of the lawe and having recived that forgiuenes we are counted just in that righteousnes satisfaction of Christ apprehended by faith Of these three sorts of justification The difference of these maner◠the two former differ from this third that seeing in the two former the cause of the sentēce of justification is in him that is justified in this third sorte the cause of the sentēce of justifying is without him that is justified to make it clearer in that first maner of justificatiō the cause of justifying is in the works of the man justified So ADAM had bin justifyed if he had stoode in the obedience of God so Christ was justified for our cause by his own righteous works by the perfite loue vpon all sides of GOD and of his Neighbour In the seconde sorte of justification which is by punishment the payne it selfe which is suffered by the justified man is the subject and the cause why he is justified of GOD. So Christ alone is justifyed for our cause and hee is made for vs the curse of the law also he hes fully satisfied the law by his death Laste in the thirde manner of justification the cause is that selfe same satisfaction which is in Christe him selfe with-out vs as in ane subject but after some sorte made aires to wit by faith So then by this third manner al the faithful are justified by the cause of justificatiō that is Christs satisfactiō which is with out vs. DAVID therfore that we may returne to him again speaketh not of the first justification nor of the second but of the third he attributeth the justificatiō blessednes of man not to the works of man himself nor to the punishmēt taken according to the threatning of the law vpon man himselfe but only to the free remission of sins Which sorte of justification is accomplished after this order First the sinfull man being called of God beleeveth in Iesus Christ to whose sacrifice the wrath of God pursuing him hee is compelled after some sort one or vther to flie as vnto a certaine Girth Then taking holde vppon that sacrifice the wrath of God is now pacified The wrath being asswaged there is place for grace and mercy and therefore of grace he forgiveth him his sinne and therewith imputeth to the sinner that righteousnesse and satisfaction of Christ which by faith before he had apprehended And so in these two things is situat that sentence of justificatiō the cause wherof wee see to be Christs satisfaction with-out man himself except in this respect you say it to be in man in so far as it is apprehended by faith And this fashion of justification is no lesse effectual yea it is much more forcible and full then if God had justified vs for any cause which can be in vs. For the peace and quietnes of conscience is no lesse neither yet is that rejoycing which is through justification by faith in Christ by his satisfaction any whitles then if we ourselues were by our workes justifyed Being iustified sayeth the Apostle through faith Rom. ◠◠wee haue peace towards God Then a little thereafter We glory sayeth he vnder hope The Apostle also himselfe Rom. ◠◠in this justification of God by faith gloryeth securely against that man whosoever he bee that would lay a crime to his charge a ye experiēce it self hath ever teached since the beginning that this way of justification is more sure then that which is by workes and by a cause inherent in vs. For seeing that inherent righteousnesse both of Angels and also of men is lost this righteousnes of Christ apprehended by true faith shal never be lost In which alone surely to the end we may mak one conclusiō of this discourse who soever hee be that quieteth not himselfe there shall no part be left him in that blessednesse which DAVID sayeth is placed in the forgiuenesse of sinnes In whose Spirit there is no guyle Hitherto hath DAVID published man to be blessed through the forgiuenesse of sinnes now he sheweth him to be blessed through sanctification also especially for simplicitie and sincerity of the hart which is the effect of the remission of sins AS if he shuld say I publish him to be blessed to whom sins ar forgivē yet not with standing so that I separat not sanctification frō the forgiuenes of sins justification So Paul after he had shewed Rom. ◠◠that there is no condemnation for him that is in Christ Iesus presently he subjoyneth who walketh not after the flesh but after the Spirit DAVID therefore conjoyneth with the remissiō of sins sanctification for the blessednes or happinesse of man is no other thing then his blessed estate in Christ Iesus and it is the effect of all the spirituall blessings in Christ Iesus of those to wit which ar reckoned out * Rom. ◠29. there after and ar brought in * Eph. 1. ◠therafter Moreover they are the fore knowledge of Gods Predestination vnto life calling iustifying gloryfiing Then there is no cause why any should gather out of this place that a man is also justified through holinesse of life and good works because the prophet saith blessed is he in whose hart ther is no guyle seing that by the word of blessednes is meant justification but the common effect of all the reste of the blessings of which hesbene even now spoken and among the which sanctification is reckoned out as one Then we may define the blessed man from his owne causes going before that it is he who is called justified and glorified of the fore-knowledge and Predestination of GOD. Out of those thinges you perceiue that sanctification synceritie and cleanesse of the heart are required to blessednesse which in this life is no other thing but a begunne glorifying and that blessednesse is the common effect of all Neither yet also shall it appeare if the sentence of the Apostle be taken good head to in that place and if his words be considdered that the blessed the just man or justified man as they thinke commonly is taken for one thing For blessed also with the Apostle is none other thing then the blessed estate of the justified mā and the effect of justification or of imputed righteousnesse with-out workes From whence also it is that our Prophete in an other place in plaine words publisheth a man to be blessed through the works of sanctification For I would not expound the worde blessed in that place Psalme ◠◠justified as if the Prophete of the consequent effectes described the justified man But I would vnderstand by the name of blessed a man constitute in that estate of life which is the estect of justification sanctification and finally of all spirituall blessings in Christ See those things which we haue observed vppon that place concerning blessednes When I held my peace Hitherto was set down the proposition of the blessednesse of man Here
the remissiof sinnes David in another place publisheth him to be blessed whose sinnes are forgiuen According to thy louing kindnesse This is the cause why Dauid although a sinner notwithstanding dare be so bold to come vnto GOD that is to his judge to wit the loving fauour and mercy of GOD in Iesus Christ Eph. 3. 12. leaning to which hee hath libertie and entrie With confidence vnto God as the Apostle speaketh and craveth grace at him What time the conscience intendeth against vs any crime at the same time God as a juste judge passeth vp vpon his judgement seate and with majestie sitteth therevpon and with such an awfulnes that everie sinner is easily affrayd to come before his face for the vngodly are not able to sustaine that angrie countenance of GOD who haue not as yet felt that mercie of GOD in Christe Neither yet are they able from the hearte to call him Father yea they woulde rather goe out of the worlde that they might flye awaye from that his so fearefull presence Wherefore a sinner except hee feele together with the sense of sin God also to be mercifull he dare not be so bold as to compeire before him But now hauing felt his mercie and that loue by the holy Spirit powred forth into our harts he is no waies skarred away neither by the weightines of sinne nor yet by the maiestie of the iudge but that with confidence he wil draw neere vnto him For the feeling of the mercie of GOD in Christ hath so great a force of alluring If thou wouldest slay me sayeth IOB should I not trust in thee Blot out my defectiones The same petition is repeated from the exceeding greate desire of deliverance Blot out sayth he my defectiones That is forgiue me my sinnes whereby it is come to passe that filthily I haue made defection from thee It can scarsely be spoken how grievously Dauid had sinned First having committed adultery then man-slaughter Thirdly having contracted mariage with the woman defiled in adultery Fourthly the people of God being layde out to an open daunger and with all these finally was conjoyned obstinacie in sinne For hee had sleeped securely many monethes as it were in the sinne DAVID therefore being guiltie of so many sinnes surely he durst not haue bene so bold vnlesse hee had leaned to the infinite mercie of GOD to haue commed into his sight And from hence proceedeth that thing which hee cryed out Blot out my defectiones That is so many and so greate and that O God according to thy superabundant mercy Every sin whatsoever is the offending of that infinite Majestie Of this it commeth to passe that the burthen of sin-after some sorte is infinite if the sinner himselfe be not disburdened thereof in Iesus Christ Wherefore there is neede yea of an infinit mercy that any sinne whatsoever may be forgiven how much more is it necessary that infinite mercy superabundant be had to the end that many grieuous sins may be forgiven For seeing sinne aboundeth of necessitie grace must superabound Which thing experience it selfe teacheth For any man oppressed with some more haynous sinne he findeth not first reste to his soule before he conceiue in his mind the mercie of God which as soone as hee hath felt taken holde of there is no sin of never so great momente Ephe. 3. 8◠of the pardon wherof he may not now perswad him self therfore we shuld trauel al our life according to the saying of the Apostl We may be able to comprehend what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know that loue of Christ Ephes 3. 18. 19. which passeth all knowledge For out of all question the mercy of GOD in Iesus Christ is infinite But wee such is our stupidity are not able to comprehend scarse the thousand part thereof Of which it commeth to passe that in our owne default we are spoyled of a sufficient cōfort For there is no place for comfort in the soule without faith which what other thing is it then a feeling of the mercy of God in Christ Wash me much Thirdly hee repeateth the same thing as if hee should saye Cease not to wash before thou haue fully purged me from my sinne For it is an allusion to the clensings of the Lawe But it is to be marked that not being content with a light and common washing he sayth Wash me much He felt to wit that sinne had sette the rootes thereof deepely in him and that more toughlie it had cleaved to him and therefore he craveth of God that he would multiplie the washings which vnlesse it be done he thinketh that it cannot come to passe that hee can be clensed from the filthinesse of sinne Note then that sinne is not a superficiall thinge but that it occupyes wholie all the deapths of the heart But who knoweth this Surely not these secure men and Libertines who either feele not sinne at all or if they feele it they feele it lightlie and no otherwaies then in the vtter part of the skin Who then feeles it Verely they who repente earnestly and from the hart Those men very wel know within themselues how filthie a thing sin is how deepe partes of the soule it occupyeth and from hence it is that in this life they think they cannot bee sufficiently purged from their sinnes and that those panse vpon this that there is nothing wherby they may be clēged except that alone blood of Christ to whō only the holy Spirit leadeth thē when there is an earnest feeling of sin and a desire of washing For that is not the Spirite of Christ which carryeth a waye else where the soule of a sinner from Christ and to other washings satisfactions whatsoever which the Papistes dreame to themselues Of al these things which haue bene spoken marke this David vttereth the exceeding greate dolour of his heart in these his petitions and the cause of the dolours may be sufficiently knowen out of the petitions themselues Also the sin is whereby hee himselfe had grieuonsly offended his God For he sayeth Blot out my defections c. From whence is manifestly sene the difference betuixt the sorrow of the godly of the wicked These last indeed are sorrowfull not so much for the sinne Gen. 4. 1◠and the offending of God The examples of Iudas and Cain as for the punishment of sinne and the torment So Cain sorrowed Mine iniquitie is more sayeth he then that I am able to beare So also Iudas the betraier of Christ sorrowed But the godly although indeede they abhor the paine notwithstanding for this cause they are chiefly displeased that they haue offended their gratious God they detest sinne not so much because of the punishment as for the evil it self which is in sin and such was Davids sorrow at this time For I acknowledge my defections Hitherto hee hath sought one thing thrise now hee adjoyneth the cause of
