the remissiof sinnes David in another place publisheth him to be blessed whose sinnes are forgiuen According to thy louing kindnesse This is the cause why Dauid although a sinner notwithstanding dare be so bold to come vnto GOD that is to his judge to wit the loving fauour and mercy of GOD in Iesus Christ Eph. 3. 12. leaning to which hee hath libertie and entrie With confidence vnto God as the Apostle speaketh and craveth grace at him What time the conscience intendeth against vs any crime at the same time God as a juste judge passeth vp vpon his judgement seate and with majestie sitteth therevpon and with such an awfulnes that everie sinner is easily affrayd to come before his face for the vngodly are not able to sustaine that angrie countenance of GOD who haue not as yet felt that mercie of GOD in Christe Neither yet are they able from the hearte to call him Father yea they woulde rather goe out of the worlde that they might flye awaye from that his so fearefull presence Wherefore a sinner except hee feele together with the sense of sin God also to be mercifull he dare not be so bold as to compeire before him But now hauing felt his mercie and that loue by the holy Spirit powred forth into our harts he is no waies skarred away neither by the weightines of sinne nor yet by the maiestie of the iudge but that with confidence he wil draw neere vnto him For the feeling of the mercie of GOD in Christ hath so great a force of alluring If thou wouldest slay me sayeth IOB should I not trust in thee Blot out my defectiones The same petition is repeated from the exceeding greate desire of deliverance Blot out sayth he my defectiones That is forgiue me my sinnes whereby it is come to passe that filthily I haue made defection from thee It can scarsely be spoken how grievously Dauid had sinned First having committed adultery then man-slaughter Thirdly having contracted mariage with the woman defiled in adultery Fourthly the people of God being layde out to an open daunger and with all these finally was conjoyned obstinacie in sinne For hee had sleeped securely many monethes as it were in the sinne DAVID therefore being guiltie of so many sinnes surely he durst not haue bene so bold vnlesse hee had leaned to the infinite mercie of GOD to haue commed into his sight And from hence proceedeth that thing which hee cryed out Blot out my defectiones That is so many and so greate and that O God according to thy superabundant mercy Every sin whatsoever is the offending of that infinite Majestie Of this it commeth to passe that the burthen of sin-after some sorte is infinite if the sinner himselfe be not disburdened thereof in Iesus Christ Wherefore there is neede yea of an infinit mercy that any sinne whatsoever may be forgiven how much more is it necessary that infinite mercy superabundant be had to the end that many grieuous sins may be forgiven For seeing sinne aboundeth of necessitie grace must superabound Which thing experience it selfe teacheth For any man oppressed with some more haynous sinne he findeth not first reste to his soule before he conceiue in his mind the mercie of God which as soone as hee hath felt taken holde of there is no sin of never so great momente Ephe. 3. 8◠of the pardon wherof he may not now perswad him self therfore we shuld trauel al our life according to the saying of the Apostl We may be able to comprehend what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know that loue of Christ Ephes 3. 18. 19. which passeth all knowledge For out of all question the mercy of GOD in Iesus Christ is infinite But wee such is our stupidity are not able to comprehend scarse the thousand part thereof Of which it commeth to passe that in our owne default we are spoyled of a sufficient cōfort For there is no place for comfort in the soule without faith which what other thing is it then a feeling of the mercy of God in Christ Wash me much Thirdly hee repeateth the same thing as if hee should saye Cease not to wash before thou haue fully purged me from my sinne For it is an allusion to the clensings of the Lawe But it is to be marked that not being content with a light and common washing he sayth Wash me much He felt to wit that sinne had sette the rootes thereof deepely in him and that more toughlie it had cleaved to him and therefore he craveth of God that he would multiplie the washings which vnlesse it be done he thinketh that it cannot come to passe that hee can be clensed from the filthinesse of sinne Note then that sinne is not a superficiall thinge but that it occupyes wholie all the deapths of the heart But who knoweth this Surely not these secure men and Libertines who either feele not sinne at all or if they feele it they feele it lightlie and no otherwaies then in the vtter part of the skin Who then feeles it Verely they who repente earnestly and from the hart Those men very wel know within themselues how filthie a thing sin is how deepe partes of the soule it occupyeth and from hence it is that in this life they think they cannot bee sufficiently purged from their sinnes and that those panse vpon this that there is nothing wherby they may be clēged except that alone blood of Christ to whō only the holy Spirit leadeth thē when there is an earnest feeling of sin and a desire of washing For that is not the Spirite of Christ which carryeth a waye else where the soule of a sinner from Christ and to other washings satisfactions whatsoever which the Papistes dreame to themselues Of al these things which haue bene spoken marke this David vttereth the exceeding greate dolour of his heart in these his petitions and the cause of the dolours may be sufficiently knowen out of the petitions themselues Also the sin is whereby hee himselfe had grieuonsly offended his God For he sayeth Blot out my defections c. From whence is manifestly sene the difference betuixt the sorrow of the godly of the wicked These last indeed are sorrowfull not so much for the sinne Gen. 4. 1◠and the offending of God The examples of Iudas and Cain as for the punishment of sinne and the torment So Cain sorrowed Mine iniquitie is more sayeth he then that I am able to beare So also Iudas the betraier of Christ sorrowed But the godly although indeede they abhor the paine notwithstanding for this cause they are chiefly displeased that they haue offended their gratious God they detest sinne not so much because of the punishment as for the evil it self which is in sin and such was Davids sorrow at this time For I acknowledge my defections Hitherto hee hath sought one thing thrise now hee adjoyneth the cause of
