to Pharaoh Hâ— that câ—mmitteth sinne saith Christ is a seruant to sinne as by the contrary He that is borne of God sinnes not because the seed of God is in him The worke of sinne seemes pleasant and againfull but in the end yee shall find it both vnplesant and painfull Vse when you get your wages payed you from your master the Deuill ye shall know the truth of that saying of the Apostle The reward of sinne is death Rom 6.23 Ibid. 21. And in another place What haue ye gaine whereof now ye are ashamed whose end is death The deuill may giue you the bait of present pleasures but he lets you not see the mischieuous hooke lying vnder the bait Vse 2 Let vs refuse therefore to worke any longer task vnto Satan and betake vs to a better Master and better seruice and work in the Lords vineyard Iohn 6.27 Labour after that meat which perisheth not whose fruits shall be eternall life Of iniquity Some thinke these to be hypocrites as in the 41. Psalme verse 7. All they that hate me whisper together against me euen against me doe they imagine mine hurt But here it imports more when he cals them workers of iniquity A manifest practice of their wicked deuices in their actions against Dauid What iniquity is for iniquity is that which is contrary to equity and iustice and equity is defined by Cicero Suum cuique tribuere whereas iniquity is to defraud any man of his due Whereby yee see that God abhorreth all iniuries wee can doe to our neighbours Doct. God abhorreth all iniuries done to our neighbours 1 Ioh. 4.20 Mat. 9.13 and esteemes then his seruice to be true when it beginneth at our neighbours For how can we loue God whom we see not saith the Apostle when wee loue not man made to the Image of God whom we see And our Sauiour saith I will haue mercy and not sacrifice So that he refuseth the principall part of his seruice which consisteth in sacrifices if they bee not conjoyned with mercy to our neighbours and in Isaiah Isai 66.3 he that kelleth a Bullocke or a Lambe offers a gift as though he had killed a dogge or a sowe and onely because of their iniuries Woe to this sinfull generation Vse who make no conscience but doe all manner of iniuries to whom they may and doe not spare either fatherlesse or widow or strangers or the gray haires or pupils or Orphans and yet vaunt of their religion Note I wish rather they would professe Papistry or Paganisme that their confession and profession might be answerable and that they would either professe as they liue or liue as they professe for it is shame that a good faith should be backed with had works For the Lord hath heard the voyce of my weeping Doctr. The neerer we draw to God the further we must flee from all his enemies The argument whereby he repelleth the wicked from his is taken from his familiarity with God and sure it is the nearer we draw to God the further will we flee from all his enemies what makes vs such associates with the children of the Diuell but that wee are strangers to God and when once we haue drawne in friendship and seruice with him then we hate the other partie Next Prayer ioyneth vs to God yee shall know that the principall mean by which we can frequent with God is Prayer for if God giue vs the Spirit of Prayer then he giues vs an accesse to the throne of his grace Many yea the most part of the world know not what prayer meaneth others pray perfunctoriously and hypocritically and their prayer turneth into sinne The benefit of true prayer But happy are those whom Gods most holy Spirit teacheth to pray and those onely can pray aright The voyce There is ascribed to prayer a voyce Doctr. The voice of prayer more mentall then vocall which is not so much vocall as mental alwayes it hath a piercing voyce which pierceth the heauens and preuaileth mightily with God and is so importunate that it will not come from heauens gates till and answer be giuen as Ezechias Moses c. Of my weeping As Dauids prayers were not dumbe His prayer was not dry but had a voyce so they are not dry but full of teares those sappy prayers be acceptable to God which proceed not from a barren and dry heart but from an heart well watered with the clouds of heauen hears planted at the Riuers of waters which wee should all pray after Hee hath this comfort that God heard his prayers Doct. Our prayers in faith will surely be heard not that he heard them wit eares as he who planted the eares doth heare but hee heard his praier when he granted yeelded to his petition And this is a great prouocation to vs to make vs pray in faith and then wee may perswade our selues God wil heare them Thinke ye not that a mother will discerne the voyce Simil. but much more the weeping of her owne childe nad the Ewe discerne the bleating of her owne lambe amongst a thousand and will not God regard the praier of his own childe being in affliction Vse And this certaintie that we haue to be heard should hearten vs all to pray Whomsoeuer Christ cured he asked if they beleeued then said Mat. 9.29 Marke 7.9 Be it to thee according to thy faith And again I saw not greater faith in Israel It is then superfluous to pray except thou beleeue Infidelitie is the cause why we lacke many good things Vse Distrust is the cause we receiue nothing from God for wee doe God great iniury in vttering forth words to him when eyther we doubt of his power that he cannot or of his loue that he will not bestow good things necessary to vs. Verse 9. The Lord hath heard my petition the Lord will receiue my prayer Why he repeateth three times that he was heard HE repeats the hearing of his prayer three times for two causes First to let vs see how frequently he vsed the exercise of praier for he diuide the day in three Morning noon and at euening tide did I call vpon thee and the night in three for he beganne the night with prayer I arose at midnight and called vpon thee and he preuented the breake of day and the morning watch Secondly that by his threefold repetition he might perswade himselfe of the acceptation of his prayers that they were heard of God which is a great matter for God heareth not sinners Ioh. 9.31 but If any be a worshipper of God and doth his will him heareth he then if the Lord heare our suifs grant them Vse we may perswade our selues that we are in his fauour Ester 7. When Hester obtained her suite at Ahashuerosh it was an argument she was acceptable to him So is it with vs in our petitions to God VERSE 10. All mine
patience before God to moue him the more to pitie him For if we be wronged by men and beare it patiently it maketh men to pitie our case the more much more pitie wil it be with God who truly can consider our wrongs If we are silent in our owne cause then God will pitie vs Cast thy cause ouer vpon the Lord. but if we take our owne cause in hand then God will leaue vs. So if we would haue God to be our patron and speechman let vs bridle our affections and not giue loose reines to our sudden passions If it be possible as much as in vs is Rom. 12.18 let vs haue peace with all men Certaine it is that Dauid if he might haue had place to be heard was able to maintaine his innocencie but when he saw he was exempted from all patrocinie he suffered it patiently expecting the celestiall Iudge For so long as there is a place left before magistrates to a iust defence then it were a token of an euill conscience or little courage if a man durst not giue a reason of his iust proceeding but when all equitie is buried and no place left to reason it is better to be silent then to speake and so to possesse our soules in patience Verse 15. For on thee O Lord do I waite thou wilt heare me my Lord my God IN this verse is contained the reason which moued Dauid albeit he was tormented with so heauie a disease in his bodie and the vnkindnesse of his friends yet he answered not to their calumnies but suffered them all Why Dauid did not answer to his rebukers as a dumbe and a deafe man to wit because he depended altogether vpon God And truly this is the fountaine of true patience when we trusting in Gods fauour thereby ouercome all the tentations of the world to which vntill we attaine we can neuer be setled to endure any assault neither to bridle our furious