his owne person Secondly from the person of his aduersaries Thirdly from the person of the godly In his owne person first his prayer is signified by this circumscription I. From his owne person because hee beleeues in him I lift vp my soule to thee and his faith I trust in thee What is prayer but a lifting vp of the heart to God for the heart must first be affected and then it will frame all the members of the body and draw them vp with it Simil. As the Magnes drawes the Iron after it so will the soule draw the cold and lumpish flesh where it is where the soule is there is the body also and where the soule is there is the man Whereby it appeareth that there is no praier or spirituall seruice acceptable to God Doct. No spirinâ— all seruice but that which proceeds from the heart Pro. 23.26 Isay 29.13 but that which comes and is deriued from the heart My sonne giue me thy heart This people seeke mee with their lips but their heart is farre from me Yee are praying but your heart is as the eye of the foole euery where Sometime yee are thinking of the earth somtime of your pleasure sometime sleeping sometime yee know not what yee are thinking At preaching yee heare the voyce of a man speaking but say not Amen And sometime your voyce is repeating some idle and deafe sounds your heart no whit being moued but as a Parrat or Pye vttering incertaine sounds or a Bell Simil. sounding it knowes not what so are ye with your mouth praising God your heart being absented from him Faith only fixed on God Lifting vp of the heart presupposeth a former deiection Next his faith is not carried about hither and thither but only fixeth it selfe vpon God Thirdly the lifting vp of the heart presupposeth a former deiection of his soule The soule of man is pressed downe with sinne and with the cares of this world which as lead doth the net draweth it so downe that it cannot mount aboue till God send spirituall prayers as corke to the net to exalt it Simil. which arise out of faith as the flame doth out of the fire Heb. 12.1 and which must bee free of secular cares and all things pressing downe which sheweth vnto vs that worldlings can no more pray Simil. than a Moule is able to flie But Christians are as Eagles which mount vpward Seeing then the heart of man by nature is fixed to the earth Simil. and of it selfe is no more able to rise there-from Simil. then a stone which is fixed in the ground till God raise it by his power word and workmen it should be our principall petition to the Lord that it would please him to draw vs that we might runne after him that he would exalt and lift vp our hearts that we might raise them vp to heauen and not lie still in the puddle of this earth Here the future tense vsed for the present In the Hebrew it is I will lift vp by a common phrase vsing the future time for the present but he sayes not I lift vp my voice or my hands to thee which both he did for these are in vaine without the heart So Anna the mother of Samuel saies 1 Sam. 1.15 I poured foâ—â—h my heart in the sight of the Lord as a body without the soule VERSE 2. My God I trust in thee let me not be confounded let not mine enemies reioyce ouer me 2. Argument taken from the person of his aduersaries opposing his faith to their fury Mat 10.13 Psal 20.7 2 King 1.2 1 Sam. 28.8 THe second argument that hee vseth is taken from the person of his aduersaries who albeit they were furiously bent against him yet hee onely runneth to God without whose permission they were not able to cause one haire of his head fall to the ground Some seeke for the helpe of men some trust in horses and charioâ—s some goe to Beelzebub and deuils by wirches but let a true Christian with Daâ—id here haue his refuge to God Doct. Faith is the ground of prayer I trust in thee Here is faith the root and ground of prayer When Christ bestowed any benefit vpon his patients he asked them Doe ye beleeue and then answered Mark 9.23 Mat. 8.13 Simil. Be it to thee according to thy saith It is a naturall dependance that all creatures vse this argument to their superiors and masters As my trust is in you helpe me And should not we vse this same to our Lord and say My trust is in thee O Lord therefore hâ—lpe me He stands vpon the points of his honor will he then cast off his dependants Faith in God a stroÌ„g argumeÌ„t wherby God is moued to defend vs. Mark 9.23 24. No truly there is no stronger argument to moue God to defend thee then if thou alledge thy faith in him there is nothing impossible to him that beleeueth Let vs therefore craue the augmentation of our faith and say Lord increase our faith and then wee need not to doubt but God will giue vs all things His prayer is grounded vpon faith 1 Cor 4.13 Prayer grounded on faith Paul saith I beleeued therefore haue I spoken therefore such prayers as proceed of an incertaine faith are abhomination in the sight of the Lord and scorning of his Maiesty Doe yee not thinke Words without faith and feeling vnprofitable Doct. Shame the daughter of sinne that if wee conceiue words in our owne language if we want a feeling of them that they will bee acceptable to God no indeed but much lesse will they please him if in an vncouth language wee repeat vaine words we know not what Let me not be confounded Shame is the daughter of sinne and a condigne punishment for sinne Rom. 6 2â— What fruit had ye then in those things wherewith now ye are ashamed For the end of those things is death But no shame can befall to a Christian Qui credit non erubesces He that beleeueth shall not be a shamed Doct. RepentaÌ„ce blotteth out the memory of sinne Heb. 11.31 2 Pet. 2.7 for if hee fall in sinne it will by Gods blessing turne to the best to him and his repentance will blot out the memory of his sinne Rachabs faith hath blotted away the remembrance of her whoredome Dauids repentance and Manasses hath blotted out their sinnes Lots righteousnesse is remembred their sinne is not shamefull for God honoured them with such vertues as tooke away the filthinesse of their sinne Simil. If a gold ring should fall in the mire the price of the gold remaines and the dirt may soone be wiped away Albeit Iacobs thigh made him to halt Gen. 32.3 yet the strength of his armes who wrastled with the Angell his reuelations that he got and his holinesse made not that to bee thought a deformity in him Simil. Doct. The afflictions of Gods children are honorable
of God therefore God fortifieth his citie with al necessary defences which may hold out the enemie The Church hath walls inuisible visible The walles are too fold inuisible the protection of God which the world seeth not for the Lord is a wall of brasse about his Church to repell her enemies and a wall of fire to burne them also he hath his Angels who pitch their tents about his holy and chosen ones 2. Kin. 6.7 there was horses of fire compassing Elizeus The outward and visible walles are made of a number of liuely stones compacted together by the morter of loue strongly resisting all the enemies of the Church for that vnitie of the Saints strengthen them by the power of their God Boni enim ciues mania cinitatis good citizens are the walles of the citie And vpon these walles compassing them on all sides be bulwarks whereupon are set the canons of the word of God mighty in operation destroying the enemies the censures of the Church namely excomunication which being lawfully led is of greater power to subdue the enemie and resist him then all the power of ciuil authoritie The sinnes of princes and people make great gaps in the walles at which the deuil and enemies of the Church and wolfes enter and destroy the Lords vines They with Tobias and Sanballat stay the building of these walles Neh. 4.2 and are striuing to build the walles of Iericho which were forbidden by Iosuah to be redefied vnder a