of the lawe and having recived that forgiuenes we are counted just in that righteousnes satisfaction of Christ apprehended by faith Of these three sorts of justification The difference of these maner◠the two former differ from this third that seeing in the two former the cause of the sentēce of justification is in him that is justified in this third sorte the cause of the sentēce of justifying is without him that is justified to make it clearer in that first maner of justificatiō the cause of justifying is in the works of the man justified So ADAM had bin justifyed if he had stoode in the obedience of God so Christ was justified for our cause by his own righteous works by the perfite loue vpon all sides of GOD and of his Neighbour In the seconde sorte of justification which is by punishment the payne it selfe which is suffered by the justified man is the subject and the cause why he is justified of GOD. So Christ alone is justifyed for our cause and hee is made for vs the curse of the law also he hes fully satisfied the law by his death Laste in the thirde manner of justification the cause is that selfe same satisfaction which is in Christe him selfe with-out vs as in ane subject but after some sorte made aires to wit by faith So then by this third manner al the faithful are justified by the cause of justificatiō that is Christs satisfactiō which is with out vs. DAVID therfore that we may returne to him again speaketh not of the first justification nor of the second but of the third he attributeth the justificatiō blessednes of man not to the works of man himself nor to the punishmēt taken according to the threatning of the law vpon man himselfe but only to the free remission of sins Which sorte of justification is accomplished after this order First the sinfull man being called of God beleeveth in Iesus Christ to whose sacrifice the wrath of God pursuing him hee is compelled after some sort one or vther to flie as vnto a certaine Girth Then taking holde vppon that sacrifice the wrath of God is now pacified The wrath being asswaged there is place for grace and mercy and therefore of grace he forgiveth him his sinne and therewith imputeth to the sinner that righteousnesse and satisfaction of Christ which by faith before he had apprehended And so in these two things is situat that sentence of justificatiō the cause wherof wee see to be Christs satisfaction with-out man himself except in this respect you say it to be in man in so far as it is apprehended by faith And this fashion of justification is no lesse effectual yea it is much more forcible and full then if God had justified vs for any cause which can be in vs. For the peace and quietnes of conscience is no lesse neither yet is that rejoycing which is through justification by faith in Christ by his satisfaction any whitles then if we ourselues were by our workes justifyed Being iustified sayeth the Apostle through faith Rom. ◠◠wee haue peace towards God Then a little thereafter We glory sayeth he vnder hope The Apostle also himselfe Rom. ◠◠in this justification of God by faith gloryeth securely against that man whosoever he bee that would lay a crime to his charge a ye experiēce it self hath ever teached since the beginning that this way of justification is more sure then that which is by workes and by a cause inherent in vs. For seeing that inherent righteousnesse both of Angels and also of men is lost this righteousnes of Christ apprehended by true faith shal never be lost In which alone surely to the end we may mak one conclusiō of this discourse who soever hee be that quieteth not himselfe there shall no part be left him in that blessednesse which DAVID sayeth is placed in the forgiuenesse of sinnes In whose Spirit there is no guyle Hitherto hath DAVID published man to be blessed through the forgiuenesse of sinnes now he sheweth him to be blessed through sanctification also especially for simplicitie and sincerity of the hart which is the effect of the remission of sins AS if he shuld say I publish him to be blessed to whom sins ar forgivē yet not with standing so that I separat not sanctification frō the forgiuenes of sins justification So Paul after he had shewed Rom. ◠◠that there is no condemnation for him that is in Christ Iesus presently he subjoyneth who walketh not after the flesh but after the Spirit DAVID therefore conjoyneth with the remissiō of sins sanctification for the blessednes or happinesse of man is no other thing then his blessed estate in Christ Iesus and it is the effect of all the spirituall blessings in Christ Iesus of those to wit which ar reckoned out * Rom. ◠29. there after and ar brought in * Eph. 1. ◠therafter Moreover they are the fore knowledge of Gods Predestination vnto life calling iustifying gloryfiing Then there is no cause why any should gather out of this place that a man is also justified through holinesse of life and good works because the prophet saith blessed is he in whose hart ther is no guyle seing that by the word of blessednes is meant justification but the common effect of all the reste of the blessings of which hesbene even now spoken and among the which sanctification is reckoned out as one Then we may define the blessed man from his owne causes going before that it is he who is called justified and glorified of the fore-knowledge and Predestination of GOD. Out of those thinges you perceiue that sanctification synceritie and cleanesse of the heart are required to blessednesse which in this life is no other thing but a begunne glorifying and that blessednesse is the common effect of all Neither yet also shall it appeare if the sentence of the Apostle be taken good head to in that place and if his words be considdered that the blessed the just man or justified man as they thinke commonly is taken for one thing For blessed also with the Apostle is none other thing then the blessed estate of the justified mā and the effect of justification or of imputed righteousnesse with-out workes From whence also it is that our Prophete in an other place in plaine words publisheth a man to be blessed through the works of sanctification For I would not expound the worde blessed in that place Psalme ◠◠justified as if the Prophete of the consequent effectes described the justified man But I would vnderstand by the name of blessed a man constitute in that estate of life which is the estect of justification sanctification and finally of all spirituall blessings in Christ See those things which we haue observed vppon that place concerning blessednes When I held my peace Hitherto was set down the proposition of the blessednesse of man Here
that we walke in the liberty of the Spirit For by nature there is no free-will But where the Spirite of God is there is libertie 2. Cor. 3. 17. sayeth PAVLE And this is that blessed Christian libertie wherby we are so delivered that we may serue God and not that wee should liue according to our owne will such as libertie as these Libertines Fpicures doe faine neither yet must wee thinke that we are forced to doe our duty by this Spirite but that willingly we are led For God loveth those that are willing as Dauid speaketh in an other place Neverthelesse in this life this libertie is but begunne onely which at last shal be perfited in that life to come But we must yet a little more diligently marke the word of freedome for it signifieth not any common liberty but a speciall noble freedome such as is the liberty of a Noble man or kings son Neither yet without cause this worde is applyed to the presente purpose For wee are the sonnes of a king that is indeed Noble the King of kings and the most hie God For whosoever is regenerated by his Spirit he is his sonne in Christ although otherwise if wee considder these prerogatiues among men hee be base borne notwithstanding hei noble and more noble then any King who hath onely the first nature and is not regenerated by the holy Spirit For the regenerate man to speake this with Peter is made participant of the most noble divine nature 2. Pet. 1. Iohn esteemed much of this noblenes when he said whosoever receiued the Worde that they haue gotten this dignitie Iohn 1 12 to be made the sons of GOD. Beholde hee calleth dignitie that estate to the which the Sonnes of GOD were lifted vppe