A GODLY AND FRVITFVLL EXPOSITION ON THE TWENTY FIVE PSALME THE SECOND OF THE PENTENTIALS Seruing especially for the Direction and comfort of all persons who are either troubled in minde diseased in bodie or persecuted by the wicked By Mr. A. SYMSON Pastor of the Church at DALKEITH in Scotland LONDON Printed by W. I. for Iohn Bellamie and are to be sold at his Shop at the two Greyhounds in Cornehill neare the Royall-Exchange 1622. TO THE TRVLY RELIGIOVS NOBLE AND VERTVOVS LADY MARY COVNTESSE OF Marre prosperitie in this life and eternall happines in the life to come MAdame seeing your sinceritie in religion is such that it makes euery one to admire you and your loue to such as are truely religious is so great that it makes them to honour and respect you and seeing my brother M. Patrik Simson of good memorie was that happie instrument of God as a spirituall father to beget your Ladyship in Christ Iesus and hath dedicated all his labours to your Ladyship as the chiefest seale of his ministrie I could find none so fit as your Ladiship to whom I might dedicate this ensueing treatease on the fiue and twentith Psalme and therefore as a testimonie of my seruice and duty which I owe vnto your Ladyship I am bold to present the same to your Ladyships view beseeching God that it may redowne to the aduancement of his glorie and the good of the Church in generall and of your Ladyship in particular Thus praying for the increase of your faith and continuance of your daies together with outward and inward blessings to your Ladiship your noble husband and hopefull posteritie I rest Your Ladiships seruant A. SIMSON A GODLY AND FRVITFVLL EXPOSItion on the twenty fifth Psalme the second of the PENITENTIALS The substance of this Psalm DAVID being oppressed by his enemies in this Psalme desires that God would deliuer him from shame and sinne the cause of all his euils that he would direct him to walke in his wayes as also confirmes himselfe by many arguments in the assurance of Gods goodnesse and finally praies for deliuery to himselfe and to the Church This Ode of Dauids is set downe in 22. Sections or Verses after the number and order of the Hebrew Alphabet at least very neerâ— as are the 34.111.112.119 as also the Lamentations of Ieremiah and the 31. of the Prouerbes Those who seeke a reason of this let them reade S. Ierome Epist 155. in Lament Ieremiae and Euseb de praepar Euang. For he alludeth to the signification of euery Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet which hath a spirituall meaning But in my iudgment these Psalmes are so framed for our memory that keeping in minde the Letters wee may the more easily remember the matter Man hath need of many helps For wee haue need of many helps to confirme our memory in goodnesse These Verses are called Acrosticki as were Sibyllaes verses of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a Fish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sedullius in like manner made an Hymne A Solis ortus cardine Beatus auctor seculi Castae parentis viscera c. As also Nazianzen I would not wish men to be too curious in the searching of the causes hereof but rather be diligent in the confirmation of their memories by these 22. Alphabeticall Letters The Diuision of the Psalme THis Psalme containeth a Prayer to the eight Verse a Confirmation to the eighteenth and a Conclusion petitory to the end In the first seuen Verses hee craueth three things at God First that hee may not be ashamed Secondly that hee may learne Gods wayes and be taught by him Thirdly that he may be deliuered from sinne Then there is contained a deprecation against sinne and shame and the meane by which he may escape them both that is by the word of God which may direct him in such a way wherein hee may not fall vnder shame and sinne Shame proceedeth of sinne There are two things which we may lawfully craue of God to eschew sinne shame sinne as the mother and cause shame as the daughter and effect And as we desire to flye them so especially wee should craue of God that onely meane by which wee may shunne them euen that we submit our selues to be gouerned by his word The word of God freeth man both of sinne and shame and frame all our actions therto by which we may perswade our selues that we shall escape both All pray Lord keepe vs from shame and sinne when as many contemne the meane by which they should bee preserued euen that blessed word of God VERSE 1. Vnto thee O Lord lift I vp my soule To whom God is Iehouah hee is also Elohim THe names which he giues God are Iehouah and Eloim the first taken from his nature the other from his power and he applyeth them to himselfe My strong Gods including the persons of the Trinitie He leadeth vs to God in our praiers Psal 73.23 Whom haue I in heauen but thee Heb. 11.6 Hee that commeth to God must beleeue that God is and that he is able to saue such as