call grace heauen it selfe by the which we haue an open passage vnto heauen and the which we can neuer atteyne vnto by the law by workes or by our owne endeuour but rather as a most large heauen it receaueth vs beleuing that by adoption we are made righteous before God through Christ. Hereby we may see what the entent and purpose of the Prâ—phet is in this Psalme namely to teach vs the true way to righteousnes life and saluation Againe to shew vs the way how to escape death sinne and the wrath of God that out of this life we may passe to life euerlasting And in teaching of these things he sheweth his owne experience and layeth open vnto vs his owne hart which the holy Ghost had exercised and scholed with many tentations that so he might atteyne to this doctrine wherein he goeth about here to enstruct vs also The summe whereof is that he resteth wholy in the hope of Gods mercie and in the sure trust of the forgiuenes of his sinnes But these thinges shall more clearely appeare hereafter in expounding of the Psalme Verse 1. Out of the depth haue I called vnto thee O Lorde It may seeme that the Prophet vseth here moe wordes then needeth But he that considereth well the cause which forceth him to burst out into these wordes shall see that no plentie of wordes could expresse the sorrow and anguish of his wofull hart nor sufficiently declare his daunger For it was no light or common tentation that vexed him He complained not of the perills that he was in by the rage of Saul by his sonne Absolon by the false Prophets and others nor of any other tentations which proceede of malice and hatred wherewith the world persecuteth the godly but he setteth forth here the griefe of a vexed and wounded conscience the very sorrowes of death when a man feeling his hart as it were oppressed with desperation thinketh him selfe forsaken of God when he seeth his owne vnworthines and desertes accused before God as a terrible iudge yea when it seemeth vnto him that God hath not onely forsaken him but cast him away for euer hateth abhorreth him for his sinnes These teÌ„tations are much more terrible then those which men commonly fall into for they are not without daunger of soule eternall saluation Therefore he vseth here this maner of speech saying Out of the depth I call vnto thee c. As if he should say great are the troubles wherewith I am oppressed For I feele mine owne sinnes and the iust wrath of God vpon me for the same neither can I find reliefe or comfort to my restles afflicted soule Against the malice of men wherewith they molest and vexe vs there are remedyes to be found but this wound is vncurable except the Lord send helpe and succour from aboue And in dede such troubles as the godly are commonly exercised withall as the losse of goods wife children such other may yet be ouercome or borne with patience Moreouer in those which are counted inferior sinnes as the offences of youth the deiect broken herted may more easily be raised vp againe But these afflictions seeme to them and are in deed vntollerable when they feele them selues oppressed with such horrible and hellish cogitations that they can see nothing else but that they are caste away from God for euer They therfore that feele such bitter tentations haue here an example that Dauid in him selfe felt and had experience of the like For it maketh the tentation much more greuous when they which are thus afflicted feele that as to them it seemeth which none else doe feele but they alone We must learne therefore that euen the godly haue euer suffered the same afflictions and haue bene beaten downe euen to death with the terrors of the law and sinne as we may see here by the example of Dauid crying euen as it were out of hell and saying Out of the depth doe I cry vnto thee O Lord c. But it is not inough for vs to knowe that we sustaine not these troubles and tentations alone but we muste also learne the way whereby such as haue suffered the like tentations haue beene raysed vp againe And here ye se Dauid what he doth Ye see whither he flyeth in his great distresse He despaireth not but cryeth vnto the Lord as one yet hoping assuredly to find reliefe and comforte Rest thou also in this hope and do as he did Dauid was not tempted to the end he should despaire Thinke not thou therefore that thy tentations are sent vnto thee that thou shouldest be swallowed vp with sorrowe and desperation If thou be brought downe euen to the gates of hell beleue that the Lord will surely raise thee vp againe If thou be brused and broken knowe that it is the Lorde which will heale thee againe If thy hart be ful of sorrow and heauines looke for comfort from him who hath saide that a troubled spirite is a sacrifice vnto him It is expedient also to haue some faithfull brother at hande which may comfort vs in these bitter conflictes For God would that in his Church one should help to comfort an other as meÌ„bers knitte togither in one body and he hath promised that when two are gathered togither in his name he will be the thirde amongest them And doubtles nothing comforteth an afflicted conscience so much as to heare some godly brother declaring out of the word of God that such terrours and afflictions are sent of God not to destroy vs but to humble vs therby to make vs to acknowledge the great mercy of God offred vnto vs and to receiue the same with thankful harts But if in this distresse we be destitute of the helpe of such faithfull brethren we must then doe as Dauid â—id in this place that is we must cry vnto the Lord pray as this Psalme teacheth vs Wherein ye see such sorrowfull and bitter sighes as liuely expresse in Dauid the great anguish of spirite from whence floweth such plentifull matter and yet nothing superfluous as compelleth him not onely to say that out of the deepe depth he cryeth and calleth vnto the Lord but he putteth the Lorde also in minde of his promise thereby to moue him the rather to giue eare vnto his prayer Verse 2. Lorde heare my voice let thine eares attende to the voyce of my prayers He speaketh as I haue saide before to the same God whose seate was in Ierusalem like as we now speake vnto that God and call him father whom we knowe and worship in Christ alone On this God with deepe sighes he calleth that he would with the eye of mercie looke vpon him and gratiously harken vnto his prayer But if we thinke that we can not pray with such a minde or with such feruencie of spirit as these words doe expresse we must consider that Dauid him selfe did not thus pray in his anguish and in the
Forsoth to set forth vnto vs what they are against whome he fighteth and to giue a further light to the former sentence by setting forth the contrary As if he should say I haue learned by experience O Lord why there is mercie with thee why of right thou mayst chalenge this title vnto thy selfe that thou art merciful and forgiuest sinnes For in that thou shuttest all vnder mercy and leauest nothing to the merites and workes of men therefore thou art feared But if all things were not shut vp vnder thy mercy or that we coulde take away sinnes by our owne power no man woulde feare thee but the whole world would proudly cōtemne thee For daily experience doth witnesse that wheresoeuer this knowledge of the free mercie of God is not there men walke in the presumption of their owne merites Behold the religious man but especially the Minorite which kind of men I haue alwayes abhorred aboue others for their intolerable pride He because he hath a rule and a lawe wherunto he must frame his life liueth without all true feare of God walketh in great securitie Uery fewe there be which come to the true knowledge of sinne or haue any feeling of desperation For they that feele desperation are glad to heare that there is mercie with the lord But these men doe persecute this doctrine of mercy free grace and forgiuenes of sinnes with fire and sword For the nature of the law is this that it maketh men proud presumptuous and contemners of grace as Paule notably setteth foorth in the Iewes Rom. 2. Thou art called a Iewe and restest in the lawe and gloriest in God c. They that are such are not moued with the authoritie of the Apostles nor with the miracles of Christ raising vp the dead to life but are as vnsensible as stones For in this securitie they are not onely ignorant what this propitiation and this mercie is but also they persecute the same Such therefore do commit a double sinne more greeuous then the Publicanes and our Sauiour Christ sayth well of them Harlots and Publicanes shall enter before you into the kingdom of heauen For they are easily perswaded that they are sinners and that they haue need of the free mercie of God forgiuenes of sinnes But contrariwise Annas Caiphas the other Pharises whē they heare these things doe laugh and girne thereat can not abide to be taught of any Now for as much as perteineth vnto them both the Lord hath decreed that righteousnes should not be estemed according to our workes but simply according to mercie the remission of sinnes For if righteousnes should come of workes or of the law then eyther desperation must needes follow if the law be not perfectly obserued or else presumption if it be obserued In desperation there is greater feare then should be in presumption there is no feare at all Therefore the meane betwene them both is this that God shutteth vp al vnder mercy Notwithstanding he taketh not away the law For without the law this life can not continue In what a miserable state should the common wealth be if murthers adulteries and robberies should be committed permitted without punishment or execution of law Moreouer the workes and exercises of the godly must be guided ordered by the word of god For this purpose God will haue the law to continue and accounteth it for an holy obedience in those that doe beleue But as touching sinne he commaundeth that we should cast away all trust and confidence in the law and put our trust onely in the mercie of God set foorth vnto vs in Christ Iesus crucified for our sinnes By this meanes presumption is taken away and feare remaineth not such a feare as is in the desperate but such as we see in good and well nurtered children towardes their parents No Monke therefore shall be saued because of his order or strait life I likewise shal not be saued because I preach Christ with carefull diligence faithfull endeuour The Prince is not saued because he faithfully gouerneth and defendeth his subiectes But as touching the Monke you may easily proue this to be true For that kind of life is altogither contrary to the word of god But to teach and instruct the Churches to gouerne the common wealth are in deede most holy and excellent works and yet are they the works of the law which of them selues bring either desperation or presumption Wherefore though these works be neuer so perfect and holy yet is there no saluation but in this alone that there is mercie with the Lord that he may be feared Wherefore God hath iustly shut vp al vnder sinne that he may haue mercie vpon all For if you leaue any thing to the nature of man wherby he may deserue the fauour of God no man will feare or worship God but all men will come vnto God as the Monkes doe with their abstinence prayer obedience and such like But by this meanes God is lost and the idoll of mans hart is worshipped in steede of God. For whiles the Monke thinketh to please God with his hempten girdle wherwith he ought rather to be hanged vp vpon a tree then girded whiles he thinketh by the obseruation of other traditions to please God doth he not depart from the true God set his owne imaginations in the stede of God whiles he is perswaded that God thinketh the same that he imagineth Of the righteousnes of the lawe therefore followeth plaine idolatrie which imagineth a strange God and loseth the true god For the true God is propitiation and mercie through christ But such as glory in their works would make their works propitiatory and auaileable to deserue grace Wherfore God reiecteth all workes and setteth forth his naked and bare mercy that he may be feared and not contemned of the presumptuous hereby taking away all cause of presumption Let vs learne then out of this verse or this general proposition that when the doctrine of the remission of sinnes of grace or propitiation is lost it followeth that in steede thereof Idolatrie must needes reigne For take away grace the feare of God also as the Prophet saith must needes followe And what is it else to feare God but to reuerence to worship God also to acknowledge that he is ful of mercy goodnes therefore to obey him This God did I lose when I was a Monke and walked in the confidence of mine owne righteousnes For by experience I am able to proue that of the most perfect righteousnes of the law there can nothing else followe but either desperation which is more seldom or presumption which is more common For the nature of man and the deuill can not beware but they must needes presume Thou wilt say then Shall we not keep the law shall we not doe good workes yes verily we are bound to doe them For God therfore hath a church
the truth both which sortes I haue here in few words to exhort to desire first such as haue mind to heare reade the doctrine of truth that they in life will follow that they heare and reade Of the other companie this I haue to craue that for as much as the gracious goodnes of the Lord hath raysed vp before their face such plenty of preachers teachers writers and translators wherby by all meanes to call them and to do them good they wisely againe for their partes wil consider what they haue to do that is to take the time before them not to refuse the riches of Gods great grace offered least peraduenture hereafter ignorance wil not excuse them wheras now the light of truth so euidently appearing wittingly and willingly they stoppe their eyes from seeing their eares from hearing The Lord God of peace father of all mercy consolation for Christ Iesus his Sonnes sake open our hartes and senses that all preiudice pertinacie set aside we may both be willing to learne the right way of perfect faith and truth and no lesse carefull in life to follow that we learne growing vp in grace and knowledge more and more till we atteyne at length to the full measure which is in Christ Iesu our Lord Amen Iohn Foxe THE PREFACE OF D. MARTIN LVTHER VPPON the fifteene Psalmes called Psalmes of degrees YE haue heard me before many times declare in the beginning of my Lectures for vvhat cause I haue taken in hand to expound the holy Scriptures not for any desire I haue to teach nevve and straunge thinges vvhich haue not beene knovvne or heard before for our diuinitie is so vvel knovvn both in the Latine tongue and also in our ovvne Language that vve may seeme novv to haue more neede of exhortation then instruction but because the diligent teaching and setting forth of the vvorde of God is a kinde of Gods seruice or vvorship properly belonging to the nevve Testament being much more acceptable vnto God more holy excellent then vvere all the vvorshippings and sacrifices of the olde Testament and therefore euen vvhen the lavv vvas yet in his ful strength the holy Prophets of God vtterly reiecting the burnt offerings and other sacrifices of the lavv did commend aboue all other the sacrifice of praise In like maner also ought vve so much the more earnestly diligently to set forth this kind of vvorship because that after so great blindnes vvherein vv haue liued the vvisedom of God hath as the Sunne in the mid day appeared and shined vnto vs againe Therefore like as it hath bene counted a maner of seruitude in times past to heare a godly sermon vvhich men vvere vvont to doe euen as they did their seruile labors so must vve novv othervvise thinke that they vvhich teach reade vvrite or heare the holy Scriptures are Gods true Priestes vvhich serue their God vvith a vvorthy and thankful kind of vvorship Albeit true it is also that vve can not here attaine to such full knovvledge of spirituall matters but that dayly vve haue neede to learne them again to be exercised confirmed therin because of the continuall vexations and assaultes of Satan that as vve are neuer vvithout occasions of declining falling from God so likevvise vve should not cease to exercise our selues in the continuall meditation of the vvord of God to the edifying both of our selues and of the Church For there is nothing so pernitious as the opinion of many at this day vvho as soone as they haue gotten neuer so litle knovvledge of this heauenly vvisedom thinke them selues by and by to be greate doctors For seeing that these thinges doe not consist in fine and eloquent talke in reasoning and disputing but in practise and experience directed not by mans reason but by the spirite of God they are miserably deceiued that rest in bare and naked knovvledge vvhich is but vnprofitable vvithout experience and practise In the olde Testament God appoynted but onely the ten commaundements vvherin he vvould haue his people to be exercised and occupyed But vvho vvas there euer amonge the Sainctes of God vvhich could say that he vvas able to atteyne to the vvisedom of the holy Ghost sette forth in those commaundements And shall vve vvhich in the nevv Testament haue the vvhole Scripture set forth vnto vs glory in the fulnes and perfection of our knovvledge Let vs not thinke therefore so highly of our selues but let vs humble our selues before the holy Ghoste and confesse this vvisedom to be infinite and such as vve could neuer fully attayne vnto although vve should spende our vvhole life in the study of the Scriptures For although by the grace of God vve are not vvithout some knovvledge yet because vve are continually oppressed vvith cloudes of tentations vve must haue recourse to this fountaine yea to this fire that our hartes may be kindled therevvith and that vve may giue no place to Satan or our ovvne flesh vvhereby the first fruites of the spirit might be quenched in vs This lothing of Gods vvord vvhich riseth of a false opinion of knovvledge is alas to common at this day For a remedy therefore against this euill Moses commaundeth that the lavv of God should be diligently set forth to the posteritie that is to say should continually be taught and exercised though it vvere neuer so vvel knovvne before For this cause therefore I haue taken in hand to expounde the Psalmes that vve might learne to abhorre this damnable lothing of the vvord of God and also to confirme and as it vvere to nourish the good spirite of God in vs by the exercise and practise of the same But the chiefest cause that moued me hereunto is for that vve knovv this kind of vvorship aboue all other to please God vvhen vve set forth his vvord in teaching in reading in vvriting in hearing c. And this one thing ought to keep vs in the continual exercise of the vvord of god For to teach to exercise and to set forth the vvorde vvhat is it else but continually to offer sacrifice vnto God continually to vvorship God continually to be exercised in the three first commaundements Lamentable it is to see vvhat a multitude there is of such as cōtinually blaspheme God either in teaching false doctrine or in persecuting the truth VVherfore very necessary it is that vve vvhiche in comparison of them are so small a number should serue the Lord our God praise his holy name vvhich both hath giuen vs this life and promised the life to come Moreouer our ovvne daunger giueth vs good vvarning to take heede that vvhiles vve thus neglect loth the vvord vve feele not his heauy vvrath plage vpon vs before vve be vvare For vvhen vve are once vveery of the vvorde then follovveth the contempt of the same vvhich contēpt the Lord so punisheth that he taketh his vvord cleane avvay Hereof the Papacie may be
