as we se in tragedies in the hands of furies we haue seene this mace although for a time faire bewtifull with crownes gold in his hande yet now almost burnt out of his hande The fire of the Gospell brake forth first one peece of his mace in Germany then it cracked of this side and then of that side the sea and nowe it cracketh in Fraunce and what is left in his hande but a stumpe of Italie and Spayne which the Lorde for his trueth and promise sake will burne also out of his hande Neither will 〈◊〉 thus leaue But I doubt not but as the other Antichrist of the East the Turke began together with him so he shall end together and hope that when the man of sinne is consumed the Lord wil also take his people out of his hand accomplish the number of the elect In Barbarie Grece and else where And when Lord how long shall thy foes triumphe ouer thee and make a mock of thy sonne Iesus our Sauiour whome we looke and waite for for the destruction of these Tirants that haue lift vp them selues against him and for the refreshing of thy wearye and faintye children Doubt ye not but the Lord numbreth the yeares of their captiuitie of their appoynted time for saluation when our Redemer will come and fulfill all thinges which haue bene spoken and determined by the Lorde of truth Thus may we 〈◊〉 comfort our selues in 〈◊〉 Gods promises which because it were 〈◊〉 to folow I wil rest on this one exaÌ„ple Which for all other may be a patterne to vs of the truth of god For in this verse is becâ—â—â— offred againe to speake of it The workes of 〈◊〉 hands are truth iudgement c. This second word which the Prophet vsed I haue already said is added to correct our wicked iudgements against God because such so great is our corruption so venimous poysenfull we are of nature that we coÌ„tent not our selues with equal enmities but our sinne breaketh out falleth vpon the iust and great god Therfore the Prophet attributeth this title to the Lords works that they are no lesse righteous iust then they are true sure Now he meaneth in this place that the punishments which he executed for his people vpon the Cananits Egyptians were most righteous iudgements as we haue seene therefore the truth of God in these workes so let vs consider now therin his righteousnes And first for the Egyptians I dispure not of the secret hid causes which are only knowne to the lord Why he set this people the other of Canaan aboue all other nations as it were vpon a stage in whose persons this tragedâ— should be seene which can not be vniustly 〈◊〉 by the Iudge of heauen and earth the 〈◊〉 of all the world as Abraham saith but I will onely remember those manifest reâ—aâ—ed reasons by the scripture which were the occasion of al their punishments wherâ—â— we may remember that Egypt most tyrannously cruelly handled this people Knowest thou not oh vnthaÌ„kful Egypt how to deale with thy patrons and benefactors was the benefite thou haddest by Ioseph forgotteÌ„ in whose hand was thy life in his wisdome thy glory in whose wil was thy destruction in his pleasure thy shame had ye forgotteÌ„ the law of nature oh Pharao al thy Senators al the people of the land of Egypt so vncurteously and vngently to handle straungers Came they to be your seruants boÌ„dmen or felows coÌ„panioÌ„s yet saide Come let vs take counsell against theÌ„ Knew you not last of al that they were gods people his heritage his childreÌ„ his priests kings whoÌ„ whosoeuer blessed he had promised he would blesse agayne curse theÌ„ that cursed them had not their God threatned smitteÌ„ euen kings for their fathers sakes AbrahaÌ„ Isaac eueÌ„ Pharao Abimelech had not Egipt a singuler benefit aboue all natioÌ„s to be the hosts of theÌ„ that were so deare to the Lord Were not they more theÌ„ Nilus in her highest deepest inundations profitable to the encrease of the fruites of the land The heate of the sunne the influence of the starres all other benefites that are required for the ryping of their fruites came out of no other heauen then euen this very people For as the Prophet describing the returne of the children of Israell out of Babilon for whom the Lorde would digge fountaynes euen in the wildernes turneth to the serpeÌ„ts exhorteth them to prayse God that had giuen waters in the wildernes because through the blessing of this people it was also common to them So these serpents tygers of Egypt receiue these blessings of God as by occasion that is for his peoples sake their corne their wine encrease of all things and yet they take counsell to slay some of them and to kepe the rest in perpetuall bondage Iust therefore were these thy iudgementes oh Lord and righteous was all thy counsell agaynst this cruel vnnatural people Thoâ— turnedst their waters into blood because they were a bloody people thy hand strokâ— theÌ„ with darknes because they were blind and ignorant of the benefites They hande brought botches sores vpon theÌ„ because they were full of veâ—â—n poyson frogges and hee vermin were sent amoÌ„gst them because they were a proud generatioÌ„ they â—â—re depriued of their substance and ornaments because they were gotten by cruelty and extortion their first borne slayne because they were the beginning of their wicked strength the king his hosts drowned in the sea because they were all malicious and obstinate The works therefore of thy hands in this people were iustice iudgement Nowe I will consider the Cananites and declare the Lord my God to haue bin in their destruction also most iust and most righteous This is ofteÌ„ declared in the prophets when they shew Israel of their Idolatrie diuinations crueltie and such like for they say the lande is full of abhominations as it was in the dayes when the Amorites â—ittits dwelled in it And Ezechiel declaring all their wickednes in two words saying AbrahaÌ„ was not their father nor Saray their mother but some AmorreaÌ„ begat theÌ„ and some Hittite surely bare theÌ„ Whereby the sinne abominatioÌ„s of this people are manifest And if we looke for the lord in his owne person to giue senteÌ„ce of theÌ„ behold he appoynteth 400. yeres to passe ere the seede of AbrahaÌ„ should enioy this land because the measure of the sinne of the Amorites was not then full their fruites 〈◊〉 ripe the waters of wickednes not yet oâ—â— their heads but theÌ„ very neare ripe though not fitte for the haruest For the mercyfull and gracious God doth so long beare with the wickednes of the world till it reache to the very heauens that his long patience as thapostle teacheth the Romans might driue them to the consideration of it