which if men would some-what more diligentlie take heede to they would not trouble themselues with those thinges which the Apostle calleth Carnall as are kindred 2 Cor 5. â—iches honoures but would seeke rather the new Creature in Christ for olde thinges are paste awaie and all thinges are made newâ— And hitherto the petition hath bene two folde The first of remission of siâ—â—es The other of Regeneration Nowe followeth the common argumente of the craving of both from the edifying of our neighbours I shall teach back slyders thy waies sayeth hee As if hee should saye if I shall obtayne at thy handes the thing that I craue O God I shall be a Preacher of thy infinite and incomprehensible mercy to others Thy waies he sayeth not my waies such as were man slaughter adulterie c. For those then were DAVIDS waies which waies indeede men are skilfull ynough commonly to pretend to their evill deedes who seeke none other thing then liberty to sinne yea and that vnder some certain cloake when notwithstanding this example of life is not set before them by David that they should follow it yea but much rather the waies of God aâ— set before them that is his vnspeakable mercies toward sinners which also appeareth of that that where sinne abounded grace superabounded The waies of God by nature ar vnknowen to man and specially that way of infinite mercy in his owne Christ of the which natur indeed was not able ever at any time to suspect But after beside nature and against nature it was reveiled notwithstanding the conscience trembling through the feeling of sin and of the wrath of God so that a mid cloud as it were is cast in betuixt the sight thereof and the grace of God that it cannot but see very hardly For then such an huge heape of sinne aryseth that it taketh away by force the whole sight of the grace of GOD almost from it In the mean time infidelitie which proceedeth of nature perswadeth vs to despayre of the mercy of God Finally a thousand impediments ingire themselues which al maketh it to come to passe that we are blind at the light of that grace of God so that wee finde in experience howe hard a thing it is especially to a man who is touched with an earnest feeling of his sinne to haue before his eies that mercy of God in Christ For I speake of him who is touched with a sense of his sinne For others who while they sinne yea and sinne grievously indeede notwithstanding they feele not that their sinne in speech surely they promise to themselues the mercy of God in Christ nevertheles in very deed they feele it not For it is easie to any secure man and that sleepeth in his sinne in a dreame to promise all things to himselfe God therefore willing the weill of sinners in this so great a difficultie of feeling of grace hee would haue left vnto vs an example of that this mercy whereby moste grievous sinnes are pardoned such as was this example of Gods mercy in DAVID the more notable in this respect the more grievous that his sinnes were as manslaughter adultery c. Also they were the heavier in that selfe-same respect that hee was a King PAVLE the Apostle 1. Timoth. 1. Professeth indeede himselfe to bee the chiefest of all sinners to witte a Blasphemer a persecutor a man that did wrong Notwithstanding sayeth hee God for this cause had mercie vppon mee that hee might shewe first on mee all long suffering vnto the example of them which shall in time to come beleeue in him to everlasting life This way of bringing men vnto grace which is by experience by his own exaÌ„ple God wil haue without al dout every one whosoever haue felt at any time in experieÌ„ce his mercy to follow to coÌ„municate to others willingly that tast of grace which they theÌ„selues before haue felt which thing David promiseth to do in this place I wil teach back-sliders saieth he thy waies In this place thou shalt marke that the godly when God as it were taking holde of their hande lift vp themselues they stretch out their other hand as it were to lift vp others whereby they also may be participant of the same grace WheÌ„ Christ calleth vpon them they also at the same time cal others that they may come together vnto him according to that commandement of Christ vnto Peter When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren For true faith not only is careful for the self but chiefly this is the ende of the purpose thereof through a certain zeale of the glory of God to promoove the salvation of others to wit that other sinners may be turned vnto God repent For David respecteth this ende in teaching others that is the mercie of GOD towarde sinners that they also might repent being mooved to wit with that sense of the mercy of God toward theÌ„ Of the which that thinge appeareth that some taste of the mercy of GOD preceedeth turning vnto God that faith is the cause of Repentance For it cannot bee that men can be turned vnto God vnles they be allured with some â—eeling of his fatherlie loue Deliver me from blood
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
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
allured by Gods benefites so on the other part wee be terrified be Gods judgements surelie we cannot bee conteined in our dutie To God therefore who provideth al manner of waies for the saluation of his owne in Christ Iesus his sonne bee all honour and glorie Amen The Argument of the LXV Psalme It is a psalme of thanksgiuing Dauid bursteth foorth first in giuing of thankes and praysing of God in the â— and â— verses Then follow the â—rgumentes of the proposed thanksgiuing to the end of the psalme All those argumentes are taken from Gods blessinges and benefites The benefites are partlie spirituall and eternall which belong onely to the affayres of the Church vnto the 7 verse And partlie bodielie and temporall which againe are of two sortes in this psalme For partly they aâ— common and belonging to all things created vnto the 10 verse and partelie they are proper and peculiar bestowed vpon the Church of God vnto the ende of the psalme The LXV Psalme 1 A Psalme the song of DAVID committed to be sung to the maister of Musick 2 O God whoe art in Tzijon setled hope and praise is due vnto the and to thee the vowe is to be rendred 3 O thou who bearest the prayer vnto thee shall all flesh come O GOD The first part of the psalme in which Dauid first through a sense of his miserie and sinne then through a feeling of Gods mercie as it appeareth out of the fourth verse thirdly by a faith quieting the selfe in GOD hee bursteth out into Gods praise and ascribeth onelie vnto him first the confidence of his soule Then the prayse of his mouth Thirdly whatsoeuer duty we haue bound our selues by a vowe to pay vnto our God and this thinge DAVID doeth in the seconde verse Then next in the thirde verse he promiseth that it shall certainely come to passe that euerie man through faith shall come vnto GOD. The reason is conteined vnder the title which hee giueth vnto GOD while hee calleth him the God who heareth the prayer In the thirde verse hee promiseth that faith of men in God which hee sayeth was peculiarlie due vnto him in the second verse As if hee shoulde say Men indeede O God oughte to giue their faith vnto thee and they shall giue it thee and shall beleeue in thee Learne out of this place what it is properlie to praise or glorifie God it is indeede to ascribe vnto him the thinges which ar due vnto him also the thinges which are due to him are those firste