men knew this or could apprehend it they would not redeeme the pleasures of sinne so deerely as for them to defraude their ownesoules of saluation despising against themselues the counsell of God And this Oracle of God should confirme vs against all these tentations which arise vnto vs by looking to the prosperity peace and worldly pompe of the wicked What is the glory of their outward state to be regarded so long as this fearfull sentence lies vpon them that the saluation of God is farre from them This sustained the Apostle S. Paul when he saw the great pompe of Agrippa he would not for all that exchange estates with him he wished not to be like vnto Agrippa but rather that hee had beene such as he was Because they seeke not thy Statutes Heere is noted the cause of all their misery namely the contempt of Gods word they did not so much as seeke the Lords Statutes An argument they esteemed nothing of it for who will seeke that whereof they account not or who will despise that which they esteeme pretious and necessary to them This is much more then if he had only said They transgresse thy Statutes The children of God may be guilty of the one transgression for in many things we sinne all And if any man say he sinnes not he is a lâ—…ar and the truth is not in him but they are farre from the other to dis-esteeme of Gods word and cast off all care to seeke it VER 156. Great are thy tender mercies O Lord quicken me according to thy iudgements NOw Dauid turns his consideration from wicked men vnto himselfe acknowledging that he was no better by nature then they but that Gods his mercy had made a difference between him and them where there was none by nature And therefore prayes he that the work of Gods mercy may be continued with him to quicken him and giue him life that he defile not his conscience by dead workes as they doe nor yet haue fellowship with them in their vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse but that being quickned by God he may liue the life of God from which he saw them to be strangers Thus we see that how-euer the godly exercise somtime their consideration about other things yet in the end they returne still to themselues What-euer they heare or see or speake of others they enter into their owne hearts and edifie themselues by it if they looke to such as are godly they are confirmed to follow themâ—… if they looke to the manners of wicked men they are affraid of their owne weakenesse runne to Gods mercy praysing him who hath preserued them from the like impiety and praying also for grace to keep them that their harts incline not to walk with them Thus of euery thing they reape some profit to themselues but naturall men look so to things which are without them that they enter not into their owne hearts to edifie themselues by that which they heare or see in others Againe the manner of the children of God in their prayers is to flie alway to Gods mercy it is of mercy that they begin well of mercy that they continue well of mercy that they looke for any good at the hands of God let them leane to merits who will we wil depend vpon mercy Are we able to giue vnto God himselfe Are we able to requite his benefites which we haue gotten Quis potest debitum referre naturae debitum salutis gratiae Can any man requite him for benefits of nature which we haue receiued farre lesse for benefites of grace saluation these are debts which wee are neuer able to pay Where then are thy merits Quis nostrûm sine diuina potest miseratione subsistere Who among vs all can subsist without diuine miseration Quid possumus dignuÌ„ facere praemijs coelestibus Or what can we do worthy of a heauenly reward Let vs therfore learnat Dauid to send vp our requests Non secundum merita nostra sed misericordiam Dei not according to our merits but his mercies Two Epithets he ascribes to Gods mercies first he cals them great and then he cals them tender mercies They are great in many respects for coÌ„tinuance they endure sor euer for largenes they reach vnto the heauens are higher then they yea they are aboue all the workes of God And this is for the comfort of poore sinners whose sinnes are many and great let them not despaire his mercies are greater and moe for sith they are greater then all his works how much more greater then thou and all thy sinsull workes All the Nations of the earth are but like the droppe of a bucket or as a graine of sand compared with his Maiestie what art thou then that thou shouldst magnifie thy deedes aboue his rich mercie as if thy sinnes were so great that his mercie could not compasse them Onely doe not abuse his mercy neyther turne thou his grace into wantonnesse but if thou vnfeinedly repent then doe thou also stedfastly beleeue that thy sinnes were they neuer so great shall easily be swallowed vp by his infinite mercies As the Ocean when it flowes couers sands and rockes and all that they are not seene so where the floud of Gods compassions breaks out how easily doth it ouerflow and couer all thy transgressions This is the meditation of the Apostle that where before he had beene many manner of wayes sinfull and ignorant a blasphemer an oppressor a persecuter yet the grace of our Lord had beene exceeding abundant toward him where sinne had abounded grace had superabounded to ouer flow and couer it And in this he stands for an example to all that will beleeue that they should neuer distrust Gods great mercies for the greatnesse of their sinnes The other Epithet he giues them is That they are tender mercies because the Lord is easie to be intreated for he is slowe vnto wrath but ready to shew mercy S. Iames saith that the wisdom which is from aboue is gentle peaceable easie to be intreated If his grace in his children make them gentle and easie to be intreated what shall we thinke of him selfe Sith he will haue such pitie in vs poore creatures that seauenty times seauen times in the day hee will haue vs to forgiue the offences of our brethren O what pitie compassion abounds in himselfe Thus we see our comfort is increased that as his mercies are great so are they tender easily obtained where they are earnestly craued Quicken me Dauid found the life of grace in himselfe continually hindred impugned yea oft-times sore weakened by the power of his corrupt nature and therefore the more frequent is he in this petition that God would quicken him VER 157. My persecuters and my oppressors are many yet doe I not swerue from thy testimonies A New protestation of his constancy vnder affliction that albeit
turne asâ—…e after their crooked wayes So that in the life of euery man there are two motions courses the one seene which is common to good and euill the other more secret the seene course is the way of a man from the wombe to the graue this is common and as Ioshua calles it The way of all flesh this is so sensible that all men perceiue it the growing of a man from infancie to child hood from child-hood to young age from young age to olde age the other I said is more secret wherein some by the crooked wayes of sinne walke on vnto perdition others by the way of holinesse to glorification And this way I call more secret because the course of wicked men is oft-times couered with hypocrisie the course againe of godly men obscured by calumnie both of them being esteemed among men the one for good the other for euill that which indeed they are not Who walke in the Law of the Lord. What before he spake obscurely hee now deliuers more plainly namely that they who walke in the Law of the Lord are vpright in way The Lawe of God is the rule of our life that narrow rodde within the limits whereof we should alway containe our selues neyther declining to the right hand nor to the left but euer proceeding by this one rule we should forget that which is behind and endeuour our selues to that which is before and truely seeing by the lawe onely our actions will be iudged wisedome requires that by the lawe onely our actions should be squared VER 2. Blessed are they who keepe his testimomonies and seeke him with their whole heart EVery man desires to be blessed euen they who had but the light of nature sought after it but could not find it here the Lord who in the last day will pronounce some to bee blessed and some to be cursed dooth now tell vs who they are What can comfort them to whom the Lord shall say Depart from me ye cursed Where away shall they goe whom the Lord shall command to depart from him And what greater ioy can com to a man then to heare the Iudge of all saying vnto him Come to me ye blessed Oh that we were wise in time to thinke of this that so we might endeuour to becom such men as to whom God in his word hath promised the blessing The doubling of the sentence Blessed blessed in the first verse and second is to let vs see the certainty of the blessing belonging to the godly The word of God is as true in it selfe when it is once spoken as when it is many times repeated the repetition of it is for confirmation of our weake faith That which Isaac spake of Iacob I haue blessed him and he shall be blessed is the most sure decree of God vpon all his childen Sathan would faine curse Israel by the mouth of such as Balaam was but he shall not be able to curse because God hath blessed Keepe his Testimonie The word of God is called his Testimony not onely because it testifies his will concerning his seruice but also his fauour and good wil concerning his own in Christ Iesus If the word of God were no more but a Law yet were we bound to obey it because we are his creatures but sith it is also a Testimony of his loue wherein as a father he witnesseth his fauour toward his children we are twise inexcusable if most ioyfully we doe not embrace it And againe sith the word is Gods Testimony let vs take heed what it testifies vnto vs. Achab complained to Iosaphat on Michaiah that he neuer prophecied good things vnto him but the blame was in Achab himselfe Are not my words saith the Lord good vnto him that walkes vprightly If the word of the Lord witnesse no good vnto vs it is because we are not good our selues Vtilis enim aduersarius est it is enemy to none but such as are enemies to themselues Let vs therefore take heed vnto it for if the word condemne vs then our conscience and the Lorde who is greater then them both will much more condemne vs but if we repent of our sinnes and continue in mourning seeking mercy amend our liues then shall the word bring vnto vs the glad tidings of peace yea not onely shall the word without but the spirit also testifie to our conscience within that our sinnes are forgiuen vs. Now as concerning the keeping of Gods Testimonies the children of God do it in minde in affection in action In mind as Mary laid vp the words of the Angell in her heart and Dauid laid vp the promises of God in his hart that he should not sin against the Lord in affection they haue euer a godly desire and a purpose to practise it ioyfull when they doe the commandements of God sorrowfull when they transgresse them in action they haue a begun obedience which God at length shall perfite in them for The righteousnesse of the Law shall be fulfilled in vs also And seeke him with their whole heart The seeking of God so often recommended in holy Scripture imports that naturally men are strangers from God diuided from him by sinne for what needeth a man to seeke that which he hath not lost This is man his most miserable condition by nature he hath lost the familiar presence of his God â—…or lo they that withdraw themselues from thee shall perish thou destrâ—…yest all them that goe a whooring from thee What shall we do to remedie it but practise that which there Dauid protests hee had concluded with himselfe As for me it is good for me to draw neere vnto God we lost him by sinne let vs seeke him by grace we went a whooring from him by our iniquity let vs returne vnto him by repentance other-way as he that will hide himselfe from the Sunne empaires not the light thereof hee may well shut himselfe in miserable darkenesse so he that departs from the Lord shall derogate nothing to his all-sufficient Maiesty hee may well plunge himselfe in the bottomlesse pit of remedilesse misery But this euill the losse of Gods familiar presence is not felt by carnall men so long as they enioy the comfort of his creatures and therefore is it that where they can seeke any other thing they want with solicitude and care eyther else they seeke him not at all or then seeke him not as they should As he that seekes a jewell which he hath lost lookes still to see it with so earnest an attention that what â—…uer other thing is in his way he sees it not casting all other things out of his minde Vnum illud intendit quod solum requirit so is it with him that seekes the Lorde Mundana omnia pertransieâ—…s illum solum inquirit passing by all other things in the world he makes inquisition for God only