These are our borders limites wherein to stay yet we thinke we are greatly learned in Philosophy if we knowe almost one of them or a few quiddities of materia prima and such like thinges Oh that we propounded vnto vs at the last true good knowledge souÌ„d profit absolute learning that man would with a cotage life seeke to labour to his power to attaine vnto it But Dauid here noteth our fault when he saith they are sought out of them that delight therin For wherein is our delight but in vanities but in play but in pride but in idlenes but in pleasures but in eating and drinking and losing the time Here is matter for Magistrates to looke vnto who are to be desired to heare by our actes exercises of learning how we go forwards and if they find vs not as the sonnes of the prophets but sonnes of Beliall to thrust vs out of the Colledge giue our places to those which will be better then we O Lorde kindle in vs the feare of thee that for coÌ„science we may behaue our selues diligently in our vocation in those studies whereby we may profit in the knowledge of thee That abandoning al vaine delights which as the lightning are soone extinguished we may set our mindes studies vppon such thinges as may serue to the setting forth of thy glory through Iesus Christ Amen Because of the singular notable zeale coÌ„cerning the praise of God in the congregation which Dauid professed promised in the first verse I haue entred the examinatioÌ„ of the whole Psalme to se the reasons causes the argumeÌ„ts proues which Dauid had Wherfore so to stir vp al his wits all his hart and soule in this songe The last time speakiÌ„g of the 2. verse at the which this praise of god beginneth as it were beginning this anatomye at the head looking nearely eueÌ„ for the beginning infancy of Dauids zeale coÌ„sidering the first scholes masters which he had I fouÌ„d theÌ„ al in this verse Great are the works of the Lord c. For here the Prophet fetcheth draweth eueÌ„ as from the furthest fouÌ„taines this prayse of god Now it followeth in this third verse Praise and glory are his workes c. which declareth vnto vs the same doctrine of the praise of the workes of God which we did see in the former verse For in these two sentences he comprehendeth that knoweledge of God which may be vnderstoode out of the creatures of God in the whole world but he speaketh here more particularly distinctly of that knowledge which may here be learned of those which looke diligently for them and delight in the consideration of them For it is requisite both because we are dimme of sight the Lorde workes haue like the courtaines of SalomoÌ„ their beautie within that we hold our eyes neare vnto them and put our heades as it were within them to coÌ„sider them if we will see those things in theÌ„ which Dauid a most excellent interpreter noteth and poynteth at Praise glory c. Let vs first examine this that he sayth praise and glorye c. the meaning of the Prophet is that the Lorde hath in such wisedom counsell made his works that euen by them may appeare to al that consider them the praise and glory of the Creator which doctrine he had in the verse before declared but not so clearly manifestly for here he expoundeth what he ment before when he called them great or excellent that is full of the praise and renowme of the maker perfect maisters of Gods wisedom excelleÌ„t teachers of his glory most sufficient witnesses of his praise This doctrine although it was declared partly before in the expositioÌ„ of the former verse yet it may not be either tedious to you nor greuous to me some thing more to speake of the same seeing the holy Ghost vouchsafeth â—o stand vppon it And we may thereby vnderstand that the doctrine of the praise of God taught by his workes is not lightly smally to be estemed seing the spirit of God witnesseth it vnto vs by repetitioÌ„ True it is that the word of God is the hie and principall maister of the knowledge of God in the Church of Christ as we shall see in the next verse the teÌ„ple wherein his glorye most appeareth but notwithstanding these are helps appointed of God to the raysing of our mindes to his glorye mouing vs being bodies with bodily things therfore vnles we be forgetfull of our weakenes we may not neglect the ordinary meanes The Prophets holy men of God whose loue zeale of the Lordes glory is left for our example haue labored in them profited by them to the praise of god Let vs therefore followe them and namely Dauid in this place Let vs followe the same steppes and wayes which he hath trode before vs Let vs stande with him as it were in the middest of the worlde and lifte vp our eyes to heauen and after caste them downe vpon the earth yea lette vs beholde euen our selues with those eyes which we see Dauid to haue done in the 139. Psalme shal we not then be amazed and astonied at the wisedome we shal finde in them and giue glory to the Lorde shall we not in meditating but of our selues finde a world of notable excellent works of God Let vs looke but a litle aboue vs into that shoppe of the Lords notable works where he maketh the rayne hayle and snow lightning thunder and consider from whence he sendeth rayne howe he hath powred it as into barrels or bottels till we neede it Consider aboue that the light of the sunne the moone the number and order of the starres the workmanship of the heauens that fayre and excellent courtayne whiche the Lorde hath draweÌ„ ouer vs theÌ„ also the power of winds the multitude of waters and the stretching out of the ayre the nature of beastes the fruits of the trees the smell of flowers the beauty and property of stones the vertue of herbes and of rootes and in a worde the whole earth and the heauens with all their hostes and furniture Haue they not as it were written and grauen vppon them in great and text letters prayse and glory to the Lord our Creator In the 19. Psalme the Prophet attributeth this same voyce of glory to the heauens The heauens sayth he speake the glory of god c. and maketh that noble and swifte grant the sunne the messenger of the same worde to all the world In the 104. Psalme he compareth the light to a robe of glory and honor that the Lorde couereth him selfe withall because the light declareth manifestly all the works of God which are glasses of his prayse And in the 148. Psalme he putteth this song of the prayse of God into the mouth of all creatures euen of the hilles and mountaynes of the soules of