confidence of the hearte then praise of the mouth thirdlie are these duties which we are bound to accomplish either by a vow or by any other whatsoeuer obligation Then next wee learne heare that it is not in the power of any man to burst foorth into the glorifying of God by these groundes from which out of question the praysing of Dauid proceedeth neither yet is anye man able indifferentlie to pronounce those wordes which Dauid then at that time spake Setled hope and praise is due vnto thee But that man is onely able to do this thing who putteth his trust in God through a feeling of Gods mercie and quieteth himselfe in him For no man glorifieth God vnlesse it be of faith also he that beleeueth in him he both confesseth and professeth faith that all other offices are due vnto God in Christ 4 Thou clensest the wicked thinges and our defections which have preuailed ouer vs. 5 Blessed is he whome thou choosest and admonishest who maye dwell in thy courtes we are satisfied with the good thing of thy house with the holy thinges of thy temple 6 Thou speakest out vnto vs in righteousnesse thinges that are to be reverenced ô God of our saluation the confidence of all the vttermost parts of the earth sea that are farthest off THou clengest Here follow the arguments of the praise set downe from the benefites of God himself and first the benefites spirituall towarde the Church Of the spirituall the firste is the forgiuenes of sinnes by which he concludeth that proposed praise to witt that confidence is due vnto God c. Of this argumente that appeareth to bee true which wee haue spoken that DAVID bursteth foorth into this praise from a sense of Gods mercie and of the remission of his sinnes The wordes themselues whereby this benefite is expressed clearelie do signifie that DAVID had first wrastled with his sinne then that sinne preuailed ouer him in this combat Thirdly that God had purged this sinne from thence he giueth the glory of the forgiuenesse of his sins or of his deliuerance from sin to God alone Thou sayth he clengest for it caÌ„not be that any man can ascrive to God the praise of the remission of his sinnes vnlesse hee haue first foughten with sinne and haue felt himselfe weaker then sin in that combat Then that God is stronger then sinne to the which he himselfe was inferiour from whence I praye you proceedeth that voice of PAVLE I thank God by Christ We reade in the same chapter that David had foughten with sin Then that hee was carried captiue awaye vnder the lawe of sinne of which ariseth that complaint ô miserable man that I am who shall deliuer mee from the bodie of this death After this complaint wee easilie perceive that a godlie man hath his refuge vnto Christ in that in him he hadde obteined deliuerance from his sinnes whereof proceedeth that holy giuing of thanks I thank my God throgh Iesus Christ Wherefore we come not to the sense of the feeling of Gods mercy without a fighting to the glorifying of God himself And there is alway a glorious yssue of our combate for it endeth in the glorifiing of God with an vnspeakeable and glorious joy Then next the word of clensing is to be marked whereby is signified a purging by some sacrifice propiciatorie whereof he speaketh Psalm 51. 9. purge me ô lord with byssope that is by the holy bloode of Christe shaddowed out by that figure This worde therefore signifieth that which is set down in Heb 9. Without blood there is no forgiuenesse of sinnes For the fathers did not vnder the lawe implore at any time mercy pardon for their sinnes without blood sacrifice to pacifie the wrath of God Neither we our selues this day feele in our heartes the forgiuenesse of our sinnes but by that sacrifice of Christ apprehended first by faith neither yet dare we seeke the forgiuenesse of our sinnes except in Christ and and in his sacrifice Blessed is he whome The second argument of praise from the benefite of caâ—ling which by the ordour of nature preceedeth the remission of sinnes Then he ariseth a litle higher in reckoning out of the spirituall benefites of God to forgiuenesse the preceeding cause Now he comprehendeth Calling within those partes as it were The first is whereby God chooseth any man that is calleth him out from the number of loste men vpon this parte doeth that
without a most weighty cause Thirdly that the very death of the godly it selfe howsoever it seeme vile in the sight of the world notwithstanding in Gods sight it is precious Fourthly that continually the memory of the death of the godly is alwaies fresh recent Of these foure manners that first is chiefly to be vnderstood in this place To wit that for this cause the death of Gods owne is precious in the eies of God he suffereth in respect them not many times to die but delivereth theÌ„ out of extreame great daungers But whose death is precious in the eies of Iehova Even the death of those saith he whoÌ„ he beareth at good wil. Therefore the loue and favour of God is the cause wherefore the death of his own is precious those whom he loveth he keepeth them aliue neither doth he at any time suffer them to die rashlie Any would suddenly wounder at the first shew why God hath not only permitted but also hath commanded oft that so many Nations should bee destroyed no choise being had of men wemen and infants which thing wee reade in the booke of Ioshua come to passe vpon the people which were in the Land of Canaan When I was occupied in seeking out somewhat more profoundly the cause of this so greate a severitie this first came in my minde because God favored not those Nations but contrariwise hee hated them whereby it came to passe that their death was not precious in the eies of God If their precious death or not precious death dependeth vppon the loue or hatred of God how blessed are those whome the Lord loveth aswell in life as in death I beseech thee Iehoua Hee confirmeth Gods providence toward his own by his own experience as if he should saye hast thou not I beseech thee ô Iehova lowsed my bondes For he speaketh of himselfe as if hee were drawen bound hand and foote to execution For he meaneth that hee was brought to an extreame daunger of losing his life when by Iehova he was delivered He subjoyneth the cause of his deliverance to wit that he was the servant of Iehova for this cause a servant because he was the son of a hand maid for the sonnes of the handmaid are therewithall according to the law servants When he sayeth that he is the sonne of an hand maid hee signifieth that he is not a stranger a servant coÌ„ming from far but a houshold servant among the rest of Gods domestickes Hee meaneth then that he is not a man that is a stranger a sojorning servant in the house of god but that he himself hath some right title in the house of god either froÌ„ his parents which befor him wer coÌ„prised within the covenant of God for that is no coÌ„mon benefit of that we are borne as it were of the domesticques and confederates of God And surely the affection of Davids mind vttereth the selfe clearely in this gradation of words as it were For the wordes shew that the affection of the minde approched vnto God more more For first he sayeth I am thy servant This is the first degree or steppe of the words and the first approching of the soule vnto God Then he repeapeth the felfe same thing and he saith I am thy servant This is the seconde step of the wordes and the second approching of his soule vnto God Then he sayeth