that we walke in the liberty of the Spirit For by nature there is no free-will But where the Spirite of God is there is libertie 2. Cor. 3. 17. sayeth PAVLE And this is that blessed Christian libertie wherby we are so delivered that we may serue God and not that wee should liue according to our owne will such as libertie as these Libertines Fpicures doe faine neither yet must wee thinke that we are forced to doe our duty by this Spirite but that willingly we are led For God loveth those that are willing as Dauid speaketh in an other place Neverthelesse in this life this libertie is but begunne onely which at last shal be perfited in that life to come But we must yet a little more diligently marke the word of freedome for it signifieth not any common liberty but a speciall noble freedome such as is the liberty of a Noble man or kings son Neither yet without cause this worde is applyed to the presente purpose For wee are the sonnes of a king that is indeed Noble the King of kings and the most hie God For whosoever is regenerated by his Spirit he is his sonne in Christ although otherwise if wee considder these prerogatiues among men hee be base borne notwithstanding hei noble and more noble then any King who hath onely the first nature and is not regenerated by the holy Spirit For the regenerate man to speake this with Peter is made participant of the most noble divine nature 2. Pet. 1. Iohn esteemed much of this noblenes when he said whosoever receiued the Worde that they haue gotten this dignitie Iohn 1 12 to be made the sons of GOD. Beholde hee calleth dignitie that estate to the which the Sonnes of GOD were lifted vppe which if men would some-what more diligentlie take heede to they would not trouble themselues with those thinges which the Apostle calleth Carnall as are kindred 2 Cor 5. â—iches honoures but would seeke rather the new Creature in Christ for olde thinges are paste awaie and all thinges are made newâ— And hitherto the petition hath bene two folde The first of remission of siâ—â—es The other of Regeneration Nowe followeth the common argumente of the craving of both from the edifying of our neighbours I shall teach back slyders thy waies sayeth hee As if hee should saye if I shall obtayne at thy handes the thing that I craue O God I shall be a Preacher of thy infinite and incomprehensible mercy to others Thy waies he sayeth not my waies such as were man slaughter adulterie c. For those then were DAVIDS waies which waies indeede men are skilfull ynough commonly to pretend to their evill deedes who seeke none other thing then liberty to sinne yea and that vnder some certain cloake when notwithstanding this example of life is not set before them by David that they should follow it yea but much rather the waies of God aâ— set before them that is his vnspeakable mercies toward sinners which also appeareth of that that where sinne abounded grace superabounded The waies of God by nature ar vnknowen to man and specially that way of infinite mercy in his owne Christ of the which natur indeed was not able ever at any time to suspect But after beside nature and against nature it was reveiled notwithstanding the conscience trembling through the feeling of sin and of the wrath of God so that a mid cloud as it were is cast in betuixt the sight thereof and the grace of God that it cannot but see very hardly For then such an huge heape of sinne aryseth that it taketh away by force the whole sight of the grace of GOD almost from it In the mean time infidelitie which proceedeth of nature perswadeth vs to despayre of the mercy of God Finally a thousand impediments ingire themselues which al maketh it to come to passe that we are blind at the light of that grace of God so that wee finde in experience howe hard a thing it is especially to a man who is touched with an earnest feeling of his sinne to haue before his eies that mercy of God in Christ For I speake of him who is touched with a sense of his sinne For others who while they sinne yea and sinne grievously indeede notwithstanding they feele not that their sinne in speech surely they promise to themselues the mercy of God in Christ nevertheles in very deed they feele it not For it is easie to any secure man and that sleepeth in his sinne in a dreame to promise all things to himselfe God therefore willing the weill of sinners in this so great a difficultie of feeling of grace hee would haue left vnto vs an example of that this mercy whereby moste grievous sinnes are pardoned such as was this example of Gods mercy in DAVID the more notable in this respect the more grievous that his sinnes were as manslaughter adultery c. Also they were the heavier in that selfe-same respect that hee was a King PAVLE the Apostle 1. Timoth. 1. Professeth indeede himselfe to bee the chiefest of all sinners to witte a Blasphemer a persecutor a man that did wrong Notwithstanding sayeth hee God for this cause had mercie vppon mee that hee might shewe first on mee all long suffering vnto the example of them which shall in time to come beleeue in him to everlasting life This way of bringing men vnto grace which is by experience by his own exaÌ„ple God wil haue without al dout every one whosoever haue felt at any time in experieÌ„ce his mercy to follow to coÌ„municate to others willingly that tast of grace which they theÌ„selues before haue felt which thing David promiseth to do in this place I wil teach back-sliders saieth he thy waies In this place thou shalt marke that the godly when God as it were taking holde of their hande lift vp themselues they stretch out their other hand as it were to lift vp others whereby they also may be participant of the same grace WheÌ„ Christ calleth vpon them they also at the same time cal others that they may come together vnto him according to that commandement of Christ vnto Peter When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren For true faith not only is careful for the self but chiefly this is the ende of the purpose thereof through a certain zeale of the glory of God to promoove the salvation of others to wit that other sinners may be turned vnto God repent For David respecteth this ende in teaching others that is the mercie of GOD towarde sinners that they also might repent being mooved to wit with that sense of the mercy of God toward theÌ„ Of the which that thinge appeareth that some taste of the mercy of GOD preceedeth turning vnto God that faith is the cause of Repentance For it cannot bee that men can be turned vnto God vnles they be allured with some â—eeling of his fatherlie loue Deliver me from blood
in the plurall number because that onelie one sacrifice of a contrite soule is insteede of manie yea and of all whatsoever haue beene at anie-time Hee calleth them The sacrifices of GOD that is acceptable to GOD. I vnderstande by the broken Spirite as it were brused into little peeces and abjecte through the conscience of the owne weaknesse and vnworthinesse Then turning vnto GOD hee sayeth O God thou despisest not a broken and contrite soule It is a speech vttering lesse but meaning more whereby hee signifieth that the broken and the contrite soule is moste acceptable to GOD. But let vs considder some-what more diligentlie what hee calleth a broken hearte After that anie man is awakned vppe out of his sinne and his eyes are opened that hee may see his owne filthinesse having compared it to witte with that nature of GOD which is sette downe to vs to bee righteous and holie in the Lawe hee hath seene also the punishmente of his filthinesse the wrath and curse of GOD for no man at anie time canne sufficientlie wounder at the blindnesse of corrupted nature those who are blinde in bodie haue notwithstanding some sight for they see and knowe that they are blinde But those that are blinded in soule they are in this respect more miserable that they do not know indeed that they ar blinde yea they think that they see very clearely when in the meane time miserable men they are blinder then any Mowle while at length by God their eies bee opened vnto them After then I say any hath looked vppon the filthinesse and vncleannesse of his nature and Gods anger therewith then in hart he is cast downe and he who appeared to bee some thing to himselfe before now he is most abject in his owne eies and seemeth nothing to himselfe and this is the one cause of casting downe and contrition There is also another to witte the mercy of God in Christ being tasted surely in some certain measure which as soone as any man hath tasted he is not so much sorrowful because of the paine as because he hath offended GOD so merciful a father And this is that sorrow 2. Cor◠10. which the Apostle Paule calleth godly sorrowe which causeth repentance that is the changing of the minde the mortifying of the old man and the quickning of the new man This sorrow which aryseth from God offended hath conjoyned therewith an vnspeakable ioy proceeding from the sense of Gods loue For it is not possible that that sincere feling of that fatherly loue should lacke all sense of gladnesse For which thing may appeare wounderfull to any the more the feeling of the loue of God in Christ be so much more is the sorrowe yea the gladnesse is so much the more For no man reioyceth in earnest who hath not bene in earnest sorrowfull And this the estate of a repenting sinner this is the most sorrowfull yea and also the most ioyfull estate of mortal men Now then God having looked vpon the heart of man thus broken and contrite he wonderfully delighteth therein and therein quietly satisfieth himself Frō whence God himselfe denyeth Psay 66. that hee dwelleth in Temples made with hands yea he denyeth also that hee dwelleth either in heaven or earth but hee professeth that his dwelling place and house of rest is a poore a contrite hart But if thou say seeing our minde is not fully regenerated in this life no not the hart of any man who most seriously repenteth how commeth it to passe that God taketh so much pleasure therin so that also he dwelleth quieteth himselfe therein I answere He who hath a contrite heart this man therewith is indued with faith For contrition proceedeth of faith and of the perswasion of the mercy and loue of GOD in Christ And the heart although it bee not altogether regenerated by faith pleaseth God to witte by faith in that alone sacrifice wherby both the wrath of God against sin is pacified and the conscience of the sinner is quieted Therefore God taketh pleasure in the contrite hart because the same is faithful also and hath Christ dwelling therin by faith To the ende therefore that we may please God wee should never suffer that sacrifice of Christ to slip out of our eies 20 Do well according to thy good will to Tzijon build the walles of Ierusalem 21 Then shalt thou delight in the sacrifices of righteousnes in the burnt offring that that shal be altogether consumed away then shal they offer bullocks vpon thine altar The other part of the psalme DO wel Hither to hath bene the first sort of petitiō for himself here followeth the other for the whole people the cōmon-wealth whereof he was then thought to haue had no respect when hee provoked GOD to wrath by his sinne for the sinne of the Prince casteth the whole people in danger when he layd them out to the sworde of the enemie Nowe this dammage whereby he damnified the people is compared allegorically with the fall of the walles because the faithfull are living stones in the house of God Then he sayeth that wee may come to his owne words Doe well according to thy good will to Tzijon according to thy will sayeth he that is 1. Pet. 2. according to thy free mercy For he pretendeth no innocencie of the people when he hath to doe with GOD although otherwise he abused the innocent people Neither yet doth he thus pray Do well to Tzijon because it is innocent but thus Doe wel to Tzijon according to thy good wil that is according to thy mercy Build the walles That is O God repaire a mend that breach which I haue made in thine house who of thy own power alone art able to do it It was an easie thing for mee surely to destroy this people by my sinne But it is not so easie to repaire the ruine againe and to make it of new whole Of the which you see that David when he craveth of GOD that he would doe well to his people he acknowledgeth therewith that in his default the people were destroyed The conscience therfore of that evil where by hee hurte the people vrgeth him now to pray to God for them If Princes fayle in any thing commonly it is in their office to wit that they governe not the common-wealth aright Such was the fault of David when he layde out the people of God to the sword of the enemie and therefore of necessity it is that their fault redoundeth to the whole people And from thence it commeth to passe that the sinne of the Prince is more grievous then any private mans fault in respect it spreadeth further abroad and by the daunger thereof involveth moe And from thence it proceedeth that when God deliberateth either to chastife or oppresse any people he giveth to that nation foolish Princes and counsellours that stirre vp alway pernicious or not necessary warres But contrariwise when he will prefer any
