God promised to be a God to Abraham Why David sure of eternal life appeareth to be carefull of the present and to his seede Genes 17. 1. But if thou aske in this place seeing now before he had gloryed in God and in his presence which also hee felt in his minde in the middeste of afflictions He gloryed I say against all his enemies against life against death how commeth it to passe that nowe he is so carefull of this life and craveth so earnestly at God that hee would deliver him out of the present danger I answer that this great securitie of the godlie and the contempt of this present life fighteth not among themselues And the petitiones of this sorte whereby they craue also the preservation of this life alwaies with that condition if it please God so that he would grant the same to his owne glorie for neither the godlie while they haue a fore-taist of that other life and leaning thereto they glory againste all thinges caste not in the meane time vtterly awaye the care of this life and rashly powre out the same For this present life among the reste of Gods giftes is not the basest Thou hast striken Hee mooveth GOD to his preservation in time to come from the by gane experience in destroying of the enemies and wicked and therewith also filling them with shame For it is thought to bee a shamefull thinge to bee striken vpon the cheeke bone and to suffer the breaking of the teethe that is strokes vppon the face and in the mouth Obserue in this place tw◠linkes as it were of that fine Golden Chaine which PAVLE linketh together to witte Experience and Hope Experience sayeth hee Rom. cap. 5. 3. bringeth out Hope This petition of DAVID from bygane experience leaneth to the Hope of the present and temporall deliverance to be purchased Albeit indeed I confesse that this is not a sure hope even that to wit which maketh not ashamed vnlesse it be that hope of that everlasting promised deliverance For that is properly that hope which followes the experience of Gods deliverance especially if there be a feeling with that experience of deliverance of the loue of God in Christ Iesus Therefore the Apostle subjoyned in that place For the loue of God is powred out in our hearts by the holy Spirit As if he should say of necessitie this hope maketh not ashamed and it is sure seeing that experience from which hope proceedeth is especially of the loue of God in Christ Iesus Salvation it selfe Thereafter he prayeth for the people yea for that parte of the people which followed after Abschalom and was seduced of him One would marvell that DAVID in such a great daunger of his life is so mindfull in his prayer of the people salvation of others For this would appeare to bee of a man that is set a part from all perill and daunger not onely to respect himselfe or his own life but also others and the salvation of others But it is to be knowne that this is the disposition of every member of that vniversall body of Christ that it is not onely touched with a sense of the owne miserie but also it is commoved with a compassion of the reste of the members of the same body And looke how much the more it is touched with a sense of the owne miserie so much the more it suffereth with the rest whom it seeeth to be miserable For he who never yet felt any miserie surely that man is vnmeet to pitie others whom he seeth to be oppressed with misery Also the reason of this petition is taken from the nature of God him self To Iehova saith he is salvation to bee ascribed as if he should say The reas◠of the last petition The nature of Iehova is to saue and to bee mercifull So he declareth vnto God what his nature is For there is none other reason more effectuall to moue God then if you bring foorth vnto him his owne nature especially that whereby he is mercifull For God delighteth chiefely in mercy and aboue all thinges in his owne nature he is most mercifull God is loue Ioh. 4 ◠Now it is not possible that this can be done of vs to wit that we be able to bring out this his nature before him especiallie that hee is mercifull vnlesse wee travel diligently first to see by the eyes of our soule yea and feele also surelie in our heart in some measure that infinite Essence Wisedome Iustice Power and mercie of God c Except wee holde vs content to prattle of an vnknowen thing which wee haue never yet neither seene nor felt Wherefore the knowledge of the nature of God is chieflie most necessarie to conceiue earnest prayer and not onely the knowledge but the sense and feeling of the same And wee must indevour all our life long so much as is possible we may conceive in this finite that narrow minde that infinite majestie To him therefore be all honour and glory Amen THE ARGVMENT Of the VI. PSALME This is a Psalme of Prayer and it is manifest out of the inscription that it was written by David The partes thereof are two The first is a petition by which David being sick prayeth to God that he would remoove his anger and scourge hee craveth earnestly his mercie seeketh after salvation from the seconde verse to the ninth Then through a sure faith feeling the things that he sought he gloryeth against his enemies of Gods taking heede vnto him and of his bountifulnesse vnlooked for from the ninth verse to the end of the Psalme THE VI. PSALMI 1 A Psalme of DAVID committed to the Maister of musick vpon the Violes to be song to a graue tune 2 O Iehova rebuke me not in thine anger neither chastise mee in thy burning wrath 3 Iehova be gratious vnto mee because I am become feeble heal me Iehova because my bones ar altogether troubled 4 And my soule is greatly troubled thou therefore Iehova how long 5 Returne ô Iehova deliver my soule saue me for thy mercies sake 6 For in death the selfe there is no remembrance of thee who shall prayse thee in the graue 7 I faynt in my mourning I cause my bedde to swimme all the night I make my bedde side to melt with my teares 8 My eie through indignation is consumed it groweth olde because of all my foes The first part conteineth the petition the cause whereof hee adjoyneth O Iehova The firste parte of the Psalme as we haue spoken The petition first he prayeth that affliction may be remooved Then he prayeth for prosperitie as for deliverance and salvation Also with the petitiones hee intermingleth the causes First therefore hee prayeth that the wrath of God may be remooved O Iehova saith he rebuke me not in thine anger c. DAVID as it appeareth by his own words being holden down with a grieuous sicknes hee conceived in his minde that God was angrie against