this or that man onely but he will be also thy father Here is expresly added vnto the Lord contrary to that opinion of which I was once my selfe and many poore soules besides in popery at this day are For thus I thought I am a sinner and therefore I dare not pray vnto God being angrie with me for my sinnes I wil therefore seeke such mediatours as are in the fauour of God as Marie Peter Paule c. For timorous consciences euen at the hearing of the name of God are afraide And in deede great is the Maiestie of God but yet thou mayest not thinke it so great that thereby thou shouldest be driuen from prayer For if thou consider his Maiestie why doest thou not consider it in this respect that he hath commaunded thee to pray The authority of the commaunder ought so to be regarded that it should bind thee to obey Marke well this commaundement of God and commend thy selfe to his grace and say Lord it is not in my choyse to pray or not to pray as in monkery we did maintaine Thou hast commauÌ„ded me to pray I do acknowledge therefore that I am bound to obey thee If I be vnworthy yet is thy commaundement and thy will worthy to be obeyed thy promise is worthy to be beleued and trusted Therfore I pray not in the worthines of my selfe either else of Marie Peter Paule c. but in the worthinesse of Iesus Christ and of him who hath commaunded and charged me to pray Of this maner of prayer the whole papacie is ignoraunt And by myne owne experience this I dare affirme that as in all the tyme of my life that I ledde in monkerie I neuer once sayd the Lords prayer truely so the Papistes at this day do not vtter one syllable thereof in faith Yet peraduenture the Lord heard the vnspeakeable gronâ—ngs of my heart which I thinke many other also had although they were ignoraunt thereof But where these sighes are not no parte of ouâ— prayer is either vttered or vnderstand as it shoulde be and as by the grace of God we nowe both pray and teache others to pray There is a saying of a certayne Heremiâ—â— which the Monâ—es are wont to haue commonly in their mouthes that there is no such labour as to pray Which may be truely sayd of that prescript forme and maner of prayer without faytâ— which was enioyned to the popishe Priestes but muche more truely is it verifâ—ed of that prayer which is made in fayth â–ª as when the heart striuetâ— against Satan the terrour of conscience and desperation and with boldnes layeth holde on the mercies of god Albeit not onely the promise of God made vnto vs when we pray ioyned with the commaundement but also the necessitie that constraineth vs thereto maketh this difficulty and labour more easie in the exercise of prayer when it proceedeth of faith For true prayer can not be without faith Yea these two the promise I meane and tribulation doe make our prayer harty and feruent In these exercise your selues vse prayer in your chamber secretly and with your selues alone as Christ commaundeth And if Satan go about to hinder this prayer as he is wont then close your eyes and say Beholde Lorde here is trouble and anguishe here am I in daunger such a brother is grieuously afflicted thus or thus he is vexed of Satan The time suffereth me not nowe once to thinke whether I be worthy to be heard Helpe nowe in tyme O Lorde according to thy worde c. Thus if we considering the daunger on the one side and also the promise on the other doe flye vnto God for succour in our distresse we shall vanquish Satan and gette the victorie After this maner Dauid by his owne example stirreth vs vppe to prayer not onely in the daunger of deuelishe doctrine but also in all other troubles And if thou doe so presume of God that thou become euen impudent and shamelesse it shall please God highly according to that which followeth and he heard me As if he should say The Lord declareth that our prayer pleaseth him which we make with a trust and confidence in his promise and mercie that he heareth our prayer And here see that thou diligently learne this name and title which Dauid here giueth vnto him that he is auditor precum the hearer of prayers and beware when thou prayest that by doubting or incredulity thou take not from him this name as many times we doe Agaynst this doubting Dauid goeth about to confirme and strengthen vs with his owne example and besides the promises of God which we haue he setteth before vs his owne experience to stirre vs vp to call vpon God in faith whereby we may assure our consciences that God will heare vs in that he is the hearer of the sighes and grones of all those that pray vnto him in fayth And if he heare not speedely yet he will heare in his good tyme If he â—eare thee not in suche sorte as thou wouldest and doest desire he will heare thee in much better wise So sayth Bernarde And I doe not remember that euer I redde in any of the fathers of the latter age a more godly saying Brethren sayth he as concerning your prayer haue no doubt but assure your selues that as soone as the worde passeth out of your mouth your prayer is wrytten and regestrâ—â— in heauen in the presence and sight of God and eyther it shal be done that ye haue asked or else it is expedient not to be done What can be more Christianly spoken what greater consolation can there be then that God as a most gracious riche and bountifull Prince shoulde geue no other aunswere to all the supplications and prayers made vnto him â–ª but fiat that is to say be it done that ye haue desired But ye will say We see it commeth oftentimes otherwise to passe For notwithstanding the prayers that be made for women with childe and in â—rauell yet many dye in their trauell Did not Iacob thinke ye pray for his wife Rachel in that extremity Dauid also in like maner prayed with great feruencie of spirite for his sonne begotten of Bersaba but it was in vaine Many such examples we see also daily amoÌ„gst the Sainets of god I answere that howsoeuer it be we must vndoubtedly beleue that God is the hearer of prayers This title we may neuer take from him And in this faith yong children doe effectually pray which doe beleue that God heareth them and giueth them all thinges This fayth children haue with full assurance and without any doubting and therefore their praier I both greatly commend and also do oftentimes set the same before me as an example to follow For albeit that children do learne the forme of prayer words of vs yet the efficacy power therof we may wel learne of them because of our peruerse corrupt nature also our euil
vnderstanding thereof into a fantasie of their owne imagination For the Prophets did know that the true God although he be of him selfe and of his owne nature infinite and incomprehensible was included notwithstanding in the Mercieseat whereunto he had bound him selfe by his word and promise Wherefore although they called him the God of heauen maker of all thinges yet this had they as a more neere proper token of the true God that they knewe him to haue his dwelling in Sion When they prayed therfore vnto God or talked of God they did it according to that forme and maner wherby God had reueiled him self in his word and promises Albeit therefore the Prophet maketh no mention in this place of that tabernacle or promises but semeth to speak vnto God simply and without all respect thereof yet we must vnderstand that he speaketh no otherwise to God then as he is setts forth in his word worship Like as we ought now no otherwise to thinke or speake of God then as he is in our true Mercieseate christ For so Christ himselfe saith vnto Philip He that seeth me seeth my father No man commeth vnto my father but by me When we haue attained this knowledge then may we safely worship God and call vpon him as he is the maker of heauen and earth and so shall we vndoubtedly find him For although of him selfe and when he is not thus reueiled he is vnsearchable and not to be found yet in his word and promises wherein he wrappeth him selfe he will both be found knowne of them that will there seke after him The Iewes therfore praying before the arke worshipped the true God of heauen and earth For God by his worde had promised that he would be there present there would heare the praiers of his people Euen so we likewise loking vnto Christ worshipping him doe worship the true God for he hath reueiled him selfe in christ Therefore Christ saith VVhat so euer yee shall aske the father in my name he will giue it you They therefore that pray vnto God and fasten not their eyes and minds vpon Christ come not vnto God but worship the imaginations of their owne harts in steed of the true God are plaine idolaters For neither wil god be sought nor found nor heare our praiers but in our mercieseat Christ. Wherfore if we wil find God in deede knowe him as we should do with boldnes come vnto him let vs loke vnto Christ according to y saying of S. Iohn He that seeth me seeth my father Thus y word gathereth togither y wandring cogitations of our harts vnto this only person Christ God man to the end we should know that there is or can be found no God without Christ Dost thou not beleue saith he that the father is in me I in him In like maner did the holy Iewes pray vnto God dwelling in Sion That place who so euer neglected although they vsed one and the same kind of worship the same wordes in prayer which they did notwithstanding they committed idolatrie because they did contrary to this commaundement namely that he would be worshipped in Ierusalem This is then a general rule to be obserued in all the Psalmes in the whole Scriptures that in the olde Testament there was no God but in Sion or in the place of the tabernacle and that all prayers were made vnto God sitting betwene the Cherubins Nowe when this temple was destroyed God set vp an other temple in the which he would be sought serued and worshipped Without this temple there is no God but the deuill in steede of God is there both sought and founde and therefore men fall either into desperation if they haue an euil conscience or else through hypocrisie into presumption as did the Idolatrous Iewes and as our Papistes now doe most arrogantly presuming of their owne righteousnes Hereunto doe these and such like sentences of the Psalmes the Prophets apperteine I lift vp mine eyes vnto the mountaines Again The Lorde out of Sion blesse thee In like maner are all such other sentences also to be vnderstand wherin is added no manifest signification of the place or of the temple as in this place Out of the depth haue I called vnto thee O Lord. He doth not here cal the Lord absolutely the maker of heauen earth as the Turks also do but the same God which dwelleth in Sion whose word promises they had amongs them that he would there receaue heare their prayes The Prophet resteth therefore wholy onely in the assured confidence of y free mercy grace of God but of that God which was in Sion which said vnto Satan I will put enmitie betwene thee and the seede of the woman For God will not be sought by our deuises Which if we shoulde doe what should we need then the word To what end was the law why was Christ reueiled Behold our aduersaries the papists wherunto they are come They pray much They recite Psalmes often They say Pater noster qui es in caelis c. But becaâ—se they contemne the worde yea and persecute it also with might and maine therefore vnder these good wordes they mainteine plaine idolatrie So hapneth it also to the Turkes euen then when they say they worship the liuing God the maker of heauen and earth For this cause I do so often admonish you that without Christ ye should shut your eyes and stoppe your eares and say ye knowe no God besides him which was in the lappe of the virgine Marie and suckt her breastes Where this God Christ Iesus is there is God wholy there is the whole diuinitie there is the father and the holy Ghost Without this Christ there is no god I haue known many in the kingdom of Antichrist which seeking to comprehend God by mans speculations haue horribly perished and if God through his inestimable mercie had not deliuered me from this tentation I had also fallen headlong into destruction Albeit the Prophet as I sayd maketh here no expresse mention of the temple yet shal ye see how in this psalme he wrappeth the promise concerning christ For this is the whole argument of this Psalme that there is no saluation no grace no iustification but in that God which forgiueth sinnes And is this God any other then the same which sayd vnto the Serpent The seede of the woman shall bruse thy head Therefore he taketh God here as a promise maker and sheweth that Christ was promised of the father to be a sacrifice for the sinnes of the world And here the Prophete setteth foorth vnto vs a principall poynt of doctrine touching Christian righteousnes Christian wisedom and the glory of christ These thinges Dauid treateth of euen then when the law was in his full strength and leapeth ouer the boundes of the law into Paradise or rather into the very heauen of grace mercie For why should I not
righteousnes or vnrighteousnes but if thou wilt marke our iniquities if thou in iudgement wilt demaunde whether we be righteous then must we needes perish Wherfore we appeale from thy iudgement vnto the throne of thy mercie If we haue done any thing well it was thy free gift alone Looke vpon vs therefore with the eyes of thy mercie and not with the eyes of the iustice of thy iudgement For if thou doe not pardon our iniquities and close thine eyes that thou behold them not we shall not be saued c. This light of doctrine we see that Dauid followed euen in the darkenes of the lawe But our case is nowe much better for as much as we see these thinges clearely sette before our eyes in the newe Testament For what teach we else at this day but that we are saued by fayth alone in the death and blood of Christ that by the merite of Christ onely our sinnes are couered and taken away according to that saying Blessed are they whose sinnes are forgiuen Forgiuenes of sinnes then is that heauen vnder the which we dwell through our trust and confidence in the merite of christ For he that beleueth shall not be condemned but shall passe from death to eternall life Dauid addeth here no expresse mention of Christ and yet because he hopeth for mercie therefore he loketh straight to this mercie seat that afterwards should more clearely be reueiled in the new Testament For ye see that he signifieth no lesse but if God should marke his iniquities he must needes dispayre For without remission of sinnes or knowledge of grace what haue we to rest vppon What safetie may we finde They therefore that put not their trust herein alone that by the death of Christ their sinnes are taken away and Gods eyes closed that he wil not see their sinnes must needes perish For this onely do the Scriptures set forth that our life resteth wholy and alonely in the remission of sinnes and in that the Lord will not see our sinnes but in mercie couereth them and will not remember them or lay them to our charge So that we must acknowledge confesse that we know nothing but the righteousnes of Christ Not that we should not now worke and bring forth the fruites of a holy life not that there is no sinne in vs or that God doth not hate the same but because God sayth and promiseth that he wil not marke our transgressions because we beleue in Christ and put our trust in him This shield whosoeuer holdeth out for his defence and hideth him selfe vnder it them God accepteth as his children because they haue a Sauiour but they that haue not are driuen to despaire For what can all their workes their merites their righteousnes doe seeing Dauid sayth If thou marke our iniquities O Lorde who shall be able to stand in thy sight In this verse therefore consisteth altogither which hereafter followeth Verse 4. But mercy is with thee that thou mayst be feared This mercie thou shalt not find in Moises in the lawe or in the works of the law not in Monkery not in a strait and painful life not in almes deedes c. Briefly this mercie thou shalt finde no where because it is no where but with the lord Mercie therefore is not our merite or our righteousnes but it is the free pardon of our sinnes by Christ alone Which mercy although thou shouldest afflict and punish thy selfe in a Monastery a thousand yeares or doe neuer so many so perfect or so holy workes thou shalt neuer find as the conscience which euen in a most streit and holy life feelleth desperation doth sufficiently witnesse But herein alone the conscience findeth rest and comfort when altogither naked without any addition of her owne worthynes it committeth it self to the naked and bare mercie of God and saith O Lord I haue thy promise that righteousnes commeth of mercie alone whiche righteousnes is nothing else but thy free pardon that is to saye that thou wilt not marke our iniquities I commend therefore vnto you this definition of righteousnes which Dauid here setteth forth that to marke sinne is to condēne Againe not to marke sinne is to iustifie or pronounce a man righteous And this is true righteousnes in deede when sinnes are not marked but pardoned not imputed Likewise in an other place also he defineth a blessed man and Paule allegeth the same defini-nition very aptly Blessed is the man saith he to whom God imputeth not his sinne He saith not blessed is the man which hath no sinne but vnto whom the Lorde doth not impute that sinne which he hath as here also he saith When sinnes are not marked These testimonies must be diligently collected and noted that we may see how that this doctrine is founded vppon the holy Scriptures and that all the confidence and trust that man can haue in the righteousnes of works or of the law is vtterly cut of in the iudgement of God. For this doctrine maketh all men alike and before God leaueth no difference For if by imputation onely we be righteous it followeth that not onely we be all sinners but that also there is no differenee betwene the learned vnlearned the wise and the simple the married and vnmarried the Prince and the plowman c. For this difference of degrees in the iudgement of God auayleth nothing but this onely auaileth before God that our sinnes bee forgiuen Wherfore if this doctriue had bene heretofore diligently taught all Monkry such other mōstrous kinds of life had not bene brought into the Church which the foolish people hath beleued to be more holy then others For what soeuer kinde of life a man be in this is the condition of vs all that we haue neede of forgiuenes of sinnes as Paule teacheth in the Actes where he sheweth that God suffered the manners of our fathers like as a good husband suffereth and beareth with the manners of his wife the maister of his scholers the Prince of his subiects Now if this eiuill life haue neede of such discretion and moderation that men should not be alwayes extreme and rigorous in dealing one towards an other how much more neede haue we that God should beare with vs in this our great weakenes and corruption If God should deale sharply with vs then should our transgressions dayly and continually moue him to marke straitly and sharply to punish vs But he will not marke our iniquityes This he requireth that we beleue in christ Then will he beare with vs then will he winke at our weakenes and pardon our transgressions yea in respect of our faith in Christ he will accept vs as righteous Thus Dauid turned him selfe from desperation to an assured hope and trust in Gods mercie For when we looke to our sinnes it can not be but we must needes be vexed and fall to desperation ▪ But we must not fasten our eyes vppon our sinnes onely
