grace For that which is saide by the Apostle is not to be thought light to neglect such a great salvation Heb. 2. 3. is vtterlie to refuse the Son of God in whom whosoever beleeueth not as is spoken in IOHN 3. 18. Is already condemned because he beleeveth not in the only begotten son of God Marke next 2. lesson that bold liberty which the sinner being nowe turned vnto God vseth in this confession of DAVID I will confesse my sinne vnto thee saieth DAVID And this liberty manifesteth the feeling of Gods loue toward him and the confidence of grace and of remission of sinnes in Christ For it is not possible that a sinner turne him selfe vnto GOD confesse his sin and earnestly craue for the forgiuenes of his sinne vnles there be already first after some sort some sense of grace and pardon purchased The conscience threw out a confession out of IVDAS but he durst not be so bolde as to confesse his sin before GOD neither yet to deale with God after this manner that DAVID doeth in this place I will make my sinne knowen sayeth he vnto thee But going aside turning his back as it were vnto God sayeth he I haue sinned hauing betrayed the Innocente bloud Wherefore to speake it summarly the confession of sinne before God the craving of pardon that is this libertie wherby any man dareth be bolde to appeare before him and to present himselfe before his judgement seate sufficiently doth manifest some feeling of grace and that selfe same remission of sinnes which wee seeke being purchased already in some sort For this cause shall everie one He commendeth this his experience 〈…〉 which was of Gods mercie immediatly preceeding from the own effect in every one of the faithful that were to come thereafter For this cause sayeth he That is for this experience of thy mercy toward me Shal he pray vnto thee That is he shall confesse his sinnes or he shall craue pardon He to whom thou art fauorable That is not by putting any kinde of difference but hee onely whome God loveth Of this loue and favour there must of necessity be some sense as we haue already even now spoken before any man be so bolde either to confesse his sinne to God or earnestly to craue pardon for sinne But at what time shall he whom God favoreth pray at times sayeth When it shall happen To wit In the over flowing of many waters That is in the stormes and waues of extreame vehement afflictions as before Psal 18. 17. and every where in the Psal 69. They shall not so much as touch him that is they shall not so much as touch him lightly so firme shal be the loue of God in Iesus Christ Rom. 8. ◠And if they happen to touch him they shall bee so farre away from being of abilitie to hurt the man as contrariwise they shall be for his profite Rom. 8. 〈◊〉 For all thinges worke together for the best to them that loue God Wherefore the Apostle when he felt himselfe so grounded in that loue he securely gloryed against the adversarie creatures of whatsoever sort as oppression nakednes hunger the sworde death life powers dominions And this surely hee did not indeede for that ende that hee thought that it was not possible that this life presente might be taken out of the world by those things for hee himselfe thereafter felt the contrary in experience but for this cause that he looked for certainly hoped for that other life of God ◠Lesson which should never die with this life This is not to be pretermitted that DAVID confirmeth this man that is to praye whosoever finallie he bee with a promise of that thing which he shall craue so encourageth him to pray For by this example wee learne whosoever wil pray with confidence of necessitie he must haue while he is praying continvally before his eies the promises of God in Christ yea and hee must remember of them so far as it is possible For if there be no meditation vpon the promises of GOD what confidence what zeale I praye you can there be in praying seeing that without Gods own word there cannot be faith and in vayne shall any man promise to himself any good thing or grace from GOD whereof he hath not some assurance out of Gods owne word promise Faith is by hearing Rom. 10. 〈◊〉 and hearing by the worde of God Indeed that is true that there is no man to be found which is not at some time touched with some feling of this want and so is provoked and it were no more very necessity it self compelling him to conceiue praiers But if there be no promise of God before the eyes no worde of GOD concerning that thing which they seek with what face or of what mind dare they be so bolde to come vnto God I marke this the more carefullie for that cause that all may knowe how necessary it were to search and learne out of the word of GOD himselfe and Scriptures all the promises of GOD whither they be of things temporall or of things everlasting In which verely whosoever at passing-well versed those men doe pray very well When wee speake of promises Christ is not to bee passed by in silence in whom all the promises of God are yea Amen that is they both haue their owne ground also their accomplishment without whom in vayne surely thou lookest vppon the promises either temporal or eternal Wherefore whosoever beholdeth the promises of God if hee will look vpon them with profite it is requisite that first of al he look vpon their beginning and end Iesus Christ and never suffer him to depart out of his eies Thou art a lurking place vnto me Hitherto by the waye the promise was inserted Nowe followeth the forme of prayer which that man which is beloved of GOD shal vse whosoever he bee yea and that leaning to DAVIDS example experience In this little prayer not so much at the words to be numbred as they are to bee weighed Before the promise he maketh his preface that God is his lurking place and he professeth his assurance in God alone which in deede is principally the solid ground of the petition and a vehementargumēt to purchase to himself the grace of GOD For seeing thou makest a semblance professest that thy confidence in prayer is placed not in men nor in our merites in which the Papistes trust neither yet in anie other thing but in God alone through Iesus Christ surely nowe thou bringest with thee somewhat then which no thing is more pleasant and acceptable to God Also the petition is in those words Keepe me from trouble Then nexte according to the same meaning compas me about with songs of deliverance as if he shuld say deliver me that I may haue mater to sing thy prayses Hee seeketh then a deliverance for the glorie of God wherof out of all question he