is the other reason of the petition The other reason of the petition from Gods glorie from the glorie of God himselfe For as that former reason was from our owne miserie in the third and fourth verses so this latter is from the glorie of God which through this present estate of DAVID appeareth to be called in question Lord saith hee in death there is no remembrance of thee Therefore keepe me aliue The cause wherefore the godly liue awhile vpon the earth before they â—lit hence to the lord For this cause God will haue vs to liue in the land of the living and as it were to liue as strangers absente from the Lorde that first through faith wee might worship him in his sonne Iesus Christ in this life before wee fullie enjoyed that his presence in that other Every one of the godly knowing this they desire to bee preserved for a time yea euen in this life for this end in speciall which the Lorde himselfe hath appoynted and as the Apostle speaketh of the creatures Rom. 8. 20. not so much after their will as after his owne will who will haue them for a time to be pilgrimes absent from their Lord. Therefore so oft as we see the Saintes so earnestlie to desire this life and the preservation thereof at Gods hands we must not thinke that this is done by them for this cause that they even delight so much in this life The cause why the godly desire to remaine in this life or that they abhor this bodely death but rather that they earnestly desire to glorifie their God among the living and to exalte his militant Church kingdom vpon the earth they desire not to â—itte from thence while they haue wonne some vnto Christ and as it were by stretching out their hande they carie them vp with themselues into the heavens For this present life is chiefely to be consecrat to God Gods affayres Yea and this is the cause why Ezechias tooke death in so evill a part denunced vnto him Esa â—â— And this also is the cause wherefore Paule when otherwise he choosed rather to sâ—it out of the body nevertheles hee choosed rather to remaine in the body to the ende that hee might propagat the Church of Christ might bring men vnto the â—aith Phil. 1. 23. 24. Finally this was the cause wherefore so earnestly DAVID sought in so many Psalmes the prolonging of his life Psa 30. 88. 118. Notwithstanding David in this Psalme appeareth not so much to be oppressed with the sicknes of his body as with the sicknes of his soule sense of the wrath of God And therfore he is not so affraid of this bodely death as of that spirituall casting off yea that through the sense of the flesh part not renewed Wherfore we may consider with our selues that he spak of that eternal death of the burial of the hell in which no man will prayse God Therefore you see that the godlie also abhorre and are affrayd for the bell and againe you see that they desire life and salvation not so much for their owne cause as for Gods glories sake For neither DAVID in this place somuch respecteth his owne life and salvation as the prayse of GOD yea and that specially troubled him that being once cast out from the face of God he should not at any time there after be a Preacher of Gods prayses And this is a most sure evident of the salvation of the godlie if they feele in themselues a desire and careful indevour of gloryfiing God For it is not possible that that soule can bee deteined in Hell which aspyreth to God and to his glorie I faynt in my mourning Hytherto haue bene declared The three reasons of the petition from a most grieâ—ous senâ—e of misery the two reasones of the earnest seeking of mercy The firste in the third and fourth verses The second in the sixt verse Now followeth the third in the sevent and eight verses from the dolour and feeling of a most grieuous miserie Hee expresseth this sorrow diverse manner of waies For first he sayeth I faynt in my mourning Then I make my bed saith hee all the night to swimme Thirdly saith he I make my bed side to melt with my teares I grant that these speaches are very excessiue For in truth neither made DAVID so much as his bedde to swimme neither yet melted hee his bedde-side with his teares notwithstanding the inward dolour of his mind was no les then are those externall thinges which are here spoken of For out of all question if it could haue bene possible that DAVIDS eies had bene capable of so many teares as had bene sufficient to haue made his bed to swimme or to melt his bed-side surely there was such a great sorrow in DAVIDS hart as had bene sufficient to lowse them and to powre them out and certainlie DAVIDS bodie in verie deede was almost consumed and as it were melted with that sorrow For to speake this once of this griefe of DAVID this is first manifest that it was not so much contracted by reason of the bodely sicknes with which notwithstanding hee was most heavily oppressed as it was indeede by reason of the feeling of the wrath of God those terrours of hel the which grief indeed is the greatest that can 〈◊〉 imagined none is to be compared vnto it Then DAVID was such a one who now before had oft tasted how gracious the Lorde was as PETER â—peaketh Yea and hee himselfe at this same verie time was not altogether voyde of all feeling of his mercy And therefore it came to passe that he tooke this wrath of the angrie GOD in so evill a parte For it is sure that howe much the more greater the experience of the mercie of God be so much the more doth any man take in evill parte the wrath of God and he is the more in that respect troubled through the offence of so mercifull a Father And for these causes From whence proceeded the greate fear of the Saintes who other waies wer indued with a singular courage of minde the aunciente holy men otherwise indewed with excellente courage and strength of minde when they came before God they vtter a most effeminat softnesse and dejection of minde There was no man of greater courage of mind then David notwithstanding at this time he was altogether powred out as it were in teares for that invincible strength of mind is not otherwise to be vttered when wee haue to doe with God and with his wrath for what other thing els would this bee then to harden our heart against the hand of God humbling vs And that we haue not experience of this grief in our selues which David as he hath vttered in this Psalme sayeth was in himself the cause is this stupiditie of our hart this fleshly security with the which wee are also cast vppe into dead sleepe
Seeing this is The third part of the amplification in the which indeede while he considereth more diligently this issue for none of them neither the rich man nor the ambitious man is able to redeeme his soule Hee aggregeth the foolish assurance and confidence of those men yea and not onely of those but of the posteritie Seeing sayeth he this is their way And seeing none of them is able to redeeme his own soule neither this man by his honour nor that man by his wealth notwithstanding they waxe so beastly that they put their assurance in those things not only do those go mad but their posteritie also approues them as wise men haue theÌ„ in admiration follow their example Thou seest therefore the wicked that not only they hurt other men while they are aliue but also they are an offence vnto them when they are departed this life These vayne-glorious and ambitious men craue this thing most earnestlie that the deeds atchieved by them be liade vp in remembrance But considder with mee how much they profite by this thing what other thing I pray you do they then increase their owne righteous condemnation how many mo in that respect follow their wicked example so much the more grieuous surely shal be their judgement Therefore we must endeavour so to liue that not onely wee be not an offence to others while wee are aliue but also that we leaue not to our posterity after our death an example of an evill led-life This is specially to bee done of them which are in any account or place and whose deedes done are layde vp in memorie to the posteritie Like sheepe The conclusion of the amplification whereby hee sheweth the miserie of those men That are not able to redeeme their soule either by wealth or by honour But even like sheepe fra once they