that both soule and body meet together and praise him world without end Lawfull to craue continuance of our life Thirdly that it is lawfull to craue the continuance of our life to the end that wee may praise God Would we desire the continuance of our life that we may continue in sin God forbid Likewise wee may desire death not for being weary of temporall paine or feare of shame but with the Apostle that we may be dissolued and be with Christ and be freed of the burthen of sinne by our death Yet in both our desires let vs submit our selues to the good pleasure of God and say with our Sauiour Thy will be done not as I will Luke 22.42 but as thou wilt Fourthly wee see in his sicknesse he seekes the continuation of his life at Gods hands who hath the issues of death in his will and would teach vs 2 Chron 16.12 2 King 1.2 neyther with Aza to put our trust in the Physitians neyther with Ahaziah to goe aske counsell at Beelzebub but with good Hezekiah turne to the wall 2 Kin. 20.2 and beg the prorogation of our life with Dauid from God Difference betweene the deâ—re of the godly wicked Finally ve see what shall be the difference betweene the desire of the godly and the wicked in their contrary desires of the continuation of their life for the wicked being tyed to the bed of sicknesse craue longer life to the end they may enioy their riches longer and vse or rather abuse them in the meane time neuer conceiuing or nourishing an hope of celestiall good things But the godly that they may record fruitfully the praises of God in the congregation of the righteous and preach out his praises besides that the feare of death is in the reprobates because they see by it an end put to all their earthly felicities whereas the Elect of God feare it because by it they are drawne from among men with whom they might haue magnified the name of God If ye desire to reade any more of this subiect reade the forenamed booke of Meditations in the Meditation of death VERSE 6. I fainted in my mourning I cause my bed euery night to swimme and water my couch with my teares THis argument is taken from the person of the Supplicant which is set downe by hyperbolique Metaphors The greatnesse expressing his great wearinesse his teares and mourning his sobs and sighing The place the place wherin he mourned his bed the measure swimming and watering of the same the time all the night The time The adiuÌ„ct the adiunct thereof the dimnesse of his eyes vers 8. and the obiect of his sorrow his enemies or rather Gods enemies I fainted It may seeme a maruellous change in Dauid who was a man of such magnitude of minde to bee so farre deiected and cast downe whereas hee preuailed against Goliah against the Lyon and the Beare through fortitude and magnanimitie and now hee is sobbing sighing and weeping as a childe It is another thing to haue to doe with creatures than with the Creator But ye must vnderstand that he hath to doe with diuers persons when men and beasts are his opposites then hee is more then a conqueror but when hee hath to doe with God against whom he sinned then hee is lesse then nothing Contrition the first step of repentance First he saith as the word beares by all Interpreters he sighed or sobbed which is the first degree of repentance for inward contrition in the heart must precede all the outward signes of repentance and is most acceptable to God because it is secret and onely knowne to himselfe And herein shall a Christian try and discerne himselfe A perfect tryall of a reformed heart if there neuer passe a secret cogitation of his minde which is not accompanied with a sob vnto God Hezekiah said hee mourned like a Doue Isay 38.14 and chattered like a Swallow Moses spake nothing by his voyce Exo. 14.15 and the Lord said 1 Sam. 1.13 Why cryest thou Anna her lips moued but her voyce was not heard God regards not words but thoughts Doctr. Sobs and sighes are best sacrifices Next yee see that sobs and sighes are more acceptable to God than any seruice wee can doe to him and in these Dauid wearied himselfe for his sinnes taking such paines in chastising himselfe and as the Papists translate it he labored in his sobbing to humble both his soule and his body whereby wee should learne that this is the most profitable labour when we can worke vpon a rebellious heart to subdue all our affections to the obedience of God and mortification of the same Vse We should take paines with our hearts This should make vs ashamed that we can take paines vpon any thing but not vpon our owne heart we will weary our selues vpon any earthly vanitie or pleasure but we are wearied of the seruice of our God yea euen of the smallest point of repentance and humiliation before God We cannot spend our selues better since we must be spent vpon something than vpon that principall part of his seruice which hee liketh best that is in chastising of our body and mortification of our affections for it is said Isai 57.15 Vpon whom shall the Spirit of the Lord rest Vpon a contrite heart Therefore wo bee to those that weary themselues in the workes of sinne and adde drunkennes to thirst Vse Wo to such as weary theÌ„selues in the workes of sinne Isai â— 11 and can neuer be satisfied nor goe to their bed till they haue accomplished some wickednesse In my mourning First he sighed and sobbed for his sinne and now hee mourneth for the same Looke whereunto our follies tend The pleasures of sinne euer end in displeasure for which either we must of necessity mourne in this life or eternally in the life to come True it is that the reprobate as also naturall and vnregenerate men shall poure forth many thousand teares for the plagues and iudgements which God layeth vpon them which are but the fore-runners and beginnings of their euerlasting mourning in hell but the mourning of the Elect preuenteth many sorrowes which would befall them so Doctr. Mourning for sin will keep vs froÌ„ many other mournings Exo. 12.30 if wee haue grace to mourne for sinne it will keepe vs from many other mournings The Egyptians had an vniuersall mourning thorow all their houses at the slaughter of their first borne but if they had mourned for the wrong done to the Israelites they needed not to haue mourned for the plague that came vpon themselues The measure of the mourning I caused my bed swimme The measure of his mourning is expressed by the washing and swimming of his bed with teares which indeed is an hyperbolique speech and doth expresse vnto vs the vehemency and greatnesse of his griefe and that he did not esteeme light