motions and perturbations The want of this repose maketh men rage at their trouble by impatiencie vttering the weaknesse of their nature requiting railing with railing bitternesse with bitternesse flesh meeting flesh and corruption corruption as one fire meeting with another great flame being far off from Christian modestie which should be in vs all when as the Apostle commandeth that a patient mind should be knowne to Phil. 4. all the world From hence come those recriminations brawlings contentions declaring that yet we are fleshly and not well setled on God Thou wilt heare me He nourisheth his hope by prayer grounded on true faith in his Lord and Master his God and Father He assureth himselfe that God will not reiect his prayers but answer them out of his fatherly care And this is the onely way of perseuerance when we being instructed in Gods promises pray earnestly vnto his Maiestie for performance of the same Doctrine Prayer strengtheneth our faith in Gods promises and hasteneth him to deliuer vs. Faith taketh hold of things to come Marke I pray you that the best meanes by which ye both strengthen your owne faith in Gods promises and prouoke God to hasten your deliuerie is prayer by which we should giue the Lord no rest till he deliuer his owne Israel Furthermore in this that he saith Thou wilt heare me there is the voice of faith certifying it selfe of a comfortable answer as though it were done already My Lord my God My is not in the Hebrew or Greeke text but it is his common word of application as it was Christs My God my God The one is a word of power the other of loue not as Lorinus saith of science for then you might inferre vnder it all Gods properties Learne that we haue to do with one that hath both loue as God and power as Lord. God hath both power and will to helpe vs. Many haue power to help vs who beare vs but little good will many haue loue who want power but God hath them both if we depend still vpon him for whatsoeuer he hath is ours and is ready to do vs good when we need Our God is rich in mercie to all those that call vpon him Verse 16. For I said heare me lest they reioyce ouer me for when my foote slippeth they extoll themselues against me HE vseth an argument to moue the Lord to heare him taken from his enemies insultation ouer him For the nature of the wicked Iud. 16.23 The wicked insult ouer Gods children Lam. 1.2 Sa. 1.20 is to insult ouer Gods children as the Philistims did ouer Samson Ieremie lamenteth that the enemies opened their mouth against the citie and nation and Dauid feared that Sauls death should be published in Gath or Askelon and Micah Reioyce not ouer iue mine enemie This insultation displeaseth God so much that he turneth backe that euill vpon the insulter So did the children of Edom crie Psal 137.7 Raze it raze it to the foundation thereof And when my foote slippeth The wicked reioice at the fall of others 2. King 18. This is a mark of an euill and diuellish man who can be glad at the fall of others euen his enemies speaking great things as did Rabsheketh Against which sort of railers Saint Ierome inueyeth mightily Caninam saith he exercent facundiam eloquenter maledicentes Nerones foras intus Catones They exerce doggish eloquence without Neroes within Catoes Which sort of people God will ouerthrow It seemeth to be the comfort of wicked men as the same Father saith to carp at good men because of the multitude of offenders they suppose the blame of their faults to be lessened or because by the dispraise of others we would seeme to be praiseworthy Finally that there be few which abandon this vice and seldome are they found who shew their life so vnreproueable when they reproue another and therefore this euill is rife and therefore in many this vice is hot because it is willingly entertained of all Paulinus in the life of Saint Ambrose sheweth that when one through sliding had fallen on the earth Theodolus then a Notary and after Bishop of Mutines laughed at it to whom Ambrose turned and laid Et tu qui stas vide ne cadas And thou who standest take heed lest thou fall And shortly after he that iested at another mans fall lamented for his owne Verse 17. Surely I am readie to halt and my sorrow is euer before me SOme of the interpreters thinke that this verse sheweth his halting of a bile but it is not very likely neither is there greater reason then to say the like of Ieremie who saith that his enemies intended and awaited for his halting But the sentence is that like a cripple man without helpe he is like to fall downe 1. Kin. 18.21 We halt in sin and often betweene two opinions as the Israelites whereupon we are forced to halt in our bodies And my sorrow is euer before me The meaning is that he is
so strictly vrged that he can get no relaxation of his euill being so incurable except he get a remedie froÌ„ God These would seeme to be the words of an impatient mind but we must not thinke that a Christian can keep a continual course but as Iob fell forth in bitter speeches so the best man in the world may do as much and more Therefore when men are thus passionate let vs not cast them off iudging them to be reprobates When he faith they are euer before him note the extremitie of his tentation that he hath no stay of his trouble but continually pressed therewith Should not we thank God that deales more mercifully with vs that notwithstanding of our sins doth not suffer vs to be ouerwhelmed with troubles for he is faithfull 1. Cor. 10.13 who will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that which we are able to beare Lorinus here bringeth in Purgatorie as though Dauid had not had purgatorie of afflictions in this lâ—fe but had need of another purgatorie in another life Verse 18. When I declare my paine and am sorie for my sinne Verse 19. Then mine enemies are aliue and are mightie and they that hate me wrongfully are many HEre the malice of his enemies is described from the circumstance of time when they vtter their malice in the highest degree when he is lowest in declaring both his sinne and the punishments thereof and being afflicted of God they afflict him and impeach his spirituall meditations Thus Satan taketh vs at the shot and at the pinch that when we haue to do with God specially and most particularly he then manifesteth his malice most against vs to interrupt our diuine seruice yea he goeth mad in furie when he seeth vs seruing God Satan abhorreth our repentance and confession of sin for there is no exercise which he doth more abhor then repentance and confession of our sinnes for in so doing we bid adieu to the diuell and acquit our selues from his camp Lorinus following Origen expoundeth this of auricular confession to the Priest yet he granteth that this place doth not conuince the vse of confession sacramentall which was not vnder the law neither the other which was made sometime to men yet he thinketh it fauoureth them both lest contadicting the Fathers he may seeme to fauour the heretikes who abhorre the sacramentall confession Mine enemies are aliue The miseries of Gods children inanimates their enemies and giues them new courage as though they got a new life and were reuiued when they heare the destruction of Gods children and yet they are in effect dead who delight in the dead works of sinne Non est viuere sed valere vita Si viuis animae si quid antiquà tibi Remanet vigoris pelle foemineos metus Eâ—â— inhospitalem caucasum mente indue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ardere but rather as Plato in Cratylo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viuere vnde Iupiter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The lust of the wicked is sinne Also I mark here what is the life of wicked men sinne and doing of wrong The diuel he delighteth to tempt men to sin and the wicked cannot sleep till they haue done some sin and neither can eate nor drinke with delight till they haue performed some mischiefe And they that hate me wrongfully are many An argument to perswade God to deliuer him is his innocencie that the wrongs he suffereth are causlesse For surely the Lord will not maintaine vs against our enemies if we haue iustly prouoked