but must looke vnto the mercieseate So that albeit we can not deny but that we are sinners yet the remission of sinnes we may not denye And why is the remission of sinnes promised if sinners may not enioy the same Moreouer in that Dauid speaketh of mercie he conâ—esseth that he is a sinner and that mercie doeth properly pertaine vnto him But thou wilte say Sinnes make a man vnworthy to receaue mercie at Gods handes therefore let Dauid Paule and Peter hope for mercie as they which are holy and worthy to receaue mercie c. Such cogitations flye thâ—â— euen as a present poyson and destruction of thy soule and thinke rather on this wise Because I am a sinner therefore remission of sinnes pertaineth vnto me Wherefore I will not despaire I will not suffer my selfe to be swallowed vppe with heauynes but I will turne vnto the Lord who hath promised mercie who also hath commaunded that I should trust and beleue in him Thus Dauid setteth forth in this verse the summe and effect of all true Christian doctrine that sunne which giueth light vnto the Church For whiles this doctrine standeth the Church shall stand and flourish But when this doctrine fayleth the Church must needes faile and fall to ruine This doctrine I doe so often and so diligently repeate for that Satan desireth and seeketh nothing so much as to plucke the knowledge thereof out of all mens hartes And this is the speciall cause of all the troubles which he stirreth vp either publikely or priuately We see what mischiefe he hath brought into the Church by Schismes and factions not onely in that men contending and striuing for newe matters haue almost forgotten this article but many also offended through dissentions and discord beginne now to loth and contemne the same It is therefore the part of a faithful Pastor not to suffer him selfe by such offences to be remoued from this article but with an inuincible constancie and continual trauell to set forth and aduance the same Moreouer how often commeth it to passe that in those also which are cast downe with the beholding and consideration of the law and their owne sinnes this article of the forgiuenes of sinnes is either lost or else in great daunger Dauid therefore in this Psalme setteth forth as hereafter we shall heare not onely his owne experience but also exhortations and promises whereby it may appeare that he carefully traueled for the preseruation of this doctrine And in deede the greatnes of the daunger ought to stirre vp a carefull diligence in this behalfe and daily to encrease the same in vs For where this doctrine is lost the mind is ouerwhelmed with all kindes of tentations So when in the Papacie this article was lost what was so monstrous that was not gladly hearde and receiued of all men The impudencie of the Monkes all the religious rable was so great that I am ashamed to speak it there was not in a maner so much as the cracke of their foule panch but they would haue men to reuerence it But contrariwise where this knowledge is reteyned and this doctrine preached all heresies may easily be ouerthrown And hereof the Papacie is a notable example which by the preaching and publishing of this one poynt of doctrine is now vanquished and banished out of mens hartes For although you reproue the life of the Papistes and speake against their whoredom conetousnes tyranny and such like enormities neuer so much and by the euill workes of the law detect their impietie yet shall you nothing preuaile For all this the Pope doth not sticke to confesse as in deede he can neuer deny his manifest abominations But sayth he although our life be defiled with sinne yet our doctrine and our kingdom notwithstanding is holy In like maner the deuill in the lawe and workes can not be conuicted For he can therein so handle him selfe that he will easily breake out as it were through a spyders webbe and lose nothing of all his power But then is he ouercome in deede when the doctrine of fayth is diligently and truely taught aud that the Papistes haue not onely lost but also haue defaced with their filthy doctrine and opinions both Christ and the true maner of iustification If we sticke to this ankerhold both the Pope and Satan shall be put to flight For if their doctrine be once conuicted as false and erroneous they haue nothing to defende them selues withall Wherfore endeuour your selues with all diligeÌ„ce that this doctrine may be of you both well knowne surely stablished in your harts And let none be so arrogant as to think that he hath atteyned the full perfect knowledge of this heauenly wisedom For so long as Satan the world and our owne reason can do any thing we shall neuer be perfect in this knowledge And because we are as it were souldiers placed in the forefront of the battaile therefore we are in daunger of many perills which to withstand it is not in the power or wisedom of man. The summe and effect therefore of all these wordes Because there is mercie with thee is this that God will not deale with vs according to the lawe because we likewise should not deale with him according to the law but say with the Publicane Lorde be mercifull vnto me a sinner They that goe beyond these boundes of grace and leauing this rich and ample grace wil dispute of the law and works calling to account what they haue done and what they haue left vndone the further they go the deeper they plunge them selues in hell I say not this without good cause I see what hapned to good Bernard whom if you examine wel you shall find him contrary to him selfe For when he treateth of faith with an inward feeling he teacheth Christ purely he stirreth vppe mens hartes to the loue of Christ effectually and setteth forth his benefites sincerely then smelleth he of â—othing else but roses and hony But contrariwise when he disputeth out of the law or of the lawe then reasoneth he no otherwise then if he were some Turke or Iewe which either knoweth not Christ or plainly denieth him So is it likewise with all others that take vpon them the office of teaching and preaching For when they speake with an inward feeling and practise and are not caried away with disputations contentions they teach Christ purely But when they eâ—ter into the discourse of the law they so dispute as if there were no Christ which had instituted the law yea which with his owne blood had purchased the remission of sinnes This doe we also find to be most true when we fal in matters of the law mens traditions Wherfore we must stand fast in this Paradise or heauen of grace and seeke no further that we may remaine in this simple confession of Dauid VVith thee there is mercie But why doth he adde moreouer That thou mayest be feared
assayle vs as pouertie sicknes vexation of minde and such like we should endure these tentations with faith hope declaring our patience towards God and hoping for deliuerance at his hande in his good time Like as Paule also writing to the Romans willeth vs to reioyce euen in our afflictions and tentations For if God did not loue vs Satan would not hate vs If we were not partakers of life our enemie woulde not persecute vs with death So those which are most iust and holy because they hold fast the hope of the remission of sinnes Satan tempteth most of all wich the horror of sinne yea and that in such wise as some times the taking of one litle cuppe of wine or of one word vnaduisedly escaped he maketh such a sinne that baptisme and al other giftes and blessings which we possesse seeme now to stande vs in no effect Yea many times euen those works which are good and holy he reproueth and condemneth as most wicked that he may bring the tender and timorous conscience into heauines All these thinges I say the godly doe finde and feele But if we should follow our owne sense and feeling without the worde howe farre and how miserably should we wander from God Thus Satan dealeth not with the Papistes but goeth a contrary way to worke excusing yea highly commending in them most horrible and detesâ—able crimes as excellent vertues Contrariwise we that desire and endeuour to liue according to the will of God and moreouer doe teach the word sincerely and faithfully doe often times suffer such trouble and vexation of conscience as if we liued most wickedly We must learne therefore out of the word that these thinges hâ—ppen to the godly and must be ouercome with such cogitations as the holy Ghost here setteth forth So that we must thus thinke with our selues I am called to the Communion and partaking of the merite of Christ and am baptised If in the common course of this life there be any offences by me committed there is mercy with the Lorde and in hope of this mercie I will let them passe Moreouer our doctrine although the world sclaunder it and most spitefully persecute it must needes be true This doctrine after that we once beleue in Christ sheweth vnto vs that with the Lord there is nothing else but mercie For God can no otherwise doe but loue vs and bestowe his benefits vpon vs Now if the contrary appeare to my sense and feeling I passe not neither