people he giveth to them good Princes and counsellours When God would haue the Iewes to bee exercised and afflicted with the Philistims hee gaue wicked Princes to the people Saul Ioram Achaz When againe he would haue the Iewes to be in a prosperous estate and flourish hee gaue them good Princes David Ezechias Iosias The common sorte of men while they looke vpon these thinges and marke this interchaunge they impute all either to the cowardice and foolishnesse or to the courage and wisedome of the Princes themselues Or finally to Fortune chance But they cry miserably for all those things proceed from GOD by reason of the thankfulnesse or ingratitude of the people Wherefore while we see these things to be done by princes let vs lift vp our eies not so much to the Princes as to God our selues Again see David in this place wheÌ„ by his owne sinne he had hurt the whole people being touched with the conscience of the mater he earnestly prayed to god for the repairing of his skaith wherby he daÌ„nified the people of god Moreover obserue Dauid himselfe being reconciled to God presently he interceedeth for the people he who him self is first reconciled to God nowe is quiet in his owne conscience hee is bolde also to interceed for others at Gods hands But he who is not yet reconciled to God and is therefore yet guiltlie in conscience he dare not indeed be so bolde as to plead his owne cause before God How much therfore is it profitable for a people to haue sum certain good man familiar with god that hath his conscience well pacified and that by faith in Iesus Christ Surely one such like man by his prayers is able to be profitable to many others before God God grant that the Lorde may giue to everie one of vs this faith in Christ Iesus which is the ground of all these things with the which we can neither do or be bold to do any thing Last of al in the last verse he mooveth God to do well to his people from his owne thankfulnesse which hee together with the people wil be bounde to performe to God to wit in offring the lawfull sacrifices acceptable to God according as it was the custome of those times when men were vnder the rudiments of the worlde discipline of the Law The words are Then shalt thou take pleasure in the sacrifices of righteousnesse That is lawfull sacrifices shal be offered vnto thee according to the prescript of thy law therefore they shal be sacrifices of righteousnesse For it is not permitted vnto vs to worship God according to our pleasure but it is necessary that wee serue him according to his own ordinance The meaning therefore is as if he should saye The sacrifices appoynted by thy selfe shal be offred vnto thee and thou shalt take pleasure in them Thou shalt also delight in burnte offerings yea which shal be altogether consumed to ashes They shall also offer according to the custome Bullockes vppon thine altar God seeketh his owne glorie yea and David also acknowledgeth the same in deed neverthelesse except he himself furnish matter to his glory that is vnlesse hee provoke men to glorifie himslfe by his benefites they will not glorifie him For none there is in hell that can worship God Againe al men indeed are not thankfull to the Lorde for the benefites bestowed vpon theÌ„ but these onely who haue tasted howe gracious the Lord is that is who haue some feeling of his favour in Christ Iesus Of the mercy of God there are many evidents indeed for looke how many his benefites are so many documents are there But sundry of them are of a common and vulgare mercie only such as is to wit of the Creator toward his creature But Christ alone is a sure evident to vs of singular mercy and loue such as is the favour of the father towarde the Son For God will not haue that mercy and that loue of his whereby hee hath loved the VVorlde to bee made manifest by any other thing then by his Sonne given for the world VVherefore only those who are in Christ and embrace him by faith those alone I saye feele how sweete the Lorde is because into their hearts onely that loue of God is powred out Wherefore also they alone are these who can be thankful vnto God for his benefites received We conclude therefore that which hath now oft bene beaten in our eares that we must chiefely endevour to beleeue in Iesus Christ without whome no good thing can we get without whoÌ„ we doe no parte of our duety either to God or men without whom finally there is no salvation Therefore God is to be prayed vnto continually that as of his infinite mercy he hath given vnto vs his only begotten sonne so he would open the eies of our minde to the end that we might see himself Also that he would open our hearts that we might entirely feele him without whom there is no feeling of gladnes in the hearts of sinners And this is to be prayed for by vs for and by the same Iesus Christ the sonne of God our Lord To whom with the father and the holy Spirite be al honour and glory for ever and ever Amen The Argument of the LXII Psalme The author of this Psalme is Dauid And it was written at that time in which Saul persecuted Dauid by his spies â—ent out The whole Psalmeâ— concerning his confidence in God For partly he shewed his confidence vnto the 9. verse partly hee recommendeth to all the godly this confidence from thence vnto the end of the Psalme The LXII Psalme 1 A Psalme of DAVID committed to be sung to the maister of Musick in Ieduthun 2 My soule onely is at rest in God from him is my saluation 3 He is only my rock and my saluation my strong hold I shall not be mooved out of my place with a great motion 4 How long will ye be devising troubles against a man ye shall bee all slayne howe long will ye be like a bulgeing wall a wall of drye stones thrust downe 5 They onely devise counselles to thruste him downe from his dignity they take pleasure in a lye they blesse with their mouth but within themselues they curse Selah 6 O my soule be at rest in God onely for of him is mine expectation 7 He is only my rock and my salvation my strong hold I shall not be mooved out of my place 8 In God is my salvation and my glorie my strong rock my refuge is in God The first part of the psalm MY soule onely As concerning his confidence first he gloryeth of his assurance in God Then he gloryeth against his enemies Thirdly hee returneth to that former glorying As concerning the glorying in his assurance David after hee had bene afflicted and troubled in minde at length he quieteth himselfe in God Having then felt so great a joy of that rest hee gloryeth thereof
allured by Gods benefites so on the other part wee be terrified be Gods judgements surelie we cannot bee conteined in our dutie To God therefore who provideth al manner of waies for the saluation of his owne in Christ Iesus his sonne bee all honour and glorie Amen The Argument of the LXV Psalme It is a psalme of thanksgiuing Dauid bursteth foorth first in giuing of thankes and praysing of God in the â— and â— verses Then follow the â—rgumentes of the proposed thanksgiuing to the end of the psalme All those argumentes are taken from Gods blessinges and benefites The benefites are partlie spirituall and eternall which belong onely to the affayres of the Church vnto the 7 verse And partlie bodielie and temporall which againe are of two sortes in this psalme For partly they aâ— common and belonging to all things created vnto the 10 verse and partelie they are proper and peculiar bestowed vpon the Church of God vnto the ende of the psalme The LXV Psalme 1 A Psalme the song of DAVID committed to be sung to the maister of Musick 2 O God whoe art in Tzijon setled hope and praise is due vnto the and to thee the vowe is to be rendred 3 O thou who bearest the prayer vnto thee shall all flesh come O GOD The first part of the psalme in which Dauid first through a sense of his miserie and sinne then through a feeling of Gods mercie as it appeareth out of the fourth verse thirdly by a faith quieting the selfe in GOD hee bursteth out into Gods praise and ascribeth onelie vnto him first the confidence of his soule Then the prayse of his mouth Thirdly whatsoeuer duty we haue bound our selues by a vowe to pay vnto our God and this thinge DAVID doeth in the seconde verse Then next in the thirde verse he promiseth that it shall certainely come to passe that euerie man through faith shall come vnto GOD. The reason is conteined vnder the title which hee giueth vnto GOD while hee calleth him the God who heareth the prayer In the thirde verse hee promiseth that faith of men in God which hee sayeth was peculiarlie due vnto him in the second verse As if hee shoulde say Men indeede O God oughte to giue their faith vnto thee and they shall giue it thee and shall beleeue in thee Learne out of this place what it is properlie to praise or glorifie God it is indeede to ascribe vnto him the thinges which ar due vnto him also the thinges which are due to him are those firste confidence of the hearte then praise of the mouth thirdlie are these duties which we are bound to accomplish either by a vow or by any other whatsoeuer obligation Then next wee learne heare that it is not in the power of any man to burst foorth into the glorifying of God by these groundes from which out of question the praysing of Dauid proceedeth neither yet is anye man able indifferentlie to pronounce those wordes which Dauid then at that time spake Setled hope and praise is due vnto thee But that man is onely able to do this thing who putteth his trust in God through a feeling of Gods mercie and quieteth himselfe in him For no man glorifieth God vnlesse it be of faith also he that beleeueth in him he both confesseth and professeth faith that all other offices are due vnto God in Christ 4 Thou clensest the wicked thinges and our defections which have preuailed ouer vs. 5 Blessed is he whome thou choosest and admonishest who maye dwell in thy courtes we are satisfied with the good thing of thy house with the holy thinges of thy temple 6 Thou speakest out vnto vs in righteousnesse thinges that are to be reverenced ô God of our saluation the confidence of all the vttermost parts of the earth sea that are farthest off THou clengest Here follow the arguments of the praise set downe from the benefites of God himself and first the benefites spirituall towarde the Church Of the spirituall the firste is the forgiuenes of sinnes by which he concludeth that proposed praise to witt that confidence is due vnto God c. Of this argumente that appeareth to bee true which wee haue spoken that DAVID bursteth foorth into this praise from a sense of Gods mercie and of the remission of his sinnes The wordes themselues whereby this benefite is expressed clearelie do signifie that DAVID had first wrastled with his sinne then that sinne preuailed ouer him in this combat Thirdly that God had purged this sinne from thence he giueth the glory of the forgiuenesse of his sins or of his deliuerance from sin to God alone Thou sayth he clengest for it caÌ„not be that any man can ascrive to God the praise of the remission of his sinnes vnlesse hee haue first foughten with sinne and haue felt himselfe weaker then sin in that combat Then that God is stronger then sinne to the which he himselfe was inferiour from whence I praye you proceedeth that voice of PAVLE I thank God by Christ We reade in the same chapter that David had foughten with sin Then that hee was carried captiue awaye vnder the lawe of sinne of which ariseth that complaint ô miserable man that I am who shall deliuer mee from the bodie of this death After this complaint wee easilie perceive that a godlie man hath his refuge vnto Christ in that in him he hadde obteined deliuerance from his sinnes whereof proceedeth that holy giuing of thanks I thank my God throgh Iesus Christ Wherefore we come not to the sense of the feeling of Gods mercy without a fighting to the glorifying of God himself And there is alway a glorious yssue of our combate for it endeth in the glorifiing of God with an vnspeakeable and glorious joy Then next the word of clensing is to be marked whereby is signified a purging by some sacrifice propiciatorie whereof he speaketh Psalm 51. 