remooued or remained according as they were directed by the clowde in the day and piller of fire in the night so should all the vvaies of our life be ordered by the direction of God Otherwise as the vvarriour qui praescripto non incedit ordine armatus non ambulat rectaque via iter non conficit mansionem paratam non invenit who walkes not the way prescribed to him and goes not into it armed to resist the enemy comes not to that mansion prepared by the Imperator for his followers to enioy such furniture as he hath caused to prouide for them so shall it be with the straggling Christian vvhose vvay is a declining from Christ he cannot come to those mansions which hee hath prouided for his followers in his Fathers house nor be resreshed with his delicates Dauid knew this very well and therefore is he so inquisitiue to knowe the way of his Commaunder and earnest to seek grace that he may walke in it Dauid as wee said before was a Prophet indued vvith great vnderstanding yet doth hee earnestlie desire to be further taught of God for the treasures of manifold wisedome locked vp in the word are so rich that no man can attaine to such measure of knowledge but still hee hath neede to learne more The Angels vvho are full of eyes vvithin vvithout so figured for the greatnesse of their vnderstanding for which also by Nazianzen they are called Secundaria lumina are scholars in the schoole of the Church for those things which are preached to vs in the Gospel by the holy Ghost sent down froÌ„ heauen The Angels desire to be hold and shal we not delight to learne with theÌ„ seeing for our saluation whereof they are surealready these things are preached And I will keepe it vnto the end Here is a promise of thankfulness not in word but in deede 〈◊〉 legeâ—… tuâ—…m serâ—…are studui prosequar haue cursum neque fatigabâ—…r in medio itinere vbi tu perrexer is me dâ—…cere If thou continue a teacher of mee saith Dauid I shall continue a seruaunt to thee Perseuerance cannot bee vnlesse continuall light and grace be furnished to vs from the Lord. As the tree which hath not sap at the roote may florish but cannot continue so a man whose hart is not watered with the dew of Gods grace continually may for a time make a faire shew of godliness but in the end shall fall away Wee beare not the roote but the roote beares vs let vs tremble and feare If wee abide not in him we become withered branches good for nothing but the fire Let vs alway pray that hee would euer abide with vs to informe vs by his light and lead vs by his power in that vvay which may bring vs to him VER 34. Giue me vnderstanding and I wil keepe thy law yea I wil keep it with mine whole hart HEre followes a prayer agreeable to this purpose with a promise of thankfulnes amplified WheÌ„ God appeared to Salomon in a vision and offered to giue vnto him whatsoeuer he would aske Salomon as hee had learned here from Dauid his father seekes a wise and vnderstanding heart which thing so pleased the Lord that because Salomon did so and sought not riches nor honour the Lord promised not onely to giue him wisdome which he sought but riches and honour which he sought not Let vs also be moued if we be the sonnes of Dauid to seeke best things from the Lord our God specially knowledge vnderstanding how we may serue him Certainly so great and gratious is the Lord so rich in mercy that then our prayers are most acceptable to him when we seeke most excellent blessings from him And I will keepe thy Lawe True vnderstanding rests not in speculation but breakes out in practise Naked knowledge breeds conuiction it were better to want it for greater knowledge makes the iudgement of the wicked greater because that when they knew God they glorified him not But true vnderstanding changes the heart for by it not only do we behold the glory of God as in the mirrour of his word but are changed into the same image from glory to glory by the spirit of the Lord. And this is that excellent knowledge of Christ wherein the Apostle reioyces to know the vertue of his resurrection the fellowship of his afflictions and bee made conformable to his death And indeede then onely is knowledge a blessing when it workes these happy effects in vs. Yea I will keepe it with mine whole hart As he promised before perseuerance in Gods seruice so now he promiseth sinceritie Some are temporizers in Religion these perseuer not in seruice Some are hypocrites these are not sincere they draw neere the Lord with their lippes but are from him in their harts Dauid promiseth both perseuerance sinceritie but so that stil he craues grace of God to performe theÌ„ When Dauid offred materials as gold siluer for building of the Temple he blessed the Lord ascribed to him the praise both of the things which hee had offred they were Gods own of the hart wherby he offred them Now therefore my God vvee thank thee and praise thy glorious Name But who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer vvillingly after this sort For all things come of thee and of thy owne hand haue wee giuen thee But how much more should we acknovvledge this in spirituall graces Haue wee any thing that we haue not receiued And when we doe any good by his grace should not the praise be returned vnto him Yea indeed let vs all say with Dauid all comes of thee and of thine owne hand haue we giuen vnto thee And where hee promiseth that hee will keepe Gods law with his whole hart it is not a presuming of perfection Not as though I were alreadie perfect but a protesting of his sinceritie that he had not the false diuided hart of hypocrites VER 35. Direct mee in the path of thy commaundements for therein is my delight AS before hee craued light to his mind so now he craues grace to direct his heart that he may follow it Naturally man is ignorant of the way to eternall life and if any light or knowledge he haue of it yet is he easily miscaried to wander from it Euen as vvater if it be not walled in ad decliuia fertur of it ovvne nature declines to lowest places if the smallest passage be made vnto it Ita humana natura diabolo viam ad peccatum aperiente ad id quod peius est proruit so the nature of man rushes downeward to sinne vvhen any way thereto is opened to him by Satan And therefore Dauid fearing his owne infirmitie prayes so earnestlie that God would guide him and not leaue him to himselfe Now the way vvhich Dauid chooseth to
wee saw the end of Gods worke which is euer his glorie the good of his Church and euery member therof we would not offend at his workes whereby he works that end a way that is vnpleasant to vs because it is vnknowne to vs. That thy iudgement The iudgement of God is taken in two significations first for the plagues whereby hee punisheth wicked men in his anger proportionall to their sinnes And this iudgement Dauid declines Psal. 143. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant Secondly for the roddes and corrections wherewith hee chastiseth his owne children And these are called iudgements because iudiciously he measures and moderates them according as the state of his children requires not powring out the ful viol of his wrath as he doth on the wicked but proffering a temperate cup to be drunken by his owne as their weakenesse may beare it And in this sense Ambrose speaking of Gods chastisements sayes Omnia Dei iudicio fiunt That hee sends sickenesse rather then health pouertie and not wealth it is because in his most iudicious consideration hee findes it expedient that it should be so Thus then wee see how among many other differences betweene the afflictions of the godly and the wicked they differ also these two wayes first in measure Hath hee smitten Iacob as hee smote those that smote him No no hee powers a violl on the one but proâ—…ereth a moderate cuppe to the other secondly in the end for the one hee strikes for punishment the other for purgation And that thou hast 〈◊〉 mee iustlie More of this see ver 7. 20. 30. 39. 43. 52. 62. 75. 67. 107. VER 76. I pray thee that thy mercie may comfort me according to thy promise made to thy seruant IN the former Verse hee acknowledged the Lord had afflicted him now in this he prayeth the Lord to comfort him This is strange that a man should seeke comfort at the same hand that strikes him it is the worke of faith Nature will neuer teach vs to doe it Come and let vs returne to the Lord for he hath spoyled and he will heale vs he hath wounded and he will binde vs vp Againe wee see that the crosses which God layes on his children are not to confound nor to consume them only to prepare them for greater consolations With this Dauid sustained himselfe against Shimei his cursing The Lord will looke on my affliction and doe me good for this euill with this our Sauiour comforts his Disciples Your mourning shall be turned into ioy As the last estate of Iob was better then his first so shall the Lord render more to his children at the last then now at the first he takes from them let vs therefore beare his crosse as a preparatiue to comfort According to thy promise Dauid had a particular promise of a particular benefit to weet the kingdome of Israel And this promise God performed vnto him but his comfort stood not in it For Saul before him had the kingdom but the promises of mercy belonged not to him and therfore when God forsooke him his kingdom could not sustaine him But Dauid heere depends vpon the general promises of Gods mercie made to his children wherein hee acknowledgeth a particular promise of mercie made to him For the generall promises of mercy and grace made in the Gospel faith makes them particular to euery beleeuer Of this see verse 41. 58. 76. 170. VER 77. Let thy tender mercy come vnto mee that I may liue for thy law is my delight HE prayed before for mercy now againe he prayeth for mercy The children of God haue such an earnest and feruent desire of mercy that what-euer sense therof they get they still cry for more and sure it is in this life they can neuer be satisfied Neuertheless happy are they who now hunger thirst for hereafter they shal be satisfied And when I awake I shal be satisfied with thine image But if we marke more narrowly we shall find that Dauid heere seekes another sort of mercie then he sought before For first he sought mercie to forgiue his sinnes then he sought mercy to comfort him in his troubles now hee seekes mercy to liue and sinne no more Alas many seek the first mercy of remission and the second mercy of consolation in trouble who are altogether carelesse of the third mercy to liue well It is a great mercy of GOD to amend thy life where this is not let no man think he hath receiued either of the former Magna est miseratio Dei quae non solem remissionem tribuit peccatoruÌ„ sed etiam certantibus addit calcaria vt in suscepto certamine pergant It is a great mercie of God which not onely pardons euill that is done but strengthens vs also to further good that we haue not done and this is the mercy which here Dauid seekes For thy law is my delight Of this reason see verse 70. VER 78. Let the proud be ashamed for they haue dealt wickedly and falsely with mee DAuid here praieth not against the person of his enemies but against their course their false wicked dealing against him Or rather as we may think with Basile Orat pro inimicis The reason hereof is giuen by Ambrose Pudor enim plerumque corrector est nostri dum incipit nos pudere commissi ne diutius pudeat deserere quaeerubescenda sunt admonemur For shame oftentimes corrects our waies when wee thinke shame of that which we haue done we are admonished not to doe that againe which may make vs more asham'd in time to com For where a gentle shame cannot moue men to amend it is a iust recompense of God to poure vpon them shame with contempt and confusion Still wee see how the Spirit of God stiles the wicked by the name of proud men for a wicked man shakes off the yoke of God and will not be subiect to his Maker and so spares not to exalt himselfe ouer men in such sort that there is nothing in man so sacred so worthy reuerence which he tramples not vnder his feet But heere is the iust recompence of his pride Let the proud be ashamed Hee would faine haue honour or preheminence which God will not giue vnto him hee flies shame contempt but God shall poure them vpon him For they haue dealt Hee complaines of the wicked and false dealing of his enemies against him and it is written to vphold vs in the like tentation For Satan is alway like himselfe hating them whom the Lord loueth hee may well be worse he can neuer be better and therfore with restlesse malice stirres he vp all his cursed instruments in whom hee raignes to persecute them who are loued and protected of the Lord. But I meditate Dauids enemies fought against him with the armour of flesh wickednesse and falshood he withstands
