broken as saith the Prophet but feed themselues with the fat of the sheepe Let none of higher gifts despise those of lower Acts 9.17 God vseth Nathan a Prophet inferiour to Dauid both in Prophecie wisedome and other gifts to be an instrument to warne Dauid Let none then of greater gifts despise those of lesser Ananias taught Paul and here Nathan Dauid After he had gone in to Bathsheba Albeit Dauid thought he had hid himselfe well enough yet God found him out by Nathan Adam hid himselfe among the bushes but God called to him Gen. 3.8 Where art thou Let vs not then dreame that God doth not see vs and whatsoeuer starting holes we seeke to hide our selues in The woman lighteth the candle Luk. 15.4 and findeth the lost pennie and our Shepheard will seeke his lost sheepe and bring it home againe No whither can we go from the all-seeing eye of God Gone in to Bathsheba As Dauid was an example of the frailtie of mans nature and Nathan of a faithfull Preacher so Dauid setteth down what euils do come of the beautie of women which is conioyned with impudencie and leuitie For if she had not washed her selfe naked before the pallace and consented so readily to the King Against the impudency of women that he should come in to her a filthy action spoken in cleane termes as Christians should do the like there had not bin such abhominable crimes committed She representeth many women in our days shamelesly haunting such places where they may giue occasion to meÌ„ to suit after theÌ„ Gen. 38 1â— as Tamar sitting by the high way when Iudah came by This doth not disgrace honest women but rather giueth them matter to glorifie God who hath not suffered them to be deborde in their filthy affections As the wise mariner seeing others by throwing themselues in danger suffer shipwrack Simiâ— thanketh God who kept him from the like so honest women may praise God that he hath preserued their honestie which was not in their owne hand Beautie a blessing of God if not abused Beautie is not to be euill thought of being a benefit and blessing of God but the abuse of beautie by the tentation of the diuell and deceitfulnesse of our owne nature when Satan allureth vs to dishonour God and destroy that goodly peece of workmanship which God hath made vp in vs by that which should haue bin an instrument to prouoke vs to Gods seruice Pro. 31 3â— Beautie is deceitfull Absoloms beautie deceiued him 2. Sâ— 14.15 and many with him haue beautie but haue no grace to vse it well Finally I see both the persons are noted by their names and not obscured wherein the Spirit of God in his word as in a true mirror and glasse representeth euery ones naturall face either in their beautie or in their blemishes So Iohn Baptist spoke particularly to Herod Math. 14.4 and the Prophets to their Princes They closed not vp their reproofes vnder generalities that they might interprete them any way which pleased them best but called blacke blacke sowre sowre and sweete whosoeuer sin openly ought opeÌ„ly to be rebuked sweete For particular applications to eminent persons is most requisite and those that sin openly should be openly rebuked that others may stand in awe Verse 1. Haue mercie vpon me O God according to thy louing kindnesse according to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities HAue mercie vpon me O God The thing he craueth most of God is mercie foâ— God hath many qualities which are essentiall to him but none of them could do vâ— any good without his mercie his power would destroy vs his wisedome confound vs his iustice condemne vs his maiestie affright vs but all these by it turne to our good To beg for mercie is the first word of a supplicant The first word of the forlorne sonne to his father was Luk. 15.18 Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee This Christ in his prayer hath taught vs to pray Math. 6 1â— Forgiue vs our sinnes So in euery prayer we should begin at haue mercie vpon me O God We sin daily and vnlesse we offer vp at the doore of the Sanctuarie a sin-offering we cannot offer an offering of thanksgiuing and the sweete incense of praises Thus prayed the woman of Canaan saying Mat. 19.22 Haue morcie vpon me comprehending vnder that the cure of her daughter and the two blind men cried O Sonne of Dauid haue mercis Mat. 9.27 as also did many others The greatest comfort that Christians haue in their trouble is that they haue to do with a mercifull God and not rigorous nor one who wil chide with vs continually Psal 103.2 but one who is slow to anger readie to forgiue whose name is mercie whose nature is mercifull who hath promised to be mercifull who is the Father of mercies â— Cor. 1.3 The earth is full of hiâ— mercies they are aboue the heauens and the clouds his mercy is aboue all his works extending to a thousand generations Exo. 20.6 Psal 100.5 Hos 