Lord I haue trusted in thy saluation and haue done thy commandements WHat in the former Verse Dauid hath spoken in generall of the happie estate of Gods children hee now applyes to himselfe making heere the assumption of that proposition But so it is Lord I loue thy law which in this Verse and the Verse following he amplifies whereupon the conclusion followes Therefore let me haue none hurt but great prosperitie Of this we learne that without application we can reape no comfort of the promises of Gods word for suppose they were neuer so sweete vnlesse they belong vnto vs what comfort can we get by them yea certaine it is that vnto an euill conscience which dare not make the application of them to it selfe the most comfortable promises are most terrible Let vs so liue that they may be ours let vs so heare them or reade them that we may apply them to our selues and then shall we finde comfort in them Into thy saluation Such is the nature of faith that it carries vs out of our selues in vnto the Lorde and makes vs to leane vpon him rest in him and liue in him and to him and so this phrase imports They who abide in themselues resting in any thing that is in them eyther wisedome strength or merit shall bee found to haue built their house on the Sand which will not continue Periculosa habitatio eorum qui habitant in meritis But such as goe out of themselues and trust in the Lorde haue built their house on the Rocke that shall neuer faile them VER 167. My soule hath kept thy testimonies for I loue them exceedingly HEe insists still in the assumption prouing his loue to God by his obedience and commending his obedience from this That it flowed from loue otherwise though a man should giue all that hee hath to the poore though hee should subdue his bodie in most seuere manner yea though he gaue his bodie to be burnt in the fire if these actions flowe not from such a loue as is the daughter of faith they are not acceptable vnto God And the manner of Dauids speech being more narrowly considered will let vs see that his reioycing was rather in the sincerity of his affections then in the perfection of his actions The Apostle saith that faith workes by loue What it workes our Sauiour tels vs He that loueth me keepeth my commaundements and Dauid againe shewes here how loue flowing from such faith is the mother of all dutifull obedience If we sinne against God it is for want of loue toward him and sith his lawe craues nothing but loue and we are bound by so many obligations to loue him wee are made most inexcusable if wee loue him not Oh that we could consider this we would account our sinne more weightie then it is Why sinne we Because we want the loue of God And why loue we him not haue wee any excuse for this Let vs yet stirre vp our hearts and endeuour to cherish this little sparkle of Gods loue that is in vs let vs increase it to a great flame till it kindle all the powers of our soule vpward toward our God Oh that it were so VER 168. I haue kept thy testimonies and thy precepts for all my waies are before thee HIs former purpose is yet further amplified that he dealt not with God as a dissembler or an hypocrite but truely and sincerely he laide open his heart to God and made his wayes manifest vnto him as hee protests elsewhere That he had not at any time spoken to God with his tongue that which was not in his heart there was not in him discolor mentis intentio materialibus negotijs occupatu quae à propositi spiritu alis executione deflectat when he spake vnto God a diuided minde busied with worldly matters that might stay his spirituall intention or turne it another way Beatus qui dicere possit Omnes viae meae ante te Blessed is he that may so say in sincerity All my wayes are before thee that will not suppose that he might hide his cogitations nor affections from the Lord. Adam hid his way from God he concealed the iniquity of his bosome Caine in like manner couered the slaughter of his brother and dissembled it this they did in affectu non in effectu in their affection not in effect for what can be hid from the Lords all-seeing eye Plena abscondent is perfidia et si apud deum nulla sit latebra their perfidie and falshood in seeking to hide from God is not the lesse that they are not able to hide it Et si Deus omnia videt cordis occulta bonum tamen est vt vnusquisque animam suam ei aperiat expandat tanquam lumini vel calori eius occurrat Albeit the Lord see the secrets of our hearts and nothing can be concealed from him yet it were good for vs that we should offer them willingly to be seene that we lay open our soules vnto him occurring to his light and heate not flying from him that where we are good he may confirme vs where wee are faulty hee may amend vs. The Lord worke it in vs. TAV VER 169. Let my complaint come before thee and giue mee vnderstanding according to thy Worde WEe are now come to the last Section of this Psalme wherein we see Dauid more seruent in prayer then he was in the first as ye shall easily obserue by comparing them both together The godly the longer they speake to God are the more seruent and earnest to speake to him so that vnlesse necessity compell them they desire neuer to intermit conference with him Many prayers hath hee made to God in this Psalme now in the end he prayes for his prayers that the Lord would let them come before him Some men send out praiers but God turns them into sinne and puts them away backe from him therefore Dauid seeks fauour to his prayers Let vs take heed vnto this sith we liue onely by Gods liberality and haue not till he giue and he cannot giue till wee seeke in what a miserable case are we if our prayers whereby wee seeke from him be not receiued of him Let vs abhorre euery thing that may procure this Peccato grauescit oratio longè fit à Deo by sinne prayer is made heauie that it cannot ascend vnto God Volare facit orationem bonae vita dat alas precibus but a good life giues winges vnto prayer and makes it flie vpward toward God Three sortes of complaints are made by the godly vnto the Lorde sometime they complaine vpon their inuisible enemies Satan with his Principalities Powers and spirituall wickednesse These most properly are tearmed Soules oppressors Sometime vpon their visible enemies wicked men of whom eyther they suffer great wrongs and iniuries or then they cannot get
most described by loue for two causes 1 Loue in vs â—…des vs to a 〈◊〉 knowâ—…dge of Gods â—…ue to vs. 1. Ioh. 4. ☜ A great comfort to know that God is well minded toward vs. 2. By loue in vs we know we are in the state of grace Two things to trie if we haue loue or not 1. He that loues God cannot but loue his law fith it is a pourtrait of his image 2. He that loues God cannot but loue his Saints Ioh. 13. 1. Ioh. 4. And now our affection toward himselfe â—…s to be declared in our affection to his Saints As Dauid intreated weake Mephiboseth for Ionathans sake So should we poore weake Christians for Christs sake ☞ The great recompence of godlinesse Our greatest comfort is proâ—…ised now but not exhibited now Amb. The priuiledge of godly men No trouble can hurt them To the wicked prosperity is pernitious Their peace ends in perturbation ☞ The miserable estate of wicked men when comforts externall faile theÌ„ Esa. 28. Example hereof in Nero. Without application we can reape no comfort of Gods promiâ—…es Yea most comfortable promises are most terrible to such as 〈◊〉 not apply them Faith carries vs out of our selues to leane on the Lord. Matth. 7. Bern. Loue proued by obedience and obedience tryed by loue We sinne against God because we loue him not as we should if we loue him not we are inexcusable ☜ Hypocrisie and dissimulation farre from men who are truely godly Ambrose They lay open their cogitations and affections to God The wicked cannot hide from God yet will â—… be laid to their charge ☞ Godly men interrupt their prayers against their will We should pray for our praiers Basil. Prayer reiected a sore plaguâ—… Ambrose Three sorts of complaint made by the godly 1. Against inuisible enemies 2. Against visible 3. Against themselues Rom. 7. No wisedome in man without the word Ierem. Gifts of nature grace wherein different Praier should be seasoned with faith Iames 1 Feruencie Iames 5 Humility Prayer makes man on earth a great Courtier with God in heauen To pray and not preuaile is Moabs curse Praiers should bee seconded with promises and promises with performances They who goe before the pâ—…oin honour should goe before them also in good example Both soule and body and all that we haue receiued from God should be returned to him ☞ Christians are Prophets and should edifie one another The word of God keeps religion and order among men No successe in temporall things without Gods helping hand In spirituall exercises much more labour is lost if the grace of God help not Ier. 8. 22 ☞ The beginning of saluation we haue now the perfection we looke for 1. Peter 1 We haue comfort by the beginnings but no contentmeÌ„t Worldlings cold professors reproued who long not for better then they haue Luke 6 The word to vs in our pilgrimage is like Manna to Israell in the wildernes They who dispise the word need not look for saluation If naturall life may be loued How much more should eternall life be loued But many liue by the one who are dead as concerning the other Fruit of all Gods benefits is profit to vs praise to himselfe Dauid persecuted with banishment It is common to all men to wander from God Basil in Psal. 119. Ambrose Psal. 119. ☜ Such as thinke themselues without sin are but blinde Esay 6 An answere to presumptuous Papists boasting of perfection Bern. ☞ Confession of sin profitable Amb. de pâ—…nit lib. 2. c. 6 Gregor moral 22 God the great shepheard of his people Ambros. His 〈◊〉 toward his wandring sheepe The praise of the beginning progresse and perfection of our saluation is dew to God onely The godly neuer so fall that they lose all grace Ambr. The manifolde vses of Gods word to the godly What comfort we should finde in it if our affection toward it were like Dauids August ☜
ouercome with a small tentation so presumption and want of feare in vs will not faile to procure our fall Of the promise following see ver 16. 35. 47. 70. VER 118. Thou hast trod downe all them that depart from thy statutes for their deceit is vaine DAuid heere by a new meditation confirmes himselfe in the course of godlinesse for considering the iudgements of God executed according to his word in all ages vpon the wicked he resolues so much the more to feare God and keepe his testimonies Thus the iudgements of GOD executed on others should be awe-bands to keepe vs from sinning after their similitude But few are like Dauid who trembled when hee saw Vzzah striken and many like Lamâ—…h who because hee saw Cain the murtherer spared confirmed himselfe to commit murther also Because iudgement is not speedilie executed on the wicked therefore the hart of the children of men is set in them to doe euil IudgemeÌ„t in this life is not executed on all the wicked because this is the time of his patience the day of his iudgement is not yet come but by the plagues executed vpon some of the wicked all the rest may learne to feare For God is no accepter of persons what he punisheth in one hee will punish in all if repentance preuent not Trode downe The Lord in chastising his owne children takes them in his hand like a father to correct them but when his wrath is kindled against the wicked he tramples them vnder his feete as vile creatures which are in no account with him That depart When the wicked are said to depart from God it expresseth very properly both the nature of their sinne and fearefull punishment thereof Sin is a departing of man from God his statutes Non interuallo locoruÌ„ Deus relinquitur sed prauitate moruÌ„ it is not by distance of place but by peruerse manners that men depart from God and in so dooing their own deede become a punishment to themselues For all that goe a whoring from him shall perish For hee that runs from light where can he goe but to darknes and he that departs from the God of life what is hee but posting to eternall death For their deceit is vaine Mendacium hîc non refertur ad alios hee meanes not heere of that deceit whereby the wicked deceiue others but that whereby they deceiue themselues And this is two-fold first in that they looke for a good in sin which sinne deceitfully promiseth but they shal neuer find Next that they flatter themselues with a vaine