in the world therfore hath he ordained common wealths societies families that in no place there should be wanting occasion of wel doing But who is he that when he hath done these things to the vttermost of his power seeth not how much impuritie vncleānes remaineth especially if he should bring his workes forth into the sight presence of god Wherfore our redēption consisteth wholy and alonely in the mercie of God which we apprehend by faith in christ And we which through workes are vnprofitable seruauntes through grace which is giuen by Iesus Christ are made children Ioh. 1. So the true feare true worship true reuerence yea and the true knowledge of God resteth onely in mercie in that we assuredly trust that God through Christe is mercifull vnto vs To this seruice of God desperation and presumption are more contrary then fire and water But because the law bringeth either desperation or presumption therefore it followeth that by the law there is neither righteousnes nor true worship of god Notwithstanding the law conteined in the x. commaundements must be kept For he that ruleth must rule with diligence and he that is a subiect must obey There is emongst men a difference of degrees and persons Notwithstanding all do owe a reuerence and obedience vnto God and with faithfull diligence must doe what in them lyeth But because these are workes of the law we are by them no better then seruaunts and for them we receiue a reward of promise couenant But by grace we are made children heires of the kingdom The works then that follow do not make vs heires and children but are doone of heires and children as a witnes of thanks giuing and obedience Wherfore I cōmend vnto you these consequences that where no mercie is there is no God Also where no God is there is no mercie Likewise where is no mercie there is no feare or worship of God Yea there remaineth nothing but idolatrie and the righteousnes of workes These things whiles the law and nature doe rule and reigne can not otherwise be Wherefore all Poperie all Mahomatisme Iudaisme and Monkery with such like what so euer which doth not know and vnderstand and this propitiation this mercy is nothing before God but plaine Idolatrie albeit in shew it seemeth neuer so glorious For without the mercyseate there can be no feare of God but mere presumption Christian doctrine therefore doth not deny good works as our aduersaryes falsly and maliciously report of vs but it teacheth that God wil not straitly marke our iniquities but this he requireth that we beleeue and trust in his mercye because there is mercie with him that he may be feared and continue our god Who so euer then doe beleeue that God is mercifull and forgiueth sinnes for Christes sake doe yeelde a reasonable seruice vnto God they strive not with God about the law workes and righteousnes but casting away all trust and confidence in them selues do feare him because of his mercie and so are made children which doe receiue the holy Ghost and beginne to doe the lawe Of this doctrine the practises and exhortations doe now follow Verse 5. I waite on the Lord my soule waiteth and I put my trust in his word Here is plenty of words and yet nothing superfluous for they helpe to amplifie and set forth the matter more liuely First he setteth forth him selfe in this Psalme for an example of that doctrine which he desireth to be preserued and reteyned in the Church and he prayeth that he may be heard After this obteyning mercie he perceaueth that he was heard Nowe therefore he addeth moreouer an exhortation whereby he stirreth vp him selfe constantly to perseuere in this knowledge of grace and not to suffer him selfe by any meanes to be ledde away from the same As if he sayd I know that there is mercie with the lord This principall article I haue in some part now learned and some experience I haue had thereof in my selfe Now this remaineth for me to doe euen to waite vpon the Lord that is to trust in the Lord constantly to continue in this knowledge that I may find comfort consolation in that mercie which by experience I haue proued to be with the Lord and that I may hold fast this hope of mercie for euer The Prophet sheweth moreouer in this place how easily men are caried away from this knowledge to contentions and disputations either publikely or priuately When we tooke vpon vs the defence of true and sincere doctrine and were in a goodly forwardnes thereof at the first we were much troubled with seditious persons with Anabaptistes and other sectaries With these spirites whiles we contended our former exercise and diligence in setting forth this doctrine was almost forgotten For the truth is not lost by teaching but by disputing and contending And this euil commeth by disputations and contentions that the mindes of men are thereby as it were profaned and being caried away with the heat thereof they neglect those thinges which most of all they ought to regard So Eue in Paradise as long as she stoocke to the commaundement of God endured constantly But when she was moued by the Serpent to reason and doubt of the counsel of God concerning the forbidden fruite she was ledde away from the word and fell from god Moreouer Satan knoweth that the gates of hell are not able to ouerthrow this doctrine Therefore he laboureth by subtile and indirect meanes to bring that to passe which directly and plainly he dare not attempt He stirreth vp troubles and contentions in the Church which when with godly zeale we goe about to represse he wrappeth vs also in troubles before we beware and by litle and litle he leadeth vs from the care and consideration of this doctrine We must fight against heresies and heretikes I graunt but yet so that we be not wholy occupied therein and so forget or neglect this doctrine This daunger Dauid expresseth in setting forth his owne example so effectually As if he sayd It is a hard matter to abide stedfastly in this doctrine This shall be therefore my onely care and endeuour euen to wait vpon the Lord and to beware that this doctrine be not taken from me by any meanes Where he sayth My soule waiteth it is a proper speech of the Hebrewes and is as much to say as with my whole hearte I wayte or will wayte vppon the Lorde for it is an amplification of the former wordes He sayth not onely that he will wayte on the Lorde but he addeth moreouer with my whole hart I will wayte to signifie the vehement desire he hath that this doctrine might be preserued and mainteyned But this specially is to be marked which followeth I put my trust in his word The Iewes the Pope and other heretikes say that they also doe trust But they leaue the worde and followe their owne imaginations This may be
called trust but in deede it is nothing for we may not depart from the vocall worde For if we so doe what certeintie can we haue of God especially seeing that God hath giuen his worde ordeyned Ministers of his worde Magistrates Parentes c. to this ende that we should followe their voyce speaking to vs out of his holy worde and commaunding vs to obey their authoritie The prophet signifieth here also an other tentation which all they doe fall into that are not diligent in holding fast this knowledge of mercie For this Satan seeketh and busily goeth about either publikely to take away the word or priuately to hinder this hope in those that haue the word So the Pope had the word and Sacramentes and yet notwithstanding he suffered him selfe to be ledde away to pilgrimages rules vowes superstition idolatrie c. What trouble we haue had with sectes we haue before declared And who is able to recite the tentations wherewith men are priuately assailed tempted to depart from the word to straunge opinions which reason deuiseth and imagineth So great a matter is it to auoyde these subtile sleightes of Satan Dauid sayth therefore I will not suffer my selfe to be ledde from the word but in the word I will trust for remission of sinnes and wil not frame my faith after mine own imaginations but after the word There is then a double tentation against the which the Prophete by his owne example armeth vs The first taketh hold of those which do imagine vnto them selues a faith and take away the word as the prophane and godles spirits doe The seconde followeth those which haue the word and lay no holde on it but are ledde away to idolatries and such are the Papistes But there is yet a third tentation which is the forest of all against the which Dauid speaketh as followeth Verse 6. My soule wayteth on the Lorde from the morninge watch euen vnto night When Satan cannot preuaile by plaine and direct meanes in tempting vs to forsake the word and followe our owne imaginations as the heretikes doe or retaining the word to turne to Idolatrie as the Papistes doe then he goeth aboute to make vs weery of all togither and vtterly to giue ouer Wherefore we must not onely haue a good courage that we may obtaine the victorie but we must also continually withstand his force endure his assaults neuer suffer our selues to be ouercome by his importunitie For oftentimes we see that by long continuance they are ouercome whom no troubles were they neuer so great could ouercome And in warfare we se that nothing is so much commended as to presse still vpon the enemie So the Turke although he hath had many ouerthrowes yet because he still goeth on and neuer giueth ouer therefore he preuaileth In this continuance diligence trauel al they must constantly perseuere which wil hold this doctrine of iustification righteousnes And here Dauid setteth forth his owne example that like as the enemie hath his continuall assaultes and neuer giueth ouer so he also neuer ceaseth to wait vpon the Lorde to trust in the Lord that not only with a strong a valiant but also with a constant faith inuincible hope he may gaine the victory Wherefore we must learne by the policie of our enemie to play the good souldiers For he is neuer weery in deuising and practising all the meanes possible whereby he may trouble and molest the Church So at the first the ende of one heresie was the beginning of an other and one persecution followed an other We also at the beginning had many conflicts with the Pope and his monsters When they were repressed by and by new errours ensued which notwithstanding did not then first begin to spring vppe but the olde enemie who as he is neuer weery so lacketh he no subteltie and policie to doe mischiefe raysed vp againe such errours and heresies as had beene conuicted and confounded long agoe to the end that the poore afflicted church might haue no breathing time For we see what swarmes of Epicures be now euery where And there is no small number also of such as seeke to reuiue the heresie of Arius This continual diligence and importunitie of the enemy it behoueth vs to know that we fall not into security For it is not enough to haue once ouercome but one battaile followeth an other and one victory an other This earnest and continuall trauell of the enemie we doe not onely see in the story of the Church but we haue experience therof also in our selues and in our owne priuate exercises Wherfore if by prayer thou hast this day ouercome be not negligent and secure for to morrow he will come again more strongly armed and prepared then he did before Wherefore doe thou also prepare thy selfe to a new battaile So it commeth to passe that the same tentation which to day we were able easily to ouercome to morrow shall ouercome vs and giue vs the ouerthrowe A Christian therfore must be readily prepared not only with strength to stand against the enemie but with stedfast purpose also to continue vnto the end For he runneth not in such a race wherein there is any ende of his course during this life but he runneth as it were in a rownd circle in the which he must haue a continuall recourse thither where he first began Therefore our Sauiour Christ saith He that continueth to the end shall be saued We must not then be discouraged by the importunitie of our enemie or ouercome with tediousnes and long continuance but we must fight not onely against the power and subtiltie of our enemie but also against our owne weakenes and weerines and raise vppe our selues with this faith that like as Satan sleepeth not so the Lorde our God neither sleepeth nor resteth Thus Dauid setteth out vnto vs his owne example that we being armed against all tentations which followe the remission of sinnes shoulde giue no place to the enemie For albeit it is most certaine that there is mercie with the Lorde that our sinnes are forgiuen that we are baptised into the death of Christ that we are called by the word vnto the communion of Sainctes and that we with the other members of Christ are nourished by the body and blood of Christ all these thinges I say although they be most certaine yet are we still in daunger lest we be deceiued of the craftie enemie which lyeth in waite for vs on euery side He is on our right hand by hypocrisie and securitie he is on our lefte hande by tyrannes and desperation Besids all this so great is his vigilancie that he is neuer farre of but euer at hand Therefore the Prophet saith My soule wayteth on the Lorde from the morning watch c. This saying of the heathen is well knowne furor fit laesa saepius patientia that is patience being often times hurt is turned into
for this day or to morrowe but now and for euer So that ye muste haue a certaine continuall and a constant presumption if I may so say of the mercie of God of the forgiuenes of sinnes and of the righteousnes that commeth by christ Contrariwise ye must beware that ye neuer presume of your owne workes albeit they ought to be holy and according to the law of god For this naked and this onely trust ought to remaine which is called the confidence of the free mercy of God offered vnto vs in christ This trust is sure and neuer deceiueth vs For God is no lyer but faithfully performeth that he hath promised Doe thou therefore but trust and still faithfully rest vpon his promise But here we are not without daunger of the deuill whiche goeth about with all his might and power to bring vs from this assuraunce and trust of the mercie of God towardes vs in christ Wherefore we must fight and with continuall battaile practise this doctrine against the deuill and spirituall wickednes which by all meanes goe about first to lift vs vp with pride and presumption and afterwards to throwe vs downe againe to desperation But God worketh a contrary way For first he terrifieth vs and casteth vs downe that afterwards he may raise vs vp againe He bringeth vs downe to hel that he may bring vs back againe The dugge of grace also he sometimes taketh from vs that we may learne what our owne righteousnes is wont to doe namely to oppresse vs with desperation And this he doth to the ende that wee hauing experience thereof should not followe our owne sense and reason but raise vp our selues with a sure hope trust in Christe whereby the dead are restored to life and saued This mercie is as a strong heauen or firmament ouer vs wherwith we beeing couered are safe and sure where so euer we be So Esay calleth it a shadow against the heate because we are couered and defended by the mercie of God against wrath desperation the deuill death This shadow who so euer doe forsake shal suffer intolerable heat Thus we learne by this verse that Dauid speaketh of that damnable presumption of our owne righteousnes exhorteth vs to fight against it with a sure hope of Gods eternall mercie and a constant faith This is the onely way whereby we are saued The .132 Psalme Lorde remember Dauid c. This Psalme whether it be Salomons as it seemeth or whether it be Dauids it is a prayer for the kingdom the Priesthood for these two are the most principall giftes of God in this worlde Wherefore they haue neede of prayer and the helpe of God to defend them against the deuill whose double title ye knowe which Christ giueth vnto him in the Gospel of Iohn when he calleth him a lyer and a murtherer For he resteth not but busily laboureth seeketh by all meanes possible to replenish the world with lyes murthers Against these two policies and kingdoms of the deuill God hath erected two other kingdoms the politike state and the priesthood the one to fight against murther and the other against false doctrine and heresies So Dauid and all other Kinges and Princes in gouerning the common wealth ought to endeuor that their subiectes may liue a peaceable and a quiet life that mariages the education of children other dueties perteining to howshold gouernment may be mainteyned and defended against seditious and wicked persons The priesthoode is to this ende that children growing vp may be brought to the kingdom of heauen and the ministers of the Church are as Angells appoynted to defend the truth that the kingdom of Satan the father of lyes may be destroyed These be the proper offices of the ministers of the Church and of the worde which ministers haue bene alwayes in the world among the faithful and haue kept continuall battaile against heretikes and the ministers of Satan So the Patriarkes before the flood fought against the Canaites or ofspring of Cain after the flood against the Esauites and others The Prophets fought against the false prophetes as their writinges doe testifie and the Apostles likewise against the false apostles for Satan ceaseth not And besides this the kingdom of Satan was alwaies the greater For if ye cōsider the church there were euer moe godles and infidels then faythfull So in the ciuill gouernment the greater part consisteth of those which are disobedient which raise vp troubles seditions and warres Wherfore since the kingdom of Satan if ye consider the number is the greater and moreouer since both the politike state and the priesthood are such as farre exceede the power of man therfore can not be defended mainteyned by our strength or policie hereby we may see how necessary this prayer is whereby Dauid desireth that they may prosper and continue And here first of all marke the difference betwene Dauid and other Princes of the world Other Princes and rulers doe also vnderstand and see that common weales can not be preserued by mans power Wherfore they sayd that he which should well happily gouerne had neede to be endued with some diuine and godly power And albeit they were ignorant that these thinges are gouerned by God yet they preferred fortune for so they called the blessing of God the cause whereof they did not know before wisedom power iustice and all princely vertues For where as iust men for the most part be oppressed and the vniust doe rule and reigne therefore they thought that iustice is not the meane whereby kingdomes and common weales are preserued For then Cicero should not haue bene oppressed nor Antonius aduaunced to such power and authoritie If by power kingdoms could be preserued then should not Themistocles haue ouercome Xerxes Likewise many notable Emperours lacked no wisedom nor industrie and yet were they miserable notwithstanding These examples and this experience caused the Gentiles to thinke that there was a certeyne diuine power in great Monarches and Emperours to rule gouerne their earthly power wisedom and iustice whereby they did so prosper vppon the earth and this they called fortune But here behold and consider Dauid He also seeth that it is not in his power to preserue and vphold his kingdom and yet doth he not thinke that it is fortune which supporteth vpholdeth kingdoms for he beleueth that this perteyneth to God alone Besides this he beleueth as ye shall heare that God for his mercies sake will not reiect those that call vpon him But the Gentiles knewe neither of these thinges Moreouer the same necessitie which moueth the Prince or the Magistrate to pray for the common welth moueth him also to pray for the Priesthood and for the Church of god So we see that this Psalme is a prayer for the people of the olde Testament that God would preserue the kingdome and Priesthood euen for his promises made vnto Dauid It is likewise