the ayre trees of the wodde of the dragons and wormes that creepe vppon the earth So in the thirtie eyght and nine chapters of Iob the Lorde to the ende that he might humble Iob and bring him to the knowledge of the prayse of God and his owne confusion he reckoneth the works of his hands in order euen the heauens and earth and beastes of the fielde And in the fortie Chapter he byddeth Iob likewise to decke him selfe with glory and maiestie and to array hiâ— selfe with beautie and excellencie that iâ— to make such workes in whiche there mayâ— appeare his prayse and renowme Prayse therefore and glory is his worke so that where so euer we cast our eyes whether before vs or behinde vs aboue or beneath vs or within vs on the right hande or oâ— the left hande all are full of the glory and prayse of God euen as our Sauiour Christ teacheth forbidding to sweare by the heauens or earth oâ— any the least creature because they are the Lordes seate and this is his footestoole and seeing we can not make a very heare we muste confesse that euen there also is a marke and token of the Lordes glory and maiestie Wherefore let vs with this wise and godly Prophet learne the beginning of our praysing of God euer at these creatures and knowe that it shal be shame and sinne for vs to be dumme when they are so hye and loude but moste of all to ouâ— grieuous condemnation if wher they declare the glory of God we bring by ouâ—e wickednesse by oure vayne and vngodly behauiour shame reproche and ignominie to his name It followeth And his goodnes remayneth for euer I translate the worde so although it properly signifieth righteousnes because I thinke that to be the Prophetes meaning For in the next Psalme the Prophet hath this halfe verse in the same wordes speaking of the good and mercifull man whose goodnes is not soone dried but continueth for euer that is all his life So Daniell exhorteth Nabuchad to redeeme his sinnes by mercie liberalitie yet vseth this word of iustice Here therfore the Prophet likewise meaneth the goodnes and liberalitie mercie of God which may be learned also out of his verie ordinarie common workes This peece of the verse is notably enlarged by the Prophet Dauid in the 136. Psalme where he attributeth the creation of heauens of the sunne moone of the starres of the day and night of the placing of the earth vpon the waters to the euerlasting mercie of God making this the ground foote of the Psalme or song For his mercie indureth for euer And our Sauiour Christ also teaching his disciples to be good to their enemies bringeth in thexample of God the father whose sunne and raine shineth and falleth vpon his enemies also Where we see this doctrine of the Prophet confirmed expounded that is that the creatures of God are witnesses vnto all the world of his mercie and louing bindnesse In this sense are the Prophetâ— to be expounded when they speake â—f the darkeninge of the Sunne for the meane not that the Sunne shall fayle a fall but onely by that whiche is vnto vs 〈◊〉 a testimonie and token of Gods mercie when it shineth they describe the greatneâ— of troubles and confussion of all things to come when the Lorde ariseth to take vengeaunce of sinne which shall be so greaâ— and horrible confusion as if the Sunne were fallen out of heauen This goodnes of God is not onely manifest by the Sunne those excellent and high creatures but euen as I haue shewed in the last verse his glory also appeareth his mercie and goodnes euen in the least of all creatures not only toward vs for whose godly vse he hath made them but also to them selues For first it is great goodnesse to them in that they are Secondlie it is great glorie to them in that they are the workes of the glorious and eternall God But especiallie and principallie this goodnesse of God is towarde vs in all creatures that in the vse of them we may thankefullie and humblie acknowledge the exceeding mercie of god The earth that we treade vpon the houses that we dwell in the ayer which we liue by the breade which we eate and water or wine which we drinke the fire that we warme vs by the clothes which we waâ—e and to be short all the creatures of God which we applie to our vse ought to leade vs to and admonish vs of that goodnes and mercy of God by whose onely bountifull grace and mercy we take and vse them without the feling and knowledge oâ— which mercy of God who so euer thou arte that vsest any creature of God thou stealest it The bread and drinke which thou deuouâ—est is worse then poyson vnto thee for vnlesse we rise to the consideration of the loue of God towards vs aâ— a father towards his children who prouideth these thinges for vs by what right can we thinke that they pertâ—ine vnto vs â–ª We see thereâ—â—â—e that they are no lesse witnesses of Gods mercy then of his glory and prayse And that who so euer shall â—yse to accuse thâ— Lorde of câ—ueltie o◠〈◊〉 maye be â—â—th â—â—â—ntly by the creatures of God commandâ—d And howe can not they be ashamed â—â—laye this vppon the Lords from whose onely goodnes and mercy it commeth that the world is and we and all thinges hau◠〈◊〉 him lyfe and beeing and mouing But the Lordâ— hath more excellently deel 〈◊〉 â—â—s goodnes to vs by his creatures as the Prophetâ— by this noteth in that he addeth and continueth for euer No man can denie but that the Lord had shewed great mercy and loue towards vs if he had made this world like vnto a stage and brought vs in for a little time and after a whyle as it were to haue taken downe the stage and so with the clapping of handes to haue gone away agayne If he had made the vse of all his excellent and noble creatures the Angels the Sunne the Moone and the Starres the heauen and earth and all their ornaments for a yeare a moneth a weeke or a day who can denie but the Lorde had done vs great honour and worshippe to vouchsafe vs the vse of them Yea if he hadde brought vs into the worlde but for a moment and sette vs on a pinnacle to haue seene these heauens and this earth to haue seene the creatures of God according to their kinde the benefite had bene great and the grace and fauour more excellent then can be vttered But howe hath the Lorde commended vnto vs his grace and fauour his loue and mâ—rcy in that he hath made them permanent and durable not like the smoke that perâ—â—â—â—eth oâ— lyke the grasse that groweth vp and straightwaye withereth but like the trees of eternitie whose rootes are stayed and nourished for euer This grace and mercy euen to Adam in his perfection