6.6 whose mercie endureth for euer With the Lord is mercie and great redemption I will haue mercie and not sacrifice His mercies are often repeated in the Scriptures as Psal 5.6 12.16.17.20.22.23.24 thrice 25.30 thrise 32. twise 35. thrise 39. twise 41. thrise 47.50.56.58 thrise 60.61.62.63.68 twice c. Ioel 2.13 Mica 7.18 Math. 12.7 rich in mercie 1. Tim. 1.2 Eph. 2.4 c. The Apostles salutation is Grace mercie and peace Since so iâ— is As a gardeÌ„ iâ— replenished with flowers so is the Scripâ—â—res with â—â—â—cie that this herbe of mercie groweth in euery corner of the garden of holy Scriptures and all the Prophets and Euangelists by plucking thereof haue nourished themselues let vs also in our greatest distresse run vnto it pâ—â—â—â—â—ding our selues that God will as soone denie himselfe vnto vs as hâ— will denie his mercie if we come with pâ—â—nitent hearts and beg it with such humility as becometh supplicants such faith as beleeuers such hope and patience as becomâ—meth the elect we need not doubt he iâ— faithfull who hath promised The Papists Bellarmine and Lorinus iâ— â—heir translations following the Septuagints and not Saint Ierome as they confesse Lorinuâ—â— Bellarmâ—â— adde to the Scriptures do adde magnam great giuing greater credit to their owne translation then to S. Ierome who was knowne to haue bin a godly and learned translator or to the Hebrew veritie They confesse the Scriptures in the originall language to be the best and yet do not spare to adde or pare therefrom as pleaseth them and therefore that curse must fall vpon them in the 22 of the Reuelation â—hat God will adde all the curses of the law vpon those who adde to the Scripture and the words of this book and put their name out of the booke of life who diminish any point of them What
viam the Fathers learned of the Scriptures A desire to be taught presuâ—poseth an ignorance Simil. let vs learn of them the way Teach me thy pathes this presupposeth that men are ignorant by nature for euen as strangers put in a Wildernesse where there is no straight way could very hardly discerne vvhat vvay to take but vvould bee a prey to Beasts and Brigands so are men by nature ignorant of God Act 8.31 The Eunuch said to Philip How can I vnderstand without an Interpreter Nature may teach thee vvayes to maintaine this life but the vvay to heauen there is no reason that can perswade or teach it commeth by diuine inspiration Mat. 16.17 Blessed art thou Simon sonne of Iona flesh and bloud hath not reuealed it vnto thee but my Father that is in heauen The Philosophers and Astrologians vvho vvere quicke in iudging things naturall were but blind in grace I thanke thee Father thou hast hid it from wise men Mat 11.25 and reuealed it to babes The Scripture is as the Starre that leadeth vs to Bethleem Mat. 2 9. This is a great humility in Dauid that being a King and a Prophet yet he would learn this Lesson to serue God let Preachers euer bee learning Socrates said at his death Hoc vnum scio me nihil scire I know this one thing that I know nothing Note a conceit of knowledge is a marke of ignorance Hee repeats this vvord teach mee often vvhereby hee acknowledges that the chiefe lesson hee vvishâ—â—h to learne to make him wise is to know how to serue God by his word and of this wisedome in the 119 Psalm he affirmeth that it will make him wiser then his enemies then his masters then his ancients By the word teach Doctr. Preaching of the word of God is the â—â—dinarie â—eant of Saâ—â—ation Luk 4. hee would teach vs that the ordinary meanes of Saluation and knowledge is the word preached How can they beleeue without preaching not by reading mumbling Masses c. but by liuely preaching Christ preached so in the Temple when he tooke the Booke from the Reader Brethren haue yee any word of exhortation for the people Preach in season and out of season Act. 13 1â— The repetition of the words shew mee teach mee lead mee teach me declares the instancie that hee vsed to heare the word more sweet then honey Ps 119 10â— Ps 88.10 yea better then his appointed foode so that hee desired that hee might bee but a doore-keeper in the house of the Lord. This his affection to the word hee declareth by repeating it in the 119 Psalme 175. times The great ignorance which is among vs springeth from a want of desire to heare Ignorancâ— springeth from wanâ— of desire to be tought Luk. 24.31 The two Disciples said Did not our heart burne within vs all the time lâ—â— spake to vs VERSE 5. Lead mee forth in thy truth and teach mee for thou art the God of my Saluation in thee doe I trust all the day HEe craues not onely to be taught the truth and the way Act Doct. but to bee led and directed in the way It is not sufficient to be taught the way vnlesse we be led into it Ma that God may not onely point it out to him but conuoy him