people he giveth to them good Princes and counsellours When God would haue the Iewes to bee exercised and afflicted with the Philistims hee gaue wicked Princes to the people Saul Ioram Achaz When againe he would haue the Iewes to be in a prosperous estate and flourish hee gaue them good Princes David Ezechias Iosias The common sorte of men while they looke vpon these thinges and marke this interchaunge they impute all either to the cowardice and foolishnesse or to the courage and wisedome of the Princes themselues Or finally to Fortune chance But they cry miserably for all those things proceed from GOD by reason of the thankfulnesse or ingratitude of the people Wherefore while we see these things to be done by princes let vs lift vp our eies not so much to the Princes as to God our selues Again see David in this place wheÌ„ by his owne sinne he had hurt the whole people being touched with the conscience of the mater he earnestly prayed to god for the repairing of his skaith wherby he daÌ„nified the people of god Moreover obserue Dauid himselfe being reconciled to God presently he interceedeth for the people he who him self is first reconciled to God nowe is quiet in his owne conscience hee is bolde also to interceed for others at Gods hands But he who is not yet reconciled to God and is therefore yet guiltlie in conscience he dare not indeed be so bolde as to plead his owne cause before God How much therfore is it profitable for a people to haue sum certain good man familiar with god that hath his conscience well pacified and that by faith in Iesus Christ Surely one such like man by his prayers is able to be profitable to many others before God God grant that the Lorde may giue to everie one of vs this faith in Christ Iesus which is the ground of all these things with the which we can neither do or be bold to do any thing Last of al in the last verse he mooveth God to do well to his people from his owne thankfulnesse which hee together with the people wil be bounde to performe to God to wit in offring the lawfull sacrifices acceptable to God according as it was the custome of those times when men were vnder the rudiments of the worlde discipline of the Law The words are Then shalt thou take pleasure in the sacrifices of righteousnesse That is lawfull sacrifices shal be offered vnto thee according to the prescript of thy law therefore they shal be sacrifices of righteousnesse For it is not permitted vnto vs to worship God according to our pleasure but it is necessary that wee serue him according to his own ordinance The meaning therefore is as if he should saye The sacrifices appoynted by thy selfe shal be offred vnto thee and thou shalt take pleasure in them Thou shalt also delight in burnte offerings yea which shal be altogether consumed to ashes They shall also offer according to the custome Bullockes vppon thine altar God seeketh his owne glorie yea and David also acknowledgeth the same in deed neverthelesse except he himself furnish matter to his glory that is vnlesse hee provoke men to glorifie himslfe by his benefites they will not glorifie him For none there is in hell that can worship God Againe al men indeed are not thankfull to the Lorde for the benefites bestowed vpon theÌ„ but these onely who haue tasted howe gracious the Lord is that is who haue some feeling of his favour in Christ Iesus Of the mercy of God there are many evidents indeed for looke how many his benefites are so many documents are there But sundry of them are of a common and vulgare mercie only such as is to wit of the Creator toward his creature But Christ alone is a sure evident to vs of singular mercy and loue such as is the favour of the father towarde the Son For God will not haue that mercy and that loue of his whereby hee hath loved the VVorlde to bee made manifest by any other thing then by his Sonne given for the world VVherefore only those who are in Christ and embrace him by faith those alone I saye feele how sweete the Lorde is because into their hearts onely that loue of God is powred out Wherefore also they alone are these who can be thankful vnto God for his benefites received We conclude therefore that which hath now oft bene beaten in our eares that we must chiefely endevour to beleeue in Iesus Christ without whome no good thing can we get without whoÌ„ we doe no parte of our duety either to God or men without whom finally there is no salvation Therefore God is to be prayed vnto continually that as of his infinite mercy he hath given vnto vs his only begotten sonne so he would open the eies of our minde to the end that we might see himself Also that he would open our hearts that we might entirely feele him without whom there is no feeling of gladnes in the hearts of sinners And this is to be prayed for by vs for and by the same Iesus Christ the sonne of God our Lord To whom with the father and the holy Spirite be al honour and glory for ever and ever Amen The Argument of the LXII Psalme The author of this Psalme is Dauid And it was written at that time in which Saul persecuted Dauid by his spies â—ent out The whole Psalmeâ— concerning his confidence in God For partly he shewed his confidence vnto the 9. verse partly hee recommendeth to all the godly this confidence from thence vnto the end of the Psalme The LXII Psalme 1 A Psalme of DAVID committed to be sung to the maister of Musick in Ieduthun 2 My soule onely is at rest in God from him is my saluation 3 He is only my rock and my saluation my strong hold I shall not be mooved out of my place with a great motion 4 How long will ye be devising troubles against a man ye shall bee all slayne howe long will ye be like a bulgeing wall a wall of drye stones thrust downe 5 They onely devise counselles to thruste him downe from his dignity they take pleasure in a lye they blesse with their mouth but within themselues they curse Selah 6 O my soule be at rest in God onely for of him is mine expectation 7 He is only my rock and my salvation my strong hold I shall not be mooved out of my place 8 In God is my salvation and my glorie my strong rock my refuge is in God The first part of the psalm MY soule onely As concerning his confidence first he gloryeth of his assurance in God Then he gloryeth against his enemies Thirdly hee returneth to that former glorying As concerning the glorying in his assurance David after hee had bene afflicted and troubled in minde at length he quieteth himselfe in God Having then felt so great a joy of that rest hee gloryeth thereof
sufficiently the thing that is spoken except wee also feele the same yea with our bodelie senses in the seales and sacraments even from the beginning he hath reached forth as it were his grace in Iesus Christ to bee seene with the eies to be handled with the handes Wash me Againe hee craveth remission of sinnes wash mee sayeth hee to witte with that selfe-same blood That I may waxe whiter then the snow But hee speaketh this out by waye of comparison yea and that indeede making the comparison with the thing which in the owne nature is most white Also the comparison is made from thinges that are lesse to the end hee might declare that there is nothing in nature so white pure and cleane as is man to whome sinnes are once forgiven and who is once washen by that blood of Christ Consider here first Dauid while hee craveth forgiuenesse of sins and peace of conscience hee seeketh it vnder the symbolls and figures of these washings of the lawe whereby sometimes was shaddowed-out that washing through the blood of Christ We see therefore that Dauid soght the forgiuenesse of his sinnes in the onely bloud of Iesus Christ There hes never ben nor never shal be in time to come remission of sinnes and consequently quietnes of the conscience except by the bloud alone of Iesus Christ which is certain that the ancient Church fathers haue apprehended in the sacrifices and shaddowes It may be indeed that the Papistes so long as they feele not the weightines of their sin of the wrath of God for sinne for the conscience of those men so far indeed as my judgement can reach is cast vp in a deep sleep by that doctrine which daylie is taught among them I saye indeed it may be that for a time being thus afflicted they vaunt in their merites indulgences Purgatory and I cannot tell what satisfactiones By all which it is certaine somewhat is pulled awaie from the grace of Christ But if it come to passe that they bee oppressed in earneste with the burthen of sinne and with the sense of the wrath of GOD they shall feele surely and publickly professe that all those things are vaine and none other things but dreames and trisles which now they so much commend for then they shal feele in experience that there is no remission of sinnes or peace of conscience without that bloud and alone sacrifice of Iesus Christ Which would to God at length those miserable men sawe and learned that both Gods wrath is pacified and the consciences of miserable men quieted by that blood alone which in themselues are not disquieted troubled by any other thinge then by that sense of the wrath of God O blessed is that peace quietnesse which is by that bloud of Christ only Mark again in this place he promiseth cleannes whitenes whiter then the very snow If hee but once get that to be washen with the bloude of christ And indeed he doth this thing not to the end that he thinketh it shall not come to passe that sinnes once being forgiven in time to come there shall be no remnant left of sinne and vncleannesse in his nature But to that end because hee thinketh and perswadeth himselfe that all the guiltinesse of sinne shal be taken away by the blood of Christ and by his perfite satisfaction once imputed and that he shall be in that estate as if he had never sinned in his life For wee haue a two-folde purging and washing in Christe the one which is by blood the other which is by the Spirite of Christ That washing which is by the blood of Christ is most perfite and quieteth our consciences But this washing which is by the Spirite it is begunne onely in this life and quieteth not the conscience properly and of the owne selfe To speake it in a worde the forgiuenes of sinnes which is by Christs blood is perfite and absolute in all the partes thereof But the regeneration which is by the Spirite of Iesus Christ is but begun onely in this life Make mee to heare He doth yet continue in the self same petition The meaning is as if he should say witnesse vnto me through thy holye Spirite inwardelie that my sinnes are forgiuen me And so it shall come to passe that thou shalt furnish vnto me ane exceeding great matter of joy and gladnesse This is it which in other wordes hee speaketh els-where Lift vp the light of thy face vpon vs Psal 4. ◠Iehoua and put greater gladnesse in my minde then at that time when their cornes and their wines are increased For the sixtenth Psalme speaketh There is sacietie of joyes before the face of GOD. Then he addeth in the text let the bones which thou hast brused reioyse As if he shoulde say forgiue mee my sinnes and then I whome thou hadest humbled before shal reioice with an vnspeakable gladnesse For the ioye of the man caste downe and humbled is invtterable after that now hee is lift vp with that sense of mercy and confidence of remission of sinnes But wee are to considder the wordes more diligently Make me sayeth hee to heare ioy But by what Preacher and Messenger was it not alreadie before preached by the Prophet Nathan that Davids sinnes were forgiven him It is true But the outwarde testimonie of all men is nothing except that inwarde also of the holy Spirite be conjoyned Wherefore Dauid in this place requireth that inwarde testimony of the Spirite For the remission of sinnes is an action intirely hid in the minde of God And as no man knoweth the thinges of man but the Spirite of man So these thinges of God no man knoweth but the Spirite of God which as Paule sayth searcheth the deapthes of God himselfe ◠Cor. 2. 