miraculously brought to passe These enriching more wonderfully this which the Prophet now remembreth is more then the other And therfore he sayth the Lord shewed the streÌ„gth power of his workes in giuing vnto them the heritage of the Heathen As if he shoulde say although thus wonderfully and miraculously thy hande O Lorde deliuered thy children although so mercifullie thou broughtest them forth in great substaunce yet these were litle in thine eies thine hand thine arme prouided for them besides all these a perpetual heritage Let vs therefore examine this miracle see whether it so excedeth as the Prophet speaketh For therby seing the loue the teÌ„der excediÌ„g loue that the Lorde beareth to his Church we may draw receaue great comfort if we also be of the same body For the Lord did nothing then which now he will not do for his people or rather in more excellent notable manner First therefore consider the murmurings of this people their idolatrie their euill lustes their many and sundrie tentations wherewith forty yeares together they prouoked the Lord their redeemer by their vnfaithfulnes their rebellion to their Captaines last of al their feare of these natioÌ„s whom the Lord had already discomfited destroied in heaueÌ„ their desire to returne into Egypt that was to hell againe where so cruelly they had bene handled Consider all these sinnes and many more which the Lord sawe in their harts And aboue all the miracles that we yet see we shall wonder at this miracle of their bringing into the laÌ„d of promise Surely God is omnipoteÌ„t yet sinne is able to close his hand I speake in reuerence feare able to tye his armes that he geue nothing His face is seuen times more fauourable gracious then the Sunne yet vnfaithfulnes is able to hide couet it His loue is fire in dede but the waters of vngodlines are able to quenche it His strength is wonderfull for the destruction of our enemies but our sinne our vnfaithfulnes our wickednes our rebellioÌ„ maketh him weaker then water The Lord is a mighty SaÌ„pson in dede but our sins are sharper theÌ„ any raâ—er wherby we weakeÌ„ the streÌ„gth if I may so speake shaue the head of this great SaÌ„pson our Iudge and defender The Lord is inuincible yet our vngodlines hath made him bin takeÌ„ prisoner His nature is invulnerable yet by our sin we pearse him He is life yet by our vngodlines I speake an horrible thing we slea him Here is therefore the strength of the Lord reuealed that notwithstanding all these rocks and cragges as the Prophet Amos speaketh the course of the Lords benefits was not hindred his hands not bouÌ„d his light not darkened his loue not quenched his strength not weakened his wil nothing chaunged it repented him not of his promise as in the dayes of Noah that he made not an vtter coÌ„sumption of this sinnefull people This may be well noted for the setting forth of this great benefit Besides this we may also remember the vnfitnes of this people for battle They had bene brought vp in kilnes among the bricks they were accustomed to bearing of burthens for the building of the Egyptian piramides not instituted or instructed in feates of warre not armed not politike yet in this infirmity the Lordes strength appeared they were straungers in the countrie and therefore easely ouerthrowne in vnknowne places they were but one people their enemies cunning in the countrie and seuen greater and mightier nations then they they remained in tents their enemies in strong walled townes whose walls reached vnto the heauens these were footemen their enemies on horses and iron chariots these without weapons of warre without any other outward help which all their enemies had in great abundance yet for all these the hande of God brought them vnto the lande that he had promised and sworne to their fathers So that the miracles in Egypt and their spoyle may be forgotten in respect of this great and wonderfull worke Moises not spoken of in comparison of Iehosua by whose hande the Lorde brought this worke to passe In their deliueraunce he shooke the earth but in their placing he moued the heauens The day was turned into night in Egypt But here the whole course and order of the worlde both in the heauens earth was chaunged at the standing of the Sunne which as astonished at this worke at this great worke stoode and forgot to runne his course The first borne were but destroyed in Egypt but all their children from the first borne to the childe in the wombe were here destroyed There they were spoyled onely of their richesse and iewells but here of their richesse and inheritaunce There one Kinge was destroyed here the Lorde scattered many Kinges for their sake and made Iehosuah to treade vpon their Kings neckes and prophane all their crownes This did the wonderfull zeale of the Lorde of hostes bring to passe for his promise sake and shewed as the Prophet sayth euen his power and his streÌ„gth in this worke to giue his people the heritage of the Heathen Seeing then the hand of the Lord brought all these thinges to passe for them not only to bring theÌ„ out of the iron furnace but to place them in a paradice not to begin to be mercifull but to bring it to an end and as the Prophet Ezechiel coÌ„pareth it not only to cut the nauell of this woman child to wash it to salt it to say vnto it liue euen in blood to say vnto it liue but to bring it vp to forme her to fashion her to decke her with ornaments and to geue her an heritage so large and goodly an heritage What feare what obedience what reuerence is there that she ought not to geue to God her redemer that tooke her out of the iawes of death to be a peculiar a deare and beloued people aboue all the nations of the earth vnto him He passed that Ladie of all the worlde the Monarchis of Assiria so great in power so excellent in glorie so famous in victories or what other nation or Kingdome so euer was fayre and excellent he passed by them all to take vnto him out of Egypt straungers seruauntes and slaues of Pharao vpon whom he woulde showe his loue and mercies Therefore let them and vs together with them magnifie the Lorde of heauen and earth the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob whose trueth remayneth for euer and praye that as to them he gaue suche benefites to serue him to keepe his statutes and obserue his lawes as Dauid sayth making this the ende of these wonders and benefites so the power of his workes which he hath also shewed towardes vs in infinite and innumerable benefites may worke an excellent kind of seruice in the which the power and the excellencie of the feare and worship of God may appeare to his glorie and our comfort
