Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	father_n	sin_n	sinner_n	3,110	5	7.5131	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13068	A third proceeding in the harmonie of King Dauids harp that is to say, a godly and learned exposition vpon 17. Psalmes moe of the princely prophet Dauid, beginning with the 45. and ending with the 61. Psalme: done in Latine by the learned Reuerend Doctor Victorinus Strigelius, Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Lypsia in Germanie, anno Christi, 1562. Translated into English, by Richard Robinson citizen of London. An. Christi, 1595. Seene, perused, and allowed.; Hypomnēmata in omnes Psalmos Davidis. Psalm 45-61. English	Strigel, Victorinus, 1524-1569.; Robinson, Richard, citizen of London.	1595 (1595)	STC 23361; ESTC S117926	98,441	165

in the whole booke of Psalmes For first of all it conteineth most ample doctrine which neither the eloquence of angell nor of man can conceiue touching sinne touching grace touching the gift by grace difference of worshipings cr touching the Crosse After that it disposeth and chargeth great matters in most excellent order For seeing the first and cheefest promise is the promise of grace and life euerlasting to be giuen freely for the Mediators sake who will denie this prayer is wisely ordeined wherein before all things he craueth forgiuenesse of sinne reconcilation and life euerlasting And because without acknowledgment and confession of sinne forgiuenesse or absolution of sinne cannot be receiued according to that saying of I. Ioh. I. 9. If wee confesse our sinnes God is faithfull and iust that he will forgiue vs our sinnes and clense vs from all our i niquity he franckly and openly confesseth his sinnes and pointeth his finger vnto the ground of mischiefe namely originall sinne But as Saint Paul ioyneth together grace and the Giftes of grace so Dauid vn'o the petition the remission of sinnes next adioineth a petition of sanctification which is wrought by the holy ghost the gouernour of the minde will and heart finally because it is an vsuall manner in crauing any thing to grant thankfulnes for the same hee promiseth that he will giue some recompences which doth make for the glorie of God and welfare of the church And vnto his couenaunt wisely he ioineth betweene both the place and difference of sacrifices whereof some are figuratiue and others are morall and the doctrine touching the crosse These secret and greatest matters he so adorneth with lights of wordes and sentences that therein nothing wanteth touching most profound eloquence Seeing therefore this Psalme aboundeth not onely with store of most excellent matters but is also notably disposed and adorned no doubt there is but it may and ought to be learned euery word thereof and daily repeated when we doe pray And let him knowe that he hath profited much whom this right golden psalme shall greatly delight Psal LI. And exposition thereof Verse 1 Haue mercy vppon me O God after thy great goodnes according vnto the multitude of thy mercies doe away mine offences Verse 2 Wash me throwly from my wickednes and clense me from mine sinne IN the two and thirtieth Psalme before he hath recited a definition of beatitude or cheefe felicity in these wordes Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord imputeth no sinne verse 1. 2. For nothing is more wishfull in true sorowes rising from the wrath of God against sinnes then reconciliation with God This benefit therefore with most feruent prayers and with all his heart craneth he of God saying verse 1. Haue mercy vppon me O God according to thy mercy as if he said I confesse vnto thee that I haue sinned horribly as a most wretched sinner and I am sory with all my heart that I haue offended thee forgiue mee my sinnes and couer my filthines and for thy sonnes sake our Lord Jesus Christ whom thou wouldest haue to be a sacrifice mediator and intercessor for vs doe not thou impute vnto mee my manifold disobedience For so oft as in the Psalme mention is made of the mercie of God wee must straight way cousider of the promises touching grace and of the mediator for whose sake the promise is ratified Also let there be a difference in thy sight betwene the lawe and the gospell 〈…〉 lawe truely hath large and great promises yet consisting vppon condition of full obedience But the promises of the gospell is vniuersall and free offering forgiuenes of sinnes for the mediator the sonne of God his sake our Lord Jesus Christ God and man not for our owne worthines nor for our owne vertues nor for our owne works or merits This promise ought to be imbraced by fayth because it is the euerlasting and immutable commaundement of God that in our conuersion that is in our vnfained sorowes and feares wee should beleeue we are receiued for his sonnes sake according to that saying I liue saith the Lord I wil not the death of a sinner but that he would repent and liue But to the end this true fayth may