their anger Psal 5.4 For he is a God that loueth no iniquitie and no wickednesse dwelleth with him It is not his pleasure that we should be enuious neither wil our Christian profession admit it which is so far from doing wrong A mark of one truly religious he doth wrong to none that by the contrary it will be content patiently to endure iniuries Then if this be a note of true religion to do violence to none what religion thinke ye the Romanists haue who teach that it is sâ—ruice done to God 〈◊〉 murder Princes shed Christian and innocent blood it is a bloodie religion aâ—d the Diuell is the father of iâ— and Rome the mother which hatched it Flie from â—haâ— Babel that ye be not partakers of her iudgements Verse 20. They also that rewarded euill for good are mine adâ—â—rsaries because I â—oâ—â—ow goodnesse THis is a higher dâ—gree of iniquitie that not onely they harâ—d him without any cause or wrong done by him to any of them but also he had prouoked them by his benefiâ—s to loue him and yet they were so diuellishly disposed that as Iudas did recompence Christ so did they Dauid repaying him euill for the good things he had bestowed on them Three sorts of spirits 1. naturall There be three sorts of spirit a naturall when a man can do good for good and euil for euill which theeues Pagans Barbarians and the very beasts will do 2. celestiaâ—â— The second celestiall who can do good for euill to shew their conformitie and obedience to Christ their Master The third sort are infernall 3 diabolical possessed by the diuell who render euill for good who in our dayes abound too much whom God reserueth to eternall darknesse Were mine aduersaries or did calumniate From this commeth the name of the Diuell Satan an accuser of the brethren The wicked calumne always Gods children Gods children haue euer the diuels children set against them to accuse who if at any time they praise let vs suspect our selues lest we haue done any euil for which they do it As Antisthenes when he heard the people praise him said Quid inquit mali feci Plutarch What euil haue I committed Because I followed goodnesse This is the highest degree of their persecution to trouble him for religion and because he feared God So they hated God in him and persecuted God in him 21. Forsake me not O Lord be not thou far from me my God Verse 22. Haste thee to help me O my Lord my saluation THese two verses containe a prayer wherein he imploreth the help of God by a three-fold repetitionâ— euer he feareth desertion for sinne ingendreth this feare For if we were cast into the deepest dangers this will euer comfort vs if we be assured of the Lords presence heauen is hell to vs if he be not with vs Nota. hell is heauen to vs if he be there Haste thee to helpe me O my Lord my saluation Here is the weaknesse of our nature described that through our infirmitie we cannot waite the time of Gods deliuerie which maketh vs to crie hasten God will come if we patiently attend his coming But let vs learne patiently to attend his good leisure assuring our selues that he will come Come Lord Iesus and deliuer thy Church from all her miseries by thy glorious appearance O my Lord my saluation He attributeth those names to God Iehouah the name
whereupon wee must walke euen Faith and Loue which two will carry vs to heauen without Faith thou art lame of thy right foot without Loue thou art lame of thy left foot let Faith worke through Loue. Beleeue in Iesus Christ and liue a Godly life and assure thy selfe thou art in the way to heauen Note If thou beleeue and liue euill thy one foot is in the way to heauen thy other to hell so if thou pretend a good life and casts away the word thy left foote is to heauen and thy right to hell 1 Thes 4. â— Concerning Loue yee need not that I write vnto you for ye are taught of God to loue one another Moreouer this way in the Scripture is surely set downe and the word is so called many times in the hundred and nineteenth Psalme Ioh. 5.39 Such great commendation hath Christ giuen to the word that hee desires vs diligently to search it Patres ex Scripturis didicerunt nos ex iis discamus viam the Fathers learned of the Scriptures A desire to be taught presupposeth an ignorance Simil. let vs learn of them the way Teach me thy pathes this presupposeth that men are ignorant by nature for euen as strangers put in a Wildernesse where there is no straight way could very hardly discerne vvhat vvay to take but vvould bee a prey to Beasts and Brigands so are men by nature ignorant of God Act. 8.31 The Eunuch said to Philip How can I vnderstand without an Interpreter Nature may teach thee vvayes to maintaine this life but the vvay to heauen there is no reason that can perswade or teach it commeth by diuine inspiration Mat. 16.17 Blessed art thou Simon sonne of Iona flesh and bloud hath not reuealed it vnto thee but my Father that is in heauen The Philosophers and Astrologians vvho vvere quicke in iudging things naturall were but blind in grace Mat. 11.25 I thanke thee Father thou hast hid it from wise men and reuealed it to babes The Scripture is as the Starre that leadeth vs to Bethleem Mat. 2.9 This is a great humility in Dauid that being a King and a Prophet yet he would learn this Lesson to serue God let Preachers euer bee learning Sâ—crates said at his death Hoc vnum scio me nihil scire I know this one thing that I know nothing Note a conceit of knowledge is a mâ—rke of ignorance Hee repeats this vvord teach mee often vvhereby hee acknowledges that the chiefe lesson hee vvishâ—th to learne to make him wise is to know how to serue God by his word and of this wisedome in the 119. Psalm he affirmeth that it will make him wiser then his enemies then his masters then his ancients By the word teach Doctr. Preaching of the word of God is the ordinarie meane of Saluation Luk. 4.16 hee would teach vs that the ordinary meanes of Satuation and knowledge is the word preached How can they beleeue without preaching not by reading mumbling Masses c. but by liuely preaching Christ preached so in the Temple when he tooke the Booke from the Reader Brethren haue yee any word of exhortation for the people Preach in season and out of season Act. 13.15 The repetition of the words shew mee teach mee lead mee teach me declares the instancie that hee vsed to heare the word more sweet then honey Ps 119.103 Ps 88 1â— yea better then his appointed foode so that hee desired that hee might bee but a doore-keeper in the house of the Lord. This his affection to the word hee declareth by repeating it in the 119. Psalme 175. times The great ignorance which is among vs springeth from a want of desire to heare Ignorance springeth from want of desire to be taught Luk. 24.31 The two Disciples said Did not our heart burne within vs all the time he spake to vs VERSE 5. Lead mee forth in thy truth and teach mee for thou art the God of my Saluation in thee doe I trust all the day Doct. It is not sufficient to bee taught the way vnlesse we be led into it HEe craues not onely to be taught the truth and the way but to bee led and directed in the way that God may not onely point it out to him but conuoy him thereunto and keepe him from going out of it for albeit we be entred in the way of grace if God would not perfect that worke wee would fall euery moment therefore hee worketh in vs to will and perfite and hee who began can crowne also the worke hee is the staffe to which wee must leane and of which wee must take hold knowledge is not sufficient without practice God must make vs to walke in the way wee know Our knowledge will bee a dittay against vs if wee walke not in the way wee know Luk 12.47 for hee that knowes the will of his master and doeth not the same shall haue double stripes For thou art the God of my saluation The Argument by which hee would moue God to teach him his wayes is taken from the person of God whom hee calleth the God of his saluation and his owne person who is saued in that hee beleeues in him and the adiunct of faith which is constancie and perseuerance all the day The Argument is taken from the Office of a Sauiour to guide them whom hee hath deliuered and saued but thou hast saued mee therefore