bee layde downe into the graue death shall eate them vppe And how long To witte while the righteous rule over them that is in Christ Iesus of whose kingdome the righteous shall be participant At what time shall they rule in that morning sayeth he in which to wit the godly shall ryse againe as it were out of the night and darknes of the graue when the Sunne of righteousnesse that is Christ Iesus shall aryse in that his second comming And Hell consume their beautie Againe What he is hee prescribeth that time in which death shall eate them vp to witte while their beautie that is this earthlie visible substance received a new vnited body wholie with their owne soule Hell consume them The Scriptur vnderstandeth by the name of Hell generally whatsoever estate of the dead and therefore this worde according to the circumstance of the place it is whiles to bee applyed to the Graue whiles to the Hel putting a part for the Hell or contrariwise some time to both together Bot we in this place take this word so as we judge it beste to agree with the purpose ordour of the judgemeÌ„ts of God and the opposition following to witte for that place in which the reprobate ar to bee tormented with punishmentes and with the righteous judgement of God Obserue a continuall progresse as it were from misery to miserie Of the which the laste is ever more grieuous then the firste and the last of all is most grieuous For first the reprobate when once they haue departed this life they are laide vp in the graue which indeed is accuâ—sed vnto them being laid in the graue death eateth them down vnto the latter day and vnto that morning as hee calleth it in which the elect and righteous shall rule ouer them Which dominioÌ„ surely shal be vnto them as it were a heauie yoke and some part of that everlasting punishment Not-with-standing the most heauie punishment wherby they shall be tormented evermore aswel in bodie as in soule is resting yet Then let them consider beware who put their confidence more in the riches honours of this world more then in the Lord what ende abideth that sort of men And thus haue wee spoken of the amplification Now followeth the sixteenth verse The argument of his confidence which hee set downe in the sixt verse Which is indeede subioyned vnto the preceeding amplification by a dissimilitude As if he shoulde saye They are not able neither with their riches nor honour to redeeme their soule But God will redeem my soule from the graue that is he wil giue vnto me the resurrectioÌ„ of the flesh eternal life in Christ Iesus who is my deliuerer froÌ„ the corruptioÌ„ of the graue damnation of hel You see here then a cleare difference of theÌ„ who put their trust in the transitorie thinges of this world of those that put their confideÌ„ce in the liuing God All the thinges of this worlde surelie is not able to preserue the seruantes thereof in this life But GOD is of power to call backe againe them that are alreadie deade and that beleue in him at his own time also wil call them back againe Then there is a very great choise what thing or whom we haue for God this world to witte or the things of this world Or rather the God of heauen and earth the father of our Lord Iesus Christ 17 Be not thou affrayde when any man becommeth rich when the glory of his house is increased 18 For he shall take nothing vp thereof in his death his glorie shal not go downe after him 19 Seeing hee hath blessed his soule in his life and they wil prayse thee if thou dost well to thy selfe 20 That hee may come vnto the age of his fathers yet they shal not enioy the light for ever 21 The man which is in acount neither is one that vnderstandeth hee is like vnto beaste which perish The fourth last part of the Psalme BE not thou afraid The laste part of the Psalme in which he concludeth exhorting all the godlie that they be not commoved either by the example or speech of such like men by their speech I say whereby they either flatter themselues or flatter the godly also He bringeth in two reasons of the exhortation the one indeed from the mutabilitie of riches honours When it commrth to passe that he must goe to the graue sayth he those things ouer throw their own worshippers But he bringeth out the other reason froÌ„ the instability and last destruction of the men themselues Although sayth he it falleth out to them to come vnto the age of their fathers neuertheles they shall not enioy that light of eternall life But they shal abide in the thicknesse and black darknesse of the second death Mark There vseth to come vppon the rich and ambitious men of this world an extream great perril for they will haue all men to be involved and folden in the selfe same damnation with them But it is to bee remembred that those men in their temptationes shall at length haue an ende
by a comparison of this present faith The meaning is when I partly thus gloryed in my owne soule partly before GOD faith triumphed in my soule Paule applyed to himselfe these words of the Prophet and after this manner he recited them I beleeued sayeth hee for that cause I speak vnto you O Corinthians 1. Cor. â— 1â— of that spiritual and eternal life leaning to this faith or confidence that I myselfe at sometime hereafter should aryse from death For the things which anie man speaketh vnto others of God of Christ of his benefites first of all they must be beleeved of him that is they are to be applyed to the soule of the speaker For so it shall come to passe that as the Apostle speaketh we shal 〈◊〉 a greater libertie and evidence in speaking When he said in that place let vs haue such an hope that is confidence of so glorious a ministery we vse great freedome in speaking I had spoken This much concerning his faith for the present here followeth the infidelitie and weaknes which was sometime in him and which hee illustrateth by his present faith First in these words is conteined a proposition of thâ—se speeches which proceeded from infirmity they went beyond measure I had said The exposition of the proposition As if he should say being rent away through a suddaine perturbation of the flesh I had said So he spak Psal 31. I had saide in my hast every man These are the words which proceeded from a troubled mind As if he should say Now I see that no faith is to bee given vnto men no not to very Prophets indeed For Samuel sheweth vnto mee that I should come vnto the Kingdome of Israel But nowe in very deede I finde in experience that hee spake not prophetically by the Spirite of God but that he hath spoken of his owne fleshly mind lyinglie so David through infirmitie accused not GOD openly but Samuel of a lie as if he had not sufficiently tryed out the will of GOD but had transgressed the bounds of his calling So Psal 31. 