sorte of quietnesse of minde that is none other thinge but a fleshlie securitie which is a token of the suddaine destruction to come PAVLL sayeth 1. Thess 5. 3. When they shall say peace and safetie then shall come vppon them suddaine destruction as the trauel vpon a woman with childe and they shall not escape Therefore to the ende there may be a deepe sleepe and a softe wakening out of sleepe that is that there be a true securitie of minde every man must take heede that hee feele God present with him present I say when he goeth to bed when he awaketh in the night for our sleepe should bee no sooner interrupted in the night but we should haue our recourse vnto God Albeit men commonly are chiefely distracted in the night with the cares of this worlde yea with lighter and vayner tryfles More-over nothing hath more strength either to settle the minde in the night time or to call it backe againe to sleepe and to refresh the bodie with rest then that sweete meditation vpon God Finally when the time of awaking commeth in the morning everie man must take head that he finde God present with him when he goeth foorth of the house when hee commeth in againe while he eateth while he drinketh while he is doing any thing continually that presence of God is to be sought Also wee haue God present at all times if with our voyce we cry vnto Iehova as DAVID did or if also when there is not place for the voyce wee call vpon him with our hearte which thing yerely may be done without hindring the most serious businesse we haue ado to leaue also that vnspoken of that this way specially all the honest adoes of this life may be handled with a certain inutterable delight Now the grounde of this presence is Christ without whose croce and sacrifice set before our eies no entrie is patent vnto God An other effect of Gods presence I will feare none euill In this verse he enlargeth that securitie which he felt through Gods presence while hee sayeth that hee hath no cause to feare hereafter no not indeed ten thousands of his enemies The amplifying therefore is partly from the time to come partly from the multitude of the enemies As if he should say Not onely was I secure but also hereafter I will be so secure Davidâ— coÌ„fidence exhorteth vs to invincible constanciâ— that if ten thousandes of the people would pitch their tents about me notwithstanding I will not bee shaken with fear Of the which thing you learne that this is the force of the quietnesse of the minde in God that there is nothing which it is not able to over-come From thence Paule after he had numbred out many things which are contrarie to vs in this life such as were anguishes oppression and the rest finally hee subjoyned Rom. 8. 36. 37. Yea in all those things we are more then conquerours through him who hath loved vs Behold you may see the grounde of this securitie and victorie To wit the loue of God in Christ For when there is that sense of the loue of God in Christ and consequently any taist of that life to come for this last followeth alway of that former then in deede the childe of God is so caryed aboue al those thinges inferiour that from on high he despiseth and contemneth them The cause brought out of the Apostle Nowe the Apostle in the same place bringeth in the cause why we are more then conquerours through the loue of God For I am perswaded saith he that neither death nor life c. is able to separate vs from the loue of God For if those things which are reckoned out in that Chapter might separate vs from the loue of GOD then certainely wee shoulde easilie fall vnder the burden through them But seeing they are not able to bring that to passe that GOD in Christ should not loue vs and wee also feele that loue in Christe and out of that loue life surely it will never come to passe that those things fall vtterlie oppresse vs But on the other it falleth out directlie to the contrarie that wee over come them all DAVID therefore to returne to him agayne was so caryed away through the sense of Gods presence and loue in the middest of persecution that hee securelie despised all the contrarie power as one who had perswaded himselfe of that that it was not able to separate him from that loue of God in Christe the sense whereof indeede he had at that time For it is not to bee thought that this voyce of DAVID and his glorying arose chiefelie of that securitie which hee had then perhaps of the certainty of the keeping of this life presente But much more of that securitie which he had of the certainty of that life to come yea that through the feeling of the loue which is in Christ Iesus For that is the differance betuixt the godly and others which stretch not their hope farther nor this life Those are never at ease neither yet can they glorie except they be first sure of this life yea but the godly being vncertaine of this life and certaine of that that is to come through the feeling of the loue of God in Christ they are in quiet rest The difference beâ—uixt the godly and vngodly concerning this life do glorie Sadrach Mesach and Abeanego Dan. 3. 