guide me First Doct. All in condemnation without Christ Rom 11.32 Doct. No man or Angel can saue vs but God Psal 3.8 Psal 71.19 Psal 136.11.13 c. in that hee calleth him the God of his saluation hee would let vs see that we are all in condemnation without Christ all are inclosed vnder sinne that God might be mercifull to them And vvhere hee calleth him the God of his saluation hee importeth that it was not in the power of Man or Angell to saue him but in Gods who behoued to take it vpon himselfe to deliuer him from temporall and spirituall dangers Saluation onely belongeth to the Lord What God is like our God who deliuereth vs from our enemies as hee brought the Israelites out of Egypt led them through the red Sea fought all their battels rebuked Kings for their sakes What euer deliuery comes to vs comes by God whateuer instrument hee vseth in the same he saues vs and not wee our selues neither chariots nor horses Note The consideration of this should moue vs to be thankfull to him Moses Ioshua Sampson c. were typicall Sauiours but God was the great Sauiour who saued his people Next if God be the onely and sole Sauiour of our bodies in sauing them from diseases and of our liues in sauing them from our enemies should any seeke saluation to his soule but from him for if a temporary deliuery cannot come but by him what deuillish doctrine is it to teach that saluation can come by any other Seeing then
9.27 that in this verse he particularly applyeth vnto himselfe shewing vs hereby how necessary the application of mercy is to a Preacher lest preaching to others hee become a Reprobate himselfe He runnes euer to mercy pretending no merits and craues pardon to his iniquity which before hee called sinne for hee sinned against God and did iniquity to Vrias Doct. Who sinneth against God hurteth his neighbour 1 Ioh. 4.20 where obserue that sinne and the forgetfulnesse of God causes vs to doe iniquity and wrong to our neighbours how can wee loue God whom wee see not and hate man made to his I mage whom wee see For it is great Doct. To aggrauate sin a true marke of a penitent Gen. 3.12.13 A true marke of a petitent sinner to aggrauate his sinne Some vse to extenuate their sinnes by comparing them to others whom they thinke sinne more then they doe others excuse them as Adam did when hee said The woman which thou gauest to bee with me shee gaue me of the Tree and I did eate shee againe excused herselfe The Serpent beguiled me and I did eate Doctr. WheÌ„ man remembreth sinne God forgetteth it But let the children of God search and finde out the greatnesse of their sinnes and aggrauare them that God may extenuate them and so forget them Are yee loadned with sinne remember it and God will forget it and ease you if yee haue it before your eyes hee shall cast it behind his backe but if you thinke nothing of sinne God will binde it on your backe so that it shall presse you downe as a milstone But he craueth this for Gods names sake his name is his honor Doctr. Gods chiefest honor is his mercie Pro. 25.2 shewing vs that God purchaseth his chiefe honour by his mercy It is the honour of the King to try sinnes but the honour of God to couer them VERSE 12. What man is hee that feareth the Lord him will hee teach the way that he shall choose IN this and the other two verses following is contained another quality which God craueth in his penitent humble and obedient sinner to wit that he haue the feare of God who is rewarded with temporall and spirituall blessings in his soule body and posterity So godlinesse is great gaine hauing the pâ—omâ—es of this life the life to come 1 Tim 4.8 What man is he By this forme of interrogation hee would note the raritie of those that shall finde mercie and this indefinite speech answerable to an vniuersall declareth that whatsoeuer they bee of whatsoeuer estate and condâ—tion who feare God shall bee sure of these after following blessings Doct. God directs them whom hee forgiues Next obserue that God hee directs all these in the course of their life whom hee hath pardoned therfore those who are not reconciled to God need not looke for Gods direction he was a Pillar of fire and Cloud to the Israelites for they were vnder the Couenant Exo. 14.19 The feare of the Lord is the chiefe vertue Pro. â—5 33. What the feare of God is euen the beginning of wisedome It is a secret reuerence bred in the heart of a Christian proceeding out of the sense and feeling of Gods loue whereby a sinner is affraid that hee neither thinke speake or doe any thing which hee supposeth may offend Gods Maiestie This secret feare if it bee once planted in the heart will direct thee in all good actions acceptable to God and correct thy euill doings Note The two properties of Gods feare Simil. The loue of God hath a constraining power whereby it compelleth and forceth vs to serue him the feare of God hath a restraining power by which it restraineth and stayeth vs and keepeth vs backe from offending him this is like a bit the other like a spur Abraham feared that the feare of God was not Gen. 20.11 in the place wherto he went Ioseph being inticed by his Mistris to commit wickednes with her answered How can I do this great wickednes and so sin against God Gen. 39.9 the Lord plant this feare in our harts This is a filial feare which he craueth comming from loue not a seruile feare which commeth from a feare of punishment The preseruer of this feare is a continual nourishment in thy minde of the presence of God How the feare of God is preserued to whoÌ„ thou presentest all thy actions When thou coÌ„mittest any thing vnworthy of his presence be ashamed of it flie froÌ„ it craue mercy for it make the quiet Cabinet of thy mind the Chamber of his presence wherin thou darest admit no lewd thought no filthy thing And because it is impossible to fray thy hart minde from the conceptions of that sinning sinne in thee Note yet haue this testimony that it is no sooner conceiued but as soon repented Will he teach the way that he shall choose He promiseth foure benefits to the man that feareth God he heapeth vpon him grace vpon grace before hee pardoned him and now he directeth the man whom he forgaue for no sooner receiueth hee any man in his fauor when he immediately takes the protection and direction of him But out of these words we see three things First there are diuers yea contrary wayes as there are contrary ends the broad and the narrow the Kings way and by-rodes the way of life and of death Many promise to themselues a Kingdom not being in the way leading thereto This is against such as dreame to themselues that whatsoeuer religion they professe or howsoeuer they liue they shall goe to heauen but they are deceiued for if thou be not in the way to the Kingdome thou shalt neuer attain to the Kingdome many yea the most part are not going but riding not running but posting to hell whom if ye demand whither they goe they will answere to heauen yea and they will bragge they shall be nearer God then the Preacher himselfe euen as if one would dreame of life at the poynt of death Next wee see that a man cannot of himselfe choose the right way to heauen Doct. Man of himselfe is ignoâ—ant of the rigâ— he way 1 Cor. 2.1 4 for the naturall man cannot apprehend those things which pertaine to Gods Kingdome neither yet can he see them for they are spiritually discerned Whereupon followeth the third that is how man shall choose the good and refuse the euill way Rom. 9 1â— Non est currentis nec volentis sed miserentis Dei It is not in him that runneth nor in him that willeth but in God that sheweth mercy Heb. 11.25 Moses choosed rather to suffer with the Church then to bee called the sonne of Pharohs daughter Ios 24.15 Ioshua and his house choosed to serue God though all the people should serue Baal Psal 4.6 Dauid the King choosed the light of Gods countenance to shine on him 1 Kin. 3.9 Solomon made