great curse 1. Ki. 16.34 which lighted on Hiel the Bethelite in the daies of Achab pitie is it to see the princes of this world so much enfeebling Ierusalem to strengthen Iericho Dauid crieth to God that he would build them whose power is greater then all the worlds who as he hath 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. â— raze raze vp the foundation Few with Nehemiah 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 take 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 Men might haue builded with stone and bricke the exterior walles It belongeth to God to build the Church 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 If our sinnes be forgiuen vs God will heare our pâ—â—erâ— Gen. 4.5 Then Marke the time 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 in 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 1. Ki 18.34 Yee shall know that albeit an elementarie or materiall fire falleth not downe Nota. yet the fire of the Spirit falleth on our hearts 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 righteousnesseâ— 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 dealingâ— that our hand be not defiled with thirst couetousnesse 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 wher God said Obiect he would haue none of their sacrifices and now they promise sacrifices Indeed if the sacrifices be onely externall Solut. 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 Christâ— by whom we must offer our prayers
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 Lordrest on the contrite heart The Palace of Heauen is very ample Simil. but the entry very narrow let vs then liumble 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 is in Latine mites of which our Sauiour speaketh Who are meeke Mat. 5.3 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 obedient that as a childe commeth vnder the hand of his Parent Psal 123.2 or as a handmaid is directed by the eye of her mistresse so doe wee attend vpon God Doctr. Whom God directeth he also protecteth Will he guide God who teacheth the meeke he also guides and directs them and leades them through the way For as children are ignorant so are they impotent they are taught by their parents led by them whom God directs he also protects and guides to heauen or else we should soon perish He must order the actions of our whole life rightly which is the second grace that God will bestow on his children when they submit themselues obediently to beare his yoake This docility will neuer be till our proud heart be subdued what Gods iudgement and his way is His iudgement and his way is nothing else but his gonernment whereby he declares himselfe as a louing Father carefull to prouide for the saluation of his owne children that he may relieue them that are oppressed raise vp those who are cast downe comfort those who are sorrowfull and grieued and succour such as be in misery And because in the former verse hee spake of sinners he will teach sinners his wayes he expounds of what sinners he meant God teacheth sinners but not all hee will not teach euery sinner but those whom he hath receiued into his fauour First hee bears downe our pride and contumacy and humbles vs First God will haue our pride beaten downe then hee will teach vs. but being cast downe he will not forsake vs and being humbled by the crosse he directs all the actions of our life in his holy obedience of which Apollinarius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Viros iustitiae diriget mansuetos Humility the first second and last gift of a ChristiaÌ„ August Epist 56. He will direct righteous men that are meek Wherefore ye may clearly see that the gift of modesty and humility is so necessary as without which wee can neuer be capable of the mysteries of Gods kingdome Which made Augustine to say borrowing the allusion from Demosthenes the Grecian August Epist 75 ad Auxilium Episcopum who being demanded what was the chiefe thing required in an Orator answered thrice pronunciation thrice that the chiefe vertue required in a Christian was humility and in another Epistle En adsum senex à iuuene coepiscopo Episcopus tot annorum à collega nondum anniculo paratus sum discere I am here an old man ready to learne from a young man my coadiutor in the ministery and so old a Bishop from a young man who scarce hath beene one yeare in the seruice VERSE 10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth vnto such as keepe his couenant and his testimonies ALl the paths c. An 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or exclamation whereby hee explaineth what he would shew euen the wayes of the Lord a most comfortable saying such as Paul hath another Rom. 8.28 To those that loue the Lord all things worke together for the best Sicknesse pouerty infamie yea death which is the greatest mercy when we are separate perfectly from sinne and the world and conioyned to Christ So that God is euer accumulating mercies and heaping them on our head Lam. 3.22 that whateuer befalleth vs certainly commeth from his mercie and it is of his mercy that we are not consumed and daily brought to confusion He comprehendeth the paths of the Lord in two words Doct. All Gods wayes are mercy and truth Pro. 20.28 mercy and truth or as others expound iustice These are the two pillars which vpholdeth a King and his kingdome Mercy and truth preserue the King for his throne shall be established with mercy Whateuer we heare or reade of the wayes of God is either mercy or truth mercy in pardoning sin truth in performing his promises Doct. Mercy and truth belong not to the wicked Other qualiâ—ies that are in God may tend to the reprobate but with none of these two haue they any thing to doe for they haue no repentance therefore no remission of sinnes they haue no faith and therefore they depend not on his truth But the godly are not to bee afraid of his iustice because mercy interuenes his power maintaâ—nes them his wisedome foresees their reliefe Rom. 8.33 Who shall intend any thing against the elect of God Christ iustifieth who can condemne But with the wicked he will dealt very hardly Psal 18.25.26 with the godly he will shew himselfe godly vvith the vpright man he will shew himselfe vpright with the pure hee vvill shew himselfe pure and the froward he vvill shew himselfe froward To such as keepe his couenant But to whom vvill he shew this mercy To those who keepe his couenant Of this couenant which God made with his Church reade Gen. 17.2 Exod 24.7 Iosh 24.16 Ier. 3.31 and in many other places This is the third name which he giueth to those who shall bee partakers of his mercy Three names giuen to the chosen First they are sinners next humble and penitent sinners and thirdly their repentance is declared by their life in that they keepe Gods couenants What a couenant is A couenant must be mutuall A couenant is a mutuall band betweene two persons hauing mutuall conditions God humbleth himselfe so farre that he couenants with man to be his God and promiseth to be their Father we againe oblige our selues to be his children and people if we forget to honour our Father then hee will not accompt vs his children Hee craues that wee should keepe his Commandements and couenants not the traditions of men Doct. Mans traditions cannot binde the conscience Note which can neuer bind the conscience yea oftentimes it falleth out that those who are too curious in obseruing these idle and vaine rites are carelesse in keeping these things which are absolutely commanded by God VERSE 11. For thy names sake O Lord bee mercifull vnto mine iniquity for it is great FOr thy names sake O Lord bee mercifull vnto mine iniquity What before hee spake generally of Gods mercy promised to all humble penitent sinners Doct. Particular application of mercy needful 1 Cor.