16. aunswered so to Nebuchad-netzar threatning them with all extreame torments whatsoeuer We are not carefull say they concerning this matter And thus much haue we spoken concerning the seconde parte of the Psalme The glorying and commendation of the benefites of GOD The suÌ„me of the second part whereof the first was the sense of the help of God the second of the securitie pâ—st to come proceeding froÌ„ that sense of Gods help Now followeth the third part of the Psalme 8 Aryse Iehova saue me my God who hath stricken all mine enemies vpon the cheeke bone thou hast broken the teeth of the wicked 9 Saluation it selfe is to be ascribed to Iehova let thy blessing be vppon thy people Selali ARyse Iehova The last part of the Psalme The third part of the Psalme as wee haue spoken in which DAVID turning himselfe againe vnto God First prayeth for himselfe that hee may be delivered from the present danger Then for the people Now he praieth for himselfe in these words The combat of faith Aryse saith he Iehova saue me For so long as we feel not a full deliverance we remember God so as if he were vn-mindfull of vs and did sir idle in the heauens casting away all care of his owne vpon the earth Saue me saith he my God Embracing GOD as it were in his heart he craveth that he would saue him For when hee sayeth my God he embraceth God and by faith applyeth him to himself now he doth and speaketh this through the right of the covenant in which
thing this rejoycing which wee feele through the conscience of obedience and againe that griefe which wee feele through the conscience of disobedience and rebellion Rom 7. 〈◊〉 The correction of the granting is able ynough to testifie O miserable man that I am saith PAVLE Who shall deliver mee from the bodie of this death To the holy ones The other parte of the aunswere by way of correction as if he should say albeit no good thing can come vnto me from thee Nevertheles O God preserue me with the Saints that are vpon the Earth that is in favour of the Church fighting in the worlde that I may at least be profitable vnto her Therefore albeit nothing can come vnto God by our doing well notwithstanding we must not think that our good workes are vnprofitable For a man may be profitable to a man the most contemptible may serue for some vse to any the moste honorable as in mans bodie the foot may bee profitable vnto the head More-over among men Kings may be most profitable to others of which sort DAVID was in respect they are armed by God with power and authoritie they are bound also by their office to bee profitable vnto others but especially vnto the Church of God of which thing we reade that Nebuchadneâ—zar Dan. 2. 30. otherwise an Heathen King was admonished by Daniell that christian Princes might vnderstande that this is so much the more to be required of them To the excellent Those whom he called holie ones before now he calleth excellent Consider therefore how greatly DAVID esteemed of this Church of God that is now so much lightlied and contemned not onely by the Princes but by the basest sort of men Not-with-standing the holye ones whatsoever the world think of them remayne excellent glorious Dan. 7. 〈◊〉 Daniel in the same signification calleth it the Church of the high Saincts that is of those that are Predestinate and ordained to all moste excellent high things to life everlasting In whom This is the fountaine of that good thinge whereby hee is to indue the Saints to wit the delighting in them as loue and favour For wee profite in vayne either the Church or anie member thereof except we loue 1 Cor. 〈…〉 If I shuld spend al my goodes sayâ— PAVL in feeding of the poore and had not loue I were nothing Wee may be indeede steidable vnto others but without loue we cannot bee steidable to our selues neither doe we any thing that is acceptable vnto God in respect it commeth not from a sincere sanctified heart Why the godly desire to abide in this life Moreover mark here also the cause wherefore godly men desire to abide for a while vppon this earth and verely it is the pleasure that they tak in the fellowship of the holy ones for whose cause they would liue some-what longer that they might promooue them to the knowledge of their salvation and might preserue some of them before they depart out of this worlde For they shall haue a farre more greater delight in their God in that other life It is good for me saieth Paule if I depart hence Phil. 1. 23. 〈◊〉 but it is not so for you If therefore chiefelie the loue of this world or of those things which wee see therein tyeth vs al-to-gether so much to this worlde surely we are more then miserable yea in the greatest abundance of all thinges of this world 4 They multiplie their sorrowes which giue in dowrie to ane stranger I will not offer their drinke offerings of bloud neither yet will I take vp their names in my lippes 5 Iehova is the portion of my steeding and of my propertie thou mayntaynest my lâ—tte 6 The lines are fallen out to me in pleasant places yea my possession is faire for mee The other part of the Psalme an holy glorying THey multiply their sorrows The other parte of the Psalme The glorying having received some comfort of the preceeding rejoycing For never man yet at any time came in vayne to God in Christ And having as it were compared that his happie estaite with the estaite of Idolaters hee pronounceth and exclaymeth that in respect of him they are as it were but miserable caitifes They multiplie their sorrowes sayeth hee who giue in dowrie to a stranger That is who giue in dowrie any thing to a strange God and Idole