10 Wherefore except the holy Spirite of God testifie in our heartes that our sinnes are forgiven vs surely no testimonie either of the creature or of man is able to assure vs of that thinge But after what manner at length doth the holy Spirite testifie that our sinnes are forgiven vs The holy Spirite of God worketh in our heartes a wounderfull sense of the loue of God as the Apostle speaketh powreth out loue into our harts whereby God loveth vs in christ But what a loue is this surely not any common loue but a special natural to speak so that affectiō which they cal the natural affection such as is the natural affection of the Father toward his onely begotten Son For the Spirit of God testifieth that fatherlie most tender affection towards vs Of the which also it followeth that the same Spirite beareth witnesse that we are the Sonnes of God For if it witnesse a certaine fatherlie loue It followeth by the force of thinges equal that wee are the sonnes of God From whence also hee is every where called the Spirite of Adoption to witte in respect he witnesseth Rom. ◠1◠19. that we are the sons of
adjoyneth and amplifieth the cause of this loue vnto the 7. verse Secondly by saith he gloryeth with his owne soule Thirdly he gloryeth with God vnto the 10. verse Fourthly hee confesseth his owne weaknesse which was sometime in him and that by a comparison of the faith which the◠he had vnto the 12. verse Fiftly he taketh purpose to render thanks vnto God The CXVI Psalme 1 I loue Iehova for he heareth my voice my deprecationes 2 For he hath bowed the eare vnto me when I called vpon him in my dayes 3 And when the dolours of death compassed mee about and the griefes of the graue met me finding anguish and sorrow 4 I called vppon the name of Iehova saying I besseech thee O Iehova deliver my soule 5 Gracious Iehova and righteous Our God I say mercifull 6 Iehova preserving the simple when I am brought to nothing he besieweth salvation vpon me I Loue Iehova The first parte of the Psalme as we haue spoken in which he professeth that loue whereby hee loved God Also loue is ane certaine affection in the hearte whereby any man carnestlie desireth the communion conjunction of that thing which he loveth whatsoever thing surely it be But if the loue of any man towarde another be very fervente then verely he who loveth desireth himselfe to be made one as it were one man with him whom he loveth Paule expresseth the force of this loue when he saide O Corinthians 2. Cor. 6. 11. 12. my mouth is opened towarde you mine heart is made large Ye are not kept straight in vs but ye are kept straight in your owne bowels By which words indeede hee sheweth by the affection of his loue toward the Corinthians that his heart was so enlarged that he received them as it were within himselfe and into the bosome of his heart and that hee became as it were one man with them The loue of God is whereby we desire the communion conjunction with God ◠Cor. 5 6 8. Paule sayeth Wee are hold though we know that whiles we are at home in the bodie we are absent from the Lorde Neuerthelesse wee are bold and loue rather to remooue out of the bodie and to dwell with the Lord. From whence proceedeth this Pauls approbation surely from that loue of his Lord who as hee sayeth in the same Chapter verse 14. The loue of Christ constrayned him and continually carryed him forward vnto the Lord. And this is the cause wherefore we sighing wait for the comming of Christ For the loue whereby wee embrace Christ earnestly thirsteth for that conjunction with Christ There is also another thing that is required in this loue that is that for the loue of Christ wee would be willing to loose the most deare things whatsoever we haue in this life So Christ speaketh in Luke Luk. 14. 20. If any man come vnto me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my Desciple By which wordes Christ signifieth that his loue is to be bought yea with the hatred of those thinges which are most deare if it can no otherwise be obteined And this indeede was Davids loue which hee professeth in this place Such should al our loue be who professe the same God with him And in this respect wee are chiefely most happie because wee haue that God of Abraham Isaac Iahakob and David whom we may loue whome wee may worship For he heareth This is an argument of loue frō the benefite of his deliverance from whence arose a certain earnest feling of the mercie of God toward him Marke then that the knowledge of the goodnes of God and the sense of his mercy and loue towarde vs continually goeth before our loue toward him He loueth vs sayeth IOHN not because we haue loued him first 1. Iohn 4. 19. For it is impossible that any man can loue God vnlesse that now firste that loue of God in Christ Iesus be powred out in his heart by the holy Spirit Dauid in every place professeth his loue toward God Rom. 5 5. hee giveth an account thereof continually from the mercy of God toward him I wil loue thee saith he frō my very most inward bowels And what is the reason Psal 18. 2. Iehova is my strength Iehova is my rocke and my strong tower c. By which words indeed he declareth the cause wherefore hee so much loved GOD that it was the mercy of God toward him But if verely we wil loue God for except we loue him we are miserable and if we will set our affection vpon God we haue neede of nothing so much then of diligent marking of all his benefites which he continually heapeth vpō vs. For these ar so many testimonies of gods loue toward vs. Now wee haue said that the loue of God towarde vs is the cause of our loue toward him Wherefore to the end that wee may loue God from our soule every particular benefite of God so farre as it is possible is to be marked by vs. For surely the cause wherefore our harts burne not in that loue where in they ought to burne towards God proceedeth from this that we considder so slightlie his benefites toward vs especially that greatest benefite of all the benefite of our Redemption in Iesus Christ for while his benefites are nor weighed there is no sense of his loue toward vs. And when there is not a feeling of his loue towarde vs howe can it come to passe that wee can loue him He heareth my deprecation Therefore the prayers went before the benefites of God and the sense of his mercy For by those degrees we come as it were vnto the loue of God First wee seek at Gods hands any benefite whether it be Temporal or Spiritual Then after we haue gotten the benefite wee feel his mercy loue toward vs as the fountain frō which that benefite flowed Finally from that sense of the loue of God toward vs that our loue again towrad him aryseth Wherefore to the ende that any man may earnestly loue the Lord his prayers ought to be continuall for of continuall prayers and supplications continuall benefites of God come vnto vs which are so many testimonies of that his loue toward vs in Christ For he hath bowed Hee openeth vp at greater length the reason immediatly preceeding of his loue he abydeth in amplifying thereof vnto the 7. verse In my dayes Hee vnderstandeth the dayes of affliction and anguish as the verse following maketh manifest In this meaning the word of daye is taken Psal 137 Remember against the Edomites of the day of Ierusalem that is of the affliction whereby the Edomites afflicted the Church So Ieremy in the Lamentation 1. 21. For times metonymically in every language vse to be taken for misery in times and dayes We see therefore in this place that affliction thrusted David forward to praiers For
muste proceed from the Spirit of God himselfe They call this Spirite the Spirite of adoption which as PAVLâ— speaketh Rom. 5. 5. powring out into our harts that fatherlie loue of God testifieing therewithal that we ar the sons of God therfor it openeth our mouth that we cry Abba father that in our affliction we complaine vnto God For this is it which the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8. 