Oliues of the Lorde that euer shed forth their sweetenes and fatnesse that we make a couenaunt with God euen binding our selues as it were in statute marchaunt for performaunce that we make as the Scripture speaketh a couenaunt of salt durable perpetual with the Lord to liue before him in holines and righteousnes all the dayes of our life that our hands and harts and knees be neuer weary of praying our eares neuer wearie in hearing the worde of God our mindes euer occupied in our vocation or somthing furthering our knowledge godlinesse All this we are bounde to in respect only of our couenaunt Now if we thinke of him who hath striken this league with vs we can not chose but doe it For as Dauid sayth here holy and fearefull is his name In which words two arguments are contained and forceable reasons to draw vs and driue vs to the performaunce of it â—irst in that he is a holy Secondly a fearefull god This reason you know is set almost at th end of euerie commaundement in Moises â—ot he concludeth them thus alway This I commaund you for I am the Lord that is an holy God which would not commaund were it not both good in it selfe good for you a fearefull God which will visit the sinnes of the fathers vppon the children vnto the third fourth generation of them that hate me Then we see whether to looke for helpe if we be slacke or weake or readie to fall in the breach of the commaundemeÌ„ts of god Art thou weake and ouercome almost with anger with the affections of adultery in thy hart or in thine eyes Then remember that the holy God whose thou art whom thou oughst to serue hath forbidden them both Art thou acquainted with sinne art thou an olde adulterer an olde backebiter and procuter of hate against them that feare God Knowe that the fearefull God will knocke thy pate if thou goe on still in thy wickednesse These reasons I leaue for you to thinke of because I will be short and make an ende of the Psalme and because the next and last verse hangeth on this namely to declare vnto vs how to come to the keping of the couenant with god The feare of God is the beginning of wisedom as if he should say Art thou desirous to followe the will of God and keepe his commaundementes RemeÌ„ber that god is an holy fearful God with whom thou hast a couenaÌ„t the beginning wherof is the keping of his commaundementes and the roote of this wisdome is the feare of him This is the first step this is that which wheÌ„ thou hast gotten promise thy soule rest The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisdome whither then shall he go to get this feare of the Lorde whose ende is so pleasant fruite so precious shall we go to mount Sinai Horeb agayne where we shall heare the thunder and terrible voyce of a trumphet where fire and smoke darknesse appeareth without and horror and feare within Or shal the Lord giue into my hande a fearefull sleepe to sende vpon you to prepare you to heare the worde of God Nay these dayes are past and God nowe speaketh to vs by his beloued sonne Him let vs heare let vs looke vnto him let vs coÌ„sider the faythfull in the scripture company of Angels which feare him For Iesus Christ him selfe although the one onely sonne yet he feared God as Esay sayth and was obedient to him he feared him was diligeÌ„t in prayer vnto him in the night and exercised in his vocation al the day he feared God preached the Gospell diligently for the saluation of the soules of men and carefully pitifully considering their miserie deliuered them from infirmitie of their bodies The Angels that are in heauen they feare god reuerence his power they hide their faces at his glory and worship him at his feete Ioseph and Ioâ—ias Samuell Daniell among the yong men and Noah and Abraham Moyses Iob among the fathers Dauid Ezechias among the kings feared him and walked in his commaundements These examples are set before vs Now Salomon he exhorteth in his Prouerbs to the feare of God who seeth considereth al our doings before whoÌ„ we al our inmost cogitations are naked opeÌ„ froÌ„ whoÌ„ no shadow no cloude no wood no dungeon no enchauÌ„tment can hide vs for he seeth vs that made vs and howe can he not know vs now that knewe vs in our mothers wombe as Dauid saith And thapostle to the Hebrews herevpon exhorteth to the reuerence and feare of God seeing we call him father who iudgeth euery man according to iustice without respect of person And to them that will occupie themselues in the scriptures many other fountaynes will appeare from which this feare of God will slowe Nowe seeing it is the beginning or rather the principall part of wisedome yea euen halfe of it we must cast by what meanes soonest we maye obteine it For if we he woâ—ers louers of wisdome this is the mother which must giue her vnto vs if we be marchantes and trauellers for her this is the key and hauen where we muste first ariue if we be Gardners this the first herbe that is to be got set in our mindes if we be schollers this is the first forme if we seeke for her she will bring them to her Oh ye Tutors heare how al our labour is in vayne if we seeke not to set this before all We call the liberall artes and sciences 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in deede preposterously For the first knowledge of all knowledge is a true grounded knowledge in the will and worde of god And in dede if we looke for fruite at any time of good arts knowledge of good tongues let our first care be that they feare serue God that they be both brought vp in suche exercises trayned vp in such studies as encrease godlines and led so gouerned by our example and diligence in our vocations to follow vs as childreÌ„ their fathers These are the meanes for the spirite of God to be get feare of God which is the beginning of wisedome Nay which is the whole halfe of wisdome or rather as Iob sayth perfect wisdome without which al knowledge in heauen and earth is vayne foolish but with which it is I dare say with Salomon the chiefest holynes Now heare what commendation the Prophet giueth vnto them that haue it He sayth that they haue good vnderstanding and that their prayse remayneth for euer where we see what is thought in heauen of all such as feare God notwithstanding they be contemned condemned in our Colleges and in the world abâ—â—â—â— â—â—t a good vnderstaÌ„ding sayth the Prophet â—â—ue aâ— suâ—h as do therafter This commendation is drawne out of the law where Moyses often many times vseth the same verb wherof this now commeth For thus he sayth