if I should die for it would I suffer this knowledge to be wrested from me but I stedfastly beleue that in the earth beneath and in the heauen aboue there is nothing else but mercie Thus to beleeue I am perswaded not by feeling or by mine owne experience but by the word which saith that with the Lord there is mercie for me and all that doe beleue But for them that beleue not there is nothing else but wrath I will therefore ouercome my tentations with the word and will write this promise in my hart that since I beleue in Iesus Christ doubt not but that my sinns are pardoned through his blood I shall not be confounded although all sence reason and experience would perswade and proue to me the contrary In my selfe I perceaue nothing vut wrath in the deuill nothing but hatred in the world nothing but extreame furie and madnes But the holy ghost can not lye which willeth me to trust because there is mercie with the Lord and with him is plentiful redemption Redemption signifieth deliuerance and that generall as wel from the faulte as from the punishment but specially from the fault This redemption he calleth great and plentifull because the straitnes of our hart is such that it can not comprehend the same For when we pray we so pray that it seemeth we woulde be content with a litle So they that are in trouble heauines of minde doe wish for the comfort and quietnes of one day They that are in pouertie would be glad to haue bread for the preseÌ„t day But God doth not thinke this enough for he giueth aboue all that we can either conceiue or aske And most true it is that we do not knowe howe or what to aske And here I gladly vse mine owne experience For what and how much hath he giuen vnto me alone I wished no more but that the horrible abuse of the Popes pardons might be taken away but what a floode of wonderfull and incomparable benefites hath followed So is it alwayes true that no man dare aske so much of God as God is ready and willing to giue The cause hereof is the straitnes of our hart the slendernes of our hope and weakenes of our faith This plentiful redemption then aboue all measure exceedeth all our petitions and desires Wherefore the Lorde hath giuen vs all a forme howe we shoulde pray For if we had not this forme of prayer prescribed vnto vs which of vs durst be bold to aske so many and so great things We are now therefore not onely made conquerers of sinne hell and death by the merite of Christ but also doe feele the bountifull and liberall hand of God towardes vs euen in this life And albeit we could neuer haue bene bold to aske so much and so many thinges yet notwithstanding he hath giuen vs these thinges and will giue vs also more Therefore the Prophete saith that this redemption is plentifull because it exceedeth our capacitie For like as we slenderly beleeue so we slenderly aske But our father in heauen rayneth plentifully vppon the litle poore sparkes of our prayer and small droppes of our faith and recompenseth his delay in giuing with great abundance For although we must still waite yet is our deliuerance so much the greater Iacob which is Israell waited for the Lord what followed That people so mightely increasing and multiplying of so small beginnings afterward chaunged the whole world And if Abraham had seene all his posteritie and all the wonderful actes which God wrought amongst them woulde he not haue said thinke you that he coulde neuer haue hoped or once haue thought that this should euer haue come to passe True it is that Abraham beleued the promise of God But that there should be such a wonderful and glorious bewtie of his posteritie he could not beleeue because of the straitnes of mans hart So the Church after Christ prayed for the aduancing of Gods kingdom and after this praier followed the ruine of the Romane kingdom which before seemed to be inuincible We likewise pray at this day for deliuerance The day of the Lord therefore shall come and shall destroy the whole world with all the power of Satan hel This onely therefore let vs endeuour that we may continue in faith hope Then shall the Lord make a glorious ende of all our troubles For God wil not forsake vs except we first giue ouer to hope and
Herewithall was added that ioyfull promise of the eternall posteritie of Dauid and his true sonne Christ 2. Reg. 7. Dauid therefore in this Psalme as it seemeth to me intreateth of the first part of this promise wherein he reioyceth not onely for him selfe but also for the whole people of God for that God had appointed a place in Ierusalem both certaine permanent wherein he would be worshipped Albeit therefore that Dauid doth here partly signifie that house which Salomon afterwarde built yet specially he treateth of the fruite that should come of the building of that temple namely that the word of the Lord should there be published prayer made and sacrifice offered This is that ioy and gladnes which Dauid so notably setteth forth in this Psalme whiles he beholdeth the inestimable goodnes of God towards his people in giuing to them the knowledge of his worde in reuealing his face vnto them in perswading their hearts of his good will towards them The Papists dispute much of God but without the word the true knowledge of god They neither teach nor yet once thinke what that wil of God is towards vs or what he will do with vs for say they we know not whether god loue vs or hate vs And to this end they blasphemously allege this saying out of Ecclesiastes No maÌ„ knoweth whether he be worthy of loue or of hatred with other like For what is it to talke of God if thou knowe not what his will is towards thee to what end he hath ordained thee They that knowe not God thus knâ—w him not at all It is the word of God therfore that certifieth vs of the will of God towards vs what pleaseth or displeaseth him what he would haue vs to doe and what he wil do with vs The barbarous brutish ignorance wherof hath brought forth all those monstrous idolatries in the kingdom of Antichrist Theft which is forbidden by the law of God in the 7. commaundement is thought to be but a smal sinne in comparison of the rest as murther horedom c. NotwithstaÌ„ding suppose that this commaundement were not what great enormities what horrible impieties would ensue We should become like rauening wolues beares destroying and deuouring whatsoeuer they may come by yea-like vnto swine which when they come to their draffe swill if euery one could deuour so much as might suffice al they would leaue none for the rest Therefore that our goods are in safety yea rather all that we haue is not spoyled and taken from vs it is the benefite of the seuenth precept What a life would this be if our wiues were not in safety if our children were vncertaine if men might resist the Magistrate and do what they list would it not be a continuall hel That we inioy therfore true godly matrimony that the common welth and the lawes are preserued in which and by which we liue in safety rest and quietnes all these are the benefites of the second table But let vs ascend to higher matters â–ª What were this life if the first table were not if there were no Sabbots no Church no place wherein the word might be published taught if there were no knowledge of God no inuocation of God but euery man had his peculiar idoll to worship These are farre greater and more horrible euils then those that are committed against the second table and yet so much the lesse regarded because they are spiritual But if we had the eyes of the spirite and did see how many soules Mahomet the Pope do cary vnto hel it should be muche more greeuous vnto vs then if we were euery houre in daunger of losing both goods and life We ought first therfore to reioyce for these smal benefits which we inioy by the second table whereby both our goods and bodyes are in safety Small benefites I call them in comparison of those which we inioy by the first table wherby God so abundantly openeth the treasures riches of his mercy towardes vs in reueiling him self vnto vs in certifiyng vs what his wil is towards vs what he hath decreed to doe and how to deale with vs in giuing vs his word faith the holy Ghost in hearing our prayers increasing dayly the Church by his word These things are so great that no hart can conceiue them no tongue can expresse them wherby our soules are deliuered from the tyranny of the deuil whereby we inioy peace tranquillitie of mind a good conscience whereby also we attaine and retaine the true knowledge of God whereby many are instructed to eternal life These things Dauid beholdeth with the eye of faith these things he deepely wayeth considereth with him self therfore is stirred vp to thanks giuing which the inward ioy of hart coÌ„pelleth him vnto For such are thaÌ„kful in deed which doe embrace y graces gifts of God reioyce in the giuer But such as fele not this ioy albeit they set forth this psalm with piping singing with organs and mincing musicke neuer so much yet are they vnthankful because they do not vnderstand these benefits These things I doe therefore