9. purge me ô lord with byssope that is by the holy bloode of Christe shaddowed out by that figure This worde therefore signifieth that which is set down in Heb 9. Without blood there is no forgiuenesse of sinnes For the fathers did not vnder the lawe implore at any time mercy pardon for their sinnes without blood sacrifice to pacifie the wrath of God Neither we our selues this day feele in our heartes the forgiuenesse of our sinnes but by that sacrifice of Christ apprehended first by faith neither yet dare we seeke the forgiuenesse of our sinnes except in Christ and and in his sacrifice Blessed is he whome The second argument of praise from the benefite of caâ—ling which by the ordour of nature preceedeth the remission of sinnes Then he ariseth a litle higher in reckoning out of the spirituall benefites of God to forgiuenesse the preceeding cause Now he comprehendeth Calling within those partes as it were The first is whereby God chooseth any man that is calleth him out from the number of loste men vpon this parte doeth that
without a most weighty cause Thirdly that the very death of the godly it selfe howsoever it seeme vile in the sight of the world notwithstanding in Gods sight it is precious Fourthly that continually the memory of the death of the godly is alwaies fresh recent Of these foure manners that first is chiefly to be vnderstood in this place To wit that for this cause the death of Gods owne is precious in the eies of God he suffereth in respect them not many times to die but delivereth theÌ„ out of extreame great daungers But whose death is precious in the eies of Iehova Even the death of those saith he whoÌ„ he beareth at good wil. Therefore the loue and favour of God is the cause wherefore the death of his own is precious those whom he loveth he keepeth them aliue neither doth he at any time suffer them to die rashlie Any would suddenly wounder at the first shew why God hath not only permitted but also hath commanded oft that so many Nations should bee destroyed no choise being had of men wemen and infants which thing wee reade in the booke of Ioshua come to passe vpon the people which were in the Land of Canaan When I was occupied in seeking out somewhat more profoundly the cause of this so greate a severitie this first came in my minde because God favored not those Nations but contrariwise hee hated them whereby it came to passe that their death was not precious in the eies of God If their precious death or not precious death dependeth vppon the loue or hatred of God how blessed are those whome the Lord loveth aswell in life as in death I beseech thee Iehoua Hee confirmeth Gods providence toward his own by his own experience as if he should saye hast thou not I beseech thee ô Iehova lowsed my bondes For he speaketh of himselfe as if hee were drawen bound hand and foote to execution For he meaneth that hee was brought to an extreame daunger of losing his life when by Iehova he was delivered He subjoyneth the cause of his deliverance to wit that he was the servant of Iehova for this cause a servant because he was the son of a hand maid for the sonnes of the handmaid are therewithall according to the law servants When he sayeth that he is the sonne of an hand maid hee signifieth that he is not a stranger a servant coÌ„ming from far but a houshold servant among the rest of Gods domestickes Hee meaneth then that he is not a man that is a stranger a sojorning servant in the house of god but that he himself hath some right title in the house of god either froÌ„ his parents which befor him wer coÌ„prised within the covenant of God for that is no coÌ„mon benefit of that we are borne as it were of the domesticques and confederates of God And surely the affection of Davids mind vttereth the selfe clearely in this gradation of words as it were For the wordes shew that the affection of the minde approched vnto God more more For first he sayeth I am thy servant This is the first degree or steppe of the words and the first approching of the soule vnto God Then he repeapeth the felfe same thing and he saith I am thy servant This is the seconde step of the wordes and the second approching of his soule vnto God Then he sayeth in the third place I am the sonne of thine hand-maid This is the third step of the words and chief signe of his exceeding great and third drawing neere vnto God For while he speaketh this last hee coupleth himselfe altogether with GOD and he cleaveth straitly vnto him and so for this cause he becommeth blessed For our happinesse consisteth in that communion and fellowship with God Thou feest therefore that thing in this place first from whence it proceedeth that hee publickly recoÌ„mendeth with so great a confidence of mind that providence of God toward his owne Surely it commeth from that his owne experience and of the particular providence of God toward him selfe For no man can prayse generally the providence and mercy of God toward his owne Church except he hath in particular felt the same in experience himselfe Certainly that saying would haue bin but coldly spoken by Paule To witte that Christ came into the World to saue sinners vnlesse that he himselfe had firste felt in experience both the miserie of sinne and the mercy of God and for this cause he subjoyneth these words Of whom to witte of sinners I am the chiefest to the end he might conclude in his own conscience that he himself was saved by Christ Therefore that generall faith of the Papists is vnmeet to recommend the providence grace of God toward his owne Church For never did I ever yet esteeme at anie time any Papist to be a meet Preacher or publisher of the benefits of God towarde his Church who is not able to bring out any thing from his own feeling or experience who is not able to say that of the which before we haue spoken in this Psalme I beleeued and therefore did I speake Marke secondly There ar men whom this or that kinde of death doth greatly vexe and torment as violent death as filthie suddaine exquisite and cruell deathes concerning which sortes of death indeede they do no sooner meditate vpon but presently they are striken with a horrible fear but this care thought which is coÌ„cerning the maner of death is preposterous Why should not that much rather be takeÌ„ thought of by vs that we may feel our selues beloved of God for if we be grounded rooted in that loue of God our death of whatsoever sort it be shal be precious in the eies of God we shal be more then conquerors in very death it self obserue thirdly Dauid out of all question Rom. 8. â—7 attayned to that hid loue of God which was in the hart of God he obtained some sense from the effect of some special notable deliverance he learned also that he was beloved of Iehova froÌ„ that becaus his death was precious in the eies of Iehova This is that our onely comforte in life and death that wee are not our own but our most faithfull Lordes Iesus Christs and that we are the Lords and that hee taketh a care of vs From thence also those godlie auncient men chiefly learned the same thing because they felt God present with them in very deede in whatsoever perrilles Amongst the rest David is to be nuÌ„bred who as he was laid open to many dangers so he felt exceeding many deliveraÌ„ces he perswaded himself that god had a speciall care of him in the selfe same place in which hee saide that the death intended against the godly was Precious in the eies of Iehova he without all doubt meaneth that this was a document of the favour care of God toward vs in respect that our death is precious in his
For it is the Spirite by whome wee crye as it were with a mouthe stretched out wide For howe oft wee double our crye so oft the feeling of the Spirite is doubted in our hearte The firste crye proceedeth from the firste feeling of the Spirite The second from the nexte The thirde from the thirde and so forth For no man calleth Iesus the Lorde but by the holie Spirite 1. Cor. 12. And we know not what to pray as it becommeth vs because it is the Spirite vvhich maketh intercession for vs with sighes that cannot bee expressed Rom. 8. For this cause I speak those things that the natural man may know that it lieth not in his power to pronounce one good word except first of a natural mā he be come a spiritual man But what is that that moveth him to cal◠so ernestly vpō God to this end that he would len his eare vnto his prayers Thought the that God was deafe These which are oppressed with Gods hande they thinke that God is so estranged from them that he nether seeth nor heareth them neither that hee remembreth them at all From whence arise those so lamentable voyces Heare ô Lord See ô Lord Remember ô Lord which occurre every where in the Psalmes But are they which call vpon God from their hart and earnestly desire his presence are those I saye in the meane time altogether destitute of the presence of God Would they I praye you bee able to seeke the presence of God vnles surely they had some presence of GOD through his own holy Spirite Are we able without God to thirst after God What require we therefore which we now haue For this cause we doe this that we may the more enjoy and possesse God For prayers bring that to passe that God draweth neere vnto vs and they are the increase of mercy grace for it is not possible that those sighes which are not so much oures as the holy Spirits in our heart and the cryes of that same Spirit in our mouth can passe away in vaine For GOD knoweth what the meaning of his Spirit is And blessed are those that hunger and thirst for righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied And we find that in experience in our selues that wee no sooner sigh vnto GOD but our soules are watered over with a certaine vnspeakable ioye so that we truely feele that thing to wit that the presence of God through the Spirit of heavines and invtterable sighes causeth the presence of God through the Spirit of ioy and vnspeaktble gladnes If thou shalt The preventing of an objection For this might haue bene objected either by God or by his own conscience Thou art a sinner Then how shall I heare thee Why doe I not rather consume thee in my wrath He answereth first by a concession If thou shalt straightly mark iniquities O God surely I grant that no mortall man can stande in thy sight but of necessitie he must be consumed be thy wrath Then next he answereth by an correction But vvith the is forgiuenesse As if hee should saye Thou markest not our iniquities according to thy justice but of thine infinite mercy thou forgavest them al in thy Son Iesus christ For the Fathers indeede and those auncient Prophets