thereunto and keepe him from going out of it for albeit we be entred in the way of grace if God would not perfect that worke wee would fall euery moment therefore hee worketh in vs to will and perfiâ—e and hee who began Ma can crowne also the worke hee is the staffe to which wee must leane Mâ— and of which wee must take hold knowledge is not sufficient without practice God must make vs to walke in the way wee know Our knowledge will bee a dittay against vs if wee walke not in the way wee know Luk 12 47 for hee that knowes the will of his master and doeth not the same shall haue double stripes For thou art the God of my saluation The Argument by which hee would moue God to teach him his wayes is taken from the person of God whom hee calleth the God of his saluation and his owne person who is saued in that hee beleeues in him and the adiunct of faith which is constancie and perseuerance all the day The Argument is taken from the Office of a Sauiour to guide them whom hee hath deliuered and saued but thou hast saued mee therefore guide me Doct. All in condemnation without Christ First in that hee calleth him the God of his saluation hee would let vs see that we are all in condemnation without Christ all are inclosed vnder sinne that God might be mercifull to them Rom 11.32 Doct. No man or Angel can saue vs but God Psal 3.8 Psâ—l 71.19 Psal 136.11.13 c. And vvhere hee calleth him the God of his saluation hee importeth that it was not in the power of Man or Angell to saue him but in Gods who behoued to take it vpon himselfe to deliuer him from temporall and spirituall dangers Saluation onely belongeth to the Lord What God is like our God who deliuereth vs from our enemies as hee brought the Israelites out of Egypt led them through the red Sea fought all their battels rebuked Kings for their sakes What euer deliuery comes to vs comes by God whateuer instrument hee vseth in the same he saues vs and not wee our selues neither chariots nor horses Note The consideration of this should moue vs to be thankfull to him Moses Ioshua Sampson c. were typicall Sauiours but God was the great Sauiour who saued his people Next if God be the onely and sole Sauiour of our bodies in sauing them from diseases and of our liues in sauing them from our enemies should any seeke saluation to his soule but from him for if a temporary deliuery cannot come but by him what deuillish doctrine is it to teach that saluation can come by any other Seeing then saluation onely belongs to the Lord let vs runne to him and seeke it at his hands who is onely able to performe and bring it to vs. Seeke it not at Saints but at the King of Saints In thee doe I trust There is described the powerfull instrument apprehending Gods mercies euen faith adorned with his chiefe quality Constancy crowneth all our vâ—rtues constancy for all the day signifieth as much as continually for there is no vertue in man which can be responsable to God if it be not ioyned with constancie Ye must wait patiently beleeue confidently seeke knocke aske hold vp your hands without fainting strengthen your weake hands and feeble knees Gen. 32.24 He abode with Iacob the heat of the day and the cold of the morning God and shrinked not till the Lord came at last and we must abide to the end of the day of our life Many begin in the morning of their
downe the props to the which his faith doth leane Gods truth and mercy preps of a Christians faith to wit the mercy truth and righteousnesse of God He beleeued therefore hee spake so our Prayers except they bee grounded on faith and an assurance that God will grant them they are offensiue to God and not profitable for vs Hee who prayeth without faith saith S. Iames is like a waue of the Sea Iam. 1.6 tost of the winde and carried away The proofe of this is in the sixt Psalme wherein after his prayers with a constant assurance he concludeth all mine enemies shall be confounded Psal 6.10 After hee had prayed for mercy hee falleth out in a meditation consideration and proclamation of Gods goodnesse in the eighth ninth and tenth verses Simil. as it were to stir vp himselfe vp to Prayer againe as a man finding a fire almost consumed doth put thereinto more coales to kindle it Gracious and righteous is the Lord. First in his owne nature hee is good and righteous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rectus next he is good to vs in teaching vs his way God is not only good but goodnes it selfe but how doth his goodnes appeare not in shewing mercy on Abraham Isaacke Iacob Moses and the righteous but on the most miserable sinners as Manasses saith in his Prayer the Prodigall child harlots such other Therefore will he teach sinners in the way In this common benefit of remission of sinnes Mat. 6.11.12 he inuolueth himselfe with the rest of the Saints and so should all our sutes bee common that wee desire nothing alone but that whereof our brethren may participate This is the communion of Saints which wee beleeue Our dayly prayers are for all Giue vs this day our dayly bread for giue vs our sinnes and lead vs not into temptation Note Who seeketh any thing for himselfe of God and not for the rest of his brethren shall be repelled receitie nothing The persons to whom mercy appertaines are called sinners Doct. as though hee would make sinne the onely obiect of Gods mercy Sinne the onely obiect of Gods mercy Rom. 5. 