bee rightly vnderstood it is nedefull we alwayes haue in our sight that admonition of Barnerd wherein he saieth Thou must and oughtest to beleue that thy sinnes are forgiuen thee The deuill knoweth that sinnes are forgiuen some men and many men as Saule and Iudas beleeue that sinnes are forgiuen others Wherefore let this necessarie admonition be fast fixed in our mindes Beleeue that thine owne sinnes are forgiuen thee Touching this fayth speaketh Paul where he teacheth that the promise is to be receiued by fayth They receiue not the promise which beleeue that the same is offered vnto others and not to themselues like as in the epistles of Saint Iohn it is written He that beleueth not the Sonne accuseth him oflying When therefore thou recitest this article of the creed I beleeue in the forgiuenes of sinnes vnderstand thou that sinnes are not forgiuen others but thee also Touching this fayth it is said Being iustified by fayth we haue peace Rom. 5. 1. Neither must we seeke for other consolation but we must settle our selues satisfied with this fayth in God for the mediator sake But seeing the doctrine touching iustification is in another place fully handled I am nowe more breefe and I exhort the Reader that hee should diligently consider the weightinesse of the words Hee sayth not in vaine nor rashly According to the multitude of thy mercy doe away mine offences But this necessarie consolation of the immense mercy of god doth he set before the greatnes and multitude of our sinnes And this forme of words agreeth with the most sweete saying of Paul Rom. 5. 15. Grace euer aboundeth aboue sinne that is how great so euer our sinnes be yet is it assured that the sonne of God is mightier Therfore let vs not vnto other offences adde desperation but let vs beleeue that grace is more aboundant then sinne and that the sonne of God is more mighty then all the kingdome of the deuill Like as in the first promise it is said Gen. 3. 15. The seede of the woman shall b●use the Serpents head Also let vs consider what sweete resemblences of forgiuenes of sinnes are set downe in the words Doe away and Wash Saint Paul in 2. Coloss describing the benefits of Christ vseth the same metaphore Christ saith hee hath cancelled the hand-writing which was written against vs which was contrarie to vs he euen tooke it out of the way and fastned it to the crosse verse 14. He alludeth this saying vnto trophees or pillers which were woont to be set vp wherein things done were written for memoriall For he saith vpon the crosse as it were vpon a piller the hand writing was hung vp that is the

accusation whereby our conscience as touching the lawe accuseth vs. This accusation as it were done away hee sayeth doth hang vpon the crosse of Christ who hath for vs payed the ransome Let vs looke vpon that trophey or piller with fayth so often as wee call vppon God For our vnworthines murmureth against vs thus why commest thou vnto God why darest thou craue good things when as for thy so many sinnes thou hast deserued great punishment wrath and destruction whilest as yet thou feelest many vile motions in thee Against this distrust of minde fleeing away from God doth hee set vs downe this trophey Here sayth he behold thou the accusation hanging and blotted out come thou vnto God in confidence of the mediator and craue his holy spirit and other benefits The metaphor of Washing away may be● vnderstood out of the history extant in the 13. Iohn vers 8. If I wash thee not thou shalt haue no part with mee Againe ibidem verse 10 Hee that is washed needeth not to wash his feete but is cleane euery whit These sayings without doubting do describe iustification Except he himselfe wash vs that is except hee with his owne blood doe redeeme vs and except wee beleeue that we are redemed by the blood of Christ wee shall not be heires of eternall life Hee that is washed needeth not to wash his seete that is hee that is iust by fayth and is sanctified is cleane that is altogether pleasing God But yet in this life our feete must be washed continually that is our motions Weake nature in this life begetteth many wandring motions These filthie spottes ought continually to be washed and the interpretations are knowen The beleeuing person is cleane altogether that is to say by imputation But in this life is begunne a newnesse not yet altogether fulfilled These things are elsewhere largely spoken of Now let the Reader gather the paraphrasticall parts of the first proposition thus Eternall God father of our Lord Iesus Christ forgiue me my sinnes past wherein I am wicked and filthily defiled By the mercy which is promised for thy sonnes sake our mediator doe away both the most sorowfull accusation of my conscience as it were a hand-writing against me and in the blood of thy sonne wash away the remnants of sinne sticking in my weake nature like as it is written I Iohn 1. 