coÌ„ceit to eschew iudgement which shall assuredly ouer-take them VER 119. Thou hast taken away all the wicked of the earth like drosse therefore I loue thy testimonies HE insists still in his former purpose shewing how Gods hand punishing the wicked made him more godlie Many waies are wicked men taken away sometime by the hand of other men sometime by their owne hand The Philistims slew not Saul but forced him to sley himselfe yet the eye of faith euer lookes to the finger of God and sees that the fall of the wicked is the work of God The word which he vseth imports Thou hast made them to ceasse The wicked stir their time and are restlesse they compasse sea land they cannot sleepe except they haue done wickedlie for they are inspired of that Dragon and roaring Lyon that Compasser that goeth about continually seeking all occasions to doe euill The facultie of mouing breathing which God hath lent them they vse against himselfe but let them remember he will shortly take his breath out of their nosethrills and then shall they cease and the fruit of their temporall sinnes shall be eternal paines for their worme dies not and the smoake of their torment shall ascend for euer The wicked of the earth It is customable to the Spirit of God to describe the wicked by calling them Men of the earth for their original is earth themselues are earthly minded and they end in earth They haue sometime in their pride high imaginations as if with the builders of Babel they would mount vp into heauen but the higher they mount the lower they fall they end in dust then their thoughts perish By his birth he comes into vanitie saith Salomon and by his death he goeth into darknes Like drosse The men of this world esteeme Gods children as the off-scourings of the earth so Paul a chosen vessell of God was disesteemed of men buâ—… yee see heere what the wicked are in Gods account but drosse indeede which is the refuse of gold or siluer Let this confirme the godly against the contempt of men Onlie the Lord hath in his owne hand the balance which weigheth men according as they are Thy testimonies So very frequently hee calleth Gods word wherein there are both commaunds and promises the commandements of God appertaine to all his testimonies belong to his children onely whereby more strictlie I vnderstand his promises contayning speciall declarations of his loue and fauour toward his own in Christ Iesus VER 120. My flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am afraide of thy iudgements HOw Dauid by consideration of Gods iudgements on others profited in the loue of GOD hee shewed in the last verse now hee declareth how he also profited in the feare of GOD by looking to the iudgements of God which he had executed vpon others It is a grace of the godly that when they looke to many things without them they are alwaies drawne home to edifie themselues by that which they see in others whether it be good or euill Electorum corda semper ad se sollicitè redeunt Other men so looke vnto other things that they forget themselues onely feeding their senses there-with contracting guiltinesse which for the present they knowe not Happy is hee who of all that he sees learnes to be more wise and godly himselfe But how doe these two consist together Hee said before he loued the testimonies of God and now he saith hee feared the iudgements of God It is answered they agree very well in the godly militant in this body If our loue were perfect as theirs is who are glorified it would cast out all feare as saith the Apostle but in this bodie of sinne we cannot so loue him for his mercies but by reason of the great corruption of our nature we must also feare him for his iudgements Yea which is more the loue of God cannot be kept in our harts but by the feare of God and if the feare of God conserue vs not our harts should easily be caried away to the loue of other things not worthy to bee loued and no place for the loue of God should be left in our harts Confige ergo clauis spiritualibus destrue fomenta peccati affige carnes patibulo crucis dominicâ—… vt libertatem vagandi cupiditas
it that they haue done it For as the godly shall haue imputed to theÌ„ that good which faine they would haue done albeit they did not performe it so shall the wicked be charged as verely with that euill which they would haue done albeit they neuer did it O what a heape of finnes shall be gathered against them wheÌ„ with the sinnes of their actions and words the sinnes of their affections shall be conioyned also And here we see how-euer God for a time tolerate them yet he hath his owne appointed time to punish them and will not passe it Omnia in statera gubernat Deus God ruleth all things in a balance Diu quidem fert 〈◊〉 peccata vbi verò patientiae eius intuitâ—… aâ—…geri malitiam videt tum pâ—…nas sumit Long doth the Lord suffer the sinnes of mortall men but when they abuse his patience to increase their wickednes then hee doth punish them he doth nothing out of time Totum oportunum est quod fecerit but whatsoeuer hee doth hee doth it most seasonably and therefore whether it bee deliuerance to vs or iudgement vpon our enemies that God delaies let vs knowe it is because his houre is not yet come VER 127. Therefore loue I thy Commandements aboue gold yea aboue most fine gold WE may see here that Dauid was not a temporizer in religion whose affection towards Gods word depends vpon the state of times and persons of men but euen when his enemies did disdaine it yea because they sought to destroy it therefore he loued it This is a tryall of true religion euen then to cleaue to the word of God and professe it constantly when honourable and great men of the world are against it This was Iosua his resolution Albeit all the world should for sake God yet I and my fathers house will worship him And Peters in like manner when many of Christs disciples did forsake him and it was asked at them Will yee go also from me he answered where away shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life To professe religion when it is warranted by law when both rulers and people professe it is no great matter but when the powers of the world forsake it then to stand to it is an argument of true religion Loue I thy commandements Hee professeth not that hee fulfilled them but that hee loued them and truely it is a great progresse in godlines if we be come thus far as from our heart to loue them The natural man hates the commandements of God they are so contrary to his corruption but the regenerate man as he hates his owne corruption so he loues the word because according to it he desires to bee reformed And here is our comfort That albeit we cannot doe what is commanded yet if we loue to doe it it is an argument of grace receiued Aboue gold It is not vnlawful to loue those creatures which God hath appointed for our vse with these two conditions the one is that the first seat in our affection of loue be reserued to God and any other thing wee loue that we loue it in him and for him and giue it onely the second roome Thus Dauid being a naturall man loued his naturall foode but he protesteth hee loued the law of the Lord more then his appointed foode and here he loues the commandements of God aboue all gold VER 128. Therefore I esteeme all thy precepts most iust and I hate all false wayes IN this verse are two protestatioÌ„s In the first he declares how he esteemed of Gods word in his minde in the second how in his affection he was disposed toward it As the minde of a man esteemes of any thing so are his affections moued to flie or follow it It is shame for many professors now to say they esteeme of Gods word when they shew their affections more set vpon any thing in the world then vpon it Most iust In two respects is the word of God iust first because it commands nothing but that which is most reasonable and next because it shal not faile one iot but the euent of things shall bee according to the predictions of this word What cause haue we then to reioice That how euer our tribulations be many yet wee heare out of this most iust word It cannot bee but well with them that feare the Lord And again what cause of feare is there to the wicked when this same word saith There is no peace to the wicked saith my God And a sinner of an hundred yeeres old shall dy accursed If wee behold the wicked in their most flourishing estate and looke to them in the glasse of the word we shall see their miseraend long before it come And I hate all false wayes The best tryall of our loue to God and his word is the contrary hatred of sin and impietie Yee that loue the Lord hate that which is euill He that loues a tree hates the worme that consumes it he that loues a garment hates the moth that eates it he that loueth life abhorreth death and he that loues the Lord hates euery thing that offends him Let men take heede to this who are in loue of their sinnes how can the loue of God be in them All false wayes Religion binds vs not onely to hate one way of falsehood but all the wayes of it As there is nothing good but in some measure a godly man loues it so is there nothing euil but in som measure he hates it And this is the perfection of the children of God a perfection not of degrees for we neither loue good nor hate euill as wee should but a perfection of parts because euery good we loue and wee hate euery euill in some measure The worst man in the world loues some good and hates some euill Plerumque enim peccata huiusmodi sunt vt si alterum declines incurras alteruÌ„ ofttimes he that declines one sin fals into another It may be thou haâ—…est couetousness yet art snared with lechery there is one very temperate of his mouth but of a proud hauty heart there is another not ambitious of honour but a seruant to gluttony Diuerso vsu in eundem indeuotionis errorem vterque concurrit And this is very dangerous when as men because some good thing is in them take the greater liberty to coÌ„mit some euill for if Sathan get a gripe of thee by any one sin is it not enough to carry thee to damnation As the butcher carries the beast to the slaughter sometime bound by all the foure feete and sometime by one onely so is it with Satan Though thou be not a slaue to all sin if thou be a slaue to one the gripe he hath of thee by that one sinfull affection is sufficient to captiue thee P E. VER 129. Thy testimonies are wonderfull therfore doth my soule keepe them THE familiarity of
must be tryed by knowledge first let vs consider that to be the zeale of God which fights with the armor of God the Worde Prayer and patient Suffering That againe is a zeale but without knowledge which fights with carnall armour hatred euill speaking and bloudy persecution such a zeale breedes superstition spares not to deale cruelly with all such as are contrary minded By this rule Papists may trie of what spirit they are Because mine enemies Dauid had many enemies but none except such as had cast the Lawe of God behinde their backe It is a great comfort to the godly to see that they haue no enemies but such as are enemies to God VER 140. Thy word is proued most pure and thy seruant loueth it HEere is the third ground of comfort which sustained Dauid to wit that Gods word was tryed to be true by his constant and continuall working according to it To expresse this he compares the word of God here Psal. 12. vnto golde tryed in the fire which not onely indures but becomes fineâ—… when all réfuse or counterfeit matter faileth and vanisheth So will Dauid say when the fire of affliction was kindled I haue seene all comforts perish onely thy word proued a word of consolation for the more the flames of affliction increase the more powerfully doth the word expresse that hidden vertue of consolation which is in it And because he had so felt it so now he speakes of it Where it is to be marked for our greater comfort that albeit the time be not yet come of the full accomplishment of Gods word in the which the least iot thereof must be fulfilled yet the Lord giues vs as many present proofes of it by experience as may confirme vs in assurance of the verity thereof If we be wise to marke the working of the Lord we shall finde witnesses in euery age in euery yeare yea in euery moneth and day to confirme vs that as God hath a mouth to speake so hath he an hand by which he workes according to his word giuing ioyfull deliuerance to his own out of all their troubles and rendring iudgement to his enemies according to their pride And thy seruant loueth