20 as indeed it is for Gods mercy would not haue been manifested if sin had not been knowne that so where sinne abounded there grace might superabound the whole haue not need of the Physitian Luk. 5.31 but the sick Think not that the multitude of thy sinnes will exclude thee from Gods grace Christ at the vvell was found of the Samaritan woman Ioh. 4. mercy and misery met together in the Pharisees house euen Christ and the Magdalen Luke 7.36 Mat. 20.31 in the field hee met with the blind who cried Luke 18.14 Sonne of Dauid haue mercy on vs in the Temple vvith the Publican Iohn â—2 at the Poole with the Paralitique for Luke 5.32 He came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance But what teacheth he His wayes He teaâ—heth Gods waies not mans traditions Ionah 2.8 not the tradition of men of Popes of Councels who could and haue erred but Gods owne wayes his statutes so oft repeated in the 119. Psalm Woe to the Papist who followeth lying vanitieâ— forsaking their owne mercy The great Doctor and teacher is God himselfe who hauâ—ng the key of the heart must open it himselfe Doct. Therefore the conuersion of a sinner is not a worke of nature The conuersion of a sinner is not a work of nature 1 Cor. 3.6 Therefore the conuersion of a sinner is not a worke of nature but it is Gods principall fauour who must giue encrease â—o Paâ—ls planting and Apolloes watering We should therefore feruently pray to God for the Preachers that hee would so blesse them that by their labours many may be conuerted to himselfe The Israelites vnder the Law being terrified by Gods voice said Let not God speake any more vnto vs Exod. 20 1â— but Moses But wee vnder the Gospel being comforted by his voice say Note Let Moses and Paul be silent but let God speake to vs. The worke of conuersion of sinners Dauid draweth to the fountaine euen Gods grace and free fauour whateuer commeth to vs doth proceed out of his grace But this is wonderfull Doctr. how grace and righteousnesse Mercy and iustice meet in the saluatioÌ„ of man which seeme so opposit in the saluation and conuersion of a sinner meets together and kisses one another I answer In the worke of our redemption they accorded when Gods iustice was fully satisfied by the death of Christ and his mercy was cleere by full pardoning vs Simil. when we escaped with the scape-Goat to the wildernesse Leu. 16.8 and he died the suerty paid the debt and wee were freed In the conuersion of a sinner hee vseth both hee vvounds and humbles cures and exalts againe Deducit ad inferos reducit Hee cast downe Paul Acts 9.4.8 made him blind rebuked him and then conuerted and comforted him and sent him to teach the Gospel and conuert others VERSE 9. Them that be meek will he guide in iudgement and teach the humble his way HE setteth down in this verse to whom the former benefit doth appertaine and what sort of sinners shall participate of mercy to wit the meeke and humble whom God hath so prepared by afflictions and crosses Doct. that he hath made them to giue an open way and place to the Gospel to worke in them Afflictions teach humility Who are humble For as the waxe first is by labour and by fire made soft and pliable before it can take stampe and impression of the Kings image and superscription Simil. yea clay must bee made soft and pliable before 〈◊〉 bee made a vessell so must God humble vs before he put his image in vs so the gold Simil. siluer c. must be battered before it be stamped It is good saith Dauid that thou hast humbled me Ps 119.71 for thereby I learned thy Commandements If he had not beene first humbled hee had neuer learned Gods Commandements He desired children to come to him for of such is the Kingdome of heauen yea except we become as these Mat. 19.14 we shall neuer enter thereinto God resisteth the proud Iam 4.6 and giueth grace to the humble On whom will the Spirit of the Lord rest on the contrite heart The Palace of Heauen is very ample Simil. but the entry very narrow let vs then humble our selues vnder the mighty hand of God and learne of Christ that hee is meeke and lowly Mat. 11.29 and wee shall finde rest to our soules The word meeke Who are meeke Mat. 5.3 is in Latine mites of which our Sauiour speaketh Blessed are the meek or mansueti quasi ad manum venire sueti accustomed to come vnder the hand so God so mitigateth the fury of our nature and tameth vs that wee become so