stand in the libertie which God hath giuen him He is bound to keep the coÌ„mandements of God to be free from the traditions and vanities of men So a man needeth not to brag of the Spirit that he may say and do what he pleaseth and alwaies pretend the Spirit and the libertie purchased by Christs blood to euery one of his follies no but that libertie hath her owne bounds and circumscriptions for the Spirit giueth vs no more libertie but that which is bound by his word No true ioy but in the saluatioÌ„ of Christ The word jasha importeth either Sauiour or saluation as Ier. 3.18 To declare that there is no true ioy but in the saluation by Christ This ioy Marie had in God her Sauiour Luk. 1.47 and Iohn in his mothers wombe leaped for ioy Luk. 1.44 Zach. 5.9 Isa 60.5 Reioyce daughter Sion This ioy maketh vs reioyce in tribulation by the comforter who eateth vp all our sorrowes and perplexities as fire eateth vp the rust of iron Other ioyes be but toyes Quicquid non est in Domino non tam intus recreat quam foras What ioy is not in the Lord refresheth not so much within as without This is the wine which Salomon commandeth to be giuen to the grieued in heart Pro. â—1 6 And surely this ioy is a foretaste of that future ioy which we shall haue in heauen where there shall be no interchange of ioy with sorow but a perpetuall ioy wherein the creature â—hall reioyce in the Creator and daily find â—ew causes of pleasure Psal 16.12 At thy right hand is â—leasure for euermore But where he desireth a restauration of this ioy it is certaine that he once felt and tasted of the sweetnesse of Gods fauour and the life to come Those who abuse the fauour of God shall feele the want therof and this sense failing him for a while he desireth that it may be repaired and restored to him And God iustly dealeth this way with men For when they abuse the time of his gracious visitation he letteth them feele themselues what they are without him Therefore he is glad to seeke now with the prodigall sonne a restitution of the thing losed Stablish me He craueth now the gift of confirmation as though he would say Albeit thou wouldst bestow all the former benefits of remission of my sin of sanctification and ioy proceeding therefrom yet I am likely to lose them vnlesse it would please thee to confirme and strengthen me to the end Therefore he craueth to be stablished by the Spirit and he addeth an epithete to that Spirit calling it his free Spirit Our Lord was reproched for his frequencie with sinners they called him a drunkard because he dranke with them Luk. 2.16 and a glutton because he eated with them Who would reproue a Physitian which frequenteth with patients and who would reproue a Preacher who haunteth and conuerseth with penitents Simil. not to peruert but conuert them Thy free Spirit He letteth vs see that this stabilitie commeth by no other meanes but by the Spirit of God as oftentimes he doth make mention in this Psalme The title which he giueth to the Spirit is a free Spirit The Spirit is free in himselfe neither can he be limited so those who haue him cannot be bounded by any humane deuice or presumption The Spirit is free in himselfe The winde bloweth whither it pleaseth and shall not the Spirit haue libertie to blow whither he pleaseth No man seeth the wind yet it bloweth and ouerthroweth great houses and trees and yet they will binde the word of God This I speake not that I would wish any to pretend the Spirit and alledge for whatsoeuer thing they say a warrant of the Spirit thus keeping that libertie to be a pretence and sauegard of their imaginations as the Anabaptists say but there is no warrant for such riot for the Spirit seeketh nothing but by the word Christian libertie is to serue God Neither can this Christian libertie be a pretence for Atheists who vnder couert of Christian libertie doe what they please spend their time in all maner of riot Our libertie is to serue God not sinne from the bondage whereof we are made free Verse 13. Then shall I teach thy wayes vnto the wicked and sinners shall be conuerted vnto thee NOw followeth his promise 1. that he will be a Preacher 2. to whom to the wicked 3. what shall be the effect of his labours sinners shall be conuerted to God Then shall I teach the wicked He mindeth not to hide his talent but to put it forth to his masters aduantage So this is a sure mark of one who hath Gods mercie that he will not keep it priuate but publish it and make it knowne to others Which is a dutie necessarily craued in vs Doctrine Euery Christian should coÌ„municat their gift for the profit of the Church that we should be diligent to communicate our gift to the vtilitie of the Church Worldly men put out their mony for their owne aduantage and should not spirituall men put forth the Lords gifts for his aduantage Dauid a Kâ—ing is not ashamed to be a teacher of repentance and mercie which he felt himselfe So none in all the world should be ashamed of the holy ministerie None should be ashamed of the holy ministery 1. Cor. 9.16 Nota. Saint Paul saith Vae mihi si non praedicauero Wo be to me if I preach not the Gospell Those who are ashamed to preach publish their sins let them be ashamed to sinne Thy wayes But what is his text he teacheth thy wayes not mens traditions which can in no wise either assure or pacifie the conscience Dauid was not so bold to put in his wayes with Gods wayes Gods ways are the wâ—yes prescribed in his word Gods wayes are the ways prescribed in his word which are perfect iust and holy wayes But when men will bring in the altar of Damascus opposing it to the true altar they remember not that God brought leprosie on the Kings sace 2. Kin 16.13 till he was expelled out of the Temple This is a rule to Princes that they teach the people and make them to be taught onely the wayes of God and bring not in mens traditions and make a mixture of them with the holy Scriptures which here Dauid shunneth But whom teacheth he The wicked sinners those who are in the very bonds and hands of the Diuel these be the proper matter vpon which Gods word worketh Hypocrites set not by such lessons but poore miserable creatures who see by the word that they are worthy of hell then they are touched with a remorse and would be very glad to go to heauen So the physicke is lost which is not bestowed on such as are sensible of their owne sores And sinners shall be conuerted vnto thee He perswadeth himselfe that his doctrine shall be effectual forasmuch as it shal work
winds and tempests God will passe by all these our frailties and imperfections and will at last deliuer vs from them all if in the midst of these our extremeties our heart set it selfe toward heauen This Prophet in the 77. Psalme findeth himselfe so farre cast downe that his soule refused comfort and in this verse he thinketh himselfe so astonied that his senses were become scupified and benumed through the great paines which he sustained Verse 5. Yet doe I remember the time past I meditate on all thy workes yea I doe meditate in the workes of thine hands Verse 6. I stretch forth mine hands vnto thee my soule desireth after thee as the thirstie land Selah IN the two former verses were expressed his double tentations bodilie and spirituall in these two are double comforts so As the Churches troubles encrease so doe her comforts 1. Cor. 10.13 as the crosses of Gods childreÌ„ do increase so doe their consolations day by day for God is faithfull who will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we haue abilitie to beare but with the tentation will giue vs a comfort to his glorie One of the greatest comforts which Christians can haue in their extreame miseries Experience of former mercies a great comfort in time of extremitie 1. Sa. 17.34 is the ancient mercies of God bestowed either on themselues in particular or on the Church in generall This moued Dauid to enterprise the nomachie against Goliah The Lord saith he who deliuered me from the pawe of the Lyon and from the pawe of the Beare will deliuer me also from this vncircumcised Philistim Remember mercies past if thou would be deliuered in time to come Wee should recount the ancient mercies of God that they may encourage vs to seek him in time to come a Christian mans memorie should be a faithfull chronicle of antiquitie we should remember what our fathers haue told vs and shew that to our children but especially the works we haue found done by God to our selues God would hide nothing from Abraham Gen. 18.17 because he would shew it to his children The foole and idiot doe not ponder the workes of God but the righteous