23. through a troubled minde hee buâ—sted foorth into this speech I am cut off frâ—m the sight of thine eies Ye see therefore in what estate the affaires of the faithfull are so long as they liue here Now indeede through weaknesse they are thruste down even to the helles Then again they are lifted vp by faith vnto the heavens but at length the victorie is faiths David after that through weaknes he had almost blasphemed Then next through faith againe hee triumphed It may come to passe indeede that the flesh in the first combat haue the maistery as it were as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 7. The law of the members maketh the man captiue to the law of sin which is in the members Notwithstanding the faithfull perpetually feele this in themselues that the laste victory is of the holy Spirit which surely is an evident that the flesh at length shall be vtterly vanquished that the full and perfite victory shal belong vnto the Spirite This is not in the meane time to be passed by here that David in glorying vttereth a notable confidence to wit because there was before a great weaknesse For in the combat of the flesh and the Spirite the more that any man is cast downe through a feeling of his infirmitie in that respect he is the more lifted vp through faith The greater the sorow be in the wrastling in that respect the joy and gladnes through the holy Spirite is greater after the fight Finally this is to be considdered that he sayth that hastening those thinges which were spoken by him that is he was mooved through a certaine suddaine motion of the flesh Of the which mark the difference betuixt that infidelity into the which the godly at sometime fal the infidelity of the wicked rebellious The godly at sometime distrust through a certain suddain motioÌ„ of the â—lesh weaknes So Peter through infirmitie denied the Lord in the very misbeleefe it self they feele some dolor they distrust not so securly but burst forth sometimes into those speeches O miserable man that I am who shal deliuer me from the body of this death Contrariwise the vngodly they misbeleeue God not of any suddaine motioÌ„ of the flesh but of an obstinate malice as those did who ascribed the works of Christ vnto the divell all Heretickes who after they are convict by the testimonies of the Scripture notwithstanding they maliciouslie resist the trueth And from this it proceedeth that the vngodlie who distrust through malice seldome attayne they to mercy the godly who misbeleeue through the weaknesse of the flesh they repente and finde mercie Heretickes are seldome converted Peter was converted David obteined mercy as in this Psalme and Psal 31. 12 What shal I recompense Iehova with al his benefites overcome me 13 I will giue openly the received cup of all salvation and I will prayse the name of Iehova 14 Rendring my vowes vnto Iehova even now before all his people saying 15 The threatned death is precious in the eies of Iehova to them whom hee himselfe beareth at good will 16 I beseech thee O Iehova seeing I am thy servant let me be thy seruant the sonne of thine hand maid seeing thou hast lowsed my bands let my life be precious 17 I will sacrifice vnto thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving and I will prayse the Name of Iehova 18 I will paye my vowes vnto Iehova presently before his whole people 19 In the courts of Iehova his house in the midst of thee O Ierusalem Halelu Iah WHat shall I The first parte of the Psalme in which hee taketh advise concerning rendring of thankes vnto God In consulting he signifieth and professeth that hee is not able to recompense so many his great and manifold benefites as if he should saye It lyeth not in my power to recompense Iehova his benefites are greater then that they are able to be recompensed by mee Hee proposeth therefore first that hee is not able to recompense Iehova that is to recompense his benefites toward him Then he rendreth a reason from the greatnesse of the benefites of God For the vnequal or surpassing greatnesse of the benefites of God For the vnequall or surpassing greatnesse of the benefites of God being considdered vppon the one parte and his vnhability weaknesse being considered vpon the other part being overcome by the incomparable greatnes of the benefites of God not knowing what to do he asketh and in a maner he cryeth out What shal I recompense Iehova with As if he should say It lyeth not in my power to recompense so many and so greate benefites of God Then the argument is taken not onely from the greatnesse of the benefites of GOD but also from his owne inhabilitie weaknesse and littlenesse to speake so In one worde the mater is thus the reasoÌ„ is from thence that there is no correspondence and proportioÌ„
without a most weighty cause Thirdly that the very death of the godly it selfe howsoever it seeme vile in the sight of the world notwithstanding in Gods sight it is precious Fourthly that continually the memory of the death of the godly is alwaies fresh recent Of these foure manners that first is chiefly to be vnderstood in this place To wit that for this cause the death of Gods owne is precious in the eies of God he suffereth in respect them not many times to die but delivereth theÌ„ out of extreame great daungers But whose death is precious in the eies of Iehova Even the death of those saith he whoÌ„ he beareth at good wil. Therefore the loue and favour of God is the cause wherefore the death of his own is precious those whom he loveth he keepeth them aliue neither doth he at any time suffer them to die rashlie Any would suddenly wounder at the first shew why God hath not only permitted but also hath commanded oft that so many Nations should bee destroyed no choise being had of men wemen and infants which thing wee reade in the booke of Ioshua come to passe vpon the people which were in the Land of Canaan When I was occupied in seeking out somewhat more profoundly the cause of this so greate a severitie this first came in my minde because God favored not those Nations but contrariwise hee hated them whereby it came to passe that their death was not precious in the eies of God If their precious death or not precious death dependeth vppon the loue or hatred of God how blessed are those whome the Lord loveth aswell in life as in death I beseech thee Iehoua Hee confirmeth Gods providence toward his own by his own experience as if he should saye hast thou not I beseech thee ô Iehova lowsed my bondes For he speaketh of himselfe as if hee were drawen bound hand and foote to execution For he meaneth that hee was brought to an extreame daunger of losing his life when by Iehova he was delivered He subjoyneth the cause of his deliverance to wit that he was the servant of Iehova for this cause a servant because he was the son of a hand maid for the sonnes of the handmaid are therewithall according to the law servants When he sayeth that he is the sonne of an hand maid hee signifieth that he is not a stranger a servant coÌ„ming from far but a houshold servant among the rest of Gods domestickes Hee meaneth then that he is not a man that is a stranger a sojorning servant in the house of god but that he himself hath some right title in the house of god either froÌ„ his parents which befor him wer coÌ„prised within the covenant of God for that is no coÌ„mon benefit of that we are borne as it were of the domesticques and confederates of God And surely the affection of Davids mind vttereth the selfe clearely in this gradation of words as it were For the wordes shew that the affection of the minde approched vnto God more more For first he sayeth I am thy servant This is the first degree or steppe of the words and the first approching of the soule vnto God Then he repeapeth the felfe same thing and he saith I am thy servant This is the seconde step of the wordes and the second approching of his soule vnto God Then he sayeth in the third place I am the sonne of thine hand-maid This is the third step of