come to him God appeared in sundry names to others Exod. 6.3 but to Moses in his essentiall name Iehouah Claime first to his nature and next to his power First he must be thy God Iehouah Note and then thy strong God First he must loue thee and then hee will defend thee Ps 144.15 Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord. Those are foolish who seeke his protection not first hauing assurance of his loue If hee be to thee Iehouah then shall he also be to thee Eloim Three arguments to moue God to heare him The arguments by which he would moue God to heare him are taken from three persons First from his owne person Secondly from the person of his aduersaries Thirdly from the person of the godly 1. From his owne person because hee beleeues in him In his owne person first his prayer is signified by this circumscription I lift vp my soule to thee and his faith I trust in thee What is prayer but a lifting vp of the heart to God for the heart must first be affected and then it will frame all the members of the body and draw them vp with it Simil. As the Magnes drawes the Iron after it so will the soule draw the cold and lumpish flesh where it is where the â—oule is there is the body also and where the soule is there is the man Whereby it appeareth that there is no praier or spirituall seruice acceptable to God Doct. No spirituall seruice but that which proceeds from the heart Pro. 23. â—6 Isay 29.13 but that which comes and is deriued from the heart My sonne giue me thy heart This people seeke mee with their lips but their heart is farre from me Yee are praying but your heart is as the eye of the foole euery where Sometime
â—nd Apostles And it is no maruell though â—t this time in the triall of the Church Nota. maâ—y be found to be but men God is not to be blamed he is pure when he trieth And seeing triall is prophecied to be not onely the Church of Philadelphia Reu. 3.10 1. Pet. 1.7 but also in all the earth which is called the houre of tentation or a time of fiery triall either by heresies schismes or defection from the â—ruth of God or by bloodie persecutions of Gods Saints and his Church as all Europe hath experience this day what shall we do but keepe Gods word Nota. possesse our soules in patience suffering the reproches calumnies cruell dealings yea all that the diuell and his children can do to vs. If we be tried by fire let vs be found gold if by water let vs abide in the Arke and in the Apostles boate let vs be found sure builders vpon the foundation which the Apostles laid euen Christ 1. Pet. 2. if by the aire and winds let vs be as wheate and not chaffe If finally by the earth and earthly allurements let vs be fouÌ„d to haue our conuersatioÌ„ aboue the time of trial is come already We learne also out of this that in all our trials whether inward in our conscience or externall in our bodies yea though our bodies were giuen to the beasts and foules of heauen In all our trials externall or internall God is pure yet God is pure and without fault In the best of vs all there is cause why we should be tried Verse 5. Behold I was borne in iniquitie and in sin hath my mother conceiued me THis is the fourth reason by which he would moue God to forgiue him That our nature from the very originall is corrupted from the seminarie and fountain of our conception For from our mothers wombe we bring nothing but sinne And surely we cannot throughly acknowledge our sins vnlesse we condemne our whole naturall powers and faculties of vncleannesse So the knowledge of this one sinne bringeth him to the examination of his whole life Actuall sins are as streames which proceed from original sin which is the fountaine till he find nothing in himselfe but sin For if the fountaine be poisoned what will the streames be that flow from it If we would looke backe to our originall sin we might haue cause the more to lament our actual sins as poisonable streames flowing from such a fountaine So soone therefore as our conscience accuseth vs of any one sin we should call to remembrance the whole course of our life Let the remembraÌ„ce of one sin put vs in mind of all the sins we haue committed Simil. that it hath bin nothing else but a continuall sinning against God that thus the last putting vs in mind of the first we may not be content to repent and aske pardon for one but for all A sick man hauing obtained health doth remember how long be was sicke whereby for the present he both considereth his own frailtie and Gods mercie in deliuering him as also encourageth and inanimateth him in time to come by remembrance of former mercies obtained Happie were we if we would begin to remember our miseries and Gods mercies Lorinus the Iesuite to ecce addeth enim which he confesseth is not in the Hebrew veritie and that Saint Ierome hath forgot it yet maintaineth that it is rightly put in to giue force to the words of his sin See the