we giue him the more profit by new benefits reap we at his hands And thy iudgements shall help me How Gods word is called his iudgement See verse 7. 13. 20. 30. 39. 43. 52. 62. 66. 84. 102. 106. 108. 120. VER 176. I haue gone a stray like a lost sheepe seeke mee for I doe not forget thy commandements IN this conclusion of the Psalme wee haue three things a confession of sinne a petition of mercy and a protestation The confession I haue wandred like a lost sheep Euthymius Vatablus vnderstand this to bee a complaint of his persecution he sustained of Saul who like a rauening Wolfe of Beniamins tribe chased Dauid like a poore sheepe from his natiue soyle hunting him to and fro like a Partrige through the mountaines of Israel and that therefore leaning to the testimonie of his good conscience he makes bolde with GOD that hee would reduce him and bring him home againe And this exposition is also agreeable to the Analogie of faith But wee rather take this with Basil and Ambrose to be a petition for spiritual deliuerance froÌ„ his sinnes wherein first he premiâ—…s a confession of his misery that he had wandred from God Hoc et propheâ—… a post peccatum omni humanae naturae dicere conuenit and this not onâ—…lie the Prophet but the whole nature of man after the transgression is bound to confesse Quod lapsum fateris in eo tibi cum omnibus commune consortium est quia nemo sine peccato negare hoc sacrilegium est solus enim deus sine peccato est confiteri hoc deo impunitatis remedium est that thou confessest thy sin in this thou hast a common fellowship with all mankinde there is no man without sinne that is Gods prerogatiue to deny this is sacriledge to confesse it is the waie to impunity Dic itaque et tu iniquitates tuas vt iustificeris Confesse thou therefore thy sins that thou maist be iustified It is the presumptuous voyce of Antichrist That a man in this life can be without sinne and fulfill the law in perfection If their eies were opened to see either the Lord or themselues they would be farre froÌ„ this abhominable presumption When holy Esay saw a vision of the Maiestie of God he cryed out Woe is me I am vneleane When patient Iob had seene the Lord it was his voyce Now I haue seene the Lord therefore I abhorre my selfe And Dauid heere by his deepe meditations of Gods word is moued to acknowledge his great disconformity from it by reason of his sinnes As the small motes of the â—…yre Atomi are onely seene where the sunne shineth so the manifold imperfectioÌ„s of our nature are best seene where the light of Gods word shines most cleerely And therefore to all such presumptuous papists as boast with the Pharisie of their perfection and fall not down with the penitent Publican and humble Dauid to make confession of their sinnes wee returne that answere of Bernard Site videres tibi displiceres mihi placeres If thou saw thy selfe thou wouldst be displeased with thy selfe shouldst please me Sed quia te non vides tibi places mihi displices but because thou seest not thy selfe thou pleasest thy selfe and displeasest mee Veniet autem dies quandâ—… nec tibi nec mihi placebis non mihi quia peccasti nec tibi quia in aeternum ardebis But the day will come wherein thou shalt neither please thy selfe nor mee thou shalt not please mee because thou hast sinned against mee neither shalt thou please thy self because thou shalt be punished with euerlasting fire In any spirituall disease the knowledge of our sinne and confession of it is the first token of the returne of health Soluit criminum nexus verecunda confessio peccatorum the bands of sinne are loosed when they are confessed And againe Erroris medicina est confessio Medicine for error is confession But to this purpose notable is the saying of Gregory Mirentur quâ—…cunque volent in quolibet castitatis continentiam mirentur viscâ—…ra pietatis egâ—… non minus admiror in â—…o confessionem humilimam peccatorum Let men admire as they please in others either their continency or commiseration I will much more admire in a man to see the humble confession of his sinnes Scio enim per infirmitatis verecundiam grauioris esse certaminis praeterita peccata prodere quam non admissa vitare For I knowe through the infirmitie of shame that the godly haue a greater battel to confesse sinne committed than to represse it that it be not committed Seeke mee The second thing in the verse is petition of mercy after the confession of sinne I haue wandred like a lost sheep but thou who art the great pastor of thy sheepe who causest ioie in heauen at the conuersion of a sinner thou that leauest ninetie and nine feeding in the mountaines to seeke one of thy sheepe that hath wandred from thee Come thou Lord and by thy grace bring me home againe Quaere me quia te requiro Seeke mee for by thy grace I seeke thee Potes inuenire quem tu requiris Thou maist finde him whom thou seekest Dignare suscipere quem inueneris Vouchsafe to receiue him whom thou hast found Impone humeris quem susceperis And lay him vpon thy shoulders whom thou hast receiued Non est tibi piuÌ„ onus fastidio It is no wearisom burden to thee to beare thine owne and bring them home againe vnto thy selfe Thus we see how not onely in our first conuersion God did communicate life to vs when wee were dead as he followed Apostate Adam that ranne away from him and brought him again but in all the course of our life he is the conseruer and restorer of life to our soules No man can reckon the errours of his life We should perish in the least of them if the mercy of God did not watch ouer vs to saue vs when we haue lost our selues to reduce vs when we wander to raise vs when we fall So that the whole praise of the beginning continuance and consummation of our saluation belongs to the Lord our GOD onely For I forget not thy commandements The third and last thing in the verse is this protestation Where if it be demaunded How do these agree with the former He hath euen now said that he wandred like a lost sheep now he saith that he forgets not the coÌ„mandements of God The answere is The godly neuer so fall but there remaines in them some grace quae spem medicinae reseruat which reserues a hope of medicine to cure them so Dauid here Licèt quaedam mandatorum dei transgressus est omnimodam tamen illorum obliuionem non admisit Albeit hee transgressed some of Gods commandements yet hee fell not into any full obliuion of them And last we see here
dedicated themselues vnto Sathan As the sonnes of Eli despised the rebuke of their father so young men now for the most part are impatient of the rebukes of the word contemning the medicine which Dauid by experience found most effectuall to cure the disordered affections of youth Among those sacrifices where-with God was honored in the law he required their first fruits to be consecrate to him eares of corne dryed by the fire and wheat beaten out of the green eares teaching vs to honour the Lord not onely with the first fruits of our increase but of our selues also It is an euill diuision that is made by many who giue their young age to Satan by the seruice of sin and behight their old age to the Lord for so they incurre that curse of Malachie Cursed be hee that hath a strong beast in his slocke and vowes and sacrificeth a corrupt thing vnto the Lord. The feruency strength of youth should be imploied not in the satisfaction of their lusts but in the seruice of their God in fighting against Sathan This is it which that youngest Disciple of our Lord requires of young men that hauing the Word of God abiding in them they may be strong to ouercom the wicked not louing the world nor things that are in the world such as lust of the flesh lust of the eyes and pride of life These are not of the Father but of the world and the world passeth away and the lust therof but he that fulfils the word of God abides for euer But how-euer mention be made here of young men only yet as no age is without the owne tentations and blemishes so haue they all need to take heed to the word that they may learne to redresle their wayes It is a double shame and sinne for an old man to be of an vncleane life or ignorant of the word Such as had liued long without making progresse in knowledge and godlinesse were properly called by Philo Longaeui pueri The neerer we drawe vnto Canaan the further should we be from the delights of Egypt otherwise it shall come to passe in God his righteous iudgements that when in regard of thy long iourney thou art at the very borders of Canaan thou shouldest be put further backe againe with these carnall Israelites yea neuer suffered to enter into it O miserable condition of that man whose body is declyning to the graue but his spirit hath not learned to ascend to him that gaue it he comes as I said to the border of Cana◅n to the very point of time wherein Gods children make their happy transmigration but by reason of his sinnes he is thrust backe againe when he should die and ascend to the blessed fellowship of God the Father of light he dies and descends to the pit of vtter darkenesse where is weeping and gnashing of teeth Now the maner of the answer which he makes to his former Interrogatiue commends the certainty of his counsell for he answers by turning his speech to the Lord from whom he had obtained by praier this knowledge How to gouern his life Vt sic non praesumptionis humanae sed dignationis diuinae remedium crederetur that so it might be knowne vnto others that this remedy came not from humane presumption but diuine reuelation VER 10. With mine whole hart haue I sought thee let me not wander from thy Commandements WHat Dauid deliuered by way of instruction vnto other yong men he now shewes that he practised himselfe for this Verse contaynes a protestation of that earnest desire hee had to haue his life ordered by the written worde of God That hee sayes I haue sought thee with my whole heart imports no presumptuous boasting of his owne perfection but rather a sense and feeling of his owne wants which made him the more earnestly to seek for seeking is of those things which a man wants faine would haue And where he saith he sought the Lord with his whole hart he speakes it by comparison Ad differentiam eorum qui Deum non toto corde quaerunt sed illud in curas seculares et concupiscentias absurdas partiuntur Let me not wander As our first calling so our cōtinuing in the state of grace is of the Lord for hee is both the author and finisher of our faith Customablie in holy Scripture elect men are called the Sheepe of Christ to tell vs that all our welfare consists in the prouident care of our Pastor who first must keepe vs that we wander not and next when of infirmitie vvee wander must reduce and bring vs home againe VER 11. I haue hid thy promises in mine heart that I might not sinne against thee IT is not Dauids meaning that hee had hid the talent vvhich hee receiued from the Lord after the manner of that vnprofitable seruaunt for that he did put his talent to the vttermost profit for the edification of others he witnesseth both by this Psalme and many other specially Psal. 40. I haue declared thy righteousnesse vnto the great Congregation lo I will not refraine my lippes O Lorde thou knowest I haue not hid thy righteousnesse within my heart but I haue declared thy truth and thy saluation I haue not concealed thy mercy and truth from the great Congregation What is this then Dauid affirmes that he hath not hid Gods righteousnesse within his heart Here he protests that hee hid Gods promises in his heart Surely here is no contradiction for in the one he shewes how his first care was to comfort and confirme himselfe by the promises of GOD and next to benefite others And truely he that doth not first edifie his owne heart in the assurance of Gods mercy can neuer be a meet instrument to declare the mercies of God vnto others There is great difference betweene Christians and Worldlings The Worldling hath his Treasures and Iewels without him the Christian hath them within Neyther indeede is there any recepracle wherein to receiue and keepe the word of consolation but the heart onely If thou haue it in thy mouth onely it shall be taken from thee if thou haue it in thy Booke onely thou shalt misse it when thou hast most to doe with it but if thou lay it vp in thy heart as Marie did the wordes of the Angel no enemie shall euer be able to take it from thee and thou shalt finde it a comfortable treasure in time of thy need They who possesse earthly riches expose them not to the eyes and hands of euery one they locke them vp in their surest places to conserue them from theeues and robbers it is euen so here with holy Dauid he knew no good spirituall can be possessed here in this earth without temptation That subtill Serpent who stole from our first parents the glorious Image of God wherein consisted their originall felicity and happinesse doth
yet enuy and rage when he sees the children of Adam restored to the possession of any spirituall graces and therefore Dauid like a wise man Abscondit illas in animo suo ne eas per inanem gloriam aut incuriam animarum depraedatores furentur This one example may condemne the folly of worldlings the smallest jewell they haue yea the Charter of their smallest possessions they can hide well enough and lay it vp sure from them who would defraude them of it but as for the promises of God which are the Charters of our heauenly inheritance they neglect them altogether For alas how many be there who affirm in word that heauenly inheritance to be theirs who if they be examined vpon their warrants cannot bring out of the treasure of their heart so much as one promise of God whereby it is made sure vnto them That I might not sinne Among many excellent vertues of the word of GOD this is one that if we keepe it in our heart it keepes vs from sinne which is against God and against ourselues We may marke it by experience that the word is first stollen eyther out of the minde of man and the remembrance of it is away or at least out of the affection of man so that the reuerence of it is gone before that a man can be drawne to the committing of a sinne So long as Euah kept by faith the word of the Lord she resisted Sathan but from the time she doubted of that which God made most certaine by his word incontinent she was snared VER 12. Blessed art thou O Lorde teach me thy Statutes THE soule of a man truely godly when he commeth to seeke God findes in himselfe so manifolde wants and in the Lord so plentifull mercies that he can neuer be satiate with seeking till he be filled and therefore is it that hauing sought much yea and gotten much yet he seekes more as through all this Psalme we may see Dauid can make no end of prayer and this may make vs ashamed of our cold faint and feeble prayers This Verse containes a prayer with a reason of the prayer The prayer is Teach me thy Statutes the reason mouing him to seeke this ariseth of a consideration of that infinite good which is in GOD. He is a blessed GOD the Fountaine of all felicitie without whom no welfare nor happinesse can bee to the creature And for this cause Dauid earnestly desiring to be in fellowship and communion with GOD which hee knowes none can attaine vnto vnlesse he be taught of GOD to know Gods way and walke in it therefore I say prayeth he the