereby vnderstand that the doctrine of the praise of God taught by his workes is not lightly smally to be estemed seing the spirit of God witnesseth it vnto vs by repetitioÌ„ True it is that the word of God is the hie and principall maister of the knowledge of God in the Church of Christ as we shall see in the next verse the teÌ„ple wherein his glorye most appeareth but notwithstanding these are helps appointed of God to the raysing of our mindes to his glorye mouing vs being bodies with bodily things therfore vnles we be forgetfull of our weakenes we may not neglect the ordinary meanes The Prophets holy men of God whose loue zeale of the Lordes glory is left for our example haue labored in them profited by them to the praise of god Let vs therefore followe them and namely Dauid in this place Let vs followe the same steppes and wayes which he hath trode before vs Let vs stande with him as it were in the middest of the worlde and lifte vp our eyes to heauen and after caste them downe vpon the earth yea lette vs beholde euen our selues with those eyes which we see Dauid to haue done in the 139. Psalme shal we not then be amazed and astonied at the wisedome we shal finde in them and giue glory to the Lorde shall we not in meditating but of our selues finde a world of notable excellent works of God Let vs looke but a litle aboue vs into that shoppe of the Lords notable works where he maketh the rayne hayle and snow lightning thunder and consider from whence he sendeth rayne howe he hath powred it as into barrels or bottels till we neede it Consider aboue that the light of the sunne the moone the number and order of the starres the workmanship of the heauens that fayre and excellent courtayne whiche the Lorde hath draweÌ„ ouer vs theÌ„ also the power of winds the multitude of waters and the stretching out of the ayre the nature of beastes the fruits of the trees the smell of flowers the beauty and property of stones the vertue of herbes and of rootes and in a worde the whole earth and the heauens with all their hostes and furniture Haue they not as it were written and grauen vppon them in great and text letters prayse and glory to the Lord our Creator In the 19. Psalme the Prophet attributeth this same voyce of glory to the heauens The heauens sayth he speake the glory of god c. and maketh that noble and swifte grant the sunne the messenger of the same worde to all the world In the 104. Psalme he compareth the light to a robe of glory and honor that the Lorde couereth him selfe withall because the light declareth manifestly all the works of God which are glasses of his prayse And in the 148. Psalme he putteth this song of the prayse of God into the mouth of all creatures euen of the hilles and mountaynes of the soules of