euen till Constantines dayes For if wee walke stubbornely against him hee will bring seuen times more Plagues vpon vs according to our sinnes And againe God by the continuance of his hand will hold vs in continuall exercise of grace Doctr. Continuance of troubles exerciseth our grace as of humilitie faith patience praier and repentance for as one hauing a precious Iewell in his hand so long as hee watcheth he is carefull to keepe it but being a sleepe it may ready fall out of his hand So God holds vs waking by continuall exercise Simil. that we may keepe the grace which we haue gotten The fire is kept in by often blowing which dieth out by discontinuance My moysture is turned into the drought of Summer Doctr. Body and soule iointly punished being yoke-fellowes in sinne The dolour of Dauid was not onely internall but also externall by sicknesse for as the body was an instrument of sinne it worthily and duely is punished and as they were yoake fellowes in sinning it is iust with God that they should be companions in sorrow It is no small matter when the body is diseased although the mind were well established but when both are vnquieted it is harder Pro 18.14 The spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmitie of the body but who can beare a troubled Spirit So that the Philosophers supposed that man to be happie who had mentem sanam in corpore sano a sounde minde in an whole body Then if we be whole let vs giue thakes to God and dedicate our liues to his seruice if we be sicke craue him pardon and mercie seeking reliefe at his hand repent our sinfull life Therefore I thinke that many in their best health are sicke because they abuse their health Many being whole are most diseased and many sicke are whole who turne to God and from their greatest sicknesse seeke medicine against their sinne Selah It is here added Bueherus first to show what a torment it is rightly to feele the burthen of sinne so that hee leaueth this pause or groane as we will doe at things wherewith we are greatly affected Next it declareth what weight this doctrine hath and of what consideration to rebuke vs who thinke so little of sin as we haue in all our dayes neuer mourned for it VERSE 5. Then I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee neither hid I mine iniquity for I thought I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne Selah DAvid hath hi herto propounded the the doctrine of the remission of sins and brought in his owne example for confirmation of the same We haue spoken already of his sorrow for his sinne now followeth the confession of the same before God which is a necessary part of repentance Doctr. Confession necessary part of repentance Then I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee Yee haue heard the estate of Dauid before his confession when the heauie hand of God was vpon him The Second part of his experience is set downe in this verse comprehending the feeling of Gods mercie the occasion whereof was the confession of his sinnes and the end the remission of the same The division of this verse The former hath these parts first the time then secondly the ground I thought or said will confesse thirdly the matter my sinne iniquitie and wickednesse fourthly the manner first in respect of God to thee secondly in respect of himselfe against my selfe The latter part And thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne Selah Dauid ouer came hypocrisie This diligence in describing his confession so oft First That hee acknowledged his sin Secondly That hee would not hide his iniquitie but confesse his Apostasie to the Lord declareth hee hath gotten victorie ouer all Hypocrisie and obtained the holde of sinceritie and simplicitie God chooseth the most fit times to workegrace in vs. Simil. Then This circumstance argueth that first hee behoued to feele his sinne and the bitter panges inflicted vpon him because of it For when men are cast downe then is a most sit occasion for God to worke grace vpon them as when men are greatly extenuate by sicknesse it is a conuenient time for a Physitian to giue medicine And surely afflictions are necessarie preparations to grace For our nature is like fallow ground which if it be not broken vp by tentation Simil. it is in vaine to sowe seed vpon it To which purpose The vse of the conscience in man God placed the conscience in mans Soule to shew vnto him his wrongs to follow him apprehend him yea set vp a gibbet in his soule to which it adiudgeth him to the end it may bring him to himselfe to seeke pardon and mercie Simil. So yee see as God brought light out of darkenesse in the beginning of the world Gen 1.3 so he bringeth the ioy of his elect out of sorrow Simil And as by Christs death hee brought life to the world so hee killeth vs to make vs a liue Simil that we may take heart to vs and say after darknesse I shall see light And I know that this hand that is so heauie vpon me is vnder mine head to bring mee light out of this darknesse life out of that which for the present seemeth more bitter then death it selfe Hos 6.2 We see also here an infallible example of the frowardnesse of our owne nature Doctr. Force must reclaime the frowardnes of our nature which cannot be restrained without extreme dealing for Dauid is layd vpon the racke and almost stretched asunder and disioynted be fore hee can be brought to a sincere confession which should teach vs that wee should enter to an heartie mislike of our selues and to be displeased with our intractablenesse which hath moued God to heaue vs vp and cast vs downe againe For if wee would iudge our selues we would not prouoke him to such extreme dealing for he would not cōdemne vs but be a comforter in our agonies Yea Dauid in this teacheth vs to iudge wisely of the poore and those who are troubled in their Conscience for when men are so afflicted they are called mad Melancholike desperate assuring our selues that Gods dearest children are often rent in peeces all their tackles may be burst asunder their bruised barke left to the mercie of the winde and waues and yet come to a comfortable harbour and safelie arriue at shoare Moreouer these wicked sort of people are to be damned who with a Sardinian laughter reioyce in their sinne and sport themselues therewith yea boast of their mad humors when God in the meane time is bending his bowe at them I acknowledged my sinne neither hid I mine iniquitie Hee vseth three phrases to shew his confession I made it knowne I hid it not and I confessed it he in like manner to expresse his filthinesse vseth three termes wickednesse sinne and iniquitie as he did in the