it Loue in God is the fountaine of all his benefits extended to vs and loue in man is the fountaine of all our seruice and obedience to our God He loued vs first to doe vs good and hereof it comes that we haue grace to loue him next anâ—…â—…e him seruice Loue is such a duetie as the want whereof cannot be excused in any for the poorest both may and should loue him yet without it all the rest thou canst doe in his seruice is nothing nay not if thou shouldst giue al thy goods to the poore and offer thy bodie to be burned Small sacrifices flowing from faith and loue are welcome to him where greater without these are but abomination vnto him Proofes of both we haue in the Widowes myte and Caines rich oblation wherof the one was reiected the other receiued Happy are we though we cannot say We haue don as God commands yet if out of a good hart we can say We loue to do what he commands VER 141. I am small and despised yet doe I not forget thy precepts HEe renues againe the protestation of his vnfained affection toward Gods word with an amplification therof that albeit his estate was meane and himselfe despised and contemned also of his enemies yet he did not forget the word of God There are many who can professe Religion as long as they see peace and honour following it who rather then they would indure trouble and contempt will vtterly forsake it The Samaritans could very wel reioyce in their new Temple built on Mount Garizin boasting that they were the posterity of Ephraim companions to the Iews no lesse worshippers of God then they were hauing also a Temple of their owne but when they saw that Antioehus Epiphanes King of Syria did cruelly persecute the Iewes for the worshipping of God then did they alter their profession they called themselues not Israelites but Sidonians and that their Temple was dedicate not to Iehoua but to Iupiter Cretensis and so eschued they the fury of the persecutor Many such Samaritan professors are in this age who to eschue the present wrath of men spare not to renounce Religion and so cast themselues in danger of the fearefull wrath of God whom they will finde a consuming fire From such temporizing and counterfeit dissembling the Lord preserue vs and blesse vs with this grace of a constant affection toward Gods word in euery state of life Againe it is no new thing to see them small and despised in mens estimation who with the Lord are highly esteemed being men as here Dauid was according to Gods owne heart Honourable in the eyes of the world was that rich glutton clothed in purple despised was Lazarus but ye see the one was an heire of glory the other but an inheritor of hell A godly man is an excellent treasure in an earthen vessell compared by Macarius to a precious pearle in a contemptible purse despised by many because they know not the jewell that is within it The worla knowes them not because it knowes not the Lord whose sonnes they are neyther doth it yet appeare what they shall be Nazianzen for this compares men in this world to those who in a Stage-play represent another thing then they are there the beggar is busked like a King and by the contrary But when the Play is done and their garments layed by then shall euery one of them appeare such as they are For this Saint Iames giues vs a profitable instruction That wee should not haue the faith of Christ in respect of persons to honour a man onely for his riches or despise an other for his pouertie but where wee see the grace of Christ be they rich or poore we ought for Christs sake to haue them in honourable estimation Yet doe I not forget thy precepts We see by experience that our affection leaues any thing from the time it goes out of our remembrance but earnest loue euer renues remembrance of that which is beloued The first step of defection is to forget what God hath commanded what we are obliged in duety to doe to him for vpon this easily followes the offending of God by our transgression Such beasts as did not chew their cudde vnder the lawe were accounted vncleane and not meet to be sacrificed to God that was but a figure signifying vnto vs That a man who hath receiued good things from God and doth not think vpon them cannot feel the sweetnesse of them so cannot be thankfull to God VER 142. Thy righteousnesse is an euerlasting righteousnesse and thy Lawe is truth DAuid considers here two things in the worde of God first the equity of it next
with our affection Of this it commeth to passe as wee see in daily experience that where men once fall away from their first loue and becom luke warme professing a truth but not louing it zealously misliking vntruth but not abhorring it they easily degenerate into Apostates And therefore our affections would euer bee kept in a right temperature by continuall exercises of the word and prayer In the law God commanded his people to hate all vncleannesse euen in their bodies hee that touched a dead body or any vncleane thing was vncleane himselfe This had in it not only a truth for honestie and comelines become the saints of God but a signification also Immunditia iustis iniquitas est To holy men all iniquity is vncleannesse Quid autem immundius quam mentem qua nihil homini datum est pretiosius turpibus commaculare criminibus And what greater vncleannesse then to defile the mind the most pretious thing which God hath giuen man with filthy sinnes These are not onely polluted in themselues but defile others that come neere them Fuge ergo iniustitiam quae viuentes adhuc mortuos facit Flie therefore with Dauid all vnrighteousnes which makes liuing men to bee dead and to become more hurtfull and horrible to others by their life then they can be by their death But thy law No man can serue two masters of contrary wils and dispositions if he loue the one he must hate the other Ye that loue the Lord hate that which is euill Men now boast much of their loue to God but the best rule to try it is the contrarie hatred of all euill See verse 113. 128. VER 164. Seuen times a day doe I praise thee because of thy righteous iudgements AFfections of the soule cannot long bee kept secret if they bee strong they will breake forth in actions The loue of God is like a fire in the heart of man which breakes forth and manifests it selfe in the obedience of his commandements and praising him for his benefits and this is it which Dauid now protests that the loue of God was not idle in his heart but made him feruent and earnest in praising God so that seauen times a day he did praise God Numero studium sanctae deuotionis exprimitur For by this number the carefulnes of holy deuotion is expressed and the feruency of his loue that in praysing God he could not be satisfied sayth Basil. Concerning this duety of the praysing of God and time which is the greatest worldly benefit God giues man see ver 62. Onely let Dauids example prouoke vs to the imitation of the like deuotion and pietie and let vs be ashamed of our negligence in this duetie who scarse can doe that on the Sabboth day which Dauid did euery day Vnder the Lawe the Lord commaunded that the daily sacrifice which euery day morning and euening was offered should be doubled on the Sabboth But alas the prophanenesse of this age is such that not onely now is the daily sacrifice neglected but the Sabboth contemned of many who neyther prayse him for his workes of creation remembring they are his creatures nor yet for the workes of redemption as if they were no Christians redeemed by Christs bloud and so least praise giue they to the Lorde vpon that day wherein they are bound to giue him most A fearfull in gratitude God grant Dauids example may learne vs in this point to be more dutifull VER 165. They that loue thy lawe shall haue great prosperity and they shall haue no hurt HItherto Dauid hath declared his great affection toward the Word of God and that vnspeakable comfort he found in it And now lest it might bee thought that this was by any speciall priuiledge or dispensation of God toward him from which others are excluded he now declares that all who loue the law of God may looke for the like comfort in it which he had found And this he sets downe in this proposition speaking now not in his owne person as before but in the person of others Wherein we haue first to consider a description of Gods children and next the priuiledge or benefites belonging to them The description of the godly is heere They that loue thy lawe Many manner of wayes are the children of God described in holy Scripture as from their faith in God from their loue from their feare from their obedience from their patience to declare it is not one but manifolde graces of the spirit which concurre to make vp a Christian and how they all goe together like the linkes of a chaine that one drawes on all the rest His faith is not without loue his loue is not without obedience his obedience is not without feare his feare is not without hope his hope is not without patience his patience is not without prayer which keepes and conserues all the rest And hereof it comes that the godly in holy Scripture are so many waies described But among all the graces of the Spirit the godly are most frequently described from their loue and therefore of all other we should most take heed that the grace of loue be in vs for two causes first because it leades vs to the surest knowledge of Gods affection toward our selues and next it giues vs the surest notice of that estate and disposition wherein wee stand our selues As to the first the grace of feruent and vnâ—…eyned loue iâ—… it be in vs makes vs certainly to know that we are beloued of God So saith the Apostle Herein is loue not that wee loued God first but that he loued vs. If we know him it is because we haue beene knowne of him If a man vtter not his voyce the Eccho makes him no answere if he looke not into a glasse it makes no representation of his face if the Lord had not called vs we should neuer haue answered him if he had not sought vs wee should neuer haue sought him neyther loued him if first hee had not loued vs. Here then is the first benefire wee reape by this grace of loue that by it we knowe the minde of God toward vs to be full of loue So that now we neede not goe vp to Gods secret counsell to enquire what is his minde concerning vs let vs enter into the secret of our owne hearts and try there what is our affection toward him if wee dare say that we loue him then may we be out of all doubt that we are beloued of him The other benefit is that by loue we know we are in the state of grace translated as saith the Apostle from death to life then we begin to liue when we begin to loue our God There may be in man a shadow of grace a profession of faith obedience but though a man had all knowledge and eloquence wanting loue he is but a sounding Cymbal So that by this