7. The blood of Iesus Christ clenseth vs from all sinne That is taketh away not onely sinnes formerly committed but also couereth the remnants of sinne which as yet wee seely soules and weakelings do beare about with vs. Let therefore this proposition be adioyned vnto other testimonies which confirme the article of Justification and let it alwaies sound in our eares heart and tongue because we haue euery moment neede of the free forgiuenesse of our sinnes Verse 3 For I knowledge my faults and my sinne is ●uer before me This verse pertaineth vnto confession wherewith man soroweth in Gods presence that he hath sinnes and by faith craueth forgiuenesse of his offence and mitigation of punishments And there is a great force in the worde The acknowledgement of sinne The acknowledgement is not an idle or vaine consideration such as was in Dauid before his adultery when he also knew that adultery was forbidden but it is a feare and casting downe of man acknowledging God to be angry as Dauid did know his sinne after the most greeuous rebuke which hee had Furthermore in the word Sinne we must consider a relation namely that man by reason of sinne is guilty of Gods euerlasting wrath and punishment except hee haue forgiuenesse for the Mediators sake Touching this guiltinesse in the Lawe it is saide Deuter. 27. Cursed be euery one which continueth not in al things which are written in the Law ver 26. Verse 4 Against thee onely haue I finned and done this euill in thy sight that thou mightest be iustified in thy saying and cleare when thou art iudged He repeateth a confession amplified with most sorowfull wordes as if he should say I come vnto thee not trusting in mine owne righteousnesse or worthinesse but onely bringing a confession of sinne To thee only am I a sinner and do euil in thy sight for the particle only may not be referred vnto the pronowne but is a debarring of his owne dignitie or worthinesse to be referred vnto the word following sinner So first hee teacheth vs to bring the confession of our sinne vnto God This confession of sinne is more feruent and more perceiued when God encloseth vs euery where with signes of guiltinesse in punishments like as when Dauid was driuen into exilement But it followeth in the verse That ihou maiest be iustified in thy sayings and ouercome when thou art iudged These wordes comprehend both a most graue doctrine that God punisheth iustly and a most sweete consolation touching the promise of mercy which God performeth for his trueth or to witnesse that he is true Dauid going forth in his banishment saide I acknowledge and confesse that I am guiltie and haue deserued punishments and I pronounce that thou art a iust God seeing thou doest manifest thy most iust wrath or displeasure against my sinne and doest punish me And I pronounce that thou ouercommest when hypocrites doe iudge thee As Saul Cato and all the vngodly ones do thinke that they haue not deserued so great calamitiess or surely thinke that God is too seuere who hath burdened this our weake nature with such a multitude of miseries so they accuse and condemne God and speake euil of him But let vs render the praise of righteousnes vnto God when he punisheth as Daniel saith cap. 9. 7. Vnto thee Lorde belongeth righteousnes but vnto vs shame Furthermore needeful it is that an other meaning be added touching the promise of mercy because when this consolation commeth not hereunto there remaineth a fretting and grudging of the heart such as was in Saul or Cato wee must therefore adde this I acknowledge my selfe to bee guiltie and to haue deserued punishments I confesse thy wrath is most iust and I craue mercy not trusting in my worthinesse but in thy promise Heare mee that thou maiest be iustified that is to the end thy trueth may bee published that thou keepest promises and in truth hearest receiuest and deliuerest those that call vppon thee shew a testimonie and example wherein it may be seene that thou art the keeper of promises when thou hearest me an vnworthy person Verse 5 Behold I was shapen in wickednes and in sinne hath my mother conceiued me He accuseth not his parents nor condemneth the selfe worke of generation but he bewaileth this mischiefe the which with most sorrowfull wordes is of S. Paul described where hee saieth Rom. 8. 7. the wisedome of the flesh is enmitie against God For the substance by God is one thing and the disorder which commeth afterwards is an other thing and a deprauing of Gods worke namely darkenesse and doubtings in minde