26. The Spirite it selfe maketh requeste for vs with sighes that cannot bee expressed From this Spirit therefore this so familiar a complaynt of afflicted DAVID commeth For except this spirit and some sense of the fatherly loue of God be present as in the meane time I grant vnto you that it may be that some man will shout and howle in afflictiones and roare according to the custome of Lyons wildbeastes as DAVID speaketh of himselfe Psal 32. at which time in troubles he is not so tuitched with this feeling of the fatherly loue of God Neverthelesse that a man may familiarly turne himselfe vnto God and complaine vnto him as vnto a father of the grievousnesse of the affliction no maner of way can it come to passe except this Spirit be present and that there be some sense of the fatherly loue of God Servile 〈◊〉 soâ—â—y 〈◊〉 A servant that onely feareth his maister because of wrath and therewith loveth him not also neither yet on the other side feeleth that he is beloved of his maister while he is beaten by his angrie maister hee turneth not vnto him hee quarrelleth not with him familiarlie but as his maister handleth him inhumanelie so he complayneth not so much according to the maner of men as hee roareth and howleth like vnto wilde beastes without all sense of the loue of his maister But the sonne who is touched with a sense of his fathers loue in the midst of the chastening he turneth him vnto his father and quarrelleth with him familiarly So the afflicted childe of God quarrelleth with God his father of whome he feeleth himselfe much more loued yea euen then while he is afflicted be Gods hand then any naturall sonne whosoeuer can be beloved of his father Hee feeleth also God the father to suffer together with him to be commoved by the self same afflictions of his which otherwise hee him selfe sendeth vpon him euen as a father is touched with a compassion in the very meane time while he is chastising his sonne notwithstanding that of necessitie he is compelled to chastise his sonne specially to the ende he should not grow worse by libertie and impunitie And so to this place wee haue spoken of DAVIDS complaynt which we ought to follow in our afflictiones in which certainlie we should endeuour that ther be ever present with vs a sense of the loue of God in Christ Iesus But so far as concernes the person of DAVIDS enemies you haue in them not onely an example of blasphemie against God but of extreame malice against men who spare not so much indeede the soule or the other life in so far as they indevour altogether to cut away the hope of Gods helpe In which thing also yet see their wonderfull blindnesse who thinke that the godly are altogether left by God in the meane time when they are afflicted of him yea and also that they themselues are stirred vp by God to destroy and vtterlie to overthrowe them like as that blasphemous lowne Rabschake gloried against the people of God 1. King 18. 25. Am I nowe come vp without Iehova vnto this place to destroy it Iehova hes saide vnto me Go vp against this land and destroy it And thus much haue wee spoken of the first part of this Psalme 4 But thou Iehoua art a buckler about me my glorie he who lifteth vp mine head 5 I crying vnto Iehova with my voice he answered me out of the mountaine of his holines Selah 6 I Layd me downe and slept I awakened because Iehoua susteined me 7 I will not be affrayd for ten thousands of the people which standing round about mee haue pitched their tentes against mee The other part of the Psalme BVt thou Iehova The second parte of the Psalme in which through the sense of the presence and help of God albeit hee was not yet in effect delivered notwithstanding he glorieth as if hee were euen now delivered For he had scarse complayned vnto God when hee felt some presence and protection of his before hand For surely no man wil haue his recourse vnto God in Iesus Christ before he first in some measure feele his helpe Come vnto mee saithe hee Matth. 11 28. all yee who are wearie and burdened and I will make you to rest But what are these helpes to the ende we may come to the particular which DAVID felt to come from God in the time he had his refuge to him DAVID being disarmed fledde from his sonne Abschalom now he felt God as a buckler to cover and protect him whollie over David miserie 〈◊〉 glorie Hee was in shame hee felt God to be vnto him Glorie He lay prostrate he felt God lifting vp his head And to speake it in a word hee felt God to supplie all that wanted in him The matter is so then surely thou shalt want nothing which that onely one God shall not furnish if thou haue thy refuge to him yea thou shalt also feele him only to be all vnto thee Desirest thou wisedome he shall be wisedome vn-thee desirest thou glorie He shal be glorie vnto thee Desirest thou riches hee shall be riches vnto thee Finally he shal be vnto thee al things that thou desirest Moreover DAVID whiles he felt the sethings he holdeth them not within himselfe but the things he feeleth he speaketh out professeth them first before GOD. This sense of the mercie of God The seeling of the mercy of God it cannot be altogether suppressed and restrayned but it will burst foorth in an open confession For so both God himselfe is glorified and he who hes that sense receiueth the greater consolation especially the sense of the mercy of God being inlarged by the confession For how much the more we vtter foorth that sense of Gods mercy in our harts so much more it groweth and is enlarged But hee who never at any time speaketh a word either with God or men of the mercy of God in Christ Iesus this man by his silence declareth plainely ynough that he is not touched as yet with that sense of the mercy of God with which it became him to be touched The acknowledging of the mercy gotion I crying out Hee goeth forward in his glorying and as first hee had professed before God himselfe that feeling of his mercy so turning himselfe vnto men hee commendeth the same vnto them beginning first from the manner and fashion whereby hee had apprehended the mercy of God Then in following out every particular parte of the mercy For so it commeth to passe that both
God promised to be a God to Abraham Why David sure of eternal life appeareth to be carefull of the present and to his seede Genes 17. 1. But if thou aske in this place seeing now before he had gloryed in God and in his presence which also hee felt in his minde in the middeste of afflictions He gloryed I say against all his enemies against life against death how commeth it to passe that nowe he is so carefull of this life and craveth so earnestly at God that hee would deliver him out of the present danger I answer that this great securitie of the godlie and the contempt of this present life fighteth not among themselues And the petitiones of this sorte whereby they craue also the preservation of this life alwaies with that condition if it please God so that he would grant the same to his owne glorie for neither the godlie while they haue a fore-taist of that other life and leaning thereto they glory againste all thinges caste not in the meane time vtterly awaye the care of this life and rashly powre out the same For this present life among the reste of Gods giftes is not the basest Thou hast striken Hee mooveth GOD to his preservation in time to come from the by gane experience in destroying of the enemies and wicked and therewith also filling them with shame For it is thought to bee a shamefull thinge to bee striken vpon the cheeke bone and to suffer the breaking of the teethe that is strokes vppon the face and in the mouth Obserue in this place tw◠linkes as it were of that fine Golden Chaine which PAVLE linketh together to witte Experience and Hope Experience sayeth hee Rom. cap. 5. 3. bringeth out Hope This petition of DAVID from bygane experience leaneth to the Hope of the present and temporall deliverance to be purchased Albeit indeed I confesse that this is not a sure hope even that to wit which maketh not ashamed vnlesse it be that hope of that everlasting promised deliverance For that is properly that hope which followes the experience of Gods deliverance especially if there be a feeling with that experience of deliverance of the loue of God in Christ Iesus Therefore the Apostle subjoyned in that place For the loue of God is powred out in our hearts by the holy Spirit As if he should say of necessitie this hope maketh not ashamed and it is sure seeing that experience from which hope proceedeth is especially of the loue of God in Christ Iesus Salvation it selfe Thereafter he prayeth for the people yea for that parte of the people which followed after Abschalom and was seduced of him One would marvell that DAVID in such a great daunger of his life is so mindfull in his prayer of the people salvation of others For this would appeare to bee of a man that is set a part from all perill and daunger not onely to respect himselfe or his own life but also others and the salvation of others But it is to be knowne that this is the disposition of every member of that vniversall body of Christ that it is not onely touched with a sense of the owne miserie but also it is commoved with a compassion of the reste of the members of the same body And looke how much the more it is touched with a sense of the owne miserie so much the more it suffereth with the rest whom it seeeth to be miserable For he who never yet felt any miserie surely that man is vnmeet to pitie others whom he seeth to be oppressed with misery Also the reason of this petition is taken from the nature of God him self To Iehova saith he is salvation to bee ascribed as if he should say The reas◠of the last petition The nature of Iehova is to saue and to bee mercifull So he declareth vnto God what his nature is For there is none other reason more effectuall to moue God then if you bring foorth vnto him his owne nature especially that whereby he is mercifull For God delighteth chiefely in mercy and aboue all thinges in his owne nature he is most mercifull God is loue Ioh. 4 ◠Now it is not possible that this can be done of vs to wit that we be able to bring out this his nature before him especiallie that hee is mercifull vnlesse wee travel diligently first to see by the eyes of our soule yea and feele also surelie in our heart in some measure that infinite Essence Wisedome Iustice Power and mercie of God c Except wee holde vs content to prattle of an vnknowen thing which wee haue never yet neither seene nor felt Wherefore the knowledge of the nature of God is chieflie most necessarie to conceiue earnest prayer and not onely the knowledge but the sense and feeling of the same And wee must indevour all our life long so much as is possible we may conceive in this finite that narrow minde that infinite majestie To him therefore be all honour and glory Amen THE ARGVMENT Of the VI. PSALME This is a Psalme of Prayer and it is manifest out of the inscription that it was written by David The partes thereof are two The first is a petition by which David being sick prayeth to God that he would remoove his anger and scourge hee craveth earnestly his mercie seeketh after salvation from the seconde verse to the ninth Then through a sure faith feeling the things that he sought he gloryeth against his enemies of Gods taking heede vnto him and of his bountifulnesse vnlooked for from the ninth verse to the end of the Psalme THE VI. PSALMI 1 A Psalme of DAVID committed to the Maister of musick vpon the Violes to be song to a graue tune 2 O Iehova rebuke me not in thine anger neither chastise mee in thy burning wrath 3 Iehova be gratious vnto mee because I am become feeble heal me Iehova because my bones ar altogether troubled 4 And my soule is greatly troubled thou therefore Iehova how long 5 Returne ô Iehova deliver my soule saue me for thy mercies sake 6 For in death the selfe there is no remembrance of thee who shall prayse thee in the graue 7 I faynt in my mourning I cause my bedde to swimme all the night I make my bedde side to melt with my teares 8 My eie through indignation is consumed it groweth olde because of all my foes The first part conteineth the petition the cause whereof hee adjoyneth O Iehova The firste parte of the Psalme as we haue spoken The petition first he prayeth that affliction may be remooved Then he prayeth for prosperitie as for deliverance and salvation Also with the petitiones hee intermingleth the causes First therefore hee prayeth that the wrath of God may be remooved O Iehova saith he rebuke me not in thine anger c. DAVID as it appeareth by his own words being holden down with a grieuous sicknes hee conceived in his minde that God was angrie against