that is who joyne them selues in mariage with it having complcitlie payed a greate dowrie The fruits of idolaters For it can scarcelie bee vttered how many things Idolaters rashly lavish out vpon their Idols And what commoditie get they thereby Surely no solide and true joye such as David felt of that his mariage with the true God but sorrow onely and all kinde of miserie For superstition is ever conjoyned with a trembling of the soule For what thing is able to establish the soule of man but God onely The Papistes promise peace and securitie to others which notwithstanding they themselues enjoy it not Obserue then in this place how soone soever any man hath felt that joy which proceedeth from the true God then all those appeare miserable vnto him who having leâ—t the true God haue their refuge to idols For then he perceiveth wel ynough what the miserie of Idolaters is after that the eie is enlightned with that light which proceedeth from the face of God And surely that is hee who may onely judge aright of the misery of man The Idolaters themselues are blinde in their owne miserie There are also other men who otherwise profes God in their mouth neverthelesse they feele not in their heart that solide joye which proceedeth from Iesus Christ whose judgment many times concerning Idolaters is corrupted Of these I speake whom you may see everie where to admit into their companie without any kinde of difference whatsoever sort of men whether they bee true Professoures or the enemies of the Croce of Christe such as are the Papistes this day Then to speak it once in a word ther is no man a right judg of the miserie of Idolaters but hee who hath himselfe felt in times bygane that happinesse which is in the true and onely God The drink offerings of idolaters I will not offer them drinke offrings As he had before pronounced Idolaters to be miserable through the sense of that joye which he had felt of the true God so now he professeth that he will haue no societie either with the Idolaters themselues or with their Idols and he sheweth that from the heart he abhorreth that sort of false worship and religion I will not That is I will not sacrifice with them 〈…〉 after the custome of the profane Gentiles which sacrificed even with the bloud of man not only against the law of God yea but against humanity it selfe I wil not tak vp their names This is somewhat more then that which he saide even now as if he should say I will not
followeth the confirmation thereof from his owne experience Also that experience is two fold The first is of the miserie at what time to wit he held his tongue and confessed not his sinne The second is of deliverance and forgiuenes of sin that is to wit at that time when he confessed his sin Then hee sayeth first When I held my tongue my bones waxed old That is when I conteined my sinne within mee when I dissembled the same and confessed not My bones waxed olde That is mine whole bodie was consumed there was nothing so firme in me no not indeede so much as my bones which was not worne away with the hand of God Marke the Prophetes words for he speaketh not so becaus I haue sinned my bones consumed awaye But he sayeth thus When I helde my peace Or when I confessed not my sin Why the godly are afflicted of God My bones wore away Of the which we learne that the godly are not for that cause afflicted of God that they are punished because of their sinnes which are all forgiven in that alone satisfaction of Christe but to the ende they may be raysed vppe out of that sluggishnesse and extreame deadlie securitie and may be broght to repentance I obserue this because of the enemies who defende that afflictions yea even of the godlie are so manie temporall punishmentes and satisfactiones for sinne when there is but one satisfaction of Christ yea and that all sufficiente and punishmente which he suffered for all our sinnes so that whosoever would conjoyne any other satisfaction whatsoever with this satisfaction of Christ of force he must take away some thing from that most perfect satisfying Much rather therefore we must hold and learne out of this experience of DAVID that whatsoever afflictiones of the godly are not ay by reasō of their sinnes to wit that any punishment should bee taken of them albeit otherwise the originall and efficient cause of them be sinne For the wages of sinne is death the same judgmēt is to be taken of al temporal afflictiones whatsoever But GOD who out of light bringeth foorth darknesse hee so changeth these afflictiones which are of the owne nature the fruites and effectes of sinne that nowe they become certaine exercises of the godly for their weill Then as I haue said afflictions come not for sinne as the ende that it may be punished but that repentance mortification and conversion may be wrought Secondly marke in this place how deepe the deadly sopour yea of the godly is at some time that those who now and then sleep so in sinne that they cannot be wakened vnlesse it bee with most grieuous afflictiones as DAVID speaketh yea except their bones be consumed that also which is a wounderfull thinge falleth out after that they haue now oft had experience of the mercy of GOD in Christ are touched with that sense of the passing sweete loue of GOD which surely ought to haue easilie without anie trouble alured their mind vnto God For he who once hath felt how gracious the Lord is he must of necessitie continually seeke the presence of God Notwithstanding they are so obdured whiles and cast vp into a deepe sleepe that they would never turne themselues vnto God vnlesse it were they were drawen with the violence of afflictiones This security is wounderful this sleepe is marveylous which now and then even creepeth-on