Sophist who granteth the Scriptures and yet would empaire their credit as though Gods Spirit were not wise enough and the sense could not hold without enim The like do they in these words Hoe est corpus meum they adde enim and say Hoc est enim which is not in the Scriptures and were altogether vngrammaticall In a word they alter and change the Scriptures as they please bringing in their enim as a particle of reason which carieth with it no reason Ye see then what the miserable corruption of our nature is so soone as we take life Man no soouer beginneth to liue but he beginneth to sinne Gen. 6.5 we begin to sin An infant of one day is not cleane before God The masse whereof we be formed is filthy and sinfull and so much the more filthy seeing it is possessed with a soule vncleane and polluted The cogitation of mans heart is only euill continually God knoweth our mold Psa 103.14 We erre froÌ„ the womb And albeit mariage be a bed vndefiled Heb. 13.4 by reason of the institution yet the concupiscence and lust polluteth the ordinance which is most holy Children haue of iginall sin Then children are not free of original sin for then why should they be baptized and why should they die as many do daily But it may seeme wonderfull strange Obiect that châ—ldren who can neither doe thinke or speake euill should be culpable I answer by another question what is the reason that a yong fox new whelped Solut. Simil. doth not slay a lamb is it not because it lacketh strength and is not come to that maturitie to execute their inclination which is naturally cruell So are infants naturally inclined to sin and therefore so soone as they can think any thing speake or do any thing it is euill as daily experience teacheth vs. Parents should take care to amend by good education that which is deficient in their children by nature Simil. Originall sin is sin And therefore it becometh Christian parents to take paines to amend that which is deficient and imperfect by nature in their children by art instruction and correction That as wilde beasts are tamed by the industrie of men and barren grounds haue become fruitfull by labouring and manuring so euil natures may be corrected by good education Ye see also out of this that originall sin is sin and offensiue to the law of God and the roote of all others that the most secret thought of our heart is sufficient to condemne vs if God would deale extreamely Which impugneth that diuellish and erronious doctrine of some who think that the first intentions and thoughts are veniall if consent come not with them Our Lord saieth that whosoeuer seeth a woman and lusteth after her committeth adulterie Mat. 5 28. and is as culpable before God as if he had sinned with her But that concludeth not that the motion is not sinfull to which such a wicked consent is added the greater sin cannot excuse the lesser Therefore we must go with Elizeus to the countaine and cast in salt in those rotten and stinking waters 2 Kin. 2.20 that they being purified all the streames flowing therefrom may be also cured This parentall sin hereditarie radicall the leuen of the primitiue corruption the law of the members naturall and generall to all mankind Nota. cannot be taken away but by the conception and natiuitie of Christ But here ariseth a question how
albeit the doctrine of repentance be irksome and vnsauory to the flesh yet it is wholesome to the soule Naturall men esteeme this doctrine to be an enemie to them Simil. which would slay their corruptions and lusts Medicine which at first seemeth bitter afterward becommeth more comfortable so the doctrine which is salted with salt and hyssope is fitter for vs then that which is sweetned with hony for hony was neuer appointed to be vsed in the Lords sacrifices but salt omnis victima sale saliatur An obseruation of Cyrillus concerning hysop Cyrillus obserueth in the hyssope an hot operation whereby it sharpneth the grosse humors and purgeth the concretion of the priuitie so grace maketh vs feruent in the spirit Moreouer hysop purgeth the lungs phtiriasis rests The propertie of hysop Plin. lib. 20. cap. 4. nourisheth the natiue colour of the bodie killeth filth and vermine growing on man cureth the bites of serpents prouoketh appetite sharpneth the sight is enemie to feuers of which it is written Parua calens pectus purgans petrosa streatrix Ius sapidat pleurae congrua spargit aquam So grace is hot by charitie purging by contrition spitting forth by confession seasoning the body by temperance sauing the soule and inward parts by application of Christs blood which being drunken purgeth our plurisie and bloodie eyes The hysop of Christs blood a medicine for all our corruptioÌ„s Then seeing all these diseases are in the soule of man are we not much beholden to God who hath made one salue to cure all our sores the blindnesse of our mind is remoued by the water of his blood