thing this rejoycing which wee feele through the conscience of obedience and againe that griefe which wee feele through the conscience of disobedience and rebellion Rom 7. 〈◊〉 The correction of the granting is able ynough to testifie O miserable man that I am saith PAVLE Who shall deliver mee from the bodie of this death To the holy ones The other parte of the aunswere by way of correction as if he should say albeit no good thing can come vnto me from thee Nevertheles O God preserue me with the Saints that are vpon the Earth that is in favour of the Church fighting in the worlde that I may at least be profitable vnto her Therefore albeit nothing can come vnto God by our doing well notwithstanding we must not think that our good workes are vnprofitable For a man may be profitable to a man the most contemptible may serue for some vse to any the moste honorable as in mans bodie the foot may bee profitable vnto the head More-over among men Kings may be most profitable to others of which sort DAVID was in respect they are armed by God with power and authoritie they are bound also by their office to bee profitable vnto others but especially vnto the Church of God of which thing we reade that Nebuchadneâ—zar Dan. 2. 30. otherwise an Heathen King was admonished by Daniell that christian Princes might vnderstande that this is so much the more to be required of them To the excellent Those whom he called holie ones before now he calleth excellent Consider therefore how greatly DAVID esteemed of this Church of God that is now so much lightlied and contemned not onely by the Princes but by the basest sort of men Not-with-standing the holye ones whatsoever the world think of them remayne excellent glorious Dan. 7. 〈◊〉 Daniel in the same signification calleth it the Church of the high Saincts that is of those that are Predestinate and ordained to all moste excellent high things to life everlasting In whom This is the fountaine of that good thinge whereby hee is to indue the Saints to wit the delighting in them as loue and favour For wee profite in vayne either the Church or anie member thereof except we loue 1 Cor. 〈…〉 If I shuld spend al my goodes sayâ— PAVL in feeding of the poore and had not loue I were nothing Wee may be indeede steidable vnto others but without loue we cannot bee steidable to our selues neither doe we any thing that is acceptable vnto God in respect it commeth not from a sincere sanctified heart Why the godly desire to abide in this life Moreover mark here also the cause wherefore godly men desire to abide for a while vppon this earth and verely it is the pleasure that they tak in the fellowship of the holy ones for whose cause they would liue some-what longer that they might promooue them to the knowledge of their salvation and might preserue some of them before they depart out of this worlde For they shall haue a farre more greater delight in their God in that other life It is good for me saieth Paule if I depart hence Phil. 1. 23. 〈◊〉 but it is not so for you If therefore chiefelie the loue of this world or of those things which wee see therein tyeth vs al-to-gether so much to this worlde surely we are more then miserable yea in the greatest abundance of all thinges of this world 4 They multiplie their sorrowes which giue in dowrie to ane stranger I will not offer their drinke offerings of bloud neither yet will I take vp their names in my lippes 5 Iehova is the portion of my steeding and of my propertie thou mayntaynest my lâ—tte 6 The lines are fallen out to me in pleasant places yea my possession is faire for mee The other part of the Psalme an holy glorying THey multiply their sorrows The other parte of the Psalme The glorying having received some comfort of the preceeding rejoycing For never man yet at any time came in vayne to God in Christ And having as it were compared that his happie estaite with the estaite of Idolaters hee pronounceth and exclaymeth that in respect of him they are as it were but miserable caitifes They multiplie their sorrowes sayeth hee who giue in dowrie to a stranger That is who giue in dowrie any thing to a strange God and Idole that is who joyne them selues in mariage with it having complcitlie payed a greate dowrie The fruits of idolaters For it can scarcelie bee vttered how many things Idolaters rashly lavish out vpon their Idols And what commoditie get they thereby Surely no solide and true joye such as David felt of that his mariage with the true God but sorrow onely and all kinde of miserie For superstition is ever conjoyned with a trembling of the soule For what thing is able to establish the soule of man but God onely The Papistes promise peace and securitie to others which notwithstanding they themselues enjoy it not Obserue then in this place how soone soever any man hath felt that joy which proceedeth from the true God then all those appeare miserable vnto him who having leâ—t the true God haue their refuge to idols For then he perceiveth wel ynough what the miserie of Idolaters is after that the eie is enlightned with that light which proceedeth from the face of God And surely that is hee who may onely judge aright of the misery of man The Idolaters themselues are blinde in their owne miserie There are also other men who otherwise profes God in their mouth neverthelesse they feele not in their heart that solide joye which proceedeth from Iesus Christ whose judgment many times concerning Idolaters is corrupted Of these I speake whom you may see everie where to admit into their companie without any kinde of difference whatsoever sort of men whether they bee true Professoures or the enemies of the Croce of Christe such as are the Papistes this day Then to speak it once in a word ther is no man a right judg of the miserie of Idolaters but hee who hath himselfe felt in times bygane that happinesse which is in the true and onely God The drink offerings of idolaters I will not offer them drinke offrings As he had before pronounced Idolaters to be miserable through the sense of that joye which he had felt of the true God so now he professeth that he will haue no societie either with the Idolaters themselues or with their Idols and he sheweth that from the heart he abhorreth that sort of false worship and religion I will not That is I will not sacrifice with them 〈…〉 after the custome of the profane Gentiles which sacrificed even with the bloud of man not only against the law of God yea but against humanity it selfe I wil not tak vp their names This is somewhat more then that which he saide even now as if he should say I will not
followeth the confirmation thereof from his owne experience Also that experience is two fold The first is of the miserie at what time to wit he held his tongue and confessed not his sinne The second is of deliverance and forgiuenes of sin that is to wit at that time when he confessed his sin Then hee sayeth first When I held my tongue my bones waxed old That is when I conteined my sinne within mee when I dissembled the same and confessed not My bones waxed olde That is mine whole bodie was consumed there was nothing so firme in me no not indeede so much as my bones which was not worne away with the hand of God Marke the Prophetes words for he speaketh not so becaus I haue sinned my bones consumed awaye But he sayeth thus When I helde my peace Or when I confessed not my sin Why the godly are afflicted of God My bones wore away Of the which we learne that the godly are not for that cause afflicted of God that they are punished because of their sinnes which are all forgiven in that alone satisfaction of Christe but to the ende they may be raysed vppe out of that sluggishnesse and extreame deadlie securitie and may be broght to repentance I obserue this because of the enemies who defende that afflictions yea even of the godlie are so manie temporall punishmentes and satisfactiones for sinne when there is but one satisfaction of Christ yea and that all sufficiente and punishmente which he suffered for all our sinnes so that whosoever would conjoyne any other satisfaction whatsoever with this satisfaction of Christ of force he must take away some thing from that most perfect satisfying Much rather therefore we must hold and learne out of this experience of DAVID that whatsoever afflictiones of the godly are not ay by reasō of their sinnes to wit that any punishment should bee taken of them albeit otherwise the originall and efficient cause of them be sinne For the wages of sinne is death the same judgmēt is to be taken of al temporal afflictiones whatsoever But GOD who out of light bringeth foorth darknesse hee so changeth these afflictiones which are of the owne nature the fruites and effectes of sinne that nowe they become certaine exercises of the godly for their weill Then as I haue said afflictions come not for sinne as the ende that it may be punished but that repentance mortification and conversion may be wrought Secondly marke in this place how deepe the deadly sopour yea of the godly is at some time that those who now and then sleep so in sinne that they cannot be wakened vnlesse it bee with most grieuous afflictiones as DAVID speaketh yea except their bones be consumed that also which is a wounderfull thinge falleth out after that they haue now oft had experience of the mercy of GOD in Christ are touched with that sense of the passing sweete loue of GOD which surely ought to haue easilie without anie trouble alured their mind vnto God For he who once hath felt how gracious the Lord is he must of necessitie continually seeke the presence of God Notwithstanding they are so obdured whiles and cast vp into a deepe sleepe that they would never turne themselues vnto God vnlesse it were they were drawen with the violence of afflictiones This security is wounderful this sleepe is marveylous which now and then even creepeth-on vpon the godly and shaketh off so from them the taist of that loue of God in Christ for a time in which otherwaies it became them to