recite that all men may beware of that detestable impietie and headspring of all mischiefe in the Church of God the contempt or lothing of the word for that is an horrible apostacie and a falling away from god When men are once come to this lothing of y word it is not possible that any true or sincere cogitation of the spiritual life or remission of sinnes should enter into their heartes But alas we see that there is nothing at this day more common For how wickedly doe the nobility gentlemen rich welthy yea and all other inferiour sortes of men at this day contemne the word of life the gospel of saluation the ministery ministers more esteming their earthly possessions wealth and pleasures then all the sweete comfortes of the gospel These the children of God are compelled to behold as Loth did the Zodomites not onely despising molesting and spitefully intreating them but also liuing in all fleshly liberty and doing what they list It was an horrible thing for Dauid to fal into adultery murther but how much more horrible is it thus to offende against the first table as the Angels did and therefore were cast out of heauen But Dauid repenting returned vnto God found mercie And here the godly are so much the more in daunger of this euill by how much the fall is more easie For this venime so secretly infecteth the soule and so creepeth in by litle and litle that it can not almost be perceiued I call it a contempt of the word not onely when the word is despised derided persecuted but also when it is negligently and vnreuerently taught heard and learned according to the saying of the Prophet Esay This people honour me with their lippes but their heart is farre from me And
God that we shall suffer trouble and affliction yet in him we shall ouercome at length The 125. Psalme They that trust in the Lord c. The Psalme going before is a thankesgiuing or a sacrifice of praise because the godly see and by experience feele that the Lord is faithfull and helpeth them in the time of neede This Psalme following conteineth also in a maner the same matter For it perteyneth to the doctrine of faith and exhorteth the faithful likewise to a sure trust and affiance in the helpe of the Lorde in all their necessities Whereunto he stirreth them vp with great and excellent promises It may also be easily vnderstand by that which we haue sayd before For herein consisteth all this heauenly wisedom that we doe vtterly remoue out of our sight what so euer flesh can comprehend and beleue that which the word onely telleth vs euen against all that which either we know feele or see And therefore this wisedome is against all humane wisedom and reason For by reason and all that reason can comprehend we feele see and conceiue all things contrary to that which faith leadeth vs vnto He that lyeth sicke and at the poynt of death can by reason conceiue nothing els but y imagination of death But a christian man leauing that imagination knoweth that in death there is true life But thou wilt say he seeth and feeleth death in deede but life he can not feele I aunswere that because he resteth vpon the word and after it he iudgeth and not after his owne feeling therefore euen in death he seeth nothing but life and in the middes of darkenes most cleare light For like as God maketh all thinges of nothing and of darkenes light so he worketh by his word that in death there is nothing but life They then which sticke to the word and promise of God and follow the same doe finde it true which Dauid sayth He spake the worde and it was done c. But before we can come to this experience we must abide some trouble therefore haue neede of such exhortation as this psalme here setteth forth Verse 1. They that trust in the Lorde shall be as Mount Sion which can not be remoued but remaineth for euer The Prophet vseth here a similitude of Mount Sion because Ierusalem wherin Sion stood when the temple was builded had most ample notable promises of God as appeareth in very many places of the Prophetes that it should stand sure inuincible for euer against all troubles and calamities for that the Lord had his abiding and dwelling there according to that promise where he sayth here is my rest here will I dwel c. And therefore Dauid in an other Psalme glorieth on this wise Loe the Kinges were gathered and went togither when they saw it they marueled They were astonied and suddenly driuen backe As we may see it came to passe vnder Ezechias in that great destruction of the Assyrians and other Kings as the stories witnesse which shewe that Ierusalem remayned safe in all daungers not by the strength and pollicie of the inhabitants but by the miraculous worke of God dwelling in it and thus mightely preseruing and beautifying his owne common wealth Nowe therfore sayth he like as Mount Sion and our holy citie Ierusalem is neuer moued but remaineth sure and safe by the mighty protection of the Lord in all extremities so he that trusteth in the Lord shall be defended against the furious rage of the world and the gates of hell for euer Note howe he commaundeth no worke here to be done as in popery in the time of trouble men were taught to enter into some kind of religion to fast to goe on pilgrimage to doe such other foolish workes of deuotion which they deuised as an high seruice vnto God and thereby thought to make condigne satisfaction for sinne and merite eternal life but simply he leadeth vs the plaine way vnto God pronouncing this to be the chiefest anker of our saluation onely to hope and trust in the Lorde and that this is the greatest seruice that we can doe vnto god For this is the nature of God as I haue sayd to create all thinges of nothing Therefore he createth and bringeth forth in death life in darkenes light And this to beleue is the very nature and most speciall propertie of faith When God then seeth such a one as agreeth with his owne nature that is which beleueth to finde in daunger helpe in pouertie riches in sinne righteousnes and that for Gods owne mercies sake in Christ alone him can God neyther hate nor forsake For he serueth and worshippeth God truely which putteth his whole trust in the mercie of god With this seruice God is highly pleased because he deliteth of no thing to make some thing So he made the world of nothing so he rayseth vp the poore and oppressed so he iustifieth the sinner so he rayseth the dead and so he saueth the damned Who so then consenteth to Gods nature and obeyeth his will there hoping for some thing where nothing is he it is that pleaseth God and shall neuer be moued But thou must beware that thou imagine not to thy selfe a false hope contrarie to the word of God and thy vocation Whereof if thou be certayne and abide in the same if troubles rise trust in the Lord and if he helpe not in his good time take me and Dauid also for lyars Satan will trouble vexe and discomfort thee yea and peraduenture make thee to beleue that thou art vtterly forsaken but if thou trust in the Lord thou shalt feele his helpe with ioyfull victory So in the councell of Auspurge when the Princes were bent against vs with one consent our cause seemed to be vtterly ouerthrowne Notwithstanding yet we liue and enioy such peace and libertie as we would wish maugre the rage and malice of the Pope and all the aduersaries of the worlde With such conflictes we must be exercised lest we be discouraged when we see our cause begin to quale But the greater the daunger is the more stedfastly we must trust So shall it come to passe that when we are ouercome yet we shall ouercome and the conquerer shall yeeld vnto vs triumph and victory This is it that the Psalme here setteth forth They that trust in the Lorde shall be as Mount Sion which can not be remoued but remayneth for euer And here we haue a singular promise whereby we are assured that we shall stande and abyde for euer If then we doe not continue it is our owne fault because we abide not firme and stable in our fayth For this promise must needes remaine sure and infallible Yea as it is impossible that God should deny him selfe and not be God so is it impossible that he should forsake those that put their trust in him But we may not thinke the time longe but patiently abide the Lords leasure For Gods