to giue better proofe of his repentance and seruice of God Paul againe by his death knew that he should glorifie God more and edifie his Church so then it is lawfull either to seeke life or death prouiding vve seeke after Gods honour and to the end that Christ may be to vs in life and in death aduantage Mercy excludes merit For thy mercies sake In the duplication of his suite that the Lord would saue him both in body and soule he leanes vpon his first ground that is the mercies of God he renounceth his owne merits and onely takes him to Gods mercy which Bellarmine writing vpon this place though slenderly and not beseeming such a Scholler doth confesse albeit against himselfe in his controuerted places * De iustificatione de meritiâ— operum O magna veritatis vis O the great power of the truth It behoueth a lyar to be mindfull for that Iesuit hath contradicted himselfe in many places which is euidently knowne to the whole world as also he lets vs see the absurditie of the Papists who in the decree of the Councell of Trent in the Romane Breuiary printed at the command of Pius Quintus at Antuerpe 1594. saith Maria mater gratiae mater misericordiae tu nos ab hoste protege hora mortis suscipe that is O Mary the mother of grace the mother of mercy protect thou vs from out enemies and receiue vs at the houre of death VERSE 5. For in death there is no remembrance of thee in the graue who shall praise thee The third argument taken from tâ—â—eâ—d of his dâ—sâ—e to liue to praise God FOr in death The third argument by which hee would moue the Lord to deliuer him is taken from the end of his sute to wit that he may praise God this he doth illustrate by the contraries If I dye I shall not remember thee nor praise thee therefore let me liue that I may doe it Bellarmine and Lorinus two Iesuits doe expound this not of temporall death which Dauid feared but of eternall death warranting themselues by men of their owne sect such as Bonauenture Lyranus Hugo Cardinalis Campensis Leo Papa Cassiodorus and the rest of that Order who against Scripture Conscience Grammer Logicke Nature and Sense haue peruerted and throwne the word of God yea being blinded themselues they wilfully study to blind others For there are sundry places of Scripture specially in the Psalmes which cleare his minde in this matter and in which he expounds himselfe and what hee meaneth by this death and this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reade the thirtieth Psalme and the ninth verse What profit is there in my bloud when I goe downe to the pit shall the dust giue thankes vnto thee or shall it declare thy truth Lyranus and Bellarmine vpon this place cannot deny but that here is to be ment of a corporall death for there is no dust in hell So likewise Psal 88.10 Wilt thou shew a miracle to the dead or shall the dead rise and praise thee SELAH shall thy louing kindnesse be declared in the graue or thy faithfulnesse in destruction shall thy woudrous workes be knowne in the darke and thy righteousnesse in the land of obliuion Bellarmine in expounding these questions takes them to be meant of a temporall death which here he denyes albeit that graues be of dead bodies but not of dead soules But to confirme his opinion hee bringeth in the 38. of Isaias vers 18. For the graue cannot confesse thee Death cannot praise thee they that goe downe to the pit cannot hope for thy truth As also the 115. Psalme vers 17. The dead praise not the Lord neyther any that goe downe to the place of silence For the dead in body when they lacke the senses of their body doe not any longer enioy earthly benefits yea they liue not according to the flesh they praise not God with a corporall mouth neyther yet giue him thankes for earthly things and this interpretation hee giueth to these places albeit after hee would interpret it of hell to maintaine his heresie and deceiue poore ignorants for wee know that mens bodies goe not downe to hell before the resurrection In like manner expounding tâ—e seuenteenth verse of the hundred eighteenth Psalme I shall not dye but liue and show the workes of God hee inclineth to our iudgement and onely thinketh it to be meant of temporall death So then yee may see vpon what little ground by their owne confession this Psalme is ordained by the Councell of Trent to be sung for the soules that are in Purgatory But there arise here some doubts First Obiect how is it said that men remember not God being dead It is to be answered Answer that their bodies cannot remember him seeing they haue no sense nor reason and he speaketh onely of a part for our soules will both remember him and praise him Next Obiect how this place agreeth with the sixteenth of Luke the 27. and 28. verses where the rich glutton desired Abraham to send some from the dead to his fiue brethren to aduertise them of the paines of Hell Yee shall know that this is a plaine Allegorie Answer neyther yet this his desire was a part of Godâ— honour because he seeketh that vvhich is contrary to Gods will For it is his will that they should heare Moses and the Prophets but not that hee should send one from the dead to teach them Finally how this place agreeth with that Philip. 2.10 That at the name of Iesus euery knee should bow both of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth It is to be vnderstood that this is spoken allegorically and the meaning thereof is that all creatures shall acknowledge his power and authoritie but not that these that are in heauen or vnder the earth haue knees wherewith to bow Vse While we liue praise God in our bodies Now let vs make our vse and profit of this matter and learne by this argument that while we are in this world we keepe in thankfull remembrance the benefits which God hath giuen vs for if we be remoued by death we shall praise him no more with our bodies and therefore while we are in the world let vs pray to God that wee neuer liue an houre longer than that houre wherein we may be praysing our Lord eyther in our thoughts and meditations or in our speeches and communications or in our actions A necessity of death Concerning death Consider first that there is a necessitie of death laid vpon al flesh wise men and fools Kings and Prophets c. neyther the grandure of the King nor holinesse of the Prophet can exempt them from death Death interrupteth Gods seruice Next that it interrupts the seruice and praise of God as it destroyes mans nature albeit it interrupteth it onely for a time and in a part the soule in the meane time praysing God vnder the Altar till