doe lay them vp in their hearts and shew them to those who come after them So let vs make a register and book of remembrance of the auntientie of Gods goodnesse to his Church which will comfort our soules in the present day of sorrow Our memories may easily shew to our children the antient mercies of God in the first beginning of our Church threescore yeares agoe and how he deliuered her in her infancie from the furie of the Frenchmen and againe in the 1588. yeare from the great armado of Spaine and diuerse others bloudie interprises of wicked men Let vs therefore haue a fresh memorie of Gods benefits which may furnish vs with comfort in our present necessities let our owne particular benefits encourage vs against our owne particular euills and generall blessings and deliueries which the Church hath had strengthen vs against those euills which befall to her in our time Let vs recollect our Spirits and take vigour in this our present distresse that we faint not If Gods mercies be rooted in our hearts our tongues will vtter the same From his remembrance there floweth a meditation twise remembred in this verse for a sanctified memorie of Gods goodnes stirreth vp an holy meditation and reuolution in our mind of the same from whence floweth our gratitude and thankefulnes to God and if we looke lightly to the mercies of God we speake as lightly but when they are rooted in our hearts then we begin to speake magnificallie and worthilie The workes of thine hands Here he letreth vs see that these works could haue bin done by no humane power but by the immediate power of God Exod. 8. â—â— As the Aegiptian sorcerâ—rs spake of the lice so may we say concerning the deliuerances of the Church God reserueth to himselfe the deliueries of his Church surely this is the finger of God He will otherwaies honour his owne children but he keepeth the honour in deliuering the Church to himselfe He will haue it said in the ages to come the Lord hath done this As he by the workes of his hand made the Church so by these same sauing hands he hath redeemed it from hell and damnation and it is the worke of his owne hands that shall deliuer her from temporall dangers Therefore let God arise and deliuer his Church for she is now in great hazard Psal 6â— â— but the Lords arme is strong enough and in his appointed time can deliuer her I stretch forth mine hands vnto thee His â—econd comfort 〈◊〉 prayer which springeth â—rom his earnest meditation Here the fruit of holy meditation it stirreth vp our hearts tâ—o an earnest prayer Such meditations of Gods goodnes and power are the best helpers and confirmations of our faith Earnest prayer from a serious meditation consideration of Gods workes to lighten vs of our sorrowes and griefes Hence it followeth where there is no meditation and earnest consideration of Gods workes there will be no earnest prayer but perfunctorious dealing with God which we will not regard but repudiat and forsake The instruments of his prayer is the stretching forth of his hands The stretching forth of the hands noteth the lifting vp of the heart Exo. 17.11 which noteth the lifting vp of the heart As Moses hands were lifted vp when Israel fighted against Amalek and when they fell Israel had the worse and therefore Aaron and Hur held them vp and so Israel preualed Thus we should compose the gestures of our body in spirituall exercises as they may be most helpefull vnto vs to our inward and secret worshipping of God My soule desireth after thee as the thirstie land He declareth his vehement affection to God by a verie prettie similitude taken from the ground which is thirstie by the long drought of summer wherein the earth rent in peeces as it were and with open mouth through long thirst seeketh drinke from heauen By which he sheweth that he came to God as distitute of naturall substance and therefore seeketh from aboue that which he lacked So in all his extremities he looketh euer vpward from aboue he seeketh helpe and comfort Doctr. Art thou athirst ther is water in heauen to refresh thee Albeit we be in extremitie and as it were rent in sunder yet here is comfort there is water in heauen which will refresh vs if we gape after them Here is a blessing those that thirst shal be satisfied If we thirst for mercie for deliuerie and spirituall and temporall comfort thou shalt be satiffied therewith for if God heard the prayer of Hagar and Ismael being athirst in the wildernesse Ge. 21.17 and opened vnto them a fountaine will he forsake Isack the childe of promise If he heard Samson in the bitternesse of his heart when
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
iniquities are multiplied before vs. And yet we must take heed of the diuels craft who obscureth from many their sin so that they can neuer repent for that which they neuer see or feele And yet on the other hand he letteth some see the mountains of their sins and hugenesse of them that they see nothing else in God but his iustice thereby to leade them to despaire as he did with Iudas But we must not looke with such fixed eyes vpon our sins that we lift not vp our eyes to Gods mercie which is ready to pardon and to apply to-our heart all the sweete promises which we reade in the Scriptures so that as feare beareth vs downe faith may vphold vs that we fall not They must euer be before vs in this world and be purged by vnfained repentance not that our repentance can expiate them or pacifie Gods wrath or as the foolish Papists thinke that we can do penance for them For what satisfaction can thy humiliation do which is imperfect to satisfie the wrath of an infinite God Vnlesse his Son had intervened by his satisfaction Gods wrath could not haue bin appeased The more we repent for sin the more we are eased The more we remember our sin and lament for the same the more ease get we to our afflicted minds and consciences and the more sensibly shall we feele the mercie of God pardoning our offences Therefore we cannot be better exercised then in an humble confession of our sin and by bitter teares with Peter weepe for our offences which I pray God the Lord may worke in our hearts that we may find that blessing vpon vs which Christ pronounced Math. 5. Blessed are they who now mourne for they shall be comforted Verse 4. Against thee against thee only haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight that thou maist be iust when thou speakest and pure when thou iudgest THe ancients haue so far differed in expounding this verse some running forth on Allegories others on far sought interpretations that Lorinus the Iesuite numbreth twelue diuers interpretations hereof of which The diuers interpretations of this verse two are most agreeable to the words and meaning of the text The first expounds it this way Howsoeuer say they Dauid did wrong to Vriah yet it was hid from all men and onely knowne to God and these sins are onely done against God whereof none is witnesse but he only And surely albeit we would couer our sins from the sight of the world there is one witnesse whose sight we cannot flee Plato affirmeth that we should do nothing in secret whereof we would be ashamed in publik And Cicero Ne siquidem deos omnes celare possumus albeit we could keepe it secret from all the gods The other whereto I rather incline is thus Albeit say they Dauid had offended man yet it touched him more nigh at the heart the sin he did against God in breaking of his law For so Nathan said vnto him Why didst thou contemn the word of the Lord that thou shouldst do euill in his sight 2. Sa. 12.14 As though Dauid would say Though all the world would absolue me this is more then enough to me that I feele thee my iudge my conscience citeth me before thy tribunall Let vs haue our eyes and our senses fixed on God and not be deceiued with the vaine allurements of men who either extenuate or conniue and winke at our sins For God Nâ—tâ— as he is witnesse to our sins so is he sole and onely Iudge Admire the loue of God who can punish both soule and bodie in hell fire of whose wrath we should be more afraid then of all the kings or tyrants of the world As also we should be sorie that we haue offended so gracious a God who when he might haue damned vs yet hath pleased to pardon vs and taketh no other satisfaction at our hand but repentance for our sin and faith in his Son Iesus Christ Who will not giue vs to our enemies hand to be destroyed but will set vs free from prison out of his free loue Therefore O sinner in time be reconciled with thy Iudge and take no rest till thou haue suretie of his fauour Say with Dauid Peccaui I