call grace heauen it selfe by the which we haue an open passage vnto heauen and the which we can neuer atteyne vnto by the law by workes or by our owne endeuour but rather as a most large heauen it receaueth vs beleuing that by adoption we are made righteous before God through Christ. Hereby we may see what the entent and purpose of the Prâ—phet is in this Psalme namely to teach vs the true way to righteousnes life and saluation Againe to shew vs the way how to escape death sinne and the wrath of God that out of this life we may passe to life euerlasting And in teaching of these things he sheweth his owne experience and layeth open vnto vs his owne hart which the holy Ghost had exercised and scholed with many tentations that so he might atteyne to this doctrine wherein he goeth about here to enstruct vs also The summe whereof is that he resteth wholy in the hope of Gods mercie and in the sure trust of the forgiuenes of his sinnes But these thinges shall more clearely appeare hereafter in expounding of the Psalme Verse 1. Out of the depth haue I called vnto thee O Lorde It may seeme that the Prophet vseth here moe wordes then needeth But he that considereth well the cause which forceth him to burst out into these wordes shall see that no plentie of wordes could expresse the sorrow and anguish of his wofull hart nor sufficiently declare his daunger For it was no light or common tentation that vexed him He complained not of the perills that he was in by the rage of Saul by his sonne Absolon by the false Prophets and others nor of any other tentations which proceede of malice and hatred wherewith the world persecuteth the godly but he setteth forth here the griefe of a vexed and wounded conscience the very sorrowes of death when a man feeling his hart as it were oppressed with desperation thinketh him selfe forsaken of God when he seeth his owne vnworthines and desertes accused before God as a terrible iudge yea when it seemeth vnto him that God hath not onely forsaken him but cast him away for euer hateth abhorreth him for his sinnes These teÌ„tations are much more terrible then those which men commonly fall into for they are not without daunger of soule eternall saluation Therefore he vseth here this maner of speech saying Out of the depth I call vnto thee c. As if he should say great are the troubles wherewith I am oppressed For I feele mine owne sinnes and the iust wrath of God vpon me for the same neither can I find reliefe or comfort to my restles afflicted soule Against the malice of men wherewith they molest and vexe vs there are remedyes to be found but this wound is vncurable except the Lord send helpe and succour from aboue And in dede such troubles as the godly are commonly exercised withall as the losse of goods wife children such other may yet be ouercome or borne with patience Moreouer in those which are counted inferior sinnes as the offences of youth the deiect broken herted may more easily be raised vp againe But these afflictions seeme to them and are in deed vntollerable when they feele them selues oppressed with such horrible and hellish cogitations that they can see nothing else but that they are caste away from God for euer They therfore that feele such bitter tentations haue here an example that Dauid in him selfe felt and had experience of the like For it maketh the tentation much more greuous when they which are thus afflicted feele that as to them it seemeth which none else doe feele but they alone We must learne therefore that euen the godly haue euer suffered the same afflictions and haue bene beaten downe euen to death with the terrors of the law and sinne as we may see here by the example of Dauid crying euen as it were out of hell and saying Out of the depth doe I cry vnto thee O Lord c. But it is not inough for vs to knowe that we sustaine not these troubles and tentations alone but we muste also learne the way whereby such as haue suffered the like tentations haue beene raysed vp againe And here ye se Dauid what he doth Ye see whither he flyeth in his great distresse He despaireth not but cryeth vnto the Lord as one yet hoping assuredly to find reliefe and comforte Rest thou also in this hope and do as he did Dauid was not tempted to the end he should despaire Thinke not thou therefore that thy tentations are sent vnto thee that thou shouldest be swallowed vp with sorrowe and desperation If thou be brought downe euen to the gates of hell beleue that the Lord will surely raise thee vp againe If thou be brused and broken knowe that it is the Lorde which will heale thee againe If thy hart be ful of sorrow and heauines looke for comfort from him who hath saide that a troubled spirite is a sacrifice vnto him It is expedient also to haue some faithfull brother at hande which may comfort vs in these bitter conflictes For God would that in his Church one should help to comfort an other as meÌ„bers knitte togither in one body and he hath promised that when two are gathered togither in his name he will be the thirde amongest them And doubtles nothing comforteth an afflicted conscience so much as to heare some godly brother declaring out of the word of God that such terrours and afflictions are sent of God not to destroy vs but to humble vs therby to make vs to acknowledge the great mercy of God offred vnto vs and to receiue the same with thankful harts But if in this distresse we be destitute of the helpe of such faithfull brethren we must then doe as Dauid â—id in this place that is we must cry vnto the Lord pray as this Psalme teacheth vs Wherein ye see such sorrowfull and bitter sighes as liuely expresse in Dauid the great anguish of spirite from whence floweth such plentifull matter and yet nothing superfluous as compelleth him not onely to say that out of the deepe depth he cryeth and calleth vnto the Lord but he putteth the Lorde also in minde of his promise thereby to moue him the rather to giue eare vnto his prayer Verse 2. Lorde heare my voice let thine eares attende to the voyce of my prayers He speaketh as I haue saide before to the same God whose seate was in Ierusalem like as we now speake vnto that God and call him father whom we knowe and worship in Christ alone On this God with deepe sighes he calleth that he would with the eye of mercie looke vpon him and gratiously harken vnto his prayer But if we thinke that we can not pray with such a minde or with such feruencie of spirit as these words doe expresse we must consider that Dauid him selfe did not thus pray in his anguish and in the
extremitie of his tentation The minde oppressed with terrour and desperation can not pray so long as such desperate assaultes doe endure but bursteth out rather into blasphemy murmuring against God and can not thinke wel or reuerently of god But when the extremitie of the conflict is past theÌ„ beginneth this crying vnto God and this vehement desire which the mind before oppressed with anguish and sorrowe could scarsely once feele It helpeth an afflicted conscience also very much as I haue said to heare some faithfull brother with comfortable exhortation counsel out of the word of God saying on this wise Brother why art thou so heauy harted Doest thou not heare that God will not the death of a sinner hast thou forgotten that God commaundeth thee to beleeue in him to trust in him Looke vpon the first commaundement What is it what requireth it else but that we shoulde worship God in faith and hope Why then shouldest thou not trust in his gooâ—nes and mercie Why shouldest thou despaire This is to heape sinne vpon sinne and whereas thou wast a sinner before in the second table and in the inferior degre of the commaundements of God now thou settest thy selfe in the firste table also and in the highest degree adding to thy other sinnes desperation and incredulitie c. When the heauy and troubled conscience is thus earnestly stirred vp to a stedfast hope and trust in God and to the consideration of Gods great mercie and goodnes towardes the penitent and afflicted then beginneth to arise some sparke of faith and groning of the harte bursting out into these or the like wordes Oh that I could These vnspeakeable gronings the spirite helpeth and at the length there followeth some feeling of relese comfort For God can not reiect or neglect these gronings Of these gronings we see a shadowe as it were in the first verses But why doest thou grone why art thou heauie Harken what followeth Verse 3. If thou Lorde wilt streitly marke what is done amisse O Lord who may abide it This verse in our diuinitie is well knowne neither doe I seee how either our aduersaries or Satan him selfe can auoyde it For what can they say or what haue we here that may moue vs any way to doubt As for Dauid it is witnessed of him that he was a man after Gods owne hart and in deede he is a singular example to all posteritie in all kind of godlines For although through the murther of Vrias and his adultery with Barsabe he is not with out reproch yet how great was his humilitie when the Prophete reproued him and how feruent was his faith when he raysed him vp againe Beholde moreouer his singular patience in affliction his carefull and continuall trauell for the amplifying and adnauncing of the kingdome of God of the true seruice and worship of god What should I say more Dauid hath not many fellowes whether ye consider his life and his faith or the witnes pronounced of him by the Lorde him selfe and yet he notwithstanding so excellent and so holy a man is compelled plainely to confesse his imperfection saying If thou Lorde wilte straitly marke what is done amisse O Lord who may abide it Is not this then absolutely to deny all the righteousnes puritie holines of men what so euer they be Likewise in the 31. Psalme thus he speaketh euen of those whom he calleth godly and holy For this shal euery one that is godly pray