to showe For well it will be with the good when wicked are in woe Tho. Buckminster PSAL. XLV Eructauit cor meum ¶ To him that excelleth on Shoshannim a Song of loue to giue instruction committed to the sonnes of Korah The Title TO him that ouercommeth a learned song touching Roses ful of loue sung by the sonnes of Chora IN this title we must first speake of the Author next of the kind of song and lastly of the Subiect as they call it The Authors of this most sweete song were the sonnes of Chora whose father with the opening of the earth beeing swallowed vp died so wretchedly as the 16. Chapter of the booke of Numbers mentioneth But as in punishing the father Gods wrath appeared against those heinous offences so in the giftes of his children is manifested an example of Gods mercy which must be referred vnto Ezechiels sermon in his 18. Chapter The sonne shall not beare the iniquity of the father ●er 20. For that the posterity of Chora was indued and adorned with excellent giftes of the holy ghost and especially with the gifts of prophesie the Psalmes do wel witnes which are intituled to the sonnes of Chora Very wel then touching this progeny prophetical may that be said which Prometheus as AEschilus reciteth speaketh of his deliuerer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inuisi patris hoc mihi dulce est pignus In english A sweet pledge is this truly of my father hated before me And the kind of song is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a song of mirth iolity loue or it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mariage song wherin the holy Ghost is a maker vp of the marriage betweene Christ and his Church For in this kind of matter here is handled an vsuall commendation of the Bridgrome spouse or husband which is borrowed from the excellency of his wisedome and vertue yea from the sweetnes of his humanity from his eloquence his riches dignity or comelinesse of personage or other thinges which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the leading causes of loue For euery loue is stirred vp by manifestation of some good thing giuen But why is mention made of Roses Roses doe minister matter of ioy and gladnes in garlandes made at marriages therefore they betoken the celebrating of marriages with ioy and that sweet surpassing sauour of the heauenly doctrine which doth chiefly make vp or accomplish this marriage for with the word as with a sweete smelling Rose the mutuall loue betweene Christ his church is confirmed And certes let these seeme to be sufficiently enough spoken touching the Title novve let vs come to the Argument of the Psalme THE ARGVMENT THose things which are said in this Song as touching the Bridegrome and the Bride the Spouse and his Spousesse the Husband and the Wife doe properly appertaine vnto the Messias and vnto the true Church This ground of purpose in the Psalme S. Paules epistle to the Hebrews cap I. doth not only confirme but the confession of the Rabines also For the better learned and sounder sort of the Rabines being vtterly vanquished with the circumstance of the phrase and comparison of the partes thereof doe confesse indeed that this Psalme was written as touching the Messias Now then this ground of purpose in the Psalme being thus confirmed that it speaketh expresly of the Messias and of the true Church let vs compare if it please you the Mariage togither with the league that is betweene Christ and his Church for there are fiue speciall properties or tokens of sincere Matrimony namely the first mutuall loue the second faith the third society or partaking in weale and in woe the fourth procreation of issue and the fift defence from the husband to the wife And first of all indeede the loue of man and wife ought to be feruent without dissimulation and compulsion sincere without suspitions and finally sweetely delightfull without bitternes and disdaine That such kind of loue was in the sonne of God towards his spouses the church his taking of humane nature vpon him doth well witnes for seeing by that secret and marueilous league he ioyned vnto himselfe this nature let vs most firmely beleeue that in Christ there is not a fained but a true and feruent loue towards vs and here hath that sentence of the poet Theocritus his effect Quae minime sunt pulchra ea pulchra videntur amanti Those things indeed which base doe seeme The louer beautifull doth deeme For although the Church by reason of persecution is the more deformed and also in that she carrieth about her the remnants of sinne yet is shee vnfainedly loued of Christ as this Psalme saith ver 12. So shal the king haue pleasure in thy beuty Secondly commeth faith in place Christ loueth the Church onely embracing the gofpell he loueth none other sects either Mahometicall or Hereticall so againe the Church acknowledgeth onely Christ for her Mediator and embraceth his doctrine only and will not be an harlot she polluteth not her selfe with the opinions and worshippings which other sectes doe vse Thirdly there is ordained a Society or partaking of them both in weale and wo Christ bestoweth his benefits righteousnes and life vpon his church returneth vnto himselfe the calamities of the church and was made a sacrifice for our sinnes so againe the Church bestoweth her benefits vpon her husbande namely her confession wherewith shee worshippeth honoureth her husband and becommeth a partaker of the crosse of her husband and like as touching matrimoniall fidelity