to Pharaoh Hâ— that câ—mmitteth sinne saith Christ is a seruant to sinne as by the contrary He that is borne of God sinnes not because the seed of God is in him The worke of sinne seemes pleasant and againfull but in the end yee shall find it both vnplesant and painfull Vse when you get your wages payed you from your master the Deuill ye shall know the truth of that saying of the Apostle The reward of sinne is death Rom 6.23 Ibid. 21. And in another place What haue ye gaine whereof now ye are ashamed whose end is death The deuill may giue you the bait of present pleasures but he lets you not see the mischieuous hooke lying vnder the bait Vse 2 Let vs refuse therefore to worke any longer task vnto Satan and betake vs to a better Master and better seruice and work in the Lords vineyard Iohn 6.27 Labour after that meat which perisheth not whose fruits shall be eternall life Of iniquity Some thinke these to be hypocrites as in the 41. Psalme verse 7. All they that hate me whisper together against me euen against me doe they imagine mine hurt But here it imports more when he cals them workers of iniquity A manifest practice of their wicked deuices in their actions against Dauid What iniquity is for iniquity is that which is contrary to equity and iustice and equity is defined by Cicero Suum cuique tribuere whereas iniquity is to defraud any man of his due Whereby yee see that God abhorreth all iniuries wee can doe to our neighbours Doct. God abhorreth all iniuries done to our neighbours 1 Ioh. 4.20 Mat. 9.13 and esteemes then his seruice to be true when it beginneth at our neighbours For how can we loue God whom we see not saith the Apostle when wee loue not man made to the Image of God whom we see And our Sauiour saith I will haue mercy and not sacrifice So that he refuseth the principall part of his seruice which consisteth in sacrifices if they bee not conjoyned with mercy to our neighbours and in Isaiah Isai 66.3 he that kelleth a Bullocke or a Lambe offers a gift as though he had killed a dogge or a sowe and onely because of their iniuries Woe to this sinfull generation Vse who make no conscience but doe all manner of iniuries to whom they may and doe not spare either fatherlesse or widow or strangers or the gray haires or pupils or Orphans and yet vaunt of their religion Note I wish rather they would professe Papistry or Paganisme that their confession and profession might be answerable and that they would either professe as they liue or liue as they professe for it is shame that a good faith should be backed with had works For the Lord hath heard the voyce of my weeping Doctr. The neerer we draw to God the further we must flee from all his enemies The argument whereby he repelleth the wicked from his is taken from his familiarity with God and sure it is the nearer we draw to God the further will we flee from all his enemies what makes vs such associates with the children of the Diuell but that wee are strangers to God and when once we haue drawne in friendship and seruice with him then we hate the other partie Next Prayer ioyneth vs to God yee shall know that the principall mean by which we can frequent with God is Prayer for if God giue vs the Spirit of Prayer then he giues vs an accesse to the throne of his grace Many yea the most part of the world know not what prayer meaneth others pray perfunctoriously and hypocritically and their prayer turneth into sinne The benefit of true prayer But happy are those whom Gods most holy Spirit teacheth to pray and those onely can pray aright The voyce There is ascribed to prayer a voyce Doctr. The voice of prayer more mentall then vocall which is not so much vocall as mental alwayes it hath a piercing voyce which pierceth the heauens and preuaileth mightily with God and is so importunate that it will not come from heauens gates till and answer be giuen as Ezechias Moses c. Of my weeping As Dauids prayers were not dumbe His prayer was not dry but had a voyce so they are not dry but full of teares those sappy prayers be acceptable to God which proceed not from a barren and dry heart but from an heart well watered with the clouds of heauen hears planted at the Riuers of waters which wee should all pray after Hee hath this comfort that God heard his prayers Doct. Our prayers in faith will surely be heard not that he heard them wit eares as he who planted the eares doth heare but hee heard his praier when he granted yeelded to his petition And this is a great prouocation to vs to make vs pray in faith and then wee may perswade our selues God wil heare them Thinke ye not that a mother will discerne the voyce Simil. but much more the weeping of her owne childe nad the Ewe discerne the bleating of her owne lambe amongst a thousand and will not God regard the praier of his own childe being in affliction Vse And this certaintie that we haue to be heard should hearten vs all to pray Whomsoeuer Christ cured he asked if they beleeued then said Mat. 9.29 Marke 7.9 Be it to thee according to thy faith And again I saw not greater faith in Israel It is then superfluous to pray except thou beleeue Infidelitie is the cause why we lacke many good things Vse Distrust is the cause we receiue nothing from God for wee doe God great iniury in vttering forth words to him when eyther we doubt of his power that he cannot or of his loue that he will not bestow good things necessary to vs. Verse 9. The Lord hath heard my petition the Lord will receiue my prayer Why he repeateth three times that he was heard HE repeats the hearing of his prayer three times for two causes First to let vs see how frequently he vsed the exercise of praier for he diuide the day in three Morning noon and at euening tide did I call vpon thee and the night in three for he beganne the night with prayer I arose at midnight and called vpon thee and he preuented the breake of day and the morning watch Secondly that by his threefold repetition he might perswade himselfe of the acceptation of his prayers that they were heard of God which is a great matter for God heareth not sinners Ioh. 9.31 but If any be a worshipper of God and doth his will him heareth he then if the Lord heare our suifs grant them Vse we may perswade our selues that we are in his fauour Ester 7. When Hester obtained her suite at Ahashuerosh it was an argument she was acceptable to him So is it with vs in our petitions to God VERSE 10. All mine
