sure hope of life euerlasting remission of al their sinnes true deliuerance from the deuil hell and eternall death All these thinges haue they and in the things there is no defect but the defect is in me and in thee because we haue not yet fully apprehended these thinges For flesh and bloode and the remnauntes of sinne doe yet liue in vs This forced Paule to cry out and say I see an other lawe in my members fighting against the law of God. And this is the cause why a Christian can not be secure For he seeth that he hath not yet ouercome all perills and daungers which the enemie dayly deuiseth But for so much as pertaineth vnto Christ as is sayd whom by faith he apprehendeth on whom he beleueth true it is that he hath all thinges For in Christ the deuill is ouercome the law fulfilled the wrath of God pacified and death it selfe vanquished In this state we stand if we looke to Christ on whom we beleue But when we looke backe into our selues we are forced to confesse that we are not pure because our fayth is not yet perfect and therefore can not perfectly apprehend perfect thinges as S. Paule sayth Therefore when we come to the combate we giue place to the enemy we suffer our hope to be wrested from vs we are cast into heauines impaciencie c. Thus Christians are warriers Gods true souldiers which stand alwayes in the battaile and can not be secure or voyd of feare Therefore they are feruent in prayer and cry vnto God for succour Contrariwise they that are secure pray not for they thinke that the deuill is farre enough of and so that faith feeling of the good gift of God which they seemed to haue they lose before they be ware and when tentation commeth they are like to a withered leafe Thus we see the great necessitie of prayer and how it ought to be continually vsed among the faithfull if not with the mouth yâ—â— with the hart and harty sighes vnto God according to the wordes of S. Paule Let the word of Christ dwel in you plentifully signifying that they ought to be continually exercised therein not only by teaching the same to other publikely and priuatly but also by earnest meditation and prayer when they sit at home in their houses as Moises teacheth when they walke by the way when they lye downe and when they rise vp For as the Deuill goeth about like a roring lyon strong and mighty seeking whom he may deuoure so are we on euery â—ide infirme and weake pressed downe also with the flesh full of sinne cariyng this treasure in earthen vesselles In the which our fayth is as a tender plant which because it is not yet come to perfect strength may be easily shaken with winds and tempests This know not they which before they haue had some triall of them selues by affliction or wrastling with the enemy thinke them selues to be Christians and sound in faith We must watch therefore and pray as Christ commaundeth that in our daily conflictes we may stand stedfastly against the darts of Satan which would driue vs to the contempt of God and man. So doe I vnderstand this prayer not in the person of the Prophet as though he prayed for the reuelation of the redemption that should come but in the person of the faithful which haue need continually to pray according to this verse say Lord thou hast redemed vs out of captiuitie redeme vs yet more thou hast forgiuen vs our sinnes forgiue vs more thou hast killed the deuill kill him more thou hast taken away the law take it away more For we must pray for that which we haue already vntill we come to the full perfection thereof which shall be after the death of this body in the which sinne here dwelleth The sense and meaning then herof is Lord turne againe our captiuitie that is redeeme vs whiche haue begunne to be the newe creature that as our redemption by Christ is fully and perfectly wrought so we may fully and perfectly apprehend and feele the same For there be many things which in this life fight against this redemption Wherfore it is necessary that we shoulde be well armed against them that we fall not againe into captiuitie On this wise we must alwayes pray that the first fruites of the spirite may continually encrease in vs and that we may be redemed day by day vntill the olde man be wholly put away by death Then shall our captiuitie be perfectly chaunged euen as the riuers or waters in the south which by the mightie worke of God were dryed vppe and vtterly consumed Whether ye vnderstand here the redde sea or else thâ— riuer of Iordane it forceth little The similitude is this Like as by thy mightie hand thou broughtest to passe miraculously that the waters were dryed vp and consumed so dry vp O Lorde and bring to nothing al our captiuitie Some doe interprete this verse otherwise that is turne our captiuitie O Lorde as the riuers in the South which in the summer are dryed vp in the desert places by the heat of the sunne but in the winter are filled vp againe with plentie of water How necessary the spirit of prayer is they that haue not sought with Satan doe not know Let vs therefore giue our selues wholy to the continuall exercise of prayer and meditation of the holye Scriptures For negligence and securitie encrease by little and litle as rust doth in the iron and the word slippeth as it were out of our handes before we be ware If it so come to passe then hath Satan gotten halfe the victory already who seeketh all opportunitie to see vppon vs and then specially is he wont so to doe when he perceiueth our heartes to be voide of the word of god Here he stirreth vp of a spark as it were a flaming fire in our conscience which before we can quench and apprehend Christ and his worde againe either we are oppressed with anguish and sorrow or vtterly consumed For he is a murtherer and seketh by al meanes how to destroy vs It is necessary then for vs to haue our senses exercised and our mindes occupyed in the meditation of the worde and prayer that the enemy find vs not vnarmed or vnprouided which so busily seeketh to spoyle vs of this redemption I also am a Diuine which by great troubles haue gotten some knowledge and vnderstanding of the holy Scripture and yet am not I so lifted vp through this gift but that I doe dayly exercise my selfe euen â—mongest the children in the Catechisme in secrete meditation I meane of the commaundements the articles of the beliefe and the Lords prayer c. with an earnest and attentiue minde not onely recounting with my selfe the wordes but obseruing and weying also what euery word signifieth And doubtles wheÌ„ I am not thus exercised but am occupyed with other matters I finde a manifest discommoditie thereby For
vnquiet for the troubles of matrimony are infinit he becommeth vnpatient beginneth to complayne saying that if he had knowen thus much before he would neuer haue married a wife Thus doth the foolish man bewayle his state and condition But what kind of life is there vnder heauen wherin thou shalt liue without troubles For where so euer thou liuest thou must needs be in some part either of the politike or housholde gouernment Wherefore thou must so arme thy selfe that thou maist ouercome these troubles and learne to apply these thinges to an other cause without thy selfe which is stronger then thou art Now the holy Ghost alone is that instructer which tea cheth vs to cast our selues into the bosome of the diuine maiestie to trust in him and so in his name to marry a wife to gouerne our family to rule the common weale c. Which thinges if they haue good successe it is wel If not yet is it also well notwithstanding For this is the will of God that when he hath once called vs eyther to any publike office in the common wealth or the gouerning of a familye we should with inuocation and prayer abide and constantly continue in the same And this is the principall doctrine of this Psalme whiche the Papists sing in all their temples and yet of all men they least vnderstand those things whereof it treateth For they flie both ciuill and housholde gouernment and yet are they drowned in both yea no man is there in more busy then they are For the Pope his religious rable haue taken vpon them most impudently to gouerne great monarkes and Princes and the cases and controuersies of matrimony haue beene iudged and determined by Officialls and Commissaries Also they haue ruled by their priuate auricular confession both families kingdoms and Empires Thus it came to passe that both kindes of life were in a maner vtterly abolished For they condemned all those that liued vnder the ciuil gouernment and in matrimony as secular or worldly kindes of life and counselled them to enter into monasteries to their monkish religion like vnto the heathen Philosophers whiche commended the priuate solitarie life aboue all other that is to say that kind of life which hath to do neither with matrimony nor any affaires of the cōmō weale This wicked life of the Papistes the heathen Philosophers God condemneth in the holy Scripture wherein we see to our great comfort that there was neuer yet any holy man which hath not bene exercised in the affaires either of politike or houshold gouernment For God did thrust into the courts of Princes most excellent holy personages as Helias Heliseus Esaias Daniel c. I say nothing of the holy Kings as Dauid Salomon Ezechias others God would also that Iohn the Baptist should be a Courtier and of the Kinges counsell as the text saith VVhen he hearde Iohn he did many thinges So the Lorde hath alwayes exercised his Sainctes and holy seruauntes with the affaires either of ciuill or houshold