vpon the godly and shaketh off so from them the taist of that loue of God in Christ for a time in which otherwaies it became them to be allured continually to seeke God that except they were judged of GOD they shuld perish miserably with the rest of the world Moreover we haue here to mark out of the word Of keeping silence whereby indeede somewhat obscurely is meant some conscience of sinne and that oppressed with silence and vnrighteously with holden as the Apostle speaketh For there is no man so voyde of conscience which is not some time as it were rounded with into the eare admonished of his sinne And from thence it proceedeth that men being warned by their conscience of sinne whereof in the meane time they delight very greatly and they indevour to nourish the same in their bosome as it were they travel by all meanes to dissemble and cover their sinne so that if it were possible it should not be marked with Gods eies to that end especially that they might enjoy sin without the brode of conscience and disquietting of the minde which thing indeed they cannot attayne vnto if they knowe that their sinne is before the sight and eies of God Of which it commeth to passe that some pretend one excuse some another yea some pretending religion and externall worship for their sins But al those things are done in vayne For it is not possible that sinnes can be covered as it was said before vnlesse they be hid with the onely obedience of Christ In my roaring As if he should say I in the meane time not acknowledging my sinne was touched indeed with a present sense of my afflictions all the daye I roared like a Lyon I vttered very beastly noyses Of the which we learne yea that the very Hecte and godly at what time being delivered over into their owne hande they begunne to waxe beastlie and to sleepe in sinne while by afflictions they be awakened out of that sleep they vse to vtter voyces as of beastes rather then of men yea many times they murmure and fret against God For if you will considder common nature there is no difference betuixte the Elect and the Reprobat the godly and the vngodly Which surely if there bee any it is from God alone who only puts the difference betuixt vs who at last allureth the godly vnto himselfe by some sense of his loue yea and by his holy Spirite boweth their harts But he leaveth the vngodly for ever being left it is so far a way that they are softned by afflictions and calamities that contrariwise they are judged and become worse and worse For day and Hitherto hath the most grievous affliction bin set downe here followeth the cause thereof as if he should saye no man hath cause to woūder that my bones are worne awaye and that I in the meane time haue roared like a Lion For the hand of God day and night oppressed me Thy hand was heavy vpon me saith he day night That is continually without intermission and from thence it commeth to pas that My most excellent iuyce was turned into the sommers droughts That is that juyce whereby the body was fresh did dry-vp yea and the whole body was dryed vp became withered For it is the amplifying of so grievous an oppression from the owne effect because the hand of God oppressing him it wrong out all the sap of the bodie Marke here the principall cause of DAVIDS afflictions not onely did the afflictiones so much mooue him as God
people he giveth to them good Princes and counsellours When God would haue the Iewes to bee exercised and afflicted with the Philistims hee gaue wicked Princes to the people Saul Ioram Achaz When againe he would haue the Iewes to be in a prosperous estate and flourish hee gaue them good Princes David Ezechias Iosias The common sorte of men while they looke vpon these thinges and marke this interchaunge they impute all either to the cowardice and foolishnesse or to the courage and wisedome of the Princes themselues Or finally to Fortune chance But they cry miserably for all those things proceed from GOD by reason of the thankfulnesse or ingratitude of the people Wherefore while we see these things to be done by princes let vs lift vp our eies not so much to the Princes as to God our selues Again see David in this place wheÌ„ by his owne sinne he had hurt the whole people being touched with the conscience of the mater he earnestly prayed to god for the repairing of his skaith wherby he daÌ„nified the people of god Moreover obserue Dauid himselfe being reconciled to God presently he interceedeth for the people he who him self is first reconciled to God nowe is quiet in his owne conscience hee is bolde also to interceed for others at Gods hands But he who is not yet reconciled to God and is therefore yet guiltlie in conscience he dare not indeed be so bolde as to plead his owne cause before God How much therfore is it profitable for a people to haue sum certain good man familiar with god that hath his conscience well pacified and that by faith in Iesus Christ Surely one such like man by his prayers is able to be profitable to many others before God God grant that the Lorde may giue to everie one of vs this faith in Christ Iesus which is the ground of all these things with the which we can neither do or be bold to do any thing Last of al in the last verse he mooveth God to do well to his people from his owne thankfulnesse which hee together with the people wil be bounde to performe to God to wit in offring the lawfull sacrifices acceptable to God according as it was the custome of those times when men were vnder the rudiments of the worlde discipline of the Law The words are Then shalt thou take pleasure in the sacrifices of righteousnesse That is lawfull sacrifices shal be offered vnto thee according to the prescript of thy law therefore they