9.27 that in this verse he particularly applyeth vnto himselfe shewing vs hereby how necessary the application of mercy is to a Preacher lest preaching to others hee become a Reprobate himselfe He runnes euer to mercy pretending no merits and craues pardon to his iniquity which before hee called sinne for hee sinned against God and did iniquity to Vrias Doct. Who sinneth against God hurteth his neighbour 1 Ioh. 4.20 where obserue that sinne and the forgetfulnesse of God causes vs to doe iniquity and wrong to our neighbours how can wee loue God whom wee see not and hate man made to his I mage whom wee see For it is great Doct. To aggrauate sin a true marke of a penitent Gen. 3.12.13 A true marke of a petitent sinner to aggrauate his sinne Some vse to extenuate their sinnes by comparing them to others whom they thinke sinne more then they doe others excuse them as Adam did when hee said The woman which thou gauest to bee with me shee gaue me of the Tree and I did eate shee againe excused herselfe The Serpent beguiled me and I did eate Doctr. WheÌ„ man remembreth sinne God forgetteth it But let the children of God search and finde out the greatnesse of their sinnes and aggrauare them that God may extenuate them and so forget them Are yee loadned with sinne remember it and God will forget it and ease you if yee haue it before your eyes hee shall cast it behind his backe but if you thinke nothing of sinne God will binde it on your backe so that it shall presse you downe as a milstone But he craueth this for Gods names sake his name is his honor Doctr. Gods chiefest honor is his mercie Pro. 25.2 shewing vs that God purchaseth his chiefe honour by his mercy It is the honour of the King to try sinnes but the honour of God to couer them VERSE 12. What man is hee that feareth the Lord him will hee teach the way that he shall choose IN this and the other two verses following is contained another quality which God craueth in his penitent humble and obedient sinner to wit that he haue the feare of God who is rewarded with temporall and spirituall blessings in his soule body and posterity So godlinesse is great gaine hauing the pâ—omâ—es of this life the life to come 1 Tim 4.8 What man is he By this forme of interrogation hee would note the raritie of those that shall finde mercie and this indefinite speech answerable to an vniuersall declareth that whatsoeuer they bee of whatsoeuer estate and condâ—tion who feare God shall bee sure of these after following blessings Doct. God directs them whom hee forgiues Next obserue that God hee directs all these in the course of their life whom hee hath pardoned therfore those who are not reconciled to God need not looke for Gods direction he was a Pillar of fire and Cloud to the Israelites for they were vnder the Couenant Exo. 14.19 The feare of the Lord is the chiefe vertue Pro. â—5 33. What the feare of God is euen the beginning of wisedome It is a secret reuerence bred in the heart of a Christian proceeding out of the sense and feeling of Gods loue whereby a sinner is affraid that hee neither thinke speake or doe any thing which hee supposeth may offend Gods Maiestie This secret feare if it bee once planted in the heart will direct thee in all good actions acceptable to God and correct thy euill doings Note The two properties of Gods feare Simil. The loue of God hath a constraining power whereby it compelleth and forceth vs to serue him the feare of God hath a restraining power by which it restraineth and stayeth vs and keepeth vs backe from offending him this is like a bit the other like a spur Abraham feared that the feare of God was not Gen. 20.11 in the place wherto he went Ioseph being inticed by his Mistris to commit wickednes with her answered How can I do this great wickednes and so sin against God Gen. 39.9 the Lord plant this feare in our harts This is a filial feare which he craueth comming from loue not a seruile feare which commeth from a feare of punishment The preseruer of this feare is a continual nourishment in thy minde of the presence of God How the feare of God is preserued to whoÌ„ thou presentest all thy actions When thou coÌ„mittest any thing vnworthy of his presence be ashamed of it flie froÌ„ it craue mercy for it make the quiet Cabinet of thy mind the Chamber of his presence wherin thou darest admit no lewd thought no filthy thing And because it is impossible to fray thy hart minde from the conceptions of that sinning sinne in thee Note yet haue this testimony that it is no sooner conceiued but as soon repented Will he teach the way that he shall choose He promiseth foure benefits to the man that feareth God he heapeth vpon him grace vpon grace before hee pardoned him and now he directeth the man whom he forgaue for no sooner receiueth hee any man in his fauor when he immediately takes the protection and direction of him But out of these words we see three things First there are diuers yea contrary wayes as there are contrary ends the broad and the narrow the Kings way and by-rodes the way of life and of death Many promise to themselues a Kingdom not being in the way leading thereto This is against such as dreame to themselues that whatsoeuer religion they professe or howsoeuer they liue they shall goe to heauen but they are deceiued for if thou be not in the way to the Kingdome thou shalt neuer attain to the Kingdome many yea the most part are not going but riding not running but posting to hell whom if ye demand whither they goe they will answere to heauen yea and they will bragge they shall be nearer God then the Preacher himselfe euen as if one would dreame of life at the poynt of death Next wee see that a man cannot of himselfe choose the right way to heauen Doct. Man of himselfe is ignoâ—ant of the rigâ— he way 1 Cor. 2.1 4 for the naturall man cannot apprehend those things which pertaine to Gods Kingdome neither yet can he see them for they are spiritually discerned Whereupon followeth the third that is how man shall choose the good and refuse the euill way Rom. 9 1â— Non est currentis nec volentis sed miserentis Dei It is not in him that runneth nor in him that willeth but in God that sheweth mercy Heb. 11.25 Moses choosed rather to suffer with the Church then to bee called the sonne of Pharohs daughter Ios 24.15 Ioshua and his house choosed to serue God though all the people should serue Baal Psal 4.6 Dauid the King choosed the light of Gods countenance to shine on him 1 Kin. 3.9 Solomon made