haue sinned 2. Sa. 12.13 and God shall say with Nathan Peccatatua remissa sunt thy sins are forgiuen Against thee against thee onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight The ingemination of the word against thee signifieth the deepnesse of his feeling and griefe who is the more wounded the more he findeth the greatnesse of that maiestie and goodnes whom he hath offended So it were happie for vs that we could be deeply moued with a conscience of our sin that out of the deep places of a contrite heart we might redouble our sighs which would pierce that fatherly heart if we could shoot vp such arrowes to heauen but we laugh ouer the matter not remembring that our laughter shall be turned to mourning This also serueth to conuince such miscreant Atheists who can generally say God forgiue vs we are all sinners as it were excusing their sins when as they are neuer touched at the heart with a sorrow for them They feed their foolish humours with a cloake of the multitude that sinneth quasi patrocinium erroris sit multitudo peccantium as though the multitude of sinners should be a patrocinie and defence of errors saith Augustine Hell is spacious large enough hauing all the dimensions which will containe all the diuels and their children if they were more in number then they are That thou maist be iust when thou speakest and pure when thou iudgest By this it is cleare that the iustice of God shineth most in mens soules and his truth in their lies As though he would say Because I haue sinned so grieuously and haue committed such wickednesse that thou canst not be blamed of vnrighteousnesse though thou shouldst punish me most rigorously for I haue deserued worse then I haue suffered But because the Apostle Paul Rom. 3.4 would seeme to turne this text to another sense we shall reconcile them easily A reconcâ—liation betwixt this place and that of Rom. 3 4. For the Apostle seeing the Iewes to bring the testament and couenant of God in stander as though he had bin the cause of their ruine by casting that vpon themselues he freeth God of their fall But Dauid here vindicateth Gods iustice laying all the cause on himselfe Whereof we gather that if any euill come to man the cause of it is to be found in himselfe we need not cast it on God But out of this that Dauid confesseth God to be iust when he iudgeth we learne first that God as Abraham said is the iust Iudge of the world Gen. 18.25 and albeit he hath reserued a generall iudgement after this life God hath a particular iudgement in this world as Augustine saith yet he
â—et holinesse to the Lord be written on your brests Exo. 28.36 Leuit. 20.7 Holinesse becometh the house of God Be holy Many study to attain to knowledg but not to sanctification as I am holy For what fellowship can the most holy God haue with vncleane and profane people This miserable age studieth to attaine to knowledge but not to sanctification Let Atheists call you what they please studie you to puritie of liâ—e A true Christian will make more conscience of an idle word or filthy thought which wil arise in their hearts Nota. and will correct it more sharply then those leud miscreants will do for adultery and the worst actions they commit Verse 8. Make me to heare ioy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce HAuing craued before remission of sins now he beggeth the fruite which followes vpon the same that is ioy and gladnes which is one of the fruits of the kingdome of God and marks of Gods children Ioy proceedeth of sorrow This ioy which he suiteth must of necessiâ—ie presuppose a sorrow which he had for his sinne For as repentance can neuer want sorrow no more can remission want ioy So that ioy springeth out of the bitter goote of sorrow And the greater sorrow we haue the greater shall our ioy be The deeper thy griefe be the higher shall thy comfort be He doubleth ioy and gladnesse both of soule and bodie he will not be contented with some one or two consolations but wil haue them to be multiplied that as his tribulations did increase so his comforts in Christ Iesus might be enlargod As a Christian is the most sorowfull man in the world Of all men a Christian hath most cause to reioyce so there is none more glad then he For the cause of his ioy is greatest in respect his misery was greatest his deliuery greatest therefore his ioy greatest from hell and death is he freed to life in heauen is he brought What can make men more glad then this if he will beleeue No offers can satisfie the minde of a prisoner appointed to death vnlesse his remission be proclaimed and giuen him Simil. so all the ioyes in the world will not satisfie a conscience till he heare that his sins are forgiuen him Psal 4.8 This ioy Dauid compareth with the ioy of worldlings who reioyced in their corne and wine and saith that he had more ioy then they had and more peace of conscience This ioy eateth vp all false ioyes that men haue in sinne True ioy eateth vp false ioyes Exod. 7.12 as the rod of Aaron did the rods of the Egyptians For it is not possible that men can haue both ioy in God godlinesse and in sin for the one will euer quench the other as water doth fire All other ioyes wil alter whatsoeuer they be Nothing can alter this true ioy but nothing can take this ioy from vs. Not tribulation we reioyce in the midst of tribulation Not death no paine no hatred of men no persecution all these rather in crease it Acts 5.41 We reioyce with the Apostles that we are thought worthy to suffer for the word of God Why do worldlings call vs melancholious persons and too precise that we cannot do away with an idle word Ioh. 4.32 let be an idle action let them say what they please we say as Christ said to his disciples he had meate they knew not so we haue ioy that they know not of That which is thy ioy O hypocrite that is my sorrow I laugh with Democritus at that Democritus alwayes laughed Heraelitus alwayes weeped Iam. 5.1 for which thou weepest I weepe with Heraclitus at that whereat thou laughest Wo to them that laugh for they shall weepe Howle ye rich men saith the Apostle Make me to heare The person froÌ„ whom he seeketh this ioy is God make me to heare saith he whereby he would teach vs Doctrine Spirituall ioy proceedeth from God that this ioy cometh onely from God it is he who is the fountain of ioy and all pleasure for all good things come from aboue Naturall ioyes proceed from a naturall and fleshly fountain spirituall ioyes spring only from God so he who seeketh these ioyes beneath seeketh hot water vnder cold ice Can any good thing come out of Nazareth Ioh. 1 46. can any grace come from a gracelesse ground The instrument by which he seeketh ioy to be conueyed to him is the hearing of that word Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee There is none other ordinary meanes by which God will worke or euer hath wrought ioy to the troubled heart then by his word preached by the mouth of his seruants The word of God is the cause of this ioy Act. 16.14 and beleeued by Christians Faith commeth by hearing God opened the heart of Lydian He that hath eares to heare let him heare I haue giuen eyes and they do not perceiue eares to heare do not vnderstand their eares are heauie c. Preaching of the word is a necessary instrumeÌ„t by which spiritual gracesis coÌ„veied into our harts God craueth this ofteÌ„ in the old new Testanent that we should heare his voice And Dauid confesseth that God had prepared his eare Psal 40. God from heauen said This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased Mat. 3.17 heare him If then ye giue an obedient eare to Gods word ye may be assured of this ioy wrought in your hearts after yee haue beleeued the comfortable promises of saluation in Christs blood Against Atheists and Papists lothing the word What thinke ye then of Atheists who will not heare the word but for fashions sake calling those too holy who will heare two Sermons on one Sabbath or of Papists who will no wayes heare the word which may be the meanes of their conuersion Wo to the one and to the other And because they haue refused to heare him of whom they may receiue comfort and instruction therefore the Lord shall refuse to speake to them any longer vnlesse betimes they repent That the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce The effect which he hopeth to receiue of those glad tidings is a restitution of his first estate wherein he found himself wonderfully broken by his sin and affliction and hopeth to be restored by remission and pardon thereof Where he speaketh of the bones he would let vs to vnderstand that there is no strength of nature able to resist the stroke of Gods iustice No streÌ„gth in man able to resist the stroake of Godsiustice For if he begin to fight with vs we are vnable to resist The bones are very hard and the strength of man stands in them but if God bring the hammer of his wrath it shall be as iron and steele to crush them in peeces being but as potters vessels God cureth none but those whom he hath woun ded Man woundeth but