his choyce of wisdome Luk. 10.42 Mary choosed the better part Paul thought all things to be dung in respect of the excellent knowledge of Christ Phil. 3.8 The Church of Laodicea was counselled to buy gold Apoc. 3.18 But all these their choyces were of God who put it in their hearts to choose good things Wisedome cryed in the streets that all that were destitute of vnderstanding should come to her Pro. 8.1 but the foole heard the voyce of the harlot Goe to our daliance Pro. 7.22 saith shee and hee went like a sheepe to the slaughter So by nature we choose the way to destruction Hos 13.9 Thy perdition is of thee O Israel thy saluation of me VERSE 13. His soule shall dwell at ease and his seede shall inherite the Land What the peace of conscience 〈◊〉 HIs soule shall dwell at ease The second promise and spirituall blessing the peace of conscience which is the tranquility of the soule flowing from the assurance of Gods fauour in Christ wrought by the holy Spirit This is that white stone in the Reuelation Reuel 2.17 wherein a name is written which none can read but hee that hath it Thy good life may bee a marke to others of thy saluation but thy inward peace is a token to thy selfe that howsoeuer thy outward man bee afflicted yet thy inward man hath that peace which passeth all naturall vnderstanding of which Christ saith My peace I giue you Ioh. 20.19 not as the world and hee commanded the Apostles to giue their peace The giuer of this peace is called the Prince of peace the wicked cry peace Ier. 8.11 when as sudden destruction is approaching as the trauell of a woman But there is no peace to the wicked Esa 48.22 saith my God they may sometimes lye in carelesse security not wakened by the sight of Gods iudgements but sleeping in the bottome of the Sea hauing no true rest for the worldlings haue three wormes which eate them vp care feare and dolour Care feare and griefe are three wormes which eate the worldlings care to conquest the things of this world so excessiuely that they are eaten vp by it feare lest it be taken from them and commonly God as hee threateneth by his word the thing they feare shall come on them and then followeth an excessiue sorrow for the losse of them they despaire and oftentimes are the cause of their owne death but the godly cast their care vpon the Lord they haue a reasonable care of their Familie but with measure they feare nothing but the offence of God all other feares are swallowed vp in the gulfe of that feare for they assure themselues that God will maintaine their Lot and finally at the losse of any creature the godly haue a naturall sorrow albeit not out of measure Iob. 1.21 but with Iob saying The Lord hath giuen and taken The third benefite And his seede shall inherit the Land The third blessing temporall he promiseth wealth to the posterity of the righteous that their daies shall be long in the Land that God hath giuen them First in this promise yee see the constancie of Gods fauor towards them that feare him their death doth not withdraw Gods loue from their posterity 2 Sam. 19.38 as Dauid after Barzillai went home remembred his kindnesse in intertaining Chimham and on Mephibosheth hee shewed the mercy of God for Ionathans sake 2 Sam. 9.3 Doctr. Gods loue dieth not with the Parents but reuiues in their posterity A note for Parents so Gods loue dies not with the Parents but reuiueth in their posterity as the Lord promised to Dauid 2 Sam. 7.12 Here is a promise to the godly who feare him of a sure and perpetuall maintenance to their posterity The consideration hereof should abate that excessiue care that Parents haue of their children whereas the best care they can haue of them is that they feare God themselues and labour to bring them vp in that feare Kings haue not such surety of the continuance of their crownes to their succession neither Noble-men of their Lands as â— godly man hath of Gods prouision Psal 37.25 I was young saith Dauid and now am old yet I neuer saw the iust man nor his seed to beg Moreouer we see that Lands are at the disposition of God Doct. All changes come of sinne who wil giue them to whom he pleaseth and altereth Dominions as the Monarchie of the Babylonians Persians Grecians and Romanes the cause of this alteration was their sin and doe we not see amongst our selues within these thirty yeares Example of our time many and strange alterations of Lands and houses translated from the right owners thereof to others neither of their name nor any way belonging to them Should not this teach vs all to feare God and make our houses as Sanctuaries to him left he be forced as he extirped the Canaanites for their sinnes to root vs out and sweepe vs away as with a besom VERSE 14. The secret of the Lord is reuealed to them that feare him and his couenant to giue them vnderstanding 4. Benefit and promise reuelation of his secretâ— THe fourth benefit which the Lord will bestow vpon the godly men he will if they feare him reueale to them his secrets First Doct. Gods word is a secret â—eu 5.5 ye see the word of God is called a secret a mystery and hid treasure a closed booke which none is able to loose but the Lambe For all the naturall wit of man is not able to attaine to the vnderstanding of the meanest Article of faith All things which we beleeue are aboue the compasse of reason or flat against it The Gospell commeth by reuelation The Gospell comes by reuelation Mat. 16.17 Blessed art thou Simon the Sonne of Ionah flesh and bloud hath not reuealed this to thee but my Father where he manifestly testifieth that the confession of Christ is a hid matter which must bee reuealed to vs by himselfe The wit of man can search the profundities of nature albeit it is not able to attaine to the hundreth part thereof as of Physicke Astronomy Geometry c. but it cannot scaâ—se vpon Diuinity without inspiration which must come from aboue It is no maruaile therefore that so few beleeue the word for faâ—â—h is not of all men it is the gift of God as iâ— is a secret so are they called his secret ones to whom he reuealeth it But men may thinke Obiect that it being a secret why should it be made common to all and God hath closed that booke Answer I answer vvith Augustine it is a flood on vvhich a Lambe may swimme and an Elephant may walke Mat. 13.11 To the children of God it is plaine to those it is giuen to vnderstand but to others they are parables Esay 6.9 That seeing they should not perceiue But to vvhom doth he
Whether may not men lawfully reioyce in the blessings that God hath given them as a man in the Wife of his youth Parents in their children and in their temporall blessings I answere yea verily providing alway that God be the ground and end of their reioycing Ans that they reioyce in them as pledges of Gods mercie and loue them because they see them readie to serue God and that they regard more grace then nature in their wiues and children otherwise their preposterous affection turneth into sorrow and griefe 1 Sam. 4.17 18. as did the loue of Eli to his children who in the end smarted for it The Lord moderate our ioyes that they may be all in him and sanctifie our persons that they may be righteous and vpright that the loyes we receiue here may be entrances to the euerlasting ioyes we shall receiue in the kingdome of Heaven through Christ our Lord. Amen FINIS A GODLY AND FRVITFVL EXPOSITION ON THE xxxviij PSALME THis Psalme hath three parts to be considered First The diuision of the Psalme the title and superscription A Psalme for remembrance Secondly Dauids humble confession of his sinnes which brought forth such miseries on his body and mind which he regrateth throughout all the Psalme vntill the two last verses Thirdly a prayer to God for support and reliefe out of those troubles contained in the two last verses The title A Psalme for remembrance THe meaning of this title is that he would keepe it to be a memoriall and a memento of his miseries which because of his sinne he did sustaine at the making hereof For man by nature is forgetfull of his miseries Man remembreth his trouble no longer then whilst he is vnder it so that they passe as waters that are gone yea albeit they vrge him very vehemently while they are lying on him yet he presently forgetteth them when he getteth the smallest reliefe as men do the stormie blasts of Winter so soone as some few faire Sommer dayes do appeare Simil. This forgetfulnesse springeth out of that roote of ingratitude which is a