spurned with his heele Deut. 32.15 c. therefore he forsooke God that made him c. The Mule is a creature not created by God generate betweene an Horse and an Asse yea contrary to his institution who forbad there should be any mixture of divers kinds Gen. 36.24 How the wicked resemble the Mule either beasts or seeds And so a wicked man is a degenerate creature not of Gods creation but bred betweene Sathan and sinne who are the onely parents of that Beast And as the Mule doth never engender any more nor produce any liuing creature no more doe these become fruitfull being reprobates and vnprofitable to any good worke but die in their owne sinne And as they are so stupid that the greater burthen be layd on them they goe the more quickly so when the wicked are loded with iniquitie being insensible of their burthen they goe more quickly from sinne to sinne And as the Horse goes fiercely to the battell and feares no danger so goe they passing all feare of hell Ier. 8 4. and 6. and Gods plagues run madly to their owne destruction And finally as the Horse and Mule remember for the present but shortly after forget so doe the wicked Who vnderstand not Marke the ignorance of mans nature who vnderstands not those things pertaining to God Animalis homo sayth the Apostle non novit quae sunt Dei 1 Cor. 2 1â— The naturall man knoweth not the things belonging to God Yea cannot being more ignorant then brutish Beasts who know the crib of their Master Isa 1.3 Nebuchadnezar would not heare and learne till God changed him to a brute Beast not in shape of bodie but in conversing with them seaven yeares Dan. 3. till his vnderstanding came againe 2 Pet. 2.16 Balaam was rebuked by his Asse The Pastours are become brute beasts having no vnderstanding Ier. 10.21 But because Beasts haue not beene created reasonable as man is it is not imputed to them that they are ignorant But man being borne a reasonable creature he is iustly to be blamed that he is metamorphosed and changed vnto the nature of a Beast as Circe changed her ghuests into Beasts Therefore let vs pray to God to illuminate our minds with the knowledge of his will and send vs his Spirit who may lead vs in all truth Whose mouth thou bindest with bit and bridle The similitude of the bit and bridle is common in the Scriptures The Lord sayth to Senacherib I will put mine hooke in thy nostrels and my bridle in thy lippes 2 King 19.28 Pro. 26.3 2 Sam. 8.1 Isa 30.28 and will bring thee backe againe the same way thou camest And Salomon sayth A rod is for the backe of the foole It is called the bridle of bondage A bridle to cause them to erre in the iawes of the people And the Lord to Pharaoh Ezek. 29.4 I will put hookes in thy iawes And to the Prince of Meshech and Tubal the same Ezek. 38.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayth Xenophon de re equestri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Respira re non prohibet mordere autem non sinit He forbiddeth not to breath but he suffereth not to byte See how God is forced to vse extremities to tame a wilde nature which by no lessons warnings or admonitions can be tamed Man hath need of many bridles Herodian in his 7. Booke and Lucius in his 35. Booke prayse the Numidians for their skill in riding without bridles whom Virgil in the 4. of Aeuead and Ausonius in grat action pro consul gratian call infrenos gentem uesciam freni And seeing among the Numâ—ds their ryders can ryde without a bridle Note Fie vpon Christians who haue so many birs and cannot make vse of them to ryde forward and runne into Gods obedience God hath taken great paines to chastise vs albeit we haue not amended but gone from evill to worse and therefore seeing neither his good provocations neither his chastisements will worke vpon vs he hath one bit and bridle to keepe vs in from doing more evill even at the houre of our death God hath a bridle for man where we shall be curbed in that we doe no more Were it not better for vs to make better vse of the frequent admonitions of Gods servants and of the chastisements which God hath layd vpon vs that we may humble vs vnder the mightie hand of God and learne to be wise by our owne experience lest he be forced to draw his sword against vs. Lest they come neere thee See the vntowardnesse of these jades the poore Minister if he be vpon their backes can scarce keepe the saddle and if he would lead him forward one â—ade or other would take him by the coller which would not be vnlesse there were Horâ—e and Mules Many sorrowes shall come to the wicked Now is set downe two reasons which may raise and rouse the naturall man from his senselesse brutishinesse First from the iudgements of God vpon the wicked Secondly from his mercies to his elect and obedient children Desperate is he who will neither be moued with admonitions noâ— corrections So that either Gods mercy may allure him or his iustice terrifie him Then he must needs be a desperate person who can be moued with neither of them Before he called them inâ—ocil and vatractable and obstinate now he called them wicked not a simple sinner as we be all but who addeth drunkennesse to thirst and rebellion and presumption to his ignorance worse then a Mule or Horse He comprises all the miseries of the wicked The life of the wicked is sorrow Luk. 16. 1 Sam. 25.37 vnder the name of sorrow who although they liue delitiously with the rich Glutton and Nabal yet all their mirth is converted into sorrow and perplexitie for as the miseries of Gods children are ever turned into ioy Psal 30.5 Weeping is at evening but ioy commeth in the morâ—ing so the ioyes of the wicked are ever turned into sorrowes for albeit they seeme the happiest men vnder the Sunne yet the sudden revolution and change of their estate shall demonstrate to the world what fooles they were and how the Devill bewitched them Dan. 5.30 and as vpon Beltashar brought vnexpected sorrows vpon them in the midst of their ioyes And is it not iust with God to render tribulation to them who troubled his Church and them releasement who haâ—e had many grieved hearts for the same And I doubt not but the Lord in his mercie shall so bring about all matters that as the wicked trivmph and reioyce at the sorrowes of the Saints God shall make them weepe time about and bring ioy to his elect Mat. 5.4 Luk. 6.25 Blessed are they that weepe for they shall be comforted woe to you who laugh for yee shall weepe Many sins bring many sorâ—owes Many sorrows Many sinnes bring many plagues many in life many in death many