vnto thee that is for pardon and forgiuenes of their sinnes Where are they then that so highly extoll the righteousnes of workes seeing that Dauid him selfe in the sight of God simply renounceth and reiecteth his workes and all manner of righteousnes and onely desireth that the Lord would not streitly marke his iniquities But in deede our aduersaryes talke now somwhat more moderately in this matter then heretofore they haue done For they doe not now deny that faith iustifieth but yet they say that that faith which iustifieth must be furnished with charitie Thus like pies parrets they chatter and prate that they them selues doe not vnderstand But furnish faith how so euer ye list yet is this a general sentence If thou Lord wilt straitly mark what is done amisse O Lord who who may abide it Surely no man liuing For if any man had bene able to abide it then Dauid no doubt had bene able being so holy a man so perfect in the word of the Lorde so often and so many wayes exercised and tryed with afflictions to confirme and stablish him in faith and in the feare of the Lorde For I doe not thinke that emongest all the Papistes there is any one so impudent that will not thinke him selfe farre inferiour to Dauid and yet Dauid saith that righteousnes commeth not by workes For sayth he If thou wilt marke what is done amisse no man shall bee able to abide it or to stande in thy sight O Lorde Wherefore let no man trust that by his owne merites or righteousnes he shall be able to stande against the terror of death and the iudgement of god Neither doe I suppose that emongest our aduersaries there is any suche as dare presume to enter into the iudgement of God trusting vpon his owne righteousnes and yet they teach commaund and exhort other so to doe But we teach a contrary doctrine leading the Church from this false trust to a trust and confidence in the merite and death of Christ and for this cause they condemne vs as heretikes Is not this extreme malice They will not doe them selues that they teach other to doe For when death coÌ„meth they dare not trust to their owne merits and yet will they force other so to doe or most cruelly condemne them for heretikes Thus we are taught by the experience of all such as are not vtterly voyd of vnderstanding that no man liuing ouercommeth by his owne works or righteousnes in Gods sight and yet the whole nature of man when it is not vnder tentation still looketh vnto workes and seeketh meanes how it may by them please god But here is set forth vnto vs a simple and a plaine doctrine If thou Lord will marke what is done amisse none shall be able to abide it Who would then desire to enter into iudgement that he may be ouercome condemned cast away for euer This is therefore the summe and effect of all togither that we all Dauid Peter Paule c. were borne that we are that we liue and we die sinners But this is our glory our health and safetie that when by the Gospel we be instructed of the mercie of God and merite of Christ we leape ouer the boundes of the lawe and out of our owne workes as it were into an other world and into a newe light and comming vnto God with boldnes we say O Lorde we can not contend with thee in iudgement we can not dispute with thee as touching our
Forsoth to set forth vnto vs what they are against whome he fighteth and to giue a further light to the former sentence by setting forth the contrary As if he should say I haue learned by experience O Lord why there is mercie with thee why of right thou mayst chalenge this title vnto thy selfe that thou art merciful and forgiuest sinnes For in that thou shuttest all vnder mercy and leauest nothing to the merites and workes of men therefore thou art feared But if all things were not shut vp vnder thy mercy or that we coulde take away sinnes by our owne power no man woulde feare thee but the whole world would proudly cōtemne thee For daily experience doth witnesse that wheresoeuer this knowledge of the free mercie of God is not there men walke in the presumption of their owne merites Behold the religious man but especially the Minorite which kind of men I haue alwayes abhorred aboue others for their intolerable pride He because he hath a rule and a lawe wherunto he must frame his life liueth without all true feare of God walketh in great securitie Uery fewe there be which come to the true knowledge of sinne or haue any feeling of desperation For they that feele desperation are glad to heare that there is mercie with the lord But these men doe persecute this doctrine of mercy free grace and forgiuenes of sinnes with fire and sword For the nature of the law is this that it maketh men proud presumptuous and contemners of grace as Paule notably setteth foorth in the Iewes Rom. 2. Thou art called a Iewe and restest in the lawe and gloriest in God c. They that are such are not moued with the authoritie of the Apostles nor with the miracles of Christ raising vp the dead to life but are as vnsensible as stones For in this securitie they are not onely ignorant what this propitiation and this mercie is but also they persecute the same Such therefore do commit a double sinne more greeuous then the Publicanes and our Sauiour Christ sayth well of them Harlots and Publicanes shall enter before you into the kingdom of heauen For they are easily perswaded that they are sinners and that they haue need of the free mercie of God forgiuenes of sinnes But contrariwise Annas Caiphas the other Pharises whē they heare these things doe laugh and girne thereat can not abide to be taught of any Now for as much as perteineth vnto them both the Lord hath decreed that righteousnes should not be estemed according to our workes but simply according to mercie the remission of sinnes For if righteousnes should come of workes or of the law then eyther desperation must needes follow if the law be not perfectly obserued or else presumption if it be obserued In desperation there is greater feare then should be in presumption there is no feare at all Therefore the meane betwene them both is this that God shutteth vp al vnder mercy Notwithstanding he taketh not away the law For without the law this life can not continue In what a miserable state should the common wealth be if murthers adulteries and robberies should be committed permitted without punishment or execution of law Moreouer the workes and exercises of the godly must be guided ordered by the word of god For this purpose God will haue the law to continue and accounteth it for an holy obedience in those that doe beleue But as touching sinne he commaundeth that we should cast away all trust and confidence in the law and put our trust onely in the mercie of God set foorth vnto vs in Christ Iesus crucified for our sinnes By this meanes presumption is taken away and feare remaineth not such a feare as is in the desperate but such as we see in good and well nurtered children towardes their parents No Monke therefore shall be saued because of his order or strait life I likewise shal not be saued because I preach Christ with carefull diligence faithfull endeuour The Prince is not saued because he faithfully gouerneth and defendeth his subiectes But as touching the Monke you may easily proue this to be true For that kind of life is altogither contrary to the word of god But to teach and instruct the Churches to gouerne the common wealth are in deede most holy and excellent works and yet are they the works of the law which of them selues bring either desperation or presumption Wherefore though these works be neuer so perfect and holy yet is there no saluation but in this alone that there is mercie with the Lord that he may be feared Wherefore God hath iustly shut vp al vnder sinne that he may haue mercie vpon all For if you leaue any thing to the nature of man wherby he may deserue the fauour of God no man will feare or worship God but all men will come vnto God as the Monkes doe with their abstinence prayer obedience and such like But by this meanes God is lost and the idoll of mans hart is worshipped in steede of God. For whiles the Monke thinketh to please God with his hempten girdle wherwith he ought rather to be hanged vp vpon a tree then girded whiles he thinketh by the obseruation of other traditions to please God doth he not depart from the true God set his owne imaginations in the stede of God whiles he is perswaded that God thinketh the same that he imagineth Of the righteousnes of the lawe therefore followeth plaine idolatrie which imagineth a strange God and loseth the true god For the true God is propitiation and mercie through christ But such as glory in their works would make their works propitiatory and auaileable to deserue grace Wherfore God reiecteth all workes and setteth forth his naked and bare mercy that he may be feared and not contemned of the presumptuous hereby taking away all cause of presumption Let vs learne then out of this verse or this general proposition that when the doctrine of the remission of sinnes of grace or propitiation is lost it followeth that in steede thereof Idolatrie must needes reigne For take away grace the feare of God also as the Prophet saith must needes followe And what is it else to feare God but to reuerence to worship God also to acknowledge that he is ful of mercy goodnes therefore to obey him This God did I lose when I was a Monke and walked in the confidence of mine owne righteousnes For by experience I am able to proue that of the most perfect righteousnes of the law there can nothing else followe but either desperation which is more seldom or presumption which is more common For the nature of man and the deuill can not beware but they must needes presume Thou wilt say then Shall we not keep the law shall we not doe good workes yes verily we are bound to doe them For God therfore hath a church