in the third place I am the sonne of thine hand-maid This is the third step of the words and chief signe of his exceeding great and third drawing neere vnto God For while he speaketh this last hee coupleth himselfe altogether with GOD and he cleaveth straitly vnto him and so for this cause he becommeth blessed For our happinesse consisteth in that communion and fellowship with God Thou feest therefore that thing in this place first from whence it proceedeth that hee publickly recoÌ„mendeth with so great a confidence of mind that providence of God toward his owne Surely it commeth from that his owne experience and of the particular providence of God toward him selfe For no man can prayse generally the providence and mercy of God toward his owne Church except he hath in particular felt the same in experience himselfe Certainly that saying would haue bin but coldly spoken by Paule To witte that Christ came into the World to saue sinners vnlesse that he himselfe had firste felt in experience both the miserie of sinne and the mercy of God and for this cause he subjoyneth these words Of whom to witte of sinners I am the chiefest to the end he might conclude in his own conscience that he himself was saved by Christ Therefore that generall faith of the Papists is vnmeet to recommend the providence grace of God toward his owne Church For never did I ever yet esteeme at anie time any Papist to be a meet Preacher or publisher of the benefits of God towarde his Church who is not able to bring out any thing from his own feeling or experience who is not able to say that of the which before we haue spoken in this Psalme I beleeued and therefore did I speake Marke secondly There ar men whom this or that kinde of death doth greatly vexe and torment as violent death as filthie suddaine exquisite and cruell deathes concerning which sortes of death indeede they do no sooner meditate vpon but presently they are striken with a horrible fear but this care thought which is coÌ„cerning the maner of death is preposterous Why should not that much rather be takeÌ„ thought of by vs that we may feel our selues beloved of God for if we be grounded rooted in that loue of God our death of whatsoever sort it be shal be precious in the eies of God we shal be more then conquerors in very death it self obserue thirdly Dauid out of all question Rom. 8. â—7 attayned to that hid loue of God which was in the hart of God he obtained some sense from the effect of some special notable deliverance he learned also that he was beloved of Iehova froÌ„ that becaus his death was precious in the eies of Iehova This is that our onely comforte in life and death that wee are not our own but our most faithfull Lordes Iesus Christs and that we are the Lords and that hee taketh a care of vs From thence also those godlie auncient men chiefly learned the same thing because they felt God present with them in very deede in whatsoever perrilles Amongst the rest David is to be nuÌ„bred who as he was laid open to many dangers so he felt exceeding many deliveraÌ„ces he perswaded himself that god had a speciall care of him in the selfe same place in which hee saide that the death intended against the godly was Precious in the eies of Iehova he without all doubt meaneth that this was a document of the favour care of God toward vs in respect that our death is precious in his
For it is the Spirite by whome wee crye as it were with a mouthe stretched out wide For howe oft wee double our crye so oft the feeling of the Spirite is doubted in our hearte The firste crye proceedeth from the firste feeling of the Spirite The second from the nexte The thirde from the thirde and so forth For no man calleth Iesus the Lorde but by the holie Spirite 1. Cor. 12. And we know not what to pray as it becommeth vs because it is the Spirite vvhich maketh intercession for vs with sighes that cannot bee expressed Rom. 8. For this cause I speak those things that the natural man may know that it lieth not in his power to pronounce one good word except first of a natural mā he be come a spiritual man But what is that that moveth him to cal◠so ernestly vpō God to this end that he would len his eare vnto his prayers Thought the that God was deafe These which are oppressed with Gods hande they thinke that God is so estranged from them that he nether seeth nor heareth them neither that hee remembreth them at all From whence arise those so lamentable voyces Heare ô Lord See ô Lord Remember ô Lord which occurre every where in the Psalmes But are they which call vpon God from their hart and earnestly desire his presence are those I saye in the meane time altogether destitute of the presence of God Would they I praye you bee able to seeke the presence of God vnles surely they had some presence of GOD through his own holy Spirite Are we able without God to thirst after God What require we therefore which we now haue For this cause we doe this that we may the more enjoy and possesse God For prayers bring that to passe that God draweth neere vnto vs and they are the increase of mercy grace for it is not possible that those sighes which are not so much oures as the holy Spirits in our heart and the cryes of that same Spirit in our mouth can passe away in vaine For GOD knoweth what the meaning of his Spirit is And blessed are those that hunger and thirst for righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied And we find that in experience in our selues that wee no sooner sigh vnto GOD but our soules are watered over with a certaine vnspeakable ioye so that we truely feele that thing to wit that the presence of God through the Spirit of heavines and invtterable sighes causeth the presence of God through the Spirit of ioy and vnspeaktble gladnes If thou shalt The preventing of an objection For this might haue bene objected either by God or by his own conscience Thou art a sinner Then how shall I heare thee Why doe I not rather consume thee in my wrath He answereth first by a concession If thou shalt straightly mark iniquities O God surely I grant that no mortall man can stande in thy sight but of necessitie he must be consumed be thy wrath Then next he answereth by an correction But vvith the is forgiuenesse As if hee should saye Thou markest not our iniquities according to thy justice but of thine infinite mercy thou forgavest them al in thy Son Iesus christ For the Fathers indeede and those auncient Prophets felt not at any time their sinnes to bee forgiven them through the mercie of GOD but by that mercy in Christe who hath promised vnto them whom they sawe as it were a farre off and in whome alone the wrath of God was pacified even since the beginning of the world to the ende that some place might be left for his mercy For vnles first his justice be satisfied surely there is no place for the mercy of God Also our estate in that respect is the more blessed then that estate of the Fathers becaus that sacrifice of Christ is presēt before our eies which they behold a far off in plain words may say God in christ is merciful hath forgiven al our sins which they no way ar able to say We learne also in this place this by the example of the Prophete that the conscience of sinne which wee call the trouble or evill of the conscience is an impedimēt that we pray not friely vnto God Yea we finde also the same in experience that an evil conscience vnles it be clensed vtterly stoppeth vp to vs al entry vnto God For