be allured continually to seeke God that except they were judged of GOD they shuld perish miserably with the rest of the world Moreover we haue here to mark out of the word Of keeping silence whereby indeede somewhat obscurely is meant some conscience of sinne and that oppressed with silence and vnrighteously with holden as the Apostle speaketh For there is no man so voyde of conscience which is not some time as it were rounded with into the eare admonished of his sinne And from thence it proceedeth that men being warned by their conscience of sinne whereof in the meane time they delight very greatly and they indevour to nourish the same in their bosome as it were they travel by all meanes to dissemble and cover their sinne so that if it were possible it should not be marked with Gods eies to that end especially that they might enjoy sin without the brode of conscience and disquietting of the minde which thing indeed they cannot attayne vnto if they knowe that their sinne is before the sight and eies of God Of which it commeth to passe that some pretend one excuse some another yea some pretending religion and externall worship for their sins But al those things are done in vayne For it is not possible that sinnes can be covered as it was said before vnlesse they be hid with the onely obedience of Christ In my roaring As if he should say I in the meane time not acknowledging my sinne was touched indeed with a present sense of my afflictions all the daye I roared like a Lyon I vttered very beastly noyses Of the which we learne yea that the very Hecte and godly at what time being delivered over into their owne hande they begunne to waxe beastlie and to sleepe in sinne while by afflictions they be awakened out of that sleep they vse to vtter voyces as of beastes rather then of men yea many times they murmure and fret against God For if you will considder common nature there is no difference betuixte the Elect and the Reprobat the godly and the vngodly Which surely if there bee any it is from God alone who only puts the difference betuixt vs who at last allureth the godly vnto himselfe by some sense of his loue yea and by his holy Spirite boweth their harts But he leaveth the vngodly for ever being left it is so far a way that they are softned by afflictions and calamities that contrariwise they are judged and become worse and worse For day and Hitherto hath the most grievous affliction bin set downe here followeth the cause thereof as if he should saye no man hath cause to woūder that my bones are worne awaye and that I in the meane time haue roared like a Lion For the hand of God day and night oppressed me Thy hand was heavy vpon me saith he day night That is continually without intermission and from thence it commeth to pas that My most excellent iuyce was turned into the sommers droughts That is that juyce whereby the body was fresh did dry-vp yea and the whole body was dryed vp became withered For it is the amplifying of so grievous an oppression from the owne effect because the hand of God oppressing him it wrong out all the sap of the bodie Marke here the principall cause of DAVIDS afflictions not onely did the afflictiones so much mooue him as God
grace For that which is saide by the Apostle is not to be thought light to neglect such a great salvation Heb. 2. 3. is vtterlie to refuse the Son of God in whom whosoever beleeueth not as is spoken in IOHN 3. 18. Is already condemned because he beleeveth not in the only begotten son of God Marke next 2. lesson that bold liberty which the sinner being nowe turned vnto God vseth in this confession of DAVID I will confesse my sinne vnto thee saieth DAVID And this liberty manifesteth the feeling of Gods loue toward him and the confidence of grace and of remission of sinnes in Christ For it is not possible that a sinner turne him selfe vnto GOD confesse his sin and earnestly craue for the forgiuenes of his sinne vnles there be already first after some sort some sense of grace and pardon purchased The conscience threw out a confession out of IVDAS but he durst not be so bolde as to confesse his sin before GOD neither yet to deale with God after this manner that DAVID doeth in this place I will make my sinne knowen sayeth he vnto thee But going aside turning his back as it were vnto God sayeth he I haue sinned hauing betrayed the Innocente bloud Wherefore to speake it summarly the confession of sinne before God the craving of pardon that is this libertie wherby any man dareth be bolde to appeare before him and to present himselfe before his judgement seate sufficiently doth manifest some feeling of grace and that selfe same remission of sinnes which wee seeke being purchased already in some sort For this cause shall everie one He commendeth this his experience 〈…〉 which was of Gods mercie immediatly preceeding from the own effect in every one of the faithful that were to come thereafter For this cause sayeth he That is for this experience of thy mercy toward me Shal he pray vnto thee That is he shall confesse his sinnes or he shall craue pardon He to whom thou art fauorable That is not by putting any kinde of difference but hee onely whome God loveth Of this loue and favour there must of necessity be some sense as we haue already even now spoken before any man be so bolde either to confesse his sinne to God or earnestly to craue pardon for sinne But at what time shall he whom God favoreth pray at times sayeth When it shall happen To wit In the over flowing of many waters That is in the stormes and waues of extreame vehement afflictions as before Psal 18. 17. and every where in the Psal 69. They shall not so much as touch him that is they shall not so much as touch him lightly so firme shal be the loue of God in Iesus Christ Rom. 8. ◠And if they happen to touch him they shall bee so farre away from being of abilitie to hurt the man as contrariwise they shall be for his profite Rom. 8. 〈◊〉 For all thinges worke together for the best to them that loue God Wherefore the Apostle when he felt himselfe so grounded in that loue he securely gloryed against the adversarie creatures of whatsoever sort as oppression nakednes hunger the sworde death life powers dominions And this surely hee did not indeede for that ende that hee thought that it was not possible that this life presente might be taken out of the world by those things for hee himselfe thereafter felt the contrary in experience but for this cause that he looked for certainly hoped for that other life of God ◠Lesson which should never die with this life This is not to be pretermitted that DAVID confirmeth this man that is to praye whosoever finallie he bee with a promise of that thing which he shall craue so encourageth him to pray For by this example wee learne whosoever wil pray with confidence of necessitie he must haue while he is praying continvally before his eies the promises of God in Christ yea and hee must remember of them so far as it is possible For if there be no meditation vpon the promises of GOD what confidence what zeale I praye you can there be in praying seeing that without Gods own word there cannot be faith and in vayne shall any man promise to himself any good thing or grace from GOD whereof he hath not some assurance out of Gods owne word promise Faith is by hearing Rom. 10. 〈◊〉 and hearing by the worde of God Indeed that is true that there is no man to be found which is not at some time touched with some feling of this want and so is provoked and it were no more very necessity it self compelling him to conceiue praiers But if there be no promise of God before the eyes no worde of GOD concerning that thing which they seek with what face or of what mind dare they be so bolde to come vnto God I marke this the more carefullie for that cause that all may knowe how necessary it were to search and learne out of the word of GOD himselfe and Scriptures all the promises of GOD whither they be of things temporall or of things everlasting In which verely whosoever at passing-well versed those men doe pray very well When wee speake of promises Christ is not to bee passed by in silence in whom all the promises of God are yea Amen that is they both haue their owne ground also their accomplishment without whom in vayne surely thou lookest vppon the promises either temporal or eternal Wherefore whosoever beholdeth the promises of God if hee will look vpon them with profite it is requisite that first of al he look vpon their beginning and end Iesus Christ and never suffer him to depart out of his eies Thou art a lurking place vnto me Hitherto by the waye the promise was inserted Nowe followeth the forme of prayer which that man which is beloved of GOD shal vse whosoever he bee yea and that leaning to DAVIDS example experience In this little prayer not so much at the words to be numbred as they are to bee weighed Before the promise he maketh his preface that God is his lurking place and he professeth his assurance in God alone which in deede is principally the solid ground of the petition and a vehementargumēt to purchase to himself the grace of GOD For seeing thou makest a semblance professest that thy confidence in prayer is placed not in men nor in our merites in which the Papistes trust neither yet in anie other thing but in God alone through Iesus Christ surely nowe thou bringest with thee somewhat then which no thing is more pleasant and acceptable to God Also the petition is in those words Keepe me from trouble Then nexte according to the same meaning compas me about with songs of deliverance as if he shuld say deliver me that I may haue mater to sing thy prayses Hee seeketh then a deliverance for the glorie of God wherof out of all question he