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 alter For no sacrifice or prayer could euer be 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 offerâ—r 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 â—issa 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 asweet 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 Damasâ—us and let vs offer all our offences vpon Iesus Christ with whom we shall be very heartily welcome to God Amen A GODLY AND FRVITFVL EXPOSITION ON THE CXXX PSALME the sixt of the Penitentials The Title A Psalme of degrees OF the Psalmes there are fifteene called Psalmes of degrees or cantica maaloth of assension whereof foure are assigned to Dauid and one to Salomon Why they are thus intituled it is controuersed vpon some thinke them to be thus called Why called a psalm of degrees because there were so many steppes in the Temple of Solomon wherby men ascended as Angustine in his hundred fiftie Psalme whose opinion Bellarmine citeth But apparantly they haue not taken their name from this because in Dauids daies not so much as the Church was builded Others be of opinion that it was after the people came from Babilon which is as light when that captiuity was so many hundred yeares after their death I thinke the Hebrew word would rather be referred to the tune and notes which should asend in singâ—ng and be swift in high notes being so excellent and so easie to be sung 〈◊〉 allegorie The allegorie is not to be neglected that we should by singing them ascend from this earth to that heauenly Ierusalem in our affections Bellarmines eâ—rour coÌ„cerning the singing of this Pâ—alme for thoâ—e that 〈◊〉 purgatorie Bellarmine thinketh this Psalme should be sung for the soules of those that are in profundo in a deepe place who desire to arise and get Gods mercie But who doth not see except he be blind the heretiques errour What doth he know whither such haue repented whether they haue confessed their sinne or no For thousands dies without confessing them If their sinne be mortall they go to hell say they wherefrom there is no redemption The forme of prayer then seeing it hath no warrand in the word it should be reiected as seruing to no vse and no credite should be giuen thereto This Psalme was made many hundred yeares before purgatorie was inuented for purgatorie was after Christ before Christs daies there was none as they themselues confesse And in this Psalme there is not one word that can giue the smallest warrant to that diuelish and foolish inuention Let them sing their De profoundâ—s as they please they doe themselues no more good then they doe to others and that is none at all Nota. onely they spend some idle houres and gaine somewhat to themselues The substance of this Psalme In this Psalme is contained an earnost and ardent prayer of a troubled heart first for mercie to his sinnes and next for deliuerence therefrom and last an exhortation to all men to hope in God because he will be a continuall redeemer of his people and can find meanes to deliuer them from all their sinnes and iniquites The parts of the Psalme In the first foure verses is contained his tentation by commemoration of his praier which he conceiued when he was in greatest perrill Next by forme of transitation he affirmeth that yet he will depend vpon God and his word in the fift and sixe verses And last he recommendeth this same hope to the Church in the last two verses with a bold assurance of the fauour of God toward his chosen Verse 1. Out of the deepe places haue I called vnto thee O Lord. OVt of the deepe places In this verse he setteth downe First the place from which he spoke de profundis out of the deepe places Secondly the forme of his prayer I called Thirdly the person to whom he prayeth To thee O Lord. By the deep places is meant afflictions into which the godly are often plunged By the deepe places as all the ancients consent is meant the deepe places of afflictions and the deepe places of the heart troubled for sinne Afflictions are compared to deepe waters Psalme 18.17 He drew me out of many waters saue me O God for the waters haue entred to my soule Psalme 96. And surely Gods children are often cast into very desperate cases and plunged into deepe miseries To the end they may send out of a contrite feeling heart such prayers as may mount aloft and pierce the heauens When we are in prosperitie our prayers comes from our lippes Nota. and therefore the Lord is forced to cast vs downe to the end our prayers may come from our heart and that our senses may be wakened from the securitie in which they are lying Albeit the throne of God be most high Nota. yet he delighteth to heare the petition of hearts that are most low that are most casten downe by the sight of sinne And there is no affliction neither any place so low yea if as low as the belly of the whale wherein Ionas lay which can seperate vs from the loue of our Lord Ionah 2.6 or stay our prayers from comming before him Those that are furthest casten downe are not furthest from God but neerest vnto him God is neere to a contrite heart God nighest vnto them that are most low Simil. and it is the proper seate where his Spirit dwelleth Isa 62. And this way God dweleth with vs as men doe with such houses as they are minded to build sumptuously and on high for then they digge deepe grounds for the foundation Thus God purposing to make a faire shew of Daniel and the three children in Babel of Ioseph in Aegipt of Dauid in Israel he first threw them into the deepe waters of affliction Daniel is casten into the den of Lions Dan. 6.16 Dan. 3.23 Ge. 39.20 The three children are throwne into the firie ouen Ioseph is imprisoned Dauid exiled 1. Sa. 27.2 yet all these he exalted and made them glorious Temples to himselfe Marke hereby the dulnesse of our nature that is such The dulnes of our nature hath need
quod non haebet veritas hebraica And therefore willing to reconcile them he saith that both night and day they should awaite vpon God But seeing he granteth there is no word of the night in the Hebrew verity why would he goe by that light of the Scriptures to his corrupt translation citing Saint Ierome who maketh twice mention of the morning not once of the night But he peruerteth Scriptures as his manner is and in confessing that our translation is according to the Hebrew veritie he graunteth that his translation is after a Latine lie which indeede is both mutilat and redundant leauing out that which should be in the morning twise and putting in night which should not be there But no maruell so is all their doctrine bringing in darkenesse of ignorance and putting away the light of the morning the Lord Iesus Christ Read Chrysos translation The night diuided in to foure warches More then the morning watch watching for the morning The night was diuided in foure watches euery watch had three houres the last watch because neerest the day and light of the Sunne is most comfortable and therefore most desired Out of this verse I obserue these foure things First that this world is a night Secondly that Christians are watchmen Thirdly that their comfort and light must come from aboue from Christ that Sonne of righteousnesse Fourthly that the light commeth not till the fourth watch 1. This world is a night The world is a night and its darknes represents Hell as the light represents Heauen The morning presupposeth the night and this world most properly is compared to a long winters night which is verie comfortable The light is comfortable both to those that are in health and sicknesse when men lie in darkenesse they are discouraged and their griefe is augmented and â—ncreased but when they see the day breaking they take heart The darkenesse representeth hell wherein there is vtter darkenesse and no light neither materiall not spirituall there shal be a fire burning but neither giuing heate or light and the light representeth heauen where there shal be no darkenesse Reu. 21.23 For the Lambe shal be the light of the house As the night is cold so is this world comfortles The night also is cold wanting the Sunne which warmeth the earth man and beast so is the world a