profitable for vs and is of vs to be applied vnto our selues also for that we in like maner haue our Dauid and our Euphrata in the whiche we haue founde the Tabernacle or habitation of our God. For the selfe same thinges doe remaine and there is no more but the signification of the wordes to be chaunged Now like as they were in daunger as touching both the kingdom and the priesthood so is our daunger great also in them both Wherfore we may well sing with Dauid Remember c. Here I purpose simply to follow the sence and meaning of the letter declaring howe this Psalme was vsed and applyed of that people Afterwards it shall be easie for vs to apply the same to our owne time age Now like as that was a double kingdome that is to say corporall and spirituall so is the Psalme also diuided into two partes For first it prayeth for the Church and then for the politike state or the common wealth Verse 1. Lord remember Dauid with all his afflictions The history of the Kings doth declare that Dauid being persecuted of Saul suffered many and great afflictions But why did Saul thus persecute Dauid Because he was anoynted of Samuel to be king whiles Saul was yet liuing For hereof came the deadly persecutions the hatred sclaunders reproches all kindes of calamities which Dauid suffered Now whereas these troubles afflictions of Dauid were mentioned in prayer and in the presence of God either by his sonne Solomon or by the people it was not done as the Papistes thinke to the ende that Dauid should pray for them but they spake of Dauid in respect of the promises put God as it were in remembrance of those promises by speaking of Dauid as Paule also speaketh of Abraham Wherfore the name of Dauid is not here to be taken absolutely as though they spake of his person onely for as I said they spake of him as hauing the promises and clothed as it were with the promises of God so that here we must rather vnderstande the forme then the matter The promise I call the forme to teach set forth the thing more plainly and the matter I call Dauid him selfe to whome the promises were made This is then the sense and meaning of these wordes O Lorde God we pray vnto thee for the kingdom not counting our selues worthy or by any meanes to haue deserued that we shoulde be heard but as Daniel saith We present our supplications before thee trusting in thy great and tender mercies in that which thou hast promised to Dauid to witte that our kingdom shall endure for euer Thus he beginneth his prayer with a remembrance of Gods promises euen at the first entrance This is a singular example for vs that when we pray we should appeare in the presence of God as miserable wretched sinners not trusting vpon our owne merite or worthines but clothed as ye would say with his mercies and promises not as he that bragged I fast twise in a weeke but as he which said Remember Lorde thy promises For the promises of God are nothing else but mercies and compassions freely offered vnto vs in Christ. Thus we see that he speaketh not here of afflictions absolutely but in respect of an other thing for he vnderstandeth the afflictions which Dauid suffered for the promises in the which afflictions he helde fast the promises and suffered them not to be wrested from him The same promises did God likewise performe vnto Dauid Like as therefore saith he O lord thou diddest preserue Dauid suffering all calamities and afflictions for thy words sake and trusting in thy word so with like mercie preserue and saue vs trusting in thy promises and performe that thou hast begunne in vs For all thinges must be preferred to the promises like as Moses also doth which saith Remember Abraham Isaac c. For he doth not call vpon Abraham and Isaac as the vnlearned Papistes dreame but he alleageth the promises made vnto them as touching their seede and posteritie Nowe how could God be put in minde of these promises better then by reciting those persons to whom God had made the promises These promises the faithfull doe set against their sinnes and against their vnworthynes These thinges must be diligently taught that we fall not into the absurd and foolish opinions of the Papistes whose schoole diuinitie knoweth nothing of the promises of God but whereas the promises are the chiefest part of the Scripture they are vtterly ignorant thereof The other part of the Scripture which is the law they so maime and mangle that scarsely they set forth the one halfe thereof And hereof it commeth that they expound such sentences as this is so corruptly and peruersly as if the Psalme should speake after this maner Remember Dauid how good and howe holy a man he was and for his merites for his holines stablish vnto vs the kingdom But this sentence is plaine idolatrie for it looketh to the actiue or working person only As the Iewes thinke to obteyne their Messias by their owne merites So the religion of the Iewes the Turkes and the Papistes is all one for they all trust to their owne workes and worthines But we reiect the working person when we come into the presence of God and looke vnto that person which is altogither passiue clothed with the promises that is to say such a Dauid as bringeth and distributeth vnto vs not his owne merites but the promises giuen of God and by Dauid firmely reteyned in all afflictions Such a Dauid the Papistes doe not know and because they know but onely the actiue the working Dauid therefore they make of him nothing else but a plaine idol They know not that he is holy as the whole Church is holy not because it hath good workes and merites but because it hath the promise of grace which is the true bosome and wombe wherein the Church is caried and all the faithfull Verse 2. VVho sware vnto the Lord and vowed vnto the God of Iacob saying It seemeth that these wordes may not vnfitly be applyed vnto Salomon as the author of the Psalme For thus he sayth in effect Thou hast promised vnto Dauid the kingdom Dauid againe promised to build vnto thee a temple This vowe is now performed and accomplished Do thou also now O Lord performe thy promise and be thou present in this place and with this people Thus he offereth the temple and the Arke to the Lord in the faith of the promise made vnto Dauid concerning the light which should neuer be put out and desireth that this promise may be kept As touching this vowe of Dauid the Scripture speaketh nothing but maketh mention of that talke and consultation only which he had with the Prophet Nathan 2. Reg. 6. But the author of this Psalme goeth about to commend and set forth the good will of Dauid by the name of
perish he calleth a promise Luke 16. â— Cor. 12.9 The argument of this Psalme which emongest all the Psalmes is one of the chiefest How the prophets are wont to speake of God how they describe him VVithout Christ God is neither to be sought nor worshipped The propheâ— praying for the remission of sinnes includeth Christ in his prayer The greatnes of the tentation wherewith Dauid was oppressed It is a great consolation to see that holy Dauid was exercised with the tentations of the wrath of God. In the tentations of sin and of the wrath of god what we ought to do Dauid in his tentation did not thus pray Singular coÌ„solations against desperation Dauid prayeth that his sinnes may be forgiuen and his iniquities not marked therefore he denyeth all righteousnes of workes before God. The Papistes teach that which they them selues doe not We must rest onely wholy vpon the trust and confidence of the mercy of God. By Christ alone we obteyne remission of sinnes Therefore onely faith where by Christ is apprehended iustifieth vs. Propitiation or mercie what it is To marke iniqâ—ities what it is True righteousnes what it is The doctrin of iustification maketh all men alike Act. 13. VVheÌ„ we be holde our sinnes we must looke vnto the Mercieseat This doctrin of Christian righteousnes the deuill moste deadly â—ateth and persecuteth The only doctrine of iustification ouerthroweth the Papacie The workes of the lawe are euill wheÌ„ any part of saluation or iustification is ascribed vnto them Howe the Pope Satan are put to flight God dealeth not with vs according to the law Therfore we may not deale with God according to the law Hypocrites do not feare but presume but we are iustified freely that we should not presume but feare Righteousnes coÌ„meth of grace only God taketh not away the lawe and yet the law auaileth nothing to righteousnes To trust in workes is to lose God to shut out feare The Monke thinketh that his hempten girdle pleaseth God. God is not feared where true righteousnes is not beleued VVhat the vse of the law is if it doe not iustifie Grace maketh vs children but workes make vs seruants The consequences or sequeles which follow vpon the doctrine set forth in this Psalme To waite on the Lord is to trust in the Lord. The mindes of men are easily caried away from this knowledge of grace by disputations contentions This inconuenience our posteritie is also like to feele Our waiting our hope must rest only vpon the worde of grace FroÌ„ the written external word we may not depart The firste tentation The second tentation The thirde tentation VVe must not be we cried or discouraged through the importunity continuall assaultes of the enemy Satan is a continuall enemie and neuer ceaseth to assaile vs. Our course and race is as it were in a circle which hath no end The patieÌ„ce of the Gentiles The patieÌ„ce of the Christians and how it differeth froÌ„ the patience of the heathen â–ª Faith is a â—inguler and inestimable gifte Faith compared with charitie The ende of faith why we must still waite hope With God there is propitiation and mercie therfore there is no anger with him In tentatioÌ„s we must rest vpon hope and beleue the word rather then our owne experience and feeling Rom. 5.3 The experience which the word teacheth Plentiful redemption VVhen we pray we are not able to conceaue what great thinges God wil giue vs. God both heareth vs graciously and giueth vnto vs plentifully The effect of the first precept A definition of God and what he is properly The argument of the Psalme Pride is a vice commoÌ„ vnto all men Wisedome maketh men proude Power Righteousnes A dutch prouerbe Two meanes to reforme the vice of pride presumption This Psalme speaketh of spirituall pride Pride at the length is confounded The Iusticiaries iudge condemne rashly There is no cause why a man should more presume of his owne righteousnes then of the art or handycraft which he exerciseth The moste notable personages in aduersitie are commonly oppressed with anguish and sorrowe Prouerb 17. Luke 18. Heb. 12.2 Ose. 4.5 A similitude of an infant The doctrin of the law The voyce and doctrine of the gospel * This propitiation is not for famed or for small sinnes but for true sinnes for great yea the greatest sinnes The differeÌ„ce betwen the law and the Gospell in vse and practise is very hard Phil. 3. Esa. 25.4 The argument of the Psalme The end of the politike gouernment The ende of the priesthood What the Gentiles thought as touching the gouernment of Empires kingdoms Dauid knoweth that kingdoms are preserued by God alone The signification of the words here vsed as of Dauid Euphrata the temple the priesthood are chaunged but the thinges remaine The Papists doe dreame that SalomoÌ„ and the people did pray vnto God that he would heare them for Dauids sake or at the intercession of Dauid thereby would stablish inuocation of Sainctes and praying to the deade The name of Dauid includeth the promises and therefore also it includeth mercie Luke 18.12 How he maketh mention of Dauids afflictions Places of the olde Testament which the Papists alleage for the inuocation of Saincts The idolatry of the Papistes The vowe of Dauid Mightie in Iacob Psal. 19. Ephes. 6.10 The tabernacle of God. Ephrata signifieth the kingdom of Iuda The fieldes of the forest To worship â–ª Iohn 14. VVhy God did choose a certain place where he would be worshipped The Arke was the habitation of God. The Arke of strength This power standeth chiefly in preaching the word Read that which followeth in the same Psalme Christ our propitiatorie and mercie-seate Daniel 8.10 Matth. 9. The righteousnes of the person is neuer without corruption The righteousnes of the ministery is vncorrupt 1. Pet. 4. The Ministers of the Pope are clothed with iniquitie The fruites of the ministery God requireth not a heauy but a cherefull hart Grace Peace Sainctes The Church is holy The kingdoÌ„ of Christ is a kingdom of peace and ioy Psal. 117.15 Phil. 3.12 How poore afflicted consciences must be comforted against Satan and all terrours Psal. 42.6 He maketh meÌ„tion here of Dauid because of the promises which were made vnto Dauid The promises are of two sortes legall or conditionall and spirituall 2. King. 7.15 Esay 10.23 The errour of the Iewes in that they see not the promises as touching their corporall kingdom to be conditionall The face of the anoynted what it is Policie serueth the Church and the Church preserueth policie The wicked presume of the promises of God and cruelly persecute the true church The argument which the wicked vsed against the Prophets How the Pope hath abused the promises of God. Amos. 7. The godly can not so raise vp and comfort theÌ„ selues with the promises as the wicked doe Matth. 28.20 The godly in perills and afflâ—ctions rest vpon hope when the wicked doe despaire Iere. 29. The promises are set forth for the comfort of the godly that in their afflictions they should not despayre The Church is neuer with out daungers and afflictions and therefore it hath neede of the promises The state of the Church at this day what it is Luke 2. A consolation for the Church of Israel in the tyme of her captiuitie Because the promise was conditionall therefore the corporall kingdome had an ende Reg. 2.11 2. Chro. 22. Matth. 3.9 Luke 3.8 The Church is the Church vnder this condition if it follow the word The kings of Israel The commaundemeÌ„t giuen to the kings in the olde Testament Few vse their authoritie rightly All states of men are subiect to the word The condition is added because of the wicked presumptuous God chooseth a place for his seruice therefore we may not chose it If God doe choose then commeth it not of our merite No good intent but that is grouÌ„ded vpon the word Ierusalem was destroyed notwithstanding it was builded vp againe by Christ to remaine for euer The Iewes presumed of their owne merites Deut. 9. The presuÌ„ption of the Papists It is a great benefite of God that he hath appointed a certain place for his seruice Ierusalem called the holy citie why The glory of the Church of the new Testament Satan a continuall and a cruell enemy to Ierusalem Why the Scripture calleth our foode and sustenance a pray A saying of Cyprian worthy to be remembred Bread what it signifieth Temporall incommodities of the Church are recompensed with spirituall benefites blessinges A singular consolation against pouertie and contempt God mammon can not dwel togither Esay 49.20 Philip. 4. The peace of conscience is an inestimable gift of God. The spirituall blessing of the Church must not be estemed according to the outward shewe and face thereof A promise concerning the defence and preseruation of the Church 2. Sam. 2.10 The outward shew face of the Church To prepare a light what it signifieth Marke 13.20 1. Iohn 4. Matth. 11. The argument of the Psalme Dauid had learned by experience that there is nothing better theÌ„ peace and concord â–ª Proue 20.14 A great gift of God to vnderstand and to acknowledge the giftes of God. Satan ioyning with the originall sinne corruption of nature draweth men to that which they knowe to be euill Brethren Concord is compared to a precious oyntment The beard what it signifieth Against the Anabaptists and other Sectaries enemies to the peace quietnes of the Church The coÌ„cord of the Papistes Hermon The commeÌ„dation of concord and that God will dwell there where concord is Nothing better chepe to the byer theÌ„ peace What points of doctrine Dauid intreateth of in the Psalmes of degrees This Psalme is as it were a conclusion of those thinges that goe before To blesse what it signifieth Psal. 129. Coloss. 3.16 Luke 18.1 1 Tim. 2.8 107.7 Timo. 1.2 Matth. 5.25 Psal. 50.16 Luke 18.14