learning but doe neuer attaine to the power of godlinesse and his couenant to giue them vnderstanding His couenant is specially mentioned Doct. because the Iewes brag of the couenant made to Abraham their Father Gods couenant belongeth to such as feare him Iohn 8.33 But here he declareth to them that they haue no title to the couenant except they feare God The Iewes bragged that they were descended of Abraham but Christ sends them to their father the deuill because they follow his manners and are murtherers Therefore there is no part in the couenant to those who haue not the true feare of God VERSE 15. Mine eyes are euer towards the Lord for who will bring my feet out of the net NOw he doth apply the benefits of God which generally were propounded to the Church to himselfe as he began the Psalme so he ends it with a prayer for his deliuery from his enemies In this Verse hee perswades himselfe by faith that God will set him free for as saith the Text his eyes are euer towards the Lord that is he depended on God as the eye of the handmayd is towards her mistresse This he testifieth when he saith Psal 123. Psal 121. And I lift vp mine eyes to the mountaines my helpe commeth from thee O Lord for thou wilt deliuer me who trusts in thee Note Men may looke for helpe at the hands of men but in vaine But God will not frustrate the expectation of his owne which should make vs not to turne our eyes from him seeking helpe from Aegvpt Wee cannot at one time looke vp to heauen downe to hell or the earth no more put our confidence in God and man Next ye see that if we desire to get deliuery we must in al our actions set him before our eies direct all our actions to glorifie God and edifie his Church Psal 16.8 I haue set the Lord alwayes before my face for he is at my right hand therefore I shall not slide Will God defend an vnrighteous man who aimeth not at Gods glory but his owne designes Note If thou haue him before thine eies then will he stand at thy right hand to maintaine thee He will bring my feet out of the net Comparison He compareth his estate to a bird insnared in the fowlers net for his enemies were fowlers their engins were nets himselfe was the poore bird circumnened The Churches enemies vsing subtilties to intrap her The Church hath many enemies but none are so crafty as these fowlers fraud and craft is a marke of Gods enemies they imitate their father the deuill who is a wily Serpent and more subtile then any beast of the field Gen. 3.1 Let Christians haue their conuersation in heauen God will breake the snare Thirdly let Christians be birds that as they haue their chiefe abode in the ayre so we may haue our conuersation in heauen as they fill the aire with their sounds so let vs praise God Fourthly Gods children may be ensnared but God will breake their nets and deliuer them as Paul Silas and Peter out of prison Acts 16.26 for that which seemes impossible to men is possible with God Psal 124. Simil. Man is as the bird escaped out of the snare of the fowler for as the bird compassed cannot deliuer it selfe no more can man escape their attempts by his owne strength but onely by Gods power VERSE 16. Turne thy face vnto mé and haue mercy vpon me for I am desolate and poore HE thinkes in aduersity that God turnes away his face Doct. whose presence to a creature is as the turning of the Sun vnto the earth Aduersity makes mē feare Gods absence He craueth mercy oftentimes in this Psalm acknowledging that to be the fountaine from which all blessings flow to him Doct. this argument is taken from God himselfe Gods mercy the fountaine of all blessings The next argument from his misery For I am desolate and poore This is the obiect of Gods mercy Doct. vpon vvhich it must worke as the vvounded Iew was an obiect of the Samaritans mercy Misery the obiect of Gods mercie How would Gods mercy be knowne if man had no misery How would the Physitians skill be tried if not by the patients diseases Luk. 10.33 How would the liberality of Princes their Iustice be notified Simil. but by the pouerty of their subiects and their distresses VERSE 17. The sorrowes of mine heart are enlarged draw me out of my troubles THe sorrowes of mine heart are enlarged Doct. God hath many meanes to humble the sonnes of men God multiplieses sorrowes because wee multiply sinnes and namely he turnes their ioy of sinne into sorrow the right sorrow whereof the Lord send vs. God multiplies sorrowes because we multiply sins Dauid found a cause of sorrew in euery thing he gat from God for his brethren enuied him 1 Sam. 17.28 and 18.9 2 Sam. 6.20 and 15.31 his father in law Saul persecuted him his vvife mocked him his familiars and companions deceined him his children pursued him the Ziphims and the Lords of Keilah betrayed him 1 Sam. 23.12 and 26. 