this Psalme saith in the 11. ver Harken O daughter and consider encline thineeares forget also thine owne people and thy fathers house euen so touching society or partaking of prosperity and aduersity these verses doe make mention ver 14. The kings daughter is all glorious within c. also in the 9 ver All thy garments smell of Myrh Aloes and Cassia out of the Iuery pallaces whereby they haue made thee glad For although these smels or sauours are pertinent vnto the royal estate of any king or Queene yet rightly doe they signifie the afflictions which Christ and his Church do suffer Fourthly there is a generation or ofspring in the Church so as Christ giueth his word and holy spirit wherby daily new members are borne in the Church but this comes to passe by the ministery of the gospell in the church as it were a mother nourishing and bringing vp her child vnto this property of loue let that litle verse be referred ver 17. Insteed of thy fathers thou shalt haue children whom thou maiest make princes in al lāds Fiftly like as it is the spouse or husbands part to defend or maintaine his Spouses and wife so Christ euermore defendeth his church subduing deuils Tyrantes and heretickes and although hee will haue her a partaker with him of his crosse and affliction yet he mitigateth those afflictions preserueth the body of his

the burnt offerings and oblations then shall they offer young bullocks vpon thine altare In conclusion is added a common praier for the church as if hee had sayed Be fauourable O Lord vnto thy church that she may be deliuered from corrupt doctrine and from offences and that true doctrine touching forgiuenes of sinnes may be made knowen and true worshippings be performed For God will haue vs in our prayer to be moued with care for the whole church and for others also like as it is written Psal 122. verse 6. O pray for the peace of Hierusalem c. PSAL. LII Quid gloriaris in malicia To him that excelleth A Psalme of Dauid to giue instruction when Doeg the Edomite came and showed Saul and said to him Dauid is come to the house of Ahimelech 1. Sam. 22. 9. THE ARGVMENT THe reading of this psalme is not obscure vnto them which both knowe the historie of Dauid and doe diligently consider the dangers of these dayes Doeg the conspirator as 1 Sam. 21. and 22. declareth When he was most subtilly aquainted with all harmefull slights tolde Saul that Dauid then banished was receiued into succour by A●imilech the priest And afterwards when the residue of the Kings ministers fled and feared the most sorowful slaughter of the priests househould He this same Doeg cruelly raged against holy men no otherwise then a Lion which in much slaughter lyeth as conqueror preying vppon euery beast his iawes al embrewed with blood driuing away hunger neuer rests raging hither and thither casting down bulles threatens the seely calues slow of foote but wearie of tooth And as Seneca saith in Thyeste Quis Colchus haec quis c●dis incertae Scythae commisit aut quae Caspium tangens mare Gens iuris expers aus● In english thus What Colchian or what wandring Scythian did euer committe these things or what lawlesse nation bordering the Caspian sea durst euer atempt the like enterprise For I may well with tragicall wordes describe such beastly cruelty So at this day many godly church men are for matrimony only cruelly martired when as neuer any barbarous nation hath slaughtered men for the like cause First of all then in this psalme he doth exaggerate and amplisie the wicked enterprise of Doeg and such like ●ycophants which stirre vp and inflame the displeasures of kings against honest and godly persons Next of all he denounceth most greeuous punishments vnto sophisters Sycophants which sharpen their tong and frame their writings against that congregation which keepeth the true doctrine Last of al he setteth downe a consolation for the church very necessarie namely that the whole body of the church cannot be vtterly ouerthrowen with cruel counsels and mischeuous enterprises of the enemyes although by gods assured prouidence she be persecuted in some part of her For wheras Dauid in this psalme verse 8 thus speaketh of himselfe As for me I am like a greene oliue tree in the house of God that is aplyed in the 92. psalme 11 12 and 13. verse vnto the whole church and euery member therof The righteous shall florish like a palme tree and shall spreade abrode like a cedar in Libanus They that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God They shall also bring forth more fruite in their age and shall be fat and well liking With this most sweete consolation let vs also then comfort our selues The state of our church schools which by gods bene fits or blessing is now ordeined semeth to vs not long so to be setled by the light of the gospell restored But yet it shall remaine and continue yea though the whole world and all the deuills set themselues against it Like as Christ in an other place saith Math. 16. 