shal be sacrifices of righteousnesse For it is not permitted vnto vs to worship God according to our pleasure but it is necessary that wee serue him according to his own ordinance The meaning therefore is as if he should saye The sacrifices appoynted by thy selfe shal be offred vnto thee and thou shalt take pleasure in them Thou shalt also delight in burnte offerings yea which shal be altogether consumed to ashes They shall also offer according to the custome Bullockes vppon thine altar God seeketh his owne glorie yea and David also acknowledgeth the same in deed neverthelesse except he himself furnish matter to his glory that is vnlesse hee provoke men to glorifie himslfe by his benefites they will not glorifie him For none there is in hell that can worship God Againe al men indeed are not thankfull to the Lorde for the benefites bestowed vpon theÌ„ but these onely who haue tasted howe gracious the Lord is that is who haue some feeling of his favour in Christ Iesus Of the mercy of God there are many evidents indeed for looke how many his benefites are so many documents are there But sundry of them are of a common and vulgare mercie only such as is to wit of the Creator toward his creature But Christ alone is a sure evident to vs of singular mercy and loue such as is the favour of the father towarde the Son For God will not haue that mercy and that loue of his whereby hee hath loved the VVorlde to bee made manifest by any other thing then by his Sonne given for the world VVherefore only those who are in Christ and embrace him by faith those alone I saye feele how sweete the Lorde is because into their hearts onely that loue of God is powred out Wherefore also they alone are these who can be thankful vnto God for his benefites received We conclude therefore that which hath now oft bene beaten in our eares that we must chiefely endevour to beleeue in Iesus Christ without whome no good thing can we get without whoÌ„ we doe no parte of our duety either to God or men without whom finally there is no salvation Therefore God is to be prayed vnto continually that as of his infinite mercy he hath given vnto vs his only begotten sonne so he would open the eies of our minde to the end that we might see himself Also that he would open our hearts that we might entirely feele him without whom there is no feeling of gladnes in the hearts of sinners And this is to be prayed for by vs for and by the same Iesus Christ the sonne of God our Lord To whom with the father and the holy Spirite be al honour and glory for ever and ever Amen The Argument of the LXII Psalme The author of this Psalme is Dauid And it was written at that time in which Saul persecuted Dauid by his spies â—ent out The whole Psalmeâ— concerning his confidence in God For partly he shewed his confidence vnto the 9. verse partly hee recommendeth to all the godly this confidence from thence vnto the end of the Psalme The LXII Psalme 1 A Psalme of DAVID committed to be sung to the maister of Musick in Ieduthun 2 My soule onely is at rest in God from him is my saluation 3 He is only my rock and my saluation my strong hold I shall not be mooved out of my place with a great motion 4 How long will ye be devising troubles against a man ye shall bee all slayne howe long will ye be like a bulgeing wall a wall of drye stones thrust downe 5 They onely devise counselles to thruste him downe from his dignity they take pleasure in a lye they blesse with their mouth but within themselues they curse Selah 6 O my soule be at rest in God onely for of him is mine expectation 7 He is only my rock and my salvation my strong hold I shall not be mooved out of my place 8 In God is my salvation and my glorie my strong rock my refuge is in God The first part of the psalm MY soule onely As concerning his confidence first he gloryeth of his assurance in God Then he gloryeth against his enemies Thirdly hee returneth to that former glorying As concerning the glorying in his assurance David after hee had bene afflicted and troubled in minde at length he quieteth himselfe in God Having then felt so great a joy of that rest hee gloryeth thereof
without a most weighty cause Thirdly that the very death of the godly it selfe howsoever it seeme vile in the sight of the world notwithstanding in Gods sight it is precious Fourthly that continually the memory of the death of the godly is alwaies fresh recent Of these foure manners that first is chiefly to be vnderstood in this place To wit that for this cause the death of Gods owne is precious in the eies of God he suffereth in respect them not many times to die but delivereth theÌ„ out of extreame great daungers But whose death is precious in the eies of Iehova Even the death of those saith he whoÌ„ he beareth at good wil. Therefore the loue and favour of God is the cause wherefore the death of his own is precious those whom he loveth he keepeth them aliue neither doth he at any time suffer them to die rashlie Any would suddenly wounder at the first shew why God hath not only permitted but also hath commanded oft that so many Nations should bee destroyed no choise being had of men wemen and infants which thing wee reade in the booke of Ioshua come to passe vpon the people which were in the Land of Canaan When I was occupied in seeking out somewhat more profoundly the cause of this so greate a severitie this first came in my minde because God favored not those Nations but contrariwise hee hated them whereby it came to passe that their death was not precious in the eies of God If their precious death or not precious death dependeth vppon the loue or hatred of God how blessed are those whome the Lord loveth aswell in life as in death I beseech thee Iehoua Hee confirmeth