1. and 29.4 the Philistims reiected him The ioies which God propineth vs with are as so many roses but in the bottome of them are enclosed as many thorner to pricke vs Simil. As Paul was pricked with the messenger of Satan 2 Cor. 12.7 lest he should haue beene exalted through the great reuelations So if we found not some discomfort in euery creature we should be bewitched with the delight thereof that we could not settle our affection on God And therefore God peppers euery pleasure and giues vs some soure sauce thereto Exod. 12.8 as he gaue soure hearbs to be eaten with the Paschal Lambe Draw me out of my troubles Doct. Many are the tribulations of the righteous If the pleasures of this world were not painfull we would too much delight in them but the Lord will deliuer him out of them all God vseth to draw them by which hee would testifie that it is a work of Gods power to deliuer the innocent as Dauid deliuered his fathers sheepe from the Lyon and the Beare and the vessels out of the hands of a strong man VERSE 18. Looke vpon mine afflictions Psal 34.11 1 Sam. 17.34 and my trauell and forgiue all my sinnes THere he acknowledgeth the root of al his troubles to be sin Doct. for which he craueth mercy at God The root of all our trouble is our owne sinne Ye may see here that sin toucheth him so neere the heart that he cannot find ease but in the remission thereof Sin is sweet in the mouth as honey Simil. but it is in the womb as grauell Pro. 20.17 There is no venome in the affliction but sinne so being quit of sin he esteemes nothing of the affliction Sin is
be thought or called religious God loueth truth as he hateth all falsehood for he is truth Ego sum veritas via vita Ioh. 14.6 He loueth truth in our profession truth in our ciuill life truth in our profession is that which he hath commanded in his word truth in our ciuill life is that which agreeth with dutie of ciuill conuersation without fraud deceit or guile which is different from Gods nature and resembleth the diuell who is a deceiuer In the inward affections It is not a superficiall or scroofe-worship which God regardeth For Cains sacrifice outwardly was as pleasant as Abels Gen. 4.4 â— but God looked to their hearts accepted the one and reiected the other God aboue all things craueth the heart My sonne giue me thine heart God wil be worshipped in spirit and veritie Pro. 23.26 Therefore hast thou taught me wisedome in the secret of mine heart He amplifieth his sin by this circumstance that he did it not as an ignorant but as one who was enlightned with knowledge and besides he had priuate informations and intelligence from God in his heart and tasted of the heauenly doctrine yea it was rooted and fixed in his heart yet like a bruite beast he was caried to that filthy lust and so was inexcusable and suffocated the light of the Spirit which he had receiued He had informations giuen by God but he had not grace to follow them which so much the more made him inexcusable that he was taught Christians perish not for want of informatioÌ„ but for contemning the warnings they get God must teach vs. and would not obey So Christians shal not perish for lack of information but because they do not obey the warnings which they get This age hath heard many lessons and God hath manifested his whole will vnto them but because they obey them not their knowledge shal augment their paines God he must be our great Doctor and Teacher we must be Theodidactoi taught of God Neither nature learning experience practise or age can teach vs wisedome onely Gods word must teach vs. Nature preuailed among the Philosophers but that neuer led them to God For all the principles of our faith are contrary to nature sense and reason What is more against naturall reason then these points of our religion God was made man a virgin hath borne a childe a crucified man saued the world a dead man arose c. in these and such we must be taught from aboue by God God teacheth by the ministerie of his word God he teacheth by the ministery of his word which whosoeuer contemneth refuseth the meanes of his saluation but that ministery will not be sufficient without diuine inspiration 1. Cor. 3.6 Paul may plant Apollo may water but God giueth the increase Bellarmine translateth the Hebrew word which he granteth signifieth abscondita incerta and so doth Lorinus those doubting Doctors would haue the mysteries of the Scriptures vncertaine and doubtfull Notâ— There is great diuersitie of iudgements among men what is true wisedome These are of the Lord is true wisdome Eccles 1.2 but if ye would enquire at the wisest man that euer liued he will tell you that hauing examined all things vnder heauen he found all things to be but vanitie and vexation of spirit and that