the words and chief signe of his exceeding great and third drawing neere vnto God For while he speaketh this last hee coupleth himselfe altogether with GOD and he cleaveth straitly vnto him and so for this cause he becommeth blessed For our happinesse consisteth in that communion and fellowship with God Thou feest therefore that thing in this place first from whence it proceedeth that hee publickly recoÌ„mendeth with so great a confidence of mind that providence of God toward his owne Surely it commeth from that his owne experience and of the particular providence of God toward him selfe For no man can prayse generally the providence and mercy of God toward his owne Church except he hath in particular felt the same in experience himselfe Certainly that saying would haue bin but coldly spoken by Paule To witte that Christ came into the World to saue sinners vnlesse that he himselfe had firste felt in experience both the miserie of sinne and the mercy of God and for this cause he subjoyneth these words Of whom to witte of sinners I am the chiefest to the end he might conclude in his own conscience that he himself was saved by Christ Therefore that generall faith of the Papists is vnmeet to recommend the providence grace of God toward his owne Church For never did I ever yet esteeme at anie time any Papist to be a meet Preacher or publisher of the benefits of God towarde his Church who is not able to bring out any thing from his own feeling or experience who is not able to say that of the which before we haue spoken in this Psalme I beleeued and therefore did I speake Marke secondly There ar men whom this or that kinde of death doth greatly vexe and torment as violent death as filthie suddaine exquisite and cruell deathes concerning which sortes of death indeede they do no sooner meditate vpon but presently they are striken with a horrible fear but this care thought which is coÌ„cerning the maner of death is preposterous Why should not that much rather be takeÌ„ thought of by vs that we may feel our selues beloved of God for if we be grounded rooted in that loue of God our death of whatsoever sort it be shal be precious in the eies of God we shal be more then conquerors in very death it self obserue thirdly Dauid out of all question Rom. 8. â—7 attayned to that hid loue of God which was in the hart of God he obtained some sense from the effect of some special notable deliverance he learned also that he was beloved of Iehova froÌ„ that becaus his death was precious in the eies of Iehova This is that our onely comforte in life and death that wee are not our own but our most faithfull Lordes Iesus Christs and that we are the Lords and that hee taketh a care of vs From thence also those godlie auncient men chiefly learned the same thing because they felt God present with them in very deede in whatsoever perrilles Amongst the rest David is to be nuÌ„bred who as he was laid open to many dangers so he felt exceeding many deliveraÌ„ces he perswaded himself that god had a speciall care of him in the selfe same place in which hee saide that the death intended against the godly was Precious in the eies of Iehova he without all doubt meaneth that this was a document of the favour care of God toward vs in respect that our death is precious in his
in Christ only for this life we were miserable If onely in this life sayeth the Apostle wee had hope in Christ 1. Cor. 〈◊〉 19. of al mortal creatures we were the most miserable But if the form of spech is not to bee pretermitted which he vseth in propounding vnto vs those two benefites of the life to come For he maketh his preface in the ninthe verse that he is glad feeleth an exceeding great joye to aryse from theÌ„ Hee expounded not vnto vs after that manner those former benefites of this life neither vsed hee such a preface being about to speak of them so that thereof it manifestlie appeareth that there was a greater joy of the soule Two benefites of the blissed life to come hope of the glory of God of our owne resurrection yea of the hope of the benefites which shall be bestowed vpon vs in that other life then of the present injoying of the benefites which be fall vs in this life present We glorie sayeth PAVLE writing the Epistle to the Romanes and fifth Chapter verse second vnder the hope of the glory of GOD. Behold the gloryiing vnder the hope of the benefites of that everlasting life to come The Apostle also warneth vs that there is ane exceeding greate comforte yea of the speeches which are vttered in conference concerning that glorious resurrection that is to come Thes 4. 18 But we must a little more diligently marke this example of DAVID He saw not but a far off after many yeares the resurrection of his bodie to be For how many yeares ar now passed bye since he spake those thinges and since hee departed this life And yet notwithstanding hee hath not risen agayne neither yet also shall hee arise before that seconde comming of Christe and yet nevertheles through the very hope of the resurrection which was to come to passe a long time thereafter hee rejoyceth exceeding greatly What is therefore to bee done of vs who are fallen in into the poynt of time of the comming of Christ to whom being once departed this preseÌ„t life there shall be so shorte a buriall of our bodies But we must considder more diligently the Prophets words hee attributeth to the hart joy and exceeding gladnes to glorie that is to the tongue which is the instrument of holy glorying in the Lorde Finally he attributeth a secure habitation vnto his fleshe that is to his owne grosser part which we call the bodie For of necessitie this parte of man after his owne manner taketh death chiefly most grieuously in respect it is to be layd vppon the graue when in the meane time the soule the other part of man flitteth away into the heauens Notwithstanding this self same flesh is secure Gen. 49. 6. vnder the hope of rising again Psal 30. 31 rejoyceth after the owne maner Behold here joy spread abroad through-out the whole man and all his parts and that indeed through the hope of the resurrection to come and of life eternall Which thing surely seeing it is so great vnder hope and faith how great shall it be vnder sight Of this rejoycing vnder hope which is as it were the earnest penny which also is saide to be enutterable wee may easely gesse that that joye shall be incomprehensible which shall be after this life through the present sight of God in Christ Iesus 1. Pet. 1. 