that is the thing which the Apostle sayeth Let vs draw neere with our harts purged from an evill conscience Wherefore no entrie is patent vnto God except the heartes bee first purged from an evill conscience Also that thing which we spake concerning the conscience of sinne we affirme the same of sinne the selfe which if it be not altogether remooved out of the sight of GOD surelie God shal not so much indeed as count vs worthie of his sight And this is that which is spoken in this place If thou shalt straightly marke iniquities ô Iah Lord who can be able to stand Then to comprehēd in one word the things we haue spoken The conscience of sinne which forbiddeth vs to look vpon our God And that is sinne which hindreth God to looke and behold vs that are miserable And we learne the remedie of this evill out of the second part of the aunswere But with thee is forgiuenesse Wherefore this is the onely remedie that wee haue our refuge vnto the mercy of God yea and that by a simple and cleare confession of our sinne For no man ever yet compeared before God but as a certaine guiltie person craving the mercie of God earnestly with a confession of his sinnes But in this the whole difficultie consisteth how we may come to that throne of grace For seeing we cannot pearse but as it were through the middest of justice as it were through a certaine fire and slamming wall vnto the mercy of God and to that throne of grace surely it is requisite that he that would draw neere to that throne of grace bee enarmed and prepared against that wrath and righteousnesse of GOD which suffereth nothing which hath yea and it were never so little vncleannesse in it to approche neere to that inviolable majestie Now we cannot be armed against the heate of that fire with any other thing then with the alone righteousnesse and satisfaction of Iesus Christ Wherefore whosoever would draw neere to the throne of grace and breake through the middest of that justice and wrath of God of necessitie that man must be found to be in Iesus Christ and that he be purged by that bloud offered by his euerlasting spirit from his dead workes Heb. 9. Then after he is cōmed to the throne of grace by the faith of Christ then is that passing sweete voice of forgivenes and iustification heard That thou mayest This is the ende of the mercy and forgiuenesse of GOD his worship and reverence For no man ever at any time reverently worshipped God but he to whom his sinnes were forgiven
of all question first a judgement seate set vp as it were in his owne soule and an accusing conscience that his sin was imputed vnto him by God the judge Then this whole judgement being remooved out of his soule by Christ that his sinne was not layde to his charge Of this it commeth to passe that being refreshed he cryed out commendeth him to be greatly blessed to whom God imputeth not sinne But if we after the same maner raysing vp a judgement seate in our hearts would first see feele our conscience accusing vs God sitting in judgement and sin to be laide to our charge by GOD the judge surely wee would call that man blessed with DAVID to whom God imputeth not sin But such is our greate sluggishnesse that albeit we be other wile sinners notwithstanding except it be very hardly ar we touched with any sense of sin yea even then when the wrath of GOD exerciseth vs wee are not drawen on to the acknowledging of our sinne but verie hardly Out of this laste forme of speech whereby DAVID published the forgiuenesse of sinnes we learne also from DAVIDS example himself we learne I say first what is the estate of the soule of a sinner which is touched deepely with a conscience of his owne sinne and thereby is prepared vnto grace He feeleth that there is a judgment seat set vp in his soule and that God himselfe the judge sitteth therein Then the conscience of sinne accuseth and God the judge layeth sinne to the charge and looketh vppon the filthinesse thereof as with a terrible eie From thence followeth a deepe sense of sinne and a burden that is not able to be borne of sinne I say which appeared a little before to be of no weight and moment Of this also aryses horrours terrours of hell which if they continued any longer they would driue a man vnto desperation Wee haue againe also in the example of DAVID the constitution of the soule of the sinner after that sinnes are forgiven Hee feeleth within himselfe that all that judgement ceaseth that his conscience as a witnesse accuseth him no more of sinne and that sin is not layde vnto his charge by God the judge he feeleth also that what-so-ever remanent of sinne is in the corrupte nature that it is whollie covered so with the righteousnesse perfite obedience of Iesus Christ that the angrie face of GOD is no more directed against the same finallie he feeleth now that his sin is not imputed vnto him and so as I said it being covered he feeleth it to bee a burden vnto him no more And in deede when any is disburdened of the burden of sinne sinne appeareth vnto him to bee a light thing not by reason of that fleshlie securitie but for the mercy of God in Christ his sake it is made light of little weight Vppon these follow an inâ—credible peace and quietnesse of conscience which is none other thing then that blessednes which DAVID commendeth For when he had once intirely felt it in his soule he reteineth it not within his owne minde But hee is compelled to common thereof with others that if it be possible other miserable men also such as we are all by nature may be touched with some sense and sweetnesse thereof in some measure that so they may become blessed More-ouer wee haue also to learne out of DAVIDS words that which PAVLE also gathered out of the recommendation of this blessednesse of DAVID Rom. 4. 6. to wit that that man is blessed to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without workes that is that a man is made righteous not by any inherent righteousnesse which proceedeth from his workes but by righteousnes imputed onely For if justification and blessednes be by forgiuenesse of sinnes of necessity it must follow that justification is by righteousnesse not surely inherent but imputed For forgiuenesse is also of sinne inherent Nowe sinne being inherence that righteousnesse is not inhereÌ„t but imputed This necessary consecution of imputed righteousnesse from the forgiuenes of sinnes caused PAVLE to interpret that place that DAVID spak expressely of the remission of sinnes even as if he had spoken of imputed righteousnes But this matter shall become more evident by some example taken from judgement seats and from the common customes among men For the matter is none otherwise to be considered of in this head of justification then if any King of free grace would forgiue the sinne to any guylty man As for example to a man-slayer even now condemned for his sinne Now this man his sinne being forgiven is said to be justified But by what righteousnesse I praye you not by that which is inherent For in him selfe in very deede hee is a man-slayer By what righteousnesse then surely by none other then by that which was freelie imputed by the King to wit by that whereby hee thinketh him righteous who is not righteous in himselfe The same in all respectes is the manner of our justification before the judgement seate of God the judge Wee are not indeede juste through our owne works but vnjust Neither yet doth God pronounce vs to be righteous for our works But