sinne of Adam receiued that sentence Dust thou art and to dust shalt thou returne againe so that curse ouertooke all his posteritie that they are subiect to putrifaction and rottennesse which not onely befalleth to them after their death but when they are yet aliue it seizeth on their nature For the sweete sauour there shall be stinke Isa 3.24 Yea commonly those that haue bin fed most delicately stink most filthily after their death Nota. Mollius delicatiusque nutrita corpora grauius elent mortua And it is seene by common experience that the fairest bodie hath the foulest corps Which Saint Ambrose confirming bringeth in an example of one who lasciuiously and libidinously hauing lyen in whoredom and feasting dayly after his death did so stinke that incense of diuers colours could not remoue the same A necessary lesson for belly pamperers A fearfull example to strike terror in the hearts of all such pamperers of their belly and who make so much of their flesh that they are carelesse of all other things Let them remember that they are as Saint Augustine saith in his Confessions esca vermium saccus stercorum a prey of wormes and a sack of dung But their chiefe rottennesse is worse then the rottennesse of Lazarus Ioh. 11.39 who stanke vpon the fourth day a type and figure of a sinner who being dead in sin his mouth becometh an open sepulchre and casteth forth such a stinking vnsauorie and pestilentious smell that it doth infect the very aire Because of my foolishnesse The originall version beareth from the face of my foolishnes as ye heard twise before He calleth it not foolishnesse to extenuate his sin as many hypocrites do who say they failed through ignorance but to declare that he was bereft of his wits and caried with a beastly appetite after his owne lusts Sin is properly called folly but it is spiritually folly A naturall foole lacketh the vse of reason A comparison betweene a naturall a spirituall foole Pro. 12.15 1. Cor. 1.18 1 Cor. 2.14 1. Cor. 1.26 a spirituall foole is not guided by grace A naturall foole thinketh himselfe wiser then any other so a spirituall foole thinketh himselfe wise in his owne conceit there is more hope of a foole then of him The wisedome of God is foolishnesse to men The naturall man perceiueth not the things that are of God Not many wise c. Thirdly the effects trie how a foole marreth all his matters so doth a sinner bring all miseries on his bodie soule estate posteritie and looke how they laugh at our folly for they thinke religion folly and a holy life and deuotion to be dotage so God doth laugh them to scorne and their wisedome is turned to folly He confoundeth the counsell of Achitophel 2. Sa. 17.29 And at the last day they shal say Behold these whō we thought fooles are like the Angels of God Verse 6. I am bowed and crooked very sores I go mourning all the day HE proceedeth in the enlarging of his extreme troubles wherewith he was oppressed so that it is a wonder to thinke how his faith could beare vp such a heape of euils And where he saith he was bowed and crooked he sheweth how farre he was humbled vnder the mightie hand of God 1. Pet. 5.6 And he seemeth to oppose his great deiection and down-casting to the proud pertinacie of many who striue so against God that none of his rods can humble them who albeit they be fearfully shaken and cast downe so that they are forced to bow their bodie yet their mind remaineth so obstinate as though they had sinewes of iron in their necks that they lift vp their hearts against God Therefore this circumstance of his crooking and bowing is an argument to moue God to pitie his case because he is not an obstinate sinner and one who is rebellious but one cast downe at the correction which he gat Doctrine There is no fitter remedy for vs to be deliuered then by hūbling our selues vnder the hand of God Whereby we are taught that there is no better remedie for vs then to cast off our pride and bow our selues vnder Gods hand yea the heauier that Gods hand be the more deiected should we be And therefore Dauid addeth he is crooked very sore The word in the originall meod signifying very greatly and vehemently sheweth vnto vs that his griefes and sorrowes were not common but extraordinarie and God vseth to make his children examples of his chastisements Nota. who made themselues examples of sin to the world I go mourning all the day The Hebrew word koder signifieth blacknesse as one that walketh in mourning clothes For the black colour is a token of grauitie and sadnesse But I am rather of the opinion that his meaning is of the blacknesse of his skin For we know that men whose heart is oppressed with dolour do lose their naturall colour as Dauid saith Psal 119. I am like a bottle in the smoke Sin changeth mans beauty into deformitie For we see that sinne deformeth and disgraceth men so that it turneth their fatnesse into leannesse and beautie into deformitie as the same Prophet saith in another place When God afflicteth man for sin Psal 39.12 th n he waxeth woe and wan and in the 22 Psal vers 15. My strength is dried vp like a potsheard A fearfull example is set downe by Ieremie in his Lamentations Chap. 4. ver 7 8. Her Nazarites were purer then the snow and whiter then the milke they were more ruddie in body then the red precious stones they were like polished Saphir now their visage is blacker then a coale they cannot know them in the streets their skin cleaueth to their bones it is withered like a stocke All the day The continuance of his paine amplifieth the same For if a man had some relaxation or breathing he might gather new strength for a new assault Iob complaineth of the like dealing for when he had bin vexed all the day he said My couch will giue me rest but thou affrayest me with visions Herein haue we to learne Iob 7.14 patiently to beare Gods corrections Beare patiently afflictions since God hath dealt more hardly with better then we are when now and then it pleaseth him to lay them vpon vs as sicknes pouertie infamie c. whereby others better then we haue bin more rigorously handled then we are Verse 7. For my reines are full of burning and there is nothing sound in my flesh TO moue God to pitie him he layeth open all his sores euē as a begger wil lay open to the view of all the people his wounds and sores to moue them to haue compassion on him The patient vnfoldeth his wounds to the Physitian Simil. so should we vnfold our griefes miseries and necessities to the Lord our God that he with the pitifull eye of the Samaritan Luk. 10.33 may close and cure them