more earnestly that the Lord would teach him his Statutes Oh that we also could wisely consider this that our felicity stands in a fellowshippe with GOD. This meditation would weaken or diminish in vs those vnquiet and fruitlesse cares wee haue to enioy the creature for alas man seekes the creatures as if his life and happinesse stood in them but is negligent in the seeking of the Lord and all because he knowes not that his blessednesse stands in a communion with the blessed God Teach mee Dauid wanted not Prophets such as Nathan and Gad and Leuits his ordinary Doctors to teach him but he knew all these were nothing vnless he were taught of God Man his teaching if there be no more cannot remedy the ignorance of the minde farre lesse the corruption of the heart Pauls planting Apollo his watering is nothing if God worke not the increase and therefore Dauid so vses the one as knowing it could not profit without the other Hac à Domino quaerit discere quae homines docere non poterant If this were practised now to ioyne prayer with hearing that when wee offer our selues to be taught of men we would there with send vp prayer to God before preaching in time of preaching and after preaching we would soone proue more learned and religious then we are Againe Dauid was a Prophet himselfe and a man of great knowledge and yet often craues he that God would teach him more Farre was he from the presumption of this age which procures the perdition of many with whom if ye speake concerning their knowledge ye shal heare nothing but that they know their God their dutie their conscience and all they will seeme ignorant of nothing though indeed they doe nothing aright When they heare so excellent a Prophet so desirous of further knowledge and so desirous to be taught let them be ashamed to boast of their knowledge Vaemiserae huic generationi cui sufficere videtur sua insufficientia VER 13. With my lips haue I declared all the iudgements of thy mouth HEere is a protestation of the thankefull vse he had made of the benefits of God already receiued he had tolde vnto others what God had done to his soule he had not kept close God his louing kindnes And truly this is a strong reason to backe our prayers vnto God when we dare say out of a good conscience that the benefits which we haue receiued already we haue vsed them to the glory of him who gaue them But here it may be demaunded seeing the Psalmist sayes that the iudgements of God are as a great deep and the Apostle sayes that they are vnsearchable How saith he now that he hath declared all the iudgements of God To this we answer Non impugnat se velut contrarijs Scriptura venerabilis and therfore we must here make a distinction Sunt iudicia occulta quae Deus â—…obis non patesecit iudicia oris quae annuntiauit per os Prophetarum loquutus est there are secret iudgements and these Dauid leaues to the Lord there are againe the iudgements of his mouth which God hath declared and reuealed himselfe by the mouth of his seruants the Prophets And of these Dauid speakes here I haue declared all the iudgements of thy mouth So then here Dauid protests that what the Lord taught him he also taught others Some will teach who themselues are not taught of God these are in the Church non Conchae sed Canales Others what they haue learned of God declare not vnto others these are guilty of hiding of the Talent they haue receiued from the Lord. With my lips The tongue is a most excellent member of the body being well vsed to the glory of God and edification of others and yet it cannot pronounce without helpe of the lippes The Lord hath made the bodie of man with such maruellous wisedome that no member in it can say to another I haue no neede of thee but such is man his dulnesse that he obserues not how stedable vnto him the smallest member in the body is till it be taken from him If our lips were clasped for a time and our tongue enclosed we would esteeme it a great mercy to haue it
the power of Grace preuailing but this comfort wee haue that at length Grace shall preuaile the power of corrupt Nature shal be captiued vnder the obedience of Christ. Quicken me Dauid being sore oppressed as I said and dead in himselfe doth now beseech the Lord to quicken him raise him vp againe for he knew that not onely the beginnings but the continuance of our life must come from the Lord. Thus we see how the children of God are wakened by their wants stirred vp by their falls and decaies to a greater feruencie in prayer And truely these changes of our life which this manner of waie wakens vs and prouokes vs to prayer we are to account them as the mercifull hand of God stretched out toward vs to drawe vs home to himselfe â—…et no man thinke euill of that trouble that chaseth him to the Lord. Yea I may say his falls which make him more humble and feruent in prayer are of Gods dispensation who when he will in most maruailous manner can bring light out of darknes But seeing hee was aliue how prayes hee that God would quicken him I answere The godly esteeme of life not according to that they haue in the body but in their soule If the soule want the sense of mercie and a heauenly disposition to spirituall thinges they lament ouer it as a dead soule for sure it is temporall desertions are more heauie to the godlie then temporall death According thy word This is a great faith that vvhere in respect of his present feeling he found himself dâ—…ad yet he hopes for life froÌ„ God according to his promise Such was the faith of Abraham who vnder hope belieued aboue hope And truly many times are Gods children brought to this estate that they haue nothing to vphold them but the word of God no sense of mercie no spirituall disposition but on the contrarie great darknes horrible feares and terrors Onely they are sustained by looking to the promise of God and kept in some hope that he will restore them to life againe because it is his praise to finish the worke which he beginnes VER 26. I haue declared my waies and thou heardest me teach me thy statutes THis verse containes a prayer vvith a reason after this forme O Lord I haue oft before declared vnto thee the whole state and course of my life my wandrings my wants my doubts my griefes I hid nothing sroÌ„ thee thou according to my necessity didst alway hear me therfore now Lord I pray thee to teach me by thy light illuminate me that I may know thy stâ—…tutes receiue grace to walk in theÌ„ This is a good argument in dealing vvith the Lord I haue gotten many mercies and fauourable answers from thee therefore Lord I pray thee to giue memo sor whom he loues he loues to the end where he begins to shew mercy he ceaseth not til he crown his children with mercy And â—…o gratious is the Lord that he esteemes heâ—… is honoured as oft as we giue him the praise that we haue found comfort in him and therefore come to seeke more It is farre otherwise with men if they doe vnto vs any small good they thinke it vncourteous importunity to require them to do any more But as the Strand is easily emptied where the Ocean can neuer be exhauâ—…ted so mans liberality is soon dried vp but the goodnes of the Lord remains for euer who hath not the less because he hath giuen but stil delights â—…o giue more to such as are thankefull vnto him Next is to be marked how he saith I haue declared my wayes and thou heardst me these two go well together Mercy Truth Truth in the nearâ—… of man confessing Mercy in God hearing forgiuing happy is the soule wherin these two meete together Many there are who want this comfort they cannot say God hath heard me â—…nd all because they deale not plainely and truely with the Lord in declaring their waies vnto him For the wicked neyther will nor dare manifest heir wayes vnto the Lord. As the eye which is â—…urt dare not look to the light so the conscience of him that doth euill dare not look to the Lord â—…ea they doe what they can to hide their wayes â—…rom him and to conceale the iniquity of their bosome against such the Prophet denounces a wo â—…o to them that seeke in the deepe to hide their counsell from the Lord their workes are in secret and they who sees it Their turning of deuises and flying to refuges of vanity in the infidelity of their hearts will no more auaile them then the figge leaues did Adam to hide his nakednes For the Lord will bring euery worke to iudgement Better were it for vs to iudge our selues in time and with Dauid to examin our harts in our secret chamber to declare truely our wayes vnto the Lord that if they be good he would by his grace confirm vs in them if they be euill he would diuert vs from them then that otherwise we should sleep securely in our sins tarry till our aduersary accuse vs and the Lord enter into iudgement with vs nay rather let vs tell our sins our selues that the Lord who is gratious may forgiue and Sathan who is a most shameless and malitious accuser may be confounded Qui se accusauerit vocem parati accusatoris excludit qui solet acerâ—…are peccata vniuscuiusque exaggerare â—…agitia obstruit â—…s eius qui de seipso fuerit ante confessus This is the great vantage we haue by declaring our own sins to the Lord Qui sua delicta non taâ—…uit videtur in se doluisse quod fecit in diabolo prodidisse quod suasit that in so doing wee shewe our selues sorrowfull and penitent for the euill we haue done and therwithall also becom accusers of Sathan by whose subtile instigation we did the euill Last of all we learne here that then our life is well gouerned when we declare the course of it to the Lord lay open our harts nakedly before him This Dauid protests of himselfe Acta mea tibi Domine manifestani omnia and in another place that he set the Lord alway before him And this is it which is praised in Henoch that he walked with God Happy is the man whose wayes are so ordered that before his actions he consults with the Lord in his actions he remembers the Lord when he hath done presents them to the Lord if they be good seeking his approbation if they be euil seeking pardon forgiuene â—…of theÌ„ Teach me thy Statutes Now follows his prayer wherein he seekes light from God to direct him in his waies Non satis est vt confiteamur errorem verumetiam si corrigi volumus à Domino postulemus vt doceat nos iustificationes suas ne postea errare possimus It is
that which GOD hath not promised or are not according to the word it is to offer vncouth fire to the Lorde as Chore Dathan and Abiram did to their owne destruction VER 29. Take from me the way of lying and gratiously grant me thy Lawe IN the remanent foure Verses of this Section there is a continued praier wherin Dauid craueth grace of God to order his life not according to the counsell of Nature which is a lying way but according to the word which he onely acknowledgeth to be the way of truth adding these protestations that he had chosen it his hart cleaned to it and he would continue in it In this Verse we haue first to see what is this way of lying that we may vnderstand the meaning of his petition By the way of lying is to be vnderstood all that is in man his nature not agreeable to the word whether it be counsels or conclusions of the heart or externall actions and it is called a lying way because nature promises a good to be gotten by sinne which man shall not finde in it And vnto this deceit of sinne Dauid acknowledgeth himselfe subiect with the rest for why he would not pray the Lord to take that away from him which were not in him In nobis est interius manet via iniquitatis ideoque studiose agendum est vt eam à nobis separemus Dauid was a regenerate man but there are none so well renewed in this life who may not finde something in themselues that need further reformation Sed quia haereditarium iniquitatis glutinum mentibus inhaesit humanis opus est liberantis auxilio but this separation of a man from the way of iniquitie is a worke of great difficulty to be done only by the power of God both because the way of sinne is within vs and as an heritable euil is glewed to our minds For as it is Maiorum nostrâ—…rum attrita vestigijs pathed and trod with the footesteps of our fathers so are wee naturally enclined without a teacher or counseller to follow them in it Ideoque quia vulnus grande ac vetus est diu serpens perfectioris medicinae remedia deposcit And therefore because it is a great wound an old it requires the remedie of more perfect medicine then the wit or power of man is able to affoord which Dauid vvell knowing beseecheth God of his mercie to take away this euill from him And further we see heere that what-euer vvas Dauid his disposition hee gathers alwaies out of it an argument to mooue him to prayer It is wisedom for a man aboue all things to take heed to himselfe But sure hee hath neuer learned this aright who when hee hath looked to himselfe lookes not incontinent vp to God moued vvith the sight of his manifold necessities to seek mercie and grace to supply them And grant mee graciously thy law Hee oppones the law of God to the way of lying First because it is the onely rule of all truth both in religion and manners that which is not agreeable to it is but a lye vvhich shall deceiue men Secondly it destroyes and shall at length vtterlie destroy all contrary errors As the rodde of Aaron deuoured the rods of the Enchaunters so the word which is the rodde of the mouth of God shall in the end eate vp and consume all vntruthes whatsoeuer Thirdly according to the sentence of this vvord so shall it be vnto euerie man it deceiues none Men shall find by experience it is true he who walkes in a way condemned by the word shall come to a miserable end And on the contrary it cannot be but well vvith them