the justification of GOD that is the publishing of the just is that wherby he vttereth that man is vnjust to bee just of his only mercy in Christ Now to the end that the whole matter may the more clearely appeare The thrâ—fold maner of iustit fiing wee must know that a man may be saide to be justified before GOD three waies summaâ—lie â— By the worker of the lawe First by the works of the law secondly by the punishment of the law broken Thirdly by remission of sinnes or by not imputing of sinnes for those things ar one Moreover as concerning the first manner of justifying which is by the workes of the Law after the fall of ADAM of vs al in ADAM never was there any yet that was justifyed by the workes of the Law except one man Christ For seeing the lawe requireth two things the one either that we fulfil or that wee die all fulfilling of that which the lawe commandeth is vtterlie lost in ADAM 〈◊〉 By punishmentes for transgression Now as concerning that second maner of justifying Christ is justifyed onely that waye yea and that for our cause for that cure denunced in the law perteined vnto vs we behoved to satisfie the righteousnesse of God by our everlasting death but Christ came as a mid man betuixt through his own and his fathers mercy and transferred our sinne together with the punishment due to our sinne vpon himselfe The third manner of justifying which is by the free remission of sins 〈◊〉 By the remission of 〈◊〉 resteth alone for vs whosoever wee be that will be justified saved before God to wit whereby we freelie receiue remission of all our sins beleeving that Christ hath satisfied the law for vs for our cause hath suffered that curse
afflicting whom in the meane while he felt to be his judge Thine hand saith he was heavie vpon me Wherefore chiefely he respecteth the person of the afflicter â—or the afflictions themselues mooue men not somuch as the conscience of God the judge For if there bee some feeling of the loue of God in the middest of afflictiones they appeare now to be lighter because then we feele that those afflictions are not inflicted by God as a just judge now but as by a most gratious father But if in afflictions there be no feeling of the mercy of GOD otherwise the most light now appear to be the most grievous vnto vs not so much because of the afflictions themselues as in respecte of the conscience of the Iudge For it is a terrible thing to fall in to the hands of the living God And of â—l enemies the terriblest is the wrathfull God chiefely Many there are I confesse who being manie waies miserably afflicted notwithstanding in the meane time are either nothing or at least very little commoved For no other cause then that they see not that their afflictions are of God and from thence it is that no regarde being had of GOD they turne themselues vnto the seconde causes and they powre out their wrath vppon them thinking with themselues that then at length they shall be blessed if they can be rigorous against them But if they vnderstoode that GOD were the author of all those thinges which shall vppon them and in the mean time wil not be touched with any sense of his loue mercy in christ surely they would bee more viuilie touched with those calamities and they would meditat with themselues one time or other concerning the asswaging of the wrath and justice of God and they would not be altogither violentlie with their whole force carried awaye against the second causes as they call them Surely such blindnes be nummednes of men is miserable The heâ—uinesse of gods 〈◊〉 whom when God exerciseth with his own hand never theles they neither see nor feele the same Then we haue to marke that which he saith that that hand of â—od was grievous vppon him continually First there is the heavines of the hand and wrath of God Thereafter ther is a heavines without iâ—termissioÌ„ when the sinner remayneth obstinat against faith and repentance then as it were God is hardned in his wrath Also afflictions and calamities make manifest verie oft vnto the worlde that perpetuall anger which God so continueth that as one waue followeth vppon an other so one affliction commeth vpon the neck of another and the greater continually followeth vpon the smaller So the Apostle speaking of the obstinate Iewes The wrath of God saieth he is come vppon them to the full The Iewes an â—xample If at any time wee see the wicked to swimme out of afflictiones 1. Thes 2. 16. wee should not thinke for this cause that this deliverance shall bee perpetuall All the wicked but that they are thus prepared for some more grieuous trouble I grant God giveth vnto them a breathing time and some well long distance of time between afflictions which hee layeth on such is his long suffering but these as the Apostle sayeth According to their hardnes and heart that cannot repent make that those distances of time Rom. 2. 5. which are otherwise granted vnto them for repentance to bee no other thing but so manie preparations to the more grievous wrath But to speake of the godlie this they by experience feele in themselues that while their faith in Christ languisheth and they some times turne themselues awaie from God incontinent surelie they feele in experience some signes of the wrathfull God And if they also persever in their back-sliding they feele that God continueth in his anger to the ende to wit that it may appear to be most manifest vnto them that there is nothing without Christ but wrath And if there were no other evident of this matter extante then those horrours which otherwaies the faithful feele in themselues while they either neglecte Christe or his blood or apprehend it not firmelie ynough in their soule surely by that and it were no more it is sufficiently declared that men are not in safetie without Christ that there is no true peace and quietnesse of mind without Christ seeing that in him alone the wrath of God himself doth quiet the selfe I will make my sinne Hitherto hath bene declared DAVIDS first experience to wit of his misery now followeth the seconde that is of his deliverance The summe is When I confessed my sin thou forgavest me both the sinne and the punishment of the sin But wee must take heed to the wordes I said that is I purposed and deliberat in my mind to confesse my sinne Now he vttereth this three manner of waies First sayeth he I will make my sinne knowen vnto thee Then I will not cover mine iniquitie Last I will confesse my defections vnto Iehova These three speeches fall all into one And this threefold repetition of one thing either sheweth how earnestlie he had confessed his sinne or surelie manifesteth that in the advisement taking there was some wrastling or combat with the flesh drawing the man back from afree and good confession He wrastleth out therefore hee multiplieth the confession of his sinne And thou tooke away That is thou forgavest me my sinne For then is the forgiuenesse of sin when the guiltinesse I saie and whole paine and not some part onelie of the paine whether the same be more or lesse Is taken away For Christs satisfaction for sin is perfite from the which verelie so much is taken awaie 1. 〈◊〉 as wee giue vnto our satisfactiones But concerning this matter looke before Obserue here first that DAVID confesseth not firste his sin before the same be forgiven neither tooke he sooner a purpose to confesse his sinne but the punishmeÌ„t of sinne was as soone taken awaie which certainelie is ane evidente token that sin is not so much the cause of the guyltines and punishment as hardnesse and as the Apostle speaketh the heart that cannot repente I grant indeed that sin procureth the wrath of God but obstinacie in sin continueth and hoordeth vppe that wrath For if any man would confes his sinne he should haue GOD no more angrie against him But by reason of his hardnes he confesseth not sinne therefore the wrath remaineth and not only it remayneth but it increaseth Therefore PAVLE speaketh But thou ô man Rom. 2. 5. after thine hardnes and hearte that cannot repente heapest vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iuste iudgement of God For what shall we thinke to be the cause why that anger that is to come in that daye shall be so grievous The cause of so greate a wrath surely shall not bee so much sinne it selfe as an obdured heart in sinne and the contempt of