in the plurall number because that onelie one sacrifice of a contrite soule is insteede of manie yea and of all whatsoever haue beene at anie-time Hee calleth them The sacrifices of GOD that is acceptable to GOD. I vnderstande by the broken Spirite as it were brused into little peeces and abjecte through the conscience of the owne weaknesse and vnworthinesse Then turning vnto GOD hee sayeth O God thou despisest not a broken and contrite soule It is a speech vttering lesse but meaning more whereby hee signifieth that the broken and the contrite soule is moste acceptable to GOD. But let vs considder some-what more diligentlie what hee calleth a broken hearte After that anie man is awakned vppe out of his sinne and his eyes are opened that hee may see his owne filthinesse having compared it to witte with that nature of GOD which is sette downe to vs to bee righteous and holie in the Lawe hee hath seene also the punishmente of his filthinesse the wrath and curse of GOD for no man at anie time canne sufficientlie wounder at the blindnesse of corrupted nature those who are blinde in bodie haue notwithstanding some sight for they see and knowe that they are blinde But those that are blinded in soule they are in this respect more miserable that they do not know indeed that they ar blinde yea they think that they see very clearely when in the meane time miserable men they are blinder then any Mowle while at length by God their eies bee opened vnto them After then I say any hath looked vppon the filthinesse and vncleannesse of his nature and Gods anger therewith then in hart he is cast downe and he who appeared to bee some thing to himselfe before now he is most abject in his owne eies and seemeth nothing to himselfe and this is the one cause of casting downe and contrition There is also another to witte the mercy of God in Christ being tasted surely in some certain measure which as soone as any man hath tasted he is not so much sorrowful because of the paine as because he hath offended GOD so merciful a father And this is that sorrow 2. Cor◠10. which the Apostle Paule calleth godly sorrowe which causeth repentance that is the changing of the minde the mortifying of the old man and the quickning of the new man This sorrow which aryseth from God offended hath conjoyned therewith an vnspeakable ioy proceeding from the sense of Gods loue For it is not possible that that sincere feling of that fatherly loue should lacke all sense of gladnesse For which thing may appeare wounderfull to any the more the feeling of the loue of God in Christ be so much more is the sorrowe yea the gladnesse is so much the more For no man reioyceth in earnest who hath not bene in earnest sorrowfull And this the estate of a repenting sinner this is the most sorrowfull yea and also the most ioyfull estate of mortal men Now then God having looked vpon the heart of man thus broken and contrite he wonderfully delighteth therein and therein quietly satisfieth himself Frō whence God himselfe denyeth Psay 66. that hee dwelleth in Temples made with hands yea he denyeth also that hee dwelleth either in heaven or earth but hee professeth that his dwelling place and house of rest is a poore a contrite hart But if thou say seeing our minde is not fully regenerated in this life no not the hart of any man who most seriously repenteth how commeth it to passe that God taketh so much pleasure therin so that also he dwelleth quieteth himselfe therein I answere He who hath a contrite heart this man therewith is indued with faith For contrition proceedeth of faith and of the perswasion of the mercy and loue of GOD in Christ And the heart although it bee not altogether regenerated by faith pleaseth God to witte by faith in that alone sacrifice wherby both the wrath of God against sin is pacified and the conscience of the sinner is quieted Therefore God taketh pleasure in the contrite hart because the same is faithful also and hath Christ dwelling therin by faith To the ende therefore that we may please God wee should never suffer that sacrifice of Christ to slip out of our eies 20 Do well according to thy good will to Tzijon build the walles of Ierusalem 21 Then shalt thou delight in the sacrifices of righteousnes in the burnt offring that that shal be altogether consumed away then shal they offer bullocks vpon thine altar The other part of the psalme DO wel Hither to hath bene the first sort of petitiō for himself here followeth the other for the whole people the cōmon-wealth whereof he was then thought to haue had no respect when hee provoked GOD to wrath by his sinne for the sinne of the Prince casteth the whole people in danger when he layd them out to the sworde of the enemie Nowe this dammage whereby he damnified the people is compared allegorically with the fall of the walles because the faithfull are living stones in the house of God Then he sayeth that wee may come to his owne words Doe well according to thy good will to Tzijon according to thy will sayeth he that is 1. Pet. 2. according to thy free mercy For he pretendeth no innocencie of the people when he hath to doe with GOD although otherwise he abused the innocent people Neither yet doth he thus pray Do well to Tzijon because it is innocent but thus Doe wel to Tzijon according to thy good wil that is according to thy mercy Build the walles That is O God repaire a mend that breach which I haue made in thine house who of thy own power alone art able to do it It was an easie thing for mee surely to destroy this people by my sinne But it is not so easie to repaire the ruine againe and to make it of new whole Of the which you see that David when he craveth of GOD that he would doe well to his people he acknowledgeth therewith that in his default the people were destroyed The conscience therfore of that evil where by hee hurte the people vrgeth him now to pray to God for them If Princes fayle in any thing commonly it is in their office to wit that they governe not the common-wealth aright Such was the fault of David when he layde out the people of God to the sword of the enemie and therefore of necessity it is that their fault redoundeth to the whole people And from thence it commeth to passe that the sinne of the Prince is more grievous then any private mans fault in respect it spreadeth further abroad and by the daunger thereof involveth moe And from thence it proceedeth that when God deliberateth either to chastife or oppresse any people he giveth to that nation foolish Princes and counsellours that stirre vp alway pernicious or not necessary warres But contrariwise when he will prefer any
in Tzijon O Iehoua The first part of the psalme the complaint in which the diuers passions of Davids mind being banished vtter themselues And first indeede the affection of that loue whereby hee embraceth Gods presence in his Church is brought out in this verse For David when he had felt that sweetnesse of the presence of GOD which then was tied vnto the Church of the Iewes he was taken with a wonderfull loue thereof Also hee openeth vp that most tender loue in this word How amiable For this word is the speech of a lover By the name of Tabernacles he vnderstandeth that visible Ministrie which then was bounde to the temple of Ierusalem onely and in which God exhibited himselfe to his people to be seene in some sort My soule is touched In this the passion of desire vttereth the selfe For when the holy man was banished from that presence of GOD which he so greatly loued hee was not touched with a meane desire thereof For desire properly ariseth of the absence of these thinges which we loue Considder therefore what it is to haue once taisted how gracious the Lord is for of the taist commeth the loue of the loue ariseth the desire of the thing absent which thinge the felle surelie is neuer destitute of some sorte of enioying and presence Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousnes because they shall be satisfied But they who at no time haue taisted howe gracious the Lorde is they surelie are not taken with his loue and they who loue not they desire not him that is absent For what is the cause that you see manie destitute of this visible presence of God which is in his Ministerie not-with-stan-ding are not so much as by the leaste feeling touched with the sense thereof These neuer tasted how sweete this presence of GOD was in his ministerie From thence there is no loue of God againe from thence there is no desire of him But what would you thinke of those which not onely doe suffer themselues willinglie to be depriued of this presence of God but also persecute the same al the waies they can I pray you of what minde ar those men toward God how wickedly are they disposed Yea my soule fainteth He aggravateth that his desire to come vnto God and firste indeede from that that through the desire his minde fayleth him Then from that that he is whollie occupied with that desire both in his heart in his flesh in his minde in his bodie Thirdlie from that that through the desire he cryeth out Marke therefore in this place how vehement the passion vseth to be in the godlie not onlie of desire but of loue sorrow and rejoysing c. For that spirit of GOD which stirreth vp this affectiō in the godly is in cōprehensible From thence his operation is marueilous in the hart not such natural commotiones indeede as vse to bee in the mind as the naturall desire the naturall loue the naturall sorrow c. From thence the sighes of the godlie are said to bee vnspeakeable Rom. 8 and the joye vnutterable and glorious 1. Pet. 1 Neuertheles there is something in the affection of the godlie which you may vvounder at and which you cannot finde in the naturall passion Their desire is vehement it is not without some presence and enjoying of that thing which they desire from thence ariseth that pleasure while they desire For their sighes cannot be expressed surelie they are not without some ioye if the vnspeakeable ioy bee not conioyned with inutterable sighes To the strong God Vnder these titles of God there is some cause of so great a desire for he felt that his whole power his life was from God who is both strong and liuing that is whoe is not onelie strong in himselfe but furnisheth strength vnto his creatures not onelie liueth himselfe but powreth in life into the things created they then which feele themselues to liue by God that they moue and are surelie they suffer not themselues to wante the presence of God But they who feele not that thing they take that absence of God in a good ynough part I grant all liue indeede and are by him but all vnderstand not that onelie they vnderstand and feele that who haue begun to liue that life of God haue the first fruites of the Spirit They indeede ascribe to God alone as his gifte not onelie that spirituall life but euen the sensuall life Yea the sparrow The third affection Indignation for he is angrie yea that a sparrow or a swallow shall haue some entrie to the altars of God when not-with-standing the altares of GOD belong nothinge to those litle birdes But he himselfe which is a member of the Church all entrie vnto the Church of God is vtterly stopped vp You see therefore that the Godlie being destitute of Gods presēce envie that the little birdes shoulde haue the same and they thinke themselues miserable in respect of the birdes You see also that God by the birdes doeth after some sorte prouoke men to aemulation The vngodlie in this life do suffer easilie the things created and dum to draw neerer vnto god thē thēselues and yet for all this thinke not themselues in