man Content but God 140. Contentment only in the ende though comfort before 391. Conuersion requireth Confirmation to crowne it 261. Couetousnes a mother-sin 98. A godly Couetousnes 172 Two Courses in the life of euery man the one seene the other secret 8. A Courtier of heauen made by prayer 385. Gods Curse is a secret Consumption 61. Our first Creation is without hope or Comfort 186. Creation is as a Mother Conseruation is as a Nurse 216. Goodnes of Creatures but a glimpse of the Creators to whom they direct vs. 140. Tâ—…e Creatures cannot teach saluation but they confirme it 215. Other Creatures consist by Gods word how much more a Christian 218. All Creatures except Man and Apostate Angels are ruled by the word of God 304. A cursed Crosse and a sanctified discerned 180. The Crosse necessary to a Pilgrime and why 325. D DAuids disposition and approbation Page 3. Dauids affection to GODs word and why 4 Dauid compareth himselfe with others not to commende himselfe but Gods word 230. A double Deceit of sin 267. Delight in godlines a great argument of progresse 40. Delight in the Word a proofe of Godlines 118. 326. Delights diuers alwayes sweete from the same word 219. Deliuerance vnlooked for in dangers 256 Desertions finall temporall 25. 310. Desertions temporall more grieuous to the Godly then temporall Death 71. 209. Desertions spirituall doe much daunt and cast downe 198. Good Desires are of GOD. 84. 94. Desires accepted of GOD for deeds 106. Desires of the Soules saluation are the chiefe 278 Determination helpeth a Godly life 145. Detractions of men not to bee feared 103. Deuotion of these dayes colde 369. Diligence in keeping GODs lavv required for three reasons 18. Discipline doth good 167. A man must be a Disciple before a Doctor 232. Diuision of this 119. Psalme 5. They onely to expect Donations from God which are vnder Gods Domination 282. E THe whole Earth a place of banishment Page 55. The Earth founded without foundation 216. Edification must beginne at home in a mans owne heart 33. Edification may arise from euery thing 347. Our Election of Gods truth issueth from GODs Election of vs. 86. Our Election is sealed to vs certainely by our loue to God sincerely ibid. How to pray against Enemies 194. 202. The diligence and the cruelty of the iust mans Enemy 224. The Enemies of God are the onelie Enemies of the Godlie 286. 319. 336. Lightlie Esteemed of men highlie Esteemed of GOD. 322. Examples to teach vs godliness 136. 360. How to be followed how not ibid. Excellency of the Word 250. Experiences of Gods truth comfort excedingly 340. The Eyes deathâ—… windowes to enter into the heart 98 The Eye of the minde and body differ and how 151. The Eyes right gouernement 311. F EVery Article of Faith is a wondrous mysterie Pag. 53. 296. Faith in Gods promises is the Anchor of the soule 111. The nature of Faith is in particular application of the generall promises 122. Faith required in prayer 148. Faith carrieth vs out of our selues 378. Falling to be feared and why 265. Familiarity of the Godly with God more then with Men. 245. It breedeth no contempt as with Men. 271. It commeth by a good conscience 343. Gods Fauour illuminateth the minde 310. Feare and trembling for repenting of sinne for preuenting of sinne 104. The Godly described by the Feare of God 162. The Feare of God in any assureth vs of good duties in such an one 163. Feare to the Wicked horrible 272. The Feare of God ouercometh the Feare of Mans displeasure 362. Felicity of Man is conformitie with God 6. Fellowship with God diuideth vs from wicked men 257. No Fighting against Satan in his weapons and armor 178. 196. First Fruits of our hearts to be offered to God 333. A godly man is euer Fruitfull either without or within 43. G GOds Gifts pledges of greater 165. Small Gifts accepted of God 247. Great Gifts are to bee asked of God 329. Gifts of Grace and Natue differ how 384. A Glory to the Godly to make others more godly then themselues 233. God the obiect of prayer 730. Gods dishonour more grieuous to the Godly then their own 354. True Godlinesse hath perseuerance with sincerity 94. Impediments of Godlinesse many both within without vs. 127. Truth of Godlinesse tryed by priuate exercises 133. Godlinesse is the gaine of Godlinesse as one talent begetteth another 134. The power of Godlinesse 188. The recompence of Godlinesse 188 A Godly man is more afraid of sinne that he may do then a Godlesse is for sin that he hath don 104. The Godly pitie the Wicked 128. The Godly in their life haue respect to God to themselues to their neighbours 188. The Godly silent teach others ibid. A Godly man described 370. His priuiledge 375. God sheweth his Goodnesse in being good to his creature 173. Worldly Goods are Gods Moueables 142. They that haue worldly Goods and God haue a double portion 143. The more Good a Godly man doth the more hee desireth and delighteth to doe 45. Good things to bee sought for good ends 77. Graces are linked together lose one lose all 46. Without Gods quickning Grace man is dead 210. Growth in Grace wrought how 230. H THe Heart the Godlies treasure-house why Page 34 It is kept by three things 98 Being well disposed it dareth present it selfe to God 105. A soft melting Heart an happy thing and an hard stony Heart a grieuous curse 179. God speaketh to the Heart 237. Hatred of sinne is a triall of our loue to God 291. Cold Hatred turneth to liking 367. Hatred of sinne is in him that loueth Gods Law 368. No Hearing of God by vs no Hearing of vs by him 293. 327. Heauinesse of the Godly continuall how outwardly happy soeuer 78 Heauinesse according to the tentation 79. One needeth the Helpe of another because of the diuersities of Grace dispensed seuerally 196. Gods Helpe the best 206. 389. God is neerer to helpe then any enemy to hurt 337. The Hiding of wickednesse is proper to the wicked 380. Humility in the godly 176. 298. Hypocrisie a vile sinne 147. It is farre from men who are truely Godly 380. I IEsus is our guide in the narrow way Pag. 96. Ignorance of the Worde cometh not from the Word but from our owne darknesse 52. Illumination Gods worke alone ibid. Illumination of the eyes and conversion of the heart goe together 53. Impunitie an argument of Gods anger 245. Inabilitie to God is natural 236. Instabilitie in the Godly 260. God giueth more grace by an Instrument then the Instrument hath 232. Good Intentions strengthened by prayer 259. Interruptions of prayers in Godly persons 382. The Ioy that commeth from Gods Word surpassing all 40. Ioy by the practise of the Word not by professing 41. The Ioy of a true Christian is onely in God as in his owne 259. Ioy and Griefe goe together in this life 311. 325. Ioy in the Worde inexplicable
364. A warning for Iudges 344. Iudgements of God secret and reuealed 38. Iudgements of God double Directory Correctory 57. 191. Of Conuersion and Confusion 203. Iudgements of God diuersly applied by Dauid and by Lamech 59 Iudgements Awe-bands to keep vs in 266. Iudgement and Iustice distinguished 273. How Dauid desired to be dealt with in Iudgement how not 335. Iudgements past shold perswade the certainety of Iudgements to com it doth with the Godly 358. K GOds Kindness mans much different Pag. 110. Gods Kindnesse a sufficient defence against Mans malice and ill will 111. 209 Gods Kindnesse generall special 209. Gods Kindnesse is the Godlies argument in prayer 334. Knowledge which reformeth not is dangerous 93. Knowledge of this life farre inferiour to that of the life to come 169. Knowledge and Feare of God go together and so destroy both superstition and presumption 197 L THe Lawe of God the rule of mans life Pag. 8. Then learned when writ in the heart 83. A Lanterne and why so called 240. 241. Lawe written in the Scripture and in the conscience which the wicked would destroy if they could 287. Gods Lawe his image 315. True Libertie what and wherin it is 116. Carnall is thraldome 114. Naturall Life maketh a Reprobate worse because Life without grace is death 49. Our Life a race and restlesse battell 90. Mans Life measured by dayes not yeares 201. The Life of the Godly excelled diuersly but he in the Life of grace excelleth all 262 263. Of a Godly Life three helpes Determination Supplication and Consideration 145. Of Life naturall eternall 39◅ Light not onely to bee had but grace withall to be desired to walk after the Light 95. The Light of the Gospel clearer then the Light of the Law 240. At the Light of the Lanterne of the Word we must light the Light of the Lanterne of our mind 242. Light externall internall speciall of Creatures of Conscience of Gods Countenance 308 A Looke of mercy a Looke of displeasure 302. To Loue to liue to sinne is wicked but to Loue to liue to repent of sinne good 50. Louers of God loue the Godly 161. Gods Loue to his exceeding great 221. Dauids Loue to Gods Law not counterfeit but complete 228. Loue is all God asketh the tryall thereof 229. Loue coupled and conserued with feare 270. Loue of obedience an argument of Godlinesse 255. 289. Loue of creatures must be conditionall ibid. Loue in God the fountain of his benefits Loue in Man the fountaine of his obedience 320. Loue to God in vs assureth vs of the Loue of God tovs 371. Two trials of true Loue. 372. 278. A Lying way the way of nature 81. Lyes trimmed vp with the garment of truth 177. M MAn quick to works of sinne dead to works of grace 100 Man Gods work manship therfore loued by him 185. Man without vnderstanding a Beasts fellow 186. Man at the best standeth in need of mercy 301. Martyrs of inuincible courage whence 362. Meditation necessary 43. The matter of Meditation 44. Members naturall one neede another 39. Mercies begun moue God to more mercies 72. 165. Gods Mercy in forgiuing and mans Truth in confessing meete together 73. Desire of Mercy vseth the means of Mercy 106. Memorials of mercy to be maintained 167. Mercy receiued maketh men thirst for more 193. Mercy for remission for consolation for reformation ibid. Gods mercies are registred constant not onely for our consolation but for our confirmation 303. Mercy in God and grace in man meet together ibid. It is Gods mercy that differēceth the gratious gracelesse 347. 348 Gods mercies why called great why tender 349. Mans minding God may be seen by his godly life 133. The troubles of the minde distemper the body 200. 300. The godly shold open their mind when God openeth his mouth 301 Moabs curse 386. Mockeries of euill men a part of Christs crosse 126. Motions of sinne Grace 105 Mourning for our selues for others commended why 312. N A Good Name to be regarded and why Pag. 213. Naturall men cannot mount aboue the earth 268. Nature cannot conioyn whom Grace doth not 175. Not Nature but Faith leadeth vs to the hand that smiteth 192. Necessities hinder spirituall duties 156. As God is Neere vnto vs so we should be Neere vnto him 338. Nero his miserable end 376. O A Godly Oath necessary to a godly resolution Page 243. Obedience qualified how 57. Obedience resolued on by the Godly for eternity 114. The Oblation of a mans selfe most pleasing vnto God 248. The Oblation of his hart is euer in the godly mans hand ibid. Obl◅uion leadeth to rebellion and defection 17. 323. Offences offred God should grieue vs more then iniuries offered vs. 286. He must Offer to God that asketh of God 330. The Opening of sin before God 780. A spirituall Oppression in Dauid 68. Oppressors of our soules to bee most prayed against 274 P TWo great motiues to Patience Pag 246. Our Perfection is rather in desires then in deeds 105. 379. 396. Persecutions and Persecutors diuers 203. 306. 352. True Godlines neuer wants the crowne of Perseuerance 87. Gods last Plagues the more grieuous 172. Pleasures diuers 2. Pleasures earthly all vain 225. God is the Portion wherein a boue all the Godly do glory 138. Motiues to make God our Portion ibid. God a Portiō no whit lesse thogh communicated vnto all 141. Comfort to the Poore that God is their Portion 142. Our Practise must proue that God is our Portion 144 Pouerty not to want golde but grace 184. To Practise what we prescribe 31 Prayer the life of the soule 47. The Godly answer Gods precepts with Prayer 18 Rules for Prayer 80. Argument of Prayer ariseth out of all our diuers dispositions 82. Prayer to be feruent frequent why 108. 265 294. 385. When to be long when short 295 In Dauids Prayer 3. things his Reuerence Sincerity Faith 146. For Prayer Christs and Dauids precepts and practise 158. Nothing to be Prayed for but what warranted by the Word 199. Prayers to bee framed to God promises 261. 385. Praier is seed to be sowne 328. Prayers of the Godly interrupted 382. Euery crying is no piercing Praying 328. Prayer must be with Perseuerance 331. Prayers to be prayed for 382. Praiers reiected a sore plague ibid. Error of pride accursed 61. Prides policy 203. A preseruatiue against pride 307 Religious Princes a great blessing 64. Princes though Persecutors to be reuerenced 361. Presumptuous Professors reproued 210. Gods Promises most sure in themselues must be made sure vn to vs by Prayer 100 All Gods Promises are conditionall 102. 262. He that prayeth vnto God must Promise vnto God 109. 386. The generall Promise of mercy containeth euery mans particular comfort that is godly 120. It standeth with Gods honor to performe his Promise 122. Gods Promise is our hopes warrant 279. Gods Promises some made with a time set some without 284. 285. Not onely Gods Promises but his precepts