for this day or to morrowe but now and for euer So that ye muste haue a certaine continuall and a constant presumption if I may so say of the mercie of God of the forgiuenes of sinnes and of the righteousnes that commeth by christ Contrariwise ye must beware that ye neuer presume of your owne workes albeit they ought to be holy and according to the law of god For this naked and this onely trust ought to remaine which is called the confidence of the free mercy of God offered vnto vs in christ This trust is sure and neuer deceiueth vs For God is no lyer but faithfully performeth that he hath promised Doe thou therefore but trust and still faithfully rest vpon his promise But here we are not without daunger of the deuill whiche goeth about with all his might and power to bring vs from this assuraunce and trust of the mercie of God towardes vs in christ Wherefore we must fight and with continuall battaile practise this doctrine against the deuill and spirituall wickednes which by all meanes goe about first to lift vs vp with pride and presumption and afterwards to throwe vs downe againe to desperation But God worketh a contrary way For first he terrifieth vs and casteth vs downe that afterwards he may raise vs vp againe He bringeth vs downe to hel that he may bring vs back againe The dugge of grace also he sometimes taketh from vs that we may learne what our owne righteousnes is wont to doe namely to oppresse vs with desperation And this he doth to the ende that wee hauing experience thereof should not followe our owne sense and reason but raise vp our selues with a sure hope trust in Christe whereby the dead are restored to life and saued This mercie is as a strong heauen or firmament ouer vs wherwith we beeing couered are safe and sure where so euer we be So Esay calleth it a shadow against the heate because we are couered and defended by the mercie of God against wrath desperation the deuill death This shadow who so euer doe forsake shal suffer intolerable heat Thus we learne by this verse that Dauid speaketh of that damnable presumption of our owne righteousnes exhorteth vs to fight against it with a sure hope of Gods eternall mercie and a constant faith This is the onely way whereby we are saued The .132 Psalme Lorde remember Dauid c. This Psalme whether it be Salomons as it seemeth or whether it be Dauids it is a prayer for the kingdom the Priesthood for these two are the most principall giftes of God in this worlde Wherefore they haue neede of prayer and the helpe of God to defend them against the deuill whose double title ye knowe which Christ giueth vnto him in the Gospel of Iohn when he calleth him a lyer and a murtherer For he resteth not but busily laboureth seeketh by all meanes possible to replenish the world with lyes murthers Against these two policies and kingdoms of the deuill God hath erected two other kingdoms the politike state and the priesthood the one to fight against murther and the other against false doctrine and heresies So Dauid and all other Kinges and Princes in gouerning the common wealth ought to endeuor that their subiectes may liue a peaceable and a quiet life that mariages the education of children other dueties perteining to howshold gouernment may be mainteyned and defended against seditious and wicked persons The priesthoode is to this ende that children growing vp may be brought to the kingdom of heauen and the ministers of the Church are as Angells appoynted to defend the truth that the kingdom of Satan the father of lyes may be destroyed These be the proper offices of the ministers of the Church and of the worde which ministers haue bene alwayes in the world among the faithful and haue kept continuall battaile against heretikes and the ministers of Satan So the Patriarkes before the flood fought against the Canaites or ofspring of Cain after the flood against the Esauites and others The Prophets fought against the false prophetes as their writinges doe testifie and the Apostles likewise against the false apostles for Satan ceaseth not And besides this the kingdom of Satan was alwaies the greater For if ye cōsider the church there were euer moe godles and infidels then faythfull So in the ciuill gouernment the greater part consisteth of those which are disobedient which raise vp troubles seditions and warres Wherfore since the kingdom of Satan if ye consider the number is the greater and moreouer since both the politike state and the priesthood are such as farre exceede the power of man therfore can not be defended mainteyned by our strength or policie hereby we may see how necessary this prayer is whereby Dauid desireth that they may prosper and continue And here first of all marke the difference betwene Dauid and other Princes of the world Other Princes and rulers doe also vnderstand and see that common weales can not be preserued by mans power Wherfore they sayd that he which should well happily gouerne had neede to be endued with some diuine and godly power And albeit they were ignorant that these thinges are gouerned by God yet they preferred fortune for so they called the blessing of God the cause whereof they did not know before wisedom power iustice and all princely vertues For where as iust men for the most part be oppressed and the vniust doe rule and reigne therefore they thought that iustice is not the meane whereby kingdomes and common weales are preserued For then Cicero should not haue bene oppressed nor Antonius aduaunced to such power and authoritie If by power kingdoms could be preserued then should not Themistocles haue ouercome Xerxes Likewise many notable Emperours lacked no wisedom nor industrie and yet were they miserable notwithstanding These examples and this experience caused the Gentiles to thinke that there was a certeyne diuine power in great Monarches and Emperours to rule gouerne their earthly power wisedom and iustice whereby they did so prosper vppon the earth and this they called fortune But here behold and consider Dauid He also seeth that it is not in his power to preserue and vphold his kingdom and yet doth he not thinke that it is fortune which supporteth vpholdeth kingdoms for he beleueth that this perteyneth to God alone Besides this he beleueth as ye shall heare that God for his mercies sake will not reiect those that call vpon him But the Gentiles knewe neither of these thinges Moreouer the same necessitie which moueth the Prince or the Magistrate to pray for the common welth moueth him also to pray for the Priesthood and for the Church of god So we see that this Psalme is a prayer for the people of the olde Testament that God would preserue the kingdome and Priesthood euen for his promises made vnto Dauid It is likewise
profitable for vs and is of vs to be applied vnto our selues also for that we in like maner haue our Dauid and our Euphrata in the whiche we haue founde the Tabernacle or habitation of our God. For the selfe same thinges doe remaine and there is no more but the signification of the wordes to be chaunged Now like as they were in daunger as touching both the kingdom and the priesthood so is our daunger great also in them both Wherfore we may well sing with Dauid Remember c. Here I purpose simply to follow the sence and meaning of the letter declaring howe this Psalme was vsed and applyed of that people Afterwards it shall be easie for vs to apply the same to our owne time age Now like as that was a double kingdome that is to say corporall and spirituall so is the Psalme also diuided into two partes For first it prayeth for the Church and then for the politike state or the common wealth Verse 1. Lord remember Dauid with all his afflictions The history of the Kings doth declare that Dauid being persecuted of Saul suffered many and great afflictions But why did Saul thus persecute Dauid Because he was anoynted of Samuel to be king whiles Saul was yet liuing For hereof came the deadly persecutions the hatred sclaunders reproches all kindes of calamities which Dauid suffered Now whereas these troubles afflictions of Dauid were mentioned in prayer and in the presence of God either by his sonne Solomon or by the people it was not done as the Papistes thinke to the ende that Dauid should pray for them but they spake of Dauid in respect