went vnto the house of God as companions And I am become a stranger to my brethren euen an alien to my mothers sonnes Psal 69.8 88.8.18 And. Thou hast put away my acquaintance far from me and me to be abhorred of them I am shut vp and cannot get forth and my louers and friends hast thou put farre from me and mine acquaintance hid themselues And Isaias the Prophet saith I looked and there was none to helpe Isa 63.5 Zech. 13.6 and I wondred that there was none to vphold And Zechariah Thus was I wounded in the house of my friends And Iob Iob 6.13 19.13.14 15.16.17.18.19 30.1 Is it not so that in me there is no help and that strength is taken from me And He hath remoued my brethren farre from me And also My acquaintance were strangers vnto me c. And But now those that are yonger then I am mocke me yea those whose fathers I haue refused to set with the dogs of my flocks Iulius Caesar said to Brutus stabbing him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thou also my sonne And Apollinarius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coram amici timuerunt pedes vero firma verunt socij 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui vero me prope euntes de longe recesserunt Many of the Fathers expound this of false teachers Against false teachers who in time of trouble forsake the flocke Bern ser 77 in Cantie who then looke a farre off to the sheepe and their people when they should be most comfortable to them in the day of their trouble Those are but hirelings who seeing the wolf coming do leaue the flock Woe be vnto those men who abound in the world to whom shame and condemnation doth appertaine Dauid had experience of this in Absolon his sonne Amasa his nephew Achitaphel his Counceller By this expenence of Dauid let vs learne Doctr. No coniunction can stand vnlesse it be in God that there is no coniunction so strict if it be not in God which can be able to bind any flesh to vs. For the bonds of nature are very weake because the ground of them is but fleshly that is brittle and inconstant Therefore let vs not trust in flesh and blood Woe be vnto him who putteth his strength in man Ier. 17.5 Next Trouble trieth our friends Trouble trieth who are friends Iob 6.15 â— They will be vnto thee as a brooke and as a broken tooth in the day of thy aduersitie I know the proofe of them and if thou wilt not trust me then thou shalt learne by thine owne experience when thou shalt stand in need of their comfort They will be as a broken reed 2. Ki. 18.21 which howsoeuer it may seem to be a precious staffe if thou leane vnto not onely will faile thee but iniure thee and pierce thy hand There are many rarities in the world which men seeke after but there is not it well raâ—er then to find in all thy life a faithfull A rare thing to find a trustie and faithfull friend constant and secret friend whom if thou can find to keepe him is better then gold It is written of Alexander that coming to the sepulcher of Achilles he wept saying Plut in vita Alexandri O foelicem inuenem qui Homerum laudum suarum depredicatoram vnicum fidelem amicum Patroclum inuenerit O happy youth who found such a preacher of his praises as Homer was and such a faithfull friend as Patroclus Valerius Maximus maketh mention of two who kept constant kindnesse Pythias and Damon of whom the one being adiudged to death on a certaine day the other entered himselfe in his fellow companions place til he went home to put his affaires in order who abode vntill the very last day and then came which thing the Tyrant seeing and admiring pardoned the other desiring that they would admit him the third of their societie Should not we be ashamed that are called Christians that neither loue nor truth can be found amongst vs. We loue for gaine and we discord for gaine The heathens may condemne Christians amongst whom loue and truth is rare to be found Luk 18.18 Mat. 10.36 and therefore those Heathenish people shall condemne vs at the latter day Now is found to be true that sentence which our Sauiour foretold that in the latter dayes faith nor loue should not be found in the earth and loue should wax cold the father against the son c. a mans enemies should be those of his owne house Verse 12. They also that seeke after my life lay snares and they that go about to do me euill talke wicked things and imagine deceit continually BEllarmine expoundeth this and all the rest typically of Christ which may stand but he omitteth the literall interpretation of the person of Dauid and the common estate of Christs members The substance of it is Seeing my friends furnish me no comfort but look vpon me a far off carelesse of me yet mine enemies are not idle against me but set themselues by all their engine and labour to destroy me WheÌ„ frieÌ„ds are slow in helping foes are most busie For it commeth often to passe that when our friends are slow in helping vs our foes are earnest against vs. Our friends should blush that the wicked should be more instant against vs then they are to maintaine vs. But it is no wonder since by nature men are more bent and prone to euill then to do good things By constraint they do good but willingly they commit euill He describeth his enemies 1. from their malice 2. from their meanes to performe it 3. from their continuance Their malice in two they sought his life and deuised euill things against him The meanes meditating and musing euill and taking counsell Next speaking euill last doing euil laying snares by craft like fowlers to take my life Their profit and pastime was to vndo me The order is here inuerted for meditating properly precedeth speaking and speaking doing but in the words of the text it is otherwayes their malice extendeth to the highest degree they will not be contented to banish him prison him and reuile him nothing can satisfie their thirst but his blood This is the enuie of the Serpent against the seed of the woman The Diuell is a murderer and so are his children The wild beasts do prey vpon the poore sheep and its blood is sweete to their taste so are the cruell and bloody Papists of the Iesuitical sect so much gape for the blood of Christians that albeit we professe one God one Christ Against the cruell malice of Iesuites one Bible and Scripture no bonds can bind them to vs. They will be content rather to agree with Iewes who denie Christ to whom Synagogues in Rome are not denied by the Pope or with Turks with whoÌ„ they haue often taken assurance to the preiudice of Christians yea with the Diuell