gouernment Christ onely excepted who was the wisedome of the father He neither married nor bare rule in common wealth For it behoued him to be a singular personage aboue all others and yet he honored both kinds of life that is both marriage and ciuill gouernment The life therefore of the Monkes and the whole rable of the popish religious orders is altogither deuilish in that they will haue nothing to doe with ciuill or housholde affaires And in deede they doe wisely which seke rather to liue in ease quietnes pleasure with the name and opinion of holynes then to be turmoyled and vexed with the miserable cares and calamities wherof the life of man is full They choose that which is most sweete and pleasaunt and leaue the dregges the great cares and troubles of bringing vp children of guiding a familie of gouerning the common wealth and such like vnto others Like as also with their hypocrisie they haue deceiued the whole world and so snared the consciences of those which liued either in matrimonye or in the politike state that they executed those functions and duties against their willes whereunto they were called of god For if a maried man or a Magistrate complayned vnto them of the troubles either of their houshold or ciuill affayres they did not onely not comfort or encourage them patiently to bear those burthens but perswaded them to forsake those godly kindes of life and to enter into Monasteries yea they went so farre that when they dyed they buryed them in a Friers coule They knew not that matrimony and ciuill gouernment are ordained and created of god They knewe not that such should rather haue bene exhorted to patience comforted and taught that God had appoynted them to liue in the state of matrimony and to serue the common wealth that their vocation was of God and pleased God and therfore they ought not to haue forsaken these kinds of life but if any troubles hapned they ought to haue borne them patiently for Gods cause to commend them selues and their affaires wholy vnto god Thus should mens consciences haue bene enstructed and comforted But this coulde the Papistes neuer doe The cause whereof is for that they haue no practise or experience of these matters they haue but onely an idle and a naked speculation thereof and moreouer they are destitute of the holy Ghost But Salomon hath both the one and the other that is to say experience both of politike and housholde gouernment and also the holy Ghoste By these scholemasters he learned that the affaires of men cannot be gouerned by their owne policie and wisedome but that all thinges are ruled and guided by the wisedom of God. Naaman Syrus brought vnto the common wealth not onely great wisedome but the text saith that he was giuen for the deliuerance of Syria that is to say his greate wisedom had bene vnprofitable if God had not geuen good successe thereunto So if any man become a good Prince or a good Magistrate he hath not this by the gift of nature by his good bringing vp or by learning but it is the singular gift of god And this doth experience afterwardes teach when thinges come oftentimes to passe contrary to mans expectation The same hapneth also to the marryed man For howe often doe his deuises and purposes come to nothing True it is therefore that is cōmonly said man purposeth but God disposeth and that which Salomon saith The hart of man purposeth his way but the Lorde guideth his steppes Thou art in distresse and deuisest with thy selfe by what meanes and policie thou maist bring thy self out of trouble but thy purpose is disapointed by the same deuises and policies wherunto thou didest trust thou hurtest thy selfe and ouerthrowest thine owne cause This bringeth great impatiencie Learne therefore that by thine owne wisedom policie thou art notable to rule thine owne
deserue Thus coÌ„meth it to passe that when the wicked haue once taken their course like vnto a wilde horse they neuer rest vntil they come to a miserable ende The same haâ—â—eth also to all those which seeke to be iustified by workes The Phariseis neuer ceased to persecute the Gospel and to trust in their own righteousnes vntill Ierusalem the kingdom the priesthood were vtterly destroyed This is the ende of presumption when it is not bridled and repressed by the worde True it is therefore that this enormitie can not be remedied but either by grace or by wrath Thus generally in a maner they vnderstand this Psalme to be written against pride and presumption But in my iudgement it may be more aptly applyed vnto the spirituall pride of mans own righteousnes For as before I haue sayd these three thinges make men proud wisedom power righteousnes You may therfore if you list make three kinds of pride according to these three obiects For they are giftes of God distributed vnto men and haue their measure and their meane appointed vnto them They therefore that are wise are wise according to their measure and can not be more wise They which are mightie are mightie according to their measure and can not be more mightie Likewise they which are righteous are righteous according to their measure and can not be more righteous But pride maketh them desirous to seeme more wise more mightie more righteous then they are in deede Hereupon it followeth that when the matter commeth to the triall and sinne striueth with righteousnes exceeding her owne gift and measure then is righteousnes ouercome and made desperation which oftentimes driueth hypocrites to the halter So it commeth often times to passe that impotency fighteth against power ouercommeth As it hapned to the Israelites fighting against the one onely tribe of Beniamin In like maner foolishnes many times ouercommeth confoundeth wisedom And of this strange successe what is the cause Forsoth euen this that men doe not trust in the Lord but presume of their owne wisedom power righteousnes contrary to the word and will of god For God will haue vs to trust onely in his power and mercie But thus will men haue it and thus they thinke that they are mighty righteous and wise to this ende that they should trust in these titles and presume therof Wherefore this they finde at length and that iustly that they are most miserable and vnhappy For why do they not that which they are able why enterprise they that which they are not able to doe Most worthy are they therefore to be punished and plagued according to the Dutch prouerbe because they attempt that which they are not able to accomplish Let vs therefore abide in humilitie and let vs thinke moderatly and modestly of our owne gift Let vs not iudge other let vs not oppresse other let vs not be wittie busie in other mens affaires but let vs doe that which pertaineth to our vocation and let euery one of vs so much the more diligently fight against this vice by how much we finde and fele the same to be fixed and rooted in our nature and in euery one of vs albeit it sheweth it selfe in one more and in an other lesse as also the historyes of the Gentiles and heathen men doe declare For Cicero was more ambitious then Demosthenes paraduenture because he lyued in a greater kingdom and a mightie Monarchie Likewise Iulius Caesar was more ambitious then Augustus So in spirituall matters Pharao had an obstinacie ioyned with pride To conclude all the examples both of the holy Scriptures and also of the Gentiles doe shewe this to be the ende and successe of proud and presumptuous persons that suddenly the wrath of God falling vppon them when they least of all feare it they are confounded and miserably perish But as I haue said we will leaue this generall interpretation and apply this Psalme to the spirituall pride which consisteth in the opinion of mans owne righteousnes Verse 1. Lord mine harte is not hawtie neither are mine eyes loftie neither haue I walked in great matters and hid from me In that Dauid thus glorieth reioiceth he doth it being taught by his owne experience As if he said I haue proued what an euill thing it is to be hautie and high minded and to rest securely in the opinion of righteousnes Wherefore I wil no more be now high minded I will not glory any longer in mine owne righteousnes For the proud Pharisey which braggeth that he is not as other men be when his conscience beginneth once to accuse him forthwith is cast down and stricken with terror and is not able to stand against the least sinne I speake not of the huge mountaines and seas of sinnes and iniquities which in a moment do swallow vp and consume the proude and secure It is good therefore saith he O Lord that thou hast humbled me and hast schooled me by afflictions that I should not be proude that I shoulde not seeme holy in myne owne conceite that I should not make my selfe as a Iudge and a Censour iudging and condemning al men For that is the propertie of all Iusticiaries and such as trust in their owne righteousnes holines and perfection As the example of the Pharisey in the Gospell doth declare whiche is not content to recken vp his owne vertues and good workes but with all he must needs condemne the poore Publicane This is the sinne of naturall and morall righteousnes or of the righteousnes of the lawe to condemne others to presume and to clyme euen to the iudgement seate of God and to pronounce sentence against those whom they thinke not to be so perfect as them selues He that is a ioly Citizen or alearned lawer thinketh highly of him self and maketh him selfe as it were a certaine idoll vnto him selfe but others he condemneth and in comparison of him self proudly coÌ„temneth The husbandman when he seeth any fault in the Magistrate thinketh as did that seruaunt in the Poet Oh why was not I made a King a Ruler a Magistrate These be but politike matters ful of vanities most fond follyes and folishnes and yet there is none of vs all which are able therein to bridle and moderate our selues except the holy Ghost doe guide and rule our hartes and teach vs that this righteousnes whether it be naturall or moral is but as a worke of mans hand which maketh vs no whit the better before god And in deede there is no man so foolish that will thinke him selfe the better Christian or more acceptable before God because he is a Tayler a Carpenter or a Shoomaker And yet although the case be all one there is no man which doth not presume of this righteousnes whether it be morall or natural except the holy Ghost bridle him and bring him into the right way For it hath a goodly shew of holynes and