true wisedom consisted only in the feare of God and keeping his commandements The feare of the Lord is the instruction of wisedome Pro. 15.33 all other wisedome is foolishnesse Verse 7. Purge me with hyssope and I shall be cleane wash me and I shall be whiter then snow HE is not contented simply to craue pardon once or twice but many times yea he multiplieth his suites by metaphors allegories and such borrowed speeches signifying how deeply he was wounded with his sin that he would haue himselfe assured and confirmed in the remission thereof and now he borroweth a similitude from the washings and purgations vsed in the Leuiticall law desiring that God would looke on his miseries who was a leprous man by sin and a filthy polluted sinner that hee might be washed in the blood of Christ prefigured by the Mosaicall washings Purge me with hyssope Three times made mention of hysop Exo. 12.22 There is made mention of hyssope where it was vsed in three places first in the 12. of Exodus at the institution of the Passeouer where the blood of the Lambe was appointed to be sprinkled vpon the doore checkes with a bunch of hyssope bound with a scarlet lace The blood signified Christs blood the bunch of hyssope the sauing and the scarlet lace his blood died which bound the bunch all hauing their spirituall significations For the blood no doubt signified the blood of that vndefiled Lambe shed from the beginning of the world The hyssope the instrument applying his blood by faith The scarlet lace the communion of the Saints who are bound by loue the bond of perfection and sprinkled with that same blood to the remission of sins And so the blood which washeth faith which applieth and the lace that coupleth are all one Christ by faith and loue receiued to the purgation of all Christians The second place Leuit. 17. is the purgation of the Leper wherein the blood of the sparrow the bunch of hyssope and the scarlet lace are likewise mentioned and differeth nothing but in this in the first was the Lambe here the Sparrow which is all one for euen as the Lamb is among beasts so is the Sparrow base and simple amongst fowles to which Dauid compareth himself I am as a sparrow on the house top sitting aloue Psal 102.7 so we must be sprinkled with his blood which being contemptible to men was acceptable to God The third was Numb 19. about the red Cow which must haue hyssope dipped in the blood thereof And Christ is compared â—o the Cow or fat calfe which being in so great a price with the Father was giuen â—o death for the saluation of our foules The hyssope hath many things wherein â—t representeth Christ very nigh Wherein hysop representeth Christ 1. Kin. 43â— for first it â—s obscure humble and abiect so that Salomon is said to haue written of all trees from â—he Cedar the highest tree opposed to the hyssope springing out of the wall that is to be basest and most common growing amongst stones not standing of mans induâ—trie to plant them as other trees doe So Christ in whom we beleeue was contempâ—ible a worme not a man despised Psal 2â— in him was no beautie riches or earthly honours which maketh men to come in credit and account Next the hyssope is bitter and fowre â—ot pleasant to the drinkers so the crosse of Christ by which our affections are morâ—ified is very odious to the flesh and agreeth not with its taste His crosse is therefore 〈◊〉 â—tumbling blocke to the Iewes and folly to the Gentiles Thirdly albeit it be sowre yet it is most wholesome so
inuisible walles of his protection so he hath outward defences to maintaine his Church he is master of it yea master builder and sendeth forth seruants whom he strengtheneth for the building of his worke I see many pulling downe the walles yea with Edom in the destroying of Ierusalem crying sacke sacke Psal 137.7 raze raze vp the foundation Few with â—â—chemiah mourning for the ruines of Gods house in all parts and helping to restore them Let vs therefore goe to the God of Dauid who albeit he was king of the towne and began to build the citie and walles and laid materials to the Temple yet he knew that the labourers wrought in vaine vnlesse the Lord of heauen builded the citie Lord repaire the decaies of thy Church for thy Christs sake For thy good pleasure He findeth the ground of all that perfection to be in God himselfe and his good fauour and not in men or their merits for as the whole building of the Church is the onely worke of God so is the reparation of her ruines onely belonging to himselfe It belongeth to God to build the Church Men might haue builded with stone and bricke the exterioâ— walles but it is proper to God to build his spirituall Church And this is a token that God hath pleasure in his Church when he is building it sending good builders materialls of spirituall graces fortifiers as Cyrus and