this respect either more blessed or more miserable thē themselues But when they shall come to that latter judgement or to that aire and to those clowdes wherewith the Lorde shall be invironed and vpon which he shall set miserable men they shall thinke the birdes happie in respect of themselues My King and my God Those names of God sufficientlie declare that there was also some presence of God present at that time when hee so grieuouslie complaineth of his absence For these words proceede from faith that is from some present apprehension You will see then the godlie complaine of the absence of GOD when notwithstanding they feele him present in some sorte They complayn also of his absence because they cannot get that presence and communion of God which they would haue For we liue here by faith and not by sight that is we looke a far off onely vppon the Lorde and that selfe same sight which is from a farre off is hindred many waies yea many times also all presēce of God is rest away from our eies From thence ariseth that desire of flitting out of this bodie and going to dwell with the Lord. From thence come these complaints concerning the Lords absence Blessed are those who dwel This is the fourth affection woundring He cannot sufficiently wounder at the blessednesse of these men who haue some entry patent vnto God that is to that visible ministerie in which God exhibited himself to be seene in some sort For whosoeuer at any time haue God present with themselues those define that blessednesse that felicity of man by that same presence and communion which is with God Neither ar they able at any time who haue not seene God in Christ either to thinke
sight Last marke At what time doth David finally glory in that that he is the sonne of the handemaid of GOD that is borne of that mother which was in the covenante with GOD surely even then when therewith he acknowledgeth that hee is the servant of God It is profitable in deede to be borne of the Saints and of those Parents who are in Gods covenant so long as thou coÌ„tinuest in that covenant with God and art Gods servant for so that promise of GOD of long durable mercy which is made in the seconde command belongeth vnto thee I will haue mercy sayeth hee vpon the thousand generation of those that loue me and keepe my commandements But if thou make thy selfe vnworthie both of thy parents likewise of that covenant of God that shall nothing profite thee that thou art borne of the Saintes of parents that are confederat with God It profiteth thee nothing that thou art able to set downe thy pedigree in a certaine continuall race even vnto Abraham himself with whom the first covenante of God was made I will sacrifice to thee He repeateth that promise of thanksgiving which was set down before in the 13. verse Of the which because we haue spoken sufficiently ynough there we shall be the shorter therefore in opening of the same Only we shall adde this much to the things that wee haue spoken that fra once that stupiditie of our mind is shaken off and fra once we beginne to prayse God and to giue him thankes we are so carryed away by that Spirit of GOD that wee can scarce make an end of the praysing of God We are in deede but very slowlie stirred vppe to prayse God but being once stirred vp wee take such delight in prayer for a time and through that joye our heart doth boyle so that in a manner it is altogether powred out into the prayses of our God Wherfore to the end that we may praise God this deadly sopour of our mind is perpetually to be shakeÌ„ off and wee must endeavour that at no time so far as it is possible this our hart be altogether voyde of feeling either of our misery or of the mercy of God in Iesus Christ for of this two-folde feeling there aryseth a two-fold affection of the hart that is both of sorrow and of joye From sorrow speciallie arise petitions from joy arise giving of thanks which ar done in Christ Iesus To whom with the Father holy Spirite be all glory Amen The Argument of the CXXX Psalme It is a song of Doctrine written by some one of the Prophets It is composed of three partes First there is set downe a memoriall of prayers which hee had at sometime conceiued when he vvas in an extreame great danger vnto the 5. verse Then making a tranâ—ision he professeth that he hath yet his hope in the word of Iehova and that he dependeth vpon him vnto the 7. vers Thirdly hee recommendeth the same hope to Israell that is to the whole Church vnto the ende of the Psalme The CXXX Psalme 1 A most excellent song Out of the deapthes I cryed vnto thee ô Iehova saying 2 O lord harken to my voyce let thine eares be attent to the voice of my deprecations 3 If then shalt straightly marke iniquities ô Iah Lord Who could be able to stand 4 But with thee is forgiuenes that thou maist be reverently worshipped OVt of the deapthes The first parte of the Psalme The depths in this place are most deepe and terrible dangers for so are they called The metaphore or borrowed speech is taken from waters in which men are almost drowned Looke the Psal 69. 2. 3. c. This is out of all doubt that while any man sticketh in most deepe perrilles then hee powreth out from a moste hollowe and deepe hearte fervente prayers yea hee cryeth vppon the Lorde mightelie For so the Prophet speaketh of himselfe here Out of the deapthes I cryed vnto thee ô Iehova Thou seest then at what time the godly are exceeding grievouslie afflicted oppressed with the hande of God at that same time they vse earnestly to deale with their God and to haue their refuge chiefely vnto him with prayers and supplications For that the trueth of this proposition may be manifeste afflictiones worke in our hearts firste some feeling of our sinne and misery For vnlesse God exercised his owne after such waies as he knoweth moste meete surely they would never come to a sense of this common miserie of their nature then next when once the heart is prepared with some feeling of the owne misery Then the spirite of God which they call the Spirite of adoption toucheth the same with some sense of the mercy of God And to speake with the Apostle Rom 5 The loue of God is powred out into our hearts by the holy Spirite which is given vnto vs yea and that by Iesus Christ and by his death For surely the holy Spirite toucheth not our hart with any sense of the mercy of God in Christ Iesus vnlesse first they be prepared with some feeling of misery And then after that the holy Spirite hath powred out that loue of God into our hearts then wee conceiue in our minds that coÌ„fidence whereby wee draw neere and incalles vpon him For this is the Spirit which the Apostle calleth The Spirite of adoption by whom we cry Abba Father We crye sayeth hee because the Spirite of adoption through the feeling of the loue worketh that confidence in the heart that the heart being first enlarged then nexte the mouth wee may call God Father with a free and shrill voyce Therefore fra once the Spirite hath indewed our soules with a feiling of the loue of God we goe freely vnto God and praye vnto him For except there bee first some feeling of the loue of God certainely there can be no calling vppon his name Then thou seest that that is true which we spake at the beginning to wit the more grievouslie the godly ar afflicted in that respect the more fervent are their prayers We becaus we ar not drowned yet in those deapths therfore are not much touched with that sense with which wee ought long ago to haue bene touched either of our misery or of the mercy of God praye not so earnestly as it becommeth vs It were much better indeed to be afflicted with praiers theÌ„ to be in prosperity without praiers Saying ô Lord Hitherto he hath declared that in daunger hee calleth vppon GOD now hee setteth downe that forme of prayer which hee then vsed in calling vpon God Heare sayeth hee O Lorde my voyce Then hee doubleth the same petition Let thine eares bee attent to the c. This doubling and iterating of the same petition proceedeth from a vehement and two-folde affection as it were of the minde and grace of the holye Spirite For excepte by the grace of the Spirite the affection bee inlarged surely the mouth cannot bee inlarged
aright or speak truly of that happines From thence proceed these shamefull errours of prophane Philosophers of which number some haue beene so mad that they haue placed the miserie of man in place of his happines Also those whom in the first place hee published to bee blessed those appeare to be the Levites and the Priestes For those are they who dwelt in the house of God and according to their office perpetually praysed him The Ministers therefore of the Church obteine the first place of happinesse and no marvell indeede if thou wilt measure happinesse by Gods presence and the glorifying of his name For the Ministerie are sanctified separated aboue others to communicate with GOD vpon whom this thing lyeth as a parte of their office that they poynt out as it were with the finger God whom they first haue seene in Christ and paynte out Christ before the eies to others in the preaching of the Gospell and crucifie him as it were to others there fore the faithfull Ministers and stewards of the mysterie of Christ ar chieflie blessed but if they be not faithfull they are of all men the most miserable Blessed is the man Secondly he esteemeth them to be blessed who haue an easie entrie into the Church of God For this is that which he sayeth Who in thee haue libertie of thy pathes For here also is the matter of happines that there is an easie passage made vnto vs to the assemblies of the Church in which the worde of God is heard and preached and the Sacraments are ministred But wee very oft fulfill that which is commonly spoken The nearer that wee draw to the Temple of God in our bodie wee are the farther in our soule from God and we abuse that libertie and power in which there is any matter of blessednes For wee haue taken a loathing of the worde of God and of the Ecclesiasticall assemblies long since Blessed are they Thirdly hee counteth these among the blessed who howbeit they had a hard way a droughthie place to passe through as was the valley of the mulberie are compelled to journey likewise travell in a raynie weather Notwithstanding they are able to come vnto the Church of God Appoynt that fountaine That is they refresh themselues with a consideration of that fountaine of GOD vnto the which they striue through those droughthie places The rayne of thy blessing That is which for the most parte is sent to communicate the blessing of God with the earth maketh it fertil Thou seest then that those are blessed to whome otherwise there