capitall sin Forgetfulnes springeth of ingratitude Psal 103.2 Doctrine God who deliuereth vs must put vs in mind of our deliuerie Gen. 28.20 and therefore Dauid prayeth vnto the Lord that his benefits slip neuer out of his mind So that God who deliuereth vs out of our troubles must also furnish vs with memorie both to remember the deliuerie as also the troubles out of which he hath deliuered vs. Iacob made a vow at Bethel that if God went with him and would keepe him in the iourney which he went and would giue him bread to eate and clothes to put on c. then he should be his God But when he returned God put him in mind of his vow saying Arise go vp to Bethel and dwel there and make there an altar vnto God that appeared vnto thee when thou fleddest from Esau thy brother Gen. 35.1 And as it is naturall in vs to forget Gods benefits so is it as naturall in vs to remember euill Man remâ—bers euill too well If any hath offended vs in the smallest word that we keepe fresh in memorie Nam ira tardissimè senescit wrath slowly groweth old As the sieue retaineth and beareth aboue the clats and bran Simil. the grosse excrements of the corne and suffereth the good grain easily to passe thorows so doe wee easily retaine euill and forget good This superscription is not to be found in all the Psalmes except in this and in the seuentie Alwaies let vs pray vnto the Lord to furnish vs with a faithfull remembrance both of our sinnes prouoking him to wrath against vs and of his manifold mercies pardoning our manifold sinnes as also that we may forget the particular iniuries wrongs done vnto vs. The substance and vse of this Psalme In this 38 Psalme Dauid deploreth vnto God the violence of his sicknesse the malice of his aduersaries who seeming to pitie him mocked him by their craftie visitation exulcerating his wounds by their deceitfull dealing while he in the meane time in patience possessed his soule not making answer to their iniuries in the first twenty verses in the two last imploring Gods helpe for his deliuerance from them The vse of this Psalme This Psalme will be very pertinent for euery one who is outwardly or inwardly grieued for they haue this godly Prince and Prophet set down before them in that same case as Christ also whose type he was was acquainted with the like miseries and an high Priest who hauing tafted of all our dolours may more heartily compassionate vs in our afflictions The Papists think that this Psalme should be sung for those that are in Purgatorie Against the Papists songs for those in Purgatory which they themselues grant was not before Christs dayes but if they marked it rightly they would be ashamed of that assertion for it destroyeth all the grounds of their purgatoriall fire which some of themselues confesse from whom albeit Lorinuâ— the Iesuite and Bellarmine do not disassent yet they think it not meet to condemne the opinion of others who affirme the same lest thereby they should giue vs whom they call Heretikes cause of reioycing Whereby we may plainly perceiue how those two arch-heretikes detaine the truth of God in vnrighteousnesse 〈◊〉 1.18 commending and approuing the false wresting of the Scriptures yet not daring to condemne that as hereticall doctrine which they cannot proue to be canonicall and agreeable to the truth VERSE 1. O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger neither chastise me in thy wrath THere are 22 verses of this Psalme answering to the order of the Hebrew Alphabet This first verse is agreeable to the first verse of the sixt Psalme of which I haue written at length except only in the two Hebrew words Beappecha and Bekitspecha which are Synonyma and of one signification which two Psalmes Saint Basil conferring together findeth them to agree in many things as the diligent Reader by comparing them together may perceiue He also compareth a sinner to a sicke man Basil lib. 1. de staâ—u animae qui leuia ac mitia pharmaca desideret ferrim incisiones ignem deprecetur who desireth light and easie plaisters and again would be free of cuttings fire and extreme remedies To the foresaid place of the sixt Psalme lest I should seeme tedious in repetition I referre the Reader VERSE 2. For thine arrowes haue light vpon me and thine hand lyeth vpon me SAint Ierom translateth the Hebrew word Nichathu piercing me The arrowes of God are the calamities vexations whereby he was vnquieted in minde and bodie compared to arrowes frequently in the Scriptures as Deut. 32.23 I will bestow mine â—rrowes vpon them And in the 42 verse I wiâ— make mine arrowes drunke with blood And Iob 6.4 The arrowes of the Almightie are in me For God is compared to an archer whose hand is strong
of God therefore God fortifieth his citie with al necessary defences which may hold out the enemie The Church hath walls inuisible visible The walles are too fold inuisible the protection of God which the world seeth not for the Lord is a wall of brasse about his Church to repell her enemies and a wall of fire to burne them also he hath his Angels who pitch their tents about his holy and chosen ones 2. Kin. 6.7 there was horses of fire compassing Elizeus The outward and visible walles are made of a number of liuely stones compacted together by the morter of loue strongly resisting all the enemies of the Church for that vnitie of the Saints strengthen them by the power of their God Boni enim ciues mania cinitatis good citizens are the walles of the citie And vpon these walles compassing them on all sides be bulwarks whereupon are set the canons of the word of God mighty in operation destroying the enemies the censures of the Church namely excomunication which being lawfully led is of greater power to subdue the enemie and resist him then all the power of ciuil authoritie The sinnes of princes and people make great gaps in the walles at which the deuil and enemies of the Church and wolfes enter and destroy the Lords vines They with Tobias and Sanballat stay the building of these walles Neh. 4.2 and are striuing to build the walles of Iericho which were forbidden by Iosuah to be redefied vnder a great curse 1. Ki. 16.34 which lighted on Hiel the Bethelite in the daies of Achab pitie is it to see the princes of this world so much enfeebling Ierusalem to strengthen Iericho Dauid crieth to God that he would build them whose power is greater then all the worlds who as he hath inuisible walles of his protection so he hath outward defences to maintaine his Church he is master of it yea master builder and sendeth forth seruants whom he strengtheneth for the building of his worke I see many pulling downe the walles yea with Edom in the destroying of Ierusalem crying sacke sacke Psal 137. â— raze raze vp the foundation Few with Nehemiah mourning for the ruines of Gods house in all parts and helping to restore them Let vs therefore goe to the God of Dauid who albeit he was king of the towne and began to build the citie and walles and laid materials to the Temple yet he knew that the labourers wrought in vaine vnlesse the Lord of heauen builded the citie Lord repaire the decaies of thy Church for thy Christs take For thy good pleasure He findeth the ground of all that perfection to be in God himselfe and his good fauour and not in men or their merits for as the whole building of the Church is the onely worke of God so is the reparation of her ruines onely belonging to himselfe Men might haue builded with stone and bricke the exterior walles It belongeth to God to build the Church but it is proper to God to build his spirituall Church And this is a token that God hath pleasure in his Church when he is building it sending good builders materialls of spirituall graces fortifiers as Cyrus and Darius good Princes Nehemiah good gouernours Esdra and good Priests And our obedient and carefull people who do take the sword in one hand and the instrument of building in the other that the Lords Ierusalem may be edified But when his fauour is departed then in his wrath he giueth Princes Gouernours Nobles Preachers and people who striue either to hinder the building or to pull downe the building to build vp Iericho and cast downe Ierusalem Dauid he craueth