felt not at any time their sinnes to bee forgiven them through the mercie of GOD but by that mercy in Christe who hath promised vnto them whom they sawe as it were a farre off and in whome alone the wrath of God was pacified even since the beginning of the world to the ende that some place might be left for his mercy For vnles first his justice be satisfied surely there is no place for the mercy of God Also our estate in that respect is the more blessed then that estate of the Fathers becaus that sacrifice of Christ is presēt before our eies which they behold a far off in plain words may say God in christ is merciful hath forgiven al our sins which they no way ar able to say We learne also in this place this by the example of the Prophete that the conscience of sinne which wee call the trouble or evill of the conscience is an impedimēt that we pray not friely vnto God Yea we finde also the same in experience that an evil conscience vnles it be clensed vtterly stoppeth vp to vs al entry vnto God For that is the thing which the Apostle sayeth Let vs draw neere with our harts purged from an evill conscience Wherefore no entrie is patent vnto God except the heartes bee first purged from an evill conscience Also that thing which we spake concerning the conscience of sinne we affirme the same of sinne the selfe which if it be not altogether remooved out of the sight of GOD surelie God shal not so much indeed as count vs worthie of his sight And this is that which is spoken in this place If thou shalt straightly marke iniquities ô Iah Lord who can be able to stand Then to comprehēd in one word the things we haue spoken The conscience of sinne which forbiddeth vs to look vpon our God And that is sinne which hindreth God to looke and behold vs that are miserable And we learne the remedie of this evill out of the second part of the aunswere But with thee is forgiuenesse Wherefore this is the onely remedie that wee haue our refuge vnto the mercy of God yea and that by a simple and cleare confession of our sinne For no man ever yet compeared before God but as a certaine guiltie person craving the mercie of God earnestly with a confession of his sinnes But in this the whole difficultie consisteth how we may come to that throne of grace For seeing we cannot pearse but as it were through the middest of justice as it were through a certaine fire and slamming wall vnto the mercy of God and to that throne of grace surely it is requisite that he that would draw neere to that throne of grace bee enarmed and prepared against that wrath and righteousnesse of GOD which suffereth nothing which hath yea and it were never so little vncleannesse in it to approche neere to that inviolable majestie Now we cannot be armed against the heate of that fire with any other thing then with the alone righteousnesse and satisfaction of Iesus Christ Wherefore whosoever would draw neere to the throne of grace and breake through the middest of that justice and wrath of God of necessitie that man must be found to be in Iesus Christ and that he be purged by that bloud offered by his euerlasting spirit from his dead workes Heb. 9. Then after he is cōmed to the throne of grace by the faith of Christ then is that passing sweete voice of forgivenes and iustification heard That thou mayest This is the ende of the mercy and forgiuenesse of GOD his worship and reverence For no man ever at any time reverently worshipped God but he to whom his sinnes were forgiven
muste proceed from the Spirit of God himselfe They call this Spirite the Spirite of adoption which as PAVLâ— speaketh Rom. 5. 5. powring out into our harts that fatherlie loue of God testifieing therewithal that we ar the sons of God therfor it openeth our mouth that we cry Abba father that in our affliction we complaine vnto God For this is it which the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8. 26. The Spirite it selfe maketh requeste for vs with sighes that cannot bee expressed From this Spirit therefore this so familiar a complaynt of afflicted DAVID commeth For except this spirit and some sense of the fatherly loue of God be present as in the meane time I grant vnto you that it may be that some man will shout and howle in afflictiones and roare according to the custome of Lyons wildbeastes as DAVID speaketh of himselfe Psal 32. at which time in troubles he is not so tuitched with this feeling of the fatherly loue of God Neverthelesse that a man may familiarly turne himselfe vnto God and complaine vnto him as vnto a father of the grievousnesse of the affliction no maner of way can it come to passe except this Spirit be present and that there be some sense of the fatherly loue of God Servile 〈◊〉 soâ—â—y 〈◊〉 A servant that onely feareth his maister because of wrath and therewith loveth him not also neither yet on the other side feeleth that he is beloved of his maister while he is beaten by his angrie maister hee turneth not vnto him hee quarrelleth not with him familiarlie but as his maister handleth him inhumanelie so he complayneth not so much according to the maner of men as hee roareth and howleth like vnto wilde beastes without all sense of the loue of his maister But the sonne who is touched with a sense of his fathers loue in the midst of the chastening he turneth him vnto his father and quarrelleth with him familiarly So the afflicted childe of God quarrelleth with God his father of whome he feeleth himselfe much more loued yea euen then while he is afflicted be Gods hand then any naturall sonne whosoeuer can be beloved of his father Hee feeleth also God the father to suffer together with him to be commoved by the self same afflictions of his which otherwise hee him selfe sendeth vpon him euen as a father is touched with a compassion in the very meane time while he is chastising his sonne notwithstanding that of necessitie he is compelled to chastise his sonne specially to the ende he should not grow worse by libertie and impunitie And so to this place wee haue spoken of DAVIDS complaynt which we ought to follow in our afflictiones in which certainlie we should endeuour that ther be ever present with vs a sense of the loue of God in Christ Iesus But so far as concernes the person of DAVIDS enemies you haue in them not onely an example of blasphemie against God but of extreame malice against men who spare not so much indeede the soule or the other life in so far as they indevour altogether to cut away the hope of Gods helpe In which thing also yet see their wonderfull blindnesse who thinke that the godly are altogether left by God in the meane time when they are afflicted of him yea and also that they themselues are stirred vp by God to destroy and vtterlie to overthrowe them like as that blasphemous lowne Rabschake gloried against the people of God 1. King 18. 25. Am I nowe come vp without Iehova vnto this place to destroy it Iehova hes saide vnto me Go vp against this land and destroy it And thus much haue wee spoken of the first part of this Psalme 4 But thou Iehoua art a buckler about me my glorie he who lifteth vp mine head 5 I crying vnto Iehova with my voice he answered me out of the mountaine of his holines Selah 6 I Layd me downe and slept I awakened because Iehoua susteined me 7 I will not be affrayd for ten thousands of the people which standing round about mee haue pitched their tentes against mee The other part of the Psalme BVt thou Iehova The second parte of the Psalme in which through the sense of the presence and help of God albeit hee was not yet in effect delivered notwithstanding he glorieth as if hee were euen now delivered For he had scarse complayned vnto God when hee felt some presence and protection of his before hand For surely no man wil haue his recourse vnto God in Iesus Christ before he first in some measure feele his helpe Come vnto mee saithe hee Matth. 11 28. all yee who are wearie and burdened and I will make you to rest But what are these helpes to the ende we may come to the particular which DAVID felt to come from God in the time he had his refuge to him DAVID being disarmed fledde from his sonne Abschalom now he felt God as a buckler to cover and protect him whollie over David miserie 〈◊〉 glorie Hee was in shame hee felt God to be vnto him Glorie He lay prostrate he felt God lifting vp his head And to speake it in a word hee felt God to supplie all that wanted in him The matter is so then surely thou shalt want nothing which that onely one God shall not furnish if thou haue thy refuge to him yea thou shalt also feele him only to be all vnto thee Desirest thou wisedome he shall be wisedome vn-thee desirest thou glorie He shal be glorie vnto thee Desirest thou riches hee shall be riches vnto thee Finally he shal be vnto thee al things that thou desirest Moreover DAVID whiles he felt the sethings he holdeth them not within himselfe but the things he feeleth he speaketh out professeth them first before GOD. This sense of the mercie of God The seeling of the mercy of God it cannot be altogether suppressed and restrayned but it will burst foorth in an open confession For so both God himselfe is glorified and he who hes that sense receiueth the greater consolation especially the sense of the mercy of God being inlarged by the confession For how much the more we vtter foorth that sense of Gods mercy in our harts so much more it groweth and is enlarged But hee who never at any time speaketh a word either with God or men of the mercy of God in Christ Iesus this man by his silence declareth plainely ynough that he is not touched as yet with that sense of the mercy of God with which it became him to be touched The acknowledging of the mercy gotion I crying out Hee goeth forward in his glorying and as first hee had professed before God himselfe that feeling of his mercy so turning himselfe vnto men hee commendeth the same vnto them beginning first from the manner and fashion whereby hee had apprehended the mercy of God Then in following out every particular parte of the mercy For so it commeth to passe that both
God is more glorified and men are also more edified through that example of the mercy of God toward him for no notable mercy of God is bestowed vppon anie for his own cause only but also for the cause of others that others also by his example may be turned vnto God and may purchase mercie Wherefore saith PAVLE 1. Tim. 1. 16. For this cause hee receiued mee to mercie that Iesus Christe should first shew on mee all long suffering vnto the example of them which shall in time to come beleeue in him vnto eternall lyfe Therefore the Prophet beginneth from that reason whereby he had apprehended mercy Now it is perceived in conuersion vnto God prayer to the ende that no man should thinke that God giveth grace to that man that seeketh it not or that hee openeth the heavens to the man that knocketh not let be to the contemner or refuser of the grace offered For God will haue our faith exercised after that fashion albeit otherwaies he giveth vs not yea the leaste thing that can bee because of our prayers as for any deserving cause He aunswered To vvit out of his heavenly sanctuarie yea and out of the earthly also vnto which his visible presence was then tyed This is subjoyned that all may know that they seeke no sooner any thing from God according to his will but hee wil surely therwith answere them in some measure and so they may bee incouraged from the verie successe of the prayer to conceiue prayers thereafter Also wee shall see that it cannot be otherwise but God shall presently answere to our petition if we consider from whence the same is now it commeth from Gods own spirit it selfe and so it is not possible but God will heare his owne Spirit Wherefore PAVLE Rom. 8. 27. 