of the promises put God as it were in remembrance of those promises by speaking of Dauid as Paule also speaketh of Abraham Wherfore the name of Dauid is not here to be taken absolutely as though they spake of his person onely for as I said they spake of him as hauing the promises and clothed as it were with the promises of God so that here we must rather vnderstande the forme then the matter The promise I call the forme to teach set forth the thing more plainly and the matter I call Dauid him selfe to whome the promises were made This is then the sense and meaning of these wordes O Lorde God we pray vnto thee for the kingdom not counting our selues worthy or by any meanes to haue deserued that we shoulde be heard but as Daniel saith We present our supplications before thee trusting in thy great and tender mercies in that which thou hast promised to Dauid to witte that our kingdom shall endure for euer Thus he beginneth his prayer with a remembrance of Gods promises euen at the first entrance This is a singular example for vs that when we pray we should appeare in the presence of God as miserable wretched sinners not trusting vpon our owne merite or worthines but clothed as ye would say with his mercies and promises not as he that bragged I fast twise in a weeke but as he which said Remember Lorde thy promises For the promises of God are nothing else but mercies and compassions freely offered vnto vs in Christ. Thus we see that he speaketh not here of afflictions absolutely but in respect of an other thing for he vnderstandeth the afflictions which Dauid suffered for the promises in the which afflictions he helde fast the promises and suffered them not to be wrested from him The same promises did God likewise performe vnto Dauid Like as therefore saith he O lord thou diddest preserue Dauid suffering all calamities and afflictions for thy words sake and trusting in thy word so with like mercie preserue and saue vs trusting in thy promises and performe that thou hast begunne in vs For all thinges must be preferred to the promises like as Moses also doth which saith Remember Abraham Isaac c. For he doth not call vpon Abraham and Isaac as the vnlearned Papistes dreame but he alleageth the promises made vnto them as touching their seede and posteritie Nowe how could God be put in minde of these promises better then by reciting those persons to whom God had made the promises These promises the faithfull doe set against their sinnes and against their vnworthynes These thinges must be diligently taught that we fall not into the absurd and foolish opinions of the Papistes whose schoole diuinitie knoweth nothing of the promises of God but whereas the promises are the chiefest part of the Scripture they are vtterly ignorant thereof The other part of the Scripture which is the law they so maime and mangle that scarsely they set forth the one halfe thereof And hereof it commeth that they expound such sentences as this is so corruptly and peruersly as if the Psalme should speake after this maner Remember Dauid how good and howe holy a man he was and for his merites for his holines stablish vnto vs the kingdom But this sentence is plaine idolatrie for it looketh to the actiue or working person only As the Iewes thinke to obteyne their Messias by their owne merites So the religion of the Iewes the Turkes and the Papistes is all one for they all trust to their owne workes and worthines But we reiect the working person when we come into the presence of God and looke vnto that person which is altogither passiue clothed with the promises that is to say such a Dauid as bringeth and distributeth vnto vs not his owne merites but the promises giuen of God and by Dauid firmely reteyned in all afflictions Such a Dauid the Papistes doe not know and because they know but onely the actiue the working Dauid therefore they make of him nothing else but a plaine idol They know not that he is holy as the whole Church is holy not because it hath good workes and merites but because it hath the promise of grace which is the true bosome and wombe wherein the Church is caried and all the faithfull Verse 2. VVho sware vnto the Lord and vowed vnto the God of Iacob saying It seemeth that these wordes may not vnfitly be applyed vnto Salomon as the author of the Psalme For thus he sayth in effect Thou hast promised vnto Dauid the kingdom Dauid againe promised to build vnto thee a temple This vowe is now performed and accomplished Do thou also now O Lord performe thy promise and be thou present in this place and with this people Thus he offereth the temple and the Arke to the Lord in the faith of the promise made vnto Dauid concerning the light which should neuer be put out and desireth that this promise may be kept As touching this vowe of Dauid the Scripture speaketh nothing but maketh mention of that talke and consultation only which he had with the Prophet Nathan 2. Reg. 6. But the author of this Psalme goeth about to commend and set forth the good will of Dauid by the name of
and make men holy So our Church is called holy not onely for the holines of the persons but rather for the holines which the word and Sacraments doe bring vnto those whiche vse them rightly To those he wisheth ioy and gladnes and that they may reioyce and be mery in the Lord. The meaning then of this clause is this that Christ Iesus our King hath giuen vnto vs his word hath commaunded vs to be baptised to vse the Sacrament of his body and blood not be cause he would destroy vs oppresse vs with sorrow and driue vs to desperation but to this ende that we should reioyce and be merry hauing peace and a good conscience by his free grace and mercye The kingdom of Christ therefore is the kingdom of ioy and delyuerance as an other Psalme saith in the tabernacles of the righteous that is in the Church and among the faithful it is the voice of reioycing For they knowe that Christ their King would that they should haue comfort life and victory against death and Satan This is then the reioycing triumph of Christians or as here he calleth them of the Saincts Why then should a Christian be heauy or sorowfull since that he is called into the kingdome of Christ and of grace baptised and nourished with the body and blood of Christ and dayly raysed vp by the word against desperation and all terrours If I then doe yet remaine in bitternes and heauines of spirite the fault is not in this kingdome nor in the word or Sacraments but in me and in the deuill because I doe not with a true faith lay hold vpon the word and thorowly beleeue it For why should I feare if I did verely beleue that I am baptised called made pertaker of the body and blood of Christ and so receiued into the kingdom of life comprehended of grace as Paul speaketh and shut vnder the mercie of God These are nothing else therefore but the subtill sleightes and deceits of Satan which will not suffer vs to see our inestimable riches and glory but counterfetteth tentations and crosses where no crosse is but health and victorye Wherefore it was well said of that Christian virgine who being tempted of Satan answered that she was a Christian and so rested wholy in that man Christ. For we may not reason muche with Satan If he obiect vnto thee thy sinnes it shal suffice if thou obiect vnto him againe thy baptisme which he can not deny Also if thou lay against him the word whereby thou wast called into the kingdom of grace which for as much as it is the word of God how can it deceiue thee Thus in a Christian heauines can take no place if in his hart he doe acknowledge baptisme the word the communion of the body and blood of Christ the grace the fauour and the mercie of god How can he then but reioyce and be glad But because we often times suffer the worde and these giftes of God to be taken from vs and turne our eyes an other way it can not be but that heauines and terror must needes follow And this commeth to passe by the faulte partely of our selues as I haue saide and partly of Satan who leadeth vs from the word before we be ware and maketh vs to thinke of our owne worthynes or vnworthynes of our good or euill desertes also of the terror of death of the torments of hell c. When we thinke of these things if we lay not hold vppon Christ we perish and are swallowed vp with anguish and sorrowe for this is to lose the Arke of the couenant They therefore which in these daungers take holde agayne of the word are safe and are now able to say with Dauid VVhy art thou cast downe O my soule and why arte thou vnquiet within me For I am nowe in the kingdome of Christe that is in the kingdome of peace of ioy and eternall reioycing sauing that it is hindred by the deuill and by our owne flesh which is more ready to beholde her owne sinnes and vnworthynes then baptisme the word and the sweete promises of god And this is the wisedome yea the poyson which is hidde in our flesh that we are more moued with our owne vncleannes then with the purenes of the word and the Sacramentes They then whiche rest in the word are in a sure hauen