to thē who loue to liue in the body for no other end but that they may enioy carnall pleasures in the body no tongue can expresse their miserie To a godly man sin makes his life bitter so the Apostle protested O miserable man who shal deliuer me from this body of death And if they loue to liue it is that they may mourn for sin break off the course of their sins by amēdement of life This straited godly Nazianzen that he knew not whether to make choise of death or life when he considered that death makes an end of sin he desired to die but when he remembred that after death there was no time to mourne for sin he desired to liue VER 18. Open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy law MAn by nature is blind in the matters of saluation He vnderstands not the things of God neither can he because they are spiritually discerned Satan promised man great knowledge both of good euill but experience may declare what a false deceiuer he is By nature we are all borne blind ignorant of things vvhich concerne the kingdom of God and by reason of our darkned mind so wicked is the hart of man that by looking to the best works of God miserable man contracts euill So euill doth hee see with the eyes which are left him that by looking to that which is good the hart of him is wakened vnto euill So traiterously hath this aduersarie dealt with mankind that where he promised thē more knowledge he spoiled them of that which they had and hath brought now vpon them all a greater shame then that vvhich Naash the Ammonite vvould haue done to Israel For hee hath put out their right eye that no light remaines in them vvherby they can see that which is good to saluation till the Lord restore it againe vnto them And heere if it be asked seeing Dauid was a regenerate man and so illuminated already How is it that hee prayes for the opening of his eyes the aunswere is easie That our regeneration is wrought by degrees The beginnings of light in his mind made him long for more for no man can account of sense but he who hath it The light vvhich he had let him see his owne darknes and therefore feeling his wants hee seekes to haue them supplied by the Lord. Neque enim medicū rogat nisi qui remedium agritudini suae poscit But the word which here Dauid vseth imports the taking of a vaile from his eyes detrahe velamen oculis meis So that the blame of his ignorance he layes not vpon the word which is cleer enough in it selfe as he confesseth ver 130. The entrance of thy vvord giues light to the simple but he blames himselfe and the vaile which couered the eyes of his mind Till this be remooued no reading no hearing no teaching can make a man vnderstand the wonders of the lavv of God This is it saith the Apostle which hinders the Iews that in reading the old Testament they cannot see Christ because of the vaile that couers their harts And this same is it that this day hinders many wise and learned men that albeit they read the most cleare prophecies of Antichrist whereas S. Paul and S. Iohn poynts him out as it were with the finger yet can they not perceiue him The doctrine of Christ is the mysterie of godliness the doctrine of Antichrist is the mysterie of iniquitie Who can learne it till God remoue the vaile that couers the mind Non omnes qui diuina eloquia legunt quae in illis admiranda sunt considerant nisi illi qui coelesti splendore potiuntur But whose worke is this to remoue the vaile Who is able to doe it Certainly neither Angel nor Power nor Dominion It is onely the vvorke of GOD who giues sight to the blind Hee sends forth his spirit and renewes the face of the earth He opened the disciples eyes made them to know him He made scales to fall from the eyes of the Apostle Paul when he conuerted him These two benefits hee giues together to his owne the opening of the eyes and conversion of the hart So long as a man abides vnder the seruitude of sin and earthly affections he can neuer haue eyes to see the secrets of Gods word Therefore saith the Apostle speaking of the blinded Iewes when their harts shall be turned to the Lord then the vaile shall be taken away The wonders of thy law The wonders of the works of God are many and great the wonders of his word are greater Euery article of our faith is a mysterie to be wondred at that a Virgine conceiues a child that GOD is manifested in the flesh If wee will be fruitfull scholars in the learning of these mysteries let vs pray for the opening of our eyes and for grace to belieue VER 19. I am a stranger on earth hide not thy commaundements from me THis petition in effect is one with the former hauing no more but an annexed reason vvhich is this I am a stranger on earth and knowe not the way may lead me to heauen vnlesse thou teach me therefore hide not thy cōmandements from me The like of this he hath Psa. 43. Send thy light thy truth let them lead me bring me to thy holy Mountaine This is not the voice of euery man I am a stranger on earth Sed eius qui terrenis renuntiauit voluptatibus mundanae cupiditatis exuerit affect us It is the voice of him who hath renounced pleasures of the earth is weary of this life desires to be dissolued not fearing when his dissolution approches but rather reioycing because he knows he shall be with Christ vtitur hac vita vt transitoria ad aliam nimirum vitam festinans He vseth this life as a transitory life because he makes hast to a better It is true in regard of time and continuance the wicked are also strangers on earth but in affection they are not so for neither know they of a better Cittie neither desire they a better But the Christian accounts himselfe a stranger not so much for his short continuance vpon earth as for that his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is aboue that Citie wherof he is Burges and freeman that countrey frō which he came that fellowship wherein he reioiceth is aboue therfore longs he to be where they are But as to the wicked they are called by Gods Spirit inhabitants or indwellers of the earth Men of this world who haue their portion in this life they haue receiued their cōsolation here their generation is of the earth they speak of the earth their whole disposition is earthly Higher then the earth in thoughts and desires they cannot go Praesentibus bonis quasi diuturnis inflati insolescunt The godly
vp Sathan and his instruments to be aduersaries vnto him No band of nature can conioyne them whom grace hath not conioyned Iacob Esau both gotten of one father Isaac both borne of one mother Rebecca lying both together in one wombe yet euen there doe they fight together Let vs neuer looke for peace where God hath proclaimed warre the world wil hate vs bicause we are not of the world Let vs neuer be dismaied when we are crossed by them but rather so much the more comforted being assured that while as wicked men are enemies to vs for a good cause we are vpon that side whereof Christ is Captaine his Saints are souldiers and victory is most certaine Neither is it without cause that wicked men are so commonly called proud men for pride is the mother of all rebellion against God and man By pride Satan and his confederat Apostats vsurped to be like vnto God and by the same sin he drew man into the similitude of his condemnation so that now euery man by nature is a proud man which makes him shake off the yoke of God and without regard transgress the limits of obedience appointed to him by God As Pharaâ—… would not let Israel go til the Lord slew his first borne so our nature now corrupted shall neuer render obedience to God nor loue to man til the first borne sin that is pride be subdued by grace Forgrace on the contrary euer works humility so soone as the eyes of Gods children are opened to see their sinnes they abhorre themselues the combe of their naturall pride is pulled downe and they abase themselues before God and man It was the humble speech of Abraham the great father of the faithfull I am but dust and ashes it was the voyce of Iacob I am not worthy of the least of Gods mercies Dauid hath the like Who am I Lord Gedeons voyce My fathers house is the least in all Israel and the Baptist who receiued this praise That a greater Prophet was not among the children of women acknowledged in humility That he was not worthy to loose the latchet of Christs shooe the Centurion confessed hee was not worthy that Christ should come vnder his roofe Saint Peters voyce was Depart from me for I am a sinfull man S. Pauls I am not worthy to be called an Apostle yea he confessed plainely he was the least of all the Apostles and the chiefe of all sinners Thus all the children of God giue glory to God by downe-casting themselues And if ye will go thorough all the examples of the booke of God ye shall finde that they who haue beene greatest in Gods estimation haue beene alway smallest in their owne eyes the heart which hath receiued most from God 〈◊〉 thinking least of it selfe Alye The 〈◊〉 â—…cumstance is hâ—…re shewing with what 〈◊〉 proude did fight against him namely with lyes Satans two armes by which hee wrestles against the godlie are violence and lyes vvhere hee cannot or dare not vse violence there be sure he will not faile to fight with lyes And herein doth the Lord greatly shew his carefull prouidence in fencing his children against Satans malice and the proud bragges of his instruments in such sort that their proudest harts are forced to forge lyes their malice beeing so great that they must doe euill and yet their power so bridled that they cannot doe what they would The third circumstance is in the words they haue imagined Vatablus translates it Concinnarunt mendacia So Tremel They haue trimmed vp lyes As Satan can transforme himselfe to an Angel of light so can hee trimme vp his lies vnder couerings of truth to make them the more plausible vnto men And indeed this is no small temptation when lyes made against the godlie are trimmed vp with the shadowes of truth and wicked men couer their vnrighteous dealings with appearances of righteousnes Thus not only are the godly vniustly persecuted but simple ones are made to beleeue that they haue most iustly deserued it In this case the godly are to sustaine themselues by the testimonie of a good conscience But I will keepe thy precepts Dauids enemies fought against him by lies Hee takes him to the obedience of Gods word Wee should not fight against the wicked with their owne armour rendring one wrong for another a lie for a lie rebuke for rebuke no more then Dauid could fight against Goliah with Saul his armor which was like vnto the armor of Goliah If we encounter Satan with his owne armour he shall soone ouerthrowe vs for by striking lying euil doing we are deadly wounded But to the weapons of flesh we must oppose the weapons of the spirit ouerocmming after the manner of our Lord the furie of men with our patience their persecutions vvith our prayers their euill with our good so shall we either winne them vnto vs or else heape coales of fire on their heads With my whole hart See ver 2. 10. 34. 58. 69. VER 70. Their hart is fat as grease but my delight is in thy law DAuid makes here an oppositioÌ„ between his disposition and the disposition of his enemies shewing how their hart vvas become fat and senselesse through their worldlie wealth but he being humbled by the rods of the Lord had his delight in the law of God counted more of it then thousands of gold and siluer When the godly looke into their owne harts or vp vnto GOD they see in themselues such a power of corruption as humbles them and makes them account themselues the cheefe of all sinners but vvhen they looke to the effects of Gods grace in them working a renouation which is not in the wicked then ariseth to them matter of reioycing That which the Pharisee in the pride of his heart spake of the Publican the penitent Publican in humilitie and a good conscience may turne ouer to the Pharisee I thanke God I am not like this Pharisee For the Christian by the light of God seeing the miserable estate of the wicked they could wish as St. Paul did to Agrippa that the wicked were like vnto them but would not change their state of grace with the most honourable estate that worldlings can haue on earth without grace In this that hee saith their heart was fatte as grease hee noteth two things First that they abounded in worldly wealth Next that their hart was become fat senselesse and voyd of feeling Quaedam veluti crassities occupat coruÌ„ corda vt stupidi sint in sua obstinatione neque Deum curent audeantque simul contra seruos eius insurgere a certaine grossenes possesseth their harts which makes them senseless in obstinacy It is the principal blessing of the new couenant to haue a soft feeling melting hart like the hart of good Iosiah but a hard hart called a stony hart an adamantine and stubborne hart is a