28. after he had said that the Spirit maketh request for vs with sighes that cannot be expressed presently he subjoynes that God knoweth the meaning of his owne Spirit As if he should say God must of necessitie heare the intercession of his owne Spirite and answere to the desire thereof From whence I pray you is that that with sighes that cannot be vttered of which the Apostle speaketh we feele therewith that invtterable ioy and so wee come from God as if we were satisfied yea euen then when that self same thing is not as yet gotten which hes bene sought of him Surely none otherwise but from thence that God hes aunswered our petition For so God vseth stirring vp in our harts a certaine vnspeakable joy to aunswere vs when we call And this sense is more then all those earthly thinges more then this present life yea al things belonging thereto Wherefore hee hath purchased more at Gods hands who hath felt this joy then he who hath gotten this present life from God and all things necessarie to the same But now we haue in the end of the next verse what God answered to DAVID when he sayeth Iehova susteineth me Therefore God aunswered not so much by word as by deed then when he vpheld David Which thing he spake before in more words Thou art my buckler about mee my glorie and he that lifteth vp mine head He comprehendeth the same thing in one worde hereafter The effect of Gods mercy He susteined me saith he whereby hee meaneth that sense of Gods protection in the midst of persecution I layd me downe Now hee commendeth the effecte which followed so gentle an answer of God of the which he spake immediatlie before And it is indeede ane certaine securitie of the mind which he leaveth to be perceiued be the effects Now there are in it that he laie downe that he sleeped and that hee awakened out of sleepe For as when the minde of any man is troubled through any present daunger either he goeth not to bed or if he goe to bed he sleepeth not quietly neither yet wakeneth he softly if peradventure he sleepe So when the minde is quiet then indeed a man goeth to bed he sleepeth securely hee awakeneth softly Wherefore some deepe securitie of minde is manifested by those effectes yea and that a spirituall rest The thing therefore that maketh a minde secure in troubles you see it to be Gods presence and a feeling of his helpe Therefore the Apostle hath these wordes Rom. 8. 31. If God be on our side who shall be against vs For he felt that quietnes of mind through Gods presence which made him thereafter to provoke whatsoever enemies of his salvation Also that is worthie of consideration in what meaning the Apostle in that place vnderstandes God to be present with him After that he had fullie rehearsed all Gods benefites having begunne at the first to the last in these wordes Rom. 8. 29. 30. Those which he knew before he also predestinate whom he predestinate them alsa he called whome hee called those hee iustifyed whom he iustified those he gloryfied then he subjoyned vers 13. What shall we say to those things To the which interrogation he answereth If God be on our side who shall be against vs In which words surely he hath brought in one summe all the benefits before spoken of all which easilie may bee brought to this How God is with vs. That God is with vs. Therefore Gods presence is perceived by his powerfulnes in calling justifying and glorifying of vs So that if any man would know whether God be present with him or not hee must see whether if he be called whether if he be justified and by these as by the meanes he must ascend to the Predestination and fore-knowledge of God which were from everlasting Then least any should doubt of these benefites by which he declareth the Lord himselfe to be present with vs he bringeth vs to that gift of his son Christ of al gifts the chiefest and by an argument taken from the thing that is more to that which is les he concludeth thus He who spared not his onely sonne but gaue him for vs to death how shall he not with him giue vs all things also Therefore you see that the Apostle reasoneth from Christ given to all the reste of the giftes to the ende wee should learne from thence howe oft soeuer wee would know whither God be present with vs by his benefites so oft wee muste haue our recourse vnto Christ we must see whither if wee be participant of Christ of his death of his resurrection without the which surely wee haue no presence of God with vs no effectual power of God in vs. But to the end wee may returne hyther from whence wee began That is most certaine indeed The effect of the gracious presence of God that the presence of God and that indeede by the selfe alone maketh a man secure which thing is so true as if thou take away his presence man hath nothing in him but feare and horror specially when any grieuous affliction seazeth vpon him Or if there be any
him of the which it came to passe that being now sicke hee is more troubled in mind through the feeling of Gods wrath then in the body through the feeling of the sicknesse For that we speake somewhat of the wrath of God it is intollerable for it is not possible that hee can be satisfied vnlesse it be with the everlasting punishment of that man who is out of Christ It is not the sicknesse of one two or mo yeares not of a thousand yeares that can satisfie the angrie God if you be found out of Christ but thou must be punished for evermore The common place of Gods anger And even as the wrath of God in the selfe is intollerable so the sense of the flesh and of this corrupt nature conceiveth it to be vnappeaseable to be mixed with no kinde of mercy of which thing Cain complayneth Gen. 4. 13. My punishment is more saith hee then that I am able to beare But certainely prophane Cain lyeth against God and against his nature For where sinne aboundeth grace aboundeth much more If the minde could be brought on earnestly to seeke the same How Spiritual Davids feeâ—â—ng was For then it shall feele the wrath of God in Christ pacified which the flesh corrupt nature feeleth vn-appeaseable DAVID therefote to returne vnto him having once felt this wrath of God was more troubled through the sense of the wrath then through the sense of the most grievous sicknesse hee craveth then that not so much the sicknesse be remooved from him as the feeling of the wrath and he doubleth that petition as one who was deeply touched with the sense of that wrath O Lord saith he rebuke me not in thine anger neither chastiseme in thy burning wrath For hee apprehendeth not only the anger What doctrine the afflictions of the godly is but the burning wrath Therefore in the example and persone of DAVID this is to bee learned of vs The afflictions of the godlie are not indeede so many satisfactiones for their sinnes neither doth God lay them on vpon his owne to that ende that hee may satisfie his wrath and justice For Christ hath satisfied once the wrath of his father for the sinnes of al the beleevers yea and that indeede most perfitely For the Papistes lie The Papists 〈◊〉 concerning satisfaction in that they say that the afflictiones of the godlie are so many temporall punishments inflicted because of their sinnes which of necessitie they must suffer either in this world or in the other That is in Purgatorie For they saye that Christhes onely taken away by his death that everlasting punishment By which lie who is he not that seeeth how much is derogated froÌ„ that only one perfit sacrifice of Christ Therefore I affirme that these are not satisfactiones for sinnes or the punishments of sinnes but fatherlie chastisements by which God of his mercie exerciseth his owne in this life that they be not vtterly casten vp in a deepe sleepe of fleshlie securitie so perish with the rest of the world Which thing albeit it be true yet notwithstanding afflictiones manie times darkeneth so in our sight that mercy and loue of God in Christ that the very Godly are afrayde also when they are chastised least together at one time the whole wrath of God bee poured out vpon them Now this feare aryseth not so much of the renevved part of the minde as it doth of the flesh and vnregenerate part of the soule For loue casteth out feare 1. Ioh. 4. 18. Therefore it proceeded of the flesh that DAVID feared so much the wrath of God and his prayers some thing savoring of the flesh What the prayers of the godly are and of the corrupt nature mixt with them For the prayers yea of the most holy men contract a certaine spot on some one side or other of the remanent vncleanesse of this nature Neverthelesse in the meanetime he turneth himselfe vnto God and prayeth that he would turne away his wrath from him which is againe a sure evidence that he even at that time had apprehended some certain portion of that grace of God in Christ Iesus for vtherwaies surely he durst not haue bene so bold to come vnto God or to common with him so familiarly vnlesse he had bene allured by some feeling of that mercie in Chrisâ— Then the godly in the midde clowde of afflictiones surelie haue some sight howsoever at some time it be somewhat obscure of the mercie and grace of God by which they being allured come vnto God earnestly craue his mercy For they are not able who are not at least touched with some sense of his mercy earnestly to craue that mercy But we will make the matter manifest by this similitude When a mid cloude is cast in betuixt our sight the Sun the cloude indeede in the matter it selfe diminisheth nothing of the bright shining of the same which by nature is in the Sunne albeit the Sun be not seen of vs in the cleare brightnesse thereof be reason of the cloude that is cast betuixte Even so it is of that cloude of affliction that is casten in betuixte our sight and that sunne of the countenance and mercy of God The exposition and applying of the similitude in effect surely it taketh nothing away from the loue of God howsoever indeede it appeare vnto vs wherby God loveth vs in Christ which as God himselfe is vnchangeable so he remayneth the selfe same for evermore and is ever like to the selfe yea and remayneth even then when he chiefelie afflicteth vs. For even then when hee looveth vs in that his Welbeloved how-so-ever it appeare not so vnto vs because of the affliction which is cast in betuixt vs and his countenance And againe as the cloude cast betuixt darkeneth not the Sun so vnto vs that nothing of the sunne vtterly is seene and wee thinke that the day is suddenly changed into the night nevertheles surely some portion of the light shineth vnto vs through the middest of that darke thicknesse of the cloude even so neither doth that cloude of afâ—liction cast in darken that Sunne of the loue of GOD in Christ but some beames thereof will clearely strike vpon our mindes and hearts These thinges are somewhat more largelie spoken of me that we suffer not our selues to be so oppressed in the darknesse of afflictiones so that al beames of the favour of God in Christ bee vtterly taken away out of our sight but so much coÌ„tinually of that light which is in his face should be seene of vs as may shew vs the way earnestly to craue mercy and deliverance Iehova be gracious vnto me Hitherto once and againe hee hath prayed that the wrath might be remooved Now hee earnestly prayeth for the grace and mercie of God Wrath by prayer being removed wee should earnestly seek grace after the example of David Be gracious vnto me ó Iehova sayth he Hee had