the rodde of the wicked greeueth you but be of good comfort my people and patiently endure it for I wil not suffer the tentation so farre to preuaile ouer you that your confidence and trust in me shall vtterly faile you Stormes and tempestes shall arise and your daungers shall seeme so great as though the waues should presently swallowe you vp But I will not suffer you to perish I wil bridle their rage and make an ende of the rodde of the wicked If Satan your owne conscience doe accuse you as most wicked and vnrighteous yet will I not leaue you destitute of my righteousnes Thus doe tentations teach vs the true vse and meaning of the first commaundement the which none without afflictions and tentations shall rightly knowe or vnderstand Moreouer we are here admonished of the great daunger that followeth these afflictions tentations which they that through impatiencie forsake the word and faith doe fall into Therefore the Lorde here sheweth him selfe so carefull for his people leste they should fall into this danger For their state which haue once forsaken the word is much more perilous then it was before and into such as our Sauiour Christ pronounceth in the Gospel doe enter seuen spirites much more wicked then the first We must therefore patiently suffer and perseuere in all tentations and rather abide all extremities then once shrinke from the word of life lest we be possessed with seuen spirites more wicked then the first And moreouer we must assuredly trust as we are taught in this verse that so long as we haue a desire and a purpose so to doe the Lord will neuer forsake vs or suffer vs to fall into this impietie For here haue we a manifest promise and a liuely description of the Lordes singular care and prouidence ouer vs namely that he is mindful of the end of our tentations and afflictions â–ª so that we onely continue constant and patient vnto the ende â–ª And if the heathen Poet sayd Endure and reserue yourselues for more happy thinges how much more should Christians diligently stirre vppe them selues with mutuall exhortations to patience and perseuerance whether they outwardly suffer in things perteyning to the body and to this present life or inwardly in conscience For we haue a God which euen in death in hell and in the middes of all our sinnes can saue and deliuer vs. Verse 4. Do wel O Lord vnto them that be good true of hart The Prophet sayth not here doe well Lord to the perfect and such as offend in nothing but to the good true of hart The good and true of heart are they which are of a single sincere and vpright hart For these are they which are most accepted of God although they also through infirmitie doe sometimes offend Now where he prayeth that God will doe wel to the good and godly he meaneth also and secretly complayneth that the godly are in miserie and affliction and that the vngodly do abound with all worldly felicitie As we see at this day the enemies of the Gospel to enioy great riches and dignities whereby they vexe oppresse the godly This is a great offence and stumbling blocke to the godly and therefore the Church hath neede of this prayer that God would doe well vnto the godly which trust in him seeke his glory with their whole hart that they by stumbling at this offence do 〈◊〉 fal away to impietie This prayer conteineth in it a prophecie with a promise that like as he prayeth for the blessing welfare prosperitie of the iust so at the length it shall also come to passe Verse 5. But those that turne aside by their crooked waies the Lord shall leade with the workers of iniquitie but peace shall be vpon Israell He sayth not simply Such as turne aside but such as turne aside by their owne wickednes For to giue place to tentations by infirmitie of the flesh or weakenes of mind or else of faith and so to decline from the right way which commeth to passe sometimes euen in the Sainctes as the example of Peter teacheth is one thing and to fall away through wickednes and peruersenes of heart is another which can not be in the children of God but properly belongeth to the wicked and godles This sort of men hath euer corrupted the Church from the Apostles time and with a shewe of holines hath deceiued the simple which because God punisheth them not but spareth them and suffreth them to prosper in this world become so proud that they will be counted amongest the holiest and of the world are so commonly taken We see that not onely the godly are mixed with the wicked in this world but in the Lords floore also the wheate lyeth hidden vnder the chaffe We must pray therefore that God would bring these hypocrites to light giue vnto them their iust punishment with the workers of iniquitie Then shall peace ensue to the Church of god For whiles the Lord poureth forth his iust vengeance vppon the wicked which vexe and persecute his true members he gathereth togither the good and vpright of heare and openly declareth his fatherly good will and tender loue towards them The .126 Psalme VVhen the Lord brought agayne c. Touching the captiuitie whereof the Prophet speaketh in this Psalme the interpreters doe not agree Some vnderstand it to be means of the captiuities of Babylon some of the captiuitie vnder the Romanes other some doeth take that the Prophete meaneth here all the captiuitie and deliuerances of this people according to that promise Deut. 40. That if they should at any time be ledde into captiuitie for their transgressions and by repentance shoulde returne vnto the Lord he would shew mercy vnto them and bring them home into their land againe But in myne opinion they goe neare to the true sense and meaning of the Psalme which doe referre it to that great general captiuitie of mankind â—nder sinne death and the deuill to the redemption purchased by the death and bloodsheding of Christ and published in the Gospel For this kind of speech which the Prophet vseth here is of greater importance then that it may be applyed onely to these particular captiuities For what great matter was it for this people of the Iewes being as it were but a litle handfull to be deliuered out of temporall captiuitie in comparison of the exceeding and incomparable deliuerance whereby mankinde was sâ—e at libertie from the power of their enemies not temporall but eternall euen from death Satan and hell it selfe Wherefore we take this Psalme to be a prophecy of the redemption that should come by Iesus Christ the publishing of the Gospell whereby the kingdom of Christ is aduaunced death and the deuill with all the powers of darkenes are vanquished This Psalme being thus generally vnderstand may afterward be applyed to euery particular deliuerance Verse 1. VVhen the Lorde bringeth againe the
this distinction is not so well knowne by practise as it is by speculation For if we had this practise in deede we shoulde rightly discerne betwene the law the Gospell also betwene the disciples of the law and of the Gospel beate backe Satan with this answere that like a lying spirite he seeketh nothing else but to blind and deceiue the hart with falshood and lyes For whereas hard and stony harts be those he doth not kill or terrifie but flattereth and filleth them with hope faire promises which doe not perteyne to such harts Contrariwise where as such tender and timorous heartes be as are to much terrified already and therefore should be confirmed reised vp with the promises of the Gospell those heartes Satan most of all not onely goeth about further to afflict and terrifie but to beate them downe also to vtter discomfort Wherefore the Christian man must learne and labour by feeling and practise to make this distinction in his heart and say vnto Satan Away from me Satan with thy lyes When I am void of the feare of God secure and hard harted then come and pleade the lawe against me then will I heare thee for then that is the tyme to teach the law But since thou commest nowe vnto me with the law whereas my heart is terrified already with sinne death I wil not heare thee For thy doctrine perteyneth not vnto me but laughter and ioy not terrour and death So should Satan be aunswered when he goeth about to terrifie vs But by experience we feele that when most neede is our heart is not able thus to aunswere although we haue heard these thinges before neuer so often The cause is this that albeit heauen be ours and wide open for vs yet such is our nature and such is our infirmitie that all this can not make vs so ioyfull as the gaping gulph and horrour of hell doth terrifie vs So that one cogitation of our sinnes doth more afflict vs then all the teaching and preaching of the merites of Christ can comfort vs Wherefore we must earnestly endeuour to learne this practise or at the least to atteyne to some knowledge thereof and reyse vp our selues with these wordes that the Gospell is nothing else but laughter and ioy which properly perteyneth to the captiues that is to those that feele the captiuitie of sinne and death to the fleshy and tender heartes terrified with the feeling of the wrath and iudgement of god These are the Disciples in whose hearts should be planted laughter and ioy and whiche onely should heare the voyce of ioy and gladnes in the tabernacles of the righteous and that by the authoritie of the holy Ghost which this verse setteth foorth For it signifieth that this people was in Sion and after the outward shew of the kingdom and priesthood did mightely flourish But if a man consider them according to the spirite he shall see them to be in miserable captiuitie and that their tongue is full of heauines and mourning because their heart is terrified with the sense of sinne and death This is Moises tongue or Moises mouth full of wormewoode and of the bitternes of death wherewith he ought to kill those onely which are to liuely and full of securitie But they which feele their captiuitie should haue their mouthes filled with laughter and ioy that is the redemption and deliueraunce from sinne and death purchased by the bloode of Christ should be preached vnto them This is the sense and meaning of the holy Ghost that the mouth of such should be filled with laughter that is their mouth should sound and shew forth nothing else but great gladnes and those inestimable consolations of the Gospell with voyces of triumph and victory by Christ ouercomming Satan destroying death and taking away our sinnes This was first spoken vnto the Iewes for this laughter was first offered to that people then hauing the promises Now he turneth to the Gentiles whome he calleth to the partaking of this laughter Then shall they say among the Gentiles c. The Gentiles naturally hated and disdayned the Iewes and coulde abide nothing lesse then their religion Yet these Gentiles saith he when this laughter this ioy shall be published and preached shall maruell thereat and shall praise the great workes as the Lorde Nowe the Gentiles would not thus doe or esteeme this worke of God as a benefite excepte they also should be partakers of the same Therefore when the holy Ghoste saith that the Gentiles should publish praise and magnifie this benefite of the Iewes deliuerance out of captiuitie he plainely signifieth withall that they shoulde be partakers of this deliuerance and that they likewise shoulde extoll and magnifie this greate mercy of God this deliuerance from sinne and death To this doe almost all the Prophets beare witnesse In the 8. of Zachary it is saide that out of all languages of the nations should take hold of the skirte of him that is a Iewe and say we will goe with you for we haue hearde that God is with you Which place of Zacharie seemeth to be taken out of this Psalme In the first of Esaie likewise All nations shall flow vnto the Lord and many people shall go and say Come and let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his wayes and we will walke in his pathes c. These things doe make for our comfort which are not of the seede of Abraham after the flesh For albeit the promise was not made vnto vs yet when it was accomplyshed we were made partakers thereof but by the Iewes notwithstanding according to the wordes of the promise In thy seede shall all nations be blessed And salâ—ation saith Christ commeth of the Iewes Thus doe we Gentiles pertaine to this redemption although it was not due vnto vs for to vs it was not promised but came by the free mercy of God through this laughter and this ioy whiche the Prophet speaketh of published and preached not onely in Simon but emongst the Gentiles also which doe enioy all the good blessings and benefites of God togither with his holy people as it followeth Verse 3. The Lord hath done great things for vs therefore we reioyce Here you see one Church gathered togither of the Iewes and of the Gentiles and with one voyce magnifying the workes of the Lorde that as Paule saith with one minde and with one mouth God euen the father of our Lord Iesus Christ might be glorified For as the Church of the Iewes singeth The Lord hath done greate thinges for vs so singeth the Church of the Gentiles also being both partakers of one fruite both knowne by one true signe to be the people of the Gospell namely because they are the people of ioy and gladnes as these wordes declare Therefore we reioyce Consider now the kingdom of the Pope and the horrible abomination thereof
extremitie of his tentation The minde oppressed with terrour and desperation can not pray so long as such desperate assaultes doe endure but bursteth out rather into blasphemy murmuring against God and can not thinke wel or reuerently of god But when the extremitie of the conflict is past theÌ„ beginneth this crying vnto God and this vehement desire which the mind before oppressed with anguish and sorrowe could scarsely once feele It helpeth an afflicted conscience also very much as I haue said to heare some faithfull brother with comfortable exhortation counsel out of the word of God saying on this wise Brother why art thou so heauy harted Doest thou not heare that God will not the death of a sinner hast thou forgotten that God commaundeth thee to beleeue in him to trust in him Looke vpon the first commaundement What is it what requireth it else but that we shoulde worship God in faith and hope Why then shouldest thou not trust in his gooâ—nes and mercie Why shouldest thou despaire This is to heape sinne vpon sinne and whereas thou wast a sinner before in the second table and in the inferior degre of the commaundements of God now thou settest thy selfe in the firste table also and in the highest degree adding to thy other sinnes desperation and incredulitie c. When the heauy and troubled conscience is thus earnestly stirred vp to a stedfast hope and trust in God and to the consideration of Gods great mercie and goodnes towardes the penitent and afflicted then beginneth to arise some sparke of faith and groning of the harte bursting out into these or the like wordes Oh that I could These vnspeakeable gronings the spirite helpeth and at the length there followeth some feeling of relese comfort For God can not reiect or neglect these gronings Of these gronings we see a shadowe as it were in the first verses But why doest thou grone why art thou heauie Harken what followeth Verse 3. If thou Lorde wilt streitly marke what is done amisse O Lord who may abide it This verse in our diuinitie is well knowne neither doe I seee how either our aduersaries or Satan him selfe can auoyde it For what can they say or what haue we here that may moue vs any way to doubt As for Dauid it is witnessed of him that he was a man after Gods owne hart and in deede he is a singular example to all posteritie in all kind of godlines For although through the murther of Vrias and his adultery with Barsabe he is not with out reproch yet how great was his humilitie when the Prophete reproued him and how feruent was his faith when he raysed him vp againe Beholde moreouer his singular patience in affliction his carefull and continuall trauell for the amplifying and adnauncing of the kingdome of God of the true seruice and worship of god What should I say more Dauid hath not many fellowes whether ye consider his life and his faith or the witnes pronounced of him by the Lorde him selfe and yet he notwithstanding so excellent and so holy a man is compelled plainely to confesse his imperfection saying If thou Lorde wilte straitly marke what is done amisse O Lord who may abide it Is not this then absolutely to deny all the righteousnes puritie holines of men what so euer they be Likewise in the 31. Psalme thus he speaketh euen of those whom he calleth godly and holy For this shal euery one that is godly pray vnto thee that is for pardon and forgiuenes of their sinnes Where are they then that so highly extoll the righteousnes of workes seeing that Dauid him selfe in the sight of God simply renounceth and reiecteth his workes and all manner of righteousnes and onely desireth that the Lord would not streitly marke his iniquities But in deede our aduersaryes talke now somwhat more moderately in this matter then heretofore they haue done For they doe not now deny that faith iustifieth but yet they say that that faith which iustifieth must be furnished with charitie Thus like pies parrets they chatter and prate that they them selues doe not vnderstand But furnish faith how so euer ye list yet is this a general sentence If thou Lord wilt straitly mark what is done amisse O Lord who who may abide it Surely no man liuing For if any man had bene able to abide it then Dauid no doubt had bene able being so holy a man so perfect in the word of the Lorde so often and so many wayes exercised and tryed with afflictions to confirme and stablish him in faith and in the feare of the Lorde For I doe not thinke that emongest all the Papistes there is any one so impudent that will not thinke him selfe farre inferiour to Dauid and yet Dauid saith that righteousnes commeth not by workes For sayth he If thou wilt marke what is done amisse no man shall bee able to abide it or to stande in thy sight O Lorde Wherefore let no man trust that by his owne merites or righteousnes he shall be able to stande against the terror of death and the iudgement of god Neither doe I suppose that emongest our aduersaries there is any suche as dare presume to enter into the iudgement of God trusting vpon his owne righteousnes and yet they teach commaund and exhort other so to doe But we teach a contrary doctrine leading the Church from this false trust to a trust and confidence in the merite and death of Christ and for this cause they condemne vs as heretikes Is not this extreme malice They will not doe them selues that they teach other to doe For when death coÌ„meth they dare not trust to their owne merits and yet will they force other so to doe or most cruelly condemne them for heretikes Thus we are taught by the experience of all such as are not vtterly voyd of vnderstanding that no man liuing ouercommeth by his owne works or righteousnes in Gods sight and yet the whole nature of man when it is not vnder tentation still looketh vnto workes and seeketh meanes how it may by them please god But here is set forth vnto vs a simple and a plaine doctrine If thou Lord will marke what is done amisse none shall be able to abide it Who would then desire to enter into iudgement that he may be ouercome condemned cast away for euer This is therefore the summe and effect of all togither that we all Dauid Peter Paule c. were borne that we are that we liue and we die sinners But this is our glory our health and safetie that when by the Gospel we be instructed of the mercie of God and merite of Christ we leape ouer the boundes of the lawe and out of our owne workes as it were into an other world and into a newe light and comming vnto God with boldnes we say O Lorde we can not contend with thee in iudgement we can not dispute with thee as touching our