he was persecuted and sore oppressed for his profession yet no trouble could make him swerue from the testimonies of God Trouble is the best tryall of true Religion Non est magnum si tune a Dei testimonijs non declines cum te nullus persequitur It is no great thing to cleaue vnto the testimonies of God when none pursues thee for it when authority allowes it when honour and prosperitie follows it it is no great praise then to professe it When the Lord gloried of his seruant Iob that he was an vpright man fearing God c. Satan replied And what maruell Doth Iob worship God for nothing He knew there were many hyrelings temporizers in the world that worshipped not God sincerely and therefore would not continue in it He thought Iob to be one of these Lay now thine hand vpon all that he hath and he shal blaspheme thee to thy face But he was deceiued for the more he was crost the neerer did he cleaue vnto the Lord. Let vs remember as S. Paul hath warned vs We haue not yet resisted vnto the bloud neither yet that which S. Peter cals The siery tryall haue we endured And yet what a shame is it to see how many moued by the naked example of the Apostles are becom colder in Religion An euident argument that they were neuer truely religious for if they cannot stand against offences how should they stand against oppressions and persecutions What persecuters they were and what was the kinde of persecution Dauid expresseth not Basil thinkes Quod quacunque sibi acciderant omnia hoc Psalmo congessit that what-euer befell him of any trouble eyther by Saul or Absalom or vncircumcised Nations among whom he soiourned all is gathered together in this Psalme which containes eyther prayers he made when he was in trouble or prayses he gaue when God deliuered him out of trouble or else spirituall gloriations of that strength constancy which God gaue him to indure it Properly there is but one persecuter of all the godly this is Satan the enemie of Gods glorie of our saluation Vnus persequutor est sed multos habet ministros but he hath many seruants instruments vnder him some inuisible some visible and according as they are so is the kinde of persecution eyther bodily or spirituall There is an euill spirit of fornication another of auarice another of pride Hi sunt persequutores graues these are fearefull persecutors Otherwise the Apostle would not say Flie fornication if the spirit of fornication were not a pursuer Many are stout in the outward persecution qui occulta hac persequutione ceciderunt who by this secret persecution haue beene ouercome Hi tibi hostes cauendi hi grauiores tyranni per quos Adam captus these are the enemies whō thou must eschew these are the most grieuous tyrannes by whom Adam was captiued and thou art to beware of them By visible enemies also Satan fights against vs but these are not so dangerous as the other yet for the present more displeasant let vs not bee discouraged with them Si multae persequutiones multae et probationes If our persecutions bee many so are our trialls and probations tryals I meane both of our sinceritie and of the truth of God If Daniel had not by wicked men beene cast into the denne of Lyons and the three children by Nebuchadnezzars fury into the fiery furnace then should not their constant affection towarde God and his truth power in preseruing them haue beene so clearely manifested Tibi ergo prodest quòd multi persequutores sunt vt inter multas persequutiones facilius inuenias quomodo coroneris The more waies thou be persecuted the more wayes hast thou to bee crowned for by many tribulations doe wee enter into the kingdome of heauen VER 158. I saw the transgressours and was grieued because they did not keep thy word ALbeit his trouble were great by the restlesse malice of his enemies and his dangers oftentimes desperate yet he protests none of these went so neere his heart as the dishonour of God and contempt of Gods word The glory of God shining in his word is dearer to the godly then their liues and they haue no pleasure to liue but melt away for griefe when they see wickednes and idolatry exalted pietie and true religion trode vnder foot This made good Eliah desire that the Lord would take him out of this life this made Dauid pine away for griefe And it may condemne many who if so be their owne estate be peaceable they will not disquiet themselues with griefe for any dishonor that by impiety of wicked men is done vnto God See ver 136. VER 159. Cōsider O Lord how I loue thy precepts quicken me according to thy louing kindnes THis verse containes a protestation of his great loue toward the word of God for probation whereof hee appeales to the testimony of God desiring the Lord to consider if it be so or not It is an argument of a good conscience when a man dare present his heart vnto God and desire him to looke into it Nemo dicit vide nisi qui iudicat se si videatur esse placiturum No man saith to God Looke vpon me but he who knowes that God will like him when hee lookes vpon him for hee that doth euill hates the light and an euill conscience dares not stand before God but hides the selfe so farre as it can from him as we see in Adam But sith so it is that the knowledge of our estate cannot be hid from the Lord but wee must be presented naked before him it is but vanity now to hide our wayes from him Woe be vnto them that seeke in deepe to hide their counsell from the Lord their waies are in secret and they say who seeth them But He that made the eie shall hee not see Wisedome rather craues that wee should lay open our hearts to the Lord in time walking so in a good conscience before him that we might be bold to say with Dauid Looke vpon mee Lord and consider me How I loue He saith not consider how I performe thy precepts but how I loue them The comfort of a Christian militant in this body of sin is rather in sinceritie and feruencie of his affections then in the absolute perfection of his actions He failes many times in his obedience to Gods precepts in regard of his action but loue in his affection still remaines so that both before the temptation to sin and after it there is a griefe in his soule that hee should finde in himselfe any corrupt will or desire contrary to the holy will of the Lord his God and this proues an inuincible loue in him to the precepts of God Thy precepts He saith not that he loued Gods promises onely for euery man hath a liking of these but his precepts also Naturally
one grace which the Apostle cals a most excellent grace all other graces of the spirit will come to be tried That faith which workes not by loue is no faith that obedience which flowes not from faith is no obedience Loue is the balance of the Sanctuary wherein euery thing is weighed which is offered vnto God let vs therefore couet this most excellent grace That this comfort may be made the more sure vnto vs let vs consider these two infallible tokens of our loue the first is the loue of Gods law the next is the loue of his Saints The law of God hath in it a certaine pourtraiture of his image What he is in himselfe he hath declared in his lawe therefore such as knowe him and loue him cannot but loue his law If any man loue me said the Lord Iesus he will keepe my commandements Dauid ioynes these two together in the 16. Psalme hee protests that God was the portion of his inheritance and againe in the III. verse of this Psalme That he had taken the Testimonies of God as an heritage for euer Alas that foolish man should think to disioyne these two pretending to loue God when he shewes himselfe a plaine contemner of his word The other marke whereby Gods loue is tryed is the loue of his Saints By this shall yee bee knowne to be my Disciples if yee loue one another He that loueth not his brother whom he hath scene how can hee loue God whom hee hath not seene Man was made to the image of God Can he be a louer of God who loues not man made to the image of God Dauid many times hath protested that he loued God dearely but he proues it by this That he loued the lawe of God and the Saints of God I am companion said hee to all them that feare thee ver 63. And againe My loue extends not to thee but for thy sake my delight is in thy Saints and excellent ones vpon earth There are many good Christians who when they heare that Marie washed the feete of our blessed Sauiour with her teares and wiped them with the haire of her head they doe wish they had the like occasion that they might shewe the like affection toward him These would do well to remember What thou cannot do to himselfe why wilt thou not doe to such as hee loues and hath recommended to be loued of thee for his sake accounting that done to himselfe which is don vnto them When Ionathan was slain in the battell with Saul and Dauid came to the Kingdome how diligent was he to seeke any that did belong to Ionathan to whom hee might shew kindnesse for Ionathans sake at length he found a â—…ame and infirme sonne of Ionathan and for Ionathans sake he intertained him Very kinde was Ionathan to Dauid but not so kinde as Iesus hath beene to vs and should not we for Iesus sake be kinde to those who belong vnto him If thou be willing to doe it and carefull to enquire Is there none to whome I may shewe fauour for that fauour Christ shewed to me in euery place thou shalt still finde some Mephiboseth some poore some lame and infirme Christian. Why then wilt thou defraude thy selfe of this comfort that by extending comfort to those which are his thou declare thy louing affection toward himselfe considering also that the smallest benefite giuen to any in his Name though it were but a cuppe of colde water shall not want the reward Shall haue great prosperitie This being spoken of the description of godly men now sollowes the priuiledge and benefite heere promised to them They shall haue great prosperitie for so by the word of peace the Hebrewes expresse all manner of good Godlinesse saith the Apostle hath the promises both of this life and of the life to come euen in their present troubles the godly are comforted with vnspeakeable ioy or if for the present they feele it not yet are they borne out with a liuely hope thereof afflicted on euery side but neuer forsaken casten downe but they perish not But our greatest comfort is promised now not exhibited now excellent promises are made vnto vs but sure they are farre inferiour to that which shal be performed Worldlings haue their heauen vpon earth they enioy their portion heere but we looke for a better Serua futuris mercedem tuam keepe thou thy reward for the time to come When we shall passe this redde Sea of tribulation and be possessed in our heauenly Canaan then shall we know the performance of this promise They that loue thy lawe shall haue great prosperitie This he expounds more cleerely in the negatiue part when he saies They shall haue none hurt he meanes not that they are exempted from all trouble but indued with this priuiledge That no trouble can hurt them for all things worke for the best to them who loue the Lord. By the contrary most miserable is the condtion of them who hate Gods law There is no peace to the wicked saith my God The prosperity they seeme to haue is their ruine and their peace like the calmes of the Sea which incontinent is troubled with stormie windes in such sort that the waues thereof are dashed one against another it rageth and foometh out the dirt and myre which is in the bowels thereof So is it with the wicked so soone as trouble cometh vppon them they walter from one perturbation to another foming out their shame and at length ende in comfortlesse desperation Thus before they bee aware all their mirth and apparant prosperity is concluded as Beltasars banquet was with a cuppe of Gods wrath For their comfort being onely in things externall and not in the Lord their God so soone as the one failes them who can tell the horrible confusion wherein they fall For want of the other they are casten as Esay saith in a strait bedde wherein they can finde no ease nor reliefe for at one time the earth failes them and the heauens also are closed vpon them Such comforts as they had in creatures vpon earth forsake them and if they looke to heauen they finde nothing but the angry countenance of God looking downe vpon them so was it with Saul Achitophel Iudas and with Aero O what a straite bedde was hee casten into when the Senate discerned him an enemie to Rome when Galba came against him to execute the sentence when hee shaken with the plague of the heart and his owne conscience within him did torment him when the heauens cast downe their countenance vpon him when the earth whereupon hee was flying opened as hee thought her mouth to swallow him when such as hee had murthered seemed to rise and pursue him Such shall be the miserable end of all those who loue not the Lord they shall finde no comfort who cannot comfort themselues in him VER 166.