seene the wrath of God he had sene also his grace hee had apprehended grace and after hee had commed by it he cryed be gracius vnto me â— Iehova For bursting out into these words no doubt hee had with a sweete feeling apprehended grace For wee should not be mooved to crie for the grace of GOD for the fashion and some light affection but with the cry that is in the mouth there should bee a deepe feeling thereof in the heart For the godlie no sooner seeke earnestly grace but they get it as soone their heartes being spred over yea with a moste sweete feeling thereof Because I am become feeble He subjoyneth an argument of grace The â—auses of grace â—oughâ— earnestly fought for froÌ„ his languishing siknesse as if hee should saye O God thou seest howe grieuouslie I am afflicted with sicknes therfore be gracious vnto me Heale me ô Iehova Again he earnestly craueth mercy This his frequent praier sheweth that hee had mightely wrastled with the sense of Gods wrath for wee would not nakedly A passionaâ—â— repetition and for a fashion so as men vse to do call for the grace and mercy of God if we were touched with ane earnest sense of Gods wrath but with a loude doubled voyce calling vpon God we would diligently endevour to escape out of that feeling For it cannot be that any man being oppressed with the wrath of God can flie awaie except God him selfe as it were stretching out his hande from the heauens ease vs of that burthen of his wrath Because my bones are altogether troubled Hee repeateth the argument taken from his languishing and sicknesse 〈◊〉 parts of the argument taken froÌ„ the languishing but being layde open in his owne partes Now the partes thereof are these the trouble of the bodie of the most firme and solide partes thereof to wit of the bones then a troubling of the soule be reason of the wrath of God seazing thereon As if he should say both is mine hole bodie troubled likewise is my soule troubled Finally nothing is whole in me Men indeed ar then in a good case when the bodie being sick the soule is touched pricked with a conscience of sin For this cause the bodie is outwardlie humbled by God that the soule also may be inwardly humbled For vnlesse in minde wee rose vp against the heauens and God himselfe what need were there of the casting down of the bodie Therefore DAVIDS bodie was humbled that his soul might be humbled For these things agree verie evil among themselues a proud hart an humble body And that is thought to be the most grieuous judgment of God when the bodie being humbled The most grieuous iudgement of God God boweth not therewith moveth by his Spirit the Soule vnto repentance and the very sicknesse itselfe is most desperate when in the most grievous feeling of the bodie the heart of any man remayneth insensible without the feling of wrath without the feeling of sinne without the feeling of grace But if there be any sense of the wrath of God in any man that is the high-way to recover conversion health but when there is not a feeling of the anger neither a conscience of the sinne then the afflicted man roareth indeed like a Lyon as DAVID testifieth of himself Psa 32. 3. And he is no more able to turne himself vnto God then a wilde beast vnto the man that striketh him The comfortes that commonly are ministred to the sick tend almost al to this end that in sicknesse they be quiet as concerning God they be secure in respect of sin they be at ease in consideration of heaven and hell Bee of good courage The stupiditie of the wisâ—â— say they remember not vppon death but remember of the recovering of the health of the bodie Then they commend the patience and strength of the minde but commend they that strength which proceedeth from confidence in Iesus Christ Noe waies at all but patience is vnto them a fearce minde proude and wrastling with that hand of God which seazeth vpon the sick Also if in the meane time any man make mention of God of his mercy in Christ of sinne of life death to come presently they receiue this speache as a most heauie tale and they cal it a melancholick coÌ„mouing which serveth rather for the increase of the sicknesse then for the diminishing thereof But men should deale far better with any sicke man if ane humbled contrite dejected minde were recommended vnto him For the minde being once caste downe there is some place for repentance for the earnest craving of the grace of God Our miserie the object of Gods mercie Obserue this againe DAVID in this place to the ende hee might moue God vnto mercy he setteth downe as it were to be seene before his eies and amplifieth his miserie so that in a maner it may be altogether seene of God Mercie presupponeth miserie Nowe to the ende that God may be mercifull of necessitie wee must be first miserable Wherefore if any man would earnestly craue the mercy of God of force he must professe before God that he is miserable For every man may truly speake that of himselfe to wit that he is miserable of his owne natur and that confession is aboue al things most acceptable vnto God in whose sight it becommeth vs not to compeare with an oftentation of our I cannot tell what Free will even as if it were in the power of our nature and it were but once to thinke of any thing that were pleasant and acceptable vnto God The impiâ—â—â— of the Pelagians for that were to detract from the grace of God in Christ Iesus of which onely wee haue what-so-ever power wee haue to thinke well will well worke well Neither yet again should we come forth in Gods presence with the opinion of our merites and satisfactions For they that seek righteousnes in these things they finde it not The example of the Pharisee The Pharisee boasted of these things but he returneth home vnjustified Luk. 18. 10. Wee must come forth rather in Gods presence with that miserable Publicane who having layde out his miserie before God and founde mercie Notwithstanding the Papistes cannot see nor will not see the misery of our nature to the ende that they might obtaine the mercie of God Therefore out of these thinges that haue bene spoken it appeareth that wee should lay our miserie open before God But how can it bee that any man can set before him the mercy of God The deuty of the god lie in obteining the merâ—â— of God vnlesse he himselfe first know that he is miserable Now to know that he is miserable and that he may acknowledge his owne misery it is not for the fashion to professe that he is mortall that he is a sinner that hee is subject to many inconveniences when in the meane time he
adjoyneth and amplifieth the cause of this loue vnto the 7. verse Secondly by saith he gloryeth with his owne soule Thirdly he gloryeth with God vnto the 10. verse Fourthly hee confesseth his owne weaknesse which was sometime in him and that by a comparison of the faith which the◠he had vnto the 12. verse Fiftly he taketh purpose to render thanks vnto God The CXVI Psalme 1 I loue Iehova for he heareth my voice my deprecationes 2 For he hath bowed the eare vnto me when I called vpon him in my dayes 3 And when the dolours of death compassed mee about and the griefes of the graue met me finding anguish and sorrow 4 I called vppon the name of Iehova saying I besseech thee O Iehova deliver my soule 5 Gracious Iehova and righteous Our God I say mercifull 6 Iehova preserving the simple when I am brought to nothing he besieweth salvation vpon me I Loue Iehova The first parte of the Psalme as we haue spoken in which he professeth that loue whereby hee loved God Also loue is ane certaine affection in the hearte whereby any man carnestlie desireth the communion conjunction of that thing which he loveth whatsoever thing surely it be But if the loue of any man towarde another be very fervente then verely he who loveth desireth himselfe to be made one as it were one man with him whom he loveth Paule expresseth the force of this loue when he saide O Corinthians 2. Cor. 6. 11. 12. my mouth is opened towarde you mine heart is made large Ye are not kept straight in vs but ye are kept straight in your owne bowels By which words indeede hee sheweth by the affection of his loue toward the Corinthians that his heart was so enlarged that he received them as it were within himselfe and into the bosome of his heart and that hee became as it were one man with them The loue of God is whereby we desire the communion conjunction with God ◠Cor. 5 6 8. Paule sayeth Wee are hold though we know that whiles we are at home in the bodie we are absent from the Lorde Neuerthelesse wee are bold and loue rather to remooue out of the bodie and to dwell with the Lord. From whence proceedeth this Pauls approbation surely from that loue of his Lord who as hee sayeth in the same Chapter verse 14. The loue of Christ constrayned him and continually carryed him forward vnto the Lord. And this is the cause wherefore we sighing wait for the comming of Christ For the loue whereby wee embrace Christ earnestly thirsteth for that conjunction with Christ There is also another thing that is required in this loue that is that for the loue of Christ wee would be willing to loose the most deare things whatsoever we haue in this life So Christ speaketh in Luke Luk. 14. 20. If any man come vnto me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my Desciple By which wordes Christ signifieth that his loue is to be bought yea with the hatred of those thinges which are most deare if it can no otherwise be obteined And this indeede was Davids loue which hee professeth in this place Such should al our loue be who professe the same God with him And in this respect wee are chiefely most happie because wee haue that God of Abraham Isaac Iahakob and David whom we may loue whome wee may worship For he heareth This is an argument of loue frō the benefite of his deliverance from whence arose a certain earnest feling of the mercie of God toward him Marke then that the knowledge of the goodnes of God and the sense of his mercy and loue towarde vs continually goeth before our loue toward him He loueth vs sayeth IOHN not because we haue loued him first 1. Iohn 4. 19. For it is impossible that any man can loue God vnlesse that now firste that loue of God in Christ Iesus be powred out in his heart by the holy Spirit Dauid in every place professeth his loue toward God Rom. 5 5. hee giveth an account thereof continually from the mercy of God toward him I wil loue thee saith he frō my very most inward bowels And what is the reason Psal 18. 2. Iehova is my strength Iehova is my rocke and my strong tower c. By which words indeed he declareth the cause wherefore hee so much loved GOD that it was the mercy of God toward him But if verely we wil loue God for except we loue him we are miserable and if we will set our affection vpon God we haue neede of nothing so much then of diligent marking of all his benefites which he continually heapeth vpō vs. For these ar so many testimonies of gods loue toward vs. Now wee haue said that the loue of God towarde vs is the cause of our loue toward him Wherefore to the end that wee may loue God from our soule every particular benefite of God so farre as it is possible is to be marked by vs. For surely the cause wherefore our harts burne not in that loue where in they ought to burne towards God proceedeth from this that we considder so slightlie his benefites toward vs especially that greatest benefite of all the benefite of our Redemption in Iesus Christ for while his benefites are nor weighed there is no sense of his loue toward vs. And when there is not a feeling of his loue towarde vs howe can it come to passe that wee can loue him He heareth my deprecation Therefore the prayers went before the benefites of God and the sense of his mercy For by those degrees we come as it were vnto the loue of God First wee seek at Gods hands any benefite whether it be Temporal or Spiritual Then after we haue gotten the benefite wee feel his mercy loue toward vs as the fountain frō which that benefite flowed Finally from that sense of the loue of God toward vs that our loue again towrad him aryseth Wherefore to the ende that any man may earnestly loue the Lord his prayers ought to be continuall for of continuall prayers and supplications continuall benefites of God come vnto vs which are so many testimonies of that his loue toward vs in Christ For he hath bowed Hee openeth vp at greater length the reason immediatly preceeding of his loue he abydeth in amplifying thereof vnto the 7. verse In my dayes Hee vnderstandeth the dayes of affliction and anguish as the verse following maketh manifest In this meaning the word of daye is taken Psal 137 Remember against the Edomites of the day of Ierusalem that is of the affliction whereby the Edomites afflicted the Church So Ieremy in the Lamentation 1. 21. For times metonymically in every language vse to be taken for misery in times and dayes We see therefore in this place that affliction thrusted David forward to praiers For