but must looke vnto the mercieseate So that albeit we can not deny but that we are sinners yet the remission of sinnes we may not denye And why is the remission of sinnes promised if sinners may not enioy the same Moreouer in that Dauid speaketh of mercie he conâ—esseth that he is a sinner and that mercie doeth properly pertaine vnto him But thou wilte say Sinnes make a man vnworthy to receaue mercie at Gods handes therefore let Dauid Paule and Peter hope for mercie as they which are holy and worthy to receaue mercie c. Such cogitations flye thâ—â— euen as a present poyson and destruction of thy soule and thinke rather on this wise Because I am a sinner therefore remission of sinnes pertaineth vnto me Wherefore I will not despaire I will not suffer my selfe to be swallowed vppe with heauynes but I will turne vnto the Lord who hath promised mercie who also hath commaunded that I should trust and beleue in him Thus Dauid setteth forth in this verse the summe and effect of all true Christian doctrine that sunne which giueth light vnto the Church For whiles this doctrine standeth the Church shall stand and flourish But when this doctrine fayleth the Church must needes faile and fall to ruine This doctrine I doe so often and so diligently repeate for that Satan desireth and seeketh nothing so much as to plucke the knowledge thereof out of all mens hartes And this is the speciall cause of all the troubles which he stirreth vp either publikely or priuately We see what mischiefe he hath brought into the Church by Schismes and factions not onely in that men contending and striuing for newe matters haue almost forgotten this article but many also offended through dissentions and discord beginne now to loth and contemne the same It is therefore the part of a faithful Pastor not to suffer him selfe by such offences to be remoued from this article but with an inuincible constancie and continual trauell to set forth and aduance the same Moreouer how often commeth it to passe that in those also which are cast downe with the beholding and consideration of the law and their owne sinnes this article of the forgiuenes of sinnes is either lost or else in great daunger Dauid therefore in this Psalme setteth forth as hereafter we shall heare not onely his owne experience but also exhortations and promises whereby it may appeare that he carefully traueled for the preseruation of this doctrine And in deede the greatnes of the daunger ought to stirre vp a carefull diligence in this behalfe and daily to encrease the same in vs For where this doctrine is lost the mind is ouerwhelmed with all kindes of tentations So when in the Papacie this article was lost what was so monstrous that was not gladly hearde and receiued of all men The impudencie of the Monkes all the religious rable was so great that I am ashamed to speak it there was not in a maner so much as the cracke of their foule panch but they would haue men to reuerence it But contrariwise where this knowledge is reteyned and this doctrine preached all heresies may easily be ouerthrown And hereof the Papacie is a notable example which by the preaching and publishing of this one poynt of doctrine is now vanquished and banished out of mens hartes For although you reproue the life of the Papistes and speake against their whoredom conetousnes tyranny and such like enormities neuer so much and by the euill workes of the law detect their impietie yet shall you nothing preuaile For all this the Pope doth not sticke to confesse as in deede he can neuer deny his manifest abominations But sayth he although our life be defiled with sinne yet our doctrine and our kingdom notwithstanding is holy In like maner the deuill in the lawe and workes can not be conuicted For he can therein so handle him selfe that he will easily breake out as it were through a spyders webbe and lose nothing of all his power But then is he ouercome in deede when the doctrine of fayth is diligently and truely taught aud that the Papistes haue not onely lost but also haue defaced with their filthy doctrine and opinions both Christ and the true maner of iustification If we sticke to this ankerhold both the Pope and Satan shall be put to flight For if their doctrine be once conuicted as false and erroneous they haue nothing to defende them selues withall Wherfore endeuour your selues with all diligeÌ„ce that this doctrine may be of you both well knowne surely stablished in your harts And let none be so arrogant as to think that he hath atteyned the full perfect knowledge of this heauenly wisedom For so long as Satan the world and our owne reason can do any thing we shall neuer be perfect in this knowledge And because we are as it were souldiers placed in the forefront of the battaile therefore we are in daunger of many perills which to withstand it is not in the power or wisedom of man. The summe and effect therefore of all these wordes Because there is mercie with thee is this that God will not deale with vs according to the lawe because we likewise should not deale with him according to the law but say with the Publicane Lorde be mercifull vnto me a sinner They that goe beyond these boundes of grace and leauing this rich and ample grace wil dispute of the law and works calling to account what they haue done and what they haue left vndone the further they go the deeper they plunge them selues in hell I say not this without good cause I see what hapned to good Bernard whom if you examine wel you shall find him contrary to him selfe For when he treateth of faith with an inward feeling he teacheth Christ purely he stirreth vppe mens hartes to the loue of Christ effectually and setteth forth his benefites sincerely then smelleth he of â—othing else but roses and hony But contrariwise when he disputeth out of the law or of the lawe then reasoneth he no otherwise then if he were some Turke or Iewe which either knoweth not Christ or plainly denieth him So is it likewise with all others that take vpon them the office of teaching and preaching For when they speake with an inward feeling and practise and are not caried away with disputations contentions they teach Christ purely But when they eâ—ter into the discourse of the law they so dispute as if there were no Christ which had instituted the law yea which with his owne blood had purchased the remission of sinnes This doe we also find to be most true when we fal in matters of the law mens traditions Wherfore we must stand fast in this Paradise or heauen of grace and seeke no further that we may remaine in this simple confession of Dauid VVith thee there is mercie But why doth he adde moreouer That thou mayest be feared
madnes For if patience suffer any thinge it commeth of a certain desperation as when a man thus thinketh with him selfe All that I suffer is but in vaine This patience is turned into fury and is oppressed with desperation But Christian pacience will not suffer it selfe to be oppressed but continually taketh hold vpon hope whereby at length it preuaileth and getteth the victory It is a harde thing not to be discouraged with such trobles as daily happen in matters perteining to the common course of this life But patiently to endure those afflictions which Dauid by his owne example sheweth that Christians which haue already receiued the forgiuenes of sinnes must suffer to haue a stedfast hope in the bitter vexations of sinne and accusations of conscience and patiently to suffer all other affâ—ictioÌ„s wherwith Satan vexeth and tormenteth the beleeuing heart this is in deede a diuine and an heauenly vertue and such a conflicte that God hath promised vnto it an incorruptible crowne of glory Now ensueth an exhortation that we should follow this example of Dauid and embrace this doctrine Verse 7. Let Israel waite on the Lord for with the Lord is mercie and with him is plentifull redemption This is in deede a golden verse worthy to be knowne and well vnderstand wherein Dauid wisheth and exhorteth all men by his example wholy to rest and to continue in a sure hope of the mercie of God. For faith is not so lightly to be esteemed as the Papistes teach which dreame that faith is a qualitie remaining in the hart with the which the hart after it can once number these syllables I beleue in God passeth on as it were in a sleepe For they that haue no experience of those conflictes which faith must endure doe but laugh vs to scorne when we say that faith is a principall vertue wherewith onely and alone we are iustified deliuered from sinne hell death and damnation For it is true that the wise man â—aith A foole vnderstandeth not except ye talke of those things which are in his owne hart These things therefore which we attribute vnto faith they ascribe vnto charitie preferre charitie aboue faith But if faith be set forth rightly in her owne colours it farre excelleth charitie For behold the obiects of faith It fighteth alone before God against Satan who neuer resteth but warreth against faith continually and that euen concerning death and life euerlasting concerning sinne and the accusation of the lawe concerning grace and the remission of sinnes Now if with faith you compare charitie whose office is to be exercised in releuing the miseryes and calamities of men whether they haue neede of comfort or succour in minde or in body who seeth not howe farre faith excelleth charitie For howe great a difference is there betwene God man betwene corporall necessities eternal death These are therfore the exercises of faith euen in the greatest dangers to fight continually against Satan in the presence of God For as I said before our â—ruel enemie will giue vs no breathing no time of rest Wherfore albeit the charitie is not onely a goodly vertue but also extendeth farre in comparison of other moral vertues yet is faith without all comparison a farre more excellent heauenly vertue whether ye consider y obiects therof or other causes For this is the fruite of faith when the hart feeleth that death is ouercome by the death of Christ that sinne also is put away the law abolished by grace and mercie These thinges are of them selues most certaine Yet such is our infirmitie that we can noe certeinly apprehend them and therefore we are terrified with the cogitations of death and sinne But if this hope and trust in the mercie of God were perfect no heauines should euer oppresse the beleuing hart Therefore Dauid vseth this exhortation that Israell after it hath once obteyned this mercie should still perseuere in wayting on the Lord and not suffer this trust and confidence in the mercie of the Lord to be wrested from him And here he hath respect to that great conflict wherein the mind oppressed with calamities beginneth to doubt of the mercie of god In this conflict because the mind doth not so soone feele those comforts which the word promiseth and faith beleueth as it would doe it is ready to despayre Against this tentation Dauid armeth vs and warneth vs to be mindfull that we must waite on the Lorde and neuer depart from the word or beleue any thing against the word and he sheweth the cause why For with the Lord sayth he is mercie The flesh in tentations and afflictions thinketh that with the Lorde there is nothing but wrath The holy Ghost therefore comforteth vs and goeth about to plucke this opinion out of our hartes pronounceth that there is mercie and goodnes with the Lord if we can but onely waite on the Lord and put our trust in him This testimonie of conscience and of the holy Ghost we haue great neede of for if we followe our owne sense we shall be deceaued and finde in our selues the contrary But we may not iudge of these matters according to our owne sense or as we feele in our selues but we must stand to the worde and thus thinke with our selues that these are matters of fayth and not of our owne sense and feeling For to beleue is not to feele Not because these thinges shall neuer be felt which we now beleue but because faith must go before feeling and experience And we must beleue the worde although we feele in our owne hartes and iudgement neuer so much to the contrary As when our hartes oppressed with calamities doe thinke God to be angrie with vs not to care for vs but to hate vs then faith cleane contrary must thus assure it selfe that with God there is neither anger nor hatred that he neither thinketh of punishment nor offence but although he suffer vs to be afflicted yet he doth it not to the ende to destroy vs For with him sayeth the Psalme is mercie Therefore he is mindfull of vs to doe vs good to deliuer vs from daungers to mortifie our sinnes and to increase his other good giftes in vs If these thinges happen not to the wicked what maruell is it For either they beleue not or else if they doe they continue not Wherefore let vs that beleue with faith ioyne hope also so that albeit our owne sense and hart shall worke neuer so much against vs and that God shall seeme neuer so sharpe an enemy in punishing vs yet let vs not yeld so much to our owne sense and feeling as to the written word and to the holy Ghost which pronounceth that with the Lord there is mercie who loueth vs seeketh to doe vs good This is the truth of the holy Ghost that we should thinke yea most assuredly beleue that with the Lord there is no anger but if any calamities
assayle vs as pouertie sicknes vexation of minde and such like we should endure these tentations with faith hope declaring our patience towards God and hoping for deliuerance at his hande in his good time Like as Paule also writing to the Romans willeth vs to reioyce euen in our afflictions and tentations For if God did not loue vs Satan would not hate vs If we were not partakers of life our enemie woulde not persecute vs with death So those which are most iust and holy because they hold fast the hope of the remission of sinnes Satan tempteth most of all wich the horror of sinne yea and that in such wise as some times the taking of one litle cuppe of wine or of one word vnaduisedly escaped he maketh such a sinne that baptisme and al other giftes and blessings which we possesse seeme now to stande vs in no effect Yea many times euen those works which are good and holy he reproueth and condemneth as most wicked that he may bring the tender and timorous conscience into heauines All these thinges I say the godly doe finde and feele But if we should follow our owne sense and feeling without the worde howe farre and how miserably should we wander from God Thus Satan dealeth not with the Papistes but goeth a contrary way to worke excusing yea highly commending in them most horrible and detesâ—able crimes as excellent vertues Contrariwise we that desire and endeuour to liue according to the will of God and moreouer doe teach the word sincerely and faithfully doe often times suffer such trouble and vexation of conscience as if we liued most wickedly We must learne therefore out of the word that these thinges hâ—ppen to the godly and must be ouercome with such cogitations as the holy Ghost here setteth forth So that we must thus thinke with our selues I am called to the Communion and partaking of the merite of Christ and am baptised If in the common course of this life there be any offences by me committed there is mercy with the Lorde and in hope of this mercie I will let them passe Moreouer our doctrine although the world sclaunder it and most spitefully persecute it must needes be true This doctrine after that we once beleue in Christ sheweth vnto vs that with the Lord there is nothing else but mercie For God can no otherwise doe but loue vs and bestowe his benefits vpon vs Now if the contrary appeare to my sense and feeling I passe not neither if I should die for it would I suffer this knowledge to be wrested from me but I stedfastly beleue that in the earth beneath and in the heauen aboue there is nothing else but mercie Thus to beleeue I am perswaded not by feeling or by mine owne experience but by the word which saith that with the Lord there is mercie for me and all that doe beleue But for them that beleue not there is nothing else but wrath I will therefore ouercome my tentations with the word and will write this promise in my hart that since I beleue in Iesus Christ doubt not but that my sinns are pardoned through his blood I shall not be confounded although all sence reason and experience would perswade and proue to me the contrary In my selfe I perceaue nothing vut wrath in the deuill nothing but hatred in the world nothing but extreame furie and madnes But the holy ghost can not lye which willeth me to trust because there is mercie with the Lord and with him is plentiful redemption Redemption signifieth deliuerance and that generall as wel from the faulte as from the punishment but specially from the fault This redemption he calleth great and plentifull because the straitnes of our hart is such that it can not comprehend the same For when we pray we so pray that it seemeth we woulde be content with a litle So they that are in trouble heauines of minde doe wish for the comfort and quietnes of one day They that are in pouertie would be glad to haue bread for the preseÌ„t day But God doth not thinke this enough for he giueth aboue all that we can either conceiue or aske And most true it is that we do not knowe howe or what to aske And here I gladly vse mine owne experience For what and how much hath he giuen vnto me alone I wished no more but that the horrible abuse of the Popes pardons might be taken away but what a floode of wonderfull and incomparable benefites hath followed So is it alwayes true that no man dare aske so much of God as God is ready and willing to giue The cause hereof is the straitnes of our hart the slendernes of our hope and weakenes of our faith This plentiful redemption then aboue all measure exceedeth all our petitions and desires Wherefore the Lorde hath giuen vs all a forme howe we shoulde pray For if we had not this forme of prayer prescribed vnto vs which of vs durst be bold to aske so many and so great things We are now therefore not onely made conquerers of sinne hell and death by the merite of Christ but also doe feele the bountifull and liberall hand of God towardes vs euen in this life And albeit we could neuer haue bene bold to aske so much and so many thinges yet notwithstanding he hath giuen vs these thinges and will giue vs also more Therefore the Prophete saith that this redemption is plentifull because it exceedeth our capacitie For like as we slenderly beleeue so we slenderly aske But our father in heauen rayneth plentifully vppon the litle poore sparkes of our prayer and small droppes of our faith and recompenseth his delay in giuing with great abundance For although we must still waite yet is our deliuerance so much the greater Iacob which is Israell waited for the Lord what followed That people so mightely increasing and multiplying of so small beginnings afterward chaunged the whole world And if Abraham had seene all his posteritie and all the wonderful actes which God wrought amongst them woulde he not haue said thinke you that he coulde neuer haue hoped or once haue thought that this should euer haue come to passe True it is that Abraham beleued the promise of God But that there should be such a wonderful and glorious bewtie of his posteritie he could not beleeue because of the straitnes of mans hart So the Church after Christ prayed for the aduancing of Gods kingdom and after this praier followed the ruine of the Romane kingdom which before seemed to be inuincible We likewise pray at this day for deliuerance The day of the Lord therefore shall come and shall destroy the whole world with all the power of Satan hel This onely therefore let vs endeuour that we may continue in faith hope Then shall the Lord make a glorious ende of all our troubles For God wil not forsake vs except we first giue ouer to hope and