18. The gates of hel shall not preuaile againg the church Psal LII And exposition thereof Verse 1 Why boastest thou thy selfe O tirant thou that canst doe mischiefe Verse 2 Whereas the goodnes of God indureth yet daily Verse 3 Thy t●ungue imagineth wickednes and with lies thou cuttest like a sharpe rasour Verse 4 Thou hast loued vnrighteousnes more then goodnes and to talke of lies more then righteousnes Verse 5 Thou hast loued to speake all words that may doe hurte O thou false tongue Like as Abim●lech that godly and holy man was foully abused by Doeg in this slaunder that hee should consult together with Dauid about seditious enterprises and practize all meanes to the destruction of Saul So the Prophets Apostles and their scholers are always ouercharged with these two most heinous crimes namely blasphemous heresie and mouing sedition The consideration whereof more grieuously vexeth modest persons then all the cruell punishments wherewith the bodyes are tormented But as they spared not for all their indangered estate by slaunders moued against them to set forth and aduaunce the true and necessarie doctrine of God So let not vs for the like euil occasion or cauelings cast away from vs our confession And although we shall want humane helpes to support our cause yet notwithstanding let vs craue and looke for defence from God the euerlasting father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath made himselfe knowen by publishing so many promises For as Isayas most sweetely saith cap. 54. verse 10. The mercy of God endureth for euer The hilles shal be moued and the litle hilles shall tremble for feare but my mercie shall not depart from mee neither shal the couenant of my peace fall away saith the Lord that hath compassion ouer thee Verse 6 Therefore shall God destroie thee for euer He shall take thee and pull thee out of thy dwelling and roote thee out of the land of the liuing Verse 7 The righteous also shall see this and feare and shall laugh him to scorne Verse 8 Lo this is the man that tooke not God for his strength But trusted vnto the multitude of his riches and strengthened himselfe in his wickednesse Of this most sorowfull threatning here is set downe an example in Iudas Iohn 13. 27. who horribly condemned himselfe and wrought his owne death that with great sorrow he burst asunder in the middest But seeing Iudas representeth the heretikes of all ages also reuoulters from the gospel and treacherous conspirators which with a crafty outward shew estrange the minds of princes from the gospel or being estranged doe confirme them and stirre vp mightily hatreds in them thereby considering Iudas his punishment let al men feare gods indignation and eschue the causes of so horrible a punishment Arrius was destroyed with his guts but s●ing out of his belly as Iudas had Iulianus the apostata had his chiefest person in office ended his life with the very excrements of his body comming out at his mouth and innumerable others had the like end Neither lack there examples of our age For many vngodly preachers haue beene in their very sermons sodenly destroied let vs therfore feare the iudgement of God and the

layed a net for my feet and pressed my soule they haue digged a pit before mee and are fallen into the middest of i● themselues Elder age long agoe made a most honest lawe for punishing of a slaunderer for the cause beeing knowen the slaunderer was scurged with the same punishment wherwith the other shoulde haue beene scurged if hee had bene conuinced So they that slandered Daniel were cast amongst the lyons Dan. 6. 24. And they that slaundered Susanna were stoned to death Daniel 13. 62. For not a more iust punishment is there then that murtherers should be manqelled Therefore said Pithagoras viz. Iustum esse quiddam retaliatum a ●ust man was a certeine recompenced thing like for like And as the verse of Rhadamanthus saith Iusta malis haec admisso pro crimine poena est Si quae fecerunt eadem pat●antur et ipse A punishment iust to the wicked men This is for crime committed so by them That if they haue done any wickednes They therefore should smart all remedile Te. Verse 8 My heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed I will sing and giue praise Verse 9 Awake vp my glorie awake lute and harpe I my selfe will awake right early Verse 10 I will giue thankes vnto thee O Lord amongst the people And will sing vnto thee among the nations A great part of the Psalme consisteth of prayer and thanksgiuing Like as therefore heretofore hee craueth defence against the violence and fraude of his enemies So now with great alacritie or cheerefulnes of minde he giueth thankes vnto God And this comfortablenes in thankesgiuing is stirred vp not by mans helpe but by the spirit of grace and of prayer For without his spirit the old grace sleepeth and man litle in mind keepeth as Pindarus saith But men being maued with the holy ghost are true and iust that is they acknowledge