perish he calleth a promise Luke 16. â— Cor. 12.9 The argument of this Psalme which emongest all the Psalmes is one of the chiefest How the prophets are wont to speake of God how they describe him VVithout Christ God is neither to be sought nor worshipped The propheâ— praying for the remission of sinnes includeth Christ in his prayer The greatnes of the tentation wherewith Dauid was oppressed It is a great consolation to see that holy Dauid was exercised with the tentations of the wrath of God. In the tentations of sin and of the wrath of god what we ought to do Dauid in his tentation did not thus pray Singular coÌ„solations against desperation Dauid prayeth that his sinnes may be forgiuen and his iniquities not marked therefore he denyeth all righteousnes of workes before God. The Papistes teach that which they them selues doe not We must rest onely wholy vpon the trust and confidence of the mercy of God. By Christ alone we obteyne remission of sinnes Therefore onely faith where by Christ is apprehended iustifieth vs. Propitiation or mercie what it is To marke iniqâ—ities what it is True righteousnes what it is The doctrin of iustification maketh all men alike Act. 13. VVheÌ„ we be holde our sinnes we must looke vnto the Mercieseat This doctrin of Christian righteousnes the deuill moste deadly â—ateth and persecuteth The only doctrine of iustification ouerthroweth the Papacie The workes of the lawe are euill wheÌ„ any part of saluation or iustification is ascribed vnto them Howe the Pope Satan are put to flight God dealeth not with vs according to the law Therfore we may not deale with God according to the law Hypocrites do not feare but presume but we are iustified freely that we should not presume but feare Righteousnes coÌ„meth of grace only God taketh not away the lawe and yet the law auaileth nothing to righteousnes To trust in workes is to lose God to shut out feare The Monke thinketh that his hempten girdle pleaseth God. God is not feared where true righteousnes is not beleued VVhat the vse of the law is if it doe not iustifie Grace maketh vs children but workes make vs seruants The consequences or sequeles which follow vpon the doctrine set forth in this Psalme To waite on the Lord is to trust in the Lord. The mindes of men are easily caried away from this knowledge of grace by disputations contentions This inconuenience our posteritie is also like to feele Our waiting our hope must rest only vpon the worde of grace FroÌ„ the written external word we may not depart The firste tentation The second tentation The thirde tentation VVe must not be we cried or discouraged through the importunity continuall assaultes of the enemy Satan is a continuall enemie and neuer ceaseth to assaile vs. Our course and race is as it were in a circle which hath no end The patieÌ„ce of the Gentiles The patieÌ„ce of the Christians and how it differeth froÌ„ the patience of the heathen â–ª Faith is a â—inguler and inestimable gifte Faith compared with charitie The ende of faith why we must still waite hope With God there is propitiation and mercie therfore there is no anger with him In tentatioÌ„s we must rest vpon hope and beleue the word rather then our owne experience and feeling Rom. 5.3 The experience which the word teacheth Plentiful redemption VVhen we pray we are not able to conceaue what great thinges God wil giue vs. God both heareth vs graciously and giueth vnto vs plentifully The effect of the first precept A definition of God and what he is properly The argument of the Psalme Pride is a vice commoÌ„ vnto all men Wisedome maketh men proude Power Righteousnes A dutch prouerbe Two meanes to reforme the vice of pride presumption This Psalme speaketh of spirituall pride Pride at the length is confounded The Iusticiaries iudge condemne rashly There is no cause why a man should more presume of his owne righteousnes then of the art or handycraft which he exerciseth The moste notable personages in aduersitie are commonly oppressed with anguish and sorrowe Prouerb 17. Luke 18. Heb. 12.2 Ose. 4.5 A similitude of an infant The doctrin of the law The voyce and doctrine of the gospel * This propitiation is not for famed or for small sinnes but for true sinnes for great yea the greatest sinnes The differeÌ„ce betwen the law and the Gospell in vse and practise is very hard Phil. 3. Esa. 25.4 The argument of the Psalme The end of the politike gouernment The ende of the priesthood What the Gentiles thought as touching the gouernment of Empires kingdoms Dauid knoweth that kingdoms are preserued by God alone The signification of the words here vsed as of Dauid Euphrata the temple the priesthood are chaunged but the thinges remaine The Papists doe dreame that SalomoÌ„ and the people did pray vnto God that he would heare them for Dauids sake or at the intercession of Dauid thereby would stablish inuocation of Sainctes and praying to the deade The name of Dauid includeth the promises and therefore also it includeth mercie Luke 18.12 How he maketh mention of Dauids afflictions Places of the olde Testament which the Papists alleage for the inuocation of Saincts The idolatry of the Papistes The vowe of Dauid Mightie in Iacob Psal. 19. Ephes. 6.10 The tabernacle of God. Ephrata signifieth the kingdom of Iuda The fieldes of the forest To worship â–ª Iohn 14. VVhy God did choose a certain place where he would be worshipped The Arke was the habitation of God. The Arke of strength This power standeth chiefly in preaching the word Read that which followeth in the same Psalme Christ our propitiatorie and mercie-seate Daniel 8.10 Matth. 9. The righteousnes of the person is neuer without corruption The righteousnes of the ministery is vncorrupt 1. Pet. 4. The Ministers of the Pope are clothed with iniquitie The fruites of the ministery God requireth not a heauy but a cherefull hart Grace Peace Sainctes The Church is holy The kingdoÌ„ of Christ is a kingdom of peace and ioy Psal. 117.15 Phil. 3.12 How poore afflicted consciences must be comforted against Satan and all terrours Psal. 42.6 He maketh meÌ„tion here of Dauid because of the promises which were made vnto Dauid The promises are of two sortes legall or conditionall and spirituall 2. King. 7.15 Esay 10.23 The errour of the Iewes in that they see not the promises as touching their corporall kingdom to be conditionall The face of the anoynted what it is Policie serueth the Church and the Church preserueth policie The wicked presume of the promises of God and cruelly persecute the true church The argument which the wicked vsed against the Prophets How the Pope hath abused the promises of God. Amos. 7. The godly can not so raise vp and comfort theÌ„ selues with the promises as the wicked doe Matth. 28.20 The godly in perills and afflâ—ctions rest vpon hope when the wicked doe despaire Iere. 29. The promises are set forth for the comfort of the godly that in their afflictions they should not despayre The Church is neuer with out daungers and afflictions and therefore it hath neede of the promises The state of the Church at this day what it is Luke 2. A consolation for the Church of Israel in the tyme of her captiuitie Because the promise was conditionall therefore the corporall kingdome had an ende Reg. 2.11 2. Chro. 22. Matth. 3.9 Luke 3.8 The Church is the Church vnder this condition if it follow the word The kings of Israel The commaundemeÌ„t giuen to the kings in the olde Testament Few vse their authoritie rightly All states of men are subiect to the word The condition is added because of the wicked presumptuous God chooseth a place for his seruice therefore we may not chose it If God doe choose then commeth it not of our merite No good intent but that is grouÌ„ded vpon the word Ierusalem was destroyed notwithstanding it was builded vp againe by Christ to remaine for euer The Iewes presumed of their owne merites Deut. 9. The presuÌ„ption of the Papists It is a great benefite of God that he hath appointed a certain place for his seruice Ierusalem called the holy citie why The glory of the Church of the new Testament Satan a continuall and a cruell enemy to Ierusalem Why the Scripture calleth our foode and sustenance a pray A saying of Cyprian worthy to be remembred Bread what it signifieth Temporall incommodities of the Church are recompensed with spirituall benefites blessinges A singular consolation against pouertie and contempt God mammon can not dwel togither Esay 49.20 Philip. 4. The peace of conscience is an inestimable gift of God. The spirituall blessing of the Church must not be estemed according to the outward shewe and face thereof A promise concerning the defence and preseruation of the Church 2. Sam. 2.10 The outward shew face of the Church To prepare a light what it signifieth Marke 13.20 1. Iohn 4. Matth. 11. The argument of the Psalme Dauid had learned by experience that there is nothing better theÌ„ peace and concord â–ª Proue 20.14 A great gift of God to vnderstand and to acknowledge the giftes of God. Satan ioyning with the originall sinne corruption of nature draweth men to that which they knowe to be euill Brethren Concord is compared to a precious oyntment The beard what it signifieth Against the Anabaptists and other Sectaries enemies to the peace quietnes of the Church The coÌ„cord of the Papistes Hermon The commeÌ„dation of concord and that God will dwell there where concord is Nothing better chepe to the byer theÌ„ peace What points of doctrine Dauid intreateth of in the Psalmes of degrees This Psalme is as it were a conclusion of those thinges that goe before To blesse what it signifieth Psal. 129. Coloss. 3.16 Luke 18.1 1 Tim. 2.8 107.7 Timo. 1.2 Matth. 5.25 Psal. 50.16 Luke 18.14