therfore it putteth vppe the mindes of men with pride vntill they be humbled of the Lorde and so learne that there is no helpe in this righteousnes before the iudgement of God. How often haue we sene that great notable diuines which liued among men with a maruelous shew of holines with a great presumption of their own righteousnes at length when death approched haue falne into desperation fled to most vaine foolish trifles for help succour in so much the not only yet liuing they wrapped them selues in a fryers coule but also being dead were buried in the same So I remember that a notable man amōg lawyers of name fame the chiefest when he was at the point of death vttered these words O si subulcus potius quam iure cōsultus fuissem Oh saith he that I had bene a swineheard rather then a lawyer For he perceaued that in that daunger the administration of iustice be it neuer so exact helpeth nothing In like case when Cicero saw him self to be in daunger through the power of Augustus and Antonius his aduersaries he perceiued that there was no comfort nor succour to be found in all his great knowledge and learning but that all his learning and all that great studie and knowledge of philosophie vanished away and auailed him nothing The same hapned likewise to Demosthenes flying from Antipater To conclude all such examples doe teach that to be most true which Salomon sayth He that exalteth his house seeketh destruction But this our Courtiers doe not beleue They clyme loue to be aloft they seeke to rule and in deed they rule euen as he that driueth the cart vntil it sticke fast in the myre and can neither goe forward nor backward And this is the cause that kingdomes and common weales are in a maner nothing else but ruines and destructions Who would thinke if he consider the ciuill gouernment which was vnder the first Emperours that the Romane Empire yea and many other common weales also could continue the space of one day For as Titus Liuius sayth they can neither abide their faultes to be touched nor remedies to be applyed thereunto and therefore they fall of their owne sway as an house that is builded to high But the daunger is much greater when in Religion men haue proud lookes and proud hartes and walke in such matters as are hidden from them that is to say when they please them selues because of their holines thinke that they sitt in Gods owne lappe and yet know nothing of the free mercie of God in Christ and the forgiuenes of sinnes but walke altogither in their owne workes and say with the Pharisey that they fast twise a weeke they giue tyth they are not adulterers extorcioners vniust although their hartes be full of all maner of filthy lustes This presumption continueth vntill they see them selues to be in daunger of death then all these vayne helpes with all their false hopes vanish away and these voyces of desperation or such like follow I haue liued wickedly I haue broken my vowes I haue not obserued my rule c. When then I say wast thou made a Monke was it not because thou shouldest ascende to righteousnes But by this meanes thou hast descended into hell because thou wouldest be exalted They that rest in the confidence and trust of their owne righteousnes either fall at the length into these tentations or else they dye like an oxe or a cowe Verse 2. VVhen I did humble my soule and cause it to keepe silence then was I as a childe that is wayned from his mother Here he sheweth plainly by his owne experience what daunger it is for a man to trust to his owne righteousnes Wherefore let vs learne what these wordes in the Epistle to the Hebrewes The sinne hanging fast on or cleaning fast vnto vs doe importe And let vs not follow the foolish and rash opinion of the common people which by a fewe sermons thinke them selues to haue atteined the knowledge of the whole Scripture Thou hast peraduenture heard all but thou hast not yet beleued al. Thou hast not learned those experiences and practises which in a Christian are the chiefest namely of faith of prayer of the crosse whereof Dauid here treateth most effectually and diuinely as the excellencie therof doth require I caused my soule sayth he to keepe silence and humbled my selfe I sayd vnto my soule be still glory not hold thy peace When he sayth I caused my soule to keepe silence the hebrew word signifieth to confound or bring to nothing As in Osea it is sayd I will make thy mother that is to say the Synagoge to keepe silence As much to say as I will destroy her and make her wast So in an other Psalme he sayth Be still that is prouoke not the Lord with your obstinacie and presumption but obey and humble your selues So sayth he here When I did not refrayne from presumption and trusting in mine owne righteousnes and the righteousnes of the lawe yea euen in God him selfe if he be worshipped by keping of the law when I did not desire that God although after a sort I kept the lawe would not enter into iudgement with his seruaunt this I say when I did not then was I in deede euen as a child wayned form his mothers breast The Prophet speaketh here of a matter of great importance and yet this similitude seemeth to set forth some light or smal matter For why doth he rather take his similitude of a childe then of a man which is growne to his full strength But this is not onely a fitte but also a very goodly and a pleasant similitude For what greater miserie can happen to a child then to be wayned and kept from the mothers breast This seemeth to the infant a very death and destruction So saith he here When I was ledde away with the spirite of pride and securitie and lost the dugge of Gods heauenly grace that is to say of the remission of sinnes and of the free mercie of God in Christe then was I in deede like vnto a childe which hath lost his mother without whose ayde and succour he can not liue that is I was brought to extreme and most certaine daunger of death and condemnation Wherfore the Prophet leadeth vs here to that necessary distinction betwene the law the Gospel For the law is a necessary doctrine to beat downe the pride of sinne in vs which riseth of that confidence of our owne righteousnes There is also as before I haue said a presumption in riches power wisdom but that presumption may be cured many wayes But this which presumeth of our own righteousnes is vncurable except that waining come wherof Dauid here speaketh by the meanes wherof our conscience being stirred vp through the terror of the law is forced to examine our life our maners conuersation But because we are
coÌ„strained to confesse that we haue many waies offeÌ„ded against that law it can not be but that certaine desperation must needs follow except Christ as a tender â—ouing mother giue vnto vs that dugge of grace reise vp our oppressed afflicted soules So Iudas was driuen to the halter by the sight of his sinne For there is no remedy wherby the seely conscience tormented with sinne can be healed but this alone to beleue as the former Psalme teacheth that with the Lord there is mercy plentifull redemption This is the voice of the Gospel which must follow the law wherunto also there is a way prepared by the law For like as our sinnes must be reproued accused so the terror which this accusation bringeth hath need of consolation Wherefore the true consolation and the true propitiation which is sette forth in the Gospell perteineth to true sinnes which driue a man downe to hell vnlesse they be cured by the mercie of God set forth vnto vs in christ For mercie pertaineth not to fained sinnes but to true sinnes which kill and condemne the soule This order therefore is to be obserued that when we glorie or presume of our selues and become secure then should the lawe and Moises come with his bright shining face which our weaknes can not abide yet notwithstanding it can not auoyd the same Now after that the lawe and Moises haue done their office in this sort by accusing the conscience and threatening the iudgemence of God for sinne and punishment for the same then is there place and opportunitie for Christ to come with the dugge of grace to comfort and refresh the wayned child crying for sucke and seeking the mothers breast Wherefore this is an excellent similitude which setteth forth vnto vs first our owne weakenes namely that there is in vs no strength at all whereby we may be able to withstande Satan and to heale our wounded conscience then also the mercie of God and power of his word whereby he susteyneth and nourisheth vs as a mother nourisheth her childe with milke stilleth it and kepeth it from crying So the Gospell is both the wombe of God in the which we are caried formed and fashioned by the spirit of Christ and also it is the dugge wherby we are nourished fed Wherfore if we once lose this dugge we are as children wayned from the mothers brest Some thinke them selues highly learned in these matters and that they know them wel enough But take ye heede and beware of this presumption Recken your selues in the number of scholers and learners For Satan is so craftie that he can easily take away this distinction and force vppon vs in steede of the Gospell the law and againe in steede of the lawe the Gospel For how often commeth it to passe that poore and miserable consciences in the agony of death lay hold vpon certain sentences of the Gospel which doe in deede pertaine vnto the lawe and thereby lose the sweete comfort and consolation of the Gospell As for example If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundements Again Not euery one that sayth Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heauen With such sentences poore and seely consciences are so brused and broken that they can see nothing but what they haue done and what they ought to haue done Also what God requireth and what he forbiddeth These things whiles troubled afflicted consciences doe beholde they forget what so euer Christ hath done or God by Christ hath promised to do for our comfort Wherfore let no man presume of the fulnes and perfection of his knowledge in these matters In wordes this distinction is easie to be made but in death and daungers we finde how vnable we are to play the good Logicians when we must dispute of the thinges which we haue done or ought to haue done when the lawe obiecteth in this maner against vs This hath God commaunded thee to do and thou hast not done it but hast done the contrary Wherfore thou shalt be damned according to the sentence of the lawmaker Here he that is a good Logician putteth a difference betwene the law and the Gospel and graunteth that in deede he hath not kept the law Notwithstanding saith he vppon this antecedent or former proposition doth not followe this consequence that I should therefore despaire and be damned For the Gospel commaundeth me to beleue in Christ and to trust vnto the workes the merites and the righteousnes of christ He that vnderstandeth this and taketh holde on this brest or dugge of the Gospel is safe and is sure of the victory but he that apprehendeth it not muste needes perish and despaire In this doctrine therefore touching our righteousnes before God there is great daunger We must not presume therefore but walke in feare humilitie For if presumption in politike worldly matters when men are proude of their riches power or wisedom is not without daunger in diuine matters it is much more dangerous yea most daungerous and damnable and yet notwithstanding there it reigneth most of all For Satan commeth to the children of God and laboureth with all might and subtiltie to bring them to presumption and securitie Wherefore they must fight continually against this hidde and lurking poyson and aboue all thinges they muste beware that they flatter not them selues as though they knew well enough the distinction of the lawe and the Gospell In deede thou mayst knowe it but consider wel whether thou hast sure hold thereof so that it cannot be wrested from thee by Satan thine owne conscience Paule plainely confesseth that he hath not yet attained to this knowledge but followeth it as one running in the race and pressing towards the marke So it goeth with vs all We turne our face vnto the marke and this is the race wee runne that we may attaine vnto the marke But that will not be vntill this flesh be put of and layed in the earth Wherefore in the meane season let vs walke in feare and humblenes of harte with hartie prayer that the light which he hath opened vnto vs he will not suffer to be put out but that he will dayly lighten our mindes and make perfecte the worke which he hath begunne in vs Thus who so doe not shall be ouerwhelmed and oppressed with desperation and shall be like vnto children that are wayned and put a parte from their mothers breastes Verse 3. Let Israell wait on the Lord or trust in the Lord from henceforth and for euer This verse sheweth plainly that the Prophet speaketh here of that presumption which is contrary to faith and is called the presumption of mans owne righteousnes Therefore he exhorteth the faithfull to trust in the Lord and withall to abide in humilitie to mortifie that trust and confidence which man hath in the lawe and in his owne righteousnes This shall ye doe saith he if ye trust in the Lord not onely
it is which here he beholdeth signifying that the temple is giuen for the promise sake and not in respect of merites or deserts Where he addeth In the fieldes of the forest this is a repetition of that he said before For the fields of the forest he calleth Ierusalem as the Prophets oftentimes call it Libanus because it is builded of the Ceders of Libanus as though the trees tymber of all Libanus were translated to Ierusalem The former appellation therfore where he calleth Ierusalem Ephrata is taken of the person of Dauid and this is taken of the matter wherof the temple was builded Now these kindes of speech serue to this end that we should knowe what an inestimable gift it is to haue a place where the word of God may be taught For there the church that is to say the kingdom of God is preserued and maintained Such a place saith he haue we here where by the promise of God the temple is builded For here we heare the word here God speaketh vnto vs here we pray and here we doe all thinges which pertaine to the seruice and worship of God here the deuill with all his assaults his subtilties his furies and his lyes wherewith he goeth about to trouble and vexe the Church and to hinder the glory of God are ouercome Verse 7. VVe wil enter into his tabernacle and worship before his footestoole These wordes doe plainly shew that he speaketh of Ierusalem For he maketh rehearsall of those thinges which came to passe after Dauids time when the vow was fulfilled which he had vowed This is therefore a voice of gratulation containing also an exhortation As if he should say Since we haue a place for the word of God appointed and asâ—ured vnto vs by God him self why doe we stay why do we not go thither to heare the word to pray to giue thankes to set forth the mercy and goodnes of the Lord For these are in a maner the things which we must doe in the house of God in the temple To worship signifieth a kind of gesture or motion of y body which we are wont to vse when we pray as to bowe our selues to turne our face and to lift vp our eyes vnto the Lord. Before his footestoole is as much to say as before the mercise at or the Arke where God promised that he would dwell Nowe wheresoeuer the word is there is also the footestoole the habitation the resting place and the altar of god Like as by the worde the Prophetes doe signifie that God is present as contrarywise where the word is not there God is not present and so are we as sheepe in the desert without a shepeheard Verse 8. Arise O Lord to come into thy rest thou and the arke of thy strength Here againe he calleth the place appoynted for the worde the rest the tabernacle the habitation of the Lord according to that saying of our Sauiour Christ VVe will come vnto him will dwell with him And this is a prayer following vppon the former verses As if he said the temple is builded and now we place the Arke therein Arise therefore O Lord and come to thy rest that thou mayst dwell with vs For this is thy rest which wilte be worshipped in a certaine place and after a certaine maner Wherfore diuerse kindes of worship and diuersitie of opinions after the inuentions of men doe not please thee Thou art in deede the God of heauen and heauen is thy throne but yet thou wilte be worshipped of vs Thou wouldest haue vs to knowe that thou dwellest in this place and that we shoulde seeke thee here and not elsewhere It seemeth an absurde and a foolish thinge in the hartes of the worldly wise to bind God to this place and to enclose him in this darke Sanctuary as though he would be worshipped no where else So the Gentiles rounde about to whome the religion of the Iewes was knowne were maruelously offended that the infinite and incomprehensible nature of God should thus be shut vppe in a corner But God doth not onely contemn but also condemne the imaginations of men and commaundeth vs to thinke no otherwise of God then he prescribeth vnto vs in his worde VVhersoeuer saith he I shall put a memoriall of my name there will I be As if he sayde I knowe that this place is to litle to receaue or to holde me whome heauen can not holde Yea in respect of my Maiestie and person I need no place But thou for thy saluation hast neede that such a place there should be where thou maist serue me finde me heare my word receiue my blessing c. This I say thy necessitie requireth lest that if I should not appoynt such a place vnto thee the deuill should deceiue thee when thou thinkest thy selfe to serue and worship me thou shouldest serue and worship Satan him self This daunger moueth me to limit a certeine place wherein may remaine a memoriall of my name The Arke was but a corporall thing like as our temples haue a matter as tymber and stone whereof they are builded But because God by his worde had bound his presence to this corporall place therefore it was nowe the true habitation of god So we know that the word is incarnate and become flesh The bodye of Christ therfore or the flesh of Christ is a true body and true flesh and his humanitie is a true humanitie But in this flesh in this body and in this humanitie God is set forth vnto vs as in a certeine myrrour or a glasse In this flesh God so appeareth vnto vs that out of this flesh he neither will be worshipped nor can be knowne We therfore doe also worship before that Arke which is now before our Mercieseate euen the man Christ and we beleue that they which serue honour God out of this Mercieseate doe sinne and are idolaters as they which at that time sought God would worship him any where else then in the temple did sinne and were Idolaters Wherefore the faithfull euen when they were not at Ierusalem in prayer turned their faces towardes Ierusalem Like as now the Church though it be dispersed throughout the world accordeth in this notwithstanding that it prayeth in the name of Iesus vppon whose passion and merites it wholy resteth and so by faith in Christ it is but one Church Wherfore we must diligently marke those sentences of the Scripture which after this maner binde God to one certeine place for they arme vs against all maner of Idolatrie and teach vs to iudge all kindes of doctrine Like as the Iewes could iudge this doctrine to be true that all maner of worship which was not done in that place of the Tabernacle was Idolatrie So the Patriarkes were able to iudge of the Altars which they made in those places where God appeared vnto them For there might not be one temple erected against an other nor one altar