that God may be fauorable according to his good pleasure for the building of the Church dependeth vpon Gods good will and pleasure who when he liketh his Church can aduance her and when he is displeased with her cast her downe It appeareth euidently now that God is angrie with his Church in all parts of Christendome when he is pulling downe and not raising vp his Church we haue prouoked his wrath against vs and his soule abhorreth our hipocriticall profession and our wicked conuersation Verse 19. Then shalt thou accept the sacrifices of righteousnesse euen the burnt offering and oblation then shall they offer calues vpon thine altar THis is the promise of thankefulnesse to God wherein is set downe a correspondence or restipulation betwixt the people who shall offer sacrifices and God who will accept them And Gods seruice then goeth well when we offer willingly and God accepteth gladly If our sinnes be forgiuen vs God will heare our pâ—â—erâ— Gen. 4.5 Then Marke the time when God hath beene fauorable to his Church in forgiuing her sinnes then he will accept the offerings For pray what ye please and distribute to the poore if God doe not like of it all is in vaine Caine offered sacrifices but the Lord accepted them not because he hated his cruell heart Abel offered in faith and was accepted But how shall ye know if your offerings be acceptable to God seeing there is no fire to fall downe from heauen as that which burnt vp Elias sacrifice 1. Ki 18.34 Yee shall know that albeit an elementarie or materiall fire falleth not downe Nota. yet the fire of the Spirit falleth on our hearts the fire burning vp the drosse of our corruptions by vnfained repentance warmeing our hearts with the loue of God kindling our hearts with a zeale of Gods glorie This is the fire which will fall downe from heauen vpon our soules which sensiblie we feele if the Lord heare our prayers The sacrifices of righteousnesseâ— Some expound these offerings to be such as agree to his will I reuerence their iudgement but I see not how that exposition can agree with the text But it may be expounded of that righteousnesse which we ought to doe to our neighbours as we offer a sacrifice of a contrite heart the calues of our lippes by praises and these are the sacrifices of righteousnesse by our hands so that heart tongue hand should be all offered to God for God liketh well of righteous dealingâ— that our hand be not defiled with thirst couetousnesse oppression which if we sacrifice to Sathan by sinne let vs not lift to God by prayer but lift vp pure hands wash our hands in innocencie and then compasse Gods altar It would seem to be some differenc wher God said Obiect he would haue none of their sacrifices and now they promise sacrifices Indeed if the sacrifices be onely externall Solut. what accounteth God of them if they want mercie and righteousnesse for he will haue mercie and not sacrifice Therefore let externall and internall worship be conioyned and then God will like best of it but being seperated from spirituall offerings it is abominable and a burden to the Lord. Which be the sacrifices of righteousnes The alter Iesus Christâ— by whom we must offer our prayers
to the Father The sacrifices of righteousnesse are those which be lawfull and are commanded by God They shall offer calues vpon thine altar The calues are the calues of the lippes the alter Iesus Christ who was both represented by the brasen altar and by the golden alter For no sacrifice or prayer could euer be acceptable to God vnlesse it were offered vpon Iesus Christ for he is sacrificium sacerdes et altare Augustine saith he is the Priest the Altar and the Sacrifice the offerâ—r the thing offered and the altar vpon which it is offered All the mosaicall altars are abrogated because the sacrifice is made The heathnish altars haue no place The popish altars are abominable after the apish imitation of the Iewish altars they would offer that incrementum sacrificium â—issa without any warrand of Gods word It is enough for vs to offer not Christ to the Father but our prayers by Christ to the Father who will smell asweet sauour of rest of all our peticions and thankes which are presented vpon Christ and for thirst of him Lord keep vs from the altar of Damasâ—us and let vs offer all our offences vpon Iesus Christ with whom we shall be very heartily welcome to God Amen A GODLY AND FRVITFVL EXPOSITION ON THE CXXX PSALME the sixt of the Penitentials The Title A Psalme of degrees OF the Psalmes there are fifteene called Psalmes of degrees or cantica maaloth of assension whereof foure are assigned to Dauid and one to Salomon Why they are thus intituled it is controuersed vpon some thinke them to be thus called Why called a psalm of degrees because there were so many steppes in the Temple of Solomon wherby men ascended as Angustine in his hundred fiftie Psalme whose opinion Bellarmine citeth But apparantly they haue not taken their name from this because in Dauids daies not so much as the Church was builded Others be of opinion that it was after the people came from Babilon which is as light when that captiuity was so many hundred yeares after their death I thinke the Hebrew word would rather be referred to the tune and notes which should asend in singâ—ng and be swift in high notes being so excellent and so easie to be sung 〈◊〉 allegorie The allegorie is not to be neglected that we should by singing them ascend from this earth to that heauenly Ierusalem in our affections Bellarmines eâ—rour coÌ„cerning the singing of this Pâ—alme for thoâ—e that 〈◊〉 purgatorie Bellarmine thinketh this Psalme should be sung for the soules of those that are in profundo in a deepe place who desire to arise and get Gods mercie But who doth not see except he be blind the heretiques errour What doth he know whither such haue repented whether they haue confessed their sinne or no For thousands dies without confessing them If their sinne be mortall they go to hell say they wherefrom there is no redemption The forme of prayer then seeing it hath no warrand in the word it should be reiected as seruing to no vse and no credite should be giuen thereto This Psalme was made many hundred yeares before purgatorie was inuented for purgatorie was after Christ before Christs daies there was none as they themselues confesse And in this Psalme there is not one word that can giue the smallest warrant to that diuelish and foolish inuention Let them sing their De profoundâ—s as they please they doe themselues no more good then they doe to others and that is none at all Nota. onely they spend some idle houres and gaine somewhat to themselues The substance of this Psalme In this Psalme is contained an earnost and ardent prayer of a troubled heart first for mercie to his sinnes and next for deliuerence therefrom and last an exhortation to all men to hope in God because he will be a continuall redeemer of his people and can find meanes to deliuer them from all their sinnes and iniquites The parts of the Psalme In the first foure verses is contained his tentation by commemoration of his praier which he conceiued when he was in greatest perrill Next by forme of transitation he affirmeth that yet he will depend vpon God and his word in the fift and sixe verses And last he recommendeth this same hope to the Church in the last two verses with a bold assurance of the fauour of God toward his chosen Verse 1. Out of the deepe places haue I called vnto thee O Lord. OVt of the deepe places In this verse he setteth downe First the place from which he spoke de profundis out of the deepe places Secondly the forme of his prayer I called Thirdly the person to whom he prayeth To thee O Lord. By the deep places is meant afflictions into which the godly are often plunged By the deepe places as all the ancients consent is meant the deepe places of afflictions and the deepe places of the heart troubled for sinne Afflictions are compared to deepe waters Psalme 18.17 He drew me out of many waters saue me O God for the waters haue entred to my soule Psalme 96. And surely Gods children are often cast into very desperate cases and plunged into deepe miseries To the end they may send