who liue according to this rule Non est via veritatis honor saeculi sollicitudo mundi vanitas temporalium est veritas aeternorum But had not Dauid the law already No doubt he wanted not the booke of the law Hee heard it he read it he professed it yea some-way hee vnderstood it What then is it hee craues Surely that the law might be so imprinted in his hart that it might abolish that naturall vanitie and deceit of sinne which carried him to the offence of God A necessary petition for these dayes vvherin the knowledge of the word is exceeding great but the zeale spirituall life and feeling of the harts of men is not answerable vnto it They thinke all is vvell in that publiquely they professe it They hear it with their eares they speak of it with their mouthes they read it in their bookes finely bound though in that dutie many faile also But certainly vvhen they thinke they haue it they want it so long as it is not printed in the table of their hart to frame their motions affections and actions conformable to it And this is it which Dauid heere craues VER 30. I haue chosen the way of truth and thy iudgements haue I laid before me IN these last three verses we haue the reason of his former petition from his honest affection toward the word of God wherein he declares that he had chosen it he did cleaue vnto it and was determined in al time to com more and more to cleaue vnto it therefore praieth he God more and more to confirme him in this purpose Non enim diuina gratia datur bonuÌ„ proposituÌ„ non habentibus the grace of God is not giuen to such as in their heart purpose not to do good and yet this purpose and desire to doe well is not in the heart of man by nature vnlesse God worke it by grace for we are not of our selues sufficient to think a good thought It is God who works in vs both the will and the deed Nos volumus sed Deus operatur in nobis velle nos operamur sed Deus in nobis operatur operari hoc nobis expedit credere dicere hoc pium hoc verum vt sit humilis submissa confessio detur totum Deo We will indeede but it is God who workes in vs that will also we worke but it is God who workes in vs that working of good also it is expedient for vs both to beleeue and to say so this is godly this is true that there may be in vs a submisse and humble confession the whole prais of wel-doing may be ascribd to God And because man is ingenious to defraud God of the praise of grace and to magnifie the arme of Nature let vs marke another notable testimonie this same Father giues to this truth whereby the idle distinctions of the Aduersaries are dissolued Deus qui lux est interior is hominis plus illi praestat quam lux oculo nam lux oculum ad se conuersum illuminat auersumà se clausum deserit Deus vero non solum mentem ad se conuersum illuminat sed etiam mentem ad
promise to Dauid The meaning is I knowe ô Lord that thy promise is sure enough in it selfe but I pray thee make it sure to me Sure it is the promises of God are most cercertaine the earth may mooue and mountaines may fall yea the earth at length shal be shaken and the heauens wimpled vp like a garment but one iot of the word of GOD shall not faile This is the maine poynt vvhereat in all our life vvee should aime To make sure our calling election that the promises of God most sure in themselues may be made sure vnto vs. Many waies hath GOD confirmed his promise to vs First by the blood of his sonne Next by his owne oath he hath not onely spoken that he will giue mercie to the penitent belieuer but hee hath sworne it that by two immutable things wherin it is impossible that hee should lie he might shew to the heires of promise the stabilitie of his counsell But for all this neuer is his promise sure vnto vs till we receiue the seale of the spirit of adoption For this let vs pray For so long as we are in this body of sinne our infidelitie will euer be sending out feares and doubtings and distrusts against vvhich vvee haue neede to pray the Lord alwaies to confirme vs. Omnes enim Dei benignitate indigemus et qui extremum consequutus est virtut is apicem hac indiget continuò No man hath made such progresse in faith but hee hath neede further to be confirmed Lord incrcase our faith Lord helpe our vnbeliefe And therefore let not our wants and great weakenesse driue vs to despaire but so much the more vvaken and prouoke vs to feruent prayer To thy seruant Dauid frequently vseth this stile as very honourable and indeed so it is The seruaunt of God onely is a free man yea and a King but hee who is not the Lords seruaunt though hee were a Monarch and ruler of the whole earth he is but Satans captiue and a seruaunt of seruaunts O quam multos Dominos habet qui vnum non habet Because hee feares thee Hee who hath receiued from the Lord grace to feare him with loue may be bold to seeke any necessary good thing from him because the feare of GOD hath annexed the promises of all other blessings vvith it Sometime Dauid brings the reason of his petition from the Lord as from his mercy or his truth sometime from himselfe as from this that hee trusts in the Lord ver 42 or that hee hath a great desire toward the Lord ver 40 or that he feares God as heere All the promises of God are conditionall if the condition bee no way in vs how shall the promise be performed vnto vs It is true the Lord is gracious mercifull readie to forgiue c. But what is that to thee who repentst not belieuest him not louest him not and trustest not in him VER 39. Take away my rebuke that I feare for thy iudgements are good THere is a rebuke which comes vpon the godly from men without a cause and this suppose it grieue the godly yet they feare it not but rather reioyce in it according to that of our Sauiour Blessed are yee when men reuile you and speake all manner euill of you for my names sake be glad and reioyce for great is your reward in heauen With this meditation did Augustine confirme himselfe against the detractions of his Aduersarie who sought to empair the credit of his name Quisquis volens detrahit famaemeae nolens addit mercedi meae Hee that willingly would empaire my name against his will increaseth my reward And Dauid glorieth in this that the rebukes of them who rebuked the Lord had fallen vpon him There is againe a rebuke and shame comming from God as the fruite and iust punishment of sin for this the godly are afraid if they looke to their begun sinnes they know they haue deserued it they feare it and therefore pray vvith Dauid Psalmo 6 Lord rebuke mee not in thine anger If againe they looke to the time to come they feare least their infirmities bring them to shame euery one of them according to their seuerall tentations And this also they preuent by prayer as heere Dauid doth For it is to be marked that a godlie man is more afraid for sinnes vvhich hee may doe then a vvicked man is for sinnes that he hath done as hee liues in a continuall sorrow for begun sinnes so also in a continuall feare of sinnes wherein he may fall Semper est in dolore et tremore the one for repenting of sinne the other for preuenting of sinne For thy iudgements are good This reason heere subioyned declares that the rebuke which he feared was Gods rebuke The meaning is As to man his iudgement it is so peruerse that I passe not for it at all I knowe hee condemnes vvhere thou vvilt absolue It is high many a time in mans eye vvhich is abhomination to thee but as to thy rebuke I know Lord it comes neuer vndeserued for thy iudgement is good And therefore prayes he that the Lord vvould keepe him from those sinnes which may bring shame and reproach vpon him VER 40. Behold I desire thy commandements quicken me in thy righteousnesse SOmetime he confesseth his naturall inclination to euill as yee may see out of his prayers in the verses preceding sometime his new disposition by grace vnto that which is good The children of God finde in themselues motions of sinne but not without motions of grace to restrain them the one fights against the other and in this battell are we militant here vpon earth let vs mourne for the one and giue thankes for the other with the Apostle Rom. 7. He offers his desires to the Lord to be looked vpon It is an argument of a well set and disposed heart when a man dare present it vnto the Lord that hee may looke vpon the desires and intention thereof An euill conscience dare not doe this for as an eye when it is hurt craues some couering to hide it from the light so the guiltie conscience flies from the Lord and hath no desire to come before him let vs refuse to liue in that course of life wherein we dare not be bold to looke to the Lord nor content that he should looke vnto vs. I desire Our perfection in this life is rather in godly desires then in a full obtayning of things desired Phil. 3. yet haue the godly this comfort that where desires goe before satisfaction shall follow for the Lord hath promised to fulfill the desires of them that feare him Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied yea sure it is how great soeuer our desires be we cannot desire so much as the Lord hath to giue vs for he is rich in mercy
light of his countenaunce vpon his owne and make the dewe of his grace to fall vpon them Yea if we our selues when we were enemies were reconciled how much more now beeing reconciled shall we be saued And this as it serues to confirme the godlie that the whole earth is full of Gods goodnes so doth it also convince the wicked of a blind stupiditie Euery creature hath in it some note of Gods goodnes and yet they cannot see it they looke to heauen they walke vpon earth they breathe in the ayre they warme at the fire euery moment they vse Gods creatures but neuer see nor feele his his goodnesse in them to lift vp their harts and praise him for them TETH VER 65. O Lord thou hast dealt graciously with thy seruaunt according to thy word IN the verse following Dauid seekes mercy in this hee giues thankes for mercy receiued Mercies receiued as they should be returned with praise to him who gaue theÌ„ so should they confirme our harts in an expectation of greater to bee receiued It is not with God as it is with man a man the more he giueth the lesse he hath it is not so with the Lord. Among men this is a reason as they alledge why they should not giue I haue giuen you already why then doe yee trouble mee any more but it is not so with God the treasures of his grace can neuer be emptied whom he loues he loues vnto the end and to him that hath hee giueth more Yea all that now wee get hee willeth vs to receiue as an earnest or a pledge of greater good hee hath to giue vs. So Dauid confirmes himselfe Psalme 23. that because the Lord had beene a Shepheard to him in time by-gone hee gathers this conclusion Doubtlesse kindnesse and mercy shall follow me all the daies of my life But how saith Dauid did God deale graciously with him seeing hee did humble him from his youth with many sore afflictions These agree very well together for the Lord is most louing when he chastiseth EtiaÌ„ in seueritate est bonitas Dei vt recurrat vnusquisque castigatus pedem referat à peccatis ad tramitem bonamque conuersationem reuertatur euen in seueritie Gods gracious goodnesse appeares in that hee vvho is chastised returnes from his sinnes to the right trade of a godlie conuersation Will any man accuse a Physition of cruelty because hee cutteth away the rotten member vvith yron or burnes with fire a fretting canker Or shall the Master bee blamed for correcting his negligent Disciple that hee may make him more diligent and attentiue to learning Sic castigare amantis est non execrantis ideo bonitatis est noncrudelitatis so to chastise is the vvorke of one that loueth not that hateth there is no crueltie in that but gratious goodnesse And albeit these chastisements seeme not sweete for the present yet afterward as the Apostle saith they bring the quiet fruite of righteousnesse to them vvho are thereby exercised And therefore Dauid still craueth to bee taught of GOD the same manner of way Sciebat namque Propheta disciplinae vtilitatem because hee had learned by experience vvhat great good Gods discipline doth to the soule of a man Yee may perceiue by this how Dauid kept remembrances of the seuerall proofes of Gods fauour shewed vnto him in performing to him the promised kingdome and in deliuering him from many outward and inward temptations Thus the children of GOD keepe with themselues memorials of mercie receiued for albeit the time of the full performance of Gods promises bee not yet come yet doth he performe so much of them as binds vs in all conscience to remember his praises who is a most true and mercifull God vnto vs. Thy seruaunt Dauid frequently delights in this stile Hee found that his greatest comfort stood in the seruing of GOD in a good conscience and if we do not so with what boldnes can we looke for comfort from him in the day of our trouble or houre of death who made no conscience of his seruice Yea rather iustly may the Lord giue vs that fearefull answer which he gaue to the rebellious Iewes wheÌ„ they sought his help in the day of their distresse Goe vnto the gods whoÌ„ yee haue serued and let them deliuer you According to thy vvord Naturall men will not belieue that GOD will doe according to his vvord they haue it in derision The vision say they is but wind In so dooing they highly offend the maiestie of GOD imputing this note of dishonestie vnto him That hee is not so good as his word but in experience they shall find the contrary The godly shall find the truth of his word in mercie as Ezechias did so shall they praise him The Lord hath said it and the Lord hath done it but the wicked shal find it in iudgement Your Fathers vvhere are they and doe the Prophets liue for euer But did not my word and my Statutes vvhich I commaunded by my seruaunts the Prophets take hold on your Fathers And they returned and said As the Lord of hosts hath determined to doe vnto vs according to our ovvne waies and works so assuredly hath he dealt with vs. So shall all the wicked find at the length that as God hath a mouth to speak so hath he a hand to execute it Then shall they discerne betweene the righteous and the wicked between him that serueth God and him that serueth him not VER 66. Teach mee good iudgement knowledge for I haue beleeued thy coÌ„maundements THis verse containes a prayer with a reason In the prayer he beseecheth God to teach him good iudgement The word Tob Tagnam signifieth the goodnesse of taste so Vatablus Bonitatem sensus doce me The naturall sense of tasting is heere by a Metaphortranslated to signifie iudgement and vnderstanding and that because as taste discernes meat makes choise of vvhat is to bee sent into the stomacke â—…o the vnderstanding discernes betweene truth to be embraced and falshood to be reiected This is the grace for which the Apostle prayeth to the Philippians I pray that yee may abound more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement that yee may discerne things which are excellent This is a rare grace For many by the iudgement of light knowes what is good and what is euill who knowe it not by the iudgement of taste for if by sense they felt the bitternesse of sinne and sweetnesse of righteousnesse they wold not so loue the one set light by the other as they doe And againe this puts a difference between that knowledge which wee haue in this life and that which we shall haue in the life to come Now we haue but a taste then shall we be filled and satisfied with his image now wee knowe but in part heereafter wee shall knowe fully now we