7. â— Peter reasoneth this waye for after hee had spoken of joy glory honor which shal be when Christ shall be made manifest then he layeth downe the argument of that so great a glory from our faith and loue towarde Christ absent and from that joy vnspeakable and glorious which wee now feele yea and it were no more but through faith in him absent Because thou wilt not leaue Peter in the second Chap. of the Acts 25. verse The resurrection of the head of the Church is the cause of the resurrection of the members c. interpreteth this place from the 8. verse forth to the end of the Psalme to be spoken properly of christ which David in this place spak as a Prophet yea that not only as a Prophet but also as a figure of Christ Iesus who was to come For David in him selfe also felt all those things in experieÌ„ce in some measure which he fore-telleth were to come vnto Christ Then those things which are here spoken of are chiefely to be vnderstood concerning the resurrection of Christ and of his glorious life which thing Peter prooveth manifestly in the same place verse 29. And thereafter yea even out of these words in which it was said That the holy one of the Lorde should not see cor Corruption I meane the rotting of the buried flesh and resolution into dust For out of these words Peter assumeth that David saw corruption He dyed sayeth he and was buried his sepulchre is with vs vnto this daye Wherefore sayth Peter those thinges cannot be properly spoken of David but of Christ his seede whom David saw to come in the promiâ—e made to himselfe Notwithstanding David in the meane while saw in that rising againe of his seede Christ his owne resurrection also which was to bee accomplished through the power of Christs rising again who was made the first fruites of them that sleep â— Cor. 13. â—0 And so we al likewise wheÌ„ we look vpon Christ we may see the fulnesse of that grace which is in him to redound vnto vs as it were againe But namely if now drawing neere to death and to the graue if then we looke vppon him we shall feele in him and his glorious resurrection our own rising againe For the Lord shall bring those who sleepe in Iesus Christ together with him 1. Ths 4. 14. Finally that is to be marked which he sayeth That God wil not suffer him to whom he is gratious to see corruption By this defyning and description of himself he sheweth the ground both of the glorious resurrection of Christ and also of all the godly in him To wit that fatherlie loue of God whereby both he loveth Christ and likewise all the godly howbeit it bee after a great difference For he loveth vs in that his beloved Eph. 1. 6. The difference betuixt the rising againe of the godly and of the wicked which shal be is no waies obscure out of this ground of our resurrection The loue of God in Christ shall sweetely rayse vp the godly out of the graue But the warth and justice of God being judge shall rayse the wicked yea against their wil drawing them out of their graues at that last day to everlasting and just punishment Thou wilt cause me This is the other benefite which he is to attayne vnto after this life to witte that everlasting life vnto the which after the resurrection he shal straight go As if he should say after that I am awakened vp againe and raysed out of the graue
example Also the third that we in this place learne by his example that that desertion is exceeding doleful whereby he who is once left of God yea that by his most just judgâ—ment God to witte leaving him because of his sinne and being now forsaken left he remayneth in the paines which by his owne sinne he hath deserved Yet notwithstanding in the meane time neither is his minde enlightened by Gods Spirit nor his hart reformed But the more he leaneth thereto the more is he blinded and hardned For to such a man extreame destruction is appoynted vnlesse at last he repente Of this sorte of men that threatning of Iohn Baptist is to be vnderstood The axe is layde to the roote of the trees Math. 3. 10 Also that saying of PAVLE When they shall say peace 1 Thes 5 5 and all things quiet then suddaine destruction shall come vpon them Moreover it appeareth out of this example of DAVID that GOD leaveth not his owne by so sorrowfull a desertion For Dauid repented very soone at the threatning of Nathan For God when he afflicteth his owne he therewith illuminateth and changeth them also by his holy Spirite that repenting they may obteine remission of sinnes and may be restored to life Restore to me the ioy Yet he persisteth in the petition of the holy Spirite or of the presence of God by his Spirite as if hee should saye surely I haue felt O my GOD an exceeding great joy of thy salvation that is since the time thou becammest my salvation protectour and defender But now through mine own default that whole joy is broken off in the middest Therefore O God restore to me that wonted joy proceeding from thy presence The onelie comforte and solide joye of man aswell in life as in death is that hee is not in his owne power and left to himselfe but that hee is the Lordes and that hee hath him to be as it were his protectour and defender David when hee felt in experience Psal 2â— â— that God was no otherwaies his keeper then the sheepheard was to his sheep it cannot be spoken how great a ioye he conceived thereof which also bursted forth in these wordes Thy rode and thy sheep-crooke they haue comforted me This spirituall reioycing which commeth of the presence of God whosoever hath once tasted it this man wil not be content with the whole ioy of this world vnlesse surely he be therewith participant in some measure of that heavenly ioye also David verely had refused the whole comfort of this world and would haue nothing esteemed that his kingdome royall dignitie if that old and wonted ioye had not bene restored vnto him which arose from the presence of God by his owne holie Spirite But if wee would not provoke to wrath God present with vs neither yet would grieue his holy Spirit surely wee should haue that joy of the Spirite more solide and constant For from whence commeth that interruption thereof because we make defection from God Dauid had God present with him hee had the Spirite the comforter But after he had forsaken God by committing adultery and murther together he spoyled himselfe both of that presence of God and likewise of that solide comforte of his presence Men commonly with all the strength they haue provoke that holy Majesty of God to anger But it commeth to passe I cannot tell howe that in the meane time they appeare to themselues to liue at reste and with sufficient pleasure and delight themselues with a vaine dreame For as the Lorde saith there is no peace for the wicked I speak of the true peace for I would not call this stupidity a peace whereby it commeth to passe that neither they feele their own sinne nor yet the wrath of GOD which thing they in wofull experience shal learn some day when suddainly being awakned out of this dead drowsie sleepe they shall be forced to beholde that angry face terrible countenance And vphold me The self-same is the meaning of these words of the words preceeding for so at last wee feele God present his salvatioÌ„ gladnes arising thereof if we be vp-holden by his Spirite David is afraid of the affections of his mind least he be over-whelmed with them as by a certaine deluge He craveth therfore that GOD would susteine him by his Spirit For as if a great bosse be cast into the water presently the water running in into it it is drowned but if first it be blowen vp with wind the aire being inclosed before it be cast into the water it swimmeth in the superfice of the water So our mind if it remaine voyde of the Spirit of God it is drowned incontinent in the middest of the waues of our affections But if it bee replenished with the Spirite of God it is not possible that it can bee overcommed of the affectiones Let everie man take heede what minde hee hath whither it bee voyde and tume or rather full and replenished with the Spirit He calleth the Spirit the Spirite of freedomâ— or of liberty To the ende we may vnderstande the reason of the word it is to bee learned out of the 8. chap. to the Romanes that there is a two fold spirit or rather that there is a twofold