is an hard entry into the Church of GOD if in the meane time they come vnto him For the difficultie of comming vnto God taketh not away our happinesse if sobeit at length wee take holde on him But these surely are the meet judges of this happines who haue once tasted howe gracious the Lorde is and what greate sweetnes is in his presence They goe from battle array The reason of their blessednes who haue an vneasie waye vnto the Church of God from the event They go sayeth he from battel aray to battel aray That is after they are commed into the Church that difficil way being accomplished they passe from one holy assembly to another daylie to exercise publickly the whole worshippe of GOD. It is a borrowed speech from warfare Let every man compeare This is done according to the Lawe Hee sheweth evidently then their happinesse who haue an hard journey vnto the Church from the notable issue for wee must measure blessednesse from the issue and not from the meanes whereby wee attaine vnto the issue And therefore our Saviour in the fifth of Matthew saieth Blessed are they that mourne for they shal be comforted whereby hee signifieth that blessednes is not so much in the mourning as it is in the consolation Not-with-standing hee sheweth that mourning is a necessarie midds for comfort so that if wee mourne not in this life there shall be no comforte for vs in that that is to come vnles we passe as it were in some sort through the Helles wee shall not come vnto the Heavens 9 O Iehova God of hostes heare my prayer conceiue with thine eares ô God of Iahakob Selah 10 O our shield behold ô God and looke vpon the face of thy Christ 11 For one daye in thy courtes is better then a thousand I choose to haunt the thresholde in the house of my God then to dwell in the pauillion of iniquitie 12 For God Iehova is the sunne the shield Iehova giveth grace and glory hee with-holdeth not good from them that walke in vprightnes The second parte of the Psalme the prayer O Iehova Now hee prayeth vnto GOD that of his mercy hee would bring him home from banishment into his Church The petition is conteined in two verses The reason therof is vnto the 13. verse The ground of the petition vppon the which it is built is easilie perceived from the titles and names whereby hee incalleth God Also the ground of the petition firste is indeede in taking holde on GOD in his everlasting essence from whence hee is called Iehova Then next in that his infinite power from whence hee is called the GOD of hostes and that he hath vnder his dominion al hostes and armies aswel the heavenly as the earthly Thirdly in his mercy which he hath made manifest in that covenant made with Abraham Isaac and Iakob from whence hee is called the God of Iahakob For wee cannot pray vnto God except we take holde on him in our heart not only in that his everlasting essence wherby he is distinguished from all things created but also in his proprieties but chiefely in two power whereby he is able to saue vs and mercy whereby he is willing to saue vs. Also we vtter this apprehension of heart in the titles and names of God while wee call him Iehova sometime the God of armies at other times the God of Iahakob and finallie when wee are praying we call vpon him by other titles It is to be marked in the petition that hee repeateth the selfe same petitiō This repetition sheweth evidently the earnest desire of the thing sought for without the which wee should not call vppon God for the desire of the heart is a certaine necessary foundation of praiers From thence aryse those vehement and repeated petitions the which self-same askings againe of necessitie God must heare But if there be not a desire of the heart the askings are but colde and drye and therefore againe they get nothing but a colde a drye aunswere from God and procure rather some judgement then any benefite For we should not deale for the fashion sake with God O our shield How of the craveth so oft he calleth vppon God most reverently which thing is an evidente that every one of these words proceed from particular apprehensions of the heart Men commonly when they speake to superiour powers they vse oft
and honorable styles but for the most part fayned styles But the godly when they speake reverently vnto God they speake from the entire sincerity reverence faith and loue of the heart For wee must deale with GOD the searcher of the hearts with vprightnes of heart and not make our word so much as our soule approoved vnto him and this cannot bee done without his owne spirit For no man calleth Iesus Christ but by the holie Spirite Behold As he first sought the eare so nowe hee desireth the eie of GOD For the godly are not at reste within themselues before they firste feele that all the senses of their God as it were are exercised vppon them for even as they who favoure not but of those earthly things some not to themselues able to liue vnles they haue the eare of the Princes of this world open vnto them and haue their eie fixed vpon them so they who seek that everlasting life they depend altogether vpon the eie and eare of God who is the alone author of life and in whose face there is sacietie of joyes For one day is This is the argument of the petition from that joye which is in the Church of God Of this joy he entreateth by way of comparison and he aggregeth it by a comparison taken frō a thing that is lesse of that joy which is in the pavillions of wickednes that is which is without the Church without the which there is nothing but wickednesse as if he should saye The joye of one daye in the Church is more then the joy of a thousand daies without the Church from thence hee concludeth Therefore I had rather hant the threshold in the house of God c. Hee preferreth then the joye of one day in the Church to the joy of many dayes without the Church The reason is because the weight quantity of that spiritual joye which is in the Church recompenseth the shortnesse of the time For one crumme if it were no more of that spirituall joy is of greater weight estimation then is the whole joy of this world Marke if so little a time of spirituall gladnesse begun but onely in this fighting Church vppon earth surpasseth by so many degrees that whole time of the joy which is of this world I pray you how much shal wee say the eternitie of that spirituall ioy to be which at length is to be perfited in the triumphant Church to be more excellent I say then all the joye of this worlde which lasteth but for a moment as it were For the whole time of this joy if it be compared with eternitie what other thing is it then a certaine moment and that gladnes of the world if it be compared with that heavenly ioy how vaine and light is it Compare therfore that everlasting weight of that excellently excellent glorie so to speake with the Apostle with this momentanean lightnesse of worldly ioye 2. Cor. 4 The Prophet said not greate ioye which is in the Church when he brought in the cause wherefore he desired to bee brought home againe into the Church but by waye of comparison he saide that this ioye was greater then that ioy of the whole world is yea he preferred one daye of this ioy to a thousand dayes of worldlie ioye and not only preferred he this ioye which is in the Church to that ioy which is in the world but having vtterly abandoned this worldly ioye he choose that spiritual ioy Here then I marke that is not sufficient if we saye there is a great ioye in the Church of God vnlesse wee prefer the same also vnto the whole ioye of this world Againe it is not ynough if in worde we prefer the same except also wee make some choise thereof also in this life Moyses choose rather to bee afflicted with the people of God then to enjoy the commodities of iniquitie If therefore Moyses choose the affliction and misery of the Church having contemned altogether the royall pleasures how much more ought we to choose that gladnesse which is in the Church of God having despised in the meane time all the pleasures of this worlde Which ioy surely if we choose not in this life in some certaine measure certainely wee shall never enioy that perfite pleasure which is in the other life For God is the Sun The reason wherefore hee choose rather to haunt the thresholde in Gods house taken from God himselfe and from his presence in the Church as of a certaine Sunne and Shield God is a certaine Sun because the beame of his grace shineth in our harts 2. Cor. 〈◊〉 as the Apostle speaketh And hee is a shield because he protecteth rescueth his Church and defendeth it from evill For without the Church there is no protection no salvation as there is no light no grace But the borrowed figuratiue speeches following expound these wordes by which it is saide first Iehova giveth grace and glory For for this cause he is called a Sun Then is subjoyned Hee restrayneth not good from them which walk in vprightnes That is who are truly and really of the Church But vnderstand therewith he holdeth off and restrayneth evill from the Church and the members of the Church For for this hee is called a shield Mark who finally ar they who chose to dwell in the house of God or in the church to wit those only ar they who behold that Sunne shining in the Church and that buckler which protecteth the Church But others vpon whome that Sun hath not shined and whom that shield defendeth not they are so farre from that that they would dwell in the Church of GOD that contrariwise with all their heart they abhor the societie of the Church and of the Saintes It is therefore greatly to the purpose once to haue looked vpon that presence of god in his church 13 O Iehoua of hostes blessed is the man that hath his confidence in thee O Iehova blessed is the man The conclusion of the prayer conteining an excellent acclamatorie sentence in which Dauid having considdered that presence of GOD in his Church hee publisheth him to bee blessed who putteth his trust in God that is who is in the Church and enjoyeth that presence of God in his Church He therefore that beholdeth God present in his Church not only he chooseth to dwel in the Church but he judgeth him to be blessed whosoever hee be that by faith and loue in God joyneth himself vnto the Church and that man alone indeede is the judge of the true felicitie and miserie of man who seeth the presence of GOD in his Church for this man judgeth yea and he judgeth indeede aright from that presence of God either of the happinesse or miserie of man To God therefore in his Church be all glory through Iesus Christ for evermore Amen The Argument of the CXVI Psalme Of this Psalme there are fiue partes The first he professeth his loue toward God and he