vp Sathan and his instruments to be aduersaries vnto him No band of nature can conioyne them whom grace hath not conioyned Iacob Esau both gotten of one father Isaac both borne of one mother Rebecca lying both together in one wombe yet euen there doe they fight together Let vs neuer looke for peace where God hath proclaimed warre the world wil hate vs bicause we are not of the world Let vs neuer be dismaied when we are crossed by them but rather so much the more comforted being assured that while as wicked men are enemies to vs for a good cause we are vpon that side whereof Christ is Captaine his Saints are souldiers and victory is most certaine Neither is it without cause that wicked men are so commonly called proud men for pride is the mother of all rebellion against God and man By pride Satan and his confederat Apostats vsurped to be like vnto God and by the same sin he drew man into the similitude of his condemnation so that now euery man by nature is a proud man which makes him shake off the yoke of God and without regard transgress the limits of obedience appointed to him by God As Pharaâ—… would not let Israel go til the Lord slew his first borne so our nature now corrupted shall neuer render obedience to God nor loue to man til the first borne sin that is pride be subdued by grace Forgrace on the contrary euer works humility so soone as the eyes of Gods children are opened to see their sinnes they abhorre themselues the combe of their naturall pride is pulled downe and they abase themselues before God and man It was the humble speech of Abraham the great father of the faithfull I am but dust and ashes it was the voyce of Iacob I am not worthy of the least of Gods mercies Dauid hath the like Who am I Lord Gedeons voyce My fathers house is the least in all Israel and the Baptist who receiued this praise That a greater Prophet was not among the children of women acknowledged in humility That he was not worthy to loose the latchet of Christs shooe the Centurion confessed hee was not worthy that Christ should come vnder his roofe Saint Peters voyce was Depart from me for I am a sinfull man S. Pauls I am not worthy to be called an Apostle yea he confessed plainely he was the least of all the Apostles and the chiefe of all sinners Thus all the children of God giue glory to God by downe-casting themselues And if ye will go thorough all the examples of the booke of God ye shall finde that they who haue beene greatest in Gods estimation haue beene alway smallest in their owne eyes the heart which hath receiued most from God 〈◊〉 thinking least of it selfe Alye The 〈◊〉 â—…cumstance is hâ—…re shewing with what 〈◊〉 proude did fight against him namely with lyes Satans two armes by which hee wrestles against the godlie are violence and lyes vvhere hee cannot or dare not vse violence there be sure he will not faile to fight with lyes And herein doth the Lord greatly shew his carefull prouidence in fencing his children against Satans malice and the proud bragges of his instruments in such sort that their proudest harts are forced to forge lyes their malice beeing so great that they must doe euill and yet their power so bridled that they cannot doe what they would The third circumstance is in the words they haue imagined Vatablus translates it Concinnarunt mendacia So Tremel They haue trimmed vp lyes As Satan can transforme himselfe to an Angel of light so can hee trimme vp his lies vnder couerings of truth to make them the more plausible vnto men And indeed this is no small temptation when lyes made against the godlie are trimmed vp with the shadowes of truth and wicked men couer their vnrighteous dealings with appearances of righteousnes Thus not only are the godly vniustly persecuted but simple ones are made to beleeue that they haue most iustly deserued it In this case the godly are to sustaine themselues by the testimonie of a good conscience But I will keepe thy precepts Dauids enemies fought against him by lies Hee takes him to the obedience of Gods word Wee should not fight against the wicked with their owne armour rendring one wrong for another a lie for a lie rebuke for rebuke no more then Dauid could fight against Goliah with Saul his armor which was like vnto the armor of Goliah If we encounter Satan with his owne armour he shall soone ouerthrowe vs for by striking lying euil doing we are deadly wounded But to the weapons of flesh we must oppose the weapons of the spirit ouerocmming after the manner of our Lord the furie of men with our patience their persecutions vvith our prayers their euill with our good so shall we either winne them vnto vs or else heape coales of fire on their heads With my whole hart See ver 2. 10. 34. 58. 69. VER 70. Their hart is fat as grease but my delight is in thy law DAuid makes here an oppositioÌ„ between his disposition and the disposition of his enemies shewing how their hart vvas become fat and senselesse through their worldlie wealth but he being humbled by the rods of the Lord had his delight in the law of God counted more of it then thousands of gold and siluer When the godly looke into their owne harts or vp vnto GOD they see in themselues such a power of corruption as humbles them and makes them account themselues the cheefe of all sinners but vvhen they looke to the effects of Gods grace in them working a renouation which is not in the wicked then ariseth to them matter of reioycing That which the Pharisee in the pride of his heart spake of the Publican the penitent Publican in humilitie and a good conscience may turne ouer to the Pharisee I thanke God I am not like this Pharisee For the Christian by the light of God seeing the miserable estate of the wicked they could wish as St. Paul did to Agrippa that the wicked were like vnto them but would not change their state of grace with the most honourable estate that worldlings can haue on earth without grace In this that hee saith their heart was fatte as grease hee noteth two things First that they abounded in worldly wealth Next that their hart was become fat senselesse and voyd of feeling Quaedam veluti crassities occupat coruÌ„ corda vt stupidi sint in sua obstinatione neque Deum curent audeantque simul contra seruos eius insurgere a certaine grossenes possesseth their harts which makes them senseless in obstinacy It is the principal blessing of the new couenant to haue a soft feeling melting hart like the hart of good Iosiah but a hard hart called a stony hart an adamantine and stubborne hart is a
him who is aboue vs who hath not onely bought vs with a deer price and promised to vs excellent things heereafter but daily rewards vs with wages that farre surmounts our seruice And this dutie should the more willinglie be discharged by vs because the seruice is honourable where-vnto the Lord imployes vs for it is not to doe any base or seruile thing as to worke in brick and clay which way the Israelites serued Pharao and common seruants serue their Lord and Master No Pretiosa hâ—…c seruitus virtutum constat expensis this pretious and honourable seruice stands in the practice of vertue in prayer and prayses of the Lord thy God These are the principall poynts of this seruice in this wee haue the Angels to bee our companions for in these same things they serue GOD with vs and serue vs for Gods sake And shame will be vnto vs if wee bee ashamed to serue GOD vvith them and one of vs to serue another for Gods sake VER 123. Mine eyes haue failed in waiting for thy saluation and for thy iust promise DAuid here renues the protestation of his earnest desire he had of Gods saluation Et vt desider ij vehemeÌ„tiam significet and to expresse the vehemencie of his desire he protests that his eyes failed in waiting meaning Oculos mentis as Euthymius thinkes of the eyes of his mind So also Ambrose expounds it Oculi animae tota fidei intentione in Deum defixi erant that the eyes of his soule and whole intention of his faith were fixed vpon God But what is this saluation for which he waited so earnestly Not that temporall deliuerance from his enemies for which also many times he prayeth to the Lord his God but especially here he prayeth for that saluation mentioned Ps. 106. Visit me with the saluation of thy people that I may reioyce with the ioy of thine inheritance and for which also he prayeth Many say Who will shew vs any good but Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon me And this is it wherevpon the desires of our soule should alway be intended If a man shall separate himselfe in his cogitation and take a view of mens actions in the world he shall see them running with insatiable desires som after one thing som after another they are all in a restlesse businesse like rauening birds and beasts of the earth pursuing their prey But is not their laboura wandring after vanitie Will the fruite of their actions remaine with them Are they not fooles to be busie about many things with Martha carelesse about one thing which is â—…eedfull with Mary Let vs be wise in time Happy is he whose heart is well set to couet the best things if with Dauid we can waite and hunger and thirst for Gods saluation God will not faile in his owne time to satisfie vs. And for thy iust promise He sheweth here vpon what warrant he did wait for Gods saluation namely his promise There is no people who know there is a God but they wait for som good things from him neuerthelesse all these walke in vncertainties only we haue Gods warrant for our hope which is his sure promise hee hath made and sealed to vs in Christ Iesus But in this point also the vnthankfulnesse of this age is manifest for who now delight in the promises of God No no as if they were but vaine wordes men now account more of one of his temporall gifts presently giuen them then they doe of the most excellent promises of better things to come which he hath made to them and therefore is it they waite not for those which are to come but let loose their hearts to delight in these which are present An vnthankful vnfruitfull back-slyding generation is this wherein we are fallen God be mercifull vnto it VER 124. Deale with thy seruaunt according to thy mercy and teach me thy statutes HE protests now as oft before that hee was Gods seruant that he did not liue according to his owne will but depended on the will of God Euen as the eyes of a seruant looke to the Master and the eyes of a handmaid to her Mistresse so did hee looke vnto the Lord his God But because he was priuie to the conscience of his owne sinnes and that his seruice was not such as it should haue been therefore he appeales to mercy praying GOD not to deale with him after his seruice but after Gods mercie Non vno facto seruus Dei absoluitur It is not one dutie which completes the seruice wee owe vnto God Yea when we haue done all that we can we are but vnprofitable seruants for who can serue so great a Master as the Lord is according as he should be serued Yea to let be himselfe who can serue him worthy of that wage we haue receiued from him Quis tanta naturae munera vitae salutisque seruatae diuina beneficia digno possit aequare seruitio Quis potest soluere quod accepit ideoque misericordiam petit Dauid VVho can giue equall seruice for so great benefits of nature life and saluation which we haue receiued from God who can recompence him that which hee hath giuen or pay him that which he oweth vnto him And therefore Dauid knowing all these he cryeth for mercy And yet shall we not be defrauded of the comfortable stile of Gods seruaunts if wee find these two things First that wee are glad to doe any thing in his seruice that wee knowe is according to his will Next that wee are sorrowfull for the euill which wee doe and for the good which of weakenesse we leaue vndone Teach mee Dauid had Nathan and Gad the Prophets and beside them the ordinary Leuites to teach him He read the word of God diligently and did meditate in the law night day but hee acknowledgeth all this was nothing vnlesse God did teach him Other teachers speake to the eare but God speakes to the hart so Paul preached to Lydia but God opened her hart Let vs pray for this grace VER 125. I am thy seruant grant me therefore vnderstanding that I may know thy testimonies IN this verse his former petition is renewed with a reason The thing he seeks is vnderstanding Intellectus spiritale munus est ideo quod Dei est à Domino postulatur vnderstanding is a spirituall gift Dauid seekes it from God because it is at his Donation The reason he vseth I am thy seruant Non quasi extraneus poscit I am not a stranger to thee but thine own domestique seruant let me want no grace may enable mee to serue thee Omnes homines natura sunt serui Dei adoptione verò illi qui dominationem Dei cupidè sunt amplexi All men by nature are Gods seruants by adoption onely they who are glad to come vnder his Dominion these serue him not by