had bene worthy continuall prayse and remembraunce howe muche more nowe in this sinnefull and miserable lyfe For let vs examine and trie our selues â–ª let vs laye out liues to the rule of the Lawe of God let vs looke and beholde them in that glasse which râ—uâ—â—lâ—th all thinges and seeing we haue the vse of these creatures by no other condition but by the obedien e of Gods commaundementes what grace and mercy may we see in that they are not euery moment taken away from vs I maruell that the sunne which is witnesse of so great and innumerable faultes vppon the earth standeth so long in the heauens that the heauens melt not for the infection that â—â—n them by our corruption and that Iesus Christe commeth not to burne them the earth so polluted with our sinnes to make that newe heauen that nâ—we earth wherein righteousnes shall dwell Which of vs is he that perceiueth not to â—ise out of him If as out of a filthy bottomlesse pitte â—moâ—â— infection that were able to darkeÌ„ the sunne and couer al the coÌ„passe of y heauens that may not iustly wonder at the Lordes mercy iâ— that the earth is able to beare vs so laden with vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnesse O Lord thy mercy reacheth vnto the heaueÌ„s thy goodnes vnto the highest heauens Thy pity and compassion is infinite wonderfull and yet who is he that considereth these things â–ª Thus I will leaue the consideration of the mercy of God in this parte to your godly meditation and come to the more nâ—â—e and perfect sight knowledge oâ— God which appeare th m h s Church onâ—l◠〈◊〉 you by the glâ—râ— of God and louâ— oâ— Iâ—sâ—s Châ—â—st thâ—t â—â—â—â—member sâ—eing the hâ—â—uens and â—arth and sâ—eing all things in thâ—m are ours 〈◊〉 the mercies of God they continue 〈…〉 〈◊〉 vse that we maâ—â— also â—e Christ â—s as thapostle herâ—oâ— meâ—â—â—eth that 〈…〉 to the loue of his worde and 〈…〉 his Gâ—spâ—ll euâ—n aâ— hâ—w â—s in all thing obedient to god Thus we 〈…〉 the glory mercy of God out of the creatiues whichâ— hâ— hath appâ—yntâ—d 〈◊〉 witnesses thereof in the wholâ— world 〈…〉 only one place but al thâ— whole world may bâ—â—allâ—d 〈◊〉 because thâ— Lord â—â—â—eâ—leth his glory mercy in euery part therof but yet if we compare this knowledge â—â— the glory mercy of God lerned here out of his creatures to that which may be knowen out of his Church out of his worde we shall perceiue that in the creatures we see but his backe hinder parts we see him but daâ—â—ly as in a glasse of steelâ— but as in the nether outward courtes oâ— his temple here in the church we shall 〈◊〉 his glory as in the holiest place of all 〈◊〉 in the place of the oraclâ—s is n a glâ—ssâ—â— Christall and as it were face to face Wherefore let vs draw neare come vnto the temple let vs looke into this glasse and bâ—hold his fatherly countenance He hath made tâ— his wâ—nderfull worke remembrances The Prophet in this verse sheweth the passing and wonderful workâ— that he hath done for his Church the exceeding loue that he beareth to his church For although we haue already seene the mercy goodnes which he hath declared aswel to them as to other euen in the verse of his coÌ„mon creatures yet because they are coÌ„mon to others with theÌ„ the particuler priuate loue which the Lord beareth vnto theÌ„ aboue othâ—rs doth not so clearly appeare Therefore here the Prophet beginneth a Catalog although not with many words yet full◠〈◊〉 remeÌ„bring all and calling them to minde bâ— generall wordes And first that this speciall and partiâ—ular care which he hath of his Churche may be knowen to passe the common and vniuersall order of things I thinke it may be noted out of the conferences of the words In the seconde verse he sayth Great are his wâ—rkes c. Here he vseth a greater worde and sayth they are wonderfull for although this Prophet in other places call the common workes of God wonderfull and are so in deede in them selues considered yet â—opaâ—ed with these they are great and these wonderfull so in halfe of the third verse he sayth his goodnes remayneth c. But here he vseth wordes which seeme to come out of the Lords heart and bowellâ—s gracious and mâ—râ—â—full and he doubleth them because his loue is double and triple and manyfolde vpon them This greatnes of the woders of God he coÌ„mendeth in these words He hath made the remembrance or memoriall of them c. Not that the goodnes of God which riseth out of his creatures is to be forgotten oâ— negligently to be regarded for we know therefore the Lord in the beginning to haue instituted the Sabboth for a perpetuall memory to vs of his great loue goodnes mercy and wiâ—dome which appeareth in the world Dauid hath also made diuers Psalmes in their remeÌ„brance whereof some â—s that of the Sabboth was song in the temple But he speaketh after an excellent sort 〈◊〉 principally chiefly giuing remembranâ—e vnto theÌ„ as if that in coÌ„parison of thâ—sâ— thother be forgotten â—oâ— as the Prophet speaking of the benefite of the deliueraÌ„ce oâ— rather resurrection of the Iewes out of Babilon sayth that it shall no more be sayd then the Lord â—â—ueth which brought the children of Israel out of Egypt but they shall speake of the Lord thus the Lord liueth which brought them out of Babilon meaning that this shall be so excellent that in respect thereof the former although so notable and as it is here also thus highly coÌ„mended should be no more spokeÌ„ of so in this place the benefites which he hath shewed to his Church in their deliueraÌ„ce after a sort maketh the other to be forgotten And Esay speaking of the light of the Gospel in the kingdome of Christ saith that in that day the sunne shall giue no light nor the moone appeare meaning also that in coÌ„parison of the light which shal be seueÌ„ times greater theÌ„ the light of the sunne eueÌ„ the sunne shal be darkned as the moone at his presence so in this place the lord hath the remeÌ„braÌ„ce of these his works so famous and glorious that the former benefite like the starrs at the rising of the sunne are obscured and hidden For iâ— they were woâ—thy once to be spoken of these are worthy â—ften times if those to be written with a pen in paper these are worthy to be written in vâ—on and with an Adâ—mant stone if those with the hand of a man these are to be printed with the singer of god For as high as the heauens are in coÌ„parisâ—n of the earth so muche hath the â—â—â—d magnified the measure of his graces and benefites towardes the Churche aboue the rest of the sonne of men But lâ—t vs consider particularly what they were The Prophet meaneth the signes wonders which the Lord