effect of that one selfe same spirit of GOD. The Apostle calleth the former the Spirite of bondage to feare that is which at the preaching of the law toucheth vs with a sense of our sin misery for vnles the Spirite of God were effectuall in our hearts with the preaching of the law surely by the preching of the law alone wee should never be touched with an earnest sense of sin of our own misery this spirit ther fore maketh vs to know our sin misery and holdeth vs vnder feare of the wrath of God death coÌ„demnation and therefore it redacteth vs as it were vtterly to a servile estate For this was of old proper vnto servantes continually to feare punishment and vengeance at their maisters hands The Apostle calleth that other spirit the Spirit of adoption It is he who while the Gospel is preached maketh vs to know our deliverance from sinne and misery For we should never be so touched with the preaching of the Gospel vnlesse in the meane time the Spirite of God were powerfull in vs which maketh vs to know our deliverance from sinne and misery and that we feele in our heart that fatherlie affection of God toward vs and consequently leaveth a testimonie within vs that wee are the sonnes of God And if wee be sonnes that we are also delivered from sinne wrath and damnaton From thence it is called the Spirite of freedome or libertie because it witnesseth that in Christ wee are delivered from sinne and death There is also another cause why it is called so to witte because renewing our minde according to the image of GOD it maketh vs in the meane time freelie to serue God and
for Iehova that all together may feele in experience the selfe same mercy For he willeth that all men if it be possible to be done feele that loving kindnesse of the Lord which he hath felt Also this chiefely is meete for Israell to bee done that is for the Church of God But that which the Prophet respecteth as the last end is the glory of God himself For every faithful man willeth that many obteine mercy to this end that many may glorifie GOD and is carefull of mans salvation that the glory of Gods mercy may redounde to himselfe For God the moo putteth their trust in him in that respect hee is the more glorified For with Iehova Hee putteth Israell in minde to waite vppon Iehova from his gratious nature Hee demonstrateth not to Israell a God either mightie righteous or wise but a mercifull and a gracious GOD. VVherefore doth hee so doe not the remanent properties in GOD as almightinesse righteousnes wisedome trueth c. Doe not these I saye purchase vnto him the mindes and faith of men I graunt all these thinges that in their owne place indeede they purchase the faith of men but seeing miserable men and sinners haue chiefelie neede of the mercie Surely it is the mercie of God which men chiefely require and it is the first object of faith Also when once faith hes apprehended the mercy of God in Christ then the other things which ar in God allure the same faith to themselues But without the feeling of the mercy of God all other things are rather a terrour vnto vs then a consolation First therefore and properly faith is carried toward God as the object in so farre as he is mercifull and the more wee seeke out in GOD that his infinite mercie so much the more doe we beleeue him For what other thing I praye you is the growth of faith but an increase of the knowledge of the mercy of God wherefore to the end that faith may grow it is continually requisite that wee search out the mercy of God in Christ which surely we shal do without any danger of curiositie seeing the other properties which are in God they are not able to beare a curious searching out Paule amongst other things wisheth this to the Ephesians that being rooted in loue they may be able to comprehend with al Saintes Ephes 3. â—7 18. 19. what is the breadeth and length and depth and height and to know the loue of Christ which passeth all knowledge But in no place we reade that he wished that any man by knowledge should attaine to that infinite power wisdom c. of God to wit because it permitteth not so much to vs to knowe those thinges then to know how greatly god loveth vs in Christ his sonne Therfore hee is said in the 5. chap. to the Romanes to powre out loue in our harts But we reade not of the Spirite that he powreth out power wisdome c. which are together in God into our hearts that is that he toucheth not our mindes with so aboundant a feling of them Wherefore to the ende wee may beleeue in God and may haue our hope in him his loving kindnesse and mercie in Christ is chiefely to be knowen of vs wherof the Prophet was not ignorant of in this place seeing he maketh mention specially of his loving kindnesse to the end hee might mooue Israell to hope in God And exceeding In words hee amplifyeth the selfe same loving kindnesse of God For no man together and at one time could be able at any time by any words whatsoever to coÌ„prehend the whole mercy of God For there is ever something resting beside that which hath bene spoken that may be vttered thereof such is the incomprehensible greatnesse of the same and those who haue once felt in their mind any meane portion thereof they indeede are not at any time able sufficiently to expresse in wordes that portion howe little soever it bee For this spiritual feeling in the hearts whether it be of ioye or of sorrowe is vnspeakable from thence they are called sighes that cannot be expressed and ane inutterableâ— ioye Rom. â— How much more therefore 1. Pet. 1â— shall that whole mercy of God not together and at one time be expressed by words seeing that words are not able sufficiently to expresse yea and it were no more but that little apprehension thereof which is in our hearts For these words are not excessiue and hyperbolicque whereby godly men haue endevoured to expresse that mercy of GOD even as thought the words were greater then the matters themselves which thing whosoever think surely they appeare to me indeed never to haue comprehended in their minde the mercy of God in Christ And he himselfe This is the other argument whereby promising assuredly redemption to the Church from her sinnes he applyeth that loving kindnesse of God and manifolde redemption which hee hath published more neere vnto them For it is not sufficient ynough for faith that any man in generall shall preach recommend onely the mercy of God vnles it promise that is apply assuredly the same to miserable men for the promises are so many applyings of the mercy of God And from thence it proceedeth that the Scriptures are ful of promises without the which that full perswasion of faith spiritual coÌ„fidence cannot be For this generall doctrine coÌ„cerning the mercy of God doth this to vs that not so much indeede we in effect beleeue as that our heartes may be prepared vnto faith This is to be observed that he saith that God wil redeeme Israel not froÌ„ persecutions not froÌ„ outward troubles whatsoever but from al her sins For the redeÌ„ption of the Church is not sene in that that she is delivered from the troubles of this world as in that that she shal be delivered from her sins For sin is the most deadly enemy of al is the cause of all the reste of the enemies of the church because al afflictions are both froÌ„ sin likewise tende to the mortifying of sin For it is certaine if there were not any sin in the Church there shuld be no persecutioÌ„ of the church and every one of the godly sighs more vnder the burthen of sin then vnder any other weight of afflictions whatsoever Christ himselfe also dyed to redeeme vs not so much from al afflictions as from sinne and that everlasting death Finally when at that daye wee shall be set free into the liberty of the sonnes of God being fully redeemed we shall glory not so much that we ar redeemed from all other afflictions then that wee are fully delivered from sin as it appeareth out of that saying of Paule O death where is thy victory O graue where is thy brode And the brode of death is sinne 1 Cor. 15. 33. but the lawe is the power of sinne Behold we shall glory in that daye that wee are delivered from the brode of death and that by