constraint nor for feare onely but willingly and with ioy as being such seruants as are also his sonnes He acknowledgeth here his owne wants that as a naturall man he had no vnderstanding of the wayes of God his Word is full of mysteries which we cannot know till God reueale them And as a Regenerate man hee had not so much knowledge as he should haue Habebat intellectum sed vt redundaret vberiorem inquirit he had vnderstanding but he craues he might more more abound in all knowledge iudgement We will not with Euah aspire to that knowledge which God hath forbidden but that which God hath reuealed vnto vs wee will neuer thinke wee can learne it so well but that still we haue need to learne it better To knowe thy Testimonies Hee prayed before for knowledge of Gods Statutes now he prayeth for the knowledge of Gods Testimonies The Statutes more strictly taken are that parte of Gods Word declaring his Will which wee should obey the Testimonies properly are that part of Gods Word declaring his Promises which we should beleeue To know the first without the second will not make vs godly for it is the sense of Gods loue and faith in his Testimonies that workes kindly obedience and therefore Dauid prayeth for it See vers 2. 14. 22. 24. 36. 46. 59. 79. 88. 95. 99. 111. c. VER 126. It is time for thee to worke for they haue destroyed thy Lawe HEe hath complained before of the oppression of his aduersaries besought the Lord to arme him against them with knowledge vnderstanding now he complaines their iniquity was come to such a height that they did giue battell euen to God himselfe and were not only enemies to Dauid but such as had done what they could to destroy the law of God So the verse containes a prayer that God would work and a reason taken from the ripenesse of the wickednesse of his enemies According to our sense there is a time wherin God worketh not whereof proceedes in the godlie the like of these complaints Arise Lord why sleepest thou How long wilt thou forget It is true in himselfe hee is a continuall working vertue but wee beeing ignorant of the waies whereby he walkes to his owne end think sometime that hee is not working because hee is not executing although euen then when wee so thinke hee be most busily working a way to effect his owne determinate conclusion But how is this that hee prescribeth a time to the Lord Is not this to fall into that fault which is reprooued Psalme 78 They limited the Holie one of Israel For answere of this GOD hath made some promises with a time declaring to his children when hee would performe them So hee promised to free Abrahams seede from the Egyptian persecution after foure hundred yeeres as hee did for it was no lesse between the beginning of that persecution in Ismael mocking Isaac the deliuerance from it in Pharao oppressing Israel with burdens Again he promised to bring Israel out of Babel after seauenty yeers and therfore the godly who thought very long for expiring of that date praied earnestly that God would haue mercy on Sion because the appointed time was come So also he promised to send Shiloh the true deliuerer of his people at that time when the Scepter shold depart from Israel and therefore at that time Simeon waited for the consolation and his eyes saw the saluation of God Other promises againe hee makes without a time that is not telling when he will performe them He put Noah in the Ark but told him not when hee would bring him out and hee taried a yeere and a day waiting Gods time with patience He sent Ioseph and Mary into Egypt commaunding them to tarie there till he told them they inquired not how long neither did hee tell them Learning vs when God layes a crosse on vs not to capitulate with him concerning the time of our deliuerance but patiently to beare it till his time come It was Sauls ouer-hastiness he taried for Samuel seauen daies but would tarie no longer And it was the blasphemous speech of Iehoram Why should I attend any longer Let vs not dishonour the Lord by prescribing a time to him If he should alway tell vs the time of our deliuerance the praise of our patience should be the lesse and our prayer the colder but when hee conceales the time and wee with patience wait vpon it we giue good proofe of our faith and patience and finde our deliuerance the sweeter when it comes Yet in publick troubles of the Church when the pride of the enemie is become great and the cup of the Amoâ—…ites seemes to be full when the children of God are brought low their soules humbled to the dust it is no limitation of the Lord when with Dauid they pray that GOD would haue mercy on them because the time is come For they haue destroyed thy law It is a great proofe of true godlinesse when we are more displeased with offences done against the Lord our GOD then with such as are done against our selues But it is now far otherwise with most part of Professors so that they bee not preiudiced in their names and commodities they care not what be done against the glory of God An euident argument that they neuer loued him In the second verse of this Section hee complained that the proud would oppresse him now he complaineth that they destroyed the law of God Who then are Dauids enemies and seek to oppresse him Onely such as are enemies to God and seeke to destroy his law A great comfort haue we in this that if we loue the Lord and studie in a good conscience to serue him wee can haue no enemies except such as are enemies to God And so long as God wants his due at their hands that is loue and seruice may not wee be content to want their affection toward vs Truly it should greatly increase our patience to remember that if they were not enemies to God they would neuer be ouâ—… enemies But how is this hâ—… 〈◊〉 They haue destroyed thy law Is this posâ—…ble that Gods law can be destroyed No indeed yet because their malice would if their power might they shall be charged with it There is a law of God written in holy Scripture which the wicked in all ages haue sought to destroy but GOD hath marueilously preserued it There is a law written in the booke of euery mans conscience which the most profane in the world doe what he can is not abloto scrape out but still it iudgeth him conuinceth him and rebukes him when he doth wrong And as for the execution of the law all the wicked in the world are not able to stay it when Gods time commeth yet because as I said the wicked would do it if they might they are charged with
can say to another I need thee not Speech taken from good men for two causes Iob 12. 1 For punishment of their people 2 For correction of themselues The ioy gotten by Gods word surmounts all worldly ioy whatsoeuer Basil. Ambrose In a miserable estate are they to whom Gods word is a wearinesse Sathans baits â—…e pleasure or profit but we should not be moued with any of them and why Amb. 1. Cor. 1. It is not the hearing or reading of Gods word that will worke vs ioy if we practise it not ☞ Basil. Of the vexation and vanity of worldly riches Ambros. in Luc. cap. 16. They flie farthest from vs when we haue most need of comforts A threefold internall action of the soule about the word ☜ How a godly man is euer fruitfull in good The necessity and vtility of meditation The minde of man is restlesse and vexes it selfe with euill if it be not exercised with good Gods word should be the matter of our meditation August Marcellinâ—… Iob 22. The word is Gods way because by it God commeth to vs and we go to him The more good a godly man doth the more he desires to do The graces of the Spirit are linked together lose one lose all keepe one keep all ☞ Our best estate vpon earth is that we haue not that which we should and yet want not altogether The strength of a Christian is in his prayer The greatest benefit men receiue from God is grace to obey him Constantine the great his notable saying It is more to be a Christian then a Monarch of the world So Dauid reioyceth more in this that he was Gods seruant then king of Israel Sith Angels serue him shal we think shame to serue him Naturall life makes a reprobate man in a worse case then if he had neuer been But to an elect man euen naturall life is a great benefit This life without grace is but a death Num. 19. Math. 8. Eph. 5. Miserable are they who desire to liue for loue of the pleasures of sin A worthy meditation of Nazianzen Satan by experience is found a false deceiuer How blind maÌ„ is by nature ☜ Our regeneratioÌ„ is wrought by degrees Ambrose If we be ignorant of the word the blame is in our darke mind not in it Vatab. 2. Cor. 3. 14. Why many learned men attaine not to the knowledge of the truth ☞ Basil. Illumination of the mind is Gods worke Psal. 104. Luk 24. 2. Cor. 3. 16. Euery Article of our faith â—…s a wonderful mysterie Man on earth is a stranger knowes not the way hee should walk till God shewes it vnto him Ambrose Worldlingâ—… shal not continue on earth yet cannot say they are strangers in it And that because in affection they be content with this desire not a better Phil. Reuel 8. Psal. 17. Worldlings â—…e inhabitants of the earth Christians are â—…ut strangers in it Basil. Luke The whole earth is but a place of banishment Nazian in vita Basil. A man euen in his owne house should esteeme himselfe a straÌ„ger This world can neither wil nor teach men a way to go out of her selfe we must seeke a guide froÌ„ heauen ☞ The right knowledge of the ten Commandements Two things required in true obedience Both the word and the plagues of God are called his iudgments how Such as are not moued by the first shall be confounded by the second A hart full of spirituall desires is an argument of great grace Ambr. Ambrose Comfort against coÌ„tempt of men wherby they scorne the godly for sighing and teares The begunne wrath of God on them shold confirme vs against their contempt But many wax worse with Lamech when they see euill men spared Gene. 4. 24. Few become better with Dauid when they see them punished Eccles. Wicked men coÌ„monly styled proud men and why Proud Satan hath made disciples prouder then himselfe Esay 14. Ambr. The miserable condition of a proud man Iam. ☞ Ambrose Euery error is dangerous but proud error accursed Sinnes of pride and of infirmitie should be distinguished Curse of God on the wicked is like a secret consumption Dauid his appellation to God from the wrongful iudgments of men How Dauid iustifies himselfe before God and man A triall of true religion A hard tentation to be troubled by men of great authority for two causes 1. For their power Prou. Rom. 13. 2. 〈◊〉 place Psalm Princes godly and râ—…us are a great blessing of God Great cause haue we to be thankfull for the King hee hath set ouer vs. Psalm christians measure not the veritie of religion by the number or greatnes of them that are with it or against it Such as persecure the godlie with their tongues will not faile to loose their hands against them if they may Where we find that God binds their hands we should beare their tongues the more patiently ☜ Ierem. 12. Armour of godly men is the word and prayer Ambrose ☞ The word renders vs both counsell for gouernment pleasure for delectation Comfort gotten by other recreations continues not ☜ No wisedome without the word The word of God is conuenient for euery state of life Dauid sore troubled with a spirituall oppression Tentations of the godly somtimes cannot be told sometimes it is not expedient they should be told In a worldling the very heauenly part is becom earthly Ambrose The contrary disposition of Christians Ambr. Cant. 4. 4. The royall towre of christ is a soule moâ—â—ting vp to heauen Change of estates wherevnto the godly are subiect ☞ Godly men by 〈◊〉 waÌ„ts falls infirmities become more godly The life of a ChristiaÌ„ wherin stands it It is great faith to belieuâ—… when there is no feeling of mercie Dauids argument to moue the Lord vnto mercie Where God begins to shew mercy he ceaâ—… not tâ—…ll hee crowne with â—…cie Mans liberality is but like a Strand Gods like the great Ocean Happy is the soule wherein mercy truth meet together An euill conscience hides it self from God Esa. What a great benefit it is to manifest our wayes to God in time Ambrose Sathan confounded when we confesse our sinnes ☞ A profitable rule to make vs liue godly Basil. After confession he ioynes prayer for amendment Ambros. See ver 12. Remission and renouation are two inseparable benefits ☜ We haue great need to pray for further light We can walke the wayes of sinne without a teacher not so the wayes of God Miserable is man so long as his way and Gods way are different Good things should be sought from God for good ends Iam 4. The works of God are all maruellous The godly sore humbled by affliction A Christian is eyther looking to his owne necessities or to God his mercies Naturall comforts cannot sustaine a man iâ—… spirituall troubles 1. Pet. 1. Luk. 6. Christians should not thinke that their tentations are singular 1. Cor. 10. Christs crosse is such a burden is easeth them on whoÌ„