the foule corâ—uptions of our heart are euacuate and dissolued that we spit them forth our coldnes is warmed our fiery feuers and in flammations quenched our spirituall vigour colour is restored which we lost by sin Wash me and I shall be whiter then the snow What meant by washing He acknowledgeth that none in heauen or earth is able to purge him but God onely He hath that fountaine in his owne garden he will communicate the glorie of our redemption to none but to himselfe For by this washing is meant the washing of iustification and remission of sins that as creation belongeth onely to God so doth redemption by Christs blood Wo to them who leauing the waters of life go to any other to seek water out of these rotteÌ„ cisterns Then seeing it is the proper work of God to wash vs let vs go to the lauer of baptisme that there we may be once washed and after daily pray that he may wash our feete by sanctification And I shall be whiter then the snow He perswadeth himselfe of a full purgation by Christs blood Though I were as blacke as the Moore yet shall I be white as snow Nothing can blot out our sinnes but this blood If we would wash our selues with snow waters our righteousnesse shall be as a menstruous garment Esa 64.6 What is all the righteousnesse of man but an abhomination before God Yea Christ himselfe if he had bin onely man could not haue bin able to satisfie the iustice of an insinite God he must be God himselfe and therefore it is called the blood of God But how shall we be whiter then snow I answer Act. 20. Obiect Soâ—â—â— our estate is more perfect and surer by Christ then it was by nature in Adam forasmuch as we haue our perfection by Christ which cannot faile or alter and it is the perfection of God which belongeth to vs so that we stand not before God as men but as gods before God being couered with his perfect obedience who is our Redeemer blessed for euer So there is no cause why we should feare or despaire seeing we are cleansed perfectly if we beleeue be sanctified Let vs put on Christ whose garment is white as snow Mat. 17.2 And his Church is made white in him Who is this that commeth vp white 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cant. 8.5 Apoc. 7.14 And the Bride hath white garments made white in the Lambes blood The proper office of the holy Spirit is to wash vs and purifie our conscience by Christs blood lest our filthinesse keepe vs back from accesse to God And this ye were saith the Apostle but ye are washed 1. Cor. 6.11 ye are sanctified ye are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God And againe speaking of the Church that he may sanctifie her purging her by the washing of water by the word that he may make the Church glorious to himself not hauing spot or wrinkle Eph. 5.27 or any such thing but that she may be holy blamelesse So it is the onely worke of God to sanctifie his children make them clean Finally obserue that iustification and sanctification are vndeuided companions Doctr. Iustificatiâ— and sanctification go together whomsoeuer the Lord washeth by the hysop of his Sonnes blood he also sanctifieth by his Spirit Studie therefore to get holinesse without which none shall see God Let holinesse to the Lord be written on your brests Exo. 28.36 Leuit. 20.7 Holinesse becometh the house of God Be holy Manystudy to attain to knowledg but not to sanctification as I am holy For what fellowship can the most holy God haue with vncleane and profane people This miserable age studieth to aâ—taine to knowledge but not to sanctification Let Atheists call you what they please studie you to puritie of life A true Christian will make more conscience of an idle word or filthy thought which wil arise in their hearts Nota. and will correct it more sharply then those lend miscreants will do for adultery and the worst actions they commit Verse 8. Make me to heare ioy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce HAuing craued before remission of sins now he beggeth the fruite which followes vpon the same that is ioy and gladnes which is one of the fruits of the kingdome of God and marks of Gods children Ioy proceedeth of sorrow This ioy which he suiteth must of necessitie presuppose a sorrow which he had for his sinne For as repentance can neuer want sorrow no more can remission want ioy So that ioy springeth out of the bitter roote of sorrow And the greater sorrow we haue the greater shall our ioy be The deeper thy griefe be the higher shall thy comfort be He doubleth ioy and gladnesse both of soule and bodie he will not be contented with some one or two consolations but wil haue them to be multiplied that as his tribulations did increase so his comforts in Christ Iesus might be enlargad Of all men a Christian hath most cause to reioyce As a Christian is the most sorowfull man in the world so there is none more glad then he For the cause of his ioy is greatest in respect his misery was greatest his deliuery greatest therefore his