out of Sion and a newe kingdome of Christe out of Ierusalem Notwithstanding they say that this Ierusalem should be greater then the whole earth and the walles thereof should be the endes of the earth These thinges can not be vnderstand of the corporall Ierusalem which notwithstanding was the first occasion of the beginning of the kingdom of Christ but after wardes it was horribly destroyed like as also the wicked sorte of Dauids posteritie were rooted out but the godly remained vntill Christ was borne Moreouer it is euident that this election and choosing began vnder Dauid For before that time the citie of Ierusalem belonged to the Iebusites but vnder Dauid it was chosen by the promise of God to be a citie for the Kinges and Priestes in such sort that like as before the persons of the Priests did not wander from tribe to tribe but were alwayes certaine so the persons and successions of the Kings should not nowe vncertainly wander as the Iudges and the Princes did which continued not in any certaine tribe and here againe he vseth the worde of choosing to confound the presumption confidence of merite which was so groūded in their hartes to the ende they might vnderstand that this citie was appointed by the good pleasure of God to be a seate and harborowe for religion and policie For this deuilish vice was peculiar vnto the Iewes that they gloried in their merites their seruice and ceremonies For this cause Moses also sharply reproueth them and warneth them that they should not thinke they had obteyned these great benefites through their owne righteousnes Not for thy righteousnes saith he hath the Lorde brought thee into this land This deuilish presumption we see also to be in the Papacie but much worse then it was emongest the people of god For they vsed that worship seruice which was commaunded of god But in Popery there is nothing but mans inuentions which are the worshipping of idolls Nowe whereas the Lord promiseth that he will dwell in Ierusalem this seemeth to be but a small matter But we must loke to the Maiestie of the inhabitour and then the place be it neuer so base and contemptible shall become glorious For this did the word promise that he whom the heauens could not comprehend should be found in Ierusalem This is therefore a singular promise when men may knowe and enioy a certaine place wherein God may be founde that they wander not in the imaginations of their owne harts euery man choosing vnto him selfe a God or a place where he may serue God according to his owne fantasie as Ieroboam did which is horrible idolatrie Wherefore it is the great mercie of God that he hath appoynted a certaine place for his word and his whole seruice to the which place the Scripture attributeth this excellent name and title that it is called the holy citie not for the holines of the people inhabiting the same but for the holines of the Lord sanctifying all things by his word This glory hath the Church of the newe Testament also in that she hath for her head not the Pope as the wicked Papists doe most wickedly affirme but Christ sitting at the right hande of the father who is present with his word Sacraments This is an inestimable glory which dependeth not vpon our righteousnes but vpon the great mercie of God accepting approuing and commending all thinges that we doe for Christ his sonnes sake our head But the citie of Ierusalem found Satan her deadly and cruel enemie in this respect also because it was as it were the worke-house of God in the which he dayly exercised and wrought all maner of holy workes blessings benefites for his people Yet was it of God notwithstanding meruelously preserued to this end that his people should not be vncerteine where he would be found worshipped and heard And here agayne we are admonished that all these thinges come of gift and not of merite of mercie and not of workes For he hath chosen vnto him selfe this rest it hath pleased him to dwell in this place So it commeth not of our desert that we enioy the Gospell and other great blessings of god All these are the giftes of God through his great mercie and goodnes bestowed vpon vs for Christes sake Verse 15. Her vitailes I will blesse and will satisfie her poore with bread This word vitailes signifieth properly a pray But why doth the Scripture so call the sustenance whereby we liue Euen for the same cause for the which Christ calleth it our dayly breade So that like as beastes doe dayly followe their pray and finde it they sowe not they labour not but by pray they atteyne all that they haue Euen so shoulde we not heape vppe that through couetousnes and incredulitie which may serue vs for many yeres but shoulde daily looke for and receiue at the handes of the Lord that which is dayly offered vnto vs employing our labour notwithstanding as a meane to atteine the same therewith be content as the beast is when he hath obteined his pray For couetousnes incredulitie is not content with present benefits although the Lorde doe neuer so faythfully promise to feede vs and giue vs all things necessary for this life Thus the Scripture properly very aptly calleth our foode and sustenance a pray which commeth vnto vs taking no care but labouring leauing the care vnto God as our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs Matt. 6. who commaundeth vs to labour and diligently endeuour to doe that belongeth to our vocation for of the Hebrewes that is counted labour which euery day hath and bringeth with it But withall he commaundeth vs to take no thought for worldly thinges but to leaue all carefulnes vnto the Lorde who promiseth that we shall no more lacke then the birdes and other beastes doe which haue that is sufficient and yet labour not nor make prouision for the same For this is not the ende of our labour that in this life we should still seeke to enrich our selues and neuer be satisfied For although we haue the treasures of this world yet with this life we must forsake them And like as this life is not certeine but is as a pray which we so long enioy as it pleaseth the Lorde euen so is the portion of our sustenance but as you would say a snatch wherewith we must be content to liue and not be carefull for the time to come So doth this word condemne all faithlesse carefulnes and carefull incredulitie wherewith notwithstanding we can nothing preuaile Cyprian hath a goodly saying to this effect and worthie to be remembred Christians saith he which haue forsaken this world doe so litle care for earthly thinges that they aske no more but foode and rayment For their hartes are fixed vppon the eternall treasures of the world to come They seeke to liue but from day to day as straungers hauing here no
and make men holy So our Church is called holy not onely for the holines of the persons but rather for the holines which the word and Sacraments doe bring vnto those whiche vse them rightly To those he wisheth ioy and gladnes and that they may reioyce and be mery in the Lord. The meaning then of this clause is this that Christ Iesus our King hath giuen vnto vs his word hath commaunded vs to be baptised to vse the Sacrament of his body and blood not be cause he would destroy vs oppresse vs with sorrow and driue vs to desperation but to this ende that we should reioyce and be merry hauing peace and a good conscience by his free grace and mercye The kingdom of Christ therefore is the kingdom of ioy and delyuerance as an other Psalme saith in the tabernacles of the righteous that is in the Church and among the faithful it is the voice of reioycing For they knowe that Christ their King would that they should haue comfort life and victory against death and Satan This is then the reioycing triumph of Christians or as here he calleth them of the Saincts Why then should a Christian be heauy or sorowfull since that he is called into the kingdome of Christ and of grace baptised and nourished with the body and blood of Christ and dayly raysed vp by the word against desperation and all terrours If I then doe yet remaine in bitternes and heauines of spirite the fault is not in this kingdome nor in the word or Sacraments but in me and in the deuill because I doe not with a true faith lay hold vpon the word and thorowly beleeue it For why should I feare if I did verely beleue that I am baptised called made pertaker of the body and blood of Christ and so receiued into the kingdom of life comprehended of grace as Paul speaketh and shut vnder the mercie of God These are nothing else therefore but the subtill sleightes and deceits of Satan which will not suffer vs to see our inestimable riches and glory but counterfetteth tentations and crosses where no crosse is but health and victorye Wherefore it was well said of that Christian virgine who being tempted of Satan answered that she was a Christian and so rested wholy in that man Christ. For we may not reason muche with Satan If he obiect vnto thee thy sinnes it shal suffice if thou obiect vnto him againe thy baptisme which he can not deny Also if thou lay against him the word whereby thou wast called into the kingdom of grace which for as much as it is the word of God how can it deceiue thee Thus in a Christian heauines can take no place if in his hart he doe acknowledge baptisme the word the communion of the body and blood of Christ the grace the fauour and the mercie of god How can he then but reioyce and be glad But because we often times suffer the worde and these giftes of God to be taken from vs and turne our eyes an other way it can not be but that heauines and terror must needes follow And this commeth to passe by the faulte partely of our selues as I haue saide and partly of Satan who leadeth vs from the word before we be ware and maketh vs to thinke of our owne worthynes or vnworthynes of our good or euill desertes also of the terror of death of the torments of hell c. When we thinke of these things if we lay not hold vppon Christ we perish and are swallowed vp with anguish and sorrowe for this is to lose the Arke of the couenant They therefore which in these daungers take holde agayne of the word are safe and are now able to say with Dauid VVhy art thou cast downe O my soule and why arte thou vnquiet within me For I am nowe in the kingdome of Christe that is in the kingdome of peace of ioy and eternall reioycing sauing that it is hindred by the deuill and by our owne flesh which is more ready to beholde her owne sinnes and vnworthynes then baptisme the word and the sweete promises of god And this is the wisedome yea the poyson which is hidde in our flesh that we are more moued with our owne vncleannes then with the purenes of the word and the Sacramentes They then whiche rest in the word are in a sure hauen of safegarde from all these tempests and terrours We must pray therefore that God would giue vs good Pastors faithful wise and godly disposers of the word of god For by their meanes and ministery the Churche doeth enioy this inestimable benefite and blessing whereby it triumpheth ouer death sinne and the deuill For it knoweth that it is nowe in the kingdome of grace This is true and perfect peace namely the peace of the hart and conscience Thus the Prophet desireth as an inestimable gifte that the pastors and Ministers of the word may be clothed with righteousnes and then that the people also may reioyce This is the firste parte of this Psalme Now followeth the seconde parte Verse 10. For thy seruaunt Dauids sake refuse not the face of thine annoynted This is a newe prayer which he maketh in the trust and confidence which he hath in the promises For here as also before the name of Dauid doth not properly ssgnifie the substance but â—he qualitie of Dauid that is to say Dauid clothed and adorned with the promises of the kingdom As if he sayd O lord I beseech thee preserue and blesse our kingdom be thou present with vs be thou our shield and our defence And this I doe desire not for myne owne cause onely as though there were any worthines in me wherefore thou shouldest graunt me this petition but I desire it in the trust of thy promises which thou madest vnto my father Dauid when thou saydest that thou wouldest giue a light vnto the house of Dauid c. And here haue we both an example and doctrine set before vs that we also when we pray vnto god should looke specially vnto the promises as we haue sayde sometymes heretofore Moreouer this place admonisheth vs of the difference which is betwene the spirituall the corporall promises For the corporal promises haue a condition as touching our workes ioyned vnto them So the corporal kingdom was promised to Dauid with this condition If his posteritie should continue in the word the wil of the Lord as in Moses it doth appeare But the spirituall promises are grounded vpon no condition of mens workes but vpon the onely mercy truth of the lord Therefore although the people of Israell were depriued of the kingdom driuen out of their land yet notwithstanding the promise as touching the seede of Abraham was not taken from them For thus sayth the text Although I cast them out viset them with scourges yet my mercy I wil not take from theÌ„ Likewise Esay sayth God
shall make the consumption which he hath determined in the whole lande That is to say God shall consume and destroy the people for their sinnes yet for his own mercies sake he will preserue a remnant out of the which shal rise a new people a new church So the promise in this place made vnto the house of Dauid is cōditionall as the ende declareth in that the whole kingdom is destroyed Notwithstanding this is also true which the Angel saith he shal sit vpon the throne of Dauid for euer This contradiction can neuer be reconciled vnlesse we make such a difference of the promises of god And hereof riseth all the errour of the Iewes that they know not this difference They see great and ample promises concerning their land their kingdom but they see not that they are conditionall And againe all those things which are promised as concerning the spirituall kingdome they apply to the corporall kingdom Hereof it commeth that they glory so much and conceaue so great hope that their kingdom shall be restored But it is an easie matter to iudge how foolishly they are deceiued But we will returne vnto the Psalme The cause why he maketh mention of Dauid we haue declared to be the promises made vnto Dauid for the which he desireth of God that he will not turne away the face of his anoynted that is to say of the King which was anoynted by the word commaundement of God. Now the face of the anoynted he calleth the presence of the King or the kingdom giuen and ordeyned of god As if he sayd Preserue O Lord thy people mainteyne the iustice the iudgementes the equitie the whole politike gouernment of this kingdom that all thinges may be done in due order so that publike peace be not troubled by sedition and ciuill discord that discipline be not defaced and deformed by adulteries and other offences For these things and such like doe perteyne to this kingdom For to enioy a kingdom is not to enioy a crowne or a scepter but a godly ordered common wealth in the which innocencie may safely dwell and contrariwise sinne and wickednes may be seuerely punished All these thinges he prayeth for when he desireth that the face of the anoynted may not be taken away Nowe the cause why he desireth these thinges is for that this people had the word the Church of God emonges them which can not prosper and flourish where all is full of murther adultery warre and contempt of lawes So Paule likewise exhhorteth vs to pray for Kinges and Princes that we may leade a peaceable and a quiet life To this prayer doe we also exhort those ouer whome we haue charge Why then do the wicked accuse vs as troublers of the publike peace ▪ I am verely perswaded that if peace and quietnes be mainteyned by any meanes it is specially by the praiers of our Churches For how should the aduersaries pray what should God giue vnto his enemies the persecutors of his word which are in deede vtterly ignorant what true prayer is or howe they ought to pray Verse 11. The Lord hath sworn in truth vnto Dauid he will not shrinke from it saying Of the fruite of thy body will I set vpon thy throne We are entred as I haue sayde into the second parte of the Psalme in the whiche hee prayeth for the politike or corporall kingdome For these two kingdoms namely the politike and the spirituall kingdom although they be farre vnlike yet are they so ioyned togither that the one can not stand without the other For where politike peace is lacking there can no pietie or godlynes be maintained without great daungers Againe where the worde of God is not there can be no ende of errours blasphemies and other impieties Prayer therefore for politike peace and the common wealth is necessary Now when the word is ioyned withall the greater cause we haue to giue thankes vnto god And this prayer as I haue said is also grounded vpon the promise of god For in prayer we must aske nothing but that wee are certainly perswaded we may or ought to praye for or may be obtayned Now that we may be certaine how to pray what to aske there is not onely a commaundement as touching prayer set forth vnto vs but also a certaine forme of prayer and the very words wherby we are taught how to pray and what we should pray for and moreouer certaine causes expressed for the which we may be assured that our prayer pleaseth God As when we pray for the sanctifying of the name of God the comming of his kingdome c. And here is also to be noted that this promise is confirmed with an othe that it might be the more sure and certaine This promise as touching the temporall kingdome as it is great so was it an occasion to many holy Prophetes of great affliction and cruel death For as the promises of God in their right vse doe raise vp and comfort afflicted and godly mindes so by occasion thereof secure and prophane spirits ware proud presumptuous and through the confidence they haue in these promises they afterwards persecute the godly as we may see by manifest examples in the Prophets who because they reproued the idolatries of the Kings and condemned their false and damnable worshippings threatning the destruction of the kingdome and of the people vnlesse they woulde forsake their abominations turne vnto the Lord were tormented and put to death as heretikes for that they seemed to speake against this and other promises And in deede this seemed to be an inuincible argument whiche they vsed against the Prophets If God said they haue promised that the sonnes of Dauid should sit vpon the throne of Dauid for euer it is impossible that the King should commit any such offence for the which the kingdome should be destroyed The kingdom of the Pope hath not so goodly and so glorious a pretence and yet doth he also abuse the promises of Christe in like maner to establish his tyranny his idolatries and abominations How doth he bragge of this promise of Christ when he faith I will be with you vnto the ende of the worlde As though this pertained to the establishing of the Popes tyranny So that sweete consolation The gates of hell shall not preuaile c. afterwards became bloody and cruel and was an occasion of death and destruction of many Sainctes for that the Pope did apply it vnto him selfe and abused it for the stablishing of his tyrannicall kingdome For this was the only argument whereby they proued that the Pope being the head of the Church could not erre Thus the wicked doe abuse the promises which God hath set forth to raise vp the afflicted minds and consciences of his people against the true Church This was the cause why Amazia the Priest could not abide Amos the Prophet In the middes of thy house sayth