the societie with God and studie according to their abilitie to render some recompence Hereof come those sayings My hart is fixed awake Lute and Harpe and I will sing vnto thee c. But why addeth he that he will giue thnakes vnto the Lord among the people Uerily to teach that Thanksgiuing is a publike and not a priuate vertue For Temperance and certain other vertues are mens priuate induments ornaments But Justice whose outward shew is Gratitude or thankfulnes reioyceth in communicating her selfe vnto others and in that thing followeth large fountaines which send whole riuers out of them Therefore it is not nough that wee priuately acknowledge the presence of God but we must celebrate gods benefits before others that euen they also may be called vnto true acknowledgement and prayer vnto God Verse 11 For the greatnesse of thy mercy reacheth vnto the heauens and thy trueth vnto the cloudes He amplifieth the mercy of God not with vaine thetorike but with true affirmation such as is extant in the epistle of S. Paul to the Romans the 5. chapter and 2. verse grace aboundeth aboue sinne for wee must most firmely beleeue that the kingdome of God is moremighty than the whole kingdome of the deuill neither must we adde this defperation vnto other our offences which thing Caine added in committing that murder saying Gen. 4. 13. My sinne is greater than that it can be forgiuen This blasphemous speech which accuseth God of vntrueth and derogateth from him the praise of immense mercy doth Augustine most grauely reprehend saying Thou liest Cain greater is Gods mercy than the misery of all sinners Verse 12 Set vp thy selfe O God aboue the heauens and thy glory aboue all the earth Like as Rhetoritians in their epilogues or shuting vp of their tales will haue the cheefe arguments repeated So Dauid repeateth this most sweete litle verse in the end of this Psalme wherewith hee as it were stirreth forth if I may so say God voluntarily running vppon his side Let thy glorie florish rule and raigne euen to the destruction of all epicures ond blaspheimers Amen PSAL. LVIII Sivere vtique iustitiam loquimini To him that excelleth Destroy not a Psalm● of Dauid on Michtam The disposition of the Psalme THere are foure parts of this Psalme the first is a rebuking of the godly ones mightily amplified by degrees of mischiefes circumstances and familitudes The second part is a prayer that God would restraine and subdue tyrants and heretikes The third part prophecieth of the punishments due to the vngodly ones and of vaine contention so farre as pertaineth to the effect of the matter The fourth part promiseth vnto the godly ones deliuerance These parts if it please you let vs ●unne through hereafter Psal LVIII And exposition thereof Verse 1 Are your minds set vpon righteousnesse O ye congregation and do ye iudge the thing that is right O ye sonnes of mer Verse 2 Yea you imagine mischiefe in your hearts vpon the earth and your hands deale with wickednes Verse 3 The vngodly are froward euen from their mothers wombe as soone as they be borne they go astray and speake lies Verse 4 They are as venemous as the poyson of a serpent euen like a deafe adder that stoppeth her eares Verse 5 Which refuseth to heare the voyce of the Charmer charme he neuer so wisely ALthough mankinde wholly without the sight of the Gospel and without the holy spirit be both dumme and deafe because nature not regenerate either securely contemneth Gods iudgement or els is full of academicall doubtings either else being astonished with feare fleeth from God and hateth him yet in this place heretikes and tyrants of all ages are by name rebuked when they become vncurable For like as Aspes doe stoppe and close vp their eares that they might not heare the words of the charmers euen so heretikes and tyrants are so troubled out of their minde and whole body that furiously they refuse and despise all wholesome counsels and all godly admonitions but the causes of this furiousnesse are not onely mens willes couered with an e●icuricall contempt of God and most cruelly setting themselues against the present state of what sort soeuer it be but much more doe deuils leaping into the very hearts of the godly ones and by their breathings extinguishing light and naturall affection in men Examples of this purpose are set downe in Pharaoh Exod. 14. 8. Antiochus 1. Mac. 1. 11. the Pharises and monks of our time which haue night and day bent and practised all their indeuours to the destruction of the true church But these Aspes at length by casting a litle nightshade or petimorell vnto them are therewith cast asleepe And that I say nothing of tyrants who euer read or heard that any authour of a lew● religion hath bene reuoked from his errour and restored to a sound or perfect opinion For like as in the godly ones there increaseth spirituall light according to that saying in the Prouerbs cap. 4. vers 18 19. The path of the righteous shineth as the light that is