shaddow of death a darke dungeon a portrature of hell no comfort to be had in it but displeasure and matter of mourning Ignorance a most obseure night Ro. 13.12 The greatest night in this world is the ignorance of God of which the Apostle speaketh The night is passed and the day is come This darkenesse ouerspread the whole face of the earth Gen. 1.3 till it pleased God who brought light out of darkenesse the first day to illuminate our darkned minds by the knowledge of his truth of which also the Apostle speaketh yea are no more darkenesse but light in the Lord. Spirituall darkenesse which carieth to eternall darknesse Eph. 5.8 Spirituall darknes as most euill is most to be feared is more fearefull then corporall darknesse Forasmuch as prisoners lying in darkenesse would most gladlie see the light But these who are lying in ignorance of God desire neuer to see the light of heauen they thinke ignorance the mother of deuotion they take pleasure in it they hate knowledge they will not be informed I pray God open all your eies that wee may see the light of God in Iesus Christ that we doe no more take delight in ignorance despising the light offered vnto vs for the saluation of our soules Let vs not suffer our selues to be deceiued by sesuiticall sophistications For when our soules shall present that terrible tribuniall at the houre of our death then we would wish we had beene of the number of the wise virgines Mat. 25.4 and had prepared oile for our lampes and might haue had the light of the knowledge of God shining in our soules which alacke some of vs both contemne and seeke to haue it quenched in others 2. Christians are watchmen The duty of a watchman Dauid compareth himselfe to a watchman the office of a watchman is to take heed least the enemie come at vnawares and to giue warning to the cirizens Euery particular Christian ought to be a watchman Euery Christian should watch for he hath euemies both spirituall and corporall continually assaulting him to destroy both his soule and his body for which cause our Sauiour often exhorted his hearers to watch and pray Mat. 26.41 and by nature we fall asleepe Ibid. 40. as the Apostles did in the garden and Ionas in the ship Ionah 1.5 Therefore it is good we should be carefull to watch ouer our waies The watch lookes to the enemie without but we haue more neede to watch vpon our domestique and inward enemies Nota. least they supprise vs euen our Iustes and concupiscences our pride our auarice our malice all which are like to ouerthrow our soule Let vs therefore watch least we be supprised Preachers are Gods wâ—tchmen Ezech 3.17 〈◊〉 And as euery Christian should watch so much more should pastors who are called watchmen whom God hath made watchmen of Israel that when they see traitours and wolues entering into the fold of God they may giue warning and blow the trumper and adoertise the citizens of their danger So those who take vpon them the title of watchmen vpon the walles of Ierusalem and watch diligently for their owne benefite Faise watchmen shall be destroyed onely looking to themselues and not to the Church they are false watchmen and shall be destroyed with the first Woe and woe againe to such as call themselues watchmen who smite the Bride and pull her vaile from her going and following after the bridegroome when they should watch for the welfare of Sion if the watchman be false he may betray the camp As false and negligent watch men are most dangerous to a common wealth so are false and secure Preachers to the Church or the house wherein he is and if he be negligent and sleepe all is in perill so if the watchmen and preachers be salfe and secure when the enemie is comming the Church is in great danger Lord make thy ministrie true to the Church that they seeing the enemies entred into the Lords Ierusalem they may in time giue warning least both they and the citie perish 3. Comfort and light must come from aboue The watchman waiteth for the day and he is very glad when he seeth it breake for then he knoweth the Sunne is a rising vpon the earth which will inlighten all the world No comfort is to be found on earth for a Christian soule in this darke night we must look to the day dawning when Christ in that day of his glorious appearing shall come to deliuer his Church from all miseries Our light commeth from
aboue Reu. 22.25 which all Christians should earnestly attend and feruently pray with the spouse Come Lord Iesus The watchman looketh about to see the Sun spread out his beames he knoweth that light doth not come from below We should turne our eies from the world because here is no comfort Nots and looke vnto Christ Iesus sitting at the right hand of the Father with Saint Steuen from whom onely we may expect a comfortable deliuery out of all our miseries Act. 7.56 4. The light commeth in the morning Before breake of day is greatest darkenesse and then the Sunne ariseth and by his beames expelleth the same the light commeth not till the euening The Apostles rowed all night Mat. 14.24 till they were become weary and out of all hope and then Christ came in the fourth watch and relieued them being then in a most desperat case God will come So the Lord although he tarieth to let vs feele our owne weakenesse yet no doubt he will come he dealt this way with Iacob he wrestled all night with him till the breake of day Ge. 32.28 and then blessed him Dauid after he was long pursued and persecuted by Saul 2. Sam. 1. yet at last gat rest and ease Iudg 2.16 The Iewes were neerely destroied by their enemies but God raised vp Sauiours to defend them Dispare not then and disquiet not your selues be not discouraged howsoeuer yee see the Church which is as the Disciples boate tossed to and fro by the waues of persecuting tyrants Mat. 14.23 looke to heauen for the day of her deliuerie is at hand yea that euerlasting deliuerie when the Sunne of righteousnesse shall arise and shine on her for euer she may haue a night for a time but her morning will be most gratious she may be in paines as a woman in trauell for a time but her deliuery will be most comfortable God albeit he seemeth to come serò late yet he commeth seriò in earnest as he did in preseruing the Church in Queene Esters daies Ester 8. By the contrary the wicked may haue a short morning in this world but they cannot escape an euerlasting night in that bottomlesse pit of darknesse Nota. out of which is no deliuerie Verse 7. Let Israel waite on the Lord for with the Lord is mercy and with him is great redemptions After the Prophet hath spoken of himselfe that he awaited vpon the Lord he now exhorteth all the Church to do the same He euer desireth the Church to be a partner with him in any benefite which he obtained from the Lord as in the 51 psalme after he hath prayed for mercy to himselfe he in the 18 verse prayeth vnto the Lord for the Church that he would be fauorable to Sion The like did Moses Daniel Ieremie they all prayed for her weale All should pray for the peace of the Church Dâ—uid exhorteth others to pray Pray for the peace of Ierusalem Such sort of preachers are to be highly respected who night and day powre out their prayers for the peace and welfare of Sion who depend on God and stirre vp others to put their trust and hope in God This did Iosua and Caleb after they had viewed the land Numb 13.31.33.34 giue heart and courage to the people of Israel to goe forward to Canaan whereas the other ten spies discouraged them saying their walls reached to heauen and the people were as the sonnes of Anak When Dauid desireth the whole Church to put her hope in God he recalleth her from alâ— other vaine hopes or putting her trust in any other This should make those who professe themselues to be Christians to blush and be ashamed to put their trust in any other but God I looked saith Dauid vnto the mountaines from whence mine helpe shall come Psal 12â— â— 2 mine helpe commeth from the Lord who made the heauen and the earth When Israel looked to haue helpe fortification and refuge of man then she was disapointed and left comfortlesse in her greatest extremeties Ier. 17.5 Cursed be he who maketh the armo of flesh and blood his confidence For with the Lord is mercie That which he so patiently attended vpon was mercie and that which he desireth the Church to waite for is mercie He repeeteth to the Church the goodnesse of that which he had tasted himselfe that which was needfull to him was needefull to the whole body of the Churchâ— and therefore as he wished mercie to himselfe he wished mercie to the whole Church militant Euery Christian should loue the