education First therfore we must beleue not doubt that our prayer is heard Secondly this hearing must be thus defined not that God geueth alway that which we pray for but that which is profitable for vs For God in that he is good can geue nothing but that which is good But we many times doctraue that thing which is not good in deede but seemeth so vnto vs. In such cases God euen then heareth our prayer when he graunteth not that which we desire In that prayer therefore which the Lord hath taught vs first we pray for the sanctifying of his name for the comming of his kingdom that his will may be done before we pray for the things which do pertayne to the vse and commoditie of this life so that in such things we desire that the Lord would do not that seemeth good vnto vs but that which is good in deede The difference therfore in asking those things which we pray for is here rightly set forth So that in those things which pertaine to the glory of God our saluatioÌ„ we must beleue our praiers to be heard without condition But in those things which pertayne to this life albeit we must hope that the Lord will graunt our petitions yet must we pray with condition resigning our wils to the Lords will to do therein as semeth good vnto him profitable for vs For he knoweth what is good for vs but we do not as aâ—so S. Paule sayth Thus must we restruâ— this title to our most faithfull gracious God that he is auditoâ— precum a hearer of prayers as Dauid here speaketh of him Verse 2. Deliuer my soule o Lord from lying lippes and from a deceitfull tongue This verse sheweth the matter or argument wherof Dauid entreateth in this psalme He prayeth for the prosperous successe of the holy word of God and pure doctrine against false and hereticall tongues I sayd in the beginning that this Psalme must not only be taken as an exaÌ„ple for vs to follow or a doctrine to teach vs what Dauid did in this daungerous case or what we ought to doe in the like but also is set forth to comfort and confirme vs against this great offence and stumbling blocke that wheresoeuer the Gospell beginneth to shine there Satan stirreth vp theeues and robbers enemies of true doctrine to hinder the course thereof and therefore when we see that the Anabaptistes and other Sectaries spring vppe at the preaching of the Gospell we should not thinke it straunge but rather it shoulde be to vs a meanes to stirre vs vp thereby the more diligently to watch and shake of all securitie forasmuch as we see that he which tempteth vs sleepeth not and to fight against spirituall wickednes against the which the children of God haue bene alwayes at continuall warre Abel was persecuted of Cain Isaac of Ismael Iacob of Esau. Of this enmitie Satan is the author which alwayes persecuteth God and his trueth not onely with slaughter but also with lying and falshoode To knowe these thinges it is a singuler consolation in such daungerous cases that we be not discouraged or dismayed but may be strengthened and confirmed thereby and moreouer it keepeth vs from securitie which lying tongues aud deceitfull lippes will not lightly suffer a man to fall into We must be ready therefore not onely with the word of God but also and especially with prayer to fight against false doctrine and deceitful tongues considering as Dauid here sayth that the Lord is our deliuerer who only in this daunger can deliuer vs and destroy our aduersaries For the continuall exercise of the word and prayer must goe togither Deliuer my soule that is deliuer me It is a phrase and kinde of speech proper to the Hebrewes Verse 3. VVhat doth thy deceitfull tongue bring vnto thee or what doth it auaile thee Verse 4. It is as the sharpe arrow of a mightie man and as the coles of Iuniper In demaunding this question he goeth about to stirre vppe him selfe and to finde occasion to accuse the deceitfull tongue as he doth in deede most liuely sette forth by two notable similitudes what a pestilent thing wicked doctrine is and what the godly and such as are spirituall doe iudge thereof First he compareth it to an arrowe that is not blunt but sharpe and moreouer which is cast not of him that is weake and feeble but that is stronge and mightie so that there is daunger on both sides as well of the arrowe that is sharpe and able to pearce as also of him which with great violence hurleth the same The Deuill therefore the father of all heresies is here plainly sette forth vnto vs as an olde exercised souldier strong and mightie who from the beginning hath made warre against the Church of God and albeit he hath bene often ouercome yet will he neuer geue ouer but returneth more fearce and subtill then before and the better armed the more holy and learned they be against whom he fighteth so much the more strongly fearcely he setteth vpon them Therfore the holy Ghost here speaketh according to the sense of man that is according to the cogitations which the godly haue in this daungerous case and he calleth a pestilent teacher an arrowe or dart in the hande of the strong and mighty For if ye beholde the multitude of the aduersaries their stoutnes proud bragges obstinacie and fearcenes with the subtill deceitfull sleights wherby they auoyd or wickedly peruert all thinges that make against them be they neuer so godly spoken it seemeth no otherwise but that they will vtterly oppresse and destroy the Church which appeareth to be in comparison of them but a small number and that also very weake and feeble It seemeth therefore that Satan as a dart which no armour is able to resist must needes preuayle and haue the victory But if you looke to the end you shall see the contrary As the Church when she compareth the multitude of her enemies with her poore litle flocke through her infirmity is troubled and feareth destruction euen so when Satan seeth his practises at the first to proceede as he would he is puffed vp and swelleth at the successe therof For wicked doctrine crepeth like a canker and mightely encreaseth euery hower so that if a teacher of erroneous and hereticall doctrine should be suffered in a reformed congregation he would soone ouerthrow altogither so violently perceth this dart And why because it is hurled of Satan and the common people are as it were the frame house of Satan because they loth and despise that which is dayly taught them Now because the heretikes doe not vse the accustomed and ordinary maner of teaching but fede the people with new strauÌ„ge thinges therefore as Moises sayth the drunken and the thirsty are mette togither and these arrowes perse through with greater violence Moreouer it is a figure vsed in the Scriptures to call the word of
a wonderfull thing to see howe ready it is to receiue helpe and comfort ▪ any way else ▪ sauing onely of God. This is then the praise and commendation of faith that it looketh onely towardes the healthfull and comfortable mountayne which is in Ierusalem refuseth the succour of all other mountaines Thus the prophet casteth his eyes aside as it were vpon the wicked who forsaking the helpe of the Lordes mercie and goodnes which was then in Ierusalem sought reliefe and succour in other mountaines In like maner in the kingdom of the Romish Antichrist there are infinite feets and swarmes of Monks and other supersticious votaries some holding of Augustine some of Benedict some of Francisce c. which by their vowes and monasticall life thinke to obtaine the kingdom of heauen hoping also by these comforts to ouercome the terrour of Gods wrath heale the woundes of conscience And this is alwayes the inclination of mans nature to follow his owne wayes and to forsake the wayes of the lord Therfore Dauid sayth Some forsake the temple abhorre the mount Syon but I abide in the simple way of faith true religion which is the healthfull hill that the Lorde him selfe hath appoynted In that he calleth it the healthfull hill or the hill from whence helpe and succour commeth he reiecteth and condemneth all other hills which haue a shewe of helpe and succour Such I meane as is visibly wrought in the seruice and honour done to the idols but true helpe they giue none So the Iewes sayd that Baall shewed more present help in the temple then god So they cry in Ieremy VVe will doe sacrifice to the Queene of heauen but thy commaundement we will not doe for since we left to doe sacrifice to the Queene of heauen the sworde and famine hath consumed vs And thus