sight Last marke At what time doth David finally glory in that that he is the sonne of the handemaid of GOD that is borne of that mother which was in the covenante with GOD surely even then when therewith he acknowledgeth that hee is the servant of God It is profitable in deede to be borne of the Saints and of those Parents who are in Gods covenant so long as thou coÌ„tinuest in that covenant with God and art Gods servant for so that promise of GOD of long durable mercy which is made in the seconde command belongeth vnto thee I will haue mercy sayeth hee vpon the thousand generation of those that loue me and keepe my commandements But if thou make thy selfe vnworthie both of thy parents likewise of that covenant of God that shall nothing profite thee that thou art borne of the Saintes of parents that are confederat with God It profiteth thee nothing that thou art able to set downe thy pedigree in a certaine continuall race even vnto Abraham himself with whom the first covenante of God was made I will sacrifice to thee He repeateth that promise of thanksgiving which was set down before in the 13. verse Of the which because we haue spoken sufficiently ynough there we shall be the shorter therefore in opening of the same Only we shall adde this much to the things that wee haue spoken that fra once that stupiditie of our mind is shaken off and fra once we beginne to prayse God and to giue him thankes we are so carryed away by that Spirit of GOD that wee can scarce make an end of the praysing of God We are in deede but very slowlie stirred vppe to prayse God but being once stirred vp wee take such delight in prayer for a time and through that joye our heart doth boyle so that in a manner it is altogether powred out into the prayses of our God Wherfore to the end that we may praise God this deadly sopour of our mind is perpetually to be shakeÌ„ off and wee must endeavour that at no time so far as it is possible this our hart be altogether voyde of feeling either of our misery or of the mercy of God in Iesus Christ for of this two-folde feeling there aryseth a two-fold affection of the hart that is both of sorrow and of joye From sorrow speciallie arise petitions from joy arise giving of thanks which ar done in Christ Iesus To whom with the Father holy Spirite be all glory Amen The Argument of the CXXX Psalme It is a song of Doctrine written by some one of the Prophets It is composed of three partes First there is set downe a memoriall of prayers which hee had at sometime conceiued when he vvas in an extreame great danger vnto the 5. verse Then making a tranâ—ision he professeth that he hath yet his hope in the word of Iehova and that he dependeth vpon him vnto the 7. vers Thirdly hee recommendeth the same hope to Israell that is to the whole Church vnto the ende of the Psalme The CXXX Psalme 1 A most excellent song Out of the deapthes I cryed vnto thee ô Iehova saying 2 O lord harken to my voyce let thine eares be attent to the voice of my deprecations 3 If then shalt straightly marke iniquities ô Iah Lord Who could be able to stand 4 But with thee is forgiuenes that thou maist be reverently worshipped OVt of the deapthes The first parte of the Psalme The depths in this place are most deepe and terrible dangers for so are they called The metaphore or borrowed speech is taken from waters in which men are almost drowned Looke the Psal 69. 2. 3. c. This is out of all doubt that while any man sticketh in most deepe perrilles then hee powreth out from a moste hollowe and deepe hearte fervente prayers yea hee cryeth vppon the Lorde mightelie For so the Prophet speaketh of himselfe here Out of the deapthes I cryed vnto thee ô Iehova Thou seest then at what time the godly are exceeding grievouslie afflicted oppressed with the hande of God at that same time they vse earnestly to deale with their God and to haue their refuge chiefely vnto him with prayers and supplications For that the trueth of this proposition may be manifeste afflictiones worke in our hearts firste some feeling of our sinne and misery For vnlesse God exercised his owne after such waies as he knoweth moste meete surely they would never come to a sense of this common miserie of their nature then next when once the heart is prepared with some feeling of the owne misery Then the spirite of God which they call the Spirite of adoption toucheth the same with some sense of the mercy of God And to speake with the Apostle Rom 5 The loue of God is powred out into our hearts by the holy Spirite which is given vnto vs yea and that by Iesus Christ and by his death For surely the holy Spirite toucheth not our hart with any sense of the mercy of God in Christ Iesus vnlesse first they be prepared with some feeling of misery And then after that the holy Spirite hath powred out that loue of God into our hearts then wee conceiue in our minds that coÌ„fidence whereby wee draw neere and incalles vpon him For this is the Spirit which the Apostle calleth The Spirite of adoption by whom we cry Abba Father We crye sayeth hee because the Spirite of adoption through the feeling of the loue worketh that confidence in the heart that the heart being first enlarged then nexte the mouth wee may call God Father with a free and shrill voyce Therefore fra once the Spirite hath indewed our soules with a feiling of the loue of God we goe freely vnto God and praye vnto him For except there bee first some feeling of the loue of God certainely there can be no calling vppon his name Then thou seest that that is true which we spake at the beginning to wit the more grievouslie the godly ar afflicted in that respect the more fervent are their prayers We becaus we ar not drowned yet in those deapths therfore are not much touched with that sense with which wee ought long ago to haue bene touched either of our misery or of the mercy of God praye not so earnestly as it becommeth vs It were much better indeed to be afflicted with praiers theÌ„ to be in prosperity without praiers Saying ô Lord Hitherto he hath declared that in daunger hee calleth vppon GOD now hee setteth downe that forme of prayer which hee then vsed in calling vpon God Heare sayeth hee O Lorde my voyce Then hee doubleth the same petition Let thine eares bee attent to the c. This doubling and iterating of the same petition proceedeth from a vehement and two-folde affection as it were of the minde and grace of the holye Spirite For excepte by the grace of the Spirite the affection bee inlarged surely the mouth cannot bee inlarged
through the mercy of God that is but to him who felt that benefite of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes For no man gloryfieth God vnlesse hee himselfe first be glorified of God also no man is glorified but hee who is already justified Wherefore the first effecte of forgiuenesse or pardoning of sinnes is sanctification or our glorifying And we when we are already glorified we glorifie our GOD not that hee hath neede of any of our glorifying which commeth from vs seeing his glory is perfite in the selfe But because our duty requireth the same yea and that for our owne weill For in this our happinesse consisteth not that wee our selues should be gloryfied but that we should rather glorifie for euer our God For to this end as we are created and redeemed 5 I haue waited on Iehova my soule hath waited yea I haue an expectation in his word 6 My soule is more diligent toward the Lord then of the watches toward the morning watching euen to the morning time I Haue waited The second part of the Psalme in which by a comparison made of his owne deed and of his by-past expectation hee proposeth and professeth that hee himselfe yet had his expectation in the worde of God because to witte from a patient awaiting hee had experience of the mercie and deliverance of God For patience causeth experience experience causeth hope of a greater deliverance and mercy then wee haue ever found at anie time in experience before For the experience of the Temporall deliverance causeth a hope of the everlasting deliverance and that hope shall never at any time mak vs ashamed For we shall obtain fargreater things in that other life then wee could haue hoped for in this present life looke concerning these thinges the 5. chap. of the Epist to the Rom. But let vs weigh the words somewhat more diligently I haue waited on Iehova sayeth hee Then he subjoyneth My soule hath waited As if he should say Not onely with the eie but with the minde moste entirely I haue waited for Iehova For it is the earnest desire of the minde which maketh God presente vnto vs. Also concerning the expectation of the godly looke Paule in the 8. chap. to the Rom. We sayeth hee that haue the first fruites of the Spirit sigh looking for our adoption Thou seest that the awaiting for the godly is with sighes which proceede from the heart for thereafter in the same chap. he declareth how much we profite in Gods sight by these inutterable sighes For God sayeth hee knoweth what is the meaning of the Spirit That is those sighes which proceede from our heart they presently touche the minde of God with a feeling because it is the Spirit of God himselfe which stirreth vp those sighes in our heart Wee may be touched indeede with a desire of any man which is absent when in the meane time hee is no waies touched with that desire of ours neither yet doe our sighes come into his minde for wee sigh not by his spirit but by our owne spirit But wee no sooner indeed sigh vnto God but hee is moved with our sighes For all these sighes proceede from his spirit Nowe this vnspeakable joye putteth vs in minde that he commoved with these sighes of oures which is felt at once with those inutterable sighes for this vnspeakable joy can proceede from no thing els then from some presence of God Yea I haue He sayth that he hath an expectation in the worde of God because so long as we walke by faith and not by sight wee depende vpon the worde of God and wee beholde God as it were in the mirrour of the Worde and not face to face and presently My soule c. He maketh his expectation cleare by a lesser comparison of those who watch and that indeed are occupied in continuall watchings to whome no man coms in their roome but they muste watch the whole night long Learne here with how great a care they waite vpon the Lord depend vppon him who haue once tasted howe gracious the Lord is For they are not so much forced by any necessity to that as they are allured by I knowe not what sweetnes Marke in this place what the estate of the godly in this life is they ar continually occupyed in watching looking for the comming of the Lord. For this present worlde is a perpetuall long lasting night vnto them if it bee compared with that world to come in the second comming of Christ with that morning which is so called Psal 49. 15. in which to witte that Sunne of righteousnesse Iesus Christ shall arise Mal. 3. 20. Also I graunt indeede that this worlde is a bright daye if it bee compared with that which preceeded the first comming of Christe From whence it is said The night saieth he is gone Ro. 15. â—1 1. Thes 5. 5. and the day approaches and We are all said to be the children of the light and the children of God but this preseÌ„t world being compared with the world to come and with that incomprehensible light which then shall be seene surely not without cause it shall rather haue the name of a Night then of a Day Also a watch-man is not so much bounde to watch be occupied coÌ„tinually vnto the morning time then every one of vs is bound to driue over this whol night in watching Of this ariseth that saying of Christ to his Disciples Watch for yee know not the houre in which the Lorde wil come Math. 24. 42. And even as those who watch in the night and are thus occupyed are wearied and fashed And therefore they long for nothing so much as for the Morning time at which time they may refreshe themselues with sleepe So wee that watch vnto that mourning time in which Christ shall come Wee are wearied and oppressed with the burthen of our sinne and misery so that many a time we are tyred of this life and from thence aryseth that vehemente desire of that morning time in which Christe will come VVho as sone as he commeth then indeede we shall enjoy that everlasting rest And as the Psal 23. 61. speaketh We shall be at reste in the house of Iehova so long as the time shall be of length and continue I speake of those who haue watched in this life For they who haue done nothing but sleeped in this life these shall be tormenetd with everlasting watching and paines 7 Let Israell haue an expectation in Iehova for with Iehova is loving kindnesse and exceeding much redemption is with him 4 And he himselfe will redeeme Israel from all his iniquities LEt Israell The thirde parte of the Psalme in which he recommedeth to Israel that is to the whole Church that selfe same awaiting that hee hath For hee who by awayting hath once felt in experience that mercy of God not onely he himself waiteth for God in time to come but he will haue all men together with him to waite