Church more then himselfe which teacheth euery Christian to loue the Church as well as himselfe yea more and as he would haue health and welfare to himselfe so to procure the same for the Church And with him is great redemption He pointeth out this mercie First By the wonderfull effect thereof redemption Secondly By the qualitie thereof great redemption Redemption is the freeing of that which is in thraldome by giuing of a price What redemption is as the redemption of land presupposeth that it was ingaged for summes of money giuen to the owner and thus folde vpon reuersion or warriours that are taken in battell and ransoned at a price Oh that we would consider the thraldome we are in and how we stand in Gods debt the freedome which we get and the meanes whereby we obtaine the same God gaue vs his golden law and we haue nothing whereby to pay him but the drosse of our merits wherewith we will neuer be able to pay him that summe wherein we are oblished and thus we lie in thraldome Man may be redeemed But heerein is our comfort that we are not solde out at the ground but God hath alwaies reserued to vs a reuersion that we may be redeemed But what is the meanes whereby we are redeemed either it must be by strong hand as Abraham freed Lot or by the gratious fauour of those Ge. 14.16 whose captiues we are as a Master through loue which he beareth to his seruant may set him free or by paying of a ransome The parties were God and the Deuill Gods iustice must be satisfied Sathan must be vanquished or no redemption for vs. This Christ Iesus the sonne of God seeing that blessed seed of the woman and pâ—tying vs became a redeemer for vs by his valour and strength he vanquished that old serpent the Diuil and made vs free from him and by his death he satisfied the wrath of God and paied a ransome for vs euen his pretious blood Mans redemption is by the blood of Christ This redemption then is neither by gold nor siluer but by Christs blood All the world was not able to haue redeemed his blood only was a perfect satisfaction to the Father Lands impignorated become free at the Iubilie and when we are made free from our sinne we may account that the most ioyfull Iubilie that we euer saw Great
Being assured of Gods fauour we should seeke to conforme our wills to obey his commaundiments For when we haue obtained an assurance of Gods fauour reconciled to vs in Iesus Christ it followeth next that we should desire to conforme our liues to the obedience of his commandements For no man will frame himselfe to walke in Gods waies till he be assured of Gods fauour Therefore faith in Gods promises is the most effectuall cause to bring forth good workes and an assurance of iustification to produce sanctification But because by nature we are ignorant which way we should go let vs pray God that he may direct vs what way we should goe to heauen through this miserable world For men hauing no better warrand of their wayes then their owne determinations may as blind men runne headlong to destruction Christ is the way in which we should walke I am the way saith he Ioh. 14.6 none other way in heauen or earth We go in this way when we follow his commandements and walke in them leauing the traditions of men Pray God that not onely he would shew vs the true way but also giue vs grace to walke therein For I lift vp my soule vnto thee He vsed all wise and lawfull meanes yet euer he hangeth and dependeth on Gods prouidence Because vnlesse our care industrie be gouerned by Gods spirit it serueth for nothing Which teacheth vs in what euer case we be In euery case depend on God neuer to leane to our owne wisedome but with heart to depend vpon the Lord that he may guid vs by his holy spirit Behold what a wonderfull effect God worketh by afflictions they depresse and cast downe our outward man The good of afflictions and our inner man by them is eleuated raised aloft yea the more we are afflicted the more we are stirred vp The oftner the messenger of Satan is sent to buffet vs 2. Cor. 12.8 the more earnestly with Paul we cry vnto the Lord to be deliuered So if we be cast downe to hell what the worse are we if by that we be raised vp to heauen As by the contrarie the wicked for their prosperous successes seeme as it were lifted vp to heauen but their exaltation becommeth a precipitation to them to the deepest lowest hells in respect they fall through pride in the condemnation of the diuel Let vs therefore be patient in our troubles and lift vp our eies to our God who wil help vs. Verse 9. Deliuer me O Lord from mine enemies for I hide me with thee IN the former verse he desireth Gods mercie and louing kindnesse and that he might be shewed the way wherein he shold walke now he desireth to be free of temporall danger This is a good method in prayer first to seeke the kingdome of God Seeke first spirituall graces then temporall deliueries Lu. 12.31 and spirituall graces and all other things shal be casten to vs. We seeke in vaine at God temporall deliueries if we neglect to seeke spirituall graces which are most necessarie for vs. The church hath many enemies but God is one against them all As for enemies the Church and her members neuer hath or shall want innumerable against whom what can we oppose but Gods protection In number in power in policie and subtiltie they are euer aboue vs. There is no helpe in vs against them all but our gratious God Ge. 32.36 Esau came with foure hundred against Iacob a naked man with his wife children and droues of cattell But Mahanaim was with him he was guarded by Gods Angells And therefore since the Church of God in France Germanie and elsewhere is in danger of the Liuiathan and these sonnes of Anak Let vs runne to the Lord and cry vnto him O God Iehouah who is one against all deliuer vs from our enemies who likewise are thy enemies For I hide my selfe with thee As though he would say I haue no receipt or lurking place but thee Hide me therefore vnder the shaddow of thy wings Psalme 91. The Lord hid the Prophets that Achab could not finde them out 1. Kin. 18.13 If we will creepe vnder his wings he will surely keepe vs. Verse 10. Teach me to doe thy will for thou art my God let thy good Spirit lead me into the land of righteousnesse HEre he craueth to be directed in the whole course of his life by God and therefore he prayeth that God would teach him to do his blessed will and to direct him by his holy Spirit towards heauen The same he craueth in another Psalme Guide me O Lord by thy counsell and after bring me to thy glory Teach me to doe thy will This is a necessarie lesson to be learned Doctr. It is God who must teach vs to do his will which we of ourselues would neuer doe which our nature will neuer teach vs. God he must teach vs not only to submit ourselues to his will but also doe his will and attempt no vnlawfull meanes of our deliuerie against his deliuery This is not the voice of the flesh in tribulation teach me O Lord to do thy will but I pray thee doe my will There is nothing more dificult then to learne to submit our selues to Gods will But following the example of our Sauiour in his greatest agonie let vs say Not my will be done but thine He saith not teach me to know thy will but to doe thy will Luk. 22.42 God teacheth vs three waies We must not onely be hearers but doers Luk. 12.47 God teacheth vs three waies First by his word Secondly he illumineth our minds by his Spirit Thirdly he imprinteth that in our hearts maketh vs obedient to the same for the seruant who knoweth the will of his Master and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes The hearing of Gods will reuealed in his word would be vnprofitable to vs of it selfe and be a witnesse against vs vnlesse a willing obedience of the heart followed the hearing We pray daylie that Gods will may be done not onely knowne Mat. 6.10 But while we knowe what is Gods will we are no wayes obedient thereto but doe follow our owne rebellious willes and waies For thou art my God An argument to moue God to teach him because he is his God and doth trust in none but in him As if Dauid would say thou promised est me helpe of thy free fauour helpe me then in this my danger Whereby he would teach vs two principall lessons First by this that he desireth God to teach him to do his wil Doctr. because he was his God we learne That it is not in our owne arbitriment or choise to do Gods will Is it not in mans power of himselfe to do the will of God Doctr. If God be our God let his will be ours Mal. 1.6 but his speciall grace who preuenteth vs by his fauour and becommeth our God and after frameth