forsaking the temple and the true worship of God they ranne headlong to all impietie But you will say Why would God that Idolatry should haue such successe Euen to trye our fayth and whether we doe truely beleue and worship one God according to that commaundement Thou shalt haue none other Godds c. True it is in deede that Idolatry hath great successe yet is it but for a time So said King Achas The goddes of the Kings of the Syrians doe helpe them therefore will I also seeke their fauour and they shall helpe me But what sayth the Scripture The gods of Syria were the destruction both of them and of all Israell And this is the end of all such false trust So doth Mammon likewise helpe his worshippers For he is a great god and bringeth to them libertie ioy and comfort He lifteth them vp to wealth and dignitie he maketh them to swell with pride and glory But howe long For the time of this fraile brickle life but in death he doth not only forsake them but driueth them downe to the deepe pit of hell Therefore whatsoeuer worldly and visible comfortes and delightes the heart of man can here desire or enioy he findeth them vncertayne and shortly must forsake them and yet withall they bring vnspeakeable tormentes and afflictions of mind and lead men into such blindnes that they haue no regard of God at all who doth not delight his true worshippers with vayne pleasures of this worlde which endure but a moment but replenisheth them with euerlasting ioyes For thus he sayth I will see you againe and your heart shall reioyce and your ioy no man shall take from you Let vs learne therefore to cleaue fast to the Lord our God and those inuisible comforts and if trouble come as we can not looke to be without a crosse if we seeme to be desolate and distitute of all comfort yet God hath a time when he will shew him selfe to haue a care of vs and we shall finde that the afflictions of this life are not to be compared to the glory which shall be reueiled on vs as S. Paule comforteth vs. This is then the sense and meaning of this verse that fayth is a knowledge of thinges inuisible and yet to be looked for least we shoulde thinke it to be but a meere speculation as some doe make it There are thinges to be looked for of the which we haue experience in this life that is to say a good conscience a ioyfull heart an inuincible faith which is able to stande against all stormes of tentations against pouertie enuy reproche and sclaunder of the world against errours and false doctrine and euen against death it selfe Thus we must learne to know the nature of faith namely that it is a will or knowledge or an expectation resting vpon the word of God which word sheweth and setteth forth vnto vs inuisible helps and yet to be looked for as certaine and vnfallible and although we thinke it long before they come yet will they come when it shall be most to our ioy comfort And this is it that these words of the Prophet doe here expresse I lift vp mine eyes to the hils from whence my helpe commeth Here he sheweth him selfe to be destitute of helpe and succour and yet in sure hope and expectation thereof he looketh vp vnto those hills and hopeth for inuisible comfort In like maner must we doe also I am in distresse or affliction of body or mind I am in necessity and can see no meanes how to liue how to maintayne my family how to escape this daunger or that Here is the hart oftentimes oppressed with sorrow and miserably vexed as though there were no succour no comfort nor remedy to be founde But here must we be certainely perswaded that there is help and succour prepared for vs and the time therof also appoynted of God although we know not when it shall be But by this we may learne what a hard matter it is to beleeue when the hart must yeld and consent to any thing contrary to that which both we se heare feele I my self haue bene oftentimes in wonderful great daūgers when the whole world as it were conspired against me For the Pope my mortall enemy and the enemy of my Christ did not cease to stirre vp against me what power and terrour so euer he was able to deuise Here reason woulde rather perswade me to kepe silence and say nothing then to teach and bring my selfe thereby into trouble and daunger For reason can neuer see the Lordes maruelous help and deliuerance which is inuisible and hidden from the eies of the world therfore it thinketh onely of that which it seeth that is to say destruction In all these stormes how my mind was stablished in God what my faith and hope was I will here say nothing Albeit in these great daungers I graunt my minde was oftentimes troubled and yet at the length the inuisible help of God being hidden from myne eyes and from the eyes of the whole worlde appeared so that not onely my deadly and mightie
sort For albeit in this Psalme he ioyneth houshold gouernment or matrimony with polycie and politike gouernment and wisheth the blessing of God and peace vnto them both yet hath he here a more respect to housholde gouernment because it is as it were the fountaine and beginning of politike gouernment For the children which we bring vp and instructe at home the posteritie will afterwardes make gouerners of the common weale For of houses are made cities of cities shires of shires a common weale or kingdome Housholde gouernment therefore is called the fountaine of policie politike gouernment For where housholdes and familyes are not maintained there can be no Citie no common weale no kingdome Wherefore to this Psalme we will giue this title that it is an holy hymme or a song in the praise of matrimony whereby the Prophets comforteth such as liue in that holye state wishing vnto them and promising all felicitie and blessinges of god These things may afterwarde be also applyed vnto polytike gouernment For as God blesseth matrimony because it is the ordinance of God and a kinde of life which highly pleaseth God euen so is the Magistrate also ordayned of God and hath a certaine promise of the blessing of God. And here appeareth the wisedome of the holy Ghost which hideth from vs those thinges that in this kind of life are greuous or odious and speaketh onely of those which are most meete to perswade and are good thinges in deede The world doth the contrarie For it is not onely ignoraunt of the good things which are in matrimony but also if it see any such it estemeth them as nothing because of the troubles which presently it feeleth No maruel is it therefore that when wicked men speake of this kind of life they speake after an other sort with other words then the holy ghost is wont to speake For they follow the sense and iudgement of the flesh onely and see nothing else either in ciuill gouernment or in matrimony and housholde affaires but those things which seeme to be painfull hard and full of trouble And not onely so doe but those thinges also which in these kindes of life are diuine and heauenly in deede they doe not perceiue because of those small troubles and discommodities which touch the flesh And hereof come these sayings There is no citie without a burde◠that is without a woman A wife is a necessary euill To bury a wife is better then to marry her If we could be without women we shoulde be without great troubles And such other like sayinges tending to the dispraise and reproch of women The cause why men doe thus peruersely iudge is this that the flesh is to poysoned with originall sinne that it can not be content to beare the punishmentes of sinne It seeketh after such thinges as are sweete and pleasaunt but troubles and trauells it can not beare Wherefore either it flieth altogither from matrimony and all ciuill affaires as the Epicures and bellygods doe or else abuseth the same to his owne lust and pleasure So blind is it through originall sinne with the desire of pleasures ▪ glory and riches Necessary it was therefore to apply some medicine vnto our corrupt nature and somewhat to represse and to bridle the wanton fleshe with those troubles which are both in matrimony and in ciuill affaires Wherefore when we reade these praises of matrimony in the holy Scripture and compare them with the iudgement of man we shall see the one to be clene contrary to the other We must say therefore that these thinges are true according to the spirite but according to the flesh they are not true So where he sayth afterwards of the godly married man Thou shalt be blessed it shall be well with thee the flesh thinketh the contrary and iudgeth the married person to be most miserable and most vnhappy because he is constrayned to get his liuing with great labour and trauell For the world knoweth not the thinges that pertaine to the holye Ghost and the good things and great blessinges of God that are in matrimony it seeth not but resteth onely in the creature and seeth not God creating gouerning and blessing the creature Contrariwise the holy Ghost loketh to the creator magnifieth the blessing of God although it be ouerwhelmed with neuer so many afflictions and tentations And for the troubles and discommodities that are incidēt to these kinds of life either he couereth them or else he maketh them lesse then they be And this the world can not doe The wisest men therefore as in histories we may see did refuse to beare office in the common weale or to deale in publike affaires The same thing commeth to passe also in matrimony For yong men will hardly suffer this yoke to be layd vpon them as the olde man sayth of them in the Poet. They sayth he which are in loue he meaneth vnchast loue and