can say to another I need thee not Speech taken from good men for two causes Iob 12. 1 For punishment of their people 2 For correction of themselues The ioy gotten by Gods word surmounts all worldly ioy whatsoeuer Basil. Ambrose In a miserable estate are they to whom Gods word is a wearinesse Sathans baits â—…e pleasure or profit but we should not be moued with any of them and why Amb. 1. Cor. 1. It is not the hearing or reading of Gods word that will worke vs ioy if we practise it not ☞ Basil. Of the vexation and vanity of worldly riches Ambros. in Luc. cap. 16. They flie farthest from vs when we haue most need of comforts A threefold internall action of the soule about the word ☜ How a godly man is euer fruitfull in good The necessity and vtility of meditation The minde of man is restlesse and vexes it selfe with euill if it be not exercised with good Gods word should be the matter of our meditation August Marcellinâ—… Iob 22. The word is Gods way because by it God commeth to vs and we go to him The more good a godly man doth the more he desires to do The graces of the Spirit are linked together lose one lose all keepe one keep all ☞ Our best estate vpon earth is that we haue not that which we should and yet want not altogether The strength of a Christian is in his prayer The greatest benefit men receiue from God is grace to obey him Constantine the great his notable saying It is more to be a Christian then a Monarch of the world So Dauid reioyceth more in this that he was Gods seruant then king of Israel Sith Angels serue him shal we think shame to serue him Naturall life makes a reprobate man in a worse case then if he had neuer been But to an elect man euen naturall life is a great benefit This life without grace is but a death Num. 19. Math. 8. Eph. 5. Miserable are they who desire to liue for loue of the pleasures of sin A worthy meditation of Nazianzen Satan by experience is found a false deceiuer How blind maÌ„ is by nature ☜ Our regeneratioÌ„ is wrought by degrees Ambrose If we be ignorant of the word the blame is in our darke mind not in it Vatab. 2. Cor. 3. 14. Why many learned men attaine not to the knowledge of the truth ☞ Basil. Illumination of the mind is Gods worke Psal. 104. Luk 24. 2. Cor. 3. 16. Euery Article of our faith â—…s a wonderful mysterie Man on earth is a stranger knowes not the way hee should walk till God shewes it vnto him Ambrose Worldlingâ—… shal not continue on earth yet cannot say they are strangers in it And that because in affection they be content with this desire not a better Phil. Reuel 8. Psal. 17. Worldlings â—…e inhabitants of the earth Christians are â—…ut strangers in it Basil. Luke The whole earth is but a place of banishment Nazian in vita Basil. A man euen in his owne house should esteeme himselfe a straÌ„ger This world can neither wil nor teach men a way to go out of her selfe we must seeke a guide froÌ„ heauen ☞ The right knowledge of the ten Commandements Two things required in true obedience Both the word and the plagues of God are called his iudgments how Such as are not moued by the first shall be confounded by the second A hart full of spirituall desires is an argument of great grace Ambr. Ambrose Comfort against coÌ„tempt of men wherby they scorne the godly for sighing and teares The begunne wrath of God on them shold confirme vs against their contempt But many wax worse with Lamech when they see euill men spared Gene. 4. 24. Few become better with Dauid when they see them punished Eccles. Wicked men coÌ„monly styled proud men and why Proud Satan hath made disciples prouder then himselfe Esay 14. Ambr. The miserable condition of a proud man Iam. ☞ Ambrose Euery error is dangerous but proud error accursed Sinnes of pride and of infirmitie should be distinguished Curse of God on the wicked is like a secret consumption Dauid his appellation to God from the wrongful iudgments of men How Dauid iustifies himselfe before God and man A triall of true religion A hard tentation to be troubled by men of great authority for two causes 1. For their power Prou. Rom. 13. 2. 〈◊〉 place Psalm Princes godly and râ—…us are a great blessing of God Great cause haue we to be thankfull for the King hee hath set ouer vs. Psalm christians measure not the veritie of religion by the number or greatnes of them that are with it or against it Such as persecure the godlie with their tongues will not faile to loose their hands against them if they may Where we find that God binds their hands we should beare their tongues the more patiently ☜ Ierem. 12. Armour of godly men is the word and prayer Ambrose ☞ The word renders vs both counsell for gouernment pleasure for delectation Comfort gotten by other recreations continues not ☜ No wisedome without the word The word of God is conuenient for euery state of life Dauid sore troubled with a spirituall oppression Tentations of the godly somtimes cannot be told sometimes it is not expedient they should be told In a worldling the very heauenly part is becom earthly Ambrose The contrary disposition of Christians Ambr. Cant. 4. 4. The royall towre of christ is a soule moâ—â—ting vp to heauen Change of estates wherevnto the godly are subiect ☞ Godly men by 〈◊〉 waÌ„ts falls infirmities become more godly The life of a ChristiaÌ„ wherin stands it It is great faith to belieuâ—… when there is no feeling of mercie Dauids argument to moue the Lord vnto mercie Where God begins to shew mercy he ceaâ—… not tâ—…ll hee crowne with â—…cie Mans liberality is but like a Strand Gods like the great Ocean Happy is the soule wherein mercy truth meet together An euill conscience hides it self from God Esa. What a great benefit it is to manifest our wayes to God in time Ambrose Sathan confounded when we confesse our sinnes ☞ A profitable rule to make vs liue godly Basil. After confession he ioynes prayer for amendment Ambros. See ver 12. Remission and renouation are two inseparable benefits ☜ We haue great need to pray for further light We can walke the wayes of sinne without a teacher not so the wayes of God Miserable is man so long as his way and Gods way are different Good things should be sought from God for good ends Iam 4. The works of God are all maruellous The godly sore humbled by affliction A Christian is eyther looking to his owne necessities or to God his mercies Naturall comforts cannot sustaine a man iâ—… spirituall troubles 1. Pet. 1. Luk. 6. Christians should not thinke that their tentations are singular 1. Cor. 10. Christs crosse is such a burden is easeth them on whoÌ„
God shineth in the worke of creation Iob. 38. Earth founded without a fouÌ„dation Creation as a mother Prouidence a nurse conseruing things created ☞ Out of the wholsom word profane men like wasps gather poyson 2. Pet. 3. 4. All creatures froÌ„ the Angel to the worme serue the Lord of Hosts Psalm Gene. 6. Sith other creatures are vpholdeÌ„ by his word much more the Christian. Comfort which is not from Gods word brings two great euills The word hath comfort for euery estate of life An answer to worldlings who say they find no delight in Gods word ☜ Men fruitful in godlinesse by affliction made more fruitfull Iohn 15. ☞ None coÌ„temne Gods word but such as haue gotten no benefit by it Basile in Psal. 119. It is not the Word that quickens but God by his Word Sith man is carefull to keep that which is his owne shall we thinke that God loues not those who are his owne Euery man câ—…n not say to the Lord I am â—…hine Basil. in Ps. 119 Rom. 6. 16. Ambrose Yea rather men now are so profane that euery kinde of siâ—…ne may say vnto them Thou art mine ☞ Cent. How the Lord acknowledges not profane men to be his How Satan challenged Iudas as his owâ—… ☜ How Dauid proues that he was Gods man A great miracle that the sheepe of Christ are preserued in the midst of rauening Wolues Psal. 124. The vanitie instabilitie of all earthly pleasures ☜ Iudg. 16. Esay 14. 1â—… Psalm 1. A cleere declaration of the vanitie of this life Chrys. in Math. hom 24. ☞ The word of God is called large because the comfort therof indures Euthy in Psalm 119. WheÌ„ all world ly comforts fai'e Many speake that by custome which in conscience they dare not present vnto God A great grace to speak to God froÌ„ an vpright hart ☞ God craues nothing of man but loue 1. Tim. 1. Ambr. in Psal. 119. We are inexcusable if wee giue it not How loue to God may be tryed The nature of loue it cannot lurk but will tell where it is Means to grow in grace are meditation prayer thanksgiuing conference ☞ Dauid coÌ„pares himselfe with three sorts of men his enemies his teachers and the ancient Not to commend himselfe but the word of God Worldlings in what respect they are called wise Time will try whether they or the godly be more wise Godly men tel what they are but not of presumption Nazian He is not meet to be a teacher of Christians who is not a disciple of Christ. Ambr. lib. 1. off cap. 1. Macar hâ—… 16. ☞ That God giues more grace by an instrument then the instrument hath proues that hee is the dispenser of graoe ☜ Sith the wicked glory to make others more wicked shal we grudge that others by vs are made more learned godly then our selues How youth old age are to be considered A warning to aged men To resist sinne not to want sin is our greatest perfection on earth Amb. in Psalm 119. He can resist no sinne who resists not all sinne ☜ Euery sin receiued within vs opens the dore to another Our naturall inabilitie to good They onely learne who are taught of God God when he teaches speaks to the heart Euthym. The causes why many now profit not by hearing of the word ☜ A Christian apprehends good offered in the word not with one but all his leâ—…ses Sith Gods promises are sweet how sweet will their performance be 1. Cor. 2. 