in his children He seeth no iniquitie in Iacob NuÌ„ 23.21 Simil. saith Balaam For as a red or blue glasse being set before our eyes what euer we see thorough it seemeth to be of the colour of the glasse so God looking thorough Christ to vs all his righteousnesse seemeth to be ours and we are of his colour In the meane time Vse let vs not sin because he hideth his face from our sin for if we abuse the riches of his bountie we shall appeare in our owne colours And put away all mine iniquities The blotting away presupposeth an hand-writ of the law against him wherein his name was put in the count-booke which must be scraped out and taken away which cannot be done away but by the blood of Iesus Christ All. Ye see that one sin calleth to mind many thousands and he is not contented to be acquitted from one vnlesse he be acquitted from all Call to mind all the sinnes of thy life be not at quiet till thou gettest a generall pardon for them all which is to be purchased by Iesus Christ Be afraid to adde new sinnes to thy old Pro. 28.19 Ezech. 8.8 Blessed is he that feareth continually Do as Ezekiel did to the wall of the Temple dig once twice thrice and trie thine heart the more thou diggest the more abominations shalt thou see in that place which should haue bin a Temple to God Verse 10. Create in me a cleane heart O God and renew a right spirit within me DAuid hath prayed already for the remission of his sinnes and hath doubled ouer that petition eight times now he craueth new benefits of sanctification of the holy Spirit of ioy c. In all his petitions he prayeth for spirituall things he seeketh first the kingdome of God He prayeth not for the health of his bodie Those are senslesse of troble who seeke to be freed of the pain thogh not reconciled to God but for the health of his soule he craueth not to be rich temporally but spiritually in God Those are sensuall who being fallen in trouble craue no other thing then to be deliuered from their present paine neuer seeking to be reconciled to God Next he seeketh great things for he is a great God who according to his greatnes can bestow ample gifts God as hee is a great God bestoweth great gifts as the Ocean plentie of water It stood not with Alexanders honour to propine Diogenes with a small gift We bring small vessels to God a weake faith although we haue great need we thinke that hee is not able to giue great things Our Sauiour Christ could worke no miracles amongh them Mat. 13.58 2. Kin. 7.17 because of their infidelity The Gentleman on whom the King â—eaned died and was troden vnder foot because he beleeued not the Prophet Thirdly he suiteth importunately and beggers euer speed best at Gods hand The Prophet Elizeus reproued King Ioas that he shot onely three arrowes forth of the window for if he had shot six or 7 times 2. Kin. 13.19 he might haue vtterly subdued the Aramites Let vs then pray instantly and importunately vnto the Lord and we may be assuâ—ed he will heare vs. Sanctification followeth remission He prayed before for remission of sius and now he prayeth for the Spirit of sanctification an inseparable companion with the other For you can neuer be assured that you haue receiued pardon for your sinne past vnlesse Gods Spirit hath giuen you a care â—o liue holily in time to come Shall you be washen euen now and after puddle your selfe in the mire Not possible that euer Christ will bestow his blood to wash any whom he denieth to sanctifie by his holy Spirit Create in me a cleane heart O God The worker God the workmanship in me the worke it selfe create the subiect a heart the qualitie a cleane heart O God As in the first creation a man is a meere patient and hath no part of it but God by the parents worketh it God must worke our second creation so God worketh the second creation by his Ministers There is no freewill or prepation to grace or foreknowing godlinesse as these hereticall Iesuits do affirme Work the work thy selfe and take the praise to thy selfe O Lord. Create A man must be twice borne before he can enter into heauen As he is madâ— to the similitude of the first Adam Man must be twice borne and his second creation is more excellent then the first so musâ— he be made to the similitude of the seconâ— Adam and the re-creation or regeneration is more excellent then the former Foâ— in the first man was wrought out of clayâ— but in the other God worketh grace out oâ— sin What harder to worke vpon then thâ— dust Next he breathed in the dead bodiâ— a soule but here he breatheth in the holâ— Spirit in mans heart Thirdly in the creation he made man perfect in all his members so in the regeneration all the members of the body and powers of the soulâ— must be renewed and if thou be deficienâ— in the one thou disgracest all the workmanship Nota. If thou haft in thy new birth