out of a contrite feeling heart such prayers as may mount aloft and pierce the heauens When we are in prosperitie our prayers comes from our lippes Nota. and therefore the Lord is forced to cast vs downe to the end our prayers may come from our heart and that our senses may be wakened from the securitie in which they are lying Albeit the throne of God be most high Nota. yet he delighteth to heare the petition of hearts that are most low that are most casten downe by the sight of sinne And there is no affliction neither any place so low yea if as low as the belly of the whale wherein Ionas lay which can seperate vs from the loue of our Lord Ionah 2.6 or stay our prayers from comming before him Those that are furthest casten downe are not furthest from God but neerest vnto him God is neere to a contrite heart God nighest vnto them that are most low Simil. and it is the proper seate where his Spirit dwelleth Isa 62. And this way God dweleth with vs as men doe with such houses as they are minded to build sumptuously and on high for then they digge deepe grounds for the foundation Thus God purposing to make a faire shew of Daniel and the three children in Babel of Ioseph in Aegipt of Dauid in Israel he first threw them into the deepe waters of affliction Daniel is casten into the den of Lions Dan. 6.16 Dan. 3.23 Ge. 39.20 The three children are throwne into the firie ouen Ioseph is imprisoned Dauid exiled 1. Sa. 27.2 yet all these he exalted and made them glorious Temples to himselfe Marke hereby the dulnesse of our nature that is such The dulnes of our nature hath need
of his essence and loue Elohim the name signifying his persons and power Adonai the name of his soueraigntie and greatnesse to teach vs that whē we come before him we may acknowledge what he is in nature and in persons What is deficient in vs is sufficient in God and what our qualities that our doubtfull faith may be vpholden vnder so many tempestuous assaults knowing whatsoeuer is deficient in vs is sufficient in him Those are as many props vpon which our faith is builded that the gates of hell cannot preuaile against vs. A GODLY AND FRVITFVL EXPOSITION ON THE LI. PSALME the fift of the Penitentials THis Psalme is most memorable amongst the seuen Penitentials so that Athanasius that learned and diuine Doctor instructeth Christiā virgins Tract de Virg. when they awake in the midst of the night to repeate the same and the ancient Church made great vse of it And iustly may it be called the sinners guide For as Dauid by his sinne led them to error so by this his repentance he leades them to grace This Psalme consisteth of a Title and Supplication The diuisiō of the Psalme The Title containes the argument substance and occasion of the Psalme The Supplication containeth sixteen arguments which he vseth to moue God to haue compassion on him and a prayer for the Church in the end The Title To him that excelleth on Neginoth A Psalme of Dauid when the Prophet Nathan came vnto him after he had gone in to Bathshebah The Title beares foure things 1. the Author and pen-man of this Psalme Dauid Gods Spirit no doubt being the inditer 2. To whom it was committed to be sung To the chiefe Musitian on Neginoth 3. At what time when Nathan had reprooued him 4. The occasion of the reproofe his going in to Bathshebah Dauid is not content verbally to vtter his repentance or to leaue it in the perishing books of the records of his kingdome His repentance is cōmitted to the eternal monument of Gods booke but he committeth it to the euerlasting momuments of Gods booke whereof one iote cannot perish but shall endure for euer in despight both of the Diuell and Antichrist the Pope his first borne A Psalme of Dauid He putteth to his name prefixing and subscribing it himselfe neither will suffer any to publish it but himself as he was not ashamed to sin he is not ashamed to repent as he was not ashamed to sin openly Let not those be ashamed to repent for sinne who haue not bin ashamed to sin Theodosius his repentance he is not ashamed publikly to declare his repentance Theodosius the Emperour is renowned in all the world for his humble repentance before Saint Ambrose after the slaughter at Thessalonica where in the place of the penitents he fell downe on his face and said Agglutinata est terra anima mea My soule is glued to the earth None are ashamed to sinne but all are ashamed to repent and so God powreth shame vpon many because they will not honour him whom they haue dishonored To the chiefe Musitian or to him that excelleth on Neginoth This same is the title of the 4. Psal Lāmenatzeah oftentimes in the Scriptures is taken for the Presidents who are chiefe in any thing as 2. Chron. 18. 34.18 The sweet◠singer of Israel giues it to a sweete singer I thinke it to be best translated To him that excelleth Neginoth was an instrument of musick vpon which they played So they did not only reade the Psalmes but also sing them yea so distinctly that the people easily might vnderstand them not so much addicted to the note or tune as to the matter Mat. 26 3◠as our Sauiour did sing after the Communion and Paul commandeth it Col. 3.16 Musicke is an Art very pleasant delectable and profitable to stirre vp the affections of man to Gods seruice The commodities of musick 2. Kin. 3.15 or to restraine the anger and perturbations of our nature as was in Elizeus who sought for a minstrell to appease him But first we haue to see that this excellent Psalme is committed to an excellent person who hath great cunning to put it forth to the vse of the Church teaching vs hereby that spirituall exercises are not to be put into the hands of ignorant dolts who haue no wisedome or skill to set forth the glorie of their God For the subiect being most glorious why should it be concredited to such as haue neither learning not wisdome And if that singing should haue so worthy instruments what do ye thinke of the preaching of the Gospell of which the Apostle saith Who can be sufficient for those things Happie then is that Church when learned men are promoted to good places whereby the word may be further aduanced And in a miserable case are those who are committed to the charge of ignorants Against ignorant and idle preachers idle bellies and such like who are vnfit to take the care of Gods people for whom they shall be countable to God at the great day and Gods vengeance shall be vpon them in this world Dauid he aduanceth musick very much as Solomon also after him 1. Chron. 15.16 and the Musicians were distributed into certaine classes and orders Col. 3.16 1 Cor. 14.15 The antiquitie and ancientie hereof maketh much for its commendation for God did inuent it This is a principall science and yet in hath few aduancers Mens deafned eares betoken their beastly ignorance who will not suffer themselues to be wakened and roused vp from their security and sleepe There are some good Christians chalenged Obiect who being of a melancholious nature are thought to abhorre all musicke and musicall instruments Solut. But men are deceiued herein if musicke be free of profanitie and superstition there is no good man of religion who cannot but like it well and delight greatly therein But the auarice of our age as it hath bin the decay of many sciences so likewise of this Nota. The Church being spoiled of her rents is not able to entertaine this science as it should be which God supply whē he thinketh time And this I say not that I do like either the profanitie of beastly men that in stead of heauenly songs sing bawdie ballads or of such superstitious Papists who sing and tune Latine words in their Masses thereby mocking God and making religion a sport But the abuse of that science I disallow the vse I allow and approue as most necessarie to Gods glorie And seeing it will be perpetuall in the heauens why should it not begin on earth There shall be a naturall not artificial song of which we shall sing for euer the song of Moses the seruant of God Apoc. 15.3 Let vs therefore begin on earth Nota. learne of our Gamma and enter into our Alphabet here that we may be perfect Musitians when we become perfect our selues in glorie Here let vs sing with grace