declared by the hand of Moyses and Aron in the middest of the lande of Egypt vpon Pharao and al his seruantes the turning of the water into blood the destroying of trees and fruites of the earth by the caterpillers the filling of the lande full of frogges and hee those other which are written of by Moyses the 9. of Exod. and repeated in the Psalme 78. but aboue all these he vnderstandeth the cause and the occasion of all these the naâ—â—â—â—tie and as it were the creation of the Church which was a greater more excellent worke then the making of the whole world For the heauens earth as sayth the Prophet shall waxe olde and perish but his fauour grace to his church shall endure for euermore Therefore the Lord in respect of Ierusalem maâ— tâ—â—o accompt of the whole worlde as â— say in the person of God reasone â— with that proude Sanacharib who thought that he could as easily haue one 〈◊〉 â—d Ierusalâ—◠〈◊〉 he had done Samaria and the other 〈…〉 desolation Hast thou not heard sayth the how I haue tourmed it of olde not naming but meaning and emphaticall noting Ierusalem whom he preferreth before all the whole worlde And the prophet Esay prophesieth that the kinges and Monarches of the earth shall like the dust of her feete thereby noting what honour she shall be in euen with her enemies Seeing then the preseruation of her as appeareth is so precious in the eyes of God that in the respect therof he contenâ—neth al things â—lâ— the begettâ—ng and birth of it must needes be the gâ—eatest most excellent worke that euer was and therfore the remembrance of it all those signes wonders which the Lord wrought for it turning the whole course of nature for his Church ought perpetually to be with care and diligence celebrated So Moyses wondreth at it sayth was eueâ— the like heard that God should come to a people take theÌ„ out of another people in such signes tokens wonders The Lord therefore hath printed the memorie of his maruelous works so that they caÌ„not be forgotten Nay Egypt shal be a witnesse froÌ„ generation to generation for euer that the grace of God to his Church passeth all vnderstanding This marke shall remayne for euer which the Lords mighty hand naked arme printed sealed vpoÌ„ his enemies by ten strokes The Prophet by this kind of speaking exhorteth all Israel whoÌ„ the Lord hath so maruelously deliuered to remeÌ„ber these works tell them further with gladnes as in diuers Psalmes This doctrine therefore of the remembrance of the wonderfull workes benefites of God is something to be declared For if euer there were nede to speake of it behold the dayes of ioy and gladnes of security ease of sport and play and of piping dauncing of riote and wantonnes euen the dayes of forgetfulnes of Gods benefites And if euer there were feare of the fulfilling of the prophesie amoÌ„gst the Iewes that being ful they would forget the Lord as Moyses prophesied this is the day howre that Moyses as if he had senâ— so long before prophesied euen of vs Euery one of vs sitteth vnder his vine and vnder his figge tree in his seeled and garnished chamber and the troubles that are so greate and manye bothe in our owne countrey and abrode they touch vs not by Gods mercy And why haue we all this case of God to abuse our time other benefits or rather to remember them perpetually and vse them lawfully to the prayse of god This is therefore our time of daunger our time of forgetting the goodnes of our God our time of falling away from the Lorde If you the Lordes ministers and watchemen make it not your time of care diligence of holding and staying vs of remembring and repeating and night and daye remembring and repeating the goodnes of our God vpon vs his statutes and his ordinances his lawes and his coÌ„maundements which he hath appoynted for vs to do theÌ„ what daunger are we in Therfore I woÌ„der and maruell at it that you see not the slippery places we stand on and seeke to helpe vs The goodnes of God hath so prouyded that in this Colledge there might be euery morning at prayer a SermoÌ„ euery euening with prayers a sermon euery sonday of the forenoone afternoone together with prayers the word of God preached that the words of God perpetually sounding in our eares maye make this Colledge as it is called Trinitye Colledge to be named the Lorde is there There be thirteene places appointed for Preachers beside those that are not accompted for the house and yet this is not done whereas I am perswaded that three doing their office in care zeale in godlines faithfulnes were able by Gods grace to make this Colledge together with the Magistrat a Colledge of Saincts a Colledge where no blasphemer no idle no prophane person no sonne of Belial no Cananite could be found And if so many can not in their course maintaine this order in preaching how many wil doe it Is there any iâ— the places that are vnworthy that are not al able theÌ„ let the booke licence be takes out of his hand giuen to his fellow that is better theÌ„ he I am sure there is none of the wise godly sort but wishe and desire that which I say For as the benefits of the Lord are perpetually euerlasting so ought also the remeÌ„brance of them to be but there be men of corrupt coÌ„sciences wicked childreÌ„ vngodly prophane persons which conteÌ„t them selues with a face or visard of religioâ— who know not what it is to serue God that will securely deride this and laughe it to scorne Wel the Lord would haue his benefits to be remembred let vs looke how we remember then â–ª but it were an infinit thing to speake of all let vs consider the remembraunce but of this one wonderous maruelous benefit euen the greatest that euer was God manifested in the fleshe This I speake of admonished by this time of the feast of the Natiuity that the worde which was spoken the last daye may stande in the mouths of two witnesses And if neither you of your selues neither at the word of God wil giue place I pray God that a terrible heauy iudgement be not the third witnes of this truth vnto vs Hath Iesus Christ comen into the flesh to lay the bridle of our necks to runne after our vayne deuises hath he obtayned by his comming twelue dayes of God the Father for carding dising and lotting for masking and mumming for mocking mowing for crying and laughing for the practising of euery vayne deuise that commeth to our heades all the yeare or doe we thinke that this prophaning of so holye a thinge this mocking of so earnest a matter this tâ—rning of the grace of God into licence and wantonnesse that it shall