fleshly lust can not abide to heare of mariage They wil not forsake their filthy pleasures to liue chastly in holy matrimony And if there be any which thorough vehement loue are brought vnder this yoke when they see no such successe thereof as they looked for but that some troubles or other doe follow which they being blinded with loue could not foresee then they complaine then they repent that euer they brought them selues into such bondage hereupon it followeth that the husband will rather beare with all wickednes in an harlot a strumpet then with any litle fault in his owne wife as also the wife except she be very godly will sooner winke at the wickednes of an adulterer then at the small offences of her owne husband For nature can not beare these yokes if men be not well instructed by the word and lightned by the holy Ghost and so looke vnto the creator who hath ordeyned both families and common weales will haue them to be gouerned and guided by this miserable and frayle flesh They that haue not this knowledge are soone prouoked to impatiencie when they see that all thinges haue not such successe as they would Wherefore euen such as are godly minded must be taught exhorted and stirred vp to behold some thing aboue beyonde these troubles reiecting the iudgement of the wise men of this world and to looke to the true and inestimable good thinges which God hath hidden in these kindes of life Then shall they more easily beare their troubles and shew their obedience vnto God when he sendeth diuerse tentations And to this ende we will enterprete this Psalme this mariage song that we may behold those spirituall good things which God hath hidden in matrimony esteme the same accordingly to the end that we be not like to this world which seeth the works of God and yet doth not vnderstand them and heareth the blessing and sweete promises of God and doth not beleue them Verse 1. Blessed are all they which feare the Lord and walke in his wayes
Wherefore these high commendations of matrimony are here set against the venemous tongues both of Satan and of wicked men wherewith they do so maliciously sclaunder this kind of life Also against the corrupt peruerse iudgement of the flesh whereby we are prouoked either to a lothing contemning of this kind of life or else to impaciencie when our eyes are blinded in discerning and iudging the benefites and commodities thereof and are still in beholding of the faults the incommodities or troubles that belong to the same Thus the wiser sort euen emongst the Gentils would not doe For they did se that there is a naturall affection in the man and the wife towards their children and a mutuall loue faithfulnes betwene them selues both these things they praysed and set forth with greate commendation So God by the smal number of the wiser sort euen emong the Gentiles did ouercome the multitude of these viperous tongues which are so venimous spitefull against this kind of life How much more then ought we to defend matrimony we I say whom the holy Ghost moueth stirreth vp so to do by these excellent similituds wherby he sheweth that God is so delited with the life of married folkes that not onely he giueth his blessing for the sustentation of this life but also the blessing of the belly and of the brestes as Moises calleth it This no doubt would not God doe if he hated such as are maryed For he said vnto Adam All that groweth vppon the earth shall be vnto thee for foode and sustenance After the floode also he gaue vnto man the vse of cleane beasts Yea he giueth vnto matrimony what treasures and riches so euer are in the worlde and what so euer in nature is conteyned All these are liuely testimonies that God approueth lyketh and loueth this kinde of life although the holy Scriptures should speake nothing thereof at all Moreouer who seeth not that the propagation of man and woman kind is ordained of God Let vs therefore be mindful of these similitudes therewith arme our selues against the wicked peruerse iudgement of reason against the deuil venimous tongues which magnifie and ertoll vanitie and abhominable filthynes and these inestimable giftes they most wickedly dispraise and despise Verse 4. Lo thus shal the man be blessed that feareth the Lord. Hetherto we haue hearde those excellent commendations of matrimony which the holy Ghost setteth foorth to confirme and comfort such as are appoynted to this kinde of life that they might patiently suffer the incommodities the troubles and tentations of matrimony and not followe the iudgement of the worlde which like vnto the mule and the asse followeth the fence of the fleshe and is ouercome with these troubles and tentations The good giftes of God it vnderstandeth not but some tymes it detesteth and abhorreth them For ye shall finde many to whom it semeth a great misery to haue many childrē as though matrimony were ordayned for beastly pleasures onely and not to this end rather that we might doe acceptable seruice both to God and man in nourishing and bringing vp of children These men are ignorāt of that which is most comfortable in matrimony For what is to be compared vnto the loue of parentes towards their children especially since here thou seest that children are the greatest portion of Gods blessing But here againe we haue nede of faith For the world taketh it not for a blessing when a man getteth his liuing by labour trauel suffereth the troubles and vexations of his wife his children his seruaunts and such like whereof in matrimony there are many These thinges I say the world estemeth not as blessinges but abhorreth them as maledictions But the holy Ghost to confirme the mindes of the godly cōmendeth and setteth forth all that he hath hitherto said by this sweete and comfortable name and calleth them blessinges to the ende he may stirre vs vp to know God and his giftes rightly lest that in the middes of his benefits and blessings we should fall to a lothing thereof as the world is wont to doe which regardeth not those things which it hath presently enioyeth but desireth the things which it hath not Wherefore this vehement kinde of speech is diligently to be noted in that he calleth this life blessed and happy which to the iudgement of reason is miserable and full of calamitie when he saith Loe thus shall the man be blessed c. What canst thou desire more In that thou hast a wife and children and liuest with the labour of thy handes it is in deede the blessing of god Wherfore thou hast not onely great cause not to be offended but also to giue God thankes for his great blessings But how few are there to be found which doe beleue this And if any doe beleue it yet through infirmitie they are led away from this faith and forgetting the blessing they become vnpatient as if they were in the middest of Gods malediction It is therefore to be wished that this saying of the holy Ghost as a singular consolation might be alwayes before the eyes and in the eares of the godly For how shall we finde a more manifest argument that the life of such as are married pleaseth God thē this that their whole life is nothing else but a blessing In deede it so commeth to passe often times that they are vexed with the sinne of impatiency through the offences of their familye their children and some times their neighbours But what then All things cannot be so pure and so perfect in this our infirmitie but that oftentimes we shall feele either some excesse or some lack both within the house and without But this sinne of impatiencie the dayly prayer of the godly doth quench ouercome And thus must the godly comfort them selues that they are placed among Gods blessings and liue a life blessed of god This faith the greater and stronger it is the more ioy it bringeth For albeit some troubles doe happen we some times also are ouertaken with sinnes yet is the worde of God omnipotent Wherefore in all tentations the victory is theirs which stick faithfully thereunto These wordes therefore muste be receiued as the oracles of God and this kinde of life we must adorne with due praise and honour since that God doth so richly poure out his blessing vpon it This must we not onely knowe that we may set it forth and commend it to others but all of vs which liue in this kind of calling must commend and apply the same also vnto our selues that whether pouertie diseases vexations troubles of our familie or any other like tentations doe oppresse vs we may endure the same with patience resting vpon this most plentifull consolation that the holy Ghoste calleth this state a blessed kinde of life And this they finde this they know and this they doe which feare God and serue him truely as he sayth So shall the