thâ— eyes of knowledge and lackest the bowels of mercie and art maimed of the hands of bountifulnesse or if thou be dumbe and cannot praise God or deafe and cannot heare his word thou art not a perfect man A greater worke in the second birth then in the first Nota. A greater worke to raise vp a dead man in sin then to raise Lazarus out of his graue Blessed are they who are partakers of the first resurrection for the second death shall haue no power of them Reformation should begin at the heart Satan is an vncleane spirit As a flie is bred in filthinesse and leaueth euer filth behind it so doth the diuell defile euery place whereinto he commeth Our hearts are as open Tauernes ready to receiue all passengers Now hauing tried sinne and Satan to be so noisome to vs we should remoue them shut the doore of our hearts harbour them no longer yea if any vncleane thought arise let vs not entertaine it nor consent thereto lest it bring worse with it The subiect vpon which he must work â—s the heart the most noble part the most secret part which none can know but God the seate of all the affections by which man is ruled and led Reformation must begin at the heart A reformation which beginneth at the members and externall actions is neither true nor constant As if a man intending to dresse his garden and purge it from thistles and such like weeds would cut off the vpper part and leaue the roote which would spring vp again so if thou wouldst chastise thy bodie and let thine heart remaine luxurious it is nothing The heart is the fountaine wherefrom springeth all euill the rooâ— wherefrom all sinne groweth He speaketh not of the substance but oâ— the affections
and qualities of the heart Nâ— honest man will lodge in a filthy house oâ— drinke or eate except the vessell be madâ— cleane Simil. and God cannot abide in a foulâ— swinish heart Pro. 4.23 Keepe thine heart diligently saith the Spirit Since God then wil be thinâ— hearts guest Gen. 15.7 thou must guard it diligently that others enter not in neither leud cogitations but as Abraham chased away thâ— foules from the sacrifice so we must chasâ— away corrupt and euill cogitations froâ— our soule as vagabonds should be expelleâ— from the Kings pallace The heart in Latin is called cor â—â—ta note by three letters to signifie as some thinke that it is the seate of the Trinitie and therefore the pourtraiture of the naturall heart is of three corners answerable to the same As a vessell of gold or siluer being through long vse wasted and broken Simil. is sent to the Goldsmiths to be renewed so our hearts worne by sinne must be sent to God that he may put them in the fire and cast them in a new mould and make them vp againe Alas that wee are carefull to renew euery thing clothes vessels and all onely carelesse to renew our hearts Many are carelesse of the best things Renew a right spirit within me He doubleth his suite concerning his soule as his principall desire There are many who desire earnestly at God for earthly things but few are serious in seeking that best thing a new soule Many are careful of the outward man and carelesse of the hid man of the heart that inner man The spirit is right when it is set vpon the right obiect which is God but when it declineth to the world or to sinne then it is wrong and goeth astray Dauid crauing first that he might be purged froÌ„ his filthinesse craueth now strength of God to his spirit that he may not wander againe but abide constant in the right way of Gods commandements For we must not onely pray for a renewing grace As we pray for renewing grace so pray for accompanying and following graces but for an accompanying grace and a following grace to keep vs in the way of Gods obedience The crooked and broken backed were not admitted to the Priesthood no more are crooked or peruerse soules meete for Gods kingdome Trie of what spirit ye are whether of a right or a crooked trie whether it be of God or not Euery mans wayes are right in his owne eyes but the Lord pondereth the hearts God must cast downe the old building and build vp in thee a new building for himselfe that thou maist be one of the stones of that new Ierusalem which shall be inhabited by God Verse 11. Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me IN this verse he craueth two euils to be auerted from him one that he be not cast out from Gods presence the other that the holy Spirit be not taken from him God cast off Saul his predecessor and tooke his holy Spirit from him 1. Sa. 16.15 and gaue him ouer to be led by an euill spirit Dauid here craueth at God to be free of those two iudgements The chiefe thing which he seeketh after is Gods fauour from which nothing debarreth vs more then sinne If any Courtier for his ouersight were put out of his place as Pharaohs butler and out of the Kings sight Exod. 40.3 would they not thinke hard thereof till they recouer his fauour Wee haue sinned against God should we take any rest till we be restored to his fauour Seek Gods fauour Should we not be afraid to be exiled and cast forth from his fauorable countenance in whose presence is fulnesse of ioy Psal 16.12 The face and presence of God is as the Sunne Simil. which in Summer looking fauourably on the earth quickneth all creatures man beasts the earth whatsoeuer groweth the fishes of the sea and the birds of the â—aire and by his absence all are discouraged comfortlesse and lose their vigour so while we haue Gods fauour we are in good case we haue light heate comfort pleasure and all things if he hide his face all things goes wrong and therefore our Poet saith well Tu si me placido lumine videris Cedent continuo caeterae prosperè Buch. Psal But do you think that God can cast away his elect child No verily God caÌ„not absent him self foreues totally and finally he will not do it he cannot do it though we our selues and others beholding our crosses may esteeme so The Sun may seeme not to shine Simil. wheÌ„ it is couered with clouds although it be shining so God may seeme to leaue vs when he crosseth vs but it is not so With an euerlasting loue haue I loued thee He loued his owne who were in the world to the end he loued them Ioh. 16.27 The gifts of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 False Christ would deceiue the very elect if it were possible Mat. 24.24 Againe Christ saith No man shall take them out of my hands Rom. 8.30 And Paul Whom God predestinateth he calleth iustifieth and glorifieth therefore they cannot fall away finally Which is against that damnable doctrine of the Papists Against the Papists who thinke the elect may be reprobares which is repugnant to the whole Trinitie Against God Against Christ who thinke the elect may be reprobates This doctrine is iniurious to the whole Trinitie for the Father is greatly wronged in that he is thought to be impotent or inconstant who hath ordaned vs before the world to glorie that his work could be hindred or altered by any intervenient fault or sinne in vs as though he would or could not remoue and pardon it And our Sauiour getteth no lesse iniury by them that one of his members can perish and so he should haue a defectiue body For if any who once hath bin a member of his mysticall bodie fall away or be cut off of necessitie his bodie by want of that one member would be disgraced And the hoâ—y Spirit who is the pledge of our adoption Against the holy Spirit sealing vp Gods grace in our hearts and giuing vs that full perswasion of Gods promises causing vs to crie Abba Father Rom. 8.15 is greatly wronged when his work is accounted nothing of as friuolous light and vncertaine So to speake the truth the Papists do what in them lieth to disgrace the holy Trinite and aduance Angels and men in plaine contempt of that glorious God head which we ought so much to aduance in our doctrine and writings This is a great comfort to vs The graces of the Spirit can not be taken away that the graces of the Spirit which we haue once gotten cannot be taken away againe For howsoeuer we do not feele them alike at all times yet we haue them sin may take away the seeling of grace
that is that the sacrifices of old could not worke by themselues remission of sinnes but onely did represent and prefigure the onely sacrificâ— of our Redeemer Then as he saith truly their sacrifices ex opere operato by the external working of them cannot giue remissioâ— of sins What reason then hath he to affirm that the Sacrament of the new Testamen conferreth grace by the very externall giuing thereof Lorinus against himselfe seeing that same thing waâ— prefigureted by their sacrifices which is represented by our Sacraments that is Christâ— blood both in Baptisme and in the Lords Supper Verse 17. The sacrifices of the Lord are 〈◊〉 contrite spirit a contrite and broken heart O God thou wilt noâ— despise WHen he hath remoued that which God misliked and refused now he placeth that which God liketh and receiueth that is the sacrifice of a contrite spirit In the plurall number called sacrifices that is this one for 〈◊〉 A broken heart is such a heart which is humbled through a sight and sense of sin What a broken hâ—arâ— is For it is needfull that as we haue worne our heart by finne so our heart should be worne againe by repentance and sorrow for sinne and that we should take paines to subdue our hearts and all the thoughts thereof and bring them captiue to Gods obedience That is that poore spirit of which Matthew speaketh Mat. 5.3 Esa 66.2 Isaias speaketh of the spirit that trembleth at Gods word Why sacrifices in the plurall number This caus d Dauid to put the word sacrifices in the plurall number that he might expresse the better that one contrite heart which is the sacrifice of repentance alone suffiseth for all legall sacrifices If he had said that a