Christ Iesus our Lord To whom be all glory Amen The Argument of the CXXXVII Psalme A Psalme it is of a mixt kinde Of doctrine and of prayer It is not manifest by whome it was written Yet it is likely that it was written by some Prophet that in name of the whole Church of the Iewes being nowe in captivitie It appeareth also to be written at that time when the people were carryed away into Babylonia yea even then when they were in the very journey as it may be gathered out of the first verse Nowe it is composed of two parts The first is an heavy complaint of the Church vnto the 7. verse The other is an heavie imprecation and a propheticall denunciation against the enemies of the Church vnto the end of the Psalme The CXXXVII Psalme 1 By the rivers of Babylonia we sitting there we wept very much when we remembred of Tzijon 2 In it we hanged vp our harpes vppon the willowes 3 Although in that place these vvho had led vs away captiues and had buried vs together required of vs ioyfull songes saying sing to vs of the songes of Tzijon 4 How could we haue soong the songe of Iehoua in the land of strangers 5 If I forget thee O Ierusalem let my right hand forget the selfe 6 Let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth if I remember thee not if I call not backe vnto Ieruschalaim the heade of my ioy BY the rivers The first parte of the Psalme The complainte in which there is first the proposition of the complaint when he sayeth wee weept very much That is we were extreame sorrowfull For the Spirit maketh intercession for the church with sighes that cannot be expressed Ro. 8. so to speak with the Apostle And it cannot be sufficientlie spoken with how great heavinesse the Church is accustomed to be moved when she is humbled vnder the hande of God This murning and sorrow of the Church is circumscrived by the own subject when he sayeth By the ryvers of Babylonia That is of the Babylonical monarchie For the Iewes wer not only caryed away into Babylonia so properly called but they were dispersed throughout the Babylonicall jurisdictions as it may be most clearly gathered out of Ezekiel Daniell Ezra Then the place is the Babylonicall monarchie in general but in particular the brinkes of the rivers For he sayth By the rivers of Babylonia Wee sitting there that is sitting vpon the brinks of the rivers vnto such time as all were ferried over This place of the Babylonical monarchie conteineth in the selfe a certaine cause of this weeping which hee setteth downe For the place manifestlie sheweth the banishment and carrying away into captivity from their natiue soile to an strange lande Then the people being in their journey farre from home and banished bewayleth their sinnes which ought to haue bin bewayled at home Not-with-standing those who will not murne at home they are compelled to murne far frō their home For sinnes of necessitie are once to be bewayled and wee must bee sorrowfull either sooner or later because we haue offended GOD. And if wee be not sorrowfull at home surely wee shall murne far from home And if we murne not in this life surely wee shall be sorrowfull in that other life or rather death where there shall nothing be heard but wayling and gnashing of teeth Blessed are they also who later yea and that in exile yea at any time whatsoever ar earnestly sorrowful for their sinnes if so be they deferre not their mourning to an other Worlde blessed are they For even those who do later yea or at whatsoever time murne and repent in this life in that other life all teares shall bee wiped awaye from their eies But those who laugh in this life and refuse to murne in that other life there shall be none ende or measure of their sorrow When wee remembred This is the other cause of the mourning but some-what more cleare to witte the remembrance of Tzijon that is of Ierusalem where the visible and outwarde presence of God to be looked vpon was For these who are banished from God they do surely feele what great profite yea and it were no more but this which is in the presence of GOD and which is in this his visible ministery what great discommoditie is in that his absence we while we haue God present in his ministery and beholde him after some sort in that mirrour of his Gospell we acknowledge not how happie we bee and it were no more but for that selfe same cause But if it shall come to passe at any time through the righteous judgment of GOD that this mirrour of the Gospell and this outwarde ministerie be taken away from our eies then indeed wee shall feele in effecte what great misery it is to bee destitute thereof I speake specially concerning those who are accustomed at any time to feele some pleasure of this sincere preaching of the worde administration of the Sacraments David being in exile Remembring those things sayth he I poure out my soule vpon my self when I remember that I was woont to passe by in the congregation to walke with them vnto the house of God c. Behold David being banished from the visible Church of God he was exceeding greatly sorrowfull But what is the cause Even because hee vvas woont to vvalke together vvith the Church vnto the house of GOD vvith the voyce of singing and prayse That is because he was to feele no little pleasure of that external and visible ministerie And therefore being nowe a banished man the remembrance of that Spiritual pleasure joy mooved him to no smal displeasure Here we ar to be admonished that this dolor proceeding frō the remembrance of that heavenly ioy is not the sorrow of this worlde But it is that dolour which is called the godly sorrow which surely hath greater ioy mixed therwith then is the whole joy of this worlde yea albeit it be voyde of all sense of sorrow For every one of the godly while they mourne they feele in the meane time ane vnspeakable ioy conioyned with sighes that cannot bee expressed In it we hanged vppe our Harpes vppon the Willowes A certaine amplification of the murning sorrow set down The Church murned cast away al instruments matter of consolation For these who are sorrowfull earnestly from their hearte they thinke that all ioye and matter of ioye is a displeasure vnto them and contrariwise they thinke all heauinesse to bee vnto them as a pleasure My teares are vnto me sayeth DAVID in steede of meate But what manner of songs were these Psal 42. 4◠They were holie songes and the songes of the Lorde those who earnestlie sanctifiedly do weepe vse not so much indeed as to sing holy songs For at such time as the Lord casteth vs downe and humbleth vs at that time it becommeth vs to mourne rather then to singe Iam