estate of death without Christ of necessitie they must dye in desperation For I will yet He maketh some place to hope in his soule from thence that he shall not be disappoynted of the thing hoped for but even as he hath hoped so shall it fall out vnto him I wil prayse him sayeth hee and the saluation of his face that is of all sortes That is his face in which is the sâ—cietie of joyes or that manifold salvation which is in his face and presence so to prayse is to publish David therefore promiseth that he will praise both God himselfe and also that so great a benefite of his life received from him or finally to praise the salvation of his face is to prayse publish the salvation which shall bee before him from whence in the laste verse he sayth that hee will prayse the salvation of his face that is the salvation which shall bee seene before him My God As he had first turned himselfe vnto his soule now hee turneth himselfe vnto his God and hee lifteth vp his eies sigheth as it were vnto him opening vp vnto him the sorrow of his soule and hee powreth out his carefulnesse and solicitude vppon his bosome Whosoever is indued with Gods holie Spirite This man sigheth vnto God in his affliction and sorrow But he who is indued with mans spirit onely that man wil never sigh vnto God for he supposeth God to be angrie with him especially then when there lyeth any affliction vppon him For he thinketh that that his whole miserie proceedeth from the wrath of God But hee who hath the Spirite of God that spirit I say of adoption by whome wee crie Abba Father This man commeth without feare vnto God because indeed that Spirite is alwaie with some feeling of Gods mercie and fatherlie loue Wherefore as a sonne who hath his Father well-willing vnto him in his sorrow he taketh his way straight to his father Even so the childe of GOD hee passeth in his sorrow and miserie to God his father and maketh his complaint vnto him 7 Therefore I remember of thee out of the Land of Iorden and of the Chermonites out of the little hill 8 Howsoeuer a deepe calleth vppon a deepe at the sound of those that are sent out by thee let al the breaking-in surges and thy vallies passe by me 9 In the day time Iehova will sende away his louing kindnes and in the night his song vnto me I wil continue in my praier vnto the strong God of my life 10 Saying vnto the strong God of my rocke why forgettest thou mee Wherefore go I in mourning apparrell because of the oppression of the enemies 11 They assaile my bones with a shorte sword my enemies reproching mee while they say vnto me daylie where is thy God THerefore He glorieth thereafter verie suddenly first against the places of his banishment whatsoever then against everie one of his most grievous afflictions This particle Therefore appeareth not to giue a reason of anie sentence going before in the texte Then hee begouth this sentence as it seemeth to me from some cutted off and sudden feeling of joye and of the presence of God as if he had said because of that joy and that rejoycing of the soule which I coÌ„ceiue of my God I remember of thee c. Of which thou learnest this how soone a man vseth to be changed that turneth himselfe vnto God for the presence of GOD is forcible to giue life vnto the creature that his face shineth no sooner but the creature beginneth to reviue againe although it bee never so dead When the Psalme speaketh of these grosse bruitish creatures Psalme 104. 29. 30. When thou hidest thy face they are troubled if thou take away their breath they returne to their dust Againe if thou sende foorth thy Spirite they are refreshed finally thou renewest the face of the earth How much more the reasonable creatures as wee call them and not onely the reasonable but the spirituall that is the creatures that are renewed by the Spirite of GOD which haue once felt howe mercifull the Lord is those creatures I saye depend vppon their God for it is necessary yea much more that their life and death depende from his face present absent Psal 4 7. 8 Lift vp sayth David Iehouah the light of thy couÌ„tenance vpoÌ„ vs and put more ioy in mine heart then at the time in which their cornes and wines were increased Of these therefore chiefely do I speake which are already accustomed with the countenance of God that vse to take some pleasure of his face For to speake of others they are not able earnestly to seeke that countenance of GOD in Christ Iesus For there is no desire of that thinge wee know not Also these haue not yet tasted how sweet that sight of God is in Iesus Christ I remember of thee as if he shuld say In every place where it happeneth me to be banished from all the bordours and coastes of Israell From the East where is the riuer of Iorden from the North where it is bounded by the mountaine of Chermon and Libanus froÌ„ the South where the hilly couÌ„try bouÌ„deth Iudaea He calleth these hillie countries by the name of a little Hill because they being compared with the Mountaine of Libanus and with Chermon which are situate vppon the North they are reckoned out onely among little Hilles Of this place thou perceivest that there is no place either of banishment or of imprisonment so vnpleasant and ougly of the selfe which is able to separat the children of God from the countenance of their God yea they glory in that presence of GOD which they possesse against any place whatsoever For this in which we driue over our life what ever it be it is nothing indeede But Gods presence is all things The word Of remembrance which he vseth is to bee marked For surely that remembrance was rather of Gods presence then the presence of God it self which was then without the Citie oâ— Ierusalem in which at that time was that visible presence of God The matter is so then when wee are banished from this outward ministerie of God in his Church yea in which wee chiefelie haue our God present Then surely we that ar the faithful are not said indeed so much to haue our GOD presente as to remember vppon his presence which was some-time with vs. Also this remembrance I graunt is joyfull sweete and acceptable notwithstanding it lacketh not some certaine displeasure heavines of the own yea in it there is a certaine matter of sorrow as we saw before in the fift verse Remembring these thinges sayth hee I power out my soule vppon my selfe I will saye some-what more This presence of GOD also which is in the ministerie of his worde it hath the owne dolour conioyned therewith because it is vnder hope Hope I grant is with joy and glorying from whence the Apostle remembreth