contrite heart is a sweet smelling sacrifice they might haue excepted that so are many others as the papists do mixe their works with the grace of God But Dauid excludeth purposlie all sacrifices and sheweth that what euer sacrifices God respecteth are comprehended vnder a penitent heart beleeuing in Christs bloud and seeking mercie for the same This sort of people are called mourners in Sion who mourne to God for their owne sinnes and the sinnes of the people who powre out their heart with their teares to God who doe lament for the affliction of Ioseph Oh what cause haue we to lament this day for our sinnes and to breake our hearts for the persecution of the Church in euery place Let our feasting be turned into fasting our laughter in teares Mourne with Ieremiah for the desolation of Sion Nota. A contrite and broken heart thou wilt not despise Here he encourageth the penitent sinner who may be affraied to appeare before the Tribunall of God in regard of the conscience of his sinne and be feared that God will not accept him howsoeuer he be humbled Him here he encourageth God will not despise a troubled heart yea rather he will like it and manifest his skill in healing and comforting it God liketh a troubled heart To which agree all those places in Isaias which comfort the Church those sweet inuitations of Christ to the laden and wearie to come vnto him and to those that were athirst and he that calleth vpon vs will not reiect and cast vs away The Lord is nigh to them that be of a contrite spirit Psal 144.8 Who speake to him in the bitternesse of their soule Iob. 10.1 Crying like the Dragon or Ostrich Mich. 1.8 Who cry wonderfull being ouercomed by the Elephants As Saint Ierome saieth who slay their affections and offer them as a sacrifice to God as the Magdalen Peter other Saints who forsake their former lusts and say with a certaine young man who being temped by an harlot and seeming to be ignorant who she was she said ego sum it is I he answered ego non sum it is not I for he was conuerted by repentance If thou would prevaile with God Pro. 23.26 giue him thine whole heart if thou doe any thing for God doe it with thine heart 2. Chro. 31 21 seeke him with thine whole heart loue him feare him pray to him turne to him obey him with thine whole heart Deut. 10 12. Rom. 6.17 Ier. 32.40 Ioel. 2 12. Psal 119.145 Their heart is deuided saith the Lord of hoste now shall they perish Hos 10. â— God is one and vndeuided and craueth an heart one and whole in affection and rent onely by deâ—ection nothing can breake God but a broken heart The string can bow the bowe the fire can temper and molifie the steele the goates bloud the adamant and the heart contrite can moue God saith Mantuan in these verses Virga recens Zephyris neruo curuabitur arcus Igne chalybs adamas sangnine corde Deus Finallie obserue that albeit repentance doth make a contrite heart and as I said before we should take such paine on our contrition that we should not let any thought of our heart escape vnrepented mourned for yet the onely hammer which must burst our soules is the word of God The word of God bruseth the heart which bruseth the rockes of a stonie heart Simil. and maketh an heart of flesh And as out of rags being brused is brought forth fine paper so is a troubled heart brused with sorrow for sin turned into a gratious subiect whereinto God may worke and write his law And as the poole of Bethsaida being troubled Ioh. 5.4 brought health to mens bodies so doth the conscience afflicted by God bring certaine health and saluation to soule and body Saint Ambrose sayeth that repentance is so difficult and hard a matter that he hath oftner found mo who liued innocently then who did truely repent It is written of Augustine that he caused the psalmes of repentance to be put on the wall ouer against him before he died and reaped aboundantly reading them ten daies at which time none came to him but either the phisitians or his refreshment Seeing therefore God liketh this sacrifice of a contrite heart without which none other thing will please him let vs take the bests of our affections seperate them from their olde pleasures to God bind them by the coards of the word lay them downe at his feete and slay them and that sacrifice shall please him offer thy selfe a liuing sacrifice and be assured God will accept of thee and neuer reiect thee not thine offering other sacrifices die being offered Nota. but we by offering our selues to God yet liue Verse 18. Be fauourable vnto Zion for thy good pleasure build the walles of Ierusalem HE hath prayed for mercie to himselfe now he praieth for the Church which he hath offended by his sinne and vpon which he had brought such euills that it would please God to be mercifull to her â—uild vp her walles and repaire her ruines No man can truely pray for himselfe vnles he pray for the church No man can truely pray for