Darius good Princes Nehemiah good gouernours Esdra and good Priests And our obedient and carefull people who do take the sword in one hand and the instrument of building in the other that the Lords Ierusalem may be edified But when his fauour is departed then in his wrath he giueth Princes Gouernours Nobles Preachers and people who striue either to hinder the building or to pull downe the building to build vp Iericho and cast downe Ierusalem Dauid he craueth that God may be fauorable according to his good pleasure for the building of the Church dependeth vpon Gods good will and pleasure who when he liketh his Church can aduance her and when he is displeased with her cast her downe It appeareth euidently now that God is angrie with his Church in all parts of Christendome when he is pulling downe and not raising vp his Church we haue prouoked his wrath against vs and his soule abhorreth our hipocriticall profession and our wicked conuersation Verse 19. Then shalt thou accept the sacrifices of righteousnesse euen the burnt offering and oblation then shall they offer calues vpon thine altar THis is the promise of thankefulnesse to God wherein is set downe a correspondence or restipulation betwixt the people who shall offer sacrifices and God who will accept them And Gods seruice then goeth well when we offer willingly and God accepteth gladly Then Marke the time If our sinnes be forgiuen vs God will heare our praiers Gen. 4.5 when God hath beene fauorable to his Church in forgiuing her sinnes then he will accept the offerings For pray what ye please and distribute to the poore if God doe not like of it all is in vaine Caine offered sacrifices but the Lord accepted them not because he hated his cruell heart Abel offered iâ— faith and was accepted But how shall ye know if your offerings be acceptable to God seeing there is no fire to fall downe from heauen as that which burnt vp Elias sacrifice â— Ki 18.34 Yee shall know that albeit an elementarie or materiall fire falleth not downe yet the fire of the Spirit falleth on our hearts Nota. the fire burning vp the drosse of our corruptions by vnfained repentance warmeing our hearts with the loue of God kindling our hearts with a zeale of Gods glorie This is the fire which will fall downe from heauen vpon our soules which sensiblie we feele if the Lord heare our prayers The sacrifices of righteousnesse Some expound these offerings to be such as agree to his will I reuerence their iudgement but I see not how that exposition can agree with the text But it may be expounded of that righteousnesse which we ought to doe to our neighbours as we offer a sacrifice of a contrite heart the calues of our lippes by praises and these are the sacrifices of righteousnesse by our hands so that heart tongue hand should be all offered to God for God liketh well of righteous dealing◠〈◊〉 our hand be not defiled with thirst coâ—â—ousnesse oppression which if we sacrifice to Sathan by sinne let vs not lift to God by prayer but lift vp pure hands wash our hands in innocencie and then compasse Gods altar It would seem to be some differenc Obiect wher God said he would haue none of their sacrifices and now they promise sacrifices Indeed if the sacrifices be onely externall Solu what accounteth God of them if they want mercie and righteousnesse for he will haue mercie and not sacrifice Therefore let externall and internall worship be conioyned and then God will like best of it but being seperated from spirituall offerings it is abominable and a burden to the Lord. Which be the sacrifices of righteousnes The alter Iesus Christ by whom we must offer our prayers to the Father The sacrifices of righteousnesse are those which be lawfull and are commanded by God They shall offer calues vpon thine altar The calues are the calues of the lippes the alter Iesus Christ who was both represented by the brasen altar and by the golden â—â—lter For no sacrifice or prayer could euer â—â—e acceptable to God vnlesse it were offered vpon Iesus Christ for he is sacrificium sacerdes et altare Augustine saith he is the Priest the Altar and the Sacrifice the offerer the thing offered and the altar vpon which it is offered 〈◊〉 All the mosaicall altars are abrogated because the sacrifice is made The heathnish altars haue no place The popish altars are abominable after the apish imitation of the Iewish altars they would offer that incrementum sacrificium missa without any warrand of Gods word It is enough for vs to offer not Christ to the Father but our prayers by Christ to the Father who will smell a sweet sauour of rest of all our peticions and thankes which are presented vpon Christ and for thirst of him Lord keep vs from the altar of Damascus and let vs offer all our offences vpon Iesus Christ with whom we shall be very heartily welcome to God Amen