righteousnes or vnrighteousnes but if thou wilt marke our iniquities if thou in iudgement wilt demaunde whether we be righteous then must we needes perish Wherfore we appeale from thy iudgement vnto the throne of thy mercie If we haue done any thing well it was thy free gift alone Looke vpon vs therefore with the eyes of thy mercie and not with the eyes of the iustice of thy iudgement For if thou doe not pardon our iniquities and close thine eyes that thou behold them not we shall not be saued c. This light of doctrine we see that Dauid followed euen in the darkenes of the lawe But our case is nowe much better for as much as we see these thinges clearely sette before our eyes in the newe Testament For what teach we else at this day but that we are saued by fayth alone in the death and blood of Christ that by the merite of Christ onely our sinnes are couered and taken away according to that saying Blessed are they whose sinnes are forgiuen Forgiuenes of sinnes then is that heauen vnder the which we dwell through our trust and confidence in the merite of christ For he that beleueth shall not be condemned but shall passe from death to eternall life Dauid addeth here no expresse mention of Christ and yet because he hopeth for mercie therefore he loketh straight to this mercie seat that afterwards should more clearely be reueiled in the new Testament For ye see that he signifieth no lesse but if God should marke his iniquities he must needes dispayre For without remission of sinnes or knowledge of grace what haue we to rest vppon What safetie may we finde They therefore that put not their trust herein alone that by the death of Christ their sinnes are taken away and Gods eyes closed that he wil not see their sinnes must needes perish For this onely do the Scriptures set forth that our life resteth wholy and alonely in the remission of sinnes and in that the Lord will not see our sinnes but in mercie couereth them and will not remember them or lay them to our charge So that we must acknowledge confesse that we know nothing but the righteousnes of Christ Not that we should not now worke and bring forth the fruites of a holy life not that there is no sinne in vs or that God doth not hate the same but because God sayth and promiseth that he wil not marke our transgressions because we beleue in Christ and put our trust in him This shield whosoeuer holdeth out for his defence and hideth him selfe vnder it them God accepteth as his children because they haue a Sauiour but they that haue not are driuen to despaire For what can all their workes their merites their righteousnes doe seeing Dauid sayth If thou marke our iniquities O Lorde who shall be able to stand in thy sight In this verse therefore consisteth altogither which hereafter followeth Verse 4. But mercy is with thee that thou mayst be feared This mercie thou shalt not find in Moises in the lawe or in the works of the law not in Monkery not in a strait and painful life not in almes deedes c. Briefly this mercie thou shalt finde no where because it is no where but with the lord Mercie therefore is not our merite or our righteousnes but it is the free pardon of our sinnes by Christ alone Which mercy although thou shouldest afflict and punish thy selfe in a Monastery a thousand yeares or doe neuer so many so perfect or so holy workes thou shalt neuer find as the conscience which euen in a most streit and holy life feelleth desperation doth sufficiently witnesse But herein alone the conscience findeth rest and comfort when altogither naked without any addition of her owne worthynes it committeth it self to the naked and bare mercie of God and saith O Lord I haue thy promise that righteousnes commeth of mercie alone whiche righteousnes is nothing else but thy free pardon that is to saye that thou wilt not marke our iniquities I commend therefore vnto you this definition of righteousnes which Dauid here setteth forth that to marke sinne is to condēne Againe not to marke sinne is to iustifie or pronounce a man righteous And this is true righteousnes in deede when sinnes are not marked but pardoned not imputed Likewise in an other place also he defineth a blessed man and Paule allegeth the same defini-nition very aptly Blessed is the man saith he to whom God imputeth not his sinne He saith not blessed is the man which hath no sinne but vnto whom the Lorde doth not impute that sinne which he hath as here also he saith When sinnes are not marked These testimonies must be diligently collected and noted that we may see how that this doctrine is founded vppon the holy Scriptures and that all the confidence and trust that man can haue in the righteousnes of works or of the law is vtterly cut of in the iudgement of God. For this doctrine maketh all men alike and before God leaueth no difference For if by imputation onely we be righteous it followeth that not onely we be all sinners but that also there is no differenee betwene the learned vnlearned the wise and the simple the married and vnmarried the Prince and the plowman c. For this difference of degrees in the iudgement of God auayleth nothing but this onely auaileth before God that our sinnes bee forgiuen Wherfore if this doctriue had bene heretofore diligently taught all Monkry such other mōstrous kinds of life had not bene brought into the Church which the foolish people hath beleued to be more holy then others For what soeuer kinde of life a man be in this is the condition of vs all that we haue neede of forgiuenes of sinnes as Paule teacheth in the Actes where he sheweth that God suffered the manners of our fathers like as a good husband suffereth and beareth with the manners of his wife the maister of his scholers the Prince of his subiects Now if this eiuill life haue neede of such discretion and moderation that men should not be alwayes extreme and rigorous in dealing one towards an other how much more neede haue we that God should beare with vs in this our great weakenes and corruption If God should deale sharply with vs then should our transgressions dayly and continually moue him to marke straitly and sharply to punish vs But he will not marke our iniquityes This he requireth that we beleue in christ Then will he beare with vs then will he winke at our weakenes and pardon our transgressions yea in respect of our faith in Christ he will accept vs as righteous Thus Dauid turned him selfe from desperation to an assured hope and trust in Gods mercie For when we looke to our sinnes it can not be but we must needes be vexed and fall to desperation ▪ But we must not fasten our eyes vppon our sinnes onely
out of Sion and a newe kingdome of Christe out of Ierusalem Notwithstanding they say that this Ierusalem should be greater then the whole earth and the walles thereof should be the endes of the earth These thinges can not be vnderstand of the corporall Ierusalem which notwithstanding was the first occasion of the beginning of the kingdom of Christ but after wardes it was horribly destroyed like as also the wicked sorte of Dauids posteritie were rooted out but the godly remained vntill Christ was borne Moreouer it is euident that this election and choosing began vnder Dauid For before that time the citie of Ierusalem belonged to the Iebusites but vnder Dauid it was chosen by the promise of God to be a citie for the Kinges and Priestes in such sort that like as before the persons of the Priests did not wander from tribe to tribe but were alwayes certaine so the persons and successions of the Kings should not nowe vncertainly wander as the Iudges and the Princes did which continued not in any certaine tribe and here againe he vseth the worde of choosing to confound the presumption confidence of merite which was so groūded in their hartes to the ende they might vnderstand that this citie was appointed by the good pleasure of God to be a seate and harborowe for religion and policie For this deuilish vice was peculiar vnto the Iewes that they gloried in their merites their seruice and ceremonies For this cause Moses also sharply reproueth them and warneth them that they should not thinke they had obteyned these great benefites through their owne righteousnes Not for thy righteousnes saith he hath the Lorde brought thee into this land This deuilish presumption we see also to be in the Papacie but much worse then it was emongest the people of god For they vsed that worship seruice which was commaunded of god But in Popery there is nothing but mans inuentions which are the worshipping of idolls Nowe whereas the Lord promiseth that he will dwell in Ierusalem this seemeth to be but a small matter But we must loke to the Maiestie of the inhabitour and then the place be it neuer so base and contemptible shall become glorious For this did the word promise that he whom the heauens could not comprehend should be found in Ierusalem This is therefore a singular promise when men may knowe and enioy a certaine place wherein God may be founde that they wander not in the imaginations of their owne harts euery man choosing vnto him selfe a God or a place where he may serue God according to his owne fantasie as Ieroboam did which is horrible idolatrie Wherefore it is the great mercie of God that he hath appoynted a certaine place for his word and his whole seruice to the which place the Scripture attributeth this excellent name and title that it is called the holy citie not for the holines of the people inhabiting the same but for the holines of the Lord sanctifying all things by his word This glory hath the Church of the newe Testament also in that she hath for her head not the Pope as the wicked Papists doe most wickedly affirme but Christ sitting at the right hande of the father who is present with his word Sacraments This is an inestimable glory which dependeth not vpon our righteousnes but vpon the great mercie of God accepting approuing and commending all thinges that we doe for Christ his sonnes sake our head But the citie of Ierusalem found Satan her deadly and cruel enemie in this respect also because it was as it were the worke-house of God in the which he dayly exercised and wrought all maner of holy workes blessings benefites for his people Yet was it of God notwithstanding meruelously preserued to this end that his people should not be vncerteine where he would be found worshipped and