vs in the certainty of our saluation 1. Cor. 1. Phil. 2. Christians are sure of perseuerance proued by foure reasons Gal. 2. Rom. 6. 1. Pet. 1. 1. Ioh. 2. Commendation of Gods word â—…t will vphold vs when all other comfort will faile Ambrose If we make no conscience of Gods word in prosperity it shall not comfort vs madueâ—…sity The Word of God is the life of our soule If such fruit be in his promise what is in the performance Mockeries and tauntings of euill men is a part of Christs crosse Ismael first began this kind of persecution Gal. 4. Godlines hath many impediments If we remember time begun forethinke time to come the tentations of the time present shall not readily ouercome vs. Prou. 1. Godly men pitie the wicked Euthym. Not so much for wroÌ„g done to them as for the euill that redounds to theÌ„ who doe it Ambr. ☜ The weight of sin aggrauated by this that it is a forsaking of Gods law They who couÌ„t Gods word a wearines which Dauid accounted a refreshment are in a hard estate The word is conuenient for euery state of life In it wee haue prayers for crosses and psalmes for euery deliueraÌ„ce Bodily banishment brings the godly neerer to the Lord how euer it put them further from men Our life vpon earth is but a banishment ☞ It were a sore punishment to dwell for euer in our bodies as they are ☞ Iob. 18. Priuate exercises are surest tryalls of true godliness and why Rom. 2. 29. This age conuinced of coldnes in religion Euery mans life declares if he remember God or no. Ambrose How the beginnings of godliness are euer blessed with increase ☞ God teacheth vs both by precepts and examples All the godly who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before vs. call vpon vs. ☜ Heb. 12. Among the rest Dauid calls vs to follow him If we would be partakers of his approbation 2. Reg. 2. A two-fold protestation in this verse It is a commoÌ„ thing to speak of God not so to speake to him Accesse to the throne of grace in the body is the first degree of eternal life ☜ Macar hâ—…m 8. Dauid a great King yet glories onely in this that God was his 〈◊〉 Worldlings may be ashamed who hauing lesse portions on earth yet for them neglect the Lord. Why we should chuse God to be our portion God rested not in his worke of creation till he had made man ☜ And man shold not rest content with any creature but set his hart vpoÌ„ God Psal. 73. 25. ☜ August The greatest good in the creature is but a sparkle of that infinite good in the Creator Euery creature sends vs from it vp to him that made it ☞ Prou. 1. 8. Man was made for God no other thing but God can content him Bernard August ☜ God is not the lesse portion of one because he is the portion of another Earthly inheritances are diminished being coÌ„muncated to many heauenly are not so How the assurance of our election may be gathered 1. Iohn 4. Comfort for such as are poor in worldly things Psal. 23. 1. Abrahams infirmitie should learne vs to gather strength ☜ Information for such as are rich in the world Shame that they are more zealous to maintain their earthly portion then the heauenly Ierem. 8. It is not enough to say God is thy portion vnlesse thou qualifie it Chrys. in Mat. hom 4. An InterrogatioÌ„ of Chrysostoms meet for professors of this age ☞ Such as enter into religion without determination cannot continue Three helps of a godly life 1. Determination 2. Supplication 3. Consideration Iam. 3. Our purpose perisheth if God blesse it not Three things obserued in Dauids prayer 1 His Reuerence The like reuerence recommended to vs. Eccles. 5. August The second is his Sinceritie Against a false hart vnder a faire tongue ☜ ☞ Pro. 26. 23. The third is his faith Prayers of bastard Christians nothing different from the prayers of Turkes ☜ God promiseth of mercy wee promise of dutie If we would haue the one effectuall let vâ—… make conscience of the other Consideration so necessary that without it no estate of our life can be well ordered ☞ We should not vse the eye of the mind as we doe the eye of the body ☜ By the one we look to others by this wee should look to our selues It is a lamentable folly for a man to take heed to any thing that is his more then to himselfe Basil de verbis Mosis Attende tibi As oft as wee â—…oke to our selues we shal find something 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bern. Delay of repentance dangerous How it brings many to damnation ☜ August Against the delay of repentance Satan seeks but â—… delay God crâ—…ues present repentance ☞ All men seek the Lord at length wise meÌ„ seek him in time True godlines endureth great tentations What the wicked are to the godly ☜ The combination of the wicked shall not helpe them Three things to be marked in this verse Our necessities hinders our spiritual exercises that they can not be continuall as it is with them in heauen Yet wee should indeuour vnto it Why Salomon made Harps of Almuggim trees We soone faint in prayer Though our performance faile our purpose should remaine Time a most pretious jewel ☜ How the time of the day and night should be spent after Dauids example The same Christ teacheth by his example Ambrose Sleepe is the deaw of nature Yet we should quit it to keepe the deaw of grace or else worldlings and Idolators shall accuse vs. ☞ Sleep compared to a sory customer that takes vp more then he should How Alexander and Caesar parted the night Monsters of Nature turne the day into night Ambrose What God promiseth with his mouth he performeth with his hand Sin punished now tels there is a Iudge Sinne spared now tells there is a iudgement to come He that loueth God wil loue his Saints Euery mans company declares what himselfe is Ambr. ad virg deuotam Ambr. offer lib. 3. ca. 16. Christians of an inferior rank to ourselues should be vsed as our companions ☞ An example of great humility ☞ In the godly feare is with loue not so in the wicked No good is to be looked for where the feare of God is not Gods benignitie generall is to all speciall to his owne children The goodness of God toward his creatures should coÌ„firme his children in the assurance of his loue Blind are the wicked who see not Gods goodnes in his creatures ☞ Gods mercy shewed to a man is an vndoubted argument that hee will shew more mercie His present gifts are but pledges of greater Psalm 23. How God is gracious euen wheÌ„ he afflicts Ambrose The same declared by sundry similitudes Basil. Memorials of mercy should be kept The seruant of God an honorable and comfortable stile Iudg. 16. The wicked dishonor God when they call in doubt the truth of his word Esay 37. Zach. 1. But they shall find it
without griefe nor yet griefe without ioy ☜ Of the right gouernement of our eyes Reasons mouing vs to mourning 1. If we mourn not for other mens sinnes they become ours 2. If we mourn many blessings follow it ☜ A three-fold comfort that sustained Dauid 1. A meditation of the righteousnesse of God 2. A meditation of the equity of Gods commands flowing from his righteous nature The Lawe of God represents to vs the image of God How horrible an euill sinne is ☞ If any man desire to know what will be his end let him inquire at Gods word The loue which godly men carry to the word cannot be satisfied in this lâ—…fe The nature of zeale Sundâ—…y sorts of zeale ☞ Rom. 10. 2. Ambrose The effects of holy zeale Rom. 12. Knowledge Zeale two wings of the soule How true zeale may be tried from false ☜ Who are enemies to godly men 3. A meditation of Gods constant and continual working according to his word As God hath a mouth to speake so a hand to doe as continuall experience hath proued ☞ Loue in God the fountaine of all his benefites Loue in man the fountaine of all his seruice ☞ Temporizers in Religion Carol. Sigon de rep 〈◊〉 lib. 1. c. 3 ☞ They are little esteemed of men who are great in the account of God Macar â—…om â—…â—… 1. Ioh. 3. Persons should â—…e regarded for heir faith Iam. 2. Obliuion of our duety is the first steppe to defection What a sure comfort we haue by the word of God The Crosse is necessary for a Pilgrime and why The kindly sonnes of God cannot want a Crosse. Carnal and spirituall ioy consist not together Delight in the word an argument of true Godline The fearefull recompence of them who loue not Gods word Vatab. Three things in this verse Praier is a seede which now wee should sowe plentifully that in haruest wee may reap the fruit thereof ☞ Feruency and zeale of heart required in praier Ambrose Psal. 119. Euery crying pearces not heauen The voice of the wicked in praier â—…uailes not Great things should be asked from the great God Praier a seruice due to God only He that seeks from God should also offer to him Continuance in praier recoÌ„mended vnto vs Ambrose in Psal. 119. ☜ How time posts away and we should striue with it ☞ How a man on earth may imitate the life of Angels Ambrose The first fruits of our hart and tongue euery morning shold be offered to God ☜ Gold professors reproued who spend all their time on the world If they cannot giue all at least they should giue the halfe of it vnto God Prayer mitigates trouble The common argument of al Gods children in Prayer Ambâ—…n Ps. 119 Is from his mercy not from their merit How Dauid desires God should deale with him in iudgement The godly are a mark of contradiction to Satan and al his instruments Comfort against the contempt of men No enemy so neere to hurt vs as God is neere to helpe vs. Comfortable examples therof Vpon what condition will the Lord be neere vnto vs. Amb. in Psalm 119. If we in our heart be also neere vnto him They that in affection goe farre from the Lord hurt themselues ☜ The word is a â—…affe to sutaine vs in trouble Man commands without reason he proâ—…es without performance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without effect not to the Lâ—… Experience of the truth of Gods word doth greatly comfort vs. The Word an Anchor of the soule The prouidence of God by stable order ruleth all things ☜ Eurip. Aug. in Matth. Ephes. 1. Dauids prayers proper to euery member of the Church How God is a spectator and partaker with vs in all our afflictions ☞ A good conscience makes a man familiar with God An appellation from men to God To be vsed of them who are wronged by men A warning to Iudges 2. Chron. 19. ☞ Wicked men are the authors of their owne wracke Amb. in Psalm 119. Basil. in Ps. 119. The word of God and his saluation are conioyned together Externall prosperity of wicked men not to be regarded Acts 26. The godly guilty of transgression but not of conteÌ„pt It is grace only by which one man differs froÌ„ another in godlinesse Godly men edifie their harts by euery thing they see in others In Gods mercy not in our merit stands our comfort Ambrose The mercies of God why they â—…re called great Esa. 40. Comfort against the greatnesse of our sinnes ☜ 1. Tim. 1. The mercies of God are called tender why Iam. 3. ☞ Life of grace should be cherished continually Constancy in Religion Trouble a tryall of true Religion Iob 1. Such as are not sincere worshippers will not continue ☞ Manifold were Dauids troubles There is one persecuter of the godly Satan but he hath many instruments Corrupt affections sore persecutors 1. Cor. 6. ☞ By visible enemies also he persecutes vs. ☜ The godly esteeme more of Gods glory then their owne liues A good thing that a man can desire God to look vpon him Ambrose Psal. 119. Vanity to hide our way from the Lord. Loue of Gods word in the godly is inuincible Not only Gods promises but his precepts also are loued of the godly Rom. 7. 8 Worldly things sought earnestly by worldlie men May make vs ashamed that cannot seek excellent things with an excellent affection Perswasion of the truth of Gods word brings out obedience Vatab. 2. Pet. 1. 19 The iudgement by-gon should warne the wicked of iudgements to come Euery man feares when iudgement comes Onely godly men feare before it come Euery example of godlie men learnes vs some lesson How Dauid saith he was persecuted without cause He compares not himselfe with God but with men Princes suppose they were wicked yet should they be reuerenced ☜ Murther of Kings is from the spirit of Saâ—…au 1. Sam. 24 The feare of Gods wrath ouercomes the feare of man his displeasure Psal. â—… The awe-band of wicked men is without them The awe-band of godly men is within them ☜ Ambrose Psal. 119. With what affection Gods word should be receiued ☞ Why naturall men esteeme not of Gods word The godly find ioyfull tydings by the word and therfore esteeme of it But the wicked finde it a message of their damnation What maruaile then they like it not Euery thing contrary to Gods word is a falsehood and why Colâ—… hatred of euill shortly turnes into a liking of euill ☜ Bodily vncleannes vnseemely for Gods people Ambrose Much more spirituall vncleannes He that hateth sinne must loue Gods law Affections if they be strong cannot lurke but will breake forth in actioÌ„s Ambrose Such is our coldnesse that we scarse pray so frequently on the Sabboth as Dauid did euery day Yet on the sabboth the daily sacrifice should be doubled ☜ It is not for one but for all the godly what euer comfort is in Gods word Godly men many wayes described in holy Scripture and why ☞ Yet are they