Gods providence toward his own by his own experience as if he should saye hast thou not I beseech thee ô Iehova lowsed my bondes For he speaketh of himselfe as if hee were drawen bound hand and foote to execution For he meaneth that hee was brought to an extreame daunger of losing his life when by Iehova he was delivered He subjoyneth the cause of his deliverance to wit that he was the servant of Iehova for this cause a servant because he was the son of a hand maid for the sonnes of the handmaid are therewithall according to the law servants When he sayeth that he is the sonne of an hand maid hee signifieth that he is not a stranger a servant coÌ„ming from far but a houshold servant among the rest of Gods domestickes Hee meaneth then that he is not a man that is a stranger a sojorning servant in the house of god but that he himself hath some right title in the house of god either froÌ„ his parents which befor him wer coÌ„prised within the covenant of God for that is no coÌ„mon benefit of that we are borne as it were of the domesticques and confederates of God And surely the affection of Davids mind vttereth the selfe clearely in this gradation of words as it were For the wordes shew that the affection of the minde approched vnto God more more For first he sayeth I am thy servant This is the first degree or steppe of the words and the first approching of the soule vnto God Then he repeapeth the felfe same thing and he saith I am thy servant This is the seconde step of the wordes and the second approching of his soule vnto God Then he sayeth in the third place I am the sonne of thine hand-maid This is the third step of the words and chief signe of his exceeding great and third drawing neere vnto God For while he speaketh this last hee coupleth himselfe altogether with GOD and he cleaveth straitly vnto him and so for this cause he becommeth blessed For our happinesse consisteth in that communion and fellowship with God Thou feest therefore that thing in this place first from whence it proceedeth that hee publickly recoÌ„mendeth with so great a confidence of mind that providence of God toward his owne Surely it commeth from that his owne experience and of the particular providence of God toward him selfe For no man can prayse generally the providence and mercy of God toward his owne Church except he hath in particular felt the same in experience himselfe Certainly that saying would haue bin but coldly spoken by Paule To witte that Christ came into the World to saue sinners vnlesse that he himselfe had firste felt in experience both the miserie of sinne and the mercy of God and for this cause he subjoyneth these words Of whom to witte of sinners I am the chiefest to the end he might conclude in his own conscience that he himself was saved by Christ Therefore that generall faith of the Papists is vnmeet to recommend the providence grace of God toward his owne Church For never did I ever yet esteeme at anie time any Papist to be a meet Preacher or publisher of the benefits of God towarde his Church who is not able to bring out any thing from his own feeling or experience who is not able to say that of the which before we haue spoken in this Psalme I beleeued and therefore did I speake Marke secondly There ar men whom this or that kinde of death doth greatly vexe and torment as violent death as filthie suddaine exquisite and cruell deathes concerning which sortes of death indeede they do no sooner meditate vpon but presently they are striken with a horrible fear but this care thought which is coÌ„cerning the maner of death is preposterous Why should not that much rather be takeÌ„ thought of by vs that we may feel our selues beloved of God for if we be grounded rooted in that loue of God our death of whatsoever sort it be shal be precious in the eies of God we shal be more then conquerors in very death it self obserue thirdly Dauid out of all question Rom. 8. â—7 attayned to that hid loue of God which was in the hart of God he obtained some sense from the effect of some special notable deliverance he learned also that he was beloved of Iehova froÌ„ that becaus his death was precious in the eies of Iehova This is that our onely comforte in life and death that wee are not our own but our most faithfull Lordes Iesus Christs and that we are the Lords and that hee taketh a care of vs From thence also those godlie auncient men chiefly learned the same thing because they felt God present with them in very deede in whatsoever perrilles Amongst the rest David is to be nuÌ„bred who as he was laid open to many dangers so he felt exceeding many deliveraÌ„ces he perswaded himself that god had a speciall care of him in the selfe same place in which hee saide that the death intended against the godly was Precious in the eies of Iehova he without all doubt meaneth that this was a document of the favour care of God toward vs in respect that our death is precious in his