place he sayth that he made a people for himselfe So thâ—n it was and nowe is muche more euen so muche more as the grace of God is more aboundaunt then it was at that tâ—me For the grace of God hath appeared in these latter daies as th Apostle saith that bringeth saluation vnto all men it hath appeared instructing vs that denying vngodlines and worldly lustes we should liue soberly iustly and holily in this life wishing for the blessed hope and reuelation of the glory of the great God and our Sauiour Iesus Christ who gaue him selfe for vs that he might deliuer vs from all vnrighteousnes and purge vs vnto him selfe a peculier people seruently and earnestly following good works and in deed most iustly for he speaketh of those dayes whereof Ieremy prophesied that the Lord would strike a new couenaunt with his people not as he had done with then fathers from the which they started but he would not put his lawes in then harts to do them Then seeing the grace of God hath bene so maruelous so excellent and superabundant in these dayes aboue the other by proportion and reason there is greater thankfulnes required of vs to whome such grace and mercy hath bene shewed So that if they meete once for the praise of God we ought to meete seuen times if they had one preacher of it in one citie we in one citie should haue seuen if they had charge that they should put the commaundements and the words of God into their harts soules to bind them for a signe vpon their haÌ„ds to be a perpetuall warning in their eyes to teach them their children to talke of them walking in the way and sitting in the house and rising in the morning and lâ—ing downe in the night to write them vppon the dore postes and corner of the house we surely ought not to performe this alone but euen to dreame of them in the night Daye and night to meditate with our selues of them And if their loue to this mercifull God was as the loue of childreÌ„ towards their father or as the loue of wife towards her husband with whome she is one fleshe our loue my brethren ought to be as the loue of a friend who is with his friend one soule For without doubt vnspeakeable is the grace and mercy that is reueiled by the Gospell The eye of none can not see nor eare heare nor hart vnderstand it but such as haue the spirite of God who knoweth the secretes of god Now in that the Prophet Dauid say the he commaunded his couenant for euer he doth not onely prayse it for the perpetuitie and continuance of it in respect of God but also in a word exhorteth all men to faithfull and continuall obedience in performing the conditions of their couenaunt of their part also And of Gods behalfe it had bene great loue if with Abraham alone the father of the people he had striken this couenaunt or with his generation after him for some hundreth yeares but to make it to rest vpon the head of his seede so long after him euen from generation to generation for euer to graunt him this inheritance the riches and fountaine of his mercie appeareth For although that some now are fallen away and their body in a maner dead yet notwithstaÌ„ding the truth of the couenaunt remaineth at this day And if they had continued faithfull it had neuer bene broken for God remayned still sure of the one partie for the performaunce of the old couenaunt Then thinke a litle of this benefit or rather let it occupy al ouâ— whole minds in coÌ„sideration of it that perpetually with one people as in an arke that shoulde neuer be broken the Lord laid the precious treasure of his commaundements Although he departed from Siloth left also Sion at the last yet he neuer cleane cast away the roote branches of Israell but kept and kepeth thowsands to him selfe we looke for the rest to be called euen thowsands ten thowsandes in euery tribe This people thorow their much iniqu ty vaned and vanished as the moone oftentimes hath bâ—ne nowe is in a dauÌ„gerous fearefull eclipse But by the grace and mercy of God and his word appearing neare vnto them they haue gotten and doe get some light shal in th end be in the full when God grauÌ„t our vnthankfulnes that be of the Gentiles breede not great confusion to vs which haue had them our exaÌ„ple but would not learne He raised amongest them by his worde that remayned with them not one in one age but many in many ages as it were Angells euen out of their bodies I meane the wise Prophets noble Iudges and deliuerers holy Priestes and Leuits godly Kings and Angellike Nazarits Euen of your young men I raised Prophets vnto you saith the Lorde and of your children Doctors I powred my spirit vpon your seruaunts and vppon your daughters from time to time And last of al as I opened my coÌ„duits in the dayes of Noah for destruction so the conduits of grace were reueiled vnto you from heauen yea the windowes of heauen were opened at the ascention of Iesus Christ and wisedom vnderstanding rained vppon all flesh euen to thends of the world Thus we may remember the commendations of this couenaunt that Dauid comprehendeth in one word And seing there is also now come to vs like grace the same is also to be vnderstoode in our selues Now of the other parte in that he sayeth he commaunded his couenaunt for euer Beside this praise of the mercie of God I haue sayd that he exhorted theÌ„ vs to continual faithfulnes in keeping the Lordes couenaunt with vs Nowe if we agree with our selues one of vs with an other a man with his fellowe if we after breake our faith we can not but condemne our selues of great wickednes But if we breake with our betters as some Prince or King it is more both wickednes and shame but if the couenant that we made with God in the beginning by our fathers haue renewed it in our baptisme since be by our sinnes broken of what miserie and shame what sinne and death hangeth ouer vs It behoueth therefore in respect of the couenant it selfe first that we kepe faith truth to the commaundements and that not for an hower or the time while we heare the word or when we come to the communion or for a day we hang downe our heades some mortified consecrat to God in saith and holinesse not only to please our selues if we see a good motion in vs though it be sooner quenched then the lightning but to labour to followe it to nourish it to blowe it vp to make a fire of it that we be not as the vnfaithfull waters which in the sommer are dried vp or as the dead trees which perish in the winter but that we remayne whole and sound perfit as the liuing waters and