9. Two great benefits Dauid got by the word Lukewarme professors of this age convinced The word of God compared to a Lanterne Euthym. in Psal. 119. 1 Because it sheweth light in darkenesse 2 We shall set it by when we come home Reuel 22. 5. The light of the Gospell is clearer then the light of the Lawe 2. Pet. 1. 19. As the Sun is necessary for the day so the light of the word to direct our way Ambr. in Psal. 119. Ambrose Our waies are in darknesse without the word As Israels course in the wildernes was directed by the Lord so should ours be As a maÌ„ lights one light at another so should we light our minds at the word ☞ Dauids resolution confirmed by an oath A godly oath a necessary helpe of our great weaknes Ambr. in Psal. 119. The obiection of a weak conscience concerning an oath Why we should not cease to coÌ„firme our good purposes by an oath albeit we be weake in performing ☞ Gods word why called his iudgement How familiar the godly are in declaring their griefes to the Lord. Afflictions no arguments of hatred Amb. in Psalm 119. Heb. 12. By the contrary impunitie libertie to sin is an argumeÌ„t of Gods anger Hosea 2. The state of the godly in trouble after trouble to be distinguished Hebr. 12. Two great motiues to patience in trouble Vatab. It is a great sauour that the Lord accepts any thing from vs and that in three respects 1. If we consider who the Lord is Psalme 16. 2. If we consider who our selues are 3. If wee consider what our oblation 〈◊〉 1. Chron. 29. No gift so smal if it come from a good hart but God accepts it A reproofe of them vvho praise not God with their lips And of theÌ„ also who offer seruice of their words not of their harts vnto him Mich. 6. 7. The godly maÌ„ hath his life alway ready in his hand to offer to the Lord. ☜ It is far otherwise with the wicked Three things concurre in wickednes Which are not in the godly Constancie of Christians Excellencie of Gods word aboue all other things Phil. 3. 8. It is the sure Charter of our heauenly inheritance The contempt of Gods word reproued ☜ Seeing mans hart is not in his owne hand how saith Dauid he had applied his hart How a man after grace receiued works his own saluation Basil. in Psalm 119. The godly fail in performaÌ„ce not in purpose ☞ Beginnings of good are nothing without perseuerance Greg. moral In trouble mans comfort consists in one of these two 1. A by-gon good life 2. Or else a present vnfained repentance Three things in sinne to be escliued 1. The occasioÌ„ 2. The beginning of it ☜ 3. The perfection Iam. 1. 15. Men grow more skilfull in sinning then they were before In most desperate dangers God comes with vnlooked for deliuerences Why our hearts should be diuded from wicked men Psal. 50. Euery mans company tels what he is Wicked company for borne for two causes 1. Because they offend God Psal. 1 39. 2. For feare they hurt vs. How euery company warnes vs to walke circumspectly Vatab. Wicked company not meet for godly men and why He that knows God to be his God by no meanes can be 〈◊〉 from him ☜ A Christian hath nothing wherein he reioyceth as in his owne but the Lord. Psal. 73. 26. Prayer strengthens all our good intentions A two-fold instability incident to godly men 1. One of faith ☞ 2.
The other of loue and obedience Adam indued with many graces but not with perseuerance ☜ The prayers of godly meÌ„ how they are framed Gods promises are made on a coÌ„ditioÌ„ which we must regard Iudg. 10. Many thinke they haue life who are but dead Amb. in Psalm 119. In the life vegetatiue trees excell man In the life sensitiue beasts excell man In the life rationall reprobates excell Christians ☜ Wherein then stands the life of a Christian by which hee excells all Wisedom prouides for the time to come But the foolish are so snared with things present that they see not what is to com Lamentable that we should want when wee may haue grace for thâ—… seeking Iohn 4. Words without affection a dead sacrifice Three things caused Dauid to fear least hee should fall 1. Tentation 2. Corruption 3. The falls of others The iudgemeÌ„ts of God executed on wicked men should be awe-bands vnto vs. Eccles. The Lord strikes not the godly as hee doth the wicked Sin is a departing froÌ„ God Ambr. in Psal. 119. Deceit of sin is two-fold The fall of the wicked is Gods worke who-euer be the instrument The wicked are restlesse in raging now but God shall bridle them The fruit of temporall sin is eternall paine Naturall man cannot mount aboue the earth Comfort wheÌ„ the godly are disesteemed of the wicked The testimonies of God what they are and for whom Euerything that a godly mâ—…n sâ—…es sends him back to consider himselfe Greg. moral Our loue not without feare Loue of God conserued in our hart by feare Ambr. in Psal. 119. Gene. 6. Familiaritie with God breeds no contempt of him but greater reuerence â—…ith the godly are not freed from feare what horrible feare abides the wicked A good conscience makes boldnes in prayer Amb. in Ps. 119 Iudgement and iustice how distinguished Basil in Psalm 119. We cannot in 〈◊〉 life be 〈◊〉 oâ—… trouble by wicked men How should we pray against our soules oppressors Calumnies of men heauy crosses Psal. 35. 16. Basil. God is a partaker with his owne in their innocent sufferings 1. Pet. 4. Dangerous to commend a wrong cause to Gods protection Gen. 19. Or yet were our cause neuer so good we must not think to beare it out by our wisedome Psal. 37. 34. 1. Pet. 5. 7. Mans greatest honor is to be Gods seruant The seruice is not base but honourable wherein God imployes vs. Ambrose Dauids seruent desire of Gods saluation Basil. Saluation is of two sortes Dauid seekes the best Psal. 4. The restlesse vanity of worldlings ☜ Gods promise is the warrant of our hope Small present gifts more esteemed by worldlings then promises of greater things to com ☜ We cannot serue God as we should Yea our best seruice is farâ—…e inferior to his wages Amb. in Psalm 119. Two things proue a man to be Gods seruaunt Outward and ordinary teachers are nothing if God teach not They may lawfully seeke all good from God who can truely say they are his owne Amb. in Ps. 119 Basil. in Ps. 119. The godly can not learne so much but they would still vnderstand more Ambrose Statutes and Testimonies of God would be learned together Dauids complaint against his enemies God is a continuall working vertue euen when we think he is resting How Dauid prescribes a time to the Lord. Some promises made with a time when they shall be performed Some without a time In these wee should haue patience waiting till Gods time come ☜ When the godly may vse this reason in their prayer The time is come Offences done against God should grieue vs more then our owne iniuries Godly meÌ„ haue no enemies but such as are enemies to God Seeing Gods law can not be destroyed how are the wicked charged with this crime The law written in the Bible they cannot destroy The law written in the conscience they can neuer destroy Yet because their malice would doe it if they might they shall be charged with it ☜ There is a time appointed for the punishmeÌ„t of euil men Basil. Ambrose True religion cannot be tryed without trouble Loue of Gods obedience an argument of true godlinesse With what coÌ„ditions Gods creatures may be loued As the minde esteemes of any thing the affections go after it The word of God called iust in two respects 〈◊〉 of euill â—…s a â—…val of our 〈◊〉 to God The perfection of the godly is in parts not in degrees Ambrose It is sufficient to mans damnation if he be captiued by any one sinne If we heare not God when hee speakes in his word we shall not be welcom when we pray If men seek not from God it is because they know him not Our manifold necessities require manifolde prayers To continue long in praier and be feruent also is a difficult thing August ad Probam Prayers would be short frequent ☜ Praiers should be made long or short according to our disposition Good to deale with God by teares more then by talke Two things in this verse CommendatioÌ„ of Gods word Euery article of our faith is a mystery 1. Tim. 3 ☞ The word serues for food and light to the soule Without the word men walk in darknes Shame it is now to see aged men children in vnderstanding Vatab. Onely simple men and not they who are high minded profit by the word No maruaile Papists profit not by it Papists calumnie of the obscuâ—…ity of scripture confuted Basil. Euthym. Iren. l. 2. c. 46 Lactan. l. 6. c. 21 How a moued mind affects the body The feruent desire of godly men toward the word When God opens his mouth to giue wee should open our hearts to receiue Psalme In our best estate we haue need to seeke mercy A good conscience presents it selfe vnto God Godly exercised with spirituall desertions To some God looks in mercy to others in wâ—…th Examples of Gods mercy oâ—… others should confirme vs. Mercy gracâ—… are benefits in diuisible foolish are they who seek the first and not the second ☞ The steps of the Soule are motions of the affections Al creatures except man and apostate Angels are ruled by Gods word Satan an vnreasonable Tyrant Seruice to Satan hurtfull to them who yeeld it Satans officer can neuer be satisfied ☜ Armour of the godly is patience prayer The wicked are but roddes in the hand of God They who persecute with their tongues will not faile if they might to persecute with their hands also Man by sinne is become a weake and silly creature A preseruatiue against pride ☜ Benefits should binde vs to the loue and obedience of God who gaue them A common light externall A common light internall A speciall light internall Basil. in Ps. 119. Angry face of God most fearfull Prou. 16. How God forsakes his children Not according to his truth but our sense Gods countenance illuminates the â—…inde and changes the heart of him vpon whom he lookes Amb. â—… Cor. 4. 6. No ioy in this life