sight Last marke At what time doth David finally glory in that that he is the sonne of the handemaid of GOD that is borne of that mother which was in the covenante with GOD surely even then when therewith he acknowledgeth that hee is the servant of God It is profitable in deede to be borne of the Saints and of those Parents who are in Gods covenant so long as thou coÌ„tinuest in that covenant with God and art Gods servant for so that promise of GOD of long durable mercy which is made in the seconde command belongeth vnto thee I will haue mercy sayeth hee vpon the thousand generation of those that loue me and keepe my commandements But if thou make thy selfe vnworthie both of thy parents likewise of that covenant of God that shall nothing profite thee that thou art borne of the Saintes of parents that are confederat with God It profiteth thee nothing that thou art able to set downe thy pedigree in a certaine continuall race even vnto Abraham himself with whom the first covenante of God was made I will sacrifice to thee He repeateth that promise of thanksgiving which was set down before in the 13. verse Of the which because we haue spoken sufficiently ynough there we shall be the shorter therefore in opening of the same Only we shall adde this much to the things that wee haue spoken that fra once that stupiditie of our mind is shaken off and fra once we beginne to prayse God and to giue him thankes we are so carryed away by that Spirit of GOD that wee can scarce make an end of the praysing of God We are in deede but very slowlie stirred vppe to prayse God but being once stirred vp wee take such delight in prayer for a time and through that joye our heart doth boyle so that in a manner it is altogether powred out into the prayses of our God Wherfore to the end that we may praise God this deadly sopour of our mind is perpetually to be shakeÌ„ off and wee must endeavour that at no time so far as it is possible this our hart be altogether voyde of feeling either of our misery or of the mercy of God in Iesus Christ for of this two-folde feeling there aryseth a two-fold affection of the hart that is both of sorrow and of joye From sorrow speciallie arise petitions from joy arise giving of thanks which ar done in Christ Iesus To whom with the Father holy Spirite be all glory Amen The Argument of the CXXX Psalme It is a song of Doctrine written by some one of the Prophets It is composed of three partes First there is set downe a memoriall of prayers which hee had at sometime conceiued when he vvas in an extreame great danger vnto the 5. verse Then making a tranâ—ision he professeth that he hath yet his hope in the word of Iehova and that he dependeth vpon him vnto the 7. vers Thirdly hee recommendeth the same hope to Israell that is to the whole Church vnto the ende of the Psalme The CXXX Psalme 1 A most excellent song Out of the deapthes I cryed vnto thee ô Iehova saying 2 O lord harken to my voyce let thine eares be attent to the voice of my deprecations 3 If then shalt straightly marke iniquities ô Iah Lord Who could be able to stand 4 But with thee is forgiuenes that thou maist be reverently worshipped OVt of the deapthes The first parte of the Psalme The depths in this place are most deepe and terrible dangers for so are they called The metaphore or borrowed speech is taken from waters in which men are almost drowned Looke the Psal 69. 2. 3. c. This is out of all doubt that while any man sticketh in most deepe perrilles then hee powreth out from a moste hollowe and deepe hearte fervente prayers yea hee cryeth vppon the Lorde mightelie For so the Prophet speaketh of himselfe here Out of the deapthes I cryed vnto thee ô Iehova Thou seest then at what time the godly are exceeding grievouslie afflicted oppressed with the hande of God at that same time they vse earnestly to deale with their God and to haue their refuge chiefely vnto him with prayers and supplications For that the trueth of this proposition may be manifeste afflictiones worke in our hearts firste some feeling of our sinne and misery For vnlesse God exercised his owne after such waies as he knoweth moste meete surely they would never come to a sense of this common miserie of their nature then next when once the heart is prepared with some feeling of the owne misery Then the spirite of God which they call the Spirite of adoption toucheth the same with some sense of the mercy of God And to speake with the Apostle Rom 5 The loue of God is powred out into our hearts by the holy Spirite which is given vnto vs yea and that by Iesus Christ and by his death For surely the holy Spirite toucheth not our hart with any sense of the mercy of God in Christ Iesus vnlesse first they be prepared with some feeling of misery And then after that the holy Spirite hath powred out that loue of God into our hearts then wee conceiue in our minds that coÌ„fidence whereby wee draw neere and incalles vpon him For this is the Spirit which the Apostle calleth The Spirite of adoption by whom we cry Abba Father We crye sayeth hee because the Spirite of adoption through the feeling of the loue worketh that confidence in the heart that the heart being first enlarged then nexte the mouth wee may call God Father with a free and shrill voyce Therefore fra once the Spirite hath indewed our soules with a feiling of the loue of God we goe freely vnto God and praye vnto him For except there bee first some feeling of the loue of God certainely there can be no calling vppon his name Then thou seest that that is true which we spake at the beginning to wit the more grievouslie the godly ar afflicted in that respect the more fervent are their prayers We becaus we ar not drowned yet in those deapths therfore are not much touched with that sense with which wee ought long ago to haue bene touched either of our misery or of the mercy of God praye not so earnestly as it becommeth vs It were much better indeed to be afflicted with praiers theÌ„ to be in prosperity without praiers Saying ô Lord Hitherto he hath declared that in daunger hee calleth vppon GOD now hee setteth downe that forme of prayer which hee then vsed in calling vpon God Heare sayeth hee O Lorde my voyce Then hee doubleth the same petition Let thine eares bee attent to the c. This doubling and iterating of the same petition proceedeth from a vehement and two-folde affection as it were of the minde and grace of the holye Spirite For excepte by the grace of the Spirite the affection bee inlarged surely the mouth cannot bee inlarged