of safegarde from all these tempests and terrours We must pray therefore that God would giue vs good Pastors faithful wise and godly disposers of the word of god For by their meanes and ministery the Churche doeth enioy this inestimable benefite and blessing whereby it triumpheth ouer death sinne and the deuill For it knoweth that it is nowe in the kingdome of grace This is true and perfect peace namely the peace of the hart and conscience Thus the Prophet desireth as an inestimable gifte that the pastors and Ministers of the word may be clothed with righteousnes and then that the people also may reioyce This is the firste parte of this Psalme Now followeth the seconde parte Verse 10. For thy seruaunt Dauids sake refuse not the face of thine annoynted This is a newe prayer which he maketh in the trust and confidence which he hath in the promises For here as also before the name of Dauid doth not properly ssgnifie the substance but â—he qualitie of Dauid that is to say Dauid clothed and adorned with the promises of the kingdom As if he sayd O lord I beseech thee preserue and blesse our kingdom be thou present with vs be thou our shield and our defence And this I doe desire not for myne owne cause onely as though there were any worthines in me wherefore thou shouldest graunt me this petition but I desire it in the trust of thy promises which thou madest vnto my father Dauid when thou saydest that thou wouldest giue a light vnto the house of Dauid c. And here haue we both an example and doctrine set before vs that we also when we pray vnto god should looke specially vnto the promises as we haue sayde sometymes heretofore Moreouer this place admonisheth vs of the difference which is betwene the spirituall the corporall promises For the corporal promises haue a condition as touching our workes ioyned vnto them So the corporal kingdom was promised to Dauid with this condition If his posteritie should continue in the word the wil of the Lord as in Moses it doth appeare But the spirituall promises are grounded vpon no condition of mens workes but vpon the onely mercy truth of the lord Therefore although the people of Israell were depriued of the kingdom driuen out of their land yet notwithstanding the promise as touching the seede of Abraham was not taken from them For thus sayth the text Although I cast them out viset them with scourges yet my mercy I wil not take from theÌ„ Likewise Esay sayth God
righteousnes or vnrighteousnes but if thou wilt marke our iniquities if thou in iudgement wilt demaunde whether we be righteous then must we needes perish Wherfore we appeale from thy iudgement vnto the throne of thy mercie If we haue done any thing well it was thy free gift alone Looke vpon vs therefore with the eyes of thy mercie and not with the eyes of the iustice of thy iudgement For if thou doe not pardon our iniquities and close thine eyes that thou behold them not we shall not be saued c. This light of doctrine we see that Dauid followed euen in the darkenes of the lawe But our case is nowe much better for as much as we see these thinges clearely sette before our eyes in the newe Testament For what teach we else at this day but that we are saued by fayth alone in the death and blood of Christ that by the merite of Christ onely our sinnes are couered and taken away according to that saying Blessed are they whose sinnes are forgiuen Forgiuenes of sinnes then is that heauen vnder the which we dwell through our trust and confidence in the merite of christ For he that beleueth shall not be condemned but shall passe from death to eternall life Dauid addeth here no expresse mention of Christ and yet because he hopeth for mercie therefore he loketh straight to this mercie seat that afterwards should more clearely be reueiled in the new Testament For ye see that he signifieth no lesse but if God should marke his iniquities he must needes dispayre For without remission of sinnes or knowledge of grace what haue we to rest vppon What safetie may we finde They therefore that put not their trust herein alone that by the death of Christ their sinnes are taken away and Gods eyes closed that he wil not see their sinnes must needes perish For this onely do the Scriptures set forth that our life resteth wholy and alonely in the remission of sinnes and in that the Lord will not see our sinnes but in mercie couereth them and will not remember them or lay them to our charge So that we must acknowledge confesse that we know nothing but the righteousnes of Christ Not that we should not now worke and bring forth the fruites of a holy life not that there is no sinne in vs or that God doth not hate the same but because God sayth and promiseth that he wil not marke our transgressions because we beleue in Christ and put our trust in him This shield whosoeuer holdeth out for his defence and hideth him selfe vnder it them God accepteth as his children because they haue a Sauiour but they that haue not are driuen to despaire For what can all their workes their merites their righteousnes doe seeing Dauid sayth If thou marke our iniquities O Lorde who shall be able to stand in thy sight In this verse therefore consisteth altogither which hereafter followeth Verse 4. But mercy is with thee that thou mayst be feared This mercie thou shalt not find in Moises in the lawe or in the works of the law not in Monkery not in a strait and painful life not in almes deedes c. Briefly this mercie thou shalt finde no where because it is no where but with the lord Mercie therefore is not our merite or our righteousnes but it is the free pardon of our sinnes by Christ alone Which mercy although thou shouldest afflict and punish thy selfe in a Monastery a thousand yeares or doe neuer so many so perfect or so holy workes thou shalt neuer find as the conscience which euen in a most streit and holy life feelleth desperation doth sufficiently witnesse But herein alone the conscience findeth rest and comfort when altogither naked without any addition of her owne worthynes it committeth it self to the naked and bare mercie of God and saith O Lord I haue thy promise that righteousnes commeth of mercie alone whiche righteousnes is nothing else but thy free pardon that is to saye that thou wilt not marke our iniquities I commend therefore vnto you this definition of righteousnes which Dauid here setteth forth that to marke sinne is to condēne Againe not to marke sinne is to iustifie or pronounce a man righteous And this is true righteousnes in deede when sinnes are not marked but pardoned not imputed Likewise in an other place also he defineth a blessed man and Paule allegeth the same defini-nition very aptly Blessed is the man saith he to whom God imputeth not his sinne He saith not blessed is the man which hath no sinne but vnto whom the Lorde doth not impute that sinne which he hath as here also he saith When sinnes are not marked These testimonies must be diligently collected and noted that we may see how that this doctrine is founded vppon the holy Scriptures and that all the confidence and trust that man can haue in the righteousnes of works or of the law is vtterly cut of in the iudgement of God. For this doctrine maketh all men alike and before God leaueth no difference For if by imputation onely we be righteous it followeth that not onely we be all sinners but that also there is no differenee betwene the learned vnlearned the wise and the simple the married and vnmarried the Prince and the plowman c. For this difference of degrees in the iudgement of God auayleth nothing but this onely auaileth before God that our sinnes bee forgiuen Wherfore if this doctriue had bene heretofore diligently taught all Monkry such other mōstrous kinds of life had not bene brought into the Church which the foolish people hath beleued to be more holy then others For what soeuer kinde of life a man be in this is the condition of vs all that we haue neede of forgiuenes of sinnes as Paule teacheth in the Actes where he sheweth that God suffered the manners of our fathers like as a good husband suffereth and beareth with the manners of his wife the maister of his scholers the Prince of his subiects Now if this eiuill life haue neede of such discretion and moderation that men should not be alwayes extreme and rigorous in dealing one towards an other how much more neede haue we that God should beare with vs in this our great weakenes and corruption If God should deale sharply with vs then should our transgressions dayly and continually moue him to marke straitly and sharply to punish vs But he will not marke our iniquityes This he requireth that we beleue in christ Then will he beare with vs then will he winke at our weakenes and pardon our transgressions yea in respect of our faith in Christ he will accept vs as righteous Thus Dauid turned him selfe from desperation to an assured hope and trust in Gods mercie For when we looke to our sinnes it can not be but we must needes be vexed and fall to desperation ▪ But we must not fasten our eyes vppon our sinnes onely