heard And here agayne we are admonished that all these thinges come of gift and not of merite of mercie and not of workes For he hath chosen vnto him selfe this rest it hath pleased him to dwell in this place So it commeth not of our desert that we enioy the Gospell and other great blessings of god All these are the giftes of God through his great mercie and goodnes bestowed vpon vs for Christes sake Verse 15. Her vitailes I will blesse and will satisfie her poore with bread This word vitailes signifieth properly a pray But why doth the Scripture so call the sustenance whereby we liue Euen for the same cause for the which Christ calleth it our dayly breade So that like as beastes doe dayly followe their pray and finde it they sowe not they labour not but by pray they atteyne all that they haue Euen so shoulde we not heape vppe that through couetousnes and incredulitie which may serue vs for many yeres but shoulde daily looke for and receiue at the handes of the Lord that which is dayly offered vnto vs employing our labour notwithstanding as a meane to atteine the same therewith be content as the beast is when he hath obteined his pray For couetousnes incredulitie is not content with present benefits although the Lorde doe neuer so faythfully promise to feede vs and giue vs all things necessary for this life Thus the Scripture properly very aptly calleth our foode and sustenance a pray which commeth vnto vs taking no care but labouring leauing the care vnto God as our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs Matt. 6. who commaundeth vs to labour and diligently endeuour to doe that belongeth to our vocation for of the Hebrewes that is counted labour which euery day hath and bringeth with it But withall he commaundeth vs to take no thought for worldly thinges but to leaue all carefulnes vnto the Lorde who promiseth that we shall no more lacke then the birdes and other beastes doe which haue that is sufficient and yet labour not nor make prouision for the same For this is not the ende of our labour that in this life we should still seeke to enrich our selues and neuer be satisfied For although we haue the treasures of this world yet with this life we must forsake them And like as this life is not certeine but is as a pray which we so long enioy as it pleaseth the Lorde euen so is the portion of our sustenance but as you would say a snatch wherewith we must be content to liue and not be carefull for the time to come So doth this word condemne all faithlesse carefulnes and carefull incredulitie wherewith notwithstanding we can nothing preuaile Cyprian hath a goodly saying to this effect and worthie to be remembred Christians saith he which haue forsaken this world doe so litle care for earthly thinges that they aske no more but foode and rayment For their hartes are fixed vppon the eternall treasures of the world to come They seeke to liue but from day to day as straungers hauing here no
holy place must offer vp pure and holy prayers So saith S. Paule also lifting vp pure hands c. for else ye shall pray in vaine Pure hands signifie innocencie from blood extortion spoile robbery The Prophet therfore setteth forth here two sortes of men comming to the temple praying Some there be that come and pray in innocencie and holines Some againe pray in hipocrisie hauing their hands defiled with blood The prayer of such is sinne as the Psalme sayth Paul teacheth in like maner concerning prayer Pray saith he without wrath or doubting Also our Sauiour Christ saith If thou bring thy gift to the altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee goe thy way and first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift For this is a common thing that hypocrites when they haue done all the iniury they can against their brethren are not only without all remorse of coÌ„science but also they make a great shew of religion and holines bragge of the Gospell more then the true Christians doe Against these the psalme speaketh warneth them that when they pray in the holy place they ought to be pure holy For who so euer praieth is possessed with the sinne of couetousnes fleshly lust or any other deuil to him the Lord sayth VVhat hast thou to do to declare mine ordinances that thou shouldest take my couenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed and hast cast my words behinde thee For when thou seest a theefe thou runnest with him thou art partaker with the adulterers c. Such was the prayer of the Pharisey which departed out of the temple vniustified For this is a common euil among men that they which are most impure wicked doe glory more of God his word then such as are godly feare God in deede Wherfore the Scripture expresly declareth that such there be as take the name of God in their mouths and yet in hart life are polluted and wicked And in this place the prophet inueyeth against hipocriets whiche thinke that when they pray God seeth not the vncleannes of their hart This is therfore a necessary prayer the first God would giue vnto vs his word defend the same against all vaine spirits heresies and secondly that he would preserue vs in innoceÌ„cie keepe vs from hipocrisie Verse 3. The Lord that hath made heauen earth blesse thee out of Sion As touching Sion we haue sayd before that God would haue not only certeine ceremonies certeine persons but also a certein place for his seruice worship lest the people should wander vncerteinly and choose vnto them selues peculiar places to worship God in Now for as much as this thing was not without offence for what can be more absurd and contrary to reason then that the God of heauen and earth should be shut vppe in that darkenes therefore to confirme their mindes herein he sayth that the Lord which dwelleth in Sion is the maker of heauen and earth This haue we often declared and necessary it is that it should be often repeted lest we should chose vnto our selues straunge and peculiar kindes of worship For as in the olde Testament there was a certaine place certeine persons and certeine times to the which God had bound as you would say his seruice so we in the newe Testament do find the father in christ In Christ the father is worshipped but without Christ he can neither be worshipped nor found but what so euer is deuised for the seruice of God without Christ is damnable and accursed The summe and effect therefore of all togither is this O ye Priestes ye Pastors and Ministers of the word to you I speake you I do admonish that ye follow the word faithfully and do your office purely For whiles the word and the ministery are sound vncorrupt there is nothing that can hurt vs For although Satan the world do assaile vs what then If God be with vs who can be against vs Let this be therefore your speciall care and endeuour that the word may remaine pure and vncorrupt and pray that the Lord would assist you herein and blesse your labours for of all the blessinges of God this is the greatest Which might be sayd in moe wordes but let this suffice Now it is our duetie likewise in this light of the worde to endeuour by all meanes to doe the same lest that through our vnthankfulnes the worde be taken from vs againe and to pray for the Churches that God would blesse them for Iesus Christ his sonnes sake our Lord our Redemer Amen THE ENDE The word must be continually exercised because of the continuall tentations whereof we are in daunger The lothiÌ„g and fulnes of Gods worde After the lothing of the word commeth contempt and then Gods plague The argumeÌ„t of the Psalm The Psalmes pray in two respctes agaynst Satan Satan how he is a murtherer How he is a lyer Our first parents deceiued by lying The authors of wicked doctrine are incorrigible Arius Proteus was one that could chauÌ„ge him selfe into diuers formes as nowe into a beast nowe into a tree and now into some other thing else Against heresies we must fight especially with prayer Inward tribulation and affliction of the soule The vse and practise of faith Howe the mindes of men must be stirred vp to prayer Tribulation stirreth men vp to prayer Luther writeth that which he hath proued by experieÌ„ce The necessitie of prayer set forth vnto vs in the Lords prayer Prayer is a seruice of God. How poore afflicted consciences are to be comforted which dare not call vnto the Lord. The prayers of the Papistes Nothing more hard then to pray God the hearer of praiers The saying of Bernard God giueth not alwayes that we pray for The prayer of yong children The godly youth in that reformed church being brought vp in the nâ—rture of the lord coÌ„tinuall catechising may shame al our reformation where the youth is so godles for lacke therof Howe God heareth our prayers Wicked doctrine A liuely picture of the Deuill The commoÌ„ people are the framehowse or workehowse of the deuill Deut. 29. Coles Iuniper The fire of the heretikes is more swift then the fire of the holy Ghost Luther prophecieth Kedar and Mesech signifie the enemies of the church Luke 11. The argument of the Psalme This Psalme containeth the doctrine of faith A coÌ„paring of contraries The commendation of faith Idolatry prospereth and flourisheth for a time Humane helps and comforts The help of the Lord. Why he sayth to the hills and not to the Lord. Our mountayne Trust affiance in the helpe succour of the Lord. Remedies in afflictions The iudgement of the word in afflictions must onely be followed The history of Iulian and Athanasius The exercise of faith Experience and practise maketh a right Christian The